August 2016 number 4 - bumps popping and scans happening, we actually have babies!

[PickleBot]

Looks like we've nearly filled the last thread, so here is a nice new one for you all!

*swab

Belager. I'm so glad you spoke to your midwife and that she and your GP were so proactive. Glad to hear that you're feeling better.

Such horrible dry skin here - urggg

On the plus side - buggy is sorted. Got a good deal on a second-hand baby jogger city mini GT double that's in pristine condition. Don't have much else to sort. I'm kind of missing that side of things from the first time around!

When did everyone start buying the big things for the baby? Is 19 weeks to early or should I start now?

ToEllewithIt have you tried aqueous for your dry skin. It's really cheap, and it worked wonders for my eczema.

belagar glad you were able to talk to your midwife and get the ADs sorted. Hope you start to feel more positive and excited about the baby soon. Starting a family is a magical time, but there are hard bits too. I'm struggling a lot more with this pg, and still have times when I feel worried about the decisions I've made or have to make. I'm glad this thread had helped you, I find the threads I'm on have really supported me through some difficult times. Let's look to good times ahead!

When to buy big items is up to you really. We got the bedroom ready with a cot and a wardrobe etc before the birth, but you could do that after if you liked, presuming baby will be in with you to start with. We spread the costs buying pram one month, furniture another etc. Don't buy too many clothes likely you will be given some! I would recommend a bouncy chair of some description, my ds sat in that loads watching everything going on.

Our bedrooms being redone and when it's finished (a month or so) the cot will be brought. But we have everything else. I brought the buggy at 16 weeks, Moses basket and everything else at 17 or 18 and I buy new clothes basically every day😂

Belegar Please don't feel like a failure - you have done the absolutely best thing for your baby, which is stabilising your own mental health. Having untreated depression is far more of a risk than the tiny, tiny risks that come with taking anti-depressants. I was on antidepressants for first 20 weeks of this pregnancy and am getting CBT to help with anxiety. Brilliant that you have a supportive healthcare team and partner. We're all here for you too x

Oh god if there's any time you're bound to be depressed it's when you're pregnant! It's an emotional, uncomfortable, exhausting, shitty time! Your baby needs a calm you, whatever you need to do to achieve that is what you need to do. Sorting yourself out for your child can in no way be selfish!
Has anyone chose their changing bag? I have a black silver cross, have a lot of grey stuff and now some pink. If you know a bag that fits any of those colours, or nice to go with them please throw suggestions at me

Hospital bag suggestions welcome too!

I brought an eastpak messenger bag from Amazon. I went through 4 last time and didn't like any one them. They just weren't big enough for my cloth nappies plus bottle feeding stuff and it really annoyed me that none of them were waterproof. Getting caught in the rain on the way somewhere meant arriving with a bag full of soggy nappies and clothes, which was crappy! Anyway tye one I've brought is quite big, but can be zipped out to massive, is waterproof and has really good pockets for keeping small bits separate. Plus a useful pocket for my stuff on the outside. I'm really pleased with it.

I was having a really good day, happy, online shopping, chilling. But my bellys really popped today and I just feel so fat and horrible. I feel like I'm too big, and all I can think about is how long I still have to go and how much bigger il get and how im really struggling to see how il get back to okay after. I've never been skinny, always had 'curves', big boobs and hips but when I think about the flabby mess il be after this i just want to cry. I know il have a baby and it'll be worth it, unfortunately that's one of the things that really doesn't help to hear! Just feel so unattractive😔

Oh I hear you Christine, I feel exactly the same.

This is me today, but less agile! The changes won't necessarily be that huge after. I found the maternity leave cake eating had far more to do with it.

24 weeks today! Its starting to feel more real every day now, although I still can't quite get my head around the fact I am a 24 weeks pregnant woman! I think life from now on will just be a constant feeling of 'I can't believe how fast time is passing...'

We still haven't bought anything for the baby apart from a couple of sleepsuits. We've decided on most of the stuff we want but just need to actually buy it now. Bit worried about where to store it in our flat though. Also putting it off slightly because the cost of things is quite terrifying!

Oh and I still dont really feel like I have a bump, I just seem to be getting larger in general. Although it would be nice to actually look pregnant, I'm kind of hoping to have a small bump in an effort to avoid too many stretchmarks!

Happy 24 weeks Basketofwool! I'm finding time is absolutely whizzing by since 20 week scan.

I have reduced myself to panic by looking at the price of prams in John Lewis! I've said before, but the only things I am worried about getting firsthand are car seat and mattresses - everything else I can bargain hunt for!

See if you can find a local 'selling page' for baby and children's equipment on Facebook - they're often 'closed' groups that you have to ask to join so they know you're local. We got a Silvercross pram for £90 off one. Luckily my parents haven't downsized since we all left home, so my sibling's bedrooms have been turned into baby storage units (mine is already a study!)

If you buy things new, a lot of places will store them for you until you need them

Happy Friday everyone and welcome Chiana and Belegar!

Pickle that's an excellent recommendation - I like the look of that bag!

Has anyone gone for a backpack instead? We're thinking of using a sling/carrier more than a pram for the first few weeks/months, and I think a backpack would be easier than a shoulder bag? However I don't like the idea of my phone and wallet being behind my back (I'm a bit paranoid from growing up in a country where being mugged is a lot more common than here)... Also would like something fairly unisex as DH will be doing half the childcare, or at least that's the plan!

22+3

Hello everyone and welcome chiana. Our due dates are very similar and my scan is the day after yours.

to those of you who are feeling down.

I had a gestational diabetes test yesterday after a very high blood sugar reading at my booking in screening appointment. I'm fretting about it now after reading about the symptoms (or lack of them) and learning about what the complications are. I'm also wondering if that's why my bump seems large for 19 weeks. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

I hope everyone with complications/worries has good support (personal and professional!). I'm waiting to hear back from the new hospital near my new house as to whether they've accepted me and who my new team is. I'd love to have an actual number for a midwifery team I could call for advice (reassurance!)

This is my first so I don't have any helpful recommendations about equipment or nappy bags. I am planning to use my regular rucksack for a nappy bag though, maybe get some liners/inserts to keep all the different bits separate (basically bag-within-a-bag).

Just wanted to say how brilliant I am finding pregnancy yoga and how thoroughly I would recommend it. It's one of the highlights of my week - I feel so calm and secure, and get loads of great advice. I know everyone says NCT is great for making friends but I think I will make some from this too. It's also great for being in touch with both your mental health and physical changes to you body and it's really not too tiring at all!

Stranded Could you go for backpack for baby things but moneybelt/'fannypack' for purse and phone? I find getting them out of my backpack a PITA even when not carrying a baby on my front! I've got a lovely grey Eastpak rucksack that I'll probably use.

stranded I am looking at backpacks for the same reasons. Shoulder bags will annoy me, slipping off whenever I reach down etc and they're all a bit too cutesy for my liking.
I have my eye on this backpack www.tibaandmarl.com/store/elwood-black which is a bit pricey but I really like it. Backpack changing bags are actually quite hard to find though! Let me know if you see any others.

Also that backpack comes with a little cross body bag you could put your purse/phone in

Welcome chiana and belagar. I'm lucky enough to not have experienced mental health issues, but I would think that getting yourself healthy is absolutely the best thing for your baby and you shouldn't feel guilty about it.

Gave my work written notice of when I intend to go on maternity leave. It makes it seem so much more real! 23+6, can't believe the little one is deemed viable from tomorrow!

plimsolls my SIL has gestational diabetes when pregnant with my niece. She managed it with diet, but I think they were adamant that she not go past her due date, since there was a chance the baby would be quite large.

Hi everyone.
plimsolls try not to fret to much, I'll cross my fingers for you. Our bumps are the about the same size

I was thinking of using a sling and a backpack aswell strandedabroad do you know what sling you want to use?

Good to hear from you again Belager, sorry to hear you've not been well. That's really good that you're getting help now though. You have nothing to feel guilty about for having to take the meds! It's far more important for baby that your mental health is being managed. It seems there are quite a few of us on here who have experience of mental health issues now or in the past (for me it was depression too) so you're not alone. Do post if you ever need some support!

Plimsolls fingers crossed for your test results coming back all clear. My DH is type 1 diabetic so I use his kit to test my blood sugar every now and then and it can vary quite a lot. It might be they just caught you at a time when it was higher than normal.

Starting to get a bit stressy as we've not bought anything yet. There just seems to be so many things that you could buy (but might not need), and way too many models of everything to choose from. I'm totally one of those people that gets overwhelmed when faced with too many options so I just run away and hide!

Hi everyone,

I'm 23 weeks preggers with baby no.2. I have a ds who is 6 and we're expecting a baby girl (called Molly) on August 4th. We're naming her after my dearly beloved Nan who we lost on December 16th last year. She was also an August birthday. I had such a neat bump with ds but this time feel like a mammoth. She hangs much lower so my back is hurting already. DH and DS are so excited, which is lovely.

We've been busy organising bits and pieces. I've bought plenty of things second hand from ebay. I gave away or sold most of ds things and didn't expect to be doing this again and don't feel the need to get everything new this time. As a result I've bagged some real bargains and I'm trying to keep baby bits to a minimum.

Hope everyone is well. x