feb babies - it's time to glow and grow :)

[angels1]

Hello all,

I just realised I put the 1000'th message on our last thread (uh oh, I think that's the limit), so in my at not realising I'd reached the limit, thought I'd better start a new thread if anyone finds it.

I hate Myleene Klass she thinks shes so special

MK is probably March/early April, I'd expect.

I've never been able to pump much at all with any kind of pump, in spite of pretty successful breastfeeding, so not sure I can be bothered to even try this time .

Slings, depends on what suits you (not a terribly helpful answer, I know). I'd probably recommend a Close Baby Carrier, though -- it's a bit simpler to use than a wrap sling if you're not wildly coordinated, but has the same snuggle factor for a newborn. It might get a bit hot in the summer, though (so I got a different lighter-weight carrier for summer).

Oh fecking Myleene Klass! She gets right on my... She's always bloody pregnant when I am! Well she was pregnant when I was pregnant with DD anyway! She's Smug McSmuggy Smug.

Anyway, hope everyone has had a good Monday.

I see there's been more good scan news! congratulations on your little boy, Expat and glad all was well, Pinkelephant!

Yes MK thinks shes the only woman to ever give birth. Like my work colleague. Today we were all deciding which night we would work late to do an evening support group. She said "well i can do it cos i am pg and get tired" I couildnt help myself and snapped "well so do i love and im doing mine in november when i'll be 7 months so you'll bloody well have to" It was so funny but ive had aflippin nuff. Wandering sheep if you think Mylene Klass is basd to be pg at the same time as you imagine me sitting next to that twerp.haha

oviously meant cant do it

Actually, she's probably about the same amount pregnant as MK... any chance of fobbing the two of them off on each other? They can be new BFFs together...

Hey, thanks for the warm welcome ladies! Am currently resting after a (fruitless) day's shopping for clothes for me and DD. Maternity clothes all terrible and seem to be incapable of making decisions about anything else! Poor DP got dragged around all day for nothing!
Haven't had my scan yet but can't wait to meet the little wriggler properly - not going to find out what it is as we want to do the same thing as when I was expecting DD.

Bump is starting to get bigger but seems to be full of cake rather than baby! Must stop eating cake! :)
Hope you all had a good day! X

God Ledkr, she sounds like a PITA! At least I don't know Myleene in RL, ha ha!

There are quite a few pregnant women around me at the moment but their all sane and non-whingers, thank god! My SIL is pregnant, she's 5 days over due though, bless her so we're waiting for her little girl to make an appearance!

Mumby, don't stop eating cake, that's just daft!

They're all sane that should be!

Tallulah I can't help with the scan info but know exactly what you mean about all the baby stuff. I know after my scan next week I'm going to start wanting to get stuff but what do I get?! There's so much and loads of stuff that just seems to be marketing... I keep going into shops (feeling like a fraud!) then panicking at all the things I 'need'.
If you find a helpful list please let me know!
ooh and good luck with your scan tomorrow

Also hi to the newcomers and congrats to everyone and their scans - this part is so exciting!

x

Morning!

I was woken up at 4 am this morning, by DD "I need a wee wee!" grr! I'm trying to make the most of what sleep I can get! Oh well, at least she's trying to get to the toilet in the night.

Tallulah, I meant to add that of you get a mothercare catalogue there is usually a list on the back, of what you might need and there are usually lists in mother and baby magazines too. Good luck for your scan today!

Good morning, ladies.

Good luck with the scans today!

With regards to things "needed" for the baby here is Mothercares list I've heard it said that the list should be torn in half, but most of it sounds ok to me.. You just need to use a bit of common sense.

MK's baby range.. YUK!!

Are most Breastfeeding intending to express? I am, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little freaked out by it, or breastfeeding in general to be honest! I'm not sure anyone has found it easy at the start, and I'm not a huge fan of pain..however, I do really want to do it. Anyone else a little freaked out by engorgement and cracks etc etc?

Glad I'm not the only one feeling a fraud and confused at what to get when looking at baby things. I have discovered in my pregnancy book it has a list of 'essentials' so I'll use that - I assume lists from mothercare etc will be more inclined to have stuff on that won't be essential as they want to sell you as much as possible (or maybe I'm being pessamistic).

I've been looking online at the cost of baby clothes and DH and I have decided to buy a fair few cheap simple basics so we don't have to have the washing machine on every day. We don't have a tumble dryer so drying everything will be a pain and I don't want the house to look like a laundry all the time. I wondered about going to primark after scan in a couple of weeks and see if they have very cheap baby stuff (and dark towels!) - anyone have any experience on primark baby stuff? It's not going to need to last for ever, so doesn't matter if it falls apart after a couple of months.

Another bad nights sleep last night - seem to be getting more uncomfy in bed now my tummy is getting bigger. Anyone got a pregnancy pillow? I keep wondering if it'll be worth it. We don't really have any spare pillows I can fashion around me instead. A friend of mine swears by it and says best thing she brought and couldn't sleep without it. On plus side though definately felt movements last night . Hadn't felt anything in a couple of weeks so wondered if it was all in my head but felt popping and fluttering more strongly last night :)

I'm having a quiet day today as all the excitement of tkmaxx yesterday was too much - felt terrible again last night and need some recovery time .

ledkr what does your pita pg friend say to having the office moving?

tarlia I was talking to DH about bf yesterday! I was wondering out loud to him what it feels like - if your boobs get smaller after a feed as the milk goes - how much it hurts etc. I think it's one of those things that everyone seems to expect will be straightforward but isn't always.

I saw the list of "essentials" on a poster in mother care the other day and laughed out loud at their order to take baby shampoo into hospital with you. Still, can't blame them for trying, if people are going to insist on spending money...

Dreamed last night that I'm having a boy. Does my brain know something I don't..?

I saw the list of "essentials" on a poster in mother care the other day and laughed out loud at their order to take baby shampoo into hospital with you. Still, can't blame them for trying, if people are going to insist on spending money...

Dreamed last night that I'm having a boy. Does my brain know something I don't..?

Hmm, I hadn't considered that angels, do they get less heavy/slightly smaller? I think I have lots of reading to do!

The mothercare list doesn't say anything about soap/shampoo. It lists baby toiletries as cotton wool, nappies and wipes etc. Unless I'm being blind!?

Funny dream, zero. Will you find out at the scan?

Tarlia I never had any real problems with BF, DD took a bit of practice to latch on properly at the start but after a week or so we were doing pretty well. Engorged boobs are a bit sore but it doesn't last long and you'll be too preoccupied with your squishy new baby to notice, but ice packs will help if you need it.

Ask your MW if there's a breastfeeding group near you, you can go along before baby arrives so that you know everyone and you're prepared if you need to ask for help. I'd ask a breastfeeding counsellor or LLL leader or someone like that rather than a MW or HV, they are more specialised and they have the time to make sure you're getting it right.

Here are some links that might help-

LLL

NCT

BFN

Breastfeeding community

Even more groups!

I read somewhere about making your own wet wipes being alot cheaper than buying them (although probably not so portable for out and about). Said something about using kitchen roll and folding it up and putting in a bit of water mixed with couple of drops of baby bath/wash. It said you could put them in a tupperware to use when needed, but I'm not sure if they'd just tear and go a bit nasty. Anyone tried this?

Thank you so much EauRouge, it's always lovely to hear a positive story! I'm seeing my MW for this first time on Friday, so I have posts of questions to ask! I'm not in the UK so English speaking groups are limited, but I have been looking into English ante-natal, which I'm guessing will cover breastfeeding!?

Angels cutting up a fleece blanket into good sized squares is a good idea, or a load of cheap flannels. Then you take out two freezer bags, a clean one with the wet "wipes" and another empty one for the dirty ones to go into. I don't have a washing machine (inner city flat) so am avoiding anything that creates more washing

Angels it's best to avoid soap in the early days, a bit of warm water and cotton wool is brilliant and you can chuck some in a tupperware for if you're out and about.

Tarlia You can always email for advice, I know the leader at my LLL group does a lot of emailing. I bet there are instructional videos of proper latches and things on some websites.

I'm just having a look at those websites now EauRouge they are fab, thank you so much. Also great to hear about the email option!

I don't think anyone will admit to being MK now!

angels - I have my fingers crossed that you're finally starting to feel better. You've had such a rough time of it and I hope you can start to enjoy your pregnancy soon.

Many thanks to Tarlia for posting the link to the essentials. I had no idea what type of clothes and how many of each to buy. Even though we're having a boy, I still find myself leaning towards unisex clothing.

I'm feeling a bit aprehensive about breast feeding too. Really never thought twice about whether to do it or not, just already worrying about the pressure if I find it hard or it hurts. Did have a total freaky dream the other night about which I'm not going to share as it will gross people out, but suffice to say yes BF has been on my mind a bit too!

Still yacking up in the morning, getting a bit fed up of it now, but once it's done it's done so I suppose I shouldn't moan.

It feels strange that everyone is talking about buying things, I don't think I'm 'there' yet. We have a few small things and lots we are going to borrow from DSis so we don't have masses to buy, but we're thinking about moving house (have just fallen in love with a house we saw) and so I'm kind of wondering whether we can do that before baby is due or not. I even felt weird after making Christmas cake on Sunday, putting it in the tin for storage, and thinking how weird it would be to have to put a cake in a packing box for the removal people.

OK, I'm rambling now.

D

I found the physical side of bf easy no cracked nipples, no issues with engorgement, no pain other than the toe-curling first few seconds of latch-on for the first couple of weeks (and I think that's a physiological thing). It was the time/emotional side that knocked me for six first time round, though DS was feeding for 45 minutes to an hour at a time and often with barely an hour between feeds and it was just draining to an extent I hadn't imagined beforehand. I spent a lot of time in tears. I think it was largely an expectation thing, though, because DD's feeding patterns were similar but second time around I knew what to expect, and had got the hang of going out right from the beginning rather than sitting around at home (it's amazing how much less dispiriting it is to sit on Costa's sofa and stare at Costa's walls/read a book than it is to sit on your own sofa and stare at your own walls/read a book) and I sailed through it that time.

I've never been able to express more than about an ounce at a time, and neither DC has been keen on taking a bottle, so I'm not sure I can be faffed even trying to express this time (it was heartbreaking to spend a week of effort gettng a single expressed feed together and then have DS turn up his nose at it so that it all needed to be poured away...