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Really recommend oat milk - my son loves it and as soon as we switched him to that he stopped being constipated and skin almost entirely cleared up. He doesn't have a bath every day and i avoid chlorinated water (no swimming) - also always wash clothes in special washing liquid - seems to really help. Oatmilk is the big thing though - makes a big difference - we still let him have the odd yoghurt but it seemed to be drinking a whole bottle of formula or cows milk that was really problematic...

But according to the post lochie attached it works better than pethidine - still crosses over the placenta which obv not great too late in labour- but interesting that it is more effective than pethidine...

Sounds good! Wish it had been on the list of options!!

Anyone watching tonight? What is diamorphine?? Don't remember that being on the list of things that we could have at kings?

I cant figure out a way to make this not sound preachy - and Im no saint when it comes to my in laws but have you tried putting yourself in their place. Imagine how you will feel in the future when your kids have their own families when you feel like you want to celebrate something really significant to you with your children and grandchildren. They are presumably the people who you love most in the world and enjoy spending time with the most. You'll presumably do your best to put up with the grumpy woman/man they've married. I think it must be hard to adjust after being in charge of all family celebrations / codes of conduct for years and years - and then have to adjust to your family not really being yours any more and now you have to navigate the rules of your son/ daughter in laws. Not surprising that people get it wrong and arent brilliant at being in laws...Especially the parents of sons - often its cause the sOn is being wet that problems occur (in my opinion!)

I wondered the latest on Goodrich after seeing lots of posts some time ago about it. I believe the head resigned last year - I just wondered what the latest feelings about how the school is doing are? I assume there's a new head? Is there still a lot of change happening? What about the academy proposal that was discussed on this forum?

Edited

I know nothing about the group and so I'm feeding back purely on gut instinct - but somehow it seems sort of smug and cliquey to me? I don't mean at all that this is the reality - from the posts here it sounds like a much loved and probably very friendly group. But you asked for reactions to the name ... I think it would sort of put me off - though I does make me smile as a name - I think I would assume it is not for me...

Babies yes - toddlers no...I look back w great fondness at the many hours spent in all the different cafes of e dulwich. Once the baby gets mobile you are hugely limited - a room w some toys becomes invaluable - thus the angst!

Just another idea for food that works well for my boy who when teething will go for long stretches hardly eating anything - porridge w some honey (tho I think you have to be a little careful w honey before 1) or banana has been our saviour - often has had it for dinner! Another really successful meal is crumpets w tomato pur?e and cheese melted on top or hummus. In fact hummus is a godsend - always worry the store bought stuff is too salty but chickpeas are such a good filling protein. I definitely would try getting someone else to feed her whenever poss ( weekend etc) and try and make meals as fun as possible - making the food an incidental part of it - try and see it as just a chance to mush food, wipe it all over the place and throw it around. Easier said then done but we have found having a laugh a mealtimes really helps.

Your point is a good one, Amy - and we should all be aware of the dangers to a small business when we criticise them online. However I think the critical thing here is that parents of toddlers obviously really valued the back room at the gardens. Few cafes or pubs in the area really cater for small moving children - despite it being such a child focused area. It was so great to have a basket of toys and room for children to move around - within the context of an attractive cafe. I think the fact that there was no communication to customers to warn them of the change is part of what has annoyed me - but mostly I'm just sad because it takes away one of my regular places. I have always found the staff friendly and welcoming - so I certainly wouldn't suggest that they are unfriendly to children - but the removal of the room makes it just like other cafes in the area and takes away a big part of its appeal.

It is such a shame to lose the gardens - and as others have said I'm so dismayed by the change I can't see bothering to go back even if I were without my toddler. I thought they had been so clever in the way they had it set up - keeping the noisiest toddling kids mostly as the back and allowing the front to be used by those w small babies or older kids or those without kids. I feel very put out by it and I reckon the management would be smart to respond to this post and explain their decision. Maybe there is a good explanation. Certainly in the absence of an explanation, its made me feel very negatively about one of my favorite places in east dulwich. Dont even get me started about green and blacks....

I too love east dulwich and the edf - and I must even admit to a soft spot for the grumpy old men/ women of the edf! You have to wonder if any of them would really give up the joy of bashing yummy mummies, bugaboos, cafe lattes and overpriced x (fill in the blank) for all the tea in china.

Looked like more than a burglary - lots of police and the helicopter- but who knows?!

I do understand the balance that you are trying to reach and the service the forum provides and all the work that must go on behind the scenes is to be applauded again and again. The regular users of this family room can be nothing but enormously grateful for the work that you do as moderators. I think it would be well worth doing as scruffy mummy suggests to proect yourself legally - rather than introducig a feeling that every comment is being weighed up and judged by an invisible force - there is the potential for people to feel they are being controlled by the thought police. It would be such a shame on this forum which is a hugely helpful resource for parents to feel they can ask and say anything (within reason!).

I can understand why the moderator is saying not to give health advice but i do think you are underestimating the intelligence of the people on the forum. I highly doubt that anyone who is worried about their childs health will risk just following advice from a forum post - but it might be helpful at midnight to get some advice... If i have a chat in a cafe with a friend who says - oh that symptom sounds like something my child had - no one zooms in and tells them off! The person who posted about the foot and mouth actually suggested going to the gp - i dont see why she/ he was told off so roundly. Personally i think you have pretty clearly reminded people to be sensible about interpreting medical advice...

We have just encountered a new terrible sleep phase!! My one year old is always tired for his morning nap (usually 9:30-10:30 but in the last week has refused to sleep at all in the afternoon. He is exhausted by bedtime and falls asleep really quickly but the last few nights has woken a few hours after going down and been absolutely wide awake - i ended up bringin him downstairs to try and give him some formula milk ( he is still generally having breastmilk) in the vain hope that would zonk him out - all it did was make him think it was playtime. last night i spent 2 hours in a dark room with him crying or toddling around trying to play. Is this overtiredness? How does it manefest itself - i thought it was to do w being too wired to sleep - but can children sleep for a bit and then wake up wired?? Tonight was slightly better as he did sleep in the afternoon for an hour or so - but he threw a right wobbly before finally falling asleep (i am praying he isnt about to wake up and give me a couple of hours of hell now). He is also suffering w teething at the moment - so i dont know whether its sleep or teeth or both??

Figetsmum your commute (my least favourite bit of being back at work) sounds horrific! Is there any chance something like the east london line might be an option for you (long shot that its anywhere near your house or work but wondered as its a relatively new line you might not have considered it and it is brilliant)Or what about getting a scooter/ bicycle or some other radical rethink? Sounds like the commute will be really draining for you? Maybe if you have a partner you just have to put your foot down and say they have to do drop offs and pick ups? Or maybe there's someone from the nursery you could rotate with? I guess you've already thought thru all of those things - but i feel for you doing that every day! Otherwise great news that you felt so excited about work - i'm sure you'll find it continuea to be very rewarding!

Again i wasnt off work as long as you but i am really pleased to be back at work! Hard at this time of year when so dark and cold - but then its hard work being home w small children in the winter too (so swings in roundabouts). I find there are irritations of work - politics and that sort of stuff feels v tedious after effectively being your own boss but generally it is so nice to be in the buzz of a workplace again! I am not at all envious of my friends who are at home - partly cause its such hard work taking care of kids all day! The commuting and rushing about that is involved in being a working mum is tiring, but the actual work (for me at least) is much easier than being at home w a toddler! And speaking very personally - i hadnt realised how much i missed the variety of experiences work gives you. I found there was a monotony to being at home w a small child - their routine (however much i wasnt a routine led mum) was relentless and varied so little. I hadnt realised how much i'd enjoy meeting new people, being exposed to new ideas, using that part of my brain again! I also have found i savour the time i have w my son and i think i'm giving him just as much 'quality time' now as ever. I dont really get the guilt thing - maybe cause my mum worked and i always just felt proud of her and never felt we were disadvantaged? I think what she did very well was to always make us feel that although she was working and (that was important) we were always more important and the most important thing in her life. Not sure hOw she did that really- except she told us that a lot. Definitely worked!

My lovely Danish au pair (20 years old) arrived about 6 weeks ago - she hasnt yet been able to meet anyone locally yet- she's been in touch with a couple of people on the dulwich au pairs facebook page but i think maybe there arent many active members? Anyone have a nice au pair around the same age who lives nearby and we could introduce them?

I grew up outside the uk and we used to have an annual check up testing hearing, sight, growth and various other things to double check all progressing ok. Does this not happen in uk? Seems like a reassuring thing for parents? I havent had any communication from health visitor since my one year old had his last batch of shots - i think we're due the mmr - should i chase that up or will someone get in touch? Anything other parents recommend i could/should be doing pro-actively?

Just wanted to thank everyone for all the advice and sympathy! I think the protein point has been a really useful tip for us - he is doing much better since then - though there is still a v annoying 1 or 2 am wakeup some nights...what is interesting to me is that although i always fear creating bad habits etc - his sleep seems to be completely unrelated to what we do! We are pretty consistent with what we do - but his behaviour changes all the time! One month he falls into a really good pattern, few weeks later we are in hell, then a few weeks later its shifted again and he's doing something new! The worst ever is wide awake for an hour at 3am - but thank god that has been rare! Currently we're trying to wear him out as much as possible, feed him protein at dinner, and trying to remember how much we love him and how gorgeous he is even when we feel like chucking him out the window at 4am!!

My little boys sleep is at an all time worst! He i almost one and i was hoping against hope that by now he'd be sleeping through! Every so often we have a spell of really good sleep - but this week has been awful! Up every few hours and sometimes really awake when he wakes. He is doing loads of development - learning new words all the time and almost walking - seems starving when he wakes (still having breast milk at night). I try not to feed him but often i think it is hunger that wakes him...any tips from any experienced mums?? Im wondering if theres something i could feed him in the evening to keep him going? Could it be just that in times of lots of development sleep is disturbed? He is hilarious - at 3 this morning we were treated to a chorus of 'car car car car car'!!!

Over the last few years we have moved house a lot and done up a number of places - and its become something of a passionate hobby - i've spent enough on interior design books and magazines to fund a small flat :-) we now have a small baby and my husbands run out of patience to put up with moving / living w builders etc! I know some people dont enjoy choosing paint colours, flooring, worktops etc and lots find it stressful - i'm thinking maybe i'd enjoy helping people through that process. I thought i could offer my services (i.e. a couple of hours consultancy/ development of mood boards?) for free to a few people - to see how much i enjoy it? And maybe start to build a portfolio? I wonder if people thought there might be a call for this kind of thing? Maybe overstretched mums trying to manage an extension being built/ new kitchen installed etc? I'm thinking it could be something for someone who wouldnt ever think to pay for an interior designer - but might want a little help figuring out how to rearrange spaces (knocking down walls etc) or finding interesting finishes / unusual objects / bouncing ideas off someone.

I had this around 8 months and decided it was related to teething. Once a couple of crucial teeth came through he stopped as suddenly as he had started. I also said no firmly and stopped feeding when he did it - so it could be he just understood not to? He has done it again a couplr of times since - and again its been when new teeth are coming through. Really awful phase to get through! Makes feeding so stressful and painful