July 2016 (7) We're halfway to meeting our little bubs

[allthegoodnamesalreadytaken]

Hi all started a new thread as the old one was getting almost to 1000. We're a very chatty bunch! Happy Friday

Youandme I'm actually on the central line but it seems to have buggered up all those trains even more than the queen street line for some reason! I ended up having to get a train to charing cross and then walk the mile to my work. Loved walking before now it just hurts my hips and back haha.

I guess maybe a lot of people who would normally be going into Queen Street High Level are going into Central instead. I really sympathise - it must be awful!

Thanks for the buggy advice btw ladies. Still a good bit of time to play with them before choosing!

I think the issue I am really struggling with is working out how vital it is that the baby stays parent facing after the initial few months (I.e once they are too big for a carrycot). It seems to be received wisdom that it is really really important, but....is it?

My little boy is just over 2years old and occasionally even now I have him parent facing. For example if he is feeling a bit poorly and wants to see me, or if I am trying to stop him from napping if it is too close to bed time. Also, if we are somewhere super busy where he might get knocked (rarely in that situation with a pushchair tbh). When he was very young he enjoyed being world facing because he could "drive", or see where we were going. Also very helpful for hypnotising him into a nap on the way home from a play date by watching traffic or distracting him from a broken toy or leaving somewhere he wants to stay. Also handy to be able to avoid shining the sun in his face when travelling somewhere.

elliz happy birthday to Ted! He is adorable! Hope he has a lovely party today :-)

Kaytee your commute sounds awful. Would it make a difference if go an earlier train or later instead? I had a chat with my manager today and requested to leave 30mins earlier everyday to avoid the busy trains, then make the time up by having a shorter lunch.

Lulabells I have an entire draw full of clothes for baby I haven't stopped buying since we found out we were having a boy! I try and buy stuff in the sales so I don't feel too guilty :-)

birdandbee glad to hear your ok and it wasn't anything too serious.UTI's are horrid just getting over my second one now :-(

Sounds like you had a lovely babymoon pulpi

Bel we are getting a new car too! we sign the paperwork tonight can't wait!

youandme my sister has the BabyJogger City Mini and absolutely loves it for all the reasons u listed light, easy to fold, great for city living etc. It's all very easy to push (having pushed my nephew in it and he loves it)

We're off to South of France on Friday to visit family. There's an amazing ice cream shop that does the best sundaes. So I know I'll be spending most of my time there for the entire holiday lol :-)

24+3

I also found he only "liked" the bassinet when he was asleep. Otherwise he wantedto see the world and was much happier inca carrier. I ended up padding the seat to support him from about 4 months. He was parent facing then.

Thom I am utterly addicted to the Night Manager and love seeing a pregnant woman on telly getting on with her job (no idea where she gets the energy from though..)

Indians huge congratulations. Beautiful ring.

Eliz wishing Ted a very Happy Birthday. He's absolutely adorable.

Lula we are lucky here in that it's all boys so clothes/ toys etc are going to be very cheap for us as we have most of the things already. I had sold a few items such as play mat, steriliser etc. we thought we wouldn't conceive again as it took so long.

Julfin glad the lists are helping. I've got an active boy here too. He moves constantly.

Gnat I'd love to visit the Lake District. Hope your flight goes ok to Ireland I'm sure it will. Where abouts are your family. My nan on my dads side was from Dublin. A very large family but only one of them in Ireland now they all moved over to England. My best friend lives in Ratoath.

YouandMe parent facing isn't important at all in my eyes. I have a 9 and 11 year old and when they were born parent facing pushchairs were very rare. The idea is that parent facing provides interaction but I believe that get enough interaction at home. I think it's important for them to watch the world go by. I used to talk to my boys about the ducks as we passed the river, or flowers that we passed etc all from behind the pushchair. Sometimes if I could see they weren't sure where to look then I would crouch down in front of the buggy and show them. Ds3 had a parent facing pushchair but I only used it parent facing until 6 months ish. He's a nosy boy and loves looking around plus I found he slept better when he wasn't nosing at what I was doing I had a baby city and loved it. Great for in the car it folds like magic. It was also DHs fave pushchair.

24+3

youandme first time round I was sure it was 100% necessary and I have friends who would still agree. However in my experience mine were nosey, and wanted to sit up, and see out. As they were both long they went into pushchair attachment around 4/4 1/2 months (with good neck control) my pushchairs both have 'flaps' you can peer in and see them (ie check if they're asleep!) I think by 6 months they were only facing outwards. One never really faced me. I spent so much hassle thinking about which carry cot I liked and whether or not the seat could face me.. For a small fraction of time.
Something like the fold/getting into a boot would be higher up my priority list personally

jem have an amazing time in France! Sounds amazing. I wouldn't leave the ice cream shop! I have probably bought too much too. If they're in the sale it doesn't count...
gnat your time in the Lake District sounds amazing! Hoping everything goes ok for your flight, can you mention to the crew when boarding? So someone can be looking out for you?
Incredibly jealous of these little trips away. I enjoy IKEA like a day out ha. And pregnancy me can't get enough of the meatballs - last time I bought some frozen ones to take home

youandme, I liked parent-facing when DS was a tiny baby, and I would probably do the same this time round. The pram that I had last time would do both, so you could choose which way round you wanted. It wasn't exactly the best pram for folding up, but I didn't go anywhere by car when DS was small, it was all on foot or bus/train so I didn't really ever collapse it. I think what you choose really does depend on how you're planning to use the pram - folding up a lot, or not? On pavements, or more off-road on tracks? Car seat attachment or not? etc.

This is all very helpful. When I told my mum about my parent facing dilemma she said: "when you were a baby there was none of this. If you want to talk to the baby, can't you just lean over?!?"

We don't have a car, so that's not a consideration. I'm not sure how often I will need to fold for the bus - there is usually space for buggies but it's always a possibility that there won't be! Also if we travel out of town it's always by train, and something that collapses easily would be an advantage then. Car seats not an issue: although we will have a car seat it won't be used very often and I can't really imagine it being necessary to attach it to the pram chassis.

We live in the city and don't spend much time in non-urban settings at all, so no need for a pushchair that can handle them, as long as it can manage cobbles and cracked pavements! I'm really starting to think the BabyJogger City Mini might be the best one. They do have a reversible model, but it doesn't have the one-step fold, and doesnt appear to offer many real advantages over the iCandy Strawberry.

My 15 month old was parent facing for the first 6 months, then we bought a forward facing but rarely used it as he much prefers it if he's in the carrier :) we've bought a travel system and at the moment ds is in the main part of it. When bump is born they can go in the car seat part forward facing and babywear ds/let him walk. Or bump in close caboo :)

Sorry I meant parent facing not forward facing X

You can attach a car seat to the baby jogger.

Matb1 form got, now got to think about when I will finish! Eek it's getting real!! DH has been looking at our finances most of the day trying to make ends meet.

I'll read back later but lots of pram talk I see! Can't even remember what mine looks like

I'm another fan of baby jogger. Bought a babystyle oyster last time and will use again for carrycot when baby is still tiny but it broke and ended up borrowing sister in laws baby jogger for our trip to centreparcs (daughter was 3 months at the time). Liked it so much a bought one when we got home. They are sturdy, easy to fold, baby sits nice and far back to keep out of wind/rain etc and are reliable!

Has anyone decided on names yet? I really really like Leo but other half is that taken by it which is a shame because I can't stop thinking of him as that name!

Had the full cardiac scan today, followed by an anomaly scan. Both good, which is a huge relief. The can't see everything on the cardiac scan at this stage and doesn't rule out issues at birth but it is a really good sign. Cake will be had to celebrate!
kaytee - I really find the accupuncture relaxing & helps with my back but then I know other people who have found reflexology / massage better. My back has been bad since the start of the pregnancy, so I have been willing to do anything!

Lula we like a few names and keep changing our minds. On the list so far is Rafferty, Albie, Zachary, Rufus and Bowie. We both really like Bowie now but don't want the poor boy to be teased.

Thom glad the scans were clear, that's great news :-)

Lula we've decided on a name, but we won't tell anyone until he's here, just on the off chance we decide he doesn't suit it! Maybe you can keep using Leo until your OH gets used to it?

24+6

Oooh, my partner wants to call ours Leo Lulu but it's yet to grow on me! I'm calling baby by a different name every few days to see what feels natural!

We are going for Evelyn :)

Hey fellow bumpers!

Hope everyone is better? kaytee, scasce and Eliz I know you've been poorly so hope you're feeling better?

scasce your work sound like idiots. How on earth can you help when you're sick??

Eliz happy birthday to Ted! And well done for completing level one of mummy hood hope you've had a nice day celebrating. Cornwall sounds lovely!

Loving the pram talk. DD hated being parent facing after 4 months! I think once they're out of carrycot they're happy to face the world, but they're all different which doesn't help! Think we're going to get the city mini jogger double for the new arrival.

Congrats on house buying lu. very exciting& when will you hope to be in? Beautician how is packing? Exciting on the new cars too!

Love the name talk. As we had a surprise last time we still have our boy shortlist so just need to compile a girls one now. I'm currently liking Juilet but we will see how that changes in the months to come!!!

P.s thom so pleased all is ok!

Also how could I forget... Congratulations indians! Gorgeous ring. Hope you're celebrating still!

Great news thom
lula we can't agree here. I loved Theo from the start from DH is not budging. His suggestions are horrific .
Definitely how you use a pram- for example I drive everywhere so being able to clip a car seat on is a life saver here. Will be using my Mutsy Evo again for the first few months, need to get a buggy board for summer day outings.
scase have been thinking of you hope you're resting / feeling better

My cold has taken a turn for the worse again today (think I over did it yesterday) Also, I had some pains last night that i don't think I've experienced before. Right down at the very front of my pelvis? Agonising, and wasn't wind. Was already resting, different positions didn't help. I was having some Braxton hicks around the same time (a new joy!) so I don't think it was that as I find them higher up? Does any one have any ideas? I'm not googling!

Glad everything is looking good Thom!