Mums' best baby health tips

Bethany Johnson, 24, from Berkshire, mum to Erin, 10 months

“Jacob gets really bad dribble redness when he’s teething. I’ve found a thin layer of Sudocrem then a thin layer of Vaseline over the top works really well. The Sudocrem dries the rash up and the Vaseline protects it from any more dribbling.”

Briony Ross, 27, from South Lanarkshire, mum to Jacob, 1

“Elizabeth is always dribbling and can get a rash on her chin. When it gets bad I just clean the area gently with a dry cloth, pop Vaseline over it, and leave it to soothe. It dries the rash up really quickly.”

Karen Baker, 33, from Maidstone, mum to Elizabeth, 8 months

Soothing eczema

“When she was younger Martha had eczema. I still dress her in 100 per cent cotton clothes, which I wash in non-bio washing powder, and I keep her nails short to help stop her scratching.”

Emma Price-Roberts, 36, from North Wales, mum to Maisie Grace, 7, Martha Lily, 3, and Matilda Rose, 6 months

Preparing for immunisations

“After the dreaded first immunisation jab, Lucy cried her eyes out, so the next time we went for one, I rubbed a little bit of teething gel on the top of her legs where the needle would go in. Apart from one little sob, she didn’t really cry, and was settled before we left the nurses’ room.”

Ceri Grant,30, from Worcester, mum to Lucy,4months

“When William was having his first jabs I gave him some Calpol about 20 minutes before the appointment, so it had a chance to start working before the big moment. It takes the edge off the pain for your little one. I think this helps if you’re nervous about how your baby will react to their first injection.”

Judy Casey, 27, from Ware, mum to William, 6 months

Teething advice

“I tried loads of different teethers when Dominic was cutting his first teeth, but he loved Sophie La Girafe, £12.99 from www.sophielagirafe.co.uk. It worked wonders as it was easy for him to grab on to and hold without my help. It also makes a really cute little squeak when it’s squeezed, which he adored.”

Marzena Currie, 35, from Hertfordshire, mum to Dominic, 8 months

“Charlie has been teething since he was 5 months old and always has really red cheeks, and cries with pain. I bought an amber teething necklace and after only two weeks it’s amazing how much of a difference it’s made. He’s stopped dribbling and crying, and we haven’t had to use any medicines. We’ve got our happy, content little boy back.”

Jessica Peters, mum to Charlie, 9 months, via our forum.

Soothing nappy rash

“I swear by Palmer’s cocoa formula bottom butter. It really helped with Ethan’s nappy rash, as well as being a good moisturiser for any dry skin patches on him or me. Generally, it’s a good product for all the family. It’s easily absorbed, smells lovely, comes in a handy handbag size and is reasonably priced.”

Lorna Kidd, 26, from Caterham, mum to Ethan, 1

“I was told by countless mums that nappy-free time really helps rashes, and although sceptical something so simple could help Rosie’s bad nappy rash, I tried it and it worked wonders. The air really soothes the area, and now we do it as much as we can. At first I was worried about mess, but we just put her down on a wipe-clean mat for an hour or so a day and clear up later. Just remember to keep the room warm so she doesn’t get chilly.”

Rana Jones, 40, from Lincoln, mum to Rosie, 8 months

• Babies with eczema – causes, treatments and triggers
• Teething symptoms in your baby
• Immunisations – a mum’s guide

Dealing with flat head syndrome

“We’re trying to fix Jamie’s flat head syndrome by giving him lots of tummy time and putting his toys on the side he doesn’t usually turn his head to, as having to turn and reach for them takes the pressure off his flat bit.”

Carolyn Toogood, 38, from Derby, mum to Adam, 2, and Jamie, 4 months

Treating sticky eye

“All my boys suffered from sticky eye when they were newborn and I found using camomile tea to treat it worked really well. I brewed some camomile tea as normal and let it completely cool before dipping some cotton wool in it, which I then used to wipe over their eyes. I did this a few times a day and the sticky eye cleared up really quickly.”

Melanie Hudspeth, from Newcastle, mum to Aaron, 6, Daniel, 3, and Harry, 5 months

Relieving constipation

“Sign up for a baby massage class as soon as possible, especially if you have a grumbly, windy or constipated baby. If you can only attend one of the sessions, attend the tummy one. I’ve renamed it the fart and poo massage as it works a treat every time. Just make sure you’ve got washable and disposable towels or mats, and lots and lots of nappies. It may not work immediately, but it will.”

Jenny Beattie, 34, Beckenham, mum to Dexter, 2, and Beatrix, 7 weeks.

Soothing hiccups

“James suffers from these really badly, and probably gets them four or five times a day. I was shown by a friend that pushing down lightly onto the bottom of his foot, under his big toe, helps to calm the hiccups down. It may just be a distraction, but it works for us.”

Katie Peake, 27, from Sutton Bridge, mum to James, 14 weeks

“I got very worried when Joe started hiccupping after feeding, but after talking to my health visitor she showed me a few ways to ease them. The best and easiest one was to lay Joe down on my lap, as if he needed winding, and rub his back gently up and down. It eases them in a few minutes and is really easy to do.”

Anne Jenkins, 29, from London, mum to Joe, 5 months

Coping with colds

“My 11 month old has had as many colds as I think I’ve had in my entire life! Putting a pillow under the top end of his mattress to raise it slightly stops him getting as bunged up. I also use Epaderm Emollient (£11.05 from www.chemistdirect.co.uk) on his nose to stop it getting so sore and dry from all the wiping.”

Sophie Pennington-Ridge, 27, from Cheshire, mum to Joseph James, 11 months

Dealing with cradle cap

“Dominic had bad cradle cap when he was born and I found putting a drop of baby oil on his head after his bath and then lightly brushing his hair with a firm baby brush really helped lift the flakes off. After doing it for a couple of minutes, over two nights, it virtually cleared up.”

Marzena Currie, 35, from Bushey, mum to Dominic, 3 months