Al&Em

Am I being really naiive (?) but I thought that weaning was supposed to help babies sleep through the night by filling up their tummies so they don't get so hungry at night? The total opposite seems to have happened with us - until we started weaning my nearly-7-month-old 3 weeks ago he used to sleep through the night from 7pm - 7am, settling himself back to sleep if he did wake in the night. Since we started weaning he's been waking up at least once or twice a night, including really early between 9 and 10pm sometimes, and seems to really struggle to settle himself back down to sleep. I thought at first that he was really hungry so started feeding him more solids (3 meals) in the day but have since scaled down to 2 meals as he didn't seem to be able to keep his milk down, so I thought he was making up for his lack of milk at night.

He's an absolute angel baby during the day - very good at napping and always happy and playful. He never seems to suffer from wind or a sore tummy during the day. So, is this normal and just him getting used to digesting solids? Sleep regression or a developmental phase that I just have to endure? Appreciate it could also be teething (still no actual sign of teeth though) which was what I first thought it was 3 weeks ago but it's been going on for ages now and I want my sleep and evenings back!

Thanks Fuschia and Yak for the really useful links and others for the reassuring advice. We've been back to the doc now and have been referred for allergy tests (at Kings, I'm presuming). Still treading carefully and so far no further reactions but feeling better about the way forward now. Thanks all.

Thanks everyone for all the ideas, suggestions and recommendations - feeling much more inspired! Really like the quiz idea or something photo related. Lots to think about! Plotting....

Hi all

My mum is going to be 60 in January and have started trying to think of ideas for a birthday present for her - and am not getting very far! Because it's a big birthday I want to get or do something special. Wondered whether anyone had any ideas or recommendations to help me get the ball rolling?

Following on from the fantastic advice forumites gave me re. my son's eczema (we've seen a dermatologist and it's so much better already!) I wondered whether people could now help me fathom out what I should be doing re. allergies.

We've just started weaning 2 weeks ago when LO was 6 months old and because of the eczema started slowly, focusing on one food for a few days for one meal a day, trying to see if there would be a reaction. Generally he's loved food and eating but he has had a couple of reactions - once following banana when he got a red blotchy rash on his face and the other most recently following cauliflower and potato when the rash came back and his eyelid swelled up. The advice we got from the dermatologist was if we saw a reaction to keep things bland until the rash went down (i.e. baby rice/potato etc) unless his lips swelled up or he had trouble breathing in which case go straight to A&E.

However we just went to the doctor's (because I was worried about anything swelling up!) and he said that baby's not ready for food yet so to stop feeding him solids and go back to milk. He also said I should buy shop bought jars of baby food rather than preparing the food myself as the jars would have been processed better. He's also prescribed us an antihistimine to use if he reacts again - which I'm not too keen to start using.

So I'm confused about what to do, whether to stop feeding him solids for the moment or press on and how I should respond when there is a reaction. Do I need to go to the doctor or just deal with it myself (apart from the obvious rush to A&E if necessary)? I should add that during the day he's a very happy baby but he's been much more unsettled at night recently. Dermatologist suggested that this was because he was hungry and I should increase the number of meals he had during the day - the complete opposite to the doc's advice!

Confused.... :'(

I used to go to a pregnancy fitness class at JAGs on a Mon night. It was really good, not uncomfortably demanding but not too tame either and was a drop in so could go when you wanted without committing to loads of sessions in advance.

There was a pregnancy yoga class there on a tues night also that I went to a couple of times but I just ended up buying a yoga dvd and used that instead.

Enjoy!

I have the impression there is often a flipside problem - when people give away free things they get lots of failed pickups. Eg I benefited the other day from someone giving away a stairgate, and the person giving it away had had I think 4 people say they wanted it, then not turn up. Same problem I guess - ironic when even giving something away for free turns into a hassle..

Hi all. Don't think we're going to make it after all :'( as napping plans have not gone at all well today! Hopefully see you next time.

Shall we say Thurs afternoon then? Peckham Rye park cafe? How about 2.30?

Looks like the weather is going to be great again this week (according to iphone weather app) - one last burst of summer! Anyone fancy heading to the park and enjoying the last of the summer sunshine at some point? We could do Weds morning, Thurs afternoon or Friday afternoon. :)

Thanks to all for all your advice and recommendations. We managed to get a referral to a dermatologist from our GP, without even having to insist - must have been bad! We also got a prescription for some diprobase cream to try but we've gone back and tried the Aveeno again and his skin has suddenly got a lot better - things are looking up!

We've also bought some Ecover, so will give that a go and see if it makes a difference.

Haven't started weaning yet but planning to start next weekend but will take it slowly and give isolated foods to better identify any reactions/allergies.

Thanks again and hoping it will keep getting better :)

Thanks all for the advice and tips. We're currently using Hyrdromol cream (sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate but does contain parabens I've just noticed), Dermacort steroid cream and Oilatum in the bath. We tried Aveeno before this and though it was lovely it did nothing to clear up the eczema unfortunately. So sounds like we're using all the wrong things! Will try and get a referral to a dermatologist.

As for the washing liquid, we'll try Ecover and go from there... We stopped using fabric softener a while ago but will try the extra rinsing too.

It's weird because neither of us (or our parents) have ever suffered from eczema or allergies... So I guess I was just hoping that the cause must be something irritating his skin that he's reacting to, like our washing liquid, and therefore changing that would be the solution. But sounds like it won't be so simple...

Hi all

My little boy is nearly 6 months and really suffers from baby eczema. We've been to the GP several times and have been trying steroid cream and various moisturisers but it doesn't seem to clear up very well - just when it's looking better, it flares up again. It's worst in his armpits, backs of knees, under his chin and belly, where his clothes rub the most, so am wondering if it would help to change our washing detergent? We currently use Fairy non-bio but can anyone recommend another very gentle washing detergent that we could try? Or is it a case of just trying a few and see which one, if any, helps?

Thanks

Hi all

Could do late Weds pm but Thurs pm would be better for us...

Just tried to activate Find My iPhone but it seems it's only on the iPhone4 unless you have a pay account - so my 3GS isn't going to be protectable in this way... bummer.. Unless anyone knows something I don't?

Hiya, could do lunch on Friday but am busy in the afternoon. Is that any good? Otherwise could do next Tuesday (flexible timewise)?

Hi all

Feels like I haven't seen you lot in ages! Hope you and babies are doing well. Anyone free to meet up again this week? Weather looks like it's going to be good this week so could do a park meet up or something? I can do Tues afternoon, Weds afternoon or Thurs morning if that suits anyone?

Em

We have the whole Virgin package, and generally no problems - recently had some issues with the HD channels, but a quick call last night to the call centre got it resolved when they pointed out that the lead going into the box appeared to be a little loose (a bit freaky - it was like they were actually behind the TV....). Seems fine now..!

Al

There were loads of police cars and a dog team roaming the park at around 4:30 ish- presumably the same lot..

Those that I saw were very young - as in small children I thought rather than 2012 hopefuls - but did wonder what was going on...

I had some stuff delivered 6-8 weeks ago and the invoice was Jewson.

We'll try and make it too.

Ok - we'll be there.

Hi all

Anyone free for a catch up this week? We could do tomorrow morning, or potentially Thurs morning, if anyone else is about?

My 3 month old has suddenly come out in a skin rash. It started as a small patch of reddish dry skin on his belly but has developed into smallish pinky pimples spread across his chest, shoulders and arms. I had been putting some aqueous cream on the dry bits, which I've been putting on his dry skin for a while, so would be surprised if he's suddenly become allergic to it. It doesn't seem to be upsetting or irritating him, he doesn't have a temperature and is his happy playful self but wondered whether this is common or should I be worrying? He had his 2nd lot of jabs earlier this week - could it be linked to that? We haven't changed our washing liquid or anything... Could it be heat rash (even though it's not as hot anymore??)?