October 2011 Baby Bus ... part 3

[elgoldenflower]

A place for all the mums due in October 2011

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I had the close parent sling with DS (we got two as DH refused to wear the red one!) and will be using it again with these two - it was a godsend!

We've got a FirstWheels City Elite, it's not from birth, but we have the carrycot too which DD used instead of a moses basket too, and the maxi cosi car seats fit onto it. It's basically a cheaper Bugaboo. My SIL has a Bugaboo and all the family agreed there's barely any difference between them, except with the bug you have to dismantle the carrycot to make the pram, but with the city elite they're 2 separate units. It had a couple of years of hard use and is still like new for this LO.

I've got a Wilkinet baby carrier which I got off Freegle, and also a wrap which I made. I'd like to try a mei tei too as you can use them for longer but I'll wait till LO arrives.
If you have a look on sling meet you will probably find a group near you. There's at least 3 near me. They usually have a library so you can borrow slings to try, and you can go before LO arrives too to get an idea of what's available.

Would a sling be good for a brand new baby when I am dog walking?

Also do we need to use a special laundry powder for the washing of the baby clothes?

Hello all, lovely to read all the plans everyone is making! I am currently choosing paint for the nursery and psyching myself up to spend too much money on a pram, even though we already have one. Decided we need one that changes easily from newborn to toddler, so that I can put my soon-to-be three year old in it and the baby in a sling if we are out and he gets grumpy about having to walk. Not an excuse that convinces my dh, but I'm ignoring his complaints!

Re slings - we had a babasling which I loved especially as I could use it for my prem son from the start even though he was tiny - you have to wait to use some until baby is a certain weight. I would definitely recommend trying a few though, as my friend hated the babasling and ended up with one (that I would have hated!) that needed to be wrapped around her body about 10 times and needed extreme skill to operate without dropping baby.

re washing powder - our health visitor said we could carry on using our regular washing powder (which is Bio) and only to change it if there was obvious irritation, but that she didn't think it was an issue as all powders these days are carefully tested.

Slings are great for when you're out walking. Also DD had colic so we'd spend an hour or so every night pacing the living room as being upright and on the move was one of the few things that calmed her... it took me ages to realise I could put her in a sling and combine that time with tidying up, baking etc. The one we had back then was rubbish which is why I've done my research since then.

Washing powder.... advice varies hugely. Our midwives said to avoid bio wash powders, they also told us to avoid a lot of the baby toiletries and stick with organic things. Johnson's has some particularly harsh chemicals.... but if you don't have any problems then your baby might not.
I have excema and very sensitive skin. Ecover and Surcare are the only ones I've found which don't make me want to rip my skin off within minutes of wearing an item (I wish I was exaggerating, it really is that bad!)

As for toiletries... I have a friend who's a hairdresser and she told me about an experiment she'd seen where they'd used Johnson no more tears shampoo as a perming agent. Apparently the reason it doesn't irritate your eyes is that your eyes are slightly alkali, so they make the shampoo to the same pH. The oils on your hair are slightly acid. So the shampoo won't sting your eyes, but is really bad for your hair.

I'm yet to find a bubble bath that don't make my hands itch or burn when I'm bathing DD. I'm a cruel Mummy who rarely gives her bubble baths it's just plain water, luckily Daddy and Grandparents do. :o

Sorry really long post, I'm full of useless info.

Thanks ladies!

Glad it's the weekend, 11 weeks until I can finish work, which sounds like FOREVER but hopefully I can grin and bear it! :)

Swapped some maternity bras in M&S yesterday as they were not very comfy and the lady said "the worst thing is when you get even bigger after the baby is born but your tummy goes down so you will look like Jordan". I did have a bit of a laugh with her about it but how the heck can my boobs get bigger when the have already gone from a B (in normal pre-baby life) to a DD.

Am now mortally disturbed!

hello ladies hope we are all well :)

so, im sick of eating. literally sick of it. its all i do, all i want to do and pretty much all i think about! baby has such a sweet tooth im craving biscuits chocolate and donuts its so annoying as i really do try to eat healthily except the odd pastry :(

and the baby is huge. he doesnt stop growing ever and im so hot all the time has it always been this hot? is it just me?

Morning ladies

I am a walking zombie today - DS's first night in his room last night and I was up every hour checking him (he was fine, I was panicking) he woke at 2, 3.30 and 5 and went straight back to sleep after he checked I would come in when he called but I was awake at 11, 12, 1, 2 and 3 and kept creeping in to check he was still breathing and hadn't been taken by the goblins! And then when I did go back to bed I was sooooo uncomfortable I could barely sleep - these babies are definitely giving me some gyp now. My right hip has gone so can't sleep on that side, so that, no sleep on the back or front means I am restricted to left side sleeping which is now irritating me!! Anyway, rant over!

I HEART SLINGS! Those and my reusables were the best thing I ever invested in with DS! I am quite upset that I wont be able to use them as much with the twins as it's not as practical, but everything from feeding in public, extra warmth in the winter and getting housework done with a screaming child that doesn't want to be put down is helpful with a LO!

Super Snap - yesterday I didn't stop eating ALL day!

Cheshire More disturbing... whilst walking down the village last week, my mother said to me 'your boobs can't get any bigger can they????!!' - Nice!

Cheeky did you decide on a pram?

I have my 28 week appointment and bloods today and then scan tomorrow - can't wait to hear / see the little beans again. Yay - what do you think the chances are of them saying both babies are 6lb and ready to come out??? huh??? Yeah me neither but I can but hope!

Morning all!

BB - we (ahem, ok, I) decided on a pram and ordered it yesterday - have gone for a bugaboo bee at vast expense. Had a mothercare voucher that made it a bit cheaper, and am planning on picking up the extras on ebay, but it still hurt, especially as we do already have a pram. Just telling myself that we can sell it on when we've finished with it (as we're not planning on any more children!) and that as we were given our last pram, then this one is really our first pram purchase!

Super - glad it's not just me that wants to eat (mainly sugar) all of the time! My dh baked a cake yesterday, and I'm trying to work out how much I can get away with eating before he gets home from work.

I have now finished work and don't need to go back at all except for a few days in August (teacher) so am feeling much more relaxed and calm about things. My many antenatal appts have also calmed me down as they are monitoring me more closely than they said they would (after a prem last time) and all is ok at the moment. Am now 29 weeks - quite scared to think that if this one comes when my son did then I've only got two weeks to go. Am relying on the power of positive thinking to keep this one in for as long as I can!

Hope everyone has a nice Monday - fingers crossed this grim weather goes soon.

Cheeky I had the immediate excitement of buying it and feeling all giddy then the stabbing pain of 'how much did I just spend!!'

I finish in London at the end of next week then working at home for 3 weeks until end of August. Official finish date 02 September but might take some holiday before that if it gets too much. It's so different this time with DS - I finished on my due date and went back after 6 weeks (but from home for 3 months). This time I am off until January and then going to decide what I want to do - thinking maybe an Easter return... But have to see how it goes. I mostly want to take more time for DS rather than the twins as the early days are mostly feeding, changing, sleeping but for DS he will need a bit more attention.

Cheeky how big was DS when he was born at 31 weeks? That is quite scary but fingers crossed this LO will stay put for a bit longer (although am sure at 38 weeks you will be willing it out!!)

Just back from midwife - both babies are now head down, heard two different heartbeats and felt two very definite baby back heads and bums so all good - now hoping the scan tomorrow will show that the placentas have moved so I can actually try for a VB delivery (albeit with epidural and in theatre just in case!).

He was 4 lbs 8 - so huge for a 31 weeker! This one is apparently also on the big side, so god knows how big she will be if I make it to the end - maybe 10 or 11 lbs? One of the many reasons I've asked for an ELCS.

Fingers crossed for the moving placentas!

Wow that is a good size for 31 weeks - and yes I'd probably elect too if I was faced with the prospect of that! Although 2 weeks before delivery they told me DS was going to be 9/10lb and out popped a tiny 6lber! Were you in hospital with him for long (sorry for all the questions).

yes fingers crossed - the amount these two have moved even if they are out the way I am sure they will change again in the next few weeks - I swear I can't keep track of their positions!

Also anyone know when / who you should be talking about birthing options etc with - With DS all my mw appointments (bar a couple) were at the hospital so done there and then but here I see mw from drs and scan / consultant. just very conscious I am 28 weeks and not really seen the hospital, had any information about antenatal groups (not that I'd do them again) or any chats about birth plans - I don't have my notes from DS to do it! Tempted just to write my version of my plan in the back just in case!

BB3 are you under MW care at all? I discussed my birth 'plan' with her, as far as it went, which was 'have the baby at home' 'OK'. I did write a rather long and precious birth plan too and kept it in my notes - absolutely no harm in that I reckon and I'll use the same plan this time as I'd like the same birth (well I'd rather not have the hours and hours of pain but that's part of the package right ). Good for you that you're going to try for VB delivery!

I think my pregnancy hormones are finally kicking in, I'm starting to really enjoy being pregnant! Thank goodness as I've still got at least three months to go (assuming this one arrives late as DD did).

As for eating....! I shock myself the amount of cake and biscuits I eat daily, I just crave sugar every hour of the day, and if i'm not eating I'm planning what I'm going to eat next DH is laughing at me.

Mmm. Just indulged in a very large piece of chocolate cake. Typing to stop myself going to the kitchen to get some more!

BB3 - ds was discharged at 35 weeks, earlier than we expected, so he only spent a month in NICU/SCBU - I think that was mainly because he was so big and had very few problems, other than the usual prem ones of temp control, jaundice and needing to wait for the suck reflex to kick in at 33/34 weeks. He was quick to take to breastfeeding as well, which was a blessing as being permanently attached to a breast pump was horrible.

As for birth plan - I asked my consultant about this as I don't see a midwife much, as my consultant appts have been quite frequent. She said I could make an appt to see a midwife anytime to discuss it or do it myself, and when I mentioned an ELCS she said she could discuss that more with me at 34 weeks, and that that was the usual time to discuss things about the birth. I think she realised I wanted to do it sooner rather than later because of my history - I imagine with a twin pregnancy its probably worth doing it soon too!

I have my mw every 4 weeks but she just does blood, BP, heartbeat etc and then sends me off - am seeing her again at 31 and 34 weeks weeks and consultant at 28, 32, 36 - I might ask them tomorrow and then the mw at 31 - I was told at 12 week scan how they 'like' to deliver twins (if going for VB has to be in theatre with epidural so if there are problems they can do section without putting me under) so I have limited options but I do want to feel like I have some control over it!

Cheeky that's really good - a friend on my previous AN thread had twins at 33 weeks and was in for 5 weeks so that is really impressive!

Hello! Haven't checked in here for ages but I've been reading your messages a bit. It's good to see everyone progressing well and it's really nice that we're all worrying/getting excited about the same things.

My trouble at the moment is making decisions. Has anyone else got that problem? Choosing a pushchair is really making my head hurt. Even things like how we're going to get the baby home from the hospital and things like that.

Needless to say I still haven't thought about a birth plan or anything. Hopefully NCT will make that bit easier.

Snort BB3 ! surely it's your Mothers fault about the boobs though, I mean it has to be, you've got her genes (that's what I would be telling her anyway).

I don't know where mine have come from because my Mum's are fake

Cheeky I hope you scoffed that cake, what did he expect after he baked it, I reckon at least half is okay :)

We do not do our birth plan until beginning of September I think on our NHS classes, although I know we have to do one for Hypnobirthing too but that still will not be until next month.

Cheshire I would but she had up until recently, very tiny breasts - she was all very slight and only got up to B cup when pregnant! I am now coming up to an E!

Cheeky when I was pg with DS I once ate a huge amount of bread and chocolate while DH was at work (like enough for three people) and told him that my friends had come over for lunch (which was a lie) as I was so embarrassed at eating the 6+ rolls and puddings etc! . So half a cake is nothing - as cheshire said he should expect it!

Just leaving scan - babies are both head down twin one pretty much in place in pelvis but placenta still low and blocking the exit . Spoke to consultant he says there's a 1 in 4 chance it will move but they'll check again at 32 and 36 weeks. If not it's a section for me!

If it does move they'll let me go to 38 weeks before inducing but they said not many twins make 38 weeks! I wanted to feel more in control after this appointment but am just feeling a bit rubbish!

And Cheshire I went to get measured and buy some bras afterwards as my old ones are getting sore. I was a 34 C/D before this pg - I'm now a 38 EE!

Aw, BB3. I hope you're not worrying too much about it. Either way you'll end up with two beautiful babies who will be giving you beaming smiles within a couple of months. I'm slowly starting to get my head round the idea that I might not have as much control over the birth as I'd like to and that whatever happens: BABY! Good luck with everything. x

It's probably the hormones but I just burst into tears at home just because the LO kicked and it felt so comforting and nice. [blushed]

hi everyone. i've had to cut out most of the crap that ive been scoffing eating. i had noticed i was getting huge (and im not talking pregnancy, unless that effects the size of your legs!) but i was ignoring it, until my mum happened to bluntly tell me. anyway, im still the same weight as i was about a month or two ago, so think i have lost some in myself as you do put about 1lb on a week or so ive read. my mum did tell me i look more bump now than round! good old mums!!!
my twins were born at 35 weeks and weighed 7lbs 6oz and 6lbs 10oz and were home in 4 days. so im thinking this one is going to be 10/11 lbs. (i do have moments were i think it might be bigger than that but i trynot to think about it.
i am 26 weeks tomorrow and i am struggling like mad. i didnt struggle this much with twin pregnancy. i have spd and my back is knackered. i am really quite worried about how i can get through the next 3months and if you knew me you would know it must be bad cos im very just shut up and get on with it and rarely ask for help. i cant always get up the stairs! dp is still in afghanistan but due back beginning of august. i think he might have to take time off at this rate before the baby. sorry didnt mean it to turn into a moan!

sassy moan away, spd sucks I've seen my friends literally in tears on the floor over it so you should rest as much as possible (with twins?!!) and make sure you ask for help.

I've just eaten a large plate of cheese and bread - I am going to have to work like crazy to get all this weight off - have really notices since the babies have turned head down that there is a lot of weight on my tummy area now they are not 'filling' it as such!

mpops Enjoy the nice hormones and the baby kicks! there's not a better feeling, even when it hurts!!! I know you are right, my mum kept saying just prepare for CS and then if it moves it's a bonus - but I am really worried about how the twins will effect DS so wanted to make the effort to be with him after they arrive - he's so active and a CS means I can't be as involved as I would want to, like driving him to nursery.

sassy did your twins move much after 28 weeks - once DS was head down, he stayed put until the end but not sure if it is the same with two! Hey you never know you might beat the record - 16lb wasn't it last week?!?!

sassy I'm hugely impressed that you've managed to cut down on your eating. I am ballooning (according to my mum: "Yes you're enormous, it's all the biscuits you eat" thanks mum) but I just can't seem to restrain myself from going back to the kitchen and getting another snack. Constantly Proximity to the kitchen is one of the perils of being a SAHM I suppose.

You grow big babies! DD was born at 42 weeks weighing less than one of your twins (she was 7lb 4oz) wow.

BB3 what a shame about the placenta, I would feel exactly the same in your position but mpops is absolutely right, all that matters is you'll have two gorgeous babies at the end of it

Is anyone else planning a home birth?

Hi there, are there any other October Mummys on here from Glasgow?

12 Weeks! I can't stand the wait. :(