Pickle

It depends on which school it is really - and certainly the school nursery my kids go to issue a list of the things you need before the term starts (Goodrich). At Goodrich you don't take spare clothes, they have a box of them which get lent out if needed, but you do take your own coats/hats etc. They provide a snack in the nursery there (fruit, water & milk) so no need to take food. In terms of taking a favourite toy I would do so with care - it will be very easy for it to get mislaid. My son was desperate to take a book in once, so the teachers took it from him, read it to the class, then kept it safe for me until I picked him up. There are loads of dressing up clothes in the nursery at Goodrich, and every now and then they do dress up days. The rest of the time the children are expected to wear their uniform. I hope that helps. Not all school nurseries will be the same, but I wouldn't imagine them being miles different.

Another vote for Primark - I had nighties (and actually the one I gave birth in was fine, gave it a wash and ended up using it for a while afterwards too as it was easy to feed in), a few packs of cheap knickers (black - basic but much nicer than disposable ones) and a lightweight robe (microfibre type fabric) for wearing in hospital which was a godsend. The other thing I bought in my major spend up there (totalling all of about ?12) was a pair of very basic slippers to wear in the wards. And I've stupidly thrown the whole lot away after having my 2nd baby, meaning I'll be back in Primark having another "spend up" before no. 3 arrives!

You can still BF while they're strapped in, no way they'll even check to stop you so just go ahead and do it!

Nope, sorry to burst your bubble Strawbs :) You can't keep it warm for ages, needs to be cold, then warmed just as you need it. But I'm not laughing, as remember having similar thoughts when I was pregnant with #1. I don't think a bottle warmer is necessary when a microwave will do the job in a few seconds (you just need to be careful to give it a shake afterwards to make sure there aren't any hot spots). P x

Hmmm, Yak that doesn't make you a bad mother. Bunging it in the microwave probably does... I used a bottle warmer for no.1 for a short time, and quickly decided that 3 minutes or so waiting for the milk to warm while listening to a screaming baby wasn't worth it. I have sinned :-S (baby is now 4.5 and doesn't seem to be suffering ill effects from microwaved milk...)

Yes, we went in there to buy school shoes at about 11.30ish and it was open as usual.

Here's a post from last year on the subject of biting beasties... http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,524947,525451#msg-525451

When I used to do British Military Fitness in Peckham Rye Park I got bitten a number of times by black flies - bigger than mosquitos and the bites were horrible. Many people in the group suffered, some much worse than others with whole arms/lower legs swelling up. Not nice!

You should be able to do it on the NHS, start by going to your GP for a referral - from memory they have an allergy testing unit at Kings.

From my memories of pushing a Vibe around the streets of ED, I'd say it would be very difficult to manage with a buggy board attached. If you've already got your little girl in the bottom seat I'm not sure what you'd gain by using a buggy board too?

On our trips to NZ we generally fly direct on the way there (involves about 5 hours stopover in Singapore), and then break it up slightly by overnighting in the transit hotel in Singapore Airport on the way home. Our logic is that on the way there, once we arrive we have help - whereas when we arrive back in London it's just us, so the extra bit of sleep halfway home is worth it!

Thanks Bluesuperted... it is me that knits. Generally I can do cardigans for babies up to 6 months for around ?20, and my booties etc. start from a very reasonable ?6.50. For an idea of what I can do, I have a page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Handcrafted-by-Pippa/139685552763104 I'm desperate to find out what my baby is going to be so that I can start knitting things in appropriate colours :)

Mmmmmm, lolly cake - not possible to make here as you can't get ingredients close enough to their NZ equivalents. My Mum always sends me some in my Christmas box :) I recently spent a stupid amount of money online ordering all sorts of NZ goodies - K bars, toffee milks, pineapple lumps, rashuns, Griffins gingernuts, toffee pops (I'm pregnant, that's my excuse!).

I found Grobags so much more practical than blankets - one of the major benefits for a winter baby is that you can lift them out of bed at night to feed without taking them out of their cosy bag, so they stay all nice and warm. I too was really worried about how to keep my winter born son warm enough, but you'll find it all seems a lot easier once you've actually got a baby. Out and about during the day we had a pram, which I snuggled him up in with a blanket my Mum knitted for me and a warm hat etc. My next baby is also going to be a winter one (due end of Jan) and I much prefer it to the struggles of a baby born in the middle of a heatwave like my daughter was - keeping them cool is much more difficult!

Bacon and egg pie is the ultimate kiwi picnic food. In a pastry case (puff or flaky pastry) like a normal pie, but full of bacon and eggs. Some people add other things, but the version I remember as a kid is simply bacon and eggs. Here's a link to a recipe (although I'm still on the lookout for someone's tried and tested recipe): http://www.eggs.org.nz/Recipes/best-ever-bacon-egg-pie.html Might have to make one of these this weekend!

Thank you so much for organising Bellenden Belle, it was a really nice night and lovely to meet so many new people. We need to try and mix it up next time as I'm guilty of not speaking to people at the other end of the table at all. Mr Pickle has hockey training on Tuesday nights (and Thursday nights - oh how I LOVE the start of the hockey season!), so not sure whether I'd be able to make the 27th or not at this stage, but will work on it! Pippa

At 6 months I wouldn't worry about feeding to sleep - if that's what works, stick with it for your sanity :)

I'm surprised I never commented on this. I'm 100% sure I would have said I have two and I'm done... funny how things change!

I would be interested in this for my 3 year old daughter - the timing would work well as she's at school nursery in the mornings, and I would have to be finished to pick up my son from school at 3:30pm (and until #3 arrives I'm free of the constraints of nap times!). Please let me know once details are firmed up. Pippa

I do have some, but now that I have #3 on the way I have had to stop giving away baby related things (not that there's much left in our house!). I originally got mine online.

If you stay out for lunch, the Bread of Life Cafe caters well for the ages you'll have between you - my kids still enjoy playing with the small selection of toys they have there, and the food is great (and very competitively priced). It used to be my saving grace when both were very young and the weather was bad - a little santuary where I could sit and have a cup of tea and not worry about where they were.

I find they do come up large - I'm usually a 39, but wear a 38 in my trusty Birkenstocks.

If it's a proper nursery "school" (like the ones attached to primary schools) with a more structured approach where they actually do some teaching I would say wait until she's 3 - that's the age that school nurseries take children from, and the age where that sort of environment really can make a difference. At 2, if she's happy with her childminder, I'd say stick with the arrangement you've got. Good luck - whatever you choose to do has to be what feels right for you and your daughter. P x

On nice days my two love "painting" the house/playhouse/bikes/deck - I just give them a bucket of water and some paint brushes, it keeps them entertained for ages.

Agree that Homemade do lovely carrot cake. Their brownies are great as well (they have vanilla salt in/on them which is unusual but delicious). Also good is the Blackbird Bakery carrot cake, they're on NCR on Saturdays but also have a shop near the station. Their chocolate fudge cake is nice too. I eat too much cake :-$