Category Archives: Babycare Advice

Lots of ideas and advice to help guide you

November 27, 2012 · 11:29 am

#3. Top 10 things you don’t need for your baby.

Maybe this should be #1. Or maybe this highlights that this list is not necessarily in order. Because I really don’t want you to underestimate how very much I mean it when I say – You do Not need Cot Bumpers.

#3 Baby item you absolutely do not need: cot bumpers. In fact…. Please Do Not buy cot bumpers.

A cot bumper is padding that runs around the inside of a cot, supposedly to protect the baby from banging their head on the hard sides or getting any part of their body caught between the bars. But cot bumpers have been associated with SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), strangulation, and suffocation, and can be very dangerous for your baby.

I can feel myself getting slightly stressed just writing about it. I began this list, this blog, and my consultation service largely because there are so many aspects of babycare that are confusing for parents and families. And no wonder, when there are things marketed to you as helping to keep your baby safe that are widely agreed to potentially lead to their death!! It’s incredible that things like cot bumpers are even allowed to be sold. If I could rip every cot bumper I see off the shelves, I would (maybe I should?). But, since the causes of SIDS are still yet to be fully understood, I suppose it’s not clear enough to ban them – though there are many advisories against them from health bodies around the world*. Continue reading →

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November 6, 2012 · 2:35 pm

Breastfeeding: All too important or all too hard?

A recent report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that by the time a child is 6 months old in this country, only 15% are still being breastfed. Both the World Health Organisation

Breastfeeding symbol

Is breast best for you?

and the Australian Breastfeeding Association recommend breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months, and continuing for up to and beyond 2 years when combined with meals of solid food. Clearly, the reality of breastfeeding for most Australian mothers is not in line with the guidelines being presented.

I’m a nanny – not a doctor, nurse, or lactation specialist. My advice on breastfeeding has always come from a mixture of personal research and observation. Any serious concerns or questions, I’ll tell parents, should be directed at the appropriate health professionals. But I am often involved in changes in breastfeeding and can give basic advice and share my opinions and experiences. Continue reading →

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October 23, 2012 · 5:59 pm

Do Babies and Dogs Mix?

Child and dog

Families trust me with their most precious possessions, their children, and so safety is always on my mind. Parents are always thinking about it, too. Sometimes I work with overprotective parents who won’t allow reasonable risk for fear of their child’s safety. Sometimes I work with parents who haven’t considered possible risks I’ve been able to point out to them, so we can collaborate to keep their kids safe. Very often I work with parents who do not agree with me about a particular aspect of child safety, and so do not follow my recommendations.  That can be scary. Making a safer world for kids can be hard if you feel like the only one who sees a danger. Continue reading →

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October 9, 2012 · 4:58 am

#1. Top 10 things you don’t need for your baby.

Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com

I’ve worked in lots of homes with lots of babies. Different families have different styles, both in the way they run their home and in the way they approach parenting. I’ve used these stints amongst varied parenting and household styles to experiment with and explore which of the thousands of possible baby accessories are most commonly used and which are the most necessary and useful. It’s not the same list.

#1 Thing you think you need but don’t:
Change Table.

Plenty of seasoned parents will tell you they’re an unnecessary expense. It’s not just me. You can change a baby on the floor, on the bed, on top of a chest of drawers. As time goes on you’ll find yourself changing them in the backseat of the car, on the kitchen table, and as they get older while they try to run away. All you need for these changes is, at best, a change mat with raised edges, and at least, a soft but firm surface.

Continue reading →

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