BellendenBear

H&M breast feeding vests are good particularly in cooler weather. I just wear them under a normal top so much cheaper than buying lots of BF tops but minimise flesh exposure. I'm not too worried about getting my boobs out but quite self-conscious about the belly! I have never had any negative reactions in London but have felt less comfortable when on holiday in other parts of UK, no negative comments but some funny looks.

Thanks for the advice and support. I had already started antibiotics when I started the thread and am feeling much better today. I saw my GP this morning who extended the antiBs for another week. I wasn't planning to reduce BFing until the mastitis had cleared but wondered whether it might help to prevent future episodes if I reduced gradually when things return to 'normal'. Fuschia, your tips about feeding lots at bedtime are good. They have recently started to sleep for much longer stretches over night and this combined with giving one of them a formula dream feed instead of BF has no doubt contributed to my recent problems. Good to know that things got better for you after a couple of months. Dontpanic, I am certainly eating for 3! Definitely 2 breakfasts and lots of oatcakes, nuts etc between meals. Sometimes after Mr BB makes dinner or lunch (he's not known for his portion controlling) I have to go and make a cheese sandwich for dessert!

There was a thread about this in the general ED section a few weeks ago.

I know there have been previous mastitis threads but I was still hoping for some Forum advice. I have 8 week old twins who were exclusively breast fed for the first 5 weeks. During that time I had lots of painful blocked ducts and an episode of mastitis which completely wiped me out but thankfully improved with anti-biotics. I BF my older 2 singletons without any real problems apart from occasional blocked ducts which easily cleared with heat, massage etc. At 5 weeks I introduced a bottle of formula each per day partly because the relentless feeding made it difficult to go anywhere and look after my older girls, and partly because I hoped that by gradually reducing my milk supply I could avoid more blockages and mastitis. They now also take it in turns to have a formula dream feed so are probably 75% breast fed. I am still getting recurrent blocked ducts which I struggle to clear, a blocked nipple pore (really painful) and now mastitis again with fever and feeling really unwell and unable to function. I really want to continue BFing but can not cope with the mastitis. Today I have been sweaty and shivery, and have spent most of the day lying on the sofa. Luckily my mum is here so she has looked after the babies and all I have had to do is feed them. Most of the time though I am home alone with the twins and on somedays have my 2 year old too. I have been in email contact with a TAMBA breast feeding advisor but was only advised to do what I am already doing - hot showers, massage, expressing, encouraging feeding etc. Does anyone have any top tips for avoiding recurrent mastitis? Particularly anyone who has fed twins. I was thinking of reducing the BFing to half when the current episode clears so effectively I would be producing the same amount of milk as for one baby. Any tips?

Superdrug and Boots own brand nappies are also pretty good. Can you still get Huggies? I also use wraps over disposables to catch any leaks. Reusable nappies are generally much better than disposables if you can keep up with the washing.

No, you can miss as many as you want. Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > can I ask - those who's children do a Saturday > class, do they mind or is it a problem if you miss > a class? Theatre Peckham would be good for us, but > what with family visits and other things, I can't > see us not missing the odd class here or there.

Theatre Peckham do classes for age 3 and up on Saturday mornings. He would probably like their musical theatre class which is singing and dancing and has a mix of girls and boys.

Running a bit late so will be more like 12 for us. Hope to see some of you there x

Are we sticking with Mondays? Is anyone around tomorrow?

The best ones I have found are 'hippy chick'. Quite expensive but keep the mattress completely dry and don't feel at all plasticky. The disposable ones are quite pricey and get a bit hot and sweaty. Cheaper protectors such as the ones from ikea tend to leak. We don't have duvet protector. Just have spare cheap duvets which wash and dry easily.

Sounds like they could be fungus flies rather than fruit flies. Do you have lots of house plants? We had loads of them a couple of months ago. We put all the kitchen plants outside for a while and the problem quickly solved. If you google fungus flies / gnats there is lots of advice on how to clear them.

Monday ok for us too.

I called them a few weeks ago to ask about uniform. Sounds like they are pretty relaxed but really like them to wear the school sweatshirt and have school book bag. Apart from that you can get shirts, trousers, skirts etc from anywhere as long as in right colours - white top and navy bottoms if possible (black or grey if you struggle to find navy).

My twins finally made their appearance early this morning. Boy at 5am followed by sister at 5.45am. All going well so far. Good luck to everyone waiting to give birth in this heat, you have my sympathy.

Thanks Yak, should have known to ask you first! I only need left. I'll pm x

I have got carpal tunnel syndrome in the late stages of twin pregnancy. It is really painful and is making sleep impossible. Does anyone know where I can buy a wrist splint from? They are available on-line and I could get via physio, but I don't want to wait. Babies already overdue and I am desperate for some sleep before they finally make their appearance. Thanks.

Another vote for montenegro or croatia. We were there for 2 weeks at the end of last September with a then 18 month old and 3.5 year old. We flew to Dubrovnik then drove to Kotor bay in Montenegro for the first week. Not a high rise in sight, mostly pebbley beaches around the bay but you can drive to sandy ones. For the second week we went back to Dubrovnik and went by ferry to a tiny island called Lopud which is about an hour away. It was beautiful, really peaceful, no cars on the island and sandy beaches. We flew with Monarch and booked apartments via Owners Direct. The weather was perfect.

Does anyone know if Myatts Fields is back on?

What time tomorrow? I will try and waddle along. Outside the cafe sounds good, we could wander up to the dog-free picnic bit, I think that's the Arboretum (sign posted).

Maclarens are great but not so good for pushing with one hand which is one of the things the OP requested. They do tick every other box though.

Another vote for 'Mummy laid an egg'. I love it! Not sure how much of it my 4 year old has taken in. She was much more interested in sea slug reproduction - they each have a willy, the willy breaks off inside the other and then they grow a new one.

Congratulations to everyone who has had their baby / babies. I didn't make it out last night as I was waiting for delivery of bunk beds all afternoon. Finally arrived at 9.45pm! I am now on Mat leave. Hooray! Is anyone around next week for coffee? Tues-Weds or Thurs afternoon best for me as I am child-free.

If you look on Lasacal's website it lists all the buggies their board can be used with and gives a rating of how compatible they are. Also shows how they attach. You can use a buggy board with a mini city double so you should be fine with a single. We used a board on the back of a maclaren quest for about 18 months. It's not ideal as you bash your shins from time to time and the weight distribution just isn't right, but you get used to it and the advantages of a small light buggy over a double wins every time for me. Also your 3 year old will probably only be on there intermittently so definitely better to have a small single with board than a clumsy double with an empty seat half the time.

Thanks everyone for the replies. kamath - I think we were 5th on the list a week or so after places were allocated in April. We seem to have stayed around 5th/6th since then although I have only been checking every 3-4 weeks. Yes, we are very lucky, we were originally given our 4th choice and now have our first. I loved Bessemer when I looked round, just starting to think about the practicalities of it all. Good luck.

We have just been offered and accepted a place at Bessemer Grange. I am now thinking about the logistics of getting there. Does anyone know of any shortcuts? I'm thinking of ways of cutting through from Sainsburys / DKH or from Champion Hill. Thanks