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Being a Momma or Daddy,
Is such a huge responsibility.
It can be disgusting, cleaning up mess;
It can be confronting;
It can be exhausting;
It can be so hard;
And yet there is ALWAYS the other side…
It can be the most incredible thing we have ever done;
It can be so beautiful;
It can be so moving;
It can be so worth it...
Mum’s and Dad’s cannot ‘not care’. Neither can people who own a company that has staff, or who work for other people, in a team.
Thankfully, being a parent and/or someone who works in business, can be so utterly rewarding.
What does it take?
Everything you have to give.
Giving is a gift in itself and is done by parents without the expectation of getting anything back.
And yet, something can happen where it opens up people’s hearts in a way that you just cannot imagine, let alone understand.
If we think our lives will be different as parents, obviously this is absolutely true.
Safety is imperative as a parent of animals and children, or even as a carer of others.
Let's always aim to keep ourselves and our children safe, resilient, whilst utilising discernment and deep caring
Do the best you can, and no one can ask more of you.
We want to provide you with some Safety tips to assist you on your parenting journey. Feel free to utilise what resonates with you as there are a few you may not have heard before listed below...
Safety suggestions for pregnant mums (or those trying to be pregnant)
Firstly we intend to make it very clear that we will never judge a new Mother or woman who is doing their best to raise a child inside her or externally to her. It is not easy to raise a child from a fetus, and we all know it. We share the below info to try and make sure you and your child stay healthy at all ages (with no expectation of you whatsoever).
- Never take any medication (not even a Panadol) if pregnant, if it is avoidable….as there is no way of knowing if it harms an unborn baby. This knowledge was passed on a a doctor who was quoting a medical journal.
- If pregnant obviously avoid alcohol and any drugs, illegal or legal, or other harmful substances that could effect your child where it is possible to do so.
- When pregnant Monitor yourself (and your child once you give birth - check for temperatures, coughs, fevers, or unusual sweating…if anything is out of the ordinary, feel free to physically take them to a registered doctor to be checked over or hospital if it is of a more serious nature ie. secondary infections or symptoms that do not seem to dissipate over time…this goes for every person and very much includes the elderly also).
- Obviously be careful what you ingest as unseen bacterias from food not being handled to food safety requirements can be an issue.
- Boiling and then cooling water you drink is a good idea too.
Safety suggestions for Mum’s of new borns
- Never put moisturiser (or anything if you can avoid it without washing it off) on your nipples when feeding as this could make your baby sick if breastfeeding.
- When feeding try and avoid ingesting or eating or drinking anything that could harm a baby also where possible, especially alcohol or stimulants in large quantities (it could go through to their little bodies).
- It is a good idea when feeding, maybe watch a white screen (a laptop or iPad or even TV for your favourite ReRuns of television series you like so you stay awake and do not risk falling asleep and possibly dropping your child).
- When out getting exercise be extra careful of being bitten by anything harmful…even in your home….perhaps move things around regularly (to dust/clean perhaps) so any hiding are found (be careful of any harsh or toxic chemicals utilised for cleaning purposes too as there are natural eucalyptus based ones (that is actually a natural sanitiser) that do as good a job at killing any bacteria like Baristos - Muti-purpose (be careful not to get it in the eyes of animals or humans).
- Also be careful of sprays that you could breathe that could be harmful for you and your unborn child (pump bottles are better). Even deodorants without a fan on in the room can be harmful…so it might be better option to utilise a pump spray deodorant with no aluminium or other harmful ingredients in it (a natural one like tea tree is a great idea in winter as you don’t sweat as much). Also, anything without aluminium or metals in it, if breastfeeding is a good idea (be careful not to get any on your breast of course).
- Walking your bubs, in a pram even just around the block is great exercise for those wanting to get back into shape (yes we all need to do this after giving birth one you are able to, but give yourself the time you need). Walking a a great idea for a lot of reasons, especially in beautiful weather, as it will lift you too. A double decker pram can be a solution to carry baby and toddler, until you reach a park or other place you are safe to let your toddler roam free. Perhaps wait for Dad or a friend to come with you, if you have more than two children.
- Perhaps carry a light oversize scarf with you so you can cover yourself and your baby when breastfeeding in public places if you wish, and pop it around your neck when you are done.
Safety suggestions for parents of toddlers and older children (more to come):
- Avoid pillows until children are of an appropriate age, which has to be decided by the parents (the flatter the better).
- When they are ready, perhaps utilise a flatter, longer pillow that covers the entire top of the bed, rather than one or two separate smaller puffy ones.
- Always wash your hands when preparing bottles, and scold all items with boiling water prior to putting milk or other substances in them (be careful not to scold yourself). Keep a natural moisturiser near you perhaps also, so your hands don't get too dry.
- Check dates of milk and test not only the temperature but the taste, every time you make it yourself (as some can take on the metal taste of the inside of the tin), and check temperatures on the back of your hand.
Safety suggestions for parents of older children (Lunch box tricks will come in another article):
- Always wash your hands when preparing food, and scold with boiling water every single pot, frypan, cake tin and all implements, before utilising them.
- Ensure you follow food safety standards at all times.
- No dairy should be out of the fridge for more than two hours without an ice pack which is important to note for school lunches also.
- Be careful with hard surfaces, and edges on tables and kitchen bench tops as they can be sharp and kids could be just the right height to hit their bodies or heads on them…round off edges where possible or be prepared to put some kind of ‘bumper’ on it perhaps.
- Washing needs to be done with a non toxic earth friendly washing powder, which can be tricky (as to get stains out, you might need to wash once with harsher chemical powders and sprays and then wash again with a more natural one that is not so hard on human skin, especially if Eczema is an issue).
- If Eczema is appearing or any kind of skin rash, perhaps try going back to a fairly raw diet and reducing foods with additives and preservatives. Utilising natural products on the skin of a child or adult is important, especially if they seem to be extra sensitive.
It is wise to have everyone’s best interests in a family at heart obviously, including your own, so make sure you get plenty of rest and eat well yourself obviously, and perhaps help others achieve this outcome, as best you can together.
Everyone who is not a new parent please remember that Mum's and sometimes Dad's with babies HAVE to make them their priority and sometimes miss out on social functions etc often (due to the sniffles or otherwise unwell child) which can be difficult at times.
It is not a bad idea if Mums and Dads, when they have older children, find some sort of part time role that is enjoyable so they can upskill and continue learning as much as they can, ideally close to where they live.
Regular, reliable work that can be counted, on with a reputable company is important (having said this, working for yourself is more than alright and even encouraged as long as you are part of some sort of community). Meeting and working in professional manner with a lovely team of colleagues, that you enjoy working with in a wider network, is worthwhile. Working autonomously is also alright of course, as long as you see friends and family and get out and about on a regular basis.
Companies that have roles that provide flexibility for women who have to pick up their children and who perhaps cannot rely on family to do so every day, are going to do well, if they have the option to grow within it also and are supported (if they are doing everything they can to meet all requirements).
Every employee within the business from the most junior position to the most senior has individual responsibility and a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of themselves and others who may be effected by their actions.
Even if you are a parent to fluffy creatures, this also has it’s ups and downs.
Safety suggestions for parents of fluffy babies can found here....
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