March 2016 Babies!! New Year, New Thread - #8

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Thread 8!!! Eight!! Blimey we don't half prattle on

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Afternoon all,

We've got an insane amount of newborn/0-3 vests & sleepsuits. The clothes bundle started with my DSis, then came to me, then went to my friend, and has come back to me a little swollen! Which is excellent! But we definitely won't need anything else till at least June!

We didn't have a tumble dryer until DS was about 2. We used cloth nappies and seemed to get on ok with a couple of airers & the washing line (no idea how, DS had reflux and vommed constantly). Now we've got one though, we'd be lost without it!

That sounds like an epic sleep dobby, hope it continues!

Nice bump Rosie!

Oh no, scared, I can see how infuriating that must be! Glad you got back to sleep quickly. We're lucky to have an en suite and I can stumble to it in the dark and hardly open my eyes/wake up. So sometimes I'm not sure if I woke up once or twice!

OhWool I had my WC yesterday. I found it far less sore than the flu jab. Arm is bruised but only sore if I actively lean on it (slept on it fine last night). No fluey feeling so far, and I don't expect it'll appear. You'll probably be fine!

I think YABU vroc! I love it when my mum randomly cleans my house! She doesn't do it much any more, but I HATE cleaning so much! (We both work ft too, but really we can just happily live in a messy house!) Maybe send your mum round here...?

It's finally Friday! This has been the longest week ever! I'm so pleased it's Friday! I'm going to sleeeeeep all weekend (well, for about 7 hours till my back starts hurting, but the intention is there!).

Thank goodness it is Friday! Take away and early night for me. You have all reminded me that I must book my WC jab. Not looking forward to it - I reacted really badly last time

Yay Friday!! Only 4 weeks till I feel justified in finishing work! (Mat leave officially in 6 weeks)

Ok indom I'll get her bags packed and pop her on the train... I did have a moan to my DSis and then conceded I was being irrational and hormonal which was why i moaned at her and not my mum... I think it's the not finding anything that's been moved that sets me off!!

Glad it's Friday.. Looking forward to bed already!

Sorry vroc! I can, of course, understand your frustration. Was just pulling your leg!

MrsBen I have exactly the same evening planned! Going to pick up our takeaway shortly I've been pretty fed up this week but I'm feeling a bit more positive now it's the weekend.

Baby me is having a right old party right now. I'm getting really big jabs both down at my bikini line and up under my ribs - can't work out which way up he is but he must be going with both arms and legs!

indom you can't back out now she's on her way... she's specialises in cleaning fridges and ironing.. But can turn her hand to most things..

Me I can't work out what way is up either I seem to get feet all over the place and hand stands maybe?

I'm making up the spare bed now...!

So I did some bump comparing. This is my 26 week bump versus my 31 week one!!

vroc On the subject of home intruders guests, my DSis stayed over last night and decided to stay all today. I came home from work and she's left me a nice pile of Celebrations wrappers and a pint glass with an ice lolly stick in it. She is a student I spose.

hayley your bump is ace! Lovely round shelf mine makes a brill crumb catcher and hobnob holder

vroc me Yep to the foot in the foof and hand in the ribs - what the heck is he doing in there!?

Happy for everyone with the Friday feeling. I think this week has exhausted all of us! I'm at work tomorrow but it is always a bit more fun on the weekend (and all the weekend staff tend to bring chocolates....)
I have designated Sunday as a duvet day though, I need naps dammit!

Hello everyone!

Wow I just can't keep up with this thread! I'm still reading page 3 at the mo!

Loving all the sales tips, I must admit we've spent a small fortune in the sales but the list of things to get still seems endless! Need to sort a matress for cot and bedding but feel like we are getting there. Amazing how much stuff a small person needs!

I've had a mixed start to the tear. Found out I had a urine infection. I had one at start of pregnant too so on antibiotics at the moment. my fingers and ankles have started to swell too! The glamour ... And midwife also flagged iron has dropped a lot so trying to eat as many greens as pos.

But we did have our 3d scan and it was incredible! Will post separately about this with pics but feeling on top of the world after 'seeing' the baby.

Lovely to hear everyone's news. Hope NCT classes are going well and that everyone can rest up over weekend

Now to catch up with the rest of the posts ....

Great bumps Hayley and Maybe! I have definite bump envy...I just have an 'I've been sitting on my arse eating and doing no exercise at all for two months' tummy (and no excuse that it got stretched by Zach as it hadn't at all!)

Welcome back Wool!

I remember after DS1 was born (2013) we were advised not to bath him did the first few days. We did it when he was 5 days old in the end (and never really had an issue with nappy rash with him), just did top and tailing before that.

I bought the first proper clothes for Zach the other day which was exciting. All I've bought for him so far are one pack of Asda prem sleep suits in up to 3lb, which are so cute and ridiculously small, but he's going to grow out of them soon! He's been given a fair few tiny vests which he's been wearing already.

We have everything we need in newborn and 0-3 up but as DS1 was 8lb 1oz we never bought any tiny baby stuff which clearly Zach will need. Got some gorgeous 'little bird' from
Mothercare vests in tiny baby and a fairisle knitted all in one for up to 7lb I think. He now weighs 2lb 8oz so is getting there!

I am kind of clueless how to dress a baby for spring time (particularly a tiny prem one!) as DS1 was born in that heatwave in 2013 so basically just lived in either a nappy or nappy and vest for the first couple of months. I think his coming home attire in the car seat was just a vest! I need one of those star wraps I think.

Zach is continuing to do well. He's off his CPAP for 8 hours twice per day now so more time is spent breathing himself than getting any support. He's also had no events for over 24 hours now which is amazing. Today it feels like I'm getting another cold so have had to make the hard decision to not go to see him this arvo. Hopefully will be feeling better tomoz.

missi so sorry you think you're coming down with another cold! It must be so hard to not go into see him, even if it is to protect him. Fingers crossed it's nothing and you're wondering what you were worrying about tomorrow. Wonderful that he is continuing to improve.
You're based in devon are you? I only ask as inspired by our local hospital fund raising to develop more facilities for prem and specail care babies, a group I'm linked has started to sorce grants to support the families of prem babies in the area. If you are devon based let me know and I'll put you in contact with them.

vroc I don't usually tolirate house guests but for one who would willingly clean and help organise with current state our house is in I'd make an exception. Can you send your mum my way when indom is finished with her? She'd have to clean her way to the spare bed, but I've got clean linen for it... If she wants to iron, she needs to bring her own, mine is knackered due to spending it's life stored in the utlity room and used so rarely I didn't realise dh put it under a small leak when we moved in.

indom what can you tell me about reuseable nappies? I wanted to use them with dd but winter born with no room for drying at the time. By the time summer rolled around we were so busy with my potential return to work and hospital appointments I never looked into it properly. Now dh has mastered almost the whole washing process (only took 8 years to teach him to load, switch on, empty, hang out and take it in, just need him to master putting it away and not leaving socks and pants on the bathroom floor until he runs out) I wonder if it would be worth investing this time.

I sorted out all our baby clothes today, gave me something to do while I'm not able to escape the madness of the house until dd recovers. Insane amount of pink which has really shocked me as while I know I brought dd dresses from early on I never went for pink things. Worked out almost all of her 0-3 stuff must have been gifts from family as I the vests and sleep suits in bigger sizes and new born clearly show I go for more unisex stuff. Find some of the bits so over the top I can't believe I reguarly dressed her in them. So need to stock up on some 0-3 bits for bump although part of me wants to dress him in all the pink stuff just to make a point! 4 vests and 2 sleepsuits just will not cut it.

I need to find someone to talk to me very slowly and using small words about mattress. Attempted to choose one for our cot bed and didn't understand at all what I was looking at. Too much choice! At least we don't have much else to buy that involves indepth choice. Need to think about playing with some car seats very soon. A friend is giving me an infant carrier to keep at home but want something fixed to keep in my parents car. Thinking about going for a group 0+-1 for that, but need to work out if isofix/isize or just seatbelt fastening is easier for mum and dad to use. Other than that it's just replacing the moses basket and carry cot mattress with like for like and getting stroller that's sutable for birth.

I need to get some more sheets for our cot bed, I only brought 1 set myself so the rest are shades of pink. Toying with the idea of dying them another colour but no idea if it would work. Not sure if I'd regret not selling them if it didn't.

Thanks Dobby, nose is well and truly bunged up but hoping it's my dust allergy responding to DHs hoovering yesterday (which clearly doesn't happen often enough!) and not a cold.

You remembered right I am from Devon but live in Nottingham now. Sounds like a great scheme the group you're linked with is doing though. Families definitely need the support.

We finally met a family support worker at the neonatal unit this week who have advised us to apply to the 'Family fund' (which i'd never heard of) for some financial help at least with petrol and lunch costs etc while Zach is still in hospital. It's a fund for families of disabled children but apparently prem babies fit into that while they are still in hospital. Fingers crossed we get something at least to help put petrol in the car as I'm spending lots more than when I was at work on commuting back and forth. A close friend of mine also has secretly set up a gofundme fund to help us out, people have donated over £1200 to us which is so amazing and heartwarming, some of the people I don't even know, I couldn't quite believe it. Also off the back of it a journalist contacted her to ask if we'd be interested in telling (selling) our story to her for the press agency she works for (which supplies items to various publications including Now, Closer, Ok etc). I'm in two minds, it could be a good way to raise a bit of extra needed cash for us and maybe raise awareness of some of the issues which are difficult for families of premature babies like us (like lack if extended mat leave/pay), but equally it's very public and putting us out there for all to see. What are your thoughts? Would you? The agency is Catersnews, her name is Charlotte Nisbett.

Wow missi you might be famous! What does your gut instinct tell you? What does your DH say? It is very exciting but I can understand you being worried about privacy - it's a tricky one. It would be amazing to show Zach when he's older and be able to raise awareness as he was so very premature, and it's a lovely story you have since he's doing so well. And of course it sounds like the money would be a huge help! Hmmm I honestly don't know what I'd do in your shoes, but it is exciting to be asked!

Hope everyone has nice plans for the weekend. I'm gearing up for a weekend of -20 temps here, slightly scared!

Ooh missi that's a tough one - as you say it could be a great way to raise awareness. I think it would all depend on where it was published, as that would affect how it's written and whether it's more of a serious piece that gets all the important details, or something sensationalist that focuses on the horror of it all, if you see what I mean. Would you have any say in where it was printed or how it was written? What does your dh think?

Morning all. I've joined the crap sleep club here, tossed and turned all night with this stupid cold I just can't seem to shake it off and my sinuses are so painful! I wonder if having the WC jab in the middle of a head cold was wise... I know the nurse said it was fine, but she may have just been taking about whether it wouls work (for eg) rather than if it would make my cold worse! Eithervway I've been feeling like absolute crap for a week now and fed up! Was off yesterday looking after DD - bloody nightmare as I was ill and she's entered the terrible twos these past couple of weeks, we are definitely having problems with defiance.

missi glad Zach is doing well. It is a tough one about telling your story - I agree with suz it all depends on how it's done and how much control you have. Lovely about your friend setting up a gofundme - made me feel a bit teary actually, what a lovely gesture.

vroc I am totally with you on getting annoyed. My DM used to always do this and it would drive me mad when she moved things. I complained to her about it (ungrateful daughter that I am!) so now when she comes she cleans but tells me what she's done with everything and of she's unsure where stuff goes she will neatly stack it. Means everyone is a winner as me and DP are not the tidiest of people and with DD it's only gotten worse! We're thinking of getting a cleaner but need to actually tidy/sort things first because our house is too cluttered!

We also used reusuable nappies with DD, pretty much exclusively when she was younger (except for when we went away) but when she went to nursery they were a bit crap at changing her regularly enough and we got fed up trying to explain to them so moved to disposables at nursery (3 days a week) and reusables the other 4 days. We borrowed the first stage reusables from friends so only have toddler ones (which say they are suitable from birth but DD has stretched them right out) so going to rent disposables for the first stage - www.thenappylady.com does rentals. Its also really good for buying trial packs of nappies so you can try out a range. We didn't do that and were stingy and bought nappies second hand from eBay - cheaper but varying in condition! Reusable nappies does mean more washing but we have a dehumidifier for drying clothes - I'd really recommend one, its more energy efficient than using a heated dryer and has the advantage that if you have an old house with damp problems you can use them for that as well. We find if we hang stuff up its dry within a day if we use the dehumidifier.

Morning!

Glad Zach is doing well Missi! Not sure what I'd choose regarding the article. Maybe you should meet the person and find out some more details. Write down any promises she makes (like you being able to proof read before publishing ) and ask her to sign it.

Dobby - here is a questionnaire that recommends a certain type of nappy to you. This recommended us the Little Lamb microfibre nappies - they're quicker drying than cotton. I think we ended up with 20 size 1 and 5 wraps (seem to have lost a couple) and they were great! Even without a tumble dryer. I felt really safe (in what, with hindsight, seems to have been an oddly irrational postnatal anxious period) that whatever happened war, extreme weather, the millennium bug 10 years late we had nappies sorted.

We bought the same again in size 2 that took him up to potty training though he's still in disposables at night aged 4.9.

I'll see if I can find the questionnaire.

Marmite your house sounds like ours!

Missi its a tough one but I would say if you do go for it then make sure there are some clear written (and signed by someone high up) rules. Absolutely no printing without your prior written confirmation on the final article and images, written confirmation of where it is going to be published (and whether it is in print or online), I would keep copyright of all the images so they can't be used for anything else without you knowing ( you might get some nice professional shots). I think personally I would be more comfortable if it was print only rather than online but in this day and age that might not be possible.

Hope people managed some sleep last night

Morning all, it's the weekend, yey. Slept better last night but still full of this -snotty cold.

Missi it must be amazing seeing Zach growing out of his tiny clothes, he is doing really well, you must be so proud of him already. I can honestly say I wouldn't sell my story, just because I'm a really private person and would feel uncomfortable about it, even if it was well written (but that's just me). I see what you mean about the money coming in handy and highlighting some of the issues that come with having a premature baby though. I agree with others that I would make sure you have a say about how it's written, where it goes etc.

Vroc I'd be the same if DM came in and started tidying/moving stuff, but she doesn't live that far from us so luckily only pops in rather than comes to stay. DSis is coming to stay for a week once baby is born (DM is on holiday for 4 weeks from the week before my due date and DH only gets 3 days paternity leave) and, though I'm really grateful and she'll be a great help, not sure how I feel about having a house guest intruder for that long.

Did a big order of bits on Amazon on Thursday and keep getting emails to say things have been dispatched, feels really real now. Who knew breast pads and changing mats could be so exciting

I second the nappy lady website for advice on reusable nappies dobby. The trial packs also look really good. I bought a load of little lamb's bamboo nappies before ds was born but didn't get on with them at all. I think they were just a bad fit for his body shape. We uses the Bumgenius birth to potty ones for a while, but he outgrew them long before potty training. I bought them all second hand on ebay though and sold them on there for pretty much what I paid. There's quite a lot of sellers on ebay who've bought the whole kit brand new and then not got on with them, so if you find a brand you like then you can get some bargains.

Personally I wouldn't do a magazine Missi only because I love reading those sort of magazines when I'm at the hairdresser and I always think they're so sensationalist! But if you can have a lot of control over the content then maybe. Depends how much money would be on offer I suppose - if it was significant enough to make a big difference then I'd probably do it regardless.

One of my friends is using reusable nappies but I just don't think I can contemplate them at first, so we'll be using disposables but may look into them a bit later on when I've found my feet with the baby.

I'm getting really fed up with my bowel issues! I haven't had really loose diarrhoea since about Tuesday but I'm still needing to go way more than normal - up at least once a night and need to go again first thing in the morning, hardly anything is coming out each time but the urge to go is overwhelming! My piles had improved loads before this and now they're massive again

Morning. Octo-baby is not so octo this morning. Had a few wiggles. Not sure if I'm over thinking it, maybe I'm paying more attention today than I normally would on a work day?

Ah, hiccups. He's still in there.

Yep, that's perked him up! Carry on!