Toptots Port Elizabeth

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY…Do you dream of making a real difference in a child’s life? Turn that passion into a thriving career! Become your own boss and build a rewarding business in the field of early childhood development. 🧠‼️

Toptots Port Elizabeth is for sale. Contact Candice for more info 🫶🏻

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And here it is… our first workshop for 2024!

This is a workshop to equip parents/caregivers with the knowledge to safely and confidently introduce solids. 👶🏻

This workshop is suitable for parents/caregivers of little ones that haven’t yet started solids (0-6 months) or have just started solids but maybe aren’t feeling too sure about the journey ahead.

The topics that will be discussed include:
🧡 When to introduce solids
🧡 How to start
🧡 Baby led weaning vs purees
🧡 Texture progression
🧡 Allergens
🧡 Fluids
🧡 What to expect
🧡 Things to avoid

The session will be presented online via Zoom & you’re welcome to have your little one(s) with you! As it is virtual, it’s open to caregivers worldwide! 👶🏻

Please WhatsApp 0722226755 to book and/or for more information. 🌿

Come and join us for a cup of tea/coffee and some lounge time with other breastfeeding mommies. We will also have our equipment to weigh & measure babies as well as answer any questions you may have. 🧡🤱🏼

Today marks the start of World Breastfeeding Week 2023 with the focus on breastfeeding for working parents.

The return to work is one of the most common reasons for stopping breastfeeding, and due to maternity leave most often being 4 months in South Africa, this means that infants often aren’t able to be exclusively breastfed for the recommended 6 months.

As a mother, I think it’s important to note that you absolutely CAN continue to breastfeed once you return to work. This might look different for everyone, but it is possible. Whether it means popping out to breastfeed your baby or expressing at work and breastfeeding your baby in the hours that you’re home. 🤱🏼

It’s worthwhile communicating openly with your employer, and informing them of your wish to continue breastfeeding. This way you can start a conversation about pumping or breastfeeding breaks, breastfeeding policies and breastfeeding facilities. Support from employers and colleagues is crucial, and something that I wish all employees would have.

While studying my SACLC I did a mini research project on this exact topic, and I’ll be sharing some of the literature and statistics over the next week that I found really interesting and beneficial!

If you feel a bit lost and need assistance with the specifics around expressing/breastfeeding when you return to work, a lactation consultant can assist you in making it a smooth transition. 🧡

Breast pumps can be a great tool to use when you aren’t able to breastfeed your baby directly at the breast and/or if you’re heading back to work and want to maintain your supply and provide expressed breastmilk for your baby. BUT DID YOU KNOW? Fl**ge size matters!

The fl**ge is the part of your breastpump that fits onto your breast and that your ni**le goes into. It often looks like a funnel.

Most breast pumps come with a standard size fl**ge BUT this won’t necessarily fit all ni**les. Why does this matter?

•If too small: your ni**le will rub against the sides of the fl**ge and this can cause ni**le damage and pain (ouch😣)
•If too big: the pump can pull too much of your areola/breast tissue in and this may also be painful, and you might not be able to form a good seal
•Having the wrong size fl**ge could result in less output, blocked ducts, engorgement & could affect your supply

So how do you know if the size is right? You should measure your ni**le diameter in mm & then in most cases you need to add about 4mm to your measurement to find your fl**ge size. A lactation consultant can assist with measuring & sizing you for the best fit, as well as assisting with guidelines for expression and storage of breastmilk.

Size DOES matter. This is something that I wish I knew first time around… but I know now. 😅

Highly recommend this to any mommies starting their solids journey with their little ones ♥️

The time has come for our next introduction to solids workshop! 🙌🏻

This is a workshop to equip parents/caregivers with the knowledge to safely and confidently introduce solids. 👶🏻

This workshop is suitable for parents/caregivers of little ones that haven’t yet started solids (0-6 months) or have just started solids but maybe aren’t feeling too sure about the journey ahead.

The topics that will be discussed include:
🧡 When to introduce solids
🧡 How to start
🧡 Baby led weaning vs purees
🧡 Texture progression
🧡 Allergens
🧡 Fluids
🧡 What to expect
🧡 Things to avoid

The session will be presented online via Zoom & you’re welcome to have your little one(s) with you! As it is virtual, it’s open to caregivers worldwide! 👶🏻

Please WhatsApp 0722226755 to book and/or for more information. 🌿

Sending out lots of loves to all our special kiddies and parents this Valentine’s Day! ♥️.

Is tummy time important?  The simple answer is yes!  There are so many benefits for your child’s development through this simple position.
Try to view tummy time as part of your baby’s daily routine and bring the aspect of play into it to make it more enjoyable.  Being on their backs or side during awake play periods is also important and you just need to get the balance right in your daily routine.  Give your baby the chance to experience all these positions during their awake periods.🌿✨

Don’t have a happy baby while on his tummy?  Persevere – your baby is getting stronger with each passing day and starts to build up the muscles to sustain the tummy time position resulting in him becoming more tolerant of the position and over time happy to spend play time on their tummy.  💪 Just remember no matter how your child starts to love playing on his tummy we need to remember “Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play!” – this is the advice of the professionals that babies must be placed on their back for sleep and when awake placed on their tummy for play all the time being supervised by an adult.

Start tummy time from birth by initially placing your baby on your chest during their awake hours.  A typically developing baby should begin with 1 to 5 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day from birth, gradually building up by adding on a minute every few days.  Babies with medical diagnoses must follow the advice of their medical practioner.
 

🥰this one’s for the grandparents 😇

My parents visited when you were four weeks old. Dad quietly got to work. He cleaned our oven and fridge. The smell of Dettol filled our flat and felt like love. Mum kept the washing rolling over and made the beds. They bought organic strawberries from a local farmers market. "This will do you good. Get those vitamins zinging" Mum said.

They could see I was delirious with no sleep so they took you after a feed and packed me off to bed. I could hear them trying to pacify you for a wee while as I zonked out.

Dad apologetically nudged me from my slumber: "Sorry doll. He's hungry again." I didn't understand why he was apologising. I had woken up smiling and refreshed. "How long was I out for? It felt like ages" I said, as if I were emerging from a coma. Dad half-laughed his reply: "About 20 minutes".

Between feeds, Mum held you and you melted into her arms. You looked more content with her than with me. But I didn't mind. I put it down to the bigger b***s but really it was some innate calmness. I watched her little ways. She knew exactly how to hold you. How to pat you. How to talk to you. "Tell me a wee story" she'd say as you looked up wide-eyed and round-mouthed. It felt like a masterclass in mothering that I needed to see. I had felt silly talking to you up until that point.

There is nothing quite so delicate as a first-time mum. She will never forget the way people tried to help. Those who wrapped her up in love and for a moment made her feel like a baby again.

Words: Karen McMillan (Mother Truths)

Collection of Poetry and Prose on Early Motherhood available to buy worldwide: https://linktr.ee/mother_truths

We can’t wait to welcome you back 🤗.
Our classes start next week from the 9th of Jan.
Contact Candice to book your spot 0768242656 [email protected]

Branch Ambassador Search

🖍️We are looking for an Ambassador for Term 1 to share some amazing content.
Do you think You and your Little Tot have what it takes?

🖍️Ambassadors will receive:
💛A free Term at Toptots Port Elizabeth
(Term 1: 9 Jan - 17 Feb)

🖍️What’s expected:
💙Attend 1 week day class every week from 9th Jan -17 Feb 2023
💜Post about your class every week
💚Take your own content at each class you attend and post about it to your feed, stories and reels.
🧡You must consent to having your face and your little ones face being shared on our social media and website

🖍️How to apply
💛Share our term 1 dates and post to your stories and tag us
💙Tag 3 mom friends to this post
💜Comment on this post with your little ones age and why he/she would be the perfect Ambassador

🖍️Search ends on Sunday the 8th of January Branch Ambassador to be announced on Monday morning.