Polly D

I really look back at the week or so I had after finishing work and before my baby was born (he was 9 days early) and wish I had relaxed and enjoyed it more; I remember feeling guilty for doing nothing. How little I knew...so that's another vote for stopping work earlier rather than later. I always thought I would want more time at the end of maternity leave, i.e. with the baby but frankly I was rather looking forward to getting back to work after a whole year.

Don't forget disposable knickers...grim but so great.

How about Dog Kennel Hill, coming down the hill towards the station. It's sooooo dangerous to cycle down: so many big pot holes. You either go dangerously through them or swerve to avoid them, with traffic whizzing next to you.

Lovely - Clare and Claire. Will PM you both re Weds x

It was meant to be tongue in cheek Narnia, but now that just sounds wrong.

Love this ad. There was an article about it in the Guardian last week: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/apr/30/women-love-john-lewis-ad And re sobbing at everything, I found myself watching an episode of Airline last night (don't judge me) and sobbed my eyes out when a mum had to tell her 2 year-old son that they probably wouldn't be going on an aeroplane later on.

Ideally, it's worth booking for both R&R and JB. However, you can only book over the phone if you're a member. You can book up to a week in advance in person. You can park at PP itself but there are limited spaces. It's free - for up to 4 hours I think - but you still have to display a ticket. Like ryedalema says, if PP car park is full, try Lidl opp, although the limit there is 1.5 hours and they DO fine. I've taken my son to both R&R and JB and although JB is more suitable for a little one, R&R should be fine, especially during school hours so the older ones aren't there (R&R is for 8 and under). The 12 stops in that newly-done up area opp Holland & Barrett. You might find it quite handy to have the pram once you're in the changing room Clare. If I'm not in a hurry, I find it easier to go on the 12, rather than the car. I'm thinking of going next Weds at 12pm if you fancy it?!

Middle on one cheek, class on the other. How about you? Narnia Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I can't believe anyone owns up to being middle > class or any other class for that matter. Was it > stamped on your arse when you were born? Middle > class me arse.

Nothing to do with being middle-class; just sounds dangerous. Whether with a child on the back or not. However, I cycle with my son on the back of my bike and I'm middle class: living where I do, with a child and a bike, not to mention the organic veg and the Guardian poking out of my basket. And I go very carefully, thanks. I think the idea with the trailer type that's on road level is that the child can't fall off and so are 'safer', but to me they are too dangerously close to car wheels.

I would spend your money on the mattress. Our boy slept terribly in his moses basket - which had a really flimsy 'mattress'. The minute we put him in his cot - at 10 weeks - with lovely firm mattress (from M&P) he slept through! Another vote for cot bed.

Thanks all! Phew. Think he would have been mightily sick of the damn things for 8 meals in a row: safely tucked up in freezer now.

I'm never sure about this one. My mum is too relaxed about these things so I think I might be too. I defrosted some chicken breasts yesterday, made a whole load of wierd chicken/apple/veg rissoles - shallow fried - and am now wondering if I can freeze them as there are too many for one small boy to eat in a day. What do you think?

This website has some lovely places. We stayed at a place in Withiel over Easter but this one might be more suitable for 2, and very by the sea: http://www.uniquehomestays.com/unique/details.asp?id=640&country=6&start=1 Looks gorgeous

Sometimes I walk up to the front door and zap the car keys at it expecting it to open.

Lovely night and great to see/meet you all. R woke at 3am for a dummy retrieval. I remember saying 'I just can't', to husband. And he let me lie in til 8am and brought me a cuppa - many many house points! So I'm dying to know what the secret news is Ms Baldock.

I started back at work 4 days/week in Feb - when son turned 1 - and I take Wednesdays off which I am finding works brilliantly: I don't have the whole week looming on Monday morning, it's only 2 days at a time for my son at the childminder's (although he is v happy there anyway), I enjoy so much our midweek day together, and it breaks the working week up for me. But, you did say you thought Wednesday was a fairly crucial day to be at work. I too was a bit worried about missing Weds from the work side of things - meetings etc - but it has not been a problem at all and my colleagues have been really supportive. But I guess you may find you mind less about 'missing out' on networking now that you have a child, and you can keep in the loop in other ways: I make sure I keep in touch about stuff, and I occasionally check emails from home during his nap time (my choice, I'm not expected to). I'd say the majority of my part-time friends have Fridays off, and yes, it seems it's the day a lot of childminders choose not to work on. However, I also know parents who do all sorts of patterns (including the parents of the other children who my childminder looks after) and it might just be one of those things where you plump for one day and see how it goes, maybe work could agree to be a bit flexible? If you're happy and confident with your childcare, I'm sure the childminder would alleviate your fears about settling in etc. Good luck!

Definitely up for this on Friday. Might not get there 'til half 8-9 though as husband doesn't usually get in from work until 8-8.30.

2, so 1 more. And though space and money very useful, I would need more sleep and energy to have any more than that.

Ring Southwark Council's Family Information Service and they'll send/email you a list of all the registered childminders in your area.

Oooh he was so upset: 'curry powder!?' he spluttered.

My mum supported our (fairly last-minute) decision to have a home birth last year as she had wanted to have my brother and me at home in the 70s. However, I remember about 3 weeks before our son was due having a birthday dinner for my dad, and some medical professional cousins (aged 40 ish) of his were absolutely horrified at our plan. They scared the 'sh*t' out of me, almost begging me not to go through with it and because I am easily persuaded I left thinking 'what are we doing' but 2 weeks later had a totally safe, extremely well supported (Oakwood midwives) and very long home birth. Anyway the point is you should absolutely go with what you (and your partner) want and as you're lucky enough to be with the Brierley, feel in very safe hands. I'm sure as your pregnancy progresses you'll meet people who have all sorts of opinions and who have had all sorts of experiences. Maybe your mum could come along to a home-birth session at Kings or if there's something similar organised by Brierley. Oakwood arranged a meeting like this where pregnant ladies could come along and hear all kinds of birth stories and it was at one of these when 34 weeks pregnant that I decided to go for the home birth option. There's a thread on here about home birth support group, sounds like it could be something for you. Good luck!

You poor thing! I wouldn't consider this a small incident. I would be totally freaked out if this happened to me. I mean, good for you for not panicking, and thankfully it wasn't more serious, but why on earth should this guy feel this is appropriate behaviour. I would report it, definitely.

Update on the lad (in case any of you find yourself in this situation): temp is normal, rash has gone down loads after slathering him in calomine lotion - I recommend having a bottle in the med cupboard; it works wonders. He seems bit better but has now developed a cough and cold. Sleeping fine though, phew. We're still in quarantine though and husband and I taking it in turns to take days off work. Is it really only nearly 10 o'clock, what are we going to do all day?! Thanks all for support and kind words.

I remember thinking 'ooh - for a treat, I'll use a carton (of formula) today'...really...they cost approx 50p/carton. When I'm out and about and amd thirsty, I think nothing of buying a bottle of water for a quid. Whatever makes life easier, do it!

No, it'll be half 6, so it will feel better! You see! Oops, crossed in the post