“ …A little child, born yesterday, a thing on mother’s milk and kisses fed…” Hymn to Mercury (one of the Homeric Hymns written in the 6th century), translated from Greek by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Babies have been breastfed since the beginning of time. It is interesting to read about the history of infant feeding and … Continue reading Mother knows breast – benefits of breastfeeding for baby (Part 2)
Author: pediatricsandplaydough
Mom of two, qualified pediatrician. Using my knowledge to explain the what, why and how of childhood diseases from a mother's heart.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
There are a few brand new babies in our friend-circle, and looking at them, I cannot believe how far my little boy and I have come on our breastfeeding journey in just 5months! I have already forgotten the difficulties of those first few days, and he is now breastfeeding like a pro! “If we wear … Continue reading Benefits of Breastfeeding
COVID-19 in children
COVID-19, Corona-virus, SARS COV-2... these terms have been shouted from the rooftops the last few months. Our lives have all changed and there are many new things popping up on our worry-lists. One of the items on my list was the health of my children. As a pediatrician I decided to investigate the facts on … Continue reading COVID-19 in children
Immunisation basics
“Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.”Albert Einstein Adiné just had her 10 week vaccinations, and I thought I would share some practical tips surrounding immunisations with you. I know this is a highly debated topic, but I want to share some of the basic facts to give you a foundation to build your understanding on, … Continue reading Immunisation basics
BCG vaccine reactions
As I was bathing our almost-10week old daughter one evening I saw a raised red spot on her upper right arm. It was about 1cm across and looked like an angry pimple. Is this an insect bite? An infection? No, I quickly realised, this is a very common reaction to the BCG vaccination our daughter … Continue reading BCG vaccine reactions
My VBAC Birth Story
Our perfectly beautiful baby girl was born at 08:14 on a Wednesday morning. It was the most intensely beautiful moment of my life! I have always wanted to have a normal vaginal delivery. The paediatrician in me knows the advantages this has for the baby (read more here), and the mommy-side of me just wanted … Continue reading My VBAC Birth Story
The Management of Colic
Now that you understand as much as we know about colic (see previous post), let us look at what you can actually do about it once your baby starts screaming at the top of his/her lungs and does not want to settle: Firstly take a deep breath! Baby will not calm down if you are … Continue reading The Management of Colic
What is Colic?
When speaking to Moms (new and old), conversations always seem to be about sleep, poos... and crying. Our next-door neighbour just turned 90, and she tells me about her first baby that had severe colic every time we visit. What is colic? What is normal crying in a baby? Is it dangerous in the long … Continue reading What is Colic?
Pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding in LOCKDOWN
On Thursday, 26 March, South Africa entered an unprecedented lockdown. That was also the day that I was 37 weeks pregnant. As a Pediatrician I wanted to know all the facts about the Covid-19 virus and how it may affect me and my kids, as a Mom, I just wanted to know how we are … Continue reading Pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding in LOCKDOWN
Pregnancy, Newborns and Corona
At 36weeks pregnant I have been reading a lot about the possible effects of the Covid-19 virus on my pregnancy and our precious princess that is on the way. Thankfully the minimal research that is available currently show that the effects are mild and minimal. Remember that this is a brand new virus, and the … Continue reading Pregnancy, Newborns and Corona
