h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You're going to be so thirsty, anyway, that you'll be unlikely to forget to drink.

100% breast fed babies' poo is softer and sweeter-smelling than bottle-fed babies' poo.

When my 2nd one had constant diarrhoea at 8 months, I persevered, because the whole family tended to have very soft stools (I had to completely change all three of them every time I changed a nappy, and as soon as they could stand, I stood them in the bath every nappy-changing time and showered them down, as it was right up between their shoulder blades)

I didn't think anything of it, but a - very senior - paediatrician told me that it was the breast-feeding and I was to stop doing it.

So I stopped breast-feeding him (he was still having 2 feeds a day at 10 months, which some might consider overdoing things). I realise now that I shouldn't have done this. I was most upset when the doctor told me to stop and I am sure I did a lot of damage to both the child and myself.

Even today, at 21, he's a difficult person, and I'm sure that was a very unwise thing to do to someone unstable like that. I had the usual effects of very painful, full breasts, which I could have avoided by weaning him off slowly, plus the nagging at my conscience which, as you can see by me writing about it even now, 20 years later, still bothers me.

Not sure how any of that can be used as a contribution to the entry, but please stress that people should learn to follow their instincts.

They should just clear their mind of anything they've ever read or been told, including the entry, and listen to their baby, watch his movements and body language, and do what their instinct tells them.

If they're going to listen to anyone, they should listen to their mothers and mothers-in-law who knew the child's mother or the child's father as a baby, and can tell them what problems they had, and how they solved them. There is still the choice as to whether to take the advice or not.

about the paediatrician, for you. But I think your conscience should be clear. Experts are very good at undermining parents.

But baby poo ... tiny baby poo, when they are only having breast milk ... it's like mild piccalilli and honestly, honestly one of my favourite smells! And DH likes it, too.

I do think it's worth mentioning about fluid intake, because if you notice you're thirsty, you aren't drinking enough. I used to sit down for the afternoon feed every day with a pint of milk with a straw in, two pieces of fruit, and a mars bar. Happy days

Mol

I will try to write more of this up this week but may not have time. If not, I'll make a start of it next week.

Thanks for all the great contributions, everyone! Keep 'em coming!

You going to start updating this Milo? A small point that you need to change all the way through is to make sure that there are no 'mom's and no 'baby' as a proper noun. Using 'Baby' as a name is a very 50s/60s thing to be doing...at least in Britain I do believe...and a wee bit patronising

Also currently the entry doesn't include anything about the very first feed that you give your baby. I don't know anything about it but it's a worry to mothers, I know that.

Well, I intended to get started on it last week, but came down with the most vicious head cold and just couldn't make my brain work properly. I'll give it another go over the next couple of weeks.

Just a reminder:

The entry that is currently on the page was never intended to be part of the finished project, it was just a means of consolidating the information that had been collected in the thread. I appreciate the feedback, but the mistakes it contains were a matter of convenience (for me) not a blatant disregard for the ways of British English.

There is a lot of information to be included here, and this isn't going to get done in a day or two. I can post segments as I get them done, but keep in mind if I've left something out it's probably because I haven't gotten to it yet. And, of course, if anyone feels up to writing parts of it themselves, feel free! I'm happy to paste anyone else's work in

I'm experiencing a minor setback...
F54940?thread=610796

My apologies.

That's okay, Broelan. Take as much time as you need. These things should not be rushed.

Concentrate on RL. And remember that it is possible to type while breastfeeding ...

Mol

Please don't, though.

I intended to do all sorts of lovely things with my babies while feeding - have tapes of classical music ready to play, sing to them, talk to them, whatever.

Of course I didn't - mainly I watched TV or was on the phone while I fed them. I regret that now.