December 2010, where we waft about in mat gear eating icecream

[Miffster]

Yo December 2010 ladies, here we go - the mid-point of our pregnancies...and beyond!

Ooh, how exciting C&G. Lucky you, you will look fab. No other suggestions from me bra-wise, agree Debenhams & M&S are probably your best bets.

Ok here's my list of things I've got so far:

Clothes 0-3 months (all organic & second hand from ebay)
6 sleepsuits/babygrows
12 short sleeved bodysuits
8 long sleeved bodysuits (plus 3 newborn)
Shawl/snowsuit
4 hats
1 pair booties (gift)

Clothes 3-6 months (all organic & second hand from ebay)
1 cardigan
1 two-piece snowsuit
4 sleepsuits/babygrows
2 short sleeved bodysuits
1 long sleeved bodysuits

Washing, nappies & changing
Greenbaby reusable wipes (ebay)
Tea tree oil (already had)
2 natural sponges (ebay)
Organic nappy cream/balm (Greenbaby)
Talc-free baby powder (Greenbaby)
Petroleum-free jelly (Greenbaby)
Organic baby oil (Greenbaby)
Nail scissors (Greenbaby)
1 organic hooded towels (ebay)
4 organic new cloth newborn nappies (ebay)

Sleeping
Cot (family heirloom)
2 organic cellular blankets (Greenbaby)
2 organic baby sleeping bags (Greenbaby)
2 organic mattress protectors (Greenbaby)
2 organic swaddle blankets (ebay)
2 organic cotton fitted sheets (ebay)

Feeding
6 BPA-free glass feeding bottles (Greenbaby)
Bottle steriliser (freecycle)
Nipple balm (Greenbaby)
3 organic Bibs (ebay)

Travel
Bebecar Racer all terrain 3 wheel travel system, incl. car seat (ebay)
Lambskin car seat liner (Greenbaby)
Organic hand sanitiser (Greenbaby)
Huggababy sling (ebay)

Other
Lambskin rug (Greenbaby)
6 sets of washable nursing pads (Forever Natural)

Still got a few bits to get but not much left now - phew!

Love the dress C&G
Where did people get hats small enough for a newborn? All the ones I have seen are huge.

Thanks. From what I remember DF baby gap sells small hats.

Grr. I've just typed out what baby stuff I've got and the stupid cable came out and it's gone.

I've got:

-cot, bedding, bumper
-moses basket, stand, bedding, mattress
-blankets
-bibs
-bottles (BF didn't work last two times but I'm going to try again)
-dummies
-steriliser
-a few each of vests, slrrpsuite etc from 5lb up to 0-3 months (mostly dd's)
-graco cleo pramette
-changing bag
-nappies
-scratch mitts
-hats
-pram suit
-4 coats/thick cardies
-bouncer
-muslin squares
-winding cloths
-carry car seat and birth-4 years car seat

I need to get:

-cot mattress & sheets
-rain cover
-some more muslin squares
-new bottle brush
-socks

I need more vests and clothes but planning to get them when she's born and we know what size she needs. Isurvived shopping for clothes for dd when she was 2 days old as nothing we'd bought fit her (she needed 5lb clothes for a few weeks even though she was 6lb 8oz).

DF boots do different size baby hats from tiny baby. Thye've got a huge half price sale in store too coz they're changing the brand of clothes they sell.

I've just realised I don't have anything I'm going to need for after the birth yet, oops.

Quick q for you experienced non first time mothers. Is there a huge difference between newborn and 0-3 clothes?
I have heaps of 0-3 and not much newborn cos I thought...
a) some of the 0-3 clothes look weeny anyway, and they all seem to be different sizes, but are 0-3 meant to be 10lbs +?
b) I bet Tiny ends up being big. DH was 8lbs 6oz and is now 6'3.
c) I expected Tiny to manage in clothes that were too big, and to be swaddled and cuddled all the time so even if his babygro was too big he'd still be snuggly
d) because don't they grow really fast? Like, how fast?
e) people will probably buy NB I expect as presents
f) worst case scenario, DH can be dispatched to Mothercare for extras and we can quickly wash them whilst Tiny spends a day wearing too-big clothes and swaddled in a blanket.

The two newborn sets I got included hats by the way.

Loving the lists, making me feel that I am not mad for getting stuff in now.

Best friend's husband saw me showing my best friend my drawer of little outfits and said ' you've got ridiculous amounts of stuff!' I felt really upset and stupid. But I haven't - if he needs 6 changes in 24 hours, as one of you ladies said, when he's aged 0-3, I've only 3 days worth, which considering I have only radiators to dry things on (and it's mid winter), is not much. It takes me 3 days to dry my clothes in winter on clothes horses.

Feel quite defensive about getting stuff in, so really reasurred am not the only one.

Also it really adds up, doesn't it? Even when getting it in sales/from ebay?

miffster You've asked all the questions I want to know the answers to! my massive ebay bundle was all 0-3 months but some of them look really really small! I do know that babies tend to lose a bit of weight at the start, don't they?

Miffster, get what you want, don't worry about what other people say. You've all got/are getting waaaaay more than what I will, but that's just personal choice. Personally I won't be getting any bibs for example as I never used them for either of my 2 but most people do use them.

Re newborn/0-3 mth clothes, different shops go up to different sizes. E.g. (OK not relevant now Woolies are no more), but LAdybird clothes were mahoosive, e.g. 0-3 mth vests ds1 had fitted him when he was a year, but Toys r Us 0-3 were too small for him even at 2 months.

Oh, and CrazyKat, thanks for the boots reccommendation, I may pop down there tomorrow.

DF - again some and some with babies losing weight. Ds1 lost a little in the 1st few days IIRC, but was back up to birth weight a couple of days later, ds2 however started putting on weight from the word go.

miffster the difference between newborn and 0-3 is that newborn don't last any time at all! In fact I have still got newborn stuff we received as presents that DS1 never ended up wearing (mind you he was 9lb 3oz). Another good tip is to look for stuff which does up at the front, so much easier than back opening. And as for BF's DH - hes a man, what does he know?

c&G forgot to say on my last post - lovely news about the wedding and the dress is gorgeous . We got married on a whim on holiday so all i got was shorts and a t-shirt!

miffster I wouldn't worry - you can never have too many vests or sleep suits IMO. We were given stacks and stacks. I remember looking at them all piled up in the draw (my lovely SIL had washed and ironed them all before giving them to us) and thinking we'd never use them all, but we did!

As for newborn vs 0-3 I would get more 0-3 months stuff. The size does vary depending on the shop, but they don't seem to be in them long. DD was 8lbs and on the 91st centile for length and was in newborn stuff for five minutes before going into 0-3. If you have a small baby, you can always dash out and buy some more.

And yup, I think a lot of babies do lose a bit, about 10% is expected I think, but they're also supposed to go back up to birth weight pretty fast. If you're interested from DD's red book (she was BF) her weights were:

Birth - 8 lb 1 1/2
2 days - 7 lb 8
4 days - 7 lb 8 1/2
9 days - 8 lb 1/2
2 weeks - 8 lb 9

She hit 10 lbs at 5 weeks so although I can't really remember was prob out of newborn by then. Probably it was earlier actually as she was/is so long.

Aww, just making me feel a bit nostalgic looking through her baby book and excited about the new baby too. I feel really, really blessed and lucky today to have such a beautiful DD already and to be pregnant with DC2. I'm so looking forward to meeting my baby and finding out if it's a boy or girl and feeling their fuzzy little head. I am just itching now to have the baby safely in my arms. I can't wait. :)

Thanks for the advice about NB and 0-3 stuff people. Am going to stick with policy of picking up bargain ebay 0-3 bundles and expecting further NB stuff as gifts and if nobody gives me it, well, I have a few bits so we'll manage! 7 vests, 2 sleepsuits and some trousers with feet and tops that are the equivalent of a sleepsuit but in 2 pieces
( quite handy if he dirties one half, I should think, as you can remove sick/poo-covered half and retain other half). Plus some of the clothes from bundles are teeny weeny. I think I'll have to see what fits when he comes, the sizes are all over the place. At this rate dressing him will take ages.

another q for experienced mums? Did people find that they were given daft and unwearable satin shoes and fancy outfits or did you get sensible things like sleepsuits?

I really don't want to be given toys he can't use/shoes he can't wear/'little man' outfits that are a faff /things with hoods and poppers that are in the wrong places/random clutter like silverware and china plates that I can't use and will have to get rid of or worse, ship to Grand Cayman so I really want to say to people: please do get cotton things in jolly colours ages 1-3 and 3-6 and do think about us being in a hot country from 3 months on...and having to pay to ship everything. However, of course I don't want to be ungrateful or spoil people's fun in giving us gifts, but I'd so much rather people asked me what I wanted/needed than they decided to present me with a tiny blazer and polo shirt, or football strip, or a giant stuffed toy. especially when I am trying to declutter and give away anything we don't love and need. And I really hate to see money wasted. What do you think?

Forgot to say thanks to AlCrowley for popping on with her good wishes (on previous page) as a Dec 2009 mother!

C&G fab dress

miffster I'd always go for 0-3 over newborn - and as cherylann says, different brands come up different sizes. You'll learn pretty quickly but in my experience, Gap clothes are really small, Mothercare are about right, Asda/George clothes are for fat babies, Tesco clothes are really big, Next and M&S are generous v good quality.

LOL at all your shopping lists! I've bought a new blanket for baby to lie on during the day and that's it. The only other things I know I need are a new crib mattress and new teats for the bottles. I am the queen of last minute organisation though (last time, I didn't even pack my hospital bag until about 37/38 weeks)

Is it just me or is it getting dark really early all of a sudden?

miffster I think it depends on how sensible your friends and family are tbh. Mine generally bought practical things, but I did get a smattering of fancy things that DD never wore. Why not ask them if they would find a gift list helpful, then you can give them ideas of what would be useful for them to buy?

miffster we had all clothes given apart from one friend (who had kids) who asked if I wanted a toy so i said yes please! It was about the only toy we got! SOme people (Without kids) thought ahead and bought age 6 months clothes, sadly they bought summer season stuff and when DS1 was 6 months it was winter lol!

CheeseandGherkins - dress looks great. Definitely take it when you go bra shopping! When's the big day? IMO you want to get the bra no more than a couple of weeks before the big day in case you change size (as you'll have to get underwired). I'd try the big stores but you may need to go to Bravissimo for nice big-girl bras!

Talking of bras, I've just got thoroughly fed up looking through the JoJo and Mothercare catalogues - hardly any of the bras ( none of the JoJo maternity ones) would fit me. Plus I'm finding it pretty depressing that I can't even get maternity clothes that fit my boobs - it makes me look so much fatter!

Re babyclothes, what counts as newborn and 0-3 or 1-3 month sizes varies from shop to shop - so confusing! Can anyone add to this list?

Mothercare:
newborn=56cm/10lb, 0-3=62cm/14.5lb.
JoJo:
newborn=56cm/10lb, 0-3=62cm/13lb.
Tesco:
newborn=56cm/11lb, 0-3=62cm/15lb.
Gap:
0-3=58cm/12lb
Next:
newborn=50cm/7.8lb, 1mth=56cm/10lb, 1-3=62cm/14lb

Is anyone else thinking of letting family have a list of things you want in case they would like to give something practical as a Christmas/baby gift, given we're due so close to Christmas? I often end up giving family a list anyway as it being my birthday plus Christmas means more present buying! This year I figured that someone getting me a nice changing bag or some feeding-suitable clothes could be good.

Bit late (as usual) but have to agree with not bothering about newborn clothes. 0-3 will be fine and if baby turns out to be petite Dad can do a quick run to nearest store.

My eldest was 8lb 5oz and although 0-3 were baggy at first- he didn't lose weight at all and had properly grown into them within a couple of weeks. IME if they are a bit long then socks will hold the legs in position. Wool hats are better cos he had a big head as well and at least they stretched until we got some 3-6m size!

DD on the other hand was 7lb 7oz and petite framed, also a fussy eater (hasn't changed) who did lose a bit of weight,so Daddy got to go shopping for some tiny pink things and was very proud of the fact!

DS2 was 8lb 10oz 'n chunky (and again with the big head) and there was absolutely no point trying newborn size on him.

cheese awesome dress.

japhrimel I got asked if it was twins today- I think they were quite taken aback I am only 6m. Big boobs at least stop the belly being the main focus of attention!

I am not asking for things for Xmas, but that is because my choices would be a bit awkward for them. It's a very sensible idea though.

Personally just the thought of Xmas is making me want to go and have a long sleep.

C&G LOVE the dress, I think it's lovely you have a wedding to look forward to. Hope you post some pictures afterwards

Xmas, I know, but it's going to be here before we all know it along with our babies. It's a scary thought!

Miffster They can all grow at such different rates. My ds1 was 7lb 12 and a half at birth and was around 10pounds after a few weeks, dd on the other hand weighed 5lb 14 and a half at birth and still only weighed 9lb at 3 months! Ds2 was similar to ds1. Personally I had more sleepsuits than anything else as that was what I dressed baby in most of the time in the house, really didn't bother with outfits all the time, especially with all the nappy changes and sick etc. The clothes will look small but you'll be surprised how big they can look on a newborn! Long as said newborn isn't 12lb lol. I got mainly useable clothes as gifts, most people know that babies don't wear fancy clothes all the time!

Japh I will do, need to get the bra soon as the date we're hoping for is Sept 11th! Waiting to hear back today or tomorrow if it's definitely available. You could do a list for people, always good to be able to get something needed.

Morning all. Been looking at rings last night and this morning. I really like celtic style ones, so may go for one like that.

Nearly 23 weeks now!

I'm absolutely dreading gifts to be honest. It's my worst nightmare to receive a load of stuff oozing with nasty chemicals, made by blind Asian orphan slaves with no hands and bought brand new from f@"$£%g Tesco! One response to our announcement of pregnancy was "ooh I can't wait to buy it things" which made me cry a little inside.

Firstly I don't want loads of uneccessary stuff, especially bought new and from unethical sources. I'm trying to get everything second hand if we can. Also, I really don't want my baby exposed to hormone disrupting chemicals or pesticides more than at all possible, so all clothes and toys will be organic. Anything that isn't will go straight on ebay or freecycle.

So what I've done is made up an Amazon universal wishlist, where you can add things from anywhere, not just the Amazon site. Fortunately organic baby clothes are quite mainstream these days, so I think I can just ask people not to buy anything on a whim unless it is, which should reduce the amount of stuff overall.

The whole thing is a bit of an anti-consumerists nightmare though. It seems so wrong that I should feel awkward for asking someone not to do something on my behalf that I find ethically objectionable just because I might be spoiling their fun! :(

I'm sorry to do this, but I think I'm going to lower the mood today. So far, I've been feeling really happy and excited about this pregnancy, but the last few days I've been a bit low.
It know it sounds so selfish, but last night DH and I went out with a group of friends who were all discussing their various exciting plans for the next couple of years - travelling, mainly. I suddenly had this vision of endless washing and never leaving the house and it made me ponder all the things we won't be able to do. I had a little cry about it when we got home.
DH was trying to reassure me that we'll be able to do so many fun things with the baby, and as he grows up we'll take him camping, teach him about nature and wildlife (DH's particular interest) but I can't seem to feel excited any more.
Please tell me it will be ok and I'm not a horrible selfish cow

AW chloe apparently this is the time we start to have fears about the future but we should also expect to feel excitment too. I have had a couple of 'omg what am I doing' moments but they do pass. Your DH sounds really lovely. There's lots we won't be able to do but think of all the wonderful experiences you will have seeing the world through your child's eyes

I am fed up with being so big, but more fed up with my work mate telling me I only look big because of what I wear! She seems to think I should be in a tent whereas I like to wear things which show off my bump.

chloe You haven't lowered the mood at all and you're not at all selfish. Having worries and fears about your baby, how you'll do at motherhood, how your life will change is all part and parcel of being pregnant. And you will have a baby to love and I can tell you its the most amazing feeling ever. Despite desperately trying for 2 years to get pregnant, I've had panics about coping with a newborn again as DS will be 6.5, will I remember everything and do it right.

You WILL leave the house, make new friends and yes life will change in many ways but its not all bad! Not sure I'd be too excited about camping but my friend takes her baby boy and little girl camping and they have a great time. Holidays just need a bit more planning with a baby, thats all. I do actually have a friend who travelled successfully with her baby (and no partner!) I'm sure some of your friends were looking at you and were that you're having a baby. It will be ok .