MK antenatal club - Needahand, Chequers and all others welcome

[needahand]

Chequers, I know this is a bit rude but I thought I would create a thread for us after all we are a mini antenatal club. Might be easier to chat. There was another lady from MK too a while back but I don't know what happened to her. Perhaps this will prompt her to come and join in.

oh and I have replied to both of your threads. Will go and do some work now!

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Re hypno I think it depends if you relax easily. If you do, the CDs or doing something by yourself is probably ok. Personally I am a bit of a control freak and find it very difficult to let go, so the course really helped me with that. Without the course I would never ever have contemplated a HB so it gave me quite a lot of confidence and I feel much more positive. If you are really scared, I think it would help. And after all we are spending so much on baby stuff anyway, it might be worth spending a bit on this as the memory will stay with you forever. I went to this lady's course and she is ace. She is really supportive and doesn't count her time and you really get a lot for your money. She even helps you with specific issue you have and send you some stuff to read specially for your needs

www.myhypnobirthing.co.uk/

Re aquanatal I don't particularly think there is a best time to join, anytime is good really. I started at 13 weeks (you can't start before that anyway). But I suppose the earlier your start the better really as you have more chances to build those muscles. Helen is great and very fun. Don't expect it to be relaxing though. I thought (like all new joiners) it would be but it is hard work.

Don't worry about asking lots of questions, next time it will be me (and frankly answering your questions is so much more interesting than the contract I am reading)

Will let you know how my visit of the hospital goes on Sunday. Perhaps they give the wards an extra clean beforehand!!

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Thanks will keep you posted (if you are interested)

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Oh my god chequers I had the tour this morning and I am absolutely horrified. The rooms are really small (knew that already) most room share toilets and bathrooms facilities with the delivery suite next door which I find outrageous and slightly concerning in terms of infections. Some rooms don't even have a toilet or a shower...at all!! They don't have basic "active birth" equipment like birthing stools or anything like that. And basically reading between the lines you could tell that the minute you come in you will be heavily monitored and the changes of an active birth are quite slight. We were also told that in theory there are 6 midwifes on shift for 11 delivery rooms but most of the time there are only 4 of them. When you know that you are supposed to have 2 midwifes with you when you deliver, that means that if 2 ladies are delivering and then another 2, you can be left on your own for quite some time.

And as I told you the other day it looks so grubby.

I am absolutely horrified and there is no way I can give birth there when you don't even have basic privacy. I was wondering. What/how did you do to get be able to visit bedford and North, what do you do if you want your file transferred etc? Any information would be greatly appreciated. God I miss the hospital I had my DD at!!

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Hi Chequers

I think I will call Bedford and my MW and see what they say. I think bedford is the nearest. There is another one nearer than Northampton (stoke mandeville hopsital in bucks) might look at it as well.

Don't think we have the same midwife, but yours covers for mine and I think I met her once.

I think bedford do visits again, they say so on their website.

Don't think I will go ahead with HB as I am not sure if I transferred to beford that I could. And the problem is that if the midwifes are busy with someone else, you have to go to hospital anyway and I don't want to risk giving birth here so I kind of have to rethink all my options which is a little scary especially this late into pregnancy.

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I have tried to call bedford without much success to book a tour this morning. Will let you know if I ever manage to speak to them.

Checkers

I have called both Stoke Mandewille and bedford. SM don't have any availabilities for tour until 30 May so if you fancy going there you probably don't want to leave it too long. I have finally managed to talk to someone at Bedford too and they do tours every Saturday at 14.00 and 15.00. I am planning to go this Saturday.

About Northampton, can I ask you if the rooms had private ensuite facilities (at least a toilets) and if you know whether you can get a private room after the birth?

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Sorry about mispelling your name earlier . Will let you know how it goes on Saturday. Let me know if you need the phone number to call and book your tour.

So did you go to the aquanatal this morning

Thanks for the info about Northampton. I know it sounds silly but knowing I could have a private room as opposed to be in a ward of 6 women with 6 crying babies if I had a c-section makes quite a bit of difference to me!

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Glad to know it is not your real name! Would have been surprised otherwise!!!

I am pinning my hopes on bedford too but have a feeling it will be like the other two. If I am not happy with Bedford I might check Northampton out because it has 2/3 of my criteria (clean and private amenities room for afterwards don't know about private toilets/shower adjacent to delivery room ? ).

Number for Bedford is 01234792073 (visits every Saturday at 14.00 and 15.00)
Number for Stoke Mandeville 01296316120 (next available slot 30 May!)

If you walk the dogs everyday, you probably don't need the aquanatal anyway!

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Are they big dogs/hard to control? Or is it just the having to do it everyday that gets to you a little.

won't go to Bedford this Saturday after all as I have other commitments but I will go the Saturday after that.

Yes, I suppose you are lucky re EDD although you also have to make your own view as what is right for one person isn't necessarily right for the other I guess.

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Your dog walking certainly sounds like strenuous exercise to me!!

Have you given any more thoughts to the hypnobirthing?

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I haven't done NCT but I think it is pretty much active birth based. Hypnobirthing does not recommend to move so much, but I don't think it contradicts an active birth either. They still suggest you practice sitting on a ball etc and squatting, so I think it is probably complementary. At the end of the day when the time comes, you'll be able to chose what is best for you or at least what you remember the most.

Personnally I am thinking of using a pool and my ball. I will start practising my hypno resting/relying on it.

You learn breathing techniques too. I don't know if NCT teaches these but again I think you need to have a toolkit of what works for you.

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...as long as it's got toilets! The pool room in MK is also bigger but has no amenities. Imagine having to climb out of the pool half naked and stroll round the corridors soaking wet because you need a week

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