April 2015 thread 6: our Christmas puddings are half cooked, now bring on the glow!

[BrixtonBunny]

We were getting perilously close to being full up, hope no one minds!

Docpeppa I've gained 21lbs (1.5st) I'm currently 24+4

Mainly in the first trimester to try and stave off nausea and what I thought was low blood sugar turned out to be low blood pressure

Definitely put on a stone I'm happy with that considering I've been eating all the things I'm supposed to fruits and veggies and the things I'm not plenty of chocolate and other naughty bits DH told me again that I'm huge. Didn't help that I'm bloated after tea at my mums.

I don't own any scales so I don't know how much I've put on, I'm guessing a lot the amount of rubbish I've eaten this past couple of weeks and we have just ordered an Indian and I've baked a chocolate cake this afternoon covered in smarties and minstrels.

If anybody needs maternity clothes ASOS have 20% off for the next 11 hours using code December20.

daholster, hope you are feeling better.

Hiding, the stats are here.

Am feeling really well. Got some good wriggles last night, which set my mind at rest a little.
20+6

I've been and bought a teddy for our little one today - I saw him in Mamas and Papas ages ago but wanted to wait to find out the sex before buying as they had a girly version with a floral necktie or this blue stripy one for a boy. I love him!

Also been doing some clearing out around the house to make space for all the baby stuff we will inevitably gather over the coming months. Been ticking things off my 'to do before the baby comes' list. Still lots left on there to keep me busy though.

Cute!

Apart from the frilly pants I've bought when I was in London last week (for going over nappies) I think I'll wait til the sales after Xmas before I buy anything else for this baby.
DH has been clearing this evening. Got distracted as he found he rollerskates, so he was skating around the house, and now DS has got his on and is clattering about. I shan't risk going on mine!

Oh toast He is a bit sweet!! We're I'm looking at this mouse

Thanks freedom I've added myself to the list as I wasn't on there.

When DS3 was due we took DS1 and DS2 to Build-a-Bear to make a teddy for him. We'll probably do the same this time as I felt it helped with bonding with the baby.

We had the brebita bunny comforter for dd which worked well as the dummy (I know, I know, I'm a terrible mother etcetera ) could attach to so she can find the dummy more easily. With that in mind I've bought the sheep comforter which has the same long legs that can be tied up.

My theory is that when she's older she'll just have the comforter and the dummies will go in the bin.

We got given lots and lots of fairly pointless teddy bears but the brebita bunny was a brilliant gift from an old family friend.

Aw love the mouse and the bunny!

Lovely idea to have your other children build a bear for baby StuntNun.

Ar nice bear and mouse. I adore the Jellycat bunnies too. Esp this as its a bit random:

Ds1 got attached to a random bunny he had for a bit but mainly as long as he had something soft to rub on his face he was fine, he was a thumb sucker but stopped at 3!

Ds2 got attached to George pig that he got for his 3rd birthday but before that he just wanted his mussy (muslin square) which he still has now for sleep.

Dss had a hideous blanket that was more hole than blanket when I first met DH, his mum always packed it but he rarely used it with us. It had been a blanket they used as a baby and he'd got attached to that.

None of them had dummies but each to their own, everyone has to do what suits them. Ds1 and 2 would steal my minded kids dummies if they could and would hide somewhere sucking them so clearly they have been deprived

I still have my bunny that was given to me when I was born, although it was bigger than I was so it didn't go everywhere with me.

I used to have a dummy and it went to Santa in exchange for presents
when I was about 2. i know I didn't have it when I started nursery at 3, and my Auntie did the same with her 2 kids.

My cousin was a thumb sucker as her mum didn't give her dummies and she still sucks her thumb now at 16 which annoys the hell out of my Nan!

Not sure if i'm going down the dummy or no dummy route just yet.

I'm just going to play it by ear with dummies. I'll try and do without but won't feel too bad about using one if it saves my sanity!

I was dead against dummies with DD as I was struggling to EBF, but she was a screamer and very high needs so DH talked me round to having an 'emergencies only' dummy. This ended up as her needing one to fall asleep, and now 19 months later she's getting more and more attached to it. DH now wants her to go cold turkey as he doesn't like her having it! I'm a bit softer as I'm pregnant, knackered, and it gives me some peace and quiet!

We've agreed that we'll try and avoid dummies with this one, and introduce a comforter from the word go instead

Dd only has her dummy for nap times or bedtime (and that's been the case since she was about one) so I don't see a desperate need to get rid. Certainly I am not keen to disrupt sleep that's going well.

I didn't originally intend to give her a dummy but she had silent reflux and screamed a lot. Sucking soothed her and she wanted to feed 24/7. My boobs were red raw and agony and so I resorted to a dummy in between feeds. I rationalised that if she'd fed just 45 mins ago she wasn't ravenous, it was something else. It worked for us. But let's see what dd2 is like. Certainly dummies are a pain in that you eventually have to get rid of them, but better that they suck a dummy than their thumb from an orthodontist point of view.

Ds2 is similar with his mussy FizzyBubbly, it used to limited to bedtime and naps but he'll go and get it more and I have battles removing it! He doesn't actually suck it so it's not doing damage but he doesn't do anything when he has it and so I don't think its good for him to have it regularly.

I think the main issues with dummies and needing to put them back in when they're little and it falls out but they want it. Then when older children with them all the time, really does. Affect no only teeth but actually the shape of the roof of the mouth so even when adult teeth come it the problem doesn't go away.

Have had many mindees that I've struggled with removing a dummy and not sure I want to go through that with my own! I also agree about thumbs, I was VERY lucky with ds1 that at 3 he just said 'I don't need it anymore mummy'! I was shocked and a little sad as I think thumb sucking is so cute! My brother was sucking his until 13 and had a horrible callous on his thumb. Ds's mum still sucks hers and she's 45

Hello! Our dd is another one who just wasn't interested in a dummy when we eventually tried it fir comfort when she was having a bad few weeks, she just spat it out. We were relieved really and just didn't bother again.

Dh has a horrid stomach bug, can't keep food down. He thinks it's last nights fish pie... But dd and I are ok so far (and with my bag I would know by now if I was going to get an upset tummy from that...) So I don't know... Really hoping it's not something catching that dd could get. She's scoffing lunch right now so no sign yet. Gonna carry around anti bacterial wipes and keep doing her hands all day! Its my birthday on Saturday too, I really hope we are all well >>gulp

Pre DC I was against dummies... then when DD wouldn't sleep we tried everything including a dummy. She wouldn't take it though (probably because, as we later found out, she was tongue tied). So the decision was made for us!

With DD2 we will get any tongue tie sorted asap so I guess a dummy will be an option... but I'll still try to avoid it as it does lead to issues later when they keep losing it and want it back. But after DD1 I will never say never !

just found out that we aren't supposed to eat licquorice... after eating half a bag of it! oops.

Why does dummy = bad mum? Don't small children need to suck as its a comfort to them, so why does it matter what they suck on...? Am just asking. I'll get something for little one to suck on for sure, not sure what the options are yet.

I've not been on for a while but hope everyone is well. Have been interviewing doulas as have decided to have one for birth and postnatal to help me cope on the day (and other half!) plus have a little support afterwards eg latch help as I'll try BF though won't beat myself up if no joy for the first 6 weeks. I've interviewed one women who seemed amazing but I've another one to see as yet. Its just so there is one sensible head in the room to check we're not pushed into things/overmedicalised when we don't need to be. Would be interested in any other experiences of doulas.

Other than that, all is well. Getting a bit of 'rib flare' where my ribs are I think beginning to push outwards/ seem to ache a little at the end of the day. Baby is kicking like mad some days which is good I guess! Off to docs for 25 week check up tomorrow/ get whooping cough vaccine and Mat1B form or whatever its called.

I don't use dummies with my babies because it's one more thing to have to remember, keep clean, and lose! Don't much mind what others do, but I'm just not that organised.

anyone else started the "preggo waddle" as my charming ex described it?

I'm distinctly waddly today