Feed Play Love

Do your parents understand why you want your baby to feed themselves? Do they follow your guidelines for sleep and settling? Mike Williams and his parents Carol and Greg do things differently - but they have a lot of fun along the way. In this interview they talk about how much parenting has changed over the years, and why we shouldn't always let grandparents explain the ways of the world. Guest appearance by Daphne Williams.

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While separation can be painful the best evidence says that if you can put your kids first in a separation, they will be okay. But what happens when your ex-partner is more concerned with 'getting even' or exploring their new single life than they are being their for their kids? Dr Vanessa Lapointe is a psychologist, author and mum of two who has been through separation. She explains why it only takes one parent to show up for their kids, and how you can do it well.

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At six weeks new mums will have a check up with their health care professional - an obstetrician, midwife or GP. But these checks don't have the capacity to include a comprehensive check of a woman's pelvic floor. Lyz Evans is a women's physiotherapist who believes that a 6 week post birth checkup with a women's physio is vital to a woman's long term health and wellbeing. Lyz explains what a 6-week pelvic floor check involves and why it's so crucial to a woman's overall health.

The program Lyz discusses in this episode is called Empowered Motherhood. 

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Enrolling your baby or child into day care the first time can be daunting. It's possibly the first time you've left them with someone other than friends or family. So what do you need to know about starting day care? Sharlene Vlahos is the Director of Education at Karitane. She explains the various things parents need to consider before starting at day care, and how parents can handle drop offs.

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The working world is not set up to accommodate child rearing. Which is why every school holiday can feel like a monumental headache for working parents. Annual leave doesn't equate to the amount of weeks schools are on a break. So how do parents manage the juggle of work and holidays, and what could make that juggle easier? Candice Harris is a Professor of Management at Auckland University of Technology. She's researched the impact of holidays on working parents, and how the pandemic lockdowns may have changed the way we do things.

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No one enjoys contemplating their own mortality. But when Ella Ward was diagnosed with a rare cancer her daughter was only six it made her think about what she would leave behind. She realised that she had a legacy of words not only from herself, but also lessons from her great-grandfather and her grandmother. Ella talks about the incredible written history created by her family, and how she managed to shape them into a series of letters for her daughter.

Ella's book is called 27 Letters to My Daughter 

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Since the start of the pandemic parents have been told that not only are children unlikely to get Covid, but if they do get it they are unlikely to be very sick. In the last few weeks children have been falling like flies. Some kids have been very unwell - and others have had a few off days then bounced back.

So what's going on? And what do we need to be aware of as we head into flu season? Dr Norman Swan is the co-host of the Coronacast podcast and author of So You Think You Know What's Good for You? Norman explains why so many children are catching Covid now, and how we might prepare for winter.

For more information from Norman Swan check out https://linktr.ee/DrNormanSwan 

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Seeing your baby's first pearly white pop through can be a moment of joy. Like all the little changes they go through, it's another sign of their development and growth. It can also be a time when your little one is unsettled and uncomfortable. Paediatrician Dr Deb Levy goes through when babies are most likely to cut their teeth, how to tell whether it's teething (or something else) that is making them unsettled and how to manage their pain.

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Posting pics of your beautiful baby can feel like the most natural thing in the world. After all, who's not in love with their own child? But wellbeing digital expert Dr Kristy Goodwin says that posting images online comes with a host of problems. Kristy explains why parents should think twice about uploading all those baby pics and the key things parents should be aware of when they share images online.

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When it comes to getting fussy kids to start enjoying a wider range of foods, getting them cooking can be a great option. That's according to Annabel Karmel, nutritionist and cook book author. Her latest book is called Annabel Karmel's Fun Fast and Easy Children's Cookbook. Annabel talks about why cooking is so great for kids and shares a few of her favourite recipes from the book.

You can also find Annabel on Instagram @annabelkarmel

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