Due May 2020 (thread 5)

[sao81]

Carrying on from thread 4!

I have ordered just 0-3 sleepsuits and vests. Got give one newborn of each. The 0-3 are HUGE! and it says 13lbs on them (m and s), so going to grab a pack of newborn basics of vests and sleepsuits each as even if baby is like 8-10lbs these are never not going to be huge at first.

Fairly organised here now. Official due date based off dates was May 2nd, but 30th April off 12 week scan. But baby has been measuring 3-4 weeks ahead at every check so far, so consultant says he wouldn't be surprised if a few weeks earlier still. So potentially only 4-6 weeks left (just over 8 1/2 off dates).
DH is away for 2 weeks also soon, back 18th March so hope that isn't cutting it too fine!

Re corona, its slightly freaking me out way more than if I wasn't pregnant. I'm in Mainland Europe, and only about a 4 hr drive from the current quarantine zones in Italy.

Thank you for the reassurance. I did a quick check on here on my first break. As promised everyone was lovely and the course facilitator really helped us to relax.

@Caspianberg I've got up to 1 month stuff from m&s rather than newborn as I have large bubbas lol. (10lb 4oz last time!) If she comes and is early/smaller I'll get dp to run out and grab some newborn stuff lol x

Out of interest, is anyone else finding they wake up and their gums have bleed over night? I had it with my first pregnancy and now it's happening this time again.

Arghh I am not feeling Monday. I woke up in the middle of the night with the most horrible rib pain and whatever I did I could not ease it. Ended up sat up in bed for ages just trying to pass the time until morning. Not the best!

@Raindancer411 i feel your pain- i read on the leaflet it's normal to happen in pregnancy- my gums bleed when i brush. they advise a soft toothbrush and just be aware that it can bleed easily. 😑

@Sunshine8888 oh that sounds horrible, is it a pain from baby kicking? can you take paracetamol? i get scared if i feel these pain in case it's a lung clot but i'm a little dramatic about things when i'm pregnant.

i'm on my way for a scan - the trains seem unusually quiet

@Moonstone12 - I might look at those sizes for comparison also, thanks.

@Sunshine8888 - i had similar all day yesterday. Its like bump is growing over the outside of my ribs and baby is stretching over the top of them! (i'm quite short so nowhere else for him to grow)

Have next scan in a few days which will be 32 week scan. Think I will start packing hospital bag soon.

@caspianberg are you thinking one bag for you and one bag for baby? last time i packed all in one bag - my hubby made it a complete mess and it was hard to keep the suitcase open for regular access i might do two bags this time. i

@Facevalue - I'm thinking 3 bags! Only because I'm not actually sure I need to take half the stuff so don't want to lug it all into the hospital.
I 'think' at the hospital here all nappies, wipes, blankets, pads, baby clothes etc are actually provided (not uk). Its a min 3-5 day stay here. So am planning:

Bag 1: small Baby nappy bag with 3 baby outfits, a few wipes, couple nappies. basics, some snacks. Can use as my handbag so will chuck phone, kindle, money etc in.
Bag 2: small handluggage size suitcase - My clothing, and basic toiletries, some pads etc.
Bag 3: overflow bag to stay in car with extra nappies, wipes, pads etc in case the hospital doesn't provide everything. We don't live close by, and shops aren't 24/7 here so Dh can just nip down to car and replenish any supplies if needed. It will just go home with us if all is provided.

@facevalue, I’m not sure if it’s the baby or just where everything is so cramped. I know baby is head down with her feet up in my ribcage so it could be bruising from kicking - she seems to move all the time now! It’s reassuring but can be painful. I haven’t dared take any painkillers for the entire pregnancy but I did contemplate it last night...it really is very uncomfortable

@Satstar we ordered the Ocarro in Onyx on Saturday. Every travel system we looked at we just ended up going back to the Ocarro so made the plunge. We got the 11 piece bundle and upgraded to the Cybex swivel car seat. I just love how easy it is to fold the chassis down and to add/remove the carrycot, car seat and chairs etc. It felt really sturdy to us as well.

I signed up to the Positive Birthing Company programme and then the consultant told us that I had to have a c section as my cyst is growing at a bigger rate than they hoped and they want to do it in April! Bit of a surprise as I’m due 27th May

@Rebecca612
I had signed up to hypnobirthing classes but cancelled as I am also having a section and mine is likely to be mid April, so looks like we will both have our babies early!

Question for those of you planning to breast feed - are you planning on buying a breast pump / bottles / sterilizers before birth just in case? I am planning on breast feeding but thinking if it doesn't work well initially I would probably want to give pumping a go? But it feels like a huge expense to buy those things "just in case".

I never managed to pump even though I breastfed for 18 months. I think you can borrow pumps from la leche to see if they work. I’d recommend trying if you can as they are so expensive

@woollycat - planning to breastfeed here. Have bought a small glass nuk bottle, and a couple of ready made milks. Will sterilise in hot water if needed. Not planning on getting pump or anything else yet.
Mainly bought above as nothing is 24/7 or open sundays here, and I figured it would be a nightmare if say all went pear shaped on a saturday evening as would have nowhere local for dh to run to get emergency stuff. I am hoping to introduce bottle from dh once per day later on anyway so it should be used at some point.

I’m planning on breastfeeding although last time round it was very stressful and my milk never came in properly so we combi fed for about 8 weeks. I’ve got a steriliser from last time and my electric pump too, I plan on giving one bottle a day from the start whether it be ebm or formula so have bought 4 bottles so far. Last time round I only had the steriliser and bottles, I didn’t bother with a pump until I had trouble with supply x

@woollycat I'm hoping to breastfeed. Haven't bought anything other than nipple pads. The birthing centre I'm going to has pre-made bottles for us in case it doesn't work out.

I am hoping to breastfeed again, and did it for nearly 4 years with my first. Wasn't planned to go that long but he has a milk allergy and the doc didn't want to give me the milk (£30-40 per tub!!). I did try pumping but it didn't work. However when I fed him on one side, the milk from the other side use to squirt across the room if I didn't cover it, so plan to capture that in a storage tube if my let down as strong again.

@woollycat I plan to BF but don't really know what the ins and outs are so just got breast pads, a manual TT pump thing (apparently good for let down) some storage bags for extra and nipple cream.

Purely because my own family don't stay super close and would feel uncomfortable asking in laws to go and buy breast pads etc from the shops so all I would maybe need is steriliser for the pump thing which OH could get! X

@woollycat I think it's definitely better to just get those things if it looks like you'll need them rather than just in case.

Also good to look into your local breastfeeding support options now so you know who to turn to if you or baby need some assistance, rather than when you're sleep deprived with a newborn!

I'm still breastfeeding my toddler so hopefully we'll just continue when the baby comes

Seems like getting a few bottles and a sterilizer is a good idea then. Maybe hold off on buying an expensive breast pump for now. Bottles are pretty cheap anyway and if I am planning on either pumping or bottle feeding later on when back to work (around month 7) - which is unavoidable - then I'll need a sterilizer anyway.

@AlmostAlwyn so what do we mean by local breastfeeding support? I hear this a fair bit but have no idea who can actually help with breastfeeding issues.

@woollycat try searching breastfeeding drop-ins, cafes or centres for your area. You can also try the La Leche League, NCT, or the National Breastfeeding Network, or just searching for what lactation consultants are available where you are. You can go along to a breastfeeding cafe when pregnant and ask any questions you might have. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you

Am 29 weeks tmw and have noticed that my legs are starting to get a bit swollen. Anyone else?

You could always get a pump nearer the time and keep it boxed and if you don't need it and it's unopened you could return it?
I didn't get a pump first time round which resulted in a mad rush to boots one day! I've got a Mam one this time as I found a really good deal on Amazon :) I really really want to BF again, but if for whatever reason I can I can always sell it on as it's unopened :) the first 6 weeks of feeding was hell for me. My son would only feed from one side, and he continued to only ever feed off that side for 18 months!! But one day at around 6 weeks it's just clicked and he got soooo much comfort from it and it always soothed him to sleep! I'll be really gutted if I can't bf for whatever reason so I'm keeping everything crossed I can :)