Saffron

"Association of risk" means there is a correlation between paracetamol and the given diseases/syndromes. It's important to understand that correlation does not equal causation. We don't know how these children would have fared without paracetamol, with another drug, or with no drugs. I'm not downplaying their results. Their conclusion is indeed a serious one. However, one must not read into the statical analysis something that isn't actually there, i.e. their research does not appear to address causation. This is a very difficult thing to do in this type of research. I'm not sure what you mean by a "proper drug"..? Excessive pain is definitely worth treating b/c excessive pain actually prevents other body systems including the immune system from functioning efficiently. One hypothesis about this type of pain is that it strengthens the social bonds between us by helping to draw others near to us in our times of need such as illness. However, the pain itself can become counterproductive to healing. Btw, ALL drugs are toxic in overdose. Paracetamol just has a smaller therapeutic window than other common analgesics and anti-fever drugs. Paracelsus, known as the father of toxicology, put it thusly, "Everything is a toxin. There is nothing that is not toxic. It it the dose alone that determines toxicity." I think I do get the gist of what you're saying though, that we should think for ourselves about what drugs we give our children and not carelessly to hand them out if truly unnecessary.

If it's a low fever and you're just going to let it run its course, then I would use a a lower tog bag to help keep baby comfortable. Then you can alwasy add an extra blanket later if you think she needs one. If you're going to give paracetamol or iprofen to reduce the fever, then check Baby's temp before bed. If it's down to normal, just put her in the same sleeping bag/blankets as always. xx

A chiro and an osteo are not the same thing, although they use some similar treatment methods. http://www.osteopath-help.co.uk/osteopaths/cranial-osteopathy/articles/what_is_the_difference_between_a_chiropractor_and_an_osteopath

Some children will do better within the structure of a routine, and others will be smothered by it. It's important also to remember that sometimes things go haywire with your child's sleep, and it has nothing to do with your routines or how well you listen or what you do/n't provide for them. Sometimes it's just developmental, and it's just a phase. xx

MGolden Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > That's really interesting Saffron. Clearly times > change - my boys are 12 and nine now and we were > very clearly told not to re-freeze! :) Probably a lot of people are still being told not to re-freeze, due to a lack of understanding of the biochemistry involved in food science. It's not bad advice, it's just very conservative advice. It's probably best not to have to re-freeze from a nutritional point of view, if there is otherwise a ready supply of ebm. But if a mother has only a limited supply of ebm, then giving re-frozen breast milk would still be preferable to giving formula milk.

Have you thought about using a baby hammock instead of a basket/crib? We had an Amby brand 'Nature's Nest' hammock, and it was brilliant. I agree with Fuschia and others re the breastfeeding. Latch may not be great, but it will improve, and Baby will be better at getting the milk out than expressing. If you still feel like you're struggling after your milk comes in fully, go straight to a lactation consultant for advice. xx

Thawed milk can be re-frozen, but the processes of freezing, thawing, and re-freezing will decrease the nutritional value of the milk, including loss of active antibodies and probably degradation of RNA in the milk too. It may also make the milk taste different, which some babies don't like. Although, Little Saff never had a problem with this b/c she was a very sucky baby who would quite happily have sucked the tail off a zebra if we had let her! If you think you might want to re-freeze the thawed milk, it's best to leave it in a sterile container. Milk in a bottle from which Baby has drunk can possibly have bacterial contamination (although there is also a good arguement to say that this bac would be killed by re-freezing...). In light of that, it might be best to only offer a few ounces in a bottle at a time. In other words, lots of little bottles, rather than one big one. Then milk in its storage bag(s) can be re-frozen.

I've always thought that the concept of washing at low temps to be environmentally friendly is actually a marketing ploy to get you to buy new detergents. The heat and energy used to make these fancy new detergents is probably more than what you save by doing low temp washes. I prefer to wash in hotter water with less detergent. When clothes can't be washed warm/hot, I tend to soak or wash them longer. And I hate, really HATE, when I've just washed my hands and dried them, only to find there's a slight mildew smell from the 'clean' towel!!!! If that ever happens around here, it's straight in a 90 C wash I'm afraid.

Are they starting a swimming class together? If so, the class probably has its own guidelines. In general babies need a disposeable swim nappy, with something like a 'happy nappy swim nappy' over the top: http://www.waterbabies.co.uk/product.php?p=3&gclid=CKHl45r0g6wCFYVP4QoddxKZJw If the pool is cold, you might opt for a baby swim snug or wet suit: http://www.waterbabies.co.uk/family.php?f=Keeping Warm xx

Yes, we feel the same around here. :-) The author Penelope Leach has a nice thing to say about child-rearing in general which also applies to sleep issues. If you try something once, and it doesn't work, don't discard it. It's worth trying again later. Every few months we re-evaluate how our sleep situation is working (or not!) for us. Even though Little Saff is still a rubbish sleeper, we have been able to make some improvements. I think the most important thing to realize is that you're not stuck. Things can and will change. Happy sleeping xxx

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I too have sweets at the ready, and I think it's > harsh to call that double standards. It's not harsh, just an observation of the illogical juxtapose of the two. I was not at all making a judgement, and I totally respect that different people observe different traditions. But if you have one sentiment for yourself (no trick-or-treating) and another for everyone else (still handing out candy), there is an illogical disunion between the two sentiments. That is why I said it was a double-standard. It was not meant to be offensive. I was merely observing that parents need to think ahead about how they would explain this contradiction to children. > > I loved Halloween as a kid, and I want my kids to > have great times at parties and stuff, but T&T is > just a rubbish Americanism that should have stayed > in America! This statement, however, is offensive. Do you feel so strongly about it b/c you have been trick-or-treating in the US or Canada and had a bad experience with it? I say this b/c trick-or-treating in America is actually different than what many British people believe it to be. It's not what you see on the tele or in films. From what I have observed, it's a holiday with a strong sense of community. If you had a bad experience of trick-or-treating in America, I'm truly sorry. A bad experience can be very off-putting. But there's no need to "rubbish" other people's traditions just b/c of it. On the other hand, if you have had bad experiences with Halloween/T&Ting in Britain, then it's more of an issue as to how the modern holiday has been adapted here, and nothing to do with "American" or "Americanisms". If you don't want to celebrate Halloween or trick-or-treating, b/c it's not your cuppa, that's absolutely fine, w/o having to blame it on some jingoistic nonsense.

helena handbasket Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > There sure are a lot of myths about how things are > done in "America", just like the Halloween > thread!:)) > Yes, that's certainly true! And the US and Canada are such big places, that there can even be different traditions in different areas. Some of my family live in the southern States. The tradiditon there is that a baby shower is not something the mother-to-be organises. It's something that her friends organise for her to celebrate the pregnancy, and it certainly not a vulgar, gauche, or extravagent affair. It's usually just a small group of close friends at someone's house or perhaps a cafe. Gifts are often not for the baby, but for the mother herself, like a nice dressing gown for the labour, maternity clothes, or massage/manicure. (Then a separate gift is given to both parents for the baby when s/he arrives.) Traditionally the baby shower would also be a time when all the blokes are away and the ladies can talk about lady stuff. In particular, women who have given birth previously might have advice about the labour or the first few weeks postpartum. The Dulwich Woodhouse is a pretty venue and has lots of comfy seating. When last I checked, they didn't charge a function fee, but would still be able to set an area aside for you. If you speak with the manager in advance, they can probably offer you a decent price on drinks and nibbles. xx

Yes, hard to be tactful sometimes. If it's advice from a stranger or passerby, just politely acknowledge them and move on. Advice from, say, your mother-in-law, is harder to avoid. I would try saying something like, We're doing fine just breastfeeding for now, and we plan to add a cup when we wean. xx

That's slightly misguided advice. Breastfed babies do not need other liquids, including water. The only time to make an exception to this would be if the weather is extremely hot. Then you could offer 1-2 oz of water. However, some people even think this is unnecessary b/c in hot weather, the mother's milk should become more watery. The studies I read on it showed that children in hot climates were able to remain hydrated through this principle, although I couldn't find any research looking at mothers acclimatised to cool climates but experiencing an acute heatwave. (But it's neither here nor there for you, as the weather is lovely and cool now!) Generally you might start to offer other liquids like formula milk at the same time as weaning, eg around 6 months depending on when your baby is showing signs of being ready. The BLW book is very helpful on this. But equally, there's no need to offer formula if you're happy to keep breasfeeding just a while longer. Indeed some babies go straight from boob to cup and never drink any formula or cow/goat's milk etc. As far is juice is concerned, there is no dietary requirement for it. In addition, too much juice is linked to urinary infections, tooth decay, and childhood obesity. I couldn't find the UK guidelines, but the American Academy of Pedeatrics recommends no more than 2-4 oz of juice per day for babies and children. That being said, if you find your baby suffers constipation when you start weaning, then offering a couple of oz of prune juice diluted in water is very effective. My daughter is nearly 2 years old, and we usually stick to milk or water, but I'm not a fanatic about it. This is nice too b/c when she does get juice it makes it a real treat. I try to strike a balance between what's healthy and what's fun as a treat. For now you're doing brilliantly just breastfeeding your baby. Your body makes everything Baby needs. xx

So 'begging' is not ok for your child, but it's alright to hand out candy to other children? Uh-oh, massive double-standard ahead! You'll have a lot of trouble justifying this double-standard to your child when s/he is old enough to question it in a few of years. I think you either have to let your child go tick-or-treating (maybe with limits, like only to houses of neighbours you know?), or keep them in and not hand out candy at all. Why not use it as an opportunity to meet your neighbours and their children, if you don't already know them? Or, if you want to go down the no trick-or-treating / no giving candy route, you could have a small party on halloween for your child and a few friends instead. xx

Little Saff had a terrible tummy bug recently. Vomitting every hour all night, until I ran out of clean bedding and we had to sleep on towels in the vomit-covered bed. The people on the NHS Direct phoneline (0845 4647) were sooo nice, really thorough, and very helpful. We were told to keep offering liquids --any liquids, whatever your LO will drink-- diluted with water, and not to give more than 1-2 oz at a time, then wait eg 1/2 hour. Even if Baby does vomit, some of the liquid has been absorbed, so don't panic. They also told us to be on the safe side and see the GP when their offices opened. When I spoke to the receptionist at our GP's office and told her NHS direct said we needed to see someone immediately, she gave us an appointment in the next 15 min!

Is there a number to contact the company for some advice? Maybe the smell will go, or maybe there's something wrong with the heater?

Metanium is great, but it's not a proper barrier cream, so don't forget to use your normal cream along side it. 'Thrush' is the term generally associated with candida, but there are other types of fungal skin infections too. Some may appear white, others not. Deffo see your GP for some advice about treating fungal infection. S/he won't think you're a nut... if s/he does, find a different GP! xx

Hi- I'm resurrecting an old thread to invite you and your LOs to mine for our Halloween party on Saturday the 29th of October from 1-5pm. We're having All Fired Up provide paint and pottery for ?10/person for the kids (or adults if you're so inclined too!) The party is ostensiblly for The Only Child Playgroup, but seeing as how Halloween only crops up once a year, I've also invited my NCT group -- some of whom are now on Baby 2, not even 2 years after the first! Wow!! So you and your LOs would all be very welcome, and I hope we can do some mummy matchmaking too. xxx Please PM me for more info :)

reneet Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My 4 year old daughter would love this. She does > have a sibling who is too young to play or do > pottery. Have been to All fired up and she loved > it, although nearly gave me a heart attack by > running around too close to the pottery display. > If this is still on would love to come. Hi reneet, The Only Child Playgroup is mainly a playgroup for singleton children, but we would make some exceptions, for example in the case of step families, or if there is a large age gap between children. Is your daughter struggling with the age gap with her younger sibling? Presumably, she was a singleton for nearly 4 years, wow! It must have been a big change for her. I would be very happy for you all to come along on this occasion, and perhaps meet a few other children her age for future playdates. (Indeed, I must confess that as Halloween only crops up once a year, I've also invited my NCT group to join us, and some of them are already on baby number 2! Phew, I can't even ponder it. Little Saff has me totally exhausted!!) Please do PM me for more info. xx

the-e-dealer Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ah sorry thought it was at all fired up. Will PM > her again. Do you know where it is? Hello, t-e-dealer, The Only Child Playgroup is not affiliated with All Fired Up, we are simply purchasing their services for a mobile party at my house in Brockley (just east of Nunhead). If you are the parent of a singleton baby or child, you're more than welcome to come along to any of our playdates. There would also be some special circumstances where children with siblings could be included in the playgroup, for example, step-siblings, or siblings very far apart in age. Do PM me, or I will PM you with more info about the day. Very best regards :)

sadiejones4 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Saffron > > Great idea I would love to speak with you about > pottery classes for children in South East London > on several dates and how I can help you drive > customers do you have a email address I am > currently working with Greenwich Theatre offering > a family deal take a look > http://livingsocial.com/deals/125139-family-ticket > -to-aladdin-at-greenwich-theatre > > Look forward to hearing from you > > Regards > Sadie Hi Sadie, We're not a business, just a playgroup, but there probably are a few people who would be interested in pottery classes for children. I will be in touch. Many thanks, xx

It's so tough b/c the old saying that 'every baby is different' really is true! The things that help one baby sleep, don't seem to affect another baby. The trouble is predicting which baby will be affected by what things. Ah, if we could do that, we'd publish and be millionaires.

Always had a lot of trouble getting my little one to nap in any form resembling anything in any baby book. It's not just you! It's been incredibly difficult to get our daughter into any rountine, and I'm not convinced it's helped anyway. Some babies/children just aren't great sleepers. We've moved her to her own room, made sure she has plenty to eat/drink during the day, lots of activity, regular nap time (as much as is possible with this one!), quit b/fing at night, quit offering milk at night, to no avail. I'm just taking a zen approach now. She will sleep through when she's ready. We put a sm double futon in her room and got rid of the cotbed. Now I mostly sleep with her, and we both sleep better. (throws arms up in perplexed surrender)

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Edit, because I really can't be bothered arguing. Yes, arguing can become counter productive. Actually it's a decent play area, with a few issues. It would just be wonderful if after all the time and effort spent, a few details could be proactively addressed so that it could be a GREAT play area. xx