Kes

Hello, Can anyone give me an idea of when primary school open days (for new admissions) are? Are they likely to be next term? Is there any kind of central list or do we need to contact every school to ask? Are they during the day? I realise this puts me in the excessivly organised camp but I want to make sure I can go and will have either work or a newborn to juggle by then! eek.

Same from me, try not to worry too much, I was sent for a growth scan after a GP thought I was measureing small, the lady doing the scan took one look at me and said I was fine, did the scan anyway, predicted 8lb somthing baby and when she was born she was 9lb 10! I'm very tall, I suspect that confused the measureing. Go for the scan if they suggest it though - always nice to get another peek!

Just to be different, we (husband and I) found the baby bjorn to be fine, we had the one with the extra back support and used it for many months even though are daughter was very big (9lb 10 at birth) I actually found the structure of the back support really comfy and helped pull me up into decent posture after my c-section. We've had a couple of other slings since but the baby bjorn was the one we used most

We have a day off and want to take our almost 3yr old for a day out before the schools break up. We were going to do legoland but in the current weather it's not looking so appealing. Anyone have any mostly indoor ideas?we have a car so anywhere within a couple of hours drive would be ok.

A neighbor did the nunhead one and thought it was good. I think they do them in the old nuns head pub which has a mummy and baby morning every Monday so I think lots of the groups all go back there to meet. I'd say local is good being able to walk to meet each other is great in the early months.

I found the classes invaluable for the people I met, although not for the information given. I did the 6 week course and our teacher (not in ED) handed us a schedule of who was going to arrange meet ups for about 5 months after the babies were born so we pretty much stuck to that depite there being a 2 month gap between the babies being born in the end. The meets ups fell away a bit as people moved out of London or went back to work but I still see 2 of the group regularly plus another for occasional meals out. I'd have some concerns about meeting people after as I wasn't able to get out and about for a long time and I often found when I did get to baby groups they were full of cliques - generally from NCT groups (although again this wasn't in ED so it may be different here). If I had my time again I'd do NCT and NHS as the information at my classes was strongly biased towards natural birth, I was if anything over confident when I went into labour and came out of an emergency c-section feeling like a failure - my teacher made it pretty clear when we met up again that I was which didn't really help! So if interventions etc aren't covered or are just "stuff evil doctors will do to you if you don't have a drug free home birth" I'd get a bit of extra information somewhere else too!

my daughter (nearly 3) loves numberleys and morris lessmores flying books her older cousins (5-8) also really liked them

Hi anya, Yep that's pretty much how I felt after my emc! Given all the dire warnings in pregnancy that a c section is major surgery there seemed very little advice on how to cope afterwards! I've blogged a bit about this myself, pm me if you want more info or opinion! Could you put a link to your blog too?

Hi Nadine, Are these classes predominantly first time Mums? I'll be honest, I'm very sceptical that my body could "simply remember" however calm I was. So I doubt I could really get into the spirit of these classes, espcially if the majority of other Mums were doing it for the first time and so in a very different place to me. I'm really just looking for something nice and calming rather than "educational". I was fully prepared, calm, active birthing etc etc last time around, but it turns out that sometimes you just get unlucky and there was no way my big, back to back baby could make it out, other than surgically. Despite being told by several doctors that the C-section was unavoidable, the teacher of my ante-natal classes made it clear she thought I just hadn't tried hard enough/ wasn't calm and unafraid enough. Which was very upsetting and has really put me off ante-natal classes I'm afriad. Of course I don't know what you're classes are like but I thought I'd give you some feedback as your post does make it sound a little "if you're nice and clam it'll all be wonderful" and perhaps that isn't the case?

Has anyone used these CD's? I had the pregnancy relaxation and birth preparation ones last time around and found the relaxation techniques really helpful in pregnancy and the earlier stages of labour, but ended up with an emergency c-section anyway. Not quite decided if it'll be VBAC or c-section this time, would quite like to use the CDs again but can't face being told repeatedly that I can give birth easily and naturally blah blah blah. I clearly can't, but I would like to be as calm and relaxed as possible whatever I choose. Failing that any other suggestions? I can't afford private one to one hypnotherapy, hence the CDs. Thanks!

ooh Jaqueline25 - I'm desperate for a money activity, is it suitable for a 3yr old and can you park near there?

There was a voucher today on grouping - London west

Thank you lovely forumites - I will investigate those suggestions!

Sorry almost off topic (well except that if I didn't have a small child I'd have had time to sort this out already!!) I need my far too obvious roots sorted before a hen weekend with my most well groomed friends in a weeks time. I normally go to Willis B but can't get an appointment at a time I can make, it would have to be either after 5.30 in the evening or this Saturday morning - can anyone recommend another salon/hairdresser that might be open late and have space? Also (I am so ungirly please help me!) if you've had a half head of highlights, would a t-section be enough to deal with roots? Thank you!

and now I really really am stepping away from the forum!!!

Thanks for the link TE44, however the fist line of the article rings alarm bells "The data was collected from parents with vaccine-free children via an internet questionnaire by vaccineinjury.info and Andreas Bachmair, a German classical homeopathic practitioner." ie it was a study conducted by someone with a vested interest in a particual outcome, on a quick look it also seems to have been conducted by questioning anti-vaccination parents who therefore aren't impartial. Sorry don't have time to read it properly but i couldn't imagine anyone working in medical research taking it too seriously sorry for any aditional spelling errors - dyslexic and no time to spell check!

- you have me on the spelling thing lol

We had one, I really enjoyed it as it was about 27 weeks so in the long long gap between 20wk scan and birth. Baby came out looking just like her picture! We got a special offer at the baby show with baby bond. I see offers for it on groupon occasionally so may be worth looking/joining up to that? K

we went to center parcs when little one was one and going back this year with her almost 3 and me with a bump. Really liked it, very easy, we're just going for a mid-week break tho, think I might find a whole week a bit much as i can't join in the more exciting activities? K

Hellosailor - I can't believe it because the vast majority of quality peer reviewed data has shown no link. There was one paper that suggested there was and it has been totaly discredited as has it's author. This was years ago. To my mind (and I'm a scientist working in medical research so perhaps it's just how my mind works)that means I am far far better off vaccinating my child than not. I find it really hard to understand why many intelligent people choose to believe anecdotes and things they read on the internet over actual science. But as I said I'm a scientist so perhaps that scews my understanding of how people think. I also wouldn't put too much faith in the word of one GP or Health visiter, my sisters "respected" GP told her to go to church and pray to be healed when she saw him about a very serious ongoing problem - as a GP said it is that proof of faith healing? I've been told things by GPs that I know aren't true. GPs are humans too, they can buy into a conspiracy just like the next person, they can fail to be up to date on all the literature and they can see connections where they don't really exist I'd rather make decisions based on carefully controlled studies of thousands of people, not the gut feeling of one or two however well qualified. I don't know anything about he compensation information you give, it would be good to know where you got it from through? I am now leaving this thread as it just frustrates me and I know we will never come to any agreement hellosailer!

I came past just after it had happened, young man (I think) had been stabbed and had two police officers with him (mounted police strangely, I guess they must have just been in the area)other police/ ambulance turned up soon after. The guy was leaning over a wall so I think still conscious, but as the police were helping I just got out the way and didn't look too closely. Hope he's ok. Not what I was expecting to see on my normally nice walk home through Nunhead.

TE44 it's heard immunity, not heard mentality. If almost everyone in a population is vaccinated then that population has heard immunity- there are too few individuals for the disease to keep going and so even those who aren't immunised are protected as they're never exposed. This doesn't just help those who's parents have chosen not to vaccinate, it also protects those who are too young or too sick to be vaccinated. Someone can choose not to vaccinate there own toddler, I have no choice if that toddler then spreads measles to my as yet unvaccinated new born. The idea of making it compulsory doesn't sit well with me, not letting unvaccinated kids into school only further disadvantages them, but my daughters nursery won't take kids who aren't up to date on vaccines and I think that's the right policy as they also have young babies there who would be vulnerable. ahhhh, I got drawn into commenting, just couldn't stay away! I'm with Ruth. I honestly can't believe this debate is still going on!

Thanks again for all the comment and requests for links to the blog, I've not managed to write the birth story yet - struggling not to make it too long, but here is the blog and I'll let you know when and if I ever manage the birth story!

BellendenBear - the UK is pretty unusual in not routinely testing everyone for it, in most other western countries they do and offer antibiotics to anyone who tests positive. Currently in the UK the offical line is only to test high risk women - ie. those who've previously had a baby affected by GBS or those who's waters break early. They don't test everyone as it's thought that the risk of harm to a baby even if the mother is positive is pretty low and outwieghed by the risk of a severe reaction to antibiotics and of spreading antibiotic resistance. There are also concerns from some natural birth advocates that giving IV antibiotics early on in an otherwise normal labour could be the start of a slipperly slope of medicalisation. However there are planty of obstetricians who disagree with this and would prefer the UK to test everyone as they do in France, Germany, USA, Australia, Canada etc etc. as for the few babies that do contract GBS the consequences can be very severe, including lifelong disabilities and even some fatalities. I suspect the OP was tested by Brierly as they have to be extra careful about everything since they are dealing with home births, and have to cover their own backs if nothing else. I should add that I'm not an expert in this but I was researching it recently for a blog post I never actually wrote, sorry for not linking to the relevent evidence but I don't have my note on me at the moment. I think if you google the NHS screening authority and GBS support group they have info. Also if anyone isn't tested and is worried you can get kits online for about ?35 - again google GBS support group and you'll find a link. K

yuck - you have my sympathise - very hot sticky night with us too. If you happen to have sash windows be sure to open the top and the bottom as it helps the air circulate and draw hot out and cool in. We keep the curtains and windows shut all day then open up everything once it starts to cool in the evening, not sure about black out blinds, but curtains with black out linings worked well for this We tried the window film in our old flat (which was unbearable in summer) but it turned everything in our lovely view a weird colour so we took it off, might be worth it in little ones room tho? One thing I would say (which is probably obvious but apparently not to my husband!) is don't put those stick on black out blinds on the window when it's really sunny we (he) cracked one of our windows by doing that and over heating it! As you say plenty of kids sleep in that sort of heat all the time and I think it's more of a worry with new borns. but not nice for anyone concerned. I may try the loft hatch trick tonight, hadn't heard that before!!