My baby is 3 months old and I have been breast feeding her. Recently I have been trying to introduce a bottle but she refuses to take it.  Have you got any advice to help me?

Answer

This is a really common problem and takes time and patience to overcome.  The taste and texture of the teat is very different from what baby is used.  Try experimenting with different teats to see if there’s one that she prefers.  It’s important for you to be relaxed when offering the bottle; baby will soon pick up the fact that something’s wrong if you’re anxious.  Another useful tip is to ask someone else to try baby with a bottle, because she knows she can have a breast feed from you.  Offer the bottle regularly and be pleased if she takes a few gulps; you can soon build the quantity up.  If your baby appears to become distressed, stop and try again at another feed.  Keep persevering and eventually she will take the bottle.

Good luck, Liz.

My 17 week old daughter has had 2 lots of injections and I just wanted to know if she can now go swimming ?

Answer

It will be fine to take your baby swimming now that she is 17 weeks.  There are 2 main reasons we don’t recommend taking very young babies swimming.  The first is that they are more likely to pick up bugs such as stomach bugs and the second is that they cannot control their body temperature very well and they very quickly become cold.  Now that your baby is 17 weeks old, she will have more body fat and should be able to stay in the water for a short time before getting too cold, although it may still only be about 15 minutes.

Enjoy your swim with baby,

Liz

My 8 mth old daughter has had a cold for the last 24 hrs, and last night her temperature rose to around 38.2. It has only fallen since with the use of calpol and this only seems to have a temporary affect. She is sleeping more than usual - possibly due to poor sleep last night, but when she is awake she is fully alert and is feeding and drinking. I appreciate that you don't offer medical advice and I'm not after this, but I would like advice on how to manage a temperature both for now and in the future. My Qs are:

1. Approx how high does a temperature need to rise in an 8 mth old before it is considered dangerous/time to call the doctor? Am I right in assuming that 38.2
would be classed as a low grade fever?
2. I've obviously been dressing her in very light clothing which under normal circumstances would be inappropriate for this time of year. So when the calpol kicks in and her temperature falls to around 37 should I then be dressing her more warmly. I'm worried she could get a chill. The problem is that a hour or so later as the calpol wears off, her temp goes back up again - and then she's overdressed again.
3. As long as I leave 6 hrs in between doses is it ok to switch from paracetamol to nurofen. I'm just trying to establish which works best for her?

thank you

Answer 

Thanks for your question.

1. A temperature of 38.2 is usually nothing to worry about in a baby of 8 months, unless accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea or a rash, in which case it is advisable to seek medical advice.  If her temperature remains high for 24 hours or rises above 39 even after medication has been given, then see your GP.  If you feel your baby needs to be given medication for more than 3 days, it?s also worth seeing your GP.
2.Your right to dress her in cool clothing as this will help to reduce her temperature.  If her temperature returns to normal (even if it is for just a short period) it is ok to add layers, but keep a close eye on her temperature and as soon as it starts to creep back up, then remove the extra layer.
3. A paracetamol based product e.g. Calpol, is usually the 1st line treatment for a temperature, however, if you feel that this is not working very well then it?s fine to change to an ibuprofen based one for children.
General advice for management of a high temperature in children is to remove a layer of clothes, give regular cool drinks, encourage rest/sleep and offer a temperature reducing medication.
Hope this helps and your little girl is feeling better soon.  If at any point you are concerned about her, it?s worth having her checked out by your GP.  If you want any further information either about this or any other issue, just post another question and I will get back to you.

Take care

Liz

My son is nearly 13 months old and will not entertain finger foods whatsoever I have spent a fortune on various different things and spent time making things for him to try. The main problem is he will not put things to his mouth not even his toys or pick anything up off the floor and attempt to eat. He also struggles with lumpy food, I have thrown countless meals away that I have spent ages making. I don't pressure him or make a fuss about the eating and always try and shoe him watching me eat the same.

I am worried about his weight as he is very skinny I cant get to clinic as I work and have already taken huge amounts of time off too look after my son while he has been poorly. I tried to contact my HV and was told she has left and that my son has been cleared and no longer has a HV

Please help

Answer

Children who don’t put things in their mouths do sometimes struggle with finger foods.  Don’t spend money buying special finger foods just offer him toast, or sliced fruit. Keep offering finger foods regularly and he will eventually start to eat them, but don’t put any pressure on him and once he’s drops it   a few times just take it away. Since he’s having difficulty with lumpy food, try making it coarse rather than lumpy.  Mash the food really well to get the right texture.  Make mealtimes fun and try to eat as a family.  Let him have a bowl with a small amount of food in so he can touch it.  As he gets used to the coarse food just start mashing it less and less until it is lumpy.   Do this very gradually.
All preschool children should have a health visitor and therefore if your health visitor has left you should be given a different health visitor.  Ring the clinic again and ask who your new health visitor is. 

My son is 23 months old and still wont go to sleep by himself and wont sleep in his own bedroom.Iv tried everything I can think of; leaving the light on, turning it off, playing his lullaby cd, taking his favourite teddy with him, decorating his room in his favourite things etc. I got told that should try controlled crying but when I settle him in bed and walk out he does the screaming where he doesn't take a breath for ages and that worries me. I really don't know what to do. I can tell he's tired when he goes to bed because he wont sleep in the daytime

Answer

Sounds like you’ve tried lots of different things to try and get your little boy to sleep in his own room.  There’s no quick way of resolving this, but the key, is to be consistent.  Keep to a good bedtime routine- bath him, pyjamas on, warm milk, bedtime story (in his own bed), offer him his favourite toy and tuck him in.  If you want to sit with him, that’s fine.  But its important he knows that now it’s sleep time, so he doesn’t get out of bed, go down stairs or go in your bed.  Initially you may have to sit with him until he falls asleep.  This may take a while, but don’t let him draw you into a conversation or a game etc.  – Be firm that it’s sleep time.  Once he used to this, you can start leaving him for short periods.  Use words that he understands- say thing like “mummy’s just going for a wee wee” and will be straight back.  Its important that you do this and come straight back.  The first few nights he may cry when you leave, but he will soon learn that mummy does come back.  Praise him for staying in his bed and not crying.  You can then start extending the time your away, for example, you could say “mummy’s just going to do the washing up “ this way, you can stay away for maybe 5 minutes and then gradually extend the time, but just make sure that each time you do go back to him.  Keep doing this and eventually he will stay in his own room.  If he wakes during the night, do the same thing, settle him, sit with him for a short time and then leave and come back.  Keep repeating this until he falls asleep.  This will work, but you need to be persistent.  The moment you give in and let in your bed or downstairs, you’ve undone the work you’ve done so far.
Anyway good luck and email again if you require any further advice.

When can I start weaning my baby

Answer

There has been lots of research to find out the best time to start weaning your baby.  Due to this research we now recommend that you start weaning you baby at 6 months old.

Hi, I am getting quite concerned about my Son who has just turned 1 year old. For about the last 5 weeks he has not been interested in food and just refuses to have any more than about 3 or 4 spoonfuls of food per meal time (usually feed around 3 times a day: breakfast, dinner & tea).
Although he is not losing weight and is quite happy in himself, I am quite concerned because he used to have a good appetite.
Admittedly, the last few weeks he has had a runny nose and is currently suffering with a bit of catarrh, so I wondered if this could be something to do with it?
He does like toast and chips but other finger foods either similar or different don't seem to appeal to him. I can't understand why he is not wanting food - even his favourites don't appeal to him anymore.
I have tried skipping a meal to ensure he eats his tea but not even that works.
He does wake most night's wanting milk (usually around 3-4am) and takes around 3oz then will happily go back to sleep.
What could be causing the lack of appetite? Should I be worried about this?

Many thanks.

Answer

Thanks for our question.  The most important things to do are not to let your son know that you’re worried about his eating and not to put any pressure on him to eat.  Keep to your usual mealtime routines.  If you start to skip meals his body will get used to this and he will eat even less.   As he only eats small amounts at a time, I would suggest that you introduce 2 nutritious snacks.  This way he will be eating 5 times per day.  Even if your little boy doesn’t eat much of his main course it is still advisable to offer a dessert.   Only offer foods that you know he usually enjoys and do not over face him- put small quantities on his plate, praise him for what he does eat (no matter how little) and just remove any uneaten food without comment.   Try to eat as a family as this will encourage him to eat more and don’t let a meal go on longer than about 20 minutes.  The February monthly topic is about fussy eaters which also includes small appetites, so have a read of it when we post it on the website on 1st February.  Make sure he’s not drinking too many fluids, as this will affect his appetite.   A child of this age needs about 16 – 20 oz of milk and offer water with meals.  He shouldn’t really need any milk in the night, but I doubt that 23oz will be affecting his appetite.  Anyway relax and follow the advice.  Children’s appetites do vary, so try not to worry but maybe have him weighed regularly, just to make sure he continues to grow normally.   If at anytime you think he may be unwell, then see your GP.

Hope this helps.

Take care.

We have recently moved and I have joined a new medical centre and have been told they don't have a Health Visitor attached to the practice! At my previous dr's they had a baby clinic run by several different Health Visitors, so I was quite surprised at this! My daughter is 18 months and last time she saw a Health Visitor was now almost a year ago. I don't have any real worries, my daughter seems pretty advanced for her age in talking, walking, eating etc but I thought every child under 5 had a health visitor? Thanks!

Answer

Yes, you're right, all pre-school children should have a Health Visitor. Not all GP's have Health Visitors based with them, but will have at least one allocated to them, however she may be based elsewhere. It's worth giving them a ring again and asking where the Health Visitors are based. The receptionist may not have realised that they do have a Health Visitor because they're not located in the same building.

Liz

My son has a very dry cough is there anything I can do to make it better he is nine months old

Answer

There are over the counter medicines you can buy from your chemist, but these only sooth the symptoms and don't cure the cough.  Before using the medicine it's probably worth having him checked by your GP to make sure there's no infection.
Hope he gets better soon

My little boy is now almost 9 months old, but will not drink out of a beaker.  Is there are certain beaker which will help?

Answer

Firstly, be patient, it’s a big change for your baby to go from breast/bottle feeding to drinking from a cup.  Any free flow beaker will be fine.  Don’t use a non-spill cup as baby has to suck more on these and is therefore more likely to cause tooth decay.
Offer your baby the cup regularly, encourage him to hold it and gently lift it to his mouth so he can take a small sip.  Also give him time to play with it.  (Offer water and this way it’s not too messy and won’t cause tooth decay)  To start with he will probably only take small sips, but will gradually build up the quantity.
Use a different coloured beaker to put milk in, this way baby learns to know what fluid to expect.  Offer him small sips and then go on to offer a full breast/bottle feed.  As with the water he will gradually build up the quantities.  Many babies are aged 1 before they’re taking the cup properly, so you’ve got plenty of time to help your baby with the transition to a cup.

Good Luck. Liz