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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Ladies in the Banbury Oxfordshire area please drop in

170 replies

misty0 · 16/03/2011 14:07

Hello there - Smile

This is a thread for anyone in the south Northamptonshire/north Oxfordshire area who may like to say hi, and give us any wisdom about the Horton and surounding maternity units.

I'm due early Oct, have not had any scan yet and am booking in with beards mill clinic. Going tmrow for bloods. My local hospital is the Horton, Banbury. Love to hear from you .....

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apples82 · 16/03/2011 14:22

mistyO hello!

I am on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border, so right in the same area.

I'm due on the 17th Oct and have chosen the Horton in Banbury.

I got the option of JR in Oxford, Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury, or Horton in Banbury. I've heard good things about the Horton so fingers crossed it'll work out good.

I have my first MW app on Friday when i'll be 9+4 and have scan booked in for 5th April when i'll be 12+1.

Where abouts are you?

Original poster
misty0 · 16/03/2011 14:30

Hiya apples,

Im about 10 mins north of Banbury in a little vilage. The Horton is 'my' hospital - though i've never given birth there! My experiences of it so far for other things are good. Vaious casualty visits with kids, and my father was in there for 14 weeks at one time.

I'd like to have my scan there - i'm booked in for it on March 31st - 5 days b4 you - but because i'm having a private NT scan at a clinic near witney i might cancel the NHS one. Dunno yet though ... got to think about that.

Is this your first? Smile

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apples82 · 16/03/2011 15:14

Yep my first LO(why isn't there a biting fingernails emoticon?).

What is the private NT scan you mentioned? I should really start reading up on stuff i'm supposed to know! Grin

AgBag · 16/03/2011 15:34

Hi apples82 and misty0. I'm also in Banbury and will be 9 weeks tomorrow with my first child. Due 20th October. Had my booking appointment with midwife yesterday which seemed to go fine.

I'd read some bad reports about the Horton maternity unit which worried me, but also heard good reports, so will probably stick with it...

I'm keen to join anti-natal yoga or aqua classes. Do you know of anything going on locally?

Its great to be able to meet people on here! My husband and I only moved to Banbury a couple of months ago and I barely know a soul in the town yet!

apples82 · 16/03/2011 15:36

Hi agbag,

Yeah i'd heard good and bad things about the Horton, but it's the most convenient. So we decided to go to Horton for first scan, have a nose round whilst we're there, and then book into see Stoke as well and decide then. I think we'll stick with the Horton though.

I'm keen to join an aqua natal class too. I did a quick search earlier and saw there was one in Bicester, i'll have to spend a bit more time looking though me thinks.

LittleWhiteWolf · 16/03/2011 21:21

AgBag I had my DD at the Horton in July '09 and could go on and on about how terrific mine and my babys care was. I often do in fact--I felt like the only woman in labour in the whole place, such was the level and dedication to my care.
With DC2 I quite fancy a homebirth (it'll be November and I wont want to leave the house! Grin), but my second choice is definitely the Horton.

To put it in perspective, of the women I've know who've used the Horton and the JR for their babies, I've heard only good things about the former and sadly many less good things about the latter. My issue with the JR is how big it is--its easy to get lost and forgotten, (or so it has seemed for friends and family of mine.)

Original poster
misty0 · 16/03/2011 21:26

Hiya ladies xx

i'm no expert on the aqua natal front, but i know for sure they do one at Towcester Leisure Centre. This pool is nice and clean and has a 'beach' type babies/wave pool which is where they hold the classes. I know 'cos i used to swim in the evenings in the main pool and enjoy the music from 'next door'. Lol.

In a nutshell, apples, an NT scan is done at the same time as your 12 week dating scan and is a check for signs of abnormalities such as downs syndrome, such as fluid at the back of the neck.

The reason i'm going private is because the NHS only looks at a couple of factors - whereas a private scan takes longer and they look at lots of different pointers, and generaly take more time.

The reason i'm twitchy is my age - 43 - although i've had 3 healthy babies before and my midwife says i should stop worrying ... Smile

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Original poster
misty0 · 16/03/2011 22:02

Thank you apples, by the way, for putting a link to here from the old thread.

I didn't know how to do it Blush

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apples82 · 17/03/2011 08:27

Morning all, well the comments for LWW make me glad to have the Horton on my doorstep, I'm looking forward to going to the scan so I can have a nose around Smile

AgBag · 17/03/2011 11:29

Hi all, yes great to hear such good news about the Horton. Thanks for sharing.

apples82 · 17/03/2011 11:45

So far I think all of us on here are Oct/Nov births- it'll be a race! Grin

rightontime · 17/03/2011 17:02

Hello. I am due in Nov and live in Banbury. Have had 2 babies in the Horton and it was fine. No real complaints. (Although there was a MW who got stuck off from there. It was in the banbury guardian a couple of weeks ago.)

They do antenatal exercise class at spiceball sports centre. No aquanatal as yet. They were preparing the pool for it but the teacher has just left so not sure what will happen now.

Original poster
misty0 · 17/03/2011 21:17

Evening ladies x

Thats great news about the Horton. Not the MW struck off, the good reviews i mean. I too was looking forward to going in for my 12 week scan to see what it's like in there, but i'm going to cancel it 'cos of my private one. After much thought it seems best. Maybe i could go for a look around the labour ward at some time? Do they still offer that?

BTW i went to give my bloods at the clinic today (ready for scan in couple of weeks) and she decided to 'pop me on the couch for a peep' while i was there!! i was SOOOOO excited. Havn't had and wasn't expecting any scan yet - saw EVERYTHING. Little heart, fingers wiggling! Got a pic too. Wow. I'm 10 weeks to the day. It wasn't an NT scan or anything - just a little look! There IS a real baby in there, LOL

Sorry about the outburst there Grin just so happy and relieved xx

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rightontime · 18/03/2011 07:23

Thats lovely misty no reason to be sorry, seeing your baby for the first time is very exciting stuff!

I am sure you can still look around the labour ward. They used to offer it on Sundays. Maybe ring and check. Otherwise are you going to you antenatel classes there? they give you a tour then if you are going.

apples82 · 18/03/2011 07:53

Oh wow mistyO, congrats, what a lovely unexpected surprise! Smile

Original poster
misty0 · 18/03/2011 10:19

Thanx girls xx
Yes i'd be interested in going to the antenatel classes there. Are any of you ladies thinking of going?

And yeah it was SUCH a surprise, that scan. Bit sad that OH wasn't there - i was alone - but i thought it would be just a blood thing. He'll be there with bells on for the 'proper' one tho'.

So i'm due on the 13 Oct. Tell us your due dates and lets see if any of us are likely going to end up giving birth in the same week or anything! Grin

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apples82 · 18/03/2011 11:59

I'm currently due 17th Oct, but scan might change that a little...

rightontime · 18/03/2011 14:37

I'm not allowed antenatal classes anymore, only with your first one, I've got no chance with this being my 3rd. My due date is nov 8th but I suspect I will be roughly a week overdue. Probably wont be there at the same time as you all. Sad

apples82 · 18/03/2011 15:19

is that right, you're only allowed antenatal with your first???

rightontime · 18/03/2011 15:52

Yep at the horton it is first baby only. I think you can do NCT classes but I have never looked into them really. I found that the horton ones were just a repeat of what is written in the pregnancy book that the GP gives you. That was 5 years ago though and things may have changed since then. Ds2 is 2 and I wasn't allowed them then.

DemonChild · 18/03/2011 18:48

Hello, I'm 9 weeks and also live in Banbury. I'm due on the 21st. I have DD (14 mo) and also DSD (8). I'm definitely going to use the Horton, I had the best care there last time (Christmas Eve/Day, foetal distress, emcs) everyone was so lovely and professional.

I'm really really hoping for a VBAC because I really struggled to recover from my CS and it'll be even harder with a toddler and a baby. Have got my booking in appt on Friday, so I'll ask then what the Horton view on VBACs is.

Agbag I've just started going to an antenatal class on the Thorpe Road estate - it's great! If you google Akasha Wellbeing it should come up. Although I might try the spiceball one as well.

Original poster
misty0 · 18/03/2011 19:43

Hi demonchild x welcome
It's so good to hear you're happy with the care you got at Horton. No ones said anything bad about it yet i dont think - relief!

I didn't realise that about antenatal classes only available with first baby. Although i have 3 children they were with my ex, (17 year mariage)and this baby is with my new partner - and it's HIS first. He says he would like to go to them with me.

So does that count as first i wonder??

I realise now, by the way, that you've all told us your due dates already Blush blame it on preg. head, Lol. We're all quite close then actualy, baring in mind baby can come at least a week either side of that date ....

Me 13th Oct
Apples 17th Oct
Agbag 20th Oct
Demonchild 21st Oct
Rightontime 8th Nov
Littlewhite wolf ? Nov

Why have i got to go first ???? Smile

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rightontime · 19/03/2011 17:36

When I had mine at the hospital there was a lady who had older children and she was there with her new partner and it was his first baby so they do make exceptions. I think they actually call the hospital one parent craft classes. Might be wrong though.

apples82 · 21/03/2011 08:24

Ha ha misty0, my date yet might change with the scan. And because I had diathermy loop procedure, any pregnancy of mine is unlikely to go beyond 37 weeks, so i'll be early!

Original poster
misty0 · 21/03/2011 09:33

Ooooooh you could be first then, apples!

I wonder if any of us will have the energy or inclination to actualy post on here after our deliveries? Will we just disappear from here one by one as our dates arrive? It's such a whirwind after a birth isn't it - a day feels like a month, but the days are just a blur and you you can find you havn't left the house for over a week and havn't even realised it when you've just had a babe. I can remeber with my youngest feeling REALY weird when i went out for the first time - like i'd been in an institution for 6 months, lol. And it was only a week. Driving felt odd and everything .... praps it's just me ??

Sorry i've gone all philosophical there!

What, if it's ok to ask, is a diathermy loop? I havn't heard of that.

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