January 2015 #7: Glowing & growing? Rock on 2nd trimester!

[rumisyum]

Onwards into the 2nd trimester, where hopefully the bumps will overtake the poo factories!

Stats here.

Re slings, several people I know have used Tula baby and swear by them. I like the unisex styling of those too, I could imagine DH to feel quite comfortable using one than some other styles. I plan to check out a sling library too though. I love the whole idea of slings, everything about the concept and ideology appeals to me although I'm not 100% in love with the very earth mother-looking ones...

I meant to add that I think the Ergo slings look quite gender neutral as you say mad* and not too hippyish too (massively generalising and probably being very insulting and un-MN saying hippyish but sometimes there's no other less discriminatory words to convey what you mean!)

Right off to the midwife for me!

My worry with slings with a lot of fabric (the ones I think you're on about vivi) is that they will make me and the baby hot. I am going to try some out at a sling library too when baby arrives.

I love my slings! I used a wrap and ring sling when dd was really little and have recently bought a Tula. My first sling was bamboo and so thin and supportive so perfect for summer walks. Dd is now much happier to walk everywhere at 15 months so all baby wearing is on hold at the moment.

Well it's only now I'm home from MW appt that it has dawned on me she didn't try and hear the baby's heartbeat, it wasn't even mooted. No idea if it was an oversight, or just not standard practice??

In positive news though, all my blood tests came back fine, BP and urine (lovely) all fine. I had previously had low risk confirmed for Downs, but found out figure today which was 1:44000, (yes -forty four thousand) so very reassuring.

She also confirmed she can see no reason why I shouldn't birth in a MLU even though I'm currently under consultant care because of my resistance to anesthetic. So pleased about that. Feel a bit short changed about the heartbeat though!!

Another sling fan here, but I"ll definitely have to check out our local sling library to get a feel for what type feels most comfortable. Presumably it's best to do that once you have a baby to try out in them? (Probably a stupid question, but as a baby noob I feel full of those at the moment.)

Apparently saras the heart rate theory would say you're having a girl. The Chinese lunar calendar told me I'm having a boy. I guess we'll have to wait and see if any of these things are right.

Enjoy your MW appts/hearing the heartbeats today, ladies! I can't wait for mine.

mini that looks a good deal, but I haven't even begun to research cloth nappies yet. So much stuff to look into... Meanwhile, I think our little one has all the clothes they'll need. Perhaps ever. I better get on with sourcing some practical things!

14+5

Sara and Chinese re the HB, my m/w said that you can't tell the sex from the HB but if the old wives tale is right then mine would fit with the nub theory and would suggest I am having another girly!

I am not going for a sling this time. My DD was over 10lb and a sept baby so the weather was cooler, I found her too heavy (but I may not have used it properly). She used to be dripping with sweat when I took her out, but she is a super warm child!

Bollocks about the heartbeat Pru but that's a wonderfully low risk score! And hurrah to being cleared for the MLU. I'm hoping they'll let me go for one, but need to wait to be seen by the consultant after my 20 weeks scan first... What a bore. (I've not been referred for anything serious, just to "rule out" problems because of my gynae history.)

Thanks rum Hopefully they'll rule out anything serious and it'll be off to the MLU for you too.

Ah that's reassuring to know, Mad, I was worried I might be an anomaly.

Re Mat leave, I'm self-employed and WFH 3-4 days p/w, so unless I'm very incapacitated, I'm anticipating working right up till the Xmas break. Then after that who knows?! For a control-freak mega-planner as myself its really quite liberating having NO CLUE what 2015 will bring

Baby brain vivipru! I wouldn't be surprised if I'd forgotten, it's only that the mw offered with ds1 that I got it. Next appointment you'll definitely hear it.

rum have a look into the different systems and inbox me if you have any practical questions. A lot are much of a muchness, but the things i liked about these popins:

Grow with the child from birth to potty
Shells dry in a couple of hours
Inners dry on a sunny line in a day or in a tumble drier in a couple of hours
Simple to put together, and keep stacked up in a basket by the changing table ready to use just like disposables
Very soft bamboo and absorbent inners with gusset so fits well around legs.
One nappy lasted all night with the night time booster pad.
Only had one poonami in the time we used them because they fit snugly compared to disposables (which can gape especially when full, which causes the explosions!)
When used, the liner goes in a nappy sack and in the bin, the inner and shell all in one goes in the washable bag so no need to touch them more than you would a disposable. When you have 10-15 you do a wash.
As a newborn we washed them daily. By 8 weeks we could wash every 2-3 days.
When you get a clean nappy to put on your baby they smell so fresh and clean, they are bulky and feel lovely and squishy on. A big cloth nappy bum is so cute.

For those worried about storage and smells: We had a lavender bag above the drawstring to the bag which we'd scrunch occasionally so the room didn't smell. The storage bag is washable so once it got emptied into the washer, the bag is thrown in as well, so it never gets smelly.

rum well i'm convinced its a girl so it seems the heart rate theory fits in nicely with my feeling! The chinese gender thingey also said girl for me. Everyone else thinks its a girl too, so of course it'll be a boy now :D I couldn't care less to be honest just so long as it arrives in one piece and leaves me in one piece, I just have a feeling its a little girl.

Sorry you didn't get to hear the heartbeat vivi thats disappointing, I had heard some areas don't do it though.

I also have a consultant to get through before I'm cleared for the MLU, my appointment is a week after my 20 week scan. My condition is a rare mouth thing, literally the opposite end to the 'business' end but I just have to go through the box ticking exercise, le sigh.

I'm planning on finishing up my current contract at the beginning of december when I'm 36/37 weeks. Then a year or two just being mummy and getting back in shape before I embark on my yoga teacher training and set up my own business. DH also wants to start his own business while i'm at home so I can provide a bit of support for him and his business partner with that. I've also got another idea for a business but I'll just see how much time I actually have before I get into that too!!

Sounds like you have it all sussed sara I love the yoga retraining idea, what a lifestyle change :)

I was thinking about using cloth nappies, but I have an open plan kitchen and living room and I don't want the noise of the washer on constantly. I hate the idea of nappies being in landfill but I think disposables are more practical for us.

I never even considered that there may be sling libraries! My DP wants a sling, so I'll definitely look into that.

I think I am just going to wait till we break up for Christmas to start my maternity leave. We normally break up mid December so it should work out quite nicely. It will be fun to finish then, it will feel like our Christmas celebrations are a party for me!

Depending on your baby you may find you do use the washer a lot more when you have a baby, but at least you can set it to come on at night, which is what we do as its cheaper for us. I'm amazed at the number of clothes, bibs, muslins, sheets, towels ds1 gets through.

I'm self employed too. I will
Be working right up until Christmas and return after the Easter holidays, so I'll be off for around 4 months. I am a childminder so I will
Still have baby with me whilst I work.

We definitely want another (but might change our tune after this one!) so I'm thinking its something that could easily fit around another pregnancy and child. Pregnancy and mother and baby yoga is definitely something I want to branch into. I'm going to start baby yoga with this little one when its 6 weeks old and see how it goes :)

I might end up going back to my current career later on, you never know, I worked hard to get where I am and complete my masters but it just won't fit around a young family and jobs are very scarce (especially part time), maybe something will come up in the future but I can't rely on that happening. I'm very lucky that DH is super supportive and is willing and able to bank roll my career change/year or two off (plus I think he secretly loves the idea of telling people his wife is a yoga teacher lol!).

Hehe! Bendy

I'm a teacher so hoping to work up to the xmas hols. Not sure how realistic that is as due date is 5th jan. Then would love to take a year off but think 6 months is probably more realistic. Unfortunately dp has been setting up his own business and doesn't bring a lot of pennies in. Ho hum.

Marmite rice cakes are an excellent idea.

Now, what to top it with? Maybe more marmite?

Gender scan booked for next monday :)

15+1

Cheese is the natural choice Mini!

Hello all, blimey I've been away from MN for a couple of days and we're in a new thread!

Hope everything has gone ok for you today mummy.

I'm currently thinking of taking hol from mid Dec to the end of the year, starting mat leave on 2 Jan and then 'returning' to work Nov time, but actually taking holiday until the end of the year. .. If work will let me, anyways!

Have a GP appointment this eve. Booked it this morning as have a few niggles. Somehow lost half a stone in a week which doesn't seem right, was v tired and feeling crappy (that's a medical term) last week so maybe that's it, but I won't stop worrying otherwise.

I want to buy EVERYTHING now. We told more family over the weekend so secretly hoping for some baby pressies to rock up now!