mrs f

We use a tomiee tippee travel warmer which is essentially a thermos flask & a bottle holder & mr f boils the water before bed & puts it in the flask so when he gets up for the feed the water is ready to go... Although for this feed we wake baby f (dream feed) so milk is ready before he is up... We haven't ever given baby f an unplanned bottle feed, boobs are far easier for these feeds!

Oh certainally the yacklett wouldn't need a size 4 then if you are already in size 3... His bum is prob half the size of baby f's!!! Such is the chub we have :-D

really don't want to start a debate but just to say we did sleep training when baby f was say 3 months as he started waking for no reason and couldn't get back to sleep even with me cuddling him to sleep. For us that was CIO, and it was pretty grim listening to him cry and yes he is a great sleeper (generally) now but he is certainally not a placid baby, all of you whome have met him will agree Baby F is VERY active and spirited! So yes we are horrid for letting him cry but it certainally didn't diminish his spirit! each to their own i guess.... but I could never have handed him over to someone else to look after when he was tiny.... I still have problems leaving him with his dad for a night out!

i always said two, mr f wants 3 (but would be happy with 4 even!) we have just had no 1.... & there will be more (biology permitting) but how many is tbc i guess..... I come from a big family,mr f comes from a tiny family, and I think he longs for a big family because he hasn't had one growing up.

Suzy.... you have made one of the bravest steps you will hopefully ever have to make, well done. please listen to the people here who have said it is not your fault; because it is not your fault. There is NO excuse for DV, no matter how hard your husband's life has been. And certainally you getting cancer is neither your fault or an excuse for him to hit you. Your husband is to blame for him hitting you. it is totally unacceptable and certainally dangerous in front of your daughter. (this is horrible, and I'm sorry) just because he hasn't hit your daughter doesn't mean he won't in the future... you need to ensure that the two of you are safe from him, he can look after himself, your daughter can't. I was brought up in a single parent family and we were poor but we were happy.... both my sister and I have grown up very well adapted and happy and certainally feel it was better for our parents to not be together. One happy parent is miles better than two miserable/abusive ones. It won't be easy but leaving him will be the best thing you can do for your daughter and yourself.

lovely, see you then, do you need cake supplies??

Shall we meet at a house then.. We have just been away & have spent a bit too much time in cafe's, restaurants, pubs etc for c's liking.... What time are we thinking?

How does that work with you BB? Is bellenden toddler joining us... I guess that's the deciding factor? I'm happy anywhere

What about that space with the sofas in the back of green & blues??

Ah rolling space would be great, it buys me extra time before c starts screaming, (not crying but high pitched screams mixed with hysterical shreaks!)

We have just moved up to size 3 & it's really helped with our containment issues

Either sound good to me... I've never been to house so could be good to try x

That works for me

I'm free wed

To be honest if you are with the lanes I wouldn't bother with a doula as they are so amazing!

I'm currently on mat leave & LOVING it, I'm so totally in love & besotted with my baby I just cannot picture going back to a job I didn't love. Sadly my job just isn't that great, although on paper it's my dream job the company have made it much less than a dream... SO I'd love to re-train, well probably just shift what I'm doing slightly & find something I can do that satisfies me creatively that I can do around my little one.... Don't we all though!!

An epi-no could help.... I'll let you search it rather than describe it on here!

Why not try to get a community midwife... Best of both worlds, free yet high level of personal care throughout your pregnancy/labour from the same midwife/s

Cff9, another thought, if it's possible is to get a community midwife, that way you will not be left whilst you are in established labour, you will receive constant care from the beginning of your pregnancy & will go into labour with someone who you know & hopefully trust, who knows you & your fears etc... & will not walk off to help someone else in the hospital Depends on you gp I believe???

Ha yes baby f sounded like a farmyard too... Even an elephant at moments! We had to move him out of our room for our own sanity but if you don't have another room... Perhaps ear plugs? Pillow on the head(yours(!)) is quite a good sound muffler too... Nothing worse than being awake at night because they are so loud!!

Oh no yak! We had a week of this (when I was away solo with baby f) um, it passed quickly & baby f is now even better at sleeping than he was before... In regards to coping, I'm happy to come over & mind the babes so you can nap one afternoon?? I have a fairly quite week Otherwise take shifts with mr yak at night & go in the spare room?? We also went back to sleep training afterwards which was/is very effective Urgh, just when you think you have it cracked hey!!

Thanks everyone, I wouldn't mind if he was happy on his tummy but he doesn't seem to be at all, we have gone from him sleeping through to him waking a couple of times a night... Hopefully he will find a comfortable position Soon enough be it on his front or back...

We have just been to Dulwich park with the babies & there are certainally no people gathering ready to riot... It is very peaceful.

We will be there too x

good move Yak.... I wouldn't come this way if I were you, hope Mr Yak is ok....