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Ellie May Maternity, London (2025)

20/11/2025

It's World Children's Day 🌎👶

A day to celebrate children being given the rights they deserve from the moment they're born as human beings just like you and I 🤱

Maria Montessori talked a lot about the Rights of the Child and respecting our youngest citizens, seeing every child as the individuals they are, who matter and play a part in day-to-day life, deserving of all the same care and respect as we would give any other human 🥰

So here are some great quotes from her writing:

🌟 “Democracy begins at birth. The child must know what is going to happen to him, that he will not be seized suddenly, that his permission will be asked first. ”
Maria Montessori
The 1946 London Lectures, p. 132

🌟 “For so long as we continue to look exclusively at the weakness of the newborn, for so long as we continue considering him psychologically disabled, we will miss both the most important secret and the most important energy in human life"
Maria Montessori
Citizen of the World, p. 56

🌟 “We must see the child from the point of the future man. We must understand that it is a human right that the child should grow in the right way because the man will grow from the child in a few years. This man must have the rights of every citizen. ”
Maria Montessori
The 1946 London Lectures, p. 140

🌟 “The child has a fundamental role in the construction of the human being. If the dignity and the rights of workers are recognised, so should be the dignity and the rights of the worker who produces man."
Maria Montessori, Citizen of the World, p.54

Have you got any quotes - Montessori or otherwise - to share? Comment below! 👇

19/11/2025

It's tiiiimeeeeee...⏰️

For your, anywhere from, 2-6 month old to have a physical change in their sleep biology, going from 50:50 REM (active sleep, fidgety, eyes moving, think your baby is awake) sleep and Deep sleep (still, quiet baby, not disturbed by even a smoke alarm going off) to having light sleep during transitions in sleep cycles...like you and I as adults have 😴

As you can imagine, this can be quite the change for baby who is new to...everything...so they are more prone, during this change, to waking as they transition through light sleep and seek reassurance from their familiar parents and carers 🤱

The sleep training industry, however, loves to jump on this badly-termed "4-month-regression" to imply you need their help to "teach" your baby to sleep and that now is the time to implement all those "drowsy but awake"...or just putting your baby down fully awake...or leaving them to self-settle no matter their temperament...🙉🤷‍♀️

The truth? You don't need to do any of that...continuing to respond to your baby when they wake unsettled in whatever way they need - whether a simple bum-pat and shhh or a pick up and cuddle or feed - helps reassure your little one that they are still safe even in this new experience 🤗

This continued reassurance means they become more comfortable over, sometimes just 1 or 2 nights, sometimes a little longer, to not wake fully during this lighter sleep 🤩

And, if these frequent end-of-cycle wakes continue (and they may not even happen at all as some babies just aren't bothered by the change) and you're doubting yourself, there are gentle, holistic practitioners out there to help without any non- or low- responsive sleep training 🙋‍♀️🌟

#

18/11/2025

As autumn transitions to winter and temperatures are cooling even more, think Shrek and onions. Think Layers! 👶🌡

Babies can't regulate their own temperature and can easily overheat - much more of a risk than them being cold 🥵

So, if dressing baby, day or night, and in doubt, think about layering with light, natural fibres like Cotton or Wool. Then, if they feel too warm - on the back of the neck or the chest (hands and feet are not good spots for checking temperature), individual layers can be removed, or if too cold, another light layer added 🤗

If babywearing, remember that your body heat and the fabric of the sling are at least 1 layer each so they won't need as many layers but will likely need their extremeties (hands, head and feet) covered as these are not protected from the cold as much 👒🧦🧤

While snowsuits and puffy jackets can be handy for trips in the buggy, these are not safe options for car-seats or carriers and should always be removed - as with any excess layers - when back in the warm inside 🌟

14/11/2025

There's something very satisfying about getting a good fit on a carrier 🌟🤗

In advance of their trip to the US, my twin mum had ordered a new carrier - the omni360 to use alongside her existing carrier while navigating airport and airplane life with 11-month old twins and a 3 year old 🤯🛩

For a carrier to have the most optimal fit, you're aiming for:
🌟 The fabric of the sling to reach from one knee-pit to the other, allowing baby to be seated as opposed to dangling (or, as puts it, more like being seated in a hammok than on a stool)
🌟 Baby should be sat deeply in the sling so their knees are higher than their bum (like the letter M) allowing their spine to naturally curve and their head to rest on your chest
🌟 Head free of any fabric going beyond the nape of their neck (although I'll be honest that i still struggled to get the head flap to stay folded down consistently...) so baby can turn their heads and keep their airways clear
🌟 In view at all times and close enough to kiss by baby's head resting on the hard part of your chest
🌟 Baby should be supported from neck to knee

After fitting both the twins (taking turns woth each carrier), i was able to be hands free (poorly demonstrated in these photos I realise but my hand did not need to be on them 😂) and potter around while they enjoyed looking round...or in baby boy's case, going to sleep 💤🤗

13/11/2025

Just a rambly video giving you a challenge for the day or week...or month...to rest when the baby rests...because it IS productive (if that's what concerns you) 💤👶

🤱 Sit on the sofa while baby naps in the bassinet
🤱 Contact nap while you binge some netflix
🤱 Pop your baby in the sling and then relax..

Society wants us to believe that resting or doing things for ourselves is not productive...but it's not true 🤷‍♀️

Let's both promise to work on retraining that part of our brain! 🙉🤯

12/11/2025

Having worked with this first-time mum and her gorgeous baby boy since he was 6 weeks, how she feeds has definitely changed, as questions have been asked, baby has grown (now 3 months) and I've been there to make suggestions 🤱

🤱 Positioning: I helped mum move from a parent-led cradle type hold, where mum increasingly struggled with baby latching, and keeping baby close as he grew, to a more laid back, koala-esque baby-led position - tummy to tummy, straddled mum's opposite knee to breast, allowing mum to recline and have a confident hand free while baby feels safe and held (by gravity) to latch and feed

🤱 Making sure hands are getting involved as needed or out of the way if not - babies like to get involved with their hands, especially after the initial letdown or as flow is slower. Mum also gets her hand involved at this point to see if she can help and get baby actively feeding when he stops. Any hands trapped between mum and baby are encouraged elsewhere!

🤱 Less clock watching - from early talks about when 3 hours would be up since previous feed, we talked about more biologically realistic expectations, how breastfeeding isn't just for hunger

🤱 Offering at least 2 courses, often 3 - i.e. instead of staying on 1 breast each feed, initially while sleepy and now as more distractable, when baby seems to be feeding actively less or turning to look at things, coming on and off the breast etc., mum switches to the other breast...and repeats until he shows he is done!

🤱 Pumping times - while previously pumping more randomly and sometime just before feeds, I suggested pumping after feeds when she knew she'd want some for dad to give baby so not feeding her pump from a full breast and then baby but the other way around

Breastfeeding is natural but it's also a new skill mum and her particular babg are working on together, and support from a certified feeding coach can't hurt so I'm glad I can be that part of their village 🌟🥰

10/11/2025

Buying clothes for a baby (whether yours or someone elses) is fun and so cute...but here's some handy thoughts to consider 👇

👶 Babies have sensitive skin so it's best to stick to gentle fabrics like 100% cotton and was them with gentle, non-bio, non-scented products before putting them on baby
👶 Unlike older verbal children, and us adults, babies can't tell us when they're uncomfortable - a label is bothering them, a collar is tickling or scratchjng their neck, tight waistbands, a zip is rubbing against their skin, toes tight against end of footed onesies...so, if baby is particularly upset after putting an outfit on, consider these elements...
👶 Light layers are a great way of helping babies when they can't regulate their own temperature - so short-sleeved vests are a great option for under longer sleepsuits/onesies
👶 Fluid leaks from feeds and nappies are all great reasons to focus on easily washable clothes too
👶 If they're not walking, they probably don't need shoes - especially if you're buying for someone else's baby as sizing can be tricky!
👶 Not all babies are born equal (in size) or grow at the same rate! You can't be sure what size YOUR little one will fit so don't go overboard with the tiniest options. Your baby will be growing in no time, but they're unlikely to shrink…With this in mind, focus on the current/upcoming season. Don't plan too far ahead (but never turn the offer of hand-me-downs!). You can also extend the life of items e.g. cutting off the feet of onesies if toes are reaching the end and putting socks on instead!

One of the things I envy most about babies (besides the sleeping and eating all day bit) is the fact they get to essentially live in pyjamas 24/7…the dream! Plus they get to have ears on everything and cute animals on their bum! 🐻

06/11/2025

Is your somewhere-around-3-month-old really showing behaviours you've been told are associated with teething? 🤷‍♀️

🦷 Are they dribbling more than before?
🦷 Are their hands spending 99% of the time in their mouth?
🦷 Is their sleep a little more disrupted?

I've met many a parent who is sure their young baby is teething early because of they've noticed these 3 things occurring around the same time...Calpol (or alternative therapies) are being given to try and ease any discomfort and help baby sleep again only for no teeth to actually appear for months....👀

What if I told you: there are other explanations for these behaviours that are more likely (although I'm not saying some babies don't start teething very young) than teething 🤯

1. Your baby's saliva glands mature at around the 3 month with the amont of saliva being produced, and the amount of Drooling that occurs, increasing significantly at between 2 and 3 months 💧

2. At around the same time...sometimes closer to 4 months, babies start to more intentionally bring their hands to their mouth and intentionally keep them there 🖐

3. Due to physical changes and progression in their sleep architecture - often unhelpfully referred to as the "4-month sleep regression" which can actually happen anywhere from around 2-6 months - your baby may wake more between sleep cycles, need more support to sleep and, at the same time, often requires less sleep overall in 24hrs which can mean more wakefulness at times you were previously used to them being tired 💤

So, before jumping to teething, medicines and gels check if any of the above may be what is going on instead 🌟

None of this is to suggest this period is any easier to deal with just because it's not necessarily about 🦷

And, if you're worried about sleep and what's biologically normal, you can always get in touch for a chat 💬 🥰

04/11/2025

Something 🤯 came to my attention yesterday when my partner confessed he was struggling with the New York Times game Strands...the theme of which was "wee wee wee!" (Obviously referring to...🐷🐷🐷🐷🐷)

My partner knew he was finding words from the rhyme...and so I asked him to recite it:

1. This little piggy went to Market
2. This little piggy stayed at home
3. This is where it gets weird...I'll comment his answer later once I've collected some data
4. This little piggy stayed home
5. This little piggy went weeeee all the way home

So, my question is: what does YOUR 3rd little piggy do?? 🐖👇

Thanks for participating 💬

Ellie May Maternity

20/11/2025

19/11/2025

18/11/2025

14/11/2025

13/11/2025

12/11/2025

10/11/2025

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04/11/2025

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