gwod

Ive had 4! 2 emergency and then two planned. The planned c sections were calm and lovely, not comprable at all to the other two where circumstances were very stressful and upsetting. Recovery was pretty straight forward with all of them, bonding, breastfeeding etc etc not effected at all. After the second C section I did have a meeting with my doctor about pregnancies going forward and they were happy with the 3rd, and the 4th but recommended no more after that. I think it would have neen differnt if I had had difficulty recovering on the first two, or any extra bleeding or if I had been obese. Very happy to be PMd if you have specific queries.

How about Dulwich college... http://www.dulwich.org.uk/enterprises-ltd/events/venues

How about Beauberry House in Dulwich Village. Expensive for a sit down thing but maybe reasonable if they'd do a buffet.

Completely agree with Chantelle, I have no idea how they found a large enough group of parents who could clearly say whether they had demand fed or schedule fed. Surely schedule mums feed their kids if they get hungry between feeds, and equally, surely demand fed babies fall into a bit of a routine. We're all just muddling through, but there's not enough polarisation in the muddling through philosophy to sell books, so no one is talking about it!

The founder of this company Lorraine Thomas is an SE22 lady, I think she speaks specifically on the benefits to employers of meeting the needs of parents in the workplace, and also deals with work life balance issues for parents. http://www.theparentcoachingacademy.com/

Lots Road Auction on a Sunday.

I think that this sort of behaviour is often about getting your undivided attention....and of course the kids are right - at a busy toddler group while the mums are talking to each other, being a bit rough with a baby is a very effective way to ensure your mum comes straight over and talks directly to you, at your level! For this reason I think it is important to remove them from the room, maybe just to the corridor or out into the street (to limit more damage) but remain very boring with few words exchanged so that the behaviour isnt rewarded - explain that toddler group is a place for people who are kind to each other and go back in when he/she is calm. Good luck with it all. It will pass, and I bet he is much more careful at home with his new sibling as he will be away from the busy playgroup environment.

Dont know about the "Window" but I would suggest that maybe its better to either be doing toilet training, or remain being a nappy wearer. I think it it is easier for kids (mind and body) to learn to be continent when they are clear that the aim is to always try to have dry underwear. When there are different rules for different types of underwear and different places or circumstances it can be hard for kids to fully get behind it. I would ditch nappys completely, but if you find after a week she really cant cope with the underwear and doesnt get the hang of it, dont worry, put her back in nappies and try again in a few months - she's only just 2. Just my opinion though - do bear in mind that whatever you choose to do she will be toilet trained in the end!

Some evenings demand a little time recalibration i think!

hang in there, - nearly bedtime for kids and wine o'clock...!

Really struggled with names for the youngest children as I have 4 girls....so nearly stole no. 3's middle name back from her to give to no 4 as a first name...luckily thought of one for her at the last minute! So glad I only gave my elsest one middle name as if they'd all had two I would have been truly stuck by the end.

Usually about 1 street bigger than the infants catchment - as there is no faith requirement.

These are Genius - Ive made them loads since they appeared on the forum - great for lunchboxes as you can make them nut free if you want - and a bargain to compared the the reconstituted dust that is bought museli bars! http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,702357,702357#msg-702357

These ones are good value http://www.craftmill.co.uk/epages/Store.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/CraftMill/Products/PR23B

If inviting people for dinner is a means of getting to know them better - the fact they are the sort of people who would expect you to cater for their preferences is part of the curve I guess. I wouldnt do it, but neither would I choose to cook food that I already knew someone disliked.... One of my friends is so difficult to feed (Veggie, who doesnt like vegetables, and is Wheat intolerant) that I always ask him to bring his own food!

The kids have pilowcases at the end of their beds which FC fills up, I came from a family who had stockings but my husband came from a pillowcase family, he really wanted his family tradition continued, but I now wish we'd stuck with stockings because as the kids get older they want/need less bulky items. We do use different wrapping paper for each of the 4 children in their pillowcases to avoid mix ups with presents during the opening frenzy in the morning when they all pile into bed with us! Things under the tree are from real people, warpped in whatever paper they like, and also little things from the kids to each other, and stuff they have made for us. Oooh, I cant wait!!!

Although there are a few exceptions, these figures seem a bit meaningless without the "value added" column that they used to have, which indicated how much children progressed between KS1 and KS2. I fear these figures largely show what the initial intake of each school was like, and in some instances, how much outside tutoring kids get, (in the case of schools with a wealthier intake who have a large no. of pupils planning to jump out of the state and into public education after year 6) New parents - beware of the stats - I think it gives a skewed view of which schools are "the best"!

Beef Bisto has no meat products in its ingredient list - my Veggie friends pour it liberally over their Linda Mcartney pies!

Farm, plastic animals and tractor. So fun!

His Dark Materials trilogy - Philip Pullman, Good for any age from 10 - 80, my older girls LOVE it. Now my 13 year old she and all her friend are wanting to read Noughts and Crosses, By Malorie Blackman,the first in a trilogy about friendship and love in a segregated society.

Thanks Jollybaby, That does make it much more interesting reading than previous studies.

I find it hard to get the the bottom of the statistics, It reads as though, there is approximately equal risk/safety whether you choose a home birth or a hospital birth, but surely seeing as the majority of home births are considered "low risk" at the outset, this figure should be more in favour of the home deliveries than it is. Also are home deliveries that develop difficulties and conclude in hospital considered home birth or hospital deliveries as this could also skew the findings. I ask these questions out of genuine interest in understanding the data, not because I feel strongly about what women should choose, but because I think it important that women can make an educated choice. (...and also because I am always wary of statistics!)

I agree with Snowboarder - the front bar is usually enough, however, one of mine was a bit of a super escaper so I just added a bog standard ?6 mothercare harness until we were both in agreement about sitting up at the table!

Admin, Please take this down.

I want to reserect this thread in a few years time and see how your priniciples have fared!! Ive ended up doing alot of things with my kids that I swore I never would!