radhabee

Primark (there's one in Peckham on Rye Lane) and M&S. In both cases I bought multipacks. Primark a bargain at ?4 for three and ?2 for two!

These are great, and a few have jogged ancient memories! Thanks so much, R

Sorry I posted a msg twice by mistake - she's 2.5 but we read her stuff like "The Reluctant Dragon" by Kenneth Graham and she enjoys it, ditto Wind in the Willows so almost anything up to ten I would say is fine

deleted/ edited because I posted twice, d'oh! Orig message above in the list

Hello forumites, I'm looking for recommendations for books to read to my daughter that have girl characters as their leads. Not in a self-conscious "I am a girl - girl power" way, just a great story, well written, with an ace main character that just happens to be a girl. We have lots of books and almost all of the boys are "doers", the girls are either doing "girlie" things or are more passive. And this is not because when I asked my daughter do you want to be a nurse or a doctor, she said "nurse" - honest ;) Any suggestions gratefully received 7

It was great, many thanks yak for sorting. and ditto, it was good to put names/bodies to pseudonyms. I am still feeling ropey and only had two spritzers! I'm not the woman I once was...

Too funny. Will PM you!

@bluesuperted heh. Just kidding - didn't take it badly at all! I don't think I'm going to persuade anyone to read the book but her description of the 12 week scan as like looking at a crustacean in a snowstorm did make me smile.

Great, thanks very much for the info and suggestions and for the PMs. Princess I'll PM you if anything comes of organising playdates!

@bluesuperted I have a general enjoyment of motherhood too ;)

Going against the grain but...I liked it! I thought she evoked the utter strangeness of new motherhood very well: not knowing what to do; not quite believing one's new life, the shock of being being divorced from the wordly world. Deep joy and immense tedium. I also liked the "becoming a mother" idea - that this exhausting, alarming, wild experience is profoundly changing. One has a baby but one becomes a mother. She obviously had quite a time of it - and there are extremes of feeling in the book - but I'd say most mothers I've met could identify with a number of its themes, even if they experienced them on a less intense level. Give it a go!

Hello, Does anyone have any thoughts on teaching a toddler French (in a non-native French speaking household)? My 2.5 yr old daughter is a real 'sponge' at the moment for language and I thought it might be nice to introduce her to French, which I speak colloquially ie not perfectly but understandably. Is this daft, familyroomers, and what's the best way to go about it? Are there any storytelling / singing groups for little ones or has anyone had any experience of local French teacher? I want it to be fun, so perhaps a play session in French with a teacher or simply setting up playdates with French mamas and bebes would be the way to go... Any ideas very welcome! Thanks so much

Hey Amy, When I am on my own best case scenario is for lastborn (3.5months) to have had a nap around 4pm so that he can make it through firstborn's (2.5 yrs) supper fairly happily. Either he naps in his cot or (in dire circs) we go for a little drive. So, routine is then this: both children relatively cheerful during toddler tea. I sometimes feed newborn while firstborn is eating, or like Sillywoman above feed baby on loo at bathtime. Both upstairs for bath. Baby kicks about while toddler is in bath. Bath baby quickly and dress. More kicking about. Toddler out of bath and dressed then both to toddler's bedroom. Baby on floor, kicking about. Toddler on knee for one story (we've always done just one story at bedtime and I'm glad because baby is nearing end of tether by this time), kiss goodnight, leave room. baby last feed in bedroom, put down. ESCAPE! Obviously it varies a bit depending on the day we've all had, but I think they key is to enable baby to cope during the witching hours of 5-7/7.30pm. That might be a feed or a sleep or both. Whatever gets you through... But it is daunting. First time I had both on my own everyone's supper was late, baby was overtired, yelling his head off in bathroom while I tried to rock him calm. Toddler was fully dressed, not yet bathed, running away from me and thought it would be excellent fun to turn the bathroom light on and off. Imagine. Pitch black, yelling, lights full on, yelling, toddler giggling, pitch black, yelling etc etc Good luck! R x

Sounds great! My first FRD. Looking forward... R

local mums and forumites @yakling @yasaikatsucurry (the famous ruth baldock of family room discussion fame!) @sathlondonshona are all very funny / insightful / smart. Good with food too, esp @sathlondonshona who is setting up a cafe, the dish and the spoon in Nunhead. As her profile says, follow it @dishse15 and you could try me too @radha_burgess who tries to keep up with the above, is chair of friends of brunswick park, keeps an eye on politics etc

Hi sillywoman, It's a bit of a blur (2nd pregnancy and you only glance at a midwife about twice in the antenatal period) but last time I looked there was a certificate in the fetal medicine unit for excellence in care. R

Hi, I gave birth to my daughter in sept 2009 at St T's and will be seeing them again in 3 months for baby number two. I had a really great experience with them. A midwife was present throughout, they listened to me, kept me informed, were reassuring etc. When I asked for an epidural (after approx 48 hrs of v regular contractions) an anaesthetist came immediately - unlike a lot of horror stories I've heard at different hospitals where women are kept waiting for an hour or longer). I had two midwives (one junior) present for delivery and consultants came round to check on things like suturing etc. When my placenta didn't come out, they sent the head midwife in to give it a bit of a jiggle (! sorry if that's TMI). Then they were really nice and let us stay in a room in the home from home birth centre as there was space(technically I didn't qualify as I had an intervention - epidural) so my husband could stay the night with us. To your midwife care point, I think it generally seems patchy to all first time mothers - I also went to St T's for antenatal care but that was because my local unit failed to get in touch! - and it's a pretty 'hands off' approach throughout the NHS which some people find disconcerting. I also had a great midwife there (older lady called Maureen). It does sound bad that you are not getting answers and that you were made to wait so long to see someone, it also sounds a bit unusual. They keep getting awards for excellence in care; I've only heard people rave about the care they received. I think it might be time to kick up a fuss and explain you feel ignored and unattended to and your confidence in the hospital is at a low. I am sure they will respond positively. On the King's side, I had postnatal care from their team and (at least in 2009) they were useless! They failed to diagnose my amber-traffic-light coloured baby had jaundice, were no help with breastfeeding etc... Hope this helps. And good luck with the birth, hope it's quick! R

Hi BellendenBear, It's here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7695144426 Oops user error, I mean here: http://www.facebook.com/warwick.garden?sk=wall

Hi, this looks really interesting. I'm involved in a local (Camberwell) festival in August whose theme is 'dance'. We're looking for a variety of people to perform, lead a few simple classes for kids to join in with and so on and it would be great to involve a streetdance group. Do you think they'd be interested in pitching in?

Hi, I love Rosie Bray's work. She's great with kids (and parents!) and has a very natural style. Her blog is here http://www.rosiebray.com/blog/?p=1297 She also does very nice "bump" photos. [email protected] 07867 800351

Hi, probably the best known one is called Baby Led Weaning by Gill Rapley, you can probably find a cheapish copy on abebooks.co.uk. I found it quite useful, only criticism is that it spends a lot of time justifying the approach - it's more of a "why to" rather than a "how to" (recipes, idiot-proof top five things to avoid etc etc) book. Having said that, it spared me from months of pureeing, and for that I am eternally grateful :)

Hi, I'm due on Nov 18th at St Thomas' with baby number two (I have a 20 month old girl) and would love to join on July 17th. I'd also like to join the email list. Thanks and looking forward to meeting everyone in 6 weeks or so... R

Brilliant, thanks

I'm new at this so forgive basic question... Delightful 16 yr old daughter of friend of family is babysitting tonight and her mother says she only does it for friends and usually gets ?15 for an evening's sit. This seems awfully low. We're off to the theatre and so she'll be doing a good 4 hours and I'd like to call on her again... Mother thinks ?10 an hour inappropriate riches. What would be appropriate? Any ideas gratefully received, R x

Hi, I suspect this is a bit late, but just in case Loz is overbooked :) ...Rosie Bray is brilliant - she only uses natural light and is really super with kids. Her site's here: http://www.rosiebray.com you can see some sample stuff (eg 'sunshine and bubbles'), - nice relaxed photos, no cheesetastic formal posing! Hope this helps. R x