Sqiggles

There are loads. Beckenham Spa is nice, Crystal Palace if you fancy a 50m pool, Brockwell Lido and Tooting Lido (unheated, so best leave it until it warms up a bit).

Vanessa, I had a home water birth - don't worry about all the practicialities, it is easy. We put a big sheet of plastic over the carpet under the pool, but other than that everything was provided - hose to fill it and pump to empty it. It keeps pretty warm - only issue is that it is a bit of a pain to empty, but by then you are tucked up in bed with baby, so that is someone else's problem!! And definitely worth it!

Surely once they have found one extra classroom, they have enough room for the bulge class as it moves up the school? And presumably the school would not have agreed to the bulge class unless it thought it had somewhere to put it? I think the bigger issue is what this does to the sibling policy in future years - more children in this year must mean more siblings in future years.

Buldge classes are ususally just that - one year only. So next year there will be an extra Year 1 class etec etc

I did Kundalini yoga and thought it was great - good preparation for labour!! I also did pilates, but I think that is probabaly better done one to one, even if that means you just have an occasional session and do it on your own. I have had mixed experiences of other pregnancy yoga - some of it is far to much lying on your back and breathing deeply for my liking!

jags is on a sunday morning for that age group.

if you usually weigh yourself in stone and pounds, then insist that you are only weighed in kilos - suddenly it sounds like some mysterious medical thing, rather than something to worry about!!

We used Mini the Clown at that age - very gentle. But you would have to google her. Catford maybe???

My daughter was in nighttime nappies until she was 4 - used to lie in bed in the morning and fill a dry nappy, lazy tike. In the end it was discovering that a younger sibling of her friend of hers was not wearing one that made her give it up - just like that! In my view, I would leave the nappy on as long as you need to - much better than changing sheets. When the time is right he will ditch them.

I would second the recommendation for Guntree. my recent experience of agencies and has been pretty disappointing! Also ask around - on here, ask friends with nannies to ask their nannies etc etc.

The magnetic strips are a pain, but I managed to keep my last paper season ticket going for nearly the full year but keeping it in a separate wallet from my work security pass. It seemed that the porblem was if you kept it in the same palce as a card with another strip, that is what damages it. Just a thought.... Am I right in thinking that I cannot move over to tha oyster season ticket unless I get a zone travel card? It seems to me to be much cheaper to buy the train season ticket to London Bridge (which I thikn hasd to be paper) and then use oyster pay as you go for other journeys, unless you use the tube every day, but do others agree?

Watch the off peak fares as well. I just missed the 18.58 the other night, bot I remembered not to swipe through the gates at London Bridge until after 1900, so as to get the off peak fare. In fact I waited until the big clock at LB said 19.01, and then got the 1908. But I have just checked my Oyster journey record and it said I went through at 1859 so charged me the peak fare. Only 40p I know, but very annoying given that I was so pleased myself for remembering to wait!!

Sorry, a bit late to join this, but I used the Birth centre in Tooting for my first and I used the same midwife (Jacqui Tompkins)(who by then had gone independent) for my second. It was siginificantly cheaper using the midwife directly. In my view, some of the best money I have ever spent - two fantastic home births, amazing care pre and post natal, etc etc. If you do go down this route, then I would recommend using the find a midwife function on www.independentmidwives.org.uk, and speak to a few of them. I did speak to a couple that would not have worked for me, because there is a lot of personal chemistry involved.

We recruited a nanny who was already ofsted registered but then had to pay her annual reistration fee. I can't rememeber how much it was exactly, but it was about ?100.

As far as I know the children's centre is on schedule at the moment. I expect this is the worst bit - foundations and the like.

Sorry, it would have been helpful if I had added the school's telephone number. It is 020 7274 2520.

If you are interested in Bessemer Grange school, do go and have a look at it. It might seem a bit out of the way, but it is easy to walk to it from near Sainsbury's (there is a footpath through) and from Townley Road/East Dulwich Grove (down Green Dale and there is a footpath through). It is in a lovely quiet location, and the new Children's Centre is going to be fab - and should be finished for the next academic year. It really is an improving school, with a great head and some really inspirational teachers. Unlike some schools, they don't have a formal open day, but instead you just phone and make an appointment to be shown around. At the moment they are trying to show most people round on a Friday, but if that does not suit then I am sure you could arrange another time. Do PM me if you want to know more.

Calcot Manor in the Cotswolds - even more expensive but wonderful.

They have 16 places at 4+ - 8 boys and 8 girls. It is therefore on the basis of places against numbr of applications just about the most difficult school to get into at 4+. Otherwise you try again at 7+ or at 11. I think it is much easier to get in at 11. They may also sometimes get occasional places, but that is less likely with twins? If you are looking for (private) alternatives, Herne Hill School is lovely, although they only take them until 7. Otherwise the mixed options are limited - Rosemead and Oakfields?

Does it not drive anyone else mad that the survey spells receive "recieve"? I agree, very poor survey, particularly the first question. We rented a house in the US on holdiay. There were two wheelie bins, one for recycling, and one for other waste. So you could put all the glass, paper, card, tins etc in one bin, and it was then sorted after collection. Why can't Southwark do that?

Big thumbs up for the nursery from me. If they only do one year there seem to be plenty of girls, particularly in the part time class. Lovely school, great staff, great facilities.

Find a holiday cottage near the sea with an open fire - should be much chepaer in the winter - and go for walks along the beach then home to warm up. We did that last Christmas near the new forest and it was great fun. Lots of fresh air and rosy cheeks - take wellies, scarves, hats, gloves etc etc. Make sure it has a DVD player, as you need something to entertain the childlren once it gets dark (at about 3.30!). Even better if you can find one with an indoor pool, but there is sure to be a local leisure centre if not.

I thikn you can find lots of positive birth stories around if you look for them. Try googling homebirth, and you will find some. Also the Birth centre in Tooting has a website with birth stories on. I had two positive expeitecnes - both home births. First one long (but first ones often are) and tiring, but all arived safely. Second one much faster (2 and a half hours) in a pool. In my experience, it helps to have the right mindset. It might take a long time, so don't worry about how long you have been in labour, or how many cm you are. Enjoy the rests between contractions, go into your own little world and let everyone else do all the worrying. Whatever usually suits you to help you relax (music, massage etc) might help, but if it doesn't you are in charge so say so - when you are in labour is the one time where what you say goes - you in effect get to hold the TV remote!

simply childcare, gumtree and personal recommendations. Ask all your friends with nannies to ask them if they have any friends looking for a job. All these mean more work than a agency (we got so many replies on gumtree that I had to be very careful to have folders for definite nos and possibles). Try to speak to potentials before wasting time meeting them in person - and check that they are happy with hours/days/ages of children/ location before you set up an interview. Agencies come into there on if you are very short of time, looking for a temporary nanny, or you need someone urgently. But otherwsie it is a lot of money.

I agree, keep the pushchair in the boot of the car (assuming you have one - or might even be worth buying an old banger just for that purpose!)