Our weekend

Hey everyone,

Sandy and I have had a busy weekend and so we thought we would fill you in!

One thing that is not as good down here as it would have been back in Aberdeen is the provision of NHS antenatal classes. Lots of people have reassured us that you don't really need them but both of us felt like we didn't really have a clue as to what would be happening and we would quite like some training on the issue! Therefore we used the (now being phased out) Health in Pregnancy Grant to pay for antenatal classes with the NCT and they started this past week.

We would have liked to start them earlier but the course we really wanted to get onto was already fully booked, thankfully I think they have already covered most of the important stuff and so *if* the baby was to make an appearance sooner rather than later we *should* be alright!

The course hasn't quite been what we were expecting, only because we were anticipating much more sitting on the floor being told how to breathe, when in fact what we have got has been much more of an information gathering type thing. All very good, but lots of sitting and listening to information on signs of labour, stages of labour and stuff like that. One excellent thing that has come out of it, even with another whole day left on the course, is that they are helping us think about all those decisions about labour that you really need to make in advance. The things that I need to have told Sandy because once the time comes I might be a little less rational (like contrary to my usual phobia of needles, I would like a managed third stage and if I need pethidine then get that drug injected in my leg pronto!!) and bits of advice like making sure you make it very clear that you don't want the baby being fed bottles if you are really going to try and go with the breastfeeding route. So that took up almost all of our Saturday but did make for a good night's sleep at the end!

In a small move that I now find quite funny, a clumsily put together facebook status made lots of people think that I was in labour and baby was imminent. I assure you, if I am coherent enough to put together any facebook status on the subject it will be short and sweet and not leave anything to chance, although coming back from the NCT class to find everyone thinking I was off having a baby did make me laugh!!

As for Sunday, we were back at Open Heaven for the first time since the New Year, it was lovely to see lots of people again, I have been feeling a bit isolated since we came back for Christmas with the comparative aloneness next to all the socialising of Christmas. Then in the afternoon we had a bit of a tidy up and a clear round and now even I am happy to say that baby can come and we will be ready. There is a space cleared for the tumble drier we bought (hoping baby doesn't come on Friday, that is when it is being delivered!) and Sandy has unpacked a box or two where I couldn't fathom out what bit of a computer that was never mind where it should go!!

Now it is Monday and Sandy is back at work, I have a lovely week lined up with various coffees/chats with people on 3 different days this week, and also going back to the bumps and babies group that I have been attending since we moved here. Just enough time after New Year, to get back to normality before we forget forever what that is like!

Hoping and praying you are all having lovely weeks wherever you are!