Author Archives: Frostie

Family First Aid For Babies And Children

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post natal depression, PND,By Tracey Taylor, first aid spokesperson for the British Red Cross who will be speaking at The Baby Show taking place from the 23rd-25th October at Kensington, Olympia 

Being a parent means you never quite know what’s around the corner. Children are naturally inquisitive which means lots of exploring and discovering is normal. Of course with that comes the inevitable little bumps, bangs, trips and tumbles. While most of the time that quivering bottom lip can be vanquished with a hug and appearance of their favourite cuddly toy, it’s always important to have a little first aid know-how. That way, if you were faced with a more serious emergency situation, you’d have the skills and confidence to be able to help. Here are my top first aid tips for families:

1. Firstly learn first aid in whichever way suits you best! Anyone can learn it, it’s easy to recall and the confidence it will give you is invaluable.

2. Go on a baby and child first aid course such as the British Red Cross baby and child first aid course. Take your family and friends along and you’ll all leave with miles more confidence and with the skills to be able to take action in an emergency situation. Plus it’s really easy to learn and you’ll have an experienced trainer there to support you throughout.

3. You don’t need a first aid kit. There are lots of everyday items that you can use in an emergency; cold milk is great to cool a burn if you don’t have access to cold running water, or frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel is ideal to sooth a bump to the head.

4. Burns and scalds are common in toddlers as the little explorers don’t always know what is safe to touch or not – at times we need eyes in the back of our heads! If your baby or child burns themselves, cool the burn under cold running water for at least ten minutes. Whilst cooling get someone to call 999 for an ambulance if necessary. Once the burn has been completely cooled, cover it loosely with cling film or a clean plastic bag and ensure you get your child checked out.

5. Febrile seizures can happen in younger children and babies when they become too hot – which can happen as a result of a fever. If your baby or child is red-faced and hot to touch and they arch their back, stiffen their body and have clenched fists, this may be a febrile seizure. The key thing you need to remember is to protect them from injury and reduce their temperature. While this would be a scary situation for you to deal with it’s worth remembering that it normally appears worse than it is and most children make a full recovery once they have cooled down.

6. Bumps to the head are common for little ones and are normally nothing to worry about. A blow to the head may result in the baby or child having pain or a headache. There may be a bump on their head and they may look pale. Firstly, get the baby or child to rest and apply something cold to the injury (e.g. frozen vegetables wrapped in a tea towel). If you are concerned that it may be more serious, if they become drowsy or vomit or their condition deteriorates, call 999.

7. Meningitis is a common concern for parents and one we get asked about frequently. Signs to look out for if your baby or child is unwell are; flu-like symptoms, a headache and a high temperature. They may also complain of a stiff neck and be sensitive to light. If you suspect meningitis call 999 – trust your instincts!

8. Bee stings are common in the warmer months and, while they are not harmful, can be scary for little ones. When an insect sting is visible on the skin, a credit card can be used to scrape it away. Using the edge of the credit card, drag it across the skin. This will remove the sting. Using a credit card or your fingernail is preferable to using a pair of tweezers as they can squeeze the sting and actually inject more position into the casualty.

9. Always make sure you keep harmful substances like alcohol, drugs (prescription or non-prescription) and chemicals (including household cleaning products) out of children’s reach. If they do swallow something harmful establish what they have taken, when and how much. Then call 999 right away.

10. Download the baby and child first aid app. Packed with useful information, animations and tips, it’s first aid at your fingertips.

 

 

 

Love You Better By Natalie K Martin Book Review

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By Frances Colville

loveyoubetterbookreviewNatalie K Martin’s second book Love You Better is about domestic violence. Set in London, Thailand and Ibiza with links to other parts of the world, the story is fast paced with well-drawn characters and a good if somewhat predicable story line. We all know that domestic violence can occur in all sorts of households and relationships, and any book which reinforces this and flags up some of the telltale warning signs is welcome. The author has done her research well. And her love of travel shines through too.

However, the ending of the book was clearly signposted from the early pages and for me this detracted from the impact of the story as it evolved. It’s hard to care enough about the development of a character – even one you empathise with as much as Effie – if you’ve already worked out what is going to happen to her. There were a few other things which pulled me up short. Is the character Oliver intended to be the same age as the other main characters (that is, mid twenties) and if so, how can he possibly be one of the most sought-after lawyers in London? A three storey whitewashed Georgian house in a quiet street in Clapham for £500,000? I don’t think so. Nitpicking? Yes. But why not get it right?

This book is still a good read though. It flows well, it’s interesting and I did actually want to know if I guessed the right ending. And I liked the play on words in the title. A book worth reading in fact. I’m going to search out the author’s first book Together Apart and look forward to future offerings as well.

Love You Better is published by Lake Union Publishing and will be available in the UK in paperback and ebook versions from 8th October 2015.

Above Us The Sky – Milly Adams Book Review by Kathleen Thompson

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Book Review- Above Us The Sky – Milly Adams by Kathleen Thompson

An unputdownable debut from an exciting new author.

Phyllie, a young teacher, finds herself acting mother to her pupils, and to a Jewish boy, Jake, in particular, when the school is evacuated from London to rural Dorset. She bumps into a childhood sweetheart, Sammy, as they wait to board the train, and he mock proposes, to amuse the children. But did he mean it? And will he be safe in the submarine where he and Jake’s father patrol the dangerous waters of Norway?

Phyllie gradually adjusts to country life. Fiercely protective of her wards, she overcomes misunderstandings and conflict. But as her circumstances take a turn for the worst, she discovers genuine friendship and love—from unexpected sources.

Millie Adams weaves a compelling story of love and loss in war-time Britain. She draws the reader in with her intense details of life in those times. I truly felt the claustrophobia and stress of life within a submarine—and started to appreciate the constant danger and the frequent death or ‘burn-out’, of so many young men.

She describes life in the countryside with such detail and accuracy that one feels she lived through it herself —the reality of sugar rationing and ‘making do’ and the often forgotten role of the Women’s Institute, in holding things together and organising food supplies.

She touches on many influences on life in those troubled times—the festering anti-semetism, fuelled by Mosley’s ‘black-shirts’ and ignorance; the reality of the bombing and airborne raids on civilians and the ubiquitous pain of loss, often of someone far too young.

As I said, unputdownable. A truly excellent read, a book that is well-written, compassionate, amusing, observant, and so tense I could hardly turn the pages quickly enough. I can’t wait for Milly Adams’ next book.

 

 

Pros And Cons of Breastfeeding at Different Ages

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breastfeeding, benefits of breastfeeding, mum, baby, what age to stop breastfeedingPros and cons of breastfeeding at different ages by Geraldine Miskin The Baby Show Breastfeeding Specialist

1 day

Baby

Your baby gets colostrum, which is perfectly designed to provide all the nutrients, and immune boosting properties that he needs. The closeness of breastfeeding helps your baby feel secure in new and unfamiliar surroundings.

Mum

Breastfeeding helps your uterus contract quickly to reduce the risk of a post birth haemorrhage. You’re amazed and excited to be able to breastfeed.

Cons

It can be stressful, feeds erratic as baby learns what to do. It can be painful as both you and baby are learning a new skill and need to learn about each other.

Tip

Be patient with yourself and your baby. Allow him to try to feed, keep him in skin-to-skin contact with you as much as possible to allow him to activate and put his innate feeding instincts into practice. It should become more comfortable.

1 week

Baby

His stomach has stretched in line with your increasing milk supply from the size of a malteser at birth to the size of a ping-pong ball by day 8.

Mum

Frequent feeds have primed your breasts for long-term milk production. Your breasts are full, see milk drops on the nipple at the end of the feed and your baby seems milk drunk at the end of the feed.

Cons

It’s worrying if baby loses more than 10% of his birth weight, or develops jaundice. Engorgement, which results in hard, hot, full and uncomfortable breasts, can feel scary and painful. Baby keeps you busy and awake at night.

Tip

Know that a bumpy start is normal. Feed more frequently and wake baby if you need to, do more skin to skin and offer both sides at each feed. Hot, throbbing breasts respond well to cold packs so grab something from the freezer, wrap in light muslin square and apply to breasts at each feed until you feel better.

1 month

Baby

Your baby’s immune system is growing with each feed. He is less likely to develop food allergies until age 3 years, diarrhoea, chest infections and ear infections due to the immune boosting properties of your milk.

Mum

Feeds are getting shorter and your baby may be sleeping longer stretches at night. You don’t have to wash and sterilize bottles so have more ‘free’ time between feeds.

Cons

If breastfeeding isn’t going well, you’ll be stuck to sofa all day, feel like you have failed at something that others seem to get right easily and might get heat for introducing bottle feeds.

Tip

Get help and know that any breast milk your baby gets is beneficial. Surround yourself with those who encourage and empower you and do what works for your family.

3 Months

Baby

Babies digestive system has developed and is able to cope with foreign properties more easily. Less likely to develop childhood diabetes (Type 1) by 19 and 27%. Up to 40% less likely to develop asthma in families with history.

Mum

Baby may feed for 10 minutes or less. You are more likely to start losing baby weight between month three and six.

Cons

Babies become more social and pop on and off breast frequently to survey surroundings.

Tips

Rather than seeing this as a frustration, see it as a new milestone that your baby has reached.

6 months

Baby

Baby is less likely to develop allergies to common triggers such as cows milk which makes introducing solids easier. There is also a reduced risk of him developing childhood cancers like leukaemia.

Mum

Breastfeeds are spaced out and usually only 10 minutes long. You are less likely to develop breast and ovarian cancers as well as osteoporosis.

Cons

You may worry about how much milk your baby gets in his short feeds and feel obliged to get more into him which leads to fighting at the breast.

Tips

Trust your baby to take what he needs and know that he grows at a slower rate so needs less calories than when he was young. Follow his lead.

12 months

Baby

Continues to get immune boosting properties through your milk. The muscles used for breastfeeding are also important for speech.

Mum

It’s an easy way to comfort baby when he topples over or hurts himself. You have saved a healthy sum by breastfeeding. If your baby had 90ml per feed 8 times a day, you’d buy a new tin of formula (£12) every 8 days.

Cons

You may feel touched out and want to reclaim your body.

Tips

Breastfeed for nutrients and comfort whilst encouraging your partner to spend one on one time with your little one to create some time for yourself.

18 months

Baby

Baby continues to get skin-to-skin time with you which reduces stress hormone production. His immunity continues to grow.

Mums

You get a forced break, time to sit down and catch your breath when you have a million things to do on your ‘To Do list’.

Cons

Baby can use breastfeeding to curb boredom and get your attention, usually as soon as you answer the phone.

Tips

Introduce a feeding chair, which you use for feeds. Your little person will quickly realize that when you sit in the chair, he can have a feed. Create time in for one to one play to ensure your baby gets your attention in a different way.

Over 2 years

Baby and Mum

Mums usually only feed first thing in the morning and last thing at night by this age. It is a great way to start and end the day for both involved. The little one continues to get immune boosting properties from bugs that he has encountered during the day.

Cons

It can be embarrassing when an older child announces that he wants BOOBY or constantly tugs at your shirt, wants to tweak your nipples in public.

Tips

Find a word that both you and baby know pertains to feeding. Use the feeding chair tip as above to help your little one understand when to ask for milk. Educate those around you that the human body benefits from breast milk irrespective of age.

Benefits of breastfeeding for infants

Breast milk aids brain development, eye sight

Reduced incidence of the following:

Gastroenteritis

Necrotising enterocolitis

Chest infections

Eczema

Middle ear infections and glue ear

Urinary tract infections

Sudden infant death syndrome

Leukaemia

Benefits for the adult who breastfed as a baby

Reduced incidence of the following:

Obesity

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Diabetes

Benefits for mums

Reduces risk of developing ovarian cancer

Reduces risk of develop breast cancer

Reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Helps reset mums metabolism

Reduces risk of osteoporosis

Effective insulin production

Helps the womb return to non-pregnancy size

Acts as a contraceptive

JUSTIFIED: THE FINAL SEASON Three Copies To Giveaway | Competition

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JUSTIFIED- THE FINAL SEASON Three Copies To Giveaway Competition

Witness the epic conclusion to the modern-day police drama when JUSTIFIED: THE FINAL SEASON debuts on DVD Oct 5 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Timothy Olyphant returns one last time as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a man who attempts to bring law and order back to Harlan County. Based on Elmore Leonard’s short story, “Fire in the Hole,” this critically acclaimed series from Sony Pictures Television and Bluebush Productions comes to a head in the series’ final hours with a standoff between Raylan and his longtime enemy, Boyd Crowder, played by Walton Goggins (Sons of Anarchy). JUSTIFIED: THE FINAL SEASON never lets up with its gun-slinging action and renegade style of justice.Available as a three-disc set, JUSTIFIED: THE FINAL SEASON will include all 13 episodes, plus a behind-the-scenes featurette called “Hollywood to Harlan,” giving fans an inside look as to how the writers of Justified did research in Kentucky for the final season.JUSTIFIED: THE FINAL SEASON features an extraordinary ensemble cast, including Olyphant, Nick Searcy (Hawaii Five-0), Jere Burns (Bates Motel), Joelle Carter (Castle), Jacob Pitts (Person of Interest), Erica Tazel (The Office), Walton Goggins (Django Unchained) and more.JUSTIFIED: THE COMPLETE SERIES is also available on DVD October 5, just in time for must-have Christmas gift lists. The box set will include the full 78 episodes with all previously released bonus material, including deleted scenes, commentary with cast and crew and extensive featurettes.

We have three copies to giveaway. To be in with the chance of winning this fantastic prize, follow @Frostmag on Twitter or Instagram, or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz.Then comment below saying what you did or email frostmagazine@gmail.com Competition finishes end of November.

 

 

Statistics From Think Tank NLA Reveal Frightening Extent of London Housing Crisis

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Gillray's Steakhouse and Bar view London EyeSome interesting and shocking news today on the London Housing Crisis. New London Architecture (NLA), the capital’s think tank on the city’s built environment, has today announced a series of findings from their insight study into the London housing shortage. The research gathered by former Development Director at Peabody, Claire Bennie, has formed the basis of their forthcoming exhibition New Ideas for Housing. The exhibition examines London’s housing market, past and present, as well as the results of an extensive global ideas competition, set-up with the Mayor of London to tackle the shortfall.

Current statistics show that the capital’s population has now hit record numbers and is set to keep rising. It is estimated that we need 40,000 new homes every year for 20 years to deal with the current population increase and a further 9,000 a year, on top, just to catch up on the deficit. Current delivery of new homes stands at between 20-25,000 a year, this means the delivery of new homes has to at least double from its current rate.

Earlier this year, London’s population passed its previous peak of 8.6 million people, and future projections suggest there will be 9 million people in London by 2020, 10 million by 2030 and 11 million by 2050, adding nearly 70,000 people and 34,000 jobs every year.

The comparison in quality of life between homeowners and those renting properties is creating a widening gap amongst Londoners. 40-50% of all renting households in London are living in poverty whilst 40% of owner-occupied homes have two or more spare bedrooms. The proportion of 25-34 years olds owning their own homes has fallen from 59% to 36% in less than a decade and the current population figures show that 80% of all new housing is only affordable for 20% of Londoners.

A rise in renting is a common theme throughout the research with a third of all privately owned homes now rented out. Successful European models show that long-term renting can act as a possible solution, but this would mean a large-scale change across the industry in the way that housing is funded and delivered. Developers such as Argent are already looking into large build-to-rent developments that could change the way we live in the capital.

Contrary to popular belief that many of London’s developments second-homes for foreign millionaires, only 121,000 homes are recorded to be ‘empty’. However, there has been a significant growth in properties bought as investments, currently 61% of all new homes are bought with the no intention of occupying (Molior London).

80% of households bring in less than £45,000 a year and with house prices rising by 18% last year and living wages only rising by 2.1%, a revised approached to the capital’s housing market needs addressing.

Peter Murray, Chairman of New London Architecture, rallied this call for change by saying: “There is no silver bullet to solve London’s housing crisis – we need to look at lots of smaller and innovative contributions to fill in the gap left by the traditional providers”

Claire Bennie, Architect and Housing Development Specialist, and former Development Director at Peabody, commented: ‘Housing London is the pressing issue of our time: we now need to implement the best solutions from this competition without delay so that our young people can settle and thrive in this great metropolis.’

Greater London is a relatively low-density city and covers 152,200 hectares of land. If all of London’s residents were standing in a grid, they would be spaced 14m apart but if London continues to grow upwards and outwards then there is the potential to create 470,000 new homes over the next 20 years. There is currently an estimated 75,000 hectares of available space in Greater London and with the potential to create to 100,000 homes on sites as small as 0.25 hectares the density of city must improve. The NLA exhibition New Ideas for Housing will explore some of the most innovative solutions to the housing crisis and what is next for London.

A Travel Guide To Southampton, Hampshire. 

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Credit:www.geograph.org.uk

Credit:www.geograph.org.uk

Great Britain is not called great for nothing. It has a lot going for it. There is an abundance of places to have a great staycation and none more so than Southampton. Located on the south coast of England, Southampton is the largest city in Hampshire, it is only 75 miles from London and has its own airport, so you canSouthampton travel guide

Museums.

The Seacity Museum is situated in the heart of Southampton, in the Cultural Quarter. It is an interactive experience about Southampton and its connection with the sea. It also covers the city’s Titanic Heritage.

The Tudor House Museum covers 900 years of history all on one site. It is Southampton’s most important historic building. It has recently been restored and has a lovely garden too. Tudor Lord Chief Justice Sir Richard Lyster and Victorian milliner Eliza Simmons are just two of the many people who have lived there.

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Top 5 Money Saving Pregnancy Tricks

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By Layla Anna-Lee, English TV Presenter and soon to be mum.

pregnancysavingtips

Don’t buy a baby changing unit! A baby changing unit is literally a chest of drawers with a baby changing section on top and an extra zero added to the price. Proper padded anti-roll baby changing mats add the same amount of height to the sides of a mat that any changing unit would have. You must never leave your child alone on a changing unit or mat regardless. So don’t feel obliged to purchase overpriced units when your current chest of draws with a safety mat could be just fine! (Just make sure the chest of drawers is the right width for the mat and is strong enough to take the weight of a baby.) I bought mine from www.safetots.co.uk

 

Eco nappies.  In two years of a child’s life the average spend on disposable nappies is £1,800. The same stretch of time in reusable nappies is around £350 and if you are planning on having another child you can use them again saving yourself much, much more. Modern day Eco nappies are incredibly well designed, there’s no need for old fashioned soaking and can be washed at 30 degrees. Of course washing adds some expenditure but even then it’s less than all the bin liners and nappy sacs you’ll be needing for those disposables. Not to mention the cost on your conscience that disposable nappies are the largest single household contributor to landfill sites. I bought mine from www.totsbots.com

 

The Baby Show! Get your ticket, get there early and don’t leave! This was my favourite shopping spot of all. So easy to compare a huge range of baby products all under one roof and so many incredible discounts. I had purchased my buggy before attending the show then saw the exact same one at the show with over £200 off – That’s a pretty impressive discount and at The Baby Show discounts like that are everywhere. There are a variety of invaluable talks to attend, such as first aid and breast feeding talks are included in the ticket price. If you’re a savvy haggler stay right until the end and you might get even more taken off the price tag as exhibitors don’t want to pack up all the stock to travel home. The next show is taking place at Kensington, Olympia from the 23rd-25th October: www.thebabyshow.co.uk

 

You don’t need a cot straight away. When looking to save money sometimes timing is the answer and when choosing your cot you have time to get it right. A baby can sleep in a Moses basket up until around 3 months or until the baby can sit up or roll. This means  there’s no rush, you can wait for a sale, a hand me down from a close friend or indeed simply take your time to make sure you’re making an educated purchase. Mine is from www.mobauk.com

 

Don’t be afraid to ask for things you actually need. Everyone loves buying presents for a new baby. Whether it be an excited mother in law or if you’re throwing a baby shower. It’s important to be honest because your friends really do want to get you something you will actually use. If you don’t need 45 hats and another plush bunny rabbit then just say so! Make a little list of what you need and let your loved ones help you, it truly makes the world of difference.