Mellors

Beckenham Spa do them. Info on their website.

It is interesting. On the one hand I sometimes feel put upon that I do everything in the home/admin/child department, but on the other hand I am a control freak, and wouldn't feel comfortable with him doing shopping/paying bills/organising holidays etc - I would always be asking if he had done it anyway (c/f the example of the thankyou cards for baby presents that I refuse to write and have now been there for 7 weeks). Rod for my own back! I do think that leaving the children with their Dad (if they don't normally spend much solo time with them) is a good thing. DH had all three of ours on Saturday afternoon over the "crunch time" (dinner, bath, bed) for the first time ever. He was fine, but said afterwards how hard it was, and how on earth did I manage every day, and he would start trying to either get back earlier some nights or we should get in some help. Result! I don't think its that they don't care, just that they don't realise whats involved.

I am being done over! I do pretty much everything - Mr Mellors is away to work v early and not home till after bedtime (I swear he waits round the corner until everything goes quiet - its uncanny), so weekdays I am on my own. I am in charge of all childcare (inc many, many night time feeds at the moment, and a lot of nappies), shopping, housework, present buying, admin etc. He did have all three for them for three hours yesterday afternoon though whilst I went to work, and managed splendidly, and grafts his b@lls off to keep a roof over our head, so I'm not complaining (much).

Creche at Beckenham Spa is fab and takes them from 12 weeks.

I confess I always made mine in the past by adding a bit of boiling water straight from the kettle, shaking it then topping up to the right level with cold water straight from the tap. Is that evil? Totally agree that bf is a million times less faff!

We recently moved a couple of months ago our 4 year old and 2 year old (just before we had a new baby - madness!). I bribed them. I bought them a trampoline for the back garden (which wouldn't have fitted in the old house), and lo and behold as soon as the bouncing commenced, they forgot all about the old place. They are enormously adaptable (or I hope so, as we are going to be moving again in the not too distant future, also coinciding with new school). Get the Argos catalogue out....

My little boy Ralph is also starting in September so we'd love to join in. Hopefully we will also meet some of you at the open morning thingy tomorrow.

I am a SAHM with a cleaner. My husband and I decided when we first got married pre-kids that ?30 a week was cheaper than a divorce, which is what would have ensued if we had carried bickering and being resentful about who's turn it was to clean the loo and who had made a mess of the kitchen sink. With three under 5s at home we need it more than ever now, just to keep some semblance of order briefly once a week.

Horniman also bulged this year, and Fairlawn and Heber did last year. Ivydale next year maybe?

Boiling! And v light at night - take eye shades.

Just to put people's mind at rest even more - the PN ward was absolutely spotless a few weeks ago. In fact they seemed to be endlessly cleaning it.

Ah sorry, didnt read your post properly. Both are good schools, I suggest you go on one of the tours to decide which would suit your child best. Getting a nursery place has no influence on whether you get a primary school place btw.

Tiny. Depends on the year and when the previous bulge classes were, but I wouldn't be any further than 2/300m or so away to be sure. We were just under 600m away from Heber this time (our closest school), and are currently 31st on the waiting list (so not a hope!). You can check out the actual statistics with Southwark Admissions, and in their primary school booklet (published online).

I also gave birth there a couple of weeks ago, and have nothing but praise for all the staff. The King's midwife who delivered me was amazing, and everyone from the lovely ladies who helped me down the ward afterwards to the night staff, doctors, cleaners etc (and my room and the loos were spotless) were unfailingly helpful, polite and allowed me to have as much dignity as possible in very trying circumstances. I had been dreading it after reading a lot of negative feedback, but it was so much better than expected. We are very lucky to have it on our doorstep.

Swaddling tightly?

This place is great: http://www.ickworthhotel.co.uk/

They can induce you post EMCS - they are not keen on pessary as it increases the risk of scar rupture quite significantly, but they can do ARM or low level syntocinon drip to get you going. Of course those things can also lead to a greater risk of intervention themselves, so worth considering if you want them. My 1st was 42 weeks (EMCS) and my second was also 42 weeks (VBAC) - Kings would in fact have let me go to 43 weeks with proper monitoring (I was adamant about waiting until baby was ready unless there was clear medical need for intervention). if you want to avoid planned CS for being over you need to be fully armed with info and prepared to fight your corner though. Good luck!

And me. I'll be the one with my t*ts hanging out, baby sick on my shoulder and a screaming toddler. Camoflague round these parts....

Baby harry arrived 10 days ago, so am going to try and venture out and finally meet you lovely ladies. Tues am good for me as only have baby and 2 year old with me. Agree re cake!

I've just come off the phone to my mother, and made the mistake of having a mini moan to her (baby due today, have beastly 2 year old and 4 year old to look after and husband who probably can't even take 2 weeks paternity). All I got was "well you wanted another baby, its not like he dad's did anything when I had you, stop moaning and man up!" speech. She's not even coming to see new baby until a month or so after, and even then sits around expecting me to make her cups of tea etc. Zero sympathy! Thank goodness for MIL who is super helpful and kind.

I've just bought a second hand Bugaboo Bee from Ebay for ?180 including delivery, so they don't have to be mega expensive. I'm sure we will get some of that back when we sell on as well.

I had a sucessful HBAC last time, and am hoping for another one in a couple of weeks. I had to have independent midwives last time though as King's were very anti, and insisted on continual monitoring, no pool etc which I absolutely refused to have as I am sure its what led to my CS 1st time. This time they have basically said "Do what you like, its at your own risk", so pool at home it is, with the Lanes (fingers crossed). I think you have to accept that a transfer into hospital at some point may be necessary or desirable though, and prepare yourself if that does happen. Its also pretty tough to stand up to them when they give you the whole "you might die, your baby might die" speech. I don't think the short period between pregnancies matters (11 months between my first), but not sure about the high BP - may be a reason they want you to be in hospital? Tommies defo don't do VBAC in the home from home. And apparently the telemetry (under water monitoring stuff) at King's rarely works. I'd query why they can't just intermittently monitor you with a normal underwater hand held one (I know there is greater risk of scar rupture not being detected super early, but it depends on your view of that as an overall risk). You need to talk it all through with your midwives. Also, and I know birth is a big deal and all that, but really its only a few days of your life. Its honestly not worth beating yourself up about if its doesn't go perfectly the way you want it - main thing is that you and the baby are ok.

Closest community school is irrelevant now (as of this year), its just done on as the crow flies distance for everyone.

Did anyone NOT get Goose Green?! ;-) I take it they are having a bulge class then, as its quite a way from us.

Goose Green for us too (5th choice based on distance).