Preparation for Parenthood

Lets cut to the chase: life as you know it is over!
So are you excited, prepared or worried?

Like any other major change, there are steps you can take to prepare your heart, mind and environment for birth and parenthood. Relationships change; your body changes; you change. 

   • How do you plan to tackle it? 
   • How will you make the necessary adjustments in a way that works for you? 
   • Do you want to do it just like your parents? 
   • Are you too busy to even consider all this? 

FamilyWorks is able to provide an experienced coach to support and equip you towards becoming the parent you always wanted to be. 
Not perfect, but prepared and authentically ‘you’.
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Expecting Masterclass

Understanding your child
​and their development

Understanding where your child is at will help you get ahead of the game and meet their needs. It will also help avoid unnecessary melt-downs. 

Learn to tune-in to who they are - their unique combination of:
 • strengths & gifts, 
 • temperament, 
 • attachment relationships & position in the family, 
 • sensory preferences, and
 • developmental stage.

FamilyWorks believe that all these factors play a role in how you connect with, support and enjoy your child.

Your child’s brain weight will almost triple in the first 3 years!

Adjustment to Parenting

Despite the nine-month lead-in and a pile of information out there, nothing truly prepares you for parenthood. 

What delight at seeing your new babe, each tiny toe lined up in a neat row, the curl of the pink ear.  And what gut-wrenching feelings you experience when they cry for no apparent reason; when there seems to be something wrong and nothing you do can make it right. Why is it that you could once successfully manage challenges at work, but now cant seem to find the time to take a shower?

It’s a rollercoaster ride where lack of control and expecting the unexpected becomes everyday. How do you move from living on the edge of fight-and-flight towards more joy and contentment? 

You are not alone. FamilyWorks Parent Coaching offers a safe place to unpack the mixed feelings.  The Coach will respectfully walk with you as you explore underlying concerns, gain deeper insight, and co-create actions that will support you to discover a more resourceful way of being.  

FamilyWorks works collaboratively with other health care providers and will liaise with your GP if required  - we can also organise referrals to other mental health care service providers.

Psychology

Nutrition & Mealtimes

Breastfeeding, formulas, introduction to solids, additives, allergies, intolerances...
to name but a few topics that relate to nutrition. 
Where to start? 

Familyworks can help you draw a pragmatic line through all the options to help your child nutritionally thrive. Its about providing the best start to your child’s life, whilst avoiding the modern day nasties our grandparents never had to deal with. 

Are mealtimes a battle of the wills? Have you fallen into habits of bribery and stand-over tactics? FamilyWorks believes that mealtimes are not just about the food but about the simple pleasure of being together and celebrating family.  It’s about bringing the joy back to sharing a meal.

Sleep

Sleep -glorious sleep! 
Its something we take for granted until we no longer have it.

FamilyWorks offers a specialist sleep consultant, well practised at supporting the most wakeful child to settle into more predictable sleep rhythms. Sharon has helped hundreds of families through children's sleep related issues, from newborns through to school age children. With a background in child health nursing, Sharon is experienced at assessment and referral for clinical causes of sleep disorders. She will assess your child’s sleep habits and support you to develop a plan unique to your situation. Coaching support is provided for one month to give you the best opportunity for healthy sleep habits to become established.

Answers to the most talked about FAQs
​ on Newborn Sleep

Toileting

No two children are alike, and how they take to using the toilet is quite unique too. What motivates them, what scares them, why bother at all?

FamilyWorks will support you to develop a plan to assist you child, whatever their age,  to achieve success with the toilet in a gentle and staged approach. No tears, minimal fuss, so you can get on with living.

Behaviour

When our children behave in a way we think is appropriate, we feel so proud; but when they step out of line, repeatedly, we can plummet into despair. 

Do you feel like a grouch, always saying no, stop, don’t?  Is anybody listening? 

Take a breath... We can support you in better understanding and managing your child’s behaviour and move from tolerating your kids to truly enjoying them.

Download Behaviour 10 Top Tips