January 2015 Thread #9 - Crossing legs and fingers for the final stretch!

[KateTheHuman]

Welcome to the third trimester ladies!

Stats here

Cheshire good choice of sofas and pram! We have the same sofas! Aside from that little observation my friend has an uppababy and shes been really pleased with hers. We got a phil and teds off ebay second hand. Its funny with your first as everything, for me, had to be brand new but with our second im not so bothered about taking second hand stuff. So we got the double buggy at a good price. Was pretty disgusted at the state of it when DH brought it back but after i'd given it a really good clean up it looked as good as new. I like the little cocoon that goes with it that I can snuggle the baby up in. Isofix wise we bought one before DD was born and I cant quite remember why we took it back but I think we thought it was easy enough to belt the car seat in than spend over 100 on one.

I feel like my head is going to explode. Dh bought some biscuits and ever since DD has been on and on and on about eating them. Shes already had 2 and I didn't want her to have any more before dinner and shes been in such a major strop about them being put away in a high up cupboard. I can hear DH trying to encourage her to eat her dinner while she screams in her highchair about having another biscuit. Roll on 7pm!!!

There's me thinking I'm organised.
Think I'm just writing lists but not actually crossing anything off the lists!

In this 24hour age I know dh can always pop out and get a baby bath, Moses basket etc last minute if he has to.

But buggy must be ordered so should get onto that!

Good luck with your biscuit battle littlepink

Getting jabbed Monday and will only be 34 weeks then so should be ok. Chuffed they fit me in so quick. Is there anything else I'm meant to sort out that I've forgotten about. Bought some newborn nappies today.

Thanks pesto. Bedtime routine done and X factor it is!

So consultant said baby is 2/5ths engaged and lying on right side with his back to my front which is a good position. Each time I see mw lately she says baby lying on my right too but I'm sure he moves side to side as I'm sure I can feel his back on my left side tonight and limbs kicking my right side but I didn't feel him do a big turn from one side to the other. Probably a silly question but can they turn side to side once engaged without you necessarily feeling them do the turn? Do your babies keep swapping sides?

Mine moves his/her back from right side to nearer the middle but the back never moves all the way over to the left. Suppose it depends on the available space?

I'm having the carrycot debate too! We sold the first pram we bought as was too big for our house (Chicco Urban) and are waiting for delivery of our Armadillo Flip. We ordered at Baby Show and went for the newborn cocoon as it's cheaper than the carrycot so DH was quite insistent in case we couldn't sell the Chicco. I love the cocoon and I'm hoping one benefit is that I can potentially lift baby out in the cocoon and fold the buggy if needed on public transport. But my lovely mum has offered to buy the carrycot for us, as an alternative and for daytime naps. I'd been planning to get a Poddle Pod for daytime naps - and still might as it's very easy to chuck in the car if we go to friends' for an afternoon etc. I'm not sure if it's extravagant to let my parents buy the carrycot or whether it would be sensible - for most daytime naps at home, for overnight sleeping elsewhere, and for trips out if I know public transport won't be an issue. I love the look of carrycots and babies in them but not sure if that's a reason to get one or not!

Parents will buy us something... carrycot or Poddle Pod are the two options for now - they would have bought the crib but we're actually using the one I slept in 29 years ago that my parents have said we can have!

While on all fours (as I try to turn the baby) I also have the iPad on the below me and now I've decided agency the oyster2 cz apparently the rain over doesn't fit when it's horizontal... Which it will be for a while yet till baby can sit up properly! Grr
Now frantically trying to find another pram/pushchair that parents can buy ASAP! How did I ever make decisions when I seem so incapable now! Want to make sure it's a decent one if parents are paying for it. The thought of John Lewis at the weekend in December is almost reducing me to tears(!) think I will pop along on Tuesday...
I am annoying myself!

Baby is getting up to all sorts and kicking left right and centre, no idea whether it has turned, will ever turn etc.

I just want it out!
I'll push it around in a supermarket trolley!

And calm... Breathe...

Can't believe your parents still have your crib! Wow!!!

Keep calm Pesto! It will all be ok. Have a look online and narrow it down to 2 or3 then go and see them in person before you decide. Prams seems to be very personal things don't they? No one size fits all option. I wouldn't wait too long though as you may have to wait for delivery.

So far today I've hoovered and mopped the floors, emptied the last adult stuff from the nursery and sorted out the bedding in to the under cot drawer. Going to have lunch and then a soak in the bath I think before heading out for the afternoon.

Baby is definitely burrowing in to my pelvis today... Keep getting pain in the front of my pelvis area and when I stand it's all feeling very heavy.

I just had a bath and could feel baby moving in all directions. Was lovely. Belly is HUGE!!!
Enjoy the rest of your day and weekend everyone x

Pesto: baby was moving all over the place yesterday in the bath too...thinking of going swimming this week as I'm now finally on ML!

35+1. I've took ML a week early due to being completely incapable of doing my job. Spent the past week glued to my chair with sharp pains in my pelvis/under my bump whenever I walked. At one point I sent a group of 14 yr olds off to the computer room and realised I had NO chance of following them... cue call to midwife who told me to call delivery suite.

This was my 1st ever interaction with a midwife outside of my appointments and it left me feeling irritated and like I'd bothered them. She told me off for not having my notes to hand at that immediate moment and also for not being able to tell if the pain was me or the baby. It all feels like one and the same. Hate feeling like I'm being over-dramatic however surely being rendered immobile is an issue?

Anyone else 35 weeks (ish) and feeling like something has definitely changed? Pains increased, heartburn increase, swollen down below with lot's of pressure. 5 more weeks of this is intimidating!

Sally, I'm sorry you're in so much pain but glad you're on mat leave now. It's horrid when the mw makes you feel like that, can be so hit and miss

Pesto, try not to panic about prams! We were keen on the Oyster Max and were also considering the iCandys (but pricey) and the Easywalker June (but could only see it online so couldn't test it out). In the end we decided they were a bit too big and bulky for central London, public transport and our little narrow Victorian terrace. Do you feel you have a list of priorities? EG for me they were ease of folding and parent facing for as long as possible. I realised too late that size/bulkiness mattered a lot! Things like shopping basket, adjustable handle etc were less important to us.

If you have a list of priorities maybe take that to JL as a starting point and see what they suggest to start with?

Having said that, we just went to JL to try the Ergo Baby carriers and the three sales assistants were useless. They claim to be experts but they didn't answer any of my questions without running off to check (by which time I'd Googled for myself anyway) and they just kept pushing the Baby Bjorn even though I said I wasn't keen on the baby position (carrying from hips vs kness). I was so unimpressed with their service and knowledge.

We did buy the Ergo Baby in the end - DH found it a bit tricky to get on but we tried it a few times and it got easier so I think with a bit of practice we'll be ok.

I was impressed my parents still had the crib in such condition - it's been used for 4 of us - me 29 years ago through to my brother 15 years ago, but they've definitely taken care of it over the years. It's beautiful :) Have ordered a custom mattress for it as I can't find any the right size, but even that was surprisingly cheap.

Oh also I'd love a bath but ours takes so long to fill...Last time I'd got bored of the idea by the time it was full enough to be the luxurious bath I wanted!

Aw, sallygib, I feel your pain! I've had to go to the emergency midwives twice now (both times I was at work in the same hospital and ended up just popping along) and I agree they can really make you feel like you're an inconvenience. The first time I was told off for just turning up, and without my notes, even though I ended up admitted!
I'm also just about 35 weeks (34+6) and feeling suddenly miserable! My pelvis is really sore, and I've started experiencing SPD for the first time in the past few days! Also been getting pain deep inside my pelvis like baby is pushing on my cervix. I had a scan last week and baby is perfect, and has been very low down in my pelvis (head down). Still kicking me violently in my ribs, though, just to remind me that s/he's still there!

Glad you've started mat leave sallygib
I went to aqua natal and it was relaxing just to be in the water. Might just go for a swim at some point this week and float for a while!
Might help you with the pains if you're in water, off your get- I don't know(!)
Hate it when healthcare professionals make you feel like you're an imposition- don't take risks- just call them as and when you need them.

Prams- I want it fold easily and not too bulky as I have vw polo boot to get it into. Don't mind paying up to £700 as parents are paying. Want it to last another pregnancy and child!
Defo parent facing. After that - I'm just confused. It's pot luck at my JL - some ppl know and can help, others are reading off a screen as they answer questions! Great!

Anyway .. Will pop along tmrw. Hopefully will be less busy in shopping centres with kids at school!

chiruri I have a bulging feeling in my pelvis area where I thinking baby is burrowing and my rib pains have started again this week after disappearing for a couple of months...

I don't feel baby is properly engaged tho... Don't think it's ready to come out anytime soon...

sally I know what you mean, I'm 35 weeks and feeling the pain and have delightfully just developed piles, a particular joy I managed to avoid totally first time round but apparently more common in 2nd preg ouch!
sk28 - I have a mamas and papas sola from last time that I plan using again and it folds up fairly small, front and rear facing, dd loved it. I picked up a carrycot for it this time round, mostly for daytime naps etc but it's fairly good value price wise.

I'm planning on bf but want to express too... Quick question, do you have to buy same steriliser as the bottles? I'm totally clueless x

Pesto Maybe look at Mamas & Papas as well as JL - the Armadillo Flip meets the criteria and I think the older Armadillo does too. As Nyan says, the Sola is good for folding and compact-ness, and I think some of their other models are too. I'd say for city-dwelling, they have a good range.

Ikkle if you get a steriliser they usually come with some bottles? I've hot the avent set - steriliser, 6 bottles, tongs, brush and a few other bits came in the set. I want to bf but want to be able to express so DH can do feeds once we are settled as well.

madrigals we e pressed and bottle fed with some formula from day 3 because ds had lost to much weight and my milk took a while to come in. Had switched to bf only with soem expressing by the 2nd week. Used the calma teat from medela which requires baby to suck quite hard/mimics the breast more. I know the nhs says no bottles until 6w or soemthing, but it worked for us with ds.

Waiting for my close caboo to arrive and then thinking about ergo 360 for later on (dh is more likely to use it I think).

37+1 here and focusing on getting through the day with ds (potty training and chicken pox).

advice here (nl) regarding sterilisation is that it's not necessary. Boil in water to begin with, then wash in hot soapy after each use and rinse. Do think about what pump you want. We ended up with a medela freestyle kit and so didn't end up using the avent set of bottles we had (have just given them to my sister who is due in March).

Mads Glad the Ergo is recommended Seems to get great reviews. Calling we were all set to get the 360 but in the end got the original. The main benefit of the 360 seems to be the option for outward-facing on the front but that's recommended only for 5-12 months and the original is overall good for up to 4 years not 3. So we decided the potential longer use was more valuable to us. Both look excellent though. It was funny watching DH try to fasten it - he just couldn't get the hang of the clips on the back whereas when you've had years of practice with bra clasps it is quite easy!

We didn't get the newborn insert - I think without it you can use it from 12lbs so we will wait and see how big baby is and how soon we expect s/he will get to 12lbs before we decide if it's needed. We have a ring sling to use from birth - I'm actually going to have a play with that later with a doll to get used to wearing it!

Morning all. First week of mat leave here - LOVING IT. Busy pottering for England. Also sleeping like a baby (pun intended) since I figured out how to make a nest of my bed by putting our summer duvet under the mattress protector. My hips are so happy now.

Re sterilising, the midwives at our NHS parentcraft class said they no longer recommend them here either. They gave the same advice as Calling for cleaning bottles and pump parts.

Right, off to enjoy the sunshine for a bit. hope you're all having happy Mondays!

34+2

Yeah, I didn't like the look of the ergo with the newborn insert, so that's why we got the caboo for newborn. I can't imagine using a carrier with DS who's nearly 3.2 - he's nearly 18kg and 104cm tall. Massive compared to my friends' kids, about a year ahead if average here.

I'm hoping to carry on with pottering tomorrow rum when ds is back at nursery - enjoy it!

I'm not sure how much we will use it once baby is 3 or 4 but DH was keen on having the option. It was cheaper than the 360 too, which may have influenced his opinion :)