Antenatal classes near Streatham

[sara75]

Hi everyone, I am desperately trying to find some antenatal classes around Streatham; I am due in January and would like to get some classes with my partner. Had a look at the NCT ones but they look very pricy....
and the ones run by Bump2Bubba are a bit far for us(although not impossible so still considering them).
And if you also know of any actvities for mums to be in the area I would really appreciate the information !!!!
Thankssssssssssssssss

Ha ha I just had a real pregnancy moment. I was just thinking to myself how will I know who I am meeting - then realised it will probably be quite obvious!!!!!! Big bellies all the way!
I think we could just about start our own ante natal class.

Mousey -- any chance I could get the number of your teacher?

I've now found a class in Balham which is a little bit cheaper than the Earsfield £105 course. The websites www.syclondon.com/classtimetable.htm and it's £42 for 6 classes or £9 each which is good if you dont want to pay in advance. I've had a nice email from the lady (or was it a man?!) called Shaktimurti who teaches the Thurs night 6pm class. I've got a mobile number for them and will bring in along on Tues if anyone else fancys it. I'm thinking of starting yoga end of Sept.

x

End of Sept suits me too, and Balham - fancy a yoga buddy Miss La?

Absolutely! Have you done Yoga before? I've only done Pilates, and that was a while ago...I'm not really a fitness freak person so to speak so this could be quite amusing, but I have this fantasy of turning into some uber limber Gwyneth Paltrow type who does a few 'downward dogs', breaths deeply and can deliver a baby painfree...not sure it's really going to pan out that way for me though!!

MissLa & Boobz - Can I join in on the yoga too - balham dead easy for me..ive not really done yoga before...
Am thinkin its probably not quite as easy as it looks....but will be fun to try!

I've possibly got the most obvious bump (plus a walking stick to ensure I look properly decrepit!), so I'll try to get there early and nick the comfiest seat, and look as obvious as possible!

Had my 36-week appt today and was assured that yes, I'm seeing the right community midwives because my GP is in Merton, but even though I'm booked at St George's, Tommies already know I exist and as soon as I turn up at George's to give birth, Tommies postnatal midwives will be notified so that one can magically turn up at the door the day after I get home.

I have a copy of Pilates In Pregnancy I was going to try to sell on Ebay - anyone interested? It has good sections on how to sit, stand, and lie down (which is why I bought it - most preg exercise books started with things I couldn't do before I got pregnant!), and the rest is explained well although my SPD kicked in before I could do much.

I have never done yoga before, but it has been top of list of soul-nourishing things to do for the past 5 years or so. For some reason going down the pub or having a large glass of wine after work seems to have always gotten in the way.

Heap on top of that the fact I can barely touch my knees, let alone my toes, means I am probably not going to be the bendiest of the group.

I did used to be sporty though -- my hubby was in the Royal Marines so I always felt a bit flabby if I wasn't running or swimming or something. Pregnancy tiredness has knocked those sports on the head though.

I know how you feel Boobz - My running went a bit to pot the first few weeks, so tired & sick! But seems to be getting back to normal now. Im still quite sporty - but I get out of breath half way down the road when im running...apparently normal when preggers!

More the merrier for Yoga KT1983, I think I'm going to call the centre over the weekend and get some more details, I want to find out how many weeks pregnant you should be to start yoga. I've been so tired the last 2 months I couldn't dream of doing any exercise, it's been a struggle some time just to lift the remote control and change channels . I also want to start swimming, apparently thats bliss when you get much bigger and can just float about....although Tooting Leisure Centre pool is ok, the changing rooms are minging (lots of hair and sticking plasters on the floor, gross!) so not sure where else I can go...

I'll bring along Kathleen's number on tuesday too in case you all decide you'd rather be in Streatham - she comes recommended by Tommies and by a few friends who were with her. She's on holiday til Sept but not sure if that means she's physically out of the country, but she starts up again beginning of Sept.

Generally the advice is to start once you're past 14 weeks, unless you do yoga regularly before...same as all exercising

don't worry though, the classes I've been to they really work depending on the women who are in and it's more gentle stretches and relaxation than hardcore contortion!

The balham one sounds like a great deal though - trouble is by september I'll just want to walk up the high street and no further...notcitrus my bump's a month behind you so I'll try to get there as close to 5:30 as poss to make it doubly obvious!

I went swimming in streatham leisure centre for the 1st time since BFP yesterday and my god floating around and getly swimming is utter bliss! getting out however I felt like I'd put on 5 stone immediately...how i long for a water birth now!

MissLa - Go to Balham leisure centre - the pool is smaller - 30m I think, but its much nicer than tooting. Alot cleaner & the staff are nicer.
I went their this morning actually & just as I was coming out the mother and baby group were going in....so cute!! :-)

Great suggestion re Balham pool KT1983, I always forget about that.

Looking forward to Tues ladies!

xx

do they do baby swimming in balham then? that'd be brilliant...

I'm a member of Virgin Active in Streatham and they have a small but perfectly formed pool, with pregnancy and baby sessions I believe. It's really dimly lit as well and reminds me of what it might be like to be in the womb...

Have been reading Active Birth by Jane Whats-her-chops, and there are yoga moves in there which she says to start after your 12th week. Am still 2 weeks away from that!

So who is having a home birth with Thommies? I am having to transfer there from St Georges (who told me on Weds that they don't do home births for my catchment area -- I have to go to Thommies or Kings)... so am now waiting for another referral from the GP. Oh joy!

I'm not having a home birth mainly because I can hear my neighbours if they sneeze so I think it might be too much information for them to hear me give birth! I'd do it if I had a bigger flat or lived in a house, good luck to all you girls that go for it though! I'm just gonna go to St Georges, it's 10 mins walk from my house, so in a way it's not far off being a home birth...

Hi everyone, so nice to see lots of new faces on this thread while I've been away. Our meet next Tues is going to be great fun Looking forward to meeting you all.

Boobz I'm having a home birth with Tommies - I'm under the Valley team, hope you get transfered to them, they're great - although I've heard great things about Streatham midwives too so either way I think you're on to a winner.

Is the Active Birth book any good? It's next on my reading list!

Yeah - Balham do baby swimming-ive not got a copy of the timetable - but they were all going in their this morning at around 10.30ish. Not too crowded either. The babies all looked to be enjoying themselves!

Is is a good book actually -- less new age hippy than the Michael Odent book, so I'm enjoying it more. I went to my first ante natal class last night - a drop in class in Peckham Rye run by Albany Midwives (who specialise in natural, active home water births - just what I am aiming for) so that was good. Poor hubby doesn't really know how he fits in yet - but he had fun watching the woman's tummy in front of us look like something out of Alien, it was moving that much!

Tuesday will be lots of fun. I am off this evening for a wedding in Devon so I may not post again before seeing you all on Tuesday!

xx

I'm having a homebirth with Tommies and I'm with Streatham - midwives I've met so far are all lovely, though I have to go to Gracefield Gardens whereas I hear Valley come to your house!

I'm on Ina May's Guide to Childbirth at the mo - very recommended

have a good weekend boobz, see you tuesday!

Just ordered Ina May and Active Birth books....thanks for the recommendations!
Anyone thinking of taking a First Aid course for babies and young children whilst they are pregnant? Looking into some local courses and will keep you posted.
Have a great Bank Holiday weekend everyone!

I'm taking the St John's Ambulance Early Years First Aid course in a few weeks...we're not doing NCT so saving a bit of money and beyond knowing you put a burnt finger under cold water I have no idea when it comes to first aid! It's supposed to be for childcare professionals but the one for personal use only start at about 8years old...costs £100 (+VAT) and is two full days...will be a bit embarassed waddling in there 8 months pregnant mind!

Anyone a size 16 and needing maternity trousers for work? Have two pairs, hardly worn, one black (mothercare), one grey (M&S). Was about to stick them on Ebay but they'd only make about £5 together, so if anyone's interested I can bring them along.

I've also got a number of books people can flick through - I've just read Ina May and found the second half very useful.

Hi ladies - I've been stumbling across this thread for the last few months and just now see that there is a meet up tonight. I've got my nct class this evening but I'm going to try to stop by for a few minutes at least before heading over. I should be there at about quarter to 6, so hope to see some of you there (otherwise any preggers in the area will be in for a surprise!)

Will be great to put some faces to the handles and apologies in advance if I start grilling you about your midwives and birth plans. I'm just now at 32 weeks trying to switch to home birth so need any advice I can get.

Off to a midwives appointment now, but looking forward to this evening and hope no one minds me crashing!

course we don't sparky...hope midwives appt goes well. I'm 32 weeks today too so def the more the merrier...

have totally lost count of how many of us are going tonight, but see you all there!