Thats a shame - in some respects i was lucky. at about 24weeks we were in a littke shunt in the car so we popped into York so LO could be monitored. The MW's were nice enough but it was a really horrible dingy ward (L&D). I spoke to my MW about my alternatives after I had heard some good things about JBC at ante-natal and I was a good candidate. I had to do the swap myself though, go for a second set of bloods etc, but all worth it. I wasn't actually on their books until 35weeks

I'd definitely recommend it for your next one should you need it.....especially if it all went swimmingly unfortunately it didn't for me but we're moving soon so I can miss out on York again lol

you are NOT a chicken nugget mum!

I want the home made chicken nugget recipe Claire!

Kit, where you live sounds great and Seraphim - I want to live where you are right now!

Interesting to hear about experiences in different countries - I didn't realise going back to work in the states after only 6 weeks was the norm! I think most ppl in England will be very shocked by that. We can have up to 12 months off with varying degrees of pay during that time. I feel that the norm in my circle of friends and colleagues is to go back to work part time although financially that will be difficult.

We live on a nice estate surrounded by quite bad council estates in the Midlands and I'm pretty sure it's generally one of the most deprived areas in the country. Like where Oursarah lives, the norm here is the unemployed benefit generation who are choosing not to work. Teenage moms are the norm too as are single moms. As a result of this, I feel like the odd one out as someone who has a career, who is married and has to go back to work, and also as an 'older' mom (I'm 32) It's clear that all of the 'facilities' here are aimed at either the unemployed, teen moms or single parents. they are not aimed at me and I don't feel welcome or able to access local facilities here at all. We did the NCT classes mainly to meet like minded parents of a similar age and we did - all of the activities I do with baby are out of my area.

I think because the Midlands is quite a mixed bag of people in all respects, no one seems to bat an eyelid with regards to bf or bottle feeding, baby wearing, designer or not designer buggies etc - anything goes I think. When I asked for a home birth and water birth it wasn't a problem (although I did end up being taken into hospital at 36wks) and same with bfing - also when I had to switch to bottle feeding after a while that was also not an issue at all. I don't see many people baby wearing (if they are it's a carrier not a sling) although when I take baby out in the carrier no one reacts badly at all.

Femme, I like the phrase 'Chicken Nugget Mum' and I think that would sum up the general vibe for parenting in the specific area in which I live in the Midlands. I am getting in to the natural parenting vibe. I KNOW that if I lived in an area where this was the vibe I'd be much more into it as I'm the kind of person that likes to have ppl nearby who have shared experiences. If I saw others babywearing in a sling, I'd be more likely to try it and do it often knowing I wouldn't be stared and that I could ask for advice.

The main think clouding my parenting I feel is the fact that I'm having to go back to work, even if I can go part time, when LO is 10 months. Ideally I wouldnt' work until he was at nursery. If I could be a full time mommy, I think I'd be trying lots of other things out now.

I live in Phuket,
I would like to move back to Australia once she is ready for school at the private English schools here are expensive. Although I do have a very good business here, I might take up hat option if business continues to be good.
We have a large new house, really big backyard. If I went back to Sydney, I would probably be stuck in an Apartment

I live less than 30 mins from OurSarah and grewup very close to where she is

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search.do...m=&filterItem=

Took a bit longer to make than they say, because I made life hard for myself and made the pesto from scratch too, I assumed the bought stuff would be salty.

Wooo go us