Strawbs

Thanks both. A friend of mine is having hers above the edt in a couple of weeks so I'm going to check that out but it seems v ???? same with locale but we are going to go and talk to them today as not sure my other half has the figures right.. Hoping to avoid the do it ourselves option so then we can relax and enjoy the day but I guess we will have to see what our options are.. Thanks again x

We are having my son's christening in may and had planned on having the after do at the black cherry but they called yesterday saying they are closing down.. I am trying to find out if it is closing down entirely or being taken over but am looking for another venue in the meantime.. I've heard of the gg centre but not been in there myself.. Is it just a hall? I'm not keen on a hall so will skip it if it is.. Thanks x

I have one and I find it invaluable.. I cook things like a fancy spam Bol, a whole roast chicken, spicy chicken thighs.. This website has some excellent recipes - http://slowcookerrecipes.org.uk/mince-beef-napoli.htm

Ps thighs on the bone not boneless

Do you have a slow cooker? If yes Chicken thighs no skin, marinate in garlic, jerk chicken seasoning, thyme and worc sauce. Transfer to slow cooker along with an onion cut in half, lots of peppers, chicken stock, salt pepper, remainder of marinade, tomato pur?e and then cook on Hugh for 2-3 hours.. 10 mins before its ready squeeze in a little honey. I normally add cooked rice to it 30 mins before its ready but as you are going carb free you could easily do salad.. I also roast a whole chicken in the slow cooker. Get a 1.4kg Chook, I put butter under the skin of the breast, season and put something in to the cavity ie garlic or a clementine.. Put 4 balls of foil in the bottom of the slow cooker so the chicken isn't touching the bottom, put it on High for 1 hour then low for 8.. Literally falls off the bone and. O oil needed. Obv the butter is optional to make it even more low fat but I do it to make sure the breast part doesn't dry out.. Another - in a wok, chop snd slowly fry onion, garlic and a chilli, add canned tomstoes, add 500ml veggie stock, put green 150g lentils (I use the really small ones), kidney beans if you want put i dont and some tomato pur?e.. Towards the end you can then add some chopped peppers.. I normally have this will salad and tortilla wraps.. Ps add some more liquid if you need to at the end.. Hope that helps X X

I've only had one but was induced at 38+3 and had the gel at 10.30pm on the Monday and he was born at 1.10am on the we'd. I hyper stimulated to the drugs so they thought I was in full labour at 6am on Tuesday but it was just my uterus going mad but I was only 1cm.. 11.00pm on the Tuesday I got a spinal (3 failed epidurals) and I slept for two hours nd in that time went from 3cm to crowning.. We only knew as they woke me to check my sugars and I said I could feel a vibration and a pressure in my bum (vibration was him pushing out my catheter), so they checked and his head was right there! 3 silent pushes later and he was out.. Bloody magical! The drip that they sometimes put you on is brutal so my advice is to get drugs well and truly before they turn the drip on!!! All in all it was a lot of waiting really as I over stimulated and was threatened with an emergency c section as he was getting distressed but then he calmed down and we just went with the flow.. X

Oh thank you both! I'll see what else I can find x

Wicked thank you!

I bought a chameleon off the forum and it's fab but the bits on the side that allow you to fold it up easily to then take it in the car etc seem to get stuck and it takes both of us and about half an hour to get it to work.. I've had a friend who has one try to do it in case I wasn't doing it right and it definitely gets stuck and locks, today it took 45 mins and me a couple of swear words!! As I got it second hand I can't go back to the retailer so any clues as to where I could go to get someone to look at it? Or am I better off seeing if anyone has a chassi they aren't using? Thanks!

Food is always good, make up containers of say spaghetti Bol or chilli etc so she can heat them up in the microwave, we had friends do this fornthe firstnfew weeks and it was invaluable, Best presents we received were a nappy bin, play mat, nappies are always handy depending on what brand she prefers, mothercare vouchers (there is always something else to buy), clothes in 0-3, a really lovely warm pram blanket, a miracle blanket (swaddle).. Babygrows and vests never go astray as you go through loads.. Hope that helps.. X

I'd love to come! I can easily meet somewhere local at 8 as baby t in bed by 7ish and other half home at 8..

You can either pay ?30 to go on a waiting list but i don't think it's super long or you can pay a month of fees (?736 a month for 4 days) plus a ?30 admin fee and secure a place, that's what I did yesterday for October / November this year. They don't Have a card machine so take cash (or they may take cheque not sure).. Luckily we had three cards we could get the limit of ?250 each out of at Barry's across the way.. X

Hi all thank you.. We don't have a table either, first baby so currently eat on lap trays but think we will need to get a grown up table one day.. Am going to check out the ikea and baby bjorn one.. Am blessed with a large front room even though with playmats, bouncy chair and all baby paraphernalia it seems to be shrinking rapidly!! X

Hi all I don't have a dining room so Toby will be fed in the loungeroom so ideally would like one that's easy to clean, not heavy and also folds flat so I can store whilst not in use.. Does anyone have any suggestions please? Thanks

I went for a tour recently and it's separate from the church ie not run by them. I was very impressed and am going to go and secure his place today.

Belle - you know I've been in a similar situation with Toby and as of 2 weeks ago we have introduced some solids and also done some sleep training and he is now sleeping for 3-4 hours at a time at night.. Was tough going but saw results really quickly.. Let me know if you want to chat x

I think I was quite sensitive to it but I'd give it a go as you will know very quickly just make a plan to stay home that day.. I was taken off it after the 2nd day as the reaction was so severe.. I was still sick whenever they upped my insulin so I do think I was more sensitive than most.. If you do get ill and come off it then the sickness will subside almost immediately ie that day. X

Ah right! Is it metformin they are putting you on? These made me really sick (both ends) so I had to go on insulin.. I was induced at 38+3 due to Toby's apparent size (massive is. Word they used) and he was 7.13 so tiny! Don't get too worried when they talk about size as my little hippo turned out to be smal and we had to run out and buy some newborn stuff which was still too big on him.. Xx

Let me know how you get on.. I was also feeling v tired and unwell.. If they suspect they'll send you for a blood test and if that comes back with indicators they will then get you to do a lucozade test.. After that it's just management and you will be transferred to the high risk midwife team who in my experience were amazing! I was at tommies x

I had protein in my wee which was an indicator (amongst others) that I had developed gestational diabetes.. Might not be that obviously so I wouldn't worry but just go and get yourself checked, they can tell with a simple blood test followed by a sugar test is drinking a gallon of lucoZade and they take blood and analyse.. X

Bee - how old is she now? If over 4 weeks gripe water is an absolute godsend when it comes to wind. When I give it to toby he immediately starts farting! X

So sorry to hear this, I'm on oakhurst and got burgled in August, they smashed in our dog door and put a kid through who then unlocked the door.. I'm always out and about with the baby now on oakhurst so will defo keep my eyes peeled.. There is nothing worse than fuckers in your house knicking your stuff!! Hope you are ok x

Wooohooo thank you xxx

Mmm choices choices!! Swadesh and Mirash are defo my favourites so you choose, 27/28/29 feb work? X

Hi mike.. Where and when are you thinking for feb? I'd like to come but I need to organise for Nic to leave work early.. X