"IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO
MEET NEW MUMS"
First-time mum, Rachel,
shares her experiences of Baby Cafe Beckenham
I found out about Baby Cafe through my NCT class and we were encouraged to visit. A few of us met up there when we were heavily pregnant; I'm really glad we did that as Laurie and I struggled with breastfeeding and it took two weeks to make it work. Without the support from the staff at Baby Cafe we wouldn't have managed to get there.
Knowing where and how to access support was so important to us and it was great that my husband could come along too. When I first heard about Baby Cafe I expected a cafe with everyone sat in groups around tables but it wasn't like that at all. In fact there were no tables, just lots of chairs and a big space for babies to play. It is very friendly and if you
have your hands full
with a sleeping/feeding/crying baby, someone will always offer to make you that much needed cup of tea!
You don't have to talk about breastfeeding! There is someone there to welcome you and you will be asked if you want to talk to a counsellor. It's absolutely fine if you don't want to, you can just relax and chat to the other mums while enjoying some yummy cake!
It's very friendly (non breastfeeding mums are just as welcome) and is a great place to meet other new mums. It took me a while to gain confidence breastfeeding in public and Baby Cafe really helped me with this... a great chance to practise
without feeling intimidated! I would also meet friends there... it's a lot easier than navigating a cafe with lots of buggies and there are no worries if your baby is having a difficult day!!
Try it - even if you don't need breastfeeding help or advice! It's so important to get out and about and Baby Cafe is a great place to take your baby before they are old enough for many of the classes on offer.
Rachel is mum to Laurie (1), whose current favourite things are playing on the swings and walking through piles of leaves on the way home!