Our new parent workshops were originally offered in 2014.
Are you, or someone you know, a new parent who’s developed a new ache or pain along with the new arrival? Having a baby can put new stresses on your body, and create or exacerbate things like neck or lower back pain. Come to our new workshop this Autumn to get tips and advice on how to reduce these common new parent aches and pains. Open to new mums & dads, we encourage you to bring your baby with you so you can practice the tips during the workshop. You can purchase individual sessions or purchase all four at a discounted rate.
In each session you’ll get a few simple tools to help you incorporate the tips at home. All workshop attendees will also receive a voucher for 15% off a pack of 3 x 60 minute massage sessions and be invited to join the facebook group for additional support as you incorporate what you learn in the workshop. Scroll down for more information about when it is, how much, the workshop overview and FAQ’s.
Dates and How to Purchase
Our workshops were originally introduced in October & November 2014.
We now offer the workshops on an ad hoc basis as and when we have a group of new parents who’d like to host one with us. The price varies depending on how many of the aspects you would like to cover and the number of people attending.
If you’re interested in arranging a workshop for yourself and a group of friends, please contact us at info@lsmclinic.co.uk.
Our minimum is ten parents, and maximum group is up to 20.
Workshop Overview
Each workshop is a four-week course, each week looking at a different common ache or pain that I’ve found can be created or exacerbated with being the parent of a young child. Each session will include a brief overview of the muscles involved and what’s ‘ideal’ for your body, stretches and exercises to help those symptoms, and tips on how you can incorporate them into your life without having to find an extra 30 minutes every day to get an improvement. You will also receive a handout with what we’ve covered and some tools to help you incorporate the tips easily at home. Everyone who attends will have access to our facebook group for support and encouragement to put the tools we give you into practice.
Session 1: Lower Back Pain
Session one focuses on lower back pain, a common complaint in both new mums and new dads. We’ll review what’s going on in this area of the body and what factors may be causing the lower back pain. You’ll learn simple exercises and stretches, most of which you can do anywhere. You will have a chance to practice different ways of picking up and holding your baby.
Session 2: Neck and Shoulder Pain
Session two looks at postural causes for neck and shoulder pain and why it is often exacerbated as a new parent. We will show you simple adjustments to reduce the strain on your neck and shoulders and do-anywhere neck, shoulder and chest stretches, with tips on how to incorporate them into your day to day life. You’ll also learn some easy exercises to strengthen the postural muscles needed to keep you in better alignment.
Session 3: Hand/Wrist/Forearm Pain and Relaxation Techniques
Because new parents are using their hands in new ways with a new arrival, and new mums often still have the relaxin hormone affecting their joints, hand and forearm pain is common in new parents. The first part of this session will look at some self-massage techniques and tips to reduce the tension in your forearms/hands.
Being a new parent can also be a stressful time, with sleep deprivation and the almost-constant demands of a new baby. The second part of this session will include approaches to improve your relaxation before you sleep, to achieve more restful sleep, and relaxation techniques for during the day, when dealing with the demands of one or more children.
Session 4: Review and Specific Issues
This is a combination catch-up and individual issues session. By the fourth week you will have had a couple weeks to try to incorporate the techniques and practice fitting in the stretches/exercises. Most people find they forget the exact way to do it, or have trouble finding the stretch, so this week will be to review any exercises you’ve had trouble with or found a bit tricky since they were first introduced.
We will also use some time during this session to include any tips on specific issues you have that aren’t already covered in the workshop. You can let us know on the day or get in touch in advance and we can prepare some information for you.
Workshop Instructors
Katherine Creighton Crook is founder and principal therapist at Leyton Sports Massage. She has two boys, 3 1/2 years old and 9 months old, and has had both natural and caesarean deliveries. Being a mum of two she has personal experience with all the topics covered in this session. Her 9-month old, Noah, will be joining the workshop to help model some of the techniques we show you.
Rachel Musson is a sport & remedial massage therapist at Leyton Sports Massage and an experienced yoga teacher who has studied Thai massage, Tui Na, and CORE Myofascial release. Rachel is also a qualified primary school and special needs teacher, and in a previous life spent many happy years surrounded by little people.
FAQs/Additional Information
Where is the workshop?
We will be meeting in the studio at Fitness First in Leyton Mills retail centre. There is a lift to get up to the second floor. The gym is located across from Leyton tube station, has a large car park with 3-hour free parking, and buses 69, 97, 58, and 158 all stop outside the retail park.
Can I bring my baby/how old should my child be?
We encourage you to bring your baby to practice the techniques, but it is not a requirement of the workshop. As long as you feel confident that your child will not compromise your ability to participate we are happy for you to bring your child along. This might be up to two years of age, but if your child is older and you’d like to bring them please get in touch to confirm.
I have a medical condition – will the workshop be suitable for me?
If you have a medical condition we ask that you contact us before signing up for the workshop. Some medical conditions may be fine, others may not be, and some may need confirmation from your doctor before attending.
Can I breastfeed/are there nappy changing facilities?
Yes! Breastfeeding is welcome, and we will have an area set up in the studio for changing nappies, if you’d like to use it.
What should I wear/bring?
We recommend you wear comfortable clothes like you would wear to a yoga or gym class. There are changing facilities at the gym that you can use if you’d like. You may want to bring some water. Towels aren’t necessary, as you won’t be sweating, and mats and other equipment is provided.
Do I have to sign up for all four sessions?
You can do sessions individually based on your own interest/need, or purchase all four. If you missed one of the session that were of interest to you, we suggest you come to the fourth session to review. While it won’t be as in-depth, you will have access to all the resources (handouts, exercise cards, etc) from the session you missed. We are now offering sessions for purchase as individual sessions so you can pick and choose if you only want to do one or two, or you can purchase all four.
I’m a Fitness First member.
Because the workshop is held at a Fitness First, all Fitness First members are eligible for a 15% discount on the workshop: £25.00 instead of £30.00 for all four sessions, or £8.50 instead of £10.00 on individual sessions. To get your discount, input ‘FFDiscount’ in the Coupon code (not voucher code) on checkout.
