You are still, and will always be, a mother. You are a mother from the moment of conception and continue to be a mother to that child for the rest of your life, not just the rest of theirs. The promotion around Mother’s Day doesn’t really acknowledge this, so you’re still faced with images of […]
It’s the one time of the year when you can’t walk into a supermarket without being faced with rows of ‘Happy Mother’s Day!’ cards, buckets full of bouquets, chocolates ‘for a special mum’, when Mother’s Day offers flood your inbox and it hurts when you feel like everybody else gets to experience that day of […]
The news that Fertility Network UK has launched a Fertility in the Workplace initiative to support both you and your employees will come as welcome news to many. We all know that you as an employer have a duty of care to your employees, especially when it comes to health issues. But fertility issues aren’t […]
For any of us who have had to manage our emotions following a fertility issue diagnosis alongside everything that comes with assisted conception treatment as well as a job, the news that Fertility Network UK has launched a Fertility in the Workplace initiative to support employers and employees will come as welcome news. Speaking at […]
The first thing to say is that this is more than reflexology; more than pressing a few points on your feet, giving you a nice foot massage (although I can’t deny that it still feels lovely to have – as that’s still important!) and, hey presto – aim achieved! It’s not always a magic wand […]
Male Fertility. Not usually something we hear much about. Female fertility, yes – but what about men? Thanks to Rhod Gilbert’s new BBC documentary, ‘Stand Up To Infertility’ (currently on BBC iplayer), he’s literally taking a stand to change that. Sperm counts across the world have dropped by 60% in the last 40 years. When […]
Baby loss. Still a subject that people often avoid talking about, often because they don’t know what to say, don’t want to upset you or it’s seen as just too sensitive a topic to talk about. But NOT talking about it and having your loss ignored can be even more hurtful. An early miscarriage, late […]
Being pregnant during this pandemic can be hard enough, but when you add in SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) – alternatively known as Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) – it can make it even harder, not to mention debilitating. There are hormonal changes that affect the Symphysis Pubis ligament and just that can really cause a lot […]
Being on your fertility journey and desperately hoping to get pregnant, and then feeling that crushing disappointment every time your period arrives and another month goes past can be an incredibly frustrating time. You might begin to think or to tell yourself “I’m never going to get pregnant”, “I’m obviously broken”, “my body isn’t working […]
In this current health crisis and continuing spread of Coronavirus, I wanted to reiterate the current Government guidelines and explain what all of us at Nurture 4 Life are doing to keep you as safe as possible. Your health and wellbeing has always been of paramount importance to us and we are now taking that […]
We might sometimes think that life would be easier if we were thinner, richer, a ‘better’ version of who we are. But that’s simply not true. Some of us may think we have to be perfect, that we aren’t enough as we are. We are all who we are meant to be. It’s what we […]
Every journey starts with a single step. And that’s how you start to move closer towards what you want most of all. This is something we totally believe in and something we encourage our clients to focus on as well. Every positive change, however small, is progress. After the initial consultation we do with all […]
MAR and MARR may not mean anything to a non-reflexologist. Unless, however, you’ve done your research about who to go to… The truth about reflexology is that its an unregulated industry and ANYBODY can set themselves up as a reflexologist or even as a reflexology tutor – they’ve only got to have done an often […]
We talk a lot about Postnatal Depression (PND), maternal mental health awareness and the importance of the fourth trimester healing time with what feels like the sole focus on mum. And that’s absolutely right and important. But what about Dad? They may not have had the physical birth experience and then have to cope with […]
Pineapples and fertility – you wouldn’t automatically put the two together, would you? But the pineapple has a long association with fertility and is frequently used as the symbol of trying to conceive, which is why we love our own gorgeous handpainted pineapples from the lovely Baby Prints Cheltenham as well as the #ivfstrongertogether pineapple […]
There are some things nobody really talks about during pregnancy or in the first few months of parenthood. Your mental health. Which is why Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week has been so important. If you haven’t heard of this before, it is a week-long campaign dedicated to talking about mental illness during pregnancy or after […]
Lots of us know when our periods are due because we may feel a little tetchy, tearful or bloated. But did you know you’re actually at the end of autumn and coming into winter when that happens? Whereas our main focus used to be on those 3-7 days where we had our period, there is […]
“I don’t feel ready to let go of your support just yet” is sometimes something our amazing new mums tell us. And you don’t have to! If we’ve worked with you from pre-conception throughout pregnancy, or during your pregnancy, our support doesn’t stop as soon as baby has arrived. That’s often the point that you need […]
It is now 40 years since the birth of IVF and the first ‘test tube baby’, Louise Brown. For those facing fertility and conception challenges, IVF and assisted conception has allowed countless couples to achieve their dream of parenthood. Although not a ‘cure all’ it is a hugely important medical treatment. This is not an […]
As if beginning the journey into assisted conception isn’t overwhelming enough, you’re having terms thrown at you or reams of paper with what can sometimes be never-before-seen terms on. What on earth do they all mean? And how are you supposed to make sense of them? To help you understand everything you’re reading, here we […]
You would like to have a baby. Sounds simple doesn’t it! But sometimes, almost before you know it, you’ve entered into a world of blood hormone tests, GP appointments, possibly hospital consultations with medical professionals talking about things you’ve never had to think about before – and if you’ve started looking on forums then there […]
It’s not unusual for me to receive a phone call from a heavily pregnant mum-to-be who is desperate to get baby out – and who can blame her! It’s probably been a long 40 weeks and after six months of focusing on her due date (I wish we could have a due month instead of […]
I’ve been a reflexologist for almost as long as I’ve been a massage therapist. I have had nearly 15 years experience in the power and efficacy of both these complementary therapies. There is a real need for both and I’ve witnessed first-hand just what they are capable of helping people achieve and also overcome. However, […]
Have you ever wished you had a couple of really close, wise friends who had already been through the IVF process and could tell you EVERYTHING you needed to know and with warmth, honesty and a little humour? AND had a top-notch consultant give his words of wisdom at the end of every stage too? […]
“Birth can be unpredictable and sometimes it doesn’t go the way you plan or expect it to.” This is a sentiment shared by the team here at Nurture 4 Life. It is, of course, totally natural to have fears about birth and becoming a parent, especially on expecting your first. No one gives you […]
When the chance came to write a blog for the wonderful Cheltenham Maman, I immediately knew I wanted to both support and give a ‘shout out’ to all the other women who haven’t had children (either through choice or circumstance) and to also let all those amazing mums know that there is a lot of […]
Coping with fertility issues can be a complex, painful and difficult time in a person’s life, a time when they need the most support from the people that love them. And research has proven that the stress levels of women with fertility issues are the same as women who have been diagnosed with a serious […]
Do you suffer with pregnancy-related discomfort that you just don’t know how to manage? Have you been struggling to get comfortable since baby’s arrival? Have a niggling pain in your back or pelvis? Or is baby really unsettled? Then read on as osteopathy CAN help and it can be used during pregnancy, after pregnancy and […]
Having a new addition to the family is one of the greatest things to happen in a person’s life but along with that comes the roller-coaster of emotions, the lack of sleep, trying to look after the house and, often, juggling the demands of other children. Taking care of a new born can often be […]
Do you have a colicky baby who struggles to settle? Are they (and you!) struggling with reflux, teething, coughs and colds and allergies? Would you like to be prepared for when tantrums start? Or would like to help them through their immunisations? There is no worse feeling than when your child is distressed or unwell […]
Reflexology is often thought as a practice for boosting energy or inducing relaxation. What many people don’t realise, however, is that reflexology can also work on deeper levels to reduce fertility issues and that it can be very effective in supporting conception for both female and male clients. Infertility, sub-fertility and delayed conception are increasingly […]
You know you are ready to start trying to get pregnant and so you start full of hope. But then nothing happens! So you keep trying but don’t really know what the first step is if nothing happens every month. Which can be frustrating, anxiety-inducing and isolating. You might start to wonder if there is […]
“What can I do about morning sickness? Do I just have to wait it out or can I take action?” We are often asked these questions and we thought it would be useful to put together a guide that might help you to cope if you are suffering with morning sickness. Many women experience morning […]
Parenthood is wonderful, exhilarating, overwhelming, challenging and filled with unconditional love. But sometimes your birth and post-birth experiences haven’t always been the experiences you expected or planned for, and through no fault of your own. You’ve probably been very busy coping with the challenges and wonders of parenthood and feel like you’ve dealt with these experiences. Or […]
Fertility Massage is a treatment that some people have heard of but most of us don’t really know what it entails. So, one of our lovely clients has written some of her fertility massage experiences. Which was a first for her too! Although we can explain what happens during a treatment, it’s always lovely to […]
Fertility Massage works on a physical, emotional and spiritual level and although its name suggests that it is all about getting pregnant, fertility encompasses more than that. Treatments to aid conception play a massive role but if you’re experiencing reproductive issues and not trying to get pregnant, it can still be enormously beneficial. It can […]
At Nurture 4 Life we work with many couples who are trying to conceive and for whom it doesn’t seem to be happening. Or certainly not as easily as they had hoped. So it’s always special when one of our reflexology couples receives the outcome they have been waiting for! Here we share the results […]
Has the dreaded Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) struck and brought with it pain, restricted movement and a feeling of helplessness? What’s going on? You’re pregnant and supposed to be blooming but in reality are feeling more blooming fed-up and in pain than anything else! The Symphysis Pubis is a joint that holds the two halves […]