The March-ers 2019 #5

[Angelmiracle]

Welcome to thread 5!!!

Check in March mamas to be 😊🤰🏼👣

Thread4

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/3336502-The-March-ers-2019-4

We got DDs pram at about 25 weeks I think and had to have it in our house as no family near by, grandmother was shocked but didn't offer an alternative suggestion. This time we are getting a double and will have that here beforehand too.

We had a Moses basket upstairs and I used carry cot downstairs.

O and ended up squeezing a cot bed in our room for three months as she could rock the Moses basket, this time will get a cot as it's smaller.

@melissa112 I'm thinking of a Chicco next to me if we can find at the right price, but still undecided to be honest. As for a buggy, I don't see any harm buying it whenever you want and keeping it wherever you want! It's not always practical to leave late to order, say you're ordering online and have to wait for delivery or they run out of stock etc. My OH's mum who is buying our pram just asked us when we went to get and she asked us having no clue, as to how it will work, as in do we order and specify a delivery date near to when we want it or order in for a certain date to pick up. Fortunately she's as clueless as we are lol. It's very much a personal choice I think and means nothing whichever way you go about it. I think it's just a bit of superstition/old fashioned values maybe coming into play with some people.

@ballanj Happy birthday for yesterday!

@melissa112 not having a pram before baby is born is an old superstition, we were warned when we bought ours for DS. Needless to say, he's perfectly fine even though we bought ours before we had him. Who can wait that long to buy one?! Or how can you keep it somewhere else, since it seems that having it at home is the superstition.

We had a moses basket downstairs for DS during the day and a crib beside our bed at night. We had the model down from the Chicco next to me so it wasn't a co-sleeper (or whatever the term is) but worked fine for getting him up in the night for feeds. I never really understood the co sleeping cribs because the theory is you can just pick them up and breast feed when they wake in the night but we were changing his nappy every time anyway so had to get out of bed and move him for that anyway.

Does anyone who isn't a first timer know what we might need to buy for second children? DS will be 3 so should be done with his pushchair and cot but I've read about needing new mattresses. Just wondered if there's anything I'm forgetting.

@melissa112 I had the snuzpod for DS which we will be re-using for the new bub and loved it - used it as a co-sleeper mostly but would work fine just as a small crib. We used it for downstairs nap too but it was quite cumbersome and not ideal so getting a baby box to put downstairs this time.

@jenfur I've heard about getting a new mattress for each child but that seems quite a waste and wasn't planning to! Figured it was like getting a new car seat so you know it's safe but the current mattress has only been used by ds so I know it's OK! I was lucky in that 1 nappy would last ds through the night pretty much from beginning so the co-sleeper was great as I could just slide him out, pop a boob in his mouth then slide him back and go back to sleep! Next one might be different though, he's never really we'duch at night.

Oo thanks all for your input on the crib/pram stuff. I'm not superstitious at all really so think we'll just get the pram whenever we see a good deal and probably before Christmas.

The pram we're looking at has a carry cot suitable for over night sleeping so thought we could use that in the day. But (probably stupid question) do you put them in it and in the pram, or buy something separate to put the carry cot on during the day. May end up with a Moses basket for downstairs.

@Murphyrocks is the Snuzpod ok from birth? My midwife mentioned the baby boxes today. She said they are giving them away in our area and it will be rolled out over the country. Not sure if they are the same things, but she said they are made out of cardboard with wrapping on? Is that the same as what you mean?

@Melissa112 we had a snuzpod for my son which we occassionally used as a cosleeper but more often had freestanding and it worked well. I'd echo what others said, it's a bit big and cumbersome to be lugging about so we more often used the pram carrycot for naps downstairs as we didn't have a separate moses basket.

@murphyrocks I'd not heard that about mattresses, I lent mine to a friend and my sister so this will be the 4th baby getting use from ours!

I was quite superstitious about shopping too early (even though rationally I know it can't make a difference) but I did have the pram from maybe 30 weeks though tucked out of sight in the basement - I don't know what else you can do if family aren't close! I also got to the point where I was more worried baby might come early and we wouldn't have what we needed!

@melissa112 yes the snuzpod is meant to be birth to 6 months, although ds outgrew it at 4 months, big lad! The carrycot can generally be put on the pram or on the floor but ds didn't like it. Yes that's a baby box, it's what they use in Sweden I think, and yes is free in our area if you watch a few informational videos.

First time round my parents kept the pram at their house but this time the pram is in our attic along with everything else.

Dd will be 3 yrs 10 month and we will buying a buggy board, new cot bed mattress and that’s about it, poor 2nd child

We are super lucky. DH parents have car seats, prams, Moses baskets, the works.
We're hoping we like it all because it's free!!

Also DH got me a DreamGenii but I can't get on with it. Think I'd prefer one that went up and over my head?

Our pram is in the house already :-) We're trying to pick stuff up second hand so won't be easy if we leave it all to the end when I'll be too fat and sleepy to feel like finding it/cleaning it etc. Have an NCT sale on the cards for Saturday. Hoping to be ready before end Nov, we hit birthday season for my biggest 3 then (they are all 2 years apart so stupidly have 3 birthdays and Christmas within 8 weeks) so want to be ready before crazy season kicks in. Planning to work till the day I give birth if poss to max out my crappy maternity leave (started new job last Nov so don't qualify for proper scheme) so expecting to spend Jan onwards too exhausted to do anything other than work as out the house 6:15-19:45 five days a week at the moment.

When we lost our last baby I'd already started to knit her a cardi and brought a little wooden rattle and I liked being able to keep those things, and some notes I'd made of names, and how pregnancy had been. I guess different people are different but think I'd have felt worse not having something of hers to keep, so I wasn't too worried this time getting bits and bobs if they're a good deal. If things don't work out I'll keep a few special bits and take the rest to the charity shop which will be as shitty as it was last time but only one of many shitty things you have to do.

I'm surprising myself with my bump being big and clearly bumpy, but also possible to hide in the right clothes. I like this bit. Its nice sometimes to not look pregnant as don't really want to talk to everyone about it. Have a big industry dinner thing on the 11th Oct and think I might still manage to hide it. I don't really enjoy talking to people at work about it so feeling chuffed about that. Planning to retire from evening events after that if at all possible.

You are all so posh buying coats. That never occurred to me. I always just left my normal coat undone and wore a big scarf :-)

X

@ ballanj, velcro88, littlekitty1985 also think we might be joining you in the Bugaboo club... we've been looking at the Bee. At the moment we are provisionally thinking either the Bee or the Luna Mix, but it's quite a lot heavier so need to check them all out. We don't have a car so it's quite important we get the right pushchair and sling for our needs (although we don't really know what those are yet) as they will be our only mode of transport.

Is anyone else (of the first timers) just feeling overwhelmed at the sheer amount of "choice"? It feels similar to wedding planning where ultimately there's a lot of junk the industry wants you to spend money on but is pointless and whatever you get will probably be fine, but then there's other stuff that you do need to get right like the dress... but again, you don't want to spend over the odds on it so it's about striking the balance of knowing where to spend the cash. I'm pretty sure my parents didn't have this problem!

(How the hell do you edit posts!!)

Also just wanted to say thank you so much to the people who aren't first timers for giving tips/advice... although it is leading me astray on google trying to work out what you're talking about :)

I used to live in Finland which is where the birth boxes originate. The idea is the baby sleeps in the insulated cardboard box for the first wee while. We're seriously tempted just to make our own or use a drawer, as it's presumably the same as any other expensive cot if you do it right but we'd feel really cheap/cruel if people asked us where our baby was sleeping....!

@Gronk27 that was a timely post, I was thinking of buying one tonight! Had the n shaped queen rose wotsit and I couldn't get on with that one. Torn between the 2 below now

@notdoingthat it might be me. I sleep on my back and find sleeping on my side impossible. The back support feels nice. It just feels like I should have more to cuddle!

We loved the Snuzpod too. We were living in a flat with DS so we used to move the top part around for daytime naps. This time we are in a two storey house so will probably use the pram bassinet for downstairs naps (just on the floor). I’m also not intending to buy new mattresses. We always got the expensive organic ones so I think they will be fine for another baby. I think the cheap foam mattresses degrade after a while and potentially release toxic chemicals.

We had the snuzpod and loved it, 3rd baby getting use of it this time! Used a sleepyhead in it before although they now aren't recommending you use for unattended sleep.

I've had so many prams! Currently got a bugaboo donkey which I love! Also got a chameleon and bee (bee lives in the van) which are also good! Had so many before I found ones I loved!

Sleep in the day we used either Pram/bouncy seat/ sofa or mainly my arms

I thought the rule was new mattress per family (siblings were fine) so might have to look further at that one.

Other than that.... Baby is getting nothing, sorry poor 2nd child! Maybe some clothes... But only if needed, DS should be seasonally in the right kind of range but will depend on baby's size with DS being little.

Last time we just moved the moses basket around as we were in a bungalow, might have to reconsider but don't want to buy things we don't really need.

@cardboard33 not sure if this has already been mentioned but baby box university are doing free baby boxes (only pay postage) if you complete their course (just watching videos). We got our box last week and it's very nice! Not sure if we'll use it as a cot yet but it looks great

Lullaby trust advice on reusing mattresses www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/mattresses-and-bedding/

@cardboard33 it really is a minefield out there isn't it. And the ridiculous amount of choice is a challenge to say the least.

We're so fortunate that our best friends have a 2.5yo girl so we are learning from their mistakes with her in terms of what they did/ didn't use. What they wishes they had bought etc. We're also receiving lots of hand me downs as they looked after everything so well. Will make a huge difference to our budgeting as don't really have any supportive family able to help us.

Thanks @Wineandchoccy, looks like we're fine with the mattress then!

Yes it looks like it @Murphyrocks which saves a bit of money for something else

@ballanj @Velcro88 @LittleKitty1985 @cardboard33 Another vote for bugaboo here. My sister is in Sydney and got a cameleon 2nd hand half the price. There are a couple on gumtree at £200 including the carrycot I'm tempted to make an offer on soon. I am having a consultant scan tomorrow at 13+4 hoping all is well.

I had a Graco Symbio B for DS but just left with the carrycot which he loved you could adjust it to tilting upwards great for his reflux so I would like to put dc2 in a carrycot for naps too. My friend took the frame and pushchair over the water and apparently the wheels are somehow damaged. That pram is discontinued now.

I'd like a maxi cosi carbrofix or pebble it will fit on the bugaboo. Also will keep an eye on 2nd hand snuzpod. I was lent a crib, changing table/bath combi, 2 swings and a bouncer for DS 6 years ago. I dont know if those people still have the items but ill get 2nd hand if no one offers. DSIL has a mamas&papas sola if she offered it I would happily borrow it.

I will see how long I can breastfeed for as supply ran out at 5 months last time if same happened again I might get the Perfect Prep. We have a Quooker boiling water tap maybe it would be as handy??

We have DS cotbed and Avent microwave steriliser and I could fit 5 260ml bottles into it no need for a plug in steriliser. 10mins in microwave!

I will see how DS white gros and vests wash up or I'll just buy 10 vests and 10 gros for c.£20 Tesco or Mothercare.