born&brED

I ditto most of the above - 5 mins up the road and you're in cheaper territory already. We would be in a 1-2 bed in ED for same as our 3 bed house in Honor Oak, and it's such a great area. The Horniman area is really lovely if you can find somewhere there - great views, green spaces, schools, shops, stations and a 5 min drive or 20 min walk to ED if you want it.

Glad to hear others have had good experiences! Sometimes I feel like the only one in the world with one, which makes me feel nervous! I love this new colours out of both chassis and seat units / 'fabrics'. When I chose, there was only 3 available (grey, black/pink and black/green, all implanted with a big 'e' on them) but now you can get loads of different combinations, minus the 'e', so you can completely change the look without touching the chassis or seat/carrycot unit itself. snowboarder - I'm wondering that it's suitability for toddlers, but then I have always wondered that about the bee which looks smaller, and everyone says it's fine! Yes, it does have a footrest, and the seat adjusts in all sorts of positions. 2 particular instances I've been really impressed with it - fitting through tiny spaces such as station ticket gates and tiny shopping aisles, and also how it barely moved at all when turning a very sharp corner on the bus, which caused a Quinny Buzz next to it to almost topple right over. Oops!

HI there, Sorry, only just seen this. Yes I have one and have used it for 10 months now and it is FAB! In December 2009 last year it was rated really highly on the 'Which reviews', even higher than the Bugaboos (well, 1% higher than the Bee and loads higher than the Chameleon!). I see that they have now brought out loads more colour options, the lack of which was a common complaint previously. I used it for a good 5 months with the carry cot, which was so easy to click on and off, then swapped to the seat, which also clicks on and off effortlessly, in either direction. I have also used it loads of times with the maxi-cosi adapters. When I first had it delivered, it took me all of about 2 minutes to open the boxes and put the whole thing together, including wheels on. The basket it really big underneath, and the handlebar adjustably instantly. I must say I took a slight risk ordering it last Autumn as it only came out in Aug 2009, but thankfully it's been great, and I won't be changing buggy any time soon. It's pretty much a copy of the iCandy Apple, just loads cheaper and loads lighter too. Hope that helps!

I second the recommendation for the 3 attractions at Abbotsbury - the farm is particularly fun with animals and play barns / outdoor play areas, the gardens are good for them using up excess energy and there is a feeding time at the swannery which is fun. Apart from that, we enjoyed beach activities at Weymouth and Lyme Regis. Also, you must visit the Hive Beach Cafe just past Bridgeport. Have fun!

Hi Ruth, About dropping the 10pm feed - 9 months should be fine considering what else he is eating - it's plenty (actually, it's loads! Well done, Baby B!!). I think the general advice is when they are on 3 full meals, plus 3 or so milk feeds, they *shouldn't* need feeding at night time (haha). Anyway, when my son had been on the above for a month or so, I gradually reduced his feed by about 20ml a week or less (I expressed this feed from early on) and kept on doing that if he slept hrough til the morning still. Eventually he was only on 40ml, so I took the plunge and didn't go in to feed him. I also noticed he hadn't been waking up for it so that may be a sign too. Hope it works, and glad he's sleeping better! Interesting about the pillows, I was wondering that myself.

Horrible to hear about buggie's and cuppa tea's bad experiences :-( Poor you two. It must be most of the most emotional wards in the hospital, so words really need to be chosen carefully. I think I had Ana for my first scan - lovely I seem to remember! Second time there wasn't much communication and it went on for an hour and a half - suddenly, the hard bed seemed very comfy and I started to snooze...

Wow! And they say you feel the baby sooner in subsequent pregnancies. That must have been such a shock. Natalie, I think 16 months is a nice gap - there is 17 months between my brother and I and we got on really well in terms of playing together. Also 16 months between my cousin's youngest too and they are just fab together. Congratulations and best wishes!

I was actually talking about being pregnant so soon, after reading the link. Just the thought of 2 soooo close in age!

Well, I know I'd be PETRIFIED! I think my whole world was still a blur after 1 month, and I took at least 4 or 5 months to feel normal after an episiotomy. But I guess it does happen, and you just deal with it as best as you can at the time, and I'd never say any time was 'too soon' to someone else's face!

Help! Just gave my son some cubes of watermelon to enjoy as part of his lunch, and realised when he'd finished that my lovely green oilcloth now has a lovely orange stain on it - everything else seems to have come out of it so far, but after a hot, soapy scrub with a scourer sponge, the orange stain remains! :( Any tips for getting stains out of oilcloth? Or do I just have to get over wanting things clean and learn my lesson? Thanks!:)

That explains a LOT for me too! It's been sometime in between 4 and 6 for the past 10 days and I'm so fed up!

Take your own pillow to hospital too (if you can carry everything!) - can help you settle quicker during labour when you smell home! I was glad to have mine in postnatal, despite one side being drenched in blood from an IV line being put in...

I did the same as many above, e.g. Billy, with my winter-born son - vest, babygro, cotton swaddle, layer or 2 of blanket on top, plus house never below 17C. What I found really confusing was Kings - talk about tropical heat! Must have been at least 25C in there, and the midwives in postnatal were saying to wrap the baby up in thick blankets and a hat as well as vest and babygro! Must say I did go against their advice, sticking to the grobag cotton swaddle. Found it very confusing as a first time mum after reading all about heat-related cot deaths. Good thing is that baby will probably let you know loud and clear if it's too cold! :)

I found the Which? pushchairs reviews really helpful when deciding on a buggy. Loads of the leading and well-known makes/models are tested by both Which experts and parents, and given specific and overall scores, which you can filter according to your needs. You can pay ?1 for a month's trial of Which, then within that month read the reviews for everything baby-related - very helpful! I was interested to see the score for the Chameleon contrary to the Bee, considering the price difference. Check out the reviews - a quid well spent in my opinion!

Your first birth sounds very similar to mine, Fidgetsmum. I went to Kings after 25 hours of labour at home, and , like verds said, Kings gave a me a feeling of security on arrival and the labour experience was lovely in terms of the staff, room and care during labour (wouldn't call the birth lovely tho - had instrumental in theatre in end). Would try and avoid after care next time but it really wasn't that bad. Even tho I'm still keen to have a home birth with future babies, I wouldn't think twice about heading off to Kings if needed. Really hope it goes well for you!

I tend to give a meal containing meat or fish at lunch and a lighter one at tea time. Favourites so far include Cod in orange sauce (AK recipe, far easier than it sounds!), courgette tomato and cheese pasta (takes 10 mins max), broccoli cheese and potato, and chicken with root veg. Macaroni cheese does sound quite a safe bet tho!

I was just having a good laugh at that car seat trailer in the catalogue I received too! Love the way it has an eye-catching 'NEW brilliant idea!' circle on it. I'm going to be on the look out for one in Sainsbury's - my guess is I will never see one. On the other hand, I have my eye on these as a flexible, practical and good value storage solution - different combinations of cubes and drawers.

Sing and Sign at Goose Green Community Centre - they may have a few places left! http://www.singandsign.co.uk/franchisee_details.php?i=22

You may know this already but you can take your buggy to the plane door, or at least the departure gate just before it. They then take it and you collect it from the plane door the other end. Worth checking with your airline but Virgin Atlantic definitely did that. :)

My buggy has an in-built shade (in the style of shade a babe) which is really useful. On holiday recently, I used an actual shade-a-babe with a maclaren which was brilliant, as don't have to worry about changing parasol with direction, plus it's darker for naps and makes me feel that they're extra safe! One guy walked past us and muttered, 'That baby must be roasting in there' - hmmm, let's see. I could either leave my baby to burn in the heat like all the babies in that country were doing, or I could place a UV protective net over them - surely the rays bounce off and don't soak in? After all, it is a mesh, so keeps the air flowing!

Useful thread as I'm wondering which is best too! Thanks everyone! Anyone had any experience with the Mothercare 'Grow with me' highchair - another cheaper alternative to the Tripp Trapp?

I swaddled my son, who is now 7 months, for at least 3 months, but then it was winter! I thought the whole point was to create that snug, in-the-womb feel and stop the moro-reflex waking them up?! There are definitely things you have to be careful with when swaddling - right material, correctly done, etc, but what you've been told is completely new to me too! Maybe if you're really worried, bring her hands to her chin and keep it fairly loose? Congratulations on your new arrival - great to hear the birth went well! :)

I have very happy memories of growing up in Dulwich, like HeidiHi. I grew up near Dulwich Plough, and despite spending a lot of time at home and in our garden, we also spent a lot of time in Dulwich Park and the swimming baths. We usually caught the bus around London, back in the day when adult fares started at 40p, and child fares about 20p! East Dulwich has changed incredibly over the years, and I think it has only got better for families and those bringing up children. As usual, however, house prices dominate the area, and it is sad to see families pushed out when it has become so family-suited. But you really can get a lot more for your money further out! We only moved to Honor Oak 3 years a go, and got a 3 bed house back then for the same as a 2 bed flat in ED. So moving further out must save you even more! I agree with Keef - up the hill in HOP/FH/Syd really does seem leafier and still so close to everything. But really I think we're all coveting HeidiHi's/LittleEDfamily's relocation to even leafier parts!

For girls, the very girly and flowery names seem to be big at the mo - Lily, Daisy, Flora, Lila, Lola, Ella, Grace, Isobel, Isabella, Matilda, etc Boys - get some of the following in there - Jack, Harry, Gabriel, Theo, Louis, Ethan, Aidan I think...

I second everything mumra has said - definitely start with building that love of reading, taking an interest in books, talking about pictures, etc. Discriminate between environmental sounds - farm animals, etc. Starting too young with blending and segmenting phonemes in reading can put them off completely and detract from the enjoyment of the story as a whole. As far as writing is concerned, lots of big, gross-motor movements such as air-drawing, painting with a large brush, waving ribbons are really important if the fine-motor actions associated with holding and using a pencil/pen are going to develop when a little older. For those with slightly older children, you may find this website useful for learning to link sounds and letters, and beginning to blend them together when reading - there are different levels. Starfall - I used it with a Reception class alongside the Jolly Phonics scheme. I completely agree that English is a really difficult language! And especially those of us with Southern accents (i.e. who say bARth as opposed to bAth!) - I've often thought when teaching phonics, 'I WISH I spoke like the northerners do!' - usually when a child as tried in vain to spell as word such as 'grass', and can't understand when I say it's not 'g/r/ar/ss' (although you must always show them that they have segmented the sounds correctly). Shame! Of course, there are many examples of 'tricky words' with have nothing to do with dialect or accents. If anyone with older children (e.g. reception) out there would like some free bright and colourful phoneme / letter / tricky word / number printable resources, then I'd fully recommend this site. There are some really fun shapes including lots that would interest boys. Also mats for use with playdough, etc. Have fun!