EDmummy

Thanks Amberwood - I will have a look. LSB, did you find the Atlantic coast a little breezy and the water cold?

117 views and no recommendations! Anyone familiar enough with Spain to recommend a lovely location? Not looking for hotel recommendations as we prefer to rent an apartment through Holiday Lettings or similar.

Haven't booked summer holiday yet for various reasons but am now panicking! Can anyone recommend a small to medium size town, waterpark nearby (for 5 & 10 yr old), with a nearby beach (warm water!) and watersports. We are looking at Turkey but would also consider Spain (have been frightened of booking Spain without recommendations as am looking for something which is not full of all day breakfasts and lots of nightclubs). Budget is also important. Anyone know that fab beach/town?

You can always join a NCT tea group when bubs is born. That is how I met almost all my early mummy friends and unlike the classes they are all local to ED whereas those from my ante-natal class came from Lambeth and Southwark. I still meet up with my tea group mummies 10 years on!

I would go with Pugwash's suggestion. There are cultural differences of 'courtship' in some countries and the men in question may not be aware that behaving in the way that they are might be scary to European women. Perhaps Martin could have a word.

How about Easter eggs she can eat. If she is lactose intolerant then there are alternatives. There are also cocoa free chocolates if that is a problem. If you are someone who just doesn't want to give their child chocolate in any way or form, I would suggest reconsidering with very small, limited number of chocolate eggs hidden in the garden. We also hide fury chickens and small and large fury rabbits (the same fury rabbit comes out year after year and is still enjoyed by our 10 year old). Not sure about using eggs unless you pierced them to remove insides or only used hard boiled for a day or two.

Yes, I accept that I fly and I live in a global city. I don't particularly have a problem with the current levels of noise from planes (although during the Icelandic volcano episode it was blissful city in my garden with only the low hum of vehicles and the sound of birds) but I couldn't cope with any more noise. I sleep with my bedroom window open almost all year round (except for this exceptionally cold winter) and do end up slowly waking up to the sound of planes from about 5am but any extension to the number of planes would severely affect my wellbeing! Come on everyone, put your ED weight behind this campaign!

May be a virus but my youngest had a full set of teeth (bar adolescent molars) by 12 months so anything is possible. Perhaps it will all become obvious in a day or two.

Gosh, you could be talking about my 10 year old! Has he tried Tai Kwon Do? I think there is an afternoon class at Dulwich Baths. We are also fortunate to have a place at Stax Music Centre (via Southwark Council) where he is learning drumming (not sure he would have done it if it was a wind or string instrument). Sorry I can't suggest anything but if you find a Sat afternoon animation club - let me know!

Love it! Minded to show it to my comedy stand up obsessed 10 year old!

Something that might help is keeping a food and symptom diary during a period of feeding your baby the foods you are concerned about (2 weeks should be sufficient but any of our medically trained forumites may be able to advise on length of time). This type of evidence will give you a good, strong history to give to any subsequent clinician you see. Does your baby have other symptoms like bloating, restlessness etc., after eating the suspect foods? Having been through a milk allergy with one of mine it did take at least a month or two of 'collecting' evidence to offer to our doctor before an alternative diet was found. Personally, I was reluctant to put him on an exclusion diet until I had sufficient evidence as I was aware of damage that could happen putting him on an exclusion diet without the sufficient support to supplement the exclusions.

Absolutely happy to be told I am wrong, but as far as I understand, only one school local to East Dulwich has an admission policy based on distance to school. The boundaries of which differ from year to year depending on how many kids apply within this radial distance. The others rely on non-verbal reasoning test and banding. No method is perfect but in an attempt to allow a bit of equality into the equation, NVR and banding is the most equitable and does not rely on parents finding the dosh to move closer to a school. I am as worried as the next parent (going to be struggling through this later this year) but what changes do we actually want? We cannot lobby purely on the basis that the 'system isn't fair'. Lobbying can only be effective if an alternative is put forward. So, what is it you want (and to be fair, it has to be a collective concern rather than individual)?

If you are with the Forest Hill Rd GP Practice I would try and get an appointment with Dr McCall who is a dermatology specialist GP, she will undoubtedly be able to give you a private referral (which most private health insurers require) to a dermatologist who specialises in eczema. You may find you also need an allergists depending on the nature of your condition. Good luck!

Just had lunch at Lassco's in Vauxhall. Fabulous and unusual surroundings.

Another Antipodean but thankfully curbed my natural Australian vernacular before the kids arrived but cannot seem to get rid of 'bugger' which I have been heard saying at the top of my voice in Sainsburys. Oldest called his little brother a 'bitch' the other day, a word he has picked up in the playground, but did not manage to correct him to let him know about it's inappropriate use on a male (for fear he will use it on the girls at school). When I was little my brother used to call me a 'female dog' instead of a 'bitch'. Instead of 'oh my God', kids seem to say 'oh my days' which I think is a very South London thing (could be wrong).

Just found this interesting article on hypermobility. Wish I had known some of this whilst I was growing up as it explains a lot! Now will use as useful reference when we get DD2's appointment for the physio.

Russell is a private Physiotherapist and does not do NHS work to my knowledge. I have been using him for years through my work provided private health cover.

I work for Macmillan and have just checked our Door to Door schedule. We are indeed fundraising in SE22 this week.

It is a minefield which many parents feel overwhelmed by. I would personally appreciate tours of the schools for children as well as adults in the Easter term to allow as much preparation as possible (as happened when I was in school). Allowing meet and greets in the month before application is just not sufficient. I am probably alone in being a parent of a Yr 5 who didn't go to last October's open days (head in the sand) and am feeling completely out of my depth. I just don't see any 'choice' for parents in the system which we are led to believe is the case.

Sounds like you have a lot to make you tired but I wonder if you have ruled out iron deficiency? If that is ruled out then I would also go with high protein, low carb diet with lots of fresh fruit and orange juice, which I have heard works as well as coffee! You could also try a bit of me time - facial, massage etc.

James, did you say a cut to afterschool clubs? So, women in particular are being forced into work but won't be able work a full day because there will be no afterschool care provision. Gonna be fun!!

Great map. Funnily enough, when I point to where I live from my Vauxhall office I always describe it as the valley below Dawson Heights. You get a brilliant view of the geography from my office window and can clearly see the surrounding hills.

How about a baked potato at lunchtime? Could scoop potato out and mash to make it easier to eat. Add some low sugar/low salt baked beans. Would defy her to get hungry for at least 4 hours. I am also wondering whether she might be having too much fruit. My oldest also found most fruit and raisins went through him like a train and did not make him full in the slightest. We were also fans of oat cakes with cheese. My nutritionist friend also said good fat is good for a child's brain development so at this age we went for a pudding every 2nd night with fruit on the other night.

I echo prdarling, who heard of a teenager co-sleeping with their parents?! Have co-slept with both of mine. Used a gentle take to bed approach with No. 1 just before No. 2 was born (took about 4 days). No. 2 still comes into our bed about 2am every night but know he will soon stop this and, although I am looking forward to a bit more room in our king size bed, will finally have to admit my babies have grown up. I think, do whatever feels right!

I am so sorry to say that it doesn't ever get easier....just different. I have never worked full time with either babies but we did make the decision to leave a bigger gap between the two of them. We also shelved the idea of 3 sadly and me having a more fulfilling career. Now have two in school but now there are so many other things to take up time - clubs, music, play dates and homework. On the plus side, at least they are not as sickly as they were when younger....on the down side - we don't have as much money because of the need to work part-time to fit everything in. These are all things NOBODY tells you about but I am afraid you just have to gird your loins (literally in your case). All I can suggest is to try and make some time for yourself. Massages, reflexology etc., really help with the stress. Our feminist sisters of the 70s and 80s fought the right fight for which I am eternally grateful...they just didn't tell us the whole story. My thoughts are with you.