NicoleS

We don't have a car and neither of us even have driving licenses. We have always managed fine without one, even now that we have a 1-year-old. I walk locally, cycle for a bit further afield and use public transport and trains for going away for the weekend etc. I think we find it easier than most would because we've never had a car so we're not used to the convenience. It's normally a problem only once or twice a year - either because of going somewhere quite remote or because we need to buy something bulky. My husband occasionally suggests doing his test so that we can hire cars for those times but I don't know if he will ever get round to it.

Hi, I've been co-sleeping with my baby since birth (he is now just turned 1). We have recently moved him into his own room, but into his own double bed (futon style so he doesn't have far to fall if he rolls off). I put him to bed here for naps and at night. At some point in the night (usually around midnight) he wakes up and I go and join him in his bed for the rest of the night. The plan is that as he sleeps longer he will sleep alone for more and more of the night until eventually he is sleeping through the night in his own bed (I expect this to be very gradual though). This works really well for us as my husband can't sleep well with the baby in the bed now that he is bigger and moves around a lot, but we also don't really want to be a couple who sleep in separate rooms. So we go to bed as a couple in our own bed, our room feels like our own space again and everyone can get a good night's sleep. Our baby still gets the cuddles (and breastfeeds) he needs in the night and I still get the convenience of not getting up and down during the night to settle him (although I do have to go to a different room the first time he wakes up). Perhaps you could come up with a similar imaginative solution that suits everyone in the family. I also agree with the earlier post by bluesuperted about trying to 'keep face'. Our setup is quite unusual as we have no cot and the baby's room has a double bed in it so I imagine it looks quite odd to guests and is a bit strange to explain to people. But it works for us so I try not to care.

I missed this but would love to meet up with some other stay at home mums. My baby is 11 months old, and all but one of my mum friends are going back to work. I work from home part time but only very few hours so I am available most of the time. Let me know if you have another meet up. Nicole x