May 2017 #10 - To be prepared or not prepared

[RasperryInAMelon]

Here's a link to the last thread and photo updates just incase anyone's looking for anything!

Thread 9

Photo Page - Bump Update

I don't have access to a desktop right now though so can't post the link to the GoogleDrive spreadsheet, but it's a few posts down in the previous thread!

Happy chatting!

Barnes I don't think there is such a thing as an easy pregnancy I think we all suffer (don't like that word but can't think of a better one!) in our own ways. I think it does make us feel differently about what lies ahead. I've gone from childbirth being the worst part of it and thinking I'll take any drug under the sun and being really grumpy about not being able to get an epidural at the local hospital, and that I'll never breastfeed in public. To seriously considering the midwife led unit at the hospital I'll give birth in after we move (different authority) because it looks more relaxed and working out strategies to breastfeed in cafes etc. Maybe all this pregnancy stuff is to allow us to adjust....

Feeling a bit philosophical today can you tell?

Now where's my monster munch.....

I seem to have a bit of nausea back, and noticed I can't eat big meals in the last week.

Hoping everyone that is moving in the next couple of months has a smooth ride! We had to wait 9 months for our move, the sellers of the house we bought were a nightmare!

Just been to the nearly new NCT sale near me; had a great time and it wasn't the mad rush that I had read stories on. It was very well laid out- all clothes on rails and various sections.
Managed to pick up a fireplace guard and a few clothes for £20

www.nct.org.uk/branches/events/nearly-new-sales

Barnes don't beat yourself up, hon. I think - similar to Rise - we're all struggling in our own ways. I'm trying to be philosophical and view my sickness and your raw emotions and someone else's SPD as just different manifestations of how the baby growing process is affecting each of us.

Bean he's a keeper! I got a cup of tea too - which was lovely! So nice to be able to drink it again. For 1st tri I couldn't go near it - tea tasted of kippers!

Peas can't wait to see pics! We now have our furniture and most of the nursery bits but are getting new windows fitted tomorrow so can't set up until next weekend. Very frustrating!! And have boxes and furniture all over the house AGAIN!!!

Rasperry - have a lovely break!!

Mighty & Nurse hope today is a little better! Jacket spuds are great if that's all you can manage - just make sure you eat the skin.

Sorry to hear about the poor sleep, can't believe in a few weeks we'll be up at all hours with the babies!

Also get a bit nauseous again in the mornings, I find having an oatcake or something small before bed helps but it could be a complete fluke. I think heartburn doesn't help either, thank goodness for omeprazole!

I don't know anything about Sleepyheads, this stuff is all very new to me! I'm a bit traditional with just a cot and Moses basket but I know that feeling of tiredness that you'd buy anything just to get a few more minutes! They do seem expensive though and the covers aren't cheap.

Re Mothercare I did a bit of Googling and they seem to be moving away from being a big actual store and towards being more like an Amazon like platform where they basically just link you to other sellers. Seems a bit of a shame really I used to like them.

Baby on the flight... leaky tits 🙈

I think it the unknowns and uncertainty that make pregnancy hard. And the constant worry. The worst thing for me is not the lack of sleep (as I'm pretty used to that!) Or the impact on my body, it's the concern about what life will be with two will be. I worry that with everything we've had going on in the last two years (baby, house sale, renovations, threat of redundancy, my mum's horrible illness and death, second pregnancy) that this may be the thing that breaks us and maybe we should have a stuck with one. Sorry, that was a bit more serious than I intended. It's been a long week, and I'm very tired.

And sleepyheads are worth every penny in my experience. After 5 days with DD not settling anywhere that wasn't attached to one of us, I'd had paid double the price.

bean when are you hoping to move by? The people buying ours want to be in by may, and they have no chain. The house were buying was a buy to let so no chain there either so should work if all goes smoothly. Terrifying though when my due date is 2nd may 😱 And my other halfs final exams are somewhere between then and the 10th may, madness!

Hope everyone struggling with sickness is feeling ok! Definitely lots of toast & other dry foods!

Barnes - don't be hard on yourself. Pregnancy is really hard, even when it's relatively straight forward!
I think no enough is said about hormones. Sometimes I'm just crying coz I'm crying - there really is NO REASON! This in itself is upsetting as you can't help but feel you're going mad!
Raspberry - oh dear! Poor you! The leaky breast affliction is yet to come my way!

Right, trying to be organised hospital bags... for me I know what I want to have (cos I've been dressing me for years) for baby I'm less sure.... Thoughts on the following list please

• Long sleeve vest
• Short sleeve vest
• Sleepsuit
• Trousers
• Cardigan
• Mittens
• Hat
• Bib
• 7 size 2 nappies
• 7 size 1 nappies
• 2 big muslins
• 1 small muslin
• Blanket
• Cotton wool
• 2 face cloths

Adding to what Rise asked about hospital bags - how do you know what size baby stuff to take?? Everyone says scans aren't that accurate and my DH was 2lb heavier than I was when born so do I take teeny baby stuff and newborn???

Hmm would probably take more nappies and sleepsuits than that but I suppose you can get your OH to bring more in if you're short. Depends how long you're going to be in hospital and how many poonamis you get.

I think the uncertainty at this point in pregnancy is the most anxiety provoking thing. Even having done it before. How far will I get? Will my BP go up again? If it does will I have time for an induction? Will my placenta hold out?

Personally clothes wise I'd pack newborn s/s vests and babygrows and size 1 nappies only, rise are you expecting baby to be huge? Size one is up to 11lbs. More than one outfit and defo more than 7 nappies. Unless you plan to bottle feed right away a bib isn't needed (unless it's a v cute one part of coming home outfit?) Just can't see us needed hats and cardi's in May either but I suppose it could be unseasonally chilly. Muslins etc 👍🏻

We accidentally fell back asleep and woke up at 2pm! Oh well, in a few months we will have no sleep so let's enjoy it while we can. I've made some BBQ chicken in the slow cooker so if I'm not hungry, at least I can pick at it for the rest of today.

I still haven't had leaky tits!!

I packed my hospital bag last weekend. I still need a few bits like toothpaste, shampoo, and big pants. I've packed PJ bottoms but I always sleep in my husbands old tshirts, so I'll be the mum in a Slayer Tshirt. I need a vest and a nursing bra -- any recommendations? I'm a 40EE... I told you I was stocky!

I've packed for Bub;
2 sleepsuits
2 baby grows
2 hats
Scratch mitts
"Going home outfit" which is a pair of Mickey Mouse dungarees
Dummy
Nappies
Wipes (although I know it's water and wool for the first 6 weeks, but I remember as a student trying to clean a baby's bum with it and no way!)
Teddy

As you can tell, I don't have a clue. I've been told that if his heart is okay, I'll be home in 24hrs.

What's everyone's birth plans? Because I'm having a CS I have asked for to avoid a GA if possible, skin to skin, and that when we return back to the ward, little disturbance as possible. I literally want it to be me, DH and Bub for a few hours and then tell people. Weird I know but I want him as my little secret for as long as possible.

Edit; I've also packed for him a few bibs and a rainbow blanket. I'm expecting him to be a big one but I've packed size 1 nappies and I've put a spare tiny pack of size 2 in the car just in case. In the back of the car I've got a mini changing station which cracks my DH up. Hey, you can't be too prepared.

For me I've also packed my wifi dongle, spare chargers, £20 in change, and some cereal bars.

Also in my birth plan I've put "NO BOUNTY PHOTOGRAPHERS" which is mean I know but no thank you. My dad is a photographer and I'd rather him do Bub's official photo to the press!

Hmmm more nappies, I thought that was loads

Going on family history not expecting baby to be small (I was 8lb 12 and my brother was 10lb 6) so was erring on the side off too big is better than too small.

So if I swap the size 2s for size 1s that would be better. And another sleepsuit...

Hoping to be out in 24 hrs, currently no reason not to be but was going to have a spare bag for me and baby if we ended up being in longer.

@1004Rise I was 8lb13, DH was 11lb!!! We are both quite tall and stocky, so I'm expecting Bub to come out looking like a bruiser, bashing other babies out the way for milk on the ward. Does your hospital supply some nappies if you bring the wrong ones?

I went to visit my ward a few weeks ago and it was so warm. Last May was boiling here in Nottingham as I remember peeling off my uniform after shifts. So I'm taking sleepsuits, and some babygrows to let his legs wiggle about and cool down.

Thanks for the new thread!

mrscrocopop my nausea is worse in the morning and eases, but I have appetite in the morning and no appetite in the evenings 😩 my mister is the best, he really does look after me.

peas please be careful. Although you have done this before, sometimes second labours etc are hard to distinguish because you convince yourself this is not it, it's normal aches and pains. In saying this, I have had loads of braxtons this time. If I have more than 5 in an hour I have to ring triage. As I have history of incompetent cervix 😩

rise I too went off tea & coffee in first trimester. And although I can drink it now and I really enjoy my morning tea, I can't drink as much as I used to 😑 I also totally understand your philosophy ... with bean I wanted everything for the pain, by turnip I was a homebirth hippy. Haha. 😂

badger I honestly think so yes. Don't get me wrong there will be days where you won't want to get dressed leave the house or have a conversation because tiredness will just overcome you, but on the whole I found I could function in those early weeks due to the fact I had functioned for months prior with reduced sleep. When turnip has the odd off night now (she is 4 a week on Friday) I feel rotten for days after. Because I am not used to it anymore.

barnes you may want to mention your feelings to your midwife on your next apt. They are there to help, although I think we're all fairly emotional at the moment. I cried to Ed sheeran new album the other morning! Then laughed at how emotional I was. Then worried that I was going bad because I was crying & laughing all at the same time 🙈

claire looking forward to seeing your nursery. What colours have you
Gone for nursery?

vanilla I had forgotten about nct sales. I got beans first Christmas presents for £40 from a nct sale! Going to look to see if there is a close one to us soon 😊

raspberry I hate leaky boobs! Got measured again yesterday and I have gone from 34A/B prepregnancy to 36E! They feel so big and heavy and sore. And they leak at the slightest sound of a newborn 🙈🍼

ticky we are hoping end of April/beginning of May. Cash buyers are buying ours but they have a buyer for their current house and the money from that will buy ours, and then the ones on are downsizing. So fingers crossed should all run smoothly. Will be on the phone to solicitors daily.

So I haven't even thought about baby clothes and think the neutrals I have are wrapped up in the shed?!
I want baby to have the same going home outfit as DD so I probably need to think about finding that out of whatever box I neatly packed it into!
I remember the heat last year NurseBP I was still on mat leave and I was sat in the lounge with the patio doors open in my knickers... nice image there! - with DD in her vest. I'm not looking forward to labouring in the heat! I was too hot in the hospital on the first of jan last year so god help me!

@WishIWasSleeping my MIL keeps buying him chuffing snow suits and sleepsuits in newborn. I felt awful last week; I took them back to boots and bought things like maternity pads, infacol, wipes, breast pads etc. I'm trying to find baby grows with no sleeves but not having much luck! June - August was horrendous last year, I remember that much. I came home from work every night and went swimming, so I'm hoping I can palm Bub off to DH & go swimming!

I blinked and there's a new thread with 120+ posts since yesterday! I enjoyed what will be my last gig for ages yesterday, my pregnant self was super excited that it was fully seated .

Mighty sorry that you're feeling poorly, I hope you are starting to notice some improvement and that you can transfer to the later course.

Bean I'm very impressed with that full car boot, I hope you picked up some bargains.

Welcome funnyonion!

On the sleepyhead front, I think they look pretty portable which I like, plus I'm sort of thinking I can protect my sofa a little my having baby resting on it there. But who knows if that'll be the reality of it. I got it second hand and all the parts are washable (but easier to do if you actually have a bath...).

Badger thats so lovely you bought those duvets for those in need, a really kind thing to do.

Great news on the house ticky! Busy time for you but it'll all be worth it once you're in.

We did a baby item 'audit' this afternoon, as we've received and bought things in bits and don't want to overbuy. Turns out we don't have that much under 6 months for clothing, so this means I can justify going a bit more wild at the next nearly new sale (I've already been to four!).

Luckily enough my MIL buys next to nothing...!
My mum on the other hand has already started knitting..

@PeachIcedT who did you see? we need to do a baby audit, this month is my last pay cheque before maternity pay so I want to get some bits. I don't think there is anything left, maybe some bits for me. I know I need some cot sheets...

@WishIWasSleeping my mum buys the most ridiculous outfits like a Nike tracksuit. DH went "oh is this when our baby turns into Drake or goes to the gym?" Thankfully the other bits she has bought has been utterly lovely and so smart. I think she got the tracksuit as I always wear Nike trainers.... maybe.