Hey babies! Fancy a coffee?
Come to a Baby Cafe! Chat with other babies about what you’d like to learn, or what you’d like your parents to know. Learn how to get to sleep, how best to get to that milk, what to eat, and how your parents can have a fun time.
...No, not really!
But we do run Baby Cafe sessions at the library for parents.
Being a new parent, or even a second, third, or more – time parent can be a tough gig. There is lots to think about and advice seems to change all the time. So come along to a free session at the library presented by an expert in their field and get advice and answers to your questions. This is a time for you to get information from baby experts in a relaxed setting and to meet other parents and babies.
At Diamond Valley Library we hold Baby Cafe once a month on a Monday, straight after our fabulous Baby Storytime. There is no need to book, just come along and learn from our experts!
Our lineup for 2024 includes Nutrition, Breastfeeding, Reading Aloud and Mental Health, Sleep and Settling, Speech, Baby Osteopathy and Lactation, and Enjoying Parenting. Sessions will be on Monday 13 May, Monday 29 July, and the second Monday of the month from August to December.
At Thomastown Library there is an informal Baby Cafe after Baby Storytime and there may be a speaker or an information table.
So, come along and learn from the best, while enjoying our wonderful spaces and shared time with babies and other parents.
Can’t make it to a Baby Cafe? There are literally hundreds of books in our collection about all sorts of things relating to babies.
Here are a few to get you started:
Superfoods for babies and toddlers by Sophia Young
This practical book contains well over 100 recipes, suitable for babies starting out on pureed food, following right through to toddlers sharing family meals. These recipes showcase superfoods of all types to make sure your precious little ones get the very best start in life!
The Enchanted Hour: the miraculous power of reading aloud in the age of distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon
A look at the social, familial, neurological, and psychological benefits of reading aloud, especially for parents and children. This book explains the dazzling cognitive and social-emotional benefits that await children, whatever their class, nationality or family background. Reading aloud consoles, uplifts and invigorates at every age.
The baby sleep solution by Patricia Lawler
A book to help their infants and toddlers learn to sleep through the night and take healthy naps, all with the fewest tears possible. This parenting classic shows how to decipher, and work with, your baby's biological sleep rhythms, create a customised plan for getting your child to sleep through the night, nap well during the day, and teach your baby to fall asleep peacefully, and stay asleep.
Enough about the baby: a brutally honest guide to surviving the first year of motherhood by Becky Vieira
Do you need a book that doesn’t focus solely on caring for a screaming, crying, pooing baby? Here it is! Writer Becky Vieira helps new mums unapologetically prioritise self-care, create healthy boundaries, and stay sane in our newborn-obsessed culture. Filled with hacks, tips, and tricks about tough and taboo topics, including managing nosy in-laws, soothing a battered nether region, and looking after your mental health.
My First Five Years Baby: Everyday Activities to Support Your Baby's Development by Alistair Bryce-Clegg
This book is full of playful ideas to spark your baby's curiosity, build their confidence and support their development. Each chapter has simple, fun play ideas you can do at home with your baby and also explains the why behind different types of play. It shows you how to make the most of development opportunities in short, daily moments together.
Babies & toddlers: the sequel to Up the Duff by Kaz Cooke
Now you have a baby, what are you going to do with it?! With reassuring info, helpful suggestions, and answers to your worries, “Babies & Toddlers” is backed by the professional advice of more than thirty medical and other experts. Fun and practical, this book has everything you need to know about looking after babies and toddlers.
Taking care of yourself by the Harvard Business Review Parents series
When in your day did you take time for yourself? Taking Care of Yourself provides expert advice to help you identify what you value most out of your work and home life, make choices that align with those values, and manage the emotions that come with them. Learn to prioritise the areas of your life that are most important to you, carve out time for your mental health and your physical well-being, and feel more present both at work and at home.