sanity girl

Hi, I recommend putting a cloth nappy wrap over a disposable to stop leaks. If you want to borrow one to try let me know. Also second recommendation of ASDA nappies, they are good and nice and cheap :)

I just chuck a selection of soft things in baby E's cot - he'll usually end up snuggling whatever is closest to him but I suspect he'll start forming a preference once he is a bit older (8 months now) - he's happy with muslin, taggies blankie, jellycat bunny, jellycat soft blanky with bunny attached etc. My daughter on the other hand only wanted dummy when she was a baby and only since she was about 3 has formed a strong attachment to her soft toy dolphin (note to self - get a duplicate dolphin from the natural history museum soon before they stop selling them!)

The Guardian does a good beauty series by Sali Hughes which recently covered concealer pens like touche eclat (different from concealers - I never realised!) - watch the video here. I've become a big fan of the series and have been using lots of her tips!

You could get her a patio rose in a pot (croxted road nursery is good) and a little set of gardening gloves, trowel and watering can (sainsburys)

I wouldn't bother with one. I've flown with buggy in hold many times and it's come out fine. If you take a lightweight buggy sometimes they'll let you store it on board if the flight is not too full.

If you decide to do party bags a trip to the 99p shop in camberwell is a must! You can get big sets of pens/pencils/stickers/balloons etc for 99p and then divide them up. You can also get party bags and party packs of haribo sweets etc etc

I'm in almost exactly the same situation and am having the same dilemma, so will look forward to seeing the responses. I'm also meant to be going away to the US for work for 4 days in September and have to decide do I take baby with me or do I leave him. It's so hard! Radnrach, does your baby take a bottle? Mine will have none of it and is strictly breast or finger food only - doesn't make things easy!

I've just been researching this for my daughter (although she is a bit younger). My brother, who is a bike fanatic, says islabikes are the best for kids to learn on. They are very light and excellent bikes compared to most you can get for kids.

my 4 year old daughter LOVED it! "mummy, can we go and wave at them", "mummy, why can't they come to our house", "mummy when I marry m**** (her best friend/boyfriend!!) I want to wear a dress like that", "mummy, look look at the crown on the carriage" etc etc. It really made it enjoyable for me :))

I would also recommend Amy and second what catjo says above

That's lovely. I had my daughter in Italy and had a very positive experience breastfeeding there. People there are generally not at all prudish about it or embarrassed by it. I got lots of curious admirers and comments such as "oh, isn't she sucking well" :)) I remember sitting feeding her on a ruin at Paestum, very atmospheric. However I must say that second time round with baby in Dulwich I have had an equally positive experience - I think it is as much down to one's own lack of inhibition as the reaction of those around you.

When I spoke to the village infants (pre 2011 admissions), they said the furthest distance for 2010 admissions was 850 metres, so worth a try? Also, what about Rosendale? Whereabouts in Herne Hill are you?

Hi! JAGS sports club hire out their hall with bouncy castle and other games, plus space next door for birthday tea. G recently went to a party there and it was great.

Hi, the Cinque Terre area on the Ligurian coast in Italy is beautiful. I've done a few weekends there on my own in the past. You can easily rent private rooms in any of the villages. PM me if you want more info.

Maclaren quest - she should be fine in it now as it reclines almost flat. Lightweight, easy to fold, doesn't take up too much space. My boy (6 months) has been in a maclaren since he was 3 months or maybe even younger!

Hi, I used disposables for my first, cloth for second baby (but disposables at night) - wish I'd used cloth for my first. They leak far less than disposables and are not much hassle at all. As said above they also smell less. I have tried a few different types and have ended up using a mixture of smartipants, flip and tots bots easyfit - all nice and trim fitting, quick drying and pretty leak proof. They are also one size so you can use them from birth through until toddlerhood. I got mine from this website Fill your pants - their prices are good and they do good trial packs. Also don't forget you can get your Real Nappies for London ?40 voucher to spend on cloth nappies! Re. eco disposables - I think nature babycare and moltex are both good, also sainsburys eco ones seem ok.

Hi there, try not to worry too much, and please ignore what other parents say about their babies - all babies are different! My daughter (first baby) was pretty much like yours, I fed on demand, she napped when SHE felt like it, hated being put down awake in moses basket etc etc. She was never one to follow a routine and now aged four she is still a very strong willed little thing. She only really settled into more regular naps when she was about 8 months, from what I recall, and once she was about 18 months she started having one nice long nap a day - but that still required being walked around in pushchair, driven in car, or sung to etc until she fell asleep. Now baby no. 2, a boy, is a very different kettle of fish. He loves to nap in his cot, is happy to be put down awake, is a dream to put to bed in the evening and so on. But he is also breastfed on demand and other than bedtime and morning nap he doesn't really have a routine. I don't know whether he is like this because he was forced to adapt as a 2nd baby (I remember him wailing as a newborn while I did his sister's bedtime and then conking out before I got round to sorting him out!), or whether it is just his different personality. Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is if you're a go with the flow kind of person, then I think you should carry on doing that and just follow your instincts. I always ignored my Gina Ford devotee friends and felt rather pleased when I was about to be out and about with my non-routine baby while they were stuck at home due to nap times etc. Enjoy!

giggirl your post is very useful, thanks - I am going to check out those links and get ebaying so I have some spare cash for new clothes! Just one question - I agree absolutely about dressing for your shape, but my problem is that my shape has changed since having babies and I have no idea which shops/designers are now best for my shape, and also which clothes - i.e trouser cut, skirt shape etc etc. How did you come to discover what suited you best - just trial and error? I don't suppose you know of any links to websites that can advise on this?

This is a great thread. Where can you get Comptoir des Cotonniers? Perhaps we should organise a joint shopping trip to a few select shops where we can act as each others' personal shoppers and say honestly what suits and what doesn't! Don't know when I'll find the time though, as a *gulp* very recently single mum with a 6 month and 4 year old...

Hi there, my daughter had a dummy from very early on (about 3 weeks) until the age of 3. I didn't beat myself up about it too much as it she wasn't good at sleeping/getting to sleep and it was the only thing that helped other than having her attached to me (not a viable option most of the time!). I would say, if it works for you and your daughter go for it and don't worry too much. x

Best: baby bjorn bouncer widgey feeding cushion maclaren buggy changing table (saves back!) with drawers and shelves below for clothes/nappy storage fisher price rainforest baby gym baby gym baby bath support cuddle dry towel ikea antilop high chair when they are smaller, stokke tripp trapp for toddlers Never used: baby monitor - I figure if they aren't crying loud enough for you to hear them, then they will quiet down again! Don't see the point...

I agree with Kimmy that when possible you should approach the parent/carer about the incident. My daughter was kicked in the face by a boy at soft play today and when I identified who his mum was (she was being approached by another parent whose child had just been hit!) I told her what had happened. She took him out of the play area, told him what he did was wrong and later made him come and apologise to both me and the other parent.

I've been researching this very subject and am about to get a Hetty tomorrow - on offer at Currys in Brixton at the moment. SG88 - let me know if you want me to pick you up one at the same time!

Sunray gardens is nice - small park, nice playground, little pond with ducks

I used one for my first child (now 4) as we were given it by in-laws, although most nights she ended up in bed with us and a big duvet anyway! Number 2 (6 months) sleeps happily in his big cot without any bumpers. I'm sure your little one will be fine with the bumpers, but to be honest I'm not sure I really see the point of them - a bit fussy and unnecessary. I think the reasoning is that it's best to go without so that air can circulate freely etc.