Sandperson

[The beeping was back with a vengence last night so obviously Thames Water were telling fibs. Urgh, it turns out the contractor are based in my hometown...no wonder it's annoying.

I've been meaning to say something about this. Strictly I am a Nunhead resident (on the other side backing onto the golf course) but when the wind is in the right direction the beeping is almost unbearable. It's like Chinese water torture. Surely they shouldn't be working that late?

My thoughts exactly Scruffy!

Well, I've come to this very late but I work in the Film and video archive at the Imperial War Museum so let me know if there's anything I can do to help!

As I said, do some research at the end of the day it's your choice. I was just amazed at the provision for this which seems to be pretty rare. I will be sure to let you all know how horrible it was and how much danger I put my unborn child in. Safesurfer, that doesn't sound like any of the home birth midwife practices I have come across. The midwives should stay with you throughout. Who were you with?

Baby due mid-April, opted for home birth mid December. Rang around and got on lists and were accepted by Albany at the beginning of Jan. Very happy! :)) As far as complications go, I think statistically you are just as likely to get complications in hospital and it's luck as to whether you get the right care. We are a ten min (max) drive from Kings and if we have to go to hospital the two (yes, I said two) midwives that are with you at home come with you to the hospital (as far as speed bumps go, I'd imagine that would be the last thing on your mind). You stay with the same midwives all the way through your pregnancy and get birthing pool provided as well as private anti-natal sessions. My sister-in-law was in Kings and had a terrible time, in attentive midwife, birthing pool already in use...obviously this is only one persons opinion, but I really would look into home birthing.

We've just decided to opt out of Kings and go for a home birth. It's our first, but to be honest, the level of care you get from the home birth midwife schemes in the area seems to outshine anything that a hospital has to offer.