March 06 - Into the 3rd Trimester

[RosiePosie]

Here we are girls. I think we are all a bit shell-shocked at the moment, aren't we?

Thinking of you DHW and wishing life wasn't so cruel sometimes.

Thank God it's not just me, Dene! I keep thinking it's ages until the baby actually comes - don't need to do anything just yet! But you're right, it's only 2 months now! Lucky you finishing work soon - I'm working right up to the middle of Feb!

Toothyboy - I worked until 4 weeks before with DS but I don't think I could keep going that long this time! I also have the same dilemma as you about buying a new matress for our carrycot where the baby will sleep for the first few months. DS previously used it only for a short time so it is like new but with all the information around about cot deaths being linked to old matresses I think I might buy a new one just to be on the safe side. Although I know lots of people who have reused matresses and had no problems.

I also worked up to 4 weeks before ds was due - he was 1.5wks late though, so I feel loads of time was wasted! I'm certain this one will be late as well (small for dates, sonographer puts me about 5 days later) and I'd rather have the time afterwards - it's not as though I'll be relaxing at home beforehand this time anyway!! And I only work 3 days a week now, so it's not such a hardship!
As far as the mattress goes, I think I probably will get a new one - they're only about £20 for the moses basket.

Hi guys - sorry I've not been posting - I have been lurking, honest, but this is first chance since new year. Once I'd got over the annoyance of DH getting congratulated for being father of the year during the celebrations - he wasn't drinking as he had tonsillitis, but everyone thought it was in support of me and of course he let them carry on thinking that, all the women fawned over him all evening, quite sickening... I came down with the same thing, so feeling very sorry for myself and can't even take loads of pills! Boo!

Final straw today saw the midwife and mentioned Antenatal classes as am now 30 weeks, she said that due to cut backs they have been moved to another village nearby and I probably won't get in now as there will be loads of demand. Why didn't she tell me earlier? Grrrrr! Have emailed NCT to see if they can fit me in still instead. Anyone else doing/started antenatal classes? Are they a waste of time so I shouldn't mind anyway? And is it just me who thinks it is a bit unreasonable that they are always in the middle of the day - what if you have childcare/work commitments?

Piffy, grr at your antenatal classes being probably not on! how rubbish, although if your working they come under allowed time off! (did at my old job anyway) as for the child care bit, think they offer it around here, although I haven't bothered going this time around, as figured it was all fairly fresh in my mind still (ha, ha)

LL lucky you, I used to leak in the night, you know the case of hardly any milk left cause dd was an evening feeder, couldn't budge off the sofa, for her wanting food in the evening....then of course boobs in overdrive when I went to bed!

Munz, FYI I didn't have a show until 5cm dilated, and they had to break my waters, or dd would have been a cowl baby!

Well midwife appts have gone to twice a month now so arghhhhhhhhh, forgot to mention to lady doing a cover job today that I may want to try home birth after all, so when I go again in two weeks, will probably get told to bog off! lol.....(dh now working away quite a distance during week for forseeable future, thus will be stuck with no transport and I live about half hours drive from city with hospital!! ahem....)
also only measuring 31 weeks and I'm 32 and a few days! so no doubt this one will be a little late as well

Piffy - you're allowed reasonable time-off from work for ante-natal classes, but yes, it's daft to only do them in the day and the midwifery team should have written to you about classes ages ago. I think the NCT ones are generally better. The quality of the NHS ones vary hugely - ask which midwife is doing them and then see if you can find out what other mums think of her. If it's your first I'd definitely recommend doing a class of some sort - if only to meet other mums due at the same time as you.

I'm not bothering with classes second time around. Ditto with Frizbe in hoping it's still all fresh... But don't have the time anyway, particularly as we are house hunting.

All I've bought is a dinky grobag and (randomly) some super-cute suede boots that I couldn't resist. DH thinks it's too early but I will make a start now that Christmas is over.

Mattresses - I'm going to get a new moses mattress (I'm borrowing the basket) but think I'll re-use DS's cot mattress. I remember reading somewhere (on MN?) that it's fine to re-use mattresses between siblings. I don't think they've put anything nasty into UK mattresses for a long time now anyway.

Well I got a new moses matress for bump the other day £7.00 from babies r us, however I have read its not what they put in the matresses, but the mould spores that form in the matress over time, which can cause the gas buildup that can be toxic to newborns, hence why they wrap all the matresses in NZ.....just FYI don't wanna start a debate!

£7.00 I had to pay £39.99 for my crib one from mothercare! but I suppose it is a special sized one.

LL - i'm already leaking (spots have been for some time now)

piffy - our antinatal classes are the last sat of each month - new ones apparently starting end of this month so I have to ring up and book them, was only told about them b4 xmas it was a case of we do them but they're changing so there's no point in u doing em till the new systems set up!

hope everyone's ok thou will catch up properly later on today.

Morning all and a happy new year! I can't belive that it's only 12 weeks till d day! Arghh - i have done precisely nothing - you all seem so organised. At the moment I still have all ds baby clothes in the attic unwashed and a room that is very blue for what we think is going to be a girl anyhow. At least i have moved ds to his new room already.

Went to see the midwife yesterday who told me that the baby is already turned - something I already suspected. when do they normally get into the head down position? I can't remember frm last time

Klara

Morning!
Klara I'm not organised either! As far as I know all my first size baby clothes are at my sister's house in Scotland (her dd is 6 months younger than my dt's). Fortunately all the furniture etc is being fetched this w/e as they are moving back to the south. I try not to think about how (relatively) little time is left-and I'm not due til the end of March either.

hi everyone. klara - i seem to remember reading that the baby can be in position from as early as 32 weeks, but i am not entirely sure so maybe someone else here can help you.

munz - TP measurements 9 squares ! friz, nearly caught up with you!

are you supposed to wash everything (ie. towels, cot sheets, etc.) even if brand new, as well as just the sleepsuits? i am assuming so.

I do tend to wash everything because of Tilly's excema and also towels don't work properly when new. Same goes for cloth nappies and I think that the 'ready made' ones like Totsbots need a couple of washes really although they won't be working overtime at first with little wees and that tarry poo!
All my baby stuff still packed away but won't be getting washed in this weather I'm afraid.
Munz, my crib mattress was about that much too (funny size) so will def be using again.
By the way if this one's a boy it'll be wearing pink in bed!!

Hi everyone!

We are all fine and dd has scabbed over so we are back in circulation. I finish work next week so I have been busy booking antenatal appts and classes, hair appts and dentist appts!! I have been really slack with my blood tests and antenatal appt so I now making up for lost time!

I have nothing else sorted!! No idea how many clothes we have, need a new mattress and a moses basket aghhhhh - I will be avoiding pineapple until I get sorted out!!

tip on the classes piffy - put your name down on a waiting list as places do come up - I have decided to do a refresher class for second-timers and the nct answer phone says 'we are fully booked until june' but I left my name and I am going in jan! so you never know!

rom - we had the mammas and papas 3-in-1 system and it was great. I switched to a maclaren buggy when dd was sitting up more though as it was lighter - kept using the car seat for longer though, and will use it again this time.

munz - thanks for photos is that internet porn?! what definition! Jake is nice name don't worry about it. I just heard of a Noah - I think thats quite cool. Who is the person now on the aug thread?

marne - sorry to hear you are fed up. Are you looking after yourself? lots of lovely food, vits, treats and pampering?

laundry lover - we've got the iron ikea bed - in white though - its fab - everyone says how nice it is (and such a bargain!).

coppertop - loved the fireworks story!! we were tucked up in bed at that time but did watch some out of the window.

Hi all

LL, we have the ikea bed in black too!! dd loves it!

Rom your catching up!

Well have been to aquanatal today felt so tired afterwards, have forgotten what exercise is like!!

On the downside my grans been diagnosed with skin cancer today treatment TBA, as NHS have a few months que.......hmmmm.......not good when your 94 eh.......

ok ladies one of the feb thread girls has been kept in hospital today, and might not be let out until she has her babe in arms, anyone getting scared now

friz - gettin scared - i'm there honney been there for about the past 4 weeks! lol. still bit late now init! lol. aquanatal - I ask u, have u not learnt anything from me and rom - it's sit down with choccy! lol.

ng - lol, internet porn - I don't know to what u're reffering! lol. (and those I thought would be tame!) here a riskeeeeey one for u and friz here god what i'd give to be in the shower at that point! phew! lol - don't bear thinking about! ooh gotta book my antinatal as well, thanks for reminding me! lol.

LL - yes we'll be using it again, (or well it will stay with the crib so if DB should get some one PG b4 we have a second he can use it - if he wants to)

rom - 9 squares! lol - it's positioning! that's what i'm telling myself! lol. washed all of my stuff, done it all once and chucked it in the tumbler. got to do the nappies a few more times thou, but that can wait for a bit!

klara - apparently mines head down as well - when do they engage? mum recoons it's good head down now as space is running out and it just means weight will go on but he won't move and swing around - hope that's the case but we shall see at the next apt. which is 2 weeks time. - then on to every 2 weeks!

spiker - whilst we're on the subject of matresses - again not after a big debate here but foam or spring any one know? the girl in mothercare (who looked all of 12!) reconns the foam ones are naff and won't last (we have a cotbed, if we did get a cheaper foam one now we'd replace it with a sprung one after about a year) but what's best for the baby's back? both DH and I suffer with our backs.

hello to everyone else who's not posted much, hope you're all doing well.

also, what r u guys putting in ur bags, and how long do u stay in hospital for? DH recons it's about 4 days I'm thinking over night at most. was gonna try to get it together over the next few weeks.

Munz - Re the hospital question can't help you massively as I live in HOlland and over here if there's nowt wrong you're out in 12 hours after the birth.

Having said that there were a few things I wish I had packed the last time - mostly food as I was so bloody hungry afterwards and the hospital food wasn't the greatest. this time will be lots of cereal bars, crackers, bananas etc. An hubby is under STRICT instructions to bring me a bacon buttie when he comes to visit the following morning!

Apart from that all I really used was my pj's, take lots of pairs of pants, slippers and a decent gownie. ALso was glad I packed a good book and some magazines, as well as my nice body lotion and some makeup bits and bobs so i could leave looking half decent.

ALl the massage oil, lavender etc - none of that even made it out of the bag!

god - I am scaring myself now. I'm off to get the baby clothes out of the attic this evening and start sorting through it all

klara

Munz - I had planned to stay in hospital for 3 or 4 days after having my first, but the ward was so horrible I was desperate to leave the next day ( loud snoring woman opposite, crying babies, MW's too busy to help anyway, cr*p food, dirty showers etc!) - as it was, ds was diagnosed jaundiced and we had to stay in for a week anyway - worse week of my life! Obviously every hospital is different though, and you might like it in there. If I had to go in again though, I would pay for a private room if I can. Re. hospital bag, I can't really remember as it was over five years ago, but I do remember the hospital being very stingy with the maternity pads, and me getting through a lot more than I had thought I would ( afterwards at home too ) - one or two packets will do for the hospital, but you will need more than that afterwards - I bled for 7 weeks with baby no. 1 (only 2 second time around ).

Munz,
started packing my bag today.
So far have babygrows, vests, blanket,nappies, towel, sanitary towels, breast pads, deodorant wipes, face cleansing wipes, toothbrush,toothpaste, water, shampoo, bodywash, maternity knickers, and normal knickers.
Got to get, Arnica tablets, good book, treats for me!, magazines and some nice new pjs!
What else have I forgot?!

right then girls - lets get a bit more personal - these maternity pads, so far i've got 30 I was assumin thhat would last me for a few days? should I get another 30 to make sure? my AF's weren't normally heavy if that makes any differnce?

thanks for the tips thou! (our hospital is all orivate rooms by the looks of it - there's two ward roms each hold 3 ladies. but 90% is pte room and ensuite so hoping to get one of those rooms.

Munz,
I got through 2 packs of always ultra in 4 days,so get some on buy one get one free offer if possible.Better to be safe than sorry.
Also just thought, nipple cream.I remember BF and my nipples hurt like hell!!!

It's got nothing to do with what your AF's normally like - it's your womb contracting down and healing where the placenta was joined - it's really yuck! You will bleed VERY heavily for the first few days ( this was a big shock to me first time around ) and then it will just be like having a normal period, gradually tailing off. You might be lucky and only bleed for a couple of weeks, or it could go on and on - I've heard of some women bleed for 12 weeks, but anything from 2-6 weeks is more normal. I wore two pads together for the first 2 or 3 days, and they needed changing every couple of hours. I also wear disposables knickers, because they WILL get stained, and as I'm planning on being at home, I'm getting some pampers bed mats to stop me messing up my sheets. Sorry if this is all too much information!

Oh yeah - Lansinoh nipple cream is expensive but Fabulous!

Munz, i left hospital 7 hours after having dd, i wouldnt recomend it. Stay in as long as you can.

lol rp - u know I hadn't thought of that! I didn't relise u could bleed for so long - I assumed it would only be for about 2/3 weeks max . I've brought some cheap plain kickers it was 7 pairs for £2.50 so I don't mind if they're wasted too much, (only got 14 pairs thou, perhaps I should get another 2 packs to be safe.)

will stock up on always as well as a few more maternity then.

def got to get some of this nipple cream!