A Day in the Life of a Tweddle Day Stay

By Kerrie Gottliebsen

It’s 9am and mum Rosie, her partner and baby Jay aged 7 months have just arrived at Tweddle’s Footscray Day Stay program where they will stay until around 4pm.

They’re all exhausted and not sure what to expect. Their Tweddle Early Parenting Professional (EPP) Janelle welcomes them with a smile. There are three other families booked into the same Day Stay program and they quickly bond over their shared experiences. This includes fatigue, their babies who have short day sleeps and babies who wake frequently at night.

Throughout the day Janelle and her co-worker work one-on-one with each family, demonstrating strategies for settling which the parents can practice in their own homes.

They listen to each family’s concerns and challenges which vary greatly from family to family. While the babies sleep, the parents gather in the lounge and chat. Parents can take this time to ask Janelle and her co-worker questions relating to all manner of things relating to parenting, in a safe and comfortable environment.

About Tweddle’s Early Parenting Day Stay Program

Tweddle’s Day Stay programs are located in Footscray, Wyndham, and Geelong. They are also delivered in Kings Park in partnership with Brimbank Council, Terang in partnership with Terang & Mortlake Health Service and Hindmarsh Day Stay in Nhill in partnership with West Wimmera Health Service.

Referrals to Day Stay

Parents and carers can self-refer to a Tweddle Day Stay program or seek a referral from a trusted Health Professional.

How Tweddle’s Day Stay program helps families

It is often an unsettled baby or wakeful toddler that spurs parents into seeking a referral to Tweddle. However, Tweddle’s caring, specialist Day Stay team support parents with many different challenges.

This includes sleep and settling, feeding and mealtimes, attachment and bonding, routines, toddler behaviour and developmental ages and stages.

All programs focus on infant health, development, and the promotion of attachment relationships. Attending a day stay program enables practitioners to work alongside parents and look at the whole 24-hour cycle.

Practitioners provide practical strategies that empower parents to do the best they can and to build confidence.

The Maribyrnong and Terang & Mortlake Day Stay programs provide support for parents and their 0 – 3-year-old children and our Geelong, Wyndham and Kings Park Day Stay programs support parents with children up to 12 months.

Call Tweddle for Day Stay Sleep and Settling Support

Call (03) 9689 1577 to chat about joining one of Tweddle’s free Day Stay programs or visit the programs section of Tweddle’s website.