October 2011 Baby Bus ... part 3

[elgoldenflower]

A place for all the mums due in October 2011

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lansinoh - I've got a tube already from my sister (she couldn't bf in the end!)- it's a godsend! The only thing that really helped last time - and so worth the extra money - am thinking with two of the little wigglers I might need to take out shares in it!!!

Actually sassy - when you were feeding the twins did you have them in the same feeding pattern or alternate? And did you feed one on each side or both on both? I know it'll work out somehow but wondered what you found easier? And is it worth investing in a bfing pillow for them? DS didn't have one as he was such an easy feeder and I just bunged him on a normal pillow with muslins covering them.

I didn't take the car seat in with me, DH bought it in when he collected us the day after.

I've just ordered the wallpaper for the nursery (m&p's have 10% off nursery interiors) and the curtain tie backs - they will be delivered week after next because I refuse to pay delivery fees so will pick them up in store!

Oh and DH announced last night that he might be going to Norway for the months of September for work (I take these things with a pinch of salt as the company he works for are a bit unorganised) but he reasoned it would be ok because I know when I will have an induction or CS so he can fly back for the day or two . Heaven forbid I actually go into labour before that!

its lansinoh its is great and heals nipples within a day or two i'll be using it before i get sore this time though to try and prevent any cracking, we'll see if that approach works.

i haven't even thought about hospital bag yet

i had paper knickers last time, i didn't find them uncomfortable but they are v. v. small so buy the biggest size you can i was size 14 and got 16-18 last time, if you catch them on asda baby and toddler event (which should hopefully start again soon) then you can someties pick them up BOGOF or £1 a box, think there's 5 or 6 pairs per box?

i am really bad with perlvic floor exercises and always have been

we have a maxi-cosi car seat which we had for DS think it fits most cars and you can get an iso-fix base (although i didn't have this as nursery store assistant said it was a waste of money,

Just to let everyone know who has still to buy things - mothercare have a price match deal, but only if you buy from them online. I bought my bugaboo plus all the other bits from them online then found a cheaper package deal online and they agreed to refund the difference! I know I could have just bought the cheaper one first, but I like the fact that mothercare have a 2 year guarantee and you can take it to any shop if there's a problem ( as opposed to having to send it to some warehouse somewhere).

Oh wow, all this practical advice is so useful. Thanks everyone! deep breaths

bb3 i was in hospital on the thurs for my 36 week scan (i was only 35+4 though) and i booked my c section for 2 weeks time which would have made me 37+4 and my waters broke the very next day, so i would be at my dp going on a business trip at that time! not necessarily at him but just in general.
i breast fed on demand so there was no routine. sometimes they wanted to feed at the same time, sometimes at 1 and a half hour intervals! i did get a feeding pillow but i couldnt get them both on at the same time with it. in fact i tended not to do them at the same time when they were small as i hated the sensation of it. it made me feel all irritated. like i wanted to bat them off and scratch my boob! so sometimes ivwould have one screaming while the other was feeding. i would have to get up, still clutching the bfing one, grab the screaming one by the scruff of the sleepsuit and try and comfort one while the other carried on. when they got older i decided to feed them at the same time to save time and also cos they could latch on straight away in any position so it didnt hurt me anymore. ive had one on their side and me on my side while they latch on and then hung one face down in my boob with the legs hanging over my back! trust me you will find positions eventually. everyone kept telling me to buy a pump but i couldnt bear the thought of breast feeding twice within a three hour period and pumping as well!!! i would have cracked up. it was very hard but i did it exclusively until i weaned them at 23 weeks and then carried on with it until they were 9 months- when jacob decided to bite me, and i mean clamp down and not let go . i was screaming and crying i thought he would have my nipple in his mouth. i did introduce bottles at 4months as the is a very well documented growth spurt for babies at rhis age and mine were both crying after every feed. i remember it started on the sunday and on the thurs i rang my mum up crying, saying i cant cope any more and she came flying round with formula, but neither took to it. isobel would have 1/2oz and jacob would have 2/4oz. i think that i did it for less than a week and then they stopped crying after breast so i stopped formula until 7 months, when i just lost most of my milk and just gave them breast in the morning and evening until that fateful bite 2 months later.
i think im gonna pump with this one though as it is so restricting otherwise. i use to just go to tesco for an hour when dp use to get back on fri night, just to get a bit of freedom.

sorry, i know its long but wanted to explain. i topped them up with the formula- i did breast feed first. also i think i lost my milk cos i was pregnant. the midwife said my body was probably too busy trying to grow another baby to make enough milk for two. also i was advised not to swap boobs. so my left was isobels and the right was jacobs. i think this is good advice as jacob was bigger and needed more milk and your boob will make as much as it needs iyswim. i realised after i accidently put them on the wrong boob and jacob cried as though there wasnt enough.

Thanks so must sassy that makes complete sense. I was thinking one boob each would be my preference. I'd like to exclusively bf for 3-4 months then introduce expressed bottles for a couple of feeds. Ds wouldn't touch formula until he was 8 months and was also fed on demand but he was a little and often kind of baby rather than a ten minute each side one. The only thing I'm worried about is night feeds and coping if the babies want feeding every 90 minutes alternatively!

I bought some of the tiny baby packs of vests, suits, mitts and hats today for the babies and most of the bits for my hospital bag (god love asda!) going to take disposables into hospital and save the reusable ones for when I'm home and the babies are big enough. Just got to buy the bag now!!!

I was having a really 'feel sorry for myself' day today as I'm now ridiculously uncomfortable and in a lot of pain when the babies move but then one of the ladies on my twins thread have her baby girls weighing 4lb4 and 3lb6 and it's given me the slap round the face i need to snap out of it!!!

I know I was a bit funny with DH when he said it. Like I said it's very unlikely it will happen (they were going there in April and it's still not happened). But if the placenta moves they won't induce me until 37 weeks plus which is fine but also increases likelihood of it happening on it's own beforehand! I told him it's his choice and if he goes then he has to do so with the risk of him missing the birth!

Yep lansinoh is a godsend, expensive but I only bought 1 tube and it lasted 9 months and there was still some left. I used it religiously right from the start and I didn't get cracked nipples, still flipping sore for the first 2-3 weeks, but they never cracked.
My breastfeeding kit was a box next to the settee where I tended to feed which had lansinoh, breastpads, phone, remote control, biscuits and a water bottle in it. I bought my friend a water bottle and she couldn't understand why, until she realised that she'd get lovely and comfy, baby latched on and her glass of water would be on the coffee table out of reach. A water bottle can be thrown on the settee without been spilt.

I also recommend Tommee Tippee breastpads. I'd prefer to use the washable ones but I leaked a lot and they just didn't work. The Tommee Tippee ones were great and they're often on offer in Tesco's (although they haven't been when I've looked recently.)

BB3 eek, I hope your DH's company continue to be disorganised and he's at home for you.
I'm lucky DH is a SAHD so he'll definitely be around. I have been told to keep my legs crossed by my inlaws though. Just before I knew I was pregnant they booked a 3 week holiday to Cambodia. They're due back on my due date. DD was only 1 day late so there's a good chance they'll be away when this one arrives.

My folks are away for three weeks in September, but hopefully will be back in time, even if he's early.

Just been picking up some more free goodie bags (2nd Bounty and Emma's diary packs) - got a nice big bag now full of all my freebies: nappies, baby wipes, sudacrem, palmers lotions, Dettol sprays, Lansinoh nursing pads, fairy non-bio, fruit flakes and other things, as well as vouchers etc.

Just seen in Sainsbury's if you joins their Little Ones club you get a mum-to-be pack worth £9.99 for free - gonna join that too. Already joined Boots and Tesco and about every baby company going!

Also got some Pampers Pure baby wipes in a £ shop and then noticed that both Wilkinson and Asda have them on offer reduced to 98p and £1 respectively!

I've got loads of pampers and huggies vouchers but would like to try re-useable ones as well - any tips on best ones to get?

Starting to feel a bit more organised following my 'arg I'm not ready' panic yesterday. .

As nice as it is to be organised, be wary about stocking up on too many of one type.
I got a few packets of pampers nappies with DD, but ended up giving them away as they gave her nappy rash and leaked every time, they just didn't suit her shape.
Also all wet wipes other than simple made my hands or her bum sore.

I'd love to be able to stock up now, while I have the ready cash, but I don't want to end up with a surplus of things that are useless.

With reuseables, I used totsbots bamboozles last time, they were lovely! So soft! I've still got them and I've picked a different type up from a Freegler, although I can't remember what type they are. I know they took ages to dry though and aren't as soft.

Thanks for the heads up on Sainsbury's. I signed up with loads of clubs last time but haven't done yet with this one. I recommend Hipp Baby Club though for when they start weaning. I got fantastic information off them last time.

We use close parent pop in Nappies which I love - they were brilliant for DS and we've got a new pack of 20 plus DS' old 20 (which have been worn to death) for the twins. I'd have a look round and try different ones as not everyone gets on with all of them. There were a lot I just couldn't get my head round!

Agree re disposables. I've just got one small pack of size one for the hospital and will go out and get more / different ones if needed and the twins are too small for the reuseables (which is very likely!) but then I've only got one pack of basic tiny baby outfits for each and will buy everything else once they are here and I know their size etc.

With the nappies, I'll just try the freebies/vouchers first and see how we get on then. Thanks for the tips on the reusable ones. The Pure wipes are supposed to be just like water and cotton balls - just more convenient I guess. Still, didn't exactly break the bank.

Signed up to the Sainsbury's deal since last post; it seems you need to buy nappies (huggies newborn I think) to get the free pack, but you do get sent a pack with freebies as well and I'm sure some vouchers too.

In total I'm signed up with: Boots, Bounty, Cow and Gate, Emma's diary, Hipp, Huggies, Philips Advent, Sainsburys, Tesco and SMA. Some do free packs, some vouchers, competitions and some just info. As Tesco says, 'Every little helps'!

BB3 I too am a bit wary of buying too many clothes at this stage as I don't know how big he's going to be, so will prob do the same as you.

tally you wont be able to open your front door with all the junk mail you'll be getting!
bb3 i was on that twins thread, infact i think im the first name in the list of babies born.
well dp' s nan is really sick, she is catholic and the priest as read her her last rights but we just cant get him back from afghan as they dont recognise grandparents as immediaye family. not only that but the flight he was supposed to be on is now full cos of a back log due to a cancelled plane, so he has to get an even later one. he's not going to get to say bye or even get to the funeral at this rate. so upsetting and frustrating.
baby woke me up this morning doing a full tumble turn, never felt that before, it was a bit uncomfortable but nice. it has turned before obviously but not like a tumble dryer more like a forward roll iyswim!

Oh sassy really sorry about Dh's gran and the delay getting him home. That's rubbish. Hopefully when he's back you can do something special to remember her. Thinking of you all.

I'm not sure if I'm nesting or panicking . This morning I woke up, did a load of washing including babies hospital bag things then found out all the reusable Nappies and washed them up. Did the ironing from yesterday's load, dusted, hoovered, cleaned up ds' room and ours. Took ds to the petting zoo, came home, had lunch, sorted out some old boxes, played with ds as much as possible (not much as my tummy was sore from all the slides with DS this morning. Put DS in the bath, put him to bed. I then made up the nappies, did ironing from today (there's now a pile of clean white baby clothes in the dining room) and now I'm watching tv with DH but keep thinking there is something I should be doing something!!! Hmmm!!! Must be panicking!

bb3 you're more than welcome to come do mine for me, my whole house looks like a bombs hit it, I will try to get it liveable on my day off this week but have accepted it will not be perfect until I start mat leave

Morning all. Sorry not posted for ages, work has got so busy and my grandmother has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour so the last few weeks have just been a blur. I feel like the poor baby is getting no time or attention as I'm up to my eyeballs with everything else. I am so unprepared we gave bought nothing and I'm 29 weeks.......I did spend yesterday making lists though so now I am aware how woefully unprepared I really am . Got kept awake by our neighbour partying last night until DP went round at half twelve to ask them to turn it down, so exhausted this morning. Wish I could go on mat leave early but not going to be able to until I'm 37 weeks ! Better hope this baby isn't early.

morning all

hope everyone is doing well, i've joined all the baby clubs too tally to get the freebies

i've started getting a lot of pain around the back of my pelvis when lying on my side so really struggling to get a decent sleep now

starting to get really tempted to bring Mat leave forward, but i know i'd regret it at the other end. at the moment i finish 8weeks on friday, when i should be just going into 37th week.

I'm really sorry to hear about your bad news sassy and pebble. x

sassy and pebble - I'm so sorry too. Thinking of you both

Pebble sorry to hear about your grandmother. I hope you are coping as best you can.

I have lots of back and tummy pain going on at the moment - think I might have a UTI of some sort (it's either that or BH's but it's a little early for that). Feels like one baby is going to fall out the pressure down there and I am weeing a lot (and have had an increase in white discharge - sorry for TMI) although it's been bad all the way through tbh! I also seem to have lost patience with everyone and I am really, really struggling to not snap at people constantly!

Edward when would you finish if you bought it early? I am still debating losing a week - Everyone keeps saying they only think i'll last a couple more weeks (as in pregnant rather than work) but I know I'll be here at 40++ with these babies still all cosy inside and cursing them all for jinxing me!

BB3, what week are you in? I've had some BH for a couple of weeks now and I'm 29 weeks, so it might be that. Hope you get it sorted out whatever it is.

We've been out buying hats and babygros and socks and changing mats. It feels really strange and I can't believe how comforting it is to sit and look at all the stuff for a bit every night before I go to bed. It makes me feel a lot less scared about giving birth for some reason.

I'm still reluctant to buy the pushchair though. I wonder why, especially as the one we want is on special offer right now. I'm being silly, aren't I?

29 weeks today - feels like period pain, tightening in the top of the bump but not like contraction tightening like the BH's with DS were, I just suddenly notice it's tight! And a generally achey back.

mpops When the buggy arrives, I'll keep it at family's house, not mine, just in case but worth getting if it's on offer!

Thinking of you Sassy and Pebble

Thank you for the list of suggested hospital bag items, have now passed to DH and he is in charge of everything else I am just cooking Porgey! :)

We ordered the nursery furniture from Mamas & Papas yesterday so I feel excited about how nice that will look (when we evict the computer that is). Also ordered a little rocking horse, random but great!