Q:Should I use a cup?

A:Once your baby is six months old,the sucking action he uses to strengthen his jaw and to get his feed from a breast or bottle isn't necessary.If you try using cup now,it will ease the transition off the breast or bottle.Health professionals recommend dropping the bottle by your baby's first year because milk can pool around the teeth and cause decay.Spending a lot of time with a teat in his mouth may also delay your baby's speech.

Q:How to I wean my baby off breastmilk?

A:Once your baby is eating a wide range of foods,he may cut down on breastfeeding of his own accord.
 If you want to help the process along,try swapping one breastfeed to a bottle.As soon as your breasts have adjusted to missing on feed,drop another,striking a balance between breast and bottle.It doesn't matter which feed you drop first,but it's usually best dropping the one where your milk supply is least good.You can also shorten each feed so your breasts are never fully emptied,then they'll produce less milk.You will of course need to top up with a bottle at the end of each feed to make sure your baby is getting all the food he needs. 

Q:When should I stop breastfeeding?

A:The choice is yours.While the World Health Organisation recommends giving your baby nothing but breastmilk for the first six month,real life has a habit of getting in the way.A return to work,
for example,could make formula more convenient.
 Your baby will need less milk once you introduce solid food at six months,but he may still enjoy breastfeeding for comfort and reassurance.This is why many experts recommend child-led weaning,letting your baby or toddler decide when he wants to stop breastfeeding.
 If you have an actual deadline,like going back to work,give yourself at least three weeks to wind down breastfeeding.This gives you time to get your baby used to a bottle,if he's never had one,and reduces the risk of your breasts becoming engorged.

Q:Is it OK to put a newborn to sleep on his side?My health visitor says it can help colic.

A:There's no doubt that the best position to put a baby to sleep is on his back as this is known to reduce the risk of cot death.So my advice would be to always put a baby to sleep in this position.
 Once he can roll over by himself,usually at about five months,your baby may choose to manoeuvre onto his side and there's no need to continually reposition him.The risk of cot death has significantly reduced by this age anyway.
 The worry about sleeping on his side is that he could roll forward onto his stomach overnight.Your health visitor may say it's OK,but I can't.

Q:My 11 month old keeps waking up at 5.30 in the morning,which means he's then tired by breakfast time.What can I do?

A:It's common for babies to wake earlier in the summer months due to the lighter mornings.Try putting up blackout blinds at your baby's windows,which will keep the room dark and encourage your baby to sleep longer.
 Since he's already tired by breakfast,it may help to eat earlier so that you know he's not hungry when he wants to sleep.Aim to keep him up until he's eaten,so he'll have a good sleep with a full tummy.
 Then look at your routine and check he's not getting too much daytime sleep.Is he sleeping more than three hours in total,for instance?Or is he sleeping late in the afternoon?If so,this may mean he won't need as much sleep at night and will therefore wake early the next morning.Ideally he shouldn't sleep past 4pm - this will ensure that he's tired for his nighttime sleep and will hopefully stop him waking you up at the crack of dawn. 

Q:I'm finding it exhausting cooking three meals a day for my eight month old,but don't want to feed her from jars.Any tips on easy,nutritious meals?

A:Babies are as happy with a rice cake as they are with a roast,and food from a jar won't do any harm.Not compared with having a stressed-out,exhausted mum anyway.
 You could batch-cook once a week,then freeze individual portions,so you're not cooking from scratch every day.Dishes like pasta bakes and one-pot stews let you cook for the whole family,making life easier.You can also freeze mashed vegetables for an instant 'side'.Freeze in an icecube tray,then pop out and store cubes in sealed bags.
 There are some safety points about freezing.Don't use meat and fish that have already been frozen or defrosted.Don't reheat cooked rice,from the fridge or freezer,as it activates germs that cause food poisoning.
 Another idea is to serve raw foods - items like baby tomatoes,carroy sticks,fruit and cubes of cheese make a quick but nutritious lunch.

Q:My one year old keeps taking her nappy off.Surely it's too early for me to start potty training her?

A:She's quite young for this at one.For potty training to succeed,a child needs to be physically and emotionally ready,as well as willing to cooperate.
  Do respond to her behaviour,though.She's letting you know that she's learning about her body - how it feels with and without a nappy,wet or otherwise.Observe her to see if there are signs of recognition of different bodily functions,such as staying still while she wees or straining to poo.Talk to her about what she's doing - 'Does your nappy needs changing?' or even,'Do you need to use the potty?' You may find she's more comfy without a nappy - but be prepared for mess.
 Another response is to try training pants - these absorb wees and poos but,unlike a nappy,your child will immediately feel wet.This allows you to introduce the next stage while still providing the security of a nappy.

Q:I've noticed my baby has a squint in a couple of her baby photos.Should I take her to the doctor?

A:A squint is where the eyes don't look in the same direction.A newborn baby's eyes move independently,so it may look as though she has a squint,but after a few weeks,this will settle.Her eyesight will mature and her eyes should become coordinated.
 One in 20 babies has a squint that persists after three months,and at this stage it's important that you take your baby to a doctor,who can arrange for her to be assessed by an optometrist.Most commonly,one eye looks inwards,but it can also mean an eye looks out,up or down.The optometrist will probably suggest using patches to cover your baby's stronger eye for a short while each day.This will encourage her brain to concentrate on the messages from the squinting eye and improve the vision.
 Patching won't correct the appearance of the squint,though.In severe cases,she may need an operation when she's older to straighten the eye.

Q:My 10 month old refuses to nap in his bed and only drops off in the car or buggy.What can I do?

A:This is common at this age as your baby's amending his sleep pattern depending on his daytime activity - if he's had a busy morning,expect him to rest earlier.
 Observe his sleep signals.As soon as your baby starts yawning,rubbing his eyes,being unsettled or staring into space,take him to his room.Miss these and he'll get overtired and be harder to settle.
 Try keeping a record of when these sleep signals occour and his naps.Hopefully you'll notice recurring times when he's most likely to settle.Most babies find a vague routine reassuring and settling.Remember - putting him down when he's not tired will be ineffective,too.

Q:Our toddler has an active imagination and has become convinced there are monsters in the wardrobe.No amount of reassuring helps.What's our next step?

A:When children get anxious,they'll look to their parents for reassurance and guidance.It's a fine balance between reassuring and giving too much attention to the concern,and suggesting the worry is valid.In the case of monsters,if you actually check that there are no monsters,it may suggest to your little one that you weren't sure yourself!
 Try changing your tactics.At bedtime when the question come,calmly and confidently state there are no monsters and leave it at that.Continue on your settling routine with no other discussion about it.Be consistent in this approach and the phase will pass.

Q:Our 3 year old sulks horribly,crying and whinging when he can't get his own way.It's driving us crazy!Any suggestions?

A:It's wearing when toddlers express frustration through whinging and can quickly become a habit.Deal with it by focusing on aspects of behaviour you would like more of.Look for times when he's co-operating and being delightful and comment positively on it,spending more time playing with him and giving cuddles.Encourage good behaviour and reduce recognition of negative behaviour.When you set a boundary and say 'No',do it calmly and stick to it.
 Move away if you need to,try and distract him unless he's making too much fuss.If he is,let him get it out of his system,then distract him,when you think he will be able to listen.Keep your face and voice neutral,stay calm and be consistent.

Q:My 2-year-old's speech is quite behind that of his peers (he can only say 'mama','dada' and a few other simple words).Our health visitor's recommended speech therapy,but my partner doesn't want to do it and thinks I'm over-reacting.What should I do?

A:You have picked up on your child's need for some support with his language development nice and early.The sooner he receives therapy the better,as it will help in all areas of his communications,relieving frustration,minimising tantrums,helping his social skills and readiness for school.Speech therapy is delivered in a way that suits the individual child,usually in a group session with other children and is often enjoyable.Try and involve your partner by getting him to call the speech therapist or health visitor to discuss his concerns.Encourage him to attend a session and see how it all works.Your child may only need a short period of therapy and you'll receive some tips on how to help at home,too.

Q:Trying to keep everyone happy is making me feel overwhelmed.My baby won't sleep,my partner works all hours and I feel isolated from my friends.I spend large parts of the day crying.Help!

A:Firstly,you musn't be responsible for anyone except yourself and your baby.Talk to your health visitor about how you're feeling,as he or she can help you manage your baby's sleep routine.Some of these feelings are normal as you get to grips with being a mum,but it could indicate that your mood is low and you need support.
 Making new friends with women in the same situation will relieve some of the isolation you feel.Even though it's hard when confidence is low,try new mum groups at children's centres.And talk to your partner about how you feel.It'll be another important step in making things better for the whole family.

Q:My baby has been diagnosed with reflux and prescribed medication.How else can we help him?

A:Dealing with reflux can be tough for the whole family,but medicines and adapting some of your routines can have a positive outcome.
To ease things a little,try:
*Keeping your baby upright in feeds and for around 30 minutes after to help prevent acid coming up.
*Elevating the head of his cot by 30' by putting something under the legs of the cot.This minimises the impact of acid regurgitation.
*Small,frequent feeds,especially if he's sick,as he'll feel hungry quickly.
*Slow,calm feeding with frequent stops to allow burping.
*Avoid your tot slumping over in car seats as this can compress the abdomen.
*Avoiding tight elastic on clothing around the tummy or putting nappies on too tight.

Q:My baby bay has been breastfed for eight months and now refuses to take a bottle or sippy cup.I'm worried that he doesn't eat enough solid food and he's not getting enough milk from me.Any advise?

A:From around 6 months babies are generally ready for more solid foods.The best option is to maintain a relaxed approach to food,but consistent.Your milk supply will increase the more you offer,but keep your baby's options open by offering finger foods,a small baby spoon and let him try suitable foods from your plate.Realistically,in the beginning he may just squish,smell,hold and lick food before any of it's actually eaten.This is all a normal,healthy approach and an important step in weaning,so give lots of smiles and positive eye contact.Once he's taking some foods,include the recommended vitamin drops ( vitamins A,B,C and D from your chemist) in it too.Keep going with a feeder beaker filled with water by showing him how to do it,and eventually he will try it himself.

Q:I'm 8 weeks pregnant and suffering awful nausea,which makes commuting really difficult.How much longer will it last?

A:Feeling sick can be as bad as actually being sick,and is quite draining in the early weeks.For some of it continues throughout,but for the majority it gets better by the 12-week stage.Nausea is often worse when blood sugar is low,so do eat little and often - having breakfast before leaving house.
   Tiredness makes it worse,so grab a nap or go to bed early.Also,try to alter work hours to avoid travelling during the time you feel most ropey.Mints can help too,so keep a packet in your bag,and try acupressure bands.These wristbands have a 'button' which,when pressed,apply pressure to the part linked with sickness.Used by travellers,they're available from most chemists.

Q:My midwife said she could give me an internal to start labour if I go past my due date.How does it work?

A:What she's referring to is a stretch and sweep.This is offered if your due date comes and goes,as it can kick start labour and reduces the likelihood of being induced.Your midwife can do this in the clinic or at home - it shouldn't feel painful,but may be a bit uncomfortable.She'll ask you to lie down before placing two fingers into the vagina.One then goes inside the cervix,making a circular motion to 'stretch' it so she can 'sweep' a finger around the bag holding the water (the membranes).
   If this doesn't start labour,you could repeat the process,but leave it at least 48 hours.Remember,a full-term pregnancy can last up to 42 weeks and most women only go into labour when ready.

Q:I'd like to deliver my placenta naturally.Can I choose to,or will I have to have the injection?

A:Whether or not you have the injection will probably depend on the type of birth you have.If it's natural one,you might like to complete the process without the injection,but it usually takes longer for the placenta to be delivered in this way.However,once your baby is born he'll stay attached by cord and get a boost of oxygen and blood through it,until it stops pulsating after about 20 minutes.The placenta takes around an hour to separate,and your body will produce natural bonding hormones (oxytocin),boosted by holding and looking at your baby while he's still attached.the hormones cause the uterus to contract,and the placenta will separate and come away.
   If you've had intervention such as forceps,ventouse,an epidural or you're anaemic,you'll be advised to have an injection of syntometrine and the placenta will come away in around 10 minutes.