About Me
Parenting is one of the biggest challenges of an adult's life. My support will help build your confidence and help you and your little one's development.
Claire Shouksmith
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Over the last 25 plus years I have been working in family homes during the first few important years of their children's lives.
I have built a successful career working as a nanny, maternity nurse, night nanny, sleep consultant and troubleshooter working with first babies, up to large families with 6 or more children, and have a huge amount of experience with twins and triplets from newborn to school age. Regularly liaising with medical staff and other adults involved in children's care.
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I've supported families working with newborn babies at home and in hospital assisting parents with their newborn singleton, twins and triplets. Also helping families prepare for the birth of their babies' by discussing equipment, routines, setting up the house and babies rooms, and how to manage bringing multiples home to meet older siblings..
I help with establishing routines, getting babies sleeping through the night, resolving sleep problems, weaning and feeding issues, reflux, colic, CMPA and have potty trained countless numbers of toddlers.
I am passionate about everything I do, and I work with each family and child as an individual so they can achieve their personal goals and beyond. I believe nothing is impossible with a child but sometimes it may just take a bit longer to achieve.
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I have experience working with tube feeding at home, premature babies from 26wks, breast, bottle and cup feeding, post natal depression, severe reflux, cathedral/bubble pallet, malabsorption, gastroparesis, CMPA, tongue tie, colic, haemophilia, bronchiolitus, club foot, hip dysplasia, hearing impaired, autistic and sick children (Leukaemia and kidney failure, transplant and dialysis), parents with learning disabilities.
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Over the last few years I have found a real passion for teaching and encouraging parents and passing on my vast array of knowledge.
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Sunrise from Island Peak
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When not working with babies and young children I can be found in the outdoors. Ever since I was 18 in-between working I have participated in expeditions. Starting off with small 3 days on organised hikes, I have built up to larger expeditions lasting several months, and organising some of them myself.
In 2009 I walked in a team of 3 to the Magnetic North Pole, pulling our gear on pulks (sleds), doing our own navigation and being self sufficient for up to a week at a time. Spending 5 weeks in the Arctic was an amazing experience, a simple remote life built on routines and problem solving with the mental aspect being the toughest.
In 2013, I put together from scratch, and skippered an attempt to row around Great Britain. A week in we had a problem that couldn't be fixed onboard and had to retire from the race.
In 2015/16 I climbed Mt Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, joined an expedition to explore the Northern Burmese jungles and mountains, spent 6 weeks exploring Cambodia and Vietnam, participated in the Skaala Uphill in Norway and the Svalbard Ski-marathon.
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In January 2018 I climbed a couple of volcanoes in Ecuador, and in 2019 I climbed Island Peak (6189m) summiting on my 40th birthday and attempted an 8000m peak in Pakistan, Broad Peak.
In 2022 I participatied in a Coast to coast crossing of Costa Rica for the charity Borne, a medical research charity looking in to premature births.
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I have never let my adventures get 'in the way' of work, but have used them to enhance my work and teach young children about places and the outdoors that they wouldn't normally get experience of. I also use the same skill sets in both - that of a positive mental attitude, problem solving and coordinating.
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