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Hi Hackblade - might be worth trying your health visitor anyway. It's possible that it's been cancelled, but I only had mine about 4 months ago. -A

You just need to ask your health visitor to refer you. That's how I did it after another forumite recommended it and she knew exactly what I was talking baout. They contacted me fairly quickly too. Failing that, I suppose you could ring the council. -A

Likewise I didn't find it a hassle at all. There was no wait, staff at Sunshine house were friendly and efficient. He wasn't asleep so he breastfed for the test and that worked after a few tries. All in all I was in and out. Regarding the 8 month check, I didn't get anything in the post. Had make an appt with the Health Visitor of my own initiative. -A

Also agree with New Mother. Drop in sessions would be great. I would be intersted in the Tues afternoon or Monday sessions. seem to be the driest day for classes around here, although I didn't know about the session at Grove Vale library. Will have to check that out. Anyone know what time it runs? On Wed and Fri mornings you would have competition with Busy Bees at the Horniman, which is free. -A

I second what Curlykaren said. The Southwark Council scheme is great - for ?10 you get ?60 worth of safety equipment and the best part is that they fit it for you. I probably never would have gotten around to drilling holes for cabinet locks etc. myself. -A

I also used the TT for expressed milk and didn't have any problems. Another tip - if you baby will accept the milk cold, you don't really have to warm it. Mine took it cold which was great. -A

Good to hear! I have lessons scheduled with Marilyn this coming weekend and the weekend after with the aim of cycling to work. I started the booking via TFL and was amazed at the quick response (MINUTES after I submitted the request!). I was already looking forward to it - now even more so. Thanks for your post! -A

It's never too late. I didn't get around to buying them until mine was 4 mos old. Now that I have them I would definitely use them a lot sooner for a subsequent baby. Just do it when you are ready! -A

Oh! I didn't realise this was an evening gig. In that case I can do 3rd or 10th. -A

Would love to meet up, but am now back at work so can only do Mondays during the week. Don't expect you to change it just for me of course if Friday works best for everyone else! -A

Hi Nylonmeals, Mine also went through a phase of being very easily distracted during breastfeeding, but it soon passed! -A

Hi Kalamiphile, My midwives told me that it's quite normal for a newborn to sleep up to 6 hrs at a go, as mine did, and that it's not necessary to wake to feed. I never woke my son to feed and gained weight very fast and consistently. There seems to be so much pressure on new mothers about their newborn's weight, but based on my experience and comparing to my friends', the reality is that they all gain at different speeds and there is a great variety in what is healthy. Don't forget that the entire scale in those weight charts is still normal, even if you are at an extreme end of it. They can be so misleading. I'm sure it's difficult to watch your grandaughter's mother find her way, especially as the advice changes with every generation. If you can hold back a bit now and simply support all of her decisions I'm sure she will appreciate it and start asking for your advice in no time. Well, that's how I was anyway! Best of luck to all of you! -A

If it makes you feel any better FI, I've heard stories about my husband's bullying behavior when he was young. Apparently he was kicked out of a toddler group for biting the other children, and he can even remember being a bit of a bully as a small school child. He too was always the biggest kid when he was younger so I guess he went through a phase of testing and exercising his stregnth. As an adult he is a very gentle man - big teddy bear type. So even if this behavior continues for a bit, it doesn't seem to be a determining factor of adult behavior. -A

New Mother, I thought this thread was about positive experiences at Kings, not about discouraging people from home births. Please do not offer advice about that which you do not know. I have to assume that you don't really know much about home births since you've written that you are a taxi ride away. If you needed an emergency transfer it would be by ambulance! If you don't feel it's a wise choice for you, that's fine, but unless you know something I don't, I don't think it's appropriate for you to scare women away from the "temptation" of a home birth. Apologies to Fidgetsmum - no intent to hijack the thread. -A

Not sure about practitioners of that exact method, but you can find hypnosis for birth locally. There's a woman who operates out of the centre above Soup Dragon (I think she does the Mongan Method), there's a male hypnotherapist that advertises above Health Matters, and Sitaram run classes at Kings. -A

Things I or my husband have been saying, (not to our almost toddler, but . . .) Who sent a this text message? Who shut down the computer? You can lock the phone keypad? and finally, "Sorry officer. Yes, we have a small child. Yes, we will move the phone." -A

Someone else on the forum recommended this a while ago so I'm now passing the info on. Southwark Council has a scheme whereby for ?10 someone will come to your house and do a safety assessment, and give you ?60 worth of safety equipment. They even install baby gates and cupboard locks for you. Brialliant! Just ask your health visitor to refer you to the service. -A

I'm always looking out for places that sell cheap wool despite the fact that I haven't made anything for over a year. It definitely is like some kind of addiction. I agree that decent cheap wool is hard to find in London. That's one thing I miss about the States . . . Anyway, the 99p shop in Butterfly Walk at the Demark Hill/Walworth Rd crossroads has a big cage of cheap acrylic wool outside the front of the shop. I second I Knit in Waterloo for their selection of the good stuff. Bought some lovely alpaca wool there that has been half of a scarf for my husband for the past year. Lower Marsh is really close to where I work (um, as of tomorrow when I start my first day back after a year of maternity leave . . .) and I ofter run errands over there, so if there was ever anything specific that you ladies wanted, I would be happy to pick it up for you and then you could just pick it up from me in ED. PS - Mellors, glad I'm not the only one who things the Fabric guy is "grumpy." I went in there when the shop was opening and asked if they were going to stock wool (I got so excited at the thought of a local place with a decent selection). He told me about all of this designer stuff he planned to stock and when I asked if he would be getting any acrylic in he looked at me as if I'd just said I like to eat mice. I went back once or twice to see what kind of stock he got, but I really found him to be quite snooty and haven't been back since. Too bad. -A

I've only had one pregnancy, but if it helps, I remember the indigestion hitting me in waves. I think I had it around 6 months, then it went away for a while, but came back toward the very end. So maybe all of your symptoms will not persist for the rest of your term! I lived on TUMS for a while. Found they worked better than any other type/brand of antacid. Also, if this is your second, I'm sure having a child around is making it much more exhausting this time, too! Have you considered starting your maternity leave as soon as you are allowed to do so? (I forget from which week before your due date you are allowed to start). Give yourself a break and don't trudge on till the end! It will be something to look forward too.

Maybe try AJ Farmer or the big Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill. They have lots of kids party stuff. Definitely stickers, maybe tatoos too? -A

Hi AnotherPaul, You say that you read about this "yesterday," however the link in your article refers to another article dated 20 April 2006. According to the same source, Redwood won the Shell contract in 2007: shell article Seems entirely plausible to me that AI may have conducted due dilligence on its procurement and not have been able to predict the future. -A PS- Can't take credit for this astute observation. Send your link to a friend of mine who noticed.

I know the feeling EXACTLY. Was so grateful when my mother in law took me shopping and just told me what to buy. If you're planning to buy some disposable diapers to start you off, get the free Boots changing bag you get when you join their parenting club and buy Pampers nappies. It's very light weight and it a great basic bag, comes with a travel changing mat. Then, as advised above, you can always buy one later on. Disagree with the above post re a top and tail bowl. I used mine a lot in the beginning. I got a round one from John Lewis that had two large sections and two little round sections. You can use one section for water, one section for clean cotton balls, and one section for the used ones. I kept mine loaded up pretty much constantly in the early days. Lastly, don't panic. It may seem like you need to get loads of stuff beforehand but ther is life after birth and you can always get additional things you find you need. Mine was born early and we didn't even have diapers in the house. It will all come together! -A

As Chantelle said above, many of the airports in the States will not return a buggy to you at the gate for an international flight. I've heard some stories of people being caught off guard by this and having to lug a toddler and baby around an airport, waiting on long immigration lines etc., with no buggy or carrier. Even if you were checking your buggy at the gate I would still recommend bringing a carrier for the other side. I've always just used a carrier in the airport with my heavy baby. I've got an Ergo and would recommend that style. If you're going to bring the carrier anyway, may as well check the buggy and have one less thing to lug around. Anyway, that's my two cents/pence!

Selena (Loopymum) has advertised her business on this forum before. I've never used her, but communicated with her about some cupcakes for my son's first birthday and found her very accomodating. The pictures she posted on her thread are georgeous. -A http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?9,456653,456863#msg-456863

My son slept loads in his swing the first few months. At first I felt guilty about it, thinking that I was artificially inducing him to nap longer and that I was going to create a baby that could only sleep while in motion. Nonsense!