September 2013 - Definitely in the third trimester now!

[badguider]

New thread... will try to find the stats thread and link...

Glad lo's okay Ready, another excuse to hear the little heartbeat

I'm so pleased everything is okay Ready. It's so scary having to go to hospital isn't it?

The doctor prescribed me omeprozole for my heartburn/ indigestion/ acid reflux on Monday and it is brilliant! I haven't had any symptoms since. I strongly recommend it if anyone is suffering.

Dp and I have our first NCT tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. A bit of a daft question but what should I wear? I don't have loads of maternity clothes so choices are a bit limited. Would long shorts and a nice t shirt be okay as it's going to be hot?

hetty, dont worry about wearing anything special for nct. I have been to 4 sessions so far and it seems most people wear flip flops, sandals, leggings and baggy tops! that sort of thing. I go straight from wrk so I always feel a bit over formal.
on a random note, can I just ask something to ladies who have babies already. Do I really need a baby bath?? I have a little baby seat/holder to use in our bath and as naive as this might sound, I imagine I will use this mostly. But my mum keeps insisting that I will need to demonstrate bathing baby at home visits and I will need a small portable bath for this??

Kim - we are getting given a bath by a friend who said she only used it for a few weeks so we'll take it then pass it on again... but I don't like the idea of 'demonstrating bathing the baby' - I wouldn't want my baby stripped off and washed just for some kind of demonstration... sounds weird to me??? Anybody else who has had babies before know?

On another topic - I am so envious of you ladies on facebook with photos of lovely slim arms and legs... I seem to have gained pockets of fat on my upper arms and thighs (though I haven't put on too much overall and the rest of me - hips, bum, toros - seems fine).. I don't like these new fat arms and I know they won't go at birth and I won't be up to doing anything about them for a while afterwards...

Kim we never bothered with a baby bath and won't again this time. Annoying to store and only used for a couple of months anyway.

We just used the big bath with a bath cradle/seat. Never heard if anyone having to demonstrate to a HV either.

Although I remember my Mum being all when we didn't get one, so perhaps it's a generational thing?

Sorry for multiple posts but feeling very jealous of you all discussing birthing pools and MW led birth centres.

Consultant led unit and CFM all the way for us this time. Not :( as such, but sad for what might have been if it wasn't for emcs last time.

My MIL is adamant I get one of those sponge baby bath support thingies. She is all 'I've had them for both of my boys', and it is only £8! Get one get one or I will get you one... I don't know how anyone could feel so strongly about a piece of sponge! I think we're just going to get one of those really simple toweling bath support things. They look a good height, safe and sturdy and don't take half a room to store.

Really feeling the crazy emotional up and downs now! I was in a bit of a grump last night when DH came home (not his fault) and I think that in combination with being hungry I went from 0 to craaaaazy when he refused to go to the neighbours to pick up some post. I'm ashamed to admit that our dinner I was dutifully cooking ended up in the bin and I was left sobbing picking up pieces of cup+ spicy sauce from the sink...

I doubt we'll use the baby bath this time although did last time as so much easier than filling the bath. But I expect we'll pop DC2 in the big bath with DC1 so no need for it.

No one (except my mum!) checked I had any clue how to bath DD. I'm not really into my mum 'helping' but was good having her show me how to do the first bath...

Ready good to hear baby is ok, and a good trick to get them wriggling again!

Triple don't worry, its all about getting them out safely. For low risk, that is with midwives, and for you it is something different. A good friend of mine is high risk due to previous placental problems, resulting in the death of her first dd. She is now on her third and regarded as high risk, but is insisting on a home birth ... they can't make her go to hospital, but for her being at home is really important, I just don't get it. For me it is both of us getting through child birth safely and alive. Focus on the end result and not the process

Gosh, I booked my nct classes for mid August ... and they are two full days! Would much preferred to have it over a few weeks I think. Oh well ... just hope baby doesn't arrive early!?

I was looking at those bath seats the other day with a friend of mine with two little'uns and she just looked at me and said 'you don't need one, babies float just fine' I guess the only reason for a baby bath is to use less water than in a full bath, but if you are sharing and enjoying the water yourself, then it isn't wasted. We have been given a bath though, but it seems huge and I'm not quite sure where to keep it!

Runningbear - the space thing is my issue! We live in a 2 bedroom house and just don't have the extra space for bulky baby baths. And if I can just use a little baby seat/cradle then this will be much easier to store away whilst not in use. I don't think I will bother buying one unless I specifically get told to by HV or MW. My mum will probably buy one for me as a "favor"! I think she is already finding it quite hard not having total control over this baby. As it's her first grandchild it's the first time a baby hasn't actually been hers I guess! Oh well. She will soon learn :)

We didn't bother with a baby bath at first last time - we got one of the seats like this: www.thepostnatal.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/bather1.jpg1.jpg on Freecycle, but found you had to run the bath really deep to use it which seemed like a bit of a waste for a 5 min bath for a small baby.

In fact a midwifery assistant came round after a few days to show us how to bathe the baby, as the midwife asked if anyone had shown us in hospital and we said no. She showed us how to do it in the normal bathtub as we didn't have a baby bath. But then we decided a baby bath might actually be a good idea as it would use less water, and there are always loads on Freecycle or in charity shops etc.

Maybe see how you get on without and don't buy one new whatever you do!

After much deliberation we bought the tippitoes mini bath. I have friends who swear by bath supports/sponges but I'm the sort of person who boils a kettle to do the washing up rather than leave the hot water on so I didn't want to be running a full size bath for a tiny baby. Also, the tippitoes mini seems so easy to use & very little opportunity for the baby to go anywhere...

I have a small 2 bed flat, but it's not as big as the giant baths you see in mothercare....sits nicely on top of the wardrobe. TBH my bathroom is so small I think I'll be doing the baths in the kitchen/bedroom do that others can help!

Hetty honestly just wear what you feel comfy in for NCT - in my group it is a combination of sports, loggers, leggings and dresses - so anything goes I hope you really enjoy it - I have my last one next week and wish they were going on longer!

Have had the best night's sleep for ages last night and I an sure it was all the relaxing techniques we did at hypno birthing last night!

My sister gave me a bath support for the baby and said that she also got a blow up baby bath which she said she used loads- see this link www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/s/ref=is_box_?k=blow+up+baby+bath so that my be an option if you really want to get one (or MIL does) as it will save space.

Glad you and LO are fine Ready

I really want one of those duck baths! But they're for older babies so DH and I have promised to get it for him as soon as he grows out of the mini bath :-) (am sure it'd be fine with a bath support tho)

Baby is back to his active self this morning, so I'm happy about that :-)

So pleased everything ok for you ready.

Oh jammy that does make me feel better. I did something very similar last night, followed by a lot of feeling sorry for myself, and a lack of dinner, having thrown it all in the sink. DH clearly still in a mood with me as he went off to work this morning...

I have one of those L-shaped baths so it takes loads of water to fill -was thinking about getting a baby bath for that reason. That tippitoes one seems to have good reviews, but people also seem to rate the tummy tub type ones. Also smaller. But I would be worried about the head slipping under water I think.

hetty at my antenatal class (though not NCT - hasn't started yet) people were wearing all sorts. I went straight from work and was a bit over-dressed. Shorts and a t-shirt would have fitted in fine.

Hi All,

Kips that is scary soon, still hopefully you're better prepared than I am.

Good or bad to hear other people are having probs sorting contracts and maternity pay, in Swden it comes from the state rather than your employer but they haven't/ won't register me even though I've been here 3 yrs, have a swedish company and work FT (for my own company) on the plus side I'm too busy and tired to work up the energy to care

Just thought you might enjoy this ...and think carefully about your naming choices (or not!)

A friend lent us the tummy tub and I found it really good, especially as leaning over the big bath post section would have been hard. Might just get a bucket from B&Q!
Also a bit jealous of those of you discussing mw led units and waterbirths. I suppose I could have argued for another trial of labour but with two emcs for failure to progress I think I have to acknowledge that my body likes being pregnant but not giving birth!

Weebarra my thoughts exactly!

Still haven't decided on elcs or vbac here. My emcs was due to fetal distress, DD was OP and had cord wrapped round her neck more than once.

This time I'm only trialling a VBAC if baby is head down and OA. But even then, it will be in hospital under watchful eye of consultant and CFM. Anything other than Ceph OA and I'll be right behind you scheduling my elcs I imagine.

In my heart of hearts I would love a straightforward VBAC, but no way I am going through a protracted labour now I have DD to think of.

Oh yes, forgot to say we actually bathed DS in the kitchen sink for the first few weeks as it saved on bending down! Also it made us clean the sink!

We have a baby bath but I think it was just one of those things we thought we had to have, first time round. We needed it when we moved house, because the new place only had a shower (old people, had spent thousands getting someone to make the bathroom badly into a wet room). Not sure we will use it this time, bathroom is quite small so it would be used inside the bath IYSWIM. Or possibly on the kitchen counter but then why not just use the kitchen sink. Another thing is that newborns really don't need lots of baths. Sitting them in a couple of inches of water in a washing up bowl to clean their bum is probably all they need, maybe a big playtime type of bath with mummy once a week (DS and I still do this and he is 4 soon!)

Had my 32w appointment today. All good, blood results from 28w all within the right ranges and 36w appointment likely to be at home to combine with 'not a crack den check' pre home birth. I have decided to try to get someone else at work to take my place on the course I was going to do, then I'll book on it when I'm going back to work at the end of ML.

We're not really doing an antenatal class, I thought I might look for something NCT like a refresher, but tbh I can't really be bothered

How's everyone feeling about this month-long heat wave that's just starting? Urrrrrgggghhhhh...

I love the heat usually but after a stroll into town my feet are so swollen and ache so much! I have got to go to Morrison's and do a weekly shop in a bit - dreading the thought! my poor feet - think I will have a cup if tea before I think about go out again.

Anyone else feel rough for a few hours after eating? Bloated/gassy/slightly sick? And as if lungs can't get enough air into them, because there's not enough space, IYSWIM?

Sorry to run in after a week and change the subject but has anyone had pain accross bump pretty much belly button level? Have had it on and off today and its quite sharp/painful will go back and catch up on posts now I've barged in!