Inkmaiden

I used to take some children to Diddi Dance classes a few years ago and thought they were brilliant. They have several classes at the Constitutional Hall and Christ Church on Barry Road. http://www.diddidance.com/index.php

Jet skis.

I didn't have any problem taking pouches through Australian customs a year ago but they have lots of organic pouches in most Australian supermarkets now anyway. You can also take unlimited amounts of formula powder through British security for the trip and there was no issue with taking my main supply of formula through Australian customs because the containers were sealed and in my hold luggage.

...yes, it's disgusting isn't it? People should pick up after their dogs.

Yes, you will need to move within 26 metres of your preferred primary school to get in.

And I rest my case.

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Not quite. Yummy Mummies is what they (usually) > delusionally call themselves. MILF status is > bestowed by a third party. I've often found it to be the other way round. Either term makes me want to stab myself in the eyes.

...practically every thread on the forum contains the inevitable whining about "yummy mummies".

.

We got a First Years inflatable booster- http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Years-Booster-Seat-Brown/dp/B003FNQ2HY. Probably not the smallest when folded up but very light and easy to carry around in a bag or under the buggy.

Saffron, that just made me snort coffee all over my computer.

Inkspawn (now two) started suffering with car sickness from about 6 months- it was absolutely awful. Facing backwards definitely made it worse so we switched to forward facing at 13 months, which didn't stop it but it wasn't quite as bad. Other things that helped: -avoiding milk feeds up to an hour before leaving -from 12 months feeding her crackers- motion sickness can also be associated an excess of saliva which affects ears/balance. (Sorry, not explaining that very well.) -having her window open a crack. -reclining her carseat so she's looking at the sky and not the scenery whizzing past. -nursery rhymes on an endless loop to keep her distracted. Successful but madness inducing. Good luck, I really feel for you, it really affects where/when/how we travel.

You will need one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Splash-Mat-clear-white-piping/dp/B004I65QR4/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_1 And possibly one of these:http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8rU7aeRpKrM/TJ00K2-LYPI/AAAAAAAAAEE/K2r3PpsoE5U/s400/dog-eating.jpg

Belle, I don't for one second equate not being able to cope in the early days with being neurotic- the early days can be very hard, exhausting and somewhat terrifying. I was talking about beyond the newborn bit and specifically referring to the author who sounds like she just needed to get over herself.

What a ridiculous patronising piece of writing- a thinly veiled justification for continuing to procreate in an already overpopulated world, posing as advice for those of us with "only" one child. I can imagine it would be very very hard to become a mother if you were that massively neurotic in the first place. I wasn't really that shocked by the way my life and my perception of myself changed after I had my daughter. I don't think my life is hard, I think it's lovely. I don't find it an epic struggle, I just call it being a mother-you don't come first any more, it doesn't matter. And I don't need to have more children to learn to let go of the one I already have. The number of children you have doesn't make it any easier, or harder. I'm not in awe of women who have had many children, it was their choice and they have more washing to do. The experience of motherhood is what you make it, makes no difference whether you have one or ten children.

And one more thing- have you tried polenta? This is the one food that has never failed me- I hide all kind of other foods in it- pureed spinach/ lentils/most types of well mashed veg/mince/cheese/butter, the list goes on. It's soft enough to not hurt tender baby gums but firms up enough to roll into little blobs for them to pick up, it's easy for them to spoon up or they can just smush it around.

Also, I suspect that all the turmoil in their mouths when teething can make food taste funny so really plain food seems to be a better bet.

Have you tried removing the emphasis on structured "mealtimes"? When Inkspawn is going through a food refusal phase, I rarely even bother to make lunch but offer a kind of rolling snack service while we're out and about (quite literally when she's in the buggy). She grazes on Ella's pouches, cucumber, bread and butter, fruit, biscuits, corn fritters and suchlike. It's not ideal if a routine mealtime structure is important to you but she eats far more this way and then I only have one barely eaten meal to compost at the end of the day, which is far more bearable.

Definitely take loads of powder with you if you use Hipp Organic- it's not available in Australia and the only organic formula I saw there was ?15 a pack! You can take an unlimited amount of formula powder through Heathrow security and Australian customs are fine with it at the other end as long as it's unopened.

Ruth_Baldock Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Mine can't escape, although he tries to. I'd love > a tripp trapp or two though, i know SOMEONE with a > purple one and it's the most amazing piece of baby > kit I've ever seen! Ruth, I don't know who you could possibly be referring to... (best forum buy EVER- thanks bawdy-nan!)

Kiddicare and Back in Action have Tripp Trapps on sale for ?116 at the moment, with free delivery.

I know, it's scandalous but there's only so many bags I can hang on the handles of my buggy and frankly a man is easier to manoeuvre in a crowded shop.

Wow, I'd love to be left at home/in the pub whilst the Christmas shopping is happening. I wonder if you'd find that actually what most women want at Christmas is not to be expected to shoulder the entire burden of present shopping/ wrapping/ food buying/menu planning/ general Christmas organising whilst working/child rearing/cleaning/cooking/washing at the same time. Or maybe that's just me. And just because my boyfriend is useless at Christmas shopping doesn't mean he doesn't have a vital role to play in carrying all the shopping bags.

Tbh if he can climb out of his cot he probably would be able to climb over a stair gate but using it as a physical prop to back up your word that this is the time to stay in his room might help. As Sanne Panne says, it's different for every child, sometimes this will work, sometimes, as in the case of my sister's son, you may have to endure your evening meal being punctuated by the repeated thuds of a small boy flinging himself backwards and forwards over his stairgate upstairs. Constant repetition of "It's just a phase, it's just a phase" to yourself is also useful.

That sounds horrendous! Could you put a stairgate on his door and make it very clear that even if he is going to get out of bed he has to stay in his room and nothing exciting is going to happen? If you calmly repeat to him that he must stay in his room and then ignore his attempts to get your attention as long as you know he is safe? If you get angry and put him on the naughty step he probably just thinks it's a fun game where he gets a reaction and is achieving his objective, which is to get up and out of his room and get your attention. He's probably a bit too young for threats of no tv/treats etc- if it doesn't actually occur at the time he won't make the connection. Maybe temporarily remove some of his more exciting toys to make the bedroom less of a play space. Be calm, firm and consistent and try to accept that there may be some messing about in his room for a bit? Hopefully, he'll eventually get bored and put himself to bed if he doesn't get a reaction. Edited to add- if you laugh at first and then get angry he'll keep doing it because the game is he wants to make you laugh again.