welshjo86

Hi everyone, same as Curl's message above. Am due in 2 weeks with no. 2 and would love to join any future meet ups. I'll join the facebook group when the link is added, thank you! xx

No worries Polly! Hope you find a replacement pool swiftly and good luck with your 2nd HB :) Jo x

The Woodlawans Centre in Streatham (Leigham court rd) is perfect for summer events. Has a garden room with plenty of room for shelter and to set up food tables, with a baby changing toilet. And the garden area is pretty big and really lovely. We used it a couple of summers ago for my son's Thanksgiving and had about 40 adults, but you could definitely fit quite a few more in. Can't remember how much it was but fairly reasonable.

Thanks so much all for your replies! Really helpful - useful to know that the pool may not even sometimes be used too, I guess it can only be good if things progress quicker than you think as long as a midwife has turned up by then! Convex, it would be great to meet up after you've had no. 2 and got over the initial newborn stages - P.M me when you're feeling human again and we can arrange something - I like the sound of gadgets :). And would be great to meet up with Coco too, and to possibly borrow your pool in a box - I'll PM you my number. SimonetheBeaver if you'd be happy to meet up too we can do it all together? Any days that you both can/can't do. I am pretty flexible. I am under the Brieley team, met my key midwife this week and she was amazing. Makes me feel so much more confident to know that the midwives I am under are really good, have heard only positive things about them. And the postnatal care sounds great, especially as I had problems feeding last time and it was so difficult to get support as in Christmas holidays! Think (*think*) I am pretty prepared mentally to go into hospital during or after if needed. The hospital birth I had last time was absolutely fine, had a great midwife and no complaints so I really don't mind if end up giving birth there, especially as as you say likely that the Brieley midwife will come with you. Didn't have to use postnatal ward last time so that's the only thing I am a bit dubious about. Also my son is 2, grandparents live about an hour away and can pick him up and go back to theirs, unless obviously it all happens middle of the night - and the midwife said this does often happen. Which I guess is fine, unless you do have to transfer in and then bit of a bugger waking them up and having to put them in the ambulance with you, but guess answer to that is add some stuff for them to your hospital bag just in case and grandparents will just have to be woken up whatever time it is! I am sure my son would find it all ridiculously exciting being in an ambulance if that did end up happening . Thanks again for all your advice! Jo xx

Hi, I'm 30 weeks pregnant with baby no.2 and have just transferred over to have a homebirth with one of the community teams attached to King's. Very excited about it all, and have been reading some information on the internet. Met my key midwife yesterday and feel so reassured that I have made the right decision. Boyfriend is a bit worried about the whole possibility of having to transfer issue but hoping to calm him down on that one. Just wondering if anyone else in a similar situation planning a homebirth in the next few months fancied meeting up and chatting through it. Or if anyone with past experience of homebirths wanted to join too that would be great! Also, if anyone has a previously used water pool that I could borrow/buy or recommendations about good ones that would also be very helpful. The community team have one that you can use and just pay for a new liner but it's a rigid one (with a filter). I am pretty sure the one I used at King's last time was inflatable or had soft sides because I remember leaning on it for ages. But wasn't sure about the whole issue of inflatable pools and having to top up with hot water, sounds like it could get annoying, or you just wouldn't have time. Maybe I should just buy some inflatable pillows to use with the rigid one?! Best, Jo

Facepainting by Sue is local facepainter Sue; she came and spent 3 hours at a charity family event I hosted in Streatham yesterday. Brilliant facepainting and wonderful with kids - couldn't recommend highly enough. She does all the normal family/children events and email is [email protected].

Have a look at Streatham Darby and JOan Club - beautiful landscaped garden which feels like a private park, small indoor space if need to shelter from rain with space to set up table and chairs, full kitchen to use indoors, and not too expensive to hire. Had my son's Thanksgiving there last year and would recommend it.

The London Green Fair is a popular and free family event 12pm to 8pm on the 9th and 10th of June. Lot of activities, talks, ideas and things to buy. Whilst there check on Real Nappies for London's chill out and baby change tent. The Maya Independent Midvies will be there with advice from pregnancy to postnatal, including lots of breastfeeding tips. PLUS prizes draws, goody bags, and an afternoon of talks on both days on topics to interest both those with bumps and babies, such as elimination communication advice. See the Real Nappies website for updates. http://www.realnappiesforlondon.org.uk/scheme/londongreenfair.php