EmilyE

For little ones have only used the two Baby bjorns. The one with no back support is incredibly awful, but the one with back support was great, and I carried my oldest in it until 15 months or so. We do have a sling to put them on your back too which is fab - it's a sort of supported piggy back, but seeing as we bought it in India from a man with a sewing machine that's perhaps not such useful information...

My daughter had a grommet put in (at 4 1/2). And I have an adult version (same idea, but they stay in for longer). It is a very straight forward operation, though I found putting my daughter under general anaesthetic very upsetting, especially as she went beserk immediately beforehand. Recovery was pretty instant though, and hearing is usually immediately improved. I know that you Belle have decided to go ahead definitely, but if anyone else is interested... I do have some reservations about grommets. For an older child, there is always the possibility that they grow out of glue ear, and for a younger one, there is always the risk that they have to have repeated operations, which can lead to a weaker ear drum (more prone to easier perforation, which itself can cause scarring and have an effect on hearing). That said, I never did grow out of it and ended up having the operation as an adult, and ear infections are miserable and can in themselves produce so much fluid that they perforate the ear drums...And I should stress that I'm not medically qualified. The only other thing is that, although I know it is controversial (to say the least) I have found a chiropractor who has made a difference to my ENT issues. I now wonder if she would have eliminated the need for surgery in my case, though clearly not with everybody. Oh i have wittered on. But in short, the op is really fine; it doesn't hurt, recovery is very quick, but it isn't the most fun thing to see your little one being knocked out. Hope it all goes well.

I don't think it'll be a problem. he prob won't be feeding in the morning much beyond 9 months, esp if that doesn't really suit you, and expressing at work shouldn't be difficult, if that's what you want to do. I was always working somewhere different, and would express in the loos. It's pretty grim doing that, but perfectly workable. I never mentioned it to any of my employers. And I think both mine were just morning and evening by 10 months-ish. Good luck.

Well I think you probably are sometimes, but a combination of taxis and streetcar could still work out cheaper than owning your own car. We reckon it is for us.

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Suppose I was going to a festival. > > Is it possible to drive the car up there, leave it > in the nearest town for someone else to use, then > hire it again to drive back? > > If not, it makes it quite expensive if it's > sitting around for four or five days. > I think that you can do a one way trip for ?24.50 (though that may only be in London), but I don't think you could then get the car back to come back home. I agree that makes it expensive and is a bit frustrating. My personal hope is that once there is a critical mass of members that that kind of thing will become possible - but meantime, there are journeys that just don't make sense. Still it may still be cheaper than running a car? And at least with a five day hire, you'd have 1000miles worth of petrol paid for...

It does actually mean free petrol. There is a card in the car to fill it up and then you get 30 miles per day/booking and unlimited on trips over 72 (?) hours. I think you do pay the congestion charge though, just not up front - it's billed afterwards. You can book several months in advance, can't remember exactly how long. TheAllSeeingEye - my understanding of road tax is that the vehicle will need to be taxed, so road tax will be being paid, just shared out between the members. And as for struggling to find a parking space - the idea (and indeed the evidence, apparently) is that it reduces the number of cars owned and therefore makes more parking spaces available. I don't own a car, but would if I didn't have access to Streetcars.

Very finely chopped spinach (I tend to use frozen, pre-chopped, but fresh whizzed works too) add a bit of milk and grated cheese and nutmeg to get to coating consistency for pasta. And they can't pick the green bits out. Goes down v well in our house.

As an initial step (before contacting an employment lawyer) you could try contacting the CAB. (Citizens Advice Bureau). My mum used to volunteer for them, and they had people who had done quite a lot of training in this kind of area, so could advise on unfair dismissal and so on. I don't know where the nearest one is, and I imagine it wouldn't be a fun trip, but it would be free. Just realised that your meeting was today. Hope you were pleasantly surprised.

Until they start missing feeds (perhaps because you've expressed some), the only way I managed it was the expressing while feeding, tricky as it is - it was easier for me than expressing without feeding (which was more like trying to get blood out of a stone). So an 1oz attempt sounds quite good for a first time! The first few times I got my daughter to stimulate let down on one side, then take her off and put the pump on and feed her from the other side. Good luck.

Maybe not too much milk in the weetabix (I know it sounds gross, but mine ate it dry for a bit...) with more milk in a cup along side Eggy bread (or French toast as sophisticates like to call it) or toast and smoothie - whizz up banana, plain yoghurt, maybe orange juice and some other fruit for lots of calories in a cup, then it doesn't matter so much if the weetabix ends up on the floor...

Also, on the first Sunday of every month there is a children's service at 11, as well as the normal one at 10. Perhaps a 2 year old wouldn't get much out of it, but there are plenty of children that age who go.

I agree that the nursery ought to be more upfront, especially if you have asked them to be, but it may be that they are trying to protect the other child, especially as perhaps not everyone is as supportive of you of their presence in the nursery. Not saying that that defends the nursery staff's behaviour, but maybe you could spell out your support, and just explain that you need to know to know how to handle it with your own child. Think you probably would lose your fees.

Also free play and sing sessions at Grove Vale and Dulwich libraries. Can't remember the days, sorry.

Glad your problem seems to be sorted out, amydown. Just thought I'd mention that although most babies do better being fed by anyone other than the mother, as a last resort I tried giving him the bottle, and that did the trick. So I did the first couple, and then I think he believed that the bottle did work and would take one from other people. It's always worth a go.

Sometimes unlikely things go down well. My daughter, who resists most veg, loves spinach and mushrooms. She's not too good on meat, but loves fish and prawns. You could try thinning purees too into soups, that they can drink, if independence is the key.

This year (2 1/2 and 4 1/2) it's not so bad. We can do colouring, or stories, and yes, TV while I'm cooking supper. But last year was much trickier. I found a long bath could be quite fun - lots of pouring and tea parties, but in a contained space. We had, and have, lots of dancing too. An outing in the buggy too can kill a bit of time too and lots of the shops have pretty lights and things this time of year (lots of things to look at on Northcross Road at the moment) Good luck!

'Tatty Ratty' is a lovely book about the adventures of a lost bunny - he turns up good as new in a shop (having been rolled in moon dust).

We often have pasta with Spinach and Cheese for which I use frozen chopped spinach. Defrost spinach in saucepan, stir in a splash of milk, grate in cheese and lots of nutmeg. You're aiming for coating consistency. Then they can't pick out the spinach... Stir in to pasta. We also do nigella's beanastrone. Or pasta-ry bean-y soup as it's known in our house. 1 can mixed beans 300g tomato based pasta sauce 750ml stock 100g little pasta heat beans, sauce, stock to boiling. Add pasta. Cook serve. I normally make a pasta sauce from tinned toms, onions, garlic basil in quantity and have some straight on pasta and some for this. We're big fish pie fans too, though perhaps not with weather like this...

Oh, I've only just seen this thread, so maybe it's too late, but I would recommend: Chez Michel rue de Belzunce, or it's sister restaurant Chez Casimir, next door, both of which are a few minutes walk from the Gare du Nord. They are both great and have set menus at about 30euros. Cafe Panique - 12, rue des Messageries, is about 10mins from Gare du Nord and is a small, contemporary feel place with a tiny kitchen that you can see into. Their lunchtime menu used to be a steal at about 20 euros. The marais is great, and there is Chez Janou, rue Roger Verlomme, which does the best gratin dauphinois (creamy layered potato - thing) I have ever tasted and if you order chocolate mousse you get the whole bowl put on your table. The last time I was there I went into labour...! (don't worry, I was living in Paris at the time.) I could go on for ever, but I suppose you only have one meal to think of! Have a great time.

I've had no card put through the door, and the goods therefore 'returned to sender' because I didn't go to collect them. Not at all sure they ever arrived at sender. Also had a card 'sorry you were out' put through the door when we were here. Ran out of the house on a mad postie hunt, but to no avail. Do get some parcels though, so maybe just one guy who's hopeless/corrupt. And yes I have complained, but doubt that it does anything.