I don`t know if this is a recognised phenomenon (cue Dr.Bill) but in my experience a good indication that a happy arrival is imminent is if the mother-to-be gets a bad case of `spring fever`. Floor washing, window cleaning etc. I think it`s like a `nesting` type instrinct. I did it myself, and have been known to do it by proxy when a close friend or relative is about to produce. My family will confirm that, without any kind of prior knowledge, I wake early in the morning, fizzing with excitement and start knocking doors out of windows. Invariably, later in the day I get a phone call saying so-andso`s new baby has arrived. Weird eh?(:o)

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2000

Answers

Well if you change your morning routine from adding a splash of milk to some coffee to pouring some Flash into a bucket, please let me know!

No sign yet, but poor Mrs Softie is so swollen that her navel started bleeding. She's also got terribly emotional and burst into tears during particulalry "moving" adverts - you know, Building Societies offering new rate of tax, that sort of thing :-)

We have our last ante-natal class tonight and I leave work on Friday to get ready for the main event. She has some dodgy family history (married to me!) so she will be induced on her due date if she hasn't sprogged already.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2000

Good luck Softie, can't imagine how you're feeling apart from a little nervous (?)

All the best.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2000

Way hey, a cue! Made my day, that.

Seems to me that you're putting forward an excellent ilustration of the fact that we know very little about the relationship between bodies and minds. There are some major changes in hormone levels in the hours before labour starts. Hormones affect mood, feelings and behaviour. Therefore it seems entirely sensible that you would get 'nesting' or 'spring fever' or whatever. More than that, the science isn't really there to say.

Which raises the question of how it could work by proxy - for a close friend or relative. It is well recognised that women are affected by the hormone levels of others round about, the classic being cycles getting into sync amongst residents, friends, work colleagues. The people in this office that restock the chocolate machine tell me that there is one week out of four when consumption doubles: QED?

So it all makes perfect sense to me. However, you'll probably blast my theories to smithereens by telling me that the relatives in question live hundreds of miles away and you haven't seen them in years. In which case, the truth is out there, Scully.

There will no doubt be a queue of people forming to tell me that me that this is a football BBS and I've gone way off-topic. But it would have been rude to ignore an invitation, OK? And all the best to Softie and Mrs Softie too.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2000

Don`t worry Dr. Bill, it`s me who will be in the firing line - I started the thread after all!. However, if I HAVE to justify it, I shall say it comes under the head of NUFC`s new youth policy - get `em involved young, that`s what I say!

And BTW, all of my `early warnings` have been pretty close to home - sister, close friends etc. So it does seems to fit in with the hormone theory!(:o)

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2000

Thanks Galaxy. Always glad to share the blame ;-))

Speaking of the effects of hormones on the mind, we haven't mentioned the big one of course. Is there a way to counteract the undesirable personality effects of testosterone - without affecting some of the other things it does of course? Could be the first and only time they'd combine the Nobel prizes for Peace and Medicine.

Hang on, I feel a football reference coming on: after last night's aggro, if there was such a drug, we should call it Vieira. Coat get I'll me (anag).

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2000

Ain`t that the truth! (:o)

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2000