mumof3girlies

We flew ?easijet or was it ryanair when one of mine was about 8 weeks old and am sure was breastfeeding at one of the take offs/landings, I particularly remember flying with virgin when my middle child was just over 1 and having to feed her at take off as she was quite distressed, the cabin crew didn't bat an eyelid, I think they probably thought she was asleep. It definately soothes them at landing if they have pain in their ears, I mean what can they do? make you stop feeding and inflict a wailing baby on the rest of the passengers...The spiel on the website is probably just the oficial line. Have a great holiday!

Dear sysyp I just wanted to add what a brave post to share your experiences,your post brought me to tears, it sounds horrendous and you are very brave and sound like a wonderful mother. I have had experience working with families who have experienced DV and women who have fled from violent men, I now work with some of the agencies who support women experiencing DV and would second luluto about Bede House- they are an amazing organisation and very experienced - contact them tomorrow. What I also want to add, without frightening you, please make sure you are safe tonight and in the next few days, women are most risk when they leave their violent partners, so go somewhere safe or get someone to stay with you. Victim support is also a fantastic support for women experiencing DV, they have a scheme called the 'sanctuary scheme' where they can, I think for free, change locks and make your home extra secure, if you decide to stay in your home. You are doing the right thing, you are absolutely not to blame for his behaviour, only he is responsible for his actions. Good luck with your journey, I hope you get all the help and support you need. xxx

Amott Road, at the Adys Rd end, SE15, about 2 mins walk from Goose Green.

love our passat estate, loads of room, 3 seat belts in the back for car seats and heaps of space for camping trips etc., we have got a diesel and it's pretty economical to drive, very reliable too - no probs in the last 3 years we've had it...(she says touching wood)

Our two eldest girls are at St Johns, the eldest in year 4, we have always been really happy with the school, and most importantly for us they love going to school and are really happy there, I think they learn well because they are happy. I chose the school on the basis that the school had a lovely atmosphere and the children who showed us around in 2005 were lovely and polite. The head now does the school tours however. I have friends with kids in other local schools, Lyndhurst, Heber, Ivydale and I think talking to them the standards are pretty much the same, as for creativity St J now has a dedicated art wing/room opened a couple of years ago and also have recently employed in the last year or so an art teacher who does some beautiful art projects for the children, recently the year 4 children had a day out to Nunhead cemetery and commenced an extensive project on their inspiration at the cemetery (as their dad is an artist it's very important to us). I am particularly impressed with how much the school makes good use of London and everything on offer, there are at least 2 trips per term to places like the transport museum, British museum etc. One of the things I have been most relieved about St Johns is the care and friendships between the year groups, bullying is handled swiftly and efficiently and the children are really encouraged to be kind to each other. Definately go with your gut feeling, I think the distance to school is key - it means you will make friendships with local families too, we recently moved and had a real struggle finding a house near to school and be able to walk to school still, we eventually did and our girls love being near all their friends and I guess as they get older and start venturing out on their own more this will be even more important.. Good luck!!

Thank you Belle for your support and Helena HB you very succintly described what I also feel is wrong with the service, Fuschia I am not sure you read my second post where I addressed the issues of inconsistent advice and training, I didn't mention anything about staffing levels in my second post. I guess it's a bit like any profession - you get good staff and not so good staff, I have come across some awful solicitors while buying houses, awful GPs, terrible builders and some shocking estate agents to name but a few, but I wouldn't write off an entire profession as a bad job because of limited experience with one particular practitioner. East Dulwich is quite a small part of London/UK so I think it's hard to judge the entire health visiting profession on the basis of probably 5 HVs who cover the area. edited to add that I have just come across the other thread on HVs (I missed it - that house move and the building site)and it seems all of this has been discussed and done and pretty much duplicated there - bad experiences and good experiences, so I guess all done on the role of the HV now ...;-)

I really don't want to get into an extended exchange about the criticism of HVs etc etc (imminent house move and extensive renovation) but just want to respond to some comments - this is the first time I have commented on the many negative comments on HVs on EDF, haven't previously felt the need and I do accept that there are HVs out there who are quite old-fashioned/out of date but it is my profession and has been for 10 years and I do have professional pride so Moos please do excuse me for picking up on one comment which I found I felt was unfair, and I would say I was offering an alternative perspective rather than being defensive actually. I completely accept the criticism that a lot of HVs give conflicting advice and I too have found this as a mother, however the role of health visitor is incredibly broad - child development, public health, parenting, child protection and family support. I have worked in many areas of the NHS over the last 20 years, oncology, sexual health, HIV and midwifery and I can honestly say that it was much easier to become an 'expert' in a more specific subject area. I am merely reflecting on whether the role of the HV needs to be re-defined and I also really think that more consultation with families who use the the service would be crucial. I also wanted to add that HVs are all human and we all have a different range of experience and cannot give a uniform answer on every single topic we are questioned about, we do however follow the NICE guidelines on weaning, management of diarrhoea, and the baby friendly initiative guidelines for breastfeeding for example. On the subject of training - just wanted to clarify that training is offered on a wide variety of subjects but it is down to individual HVs to choose which training they attend and some don't see it as a priority and are quite resistant to learning about new practice and research. I guess I am coming from a place of being very aware that health visiting is a challenging job and HVs are visiting families who are on the fringes of society and often live in very deprived and sub-standard housing situations, I was assaulted by a group of 15 boys on an estate in the Elephant and Castle which ultimately led to me taking a job which is office based and more managerial. Not being defensive just illustrating where my motivation lies for contributing to the thread..:). edited for typos

Having worked as a HV in Southwark and now work in child protection/children's services in Southwark I am acutely aware that the health visitors in East Dulwich are absolutely snowed under - mainly with new babies and an average caseload of a health visitor in ED has up to 25 new babies born a week - you can imagine it's like fighting fire, the demographic in ED has changed so much in the last 10 years, services are struggling to keep up with the extremely high numbers of babies being born - the issue of primary school places is testimony to that. I am not sure Buggie that making comments like "HVs are generally rubbish" is very constructive, especially from someone who is a nurse and works in the NHS, we are all up against it in the current NHS climate where there is no funding and posts are being cut on a daily basis. But on the subject of the validity of the 2 yr check I would recommend that if you have no concerns about your child, particularly their speech, it's not the end of the world to miss it but if you have any concerns at all about their speech/development/growth definately chase it up with your HV. However it is worth bearing in mind that many HVs due to staffing shortages have to prioritise to only doing 2 yr checks for families with child protection concerns, so are unable to offer routine checks to otherwise 'normal' families, not ideal but that is the current situation and not that they need a kick up the ar*e as previously speculated. Most HVs are working with caseloads of up to 700 families - quite a feat on 37 hours a week of work! I would encourage writing to the PCT and to PALS if you are unhappy with the HV service as this is the only way 'management' will finally realise that you cannot run an adequate service with so little staff.

I heard it is due to open on 31st Mar but they didn't look very ready this morning! (maybe put a rush on later this afternoon)

posted in wrong place- oops

another vote for maclaren quest - light but also reclines enough for small baby to sleep comfortably....

I second all the comments everbody has made regarding your baby - she is still tiny and adjusting to the world, I just wanted to add the only book I read and found interesting and helpful was Desmond Morris 'Babywatching', it is a beautiful book, very factual about what newborns like, don't like and how the world seems from their perspective and charmingly non-judgemental and absent of any advice or do's or don'ts - it's in Southwark Libraries. Good luck - just enjoy this incredibly special time.:)

All our children have had pale poos after tummybugs - it's to do with the bile they often vomit whilst ill and this effects the colour of poos, but I would say the time frame is more like within a week - 10 days, not a month. I recommend going back to your GP and badgering them that you are not happy with whats going on/care so far. I work within the NHS and sadly you do have to keep going back until you're satisfied with the result. Good luck x

It is really hard to tell what is really happening with the property market - we sold our house in Bellenden rd area- last June, then our proposed purchase fell through and have been in rented accom since last sept trying to find something suitable in ED/Bellenden rd/Goose Green but have really struggled to find something we like - have settled for a house that ticks all the boxes but the garden could be bigger, anyway I think agents are doing an awful lot of talking up the market - saying that proces have rallied etc etc, I have even seen asking prices have an extra 25k added even though the property has been on market for 5/6 months, if we liked taking risks we would sit it out for a few more months in rented to see if things do fall but there is no guarantee they will, I think property is selling but nothing near asking prices, although there is the odd story about sealed bids and bidding wars - but very rare.

Sorry - no, it was quite a few years ago but broad daylight and walking down Choumert Grove just on from Peckham Rye Station. I remember feeling threatened and somewhat tarnished by the experience. I also recall a dear friend being exposed to on an empty tube carriage, she was deeply traumatised as she believed she was about to be attacked or similar, I also recall she was quite upset by many of her friends reaction to the event - comments such as 'oh come on - I'm sure you've seen an erect penis before' generally people thought she was making a fuss about nothing...

might be in the catchment area for Villa Street or East Street practices - both excellent surgeries - heard good things about both and know one of the GPs from East street who is fantastic.

Thank you Louisiana for sharing your experience - which must have been terrifying as a small child, I too found the jovial tone of this thread about flashers disturbing. I have also read that flashers often escalate their offences to approaching and sexually assaulting children and adults, and laughing at flashers can often expedite this. I was exposed to at 3pm while walking with my baby daughter - a very unpleasant and unsettling experience and not in the least bit funny.

Hema at Townley Road Dental Practice is lovely, I am a bit dentist-phobic after a brutal wisdom teeth extraction under local anaesthetic, but she was great with me and my daughters.

So we are at the end of our tether - our youngest, who is 22 months old still wakes up most nights and has done since her birth- I can count on one hand how many times she's slept through in her life...and to complicate matters as soon as she could stand up in her cot (about 8 months) she bangs her head hard on the sides of her cot, so of course we have always gone to her and got her out. We have tried padding up the sides of the cot with endless layers of cot bumpers, blankets etc. but she still manages a good thump regardless, it also seems she does the head banging as a form of self soothing as often she starts head banging before she starts crying! After just wishing and hoping she will just suddenly start sleeping, we now realise it is a really terrible sleep disorder and having a impact on all our lives, so we have decided to get professional help - private or NHS and wondered if anybody else has had a good and effective sleep disorder help. Please be kind - 22 months of sleep deprivation renders you very sensitive to any criticism or 'unhelpful' advice. Thank you

Bunny found on lordship lane (Weds), on pavement outside convenience store on corner of East Dulwich Grove, initially thought it was my daughter's who has the exact same bunny, but turns out her bunny home safe and well. It is a 'jellycat' bunny, please PM me if you have lost him/her, you can pick up from my house which is literally 5 mins from where bunny was found. Hope bunny finds rightful owner! (deliberated about whether to leave bunny there on street but the day I found it the weather was awful, so thought it better to bring home and keep safe...)

'Sophie and the new baby' is a lovely book - in particular a book about a baby due in winter too, older sister who struggles with having a new baby but very sweetly grows to love her little baby brother - brings a tear to my eye now! we read it to our eldest when our 2nd child was actually about 6 months old but was still really pertinent, I think the settling down to having a sibling takes a while. I think the author is Catherine Arnold, I got it in Chener books but I reckon they or Review on Bellenden road could order it in - or amazon. Good luck!

I have washed sheepskins - buggy ones and the ones babies lie on the floor on, with soap flakes or you could also use 'woolite' hand wash detergent, and then a very light spin in the machine and then dried on the washing line. They came out fine and to get them looking like new, brushed them with a hairbrush when dry. I think I was brave enough to hand wash them because the buggy sheepskin I have advised handwashing with non-bio detergent. Hope that helps. p.s AJ Farmers on Lordship Lane will have soap flakes and/or Woolite!

I started using from birth with no. 1 (crazy) and then at about 4 weeks with no. 2 and I think 2 weeks with no. 3. I found that the pooing slows down at about 6-8 weeks and settles to about 1-2 times a day. I used pre-folds for the first 2 babies but on recommendation by a friend I tried tots bots shaped nappies and was amazed and wished I had used them with the other 2. My youngest was still exclusively breastfed when I switched from prefolds to tots bots, so was doing regular runny poos, but whereas the pre-folds always leaked onto the wrap, the tots bots never did. I used my real nappy voucher to buy about 8 tots bots - 4 are bamboozle and 4 are something like that but dry quicker, it was the best investment ever because she is still in them and is now 18 months old. I also picked up some baby beehinds which are also shaped nappys made out of organic hemp(I think?). I was surprised too how slimline they are for washable nappies and I can easily get trousers on my daughter. I think you can use pretty much any wrap to cover the nappy, I have some pro-rap and also some thirsties (come in great colours and are super hard wearing). I would just start trying them, once you get going you get into a routine and it's very satisfying taking a whole load out of the machine and hanging them out - in the winter I dry them on the radiator or on a clothes horse. I love saving the money from using washables and I really resent having to buy disposables when we go away etc. even the green ones...!

Just wondered if anyone had seen my daughter's shoe up on a railing or wall - it is size 4 raspberry pink sneaker with 2 velcro staps, not sure if lost at home or out but have turned house upside down and no sign of it! thanks all

Hi there Susan I have pm'd you - I have a maternity cossie from mothercare - black and white, good condition used only for one pregnancy. Can dig it out...