UCH or Whittington?

[rouge]

Used the Royal Free last time - never again. Going for a homebirth this time but obviously need to choose which hospital I'd go to if necessary. From what I hear, UCH is generally good but dirty (esp. postnatal rooms); Whittington I've heard more mixed stories about. Currently inclined to go for UCH and brave the dirt ...

Thoughts?

bakedpotato
I am now in Western Australia but I was in Cromwell Place for 10 years, you know just off Cromwell Avenue opposite Waterlow Park - have they finished off all building work by Lauderdale House and the playground yet? I miss Waterlow Park.

Good idea about ABC yoga, although it had changed radically between my two PGs, not the yoga itself, but the marketing for the courses and therapies offered was quite intrusive - often the last 20 mins of the class was spent with a "talk' from one of the practioners in the centre selling their wares. But the yoga and the advice is great - although MotherInferior and I have some alternative theories as to whether or not all that is ideal for expectations for first time mums, but that's another thread

Suzy, isn't it ridiculously early now for you?

Suzy - how did you get the time to go to ABC yoga for your 2nd pg?

DH did the bedtime routine with DS1, I used to go at the 7pm class and it was waddling distance. But I did find it very tiring actually and only went for three months. And I didn't find it that useful second time. I felt like saying " look it's all very well and good but on the day there's only one thing for certain, you will do anything to get the baby out" I just didn't have the same conviction in the power of aromatherapy massage oil during the second stage IYKWIM, but that's just the view of a jaded woman with one kid already and an emergency c section behind her. First time round I paid an arm and a leg for the Janet Balaskas course.

Oh dear bakedpotato fears I will be stalking her around Highgate Hill

You mean that wasn't you I saw there the other day???

suzy yes I fear I would be the jaded one if I went back ... I did return to tell my birth story and freaked out the whole class!

Rouge do you remember that woman on the Fast Show who used to sit with her knitting and burst out with a derisory "HUH!", well it was a bit hard not to be like that. Why don't you buy the book and do it at home when you get half an hour, I think there is also an audio cassette and a chart you can get in the shop

Mao Mao - did you really see someone who looked like me? I think I must have a doppleganger as one of my other friends says she keeps seeing me traipsing up and down Highgate hill aswell. And isn't it about time you emailed me some pics of your gogeous dd?????

Yes, might do that Suzy or even try to get out to Sequinpark, which is more local for me and is just yoga, not the whole antenatal mallarkey

go for that then, ABC is very irritating second time round actually

Bakedpotato, that team sounds similar to the Kings one I had for dd1. They were fab. Good luck. When's it due?

Thanks MI. End of Aug

SuzyW, i'm the lower end of Highgate Hill. the uh, Archway end. the bit where the air is full of billowing carrier bags. no, the building work in waterlow continues. looking good though hugely adrift from schedule. still wish they'd put a sandpit in the playground though.
Rouge, i hope you luck out with the community midwives at the whit and find you're in the catchment. it's not offered all over islington.
MI, i am due exactly a month today. (OMG.)
I'm not bothering with the ABC either 2nd time around. i remember how we first timers looked at the people who were due to have no2... actually, could hardly look at them, they seemed like another species. so sophisticated, so knowing... i don't think i'd like anyone to look at me like that.
also teachers did peddle a load of cobblers really and, to agree with Suzy W, i felt we were encouraged to have unrealistic expectations; ie, the only people who seemed to be invited back after the birth were people who'd totally free-ranged it IYKWIM. i think some people felt somehow to blame if they didn't end up with the birth they'd expected and the ABC advocated.

Yay, BabySpud may share DD1's birthday on 2 Feb! Hurrah!

Furthest I've ever got to the ABC was a pleading message asking Missis B if I could interview her. To which I got no reply.