It's not just a baby that changes your life. The long weeks that led up to the birth of my son Oscar on Saturday, changed me more than I would have thought. I became used to my large bump that frequently collided with door handles. I know the location of every public convenience in south-west London and my wardrobe has abandoned style in favour of comfort (the two are in no way entwined).
I also became the ultimate pregnancy bore. No sentence was complete without a reference to pelvic floor exercises or my new Advent breast pump. Time, in more ways than one, to get a life.
I cannot entirely blame Miriam Stoppard and her excellent Pregnancy and Childbirth companion. The bulk of my new found knowledge has come from the world wide web. At my first antenatal appointment, a leaflet for www.babyworld.co.uk nestled among the free nappies and surplus of product information.
In the early stages I went to the pregnancy specific sites www.motherandbaby.co.uk, and www.webbaby.co.uk as well as numerous American affiliates www.pregnancytoday.com and www.babycenter.com who cover pretty much the same ground; medical questions are answered, advice given on conception, birth announce ment e-cards, chat boards, baby galleries and even the occasional birth video.
Designed within a standard format, the sites cover exactly what the manuals and the magazines do, in less detail. There are some nice touches: every week I am emailed a weekly update of both my own and the baby's development (just enter your due date and email address). If, on the other hand, you are searching for some cerebral excitement then these "bump sites" and their bland magazine formula can soon lose their appeal.
You may be able to uncover the mystery that is pregnancy and childbirth and learn your baby wipes from your muslin squares, but the residual pulp does not give birth to much excitement. In my search for stimulation on my favourite topic online, I had to look further afield.
A news site, www.wired.com, was a little more enlightening. Searching on "pregnancy", I found an excellent article about spina bifida babies and the latest radical in-utero surgery that is both saving lives and stirring up great debate in the medical profession.
Is the internet blatantly promoting miracles instead of sound medical and scientific advice? The article also linked to an affected parents web site. Pregnant women are all too aware of the risks of birth defects and I found the latest medical opinions from a reliable source invaluable.
Pregnancy does not just affect women. www.boots.co.uk has an excellent feature on men and pregnancy. The web offers a wealth of sites on conception, contraception and fertility. Try www.fertilitytest.co.uk and www.hfea.gov.uk who provide detailed advice and information to the public. HFEA also have an excellent guide to UK IVF clinics. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service also have a good web site at www.bpas.org.
For me, however, there is no looking back. Time to remember my Girl Guide training and "get prepared". First I went to www.lloydstsb.co.uk for an overdraft and then checked out some of the numerous baby product sites.
Most manufacturers have their own sites and search engines were fairly efficient at finding a required product. www.greenbabyco.com has a good site that lists environmentally friendly products and the most crucial item for any green mama, reusable nappies (8 million disposables are thrown away every day so it is worth considering the alternatives).
Activebirthcentre.com also lists good information about alternative antenatal classes and birthing therapies. You can also try the National Childbirth Trusts web site at www.nct-online.org for slightly more traditional classes, contacts and good information.
Try www.lilliput.com for baby equipment and furniture. Mothercare.co.uk also provide online catalogues for all your essential needs and offer a far more informed service on line than you get in the stores.
Again, the more specific information you have beforehand, the most successful your search.
Try keying in your pushchair manufacturer (www.mamasandpapas.co.uk for example) to get photographs and prices direct from the horse's mouth. It can save time and money.
Not only information can help your rapidly expanding girth and overdraft. Maternity clothing manufacturers advertise online, and shopping from home undoubtedly saves aching ankles and unwitting jabs to the belly by Saturday shoppers.
Recommended sites include www.bloomingmarvellous.co.uk and www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk. Handbag.com offered some constructive advice about how to stay fashionable while pregnant (do a Patsy or Meg and refuse to cover the bump). For sheer cost-effectiveness and comfort I would recommend big knickers and staying at home.
I was trying to surf up to the last minute, even with my bump spilling over the keyboard. Despite this discomfort there was one one web site that got a daily visit - www.womens-health.co.uk/pain.htm.
A riveting and truly interesting read.
