Indiana

Our 7 month old went into her own room on the floor below us at 10 weeks. She had outgrown her moses basket and was also starting to sleep through so we thought it was a good time. We have the BT 150 monitor which is brilliant as we can hear as much as we want to (!) and she was starting to be disturbed in her sleep by us coming in to go to bed etc. She went straight to her cotbed (which seemed huge when she was 10 weeks!) and has slept so well since then - woken only a handful of times in almost 5 months and sleeps happily til 7.30am ish. I think we would have had her in our room longer if she was not such a good sleeper as I didn't fancy going downstairs in the night to feed her but we are lucky that she was sleeping through from 10 weeks. One thing I did find very useful were those little wall fixed night lights that come on when you sense movement. Great for hallways/stairs when you need to see your way in the night but don't want to turn on the bright lights. It is a personal choice but for us, our little one slept much better in her own room and we were then not disturbed by all of her own gurgles etc. She now also sleeps very well at other peoples houses and on holiday which is great.

Think he works there?!

I finished at 35 weeks and was definitely ready by then - I had also accrued some holiday so my mat leave actually started at week 37. I spent the first 2 weeks doing all the things I hadn't had time to do - packing my hospital bag, lots of admin and things I knew I wouldn't have time to do post birth (!) then the next 2 weeks I relaxed alot, met friends, had lunches, had my pedicure and bikini wax (!) and definitely did not get bored...my little one then arrived a week early and I was just about ready by then - practically as well as mentally. You get told that most first babies are late/on time....in my NCT class 5 our of the 6 of us had early or on time births so I was definitely glad I gave myself the weeks before her birth to prepare and relax.....I have fond memories of that time. Obviously it could have gone on for another 3 weeks really but I would have carried on enjoying 'pottering'! Good luck

The same thing happened to me last week in primark and it was v annoying! I tried the clothes on over my own in the underwear section and didn't buy any of them so was quite pleased with myself as I was in a grump with primark (!)

I have just seen an advert for an election night special Come Dine this Thursday featuring Rod Liddle and Edwina Currie amongst others Am sure Rod Liddle lives locally so perhaps that's who it was?!

Hello We bought a Moses basket for our little lady and she slept in that in our bedroom for the first 10 weeks. We then moved her to her own room and into her cotbed (think it is the John Lewis Ella one) and we have had no problems. I like the fact the cot will grow with her. I bought a nearly new one from the forum and then invested in a new mattress from John Lewis. However they are quite big so the only caveat is that we were glad we felt she was ready to sleep in her own room at 10 weeks as she was too big for the Moses basket and we did not want to put the big cotbed in our bedroom. The Ikea cots I think are just fine too....my friend swears by hers. Also - re akc74 comment...surely if you had no 2 in quick succession you would still have to buy a junior bed for no 1, then also then a junior bed for no 2 when ready? So buying 2 cotbeds rather than 1 cot then 2 junior beds is not much different? Good luck!

Monday night Pregnancy aerobics at JAGs gym was really good...you don't have to be a member - can pay as you go...

ljs - wow = thanks for your post = there is hope then that the next one will be different!

Yes - edmummy - the episiotomy is necessary to allow the forceps when the baby is stuck as Belle said. Unfortunately my fissure was then caused by the midwives not giving me laxatives when I was discharged with a bag of drugs (codeine, dicolofenic etc etc). Not good.

I too sympathise. I delivered my baby by forceps and episiotomy 5 months ago and was not at all prepared for the pain and discomfort afterwards. I couldn't walk properly for a good 10 days afterwards due to the bruising and pain, and the stitches came away not long after leaving hospital so the cut had to heal naturally which I found quite distressing..now 5 months on the has healed but like you, it doesn't feel quite right. However, I have noticed improvement week on week and the pelvic floor exercises definitely helped. I went and saw a Gynaecologist last month at Kings which also helped so get yourself a referral. My biggest issue post forceps however has been the anal fissure which then developed. I wouldn;t wish that on anyone - unbelievable pain and after lots of drugs and an operation it has improved slightly but still not normal. looking back I now really wish I had a caesarian as I have had so much trouble... On the plus side - in response to your comment about not wanting another - a friend of mine had a similar experience with her first but had her second a few months ago and said it was an entirely different experience!

Think East Dulwich is not open - does anyone know if trains are running from Peckham Rye? Thanks

Ha ha...our little daughter also rarely gets called by her name...but: - boo boos - mini boo boos - monkey/cheeky monkey - little lady/cheeky little lady - poo pants

We bought the Bugaboo Cameleon which I really like but you need to consider the practicalities.....you need space to park it in your flat/house and as per the posts above - they are not easy to fold down and take up too much space in the car. I therefore now use it around ED and have bought a Maclaren Techno XT which is kept in the car and is great for weekends away/holidays. I too have friends who decided not to buy a fancy buggy and went straight to the Maclaren (it reclines almost flat) but I wanted to have my baby facing me when she was little and the Bugaboo is so flexible/easy to push/turn and feels v 'safe'. She sleeps v well in it too I bought both of these second hand - this forum or ebay are great for this (if ebay you can search for sale items within a 10 mile radius so you could go and view/test and not pay hefty postage costs). The Bugaboo I bought for #350 and the Maclaren Techno for #73 including the #40 foot muff. I would definitely not buy these new as they are so pricey!

Come on...it's really not the end of the world is it?! I am sure the mum would have preferred to make it to a loo with her toddler but obviously didn;t have a choice Relax....

Littleedfamily - that made me laugh!! Forgot about that...

I have a bugaboo Chameleon which I have been using since birth....but now she is 4 months I have recently bought a Maclaren Techno XT which stays in the boot of the car to be used for weekends away/when using the car and on the plane...I will continue using my lovely bugaboo locally. The Maclaren is very easy to use and although not super light I am easily able to lift and carry it and put it in the boot myself - unlike the Bugaboo. It also reclines really easily to mid and flat and upright positions so she has been sleeping fine in it. I bought it on ebay for 73 pounds including the cosy muff (total new would be 205 - 240 inc the muff) - I searched for people selling within 10 miles and bought it from a mum in Penge (so I could collect and view)....she had only used it as a second buggy too so was in good condition Hope that helps - there are sometimes people selling Maclarens on here too

I agree with Smiler....definitely good to have the extra vaginal scan at 20 weeks as this shows whether you are at risk of an early delivery or an incompetent cervix. The latter is pretty rare but a friend of mine went into labour at 24 weeks because of this and unfortunately lost the baby. Second time round they did a small op to strengthen her cervix and she carried to full term. If she had had the vaginal scan at 20 weeks they may have picked up the weakness and been able to deal with it and prevent the loss The vaginal scan was fine - and besides you will get used to all sorts of prodding during pregnancy and birth! Also agree re reading material and trying to get your next scan in the morning

I suppose you could call it a flashfeed - bit like those flashmobs that sometimes spring up in places...

I decided to try for a homebirth at 33 weeks and as the practice midwives would already be full I simply went along to Kings and met the East West team there - who are all brilliant and plenty of them Good luck

Hello We have a 3 month old baby who is now sleeping in her cotbed in her own room. We have a few trips to make in the next few months and wondered if anyone could recommend a good travelcot that's not too heavy and expensive? I'd like her to get used to it by sleeping in it a few times at home first (or am I being over careful?!) Thanks L

Hello My understanding is that you can take KIT days whenever during your maternity leave. However, you don't get paid for them on top of your maternity pay - so you are effectively working for free if you do them before the 19.5 weeks are up. After your full pay from your employer finishes you should then be paid full pay for each day you work (pro rated). I think they deduct the pro rated #123 per week from the government from your pay if you are still receiving it. If it is the final 3 months of a 12month maternity leave when I don;t think we get anything from the government then you get the full pro rated pay from your employer - but they have to agree for you to take the KIT days. Therefore it makes sense to take any KIT days in the final quarter, or at least once your employer pay has ceased. Hope that makes sense - it;s my understanding of it based on my discussions with HR and policy - but you should probably check directly with your employer. Perhaps if they really need the work done they could let you 'work' the KIT days later in the year...i.e you do them now but they pay you for them later?

I have bought a black, white and grey maternity vest top from Boob at Pretty Pregnant on North Cross road and wash and wear them constantly under all sorts of clothes....you'd be surprised how much of your old wardrobe you can wear when you have these vests....button shirts, low v neck jumpers etc Haven't bothered with other specific nursing tops as the layering thing works for me - also have used my old vest tops from when I was pregnant as they are more loose but they don;t have the added benefit of the design slit so they don't cover you up as much. Primark have a few quite nice button shirts you could pick up which look good with jeans, leggings etc

I too did the Monday JAGS class with Oriane from 16 weeks to 36 weeks - thought it was brilliant and felt fit all the way through my pregnancy...my baby is now 10 weeks old and I am not far off my previous weight which I think has alot to do with the class. Good luck!

I am a new mum to a 10 week old and was still quite immobile when my husband went back to work after paternity leave..my advice would be to get the fisher price bouncy chair with calm vibrations...my little girl is very happy in it and the vibrations often gently send her off to sleep during the day allowing me to have a relaxing shower, sort out lunch and do all the other things you need to do! It doesn;t work for everyone but I wouldn;t be without it. I bought it on the forum for about a tenner and she far prefers it to the swanky mamas and papas chair bought by her grandma Take each day as it comes - don't worry about not getting changed til 2pm (or not at all!) some days.....it gets easier! Good luck!

Thanks everyone for your fantastic tips and suggestions...very useful and things I wouldn't have thought of!