poppy

Yes I forgot to mention the service in my previous post but I've always found it really friendly too - contrary to previous posts, I've found they've tended to make a fuss of my toddler rather than glaring. So not all staff there are bad. The waitress who runs story time is really sweet too.

I think their intentions towards parents and babies are/were good, but for some reasons they haven't delivered. I was on the common with my NCT group last summer when they were still renovating and the owner came over to get some feedback on some ideas they had re making the place baby-friendly, and seemed as though he knew that it would inevitably be full of parents and small children and wanted to encourage that. So I am also surprised and puzzled as to why they only have three highchairs - my friend spoke to the manager about it about six months ago now, who said they had ordered more, but for some reason they haven't materialised.

We used to live on the corner of Ashbourne Grove and Melbourne Grove - unfortunately I have to say car parking was a bit of a nightmare. Obviously at weekends lots of shoppers park along Ashbourne Grove but we tended to find that weekdays were worse with commuters parking for the station. It wasn't helped by more and more people turning their front gardens into driveways along Ashbourne Grove so spaces along the road became quite limited (not that I blamed them). I regularly had to park a long way down Melbourne Grove which was a pain with a bootful of Sainsbury's shopping! But we found the advantages of being so near the station as well as the main drag of LL far outweighed the annoying parking so don't let it put you off too much! Good luck with your move!

Another thing you could try, as he's formula fed, is Aptamil Easy Digest (or it might be called Aptamil Comfort now). It's in yellow packaging and you can get it in Sainsbury's. A HV recommended it when my baby was refluxy. Hope he gets better soon and that you get some more sleep! We found ranitidine helped so fingers crossed it will for you too.

Hehe, yes, climbing, scooting, and jumping off, that's exactly the sort of toddler high-jinks I was anticipating! Hmm, perhaps we will hold off for a while. Thank-you for your replies and for making me giggle!

My 18-month-old protests passionately about being in his buggy yet walking any distance when you need to get somewhere is not really practical yet - half the time going in the wrong direction and even if we're heading the right way, stopping at every interesting gate, fence, stick, drain, weed... Anyway, I was wondering whether to try him with a buggy board but have a suspicion he may be waayyy too young still - am I right? Any tips? Thanks!

Thanks all - particularly for pointing me in the direction of the local info tab. I don't know how I missed that! I didn't try your number PeckhamRose but pleased to report ED police station was open, no queue and very helpful! Thanks again.

My electrician found something on the pavement outside my house that I want to hand into the police. Is the ED police station now totally shut? If so, where is the nearest one? The Southwark council website doesn't seem to say. Thanks!

Alan Medic Wrote: Your example is of just giving someone a wrong number... can > anyone explain how the two digit switch works? But surely it's the same thing? I am utterly baffled by your pedantry! Why not share with us your explanation if the most obvious explanations suggested here "don't wash"?

cff9 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > when we bought our TT chair our son was 6 months. > We bought all of the accessories before realising > that you can only use either the harness or the > plastic barrier. We're using both! The harness attaches to the sides of the seat whereas the plastic baby set attaches to the backrest and the front of the seat. Maybe they've changed the design? Anyway, our harness is a Tripp Trapp one. I don't think you can use Mothercare reins because Tripp Trapp harness comes with the bits you need to attach the harness to the seat. An annoying trick because it ends up quite expensive. Maybe parents more savvy than me will have worked out a way of using a standard harness though!

new mother Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Errr no clearly not worth it when you read so many > postings about tipping back.... They now come with extended gliders that you attach to the bottom of the feet which stops this problem. I have a VERY wriggly toddler who does try to tip his back but it has never toppled. I think the extended gliders shift the centre of gravity in such a way that it can't. I have invested in a harness though after he climbed out onto the table aged nine months. There is a non-removable bar which he uses to push himself up on so the harness has been essential for us. Otherwise we love it!

oldnewromantic Wrote: I remember walking > into Kings and seeing all these posters of happy > mums smiling beatifically into the eyes of their > darling breastfeeding children. Well you know > what? I don't think I looked at my children like > that till I bottle fed. Oldnewromantic, I am so with you - I look back at those first few weeks and feel really sad that struggling with breastfeeding completely consumed me to the extent that I wasn't enjoying getting to know and bonding with my beautiful baby. So many advocates of breastfeeding cite the enhanced bond with your baby, and I know in many cases that's true. Yet for me, I would have bonded a whole lot quicker if I'd relaxed and let myself reach for the formula.

The easy blinds are brilliant - they kept my son's room cooler over the summer too. Only downside is the hassle of taking them on and off if you want any daylight during the day!

My favourite baby book was "what to expect during the first year". Useful to read while pregnant and then quickly became my bible once the baby was here. Pregnancy-wise there were various free booklets in the Bounty pack that the midwife gave me at my booking appointment. I think one was called Emma's Diary. They had week-by-week pregnancy info and to be honest I found them - and the countless baby magazines I became obsessed with buying- just as useful as any of the pregnancy books I bought.

Definitely agree with Kes - the number of days you'll be working might influence how you feel about what type of childcare you go for. My son is only at nursery two days a week and I think I'd feel very differently if it was full time.

You will probably have a much better idea of what will suit your little one nearer the time. Of course, you can't wait that long, so maybe put your name down on some nursery lists anyway to keep your options open but beyond that I would wait and see. When I was pregnant I hated the idea of nursery and thought I would prefer a nanny at that age, but now that I have a one year old (and having just gone back to work) I am so glad I put his name down for nursery because he absolutely loves it. I am ashamed to say I used to suspect maybe mothers who said that were just convincing themselves but my little lad is such a sociable little thing that I decided against the nanny we had in mind as I think he really gets a lot out of being with other children. Plus he has a really structured and busy day doing all sorts of things I can't do (or don't do) with him at home, such as using their soft play room and water play. Anyway to cut a long story short, just wanted to add a positive note about nurseries for that age but mainly wanted to say, as with all things baby-related, it really depends on your own individual little person!

Depending on the time of year, a little gas-filled radiator, so that the room can be heated overnight if necessary without having to heat your whole house. Ooh and my best ever piece of baby equipment was a Tiny Love Symphony in Motion mobile. My boy LOVED it pretty much from birth - even before he used his cot to sleep in it was a godsend to be able to pop him in there with the mobile on while I had a shower or whatever. And even now he's 14 months he still uses the detachable music box bit in his cot. Seemed expensive but it was the best ?50 we ever spent!

Oh my goodness, I KNOOOWWW!!I am going through the same thing with my 13 month old - very, very, frustrating! No advice to impart but just wanted to add my sympathies and reassurance that you're not the only one. I am trying really hard not to let it become a battle of wills - if he ends up eating nothing but three yoghurts for supper then so be it! (Yoghurt being the only thing he'll let me feed to him at the moment). He's not wasting away so not too worried but I too will be very glad when this phase is over!

Hi Fuschia, Gosh, I really sympathise with all those breastfeeds, not to mention all that expressing as well. My son had tongue tie and until it was fixed I too was constantly breastfeeding - it's exhausting! I'm sure you're planning to anyway but I would definitely get your son's tongue-tie rechecked, as that may sort out the feeds in itself. My son needed his tongue-tie re-snipped at about 5 weeks - they either hadn't quite got it all the first time or it had rehealed a bit despite following their guidance for aftercare to the letter. My heart sank at the thought of sitting through that clinic again but the second time they asked me to come along towards the end so it wasn't so bad and it was only after that that finally the hour-long feeds reduced. Good luck!

Thanks Molly, I love this forum for these sorts of tips!

I recently bought some plain tights from H&M - one pair navy, one pale blue. Only ?4.99 for the two so probably not the something special you were looking for though! JoJo Maman Bebe also does plain coloured tights (look in girls' section) including blue and white and even a navy and pale blue stripe if I remember correctly. They were a bit more expensive so perhaps slightly better quality.

Sounds VERY familiar to me! I had exactly the same night-time co-sleeping marathon grazing sessions and yes, it is utterly, utterly exhausting. No advice really as I just muddled through (often rather tearfully) but just wanted to add my sympathies and reassure you that it definitely does pass! I also fretted constantly about "bad habits", especially as I didn't really want to co-sleep, but looking back I wish I'd just gone with the flow a bit more because at 10 weeks they are still so tiny. I was convinced I would die of tiredness and my baby would never, EVER learn to sleep, but he's a year now and touch wood, usually a great little sleeper and I finally feel like a human being again. It will get better!!

Keef Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It could also be that ED as it is now, was born > around 2000, and developed in to a place for young > families. So the kids are only now getting to the > 11 / 12 mark. > I may be wrong but I think ED has always been young-family territory. I was born here and lived here until I was two, when my family moved to Surrey (more space and better schools) and all my parents' NCT friends did the same when their children were tiny too. This was 30 years ago so in that respect, things haven't changed! Although I'm hoping we and my circle of mum friends stay a little longer this time round.

Just realised a big irony - had edited above post to remove potentially bumbling and foolish sounding comments, not once but twice, about a thread on feeling bumbling and foolish. THEN sat ruminating for a minute on how everyone seems to just post witty and articulate comments without making edits...argh, why are we all so tough on ourselves?! oh dear, edited again to reword for clarity...I can't help myself!!

Ruth, I didn't know you before gorgeous baby baldock but I always think you look really cool now! Always love the flower-in-your-hair thing you have going on. As you may have guessed from my Boden-esque appearance I've never been cool enough to model for id (never even heard of super super)! But maybe such pre-baby antics have resulted in particularly high standards for judging your own coolness now?! ;) You always look great!!!