crystal7

I did the same as Gussy, a breasfeeding vest under normal clothes. Keeps you warm so great for winter babies. I had a few bras from Hot Milk and they were very nice but not great quality, looked quite worn after a few washes. Bravissimo have some good ones.

Another vote for the BT 150, very clear, no static. we still use it now and our daughter is 21 months :-$

Southwark have a list of registered childminders, you can call them and request it (number on website). However I found some of the information out of date. I put a post in the Family Room Classifieds section of this forum and lots of childminders replied. That's how I found mine (who is fab). Good luck!

Sorry no advice but just wanted to say (in a non patronising way!) you've done amzingly well. My daughter self weaned at 16 months and I found that lots of people were quite disapproving (including my HV) that I'd continued beyond a year and that was difficult. Hope you get lots of good advice.

Definitely not unreasonable. I still haven't left E overnight and she's 2 in Feb but then she doesn't know her grandparents very well yet...As PP have said you can only do what you feel comfortable with.

We went to Peckham Pulse soft play this morning, cheap, easy journey on the 12 with E on lap to prevent unwanted morning nap (she's been up since 5) and she LOVES it. Was packed though. I've just got E some of those dungaree waterproof things so we'll be doing some wet muddy walks. I love CP 1 o clock club but E is like baby SB and falls asleep too easily on longer trips. There's a toddler group on Monday mornings at St Faith's Chucrch on Red Post Hill, if you can face the journey in the rain... Playdate next rainy Monday?!

I had lots of hot baths during my pregnancy- no point in having one otherwise IMO! Don't worry, easier said than done I know!

I used bio oil religiously from 12 weeks. No stretchmarks but as others have said it's down to genes. Would use it again though- you never know!

marscapone Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > We also have problems with our 15 month old son. > We eat together as a family at 6.30 and it really > is a bit too late but can't really be much > earlier. I find that sometimes he eats well and > sometimes not. Less to do with whether he is > actually hungry or not, and more to do with > > > For what it's worth, I'm sure we did lots of > no-no's with older son - pandering to his > fussiness a certain amount, pouring fruit puree > over his main meal etc. Now aged 4 he is a great > eater, loves vegetables, has a very varied diet > and wants to try anything new. I think your son > sounds like a typical toddler and I'm sure things > will improve in time whatever approach you take That's really great to hear. My daughter (20 months) has always been a very fussy eater. She is quite small for her age and for a long time gained almost no weight. Her eating and weight gain have improveed but I don't have the confidence to take meals away after a certain amount of time and then offer nothing else at the moment :-$. Like others I always offer fruit and yoghurt at the end of a meal regardless of what's been eaten. I'm hoping this is a(nother) stage that she'll grow out of and soon I'll be able to reason with her/bribe her... Bee74 it must be so hard dealing with mealtime dramas as well as being somewhere new and very different. I would try an earlier meal time if possible and as others have said reduce the amount of milk M has. If he has a biggish meal at lunch time then he wont eat much in the evening anyway.

Great thread! My parents live in Leicestershire (2-3 hours drive away) which always suited me pre baby. However I would love them to be closer so they could play a bigger role in E's (20 months) life. They are in their mid fifties and work full time which makes visits a bit sporadic. Since E has started to recognise them and say their names etc. I have been trying to make sure we see them every 4-6 weeks. We only have 2 bedrooms at the moment so we usually stay with them, tiring to drive there after a week of work (well 3 days for me). I can't see us ever moving up there nor them down here so I suppose we'll have to get used to it! My OH's parents live in Bath so about the same distance away as mine but we see them less (which doesn't bother me at all, but I wont go into that...)

Pickle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Heating on all night? Seriously? > > We've never had to do that, even in the depths of > winter the kid's rooms don't drop below about 15 > degrees, which is plenty warm enough combined with > a pair of fleecy pj's and a 2.5tog Grobag or 4 tog > duvet. Our heating is on until 10pm, then comes > on again at 6am. We're the same Pickle, never, ever have the heating on all night just add layers (E's room also has an oil heater with thermostat but it only comes on if temp really low.)

I work 3 days but still find it hard to fit in exercise. My Oh leaves for work at 6.15 so mornings are not an option and as others have said weekends tend to get full. I need to motivate myself to run in the evenings which is what i did pre baby. Though not a great time of the year to start and would have to be after e is in bed. Also dulwich leisure centre has lane swimming from 8 some week day evenings- but very hard after a day at work and dealing with children either side of it! Hope you find a solution. Good luck!

snowboarder Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks for starting SW - I have no tips but need > them. Wasn't quite the same topic but this thread > also helpful. Have started to read 'there's a > house inside my mummy' to my 18m old but he > remains clueless.... Get him a doll! Seemed to love E's...

I have seen several of these around ED- they look great! Sorry not very helpful but hopefully you'll find one of them on here!

I can't stand Tommy Zoom either- urgh! I like the Autumn song and the birthday one oh and all the number rapping (so does E I think...)

We have one of these and it's great! Could easily be used instead of high chair. The only problem has been that they don't fit on all tables such as very thin ones (glass etc) which we found out to our cost when we stayed in a rental cottage in July.

Thanks for the advice- quick as always! She's just eaten some rice cakes and drunk a watered down smoothie- phew! No temp and not been sick since 5 so hoping it will pass quickly and she can go to childminder's tomorrow (and that I don't catch it!)

My 20 month old was sick in the night - many times! She's not been sick since she was tiny so feel at a bit of a loss. Should I let her eat anything? If so what? Also she seems really reluctant to drink any water, should I offer juice, smoothie etc or is that a really bad idea? Thanks in advance!

Belle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I don't think the burden of private school fees is > comparable to that of childcare if we're talking > about expenses - the latter is a necessary cost > for any working parent (excepting those with > relatives who will do the caring for free), the > former is absolutely a choice. Couldn't agree more Belle!

The Nappy Lady Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I do envy those of you who have fantastic cleaners > who do always go the extra mile. I just envy those of you with cleaners! Must work on OH...

We've always used Sainbury's own for E (now 20 months) although I have friends who've not got on with them. I wouldn't stock up too much as it seems (just from talking to friends etc.) that different brands suit different babies. Good luck

That toddler group sounds great Belle, might join you next week. We went to the park without wellies (:-$) urgh!

E will eat steamed veg, have her face wiped, nappy changed,shoes on, raincover on for the childminder but none of those things for me! Don't bother with Maclaren raincover anymore but everyone must think what an awful mother I am letting my child get wet...

fromage frais pouches, baked beans, fish fingers, scrambled eggs for lunch when she's only had a sandwich for lunch oh and pasta grated cheese and peas (which get picked out) as a staple. :-$

Yuck! I can't stand this either.