Feb 2016 Babies: The One Where the Babies Start Arriving!

[clarabellski]

OK, OK, so we already had a couple of babies on the last thread, but we're going to struggle to keep up with the number of new arrivals in this one!!!

Stats:

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dWmvdD9SkvPQqKn7rpFHazgufmda2FOTMtL093cZFj8/htmlview

Thanks all! Just waiting for dh to arrive and take me home from hospital :-) sorry you're still waiting "haq", but there is still a good chance of spontaneous labour... last time i went into labour at 4am on the day my induction ws booked at 40+12. I'm sure that some of the variation is because scans aren't infallible at giving an edd, last time we were put forward 8 days on scan dates compared to lmp, this time just 3 and i'm sure that has some effect. Although i have no idea about ovulation or conception dates for either!

I'd agree with what "mad" says about coping with labour pain, i honestly didn't find it too bad. With ds1 it got alot worse when they diagnosed a breech (on arrival to hospital at 7cm) and i knew i would be going for emcs and i'm sure that was because all of a sudden i wasn't in the frame of mind to view contractions as a positive thing my body was doing... i bet the hypnobirthing approach is helpful although i haven't tried it!

Quick (may be not) question. Those of you that have has your gorgeous bubbas, what out of your hospital bags for you and baby did you not need or wish you'd packed more of? I know it's different for everyone and people have different lengths of stay, but just as a rough guess for an average stay as am packing my bags now and I know DP could always bring more stuff if I have to stay longer... Thanks :)

Mary Ellen I haven't had this dc yet but I didn't use much with the other two. I've packed pretty lightly
A few nappies
2 vests, 2 baby grows, cardigan, hat and blanket
5 pairs massive pants
Pack of jumbo maternity towels
2 nighties
2 pairs socks (1 slipper socks)
Thin dressing gown
Toiletries (shower gel, toothpaste& brush, hairbands, I think shampoo but not sure, deodorant, moisturiser -all minis)
Phone charger.

All fits in changing bag.

Then I'll also have my handbag which has lip balm, notes, phone, kindle in.

I will grab change of clothes on my way (or send dp home for them), can't afford to have them packed in a bag for weeks when I have so few maternity clothes.

I think that's it.

I'm not fussed about having styled hair or make up on for post birth photos (would prefer not to be in any at all really) but know people pack make up and straighteners etc.

I should add I had 6 hr discharge with both dc and am hoping for the same with this one. If staying in longer you will need more (esp pads and pants!)

Congrats saz and cud :-)

Ooh, some more lovely babies!
Congratulations cud, what's 4kg in old money? Hope you're at least on the way home now.
And welcome baby Elizabeth...had to laugh at the 'too polite to pull the emergency cord' bit, so very very 'British' and especially as if the tables were turned Mad I can imagine you despairing at a patient that didn't want to make a fuss! She's gorgeous and looks very alert.

Oh, and our random king size mattress from Ikea isn't just a king size, it's a Euro king size, which is different again, ffs. So having to order special sheets....

Mary if there is 1 thing I would pack time after time it's toilet roll. Sounds mad but after having the episiotomy and being very sore down there, wiping with my own super soft toilet roll was like wiping with a cloud.

Also I lived in vest tops and pj bottoms but I was in for 4 days.

Most of my bag useless to me as baby predicted to be big and was tiny but that can't be helped.

I was glad of:
Tena lady pants - recommended by a friend as keeping mobile if your waters have broken is difficult. Have used post delivery too and am now a ridiculous fan.

Lucosade sport

My own towel (used mainly as additional breast feeding support so would have been equally happy with my BF pillow)

Massive tee shirt to labour and a nightie with buttons

Flip flops

Things I didn't need:
Loads of baby clothes that didn't fit

Big wash bag with various shampoos, lotions and potions. I actually just used shower gel, a face wipe, 1 squirt of moisturiser and toothpaste - could have done with minis in an airline style bag.

Breast pads. I didn't leak throughout pregnancy so dunno why I thought I'd suddenly be gushing milk everywhere

Any of my dvd/ kindle etc but that's cos stuff was quick.

Other clothes for me and bubs could have been picked up later or brought in.

I definitely wish I'd packed lighter or in 2 phases (a pre and post deliver bag - wih an option of a third going home bag)

That's fantastic, makes a lot of sense and I'll review what I've packed, good idea about the extra post labour bag in case I have to stay in longer and not packing it all at first. Especially like the idea about taking my own nice toilet roll!!

Maryellen I am also still pre-baby.. But Iv done 2 bags.. A pre labour and a post labour, with the intention that the post labour bag can stay in DH car until I need it. things like make up, going home outfits, extra blanket, extra maternity pads and breast pads etc all in there. So it meant I could pack light in the first bag. If I get kept in a couple of days then DH can go and get more things. Iv got 1 nightie and 1 pair of button up pjs in the pre labour bag.. Planning on starting off in what I'll be wearing which will be a long black cheap tshirt and discard the leggings (it's all I wear just now, bought 5 of them from matalan for £4 each so I can throw it away after birth!)

Also got a huge bag of drinks and snacks in the boot of the car already :p priorities!!

Congrats madsaz

I 2nd tena lady pants! They are so much more comfortable to wear then maternity pads which make me feel like I have a duck's tail waddling behind me! I have always hated sanitary towels so wearing something 10 times as thick is horrible!
I didn't have enough baby clothes that actually fitted him but I spent 3 nights in hosp. He is wearing 1mth and 0-3mths already, he was 8lbs at birth.

I need to get some crap pants for post-birth but other than that, I'm ready to go. So good hearing from the new mums! Make me feel so excited!

It's Year of the Monkey from today, a sign that lots of Chinese parents try to aim for when having kids. Any born from today will be little monkeys!

Beware those still making purchases for their hospital bags - the supermarkets take advantage of new mums! The 'maternity pads' in tesco are identical to the incontinence pads, but like 50p more expensive per pack. Get your buts down to the sanitary aisle rather than the baby aisle. Ditto things like cotton wool pads - they put a mark up on the same product just because its in the baby aisle!!!!

Due date today, whatever that's worth! Been cleaning the house like a tasmanian devil this morning. My mum is coming round soon to take me out for lunch

Love that I'm having a wee monkey xing xing!

Midnight - snacks are essential! I've packed some coconut water as packed full of sugar and I find it really hydrating after I've been hard at training, which I assume labour is going to be like, only worse!!! Lucozade sport is a good shout Mad

Clara I'm off to the shops today so I'll pick up some coconut water, can never have enough food and drinks :p

Not sure if anyone else watched Sam Faiers baby diaries. I can't stand anything to do with Towie and I do feel like Iv lost several brain cells watching it but I am astounded at how clueless they are, going in to mothercare and not knowing what they needed.. Surely you research and write lists beforehand. And don't get me started on the man she thinks is going to be a great dad. I could have punched him several times!

Tv makes me so angry at the moment :p

Tmi alert (especially since it's lunch time)!!! Just had a bit of a show! Could still mean nothing for a couple of weeks but I'm still excited for some kind of sign!

No such thing as TMI once the babies start coming

Hope it's a sign of things starting for you.

Silly question but do marshmallows go mouldy? Outrageously hormonal today & have urge to get a box of marshmallows with Lillibet's picture on. For no good reason other than being hormonal and susceptible to adverts

madsaz I got some regular marshmallows from Costco and they had a 2 year expiry date on them! They just went stale in the end, I think the sugar content is too high for mould.

Still here at 40+2, counting down til my midwife appointment on Wednesday... Is everyone else still waiting? Haquoi?

I'm still waiting, 39+2 :)

Still waiting, 40+2... Not having a sweep or being induced unless it's medical though, so in for the long haul (dh is keeping me strong while I lose my patience a little. Lots of baths and sex)

Things haven't changed much here, period pains front and back all day but nothing notable and not really any consistency to them. Wanting to strangle DH all night though, no idea why I'm just so irritable!!

Still waiting here too 39+3, so technically have a few days but really thought she would be here by now. I'm not planning on a sweep or induction if I can help it either, having a growth scan on due date so that may change things.

Once midnight hits I'll be 39 weeks. Have a suspected UTI, so expecting a call from the GP tomorrow to confirm and prescribe anti biotics. Hoping to shake the damn thing quickly as I feel a bit rundown and would like to be slightly more human feeling by the time baby arrives.

Mw suggested sweep might be doable at the 40 week appointment, and induction would be booked that day for some time in the following fortnight. Am happy to have those - as much as I want it all to kick off naturally, I quite like the false sense of control that having those things might give me (does that make even a jot of sense?!)

Why no sweeps, ladies? (Looking at my options, hadn't considered this til now!)

Midnight ime rage and irritability are precursors to labour. I was having some strong braxton hicks yesterday and had some disgusting discharge but decided it couldn't be real labour build up as I wasn't moody enough