August 2011 - yellow, pink or blue, which one are you?

[KTisPG]

I'm yellow

Hello everyone, it's been ages since I have posted due a ridiculously busy month, but I have been catching up on posts when I've had time.

Firstly, many thanks for all your kind messages re: my Grandma. The funeral went as well as it could and my Grandad seems to be managing a bit better now.

The beanlet seems to be doing well, I'm getting rounder by the day and am enjoying all the lovely kicks. I think I might have had a Braxton Hicks thingy yesterday but maybe it's too early? My main problem is severe itching on my tummy, chest and arms. It has been driving me mad, to the point where I couldn't sleep. I saw the GP last week and she's given me some emmolient cream which has helped a bit. I see the MW on Tuesday and she's going to check my bloods in case I have a liver problem

I ordered a few bits for the beanlet last week including my pram which I love!! It's a Maxi-Cosi Elea and I've been happily pushing it around the house, ha ha! It's really light and easy to fold, etc. Cot and crib matresses have arrived, but nursery is still currently a study so nowhere to put anything! Poor DP is manically doing DIY but I've been on nights all week so there's been a strict 'no-drill' policy!

Wishwales I'm sorry to hear you've had such a tough time. I hope that your little one manages to stay put for as long as possible. You're in the best place, take it easy.

Hersetta I hope you manage to sort something out with work. I think if you are pregnant, the law does tend to sway in your favour.

Phew, epic post! I'm glad everyone is doing well, I've been keeping lists of all these recommended products! Re: birth plans, there are quite a few threads on here and people have linked to examples, if you want some inspiration.

Bye for now xxx

Just a quick question - I'm hoping to breastfeed, but was wondering if I should buy a couple of bottles, etc in case of problems? I don't want to buy loads of equipment unnecessarily! Thanks xxx

Betty I'd recommend trying some creams or bio-oil for your tummy/areas with stretch marks. I know my stretch marks can get a little itchy sometimes, but the bio-oil is wonderful.

I'd recommend getting literally a couple of bottles just incase, as you can always express and fill the bottles with your own milk for a friend, family member, or partner to help feed the baby if needed?

Hi all - we have a 28L nappy bucket that was originally DH's!!!!! We had a 14L one thrown in with the nappy deal for DS but it wasnt really big enough for leaving more than two nights unless you squished everything down . i would also recommend a bottle of tea tree oil and adding a few drops to the empty bucket to ward away evil smells

betty I'm also planning to BF, but I have got bottles too. Not everyone I am sure will agree this is good, as it will be too tempting to use them over BF, but myself and DH work from home so I am planning to express as soon as I can and get bubba using bottle with DH and me BF. I want him to feel 'involved' in the feeding. I ordered the Tommee Tippee bottles that are recommended for breast and bottle feeding, but sent them back as my friend got me some MAM anti colic bottles. They come as a set as baby grows,and they are also self sterilising. She got me 2 sets!! (She was one of the judges at baby products of the year so I got a few freebies) :)

Would anyone object to me having a teensy moan? If so - please don't read the next few paragraphs.

I am feeling a lot little bit stressed this afternoon/evening. DH and I have had an afternoon of car shopping - I have a toyota yaris which needs to be traded in for a giant family wagon - so we have been hunting around trying to decide on a model we like / that is practical. We also popped into mothercare and mamas and papas to have another look at nursery furniture.

To cut a long story short, all this has resulted in is me feeling overwhelmed with indecision, by the cost of everything and by the very few scrapings of savings we have. DH is being made redundant and finishes work on Friday so money is potentially about to get even tighter. He is, however, trying very hard to find another job and had 2 interviews last week. Fingers crossed on that front.

I think I must be having a particularly hormonal day too because not only am I fretting about money but I feel like I have a raft of things that have built up for a while that I want to shout at DH about. For example: his inability to put away anything, his belief that the food shopping magically appears in the house, his inability to come up with something nice to have for dinner, his constant faffing around on his damn iphone and his general lack of practical round-the-house skills. Oh! And, being the ridiculous anti-feminist I am, I also consider that there are some jobs that are firmly BOY jobs - e.g. getting things fixed on cars, shouting at homebase for not delivering stuff, calling plumbers to sort out radiators .... and yet he just doesn't seem to get on and do these things.

I'm also feeling hugely fretty about our babies and how they are going to be at the scan tomorrow. Every week is an age when we know they could get poorly again at any time. It is such a worry, particularly when they are they only thing that really matters - money / job / nice furniture isn't going to make any difference if they aren't ok.

Sorry. I just needed to let off steam and don't really have anyone else I can let off steam to at the moment. What I would really like is a nice bottle glass of right now but I can't. Humph.

Fingers crossed this is just a hormonal / tiredness issue and I will wake up tomorrow in a much better mood!!!! Sorry again.

klou - what nappies have you got out of interest? we will deffo be doing them this time with no 2.

I've got one sling as well (mobi) so am looking to get another couple.

ref the BF thing, I did with DS & so will do again with no 2, for me it was all about the right latch (across the tummy didn't work but rugby hold is so much easier so i'll prob try that straight away this time) other than that i've got some reusable pads (figure what's a bit more in with the nappies) a couple of tubes of lantosh (sp) fantastic must haves. we've done the whole steralizer/bottle thing, only as it was all 1/2 price for tommee tippe but have only got 2 bottles, I doubt we'll get more as i'll buy some cheapy plastic ones from the £1 shop as they'll get frozen as soon as they have about 5oz in them and I don't want to freeze good bottles. besides which we could spend a fortune on one sort of bottle only to find baby doesn't agree with them and have to buy more. Oh and very finally last time I leaked more than cow & gate (think DS one side other side leaked at least 1oz a time) so will get some of the shells again to capture all of my leakage for the spare milk pots, also got a swanky BF pillow from ebay as well for £13 which I was pleased with.

mrs v - you go careful you.

cap - i'm ok thanks, mostly keeping busy & trying not to dwell too much, had 3 msn video calls this week which was good, to be fair this week we've had daily contact so will be a shock for the next 2 weeks to have the basics (he's forces) so knew what I signed up for. it's all good thou - means we get a new sofa & bed after the baby arrives so it doesn't matter if my waters go in the middle of the night. :o (will have pads thou you understand lol)

anyhow big waves to everyone else, hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

awww mrsS come over here lovey, sit down take a load off, share my chocolate (brought 2 bars of dairy milk so you know you want to! lol). sometimes I don't think men understand us girls. you rant away as much as you like. break everything down that you need o get and do one thing at a time.

ref DH, have you told him before or is this the first time? DP keeps reminding me he's 'only a man not a mind reader'

DTM I've got Eco Bumbles. Meant to be just as good as Bumbles, but a hell of a lot cheaper (£3 each delivered!!) They have a fleece liner so take the wet away from baby, and a terry outer. Bought nappi nippas to use with them, but just need some wraps. They also have a pocket for a booster which you can just put in cut up towels or something similar.
Also just been on the Easypeasy website (where nappies are from) as would like some washable fleece wipes too, but someone on the web has suggested buy a fleece blanket from the £1 shop and cut it up - great tip!! :)

MrsS Feel free to SCREEEEEEEAM as loud as you like. It must be so frustrating for you with everything going on. Try to stay focused and calm and like DTM said have you told your DH what you're feeling?

You are both under huge amounts of pressure with worries of jobs/money not to mention your precious bundles, its understanding that you're feeling overwhelmed. You guys are in it together and it will be fine! Can you go out to the pub or something, be somewhere neutral, and have a nice time together where you don't talk about the big things and just enjoy each other's company and relax? We're here with you :)

nappy buckets don't forget to buy the right size mesh bag to go in it aswell, then you just lift the bag out and chuck it in the machine and you don't have to handle the dirty nappies . I second the tea tree oil for summer too!

My current fret is the car seat, our old second hand maxi cosi has broken (its 8 years old and been through 4 children!) and we were given a mamas and papas one by someone at church but its so much bigger and more unwieldy. I don't want to spend money we haven't got on a new carseat, especially for what I'm sure is our last child, but I'm not happy with the one we've got. Not really an earth shattering problem is it, but still one of those, what shall I doooooo moments!

betty I have some bottles as I plan to bf with a bottle a day once feeding is established. I love bf but only when it feels like a choice that I could stop at any time because I know they'll take a bottle! Understandably though some people recommend against, because if you're having a hard time establishing bf, the presence of bottles in the house can be very tempting in the early days (this is exactly what happened with me and my first DC). You could wait and not buy them til baby is a few weeks old?

cappy - where are you in the country - i've got a black mothercare one in the attic if you'd like it & are close you're more than welcome to have it. (has only been used for DS) might well be a little dusty, as it's been in the attic for a good while but no accidents. i'm on the south coast, not sure i'd have a box big enough to send is all. Also do you dry or wet pail? if you wet what mix do you use, sorry for questions but i've heard reports of chamomile tea & all sorts of delights. I assumed a bit of milton/napisan and that would be that?

klou - that sounds like a good idea, also the wipes as well - or you could get some towels as well possibly and use those cut up? - that's my next job to pinch the family swing machine & make some liners/boosters/pads etc.

re bottles I don't intend to buy them. If an emergency occurs, cup feeding/spoon feeding is an option and esp with 24 hour supermarkets, even bottles are available. I liked a blog article I read re dads and feeding custommademilk.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/babies-bottles-daddy-bonding-breastfeeding/

re nappies thanks for the info bout nappy bucket sizes. think i'm going to order my nappies this week along with the carseat (decided to go for an ERF carseat from sweden)

BIG hugs to mrs S

I've been feeling pretty grotty for a few days, hoping it's M.E. stuff and not gestational diabetes. Going to see how I am in the morning and if as rough as today, give the midwife a call...

oh no mrsV that must have been scary, i hope you're okay now.

mrsS i know what you mean about dh's lack of ability to put things away and that kind of thing, mine is also like that and it does drive me mad. about the nursery furniture, i think if you buy from m&p and those kind of places its a lot more expensive just because its labelled up as nursery furniture, when really you can just get a normal chest of drawers to do exactly the same job as an m&p one? i just get mine a cot and a normal drawers from argos, not in a matching range but the same kind of wood/colour and works out much cheaper. although the m&p kind of nurseries are lovely but the prices can come out ridiculous if you get everything from there. i got a 2nd hand m&p changing table for my ds1 (well my mum got it) for only about £20 or £40 something like that, it is still going strong so that was good value. so you never know might see a bargain somewhere that you can pick up, to make it cheaper

klou that is a good price £3 for reusable nappies! i will have a look at them, although dunno if i would go through with using them as im too used to disposibles but worth a look. one of my friends started using them just on her 3rd and she is saying she doesnt kno why she did not use it before

Just a thought, but if money is tight have you tried Freecycle? We got ds a cot off there (we bought a new mattress though) as dd was still using her cot at the time. Also Ikea do some good cots. I'd second the advice about not buying baby furniture, it's overpriced and often quite small so you have to invest in bigger wardrobes as they grow [speaks from bitter experience!]. The only things I take ages to consider are car seats as they can make all the difference.

I stupidly bought loads of bottles with dd and barely used them even in the first month when we had to mixed feed. I'll get 1 out of the roof this time round but they just take up too much space - unless you are actually using them regularly of course!!

V tired at the moment and we're off to Canada in a few days time so the house is full of packing to be done... I've been trying to keep up with the thread but not doing too well - sorry! Wishwales, keeping my fingers crossed for you and MrsS I hope the scans continue to go well, I've been thinking about your two little ones and keeping my fingers crossed for them both.

Oh, I have booked my birthpool now, so hopefully the homebirth plan will go smoothly, now all I need is to decide on a sling...

Agree with the whole 'nursery' furniture thing. We're getting a white chest of drawers and small matching wardrobe from Ikea, and a cot and changing top from John Lewis. The Ikea white chest of drawers is wide enough to change baby but we have a boiler cupboard above where it will go so room a bit of a prob there.
this is where I first saw the drawers (they come in different sizes) and also the colour of nursery we are doing

Re the article about BF, it makes sense, but I think it is more a personal choice of Dad 'feeling' a bond and feeling involved rather than a professional point of view :) After all, we'll have spent 9 months initially bonding and feeling baby move, and I think it's the things like Dad being able to feed baby that makes all the difference.

DTM I couldn't be further from the south coast I'm afraid, but thank you for the lovely offer!
Oooh ekka let me know what sling you decide on, I'm gonna get DH to ebay our baby bjorn and get a nice woven wrap sling, one of those things I really wished I'd known about/bought first time round!
Totally agree on getting 'adult' sized wardrobe etc from the start. Gotta love Ikea
DH built our cot top changer 4 years ago with a large flat piece of wood and some batons underneath to stop it slipping, been brilliant and has lasted better than the change mat that went on top!

Am getting quite concerned with the gathering of the baby stuff as I thought DP and I were quite well ahead, until I read this thread back... I've only got as far as locating the baby aisle in Sainsbury's and not actually buying anything from it - and everyone else has the nappies and nipple pads already! Still, at least we have extracted several equipment/buggy/furniture loan promises from friends and family, and the prospective grandmothers are knitting...

Lots of kicking now... best wishes to everyone...

Thank you all for your supportive messages and chocolate profferings!

I have got it together for now, had a good old blub (and a bit of a wail!) then had a good long chat with DH and set some things straight. Plus he made me dinner without me even asking and hung out / brought in some washing all by himself so mega brownie points! He's also promised to sort my car out for me (after agreeing that this was, indeed, a boy job). Excellent.

I also totally agree with the nursery furniture thing and having a proper wardrobe and chest of drawers makes waaaaaay more sense - particularly with 2 babies worth of stuff to stash in there. I have now bid on 2 cots on ebay which would total less than 1 of the ones we were looking at in mothercare if I win them (fingers crossed).

Going to get an early night and sit in bed making a list of things to do and a list of things we need to buy so that at least we know where we stand. Might even chuck on a few items that we've already got just so I can cross them off straight away ... always a good feeling!

FX for tomorrow's scan ... think I will feel much better indeed if I know that the babies are behaving themselves!

MrsS Think we are having the same kind of evening!
My "DH" has just got back from a weekend golfing - nice of me to let him go, wouldn't you say? - and I asked him if we could have his birthday "do" on Friday (his actual birthday) rather than the weekend. He wasn't up for it so I had to plead and then got VERY upset at having to explain why. Basic reason was, because it suited ME better and I couldn't give a F**K about what suits his family more, becuase how about for once I get my way???????? Especially when he's just had a weekend away.
Honestly they just don't have a clue - do they? I had a cry too, not something I do much, just as well because since I've been pregnant, I've found that when I start, it's hard to stop - bloody hormones.

I also had a pop at him for moaning about doing DIY etc when I go out of my way to make his life easy!!! I mean who is the fool doing the ironing at 11pm on a Sunday night - ME and who is watching the golf on TV - NOT ME!!

Hopefully I'll get a good nights sleep and feel better in the morning.
I'm not normally moody, we hardly ever fall out, and I'm not into mind-games, but I feel like just not speaking to him for a week and going on strike to make him appreciate all that I do. I am really so peed off, and there's the tears started again.

He has apologised and said all the right things, but you know what they're like - eventually they just say what you want to hear so that you'll stop going on / stop crying, and nothing ever changes.
Jeez, I really feel very low tonight. Sleeping should be fun now that my nose is blocked from all the crying.
Night all, hope you are all having a better night than me and MrsS
x

awww ali & mrsS, how are you both feeling today?

have a nice bar of choc & a cuppa to set you up for the day.

fwiw you're not alone, I had a paddy at DP last weekend as I wasn't feeling like he was giving me any attention quite irrational, & to be fair was mean as he was in the middle of the med. sea at the time. but like you guys once the tears start they won't stop. and a lady should have some sort of treat on her anniversary god damn it! lol. but still, I think we all have these hormonal bursts - we wouldn't be pg if not would we?

mrs S - good luck today, fingers crossed, just a thought, have you thought of a cot bed - if you got those divider thingys might work in the short term until they're a little bigger?

and yes boy's do have definate boy's jobs don't they - in our house his are washing up, ironing, lifting the boxes down from the wardrobes, all car maintenance (apparently you're meant to feed cars water & petrol duncha know otherwise they break down ) de pooping after the dogs and hoovering the garden up.

cappy - aww well, the offer's there still as a last resort if you'd like to arrange a courrier - (could always black bag it?)

ekka/cappy, yes indeed let me know about the wraps as well, I quite fancy a woven wrap, have got a mobi one atm from an NCT sale I went to, but I fancy a storchwein one, not sure if I can justify the cost as had a tomy safari with DS & hated it big time. (didn't feel safe) also said to DP if we got the pushchair I wanted i'd sacrifice my wrap (big shout there) but we got the pushchair so. He wants a 'man's carrier' thou.

anyhow, away to work for me, get a feeling today's gonna be a horrible awful day but hey ho there's bound to be something nice at lunch time we can have - ie krispe kremes to cheer ourselves up. :o

MrsS and Ali - wish I'd come on here last night, was v low after big row with DH too and tears everywhere - still feeling low, blimmin hormones I guess. So hope you both got some sleep or (like me) are at least getting a break this morning.
Choc and bucket of wine tea sounds good right now, with a little chocolate.

MrsS good luck with the scan, fingers crossed all day.

Good luck with your scan MrsS and Wishwales I hope you're still hanging in there.

Re slings, I have a kari-me www.kari-me.com/ which I definitely recommend - DS was in it pretty much all the time for the first 3 months and it's really comfortable to wear and much easier to put on than it first appears

Hello - I have been looking for a good baby changing unit that will take the strain off my back by minimising how much i bend and found this on amazon (they have them is different colours) www.amazon.co.uk/Cosatto-Easi-Peasi-Changing-Kaleidoscope/dp/B000HZ7ZL0/ref=pe_39421_24916111_as_img_5/

What do you think? Probably wont end up using the bath too much but its got compartments at hand and was wondering if any of you second/ third times have any input on this!