new mum on the block

[itHER]

Hello

Erm not quite sure where to put my post. I have read quite a few of the threads but I didnt seem to fit anywhere. So I've started a new thread and hope someone will shout me in the right direction.

I am mum to a 5yr old, and we live in Middlesex area (sort of near west london but not) lol.

[Jendy]

Hi ither and everyone. I'm fairly new to site and have an 18mth. I live and work in Liverpool. I've been very lucky was told 12 years ago I would never have children. (it was suppose to be impossible). I work full time.

[chiara71]

Hello itHER

welcome, I've been using mumsnet for 8 months now, and it's become my only luxury!!

My only (for now) dd is 14 months old, I live in north london but I'm originally from Italy and I have just been made redundant so I am for the time being a SATHM but I'll be looking for a parttime job soon.
love

[lou33]

I mean there is nothing I like about the area I currently live in , and it will be hard to find something I'll miss!

[carrieboo]

Whoops sorry I ment lou33! what do you mean you can find anything?

[lou33]

Carrieboo you meant me I assume?! Yes I can't wait to leave Bedfordshire, i've been here 6 1/2 years and struggle to find anything i am going to be sad to leave, except my oldest child's prep school. We were supposed to be moving about now, but the house sellers decided to stay put so we are onto number two, making that sweet departure just a little bit further away!Still counting down the days though .

[jodee]

Ay Caramba! I've had a cat for years and been living in a flea-free zone, they have now taken up residence! Have today bought Frontline for said moggie and am just about to vacuum then spray every inch of floor with Indorex (you should see the size of the can!).
You are right Willow2, WW3 declared in my house.

[Willow2]

Bundle - you have to blitz the house from top to bottom with flea spray - wash bedding, spray sofas etc etc. The little xxxxxxxx get everywhere and their eggs can lie dormant for years - all out war, take no prisoners, is your only option. Over and out.

[carrieboo]

Lucy33 - you seem pleased to get out of Bedfordshire, am I making a mistake?

Bundle - the flea stuff you put on the cats necks (frontline) will work but will take 2 or three applications to get rid of the fleas completely. We use it but if we haven't done it for a while it takes two applications to sort it out. I think its because it's designed to be used every month, so a one off dose can't cope with them all.

[bundle]

philippat - lol, flea contraceptive!!! I can just imagine that fleas 'put it about a bit'!
I'll ask my vet about it..is it expensive?

[Philippat]

Have you tried Program? (for the fleas this is!). Injection every 6 months or stuff you put in food every month. You have to get it from the vet. It's basically a flea contraceptive, so takes a week or so for the cycle to work but I swear by it.

Just to be part of this thread! I'm mum to 9 month old dd, live in Wolverhampton, work 5 days a week, just about managing to share the childcare with dh who also somehow manages to put in a full time week but at odd hours...

[bundle]

thanks for that JanZ, Oxocube
the cats are virtually living outdoors at the moment, I think the problem is the few b***s who jumped off them on one of their forays into dd's room. I sprayed her room again yesterday and was petrified that the fumes would cause breathing problems, so kept her bedroom door open all evening - so she didn't get off to sleep until 10pm! I think my next big house project will be sanding the floorboards in the bedrooms & getting rid of the carpets like we have everywhere else in the flat

[JanZ]

Re fleas: our two cats get them occasionally. We've used Nuvan Stayban and Nuvan Staykill successfully (I think those are the right names). You have to ask for them at a pharmacist. The first one is a powder that you have to put on to the cats (that's the difficult bit! - especially trying to stop them grooming for a wee while!) - that is supposed to kill the current generation of fleas. The Staykill is a spray that you spray on to their bedding and anywhere else the cats tend to sit/sleep. That is supposed to kill both any fleas, plus - and more importantly - the eggs, to stop the cycle restarting. You're supposed to repeat the spraying every 8 or 12 weeks, but we've never had to bother - and it's years since we last had problems. Having said that, I have had a couple of bites recently - but haven't been able to find any telltale evidence on the cats - which is usually fairly easy as they are Siamese, so most of their fur, especially the roots, is white.

The other bit of advice I got years ago was that cat fleas are just that - cats are their preferred host. If they have a choice between a human and a cat, the cat will win every time!

So, Oxocube - it might be worth letting the cats upstairs for a wee while, to attract the fleas!

[oxocube]

Bundle, we have 4 cats who also have fleas at the mo and NOTHING is working. It drives me mad esp as they keep jumping onto the baby (9 months) and biting him. I know, its gross isn't it, but sorry, no solutions. I just keep ours (cats, not kids!!) out of the house as much as poss and ban them from upstairs but not easy

[JaneyT]

Hi itHER What a great idea, I started posting a few weeks ago, and should have introduced myself first !
I work 3 days, and have 2 daughters - 2 1/2 and 14 months, and live in Derbyshire also with dh and dog!

[Viv]

Azzie, thanks the New Forest is wonderful we love it (mind you I also love Cambridge).

Allatsea, I actually live in Lyndhurst and know Winchester well, I went to school at what is now Westgate school and my parents still live there. Have you always lived in Winchester?

[Tetley]

Hello!
I'm soon to be a SAHM - 4 weeks left at work (only part-time, so not too bad), with a son aged 21 months, and a 2nd due in October. I'm in West Yorkshire.

[bundle]

welcome itHER, I'm a mother of a 2 yr old girl, work 3 days a week as a journalist and live in north London. I'm married & we have 2 cats...who have fleas at the moment..any tips anyone? tried the stuff from the vets you dab onto the back of their necks, plus sprayed the carpets - we only have them in the bedrooms, but dd is still getting bitten and scratching like mad.

[allatsea]

Helloe, I have one dd, 6 months, live in Winchester - where abouts in the New Forest are you Viv? I'll be working 2 days a week from September

[Azzie]

Viv, what a lovely place to live.

I have one ds (nearly 5) and one dd (2.75 yo)who go to a local nursery (although ds starts at the village school in September). I work 4 days a week as a Project Manager and medical copywriter, and we live just outside Cambridge.

[Viv]

Welcome itHER, and everyone else, I work part time as an Accountant, 5 short days as dd starts school in September and live in the New Forest.

[WideWebWitch]

Enid, I live in Devon but I'm in London right now using ex DHs pc to log onto mumsnet, am complete addict!

[pob]

PamT thx for the info on lol. Load off my mind

[lou33]

Hello, another SAHM, I have 4 children, dd 10, dd 5, ds 3, ds 17 months. Living in Bedfordshire right now but off to Surrey in about a month (hoorah!!!!).