Moving during late PG - advice on antenatal appts/NCT etc needed for an increasingly stressed 1st-timer!

[BellaCB]

Hi,

I posted on here a few weeks back about having to move during late pregnancy and got some really helpful replies, but I'm still climbing the wall and trying not to panic so any advice would be very gratefully received!

Basically, I currently live in SE London but in a few week's time we have to move out of our flat (due to the whole block being sold). We're in the middle of buying a house in Herts - offer has been accepted, mortgage app just started - but it could easily be another 8 weeks or so before we get to move. In the mean time we're going to be staying in a friend's flat in north London, and the whole time I'm working in central London. So really I'm all over the shop for the next few months with no real idea of where I'm going to be living when!

I'm currently 22w with my 1st DC and I've just seen the midwife today and asked her about this situation, as it's looking a nightmare to get in to antenatal sessions. From what my mw had said back at my booking in appt I thought there were sessions in my SE London PCT I could attend (as these are relatively convenient for me to get to from work) but it turns out there aren't, just some parent craft sessions - is this normal for most PCT's? MW said the only way I could go to any classes was to pay for NCT or Lazy Daisy classes myself. I'm a little annoyed by this as I would have investigated NCT etc earlier if I had been warned, and I'm worried now that the classes might be full, and tbh I'm also annoyed that my mw was unsympathetic even though I got a bit teary and explained that the difficulties of moving antenatal care at, say, 32w is stressing me out a lot (will I get a tour of the hospital? will I get to meet the new mw's in time?) esp on top of trying to buy a house etc.

So now I have no idea what to do I've looked in to NCT and I don't know where to attend as whichever area I choose could leave me with a lot of hugely impractical travelling between home and the classes (Lazy Daisy don't have any north London classes, can't see anything close to work), and whether 22w is too late to start trying to book, and I'm starting to panic that I'll miss my chance of any antenatal classes, and that it will be chaotic when I move to the new place and... aargh! (Oh, and neither me nor DP drive so that limits places I can get to!)

Does any have any similar experiences or advice? Is there anything I can do other than attend antenatal classes? Did anyone manage a 1st baby without antenatal classes?

[mistlethrush]

I did the NCT classes when I was over 30wks - and it was fine. No, you don't get a tour of the hospital - but then the ones I did under the Health Authority were in a different hospital anyway -and they'd closed the 'tour' option as they were too full for it to be practicable.

Speak to the NCT in the area you're moving to, explain the problem and see where you get.

Good luck with the move!

[Ernie1]

I don't start my NCT classes until 35 weeks as thats the course designed for December due dates... I'm sure you still have time.

Personally I would thinking trying to book a course near to where you are moving makes the most sense as you are likely to know at least a couple of people near your new home that way? Even if it means a bit of to-ing and fro-ing in the meantime? I booked mine online so you should be able to check availability fairly easily.

Where is Herts are you moving to? Hope the move goes well.

[dooscooby]

Hiya
Sorry things are so stressful at the moment, we had a stressful sale & purchase 6 weeks before our wedding so I can only imagine how you might feel!. I'm nearly 26 wks and haven't booked my classes yet. Are you going to be in SE London for a few weeks yet? (I couldn't tell whether you had another 8 weeks or will move to N London before moving again?) I'm in SE London & I've no idea how booked up the nct classes get locally as none of the dates seem to fit quite right for me and I don't like having to commit to book and pay for the full course now. I've just plumped for a 6 week Lazy Daisy course starting on 5th Oct plus a couples day with them on 1st Oct (it's drop in so doesn't matter if you move/can't make it).

Your new hosp might have some classes you could do (worth a call now to enquire?) or of course you could learn some of it via books/friends if need be and then join in other mums and baby groups etc. once you've had bub and are settled in your new area, so that you get the social element. Or, if you can afford it there are often private people who offer a personal session if you get really stuck and felt you really needed something after the move?

I'm a first timer too so can't really comment on whether you need the classes or not but I know some of my friends didn't bother.

[BellaCB]

Ernie - we're moving (hopefully!) to Hitchin, which sounds like it is pretty baby-friendly anyway so I know even if I don't get into any classes before birth then there seem to be plenty of groups and classes I can join afterwards to make some new friends.

Thanks all - I can't find any numbers for the maternity/antenatal care in what I think will be the local hospital, but I think I've found a midwifes number from a local GP practice to I will call for advice. I had a nightmare getting all my appts sorted when I got pg as it was unexpected and I wasn't even registered at the GPs, they took so long to see me and I'm scared that I'll turn up, 32w pregnant, and have another nightmare registering and seeing a mw. I'm a bit wary of booking classes in Hitchin in case our completion date is delayed, as we don't know anyone in the immediate area and I wouldn't be able to get to the classes with any ease.

Has anyone had an experience giving birth only using DVDs and books for support?

[Iggly]

What about doing a pregnancy yoga class? Where in SE London are you? You can find ones which also cover antenatal stuff although not quite "official" - I learned loads on mine, much more than doing NCT classes (I had to stop myself answering all the questions as knew it all from yoga). You can sign up quickly and stop when you move.

Also can you afford an independent midwife? You could find one in Hitchen a bit later on, and she can help give you the one to one care etc.

[pootlebug]

Although I did attend NCT classes, I think there are plenty of people who give birth without attending any classes. Not least, you have found mumsnet where there is a wealth of information. NHS classes are free, so you could book on there in advance if they exist where you're moving to (they also tend to be much more flexible on numbers, so don't fill up as fast as NCT classes).

One of the advantages to classes is meeting people, but I moved 200 miles when my baby was 7 weeks old and had to start all over again in terms of that. It was fine - I forced myself to get out and do things, but there was plenty going on to meet people at, and plenty of people who hadn't done any antenatal classes in the same boat as me.

If you hope to breastfeed, I would research bf support groups in the area you're moving to - these could be run by the NCT, La Leche League, or local children's centres or doctors surgeries. It's worth knowing where that support is (and maybe even going along and meeting people just before the birth if you have any maternity leave).