Gussy

I second BabySleepAnswers as well. Used them with my first to get rid of the dummy and it set us on the right track.

I have to say I had also had a wonderful experience with the NHS when my 6 week old became ill (bronchiolitis). Different hospital (UCH), but they were amazing. I couldn't believe that just 6 weeks prior it was like I was in a war camp on the post-natal ward. I had doctors taking away my baby without asking for invasive proceedures....The contrast when I went to A&E and then on the paediatric ward couldn't have been more acute. The team was so helpful, lovely, let us stay over in the room on a bed etc, explained everything and made me feel like I had an opinion. Couldn't have been better. Anyway, hope your little one gets better soon x

Yes I got mine too and I'm pleased with it. However, I'm still struggling with recycling and now its got a whole lot worse - 2 reasons, the green bins have gone to fortnightly so any overspill from my 2 blue boxes (which regularly happens) now won't fit in my full green bin. And, I've got twice as much waste as we've just had a children's birthday party (left me with about 15 boxes full of paper, card, empty bottles etc). What do I do with these? I don't want to leave them in the front garden. Last time I put out a big cardboard box it got left by the bin men twice. I have no car and have 2 babies all day so can't go far to a recycling point with a double buggy. Guess I just have to feed it into the bins over the next few weeks and hope I haven't made a nice rat's house in the garden!.....shame I could have put it all in a nice big blue bin.

Come on ladies the worst has to be 'Katy's song' from I Can Cook. I don't mean the slippy dippy soap song, you know, that awful thing she does with the guitar when summarising the recipe, ie "tear up some chicken, pop it in a pot, splash some milk, add a bit of pepper". Total nonsense. Doesn't rhyme, doesn't sound good and that grin...

Thanks Belle, will take a look at that one. Hadn't thought to try him in the top, will give it a try!

Thanks ladies. Well I tried a 'cover' of sorts yesterday and I felt like a right prat. Ok I chose the wrong thing - a purple pashmina...its dark but thin so when the wind blew it took flight every few mins. I felt like baby Gussy was sitting in the 3rd tent of zippos circus. What an idiot. Needless to say he didn't sleep a wink. Everytime I peered in through a carefully selected 'window' he looked up at me and laughed. Why oh Why hasn't someone at P&T's designed a cover? The amount of people I see putting blankets over, either the newborn bit, or doubles kit. Its a no brainer! Anyway, I've come to the conclusion I may have to get out the Moby wrap out again.....I used this a lot in the early days. The only issue is he's a heavy boy and my back isn't the best. Especially running after todddler and picking her up off the floor every 5 mins after yet another trip, fall etc etc. Hmmmmm, hurry up and drop your naps baby!!! x

I would have gone for IMWs too if we could have afforded it. I 'interviewed' a couple and they were fab. Snowboarder, I'm not jumping on my homebirth bandwagon but you really can still have a homebirth despite all but very extreme medical circumstances. I'm only saying this because I know when I had a toddler as well I didn't want to be off in hospital for a week or so and she not understand where mummy had gone. That's one of the major reasons I planned it at home in the end. Sorry, not pushing my point, just saying, if you're really worried about hospital, it is still an option worth exploring. There's detailed info on VBAC and 'big babies' on the website (http://www.homebirth.org.uk/big.htm) ...also at any point you can transfer in if you change your mind. I had such a different experience from my first in the relaxed environment of home and midwives tend to be a lot more chilled/attentive at home - generally you see the same person throughout and they come to your house for all the antenatal appoinments - bliss.

Hi Snowboarder, whilst I didn't have a csec with my first I had a very traumatic time and like you it look a long time - in fact until I gave birth to my second - to get over it. I even went down the route of requesting my notes as I was sure I had a case for legal action. The thought of returning to that hospital (UCH) and the postnatal ward made me feel sick. Anyway, I'm saying this because like you I was determined not to have a repeat performance so I took a lot of time to look at all my options and in the end I explored homebirth and it was what I went for. It was amazing. I was having a cuppa on my sofa and eating biscuits while my toddler held the new baby after half an hour. I was sceptical to begin with and worried about lack of pain relief/medical assistance, but I didn't have to worry at all. Have you seen the homebirth website (homebirth.org.uk)? It basically sets out all the info/evidence for a homebirth no matter what your previous circumstances - it also has a forum with amazing midwives and experienced mums who completely changed my mindset on birthing. I also hired a doula and she was a godsend. In fact I could of given birth without the midwives there, just me and her, I was so comfortable with her support. So arm yourself with as much info and I know everyone says it, but the second one is so much easier. You know what to expect for a start, and I found that half the battle, its also normally quicker. I also did some antenatal yoga, which again, really chilled me out as I was getting very nervous about another bad experience. Good luck x

That's great James, I've just asked for a blue wheelie bin as I have loads of recycling each week. I'll be honest I was a bit sceptical about it but I've quite quickly got into the new routine of food waste recycling, so finding it all ok so far.

Flippin heck all these posts are really worrying for someone who's just moved here. I was (possibly naively) thinking that double glazed windows would be fairly safe. Now I'm worried. To take out a whole window? Jeeze.

Hello, my little man is just over 6 months and I have been trying since birth to get him to sleep in his pram, but he just won't. He maybe did once or twice in the coccoon part when he was small (but a front sleeper, he didn't like being on his back). So now he's in the bottom seat, but he still won't sleep. I've walked for miles down quiet roads (not popular with toddler in front!) but he fights it all the way. It's so frustrating as I have to rush home to put him in his cot. I feel trapped by the routine as he needs to sleep every few hours. At least 3-4 times a week I just plough on through and take my toddler out regardless and he misses his afternoon nap, but this just leads to meltdown at tea time, doesn't eat enough, overtired etc etc. I know he will drop the afternoon nap hopefully over the next few months, but any tips in the meantime to allow me out of the house for longer??? Can you get blackout material for the P&T?? Thanks!

Hi we went through a ton before my daughter settled on the next tommee tippee up from the free flow. I was sure it didn't hold a full milk feed either but I put 8 oz in the bottle and poured it into the cup and it was fine, full, but fine. The only thing was that this cup is not free flow, but in a way it was a ok as it made the transition a little easier from bottle to beaker (for milk feeds. We still kept water/juice in the TT free flow cup). After a few months of using this cup my daughter started reducing the amount of milk she drank and also I got fed up with washing up the valve piece and just stuck the milk in the original TT free flow cup. She was fine and still uses this now. (the other thing I did was buy a few cheap own brand supermarket cups and then its not so bad when they don't like them!). PS several friends get on well with the 'cow cup'.

I agree with chocoholic, I'd much rather have a huge bin for recycling, especially as I try not to waste too much food stuff by freezing, reusing/rehashing into another meal etc. I've got 2 blue boxes and they are still over-flowing with stuff plus another box of my own in my kitchen every week. I end up having to throw some of it in the green bin I'm afraid. Also what happens to large cardboard boxes that I've flattened that are too big for the blue boxes? They refused to take it for 2 weeks before I got sick of the sight of it and cut it up and chucked it in the green bin (no room anywhere else!).

Hi we had the same dilemma and went for extra space in the end and so glad we did. We were in a 2 bed garden flat and are now in a 3 bed house (Peckham Rye). So much nicer to put the kids to bed 'upstairs' and out of the way :) We intended to use the 3rd bedroom for friends and family but recently put baby in there. The difference to our and his sleep has been massive. He also doesn't wake up his sister if he starts crying in the night, and vice versa, another bonus. I have 2 under 2 years and to be honest while the area is important, I spend a lot of time at home, especially in the early months, and so 'outside' makes not a great deal of difference right now. I'm sure in a year or so it will...We've also got so much stuff out now - another highchair, bouncy chairs, playmat, bouncer all in addition to toddler toys, so the extra space has been much needed.

Been trying to get through on the phone for the last 45mins...can't be bothered anymore. Nice long answerphone spiel to keep you on the phone longer....

Ah ok. I'm bracing myself for the same queues/waiting/toddler fun and games at Peckham pulse next Monday as I'm assuming ED pool is going to be rammed/fully booked now?

Hi Snowboarder, which pool did you go to?

Hi I use Sterimar and its ok, not a miracle cure though. Firstly the aerosol spray is a bit forceful for a little tiny nose. Little man cries when I spray it up his nose and when I do it to myself I know what he means! He then chokes a bit as it runs down his throat. I then go at him with the snot sucker thing and he hates that too. All a bit traumatic, so I've tended to stick to just wiping his nose. My daughter has just figured out how to blow (she's 23 months) so its a long wait! We're down to dry greenies now, so hopefully we are nearing the end. Poor babies!

Hi I'm going through the same thing. Poor man was crying for 3 hours last night. Tried everything as mentioned above, he has also cut his first tooth. I think there's a bug going around or its the first of the winter season of many! I've got it now too. Here's hoping it passes soon. The worst bit is when they can hardly feed because their nose it blocked up :( Another tip is to put Olbas oil on the radiators (when you turn them on obviously!) or soak a flannel or hand towel in a fair bit of water and add a few drops to it and then put it on the radiator - it will keep the vapour coming all night....

Anyone else experiencing problems with their order? I placed an order for delivery on Thursday and I'm still waiting for my food. I use the online service regularly because I don't have a car and two kids on my own and no way of doing more than the odd local shop for a few light items. So I eagerly await my weekly delivery of tins, drinks, frozen and other heavies. Anyway, aside for my reason for using them, I get a call on Thursday saying a few people are off sick and can they deliver on Friday. Ok I say fair enough can't be helped (but no offer of compensation for the inconvenience caused)...Friday comes and goes, no delivery. I call the helpline and I'm kept on hold for 25 mins before they say they'll call me back in 5 mins. No one called back. So its Saturday and I'm still waiting. Is this the usual standard of delivery around here with Sainsburys? (I'm new to area. I've had no problems with them before). If so, can anyone recommend any other local grocery delivery services? Thanks.

OMG Beverly Hills Bakery is amazing. My work got me a tin and it had about 50 muffins in it. They were a real godsend :) Highly recommended!

BeccaL we had this problem too. I fixed it temporarily by putting it on backwards, but its back on the right way at the moment while my little darling finds something else to amuse herself with. At one point we had the nappy coming off and everything and her waking up in wee soaked sheets! I almost resorted to ordering an inpenetrable bodysuit from the US, forget its name but has about 4 fastenings up the back so they can't get out :) The Grobag toddler bag is supposed to be toddler proof as it has a popper over the zip but it was no match for little fingers and 12 hours of boredom....

I found it very scary dropping the 10pm feed with my daughter but it actually wasn't that bad. I gradually reduced the amount just to be sure she wasn't hungry and once we were down to a few ounces for a week or so it gave me the confidence to ditch it. She was fine! Re: sleeping bags, she is now 2 years old and still in her bag. You can get toddler sizes and she has to have it to go to sleep. Its all part of the bedtime routine so can't see any harm in keeping it on. I've also always tilted the cot - started with me thinking she had reflux in the early days and now still do - just a blanket under the mattress. We also got a pillow recently. She loves it. I think the manufacturers say 12 months plus for duvet and pillow, but I guess as a mum you know best.

Hi we had a similar thing which lasted about 3 weeks when we dropped the morning nap. I'm not sure how long it has been going on for you? I always find with my daughter that the more sleep (but not too much) she has in the day the better the sleep at night, and longer sleep in the morning. It took us a fair while to adjust to not having a morning nap. I had to bring lunch forward a little to get to the nap faster and then keep things lo-key in the afternoon or she would get overtired. I actually found it a really tricky balancing act for a few months to be honest, but it did improve and no probs anymore. Like everything with these littl'uns it will pass, but its hideous when you are in the midst of it and knackered.

Thanks ywalter!