Sarah9999

I completely agree with Nouth above. I also started training with Gokay after my second baby. I wanted to get fit, healthy and strong and lose the pregnancy shape and weight. The results were much quicker than I could have hoped and I've continued training as I feel so healthy and energised because of the sessions. Each training session is different, inventive and pushes just beyond what you think you can do and there is clearly a lot of thought that goes into them. You couldn't meet a nicer guy either, sympathetic to your requirements but also good fun. I would thoroughly recommend him.

I've sent you a pm kimmy1080. Thanks Sarah

I sprayed the virasoothe into my hand and rubbed it as quickly as I could over their face spots. I found both mine were a bit worse day 2 and 3 when more of the spots came out, they were just very tired but then having short bursts of energy.

My two have just had it, calpol, piriton, oats in a muslin in the bath, virasooth(there is a spray that I found that you could squirt on before they realised rather than rubbing or dabbing on the blisters), cotton leggings and long sleeve tops so they can't get to the spots. Good luck I hope your little one doesn't have it too badly.

Hi, We would like someone to put a new fence up, add some decking to the end of the (small) garden and level out the ground in the middle. Thre is also a tree that needs to be removed. If anyone can recomend someone reliable and reasonably priced in the first instance that would be great. Thanks Sarah

Does anybody know yet when the distance information for this year will be available? thanks Sarah

Hi, Our lovely cleaner is unable to continue so we need to find a new one asap. We need 3/4 hours every two weeks. ?10/hr, ideally on a Monday or Tuesday morning. If you are interested please PM me. Thanks Sarah

It does get easier. I have 23 mth gap and the first 6 months were like a living nightmare as the eldest hit terrible twos right on schedule. Dealing with the tantrums was so hard, and it all felt so emotional and lots of times I dealt with really badly I think. At around 6 months it suddenly became like there had always been 2 of them, I'm not sure what happened, maybe I got a bit more sleep at that point. The eldest also realised the youngest was constantly amused by her too so would try and make her laugh, which she did and still does, a lot! Anyway the little one is now 16months and they are great mates already. Anyone that I know with a small gap says the first year is hard but the siblings are likely to be very close as they get older, I can see that is becoming true with my two. It is relentless though, try and get a bit of time for yourself every now and again even if it's a couple of hours. Good luck.

Hi, have pm'd you. I have some that I could drop to you tonight? Thanks Sarah

We have been wih just a toddler and then toddler plus baby. Bring a sheet for the cot for the baby. The lodges are really well equipped and safe so you shouldn't need to bring anything else on that front, although I bring plastic spoons and sippy cups. We always bring some food for dinners in case we dont eat out and a cool box with milk etc so we don't have to rush to the shop as soon as we get there. Saying that, the shop is really well stocked with including loads of baby stuff, Ella's/bibs/beakers so if you do forget anything major they'll probably have it. Towels for swimming. I got a wetsuit for my 6month old so she could stay in the water as long as my 2.5yr old. We got a bike with the trailer thingy that both girls loved but your 5mth old might not like it if not sitting that well yet. It's great fun, especially if the children like the pool. Even if they don't there's playgrounds and woodland and a beach to explore. When we went to longleat we went next door to the safari park which was ace, and discounted through centreparcs. In terms of booked activities we liked toddler football training and the pot painting. Have a great time.

There's 23 months between my two and to begin with I used the sling and existing single baby jogger. Then at about 4months I got a city select double and it's been great. Both seats fully recline so the toddler can have a proper sleep in it. They can face each other which the eldest loves to do. It's slightly longer than phil and teds but I personally think its better as both seats recline fully and the view for the baby is not blocked. I think it's the same width as my single baby jogger. The frame is a bit heavy when hoisting into the car but as you take the seats off and put it in 3 parts, it's not as heavy as p&t. I bought mine second hand and it cost ?400 so not that cheap. Good luck, I agonised over options for ages!

Thanks very much for your responses so far. Lots of food for thought.

Hi, I wondered if any mums out there currently working or with past experience of a job share could offer any tips on how best to make it work, or any advice on what doesn't work and what to avoid please? I am writing a proposal to suggest my current role could be job shared and I need to be able to demostrate how it could work in practise and in particular how communication between team members and other departments can still be seamless and with no negative impact on the rest of the company. There is no precident set within my company which is a relatively small, very male heavy, but my manager (the md) has recognised and appreciates I don't want to return after my second mat leave on any more than 3 days per week. Any advice very gratefully received. Thanks in advance, Sarah

Agree with everything above, just to add torches and matches.

Huttopia have some great sites. We stayed on one just outside Paris but they have a few all over France.http://www.huttopia.com/en

I remember having the fear about tue first time too. Best piece of advice I got was go backwards out of the train I. E you first then the pram.

I would start by looking at any precident set in your company (if there is any) particularly in jobs that have a similar level of responsibility or management status. That might make things easier to get approved. Really work out what you want, and what you would settle for worst case scenario. Try and put yourself in your bosses position, and work out if working from home would impact your job or communication with your team. If it would, what could you do about it, do you have robust internet, would they need to supply a computer at home for you etc? It depends obviously who you work for, but if you can have a chat to them first and talk about say 3 options that you think might work, before putting in a proposal, then that cuts out the 'one time request only' and you'll get a feel for their appetite. I'm going through this thought process myself now (2nd mat leave) and its so hard. Remember they don't have to agree anything, they just need to 'reasonably consider options'. Also consider if you are doing 3 or 4 days, who else is going to pick up the slack. After returning to work after my first child, I got 4 days. (i didn't ask for 3 I really don't know why I didn't ask now. It was almost ok, apart from I was doing 5 days work in 4, no change of job description but obviously 20% less pay. Calls on the day I didn't work, but decisions being taken without me there. All rather snnoying. I go back in October, like you I'm thinking about what to ask for, and what I'll do if I can't get something that will work for my family. I wish you the best of luck.

I've found Nunhead Surgery to be really good. Particularly good at getting appointments quickly or telephone consults for children/babies. The health visitors are also very nice and non preachy. Even the receptionists are exceptionally polite!

Firstly, well done for persevering with breast feeding, BUT please remember that it's not the end of the world if it doesn't work out. There's a huge pressure socially to breastfeed, and do you know what, it's not always easy, circumstances for every mother and baby are different, and sometimes (a lot of times) people do need to top up,or it just doesn't work out altogether. Please, please don't beat yourself up for it not having gone smoothly. Sometimes it's just not as easy as popping the baby on your breast and off you go. You have done brilliantly so far. I know how stressful long bf's and then topping up can be. Secondly I'm sorry your little one is suffering from dry skin. As another person has suggested olive oil can really help. Some babies do suffer for ages with dry skin and cradle cap for ages. It looks gross but LOADS get it. I'm not a doctor but I'm pretty sure they can't even feel it. It might be worth trying not to rush to any milk intolerance diagnosis based on your one encounter with the SHO at kings. Maybe just seeing out it plays out over the next few weeks, but trust your own instincts on this one. Babies digestives systems are still working themselves out for the first 3 months and everything seems to settle down after that. If the dry skin is somehow related, you might find it too settles down. I wish you and your baby the best if luck. It does get easier (although you never stop worrying about them!)

Advise from the Fox Society is to make sure there's nowhere for them to make a den, under sheds, in long undergrowth etc. The most effective deterrent is 'Scoot' or equivalent. If the fox thinks there is another family of foxes living in the garden they are unlikely to stay and 'Scoot' imitates the smell. I'm not sure what you can do about them just passing through, probably not much, but you can stop them setting up camp.

The dog walking section in Dulwich Park is at the north or the park between Firemans Alley and Court Lane entrance. Everywhere else dogs should be on a short lead. I am sorry to hear your dog was attacked and I do hope that it recovers fully, however I am not suprised this happened as the number of dogs not on leads in our parks is ridiculous. Not everyone loves dogs, or even if they do they dont necessarily want them coming up to their picnics/children/ snapping at their heels or snffing around while trying to have a quiet walk with your other half, but unfortunately so many dog owners seem to think that everyone needs to love their dog as much as they do. I'm also pretty sure no one on here wants to step in the mess that so many leave behind them. Ideally there would be much stricter policing of dogs off leads by the park keepers and also the number of dogs that one person can walk at one time. That way dogs won't attack other dogs and people that have genuine concerns about them roaming free will have their fears alleviated too. There are rules and signs in place, they are just not enforced. It's not a difficult solution, all dogs need to be on short leads or long leads in dog excercise areas, designated play areas should be free from dogs, there should be heavy fines for dog fouling in parks and on the streets and the presumably its the park keepers role to enforce this withing the parks.