Aug 2021 - 2nd Trimester continues

[Alittlexmasmagic]

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

@lucyrp I'm definitely not up for bodycon dresses looking like this! But then I probably wouldn't have pre-pregnancy anyway 😂 I used to like the skater style dresses but I'm too old (and whale-like) for those now!

@Daffodil21 oh I'm the opposite I wouldn't usually wear one because of my mum belly previously but now it's perfectly round because of my baby so not ashamed of it 🙈 this is the one I bought! Black so boring but so comfy

@lucyrp if I looked like you I would 100% be wearing that dress! You look fab!

OMG @lucyrp that dress looks great on you

@Daffodil21 have you looked at enviedefrais.co.uk? I’m definitely more tempted by their stuff than anywhere else, but as not really going anywhere else... although no idea on quality!

@Daffodil21 oh thank you! I feel massive! I wasn't this size until about 4 weeks forward last time!🙈

@HopefulB thank you! 🥺 my boobs are a bit saggy in my nursing bras but comfort over looks at this point 😂

@lucyrp my boobs are still bigger than my bump, which basically just leaves me looking like I’m huge. Long cardigan to break it all up is currently my most worn item!

@HopefulB my most worn outfit to date is maternity leggings, long sleeved stretchy black top and a long cream cardigan with slip on vans 🤣🤣

@HopefulB thank you so much for that suggestion - I've never even heard of them but that's exactly the sort of style I was looking for!

I also use a cardigan to break up the bulk!
My bum was already on the round size (always has been, even when I was slim) but now it's got huge so dresses without long cardigans will look ridiculous still. Thankfully I'm in Scotland so it shouldn't get unbearably warm up here!

@Smallbean27 congratulations on your scan, lovely photo! How exciting that DH is going to surprise you! Do you have a suspicion?

@PurplePansy05 pancakes sound lovely. You’re so disciplined though - I’d be having anything bad on them - syrup, choc spread, ice cream etc. But, I do love honey, so might be a good alternative!

@lucyrp that dress looks lovely on you! That’s the kind of thing I’m after, apart from jeans x

Covid vaccine info from peer reviewed journal: www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(21)00187-3/fulltext

American study - small number of patients, but again looking positive. Note that the RCOG guidance now suggests considering vaccination if you had BMI >40 at booking, or have gestational diabetes (in addition to those who fall in to the tradition clinically vulnerable groups/ frontline healthcare)

@Daffodil21, no problem at all - I did a lot of googling as I was very uninspired by usual suppliers, and have a big birthday approaching, so would like to be able to wear something other than ‘loungewear’/tent for that!

@Carefree1 thanks! I have no clue, but will be happy either way. It will help to narrow names down at least 🙂.

That's a lovely dress @lucyrp. I ordered a couple on sale from New Look last night, £9 each, bargain. They are more floaty though. I was a bit worried about ordering tighter stretchy dresses as I'm a size 12 so bigger than you + quite a bump now and I thought they might make me look like a pregnant Kardashian. But I should have gone for them, I regret not doing so now! I had no idea they look so nice IRL, I think I could possibly pull them off! Maybe it's time to stop being self-conscious, ultimately we're doing a superb job now and why should we avoid tighter clothes!

I also ordered, watch this space, maternity anti-chafing shorts, just simple cotton. I can see this becoming an issue this summer when I'm huge. So here comes hidden comfort under the new dresses 🙌😁

I REALLY wanted denim dungaree shorts aftee @HopefulB mentioned them but they're sold out everywhere and I don't feel like spending £50 on them at John Lewis to wear them for 3 months if that 😭 If anyone comes across them cheaper please could you share where you found them 💐🙏 xx

@HopefulB I had my 30th in feb and bought a dress for that so I wouldn't be in comfy clothes as usual. Ended up wearing for lunch only then got changed back into comfies for the rest of the day 😂 hope things open up a bit more by the time it's your bday!

@PurplePansy05 I really wanted denim dungarees too! I ordered some off ASOS in the sale. They were nice but didn't really suit me so I sent them back 😩 I'm a bit bigger than you though. I was just about a 12 pre-pregnancy but then on the steroids etc I rapidly gained weight and now I have to buy maternity clothes in a 16

John Lewis has loads of items at 10% off.
Ive been thinking of buying a baby rocker but just wondered if it's one of them gadgets that are never used if baby is a good sleeper anyway. Should I wait to meet baby before investing or are they always worth it?

@Carefree1 thank you! I need to find a nice pair of jeans also x

@PurplePansy05 I'm a size 10/12 usually so you're not any bigger than me! Yes you should show your magical body off, you're growing a human! Defo think you should try the tighter dresses if you feel comfortable doing so x

@LyraShaeLilly I used a baby bouncer which I paid £50 for at the time and used that a lot. My friend had one of the mamaroo swing things which is a couple of hundred pound and said it was a waste of time and money

@PurplePansy05 good shout on the shorts - I can see the same thing becoming a problem in summer 😂 where did you get yours from?

@lucyrp you look gorgeous in that! I'm always wary of tight fitting dresses as other have said, as I'm self conscious of my tummy, and have incredibly wide hips too (hopefully good for birth?) which often make clothes sit funny - can't wait for shops to open again so I can try on in person!

I had my covid jab this morning (AstraZeneca) 🍾💉 the man doing it seemed to be thrilled I was doing it pregnant, he told me he was glad I'd come back (he was the one who said they couldn't do it because of the whooping cough jab last week) and he thought getting it was the right decision, which was really reassuring 😊 and DH managed to get his too - he came in with me and they were very keen to offer him a spare!

@PurplePansy05 I am already have problems with my thighs. Got home from work to some very sore inner thighs from chafing on my work trousers 😩

@biscuitcat Well done re the vaccine. Hope you feel ok later. The shorts were from Asos, it's the Mamalicious brand, £22 for 2. I also bought a grey pair way before from New Look but they seem to have sold out by now. I really wanted them to be cotton to avoid sweating and these were the only ones I could find xx

Hey, for anyone looking for a really special frock then TiffanyRose are beautiful but quite pricey. I got a gorgeous one in the sale to wear to a wedding and work do.x

https://www.tiffanyrose.com/maternity/clothes/dresses.html?partner=googleuk&utmmsource=google&utmmedium=cpc&utmmcampaign=UKMaternity+DressessT1&utmterm=maternity%20dresses.e&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8s200tfi7wIVjZntCh3P8wOqEAMYASAAEgI-GvD_BwE

@Alittlexmasmagic wow, those are beautiful! Unfortunately no events planned here!

Oh wow, they are lush and not at all frumpy! I’ve got a 60th in June, all going well, so I’ll keep that site in mind x

I've bought from Tiffany Rose, 2 dresses 1 for my 30th and another for sisters wedding!!

Great clothes sites, thanks for sharing. My bump isn’t big enough to warrant them yet but I’m bookmarking them for later.

Excitingly I’ve been feeling some movement in the last few days. Realise I’m a little late to the party but it’s really amazing isn’t it?! I was worried I’d have to wait even longer with an anterior placenta.

Exactly 20w today - scan on Thurs!

Morning ladies! Has anyone looked into/bought car seats recently?

We have a couple of in store appointments soon and are planning to look at them. I'm doing my homework before to focus on the seats that tick most of our boxes and try them out first.

I thought I've made up my mind few months ago but now I'm in two (or rather six) minds 🙈

In your experience:

• How important is it to have a seat that fits into a pram base?

• I gather that only the smallest seats (0) can be pram base compatible anyway, is that right?

• Is it better for a newborn to have a 0 seat to begin with and then move to a larger seat at say around 12 months old (height depending)?

• What do you do for international travel - do you drag car seat(s) with you on a plane?!

• Is the swivel feature only helpful with nebworns/young babies or later as well?

• Should the swivel feature be 360 degrees or is 180 (90 each side) good

enough?

I have quite a dilemma between :

• Joie iLevel iSize (newborn to 1 year and then move on to a bigger seat), or
• Joie iSpin 360 Safe (newborn up to 4 years), or
• Joie iSpin 360 (newborn up to 4 years), or
• Cybex Cloud Z and then move onto Cybex Sirona Z.

From what I can see, all of these have fab ADAC and other safety ratings. Great reviews everywhere too.

I gather with the Joie iLevel iSize, the swivel base is only compatible with that seat so if I want to move on to a bigger seat, I'd need to buy one with a different swivel base, whether built in or separate? Even if I was to go for non swivel later, a larger seat would still need a new isofix base, right?

The two big Joies 0-4 years come with built in bases, but they are pretty bulky and not pram compatible.

The alternative is Cybex Cloud Z which is pram compatible and can be used with or without the isofix base. Brownie points for the fact that the next seat up, Sirona Z is compatible with the same Z swivel isofix base. I gather the Sirona Z always requires the isofix swivel base, it can't just be strapped in with a seatbelt?

I just don't know what's better for the baby and more practical tbh. Travelling with a massive seat (or even a seat with a separate base tbh) sounds petrifying too! So confused. xx

@PurplePansy05 We’ve decided to go for the Joie iSpin 360 for later on, but for the first couple of months we realised that might not be all that practical so have gone for the Mothercare Ziba carrier for the first couple of months then transfer her over to the Joie