SJK

Hello, I hope you're all well - all the suggestions for Saturday sound good. I'm free from 11am for coffee. Andersons sounds great as does Peckham Refereshment rooms! Those breakfast ideas such as Lerryns sound good too but maybe we should treat ourselves to that when we're sleep-deprived with new little ones! So, 11am, just a case of where... X

Hi, exciting to hear more people are joining! I just wondered if anyone fancied another coffee at the Victoria. Or - pushing the boat out - we could do breakfast at franklins one Saturday morning. They do a lovely and reasonable breakfast from 10am. (Of course this is likely to be my second breakfast of the day as food is currently my best friend!). If that's a bit out of the way for people, no problem at all. The Victoria has served us well so we could pop back there for hot chocolates and so on. Would November 15 suit anyone else? I feel like I should make the most of going out before arrival of child 2! Speak soon Sophie X

Hi there, I'm really sorry but I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. I've been really run down for a couple of days (iron low maybe?) and have no energy. It's going to be a quiet night in for me. Boo! But I will be at the next meet up and hope anyone going tonight has fun. Sophie x

Hi AnyaJoeli, I'm really concerned about how to introduce baby to toddler. At the moment toddler (2.5 yrs) is very good at telling daddy: Mummy has a baby in her tummy, but beyond that i think it's going to be a HUGE shock to her. She also cries for me in the night and has been rather clingy since moving rooms at nursery. I may actually buy her a toy baby and cot and so on and try to do a bit of role play. (Does that sound bonkers!) I'm still free to meet on Saturday night. Gotta make the most of the time without bubba! So if the group is still keen, really happy to go with the plan of pizza/ drinks at Actress. I hope everyone is well. I heard one of my colleagues describing me to someone else as: 'Absolutely huge' yesterday. Made me chuckle! x

Lovely to see other mums to be joining. I can make both dates, and I'm happy to attend both too. ps. Yesterday I discovered nub theory is in fact true in my case. They told me at 12 weeks I was having another girl, and yes I am! x

Hi there, I hope everyone is well. I thought I'd write as there are a few more people joining up and it would be lovely to have another meet-up. I know it's tricky for some to do in the week because of work commitments, so what about a weekend again? I'm trying to scroll back over the thread as I know some had holidays and so on booked in. I think the dates below are free, but I may well stand corrected. We could do: Saturday 11 October for morning coffee (I will probably need to bring toddler). OR: Saturday 18 October - we go crazy and have a Saturday night meet up in The Actress ( I will most definitely be leaving toddler at home ;-)) They do a mean pizza so we could treat ourselves! (And I am persistently starving so this is all good!) Does anyone fancy either of these, or both? Sophie x

Hi there, I'd really love to join an evening event but have wedding anniversary and birthday on 25/ 27 Sep respectively! However could do the next week - Thurs 2nd or Sat 4th Oct? x

Hi there, I agree. It was lovely to meet new people on Saturday. I rushed home to tell my husband that actually the 'nub theory' holds much more promise than I originally thought! I'd be keen to meet again, but as i work full time an evening or weekend is best for me. Maybe we could arrange a pizza night at the actress? Or a quick dinner at The Victoria again one evening. I hope everyone is well. speak soon SJK.

I hope to make it! Husband has had to go to work emergency and toddler bit cold-y and cry-ey so not a good start to the day at SJK towers unfortunately! But fingers crossed I will get there. X

Hello! I've been trying to think of a place to meet on Saturday which could accommodate toddlers and mums. The only place I can come up with is The Duck Egg cafe on Northcross Road. It's not ideal as it doesn't have lots of floor space but it does have lots of tables where we could possibly get a drink, chat and distract toddler with snacks/ toys? Eek. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Hi all, I have just realised it's going be tricky for me to meet on 5th September. Hmmm, I wondered whether anyone would like to meet for a coffee one Saturday morning, perhaps Saturday 6th September. I might try to see if husband will mind toddler for a couple of hours so I can have a chat, but if not I'll bring her with me. We could choose child-friendly venue for anyone else bringing little'uns. By then we might have a few more winter babies joining and some first time mums too. X

Annoyingly I work full time (I'm hoping I can reduce my daughter's nursery days without jeopardising her place once I'm on maternity leave - for cost reasons and the fact I miss her!) so weekends and evenings are easiest for meeting up. But I do have a day off on Friday 5th September if Fridays are good for others to meet.

Hello Addie, I'm also (already) losing sleep over how to cope with a vibrant toddler by day and a newborn by night! There seem to be a good group of us already on this post, and all second timers too. Does anyone currently have their first child in nursery or childcare? Do you think you will continue that when on maternity leave? I hope we can but maternity pay not looking that promising! ps. Is it too early to arrange a meet up for a group coffee/ non-alcoholic beverage? SJK.

mrcee - the link you've put up is the exact thing we're after! I think it would be reassuring to hear from someone who's done a similar side return and loft extension, who could confirm that total cost was actually ?xxx amount. It seems a daunting prospect to set out on this build without knowing what the final figure will be, and only have an estimate. eek!

Hello, I know this is a tricky one to answer but would anyone know the ball park figure for a side return and loft extension? SR is going to be about 25 square meters when finished - and only going out to side of house. Loft will create two bedrooms and shower room. I'm asking as we've had quotes from ?90k to ?175k, and I'd be interested to know which end of that scale is most realistic. Thank you

Hello! I'm expecting a second baby on Feb 3rd and would love to meet other mums to be. I joined a group when I was expecting my daughter and made some lovely friends (and found a lot of excuses to go out for cake pre-baby arrival and to the pub post-baby arrival!) SJK

Yes sorry to add but we have had a terrible time with the DMC - have had to queue up twice in the morning to get an appointment for my baby with chicken pox. Finally got one only to witness an actual slagging match in the surgery by patients complaining they needed to be seen. I've had a recurrent ear infection for a month and have had to take so much time off work. Made an appointment to see a doctr but have a 3 week wait now! They say they know it's urgent but can't do anything. I asked for a phone appt with a doctor two weeks ago and still have had no response. Oh. - and after waiting a week for a repeat prescription. - and going in twice to ask for it - finally got it, took it to the chemist and it's totally the wrong thing!! Worrying!

Thank you Gumboots Dad - that is so lovely to hear. It really is a wonderful place, with lovely people, so I know she will settle. It's just a case of preparing us all for the duration. Nabz, I was on the waiting list almost two years. I do know friends who applied for Gumboots but were also unable to get on the list. Good luck with whatever childcare you go for!

Hi, my little one has just started at Gumboots baby room. I wondered if there were any other mums whose little one has gone through the settling in process? Obviously the separation came as a bit of a shock to us both! The nursery staff seem so caring that I am sure they will have my daughter settled. But I'd love to hear from any mum who has been through it and can say how long it will take for her to feel a bit happier. Many thanks

V

The spring babies group meets up every Tuesday - pm me if you would like details. We do talk about nappies but have also been known to hit the pubs of ED to discuss the rest of the world!

Thank you for your kind and considered responses. I was trying to be all 'macho' about putting mini sjk in nursery and I guess I now feel rather sad about it. I think advice about a settling in period is a very good idea and I will definitely explore this. If anyone does have a young'un at mother goose I'd definitely like to hear how they settled in and are getting on. Thank you again kind ladies!

Now it's coming to the crunch of signing up my baby to nursery - she will be 9 months when she starts - I'm suddenly feeling really scared. Do all mums go through this terrible fear and doubt about whether we are doing the right thing? Does it get easier? My daughter is very clingy, hates strangers and even cries when grandparents visit. I feel terrible about inflicting nursery on her but I have to go bak to work for financial reasons. We are hoping to get her into mother goose greeendale fields. Does anyone have a baby there and can reassure me it WILl be ok? Thank you for any replies.

Thumbs up to the Cherry Tree. We went for the opening night and it was lovely. Good priced selection of wines, they were offering tasters of the menu which were gorgeous - and a really nice atmosphere to boot. We liked it. We will be back soon!

Im sorry I didn't make the meet up this morning. Drinks sounds great and I can do both 4th and 11th so count me in! Sophie x