Mellors

Little Kickers is recommended by friends who have children that agee. They run them in St Clement Church hall off Barry Rd on Tues aft and Saturday morning: http://www.littlekickers.co.uk/signupdetails.aspx?venue=East%20Dulwich&Fran=27&area=Southwark&day=7

I think the fact that midwives/health visitors don't pick up on tongue ties is disgraceful. Both my children failed to thrive/lost loads of weight when breastfeeding, and I had no idea why (thought it was my fault I couldnt keep them on the boob and they were starving). It turns out they were both tongue tied, and nobody in the NHS system (or people at the breastfeeding cafes I went to in tears) noticed it. Given it happens to about 1 in 10 babies, it should surely be on some checklist the health visitors have, as it is so easy to spot and deal with? The lack of it being spotted surely contributes to the terrible breasfeedinbg rates we have in this country - if I hadn't been so damned determined second time to get help (despite the NHS's best efforts!) I would simply have bottle fed. I've since helped two other friends of mine get their babies tongue ties sorted out - buy why isn't the system picking it up?

Whilst it helped me relax before the births I honestly think that you body will do what it likes anyway. I did hypnobirthing with both of mine and had: 1st birth - 3 day nightmare labour, induction, drugs, ending in emergency c-section 2nd birth - natural, in water, 6 hours start to finish drug free which goes to show that I dont think you cvan really influence what will happen much, although being relaxed and with good midwives has to help.

You won't need a steriliser and breast pump if you plan to breast feed. If you do decide to express at a later stage, you can always buy/borrow a breast pump then, or do it by hand? They sell them at the chemist on North Cross Rd, so easy to pick one up. Re steriliser - I am a bad mummy and always just put my bottles etc in the dishwasher on the hot setting. I seem to vaguely recall they do this in hospitals (in America maybe), and both have mine have survived, so hey ho. Baby monitor not really required at first, but you will probably find it handy at some point when you go away to parents/hotels etc (the day will come I promise) and baby/toddler is further away from you than at home. I tend not to have mine on at home because I can hear them right through the terraced house. When we win the lottery and upgrade to a mansion I will have my butler turn it on lol.

Ah, that one requires a chocolate bar/biscuits in the back of the car lol!

Dulwich Park? mwhahahaha. (I prefer Peckham Rye) :)

Scotch pancakes! I had forgotten about these, but they are super easy to make and really lovely for brekkie or an afternoon snack (for the whole family). I made some breakfast muffins with apple pieces and prunes the other day that went down a treat as well. Could do the same with any kind of fruit.

She's Labour.

These are some of the things I do: - Toast & butter (soy butter to avoid dairy) - chopped up fruit (I was always amazed at how mini Mellors could get through slices of apple with no teeth!) & soya yoghurt - mini weetabix (soy milk/water, formula carton?) or sainsburys mini raisin wheats (they just have raisin puree in the middle, no added sugar), mini shreddies - porridge with raisins/banana etc (water/soy etc) She hated purees and sloppy smooth stuff of all descriptions (other than yogurt, obv), so has always just fed herself (I later discovered this is baby lead weaning although didnt know at the time!). Much easier than faffing with purees like I did with No 1, although messier.

I am sure Mr Mellors would be outrqaged at the prospect of baby chat ruining his night at the pub....its his one refuge from it all!

Agreed, we never used them. Nearly all baby sleepsuits (including the super cheap multi pack of white ones from Sainsburys I relied on) have fold over ends like mitts.

He is SO adorable. I am going to come round and steal him.* * (not really, before anybody reports me to Social Services) xxxxx

Are you around during the week or is it at weekends? During the week some Dads come to the Leapers playgroup sessions at Rye Oak School (Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 - 11.30am and 1 - 3.30pm). There is also a Dads only playgroup at Peckham Rye Library on Saturday mornings, but I'm not sure of the times sorry.

I'm going on Sunday afternoon :) If you book online at http://www.zippos.co.uk/ and put in the coide "zippo40" you get 40% off tickets.

She had a little (big!) boy on Saturday, but had a rough time, and I suspect is still in hospital. I am sure she will fill you in on te details when she is up and about. They are both ok though.

Throwing in my two penneth - I am in central ED and in fact we had to have our children christened at St Clements (just off Barry Rd/Friern Rd) as our CofE parish church, not St Johns. The next family service there is Harvest Festival on Sunday, 27th September at 10am. Its not a glamorous church, but it is quite quiet, has a lovely feel and the vicar (Maria) has two small boys herself, so is very good with children :)

I had an email from the manager at the beginning of the week saying they are still waiting to pick up the keys for the new premises. I am not sure when everyone else is starting back as we are new, but my son (who was due to start in September) is now down to start on 5th November.

I want to buy a buggy to use for holidays with a buggy board (to avoid taking the double). I have a Micralite fastfold, but because all the weight is at the back with my toddler on it it just tips up and is impossible to push. Does anybody have any recommendations/advice (must be cheapish as I'm only planning to use it as a second buggy). I was thinking of a second hand Maclaren, but am not sure which type is best. No 2 child is one, so it doesn't need to be suitable for a newborn. Any advice gratefully received before I part with my cash, thanks.

The government rebate for filing online finished last tax year (2008/2009). You can get a pro forma contract for ?5 from Simply Childcare here: http://www.simplychildcare.com/latest_news.asp?News=Nanny%20Contract&NEwsID=5

These guys are ?100 + VAT http://www.payefornannies.co.uk/ I'm using them and they seem fine. I hadn't thought about employees liability insurance. I did remember to add my nanny to the car insurance though?

I'm not that up on this, but thought this might help. Dulwich Wood (and any of the school nurserys) are only term time, and half days so they are no good. Puddleducks and Gumboots are now in Nunhead (although Gumboots are moving back to a revamped Crystal Palace Rd next year). They do full days. You could try Puddleducks as i think they have more spaces after they move? Gumboots is notoriously bad for waiting lists. Bojangles is now shut. Blossoms Montessori on Dunstans Rd had spaces a wee while ago.

You don't need to put a company into liquidation to change a name. You can just do that via a form to Companies House and not affect the lease. Putting the company into liquidation would definitely be a breach of the terms of their lease (and they should have known this). In fact the Landlord could just have changed the locks and given no notice at all. I was so sorry to see the place shutting on Friday, poor kids/parents/staff :(

Horrid isn't it. I had that terribly with No 2, but never managed to find a cure, sorry. It did go down a week or so after the baby was born though :( Pregnancy is SO grim !

I wish I had known that,I've been giving my apples andplums away I've had so many. I even resorted to sticking a crate of apples outside the house the other day to get rid...

You can use gas & air in the pool no problem. Do Kings do pethadine? I was at St Thomas' and they don't anyway. You need to get out of the water if you want an epidural (you're more bed bound then for monitoring).