Toddler shoe fitting...from HELL!

[Product review of Clarkes shoe gauge. Not sponsored]

Today we went to Clarks again as we do every couple of months to get Moo's feet fitted for shoes. It's a nightmare!

Moo sees the shop 'NO'!

Right ok...here we go...

I start to reassure Moo 'Don't worry we're only going to get your shoes touched' (I couldn't face getting him actually measured this time, I thought maybe she could just touch the bottom of his shoes to get an idea of fit).

It started well, we get out of the pram, he had a look around, he's confidently picking up shoes, I'm led into a false sense of security! 

He picks his ticket, then pulls a whole lengths arm of tickets, I can feel eyes on me! Normally I'd pull Moo up on his waste of tickets, but I can't, I distract for fear of the inevitable melt down that is about to errupt. 

I explain to the lady across the room via exaggerated sign language, facial expression and lip reading that he doesn't like getting his feet fitted.

She knows, she nods, she braces herself.

Before we've even attempted to sit down. He's clocked her-he can see the foot gadget and he's KICKING OFF-in everyway you can imagine. While I reassure him with a cuddle, I'm also saying to the lady 'just do it-just do it'. Like our lives depended on it. 

Now I've been quite a few times to Clarks and no one has ever suggested this, buy your own toddler food measuring gauge! 

Thank you Nicola from Clarks Longwell green, you have saved me from another parents nightmare.

He actually came home tonight and measured his own feet! He loves it!

I can now measure at home and still get my favourite Clarks sand boots!

Contact Dermatitis...

Around the time Moo started teething and weaning he suddenly developed this rash around his mouth. It became dry and cracked getting worse and worsening in the winter months.

His dermatitis in this picture is actually relatively good. It's been so much worse.

It was really worrying and so upsetting as it must have been so sore.

We took him to the doctors over and over, they gave us creams, but none really worked.

We bought endless amounts of non prescription creams, again nothing worked.

A mothers instinct told me it was contact dermatitis, I'm a hairdresser and so get it on my hands. It looked really similar and I assumed it's perhaps hereditary.

I saw another doctor who was really blunt and explained that it was dermatitis, that the only way to clear it completely was to take his dummy away. 

We tried but there was no way he was going to give it up. So we needed to come up with ways in which to keep it under control.

-We limited his dummy time to only sleep times. And if he really needed it. I only use MAM dummies as there's less plastic for the saliva to sit under.

-Hydromol is a barrier cream, but it also has a numbing agent in it. So when it gets itchy he now asks for it.

-I found any wet wipes made it red raw. So we only use water wipes on his face now. Which work-but are bloody expensive!

-Keeping his nails short also help to reduce him scratching and cutting his face. 

-Salt and sugar flare it up, but that's understandable. However keeping those out of his diet is hard as they are EVERYWHERE! It means we have to plaster him with cream whenever he eats as you can guarantee some twat will offer him salt and vinegar crisps!  Then wipe and reapply once he's finished.

-The weather can be a bitch too, and when he goes swimming. Basically...pretty much everything really! 

Hopefully this will help another parent as I couldn't find any real information anywhere!

Dentinox...

[Product review of Detinox medicine Dispencer and Detinox Cradle Cap. Not sponsored.]

Love two Dentinox products, both have helped me immensely.

The first is the medicine dispenser, I have found it particularly useful day to day. But essential when Teddy is asleep restless with trapped wind I'll use it to give him gripe water. 

Dentinox for cradle cap is remarkable! Within two days I have found it almost completely cleared up both the boys cradle cap.

I wish I had known about both these earlier as alway! 

Sleepytot...

[Product review Sleepytot. Not sponsored]

These arrived a few weeks back! He hasn't left Teddy's arms!

I LOVE THEM! I bought Moo one for Easter when he was 5 months old after I was constantly having to put his dummy back in EVERY 40 minutes!

They are lovely and cuddly and look cute too!

I love both the colours-but I do prefer the cream one.

...so as I bought Teddy one I thought I'd buy Moo a NEW one too!

Black and white...Social Baby pack...

I was given these from Mum and Dad when we had Moo and of course it's come back out for Teddy.

This was probably one of the best newborn baby 'toy' and 'books' we received. 

It's fascinating watching them look at the pictures, they actually focus on them and interact with them.

They only start to see colour once they reach around 5 months, so these strong shapes are great for babies to focus on.

This Should defiantly be on your top list for a newborn.

Go to www.socialbaby.com for more great education and interactive products!

Gripe water...massage...trapped bloody wind!

As your probably aware if you've read my previous posts Teddy suffers terribly with trapped wind! Moo did until he was active and weaned so around 7 months.

7 very L O N G months!

I know he has trapped wind when he brings his legs up to his chest, is fidgety, whiny/crying or his stomach is rock hard.

This time it's easier, please don't mistake that with easy-it's still bloody hard and very time consuming. 

But I feel like I've come to a sort of solution...

A few tips that 'help':

-Gripe water either before/during/after EVERY feed! I use a syringe when he's awake and a dummy medicine dispenser when he's asleep and I've forgotten.

-Baby massage, if you can get on a course do it, it really is invaluable. But if not then there are plenty of videos online. My favourite massages are the bicycle along side one I've sort of made up- I firmly use my thumbs or two fingers alongside two fingers and use circular motions around the stomach until I can hear and feel the wind then massage that area until the air disperses.

-I find once I've finished with the massage I slowly lift him up to a sitting position and I get a burp. If not repeat.

I then pop him over my shoulder if he's a little restless and the wind hasn't come up.

Now I've be known to be massaging for up to 1/2 hour and more...you really can't do enough sometimes.

I'll do all the above until his stomach is soft. If he still won't settle and the wind is really stuck then use the ones below.

-I found the bjorn (I'd imagine the ergo  would work similarly) as his legs are 'frog like' and he has a straight back helping to settle and bring up wind.

-If he won't settle I do a bit of a shimmy dance and sake my ass the jiggling helps to move the wind-this also entertains Moo too when he needs some attention.

-I've found a dummy invaluable...it really does help with the pain! And settling Teddy in between if he does get upset before I start again.

-Worse case scenario FRESH AIR! 

I hope these help I know how hard, tiring and stressful it can be! Be strong Mama's and Papa's your doing great!