Fidgetsmum

Thanks Ladies! It would save us a (what will probably be) a stressful trip to a pram shop somewhere. Fuschia and HelenGV - yes please we'd love to come and try out if that's really ok? If that's not ok, then yes please to jac428! You're doing me a huge favour so let me know times/locations etc. Thanks very much again.

Really wanted a Phil and Ted's for newborn due in December and my 3 yr old daughter, but having tried them out, my daughter just won't fit when it's set up for newborn and toddler. Her head gets in the way of the raincover and with a baby due at Christmas, I can only presume it'll be peeing with rain (or snow) quite a lot. I know that buggy boards are an option, but she gets VERY bored on one and won't stay put and I just want the peace of mind being able to strap her in will bring, when dealing with newborn as well. I've seen the Out and About which is very well reviewed and has a side by side configuration - does anyone own one? Would you recommend? It's not my ideal as I'd MUCH rather an inline but I haven't yet found an inline buggy which, when set up for newborn and toddler, looks like it might have enough headroom for her. Any help out there?

Thanks everyone for going back on topic (especially Vickster - it put it all into context). Fuschia, I'd considered contacting Christine Neillands but just haven't got around to it, so perhaps I will now that I have a recommendation. I did the Mongan method with first baby which is the biggest reason I'm sure that I coped at home for as long as I did (I had no lead in and from the first contraction, they were at least 1 min long and no more than 3 mins apart so the hypnobirthing was invaluable). And also thanks for the recommendation to speak to the supervisor of midwives at Kings. I hadn't thought that would be possible. So I'll give them a call. I am booked with the Brierley so I'm hoping that they would be able to come along to Kings too - I'm seeing them next week so I'll ask. A few people have said the Oakwood midwives attended their births, and the Brierley run along the same lines so fingers crossed. Having posted my first post feeling like a fish out of water, I feel much more confident than I did about the staff and facilities at Kings. I know that it might all go wrong again, and I might get unlucky, but knowing that there are people out there with positive experiences of Kings makes me feel a whooooole lot better. Thanks again to everyone. I hope others find this post helpful too.

Thanks Fuschia. Can I ask that if anyone wants to continue the homebirth vs hospital conversation, they start a new thread? I'm really sorry to ask, but I was hoping this thread would be something I could look at now and again to make myself feel better, instead of raise questions again (having just been through a very difficult decision for me to make). But, I know EDF well enough to know that a hijack is only one 'post message' click away. Anyway, a reminder, I am very very well versed on hospital versus home (my father in law is a medic, my sister is a homebirth Doula so I have both sides of the argument within my own family, let alone the copious research I did on the subject). I opted for home with my first baby and transferred (yes, in an ambulance (12 minutes from making the call to arriving in hospital)) after 20 happy hours labouring at home. My experience of birth at Kings wasn't positive but it wouldn't have been a positive outcome at home either as baby was big, I am small and she was badly positioned. I chose home, but had the sense to listen to my body and transfer to hospital when the time was right. ANYWAY, please more positive stories on this thread (if there are any more?!) and by all means, do continue the home vs hospital conversation elsewhere... there will be plenty of first time mums wanting to hear both sides of the story. Thanks. Sorry for sounding like my mum.

Well, I am feeling more and more positive. I've read all the negative comments about Kings before on EDF and was so keen to get the other side of the story so that I could feel like being at Kings was a positive choice, rather than being made to be there under duress. You've all been so kind and helpful. Hopefully this thread will be found by more women like me who wanted a homebirth but have decided on hospital, or who hadn't considered homebirth and always assumed it would be hospital, as it's made me feel a lot better.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. Wonderful kind women of ED.

Pregnant with number 2. First baby planned for homebirth - 20hr labour at home and transfer to Kings with stuck baby - less than ideal instrumental birth (38cm head and 9lb 2 (I'm only 5'2" myself) with a lot blood loss, a lot of 'undercarriage' damage and 6 months of recovery.) Feb this year had late miscarriage which resulted in emergency admission and some time in Resucitation ward as they couldn't stop me bleeding (Sorry - lots of info, but need to explain reasons for asking what I'm about to ask) Basically, was hoping for homebirth with this one, but went to meet consultant today and not surprisingly was advised that with my history of bleeding, not to mention the tearing from last time, I would be wise to consider being at Kings. I didn't feel forced at all and was given excellent unbiased advice from the consultant. I'm very well informed about home birth versus hospital birth but I've made the decision that with a husband and 3yr old daughter to think about, I would be better dealing with the downsides of a hospital birth, rather than the risks that are obviously present from my history and being at home. SO. Having had two pretty negative experiences at Kings (both under 'emergency' situations) I reaaaalllly want to hear from some people who planned to birth at Kings and had good experiences. And please don't remind me about the benefits of homebirths. I've closed that chapter and accepted my new path. Just want to hear some positive things. Thanks Oh East Dulwich Agony Aunts.

My daughter had a cows milk protein allergy and it was anything with dairy (cows milk) product in so that included butter, milk, cheese and anything with caseine or there was another thing they put in food that doesn't look like it's got anything to do with cows milk, but is a byproduct (I can't remember now what it's called). It's amazing how many things that look like they don't or wouldn't have dairy in, actually do. Shopping was a nightmare. If he can eat some things (cheese, white sauce etc) but not others (milk) that are dairy derived, from my experience and from what the Kings specialists told us whilst we were referred there, it's unlikely to be a cows milk protein issue, and that includes the scenario of him having had it, but coming out of it. If they have CMP allergy, it applies to all foodstuffs across the board, so we were told (and it certainly applied to my daughter) It took is 8 times of our daughter being sick for 24 -36 hours at a time after ingesting any dairy product or food containing a dairy product/byproduct before we could persuade the GP to refer us. Because adult 'allergies' have become 'popular', or more well-known, GPs are more cynical than they once were. I would really really recommend seeing the GP and demanding a referral to Kings. The moment we were seen by Kings, they were absolutely amazing and the advice we got was fantastic. Oh, and keep a detailed diary (if you're not already) about everything that your son eats or drinks - literally everything. It'll really help the specialists when you do get to see them. Good luck.

I'm a member of JAGS sports club so I go to all my classes there and swim there too. Very good facilities, good class teachers and if you do something at least once a week, it's economically very good indeed.

I love our one - light and easy to carry - put flat out, it fits on any loo anywhere so there's never an excuse 'I can't go on the big loo-loo mummy'. I take it everywhere - it even fits in my modestly sized handbag for those short trips. Definitely recommend it.

That sounds like just the thing I mean. I hadn't thought of celeb ones, but Davina, I think I can put up with her! Thanks for the recommendation.

If no one knows of any classes, could anyone recommend a pregnancy low impact aerobics DVD?

Loving the blini pizza idea from njc97! I make a massive batch of the RiverCafe basic tomato sauce with basil and garlic and freeze it in mini tupperware. I put it with anything - any veg or meat leftover like chicken, beef, lamb... anything! And great with rice as well as pasta. Also good to cover fish with. Basically, I haven't found anything the tomato sauce doesn't go with. Another good one I found recently is oven bake a load of veg (sweet potato, peppers, red onions etc) (the only work is in the chopping which can be done the day before - just cover in olive oil in a bowl and leave in the fridge) and then add some spices to your stock and cover some couscous with some raisins in it. A nice veggie option. Oh and easy peasy spinach and mushroom curry from a Nigel Slater book. Just use frozen spinach instead of fresh - tastes the same (looks a little different) but delicious defrosted and cooked with rice. Again, the only work is chopping mushrooms and measuring out spices. They all sound like lots of cooking but they're definitely not (or I wouldn't do them!) - really I just cook a huge batch once (literally a massive saucepan as if I was cooking for 8 adults) and freeze it.

I agree! I've got this romantic notion of sewing them all on like my mum did, but I think I'd get to the third one in and start crying! I'll check out that link. Thanks very much.

Hi My daughter starts nursery in September and I suddenly realised that if I don't nametag her clothes and other things, they're bound to go missing - and with another baby due in December, I'm not going to have the time (nor finances!)to replace stuff. Where can I get those sew in printed nametags from? And I'm open to any other brilliant ideas! Thanks

I currently go to Legs, Bums and Pregnant Tums class at JAGS on a Monday which I love, but the teacher is off to have her own baby soon! Does anyone know of any other pregnancy low impact aerobics classes around here? Just in case she doesn't find a replacement teacher before she goes. I've got Yoga, pilates and aqua aerobics sorted but I really enjoy the aerobics. Thanks for any help.

Thanks SanityGirl and Clux - all sorted. Panic over! I love EDF!

YAY! Calling them now!

And just tried Healthmatters on LL to no avail. I'm SURE I've seen them somewhere in ED...?

Hi I've run out of the liners for our fold-up 'Potette' and wondered if anyone knew anywhere in ED I can buy them? I've tried Soupdragon, but they don't stock them. I really need to get them today! Next time, I won't run out! Thanks

It's easy to think that returning to your old place of work is your only option as you (I guess) will be seeking part time? Although the job market it very challenging at the moment, you may find it easier to deal with the bullying (and that is was I think it is) if you knew that there was a get-out clause of some sort. If I was you I would think of all the contacts you know in the industry and call (NOT email) those you can have a confidential conversation with about 'the market' - nothing more specific so that it can't get you into trouble if they do contact your boss for any reason - but have enough of a conversation to get to grips with any current vacancies in other companies or potential spaces/big projects coming up. You'll be surprised that with enough time spent contacting people in this way, you'll actually get a really good picture of what's around. If the answer is 'nothing', then at least you know, and that will help you knuckle down and prove your boss wrong. But, if there is a twinkling of something else, then you can set your own boundaries and when the time is right for you, hand in your notice. Finally, be positive about what you can bring, not what your negatives are. We all have negatives and some of us have had bosses that have focused on them, but if you focus on the positives, you give your boss a much harder time and eventually, she'll find someone else to pick on. Just my opinion.

We use Taxing Nannies and they're fantastic. Always extremely helpful on the phone when I ring in with questions, always polite and our payslips, P60's etc and all correspondence is always clear and written in plain English. Our nanny has never had cause for complaint on them either as far as I'm aware.

My daughter threw up and had terrible tummy cramps sometimes when I was weaning her and it took a while to work out it was the butter I was putting on the veg. I then tried her on milk in baby rice and the same thing happened. Eventually diagnosed with Cows Milk Protein allergy (small intestine issue). Now 2.5yrs and fully recovered (and loves cheese). One thing I'd urge you is to get the professionals to diagnose. Too many people self diagnose or make assumptions and it's really important not to remove things from a baby's diet unless you know for sure what the problem is. FYI, my GP took some persuading but once referred to Kings, they were absolutely brilliant. Good luck. p.s. even without the butter, my daughter hated potato until she was well over a year old. Perhaps a texture thing, but I just found other carby stuff she liked.

Thanks Molly and A, very helpful information. I'll be online with Google tonight then! My mum lives out there, so accomodation wise we'd be fine, but it'd be medical costs, and flights home etc that I'd be most concerned about.

Just what I thought Fuschia. Having recently had a miscarriage, I'm pretty keen to be covered for all eventualities with this pregnancy - and not end up footing the medical bills myself if things do go wrong.