Indiana

Quick answer from me - I think they are brilliant - and they have also just received an Excellent rating from Ofsted However unless you are already on th waiting list you may have to wait sometime as they have a long long waiting list

Congratulations Nat and glad to hear it went well for you! Welcome baby Jude (I remember you saying that was the likely name - very sweet!). Good to hear you had good care in hospital and postnatally. I finish work on Wednesday (thank goodness) then off to Cornwall for 10 days (with hospital bag just in case!), back in ED 1st October, due No 2 on 21st October - would be great to catch up with a few of you in October. In the meantime, best of luck to the others - some more may have even been born by now! Louise

My friends recently made the move to Nottingham and settled in West Bridgford which they said is like Nottinghams east dulwich - think it has good local state schools too

A bit of a late thank you too for organising last Thursday (thanks Caroline). It was lovely to meet some new mums to be and also 'second timers'. Good luck to those due in the next few weeks - looking forward to hearing your news! I am due October 21st with my second, so not on maternity for a few more weeks. I will be knocking around East Dulwich from 1st October though so hopefully can arrange tea/cake during the week then for those still waiting. Louise x

Congratulations Julie - Ruth mentioned Grace had arrived - I hope all going well! Hope to see you at the next one Louise

We used Exclusively Wills too - but for straightforward double wills - think it was about ?120 + VAT (can't quite remember) so I was surprised at your quote until you noted it includes two Lasting Power of Attorneys etc. Happy with the service we received. I guess you should just consider whether a solicitor should be involved if it is more complex with the POA?

That's great news Ellie - very exciting for you, and as Caroline says, hopefully Henry will be joining him soon. I am hoping to come along tonight so see some of you there! Louise

We have been away a few times with our toddler - to Asia when she was almost 2, then recently to Turkey at 2 1/2. Both times we have gone self catering so she can have her own room. We tended to eat out most nights locally at restaurants all together - sometime between 6.30pm - 8pm. Then she would go to bed between 9 - 10pm and luckily sleep through to 8 - 9am every day. It meant we could have time to ourselves after she had gone to bed, but equally she loved eating out with us and being fussed over at the restaurant. For us - they key was ensuring she had a later afternoon nap, usually 3 ish for an hour or so - that way she was on good form for the evening. In Bali, we used to go to the beach about 5ish when it was cooler, then eat about 7pm. She loved it and we found we had a relaxing holiday (we could even have siestas at 3pm too!) Turkey is very, very toddler friendly btw - great food, restaurants and attitude to young children. Highly recommended but very hot in July/August - June/Sept probably better Good luck!

I'd also like to recommend Richard. He has just re-painted two of our bedrooms including some excellent wallpapering. He is punctual, tidy and reasonably priced. Highly recommended.

Yes - I would like to second Jo's comments. It was great to meet some of you yesterday and have a natter in the sunshine. I am not due until October 21st (with my second) so another month at work before I go on maternity leave. Good luck to those due in the next few weeks and hope to see you guys again in the near future when I go on mat leave. Louise x

Thanks Helen - hopefully it will be dry - I will aim for 230/3pm And yes - massive congrats to Ellie - hope they are doing well and look forward to meeting them later this year I guess! Louise

Shall we say 2.30pm/3pm onwards at The Rye then? Easier to meet for drinks/coffee perhaps?

Hi I am hoping to come along- but just wanted to check the date - thought it was sunday 12th (not Sat?). The Rye would be good as there is a large garden? I will be bringing another mum to be (due Sept). Thanks

Yes - but at the moment you can't get 'emergency appointments' like that due to the Olympics etc - hence they are offering same day appointments in places like Durham as these type of offices are the only ones with availability. Unless you want to do the 10 hr round trip like my brother had to I would recommend calling now for the earliest appointment!

Also - do a search on the forum - there have been plenty of threads recently on this giving recommendations - might be why people haven't responded

My brother tried to do this a few weeks ago - they were told at the PO that the 2 week check and send would be fine. 3 weeks later and 2 days before their holiday they hadn't received it. He called, and was advised that the only appointment available to obtain same day passport was in Durham. He therefore got the train the day before their holiday (a 10 hour round trip) to make sure they got it. A few days later I saw this article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9416810/British-tourists-face-a-three-week-wait-for-a-passport.html Seems like new passports are taking up to 6 weeks to obtain because of the backlog. Another friend is due to go to France in 4 weeks time with their 7 week old so I told her of the problem and she called the Passport office to get an appointment well in advance. The earliest she could get at Victoria was 3 weeks from now (just in time). My advice would therefore be that you have no chance/guarantee with the postal service and you should call today to get the earliest appointment you can (otherwise you will be given Durham like my brother!) Hope that helps - good luck!

Ours was late Sept/ early October - Zanzibar for a week - glorious hotel in the north then a few nights in Stone Town. Sea plane to Pemba to remote hotel with diving etc....awesome. Often people do a week safari in Tanzania then a week Zanzibar which is an option.

Snap again with Caroline_S & Norfolkvillas - my second pregnancy also whizzing by. I am about 26 weeks - due October 21st and my 2.5 year old is getting very excited about it! Sorry I couldn't make the last meet up - I can do Sunday 12th August. I start maternity leave at the end of Sept so looking forward to some r&r before chaos returns - and maybe some meet ups during the week for those on leave by then. Thanks

For me they were definitely worth it - still see my group regularly almost 3 years on. Invaluable in those first few weeks of 'what the hell do I do now'.....and great that you are going through the same stuff at exactly the same time. I am sure you will also be able to make mum friends via the forum baby clubs or at baby play groups but if you are lucky to get a good NCT group it is fab. Sign up early if you decide to do it - they are popular.

My daughter has had weetabix since about 1 - adult size - and she often likes having raisins with it which helps 'sweeten' it I guess. We had the min-bix on holiday last week and agree - they don;'t need any sugar so my assumption was they are loaded with it already!

We are about to go to Kalkan in Turkey on Saturday for 2 weeks with a 2 year old and a 5 month bump - flying to Dalaman and staying in a villa with a pool near the village/port with lots of restaurants. I can let you know the verdict when we get back! It would certainly still be warm in Sept - the only issue you may have is flying that late on but I guess you just get the doctors certification? I have been recommended Kalkan by alot of friends - though accommodation is predominantly private villas (i.e not big resort hotels) which suits us at the moment (esp as at 2 she is too young for kids club etc..)

Thanks Saffron - interesting reading - I will discuss with my midwife and my consultant. Luckily she was a good breastfeeder from the start last time, it was me who medically suffered for 6 months afterwards (including two operations) following epidural/episiotomy/forceps delivery. Am therefore looking at alternatives to epidural in case I have a similar labour. I recognise the possible effects of pethidine/diamorphine but I guess in my case these need to be balanced with trying to prevent the same medical problems I had last time. It's good to know though that if I have this kind of assistance I should not presume breastfeeding will be as 'easy' as last time and I may need support whilst in hospital. Oh the joy!

Thanks for the responses - I will ask my midwife when I next see her but that's in a couple of months. I know quite a few hospitals now offer Diamorphine but it seems Kings is probably not one of them. Second time round for me (after a home birth ending up at Kings last time) so starting to update myself on all the options. From what I read diamorphine acts/works differently than Pethidine (which I did not have last time). The only reason I knew about it was seeing that midwife give birth on One Born Every Minute (!) and she asked for it during her labour and it seemed to really help her deal with the pain but still be able to push/progress.

I will PM you Oops - posted twice - sorry

I have PMd you