November 2018 #3

[olderthanyouthink]

Ante-natal thread for babies due this November, continued...

Stats spreadsheet is here - add and update yourself as needed!

@sarawati that's so funny licking a lemon! I've mostly craved white carbs, and today have an overwhelming urge to eat a Fry's Peppermint Cream. I think I've only had one once in my whole life, so am finding this quite amusing.

8+4 here and the constant nausea is getting me down. I have it all in perspective, but with a toddler to look after, and this grey weather, I am just wishing days away which feels horrible.

Funnily enough I keep craving really specific bland things I haven't eaten since childhood. Last night it was Chinese battered chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce and some egg fried rice. I am struggling so much to eat much except dry carbs that I was excited to fancy something and asked DH to collect.

Imagine my rage when he returned with Waitrose's version. They had added all sorts of unwelcome layers of fragrant seasoning to each component and the sauce was not the thick, fluorescent orange vinegar that I wanted!! He explained the takeaway nearest us had really bad reviews and he was thinking about food poisonig and the baby. So I couldn's justify sulking long! Managed to eat a bit of it.

Curious what cravings will come next. My mum used to make 'risotto' which was just rice, minced pork, soy sauce and carrots, and I quite fancy that. All about savoury for me, plus ginger ale and apples.

I didn't realise it had been so long since I posted here! Still massively anxious but held off an early scan as I'm not sure it would have even helped (plus, nowhere local to me)

9+4 today and had my booking in appointment yesterday. The midwife rang up there and then to get me a scan date and time which I thought was great! I was worried I'd have to wait a while for it to be posted. Three weeks to go..

@sarawati I'm also all about the salty food! Really enjoying cheap and tangy salt and vinegar crisps

@Boodlymummy I really want Chinese takeaway now!!!

Ok so just found out might be going to a greek resturant tomrrow.. haven't been to a greek resturant before (or eaten greek food to my knowledge!), friends don't know am pregnant yet (waiting until after the scan) so don't want to let it slip by umming and ahhing too much at the menu!
What can't I have from here: www.therealgreek.com/menus/
I was hoping we were going to go somewhere like Nandos or Pizza Express hehe

Greek is my favourite food. Although I usually do dinner rather than lunch. Kleftiko is amazing.

I would try to stay clear of dips/hummus just in case

Oh that menu has made me very hungry! I think you should be fine, just avoid any raw or undercooked fish / meat! If in doubt, just ask if it's well done (thinking about the chargrilled octopus, but if you're nervous anyway I doubt you'd be picking that?). The dips should be fine too I'd say, but I'm unsure how the cod roe is prepared in Taramasalata? So maybe give that a miss...

Can I come?

Oh MiniMinions that looks amazing! I would go for a souvlaki or some meat and rice dish as you could eat the rice if you struggle. Souvlaki isusually chargrilled, or meat balls or vegetarian option like falafel perhaps. Feta should be OK I believe. Can you give them a call and enquire what dishes are fine out of your shortlist? I imagine the yogurt dip will be absolutely fine as yogurt should be pasteurised but a quick call to them might help you make a decision?

Or the Tiropitakia should be OK as baked feta is fine. Delicious. Yum.

Has anyone started making their list of things to get? I'm trying to balance being organised /budget with 'its still really early'

Great scan and test news today, congratulations ladies. Another step in the right direction.

I was very sick last night- now at 4 times this pregnancy so far vs just once with my DS at about 5 months! So so different, I’m dreading going back to work next week. Also- I’m already noticing the start of the faint line that runs downwards from my belly button! I’m sure that didn’t happen so early last time.

@miniminions I’m not even going to open the link as Greek food is also my favourite- @tinypawz kleftiko YUM . I’d go for lamb chops/cutlets/skewers and rice with some grilled haloumi and salad. Hummus and pitta bread to start?

Oooh @Amarettoplease is that the Linea Negra? i've never had one! Also managed to keep my innie belly button which I was happy about, but it was completely flat by the end.

Thanks everyone for all the lovely messages of support and for the great recipe book ideas @pipsqueak126 I will need to look at a lot of recipes, i've done slimming world recently so quite used to cutting out fat, but not sugar as such so it'll be quite a change to switch to wholemeal options! I like a lot of veg on my pizza though so sure I can manage for 6 months or so!

@olderthanyouthink it must be quite a popular day! My best friend has the same birthday, as does another friends husband (and it's not like I have a huge social circle - just 6/7 close friends!) but mid january must be a popular TTC time

The greek menu looked amazing (as chinese takeaway also sounds delicious!) I'd go for the chicken skewers, and then flatbreads and dips including humus and tzatziki - i LOVE tzatziki

The only thing to consider @MiniMinions is if you have lamb then red meat needs to be cooked all the way through, so might look suspicious if you usually eat your lamb medium/pink as it's usually served?

@tinypawz yes I've made a vague list just based on the things I found very useful with dd. I probably won't buy anything until 20 weeks but as it's dp first I thought I should warn him to be honest I found I didn't use half the stuff I bought for DD so am going to go easy this time and just get essentials. My absolute must have is a snuzpod, expensive but so good and I sold it for a good price even after lending it to a friend and my sil. We don't want anymore children after this one so going to try and go easy on the spending and buy some things second-hand too as I know it'll only be used for 1 baby.

I've got items in my Amazon baby list. Amazon offer special offers (they were giving away a sangenic tommee tippee nappy bin a while ago if you spent a certain amount from your list for example - I recommend the bin if you live in a flat or townhouse, was invaluable for us!) and they were giving a baby box of items free too most recently so I'm keeping an eye out! Also checking my local baby facebook groups for things I need like a baby monitor as well they go for a good price second hand.

@Saraswati I was convinced I was having a snuzpod then saw them in the flesh so to speak in mamas and papas at the weekend and they are a lot narrower than I thought! How long did your last DC fit in it for? I think I’ve been put off them now...

@MeredithShepherd sorry to jump in. We had a sleepyhead for dd and was our absolute Best Buy (even better that it was a gift from PIL's!). She was in it til nearly 6months and was always 91-98th centipedes. She was a baby who liked to be swaddled and cuddled. I have a friend who's baby hated their one though.

This time I've tempted fate and already bought a chicco next to me cot as there was £50 off one of the colour options on amazon a couple of weeks ago. That was the one thing I felt I wanted after dd that we didn't have. I've seen them on the local selling sites for £80 so even though this'll be our last baby we should get quite a bit back for it 🤞.

This pregnancy is so far so much easier than dd. I'm 9+1 and apart from tiredness which seems to be improving and a bit of indigestion in the evenings I feel good. I had the insomnia early in but am sleeping better. I've only actually vomited once... it was multiple times a day with dd up to 22 weeks! I'm relieved as I really didn't enjoy pregnancy last time and had a few other problems... it does worry me though that it's so much different! Have resisted an early scan this time. 3 weeks and 2 days to our 12 week scan!

Centile rather than centipede!

@TheImprobableGirl yes that’s the one! Mine went out by the end. It’s poking already this time- looking at pics from 12 weeks last time, I’m already way past that now. A bit concerning really, hoping the bloating eases off.

I definitely want a sleepyhead this time- I’ve heard great things and wish I’d had one for DS. We spent ages trying to roll up blankets securely under sheets to make a cocoon around him in the hope he would stay in his cot. The sleepyhead can be used in our bed too. Planning to get a second hand bugaboo bee and carrier (Tula or close caboo?). We already have car seats. Not sure about Moses basket or next to me thing for our room- probably Moses basket as we can move it backwards and forwards from living room (next door to bedroom). I kept a box of blankets/Moses basket sheets/favourite newborn clothes from DS so hopefully won’t need to buy tonnes. Need a small baby bath as we only have a shower... then I’ll get one of those flat pack ones that will do until he/she can stand in the shower... that’s me making a list!

@Amarettoplease you may find with the sleepyhead you won't need a portable Moses basket too. We had it downstairs during the day and she napped in that on the end of the sofa or on the floor next to us. It was great for travelling too as we just popped her next to us usually in a corner in it for the first 6 months wherever we ended up. Sorry I sound like a salesperson now 😂

@lastnightsmakeup sell away, makes it easier for me to justify the expense! Good point about being able to use it on the sofa/floor- my only worry would be that DS would step/sit on the baby! He probably wouldn’t but DH is more of a worrier than me.

@Amarettoplease with a toddler this time that thought has definitely popped into my mind too. I think maybe a chair fortress around the baby perhaps 😂🤷‍♀️

I've already started to make a list too, don't need much this time though. So far I need new crib and carrycot mattresses, nothing wrong with the old ones but I know new ones reduces the risk of SIDS, a new changing mat and some bottle teats. Last time I had half of Mothercare in my basket by now.

I am trying to be really patient and wait until the scan before buying even a babygro! I’m pretty much the first of my friends (that I know of) to get pregnant so great to hear all your recommendations, please keep them coming!

Checking in here. I'm just hanging in there with some terrible nausea so thinking of everyone else who is struggling with it. It's so, so hard to constantly feel like you're about to vomit. I had this until about 16 weeks last time. So fun!

In other news I had a private scan which showed a very strong heartbeat and put me at a 31st Oct due date. I'm also in the idle of my week long wait for my Harmony result. Totally bricking in and seeing the baby on screen has b=made this harder rather than better. I guess I've been trying to keep myself from thinking about it too much in case of the worst and it's so much harder now I've seen it. Hard times.

My 12 week scan is next Wednesday so fingers crossed by this time next week I can start relaxing but the Harmony results are really hanging over me. So, so worried.

Anyway. Welcome to all the late joiners. I hope you're getting a break where you can.