Fuschia

A day out en famille in John Lewis to shop would be fun.. nice feeding room and cafes!!

A softplay

rofl. Anything there about "Me want UP! Me want UP!" at 5.30am? (Props eyes open with matchsticks)

WE use the hairdressers opposite the Harvester, Heavenly hair and nails. Very good there.

Sanne Panne Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > littleEDfamily Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I like the idea of a lovely piece of jewellery, > > but, on a more practical level, what about a > month > > of delicious pre-made evening meals from one of > > those companies who deliver (sorry can't > remember > > any of their names)? > > If someones does know any of their names please > let me know! Baby 2 is on the way and I'd be more > than glad to suggest this to my husband :)) It's > not really a present I guess, the mum shouldn't > have to cook for a good while anyway so where the > meals come from isn't her problem anyway - but it > could be a great way to give the dad some more > time to do other things. http://www.cookfood.net/menu/gifts/gifts-for-two-pack-a

Or, a charm bracelet or a necklace with a pearl, or something engraved, for her to remember the birth with...

A spa day, but it might be a long time till she can take it! I do think a whole series of peaceful baths at home while you take the baby for a walk, combined with a pile of DVDs to watch, is a good start. Also, later, a new haircut/outfit maybe?

It is http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=uk&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=105737611187814282044.00047aaa76206d854ad52 though i think no 23 is a bit further along than google thinks and you can see the front door via streetmap, its light green with a clear house no. not sure how to save the street view

WE have oiled filled radiators if you need a loan

Hmm, I'll give one or both a try in the new year I think!

Is little bubbles a Friday too? (Where?) I tried one class of that but it didn't work well for me with twins, I couldn't keep them on task and there were several times the mums had to pick the babies up and I couldn't manage it with two. Might work better now mine are older (20m)

Nice to see everybody! Sorry i couldn't stay long! We'll have to make it a regular event. x

Anyone have info for me re time, cost and is it good? Thanks!

LordLane Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > the plan is that all deliveries will come into the > store from lordship lane That's hardly going to help the smooth flow of traffic. Have I missed some info about where all the cars are going to park, as well?

OK.. i'd look into childminders, cheaper, better for babies and more flexible

http://childcarefinder.direct.gov.uk/childcare-search-results/?searchstring=SE22&NurserySchoolsClasses=true&distanceValue=5&distanceMeasure=miles You're having twins? You might find a nanny works out cheaper... those hours are very long, I don't know if nurseries do such long days.

Yes, I read Sandy's post the same way... that it seems Kings have declined to renew the conttact they had with Albany, but in offering other work to the individual midwives, they are obviously happy with their professional abilities. And the issue isn't really one of the future of the individual midwives, who no doubt could easily find work in the NHS or as independents, but the future of Albany as a free service to women in the area.

I attended a couple of antenatal groups at Albany, my experience of the women there was that they were very much a random selection of women from the locality.

I'm afraid my view is that no hospital is the optimal place to have your baby, given the way the midwives are over-worked, looking after multiple women at a time, and the extent to which it becomes a conveyor belt where one intervention after another is proposed due to an external "clock" rather than a sensitive appraisal of your own individual labour. I'd choose a homebirth anytime. Unfortunately that wasn't possible in either of my labours due to a dvt/treatment level of bloodthinning drugs in birth 1 and twins in birth 2. Both times I paid ?4k approx for an independent midwife to deliver baby no 1, and once that was no longer allowed at Kings, to be witrh me as my friend and advocate with the twins. On both occasions I had a fantastic birth. I am certain my experience of the twins would not have been as positive without my clear birthplan and experienced mws with me to stabnd up for my wishes. We found the postnatal ward awful on both occasions, Mr F was almost removed by security when they tried to make him leave us there at 7am as "fathers are not allowed until 8am" Both St Thomas's and Guys are excellent hospitals and they do their best but I wouldn't choose to give birth at either of them, to be honest! Routine induction and pressure to have continuous monitoring are only two of their policies that are the beginnning of a cascade of likely intervention, in my view. It's differnet if you have a complication that does require intervention or a surgical delivery, but why start down the road of one intervention after another when birth should be a natural and uncomplicated process?

Smiler, what you have done is similar to what we did with DS1, prob at about the same age, and it felt very different to me, explaining to him that he wasn't going to have milk in the night any more, knowing he understood, and then Mr F cuddling him while he protested, as opposed to just leaving him to cry, at a few months old (shudder) I like this article: http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/ap/sleep.asp

My view is that there is a reason why the baby brain has short sleep cycles and frequent waking, and part of growing up clearly involves learning to put yourself back to sleep when you wake... it's just some parents take more of an active role in bringing that about from an earlier age (controlled crying and what have you) while others either by philosophy or accident leave it to later to "teach" the child to self settle... and those children learn as just as well as those "taught" to do it earlier. The study quoted also showed that babies vary in how long their longets sleep is/how easily they settle

Leonie was my consultant with the twins and I found her to be very supportive of different choices (in my case, natural birth with minimal intervention while another twin mum I know was supported in an elective ceasarean) I think I've seen it posted that the full report that's the crux of the matter should be issued.. it's impossible to tell what the nature of the accusations are without seeing it... it's presumably NOT that there has been a higher rate of particular problems from the albany babies, as other evidence shows that's not the case (and you'd need to compare with a sample of smilar cases to determine that anyway) There's no doubt that the Albany midwives have excelled at supportive, women-focussed care. I hope it's possible to get to the bottom of the issues that have been raised. I'm not really clear, even, if they're accused of negligence of some sort or kings has just not renewed their contract.. i pls post any more links people find!!

I felt immeasurably cheered when i found the article i posted at the start of this thread, as i have always soothed my babies to sleep and didn't realise that it's possible to have that as a positive choice... as ability to self-soothe is seen as a measure of a "good baby" But I've now realised that for us, along with dealing with nappies, breastfeeding, feeding to sleep/soothing is a valid approach... and children will toilet train/eat solids/settle themselves to sleep, when the time is right developmentally and for your family (with necessary help)

good article hh i am not sure all mothers who say their babies never wake are being honest!

Can I recommend getting referred here if your child needs any treatment requiring sedation. We have had several problems with son no 1s teeth, including a supernumary tooth he is going to have removed shortly, and having been through local community dentistry and Kings own dental school, I'd say the journey to Grays Inn is well worthwhile. http://www.uclh.nhs.uk/GPs+healthcare+professionals/Clinical+services/Eastman+Dental+Hospital+%28Dental+services%29/Dentistry+-+Paediatric+Dentistry/