canadianlisa

Thanks to everyone for the fantastic advice. The baby Canuck is due the 24th of October so not too long now! I think that I may get the pump sorted as well as a few bottles just in case I struggle with breastfeeding but will leave the steriliser and use the boiling method for now anyways. We only have a 2 bedroom flat so I am pretty sure that we can get on without the baby monitor for a while. Sadly, I don't have a dishwasher anyways so that won't be an issue. It is amazing how much stuff such a tiny person needs! Lisa

We are in the final countdown now for our baby and seem to spending a lot of money although it doesn't feel like we are nearly ready! I am trying to stretch out the purchases a bit and was wondering if you really need to have a steriliser and breast pump when you first come home with a new baby or if it can wait. If so which kind is best? We don't have a microwave so would be looking at an electric steriliser. Also is a baby monitor really necessary at first if baby will be in the room with us? As you might be able to tell I am starting to feel a little unprepared :-$ Thanks for your help. Lisa

I did regular excercise classes up until about 14 weeks but then began to find as Billy says that the teachers were not too keen on having you in the class and would / could not adapt the excercises. There is one class at Dulwich Leisure centre which takes place on a Saturday at 12 called Body Balance and the teacher is happy to have pregnant ladies there and adapt the excercises. I can't remember her name but I believe that she taught the class throughout her own pregnancy. I am 31 weeks now and am just about managing pregnancy yoga- I do the Sitaram yoga at King's College. I enjoy the yoga and have found it to be both physically good and good for staying calm etc. Swimming and walking are also good.

Hi Hayley I would be interested in at least a conversation about this. We are expecting our 1st baby as well at the end of October. I am going to take a year off so will not be going back to work until the following October but it may still be possible to work something out. I have just started to look into the cost and availabilty of childcare for when I do go back to work and it seems both difficult to arrange and very expensive for variable quality. Quite of few of the threads on nurseries in Dulwich mention that you need to put your babies names down at birth which is a bit scary. PM if you'd like to talk more or meet up at some stage in the future. Lisa

I am also with the Lanes and due to give birth in October. They do home births and will now also come to the hospital with you. I believe this may have changed. So far my experience with the midwives has been somewhat limited but overall good. I have consistently seen the same midwife. She often changes the time of the appointments as she has been at hospital with another woman during the night time but she is able to give me the same timeslot on another day to fit in with work. They are very oversubscribed so I am not sure of their availability now.