The Nappy Lady

Hi karter You can order on line from Mothercare & have delivered. I got the one with the zip off washable cover - about ?80 6 years ago. Do you know the current owner of the one you have been offered? The bacteria in the matress is most likely to be present in a matress that's been used by a child that tended to bring up milk a lot, or very leaky nappies! If clean, stored well wrapped & in a dust free place second hand is less of a worry but I think only you can make a final decision on this.

I'd say second hand mattress OK provided you know it's history - not used with a baby that was prone to be sick a lot, and not stored unwrapped in a loft etc. Ideally you want one that has a removable washable top cover. The danger with a relatively new but used mattress is if it's had milk etc go into it & mould spores have then grown within the mattress itself. Or if it's got damp and musty or dusty in a loft. I used the same matress for both children after doing some reading. Reckon you're better off with a really top quality second hand mattress than a cheaper new one.

I loved Cuddledry towels - so much better & more practical than the usual hooded towels. I think the tummy tub is very expensive & not essential, bath worked fine for us (our bath not a special baby bath) Buggy wise - I think it depends on many factors, how much & where you will use it (off road or just pavements), do you live in a flat or a house, do you need to fit it in a car boot, get on buses with it etc. There are long threads on here just on the subject of which buggy to buy if you hunt for them! I'd say buy as much 2nd hand as you can, and accept all donations as even from one baby to the next I found different stuff worked & got used hugely with 1 & hardly at all with the other. Oh, get an Ergo sling though - a godsend!

No personal experience, but seems telling that many childminders seem to go for the Jane Powertwin....

Hmmm, I know I had it easy with both the births, so didn't have all that to contend with. I remember being deliriously happy both times, and as radnrach said, overwhelmed with love. But certainly some moments of real self doubt, and with No.1 I recall her lying on her change mat bawling pre-bath time one evening, and me sitting next to her bawling too....in despair at not knowing what to do, and sheer exhaustion I think. Getting out the house seems so daunting first time around, that was easier second time but I do remember both times getting a bit frustrated by (some) peoples lack of awareness - things like asking us to join them at the theatre for something that started at 7pm when C was almost 3 months old....errr OK...I'm breastfeeding exclusively and she goes to bed at 7.30pm so how does that work. Not their fault but people just don't get it. Also, being amost nagged about how I'd celebrate my 40th Birthday when C was only 8 months old, and I was I suspect slightly post natal, or maybe just very sleep deprived...either way all I wanted was to be given 48 hours sleep so people going on about how I MUST have a party etc. did not go down well!!!! The main thing I've realised is that when I have a baby 100% of my focus goes into that little person, plus sibling...(not sure how that works), and I am not the 'normal me' at all. About 18 months later I start to come back out of that zone, and my poor old hubby eventually gets me back when they turn 2. It must be so hard for him, and it isn't something I consciously do, but it happened both times, so I guess it is just me.

I love this idea of a cleaning wing-woman. My problem is that I now work 4 days a week so only have Friday plus weekend free. However, once smallest starts school I could imagine doing a Friday cleaning exchange with a friend, one house in the morning, one in the afternoon, it would work brilliantly. I can imagine it is so much easier to get motivated with a friend at your side, and making beds etc. would also allow a good old gossip, how lovely! It does remind me of something I did years ago, where a neighbour and I used to put a film on, and do our ironing together. It does mean hauling iron, ironing board and all the stuff from one house to another, but again make the job seem less horrible.

Hi Sophie, Don't recall the make, but maybe someone else will, but the ones that have a lace backing are the best I have come across. Work really well. I suspect if you google 'lace backed breast pads' you may find them!

Hiya, Not heard of this I'm afraid, but would say that if he wees on the oilcloth I imagine it will 'run' and potentially end up on the carpet anyway?? I can highly recommend these though; http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/public/productdetails.aspx?id=40&cat=5 Fully waterproof, rubber in the middle, but with cotton bonded on both sides. Could use as you suggest, but also in bed (can put a child directly on it to sleep if staying at a friends etc. and worried they might wet the bed), also if breastfeeding in bed with leaky boobs and so on. I've got about 4 of them in various sizes and have used them so much over the years. Best wishes, Molly x

Dully, your story fills me with sadness for a lost childhood & huge respect & awe for all you did & clearly achieved.

We had 'battles' over the Trunki last year - only 1 between both girls, youngest too small to ride it really, oldest OK, but better pulling it herself - but of course they both wanted to do that! However...the inner bags you get for the Trunkis are great - designed so you can store the stuff you might want on the flight or in the car, and with clips so you can attach it to the seat pocket in front of you, and they can then access all their bits and bobs. So - think if anything I'd get the Trunki Inner which would then probably slip ito most decent size rucksacks etc. Molly

My Mum said she ached like mad the day after helping me through birth of DD1, she said she had every single contraction 'with' me bless her. Think she'd have given birth for me if she could, said it was much harder watching me have a baby than doing it herself!

Hi everyone, My monthly cloth nappy drop in session is tomorrow, Wednesday 19th December between 10 & 11.00am at the Ivydale Childrens Centre, entrance on Bellwood Road in Nunhead. For anyone not able to make it there will be another one on the 16th February. This is a great session to come along to if you are interested in using cloth nappies, or needing help with a system you already have, advice on accessories or whatever - please feel free to come along and I will do my best to help you. Although I am no longer working officially as a Nappy Lady advisor I will be continuing these drop in sessions for the foreseeable future and as always this is a totally free, no obligation service without any sales pressure. For the 'full' Nappy Lady service you can still go to the website www.thenappylady.co.uk and fill in the 5 minute questionnaire which results in a very detailed advice letter tailored to your requirements. You will also find loads of links to You Tube demo clips now which are 'almost' winking smiley as good as coming along to see me! Best wishes, Molly p.s. if you like drop me a text to let me know you are coming on 07977 130318 so I can look out for you (I hang out in the main toddler room with my 2 year old until I start the demo). -------------------- Molly

LOL...the classic line from Kate "I can honestly say I've never felt like this before"....... Keef, I suspect you are one of a minority of men who watch this programme....I salute you!

Hi everyone, My monthly cloth nappy drop in session is tomorrow, Wednesday 19th December between 10 & 11.00am at the Ivydale Childrens Centre, entrance on Bellwood Road in Nunhead. For anyone not able to make it there will be another one on the 16th February. This is a great session to come along to if you are interested in using cloth nappies, or needing help with a system you already have, advice on accessories or whatever - please feel free to come along and I will do my best to help you. Although I am no longer working officially as a Nappy Lady advisor I will be continuing these drop in sessions for the foreseeable future and as always this is a totally free, no obligation service without any sales pressure. For the 'full' Nappy Lady service you can still go to the website www.thenappylady.co.uk and fill in the 5 minute questionnaire which results in a very detailed advice letter tailored to your requirements. You will also find loads of links to You Tube demo clips now which are 'almost' ;-) as good as coming along to see me! Best wishes, Molly p.s. if you like drop me a text to let me know you are coming on 07977 130318 so I can look out for you (I hang out in the main toddler room with my 2 year old until I start the demo).

Anyone else just see that wonderful pool birth, just lovely, lovely...... Really like both couples this week, and phew, no mega screaming this week (so far)!

LOL littleEDfamily...it used to make me cry when the children were younger, but I think my hormones must finally be settling as it only makes me smile now (or grin wryly)! It does make me laugh to think back to my image of motherhood pre children and compare it to the reality, so naive, but I'm sure most of us were the same. Back when I used to do weekly nappy demos it did make me clean and tidy up once a week ahead of everyone coming, I kind of miss that pressure as I can be a complete slob now :-$ (making mental note to invite more friends around in order to instigate frantic cleaning sessions)!

Very nice ballet classes on Friday's from 4pm (I think) at Ivydale School in Nunhead with Fiona Foster...I think you could get her number from the school if you call them. The classes are pretty relaxed, can't say I felt my little one made huge progress, but she really loved going and they do a show every Christmas which is cute. I think classes are around ?5/?6 each, but you have to pay for the term up front as I recall. There is another ballet school in East Dulwich which is much stricter, parents now allowed to watch the children, strict uniform code etc. etc. I guess it depends on what your long term plan is at to which best suit your needs! Molly

Heiresses by Lulu Taylor has mention of Nunhead in it - one of the heroes lives there! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heiresses-Lulu-Taylor/dp/0099524937 It's a good read, and the author may be local, but I can't possibly say!

Thank you LoopyMum.....fingers crossed I've tracked down a nice vintage piece, really appreciate your reply as would have been an expensive mistake if we'd bought 3 or 4 of those. xx

Peckhamgatecrasher.....I've come across flylady.com before too - whenever I have a mad 10 minute tidy up I say I'm having a flylady moment. One of her top tips I think is to always clean your bathroom sink as it makes you feel better - I have been known to do this last thing at night after brushing my teeth, and it does give one a lift I must say (gosh, how sad does that sound). LOL at myself, I suspect I was probably tipsy mostly when I've ended up doing it, and found it slightly amusing at the time. Pebbles - we sound very similar, especially the mad weekend clean up every month or so - usually hubby and I realise just how bad things have got and set to, or I do it because people are coming to visit. It is so hard to keep on top of it all though, and with not just the two children, but also extra friends coming in after school, or before school when I am helping out others with the school run, plus the dog coming in with dirty paws twice a day.....gah!!!! I find January to March particularly tough, especially when as wet and muddy as it is at the moment. But hold on to this thought ladies....when we are old and grey and look back on our lives will we remember how clean and tidy our homes were...no....will we remember wonderful times playing with our children...yes. My Mum, now 81 complains of how long her days are, with no one to care for, and her house hardly even gets messy with just her in it. Here is a poem she drilled into me when I was pregnant with No.1, I know it's a bit sickly sweet, but I think the message is an important one.... Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth, empty the dustpan, poison the moth, Hang out the washing and butter the bread, sew on a button and make up a bed. Where is the mother whose house is so shocking? She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking. Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue (lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo). Dishes are waiting and bills are past due (pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo). The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo. Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue? (lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo). The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow, for Children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep. I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep......

Thanks - must admit that is my preference too, but we are feeling a bit impatient...well a certain husband is and seems unable to wait for the right thing to come along.... ;-) Hadn't thought of ebay I must admit, will go have a look now.

So....we are in the throws of changing one of the girls bedrooms into a playroom now they are happily sleeping in 1 room. Thinking about more storage - mostly for books - has anyone bought any of these from Argos - and if so are they any good? http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8754365/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+and+furniture%7C14417894/c_2/2%7C14417894%7CChildren%27s+furniture%7C14418110/c_3/3%7Ccat_14418110%7CChildren%27s+storage+and+toy+boxes%7C14418113.htm My hubby is convinced they will fall apart within weeks, but would be great if they are OK as we can put a few together to create loads of storage. Edited to add....is there anywhere around here that sells really nice bookcases - not the childrens style ones where the books go in with the cover facing out, but the type where the spines show? Preferably not the sort that require home assembly! Also - any recommendations for either beanbags or zbeds that are particularly good? If anyone has one of those Ikea storage units that look a bit like steps that they want to sell I'd be interested - can't face going to Purley Way!

Thanks....will get her checked, flying next month so don't want any ear dramas!

Hi, Wondering whether I should take my daughter to the docs - she has mentined ear pain a couple of times in the past week, but has no other sympoms, and is generally full of bounce and seems her usual self. Also, it is sometimes mentioned alongside the idea of a day off school (going to childminder that she adores with younger sister instead), so I'm not discounting the idea that it may all be a white lie..... Do ear infections always come with temperatures, etc? She's never had anything like this before and I have no experience to draw upon. Thanks, Molly

Hi Flutterby, Congratulations. If you can find a lady who posts on here under the name 'snowboarder' she might be able to advise on a night nanny. You might also want to investigate having a post birth Doula (they are a bit like a Mother's Help), and you can book them to come in for a set number of hours after the babies arrive to help out with various tasks (each Doula varies as to what they will do exactly), some are more baby focussed, some will help with meals etc. The website doulauk would be a good place to start, and will have a list of Doula's in your area. A friend had twins 2 years ago, and I think having some help is a very good idea. Also, for her having a really strict routine was the only way to survive during the first crazy year - maybe harder initially but I think with 2 to cope with it does pay dividends - also something a nanny/Doula may be able to help you with. All the very best. xx