canadianlisa

I have a Boba G3 and I love it. I carry my little boy in it (parent facing on the front) who is 7 1/2 months but weighs almost 20 lbs and is long. He sleeps well in it, it has a little sleeping hood as well as lots of good pockets for your things and a purse clip and is not too bulky. I have carried him for a few hours at a time in it and have never had any back problems at all. Apparently it is a good sling for babies who are bigger and lasts until they get older. Good luck.

The right side preference happened to be me as well. At 8 months I was feeding 3-4 times a day / night and just kept trying to alternate. By the time my daughter was one she was mainly having 1-2 feeds a day only from the one preferred side. My boobs are now different sizes as well now and now I am breastfeeding my new baby I find the preferred boob still works better (gets way fuller) than the other. Breastfeeding is strange! I think the flannel method or just massage in a really hot bath works the best as well.

I am moving back to Ontario as well, Dundas so not far away from Toronto. Same reasons as everyone, we need a bigger place for our growing family and I really miss my family and my Mom. I am really looking forward to it, this horrible summer isn't helping but am sure we will miss ED and Forest Hill where we actually live. Have made lots of great friends in London but I imagine that most of them will be gone within the next 5 years for similar reasons. Awilliams we can meet for a coffee if you want to have a cry about ED ;) x

I'm with SB, depends very much on your child as well as how you travel. I thought that we could do it with a cheap double / sling buggy option as we would not be using it much but it didn't work. My two are 2 y 8 months and 8 weeks. We ended up buying a P & T classic and it is useful. I mainly use it for longer journeys and the nursery run. I needed it as we live on a really busy road and I didn't always feel like I could keep a good enough grip on my daughter while she was holding my hand, we don't drive so all our journeys are on foot / bus and also I need to sometimes contain the bigger one when she is having a tantrum or refusing to walk. The P & T is heavy and I don't love it, like I love the Bee but it does the job, has decent shopping space and it relatively nice to drive. I do find it hard getting up curbs with it, especially on hills (I live near the Horniman). Also like that it will convert to a single one day. Even though it seems massive compared to the Bee I think it is one of the narrowest doubles. Good luck

Hi there I am after any good condition swaddling blankets, looking for the ones that are specific for swaddling not the ones that are just a blanket. I have a 2 month old boy who is pretty chunky so probably not the newborn size. I can collect if you are local to Forest Hill / ED early next week. Any ones with velcro would be good as he is a mini Houdini. Also looking for a structured baby carrier that is not a Baby Bjorn (I have one of these and it is hurting my back) Also have a ring sling. I am a useless with wrapping so need one that is easy to put on. Thanks Lisa

Perfect, thanks for that. It doesn't sounds like it will be a problem. Now I just have to get the hnag of folding it up. Will definitely bring a sling as well. Lisa

Has anyone done this. We are moving to Canada fairly soon and would like to bring the buggy with us, rather than put in the shipping container. Also I may be travelling on my own with a my new baby and 2 year old and need to be able to contain them in the airport and on the other end. If you were able to bring it could you bring it to the gate or did you need to check it? Thanks Lisa

Okay, I have mixed feelings about this post. I also go to this cafe quite a bit as I live in Forest Hill. Sometimes on my own and sometimes with my very little one, who is breast fed and sometimes with my 2 1/2 year old. It is really lovely addition to the High Street and I think that it would be a shame if people did not try it due to this post. When we have gone with our big girl we did buy her an item from the menu which is what I expect to do with a child of her age. It is a fairly new place and I think that they are probably still finding their feet / trying out things. I have also noticed that they don't have changing facilities but there is a really large area downstairs and I just used my mat on the floor when I was there. They also have a notice on the menu that they don't want more than 3 pushchairs at a time in the cafe despite having lots of room. However, I was in there recently with my baby and there were at least 6 Mums and babies with buggies and they were not complaining. It does seem an odd rule not to allow babies to eat food from home but at the same time it is their choice to make these rules and they are not a publically funded creche / park cafe / leisure centre. It is a really lovely cafe that they have put a lot of time and work into creating and not sure naming and shaming in this way is that helpful. Aside from all of this, not everywhere has to cater for Mums / babies (and I am saying this as a Mum who likes a coffee / cake). Maybe worth emailing though to explain your point and offer some suggestions for healthy snacks.

Ayres the Baker make birthday cakes but not sure about a Peppa one. Doesn't the bakers on Lordship Lane do them? The old fashioned one at the bottom?

Check Amazon for books by Robert Munsch. They are books from the 70's / 80's but there are lots of good female charecters, like my fav the Paperbag Princess. My 2.5 year old likes them although they are probably aimed at a slightly older children.

We also changed to seperate pjs at around this age. I also like the GAP ones, there are also some similar ones that you can get from mothercare although there are not quite as stretchy. Also that minimode brand from Boots. I don't think that she will need socks if she is in a sleeping bags. The gap pjs are not as stretchy / tight as the t-shirts.

Oops that posted too quick. See above, I really like the water / swimming/ baths but the birth pool wasn't something that appealed to me all that much- honestly the logistics of it all seemed like a pain and wasn't sure my hot water tank would be that effective. If I went to hospital I might give it a try but what I found most effective last time was staying upright, walkiing around, some yoga breathing, resting by leaning over. I had a pretty speedy birth that was manageable. Interestingly, a friend of mine was told on her St. Thomas's tour that getting into the pool prior to being 5 cm dilated can slow things down. Just something she passed on to me, not anything that I have researched. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Angels and Gypsies is nice but gets very busy, need to book now for Saturday. Ganapati does seatings so would need to call and see if that fits in with your schedule. What about Green and Blue?

I think you should be ok to bring your own bottles of milk, or maybe buy some little cartons somewhere in the airport?? (McDonalds??) I would not imagine that they will provide it to you on the plane as even long haul they only seem to have those little cartons for coffee etc. Not sure how far you are going but this has been mainly to Canada for me, flying either Air Canada or BA. Try not to worry too much, it will be fine.

I've done lots of times pre-kids but also can't imagine it with little ones. I think that although there are seperate 'rooms' in the big tents they are really not rooms and there is no sound proofing. If you could relax a bit about bedtimes then it would ok, but my little girl has a melt down if she gets overtired and I like it when she goes to bed. I think you would just have to forgo the baths for washes or if your kids are ok, showers. We looked into it in June and I think I have decided that either chalet or a cottage is the way forward at this stage. Mine would be 2 1/2 and a few months old when we are looking to go. Something fun when they are a bigger I think.

I could have posted a similar thing a few months ago. My daughter who is also very sociable would get into similar situations between the ages of probably 19 months up until fairly recently (she is now 29 months). It was particularly bad at playgrounds etc. She seemed to struggle more when the playgrounds were very busy with other children. It also happened at nursery and although they don't have an 'on report' structure at her nursery she was often in the time out chair as well. It seemed to come to a head just before she she turned 2 and she had a few incidences of pushing much younger children. What I found helped was as others have said was mainly age and gaining a better understanding of what is 'nice and not nice'. She now clearly knows that it is not nice to hit/push/ snatch/ pull hair/bite etc. This was reinforced by us and nursery. Her language developing made a big difference. As well I did find it was better to avoid situations that were v. busy- i.e Dulwich park on a hot day and that unfortunately play dates with more than 1 other child did not really work for us. Also keeping an eye out for her becoming overtired and realising that sometimes on the day after nursery she needed a quiet day with me, rather than an overly social one. In terms of nursery there was a big change when she changed rooms to the toddler room for the better as I suspect that she was getting frustrated being with much younger children. In terms of my response I tried hard to remain calm and tell her firmly that it was not nice to hit/push etc and then move on to another activity. If it was all too much we left but not as a punishment per se, rather an acknowledgement it was not working. It is a phase and not a prediction of future behaviour or a reflection of you as a parent. Having been there I know it can feel very embarassing / difficult to manage. Good luck x

My girl also goes to nursery and they have a big lunch and then tea at 4:30 ish. She has a snack in the buggy in the way home and then something else at home- like cheese and crackers, toast, ham or fruit usually. She wouldn't be up for another cooked meal. I think the way the day is structured means that they eat a lot at nursery. Has milk at bedtime still as well. You could also do beans on toast(homemade or not), pre-cooked baked potato with filling. Crumpets and butter / peanut butter sandwiches. Savoury muffins / eggs. I have found that in the year and a bit that she has been attending nursery she is usually either a) pretty knackered / grumpy and needing to just wind down after her day or b) wanting to play with her toys she missed in the day. Depends on levels of sleep during the day. Definitely not up for a sit down big meal.

EDMummy, no you would not be able to claim benefits if your husband was making a good salary. I think that it is a bit simplistic to consider this. If you left your current property, how would you afford mortgage /private rent on benefits? You are potentially (likely) going to be seen as 'intentionally homeless' if you left or were evicted from your current property. There is basically no way you are going to be given a council house given waiting lists almost everywhere in the country. I think you would want to seriously research what temporary accomodation looks like for a family before you thought about this. Having seen lots of it, I can assure you it is not very nice for the most part. Or looked at the standard of private rentals that accept housing benefit. Overall a risky strategy and one that I think would be much harder than expected. It is a very poor use of benefits in my opinion.

Yes I am thinking more and more that I will try the sling and buggy option to begin with and see how we go. I would prefer not to get a P and T if possible due to space issues as well as the fact that I live on a big hill and then have to haul it up a few stairs to get in the house as well as get it on and off buses. Maybe a buggy board as well. It is hard as at the moment my little girl is v. slow / reluctant walker, also we live on a busy road which makes me nervous. I like the look of the sidewalk baby mini city jogger, have you seen that Jane? It's not crazy expensive and quite compact and looks nice. Am still considering it.

I will be watching this with interest as am in the same boat. My girl will be 2.7 so am not looking to spend too much as am hoping that by the summer she will be keener on walking. I need something small enough for public transport and not over fussed about parent facing. Would prefer something that doesn't cost too much and that we can travel with. Any ideas?? I have a Bee now which I love. Has anyone tried a Joovy Caboose? Thanks Lisa

I like the Bread of Life too but it is not exactly a cafe in the way you might be thinking, but it does good basic food like omlettes, jackets etc and lots for kids and is really relaxed. There is a little play area and it is never busy. Kind of like a park cafe but in a better, more relaxed setting. I've never had the coffee but expect that it is more caff than cafe. I think the Vic Inn is good but is a bit more for older kids as the playroom is quite far away from the bar / restaurant so one of the parents needs to hang out there with them. In the summer the Herne has a good playground area right in the centre of the garden. Bit random but the Cafe Nero in Morleys in Brixton is good for having a coffee and watching the buses for little ones. Not sure it's really a destination though. Jam Circus in Brockley is good. Also Gardens cafe has the back room which is good. Now that my girl is 2 I find that our times are pretty limited anywhere that involves sitting down.

I like the Bread of Life too but it is not exactly a cafe in the way you might be thinking, but it does good basic food like omlettes, jackets etc and lots for kids and is really relaxed. There is a little play area and it is never busy. Kind of like a park cafe but in a better, more relaxed setting. I've never had the coffee but expect that it is more caff than cafe. I think the Vic Inn is good but is a bit more for older kids as the playroom is quite far away from the bar / restaurant so one of the parents needs to hang out there with them. In the summer the Herne has a good playground area right in the centre of the garden. Bit random but the Cafe Nero in Morleys in Brixton is good for having a coffee and watching the buses for little ones. Not sure it's really a destination though. Also Gardens cafe has the back room which is good. Now that my girl is 2 I find that our times are pretty limited anywhere that involves sitting down.

I think it also sounds as if she still needs the morning nap and possibly afternoon one. In terms of the nursery /home difference my little girl started at nursery at a year and is now 26 months and has never had the same routine at nursery and home. I found when she was smaller she benefitted from a late morning long nap (2-3 hours at around 10:30 / 11 ) on her non-nursery days and then occasionally a short late afternoon nap or rest at 4 for 1/2 hour. When she was about one and a half she reliably had only the afternoon nap which she still does. It has shifted from 12 onwards to now about 2-4 p.m. I know it is a strange schedule in terms of meals so what I did when she was younger, was give her a good snack late morning and then we would have a late lunch at 1:30 ish when she woke up. I still gave her dinner at around 5:30 and found she ate the same as always. I was still breastfeeding her during this time so she was also having milk. At nursery she has never slept well and it used to worry me a lot and then I just gave up worrying. She has never really managed more than an hour there but clearly needs to catch up while at home. I think that there are so many differences between nursery and home that it almost not worth comparing. Good luck with it all, it is q. stressful. L x

The one at Lewisham shopping centre is ok, it is a wooden house and costs ?5. My daughter was keen to go in and see Santa but she is only 2 so not that discerning, think she really liked the wooden house. The photo wasn't great though. You do get to go in on your own and last weekend the wait was v. short so all in all fine. There's a funny snow globe thing as well but we didn't go for that.

I want to add my experience as I can sympathise with this. My daughter who is now 2 went through a difficult sleep phase from about 6 months onwards. We were as sure as we could be that she had no medical problems, by 7-8 months she was eating well but she was still waking up many, many times throughout the night crying. She was in her own room not with us which was the choice that worked best for my family. When she was 8-9 months we consulted a sleep trainer as it was all getting to be too much and something had to give. I was fighting with my partner and friends, crying a lot and starting to feel quite angry and depressed and resentful towards my daughter at times. We were also going on an extended family holiday very soon and knew something had to give. Basically we paid ?300 for a woman to come and help us make a plan. This did involve controlled crying but with lots of checking in. The longest that she cried without comforting at a stretch was 14 minutes. We basically had 3 nights over a weekend of very hard work and then she learned to self soothe and slept through. We would not have had the confidence to do this without some professional help but that being said it was not rocket science and you could do the research yourself and make a plan. It was very important to stick with it and to do it at a time when you were prepared and your child was well and comfortable. We also needed to do it in a tag team approach where we took turns going in. We also had lots of follow up support via the phone and email from the sleep trainer. Since we did this we have of course had difficult nights but in the main my girl loves her bed, sleeps very well and we are all well rested. I want to be very clear that I needed something to change to continue being a decent mother, partner and person generally- sleep deprivation is a killer. Also as others have said you need to do what is best for you and your family. I have tons of books on sleep problems so PM me if you want to borrow any or talk more. Best of luck with whatever way you choose to tackle it.