Due in June 2008: bring on the bumps! (and that's before Christmas meals!)

[aberdeenhiker]

The last message I posted seems to have filled up the old thread so I thought I'd start a new one.

Since bump size was our last topic, I thought this might do for a thread title.

Lush body butter bars are really nice for rubbing on your bump and smell gorgeous! My stomach isn't really that itchy but my nipples keep getting stabbing pains in them and are really tender!

Thank god I don't have to do spreadsheets or financial stuff, i'm useless with receipts and numbers.

Haven't got anything sorted out for the baby yet, need to do some major redecorating first, looks like baby will be in our room for at least a year. Anyone else here do co-sleeping??

estt - EDD 27th May (1 ds 19 months)
goingfor3 - EDD 29th May (2 dds, 3 and 6, mc july)
flosspot/makecakesnotwar - EDD 29tt May (1st baby, mc June 07)
katyjo - EDD 29th May ( 1 ds 20 months)
systemsaddict - EDD 31st May (1 ds 1YO)
lazylou - EDD 31st May (1 DD 3.9/ MC September 04)
laughinglil - EDD 1st June (3YO twins)
nh101 - EDD 1st June (it's twins!, no other DCs, MC Mar 07)
Trix11 - EDD 1st June (DS and DD)
Tizzwizz - EDD 5th June (MC June)
emotionalwreck - EDD 5th June
aberdeenhiker - EDD 5th June (DS, June 06)
Josey - EDD 5th June(DS8, DD2)
Kif - EDD early June (DC3)
Calebsmum - EDD 16th June (DC2)
supperwoman - EDD 6th June (DC2)
nettiehay - EDD 6th/7th June (first baby)
Lucy0608 - EDD 6th June (1st Baby)
Debinaustria - EDD 7th June (2 ds's 7 and 5)
mellymel - EDD 7th June (DS 14 months)
ChinaSurprise - EDD 8th June (1st baby)
dylansluckymum - EDD 9th June (1DS 18 mos)
paromapu - EDD 11th June (first baby)
tassisssss - EDD 13th June (ds aged 4, dd 15 mths)
Deese20 -EDD 14th June (1st Baby)
Jules43 - EDD 15th June (1st baby)
sybilvimes - EDD 16th June (2 dc)
GardenAngel4 EDD 17th June (DD 7months)
Josie57 - EDD 18th June (ds1 13 months, mc sep 07)
LittleMy34 - EDD 18th June (DS1 18mos)
hedgehog1979 - EDD 18th June (first baby)
babyalfie - EDD 20th June (got 3 DC - 16, 14 & 7)
ernest - EDD 20th June (got 3 dc - 8, 6 & 3)
ktpie - EDD 20th June (first baby)
poppy34 - EDD 20th June
HeyBaby07 - EDD 21st June (First Baby)
Hoggle - EDD 21st June (First Baby)
needahand - EDD 21st June (DC2)
Upsidedowncake - EDD 22nd June (1DS 23m, ep Aug 07)
august26bride - 22nd June (First Baby)
SugarSpiceandAllThingsNice - EDD 23rd June (DS 4 yrs)
sophiewd - 27th June (DD 22 months)
Gemzooks - EDD???
capricornqueen - EDD 30th June (DD 2yrs)
Kittyjimjams -EDD 30th June (2 MC)

Just popping on whilst re-heating casserole I made the other day. Still at it with the accounts but today it's been mileage but now got a cool spreadsheet set up - done 2220 miles just for school runs and groups - not including any other outings, shopping trips etc. Anyway, getting there but once this job is done, there will be a whole new set of things to do lol. Definitely worth being more organised in future

Loving all the cream/oil tips Thanks for that!

Vino - don't let me put you off. If you start with lots of good spreadsheets and do it as you go along, it would be much much simpler! It's more the childminding paperwork itself that's time consuming and it's going to get a lot worse from Sept when the new EYFS framework comes in. I'll learn more about that soon as on course part 1 on Wednesday night.

G43 - still loads to do but going well after everything I've put in this weekend. Just eating my dinner now then back to it but back to 4 kiddies tomorrow so need to have an early night tonight, only got 4 hrs sleep last night!! I've had odd bit of nesting taking over too, strange isn't it!

Upsidedowncase - enjoy your first day back

Right.....FOOD! Bye for now x

I'll try the calamine lotion

g43 - I see you already have some bits for baby - am I the only one not to have bought anything yet? Actually it;s not true, in the sale last week I bought some Christmas material to make baby's sack from Father Christmas
So poor baby will have no clothes, nappies, bed, pram but it will have a Christmas sack!!!

I'm fancying the idea of a bedside cot this time as we need everything - got rid in the UK before moving. I used to end up co-sleeping before just through falling asleep whilst feeding but I like the idea of the cot next to the bed so as not to disturb baby or me too much!!

Then there's swaddling - this wasn't the done thing last time round - any thoughts anyone?

Then there's the pram - causing me some headaches

and what about a sling? There are so many now

Questions, questions, I feel like a first timer.

Debs i'm currently tracking several slings on eBay! Am also going to have a drop side cot for baby as I doubt we will fit 4 in our bed although DS(3) is sleeping in his own bed alot more now.

Anyone having a double pushchair?? Am hoping to use a sling as much as possible but will also have DS who will be 3 so think i'll still need a pushchair

Oh well done......thought I'd have a break and I'm loving what I see I'm desperate to talk baby things!!!! I have everything I need from when we had ds but this time we're in a different house plus I have more babies for childminding, I've decided I want one of those Amby Hammock things for our bedroom for the first however many months, just keeping an eye on ebay. A lovely mum of one of the baby's I mind keeps giving me lots of clothes (no stains, some brand new stuff) and things as I have LOADS of boys clothes but not much for girls apart from what my sister gave me about 5/6 years ago in case it was a girl. So that's all handy. I've been desperate to buy little baby clothes in the sale but wanted to wait until the scan to see if we can find out the sex first. We have ds's old cot in the loft which was a hand me down from my sisters 2 kiddies and tbh, the white paint is peeling and although we touched it up last time, it's a bit of a state so I'm trying to work on getting another cot (some good ones on Freecycle sometimes). As for prams.....I have 2 singles and 2 doubles for childminding anyway (one double is going to be sold though) but I wouldn't be happy having a newborn in the single I have so when it's just us for the first 10/12 weeks, I'm probably going to use the sling but I am watching single prams too .

Debs - I didn't do swaddling last time either and was planning on doing that this time round although not sure if would be needed if we get one of the hammocks to sleep in???

I've only recently been feeling positive enough to think of all this. I've been so convinced we're having a girl that we've got a girls name lined up but I bet I've got it all wrong and it'll be a boy so we best try and sort a boy's name too! Plenty of time but I like to have a feeling in advance

Right, off to make a cuppa then after I've finished my last bit of work for tonight, I'm off to bed.

Calebsmum - are you from Canada or am I getting confused? If so, what are the most popular prams/buggies/3 wheelers for coping with snow?

morning all. dh had to get up at 5 to catch a flight to Poland, then he's direct back to Milan. So I've also been awake since then, groan, but at least I'm up and ready to kick my boys out of bed. It's going to be a shock for them, getting up at 7 again - they like their sleep and ds1 was regularly crawling out of bed at 9.30 during the holidays. Sigh. Back to reality. I've got my italian lesson 1st thing too, and haven't done my homework

As for bump itching - not really suffering, but use mothercare's own stretch mark cream. It's £2.99 and I'm happy with it. dunno what I'll do when it runs out. Try and find somthing over here that's not too ludicrously priced.

And baby stuff? Haven't really thought about it. I've still got a lot of stuff (2 pushchairs, car seat, a few clothes). our cot is currently a cot bed that was used by ds3, but he's taken to wanting to go in the bunk beds with his brother, so I might seize the opportunity now and convert it back into a cot. I need to get stuff like a bouncy chair and a mobile. I've got a really crap sling (got 10/10 in all the bloody reviews but I hate it). so I then got a baby bjorn which I gave away, so unsure whether or not to get a decent sling. But I can't say I was particularly fond of slings. Just too bloody awkward. Prefered using pushchair then you can sling all your stuff under it too.

Debs, I've got a Phil & Ted's which I've always found great in the snow. The double attachment also really useful for filling up with kids' skis, ski boots, gloves etc too

Morning all,

God I've had a crap night! DS has has us up since 2.30 throwing up. Hope it's not the norovirus.
Bloody typical, I've got to go back to work today! and I'm knackered. At least he managed to go back to sleep inbetween bouts. I just lay in bed awake listening out for him and then the alarm went off at 5.30. Feel like death at the moment. Worse thing is, I'm now back up to my full time hours after my therapeutic working following my return to work after my op. So now working 8:45 hour days. Oh the joy!
Hope everyone else is OK.
LLxx

Morning

Ernest - sounds like you're quite well set up with baby things, with the Phil and Ted, can you get a carrycot so suitable from birth? And what are the seat positions like, can baby sit upright(once it can), is the front wheel fixed or can it also swivel?
Good luck with your Italian lesson

LL - what a night you've had, hope you manage to get through your full day at work without falling asleep. How's your ds now?

1st morning back at school here and boys were up at 6.45 but reluctantly!!!I must say it's nice to have a bit of peace and quiet. So now off to clean an apartment and plough through the washing - 12 lots of sheets, quilt covers, pillowcases, bath towels , hand towels and bath mats - yippee. But at least MIL is still here so she will do all our ironing

I haven't even started thinking about baby stuff yet - but since DS will only be two, we still have everything from him. The tricky bit will be that we need to move him into a bed before June so that we have the cot for the next one...

We're thinking about buying a Phil & Ted's double buggy - so it's great to hear nice things about it ernest. Deb, if you'll just have one kid in the buggy, our mountain buggy has been amazing. I've put over a 1000 miles on it and it's in great shape - but wont hold two kids. After all this time I'm rather emotionally attached to it so it's going to be hard to get a new one.

We swaddled DS just with a normal baby blanket (one of the holy woven ones). It worked great for the first month or so...

And slings - does anyone have a mei tai that they'd recommend? I had a hotslings pouch last time and it was great, but not hands-free and I think this time I might need my hands a bit more...

hugs to libralady and ernest - I thought getting up at 6am was tough this morning so I really feel for you two!

I feel exhausted this morning but DD1 probably does too. At about 1 dd2 climbed into dd1's bed and woke her up by stroking her on the head so dd1 had to wake her up and dd2 came to sleep in our bed. Then at about 4 dd1 started calling me in a panic, she told me the hamster was in her room so I went downstairs to check his cage and he was indeed missing and I found him in DD room under the dolls cot! It was a night to remember!

poppy34 - I don't find the Neals Yards stuff greasy despite it being oil. The massage oil smells gorgeous and the mothers balm doesn't smell of anything.

I have most of the baby things I need but do need another car seat as sil used ours and I saw her drop it and her dh throw it into thier car boot so I'm not happy to use it. I also quite fancy a mei tai even though I loved my baby bjorn which I still have. I think I'll get a Babyhawk as they have really cool fabric choices though I imagine I will use my baby bjorn most of the time as it's so easy to put on. I have soo many girls clothes but would like to know what it si as the sales are on and I can stock up on boys clothes if I need too.

Went mad on baby stuff early on (God bless Ebay) so have come to a halt now until I know whether we are moving or not....can't buy nursery furniture without knowing which room it's going into!
Have two slings but until I have small person I won't know which one is any good!
No plans to co-sleep but will try swaddling....but as I am a first timer I fully anticipate all plans going out of the window...

Have put up bump picture if any of you are inteerested...

makecakes - I'm very impressed with your bump!!!!

DD1 hated being swaddled even when the midwife swaddled her a few minutes after she was born! DD2 was very happy to be swaddled and she was so cold I used to wrap her up in so many blankets to try to get some warmth back to her. As this one will be a summer baby I'm going to get some very big muslins to swaddle the baby, they are very popular in Oz and NZ but very hard to buy here though I have seen some called Bigmuzz on ebay so will give them a go.

Morning all, does anyone feel and though they have just been sorely bumped back to reality
oh well glad the schools are back thats for sure.
Libralady hope you ds is ok.

Ernest hope you manage to get a little nap to make up for early start.

My dog has eaten a hole in the wall overnight so there is a lot of sulking from him as he got screamed at first thing.

on baby front, I quite like the Bebecar Icon Air and the Britax vigor+3, I need something that will be ok for walking the dog over rough ground if need be, but unlikely to want to hike Bennachie.
I have a swinging crib from DD which she slept in in our room till around 6 months then went into her cot in her own room, neither of my kids would be swaddled so I used sleeping bags for them.

I have just been using Nivia, and the Dove Firming shower gel is a god send it stops helps with stretch marks, I only got 1 with dd my friend also tried it and got away with non, and when creaming remember the tops of legs and hips i didnt with 1st and got stung big time

anyway better go get somethings done

We've got a Phil & Ted's as we were hoping for two dc quite close together and we also needed something that would go over rough terain because we like to use the footpaths down to the beach.

I would highly recommend these buggies, they are fab and so easy to use. They fold/unfold very easily. The front wheel can be locked or can swivel - you can push it one handed. You can get a lovely little carry cot for them to go in when they are young as these fits inside the lie flat bit. There are two seat positions so you can go to an intermediate position before you go to fully upright. They are definitely the best design for two babies as they are so easy to manage and not as bulky as many other double buggies - good news for in the shops and getting them in car boots. In fact we have a Yaris and it fits easily in the back of this and I still have room for a couple bags of shopping.

Makecakes - wondered who would be the 1st to post a bump picture and very nice yours is too. When I'm not in my cleaning clothes I'll get dh to take one and post it on here.

G43 - sounds like you had a rough night too. Hope you get time for a rest later.

I feel shattered today, will have to have an afternoon nap I think when I've helped ds1 with his homework - I haven't missed that!!!

Hi All,

I've been investigating pushchairs vs slings and was hoping for some advice from the more expereinced mothers here.... we live in a 2nd floor flat, so a pushchair will be a bit awkward to get up and down the stairs, so should I wait and use a sling for starters and then get a pushchair once bub has arrived and we know what we need? Also is it worth going for a travel system, or should we just go for a regular pushchair? There are so many types out there and too much infomraiton to wade through!

Thanking you all in advance!

nettiehay I personally don't like travel systems as I feel as carseat shoud only be used in a car. I did love using my sling but wouldn't have managed without a buggy, especailly when going shopping I'm looking forward to having a buggy again to dump all my shopping, coats etc into. Is there anyway you can leave the buggy downstairs? We used to live in a first floor flat and I could just about sueeze the buggy in behind our front door at the bottom of the stairs.

well debs, seems like josie was able to answer all the P&T questons Mine is an older model. I got it when I had ds2, ds1 was only 17 months old then, so I've used it for all 3 kids so far and it's still in excellent condition. really a robust and fantastic pushchair. And I've always used the double kit, even when only needing it for 1 child, as it doesn't really take up any space, but you can bung all the coats and bags and pic nic stuff etc etc, or like I said, kid's skis, ski boots etc in winter.

Italian was OK. Normal teacher not there, so no homework check. Phew. The new teacher however went to start another exercise at 10, when we normally have our break. I was starving and blushing wildly had to ask her if I could have my break so got loads of questions like haven't I had breakfast - er yes, but that was 3.5 hours ago & I'm hungry again, - or 'eating for 2 isn't good for you' etc etc. So I felt duty bound to really pig out just to prove I needed to eat. loads.

Unfortunately won't get a break today as boys home for lunch soon, then gotta take ds3 to play group, then collect him, then take all 3 swimming, then don't get in till nearly 7, then it's rustle up some dinner and bed. I'm not sure I'll survive

like josey I also just used sleeping bags.

Am interested in slings now actually. Need to get something new for little 'un. So many different gadgets and varieties that they didn't have back in my day. It's all changed to much even just in the 4 years since I had ds3, never mind the 8.5 since ds1....

Hope everyone survives the reality check of 1st day back

just seen your message nettie.

I agree with going for 3, def. need a push chair too imo. I like gaving baby in sling but not every time. Supermarket shoping, (then carrying bags back) awkward with baby strapped to you - trying to bend over sideways/backwards to get something out of a trough freezer or something off bottom shelf, not to mention getting stuff out of bottom of trolley. No, slings have their time, but are not ideal in all situations. Plus you might have a c-section - I did with 1st - undiagnosed breech or a big heavy baby or anything.

I did get a travel system, but the baby was only ever in the car seat when in the car or a supermarket shop, didn't use it for trips into town or stuff like you see some people. Baby should be lying flat really.

I was addicted to pushchairs. But they're like mobile phones or i pods or whatever. They keep getting updated or improved and suddenly there's another which would be so much more practical.... I will not give into temptation. I will make do with the old, no mod con ones I've got.

Just please don't get a bugaboo. Honestly they bring me out in hives

Thanks for your tips ladies, I must admit, I don't want a Bugaboo, simply out of prinicple - I live in a fairly affluent area (although I stress we are not even close to well off!!), and almost every person has one! They irritate me quite a bit, although my DP thinks they look stylish and is all for getting one based on its looks!

Unfortuantely we can't leave the buggy downstairs, so will have to carry/bump it up and down 2 flights, but hopefully we will be moving not long after the baby is born, so won't have to worry about that for too long. I also don't think we will have much need for a travel system, as the baby will be in the car or in a house (we don't go out shopping/walking etc much).

There is too much information out there for me to process at the moment - I am approaching meltdown when I look at any baby related furniture/equipment!

I thought I felt the baby last night (at 18+2) but it was just after eating a delicious chinese, so it could have been that!

Makecakes love the bump

Lol at the bugaboo my neighbour has one and it does some very clever things but she always seems to be struggling with it which would drive me mental.

A friend of mine lived in a 2nd floor flat but she had a small cupboard she could put a fold away buggy in. I also have the Maclaren TX which can but used from birth, you can flip fold it with baby in hand its very light and has a carry handle, if your not using one that much I wouldnt bother with a big pram/travel systems etc

Hello all and just catching up, Can I reccommend if you have a class near you aqua natal, good fun, doing some exercise but you are not feeling that you are overdoing it.

Well today was interesting, was on the way to go and buy DD some new shoes when car broke down, so had to walk back through the length of the next village to ours, along to a nearby nursing home which a friend of mine works at and phone my mother to come and pick us up. Oh well shoe shoping next week then but we got back home safely.

On the subject of pushcahirs, we have a Jane pro from DD and hoping to get awy with just a buggy board on the back, DD walks really well and by then will be 2.6months so should be even better by then.

Hello
Glad we are talking baby things as ahve questions!!! for all you experienced mums

i am getting the quinney buzz pram pushchair it folds down at a push of one button, no fiddling, its lightweight, has a pram/carrycot, pushchair bit and a maxicosi car seat that can be used for pushchair for little babies too.
Heres a link to there website and the one im getting
www.quinny.com/quinny/productdetail.aspx?id=3

With regards to cot etc still havent got one yet was discussing with df if baby would sleep with us at first think that is the norm What are you guys doing?
If it does sleep with us a cot wouldnt fit so Could it sleep in the carrycot part of its pram at night and in the cot in room during the day?

Also swaddling? i no its wrapped in blankets but if I bought one of those sleeping bag things would that be sufficient It will be summer here with tempertures reaching nearly 30 in august!!

To all those who are going back to work etc today i know the feeling !! Get to see my 25 darling 4 and 5 yr olds tomorrow!! Oh well reality had to set in soon!

God Ive taken a gee for cleaning today, dd isnt feeling great so is curled up watching a new igglepiggle dvd so im making the most of it, thought id take a break though

Aqua Natal is fab Im trying to find one round me though, the only bad thing about it is when you get out your belly feels sooo heavey.

Parofleurmapu I will use the sleeping bags both my dc's h8 blankets and kick them off prompting screams in the middle of the night as cold, I hated being in hospital as they both looked so messy next to the other little darlings, for your carrycot you could get a stand like the ones for moses baskets then you dont need to take the whole pram into your bedroom, is would be felxable for moving round the house with you if you prefer.