Fidgetsmum

Thanks - two pretty conflicting bits of advice so I guess I'm none the wiser so far... thanks for the Howden's info. Will look into that too just in case. Price wise were they on a par with IKEA's averagey priced ones?

Have found units we like at IKEA. We like the look and we like the fact it's relatively cheap. Before we go for it, any advice or info that might be helpful from anyone? We'll be using their planning service but not sure if we'll use their installation service as they couldn't give us a price vaguely. Has anyone got an IKEA kitchen and would like to help us prepare with some advice? We've always put up with whatever the kitchen was when we've moved in, but the current one needs replacing, so we've never done this before! Thanks

Certainly it can be very painful. My son is the same and will suddenly burst into tears with no warning. Remember the worst toothache you've ever had. I've assumed that at its worst, it must be something like that. Poor things. Seems so unfair.

Sounds good to me. The earlier the better so the weekend is still ours.

Have pm'd you.

We only said last week how good ours has been (my daughter's 3.5yrs and uses it all the time). In fact she loves it so much so that when we broached the subject of her new baby brother one day using it, she refused point blank and said he'd have to have his own one. They're not cheap but definitely worth it. And the baby set is brilliant for as soon as they can sit upright.

Ate out here last night. I never normally post bad reviews as I always presume I was unlucky. But... Seabass was tasty but filleted badly (there were both bones and scales in a majority of mouthfuls) - portion size was good though. The veg the seabass lay on was over-oily and whilst the fennel was still solidly crunchy (I literally couldn't cut it with my knife) the carrots were overcooked and mushy. The house salad was literally lettuce leaves with a small amount of dressing (and a chef's hair as an added je ne sais quoi which rather put me off). Others at the table seemed to be ok with their meals but no one raved about it - except the pizza - apparently that was nice. Service was good with respect to personality but they did get our order wrong. Can't say I'll be rushing back immediately, but willing to give it another go. Fingers crossed the teething problems are ironed out - would be nice to have a successful non-massive-chain restaurant.

McAlpine have come back saying we can pop in. Having failed to get there last week, we'll try next week. Although with a 12wk old baby, the shorter the distance to travel the better and McAlpine is definitely much further away. We're down for Fiona Foster next term though so I may well wait until then. Thanks for everyone's help. Again, am loving EDF.

Thanks for all the advice. She's only 3 so sitting still for any length of time is a challenge. Shall try the DVD route I think. OfF to Sains to get a nitty gritty comb. Now my head's itching. Oh lordie.

I've done a search and come up with nothing on EDF. Either nobody likes to admit it or my daughter truly is the only child to get them (obviously excluding the chid she got them off!) Advice and recommendations please. My daughter HATES having her hair washed so can't say I'm looking forward to all that is to come! Anyway. Best shampoos, tricks etc please! And how long is it before one can safely say they're gone? Thanks

Thanks everyone. Mcalpine have responded so we're popping in next week to see, but location is the least favourite. I'll update when we've seen a few.

Brilliant. Hadn't heard of them but have now sent them an email. I think it'll be a case of who's got the shorter waiting list.

I've done a search and come up with Grafton Dance Academy and also South London Dance Studios. Is one better than the other? Thanks

Thanks very much Saffron and Supergolden. Supply still low, but better. I'll definitely go and get some Mother's Help tea tomorrow. I was drinking it, then ran out and haven't replaced. And we're already using infacol for a few weeks as the same thing - very gassy - and it certainly has helped the burps. More importantly. Once or twice a day, he now has a proper feed on the right one. SUCH a relief. He won't be getting much but at least he's helping to increase the supply. Thanks EDF again. I was in a crappy panic and didn't want to stop breastfeeding and slowly but surely, with all the advice here, we're making our way to recovery.

I'm getting rid of some great maternity clothes but I'm keen to donate them to something like a women's refuge, or something like that Does anyone know how I can find something like this in South/south east London?

Thanks everyone. Lots of skin to skin and rest and I'm up to 2 oz out of right one. Getting there slowly but surely.

Thanks everyone. I've taken the morning to just lie skin to skin and feed but no change. Shall persevere.

Thanks Fuschia. He's still sleeping fine in the evening/night and I guess if he was ravenous, he wouldn't settle? I've got a Medela Swing, and have also borrowed and Almeda double pump so very good pumps. I just know there's nothing really in the right boob and that's scary. I'm taking him in next week to be weighed again to check. Neither boob feels full at all and letdowns are much more infrequent than they were before he started all this. And he definitely doesn't seem content straight after the feeds, but if I don't put him back on, he'll distract himself with something else after 5-10 minutes.

Thanks Saffron. Kind words indeed and I will definitely persevere.

Help. Please! Can't afford to pay for a lactation consultant and will leave a message for Claire Kedves tomorrow. And I will go to a breastfeeding cafe but wondered if I might get some more immediate advice. Ok. 9wk old boy. Brilliant feeder from day one. 9lb14oz at birth (at home, 3hr labour so no birth issues) and he only lost 3oz in the first week. Always fed well, puts on weight well and is 75th centile for weight consistently. BUT. About a week ago, he started to play up on the right breast. He would feed well then towards the end, rather than just slow his sucking, he started just mouthing and sometimes fidgeting. I fed my daughter (now 3yrs) until she was 16 mths and remembered her doing something similar (although she did it when she was much older) so felt confident that it was just a phase, perhaps caused by his cold, and that within a couple of days it would pass. About four days later, I realised that his feeds from the right breast had got shorter and shorter to the point where he was perhaps only having 2 minutes of proper drinking and the rest was just mouthing - you know, sort of pretending to do it properly but not actually taking any milk. I started expressing to get the flow back but so far, I've failed to increase the flow. Where once I was happily producing 5 - 6 oz from the right one, I can barely get 1oz. Then two days ago, he started to do it on the left breast too. Hence the panic. I took him to the GP yesterday and there's no ear infection or anything that could be seen. He of course has started his jabs which might be making him feel poorly. SO. I've got two questions: 1) I really need to increase the milk flow and am doing more skin to skin contact and eating well, resting (as much as you can with a three year old). I'm also expressing. How do I make sure that my expressing doesn't get in the way of his feeds? I.e. if I express, how soon will they be up to capacity again - I don't want his measly feeds on the boob to be even less rewarding than they currently are. 2) how can I get him to go back to being happy on the boob and back to his brilliant latch and feeding ways? Sorry - a massive post - but I'm completely desperate and have never experienced my boobs 'not working'. (and I know I can resort to Formula and many do, but it's just not for me if I can help it). Thanks in advance, lovely EDF ladies.

Simplychildcare.com. Also, the woman that runs it is absolutely brilliant and if you ring her with a query she'll take lots of time to give you some advice. Good luck.

It rarely happened with my daughter but when it did, it was pretty spectacular. She absolutely hated to be hugged, and I didn't want a negative association with her cotbed, or indeed any other part of the house. So, I would remove all things from her vicinity that she might hurt herself on, calmly explain that everything was ok and that I was going to read one of her books and that when she was ready, she could join me. Therefore, I wasn't leaving the room (thereby dealing with the fear of being completely out of control which she was) but I also wasn't giving her any attention at all - no eye contact, no verbal communication, literally nothing other than my presence. I would literally sit and re read the same book (not out loud) over and over. It never failed to work and she would come up quietly and just sit with me and I would start to read the book out loud (sometimes it would take her a good 15 minutes to calm herself down). When I finished the story, I'd reiterate what had happened and why she hadn't got what she wanted and then instantly say 'let's go do ....... ... (something fun)'. Since she turned 3yrs, I instigated the naughty step as I think the fear of being out of control thing doesn't apply so much any more. And the naughty step has worked wonders! Good luck.

The Baby Book by Rachel Waddilove might be helpful. It's what I've used - my daughter was already pretty much there but it helped me to see the signs of overtiredness and establish a more consistent routine. It's a very flexible approach which suited me - I wanted something to help establish a vague routine without making me feel rubbish if I completely messed it up for a few days.

Infantcaredirect is where I got all my bits and pieces. Good luck.

I love the forum. So much more information that NHSDirect! Thanks very much indeed and good luck to princess.