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!

Glad you had a good Christmas Canters, and that baby went to bed early! Hopefully that will continue into the new year!

Feef glad you had some help over Christmas! I'm glad you have your parents to balance out what the in laws are saying to you - it's quite a sensitive time for them to be so imposing. Tomorrow will hopefully go better than you're anticipating with DH going back to work, and at least you have the weighing to look forward to!

Marmite sounds like you're having a good Christmas! I'm jealous you're in Scotland with your parents! Mine are visiting with my sister and her children, and I haven't had a lot of contact from them, as I suppose they are quite busy. I won't see them until February, but my sister comes next Friday!
We bought a Quinny Moodd which we love. OH initially wanted a Silver Cross Surf 2 which we played with in Toys R Us more times than I'd care to admit.. We went to parenting events at Mothercare and Mamas and Papas and a baby show - all were great opportunities to play with them, and offered discounts if you were ready to buy. You'll usually save more if you buy a car seat at the same time, and it can take ages for delivery. It was 8 weeks for ours, but coming into the Christmas rush delayed things I'm told.

Miley it must be such fun to have a little baby to spoil at Christmas! I'm a little disappointed I'll have to wait a whole year.. Glad Harrison is sleeping well, and I hope you enjoyed the meal with your friend.

I'm still enjoying all the festive baby photos! Instagram brings me such joy to scroll through at the moment.

I'm due a week tomorrow, which seems to have come around rather quickly. I'm assuming the nesting instinct has overlooked me, or it would have hit me by now?! The birth pool turned up this morning, and I'm waiting for OH to come home to move it (it's rather heavy!) and have a look through the instructions. I've set up a new instagram account to avoid feeling badly about spamming loads of baby photos (thenewmum_life if you're interested), and I've found it quite empowering to go back over my pregnancy in photos!

Thanks May Quinny Moodd looks interesting and not one id come across yet in my googling! Good tip on the car seat too, DH has been doing some research into them as well so we can have a look at both prams and car seats today - exciting / daunting! First baby purchase!
Glad your birthing pool has arrived! Not long to go now!!

Keep hearing things about the uppa baby vista, which is currently got £200 off in John Lewis, anyone have any experience of uppababy vista?

Also do I want four wheels or three wheeler?! Do the 3 wheel ones tend to be for more rough terrain/if you want to go jogging with it?! Sorry it's a whole new world to me!!

Right, in an attempt to catch up...

We've got the silver cross pioneer marmite it's a beast, I'm just getting used to it. It was bought because of the size of the basket, I don't drive so everything needs to be transported via the basket with the nappy bag on the handles. I love it though uppa baby vista was my second choice.

I'm gobsmacked by the DMs/Mils wanting to give babies bottles when you're bf-ing! !You're doing an amazing job, don't be pushed into giving bottles to appease other people! It sounds like they want you to top up so they can feed the baby etc! Dh asked about giving L a bottle and I told him apart from bf being free, I've been really lucky with it, and I'll be fucked if I'm starting faffing about with sterilising shit at 5 in the morning if I don't have to!

I love seeing all the pics on IG of these gorgeous babies growing! Been ordering personalised Christmas sacks and stuff for next year while they're on sale (not on the high street.com has some lovely ones)

In other news, L is fast growing out of the moses basket, he's such a wriggler that I'm worried he's going to end up bumping his head. potato was it you who had the lullago and loved it? How's Arya doing with it now? I need something I can transport between upstairs and downstairs (and to my Mams) easily enough but thats bigger than a moses basket and suitable for a newborn.

Dh has a few days off now thank goodness haven't seen him for more than about half an hour a day since last Friday. L is awesome, getting to know him is the best thing that has ever happened and I'm amazed by him every day!

Got some grobags, they're bloody brilliant! And starting to put boyo in proper little outfits too, I'm exhausted but loving it. Except I'm about to get ill, my Dms had a stinking cold all week and I've woken up with aches all over and a sore throat. Need to dose up on paracetamol and not breathe on the baby.

Thanks canters good to know it's not just me whose family have a formula preoccupation. I didn't anticipate quite how emotive the whole feeding issue would be I felt fairly relaxed about it pre baby.

The weighing was good may! Up 320g after one week just formula so I'm over the moon. Can't believe you're due in a week! How're you feeling? Glad your pool arrived.

The uppababy didn't fit in our boot marmite so definitely try it out. I really liked it otherwise and it has a lovely big basket.

You sound like you're doing brilliantly Audrey.

I'm doing okay the lack of sleep really getting to me at times. We had a bad night last night when A just wanted to be held. I feel guilty about everything too and the bad side of DH being so helpful is I felt a bit lost without him today

Don't forget your hormones are all over the place too feef I'm not a cryer and I have bawled my eyes out over stuff since L has been born. Spent two weeks crying every night from 11pm onwards because I was frightened to put him down and go to sleep. Stuff that I didn't expect to bother me (or that I'd never even thought about) have had me hysterical. Just keep repeating "I an doing an excellent job!" to yourself because up are! We all are!

marmite we have the bugaboo cameleon 3 classic and I love it! It's easy to use, the only thing I find a bit of a pain is taking the carrycot off the chassis to fold up but other than that it's fab. We've actually just changed to the seat today as H is a nosey boy and I think he was starting to get a bit snug in the carrycot (he's only 3.5months but is quite a big lad) I've attached a pic I obviously don't have him in it sitting up like that - I was just faffing around

audrey I think for about a month solid I cried because I just loved H so much and couldn't believe no one was going to come and take him off me 😂 oh, hormones! I'm glad you and DH have sorted things out, it tool me about 2 and a half months to convince myself not to leave murder OH. I honestly thought we would end up separating! He still has his moments but it's definitely a lot better.

Re: formula... my MIL is absolutely obsessed with me failing to BF H! I have nothing at all against formula and have actually just bought a perfect prep machine for £30 (my cousins friend works in the tommee tippee factory and gets a hefty discount) as I plan on switching to formula when H is about 6 months. Though he's starting to use my nipper as a teether the past couple of days which hurts like hell I daresent mention the machine to MIL though as it'll be all "told you so! He's a hungry baby just like his dad was - your milk isn't enough" and I think I'll end up roundhousing her.

One well just breastfeeding not one week formula by the way! Stopped formula top ups last week now just expressed breast milk or straight from the boob.

Thanks Audrey I hate crying and I think I'm actually holding it in too much?! Need to let it out more I think!! I think that will probably happen next week once my parents are gone!!

Tell no one miley! Ha ha

miley I'm the same, nothing against formula, I just knew I wanted to bf (mainly because free, no sterilising, whipping a boob out seemed quicker than having to think about prepping bottles amd at the heart of it, im lazy ) but it pissed me off no end when twice Dh questioned my tits and if L was getting enough food. So you'll have my full approval if you chin your MIL! Fed is best but ffs they could at least be encouraging with your choices!
And im so with you on the crying "I just love him so soooo much, he's so perfect and amazing and I can't believe he's mine, my perfect little prince, and one day he will grow up, waaaaaah!" Also spent a lot of time crying because I couldn't believe bad people hurt babies because how could anyone ever hurt such a tiny innocent beautiful thing (I'll stop before I set myself off)

feef honestly, I'm only a couple of weeks further on from you and it improves, hormones get you right in the feels!

Hi everyone! Hope you've all enjoyed lovely first Christmas with baby or lovely last Christmas without one! We've been having a great time and so nice having DH around plus family to help.

Marmite we've got the bugaboo bee and I'm really happy with it. I'd say when making a pram decision you need to think about -
Size - does it fit in your car / house (we have a mini so it needed to be small enough to fit in the boot!)
Where you'll be using it - bugaboo bee is definitely a city pram so good on pavements but bad on grass!
Ease of use - I use public transport in London a lot and need to lift it upstairs in our flat so it's light enough to do that and folds easily.
Extra features - do you want baby to face you all the time? Do you want a big basket etc?
We also wanted to make sure a car seat could clip onto the pram base - nothing worse than arriving in the car with sleeping baby and then having to try and get them out the car seat and into pram! Hope this is useful. Basically I think everyone is usually pretty happy with the pram they end up getting, just think about your needs.

Feef great news on weight gain.

Audrey I've used my sleepyhead for that purpose - transporting it from bedroom to lounge in the early days. It's been so good having it with us at Christmas too - gives A a bit of continuity.

We're staying with my parents at the moment and my mum is going to look after A so DH and I can go out for dinner- first time we'll have been out together and I'm really looking forward to it!!

Hormones are a bitch but they get better!!

Hi ladies

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas 🎄

Hormones are a bitch! They do settle down though, as audrey says. There were a number of times when I contemplated killing OH off but I'm mostly over that now 😂

I hate it when relatives feel the need to comment on or chosen method of feeding. They should keep their noses out and let you just get on with whatever method you choose. If you want to move to formula miley, sod your MIL.

Harrison looks great in his seat miley! We are considering moving E over soon as well as she is close to outgrowing the carrycot.

I've found breastfeeding actually costs money! I've bought nursing bras at £30 a pop (limited options as my boobs are huge ), a few tops and vests, a pump, steriliser for sterilising expressed bottles and the bags for expressing milk! But obviously with formula feeding you have the cost of the formula etc.

Re prams, we have the iCandy Peach and love it. I struggle a bit with detaching the carrycot from the base, but otherwise it's great. Works on all terrains, easy to fold and put up, not too heavy. Definitely wouldn't fit in a small car though! It was expensive but we got it at a Mothercare expectant parent event and got 10% off. soda's list of what to consider is spot on I think.

Can't believe the next thread baby will (hopefully!) be here soon!

Thanks guys that's all really helpful, especially your list Soda!
We were really torn between iCandy Peach and Uppababy Vista yesterday, but that's helped clarify things in our mind and have just gone ahead and ordered the Uppababy Vista! John Lewis currently have it on offer with £200 off if you get it in red! Pretty pleased with it and excited to have made first baby purchase! Getting a lot more real now!! Next on the list is the maxicosi car seat that can go on it.

Also got a few bits in the mothercare sale - half price grobags and babygros and also a cute changing mat and hooded towel that Mum insisted on buying! With grobags only being able to use from 8.8lb is it worth getting grosnug too or just waiting and seeing what size baby is?

SiL has also offered us her chicco next2me which I was thinking about getting anyway so pleased with that. Also pleased that she's showing a bit more interest.

Sorry to those having interfering parents/PiL - how unhelpful and inappropriate! Easier said than done but hope you can just ignore.

Enjoy the time off with your DH Audrey and hope you can fight off the cold before it gets properly started!

Great news on weight gain feefs!

Harrison looks so handsome sat up in the bugaboo there miley!

Enjoy your meal out with OH tonight soda that'll be lovely!

Hope everyone else is well

marmite I got a grosnug and have just moved across to grobags. L, chunk that he is, could have gone straight into a grobag but having the grosnug was really useful. I took it to the hospital and used it when he was in his incubator, and even now I wrap it round under his arms and he sleeps in it.

Was wondering about a sleepyhead soda we've got a poddlepod which I sit him in sometimes ipstairs but I've never used it for naps. Definetly need to have a look into a sleepyhead I reckon.

I am for the most part past the "I'm going to murder him" phase, but that might be because I've not actually seen him for a week. So how I feel later on will be telling!

Thanks soda, marmite.
Having a good day today .

Advice in Scotland seems different too nothing for breastfeeding needs sterilised they say, hot soapy water is enough. So actually quite easy re pumping etc. We have a Milton cold water steriliser too tho.

We're using grosnugs at the moment marmite.

I need to have a "chat" with Mil next week and clear the air as I will definitely need her help! Love A to bits but it's hard isn't it!!

Marmite I used a grosnug til quite recently - they go up to 12 lbs I think and I found it really useful to keep A's arms in. In fact she's not in a grobag yet - when she got too big for her grosnug we bought a zip swaddle so her arms are still in but she can kick about with her legs.

Pink - I'm with you on the nursing bras expense! I've also got a few nice tops for Christmas which aren't officially feeding tops but are 'boob accessible' - bit sick of my frumpy nursing stuff.

Marmite - not been on so late to your post but we have the Uppababy Vista and love it. Tight turning circle, bassinet good for overnight sleeping, good suspension, really easy to use - alter settings/put up and down etc, basket underneath is huge. It's a good buy.

So... T is 16w on Sunday. She's suddenly started feeding every 2hrs again and isn't sleeping brilliantly overnight (she was sleeping through). Is this a normal change?

Sorry I've been a bit swollen recently. Not getting the time to post lots - loving keeping up with you all through IG though, those who are on it. Hope you all had an amazing first Christmas with babies or a fab final Christmas before the crying and sleepless nights begin 😉

Irregular - exactly the same here re sleeping. A is 16 weeks today and was sleeping through but the last couple of weeks have been erratic at best. She's up at least twice a night but usually 3 or 4 times. Look up '4 month sleep regression.' Basically it's a total bastard.

Swollen?! Ffs. Awol.

I had a horrible feeling this might be the start of the infamous 4 month sleep regression Soda.

I partly blame myself irregular. I was really smug that I had a baby that slept and now it's come back to bite me on the ass. I'm grumpy and knackered- exactly the kind of mood you don't want to be in around in-laws at Christmas!

It's basically impossible not to be a little bit smug when they're sleeping through though Soda! I wasn't openly smug with anyone, but inwardly...!

Christ, she's been feeding on and off solidly for 3hrs now - mainly dream feeding. I think my nipples are about to drop off.

Yes definitely inwardly smug irregular! I might not mind her waking through the night so much if she settled earlier but it's still 10.30ish that she settles which is exhausting. Dreading DH going back to work next week, I hate the long evenings on my own when he works so late.

After H was up every hour and a half the first 3 months he's actually sleeping so well! He's up in the early hours with teeth pain the odd morning though sorry for being smug irregular and soda I've been where you are though, so you have my sympathy.

Audrey big thumbs up here to the sleepyhead! It comes downstairs with me every morning for day naps and it's a godsend when you need to pop to the loo/answer the door as they can't roll out of it. We're actually going to invest in the grand one as H had a nap in the cot yesterday, came back to get him to find his arm through the bars!!! I'm massively anxious so I think it's worth it for my own peace of mind.

pink God yes to breastfeeding being expensive! H will only take a bottle that is about 7 quid a pop, my pump was about £100, bras are ridiculously priced I actually only have 3! But audrey you are right, I'm too lazy to cope with sterilising bottles all the time too

Anyone got any fun plans for new year? We're having a family party at ours tonight then tomorrow OH and I are going to the cinema. Usually where I'm from its all about new years day so it'll be the first year in a long while I won't be going out drinking tomorrow! I find these days I just don't want to! Sounds ridiculous but round my area (within about 10 miles) there have been 2 stabbings so it just puts me off! Not a particularly rough area at all either

Just want to ask mummas with babies the same age as H - I'm still finding myself crying on the odd occasion because I just love him so much...this isn't normal is it?! and also any teethers that are bf? H is using me as a chew toy - I have to take him off my blob and hold his teething keys for him to gnaw on for a while before I put him back on. Makes it a bit of a faff! And for the first time in our feeding journey I have sore nipples from him! All you mums who have suffered this I have so much respect for you all to cope because it's bloody agony!

Off my blob 😂😂😂 that's supposed to be bob obviously.