jennyh

Thanks everyone! So far all is good but it's only been a week! We're just off Perry Vale so a little walk from the station and high street but still trying to get my head around the local stuff. the neighbourhood seems so friendly, all the neighbours have been very welcoming and even brought over candles during a recent power cut. The house nextdoor to us is up for sale so hoping for some more nice people to join the road! Will be checking out swimming tomorrow and then will google all the other recommendations. Although Horniman has long been a regular of ours and I agree it's a great place on the doorstep. In the meantime we are ok Dulwich every day pretty much and will definitely find the family room useful for the foreseeable future as it has been for the last 3 years! The baby club sounds great, upto our eyeballs in unpacking and handling a tricky toddler at the moment so prob can't make it tomorrow but I'm hoping to be on mat leave from next weds so will get in touch and see if any more meetings are planned.

Like many east Dulwich forum users I have just moved out of the area but still use the forum...albeit only down the road in forest hill. I imagine that I will still be in Dulwich very regularly as my daughter still goes to nursery there and friends are there but looking for some recommendations for good places that are a bit more local. I have a daughter turning 3 in February and a baby due at Christmas. Looking for any forest hill or honor oak based classes on Mondays or Thursdays or anything good for newborns/little babies from January any day of the week. Keen to check out the swimming pool and I think there is a good library? If anyone can point out the cafes that are good for a quick bite to eat with toddlers and parks (other than mayow) that would be very helpful! Very excited about being part of the area but just trying to find out where things are!

Moving house and forgot about the cats! I have one box but two cats...if anyone can lend me any kind of transporter for a couple of hours I would be very grateful! Thanks

Just read up on it a bit and thank you for opinions! I'm not at all anti vaccine, just had no idea that it was an option. I've recently had it as I'm pregnant so I'm up for reducing the spread. The nasal spray thing is going to be hard as she is very sensitive and will find that quite stressful, obviously less so than a needle but I have a feeling it isn't going to be quite as easy as I would hope!

Hi I've been sent a text by DMC saying that my daughter is entitled to a flu vaccine and inviting us to a walk in clinic. She will be 3 in February. Just wondering if anyone else had this and what your take on it was...I have to admit I had never considered giving her the vaccine and didnt see it as necessary but as they've offered it I am not sure whether to give it??? Thanks

Friend of mine had her second a couple of weeks ago, woke at 3am with no signs, at 4am had first contraction, baby arrived in maternity assessment unit at 5!! Her first labour wasn't great so there is def hope! I'm due at Christmas so keeping my fingers crossed too!

Thanks everyone. Have tried to nap with her, have tried to tell her I'm napping too, tried giving her lots of freedom etc but no joy. The car is a tricky one, if we get the timing right she might drop off after 20 mins or so, sometimes an hour into a journey, sometimes never! Yesterday worked like a dream, we were planning on going to Brighton after lunch so took her to the park for the morning, let her have a carb heavy lunch with no sugars/fruit and then left. She sang for ages, messed around and finally dropped off very reluctantly but had a good 1hr 15. I've tried walking her around in the pushchair for hours but she will just mess about and I just give up. I was wondering whether we start giving her a bottle of milk in bed because that is the way she goes to sleep at night (please don't shoot me for the cavity situation and the bottle in bed - alternative is a toddler who won't stay in bed and undresses herself). Don't want to give her milk as she doesn't need it and I know eventually she will probably refuse much lunch knowing that she will get milk. Urgh I don't know. It's not a killer but its just not good for her and i would like to help her feel rested and happy as possible! Oh and I would LOVE a nap too...can you imagine!??

Hi all Please help! My daughter is 32 months and for the past few months she hasn't napped at home in the day. She naps at nursery 3 days a week (mon-weds) but then nothing for the rest of the week. At first it worked well because it meant she would go to bed easily at 7pm when previously napping meant being up and difficult until 9pm ish. The issue is that every day she tells me how tired she is, she says she wants a nap, she practically falls asleep all through the morning. However no matter what I do I cannot encourage her to nap and its worrying me that it's no good for her. Sometimes she will sleep around 10-11 hours at night with a few wakings, other nights she wakes quite a lot and so may only get 9 hours or so which is just not enough across the 24 hours. Sometimes mealtime are hard as she is exhausted, similarly behaviour and tantrums get unbearable by about 3pm. Similarly trying to take her to do any sort of activity after 3pm is impossible as her temperament is so changeable and everything becomes very laboured! Has anyone had any luck reinstating a nap after so long not having one?? I've tried suggesting 'quiet time' and not enforcing darkness end, tried letting her chill on the sofa in front of tv, tried pushchair naps, tried before and after lunch, books, sleeping on a mat on the floor (as per nursery), going in the car. She just fights the urge to drop off or relax, she could be dead on her feet but would still rouse a little energy to act up and refuse to calm. I guess I just feel we are caught between the pros and cons or napping/not napping and it doesn't feel natural for her to not sleep as she is often red eyed, rubs her eyes etc and goes on and on about how tired she is! Not sure what I'm looking for...hand holding???? I have a baby due at Christmas and have gone through the entire pregnancy without her having a nap and can't say I relish the prospect of a newborn and a toddler who is still styling like this. She's a lovely little girl but my word does she test my patience!! Especially when she taunts me by saying she would like to sleep!!! :-) Apologies for typos... On iPhone! Thanks!

Similar story, my daughter is just over 2.5 and she has increasingly been saying she doesn't like nursery and doesn't want to go. I have put it down to...age (seems to happen to lots around now) moving to a new room and key worker and also some anticipation about new baby coming at the end of the year. I've had real wobbles about it as it does make you much more aware of how little you know about when they're there. I was worried that my girl was finding it hard to interact with the older children in her room as it is a big change, but actually I've seen her playing and she's fine. I spoke to the nursery and they've been pod at reassuring me saying the 'I don't want to go' it just for my benefit and she's happy as anything when I've gone. This has been backed up my other parents who have seen her when I've not been there. I do think a lot of it is age. We tend to tell her when its a nursery day and explain that she will stay at home on 'this' day and plan out what we will do so she looks forward to it. We make a big fuss about her choosing her nursery clothes and helpin pack her bag, lots of 'oooh X will think that's really pretty' etc. lots of healthy snacks to get her there as she's also hungry which adds to the drop off angst. I have all this to come as I will be on mat leave soon and I am sure I will feel just as guilty when I'm at home with the baby. I do feel for you, lots of sympathy if no useful advice!

We have a cat who has bad anxiety and it came from being bullied by the neighbours cat. We've not been able to do much about that and she goes through periods of weeing in the flat rather than the tray. We found that because she was scared she was holding in her wee a lot and getting cystitis which then contributed to her weeing all over the place. She also developed a habit of over grooming which needed treatment. I would say get him checked for a urine infection and also make sure the litter is always clean as that helps. Also perhaps get some feliway which pumps out happy hormones and can help to calm an anxious cat. I do sympathise, it's not nice when your pet displays signs of stress as it really impacts their behaviour a lot.

Yes I was a bit taken aback too! They def said it was booked with the nurse and that it was the next available appointment. I will keep trying to call for cancellation but because I work it's a bit tricky to sit on the phone for hours trying to get through :-)

Hello Massive apologies if this has been done to death already but I am at work and haven't time to search just yet. At 28 weeks my midwife mentioned I should book in for these jabs and have just called DMC who cannot see me until the 4th November. I will prob wait until then for the whooping cough (or try and call for a cancellation before) but think it would be wise to get the flu jab done before as I know it is easier to get, am I right in thinking pharmacies and supermarkets do it? Come November I will prob be full of cough, cold and illness so don't really want to take the risk of having to cancel after my toddler brings home every single lurgy from nursery and I can't get them done! Thanks in advance.

Oh feel your pain, my calves look black with thread veins, I just presumed its one of those things that can't be helped but if you find tips I will try!

All very interesting and valid points. Re the link to the savethekidsgroup site...it is something different, the labels on the collections boxes were very different, logo was different so I can only presume a different 'charity'.

I feel cheated! I knew that something wasn't right but wasn't really thinking as I often drop my loose change into boxes and everyone else seemed to be ignoring them. I didn't see the other threads, wish I had. I always like to try and give some change and eye contact to genuine collectors as it seems like a thankless job sometimes but I will be more wary now. I am a regular charity giver in addition to one off bigger donations for disasters and appeals etc but always think hard about which I want to give to...must remember to apply the same to people collecting on the street! Thanks everyone.

Hey Two guys collecting for save the kids...not sure if I've just given money to a registered charity! No real reason to doubt them but I didn't take the time to look to see if they had badges and the collection boxes did look a bit homemade, does anyone know about this charity? Googled them but can't see anything that seems to fit the logo and name I saw. Only gave a pound or so not going to break the bank but I realised how little notice I take when handing out to charity! Anyone know of this charity?

Agreed, we went and it was vey nice. Don't think there were craft stalls though, maybe one stall that seemed to have some clothes or something on it but didn't really look at it. Excellent crepes if peckish.

We've had one for a while but our 2.5 year old just remarks that its a starry night when she gets up at 5.30 and proceeds to kick off as usual. It worked for a couple of weeks for us until she realised she could ignore it, like everything else that she can say no to! :-) happy it's working for you though!! Hurrah!!!

Yep, it's really not great for us as we have a toddler so will be out of bounds until its replaced!

Thanks! We aren't planning on using it as a bedroom for the time being but will prob do the proper conversion in future for which we are happy to pay all the costs. It's not being sold as a bedroom so they aren't pretending its something it isn't...just that they did it without anyone checking it over. If that is legally fine then I'm not concerned but if we are buying somewhere that hasn't got the necessary paperwork then obviously far from ideal! Thanks!

Hi We are buying a 1930s terraced house in forest hill/Sydenham borders and just want some thoughts from anyone who knows about loft extensions. The vendors extended into the loft to create a storage space, it has been boarded up and plastered and has a proper floor, to all intents and purposes it is another room with two velux style windows and an open tread staircase between the 1st and 2nd floors. It's obviously not officially a bedroom due to fire regs and lack of documentation. My question is whether there would have been any need to seek planning approval or building regs approval? It was done approx 10 years ago. It is in the borough of lewisham and I have emailed their planning portal but it seemed worth asking on here as I'm sure it's the sort of thing others may have done. I guess my thoughts are regarding safety of electrical fittings and insulation materials etc, plus putting in a staircase seems a surly significant structural alteration so surely would require someone coming to take a look and confirm you won't break your neck. Any advice greatly appreciated! Thanks

After a very sad trip to try to go to one o clock club last Friday I am not mentioning it today until I know if its on this morning! Anyone know?

Hey We are renting our flat out soon and will be looking to have a deep clean done before we get the tenants in, does anyone know what is included in it? Are we talking carpets? Skirting boards? Oven? windows? it is a really simple and small flat with mainly wooden floors and white walls (will be unfurnished) so not talking a massive amount of hard work but just trying to work out what we need to get done without spending a fortune. What is the difference between a professional deep cleaning company and just using normal cleaners for a bit longer? Thanks!

Hi all Thanks so much for all your advice. I am going to go and get myself checked out I think although part of me really does thing some good old fashioned sleep will help, work permitting I am trying to go to bed as close to my daughter's bedtime as possible but easier said than done! I do take a pregnancy multivitamin every day so can't say if it would make me feel even worse if I didn't take it! Thanks Catherine for the tips, I have been trying to come to your yoga class as I am so sore already and can't imagine how I will feel in another couple of months, so far Ive not been able to make it but hopefully tomorrow and then we can meet face to face rather than over email! Re the iron supplements - how much do they interfere with your digestion? I only ask as I have some SERIOUS issues in the toileting department and frankly couldnt' stand to have anything add to that! Sorry to TMI but we have all been there haven't we?!

Thank you! I will talk to the GP and see what they say, conscious that lots of people will put it down to just being pregnant,which is prob true but I'm dead on my feet and would welcome anything that might help! Doesn't help that my job is painfully boring and my chair is deeply uncomfortable so there is very little keeping me busy and occupied! Whinge whinge whinge! I am going to check out quick fix solutions to up my protein and also sort the toothpaste...the ulcers are in my mouth yes, will pop to Boots later! x