July 2013 Part 3 - happy new year, happy new thread

[dinkystinky]

Happy 2013 one and all!

Waah! I'm so behind on the thread, I'm on my phone so can't scroll to see who wrote what but hope you're all ok.

No shopping here yet, we've got everything really except cot & double pram & we'll get those nearer the time I think.

Regarding homebirths/mlu's think its a personal decision. The mlu I was booked for last time is an hour from the nearest hospital & the ambulance ride at 7cm dilated with my bp rising & ds's heartrate dropping is not one I'd ever want to repeat. I would be v wary of booking anywhere with no doctors on site tbh, but that is because of my experience. My friend delivered her first baby in the same unit with no probs, lovely natural water birth - so it really does depend.

BadmissM - sorry your consultant appt was crap. You're definitely entitled to a second opinion & if you're not happy with the care you're getting maybe think about putting in a complaint? Your local PALS should be able to advise you.

Meant to say, I'm v pro MLU/homebirth etc - just not for me after last time!

Those thinking slings I would have a look on google for Sling Meets in your area. Mine rents them for a £5 a month, so hoping to rent two at a time before the baby arrives to figure out which one I like to buy (the baby is happy in ).

Bought my first lot of maternity clothes yesterday as suddenly feeling uncomfortable in some of my waistbands! Finding it v hard to find under bump leggings (which is what I mainly wear and don't fancy over bump yet) but bought some velvety ones in Next in the sale (hope they're not too weird!) and some cheap tops while I was on. V exciting but just hope at least some of them fit as 1) am not v big yet and 2) don't usually buy much from there! Unfortunately seem to have been just a bit slow for most of the sale stuff. Isabella Olivier looks lovely if there's any special occasions coming up but I'm lucky that my normal style is quite casual including at work.

Loads of snow here on my day off (Monday). By tomorrow, when I have to trek into work, am predicting slippiness! Am usually v paranoid about falling and now even more so as a) pregnant and b) have to have an anti-d injection if I fall as am rhesus negative. Am tempted to drive if roads not too bad but I don't usually as don't like driving in rush hour.

How are other people who walk to work or get public transport finding the snow??

BB01 - it was fine getting to work this morning in London - roads a bit slippy but public transport working fine.

Emblosion - I agree with you, its totally a personal choice as to the type of birth choice you make. And even if you do choose one type of birth, it may work out being something different.

Photographerlady - sling meet is definitely a good idea.

It has FINALLY started snowing here...the day the landlord has sent someone to replace the boiler. Brrrrrrr. No gas, no heat, no water, and I have to stay in for the engineer....... Snow isn't even settling though...

No snow at all here! Am feeling v left out

Remember me? I signed up about 6 weeks ago but then we moved to rural Wales and have only just got Internet!

What have I missed? Had 12 week scan all fine. Due date moved back to 27th July though. Still have terrible dizziness but tiredness slightly better.

This is my second baby - DD is 22 months. Have a good sized bump so in maternity clothes already. I'm 2 sizes smaller though than when I was preg with Dd so need to buy some more.

Hope everyone is well and not feeling too rough. Be careful in the snow - lots here!

TomDaleysTrunks I was about to say good to have you back, but I don't think I was here before you moved! Dropping 2 dress sizes in 22 months is amazing!

Hi All,

i know we had a NCT bit a while ago on the thread but to be honest i wasn't ready for it then - can we have another one?

i've just looked online and see that the ante-natal course is going to cost me £202! and that's not even the London prices...

Are they really worth it, do you learn any more that the free NHS ones? I'd heard that they were good for meeting other mums but is it more than that. Equally i dont want to be a 'billy no mates' when the baby arrives.

the cost of this baby seems to be going up and up everytime i look at something new.

any thoughts?

17+1

Quin - I did a NCT course with DS1 and it was great for making local mates. The rest of it is the same stuff you get covered in birth books or on a NHS antenatal course (they tend to get booked up in advance so you should look into if you want to do one) and the bf information is what you would find out if you went to a good NHS bf workshop. I'd really recommend looking up if there are any NCT postnatal drop in groups - I went to one with DS2 and the ladies I met there were really nice, even though I hadnt been in their antenatal groups.

Tom - wow, you shifted the babyweight and then some! Hope the move went smoothly.

Quinandthem I contacted the NCT about reductions, and they were great...which now means I can afford to go on the course.... They look at your income to decide...

thanks for the info dinky and Badmiss

My husband and I earn OK money so i doubt they would give us a discount but i dont like wasting money (my OH calls me 'tight'), so i just wanted to make sure it was worthwhile, especially as you can attend free ones on the NHS.

Might do a bit more checking...

I just heard the baby's heartbeat!!!! Awwwwww, so great. This is number two for me, so really shouldn't be so shocked to hear it I suppose but just lovely to hear him/her and get some reassurance that all is okay.

In other mw appointment news, my very lovely midwife tried to tell me I was o+ blood group. Luckily for me, I knew I wasn't (am a+) and she double checked and changed my notes. Doesn't really inspire one with confidence does it?

Snow's starting to melt here (south coast). I feel a bit grumpy saying it, but I'm quite relieved!

quin I went to free NHS class with dd1 who is now 8 and made loads of friends we used to meet up every couple of weeks, now I still see 2 of them once or twice a year!!
I also went to free baby massage at my docs surgery and made more friends there.
With dd3 I felt a fraud going to any sort of pre birth class so just met loads of friends at baby sensory, buggy fit, library baby sessions even went and just knocked on the door of a neighbour who I knew had a baby, but had never previously spoken to!
Go for the freebies, no point in spending money for nothing is what I say, especially if you are fairly confident to suggest swapping phone numbers at the end of the course.

Thanks for all the sling advice. DH really wants to use one. He's also totally hijacked the travel system choosing too... apparently it has to be manly! (He is going to be a SAHD so will end up using it more than me).

Moan alert! I am ill! Doctor has firmly signed me off for the whole week. Coughing + continued ms = sore tummy muscles at least I have Jeremy Kyle to keep me company lol.

On the plus side midwife appt tomorrow! Did others hear the heartbeat at this appt??

15 + 3

Sorry to hear you're ill MysteryMeg - it especially sucks when pregnant as nothing can be taken for it. Hope the coughing passes soon. Yep, you should hear HB at this appt. I have my appt tomorrow morning - looking forward to it.

How far along is everyone else? Am 13+2 apparently. I think I'm 14+0 by my dates!

I also did NCT with DD. I enjoyed the classes and found them relatively informative (am medical so knew a lot of it already). It was great for making friends though and I found them very supportive in the first 9months after having her. Having said that, I also made lovely friends at the free baby music class, gymboree and just met lots of mums on my road while our and about with a buggy.

As we've just moved, I was hoping to do an NCT refresher course just to meet some people but they don't do them in our area. I'm hoping that once I've passed my driving test that we can get out to all the toddler groups and make some friends.
In summary, if you can afford it then do it!

Oh and get well soon mysterymeg. Take it easy!

mysterymeg, I'm 14+5 and heard the heartbeat today but don't think all do it, my consultant offered to at 10+5 but said it was unlikely they would find it but got it straight away today.

had my MW appt today and heard (briefly) the baby's heartbeat. at which point it disappeared somewhere more comfy. relieved to know there is still something in there though! and, despite the horrendous school run this morning, my blood pressure was fine. which does make me wonder why my MW is getting ever so slightly obsessed about it!

i didnt do the NCT classes as they were fully booked by the time i went to join up. but i did meet other mums through our local BF group, baby sensory, music groups etc. not sure i will go to any antenatal classes this time around. unless things have changed a lot in 3 years!

16+5

I just logged on to ask the same question, 14+3 and mw appt tomorrow wondered if there's any chance of hearing the heartbeat ? :/ x

ooh and the heatbeat was 160bpm - wondering if thats a girls heartbeat? though all babies are fast aren't they in first / second trimester?

Minor rant - went to one of the local shopping centres at the weekend (which I had vouchers for) and only ONE store sold maternity wear!! River island don't it any more, M&S, next and John lewis all on line and H&M not in that store! Literally 2 racks in new look! Have they not heard there is a baby boom?!!? rant over....

We signed up for the NCT classes last time, but never made it to any of them as DD was born on the evening of the first class! I'd feel a bit of a fraud going to antenatal classes with DC2 and can't justify the expense. I'd only be going to try & make friends anyway. As it happens, the nearest classes aren't that close anyway.
We've lived in 4 different cities/towns in the last 2 years, so I've found it really hard to make friends at baby classes, but we're going to be staying in this area for a long time, so I'd like to make some.
I didn't know about the refresher courses. I might look into that as an option.