Smiler

I had my second baby at st helier in august 2010 (antenatal care in ED, moved just before the birth) and found the care (for the birth and postnatal) much better than at kings. The statistics are about strange things when you look into them. St helier have a lovely, midwife-led birthing suite that's round the corridor from the labour ward / theatres, the midwives / doctors were open-minded, eg they said I could go in the birthing suite for a VBAC, it was quieter than kings. Think They have around the same number of staffed birthing rooms but only around half the number of births. I was in for a week in total. I had really wanted to stay with kings, but was concerned about being stuck in traffic when in labour, journeys to and from hospital before/after the birth for my partner etc. it ended up being fine, indeed better. They directly employ their cleaners, hospitality staff etc rather than contracting out. the healthcare assistants were excellent. And you can pay for a private room, which was expensive but fantastic! Obviously this is just one experience! But it might be worth having a look around st helier and asking qs etc. Special care for babies is there too, although not as specialist as kings. My daughter needed a few hours in there and some monitoring and was well cared for.

That's great, you can relax now!

We moved to surrey, to get a house and because mr smiler is a country bumpkin who was stressed out living in London.

Why have you already got (well, had got) the MIL's Xmas gift?!

Isn't there a thread somewhere else on the forum with people who work from home? I work in a big team and after a bad week reckon colleagues are over-rated!

Most of the brands don't stay vacuumed (is that a word?).

You need to try to find out what the "going rate" is for this type of role and working hours, for someone with your qualifications / experience, and what job prospects you have if you leave this job. The additional duties are a red herring really, the key thing is the market. You might be able to find some info on nannyjobs site, think some companies also do salary surveys that report on average wages in london.

7 months! Ffs!

I would only go if could take a pushchair on the route, or just do a bit off it, if the walk is aimed at adults / older kids a 3yo will probably get tired and whingey.

I doubt CMs in dulwich charge less than minimum wage trevone.

Other things to watch are bank holidays and christmas / easter. Knew a few people who were charged by their CM for Christmas / Easter as the CM said she was available / chose not to take her unpaid leave then, knowing that most people take time off.

It isn't standard, it is down to agreement between you. It seems to depend on supply and demand, imagine that paid holidays are not the norm except where demand for CM services exceeds supply, as it does in Dulwich. In my now area (surrey) there are more CMs in comparison with demand. CMs don't charge for their holidays (although we pay if we choose to take time off when our CM is available, which seems fair). In london presume they can and do get paid holidays. Similarly they will do preschool pick-up and only charge for the half-day, whereas in busier places they charge a full day's fees. You also need to check and get in writing what notice period she'll give you for her hols (since if you don't take yours at same time could be paying for 8 weeks you don't use), and specify (if this is important to you) that holidays or most holidays will be taken in school holiday time (or you could be stuck covering leave in term time while children are in school).

Standard, but wrong.

Full time for six months or a year then request to go PT or move jobs from the FT job?

Had insomnia at similar times with both babies, it just gradually went as settled down with hormones, feeding etc.

Supergolden, really hope the physio etc helps, feel for you. who'd be a woman eh?

Sounds quite low for ED, I pay that in surrey (not in a particularly commutable area) for CM with just her own children and mine, no other mindees.

Lascal maxi works very well with our 2008 bee, with the bab facing either way, more space to stand on than bugaboo board, and also fits other buggies / strollers.

Buggyboard was fine (my two are two years five months apart).

Ouch, your poor friend! Maybe if she's using king's the breastfeeding advisors there can help?

Have had 2 unplanned C-sections, second was attempted V-Bac and scar was v stretched / opening up (not rupturing), some complications due to scar tissue from first section (womb was mess and attached to bladder, nice!). A registrar who started the second op advised me - in passing! - not to have any more children, I wanted to follow this up so my GP wrote after the 6-week check. Had an appointment about 6 months later with the consultant who did my second delivery to discuss risks of a third baby, he said the risks were rupture (can happen during pregnancy, not just birth, but v rare); also placenta problems (eg placenta accreta, blood clots). But odds low. He was positive in general - he wrote a follow-up letter explaining things and also sought a second opinion from a colleague who had seen my notes. Am glad I followed up, although not planning a third!

I didn't like it much, was like stepping back in time with respect to attractions, accommodation, food etc, and the ferry crossing is a silly price. Don't really get what it has to offer over, say, Dorset or other places on south coast, to justify the greater expense of getting there. Did like a couple of seaside pubs though!

But will toast to the sleeping babies themselves :)-D

Smug parents of sleeping babies(td)

Hmmmm, d'we think gina has a view on vasectomy? The primary school comparison thing has gone a bit nuts, surely time with a wailing newborn passes more slowly than with a class of delightful school children. So 300 babies = 3000 school children or dog years or something!