Saffron

Oakwood midwives at Forrest Hill Group Practice are excellent, but I had a rubbish experience with the GPs and HVs there. We have since moved and changed GPs.

womanofdulwich Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > maybe baby oil first? Yep that should work too :-)

Vapour rub is in an oily base. First you need another oily base to dissolve the vapour rub. Then a soap (good shampoo) to break-up the oil. I would recommend trying plain vaseline/petrolium jelly, then a good shampoo and condition. You can also try peanut butter or vegetable oil. (This method also works to get gum out of hair.)

Research suggests many women perceive their milk supply to be low between 2 and 3 mos, so you're right in the middle of it! The key thing here is the word 'perceive'. If your baby is otherwise fine, then your milk is fine. There is no evidence to suggest that this 'perceived' drop in supply has any adverse effects on babies. Don't supplement with formula if you can avoid it, as this changes the gut pH and flora, and it could make your baby windy. Then you'd be out of the frying pan into the fire in that case. (This happened to Little Saff when we had to give a few bottles of formula b/c I had postnatal exhaustion and was in extreme pain.) Acupuncture really does wonders for milk supply. Giles Davies on Barry Road is very good, as is Ella Keepax who practices from Harley Street. I can look up their contact info if you're interested. Fenugreek combined with Blessed Thistle supports lactation, but you have to take much higher doses than what is recommended for general use. I had a really good tincture, more concentrated than any of the teas. I'll see if I still have the bottle somewhere to find out what it's called. If you can afford it, get some help around the house. A cleaner, a nanny one day a week, or even just a friend to cuddle your LO in a sling for an hour while you have a rest in the early evening. Hormones produced during rest/sleep help to support breastfeeding. Also, don't forget that just b/c you get nothing in the pump, it doesn't mean the breast is empty. Actually, the breast is never truly empty as long as you are lactating. And, the baby stimulates the breast better than the pump. So, baby can get milk even when the pump gets nothing. In addition, the baby can sometimes be getting a tiny trickle of fatty evening milk and not really making much of a swallow. Little dribbles of milk are just sliding down baby's throat while baby blissfully mouths the nipple, seemingly unaware of poor exhausted mummy above! These tiny fatty droplets may be just the food and comfort your LO needs in the evening. That said, I agree with others' posts that fussiness and wanting to suck lots in the evening may be comfort sucking / over-stimulation / cluster-feeding, or any number of normal behaviours. It's probably a sign of what an excellent mother you are that you find yourself worried about it! Keep up the bfing. You and your baby will be just fine. xx

I didn't have candida, but I did have other problems. The shape of Little Saff's mouth gave me very bad bruises. And I had/have Reynaud's phenomenon in the nipples. The pain was very similar to what you describe as thrush, but it is not candida infection (so no amount of antifungals would have helped). Probably the pain from bruised nipples was setting off the Reynaud's phenomenon -- basically a tiny muscle spasm in the capillaries supplying the nipple. It felt like terrible stabbing, shooting pains. I got lots of well-meaning but totally wrong advice about soothing the nipples with cold packs and cabbage leaves. Not only was the pain way beyond mere mortal cabbage leaves, cold things made it worse to the point of tears. I couldn't understand why the things that seemingly helped everyone else didn't help me! When the bruising eventually healed and Little Saff's latch improved, the Reynaud's episodes became fewer and less painful. I still have them occasionally, but they mostly just cause discolouration. It was a very slow road though. The initial damage to my nipples in our early days of nursing probably sensitised the nerves and made the Reynaud's worse. I was using nipple shields off/on for 3 mos, and wasn't pain-free till about 5 or 6 mos. Acupuncture was helpful, as was keeping my nipples warm, not getting chills (ha! try that with a winter newborn when the gas heating keeps going out!!). I also had a great lactation consultant who helped me find more comfortable positions for nursing Little Saff and gave me lots of reassurance. My GP didn't know you can get Reynaud's phenomenon in the nipples, and my HV didn't even know what Reynaud's is. I'm not downing them in any way (hey, they can't know everything). When I explained the problem, they were sympathetic/supportive. But if I hadn't done a little research myself, I wouldn't have known what the problem was. Also, if anyone reading this has Reynaud's phenomenon very bad, there are drugs to help, and they are ok for bfing. I was lucky that I didn't need drug treatment. Well done everyone for persevering! xx

Put a little blanket or some babygrows in you bed for the next couple nights. You can even put some breastmilk on them. They will hold your smell. Leave these for your LO when you go out. Of course you will miss your baby when you go out. That's nature's way. Not crazy at all. Enjoy your time away for a few hours... (and then enjoy your baby even more when you return!).

You can also put dry oatmeal in a food processor until it's powdered. Sprinkle the powder under running water in the bath and give it a good swirl. Do take care however, as oatmeal can make the bath very slippery. Also I agree w plimsoul, about 1/2 cup bi-carb in the bath is around the right amount. Making bi-carb into a paste with just a few spoons of water, you can place it directly on badly affected areas during the bath.

I second all of the above, plus ask your midwife/hv about reflux in babies. Bringing back full feeds frequently may be a sign of baby reflux. Your doctor can give you more advice on how to treat it. In the meantime, try keeping baby upright for a little while longer after feeds, and perhaps raise the head-end of baby's bed a couple of centimeters. This website has lots of interesting ideas for making babies more comfy: http://www.babyreflux.co.uk/ xx

Was just thinking of this thread this morning as Little Saff tried to dig a hole to Chine through my arm while nursing. This got her a merciless round of tickling that resulted in her forgetting about the boobie for a bit, and it chilled her out too. If your LO has picked and picnched your skin a lot in one place, try convering these areas with hydrocolloid plasters (eg, blister plasters) or silicone sheets -- ask a pharmacist if they have these in larger sizes too. These will protect your skin and be more difficult to pick off. Also, if your LO really seems to need something in her hands when nursing, perhaps you could try giving her one of those 'chicken fillet' type breast enhancers to play with? They have a texture very similar to skin. You can probably find some cheap ones on ebay. xx

Fuschia Wrote: > My real terror is of aftercare after a CS as > unresponsive staff is the trigger for me to really > meltdown. > Don't worry F. If that happens, we'll organise a crack team of Forumites to go down to the hospital and badger any unresponsive staff into submission and obedience! xx

Can whole-heartedly recommend Jill Dye 07816 136 477. xx

http://www.merinokids.co.uk/

Sorry, should have been more specific. Tea tree essential oil is very potent and should not be used on the skin directly. The gel formulations contain highly diluted tea tree eo, which is very effective at preventing secondary infection with bacteria (eg, staph & strep). Do be careful to read labels. Some gels contain parabens. You might not want these on children's skin (although - weirdly - they're in some nappy creams) Tea tree oe is also effective to relieve inflamation in the skin caused by other allergy reactions. But if you're unsure, just stick with aloe! :-) xx

OMG, that's terrible! I've never even heard of this. Baby Nappy Expose??? Any documentary film makers out there? When you give your LO nappy-free time, have you tried a little tea tree or aloe gel (the kind for sunburns)? I had a mild chemical burn on my arms a few months ago, and this was very soothing. Poor little bubby. I hope things resolve soon. x

Very interesting and useful comments from everyone! GinaG3, I do hope things are getting better for you :) Your LO is really pushing your boundaries. Bright children can be especially difficult in this regard. Whatever your choice, stick to it. Children need firm boundaries. It's a cliche, but it's true. Your LO is trying to see how far you can be pushed, so she can know where the boundaries are. Instead of 'give them an inch, they'll take a mile.' It should be, 'give them an inch, they'll take a boobie.' Just to add briefly, facial expression is very important for children. It plays directly to instinctive/subconsciuse areas of the brain. So when you say No, and take your LO off the breast, try making an exaggerated (but genuine!) sad face. Then say something like, 'That hurts. That makes Mummy make the sad face.' Make sure your LO really looks in your eyes and registers your expression (even though it may not trigger an immediate response). Leave your LO alone for a little while to let things cogitate, and try going back only after a set period of time, eg 3 min.

It's not only how well the grandparents know your child, but also how well they know you. In an emergency, if neither parent could be reached, are you confident that the grandparents would make the same choices you'd make yourselves? Sleep is another big issue. Does your LO nap well for the grandparents? Is he sleeping all night? If he starts to wake nights while you're away, are the grandparents able to cope with sleepless nights? Can they settle him easily in the night? Even if all of the above is fine, and you're still not comfortable being away, it's understandable. Go with your instinct. You're not being unreasonable at all. Mothers and babies are meant to be near each other. If you feel your being away makes you (or baby) less than happy, work on another solution.

My daughter is only 10mo, but she also likes to pick at me sometimes when feeding. Long-sleeved bfing tops which only allow a limited access to the nipple are one solution, although they are not always the most comfortable. Sometimes I notice that she picks and pinches more when she's having trouble winding down. In this case, I put her in her cot and leave the room for a few minutes (to rub my sore arms, ouch!). She has a little cry, blows off some steam, and then is more relaxed for nursing. Good luck, Safff

I thought the amby hammock was great and wish I'd known about it sooner. Little Saff slept in the hammock from about 3.5 mos. Around 7.5 mos she finally grew too long for it, but she is an exceptionally long baby. I agree a hammock is probably best for babies that like that snuggled-up feeling. The gentle curve to the bed seemed to help Little Saff to relax. Also the abmy hammock is very easy to dismantle and transport, so no need for a travel cot.

Let me get this straight. The options are to die of a broken heart, or to live in a prison camp? Hmmm. Tough one.

------------------------------------------------------- > ...OP stated baby has had skin prick tests which > show cats as the problem, the testing would have > included most of the other common allergens I > would imagine. It's important to note the difference between correlation and causation here. Atopy and asthma are correlated to each other, but one is not causative of the other. So while cat allergens may elicit a hypersensitivity response, they do not cause asthma (although once activated, some people's asthma is exacerbated by allergens). Unseen to us the immune system is like our skin, constantly growing and changing throughout life. Just as everyone's skin is different and responds differently, so too does the immune system. The course and progression of atopy and asthma can be very different in different individuals (as shown in the postings here!), which is why clinicians find it difficult to accurately predict the course of disease for an individual over a lifetime. > > Each to their own, I might be tempted to try the > Petal Cleanse, but after that I'm afraid if no joy > the cats would have to go. Laylas Mum, did you try the Petal Cleanse? It does seem like a good place to start, since you probably cannot rehome your cats immediately. You could also try bathing the cats. Dog About Town groomers on Bellenden Road are very nice and will take well-behaved cats for grooming. Odile at Mutterly Gorgeous on Adelaid Ave is very good too, and will even take naughty cats (I think she also offers a do-it-yourself facility). Ultimately though, you may find you do need to rehome your cats. If that's the case, take your time. Find a home where they will truly be loved and happy, and where you can visit them occasionally. Then the decision to rehome doesn't have to be so traumatic for you and them. With cats out of the family home, you may find that minimal exposure at your childminder's home is not sufficient to make your LO unwell.

Living in the States as a child, I remember the most fantastic Halloweens with bags and bags of free sweets. What a great holiday where people gave me free chocolates! And I didn't even feel guilty about it b/c my mother used to have me give her some of my sweets, so she could donate them to 'less fortunate children'. Then behind my back, she would put them in the bin. Can't believe I fell for that one!!!

It's a personal choice really, and can also depend on your baby's taste. Milk which has been frozen/heated has a slightly different taste, due to the change in protein structure caused by freezing or heating. The more times you do either, the more you change the milk (and decrease its nutritional value). Some babies don't like breastmilk once it's been altered in this way. Also, breastmilk has antibodies in it that help to deter bacterial growth. These are degraded with every cycle of heating (or freezing). So if you really want to reheat breastmilk, think about the time table over which you do so. The kind of bacteria likely to grow in breastmilk are not likely to multiply rapidly over just a few hours. For example, milk from a feed at 9AM should be fine to reheat for a 12PM feed (although it won't taste as fresh or be as nutritious). As with cow's milk, you can taste the milk for yourself, and just throw it out if you're unsure.

Get married on your due date... guaranteed to get the baby out. We were married on my due date, and Little Saff was born the next day. Wedding pressures are certain to get things moving! (Alternatively, you could try the sweep. It may/may not help, but it's unlikely to do any harm... though some of my girl friends said they were painful... so maybe it's not worth it in that case.)

Yep, all of the above!!!!!

Before you make any decisions, try to get as much info as you can. Have you read about 'allergen immunotherapy'? It works to treat the cause of the allergy by inducing immunological tolerance to the allergen. For example, children with peanut allergy are now given very small amounts of peanut to produce a tolerance to the peanut protein. Also, you should know that if you clean your house and rehome the cats, there is a possibility that this will make your LO's condition worse the next time he comes into contact with cat allergens. This probably accounts for the reason that *some* people with asthma/cat allergy combo who don't own cats have such a profound reaction when they come into contact with cats. The etiology of asthma is incredibly complex, and it's important to understand that cats are not the cause of asthma but are correlated to it. You might rehome your cats only to discover something else triggers the asthma. Immunology is a relatively young science, so there are still a lot of unknowns. If it were me, I would see a private specialist before I made any decision. The NHS is very good, but they don't cover everything in my personal experience. If you do decide to rehome your cats, I bet someone lovely from the Forum will take them.