bonce

It important to remember that aupairs are supposed to be part of your family. They are usually young and can't be expected to do everything or even have had any experience with children. Often people leave them on their own loads and dont include them in fmaily life and they end up feeling really lonely. When I was a child I had aupairs helping my mother and I loved them. They were fun and had lots of energy and talked to me in all sorts of launguages. But I have also been an aupair in families where I was treated like a servant. Had to go to my room in the evening andwasn't given the same food as them which was really horrible.

I also had a mad crush for oranges when I was pregnant 23 years ago. They had to be the huge oranges and I used to eat about 6 a day. Funnily enough my daughter, who I was pregnant with during this orange fest time has a wierd allergy to oranges. Her skin goes all red and itchy when she touches the pith or skin......

Well then that just shows how busy they must be.

The Oakwood are fantastic midwives, working at the moment under very difficult circumstances and in very difficult times for all health professionals. I understand they have 4 midwives doing the work of 6. They offer home antenatal visits, are friendly, knowledgable and calm. They are only humans and they do their best.No wonder midwives are leaing the profession in droves!!

blimey. whats wrong with cutting it yourself........leaving it to grow long till older............big bribery with smarties or having a go while they are asleep with a pair of nail scissors. Maybe the barber had had a bad day of east dulwich mums. thankfully hair grows!!

Did anyone notice though, that Amanda came rushing back frm the airport to get into her blues for the birth all actions stations but her nail varnish had changed from red to silver mid way through the drama! me thinks it was rather a set up. But at least she didnt come across as suggesting that being a midwife is a breeze.

kings will live to regret this decision. Oh how the mighty can fall! The Albany is Kings' jewel in their crown.........

most of the hospitals will take toys. either on the chidlrnes wards or the antenatl clinic or any where children might be waiting for appointments. Health visitors will also know of any women who may have no recourse to public funds and could use your toys.

At St Thomas', women are induced on the hospital birth centre and their partners can stay. If they only require one lot of prostin and or breaking the waters and then go into labour they can also go to the home from home. If women give birth on the home from home they can stay there for about 24 hours and their partners can also stay all night. if they end up on the postnatal ward their partners can be there most of the day but have to go home at the end of visiting times unless they have a single room which would only be if their baby was ill or they had been readmitted post natally. Partners can also stay if they go to the private post natal ward.

I think you are putting too much on the environment and not concentrating on yourself and your part in it. if you are negative and moany it will have an effect. Wherever you give birth......... its your body and your baby that are doing the work. It def helps to relax and let go of the thinking part of your head and just let your body do the work that it is designed to do. When you are in active labour not only do you not really care that much about the room you are in, but also, even the people that are with you. of course it helps if you have a calm atmosphere, if the midwife is knowledgeable. empathetic, relaxed and kind and if you feel comfortable but tis not as important as perhaps you might think before you actually go into labour. In the end as craigy said its just one day in your life, a very important and precious one, but women are doing it all over the world in all sorts of situations some of them a lot worse than Kings/St Thomas'/Lewisham on a bad day, and the hard work is when the baby actually comes..........

I would imagine the other teams will be full up,( they will be booking women now who are due in June/July) and you cant just swap drs because you want to get the midwives attached to their practice. The oakwood dont work the same as The Albany.With the Albany you booked with a certain midwife and that midwife would almost def be with you at the birth of your baby. they manage this because they dont have days off just holiday booked in advance. They get 3 months off a year and wouldnt book anyone due when they have holiday, whereas The oakwood have 2 days off a week and annual leave. The Oakwood give a very very good service but they do not work the same as the Albany.

Everyone has to realise how terribley over stretched both Kings and St Thomas' are. St Thomas unit was refurbished in 2003 for 3500 births a year and last year they had well over 7000. Both units have the potential to be closed if full.To have women labouring in broom cupboards if busy, Both units have lovely midwives doing a grand job in difficult circumstances. both will have midwives that might be cranky or looking after 3 women at the same time. Its also easy if things go left field in labour to think its someone fault when its just the luck of the draw.

Backache in late pregnancy is normal but a pain( sorry). The British School of Osteopathy at the Borough have a special clinic. They are cheap and good. You just ring them up and make an appt. It will pass aswell once the baby is born.