MichelleT

Bobike - they are Dutch. I got ours on ebay, and a friend who is also a mountain biking journalist said that he recommended a front carry as safer. The only issue I have with the baby on the front is that he has now learned how to change gears which isn't much fun when going up hill... http://www.bobike.nl/en/Bobike-you-re-sitting-pretty.htm

The Bee 2010 grows with your baby so the dangling legs thing should be less of an issue!

Best thing is to go and try them out in the shop and see what works for you. I love my Bee but that's my preference.

I don't have panniers, but I take my 13 month old to his nanny in his bobike mini which I bought on ebay and which he absolutely loves.

We live in North Peckham, and while I wouldn't say I love it, its well connected, we can walk to Bellenden Road in ten minutes, and there's loads going on in Camberwell as well now, which is easily walkable. We live just off Sumner Road and I've never felt unsafe. We have an allotment on Bonar Road and its handy having a park right next door with a playground for our little boy. All our neighbours are professionals and perfectly friendly. Horses for courses.

I've lost three Gap straw trilbies this summer :( its very annoying! And three Sophie La Giraffes!

Hi Supergolden, With BLW, until one food is just for fun, so you should make sure your babba is having as much milk as he wants, then offer food in between milk feeds. If you can, as much as you can, eat with him. Some babies like lots of food, others find it easier to concentrate on just one or two pieces. And then try not to worry about it. One meal my son may eat very little, the next loads. Will he take a spoon and feed himself if you preload it? As long as he's getting plenty of milk, he'll be fine. Good luck and I hope he feels better soon.

Haven't got the cookbook, but seems a bit silly as the whole idea is the baby eats what you eat, within reason.

I'd add a vote for the Manduca - very similar to the Ergo. Since I got mine I carry my (big) 9 month old all the time and he loves it. Great for getting him off to sleep.

Swimming Sing and sign Rhyme time Baby massage

We have a baby dan high chair which is basically a poor man's tripp trapp - we wanted something that would look nice in our kitchen/dining room and would last for more than a year or two. As we are doing baby-led weaning my son eats directly off the table.

Another cloth lover here. Bub is in bambo disposables at night and in a mix of pocket nappies by day. He was a reflux baby so a bit more washing made no difference. I agree about ecodisposables, but if they use less bleach and plastic in the manufacture, that has to be a good thing surely? And better for the baby's skin too I would have thought.

Haha - I did exactly the same thing and was about to take it back!

The one thing a friend recommended and which I found really useful in the first few weeks were wraparound style vests, if you are at all nervous about pulling vests over the baby's head! Hennes do them, or you can get them online. And you can't have enough muslins. And a sling - my baby didn't have a buggy for about 3 months and was very happy in his moby. I now have a manduka which is suitable from newborn to toddler and use it everyday. Congratulations and good luck - it's so exciting!

I can second the recommendation of Pure Potions - we used Skin Salvation bath oil and salve which has sorted out his dry skin and pure Shea Butter from the lady on Northcross Road which worked wonders on his scalp, which was covered in scratches where he'd clawed at his skin. (I didn't want to use petrochemical creams or ointments.) I also got some homeopathic tablets from Health Matters.

We're doing baby led weaning, avoids having to buy most equipment. All I have is a sippy cup, doidy cup, plate and some plastic spoons. we have the baby dan high chair which is essentially a cheaper Tripp Trapp - I wanted something that would fit under our dining table and not look too out of place.

I have the Bee Plus and love it. I had my baby in a sling for the first few months though and only got the buggy when he was old enough not to need the cocoon; initially I had him on a sheepskin. The expandability of the Bee Plus is a real bonus - I can see there's loads of room for growth which I know was a problem with the old Bee. If well cared for your bee will retain its value second hand as well, which a cheaper buggy would not.

I don't know if they do it here, but my friend in Totnes did a nappy trial where she was sent a huge box with about 20 differnt nappies to try to see what suited her baby before committing to a system. Baby T is in a mixture of bamboozles, another totsbots all in one nappy, and bumgenius. Loads of people rave about BG but I find them more bulky than bamboozles; they are faster drying though. I am addicted to nappies though and am always ordering new bits and pieces; real nappies are great! And I do so much washing - sicky baby - that the nappies make no difference. Good luck with them!

I seem to be very lucky with my 4 month old baby, he's like his dad and loves sleeping. I do roughly follow the baby whisperer, so about two hours after he's fed he gets put in bed and is usually asleep in five minutes. Will she take a dummy? Mine does, plus his comforter; seems to work like a charm! Since I've been a bit stricter about naps he has at least 2 short ones (45 mins) and one longer (1.5 - 2hrs) which means that he and I are both much happier! I just read - but have forgotten most of! - the No Cry Sleep Solution. She had a few useful suggestions that I do remember - put the baby in the cot when they're not sleepy so they play in it and like it. What she calls a 'lovey' - a comforter of some sort. a nap and bedtime routine, so the baby knows its time for sleep. worth buying, its only a few quid on amazon.

went to Kings today; on palpating my bump they thought bub was still breech but the scan revealed that the baby had turned. So now I can relax and enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy. Such a relied! Thanks again for the kind words, Michelle x

We're still trying to turn the stubborn baby with a mixture of acupuncture, homeopathy and handstands in the swimming pool, and seeing the consultant on Monday. If still breech, will try ECV; if that doesn't work then I'll have a 'trial of labour' and hope to give birth vaginally, unless the baby is a 'footling' breech or very large. I think I'm lucky in that one of the Oakwood midwives has worked in Kenya and delivered breech babies, was unfazed by the whole thing, and encouraged me to do a bit of research. The book 'Breech Babies' by Benna Waites (I think) gives a very balanced view of breech and its issues. Twenty years ago we wouldn't have been having this discussion - breech was perfectly normal. Good point about flexibility in labour, Gwod, my NCT teacher suggested that we call it a birth 'idea' rather than plan. Thanks for the good wishes!

I logged on last night to see if there was any discussion on breech as my baby is bum down at 37 weeks and was a bit surprised by some of the posts on this thread. Of course if you don't want to have a natural birth with a breech baby that's up to you but the evidence suggesting that c-section is automatically safer for the baby has been widely questioned. My midwife gave me the King's leaflet which sets out clearly the benefits and risks and explains that vaginal birth is still a safe option for many women, and not necessarily more painful or difficult than a head down birth; 50% of breech babies are still delivered vaginally, active birth is encouraged and forceps etc are no longer routinely used.

I did the ante-natal classes at Kings recently - most of the people on the course were 30 weeks or so. But worth giving them a call to check.

Sadly really busy at work - my final project before going on ML is The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which has involved lots of looooonnnng days - so won't be able to make it. But hope you all have a wonderful evening - only two more weeks at work, so definitely up for the next one! Michelle x

Hi, My baby is due in July and my partner and I are thinking about hiring a post-natal doula to help us adjust to family life. Has anyone had any experiences of PN doulas? Any advice gratefully received? Michelle