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.

Oh and as for the 'energetic phase' is starts around half an hour before labour and then thats it until they are 18 (or you get a nanny)

To be honest, personally I would wait about a month to get a pump/sterilisers/bottles, because in the first few weeks you will be breastfeeding round the clock and expressing is hard to fit in on top. And there's a risk of nipple confusion if you try the baby with a bottle too early. BUT on the other hand if you don't introduce a bottle of expressed milk early enough then they may never take one. The trouble is you don't know at the time which (nipple confusion/refusing to take a bottle at all) will be a greater factor for your individual baby and so whether you "should" introduce a bottle earlier or later. I think (if you want to do it at all) I'd target 3 weeks-a month as a sort of halfway house position. It's perfectly possible to get to 6 months exclusively bf without giving your baby bottles of ebm (it's probably what I'll do this time), but it does curb your ability to go out on your own.

Recommended to just use cotton wool and water for the first few weeks rather than wipes although you may want to use a sandblaster instead to get the meconium off, and that's generally what I've done normally work on the basis of getting through 2-3 packs of cotton wool and then thinking "sod it onto the wipes now!". Wipes can just be a little bit harsh on newborn skin that's never even been exposed to air before, but on the other hand you'd probably be OK with alcohol-free, unfragranced sensitive wipes.

Top and tailing is washing head and bottom, formally speaking, but basically washing any bits that need it if you aren't bathing them.

I think "energetic and blooming" generally occupies around 2 days somewhere in Week 27, in between "knackered and sick" and "knackered and the size of a whale".

Hello Oneof4!

EDD - Username - DC# - Age - Location - Progress as of 21 Sep - Gender (if known)
26 Jan - cler - baby #4 - 25 - Prestatyn, N Wales - 21+6
26 Jan - Lulabel27 - baby #1 - 27 - Richmond, SW London - 21+6 - girl
28 Jan - scubamummy - baby #1 - 30 - Bethnal Green, E London - 21+4 - girl
29 Jan - worrymummy - baby #3 - 40 - 21+3
31 Jan - CheeseChomper - baby #1 - 26 - Bromley - 21+1 - boy
31 Jan - TheBreastmilksonMe - baby #2 - 27 - N Wales - 21+1 - girl
01 Feb - GinaFB - baby #1 - 31 - Hants - 21+0 - boy
01 Feb - Loopeylu - baby #2 - 21+0
01 Feb - xkat - baby #1 - 40 - 21+0
02 Feb - Babynelly2010 - baby #1 - 29 - 20+6
02 Feb - MrsEllor - baby #2 - 20+6
02 Feb - MrsTeapot207 - baby #1 - 42 - 20+6
03 Feb - CluckyKate - baby #2 - 36 - 20+5
03 Feb - ElleB1980 - baby #1 - 30 - Birmingham - 20+5 - girl
03 Feb - Mahraih - baby #1 - 22 - 20+5
03 Feb - missnatalie - baby #2 - 27 - West Midlands - 20+5
04 Feb - americanexpat - baby #1 - 29 - 20+4
04 Feb - Ba8y1 - baby #1 - 28 - 20+4
04 Feb - geekygiraffe - baby #1 - 32 - Leicestershire - 20+4
04 Feb - Loveablebunny - baby #1 - 27 - 20+4
04 Feb - moonminmama - baby #2 - 31 - Warrington - 20+4 - girl
04 Feb - PinkElephant73 - baby #3 - 36 - 20+4
04 Feb - RoxyLady - baby #1 - 30 - 20+4
04 Feb - suzym1984 - baby #1 - 25 - Newcastle - 20+4 - surprise
04 Feb - TallulahBelly14 & NewDad75 - baby #1 - 29 - N London - 20+4
05 Feb - ledkr - baby #5 - 43 - Cheltenham - 20+3 - girl
06 Feb - applecharlotte - baby #1 - 30 - Bow, E London - 20+2
06 Feb - Debka - baby #2 - 30 - Kent - 20+2
06 Feb - LalZee83 - baby #1 - 26 - 20+2
06 Feb - mandy1978 - baby #2 - 20+2
06 Feb - Sam2302 - baby #1 - 29 - Manchester - 20+2
06 Feb - ScMacBt - baby #2 - 22 - Glasgow - 20+2
06 Feb - smallblackflowers - baby #2 - 34 - Lancashire - 20+2 - boy
07 Feb - AnaYorks - baby #1 - 29 - 20+1
07 Feb - DrMouse - baby #1 - 30 - N London - 20+1
07 Feb - Personmaker - baby #2 - 32 - 20+1
08 Feb - fatheadsgirl - baby #2 - 20+0
08 Feb - Girlafraid - baby #2 - 35 - Reading - 20+0
08 Feb - jackinthebump - baby #1 and #2 - 25 - Hampshire - 20+0
08 Feb - MissTfied - baby #4 - 32 - Sussex - 20+0 - surprise
08 Feb - Pink10 - baby #1 - 33 - 20+0
08 Feb - SemperEadem - baby #2 - 30 - Hampshire - 20+0
09 Feb - Detectivepotato - baby #2 - 28 - 19+6
09 Feb - earlgreyismynectar - baby #2 - 39 - Aberdeen - 19+6
09 Feb - girlinlondon - baby #1 - 31 - Dulwich, S London - 19+6
09 Feb - linz17xxx - baby #2 - 26 - Hartlepool - 19+6
09 Feb - pipsicles - baby #1 - 26 - Surrey - 19+6
09 Feb - RachelPross - baby #3 - 30 - 19+6
09 Feb - tadjennyp - baby #3 - 37 - Oregon, USA - 19+6 - boy
10 Feb - byronicheroine - baby #1 - Greece - 19+5
10 Feb - Grumpling - baby #1 - 30 - 19+5
10 Feb - kateh1978 - baby #2 - 19+5
11 Feb - BrownPaperandString - baby #3 - 39 - 19+4
11 Feb - Canoe - baby #1 - 27 - Gaborone, Botswana - 19+4
11 Feb - naitimum - 19+4
12 Feb (ELCS 3 Feb) - clareanna - baby #2 - 34 - 19+3
12 Feb - Diamondback - baby #1 - 33 - Birmingham - 19+3
12 Feb - EndangeredSpecies - baby #3 - 19+3
12 Feb - Rachel1979 - 19+3
13 Feb - claire196 - baby #1 - 26 - 19+2
13 Feb - Kez84 - baby #1 - 26 - Wiltshire - 19+2
13 Feb - MizK - baby #3 - 28 - Nottingham - 19+2
13 Feb - xkatyx - baby #3 - 19+2
14 Feb - IlovePonyo - baby #1 - 29 - East Midlands - 19+1
14 Feb - Katecool - baby #1 - 19+1
15 Feb - AnathemaDevice - baby #2 - 28 - Essex - 19+0
15 Feb - Bellaby - baby #1 - 30 - 19+0
15 Feb - Breezey - baby #3 - 38 - Overseas - 19+0
15 Feb - cordiality - baby #1 - 32 - 19+0
15 Feb - Grannyapple - baby #1 - 34 - Bromley - 19+0
15 Feb - grigglepuff - baby #1 - 27 - N London - 19+0
15 Feb - juwi - baby #3 - 34 - 19+0
15 Feb - nicb79 - baby #3 - 31 - Cornwall - 19+0
16 Feb - Jaffa1972 - baby #1 - 38 - 18+6
16 Feb - LittleSilver - baby #4 - Northumbria - 18+6
16 Feb - Rusty06 - baby #1 - 43 - 18+6
16 Feb - wigglesrock - baby #3 - 36 - N Ireland - 18+6
17 Feb - Blackberry74 - 18+5
17 Feb - JustOneMorePlease - baby #4 - 33 - 18+5
17 Feb - varicoseveined - baby #2 - 18+5
18 Feb - EauRouge - baby #2 - 29 - Cambridgeshire - 18+4 - surprise
18 Feb - PDR - baby #2 - 25 - Devon - 18+4
19 Feb - Azure78 - 18+3
19 Feb - Deliaskis - baby #1 - 32 - Cheshire - 18+3 - surprise
19 Feb - mumbybumby - baby #2 - 18+3
19 Feb - Oneof4 - baby #1 - 18+3
20 Feb - Bensmum76 - baby #2 - 34 - 18+2
20 Feb - brockleyD - 27 - S London - 18+2
20 Feb - hoolabombshell - baby #1 - 37 - Glasgow - 18+2
20 Feb - janedoe25 - baby #1 - Glasgow - 18+2
20 Feb - judyjiggles - baby #1 - 18+2
20 Feb - lgmum2b - baby #1 - 18+2
20 Feb - MrsWest2010 - baby #1 - 18+2
20 Feb - Trojan1970 - baby #2 - 40 - S Hampshire - 18+2
21 Feb - angels1 - baby #1 - 28 - Orpington, Kent - 18+1
21 Feb - nomoregandtforme - baby #1 - 31 - 18+1
21 Feb - starbuck05 - baby #1 - 32 - 18+1
21 Feb - tabbycat76 - baby #1 and #2 - 33 - Suffolk - 18+1
22 Feb - ellesbelles79 - baby #1 - Harrow, NW London - 18+0
22 Feb - Gingerbread30 - baby #1 - 30 - Edinburgh - 18+0
22 Feb - MrsWhisk - baby #1 - 31 - 18+0
22 Feb - Pebblestone - baby #1 - 28 - 18+0
23 Feb - knittakid - baby #1 - 30 - Bristol - 17+6
24 Feb - 40Weeks - baby #3 - 17+5
24 Feb - Laineandade - baby #2 - 17+5
24 Feb - pinkgrasshopper - baby #1 - 31 - SW London - 17+5
24 Feb - supadupa900 - baby #1 - 17+5
25 Feb - Tarlia - baby #1 - 27 - 17+4
26 Feb - hubbard86 - baby #2 - 24 - West Midlands - 17+3
26 Feb - PinkiePoo - 17+3
26 Feb - ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave - baby #3 - 38 - Putney, SW London - 17+3
26 Feb - Wanderingsheep - baby #2 - 27 - 17+3
27 Feb - milliemoocow - baby #4 - 25 - Cumbria - 17+2
28 Feb - Discodisco - baby #1 - 17+1
28 Feb - saintcatling - baby #1 - 31 - Essex - 17+1
06 Mar (but promises to get baby out early...) - zerominuszero - baby #1 - 25 - Kent - 16+2

prof you're an angel thank you for all your help and advice!! You're in Putney too which is great - you might have me on your doorstep in a panic when I don't know how to get the baby to feed

prof great post thanks for that, really useful for a first time Mum! It's often difficult to find out what a real sensible middle ground is in amongst the extremes. Especially when lots of info obviously makes a point of saying it will all depend on you and your baby, which of course it will, but it's still useful to know what a sensible middle ground might look and feel like.

I too am disappointed that I haven't had the 'glowing and burst of energy' feeling, I think it's a lie to get us through the first few months - oooh don't worry it won't last long...yeah right!

D

Hi!

Welcome Oneof4, I have no idea when the pregnancy "bloom" is supposed to start! I'm knackered and spotty and feel like I'm gaining a pound a day! Hope you get better from the flu soon!

When I had DD the midwife bathed her straight away in evil Johnson's Top To Toe wash and looked really put out that I had taken cotton wool instead of baby wipes (I had to ask for help to change DD's nappy as I didn't know where to get water from).

Oneof4 I've not put on much weight either (just a couple of lbs) but have a very obvious bump. I was on the larger size to start with though so I think a lot of my weight has been 're-allocated' to my tummy! My face is definitely thinner so I know I have lost excess in other places. I am eating pretty healthily on the whole, loads of fruit and veg and not really eating anything extra (well except more fruit - including bananas which I hate normally!) so am probably healthier than I usually am.

D

Yes Wandering the spottiness is sending me bonkers! If I am going to have teenage skin can I please have the teenage body? Its just not fair. Have resorted to using Clearasil!

Hello all!!! Welcome to the newbies!

Had my 20 week scan today, we have 2 healthy little girls!

And only boys names decided!!!

DH is over the moon and I am concerned I wont be able to relate very well to them! I'm sure the next 4 months or so will be spent arguing over names now!

Oh, forgot to add, DH finished decorating their room today so I get to go shopping soon!!!

Oh, congratulations! How lovely.

Hello all, old and new.
Congrats on the twin girls jackint, and on the boy expat!
Wow you've all been busy, this thread is become an encyclopaedia! it's great, very very useful.
I think I felt 'the thing' (that's what I said when it happened...) move for the first time this morning, it was great! i didn't want it to stop!
I also dreamt it is a boy, and it chose its own name in the dream (as somebody's dream before, it could already speak). Which means, of course, that it's going to be a girl. a few more weeks to wait...
Good luck angels with the docs app. and hope you feel better soon.

Congratulations on two girls!!!

I'm on Clearasil too, so annoying, am normally never plagued by spots.

I was more scared of breast feeding than labour 1st time round, but I never had any problems, no sore nipples, mastitis, pain, nothing. I got all the help I could though, to make sure DD's latch was correct, went to a BF support group for a while too. So all those awful scary things are not inevitable.

This baby is so active- I'm sure DD didn't kick so much at just 20 weeks.

Im glad prof has warned about the constant bf in the early weeks cos i was shocked by that with my first and listened stupidly to my mum and aunt who said it shouldnt be like that and it really upset me. With the others i too used to use it as an excuse to watch tv or read and sit on my bum for hours.
Obviously cant do it this time tho so have had to adapt and am seeing the positives such as a bit of routine and dh and dd will love to do some feeds.Sad tho.
Am going to trek over to h and m thursday cos i just hate all the mat clothes its all for office or scruffy.I want some nice dreses to go with leggings as i unlike oneof4 have not puit on 1 pound but more like 1 stone and have some chunky legs going on.
I never use wet wipes until they are older, just water and cotton wool but i always bath them as part of my legendary bedtime routine. DD went all night at 3 wks. Dont know waht to do now tho,ill ask mw.
angels i too am having trouble sleeping now and it seems so early as we still have ages to go. Turning over is ridiculous like heaving agreat sack of spuds and last night my right hip kept going numb.I cannot bring myself to spend 40quid on a pillow tho. I am sure there was a giant pillow on amazon for a tenner i will let you know.I used a v shape last time that was ok and very cheap.

I think someone on here was just using a spare duvet rolled into a giant sausage shape?

Somewhere I have a giant pillow from last time; mist work out where it's gone...

lulabell and onof4
I am having nio 5 and dh is having no 1 so this is very interesting especially as he has no experience and i am having a section,if i remember correctly they leave you to it after so dh has to do the whole lotHe will need some training. He did think last week that he would be expected to bring baby home without me.

Angels - I have had loads of good baby stuff from primark, especially babygros and vests.

Regarding breastfeeding the best advice I can give is to prepare yourself - I obsessively read all the questions on the breastfeeding boards on here for a couple of months beforehand and therefore wasn't to surprised by pain, cluster feeding for hours, blocked ducts and knew that they would be transitory. I think that if you can breastfeed for the first 6-8 weeks then you have got through the difficult part and it gets increasingly easy afterwards. I also joined my local Breastfeeding group at my sure start centre where I got loads of support and made some great friends - I actually ended up training as a bf peer supporter and volunteering at the group for the last year. So always happy to offer any bf support to you lovely ladies.

I am also planning on tandem feeding - think my colostrum has come in in the last week as DD is producing some interesting nappies at the moment.

Re pregnancy pillows, I bought a v shaped pillow from debenhams for £15 in my last pregnancy and have it out again, it fits nicely between my knees and up under my bump and is very comfy.

Congrats on the girls, jackinthebump! Do you know if they're identical? Maybe you mentioned this before and I've just forgotten.

I finally collected my maternity notes yesterday and have been reading my 12 week blood results. My glucose was slightly high (normal range is 3.3 - 5.8, mine was 5.9). Is this something to be concerned about? It seems they would've contacted me if it was a problem but I know how sometimes things slip through. I'm not due to see the MW for another 4 weeks or so.

Congratulations on the twin girls jack! Welcome to the newbies. I had my antenatal appointment this morning and discovered I'd put on 9lbs in a month. I had better get back down the gym as that is already 17lbs at 20 weeks. I do not want to get GD over here.

Otoh where I live in the US the hospital has a rooming in policy and jacuzzis in all the rooms! They don't allow water births, unfortunately but if I can spend most of my labour in there, I'll be happy!

Hi everyone

I have been on a shopping spree today!

Got 2 lovely long cardis (£35 each)in M&S and 3 long stretchy tshirts (£12 each) to go underneath. All non-maternity but will accommodate bump with ease and look great with leggings and a pair of knee length flat boots - super comfy too.

Went to Mothercare and bought breast pump and steriliser both half price and some newborn vests & babygros - buy one get second half price.

Have been offered a Moses basket and stand on Freecycle, first time I have ever won anything.

And lastly, have won a second hand Cameleon on ebay - woo hoo!

PS I agree with Prof Layton re not attempting to use the breast pump too early as you need to get supply established and trying to express milk may not stimulate it as much as the baby. Waiting a month sounds sensible. Also be prepared for it to take a month for BFing to get easier.

I have gone out and bought a pump already though to replace the one I chucked away/Freecycled when I wasnt going to have any more babies - doh!

Just remembered my other tip for feeding - have 3 bottles of Infocol (if you want to use it that is) one wherever you feed upstairs, one downstairs and one in the change bag - save you hunting high and low for it and then remembering its wherever you are not. And if bf'ing, always pour a large glass of water BEFORE you sit down to feed as a) I always got really thirsty and b) its really important to drink loads to help milk supply.

Congrats on the twins jack how exciting.

Congrats jack thats so lovely!! How exciting you get two little presents at the end of it!!

Hope everyone is feeling well?! TOTALLY agree about the 2nd trimester 'bloom'. i am so tired (doesn't help i am a dance teacher) and snotty too...mmmmm sexual!

STLL no bump for me yet ....but feeling all sorts of weird goings on down there. Heard the hb on Monday again, and apparently it was moving all over the place!!

scan in a few weeks....time is dragging!!!!

Congratulations Jackinthebump. I'm sure you will forget all of your worries about relating to your little girls when they are here. Is there anything that particularly worries you?

I want the bloom too! :(

I'm finding sleeping a pain too. I find sleeping in the recovery position the comfiest, and sort of stops me going on my tummy. I was thinking about the V breastfeeding pillow, but then I started thinking I'd be annoyed if my waters went all over it. Haha. I'd not have a feeding pillow for when out of hospital

Maybe a bit TMI, but has anyone been suffuring from an upset tummy? I hear everyone talking about constipation, but not the other way. I had it for a week, it went for about 5 days, and have had it again from yesterday morning. I've taken a day off work as I am feeling so rubbish, but of course feel guilty for doing so! Any ideas? Could it just be hormones?

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine!

Hello everyone and welcome newbies
Congratulations on the twins jack
We had the scan this morning, all is well and it's a boy (Greek relations breathe a sigh of relief, my mum makes jokes about doing my bit for the greek population)! i did dream it was a boy, but most guesses were for a girl. It really is just 50-50.
I'm also spotty, knackered and unable to concentrate on work - hence being on mn in the middle of the day. I'm also not fitting in any trousers so waiting for some I ordered online (hope they fit). Better get some clothes, I'll head down to H&M too and see what they have in.