Moos

90% of women who give birth locally don't have one of the independent midwifery teams (source: senior midwife at King's, 2010). Sometimes it seems to my envious eyes that 90% of EDF mothers DID have one of the teams! but it's not the case. I registered for the Lanes the day I took a pregnancy test, and was first on the waiting list for my due month. I didn't get on. I feel quite strongly based purely on my personal experience only that if more women could be familiar with their midwifery team they would be more relaxed and better prepared for birth, and fewer costly interventions would occur. My elder son and I cost King's (bless them, they were great) a lot of money wih our emergency C-section and subsequent 3-day stay. I got through 4 midwives, all strangers, hadn't a clue what I was doing and abandoned my idealistic, NCT-pushed, birth plan PDQ. Not that I'm still bitter about it or anything. Goodness knows I shouldn't be, my son is a very healthy little boy, as is his younger brother, born by VBAC.

Ditto cherries.

I love a trilby, me.

Farkin ell. I do wish feminism didn't have to be continually discussed in the context of whom we have sex with, and why.

Huguenot, are you Toyah or Jim? Am confused. Mine is probably a white-collared Black Watch tartan dress. Social death. I blush thinking about it now.

Twosling (now 7 months) goes on bottle strikes every now and then, esp when his father is away and I'm giving the late feed. Persevere, persevere, persevere. We went from howling the place down and total bottle rejection to a snoozy 7oz in about 3 weeks. Tries your patience, but worth it.

StraferJack Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'm soooooo far behind you - just bagged up a > whole bunch of 0-3 month clothes for the first > time I'm only half a step ahead - house is now free of 0-6 month clothes, other than those stored for sentimental reasons. But still very much in baby mode... cot, bouncer, borrowed jumperoo, baby rugs everywhere, Bumbo...

Victoria Coren's idea of feminism is to sneer at women with children. She can fuck off, the divisive, arrogant wretch. And she needs to learn how to dress her boobs.

My other half has seen this man's dogs attack a cat before. The cat got away, but the owner was not on control of his dogs. This is clearly an ongoing pattern of behaviour.

titch juicy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > .....ok, you've got me now > > > those little cycling caps perched at a jaunty > angle, and oversized clear lens non-prescription > specs now you've gone and upset Timmy Mallet.

Hee hee, great idea! Can offer I, L, E, T. Need quite a lot (esp B), but of your lot F, S, W would be cool! Are they still selling them? My last order arrived with none, bah.

You mean, StraferJack, that they're too disinterested to be interested at this time, although they aren't uninterested? ;)

HeidiHi, the link to the report that I found on the Guardian was only excerpts and did not mention the graver concerns that the report is said to contain. It was a report by doctors and breasstfeeding experts on te breastfeeding aspects of the report, not the overall situation. Was there something that showed the whole case that I missed?

sophy, think you raise a really good question - how do you draw the line, and on what grounds. I'd be interested to see what evidence is available - a copy of the report for eg.

Not a great surprise, is it? Why idiot celebrities and campaigners have to jump on these bandwagons wihout finding out all the facts is beyond me. Madrid authorities insist thst they do support breastfeeding but the mother has an ongoing relationship with a violent father, neglects the baby, doesn't wash her... all sound like much more likely grounds to me. "Baby Dies Of Neglect After Spanish Authorities Fail To Act", anyone? Edited for various typos

I have no useful advice but would like to congratulate MM on his use of the phrase 'embuggerance factor'.

Part-time Lover Can't Get You Out Of My Head Groovejet

When we were househunting an estate agent commented to us that every extra bedroom is worth about ?20,000 but only up to 4 bedrooms - in other words two houses one with 4 beds and one with 6 will sell for comparable prices, all other things being equal. It was just one comment, one agent, a few years ago - but it might be worth asking a few agents to have a look and give you their views. If it's true, that would lend weight to your idea of converting it to a single space. Big study? Second sitting room? Sounds amazing. Best of luck.

Everyone's opinion counts.

My mum got mine done on my hip when I was a baby. Well, it was supposed to be on my hip, but it was a very small and fat leg, and it ended up at the top of my thigh. Don't know how she managed it. I'm not that bothered - the career as a swimsuit model never really took off...

Like the Bond movies, Bob.

I am forever grateful that my divorced parents were very fair about shared custody, or as fair as you can be when you live on different continents, and never never bad-mouthed each other, although both had plenty of mud to throw if they'd chosen to. I think we could have grown up very differently without their self-restraint and maturity.

Yep, Moosling (4 years old) has a massive puckered scar, from a blister that came up shortly after the jab but popped weeks later very revoltingly but conveniently in the bath. Good thread, as reminder for me to chase surgery for 3rd attempt at getting BCG for Twosling.

My 2nd was diagnosed with tongue tie at birth (by me, then confirmed by midwives & later Claire K). His was a comparatively mild posterior tie. I chased the system quite hard and he had the operation at 3 weeks. Breastfeeding was much less painful within a day or so and all going well in about a week. Some other women in the same clinic with more severe or anterior ties reported an immediate improvement - literally tears of joy and relief. Good luck!

No idea about the necklaces, but a sweet powder administered with a smile and a cuddle by a trusted parent who believes it may help will no doubt have a good chance of having a good effect on a baby. No reason not to harness the power of the placebo!