Knomester

I'll PM you now. Good luck :-)

Thank you all - very helpful. I could definitely do with having a push of a Bee and a friend of mine has one so I'll pop over once I'm on mat leave and give that a go. Mathilda I'll take a look at the mattress you suggest thank you. I've seen other foam versions online (similar to the one we had for the crib we used when baby 1 was small) but it's difficult to know the quality of something when you can't look at it!

Hello. Baby number 2 is due in a few weeks and I just wondered if anyone can help me. I've bought a BabyBay bedside crib this time around, for the early months. I bought it from Germany to save money and there wasn't the option of buying a mattress at the same time. Looking online most places seem to sell the Little Green Sheep mattress which is ?65-?70. I'm not looking to spend that much and just wondered if anyone has any advice on a suitable mattress which fits the Babybay around the ?20-?25 mark? I'm also considering a Bugaboo Bee. I love the pram we have already (which we had for my now 3.5yo) but it's not practical for public transport and completely fills the boot of the car, so I can imagine using it locally for the first few weeks and then wanting something smaller and lighter longer term to supplement my slings (I have back problems so can't always rely on the sling). (We have an old Maclaren but I'm thinking of something I can use from around the 6 week mark that is parent facing and will then go on to last for a couple of years). I just wondered how long people find the cocoon lasts for and whether the fact the bee is so low has posed problems for anyone who has it (I'm nearly 5'8")? Thanks

We usually have ours cleaned when we get the carpets cleaned (once a blue moon), but have just gad it cleaned by Washboard dry cleaners in Nunhead and it looks like new.

ClareC - My friend studied law and went on to be a solicitor, then left a year after qualification to retrain as a doctor (about 10 years ago). She is just taking a break from her GP training as she had her first child last year. She has never once regretted it (law just wasn't for her, despite her being brilliant at it), but she is only just now starting to get where she wants to be.

Sounds interesting Kes - would love to know more if you have time to PM me a link?

If I were to ever leave my current job and have the opportunity (plus brain power, money and time...) to retrain, then I think I'd study nutrition, with a particular focus on baby & toddler nutrition. I already take a keen interest in food - I cook and write about food and develop recipes, including for babies and toddlers, and read endlessly around the subject, but perhaps an actual qualification would let me take that a step further forward. Before all that I have 12 months of maternity leave to look forward to once baby number 2 arrives :-)

Wise and comforting words from SW and BST... I work 4 days a week and rarely get to do the drop off or pick up as I'm up in the city. Every morning my 3.5yo asks me whether it's 'staying at home with Mummy' day. I know he is fine once he gets to nursery, but I also know his favourite days are when we're all at home together. We try to all sit down for breakfast together every day (because it's not possible to eat together at any other meal during the week). Would that be possible for you once you've got the routine bit sorted (it comes with time...) so that you have some time to just sit and chat and find some family headspace before the start of each day? There is no way I could go back to working 5 days a week (I'd rather be doing 3!) - I treasure my Fridays at home with my son - and that makes it all a bit more bearable. If there is any way you could rearrange your hours to have 1 extra day at home perhaps you'd find it would help you to cope better mentally with the separation? There is some great advice on another thread about things which help ease the pressure at home - some of which BST has alluded to.

Thanks for the link Saffron. There was a short piece about this on Woman's Hour yesterday as well: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03vdx7t I'm really happy to see that there is more publicity around tongue ties and the potential implications for woman trying to breastfeed a tongue tied baby. I just hope that this filters down to GPs and HVs, some of whom were, in my experience, neither knowledgeable nor supportive. We are however very lucky to have the expertise at King's close by as well as BF Cafes like the one in Peckham. As I approach due date with baby number 2 I've been thinking about this a lot after the problems I had first time around - http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,570543 - and I will definitely go into hospital with the phone number of a private consultant to hand in case baby number 2 has a tongue tie like his/her big brother.

There are a few places reviewed on Dan (Essex Eating)'s blog which might be worth a look - http://essexeating.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Edinburgh

Yikes, I have all this to come again I'm sure... We had a little Houdini with baby number 1. Like you, we swaddled to stop very strong moro reflex which woke him constantly. In the end though we found that he wanted to suck fingers to settle - probably around the age your little one is now (or perhaps a couple weeks older...). The problem we found before that was that he had outgrown most purpose made swaddle blankets and could escape from sheets and blankets. What we did do when he woke (and clearly didn't need a feed) was cuddle, reswaddle and then rock/shush until he fell asleep again. To be fair, I say 'we' but my husband had to do most of that because otherwise baby would smell my milk and want feeding. Have you tried those zip up or Velcro swaddle blankets? I've got those on the list for this time round... I'm going to look up the woombie which david_carnell mentions!

Strawbs we had one but as a baby our now 3.4yo only wanted to be lay flat or in arms! He hated his bouncy chair :( No reflection on this particular model I'm sure, but perhaps worth bearing in mind before parting with lots of cash? We have held onto ours just in case baby number 2 is a bit more flexible!

Just for information for anyone planning to drive over Honor Oak Park over the next few days, the notice at the top of the hill had been amended this morning to say that the works will be continuing 'until further notice'. The road was still closed to traffic from the top of the hill down to Devonshire Road (which was again stationary as some vehicles tried to turn left into Devonshire Road, blocking those trying to turn out and causing gridlock).

We are, as you know bluesuperted, in exactly the same position as you being the parents of an August 2010 born boy. We have submitted his primary school application for September 2014 entry today, in case that is the route we decide to take, but are giving the idea of a 2015 start in Reception (rather than Y1) serious consideration. We will no doubt meet up to chat to you some more soon, so it's a case of watch this space. The only small concern we have is the possibility of leaving our son open to teasing (bullying?) for being 'a year older' than his peers later on in his school life (if, in reality he would only be 2 days older than the eldest in the year). Does anyone have any experience of this?

I really feel for you hellosailor. I've sufferered with it since I was a child and it gets much worse during pregnancy. I've never found anything which makes it go away completely for me, but there are things which help me limit it, like keeping bedroom and bed cool (cool sheets at bedtime definitely help for me), regular bedtimes before I get too tired, etc. Overtiredness and travelling are the worst triggers for me. I don't find that exercise or stretches help at all, in fact doing too much walking / exercise during the day can make it worse in the evening. This website has some more information: http://www.rls-uk.org/ I don't find iron has helped me as it did with norfolkvillas, but if yours post pregnancy related that might be a good starting point? As far as I know iron supplements can help with secondary rls.

Hello snowboarder. Our son has this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Viga-3-Tier-Parking-Helipad-59690/dp/B005FO7RA2/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt - it's robust and compact and I'd say really good value at under ?20. He uses all of his cars and trucks (and skateboarders..) on it, not just the little wooden cars supplied. The only complaint he sometimes makes when he sees one of the huge ones in catalogues (and which may apply to your older child) is that it doesn't have big curved ramps that go around the car park.

JohnL / VeronicaSawyer - Since reading this thread yesterday, I came across two large vehicles with 'this vehicle is turning left' sounding yesterday evening and this morning. Perhaps these sound warnings are becoming more common than we think?

alieh - I found this dragon and now nothing else comes close... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Playmobil-4838-Giant-Dragon-Fire/dp/B001RHAF28/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1384349592&sr=1-1&keywords=playmobil+dragon+led+fire Thanks for the tips on playmobil figures, I'll start hunting. Loving the marble run idea. We'd looked at one for last birthday but decided to keep presents small and few. Is Marbutopia a good sturdy brand to go for (for a 3.2yo who loves dismantling things as much as he does building them)?

Edited to send message by PM instead.

alieh - lots of love for playdo and cutting / sticking in our house too. I missed all the craft stuff off my post earlier! Do you ahve the playmobil knights figures? We're wondering what figures to buy to go with the seconhand castle we've bought...

Hello. Have you ever tried the Movicol route so that he has no option to 'hold on' and to avoid constipation? We have had similar issues but with a younger boy. Please feel free to PM me.

If you're considering a toy garage, my 3.2yo has this one which is robust and gets lots of use - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Viga-3-Tier-Parking-Helipad-59690/dp/B005FO7RA2 - also reasonably priced compared to some. We've also over time added some of the Melissa & Doug wooden cars / trucks which are also very robust, like these - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-14096-Car-Transporter/dp/B004KPKWKY and http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-4550-Low-Loader/dp/B004YEFPVW What about playmobil - do your boys have much of that? My son just has a few figures at the moment - he plays with his 2 skateboarders mostly, although the other figures also come into play with his farm animals when he builds a farm out of blocks and sometimes with the train track. We saw a fire engine which we thought looked quite good and might suggest to Grandma who has asked for ideas. Other favourites currently include: - a huge box of Duplo and a mat to stick the duplo to (no specific things to build just random blocks in lots of colours) - wooden building blocks (plain and multicoloured) - toy cooker (which my grandad made for me but still going strong!) with lots of pots and pans and things he has 'acquired' from my kitchen - jigsaws (especially the large format ones) - enough books to start a library - Brio (like someone else, a combination of my original track and trains, plus lots of different bits and pices bought second hand or new, including Tesco track and BigJigs) - big box of random cars, trucks and diggers - doctor's kit His favourite things by far though have always been 'real' things - items from around the house that he has created into a game. A roll of sellotape was one of his recent acquisitions and (although he has his own small versions) he loves getting his hands on our sweeping brush, etc. So I sometimes wonder whether they really need many toys at all... We've just bought a secondhand Melissa & Doug castle (off the forum) for Christmas. We'll proably buy some figures and a dragon to go with it and a book or two about knights, castles, etc to go with it.

As simonethebeaver says, water should be fine for now. I think we used a Neal's Yard one at first and have been using the Weleda Baby shampoo & body wash since then.

Hello I am at a much much earlier stage in my pregnancy than you but sounds like I'm in pretty much the same situation. It is really tricky with a toddler isn't it? I have spoken to my physio (I've had physio on and off for years, so am lucky to have that initial contact). He has given me a support belt as someone else mentioned. It doesn't work brilliantly for me, but you should give one a try - you can buy them online from Physio Supplies if you're struggling to get one elsewhere. Core strength is the key to managing symptoms and pain as much as is possible, so some gentle pilates would help if you can find the time. I've also found that really slowing down and limiting the time I spend on my feet and/or in one position helps. It means it is taking me forever to get anywhere, but I'm not waking with the pain in the night as much as I was even a week ago, although it's still bad during the day and especially the evenings. I'm sure you've probably tried most of these suggestions already, but just in case!

Mostly in favour of the badges then... I also asked on twitter and a few people also said from their perspective of wanting to offer their seat, but being worried about offending, they like the badges as it takes the ambiguity away. I guess my issue with asking for a seat buggie is that I don't feel confident enough to speak out when I get into the carriage, plus I worry that I'll ask someone who needs the seat more than me. From what I can tell, the difference in some people's minds is that for pregnant women there ARE badges available, so some people expect you to be wearing one (even if your bump sticks out a mile). Whereas, someone with another reason for needing a seat (elderly, ill, on crutches, carrying a child, etc) won't have a badge (because they don't exist).