Bishberro

Thanks for the ideas and sorry for hijacking the original thread. That's a great idea about the early bathtime as the baby doesn't seem to kick off until a bit later so that might work. Will also try the sling/swing option!

It's good to read your posting Charlotte as I have a 2 year old and a 3 week old and am finding it a bit of a struggle at the mo as the baby has no routine at the minute whatsover. I suppose it's early days yet but my oldest son is in a very good routine which he put himself into at an early age so I think I'm finding coping with everything on demand with the youngest a bit tricky. I never know when he's going to need a feed (can be anything between 2 and 4 hours) and juggling this with taking the toddler out and about isn't easy. Bedtimes are especially difficult as the baby seems to have developed bad wind (trying to be optimistic and not class it as colic yet) and is really unsettled from around 7pm. He cries continually and just wants to be held which is really tricky when you're trying to bath and put a toddler to bed. I've tried leaving him to cry in his moses basket but just can't bring myself to do it for long as he gets hysterical. He finally collapses through sheer exhaustion around 11pm. Anyone got any tips about how to deal with bath/bed time with a screaming baby who won't be put down and a tired toddler?

Does anyone know if the peckham rye one o'clock club is going to open in the mornings during the school holidays? I know they did it last year three days a week it opened from 10am and was desperately hoping they had enough staff to do the same thing this year too. With a new baby, I haven't actually managed to make it down there for a few weeks to ask them myself. Thanks.

Definitely true for me. My first son was two days in labour, epidural and ended in a ventouse. Second one two weeks ago was so quick it was an unplanned home birth with no drugs - half an hour after the first contraction I was 10cm dilated and ready to push. An hour later out popped a 9lb 8oz boy in our bed! I've found everything is a lot less extreme second time around. Edited to say that I was also worried about who would look after my son which I think is why my labour started at night when he was in bed and the second my parents arrived from up North. I'm not sure I'll ever get over the idignity of my dad coming into the bedroom just in time to see me give birth to my placenta but heigh ho!

I also have a 2 week old and to be honest, he sleeps most of the time and there's no set structure to when he naps. He tends to wake up every 2-3 hours for a feed, has a tiny bit of awake time and then nods off again. He sometimes goes a bit longer at night but the midwives told me not to let him go any longer than 4 hours without a feed at this age. I did have a vague flick through the Gina Ford book and almost laughed out loud and her routine for a 2 week old baby. Apparently they shouldn't be sleeping more than 5 hours in the daytime in total! The past few days he's been very unsettled though with wind so I'd enjoy the sleepy bit while it lasts.

Hi - I'll be there at p rye cafe tomorrow afternoon too. I will probably be there a bit later depending on what time my son has woken up but I have Helengv's number so will look out for you all.

Hi - I'll be there at p rye cafe tomorrow afternoon too. I will probably be there a bit later depending on what time my son has woken up but I have Helengv's number so will look out for you all.

I'm definitely up for Monday afternoon after 3ish if anyone fancies joining HelenGV and I. Only got a week left before number 2 is due so would be great to hear what it's like!

I'm still up for a weds morning meet, Helen GV and Charlotte P if you can still make it? Then Hopefully Anna R and Craigy could join in a few weeks down the line. I'd love to make the Green and Blue drinks but night times are tricky to organise at the minute around husband's work. I'll PM you both my description and mobile - it's like a blind date!

Hi - already lots of good advice offered but what worked for us and cows milk was warming it up in the microwave a little bit as he wouldn't take it straight from the fridge. Not ideal if you're out and about but my son at 2 still likes his milk warmed and if we're out he just makes do with it at room temperature. It definitely worked at first though when he first took the beaker of milk around 12 months. With naps, I also had the same problem. I ended up cutting out the nap in the morning, bringing lunch forward to midday, even 11.30am if he's exhausted then putting him down for a two-hour sleep around 12.30pm/1pm which he still has. As they get older they just seem to be able to keep going although my son still gets knackered around 10.30/11am and I reckon would sleep if I let him. Not sure if that's any help.

Any takers then for Weds june 9th around 10am at Peckham Rye cafe?

Hi - I'm due with my second on 26th June and my son has just turned 2. A park meet up would be great for me as can't make the 9th June in the evening as my husband's working away at the mo. I could do Dulwich park/Peckham Rye on Weds 9th am or pm or Thursday 10th am. Thankfully my son still has a lunchtime sleep so we tend to be able to do stuff 10am til 1pm or after 3.30pm if that fits in with anyone else's routine?

Hi - I'm due in 4 weeks at the end of June and have a 2.2 year old boy. I'd be up for meeting up with second time mums due June/July/August. I'm around on Monday/Tuesdays. Are there enough of us to start a summer babies thread as an alternative to the autumn babies club?

This is a great thread and has addressed all the things I'm worried about when my second comes along in 4 weeks. From next week I'm on maternity leave (although I'm keeping my son with his childminder for 3 days) but I would love to meet up with some second time mums due this summer. My son's just turned 2 and we're around Mondays and Tuesdays.

Hi - I did the Kings NHS ones a couple of years ago. Then it was three evening classes at Dulwich Hospital. I thought it was really useful and was mainly about the choices of pain relief and what happens during labour - not much about after the birth/looking after a new baby. There were about 20 people there and all very informative and factual but it wasn't really a social thing. You just sat there while a midwife talked at you. I also did two weekends of NCT classes. To be honest, they didn't offer that much more in terms of info about the birth that I hadn't already learnt at the NHS classes and we didn't do anything much about caring for a newborn that I hadn't read in books etc. It was a much smaller group (6 couples) and more of a chance to socialise. However, because the NCT classes are so over subscribed the people in my class were from all over the place - South West London as well as Crystal Palace etc. So consequently we didn't get together regularly after the births anyway. I found I made more friends through the local NCT tea groups in Forest Hill and just by going to local mum and baby groups. I would definitely go to the NHS classes as they're free and then just see how you feel about the NCT ones.

Another vote for the Primark pants - never used the disposable knickers as they were just too grim and scratchy. Also I'd use the proper thick maternity towels rather than the thinner Always ones. I got some Boots ones and after stitches, they acted as a kind of a cushion that made sitting down a lot easier! Take loads of food - muesli bars were good and boxes of juice that come with a little straw. Also what I will be doing this time is taking a breastfeeding cushion into Kings with me. I didn't get any decent help with feeding and really struggled while I was in hospital as found it really hard to feed in a hospital bed but as soon as I got home and used the cushion, we were fine. Couldn't move or get out of bed the night after my epidural so cleansing wipes were useful just to give my face and body a quick wipe down for the first time in 24 hours - yuck.

Hi - thanks for the advice. We definitely wouldn't be leaving him unattended, it's just something to use while we're in the water with him so he gets more of a sense of freedom.

Hi - My son has just turned 2 and loves swimming. I know they can't do proper lessons on their own until they're 3 and he did baby swimming classes when he was little so we just tend to take him at the weekend for a bit of a splash around. He loves it when we hold him under his tummy and he can kick his legs but he seems to want to go off on his own. I'm just wondering whether this is the right age to get him arm bands or one of those vests with a float in it. But I seem to remember someone at one of the baby swimming classes saying not to use floats/arm bands as it gives them a false sense of security in the water and it's better just to let them learn to swim when they're old enough. I wondered if anyone knew if that was true or if it isn't, what's best for that age? Thanks

We have recently done the same with our son who has just turned 2 as he started escaping from his grobags. I was dreading it too but I bought him a couple of cot bed duvets with diggers/trains on which he absolutely loves. He also used to move around a lot but since we've introduced the duvet he's stayed put the right way up and seems to like snuggling up. We got him a pillow too and he seems fine with that. He looks a lot comfier and amazingly climbs into his cot because he can't wait to get into bed with his "big boy duvet"! We've kept the sides on his cot bed though as can't face that yet.

It's hard to tell but going by my own experience I would guess teeth or the jabs. My son has always been a good sleeper and the only times he wakes up are if he's ill or in pain from teeth (and often I don't realise he's been teething until you notice them poking through a few days later). Also after he had the swine flu jab back in Jan he had a good ten days where he was really unsettled, high temperature, just not himself. I think the clingyness is just a stage they go through at that stage and not related to waking in the night in my experience. I would keep the bedtime routine exactly the same and just hope it will pass. My son who is just 2 is still teething really badly at the minute and keeps waking in the night - it's the front top ones that have really given him the most grief.

I know this isn't strictly a family room topic but you lot are a wise bunch and it's been so long since I've been out in Soho. I'm taking my mum to see Sister Act next week and want somewhere nice for a quick, pre-theatre dinner. It's on at the Palladium so closest to Soho I think. Can anyone recommend anywhere? It's her birthday so wanted it to be nice. Thanks

I'm also looking at Phil and Teds but does anyone know what's the difference between the Vibe and the Sport? You seem to pay a lot more for the Vibe but wasn't sure what extras you get. is the Vibe a lot lighter? Also, what's the best place to buy them online?

Hi - would the transport museum be suitable for an almost 2 year old or do you think he's a bit too young? He's obsessed by trains, cars, buses, trucks...

Hi - we've taken the Maxi cosi cabriofix and a forward facing toddler-style seat with us and both have always been fine. Seatbelts all exactly the same in hire cars and even in my dad's ancient buick.

Hi - I was thinking of getting some pics done too. I've heard good things about Lol Johnson - has anyone used her?