Top tips for boosting your fertility and improving your chances of getting pregnant.
Advice on caring for your body prior to conception.
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Your first weeks of pregnancy - from early signs and symptoms to your baby's development in the womb
Your middle weeks of pregnancy - from eating healthily, to what will happen at your tests and scans
Your final weeks of pregnancy - from eating healthily, to what will happen as you approach labour and birth
From exercise in pregnancy to tips on health eating, we've got your wellbeing in mind
From tips for your newborn's shopping list to planning a nursery, nesting and enjoying a healthy sex life
Something wonderful is happening to your body and, quite naturally you?ll want to know as much as possible about the changes week by week.
Follow the highs, lows, changes, and surprises Emma experienced during her first pregnancy from week six right up until she gives birth.
Everything you need to know about being in labour, from early signs to pain relief and plans for dad
Whether you have a vaginal, caesarean, water or home birth we have useful advice and information for you
Emma's diary mums have been there and done that! Read some of their thrilling, emotional and heart-warming stories
From coping with crying to changing nappies, we have advice for every step of your journey with a newborn
Useful information and advice on everything from when to call your doctor, to guidance on your child's immunisation test
Information and advice about premature babies.
Learn how to breastfeed, what dreamfeeding is and find solutions to your breastfeeding problems
Read our month by month guide to your child's development and key stages right up to her second birthday
Babies grow and develop new skills so quickly. See our articles and videos to help your baby achieve key milestones
How to cope with sleepless nights, advice on where your baby should sleep and establishing a good sleep routine
Our dental zone has information on caring for your baby?s first teeth, coping with teething problems and more...
Is your child about to start on solids? Here's some useful weaning and food allergy advice
Need to know the words to the popular nursery rhymes or how to play with your baby's Then this is the zone for you
Check out our useful information on common baby illnesses and accidents and how to deal with them
How to recognise common childhood illnesses and conditions and how to deal with them
Bladder and bowel control will be an important achievement for your child. Follow our guide to successful potty training
Whether your toddler is a fussy eater or enjoys everything put in front of her you?ll find these food features useful
Do you know what toys and games your toddler would most enjoy at her stage of development? Find out here
Topics from technology to tantrums and toddler chores to learning life skills... Plus how to discipline your toddler
Toddlers develop at their own unique pace, read more about what you could expect from your toddler development.
Here we give you advice on everything from sex after pregnancy to postnatal depression and baby blues and how to get back into shape after giving birth.
See our selection of ten of the best products so that you can make the best choices when buying for your baby
With so many products available and so much choice when it comes to buying for baby, it can be difficult to know how to choose. That's why at Emma's Diary we have done the work for you and have information on the best baby products for you, your budget and your lifestyle.
Here we cover everything from the childcare options available to you along with how to register your baby's birth and keeping your child safe when in and outside of the house.
Becoming a parent is an epic event in life, with it comes significant changes in the way you do things, your finances, and how much time you have to spend on your admin.
One of the most common new-mum topics is baby poo and of course, diarrhoea, which all babies will succumb to at some stage in their early months or years.
Diarrhoea in babies or frequent abnormally runny stools, is often, but not always, caused by a viral infection.
It can also result from too much fruit in the diet or a food sensitivity or intolerance, in fact, some parents claim that teething also causes diarrhoea.
If the diarrhoea comes on suddenly, accompanied at the beginning with fever and vomiting or lack of appetite, it's most likely to be a viral infection. It's self-limiting and will go away but could take anything from a few days to two weeks.
The most worrying side effect of diarrhoea (apart from a sore bottom) is dehydration (see signs of dehydration below).
If your baby has had six or more episodes of diarrhoea in the last 24 hours you should take her to your doctor.
Sometimes it's not easy to tell. Younger breastfed babies often have very soft yellowy stools which is perfectly normal. If, however, the stool is watery, mucus-streaked, unusually smelly and more frequent than normal then it is diarrhoea.
Parents are often amazed by the variety of colour and frequency of a newborn baby's poo and it's perfectly natural for her to fill her nappy up to five times a day.
For slightly older baby's diarrhoea is easier to recognise as you will come to know how your baby’s poo normally looks and smells!
Breastfed babies will often pass a stool during or immediately after each breastfeeding session.
This is because as her stomach fills up, the milk stimulates her intestinal tract, prompting a bowel movement. Within a month, most breastfed babies have settled down to one or two bowel movements a day.
If your baby is still breastfeeding then carry on. Breastmilk has fluids and electrolytes needed to prevent dehydration.
If your baby is weaned eliminate fruit juice from her diet and give her plenty of boiled, cooled water. Change her onto a bland diet (like bananas, toast, rice, dry crackers, baby yoghurts).
If your baby is not yet weaned and you are breastfeeding, carry on. Do not attempt to give your baby any doses of adult medication as they could have serious side effects.
Cuddle and comfort her as much as possible, and keep her dry. Use care and tenderness when changing nappies since it's easy for a baby's bottom to become sore with diarrhoea.
Wash her clothes and bedding separately to prevent the spread of infection. Wash her hands and your own frequently to help prevent spreading the bug to other people.
Call your doctor if the diarrhoea lasts more than 12 hours or is accompanied by apparent cramping, tummy ache, fever or bloody stools; or if your baby shows signs of dehydration.
Your doctor will most likely prescribe an oral rehydration solution, to replace fluids and nutrients lost through the diarrhoea.
This is usually a powder which can be dissolved in water and fed to your baby in small regular doses. It is important to make it exactly as described on the packet. Never add it to a feed or baby juice.
The most common cause of diarrhoea is a virus called rotavirus.
Rotavirus infects by the faecal-oral route via contact with contaminated hands, surfaces and objects.
It causes gastroenteritis, which is an infection of the gut that damages the inner lining of the intestine. The injured lining leaks fluid and allows food to pass through without absorbing any nutrients. This often causes very foul smelling watery, green or brown diarrhoea, which is accompanied by fever and vomiting in the first couple of days. As the gut lining in a baby takes some time to repair itself after a viral illness the diarrhoea can persist for days or even a couple of weeks.
Your baby will be offered an oral vaccine against rotavirus at two and three months of age.
Proper hygiene can help reduce the chance of diarrhoea, because the micro-organisms which cause it can easily be passed from hand to mouth. So wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling dirty nappies or using the toilet.
To prevent your baby passing on her diarrhoea to other children, keep her away from childcare or nursery until at least 48 hours after her last episode, and don't take her swimming for two weeks afterwards.