EmmaG

Carluccio's is very child friendly

Children with a cows milk protein intolerance are often intolerant to soya milk too. Neocate is the most hypoallergenic formula there is. It's very expensive so usually only prescribed as a last resort. We're in the process of converting from Neocate to Oatley now that bubba2 is a year old. We're also weaning off domperidone but still taking lansoprazole twice a day. The light at the end of the tunnel is hoving into view for us. Let's hope you get some relief soon.

I have a one year old and a two year old and am looking to start transporting them by bike. My husband thinks two seats on my bike is dangerous so I think I need a trailer. It needs to be: Big enough for two kids Safe and stable Narrow enough to take through the house Easy and quick to attach and detatch Foldable for easy storage/transportation I don't want to spend loads because in a couple of years I expect my elder one will be on her own bike clipped to mine. Any advice or thoughts would be most welcome.

Both mine had very bad reflux and I do feel for you. Your GP will try Gaviscon first, then ranitidine and domperidone. If those don't work you need to see a consultant and get lansoprazole. Do bear in mind that the gullet will be damaged by the acid and therefore even if a medication "cures" the reflux, the inflammation can take several weeks to subside. Things you should try include: keeping your baby upright or on a slope at all times (wedge in pram, cot, change table), dream feeding, creating a strong distraction to take their mind off the painful feed, introducing solids at 17 weeks, cutting out cow's milk from yours and your baby's diet and considering Neocate formula if your baby is formula-fed. When my younger one was really suffering and nothing was working we gave her painkillers before feeds. The paeds said paracetomol was fine but to cut out long term use of ibuprofen. I recommend Dr Edward Douek at the Portland or a referral to the paediatric gastroenterologist at the Chelsea and Westminster.

I blubbed like a blubby thing watching it. Ten pounds five! What a moving and scary piece of telly. Why did they let her deliver vaginally? Anyway, it all was fine, but the fear in the eyes of the midwives was the scariest thing I've ever seen.

My kids have eczema and we were told by the paeds to put them on a hypoallergenic diet which has worked for one but not the other. No eggs, dairy or soya. I believe - and so do the paeds - it's better to use the steroid creams and clear it up than struggle on with something that has questionable efficacy (I was a horrendous eczema sufferer as a kid). I'd slap on the hydrocortisone/eumovate until it's cleared up then moisturise at least twice a day, cut out all dairy/eggs/soya and if that doesn't work, do a full elimination diet. Did you know that Kings is one of the world's leading places for paediatric allergy testing?

Forest Hill Road has always been excellent

Congrats!!! Babygym is essential! A walk in the pram with trees and cars to look at Making wobbly faces and raspberries at the baby Baby massage Mother and baby groups A book made for tiny babies like John Fordham's "Faces" ragbook Staring at the light around your curtains or lamps Best of all is this book which you'll refer to for the next five years http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fun-Start-maximize-babys-potential/dp/0007245653/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329261491&sr=1-1

No help from me - my baby is 10 months old and toddler 2 years, and I find it a complete nightmare. The big one can hold her own bottle but muscles in on my knee while I'm feeding the baby and she snatches the book from us when we're having our story. I have help, but on the one or two occasions when I've been on my own I read a story to both from the same book with a child on each knee, take the baby to bed (as she settles more quickly), leaving the toddler to jump around trying to climb my legs/baby's cot, then go and do a couple more stories with the toddler before spending ages settling her to sleep. If anyone has a good answer to Amydown's question I'd be most interested. Emma

OK, some really good advice from everone there. I'm going to get the Gill Rapely book and my mantra will henceforth be "offer it and then it's out of your hands". BTW, EDMummy - I dry fry because she won 't touch anything fried in oil. She holds her hands up and looks disgusted at the grease. I do choose brown chicken meat as it's higher in fat (and nutrients) than white and she doesn't seem to mind handling it. Thanks again everyone.

As an addendum to my earlier post, the NP *I* saw was exceptionally rude. As I haven't seen one for a couple of years at least, I have no idea if it's the same woman or not.

Thanks Fuschia. I am at the point of offering and leaving it at that. It's driving me nuts. The HV has said to stop snacks and let her get hungry but this has not worked, so I'm going to take your advice and give her the opportunity to graze. She can't have fromage frais as she's dairy-free (and soya-free) but she can have a Plum pouch on the move. Thanks for this.

Metanium! Amazing stuff. When our babster had awful running diarrhoea (which is what caused the rash) I changed her nappy literally every hour, dabbed cotton wool soaked in cool water on the dirty bits adn then used a q-tip to apply Metanium.

Agree with another poster that the best swaddle is the Miracle Blanket. Here's a demo vid http://www.miracleblanket.com/ We carried on until she was about 4 months old and then she started thashing her legs around and making such a noise banging the end of her cot we left it off.

My baby has been refusing solids for over a month now. She started being fussy about which savoury baby food (both home made and Ella's and Plum pouches) she'd have. Then it escalated to refusing all solids. She will entertain the idea of finger food but takes a couple of mouthfuls and then gets bored or something and gives up, chucking it around, slapping it, slipping her straps and standing up in her high chair. She's dairy-, egg- and soya-free and is maxed-out on reflux drugs. Home made finger foods I've tried include: little sandwiches, chicken casserole with potatoes, steamed bits of veg, pasta quills, chopped fruit, Cheerios in formula, etc. The only thing she really likes is mashed potato patties mixed with a bit of minced meat or chicken, which I then dry-fry. However, they don't travel and take bloody ages to make. She WILL suck the contents of a Plum fruit puree straight from the pouch down in about 10 seconds flat but won't take it off a spoon. I think it's something to do with being independent and wanting to feed herself, but I'm getting to the end of my tether. Her milk intake is now up to 500mls a day so she's regressing in terms of feeding development. She's lost weight and is nearly two lines down on her weight centiles (down to 2 from 25). The GP and health visitor say give her whatever she'll eat but that's literally just the Plum fruit puree pouches. Can she live on those? I dread having a kid like my nephew who "only eats chips". Gaaaaahhhhh. Has anyone else had a food refuser? How much weight did they lose before resuming eating? What did you do? Help!

Oakwood Midwives at Forest Hill Road are wonderful. Dr Scorer there is wonderful. Other doctors variable. Rude, unhelpful receptionists. Exceptionally rude nurse practitioner. Poor administration.

We put ours into her own room at three months (rather than the recommended six) as she was lashing her legs about and keeping us up all night. Despite being in her own cot, in her own room at three months, she hasn't died of SIDS. BTW when I mentioned to the GP the lashing legs she said "is the baby awake during these episodes?" to which I replied, "no" whereupon said GP said, "oh for God's sake, put her in her own room and get some sleep. We banished ours at six weeks or else I'd have gone mad ..."

We paid over ?300 for an NCT class and although I enjoyed the groups and met nice people, we haven't become friends. There is a real emphasis on the labour and not on the nightmare ... er, sorry, adventure of parenthood post-birth. I'd spend the money on hypnobirthing classes pre-birth and then on a night nanny for a couple of days after birth.

Our baby had the BCG at about 3 or 4 weeks and although she screamed it was only a blob under the skin. No probs since then. I'd say the heel prick thing was way, way worse.

I find it amazing that the hourly rate for cleaning is ?9 - ?10 per hour and that the hourly rate for childcare is less. I'd rather be a cleaner - have R4 on, nip out for the odd ciggy, clean the house in any order you like, you're responsible for the house, yes but not for an actual human life.

I'll second Iaineasy's thanks to Linda and the other Oakwood midwives. We had our baby Isobel with Morag, Linda and Julie's help last Saturday and they were wonderful. Apparently eight Oakwood babies were born that weekend so the midwives must have been run off their feet. Our Izzy has only pooed for the first time in FOUR days Iain and yes, it was all over the shop - even her feet got covered and stained yellow. It was revolting. What's a good thank-you present for a midwife practice? There are six in the practice and we had contact with four of them plus Emily the coordinator. I'm sure they don't want endless boxes of chocs ... any ideas?

My tuppenceworth: I live just off FHR and can pick up a frequent and efficient 63/363 any time to Peckham Rye station and get into central London in half an hour. Many people seem to do this. When this train service stops in a couple of years, that will no longer be the case. I would very much like the 63 extended up FHR to an alternative station so that I can still get into London fairly quickly. We should do a trial to see how long it takes to get a southbound 63 to the top of the hill and then wait and change to a P12 to Honor Oak to get the train into central London. I don't think that route works nearly as efficiently.

I think ours is back on now ...

I am one of the very, very lucky ones who's registered with Oakwood. However, even registering with Forest Hill Road Surgery from a friend's address will not guarantee that you get Oakwood as they only take 18 women a month to look after. What I would suggest is to tell King's you want a home birth and you WILL be attended at home during labour and birth but a midwife. If there is a problem, or you decide mid-labour that you want to have the baby in hospital after all, that attending midwife will accompany you to King's.

We've just lost all our water pressure, I guess because of the snow. I've filled all my saucepans and jugs so we have water to drink, but HOW AM I GOING TO FILL THE BIRTHING POOL??!! I'm 40+2 and planning a waterbirth so get your praying caps on (or whatever you wear for praying) and pray I don't go into labour after all please! Sigh. SE22 - it's a bit like being in the Highlands or something ... only we don't have mountain rescue.