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Pregnancy and Parenting after Infertility - Dorset - Part 4

127K views 959 replies 35 participants last post by  Tweenie 
#1 ·
Hey girls, could we start up a THINGS TO DO WITH BABIES IN DORSET thread? It would be really useful to know where people go for swimming, soft play areas, etc. I don't know where to go for any of these things. Those of you with older siblings perhaps you could add your thoughts? It would be great to hear about baby friendly restaurants or cafes, or even where the great parks are for kids.

The only place i've had experience of so far is Crazy Monsters: http://www.crazymonsters.co.uk/ a soft play area for 6 months to 10 years. Very clean and friendly. There is an exclusive area for small children under 4 yrs with its own slide and ball pit, and vast area for everyone else! It's based at Blandford Forum. Costs 75p for 6 month - 1 year, then £2.99 for over 1s. Easy to find.

Wendeth

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#2 ·
Good Idea Wendy,

I have not been yet but I no most of my antenatal girls go there every week Zooma in christchurch, in bargates reasonably priced and very clean and tidy.

Also I have started to take Peanut to spring jump at littledown cost £4 per go but you can just turn up and pay and plan and don't need to pay for a full term in advance. Fantastic fun for older ones lots of room to play and they also have a bouncy castle. Facilities are good at the littledown with a nice cafe and swimming.

JHB
 
#3 ·
I've been to the adventure wonderland a couple of times. During winter its only £1 to get in. There is a small baby/toddler part and when I went last week, I took Duggie around the childrens climbing stuff as there weren't many people there. It has a cafe area and highchairs. Its a little bit grubby in places but I thought it was a good place for an hour for something to do or meet other mums for coffee.


Bibi xx
 
#4 ·
#5 ·
Play Place Southborne is fab also!
 
#6 ·
RINGWOOD LEISURE CENTRE: has 4-storey purpose built soft play area called the PlaySite, £2.50 per child, discount for twins, only £4.50 for the two. Age 2 months to 10 years. No separate area for small ones and no cafe.
http://www.newforest.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3219

Thanks for the input Eli-

** THE PLAY PLACE : http://www.theplayplace.co.uk/ 11 Parkwood Lane, Southbourne, BH5 2BD
Under 6 months FREE, up to 1 year £1, 13months - 23 months £2.95, 2 - 5 years £3.95 (for 90 mins of play).
Indoor soft play area and cafe.

** Just went to the Play Place today, 8th Feb. It is a friendly small & fun softplay area for the children, with yummy cakes and tea and your own table for you. It is best to book a table before you go as it has a limited capacity. when all the tables are full, you can't get in. Tuesdays are the only day when you can turn up without having booked a table, but other days you run the risk of not being able to get in cos it's full. It is a clean and safe environment so you can sit and have a cuppa while still closely watching your toddler run mad. Parking is just by Little People in Soutbourne, cross over Seabourne Road and go left. You'll see an alleyway and it's down here. Buggies can be parked at the bottom of the building and babies then carried upstairs where the cafe/playarea is.

/links
 
#7 ·
Eli - That looks great. Never knew it existed and it is only a few minutes from my parents so great to go to after visiting them. Thanks.

Wendeth - really useful post thanks!

Sx
 
#8 ·
It is great, we've had lots of fun there many times x
 
#9 ·
Just seen this Wendeth, great idea!

Bee a bug in Westbourne is another place to add to the list. It has a cafe too and lots of high chairs. There's a fairly small baby area but you can can go on the bigger play area with your little ones. JHB has arranged a meet there on Feb 28th on another thread.

xx
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
Sea Life Centre currently has an offer on mainly sutable for those with older children as I think under 2 yrs go free anyway (worth checking that as long time since my DS was that age) - although adult ticket is still a bargain.  Collect 4 tokens plus application form from the Dorset Echo this week and you can get a yearly pass for all Sea Life centres for £12 adult and £10 children.  Weymouth Sealife has giant turtles, penguins, seals, sharks etc plus splash zone and free rides. Great day out. Back issues are availble from echo office but passes have to be collected in person next week (also need passport sized photo).
 
#12 ·
Monkey Business - Tower Park (in what used to be The Venue Nightclub)
Free parking. Cafe. Play area for little ones and a sensory area. Little ones can also use other play areas with a grown up. Comfy sofa's to sit on if you're not eating. Small lift for buggys.
Unsure of prices, but when Kara was under 1 she was free and I was £1. Now I think it's £2.95 for as long as we like.
 
#13 ·
Also Ollies Playground. Poole Dolphin Centre (above the bus station). Cafe. Segregated area for small ones. Stay and play as long as you like. Haven't taken Kara, but used to take my friend's children. No idea on prices (and am on mobile so difficult to check)
 
#14 ·
#15 ·
New home ladies.


Cath x
 
#16 ·
first yeah!

we should be able to do the 5th. Lunchtimeish is better for me so can walk dog in the morning  :)  xx
 
#17 ·
Hello all!

I don't know who asked this - just saw Tracey's reply. But I am a papoose fetishist - I've tried most of them.

If you're going to do it a lot and want to enjoy it, get a Wilkinet - they're fab. Designed by an osteopath and don't hurt at all. I found a ring sling killed me! Also, no danger of them falling out. I got that and a Babyhawk - both have no buckles and are all fabbric and can be folded into your bag. The Babyhawks are gorgeous - you can choose the colours of the straps and the patterns - scrummy. Both are available on eBay but you can get them direct from www.wilkinet.co.uk and www.babyhawk.com

The Wilkinet takes practice to tie, but the Babyhawk is easy peasy.

I remember having Robert in the Wilkinet at a market once, and while I was poring over the fruit and veg I suddenly noticed he was munching into a large, yellow plum. Oops.

xxxxx

/links
 
#18 ·
Personally I would have never bought a ring-sling, because as Kara got heavier it got more uncomfortable (even though it had lots of padding), but I could nurse Kara discreetly in it, and I remember the first time I used it like it was yesterday.  I remember looking in our mirror to see what it looked like and I noticed my face with a big beaming smile on it, because for the first time in ages I wasn't physically holding Kara and she was very content.

I still use a Baby Bjorn with Kara (now over 23lb!).  You can't nurse in it, but she loves it!
 
#19 ·
From the moment Noggin woke this morning, to even now, she and her sister have been yelling/screaming/crying at me all day. My ears are quite shattered.  :(  I am feeling a bit fed up and tearful now.  I have used up all this year's allowance of patience to just cope with the noise level, let alone remain calm and talk sweetly to them when they're howling in my ears. Luckily I am going out tonight with a load of twin mums from Ringwood. And someone else is driving. I'm going to take a leaf out of JHB's book and have a vodka or three. Noggin is on day 21 of her MMR jab and is being plagued by the mumps virus as we talk.  Pickle is 4 days ahead of her and is almost ok but will yell when Noggin does, just because they copy each other.  Ah joy.  My ears are ringing.

Have a great weekend everyone.  ^hugme^
 
#20 ·
Wendeth - sending you lots of hugs  ^hugme^ ^hugme^ ^hugme^ .  Sorry you have had a bad day.  Enjoy your evening out and a few vodkas and forget!!

Izzy has also had a bad day today.  It feels as though she has screamed all day.  Went to a friends house for lunch but had to leave eventually as she was just screaming, wouldn't take a bottle etc.  Got her home and she had the nerve to give her daddy a smile - grrrrrr!!!!  I'm going for a girly lunch tomorrow at a posh country hotel (minus baby) and can't wait!

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

BG xx
 
#21 ·
Hi Girls,

Wendy sorry to hear you have had a awful day MMR is a bloody pain with side effects, hope the are both better today and you had a good night last night.

Bluegirl, always the way soon as the get home to Daddy big smiles, like butter would not meltxx

I had a amazing night with my ff friends girls here, Snic, Sarah Sezz, Nicky and Tracey you guys are fantastic, funny, hysterical and I love our evening out so much, late night not drinking but with amazing company you don't need  drink because I laughed so much. Next time girls be warned I am going to drink so I am warning you now.

Got home around one Peanut woke at 6.00 and I am off to work in half an hour, may feel the need for a few vodkas tonight Wendy, so I can chill.

Hope everyone okay.

JHxx (
 
#22 ·
Wendeth - Hope you had a lovely evening out and got thoroughly tipsy.  As the song goes 'Mumma said there'll be days like this, there'll be days like this, Mumma said'!  If it's any consolation in a few years they'll be yelling at each other for 'borrowing' a top/make up/boyfriend without asking.

Bluegirl - Sorry you had a bad day too.  It's so frustrating when there's something wrong and we don't know what it is.  I had days like that too with Kara, sometimes I worked out what was wrong, and other days I feel like I failed her.  Somedays I had to remind myself that when they're little crying is communication not manipulation, and sometimes the cause didn't become obvious until the next day, like finding out that Kara had cut a tooth, or when she got her first cold.  Today will be better ^hugme^

Kara is now 20 months, and continues to astound me!  I won't bore you with the details, I'm sure I've bored you enough!!  Was lovely to see Bibi and (albeit briefly) Wendeth this week (hope your apt went ok hon ^hugme^ ).  Really brightens up my week to see people.  Kara and Josh are amazing people, but the conversation is somewhat limited sometimes, and with Josh still having limited mobility our lives are still rather restricted.
On the subject of seeing people.  Thank you to Nicky, Snic, JHB and Sarah Sez for an amazing evening last night.  It was just what I needed xxxx
 
#23 ·
Finally found you guys again after a week without broadband and trying to find new location!!  Glad you are all well.  We're OK - boys had paedeatric appt and drs are really pleased with them and suggested that I started weaning them already as they were prem.  Have to say it took me by surprise but will try anything to get them to go through the night.  :) 

Will try and make 5th but it is my Mum's birthday so don't know if she will want to do anything or I could bring her along?!  PM is better for me as it is the bottle production factory here in the mornings!!!

Ariel - good on you for breastfeeding.  I expressed until the boys got discharged from Special Care but didn't have the confidence to carry on at home.  You stick to what your heart dictates and ignore the health visitor.  Nurses in SCBU talked me into letting my milk dry up and I have to say, I was really upset that I was no longer giving them my milk.

Starting to have thoughts about returning to work/amount of time I should negotiate to try and do.  Really affecting me.  I want to work a bit and I am half way through my paid mat. leave so need to focus on it but get resentful as the boys are still so small.  Although they are 5 months old, they are really only 3 months developmentally and have only just started smiling and interacting so am a bit all over the place.  Did any of you feel like this?

Anyway, must get on.  Love to all

Tweenie x
 
#24 ·
Tweenie,

Hi glad the boys appt went well, the time of the meet if yet to be confirmed but we could arrange early afternoon. Your Mum is more than welcome to come along, more the merrier in my book.

Would love to see you allxx

jhjbx
 
#25 ·
JHB maybe we can make it a rolling day on 5th April cos I can't do afternoons but can do mornings... perhaps there are some who can only make lunchtime?  We can have a morning rota, lunchtime and maybe afternoon rota with lots of overlaps?  ;)  sounds like a plan to me?? What does anyone else think?

I had a lovely night out on Friday and had 2 beers! and did feel a bit tipsy. it was lovely to meet so many other twin mums (7 of us there including one expecting) and be able to chat about 'what where when how' stuff.  It's great to chat with twin mums who've been there, and done that, and got through it all ok.  Someone mentioned a family in Ringwood with triplets, and we laughed as we all exclaimed, 'how do they cope?' because that's normally what people say to us twin mums - and we just get on with it - So i guess when you've got triplets, you just get on with it too! It's what you get used to. I remember how terrifically hard I found it with DS, so it's all relative and, as long as we all get support from friends and family and FF(  :)  ), any kind of mum can cope with mostly anything. It's the hardest job you'll ever do but the one with the greatest rewards.

Tweenie, great to hear boys doing well, amazed they are going to be weaned early. I guess it depends who you see. My friend with girls 2 weeks younger than DDs was advised to wait until their actual due date before weaning... (they were 34+3)  Can't imagine the dilema of returning to work... I can't afford to go back to work as it was only a part time job - my salary wouldn't even cover 2 days a week at nursery!

Ariel, just great to see you last week! the girls are adorable and you're doing fabulously!  You also looked fabulous even tho I know you won't believe me!  You were just shinning with love!  Ahhh  :)

Tracey - your comment made me laugh - the girls shout at each other now as it is! but yes, i can't imagine how much louder it's going to get when they're teenagers....  ;D

Bluegirl, hope your weekend was better than the last week and you managed to get a bit of 'Bluegirl' time and some peace from the yelling.  ^hugme^  It's tough during the early months but one tiny step at a time takes you through each day.

JHB hope your back's feeling easier?? nothing worse than back pain, poor you.

Sarah hope all's good and you're starting to get into a sort of routine now?

Olive  ^hugme^  thanks for your little note!  very sweet.

Love to everyone, Emma how are you doing?  NickyT don't see much of you here any more , hope yo'ure okay. love to Eli and Snic and everyone else i've not mentioned.

xx

 
#26 ·
Evening,

Peanut is a thrill seeker not content with the baby slide climbs upto the top to the big boys slide going down with daddy of course, I tried and it is rally high even I was scared for him but he loved it.

Alice in wonderland shall we get there from 11.00 onclock onwards Peanut will be fine as I will bring the buggy so he can have a snooze and his lunch therex  What does everyone think? and who will be comming and what time ? just so we have an idea what time people will be turning up so we can look out for each otherxx

Wendy glad you enjoyed your evening out, does you good to let your hair down,

jhbxx
 
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