Due November 2019 thread 5

[PyjamasForever]

Couldn't see that anyone had started another thread after we filled up the last one, so hopefully I haven't made a double...

@dottydally what type of cot are you thinking about? We're going for a bedside crib because I found it helpful last time and it will fit in a small space. Tried a freestanding crib last time and I just didn't work for me post-section and with a baby who wanted to be held all night long.

@dottydally they're very confusing!

DS1 we had a Moses basket and then a full size cot (which became a toddler bed eventually)

For us personally the Moses basket was a complete waste of money and time. DS1 hated it and out grew it by about 6 weeks ☹️ so went into his big coat much earlier than planned.

DS2 I got a next2me and it was amazing. I didn't breast feed that long due to issues with supply but it made the time I did so much easier. Also in general made it much easier having baby right next to me on his own space so I get secure he was ok but I could still sleep holding his band or with my hand on his tummy which he likes.

He moves to his own room in a normal cot (from Ikea) at 6/7 months and will stay in there now until about Thai town next year when he'll move into big boy room / bed and baby will take his room!

@PyjamasForever so I do know I want a snuzpod bedside crib, I would like to breastfeed and it would fit in our bedroom better. @Mintypea5 I also heard they last longer than a Moses basket so thank you for confirming that too!

Sounds like lots of positive votes for a bedside crib which is helpful, thank you.

I don't know what proper cot to get for baby's room. Does it matter how expensive the cot is? There's one in John Lewis for £115 that looks nice but it's probably not as chunky as some. Then there's mattresses.. What's the difference between foam and sprung mattresses? Which is better? I might be hormonal but looking at it all makes me sad because I have no idea what I'm doing

@dottydally I chose a cot mattress like I choose a bottle of wine, not the cheapest but also not the most expensive. I looked at what a middle priced one was and just went for that. It was sprung, but I only chose that because I personally prefer sleeping on a sprung mattress myself. I'd rather put a bit extra money into a mattress and less into the cot itself because it's the mattress they need to get cosy on.

I can't decide what we'll do about a "proper cot" this time. Last time we used a cot that has been used by 3 cousins (but a new mattress), that cot is now really broken so won't do another child. Downside of a cotbed is that if I have another child who needs cuddling to sleep, it's useful to have a full sized single bed to get in with them. Can't really put a 6 month old baby into a single bed though. Baby will also need to go into a room with DS as we only have a 2 bed house. Shame our room isn't big enough for a proper cot to keep baby in with us until big enough to go in a real bed.

@dottydally I'm also intrigued by cot talk! I'm clueless. There seems to be a huge difference in prices but they all look the same !

We want a next2me or similar as I have heard good reviews and then a cot in the nursery, ideally one that will turn into a cot bed for When he is a bit older?

I heard a Moses basket is handy for downstairs but mixed reviews. I might just get a cheap one.

I got a sleepyhead off a friend's cousin for £35 which I'm chuffed about as they're £140 new! Crazy money. I heard they're good for transition from next2me to cot and also handy for on the sofa naps ?

@Mintypea5 I liked the next2me last time too - one of the things I found really essential last time and will definitely be getting another.

Had my 20 week scan today and all is well. Stubborn little thing though - has to go and walk around twice to shift him into a position where all the measurements could be done!

For my son we had a snuzpod in the bedroom which worked really well and fits the small sleepyhead in which helped as he would only sleep in the sleepyhead. We then had a Moses basket for downstairs and eventually a cotbed for his room. Baby is going to have the same set up, although I’m not going to buy another cotbed. Hopefully by the time she’s 6 months ds will be ready for a single bed as he will be 3.5 and then baby can have his cotbed.

@dottydally I hVe an Ikea cot was t massively expensive but is soooo good! So much space also very very easy to build / lower the height of the base when DS2 learnt to stand.

I think we brought a midrange mattress? It wasn't the most expensive but not the cheapest. DS2 seems happy!

@PyjamasForever I LOVE your idea of comparing it to wine! That really cheered me up in the midst of my cot/mattress panic  wish I could have wine. I was looking at this cot https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-alex-cotbed-solid-white/p3104441

I spoke to my mum about it too and she suggested a sprung mattress as then it might be more comfortable for a toddler than a foam one.

@BobbySD345 The top of the snuzpod comes off so it can be taken around the house. Not sure how heavy it is yet though. Will report back this weekend when I've had a look! Absolute bargain on your sleepyhead!

@blizzard88 yay for a good scan! Babies can be stubborn things though - and they're not even here yet! Did you find out what you're having? (Sorry if you've said already)

Also we had a purflo instead of a sleepy head. They're not recommend by the lullaby trust for night sleeping but I did my research and made my informed decision. So I always say it's a personal preference on then / weighing up risks.

We didn't use it for own room / big cot tho only when in room with us.

My eldest was a bloody nightmare would only slept being held, rocked, sung to, hair strikes, hand held etc but DS2 has been very good at self soothing despite everyone telling me that a next2me and being in our room was a rod for my own back. However having had a shit sleeper first time I'm 99% sure it's due to natural sleep ability not anything I did!

The only think I would say is read up on 4th trimester. DS2 would only sleep on me for the first month or two. Refused point blank to settle in the next2me ... until we got the purflo. It's totally normal for them to want to be with you.

Oh we also used the grosnug in the early days. They're a cross between swaddle and sleeping bag designed to use from birth and also are approved as hip safe as tradition swaddling can cause issues with that I believe.

@MintyPea5 interesting to hear you recommend the purflo, I was wondering about it (having got a sleepyhead last time and sold it on). I made the same choice vs pros and cons. Not ideal to have baby in a nest, but until then he would only sleep in my arms (not even next to me on the bed following safe bedsharing guidelines). Such a tricky choice to make at the time. I still feel quite guilty for it now, but it worked well for us. Considering going very OTT this time and getting the Owlet monitor, but DH says it will just feed into my anxiety.

@PyjamasForever I went to buy a sleepyhead but Mothercare didn't have any in stock so they recommend the purflo. I liked it because the mesh base but also the shape meant it was wider at one end so DS2 head wasn't near the top or sides so I was less worried out overheating

@MintyPea5 I loved the sleepyhead, but retrospectively I feel it's massively overpriced for what it is... although at the time I would have paid £100000 for 3hrs unbroken sleep and still felt I was getting a bargain.

I had a next2me last time and it was awesome (especially after c-section) definately plan to use it again. We were lucky enough to borrow my parents swinging crib for downstairs (that all me and my brothers used) so hoping to use that again. Didn't bother with a Moses basket as everyone said they grow out of them quickly but Aldi often have them in so cheap it might not be more money than worth.

We also had a bean bag from bean bag planet which was really well used. It has a harness on it so DD used to nap on it quite a bit (supervised) when she was very little then you change the top so there is no harness once they are bigger and she still uses it now! Definately found it to be worth the investment.

@PyjamasForever my DS1 wasn't a sleeper so unknown what you mean! To me the next2me purflo combo was worth any money just to get any amount of sleep

@littleandoften we have a Kia ceed and have two kids and it's been fine - definitely enough space for all our stuff as as they get older they need so much less stuff! That's with a two year gap between them. I want to keep the car but with three we just can't fit all the seats in the back!

Re Moses baskets I would advise to borrow one if you're going to use one (new mattress of course!) as our eldest never slept in his and our second was pretty big and was out of it by five weeks. We have enough space to put a proper cot next to the bed so I think I'll just go straight for that this time.

@Kaff83 I love my kia ceed its been a brilliant car. I recommend kias to everyone 😁

I should have mentioned we also have a dog! We already find it challenging to fit everything in when we go away to my parents or to stay in their caravan, so now we have this opportunity with Toyota, and my kia is 11 years old, it seems like bigger is the way forward.

I've found you all!

So glad we're talking about cots, it baffles me. My cousin has lent us a Cozee for our bedroom and a Moses basket for downstairs. MiL wants to buy the 'proper cot' as she's calling it but I'm just confused about what will be best.

I think though I'm mainly confused because I haven't fully planned out how the nursery will look, and as the baby will be in with us for 6 months it wasn't high on our priority but now I feel that we should be planning the redecoration soon so I can let her know what we want!?

So jealous of everyone who has had their anomaly scan already, my local trust does them between 20-22 weeks and I'll be 21+5 before I have mine! That's the 11th July!!

@RainhamRosie I didn't finish decorating our nursery until DS2 was about 4 months old? Cot wasn't bought until new year the day or two before he moved in there ... no need to rush if you're not ready! The 6 months with you is a long time

We've ditched the changing table from our nursery it was basically never used and just acted as a dumping group 🙈 but we are going to get a lovely rocking / nursing chair for that corner instead much better use of the space

I think the next sale starts this weekend. I might start buying a few more baby clothes!

I’m also hoping to pick up my matb1 form this week so I can officially inform work although they already know. There is a form to fill out so now I need to decide when I’m going to start maternity leave. I’m due on the 6th so thinking about starting on the 1st and then taking some annual leave before. I worked up to 38weeks last time and then my ds was a week early so never had that time to relax. When is everyone planning on stopping working?

@Zarara I worked until almost 38 weeks last time (finishing with 4 x 13hr nightshifts) and felt fine, but this time I feel terrible. I think I'll try to work until 36 weeks this time... but wonder if I'll even make it that far?

@Rainhamrosie and @Mintypea5 I'm embarrassed to admit this but baby #1 is over 3yrs old and the nursery still isn't quite finished from then

I think we'll probably look for a proper cot in the January sales to see if there are any bargains. As baby and 3yr old will be sharing a room, I'm keen to keep baby in with us as long as possible so they're not waking up the toddler.

@Zarara I'm planning on finishing at 36+4 and then taking annual leave. Unless baby arrives early, my maternity leave will start on my due date. This is assuming I still feel well and things are all still low risk/straightforward by 36 weeks!

I have an easy commute though and will work from home more towards the end, so it's unlikely I'll be in the office more than 3 days a week from September. In an ideal world I'll just be handing over from around 34 weeks, but I'm already finding myself desperate to get a certain amount done. I think I'll need to have a word with myself by then about what I can really get done before going.

I haven't ever done this before though so if anyone thinks this is unrealistic I'd appreciate a heads up..

@dottydally I think everyone is different, if you feel well enough to keep doing stuff until 36+4 then definitely carry on. Means more time with baby afterwards and less time bored at home before baby arrives!

@RainhamRosie my scan is at 21 weeks and 5 days too!!

I just had a Moses basket for next to the bed that I took downstairs during the day and then they went into a cot in our bedroom. I think ds was 18 months when he went into his room and then DD and cot joined him from 9 months. I haven't got a nursery so baby will be in a crib next to the bed this time then into a cot in our room and then will share with DD.

I'm self employed so I'm just going to keep going until I have to stop. I've blocked off December and let people know I won't be available. I'm in class 1 day a week too from September so I'm only thinking of leaving there when I absolutely have too and then go back in January or for any exams/practicals before then so I don't get any marks deducted for missing them.