NeoNurture Physiotherapy

Baby Massage & Physiotherapy in Claygate, Surrey

Blog

Some recent news & updates from me!

  • Nursery visits – why they can be helpful 🧸

    I recently did a nursery visit for one of my long-term patients, as he’s just started nursery. I’ve been seeing him regularly to support his development and some of the difficulties he’s been having, and I’ve been working closely with his parents—sharing ideas, exercises, and ways to build these into everyday life at home.

    So when he started nursery, it felt like the perfect opportunity to make sure he had the right support there too. I recently did an Instagram post, but I wanted to write a bit more detail here to explain why nursery visits can be so valuable.

    Nursery visits are often thought of as something “extra” — but in reality, they can be a really important part of supporting a child’s development. They help bridge the gap between therapy sessions and real life, making everything more consistent, practical, and effective. I talk a lot about empowering parents to support their baby’s development at home, but it’s also important to empower the other caregivers in their life so they get support in every setting.

    Why nursery visits matter 🏫

    For many children, nursery is where they spend a large part of their day. It’s where they play, explore, interact with others, and practise new skills.

    By supporting what happens at nursery as well (not just thinking about at home or during therapy sessions), we can help children practise skills little and often, in a natural and meaningful way. This is most effective for supporting their development and providing that all important early intervention.

    Benefits for your child 👶

    Consistency across the day
    Children learn best through repetition. When the same strategies and movements are supported at home and at nursery, it gives them many more opportunities to practise — which can really help progress.

    Functional, real-life practice
    Rather than exercises feeling like a separate task, they can be built into everyday activities like play, transitions, and group time.

    Support in a social environment
    Being around other children can be really motivating. Sometimes children will try new movements or activities at nursery that they might not attempt at home.

    Confidence and inclusion
    With the right support in place, children are more likely to feel confident joining in, exploring their environment, and keeping up with their peers.

    Benefits for nursery staff 💛

    Nursery staff are often incredibly supportive and keen to help — they might just need the right guidance. A visit allows me to:

    Understand the child’s routine
    Every nursery is different, and seeing the environment helps me make realistic, practical suggestions.

    Demonstrate strategies
    It’s much easier to show how to support a child in real time than to explain it afterwards.

    Answer questions
    Staff can ask about anything they’re unsure of, which helps build confidence.

    Keep things simple
    Often, small changes make the biggest difference — it’s about adapting what’s already happening, not adding lots of extra work.

    Benefits for me as a clinician 👩‍⚕️

    Nursery visits also give me a much fuller picture of how a child is moving and functioning. I can observe:

    How they move around other children
    How they manage in a busier, more stimulating environment; what motivates them; how they play and explore; and how their skills vary compared to home.

    This often provides really valuable insight that helps guide ongoing therapy.

    A joined-up approach

    Ultimately, nursery visits help create a more joined-up, consistent approach:

    home 🏡 + nursery 🏫 + therapy 👩‍⚕️

    When everyone is working together, it means the child is supported throughout their whole day — not just in short therapy sessions or specific moments at home.

    And that’s when we often see the biggest changes. Small, consistent opportunities to practise, in environments where children feel comfortable and engaged.

    Final thoughts ✨

    Nursery visits aren’t always needed for every child, but when they are, they can make a huge difference.

    They help everyone feel more confident, ensure strategies are realistic and consistent, and most importantly, support the child in the places that matter most to them.

    Because development doesn’t just happen in sessions — it happens in everyday moments 💛

Some more recent posts…

Nursery visits – why they can be helpful 🧸

I recently did a nursery visit for one of my long-term patients, as he’s just started nursery. I’ve been seeing him regularly to support his development and some of the difficulties he’s been having, and I’ve been working closely with his parents—sharing ideas, exercises, and ways to build these into everyday life at home. So…

The benefits of baby massage — why it’s about so much more than relaxation

I’ve just had some time off over Easter with my toddler, but now I’m back to work and have a new group of Mums and babies starting my baby massage course today — I’m really excited to meet them all. It felt like the perfect time to write about something I’m really passionate about: the…

Offering free developmental support 💛

Since starting NeoNurture, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on what families really need in those early days with a new baby. As a paediatric physiotherapist, my role is of course to support babies’ development — but just as importantly, it’s about supporting the parents behind them. This is something I’ve always believed, particularly…

Stepping into the Role of Chair for the APCP Neonatal Committee

I’m really pleased to share that I’ve recently taken on the role of Chair of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP) Neonatal Committee, alongside my lovely co-chair, Gail. Having been part of the committee for seven years—including two as Vice Chair—it feels incredibly special to step into this role with such a fantastic team.…

Our Mum & Baby Event – A Lovely Morning in Esher 💛

Last week, on Wednesday 4th March, I had the pleasure of running our Mum and Baby event alongside Jenny, a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist. We hosted the morning at FIT Partnership in Esher, who very kindly offered us their space so local mums and babies could come together in a comfortable and welcoming environment –…

Why might I need to see a physio for my baby?

This is a question I get asked all the time — especially when I meet new people and tell them I’m a physio for babies (or a neonatal physiotherapist if I’m being professional!). Usually the response is something like:“Oh… so you do baby massage?”“Why on earth would a baby need physiotherapy?!” And while yes —…

Mum & Baby Event with Jenny Fielding – Specialist Pelvic Health Physio

I’m so excited to finally share more about a new in-person event I’m hosting alongside the wonderful Jenny Fielding from Mint Wellbeing. Jenny is a local specialist pelvic health physiotherapist, and someone who actually supported me personally after I had my baby. Even though I’m a physiotherapist myself, I specialised into paediatrics a long time…

Welcome to NeoNurture Physiotherapy 👋

Hi everyone, and welcome! I’m so excited to finally be launching this blog for NeoNurture Physiotherapy, where I’ll be sharing news, updates, and hopefully lots of useful support for parents and their babies along the way. For those of you who don’t know me yet, my name is Anna Lukens. I’m a specialist paediatric physiotherapist,…