Fuschia

Rofl re the hamster. Me, I cleaned the dishwasher and washing machine this morning.

A spare tshirt. If for any reason your partner can't take/keep the baby skin to skin, you can step in. THis was very important to me planning the twin birth and MrF duly held twin I (gunk and all) to his chest for quite a long while between twin I and twin II's births...

From an evolutionary point of view, humans need to live in socialised groups so as to protect the mother in childbirth (and childbirth can be long due to large human brain/head needing to get through a pelvis that can't get any bigger and still walk upright) and the same sdocialised groups help support the mother through the early days.

snowboarder Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ps - F - yes please!! I imagine little SB would > have a whale of a time at yours!! ok, let's fix it for a Friday! I think this coming friday is good. Bring your earplugs!

Sweets. I had a low blood sugar moment and sweets revived me!

My top tips: Make sandwiches and a flask before you go to work Put some big bottles of water or squash to hand As soon as you get back in the evening, take the baby, run the bath and offer a cup of tea or glass of wine Send your partner to bed at 9pm and deal with the baby for as long as possible (depending on how you're feeding, if there is any milk expressed etc) Expect tears sometimes Have a list of useful nos to hand if bf is a problem and if necessary load mum and baby in the car and drive to a bf cafe or to kings for hands on help

Babies sometimes cry, esp in the evenings, for no discernable reason...

SB: I HATE the late pm/early evening but I have to do the school pick up at 3.30 (takes me an hour to get them all in and out of the car at both ends) Maybe the occasional playdate might be good... you'd be welcome to brave the chaos at ours and come for tea one day at about 4.30! In the Summer, tea at P Rye or Dulwich Pk would be good... especially Fridays I always feel like we deserve a treat. Mine usually sleep till 2.15 then have a late lunch, it isn't time to do much unless they nap in the car while I am parked up outside the one o'c club or something like that.

Camera! Phone charger

from my memory of ear infections, something warm is comforting against the ear

from my memory of ear infections, something warm is comforting against the ear

My ds1 weaned at 17w as was the norm then had all those signs but the solids made no difference

Have you looked at this? http://www.childrenfirst.nhs.uk/families/az_child_health/e/ear-infections.html Maybe you cna get referred to ENT at the hospital?

Radnrach, have you read though about brain devt and the "4 month sleep regression"?

Gwod, what genius! i do actually have a couple of hours free on thursdays and fridays, or at least I just have the baby! So if anyone fancies it... 10.15>12

Having just surfaced back to reality and started to regain my grip on life, 6 weeks after the arrival of the latest little fuschlet, I wondered if people would like to contribute to a thread about what it's REALLY like after you have a baby. Having had 3 pregnancies now, I think I have grasped that for me I spend about a month indoors mostly in my pjs getting to grips with breastfeeding, napping whenever I can, forgetting important dates, not wanting to worry about day to day things, and of course having the usual PP symptoms (still bleeding, leaking milk, night sweats etc and not fitting into my normal clothes yet) (Sorry for the TMI) How about everyone else.. any tips for those expecting their first baby?

I need some new friends! Had a brilliant friend first time round (met her outside Blue Mountain Cafe when our children were 6w old) and although they are now 8 and she moved years ago to w London we are still very good friends. Second time round with the twins had a very active 2nd time mums NCT group and we keep in touch but since maternity leave ended only one or two of those mums are at home part time and it doesn't necessari;ly coincide with my days. Now I have a new baby and also I have seen various new mum meetups organised (like the attachment parenting one) but as I often have my 2 yo twins with me too, I am not free to get along to coffee shop type meetups where everyone else just has one placid newborn! I am sure there are quite a few of us who would like to find a "soulmate" So can I say I am quite old, I work pat time, qute laid back cosleeping breastfeeding type... currently free on Mon, Thurs and Fri ams and all day Tues and Weds, after Easter it will be all day Weds, Thurs and Fri mornings. If anyone would like to be friends please PM me! I like places like CP one o'c club, P Rye Park and cafe, one o'c club in the Summer (though I have to do school pick up from Heber) If anyone else would like to find a pal, please feel free to add to the thread!

I am thinking of getting along to 12 noon Weds Peckham jelly babies sessions with my newest baby (current 7w) Is there anyone else who goes or would like to go?

I am also missing the direct sunlight to get the tomato stains out of children's clothes!

Another useful site: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=33 old school money saving

It's not something that's not allowed. HLTAs in particular might regularly take the class and release the teacher for planning and preparation (each teacher gets approx 1/2 day p/w, more if they are newly qualified or hold specific responsibilities) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaching_assistant_(United_Kingdom) There isn't really an issue to raise just because a TA was in charge, more it will be specific concerns if problems arose "on her watch"

We have swum at the bridge and parking is good but didn't have much luck with our call... firstly got hung up on, then was told to call the other no but noone answered. Will try another time.

I rang the Bridge but they seemed a bit disorganised and asked me to call 0208 778 7158

Me too. Btw Saffron, I just came on to message you about returning the pump... Fancy meeting up somewhere? Tues/Weds usually good for me

Gussy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- However, its a > credit crunch so like a bit of a saddo I devised > my own meal planner for the two kids and us using > good old fashioned microsoft WORD I did mine in excel before I found the nifty commercial version... benefit to that is you can use one week as the basis of the next, if you regularly have the same things!