29th Apr
If you wake up one morning and it appears that your beautiful baby has morphed into a scaly dragon cub overnight, fear not; it’s most likely cradle cap.
Okay, so I may have exaggerated a little. Cradle cap is a little scaly but far from all encompassing – it only affects a baby’s scalp and it usually lasts only a few weeks or months.
Cradle cap is described by the NHS as: “yellowish, greasy scaly patches that appear on the scalp of [SOME] young babies. It is a very common, harmless condition that doesn’t usually itch or cause discomfort to the baby.”
The scales will eventually start to flake off and may make the affected skin appear red. Sometimes the hair may also come away with the flakes.
In other words, cradle cap usually clears up by itself but if you’d like some help. Maybe an organic remedy for cradle cap? Rock The Cradles’s Organic Cradle Cap Oil is definitely worth a try.
The remedy is a gentle, nourishing blend of organic oils, which aims to relieve dryness and irritation. It will help to soften and loosen the cradle cap, making it easier to gently remove with a soft brush or dry washcloth.
9th Apr
Changing a newborn’s nappy takes practice. What I mean is: getting it right takes practice.
So, what exactly is ‘getting it right’? Doing it: no mess, no fuss. It’s no easy task and here’s why: new babies’ poo and wee at random – it comes out of nowhere, when you least expect it! Their toilet schedules are unpredictable, haphazard, erratic, accidental – you get the idea.
The solution on how to change a newborns nappy is to plan for the unexpected.
My baby girl’s favourite poo/wee technique was to do ‘it’ while I was changing her. I’d clean her bottom, remove her nappy, and as I was reaching for a new one she’d wee.
So, I’d clean it all up, whilst mentally cursing myself for deciding to change her on my bed, get a new nappy in place and… more poo. *sigh*
It took a few mishaps – soiled bedspreads, throws and blankets – to get the technique right.
Here’s how to change a newborns nappy: undo nappy, PLACE SMALL PLASTIC CHANGING SHEET UNDER BOTTOM, clean bottom, remove old nappy, WITHOUT ANY ‘DITHER DATHER’ place new nappy under bottom – if your babs wees or poos now, at least it’s caught by a nappy and not your designer sheets, and do it up.
Written by: Andrea Zanin
5th Mar
If, like me, you’re into making your own baby purées, you’ve got to check out this gadget: it’s a compact food processing system – a baby food maker, it’s called the Baby Bullet and it’s awesome.
Perfect for busy mums (all of us in other words), the Baby Bullet makes fresh baby food in ten seconds or less. All you do is fill the baby food maker with fresh ingredients, screw on a blade lid, then simply push the cup down on the power base and you can whip up a smooth blend or perfect purées in moments.
Then just serve to your baby straight from the cup.
Baby Bullet comes with a large mixing container for whole pieces of fruit and 6 storage cups and a storage tray. You can make, store and save a whole week’s worth of baby food without anything going to waste.
It also comes with two blades, which make smooth purées or chunkier concoctions for older babies. By using Baby Bullet you’ll always have something to serve in a hurry.
Written by: Andrea Zanin
4th Mar
Small babies can be difficult to bath. They are uber-slippery when wet, and they squirm and wriggle like there is no tomorrow!
When my daughter was tiny I remember that it took masses of concentration to make sure that her little body was supported as we cleaned her – and it was a team effort for a long while.
That said; my baby girl developed a really cute habit of falling asleep in the bath, which was sweet to watch but not all that sweet when Madame Amelia was removed from the warm water and thus jarred out of peaceful slumber.
A handy little device that helps the whole bathing debacle (whether your babs is a squirmer or a sleeper) is a Baby Bath Support – Jahgoo does a good wriggling baby bath support.
It has four suction cups that stick to the floor of the bath providing a stable cradle for your baby. Your baby’s eyes and ears will never be unexpectedly dunked underwater and the bath support encourages your baby to move and splash with confidence.
Written by: Andrea Zanin
2nd Mar
Parents all know: a baby who sleeps makes everyone’s life easier – so much easier. Books, manuals, advice and techniques populate shops, internet sites and parents’ homes. And everyone has a different way of helping baby sleep.
So why not read another ‘how to’ as you decide on the best method for you and your babs?
Firstly, who is Vicki Scott and why should you trust her with your baby’s sleep? Vicki Scott is a sleep specialist and midwife (just google her name and a mass of advice will be spewed in your direction) who teamed up Solvej Biddle, mum of 2 and owner of quintessential travel brand Content&Calm, to write five great baby sleep tips.
1. The single most important tip is to help your baby to settle itself to sleep. If he can go to sleep by himself in the first place, he’s much more likely to be able to resettle during the night or during his daytime nap.
2. An obvious baby sleep tip maybe, but a darkened environment is essential for many babies to sleep, especially as they get older. When your baby comes into a light sleep during the nap, if it’s dark he or she is more likely to resettle himself and continue to have a longer and more restful sleep.
3. A familiar environment is very important when holidaying, visiting friends or away from home. The more you can do to make your baby feel safe and secure, the more relaxed he will feel and more easily he will sleep. We call these sleep associations: darkness, familiar bedding or toys – whichever you usually use.
All these help your baby to know that it’s sleep time and he will consequently settle more easily. In theory, no matter where you are, once in his cosy, darkened cot your baby will feel able to sleep.
Written by: Andrea Zanin
Written by: Andrea Zanin