RozeePozee

That's because they seasonal ones haven't started yet and I've not been informed of any start dates. They usually start March/April as PP said. I've just been notified of a new indoor one that's all year round in Rotherham. It's on Saturday -see first post.

Do you have start dates? Coulda sworn they started in ?late March last year - and remember they were incredibly cold and not very busy.

I'm with Jim on this one! It's incomprehensibly depressing. Full of tat. And more tat....

Happy New Year, Jim. A bit sad, but I am getting impatient for the season to start again!

See first post

Ahh, fond memories of the Casbah. Not been there for a long while - 3 kids put paid to my clubbing nights. Glad it's not closing though. It has personality

I don't know of any that "start up" then. Only the ones that run all year, weather permitting (see first post). Most of the seasonal ones start up in March sometime.

Beth, I would say that the problem of introducing bottles, and the freedom this gives, is the main disadvantage of breastfeeding. Although when I would have found time to express and then put this expressed milk into two babies is questionable anyway! If I had my time again, I'd definately introduce a bottle early on and give some expressed milk in it once a day so that, when I needed to, the baby could be left with a carer. However, I didn't and one wasn't keen on a bottle and the other refused point blank . When all else failed with the twin who refused a bottle, I found she would take an NUK bottle. They have teats that are very similar to a nipple. You can buy them in Boots. Once they got to about 5 or 6 months, I immediately introduced an NUK sippy cup (they are free flowing and have a silicon teat so are soft - buy them online) giving them cooled boiled water in it. This was a godsend when one twin went on a nursing strike because she was teething and refused to breastfeed for 3 days - she would take expressed milk in the sippy cup, so I could get some nourishment into her.

I breastfed my first for 18 months and am now exclusively breastfeeding 8 month old twins. It's hard at first. I had sore, cracked nipples. I'd say it takes a few weeks for both mother and baby to learn how to do it properly. In my experience, key factors for successful breastfeeding are educating yourself pre-birth (I love the kellymom website and there are a load of books and Internet resource sites out there), having the right support, preferably all round from health professionals, family and friends, having contact details of people to call in a crisis (e.g. NCT have a telephone support line) and wanting to breastfeed. When the twins were first born I was feeding them every half hour, 12 hours a day. Admittedly an extreme situation but very tough. The MW wanted me to "top up" with formula and I refused knowing that breastfeeding works on a supply and demand basis, the more the baby sucks, the more milk the mother produces. In the middle of the night, alone feeding two tiny babies, I would repeat the mantra "formula doesn't exist in my world". Sounds pretty crazy now, but it worked. I would say that after the first six weeks or so with my first child and 12 weeks with the twins, bf was definitely easier. Having had such a tough time this time, I would never judge someone for not breastfeeding. However, I do take issue with those who say formula is nearly as good. Every single piece of research shows that formula is disadvantageous to both mother and child. If this were not the case, the formula companies would be screaming this at us. They don't because they can't. Although they try their best with their advertising doublespeak. What the hell does "Closer to breastmilk" mean, anyway? http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/07/376647.html

I've found it heart warming to read that people are as tight as I am and won't let themselves be ripped off by over priced entertainments just because it's the six week run up to Christmas (I don't do debt either )

Ebay is awash with them. I picked one up for 99p!

I have to agree

Thanks - you can tell I'm not a shopper, can't you?

My son is having a Dr Who themed birthday party tomorrow and dressing as Dr Who. He's got the suit but I've just been informed that the new Doctor wears a bow tie, not a regular one. Does anyone know where I can buy one today?!!!!

NCT Sheffield West have just started exactly this. They have a Facebook page and are planning to meet monthly for walks. I know OP knows about this so just letting any others posters who may be interested know too. Reckon I might be up for a walk or two.

It's a bit of a desert on the local car boot front and I really can't face driving 3 small children too far, so which are the best local ones in Winter? I went to Chesterfield last Sunday and it was ok but there are far too many traders selling over priced, over used goods for my liking.

Thanks

Does anyone know if Paces is on this weekend and whether Bowshaw has finished for the season please?

Oldcotes address is Blyth Rd, Oldcotes, WORKSOP, NOTTS S81 8JE 01909 591008 on the A634 apparently (I've never been, just Googled http://www.google.co.uk/m/place?oe=UTF-8&client=safari&q=oldcotes+car+boot&hl=en&latlng=8557533767344642114&cid=8557533767344642114&bl=/m/search?oe%3DUTF-8%26client%3Dsafari%26q%3Doldcotes%2Bcar%2Bboot%26hl%3Den&ei=FNLJTLjyNY2SjAeln4GMAw&ved=0CBEQnQIwAA)

I am not Tory party supporter by any means but has everyone lost their sense of humour? He wasn't attending a council meeting - it was a fancy dress party

This was my quote moment ago on the car boot megathread about Mansfield Car Boot sale but it seems equally apt here. I wonder if there is a connection? Now I come to think of it, many of the people there looked like extras from JK....

I find it horribly depressing

Maybe the parenting group could organize a sub-group. there seems to be plenty of interest. On the outdoor(ish) theme, there is a parent and toddler group (don't know how formally organized it is, I just know some of my friends go) who meet at the climbing wall on either Tuesdays or Thursday (not sure which) from 12 til 2. I'm sure my mate said it's only £2.50. Sorry to be vague about the details. I can get more specific and ask her again if there's any interest.

It's hard work with 3 little ones but not that much harder than when we're at home! The frustrating thing is all the paraphenalia we seem to end up with - how does anyone manage it pared down? What with car seats, prams (double buggies, massive!), travel cots, bedding... we needed a campervan just to fit all the gear in!!! There are a couple of good travel cots for travelling but not reallly for the bigger toddler. I've got one of the samsonite ones http://www.mothercare.com/gp/search/ref=sr?field-keywords=N2396&&CMP=AFC-BA and little life do a coule of sizes, http://www.littlelife.co.uk/html/travel_cots/arc-3-travel-cot.html and http://www.littlelife.co.uk/html/travel_cots/arc-2-travel-cot.html one which my friends used to drape a piece of balck out blind over the top of so that their baby wouldn't wake up too early in the mornng - a perrenial problem when camping with children.

Very frustrating. There have been a few car boot debacles this season. Maybe we should introduce a black list to the first post for bad customer service? Twin Oaks was pretty rubbish. Teeming with dealers and the weather appalling but my son got a Thunderbird2, so he's happy! Nice bacon buttie though.