Am I the only expectant mother that isn’t that bothered about the Government’s pledge to give all women the choice of a home birth by 2009?

Please don’t think I’m against the idea. I’m am actually very much for it and think it’s fantastic news for women who wish to have their babies at home to have the choice. It’s just that, right now as an expectant mother, I’m far more concerned about what I think are more serious issues – the shortage of midwives and cutbacks in maternity services.

In fact these issues make it difficult for me to take health secretary Patricia Hewitt promise of ‘a full range of birthing choices’ for expectant mothers seriously. I really can’t see how she’ll reconcile her plans with what’s actually happening in hospitals and birthing centres at a local level.

Take for instance health chiefs' proposals for Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards. East Sussex Downs PCT and Weald and Hastings and Rother PCT have set up a public consultation which could lead to either one of the two hospitals losing its consultant-led maternity services.

If the proposals go ahead, only one of the two hospitals will have full maternity services, including a special care baby unit and an inpatient gynaecology service. The other maternity unit will become a midwife-led birthing centre.

This would mean some women in labour having to travel a longer distance over very poor road networks in order to receive specialist care.

Having the choice of a home delivery is a minor matter when pitched against the fact I might have to travel further if I go into pre-term labour. Knowing that I have the all the care I might possibly need at a nearby maternity unit is far more important than a policy that allows me to choose if I can give birth in my own bedroom.

Surely consultant-led care at every hospital and birthing centre is what the Government should be offering. Most expectant mothers would choose this any day over being given the choice of a home birth.

But enough of me whinging about maternity services and some more news on the bump.

The last week has been quite a difficult one for me. I visited the midwife on Wednesday and was told that the due date we were given at the latest scan is probably not the one we should go with. Apparently the date given at the first scan (July 17) is more likely to be accurate, so I’m still at 26 weeks. I was very disappointed to find out that I’d have to wait longer to meet my baby.

Also, at work on Thursday I felt anxious and very blue. There was no real reason for me feeling that way, I think it was just hormones. Emotionally I was hitting extremes and spent the day fighting an overwhelming urge to wail and bang my fists on the desk.

Thankfully, yesterday the mood lifted. I’m sure the afternoon lazing around with friends on Brighton beach helped.

And my plans for the rest of tonight are sure to keep me cheery. After writing this blog, I’m going to watch Little Miss Sunshine and before the film I'm going to crack open the chocolate egg Nick gave me.

To find out more about the proposed cutbacks at Eastbourne DGH and the Conquest, click here or or visit the Save Eastbourne DGH site at http://www.saveallsaints.org/savethedgh/ and the Hands Off The Conquest site at http://www.handsofftheconquest.org.uk/ .