Birth Baby Balance

25/11/2025

It’s been placenta central here over the weekend! Collections from Bloxham (Friday), Stroud (Saturday) and Warwick (Sunday), resulting in over 700 capsules, a print and 2 lots of essence, as well as 3 umbilical cord keepsakes.
And now 3 happy mamas are starting their postnatal journey with their own, personalised recovery kit, produced by their bodies for their own unique needs.
If you live in Oxfordshire or a surrounding county, get in touch to find out how your placenta can look after you after it has finished looking after your baby.

https://www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/placenta-encapsulation

16/11/2025

We still have a few spaces left on our Infant and Family First Aid workshop on Tuesday 18th November, from 11-1 in Witney. It is ideal for anyone who is pregnant or has a baby or young child, or who helps in caring for them (such as grandparents), in order to feel confident in the event of an accident.

Facilitated by a paramedic assistant, it covers a wide range of topics, including choking, head injuries, serious bleeds, meningitis, CPR, burns and scalds, and febrile convulsions.

There are plenty of opportunities to practice the skills using infant and child sized dummies, helping you to embed your learning.

Babes in arms are welcome, so you don't need to find childcare for your little one.

Full details and booking link here: https://www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/first-aid-courses

13/11/2025

We had a lovely walk in Aston this week, just managing to avoid the rain and ending at the fabulous pottery. Their cakes truly are off the scale! 🫖🍰

Just a quick reminder that there's no walk next week, so we'll look forward to seeing you on the 25th for the next one. We'll announce the location the weekend before on our dedicated WhatsApp group. Full details here: https://www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/walking-and-talking-groups

13/11/2025

Can I drink alcohol and breastfeed? No harmful effects to babies have been reported from drinking no more than one drink a day. Our evidence-based article on Drinking Alcohol and Breastfeeding answers many questions you may have.

Alcohol is present in a woman’s milk at the same level as in her blood: it rises and falls along with it. If you know your blood alcohol level, you know your milk alcohol level. Alcohol passes freely into breastmilk and has been found to peak about 30 to 60 minutes after consumption, 60 to 90 minutes when drunk with food.

Alcohol also freely passes out of breastmilk so there is rarely need to express milk and throw it away. If the alcohol has gone from her blood, it will have gone from the milk. It takes a 63.5kg woman about two to three hours to eliminate the alcohol in one serving of beer or wine from her body; the more alcohol that is consumed, the longer it takes for it to be eliminated. For example, if the same woman had four drinks, it would take nine to ten hours for her breastmilk to contain no alcohol.

https://laleche.org.uk/alcohol-and-breastfeeding/
https://llli.org/breastfeeding-info/alcohol/
Many thanks to # for the graphic

01/11/2025

A wonderfully busy Baby Group this week, with so many scrumptious little munchkins! Thank you to everyone who came, and for joining in the dressing up fun. Can’t wait for our Christmas session!
Join us every Friday between 10.30 and 12.00 at the Part and Parcel in central Witney with your under-one. No booking required - just turn up. £3 per family.
See you next Friday 😊

30/10/2025

Really looking forward to tomorrow's Baby Group at The Part and Parcel! If you want to, please bring your little one in their Halloween finery - it is so cute seeing all the little pumpkins 🎃, ghosties 👻 and creepy-crawlies 🐞🕷!

There will be homemade cake this week (I've spent this afternoon baking autumnal cakes 🍰) 😋

Join us any time between 10.30 and 12.00, no need to book, just bring £3 cash. Under 1's only please.

27/10/2025

We've been contacted by Oxford Brookes University, who need some pregnant volunteers to help with their midwifery training. If you fit the bill and would like to get involved, please contact Sarah Fleming directly to arrange it.

23/10/2025

I was honoured to recently attend a speedy and exciting homebirth, where the baby decided they did not want to be induced, so came in a very short space of time just a few hours before the scheduled induction! Babies are clever like that.

This week I caught up with the baby’s parents to debrief, and they gave me so many beautiful gifts, I was quite overwhelmed. I absolutely love both the bags - the big one is easy to read, the little one says:
I have all the energy I need to do my work
I quiet my mind as I quiet the birthing space
I am flexible and adaptable to any situation
My hands are strong and capable
I am compassionate
I am skilled
I am intuitive
I am full of love and knowledge
I face difficult situations with courage and empathy
I am a Doula.

Thank you to this wonderful family for inviting me to share their journey as they welcome their baby into the world. It has been an absolute joy and a privilege ❤️❤️

22/10/2025

Edit:
Our sign up form is now closed.

Thank you so much to everyone who contacted us to share their experiences with the investigation team.

OMNVP

You may have heard that OUH maternity services are being looked into by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation Team.

A big part of the teams visit is listening to real stories from families who’ve received maternity or neonatal care here in Oxfordshire over the last 10 years.

They’re coming in November and would love to hear your experience, whether it was positive, difficult, or a mix of both.

Every story matters.

If you’d like to take part, you’ll join a small group of families sharing their experiences in a safe and supported space.

The investigation team will reimburse travel and childcare expenses (if needed) as well as offer a gift card to thank you for taking part. There is also access to independent emotional support before, during, and after the session, so you feel fully supported.

If this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, DM us. Spaces are limited, so reach out soon.

Your voice matters. Your experience matters.
OMNVP

21/10/2025

So sad- something needs to be done. Well Amy Brown and others.

Parents face 'unjustifiably high' costs to feed their babies because the Government has failed to crack down on profiteering by formula companies, medical experts warned today.

14/10/2025

Calling all little pumpkins 🎃, ghosties 👻 and creepy-crawlies 🐞!

Friday 31st is our Halloween party at Baby Group! Come and join the fun at the Part and Parcel from 10.30-12.00 with your under-one.

A lovely way to get to meet other local new mums and babies, in a safe, welcoming and relaxed space (not a toddler or wheeled toy in sight!).

No booking required - simply turn up at any time. Just £3 per family (please bring cash).