October baby bus take 4! 20wk scans and big pram buying plans!

[gaggiagirl]

Welcome all to the new Fred. FB group runs along side this pm me for details.

I felt very lucky to get such a big discount tricky. I didn't ask for the discount though as the pram was already reduced on the price label. They did throw in a matching changing bag and rain cover included in the price too. I bought it before my 20 week scan which wasn't the plan but the discount lured me in .

catching up ladies!

We bought our car seat (britax babysafe), our pram (Graco Evo Avant) and a few other things over the last few weeks. Mothercare had a sale on and I got a great messenger changing bag for £20 (supposed to be £40) its wonderful.

I'm getting a little bit upset about my weight, I'm worried they will weigh me, calculate my bmi and then try to stop me from having a home birth. everything has been fine in all my appointments so far, bp, GTT and bump measurements all normal and fine, midwives seem happy I'm healthy. I'm concerned now though they will say I can't have one because of my bmi... I'm only a size 12 but very short at just over 5'0 so it pushes it right up.. :(

Ollie they are usually only concerned about weight if your BMI was over 30 at your booking appointment. If your BMI was under 30 when you first saw your midwife then they shouldn't need to alter your home birth plans.

Catching up on all the serious baby purchases! Can't wait for the day I check back here and there's little people arriving.

We bought our pram last weekend. Exactly the one I wanted, second hand from a couple who used it for 8 months, immaculate and £130 rather than £600 with all the extras that they threw in! I think I am bargain researcher extraordinaire but DP is non plussed with my skills. Probably because it cost £20 more than his new bike.

Has anyone else had an ugly resurgence of first trimester moodiness? The last couple of months have been lovely; all cuddles and closeness and me feeling on top of the world. Then suddenly this week I slightly want to kill everyone again, and nothing poor DP says is right (as you might tell from my pram comment!). I'm not sleeping very well at all and am irritated that I can't do all the jobs at home that I want to, like digging over a massive overgrown flower bed that stares me in the face every time I look out of the kitchen window.

Am I alone in third trimester looniville???

So nice to hear about everyone's bargains! Especially good when they save you a lot on the expensive items and not just a tub of Sudocrem.

We were lucky with our reusable nappies. We wanted a birth to potty kit with all the nappies, covers and accessories like the bucket and washbags. The company's website had a bug on Saturday night when we were trying to buy it and wouldn't let us pay for it, so I looked on Amazon and they had the same kit reduced from £150 to £102, just because the cardboard box it was in was slightly open. I have been trying them on a toy bunny MIL gave us for the baby but I'm guessing he's slightly more cooperative than the baby will be!

I had similar feelings on Saturday Hearthattack. I just got so annoyed at how daunting and difficult it seemed to do any small task that I gave up trying to do the ironing and hid under the pile of clothes on the sofa that were waiting to be ironed. I think it's the tiredness.

Self confessed third trimester loon here - angry, upset, frustrated, tired and fed up! Selling our house, nowhere to move to temporarily, work is insane (own business), not sleeping well and massive! Haven't got hardly anything for baby and feel like an utter failure :-( just want a break!

Ooh tricky we loved the all terrain icandy, we were totally going to get it and then decided to be boring sensible and get the normal one that we can convert to 2 if necessary - just in case we don't leave it too long before a second - if we are lucky enough to be able to have a second that is. I wish they had done the normal one in the all terrain colours, I loved the neon piping. Hope you get one! We got ours from a shop called affordable baby care in Rotherham - they seemed to have quite a bit of available stock so you could try them and see if they have one?

Sorry to all of you who are feeling grumpy, hope it passes! I am feeling fine other than that it is my baby shower today and I'm dreading a while afternoon of being the focus of everyone's attention, it is my worst nightmare. Can't even get pissed!

Batfish - that was the only reason I wasn't going to go for the all terrain one! In the end I decided if we end up with two DCs requiring a pushchair at the same time that we'll just have to sell the all terrain and get another one that converts to two. Like you say we may not be able to have another.

I haven't been struck down with any grumpiness yet but did get irrationally teary in Gatwick car park the other night when picking up DH. The signs confused me and I got overwhelmed! Not like me normally...

Another question about braxton hicks: how regular have you ladies been getting them when they have been at their most frequent?
I was getting them every 5 minutes for over an hour yesterday and they were quite strong too. I was getting quite concerned for a while but I think part of the cause was the position I was sitting in in DHs car which has sports style seats. They eased off about 20 minutes after we got home and have gone back to being irregular today (but still lots of them).
I am seeing the midwife this week and will mention it to her but just wondered how everyone else was experiencing their braxton hicks.

Hello. Am I too late to join? I'm due 6th October with my second. Currently trying to purchase a second hand double buggy!

Hi Binky, never too late!

Hi Binky, good to have you join us.

Super, my Braxton Hicks tend to be back to back for most of an evening (and I'm so used to them now that I don't notice it unless I'm looking out for it) then sporadic but stronger the next morning and then maybe just a few each day for the next few weeks.

I'm 34 weeks now and have been having this pattern since June, so I thought that was what everyone else was having but it must be quite unusual because on Friday evening I went into hospital to be monitored as I hadn't been able to feel the baby move more than a couple of times that day, which is definitely out of character for him. They quickly reassured me that he was just having a lazy day as the heartbeat was fine. But then they asked if I was having a lot of pain from my contractions as the monitor records this as well and showed them as strong and regular. So I focused on it and agreed there were some contractions but not painful and not unusual, so they kept the monitor on for another 30 minutes after which two doctors came up and told me there was a chance I was in early labour. I ended up being kept in hospital for 24 hours with two steroid injections (one in each buttock) to mature the baby's lungs so he could breathe if born early and a patch with a muscle relaxant medicine to reduce the contractions as well as being on the monitor regularly (not to mention a glamorous hospital gown and compression stockings!).

I was really shocked that what I had been feeling every few weeks since the start of June was such an alarm call for them but I think it is just the way my body does it. The good news is that it all went away as normal and they also told me the baby is head down now for the first time. Phew!

I spent Sunday packing my hospital bag so that I can take it with me any time I go in!

Thanks for that info cineraria it was really helpful. I have been having lots of back to back tightening shut they didn't concern me so much, it was only when they were quite strong and every 5 minutes the other day that I started to be a little concerned. I didn't even think of the back to back painless ones as braxton hicks but they probably are now that I think about it after you have described it so well.
I didn't have any braxton hicks in my first two pregnancies (that I can remember) and had quite quick labours. The stronger braxton hicks that I had the other day felt like the start of the labour I had with my second child but they didn't get any stronger and eventually (after about an hour and a half) eased away.

Have you finished sewing all the lovely things that you had cut out for your hospital bag? I suppose you want to be ready now just in case baby arrives a little earlier than anticipated. I'm starting to take DHs concerns about me packing a bag early a little more seriously now especially given the strong braxton hicks and 2 previous quick labours. I'm so looking forward to my midwife appointment later this week just for a bit of reassurance / referral to the hospital. I'm a couple of weeks behind you (only 31+5) so hoping baby stays inside for quite a while yet.

Good evening ladies, I'm desperately hoping someone can offer some advice. I'm currently 32+4 with baby number 5 and am suffering terribly with insomnia. I settle early in the evening and by 10pm feel tired enough to go to bed but the moment my head hits the pillow I just can't sleep. I'm not uncomfortable, maybe a little hot but nothing out of the ordinary, trying not to get anxious about bedtime but it was 6.50am before I finally nodded off this morning which just can't continue with 4 other kids to take care of.

Oh wow you poor thing that sounds horrid especially with 4 children already, can't even imagine what that is like. Have you spoken to your doc or midwife? Not sure what they could recommend as they won't want to give you medication but they may have some advice. I've only had 1 or 2 nights like that and it's so frustrating and exhausting so every night and until that time when you have a large family is unbearable. I guess the usual advice is to relax before bed (if at all possible with 4 kids) - no TV, phone, computer for a couple of hours, drink some calming herbal tea - but I'm sure you've tried things like that. So I guess I don't have any good advice but just wanted to say I'm sorry you are having a hard time sleeping and I hope it passes.

Glad your Braxton Hicks went away in the end, Super, and hoping the baby does stay put until you are ready. Not surprised you're thinking of getting your bag packed though. I have finished making the bag at least and have packed everything I can but still have the clothes to make.

Sorry to hear about your sleeping troubles, Trurouge. I heard that running your wrists under cold water until they are really cold and then going to bed can help as the blood flow tries to warm your hands and it makes you feel sleepy.

Hi Trurouge,

I feel your pain, last night I had no sleep - zero. Back hurts, hurts to turn, baby kicking, head whirring, need the toilet then heartburn... It's ongoing. Only on night 3 of this, really feel physically ill and not fit to work. Let me know if you come up with any solution, I'm not coping (and I have no kids so hat off to you!)

Hi lady
I can sympathise with you I'm just coming up to 31 wks n starting with the acid on a night last time round I drank lots of milk & gaviscon (had it on bedside cab n swigged from bottle - classy )

Try a pillow between you knees for you back n a couple of extra pillows round your top half should also help with acid.

Good luck

Thanks Em, I have the Gaviscon next to me and have to confess in a swigger! Pillow in my back, between legs and one in front and propped up! Actually dreading tonight - can't do another night of pain!

Truruge have you tried sleep meditations on YouTube? I've found those helpful sometimes if its not a physical reason for not being able to sleep.

I got double buggy yesterday. Suddenly seems very real!!

It really is terrible and I think I would feel a little better if I could put my finger on what was causing the problem. I've tried downloading a sleep meditation app which only proved to disturb my OH! The night before last I did ask hubby to rub my legs for a good half hour when we got into bed and I managed a whole 4 hours which was great. Last night I managed to get off after about an hour of being in bed and slept for 2 hours got up had some hot milk and eventually drifted off again for another 3. Went to doctors where he said sorry I simply don't have a magic wand! I was devastated and was already in tears before his comment. Hopefully it's just a phase and we are coming to the end of it. Ladypug, with previous pregnancies I suffered with heartburn and found that sleeping propped up was my only comfort. Hey, at least we don't have to go!

Hey Trurouge, I slept last night! Woo hoo! 6 whole hours, feel like a new woman (still feel messed up but so grateful to have one night of sleep) hope you're doing ok Xx

Cine we've been practicing nappies on a teddy too and my mum agreed to give us the changing bag in advance so all perfect.

I'm also feeling the hormonal anger/annoyance thing, I keep crying on DH...

Started painting a tree mural on the nursery wall today, it will be a swirly Klimt-style tree with autumn leaves and owls when I'm done. Made an error on the trunk and though I've fixed it I keep seeing the error! Grr I just need to let it go!

Your tree sounds great, Anna, really colorful and I like the idea of autumn leaves for an autumn baby! I'm sure the mistake will get less noticeable to you in time and probably no one else will spot it anyway. We're thinking of doing a tree too, but just a white silhouette on silver grey walls then we might add some colourful embroidered felt birds that my mum makes if I can think of a safe way to put them.

Is anyone else doing perineal massage to avoid tearing? I have delegated it to DH, as he also seemed worried about that and keen to prevent a tear and I thought he'd be able to reach better. I wasn't sure it would do much but he has noticed a difference already after just a week and having some idea of the stretching sensation is good as I was initially tensing against it when I felt it but now I stay more relaxed. The constipation from the iron tablets has completely gone too (probably tmi but that would sometimes result in a small split too) and I think that being able to relax the muscles there has really helped with that.

Ooh your tree sounds lovely too, I love grey/silver rooms, so calm. Can you put picture hook nails into the birds to hold them up?

You have reminded me about perineal massage, I keep putting it off...