How a Doncaster mum helped parents "crushed" by the lockdown crisis

Determined to make sure new parents were not left isolated during the pandemic Nichola Caughey, who runs Baby Bunnies classes across the borough, had to think outside the box.

Although Nichola’s face to face classes, including baby massage and baby yoga, were cancelled she set to work organising online support.

Nichola said: “My Zoom classes not only kept new mums going but also kept me focused on work life balance.”

A big part of Nichola’s new online role became supporting parents who had given birth during lockdown.

“When mummies joined baby massage sessions online I initially offered the first session as a one-to-one just so I could get to know mummy and baby a little better and get an insight into how they were feeling and the highs and lows of having a baby during the Covid pandemic.

“I ran a baby massage session for dads on a Sunday evening and was amazed how many logged on.

“Also people from all over joined the sessions. I had people from Glasgow, Hull, Birmingham, I even did a one-to-one session with a family in America.”

Nichola was able to resume face to face classes in June but is keen to still offer online support.

"There have been such a lot of babies born in lockdown which makes me worry about the parents that have not booked on classes”, she said.

“Mummies need a support network especially at a time when it is more and more difficult to meet up in public places, baby classes are a safe place to mix.”

Nichola’s timetable of face-to-face classes is returning to normal with sessions now running across Doncaster.

She added: “I felt strongly that mums really needed face-to-face contact and that family support, it wasn’t a decision I took lightly and it was really full on making sure I had all the Covid guidelines in place to ensure classes were safe.

“Some parents were really nervous, nervous about parenting in general and bringing their babies out for the first time and also parents that were nervous about the virus. The virus has crushed a lot of parents' confidence and I want to bring that confidence back.”