Aug 2021 - 2nd Trimester continues

[Alittlexmasmagic]

Hi everyone, another thread begins & things are getting real now 😄 x

@lucyrp thanks, I'll take a look at this. My husband mentioned the rocking ones yesterday, I didn't even know they existed!

@PurplePansy05 thanks, that sounds worth a look. I have no idea of my plan to express so I don't always have to bf in the night will actually go to plan but we'll see!!

@lucyrp yeah we don’t have a tumble dryer so that’s prob why - maybe a good investment ahead of him arriving!!

@LottSE20 I don't have one either! Just make sure I take the washing out of the machine fairly soon after it's finished and get it on the clothes horse!

Ikea cots! They're such good value. We're going to get the cheapest one and convert it to a co-sleeper. I looked at the ready made ones like Joie Roomie Glide, but I didn't like the way they all have a lip between you and baby or the mattresses can't be level, and they mostly have a 9kg weight limit. I think I'm going to have another big baby so will probably be 9kg by 4 months again and I expect to co-sleep longer than that.

I've sorted through all the clothes now and we have almost enough already from DS2 for the first 6 months. I am allowing myself to buy a few more vests as I got rid of the boring ones out of multipacks :o and a couple more sleepsuits (ditto!) and 1-2 more t-shirts in size 3-6 months. But we don't really need anything else. Next thing to sort out is muslins - most of ours have gone all hard and crunchy so I need some more soft ones!

I'm also going to have a play with car seats in the car to see where is going to be best for the two we have. I'm thinking about getting DS2 a new one because he's nearly always forward facing now and I'd rather have one that's rated better if he's going to be forward facing. Plus it will take up less space.

Pick up the double buggy from my friend - and that's it I'll need to get some newborn sized nappies in, some new bottle teats and dummies (don't want to re-use) and whatever I need for my hospital bag, but there's not really anything else to do.

Oh, I may keep an eye out for a different bouncer/swing because the one we had last time I didn't really like. It was too steep and it had a smoke smell I couldn't get out (SIL got it for us second hand). But I don't want to spend loads of money on one.

Oh and I have not used the iron once since DS2 was born. I took it out the other day to shorten some curtains using iron on hemming tape and the handle all cracked and fell to pieces That's the third iron I've managed to destroy. I think they're trying to tell me something!

Exciting to see everybody start buying items etc! I feel a long way off yet.

For those that have had their 20 week scan and over 20 weeks, have you been given your MAT1B yet?

@BertieBotts I've been looking at a joie dreamer on facebook marketplace. Can pick nice ones up for £20 or less but not sure what colour scheme you're going for. Those are mostly grey but I'm in love with the star pattern one. My friend has a girly one for her little girl and says it's great. I did look for a mamaroo swing too but she said her little girl hates hers and it does too quick so decided against that

MATB1 is given at 25 weeks by the midwife I was told @Fran919. I will be asking my MW then xx

Has anyone used re-useable nappies? Pros/cons for FTM.

@Smallbean27 I used them with DS but wouldn't say I'd used them again for the first few months. I definitely want to try again in the next size for when they start doing solid poos etc and you can just flush them down the loo

Thanks for the tip @BertieBotts

@Fran919 to be honest I'm sort of going through the motions to feel like this may actually be real. It's not really working tbh and I sort of feel like there's something wrong with me 🙈 I had my 20 week app and didn't get my Mat form x

@Smallbean27 I didn't use reusable nappies but I did convert to cheeky wipes after a year and how I wish I'd done it sooner. Love them! So much better than disposable wipes. I'll probably still always have a pack of wipes handy for our & about but at home CheekyWipes all the way (white flannel ones not the microfibre, they're a bit annoying) x

On the reusable front I can't wait to get hold of some reusable breast pads as my friend used them and said they're so good and soak up so much more than the disposable ones. Hated them and used to find them around the house all the time

@Smallbean27 from chatting to a few friends who are as (if not more) keen on reducing plastic than me, I’ve decided bamboo disposables for the first few months, then into reusables. We do have a washer dryer so I will get something that can go in that otherwise I’d imagine drying nappies through winter would be frustrating!

The sunshine inspired me to order maternity shorts!

We are going to go with a Moses basket for the first couple of months then into an IKEA cot. Mostly because I figure I’d quite like to keep the basket & can use for storage of something, which I wouldn’t do with the more modern bedside cots, so overall they would have less use. I also can’t really get past the little green sheep basket

Haha that's a splurge but sooo cute! Good idea to keep it and use for storage.

I have dabbled in reusable with both kids but ultimately never really got on with them. I think what it is is I'm too lazy and disorganised.

This is my experience though.

Pros:
Soft + nice material
Fun experience choosing patterns and colours etc
Don't have to constantly buy nappies
They look very cute especially once baby is crawling and toddling
No guilt from throwing out nappies
Can change as often as you want without feeling it's a "waste"
The wet bags you use are useful for other things too
Found them easier to do standing up changes due to poppers

Cons
So bulky. I hate this especially when babies are newborn as it feels like it tips them back! I also didn't want to have to assess all trousers to check whether they are "cut for cloth".
Don't last as long before leaking. You can get away with much longer change intervals with disposable.
I was not organised with the washing and never got into a routine with it so we either had none or loads.
If you need to wait for a full wash load then you need loads of nappies hanging around the house which takes up space.

I didn't find they smelled any less, it was just a different kind of smell. And I was always finding the wee would build up and make the nappies smell fishy so I had to strip wash them what felt like all the time. Tbh I probably didn't wash them properly. Some people really enjoy the washing chemistry aspect and find it fun in the same way choosing all the designs and sorting them is fun.
Never got to the point of potty training so can't say if they potty train easier.

Thanks for your responses, I think we will try but be prepared to be organised 😂 which i am assuming will not be easy but hey ho.

@Alittlexmasmagic I have Cheeky Wipes in the basket and about to buy. But can you please talk me through what happens when they are dirty? As in, obviously they need to be washed after use, but I am not sure I will be sticking the washing machine on immediately after every poop! Do you...dare I say it...store them somewhere, and how? 🤣🙈 xx

@Smallbean27 I've been thinking about reusables, but I think at least while baby is very tiny I'll be using disposables. I'm not wildly organised with the laundry at the best of times and I can't imagine having a newborn will help matters 😂 I am planning on using reusable wipes though like @Alittlexmasmagic as I've heard really good things about them compared to disposables

It’s a beautiful day ladies if you get chance, go outside & enjoy it!

For those who were getting hip/back pain walking, I’m loving 2xu Pre-natal running tights. Support/compression is spot on & I’m still managing little run intervals despite a noticeable bump I bought them on SportPursuit on a huge discount a few weeks ago so didn’t feel like a massive splurge!

@PurplePansy05, you can buy a kit which has a couple of storage boxes. You half fill both with water (and a few drops of essential oils): one is for fresh wipes and one for soiled. When your soiled box is full you then wash, can take several days before a wash is needed. We don't use many now so I do them weekly.
I'll put them on for a quick wash with some bleach to get rid of the soiling, then throw a white wash in after with detergent to wash them thoroughly. I will wash on their own if needed.
The IKEA socktopus is great for drying them if you're not tumble drying.x

@Alittlexmasmagic Thanks. I have a tumble dryer so not an issue. However, this sounds like quite a faff, is it actually easy IRL? I am all pro eco-friendly approach but not convinced how much energy and coordination in terms of storing, washing and drying cycle I will have early on tbh xx

@PurplePansy05 it sounds a faff but honestly isn't. My DS never really did solid poos and had several loose ones a day. The ease of cleaning bums with the cheeky wipes far outweighs the nuisance of washing them (and I'm a girl who hates housework at the best of times). Once washed, they don't even necessarily need drying, they can go still wet into the ready to use box if needed x

Hello all, how is everyone?

Thanks for the lovely messages about my scan photo last week. I haven't been keeping up with the thread because I've been pretty overwhelmed by announcing our pregnancy post-20 week scan, and then this past weekend was also mine and DH's birthdays.

I wanted to pop in and ask for some reassurance. I've been having really noticeable pelvic pain the past few days, it feels like round ligament pain but it had stopped around week 16 and now is back with a vengance. I also have a bit of a stomach ache - like I'm too full and hungry at the same time. The pelvic pain especially has been waking me up at night, really quite uncomfortable. Are these just normal symptoms of baby growing and organs getting compressed, or something to worry about? Thanks in advance x

@Alittlexmasmagic @PurplePansy05 We also use cheeky wipes and love them! I must admit we use disposable wipes for out and about and also for her upstairs changes (we change downstairs 90% of the time). It's obviously more admin but when I was at my friends the other day and saw her get through 10 cheap plasticky wipes just on cleaning up after a meal time, I'm so glad I made the switch. We have the face ones too for mealtimes and I just bung them straight in the machine and they get washed with whatever else goes in. Nappy ones go on a boil wash on their own or with household cloths.

@WolfMother326 I've been having this as well. almost like my bump is stretched to the maximum and the lower sides are very achy. Lots of pain when walking too at the moment. I had it with my first but you don't necessarily have to suffer with it. I've got a physio appointment booked for tomorrow - maybe speak to your midwife or gp for a referral or if you have private health go down that route? I was recommended to see a specific women's health physio. They are much more experienced with pregnancy related aches and pains that your run of the mill general physio. I'd also really recommend @clarebournephysio on instagram