Bouncy

Dinosaurs...and for an animal that's extinct, they are everywhere in the world of toddlers. Even a mention of them causes terror. Plus any place where they might possibly be hiding. Don't know what to do either, but feel for you!

Vaida's on Honour Oak Park repaired mine, if that one doesn't work out...

Hi Karen, There's loads of (mostly free) family-friendly stuff on the South Bank, around the Royal Festival Hall: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ You can also walk down the river to the Tate Modern, which has a kids' bit and space to run about. The Real Food Market http://www.realfoodfestival.co.uk/markets/real-food-market-at-southbank-centre is good - you can buy lunch there, then eat it in the RFH and watch whatever's going on. Enjoy!

Hi Suzy...I'd be pretty p****d off - I think you have a right to be. I have friend with a child with worse allergies than yours; the consequences could be even worse. Could you try the advertising standards agency (as the product was not as advertised)?- or local trading standards? (I think such a thing exists). I emailed the ASA in a Groupon rage quite recently and they got back to me quickly...

I remember having a conversation with a friend about why our toddlers were 'self-harming' when mine was around that age - though the weird thing is, I can't remember now exactly what they were doing, so I guess it must have passed fairly quickly! A few friends have had issues like this...I remeber being quite disturbed by it, but maybe it is just a stage a lot of them go through???

Yes, Peckham for babies, or the nice low-level, baby-friendly soft play at the Museum of Docklands...

I would really like to know what goes on there as I've been past and wondered if we're allowed in, on what basis, etc... Just a sign outside stating who it's for and when it's open would be good!

Or maybe try the NCT BF counsellors? - http://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/files/related_documents/nctbf%20SUPPORT%20feb12%5B1%5D.doc - they should know??

Hi Convex... do you know roughly how much Carly would charge for below-shoulder thick-ish hair?? Thanks!

Dulwichdame - just a warning - DON'T get a Groupon Brazilian Blow dry deal with Ginger Group. The advert is totally fraudulent and basically you won't be able to get an appointment. Got my money back through Groupon once I realised this, but what a hassle and disappointment! Looked like a really good deal at ?69...but NOT!

You poor things. A couple of things: You SHOULD be referred to a hospital consultant. Mine had reflux and was referred by our GP. They can do it really easily. MAKE your GP! Similarly, a friend's baby has allergies, and was referred to St Thomas', where they have some kind of special allergy clinic. (My consultant was at Lewisham and was excellent). We were very lucky because weaning did start to 'cure' the reflux. But the fact that weaning is going as it is for you, and that your little one has reflux AND allergies means that you should definitely be seeing a hospital consultant who knows what they are talking about and is supportive. They are out there! Is it possible to self-refer? Having said that weaning started to 'cure' things, we did have several spectacular instances when I thought the food had gone down and it came out again in unfortunate places (mega ectoplasm green sick in a restaurant was good). We also had several reversions back to just milk or just yoghurt, as late as 10 / 11 months. Until my baby was about one it felt like one step forward, two back, a lot of the time. But this was also the case for friends with babies with no known issues. I think the linear progress through weaning presented in books, by health visitors, etc, is for many people an utterly misleading myth. By about one year, things were okay for us (mostly eating 'normal' toddler food) - but it didn't feel like that was going to be the case in the lead-up! So please don't let people mislead you with the idea that if your baby isn't progressing neatly through the rather arbitrarily prescribed stages you are somehow failing. You are certainly not! Lastly, you would never know all the things that went on in the first year looking at my toddler now. He's bright and energetic and (mostly!) happy and eats lots! I hope that for you it will be the same. You will get through all this, however impossible it all feels at times!

Hello BB100...you say the position you are proposing is 'a current one in general academic circles' - do you have any links / specifics to back that up?

Ellie - I hope it's okay to post so late and add on here. I'm so glad that things are improving a bit for you. I was nearly crying, reading all your posts, because it felt so similar to what I went through with my now two-year-old. He's now a reliable sleeper and a happy little boy, and it got easier bit by bit by bit. It feels so hard at the time though, and as others have said - if you are loving and caring for your baby, you're doing brilliantly. I'm really interested to read that you've had the tongue-tie diagnosis as someone mentioned to me recently that might have been the issue with mine...who knows? - but I wonder if it generally more common than in picked up on. Anyway, be kind to yourself - it really does slowly get easier and easier, and then they're a toddler. Sorry if that sounds patronising - people said it to me in the midst of my despair and I didn't believe it, but it really is true. You will survive, and it will be so worth it, even if it doesn't yet feel like it. x