June 2013 - Thread 4 - don't forget your pelvic floor!

[redwellybluewelly]

Last thread too full to add a link, hope everyone can find their way back!

We did heaps of research and went with an iCandy. Blasted if I can remember which one!! It's smallish and has one-handed collapse and release and all that stuff. The Strawberry, maybe? Anyway it's robust enough to go off-footpath on occasion (not full 4wd) but narrow enough for boots and buses and stuff. I was wary of ending up with a beast, on the basis that after six months a stroller function is what you'll be needing for the most part.

Also determined not to have one of those children still in strollers at an advanced age - will have to get his stamina up from the word go.

Actually, with this knee of mine maybe we should've bough the biggest pram we could and I could sit in it and baby and boyfriend could push me around....hmmmm.

Cherry is the smaller one? We didn't get a stroller until dd was eighteen months, before that she was so uncomfortable even in a maclaren umbrella stroller. We still use the apple now around town. If you're only looking to need a pram for six months why not get a sling and a shopping bag on wheels? Infinitely cheaper and several friends in London have opted to do this.

Still eyeing up some doubles though, dd will probably want to sleep in the buggy a while longer.

I've been looking at maternity clothes online as recent protests from baby suggests I need to stop squeezing into non-maternity clothes. Two observations

1. maternity wear is about the only time you see a model older than 14 wearing the clothes

2. maternity knickers appear to be the exception as they are all modelled by non-pregnant skinny beeyatches.

Got an afternoon in London next weekend layover so going to have a look down Oxford Street if I can cope with the rude shop assistants

I've found the maternity undies at H&M surprisingly comfy. I'd not have guessed.....

I'll have to take a look in H&M as I need more comfy knickers.

The house is almost sorted now. Just trying to get DH to paint the nursery wall with the first coat of pale emulsion so I can use my testers.

Though I've been told that apparently Dulux paint isn't good enough; we have to use trade paint. The joys of living with a professional tradesman! :-/

At least he isn't controlling my food intake. In fact, I'd say he's encouraging me to keep topped up with food, including chocolate :-)

Has your DH apologised yet, Maw? Or even realised the error of his ways? My DH's response was that he hoped you told him to fuck off! :-)

We are getting a Silver Cross Linear Ventura, which has either front or rear facing buggy option, which was what we wanted. I didn't even look at the iCandy ones as they are out of my budget (or actually, my in-laws' budget).

I need to investigate slings too as DH is really keen to carry Baby B like that.

So glad it is the weekend now...need a rest after the move. :-)

On my way home from the baby show now spent nearly £1800 between us and both sets if parents
£900 furniture set from tutti bambini absolutely beautiful and just the right size for our small room
£460 on pram (mothercare oyster) with carrycot and car seat with 15% off woohoo £126 on electric breast pump bundle so dh can feed baby when I'm at work and a sling, thermometer, cushion thing (its called a widgey hehe think that may be why I bought it ) good day all in all cant think of what else we need now x

Well you did better than us at the Baby show! Riding high on the sucessfull Bugaboo purchase last night I was well up for it! However I got very weary very quickly. The best thing was that we got our Babybay - £292 for the cot, side, mattress, wheels and sheet. It's £292 on the NCT website as well, but not including wheels and sheet, so we have saved a bit and it was good to see it and make sure it was right for us. I'm really pleased actually, it's sturdy and looks really good.

Less good was the trip to Kiddisave. We bought a Maxi cosi pebble car seat and a Family fix base, each for £130. Was horrified to then discover the car seat was cheaper on the Kiddisave website! They made me think it was such a good deal! It's only 90 quid on the Mothercare website - though admittedly out of stock. Called them up and they will refund the difference, but I think I might struggle getting them to price match. Bloody cheek! Should have perservered with the Mothercare stand, but it was crazy bus when we swung past. DH starting to feel faint - oh the irony - and the queue for the loo and juice bar just about finished us off so we left.

Particularly enjoyed the comedy of the London Comic show being in different bits of Excel at the same time. Loads of pregnant women mixed up with men dressed as superheros in the car park!!

You can use a pebble car seat with a family fix base! That's what we've just bought. Or are you saying you can't use it in your car?

I really feel I need to be getting more organised with things! Just stressing over being off sick and pay going down and DP lost his job last month. Have sort of been avoiding looking as dont want to tease myself and feel disappointed when I can't get stuff but also very aware time is not on my side! Waaahh

Bubs today has decided to lie in a really odd way and causing quite a bit of discomfort..... Have decided I will be dead grateful when I can wear flip flops and forget trying to get to my feet with socks and doing shoes up!!

Awww Sarah can you return it and get the cheaper one? We bought our pram at mothercare and service was awful as was so busy but was well worth it so we stuck it out and yes I'll second the extremely funny costumes that were walking about

I had a bump incident today, toddler over balanced on the chair and I leapt up and hit my bump on the table, did it about four hours ago and it still bloody hurts.

Plus DH went out last night and got hammered, then kept waking me up going to toilet and back all night, worse bit was that he woke dd at 2 and at 6 (when she got up for the day). Then he missed dc's special therapy session and was blatantly hungover all afternoon. Why he has to act like such a dick I really do not know.

Well done on the baby show, I'd have loved something like that

Sparkle, check with the floor storage (do you drive a Picasso by any chance?). You can use a isofix base with it, you just have to have the storage compartment open and fix the base in that to the actual bottom of the car IYSWIM. Or do what we will, and put the infant carrier in the middle of the back seat.

I went to a local nearly new sale this morning, looking for bits and pieces including a pram/pushchair if there were any. Saw a lovely one, no obvious branding on it, enquired, nearly fainted with shock when the lady told me it would be £400! Turns out it was a bugaboo cameleon, in denim, 3 1/2 years old with the newborn carry cot and a car seat thrown in. Slightly out of my budget this time round :o so I'm still on the hunt.

Actually, if anyone has any suggestions, I'm after a lie-flat pram/carry cot to start with, then a seat unit or pushchair conversion that can be forward or rear facing. Will need to be 2nd hand as we're skint, so any ideas of what we can look at and stand some chance of getting for about £150ish would be fab. Will be used for school runs, on buses, limited car use so folding not a massive problem (have Mei Tai for car travel anyway if necessary). Help!

Ouch, redwelly, sounds painful. :-( And sorry about your DH too. Bloody men.

Rue, the Silvercross Linear Freeway we are getting could be about that second hand, and would seem to fit the bill. Maybe look for something like that?

Sarah and pinkapples wow! You've been busy! Well done!
Redwelly- hope your bump feels better now? That's really annoying about your DH. I hope he's seen the error of his ways now?

I think the apple is the bigger icandy and the peach and strawberry are slightly smaller. I think the strawberry's the one the beckhams had!

I'm with redwelly in that DS was in the icandy until about 18months as the seat is really roomy. We then bought Chico echo but he wasn't in that long as he's really tall and prefers to walk which is great but makes life harder when it's raining !

I'm still not at all organised and only have what we already have from DS. We've turned his cotbed into a bed for first time tonight so it could be an interesting one! Wish us luck!

On the slings front- can anyone recommend one that can be used pretty early on when baby arrives?

My early go to wrap is a Close carrier, very veey swift to put on, cheap secondhand, and doesn't cause any hip issues.

I also have a half buckle toddler wrap andI have just purchased an in between connecta integra. Its a great way to bond with baby and I can recommend local sling libraries as having a selection to try before you buy.

Bump still painful, think I hit it hard but baby is moving a bit so I'll ring MW if it gets worse. I under reacted last pg and will never forget it

AmIgoingMad - we've brought the caboo DX for DH because he's tall and the oyster baby sling for me. Highly recommend both

I like the Close baby carrier too - lovely to wear. Then I go to an Ellaroo Mei Tai, which I also find really comfortable and can be used for front and back carries so lasts for ages. I've got a ring sling knocking around somewhere too, but I don't particularly like wearing that one.

MrsBri - thanks, will have a look at that one.

Redwelly - hope your bump feels better soon! And yy to calling the MW if you need to.

The baby show sounds fun!

redwelly hope your bump feels better soon. Shame your Husband is being an idiot!

pinkbear hope the baby shuffles to a more comfortable position soon. I wouldn't stress too much about stuff- there are several months yet. I've also been worrying about money - I'm unemployed and temping when I can and finding that exhausting and my husband has been off sick a lot - he's been ill and doesn't get sick pay at the moment as he had so much time off last year with a dislocated shoulder and subsequent operation, but people have been very kind handing on nearly new things, which is lovely. Babies don't need as much stuff as all that in the first months anyway (nice though it is!). I haven't bought a single baby thing, although as a nanny, I do own a sling and some washable nappies which is a pretty good start. At least we don't need to worry about car stuff, being car free! (Someone has given me a baby seat so we have the option, but it won't get a lot of use!) It means I don't have to choose pushchairs and the like, but I've tried most at one time or another and I'm not fussed enough to mind what I'm given!

Jeezo - feeling very naughty and unprepared compared to you guys. Currently I've spent about £40 on wallpaper for the nursery. Otherwise baby is coming home and living in a drawer with some old towels - or maybe I can find a way of registering to be Finnish and getting one of those boxes??

Going pram shopping next month so will ask for advice nearer the time.

I might even stretch to a pack of baby grows in Tescos one of these days. Although I keep looking at things, frankly the cost scares me. I'm saving like crazy for maternity leave so really don't want to spend anymore than is necessary on stuff I may not need. Watch this - we'll probably end up doing a mad shoppathon en route to the hospital as I realise that I have nothing for bubs.

Redwelly I hope you and bump are ok? Your DH needs a kick up the arse, men can be such pains!

I'm feeling a bit wobbly now because I've got so much to do... Like to be prepared! Had a repeat scan this week so it was lovely to see baby again - sad that there are no more scans.