Emski

I was very unimpressed when I looked round 2 years ago. Happy to share more details if you think it would still be relevant.

Our (minimal!) enquiries seem to suggest that school nurseries offer 15 free hrs a week during term time (as Fuschia says) - but I think this has to be taken as either 5 mornings a week of 3hrs (eg 9am-12pm everyday) or 5 afternoons a week of 3 hrs (not sure of the hours here, but suspect it's something like 1-4pm). ie, you can't pick and choose your days. A private nursery will be more flexible on days, and will often deduct your 15 free hours from the total time you enrol them for - ie, if you choose to do 9am - 6pm three days a week, your fees will be reduced by 15 hrs a week. But I think you have to put them in for the full 52 weeks (unless you give notice before your 38 weeks of free hours are up).

All going well at the 12-week scan in a few weeks, we'll have some big news for our 3 year old... Although she generally likes and is interested in babies, it's going to be a massive adjustment for her and I want to do everything humanly possible to ensure she is excited about having a new baby sibling, and that there's minimal resentment/jealousy/upset caused. I'd really appreciate any tips (or errors to avoid) that anyone can share on how to tell her the news and keep her as reassured as possible. A large part of our decision to have another child was for companionship for our daughter, so the last thing I want to happen is that they end up fighting continually! Many many thanks x

My 19-month-old has had one virus after another all winter, and has just got over tonsillitis (with antibiotics). Docs just said it was down to her age and the season, and it wasn't anything to get worried about. She goes to childminder, but a stay-at-home friend's toddler of the same age has had all the same bugs too. Spring can't come round too quickly!

Didn't work for me, think I had a couple of attempted ones. The first time the midwife couldn't reach it, can't remember whether subsequent one(s) any more successful. Eventually went into labour 9 days over after acupuncture.

Just a quick vote for Lidls nappies. Particularly good for nighttime as they seem to take much more volume than Huggies or Pampers. Also much cheaper! (However only available from size 3 I think so no good for newborns.) We tried the eco ones at the start and they were fine until we had to go up a size and then leaked regularly.

The poor baba's hands are freezing! Can anyone recommend any particular styles or brands of gloves for a 16-month-old? She doesn't tend to like this kind of thing - hats get pulled off and thrown on the floor. Any advice appreciated, thank you.

Great - thank you!

Are those opening hours in addition to, or instead of, the usual 1-3.30pm times, do you know? Thanks

Belle is right, I think - milk is thought to create nastier bugs than even the nastiest stuff your baby might pick up off the floor... 12 months is recommended. (Having said that, all these guidelines are overly safety-conscious I think...)

We were recently offered a place with Mother Goose on Upland Road for full time from Sept for our 1 year old, despite only applying a couple of weeks before. You may be lucky!

I attended that workshop (all 4 hours of it!) and was also worried, so introduced bottle after 10wks. She took it fine, so we used it whenever I needed to go out or would be drinking - which wasn't very often. At around 5 months (I think) she suddenly refused to take the bottle. Didn't seem to matter if it was EBM or forumla. We ended up in a protracted battle with her to get her to take the bottle, which involved a lot of screaming (mainly from her...). I know many parents who've given up because it's pretty traumatic trying to force it. She did eventually take the bottle again, and now takes a cup, and I stopped bf at 7 months. Which is just a complicated way of saying, if you want to combine bf and bottle, make sure you keep baby used to both.

You can buy spindle attachments. I haven't got one so can't say how well they work though, I'm afraid. www.safetots.co.uk is quite useful. We found one with a catflap!

Thank you both - really helpful. And looking forward to hols too now! x

We're hoping to take our 1 yr old swimming on holiday this summer. I have armbands and a baby ring to put her in, but was wondering about swim nappies, and whether to opt for swimming cossie or wetsuit thing. I'm a bit worried she won't like the cold(ish) water (just a normal pool, not a baby one). Any tips? Or recommendations for swim nappies? Thank you!

Hand/stick blender worked fine for me too. Helps if you overcook the veg, and leave a bit of the cooking water in while you're blending. At the very beginning I also then pushed the puree through a sieve to ensure it was completely lump-free, but that was only with the first few batches before baby Emski became more used to 'solids'. I also started on very liquidy baby rice - this gets thicker the longer it's left, so I remember being surprised at how runny it had to be in order for baby to take it. Thought 'solids' was a bit of a misnomer!

I would also be interested in any feedback. Have been to see a few in the area and this was our favourite, but you can't beat first-hand experience. Did you end up sending your child there, Llama999? Or get any response? Would hugely appreciate any views - good or bad! Thank you

Hope that you're feeling better, Fuschia. Something very similar happened with my pregnancy a year and a half ago when I thought I was booked in with DMC and they neglected to tell me they were full! Hence I waited 18 weeks before seeing a midwife... (scans were organised directly with Kings somehow). I also had early bleeding on and off for several weeks, so was pretty stressed. We went directly to the EPU at Kings, and the doc who scanned me (twice) was lovely. I wish you all the best with the pregnancy, and am happy to tell you I'm now the mum of a gorgeous 1-yr-old. But bleeding is of course worrying and DMC/Lanes have acted pretty negligently in my view. I also complained formally, writing to head of midwifery, head of community midwives and DMC practice manager. Got a concerned-sounding response from the first, putting the lack of communication down to teething probs with the new system at DMC - but don't think that can still be the case 18 months on! If you haven't already done so, may be worth getting your name down on the waiting lists of other midwifery practices? I was keen on having a home birth and was lucky to get in with the Brierly with a few months to go. They were absolutely fantastic, and I'm still in touch with the lovely midwife I saw. Well done for complaining - you've clearly been receiving substandard care. I hope the Lanes can somehow get their act together and, of course, that you can put this bad start behind you and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy. Good luck! x

1. Milton tablets for sterilising bottles etc. Much better than the microwave bags. 2. A sunhat that ties on!

They can't have been very undercover police officers! But thanks for the warning.

"Why would roadworks affect SKY it's delivered by satellite?" Yes, initially I thought there were cables involved (getting confused with the Broadband element!), but techie on phone said heavy machinery can affect signal. Now that the diggers have stopped for the night it seems fine at any rate. Could also have been rogue trees... Thanks for input. Home & Away particularly exciting at the moment;-)

Before I fork out for an engineer to come round, is anyone else's Sky on the blink? Am just wondering if it's the roadworks outside - we're up by Dulwich Library. PS Suggest avoiding the Plough area on your way home - it's likely to be jammed.

I claimed MA last year - ?123/week for 40wks. Also had income via property rental which didn't seem to be a problem. Think you can download form via www.direct.gov - or there's a phone number on there for them to talk you through any questions. Seem to remember the lady I spoke to was actually quite helpful...

Carrieon - pls let us know what doc says. My 12-month-old also diagnosed with viral rash, but have since found out she's been in contact with German Measles. Hasn't had any MMR yet. I have pregnant friends to warn if it is GM, but since she seems on the mend (no longer has a temp, rash reducing, but still bit grumpy and tired), I'm not sure if there's any need to get it diagnosed. What does anyone think? Thanks

And - apologies for interrupting - if anyone knows one which would work with a curved banister post on one side, that would be great. Thanks!