Due December 2012 - third thread, moving towards the second trimester!

[minipie]

Well, our nattering on the previous thread has used up 1000 posts and I can't see a new thread so here we go!

The list is below, please add yourself if you're missing!

Clarella - due Nov 28-30 DC#1
BigRedIndiaRubberBall - due 29 Nov DC#2
Quills - due 1st Dec DC#2
smongesmonge - due 1st Dec Dc#2
pleasebethismonth due 1st Dec DC #2 i
QueenofMacaronicheese - due 2nd Dec DC#3
ssimma - due 2nd Dec DC#2
DKNY123 - due 2nd Dec DC#1
AceOfBase - due (approx) 2nd Dec DC#3
PurplePidjin - due 2nd Dec DC #1
KMBatfink - due 3rd Dec DC#1
TeaJunky - due 4th Dec DC#2
M0naLisa - due (approx) 4th Dec DC#3
StrawberrytallCake - due 5th Dec DC#2
Yikesherewego - due 5th Dec DC#1
mummycox - due 5th Dec DC#1
queenofsiburbia - due 5th Dec DC#1
ItsMyLastOne - due 6th Dec DC#2
kalidasa - due 6th Dec DC#1
Wittywhirl - due 6th Dec DC#1
SeymoreButts - due 7th Dec DC#3
ivanapoo - due (approx) 7th Dec DC#1
prunelladeville - due 8th Dec DC#1
Brenau - due (approx) 8th Dec DC#1
Chloe55 - due (approx) 8th Dec DC#2
minipie - due 8th Dec DC#1
lauraloo09 - due 8th Dec DC#2
acjfluff - due 9th Dec DC#1
Rosa7 - due 9th Dec DC#2
gilsbubbles - due 10th Dec DC#1
walnut - due 10th Dec DC#2
cashmere - due 11th Dec DC#2
Stacks - due 12th Dec DC#1
Cherrypiew3 - due 12th Dec DC#4
Cookiesandcream06 - due 12th Dec DC#2
Barbeasty - due 12th Dec DC#2
VegemiteSandwich - due 12th Dec DC#1
CODwidow - due 12th Dec DC#5
backwardpossom - due 13th Dec DC#2
bellaboo123 - due 13th Dec DC#1
brooke89 - due 14th Dec
ddas - due 14th Dec DC#2
Margie32 - due 14th Dec DC#2
FriendofDorothy - due 15th Dec (ish) DC#1
QueenandKingMum - due 15th Dec DC#4
Dillydollydaydream - due 16th Dec dc#4
kateand2boys - due 17th Dec FF or due 20th Dec LMP DC#3
roseandroli-due 17th Dec DC#1
ChangeMyHappy - due 18th Dec (ish) DC#2
Whatmess - due 19th Dec DC#2
Shangers - due 19th Dec DC#2
StaceymReadyForNumber3 - due 19th Dec DC#3
nasara - due 20th Dec DC#2
blackcurrants - due 20th Dec DC#2
annelid - due 20th Dec DC#7
CupOfBrownJoy - due 21st Dec DC#1
Chipsandmushypeas - due 24th Dec DC#1
sicilianlemons - due 23rd Dec
JingleBellBaby - due 25th Dec (?) DC#2
Magic69- due 26 December DC#2
MyDaydream - due 27th Dec DC#1
SpottyTeaCakes - due 27th Dec DC#2
LolaAnn - due 28th Dec DC#2
livismum - due 29th Dec DC#3
NaomiRuth - due 30th Dec DC#1
Mama2threemaybemore - due Dec 31st DC#4
KMR281 - DC3 due end

Just 5 weeks to finish the house renovations before we have to move in. rather than stripping wallpaper or pattering i was hanging a new blind in what was once just known as the spare too. nesting ? I think so

Dp is putting up shelves and blinds that have been sat around since I bought the place - 5 years before we met.

Nesting, gil?

Oh I haven't really been nesting yet. We moved in a year ago and still have sheets over the bedroom windows! I'm a bit daunted by having to choose and buy a whole load of baby stuff if I'm honest.

So what do I actually need in the spare baby's room?

minipie I feel the same, I was sat in what will be the babies room (now DPs computer room) looking at stuff last night, but was having some real trouble connecting the stuff on the websites to my need for them. I just got a bit confused and scared at how expensive everything seems to be.

Does anyone else just feel like it's not real yet, I come on here and post about my pregnancy, I know I am pregnant but I just can't pair that with bringing home a baby at the end of the year.

Ha ha minipie, I'm the same! 'Baby's' room is my 'dressing room' (ie a clothes explosion on every surface following holiday unpacking I cant be bothered to put away.

Is it bad I'd rather buy nice clothes than black out blinds etc? I think I'm the MOST selfish not-yet-mother in the world. I do want my baby of course, just not that keen on filling my life with naff plasticy objects etc.

MyDaydream, it does not feel real at all. I actually dont even think about it too hard as the nappies / lack of sleep / labour pain etc is so unappealing and terrifying. Im waiting for the oxytocin to kick in.

I keep telling husband I'm only 'puppyternal' as we have a 7 month cocker spaniel who I adore and he laughs and says its all the same thing. But I really do think puppies are cuter than babies. Please don't hate me everyone.

MyDaydream I totally feel like that. And the expense ! unbelievable, I swing between thinking it's all a marketing con and thinking "but if I don't have xyz my baby will be the only one who cries all night".

Queen if you can look after a puppy you're one step ahead of me at least, I've never really had to look after anything/anyone else before .

I think the naff plasticky objects probably only become appealing when you can see that they keep the baby quiet happy for a while!

Queen we haven't bothered with blackout blinds for DD and, whilst she wakes up early, she will happily go to bed in daylight.

I'd say the essentials are something for the baby to sleep on, a change mat and something for it to wear. Anything else is an extra because you want it or it suits your lifestyle.

Plenty of people will tell you pretty much everything is a waste of money, but it really depends on you. Eg lots of people think a baby bath is a complete waste, but I found that less wasteful for 6 months than filling a bath for 10 minutes (if that) for one child.

I had the letter this morning to say my scan is next Thursday (31st), so not too long to go. I was starting to worry about not having the date, because my midwife forgot to book the scan for a friend and it put everything else out too.

My pfb will have:

Crib which was mine, with homemade crib sheets. Brand new mattress.
Plastic changing mat
Bouncy chair
Cloth nappies, 2nd hand and cheap
Sling/s hired from local sling library
Cheap baby grows and vests
Chest of drawers that's already in there, ditto built in wardrobe
Lightweight buggy I can get up and down stairs
Car seat
Couple of bottles and a massive bowl to put Milton in

I figure people will go for "easy" clothes and toys if they want to buy a present, plus Christmas is only 3 weeks later - I'll ask for money to get anything I actually need

Am I delusional or sensible?!

People, as a slacker 2nd time around mother, let me assure you - your baby will cry all night. Sorry! I don't think the gadget exists that stops a newborn from thinking "WTAF I was cosy in the fluid and now the world is weird I'm not having that!"

We do have blackout stuff and swear by them, but I bought cheapo blackout fabric from a fabric shop and tacked it to the curtains rather than buying and fitting the blinds.

You need:
A carseat
A sling/pushchair. (don't bother with a big travel system, you won't use it)
Somewhere for the baby to sleep if you're not co-sleeping
sleeping bags/blankets.
Bottles if you don't plan to breastfeed, and a big bowl to sterilize in (or a microwave sterilizer, which we liked when I went back to work and pumped milk for DS).
lots of little bodysuits
lots of little 'sleepers' (those lovely footie pajamas that look comfy)
jacket/cardie/bunting for outside
Nappies and wipes
A bin with a lid (you don't need a nappy wrapper, I fill a little pedal bin lined with a plastic bag with nappies, and empty it every night. More often if it's pooey.
A changing mat or an old towel to change the baby on.
Lansinoh and breastpads if you do plan on breastfeeding.

Finally, those who are doing up baby's room - Ikea have BRILLIANT baby stuff and it's some of the cheapest out there. MN raves about the antilop highchair (With good reason - I love it!) but their baby baths, cots, changing mats, step stools, changing tables ... are all some of the cheapest and nicest I've found. It's so worth a trip.

We're moving house at the end of July (gulp - trying to buy!) and if/when we have a bit of spare cash I'm going to be Ikea-ing up DS's toddler room and the Sprout's place, too. Beautiful prints and curtains and things. Lovely....

Oh! The nearest thing that I've found to help your newborn stop thinking "WTAF I was snug and now the world is hot/cold/loud/boring I don't like it!" is the book/dvd "The Happiest Baby On The Block".
I give it to ALL my pregnant friends and I can't reccomend it enough. It's often on ebay v. cheaply. Only baby book I bought (Apart from the gorgeous "Food of Love" which helped me breastfeed DS for over a year!) that I actually found of use after the baby was born.

So if you read that and like the sound of it, add 'something to swaddle baby in' to your list. We swaddled DS in huuge muslins for hte first 3-4 months of his life, and he loved it.

Oh! And you'll probably want a little medicine cabinet for your baby: some colic drops, some painkiller, a thermometer (we splurged on the ones where you can swipe their foreheads - totally worth it!).

DO buy gro-bags. They're lovely. But only on sale.
DON'T buy the gro-egg- lovely idea, doesn't work worth a damn

is everyone going to have a specifically baby room? i'd figured it could come in with us at least for the first 6 months. am i mad?
we've got a spare room but it's up in the attic, further away from everything including the bathroom. wwyd?
haven't even considered the stuff we might need yet, DH is of the mind that as a lad he had a piece of string on a stick to play with and what was good enough for him'll be good enough for LO
can you get away with telling people you want nothing plastic without it sounding rude/pretentious/ungrateful/demanding?

We haven't got a baby room so were working on some baby space if we don't find a suitable place to move to. Either way equipping the baby "room" will definitely be a trip to IKEA because we have one that is about a 10 minute drive. OH needs the promise of a hotdog to help get him in the IKEA mood...

On another note; some people worrying about weight gain, I'm worried to. I worked really hard last year trying to lose weight and was still a good 10kilos (about 1.5 stone I guess) away from my mental "goal". Not that I was ever massive but my highest BMI was 30 briefly.
Of course when I told my Mum the news (needed her support because I was surprised) after saying "wooo great!" her next comment was "don't eat too much, especially not too many sweet things, it's so easy to put on weight in pregnancy". Thanks Mum!

And: please add me to the list at the top.... probably of the next thread:)
due 27 Dec DC#1

Add me! Ten weeks-ish with DC2, due Dec 15

prunella we thought we'd have DD in with us for six months or so but we all just kept each other awake, especially the snoring from DH. Ended up in her own room at about 12 weeks.

Totally personal choice and I was surprised as we co-slept for several weeks but in the end everyone slept better and it was right for us.

You see, exactly what I mean: we made huge use of the travel system and almost 2 years on still use the pushchair part of it! But that's because we walk lots around the village and on days out, but having to drive for anything more than Dr and pub we found it really easy to keep DD in her carseat and plonk on the pushchair frame if she fell asleep in the car.

But I do need to remember that DD was born in the height of a very hot summer, and this will be winter so much more wrapping up rewired.

Yes to sleeping bags though, they're fab. It's worth having a look when John Lewis have their summer sale, as they usually have some in it.

Hello and welcome and congrats :)

Prunella DS was in with us for about 8 months [am a softy emoticon] when eventually I gave in and let DH do a few teary nights while we moved him to 'his' room, because I needed to sleep longer than 2 hourly intervals! DS was NOT a good sleeper. This one will be! And will also be in our room for at least the first 6 months. I couldn't have slept without him near in the early months - no way. Would have been wondering if he was too hot/cold/something. I liked having him within snuggling-distance. [really need that softy emoticon]

Wow thank goodness I'm not the only one feeling a bit overwhelmed with where to start! The spare/dps study room is looking a mammoth task what to buy where to start! We had a wander around John Lewis baby dept over the weekend and I felt like a fraud!!!
Ikea..Hmmm....you know where I'll be this weekend!
One week tomorrow for my scan...count down.
10+4 today feeling so much better...unnerving as I think is something wrong but just convincing myself it's normal!
Hope your all doing well and sorry for those still feeling sick...I'm sure it'll improve soon!

Ooh nice new thread! Am going back to lurking until after my 12 week scan as I'm worried all is not well. Stupid girl.

Hope the sickness passes quickly for everyone and we can all enjoy 2nd trimester soon :)

Could someone add me too, please. Had pre-booking appointment with midwife this morning. Based on Internet EDD (including cycle length) I'm due on 30th, but midwife didn't seem to think cycle length mattered and insisted on 28th, so due end of December anyway!

As for baby room, we're another couple with no baby room. Hoping to buy around time baby due, though, so will look forwards to creating big baby/ toddler room.

Blackcurrants, you say not to bother with travel system. Do people really not use these? We were thinking of iCandy apple three wheeler with pram and buggy attachment, plus flexibility of converting to 'pear' later. I kind of like the idea of a proper pram but don't want to buy completely different frames.

Queenof I'm with you. Confession: tried and failed to cry at vw add. Too distracted by the aging makeup. Get clucky/ teary with every puppy/ happy/ worried dog I see. speak to me in a year!

Equimum: well, people love the Icandy 3 wheeler and it looks fab, so I won't say "no no don't" but there are perfectly good pushchairs that go from newborn-fully-reclined to your toddler hopping in now and then. I have one (Baby Jogger City Mini, $180 second hand) and there are some MacClaren ones too, which also crop up 2nd hand a lot.
I suppose I'm saying: you don't need it. Some things are nice to have and why not if you can afford it - but don't feel you need to spend hundreds on a pram/pushchair combo. I have a mate who splurged on a silver cross pram cos 'it looked lovely and felt lovely pushing it' and she had her LO in a lighter, easier to manoeuvre, collapse, store and lift pushchair within 4 months! It does depend on what you want, and it's very hard to know what you need before the baby is born.

Something a friend said when I was stressing about 'getting everything ready" for DS's birth was "you'll be amazed that shops are still open after the birth of your baby."

DS only wanted to be held/carried for the first few months of his life - didn't care for his pushchair at ALL - and so we did a bit of baby shopping with him snuggled in the Ergo, sleeping .... aaah, those were the days
[dashes off to wrestle highly active toddler into his bath]

Ps loving the listings of must haves, DH snuck to ikea for a tap and commented on cots being really nice plus cheap (and obligatory hotdog)

DH likes list and adds a football.

we have a cheapo 99cent ball from the supermarket that DS loves! Current joys are flinging it over his shoulders shouting "UPANDOWN!" but he's loved it for years now! Sometimes the cheap tat is the BEST! :)

We have an IKEA cot - used it with the side off, lashed to the bed as a co-sleeper, then used it as his cot (2 levels, nice) and now it's got the side off again and is his 'BIG BOY BED!' - and will be until Novemeber, when I imagine we'll try and move him into a toddler bed or the single bed that we already own, so DC2 can have the IKEA cot. It's absolutely done us proud!

Another vote here for the icandy travel systems. The carry cot part was fantastic for DD sleeping while shopping in the first 6 months. The cherry is also very light and maneuverable.

I would say about a third of the stuff we bought pre birth, we tried and it didn't work for us. And some stuff we didnt think we'd need before DD born, we ended up buying (ie a moses basket - she was way too small for the cot for the first 3 months and slept a lot better once in the basket). Breast feeding tops and baby bjorn rocker = useless. Breastfeeding cape thingy and baby gym = gold.

Am very rapidly putting on weight despite last time promising I would be very good this time around! Have a definite tummy. I just need to eat ALL THE TIME. I think some of it is stress/anxiety eating, as I'm so worried about the scan and all the other early preg worries, plus work stress.

Scan now in 10 days. Time seems to be crawling.

I added three more from this page, sorry if I missed you:

Clarella - due Nov 28-30 DC#1
BigRedIndiaRubberBall - due 29 Nov DC#2
Quills - due 1st Dec DC#2
smongesmonge - due 1st Dec Dc#2
pleasebethismonth due 1st Dec DC #2 i
QueenofMacaronicheese - due 2nd Dec DC#3
ssimma - due 2nd Dec DC#2
DKNY123 - due 2nd Dec DC#1
AceOfBase - due (approx) 2nd Dec DC#3
PurplePidjin - due 2nd Dec DC #1
KMBatfink - due 3rd Dec DC#1
TeaJunky - due 4th Dec DC#2
M0naLisa - due (approx) 4th Dec DC#3
StrawberrytallCake - due 5th Dec DC#2
Yikesherewego - due 5th Dec DC#1
mummycox - due 5th Dec DC#1
queenofsiburbia - due 5th Dec DC#1
ItsMyLastOne - due 6th Dec DC#2
kalidasa - due 6th Dec DC#1
Wittywhirl - due 6th Dec DC#1
SeymoreButts - due 7th Dec DC#3
ivanapoo - due (approx) 7th Dec DC#1
prunelladeville - due 8th Dec DC#1
Brenau - due (approx) 8th Dec DC#1
Chloe55 - due (approx) 8th Dec DC#2
minipie - due 8th Dec DC#1
lauraloo09 - due 8th Dec DC#2
acjfluff - due 9th Dec DC#1
Rosa7 - due 9th Dec DC#2
gilsbubbles - due 10th Dec DC#1
walnut - due 10th Dec DC#2
cashmere - due 11th Dec DC#2
Stacks - due 12th Dec DC#1
Cherrypiew3 - due 12th Dec DC#4
Cookiesandcream06 - due 12th Dec DC#2
Barbeasty - due 12th Dec DC#2
VegemiteSandwich - due 12th Dec DC#1
CODwidow - due 12th Dec DC#5
backwardpossom - due 13th Dec DC#2
bellaboo123 - due 13th Dec DC#1
brooke89 - due 14th Dec
ddas - due 14th Dec DC#2
Margie32 - due 14th Dec DC#2
FriendofDorothy - due 15th Dec (ish) DC#1
QueenandKingMum - due 15th Dec DC#4
smellsofsick - DC2, due Dec 15
Dillydollydaydream - due 16th Dec dc#4
kateand2boys - due 17th Dec FF or due 20th Dec LMP DC#3
roseandroli-due 17th Dec DC#1
ChangeMyHappy - due 18th Dec (ish) DC#2
Whatmess - due 19th Dec DC#2
Shangers - due 19th Dec DC#2
StaceymReadyForNumber3 - due 19th Dec DC#3
nasara - due 20th Dec DC#2
blackcurrants - due 20th Dec DC#2
annelid - due 20th Dec DC#7
CupOfBrownJoy - due 21st Dec DC#1
Chipsandmushypeas - due 24th Dec DC#1
sicilianlemons - due 23rd Dec
JingleBellBaby - due 25th Dec (?) DC#2
Magic69- due 26 December DC#2
MyDaydream - due 27th Dec DC#1
SpottyTeaCakes - due 27th Dec DC#2
itsMYNutella - due 27 Dec DC#1
LolaAnn - due 28th Dec DC#2
livismum - due 29th Dec DC#3
NaomiRuth - due 30th Dec DC#1
Equimum - due 30th Dec
Mama2threemaybemore - due Dec 31st DC#4
KMR281 - DC3 due end