fabian's ma

When do people generally take their child to the dentist for the first time? Is 21 months too young? I'd quite like my son to have a quick check up and I have a few concerns about fluorosis (he seems to have a white spot on one of his front teeth - possibly from sucking the toothpaste off the brush rather than brushing with it!) If I do take him I'd like it to be a positive experience and not put him off for life. I usually go to Smile in Northcross Road myself but my favourite dentist, Aoife, left a while ago. Any recommendations for child-friendly (NHS) dentists locally? Thanks in advance.

There are still people hanging around outside the house and sitting on the street corners. I don't think any of us can take another night of no sleep! We were woken up at about 2.30am by people parking their cars in our street; shouting and generally acting antisocially. That was now 15 hours ago. Has anyone called the police?

Hello, Does anyone have any top tips for how to make the transition from bottle to cup? My sixteen month old has been drinking water happily from a free flow cup since he was six or seven months old - and he even drinks water from a 'proper' glass now with supervision. But try as I might I just can't get him to drink milk from anything other than a bottle. I've even tried transferring it from the bottle to the beaker in front of him so that he can see very clearly that the beaker contains milk - but he just refuses to drink it and I have to pour it back into the bottle. I've also tried using a different coloured beaker so that it doesn't associate it with water. Unfortunately he has a dairy allergy and is still on specialist formula milk - rather than cow's - but I don't think this should make any difference. I really don't want him to be drinking out of a bottle anymore... Can anyone help? Thank you!

Thanks all.

Hello, Unfortunately Rhyme Time at Dulwich Library on a Wednesday morning seems to have gone seriously downhill since Joan has left! Does anyone know of any alternative activities for a Wednesday - preferably free or drop-in. Many thanks.

Hi Lochie, Your post struck a chord with me. My one year old has also just started nursery (about a month ago) and again seems to be settling ok so far. Still get the tears when I leave him but not when I pick him up anymore (which is one blessing!) But like you his sleep has become really disturbed. He usually naps once a day when he's there rather than twice a day when he's at home with me and he's absolutely exhausted when I get him home. He used to sleep through the night (mostly) but now has a definite aversion to his cot - arching his back when I put him down - and waking at least twice in the night. I end up giving him an extra bottle most nights in the wee hours just to get him back to sleep - which is far from ideal. Last night I ended up taking him into bed with us where he slept happily for most of the night (albeit waking at 5.30!) but I really don't want to get into this habit (much as it's nice to snuggle with him). Is this new aversion to the cot a normal reaction to starting nursery / separation anxiety etc. (or could it be something to do with the way the nursery manages sleep times / naps etc.)? Would be interested to hear other peoples' experiences.

Hi Julie, Thank you - I'll PM you tomorrow. Would be great to swap notes and catch up.

Hi there, Coming slightly late to this thread but all this strikes a real chord with me too as I have just started back at work and have been settling my baby at nursery. He's eleven months (nearly twelve) so not quite as young as some of the other babies here - but we're still finding it a difficult transition. Major separation anxiety going on - especially at my end! As Jennyh says - starting back at work and leaving your baby for the first time is such a hugely emotional thing. I think it's only natural that as mums we're worried about how and if they will sleep and eat whilst they're at nursery (the food issue was mentioned in another similar thread I think). When you've been used to giving them every meal and putting them down for every nap it's such a concern. It's early days for us but he's not settling quite as easily as I'd hoped. However the staff at the nursery do all seem very kind and caring so I'm sure we'll get there in the end. Oxalis: I think I gleaned from a previous thread that your baby has started at Gumboots? That's where my little boy is too so maybe you wouldn't mind if I PMed you for a brief chat about how your little girl has settled and just to swap notes? Thanks so much. And as Jennyh says - very hard to get your brain back into work mode when you're fretting about your precious baby. Hence sitting here writing this and not cracking on with things. Back to work :)

Thanks so much everyone - especially Fidgetsmum - I'll reply to your PM as soon as I get a second! Alice x

Hello, I'm giving him chicken and a little bit of mince. Haven't tried fish yet but will do. I have been giving him hummus and he loves it but was worried it was a bit salty. I could have a go at making my own hummus I suppose!

Does anyone have any good recipes for an 8 month old who can't tolerate dairy? He had very bad 'silent' reflux when younger and was diagnosed as being intolerant to dairy. He now has three bottles of specially prescribed formula milk a day plus three meals a day (we're doing about half and half spoon feeding and baby led weaning). He absolutely loves his food and is a good eater but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to think up meals which don't include dairy products. I tried him with eggs yesterday and they didn't seem to agree with him either! He's under the care of a dietician at King's so I'm not looking for medical advice - just some ideas of nutritious meals which aren't too time consuming. I'm worried he's not getting enough protein as I can't give him cheese. If anyone out there has had a similar experience would love to hear what food ideas you had. Many thanks.

Hello, My eight month old caught a similar sounding bug a few weeks ago. He was vomiting on and off and eating very little for about ten days. He was still taking milk but nothing like as much as usual. He didn't have a temparature - at least not for long - and mostly seemed ok in himself - but like you I got concerned that it had lasted so long. I took him to the doctor after about four / five days and they checked all the same things but said he was ok and not dehydrated and that it would pass. I think there must just be a particularly nasty bug doing the rounds. He did manage to pass it on to a couple of his friends (or else they came down with it indpendently!) so it's obviously fairly virulent and widespread. Personally I think he picked it up from Peckham Pulse Jelly Babies... Hope this is reassuring. If it's the same thing he had it does pass eventually.