text:
(Emeli Sande, singer/songwriter, August, 1st baby private class with best friend)
An excellent refresher course, and excellent tips for the future (Lisa O)
It was a useful refresher to remind us all about newborn care but also some very illuminating advice about life with two - including lots I hadn't thought of and advice for solving challenges I was worried about (2nd baby prep Andrea C)
Really good concise advice - very positive and supportive. Good practical tips. Great reminder of what we need to prep. (2nd baby prep Rebecca S)
A really friendly and very informative class that has made me feel much more prepared for the arrival of number two. The course has made me think of so many thanks I hadn't considered.(2nd baby prep Sarah G)
Really useful re-cap of baby routine as well as great tips on how to juggle two. ( 2nd baby prep Aoife B)
Really interesting insight, good refresher and great to meet other mms in the same boat (, 2nd baby prep Camilla C)
An excellent reminder of what life is like with a newborn. I hand't spent much time thinking or preparing for number 2 but this has brought it all home. (Sept 2016, 2nd baby prep Amanda P)
So glad I did the class to make myself realise this is actually happening(!!!) and to know what I can prepare/think about in advance to make life easier when baby arrives. Everything was very helpful - great reminders about babies and fab tips for managing two. (2nd baby prep Rachel C)
Really enjoyed the course. Lots of great tips for life with two little ones and reminders about looking after a newborn. (2nd baby prep Anna M)
Every bit of the course was VERY informative and will be SO useful. An extremely helpful, informative and laid-back means of refreshing my baby knowledge and providing extremely beneficial tips for managing two children. ( 2nd baby prep Jacqueline F)
it was really great to go over everything and pick up useful tips from both Eilish and the other mums. ( 2nd baby prep Anna S)
It was lovely to spend time focusing on this pregnancy and baby number 2, as opposed to my toddler. Great reminders of how to look after a newborn and what to expect. It really helped me to focus my mind on tow and start thinking of routines etc. (2nd baby prep Julianne S)
Good refresher of all things newborn! Really useful to help me prepare for our 2nd baby (Sept 2016, 2nd baby prep Gwun O)
Great to meet other mums and have a refresher on newborn care as well as learn tips for dealing with 2. (Sept 2016, 2nd baby prep Gwun O)
So great to think properly about the new baby finally and how it will work out. (Sept 2016, 2nd baby prep Emma N)
Really enjoyable, informal and very relaxed. Great group size. Left feeling much more positive about the arrival of number 2. Great mix of talking about toddler and refreshing memory for arrival of the baby. Good to talk through with other mums with similar age gap. Thank you, would definitely recommend! (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 3yrs Tiffany J)
The class was excellent - a very good summary of life (again) with a newborn and the considerations of life with a toddler and newborn. Very helpful and gentle in style. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 3.5yrs Amber D-L)
Really helpful to prepare for life with two, be ready for this big change and also to meet people in the same position. It's made me think about so many things I hadn't considered - much better now than when baby actually arrives.. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 2yr 10m Nicola M)
Just a really lovely class re-learning and remembering. Lovely atmosphere to meeting it - at your house. Great tips, ideas and reminders. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 2yr Nicola H)
Fantastic class, lovely people. Great to have a refresher on dealing with a newborn and ow to bring a toddler into the mix. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 2yr Laura R)
So helpful to have a refresher - I'd forgotten how much I'd forgotten! And lovely to meet other mums in the same situation. Reminded me of things that newborns need and useful tips to juggle a newborn and toddler. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 2yr Claire T)
Really useful recap. Useful information about how to deal with 2 children. Great way of meeting others in the area in the same position. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 17m Natasha R)
Useful reminder of having a baby, as well as considering all the things to think about with 2. I found it very helpful 5/5. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep nearly 3yrs Karen C)
Very helpful - it's nice to be able to admit that you can't remember things from your first baby and be amongst others who feel the same. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 22m Marisa L)
A fantastic chance to think about life with 2 and the new arrival. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 18m Kitty Galsworthy)
Incredibly useful, reminding you of things you had totally forgotten and takes away the shock of coping by being prepared. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 18m Thierry Kelaart)
Thank you very much for last night, I for one found it very useful and has calmed my nerves about life with two and I found the tips and techniques on how to cope food for thought. (March 2016, 2nd baby prep 25m Isabel Dawes)
Great reminder of what it's like at first. It's reassured me/reminded me what to do with a newborn and coping with 2. (Feb 2016, 2nd baby prep 17m Sarah B)
It was great to meet like minded women in a relaxed, informal but informative environment. (Feb 2016, 2nd baby prep 14m Lucy H)
A fantastic introduction to life with 2. A refresher on the baby days (which already seem a lifetime ago) was much appreciated, and a great opportunity to meet other mums in the same boat. I enjoyed all of it and to have some time to actually think about number 2 and the new dynamic. Brought my attention to things I'd not even considered.(Feb 2016, 2nd baby prep 2yr Laura D)
It has been great to take time out to prepare and discuss what it will be like to have two young children . (Feb 2016, 2nd baby prep 2yr Rebecca B)
Thanks so much for your wisdom last night. I learnt far more than I expected to. It was lovely to meet you and the other mums and have sensible, real advice. (Feb 2016, 2nd baby prep 3yr Amelia M)
Hugely informative and great to go back through having a baby. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr 3m Rachel L)
Very useful information about 'the past' and the future. Everything was useful! (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr 3m Claudia B)
A lovely class and great refresher course. Great to meet other mums with same questions/worries. Some great practical tips. It was all very interesting, informative and relaxed. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5year Tess McC)
Excellent 5/5.Useful recap of baby care and ideas for how to manage 2. Great ideas for how to manage activities with 2. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5year Melanie B)
5/5 It was so useful to refresh my memory on how to look after a newborn and some great tips on managing two. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 3yr 8m Alex King)
Great class, really informative and helpful preparation for life with 2. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr 4m Frances)
Very useful tips to get prepared and things to think about now, before the baby comes. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5year Alison H-P)
I loved it! I enjoyed the practical info, group knowledge and chats (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs Astrid S)
I was thinking about doing a course and I am so pleased I did, I have met some lovely mums and learnt a lot bout coping with 2. It also reminded me about everything from the early days too!(Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 17m Chantelle F)
Really good refresher and nice to meet other people in a similar situation.(Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 2om Lucy W)
I enjoyed all of it. It was relaxed, informative and I enjoyed learning about time management and in meeting new people. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 20m Danae)
A good refresher and really good to meet other mums. It's reminded me of a lot of things I had forgotten and makes me fell that it's all possible. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 21m Jessica S)
So approachable and enjoyable to have time to think about number 2 coming along. Good to know how to be prepared(Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 21m Elinor H)
Informative, helpful and just what I needed/what I was looking for to provide me with useful tips and advice on how to cope with 2 as well as an excellent opportunity to meet up with other Mums who will face the same challenges etc at the same time. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 20m Joanne W)
It was great thinking about routines and meeting other mums in the same position with the same worries. (Dec 2015, 2nd baby prep 13m Katherine M)
The second baby preparation class was extremely thorough, covering everything from a reminder of how to hold a newborn, through combining breastfeeding and entertaining a toddler and on to managing a little person who is struggling to adjust to the new addition to their world… highlighting potential issue areas and giving suggestions of how to deal with them along the way. Eilish is an impressive teacher, sharing thoughts and ideas in a clear and collaborative fashion. She provides a welcoming and non-judgmental environment, which made me feel like I could ask any question, no matter how trivial or personal it might seem. The refresher elements have left me much more relaxed about coping with a newborn again, and the practical proposals mean I am considerably less daunted by the prospect of dealing with a baby and a toddler at the same time - I am sure Eilish's clever coping strategies will prove invaluable! .(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr 3m L Jenkins)
Very thought provoking and raised many issues I hadn't given any thought to. Felt very relaxed and welcome and would definitely recommend to others. It has made me think in advance how I might handle tricky situations. (Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5year Gemma C)
It was a great class full of useful and practical tips. Eilish has a wealth of experience and is really good at expressing the advice she has to deliver. Would recommend to others. I enjoyed the tips for coping with two especially from a practical standpoint.(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 21m Anon)
An excellent reminder of the essentials of looking after a newborn and toddler in just over 2hrs. Highly recommended, thank you(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 3yr 9months P Green)
A helpful overview and reminder of how to care for newborns and great guidance on managing the toddler.
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5yrs Beth McD)
Really useful concise summary as a reminder of new-borns. Great advice on how to manage with two.
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby 3yrs Kate C)
A nice relaxed environment with other mums, reminding ourselves of life with a newborn but with a toddler in tow. Great value and a lovely experience.(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 3yrs Sarah H)
Really good refresher with helpful tips on coping with two and lots of practical advice.
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr 9m P Roberts)
Thank you for an enjoyable and informative evening. It was great to have a refresher on newborn care and receive tips on life with 2, while also meeting local mums in a similar situation to me.
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs Anna B)
A relaxed environment to think about all aspects of dealing with 2. Very informative with lots of tips, thanks.
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5yrs Lorraine T)
It was fab to get a recap on all the stuff I thought I knew 1st time round but had forgotten!!! Meeting other mums with same questions was invaluable. It's helped me to think through the stuff I can do to prepare.
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 18m Emma F)
Concise and really helpful tips for how to manage life with 2 small people. There was lots of 'refresher' information and tips for managing 2.
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 21m Sarah Austin)
Really liked being in a group with the same age gaps. It was a really helpful class and a friendly group environment
(Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 14m Louise Z)
Really useful course to help you think about how to manage the second! (Oct 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs Helen S)
Incredibly useful for tips on how to cope with 2 as well as a refresher on the basics of newborns. A great way to meet other mums with similar age toddlers.(Sept 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.25yrs Anita W)
Very practical advice for life with 2 children. Much more useful than NCT!! I feel more equipped and therefore more excited.
(Sept 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr 10m Dr Claire C)
Excellent in a nut-shell round up of life with two and a gentle reminder of life with a newborn.
(Sept 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs Stacie S)
Good to get my brain thinking about second baby and the practicalities of the early days!
(Sept 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs 3m Helen S)
The class was very interesting and I learnt a lot. Eilish was friendly, open, and had a fun way of explaining all the different subjects. It has been very enjoyable and it was good to hear other mums-to- be out of the same area in the same situation.(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 18m Claudi V )
The course really helped me to start thinking about the practicalities of having a new baby which somehow with a toddler there was never time to do!(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5yrs Jenny P)
Great overview of having a newborn plus tips on life with two! Excellent course, perfect length of time and a friendly tutor.(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5yrs Louise M)
Very thorough and useful class. many topics covered in the short space of time with lots of tips and suggestions for coping in different senarios. Good recap on looking after a newborn too. Helped me also focus on what to organise now in the short time before baby arrives. (September 2015, 2nd baby prep 19m Rachel Ch)
Eilish was lovely - really natural and easy to talk with. She didn't patronise us at all but just gave some really honest and useful examples of how to bring up 2 kids!
(Sept 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs Alex Smith).
Informative, helpful reminders and useful things to consider second time round. It helped me make some decisions I was pondering over e.g. moving bedrooms, buggy choice.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs Annabel B)
Really informative session. Great to get your mind remembering what it was like the first time and get ready for number 2. Lots of things I now have to remember to get and do, thanks for the course!
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 23m Imogen W)
Covered all the things I was concerned about, plus discussed some extras such as potty training - very useful! I
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 23m Liz O'D)
Apart from the wonderful friends to share questions with, it was the practical nature of the class that was excellent. Focused on just the right topics. It was really helpful tips that I hadn't even considered when having a 2nd baby.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs gap, Lisa T Private 2nd class for first time NCT friends)
A very reassuring forum to discuss your concerns and get some brilliant tips for juggling life with two. It calmed me down - I might sleep better now!
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs 6m gap, K Fielding Private 2nd class for first time NCT friends)
Really useful 2+ hour session that gives you a refresher of having a newborn plus some great tips of how to cope with two children.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs gap, Becca H, Private 2nd class for first time NCT friends)
Great recap on dealing with a newborn and some handy tips on managing all of that plus a toddler!
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs 4mgap, Jessica D, Private 2nd class for first time NCT friends)
Very useful advice, covered things I hadn't thought of. All the practical advice was really helpful.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep Kathleen M)
Great, practical and fun advice that was down to earth and easy to follow. Took the fear out of it all a bit too. I just need to get organised now, thank you!
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.5 yr Lesley C)
Brilliant recap of having a newborn and then how to deal with the two at different parts of the day.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 23m Vicky L)
Fantastic reminder of all the things I had completely forgotten plus new ideas on how to deal with various situations. Fantastic realistic tips on products and ways of coping with two children. Great advice on feeding that I didn't have the first time around.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 4.5yr age gap, Melissa Dobson)
Very useful recap and introduction into having to cope with 2 children. Good to meet others in the same situation too.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr 9m S Wagstaff)
Very efficient, good value, great handouts and nice to meet local mums. Has helped me be more prepared and positive.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 2.75 yrs Becky Lydon)
Good refresher course with great tips for life with 2 children!
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 3yr+ Lindsey W,)
Very useful class. Reminded me about a lot of things I had forgotten about and great tips on bath and bedtime.
(August 2015, 2nd baby prep 23m gap Victoria P)
Really good refresher baby course with meaningful practical tips
(July 2015, 2nd baby prep 3yr Alex Cal)
The experience was really good and gave us a lot of information which is going to help us a lot in a few weeks. The Baby Care Company is an exceptional help for our new life, a five star experience.
(July 2015, 121 couples surrogate 1st baby class Mr and Mrs Prieur)
An excellent way to learn about how to cope with a toddler and a newborn. Re-capping on all the important aspects you may have forgotten second time round.
(June 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs 6m gap, Tessa G)
Very useful refresher/ whistle stop tour of newborn babies, routines, feeding etc with the added information around how to cope with the two. Found it very informative and gave me lots to think about.
(June 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yrs 5m gap, B Jardine)
A warm welcoming class with information delivered in a clear and easy to decipher way. Was made to feel no questions were stupid and pace moved to reflects needs of myself and my wife, thank you.
(June 2015, 121 couples 1st baby class Anthony T)
Having not done NCT classes I found the classes provided a balanced view i.e. bottle feeding vs breast feeding and I will feel comfortable with whatever option works for us without feeling bad. I also enjoyed learning about what to do when the baby is born.
(May/June 2015, 121 couples 1st baby class Chelsea H)
"I attended the Baby Care Co course to help prepare for newborn life with 2 children under 2. I had numerous worries about the experience of managing a toddler's routine / moods as well as a high maintenance newborn, but came away from the session feeling positive and really looking forward to the challenge. As well as an in-depth presentation on approaching the practical, health and safety issues, there were also many brilliant time-saving short-cuts and anecdotal recommendations which I hadn't heard before. It was time extremely well spent and invaluable to have solutions tailored to meet the needs of your own child, in order to keep life consistent for them. Eilish understands that not all problems can be tackled with a uniform response and offered a range of tips to reduce the stress. Essential training which I would highly recommend to any first, second or third time mother!"
(Polly Anne Duncan, 17m age gap, April 2015)
I'm so glad I signed up! It was a great refresher, but I also came away with some great tips and suggestions for things I even haven't thought of.
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep 17m gap, Heather L B)
Very useful class on a topic I knew nothing about! Very informative, a lot of information that was surprising/I would not have expected. Excellent class - would highly recommend!
(April 2015, Sleep and routines class ,Cristina C)
Very useful non-biased discussion on routines. I really appreciated the non-judgmental approach.
(April 2015, sleep and routines class ,Deborah Smith)
Lots of useful information that I hadn't heard before. Reassuring advice for a first timer on how/where to start.
(April 2015, Sleep and routines class ,Anon)
Lots of good advice that is very practical for being a mum of 2. Also a great refresher on newborn things I had forgotten. It made me feel more prepared.
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr gap ,Ainsley M)
It was a very informative and enjoyable evening - it was very interactive and well explained and I feel more relaxed.
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr gap ,Solange M)
I really enjoyed getting to know other mums and getting organised with the things for the new arrival. It was a great way to share some worries/concerns with other mums and get prepared.
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr gap ,Francesca T)
It was friendly and very informative. Also reassuring to not the the only one with such a small age gap.
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep, 15m gap ,Rebecca B)
A great reminder of what it's like to have a newborn again and great tips on how to cope with two 'babies' at once. I've now got a list together of things I need to do before the baby is born and have a better idea of what's ahead.
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep 16.5m gap, Laura B)
I feel better prepared now for this sometimes terrifying journey into parenthood
(April 2015 121, 1st baby preparation class, Karen Hasty - Zhang)
A very useful and thorough class. I feel better prepared
(April 2015 121, 1st baby preparation class, Gen Zhang)
It was great to get a refresher on baby care which I'd almost forgotten and to get some really good tips on managing two small children.
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep 17m gap, Maria C)
Very useful pointers for managing life with two children and being reminded of the newborn phase has helped reduce the fear!
(April 2015, 2nd baby prep, Jo E - Ford)
It was a great reminder of life with a new baby plus lots of very good tips on routines with 2 children and local things to do/local help available.
(March 2015, 2nd baby prep 2yr gap ,Oana A)
I really enjoyed meeting other expectant mums and was surprised by the amount and depth of material covered in a short space of time. Very practical advice - would highly recommend.
(February 2015, 2nd baby prep ,Nikki O'Sullivan)
Lots of excellent hints, tips and advice shared to make the transition from 1-2 children.
(February 2015, 2nd baby prep , Rebecca Mills)
It was a relaxed environment to refresh my memory about looking after a baby and to get practical advice for how to manage the logistics of two.
(February 2015, 2nd baby prep , Rachel Sharpe)
Good reminders and a good opportunity to focus on this baby rather than just the toddler and meet lovely people.
(February 2015, 2nd baby prep , Lauren B)
The class was friendly, approachable and a useful means of a new network - it made it more real with points for reflection.
(March 2015, 2nd baby prep ,Lisa Taylor)
Enjoyable, focussed and incredibly useful. It's really improved my confidence as I feel I've had little time to prepare.
(March 2015, 2nd baby prep 3.5yr gap ,Michelle McDowell MBE)
Very useful refresher. No time to read the baby books this time so very helpful as I'd forgotten a lot of the basics.
(March 2015, 2nd baby prep ,Charlotte Fielding)
Very useful and interesting overview of what to expect and how to plan and deal with a new recruit to the family.
(February 2015 121, 1st baby preparation class, Jonathan White)
Great because it was tailored to/ thoughtful of our specific/specialised requirements (surrogacy) and the handouts were very useful.
(February 2015, Surrogacy class ,Abigail L)
It was a fantastic course - really helpful stuff, being able to ask all the questions and knowing what is most relevant stuff to use, with a fantastic teacher, making everything simple without being patronising.
(October 2014 1st baby preparation 1-2-1 class Diana and Ignacia Carrasco)
Thanks Eilish for an awesome in home session on Sunday. My husband and I gained a lot from your antenatal class, we feel like we now have our 'parenting licence'! So relaxed, friendly and fun. Thank you again!
( Sept 2014 1st baby preparation couples 1-2-1 class Chris and Nicole Moss)
Excellent! Feel much more prepared and relaxed.
(Sept 2014, 2nd baby prep 1-2-1 with husband 18m gap ,Stephanie Birse)
Great memory jogger on life in those early days and great tips on coping with life with 2. A great opportunity for likeminded mums to focus and think about baby no. 2.
(Sept 2014, 2nd baby prep ,Laura A)
Efficient and practical recap of life with a newborn which included lots of practical tips on how to include or deal with a toddler at the same time. Made me think/reminded me about with a newborn/logisitics with 2.
(Sept 2014, 2nd baby prep 2.5yr gap,Olivia B)
Really useful, practical advice on how to care for 2 children...without having a meltdown! Useful to discuss practicalities of 2 and reminded me of caring for a newborn.
(Sept 2014, 2nd baby prep ,Louisa S, 22m gap)
Whistlestop tour of being a parent again and a great refresher of some of those things that you had forgotten. Good to think about the logistics and preparation for no. 2 arriving.
(Sept 2014, 2nd baby prep 2yr gap,Kirsty Mcl)
Very informative and useful overview; good pointers to think further on and discuss with my husband. Thanks!
(July 2014, 2nd baby prep ,Dr H. Hurriah)
Great, informative class. Highly recommended if you are expecting your 2nd. Feeling a lot more reassured about looking after 2.
(July 2014, 2nd baby prep ,Leigh Skeate)
Excellent succinct tips, and a comprehensive covering of all essential topics, thank you!!
(July 2014, 2nd baby prep ,Rachel Ellis)
A great overview of the key areas to be reminded of in a warm, open environment. Great meeting other mums going through the same thing with a child at a similar age gap.
(June 2014, 2nd baby pre, C Dyson))
Really relaxed atmosphere and very easy to talk openly. Lots of helpful reminders and now feel really excited! Reminder of the needs of a newborn and nice ideas for how to entertain my toddler. Nice to have some time focusing on the fact I will be shortly having another.
(June 2014, 2nd baby pre, L Duffield))
Very informative but not too much so you get confused. Not having been around children previously it gave me a good starting point and really helped me understand routines and getting the sleep and feeding sorted from the start.
(June 2014 1-2-1 1st baby prep, Stephaine Wooton)
Very well structured and informative. As a first time dad I feel much more prepared and a little less stupid!!
(June 2014 1-2-1 1st baby prep, Ashley Green)
This course was instructive and delivered in a very friendly manner, with concrete examples and feedback that books cannot bring. Thank You
(Dec 2013, 1:2:1 1st baby prep ,Isabelle and Jean Philippe G))
Excellent refresher and reminder of life with a newborn. I hadn't taken the time to properly think about baby number 2 logistics before! I found it all really helpful!
(Nov 2013, 2nd baby prep class 2.5yr gap ,Breanne E).
Got my mind reset into thinking what I need to buy and do in preparation. Easy and quick way to meet some other mums and get yourself back into the 'new' mum mood. Refresher in what you may have forgotten that you need to know.
(Nov 2013, 2nd baby prep class 2.5yr gap ,Aileen N).
An informative session with some lovely ideas for life with 2.
(Nov 2013, 2nd baby preparation class ,Carla V)
Great and thought provoking - brought up a number of things I hadn't thought of.
(Nov 2013, 2nd baby preparation class ,Victoria M)
Good opportunity to have a personalised/customised experience on the questions/concerns I particularly have - thanks so much.
(Nov 2013, 1:2:1 1st baby prep ,Sonali F)
A fantastic way to summarise all the key points prior to having our first baby. Has answered all, and many I didn't know, questions about the impending future.
(Nov 2013, 1:2:1 1st baby prep ,James F)
A really useful and concise session to recap newborn essentials such as feeding and sleeping routines plus tips for dealing with 2 small children.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby preparation class ,18m gap Laura H)
Really informative, lovely to meet local mums.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby preparation class ,Emma S)
Useful and reassuring to cover everything needed and make sense of my own research on baby items!
(Oct 2013, Getting ready ,Katie E)
Excellent class, very useful tips and a helpful reminder of life with a baby. It's given me lots of things to think about to help get organised in the coming months. Also, got me more excited and less daunted.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby prep,Emily T 2yr 6m gap)
Really helpful run-through of what to expect from a newborn (which was a big foggy after 3.5yrs) and a great look ahead at what to expect from life as a family of 4.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby prep,Marianne G 4yr gap)
A great all round course with so much information, tips and pointers packed into just 2 hours.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby prep,Emma G 4.5yr gap)
I'm French and newly arrived in the area and I appreciated this session with Eilish because I'm a bit worried of being a 2nd time mum in a country that's not mine. Thank You.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby prep,Claire B 3yr gap)
Lovely to meet Eilish and other mums with similar age gap. Hope to meet with up with them and be 'buddies.' Nice to be refreshed again and little tidbits of 'top tips' were all more up to date than 4 years ago.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby prep,Kirsty F 4yr gap)
Packed full of useful tips. Helps you remember all the small things you forgot 1st time round. Useful handouts too.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby prep,Annette M 2yr gap)
Thought provoking reminders - helpful for getting back in the zone. Lots of practical advice - esp. bedtime and bath time.
(Oct 2013, 2nd baby prep,Anna Louise 2yr gap)
Very informative in a relaxed manner with reminders and tips of important areas
(Sept 2013, 2nd baby prep,Emma B 17m gap)
A great reminder of those early forgotten first few months.
(Sept 2013, 2nd baby prep,Lucy J 23m gap)
Loved the course, very helpful and refreshing information. Would definitely recommend to friends!
(Sept 2013, 2nd baby prep,Kim W, 17m gap)
Great to spend time thinking about number 2 - a rare opportunity - I feel more prepared and know the crucial things to get ready in the next couple of months. I feel there won't be any nasty surprises.
(Sept 2013, 2nd baby prep,Mary A)
An excellent opportunity to (finally) spend some time thinking about baby number 2 and how to get prepared. I particularly liked ideas for managing bath+teatime+bedtime, and the reminder (non-judgmental) on feeding techniques/points.
(Sept 2013, 2nd baby prep,Fionna M - medical dr)
Good reminder of all the things to think of with a newborn and some top tips of how to cope with two.
(Sept 2013, 2nd baby prep,Sarah H)
A very useful reminder of newborn basis and how to cope with a toddler on top!
(Aug 2013, 2nd baby prep, Eleanor B)
Very informative with some good reminders. I enjoyed the all roundedness of the course - it's given me reassurance
(Aug 2013, 2nd baby prep, Peining M)
Great to have two+ hours of time to think about our new arrival. Very helpful tips and practical advice that I will use. Great refresher on newborn care and ideas about handling two at tea/bath/bed.
(Aug 2013, 2nd baby prep, Lina M)
Helpful to spend time focusing on the new baby's upcoming arrival and to think about the practicalities
(Aug 2013, 2nd baby prep, 21m gap Bella M)
Excellent practical advice with regard to coping with two rather than the usual advice regarding the mechanics of labour etc. Also lovely to meet other local mums in a similar situation.
(July 2013, 2nd baby prep, 20m gap Natalie H- medical doctor)
Extremely useful just to go through a practical based approach to having 2 children. Good to meet other women in the same situation. Invaluable to spend a dedicated 2+hrs thinking about having a new baby.
(July 2013, 2nd baby prep, 19m gap Fiona K- medical doctor)
Everything is very practically orientated and based on experience rather than just textbook knowledge. It is probably impossible to be really prepared for what is coming along with having a baby but this class gets you the closest possible to feeling prepared. It was really adapted/tailored too to participants' needs.
(July 2013, Getting into your stride, Anne W - medical doctor)
Very open and honest class, helped to share knowledge around the room - felt very comfortable to ask anything
(June 2013, The Early Days, Kirsty)
A great refresh on what is to come along with a list of ideas for juggling life with two.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 22m gap Amanda G)
It is really helpful to start thinking not only about a new baby again but how to cope with two! Hearing experiences, advice and tips shared in such a friendly forum is a great way to approach this.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 24m gap Liz L)
Very professional, fab tips and great to meet mums in the same position.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 21m gap Zoe S)
Great to meet mums in the same situation and share thoughts and fears and discuss things with Eilish.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 2yr gap Doune F)
A helpful opportunity to reflect and explore how I can manage life with 2 children.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 2yr gap Louise S)
The class gave me lots to think about in terms of making the transition from a family of 3 to a family of 4 as smooth as possible. Also helped me to think about the birth and breast feeding tips which I haven't had as much time to think about this time round.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 2.5yr gap Caroline E)
I found the class very thought provoking and informative, it was great to meet other mums in similar situations.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 2.2yr gap Liz C)
A really helpful, insightful couple of hours, thank you.
(June 2013, 2nd baby prep, 2.5yr gap Laura C)
A great series of classes which covers the essentials and then some. Very worthwhile.
(May 2013, The Early Days, Jean L)
The class helped me to understand what you really need and don't and it was good to start the discussion about labour and birth plan. Nice to ask advice from a real mum with experience and practice, and someone that's taught others successfully
(May 2013, Getting ready Kirsty T)
I was originally feeling very overwhelmed and so I wanted to find something that was more practical about what we need and how things will go when the babies comes home - the type of information the NHS and medical practioners don't provide. This session was really good - very informative and tailored.
(May 2013, Getting ready, Wendy M (expecting twins))
These classes have been engaging and informative and I'm glad that we've been taking them. I feel like we have a better grasp of what equipment is to be bought, and tactics that will be appropriate to put into practice when trying to figure out how to adjust our lives to our new arrival.
(May 2013, Getting into your stride,Jean L)
Eilish is very articulate and I found her class both informative and entertaining. I do feel more comfortable now about establishing routines and understanding the options.
(May 2013, Getting into your stride, Sebastian P)
Class gave me more confidence and background on when and how to put a to baby sleep/routine.
(May 2013, Getting into your stride, Bettina P)
Gave me good things to think about regarding how I will best take care of baby. Good for planning ahead. I didn't know a lot about feeding/sleeping schedules (how many times per day, for how long etc, so this class was very informative)
(May 2013, Getting into your stride, and The Early Days, Lisa D)
Very enjoyable teaching style, very enjoyable and casual. It felt like friends sitting together giving each other tips rather than teacher/pupil relationship. Eilish is outgoing and very welcoming. It really helped me with ideas on how to juggle the day to day life with two and hopefully copy better on a practical level.
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 18m gap, Simone B)
I got lots of useful tips especially on how to cope with 2 plus time to think about the new baby, plus good reminders of how to deal with a newborn. Getting the notes were also very useful.
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 16m gap, Camille V)
Thanks again for the class and for organising the social last week. It was nice to see some of the girls again.
I thought the class was great - you covered a lot of info and it was the perfect prompt to start getting organised with things like hospital bag etc that I've been too busy to think about. I found the tips on managing a bedtime routine for two and also how to make number 1 feel involved when the baby arrives particularly useful.
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap, Katherine C)
Excellent refresher course of practical info. on dealing with baby 2 and the impact on the 1st child. Enjoyed recollecting and sharing baby stories and issues.
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 3yr 4m gap, Rebecca C)
Laid back evening with some good tips for managing a newborn at the same time as maintaining your relationship with your eldest - good to have specific examples of how to manage different aspects of having another child, Thanks.
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 4yr gap, Elissa L)
It was great to take some time out to reflect on how life will change once our 2nd baby comes along. Amazing how quickly you forget what life is like with a newborn. The session was very packed full of useful information :)
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 2yr 1m gap, Lisa C)
Really good class for busy working mums. Topics were all relevant and to the point. Good time for peer support and discussion. It gave me time to really focus and think about my concerns as I've not had time so far!
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 2yr 9m gap, Rachel I)
A brief but great reminder of what to expect second time round.
(April 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 2yr 8m gap, Nicky McD)
Great reminder of everything I've forgotten from last time, very friendly and relaxed, thank you.
(March 2013, 2nd baby prep class, 20m gap, Abi P)
Very informative in a relaxed and personal environment! I feel I have been empowered to look after my baby. A brilliant course!!!
(March 2013, The Early Days, Mignon L)
We learned a lot of new things to think out and/or purchase before the baby arrives. Thanks.
(March 2013, Getting Ready, Lisa D)
It was a great overview of getting prepared for the birth that covered a lot of things we hadn't even thought to think about! Very useful.
(March 2013, Getting Ready, Jean L)
Fantastic, practical non-judgmental advice.
(March 2013, Getting into your stride, Rebecca R)
Punchy, non exhaustive and good content that reminds you of some of the essential elements of dealing with a newborn whilst adding practical tips for coping with 2.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr 8m gap Lou G)
A good rapid reminder of all the essentials which really helped focus the mind as to what is to come! It made me focus on the practicalities.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr 8m gap Gemma O)
Practical, well grounded up to date informative, not overwhelming. Really helped me to get ready.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr 5m gap Fiona V)
Good catch up of what it means to have a baby again as well as how to manage two children.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr 2m gap Linda L)
As the birth of my second child approached I was quite anxious how my first would react and how we would cope as a family. This course has been very informative, a great reminder of things we'd forgotten and offered great tips that I hope will ease the transition from 1-2.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr 3m gap Lindsey C)
A super refresher that recapped things that I had forgotten and helped me to consider how the practicalities of daily life with 2 would work. Lots of fantastic tips for ensuring the 2 children get on and how to deal with daily tasks - especially feeding.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 19months gap Emma D)
It was great to meet other mothers with a similar gap who can relate. Also to have a refresher of some of the fundamentals as you forget these so quickly.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 16months gap Laura W)
Although my first baby is only 14 months, I have forgotten most o the preparation involved in having a newborn. Not having had the time to read and learn about everything needed for a newborn as I did the first time around, The Baby Care Co. course was a great summary and reminder in one fell swoop.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 16months gap Miriam G)
A useful reminder of how to deal with a newborn alongside some invaluable pointers on how to make the sibling relationship work, in a friendly environment. Good to meet people in the same situation and exchange pointers on how to deal with potential problems arising. Breastfeeding element really useful as I had forgotten the details.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 5yr gap Kate B)
Great review of baby care encompassing siblings and handling practicalities.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 3yr 4 m gap Carina and Robert)
Good overall recap of the early days and what to do with 2. Hints and tips for bathing/evening time particularly helpful.
(February 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr 4month gap Sarah and Alex S)
Excellent, helpful tips thank you!
(February 2013, Post natal Sleep session, 20wk old Anna)
Very informative and helpful. I wish I had come when pregnant
(February 2013, Post natal Sleep session, 20wk old Daniya)
Great refresher on all the little things I had forgotten, and some good common sense tips on how to deal with two.
(January 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 3y gap Katherine McC)
A really helpful refresher as due to the age gap I had forgotten so many details.
(January 2013, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 3yr9m gap Fiona)
Me and my husband would like to thank Eilish for the very interesting and full of information time which we spend in her classes.
I was surprised of all the little things that you don't think before you are due to have baby. I have been a nanny for many years now and I was thinking that I know most of the things which a mother needs to know, but in Eilish's class I found out that I do not.
My husband found the class extremely interesting and as we all know, very few men have an idea of what's expected of them them after the baby is born.
I highly recommend the classes and look forward to attending classes after my little one is born.
(December/November 2012, Getting ready,The Early Days, Getting into your stride and Practical Dads class Petia and Vladimir D)
Great refresher course on things I had already forgotten (breastfeeding etc). What I really liked was that the class was organised by age gap. It has been really helpful to share experience/questions with other mums who will be going through the same experience.
(December 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 15m gap Camille)
Class was interesting and thorough - covered all the main topics with a good recap of each at the end. It was great getting organised beforehand and also how to help/introduce older child to new sibling.
(December 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 18m gap Ellen)
Great to get some practical advice on thinking about how things will actually be when the baby comes as you don't really do this when pregnant.
(December 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 16m gap Eleanor)
Thank you so much for all the advice and support that your classes gave me. They were well tailored to my specific needs and queries and not at all judgmental. I felt free to ask questions that may not have been so welcomed at my NCT classes particularly in relation to feeding which is much harder than I was led to believe by NCT. I went into both my labour and motherhood for the first time with the confidence that I could cope and equipped with some excellent tips for doing everything from sterilising to getting into a routine. I also have a great sense of comfort that I can email or call you with any other queries which is so important to me particularly as I am new to the area.
(December 2012, Set of 3 classes for 1st time mum, Rebecca M)
A stimulating reappraisal and reassurance about coping with 2. Especially liked the reminders about baby essentials and common sense advice on logistics.
(December 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2.5yr gap Vivienne G)
Great refresher and some very good ideas that I hadn't thought of for coping with two. Good opportunity to meet other local mums and I like that the classes are organised by due date and age gap. Especially liked reminders of life with a newborn and good ideas for coping with 2.
(December 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2.5yr gap Shannon L F)
A great quick refresher course to remind you of what it is like to have a newborn again and some helpful tips on how to cope with having two kids. It's given me a lot to think about, mostly in terms of the toddler.
(December 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Tia O'F)
This class gave me time to think about having my second child and just reminded me of those early days.
(December 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 3.5yr gap Katie H)
Lots of the right and relevant info. well explained and demonstrated. It was helpful knowing what to face and it was very practical!
(December 2012, Practical Dads class, Michael Z)
Lots of useful information, well delivered. Filled in all the gaps knowledge wise with lots of notes for reference.
(December 2012, Practical Dads class, Emmett P)
The whole course was really interesting, thank you
(December 2012, Practical Dads class, Vladimir D)
Hugely practical. I feel confident and prepared and am hugely grateful for having someone patiently take me through the options and decisions that I will need to take.
(November 2012, Tailored 121 surrogate class, Nick Davidson)
I really enjoyed the course, very simple and interactive. I feel prepared!
(November 2012, Getting into your stride (end of 3 class series), Sandra F)
Very informative and well delivered. Eilish simplifies what appears to be a complicated learning process.
(November 2012, The Early Days, Sandra F)
Really enjoyed Eilish's approach and delivery! Very basic and easy to understand. I now have much more of an idea of what I need to do.
(November 2012, Getting Ready class, Sandra F)
Very practical and great to meet other mums! Lots of very interesting learning curves on breastfeeding and sleep routines in particular.
(November 2012, Getting into your stride (end of 3 class series), Charlie Z)
Great amount of information but not an 'overload'. Really enjoyed doing the class to meet other people and network with new mums-to-be. Looking forward to making new friends. It's a very practical course and that in itself is really reassuring.
(November 2012, The Early Days, Charlie Z)
Great user friendly and practical advice that you can take away and use easily. A good balance of information so that you don't feel you are suffering from 'overwhelming' information overload.
(November 2012, Getting ready, Charlie Z)
Very clear and very informative, excellent. Fantastic information to prepare for motherhood. Really liked sleep/routines as you hear lots of different things and this puts it all into perspective. clear.
(November 2012, Getting into your stride (end of 3 class series), Elizabeth K)
Brilliant! Concise and to the point. Very relevant information and extremely helpful, and great to discuss all topics openly. Thank you,
(November 2012, The Early Days, Elizabeth K)
Excellent, practical advice. Extremely useful and to the point. Thank you so much.
(November 2012, Getting Ready class, Elizabeth K)
Great refresher course on baby care, plus lots of food for thought on how to manage a baby plus a toddler, Thank you!
(November 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Nicolle B)
Great refresher course. Good to meet other mums in the same position. Feel more confident after the course.
(November 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Diddie H)
Lovely lady. Lots of useful tips, Thank you.
I have attended the 2nd baby preparation class on the 7th November. I'm now 26 weeks pregnant and my older son is going to be nearly 3 when baby number 2 arrives.
The class was really good, and full of useful advices. Eilish goes through all the difficult aspects you might encounter when having a second baby.
The class is held in a very friendly environment and I got to meet other mums due more or less the same week as I am. We instantly clicked and we are now meeting regularly with our little ones while supporting each other during this second pregnancy.
I'm glad I've sign up to this class instead of the usual NCT group as it fitted around my schedule and I got to know people that lives around my area.
We went away with some notes nicely printed by Eilish and they will come at hand very soon as a checklist...I have to admit I haven't prepared anything yet for the baby so having some reference will help me a lot.
I will definitely recommend this course to other mums!
(November 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 3yr gap Emanuela R)
Very informative, good perspective from someone with personal experience. Particularly like logistics of sleep and feeds, planning ahead is key.
(October 2012, Refrehser class/2nd baby prep class, 19m gap Matt)
Very helpful refresher and guide for coping with 2
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 15m gap James G)
Great practical advice, really essential!
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 19m gap Annelise P)
Useful reminder of all the things to bear in mind from last time plus the points which will be different with 2.
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 15m gap Claire A)
A good reminder of what to do with a newborn and how to manage with two young children.
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 18m gap Sinead B)
Great way to remind you of things to get prepared for number 2. Also practical, honest advice that will hopefully help in the imminent future!! It made me realise not to take too much on board and go with the flow.
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Emma W)
Great tips on dealing with 2. It was very helpful, good preparation with a great reminder of early days.
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Jenny D)
I most enjoyed the session on coping with two. The class was just like having tea with friends with lots of experience in the subject and lots of tips and advice.
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Gabriela P)
I most enjoyed the session on breastfeeding and how to split time between baby and toddler. The class was very thorough with a huge amount of information covered. I'm now less worried about what it will be like with two!
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Katherine M)
Good practical advice, easy to apply to everyday life with lots of great tips.
(October 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 2yr gap Sarah H)
Very useful reminders about looking after baby and great tips on how to prepare/include older sister/brother. Good practical advice and suggestions, Thank you.
(September 2012, Refresher class/2nd baby prep class, 5yr gap Karen P)
Thanks for the friendly informative and practical advice.
(September 2012, The Early Days class, Rebecca M)
Thank you very much for the very informative class 'Preparing for the 2nd and coping with 2'. It was full of just the right amount of practical information, as well as the gentle reminders of what there is to think about when you are having a baby. I particularly enjoyed dedicating the time to the 2nd pregnancy and the 2nd baby which is sadly much less than with the first. In addition the takeaway paperwork serves as a super checklist to work with in the last few weeks. Many thanks and I will most certainly recommend to other expectant mums.
(September 2012, Refresher Class /2nd baby prep class 19m gap, Victoria Boxall - Hunt)
Just wanted to say many thanks for your class last week. I picked up some really useful tips on managing with two little ones and found it reassuring to re-visit newborn care. The tutorial style was perfect for me - and loved the handouts.
(September 2012, Refresher Class /2nd baby prep class 20 m gap, Kerry)
Great round the table chat to get all your questions/worries out, whilst having structured help and guidance on coping with two!
(September 2012, Refresher Class /2nd baby prep class 20month gap, Kerry M)
A useful reminder about dealing with a newborn baby. Remembering to pack things for your toddler and not just me when I go into labour! Good Tips about dealing with 2.
(September 2012, Refresher Class /2nd baby prep class 2yr gap, Victoria V)
Brilliant - very pragmatic, structured, common sense advice. I feel very well prepared and feel much more excited about number 2s arrival.
(September 2012, Refresher Class /2nd baby prep class 13month gap, Kirsty G)
The class was very informative, friendly and reassuring. It helped most by remembering things that I had forgotten, also new tips to get my older child involved in her little brothers life.
(August 2012, Refresher Class /2nd baby prep class 4yr gap, Silvia R)
It was a good reminder of what it was like and how it will be different i.e juggling the 2.
(August2012, Refresher Class /2nd baby prep class 2yr gap, Rosie O)
Interactive, informative and personal experience at The Baby Care Company. The course helped me to manage expectations for life with 2.
(August2012, Refresher Class/2nd baby prep class 2yr gap, Kim S)
Very friendly and professional with useful pointers. Helpful reminders of things I'd forgotten and time to focus on this baby finally!
(August2012, Refresher Class/2nd baby prep class 18m gap, Sam B)
Good refresher with good take away notes. Good to actually take some time out and think about preparation for life with 2.
(August2012, Refresher Class/2nd baby prep class 2.5year gap, Jill A)
Very useful to focus on the changes which will take place with 2. Gives ideas for structuring the day, feeds etc, and the class has made me feel more relaxed about having a second child and how it will fit into our lives.
(August2012, Refresher Class/2nd baby prep class 2year gap, Lynne B)
Extremely useful course. Vey informative and bespoke to my needs. Small classes allow for enough conversation and questions.
(June 2012, GETTING READY Class, Michelle K)
The refresher class was relaxed friendly and informative. Good to get a reminder of the newborn basics with helpful hints, tips and reminders.
(June 2012, Refrehser class, 6yr gap, Jane)
The Baby Care Company 2nd Baby Prep course was a lovely setting with open communication, and it was good to be listened to.
(June 2012, Refresher/2nd baby prep class, 3yr gap, Lise)
The refresher/2nd baby preparation course was really worthwhile and worth doing. It has made me think of more practicalities and ways to include Zoe etc.
(June 2012, Refresher/2nd baby prep class, 3.5yr gap, Amanda)
A really positive experience at The Baby Care Company - great to have a refresher and hear the ideas, experiences and insights of the other women too.
(June 2012, Refresher/2nd Baby prep Class 5 yr gap, Domonique)
I found the Baby Care Company incredibly informative and helpful on a practical and local level. The Course really felt aimed at me and what I needed completely easing my anxieties of those last days of pregnancy and first days of motherhood and beyond.
Because Eilish was flexible and able to tailor the course to suit me and what I wanted to cram in the whole session was helpful and I feel able to cope with what my little baby will throw at me! I also feel I have the support there should my babies sleep and feeding patterns become a real problem - I would definitely then be interested in a come to my house service.
I would definitely recommend the course and I would love to hear about any future courses that might be relevant to me.
(June 2012, Tailored 121 class covering baby care, sleep and feeding, Nicole S)
To the point and concrete summary of what to get and how to care for the baby. Helps to make choices and to find your way around all the stuff out there.
The what-to-buy section was very useful and saved us from a lengthy internet investigation (where the internet is inconsistent and you would not be able to ask questions which help you make up your mind). We enjoyed the sleep and routines class because it was a topic we hadn't heard anything about yet, and it gave a lot of insight so hopefully that will work out well in practice.
(June 2012, Getting ready, The Early Days and Getting into your stride classes, Katya and Richard)
Very useful summation of the essentials. Saved so much time I would have otherwise spent reading. It most helped by refreshing my memory on the early days of the new baby and listening to real life experiences of living with two.
(May 2012, Refrehser Class 2 yr gap, Rob)
Very good, flexible, friendly and fantastic information. Feel so much more 'ready' now and better placed to cope now.
(May 2012, Refrehser Class 2 yr gap, Claire)
The class gave me the opportunity and time to focus on the arrival of my second baby and I left excited which was lovely.It took me back to the early days with Lily and reminded me of what I needed to prepare for. It reinforced many of the things I'd begun to think about such as ensuring my eldest doesn't feel left out and when to move rooms etc.
(May 2012, Refrehser Class 2 yr gap, Victoria)
The Baby Care Co. gave me really practical, thoughtful advice and support with great ideas and info. for coping with 2. I was given some great tips I hadn't thought of and it made me more confident about what I've done already and where I am heading now.
(Feb 2012, Refrehser Class 2.5yr gap, Emma)
A practical, efficient way to get information without taking ages - a good reminder of what the first bit is like when it's all forgotten. It makes it more real and got me thinking about practicalities.
(Feb 2012, Refrehser Class 19m gap, Katy)
Great practical refresher course that covers basic reminders on care but also good pointers on managing with 2.
(Feb 2012, Refrehser Class 22m gap, Catherine)
Very informative, relaxed and easy to learn class in a nice environment. The class opened up new ideas and it was easy to voice concerns
(Jan 2012, Getting Ready Class, Verity)
Great experience at The Baby Care Company - fun, informative and a good way of learning. Felt more confident after doing this class. Hugely helped in preparation for life with my baby - I just need my husband to do a course now!
(Jan 2012, The Early Days, Verity)
Very informative, good preparation for how to care for a baby - the things you may not automatically think about. Allowed my partner to get more understanding about what to expect. Also to make you think about what to expect after birth which you may not previously have thought about
(January 2012 - midwife with partner, The Early Days class)
Very informative - informal but intuitive, friendly class. Has helped me very much in preparation for life with my baby - received so much useful information I wasn't aware of.
(January 2012 - Dad to be)
"Eilish/The Baby Care Company gave us some really useful hints on getting our baby started into a routine, reinforced by clear hand-outs which summarised what we had been told."
(Dec 2011, 121 post-natal consultation)
Really relaxed, open environment. It's given me more confidence that I have the right information and know what I should be doing.
(December 2011, Jenny, The Early Days class)
Good, practical advice. Particularly liked the bottle feeding, and the practical bits after the hospital - changing nappy etc.
(December 2011, Christina, The Early Days class)
Very reassuring to understand the items required before the birth, and to talk through the build up to labour. Area on 'partners role during labour' was really useful as this tends to be assumed rather than actually talked about.
(November 2011 - Dad to be)
Class was tailored to our needs - routine element very good. Enjoyed changing, feeding and bathing sections.
(September 2011 - Surrogate parents to be, tailored class)
I really enjoyed your class - thanks for the advice and information
(October 2011, Jackie)
It's very beneficial as the NCT courses are only offered a month or 2 before your baby is born. Enjoyed all of the course as pictures and demonstrations were used throughout and you can ask questions/chat in between. I enjoyed the class a lot as I know a lot about babies but it's nice to hear from a mum's experience.
(September 2011 - Getting ready class)
Lots of practical tips in a short space of time - a bit like best friends tips which you never hear about until you've experienced it for yourself!
(September 2011, Kathy, Getting ready class)
Eilish produced a very helpful refresher course for me. With a 6 year gap and my first child having been born in the USA, it was great to be reminded of what to expect in the UK system and to talk through feeding schedules, breast feeding issues and the main equipment needed - I soon realised that I had managed to forget essentials on my own list. Eilish delivers a lot of information very clearly and in a short space of time and cleverly tailors her course to meet the individual's needs. She very quickly picked up on my needs and areas of interest. Eilish has also very kindly remained in touch and has responded to any post course queries very quickly.
What I most enjoyed was that Eilish provided me with the information that I needed quickly, fluently and in a friendly informative way. Eilish was also completely non judgmental about delivery type and was able to provide a lot of information about all aspects of the delivery, post partum care and anaesthesia on offer in the UK. I also found all the hand outs that Eilish can provide on equipment, feeding schedules etc very useful.
Above all, Eilish really knows her stuff and is a mum herself who I felt brilliantly understood the areas that were concerning me and was very supportive. I knew I was in for a scheduled c section this time for medical reasons but was apprehensive (as my first delivery was a traumatic non c section of a large baby). Eilish was really keen to do the best job she could of preparing me for the big event.
I can honestly say that the c section was a really positive event and all went very smoothly. My baby was even keen to breastfeed in the recovery room and even the breastfeeding is still going well 6 months on. I am very happy that I was able to benefit from Eilish's expertise and ongoing support and can highly recommend the refresher course.
(Refresher Class)
I have done the first 2 stages of this amazing course, "getting ready" and "the early days". It is really worth it, as you get to have 1 on 1 attention about all the questions you have; in a small group; in a comfortable place, which is nice and personal. You get to find out many things about your baby, yourself, birth etc which you may not know... Eilish uses appropriate props to demonstrate and show you things, like to how to hold your baby, how to dress it, how to bath it, what certain things look like etc which I found really interesting. She also gives you notes to follow which you get to keep, show your husband and read about at home. She is professional, well spoken and very approachable. I would recommend these courses to any new mum, as I have found them really worthwhile.
"Eilish's advice has been invaluable to me throughout both of my pregnancies and early motherhood. She always responded with thought and sensitivity to my constant stream of questions - what do I really need to buy for the baby? should I hire a tens machine? does anything ease the nipple chapping caused by breast feeding? why won't my baby sleep?! I was so lucky to have her around and couldn't think of a better person to give ante and postnatal advice."
(Nicky - Mother of 2)
"Eilish has been saviour in the way I have been able to raise my second son. After enduring numerous difficulties with my first child, mainly relating to a poor sleeping pattern and difficulties in feeding, I was very nervous about having a second child. Eilish was invaluable from the start when I had a terrible pregnancy involving severe Hyperemesis right through to the caesarean birth. Later Eilish encouraged and guided me on how to establish a solid routine for feeding , expressing and most of all introducing a simple yet effective routine from day one which fit in with the rest of my family. The latter helped include my elder son into the whole process and eventually made it easier for me to return to my business and career.
The whole experience of a second child has been joyful, fun and relaxed for myself and my husband - a total contrast to the first!! I firmly believe that this is due to the support, practical advice and patience Eilish has provided. I would whole heartedly recommend Eilish to all my friends, family and colleagues and can say without hesitation that I could not have done this, so easily, without her."
(Nisha - mother of 2)
"Eilish was a great support as well as an adviser throughout my pregnancy and our babies first year. She had good suggestions from pregnancy issues, labour options, breast feeding, babies schedule, through to which prams, cot, car seat to choose.
I did not have time to attend ante natal classes instead talking-1-2-1 to Eilish provided a key role in building my confidence as I was very worried about what was going to happen during labour, even though I read a great deal beforehand.
Her suggestion of sticking to a schedule as soon as my son was born certainly made our life easier throughout the year and allowed my husband and I to be more relaxed and enjoy our baby more. Eilish is extremely efficient, confident, very knowledgeable and always willing to help. We would highly recommend her. "
(Zina- mother of 1)


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Fight Winter Dry Skin
The weather out there is frightful, but in here it's also not very delightful, because when the heater runs and the fireplace glows, you get dried out from head to toe. When thinking about the winter season you may remember your beautifully decorated Christmas tree, delicious food, too much pie, and dazzling lights, but did you forget about your dry skin?
The cool air and snow may bring about winter beauty and magic, but it also dries out your skin causing redness, itching, dandruff, eczema, and more! Don't let dryness ruin your winter wonderland, fight back against winter dryness instead with these helpful tips from UnitWise!
Your Head
Let's start at the top, with your hair and scalp, otherwise, you could be brushing dandruff off your shoulders, or dealing with dry, frizzy hair all season long.
When the season takes a turn with bitter cold, rainy or snowy days be prepared with moisturizing shampoos on hand, like anti-dandruff or all-natural tea tree oil shampoos to give your scalp a boost of moisture before the dry season hits. You should also invest in a deep penetrating conditioner.
Also, prior to showering, you can moisturize your scalp with all-natural cream or oil mask. Peppermint oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are all popular to use before taking a shower.
Speaking of showers, take less of them. Invest in dry shampoo to clean and refresh your hair.
To protect your hair from dryness avoid drying it as much as you can. Maybe wait a while before drying it to spend less time with the hairdryer, or throw your hair in a bun and wait for it to dry on its own.
One last thing, before going outdoors put on your cute winter cap to protect your hair and scalp from harsh winter temperatures and conditions.
Your Face
To keep your skin nice and moist it's all about hydration, so step up your moisturizer game. Put it on morning and night. Also, put your summer moisturizer away to hibernate, and bust out a winter moisturizer. By that, we mean a moisturizer that's oil-based, as it will help protect your skin from winter temperatures, the wind, and dryness. Usually 'creams' are oil-based.
While washing your face or using a skin mask avoid ones with alcohol listed in the ingredients as it will really dry your skin out. Plus, be wary of clay masks that could suck the moisture right out of your pores.
Before going outside prep your skin with sunscreen. Winter actually has the harshest UV rays, and even though we're cold and can't feel them, they can do a number on our skin. The sun rays also reflect off of the snow and hit your face a second time, deepening its skin burning and drying effect.
Don't forget about your lips. Nobody wants, dry, cracking, and burning lips because they could really kill the mistletoe vibe. Exfoliate any dead skin away with a dry toothbrush then hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Use lip creams, lipsticks, and chapsticks in the morning and take them with you to reapply all day. Try to find a brand that has an SPF of at least 15 to protect your lips from the sun.
Your Arms and Elbows
It's winter! 'Tis the season to be dry and itchy as eczema flares up all over your arms. Prevent your arms from drying out by taking shorter, lukewarm showers. I know during the winter all you want is a piping hot shower or bath, but they can really dry you out.
When you're in the shower make sure you're using a soft, gentle soap without chemicals like lye in it and only wash your necessary body parts like your armpits. Avoid soaping your extremities as it can cause your skin and elbows to become dehydrated.
Soak your skin in a lukewarm bath that has oatmeal in it. You can buy a premade bath bomb or grind your own oats to create a moisturizing solution to soak in. This will provide moisture for your arms, legs, hands, and feet!
After your shower or bathe when your skin and elbows are still moist apply lotion immediately. However, you may need to use an exfoliating elbow scrub before putting on lotion.
Keep in mind that it's time to double up on the moisturizer regiment. Put on a deep moisturizing cream, lotion, oils like coconut, or vaseline twice a day. Avoid any scented fragrances or shimmering lotions that may irritate your skin.
Avoid heavy fabrics that weigh you down like wool, and wear a lightweight breathable fabric like cotton instead so your skin can breathe.
Bust out your humidifier. As you run the heat in your home you'll be drying out the air, so use your humidifier to counteract some of the dryness. As a result, your skin will have more moisture and your sinus cavities may thank you.
Your Hands
Dry cracked hands can feel like a plague as they itch and burn with no relief, so be sure to keep your hands nice and soft with the following tips.
Wash your hands only when you absolutely need to, and when you do, use a soft gentle soap or a moisturizing soap. Then right after washing your hands put some lotion or vaseline on them, every time.
Put some lotion in your purse and carry it everywhere to protect yourself when winter dryness hits.
The winter elements can strike both inside your home and out, so be ready and protect your hands. When cleaning your home or doing the dishes wear a pair of rubber gloves to prevent chemicals and soaps from drying out your skin. When outdoors wear a pair of gloves to keep your hands dry and warm, out of the cold wind and snow. However, if your hands start to sweat to take your gloves immediately.
You can also exfoliate your hands with a sugar scrub to get rid of dry, hard skin, then moisturize after to really give your lotion time to sink in.
Before bed, you can seal in your lotion by slathering some on your hands then putting on soft cotton gloves or socks so the lotion won't rub off. Instead, it will penetrate deeply to fight winter dryness.
Your Feet
For some reason when flipflops are put away and the boots come out we forget about our feet, but even though we can't see them, they can still dry out.
Maintain foot moisture like the rest of the body, with a gentle soap, and by moisturizing after getting out of a lukewarm shower.
Also, remember to exfoliate your feet by using a soft brush or stone. Foot tools found at local stores work wonders for dry heels.
When moisturizing you can use your normal lotion, and vaseline is great to use as well, but there are also foot creams available filled with soothing items like tea tree oil, peppermint, and more.
When trekking through the winter conditions think about what you're wearing. Shoes or boots that don't rub or chafe your feet. You don't want to create a foot sauna either. Do you really need fur-lined boots and 3 pairs of socks? Because that will generate a lot of heat that will dry your feet out. Keep them warm, yet cool. Plus, be sure to get your feet out of wet shoes or socks immediately.
Winter Wonder Skin
Don't dry out and suffer from itchy, dry skin that may even burn a little. Enjoy your winter season, with soft, moisturized skin instead! Please be sure to share your moisturizing tips in the comment section below.
Learn more about skincare at UnitWise.

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My 19 yr old daughter diag w/chr on 7/07...Bless all of you
w/the same thing.....Even on the meds she is still in alot of
adb pain,has not had the diarrea part.....
does not matter what she eats she's in pain...went to the hematologist yesterday, now she's going for a iron infusion
next week...went back to her GI today, states that the next
step is Humira and if that don't help surgery????? She is in very
much denial/angry that is been hard on all of us.....She has lost
a lot of hair also, she had the most beautiful thick hair....
If anyone is out there, who is her age, please respond also...and
all the veterans....please......
Im in the process of finding her aged chronies :) Ive been to
two different support grps and there all older/will not work for
her......I thank you all for your ?'s and answers.
Ive been hesitant on posting/my first time....
My prayers go out to all of you, GOD BLESS
pentasa,predisone, hydrocodone as needed/but refuses to take
My 19 yr old daughter was 18 and in college when diagnosed. Her reaction was one of acceptance...actually, she was relieved to know it wasn't, as many docs had claimed, all in her head. But I don't blame your daughter for being angry. It's certainly a dirty trick to, just when a person is about to spread her wings and fly into her adult life, find out she has Crohn's.
Now is the roughest time for your daughter and family, trying out different meds to find what works for her. (Like her, my daughter never had D...she has Crohn's only in the terminal ileum and is now in remission thanks to Entocort.) Humira is not necessarily your only option for a next step. The following link takes you to info from the Johns Hopkins web site about the different meds that can be used to treat Crohn's:
Any mesalamine med like Pentasa (also Asacol and Lialda) can cause hair loss. Pentasa is considered to be a less effective but fairly safe med for Crohn's (at least compared to prednisone). However, in my daughter's experience, iron, B12, and serum folate dropped while she was on this med, even though she was on high supplements of all three vit/minerals. (Also, anybody on a med like Pentasa needs to take folic acid supplements.) If Pentasa works for your daughter, great. But if it doesn't then you might ask your GI whether it can be stopped. Because none of these meds are benign. If they aren't helping then, with their potential to interfere with the body's absorption of important nutrients, even the "safer" meds" like Pentasa can fight the body's ability to repair itself.
It's certainly understandable for your daughter to be angry. I'm sure we've all felt that way about having Crohn's. Prednisone can cause mood swings for some people, and it's possible that it's intensifying her reaction. Her anger may be easier to deal with when she tapers off the Pred.
I was on hydrocodone for a while, and I hated it,too. It helped with my surgical pain, but it made me nauseous. Her GI (or whoever prescribed the pain meds) should be able to give you other options.
If you're at all concerned about the treatments the GI recommends, don't hesitate to get a second opinion. I changed doctors two months after my diagnosis because I didn't like his "let's wait and see how sick you get before making any changes" treatment plan. It was the best decision I could have made. Humeria has helped a lot of people, and surgery is an unfortunate reality for some Crohnies. But they aren't the only possibilities.
Good luck to you and your daughter. I hope things turn around for her soon.
Like I told my daughter the other nite when she was
crying...I will never give up on learning and researching
this disease, I belive someday there will be a cure, so
we all have to share what helps, even though no two
people are alike......
Warm hugs to all of you


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What is Dental Bonding?
Bonding is the application of a natural-colored resin to repair a chipped, cracked or worn tooth. This explains how bonding gets its name, because the resin bonds to the natural tooth. Unlike veneers, which require a customized mold to achieve a proper fit, bonding is generally done in a single visit.
Bonding can repair teeth, close in gaps and even reshape a tooth, changing your smile completely. Dental bonding also requires less time and is more affordable than other cosmetic alternatives. This is why some dentists feel that dental bonding is best suited for small cosmetic changes.
However, there are limitations to bonding, so be sure to consider all your options and speak with your local dentist. Bonded teeth are more vulnerable to chipping and breaking than dental crowns and dental veneers. And although they are mostly stain-resistant, dental crowns have proven to resist stains better than bonding.
Maintaining your Bonded Teeth
Bonded teeth do not require special care. Simply follow good oral hygiene practices by brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day. Also see your local dentist for regular professional check-ups and cleanings.
In addition, remember that a bonded tooth can still chip. As a precaution, avoid biting your fingernails or chewing on hard objects such as eating ice. Call your dentist if you notice sharp edges or if your teeth feel strange when you bite down. If necessary, dental bonding can be repaired or touched up.


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When new shops open here, they often ask for an "06880" shout-out.
I'm happy to oblige, I say — provided they give me a strong Westport hook. It can't be just "new store in town," I tell them. Give me something local to sink my teeth into.
I seldom hear back.
That's why I'm glad to talk about WEST. The new fashion/art/jewelry/ accessories place on 117 Post Road East (across from Bank of America) cleverly incorporates a Westport sensibility with influences from the "WEST Coast" (and even further west, Australia).
But it also carries the line of a very local designer — Emerson Kobak — who is still just a Staples High School junior. (One more reason to like WEST: The owners discovered Emerson through this "06880" blog.)
The new store is the brainchild of Westporter Laura Maged. A Long Island native who spent many "magical" years in her 20s and 30s in Southern California, she heard about our town after she and her husband moved to New York.
The folks she met here seemed to always do intriguing things. The "rich arts heritage and easy style" attracted her. She loved Compo Beach (and the playground), while downtown reminded her of Brentwood.
Laura thought she could "recreate a little of my special LA life here." Starting in 2002, she did just that.
Now WEST, she says, will be a place where Westport and the West Coast's "casual, easy lifestyles" mix. Her vision is for "a cool, easy place to shop."
But while she's all about bringing the coast vibe east, she's also excited to team up with Kobak. The teenager studies every Saturday at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. She spent this summer in Cornell's fashion design program, and now adds her line — Emerson Isa Designs — to WEST.
It's always good news when a new mom-and-pop — or, in this case, "mom" shop — comes to town.
It's even better news when the owner truly gets the local vibe.
And gets what "06880" looks for in a story. After all, this blog's tagline is "where WESTport meets the world."


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One of the best things about the Call of Duty Black Ops video game — this year's phenomenal blockbuster that pulled in $350 million in its first day of sales last week — is that it has a great story. Much of the plot has twists and turns taken from brainwashing movies such as The Bourne Identity. But there are enough original elements to make the game more than a knock-off.
The continuous improvement of this game series, now in its installment, shows something that fans have long known. Video games are good at telling stories and conveying artistic themes as movies, books, or music. If this trend continues, don't be surprised if the next blockbuster comes from video games and not Hollywood directors such as James Cameron, creator of Avatar and Titanic.
Indeed, while many of the game's elements will seem familiar to Call of Duty fans, the execution makes this year's installment of Call of Duty the best ever. That's an important victory for the game's publisher, Activision Blizzard, which is engaged in a death match with rival Electronic Arts over who can make the best modern combat games — the first-person shooters that represent the highest form of video game art today and its most lucrative category.
In their usual homage to great war movies, the developers at Treyarch, the studio that produced this game for Activision Blizzard, have liberally lifted scenes from some of the best movies spanning the Cold War era, the time period in which the game is based. They include the gut-wrenching scene from The Deer Hunter in which Viet Cong captors force American prisoners to play Russian roulette. You also get to pilot a swift patrol boat up the Mekong River on the same path that actor Martin Sheen traveled in the most memorable scenes of Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece film Apocalypse Now.
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The point of these scenes is to capture the essence of war drama at its highest and let the game player relive it. What separates Call of Duty games from its rivals is that the developers insert the player into the most cinematic combat moments imaginable, and the player's job is to fight a way out of it. You're never bored in a Call of Duty game, unless you're bored of over-the-top combat scenes in the first place. In how many other games do you get a chance to escape an avalanche by jumping off a cliff?
This game has a few minor flaws — it slowed down in three instances while I played it on the Xbox 360 — but it delivers a fresh story with intense combat scenes, a wide variety of theaters of battle, and experimental weapons such as Dragon's Breath shotgun ammo that bursts its target into flames. Since the execution is so good in this game, I've given it a review score of 95 out of 100. In my opinion, that puts it in the running to be one of the best games of the year, alongside titles such as Red Dead Redemption and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. In fact, this game is better than a lot of movies I've seen lately.
The real-life drama of the game studios
That explains why the game sold 5.6 million units in 24 hours — more than last year's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (4.7 million units) and far more than its chief competitor Medal of Honor. Luckily for the game's publisher, Activision Blizzard, the quality of the game wasn't affected by the real life drama at the Call of Duty game studios. The Black Ops developer, Treyarch, operated as a second-string Call of Duty developer for many years. It alternated Call of Duty titles with Infinity Ward, the first-string studio that handled the big game releases every two years. But Infinity Ward imploded in March, when Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick fired Infinity Ward founders Vince Zampella and Jason West for allegedly trying to start their own game studio while still employed by Activision Blizzard. The firings led to lawsuits. The founders started their own game studio, Respawn Entertainment, which will presumably make games for arch rival Electronic Arts.
Treyarch stepped in the limelight with Black Ops, eliminating all other projects and dedicated more than 300 developers to the task of creating an outstanding Call of Duty games. EA also chose this fall to revive its moribund Medal of Honor brand with a reboot of that game franchise, which competes with Call of Duty. Medal of Honor had to weather its own controversy, as the game set in the ongoing Afghan war offended the families of war victims because it allowed you to play the Taliban side in multiplayer. Medal of Honor has sold more than 3 million units since its launch in October, but I gave the game an 80 out of 100 because of numerous glitches and weak story. Other critics also panned the game, leaving a big opening for Activision Blizzard with Call of Duty Black Ops, which debuted Nov. 9.
The re-introduction of Medal of Honor put a lot of pressure on Treyarch, which made a big bet by leaving World War II behind (gamers have tired of it) and set a game in the midst of an unpopular American war, Vietnam. It might seem like Activision Blizzard is launching this new game right on schedule — despite the blow-up at Infinity Ward — out of a patriotic duty. But clearly the profit motive is a mighty incentive, as Activision Blizzard is pouring the necessary resources into this to hang on to its perch as the No. 1 company in video games. Rather than merely re-fight that war, Treyarch wisely chose to use the war as a backdrop for a more interesting, personalized story of betrayal, revenge, and moral fog. This story is why Black Ops and the relentless focus on action is so much more compelling than Medal of Honor.
Going beyond the Bourne Identity
The game consists of movie-like animated scenes, dubbed cinematics, that convey the story of Alex Mason, a special forces operative, and Jason Hudson, an agent for the Central Intelligence Agency. They embark on a series of clandestine Black Operations missions behind enemy lines to thwart a Soviet attempt to develop a lethal nerve gas known as Nova 6. The Soviet efforts are led by rogue leaders Nikita Dragovich, Lev Kravchenko and Friedrich Steiner. Mason is assigned by no less than U.S. President John F. Kennedy himself to take out Dragovich. But the mission is complicated by the fact that Mason was captured and tortured by the Russians. Mason realizes he was brainwashed but doesn't know what his real mission is. He is a trained assassin, triggered by code words to execute a mission that has been implanted in his brain.
While that may seem a lot like the fate of Jason Bourne in the Bourne Identity, the similarities end there. The plot is less convoluted than last year's Modern Warfare 2, which had crazy scenes where you were shooting Russians, terrorists, and American soldiers all at once. Treyarch's chief executive, Mark Lamia, told us in an interview that a lot of the roots of the story — set against the backdrop of the Cold War and the Vietnam struggle — were based on interviews with real Black Ops agents. These agents of the Studies and Operations Group (SOG) were given the chance to use experimental weapons, an idea that the game designers ran with. It allowed them to introduce fictional weapons such as a crossbow with explosive bolts. The result is that, even though the game is set in the 1960s, you wind up with some very snazzy weapons that fans of the series really want.
Last year's Modern Warfare 2 game included a controversial scene in which the player participates in a civilian massacre at a Russian airport. The new game also opens with a controversy. Your first mission as Mason is to accompany the invasion of Cuba during the Bay of Pigs fiasco in 1961. Accompanied by fellow soldiers Frank Woods and Joseph Bowman, Mason has to break off from the U.S.-backed invading forces and try to assassinate Fidel Castro. That scene has enraged the Cuban government, which says the game promotes the assassination of a world leader and encourages American teens to adopt a "sociopathic attitude." (That part of the plot is softened by the inclusion of a mini game in which Castro, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Robert McNamara use shotguns and other weapons to fight off attacking zombies). The game makes you feel like you're shooting Castro himself, though a twist in the plot allows the game developers to distance themselves from the Cuban government's accusation.
Despite a hair-raising escape attempt, Mason is captured by Castro's forces and delivered to Russian General Dragovich, who takes Mason back to a Soviet prison camp, Vorkuta Gulag. There, you meet fellow prisoner Viktor Reznov, a former Red Army hero (from the earlier Call of Duty: World at War game) who is disenchanted with the Communist government. Reznov recounts in a flashback scene how he encountered Dragovich, Kravchenko and Steiner at the end of World War II, when they all converged on the effort by former Nazi scientist Steiner to create the Nova 6 nerve gas. As the Russian's claim Nova 6 for themselves, Dragovich betrays Reznov and sets up the revenge story for the game. Reznov becomes Mason's constant companion, providing Mason with the will and drive to track down the villains and stop them from using the nerve gas against America.
From one hot spot to another
The game has some very memorable scenes. As Mason, you walk through the Pentagon and meet with President Kennedy himself, where in circumspect language, he tells you about Dragovich's threat and to "take care of it." All the while, Mason has to fight off an inexplicable urge to kill the president. Mason and his companions also have to infiltrate and attack the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which houses the Soviet space program. In one of the cool scenes of the game, you get to feel what it's like to take off in an SR-71 spy plane and climb into low orbit. From the spy plane, you have to guide the soldiers on the ground so they can evade Soviet forces in a blinding blizzard.
That sets up yet another cool scene in which you rappel down a mountain side, jump back from a ledge, and then crash through the window of a control center. In slow motion, you have to target each soldier in the place as the glass shatters so that your team is the only one left standing. You fight on throughout the facility, using a crossbow with explosive bolts to slow down big packs of Russian soldiers.
From there, the story shifts to Vietnam during the Tet offensive. You have to defend Khe Sanh, the northern-most U.S. Army base in South Vietnam, as it comes under a blistering siege by North Vietnamese forces. This was one of the weaker segments of the game, as it got a little boring and predictable. But in the rest of the game, the artificial intelligence of the enemies is really good. Sometimes the enemies will charge you when you're hiding behind obstacles. Or they will try to circle around you and attack together.
One of the best levels is when you are inserted into the city of Hue, which was overrun by the North Vietnamese during Tet. As I've pointed out before, the introduction to this scene is a signature example of why Call of Duty games are so fun. In another game, you might rappel down the ropes of a helicopter into a hot landing zone. But with this game, you start going down the ropes and then your helicopter is struck by a rocket. The Huey gunship starts spinning out of control and then swings you around, clinging for dear life on the rope. You smash through the windows of a building and then you have to immediately engage in a firefight. That's where you pull out your shotgun with the Dragon's Breath ammo.
I also enjoyed sneaking through the jungles and tunnels of Laos, jumping from rooftop to rooftop in the high-rise city of Kowloon, spraying death from above in a stolen Soviet Hind helicopter gunship, cruising the Mekong River in a patrol boat that shoots rockets and machine guns at the shoreline. At each point in the game, you have to take advantage of different weapons, from sniper rifles that see the heat outlines of soldiers to antiaircraft rockets that take out helicopters. The soundtrack includes 1960s titles from the Rolling Stones. That's another element that makes the game feel more authentic.
What makes the story good is that the characters all play their roles in advancing the plot. Your comrades in arms aren't just cannon fodder. They're characters with distinct personalities. Treyarch used new motion-capture technology to capture facial expressions accurately so that the animated characters' mouths move in a convincing way when they are talking.
The effect is added realism. You wind up caring about these soldiers. The game also continues the Call of Duty tradition of having superb villains to chase after. Since you have three hated villains to pursue in the game, you never run out of the proper motivation as you hunt them down, one by one. When you catch up with each one of them, a movie-like dramatic scene ensues. The Call of Duty ethos is to show respect for the soldier and disdain for the politicians and generals who send them to their deaths. Although Mason is a time bomb as an assassin waiting to carry out his final orders, you feel genuine sympathy for his plight.
Not everything is perfect
I didn't give this game a perfect score because it has some technical glitches. The game slowed to a crawl on me three times while playing on the Xbox 360. This is almost enough to drive me to the PlayStation 3, which has a lousy controller for shooter games.
PC players have also had similar complaints. I noticed the same problem on Electronic Arts' Medal of Honor game. But this title is so much better on a variety of fronts that it's easier to put up with the glitches. Games almost always have some kind of glitch, and the Call of Duty ones have been more humorous than maddening. Last year, for instance, you could make yourself nearly invincible by strapping a Javelin missile to your back. This year, PC players have also noted the game has some frustrating bugs.
There are some design mistakes too. Early in the game, as you are escaping from the Russian prison, you have to wander around looking for a switch to open a mechanical door. The problem is, the switch is hidden too well, and you are attacked by dozens of Russian soldiers while you are trying to find this switch. I had to replay that scene until I killed all the Russian soldiers. Then I wandered around for a while until I found the switch. You still can't lean around corners and shoot, either.
I can also forgive the mistakes because the overall 3D technology is also much better in this game, which is the seventh one in the series. Lighting effects look better, and the game uses a streaming texture technology that allows for much bigger levels than was previously possible. The game functioned perfectly at the end, even with the difficult-to-render combination of water leaks, electrical shorts, and fast action. The scenery was also quite memorable, and weirdly beautiful, amid the destruction of the city of Hue.
I've played the multiplayer version of the game briefly. But it's enough to show me that the Call of Duty multiplayer experience is still among the best in video games today. In each match, you are rewarded for "killstreaks," where you shoot multiple enemies in a row. Those killstreaks unlock new weapons such as a remote-controlled explosive car or controllable attack helicopters.
On Modern Warfare 2, I played multiplayer for weeks and got to 61 out of 70 in the rankings. In a couple of nights of play, I was able to get to rank No. 8 on Black Ops. Now, as you level up, you can earn COD points that you can spend to upgrade your equipment as you see fit. These COD points give you more leeway to control your upgrade path. And you can also wager COD points with other players in an attempt to level up even faster.
Overall, the experience is recognizable as a classic Call of Duty experience. It probably has the legs to stay popular for months, especially with free multiplayer combat. That means that gamers may be too busy to play other games and it will take a really good game to knock this one from its perch.
Do you think this is the best Call of Duty game ever? Take our poll below. I've also attached the Call of Duty Black Ops launch trailer video below.
Is Call off Duty Black Ops the best game in the Call of Duty series?customer surveys
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With all due respect, the paltriness of the so-called Colmar Treasure, now on view at the Cloisters, is a lachrymose little testament. On loan from the Musée de Cluny in Paris, the "treasure" refers to the remains of valuables (coins, jewels, and things) hidden away by the Jewish residents of Colmar. The speculation is that the owners did so before their Christian neighbors slaughtered the Jewish community en masse in response to the Black Death plague in 1348.
Usually for the blog, I try to photograph my own impressions at a museum or gallery. But these objects were just too small, lost in the display cases, for me to get a good shot. So I found these professional photos online. The miracle of the medium is that, on the one hand, the objects photograph nicely, but, for all that, the photographs are misleading. In the photograph the objects lose something of the sadness that confronts the viewer. The photographic medium conveys a dignity to the objects belied that do not match their physical appearance.
This author of this article here at the Times of Israel quotes Barbara Drake Boehm, a senior curator at the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters, "I think the power of this material is its personal nature. It's appropriately deemed a treasure, not because of the nature of the gold or the size of the gems, but because it's an unexpected testament to lives lived and lost. Its poignancy is because of its personal scale."
True as all this may be, it is also true that these telling little Diaspora objects do not stand up very well to the medieval magnificence of the Christian art and design that absorbs them at the Cloisters, or to the Christian objects brought in by the curators to contextualize the appearance of the exhibition of this "treasure." It's not simply that the objects get lost. Not powerful, the objects themselves are just so sad and small. What else could the curators have done? One wants to see more, but this is what's left.
For a professional review here on Twitter of the exhibition, here's a thread by Sonja Drimmer.