September crew - baby bumps are appearing and we're emerging as team blue, pink or yellow! Thread 8 :)

[Treaclepie19]

Stats sheet here

choccyhobnob we just used a rucksack - plenty of compartments and better on your back than one shoulder numbers. Also has a life post changing bag.

So 36 hours on from start of symptoms and I am finally starting to feel human. I have managed a piece of bread so hopefully that's a sign all is well.,

Also find out that the wedding venue isn't far from the hotel so I can easily get back if I start to feel unwell. Thanks for all your nice messages.

Maths just catching up - you poor thing! What a nightmare! Just to console you slightly - I'm currently on holiday and my PGP is soooooooooo bad I can hardly walk! Unfortunately / stupidly booked an apartment which is up three flights of stairs. Horrible not being able to properly enjoy a holiday! Hope things improve now you're feeling a bit better.

Re nappy bags - we had an over the shoulder number from mothercare last time which was fab, but impossible to carry around unless you had it on buggy handles. This time I'm just going to use a rucksack as plan on baby wearing a bit more. But obviously they don't look as fancy!

DP is keen on converting a rucksack into changing bag too - I think he's got plans to adapt it with some clips so it can hang off the buggy properly! He owns more handbags than I do, so is happy to look for an excuse to buy a couple more.

Had my glucose tolerance test this morning - I thought the glucose drink didn't taste too bad but it's still making me feel sick now, 4 hours later. It made Junior hop around lots though so I think she enjoyed it!

Oh I have my GTT soon. How long does it take to get the results?

I saw the fasting glucose level immediately (apparently they have to check its not high before feeding you a shed load of glucose!! Makes sense) but the second reading after the 2 hour wait they said that unless it was bad I wouldn't hear for a week or so.

They took a tube of blood for iron level checking too which I guess the same will apply to; I'll only find out if it's low! I didn't know they were going to do that one. I had been taking the spatone iron water stuff for a while but have got a bit lazy with it for the last week, so that one might not come out so good...

maths glad to hear you're starting to feel better, but still must be miserable, hope you get to enjoy the wedding!

Interesting reading on the changing bag options. Me and the OH will be sharing carting the baby round, mainly on the trains, so it has to be something we will both be seen with and easy to use. Am bending towards a rucksack style so I have hands free - daft question though from a first timer; is there anything in a 'normal' changing bag that we can't do without i.e. I see them with a bottle warmer / cooler, wet wipe dispenser, loads of pockets etc. I figure if we can either get something with pockets or one of those organiser inserts you can put in bags then this might work the same?

I've got my GTT test in 3 weeks, and am panicking a bit as my diet has involved loads of sugar recently. I am trying to cut most of the snacking out because of this, and because of the weight gain in the last 3 weeks has been Overall I have no issue with getting a bigger bump and gaining weight (as someone eminently sensible on here said which I took on board - you're growing a person!) but my snacking is way out of control and is not normally how I would eat.

misssmilla my rucksack was a North Face one which I had previously used for work. It had a laptop section which I put the changing mat in, the main section for nappies and change of clothes and then the front pocket for sundries such as wipes etc and the only three of your own belongings you can leave the house with (purse, phone and keys!). It worked absolutely fine. I might get some dry bags for next time to help separate nappies and clothes but it was no biggie. Now ds is out of nappies we use a smaller daysack for spare clothes, travel potty and snacks. We didn't bottle feed but you can buy separate bottle warmers or use a thermos.

Was due to have 25wk home visit hut mw have asked of we can postpone until 31wks, which is fine by me....hopefully FIL will be home by then and our house will be more of a home again. DS cant wait to have the conservatory back for his playroom and we cant wait to see our living room carpet again, once we can move some of the toys

Ugh. I had a nasty headache and was boiling hot half the night (gone now) compounded by waking up this morning to no movement. He's woken up now!

Dela hope you feel better... My baby seems to sleep all day he's definitely never awake in the mornings but has a party at night and sometimes in the afternoon around 6... I hope this isn't a sign of things to come

Dela poor you I hope it shifts soon.

So I made it to the wedding yesterday and had a fab day! It really was a lovely wedding. Feeling back to normal - just in time to fly home tonight! Oh well we've had a nice time just not quite the break I envisaged.

I have my GTT tomorrow and am a little nervous about the outcome. We shall see.

Woke this morning with just the migraine hangover I get, and plenty of movement too. Just annoying and scary - need to look my best on Saturday, disturbed sleep is not helpful!

Glad you're feeling better Maths

I don't know snowflake that doesn't sound too bad, you would get a lie in at least :)

To anyone not on the FB page, theres lot of rave reviews about the Aldi baby sale, ive just been a grabbed loads of bits, very pleased. Also - Morrisons are selling Pampers nappies half price at the moment :)

Yes monkey! :)
I went this morning and was really impressed. Have only just got on my phone though.

Ladies - cot mattress question...my aunt and uncle have gifted us a lovely barely used cot which is a real treat. They've also given us the nearly new, barely used mattress BUT I know I need to buy a new one (which I'm very happy to do) - why is a NEW mattress so crucial? (Seems a bit wasteful and the geographer in me hates chucking stuff away!) Xx

I think it's a number of factors:

1. Bacteria from previous occupants, though not sure they'd actually live in a mattress.
2. Effect of bodily fluids causing degradation of materials and release of chemicals.
3. Ditto sunlight and cleaning products.
4. Possible exposure to cigarette smoke.
5. Non compliance with currency safety standards.

Oh dear, somehow I've not managed to get on here for weeks. I hope everyone is doing ok. I've not caught up at all yet.

Re changing bags, we use a Babymel satchel for days we're not taking the kitchen sink. I love it as it is a lot more practical - easy to wash etc - than my regular bags. For days we need more stuff we use a backpack. I did buy a Babymule one second hand to begin with which was really good but it broke (despite hefty price tag) so now use a much much cheaper Jack Wolfskin bag which is just fab. You can fit more in but it kind of compacts up smaller when you're not using it all. Doesn't clip onto pushchair unlike the other two so I bought buggy clips to secure it on. If you don't buy a changing bag with a little pod to put nappies, wipes and nappy sacks in I'd highly recommend getting one separately. Otherwise if you're bottle feeding you'll need some sort of insulated bit in it. This is also handy for breastfed babies who later go on to cow's milk.

So sorry to all those feeling ill or in pain. Maths what terrible timing. Do hope you feel better now.

Many many congrats Laura!

After three hours sleep due to a slightly delayed flight I'm now waiting for my GTT. Boo hoo just want to eat and or sleep!

Hi everyone, I haven't heard anything about a glucose tolerance test. Is it only something you have in certain circumstances or in certain countries?

I think you have it if you have a higher bmi, or proeinin your urine, or something flags in your history. I've never been offered one

sauv I read that there's a higher risk of SIDS with a 2nd hand mattress. I'm not clear how 'second hand' that would be, though, as no one ever puts all the citations in for these things! Having dealt with dust mite allergies, a surprising amount of crap can live in a mattress, and lots of people bung all the baby stuff in the loft/garage so I'm not all that suprised.

My understanding is that this applies to long sleeps - overnight rather than a half hour nap - so you could reuse the 'old' one as a safe, soft play space somewhere in the house?

Feeling useless & sorry for myself today. Had a scare last week which meant that instead of going to a wedding + a couple weeks on a beach, I spent £500 rebooking flights to dash out for a long weekend for the wedding only. Am now back watching the rain and have picked up a horrible cold somewhere along the way. Glad that it was just a scare, of course, but still moping. Wish I still had an office job so I could call in sick, rather than being self-employed where I can't!

Out of curiousity, does your bump feel hard? I'd read that somewhere (probably as a teenager in one of those dreadfully inaccurate yet formative books, e.g. Mills & Boon) but mine really doesn't. Bean is clearly fine & doing flips but mostly just feels like flab & can't tell where she is.