The pain of cracked and bleeding nipples is truly horrendous and if you’ve experienced it then you’ll know exactly how excruciating it can be. If you plan to breast feed there are a few things you can do to try to avoid sore nipples. Prevention is better than cure!

·         Give your breasts plenty of exposure to fresh air, this will keep them healthy.

·         Ensure your breasts are fully dry after showering, gently pat dry and rub in some oil to keep them supple.

·         Don’t wash them with soap as this will dry out your skin and remove the skin’s natural oils which can help prevent cracking.

·         When you start breast feeding allow a small amount of the milk to dry on the nipple as this will keep them supple.

Technique is also important when breast feeding.

·         Make sure your baby has the entire nipple in the mouth and not just the teat. Your mid-wife can watch you give a feed if you are unsure.

·         Try different positions, your mid wife can show you the various ways in which you can try feeding. 

 ·         Try feeding frequently so your baby is not so hungry that they are grabbing and pulling at them out of hunger.

Prevention is always better than cure but if you are suffering, try vitamin E and talk to your mid-wife who can give you professional advice and guidance.

Is it time to wean?  The recommended age to start weaning your baby is from six months, up until this time they will have been getting all their nutrients from breastfeeding or formula milk. They will still need milk as part of their diet until they reach at least 18 months old, or maybe even older.  From around six months old  

• You may find your baby starts to take an interest in what you are eating.
• They may start to demand more feeds.
• They may also start waking more throughout the night or earlier in the morning due to hunger.
• They could start to be putting things in their mouths.

What should their first meal be? Baby rice mixed with a little breast milk or their normal formula milk is a good food to start with as it is fairly bland. You could always give a mouthful or two of food to start and then top it up with their normal milk feed. You may find they ‘play’ with the food by pushing it around their mouths using their tongues and actually look as though they are not eating anything. Don’t worry, it takes time for them to get used to the texture and taste. 

• Mix a small amount of pear puree or other fruit puree to get them used to different tastes.
• Introduce some vegetable puree. Many babies prefer the sweeter vegetables such as carrot, sweet potato, squash.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment, if they don’t eat vast amounts don’t panic, they will be getting their nutrients from their milk.

Don’t panic, just make meal times fun. If you’re feeling relaxed, your baby will relax too!

by: Lynn Powers 

Being a parent can be a worry at the best of times but when your baby or child appears unwell it can be difficult to assess just how sick they are. Do they need to see a doctor, do they need medicine or are we just panicking about something that will simply get better by itself.

Trust your instinct – you know your child better than anyone and if you are at all concerned then it is always better to seek professional help by visiting your G.P. If you’re unsure whether to go to the surgery or ask for a home visit, phone and talk to the receptionist or to your G.P. You can explain their symptoms and your situation. Wrapping a sick child up and going by car is totally different than if your only option is getting to the surgery by bus!

Sometimes there should be no grey areas of whether you need to seek help

Urgent symptoms

• A very high temperature of over 39 degrees especially if it’s accompanied by a rash
• Drowsy, hard to wake and disorientated
• Fits or if your baby turns blue, pale or seems floppy
• Breathing difficulties, rapid breathing or grunting
• High temperature but the hands and feet feel clammy
• A purple or red rash anywhere on the body.

If in doubt, always seek advice, even if it turns out to be nothing. Don’t be afraid of seeming like an over protective parent, better to be safe than sorry!

feed. It usually begins in their first few weeks after birth and can continue up to around the age of 7 months when most reflux will have decreased. 

Reflux is caused when abdominal pressure overcomes the baby’s weak oesophageal sphincter (this is the muscle valve between the oesophagus and the stomach). Milk can easily bypass this muscle when they are lying down. 

To try to reduce the problems of reflux there are a few things you can do 

• Try feeding your baby smaller amounts. If the stomach is filled to capacity regurgitation is more likely to happen.
• Don’t put any pressure on their tummy, even a tight nappy can add pressure!
• Wait between feeds at least around 2 hours to ensure Reflux is the repeated, effortless regurgitation of small amounts of milk after each the stomach can empty itself.
• Winding your baby during feeds can help. Try not to interrupt their feeds but if they pause to look around, stop and wind them.
• Don’t jig them about after meals but try holding them in an upright position and when you put your baby in an infant seat put something under their bottom so they are more stretched out.

Reflux can only be a problem if you find your baby is not gaining weight due to regurgitating large amounts or is choking. If you are concerned in any way speak to your health visitor or doctor who will be able to assess your baby, the problem shouldn’t last forever. If you are out and about take plenty of spare clothing and cloths you can drape over yourself and remember by 7 months it should be resolved.

We are all probably aware of environmentally ‘good’ products and trying our best to eat organic and look after ourselves, this includes our skin. We know our skin is affected by the amount of water we drink, the food we eat and the creams and potions we use but how should we look after our baby’s skin?

Babies have thinner skin which is much more delicate than ours, so therefore it is not really in need of beautiful baby smelling soaps, shampoos, bubble baths and scented wipes. Although the packing and clever marketing strategies will have us thinking that we should be buying the entire range.

Is it healthy to overload their fresh new and delicate skin with a mixture of chemicals even if they are organic and claim to contain raw and natural ingredients?

Some experts are now claiming that all a new born baby needs to keep their skin clean is simply water, cotton wool and a baby comb. They advise using fragrance free detergents and fabric conditioners for washing their clothes.

Every year there is an increase in the amount of babies, children and adults suffering from conditions such as

·         Skin allergies

·         Eczema

AsthmaThe experts now think that it is time to get back to basics to allow your baby to develop their own natural barrier without any chemical intervention.

After one month they recommend

·         Fragrance free baby wipes

·         An emollient based moisturizer

·         No shampoo, just wash in warm water

Sounds simple, maybe it is worth a try? Although as an adult I do still love the smell of baby talc but think that if it is better for my baby, the environment and saves money then maybe it is worth getting back to basics?

Buying a car seat for your baby is a must if you ever plan on taking them in a car, even on a short journey. The proper use of car safety seats helps you keep your child safe.  If you are taking your baby home by car from hospital after giving birth, the hospital will insist in you putting your baby into your car seat prior to leaving. 

It has been recommended that you always purchase a new car seat, as when purchasing a second-hand one you will need to be sure that the car seat has never been involved in an accident as this will make it unsafe for your child. 

How do you choose which car seat to buy? 

• Car seats vary with many different brands and models. Always check that the car seat you wish to purchase is suitable for your car. Many stores selling car seats will ask for the make and model of the vehicle in which the car seat will be used and will tell you which car seats would be best.
• Check that the type of seat is correct for your baby’s age and weight.
• Some companies selling car seats will actually fit them for you to ensure they are fitted correctly.
• Infants should be in a rear facing infant only seat or a convertible seat until they are 1 year old and 20 pounds. They can then move onto a forward facing seat until they are around 40 pounds or their ears have reached the top of the car seat.
• If you have an airbag in the passenger side of the car your baby will not be able to travel in the front as it is illegal unless you have the airbag de-activated as is it not only dangerous but also the law.

Shop around and talk to the people selling the car seats, they should have a good knowledge of the type most suitable for your vehicle, your life style and your baby. 

Always read the manufacture instructions to insure you have the car seat fitted correctly.

The nappy changing bag is a vital piece of equipment that will enable you to carry everything that your baby needs with you when you are out and about, but just how much do you need to carry around with you?  

Many of us think the bigger the better when choosing our changing bag but then end up lugging around a huge weighty bag full of things that we never use but take…just in case! 

Nappy changing bags come in all sorts of styles, shapes and sizes. Many prams and buggies come with matching nappy changing bags which can make it easy when deciding on the bag for you. My top tip is always go for a style or colour that your partner will be happy carrying and not something that is too girly or feminine. 

What do you really need to carry around with you? 

• Obviously nappies, nappy cream and the all essential wipes and many bags have a small removable changing pad which is very useful.
• Bottles of milk if you are bottle feeding and equipment you will need for your feeds, such as bibs etc
• Spare clothing but not the whole wardrobe!
• Dummies (if you use them), many bags have great little compartments where you can store all sorts of little items that you don’t want to get lost at the bottom of your bag.
• Lots of the bags now realise that mums no longer carry hand bags as well as a changing bag and they include pockets for your mobile phone and purse.

When you choose your bag, try it for size. Does it have adjustable straps, will you be carrying it over your shoulder, across your body or on your back? Does it fit comfortably on your buggy or pram? Is it the right size for you? Remember the bigger the bag the more junk you can carry around..hurray!

 Part one – Cots and Moses baskets 

Getting your baby’s nursery ready can be a fun and exciting time.  

One of the most important things you will buy is a cot or Moses basket for your baby to sleep in. Most of us have our babies sleeping in our room for the first six months as advised by health professionals (many of us have them in with us for the first year or more!)    

• Many mums like the Moses basket as the first bed for their baby as it is smaller and more portable than a cot.
• It’s easily moved around from room to room, it will fit it in the car for visits to family and it will probably fit comfortably right next to your bed so your baby is close to you at night.
• If you buy a Moses basket you will still need to purchase a cot as most babies will have outgrown their Moses basket by around six-nine months.
• When you purchase your cot you may find you can get a second hand one for half the price and in good condition or a friend or relative may offer you their’s that they no longer need.
• No matter how well you know them it is always important to buy a new mattress to avoid cot death.

 Cot death 

Studies have shown that when a baby lies on a mattress inevitably the baby’s secretions fall onto the mattress through saliva, vomit and coughs and sneezes. This allows the growth of a fungus and this fungus attacks fire retardants in a way that it releases gases. These gases are heavier than air so they concentrate in the mattress. Babies are much more susceptible to these poisons and it is thought this is what causes cot death. Always buy a new mattress for every newborn baby as the fungus will not have had time to develop, never use a second hand mattress even if it looks like new. 

When you think of re-usable nappies images of the good old fashioned towelling nappies may spring to mind where you need hours of tuition to just get them folded into a nappy sized shape before you secure them with the biggest safety pin imaginable! Thank goodness those days are over and in their place are easier to use, more modern nappies that are eco- friendly! There are more pro’s too

• Your baby’s poo is now collected in bio-degradle liners which you can simply flush away and then store the nappy in a nappy bucket until you have enough washing to put on a whole load! Easy! Unfortunately it still doesn’t alter the fact that if you haven’t got the convenience of a tumble drier it could mean you house will turn into Madame twanky’s wash room, with lots of nappies drying all over the place!
• It can save you money, you will need around 20 nappies if you are using them full time and half this if you use them part-time with disposables. Give them a few washes before hand and this will help with absorbency. They are actually best after their 3^rd wash.
• There are lots of different types of eco-friendly nappies to chose from, all with funky designs and different shapes and all around the same price. Check them all out as you can find the one that suits you and your baby best.

If you’re still not convinced, there are a few other points to mull over 

• Disposable nappies can take hundreds of years to decompose and most of the nappies we throw away end up in a landfill.
• Some councils are finding it a huge problem and many are so desperate they are offering incentives for parents to use reusable nappies. Get in touch with your local council, as some offer money back if you buy reusable and some even have starter packs.
• If it’s the thought of washing the nappies or having them left drying all over the house or you simply can’t imagine coping with a baby and all the extra time washing then check out  nappy laundering services and let them do the hard work.

You could always use disposables for holidays or times when you need the added convenience and re-useable the rest of the time It’s worth a thought and may make you feel virtuous that you’re doing your bit for the environment?