Jue in June 2011 ......the wittering and waffling continues

[moomin156]

I think this is thread 8 or maybe 9......maybe we should take bets on which number we are on in June!!:)

Jasmine, funny you mentioned Lily Allen, that's actually the one that's been on my mind almost non-stop for the last few months. Especially with my lack of movement I just keep thinking of Lily. And while I know that every lost child is devastating, at least Amanda has one already, whereas Lily just seems to keep being unlucky. And she's clearly so desperate to start her family - she's changed her entire lifestyle ready to be a mummy. She really thought they might be close that time, having passed the 'danger time', feeling confident enough to announce the pregnancy to the press, and then bang. I just felt terrible for her.

Anyway, enough dwelling. What will be will be. I've got my 20 wk scan tomorrow, so the JR hospital had better have sorted their flippin' car park! (When steering away from sad subjects, veer towards flipancy.)

lisascat so have mainlymaynie and I :)

The Bugaboo Bee is bloody expensive nmcb but we have managed to get the price down, and we're going to get the bits secondhand I think ...

Anyway, I'm on here to ask: what the hell is the difference between the NCT antenatal classes and the NHS ones? Someone told me you're just paying to be surrounded by middle class people if you go to the NCT ones (!!!) so if that's all it is I'm not bloody well paying £150 for the privilege ...

But surely there's some advantage to it? Am just about to send off my form for the NHS one, which I'm sure is perfectly good, but I just wanted to know what the difference is. Slightly bemused that the 'Parentcraft' classes are just for the mother, while the breastfeeding workshop is for couples! Wondering why DH doesn't count as a parent, but does need to be there for bfing - I hope they don't use the dads as guinea pigs

Hello Jasmine & TTL,

I'm a bit hazy on the Cotswold boundaries but I think I'm pretty much in the middle, probably marked ' Ye Howling Wastes' on a map- I'm not really looking forward to country life, but DPs mum has dementia and it makes sense for me to move there and help him look after her. Am in the same position as a few people on here, can't sell my house to buy a new place in the city I now work in...

So they might send me to the JR, there is quite a big Oxford posse on here, isn't there?

WARNING LONG ME ME POST- SORRY

Joined TAMBA (twins and multiple birth assosiation) and I've been looking at the message boards on there. It seems that people with Identical twins are finishing work much earlier than I was planning to (because they are having them early). I was thinking 33 weeks (but officially 35 weeks as I'm a teacher and I can start it after the Easter hols). But with the recent talk of complications I'm thinking I better finish sooner rather than later.

I'm going to ask my consultant and mid wife on Thursday.

My job is quite stressful at the moment I have a child in my class with major behaviour issues. The person who is going to be covering my maternity leave already works there which sounds good, but its not! She was off sick with stress last year and I don't think she is any better since returning. Shes been teaching 30 plus years, she has no confidence, really struggles with planning and teaching, and everytime she takes my class said behaviour issue boy causes havoc (which I end up dealing with), she asks me a 100 questions a day and winds up everyone that I work with. I do consider myself to be a pretty patient person and I have worked with this teacher in the past (when other have refused to) but she is stressing me out- which is another reason to finish early.

I've only just written my letter about when I want to finish. But have the right to change my mind don't I? My new boss only started in January and I feel like I've been nothing but a pain since she started.

Argh!!!!!!!!!

Again sorry for me me post!

p.s Poor Amanda Holden its such sad news

Thanks supersunny. I'm going to ask mw on thursday then see my head as soon as possible to warn her I might be leaving ealry.

I've been having some support from the deputy with the boy but he really struggles with any change and only wants to work in the same room as me (or he kicks off). The head and deputy are both aware of the other teachers complete lack of ability to cope with him. I can't see much changing as regard to her doing my cover (espacially as she is assisstnat headm earns a very good wage and doesn't even have her own class).

Hi notoast Yes, here are loads of Oxon ladies on here, we might even organise a meet-up one of these days, open to anyone on here who fancies a trip to Oxford for cakes.

On AH ; also way too panicked by it to want to get into it, except to second Jasmine 51's query which is what kind of virus can do that and how do we keep ourselves safe from it? If anyone finds out, please share it here as it would be fantastic to know how best to stay healthy.

As antenatal classes are on peoples minds shall I share my first one? Ah go on then.

First thing they did was show us a video of several births (hospital, home etc). My one memory of the video was the home birth. The lady, while surrounded by several family members, 2 midwives and a film-crew was screaming "dear god, please won't someone help me".

Way to go midwives. Making a room full of first time mums feel bloody terrified.

Next was dropping a small plastic doll through a huge plastic pelvis to demonstrate the baby dropping out. Yes, like that happens.

Then it was break time. We were allowed a small glass of orange squash and ONE biscuit. Most of us wanted coffee and a fag, but they wouldn't let us leave the room! (And yes, I smoked then, and no I don't smoke any more)

Ah the final phase. Meditation. We were told to lie on the floor, heads under the chairs and listen to the pre-recorded sounds of waves and whales. This was interspersed with the live sounds of the local seagulls and the horns of the massive container ship leaving port. This went on for waaaaaay longer than necessary,

I never went back.

(And nor did most of the others)

I'm sure most classes are much better. Terrible it is round here though!

I did AN classes with the NCT.

It was a small group, 8 couples. 6 of us are still in touch.
It was done at the teacher's house, 2 6 hour sessions over a weekend. Tea/coffee/cold drinks cakes and biscuits were in ample supply and also a lovely lunch as well.

There was lots of group exercises and group activities and demonstration. Not only did the teacher cover the anatomy of pregnancy, birth options such as pain relief, vaginal delivery and c-sections, she also talked about the first few months with the baby, baby blues and PND, role of the father and relationship issues. She emailed us all before hand to ask us if we had any particular issues we wanted to cover - one of the mums had placenta previa so had been booked in for an ELCS, so she covered that in quite a bit of detail, including aftercare as well.
It was great fun, very relaxed and we had lots of opportunity to ask questions.
We also had additional 2 hour session on breastfeeding with the local breastfeeding counsellor, again excellent and very informative very interactive.

I have not done NHS classes but the feedback from people I know who have had them is that it is pretty much a series of lectures though since they are generally held at the hospital you are going to have the baby you do get the opportunity to look around.

Supersunnyday Thanks, and I'm really sorry you got here such a hard way.

Almighty Was that NHS? I can see why you didn't go back - one bloody biscuit?!

Starbuck I want your classes, they sound fab. NCT is so expensive, but your experience has sold me.

Yes Jer79 NHS and one single solitary biscuit. Not even a choccy one. Plain rich tea or malted milk only. Some of us even asked for another and were refused. Miserable buggers.

Evening all :)

How do you find out or book AN classes with NHS? What point are you supposed to start? I'm on the NCT one in April as it came highly recommended.

Also going for a free talk on hypnobirthing this month.

Visit to maternity unit no2 complete & I'm so glad I went to view it. It was funny looking around as it was nothing how I had built it up to be & the previous unit (which I had a bee in my bonnet about) far exceeded my expectations! Off to view another next weekend, The Lister, Stevenage.

One thing I've realised today is that judgement can become clouded in a mist of hormones & irrational emotions :/
I think I can finally start to get my head around the whole hospital thing now.

On the topic of AN classes, are any other non first timers thinking of signing up? I didn't manage to do any AN classes before DS was born, so apart from a one hour chat with my midwife I was clueless (I had no idea that the urge to oush feel like wanting to do a poo) and didn't know anyone else in the area I lived due to have a baby. Soo was thinking about it this time around as I think it would be a good way to meet other parents to be with similar due dates to myself (still fairly new to this area) and maybe fill in some gaps.

Sorry, that wasn't meant to be so long winded, hope it makes sense.

Also meant to say earlier Hello to NoToast

Oooh. Also, when & how do you get a medical exemption certificate for free prescriptions etc?

Mouffloncake when I had my booking in appointment with the midwife she gave me the phone number to ring to book my place on the NHS parentcraft classes. She also filled in a form for my free prescriptions and I got a little card through the post a couple of weeks later to keep in my wallet. It's probably worth asking your midwife about both. Did you get a leaflet about maternity services in your area when you first saw your midwife? There might be details of the classes in there too.

My friends with children said that they thought the difference between NHS and NCT classes was that the NHS classes were larger and focused on the medical side of the birth whereas the NCT classes were smaller and focused on the emotional side and relationship impacts of birth. Interestingly when I rang to book my NHS classes the person I spoke to was a NCT breastfeeding counsellor and basically told me that if I had booked NCT classes there wasn't any point in booking the NHS ones too. I didn't take her advice though, I thought that more classes for no extra cost was still worth doing (as long as they are not like AlmightyCitrus's experience)!

NoMoreChocBiscuits I noticed that the NCT website had different types of classes depending on whether you are a first timer or not, perhaps one of their "refresher" classes might suit you?

Moufflon your midwife should have filled in an application for you at your 16 wk appt. If not you need to ask for it the next time you see her (you need to sign the application so you'll know if it was put in or not).

moufflon have you been seeing your NHS midwife? It sounds like she hasn't been giving you all the information you need. At my 16 week appointment mine gave me a form for the antenatal classes, and I got my medical exemption certificate at my booking in appointment. I think that's pretty standard so you should definitely get in touch and sort it.

Wish I could afford the NCT ones now but having picked a more expensive buggy than I ever thought possible I need all the cash I can get!

at the pushing-poo thing. I had no idea until I just read your post nmcb

x-post, thanks for that 79M I'll have to look into that.

Evening all.....well what a fabulous weekend i have had. Weekend away in London with DH, lovely hotel, Jamie Olivers Fifteen ( food to die for) now home and back to the reality of work tomorrow.
mouflon i was given a form to fill in at first midwife appointment that you had to send off for your certificate.
Very sad news about AH.....my thoughts are with her. My sister also had the same thing happen at 29 weeks, the saddest and most heart wrenching thing i have ever been through ( i was with her at the birth) but she had a placental abrubtion not a virus. From day 1 i have just had to keep reminding myself that it is very rare and try not to think about that night.........

I wasnt planning on antenatal classes, wasnt sure what they would provide or what use they would be

helo newbie alert due on 20 June with the first. Still no 20 week scan - having it on 15th February. Quite nervous because I can't feel the baby yet apparently I have an inverted uterus, so maybe that's why.

I had a miscarriage in Dec 09 then a ruptured ectopic in August 10 so fingers crossed it is 3rd time lucky.

Anyone else having their baby at UCH London? they seem very offhand so I've signed up for NCT classes.

Haven't got anything for the baby yet - I'll only look after the scan.

welcome newbies......i also didnt buy anything until 20 week and still feel a little nervous to do so......must think aboutit soon though.

Hello Jer and NMCB

A cake meet sounds great.

I didn't know the poo/pushing thing either. My big unknown has been the correct ladygarden etiquette for the birth but found a thread on here today that answered it all...

please share notoast

Hello smrufette :)

moomin & nmcb thanks, shall make some phone calls tomorrow!

ttl yes, been to all my me apps & also extra appointments because I had major spinal surgery & surgery on my cervix.
I've had blood tests being lost, got a telling off for missing an AN appointment when I didn't have one, have been given wrong appointment dates & had to walk out from appointments having not been seen within 2.5hrs (then having to rebook). All in all, not really surprised I haven't heard about the medical exemption thingy or the classes.