July 2014 - Thread 5: Blooming!

[lemonpoppyseed]

Thread 5 already! Sorry about the un-witty title. Am awake because baby is having a party in my belly...

By the way patchwork I second the pps that warn about nurseries filling up. Our DS is already on the list for the local "outstanding" nursery, for the months he'll turn one (so we're about 15 months away) and he's already so far down the list he might not get a place. London is ludicrous when it comes to childcare. So we're looking into nannies as well just in case...

Thanks Home - I was interviewed for my current position by a fairly awesome woman who subsequently left - she certainly wasn't the main reason I accepted the job but I was certainly a bit disappointed to learn she was leaving. And obviously I'm awesome myself so... despite the fact half my team are abandoning me

I think the 'air quality' thing at the theatre must be dry ice or something. I'm sure it's not a major hazard but it might stop me enjoying it if I'm paranoid about breathing toxic gases - my ability to get excessively worried knows no bounds!

And OMG just caught up with the discussion about nursery places!

We managed three weeks of relaxation in Florida without a serious allergy for me - until the last meal of the last bit of the trip when the plain croissant I could eat turned out to have traces of nuts. Not sure if it was a bigger reaction than I'd normally have from just a trace because of cold or because of bean. So there I was at 6am, coughing my head off and taking all the pills and all the puffs, until I could breathe again. Oh well.

The Shopping Starts Tomorrow. (The Caps Indicate The Seriousness Here.)

Dr Google says dry ice should be fine plate parenting101.livejournal.com/2015318.html however if your going to be worried you won't enjoy it so don't go!

Also rubbish about losing another team member I'm hoping I don't have this problem they have 5 weeks left to hand in notice this year... I would also hide bump in your situation. Maybe you will have 2 amazing applicants you can appoint in one set of interviews.

ismarah glad you had a lovely holiday, shame about the reaction but glad it was the end of the holiday. I spent the taxi back to the airport trying not to be sick on our honeymoon in sri Lanka was not nice. Got there and ran to the toilet!

So very successful trip to mamas and papas picked up pushchair, enjoyed a browse of ikea picked up a few bits. Came home had friend over for lunch then decided to put pushchair together. Was going so well really easy until I tried the car seat with it- the adaptors I'd ordered were not the ones I got...so back across the city to mamas and papas to exchange. Whilst there popped into laura Ashley and got some bargain large wicker baskets for storing toys etc...not sursure dh will be impressed but 40% off! Anyway now pushchair does fit car seat. All looks great so happy for now!

hmmm yes have requeated info on a nursery near work.and going to look into local ones nr home too. Unfortunately the nursery I used to work in was amazing and has given me very very high standards! ! (if anyone lives in SE London and want recommendations or insider info let me know for a first timer I.know what I'm looking for!!)

plate-on recruitment, wear a floaty big scarf, then people never notice or even a baby on board badge aka the bump invisibility badge.

Might just ask you patchwork I'm in that neck of the woods! Hmm hadn't considered nurseries near work rather than near home. I know absolutely nothing about childcare, this is terrifying new world. I've no idea how we will cope when I go back to work - DH works long hours and I'm usually out 8am-8pm so have no idea how I'm going to square that with childcare.

Yes I think tomorrow will be a smock dress and scarf day! Alas everyone in my team has a unique role so can't recruit more than one tomorrow

On a more positive note I've only travelled on a busy tube train twice (am lucky that trains on my commute are rarely that busy) and both times I've been inundated with offers of seats (I was only travelling a couple of stops so politely declined). I don't wear a 'baby on board' badge though so maybe my invisibility hasn't kicked in!

I shall stick with the pelvic floor exercises then Ipsum

Ankles swollen again today but don't feel any different... anything I can do to reduce the puffiness?

I live in Cornwall, work in Plymouth and have managed to get nurseries/childminders at a moments notice. I guess it must be very different in London.

Just managed to catch up on all the chat from the weekend. We were in Norfolk (in the middle of nowhere) Saturday till late last night for a mini-holiday with the PIL and family. BIL and SIL announced that they're also now expecting (due Nov), so am becoming both a mum and an aunt this year could make Christmas interesting

Reading all the posts about childcare makes me very glad that we're planning for me to be a SAHM. It all sounds very stressful!

ickle I cannot wait to get our pushchair and put it together. I think it's the thing I'm most excited about because it'll probably be our only non second-hand item. My parents are buying it though, for which I'm extremely grateful, and having to wait until after my sister's wedding in May, so still a while to wait

I have my GTT tomorrow, so currently trying to decide whether I've had enough to eat today to last me until lunch tomorrow, or if I should have something else now. Risk of being horribly hungry tomorrow vs. heartburn tonight

Maggie

swollen feet - you do literally have to put your feet up or walk around.
sitting or standing will aggregate the pooling of fluids and therefore the puffiness.

when it gets hot I found a cold footbath very refreshing, also good for swollen feet.

if worried, get MW to check you, excessive swelling can indicate some problems (but can't remember what! )

Had my 28 week appointment and my glucose test today. Hopefully I passed! It was a bit like drinking a can of Fanta that had been opened and left out in the sun for two hours. It got the baby jumping, though - all that sugar led to a very active little one for the reed to the morning! Now I switch from monthly to two-weekly appointments...

My due date has changed. I was July 6, but it has changed to June 26, which is quite a difference! OB looked at all evidence so far (ultrasounds, measurements etc) and made the change today. Not really telling anyone it's changed (I am a bit sceptical about it being so early), but as DH reminded me, the baby can't read my calendar. She'll come when she's good and ready!

jbiscuits was lots of fun, until I got car seat adapters stuck on car seat had to Google how to take them off- if anyone struggles with a maxi cosi pebble I'm the girl to help! (In my defence dh also failed to work it out too!)

fifi a good friend whose also pregnant due same week but on baby 2 says there are too many childminders in my area so that's good news for me!

lemon I went from 26th June to 11th July so big difference but other way! Hoping it means I won't be late!!!

Also those not 1st time mum's to be what are your opinions on buying bottles/sterilisers etc if planning on breastfeeding. I want to but am not prepared to if I struggle/find it mentally debilitating etc. Should I buy bottles before birth or wait and see? Is there a good brand to buy if we do end up giving in and ff/mix feed?

Is anyone else unusually tired! I literally woke up yesterday as I if hadn't slept! I worked all day came home, ate and went to bed and was asleep by 8pm, slept all the way through to now... And I still feel tired and exactly how I felt last night! My eyes just want to shut and my head hurts!

ickle with DS I bought a set of Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottles and microwave steriliser-bar one bottle which I tried when with some expressed milk after I'd been ill at one point the whole lot are still in their boxes! I also got a Tommee Tippee hand pump which was great in v early days as I was super full when my milk came in and let me ease the pressure slightly so DS didn't get covered in a fountain of mill I have subsequently bought a Medela Swing electric pump which though expensive is excellent!

There's no saying BF isn't hard work and requires patience and persistence but I have found it extremely rewarding-when I took DS to get weighed and saw little chubby legs appearing and knew that was all my milk was v satisfying!

One of the best bits of advice I had before DS was born was to read up on BF rather than the birth-with the birth you will have medical professionals able to help and guide you and to a certain extent what will happen will happen. But then you will be at home figuring out BF without so much support-a fantastic book (a bit hippy looking cover but excellent) is The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. I was glued to it and also used it as an excellent trouble-shooting reference book.

Hope that helps.

I had lovely day with DS yesterday but this morning I feel v rough-head pounding and so bunged up I can hardly breathe and I ache all over :( slept v badly too. Suspect a 'fun' day entertaining DS today

Ps ickle having bought the bottles I refused to have any formula in the house as didn't want to be able to give up/cave in too quickly iyswim and all supermarkets stock it and many open 24hrs

ickle

I use Avent bottles - and microwave stereliser and breastpump etc.
the whole range is superb.

if you plan to bf exclusively there's no point buying any yet IMO, should it turn out baby needs to be part or fully bottle fed (breast or formula milk) after birth, while in hospital they will provide you with what's needed.

do research of what you need and you can always get stuff in a hurry.
with DS1 I bought no bottles until he was 2 months old.

and while talking about feeding Please Please get baby checked for check tongue tie!

3 of mine had it, but I with DS3 we didn't know until he was 8 months old.
BF was a nightmare. the whole thing was a nightmare - incompetent HCPs bullied me into bottlefeeding because he wasn't putting on weight - but not one of them thought to look into his mouth!
he was born 9 lb 6 oz, so on 90th centile, but by the time he was 3 months old he dropped down to the 4th centile, hardly gaining weight.
after that I gave in to bottles, but honestly it was just awful.

then I discovered the TT months later by accident and was livid at what we had to go through because nobody checked for it.

so research tongue tie people and be prepared!

(DS5 and DD both had the operation at 3 weeks. much better)

*for tongue tie
not for "check" tongue tie
sorry

Thanks zing interestingly it happened after walking around for 4 hours... now to find something to prop my feet up with in work...

Where is the best place to get sheets for crib/cot? I was thinking of getting the flannelette ones but do you think I should get some jersey or cotton ones?

auntie I am currently watching my ankles and hands like a hawk. Thankfully they are not swollen yet but I have been warned by the midwife that I must let them know if I swell/have any bad headaches etc as along with the high blood pressure it could be a sign of pre eclampsia.

Just something to maybe be aware of - honestly not meaning to scare you and I am sure your bp is fine! My friend had a lot of swelling and found keeping feet elevated at all times when it was possible was the only way to control it a little.

Sick the past few mornings here again - looks like ms is creeping back in after a few blissful weeks of feeling moderately better Also feel a little bit anti social this week - had a busy week last week and a party at the weekend so was feeling pretty wrecked but haven't done anything except work at home this week so missing some social banter now again. Going to arange some afternoon tea for Saturday with a friend maybe to get me out and about while dh finishes all those diy jobs he has left to do........

Big sympathy ipsum I've been feeling sicky too this week I have been v blessed and not had any sickness throughout whole of pregnancy but have been so hot and bothered, dizzy and nauseous this week. I had 28 wk appointment yesterday and midwife seemed to think it was quite normal. I spent whole day in office yesterday with a fan blasting in my face, only way I could bear it!!
I have taken a leaf out of your book now though and will work rest of week from home.
Oh and my mass spending has brought lots of joy...moses basket and nursing chair have now arrived!!! yay!!!

Horrible leg cramps last night, I'm so tired. Not sure if it's a pregnancy thing or a sleeping in a weird position thing. DH is on bed rest post vasectomy and when I got into bed last night I discovered he'd raised the feet end of the bed and taken most of my pillows.

zing I understand how you feel. I know no more babies is the right decision for us but it's sad knowing that after this I will never be pregnant again.

plate I'm getting extra scans and monitoring too. It's good that we are being well looked after but doesn't help the nervousness.

I know ellie.
it will be hard next summer, after 1st birthday I always get broody like mad.
might have to buy a puppy

Maggie

wherever you buy sheets from I have one rule, they must be fitted!
we've got a variety of them them - terry towelling feels warmer for winter, plain cotton feels cooler for summer.
I have (had) some from all places inc Mothercare, Next, Gap, Tesco etc.
just go for the colour and feel you like best.
I also recommend waterproof/mattress protector sheets from Hippychick.
They are brilliant. you can poor a pint of water on it and nothing goes through to the mattress, they can be washed & tumbled dried.

ipsum I had the same warning about headaches etc but my BP has been fine - lower than usual in fact. I'll keep an eye on it but I have mw on mon anyway. One ankle seems more swollen than the other which is the one I sprained before xmas and keep hurting again... hopefully I've just overdone it. Mypubic bone is better today though!