catjo13

I use Zest Payroll after reading a recommendation on here. Brilliant service, super efficient and it is 15 pound a month, which offers more flexibility than a yearly fee. www.zestpayroll.co.uk

I second Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - wonderful book. She also has a website with recent articles and videos. I read it before both of my home births and I think it really helped me prepare mentally. I did reflexology the first time round throughout the pregnancy and yoga with Kamal in Honor Oak Park the second time. I've never really been a big yoga fan, but it definitely helped me with the breathing and relaxation. http://www.chaithanyayogaschool.com/ I do think good, supportive midwives make a difference to the experience and how you feel about it too. I was with Oakwood both times and they were amazing. Good Luck !

Would agree wholeheartedly with: The Help One Day The Hand that First Held Mine American Wife One Thousand Days of Jacob de Zoet On my last holiday I read and loved The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen. As well as being a wonderful character study it is quite chunky and took me about a week. Also recently read and liked: The Postmistress by Sarah Blake and the latest Kate Atkinson book Started Early, Took my Dog.

I had a horrible time with my son for about 5 weeks around this time. He was a permanent grump, wouldn't nap properly, awake in the night at least 3 or 4 times. It was a really trying time. He changed at about 24 weeks, which co-incided with me starting weaning. I don't know if that had an influence or not, but I would echo Belle - he has completely changed now he is eating a lot more solids and starting to crawl (7.5 months now). He still has his grumpy days, but nothing like the screaming hell we had before. I found the book 'The Wonder Weeks' interesting. It doesn't help you when you are in the middle of it, but does prepare you for growth spurts and make you realise that your baby's behaviour is normal.

I feel for you. My second was like this and made the adjusting to 2 even harder. I don't think he had colic as such, there was no squirming, trouble feeding etc. but he was essentially a big grump most of the day and did posset a lot. I went to see Alison Owen at the Dulwich Therapy Rooms and she was wonderful. I had a really easy straightforward and quick labour, but even then my son had bits misaligned ! She was so patient, thorough and calming. He had a very tight diaphragm, which wasn't helping the digestion, but also responsible for lots of the shrieking. I think it really helped him - she also showed me some easy techniques to do at home, which amazingly got his wind up really quickly, which also relieved the discomfort. I also did baby massage with him and there are a number of techniques for colicky babies that can help.

Derek Morris at Jo Hansford on Mount St - for a superb long lasting cut. Jo herself for colour if you're feeling really flush (she did Camilla's before the RW !!!) or any of the top colourists are good.

http://www.calmbirthcalmbaby.com/baby-massage I went to a course with Sophie - she was brilliant. TBH the baby was less than bothered at the time, but having learned the techniques I was able to keep doing it at home and he definitely started to enjoy it the bigger he got.

Fitting Studio are brilliant, really recommend them.

Honestly.....you will be amazingly lucky if you can get a 3wk old in a proper napping routine :) It is about the time they 'wake-up' from their newborn state and start to get more interested in the world. I was a bit of a nap fanatic with my first one and spent forever stressing over her not napping/napping too short a time/too long etc. and it drove me mad. Eventually around 6-8 months she just seemed to get it and it started getting better and more regular, but even then there were bad days. I think what I am saying is don't stress, you are doing all the right things, be consistent and try and keep nap times similar every day - some days it will work and some days it won't. My 2nd (nearly 6 months) is a nap nightmare and all the things that worked for my 1st aren't working and I spent the first 4 months with him napping in a sling as it was the only thing that made him sleep in the day. He refuses most days to sleep for more than 40 mins in his cot, but I keep persevering and get the odd 1.5 hr one in. I don't know if you've read it, but I found an interesting book on the general topic of sleep was Solve your Child's Sleep Problems (I didn't like some bits, but it gives good general info on what to expect at each age) by Richard Ferber. Weissbluth's book on sleep also has some good background.

I highly recommend Amy Eddison - www.thedulwichtouch.co.uk . I found her when I was pregnant from recommendations on this site, but have carried on going to her since for my aches and pains. Of all the regular massage therapists I have had over the years she is definitely one of the best (and v reasonable too !).

I have had a dodgy back on and off for years. Just had no 2 (4 months ago) and I got to the point afterwards where I couldn't straighten myself up after sitting down without real pain and felt like an old lady. I have started doing vibration training, for exercise and it has had an incredible effect on my back without me even doing it for that reason. I think it is partly because it is making my core muscles stronger, but I also think it must be something to do with the vibrations. I have been going to High Vibe on Melbourne Grove, which is only for vibration training, but I think quite a few gyms have powerplate things these days.

Have you tried cranial osteopath for the nose issue ? My DS is just coming up for 15 weeks and had similar issues (it is these winter babies !) with the nose thing. I was constantly giving him drops etc. and he was quite unsettled in the night. I had a couple of visits with the osteo and things seem to have improved. He still isn't sleeping through, but I think that is genuine hunger rather than anything else. He generally goes from 10.30 to 4am, feeds and then back to sleep until about half 7.

My daughter (2.7) goes there and she loves it. I really liked it when I looked round and the staff are fantastic. There is good ratio of staff to children and it isn't as noisy & busy as some of the other places I looked at. I'm very pleased we found it because I know when I was looking, it didn't come up as one of the 'popular' ones in this area, which surprises me now I know it.

You are not alone. My 12 week old refuses to sleep in his cot for the 7-11 stretch so we have to take it in turns with the sling. When he finally does comply he is still waking up at least twice. Last night was 2am and 5am. He was breastfed until last week - have seen no difference in sleep by giving formula. In contrast my other one happily did 7-7 (with a dream feed) by 10 weeks....I don't think I've done anything differently, they are just different children and I know this time that it doesn't last forever :))

?9 an hour non agency. With agency paid cleaner ?7 (cash) an hour and them about ?90 a year.