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CONTRIBUTORS Meet our contributors We asked the inspiring parents behind the stories in this issue how relaxed they are as a parent CAROLINE MELLOR lives in Sussex with her daughter and husband-to-be. She is a stayat-home mum, freelance writer and holistic therapist. She writes for us on exploring Britain’s ancient sites with little ones on page 85. ‘I'm big on relaxation! Holidays, gardening, yoga, massages, steamy aromatherapy baths, snuggling my toddler to sleep and having a big glass of red wine all help me to relax. As a mother I'm fairly relaxed but I have my moments, so maybe a 7/10.’ KATY HOLDER is a food writer, stylist, and mum to two energetic boys aged 10 and eight. They live in a converted church in Sydney. In this issue Katy shares her favourite picnic recipes. ‘I take every moment that comes my way to sit and just think, dream (I'm a big dreamer) and plan. The most relaxed I get is when we are away camping. Just sitting with a glass of wine, dinner cooking over an open fire, kids foraging in the woods and nothing to do – this is when I truly relax.’ ALICE METCALFE lives in Dorset with her husband and two children, Leo, five, and Emily, two. She writes for us on the power of hypnobirthing on page 28. ‘I’m about 8/10 for relaxation. When I feel things getting on top of me, I count to ten out loud – this helps get the situation into perspective.' ANDREAS KORNEVALL lives in Sussex with his wife and their two daughters, Chloe, 11 and Rosie, eight. He writes for us on how planting trees with kids helps him relax. ‘The South Downs help me to find a sense of peace and belonging. I also play folk music to wind down from the day to day. On a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of relaxation, I’m afraid I’m below 5. I am terrified every time my children are on a bike wobbling down the road, or high up on the branches whilst climbing trees.’ TRACY-ANN ASTON is a lecturer in education and author of ‘The Really Useful Book of Science Experiments’. She lives with her husband, daughter and their two cats in Bucks. This issue she shares the best green science experiments to do at home. 'As a writer I often find it very difficult to switch my thought processes off - I would say I’m 6/10.’ We would also like to thank all our other wonderful writers and illustrators: Claire Ashbourne, Leo Babauta, Amy Billings, Tobyn Cleeves, Adharanand Finn, Jessica Rae Gordon, David Handley, Sarah Hayes, Hannah Hiles, Noël Janis-Norton, Ashley Johnson, Glennie Kindred, Louise Kinnaird, Dr. Laura Markham, Vera Martins, Andrea Mynard, Hannah Palamara, Rikke Rosengren, Gabrielle Stanley Blair, Donna Taylor, Marneta Viegas, Nichola West Acorn Family Holidays are a ‘real-life’ adventure company specialising in an exciting range of all-inclusive fully organised activity holidays in; France, Italy, Spain and Wales. Since 1982 we have inspired over 1 million families and young people to go outside and get active. We pride ourselves on being big enough for you to have confidence, old enough to be experienced and fundamentally small enough to care about your satisfaction. With this being said, there’s only one question to ask. Are you ready to join the adventure this summer? Great value, all inclusive and fully organised by us! Family Adventure specialists, great camp locations over Europe with high adrenaline activities! Bringing families together, spend quality time with your loved ones and other like-minded families
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LETTERS The Green Parent YOUR LETTERS TO GIVE breastsA CHANCE Martina Tyrrell never thought she’d have to defend her choice to breastfeed to other women – here’s how she fought for what she believed is right IWAS BORN IN RURAL Ireland in the 1970s where breastfeeding was a taboo subject. I wasn’t breastfed and if anyone else was, I didn’t know about it. Occasionally I heard adults talk about breastfeeding as if it were a shameful and dirty act. Despite this, I knew from an early age that I would breastfeed my babies. As a ten year old, my hero was the primatologist Jane Goodall, through whom I developed a sense of kinship for chimpanzees. I observed the similarities between humans and other mammals and, living in the countryside, I saw cats, sheep and cows feed their babies. I thought of myself as human, ape, mammal, and understood that one of our defining characteristics is our production of milk to feed our young. Don’t get me wrong, breastfeeding wasn’t something I thought about too much. But it always felt right to me. I was 23 years old before I saw a woman breastfeeding. I was living in Japan when my friend Takako gave birth to her third child. For two years, she confidently breastfed Eri, whenever and wherever she was hungry – even once while Takako drove down a narrow country road that dropped steeply away to rice paddies on either side! In my late 20s, I lived in Arctic Canada, where Inuit women have babies from an early age. I watched 16- and 17-year old mothers breastfeed their babies, supported by older family members. Growing up in a culture where breastfeeding is the norm, these women never stopped to ask the angst-ridden question ‘Should I breast- or bottle-feed?’ Despite my self-assurance about breastfeeding, I didn’t expect it to be easy. It turned out to be more difficult than expected, but a community of support got me through the tough early weeks. What I was not prepared for was the vehement opposition that many women expressed towards my choice to breastfeed. THIS TOO SHALL PASS After a long and arduous labour, my daughter was delivered by forceps. We were both exhausted. For two days I failed to establish breastfeeding while a succession of rushed hospital staff tried to assist. I never saw 26 JUNE/JULY 2015 www.thegreenparent.co.uk "I felt that if only I could escape the fishbowl of the hospital ward, I would feel relaxed enough to figure out how to feed my daughter" Star Letter the same person twice. On two occasions staff took hold of my breast and attempted to force it into my daughter’s mouth. I was miserable. I desperately wanted to go home (I had planned a home birth) and felt that if only I could escape the fishbowl of the hospital ward, I would feel relaxed enough to figure out how to feed my daughter. I asked when I might be discharged and was told I could leave as soon as my baby had completed a forty minute feed. So I pulled the curtain around my bed, made cooing sounds as I pacified her with my finger in her mouth, and then told the ward sister that she had had a successful feed. Two hours later we were discharged. The next day we were faring no better and she was rapidly losing weight. The health visitor who came to the house was kind, gentle and encouraging. She helped my daughter to latch and sent my husband to buy formula, a bottle and a breast pump. ‘It’s only until she gets her strength back,’ she assured me, and she was right. She also suggested nipple shields, as my flat nipples provided little to latch on to. For the next two days my daughter fed on a combination of formula, expressed breast milk and, little by little, milk directly from my breasts. By the time she was six days old, she was exclusively breastfeeding. Breastfeeding was painful at first and my daughter was twelve weeks old before we dispensed with the nipple shields. But not once during those physically and emotionally painful weeks did I consider throwing in the towel. I knew if I persevered I would get through it. And I did. Breastfeeding my daughter (and, later, her sister) turned out to be a beautiful life-affirming experience. Throughout those difficult weeks I was supported by my husband, my mum, my friends from antenatal class (half of > JUNE/JULY 2015 www.thegreenparent.co.uk 27 It made me smile when I opened the cover of the latest edition and on the first page I find, cloth nappies, baby wearing whilst pregnant, daddy baby wearing and breastfeeding! All things that are dear to our family and have been or are now part of daily life. I've already read it cover to cover and taking it in to share with our breastfeeding support group next session. Thank you! Kerry Jo Gardiner Guiding force The Green Parent is different to other parenting magazines - it's not judgemental, just guides you with ways that might help you and your family. It covers all aspects of parenting, including looking after yourself and connecting with yourself spiritually. Laura Rush Festival excitement I love the most recent issue of Green Parent so much, there are so many articles that interest and inspire me. Got me really excited about the festival season too and am here in the hope that I might win tickets to Just So Festival or Gaunt's house! My daughter loves nothing more than to be in the wilderness and we could really do with a magical summer. Thanks so much Vanessa Heart-felt read The Green Parent feels like it's written just for me! You always pick topics that are relevant and close to my heart – it’s the best magazine I’ve ever read! Hannah Gill @LittleSquishUK Treated myself to a subscription. It's only parenting magazine I've ever identified with; totally recommend @InkDistribution "Encourage #biodiversity in your space" - loads of great #gardening tips & inspiration in the current @greenparentmag @Nevrandil "I have not sweated my ovaries out to raise Keiths" If you're a @ greenparentmag reader, you know what I'm talking about! #nailedit! With deep respect: Sheila Kitzinger was one of the greatest inspirations for starting @greenparentmag WE ASKED: What crafts you use to relax at home? Katie Godden Adult colouring books! Love them! Francine McKay Hama beads Sarah Kelly-Cole Needle felting Bekkie QuinlivanSmith Crochet, quilting, sewing and colouring in Ruth Parkinson I knit squares Shelley Amitola Catori BA Have you heard of knit a square the charity? Marianne Hopwood naalbinding, and knitting off piste (i.e. without a pattern) Karin Klompe I crochet and knit. My happy place!! Anne Borland Knitting and quilting Janine Fordham Adult colouring books here too, it's the only craft I can still do with my teenage daughters that we all enjoy. Love Secret Garden! WRITE AND TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE GREEN PARENT AND YOU COULD WIN OUR STAR LETTER PRIZE This issue's star letter prize comes courtesy of silver Natural Beauty Award award winners, NAÏF. The Starter Kit (worth £57) includes all the personal care essentials a parent needs to survive the first months and beyond. The kit comprises Softening Body Lotion, Cleansing Wash Gel, Milky Bath Oil, Soothing Massage Oil, Diaper Cream and Nurturing Cream in a practical recyclable and reusable zip bag. Visit naifcare.com to find out more. Win all this AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015 www.thegreenparent.co.uk 7

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CONTRIBUTORS

Meet our contributors

We asked the inspiring parents behind the stories in this issue how relaxed they are as a parent

CAROLINE MELLOR lives in Sussex with her daughter and husband-to-be. She is a stayat-home mum, freelance writer and holistic therapist. She writes for us on exploring Britain’s ancient sites with little ones on page 85. ‘I'm big on relaxation! Holidays, gardening, yoga,

massages, steamy aromatherapy baths, snuggling my toddler to sleep and having a big glass of red wine all help me to relax. As a mother I'm fairly relaxed but I have my moments, so maybe a 7/10.’

KATY HOLDER is a food writer, stylist, and mum to two energetic boys aged 10 and eight. They live in a converted church in Sydney. In this issue Katy shares her favourite picnic recipes. ‘I take every moment that comes my way to sit and just think, dream (I'm a big dreamer) and plan. The most relaxed I get is when we are away camping. Just sitting with a glass of wine, dinner cooking over an open fire, kids foraging in the woods and nothing to do – this is when I truly relax.’

ALICE METCALFE lives in Dorset with her husband and two children, Leo, five, and Emily, two. She writes for us on the power of hypnobirthing on page 28. ‘I’m about 8/10 for relaxation. When I feel things getting on top of me, I count to ten out loud – this helps get the situation into perspective.'

ANDREAS KORNEVALL lives in Sussex with his wife and their two daughters, Chloe, 11 and Rosie, eight. He writes for us on how planting trees with kids helps him relax. ‘The South Downs help me to find a sense of peace and belonging. I also play folk music to wind down from the day to day.

On a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of relaxation, I’m afraid I’m below 5. I am terrified every time my children are on a bike wobbling down the road, or high up on the branches whilst climbing trees.’

TRACY-ANN ASTON is a lecturer in education and author of ‘The Really Useful Book of Science Experiments’. She lives with her husband, daughter and their two cats in Bucks. This issue she shares the best green science experiments to do at home. 'As a writer I often find it very difficult to switch my thought processes off - I would say I’m 6/10.’

We would also like to thank all our other wonderful writers and illustrators: Claire Ashbourne, Leo Babauta, Amy Billings, Tobyn Cleeves, Adharanand Finn, Jessica Rae Gordon, David Handley, Sarah Hayes, Hannah Hiles, Noël Janis-Norton, Ashley Johnson, Glennie Kindred, Louise Kinnaird, Dr. Laura Markham, Vera Martins, Andrea Mynard, Hannah Palamara, Rikke Rosengren, Gabrielle Stanley Blair, Donna Taylor, Marneta Viegas, Nichola West

Acorn Family Holidays are a ‘real-life’ adventure company specialising in an exciting range of all-inclusive fully organised activity holidays in; France, Italy, Spain and Wales. Since 1982 we have inspired over 1 million families and young people to go outside and get active. We pride ourselves on being big enough for you to have confidence, old enough to be experienced and fundamentally small enough to care about your satisfaction. With this being said, there’s only one question to ask. Are you ready to join the adventure this summer?

Great value, all inclusive and fully organised by us!

Family Adventure specialists, great camp locations over Europe with high adrenaline activities!

Bringing families together, spend quality time with your loved ones and other like-minded families

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