gwod

I had my youngest child when I was 38. I thought it may take a while to get pregnant because of my age but it really didn't (hence 15 month age gap between my 2 youngest). I know 3 women very well who have had children in their 40s...two of them planned. My impression is that they found the pregnancy more tiring than in earlier pregnancies but conception, birth and general health of everyone concerned is fine. Best of luck with your decision. I hope you go for it - you always sound like a great mother!

I had one of each for my 2 youngest and they were equally as good as each other. I think the tripp trapp is much nicer to look at but the babydan is much cheaper (especially 2nd hand). You can't attach a tray to the babydan ...but the whole point was to have them sitting at the table wasn't it?

So happy for you all. Well done!

Farmers on Lordship Lane sell nice gift bags.

Make one up - flower girl or ballet kid or whatever she's into. As long as she's got a cape and a mask and some imagination it'll be easy peasy!

...and it does this too.....!

Do you mean one of those circular embroidery things - Ive got one you can borrow - PM me.

first mate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > It may be a bitter pill, but there are a number of > Mums that don't work and volunteering to do > lollipop duty may be viewed as a useful > contribution to ease the general tax burden. Just > a thought. It would be a bitter pill. Especially to those of us who already have to volunteer loads to support the govenrnment in educating our children, and whose entire job is already voluntary. Also, being a mum unfortunately doesn't necessarily mean that you are a responsible enough to escort about 800 children over the road each session - as Bert does at the East Dulwich Road Crossing - until Friday that is when they will have to muddle through themselves. Please put your name to the petition.

By "parents who are not working" do you mean unemployed parents or stay at home mums? Stay at home mums have quite a lot to do at school pick up and drop off times......

Magic Bunny clock and bribery.

I have redheads too, and usually randomly forget to cream up at least one leg of one child each holiday so have experience! Caledonia is good, but I would also have one of the Gel creams to hand for some applications as it is the most soothing. Also, put all creams in the fridge so they are super cold for application...Don't forget ibuprofen is a anti-inflammatory and can really help too.

Yes, Dulwich Village Infants school fayre 12-2.30 Hope to see you there!!

Two of my kis are needing lots of speech therapy, and my advise would be to get a appointment for a check up as soon as possible because if it turns out that he does need a little extra help, you will find that the waiting list for S and L therapy is so long that months can pass during the period where help would have been most useful. Get on the waiting list as soon as possible!

Its an interseting point you raise Karter, I know that my husband, though fully supportive of my breastfeeding, found it a bit exculding and did not like the feeling that he could not really be in sole charge of our children for any length of time and I can quite understand why you want to have tools for feeding and soothing as you deem the necessary. But I also understand that some people feel strongly anti dummy - especially when establishing b/feeding (not me though!) Its great that you want to so inolved, and I know a lot of parents where they felt that b/feeding set a precedent for mummy-heavy baby care, which in the end both parents may have wanted to avoid. Time for a straight chat with her - find out what her reservations are. If its that your babe may get dependant you can offer to get up in the night to deal with waking up and spitting out issues late on, if its to do with nipple confusion, you could offer to wait a while till B/f is established, If its do do with a deep seated irrational hatred of dummies ou may be better to just back down This will be the first in many compromises you will have to make together!

Ruth, I wonder of you should write her a letter. Sometimes (particulary with parents) it is the only way to fully explain difficult things which fast escalate into an argument or some kind of snub if tackled in 'real time'. In a letter, you will have the opportunity to iterate the positive things of this situation...for example...how much help she has been to you during your pregnancy and how much you have valued her support and willingness to step in for overnight stays etc and its is something you feel sure that will be fantastic for Seb as he gets older.... and then explain some of your reservations....for example....but right now, sometimes its easier to have MIL help as she is geographically more able to know his daily routines etc. You can reassure her that (if it is true) you are keen to foster a good relationship between them going forward but that at the moment, to ensure a relaxing break with your man, you would prefer him to be somewhere that you know he is immediately comfortable. You would also get the chance to say how difficult you have found it to broach this subject as you do not want her to feel hurt or rejected. Finish with love and thanks (much easier to do this in writing) and hope that it is the foundation for an honest open discussion. Just writing the letter will help to christallise your thoughts and make you think about her point of view you can decide whether or not to send it once you read it back- Best of luck. PS just read this back, man, I sound so didactic!

In 2003 I was prescribed this for producing milk for my baby in NICU that was born at 27 weeks, at which time my body really didnt produce any milk at all. I got the feeling Drs were reluctant to prescribe, and I needed the backing of Clare Kedves (BF nurse)to endorse that I had tried all other means before it I was able to get it. It did work though.

Loved our tripp trapps, Continued to be useful through the early writing years so the kids could be at just the right height to work, and have also been good for music practice when a tall tripp trapp affords a good compromise between sitting down and standing up!!!

One of the most interesting things about the BBC segment, and indeed any research into infant feeding, is the polarising effect it has on discussion, when actually as I see it, we are all pretty much in agreement.

It makes me want to know what the participants reasons for, and for not breastfeeding were. If they had separated the bottle feeders into those that didnt b/f because they never thought about it or couldnt be bothered, and those who tried but their nipples fell off,( Ok I exagerate) I bet the behavioural traits would be explained by having better or less informed parents, rather than the method of feeding. Also I object to the notion that bottle fed babies miss out on closeness with their parents, I think researches must believe bottlfeeders do it at arms length, when infact we snuggled up with the best of them, and they got to enjoy that special feeding closeness with their Dads too! Incidentally, Of my four, (all fed differntly) the one purely bottlefed one is the most confident, and the one that got a year of b/feeding is a little monkey. Same parents, social circumstances etc etc though. They should use me for research!!!!

Love the seeds idea, you could make a little sheet about planting and watering (with colouring in) etc. Or how about Strawberries for everyone. Party Bags at school is bonkers, (I even think party bags at parties is bonkers!!) dont feel guilty about letting that idea go.

Completely agree that its a great philosophy for parenting as they get older, as they become better communicators you realise that you absolutely cannot fix most of their problems (loss or pain for example), but your unquestioning empathy, love, and patience can make them stronger and fitter for the world as a whole. Hate the title though. 'Happiest Toddler on the Block' smacks of the sort of competitive and comparing parenting that can mess us all up if we dont watch out!

I would advise keeping S in a cot for as long as he will put up with it (or fit in it!)- especially if new baby is iminent - theres no need to deal with lots of issues concurrently unless entirely necessary. And if he's likely to get out its worth waiting until he's at an age (...he's only about 1.5 isnt he?) when he can be reasoned with a little bit more (or bribed) New baby wont need a proper cot for a while - and when she does, borrow one or get a second hand one to use until S is done with his. (sorry - loaned mine out already)

If you like a graph then you'll like this too... http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#ms=true&sw=m&exact=false

Usaually at Primary school, classroom time is split between peer to peer learing and "all eyes to the front" learning, Peer to peer is done on small tables often in groups of similar ability, with the teacher on the move, and "all eyes to the front" type learing is done all sitting on the carpet, usually with an individual little whiteboard each to practice writing/ write their answers on. Seems to work well IMO. Good luck finding the right place.

I always did that - and this info agrees... http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/pumpingexpressing/storingbreastmilkexpert/