meeting new mums to be - terrified!

[glitterjo]

Hello Cambridgeshire folks,

We moved to the area about 9 months ago, rented in St Ives while we found a house and moved to a village in the north west (drawn by the guided busway, more fool us) about 3 months ago, and are very happy. However all my friends are in London and now I am pregnant with my first, due in December.

Am absolutely terrified that I will know nobody at all the area with little kids. Very few of my London friends have got babies either so I am feeling a little bit isolated. I've signed up for NCT antenatal and early days classes in Cambridge, starting in September. What else can I do? I don't drive so am reliant on public transport (though DP is pretty great about driving me places if I need to). Anyone else out there in a similar position?

Cheers!

Hello! I'm not far from you I think, I live just north of Huntingdon. That flipping guided busway, it is on the front page of the local rag every bloody week I can't wait til it opens so I don't have to drive down the awful A14 to get into Cambridge.

I am also expecting, number 2 for me, in February so not far behind you! I have a DD who is 21 months. I'd be happy to recommend any groups or places to visit etc. Will you be having your baby at Hinchingbrooke? It's recently been done up and is meant to be very nice, although I haven't visited yet. The Rosie in Cambridge is also lovely, I had DD there and they were brilliant.

I do drive but we are a one car family so I can't always get the car. I can get into Huntingdon on the bus in around 20 mins.

Oh gosh, I know, I can't wait till it opens because it will be so great for getting to work (in St Ives) and to Cambridge. The bus service is ok but nothing on a Sunday. We're about halfway between St Ives and Cambridge.

I will be having the baby at Hinchingbrooke - we're actually a bit nearer the Rosie but had a miscarriage last Christmas and Hinchingbrooke treated us so well that we decided to stick with them. They've been fantastic so far. I haven't actually seen the delivery unit or anything though.

Can get to Huntingdon fairly easily (even easier once the busway goes to St Ives!) so any recommendations hugely welcome!

There is a branch of the NCT in Huntingdon but I don't think they do much events-wise. They have sales on 2 or 3 times a year though and they have pretty good stuff. This local website might give you some ideas for other stuff- www.bonkersaboutbabies.co.uk/ I've just started going to a LLL group in St Neots, don't know if that would be your kind of thing or not. Might be a bit early for that yet!

There are aquanatal classes run by the local council at various pools (I went to St Ives a couple of times and they do them at Huntingdon as well). That's a great way to meet other mums to be and it's nice and relaxing, especially when you're huge. Here's a link- www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/Leisure%20and%20Culture/One%20Leisure/Pages/default.aspx

NCT coffee mornings? They run in Cambridge and various villages. If you are a member and get the newsletter there is a list of names you can contact for your nearest area. You don't have to be a member to go, though.

Most mums and dads bond with other parents through the NCT classes, so you are covered there.

If you are interested in breastfeeding you can go to a bf cafe when pregnant and speak to mums there, plus get info. Again, several in Cambridges and some villages.

Or you can start a thread here and see if you can meet other mums who are due around your due date.

thanks goldenpeach, breastfeeding cafe sounds like a great idea, will look into that. Hadn't really thought about NCT coffee mornings - I've just sent off my membership form the other day so will see what comes up once the newsletter comes through.

I think I will start a thread here too very soon...