Dodie

Just to let people know that the Ivydale twins/triplets playgroup has now moved to the former One O'Clock Club in Peckham Rye Park (next to the cafe). It's now on every Monday, including through the holidays (except bank holidays) from 9.30am until 11.30am.

Have PMd you

Hi... having a nanny has been the cheapest option which we have found for our twins. Unless you earn ridiculous amounts, a nursery just isn't affordable, as far as I can see. For twins at the moment, the cheapest we have paid is ?8 per hour but the average seems to be ?10. I would certainly join the twins club, as (amongst many other benefits) this would give you the opportunity to make contact with other parents and get recommendations for good nannies, specialising in multiples.

Hi Rossian, That's really great - I hope you enjoy your time with your little ones! I have two year old twins and my husband looks after them two days a week when I'm at work. Are you in the Dulwich and District Twins Club? They have a lovely twins playgroup on certain Tuesdays of the month. In April, they will start meeting in Peckham Rye Park on Friday mornings for a play, which is always lovely. There are often other dads there to meet up with. See their website www.ddtwinsclub.org. I would also recommend coming to the Ivydale Surestart Centre (Nunhead) twins playgroup on every Thursday morning (term time) from 9.30 until 11.30am. Good luck! Its hard work when they are little and it can be really hard to get twins up and ready and out to playgroups when they are young but even if you only make it for half an hour, I always found it worth it for the sense of achievement. Particluarly great to make it to twins playgroups because everyone knows how hard it is for you to make it there and they know the unique challenges you face. You can also swap hints and tips. YOu will also meet dads with triplets and that certainly puts things in perspective!

Just to say thanks for the Center Parcs tips, especially the heads up about the toddler pool, katgod. We've taken the plunge and booked. Thanks, forum-ers!

Hello mums and dads of multiples! Just to let you know that the Ivydale Surestart Centre in Nunhead has started running their lovely playgroup for twins and triplets on a Thursday morning again. It is from 9.30am until 11.30am. Very friendly and fun. Lots of help and tea available. Mine love this group and it's great to be able to meet other parents with multiples to get tips and support each other. It's for 0-5 year olds and it's free.

Hi... has anyone got any tips to add to this thread? We've never been to centreparcs but are considering taking our twin boys in March for their second birthday. My husband is not convinced by the idea and thinks they are too young and it will just be hard work for us without them remembering any of it! I think it will be fun to cycle with the kids on the back and swim (they've never been swimming before as we are never normally both available to take them). Is it just a big rip off or can it be genuine fun with young toddlers? Slightly worried about it raining constantly at that time of year but the kids really wouldn't mind - the more mud the better is generally their preference! Many thanks for any tips.

Hi there... just in case it offers some reassurance, my nephew (who is now 24) was still barely speaking at all by the time he went to school at aged 4. He was referred for SLT and responded well to it. He is now a languages teacher and legal translator in Mexico - fluent in English, French, Spanish and German. They never worked out why he had the language delay. His younger brother developed "normally" and was acutally quite advanced in his language. I hope you get to the bottom of it all. Good luck.

Hi Molly, Congratulations! I have 18 month old twin boys and I am a twins club member. I help run the Kings College Hospital midwives workshops for people expecting twins so we'll hopefully see you down there in October. I seem to remember that there were twins NCT workshops running in Canada Water but I felt the same as you - it's just not worth it once you get past a certain size! I did the NCT workshops in Nunhead and have made some good friends through this who all have singleton babies. But I have found it invaluable to be a twins club member. They run expectant parents evenings where you can meet other people expecting twins and get to hear all about birthing experiences and practical advice. The club can also 'buddy' you up with people expecting at a similar time to you. You would also be more than welcome to come along to our park meet ups on Friday mornings in Peckham Rye Park - more details on the website. You may still be working but when you are on maternity leave, do come down and meet people. It's great to be able to ask all those questions about buggies, breastfeeding etc. Good luck! And hopefully see you some time at the twins club meet ups. Feel free to PM me with any twins questions!

Hi.... this link should help you out. Download the Let's Go PDF for everything going on over the summer. http://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/3106/summer_lets_go_guide_2012

Hi... my twins are 11 months old today... hope your pregnancy is going well, erm... seriously, shouldn't you stop doing 11 hour working days!? I found that when they were a couple of weeks old, I could breastfeed them both together in the rugby position. I did have a twins feeding cushion but found it much easier to have two big cushions and prop up the babies on these. At first, it felt like ALL I did was breastfeed! I didn't have any help, other than my lovely husband who did as much as he could but also had to work. It was very hard; the hardest thing was getting enough to eat and drink myself whilst also doing all the looking after babies, housework etc. I pretty much exculsively breast fed during the first eight weeks (but would give 2 bottles of formula at night). At 8 weeks, I started mixed feeding (breast feeds every 3 hours topping up with formula after each feed) and this worked best for me. It meant I could get a good routine going. From 10 weeks, I was getting a good daily and nightly routine going. I started putting them down to sleep in their cots from 7pm and within a few weeks they were sleeping from 7-7 with two feeds in the night (one at 1am and one at 4/5am). Routine was and still is everything to me. Keeps the whole family happy. You will find your own way with routine and breastfeeding, whatever works for you is just great. In terms of nipple confusion between breast and bottle, I never found this to be an issue and I've never yet found another person who experienced this. I only expressed right at the beginning to help get my milk supply get going. Otherwise, I just found it really, really tedious and didn't bother once my milk came in! I would definitely join the Dulwich twins club. There is an expectant parents evening coming up in March (just being co-ordinated, date not set yet). It is only ?12 a year to join the twins club and the support you receive is fantastic. Whilst you are pregnant, you would be more than welcome to come along to any of the playgroups/friday meet ups to meet other parents with twins (ask questions about buggies, cots etc which I was desperate to know about!). I run the Bread of Life Cafe/park meet ups on 2nd and 4th Fridays - see website. Hopefully see you there some time soon. Good luck with everything.

Thanks, aceface. Completely agree. Here is a previous discussion.... http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,768025,page=1 I know Renata Hamvas (local Labour councillor) was quite involved in this issue and would certainly be a first point of call (she is active on the forum). I will certainly sign any petition.

ED Comic, Liam Mullone: @mullone

I've seen Liam Mullone at Banana Cabaret in Balham. He's brilliant - he stands out as an intelligent comic, definitely not your run of the mill stuff. I'm just debating whether to go up to Edinburgh this year. If I don't, I would love to catch your preview show!