reren

I have a new au pair from Italy starting in September - I'd love to connect her via email with other au pairs also starting in September - if you have just arranged an au pair please get in touch and we could get them to exchange emails. We have had au pairs before and it helps so much once they create a network Of local friends.

Truly brilliant pre / post and during (not sure if that's the way to put it) natal care. I've experienced both amazing community midwife support as well as a great hospital experience. One thing that i loved after having my first baby at kings is that as they wheeled me out of the labour ward at 3 in the morning after a long difficult labour we passed various cleaners, nurses, and other staff working in the hospital - every one of them called out a heartfelt congratulations - and it was one of the most touching things I've ever experienced. Considering how run-of-the-mill it must be to them to see yet another newborn I was so touched that they took the time to congratulate me and make the experience - which of course was anything but run-of-the-mill for me - even more special. This continued the next day when every member of staff I encountered congratulated me (ladies who brought my food, midwives, etc). I assume someone must have encouraged this as a policy and I thought it showed a very well run and thoughtful institution. I will never forget that aspect of giving birth at kings and will always treasure it.

Ah mellors I feel your pain! Was just castigating myself for not enjoying my son more at the moment - apart from finding 'challenging' behaviour exhausting - I also find playing cars so boring! We do have lots of moments of joyfully playing together and I mostly adore him and he is increasingly very funny as his sense of humour develops - but I spend quite a lot of time counting the moments until I can put on cbbies and collapse onto sofa (whilst rocking baby with foot) and read something/ do something other than push a car or train around. I seriously don't know how stay at home mums do it - I am full of admiration (I'm on maternity leave and am really starting to miss trips to the loo by myself and lunchtime with no one to feed but me). And people who bring up children without TV deserve medals.

Reckon definitely worth doing it face to face - people find it harder to be greedy in person! But go with an idea of what you think is reasonable in mind - then you can nicely but firmly come to an agreement. Awkward and i think cheeky of this neighbour! But putting some money his way probably worth it to keep relations sweet.

Bugie - please say its true!! I just came onto the forum to post the question 'when does threenagerdom end' and found this thread. I remember saying to my mum about 6-9 months ago that my son was never anything but a pleasure - now i find myself thinking practically the opposite! I think its been made worse by arrival of baby 2 about 3 months ago and dropping his nap. The link says girls get emotional but i think that is what is happening to my son - its like he has PMT!! Terrible crying and rages at the smallest things! Sometimes its funny - mostly its wearing. And i find the rudeness/ ignoring me really irritating! But then i feel guilty cause it has co-incided with arrival of a sibling (no doubt a factor) but i miss my lovely little boy!

Have a look at philadelphia - its a great city. Very attractive and great size - plus much more affordable than boston or ny - yet 2 hours from ny and washington dc - similar distance to the beach. Good climate (except summers which are hot and humid). It also has a good international airport - easy to get back to uk. It grts overlooked on the east coast for some reason - but really nice and improving city. On the west coast - portland oregon is supposed to be a great city - and the coast line along that bit of the us is gorgeous -but the time difference is tricky if you are wanting to keep in touch w uk - and its very expensive to fly back.

Such an interesting / difficult subject - i just recently hd a wonderful 2nd birth - very positive and all that i'd hoped for. I did hypno-birthing and it helped a lot. But ... Im very mindful that i was lucky. A good friend just had a second birth which wasnt the text book perfect birth she's hoped for (despite doing amazingly well). I feel really sorry for her having got her hopes up for a cosmic experience that never came. Seems to be difficult to balance the preparing in a positive way for a birth and not getting too attached to a vision for the birth you are expecting (and then feeling let down if something unexpected happens). Still i suspect the majority of people who prepare positively are fortunate enough to have their dream birth so on balance worth approaching in as positive a way as possible - whilst trying not to get too hung up on outcomes...

Recommend oat milk - my son swapped to it after bring constipated on cows milk and immediately liked it.

Thought i'd do a quick update as i now have an 11 day old baby asleep on my lap. I can report that my second was a world of difference from the first and was an amazing experience. As with my first my waters broke before labour started - and i was briefly worried the rest would follow like the first (which was really slow, long and painful with lots of postnatal discomfort and anaemia). But couldnt have been more different. I had a lovely day with fire on watching films with my husband - getting some twinges but nothing painful. In the evening after i lay down in t the dark for an hour listening to hypnobirthing mp3 they started to come regularly (but still only uncomfortable rather than painful) - we rang the midwife and then everything seemed to happen really fast and about 3 hours later my baby was born. Last 40 mins or so did hurt but once he was out it was over and didnt seem like it had been that bad. Didnt have any pain relief in the end. What i cant get over is how well i feel post birth. Really is amazing how different you feel without epidural / ventouse etc. in my case it was worth it to suffer thru 40 mins of pretty intense pushing to feel perfectly well and not sore 24 hours later! I am a convert!

Really happy with the gardens - think helena has moved away from area now and may be a little out of date - they have improved loads in terms of reception staff in recent years - and always have been able to see my son immegiately when he is ill.

Also interested from january!

Ooh good i saw this - dodnt occur to me - is this standard practice? Can see its a noce gesture!

You ask why the bank needs to know whether you are renting it out or living in it yourself? It is always worth bearing in mind that when you have a mortgage the bank effectively has the right to take your property away if you dont pay your mortgage (im simplifying but this is the principle at work). If you were to stop paying your mortgage - they have the problem of getting you out / the tenants out and they want to do that as swiftly as possible and get their money back. Since tenancy laws give people different rights - the bank wants to know what its dealing with in the case of non payment of the mortgage. It is also worth being aware is illegal to lie on a mortgage application - so if the bank were to find out you had rented it out without letting them know - there could be vety serious consequences.

I know what you mean buggie - hospital bag is last thing I've done - partly I think cause hoping to have home birth but somehow just couldn't get down to baby related organizing for ages. I found the last week though the nesting has kicked into overdrive and I've cracked on with those things ... Bonfire2010 - thank you for best wishes will let you know how I get on (lots of twinges currently but no sign yet on eve of due date!). Do explore the hypnobirthing - one of the things I liked about it is that despite the name it really isn't very hippy dippy (at least the way Suzie teaches it) - a lot of it is about understanding the physiology of birth and how to work with what your body naturally knows how to do. Made a lot of rational sense to me that the deeper the level of relaxation and the more oxygen I can ensure gets to the uterus - the more efficiently it will work. Also recommend (the wonderfully named) Grantly Dick-read's 'Childbirth without fear' - really interesting read.

Bonfire 2010 - i really recommend doing a hypnobirthing course if you have the time / money! It is such a great way to prepare - sounds like you might find it realy helpful - try suzie - her email is: [email protected]. I am now 2 days from due date and not dreading it at all - feel very prepared and ready for the experience which is largely down to suzie and all the practice i have done to prepare!

My very sweet au pair, guilia, is leaving us in january and looking for a new position - i am now on maternity leave and dont need an au pair from jan (though i may well rue this decision!!). She is italian, 21 years and a lovely girl with lots of experience with children. My son (3 years)has had a great time with her and will be sad to see her go! She has just put a post in the family room classified section so respond to her there or send me a message and i will pass it on.

Thank you so much for all the responses - this is great! What would you say your top tips are - did you find focusing / thinking about particular things really helped? I'm feeling confident and hopeful that the experience will be a positive one - just trying to absorb as much as I can about ways that I can prepare for the big day! Keep the great stories coming!

Really recommend hypnobirthing - whatever route you choose it might make a world of difference just not to feel too anxious for the remainder of your pregnancy? It is kind of miraculous how confident it makes you feel - im actually looking forward to the birth now (due next week!)- not something i would have thought possible before.

I have a week til due date and am loving really good birth stories! Did you find it was really different 2nd time round - would love to hear about really positive birth stories. Didn't have a great time first time and ive done a lot of preparing this time (hypnobirthing course etc) - would love to hear about people who had long first birth and speedy / positive subsequent birth?! Only positive stories please!!

Not sure anyone who hasnt been pregnant themselves can fully understand this situation. I personally feel quite physically vulnerable while pregnant and it puts me off being too demanding about a seat - but i have got more confident this time (2nd time round) and just firmly and politely say 'can i sit down please' and i find people always stand and usually hadnt noticed rather than trying to be rude. Also find as i got more obviously pregnant people are generally really considerate. But i find the bus much easier than train - often people aren't travelling as far and happier to stand themselves. Are you going to farringdon - have you considered the 63 - depending on where you live? I started getting the bus every day - took longer but always got a seat and it was actually quite relaxing just sitting on bus for an hour - but i appreciate you may not be close enough to the right bus stop to do that...

This is so,helpful thank you - was this based on final offers after wait list orvjustvthe initial offers?

Anyone have any recommendations for best birthpool brand to buy for upcoming home birth (fingers crossed)? Am a bit flummoxed by choice on line and wondered if people had any personal experience to share in terms of brands that worked well? Also we have a fancy tap in kitchen (design over substance) and no way are we going to be able to attach hose to it- can you fill a birthpool with cold water from outside tap partially and then heat up w boiling water I wonder? Otherwise bucket might have to do...

Just wanted to add my thanks for the reassurance - i am currently a few weeks from having my second brierly baby and could not be more impressed with the service (especially ray who is the most amazing midwife). I am constantly thanking my lucky stars to be having my babies in this part of london / the world. We are so lucky.

We have found a gold stars reward chart a really good way to get (nearly 3 year old) son brushing teeth, getting dressed etc. i like the way it rewards good behaviour and is positive - but i find he gets very fixated on new toys - hard to get him to understand he needs 7 stars before he gets a reward...and even then the house is silting up w cars bought as rewards. Worry we're getting good behaviour essentially thru bribery...he doesnt yet understand removing stars for bad behaviour so we find naughty step/ taking away toys for bad behaviour is better as more immediate. so the reward chart isnt the only thing we rely on - but i wondered if others have tips for using it without turning your child into a brat!

Anyone watch that new programme w nanny giving family advice - i tuned in thinking i'd probably not like it but found it really interesting. Those shows are usually so formulaic - but she had some very interesting ideas about how to handle difficult behaviour. It didnt feel too judgmental and the people weren't super extreme. It also didnt present it as though she had solved everything overnight - was impressed and there were a couple of techniques i'll take away i think...really interesting about how to avoid saying no all the time...