Cambridgeshire

Foods that contain these are fairly easy to find though, but it’s important to offer these regularly in baby’s diet once they are established on solid foods and having three meals a day. Generally, this means offering “protein and iron rich” foods (see below) around three times a day for vegetarian and vegan children.

Foods that typically include these nutrients in varied amounts include:

• Fortified dairy alternatives - these usually/ should include iodine, B vitamins (including B12), calcium and vitamin D.

• Beans, lentils, pulses

• Ground nuts and ground seeds

• Tofu, Quorn, soya beans

• Olive oil and seed oils

If your baby is vegan, you might need to think about choosing more fortified foods and/ or having a supplement containing some of these nutrients, especially iodine, omega-3 and vitamin B12.

For more information about these foods, nutrients baby needs and everything you need to know about weaning your baby check out Charlotte’s Online Weaning

NHS to use test that prevents babies going deaf

A rapid test that can help preserve the hearing of newborn babies is set to be used by NHS hospitals.

Using a cheek swab, the test can identify in less than half an hour whether a critically ill baby admitted to intensive care has a gene change that could result in permanent hearing loss if they are treated with a common emergency antibiotic, Gentamicin.

While Gentamicin is used to safely treat approximately 100,000 babies a year, one in 500 babies carry the gene change that can lead to permanent hearing loss when given the antibiotic.

The new test means that babies found to have the genetic variant can be given an alternative antibiotic and could save the hearing of 200 babies in England every year.

The test will be trialled in a range of hospitals before it gets final approval.

More info: bit.ly/NHSBabyTest

More paid leave for parents of premature babies

Parents could take up to an extra twelve weeks of paid leave if their child is born prematurely, as part of a new law.

Both parents would qualify for one week's extra help - in addition to existing maternity and paternity leave and pay entitlements - for every seven days their baby was in neonatal care.

The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill is in its final stages of becoming law.

A baby is considered to be premature if it is born before the 37th week of pregnancy and one in seven UK newborns needs to be placed in a specialist hospital unit. It is possible for a baby to survive when born at about 24 weeks of pregnancy - but the earlier it is, the more complications there could be.

More info: bit.ly/PrematurePay

New life is put into the planet with every sale

The Joolz stroller is putting the planet first with its continued efforts to make a positive impact on the environment, empowering the next generation of parents and creating a better world for their children. Through its extensive work in key areas of sustainability, the brand has succeeded in: www.joolz.com/uk/en/about-joolz.html

• Planting more than 380,000 trees in its Birth Forest initiative.

• Offering a unique 10-year transferrable warranty.

• Recycling 2.5 million plastic bottles in 2022 alone.

Proudly partnering with Tree Nation, Joolz’ Birth Forest initiative ensures with every sale of a pushchair, even more new life is put into the planet to flourish. Throughout every step of the Joolz journey, from the product creation to ongoing environmental work, giving back to the planet is at the very heart of the brand.

The Fertility Show, 20th - 21st May 2023

The Fertility Show LIVE will be opening its doors once again at London's Olympia Exhibition Centre from the 20th - 21st May.

The Show continues to remain the UK's biggest event about fertility, showcasing the knowledge of clinicians and supporting attendees who are seeking guidance on their fertility journey, and is run in association with Fertility Network UK, the UK's leading charity relating to fertility.

It features over 70 exhibitors including UK & overseas clinics, advice groups, charities, dieticians, nutritional & lifestyle advisors, holistic therapists and more.

Visitors have the opportunity to attend over 35 live seminars presented by leading experts in a range of topics, including testing and diagnosis, choosing the right fertility clinic, new technology, egg & sperm donation and more. The seminars are delivered by clinicians, nutritionists, counsellors, experts and Fertility Network UK Tickets are £14 for one day admission or £20 for admission on both days. Seminars and workshops cost £4. Digital only tickets can be purchased for just £10. www.fertilityshow.co.uk