"What a lifeline"

I have just returned to work following a year off with my daughter. I wanted to have it documented what a lifeline this Children's Centre in Chilwell has been over the past 12 months and how much I will miss attending sessions now.

Before I had my daughter I had heard of Surestart but I thought it was a service run for the most vulnerable families in society and therefore assumed it didn't really apply to me. It was only after one of the mums I had met at Antenatal Class attended for some breastfeeding support and told us all about it that we started regularly attending the baby club on Fridays.

I don't think its an over exaggeration to say that I found this to be a lifeline. As I mentioned already I don't consider myself to be particularly vulnerable. I have a good support network around me and I didn't suffer from any post natal depression.......but even so......I don't know how I would have coped without this centre. Although you know having a baby will be life changing you really have no idea until it happens and it genuinely did knock me for six. It took me several weeks before I dared to even leave the house and my first venture out was to the baby club. However much support you have at home or around you nothing can replace the support you get from mums in the same boat and staff that are focused on you as a new mum. Baby Club quickly became our weekly Mecca. Its so reassuring to know that you have somewhere to go where you will be welcomed and looked after if needs be. Where you can have a little cry if you need to, where it doesn't matter if you look like crap, because no one is judging you. This is a direct contrast to how I imagine baby groups to be when I was pregnant. What a welcome surprise!

I think its safe to say that I would have given up on Breastfeeding in those early difficult days if it hadn't been for the amazing advice and support I had received from Nicola. As it stands I'm still going strong 12 months and counting.

I hope that with all the government cuts that are coming it doesn't affect the Children's Centres. If I found this such a valuable service I can't even imagine how mums who genuinely need a bit of extra support will cope if this service isn't available in the future.

I'll conclude by saying a huge THANK YOU to Nicola, Davina, Julie, Marie and all the staff for all your help, advice, support and friendly, welcoming faces! You make a real difference.