Should you give your baby water?
Babies under 6 months old only need breast milk or formula. Until 6 months of age breast milk or formula acts as both food and drink for your baby. Giving your baby water before 6 months could mean that they won’t take enough breast milk or formula to help them grow. If a young baby […]
How common are twin pregnancies?
Twin or multiple pregnancies are becoming more common due to fertility treatments like Clomid. Other factors that can increase the chances of a twin pregnancy are your age and family history. A family history of identical twins does not make it more likely that you will conceive twins. However, if you have a history of […]
How do I keep my child safe during a heatwave?
While it can be fun in the sun, babies and young children can easily become overheated and dehydrated. Here are a few simple tips to help keep them safe in the heat: Stay in the shade and make sure you use a high factor sunscreen at all times. Dress children in loose clothes made of […]
Men and depression in pregnancy
Awareness of post natal depression in men is slowly beginning to grow. What is less known is the fact that men can also suffer from ante natal depression (depression in pregnancy) as well. As many as one in ten fathers to be can be affected and it often goes undetected. Most at risk are those […]
What is a rainbow baby?
A Rainbow baby is the new parenting term (popular in the press) for a baby born following a stillbirth or miscarriage. Other terms used are: Sunshine baby for a child born before a loss. Angel baby for a baby that died in the womb or shortly afterwards. Golden baby for a baby born after a […]
What should you do if your child has a night terror?
Unless the child is unsafe the best thing to do is to be as calm as possible with them. Night terrors can be frightening to witness but they will not harm your child. Your child won’t remember the episode in the morning and often won’t recognise you when you try to comfort them during the […]
What are night terrors?
Night terrors, also known as sleep terrors, is similar to a nightmare but results in episodes of screaming, intense fear and thrashing around while appearing to be asleep. Often your child may not recognise you if you try to comfort them. Children are not fully awake during these episodes and will have no memory of […]
Pollution and pregnancy
Scientists believe they have found the first examples of air pollution travelling through the lungs of pregnant women and into the placenta. This then has the potential to reach the fetus. The study only examined the placenta of newborn babies and not the umbilical cord connecting the fetus to the placenta. Further research is set […]
Signs of teething
The most common signs that your baby is teething are: Swollen, bulging gums. Drooling. Irritability. Trouble sleeping. Trying to bite, chew or suck everything. Rejecting food. Grabbing ears. If your baby has diarrhoea, fever or a runny nose particularly if it lasts 24 hours or more, don’t dismiss it as a sign of teething.
Is my child developing a phobia?
The difference between a normal fear of something and a phobia is the level of anxiety involved. Children with phobias demonstrate a significantly higher level of anxiety, dread and terror when they come into contact with the object of their phobia. Phobias can create such intense feelings of fear that they can disrupt the child’s […]
Kangaroo care for pre-term and low birthweight babies
Kangaroo care, the practice of encouraging close skin-to-skin contact with mum and dad, continues to produce significant results. A follow up study established that the benefit to pre-term and low weight babies can be measured even 20 years later. The study suggested long lasting social effectiveness, less absenteeism from school and reduced aggressiveness were positive […]
How can you tell if your child is being bullied at school?
As a parent the thought of your child being bullied can bring up many feelings. It can leave you feeling angry, tearful or helpless and often triggers feelings/memories from your own school days that make it hard to think rather than react. What can sometimes compound things is the fact that children who are being […]
Survival of the smallest premature baby
A baby boy weighing just 10 ounces (268g) has become the smallest newborn in the world to leave hospital safely. The little boy was born at 24 weeks in University Hospital in Tokyo. After 5 months of treatment in an intensive neonatal unit, where his breathing and nutrition were managed, he now weighs 3.23Kg. The […]
What is Spina bifida?
Spina bifida means “split spine” and occurs when the spinal column and cord are not properly formed during pregnancy leaving nerves exposed. This occurs before the 6th week. The cause is unknown and around four in every 10,000 pregnancies can result in this condition. Babies with this condition can become paralysed and suffer bladder and […]
Foetal repair surgery
An unborn baby has undergone pioneering foetal repair surgery at 24 weeks old, while still in her mothers womb. The unborn child, a girl named Eloise, was diagnosed with spina bifida at her mothers 20 week scan. Initially advised to consider a termination following a series of tests and scans, it was decided by both […]
Skin-to-skin contact in the first hours of life
A recent study of 915 mothers and newborns found that skin-to-skin contact within the first hours of life significantly increased the likelihood of early breastfeeding being successfully established. These results highlight the importance of supporting mothers and prioritising skin-to-skin contact for newborns. Contact us… 07969 189626 Email: info@papcs.co.uk
Language development
Studies on babies and toddlers have found that there is a big difference in language and processing skills as early as 18 months old. Reading stories and talking to your child from birth onwards, will boost your child’s development and encourage success at school. Contact us… 07969 189626 Email: info@papcs.co.uk
Research into premature birth
Around 60,000 babies are born prematurely each year in the U.K. Globally more than 1 in 10 pregnancies end in premature birth. Some of the latest trials have found that levels of a protein called Elafin can be used to tell which women are most at risk of going into early labour. Other trials are […]
Mental health checks for fathers
NHS England have announced that they are to offer health checks to fathers whose partners mental health is poor. Fathers are new mums closest support in 95% of cases according to the Fatherhood Institute. It is hoped that carrying out mental health checks for fathers will help to identify and support those suffering from a […]
Baby’s first bath and successful breastfeeding
The latest research published in The Journal of Obstetric, Gynaecological and Neonatal Nursery has found delaying a healthy newborns first bath by at least 12 hours increases the chances of a mother successfully breastfeeding during her hospital stay. The World Health Organisation already advises delaying a baby’s first bath for 24 hours. The study in […]
Holding hands
Latest research has shown that holding the hand of someone you love while in labour can help reduce the pain. Dr. Pavel Goldstein from the University of Colorado discovered that when people hold hands their brains synchronise which could have an analgesic effect on the person feeling pain. He has even wondered if empathy can […]
Vaginal seeding – Is it good for my baby?
UK doctors are warning against the growing trend of vaginal seeding for babies born by caesarean. The procedure involves using a swab of vaginal fluid to coat the babies skin. It is intended to replicate the experience of being coated with vaginal bacteria which babies born through the vagina experience. The idea is that it […]
What is placenta previa?
The term placenta previa is used when the placenta is found to be lying low in the uterus, next to or even covering the cervix. This can lead to complications like bleeding in pregnancy and may result in the need for a caesarean delivery. Contact us… 07969 189626 Email: info@papcs.co.uk
