Happy Days

Q: I would like Meg’s opinion on whether it is advisable to send a 12 month old baby to daycare. I work full time and am considering sending him to day care VS home care with a nanny. I would prefer the daycare myself, as the one of my choice (Best Buddies in Hout Bay), is an absolutely amazing place. But if it is going to be detrimental to his development, ie over stimulation etc being around 15 other 1-2yr old kids (with 4 carers) ALL DAY, I will not want to do it. The nanny I have is great with kids, but there are always complications in employing someone yourself…. I need to let the...

Q: Hello Baby Sense, I have bought and read both your books Baby Sense and Sleep sense and yet I am unable to get my 1 year old son to sleep through. Do you know of anyone that would be prepared to stay with me for a few days and help teach him to sleep through? He was diagnosed with neonatal seizures at 1 week old and is on medication for it still. Thanks. Sheila A: Dear Sheila, Your case is complicated by the fact that your baby is on medication and there may be side effects that impact on his sleep. Also you may have difficulty with separation from a little one whose course has not been plain...

Q: Our newborn hates the bathing experience. What can we do to make this a more pleasant experience for her? As soon as we put the shampoo in her hair while she’s still covered in the towel she begins to cry. By the time she’s eased into the water she’s worked herself into up into a real state. A: Dear Kirsten, Most newborns hate bathing, so don't worry too unduly about her crying. Perhaps wash her hair only a few times a week rather than every day, and maybe top and tail her every second day, and skip the bath on that day. If she simply cries anyway, handle her firmly and confidently, and get...

Q: Hi there, I had a premature baby at 33 weeks of pregnancy, no where I have looked can I find anything with regard to weaning, sleeping patterns, etc for premature babies. My baby is already 7 months old. She should be around 6.5kg now. We have endless sleepless nights. She will stay awake some nights until 19:30. If this is not enough, she will wake at around 04:00 with one bottle in between. I was breastfeeding her until 6 months, but sadly had to stop due to medication. We are all very exhausted. She doesn’t have fixed sleepy times at crèche, but she does have an eating pattern. When...

Q: My baby (11 weeks) cries hysterically in the car. It’s a real in agony cry. A 5 minute drive is extremely stressful. I have sat him in his car chair in the house and he is happy there – so the chair is not the problem. I have tried dummies, hanging pictures up, opening windows, playing music etc. but nothing helps. I think he could suffer from motion sickness. What do you think? Any ideas to help him? I really cannot drive in the car with him. We were planning to go away in Aug (2 hour trip) but I cannot unless I knock him out with something which I am not so keen to do. A: It sounds...

Q: Good day I am a mum of a three year old boy and 9 month old twin girls. I have brought all three my children by the guidelines in the Baby Sense book. I have followed the meal and sleep suggestions 100%. I am however experiencing some feeding challenges with my twins and need your advice. My twins were born premature at 32 weeks. They are now 9 months old and are on solids and NAN 2. I use the following routine with my twins: 08h00 Porridge with milk. Nestum or Cerelac 10h30 Rooibos tea with snack and Yoghurt or Purity Strawberry desert with milk and Yoghurt 12h30 Purity Fruit variant 15h00 Formula...