Ruth_Baldock

And me, Helen! She also said that I shouldn't be aggressive towards DH (was grabbing his t-shirt and shouting. Abuse. Loudly). Well, I beg to differ, both helped IMMENSELY and I imagine will help just as much this time, too.(tu)

Thank the lord/FRM for this thread. I'm pregnant with Baby 2, due 15th July, we think it's a girl but we'll find out for sure in March. Baby 1 is 13 months old, so I must be barmy. Here we go again, etc. Any second time Mums out there ? (Apart from the secret pregnant ladies I know keeping quiet for the time being ;) )

agree with saffron on this, am afraid. I know I'd spend the weekend inwardly obsessing/seething about mil getting her own way with Baby B. Is giving me anxious angry heartburn just thinking of it...

WOD: 12 y/o is Autistic, hence why I thought the NAS donated the bike (did something like that for my brother) so I'm not sure he'd understand :( We couldn't put the bike hook in the hallway (shared), as no room, but it could fit happily in their own private hallway. To be honest, we are having a member of the council over to get them to look at something we want planning permission for, so may...er...tell a porkie and after said Council bloke has gone, will say 'oooooh, he pointed out it's VERY UNSAFE for that bike to be here, tut tut, official spokesperson etc'. Mrs Downstairs saw me doing the car-buggy rigamarole today and said 'isn't that a hassle?'. I said 'Well, slightly, but it's better than having it downstairs and being burnt to a crisp when the oven gets left on, isn't it?' Passive aggressive? Moi? No!

Hi everyone, thanks for your responses. Legalbeagle- you are correct- it's totally a fire hazard and against the lease, as is our buggy (now stored in the car, no problem as when I leave I take Baby B with me, put him in his car seat and get the buggy out). When I came in today, the bike had fallen over (AGAIN) and was lying on the hallway floor. Mr B went and spoke to neighbours, pointing out it was a fire hazard (he looked over the lease when he was WFH today), as was the buggy hence it being moved, and they needed to find alternative arrangements NOW. outside storage apparantly no good, Mr B told them he 'didn't give two hoots'. :/ He calmed down, and showed neighbour our bike hook, explaining he fitted it himself in less that 30 minutes. During all this, he found out that neighbours RENT A GARAGE across the road! Anyway, we basically said "get rid of the bike in the garage or house, or we'll have to proceed with this matter" (ooh er) They asked if they could move it when the baby arrives. BIG sigh.

@Could you install a wall-mounted bike rack and at least have it stored up high on the wall where it won't fall over? We've done this :) Husband has his, and my, bikes stored on wallmounts. We offered to even install it for them. No,they say, it's unsafe 'because of the children and cats' and they don't have the room. We've noticed they've got outside storage and they DO have a garden though, so we don't think theres any excuse. Husband found out bike was donated to the son from the NAS (we think, possibly the Spa School where he goes) so we couldn't offer to buy it anyway, but it makes it all the worse that it's not being used when another kid could get some real use out of it! Carrie; yes, we thought of this. Lease states we can't obstruct the hallway with bikes, says nothing about prams though? We don't mind about storing the buggy in our flat/car outside if needs be, it's just the space which is a major issue at the moment :(

We've been there since September 2008, never been to a freeholder meeting. Suspect we haven't been looking hard enough, will probably have to call Southwark to get info on it. It's just SO annoying. Does anyone know a child who will take the sodding bike? It's not even a NICE bike. grumble, grumble.

Just wanted a bit of advice really. We're having some 'issues' with our neighbours. This is going to make me sound horribley spoilt. It's not that they are loud or obnoxious (they're not) but it's still a problem. We live above a family of 5- parents, 3 kids (ages 12, 15, 18). The 12 year old has a bike, which by his parent's own admission, he has never ridden. he keeps it in our shared hallway, it CONSTANTLY falls over and has damaged the walls and floor. It also makes it difficult to store the buggy (folded- it's a bugaboo bee and folds down to next to nothing) and putting up the buggy in the hall is a nightmare. I usually have to carry it downstairs (outside), assemble it, run upstairs, get Baby B and put him in. All traumatic as he cries a river when I leave the room. Neighbours have seen me struggle with the buggy/bike, and always smirk 'Oh that bloody boy's bike!'. We have mentioned it's in the way, but get ignored. A few days ago, my son and I were in the hallway, getting something from the buggy, and he pulled the bike onto himself. He was fine, not hurt, but he was frighetend. I got in the way of the bike (selfless Mother that I am) and the handlebars went straight into my bump. It's not on, and I rang their bell to explain, calmly, what had happened. They refiuse to move this bloody bike, saying they have nowhere to store it, but it's only going to get more and more difficult as my bump gets bigger, as does Baby B 1, and the phil and teds (obviously). We have asked if it's okay to store the buggy, they said it was fine... We own our own flats, but it's a share of freehold (southwark are the leaseholders). From a 'legal' standpoint, is there much I can do? Have considered asking local youth's to steal the bloody thing, but Husband doesn't think that's A Good Idea. What would you do???

Thursdays vetoed for me until Aprilish- I lecture at Goldsmiths on Thursdays, unfortunately. Or fortunately. Depends how you look at it!

I got pregnant whilst breastfeeding my then 10 month old! Like Helen, after just one (frankly, pitiful) period.

Anna, you may be pleasantly surprised about your work's reaction! I work for a large Law firm/law school, very male orientated, and I am one of two women in my department and the only one to have a baby, breastfeed, and come back to work. When I told my male and quite stuffy (or so I thought) boss was really laid back about it all. In fact, everyone was really interested in breastfeeding (go figure!) I still get lots of questions about it, did my son wean when I got pregnant, was I able to drink wine etc. It was spoken about quite openly 'Yes, Ruth is around but don't schedule the meeting between 2 and 3 pm...' In the end I only pumped for a fortnight before my MIL (who watches my son) reported he wasn't drinking all the milk I sent in the day (I work 1-5pm, would feed him at 11.45, he'd have lunch and water, a nap, some more water, then back home for bath, bed, boob) Good luck!

Same here- baby I currently have is 13 months and wouldn't sit still for all the organix gingerbread men in the world. Will have a snuggly newborn in july though...

Same here- baby I currently have is 13 months and wouldn't sit still for all the organiz gingerbread men in the world. Will have a snuggly newborn in july though...

Echoing everyone else re: employers HAVE to accomadate (sp?) bf Mums. You are entitled to a private space, fridge, and breaks to pump in. Sorry that your baby is refusing bottles- Baby Baldock was okay with them but remember my Mum struggling to get my siblings onto bottles. In the end, they took EBM from cups- slightly messy, but it got (some) of the job done

Belle-I do agree that it's good that Heat are 'talking' about breastfeeding, or at least mentioning it, but I just hate the juvenile tone. However, you're right, that's their calling card- taking the piss a bit (in a good natured way) What actually gets me, is you barely ever hear about celebrities who have breastfed 'successfully' (at least not in the UK- in the states they have Nicole Richie and Kourtney Kardashian and Gwen Stefani)so stopping early seems to be the norm. I don't know. A lot of this makes me sound very judgy, but I think I feel even MORE strongly about breastfeeding now that Baby B has self weaned...seriously did not realise how much I relied on BF to soothe/calm/distract him until it wasn't an option anymore. Hope to BF Baby B 2 for about a million years...

That heat "article" made me rage!!!!! Gina, since I had my son, 7 people I went to school with also had babies and not one of them considered breastfeeding :( someone sent me a MSG recently congratulating me on baby 2, and said " you're not going to bother breatsfeeding again are you???" sadface :(

Hello lovely SAHMs, I do work very PT, but after Baby Baldock 2 arrives in July, it is unlikely I'll be going back to work...for the next 5 years at least (Baby Baldock 1 is currently looked after when I am working by MIL, very lovely of her, but I suspect looking after a 9 month old and 2 1/2 year old, when I am meant to go back, will be way too much to ask!) I digress. Baby Baldock is one, and we'd love to meet up with other Mums and babies, particuarly if there are any other mentalists out there attempting to have '2 under 2'. We can commiserate together, and have our heads examined...er, I mean, look adorlingly at our well behaved toddlers and think 'How lovely and easy pregnancy is this time round...' I'm almost ALWAYS at Bumps+Babes at goose green centre on Mondays, I co-ordinate it and will be doing so until May-ish. I'd recommend it, lovely group, although I am hugely biased... Happy New Year, everyone!

LEDF; couldn't agree more! I have a whole host of headdesk moments from my husband culminating over the christmas period. I have found myself chanting "I love my husband" throgh gritted teeth at least 5 times a day.

We weigh our son by putting him in the door bouncer harness (we know it weighs EXACTLY 340g) and then weighing him with a excess luggage...er...measurer thing. It's not 110% accurate, but it gets the job done. An idea for the future perhaps? I believe there used to be a HV/baby weigh drop in clinic at 'baby and me' which is at the surestart centre on Bantry St SE5. I think it's from 1-3? USed to be in the dulwich/camberwell 'lets go' events listings.

Just a thought: I am reading "the rough guide to pregnancy" and it's got lots aimed at dads. It's also really funny and easy to read. Husband reading ATM and likes to tell me about cervical sweeps etc. Also have a DVD called "being dad" which is Australian and v good. Made husband cry th first time round! Welcome to borrow dd but m rathe surgically attatched to my rough guide book :)

ME ME ME! Can't smoke but I can do rude impressions of teachers etc.

I used to dive for my county (ooooh yeaaaah, I'll be handing out autographs later...) and when S was about 4 months old, started swimming again. He'd having a swimming lesson with Daddy, I'd do my own thing for 1-1.5 hours. Did it twice a week. I was all thin and lovely again. And then I got knocked up. To conclude, would recommend swimming.

SG: Yep, really. GP couldn't really feel it, and I certainly couldn't. Baby S is now one, and had his pointy head measured every week up till about a fortnight ago. No major problems from it, and he wasn't referred for xrays or owt. Same thing happened with DH, and SIL. And FIL. Maybe genetic? Thankgod I didn't think to worry about it, I'd have sent myself loopy! Oh well, something to worry about for next time...

Would second speaking to a seasoned Dad! Happy to volunteer Mr B. He likes a pint/talking about babies. We have a 1 y/o, expecting our second in July. Because we're mentalists. PM me if you and your OH would like me to get DH to set up a Baby Man Date.

Well, I think this post is lovely especially because it's a bit tongue in cheek! Agree with others who have said they haven't said anything here that they haven't already said to their OHs! I'm sure my husband has a whole tonne of gripes with me, too. How boring it would be if we were both 'perfect'. And how exhausting! But, to make up for it, here is a list of Awesome and Amazing things Mr Baldock has done since I was pregnant with Baby S: -Gave me lifts everywhere, the moment we got our BFP :"You're going to the loo? Need a lift?!". This includes leaving work early to go home, fetch the car, and collect me daily from Holborn. . -Became a bit of a breastfeeding expert actually- researching a 'good latch' so he could really help me succeed with feeding Baby S in the awful early days. -Stayed up all night in the post-natal wards, despite not really meant to be there, holding Tiny Baby S because he only slept when held, waking me up to feed Baby S and then taking over. He did this for about 15 hours straight on less sleep than me. -Suffered a black eye and split lip from me properly kicking him in the face during labour. Didn't make a peep. Owies! -When Baby S was 4 days old, telling about 20 members of his family that 'it might be time to leave' when I cried at them all pawing over Baby S. It was way too overwhelming. Family members ignored him, said I was hormonal. DH opened the door, flung out their coats and said 'SOD OFF'. DH would never say boo to a goose before, I was shocked! In a good way. -Gave up a good paying and interesting project, to take on a mind-numbingly boring one for less pay that meant he could be home in time to bathe 7 week old Baby S. Project was so boring, DH was literally in tears. -Reguarly tells anyone who will listen how beautiful and wonderful Baby S is (it's true- best baby ever). Says awesome babyness down to me; for taking such good care of my bump during pregnancy and for looking after him in the day (I think I'm just about doing okay- must be doing something right!). -Tells everyone, all and sundry, that he'd be nothing without Baby S, me, and Mystery Foetus. -Made all of Baby S's meals at about 2am when he got back from work (new, more interesting project). Every day for 5 weeks. (Purees and the like). -Has bought every single one of baby s's nappies, toys, clothes, food, sippy cups and all babby related stuff. Prams, cots, etc etc all included in this. Tells me to keep my wages for myself, doesn't ever make a fuss about it. -Has done shedloads of independent MW research, VBAC research and booked us in for hypnobirthing classes. -Am running out of volunteers for Bumps and Babes SE22. Hubster offered to take off monday mornings to run groups with me and others until we can find more mums to host. -Thinks up fun and interesting activities for Baby S to do at the weekend. Absolutelty dotes on him. Tells Baby S, Bump and me that he loves us about six million times a day. -Didn't call the men in white coats when I locked myself in the bathroom the day before he went back to work. Declared I wouldn't come out until he agreed to stay home with us. DH had lots of patience, sat outside the door passing Baby S to me for feeds, talking about nothing in particular until I convinced myself I'd be okay when he went back. Never once mentioned it to me or anyone else. -Had listened to me bang on about skin to skin for so long that when Baby S was brought out of theatre, Hubster whipped off his top so that Baby S could snuggle against his skin. I was in surgery for 3 hours. Baby was happy and content and happily came over to me for latching/snuggles when I came round, after being naked and sleeping on my husband's chest for ages. I think this means more to me than anything because I felt so guilty and detached from Baby S because of my c-section. HOWEVER, on the flip side, he didn't bath Baby S until I got home last night because he 'couldn't find S's towel'. Sigh.