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Thank you for the update.

I just don't get the Sportacus attraction. No no no. Have just let my two-year-old sleep for almost the whole afternoon: she is still sleeping and it is tea-time. Know it'll be chaos tonight and in the night, but by then my husband will be home and I will deny all knowledge of why she is so lively and claim that I've had a "hard day" (catching up on American Trash on Sky+ and surfing the net) and make him take care of her / get up in the night (he doesn't have work tomorrow after all) while I scoff take-away / sleep! Hurrah.

Next Directory has a few I think, I think there are those two-piece ones but with a tank top rather than a bikini!

I am the type of person who loves information and finds it reassuring to have as much of it as is on offer, and am impatient (reading the end of books first, peeking at presents etc.) There was just NO WAY I could wait the full 9 months to find out and I really wanted to know: it was nice being able to relate to a little girl inside me! My poor husband didn't want to know, but luckily the doctor blabbed at the 12 week scan, so that sorted it out. If you don't want to know, make sure you tell them loud and clear! 6 weeks to wait to find out this time, am worried about the medical "anomoly" aspects of the scan, so it is good to have something nice to look forward to with finding out the gender. I think it is a boy this time, will see..... Agree that it is really annoying when friends / family ask you not to tell them 'cos THEY want a surprise. My father in law has done this with all babies in the family, but someone (e.g. elderly great aunties) has always blabbed!

We just bought black card from the stationers on Lordship Lane and stuck it to the window frames with blue-tack. Thick black bin bags and selotape (if plastic window frames) also work well, though a bit of a faff in the daytime! We did this to find out whether it really was the light waking our little one up, thinking that if it was we would then get something proper, but unfortunately the early waking continued, darkness made no difference, so we didn't invest in any proper blackout solutions! Hope you have more luck.

Personally have never worried about chemicals in creams etc., but if you are worried, what about somewhere like Lush? They use all natural ingredients etc. Or one of the health shops on Lordship Lane will stock "natural" products. Or the Shea butter lady on Northcross Road, or the new soap shop up near Franklins. Aveeno is lovely - or Oilatum wash / cream - made for kids but bet would be nice on anyone's dry skin. "Bio oil"? E45?

Will be a real shame if it is delayed til August. They used to do swim-only membership, quite good value, but even pay-as-you-go was reasonable for swimming (the gym was more pricey, about ?7 a time).

It would be really nice if the pool was available in time for the (hopefully warm) summer.

I agree Keef, the blond bloke was trying really hard and being supportive to Penny etc. but I found him sooooo wet and drab! It made my skin crawl when he was talking about rubbing her back, it somehow seemed smug and slimy, but she seemed happy. Probably just not my type of man!

Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy.

When they have C-sections on the programme, they don't seem to go through the lengthy consent process. This was a low-light of our experience at Kings: first they say you have to have the C-section, then they bring out a long form explaining all of the nasty stuff that can (but is very unlikely to) happen, so that you can give "informed consent". Scared the wits out of us! Presumably it is because most of the ones on the show are "crash" C-sections where there is no time for this, or maybe they cut the dull admin bits out.

Love the midwives' gigantic teapot! Also enjoyed the bit where they were all having tea and cakes, and the Scottish midwife with glasses was discussing the benefits of enemas whilst munching on raw mange-tout!

How about (state) schools?

Don't think that it seems possible to get an 3-bed terrace with reasonable garden even for ?500k in ED at the moment. And someone mentioned ?1500 a month for renting such a property - think rent is more like ?1900 or ?2000. Would be pleased to be corrected!

Sympathise to a degree with the point about childcare choices being difficult and emotional, but we have found that it is very difficult to get much information about the various options, making things like this forum useful. Both positive and negative views are helpful. Not impressed with the nursery's approach to this - other managers of services in ED have come on as themselves to respond to comments, which is fair enough, it shouldn't be done in an underhanded way.

I would like to come along. Agree that local would be good - think have become mildly agrophobic since giving birth as never get out!

Nice ideal, not going to happen though.

I'd be interested, though agree with snowboarder that could be hard to control the little'uns! Still read loads, though have switched to much more trashy, unchallenging reading - a colleague at work tells me this phase of reading could last many years!

Bumping this thread as am hungry! Salmon, bacon and pea risotto. (I use the cheapy 2-fillet-packs of salmon from Somerfields). Fry some smoked bacon (two or three rashers) and an onion (you can also add other veg if you like, e.g. peppers) in olive oil. Add risotto rice, bit of butter and (if you like!) small glass white wine, then vegetable stock. When rice nearly done (20 mins or so), add some frozen peas (or other veg, e.g. sweetcorn, asparagus) and, even later, salmon (in one-inch cubes). Optional extras at the end: cheese, herbs (fresh mint or basil are good, but dried oregano also OK), squeeze of lemon. Yum.

pepsi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > These people really should be prosecuted. It's > outrageous that some people think having kids and > a certain amount of money gives them carte blanche > to do what they want and pay no regard to others. How d'you know they have money - are the offending parents dripping in furs and bling?!

Surely the boys should be able to use the park, if only for supervised PE and stuff?

We just had the Bee til it became a squash at just over a year, now use a MacLaren Quest, don't really like it, it feels rattly, but think that is because it is a lightweight pushchair rather than a (more comfy, more space for shopping) pram, not 'cos there is anything wrong with it. The potential finger-slicing problem does apply to UK MacLarens, but MacLaren will send out hinge cover thingys on request.

We are also lucky to have the walk-in early pregnancy unit on the same floor as the Harris Birthright Centre in the Jubilee wing (8.30am to noon Monday to Friday), for anyone with any problems in the first trimester. Have been there many times and while things can always be improved, the fact that it is possible to self-refer and get seen the same day, and by a specialist with really good scanning equipment and quick blood tests if needed is excellent. All the scans are internal and performed by obstetrics/gynae specialist doctors (most of whom are men, though there are one or two women doctors), with a nurse also present. It's best to get there as early as possible in the morning as they get really busy (there are very few services like this in London, so women come from all over). It is a service that one hopes not to have to use but that is worth knowing about.

Oh yes, forgot about the the condom and lube thing, ha ha!

Sandy-rose, on the internal cervical scan at 20-weeks, I disagree that there is no point in having it. It is really good to be offered this on the NHS - lots of places don't. It can be helpful in identifying some women (though of course not all) who are at risk of premature delivery due to a short or weakened cervix. If they identify a potential problem, there are things that they can do to help the baby to develop well and stay put for longer. A member of my family (who is healthy and had no previous history of gynae problems) had a premature baby, so I feel that these kind of tests are valuable.