ryedalema

Ahh - I think it's because: - she's having such a fab time with her swimming lessons - she's in a nursery group with older children who are all having big parties. She's not insisting. I'm just a mad, planning Mum who is on mat. leave and likes having something to obsess about. I broached the topic and now she's gotten all excited about it - stooopid me.

Has anyone had a birthday party for a toddler at Peckham Pulse or any other local pool? Our eldest is dead set on a pool party for her 3rd in July but my husband isn't keen - thinks it won't go down well with the other parents and doesn't esp. like Peckham Pulse. Or has anyone else any fab ideas for a good birthday? It will either be c. 15 toddlers if the nursery kids aren't included, 35-40 kids if they are. It's my last time having the time to organise something proper and may be her last UK birthday party - so I don't mind a bit of a splash (pun fully intended :-$).

Ha ha...and the medicinal bacon butty??

I'm doing Weight Watchers (seriously this time!) so I'll be taking a measured approach to the booze. Won't stop me though - double V and DC only 1.5 points! If Saturday's a goer I'll start negotiations ...

I just realised that May has nearly passed and we haven't arranged another night out. Does anyone fancy another 'escape route'? We might even get outside this time :)-D xx

Both our girls are there (5 months and nearly 3 years) - and both love it. PM me if you want and we can answer any specifics you have. x

Oh wow congratulations! Well that'll only take half an hour or so so you can nip out after! Joke!!!;-) Have a wonderful day!

Yes please + a way of getting rid of sand: - from the pond - from her girly bits - from inside her tights (which she wasn't wearing!) And in everything we are eating - ugh.

Wed or Thurs lunch/pm are good for me. I need saving from nursemaid h*ll!! Anyone else?

I could definitely be up for this. My OH is recovering from an Op so I need to escape otherwise I'll be the house slave all day! I'm so tolerant me ;-)

Just a tip here - nappy rash can come on really fast and strong (more concentrated wee and hot environment inside nappy etc). When we were in Oz last year the pharmacist told us that Sudocrem actually has a slightly abrasive texture and that Bepanthen was miles better. We've used that ever since. I know you weren't asking about this ;-)..but that would be my summer tip. Now I just need the ice cream van to stop parking outside our house at 7pm - a tantrum every night just before bedtime, great.

The pool is gorgeously warm. I was in the big pool (gettting myself back in shape) today and am going to take littl'un (nearly 5 months) tomorrow (12-1pm). Also - it's not one of those pools that leaves your eyes really stingy. I might go to the pool on Thurs too - I'm a bit addicted right now. Anyone else? PS - the pay and display machine in Peckham Pulse car park is out of order (or was today) so the parking's free!

I'd love to be part of a post baby support group too. I remember all the feelings people are describing. I had a quick home birth |(unexpected) with our first and she even managed a fairly civilised hour - all done by 11.50pm. I remember looking down at her in her Moses basket next to our bed and thinking - Oh my G*d - what just happened? Then spending the next 6 months or so prodding her to make sure she hadn't died on me (!) I know, truly awful and morbid but I was freaked out about cot death and I think there were loads of scares on when I was preggers with her. I hope this is the first and only time I quote SATC but in one series Miranda is with her baby and boyfriend (the one with glasses who becomes her husband I think) and the sketch was about him freaking out about being in charge of the baby. The line I remember goes something like 'OK, I'll try not to kill him during the week - then you can try not to kill him at weekends'. Truly summed up things for me ;-)

Wow great lists. I was determined that my second would be a home birth and quick, like my first so I packed my bag without much bother and with complete nappy head. I had, among other things: - make up (but not enough for a full face) as I was determined that my 'after baby' shots would this time be as glam as the ones I saw on the midwife's wall! - energy bars - a book! when was I likely to read?? - a mothercare 'all the parts in one set' of baby clothes in newborn size and tiny baby size (as you don't really know how big it'll be (if you keep the set in its bag and the receipt you can take any too small ones back) - no clothes for me though (including shoes!) I was rushed to hospital in the December snow, escorted over the ice with no shoes on by some burly (and quite dashing) ambulance men and my OH grabbed the bag and got into the front. I was in soo much trouble (although how much trouble can you get in after giving birth) when he opened the bag to find I'd not even packed nappies! We cobbled it all together though and I got a taxi from outside Kings wearing two hospital gowns (one forward, one back so my tush wasn't on show), mu husband's coat and those plastic over shoe shower cap things on my feet. So much for the glam shots! But...you don't really care, you've a happy healthy baby sleeping in a car seat right beside you. Good luck x

Umm - I'm going to be controversial and suggest your doc didn't give you very good advice. I'd go with Clare's recommendation. She's been doing it 30 odd years and has seen and read everything. Our little tongue tied one had thrush too - manifested itself in extreme nappy rash (peeling skin the works poor love) and a bit of whiteness in her mouth. Clare's advice was to wash your hands throughly (obv) and put some thrush cream on each of four fingers: Wipe the tongue with the first The roof of the mouth with the second The sides with the other two And don't let the fingers touch each other in the process. Then wash again. I took one of those all-in one canesten pills at the same time (one dose) and it cleared up straight away. But I didn't have anything on my nipples that I could see/feel in the first place so may not be the same for you. There's a separate bottom cream (for the baby) that works really well. I'll try and find the old tube for the name if you get stuck.

My first dsughter came on the first day of my maternity leave (at 37.5 weeks) and my second came on the third day of my maternity leave at (38.6) weeks..but I was happy with that. I would have gone up the wall with the waiting around. The worst bit at the end is the commute! Bar none! People avoid eye contact so that they 'don't have to give you a seat'. It's horrible - and when you are feeling a bit hormonal you start to hate a society like this. Get a baby on board badge -if you can't find one through TFL contact me and I'll dig mine out. As a previous poster said you soon override any shyness/embarrassment you might have and go up to people and ask for a seat. Any glares are supported by smiles from others - so it's ok in the end. Good luck x

Yep - directly opposite. :)) Is there a way of finding out how far away you are? or does the school tell you?

Sorry - I'm being thick. Where's the link to the website telling you the exact distance from one's nearest school? Now getting v. anxious too.

Ha ha! My brother (35) and I (a little bit older) went to the London Transport Museum last weekend. My daughter (who the trip was for) was not in the least interested in the card-stamping orienteering activity. My brother and I on the other hand..competitive? We were barging each other out of the way. As my daughter looked on - sighing.

Wonderful news that Clare could help CJC - it must be such a relief. I just wanted to say a few words about the tongue-tie procedure. Firstly - it doesn't distress the babies much at all. It's a very small snip and they do it when the baby is hungry so that the first thing they do afterwards is bring the baby to you to latch on (with plenty of experts on hand to help with that), this cauterises the cut and the baby will be so relieved at feeding without distress that they will simply get on with it. There were a few tears from the parents however. It's quite a pressured environment - there were 23 couples with babies in a smallish room when I went - all a bit fearful of the unknown (and of course making baby go through something medical). Please don't worry - it takes seconds and you don't get to watch (you'll have your boobs out next door :-$). A bit of a tip which I probably shouldn't divulge. They take the baby that is crying loudest first. So if you can bear it - take clothes off (if they are sleeping) etc. otherwise you might have to wait a while and the anxiety only mounts. The results are instant though- we never looked back after little C was done. On another related note though - little C mix feeds too (as she was diagnosed with breastmilk jaundice). Absolutely nothing wrong with that and deffo not something that should tie you in knots. There's plenty out there that's more worthy of our grey hairs ! Good luck xxx

Yep same - our youngest had a tongue tie too. Go and see Clare Kedves at Kings - she's the breastfeeding coordinator and a complete Mecca for Mums with infants like yours and ours. I promise you she's a total marvel - she'll sort you straight out. Good luck xxx Also - search her name on here (I think I've spelled her surname correctly) - you'll see lots of parents saying the same about her. xx

PrD - do try other nurseries too. I know it's unlikely but you could be lucky, esp. if you are starting in September when all the rooms change and other kids move up to 'big school'. It might keep you active and make you feel like you are doing something and more in control of the situation too. Let me know if you want any help - I'm on mat leave so have time. And feel I have a similar situation coming up in the next year or two (G*d I hope not!)

She gives them to little children in poorer countries who aren't as fortunate as us and might have lost them 'cos they don't have enough dentists?

Brilliant..business sense at a very young age! Demand or no supply.

Our youngest did the same at the special care unit of Kings while she had her breastmilk jaundice check up. Doctor went out to get something (can't remember what) and when he came back there was a 'mustard stream' all over his wall, that shelf unit where they keep all the sterilised products (swabs,syringes etc), his phone! V. funny now - the look on his face!