Belle

Clare - the Brixton Ritzy does it too on Fridays, there's a place to leave the buggy outside the screen. I went once (Bruno - highly inappropriate for a 6 month old I'm sure but fabulous) and really enjoyed it.

just watched it on sky plus. am soooo glad am not hte only one who found that midwife both amazing and irritating. also couldn't believe the water birth and wish there'd been more on that, found it v interesting. Seeing her little baby was the most emotional I've been in watching this series as he really reminded me of mine as a newborn. And also found the bit where they were calmly reviving that newborn gripping - wasn't quite sure what was going on exactly? It's quite odd how they do the playback of the labour over the ensuing scenes, or at least I think that's what was happening ie references to induction? Think the husband just lost it. He seemed ok before and after (albeit slightly like a character from The Office). But yes couldnt' believe reference to her low pain threshold!! He obviously had an inferiority thing about being her birth partner as kept making points about how useless he was etc. When he said they'd prob talk to him differently if he was a woman who'd had kids, I did think 'well, yes, with good reason!'. Ah well - was nice all happy endings.

If you do a search you'll find quite a few forumites' reviews of the Bee on here - there's been quite a lot of buggy chat recently :) - and apparently there's a new, slightly roomier version, the Bee plus out in March... having said that you're not far off the baby being able to go in a Maclaren Quest (think is 3 months?) which is the kind of buggy many people end up getting as a second buggy anyway so you could possibly save some cash by getting that? Or if you'd like the lie-flat option the Maclaren XT is still pretty light and suitable from birth. Can see why you like the Bee tho!

we've booked a holiday through www.coastline.co.uk who do self-catering packages, and are v family friendly - you can request the stuff you need plus they offer childcare etc. They have villas in Corsica (we're going in May), Ibiza and Mallorca and have some good extras like offering online grocery shopping and bringing you a basket of breakfast goodies every day. car hire and flights included. It's more than we wanted to spend but for the lack of hassle, I hope, worth it.

know what you mean about brand name buggie - i think the advantage is that it's a spray though, which can be easier to administer (at least I find it with a v wriggly baby!). Other things we do (baby has constant cold at the moment): snufflebabe on chest (vicks for babies); karvol plug in; raise cot mattress at night (is your baby still in a moses basket? could just fold a blanket and pop under the head of the mattress if so). And when it's bad, calpol (but think you're more asking about the congestedness?). As far as I know there aren't any other medicinal options (ie decongestant) until they're bigger.

i know - i am laughing at myself by how avidly i'm reading it given we have no need of a washing machine at the moment anyway!

I find it hard to believe that those mums who've posted here who've used amber necklaces (including me), and the many thousands or more who use them worldwide are all hugely irresponsible and taking some massive risk with our children...

Molly - if you do go for just a miele washer, one drying option (what we do) is a heated airer, one of the electric ones. it's the sort of thing you see advertised in the innovations catalogue and think what a geeky idea but my inlaws got us one and we use it for all our drying, in the spare room - it's brilliant, very quick.

They're very much the norm in France and Switzerland, so much so that my French friend asked where our little boy's necklace was when we visited her, as he wasn't wearing one at the time. I think of it as being a bit like those copper bracelets people wear for rheumatism. And teething is so awful, i take the view that anything is worth a try, so what if it's rubbish - doesn't do any harm to try.

Got mine from this place. must admit we gave up using our's for a bit as wasn't sure was making a difference but have recently started again, think in retrospect what we put down to teething was just general temperament...but is def teething again, waves of pain resulting in not much sleep for any of us! http://www.myriadonline.co.uk/wooden-felt-rattles.php[/url]

Agreed, don't think those sentiments are helpful mitch nor are they evidence based.

ooh thanks millsa that's v helpful!

Thought last night's show was brilliant. The young girl's mum was great I thought, felt quite sorry for Ed the dad, he seemed so bewildered, but I loved it when he said 'your mum hugged me - think it's the first time she's done that when she's not been drunk'. classic. Pickle it was def an insight into the frustration of an induction not taking effect. I thought it was pretty bad they forgot her lunch given she's a diabetic... I thought the midwife/co-ordinating nurse lady seemed lovely and yes someone I'd def want looking after me, just so calm and polite too. Also t hought the way they dealt with the changing situation with the young girl and going to c-section etc was all done really well.

Just about jet off (!) on first solo (ie me plus baby) flight - only to Edinburgh so not v far afield! Anyway just getting buggy etc sorted and have a silly question. does anyone else find their maclaren quest (or similar) hard to fold with a cosy toes in? I kind of need one given where I'm going but it always seems to jam and make a mockery of the so-called one handed fold...thinking might have to pack separately to be honest. Just wondering if I'm missing a trick. Would never have thought just over a year ago that I'd be worrying about such things!

I booked onto my class when I moved down here - was about 4 1/2 months I think - and yes, couldn't get an ED class but did get onto one in Herne Hill (SillyWoman has mentioned Sarah) - which I enjoyed, and actually quite liked the walk over (though got slower and slower as I got bigger!).

Oh my god - Fuschia that's terrible! I hope your little one makes a swift recovery, at least now you've got diagnosis and appropriate treatment. ARgh it does not instil faith does it? And Father Jack likewise with your stories - trouble is who DO we use in out of hours? I remember being told at A&E (the kids bit) when we went in once with my son on a Thurs, to make sure we went back on the Fri if no improvement as the weekend is just 'an NHS blackhole' - their words. Again, not instilling confidence...

is the copleston playgroup on during half term does anyone know? if so that'd sort out Tuesday morning...

I can't :( now as both me and my little one are ill, horrible stomach bug type thing (me), eye infection and cold (him). so going out not an option really...have fun though.

He said quite soon - will pass on the details when I get the email he promised. Def something we need around here!

Thought I'd pass on this info as a while back we were all lamenting the lack of places to go and have a drink/lunch/coffee w hilst letting our kids have a play. Was in the Florence in Herne Hill yesterday (sister pub of the Bishop) and loads of work was going on at the back, in the conservatory. The manager explained that they are creating a big playroom for babies/kids, with soft play and a screen for cbeebies etc, meanwhile there'll be an adjacent bit for mums to enjoy a drink and keep an eye on babies. I quite often walk over there to meet friends so am thrilled and both pubs do a 'mums the word' card which entitles you to various discounts, which change each month. I think he's going to email me about suggestions for what they might include in the room so if anyone has any ideas, I can post the details here for who to send it to. Note - I don't have any connection to these pubs! Just really pleased to hear about somewhere suitable for crawlers and up...

am also undecided and also have the problem of constant overlapping cold etc preventing us getting it anyway, along with the 12 month boosters and MMR. sigh. My boy doesn't snuggle either so this latest bug hasn't been fun - did try to get him to watch To Kill a Mockingbird with me but he just constantly cried to be down, then cried to be back up again. Argh. Guess some babies are just snugglier than others! I too get really tense when they're ill Molly, and find it extremely wearing, it's so odd when they're not themselves isn't it? You just want to see them smiling again!

Heh heh Heidi - you are feeding my buggy obsession and I'm sure others' too! Is it wrong to call it buggy porn? Probably. I love that puschair though!

Ann - I'm not judging the midwife, as I said it's just personal really - it's just that I identified with what the mother was saying and in my case, my instinct was actually right in that the baby was stuck so pushing was making his heart rate drop and my BP rise. I recognise that wasn't the case in this woman's case and think it's great she got the baby out - just saying that for me, it wasn't helpful to talk that way as it made me panic which meant I froze so there was definitely no pushing going on!

My little boy has an eye infection as a result of a nasty cold and the doc prescribed anti biotic eye drops. Trouble is after dose 1 (supposed to be four doses a day) - he is wise to it, and instantly screws his eyes shut whilst yelling when he sees the bottle. We've tried all the tricks we can think of (one of us dangling him upside down etc, me doing it with him laid across lap watching Waybuloo) - but nothing works and I'm having to make do with dropping it onto his closed lids, not ideal...anyone else been through this?!

After all the comments on here I had another try and just watched it on 4oD - fascinating. Totally agree with comments about both dads, though loved it when Tracy got her own back with the comment about his height! Also thought at times he showed traces of emotion so maybe it's just bravado - still unforgivable though, laughing with his son at the contractions! what?! i'd love to see him cope with just one! However I did find the midwife Tracy had a bit headgirlish/PE teacher ish with the 'baby's had enough, you just need to push him out now) - because her birth was quite simialr to mine in some ways, though in the end my baby got completely stuck and so we had to have forceps, and though my mw was great she took a similar tack with me and it really didn't help! It's a personal thing I guess. But I think when you'r enot actually getting the urge to push it's really hard. I must say, much like you Linz, I am a bit nervous about doing it all again at some stage, and it makes me think that I'd rather have a different environment - but if I have same circumstances as last time I won't get a say in the matter I guess. Glad I read this thread or I'd never have gone back and watched the prog.