How To Replace Your Child’s Lost Birth Certificate

We have another very useful and practical post for parents of young children – we hope you find it useful.

 

 

 

 

 

Between widespread flooding, moving house and carefully selected “safe places”, we all manage to lose important documents every once in a while. Thankfully, in the modern world we are lucky enough to almost always be able to get replacements.

When your child is born, you will be issued a short version of the child’s birth certificate containing the child’s name, sex and date of birth – free of charge. To get a full birth certificate you will need to apply and make a one-off payment to the government or independent body.

What information do you need to apply?

To get a copy of a birth certificate, you will need the following key information:

• the name of person that the certificate is for,
• the date of the birth,
• the place of the birth and
• the names of the parents (as they would appear on the birth certificate).

 You need a birth certificate to apply for your child’s first British passport

 

 

 

 

 

Even a document as important as a birth certificate can be replaced. But why would you need a copy of your child’s birth certificate?

The most common times when you’ll need a birth certificate are when applying for your child’s first British passport to prove eligibility by birth or when enrolling your child in school. Later in life, your child will need their birth certificate in order to get married or civil partnered.

 What is the fastest way to get a birth certificate?

If you are willing to wait up to fifteen days for the birth certificate then you can order a birth certificate through the UK government. They advise that you should allow for five working days from application for the birth certificate to be dispatched and at least 10 working days for the return of a certificate by post.

However, there are independent specialist agencies, such as Simply Certificate that can help you to get it faster. Depending on the speed at which you need the birth certificate, you can pay to have the certificate in your hands within three days.

This is most useful when you are looking to travel and need to get a passport application in quickly. The service can be used for multiple certificates at once, such as marriage and death certificates too if needed.

 Independent agents use ancestry records to find your certificates faster

While the government has to allow time for workers to gather your information and match them to your records, independent agencies are able to find your documents quicker using your unique ID number.

Everyone’s records are listed in publicly accessible (for a fee) ancestry records. This fee may be an expense you want to avoid paying if you aren’t planning to order multiple certificates.

As independent agencies already have accounts connected with the ancestry sites, they can narrow their search, provide that number to the government body during the application process and therefore get your child’s birth certificate to your faster.

There are a range of cost available depending on how soon you want to get your child’s birth certificate and the process is simple from start to finish. The only times that delays occur is when there is inaccurate information. While a governing body would charge for the mistakes, an independent agency will find the mistakes, liaise with your directly and fix it without wasting precious time going back and forth.

 

New mums over the holiday period: Festive for others, but what if you feel like a party pooper?

It isn’t always easy being a new mum. You’ve been through a big life change. Everyone else is feeling festive. But what if you aren’t?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 10 things you may struggle with during the Christmas season with a new baby:

1) Alcohol. It is not always easy saying no to offers of cocktails or deciding how to navigate the lovely bubbly being passed around when breastfeeding or looking after a new little arrival. Is it okay to ‘pump and dump’? Should you have a small glass before or after feeding? Here’s some helpful info: Breastfeeding and alcohol

2) Who can have a cuddle and how often. Everyone will want to hold your baby, but does that mean you have to just pass him around like a hot potato? Can you say no? What if your in-laws are pushy? Always your choice, don’t be pressured into giving cuddles when you don’t feel that it is a good time.

3) What to wear. After you have a baby, you may not want to squeeze into a sparkly top or a dress of any description. Maybe a Bibee dress will suit…perfect for post-pregnancy, breastfeeding and that period when you still can’t fit into your ‘normal’ clothes.

4) Baby’s naptime. Do you bring a travel cot or let the baby sleep in arms? Should you be strict or loosen up and get back on track after the holidays? Tough calls, not always the easiest to figure out but try to go with the flow.

5) Presents. Do you focus on the new baby or do you recognise that they are too small to realise anything about presents. Is it your turn to feel pampered or is it all about the baby now? Is it time to save now that you have a little one or are you in a giving mood?

 

 

 

 

 

6) Home or out? Which will be easier – entertaining at yours with a newborn or bringing the baby to another location without all of your essentials nearby? Either way you can make it work, just try not to overdo it no matter where you go.

7) Breastfeeding. A hot topic of contention (see link here), should you feed with everyone around, cover up or take cover and feed in a corner (we of course are NOT suggesting this!!)? What will you feel most comfortable doing…remember, it is up to YOU!

8) Christmas dinner. What if your baby needs you in the middle of dinner? How are you going to enjoy the festivities now that you have someone dependant on every move you make? Your baby may need to feed in the middle of dinner, timing of a newborn is always unpredictable!

9) Not getting on with in-laws. You might feel only like being with your own family on Christmas when you’ve had a new baby. Your in-laws may be upsetting you without realising, or it may feel like you are getting unsolicited advice. Go with what feels right and explain your feelings if necessary.

10) Feeling hormonal. Your mood might still be up and down, and enjoying it all might be too big a task. If you are feeling overwhelmed, talk to your partner, and take a break from the festivities if you need to.

How do you think you’ll cope during the holidays with a new baby? Any advice from mums who have been there?

We’d like to wish all of our readers a happy and healthy Holiday Season and a happy New Year!! 

First baby – a year of amazing firsts

Firsts….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First scan

First time hearing baby’s heartbeat

First pregnancy kick

First cry

First moment

First feed

First nappy

First weigh-in

First gas smile

First real smile

First interaction

First tooth

First roll

First getting from A to B

First grab

First tastes

First toddle

First word

A year of firsts = love.

 

What were your favourite firsts?

Things you swore you’d never do as a new mum

There are endless blog posts on habits you’ve formed as a mum that you swore you’d never do….they usually revolve around letting your child watch copious amounts of television, using sweets as bribery and giving in to almighty tantrums. However, before we reach the stage of selling our soul by bowing to the whims of screaming toddlers, we have babies that need to sleep, feed, wean and be looked after. So here you will find the coping mechanisms that new mums utilise that were never on the agenda.

Top 8 things you thought you’d never do….

 

 

 

 

 

1) Rocking baby to sleep – it was always the plan to put your baby down to sleep in that blissed out milk phase. But why is that moment so fleeting and difficult for mums to capture? You somehow find yourself now doing absolutely anything to get your baby to sleep, including driving around, swinging the car seat, pushing the pram, and of course rocking the baby until he / she falls asleep.

Why do you do this?

Because you need sleep like you’ve never needed anything before.

 

 

 

 

2) Have an epidural – you planned a natural birth under no uncertain terms. Your birth plan was explicit, you might try gas and air, your tens maching, the birthing pool but definitely no drugs.

Then why, only a few hours in, were you screaming for your anaesthetist and placing a gold medal on their coat as they left your room?

Because you never knew pain could be that bad!

3) Want to stay-at-home with your baby – your career path was written long ago. You’d take 9 months off, then back to work you’d go. You’d choose a daycare, kiss your baby goodbye and get that promotion you’d be after.

Wait, why are you crying in desperation at the thought of going back to the office?

Why will you only accept your job back if they give you part-time hours?

Because you never knew you’d be so attached to a little human that you created!!

 

 

 

 

 

4) Become reliant on a dummy  – a small piece of latex, how could it be such a lifesaver? You swore that a dummy would be used sparingly or not at all. You swore that you’d never let your baby become so attached that they’d need it for sleep. You swore that you’d never run in and out of their bedroom at all hours of the night to pop it back in their mouth. Yet that is exactly what you find yourself doing!

Why?

Because that little piece of latex is your lifeline and there is no chance you’re giving it up.

5) Use pouches instead of homemade baby food – visions of rows upon rows of home-cooked food for your baby filled your mind. Lovingly created purees…interesting combinations of exotic, organic food…Annabel Karmel recipes and a baby who loved your cooking.  Hmmm.

Why do you find yourself bringing Ella’s Kitchen pouches out and about with you for every meal?

Because they are just too darn convenient!

6) Fight with your partner over who’s had less sleep and who changes more nappies – you were never going to be that couple. You were a unified front, a strong team, unbreakable, unstoppable. You’d share the responsibilities equally, down the middle and would grow stronger for it.

Then why are you fighting over ever little inconsequential, minute detail of your new life?

Because you are so tired, and you can’t keep your eyes open long enough to  be in the same room for 5 minutes!

7) Beg your mother-in-law to come over – ha! Your relationship with your mother-in-law…complicated. Too much advice you never asked for, too much mothering over her precious son, and too much distance between you and her.

Then why is she your new best friend?

Because if it means getting a break (any break) and a home-cooked meal, you will take her shoulder to cry on. Any day.

8) Continue to eat biscuits after the baby is born – your excuse is that you need to keep your energy up for breastfeeding. Your second excuse is that you will worry about losing the baby weight after 9 months. Your third excuse is that you’ve just been on the roller-coaster ride of your life, so don’t you deserve a few biscuits?

Why?

Because you can.  Go for it!

Please share if you’ve relented on something you’d swore you’d never do. Come on, we’ve all been there!!

New January postnatal course dates now up – why not join us to discuss all of your pressures as a new mum in North London.

Some of our newest East Finchley group of mums

Why Postnatal? Why Nurturing Mums?

Postnatal group North London 

New mums are in a fog.

New mums are hormonal.

New mums are up and down.

They think they can do it on their own.

They think life hasn’t changed too much.

 

 

 

 

 

Nurturing Mums’ groups are here for a reason. 10 good reasons:

1) Being a new mum can be lonely. Only having a small baby to be with every day is difficult. Adult interaction is a blessing, especially with other going through the same thing.

2) Our groups are friendly. We have had many groups stay friends long after their course ended. They meet up for birthdays, Christmas and other milestones. Or just to grab coffee and share their latest news.

3) Our venues are ideal. We have a great set-up. We serve coffee, tea and pastries. Just what you need to get started in the morning.

4) New mums need to get out of the house. It’s hard to get a small baby dressed. It’s hard to time feeds properly. It’s hard to know how much stuff to take with you. But, it feels great the first time you do it…and the next time and the next!

5) All of our experts are mums too. We’ve been through it. We know what it’s like. We know how tough it can be to get through the day, never mind the first few months. We are proof that you will get through it, and there is a great future at the end of it.

6) We are here to help! We will gladly hold/rock/push your baby while you listen to our expert speakers or get pampered.

7) You’ll get a lifetime of valuable tips to set you on your way to being a capable mum who enjoys her little one and will know just what to do if / when baby number 2 comes along.

8) There are tonnes of added extras! From your very own mini photo shoot to a mani or massage, you’ll get so much out of the course!

9) Your baby will develop before your very eyes! You’ll see him / her interact with their very first baby friends and react to new surroundings.

10) Sociable, relaxed and non-judgmental – we promise!

 

As if that wasn’t enough…we are so excited to announce our AWESOME AUTUMN offer – course now £65 only for all 6 weeks.

Book here using code AuAwOffer!!

 

Contradictory feelings of a new mum

New mum feeling overwhelmed…yet content?!

 

vs. 

Having a baby…one of the most exciting times of your life, yet scary. A time when you can grapple with emotions so many times in a day you feel like the British weather. You really do feel all over the place but…very content at the same time. How is that possible?? We are here to introduce you to …

The flip-sides of motherhood

Guilt vs contentment

However hard you try, guilt will be a big part of your life from the moment you conceive. It can start with breastfeeding (or not) and can make even confident mums feel overwhelmed and despondent. Others questioning your choices, not feeling up to the job are just some of the guilty feelings you may have.

But when you have a baby, you will simultaneously feel contentment like you’ve never known. A happiness so deep, a fulfilment so strong. You may even feel that your family is complete, or you have never achieved something so monumental.  Then, of course, the guilt comes back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildly unknowing vs. Instinct kicking in 

Your baby cries…is it wind? Colic? Dirty nappy? Is he ill?

Your baby won’t sleep…does she need a routine? Cuddles? Dream feed?

Just because you’ve read all of the books, doesn’t mean you have the answers! No one told you that parenting would be so hard.

Then just when you think you can’t do it…your instincts kick in.  You are a born mother, you know just what to do. This isn’t so hard, you are a natural.

But wait, now your little one has a temperature…oh no!

Ludicrously happy vs incredibly sad

The rollercoaster of hormones can wreak havoc with your feelings.

One day you love your partner, the next you want to kick him to the kerb.

One day you are so happy, you wish you had another two babies, the next day you swear you’ll never have another.

You ask yourself, is it normal to cry 10 times a day?

But then, you ask is it normal to love your baby so much?

Ready for a change yet wanting things to stay as they are

You love being on maternity leave!

No work, no commute, no office, no structure.

But wait, you are going crazy changing nappies, giving baths, feeding all hours of the night – you wish for a bit of stability.

You wish you could use your brain a bit more, but dread going back to work and leaving your baby.

You can’t make a decision, you are even driving yourself crazy!

Speeding it up vs slowing it down

This is key with small children, you want them to get to the next developmental stage, but are equally sad to see the stages pass.

Smiling, rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, talking…they are so cute!

But to never change a nappy, have some free time, have a shower in peace…oh to dream!

It’s just a phase, but do you really want them passing too quickly?

 

 

 

 

 

Our advice…grab onto these dual feelings and make the most of them. New motherhood only happens once – embrace it and let it go!

Join us at our next postnatal course where you will simultaneously feel unsure, yet confident. Friendly yet shy. Happy you’re part of it, but sad it will be over soon.

In anticipation of our first Autumn course, we have lowered the price to £85 – don’t miss out on north London’s most popular postnatal course!

One mum’s struggle with hyperemesis gravidarum (not JUST morning sickness)

Princess Kate is expecting her second child….

2nd baby is on the way!

With news that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting her second baby (great news!) came the unfortunate news that she is severely ill again as during her last pregnancy (when she suffered with hyperemesis gravidarum). Our guest blog is from Kimberley, who suffered with this debilitating condition not once, but twice.  Here’s her story….

Kimberley’s struggle with Hyperemesis gravidarum

I married my husband in the summer of 2008 and shortly afterwards we moved into our first home together; life was going very well and we were both enjoying our time as newlyweds. We had spent some time before our marriage talking about if and when to try for a family, and we both agreed that as soon as we were married we should try.

In late November of 2008 I started to feel unwell and just assumed that I had caught the flu or something similar, however as time passed I was becoming more and more sick; my husband suggested that I take a pregnancy test as I had missed my period; to both our surprises I was indeed pregnant. We assumed that I was just suffering from a bit of morning sickness that would shortly pass. How wrong were we? What followed was extreme sickness and constant nausea; I was unable to keep anything down, including fluids; at one point I honestly thought I was going to die. My doctors were very reluctant at first to prescribe any medication as there was a small chance that it could harm the baby. I was signed off sick from work by my doctor when I was only 6 weeks into my pregnancy; I tried returning but each time I would be sick either in the car park or shortly after arriving at the office; I was regularly sent home. The sickness carried on and on and I was so glad to reach 29 weeks so that I could start my maternity leave. Looking back on my pregnancy with Ruby, I am thankful I only had to look after myself and and am grateful that hubbie did a fantastic job of keeping on top of the housework and cleaning out the sick bowls!

In July 2009 I gave birth to Ruby and wow, the minute I delivered the placenta, the sickness completely stopped and I felt so much better. I felt so normal! How could this be?

Ruby is born after a difficult pregnancy – how cute?

After the horrible pregnancy with Ruby I was reluctant to go through another pregnancy; we wanted Ruby to have a sibling, so we waited until Ruby started to regularly attend preschool before trying to conceive so that if I was struck with HG again, I would have some help looking after Ruby.

Fast forward to November 2011 and I was pregnant again, and due on Ruby’s 3rd birthday; it was like reliving my life from 3 years previous, only this time, the condition much much worse!

The sickness started before I knew I was pregnant; fortunately this time I was clued up about Hyperemesis and armed with my knowledge, I was able to fight for the medical care that I needed.

I refused to take no for an answer second time round and persuaded my doctor to prescribe me with some anti-sickness medication; unfortunately these tablets, and the numerous others that I was subsequently prescribed, didn’t make me feel any better. Nothing was working, and whilst I was looking after Ruby I was becoming more and more drained; I wasn’t coping!

Not just regular morning sickness

I kept asking for help but nobody was doing anything or even listening to me. People were wrongly assuming that I just had regular morning sickness and was being a drama queen. Then one weekend, when I was only 6 weeks into my pregnancy, I could not carry on any more; I was admitted to my local hospital with severe dehydration! I was devastated to be apart from Ruby as I had never spent a single night away from her; it really did break my heart. I was given 5 bags of fluids and countless injections of anti-sickness medication to combat the sickness. After a few days the fluids and medications appeared to be doing the trick and I was discharged from the hospital; however unfortunately it was only a short term fix and it wasn’t long before I was being sick again!

When I was 16 weeks into my pregnancy we went away as a family for a couple of days; it didn’t go to plan as I ended up having to have an emergency appointment with an out of hours doctor because the sickness was taking a hold of me again. Thankfully I saw the most amazing female doctor; without her, I don’t know where I would be. This doctor knew about HG and understood that I really did not want to spend my holiday in hospital and be away from my daughter, so she prescribed anti sickness injections and even administered them for me throughout the trip. Why they could not have done this in my NHS trust I do not know, it would have freed up a bed in hospital and saved us all so much time and money!

Baby Lottie is born after a second difficult pregnancy

I struggled to bond during both of my pregnancies and often referred to the baby as ‘it’; if I am honest, in both instances I resented the baby for making me sick. In both case my husband suggested that it would be in my best interests to have a private gender scan at 16 weeks (the earliest opportunity) to know the sex of the baby and hopefully help me to start to bond. I am pleased to say that it worked and I started to refer to the girls by name and began to fall in love with them.

Looking back I really feel that I was cheated out of my pregnancies; I always imagined I would blossom in pregnancy and enjoy my time as a mum to be, but in reality I hated it!

Kimberley’s story in Prima Baby

The good news is that I have survived two Hyperemesis Gravidarum pregnancies and have two beautiful daughters to show for it!

Thanks for sharing your story Kimberley – what a difficult and emotional experience to have gone through.  

To read more by Kimberley, check out her blog Ruby + Lottie!

Top 10 new mum disasters

We’ve all had our moments when things don’t go according to plan.  Add hormones, fear, worry and uncertainty into the mix and you have  a new mum facing ‘disaster’. Of course, these things get easier in time, but when these difficulties happen to you as a new mum, they certainly feel monstrous!! 

When it all goes wrong…top 10 new mum disasters:

1) Exploding nappy up the back. Yes. It will happen to you. Most likely when you have 1 or 2 wipes left and no spare nappies.

2) Being vomited on. Hopefully it happens at home, when you have a change of clothes.

3) Needing a break and not having anyone to call. Hubby is back at work, you’re not coping, friends are otherwise occupied. 7 pm can’t come soon enough….

4) Sneezing with week pelvic floor muscles. Who knew this would happen? Embarrassing.

5) Trying to fit into pre-pregnancy clothes too early. A bad idea.

6) First time baby has a rash, cold, fever, or anything medically related. It can be very scary for a new mum. You will most likely rush them to A & E or the GP immediately and feel inadequate for doing so!

7) The first time your baby gags during weaning. It always feels like they are choking.

8) Leaving the house for the first time. Baby usually needs a feed just when you are completely caught off guard, either just as you’ve left or when you are in the middle of your shop.

9) Eating out in a restaurant / travelling / shopping with a screaming baby. Why is your baby the loudest ever?

10) Trying to be on time to any event as a new mum is ambitious. You will get there, it’s only a matter of time 🙂

Share your most embarrassing or difficult moments with your newborn – was it feeding related or something else entirely?

What new mums talk about…birth stories, feeding, sleep!

New mums get together for coffee and a chat; what do they talk about?

You will see new mums in north London congregating in packs, with huge buggies, breastfeeding pillows, designer nappy bags and of course, little babies in tow.  It is a mission to leave the house, so they will sit for hours chatting the day away whilst feeding, rocking, changing and getting on with looking after their babies.  But what do new mums talk about?

In our postnatal courses, often weeks will go by without any mention of ‘life outside babies’.  We don’t often talk career paths, current events, interests or anything beyond becoming a mum and what that entails.  But that is okay.  In fact, it is to be expected.  New mums are focussed on their new offspring and often just ‘getting through the day’ is a challenge enough in itself.

Our most commonly heard mum topics of conversation:

1)      Sleepless nights – being tired as a new mum is a given. But how tired you are, is anything but. Often the amazement of how crippling being sleep deprived can be is the main topic, as opposed to the fact itself. Following on from sleepless nights is how many times in the night your baby wakes, what times, how long it takes them to settle, and whether or not your partner wakes up too.  Don’t forget the key topic: WHO is the most sleep deprived between the two of you.  Mum trumps of course!

2)      Birth stories – if you sit down with a new mum, she will often tell you her birth story. It is a badge of honour getting through childbirth, and mums are rightly proud of their achievements. How quickly it progresses, inductions, epidurals and how partners coped during the delivery are all part of the conversation. It doesn’t really matter if you don’t want to hear about it; rest assured, you still will!

3)      Feeding – why is there such a minefield of opinions about how you feed your baby? Breastfeeding is no longer straightforward; the media has caught on and controversial stories of mums not being allowed to breastfeed are becoming the norm. Then on the flipside, celebrities (e.g. Gwen Stefani) are posting selfies to ‘normalize’ breastfeeding (as if anything celebrities do is normal) and you are left wondering how it all became so complicated! Mums do like to talk about their feeding choices: whether they felt guilty or not, how long they ‘lasted’ when breastfeeding, how their baby is thriving on formula etc.

4)      Baby milestones – is your baby smiling, rolling, sitting up, laughing yet? When are you starting weaning?  Watch out mums, this can get competitive (for no good reason); don’t get stressed over your baby’s every move, they will develop in their own time.

5)      Poo and other fun stuff – from colour to quantity, this will make its way into the conversation. As much as you may try to avoid it, it does come up.  Spitting up is another good one…

6)      How you are coping – everyone from health visitors to mothers-in-law will want to know your every thought about motherhood.  How are you finding it? It is what you expected? Are you loving every minute of it or finding it overwhelming? When mums get together however, sometimes this topic gets forgotten about or brushed under the carpet. Many mums want to appear that they are handling it all really well, even when they may not be. We encourage mums to talk about coping, getting help if needed, de-cluttering and learning how to become a mother – after all, it may not come easy to some.

Of course, the list could go on and on. Some mums like to get personal and find out exactly what (or what isn’t) going on in the bedroom and inevitably talk will turn to going back to work and when you will have your second. What do you and your mummy friends like to talk about?

Meet other new mums in North London!

To make a whole new set of mummy friends to chat with, book our next course!

Crouch End course starts on 9 September and East Finchley course starts on 8 October. Book here!

WIN with Nurturing Mums, Yumbox and Cuddle Pirate

Now is your chance to win a great prize with Nurturing Mums! It’s easy to enter, follow the link and pick one of the options.  Simple!

 Starting weaning?

Going to try a mixture of baby-led weaning and purees? A Yumbox will be absolutely perfect for both!!

 The new, award winning, Yumbox lunchbox gets kids eating healthily the fun way.  Yumbox‘s pre-portioned (and removable) tray guides children (and adults!) to pack a heathy, hassle-free lunch.  The tray is divided into five 1/2 cup portions of fruit, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy.  It also has a small dip well for a treat / dip.

By filling each compartment appropriately parents can rest assured that they are feeding their children a healthy, balanced diet and teaching them life long healthy eating habits.

The brand new Myrtille Blue Yumbox is one of the latest additions to the Yumbox range and is designed to appeal to younger children with its fun ‘Pirate and Mermaid’ tray design.

To find out more about Yumbox please visit their website or Facebook page.

Our competition also includes 2 Cuddle Pirate books, which will help your children make healthy eating choices in a fun way.

Good luck and please share!!!

HERE’S THE LINK AGAIN TO ENTER: Click HERE!!