We know from talking to new parents at our classes that meningitis is one of their biggest health fears for their baby and this is because sadly babies under the age of 3 months are 70 times more likely to get bacterial meningitis than adults.

In this episode of the Family Health Podcast, we speak with Caroline Hughes, Support Services Manager at Meningitis Research Foundation and to Pip, an NHS midwife and mum-of-two whose baby Alfie contracted meningitis at just five weeks old.

We discuss the signs and symptoms, the treatment and what recovery looks like for someone who has been affected by meningitis.

A conversation every parent or parent-to-be needs to hear.

References:

Visit the Meningitis Research Foundation website

Get to know all the symptoms and download the guide at Meningitis Research Foundation Symptom Checker

Connect with Caroline Hughes here

Find out all about Midwife Pip’s courses and support programmes for pregnancy and postnatal care here on her website

Connect with Pip on Instagram

Check out Pip’s podcast information here

Buy Pip’s book: Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: Tools to Feel Calm and Confident

Donate to help fund the vital work of the Meningitis Research Foundation

Read about the NHS meningitis vaccine

NHS overview of meningitis

Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit - Platinum Award winning first aid kit, voted a Best Buy in the Loved By Parents Awards 2021, is a comprehensive first aid kit for all the family. Containing 115 essential items, it is ideal for keeping in your car or at home for any first aid emergencies.

Find out more about our multi award winning two hour Baby & Child first aid classes here, delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.

For press enquiries and to contact Mini First Aid, email info@minifirstaid.co.uk

Series 4 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Things Happen, a trusted broker which offers the best financial advice to help parents and their families make informed decisions, ensuring a secure and tax-efficient future for their children.

The team at Things Happen consists of highly qualified financial experts who can guide you through the different types of life insurance policies to consider as your family expands, taking the stress out of decision-making by finding the best deals. If you already have life insurance Things Happen will carefully review your existing policy to ensure it still meets your family's needs, giving you peace of mind, knowing your family is fully protected.

And finally, if reviewing your life insurance is still on your to-do list, take time to get in touch with an experienced Things Happen financial advisor today.

In this episode of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid, we dive into the all-too-familiar feeling of imposter syndrome with Jamie Shires, an experienced counsellor and mental health trainer.

Whether you’re a parent, a professional, or even a teenager, this episode will help you understand where imposter syndrome comes from, who it affects and why it happens. Jaimie also shares practical tips on how to silence that critical inner voice and turn it into your inner cheerleader.

If you have ever felt like you’re about to be ‘found out’ for not having it all together or not being as capable as people think you are, you won’t want to miss this episode.

References:

Jaimie Shires Uplift Mental Health

Find out more about Carl Rogers work here

Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit - Platinum Award winning first aid kit, voted a Best Buy in the Loved By Parents Awards 2021, is a comprehensive first aid kit for all the family. Containing 115 essential items, it is ideal for keeping in your car or at home for any first aid emergencies.

Find out more about our multi award winning two hour Baby & Child first aid classes here, delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.

For press enquiries and to contact Mini First Aid, email info@minifirstaid.co.uk

Series 4 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Things Happen, a trusted broker which offers the best financial advice to help parents and their families make informed decisions, ensuring a secure and tax-efficient future for their children.

The team at Things Happen consists of highly qualified financial experts who can guide you through the different types of life insurance policies to consider as your family expands, taking the stress out of decision-making by finding the best deals. If you already have life insurance Things Happen will carefully review your existing policy to ensure it still meets your family's needs, giving you peace of mind, knowing your family is fully protected.

And finally, if reviewing your life insurance is still on your to-do list, take time to get in touch with an experienced Things Happen financial advisor today.

In this episode, we chat with Aliya Porter, a Registered Nutritionist and a mum of three who runs Porter Nutrition and Weaning Centre. Aliya is a mine of information about nutrition in pregnancy and how you can look after your own and consequently your baby’s health.

We cut through the confusion of advice and guidance online to find out exactly what supplements, nutrients and vitamins are important for pregnant women and what should be avoided.

We also talk about how to support body health and recovery through nutrition after giving birth.

We know you will hang on Aliya’s every word like we did!

References:

Porter Nutrition and Weaning Centre and offers you the opportunity to have support to eat healthily around your busy schedule and on a budget that suits you. Check out all the resources and services on offer at Porter Nutrition (for over 5s and adults) here and for everything relating to weaning and under 5s, check out Aliya’s Weaning Centre website here

Join Aliya’s FREE postnatal nutrition workshop, tailored for those in the 3rd trimester and beyond - find all the details here

Connect with Aliya here on Facebook or here on Instagram

Buy Aliya’s e-book ‘Weaning on a Budget’

Get your free pregnancy nutrition download from Aliya’s website here

Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy - a guide from the NHS

Have a Healthy Diet in Pregnancy - a guide from the NHS

Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit - Platinum Award winning first aid kit, voted a Best Buy in the Loved By Parents Awards 2021, is a comprehensive first aid kit for all the family. Containing 115 essential items, it is ideal for keeping in your car or at home for any first aid emergencies.

Find out more about our multi award winning two hour Baby & Child first aid classes here, delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.

For press enquiries and to contact Mini First Aid, email info@minifirstaid.co.uk

Series 4 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Things Happen, a trusted broker which offers the best financial advice to help parents and their families make informed decisions, ensuring a secure and tax-efficient future for their children.

The team at Things Happen consists of highly qualified financial experts who can guide you through the different types of life insurance policies to consider as your family expands, taking the stress out of decision-making by finding the best deals. If you already have life insurance Things Happen will carefully review your existing policy to ensure it still meets your family's needs, giving you peace of mind, knowing your family is fully protected.

And finally, if reviewing your life insurance is still on your to-do list, take time

If you are unfortunate enough to have a child who has had to spend time in hospital, you may have met a Play Therapist. These amazing teams therapeutically support children, and parents, through the toughest times in their lives.

We hope you will never have to experience your child having treatment or an extended stay in hospital but if the worst happens, knowing what a play therapist can do and when you can ask for one could make a huge difference for your family.

Tune into this week’s Family Health podcast where we chat with a mum whose two year old son has spent extended time in hospital due to a respiratory condition and to Megan, a health play specialist on the paediatric critical care unit at Leeds hospitals.

References:

All about the Children’s Play Service at Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Learn more about Seth’s conditions: Bronchiolitis Obliterans and Bronchiectasis

Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit - Platinum Award winning first aid kit, voted a Best Buy in the Loved By Parents Awards 2021, is a comprehensive first aid kit for all the family. Containing 115 essential items, it is ideal for keeping in your car or at home for any first aid emergencies.

Find out more about our multi award winning two hour Baby & Child first aid classes here, delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.

For press enquiries and to contact Mini First Aid, email info@minifirstaid.co.uk

Series 4 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Things Happen, a trusted broker which offers the best financial advice to help parents and their families make informed decisions, ensuring a secure and tax-efficient future for their children.

The team at Things Happen consists of highly qualified financial experts who can guide you through the different types of life insurance policies to consider as your family expands, taking the stress out of decision-making by finding the best deals. If you already have life insurance Things Happen will carefully review your existing policy to ensure it still meets your family's needs, giving you peace of mind, knowing your family is fully protected.

And finally, if reviewing your life insurance is still on your to-do list, take time to get in touch with an experienced Things Happen financial advisor today.

Many of us won’t have heard of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), yet this affects around two children in every classroom in schools across the UK and can affect literacy, learning, friendships and emotional well-being.

DLD can mean a child has difficulties talking and/or understanding language. It’s important to understand DLD and the challenges that children with DLD face every day in and out of school as their difficulties can be hard to spot and may be ‘hidden’ for a long time.

Dr Hannah Hobson from the Department of Psychology at the University of York. Hannah has vast experience with neurodevelopmental conditions and has carried out extensive research into developmental language disorder.

We chatted with Hannah to find out more about this condition and it’s a fascinating insight into the challenges that some children in your child’s school will be experiencing right now.

Please take a listen and share with any friends who might be concerned about their child or someone they know.

References:

Find out all about DLD at Speech and Language UK

Use Speech & Language UK’s Child Progress Tracker to give you an idea of how your baby or child is developing and whether you need some support or advice to help you.

Afasic Charity for lots of great fact sheets and resources

Find out more about Moor House School for children and young people with language disorders.

Afasic’s DLD Together, Online course for parents

Engage with DLD - connecting people experiencing DLD to academic research

Dr Hannah Hobson, Lecturer in Psychology. Hannah is a lecturer at the University of York where she directs the Masters in Development, Disorders and Clinical Practice. She leads the EMERALD lab, which stands for Emotions and MEntal health Research in Autism and Language Disorders, you can find out more about their work here

Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit - Platinum Award winning first aid kit, voted a Best Buy in the Loved By Parents Awards 2021, is a comprehensive first aid kit for all the family. Containing 115 essential items, it is ideal for keeping in your car or at home for any first aid emergencies.

Find out more about our multi award winning two hour Baby & Child first aid classes here, delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.

For press enquiries and to contact Mini First Aid, email info@minifirstaid.co.uk

Series 4 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Things Happen, a trusted broker which offers the best financial advice to help parents and their families make informed decisions, ensuring a secure and tax-efficient future for their children.

The team at Things Happen consists of highly qualified financial experts who can guide you through the different types

How do you know when your child has a cold or the flu or something even more serious?

Children regularly pick up coughs and viruses and it can be tricky to understand when to worry, how to soothe symptoms and when to keep your child at home - this week’s episode has the answers!

We chatted to Dr Lillie Parker, an NHS paediatrician, about winter colds and flu and about the RSV virus which can cause the more serious condition of bronchiolitis.

Filled with tips, advice and information, we know this episode will be super helpful and strike a chord with every parent or carer this autumn/winter season!

References:

Follow and connect with Dr Lils here on Instagram

Read the Mini First Aid blog about RSV/bronchiolitis.

Find out more from the NHS on Bronchiolitis and read their guide to RSV here.

See the NHS guidance and advice on pregnancy and children’s vaccinations.

Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit - Platinum Award winning first aid kit, voted a Best Buy in the Loved By Parents Awards 2021, is a comprehensive first aid kit for all the family. Containing 115 essential items, it is ideal for keeping in your car or at home for any first aid emergencies.

Find out more about our multi award winning two hour Baby & Child first aid classes here, delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.

For press enquiries and to contact Mini First Aid, email info@minifirstaid.co.uk

Series 4 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Things Happen, a trusted broker which offers the best financial advice to help parents and their families make informed decisions, ensuring a secure and tax-efficient future for their children.

The team at Things Happen consists of highly qualified financial experts who can guide you through the different types of life insurance policies to consider as your family expands, taking the stress out of decision-making by finding the best deals. If you already have life insurance Things Happen will carefully review your existing policy to ensure it still meets your family's needs, giving you peace of mind, knowing your family is fully protected.

And finally, if reviewing your life insurance is still on your to-do list, take time to get in touch with an experienced Things Happen financial advisor today.

In this episode, Kate chats with Cathy Tabner, Parent Education Midwife at My Expert Midwife who has helped and advised hundreds of women about breastfeeding and knows all there is to know about anaemia and mastitis.

If you, or your loved one, has ever suffered from mastitis and/or anaemia, you will know how painful and awful it can make you feel. Cathy explains what these conditions are, why they are common in the postpartum period and has great advice and tips on what to do to help alleviate the symptoms of both conditions.

If you are pregnant or have newly given birth, or you are supporting someone on their prenatal or postpartum journey, this conversation is not to be missed.

References: Connect with Cathy Tabner here and find out all about the brilliant work of My Expert Midwife here.

Find out about antenatal checks and tests

NHS iron deficiency anaemia information

NHS All about iron

Read more about supplements on the My Expert Midwife blog

Check out the NHS information about mastitis
Buy the Teddy hot & cold pack for instant relief

Watch Cathy’s lymphatic drainage massage demonstration in this episode on our YouTube channel or find My Expert Midwife on TikTok for lymphatic drainage massage videos.

General advice from the NHS on breast pain and breastfeeding

NHS guidance on taking medicines while breastfeeding

Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit - Platinum Award winning first aid kit, voted a Best Buy in the Loved By Parents Awards 2021, is a comprehensive first aid kit for all the family. Containing 115 essential items, it is ideal for keeping in your car or at home for any first aid emergencies.

Find out more about our multi award winning two hour Baby & Child first aid classes here, delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.

For press enquiries and to contact Mini First Aid, email info@minifirstaid.co.uk

Series 4 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Things Happen, a trusted broker which offers the best financial advice to help parents and their families make informed decisions, ensuring a secure and tax-efficient future for their children.

The team at Things Happen consists of highly qualified financial experts who can guide you through

Weaning is a huge milestone for babies as they move from a liquid, milk diet to eating solid foods. We know that breast and formula milk contain everything baby needs to grow and thrive, but when that milk consumption drops and food takes over, what nutrients do children or little ones need and how can we make sure that they're going to get enough of them?

Today we chat with Aliya Porter, a Registered Nutritionist and a mum of three who runs Porter Nutrition and Weaning Centre. We discuss how to give your baby the best nutritional start and also how to help create lifelong good habits when it comes to diet and nutrition.

If you are about to start weaning or you are already there, you will find this conversation incredibly helpful and reassuring.

Porter Nutrition and Weaning Centre and offers you the opportunity to have support to eat healthily around your busy schedule and on a budget that suits you. Check out all the resources and services on offer at Porter Nutrition (for over 5s and adults) here and for everything relating to weaning and under 5s, check out Aliya’s Weaning Centre website here

Connect with Aliya here on Facebook or here on Instagram

Buy Aliya’s e-book ‘Weaning on a Budget’

Here are links to some of the articles and resources discussed in today’s episode:

Free resources for nutrition in Pregnancy

How to Introduce Allergens to Babies

100 First Foods Creating a Positive Mealtime (reducing the pressure)

First Foods Weaning course

Foods Babies Should Avoid

Listen to Molly Forbes podcast on Childrens’ Body Image

Mini First Aid is an award-winning, Dragons’ Den winning business bringing vital first aid training to parents, carers and workers across the UK. You can find out more about our wide range of first aid classes and courses here

Mini First Aid first aid kits are designed to meet all your family’s first aid needs. With a range of sizes available, you can keep our kits at home and take them out and about with you on day trips with your little ones. Browse our full range of kits here

Series 3 of the Family Health Podcast by Mini First Aid is sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel. Savlon has been trusted by the nation for generations and can help the whole family with the range of products available. Savlon Scar Prevention Gel helps soothe pain, promote faster healing, and reduce the likelihood of scarring.