What shall I write about?

I've been thinking long and hard about this and have decided to follow a new parents journey from the birth of their baby until they go to school, all with my health visitor hat on. The plan is to explore things that you may worry about as a parent; what your baby can do at each stage of development; what your baby needs from you and finally, websites and books you may find useful.

Watch this space....starting soon Sharon x

Thrush & Breastfeeding

Sometimes a breastfeeding mum can get thrush in her breast and a breastfeeding baby can get it in their mouths/nappy area. How you would know? • Suddenly starting to have pain in yourbreast and/ or nipple • Itchy or super sensitive nipple • Shooting pains in the breast (may feel like it’s deep inside) • Severe pain that can last up to an hour after feeds • Cracked nipples that don’t heal • Permanent loss of colour in the areola/ nipple • Pain may occur in both breasts if baby has transferred the infection during feeding. Remember that it’s important to check,or seek professional advice to make sure that your baby is attaching toyour breast properly. What to look for in your baby? • Your baby may keep pulling off or away from the breast • They may be windy and unsettled • You may notice white patches in their mouth/ tongue which do not rub off. Sometimes you will find that there are no obvious signs of infection in either you or your baby. This does not mean that you don’t need to be treated. Make sure that you are aware of the risk of thrush and what to look out for. If it is thrush, make sure that both you andyour baby are treated at the same time. Once treatment starts, the pain will usuallybegin to improve after 2-3 days and it maytake longer to recover fully. If there is no improvement after 7 days seek advice as it may not be thrush. For more information about other causes of nipple pain, self-help measures and treatment call the National Breastfeeding Helpline.0300 100 02120300 100 0210 (Supportline)www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk