Bounty feature

Day to day

• Nappy rash
• Babies on the move

• have everything to hand before you start
• get it over with as quickly as possible
• keep toys handy or have a mobile over the changing mat for entertainment
• go with the flow and make a game of nappy changing with songs and tickles.

You may have been changing your baby in one particular place, perhaps on the bathroom floor or on a special changing table. You may find it easier to have another minichanging station in the living room so that you don’t have to disappear when you have people round, or miss a favourite TV programme. You could keep a small supply of nappies, a mat, wipes and pot of cream tucked away in a corner of the room.

As your baby gets older, you may decide to think about using a different type of nappy altogether.

You may have used disposables but now feel ready to try reusables. Or you may have been using reusable nappies but are returning to work and don’t think you will have time to wash and dry nappies or that your nursery or crèche will use them. It is always worth checking with child carers rather than assuming that reusable nappies are unacceptable. If you are worried about the extra work involved in reusable nappies, find out whether there is a nappy laundering service in your area. If money is an issue, work out how much each option would cost you. You may be surprised at the results.

Nappy rash
Many babies get nappy rash during these months. It’s usually caused by:

• the ammonia that is in your baby’s wee combining with the poo; nappy rash is caused by dirty nappies not wet ones
• a change in what your baby eats, like a change from breastmilk to formula.

It’s better to try to prevent nappy rash than to treat it, so try these tips:

• check every couple of hours to see if your baby’s nappy needs changing
• change his nappy after a feed, and before putting him down to sleep
• after nappy changing, let your baby ‘air dry’ on a mat on the floor, and make sure he is completely dry even in the folds of skin before putting a new nappy on let your baby have time without a nappy as much as possible, so that his bottom is exposed to the air don’t use plastic pants with reusable nappies as they keep the moisture in.

Breastfeeding
By now, your baby will be an expert at breastfeeding, and you will both enjoy the easy way you can get your baby latched on for a feed without even thinking. As your baby grows, he may start to take more notice of what’s going on around him while he’s feeding. He may suddenly turn his head if he hears a noise… taking your breast with him – ouch! If your baby likes to see everything that’s going on, you may find it helpful to feed in a quiet place where you can have some peace.
Breastfeeding continues to have nutritional benefits, however long you choose to feed, so if you’re both happy with the arrangement, why stop?

Babies on the move
Believe it or not, your baby will soon be on the move. Make sure you take these steps to keep your house safe:

• put safety covers on unused electric plug sockets
• keep heavy, poisonous, breakable and sharp objects locked away or up out of reach
• use a fire guard and keep matches and fireplace tools out of reach
• some babies crawl very quickly and can be up the stairs or out of the house before you know it; keep outside doors shut and use gates at the top and bottom of stairs.

Stay safe
Always use safety straps in high chairs, bouncy chairs, supermarket trolleys, and pushchairs, and never leave your baby unattended.

For the next You and your growing baby guide Chapter, Nursing a poorly baby, Click here