Mrs_Glennie

Thank you all so much for taking the time to comment and give me your wise words, I really appreciate it. This feels lie one of the hardest choices I've had to make in a long time and I've changed my mind so many times in the past week. My OH is torn too, he has a good job in London although he's been looking to move for a while as he has to travel quite a bit and hates being away from our daughter, but he really doesn't want to leave his job without finding another one and the city we are looking to move to doesn't have much/anything in his field. Another thing to consider is maternity pay, I''m hoping to have another baby in the next 2-3 years and this job wouldn't give me the same benefits I had last time - which were very generous and enabled me to really enjoy my year off. THis whole process has as a by product made me quite certain that I would like to have another baby though, which has made my husband very happy! I would worry about being a new mum in an unfamiliar town though, I don't know where I'd be without my NCT girls over the past year. I think I'm going to stay put in London and focus on our wonderful friends, our 'bijou' but lovely flat and my daughter and all the amazing things I get to experience by being at home with her, even just for that one day, she's just started walking and each day new words are coming! I'm trying to craft an email turing the job down and I feel so guilty for having wasted their time even by considering it for so long, it feels a bit like trying to break up with an overkeen boyfriend :( Thanks again for all your advice EDF. Mrs G

Afternoon, I was wondering if any forum-ites had any wise words for me? Having had a wonderful year off with my first baby, I was happy to go back to my old job knowing that I was going to be doing a 4 day a week and still had a day at home with my daughter which had worked really well since September and I love having that extra time with her. Last week I was offered another job, a promotion, that would mean I would have to commit to a 5 day week with the possibility of relocating to another city within the next 3 months. It would be a great salary and could mean a hugely improved quality of life for our little family - ie. buying a house rather than living in a flat and living a less hectic pace of life in a smaller city BUT I feel a real pang of sadness at the idea of not having a day with my girl and the possibility of moving away from my whole support network, friends, NCT group and in-laws after 13 years in London making me feel quite anxious. The company have given me until Monday to think it over and I'm genuinely torn, this COULD be great or it could be awful and I'd end up feeling stressed and isolated. Am I being selfish wanting a day alone with my daughter when she'll be at school in less than 4 years? I could really use some impartial advice? Thanks, Mrs G

I have the same situation with mini G at our nursery RenF, I give her something really simple when we get home - either yoghurt and fruit or chopped up bits of cheddar and fruit. That way I don't have to cook and she is happy to feed herself while I can get her bottle/bath ready and it gives us a bit more play time. We have a 15 min walk from nursery to home and I have once tried giving her an ella's kitchen type pouch to feed herself with but it was very messy and I felt like a terrible mother feeding her on the go!

I borrowed a Manduca from the fabulous South London SLing library before I decided to buy one http://southlondonslings.com/ Emily has Ergos to try too as well as countless other styles, she's so lovely and helpful, it's well worth a visit.

Oof, sorry to hear about mini Strawbs and trips to Kings. Sitting in A & E is not fun at all. Hope mini Strwabs is on the mend now? Today I now have a sick husband to contend with too, on what was supposed to be my day to 'treat myself' and go into town... So far all I've managed to do is make about 6 lots of rehydration solution for baby and dad and do endless loads of washing. Roll on Monday and being back in the office!!!

Big hugs SW, I think you're doing amazingly well - I was in one of your NCT groups last year and know that this course is your dream so keep that in mind when it's all getting a bit much. Your daughter sounds wonderful too. I've been back at work a month now and when everything is working as it should be I really enjoy it, mini G has loads of fun at nursery (she's 11 months) eats tonnes, sleeps ok and we have lovely cuddles and play time when I get back. I have surprised myself by still being pretty good at my job and I'm loving lunches out, dressing up and doing things at my own pace. BUT... We have had to deal with 2 bouts of baby illness, in fact I'm off work today as there is a vomiting bug going round and she was sick yesterday so they have asked us to keep her home today and I have had to use precious annual leave. She got a cold within 10 days of being there which my husband and I then caught so there has only been about 4 days in the last month where all 3 of us have been well and properly rested! I have heard that once they catch all these bugs it makes them stronger, so I just need to gird my loins, get through this first winter of dark early starts and hopefully the spring will be better. Much love to anyone trying to juggle all this, being a working mum in HARD. Mrs G x

edek, if it's not too odd - I had a bundle of ASOS and H & M bits that I was going to put on the classifieds section to see if anyone wanted them? You'd be very welcome to them. Mostly size 10 of S/M sizes.

ASOS is quite good, often have maternity verisons of regular clothes.

Ooh, great tip, thank you! I've only been doing it these past 2 weeks so have been lucky with the weather. I can imagine it will be much less fun in the depths of December...

I've been running to nursery from work too Yak, baby thinks it's much fun to gum on my running runsack as soon as I pick her up for a cuddle!

Sounds good to me. I can do this Thurs and both days next week hopefully. I've just signed up for a 9 mile run with my colleagues so need to get training! Could I suggest meeting by Goose Green, maybe outside Jojo Maman Bebe? So that those of us from all corners of ED don't have too far to come from?

Is anyone still keen to do this on Thursday? Would Dulwich park be the preferred meeting point or would meeting by Goose Green or Peckham rye be easier? It would be good to get an idea of what kind of distance people might want to do and I can sketch out a potential route? Mrs G

Argh, I can't do Tuesday either - NCT mums night out, can't be missed! I could do thursday though?

Definitely up for it! I tried running from my office to daughter's nursery this evening, got very odd looks from nursery staff as I arrived all sweaty in my shorts! My husband is home at 6.45 and baby normally in bed by 7 so could be out and running by about 7.30 I reckon.

Yes, Edith wasn't in the recent top 100 girls names, although all the other names used by my NCT group were! When introducing my Edith/Edie to someone locally they asked if I'd named her after E.D. ie. East Dulwich!!!! For H and B names, I like: Bella Betty Beatrice Bonnie Hattie Harper (was one of our top names until VBeckham poached it!) Holly simonethebeaver Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I love, love, love Hero but MrBeaver said a firm > no. I was a bit relieved though as Myleene Klass > used it shortly before my daughter was born and > then I'd have had to decide whether to look like I > was copying her! > > I also have an Edith and am interested to hear how > many are out there. It's still pretty uncommon on > a national level so there must be a local > concentration. > > Our other names (mostly nixed by the other half) > were: > > Laurie > Aurelia > Dorothea > Helena > Elsie > Clemency > Margaret > Claudia

I'd love to do this too!

Thanks both, my mum managed to find a box that an old hoover came in, which fits perfectly!

Looks bad here on top of Denmark Hill, is it coming from ED or Herne Hill?

Morning, When baby G was born some very kind friends lent us their moses basket which was soon grown out of and as we live in a teeny flat I sent it off to my mum's for storage. I had no idea that with a 6 month old baby my friends would suddenly announce that they needed it back for number 2!!! My friends now live in sussex and my mum in the deepest depths of cornwall so collecting it by car doesn't seen possible, could my mum post it to them? How to package such a thing and would the post office kick up a fuss at something so big?? Not sure what to do other than to order them a brand new one... Kate

I have an Edith (edie) who is 10 months and just started nursery to find two other Edies in the babyroom! Our other top girls names were: Flora Martha Cora Maude Veronica Iris

Another vote for the Medela!

Thank you all so, so much. I've been sat at home rather teary all evening and it's very reassuring to read your posts. I've literally just stopped breastfeeding her, last feed was on saturday having cut down to one feed a day in preparation for my return to work. So am wondering if my hormones haven't help my mood and anxiety this evening. It sounds like I've set myself unrealistic targets about how much she should be eating, I'm basing it on the Annabel Karmel planner thingy but she's a good sturdy little lady so certainly isn't wasting away!!! I will take time to read the BLW book which i do have but haven't had a chance to read yet. etta, am wanting to enjoy this so much, i love seeing her enjoy the foods she does like but do take your point about how the whole process is unsettling. She was an incredibly well fed, happy breastfed baby for the 1st 6 months so this is a big change for her! You're all lovely thank you for listening.

My daughter is nearly 8 months and we've had a rather rocky start to the weaning process. I began her at 6 months on little bits of mashed banana, avocado, carrot etc and we were slowly building up from there when she got a terrible cold and was totally bunged up and refused to eat anything so for the rest of the cold I didn't offer any solids until I knew she was fully well again and we started from scratch. After another week or so of accepting the fist foods and building up to eating 3 times a day she got an awful tummy bug with projectile vomiting and had to go to kings A & E where I was told to only Bf for the next 72 hours. So 3rd time lucky I tried again and finally managed to get her eating 3 times a day about a 4 weeks ago while staying with my mum but she is MUCH happier eating fruit/yoghurt/porridge and really fusses and complains with pretty much anything savoury. To the point that I'm starting to find mealtimes really difficult and am getting quite anxious about it. I have tried what feels like every vegetable combination known to man and various Annabel Karmel recipes. She either refuses them point blank or has 2-3 spoonfuls and then fusses about, turning in her high chair, chewing on her hand and often furiously rubs her eyes and face - often getting the food in her eyes which causes her pain I'm sure. I've often taken this as a cue that she's overtired or not interested but if I get some yoghurt or fruit her eyes light up when she see it and she calms right down and wolfs down the food and often cries when it's all gone! The only exception to this seems to be bits of cheese or cheesy mashed potato but I worry about the salt content of giving her cheese too often. She has her bottom two teeth so I have tried to see if she prefers baby led weaning and have offered finger foods but they ever even touch her mouth she will either crush them Incredible hulk style in her hand or just rub them again her high chair and drop them on the floor. I have wondered if more teeth are coming or if she is sometimes too tired to eat at her evening meal but as soon as the sweet stuff is in sight she perks right up! I have a freezer full of meals that I've spent hours making and I feel so defeated by this. Tonight she refused her tomato pasta and when I left the room for a few seconds to go and get a banana she had tipped the dish all over herself and was rubbing some of the sauce in her hair and on her face. When I tried to clean her up she wailed and continued to wail throughout her bath and didn't really calm down until after her bottle, by which time I was a nervous wreck and hating myself for feeling a little bit relived that I'm going back to work soon and she will eat at nursery. I just feel dreadful this evening and have no idea what to do to get her eating balance meals and dread to think what sort of 'advice' I might get from my HV. Is there any Family Room wisdom that might help me? Thank you for reading this monster post... Mrs G

Hello, I'm taking my 6 month old to Bristol on the train and will be taking a taxi to paddington. I'm taking a folding maclaren buggy rather than her bugaboo so won't be able to use our carseat in the taxi. Does anyone know if any of the local minicab firms supply infant car seats? I know Addison Lee and the Keen Group don't... Thanks Mrs G

Thank you all so much for your replies. Really, really useful. As luck would have it the Sling Library is on this Thursday so I will take my hefty little bundle along to test out all the slings you've suggested. Thanks again lovely people!