April 2011 - back to back sex and other mysteries

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Here we go ladies, a brand new sparkly thread that should see us all into our 2nd trimester

Many thanks for the warm welcomes

I've felt lots of movements this evening, I was sitting in quite a twisted position which is why I think I felt it so much.

Ooooh can we have lists of what pram, bottles, nappies people are getting?

I love talking about this kind of stuff and seeing what other people have decided :) and if you're reusing stuff from previous DCs post recommendations (or unrecs!).

Justkeepsnowing basically that's all a 'bonding scan is' it's the 4d scan you get at places like babybond. i.e. a video of a 3d scan, some extra pictures and they have a look at the size of the baby as well, and obviously let you know if there are any problems.

They're not necessary but I would just like to have another little check that all's ok as seems like a long time between the 20 week scan and baby coming out!

Still trying to decide on a pushchair, but also buying a car at the moment and not sure what will fit in the boot seeing as we don't have the boot yet! We're getting a 7 seater as DP already has 2 boys and if we're lucky enough to have another one after this one we won't all fit in the car. It would be a bit of a squash with all of us as it is, so thought we might just a well upgrade now as in a couple of years. Am definitely getting shopping fatigue and I haven't even actually bought anything yet!!

Lucie - we are looking at 7-seaters too, probably won't get one until nearer April but at the mo we can't all go out together as a family of 5

Frakk - didn't realise yours was transverse too. Not sure if scans are hazardous really, just the faff of going to hosp, being on their 'radar' as a problem, etc. i don't want.

Re stuff (from previous DC):

cot - M&P Sherwood, v sturdy would recommend, though M&P sizes are odd for sheets so i got sheets from them too, think i got 4, never ran out and they were a nice soft material. Also got a cot-top changer, useful for first few months, then a pain to store but still have it.

buggy - well, started with a M&P 3-in-1 we were given, still have it, carry cot v useful as a 'bed' downstairs, also used it as a crib as neither boy slept well in the crib we had & also good as the seat faces you when pushing. Never used the car seat that came with it though.
Then moved onto a M&P Aria - hated it.
Then a Phil & Teds - loved it but big & heavy.
Then a Maclaren Triumph - pretty much love it but not good for newborn i don't think.

crib - we bought the cardboard crib from M'care, and i lvoe it but the feet are curved, to rock easily, and neither boy liked the rocking motion when they moved asleep, and it woke them up, so we put towels underneath to keep it steady then it was ok. Folds flat in the loft which is good. don't think they do it anymore.

what else?
Clothes - lots of plain-ish babygros, some bargainous ones from Argos if they still do them? Got sucked into lots of M'care shopping 1st time round, less keen now, lots of other places are cheaper for the basics, Primark/George/etc.
For 'outfits' - not bothered about young baby anymore tbh, babygros are much more practical. otherwise, John Lewis/Boden/Next are good for boys.

Activity mat - can't remember name, want to say little einsteins, but that's not right, will have to look it up, both boys loved it anyway, so still have it.

cot musical mobile thing - again einstein something, both boys liked it until they got big enough to yank at it.

bouncy chair - got a plan fluffy M'care one it's ok, no great shakes. Also got a musical kick 'n play one that they both loved when older.

think that's most things! sorry a bit long :)

Cot mobile - Tiny Love Symphony, though the animals on it are different now.

Activity mat - Tiny Love super-deluxe one :)

There is some research (was linked to on a thread recently) that suggested ultrasound raised temp levels in the womb and some other stuff. 1 extra (2 rather than 3) I wouldn't mind but this will be scan number 8 and there's 1 more compulsory one so plus all the positioning scans (fortnightly here) that's potentially 5 more and that's a lot. Plus I've tried to refuse half of them (wasn't fussed about NT measurement nor worried when they couldn't find hb with Doppler) and not been allowed to and I hate hospitals at the best of times. And as you say it's a faff going, especially as I have to pay!

Frakk - even worse having to pay! and not being allowed to turn some down. I won't have any extra scans because the MW thinks baby is transverse (or breech) only 1 extra as i've requested it, even if she says head down nearer the time.
Agree that many more would make me nervous.

Hi ladies, hope you all had a very merry Christmas.

Many congratulations lucie - what lovely news

DH bought me a lovely Lin & Leo changing bag for Christmas - something I've been lusting over for ages. Technically I can use it straight away because of ds, but somehow something is stopping me

Those of you with transverse babies - I really don't think you should be giving it a second thought at the moment. Most MW's wouldn't even begin to start seeing it as a problem until 34 weeks+. So please don't let it worry you yet.

Also, for those of you whose fundal height is different to the weeks gestation, again please don't fret about it. Fundal height is a guide, not a science. Also babies grow differently. Some grow steadily and people measure the 'correct' amount of cm for their week of gestation. Then some grow in spurts, so your bump measurement is 'correct' only every few weeks.

There are always so many things to fret over, the list can seem neverending sometimes.

We've got the Tiny Love activity mat. DS2 loved it so fingers crossed this little one does to. I could get loads done while he played about with the things dangling off of it.

Lucie congratulations! :)

Ok, shopping.

If anyone hasn't bought crib/moses basket etc yet then I highly recommend the Amby Nest. We used it at home until DS was 6 months, and continued to use it as a travel cot for another 3-4 months. It was brilliant and we're using it again for DC2.

Buggy - Bugaboo Chameleon. Expensive but worth every penny. Still good as new despite much heavy use and we are using it again for DC2.

Bouncer - we bought the most basic one from M'care for £13 and it was brilliant. Going to get it again, we chucked the old one because DS pooed on it hugely one day and I haven't been able to get the stain out!

Mat - can't remember while brands sorry, but we had one that you could inflate the edge more and more as the baby got bigger so that as they started to want to see more they could. Then we got a playmat which had a few things which made sounds, a little mirror in it, some scrunchie things etc.

Clothes - we'll be mostly using babygros for the first 6 months I think. M'care, John Lewis are both nice. I found supermarket ones didn't last, they frayed and didn't wash well - Asda especially was v.disappointing. Weird because for DS now I get a lot from Sainsbury's and the quality is v.good.

JKS - I know! Insult to injury...

ILTMI - I'm not worried. Can you tell my MW please?

Will post my shopping list soon but keep em coming. It's fascinating reading :)

JKS - I know! Insult to injury...

ILTMI - I'm not worried. Can you tell my MW please?

Will post my shopping list soon but keep em coming. It's fascinating reading :)

JKS - I know! Insult to injury...

ILTMI - I'm not worried. Can you tell my MW please?

Will post my shopping list soon but keep em coming. It's fascinating reading :)

Woah multiple posts! Silly phone.

I won't be having extra scans either. Apart from the expense, from the research made they can't really prove they do cause a problem, but they can't prove they don't either. I think there must be a reason why babies shy away from dopplers and scans - that's my very unscientific belief anyway!

I'm a lover of long legged rompers. I've had long skinny babies and they have worked really well for us. As rompers don't have feet in them they don't grow out of them so quickly. Plus ds1 was born in July so he wore them without socks and ds2 was born in Sept so he wore them with socks, plus ds2 was a cold fish anyway compared to ds1 who liked to be warm.

The only problem is they are more expensive as they are sold singularly and not in packs, but that also means they tend to look a lot nicer

I'm glad you're not worried Frakk. With ds1 quite off handed comments made by the MW's would have me in a bit of a tailspin

We're getting my niece's old cotbed (result!) and my M&D are buying us the mattress (again, result!)

I'm a lover of cotbeds as I believe the best thing to do is leave your lo in a cot until they are able to escape. DS is 2.4yo and he's still in a cot - no midnight pattering of tiny feet for us!

Also, buy the best mattress you can afford. Spend your money on the mattress and not the cot imo.

Am thinking of getting a bedside cot for the early weeks/months as I am shit at co-sleeping.

I think what irritates me most is the technology is there so they feel like they have to justify it. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful it is and it can save lives but when you have the 12 week scan and they turn round to say baby is in the wrong position to get the NT measurement, you say you don't really mind and the important stuff has been done and they tell you that you have to come back it gets a little wearing after the second time.. Or when they make a half -arsed attempt with the Doppler, with me saying 'I pretty sure I have an anterior placenta and I think the baby's lying sideways so maybe you won't hear the hb there, but I'm not fussed because it's kicking right now', but they insist on a scan just to check (after which having located the baby they can find hb with a Doppler)...

I do love seeing baby - I just swing between liking the scans and worrying about them!

I must confess we're getting a white-painted wooden bedside crib. It's tooooo sweet not to. Plus it's the only bedside crib I can source here unless I order a Cosatto drop sided one from Amazon UK!

the crib i'd have ideally - but won't spend ££ on is <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=edge.shop.com/ccimg.shop.com/230000/232900/232906/products/-!John%2520Lewis%2520Anna%2520Swinging%2520Crib%2520White--355260792.jpg&imgrefurl=uk.shop.com/John%2BLewis%2BAnna%2BSwinging%2BCrib%2BWhite-355260792-p%2B.xhtml&usg=__QgZc79HvWIy4CmOVC2dHUjgCn2E=&h=297&w=298&sz=7&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=AMMLgcSE5ZUrUM:&tbnh=156&tbnw=157&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwhite%2Bswinging%2Bcrib%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1272%26bih%3D631%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=134&vpy=253&dur=5689&hovh=224&hovw=225&tx=145&ty=135&ei=TN4cTcicO4O3hQeGm7y5Dg&oei=TN4cTcicO4O3hQeGm7y5Dg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this one :)

Also not 'worried' as such, just want a head-down normal baby to have my HBAC.
Though the MW did say i could go home after an ECV, after a few hours so it's not a one-way ticket :)

I totally agree with Moveit on the cot bed. My DS is 2.8 and also still in his and has never tried to climb out. He also loves his grobag.
On the downside I have talked to him about moving to a big bed (so I can use the cot bed for my 2nd) and explained that he would be able to get up in the morning and play with his toys but he says he doesn't want one.

I originally only planned on having one child so the larger spare room became the nursery. I'm planning on making the spare room into his "big boy" bedroom and hopefully he won't be able to resist or will have time to get used to it before the baby needs to go in the cotbed.

Any tips from those expecting their 3rd on how you prepared your eldest for the new arrival last time round?

Grobags - v good.

With DS1 i moved him into a bed earlier than i had planned (wanted the cot for DS2) so he didn't link the move & baby.

Also my rule to myself was never to say to him
'no because of the baby'
so i tried all sorts of other statements
'no because Mummy is having a 5min sit down' for eg.

Also got a book that showed a baby and various things that babies do (Ladybird one i think) and talked about it a lot.

This time round i have started talking about the labour part too in case he's around when DC3 arrives (hoping it will be at night-time though!)

I'm mostly using bits from the other dc's for this baby.

Cot - M&P Willow and it's white. It matches the chest of drawers. I got it from boots! They had a 20% off sale plus you got loads of advantage points :). With the older 2 i had a M&P Omni cotbed but after dd1 i sold everything DOH! So had to start again. Decided on a cot as dd2 could use dd1's toddler bed so didnt see the need this time to get a c/bed. I agree totally with ILTMIMI spend the most you can afford on the mattress.

Buggy -
1:Graco Travel System for DS. It was ok, cheap but wasnt that great a quality, although that was 6 years ago so they maybe different - no longer have it
2:P&T for ds&dd1. Great buggy and can turn into a travel system if you purchase the adaptor (£18 iirc). Obv I sold that as well.
3:Maclaren Twin Techno - great buggy although a pain to navigate around the shops as not all the aisles are wide enough. Still have it though as good for days out at parks etc & I think it can be used from birth.
4:P&T Vibe - I loved this buggy BUT it is not a travel system. I had to by a chassis to attach the car seat to.
5:FINALLY - I have the Maclaren Techno XLR. This is a lovely buggy, wider than the regular Maclaren Techno XT and CAN be turned into a travel system. I have bought the Maclaren Recaro seat which is the only one to fit it.

Car Seat - Maclaren Recaro - NEW
The maxi cosi car seats are very good as well - had that for dd2

Bouncy chairs/swings are very much down to the likes/dislikes of the baby. I had a regular metal framed one for ds and he loved it. DD1 had a Chicco little rocker (the best chair we have had) but it got left in the garage and went moldy so we couldnt use it as the covers dont come off! DD2 had a dream swing chair from M&P's and wasnt that keen on it. For this one I have bought another Chicco rocker as it reclines to flat which is really handy :)

Cot mobile - we currently have the fisher price rainforest and it is lovely.

JKS I had forgotten about the bloods at 28wks - damn it I will be having those done next week :(

I know April, but think these are the last

Oh we were given a Graco battery powered swing - that was pretty fab for 10mins peace :)

I'm interested in the McLaren Recaro - we have Recaro seats and have never had a chassis they click into, that's part of why i want the Recaro Zen buggy as it will work with the seats we already have.
Off to research now :)

We are putting dd2 into the toddler bed next month (i do realise that this is in 2 days!). We have had the bed in her room for a week and she does climb on it and get cosy, but mainly because she climbed into it when it was dd1's. I'm hoping to get her used to it for day time naps and then progress into the nighttime sleeps. Trying to do it early enough so its not a big change once ds2 arrives. It is a bit scary given that she is only 15mths!

Hello All. Just been invited along by GoldFrakkincenseandMyrrh. Am due mid April

They are the last batch of bloods thankfully!

The recaro seat looks really nice and comfy although it doesnt have a matching easyfix base which is quite annoying, so will have to strap the seat in every time rather than just clicking it in.

I think I paid about £100 from kiddicare :)