The 3rd Gemini Luxury Bus

[Librarina]

I thought I'd get our shiny new thread started, welcome.
Previos Thread

I also thought I'd include our little round up of who is having what, when...feel free to update, there's only a few of us so we shouldn't end up drowning in Stats!

kittykats : girl
JoJo: boy
Bringon: girl
Frust: boy
Blending: one of each
Lib: surprise - 1st baby - EDD June 7th
Lor: surprise (for now!)
Ohtheplaces: girl - 1st baby - EDD June 5th
Peardrop: boy

Yeah, they sell it over the counter kitty we got it from asda pharmacy. Sounds poxy if its coming on that quick.

libra I'm jealous of alien movements, I have an anterior placenta again so no alien movements for me. I did have them with dd1 though, was amazingly freaky.

Are you excited about Friday pear? I can't believe we're so far along already.

I'm just waiting for DH to stop wasting time in halfords and then I'm going to get some baby clothes.

Oh, don't be jealous of my wierd baby alien. I feel bad for saying it, but I'm not entirely keen on the sensation. I've had years of kidney & bladder problems and UTIs so any sort of pain in that area gets me into a bit of a panic. The twinge when the baby writhes, is scarily similar to the twinge at the start of a UTI. I feel horrible for not liking it, but that whole area is so associated with pain that I'm finding it hard to separate the sensations of baby movement from the fear of developing yet another infection.

However, on a much happier note. I've bought baby clothes! Gap have done a range of Beatrix Potter baby clothes and I've just about bought all of them. I'll try and add a picture soon as they are ludicrously cute! I was so happy to find them as I was beginning to worry that my poor baby would having nothing to wear.

Have fun on Friday Pear. I'm 22 weeks I think so a little behind you. Time to give the bump a stew sandwich (more Mum leftovers), that's not weird is it?

Hmm, yeah it does sound just like pox. Feeling ill for a few days and then the blisters popping up....very classic. Oatmeal baths, lotion, and anti-itch cream is the ticket to helping her stay comfortable. Good luck!

It is so weird the way babies move and totally take over sometimes! This #3 and I still am in awe with the whole thing.

The baby clothes are the super exciting part! Excited for you Lib!

So.... I suspect that this lady is going through another growth spurt. I feel like I can't stay full! I'm getting hungry like every hour today and even after eating high-protein things. I hope this doesn't last long, I am already growing at an alarming rate!

And the scratching has begun
She's got about 10 on her poor little face now!
I've seen the Beatrix potter thing lib, they are really cute, boots is also really good for little ones surprisingly and is on buy one get one half price at the min, I wouldn't go mad though, you will get tons of things!!

Oh no kitty make sure dds nails are cut as short as you can get them.

Yes Frus I'm looking forward to meeting the new midwife! Hope I finally get answers to my questions and she hands over that mat form!

Lib I've seen the BP clothes. They're gorgeous :) well chosen!

24wks!!!! I have a proper baby apparently

That's so exciting kitty! I was being unusually active this morning & my stomach started hurting so I told DS2 that he needs to hang on for at least another 6 days until we've reached 24 weeks!

Ha ha Ive been doing that to Jojo just couldn't wait to feel like hospitals etc will try everything if anything happens now and we have a chance, my god daughter was born at 24wks and is a perfect 14yr old now so it's a big mile stone in my mind! ( still want little one to stick around for another 13 wks though!!)

It's all very crazy to think, isn't it?

I reach 24 on Friday. Does that mean that the kicks I'm currently getting aren't viable until then?
OMG only 16 weeks left! Now that is scary!

It's getting more common for pre-24-week babies to survive but I think it's still the case that after 24 weeks the chances are much greater. DH was mocking me when I said that earlier - he seemed to think I was under the impression that the stats changed at midnight. Still, it feels like it's another milestone reached!

Yes frus it's all in your mind and on Friday that is when your baby will become real
I know it's abit mad to lay it all on 24wks, like you said Jojo it doesn't all change at midnight but I do think the attitude of hospital staff seems to change at 24wks and a friend who's been facing pre term labour said the same, like they only really rated the baby's chance and gave her steroids after she went to 24wks!

Do you think that someone can tell my hay-wire hormones and heartburn that its not viable until Friday will they go away and come back after then? Because Gaviscon is rank
jojo stats definately change at midnight, DH should know that.

I like the idea of 24 weeks, now it's a baby! I'm 22+4 so not quite there yet.

I'm so jealous that some of you have bought that Peter Rabbit stuff from The Gap. It's SO cute! I love it. We haven't bought anything at all yet!

Kitty I hope the pox isn't too bad on your little one. Sounds like you're having a tough time of it at home!

Just had a 22 week GP appt. She found some sugar in my urine which is a first. She seemed on the fence about whether it was enough to worry about or not so she's sent me off for a fasting glucose test. There's a local clinic where you can just drop-in and do that so it's handy enough. Will do it on the way to work tomorrow morning. She didn't seem overly concerned though.

I'm also putting off my anti-D injections for a few weeks to allow me to get the Whooping Cough jab at 28 weeks. The GP and nurse both seemed adamant that it was more important than the anti-D one at this stage and I can get that a few weeks later.

Other than that all good. Got to hear the heartbeat for the first time! 142bpm . Little one is really kicking these days. My DH can even feel it now which he's really excited about.

Hi lot good to hear from you things are ok at home thanks my little darling is trooping in and gas been so good through the whole thing ( not one sleepless night) touches wood really don't know what I did to deserve her!
That's a fast little hb, don't the old wives suggest over 135 a girl?!?
Why do they want you to get whooping cough at 28wks, couldn't that be done later aswell? Seems abit weird! I'm getting a 25wk app after all as didn't get my mat1b, good job I checked! You'd think it's be a standard thing to get it at a certain appointment so that its not forgotten wouldn't you?i have only bought bubs one thing which is the most gorgeous little sleep suit from ted baker covered with butterfly's, it was in the sale and is my little treat as the rest of the clothes will be hand me downs has anyone made their big purchases yet??

Glad little one's doing well kitty (accidentally typed ktitty there!)

I haven't got my mat1B yet either. I think the midwives said they'd give it to me at 28 week appt.

The anti-D leaflet says you should have vaccinations 3 weeks before getting it or 3 months after so need to do whooping cough one first. Got to say though, the GP didn't seem to know if it was one of the vaccinations affected by getting anti-D or not. She reckoned the midwife would know more. Must go off and do some googling. Considering the GP didn't tell me what was involved in the fasting glucose test tomorrow I'm not surprised. I've just discovered that I'll be there for 2 hours! I thought it was a 'drop in and give blood' kind of thing.

I think I've heard that thing about faster heartbeats being a girl alright. Who knows! I'll let you know in June!

Haven't bought any big purchases yet, but my DH has a spreadsheet with a list, and our choices of things like buggys and cribs on it and links to where we're getting them from. We don't have a lot of space to store things so are waiting a bit before buying them.

Spilling glucose in the urine is a really common thing for pregnant women and most of the time, it's benign. Our kidneys are functioning on a totally different level than they do when we're not pregnant, so the occasional glucose spillage is not really something to be too concerned about. Sometimes women will even spill glucose a few hours after having fruit juice, ice cream, a high-carb meal, etc. and then they won't spill it again. Good luck on the 2hr test. I would suggest eating a high protein meal before going in with very little carbs or sugars, as the glucose they will give you is around 50 grams of sugars!

I'm not too worried about it bring. She didn't seem too bothered either. I'm sure it'll be fine. I don't really have any extra risk factors - bmi is good, baby size is good, no family history...

Going to go in at 8am when they open and have breakfast as soon as I get out of there at 10-ish!

Sorry lor iPhone had changes you to lot aswell although not quite as funny as titty
Double check on your mat1b as pretty sure 28wks is too late to give it in for employees hence them making me one at 25 as I have one at 28 anyway?!
I see with the vaccines now, atleast you will be done then!
Is anyone doing anything nice for valentines? We usual just do the m&s dine in, was looking at drinking thread earlier and realised I havnt had one for months and don't think about it, I love a beer so it's strange, is anyone else found it hard or like me just forget to want/ think about it!
Maybe we should do a list of things for the first timers that were useful purchases and those that seemed pointless in the end?

Pointless things I've discovered after 2 kids:
-Baby baths (just dunk the little mites in the sink or normal bathtub)
-A changing table (floor and a changing mat works wonders!)
-Breastfeeding cover-ups (just fling a blanket over your shoulder. they tend to be so brightly colored and pattered that it basically screams "I have my boob out right now!)
-Crib bumpers (not even safe for baby and tend to take up space and money, although they are cute!)
-Baby lotion and shampoo (the lotions have chemicals that are horrible for babies' skin which is extremely porous, and they don't get that dirty so just some water is all you need).
-Lots of newborn clothes (get the 0-3, 3-6, 6-9 clothes, as babies are in newborn size for about a week!)

Baby favorites of mine:
-Breastfeeding pillow
-Moses basket, vibrating chair, or swing for baby when you're on the couch
-Muslins or flannel blankets for swaddling, breastfeeding cover-up, spit up cleaner, etc. Very versatile!
-Baby carrier (moby, ergo, baby sling, etc.) so essential for a cuddly baby who won't let you put it down, but you can still use two hands!
-Sleep sacks (really nice for night-time nappy changes and you don't have to fiddle with zippers or poppers).

That's a good list trumpets, it's good to learn from someone who's done it before.

I've been donated quite a lot of stuff, a baby bath being one of them but it's good to know we can just splash in the sink when away from home.
I have one newborn babygro so baby has something nice to come home from hospital in, everything else is bigger.

I like the idea of swaddling so I'll try to do that. In aforementioned brightly coloured muslins. We're being given a sling and a moses basket so that'll be good.

Re: Valentines day Kitty I think we're going to steal your M&S idea, feeling a bit lazy and hate going out on that date.

Jojo Is your tummy still hurting? Mine really aches, around my bellybutton and right at the bottom, feel like I want to hold my bump up all the time (If it's like this now, what do the next 17 weeks hold??)

Hmm, I've asked my HR dept if they need it sooner. Will see what they say.

No big valentines plans, but then we never do anything more than a nice meal at home (sometimes the M&S dine in one too).

I LOVE the list of things you really need and seem pointless. As a first-timer I've been trying to wade through what we really need and what we can skip.

My HR dept. say 20th March is fine (I'll be 28 weeks so it's just under 12 weeks before due date)

Oh that's good lor, just he deps can be really funny about things like that well mine!
Things I found great and useless
Those gro eggs were pretty pointless from my point of view, tell you If room is hot/ cold but my monitor had a temp gage on it so never turned it on
Agree with trumpets that when you bf more subtle to use scarf or cardi, blanket screams my boob is out!
Also agree on baby products johnsons baby bath gave mine excema or aggravated it anyway

Night light or little dim lamp great as in the middle of the night when you want to change a bum without blinding the poor little thing with the big light that was something we asked for after baby was born as hasn't thought about it
I had some things free with breast pump called breast shells, you slip them in your bra when boobs got engorged or when feeding from the other side, they collect the milk you leek so top stays dry and you can poor it into a container and use later, I only used them at home but they were brilliant if you did bf as you wouldn't believe in the early days how much you could leak, I could have 2oz from one side a feed!!
Jumparoos amazing!! All babies seem to love them
I had an armchair in bedroom not a special bf one but a nice one originally bought for show but it was great and we still use it every night now!
Infacol/ gripe water/ colief/ calpol a mums best friend especially if you get a colicy baby
Anabel karmels baby/ toddler recipie book, not met a baby who didn't like almost all her meals they taste so much better then the rubish you buy I can't tell you, oh and if you plan on making a hand blender too!