Fidgetsmum

Wondering if I've got time to get there.

I salute the ladies of EDF. Thank you. I went into work this morning for a pre-start planning meeting and came away more excited about the prospect of starting than I'd anticipated. But the getting two kids up (including bf the baby first thing), dressed, breakfasted and then the drive to the nanny share, the drive to get closer to the station, the train, then the next train and then finally the tube was highly unpleasant. I'm sure it'll get better. But I have to say, you're all right about the quality time thing - I found when I picked them up this evening I was much more tolerant than I usually am and able to relax about the routine as I knew I only had an hour or so before they'd be in bed. I'm going to advertise for a cleaner - we have one that comes once a fortnight at the moment, but on Sundays and only for a couple of hours and she doesn't do the ironing so we need someone new from the new year. Thank you for all the hints and tips.

I've never lifted my daughter. I just waited until her nappies were dry from the night for a reasonable stretch and then one day just said 'oh, I don't think we need to put you in this tonight... what do you think?' and she said 'no', and that was that. If she had started to wet, I would have asked her what her thoughts were on it (go back to nappies?). I think if they think it's their solution it's a lot easier to deal with self-esteem if they do have to go back to nappies. I have a son now, and I have no expectations that he will be in any way similar to my daughter! I will be found lifting at night, pull ups and all sorts no doubt!

I tried so many with my daughter (bjorns to hippy ones which are just one massive piece of material) and never got on with any of them. Kept them for my second child and still didn't like them. Bought an ergo-baby and haven't looked back - love it for NOT being a baby-bjorn, but it's just as comfortable and I think more comfortable for the baby. Very easy to put on and take off without help. You're best to try them out with your baby if you can - it's like a house or a wedding dress, you'll just know when you find the right one for you.

Except for a short one year period of two days a week work, mostly from home, I've been a full time mum for four years. Needs must and I'm returning to work in a new company, new job, four days a week from next Monday. Childcare is all sorted and brilliant (baby is 11 months and off to nanny share we've been in for over 2 years that we love, and daughter is just extending her time at her nursery which she loves) so no worries there. But what challenges am I going to face other than walking into work looking like Alice Cooper because I can't stop crying at leaving my babies? Seriously though, any good coping strategies out there? Any nice positive stories from women that have taken extended maternity leave and returned to work and it's all been hunky dory, or at least, ok? Am I doomed to feel horrendously guilty forever? That, or just bloody exhausted? It's so close now, I can't see out from my panic. I feel a little better for just typing this though!

Back end issues can certainly kick off labour (hence the use of caster oil etc for some). Just make sure you're not getting dehydrated. And there is certainly a bug going around - my daughter got it 3am this morning, and I'm starting to feel a little peeky. It's that time of year sadly. Good luck with the birth, whenever it happens!

We like the Galt playnest (is that the inflatable one? That's the one we've got). They very very quickly get to the next stage though. For my first child, we just used loads of cushions in a ring around her so that wherever she landed she was ok. We were given the playnest for my second and have loved that too though.

Um just a thought, but why focus on milk as a drink at all now? My daughter had a fairly serious cows milk protein allergy from 8 months to 2yrs old. She was breastfed until 16 months but in all honesty, from 12 months, it was one small feed a day, and she wouldn't tolerate any formula at all (including the non-dairy ones). So she gained all her nutritional needs that she would have got from milk from other foods instead - calcium from pulses like lentils, iron from green veg and meat etc etc. There's tonnes of information on t'internet. Dietly speaking, there's very little that cows milk gives you that you can't get from solid foods. People continue to want children to drink lots of milk because it's an 'easy transition' from bottle/breast feeding but in fact, according to our dietician at Kings, there's no loss if you don't have it in your diet at all, as long as you ensure the rest of the diet has what it needs. Just a thought. I know we HAD to avoid milk, but my daughter has missed nothing and indeed is 98% centile for height and 75% for weight. And she seems fairly normal, mentally!!!

We love our nanny share. Plenty of interaction with the other children in the share, but plenty of one to one interaction with the nanny too (hence not choosing a nursery in the early days). Fuschia's right - max two families (although ridiculously, each family could have 10 children and that would be fine - it's the number of families not the number of children that matter in a nanny share situation).

I re read my post and I think it looks a bit like I'm all routine and nothing else. I should explain, I grew up with just me and my mum and we moved house at least every year from rented to rented. I never had a comfortable bed and my mum had to work evenings and take me with her so I never had a good sleep pattern and was rarely in my bed before 10pm. Hence, I have struggled with my sleep into adulthood. When I had my children, it was one thing I promised myself and them, that I would protect their sleep and ensure it was peaceful, deep and comfortable. They don't have nightmares, they don't cry when I put them down, they love their beds and bedrooms and I have never left them completely distressed. But, I've found a balance between giving in to their changing desires and protecting their need for good, long deep sleep.

We've had a few changes over the years that my daughter has wanted - doors open, curtains open a bit, light on in landing, light off in landing, 'don't leave me mummy' etc. I think the reason we haven't had her change her good habits is that we haven't succumbed. I don't mean we've ignored her when she's seemed worried, but we've always firmly but kindly just said 'no darling, remember we always have the door shut, curtains closed etc because... and then given her a consistent reason. We've also always done the reward thing - 'if you can be a big girl and sleep with the door shut, like you always have (reminding her it's familiar and she's done it before), then tomorrow morning you can have x for breakfast, or you can come into our bed for a cuddle, or we'll go to your favourite park tomorrow afternoon etc etc. Hope that helps. Ours has always been a brilliant sleeper, but when she moves the goalposts a bit, it's my sister who reminds me that they look to us for the boundaries ALL the time and that we have to remind her what the boundaries are otherwise the child can get confused - it's hard to remember when the child has naturally done something brilliant for ages. I should also say (or it'll seem like I'm a bit hardhearted!), it's worth checking there's nothing medical waking her (infections, illnesses, temperatures etc). Resetting boundaries obviously comes once you've established nothing is physically wrong with her!

We went yesterday. Same journey as Pickle. VERY busy at South Ken tube though - my 4 yr old got a bit freaked so I had to carry her up the stairs in the crush. Other than that she was fine. The museum was however incredibly busy (the rain didn't help as everyone had the same thought) and by the afternoon, it was time to get out. But your boys are older so will have more strength and willpower than my daughter so you should be fine. Have fun.

Philip Norton Dental Practice 179 Denmark Hill London SE5 8DX 020 7274 0861 I am VERY nervous of the dentist and he dealt so well with me that I'm taking my daughter and husband to him in a couple of weeks for checkups. Very kind, knowledgeable and thorough. And takes NHS patients.

I survived with my two kids on my own and we were there all day! Woo hoo. They have one microwave in the main cafe. They don't do cups or bowls of hot water for bottles (so many kids running around, I understand why). Thanks for the help this morning.

Bottle... not little! Gggrrr predictive text!

Just realised I'm going to need to heat a little too. any facilities for this?

Going for the first time with my 4yr old and 10 month old. how good is the cafe? Would I be better making a pack lunch for us all? will need a meal warmed in the microwave for baby - do thy do that? Thanks

Think it's a great idea. I've participated in others, and then we did it for our two kids too. If anything dreadful happened, trust me, the sweepstake will be the last thing on anyone's mind.

Please get a second opinion from a GP or indeed, change your GP. My daughter had an allergy and I was told it was excellent that I was carefully preparing all food myself as I could be sure of every single thing going into her body. i.e. the total opposite to what you've been told. So I would seek a second opinion before heading in the jarred food direction. And it does get better. Even if the allergies themselves don't subside, your ability to cope as it all being 'just part of daily life' does improve. Good luck.

I love this idea! My daughter's 4 soon (her party is already organised though). Next year for sure - although I think an hour might be too long for the younger ones.

Show her how to hold her nose and blow with a closed mouth until her ears pop - we made it a fun joke of all doing it with our 'pob' cheeks. She was absolutely fine. We just told her not to be scared if her ears felt really funny. All the excitement of being on a plane usually takes their minds off it. Good luck and just relax - it'll be fine.

Thanks Ondine. Ruth, I'll PM you. I think it's a good school but I just caught them on a bad day maybe so I don't want to detail the negatives as it'll be unfair I think. Thanks to those that have PM'd me.

I know it's Camberwell and not ED (is there a Camberwell forum?). I've been visiting all the local primary schools that my daughter might get into and wondered if anyone with kids at Lyndhurst might PM me their thoughts. I didn't come away feeling positive and wonder if I just caught them on a bad day? Thanks

From DBS website: Classes: Monday 5th September ? Saturday 10th December Half-term: Monday 17th October ? Saturday 29th October Open Classes: Monday 5th December ? Saturday 10th December. Open Classes take place this term and the summer term only.

Speak to the Brierley too - excellent midwifery care but they tend to specialise in home births.