June 2013 - thread 6 - will this thread see any early arrivals?

[AlohaMama]

Welcome back all June-ers, just realised we were about to run out of space on the old thread.

Good tip oli. Would help figure out what kind of baby you've got, too / if you wanted to implement baby whisperer after a bit!

Enjoy nct! My first NHS class is next week and I'm now wondering if I should have done both...

My last NCT class today too Oli. I beat you though - it's a mammoth 6 hours! Was hoping DH might make it to the afternoon session but as he's on night shift and still isn't even home yet (and hasn't slept since yesterday morning) I'm thinking I'm going to be the saddo single woman again which is a bit awkward when you do all that positions for when in labour stuff.

Also need to walk dog first but we're not speaking cos she ate my skirting board again. Those sad faces that dogs make when they think they're meant to be guilty about something really pull on the heart strings don't they?

Some great tips there thank you !

Enjoy the classes!

We're putting DS s big boy bed together today! Fingers crossed he decides he likes it!!!

Am also hoping to get a bit more organised.

Have a bit of a conundrum too- woman in work said her son had a load of clothes that they'd rather went to someone they knew if we'd be interested. I thought- how kind! Which it is still I know. Only thing is that when she brought them in I asked if she'd like anything towards them as it was implied they were a 'donation' and she then told me that he'd put the price list for each item in the bag with them! Feel a bit weird now- partly for assuming they were giving them, partly as if we're paying I would probably get new anyway. I would have given £20-30 as a gesture/ thank you anyway but not sure what to do now. Hate to ask it here but what would you do? I'm thinking maybe I was just being a bit unreasonable to think they were being given but that really was what was implied. Help!

Thats a bit weird AmI. We have been invited round to a friends tomorrow as they are moving to Geneva and they wondered if we would like any of their baby clothes. I never thought that I should take a cheque book! How much does she want for them? I think if you would want the stuff anyway its fair to give her some money - what we were going to do tomorrow is give them something that is age appropriate for their child now!

Really helpful discussion re routines, thank you. Was nervous even mentioning it on here! Have now bought the No Cry Sleep solution and Healthy Sleep Habits to add to my pile.

Thanks Sarah- yes I agree that I should be giving some money anyway. I'll have a good look through over the weekend and decide. It's all priced like 50p-£2 per vest/sleep suit etc then certain ones are more expensive then each outfit has its price. It's just all a bit overwhelming really!

Still - probably make more sense than buying all new again I suppose and I can understand the wanting to recoup some of the spending you inevitably do when having little ones.

I came across a video once explaining the difference in cries - will look it out.

Great idea about not feeding to sleep Oli but my breast milk was always described as 'knock out drops' always sent them to sleep!

Have a good Saturday everyone. I'm off to another crochet class which is really an excuse for tea and cake without kids around...

Morning!

Some great tips here, thank you. But...I really don't have time to read more than one book, so do those of you who are in the know think that TBW is the one to choose?

Also torn as many years ago there weren't any books and most people managed just fine!

Hope everyone enjoys their weekends :-)

Right, anyone know where I put my elbow sharpener? I'm off to an NCT nearly new sale this afternoon...

Need nappy fluff, and a car seat. And maybe some other bits if I see anything nice

I'm so glad others are going to try and figure out routines, will defo have a look at some of the books, the bf woman scared the bejesus out of me about demand feeding, I'm expecting to feed but wasn't thinking I was going to be a tap every hour or less, I understand the motions he'll go through when he is hungry but a routine will be so much easier to manage with him

We have really been through the mill with sleep issues but just off to an afternoon nap with DH while DD sleeps so will weiteup some of what we learnt later. We did feed to sleep for naps but she never wanted to for bedtime. Nights were horrendous and this time we are better prepared! They do change patterns so often when tiny that routines seem to cause quite a bit of stress in early weeks,YY to tracking feeds etc, I used an app called baby ESP and will use it again this time. Genius.

Braved shops with toddler today and gor baby bath support, beautiful blanket and some Cath Kidson baby bath towels. I have to confess to hating CK, more of an EB girl but these are so so pretty.

I do love a good NCT sale

We got:
Cloth nappies x4 and disposable liners x200 for £10
Baby Dan high chair £30
Chicco baby rocker £3
Close baby carrier £5

And a lady who didn't think she was allowed to sell cloth nappies at the sale but offered to email me a list & pics of what she has to sell this evening.

Bargain!

Good shopping ladies!

So on other news, dh and I have finally decided we are moving back to England this August after nearly 5 years abroad. So 'nesting' in this house is now going to involve getting our house ready to sell, selling off things we don't want to ship, organising all the financial and legal stuff, and trying to find time to get ready for having another baby. Dd will be 6-8weeks when we move. And as shipping takes 3 months we'll be spending that time living with my parents. So all in all quite scary stuff. I'm kind of ready to move and not having to go back to work after the paltry 3 wk maternity leave is a bonus (though being sahm of 2 is quite daunting). Although having not been working in the uk means i won't get any maternity leavel allowance, yet won't be able to work, which is going to be hard. I will be looking for tips on how to be a mum in England, what clothes I need (I'm assuming the months ds spent wearing only a nappy aren't going to cut it, even on the south coast) and lots of other things.

Expect to hear lots of stressful panicking coming from here!

Oops I meant 3 months maternity leave, even by American standards 3 wks would be a bit tight!

I'm reading the routine stuff with interest. As haven't really thought about what I'm going to do routine wise still in denial that this baby is coming out and soon

Had a ' family' photo session done this afternoon with DP and dsds. First pictures with bump that have been taken in 34 weeks! So will be nice to have a few.

Have just ordered nursing bras thanks for the discount tip (can't remember who it was but )

Aloha, wow. As for clothes - you'll need winter suits to survive 'summer' here after knowing proper heat!! Do you know where abouts you'll be over here?

Got my new glasses in the week and am making an effort to wear them all the time..... God I must have been a squinter before hand, like reading the sky planner..... I can actually see it now!! DP says he's much more confident I will now come home from place with correct child and not just a random!

Exciting, Aloha. Moving in August sounds daunting, but you'll just get through it and it will be great later in the year when you are settled and closer to family. I guess planning and lists are going to be important!
I'm shattered - we went to visit a 6-week-old baby this morning and she was cute but her parents warned us that the first fortnight wasn't fun. Eek, scary. I then did some shopping in John Lewis and got some bits and bobs - changing mat, mattress and sheets for the Moses basket and a bath thermometer. Am going to try to get most of the stuff for hospital bag tomorrow in Mothercare.
DP is off cycling now until Friday so have the house to myself, with the cat. Have just cleaned the place and had to stop when bump protested by getting hard. Time for a sit down with the Guardian now, I think.
Hope everyone is having a chilled Saturday evening. Am fancying Chinese food....

Sunbeam think we had the same idea I'm having takeaway just waitin for it will be a fatty when this baby is out!

Congrats on moving aloha good luck getting te house ready

I've bought lots today too cot sheets and Moses sheets mostly with a few hospital bag bits

In other news bump is having a party and I have woken up with puffy under eyes that are really dry

I've hardly bought anything but today spent seventeen pounds on fancy wool so I can make this gu.com/p/3f987. I blame the hormones!

Wow aloha! That's a big move! Glad that you know what's happening now- it must have been a nightmare having things so up in the air!

Also wow at everyone's purchases! Especially your bargains rue!

Enjoy your chineses! Really wish I was having one now!

Hawk moth I don't know how to knit but I would learn just to make that. I WANT THAT NOW!!

If I have a little boy I'm definately going to make this shark hoodie - in fact even if I have a girl I'm going to have to make this www.allfreesewing.com/Sew-for-Kids/Boy-Shark-Hoodie

I'm listening to DH chopping up veg for stir fry but now craving a take away! We did go for pub lunch with NCT class though, so have already had Bad Food today.

NCT was good, and seven of us went out after so good to get to know people. Two of the girls have their mums moving in with them for several months after the babies are here. I honestly couldn't think of anything worse. Any of you lot have that? Mine is an hour away. This is a nice distance I think. Close enough to help if needed, but no threat of her popping in.

One NCT girl is grating just a bit though.. We were talking hospital bag and she was going on about the need for full make up so she doesn't look rough in post birth photos. I'm a tinted moisturiser only kind of girl and I have only had a manicure when I got married. I said it was pretty low on my priority list and she gave me a look of abject horror. She is also super rich and hiring a night nurse so she can be rested. I'm half jealous, but half thinking that delegation surely isn't the name of the game?!?

Well had a rather quiet morning but had noticed totally reduced movements from this little boy camping in my belly, called my midwife triage at about 5 who said to come down so they could check things over, had bp taken, temps, pulse sat attached to a Doppler, did my pee which had a protein trace in it, all else was ok, had a scan too but it was by a registrar who said he was a bit unsure what he was doing so going back Monday, they were lovely and as soon as we heard the heartbeat down my worry just zipped away

Sarah I don't think I would look at you in horror if that's all you wear I must admit to buying a makeup bag with new foundation and blusher in it as I know hubby would forget to add it to the bag at last minute when the time came

Steff - glad the monitoring was OK, hope Monday's follow up doesn't throw up any issues either.

Sarah, just smile and nod :o make up will be the last thing on your mind after having a baby! And there's a lovely hormonal glow that new mothers seem to get so actually it doesn't matter anyway - I've not seen a horrible post-birth pic yet.

My parents live abroad, they're coming to stay the weekend before my section is booked, and staying for a few days after I get home with LO. But mostly they're coming to help us out with school runs, childcare etc. Having said that, I definitely couldn't cope with them staying for months on end!

Sarah, there is no way my marriage could survive my mother staying more than 48 hours, they were here today, glad they have gone (I mean, who gives a 3year old a biscuit at 5:05pm when said toddler's mother has just said his dinner will be ready in about 10-15 minutes? And then looks upset and says "oh granny's in trouble, I better get you to hand it back" and then we have toddler melt down, I give in and allow biscuit and only a couple of mouthfuls of dinner are eaten.)

Re make up, she has a good point, I look like death in all those photos of ds in hospital, and they do end up on display! This time I'm taking tinted moisturiser, mascara and blusher- hopefully ill look a bit more presentable... On and pack a hair brush! I forgot so also look a bit like a fraggle. A really pale, ill fraggle.