Mikandnik

We need to have a loft ladder installed into the area above our upstairs landing. Can anyone recommend someone who is able to make the necessary changes to the ceiling (there is currently just a glass hatch). We want to ensure the area around the ladder is also reinforced as it provides access to the boiler. We have been let down twice in the last couple of weeks by people who have said they would call us back to arrange times/quotes etc, but have not done so, so TESTED tradesmen recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much for your advice on this - all so helpful. Have thought of a playpen and jumper, but again don't really want to have to buy those here for the sake of 4 weeks when we'll be buying new ones when we get abroad! Trying to come up with some creative ideas around this, or see if I can borrow these items for a month! Thanks again

My daughter is just about to enter the world of crawling...... just as my husband is going away and I have to pack up a 3 bed house on my own to move abroad - handy!!!! Anyway, I want to make sure I can 'close her off' safely, and was wondering what advice people have about room dividers mainly, but also stair gates. or are they actually the same thing? Excuse my ignorance on this one folks. Any help/advice greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone knows of any I can buy very cheaply as I am only going to need them for about 4 weeks before we leave the country and will buy them new where we are going. Thanks everyone.

I hear what you're saying - we had the same thing happen with a moving trolley that was on the path ready to move a fridge and they nabbed that in under 2 mins! Nope, the furniture was out of sight, and behind 3 tall rubbish bins, so they would have had to have walked onto the property, and physically moved the rubbish bins to get to the furniture!

Some undesirables have decided they would help themselves to our outdoor furniture from behind our hedge (you could not see the furniture from the pavement or road and they would also have had to have moved 3 rubbish bins to get it out!). It would have taken 2 people to move it as it was not particularly light. They even had time to put the rubbish bins back in place so we could not immediately tell the furniture was missing upon our return. We don't know whether it was a coincidence, but our neighbours also had some rubbish dumped on their hedge the same day. There were a few thefts about eighteen months ago from front yards, so we deliberately bought slightly heavier furniture to deter them. I guess the moral of the story is........chain everything up! Please let your neighbours and friends know to be on the lookout and let the police know if you have had anything like this happen yourself.

Hi all, sorry for silence. Have had back to back visitors and not really had a chance to get on top of emails, meet ups etc. Currently in a bit of a jam, and hoping someone may be able to help! We are currently on holiday, and have extended our stay until Tuesday but totally forgot that we had borrowed a travel pram from a friend of ours and they have promised it to another friend to take to Oz tomorrow for 6-8 weeks!!!!! ?Don't we feel awful! Anyway, we are desparately trying to find someone who would kindly lend or sell a travel pram for their friend to take to Oz, so if any of you know of anyone please let me know. ?Our friend has put an ad on the EDF, so hopefully someone will respond, but if you have any bright ideas, please drop me a line. ?Looking forward to catching up with some of you when i get back Nicky

I don't think I can make it in the afternoon unfortunately :-(

That will be my first day on my own, so I might be adventurous and see if I can get myself sorted in time to meet you there for 10.30!!! Nicky x

Thanks all for the wishes!! Forgot to mention, after 5 days in induction and labouring, i ended up having a C-Section anyway!! Also, just found out the baby was actually 7lbs 15ozs!

Hi all Great to read about all your goings ons over the last week. Sounds as though you've all been busy! Well, my little 'Sprout' finally made her grand entrance on Monday night (her due date) after 5 very long days of labour and induction. She weighed in at 7lbs 9ozs, so not the MASSIVE baby they were expecting. We're still in hospital for at least tomorrow, by which time we're hoping to have picked her name. Has all been a bit of a shell shock and we can't quite believe she has only been here for 36 hours, but I'm sure once we're back at home, things will make alot more sense! Good luck to those due this week. Nicky xxx

Looks like my induction could take a while. No movement at the station after almost 24 hours! Good luck to all those due to come in soon, particularly those that need to be turned! Nicky x

Congratulations Pippa, so glad to hear you escaped the C-section after such a long time, gives me hope for my induction on Thursday. Welcome to world little Kate, and I look forward to meeting her after I've popped. Well Done! Nicky x

Hi Pippa, After seeing you at the hospital last Friday, I had hoped things had progressed for you by now. Keep your chin up, they won't let you go much longer! If you are still in hospital on Thursday (hopefully with the baby!), that is when I am planned to come back in for my induction, so I might see you there. I will keep everything crossed for you. Nicky x

HI all, Congrats to our Xmas Mums babies! It has been quiet on here the last week or two, so I hope you have all had a great and most importantly relaxing Festive season! I have only just realised that I never managed to go to the water birth talk at Kings. I believe they are held the first ~Tuesday night of every month which would make the last opportunity for me to attend tonight, which unfortunately is going to be a squeeze. I was going some of you may have been to the talk in previous months and could advise whether it is worth taking the time to go, or whether it is in fact a waste of time! Any insight into what they actually go through would be appreciated. Can't believe I've left this until post 37 weeks - doh!! Good luck to everyone in the next few weeks. I'll be keeping all my bits crossed for everyone - quick and smooth labours please! Cheers all Nicky x

Thank you so much for the offer DulwichDeviant, it really is very kind of you. Thankfully, a friend of ours down the road was available and kindly helped hubby manhandle the fridge freezer all the way down the street (as I was totally useless), much to the amusement of many passers by. Thankfully, there was no snow! Merry Xmas to you Dulwichdeviant - hope you have a good one!

My sense of Xmas spirit has left me today, thanks to the scumbag white van man/men who decided they would help themselves to the moving trolley we had put outside our house ready to place a large fridge/freezer on for removal. You knew you were doing wrong judging on the speed with which you helped yourself to the item and tore off in your lovely white van. Didn't the front door being open and 2 men carrying a rather large fridge freezer down the hallway give you a clue that it wasn't up for grabs! Being 8 months pregnant and having to deal with this kind of cr*p on Xmas Eve does nothing for my Xmas spirit, so I hope the Grinch comes a biting!! (I know you won't read this, but it's made me feel a little better!)

Merry Xmas everyone. Hope you all have a great Festive season, and hopefully we'll all get a chance to catch up in the New Year. Nicky xxx

Hi Hannah, Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to make it either tonight. Hope you and Anna have a lovely time. See you on Wednesday. Nicky x

Fab news - well done you!! Hopefully, this is the beginning of many short labours to come! Or at least that's what I'm hoping!! On a different note, I don't suppose anyone has a pair of black Mama Spanx they'd be prepared to lend me for a wedding I have on this Saturday. I'm only going to be wearing them for a few hours, so didn't really want to spend a whole whack of money schlepping into the City with the crowds if I could avoid it. Totally understand if people would prefer not to lend tights tho! Congrats again to mothercourage x

HI girlies, Sorry it has been ages since I have been on here - things have been rather hectic, but hopefully will slow down after next weekend - hurrah! Sounds as though all of you have been quite busy as well though. Sorry to hear about those of you who are having a really rough time of it, especially you Pickle, it must be quite tiring 3rd time around to have to deal with the same medical problem and with 2 little 'ins in the picture! I am suffering from back ache and carpal tunnel syndrome which can be quite annoying and sometimes debilitating, but apart from that have had it fairly good so far, so do count myself very lucky! On the bright side, at least we all know most medical issues or aches and pains will have an end sometime in the next 3 months!! Sara, sounds as though the baby resus course will be great. Hubby and i are actually doing a baby first aid course through his work the week after next, so am looking forward to seeing what is covered in that. That will be the final course we do before Sprout presents him/herself. We finished hypnoborthing last week and have our final ante-natal class next week, so just waiting on dates for the breastfeeding workshop at Kings and may pop along to the home birth workshop one Saturday. Hannah, was lovely to bump into you, albeit briefly and while I was on the phone, last week. Sorry to hear about your pelvic pain - hope you get some respite soon! I am definitely up for coffee/cake/lunch/drink etc from next week onwards, so do PM me if you fancy a catch up! Will also be trying to finally make a another group meet up in a fortnight's time, regardless of whether it is at the Actress or a mini-pamper session - great idea btw Hannah! Also, is your yoga session, the one at Dulwich Therapy Rooms on Wed morning? If so, am planning to go tomorrow, so might see you there. On the topic of catch ups - I am now completely confused about cake and coffee tomorrow - is this a definite plan? MissMack? NOt much else to update, have had 3 scans in the last month, the first 2 of which indicated I was carrying a monster (the readings were literally off the scale - not figuratively!), however my scan yesterday indicated growth had calmed down a bit and he/she is now just at the upper end of the normal scale, so not off it which is slightly more reassuring, although I do know there is only so much creedence you can put in the scan measurements! Will just have to wait and see! That's about it from me for now, the home stretch is on us all, and now count Emma and Alix will provide us with our first Winter Babies Group baby in the next week or 2 - good luck ladies, we'll all be rooting for you! Cheers cherubs Nicky x

Thanks for the info missmack, Excuse my ignorance, but what is the SCBU? Still a newbie on this one! mothercourage, I can get out of my thing on the 10th if need be, just let me know if that is the date the consultant can do. All those who met at the electrical cafe today, hope you had a lovely time. My services weren't required to drive to the hospital with my girlfriend as the labour ward was full so she had the baby at home mid-afternoon - MUm and but all well. Nicky x

Hi all, 18th and 19th are definitely out for me as we will be in Devon unfortunately. I have something booked for the 10th, but might be able to get out of it if it ws the only date people could do. Are any of the Dads interested in joining this session btw, I know mine would be, however appreciate numbers are limited for this particular one! I don't think I'm going to make it today after all as have just had a phone call from the significant other of a friend (Autumn babies club mum to be) who went into labour this morning, the midwife has just arrived and she's 9cm!!! I'm therefore on standby to take then to the hospital if need be!! A little too close to home now! If I'm not required, I'll pop down for a coffee. Hopefully, the sun will stay out for you! Nicky

Poor you Pickle, I thought I had gotten away with it, but my chubby chipolata fingers have finally made themselves known in the last couple of days!!! I have deliveries arriving tomorrow, but hopefully can pop along from 2pm to see those who are meeting at the Electrical Cafe. N x

Thanks Caroline, I couldn't find it in the thread anywhere, so thought I'd check as I now have my whole week virtually open! Won't be here next week, and have a dinner on Nov 17th, so sadly, I won't be able to attend the fortnightly evening meet ups until December :-( Will be around for daytime catch ups this week and once I am back after Nov 7th. Hope all mums and bumps are well! Nic P.S. Sara and Caroline, as we have had to move our trip, we will be missing the first ante-natal class next week, so will see you both on the 9th x

Hi all, We have had to move our trip away, so I am unexpectedly in ED this week - is there a get together tonight at the Gowlett or Thursday at the Actress? Nic x