Late December - Early January '17 Babies

[GerberaDaisy]

Hello,

So couldn't see a January baby post (probably because no one is mad enough to POAS as early as me!)

Anyway, I thought I would start one (waves). I am 28, this will be DC#2 making my 4 year old DS a big brother which he has been so excited about becoming (we haven't told him yet though as very early days!) I am roughly around 4 weeks and we're not planning on telling anyone for ages so thought I would start a thread so I have someone to get excited with!

Please come and say hello! Xx

No question is silly. I'm no expert. I'm scared of the first few weeks as I didn't have much involvement with DS for the first week of his life whilst he laid in an incubator. These threads are great for support

Thank you for all the welcomes!

I haven't read through the whole of this thread (perhaps some at-work lunchtime reading this week...), so I'm sorry if this has already been covered but I'd love to hear people's thoughts on reusable nappies. I am trying to do lots or research because I love the idea and it seems that the way forward would be to have some normal disposals on standbys. There are just too many brands out there (wondering seem to have the edge?) has anyone had experience? My friend said I was crazy because I'd be washing all the time and it would be false economy but i reckon I'm going to be washing all the time anyway!

Hello Colonel and welcome- I'm another one due on 30th Dec with my first so there's at least three of us on this thread.

Hello everyone - as normal, sorry for my MIA nature over the last few weeks.

I also had to google water wipes too, I have been buying 'newborn' wipes for the last month as part of the weekly shop (to build up a stock without it costing too much). Now have 4 packs - they say they're as mild as cotton wool and water, but I've just read the back and they do have a list of chemicals in them. I may invest in some water wipes too as I'm sure I will be going through wipes like they're going out of fashion when baby arrives so these newborn ones will be used!

Colonel- not sure we have discussed reusable nappies, but I do seem to miss things on this thread as I catch up in bulk every once in a while. Id love to use them but am confused with all the choices. I've also been buying Aldi nappies with my shopping so have 4 packs of disposable size 1 and 2 nappies and my plan is to move across reusable when baby is a bit older and I'm a bit more settled as a mum. So will be interested in what people suggest.

Has anyone started the nursery? Ours is still a study with loads of boxes in it (currently decorating a bedroom and the hallway)!

Im still struggling with exhaustion, now coupled with back pain. I think I've cracked sleeping - using an interesting combination of pillows and hot water bottles (was strange this week with the hot weather). But I'm still counting myself lucky as I think I've had an easy ride so far!

How is everyone else doing?

Admarks, you sound as disorganised as us, we have been decorating also. I found a nursery set online on Argos - it's a Mamas and papas one (not on the mamas and papas website for some reason) but it has had really good reviews and wasn't as expensive as others (just looked it up its called Harrow), so we've got that currently sitting in boxes in the garage waiting to be put up, thought I cant see how we're going to be able to get it up the stairs! To be honest I don't get the hype of the nursery (well I do and I'm doing my best to make it lovely) but as far as I can tell the baby probably won't go near it for at least 6 months as I'm hoping to get a bedside crib. But that's all we bought so far. I am also wondering if I can put off getting a pram for a few months and just use a really good baby carrier, but most people seem not to do this as far as I can tell.

Morning all and welcome Colonol. I'm due on Dec 28th according to my dating scan but my IVF dates (which can't be wrong!) put me at the 30th too.
Admarks I'm planning on stocking up on the nappies/wipes in the same way too - I really need to get going on that one. We've emptied the study ready for the baby and I started painting yesterday. It may take a couple of weeks though as I'm just planning on painting a little at a time as I don't want to kill myself over it! DH is absolutely useless at DIY so I won't let him anywhere near it!
Colonel I've also got my eye on the M&P Harrow set at Argos. Not going to order it until the room is decorated though, but please let me know your verdict once you've got it assembled.
Today's job is to sort out the garage so that all the crap we've taken out of the study can be put in there. Hope everyone else is well and having a good weekend.

Thank god you've said this about the nursery colonol as I feel exactly the same but everyone seems to be obssessed with getting it ready before the baby arrives. I know we'll be busy for the first few months and won't have time to sort it out but surely by 6 months old we should have managed to get a free weekend to assemble a cot?! We're not going to paint ours, its magnolia at the moment so have looked into buying dinosaur easy peel stickers to make a feature wall which will come off when we're ready to sell (we plan to move before baby is ready to start primary school). We've almost emptied it completely so it will be ready to be made up, but just don't see the point pre christmas.

We have bought a travel system so are planning on using the pram as somewhere for baby to sleep downstairs during the day, and I think we're going to go for a snuzpod for our bedroom.

Haven't looked at nappies yet but like admarks and happylass may be attempting disposables to begin with and switch to reusable once I've got the hang of things. Same goes for water wipes, I've decided to have a stock of those and wet wipes and see how baby reacts to wet wipes, if the skin is fine, I'll carry on with them but will have water wipes on hand if he's sensitive! Same also applies to washing powder! Will wash all of baby clothes in fairy non-bio to begin with whilst DH and I stick with surf and I'll send one load of baby stuff through with surf to see if she deals with it or not and if the skin seems fine, she can join us with Surf for the future.

I'm highly aware of how sensitive a baby's skin can be and want to do the best by our baby, but also feel like it would be ridiculous to completely change everything we do (and pay double for everything) because of baby!!) We come in to contact with so many chemicals everyday that I don't want to wrap baby up in cotton wool so much that he won't cope with the real world. But obviously will swap any household item if it irritates her.

Argh I hate writing about 'baby' as we don't know the sex and swap between he and she all the time. It's starting to annoy me! Why didn't I just find out the sex...?!

Good to hear we are of a similar mindset with the nursery. I keep seeing photos on Facebook of lovely nurseries for babies due slightly before mine/ours and keep getting pangs of guilt that I'm not preparing a room yet!

We have a Moses basket and some sheets, so need to get some blankets and grobags/swaddle bags for sleeping and should be ok. I think we've been promised a car seat from a friend (we know have had no accidents) so hopefully sorted for the early days giving us time to sort the bigger stuff after he arrives.

(Now heading over to Argos to look at their baby stuff!!)

Bella - I feel the same about calling baby he/she. I seem to prefer calling baby he and people keep saying 'so you're having a boy'. Awkward conversation ensues as I don't like calling him it or baby to other people!

I will definitely report back about how the nursery construction goes.

Bella1985 I'm glad I'm not alone on the nursery thing. At least if it gets done in advance then it won't be something that needs doing when the baby finally needs it. Plus I am looking forward to putting the little bits of clothes that I've got so far in the wardrobe.

On the topic of the water wipes - I heard or read somewhere that the advice at the moment is not really to use any chemicals on the baby's skin at all in the first few days (can't remember the time period they said) as they will still have the moisturising and protective coating that they had in the womb - so we're not even really supposed to bathe them for a little bit. Has anyone else heard similar?

Has anyone signed up for an NCT course? I have a few friends who couldn't recommend them highly enough (if not for the education then for the socials afterwards!

I didn't "do" a nice nursery for my DD and I don't think I'll be doing one for DC2. We moved house when DD was 3m old and she wasn't a great sleeper so I had no time to think about the nursery. So she had a cot, a Malm chest and some stickers on the wall. DC2 will get the guest room with a double bed, walls are magnolia and I think it's fine, apparently babies find bare walls stimulating enough Ultimately we would like DC2 to share with DD. I loved sharing a room with my sister. DD's room is great now. When we moved her into her big girl bed we refurb her room so she has a lovely set from John Lewis with grey walls and farg&form clouds theme.

Yes, that's what i heard as well - just water to bath in the first few weeks and that's what we'll be doing. DD had/s eczema so we are a bit extra careful with chemicals etc.

I think NCT is a bit hit and miss. I think it's good if you have a big group. There were 4 couples in ours and one's moving abroad, two of us gone back to work full time, so while it was good in the first year (after the manic 3 month newborn period) friendships started to peter out after. So it's a really expensive way of making friends. But yes, I did find the classes useful for understanding about the birth. TBH i wished there were classes about the newborn period because that was far harder than the birth itself!

Oh they only talk about the birth?! That's oddly one thing I'm not worried about at all, it will be what it will be! But I was really hoping they would talk about actually taking care of a baby. Oh well!

Hello all - I feel like I'm bombarding this board with messages and I apologise - I just keep on thinking of things I'd love to hear from other people about!

So this afternoon it's about fibroids! I have a reasonable sized one apparently which they said may mean I have to have a CS. Is anyone in the same position? They have booked me in for an extra scan in week 34 to see how the little fella's growing to see if it's going to get in the way.

I have a midwife appointment tomorrow so I'll be asking her about it.

Every source I've looked at (except my MIL) suggests it's not something I should even worry about but of course I can't help wondering about it.

Hi Col, last week I signed my and OH up for an NCT essential course. Like everyone here I've heard mixed things from people that have been on them so I'm setting my expectations low. The NHS courses which are run in my area are all during the week when I'm at work, and although I know im entitled to take time off to attend I don't really want to take too much time off work as it eats into my time to finish all my projects (I know I will need to reshuffle my priorities!!). I need baby basics as I've never really been around babies nor changed a nappy so going to learn this and hoping for some baby friends for networking! I'm in outer London and I think the course only caters for 8 couples (at maximum) so it may be that we don't achieve the networking goal!

Sorry about your fibroid, I'm afraid I have no experience of this so can't help.... I googled what a fibroid was fairly recently as I think someone on this thread may also have one. Hopefully I'm right (although baby brain has well and truly taken over so I could be wrong) and someone can answer your question!!

I'm trying to download the NCT course content and will put an image on here Col so you can see what they cover. NCT also do a 'signature' course (more hours and more expensive)

Colonel we are signed up for an NCT course but it's not until November so I can't shed much light on what it's like I'm afraid. I did find out after booking though that my hospital provides NHS ante natal classes free of charge so it may be worth looking in to that if that may interest you. I was told at my 20 week scan that I had a fibroid but after 2 further scans at 23 weeks they decided that it probably isn't one and more likely to be thickened blood vessels! They are scanning me every 4 weeks to keep an eye on it so I'll let you know the verdict at my next scan in 2 weeks. But I was told that it's absolutely nothing to worry about - just something that needs keeping an eye on.
We are totally not going overboard with the nursery as we plan on moving as soon as I go back to work after maternity leave. The room needed painting and new flooring anyway so thought we'd get it done out of the way do we'll at least have somewhere to put all of baby's stuff.
Admarks Boots have some great offers in grobags/saddlebags at the moment. I had a twin pack of the official Grobags for around £22 which is half price.

swaddlebags not saddlebags

Thanks happylass for the swaddlebag tip (I need to wait for payday before I can buy more baby stuff one week to go!!

Col - course content for NCT essential course image below. We are also booked on for November.

I went private for antenatal partially because I wanted a course that has more emphasis on caring for the baby rather than the birth. DH and I have NFI how to take care of a baby!

Also am nowhere near setting up a nursery. Wasn't planning on doing it til November. Do people really get them set up 4 months before birth? Why?

No idea about the fibroid, sorry. Hope all is ok.

We have a growth scan tomorrow - looking forward to seeing the little one. Am slightly less stressed about the scan given how much he's been moving the last few weeks, but still a bit anxious that everything will be fine - does that ever go away?!

Good luck with the growth scan stealth I have growth scans at 28 and 32 weeks and I'm currently 80% looking forward to seeing the baby again, 20% scared. but last week I reckon I was 85% looking forward, the anxiety part is slowly growing the closer the scan gets (with 3 more weeks to go!)

colonol don't have any info about fibroids. Hope it's all fine with you. Also, don't worry about flooding the thread, we can be fairly quiet so its quite nice to have an active thread for a change!!

I have a scan as well at 28 wks. I am looking forward to it, just to put my mind at ease that everything hopefully is fine.
I said a few days ago that i downloaded the kicks count app and it was good, but now I'm experiencing the flip side of information overload - cue a frantic call to the MW this morning regarding "why has baby's movement changed??!!" . MW said that up to 28 weeks there is no real established pattern to baby's movements and that as long as baby's moving, that's a good sign. I also have an anterior placenta so maybe baby is hidden behind it. Anyway - thought it might be some useful info for everyone else on here.

Admarks and happylass thank you so much for the information about NCT. I looked back and it looks like we're signed up for the Signature course in November so we'll see how it goes. I didn't even realise at the time that there was anything free on the NHS.

happylass I'm in Leicestershire and it's so strange how different areas run their hospitals, I'm jealous that you get to have a scan every 4 weeks! I think if everything was normal I would only have had the 12 week and 20 week, and this 34 week one is extra. I'm glad that the news seems good for you with regards to the fibroid. What they said to me is that if it grows more it could get in the way of the baby getting out the normal way so that's why they might have to do a CS.

stealthbanana I heard of someone who had bought her pram before the week 12 scan! I couldn't bring myself to even believe that I was pregnant at that stage, let alone buy anything. I think setting your nursery up in November sounds totally reasonable - the only reason I want to get mine done a bit earlier is because I'm the DIY one in the house and I'm not sure how capable I'm going to be when I'm 8 months pregnant! I hope your growth scan goes well today.

How far will you be willing to travel at 37 weeks? My friends are trying to arrange a get-together before baby comes and we'd decided on a location 2hrs 30mins away from my home (its roughly the same distance for us all as we live so far apart) but the only date we can all make is when I'll be 37+1. I know there are a lot of unkowns, I've been feeling great so far, but DH has expressed concern that it's a fairly rural route back home and quite a while away should anything go wrong. Are we just being too cautious or is it sensible not to travel so far without him so close to due date?!

Personally I'd go bella so long as someone would be able to drive. But I am fairly carefree about that sort of thing!

lucy I don't have any real pattern of movement either other than all the flipping time. I can't imagine actually noticing patterns but I guess it happens!

colonel phew! I thought I was just really behind the times. I intend to take more of a supervisor role in unpacking things

my scan today went well, baby still measuring big. And is a complete wriggler - at one point he did a tumble turn off the side of my uterus in the manner of an Olympic swimmer, the sonographer was most amused.

I'm still having scans every 4 weeks because of my low Papp a and also being hypermobile. But so far so good!

Aww that sounds so cute stealth Glad the scan went well!

Bella1985 Personally I wouldn't travel that far that late on, I'd be too worried. But would fully admit to being quite cautious (I'm sure some would say overly cautious) so I think if you felt comfortable with your options should your waters break early then go for it.

stealthbanana you mentioned your baby was measuring big - I had a midwife's appointment this morning and when she measured me she found that I was measuring 30cm rather than the average 25cm (which - as I worked out later on excel - is a 20% difference!). She has booked me in for a growth scan this Friday and I'm not sure what to think! I've also got to have a gestational diabetes test because of my heritage (rather than BMI) which I'm not looking forward to. And this flipping fibroid. It's all a bit disconcerting! I'm really heartened to hear you're doing well and I love the image of the baby doing the Olympic turn, so sweet!

Bella I think towards the end it's always a gamble. My DD came at 37wks and I have a few friends with early-ish births. But what is the likelihood of contractions starting on the one day you choose to go out ?. As long as you have a plan if something starts to happen - ie will you be happy to give birth in the nearest hospital? If you are, then bring your notes and enjoy yourself.