Smiler

Was glad to see on the Xmas one that the little boy William, the triplet who was in hospital for ages, was back home. Otherwise agree that the Xmas format was disappointing, think someone's said before that the comedy is helped by good editing. Have taped last night's along with Glee. It's gotta be darling husband. I like YABU (you are being unreasonable).

There is a big thread on this in the childcare / nannies section of mumsnet, might be useful.

Sounds really hard. Had a friend in a similar situation, also with a little boy, though there were additional issues - she had to leave in the end as he wouldn't change and her little one was exposed to his drunkenness, hangovers etc etc. Agree with Amy, advice from an organisation that supports people affected by a partner's drinking might be useful.

Agree with Rosie.

Today is gone, today was fun, tomorrow is another one Dr Seuss

It's not true! I got pregnant at 8 months while still feeding day and night and before periods returned and know several others with similar stories.

Doubt the NHS provides counselling services for this stuff, but if you can pay a private counsellor might be able to help you work out your feelings and what you might do. Or books on dealing with difficult people? (Dulwich library has a big health section). The relationships threads on mumsnet has lots about difficult family situations if you're looking to vent / make contact with others, though it can get pretty dark compared with this forum!

Yes, happy new year!

A line from a novel I liked mentioned "the sweetness and sourness" of family life. Was funny at Xmas seeing the kids / non-kids divide in the family with the latter group shocked and exhausted by the end, ha ha!

Mr smiler keeps aaking whether "we" have sent cards to various rellies and neighbours. Sadly, "we" have been too busy bickering on the forum!

Polly d - make sure you get something nice in the sales instead.

Like the idea of being a "core collective" ;-)

Trish Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > When your other half is left with sole > responsibility for his own offspring does he ever > tell his mates he can't come out because he's > 'babysitting'. Always makes me laugh because > wouldn't that be something you did for someone > else's kids rather than your own?! My brother, a new parent, said this at work and a (male) colleague said "nope, it's called parenting"!

Charming berryberry, yes of course we have it easy compared to the rest of the world, but surely that criticism could apply to the whole ed forum?

Anyone who remembers the "One Born Every Minute" series on channel 4 and the thread on the forum, there's going to be a Christmas special, Christmas eve I think. Looking forward to is, especially since have now had my baby so no longer have to dread the birth!

Sniwboarder, I suspect that there is very little dramatic embelishment going on, that's the sad thing. Peckham boy -pah! Berryberry, agree in some ways, but d' you need to be so smug and disparaging? Yes, it's up to us to be assertive / communicate with our partners rather than moaning / being martyrs. But this thread is for venting.

A leaflet about postnatal depression says that anger with your partner is a symptom - obviously written by a man! Grrrrrr

Mr Smiler has had his take-to-bed-man-flu moments, and has led to many fractious exchanges along the lines of 'stop being pathetic and get your arse out of bed' / 'you're an unsympathetic nagging harridan'. Argh. Gwod - mr smiler did the same thing! The look the midwife gave him was fantastic, we should all call her to sort the blokes out!

Belle, any chance of the recipe for the sweet potato and honey soup? Sounds tasty!

Yay for old schhol prawn cocktail - the retro ketchup mayo combo on wet iceberg lettuce is fab! My mum's version always has lemon pips in!

Congratulations!

Don't get the appeal of deliberately meeting up with people with (possibly) similar approaches to parenting, rather than just other parents in general. Prefer the "I like biscuits" approach.

Good luck, hope they are looking after you well in there.

Classic post Keef! There are whole websites devoted to this stuff and it can get graphic! If you go for the ovulation testing sticks "internet cheapies" from Amazon are a bargain, not as good as the branded ones but so much cheaper can use them on most days then the branded ones to confirm the results from the cheapies.

Like the idea of ale, will give it a try!