sillywoman

Look for other options - they should be able to arrange a transfer to The Lanes or Oakwood teams (a similar service to Albany) I think. Do it now so that you can build a relationship with your new midwives. Sorry to sound blunt, but if you're hoping for a home birth then you need to have confidence in your midwives - you've got the perfect opportunity to get onto the lists at these coveted community teams. Take it while you can!

17 months between daughter and son 1, then 2yrs 10 months - son 2, and 3 1/2yrs son 3. can safely say have absolutely no broodinessat all now. Too knackered and poor! Children 1 & 2 are now 12 & 13. Like Pickle it was great when they were little - a bit like I imagine twins would be, but easier. I had a similar experience - co-ordinated nap times, liked the same playgroups, the same bath & bed time. BUT . . . As they've got older I've regretted the close age more. Daughter struggles with no recall of any special time & quite resents that she can't remember time alone with me & Dad. It's obviously down to personality as well, but if I was doing it again, with hindsight, I'd have a 2 or 3 year age gap. From observing friends it can be harder initially (a jealous toddler is no laughing matter), but as they get older the relationship seems to be better - more protective, & jokey, less dismissive & competitive. Just a personal view - I've no real evidence for it.:))

Ah yes, as Mellors says; Tommy's does turn you away & send you off to find another hospital if they're full. Kings doesn't, they have an open door policy - they will never turn any woman in established labour away, but you might have to labour in an office or whatever space they can find you until they can get a clean room for you. Rock & hard place?

6 of one, half a dozen of the others Clare, as Smiler says they're both large NHS hospitals, there are examples of good and bad bedside manner to found in both. Anecdotally I don't hear any better of one than the other. It seems to be luck of the draw really. It's important to feel as comfortable as possible in your place of birth, but you have to remember that both Kings & Tommy's are NHS hospitals - they don't have all the resources available to them that they might wish for and this may be reflected in your antenatal, labour, birth & postnatal experience. Just over 18% of women actually give birth in St Thomas' home from home unit, and their Caesarean rate is slightly higher than Kings (28.1% as compared to 26.8%), but they do have the lovely garden room & a couple of rooms with the fab view - so it's down to personal choice I guess? Lastly, it's worth mentioning that Tommy's are struggling to meet the recommended 3 community midwife visits after you go home. They are taking on more staff to deal with this issue, but they won't be up and running until the Summer - too late for you sadly. This may not seem so important at this point (it's natural that this close to D-day your interests would be focussed on the labour and birth), but in the confusing early days with a new baby regular midwife visits can be a real comfort & reassurance. If you're out of their area Tommy's may transfer your postnatal care to Kings Midwives, if this is the case you'll need to ensure that Kings are aware of you so you don't fall between the gaps. Good luck with your decision.

The London Ambulance Service do a lovely course, they charge ?5 per person to cover the venue hire plus refreshments, but if you're doing it at your place, there is nothing to pay. They don't charge for the First Aid Course for babies & there is another course tailored for toddlers, this one has a cost of ?10 per head, but I find the babies' one good enough to cover young toddlers. The number for LAS is 02074633120. That is the main office number, you can explain what you need, and then arrange a date which is convenient for you and the available instructors. My understanding is that because it's a charity rather than a business, they're not aiming to make a profit from you - just cover costs. I've had them round to do a courses and the paramedic who ran it was excellent.

I remember going through this with a little boys I was Nanny to many years ago. His Mum had the clever idea that the dummy's were all kept in the same place, namely a glove puppet monkey in his cot bed. When he wanted one he had to go to his bed and have it there, it worked on a number of levels. He tended to want them more when he was tired anyway, so that meant he was in the best place for a tired boy, and when the he was just mildly wingeing for them, then generally he decided the effort required to go to his bed to get them wasn't worth the hassle, and gradually demand dropped off. Of course this was all kept very flexible and if he hurt himself or really needed the comfort than a dummy could be bought out of the bedroom as a special occasion. She wisely didn't instigate it until a good few months after his baby brother was born though. As HH says - there's such a lot going on in your little girls world, it's probably better to wait until things settle before you instigate any changes. Also, just a thought, could the 'broken' ones be gradually disappeared, & just not be replaced so she's left with a limited amount? Am thinking over a period of some months here?

My experience (and, of course it's only that - mine) is that we didn't 'choose' a January start. We were told that's what our child was allotted, that was the system in his school. No choice available. If we could 'choose' we would have chosen for him to be in the next academic year. January start or not, he wasn't ready for full time school and he wasn't, isn't at he same level as his peers in that academic year, academically, socially or in terms of emotional maturity. They are now, and were then all ahead of him. The academics is neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things, but the other stuff means that during his formative years his image of himself is of someone who is always 'uncool', unpopular, a bit behind the game. This was never the case as a small child, like your daughter Quids he always had loads of friends and was quick to make new ones. His best friends though were always slightly younger than him. The self image that his school experiences have helped to create will be with him for a long time. We sensed there was a risk of this happening back when we were applying for his school place, hence the request for a delayed school start. A Jan start is better than nothing, and yes, you're right - it does help some, but it's not a cure all, and there needs to be some flexibility in the system to allow for the small minority of parents who really strongly feel their child would be better off in the next school year - for the whole of their school life. No paradox Quids, just a different perspective.:)

goosemum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Then choose a good school where the teachers look > at each child's individual needs and where they > truly care about the social development of the > children in their care. Hahahahahahaha, that's a good one. I like your black humor. Very good.

goosemum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > my advice is that if > you are relaxed about it, then your child will be > too. As ITATM says It's nice that all was well for your Summer son, but this view is very simplistic. My alternative advice would be to trust your instincts for your child - and do all you can to act on them. Incidentally we also have another summer born boy who is very happy in his school year. He does struggle academically, but I'd say this is more due to his own particular strengths and weaknesses rather than the academic year he's in. Each of our children has had their own personal experience of school entry and ongoing school life. These have had very little to do with our attitude, relaxed or otherwise.

Hmm, have mulled this one over, many times over the past 14 years. We've thought about moving, but nope - ED has it all, & where we live in ED suits us down to the ground. Excellent primary ed & outstanding secondary ed all within 10 minutes walking distance (adult legs). Really, we'd be mad to move (oh yes, forgot to mention fab neighbours)! Incidentally my friends out in the sticks tell me the school catchment situation is just as bad elsewhere. I think I'd have to have a much, much better reason than 'education' to move.

Ooh, like that . . . good fabric-man, bad fabric-man, The plot thickens . . .

Hi powercow (fab name btw) We tried very hard 9 years ago to be allowed to start our August born son in the following academic years intake. We even considered lying about his birthday on his application form - & with hindsight I wish we had, I think it would have served him better. We didn't in the end as we had (what turned out to be a naive) faith in the system, and that if that year group didn't work for him something could be done. Actually it didn't work for him in a massive way, and very little was done that was helpful. Every teacher he had in primary school has said he would have been better served in the year below, or words to that effect. We continued to argue the case for his being moved down a year until he got to the end of year 3 (age 7) by then it would have been too hard to pass off & detrimental to him so we stopped. We have found Southward Education to be absolutely rigid, unyielding and obstructive at every stage. I really hope you have better luck. Our boy is in secondary school now and is doing OK, though he still struggles both socially and academically. The big issue for him I think is the social difficulties he's encountered as a boy who is naturally quite immature, forced to create friends amongst those who are always one step ahead of him in their interests, sense of humor & physical development really, and who therefor don't really want that much to do with him. I am under n illusion that it has adversely affected him and the effects of the subtle rejections he's dealt with all his academic life will colour his view of himself for many years to come. Possibly his whole life. I really hope that with this new research to power you, you get a better result than we managed to do. Stamp your feet and fight for whatever you know in your heart is the right thing for your daughter. I feel we let our boy down badly, and I'll regret not having more confidence to 'think outside the box' for him to my dying day.

No- my DH (English/Scot) is the same. He luuurves his moccasin slippers, when the bottoms drop off he will 'allow' me to get him another pair from M&S; only M&S, and only when he can no longer keep his previous pair on his feet. Cue a couple of months of 'wearing in' before they finally achieve the desired level of comfort (tattiness). Is it a man thing? SW (currently drooling at the thought of a dual control, sheepskin heated blanket - Mmmmmmmmmmm (in the style of Homer Simpson).

PM'd you earlier. SW

lorraineliyanage Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've even toyed with getting an electric > blanket because I hate being cold in bed but my > other half has banned me from such granny > activity. My other half bought me one last Christmas! But I've got a few extra years on you yet Lorraine. ;) SW

Thanks Fuschia. SW

HV's are a funny breed. There are some smashing ones, some not so smashing, and I've met quite a few frankly odd ones. I think their remit is anything developmental - is the baby growing/ feeding well? have they had their jabs? are they doing what they should be doing at certain stages? etc.etc. They're not diagnostic and if your child is unwell then it's a doctor not an HV that you should see. They should visit once around the time the midwife discharges you, if there's an issue PND or something with baby/ any other children that needs more attention, then they may visit more often. If Mum and baby appear to be coping relatively well than they probably won't visit again, they'll give you details of their clinic and expect you to seek their advice or help should you need it, or visit when your baby's due a developmental check. Would write more but got to get to Sainsbury's half an hour ago!

If I'm allowed to come (no small babies now, youngest nearly 6, but would love to meet you all & put faces to names) I can come 5th or 12th - though it might be after casualty ends, a sad addiction but one I just can't break. Has anyone suggested a venue yet? curlykaren; I know the Mum who is trying to start this little business. She'd be upset and horrified if she thought that her post came across as an aggressive in anyway. I think that what you may be reading as 'aggressive marketing technique' is actually excitement and enthusiasm from a tired new Mum setting out in the world of business. And the fact that it's her first post (under that name at least, I don't know if she's been on this forum before under another name) is possibly due to not understanding forum etiquette. She's a dear, kind woman just trying to do something nice for other Mums whilst making a small profit to compensate her for the work involved organising an event. Maybe we could cut her a little slack?

Hi Fairylamb, I seem t remember all my kids having a 'flat spot' at around this age - quite noticeable too. They all self corrected and I didn't even think that it might be something that wouldn't, possibly a case of ignorance being bliss? Anyway I remember looking around and asking myself how many adults I'd ever met with flat heads - I couldn't recall one (though I may just have been lucky). For Molly's friend whose baby's jaw was misaligned because of it, then obviously it's a medical necessity, but otherwise it's probably something that will self correct as soon as your baby starts rolling in his sleep and adopting different sleeping positions. What happened before the helmets were around - are there people who know of any adult with a flat head?

Hi Fairylamb, I seem t remember all my kids having a 'flat spot' at around this age - quite noticeable too. They all self corrected and I didn't even think that it might be something that wouldn't, possibly a case of ignorance being bliss? Anyway I remember looking around and asking myself how many adults I'd ever met with flat heads - I couldn't recall one (though I may just have been lucky). For Molly's friend whose baby's jaw was misaligned because of it, then obviously it's a medical necessity, but otherwise it's probably something that will self correct as soon as your baby starts rolling in his sleep and adopting different sleeping positions. What happened before the helmets were around - are there people who know of any adult with a flat head?

Oooh, sounds goood. I could do with a night out I don't have to organise & if the drink could be cocktail I'd be sold! Can Mums of older kids come along, or is it just for naughty mummies of younger children?

Oooh, sounds goood. I could do with a night out I don't have to organise & if the drink could be cocktail I'd be sold! Can Mums of older kids come along, or is it just for naughty mummies of younger children?

Phew! felt like I was holding my breath for 2 weeks. Hello all, it is lovely to have you all back.

Goodnight Admin, hope you have a lovely holiday. I'll be counting the days to your return . . . SW

It's a bit odd really, the disgusting nature of committing the act by a kids playground aside, the time of day means that if this boy was a Charter boy, (and it does sound like Charter uniform) he should definitely have been in school. It was on a Monday, and their lunch time isn't until 13.10pm. The OP should definitely notify the school, as should the park warden. It's always good to give them a heads up, and use some joined up thinking within the community - even it turns out not to be a Charter child at all. If he is - then he's truanting to add to his other misdemeanors.