Cosy Private Baby First Aid & Weaning Courses with Friends
By Katherine · Paediatric Nurse, Health Visitor & Maternal Wellbeing Practitioner · Baby Steps
Private Baby First Aid & Weaning Courses
The Cosy Get-Together Your Friends Will Thank You For
Picture it. Maybe it's a crisp autumn morning with coffee and warm pastries, or a dark winter evening with candles lit and a glass of something in hand. Either way, there's a plate of nibbles doing the rounds, your favourite people are all in one room, and babies are being passed from lap to lap.
And by the end, every one of you knows exactly what to do if your little one ever chokes, has a fever or takes a tumble. That's a private Baby Steps Private Baby First Aid & Weaning Courses
Or perhaps you're thinking about Weaning, or you've just started. And by the end, every one of you knows how to start step by step, time saving hacks to take the stress away and exactly what to do if they ever choke or have an allergic reaction. That's my Weaning Without Worry™ course, with First Aid for Weaning built in.
And if you're reading this with a baby on your shoulder and one eye on the clock, I'll keep it easy to dip in and out of.
Who I am: Paediatric Nurse, Registered Health Visitor and Maternal Wellbeing Practitioner
I'm Katherine. I trained as a Paediatric Nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1995, and I've spent more than 30 years in the NHS, including 26 years in a Paediatric A&E in London where I work today. I'm also a Registered Health Visitor and Maternal Wellbeing Practitioner.
And I'm mum to Isabella and William, so I know the sleepless nights and the "is this normal?" worries only too well.
Over all those years, one thing has become very clear. Parents don't just need information. They need calm, trusted support, and they absolutely need each other.
The noise has never been louder
I'm meeting more anxious parents than ever, and I completely understand why.
Social media is full of conflicting opinions and frightening stories
Weaning looks either perfect or terrifying online, and rarely realistic
Face-to-face professional support isn't always easy to find
Late-night questions get typed into AI tools, because no one else is awake
The internet and AI can be useful, but they can't see your baby, notice the worry in your face or know when you need reassurance more than another fact. I've written more about this in my blog on AI and parenting anxiety.
For many families, the village that once surrounded new parents simply isn't nearby. So let's bring the village together, with snacks.
I am the calm in the noise.
Why learning with your own people feels so different
My private First Aid & Home Safety and Weaning Without Worry™ courses are for you and the people you already love and trust.
It feels like a get-together, not a class. Comfy clothes, a hot drink, no awkward small talk with strangers.
It fits around your life. Daytime sessions work beautifully around naps and maternity leave, and evenings mean partners and working grandparents can join too.
Questions flow freely. No question is too small, and one person's question often helps everyone.
Everyone hears the same thing. Partners, grandparents and friends all leave with the same clear, consistent knowledge.
You'll have your own little village afterwards. People who know what you know and can back you up.
It's genuinely sociable. Most groups make an occasion of it, with coffee and cake, a lunchtime spread, or drinks and nibbles.
One lovely family hosted their First Aid course at home and told me:
"The relaxed way Katherine presented all the info, plus the food and drink made it feel more like a gathering than a course! "
That's exactly the feeling I hope for.
Information without the overwhelm
Instead of a hundred tabs and a hundred opinions, we go through what you actually need to know, step by step.
A relaxed 2.5 hour session, morning, afternoon or evening
Tailored to your group's questions and your children's ages
Hands-on practice, so you build real confidence rather than just listening
Resources to take home, so you don't need to remember everything on the day
All courses are tailored to your group.
First Aid & Home Safety: what we cover
My First Aid & Home Safety course helps you feel ready for both the emergencies and the everyday bumps.
Choking and CPR
Burns and scalds
Cuts and bleeding
Falls and head injuries
Fevers and febrile convulsions
Allergic reactions
Poisoning and accidental ingestions
Common childhood illnesses
Home safety and accident prevention
Safer sleep
When and where to seek further help
You'll practise on manikins and go home with a First Aid Manual and practical guides.
Weaning Without Worry™: what we cover
Starting solids should feel exciting, not overwhelming. Weaning Without Worry™ brings together practical weaning guidance, essential first aid and emotional reassurance.
When your baby is ready to start solids
Purées, finger foods and baby-led weaning
Introducing common allergens
Gagging vs choking
First aid for choking and allergic reactions, with hands-on manikin practice
Making family mealtimes easier
Ways to make Weaning stress free from over 20 years of experience
Practical, time-saving weaning tips
Your group's own questions and concerns
You'll leave with a weaning guide and helpful resources.
How you'll feel when you walk out the door
This is the bit parents tell me about most.
Lighter. That low hum of "what if" quietens down.
Confident. Your hands know what to do, not just your head.
Reassured. You've had your own questions answered by someone who's seen it all.
Connected. You've shared a lovely few hours with people who've got your back.
Many parents tell me they feel calmer for days afterwards.
Who is a private course for?
Groups of friends, NCT or antenatal groups
New parents and parents-to-be
Grandparents and family members
Anyone who'll be caring for your baby or young child
Or simply just you
If you have a particular worry, perhaps after a difficult experience, please tell me beforehand. I'll make sure the session feels safe, unhurried and judgement free.
Your home or my studio
At your home.
I'll bring everything to you. I travel across Surrey, Hampshire, London, the South Coast and surrounding areas, so just ask if you're not sure I can reach you.
At the Baby Steps Studio.
Tucked away in the woods of Bramshott Chase in Hindhead, on the Surrey/Hampshire border. Private parking, 2 minutes from the A3, and plenty of home comforts waiting for you. Wherever we are, babies are always welcome. Feed, change and cuddle them whenever you need to.
Don't let the season slip by
Autumn and winter are made for gathering your people, and diaries fill up fast with birthdays, Christmas and everything in between. Whether you fancy a cosy morning with coffee and cake or an evening with drinks and nibbles, now's the time to get a date in the diary.
Your gentle next steps
Download my free guides
Calm, practical support on accident prevention, finger foods, choking and teething.
Plan your get-together
Tell me who's coming, whether day or evening suits you best and what you'd love to cover, and we'll find a date that works.
Learn more below.
You're doing better than you think. I'd love to help you feel it too.
Katherine x
My courses share general guidance and practical skills. If you're ever worried about your baby, contact your GP or NHS 111, and call 999 in an emergency.
A little note from me
I’m Katherine, founder of Baby Steps. I've spent over 30 years working with babies, children and families as a Paediatric Nurse, Health Visitor and Maternal Wellbeing Practitioner. For over 20 years I've supported families by providing baby weaning advice and weaned my own two babies, through the exciting, messy, sometimes overwhelming journey of starting solids.
And I know that sometimes what parents need most isn't another list of foods or another opinion from social media.
They need someone to sit alongside them, listen, make sense of it all and say:
"Right. Let's work this out together."
That's what Weaning Without Worry™ is all about.
Written by Katherine Whitby
Paediatric Nurse · Health Visitor · Maternal Wellbeing Practitioner · Mum of Two
With over 30 years of experience supporting babies and families, Katherine founded Baby Steps in 2006 to give parents the calm, expert, personalised Weaning support that stretched NHS services can no longer provide. Katherine works with families online and in person from her peaceful woodland studio - and genuinely loves every minute of it.
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