Gemma Ollerenshaw, Student Midwife at University of Nottingham, UK:
“Positions and tips for an active labour and birth”

Gemma is currently a second year student midwife at the University of Nottingham in the UK. Parent education is something that she is very passionate about and has taken a particular interest in. She hopes to work further on developing parent education programmes and public health promotion initiatives when she qualifies as a midwife.

Lynn Ratcliffe, Antenatal Teacher & Breastfeeding Support Worker, England:
“Making the most of the pelvis for birth”

Lynn Ratcliffe has been an antenatal teacher in the UK for 18 years with the NCT. She has also been part of the Birmingham Women's Hospital parent education team for 12 years and of the Becoming Families Worcestershire team for 5 years. She is a yoga teacher, a Spinning Babies parent educator and an NHS breastfeeding support worker. She is looking forward to facilitating face-to-face antenatal classes again when COVID allows! 

Hannah Guzinska, Clinical Psychologist and Parenting Consultant, Scotland:
“Self care for new parents”

Dr Hannah Guzinska is a Clinical Psychologist with a special interest in perinatal wellbeing, parenting and the parent-infant relationship. She has additional training in Family Therapy and Theraplay and is also a Parenting and Babywearing Consultant. She is currently working as an associate with Home-Start Scotland and Cattanach, and also offers CalmFamily parenting education classes antenatally and in the early years of parenthood. 

Clare Stead, Creator & Founder of the Oliiki app:
“Your baby’s learning in the first 1000 days of life”

Clare Stead is the creator and founder of the Oliiki app - an app grounded in evidence with a focus on play-based learning for parent, bump and baby. The Oliiki app helps parents and parents-to-be spark their baby’s adventures in learning and build their parenting confidence one play activity at a time. Clare also runs regular workshops on ‘How To Parent To Help Your Kids Become Fabulous.’

Philippa Clark, Artist in Residence at the Young Parents Support Base, Glasgow, UK
“Writing a letter to your child”

Philippa is Artist in Residence in collaboration with ConFAB and the Young Parents Support Base, Smithycroft, in Scotland. The Young Parents’ Support Base forms part of a wider strategic approach to supporting young parents in Glasgow. The overall aim of the service is to support young parents to attain the best possible start in life for themselves and their children. Philippa is a freelance teaching artist and performance practitioner. Her work uses a process of engagement with people from varied backgrounds and communities. She places the specific experience of the participants and their needs at the centre of a creative process that enables them to connect to their current situation through expressive tasks. She believes that through a creative process, young parents can have the opportunity to develop skills that are crucial to becoming a parent, for example, problem solving, resilience, and playfulness. As a mother of two, Philippa believes we need to nurture ourselves before we can fully nurture another.