alieh

I had two ECV attempts. They didn't work for me, but apparently the chances are much higher if it is a subsequent pregnancy (it was my first). It was quite uncomfortable, but you can ask them to stop if it doesn't feel right. There is a woman at King's that is known for being good and gentle at ECVS - maybe Dr. Jain or something like that? Worth a try! I would think they would wait a bit longer as isn't there a chance that they might flip him/her now and then they flip back on their own accord? Did they say when they would do ECV?

Wow. I never would have guessed that would be the case. I'll be talking to my HR about this before I go on leave in Feb!

Too many to count! I have the baby monitor hidden in a black sock because I thought the miniscule light on the monitor might be contributing to my son waking at 4:45 am. I put his cot in a windowless bathroom for a week on holiday because I was afraid he would be up crazy early if he shared our not-pitch-black room....loads more. But the funniest one I've ever heard that still makes me laugh is someone who fashioned a fake arm out of some kind of stuffed cotton tube so that they could wrap it around their newborn to try to avoid him waking up every time they tried to put him down asleep!

I had this exactly, though I never connected it to breastfeeding in particular but maybe I should have? I had it down to prolonged sleep deprivation and that feeling that I was going to be woken up any minute so couldn't relax. To be honest, my son stopped breastfeeding at night at 8 months but still continued to wake on and off for a number of months and my insomnia problems persisted throughout this time even on the nights he slept through. I was still breastfeeding in the day so maybe it was a hormonal thing still though? Just a caution not to put all your hope on cutting out the nighttime breastfeeds just in case that doesn't solve it entirely. Is there any way you could wrangle one night away from the house? Sometimes just one decent night's sleep can break the pattern. Also earplugs worked well for me. My husband could still hear any peeps (but he falls back to sleep easily) but I was able to sleep through some of it, rather than bolting out of sleep at every sound. That doesn't really help if it is just getting back to sleep post-3 am feed though.... The other thought, which may seem stupid, is whether going to bed later for a few nights might help. If you're asleep by 9 pm, at 3 am you've already had 6 hours sleep so may find it harder to fall back to sleep again? Maybe if you went to bed at 11 for a few nights it would help get you past that 3 am hump a bit easier and break the pattern. A bit of a high risk strategy because if it doesn't work you'll be running on even less sleep but you never know!

Great tips. We have done lots of long haul travel and it is not fun when they're at this age but don't have a seat! One of the toys that worked really well for us (my son is a similar age) was a bucket of mini farm animals. I put them in a tin and he loved to take them all out, put them back in, name each animal, etc. I got a big bucket of them from Mothercare for ?4 I think.

Bee, it would be interesting too if you end up chatting with any Kenyan mothers with similar aged children to see what they eat. I am massively guessing, but I imagine the variety of diets there must be quite limited, lots of the same grains/pulses on repeat, etc. Might help to ease all of our minds that toddlers around the world grow and thrive with much more restricted diets than we have available here!

I tend to offer fruit and yoghurt at the end of every meal whether he's eaten well or not, so it's not a reward or the opposite...it's just that every meal has a main course, fruit and bit of yoghurt. In terms of the main course, I also choose things that are likely to go over well (so fairly limited menu!), give him some time to eat it, and calmly take it away when he appears done even if he's barely touched it. If he starts throwing food or dumping the plate, I assume he's done and take it away. On the rare occasions he actually wants to keep eating, he'll shout and I give him one more chance to eat it. I think an earlier dinner time, if possible, might help too. Mine has dinner at nursery at 4:00 or 4:30 (!) and then sometimes a little snack when he gets home (just a banana or cereal or a bit of cheese). The other thought is that is he still having milk/breastmilk in the afternoon? If he has a small appetite, this might be enough to put him off his supper? S doesn't really have milk during the day anymore, except for a bit in a cup before bedtime (his choice, I offer it in the morning and usually before nap though have started to give up because he never wants it). Not sure what the advice is re: milk for toddlers nearing two, but you could experiment and see if you avoid breastfeeding in the afternoon whether it helps his appetite at dinnertime. Good luck! It is amazing how well you are dealing with all of the challenges of being in Kenya with a toddler! It is hard enough here in East Dulwich!

Thanks everyone! apenn, the Horniman is probably easier for me if that's okay. I'll PM you too. nunheadmum, I'll let you know if I still need one. Thanks! Actually not Hallowe'en costumes but a boring project to finish curtains for my son's room. I figured since it has been on my to do list since he was in utero and he is now almost two, maybe I should get on it!

I completely forgot that my son's childminder is having a Hallowe'en party on Friday aft and I said we'd go. Really sorry! Sounds like there are others able to meet up, so go ahead and we can plan another one when I can join too. Alie

Does anyone have a fairly lightweight sewing machine (i.e. so that I could carry it home) that I could borrow for a week or so? Happy to proffer wine or chocolate in exchange! I'm on St. Aidans Road, so if there are any dusty sewing machines nearby that aren't being used, please let me know.

Thanks redjam! That's really helpful.

Well, we can keep in touch re: the ED-Canada migration! Helena, hope the childcare problems subside and your little boy starts to settle!

Major hi-jack....but what parts of Canada are you in/likely to be in? 90% likelihood we will go to Toronto. Tiny chance of Ottawa.

Sorry to hi-jack, but can I just ask those recommending Blossoms....what do people do about holiday cover as I understand Blossoms is term time only? Are there childminders and/or nannies that just work in the school holidays or do people that work year-round just not use Blossoms?

Hi helena, You've had lots of help already. I agree that it is important to understand whether it is the initial separation that is causing his upset (understandable, and I think manageable if within 5 minutes of you leaving he is happily playing!) or the overall environment. Maybe by being very up-front with the nursery about your concerns and really monitoring him over another couple of weeks you will be able to better assess. Very interested to hear that you've made the ED-Canada move! It is one we'll probably end up doing in the next couple of years too. Alie

Thanks again! Much appreciated. If anyone has a "live" one on the streets of ED, let me know!

That's really helpful, thanks! I don't have a car, so not as worried about having to fold up and down. The only issue is that I'm planning to store behind the house in a shed and might have to take the toddler seat on and off to get it in and out. Also, will want to be able to remove the toddler seat easily on the days that I'm just with one child or the other. Any thoughts on how much of a pain this will be?

Even that would be great, just to get a sense of the overall feel of it. I wonder why they're not more popular as so many people say they don't love the fact that the second seat on the Phil and Ted's is so low/tucked behind the other seat? They are pricey no doubt, but so are loads of buggies these days!

In the quest for the ultimate double buggy for a toddler and newborn, I have come across the ABC Adventure Buggies from New Zealand. These are the ones where the second seat is up by the handle like these: http://adventurebuggycompany.com/twinbuggy.htm (scroll down to the Single Adventure Buggy with Top Mounted ABC Reclining Newborn/Toddler Seat). I am seriously considering ordering one of these sight unseen from NZ, but would love to see one in person first. Does anyone have one of these or even any of the variations of the single buggy with toddler seat that I could take a look at?

I'm 20 weeks and have been having this, though for the first time tody I feel a bit better. I think I've actually been sick for a number of weeks and I finally gave in and got antibiotics and now a week on I am just starting to feel a bit more normal. For me, it was like a low-lying cold/flu for weeks (I just figured it was pregnancy tiredness and sniffles) which then turned ugly and evolved into a chest infection. Anemia is another thought. Hope you feel better soon.

That sounds really encouraging, Vickster. I'm going to choose to believe it and live in happy hope! I also hope that the second time around I won't be so weedy and affected by people being cruel to me on the wards, and will stand up for myself better. Though sleep deprivation, drugs, and feeling generally fragile can always reduce me to tears pretty easily.

I have heard that your hair is more absorbent or something when pregnant and that colour can take much more strongly than usual? Not sure if that's true, but a similar thing happened to me the last time I was pregnant and the golden highlights that are usually tinged with auburn came out bright orange! It was hideous. I would get it fixed. Really, it should be at their cost. Maybe they could run some lighter highlights through especially around your face?

Sounds great! I'll try to remember to post a reminder closer to the time to bump up the thread, in case there are others out there who might want to join.

BellendenBear, we're running the same schedule! We could do a park meet up on a Friday afternoon (any brave first-timers welcome to join too) and then maybe plan an evening coffee in a few months, once we all get closer to the finale. This Friday isn't great for me as I've been sick as a dog (cold not pregnancy related) and am still recovering. And next Friday we have our very belated MMR booster in the afternoon (fun), but the 29th October would be good. Anyone else?

I didn't complain. I wish I had. I could still describe the women to a tee - both the traumatic one and the wonderful one! But it seems far too late.