Moos

Can I change the subject, while staying on topic? One of the vicious circles of poverty / inequality that hasn't yet been mentioned (I think) is how poor people have to pay more for the same items. Electricity meters, expensive bank loans/overdrafts because of low credit, loan sharks, hire-purchase (or whatever that's called now), inability to afford to buy in bulk and get discounts... If financial systems could be better structured to help those in need buy at a reasonable cost, that would really help. It would of course mean more allowances which brings the tricky threshold question into play, but I think it's worth considering.

Yes, good point on the big granny pants (buy cheaply in bulk and then throw away!), the disposable ones are grim. I had an emergency C-section in 2007, and found the post-natal wards to be fine. Obviously, there's not a lot of space in your cubicle as a place to 'live' for 3 days, but the midwives were very nice and helpful. I didn't find the showers to be bloody, so perhaps Fuschia had an unlucky experience. I was on my feet and hobbled to the shower by the day after my evening birth, and feel I recovered reasonably quickly. The food is pretty poor, and you'll want to snack a lot so do make sure visitors bring lots of yummy easy food with them. Second what pp have said about the warm, dry atmosphere. Loose light clothes are the order of the day, and wipes are good for cleaning yourself before you're allowed to shower. The best way to recovery is to rest more than you may feel like, which can be annoyingly restricting if you're used to good health but I guess it encourages you to spend time resting with the baby, which is all to the good. That first night, when I slept on the hard bed curled up around my son was so very happy! Best of luck.

Lental weavers, get cracking. Only 2 weeks 'till Easter!

Oh, I thought I'd outed myself ages ago! Tis not a secret. Anyway, thanks to the kind person who covered up me bloomers.

http://www.victorianweb.org/art/illustration/tenniel/lookingglass/1.4.jpg I'm starting to get freaked out here. Am I going to walk out of ED station, turn left and find myself straight through ED and into Camberwell?

Just checking that I haven't gone through the looking glass... you two do know that Peckham does exist, right?

Please, Brendan. Walford? You'll tell me there's such a place as Walton-on-Thames next.

In the office lift on the way home last night, I was swapping commuting whinges with a colleague. "Where do you live?" he asked "Peckham", says I. "Peckham!?" says he, astounded. "Is it a real place, then? I thought that was just made up for Only Fools & Horses!" Brilliant. Laughed till I honked.

I've never seen a car travelling fast down that road.

Is it really necessary to have a go at someone for asking whether the Co-op is open?

Tony, I don't think Admin reads each post on each thread. Suggest you email directly or click 'report this message' if you want to discuss.

Hee hee, yes it was the skiing breastfeeding Norwegians - amazing ladies. I have just remembered there was another bit that really made me giggle, showing a closeup of a breast in profile against a black background; a solemn voice-over intones 'a nipple is as delicate as a rose' and lo and behold a rose wobbles into shot. I really should grow up. I think there is a tips thread - probably needs revitalising. I found Lansinoh (sp?) cream quite good (yes, also for heels, dry hands etc.), but milk was no use at all. Except to feed the baby, and Lansinoh was no good for that.

I personally found the breastfeeding workshop at King's pretty poor. It took about 4 hours to convey what could have been said in 2: there was an awful lot of repetition and far too much time on anecdotes about grannies breastfeeding their grandchildren, and so on. The video was quite useful, but that was all. Plus there was a lot of very definite advice about topics that actually are not that cut and dried. A trivial example - "Don't use expensive creams - if you've bought any, throw them away immediately. Breast milk is much better for sore breasts". That may be true for some women, but definitely not for all. To be fair, I agree with Smiler and gwod that it's a really hard topic to learn in theory. We all held dolls to our breasts and felt rather silly. What was incredibly helpful were breastfeeding cafes/clinics, with very supportive and experienced counsellors running them, and the mutual help and sympathy of other mothers also learning their trade. I don't think I would have managed to keep going if it wasn't for them, bless them.

helena handbasket Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'll blame it on my parents. :)) Now, are you really thinking that one through? :)

If that were to happen to me, it would make my day!

Fuschia Wrote: > Btw, is there any free parking for Ruskin Park? Is > so, where? The road that runs North of the park is free - at the weekends at least - can't remember the name, but turn left from Denmark Hill, and first right.

Hi Kate You'll need to check your contract, but I believe your employer would have to state specifically in that (or any letter they sent you relating to your maternity pay) that you would be given maternity pay on terms. SMP is definitely a contractual right, and does not have to be repaid. However, some companies provide additional maternity pay over and above their legal obligations on the condition that the person returns to work after their leave, or else a 'return to work' bonus. ACAS are a very good source of information on this and other employment law / rights issues. Good luck!

We have one very steep set of stairs, and although the nightly dreams about dropping the baby down them have faded (they lasted well over a year, insane me), we still have the gate. Moosling is far too prone to running about like a madman laughing his head off and not looking where he's going. He's absolutely capable of walking up and down the stairs on his own, but I'm fairly sure he's still capable of falling down them too. *shivers* Anyway, back on topic, when he first started to tackle stairs it was just a question of turning him around when he got to the top and telling him 'backwards' which was clearly counter-intuitive, but he got the hang on it quite quickly and enjoyed all the praise when he did it right.

Molly, there is a paddling pool at the fantastic playground at Ruskin Park, which is lots of fun. Agree that a fancy one with fountains and things would be lovely though. Cleaner pavements and parks would be nice.

James Could you please have a look at the pedestrian crossing at the junction of East Dulwich Road/Northcross Road/Ady's Road? The crossing times for pedestrians is very short. When I'm crossing with my toddler, the green man generally starts to flash before we're halfway across, and has disappeared completely by the time we reach the other pavement. We can run if we have to - but it makes me wonder what problems the crossing may cause to anyone with mobility issues. Many thanks

I was bored at the end of my mat leave so designed a complicated betting system in which you had to guess the sex of the baby, the weight and the date of birth, with each answer weighted and a grading system of points according to how close you got... Anyone still awake? Anyway, the winner got a bottle of champagne, and it was quite fun. We weren't going to find out, and then, and then... we found ourself in a scanning room with 4 strangers and realised that they all knew (and didn't care at all) and we didn't and while we had no preference it was a step towards knowing our baby a little better. So we changed our minds, and it became the loveliest secret. And hearing the big, bearded anaesthetist roar out "It's a boy!" when he was born was one of the most glorious moments of my life - I can't imagine it would have been any better if I hadn't already known.

helenahandbasket, I just want to say please stay - I really like your posts and think you often have an interesting and different view. Keef and I are pals so don't feel the same need to tell him I like his posts! :) And he is the gentlest, most fair-minded soul you could ever wish to meet.

Oh.... yeah... the swearing thing. :-$ I'm really ashamed of it, but have overheard my small son sitting on the loo practising saying to himself "fxcking sake", "fxcking sake". The worst of it is that there is part of me that really, really wanted to laugh, but it was awful hearing his little squeaky voice innocently repeating mangled swearwords.

Big bouncy ponytail, yoga trousers or similar cut to show the ankle, small neat trainers, funky T-shirt, fitted zip-up sweatshirt on top. Could you bear to wear a baseball cap? Good luck!

I read this thread (and wasn't there another one recently? anyway, couldn't find it) with great interest, as Moosling is not many months away from 3, and still in a sleeping bag in a cot. Decided at the time to leave him as he was happy where he was but then circumstances changed and we needed to change the cot to a cot bed. That was 2 nights ago, and maybe we have trouble ahead of us but so far he's slept very happily in his new big-boy bed, and all is well. Amazing! and feels terribly exciting, like a bit of a milestone. Next step - switch to a duvet...