new mother

To cut a long story short, the damn thing's leaking and I've ordered a little pack of, inter alia, rubber gaskets which are the things that are causing the problem. The chap charges by the half hour and is very much of the, "it'll take as long as it takes" persuasion. Funny that. Can anyone give me a vague idea of how long such an operation takes as currently I feel sure I will be ripped off. Thanks

Hello sir and welcome to the forum. Hope you get involved and enjoy it!

Thanks. What is the result of DNA breakage, Saffron? Non viable sperm so a reduced percentage likelihood of successful fertilisation? If so, once fertn occurs are those problems finished with or do they kick in all the way along the chain as the cells divide? By "social" children, do people mean they are "sociable"?

Continues to be appalling commentary. Heard today that Jessica Ennis was "really sprinting", in the 110m h. Groan. But was thrilled for her. She comes across as a very level headed genuinely nice girl.

This would be more than an alternative way of funding local services - rates, council tax, poll tax, whatever. it would be a massive capital amount payable every year for those living in a house worth 1mm plus. Result? These houses would start changing hands more frequently, which may or may not be desirable in itself, but this "inheritance tax on the living" will definitely result in families that do not consider themselves rich by any means subsidising the super rich who can easily affordto contribute more to the nation's finances at difficult times. Simply because there are more of the former. Actually, is it legal? Can you whack a tax on an asset someone already owns? Answer yes, they do it all the time if I think about it. North sea oil profits for one thing.

Interesting. I wonder if the male age has more to do with it than we think. Do you know roughly how old your friendd's partner is?

Why do you mention trolling, MM? I read about it yesterday and am concerned about it. I don't know much about it and fear that the coalition is trailing it in advance of producing, perhaps, a watered down version. It seems to me to tax again the people who work and try to build up assets (like me!) while attempting to nailthe very rich. Property worth GBP 1mm covers a lot of middle class housing. They should go for, instead, the big bankers and venture capitlaists who get "carry" of millions paid as a capital gain at 28pc. they should also go for the vey rich who buy houses in london via a company and pay 0.5pc stamp duty on a share not property transfer, while the rest of us struggle to fund the 4 or 5pc.

Does anyone know anything about this? From what I have read, it would be a disaster for London as property prices are so much higher than the rest of the country plus I don't like the idea of yet another Govt database containing information that will, no doubt, be misused in some way.

Children can't wear already worn/shaped shoes so it wldnt work to try to sell. We just kept the first pairs and binned the subsequent pairs. It is a waste but so many things are with children.

When cutbacks are being made to serious and needed services all the time, you have to ask yourself this - is this an early April fool?

I thought bolt's fs lOoked very suspicious. Christine O also had one and reacted exactly as I would have expected an athlete to- looking guilty and hoping she wasn't caught for it. Bolt tore his vest off and screamed to high heaven, "it was me!" no idea why anyone would do this but he acted as if he wanted to be disqualified. Cannot see the logic myself.

Aaaaggghhh - cyanide?!

HH, why not say in response to saffron, "many thanks but we live in north America"?! You said that previously, I am convinced.... It was a kind offer of a play date regardless, Saffron.

But not of grammar, apparently. Is it all, "fancy a mung bean and a trip to Cuba, darling?" Ps Cuba is fab by the way but not Commie any more....funnily enough.

Thanks for your answers. We didn't go as it is so expensive these days. I had thought of a last minute trip but the lm bargains were about 50pc more than I expected!

Poor lamb. Yes - just a phase! My ch both much prefer their daddy to me, unless we are on holiday when he suddenly is available, and therefore less in demand!

Mudchute picnic? There is also a "death slide". How old are the boys?

Bst, I used an off instead of an of earlier. Ssshhhh. ;-) The iPhone is to blame....

Z, you come across as an articulate intelligent person. It surprises me though that you have never learned at school/thereafter simply to answer the question. You have introduced other issues which were simply not asked for and which I am not interested in. I want people to know and learn from the approach that maternity nurses take so if anyone has used one or wants to comment on their ideas, please do so. Otherwise, please have the courtesy to "switch off the television set and go and do something less boring instead" - you have to be a certain age to get this!

Tried blacks and muddy puddles with no luck (for adult). I think long waterproofs that go over clothes are probably totally unfashionable but that is exactly what I want!

Have you got pram cover bag thing for non mangling?! Not sure if pram has it....

Interesting, thanks. Daddies are all very well at playing and swimming and even getting the shopping if clearly instructed but none of the house jobs get done!

Well done! Exciting. How is the USD? Worth buying things over there?

Definite safety issues! And little babies should only ever have access to those "blankets with holes"... Others of course are so much cuter unfort....

Sillywoman, that makes me so sad to read. I cldnt listen to a baby crying for more than a few secs! As for enforced feeding, we were told to do this at kings on the basis that many babies do not demand enough food so you have to shove it in. The first twothirds take two mins and the last third about half an hour. For me also it wld have been awful to have handed the babies over to someone BUT I visited a friend the other day who was doing v well post section and they asked whether she wanted the baby to be looked after in the nurses' station that first night. (the alternative wld have been for her to have buzzed them if the baby cried or, if she hadn't woken, to have had them come in and feed the baby at the right time.) she said great! And was thrilled to get rid off the baby overnight as she put it. I found it weird as did my husband, who went very "mother's place" ish about it. Different hormones from the ones that drove me at one day post partum. I viewed every poor old midwife as a potential abductor I think! Zeban, yes, many people don't want to have the downside of babies. I dont either but instincts force me otherwise!