Wednesday 24 February 2010

NUT ALLERGIES. WHY?

Nut allergies are caused by non contact in early years?
Interesting thought that, and one I might subscribe to.

Hearing that children with peanut allergies were successfully introduced to a small amount of peanut power in yoghurt, made me wonder why that would work?
Was it that they never had any peanuts when small and then suddenly introduced to them, with a bad result? Or what?

Personally, I think moderation in all things from the start. Maybe then the immune system would have a chance to build up it's resistance, rather than being deprived and then having to deal with an onslaught.

One of my babies was put on a 5 year research programme, which had 500 babies which would be introduced to nut products during their first 5 years and another group of 500 that were to have no nuts at all.
After 5 years they would be introduced to nuts and the researchers would see which group had the better outcome.

My money is on the first group, who had been naturally introduced and exposed to nuts in the first place.

Thursday 18 February 2010

STERILISING BOTTLES.....NOT

It's not necessary to sterilise bottles, just wash with hot soapy water and rinse well.

Well I wasn't saying that, until a mum with 6 week premature twins left the UCHL and was told that, so she never sterilised their bottles. They are now over 2 years old.

They don't sterilise in Scandinavia, America or Australia and probably other countries I don't know about as well.

Then yesterday, I was at a private maternity hospital and was told by a nurse from Great Ormond Street Hospital, that it was good enough to clean with soap and hot water.
Hearing that was music to my ears!

Of course, the government publicly line is geared to the lowest common denominator (as I have said before), so I cannot advocate the non-use of sterilisers professionally; but secretly... I think it!

Wednesday 17 February 2010

SO MANY LOVELY BABIES

I was sad to leave my latest little girl this morning, even though she was the noisiest sleeper I have had to share a room with! I was also touched that Mum gave me some lovely leaving pressies.

Now I am off to see my next little boy who was born last night.

How lucky am I to be allowed to look after these dear little people and their delightful parents?

Friday 12 February 2010

REFLUX AND TREATMENT

I've had a very busy few days and have seen 2 former babies who are just wonderful and blossoming.

I have been doing my night work and that baby has been confirmed with Reflux and now is on Gaviscon Infant until she she's the specialist; and I have to say, it is helping to settle her more quickly and she seems to be in less discomfort, thank goodness.
She is still a very noisy sleeper and it takes a trained ear to determine whether she needs attention, or she is just sleeping noisily!

However, it is still hard for mum to not worry about all the noise she makes and manage to sleep through the snuffles and grunts!

Worth trying Gaviscon Infant in these circumstances though and a specialist's advice is also called for, as I am reluctant to keep a small baby on Gaviscon Infant for a long time because of the sodium content in it. The specialist can prescribe some better remedies.

Monday 8 February 2010

COLIC AND TREATMENT

I went back to look after a former baby last night.

She had a Ventouse birth. (Being pulled out by a doctor using a vacuum sucker).

She has a problem with winding and it takes quite a time to get her fully winded so that she will lie down on her back and go to sleep.
I first encountered this with my own 3rd baby.

At the time I was married to a Chiropractor and the Danish government had done some research on colic and the Atlas bone in the neck. The Atlas affects the sympathetic nervous system (fright and flight and digestion).

What happens when a baby is pulled out, whilst doing a corkscrewing manoeuvre, is that the Atlas can be displaced.

Cranial Paediatric practitioners can re-adjust the Atlas and after my baby had her's put back in alignment, she slept soundly.

A word of warning though....
ONLY go to a properly trained person who is a trained Paediatric Cranial practitioner.

Sunday 7 February 2010

ONE BORN EVERY DAY

I'm looking forward to Tuesday night on Channel 4.
"One Born Every Minute"

I wonder if it will reflect the stories I hear about giving birth in hospital these days?

Saturday 6 February 2010

SLEEPING WITH A PUPPY!

I'm working with the sweetest little girl at the moment, who was born a month prematurely.

She is one of the noisiest little sleepers that I have had to share a room with!!

Luckily, I have been around the houses enough (so to speak and literally), to know which noises I need to get out of bed for and which are just her.

So like the babes, I need to have a nap when I get home, otherwise I'd be good for nothing the next night. Advice I tell all new mums:
You need a sleep at least once a day whilst the night feeds are ongoing.

You just have to make the time to rest or you will not be on top form and especially if you are breast feeding, otherwise the milk may diminish.

Thursday 4 February 2010

BAD DESIGNS AT BOOTS THE CHEMIST

Well, things get from bad to worse. This time with clothes from Boots the Chemist.

I just tried to put a new baby in a baby-grow with the lovely Velcro as fasteners instead of poppers.
A nightmare!!

Such poor quality Velcro and all the fastenings were so badly placed that they opened all the time.
Sharp edges to each square of Velcro and, only one leg that opened!

How do these designers think they can get away with knowing absolutely zero about babies.

Boycott Boots Chemist is the only answer.
Boots has really gone down hill recently, in my opinion.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

THE JOY OF THE YOUNG

I had a lovely day with my grandson, who at two & a half and is into everything.

We went with his mum to see my 97 year old aunt, who simply loves to see him.

Sometimes young people, can bring such joy to old folk.
Every time he goes there, he brings her such joy.

I have pondered on this for a while now and have come to the conclusion that the innocents of little children is so pure that it brings this joy.

Perhaps they should visit old people more often.

Tomorrow I start with a new little girl and her parents and am so looking forward to that

Monday 1 February 2010

FEEDING AND CONFIDENCE

Today I received a lovely reference from a client.

I had a lovely time (if but short) with this family.
Their baby was such a sweet little girl and I was so sorry to leave them.

Mums are given hardly any time to be shown the basics of looking after their little bundles when in hospital, which is such a shame.

Mostly all they need is, to be given confidence that they are doing things right.
After all, there is no "right way", only they way that suits mum and baby.

This little girl needed a lot of winding and most mums do not appreciate how much time is needed to wind their baby.
As a rule of thumb, feeding is 25% and winding 75%.

As I have said before; if you can get the wind out of the top end, then your baby will sleep better and have less trouble later on.