Saffron

OMG, I could totally have used a wheeleasy last week when baby and I had to accompany granddad to King's in a taxi -- we don't have a car -- and I strained my back/shoulder/elbow/neck carrying baby plus carseat around sprawling Denmark Hill complex while trying to hold open doors for tottery ol' granddad! :-( I wouldn't use it as a substitute for baby sling or buggy, if that's what I really needed, but I think this is brilliant for people who don't have cars!! :-) (Oh, I know someone will say you don't need an infant carseat in a taxi... but would you honestly feel safe without one in a minicab?)

Wait until your kitty is sleeping then trim his front four claws (leave the inner thumb-claw untrimmed if your cat goes outdoors... he needs it for climbing). You can trim them with regular nail clippers, but turn them sideways. If you use them straight up-and-down on the claw, it can break the nail *ouch* ! Your vet can show you how if you're unsure. Also, I second all the advice given on here. Lots of affection for kitty, and get your LO involved in giving food and treats. If you think your cat scratches when you're not watching, you're probably right. You cat will feel more threatened when he sees you're not around. But if he learns to associate your LO with food treats, he'll feel less threatened. I had a stormy little tabby cat when I was a child, and I had more than one scratch from her. It didn't put me off though. I used to feel so rewarded when I could get her to purr. Now I have a super tolerant siamese who let's my 6 mo daughter pull her tail and bite her ears. It's true- each cat does have her own personality! Oh- just a note on treating cat scratches in case you're unsure. Always try to let them bleed a little, as the blood pushes dirt out of the wound. Use only mild soap and water to clean them. When the wound is clean, blister plasters can be very soothing. They keep dirt out and stay on well. Sorry about your LO. Hopefully if you keep being firm and gentle, kitty and baby will be fine before long. Hang in there :-) And when all else fails... look your kitty sternly in the eyes and threaten to make kebabs and a pair of nice mittens out of him ;-)

I know an excellent private lactation consultant who helped me with a similar breastfeeding problem. My nipples were not only cracked, but also badly bruised. It was so bad, I used to cry when I was nursing my daughter. We called the lactation consultant on a Saturday, and she can to us on a Sunday. She was recommended by Pickle, a fellow forumite. 6 months since, and we're still breastfeeding, hurray! I'll PM you with the contact info.

NCT has their support belts on sale: http://www.nctshop.co.uk/searchprods.asp enter search term "support belt" Also, I had very bad dyspepsia before and during pregnancy. My GP prescribed omeprazole, which is safe during pregnancy. I find that tablet-type vitamins sometimes make my stomach worse, but Floradix liquid is ok. :-)

Hydrocolloid is a synthetic wound dressing that can be used on wet ('oozing') wounds. It helps minimize exudate (lessens oozing), and it keeps the site moist, clean and protected while it heals. Hydrocolloid dressings need to be changed less often (maybe every 2-5 days, depending on dressing and wound type), compared to conventional dressings like gauze or plasters. Hydrocolloids also appear to reduce irritation, pain and scar formation. Although after a bit of research, I found that silicone gel or sheeting is now the preferred method to reduce the appearance of 'settled' scars. Any large pharmacy should have both hydrocolloid dressings and silicone scar therapy. You may want to leave the wound site uncovered if it is very pussy, so you can clean it easier. In general though, keeping it covered with an occlusive dressing like hydrocolloid will keep bacteria out and prevent irritation and abrasions.

Does your little one get a lot of attention from the pooing situation? If so, this behavioural connection could make things more difficult to resolve. Try not talking about poo at all for a week, even when he says he needs to go. Just acknowledge that you heard him, but don't engage him on the topic otherwise. If he does poo on the floor, just clean it up without any fuss at all, and carry on as if nothing happened. (Easier said than done, I know *sigh*) Of course, if he does go to the toilet on his own, give him lots of positive attention and rewards. Good luck! :-)

A dermatologist told me to always keep the site covered. Use a hydrocolloid dressing (not a sticking plaster), and change regularly. Hydrocolloids can also be used after the wound heals, to reduce scarring. :-)

Try herbal fenugreek capsules. You can buy these in any large health shop. Mix them with juice or yogurt. It is thought to work by helping the bowel retain water, so softening the stool without causing cramping like fig or senna supplements. You may have to give them at higher than the suggested dose for a few days to have a result. (It is very safe. I took it while breastfeeding my daughter.) So sorry and hope everything gets better soon!!

supergolden88 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I was wondering if anyone else has experienced > similar feelings. I am getting concerned that if > this continues I will end up resenting the baby > and possibly getting post partum depression (in my > case starting well in advance!) I was really hoping for a girl when I was pregnant. We had a baby girl much to my delight, but I still got postpartum depression anyway. And, I still resent my daughter sometimes (like when she wakes up 5! times a night to b/f), even though I love her. If you're still feeling low or fretful, I can recommend either of two very excellent acupuncturists (one male, other female) who might be able to help you. PM me for details if interested. There is no black-and-white when raising children, and the very fact that you express concern shows already that you do love and will love your children. If you didn't care, you wouldn't worry! Have a lovely pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

iaineasy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think allowing any child of primary school age > to take themselves to school is hugely > irresponsible. > > ------------------------------ > > I couldn't disagree more, my dad left when I was > 5, my mum worked two jobs to pay the mortgage and > keep a roof over our heads losing the house and > being homeless would have been irresponsible. My > taking myself to school may not have been ideal > but nothing ever happened to me. > > my point remains hurrah for the parents. > hugsb IainEasy, you send our DD to school alone when she is five, and it'll be your huevos on the radiator, DH! Five is too young to negotiate such a walk alone in London, and eight is too young to look after a five-year-old. And just b/c you did it, or your parents did, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. (Your mother [and my mother] did a lot of things I won't do!!) That being said, other people's children are generally not my business. So if these parents want to take their chances with their precious sprog, time will tell how long a lap they make in the gene pool.

Just b/c she has a mark on her neck does not mean the rest of her story checks out true on all accounts. I would be suspicious that there is more to the story than she is telling. In fact, with teens there is almost always more to the story than what they tell their parents! xx

We've just started baby led weaning... so much fun, but messy! Any advice on how best to get stains out of baby's clothes? :-)

My LO just sleeps in a t-shirt and cellular blanket. Her room is very warm, between 22-25 C. So far we've avoided heat rash. But if your baby does suffer with heat rash, the best treatment is to keep the skin cool and dry... although in this weather that's difficult. Ointments and creams can trap moisture in the skin and make heat rash worse for some babies. Try keeping skin dry with a medicated baby powder that does NOT contain talc, as this mineral can irritate already damaged skin.

I have a very "sucky" baby. Can anyone recommend a good slow-flow teat? Thanks! :-)

As a new mum --my LO is 18 wks-- I'm begining to explore our local children's play areas. Sadly, I had a bad experience at the children's play centre in Telegraph Hill Park. The indoor play area wasn't particularly clean, and the staff --one woman in particular-- were extremely rude. Indeed, we felt so unwelcome, my girl friend and I left after about 2 min, even though it was raining outside!! I hope there are some friendlier (and cleaner!) play groups in some of our other local parks. What experiences has anyone else had?