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!

julietee and misskat I think you are referring to baby bundlers? Like these from M&S and this one from mamas & papas (currently in sale!)

I am also confused about what to take for baby tiny. Have so far packed 3 newborn outfits and 1 0-3mth, with spare 0-3mth stuff to sit in the car which DH can grab if bean turns out to be huge!

I had one baby bundler from JL for ds and it was ok. I never changed his nappy if he was sleeping anyway and he tended to poo between feeds (so boob, nappy change to stir anyway but usually pooed after first boob, and then offer the next boob). They didn't seem as cosy as sleepsuits but at least there are no poppers to deal with in the middle of the night when you are not as alert as baby seems to be!

Ooh, that's a good idea jazz I think I'll do the same.

Ooooh thanks Jazz and Champagne. I might get a coulple and see how they go.

Wooo hooo i've made my home birth/hospital bag checklist. It is mammoth! How i'm gonna get it all there I do not know! Ooooh I wanna go and buy new cheapo granny knickers and miniature toiletries now! Thanks so much for sharing the ones on the last thread ladies - I've nicked loads and added in some of my own hippy stuff like rescue remedy and aromatherapy oils etc .

Wow it's getting real now!

Dawn, you had me at microwave fudge. Can you elaborate? On the sleepsuits with scratch mitts built in topic, I found Sainsbury's were great. I was given some normal scratch mitts as a gift but never even opened the packet. Not quite sure I see the point, even now. I always kept DS' fingernails neatly trimmed so he couldn't do any damage with the odd scratch and I didn't really like the look of them with mitts on. MissKat - socks would definitely do the job although again , I'm a fan of keeping it simple for the first few months, so baby just in vests and sleepsuits, no socks required, particularly with them being winter babies so cosy is top of my list.

M&S has 2 packs of bundlers for £8 in their sale. In pink, blue or grey and white. I've stocked up and they're lovely. I can't stand poppers

Those bundlers look gorgeous and practical but I can't justify spending money on more baby clothes, we've got so much handed down. Sadly no bundlers!

missk we also have a room of doom. Or more accurately, several

I've just been shopping with my mum. She treated us to the lakeland heated airer, which I'm very pleased about as we really struggle with drying clothes. She also bought a cute onesie for baby. And then we went to phase eight, big mistake! Their clothes suit me really well, and they had a sale on, so I bought a dress and shirt top for post baby/breastfeeding. I have no idea what size I'll be post baby, so I went with a size bigger than pre pregnancy to cover increased boobage. Both actually fitted my 35 week belly, so I hope they're not too large. The dress will be really practical though, it's a knitted v neck so u can breastfeed in it, and it's smart enough for the wedding I've got in early March.

For the maternity bag, I've currently got tiny baby clothes in there. I'll add some new born in a week or so, and at term I'll have a mix of new born and 0-3. I have no clue how big baby will be, it's bum feels huge through my bump, just like it's mum

gosh, sorry for all the typos and bad grammar in that post I blame baby brain!

Hi all,
Mind if I join the party at this late stage?
I'm due 31st Jan with my 1st, so much more likely to be a Feb baby! Have been reading this thread for a while now but now I'm on mat leave (yippee!) will have more time to post.
Another one here who needs to stop procrastinating and actually pack my hospital bag! We're planning a home birth but need to have one ready just in case... and I'm so huge everyone keeps telling me I'll be early! I've set myself a deadline of tomorrow evening to get all the bits together so DH can pack it. Now I've put that out there I have to actually do it I suppose
NCT tonight so need to get off my backside and sort out some dinner before DH gets in from work. The classes have been a bit 'meh' so far and haven't really bonded with anyone yet, so hoping things are better tonight. Will catch up with everyone later

Microwave fudge recipe

100g (4oz) milk or plain chocolate, broken into pieces
100g (4oz) butter, melted (not low fat spread)
450g (1lb) icing sugar
45ml (3tbsp) milk
a few drops of vanilla or other flavouring essence (optional)

Place the chocolate into a glass heatproof bowl and heat on medium for 2-3 minutes. Stop the cooking time and stir every 30 seconds or so, until just melted.

Add the butter, icing sugar, essence and milk, mix well.

Heat on high for 3-4 minutes, take out of the microwave and beat well every minute.

The mixture and bowl will be very hot, so take care.

When the mixture starts to set around the edges of the bowl and becomes thicker, it's ready to pour into a greased, 20cm x 15cm (8" x 6") dish.

Allow to set for a few minutes before marking into squares using a knife, and leave to cool before removing from the tin.

Place in paper sweet cakes and keep in an airtight container for upto a week.

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It says milk or plain choc (which is v nice btw) but i have done it with white chocolate too which is my fave. Can make it a bit squidgyer so you might have to add extra icing sugar and i usually put it in the fridge to set/cool.

I also tend to ignore the bit about it keeping for up to a week and just shove it all in my face in an unseemly manner.

Just reminded me that we took some into hospital when i was having DD1 - midwives liked it although they had to eat it fast as it got a bit melty due to temperatures in there.

Enjoy!

Welcome kungfubaby!

Dawn that sounds amazing! Of course need a microwave first...

dawn that recipe is on my post-birth post-GD to do list! Sounds yum!

You have to buy one Cubano. It's what microwaves were made for...

Woohoo dawn it's been far too long since we've had a good microwave recipe - thanks!

Saw mw today, after measuring spot on at 28 wks am now two weeks behind at 32wks (measuring 30). She didn't seem too bothered about it so am hoping it's just different people. She also didn't say anything abt the wc jab, although I'm still not sure about it. Guess I can do it at 35wk appt though if I decide to do it. Bean's hb All fine though and she's still head down although not engaged. Mw then reassuringly said she did still have space.to move but 'should' stay put. Bloody well hope she doesn't budge!

Dawn that recipe sounds awesome! I love fudge but have never made it so will definitely give it a go!

Welcome kungfu - we're hoping for a home birth too (if baby gets herself the right way round!). I hope your nct classes go well tonight.

I'm jealous of your clothes shooing Eeyore! I can't wait to buy some nice clothes again. The heated airer sounds awesome too!

Good to hear baby is head down winter - just make sure to sit up right etc to keep her there!

I'm so tired after being quite productive today and am currently lying on the bed trying to motivate myself to move. It's my anniversary of meeting DH today and he's back in work so gonna be in late booo so I foresee a very lazy evening of sofa and then early bed. Might catch up on Sherlock - ooh and record the new birds of a feather that's on at half 8!

Hi Kungfu!

Winter I'm worried about him turning breach again too! Not sure what to do to prevent it.

Argh misskat now I'm not at work I hardly ever sit straight, am either lounging or in bed. Or both.

Your evening sounds lovely although it sucks your DH has to work on your meeting anniversary. Hope you can celebrate properly another night

Welcome Kungfu. Hope you have a good NCT session this evening. Eeyorish could you let me know what you think about that heated airer when you've used it? I've had my eye on one for a bit but we are still using radiators. I had a few of those bundlers for our last baby - didn't use them, don't recall doing much nappy changing in the night unless really really necessary. Maybe we did in the very early days but re-evaluated priorities (sleep) pretty quickly.

Eek, my boss has just told me her friend (who is due 30th Jan, 6 days before me) has just been sent down for an emergency c section due to pre eclampsia. I'm so scared now, this is all a bit real. I'm actually going to have a baby anytime from now really and I have to look after it and keep it alive for 18 years!

oooh new thread!
my bag is not packed and im definatly not ready!!!!

Sharing your pain re backtoworkitius Ruey. Getting up this morning was a really struggle after a lovely 12day Xmas break. When do you finish? I've got 21 working days left (last day 31st Jan)!

Not even a hint of a packed hospital bag here. I must admit I'm finding it hard to focus getting baby stuff done while I'm still at work. Hopefully that will change once mat leave starts!

First impressions of the guy covering my mat leave seem good. He's keen to get on with everything I'm giving him rather than watching me do it which suits me fine. Hopefully that means a more chilled out month for me!

Right, about to catch my train home, then it's dinner and bed for me, I'm exhausted!

ruey the airer is getting delivered sometime in the next week, I'll let you know how I get on. It came recommended from various friends.

Have a lot of dull period pain feelings this evening along with the odd stabbing pain.

I'm a bit with my mother. It took me over two years to get pregnant, because I have endometriosis and a shitty supply of eggs. We were due to start ivf when I got pregnant naturally, shortly after a miscarriage. I had the excellent and happy news today that a good friend is 3 months pregnant, just 5 months after getting married. My mum's reaction was 'I don't know why it took you so long to work out how to get pregnant', followed by other gems. I was very good and bit my tongue but This is why I didn't tell her I was ttc until we had had all the investigations.

eeyore some people are just thoughtless aren't they? We suffered with secondary infertility problems - I never started ovulating again after having my implant removed and all I got from most people I told (there weren't many) was a shrug and a 'you've done it once, just relax and it will happen' plus DH had his own, blood pressure related issues which made it even more difficult. I felt like yelling 'relaxing won't fertilise a non-existent egg fertilise all by itself, you pillock!!' But because they don't know what to say they say the first thing they think of.