Due Feb 2019 - we’re halfway!

[MakeLemonade]

Thread 8, let’s do this...

@Baby160P as the other member of the wide awake club @twiglet said. Id agree with her as my scan spent a good 20m if not more just on the heart. She commented one view was hard to see as baby was sucking her foot or something (god knows how..super flexible!) She kind of poked her a bit so baby moved and got a better view. At begining scan though she commented how active she was and said if any views were difficult id have to go back. So i wouldnt worry too much easier said than done i know.

@Baby160P please don’t worry, I had exactly the same thing. We get strict 30 mins appointments and after the first scan they still had the head and heart measurements outstanding. I was told that she would have said if there was anything that she was concerned about i.e the second scan isn’t them getting another opinion. We had the second scan 2 weeks later and they took another full 30 mins to get the rest of the measurements but everything is ok. Took 15 mins just to get the aorta and my bump was bruised after!

Thank you everyone.

Makes sense saying about appointment time as she was pretty sharp and rude after we had a walk and went back in. OH wasn't happy with her at all.

Did anyone get their matb1 form at 20 weeks?

@Baby160P
Please don't worry this has happened to so so many of my friends and baby is fine just wanting to be abit awkward for you both already lol

We had a similar problem of baby not moving over so they could see her spine eventually after a walk star jumps and a fizzy drink she was moving all around :) I am sure everything is fine.

Good luck with gender reveal we had ours the weekend and I loved it :) let me know xxx

@Baby160P try not to worry. With DS we had go back twice to be rescanned as he was just lying in an awkward position. My best friend and one of my cousins had the same with their babies too so think it's quite common.

@Alicejj8x I rang my midwife team after my 20 week scan and they happily isssued my mat1b certificate and left it in reception for me to pick up. The said they normally don't issue it until 28 week app (think it's 24 for first timers) but I start maternity leave at 30 weeks so needed it sooner!!

@Alicejj8x I was told by my midwife at the 16 week appointment that I won't get Mat B1 until the 25 week appointment as 20 week was just my scan. Found this strange as all literature to do with work says that I need to provide it when I get given it at 20 weeks, but saw maternity leave HR rep and age says it's fine as long as they're aware 😊

@baby160p don't worry, as everyone else has said it's really common. We had to go back for her heart and profile check. I was kinda pleased as it's another free scan and an extra chance to see her. Hope all goes well.
I haven't even thought about matB1 just assumed it would be sorted. Hopefully will get it when I see the midwife next.

We've been a chatty lot last night!

@Celebelly the midwives up your way must be used to it. They must have a contingency plan to try to get to people if they can't make it to the hospital.

@powkin yes you'll need a car seat for a taxi. Black cabs are exempt I believe but a car seat is still safer. It's either that or walk/bus/train (probably not very appealing 😆).

I used to use the car seat on the pram occasionally but only if I was nipping into the shop for bread and milk on my way home. I'll be doing the same this time too with small shops and nursery runs. We'll also struggle with a 30 minute rule (I was only aware of 2 hours with dd). Especially when we've got an eight hour journey across the length of the U.K. to see MIL at Easter.

I'll have to ring about my MATB1. Almost forgot so I need to make a note.

So here’s a link to more info on the 30 minute thing www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/warning-over-babies-sleeping-in-car-seats/

It’s not clear cut and certainly not that practical for a lot of parents. However, I think it’s useful to be aware of as there’s plenty you can do to mitigate the risk particularly in the newborn stage. Stop frequently when driving and take baby out of the seat. Consider a lie flat seat if you have to do lots of long journeys, although you need to weigh up the safety side of it too (it’s safest to travel rear facing and as upright as possible - but babies need some recline to allow them to breathe). Don’t use a car seat on the pram, use a sling or carrycot instead.

And whilst we’re here, remember absolutely no pramsuits/thick cardigans, jackets or coats to be worn in car seats (that goes for babies as well as older children). I had no idea about that one until DS was born and someone told me.

@maxiflump1 @clairehr

Thank you ladies. Yeah I assumed it was given at 20 week scan for some
Reason lol

I think my employers are very easy and laid back and they have had kids so they should also know if it's delayed in me getting it that it's not the end of the world kind of thing :) I just like to be organised and give it to them ASAP.

Thank you I may ring my midwife to ask x

Can people with kids already honestly say they’ve always taken baby out of jacket / suit to go into car or young kids for that matter - in the dead of winter? Easier with baby with blankets etc... but I’m sorry there’s no way I’d be putting DD into her car seat without her coat on to put it back on again while getting out of the car for things like nursery runs etc ?!! Some of this needs a common sense approach. Obviously not for longer journeys!

Ps. Has anyone bought the new connecta - now Integra? It’s what I’m looking at for this one as our connecta has died (and I adored it) but just wondering how people got on with the new version?

@since2016 yes DS (now 2.5) has never been in the car seat with more than indoor clothes on. Look for videos on YouTube of what can happen in a crash. You should be happy to hold the car seat upside down with the child in it.

I’ve tried the integra, I didn’t feel it was any different to the connecta (I didn’t like the connecta so whilst it isn’t a good thing for me it should be perfect for you!!) I need to get a new stretchy sling, I’ve no idea where mine went. Then I have a beco soleil which I loved and will use from 4 months ish.

www.goodeggcarsafety.com/blog/winter-coats-and-car-seats-the-winter-facts-every-parent-needs-to-know.html

I’ll stop banging on about car seats now I promise (I’m just passionate about it as a doctor that’s seen kids die unnecessarily due to poor car seat safety, and I think it’s an area where lots of people are badly informed through no fault of their own).

Thanks @welshweasel that’s food for thought. I just don’t know how I’d be able to manage it logistically all the time (and DH has an obsession about DD being warm!)

Good to know re Integra - it’s funny how they’re a bit like marmite. It definitely took some getting used to but what a world of difference from the awful bjorn thing I had first! I think I want a stretchy too for the v beginning but may have to go to a sling library as that’s way outside my comfort zone!

One more thing on car seat safety that I hadn't realised until @welshweasel signposted a few websites is that you need to check the manual to find out which position the handle should be in when you're driving. I'd just assumed that it would be pushed back above the head, but apparently not!

Ooh I loved my stretchy @since2016. You should definitely give one a go. I used to tie mine first thing and leave it on all day and just pop baby in and out. Meant I barely used a pram at all. Everyone seems to love the connecta apart from me! I really wanted to like it as it’s really compact to put in a bag but I found the straps dug in - maybe because I’ve got a bit of padding on me anyway but it just made me really lumpy!!

On the car seat thing we keep fleecy blankets in the car so coat off, into seat and blanket over. It honestly takes seconds to do.

Yep good point Fred. They all differ! Honestly it’s a complete minefield. It doesn’t help when retailers like Halfords and mothercare can give out such terrible advice.

Agree re the handles!!! It took us a while to work that one out! Good tip re blankets I will defintely look into this more.

Re connecta - in some ways I found it easier once she was bigger? I used it until it broke - literally - and the bleeding started in this pregnancy. Yes I think I’ll defintely use the sling a lot more earlier this time, I’ll need to be hands free to deal with DD!!

Thank you everyone.

I've read matb1 you get at 24 weeks but I popped to see a midwife about a blood test form as I was confused when we went for the scan and she asked if I wanted her to print me one. So all done earlier.

I do really try with the no coats in a car seat rule in fairness, when DS was tiny he only ever had a thin all in one over his normal clothes then layers of blankets over. Since he's been older once or twice I've definitely left him in the coat in the car, but usually I do try and chuck him in with the coat over the top once he's done up in the seat. Especially a thick puffy one. A thin jacket or cardi I don't mind as it's all about how tight you can do the straps and the space between the straps and the body.

I refuse to get on board with this 30 mins rule though! 2 hours was probably a rarity as it depended on where we were travelling, but if you're in the supermarket with a sleeping baby, are you honestly going to take them out of the car seat, put the carrycot in the pushchair frame, bundle them into the carrycot, when the whole point of travel systems is that you can clip the seat easily on to the frame without waking them. With travel time that's probably 1.5 hours at the animists max.

*absolute max!

I might be in the minority, but I don’t see the issue with putting them in a carrycot to go round a shop. It’s a minor thing really, especially when compared with their safety and comfort.

It’s a personal thing though I suppose, no one follows every guideline. It’s whether you can personally live with the consequence should the worst happen I suppose.

I’m not convinced of the 30 minute rule personally, but it’s no real bother to follow it, and I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened. Same with the coat thing.

I agree looking! But in fairness the nhs do admit the study is flawed and it’s only up til 4 weeks, then it’s 2 hours. Most people aren’t doing massive journies in the first month! I guess it’s trying to get people to move to the mindset of keeping them in the car seat for the minimum amount of time possible - I know people who will go out for the day with a tiny baby in their car seat on the pram rather than putting them in the carrycot. I guess it might make people think twice.