Emski

NHS Direct (being helpful for once) suggested taking our 6-month-old into a steamy shower room to help loosen mucous. Cough mixture not advised by them, or by my GP bro-in-law. I'm not sure there's a huge amount you can do, unfortunately. Baby Emski's lasted a couple of weeks - doesn't sound like the same thing though.

Afraid (for all those who have spent a fortune on different bottles) that I agree. With MiniEmski she stopped taking the occasional bottle we'd been giving her from 8 weeks at around 3 months. Apparently it's quite common at this age and perhaps due to them getting more strength in their tongue (!), so able to push the teat out. It took a month (on and off) of battling to get her to take it again, which was quite traumatic (we kept at it for an hour each time, trying to comfort her between screams) - mainly for my husband, since we'd also read that it's more likely they'll take one from someone who's not mum. However, persistence paid off eventually, and she's now having a bottle before bed every night. We tried a couple of diff teats/bottles but I honestly don't think they made any difference.

It was a complete battle of wills, and I know there are many who would find it impossible to keep trying in the face of such an upset baby.

I bought some LilyPadz and they don't seem to stick on at all. Tried washing and air-drying, as recommended, and still no joy. Quite annoyed as are expensive. I have quite small boobs - don't know if this could be the problem?!

Washable ones are great once nipples have 'settled down'. I don't rate the Natracare disposable pads at all: they seemed to stick to nipples, which would be agony if they're bleeding/cracked.

As everyone seems to agree - you can't tell!

A midwife put the fear of God into me by saying my bump was too small and sending me for an extra scan at 38 weeks. I was convinced something was horribly wrong... As it turned out, baby measured perfectly average and weighed a perfectly average 7lb5oz at birth.

Incidentally, I was also informed by random people in shops, at the bus stop etc etc that I was definitely having a boy due to the shape of my bump. And that perfectly average baby? Is a beautiful girl...!

Moisturising frequently - at least twice a day - with something soothing and fragrance-free should make a difference. I have had eczema myself since a baby, and paranoid about my 5-month-old developing it. I use diprobase - seems good. Also, keep nails as short as possible to stop scratching. Most eczema is worst in winter - the cold weather, dry atmosphere from central heating, and dramatic changes in temperature as you enter/leave a warm house seem to contribute. Mine improved a lot when I went to Oz for a few months over our winter. Not sure you can get that on the NHS though...

Good luck!