slh2009

This decision has been taken out of my hands this week as I found my 21 month old straddling the side rail of his cot shouting "Mummy horse!". So I think the sides will be coming off rather sooner than I had hoped i.e. this weekend! Am also interested in how to keep him in bed so will watch with interest....!

I still put my 20 month old in his cot if I need to shower when he is awake. I give him a couple of books and toys and it keeps him happy just long enough! I can see him from the shower though so can keep an eye on him still. As for getting dinner etc agree it is a nightmare. Could you put your son in his highchair with a book/toy?

I have this too! Have found a battery operated toothbrush has helped a bit as he copies daddy with his electric one. Might be worth a try...

This could be my 19 month son! Also loves Daddy but when I'm around he just wants me. I think/know he is wrapping himself round my little finger but it's hard to ignore the crying if I continue to do what I was trying to. He goes to nursery 4 days a week and has been happy to run off when I drop him until the last 3 weeks when he clings to me for dear life and they have to peel him off me. Hate leaving him there screaming for me but I know he's fine 5 mins later. I'm telling myself it's a phase, just hope it doesn't last too long!!

Hello...I did both NCT classes and the NHS ones at Lewisham and am really glad that I did both. As others have said, NCT classes are great for meeting others and hopefully making friends, this was important to me as I don't have any family in London and my friends kids are all older now. I was lucky to be with a lovely group of people and am not sure what I would have done without their support, especially in the early days. Five of our babies were born in the same week so we were all there with each other throughout every newborn worry! Now 20 months on and we girls meet up for dinner once a month so we can talk toddler tantrums and other things too! The classes are expensive and I'm not sure how much the content really helped but it did get some good discussions going, particularly with the dads! We started 8 weeks of classes early September with a mid November due date, in Dulwich even though we were living in Forest Hill (no classes there at the time). This meant that the others were not walking distance but luckily most of us drive so it was never really a problem. To meet more local mums I also attended a couple of NCT tea groups in Forest Hill and met another group of nice girls through that, many of whom are walking distance from home and who I still see. The Lewisham hospital classes are more "real", matter of fact and informative...even down to to passing round forceps and an epidural line - both of which I saw again, in action on the big day! You'll also get to see the labour and post natal wards which is worth it in case you end up going there. I think it would be harder to make friends in these classes as fapl said, the room was packed. I did end up making friends with one girl there as we met later at the tea group by coincidence. Timing wise I think these were late September for us, for 3 weeks. I also attended some free post-natal classes run by local health visitors and made more friends there too. I'm not sure if all areas do these classses but ask at your local surgery as they should be able to advise you. They ran for 7 weeks and covered everything from feeding to first aid with a guest speaker each week. Saying all of that, it does seem like this forum is a good place to meet other mums/mums to be so good luck with whatever you decide to do!

There's also Oatibix which goes down well here with almost 19 month old....

We went to the Aquarium which my son quite enjoyed (I think), but really it was more for me to feel I'd made an effort on his special day, which of course he won't remember! As others have said, some of the more local places would be just as much fun....we recently went to the Horniman's aquarium and my son was way more interested in that, only a few months later/older. Have a lovely day whatever you do!

Hi, I can't advise on the birth centre as I was higher risk and not allowed to use it but I just wanted to add my experience of the maternity unit at Lewisham. I gave birth there nearly 18 months ago and found the labour ward midwives to be supportive and caring throughout my induction and labour. My baby had to spend 5 days in NICU and the staff there were amazing, the equipment and knowledge they have there is first class. I was on the postnatal ward for a week which was fine but the staff are definitely busier/not so accessible there. I think that is probably the same in any large hospital though and definitely heard similar from my friends who were at Kings. If you do end up on the postnatal ward at Lewisham you have the option of paying (not that much) for a single room if thee is one available. This was invaluable to me as I was there without my baby while he was in NICU. Anyway just a few observations there as I know when I was looking at where to go I could not find anything positive written about Lewisham! If you have any specific questions/worries I'm happy to answer via PM. Good luck!

Hi, I work at a large bank in the City and also got 6 months full pay, 3 months statutory and 3 months unpaid (still covered by benefits tho). Also thought this was quite standard in the City so realise I was lucky!

Hi am interested in this too but have no advice I'm afraid! My 15 month old still has 3 bottles (won't drink milk from cup) a day, so 600 ml plus wakes most nights for another (think this could be a habit). I've not cut out the afternoon one yet as he is not eating much at all at nursery, he's a bit fussy re food and is still settling in to the new routine. It's hard to know what to do isn't it!

Yes it is Randlesdown Road! Directly opposite Bellingham train station. 1 Bellingha m Leisure & Lifestyle Centre 5 Randlesdown Road, Bellingham SE6 3BT Tel: 020 8697 0043 Web: www.gll.org/bellingham Bus: 54, 136, 208, 199 Train: Bellingham Parking: On-site pay & display car parking available, bicycle racks available http://www.gll.org/lg/bellingham.pdf

Another vote for Little Rascals here although have only been to Beckenham to compare it to. I have a very active 14 month old (boy!) who has great fun there but he is a confident walker. It is on two levels so I have to follow him everywhere but it's good fun, and a work-out for me ;-)It seems quite clean but I've not used the cafe or checked out the loos! We even went today (yes in school hols) and the area for the little ones wasn't too crowded, was very noisy though! I found Beckenham a bit too boistrous for him but in both places there were children over 4 in the toddler areas, guess that happens everywhere. Have fun!

Hi, we've had this problem with our 14 month old, for anti biotics and calpol. We mix a spponful into a small fromage frais and this does the trick, lucky he likes fromage frais very much!

Hi, I had gestational diabetes and did all the blood sugar testing but my baby was not big (I had borderline GD). Have you been referred to a dietician? I found that quite helpful in monitoring what I ate as I had no experience of diabetes. I do find it a bit odd that the midwife said you would not be induced or have a c-section as this was made clear to me as soon as GD was diagnosed that even though my baby was not big (he was 6lb 140z)I would be induced on my due date followed by a swift c-section if necessary, because I had GD. I was not very happy with that but went along with it as it was my first baby and I didn't feel I could argue with the doctors(although I did get a few days grace and went over my due date!). Sorry I can't help with advice on a big baby but would recommend trying to get more information on how to control GD. Good luck!

I've read this with interest as have also been given conflicting advice! At a postnatal group run by health visitors I attended, we were advised by a paediatric dentist from Kings to use adult toothpaste as soon as teeth appear. However my dentist who I've been seeing for some years now and trust implicitly, has just told me that the worst thing I can do for my just one year old is use ANY fluoride at all! This is due to adult teeth forming at this time and the fluoride can create white marks on the teeth. He said that after 18 months- 2 years it is ok to use milk teeth toothpaste. So I have gone back to using just water for now. It is all so confusing as even the British dental website advises using some toothpaste!

My friend has stayed in a couple of big villas in majorca from www.villaparade.co.uk, looked stunning in the photos and they were very happy with it....was extended family with 6 kids under 11!

Hi, I also have a Peach which I love but have just bought a Silver Cross Pop for occasional use, holidays etc. I've not used it yet but it is a Which Best Buy and is currently on sale in Mothercare for ?97. Could be worth considering! I was comparing it to Maclaren Quest for about the same price. Pop is slightly heavier but handles are higher so if your husband is tall it might suit him. Also liked the hood with sun visor which isn't on the Quest.

Hi there I don't have any great advice as my baby is about the same age but just to say I had a similar problem with breakfast/baby porridge until I mixed some of Plum or Ella's fruit pouch (eg apple & banana) into the porridge and then he would eat it! I tricked him with the first couple of mouthfuls of just fruit to get him interested and then mixed in a bit of porridge, increasing the porridge and decreasing the fruit with time. I still have to mix a bit in but he will at least eat something. The last couple of days he has enjoyed some Weetabix (with no fruit!) and a chunk of banana, I've tried it a few times before but he always spat it out. Good luck!

Hi, I would also be interested in any feedback as I am going to view the nursey soon...I know they have been overwhelmed with applications and have a waiting list...

Oh that's good, glad it went well!

I don't think any of the babies I know found it as bad as the regular immunisations so hopefully you will be ok! Also I do think it is worth having as I know someone at the moment with suspected TB in London and would rather avoid that. Good luck!

Hi...the actual injection (in the arm) is fine...there were no tears anyway. About 8 weeks later it came up in a massive lump filled with pus which burst one night in the bath, did not seem to bother baby at all, just not nice to look at. It is going down gradually but still there some weeks later and will scar I guess but he hasn't been upset by it at all.

I have a Peach and am very happy with it. I used the carrycot throughout the winter and my baby was very snug and warm in there and slept well in it. When he was almost 5 months old I moved him into the stroller as he was keen to see around him and is quite long so was only just fitting in the carrycot. It's a dream to push around but I tend to walk, drive or get the train everywhere so have not been on a bus with it yet. I imagine if you will be getting the bus a lot the Bee would be easier to handle as it will be much lighter. The Peach wasn't the heaviest pram I tested but it was a bit heavier than the Cameleon. The only annoying thing I found with it was when I was using the carrycot the basket underneath was pretty much inaccessible which is a shame as it is quite big and now I'm using the stroller it's really handy for shopping. I'm not sure if the Bee accommodates a car seat as well but I found that useful with the Peach. Lastly if you were thinking of having 2 babies close in age then the Peach can be adapted to become a twin. Hope that helps!

Hi, the following are less than 5 mins walk from Liverpool St station: Pizza Express - on Bishopsgate, opposite the station Giraffe - in Spitalfields GBK - in Spitalfields S & M (sausage & mash) - Brushfield St opposite Spitalfields Wagamama - Old Broad Street Hope that helps!

Already mentioned but you can't have enough muslins! Vibrating chair