Thread 13. TTC #1 Grads. Some of us still remember that thing called "a full nights sleep" for most, it's a mere memory.

[AudreyBradshaw]

Behold, the wonder of birth! Members from 6 weeks bfp to post-partum wonder Mamas! No question to grotty or minging.

We've come full circle from obsessing about cervical mucus to now obsessing if it's our vagina baby plug going! What larks!

Lots of talk about poo, ours and now babies too! Baby brain is REAL! From morning sickness in the first trimester to the third trimester struggle of getting out of bed ( "walrus-ing"in our house), to actual real babies who are growing so fast! Discussion on the merits of sleepyhead and Ewan the dream sheep.

Sooo many gorgeous babies now! And equally lovely Mummy's! We are amazing! What a year! Can you believe it's been a year since our first tentative TTC thread!? Look how far we've come!

Roll up, literally, in my case, cause I'm practically rotund! for TTC #1 Grads!

Just read your AIBU thread potato. I can't believe some of the negative comments people have made in response and people saying YABU. Ignore them.

Cosmo it's definitely illegal to request someone not to breastfeed in England or in Scotland if the baby is under 6 months or 24 months depending on which law and how you interpret it.
Bizarrely a branch of Costa in our city host a breastfeeding support group once a week and give a free coffee to all breastfeeding mums that attend. Last week they hosted the launch of a new scheme listing feeding friendly cafes! Totally inconsistent.
I actually feel there is more support for breastfeeding out and about than bottle feeding, at least where I am. One of my ante-natal class is bottle feeding and is worried that she won't be welcome if we all meet up at one of the specific breastfeeding groups at a cafe so we are just meeting at other times. I usually ask for a glass of cold water when I'm feeding and have never been refused, providing you a mug of hot water has barely any more cost to the business.

Anyone got any tips for a mummy with an almost 6 week old who point blank refuses to be put down?! I had to listen to him hysterically cry when I went for a wee even when I put him down asleep he somehow knows and wakes up

Miley Alexa is similar. She can be fast asleep in my arms and then wake up the second I put her down!! One thing that helps is putting her in her sleepyhead which I warm up with a hot water bottle. Also I use a sling in the house which helps me get things done and means she's with me.

That is so ridiculous about BF and hot water in costa! Where I am everywhere is very pro BF but I haven't actually done it in public yet. Autumn is usually asleep when we're out but I am slightly anxious about the first time, sure I'll be fine once the boob is out though

Miley I would also say the hot water bottle is a good one plus I am absolutely loving the white noise. Yesterday Autumn started waking and grizzling while I was out shopping but I just put my phone next to her in the pram and she was asleep within minutes.

Happy due date day lillian! Hope baby Lil makes an appearance soon

Anyone any recommendations on how to get rid of a sore throat/tight chest/stuffy nose while BF? I really want a lemsip but they aren't recommended and paracetamol alone does nothing for me. I feel so crap today, I haven't been sick for ages and feel wiped out now!

Thanks everyone - was hoping she would come on due date. Was up for 3 hours last night with irregular contractions but they stopped and I fell asleep eventually. So exhausted now though.

Was really hoping it was kicking off for real this time - they've been on and off for the last 2 weeks it's so frustrating!!

Potato our flat gets quite dry with the heating on - which humidifier did you go with? I will probably need one too.

Soda that hot water bottle in sleepyhead trick sounds awesome - I will have to try that too when baby comes.

Lillian hope things get going for you asap!

Potato i cant believe that happened to you! I wouldn't have even been angry just really upset I feel constantly stigmatized and made to feel like utter shit for the fact Bodhi is bottle fed. I know thats my guilt that makes me feel like that but its society that makes me feel the guilt and like a failure in the first place. Well done for fighting them on it I would probably have ended up crying and ruining the trip out.

Just unpacking from Devon and found a lemon in his changing box from lounge. What the heck?!

I'm still here. Just hit 28w. Baby is vanilla flavoured.

Having a relatively smooth pregnancy physically but emotionally exhausted. Struggling with all the "change" and feeling very up and down. So I do read, but I don't always post.

DH is currently emptying and then decorating the baby's room. Then we have to put some furniture in it. This all seems far too soon.

Also: the baby will need some clothes, but we don't know its sex...

Are there any nice unisex newborn clothes out there that aren't white/grey? I'm also not willing to buy anything with "words" or cartoon characters on it (just personal preference). I'm thinking lemon, mint etc.

I'm exhausted, I've spent the past two days lying down, how can I be so tired from lying down!?

potato Costa is ridiculous, you'd have thought that a shop next to a mothercare would be used to mums with small ones and have a bottle warmer available or something!

Dh is already concerned about someone asking me to cover up if bf in public, especially as he thinks I'd be more likely to stare them down and whap the other tit out defiantly instead. I've got a couple of scarves ready instead but I've not told him this yet

jan frugi have some lovely stuff, and John lewis, we're vanilla too and have solved the problem by actually buying very little. Some vests in each size and literally 2/3 sleepsuits apiece. We don't know how small/big baby is so no point buying a shed load yet. But I know what you mean, "neutral" = dull.

And jan I've sailed through pregnancy, but the emotional tolling had on me has been bloody exhausting. And your hormones are playing hell with you too. Be kind to yourself, take it slow and easy and at your own pace. There's no rush to clear/decorate baby's room. I'll be 36 weeks on Wednesday and have only just got the baby's room together and am collecting hospital bag stuff etc.

What changing bag do y'all have? Has anyone else spent in excess of £100 on a changing bag? I feel like I'm being a knob, but of the two brands I love, they're bloody expensive. Im trying to justify it with "well ill be using it for years" but it's essentially a bag designed to deal with the effects of poo and sick.

audrey nope. I spent that much on a pram I felt I should be fair with the bag. I went for a £35 grey messenger one from mother care that matches our pram perfectly

Thanks ladies, we have a little sheep hot water bottle for his pram so will try that out, never occurred to me that I should warm up his sleepyhead, makes sense considering he's cuddled up then put down into a cold bed. Tried Ewan out for the first time. Put him on his poddle pod and set it away, went upstairs to get his sleepy head and came back down to this. Wow. I'm amazed considering how unsettled he has been today.

Yay miley!!

Jan this brand are great for neutral stuff http://www.polarnopyret.co.uk - they've got such lovely bright colours. They sell it in John Lewis and House of Fraser. But I agree with Audrey - I wouldn't buy too much neutral stuff. Alexa was vanilla and I bought a couple of bits but when she arrived I wanted to go and get girlie things!

Audrey I bought this changing bag. Pram world seems to have good pricing http://www.pramworld.co.uk/stokke-stroller-changing-bag-black-melange?gclid=CLXRj9qJ8c8CFQgz0wodswgEjA#foc=743&fook=521a20af64c3d0614a206c7440562292&fos=gplauk I think it's definitely worth investing in one you like - you'll be using it every day for ages! I love this bag as you can make it a rucksack as well so great for having 2 hands! DH is also happy to carry it too

soda I LOVE that bag! I'd treat myself to it but maternity leave has me spending left right and centre and I'm sure OH is on the verge of confiscating my debit card 😂 on that note, I'm off to try out my new breast pump!

I agree, don't buy loads of neutral. We have hardly had ours on Harrison as when people found out he was a boy we had loads bought for us and to be honest I was really keen to dress him in boy stuff

Ewan is a legend. We've had a feed and straight back down for another nap!

www.happybags.co.uk/jujube-bff.html it's these ones, either the jujube bff or the brb. I just love them, they're slightly cheaper from amazon too. But I do like that one soda it's a backpack type one I want I think which you can also click onto the pram. I've watched bazillions of reviews on YouTube about the jujube ones too and they're universally loved it would seem. They have many pockets and many colours and I'm coveting one something rotten!

Excellent news on the poddlepod/Ewan combo miley I'm hoping both these work for baby when it arrives! He looks so cute!

Thanks for the recommendations for baby clothes, Audrey and Soda. I guess I will order stuff online when baby arrives - or use it as an excuse to get out of the house with a newborn - but do need a bit of stuff for his/her first days. I have a gut feeling about the gender but am not brave enough to spend money on it!

You'll also get lots of gender specific clothes as gifts Jan. I had a gut feeling Alexa was a boy....

Audrey they're fab! I've been loving the rucksack aspect of the changing bag. It's a personal decision but I didn't mind splashing out on a changing bag a bit - there's so much baby stuff that only lasts a few weeks / months but you'll use the bag every day for potentially years so you have to like it and it needs to work for you. Do it!

Hello everyone!

Sorry I've been awol for a while...I've just been so knackered with 3rd trimester and work, plus I've found the gestational diabetes a bit overwhelming at times. I haven't caught up with the last thread yet! Can't believe how old the first thread babies are now, time flies!

Congratulations Lisa and Indi*!! Love the names Quinn and Autumn.

Harrison is gorgeous Miley!

Hope your little one makes an appearance soon Lilian!

I'm 34+6 now with my vanilla wiggler, only got a few days left at work can't wait to finish! We've got most things now after a slow start on buying baby stuff.

Nice to hear from you elle! not long til maternity leave

miley Ewan and Harrison look like best buds!

stardrey I haven't chosen a baby bag yet - will see how we do with just a Longchamp bag I had and normally use for hand carry on the plane. Been eyeing out a few different ones in John Lewis but haven't decided yet!

Congrats Lara!! That birth sounds amazing so happy you had such a good experience. I have the Juju Sundin book too and although I'm probably going to go with an epidural i find its been helpful so far.

Nearing the end of of my due date and still no sign of baby. Sweep tomorrow so I hope it gets things moving!

Adding Lara to the grads! 3 more October babies to come!

Team B - 12 / Team P - 11 / Team V - 7

Graduate Babies
Blue - 9 / Pink - 7

August
Bunch: Atticus 09-Aug @ 39+3 - 8lb 12oz (Blue)
New: Jacob 16-Aug @ 40 (Blue)
Potato: Arya 19-Aug @ 38+6 - 6lb 12oz (Pink)
Leonie: Theodore 25-Aug @ 35+1 (Blue)
Shelb: Evelyn 29-Aug (Pink)
Nev: Bodhi 30-Aug @ 39+1 - 9lb 4oz (Blue)

September
Danni: Mason 01-Sep @ 38+4 - 7lb 1oz (Blue)
Pink: Evelyn 07-Sep @ 41+1 (Pink)
Soda: Alexa 09-Sep @ 39+2 - 6lb 1oz (Pink)
Irregular: Tamsin 11-Sep @ 36+3 - 6lb 2oz (Pink)
Miley: Harrison 12-Sep @ 36+2 - 6lb 6.5oz (Blue)
DrWhy: Edward 14-Sep @ 40+6 - 9lb 6oz (Blue)

October
Lisa: Quinn 01-Oct @ 39+5 - 8lb 7oz (Pink)
Indi: Autumn 05-Oct @ 39 - 7lb 2oz (Pink)
Co5mo: Arthur 13-Oct @ 40 - (Blue)
Lara: BabyLara 17-Oct @ 38+5 - 6lb 13oz (Blue)

The Waiting Room

October
15 Planet (Team Pink)
23 Lillian (Team Pink)
30 First (Team Blue)

November
5 Pyxie (Team Vanilla)
14 19 Canters (Team Blue)
20 Jam
25 Audrey (Stark) (Team Vanilla)
28 Elle (Team Vanilla)

December
12 Feef (Team Vanilla)

January 2017
5 May (Team Pink)
11 Ni (Team Vanilla)

February 2017
15 Evergreen

April 2017
03 Drink
14 Marmite

? 2017
Damson
Jan
Lovely

TBC
11-Aug Mor (Team Vanilla)
2-Sep Taz (Team Blue)
29-Sep Laurenrl (Team Pink)

So, I've had an official response from Costa to say I absolutely shouldn't have been refused hot water and requesting I email them the full details, which I've done... Someone's gonna get it

Pink I had the AIBU thread deleted as it was making me cross. I shall never stray into that snake pit again. They should change the name of that board to the unreasonably bitchy responses board.

dr I think breast feeding used to have a stigma attached but now there's been so much campaigning for it that the stigma has moved to bottle feeders. I don't care what anyone says because I did my research befor choosing to bottle feed but even I feel the need to explain why when people ask how I feed.

Lillian I think the one I got was called 1by one, it's tear drop shaped and one of the better sellers on Amazon. Also only £20 it's very quiet and even has a little night light built in
Hope baby arrives soon

Nev you should not feel bad for bottle feeding. There is no scientific evidence that in a developed country like ours breast is significantly better. You have a lovely healthy well fed baby and if anyone tries to make you feel bad you should kick them in the shin and tell them to get their head out of their arse!
Lemon... Random

Jan it's a big change hon so don't beat yourself up about being up and down. It's really normal to not be excited and feel a bit up and down while pregnant. I used to hate when people used to tell me how excited I must be because I honestly didn't know how I felt.
Whatever you buy clothes wise I wouldn't spend much. They will grow out of them really quickly. Also, particularly when they e just been born, your life will be so much more pleasant if you buy things that are easy to put on. I hate tights as they're a faff and Arya usually just lives in sleep suits that have poppers up the front.

Audrey you will quickly give up on carrying a handbag around and just use the changing bag so you are effectively buying two bags in one... Does that help with your rationalisation?

Miley yay! For sleepy baby

Jan Boots have a mint and a yellow range but I'd echo the don't spend too much. We've had a lot of sleepsuit's bought as presents.

Costa got a visit from a rather annoyed health visitor.

We got A dressed in 'going out' clothes for the first time today and no nappy leaks while we were out. Yay.

Oh my god I have the worst cold/flu type thing I have had in years. So lucky it's half term and OH is off as he is doing everything with Bodhi tonight as am drowning in my own snot or I would be if I could breathe enough to. I know I am being dramatic there but I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this ill.