Bits and bops
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
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
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
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?
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
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
Playdough and littles never gets old. It is such a lovely tactile and sensory experience and there are so many different ways to use it. I have never been a fan of store-bought playdough and I always make my own. It lasts longer and I find the consistency more pleasing. It is really easy to … Continue reading PLAYDOUGH FUN
This week we finally did our very special maternity shoot, but another very important to-do in my pregnancy was to get a pertussis vaccination and I am glad that I can now tick both off my list. I had to ask my gyne about it and the pharmacy had no clue why I wanted this … Continue reading Vaccinations in Pregnancy
Before I started specialising I worked in a family medicine practice and saw mostly children. When the complaints were “fever, crying, runny nose, lack of appetite” I was almost relieved when I saw a red eardrum because I had something to blame for the symptoms that I could treat! But is it always necessary to … Continue reading Middle Ear Infections
When babies and toddlers fiddle and pull on their ears we often wonder if they have ear pain. As a doctor-mom I have the advantage of having access to an otoscope and can take a peek to ensure there are no problems. Babies can fiddle with their ears as part of discovering their body-parts, as … Continue reading Ear pain in children
