Less than 12 weeks pregnant club! Part 3

Birdie85

MIB- as a country bumpkin I have to say that sounds like nonsense! But then again, I can only stand visiting London for a few days before craving fresh air and Yorkshire accents! Just choose a hospital that is local and convenient to you, if you're in labour at 3am I'm sure you don't want to be worrying about how you're going to quickly get to your 'London' hospital!

Where we live there are 2 hospitals we can choose from, both are 30 minutes away from us in different directions. 1 is in a slightly run down town but is known for having an excellent maternity ward, it's a very clean, nice hospital with easy access and plenty of free parking. The other is in a very posh town but the hospital IMO sucks (spent a lot of time with OH and his Dad in A&E and other various wards over he years and always came away raging!), it's a nightmare to get to as the traffic around town is appalling and parking is limited and expensive. We chose to the less fancy town because even though it might not look as nice on the birth certificate it was a good choice for us as I can think of nothing worse than worrying about getting to hospital, and how I'll be treated once there, in an emergency.

fran-o

Hi all, this thread moves fast!
One week now til my 12week scan... I went in on Monday for a blood test and it turned into what sounds like the first half of a booking in appt. I was asked for a urine sample (and given a proper lecture how to do it - who knew how hard it could be to pee in a cup?!) and started to fill in the big paperwork. Blood taken and spent 10 mins with the midwife who went through the screening process. All in all took about an hour, poor hubby, we thought we were just in for a five minute blood test!
Re hospital choices, we have two near us, one has a much better reputation than the other. However the one with the not so good rep has a new maternity unit and has been good to me and my family in the past. Plus it's nearer and easier for me on public transport if I need to (hubby drives but I don't) so that's who we're with. Funny now I think of it, the one we're with is a London borough, the other is out of London, (we're out in the London suburbs too). Will consider a home birth... A friend had a very positive experience at home with first baby. However a cousin planned two home babies and both came quickly ending up delivered by hubby while midwife was stuck in traffic...! I think I like the security of being surrounded by a medical team.
Next week I've got a scan first thing Thursday and hubbys joining me. Then proper booking in on Friday which I'll probably do by myself. Desperate to get 12 weeks healthy... I'm proper superstitious about it but might have to buy a bigger bra or two tomorrow as I am going to bed with the patterns from my bra imprinted on my boobs where they are just too tight now! I don't think I can wait another week... Otherwise symptoms v mild apart from being thirsty ALL the time and very tired.
What a long post! Best wishes to you all xx

thriftylass

Got my first craving- food, lol. Could stuff my face all day with anything. Bad decision to go to LIDL in lunch and do a grocery top-up which is now sitting under my desk. :EasterBun

TeamLowe

Thrifty i'm murder for sweets - those pick n mix packs on 3 for £1 in sainsburys. especially sugar coated sweets, which is even worse!

My auntie in law spefically chose the hospital so the births would be registered as Cheshire and not Greater Manchester! My local hospital is good enough for me, i'm familiar with it and so is my family if they come visit
Wouldn't contemplate a homebirth, too much like hard work cleaning before and after!

Can i ask for anyone in the later part of the first trimester...have the occasional, totally ok pains and cramps moved up a bit? just stood up and got a mild shooting pain across just below my belly button, in the past they've been a lot lower

Maybe_its_because

Birdie85 wrote: »

MIB- as a country bumpkin I have to say that sounds like nonsense! But then again, I can only stand visiting London for a few days before craving fresh air and Yorkshire accents! Just choose a hospital that is local and convenient to you, if you're in labour at 3am I'm sure you don't want to be worrying about how you're going to quickly get to your 'London' hospital!

Haha, so true Birdie. Although I'm the one in our house with the Yorkshire accent!
We are being real ponces, and aim to fix that v quickly :rotfl:. As we are so new to our area, the only hospital I'm aware of is where a friend recently gave birth. (my, until this morning, preferred hospital) But I'm not in the same catchment area. So, as I really haven't done any research apart form read the horrific reviews of local hospitals on netmums, I'm a bit clueless about where to go. I know the chances of a person posting a negative review is so much higher than a positive review but it's hard to get a balanced view.

Local knowledge is just so important and its one thing we lack at the moment. Well jealous of you and Fran-o and others who've got that info.
I did read though that one of our local hospitals is in the middle of a refurb of their birthing unit and labour ward. Which does sound positive.

Am conscious this decision will kick start the midwife registration and scan date bookings so need to make the decision pretty quickly. I reckon we'll default to the local one, for ease of location and transport links, and just stop reading netmum reviews

MIB x

Kynthia

I've never heard of getting to choose your hospital before. I wasn't even allowed to choose my GP surgery as there's only one for my post code!

We're currently selling our place and looking to buy a house in my old London borough. I don't think the hospital there takes normal births and you're forced to go to another ages away, where I've never been, in another borough! Not great!

faithhope

We're just going to our local hospital which has a very good reputation but I'm slightly worried it won't be good as where I had DD2. That was up in Paisley in Scotland - now we're way down South. DH thinks we should "just happen" to be up for a visit when I go into labour. That is a good if slightly flawed plan - if baby comes early or late I would need to be there potentially for a month plus how would I get up the length of the country at 9mths? Paisley had very good antenatal care too. If you had a problem you just phoned direct to EPU and they told you to either come in that day or the next morning. Anyway, hoping I won't need EPU this time

firefly369

faithhope wrote: »

We're just going to our local hospital which has a very good reputation but I'm slightly worried it won't be good as where I had DD2. That was up in Paisley in Scotland - now we're way down South. DH thinks we should "just happen" to be up for a visit when I go into labour. That is a good if slightly flawed plan - if baby comes early or late I would need to be there potentially for a month plus how would I get up the length of the country at 9mths? Paisley had very good antenatal care too. If you had a problem you just phoned direct to EPU and they told you to either come in that day or the next morning. Anyway, hoping I won't need EPU this time

Thats good news Faithhope, I will be delivering at Paisley although my midwife appointments are more local.

jenni_fer

Didn't realise there was such scope for debate on where you have the baby!

I have no idea if I get a choice or not, I'm having my appointment at the unit in the hospital that is walking distance from my house - just assumed that'll be the hospital when the time comes - now I'm pondering if I should be doing some research!

Fran-o, think I'm also going to have to give in and buy new bras this weekend even though I think I'm only 7 weeks (and spotting means I'm not even sure I'll make twelve weeks) my current bras are just not working anymore, very strange feeling given I'd been my tiny size since forever!

thriftylass

Bloody hormones. Why do we have to turn our life upside down and they can just continue as if nothing hapened. He just announced he's going out tomorrow, to catch up with two friends. Why does ithave to be Friday night and can't be Sat afternoon, so I don't feel like the blooming pregnant babysitter while he has fun. Had to go upstairs for a cry and to calm down. Like last time I get no symptoms apart from "irrational hormonality"