November 2012 - nearer the end than the beginning

[StuntNun]

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1494588-November-2012-nearly-halfway-there

Stats list: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1485512-November-2012-Stats-List

Cannot do links on iPad sorry, but just google swaddle pod, or look on eBay. Aww.

26 weeks is 6 months

I wanted to introduce bottles quite quickly as well. Friends have told me to start sooner rather than later as if you leave it too late the baby will refuse anything other than the breast.

I love the look of the swaddle things. The swaddlepod has a particularly cute picture.

Lane I just googled this!

Apparently, at 24 weeks you are in your sixth month. I am keen to be able to say I am 6 months pregnant. I have worked backwards so born in November, october, September, August. That makes me almost 6 months by my logic!

I've seen them think I'll buy one on that recommendation lol :)

Ah stressy! So u shouldn't introduce bottle too early as it won't take to breast and you shouldn't introduce too late as it wont take bottle. So how long approx. should we try and introduce bottle if w want to do both?

vallium I think u might be right! Some friends who I wouldn't have thought to be the type to hip their boobs out in public , have..... I guess I won't really know how I feel until the time comes :)

A year has 52 weeks and 12 months, so 6 months is 26 weeks.
I think it can get confusing in pregnancy though as it's classed as 9 months, when it's actually 10 lunar months or 9 calender months plus a week.
I try to just think of it just in weeks but someone always says "so how many months is that then?"

We've got a few sleeping bags. Not sure whether to get a swaddle blanket to start off with. I'm also umming and ahhing about using bottles alongside boob.

Has anyone given thought to birth plans yet? We've got two MLUs nearby and a CLU and my midwife has told me that because it's an IVF pregnancy (even though it's midwife led), I have to go to the CLU.

Lane Congrats on your little girl! I'm having a boy this time, which i'm very happy about! And yes, I don't know why I put 24 weeks, as yesterday I was all excited about hitting the 23 week mark today Must be baby brain!

Passme You could get all the baby books in the world, I pretty much did and your baby could still be different to what they say! However I found the mumsnet guide to babies quite good (that's how I discovered the site) and Baby's first year (can't remember who wrote it, but I got them from the library and read them while I was pregnant) a good guide, too.

Definitely a grobag lover here, although never actually bought a 'grobag', just various different sleeping bags. I think they're great for all the reasons valium pointed out. I still started off with swaddling though, as it helped DD to sleep a lot better while she was tiny. My mum also helped a lot when DD had colic, and at this point she was in a sleeping bag, so my mum made up a song to bounce her to, to calm her down:

"Baby in a bag, baby in a bag, baby baby baby in a bag bag bag"

Over and over and over. Amusing though
Yes, my mother is a bit mental, but in a good way

As for the carseat thing, I can definitely see the logic, but had never heard it was a risk when I had DD, and I had a travel system then. She was fine in the carseat when we took her out, but never ever had her sleeping in it at home.
I'm panicking now as again i've got a carseat-on-pram for this one but am tempted to get the carrycot conversion for it too!

Oh dear, sorry for the essay ladies!

Being in your sixth month is different to being six months pregnant. If you are in your thirtieth year, you are still only 29.

I introduced bottle with ebm at around 2 weeks. Introducing a bottle at that stage with formula is asking for trouble as baby with think oh yes, as will you.

My birth plan is all sorted. Just need to arrange a date.

Swiss you are in your 24th week!

I am utterly confused now!

I have also read several places about not keeping newborns in a car seat for too long. It is one of the reasons I went for a proper pram that changes into a pushchair rather than a travel system where you sit baby in a car seat and attach it to the top.

Went to Debenham's today and got three Little Rocha outfits in the sale for £21. Two for our baby and one for my auntie's little boy. She's coming to visit at the weekend and I hadn't bought her a present yet.

I got home and had a parcel from New Look waiting for me. I got this top and it is so comfy and flattering. I might have to order it in white as well.

Just to be the voice of dissent, I introduced a bottle of top up formula (2 oz maybe after a feed) at 3 weeks with DD. Also used nipple shields against MW/HV advice. DD didnt care whether she was offered nipple, bottle or nipple in a shield, she fed happily from all. For the first month or so after that she only had a bottle with formula after a feed from me, and then I started to very slowly add in a bottle instead of one feed a day.

I mixed fed until she was 20 weeks when I fully weaned her onto formula before I went back to work a couple of weeks later. Without mixed feeding I would have abandoned breast feeding long before then.

Am sure we were lucky and it wont necessarily work for every baby, but I am planning on doing something similar with this one.

Swiss You're in your 24th week leading up to being 24 weeks. Or in your 6th month leading up up to being 6 months. When you're born you're alive for a year before you turn one, so you're in your first year leading up to it.

Have I just confused you even more?

I get emails from pampers, bounty etc and one says "you're 21 weeks" then the other comes after saying "you're 21st week" even though i'm then in to my 22nd week. V annoying/confusing

Swiss sorry to confuse you.

If mum wants to mix feed with formula then fine, but I was talking about if someone is wanting to just introduce bottles, but initially just breastfeed. My girls had occasional formula bottles when they were much older and bf was well established.

This baby stuff can be very complicated sometimes.

Passmethecrisps I am the same. I have suddenly realised I don't know much about babies at all! I don't even like holding them when they are newborn because they seem so fragile. I can't believe this tiny little thing is going to depend on me to provide everything 24 hours a day

I was given this book and I would recommend it. It's got lots of tips in about breastfeeding, comforting a crying baby, changing a nappy, bathing your baby plus milestones and the rough age you would expect them to be doing certain things. Great for a novice like me.

To all you first timers, you will be fine. Even as a third timer I am feeling somewhat anxious about having another newborn. They are all different, all a new little human with their likes and dislikes, someone who you need to get to know. Instinct is a wonderful thing. Your baby will know your voice and smell before they are born, and will feel safe in your arms over anybody elses.

passmethecrisps if you want a good book about breast feeding, try The Food of Love, it's great

Also TMaxx often have Grobags that are discounted. Definitely recommend them, i just felt a lot happier knowing they cant go over their heads. my DD is still in hers at 2 and a half, but we are moving her into a big bed soon.

Breast feeding wise i found it hard going to begin with, but am so glad I persevered. I didn't introduce any bottles as was worried it would effect my supply. But it seems to work for some mums if you don't do it too early on

applepie I have that top too it's v comfy

I was really anxious about my DD taking a bottle etc. I didn't mix/express at all, just used nipple shells to collect leakage (I couldn't get the milk across the room, but could fill a bucket with leaking!!) and didn't use bottles at all apart from a brief panic at 4am with a 28hr-old. However, my DD didn't care. At all. At 5wks she had a bottle whilst I went to my BFF's hen do, then again at her wedding (the bridesmaid's dress I was wearing didn't allow bf'ing), then I gave her a bottle at a wedding at less than 3mo; she didn't bat an eyelid, just wanted the milk. I'be always figured if baby is fussy, they're fussy, if not, they'll be fine, but it is worth considering your return to work plans, and try to act accordingly.

Anyone else's lady-bits started throbbing?? I've had it post-shagging, feeling a bit 'battered & bruised' but today, it just happened as I stood in front of a class today :( It's not painful as such, just uncomfortable & weird!!

I bought swaddle wrap for DS but never used it. I think there is some fear now about overheating with swaddling, just to add more confusion!

I think it really depends on the baby re introducing bottles. Mine never really took (wanted DH to do one formula feed at night). This was despite DS having formula and breastmilk in hospital because he was early and couldn't feed properly.

Personally, I never liked expressing - I found the pump noisy so I couldn't watch TV/listen to the radio and it made me feel like a dairy cow. I have some friends who swore by it though.

I knew nothing about babies when I had DS, but I think that's part of the fun - you are all learning to be a family together. The MW at the hospital really helped me with feeding and also showed how to change a nappy/bath him (I was completely clueless and so scared of "breaking him" in some way!) so there is lots of support. Not to mention they visit you plenty at home at first which is reassuring if you are having wobbles (every time my MW came she'd pick DS up and I'd discover his nappy had leaked everywhere and he was lying in a huge wet patch!)

Finally had our scan today! Like a total idiot, I wrote the wrong time in my diary and got a panicked phonecall from mw wanting to know where I was. I am never ever late for anything so was mortified! Luckily they managed to squeeze us in later this afternoon meaning DH could come to, so not all bad. This was his first time at a scan and he loved it!! Had to keep reminding him his mouth was wide open gazing up at the screen, LOL!

All's fine and well. Sonographer used the word 'perfect' lots of times which was really reassuring. As expected, I too am joining the anterior placenta club. Downs chances came back at 1 in 100000 which is fab. All in all was a wonderful experience.

Oh and we kept strong (despite sonographer asking several times if we wanted to know) and stayed team yellow!!!