Martians 2014 Thread 14: on intra-uterine discos and knocking stuff over with your bump.

[SuperMuddle]

Come join us on our shiny new thread!

I don't remember the tea tasting bad but I might think differently this time!

Does anyone know what it is in the raspberry leaf tea that's supposed to work?

Worst Christmas present? Possibly the smoked salmon that went out of date on the 23rd December. Maybe the maternity pyjamas that make me look like a trucker... ungrateful aren't I!

It's an amazing sunny day here, my hyacinths that I planted in the autumn are flowering and making the house smell gorgeous, I've been for a nice long walk and now I'm going to put my feet up for a bit.

We finally did some baby shopping this weekend (I'm 32 weeks tomorrow and we haven't bought anything yet!).
Got a sling and a grobag sleeping bag cheap in the sales so pleased with that, also had a look around at carseats: we are thinking of getting a 0-18kg one to avoid having to buy a baby one and then a bigger one: has anyone used these before? Also got a few babygros, not going to go overboard buying clothes as think will get some from a friend, but thought it was worth having a few just in case it's early.
Also got some raspberry leaf tea in tesco!

Sling why do you hate your Xmas pressie sling so much? Would have thought it would be right up your street.

I was told you don't need a lot with a newborn so have tried to keep purchases to a minimum. There's a thread on the pregnancy board regarding vital purchases - however what is one mothers godsend is another's biggest waste of cash. Travel systems seem to get a bashing. I've already bought mine as I got a good deal in the sales
Baby monitors are also a waste, apparently. You can hear a newborn from anywhere in the house.

Anyone else have an increased sense of smell during their pregnancy? I know it's not uncommon but I swear mine is like a bloodhounds. Sometimes it's like I have a super human power!

Imeg the 0-18kg car seats tend not to be particularly comfortable for a smaller baby as they aren't as reclined as a specific newborn one, we had one as the spare but only used it once when DS was small as it wasn't as reclined and didn't seem quite right!

I've bought crib and Moses basket mattresses today, plus bedding for them both, new car seat for DS as he's nearly at the top weight for his existing seat, plus some swaddling thingies to try until DD loses her startle reflex - never used them with DS and he would sometimes wake himself up with it so decided its worth a try. £21 for 3 on asda direct, decided it was worth getting!

Yogi, this lot will tell you what a hater of slings I am (the MN username is a piss-take). I am passionately anti-babywearing especially when the metrosexual fellas mince about in 'em

Awwwah! Really Sling? You might feel completely differently once the baby is here. Is this your first?

Yes, Yogi. And no..I really won't.

...I plan to be a Gina Ford devotee and put my baby down At All Times

I've just been reading Gina Ford's book, today! My sister in law gave me some baby books when we met up at xmas. Seems sensible advise to me.
'what to expect - year 1' - scared the crap out if me - esp the part where they suggest breast feeding every hour for 20mins during growth spurt expected at six weeks. Honestly, how would you cope?!!!

Just set alarm as back to the grindstone tomorrow! 8 weeks to go as plan to finish at wk 38, was originally going to week 39 but as can barely keep my eyes open now thought that was a bit ambitious! lib thanks for tip on tomy baby monitor, I'd just seen that the tomy 550 & BT pacifier are nominees for 2014 mother & baby award so will go for the tomy. I wouldn't say they were useless yogi coz although u can hear baby as they get older the other functions are useful like talk back, lullabies, temp gauge, night light etc but if you're on a budget you'd survive without! I'm definitely on the raspberry leaf- with DD I went from 2cm to giving birth in 1.5 hrs!! It was pretty intense but I'm convinced the raspberry leaf contributed this or maybe I have that kind of cervix! The doc said mine was a
"Jet propelled delivery"! I didn't mind the taste of the tea and this time I'm taking the tablets too- both bought in holland & Barrett yesterday- the tablets were in the penny sale so bargain!

Yogi, the answer is: no-one 'copes' with that kind of extreme feeding; it can lead to exhaustion and misery all-round. It all depends what ideology you associate with, I guess. I, personally, cannot bear the thought of having to feed my baby to sleep for weeks on end or extreme feeding of any kind. I've read too many stories on here from women who demand-fed their babies and co-slept until they were eight/nine months old and now they won't sleep in a cot and are still not sleeping through the night. I am desperate to try GF's routines as opposed to anything else I have read about.

Hello, Bspice, are you brand new to the thread or have you name-changed?

Good tip bspice on the Holland and Barrett penny sale. Must try and pop in this week. I'm also planning to work up to 39 weeks, have quite a bit of flexibility with my job as I can portion my own holiday and flexo out as I see fit. I've booked every Friday afternoon off from now up to mat leave (28th feb last day) but have been thinking that maybe it would be worth changing so I actually finish the week before use the holiday all in one go and build up some flexi time to give me the odd afternoon /day off.
Doing it that way my last day of work would be the 21st Feb which sounds much more appealing.

We haven't got a monitor yet. I guess we might need one. But baby will be with us all the time anyway so I don't know. Will see how we get on.

Morning, everyone! My antenatal classes start today. Not really looking forward to being patronised to death

lottie* we don't have a car and have got a travel system. Because of a good sale price and just in case. (Can you tell it's my first) but hopefully baby will get full use.

bspice OH is completely into gadgets and we had vouchers for Debenham so might as well but the cheapest I saw it was on Kiddiecare for January sale. Saying that, I've had to fight him every step of the way not to buy every stupid gadget, trinket and 'latest innovation'. As we're saving every penny for while I am on mat leave. I think. . we now have 'essentials'.

Question for group:
What are people doing for 3rd stage of labour? Are you getting 'assisted' placenta delivery or letting nature take its course?

Or those that have done the latter before, what is it like in your experiences?

I've had the syntocinon injection both times and placenta was delivered quickly and easily, minimal bleeding. So based on previous experience I will go for the same thing. Although this time I will ask that the cord is not cut before it stops pulsating.

Lib I had the injection last time and genuinely have no recollection of anything placenta-related. My plan had been same again this time, spoke to my (home birth) midwife to check that is ok to do again, and she basically said they encourage you to let nature take its course simply because I'll (hopefully!) have done everything else naturally - basically once baby is out and cord is cut she will disappear into the background for me, baby and DH to relax and have a bit of time together, breastfeed etc while the placenta does its thing. If it's taking too long or I decide I want the injection just give her a shout. Sounds lovely to me, but at the same time it was so easy last time that I'm just not sure... Will just decide on the day I think!

Afternoon all. Hope you had good Christmasses and New Years. Sorry for being woefully absent for the last couple of weeks.

I have a question about babies and sleep. I'm just on the NHS website, and it says:

"For the first six months your baby should be in the same room as you when they're asleep, both day and night"

it goes on to say

"Leave the room while your baby is still awake, happy and relaxed and they will learn how to fall asleep on their own in their cot"

So which is it?

It also says:

"Babies don't need hot rooms. All-night heating is rarely necessary. Keep the room at a temperature that's comfortable for you at night. About 18°C (65°F) is comfortable. "

Erm, what? 18°C IS a hot room, surely? Or is it just me? A comfortable temperature for me at night would be about 14°C.

Oh I hate reading stuff about babies, it just confuses me and makes me worry.

Fox

the leave the room thing is when baby 6mths + in their own room in cot

they do advise 1st 6mths in with you, probably in moses basket, for 1st 6 mths there is less of a sleeping pattern possibility so I just basically took baby up to bed when I went - it's just guidelines though many of my friends had baby in own room after a couple weeks

Sling I also start NCT classes tonight! I'm in Surrey.

BSpice thanks for your view on the baby monitor and those other features would be useful.

Lib mine will be an assisted placenta delivery I have been told by the consultant due to a high risk of hemorage.

Fox who knows? More conflicting advice

Thanks Chaffinch that makes sense. Although it says the thing about leaving the room is from 3 months. Stupid NHS website! I was saying to my mum and sister that I thought the advice was to always be in the same room as baby when it's sleeping and they looked at me like I was slightly mad. (They were asking about co-sleeping cots and wouldn't the baby roll out of it. I said you only put it in there when you're in bed, and so we got on to the above and then I got confused).

that is maddeningly confusing advice - it's up to you what you do and how you do it fox
when sleep deprived you'll try a million different things