pilsbury

thanks to both of you for the friendly replies :) I elected not to go as i'm getting a lot out of the NCT classes (as is my other half) + reading up loads and quite frankly needed a very early night (bed before 9pm, the joys of being 8 months gone!). also i'm planning a home birth, so i think maybe the NHS ones will be a lot more skewed to hospital birth... I might pop along next wk to the 2nd session though if i'm feeling more energetic.... thanks again

Afternoon all We are scheduled in to attend 3 evening classes of parentcraft classes at Dulwich hospital on Tuesdays starting tonight. However, my other half and I are now attending (and really enjoying) NCT classes, so is it necessary to go to Parentcraft too? Did anyone else do both? I'm starting to feel rather knackered (32 wks) & so would rather have an early night if Parentcraft is simply just a repetition of NCT but on a much larger scale. Any thoughts gratefully recieved :) Thanks!

i went to my first class with laura at dulwich therapy rooms on monday night (6.15-7.45). you pay ?125 for 10 sessions. having already tried the sitaram class at kings, i much preferred laura's class as i found i could relax much more easily in that environment (i.e. away from the hospital). if you know your yoga (i don't!) she practices kundalini yoga and includes mantras and chanting which i was v cynical about at first, but once i got into it really enjoyed them and could see how they useful they could be on labour day (if you can stay focused enough!)

monday evening there's one at the dulwich therapy rooms (www.dulwichtherapyrooms.co.uk). weds and thurs evenings there's classes at kings (sitaram.org)

Hi guys I found a ladies gold coloured digital watch on the pavement outside my house at about 6.30 last night. Let me know if you think its yours. thanks

On another note, I reAlly stupidly had a hot bAth last night and didn't think until this morninG that maybe that mightn't be the best thing for the baby. Am really really annoyed at myself for being so stupid, I think because I've spent the last twelve weeks trying to hide from everyone thAt I was pregnant, I still sometime forget myself :( having looked around a few sites this morning am now worried sick that I have harmed The baby. Is it worth telling my midwife do you think? Sorry if this is a stupid question... :(

thanks for all the tips and comments - haven't told my mum just yet as only just had my 12 wk scan (seeing her on tues though - eek!) so will be sure to ask her! I think a combo of bio oil + palmers (then i can spread the cost too!) should work then, will get some this week. thanks again girls!

Hi ladies, I guess some of this is purely personal taste, but am looking for recommendations for good stretch mark cream/oil... Thanks!

sorry i got it through my work cab account so don't actually know...

so just to report back as promised. cab picked me up at 5.25 and i got to into t5 about 6.10. what most pple have said above was corroborated by the taxi driver - if i were to leave at 6 instead of half 5 you'd need to add at least 30mins on to that journey time. hope that helps pple in the future who are wondering :)

by the way - while hunting for more details, i came across the wondeful looking blog (have only scanned it as am supposed to be working) - http://helengraves.co.uk/ - full of tips of eateries and food shops roundabout (including persopolis). you may already know it (in fact it might be one of you that writes it :)) but thought i'd pass it on just in case.

i read this thread with interest as i'm going to head down to the market on sunday (been meaning to go since we moved here a wee while back). someone mentioned "the best persian shop" - i'd be interested to know where this is/what it's called? i often head down rye lane and pick up fruit and veg but am somewhat nervous of going into the other food shops, becauase i'm scared i'll make an idiot of myself buying/asking for the wrong thing! (my bad, not the fault of the shops'!) i am pretty unfamiliar with the international cuisine that seems to be represented on rye lane (west indian & middle eastern to name just two) so any personal reccs would be hugely appreciated :)

it does! it obviosuyl takes a helluva lot longer than i thought. will report back next wk after the expedition and let you know my timings for comparison :)

Yep same chap for us also on ondine. Am getting mightily pissed off with the amount of cold callers in the last few months and now the nights are drawing in we have to deal with them in the dark, which makes it feel even more dodgy!

Ah shucks look like I'll just have to face it then! Thx amil for the assurance :)

i need to be at LHR at 6.45am on Monday - I was thinking leaving at 6 would be sufficient time, but a cab company has just told me it will take 1hr20??? Surely that can't be right at that time in the morning?

i'm also a massive fan of streetcar, been using their cars and vans for years now, in fact i beleive my o/h is using a streetvan right now to take a load of stuff to the tip! you do need to a book a week in advance to get cars at the weekend so the addition of some extra cars is much needed and much appreciated. during the week you can ususally find a car/van nearby pretty much instantly. We use it mostly for "big shops" at sainos, b&q, trips to the tip and ikea.

I left Alison a message this lunchtime e but will try her again tmrw and email too just in case, thx for the further advice everyone :)

Thx for the v quick responses, really impressive! Sorry i'd missed that other thread snowboarder, answered all my questions really, doh! Will give them a buzz tmrw...

Sorry for the daft questions but I'm only 9 wkd gone and don't want to tell anyone yet so I have noone else to ask all my "obvious" questions to..... Anyhoo, my question is about nct. A cursory glance at the nct site seems to say there are no courses in east dulwich for the time I'm due (25 oct), tho I'll call tmrw to d.check. The courses suggested are in London bridge and brxton/h hill. Isn't the best thing about nct courses that you get to meet local parents in the same situation so you can be friends and help each other out in the future? I don't really consider lb or Brixton to be that local, is it still worth doing the course? Apologies if I'm asking a stupid question, just interested to hear how valuable people find the courses abc groups. Thanks all!

Yes. Good info to know. I posted a thread a few weeks back about brierley but hadn't realised that you need to be homebirth (or mental health) to be valid for their care. The lady I spoke to there was v lovely but I was straight with her (as planning hospital) and did not want to tell fibs just to be within their care as I don't think that's fair. Having said that, if you have already pretty much decided on homebirth then I would deffo go for brierley, they have some very verbal supporters on here : )

By the way, does anyone have an email address for brierley? I'm on east coast of USA right now so getting hold of them in the am London toime might be a bit tricky over the phone... So if anyone has an emailaddress for them pls let me know! Thanks ladies!

Thanks all again. I've left a message with brierley so hopefully they'll have space for me andmy gp won't be too mad that I've changed my mind!

Thanks for all the advice and PMs too, much appreciated As I'm off on holiodays for the next fortnight and keen just to get a date in for my 12 wk scan, I've told the Gardens I've elected for Kings as that is unlikely to change. I will however, look up more on Brierley when I get back as I'd thought that Brierley was just for home birth? Are they private or something?

Hi all I've read with interest some of the previous threads about which GPs are best for antenatal care and which hospitals are best (it will be my first baby so I'd definitely rather have it in hospital rather than at home). My GP is at The Gardens who seems nice and has told me that I need to choose over the next few weeks between St Thomas and Kings so that she can book me in for the 12wk scan. It being my first, I'm keeping everything crossed for things to stay healthy over the next few weeks and am keen to book my scan in ASAP :) I'm pretty much decided on Kings because it's so close to my house (I live near ED station) I *think* that once I have my 12 wk scan I can continue to have antenatal care at Kings or they do offer care at The Gardens too. I'm not necessarily after advice about my decision of doctors/hospital, but more interestsed to hear opinions of others who used the same combination (Gardens/Kings) and what they did for antenatal care. Any advice gladly welcome! Thanks!