September 2011 - a Happy non-alcoholic New Year!

[Louplet]

Hi

Still whispering the good news but is there anyone else out there wishing they had made the most of the Stilton this Christmas? [Wink]

Ooh, I also bought my first cloth nappies online today :) can't wait to see what they look like! Anyone else using these? It's our first baby, but determined to give them a go :)

Misty, I'm so of you can doing nappy shopping for the first time (hope it cheered you up ). I'm on DC2 so I don't need to buy any more as I got a tad addicted with DS and we have way more than we'll ever need. I am hoping a little bit that he refuses to potty train before September though so that I'll have no choice but to get more!

What sort did you buy? I have loads of different ones but am a complete devotee of Bumgenius and Weenotions.

Oh, and redlaura, I am terrified by how monstrous I seem. I started off a fair bit fatter with this one than I did with DS but I feel as though I am just a belly and an arse and nothing else!

Ooh feralgirl so pleased to find someone who uses cloth nappies! I went for newborn (XS) bumgenius, small size BG AIO and a flip organic insert too. Done TONS of reading about it all and also like L'il Joeys (newborn only) and totsbots teenyfits - but gonna wait and see what this stash look like first as never even held a cloth nappy!
Told my mum about plans and she can't understand why I won't just get Terry towels....
Did you use from newborn? I'm getting the impression that sized are better until a few weeks old when can use BTP. It's a whole new vocabulary! :)

Hello ladies,

I'm kind of back in here, although I don't post on here as much as I should/did. I'm now 23+3, am still down as due on 1st Sept so am right at the head of the list! Had scan and couldn't see what colour the baby is, so we are saying he until I know any differently. Even though this is my first I felt stuff going on from about 15 weeks, although never very strong and it was always is it isn't it, but then all of a sudden it became obvious I was definitely feeling him moving. My OH felt his first kick when I was just over 20 weeks and has recently felt some more. My placenta is posterior so I think he is pushed to the front of my uterus hence me feeling him so early. Been suffering with some headaches, which I think are sinus headaches, so trying to alter my sleeping position so my head is a bit higher. Bump has grown quite a bit and I love it, am stroking it loads and talking to him loads as well :) Am so happy and feel so lucky to have got pg. I love feeling him moving inside me.

We've started a list of things we might end up buying, essentials and non essentials. Both of us would like to use cloth nappies, but haven't really looked into them that much yet! I think for the initial week or two though we will be using disposables, as that's when the baby creates all the mec poo and this is apparently very difficult to get out and goes through millions of nappies at this stage, so for ease I think we will be using disposables then going onto cloth ones once we are both more comfortable with the whole changing routine.

Our main ones are BG BTPs which DS wore from the minute he was born and is still in them now, 2.5 years later! They have served us brilliantly and are just so quick drying that I've never once wished we owned a tumble dryer.

I've just looked at the BG flips as well and my pulse is racing a bit. DH is saying, through gritted teeth, "we don't need any more..." He threatened to leave me if I bought any more nappies at one point a couple of years ago!

Looking back at photos though, DS did look a bit freakish in BTP nappies when he was brand new so I think we'll prob use disposables to start the noob off with. Also the meconium stain didn't leave one of our BGs until the following summer when I left it on the line for a week to bleach it out! They didn't ever work very well at night so we used Weenotions Night Notions and wool wraps which have been brilliant.

Ooh, I can't wait to get all my other nappies down out of the loft. I think I'm more excited about the nappies than I am about the baby; is that weird?

On a different note, I dreamt last night that I'd just had the baby, at 23 weeks. God, it was awful. We had no pram, no car seat, DS wasn't potty trained. And instead of being concerned about having such a prem baby, I was in hospital, feeling really embaressed about how unprepared I was and how I hadn't packed a bag!

cloth nappies here too, well only when at home but I think they are definitely better for her skin.
We use mainly bamboozles which take ages to dry but I'm happy with them.

feralgirl, I keep dreaming really odd things, mainly not pregnancy/birth related though. But on some mornings I'm just happy that the night is over that I even don't stay in bed when DH would take DD to let me have a lie in.

My dreams are completely out of control atm. Last night I dreamt that one of the kids I teach kidnapped DS and then unfastened all the wheel nuts on my car so I couldn't catch her!

I came home and was sick this evening. WTF is that all about at bloody 23 weeks?!

Hello ladies - very interested in reading your posts about cloth nappies - I have never used them and am really keen to hear the pros and cons from you guys if you have the time to share.
Just came back from a mega hospital appointment today as I had to meet the Consultant. Now I am linked to cardiology consultant and neurologist and have to have an MRI to go with my heart ultrasound - so much fun and so unnecessary. Still better to be safe than sorry. Finished the day off with drinks with friends overlooking Sandbanks harbour - what a relaxing wind-down - if I could have drunk the chilled white wine instead of my diet coke it would have been perfect!
DD is away on a residential school trip and I am mssing her like mad - 8 seems far to young to be away for a whole 4 sleeps! DS is behaving like a dream now that he is an "only" for 5 days - still, despite the calm I want her back asap! I must try and remember this feeling when I am climbing the walls with a difficult toddler and wishing they would grow up fast - at the end of the day its so much better when you know exactly where they are, even if it means you dont have much freedom for a while.

Hey,

Only just found this thread, but am due on 1st Sept so not sure I will end up being one of you at all.

I'm 33 and have a DS who is 2.9 at the mo. Expecting another DS and very excited! Not sure if there's a list, but plaease add me to it if so!

Nice to meet you all.

Hi soBroken welcome hope you are doing well.

Sorry to hear feral girl you been sick again. I must admit if I get too tired or do not eat every 1-2hrs I get weak and slightly yucky feeling so just trying hard to maintain my blood sugar levels and not by munching through a packet of biscuits :o
I made the mistake of weighin myself the other night and had put on 16lbs..oh my! Is this normal??? I was a size 16 to start with. I never weighed myself with my 1st pregnancy, which in hindsight was prob wise but now I am trying to reduce the biscuits and up the exercise a little whilst I have the energy too.

On the medical front I've got a physio refereal next week to see if I can get some form of back support. I tried several pharmacies but couldnt seem to order anything suitable so the physio said they may be able to get me a giant tubi grip thing to help. I did try a belly bra but sent it back as the largest size was still too tight even at 23wks so I had no chance of it lasting into the pregnancy!!

I weighed myself this morning prior to my osteopath appointment. At 22+4 I've put on 14lbs, so looks like we've put on similar amounts ssmile!

My back pain has been really bad the past week or so (to a point of affecting my sleep), osteopath has told me off for sitting for too long periods of time. I'm supposed to now get up every 30mins....am running a timer on my iPhone and 30mins just seems like no time at all...must try and keep this up for the remaining 4mths though, otherwise I've been warned the pain will only get worse.

Osteopath also suggested a sacroiliac joint support belt for me as that's where my pain is, so will be googling that a bit later.

Good luck with the physio referral ssmile, hope it helps.

PS Welcome SoBroken!

lxr1 nice to know I'm not only one pilling on the lbs. I really dont want to put too much on as it took me 3yrs to get the weight back off again from first one and I only had about 16lbs on post birth! Plus with back problems too I very keen to keep it off. Good luck with your joint support belt. The local physio here suggested using just a soft belt like a dressing gown one and tying it around hips to help with hip pain.

Hi sobroken, and ssmile I am totally avoiding the scales until the end of September!

minky hope everything keeps going OK with all the big-wig medics. It must be a bit grim but good that you're still chilling out as well though. WRT real nappies, my pro list is:

Cheaper in the long run (esp if you use them for more than one child or sell them on afterwards)
Greener
Cuter (they come in lots of lovely colours/ designs)
IME more reliable than everything except Pampers 12 hour
You don't have a week's worth of shitty nappies sat in your bin waiting for the bin man (which is, imo, rank esp in the summer)
In theory, cloth wearers potty train quicker as they feel wetter, but I have no comparison and DS shows no sign of wanting to train at 2.5 yo!
Nappy liners will deal with the worst of the poo.
It's kind of a community - a bit like smoking - you'll get into conversations with other cloth nappy people without even trying!
If you choose carefully, you can get nappies that are as simple to change as reusables (even my dad is capable of changing DS's nappies).

Cons:
You need a good washing machine with a decent rpm on its spin cycle
You'll still need disposables when you go on holiday
Real nappies take up more space in the nappy bag
Lugging around a used shitty nappy when you're out is Not Fun.
I do a nappy wash every day which means I always have laundry hanging out
Takes a bit of research to make sure you get the best nappies for your DC
I am lucky enough to have a rayburn in my kitchen which means my cotton microfibre nappies dry in an hour or two but otherwise it might be a bit of a PITA in the winter
It takes about ten minutes a day to put all our nappies together once they're dry.
You might need to have different nappies at night as some nappies won't withstand 12 hours lying in the same position.

I am a pretty passionate advocate of cloth nappies and to my mind, the pros far outweigh the cons. You'll prob have a nappy lady somewhere near you who'll do you a loan of different types for you to try out and the boards here are also really useful.

Hello all!
So much to catch up on here so in summary:

weight: I've but on about 16 pounds too. Still fitting into my size 14 clothes though so I'm thinking it must all be baby and water. A bit flabbier around the bingo wings area but otherwise think this is about normal ladies. What I am finding difficult is the additional cellulite down my thighs. Ouch to the ego!

Nappies. So confused. I think I want to go the reusable route but it is SOOOOOOOO confusing. Feels like learning a brand new language. So far I'm thinking Cottontails but that will change on the next review I read.

Dreams: feralgirl, I dreamt my baby was born premature and then wouldn't latch on. But the awful thing was the baby was soooooo disappointed in me. Kept tutting and shaking his head at me. Urgh!!!

We exchanged at last, although our buyer was a total B1tch and tried to negotiate us down by 10% the day before we were due to exchange. And then she decided she wouldn't exchange on a friday 13th. It took all my restraint not to go round and smack her one. I'm normally quite a chillled out person about these things!

xxx

L

Hi RL, that's a really horrid dream! Prem + problems BF + failing to live up to your child's expectations. Couldn't get much worse!

Sorry to hear about your evil buyer. We bought our house when I was pg the first time and it was definitely the single most stressful time of my entire life. It still makes me feel a bit ill just thinking about it. We actually exchanged when I was 35 weeks gone and still at work and I nearly bloody killed myself hefting boxes around trying to help. Just make sure that you are sat on a comfy chair with a cup of tea directing everyone else!

Feralgirl Thanks for the tips there on the cloth nappy front - really dont know what I will do but its definitiely made me think!
Redlaura glad to hear you have finally exchanged - what a cow your buyer was trying to get away with a trick like that - our estate agents in London refused to get involved with business like that so I am surprised that her agents were happy to suggest a reduction at such a late stage! She is a bit silly though - what incentive has that given you to want to leave the house sparkling for her - she sounds like she barely deserves a toilet roll! Some friends of ours moved into a house that had been repossessed and they had a nightmare to sort out when they arrived because the previous occupants had felt no loyalty to the buyers. Mind you, I bet its a huge relief for you and you at least now you should have a date in mind for the big move - when is that going to be?
I am really suffering from strong brackston hicks (Branston Pickles as hubby calls them!) at the moment, I have had tons today and some of them are quite strong. I had them alot with my other pregnancies so its hardly surprising I guess. I think I have probably been overdoing it a bit lately too as I have been creeping around side loft cavities trying to locate all the parts for the cot and generally have a clearout while I can still bend enough to sort through a box! My daughter has a Brownie Fete at the weekend - such a godsend for clearing out old junk and stuff no longer needed! My husband thinks I am mad organising so early but I remember how hard it was when I hit the 30 week stage and so I know realistically I want the major stuff done in the next 8 weeks, then I can sit back and enjoy the summer holidays and fold babygros!
Anyway ladies, I found a brilliant pram (as I have had 4 previous ones I knew what I was looking for this time!). This one works like a travel system but is lightweight and folds quicker than a mclaren with one hand and will be a perfect pushchair/buggy too - its the Baby Jogger City Mini - worth a look at the website if you are still researching!
Righty ho, off to bed soon for me I think, its been a long day! Hope you are all well

Glad RL that you have exchanged hope all goes well with the moving day she sounds like a right Bi**h. You are still doing it the right way round though moving before baby comes. But like the others said do take it easy. We Put our home on the market when our baby was 6wks old and its was really hard as we didnt move until she was 7mths old crawling into everything and I went back to work a week later. PLus our sellers didnt clear out the garage, shed and left a 3 piece sofa in the back garden!!! Luckly I got straight onto the agent and they were selling them their next hse and withheld the keys until they agreed to do something about all the stuff 'left' behind. Gosh moving house is SO stressful.

I too find the whole reusable nappies thing very confusing. With DD1 I bought some thought they were one thing they turned up more like terrys, used one it looked huge on DD so I sold the rest on ebay. I would like to mix and match a bit with this one. So would like to find some that are not too bulky, any reccommendations??

Bumgenius, every time ssmile. Of everything I've seen and tried, they're def the least bulky but also good 'n' stretchy and have stood up to DS bum-shuffling for months and also being a v active toddler. They're dead easy to put on and dry super-fast. I got ours on the strength of the MN reviews and they have absolutely been my best baby buy.

They're not as slim-line as disposables but DS has got a very skinny arse so his trousers fall off him when he's not in a real nappy!

Thanks feralgirl I will check them out. Its real nappy week so there are discounts all over the place this week if anyone is also interested.

Hello everyone, I've been on MN for months but only just found this thread! Not read it all but interesting post about reusable nappies, feralgirl. I'm expecting my first so am thinking about taking the plunge with reusables!

Hi all, and welcome to all the newcomers :-). Have been on holidays for a couple of weeks, and then recovering last week so haven't been on here for a while.

My bump grew massively whilst we were away, in fact we stayed with the same family at beginning and end of trip and they were amazed by how much I'd grown! Everyone we spoke to seemed to think it's a boy, and we've got that into our heads too, but we shall see... Lots of kicking now too, which is exciting.

Glad to hear about more happy scans, and that some of you have been finding out the 'colour' ;-).

Also very interested to hear reusable nappy reviews. Hubby's mum seems rather keen on the traditional terry towel option (her daughter is due in July and seems to be going that route...), can't say the idea of the potential for sticking pins in my little one appeals though, so think I'll be gaining disapproval and going for the gadget versions! So Bum Genius is current winner then?

Does anyone else's bump feel kind of tender/prickly especially at the top?
Oh and I seem to be getting good at crying - got really upset when I got patted down at Paris airport and the woman just patted my bump (which tingled in response) with no regard for gentleness, and then said something I couldn't understand and she didn't bother to translate - ended up in tears once I'd run away from her, but I had just got off a long overnight flight, so will blame that too ;-). Then got all upset when Hubby electrocuted himself at the weekend (he was fine, just erm shocked, hoho). Apart from that, managing to stay fairly emotionally stable, but just thought I'd share!

Oh, and sorry this is so long, but just remembered someone had chosen their pram/buggy - the BabyJogger City Mini - we've gone for the City Elite and think it's fantastic (though of course will have to wait til it's in action before final verdict!).

Enough from me. Hope you are all well and havent been blown away!

Hi everyone, and welcome Appley!

Meerkat - hope you enjoyed your holiday. My bump seems to have grown significantly too over the past couple of weeks!

I went to the baby show at the NEC at the weekend with DH and mum. Didn't go too overboard, there were a few good deals though - I picked up a few things including a couple of grobag sleeping bags and swaddles, the medela swing breast pump for £65, ooh and a birthing ball for free!

Went to a classical concert last night at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami - think baby enjoyed it as he/she was jumping about all over the place, especially during the extra loud bits

I think someone mentioned vivid dreams recently - I had a bizarre one the other day - not baby related, but I had to race against David Cameron through a Tombraider style assault course - bizarre?!

I hope everyone is well!