Audrey

Just guessing and trying to think laterally... Pancakes/ drop scones? Would she drink a smoothie made with her favourite fruit? Bubble & squeak from those wonderful mashed spuds (!) Pasta and cheese sauce, if you use strong cheddar you could mix in a fair bit of milk and cornflour maybe Is it possible to make risotto with milk? Or is that just rice pudding.... in which case - Rice Pudding??? Poor bub, poor you. Hope you are all feeling better soon. x

Supergolden deserves huge credit and respect for bringing this out into the open and for wanting to raise awareness. I have also recently discovered a slight prolapse. GP diagnosis and awaiting referral. Seems to be improving slightly following doing the PFE like a deamon! But what I wanted to say was that Supergolden is right, this is hugely swept under the carpet, which can make a diagnosis truly terrifying. I always thought it only happens in really extreme cases, and I couldn't believe how common it is. Well done you and very best of luck with your appt. Xx

Hi, I think I left a red 'Skip+Hop' wipe case in The Crooked Well on Friday morning. I'd love to hear from anyone who saw it/picked it up, it was really handy and for some reason it always kept Miss M entertained for a few vital minutes.... I have already asked in there and they don't seem to have it. Not the end of the world if it's gone, but always worth a shot. Thanks all.

Yup, really good evening. Well, I have the honour of organising the next outing, so watch this space..... Look forward to seeing you all, and more, next time. (if not before then in and around...) Have a good day!

Let me tell you about my 'baptism of fire'. Miss M was 6 days old. Himself Indoors needed to into work for a few hours, so we went out for our first walk, and he was going off to get the bus into the city. Except for some reason he also brought the nappy bag (!) which I had thrown my keys into. I hadnt gone straight home, so he was at his desk when I called. So off we traipsed, for our first bus trip. Traumatic enough, but baby was asleep, all good. Except that half way up the Walworth road, she starts screaming, so, I took a deep breath, and got stuck in. I was petrified. I was afraid taking her out on a moving bus, didnt really have enough room, but phaffed, moaned, got embarrassed, apologised to everybody (esp the Spanish student beside me, who really couldnt have cared less, but would pob have preferred if I hadnt elbowed him so much). I dont even remember if I had a muslin (sans nappy bag remember), I probably had to wipe her mouth with my top... Anyway, feeding in public never bothered me after that..... and got to threat himself that if he wanted a man bag that badly, I was sure someone like Richard Hammond could recommend some...... *shudder* All great advice above, and its def easier than bottle feeding out and about, its always available, sterile and the right temperature! Good luck, by the sounds of it you'll be fine, tho it might be easier to ease yourself in a little more gently...!

Bar the issue surrounding allergies and choking hazards, the whole premise of blw is that anything goes. I started on steamed veg and fruit, and worked up to carbs and protein, to regular meals. Once the little one gains more dexterity the wider the range of food you can give. Check out the blw web site there is a vast forum on there, or pm me if you would like, am no expert but Miss M has been loving food blw style since mid dec. It's fun, I'm so glad we went this road. I'm actually home with granny who had been very impressed with how a plate of fritta was dealt with earlier....

Cameleon came with us on long haul with Virgin. We brought it to the gate, I boarded with a then 3 mth old while OH wrapped it in bin bags and gaffer tape. When the crew saw the phaff he was going through, he (crew member) said he would load it in the hold himself and make sure it was ok. We got it as we disembarked the other end. Where you pick up the buggy at arrivals depends on the airport, some will put it through with luggage for collection at the carousel (LHR), some will allow it to be handed over as passengers get off. On the return we had no bags and the tape had long since disappeared, but the Virgin staff wrapped it in industrial strength plastic bags (unprompted) which was great. It wouldn't have made the difference if, for example, something fell on the brake and broke the handle, but it was reassuring that they were treating our belongings well. Hope this helps, I haven't brought it on any other airline or shorthaul, have used the sling for that.

Miss M and I have been blw-ing for 6 weeks now. A few observations -just 3/4 bits of food offered at a time, otherwise it all gets swiped or dropped -a couple of muslins on the floor either side of the high chair mean a lot more dropped food can be reoffered (but my floors are scrupulous! Ahem) -veg cooked a bit al dente mean they can be re offered a couple of times, otherwise they just get pulped -after a bit its easy to tell the difference between "dropping" and "I've finished" I'm loving it I have say. Today she learnt to tip her cup up, so that water comes out the spout. Yay!

Going off on a tangent, and quite a few posts back, BUT, North East Dulwich?????? South Camberwell???? I can't decide if thats a geographers conundrum or an Estate Agents wet dream. Grove Lane, - its Camberwell.

Toujours from lidl are good for "containment", they are ?5.19 for 54 nappies. It's true different brands suit different babies, and the wrong type can be a false economy if they leak all the time mounting up laundry and having to chuck out stained vests all the time. Only problem with the lidl nappies is that they have a 'mumsnet recommendation' on the packing..... (I read about them here, non a mumsnet fan....)

Hear Hear! And a special shout out to all those lovely overstimulated children struggling with their lunchtime nap....!!! Hoping 2012 is as exciting and challenging as '11 was, wishing you all health and happiness. xxx

Hello - I haven't seen anything on this on the EDF, but if you do arrange something I am a fellow Camberwellian always up for coffee and cake! Audrey

Also check with BA what the weight limit for the bassinet is - on virgin it is 11kg, so if the babies are likely to be heavier than that by the time you travel they won't be eligible for the bassinets regardless of booking/availability. If they are eligible, sounds like all you can do is check in very early and hope for the best. I did find that my little lady didn't sleep in the bassinet, but was fine lying in it being entertained, gave me a great break between many many hours of feeding!

According to NHS Breastfeeding workshop the average requirement is 30ml per kilo of bodyweight.

Reiterate positive comments re the cameleon, I have nothing bad to say about it. I have had it on every mode of transport imaginable, I use the bus ALL the time (don't have a car), and have never had an issue (bus can only take 2 buggies, no matter what brand/size they are). It is wide, but you soon learn which buses to get on via the back door. The baby takes her daytime naps in it, so its being well utilised, and useful for overnight stays away from home. I'm taking good care of it so I expect it to sell well when the time comes, so its a win win as far as I'm concerned.

OK, thanks for that. I'll ask, and wrap it up if not. I'm not travelling alone so should give me a chance to do it at the gate. Nice to know the service industry is operating at full helpful capacity. Have a fab time K, maybe catch up when we're all back!

NYMom, Can I ask whether that was a bee or cameleon? Sorry for the hijack K, am travelling longhaul tomorrow with Virgin. TBH I didn't thknk there was any point in even asking to get a cameleon onboard..... I had planned to wrap it in binliners and tape it up, and put 'FRAGILE' notices on it. Any better advice?

Hi All, Anyone up for a meet up this week? Shall we say Wednesday? Weather is a bit hit and miss unfortunately. How about the South London Gallery, its on Peckham Road between Peckham and Camberwell. Afternoon best for me, say 2.30? http://www.southlondongallery.org/page/visiting Hope to see y'all then! xxx

Fab - shall we say 12 at French Cafe this Tuesday? Matilda and I have a very varied routine, so hoping I will be there vaguely on time. Also we are weather dependent so might get held up if there if a massive downpour.

Anyone want to meet next week?? I'm thinking I need to start getting out, once the visitors have left... I didn't make it to the French Cafe by Peckham - if everyone knows where that is it may be an easy target? How are people fixed for Tuesday? Entirely flexible if there is a consensus for an alternative date/venue. Hope everyone is getting on ok, whether they be looking after the bundle or waiting for it to arrive!! (I'm finding time is VERY scarce these days, its just taken 28 hours to get a sainsburys order in!!) Audrey xx

Hello all, Yes we have news, Matilda Grace arrived Friday morning at 7.16, weighing 8lb 12. Completely under her spell already. She is doing really well and is sleeping and eating like a trooper, long may it last! Thanks Len, thats really kind, I did mean to come around and say goodbye, but once I got the green light to go around 1 on Saturday, I was gone! Hope you are home and ok again. Not sure I will make Weds as still feeling the effects, but will see you soon. Congrats Rachael, and all others who have had their babies. Good luck to all still waiting... its worth it! Audrey xx

Post current pregnancy I intend to hit the ground with my previous disiplined eating habits - I have been cutting myself a LOT of slack, and dread to think what the scales will say when I arrive home with the bundle! Just thought I would add my top tips though - mainly learned through WW a few years ago. I stopped weight-ins when I reached my goal but the theory stayed with me for years. - bulk out all meals with fruit and veg, when countiung points meals can look really mean, espically when your starving. Banana on all bran/weetabix is great, and is much more filling. Bulk out a sandwich at lunch, and dinner I try to have 3 different veg. 5 a day is a breeze! - snack on fruit mid morning and mid afternoon, have loads of fresh and ripe stock available, you can also convince yourself that a few lovely strawberries will satisfy a sweet craving (!). Try to avoid getting too hungry for your main meals. - freeze bananas to make smoothies, or a frozen 'dessert' - thirst often manifests itself as hunger. If you are feeling hungry and its not mealtime, you're probably thirsty. Keep a chilled bottle of water in the fridge and that way monitor your daily intake, I try to do 2 liters a day at the moment, and chilled is so much easier to drink. Again if I think I need a sweet burst I have a glass of half apple juice half fizzy water (very refreshing!) - dont ever skip meals, always eat something to keep you going otherwise you will reach for something that will do you no favours later on - took me a long time to realise that 'deny deny deny' would only lead to a huge pig out later, so have a treat regularly, just don't trust your self to do portion control at home, so buy small. (I know that if I buy a packet of buscuits, I will eat the packet, usually in about 2 sittings!) - if you have a bad day, start again, preferably later that day, or latest the next day - exercise in the morning if possible. Get into the mindset of 'that was HARD, so I'm not going to undo my good work with a treat'. As with the rest of you above, I'm great at handing this advice out, but my sweet tooth and laziness are my killer. Luckily I'm vain(!) and love clothes (can't wait to get out of this awful maternity rubbish), so I treat myself with a purchase when things are going to plan, and that is a great motivator for me. We'll see how all this goes post baby arrival (I imagine you all reading this with a knowing, wistful look in your eye thinking, 'bless, she hasn't got a clue... I remember being this deluded'!!!) Its hard. But good luck. And take pride in whatever you achieve.

Great - would be good to see you all on Tuesday. Claudine, no worries I was thinking you were probably getting to grips with life on the other side! Poor you tho' I hope thats the end of the trauma. Would be great to meet Alfie as well, apparently hanging out with newborns helps convert bumps to babies, and I'm going through all the tricks at the moment...!

Hi all, Wondered if there were any new/existing maternity leave people kicking about next week to meet up? I have nothing planned for next week and may start going crazy given I'll be overdue post Saturday..... Audrey

Thanks Sally - you're probably right, my head is just wreaked at the moment though with the whole 'do I have everything'.... I seem to be unable to face any more research! Maybe tomorrow after another monster sleep like last night!