While breastfeeding it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You will be producing about 600ml of milk per day during the first few months and this will increase to around 1 litre per day by the time your baby is 4-6 months. If you are undernourished then you run the risk of depleting your nutritional reserves and this may affect the nutrient levels in your milk. You need to maintain good nutrition for both yourself and your baby.

Babies are all very different.

These routines provided by Tresillian Family Care Centres are a guide only.

The experience of breastfeeding is unique as no two mothers and babies are the same. Successful breastfeeding starts with correct positioning and attachment and may take up to 6-8 weeks to establish.

Lactation Consultants (LCs) offer specialist assistance and work with women and their baby/babies to benefit both before, during and through the weaning stage of breastfeeding. Both common and the more unusual breastfeeding concerns are seen to by these specialists. Apart from teaching the art of breastfeeding and assisting mothers to develop and improve their mothering skills, they also provide ongoing support for them.

Starting your little one on solids can be an intimidating prospect. For first-time mums, the thought of baby having a solid piece of food in their mouth can be scary. Who hasn’t heard the tale about a baby choking on a grape? And before you ask: yes, grapes are one of the highest risk foods for choking!

Remember that food rejection is a normal behaviour for most young children. Meal-times should always be family-oriented and enjoyable, and don’t forget that children learn from you so be a good example.

Milk is a common issue in the minds of many parents, but like most things in life balance is important.  Excess calcium from milk can interfere with iron, milk can quickly fill tiny tummies then displace proper meals (often important in fussy eating), and the milk sugars may influence tooth decay.  So here is a quick tip sheet on milk, how much to drink and the options if a child won’t drink milk.

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Each time my son and I visit our local supermarket, I gasp at the popularity of apple juice. So many of us are led to believe that apple juice is ideal for children.  In fact, the opposite is true. Apple juice is one of the two fruit juices known to cause childhood diarrhoea, which in turn can be a reason why a child may fail to thrive.

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Gastro-oesophageal reflux is a common medical issue for children of all ages. It occurs when the stomach contents (including food and stomach acid) flow upwards into the oesophagus (foodpipe). It is commonly seen in babies as they regurgitate or vomit following a feed, although not all children with this condition will vomit. Among the many other signs and symptoms these children can experience are common problems such as irritability, sleeping and settling issues, feeding difficulties and back arching.

Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life- threatening. It must be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment and urgent medical attention. Anaphylaxis is a generalised allergic reaction, which often involves more than one body system (e.g. skin, respiratory, gastro-intestinal, cardiovascular). A severe allergic reaction usually occurs within 20 minutes of exposure to the trigger and can rapidly become life-threatening.