Due February 2007 - 2nd Trimester

[CurrantBun]

For those of us due February 2007 and moving from the first to the second trimester ...

We've made it this far - only another 6 months to go! (Gulp!)

Tutti - is this your first? If so, I'd certainly recomend at least trying a natural birth. Much more 'normal' and you'd likely have a better recovery. I personally had a fairly good experience of birth with DS and certainly wouldn't opt for a c-section unless medically necessary. But I gues if you've had a bad experience before that might change your views.

Divvy, mine is above my bellybutton. But with DS it was well below at that stage. In fact, at 24 wks I was measuring about 19cm at most which made me panic but the mw said it was fine and that it wasn't until later on that it was of any real relevance. I measured small (2-4cms less) for most of my pregnancy with DS, until I got really swollen!

Hope scans went well. I'm nearly 24 weeks now and didn't feel any kicks until just after scan at 20 weeks. Now it seems to be all the time and DH gets kicked when he puts hiw face next to my belly. I have to say that you're all much braver than me. I saw the live birth programme advertised and decided that I definitely did not want to watch it. Do any of you get really sore nipples at certain times of the day? If so, any suggestions to ease the pain?

Smudge - my nipples are KILLING me! No idea what to do but a hot water bottle in the evening helps them. Never had this much with DS! Hoping they calm down a bit as don't fancy latching a newborn onto them just now!

Suzi, no, this is my second. Had a very bad birth experience first time round which is why I want to go for an elective c-section this time. You're right, I would probably have a much quicker recovery with a natural birth, but I can't face the other parts of it!

Was thinking earlier today that I might consider a VBAC after all, but have just remembered that they don't let you have epidurals if you've had a c-section before and there's no way I could cope with the pain without an epidural. So that's that then.

Tutti - sorry to hear that last time was bad. I can imagine I'd be taking the c-section if it was offered if it had been bad with DS. But remember that all births are different so it might be compeltely possible to have a relatively pain free birth this time? Mind you, fear and anxiety is a huge contributor to the pain so perhaps that would work against it so to speak.

Out of interest, why can't you have an epidural for a VBAC?

pardon my ignorance, but what is a VBAC?

vaginal birth after Caesarean

hi all just checking in 23+6 today seem to have got really big all of a sudden but i finally look pregnant rather than ive been pigging out.
got really bad heartburn. hoping to chat should be back on tomorrow as have only really done quick posts would be good to have a longer chat hope to speak to some of you tomorrow.

Suzi, they don't let you have epidurals if you've had a c-section before because of the risk of scar rupture. The strength of the contractions can make your scar split open.

If you have an epidural you won't feel it starting to happen, so the medical staff won't be aware of it till the later stages when it might be too late. Scar rupture is very rare (happens in only 0.5% of cases), but if it does happen it is very serious and you can die. Yet another reason to go for the easy option!

help the tops of my legs r killing me around my hips aswell i had bout 45 mins sleep in total last nite and am now at work so very tired and in pain why wont this go away an ideas what this is?

Becs, not sure but sounds like Lucy's symptoms (a few posts back) - might be SPD. I didn't realise how common this is. When I was waiting to be seen at the antenatal clinic a few weeks ago, there were about 3 women on crutches waiting with me. I spoke to one of them and she was suffering with SPD.

Had 20-week scan yesterday - all is well and baby seems to be developing normally. All measurements were within normal range. They examined the heart in detail and it's looking good, and lips and palate look normal too. My placenta is in a good position on the left of my uterus and nowhere near the cervix. Sonographer said that placentas never move down, only up - so it may move further up but will not be any lower than it is now. Which is a relief. Baby is estimated to weigh around 12oz and measure approximately 22cm. We were asked if we wanted to know the sex but we'd agreed in advance that we wouldn't find out, so had to look away at the relevant point during the scan! Afterwards we both admitted we slightly wished we'd found out. DH was REALLY excited last night, bless him, and said he wished we didn't have to wait until February or March for the baby to arrive.

After the scan we went to John Lewis and had a look around the baby department - there's so much stuff to buy! What do we actually need? How do you even choose a cot - there are so many out there! Think we need to measure up in the baby's room and work out what will fit before we decide on what to get. I feel that we can start properly planning now, and maybe even start buying some of the main items (cot, travel system etc) to spread the cost a bit.

There must be something in the air this week, I woke up several times in the night with stiff feeling hips and today walking is painful, I get a sharp ache across the front of my pelvis, surely SPD isn't this common that we've all got it? I do seem to remember worrying about this with DD1 and it going away after a week or so, so maybe this is just a phase...

Also on my list of complaints today is that I'm still not putting on weight. I started out at 8 stone 4 (about as light as I like to get) and lost 7lbs with morning sickness. Since then I've put on 5lbs and I'm up to 8 stone 2, but there I am stubbornly staying.

I'm eating like a horse, DD2B is growing (my waist has grown loads and I have quite a bump), boobs are growing, but I'm shrinking! My collar bones are sticking out so much I could hang coat hangers off them and my thighs have lost all their wobble (although I'm secretly pleased about that!).

Might go and see the mw and see what she suggests, although last time I asked she just told me to "eat what you can, I'm sure you'll be fine."

dont want to sound stupid but what is spd?

Currantbun... trust the lady who bought everything to say "you hardly need anything for your baby!".

Somewhere to sleep that will fit in your room to start with (cot, crib, basket, hammock!), something to eat (boob, bottles/formula), a good safe car seat (check the products forum archive for which report recommendations), some transportation (pushchair/sling), vests, nappies and babygros. Not much else really. Sleeping bags are great once they're over 10 lbs too.

Don't buy bouncers, playgyms, baby baths etc until you see what gifts you get and what sort of baby you have. My DS loved his bouncy cradle but hated a swing. We never got on with the baby bath and I just took him in with me. Forget fancy matching furniture sets - your baby won't care. Save the money for when they want to pick out their own stuff. Stickarounds make great decorations. I used an IKEA chest of drawers as a changing table, but once DS was older than a few months I changed him on a mat on the floor. This time I'll go straight to the floor as it's easier with less worry.

MoosMa - SPD is only when you are in continuous pain from it. Most women get some pain and discomfort. I know that I have always worried about SPD as I am hypermobile in my joints before being pregnant so everything is particularly loose and grindy. But I have good days and bad days and can still climb the stairs so I'd say I'm OK.

Currantbun, I feel envious of you having all the excitement of a first baby! The second is still fairly exciting of course, but nothing like the first time.

Suzi is right, you don't need that much stuff. Just a cot, car seat and pram/pushchair really, and a few clothes. We had ds in a full-size cot in his own room from day one, and although someone lent us a moses basket on a stand, we never used it and were quite relieved when we gave it back to get the space in our bedroom back.

Definitely don't believe those long lists you see in baby magazines!

Bit of controversial advice though: even if you are planning to breastfeed, buy some formula and a couple of bottles, because it might save you a lot of swearing in the middle of the night if breastfeeding doesn't work out.

I totally agree, TuttiFrutti, we put DD1 in her own room from day 1, although she was in a moses basket inside her cot, but that was because she puked all the time and the sheets were easier to wash!

I'm also glad we didn't buy much stuff, we ended up being given 4 baby baths, so if you're in the south west we have 3 going spare!

lol Tutti that is contraversial advice... DS didn't get a drop of formula until 11.5 months, but I bought it a couple of weeks in! Just couldn't quite bring myself to use it and when I did try to, by the time I had boiled the kettle etc I had breastfed him as it was easier. And later I would just read the ingredients as a deterrent.

I think it can work either way for you. In some ways, having it there makes it too easy to use if you're at your wits end at 3am. But in others, it's a comfort to know it's there. I would say if you're really for breastfeeding, then make a rule to yourself not to make snap decisions or decisions during/after a really bad night/day. Try one more feed or whatever...

I agree Suzi, I never actually used the formula but it was a comfort knowing it was there. I did use the bottles though, for one expressed breastmilk feed every night. My SIL told me to do this and it was great advice as it meant ds would take bottle or breast and I didn't have problems later getting him to accept a bottle. Think I started at about 5 weeks.

Blimey it seems a long time ago now, although it was only about 18 months ago and no doubt the memories will all come flooding back...

Is anyone else as confused as me as to the wondeful world of travel systems...had decided on the Loola then someone told me I had to get a click in car seat...now I am thinknig quinny buzz with maxi cosi and then the iso-fix connection..anyone get this? is it worth it??

Also at what stage does a 'bump' appear?? Am 20 weeks + 3 and while waist has def expanded just have the 'too many pies' look rather than a bump??!

20 week scan on Friday 13th...fingers crossed...

HI I looked at isofix car seats and was at the prices! We have pretty much decided to go for a regular stage 0 car seat and get an isofix one at the next stage which will last longer.
At the moment I am favouring a mamas and papas one which fits onto a buggy. I was quite taken buy the silver cross stuff but have decided it's too heavy and the baby seat only lasts til 9 monthsish whereas the M and P one lasts til 15 months ( I know this is all relative to the size of you baby)
I think the maxi cosi's fix onto the loolas with clips you buy seperately

Weston I have the buzz and love it. I loved it as a travel system as it was so unbulky. I know you're not supposed tohave babies in car seats unless necessary... but DS often fell asleep in his and was tricky to get to sleep so we took advantage and didn't move him! The main thing for me with this travel system is that the maxi cosi cabrio is very highly rated for safety. More so now the base is available I think as that takes the incorrect routing error out of the equation, although I don't have this as it wasn't around at the time.

I loved that the buzz could face backwards. We used it like that for a long time.

I have heard that the new buzz is coming out early next year and that the seat until is improved with more smoothing and comfort. So it may be worth holding on and either getting a good deal on the old model, or a new one. The pushchair part is, according to the literature and manufacturer (I checked!) suitable from birth. But most people are amazed by this as it isn't very padded and doesn't recline completely flat (although almost so). So many buy the carrycot. I didn't. I used the car seat as was rarely out for more than an hour or so at a time. And once DS was 6-8wks I had no worries about using the pushchair part but did use the headhugger from the car seat too.

Bumps... huge one this time. Next to nothing at this stage with DS.

peachy - there are many non isofix seats that are as highly rated for safety as the isofix ones. Basically, ISOFIX takes the 'human error' of belting up out of the equation and makes sure it's stable. But ISOFIX doesn't improve the safety of the 'makeup' of the actual seat. So a cr@p seat with ISOFIX may not be as good as a very good seat correctly fitted into the car.

And remember that not all car seats fit all cars... so make sure that they're fitted right. I would recommend firstly calling the manufacturers and ask if they have done a compatibility check. In my experience, Halfords have known less than me about correct fitting and buckle crunch etc so I'd be concerned about relying on that totally. So I have had both the seats we have double checked by the road safety officer at my local police station. Most provide this free service so it's worth putting the seat in and they can check that you've got it right.

Sorry - monster posts from me tonight! Car seat safety is my favourite topic since I found out that two thirds of seats that were checked at a police 'seat clinic' were incorrectly fitted or did not fit the car. I like to research it a lot!

I will look into it . The car seat I was looking at has a base like an isofix one and my car is pretty new, so fingers crossed. if not, I'm happy to shop around