February 2014 - all our bags are packed, we're ready to go...

[sunflowered]

Well... we're getting there at least, and definitely ready to meet the first thread baby!

petty this is my thoughts but just wondered why then it would be called a "day bed" seems odd.

My DH had lived alone with his children part-time for several years for I met him so he is pretty good with housework! His standards are not as high as mine though so I do have to remind him, but if I ask, from my position on the sofa, he will do anything housework wise except ironing.

Re prams. I've not tested masses, but 'good off-road' was our main criteria for buying both this and our previous pushchair. The main things are big, air filled tyres, the bigger the better for rough and soft terrain. Things like the Quinny Buzz (with 2 big wheels and small ones at the back) just don't cut it IMO.

I've got a Moses basket for night time, just a basic one from Mothercare 5 years ago, and a Moses-sized carrycot for on the pushchair which we will also use downstairs in the daytime, on a Moses stand in the living room. Both need sheets and I bought some in B&M which were actually cheaper than pillowcases which are fine to use instead.
I actually used the carrycot overnight a couple of times when DD was tiny and too small really for a travel cot. Once I just left it on the pram and she slept perfectly. It has a proper Moses mattress so I can't see why they say 'not suitable for overnight sleeping', seems stupid to me,

One more day of school holiday then Dd is back at school and I get some time to myself! Might actually get round to sorting out my hospital bags at last.

Petty Just before reading your post, I decided to get a blackboard to write down tasks on! And when baby comes, I can add the "we have to be good examples for him," as an incentive as well.

jazz I'd say just let them have fun with the whole nursery thing :) My mum was going to do that (we live 10 mins away) but then she got too ill to do it, so it's not happening now.

Carry cot - is that something separate? We'll just be using the pushchair so baby can sleep in it in peoples garden/balcony/porch when we visit :) Not given sheets a thought yet, going shopping on monday!

Don't get the "not suitable for night time sleeping" thing. As long as it's got a good mattress and can keep a suitable temperature, surely it doesn't matter.

I believe the determining factor for overnight sleeping suitability is breath ability - not of the mattress but of the container, eg carrycot. If it has holes in the bottom it's fine for overnight but if it's solid then it's not. I guess it's because overnight implies you will be asleep while baby is in it and so not be alert to it rolling (?) and then not being able to breathe? Whereas during the day assumes you will be observing.

Depth of sides as well as holes in the chassis is what makes a carrycot able to advertise as suitable or not - so it's ventilation.

I'm planning to use the carrycot to my uppababy vista for daytime naps, and overnight when we're away from home. I've bought some fitted sheets for it so that it's easy to keep clean.

I've had the most lovely day :) took the Xmas decorations down (well, DH did and I packed them), then onto his mum's for a nice cup of tea and a catch up, and then spent all afternoon with friends. It was one of those easy, feel good in a warm glowy kind of a way, days!

So what pram did you decide on, Unplastered?

I've ended up spending quite a lot today - paid for a course of preg yoga classes, juicer, food shop then takeaway! My debit card is sad.

Also - Does anyone know if regular aqua aerobics are safe? Rather than ones that are specified for preggos? My local leisure centre only has the regular kind.

Julietee, we had a Quinny Speedi last time which was fab - just a few things we didn't like (forward facing only, pushchair didn't sit upright enough for a bigger child, hood not big enough - minor stuff). This time we went for a Maxi Cosi mura plus, which seems to do everything we liked about the Speedi and solved the above problems. Hope we like it as much when we actually get to use it! Both fit a maxi cosi cabriofix and DH has slightly altered the plastic clips (shaved a tiny bit of purely cosmetic plastic off) on the dreami carrycot to make it fit the mura.

Just checked on my carrycot, and whilst it is apparently suitable for occasional overnight use, the special edition of it needs a separate mattress for overnight sleeping.... It's not expensive, but I hadn't even considered bedding for it.

What would you use in a carrycot in February when out and about? Obviously Bean will be dressed in a few layers, and I've knitted a couple of pram blankets, but would a very new baby need a footmuff insert? Handwarmers by his little feet? Suddenly fretting.

I'm just planning on a snowsuit and blankets? As many as are needed for the temp I guess... (This is just what I assumed - I have zero experience!) 'Bedding' for it simply consists of Jersey Moses basket sheets (got 3 for £1 at an nct sale) but that's just to protect the mattress from any sick and something I can take off and clean when it picks up dust and cat hair etc!

jazz my MIL was talking about doing this but I told her we would bring some sort of sleeping arrangement for the baby. I don't see us visiting the PILs more than a couple of times a year but I think they might be anticipating a lot more visits than that...

notone that all makes total sense but I think my carrycot is pretty solid yet it says on website that it's suitable for night sleeping. Hmm.

I'm also planning on snowsuit and blankets for out and about based on advice when I posed this question on FB page! Plus the carrycot has a cover that snaps over the top which would stop wind etc getting in - I think most of them do?

We are finally back in our own bedroom tonight after 5 months in the guest room. SO happy. En suite, lush new down mattress topper, king size bed. Will thoroughly enjoy sleeping in here for the next few weeks before my life loses the concept of sleep altogether...

gnitting According to advice I've found, babies would normally have a sheepskin thingy on the mattress in the pram (when out and about and it's cold), or a wool blanket, and then 2 layers of wooly clothes on baby, making sure baby is not too tightly wrapped in a winter sleeping bag or under duvet and blanket :) Mind this advice is for snowy weather, so might be too hot in the UK, depending on where you live! I'll be going for a solution like this, depending on what we can afford.

Mind, the most important thing is that baby is not wrapped up too tightly, as that will make it colder.

marzi I am most envious of your new mattress and en-suite bathroom! Grats on moving back in to your own bedroom :)

We just got back from the hospital, after I phoned about reduced movement for two days, I was adviced to come in. Baby was fine - although not happy when I had to lie on my back for 20 minutes for CTG thingy. When they let me lie on my side for a while instead, he was happy chappy again. Atleast we now know where to go if he decides to come in the evening :)

Oh, just realised that they recommend 1 layer of wool if it's plus degrees 1+ and up. So that would probably include most of you guys, apart from any very far northeners!

marzi not only have I spent £12 on soup ingredients in the ex-veg box, I'd stopped at the supermarket on the way home from pils and bought a fridge full of food including soup ingredients...

Excellent news about finally getting your bedroom back

I also hadn't thought about how to keep the baby warm on the move... For clothes, I've been told 'as many layers as you would wear, plus one extra' but otherwise completely clueless. I'm hoping that as well as 'how to get the baby out' our nct agenda includes 'how to keep it alive'.

Back and, erm, inner thighs are killing me today after walking through airport and around supermarket yesterday. Really feel for those of you who feel like this every day, it's miserable.

Jazz I would definitely sit back and let the grandparents kit out a nursery at their houses, it will make visits so straightforward all the time the little one is sleeping in a cot - usually until 2-3yrs. My parents and my ILs both got cots when DS was born (first grandchild for both) - although we sourced a second hand one through a friend for the ILs and it has honestly made me much more inclined to visit, knowing that DS will sleep well and be nicely contained! Plus of course they'll probably get years of use out of them from future grandchildren so I'm sure they see it as a good investment and just want you to feel comfortable when you come and visit. Lots of my friends would kill for parents and ILs with this attitude!

So my sickness returned this morning after about a 2 week absence. Classic usual triggers - was over at a friend's for supper last night and we didn't eat until late (9ish) and it was a fairly meaty, heavy meal. Annoying but at least I know I have a chance of keeping it under control still by avoiding those triggers.

Eeyore where did you get the Uppababy sheets? I had the same sort of idea for day time naps in the carry cot. We got ours yesterday in silver. It will look like a baby astronaut in a re-entry pod! I like the colour but it is all futuristic.

DH has been learning how to click all the bits on, fold and unfold. Nearly made me well up... Prego nutter!

thisis I got them from mothercare, they're Moses basket size. I haven't actually checked they fit yet

we got the silver version too, snap

36 weeks today, which means by this time next week I'll be term

I'm also hoping the NCT class covers keeping the baby alive! I am so clueless it's not even funny. I've never interacted with babies from family or friends so I don't have any base knowledge to work off! Never even changed a nappy before.

People with NCT Bednest - where are you getting the sheets? The mattress seems a funny size and the sheets sold on the NCT site seem pretty expensive.

Littleen glad your little one was okay after the worry. I forgot we have a sheepskin...will be using that in the pram and everywhere else I think!

Loves sorry to hear about the sickness :( Hope you can avoid for the remaining few weeks.

Julietee I've bought all my sheets from babymattressesonline.co.uk/ They custom make sheets and mattresses to order, aren't that expensive, and though I haven't had the sheets delivered yet their delivery of the carrycot mattress was very speedy.

Thanks littleen we ought to be ok then!

Re sheets for cot beds, if you've got access to a sewing machine have a stab at cutting up a bigger sheet - I've got 8 snuzpod sheets (mattress size 36 x 80 x 5cm) from one King size flannelette sheet from JL (22 quid for the sheet = 2.75 per sheet!) plus some pieces leftover to make two little mattress protectors, and I've just cut it up and hemmed it. (My attempts at a fitted sheet were miserable.) Plus the flannelette is so soft and warm and gorgeous I want to buy another king size sheet and just wrap myself in it!

Julietee I bought some sheets from kiddicare that I think might fit... I get the bednest delivered a week on Monday so will try then and if they don't I'll get them from that babymattressesonline site. I'll let you know if the kiddicare ones work when I get the bednest delivery if that's not too late for you?

Notone Thanks! Not too late at all.

Gnitting I do indeed have sewing machine access. And some old sheets. Could be a solution. I don't want to attempt fitted sheets either :)

Good morning. I'm such a hormonal mess at the moment! DS is ill with a streaming cold so none of us have slept well for 3 nights, and he's worse today so that's not improving any time soon.

DH is being wonderful and working so hard in the nursery, sourcing curtains and furniture etc as well as looking after me, DS and all the housework I can't do at the moment (keep getting those terrible knitting needle pains in my crotch).

I couldn't ask for more but I'm so bloody cranky and stressed I feel like exploding. I've become quite intolerant of certain noises DS is making (screeching and constant chatting) but I should be pleased because he only does this when he's happy and he's been so poorly I should be glad he's playing happily.

Because of the constant jabbing and pressure pains I'm feeling really insecure like waters are going to break any second and although this is my 2nd, because I had to be induced with DS and had no niggles or twinges at all, it's all new to me.

I'm so sorry to come on here and just rant.

Forgot to say I'm 37+4 today