The dog days of summer are approaching Ambridge. Freddy’s being hounded and Brian is in the dog house - can Jenny take the ruff with the smooth?

[PseudoBadger]

Thanks to all for the dog ideas, and special mention to Ppeatfruit.

Discuss the Archers here!

Because Doc Loc seems to have entirely disappeared off the scene?

Yes, BOING. That struck me too.

They surely won't do another pre-eclampsia story though?

On the Pip point, excuse my ignorance, but how many weeks before due date would maternity leave normally start?

Why doesn't Alistair have any friends?

DDD - depends on what the woman wants. When I had my first, I only went on maternity leave 10 days before the due date. I wanted to leave it as late as possible as knew I could only take a few months in total so didn't want to 'waste' it IYSWIM little did I know the blighter would be nearly 2 weeks late. Most people play it safer and start earlier I think, though.

Pip is probably more tired than anyone else at the NCT class because she's the only one working on a farm.

I bet she's just angling for D & R to sort the nursery because she's sooooooo tired from running around checking on Josh.

alistair/shula is brexit
will they
won't they
live together
love apart (no typo)
cu/sm

I know someone who was still fielding work calls whilst in labour. Woe betide you if you dared to suggest that maybe another time might be more suitable.

Bibesa when I had my last one, in the early hours of the morning, two women on my ward were doing work calls while I was waiting to be discharged.

I would say between 0 and 4 weeks is normal. Based on due date being 40 weeks.How many weeks is Pip now.

Yes, part of my ignorance on maternity leave was because I don't think my DW's ML had started when she gave birth to our first, but that was because he was 10 weeks early!

cheminotte - Pip is 33 weeks.

I think someone’s told the scriptwriters they have to keep on doing problem pregnancy stories till they get it right and there’s no more moaning from listeners.

I agree that maybe Pip is knackered because her work isn’t sedentary. You just can’t compare energy levels between a healthy pregnant woman who works regular hours in an office and someone who works shifts in a physically active job. I worked till 35 weeks as a nurse, in a busy unit, with lots of nights. And with later babiesonly around 30 hrs per week. And l stopped doing more than 3 consecutive nights. A friend in an office job (though a surveyor so active and not sat a desk all day) kept going till 39 + weeks. Also around 30 hrs per week. Her baby arrived the day after stopping work. First time l had problems and started M/L at 28 weeks. I was still knackered and the baby came at 42 weeks. He’s still pretty bad at time keeping!

As much as I dislike Pip, I only hope that she has a strange birth difficulty that renders her speechless or gives her a personality change.

I second Hannah and Kirsty getting together! It’ll really feck off Tom too which is always a bonus.

How is the Lexi pregnancy plot going? I’ve missed the odd ep. Is she knocked up yet? Or awol in the cereal cupboard?

That cereal cupboard will need an extension.

HatingTheBigShow, I don’t think it’s Philip who’ll dump Kirsty, but the other way around. Kirsty seemed a bit thrown by the reality of Philip having a son not too far off her own age.

Philip is a bit creepy. Where is Dr Locke?

Why is Jennifer getting so wound up about Ruth's 50th?

Because it isn't Ruth's party, it's Jennifer's (it's all about her). I'm about Ruth's age and the 1980s disco sounds great (actually prefer 70s music but that's just me), jazz quartet not so great.

Maybe Jennifer is lined up to be the Ambridge version of Prince William's MIL.

to aid the Home Farm Ailing Coffers

Jennifer was so passive aggressive and manipulative last night. She got her own way when "wet" David was trying to say the Chandeliers and Jazz Bands weren't Ruth's thing.

Why is Jennifer getting so wound up about Ruth's 50th?

I assumed displacement from the problems in the immediate family. Putting on a big family event for Ruth is probably the nearest she gets to normality just now.