mirabelle

Thanks Dodo1, will look into it. I should have added that she doesn't live in London, but I guess she could go on her next trip up. Any other suggestions??

Help! My niece is turning 10 next month and I'd like to get her something special but have no idea what 10 year old girls like these days! Any suggestions? Thanks!

Hi all, we're looking at nurseries for next March, when our son will be 7 months old. I went to see Excel II this morning and it seemed nice, staff were friendly, etc. But would be really grateful if anyone with first hand experience of it could send me their feedback, in particular regarding the baby room. Thanks!

Another endorsement for the bee - yes they're overpriced so we got ours second hand on gumtree (seen them advertised on ED forum too), but if you buy it new it will be easy to resell it in a couple years' time. We live in a small first floor flat and don't own a car, so the bee is perfect as it's small and light. Our 11 week old son seems to love the cocoon, very comfy and snug. Good luck!

Another recommendation for Sue Stockwell through Sitaram - I went to the Wednesday night class at King's college hospital from around 14 weeks until the end of my pregnancy and really enjoyed it. Am now attending her post-natal/baby yoga classes at Brockwell Lido.

Hi all, It's been a while since I posted on this thread... My little boy Fergus was born on August 4th and we'd love to catch up with everyone at one of the next get togethers. Will try and get organised and suggest a time and place for next week. Hope you're all doing well and congratulations on all the new babies! x

Congratulations ladies! great news! I won't be able to catch up with you all tomorrow as I'm still working - I finish at the end of next week... can't wait! Looking forward to coffee and cake with new mums, babies, mums to be and bumps after July 8th! xx

Great news! congratulations Claudine! Still at work so won't be able to join you on Tuesday unfortunately, but maybe next time! Nadia x

Any stay at home dads out there?? My husband and I are expecting our first child at the end of July and I'm planning to take 7 months off and then go back to work either full time or 4 days a week - of course I have no idea how I will feel about the whole thing as this will be my first baby, but staying at home isn't really an option for us as I am the main bread winner. I don't have a problem with this as I'm lucky enough to have a job I enjoy and find fulfilling + the company I work for, being not for profit and charity owned, is very family friendly and flexible, so I won't be under pressure to work long hours and will have the option to work from home when needed for example. I earn a decent salary but nothing amazing for London, and the question of whether me going back to work will actually make financial sense given the cost of childcare is a real one... So it may actually make more sense for my husband to give up work and look after our child full time than for both of us to be working full time and paying for childcare... But the question is would he enjoy it? and taking time out of your career to look after your children is probably even more stigmatised when you're a man, so could potentially make it very hard for him to get back into work later on... Such a dilemma! but hopefully we'll find a way around it... I guess everybody does!

Thanks for the positive messages everyone, it's so reassuring! I'm due to give birth to my first baby at King's in 8 weeks' time so it's great to hear about other women's positive experiences there! I've been looked after by a King's midwife since the start of my pregnancy and I have to say she's been fantastic - lovely and caring, always takes her time with me, etc. I usually see her at the MAU at King's and at our last appointment yesterday she actually took us round the labour ward as it was very quiet, and showed us a couple of rooms - we hadn't had a chance to go on a labour ward tour so it was great! I'm still on the waiting list for the Lanes community midwives but if I get offered a place I think I might actually turn it down as I'd be reluctant to switch at this stage... Congratulations on all the new arrivals and good luck to those who are still waiting! x

Thank you both, I was looking for it too!

The Gowlett is a great choice, good pizza. I've got yoga til 8.30 on Wednesday so not sure I'll have enough energy to join you afterwards, but will try. If not, enjoy! Nadia

Great idea, particularly the bit about the wine ;-) I could do Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday post yoga (i.e. from 9pm), or Friday. Lovely to see those of you who were out on Sunday afternoon and looking forward to the next get together! Nadia x

Great! see you all then! bringing blankets, food and drink sounds like a good plan Claudine. If everyone else is bringing their boys then I might try and drag mine along too. Audrey I feel like I've been pregnant a gazillion years too and I've got another 14 weeks to go!! also I've got really achey ribs at the moment - anyone else? I'm finding it hard to sit still, and even harder to work... especially as I look out of the window at the beautiful weather! 11 weeks to go before I go on mat leave... Nadia x

I'm free on May 8th or could do an evening! Not on maternity leave until early July I'm afraid... Anya keep me posted on any pilates sessions in May, would love to come! N x

Aaargh I'm not around on May 7th, what a shame! next time hopefully. Anya I'm definitely up for antenatal pilates! I'm doing yoga once a week, which I'm very much enjoying, but anything else that can alleviate backache and prepare me for D day :-S would be great! My living room is on the smallish side so not sure it would be the best venue for it! Nadia x

Hi ladies, Unfortunately I can't make Saturday either; with my sieve like memory I said I could and then realised we were going away this weekend... doh! I was really looking forward to it :( so please keep me posted on any future get togethers! Have fun! Nadia

Thank you all for your great feedback and advice! I'm still not sure what to do!... :-S but I think I'll give the DMC a call to at least find out if I'm still on the waiting list and then take it from there. The care you get from the Lanes does sound great, and I particularly like the fact that your midwife will come round and take care of you in your own home during the early stages of labour. At the same time my current midwife is really lovely, spends as much time as I need during my appointments, and my last appointment was in the MAU at King's (easier for me than the DMC as it's on my way to work) so as she had scanning equipment on hand she gave me an impromptu scan so my hubby and I got to see the baby again, which was great! Although I like the idea of giving birth at home I'd also like to have a water birth but our flat isn't really big enough to accommodate a birthing pool, so I think I'll opt for a water birth at King's. We'll see, my mind isn't set yet! Decisions decisions! Still, I feel very lucky to have all these options, even if I don't get a Lanes midwife - I'm from France and the antenatal care there is completely different and very medicalised - all obstetrician/gynecologist led and water births are practically unheard of, let alone home births!! My friends back home who have had babies have all had very different experiences to my UK friends - not necessarily bad, just very different (epidurals and given almost automatically so you have to opt out if you don't want one, they seem to always monitor the baby's heart rate even if everything is going well so you're pretty much strapped to the bed and don't have the freedom to move around or try different positions, etc etc) Anyway, I'm rambling now, sorry! good luck to those of you who are also expecting, I hope you have a great birthing experience!

Hi all, I'm expecting my first baby at the end of July and have been looked after by a King's midwife since the beginning of my pregnancy. I was assigned to this midwife after going through the dulwich medical centre on crystal palace road - apparently the Lanes midwives already had a full caseload. My midwife has been great so far, I have no complaints, but she did mention at my first appointment that I would be put on a waiting list for a place with the Lanes, but we haven't really discussed it since and I've been wondering if it would actually be a good thing to switch over to a different midwife halfway through my pregnancy?? (I'm now 21 weeks) My understanding is that the main difference between a Lanes midwife and one from King's is that the Lanes will follow you throughout your pregnancy AND be present at the birth, whether a King's midwife most likely won't be present when you go into labour. Have I understood this correctly? Does anybody have any advice or views about the pros & cons of one system vs the other? should I enquire about the waiting list? Thanks!

Hi all, think 2nd april works for me too, looking forward to meeting you all!

Hi Yak! and hello again Ruth - well behaved newborns?? does that exist? bring your toddler along, the more the merrier! Audrey - of course, I spoke to you! sorry, I'm terrible at remembering names... I was on the back row too, not right next to you, but the next one along! yes she really got into the chanting thing this week... I didn't notice the Thursday night class, might check it out as well. I look forward to meeting you next wednesday face! I'll be working til early july (sigh) so a get together on a Saturday would be better for me too.

Hi Audrey, Were you at yesterday's yoga class at King's? if so, I was too! I'm 21 weeks, due date is 28th July, and definitely up for organising get togethers! We ended up booking NCT classes (going in June), but now I'm wondering if it wasn't a waste of money... so expensive! and as you said, easy to meet other mums to be through yoga, the forum, etc. I'm in ED, but just at the bottom of dog kennel hill so probably not far from you!

Hi Ruth, yes you must have arrived as we were leaving! mine was at 10 so we probably left around 11.30. When's your due date? mine is July 28th.

Hi R_B, are you at King's? just to say that I had my 20 week scan on Friday and everything was fine but they've booked us in for another scan at 32 wks - the doctor explained that this is new and only King's is doing it. I didn't know, but apparently King's sets the standards for the rest of the country and they're currently starting a 2 yr research project to see whether adding a 3rd scan at 32 wks helps prevent certain complications such as high blood pressure, etc. If it does then all other hospitals will start doing a 3rd scan at 32 wks. So don't worry!

Hi all, I'm pregnant with my first one and due on 28th July. We're booked on NCT classes starting 6th June on Trossachs Road. I'm at the Dulwich Medical Centre but was put on the waiting list for the Lanes midwives as they already had a full caseload. So my midwife is a King's midwife and although she will be following me through my pregnancy, she won't be there for the birth I think. I'm still not sure I fully understand the system... I think she said that if a place became available I would be switched to a Lanes midwife, but not sure if it's a good idea to switch halfway through my pregnancy?? I'd like to go on a tour of the King's labour ward but haven't got round to doing it yet. Anyone else done it yet? I attended one pregnancy yoga class at King's a few weeks ago but haven't been since - It was good but not as dynamic as I'd hoped; understandable though as most of the women there were 28 wk+. I've heard the yoga classes at JAGS are good, and am also interested in their 'legs, bums & pregnant tums' classes, but I'm not a member - does anybody know if you can attend classes on a drop in basis? I've emailed them so will hopefully find out soon. Hope to get to meet some of you around ED!