We had a chat with Lucy to find out more about NEST and the support she offers to families
1. Tell us about NEST?
NEST is a private Early Years Consultancy with a team of highly qualified consultants, offering bespoke support to families from pregnancy right through to school aged children. NEST stands for: Nurture, Educate, Support: Together which is an ethos we feel very strongly about.
The team at NEST can support with packing hospital bags, getting the nursery ready for your little one, weaning, sleep, breastfeeding and bottle-feeding, behaviour, managing emotions, toilet training, school readiness (and so much more)!
2. Why and how did you start your business?
Having trained at the world famous Norland College, I went on to nanny for 4 years caring for children from days old through to 17 years and everything in between!
This was followed by 5 years working in the NHS for a public health nursing team supporting families in the community. Having worked with hundreds of different families both in my nannying career and in the NHS, it was incredibly clear to me that no family is the same, so trying to fit families in to what felt like the tick boxes that was expected of us in the NHS was not something that sat comfortably with me. Together with this and seeing first hand the increasing shortages of holistic support there was for families, I decided to be brave and create the business I had been dreaming of for so long.
In 2018 NEST was born! After running NEST alongside my NHS career, in March 2022, I went full time on NEST and have never looked back!
3. What impact do your consultations have on parents?
I am not one to blow my own trumpet and if I am honest I am not very good at doing so at all! However speaking about the business that NEST is today feels different. It feels different because we now have the community of families around us that I always dreamt of having.
We receive feedback from families which is what has shaped the services NEST offers and continues to do so.
Yes I think the business I have created is unique and so vital for all parents (whether it is a first or third baby), and yes I am beyond proud of the business I have created, but it’s the feedback from parents that it what makes me shine with pride.
What’s so special about NEST you ask?
Our clients are feeling heard, respected, listened to, less overwhelmed, nurtured, valued, empowered, reassured, and back in control of making decisions which they feel is right for their little ones.
I mean that’s crucial, right?
This testimonial from a client really touched me when I read it.
“NEST is a service that every mother, father, parent and guardian should have by their side. They offer a safe and supportive space to talk, reassurance, and they gave me a direction at a time where I felt off track and lost”
4. Your advice for parents?
A collection of tips from the team at NEST: follow your instincts, do what’s right for your little one and your family, try not to compare yourselves to others (we all know the toxic affect this has), please don’t feel embarrassed to reach out for support- asking for help is OK!! As hard as it may feel; be honest with yourself and others (the chances are that if you are honest then others will be too!), take photos and videos to capture all those precious moments, have technology free time..yes that’s us saying have phone free time to really engage and be present with your children. Not every moment will be perfect, but enjoy it as much as you can, your little one will change SO much!
Thank you for sharing this post Lucy and welcome to bndle!
To access the various consultations offer from NEST, head over to the lifestage sections of our homepage.