Summer holidays are over, the PESH are bringing their bumps and baybees back to school

[TheOriginalWinkly]

Pack your giant pants in your satchel and maternity pads in your pencil case, it's the antenatal thread for BESH graduates

CRESH

Faith - pinky faithlet arrived 14th April 2013
Pinkr - suitably pinky one arrived 25th August 2013
Jethro - blue one arrived 23rd September 2013
Noks - pink one arrived 12th January 2014
Frankel - large pink one arrived 10th March 2014
Merks - pink one landed safe and sound 21st March 2014
Sinky - Stubborn blue one arrived 26th March 2014
Driz - blue one arrived 12th June 2014
Kat - pink one arrived 21st June 2014
draf - pink calf on 1st July 2014
winks - a pink one dragged out kicking and screaming on 4th July 2014
euro - a pink one in a hurry to see the world, born on 17th July 2014
dor - a pink one born at speed on 28th July 2014
ginge - completing the ESH Summer of Pink on 23rd August 2014

PESH
Buggerlugs - Buglet due 20th October
Fankle - ESHlet expected 4th January
Cunty - Minichops expected 7th February

I've got the Uppababy Vista, in red. We bought it from Kiddicare as it was an ex-display model so a few quid off. I find it's a lot easier to use with the pushchair attachment than with the bassinet, but it's very lightweight and fits in the boot of my Kia Rio.

If you look at Kiddicare at all let me know, I've got a 20% off discount code that's valid till the end of the year and several other PESH have found it handy

Well hags, my suspicions have been confirmed. I saw a GP this morning who confirmed that it's almost certain we won't qualify for further NHS treatment, she did say she was happy to write us a referral letter for the private clinic when we want to go down that road. I haven't spoken to HWHNN yet but I suspect we'll stick with the original plan, try ourselves for 6 months starting in the new year before moving onto treatment. That will give us time to sort our finances out, though thankfully we've got enough in savings to pay for a good number of rounds, but we did have other plans for some of that money.

Just PM'd you Bugs

I didn't ask anyone to wash their hands, but none of our family/friends smoke. Perhaps you could have some antibacterial hand gel on standby as a compromise?

I didn't ask anyone to wash their hands. Didn't cross my mind to be honest. Does that make me a bad mother?!

Thinking of you today Dor

Neither did I dor, but none smoke and (I think!) all wash their hands after the loo... Hope today's ok.

Ooooooohhhhhhh!!/!!// this could be exciting! If it is your waters they are likely to keep coming. If you pissed yourself then that will be it. I presume you put a pad on?
I never asked anyone to wash hands but if you want to do that at first don't feel bad. Lots of cold and flu germs in the autumn so that is a good excuse.

Also thinking of you dor it must be a hard day. Look after yourself

Gross I know, but sniff the maternity pad. Waters are supposed to smell sweet, whereas wee smells, well, like wee

fankle I think I'd definitely choose an uppababy over a silver cross pram. The vista is a great all rounder, if you do get it you might as well get a maxi cosi car seat. However you don't have to get a car seat that attaches to pram. I have a klippan kiss birth to age 3/4 seat. Pricey but awesome. With one kid in it for two years and the second in it for four years, the price isn't so bad for six years used.
I wouldn't bother buying an electric pump pre birth. A manual one can come in handy, I got on well with avent. Wait and see and if you think an electric will be useful after a month when bf is established get one then. You can get pretty much anything you need on line with next day delivery. Most stuff is not necessary. You need vests and sleepsuits and a bit of outerwear plus a few outfits if you like them. Crib upstairs will last longer than Moses. If you get the snuzpod you can take the top downstairs. Or just put the baby in the pram carrycot in the day. A play gym is useful but not really used till about 6_8 weeks so see if you get given any mothercare vouchers. A good sling is a godsend. Some sort of swing/bouncy chair that is suitable from birth is also useful. Any old changing mat will do, you don't need a changing unit. Ours has just turned into glorified shelving. Obviously you will eventually need a cot or cot bed and storage for baby clothes. I'd just get ordinary drawers and not be suckered into overpriced nursery furniture.

Oooh, bugs, exciting!

Fankle, we got the nct bednest for our room and use the pram carrycot during the day. Not all are suitable for extended naps but ours is. We felt the uppa baby vista was great but possibly a bit bulky for London life so went for the uppa baby Cruz instead, which is similar but a bit more lightweight. I like it apart from the suspension. It fits maxi cosi car seats so we got one of those. The reviews said it was hard and they were right. I didn't order a pump until after C was born and then I rented a hospital grade one. I've since bought the medala manual pump and find it as efficient as the hospital grade electric one. For clothes, we found about 8 each of vests and sleepsuits were about right. We hardly used mitts and hats but it has been a warm summer. You will get bought loads of stuff. Other than that, we bought sheets, blankets, towels, a changing mat, a changing bag, nappies, wipes, cotton wool, sudocrem, breast pads, Lanisoh, maternity pads and muslins. We bought other stuff once she was here, eg a steriliser once it was clear I would be expressing for a while.

Ooh exciting bugs!

Ooh bugs keep us posted! :)

Hope all is well Bugs & that you got your Maccy D's!

Yikes Bugs you sound remarkably calm. But you must stop off at McD's first!! Normally in my life I can go for months if not years (well one year) without eating McDs or KFC but I've been strangely drawn to such unhealthy fast food outlets since this diffage. Like on a weekly basis. I give in every in now and then and then get the guilts. Anyone else find this too?

Thanks for the advice Kits and Euro. There's also a useful guide on MN about what to buy and what not to buy. FAith it concurred with you re the wipe warmer! Is the Uppababy easy to use...I mean with all the different bits and bobs, folding etc? You said it was hard with the maxi cosy car seat Euro (I think)...in what way?

Dor hope your family day was gentle and comforting.

If it's all getting going it'll probably take ages, bugs, so don't worry about GP, he will get there in time. Exciting stuff!

Our buggy is a BabyJogger City Versa - it's fabulous. It's got quite a small footprint so fits in the boot of our titchy Clio, and is super manoeuvrable as well. The bassinet is great for naps or safe playtime while I do chores. We have an old-fashioned crib for overnight sleeping, so never needed a Moses basket. We coslept for ages though, and still do when the calf is being particularly fractious. I have a medela swing pump that was a hand me down, but have only just started using it (the calf was 11 weeks the first time), so no rush! Muslins and lansinoh breast pads and nipple cream are very useful too.

Scrap that. Didn't see your last post! Maybe not quite so calm now. Holy cow! Is this it? Is it happening?! Good luck!