The Nappy Lady

Good thinking, though I reckon maybe if you wrap up a box of toilet roll or a box of tissues she might have a LOT of fun...just think, tissues to pull out and rip up, paper to scrunch AND a huge box to climb in and out off...that's Christmas for most 12 to 18 month year olds sorted! LOL. Molly

Have just found 3 raisens, 2 bits of hard cheese and a random sock in mine, which made me wonder what other people might find in theirs...it's a bit like fishing down the back of the settee!! To think I've only been using it for about a month, goodness knows what I might find by the Spring. Molly

That's great Lorraine, I met them at the Baby Show last year and really liked them - husband and wife, small business - he gets up at dawn every day to take the photos (said since having kids of their own he was often awake anyway). Just thought it was a very clever concept, and with a week old baby made me quite emotional seeing the images of dawn on her birth day....damn those hormones!!!!!

YES - I got it in the Krystal Pharmacy in Nunhead in the baby section, no idea if he's got any more, it was a while ago! Molly

Good luck SB. And good luck Pickle for the February flight...I think flying with toddlers is the hardest - babe in arms easy, older children easy...toddlers - Yuk...don't want to be held, wriggly, into everything...hoping by the time we fly again in August with 22 month old it will be OK ish... SB, think you are amazing to get on with it and do what you do, given the rough ride you have had...good on you girl, do report back and let us know how it goes, and enjoy the hotel, think I know the one you mean, have seen it advertised. Should be amazing...do lots of swimming with him and fingers crossed he will sleep like....a baby (!?). Molly.

Ah - OK, thanks Pickle, of course forgot you can use it out of the car too! In Spain last year our friends had one and it was great for keeping the kids quiet whilst we had a long 3 hour plus dinner...as good as they were the adult conversation got boring for them in the end and then the DVD Player was a godsend. Molly

Think you can also buy ones that plug into the cigarette lighter can't you (to avoid the battery issue)? Just for those who end up deciding to buy one!! I've been sorely tempted more than once, but we don't do very many long journeys, and oldest at 5 is now pretty good at singing, chatting and entertaining herself/us (and the baby...even better), then having a nap, so been OK. Oh and we invented the 'Animal Game' too....."I am an animal, what animal am I...I have long floppy ears, a pink nose...." etc. etc. Great fun and passes an amazing amount of time, plus it can end up being quite educational. Have got her with the Duck Billed Platypus loads of times, but she knows it by heart now! Have branched out into "I am an insect" and working on others....how sad has my life become? SB - maybe I should lend you my 5 year old for the journey??!! Molly

Good for your LegalBeagle, a bit of Telly Tubbies never hurt anyone, and saved many a parent from total breakdown. Snowboarder - maybe someone could lend you one to see if it works before you go off buying 'another' baby accessory (as I know you've got a bit of a reputation with your other half)!! I have Telly Tubbies etc. on DVD you can borrow.... Molly

Just to say I called the Council and got the pavements around Ivydale School sprayed with the 'Bag it and Bin it' signs, and also got them to clean up any mess on the pavements. Amazingly, we haven't had any more dog poo on the pavements since and it has been about a week! Hurrah - worth the call.... Molly

Oooh yes, has he developed the obligatory obsession with the phone and or TV remote controls yet? If so, maybe bring the house phone handset - it will bleep when he presses the buttons but will not call anyone as out of range!! Baby C would think it was heaven on earth if I actually gave her those items to play with rather than taking them off her whenever she gets close - which guarantees raging, stamping feet etc!! Molly

Belle - a nice idea is a picture of dawn on the day the children were born via www.myfirstday.co.uk - someone bought me one for my 2nd baby and I love it - they write the baby's name and date on the mount too - so for example "Molly's first day, 17th November 2009".... You wouldn't have it in time for the event itself, but it would be sent to them, and you could give them a card to say that is what is coming. I think it is so lovely as it is something I can enjoy now (it's up in the baby's room), but can pass on to her one day. The pictures are all taken on the beach, in Cornwall with sun rising, very beautiful - you can view them on line and pick the one you like the best from the relevant date. Molly x

Oh yes - the Porridge Oats tip also works for Nappy Rash! Have heard good stuff about Aveeno before. This is a great thread, I'm sure it will be useful for a lot of people. Molly x

Yes - if it is a poo phobia thing then cutting a hole in the nappy does help as gives them the security, whilst also allowing them to sit on the loo and see how it all works. I think otherwise it is really just a matter of waiting 'til he is ready. Fingers crossed it will happen sooner rather than later. Good luck, Molly

Hi L, If you go to the rearfacing.co.uk website you will find quite a few local (ish) stockists of Stage 2 rearfacing car seats - nearest is Orpington I think....the seats are around ?200 so similar price to normal Stage 2 and actually many of them fit right through Stage 3 as well, so overall not a bad price. They can be used up to 3 rear facing then some of them can be turned forward facing. In much of Europe children are kept rear facing until they are 3 because in a head on collision with a child under 3 the head is about 25% of the total body weight which means although the 5 point harness restrains the body the head is thrown forward with such force (even at around 30mph) that it can result in serious injury to the spinal cord. I know we all want to turn our little ones forward facing, and hands up I currently have baby C in the seat we used with our older child because of my inefficiency, but I am planning to go to the place in Orpington and have a fitting with them/see what I think of the seats because the theory makes complete sense to me. Worth at least checking out the website and reading what they have to say. I think in the next 2 or 3 years we are going to be hearing a lot more about this, and I can't believe that places like Halfords are not yet offering rear facing Stage 2 seats...reckon it wont be long.... Molly

Now there's a thought - EDF Mum and Kids outing to Beckenham Soft Play - do we have to get slips signed in advance by our own parents?!!!! At this time of year I start to harbour dreams of moving to the country and buying a place with a huge barn which I could turn into aforementioned play area, then I'd just invite all the kids back after school, shut the doors and leave 'em to it! Molly

The pop up Samsonite ones only work for tiny babys - once sitting up etc. they don't work. Molly

Yes, but if you are a veggie they then recommend nuts as a source of .....protein? or something because you are not getting any meat.....I mostly stuck to the guidelines when pregnant, but given how much it varies from country to country I don't think any of us should get too hung up on this stuff. Molly

Ha - or how about buying up a huge warehouse space nearby and creating a mega huge soft play / baby gym / indoor park for us all to hang out in during the dark winter months? With obligatory cake and coffee constantly on tap for the grown ups of course! molly

Skye, Not sure what boosters are given when, but from what I recall you have the early baby jabs, then the BCG at 9 months ish, then the 1 year old boosters, then the 4 year old pre-school boosters and that is it until they are 18. Molly

Hi all, Almost forgot to post about this, if you are interested in finding out about using cloth nappies, and the Southwark ?40 voucher scheme via Real Nappies for London there is a drop in event tomorrow from 10.30am to 12.30pm at; 1st Place Children and Parents' Centre Chumleigh Street Burgess Park London SE5 0RN Where you will be able to; - See samples of different makes of cloth nappy - Ask questions - Find out about the ?40 Real Nappies for London Voucher Scheme - Enjoy a fair trade tea or coffee For more info you can call Helen on 020 7740 8070 Best wishes, Molly

Going to back to the post about giving them injections before they are old enough to know...what until the pre-school boosters at 4 years....I found them really traumatic as they have to have one in each arm...my little girl skipped into the nurses office full of beans and all excited about the injections (don't think she really quite understood what it was all about)...then as the first needle came towards her started leaning away and crying and I had to literally hold her down while they did it...then had to do it all over again for the other side. Awful. Mind you, she recovered almost immediately when she realised she got plasters AND a sticker, and especially when she was told she wouldn't have to have any more until she was 18! Molly

Belle, I think Swine Flu innoculations have only just come in to the surgerys, I got a call last week and had both jabs - normal Flu and Swine Flu last night, one in each arm. Have to say both arms very painful last night - kept me awake on and off as whichever side I lay on it ached. Bit better today, but still pretty sore - Swine side is the worst. I guess they can't offer it to everyone because of the cost, but I agree it doesn't seem fair. At the very least you should be able to pay for it (can you?). I guess you have to go to a certain clinic. When I worked in the City years ago the firm would offer it to all the staff free of charge which seems very sensible. I had my 5 year old with me when I went in for the jabs and they asked if they were doing her too - I said "Can you?" and they said "only if she is asthmatic" (which she isn't). Hey ho. Molly

Sling

Both mine had theirs at 8 months - I asked about the thigh and was told it HAS to be in the arm as this is the internationally recognised site for the jab, and this is where they would look for the scar if you were to be taken ill. Of the various injections it seems to be the one that bothers them the least, just takes a while for the scab to heal, but as I recall having it at 13 was far worse with people at school finding it amusing to try to thump your sore arm etc. Molly

ClareC - I too am asthmatic and always have flu jabs, but missed them the years I was pregnant. Think I'd do the same with the Swine Flu jab if it were me. I think only you can make the final decision...maybe if commuting on the train a lot, mixing with other people so your risk of catching it is higher...also I guess how far along in pregnancy you are is an issue as developmental issues are a bigger risk in early pregnancy. Am actually having both jabs tonight - normal flu and swine flu....eek. Best wishes, Molly