The Nappy Lady

HH - soooo funny as I had to almost sit on my hands to resist posting a very similar thread a week or so ago. DH had this winter's flu bag and was without any doubt very poorly...however, he took to his bed for 4 ....yes FOUR days...Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and left me to deal with both girls, plus running errands to chemist to pick up assorted drugs for him. Of course I felt some sympathy for the poor chap who was shivering and sweating like crazy....until that is... Wednesday when he struggled back to work.... Followed by Thursday when, just 48 hours post 'near death' he decided to go out after work to a party and stay out, drinking with his pals until 1am..... Because we all know that is the IDEAL way to get over a serious bout of flu isn't it. But then, as he said "It's the only fun I've had in a dreadful week, and I'm flipping well going to make the most of it' (I'm sure you can imagine the comments I had made to illicit that response)..... Friday and Saturday he was coughing and saying how poorly he felt and, hmmmm, let's say I was a little less than sympathetic! I probably sound so evil, but last time I was ill with something similar I vividly remember carrying on as best I could, until he found me literally in tears and sent me to bed for 2 hours, then got me up warning me I wouldn't sleep later otherwise. He's a wonderful man and does LOADS to help normally, so I really miss him when he is laid up sick. I think it is just this defining difference between men and women. For me, since being a Mum the hardest thing is that you just don't get to crawl into bed and get time to recover when you are ill, and I really, really miss being able to do that.

My hubby had this and spent 4 days in bed (as typing this thinking of other recent post re men taking to their beds for days when ill .... obviously I was delighted to spend Saturday, Sunday, Monday AND Tuesday nursing him as well as looking after the 2 girls)....anyway, he's just about over it - took about 10 days as predicted by the doctor. Snowboarder - you can take Night Nurse when breastfeeding (I know this due to the nightmare chest infection I had last year from September until Christmas), not sure about when pregnant, I know most things are off limits, but first 12 weeks are the really dodgy time. If you are really suffering I'd phone doctors and ask for a call back to discuss whether there is anything you can take, or go and speak to a chemist - best if you have a 'tame' one you see regularly??? The tummy upset part of the bug is very definitely a part of it. I think it is this years flu bug I'm afraid. Hubby was shivering, sweating like mad (having to change clothes 2 or 3 times during the night. It is really nasty. I get the Flu Jab due to asthma thank goodness, and seem to have avoided it so far. Hope you feel better very soon - you and Fuschia. Big hugs, Molly

Just a thought - if you try the Evening Primrose Oil be aware that you then have to be very careful about exposure to UVA as it can make you more sensitive - so don't do sunbeds or sunbathing (hilarious to imagine the latter given present weather conditions)!

nunheadmum - if you are really worrying, I would urge you to speak to Helen Ingham (new Head at Ivydale). She is very approachable and I honestly believe her strategy will see an improvement in future stats - in both the short term and the longer term. PM me if you would like Helen's email address, or call the school and ask for a meeting....

Thanks goosemum, I totally agree. :))

Honestly Moi23.....?? Sadly the answer is that we are given the 'illusion' of choice, but actually you're right...we don't have very much at all, if any. If you love Horniman put it as your 1st choice and put Goodrich 2nd choice (unless when you say it is your 2nd closest it is still in reality a long way away). You may get lucky, you never know.

:-)))

Ha Liz - check out this thread from about a week ago....hope you get sorted in time. xx http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,580226,page=1

Yes, goats milk improved my eczema....it isn't that it helps, it's just it doesn't have the same stuff in it as cow's milk, which can exacerbate eczema......gosh, how technical am I??!!!

Think it is Well Kid?? Got from Kristal Pharmacy in Nunhead. Neither of mine seem to mind the taste.

Simple canapes to enjoy with some champagne in the sitting room, so you can all sit at the table with it looking perfect for the main course? You can get ready made blinis and dress them with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and a little chopped dill, or some caviar, etc etc. You can even buy ready made nibbles / canapes I think if you want to be really lazy. I always think it is nicer to skip a full on starter as we all end up feeling so full anyway by the end of the meal!

I think even the chemists find it frustrating. The other day my youngest has a quite literally streaming nose, which she was wiping all over her face - you couldn't wipe it fast enough. I went in to my regular place and tried to buy something over the counter, and there was NOTHING available any more for a 2 year old that would dry her nose up.....so silly. Thankfully the chemist offered to make something up for her, which worked really well (phew). So....maybe this is an option too for runny noses and the like, if you have a chemist you use regularly, maybe ask if they are willing to make something up?

Pickle - C is the same, always telling me 'teeth hurt need medicine Mummy'.....even the stuff Olivia used to hate taking doesn't cause her any issues. I've now got a liquid multivitamin which I have her every day - that keeps her happy!

Following the recent thread on the various on-line supermarket deliveries, I've been trying out Ocado with great success, agree with what everyone else said about them, and in particular the iphone app for adding last minute items, which is so quick and easy to use, I have no idea how I used to manage without it! Anyway - just got this offer through: Everyone loves an early Christmas present, and this latest Ocado Delivery Pass deal is one gift you?ll definitely be glad to get. Sign up now and bag a big saving of ?70 on an annual Delivery Pass [1]. That means you can wave goodbye to delivery charges outside of Christmas week for just ?39.99. Well, there?s no time like the present. No need to check delivery charges ? just choose the time that suits you best. Combine with our same-day delivery service [2] to quickly restock your cupboards. Minimum order of just ?40 [3] makes it ideal for top-up shopping. Shop just once a week and you could save up to ?323 on delivery charges a year. [4] Terms and conditions [1] Annual membership of Ocado Saver Delivery Pass costs ?39.99. Normal price is currently ?109.99. Minimum order for Ocado Delivery Pass members is ?40 and the number of deliveries is limited to one delivery per day however different conditions apply during the Christmas week. Annual membership entitles the member to receive Ocado orders with no additional charge for delivery outside of Christmas week (20th ? 24th December) and is subject to a 12 month minimum term, which will be automatically renewed for 12 month periods at the then applicable membership rates. If you change your mind within seven days you can get a refund of the membership fee (provided you have not used your membership). Please see Terms & Conditions at Ocado.com for full details including the other benefits which you will receive as part of the chargeable annual membership. [2] Available in selected areas. [3] Excluding Christmas week (20th ? 24th December) where minimum order is ?90 and delivery charges apply, currently ?9.99. [4] Based on ?6.99 delivery charge. Please note: Signing up for an Ocado Delivery Pass will not grant customers priority access to Christmas slot booking for 2010. All 2010 Christmas slots are already open.

When I had to give my then 4/5 year old some nasty medicine I tried all the mixing with juice etc. to no avail. In the end I just lined up some of her favourite sweets and told her, take this and you can have those, plus a big drink of something nice to take the taste away....it worked perfectly!! Bribery all the way I say!

I've still got a bottle with the old dosage on it too...frankly I think as long as you're not a complete idiot and stick to the advised doses there is nothing to worry about as the ingredients have not changed (so I have been told by a chemist), just the 'rules'.

I think if you could return favour and babysit while your neighbour does her school run she might jump at the chance - I know I would!!

It's interesting to see Goose Green doing so well, given that it was in special measures not so long ago - the children who have just had their results announced would have been at the school throughout all the 'problems' but have still done really well. I think to some extent this proves that no matter how much you study results, ofsted reports etc they can only tell you so much. Of course we all want to see our childrens school at the top of the list (only natural as a caring parent), but I don't think any of us should be in a panic. As for Ivydale, I agree the school got distracted by the uniform issue last year, this ofsted is by no means a disaster and if it results in some marked improvements (which I am confident it will) then it can only be a good thing.

It won't help with the tummy bug but Medised is fantastic for giving them a good nights sleep when full of cold. Not sure how old yours are - we used it from 6 months plus I think with no 1. They have now changed the rules to say 6 years plus as with a lot of other meds with more than 1 active ingredient. It is so annoying as in my experience it is the only thing that really works. I give my two Kaolin for tummy bugs, it's old fashioned but I reckon it helps.

Get a morning nursery slot, or see if another parent could share nursery run - eg they drop off & you pick up, or find a neighbour who might sit at yours whilst you pop him up to nursey - not so easy if you don't know people I know, but it has worked for me with my neighbour in adjoining house, or fellow Mum over the road. Xx

Paperina - it sounds good....fingers crossed....but do be strict about working hours otherwise it can take over! If I can be of any further help or advice feel free to PM me....

Hi everyone, My monthly cloth nappy drop in session is tomorrow, 15th 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 19th January. 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 have officially retired 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. We also have loads of links to You Tube demo clips now which are 'almost' ;-) as good as coming along to see me! Best wishes, Molly

Bishberro - huge sympathy - having had very mild eczema at times in my life I know how miserable it is, and it sounds like your poor hubby is really suffering. I believe diet can be a big issue - has he ever try cutting dairy etc. out, keeping a food diary and slowly re-introducing stuff? I would certainly look into that. Re washing - how much detergent do you use? Most people use way too much. I'd recommend a liquid detergent, and use half the recommended dose. Maybe even try those wash ball things for the stuff that is not too soiled to take detergent out of the equasion completely. Have you changed your detergent in recent months at all? If so this could be a factor. In the past it was thought that the enzymes in bio detergents caused eczema, but these days scientists are re-thinking this, and is is thought it is more likely that is it the fragrances and colouring in detergents that cause problems. Many non-bio detergents have bleaching agents in them which have been found to be as agressive on the skin as the enzymes in the bio detergents. Again, it comes down to how much you use rather than what you use. I use homeopathic Sulphur Tables when my eczema flares up and it does seem to have an effect over a week or so, how or why I don't know, but I'm inclined to think anything is worth a try. I have also heard VERY good things about the products sold by Purepotions.....they have a website; http://purepotions.co.uk/#1X0 I know of at least 2 children who had very bad eczema that was helped enormously by the bath oil and after bath cream. Finally - I used to have the odd sunbed if my skin got really bad...I know this sounds crazy, but like your hubby mine would always flare up in the winter and even my doctor said as long as it was in moderation if it got rid of the eczema then it was probably better to do that than keep using the steroid creams....I think Village Way Hairdressers on Lordship Lane have sunbeds if he is tempted... Do you know about the eczema society? http://www.eczema.org/ The trouble with eczema is that it is such a long slow process of trial and error, there are times when you know right away that something is making you feel worse (like if I use Lanolin based creams I start itching right away), where as positive results - and food diaries etc. take time. Really hope that you do find some help via this thread though. Good luck.

paperina, Don't know if this will help, but my experience was; With No. 1 stayed at home with her until she was 9 months old, then had to go back full time, 5 days a week 9-5 in the city and really wasn't happy with it. After 2 years I left and went self employed working from home/locally and felt so much happier. Had No. 2 when eldest was just over 4 years old, took almost a year off with her, going back just 1 day a week when she was coming up to a year old....this ramped up to 2 days per week fairly quickly, then when she got to about 18 months old I went up to 3 days....now she is 26 months and I've just gone up to 4 days a week. This gradual increase has felt really perfect to me, each time I have ramped the days up it has been when I felt I wanted to, rather than being under pressure to do so, and it has felt so much easier than just hitting that dreaded day when you suddenly switch from Mummy to working woman again, which was so hard first time around. I work school hours so I am able to (mostly) do the school run, now and again if I really need to work late I will ask another Mum to do pick up for me and have eldest for a playdate. Youngest is with a childminder and can be there up to 6pm which means I can have some time with my eldest for homework / reading etc. which works really well. I know I'm really, really lucky to be in this position...it has come at some cost - I had a much bigger income back when I worked in the city, but I feel that what I am doing now is way more important, and frankly, I cannot imagine ever going back to that now, even for the money, I really love working locally and being self employed. I have a really strong bond with both my girls, so I don't think my eldest missed out, though I do think the little one has been much more 'mummified' for longer - it has taken longer for Daddy to really start to get a look in with her, but then maybe that would have been the case anyway - who knows? I feel my eldest benefits HUGELY from having me there doing the school run with her, not only in terms of me feeling more connected with what is going on at school, but also being able to go on the odd school trip, see all her assemblys, have her friends back for play dates after school, which I think smoothes the whole going to school process. If you can work from home I'd definitely recommend looking into that option more. You may still need some child care (trying to fit it in around nap times and in the evenings is very stresseful....I did it for 2 years and now try very hard to mostly work out of the home and during the day when children are at school/childminder). Depending how many hours you plan you may be able to arrange something with another Mum, or a nanny share, or childminder, but at least you have control over things. Good luck with it, and hope this helps a bit. Best wishes, Molly

How funny, to know an icon of my childhood (green cross man.....actually two if count his DV role too) was on North Cross Rd. Wow. From view at start I would say it's def the row of shops where the pet shop is now. I'm loving it!