Martians 2014, thread 11. KEGELS!

[LyraSilvertongue]

Shiny new thread, ladies :)

Me too supermuddle I like to think of it as thick skin development!!

I've decided not to attend any antenatal classes (including the free ones). I don't want to make friends and I know how to change a nappy. I will be investing in a hypnobirthing CD to teach me how to manage pain (if there is such a thing). Can anyone think of reasons why I should join an antenatal class? Something I've maybe not considered? Thanks.

Off to the quacks and to collect my Scholl arch supports

Prambo I also know how to change nappies and look after babies. But I've never had one, and I've never been in labour. I'm going into it to get as much information as possible. I like knowing facts and figures, it makes me feel better equipped.

Enjoy those arch supports, your poor feet have sounded so sore :(

Muddle I agree, so easy to get lost with so many posts!

Good work today Fox. My NCT classes are in Feb too. Though I have a water birth class on December which should be interesting!

Prammy I forgot to ask, why do you need a fetal heart scan? Is everything ok?

lumpy I thought you'd already been to the physio? Did I make that up?

I want to go to the classes because I do want to make friends and I don't know how to change a nappy Also, it gets me out of work!

I don't think there's anything much you can learn from antenatal classes that you can't learn online. Breastfeeding support maybe, but just have a look for local support groups or La Leche League and see where is easiest for you to get help. Also if you have a hospital birth, don't let them discharge you until you feel happy that you know what you're doing - chances are they need your bed so will give you lots of one to one support to get you to go home

Have t made my mind up about antenatal classes yet; on the one hand, they give a lot of useful information which, although most of it can be found online, is delivered by someone who (hopefully can answer questions as they arise. I'm thinking specifically of things like complications during the birth; I'd much rather know in advance what happens during a forceps or ventouse delivery so that, if one is needed, I feel I can give informed consent. The practical stuff would be useful too, as I have no idea how to change a nappy or bath a baby! Again, I'd rather feel prepared in advance.
However, I've heard very wide-ranging reviews about nhs classes ( I doubt we could afford NCT et al), and a quick google search shows the only one is the other end of Bristol from me. Hmm...

Good grief, how many typos? Sorry.

I'll be honest NoMaybe - I don't know the difference But with the extreme tiredness being new and him having it in the family, I definitely want to rule it out. He's stopped exercising too...I'm not sure if the lack of exercise caused the tiredness or if it was the other way around.

It will be good preparation for ManPram, he'll know how to support you during labour, when to take you to the hospital etc.

Interesting to see you have decided to get the hypnobirthing CD. There is a wee bit of hippy inside you, I knew it

Joll you say he has put weight on, which would generally rule type 1 out. He would be quite young for type 2 as it normally starts when slightly older. Could you maybe drag him along to one of those screening vans that seem to pop up? Getting men to the doctors is so hard. They only go if they think they're dying from man flu, at which the GP laughs and sends them home

Muddle have you looked at lazy daisy classes? I've heard quite a few people talking about them

My DH is gutted the classes are held on Monday afternoon because he well wants to go. He would have to take 1.5 days holiday to make it out of a measly 10 a year, which he could obviously do with after the baby's born.

I've had a cast iron agreement that he's about to ring the docs. Had to use the 'you've got a child on the way so man up and start taking care of your family' line to shame him into it do feel slightly bad but if it works, it works

I was just about to suggest you try that Jol!

By any means Jolls

Fox our NCT course is over a weekend luckily. 7 hours Saturday, 7 on Sunday, then a 2 hour breast feeding course. Hard core.

Actually, I think the NCT ones here are similar Mabs - on evenings and weekends. I just can't work out if there is a local one or not. The website is confusing.

So is ours Maybe I am ridiculously excited. 14 hours of talking about babies and not feeling like I am boring anybody

Good point Hot!! Hadn't thought of it like that

Fox is there a contact on the website for your area? I just emailed the lady and she was really helpful.

I'm starting to get ridiculously excited about everything now

I've e-mailed one of the local branches mabs, just waiting for a reply. I can't decide which of 3 or 4 branches will be the local one though!

Fox there was a bit where I put in my postcode and it told me who to contact!

I did that and it's listing 'Lancaster & Morecambe' first, but no-where in the list is 'Furness & South Lakes' which I came across when looking for courses (and I live in the south lakes) or 'Penrith' which seems to run the closest course when I did a course search. I don't get it.

Oh that is weird. Maybe phone the head office?

I won't attend ante natal this time but I am going to have a hospital tour as I haven't been to this one before. I want to know where to park, what the rooms and pool are like.

I did ante natal last time, obviously not the first as he was a little surprise, and it was ok. We didn't make friends but I wanted I see the hospital and learn more about possible birth options. I also did the bf workshop, it was rubbish, it didn't give me any clue whatsoever, it's not until the baby is born that you will know what it's like.

My friend keeps persuading me to get a doula. I don't have a spare £400!

Thanks everyone. I've rung in sick and have an appt with the gp at 3.40. I get my belt on Wednesday so am pinning my hopes on that helping. But you're all right. I shouldn't carry on an ignore it. I'm feeling a bit better but still kind of feel like a failure!!

Hottie, ManPram has had a baby before and had to endure his missus having an emergency ceasarean after a horrid labour, so I think he is über-qualified. She was 45 when she gave birth so he has also been here before n terms of 'high risk' pregnancies. I just don't do 'workshop' type scenarios; I find them tiresome and largely patronising. There is zero hippy lurking in me, HotCrossBunInTh'Oven! It is Janice who keeps telling me that there is nothing I will learn at an antenatal class which cannot be found on a hypnobirthing CD. I know from experience that breathing is everything when it comes to coping in intense situations so I'd be daft not to learn the correct techniques.