Aug 2021 - half way there!

[HopefulB]

@wimbler - EDD 29 July, surprise 💛
@Champson - EDD 22 August (but really June/July), TBC 💖💖💖
@coffeeandrainbows1- EDD 4 August (but most likely July), Boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles - EDD 5 August (but having C-section at 39 weeks, so really July), Girl 💖
@Smurf123 - EDD 5 August (but likely to be July) 💛
@WhatEvenIsSleep - EDD 2 August, Boy 💙
@Smushty14 - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Rattyclife - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Dia12 - EDD 8 August, Girl 💖
@Biscuitcat - EDD 10 August, surprise 💛
@ElonaWise - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@Runnergirl123 - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@PurplePansy05 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Srtdr - EDD 12 August, surprise 💛
@Daffodil21 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Inmypjsagain - EDD ???, Boy 💙
@BananaHammock23 - EDD 13 August, surprise 💛
@MrsB2019x - EDD 13 August, Girl 💖
@Magik01 - EDD 13 August, Boy 💙
@Carefree1 - EDD 15 August, Girl 💖
@DressyGerbera - EDD 15 August, surprise 💛
@lucyrp - EDD 16 August, undecided 💛
@BertieBotts - EDD 16 August, want to know! 💛
@WolfMother326 - EDD 17 August, surprise 💛
@Caz1226 - EDD 17 August, Boy 💙
@Lille4 - EDD 17 August, TBC 💛
@Redskinsucks - EDD 17 August, TBC 💛
@RockyRockyRoad - EDD 18 August, can't wait to find out 💛
@Smallbean27 - EDD 19 August, surprise 💛
@WatermelonKisses - EDD 20 August, surprise 💛
@Alittlexmasmagic - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@Millymay13 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Whatshouldbemyusername - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@LottSE20 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Notinthestarsigns - EDD 23 August, TBC 💛
@LaceyMermaid - EDD 24 August, TBC 💛
@Fran919 - EDD 25 August, surprise 💛
@northernsquirrel - EDD 26 August, surprise 💛
@LyraShaeLilly - EDD 27 August, can't wait to find out 💛
@ame88 - EDD 28 August, TBC 💛
@diamante11 - EDD 29 August, Girl 💖
@HopefulB - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛
@CountryGirl84 - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛

Thanks @BertieBotts that's what I thought.. Nevermind ds loving the farm I can't believe how excited I am to get to go somewhere that isn't just a walk in a forest (as much as I love the forest!) it has been such a long time!

Re muslins we don't have an aldi in NI so I can't compare to there but I loved the next ones - they are about £8 for 4 and while they were a bit more expensive than the ones I got in tesco they are bigger and quality is much much better. The ones I have from ds are still like new whereas the tesco ones have been replaced at least once and shrunk / gone crinkly after being washed so worth paying the bit extra initially as would save you in the long term.

For anyone who is anxious or worried about having not bought stuff honestly don't be worrying. The pram can take 8-10 weeks to arrive so it's something to think about (might be quicker in England) but at this stage when I was pregnant with ds a few years ago it was the other thing I had ordered and not to around now anyway (and I made it be delivered to my mum's so I didn't have it at home until ds was born!)
Cot/ nursery furniture I didn't order until ds was about 3 months old - he was in the family moses basket used by my dad and his siblings and all the grandkids and now most of the great grandkids since until 6 months - well 4/5 months then he graduated to the travel cot in our room to 6 months and then his own cot. The only thing we needed to buy before him coming home for it was the wee mattress.

Thank @BertieBotts, first hand experience is always good to hear, especially from someone with so much experience of buggies! For comparison, did someone say they had the mountain buggy swift? Would you buy it again?

Noted to look in Aldi for muslin - I too was surprised how much a small bit of fabric seems to cost!

I am sure my Mum had hundreds of muslin cloths when I was little as she still used them as nappies at the time. We didn't live in the UK so I don't know what your experiences were (and obvs don't remember this first hand 🤣), but Mum said everyone was doing it and they were cheap as chips. We're talking mid-1980s. Now we got to pay £££ for smaller squares with cheap print on them 🤣🤦🏼‍♀️

@lucyrp I am so glad you said that as I have 2 larger cloths in the Amazon basket right now but haven't bought them yet. I intended to use them as breastfeeding cover in public, I would feel more comfortable with a light cover especially if my breasts keep growing in suze and remain as sensitive as they are 🙈 Would a smaller cloth be enough? Or shall I just use a scarf instead? I have plenty of scarves of my own, so not a problem. I've concluded that a separate BF cover would be a faff. If you remember I treated myself some time ago to a nice one from Seraphine (which turned out to be nasty and cheap & they took 8 weeks to refund me - never again!). Thinking about it now, I am glad I didn't keep it, I don't want to wear something of a size of a poncho and have to wash it every other day too, not a chance 🤣. Never thought they were so big and impractical. xx

@PurplePansy05 the larger ones would be good for a cover up for breastfeeding yes, I had 4 large white ones and only ever used one of them I think the other 3 are still in the packet! But the smaller squares for cleaning up definitely. A scarf would be easily as good for a cover up though! I think I used covers to begin with but DS had a habit of being rather nosey and would fling the cover off everytime to have a look at what was going on around us all whilst my milk was squirting everywhere 🙈🤣xx

I would definitely recommend the food if love. It has step by step instructions on how to latch he baby and lots of useful info. The only thing I would say it is quite pro breastfeeding, so if it turns out I can't bf I'm going to feel a little guiltier than I would have otherwise.

@Inmypjsagain probably something that will sit in the drawer unused!

@MM1993 we're trying to get organised mostly to spread the cost, and DH was incredibly early so I want to be prepared if the same happens!

Thanks @PurplePansy05 I'll take a look!

@PurplePansy05 who knew, we're a thread full of influencers!

I had actually bought some bits from Seraphine too as they looked lovely online, and I think hoping you had had a bad experience but I found the same - expensive, and the fabrics just didn't feel like what they cost, or well cut. I was also slow to be refunded! I had to send a nagging email which they did act on quickly to be fair to them.

@HopefulB I have a second hand Mountain Buggy Swift, but no experience using it yet! It's the pre-2015 model though, so quite old. I don't have much experience of buggies so don't know really how it compares to other brands or newer ones. So far, I like that it's easy to manoeuvre, not too heavy, and quite nice looking. I'm less sure about how easy it is to collapse, the ease of attaching/detaching the bassinet (but I think that might be because it's stiffened with age), the size of the shopping basket (small), and how big it is collapsed (big, comes up to my waist or so, but I think the new ones are much smaller!) xx

@biscuitcat 🤣🤣 Who knew, eh?

I feel more like a freaked out FTM with a sudden realisation I'll never walk alone, literally, and sheer panic what to do with him when he's here. Not to mention the realisation I have to deliver him first 🙈 It's suddenly getting quite close when I look at the calendar. I'm sure I'll feel better in time, but atm it's like my confidence has dropped because this is all so new and a lot to take in. Definitely not an "influencer" hahaha! 😳😂🤣

I've not looked at MB in detail, but saw lots of positive comments and actually thought we may invest in it if we have another one sooner. They are a very trusted brand, aren't they. xx

Loving this thread!
Not been too active myself but reading everything and taking it all in!

Re heartburn- I've found the only thing that helps with severe heartburn is Omeprazole from GP. I'm not on it yet as at this point Rennies/Gaviscon still helping but as soon as they stop, i'll be getting that from GP ASAP!

Re nappy cream, you generally don't need a barrier unless baby is sore. I've used the yellow metanium and its like magic! I smear a thin layer overnight and by morning, the rash is usually all gone.

Re muslins- I might be slightly insane but I hardly use these at all! My babies have not been sicky babies so haven't needed a lot. I got a packed from John Lewis which are nice and soft and use one in the carrycot under babies head, one in the cot, one in the changing bag, and one around the house. Thats pretty much it! But I know many others use them all the time so thats just me I suppose!

With regards to search for the perfect pram- i'm following with interest as looking for something nice too!

@Ready2020 I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. I hope you are all coping and keeping fingers crossed for the best news possible in the circumstances. Definitely thinking of you!

We've ended up with Uppababy Cruz V2 and I wholeheartedly recommend to those who think it might suit their needs, and Maxi Cosi Pebble 360. Cruz V2 fits in my tiny boot which is such a bonus! 🙏 Both were due to arrive today, amazingly good service from JL, thumbs up 👍👍

But I had to reschedule, got my consultant appointment this afternoon. Gosh, weeks seem to be flying by, I only just had my 22 week rescan and now it's nearly 24 already! 😳 xx

been off here for the weekend and missed so much! I must say, I do miss the excitement of being a FTM and all the researching and buying that comes with it. So far on my bought list are the adapters to change our Uppababy vista to a double....exciting!!

I agree with @Ava50x the yellow metatanium is an absolute miracle worker. It's the only cream that works on nappy rash. Bepanthen is a good second option but we actually only use this over the metatanium when things are bad. Sudocrem is about as much use as a chocolate teapot for us but I know some people rave about it.

Re muslins: the expensive ones (aden and anais etc) are beautiful but I always feel sad when they get dirty! we got quite a few of these as gifts so I'd definitely go for the cheap ones if you can. the ones made from bamboo are the softest. I have john lewis ones as well and although they do the job well, they feel a little scratchy even after numerous washes!

Struggling at the moment with pain in my bump. My physio said I had a good 2 finger ab separation when I had my initial assessment which is disappointing. Pretty sure I've strained them at the top of my bump. There's one spot just to the left of my belly button that feels very tender and bruised . I turned over in bed the other night and felt something pop - just hope I've not done anything serious. Got my 25w midwife appointment on Friday so will mention it then

I think a scarf is easier if you want a BF cover than a muslin, with the muslins you have to tuck it in somewhere and it's just a faff whereas if you're already wearing a scarf you can just drape it. Or a big loose cardigan also works.

The two top method is great for discreet feeding as well if anyone hasn't come across it. Stretchy vest type top as underwear and then a normal (not too tight) top over the top of that. You pull the main top up and the stretchy one down and expose only your bit of boob that you need, means no cold tummy, no entire boob flopping out over the top etc. Works well when it gets a bit cooler which it will sooner than you expect in September. And it means you can wear your normal clothes rather than special breastfeeding clothes which are often maternity shaped so they aren't that flattering once the bump has gone down (it stays at about a 6 month level for a couple of weeks - just in case you didn't know!)

@BertieBotts i'd recommend the two top feeding technique as well. I also stumbled across a lovely brand the other day called JunoJacks. they have some lovely breastfeeding jumpers and dresses. Definitely got my eye on a few of their items although they're a bit pricey

I find the whole maternity & nursing combination of clothes infuriating! Most people do not need an item of clothing that does both simultaneously! I've never understood why it's a thing and they are the most unflattering cut clothes for after you've had the baby. I had a few items that just made me hate my post partum body for no reason!

I suppose it's because it gives you more reason to buy something in pregnancy if you think it's going to last you longer.

TBH I have rarely ever worn nursing-specific clothes, I just breastfeed in my normal clothes! Some things are a pain for access so I put them away while they're in that tiny baby feed all day age but once they are older and only really feed morning and night it doesn't matter if I have to take my whole top off to feed him if I'm just in his bedroom anyway.

But also IME you get used to selecting clothes which have decent boob access :o

So tired today. DS2 is still feeling a bit poorly and he slept clamped onto my arm all night.

However in true toddler fashion he is now running around being nuts because he has too much energy. Will have to brave the park soon.

Oh no I've bought into the maternity/nursing thing 😂 tbf the items I wanted also just happened to be nursing ones, and the are huge in the belly so I think I'll be able to make use of them...?! The bras I got are nursing as well, and then I got a dress and a couple of tops, so not loads

@Daffodil21 I'm sure there are some exceptions out there but I just couldn't find any that worked for me once I no longer had a bump! Nursing bras are different, I actually need to buy some more of the basic ones from H&M - I like those and they're super cheap!

@Daffodil21 I did too, thinking it's a saving to get 2 in 1. I think we will use them but I agree they're not massively flattering. That 2 tops technique sounds good, I reckon if you buy some simple vest tops from the likes of H&M or New Look you'll be alright. I got some from Lindex yesterday with yhe intention to wear overnight under pjs in case if I leak. But I might get some more for day to day wear too, I'll see how we go. I'd be guessing a longer tube top could probably be alright for this too, you'd just pull it down underneath your breast?

I don't know how you ladies do it with more than one DV, honestly. I need to find some secret energy reserves from somewhere, I can't quite imagine being pregnant with a young child to look after xx

*DC

Tube top possibly although I'm imagining that to be so fiddly to pull back up!

I defo had a few maternity/nursing tops in my first pregnancy as well, I just found I didn't wear them for long after birth as the extra material got annoying.

@BertieBotts interesting you say that as I never tucked the BF cover in just threw it over my shoulder! Also never wore any specific nursing items apart from at the very beginning when I used a couple of h and m t shirts which were really good. Also just went back to using my normal bras pretty soon after even tho I BF for 12 months, found it just as easy to tuck my bra under my boob than unhook a nursing one. I will say I always slept in a nursing vest top as I could still wear breast pads during the night in those and they were very handy

@lucyrp

Never thought of still using normal bra for BF, that's a good idea as the nursing ones are so expensive.

I'm not keen on the nursing cloths that have flaps in them so will just buy a couple of shirt dresses I think.

These are the ones I used after which were nice! They were good for covering post partum belly too

@Ready2020 am sorry to hear about your sister and your dad. If you need to talk at any time we're all here for you. Hope she feels better x

So much to catch up on!

I haven't really bought anything and all this talk is making me excited but anxious at the same time! The only thing I did get is this little thing from Gib being a friends fan. Couldn't resist!

That's lush @Whatshouldbemyusername 🥰

I just got back from my consultant appointment, got to listen to my son's heartbeat and tbh it's the only thing that is really giving me joy and peace now ❤ So many things have gone wrong in the last few weeks, but I'm just so happy to have him ❤ xx