Pinky McKay -

Congratulations on your new baby. Taking care of your newborn is a learning curve for you and your partner. The thing is, supporting your lady can be almost as challenging as working out what your baby needs. If you are feeling as though you are opening your mouth and putting your great big foot in it, here is a quick lesson of things to avoid…

Those sweet months of snuggling your tiny helpless baby in your arms went by in a flash, didn’t they? Now you have a spirited little person who is moving faster than you can keep up as he explores and discovers how his body works - as he climbs and jumps off whatever he has climbed on - and how things work – from how the dog reacts when its tail is…

Taking care of a baby is a full time job in itself – well, without the lunch and tea breaks and, most of the day, without a coworker to laugh with or bitch to when the going gets tough. And, did you know that even the most easy going baby takes at least nine hours of ‘hands on’ care each day (and night)? It’s time to cut yourself some slack and…

Advice that letting your baby fall asleep on the breast will create ‘bad habits’ or that he will never learn to ‘self-settle’ is unrealistic and impractical. There are some magical chemicals in breast milk that induce sleep, but if you want to make changes, try this gentle approach.

Women have been feeding their babies at the breast since time began and yet there is still a plethora of misinformation that can mess up a mother’s experience and feeding her baby can become a huge struggle. How many of these big fat lies have you heard – and what is the actual truth?

The 4 month sleep regression, the 12 month sleep regression, the 18 month sleep regression – what is happening?

“Is he a good baby?” If you are a new parent, you can bet your boots this will be the first question almost everyone will ask you. Get that puzzled look off your face and come up with an answer quick, smart. Tell them, “no he’s a little brat, he’s already robbing old lady's handbags and betting on horses!" Maybe even, “we’re ready to list him on…

Around the middle of your baby’s first year, that is at about six months, your baby will start showing signs that he is ready for family foods: he will be able to sit up in a high chair or on your lap; he will have lost the tongue thrust reflex (that protects him against choking in the early months, but also means food gets thrust out of his mouth,…

Dr Gill Rapley is the pioneer of “baby-led weaning”, a practice of allowing your baby to self-feed as you introduce family foods.