September 2019 #10.

[Karigan195]

New thread so we can leave #9 as a type of condolence book for little Roy and Twittlebee. Sleep in peace little man

@happydays00 the thing is they’ve already effectively shut me out- they are having weekly meet ups that I’m not included in, so it’s unlikely that when my baby is here I’ll be able to just join back in. There’s quite a big gap between when the other 4 are due and me-about 2 months.
They are all close in age and interests too and I’m not especially social anyway. Always prefer animals to people!

Ooh baby swimming is the activity I definitely know I'll be signing up for - does anyone how young can they go?

I think once they've had their first jabs @kyles101 but I could be wrong. Plus it's worth checking the temp of the pool. I took Dd when n she was very small, it took nearly an hour to get us both ready by the time I had stopped to feed her and a poonami blowout. 15 mins in the pool and she was getting cold so we got out and spent another hour getting dried and dressed again 😂

Much better once she was nearer 6 months (and take DH to help!).

@kyles101 my friends told me the classes are pointless for swimming, you can just teach them yourself in any warm baby pool as they just bob about. They used to say after vaccs at 3 months but the latest advice is any age is fine.

The local baby swim class is a ridiculous price and starts at 8 weeks - you can use the same pool for under £5 but they want £12 and commitment for a term! Sod that.

@Megan2018 , that's mean!! What a shame it didn't turn out to be valuable for you. Most people I know who have done NCT have at least got a few weeks of support in those early days.

@kyles101 I started DD at 8 weeks, I don't think I'll be starting this one quite so early as it was a bit of a faff timing naps, praying for no poos, dressing/undressing but I'm think March as the weather will be improving by then. I skipped a term thinking I could do the exact same thing at a pool by myself but mostly lacked the motivation to go and when I did I got bored after about 15 minutes of bobbing about. I think it depends on the class but I loved ours as it had music and singing and lots of toys. Of course you can mimic the same "exercises" and movements that you do in class but it's not quite the same environment

DD started swimming at 8 weeks, didn't need jabs as it was a private pool. And we used a hydrotherapy pool so it was lovely and warm. It was - and still is - my favourite baby activity. DH hated swimming and now loves it so we go all the time. I don't expect her to swim as such (although she can do about 3-4 metres) but it's given her so much confidence and awareness of safety.

We'll finish with her current teacher in November and she'll have done nearly 4 years, I'm so sad to leave!

I loved baby groups because I needed to get out of the house. Not sure I'll make it to as many with two! I also had a bad experience with NCT "friends" - SO judgemental. I was once lectured on the damage I was doing by feeding DD yoghurt with a spoon...

We’re going to be on a tight budget so want to make sure the things we do get us the best value - will have about £25-£30 a week for classes/going out etc. There’s a couple of things that are £5 a week, so I think a couple of those and a lunch out is going to be all I can do regularly. But that should cover 2-3 days a week.

Out of interest @Stroan how does this "friend" think you're supposed to eat fecking yoghurt??!!

We're lucky to have lots of local sure start centres. They run lots of free classes, baby massage, baby sensory, messy play, sing and sign etc. They're all free and need no commitment as such, you just turn up. I think baby massage is the only one you have to sign up to because it's a small class there is usually a waiting list. Worth seeing if there's one locally.

Maybe baby was supposed to eat it independently with their hands @happydays00 😂 and make a big fucking mess. Sod that for a laugh.

Yep. They were all BIG into baby led weaning. I did mostly baby led/finger foods but no way was I handing a 6 month old a full yoghurt pot to hurl at me!

One girl told me that she had succeeded at breastfeeding because she was more driven than me. They were a joy. I stopped seeing them after 6-7 months and felt so much better immediately.

@BimbleBamble I must be due a day after you. My "bag" consists of a packs of pads and some lahishno. I tried to get some baby things out today and got bamboozled on the sizing - God knows what DD wore those first few days! Might leave it another growth scan, no use in

@Florencenotflo sadly we live very rurally so no Surestart here. Our nearest market town is also very posh so everything is expensive. But there are plenty of cheaper things if you don’t fall for the over inflated franchise nonsense that prays on first time anxious parents....

@Megan2018 its a shame about your Nct group. I was the last one to finish work and have a baby, so did play catch up but there were a lot of couples, three of us have stayed close enough to help the others out with childcare, nursery drop off etc.
I made friends at a baby group that was just a drop in, a company run one but it was £4 inc endless cake and coffee. I take DD to a large church group how, £2 snacks for toddlers coffee and cake for adults - never stepped in a church before DD but living rural too it's a really good way to meet people and take a house break!

@BBell2 yes that sounds like around here, there is one for £2 less than a mile away, in a village hall.
I have friends with kids at the stables so I’m not particularly worried about it, and if anyone from NCT reaches out that’s fine. I’m just realistic that if they have had weeks of meet ups without me-then have newborns when I finish work and am free its going be hard. Also the reunion is scheduled to clash with my mums 70th, its just all a bit jinxed I think.

I’ll be taking baby to the hunt meets in the village - always good for a sausage roll and a natter, plus she’ll be coming out in the lorry to various competitions as I’l be helping friends whilst I can’t ride myself-so not going to be housebound. She’ll just see more dogs and horses than most

I'm behind on the thread big time today!!
@easterbuns1 next week sounds tough- can you schedule a few nice things to help tide you through? (Lie in 'til ooooh 7:30?? Evening stroll with DP??)
@Stroan yeah, no wonder jeans over the bump are an issue! I'm really low too, nice to be able to breath... however...
Snurk to the yogurt! Rule one of parenting is everyone makes their own decisions... (but for the record, as a pretty enthusiastic BLWer, the trick with yogurt is either naked outdoors, or a very small amount with something to dip in it. Or go for it big time with a camera to hand for the lolz...)

The classes are at a spa I'm a member at so I know the pool is lovely and it's not just a public one if that makes sense. It's lovely and warm and clean so definitely something I won't mind paying a little extra for. Also, although I do have a couple of friends off on mat leave at the moment with littleies it might be nice to meet other mums too.

@Megan2018 do you have a sure start near you? I'm pretty sure most of those things are free? Lol, just seen same from @Florencenotflo - randomly we have one in the local village that is really geared up with loads of activities- nothing else of interest within a 7 mile radius but a top notch sure start 😂

God @Stroan what a bunch of bwitches. You're better off here with us 😉 some people are so zealous about things, what's wrong with a bit of mix n match. As if yoghurt is an appropriate finger food 🙄

@kyles101 no, no Sure Start here sadly

There’s a nappy library and sling library though. And a few villages have baby/toddler groups so will check them out.
There are some childrens centres in one of the towns but targeted at low income families/young parents - we’re neither of these sadly. Yet to find services targeting “old first time mums who spanked all their savings on a frivolous house move just before getting pregnant”

@Megan2018 to be honest I only did a handful with dd. I had all good intentions of going but she was a winter baby and I had no car. So I didn't bother if it was raining because it was a 25 minute walk. Then sometimes we just weren't ready in time. Then I spent my time visiting family and friends. Before I knew it I was back at work anyway. Dd hasn't suffered for not going!

Check those children's centres though because I thought that's what the sure start centres were there for (young mums, low income families) and although they do run classes and groups for certain groups of people, they are generally open to everyone. I found they also had good breastfeeding support groups too.

I don't think I'll do much in the way of classes- we've done the NHS antenatal classes but there's not much craic between the couples and certainly no WhatsApp groups or plans to meet up. There's a baby massage class I'll probably do, although DSis said the same experience could be recreated by smearing a badger with baby oil and trying to wrestle it.

I'm not bothered about the social side of things really- DSis will still be on mat leave and now DWorkFriend is expecting I think I'll be ok company wise. Also I'm only taking seven months, and DH has just realised what with his parental leave, accrued holidays and resettlement leave all to be used before May (i.e when I got back to work!) he'll also be off about half of that time. Might still give the odd church run group a go, purely because Protestant tray bakes.

My feet are swelling now ffs. I've been wearing a lot of sandals so didn't realise to what extent they'd puffed out until I tried to put on some proper shoes this afternoon.

@Tefiti2 I'm truly terrible with keeping up with MN threads. Been on this one from early on but find it hard to keep up. Would love adding to the FB group though, please. It's all starting to feel a lot more imminent! I'm such an MN novice I'm not sure how to PM you though!

@Megan2018 sounds like you've identified a gap in the market there - get one set up 😉 wasn't aware sure start was aimed at a particular group... will report back if I go to one.

@TheCraicDealer baby massage / badger wrestling lol!! Was thinking about that one too but part of me think, lay baby down, gently rub? Might still give it a go though.

I don't necessarily want to do the same things each week, apart from swimming, but would like to stay busy with a couple of planned activities each week and then a couple of friend visits. I'm sure getting to one thing a day will be an achievement enough!

God, the weekend can't come quick enough, training my maternity cover is doing my head in. Why do people say they can do things they can't in interviews?????

I've never really done any baby groups. Not my cup of tea I'm afraid.

TMI but had some spotting this morning after DTD. Only on a couple of wipes about an hour after and i assume just irritated cervix a little.

33 weeks today.