newly pregnant and moving to bristol advice and reassurance needed!

[hettie]

Hi there I wonder if anyone in the Bristol area can give me some advice (and reassurance!).
I am currently 10 weeks pregnant with our first (after a previous ectopic and loss of one tube) and am on tenterhooks until the 12 week scan, which is booked for the 8th September.
Thing is we are about to move to Bristol (at the end of September) and I am beginning to worry! We have lived in London for 10 years so the move is big enough in itself, but I am also going to be retraining (back to uni) and apparently having a new baby too! I had something of a dilemma deciding about starting a family as I never really saw myself as a ?mother? and thought I would feel too trapped. Obviously I am over that some what, but still have fears in getting trapped in some ?other? world of mums and babies group where all people do is talk about their kids. I know it doesn?t have to be like that and that this is probably an irrational fear, but I think the thought of moving somewhere where I know no one is exacerbating my fear.
I?d love to try and get to meet people (are there any meet-ups or ?normal? ante-natal groups anyone knows of in the Bristol area?). I would also love to find out if anyone knows of any groups that meet for non-baby related things, local music scene, book groups, people who like camping/surfing/mountain biking???.
And on a more practical note I would really really appreciate a good recommendation for a GP and an nhs dentist (we will live in St Andrews/Bishopston area- but would travel a bit further for good health services).
So hello to all you Bristolians out there and I hope some of you can help tih my (many!) requests.

Hi Hettie. I am 27 weeks and live in Bristol, though not near St Andrews. I haven't started ante-natal classes yet, so I can't really advise you on that side of things. The only thing I think I can say is that in Bristol, you are generally offered only 1 scan at 20 weeks, so many mums to be in Bristol pay to have a private scan (an OSCAR) at approximately 12 weeks. Apart from that, I believe the care you receive is standard.

You are likely to be offered a choice of 3 hospitals: Southmead, St Michaels or the RUH in Bath. I've opted for Southmead, only because I visited a friend who gave birth there recently, and thought it looked nice. Maybe other posters can advise on their respective merits, or otherwise?

What I can say is that I think that Bristol is a great city to live in. It's excellent for cinemas, theatres, pubs, and restaurants and the local music scene is really good, in spite of the lack of a really big venue. Check out the local listings magazine, "Venue" (google for their webiste address) for details of what's available locally.

Best wishes for the move and your pregnancy, and welcome to the West Country!

hi there honey

Im not in bristol, but thought I should reply. I recently moved 200 miles away from everything i knew when i was 8 weeks pregnant, very troublesome pregnancy so far with 5 previous losses and an early birth (@31 weeks) So pretty high risk.

I have moved to bridgend in south wales (which isnt far from bristol) and I was worried about care too, although it hasnt been as good as i had up north it has been good, they are taking good care of me. I didnt know anyone when i moved here apart my dp, I have made a few friends through his work friends, but they are all lovely. Im sure you would meet people at uni too?!

Sorry if Im no use, Im sure theres more ladies from bristol on here, just wanted to let you know its not as hard as i thought it would be!

camping, hmmmmm might be a few of us on here.... two of us aren't that far, I'm just across the bridge (also a student, about to go to year 2 at newport) and Sal is a student nurse in cardiff

thank you so much for the advice and reassurance. It's nice to know there are other people out there!
I reckon I am going to keep an eye on teh camping meet ups (although it might be a bit late for camping in october). Can't wait to be able to pop over to the Gower for a long weekend!
Flowers- do you know how i might find out more about the different hospitals? In my borough in London there is no choice, so this is all new to me.

St Michaels was my back up hossie when I had ds2 (delivered at Weston Super Mare- lovely hospital). Seemed really nice, friendly, well equipped at the MW had only praise for it if that helps. Southmead also good, friend had her premmie there and has only nice things to say about it.

RUH- erm, not been there myself but having seen it repeatedly on the news and knowing of it's rep, well unless someone comes on here to say it's improved markedly I would skip.

Best advice? visit all 3, see whcih clicks for you. Weston was the best delivery I've had, yet the hospital has a bad rep. (we lived in Somerset at that time).

Dh works in Bristol (Cribbs Causeway) but he does commute because we couldn't afford the house we would need for our large brood there (I was offereed a place at Bristol, sadly ahd to turn down). it's so easy to get about from there though, sea and countryside in very easy reach whilst the city / Cribbs Causeway ahs everything you would need from a city.

I am a Bristol gal but I live in Devon at the momment. I want to come back to Bristol to study but it looks like a might start my course in Plymouth and then try to transfer to Bristol UWE next year. I lived in London for 10 years, and a few other places since and I think you will love Bristol once you have changed down a gear and got used to the accent. Bristol is not too big, it is pretty to look at, it is by the sea, trust me, you're gonna love it!
I have three sister who have all had babies at either Southmead (which is newly refurbished) or St. Micheals. My younger sister had a baby three months ago at St. M's and said the staff were lovely both in the community and at the hospital. She lives in the Redfield area, not very far from St. Philip's.
My younger sister sounds a bit like you, pretty sure she would find the whole mummy thing a bit boring in its entirety but right now she is loving it. She goes to Breast Cafe for a coffee and a gossip, she does mother and baby yoga and also the thing that sounds the best to me, she goes to an art session where the baby goes too. Just park up the pram and have a right old time messing about with paint or clay or whatever takes your fancy.
Also I am pretty sure she has a good NHS dentist so will ask her about that.
If you like outdoors stuff I think you will find it more accessible than living in London, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, the Forest of Dean, South Wales are all on your doorstep!
My advice.... listen to some Massive Attack and chill out at bit, you will be fine, you will meet people through your studying, you will make some baby mates, you will have more than enough to do. A year from now you will wonder what you were worried about.

I'm in Bristol (lived here for most my life) and I'm at UWE studying.

Another good website to look at is this
Its the local paper site and has good links.

The local netmums page has some good places to go/find out info.

Don't know anything about GPs or anything in St Andrews as don't live there (I'm in Totterdown. near Temple MEads).

I love BRistol and wouldn't want to move. Its got plenty of good places to see/visit. Loads of festivals/events over the summer.

You can always start something on the meetups and see who is interested - I would be.

Bear in mind people at antenatal groups probably don't know each other at the start, are first time mums and are probably as scared as you - I know I was.

Hey chubbleigh the art class thing sounds great- and you are so right about all the positive things about bristol (why we're moving there!), it will be a big bonus to be near countryside and beaches......
caboose- good idea about the meet ups and you've convinced me to try me hand at an antenatal class.... (do you have to pay or are there free groups?)
Do you think you can get a good idea about a GP by visiting the sugery. I'm not paranoid or anything but my GP in london is great and my husbands in rubbish an we have noticed the difference....
And thanks for responding and singing the praises of bristol- makes me feel better about the decision!

YOur midwife can tell you about free antenatal groups in your area. They usually run them.

Hi Hettie

I would check out nhsdirect website for an NHS dentist. There aren't too many in Bristol but there are more on the north side of the city.

You will come under Bristol North Primary Care Trust. If you contact them they will be able to tell you your choice of GP surgeries.

The 2 Bristol maternity hospitals are Southmead and St Michaels. Southmead will probably be nearer for you. I personally went to St Michaels and had the childbirth experience from hell, so I can't recommend it. Most people I know either went to RUH (Bath) or Southmead and have had positive experiences at both.

The NCT do run antenatal classes in Bristol (I personally haven't attended). A friend of mine who lives in Bishopston did attend, but had to travel a little way for them.

Hope the move goes well.

Hello.

I have lived in Bristol for 4 years and have loved it - loads to do in and around the city. I am shortly moving too, back East to be closer to family now dd has arrived, and will miss the place.

Dd was born at St Michaels and I have no complaints about it - lovely midwife and great 1 to 1 care. The wards post delivery do get really busy though, so I opted to go home the same day, although they do like you to stay. Have also heard good things about Southmead. No 1st hand experience of Bath RUH but have heard that they rush you out once baby is born! There is a midwife led birth unit in Paulton (South of Bristol off A37) which I've heard great things about, but you may be living too far away from it - worth checking though.

CAT me if you want more info or fancy getting in touch - my dd is 7mo and is my first.

Look for Venue magazine for what's on info, and Metro newspaper for local news and info.

Good luck with the move x

Hi Hettie,

I live in the the Bishopston/St Andrews area and it's a great place to live with children. A lot of people in Bishopston are registered with the Nevil Road Surgery, and I haven't heard any complaints. There are lots of M&T groups nearby as well, they are a bit mumsy, but they are good to get out of the house. St Andrews park is brill in summer and Gloucester Road has lots of child friendly cafes, particularly Cafe Unlimited.

I found an NHS dentist from the website as Mumtoben suggests, but it's not that great. I don't know if that's just NHS dentistry though.

I had my children at St Michaels which was great (excect for the food!), but I've heard Southmead is just as good.

Chubbleigh - the art thing does sound great. Where is it?

Hello from the West Country

Bristol is a fantastic place to live and excellent for bringing up children, there is so much to do with the city, country, harbourside and coast all on your doorstep. That said, of course you are going to feel anxious about this new stage in your life.

For the music scene then Venue is a good place to start, it is a magazine all about whats on and its online too:

www.venue.co.uk/

There is a mountain bike shop near the Arnolfini (on the harbourside) called Mud Dock, that has ahalf decent cafe and you might get some info there about bike clubs. I know there is a Bristol CTC but not sure about the mountain biking aspect.

When it comes to M & B groups, when you have your baby your clinic will probably run a first time mums group and the ladies there might have an idea of other groups in the area. You can also buy the Titch Hikers Guide To Bristol and it pretty much lists everything you can do in the area with kids

Good luck!

Peppamum, the mum and baby art class is on a Friday at the Wellspring Healthy Living Centre. Apparently it is only for those living in the new deal area, being Barton Hill, Redfield and The Dings (I think maybe others can go sometimes if the classes are not full). If you call them there might be able to tell you of other places around the city that offer something similar.

Just one more thing - ref the biking and outdoor interests try Garland Cycles and Taunton Leisure in Bedminster - they both have websites. Dh uses both for getting his bike supplies. The staff are great and can point you in the direction of info you need.

Hi there,
And thanks everyone for the recommendations. I will defo contact nhs direct and north Bristol and titch hikers guide (love the name) sounds useful. And thanks for the top tip about a bike place poppie- it took me two years to find a good one in London! You have all been so upbeat and positive it has cheered me up enormously. I will defo? suggest a meet up on the meet up boards when we move so keep an eye out. Will also figure out how to do CAT too!

As you're into camping and mountain biking, try Cheddar campsite (i'll link in a mo)- each year they have a big Cheddar challenge race and all the ountain bike types get together and have a fun weekend. Dh used to work it, and a friend does the entertainment. It's autumn time, so you might even be able to get in contact now and meet some people that way?

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