Due June 2005, Thread 4

[Scraggyaggy]

Happy New Year everyone!

Following Katzguk's suggestion I've started up the new thread - hope no-one minds.

Well, I did absolutely nothing for New Year. I have the cold from hell so I was in bed by 9pm. I was very disappointed as we were supposed to be going to a party but I decided not to go as I wouldn't have enjoyed myself and then I'd have made dp miserable too. So, I celebrated by having a lemsip topup at 12 o'clock! (One for the books!) Hope you all had a nice time.

Have been reading your threads about what to buy and what not to buy. I started buying after Christmas as I want to start really enjoying this pregnancy now. Dp is incredibly worried that something will go wrong and we are tempting fate but I don't want to be walking on egg shells for the next 5 months .... yup 5 months already!!! Scary stuff!

Anyway, we have bought a Graco travel system as I have spent hours in the shops clipping and unclipping and puttin them up and down and I found Graco to be lightweight and really simple to use. Then I trawled the internet on boxing day and found that Toys'r'Us was doing some good deals.

Cot is going to be an Ikea special. They are so cheap, I just don't think you can argue and we are big fans of Ikea. However, if anyone has any experiences of this then let me know. We aren't bothering with the moses basket.

I've got a 2-way baby carrier from e-bay, which is still new apparently, although I haven't received it yet so I'll hold bck on judgement.

And then the mumsnet wanted and for sale boards are fantastic. I've got a bottle warmer and a travel cot through mumsnet. I'd reommend that anyone here use them.

There are three things which I need help with though:

• steriliser; microwave or electric??? Any opinions?
• breast pump; is there one which is comfortable and easy to use? I don't want to spend a fortune and then not be able to use it.
• baby monitor; I definitely want one. Am planning on sitting in the garden over the summer, and baby might not want to be moved. Should I get a normal one? A digital one? Has anyone used an under mattress sensor type one? Need big help with this one.

Have bought myself some books on motherhood and new babies too. Am such a planner, I need to be having a good read now so I can put all the theory to practice in 5 months time!

Hope you are all well and not being sick any more! x

Plus, I am sahm which makes it much easier to get things done compared to you ladies who work.

Lipstick with the coughing we're in the same boat as you. We don't do cough mixture as have read too often that it doesn't make a jot of difference - they need to keep clearing their airways anyway. Also agree on the not going in to see them - mine's like yours and immediately wants entertaining. The only thing we've done is raise the head of the cot and not sure that does any good either. DD has learnt to go back to sleep now after coughing - it's just her mum that hasn't!
Am I alone on the buying front - haven't bought anything at all and probably won't until May, more concerned with figuring out whether to get the loft converted

Welshie, are we twins?? Apart fron the 'coughing in the night' stance, I haven't bought anything either and wont do for a while. However, we have decided to get the loft done, it begins at the end of this month

Haven't bought anything either (but have already had the loft done). I'm debating when to put DS in a proper bed - he'll be going up into the attic so the new baby will have his room. I suppose I should be doing it sooner rather than later so he doesn't feel like he's being turfed out by the baby. Second timers - is your DS/DD already in a proper bed?

I'm in a similar boat to you Mrs W, dd will have just turned 2 when #2 arrives. I am hoping the loft will be done before baby arrives and dd can be in her new room with a little bed instead of her cot. I am going for a small bed I think, it will suit us coz our rooms are small. The other change dd will have in May is beginning nursery for 2 afternoons a week. It's all pretty close with the timing, but I hope she'll cope.

Anyone know what the child benefit allowance is for the second child??

Lipstick how wierd is that?! We're waiting on a Kiwi builder/designer type to get back to us with a few answers on the loft front but I'd like to get going on it by Feb. On the bed front we're buying a small bed for dd this month - she can start sleeping in it in her own room before she makes the move to her 'big girl's' room next door. The loft conversion would be mainly for visitors from NZ!

Slightly spooky Welshie!!!

By the way, I found out the all other children after the first get £11.05 a week child benefit.

As ds is in the bed part of a cot bed he'll be getting a new bed too. I thought of getting a small bed to start with but as he's quite tall, and nearly as long as the cot bed already at 2.6yrs so I think we're gonna get a normal single as anything else will be a false ecomomy for us. We're also turfing him out of his room to a new one to make way for bump - we hope to have it all ready for Easter so that he has a bit of time in his new surroundings before the world as he knows it changes forever!!

Resolutions...what are they - I haven't set myself any since I was a young girly - I never stick to them anyway, so this way I don't disappoint myself

Happy New Year to you all!!!!!

My xmas was fine - nice to have some time off work!!! Spent most days on the sofa with dd in our PJ's - BLISS!!!!!

My scan was fab BTW. DD really enjoyed seeing her baby on the screen - unfortunatly she has decided she wants to call it "baby Jesus"!!!!!!!!!

I have to say it's taken me nearly all day to read everything since my last post!!!!

Belated happy birthday to katz - she doesn't seem to be online today and I think Scraggy said she was ill so I hope everythings OK with her - Get well soon Katz!!!!

I was just wondering if anyone knew about steralizing bottles in the dishwasher. I was under the impression that they are washed at such a high temperature that they are automatically steralized - does anyone know if this is true or not??????????

Just wanted to say that my 2 must have items were

1. Muslin squares/small terry towels!!!!
2. Swinging seat thing. We were given one of these by a friend and it was great!!!!

I've started looking around at all the things we need to buy and must say that I feel slightly overwhelmed by it all. Especially the pram/travel system thing!!!!!
I'll hold off getting any clothes until my 20 wk scan when I find out the sex. I've already got bags and bags of girls stuff in the loft.

I think Baby Jesus is a lovely name! With any luck she'll change her mind by June. Is she hoping for a brother or a sister? Still haven't told DS yet, and he is happily oblivious to the fact that his mother is expanding daily.

Think I'll move the cot up into the attic at the same time as the bed and give DS the choice for a couple of months. I am being really lazy though - I just can't be bothered to do it yet!

evening all,
how does it feel to be back at work?-i even overslept this morning which isnt like me at all
havent been feeling too good.ive had really funny sort of pains in my groin for the past few days and have a horrible feeling it could be SPD
has anyone ever had this?
ive looked at some threads on this and it doesnt sound very nice and although i havent been to the doc yet(got an app for the 18th),the symptons sound very similar.
apart from that i shouldnt grumble as up until now ive felt great and not even had any sickness so i suppose i have been quite lucky
bought loads of baby clothes off of ebay at the weekend too so that cheered me up

Hurrah! you're all still here!

I can't seem to get any time online at the moment, but i'm here now! And bubba is here and kicking!!

I felt tiny prods at just over 15 weeks, but now at 17.5 weeks I'm getting the full works (very teeny and gentle though) and dh can feel it too which is very exciting!

We finally got our first scan on Hogmanay at the Princess Royal maternity in Glasgow. I have never seen so many breastfeeding posters in my life!

The scan was great and we've got a fab picture of baby actually looking at the screen, so we can see the whole face which is amazing!

Very impressed with the hospital - it's worlds apart from Watford where I had ds - I'm filled with so much more confidence about this birth. But I can't get into the lovely midwife-led unit because I had a section with ds. Maybe with sprog number 3!!

Ds slept in til 10am (from 7pm) this morning so he's being very kind to knackered mummy - long may it continue!

Glad to see everyone's here and well - best wishes to you Welshmum after your recent worries.

I'll try and keep up with you all. My due date's been shifted forward to June 8th, but ds was 2 weeks early so I might still make it into May

Speak soon - McMudda xx

Hi, hope you're still feeling ok Welshie and get some quality sleep soon - you too MrsW.

Bubbaloo, I've been getting little pains too, most of them are like period pains, and some are what I imagine are ligament stretching, but some are very weird. I had to stand still for about 3 mins a week or so ago on my way home from town (walking) because I had this shooting pain up from my, well, er, you know, "love button"? , but it went and I havent had it since. I think it's nerves and stuff down there adjusting to the changes.

McMudda - how exciting - a lovely scan and kicks and stuff - I think I might just be able to feel something down there - it's beginning to feel less like trapped wind than it was.

Has anyone put any weight on yet?? I started off at 6st 9 and now I'm about 7st 2. Is this too much at this stage? I really want to watch my weight because I used to be very overweight and don't want to get like that again.

Wow! You can tell the holidays are over - everyone's back!

We sat and read our books again last night (as we're now onto week 18), and it says that baby starts doing all sorts of aerobic activity about this time, so perhaps that's why some people have discomfort in their tummies? I know I've been getting quite sore above and below my bump.

I was being a bit naughty last night and slowly pressing my tummy in various places and I'm positive I could feel movement underneath - wriggling away generally! Think I have an anti-social bump who wants to be left alone!! Dp wants to know how soon he'll be able to feel it, does anyone have any ideas? A couple of weeks after I can feel it?

I'm sorry to hear about all the sleeping problems people are having. I wish I could do something to help. Not nice being uncomfortable at night and not waking up feeling rested I know.

I decided right form the beginning that I would not be getting up to pee at night unless absolutely necessary as I started getting into the pattern of waking up about 2.30am to go and it was ruining my night's sleep. Now I try to will myself back to sleep and more often than not it does actually work!

Does anyone know why you aren't supposed to sleep on your back? I was reading my magazine and someone said that they shouldn't be sleeping on their back but didn't explain why? I used to be a front sleeper, which I now find really unbearable, so I generally sleep on my back and am now worried I'm doing / have done something wrong!

Sweetheart - Glad you had a fantastic scan and that dd enjoyed it as much as you did!

Bubbaloo - Did you outbid me for a clothing bundle on ebay the other day?? I was disapointed with that one as I thought I had it in the bag!!

McMudda - Glad to have you back and pleased your scan went well.

And thank you to everyone for their kind wishes - am now fully recovered I think (although I may have been a bit generous with my germs in the office yesterday!! Oops!) x

P.S. Does anyone want a brand new Samsonite pop-up travel cot? I put a wanted ad up on MN and was offered 3!

P.P.S. Does anyone want a nursery bedding set including curtains? Again, I put up a wanted ad up on MN and have been offered several sets!

Morning everyone!!!!

My 1st 8am start since Xmas - what a struggle. Still at least I made it here!!!!!

MrsW - My dd has had a variety of names since we told her so I'm sure she'll have thought of something more appropriate by June!!!

BUBBA - my SIL is 24 weeks pregnant and she has SPD. She is usually in quite alot of pain and is willing her baby to come early. I'm not too sure about the symptoms etc etc but my SIL told me alot of "worst case scenario" stuff and it sounds pretty bad.

I just wanted to draw your attention to a website called the Glasgow Pram Centre. I tried to do the link but it wouldn't work.
It's
www.glasgowpramcentre.co.uk
Just copy and paste

I've been tralling the web for baby stuff and this place seems to be the cheapest so far. I know a couple of people that have used it and they have said the service is alright!!!!

Anyone any ideas about the dishwasher steralizing yet?????????????????????????

morning all.

Thanks for worrying about me lipstick mum, i've just had a nasty cold which was making me feel a bit sickie but it seems to be subsiding. Sorry i wasn't aorund much yesterday but had a big important meeting with all the members of my reserch group including industrial partners and sponsors so was very scary.It went well and they seem pleased with the progress even if i do now have a huge mountain of work to get through before i go off on maternity leave.

Scraggy - can you put a link to the threads you mentioned? or have people CAT'ed you. I am sort of interested in a pop up travel cot but undecided at the moment.

I have been working out my maternity leave options at the moment, have to let them know in a bout 7 weeks time but need to get it sorted in my head first. I think i have finally decided which one to take i'm going to have 3 weeks AL from 36 weeks then start my 18 weeks full MP from 39 weeks then take 8 weeks SMP and then a further 3 weeks AL before returning to work on the 19th of Dec just in time for full pay over shut down which is generally the 24th dec to 4th jan!! Does this sound sensible? i have also checked that if i have baby early then i can carry over the AL from the beginning and take it at the end since it would effect how long i take off.

Dishwash sterlising - i think it's not quite hot enough for what they recommend but we still did it once dd was about 4-5 months old, but the treats don't come clean so i just washed those by hand and bunged them in boiling water! it was great for the breast pump. You have to put everything together the minute the dishwashers opened though, no sneaking a cup out for early morning cup of tea and then emptying the dishwasher later.

Gosh, where's everyone today?

Well, the whole family is greeting the new year with a raging cold, dp began at the weekend, then dd, then me last night. I'm jealous of the other 2 coz they can have night nurse or Calpol when they need it and I can't Dp wont even let me take echinacea, grumble grumble. Still, I don't have much to do this week as no groups have started back yet.

You know I said I haven't bought anything yet?? Well, I still haven't, but I am looking for stuff for their bedrooms. We need a small wardrobe and I'm also looking a storage system for books and miscellaneous toys... so I will be buying some stuff, not for weeks though!

So Welshie how did you feed your dd? You mentioned that the neo-natal unit didn't sterilise their bottles. Were you breastfeeding only up to a certain age? I breastfed my dd until she was 6 months, at which point she began taking formula from a bottle. I don't really want to bother with the hassle of sterilising this time round (I'm going to make sure this baby will drink from a botle at an early age). I guess what I'm asking is; you're confident the hospital didn't bother sterilising even for the wee ones? Is Wed still your day off? Hope you see this, otherwise I'll harrass you another time

ahhhhhhhhhhhh

bl**dy maternity form, trying to be organised and fill my forms in advance to get everything sorted but they are soooooo hard!! and the person i need to sepak to in personnel is not there ahhhhhhh

Afternoon ladies,

Gosh this being back at work isn't all it's cracked up to be, I've actually had to...work - hard!!

Lipstick sorry you're feeling poorly - will he not even let you take paracetemol, I thought that was ok when pg?? Re the furniture thing, is it just me or does everything I seem to find appear to be sooo expensive?? I've been after a floor standing bookshelf for ds for a while now but can't seem to find anything nice for less than £80 - I think that's alot for a little bit more than the Mr Man collection

Sweetheart not sure about the dishwasher, as Katz says it doesn't always come up cleanest for my cups let alone bottle bits and bobs. With ds I used the Dr Brown's bottles and as these have fiddly bits that need hand washing I just did the other parts by hand too, and then used the microwave steriliser, doesn't take long - and certainly much quicker than a dishwasher cycle if your lazy like me and suddenly discover that you need a clean bottle for a feed due in @ 10 mins!! . I did however wash his plates etc in the dishwasher and not bother sterilising them when I started weaning him - tbh he was crawling and putting his hands in his mouth so I didn't see the point, I only did it with the bottles coz of the chance of lingering milk bacteria.

Katz that's about the same amount of time I'm going to take off, so yes I think it sounds eminently sensible!!

Charley - you're a wee little thing aren't you! The lady at weightwatchers told me (when expecting ds) that you should average 1/2lb for the first 20 weeks and then 1lb a week thereafter, totalling 30lbs (2st 2lbs) gain for a pregnancy, but it's only an average not something to stick rigidly to!! and tbh I think I've read that anywhere between 2-3st is a healthy gain. Of course that doesn't take my Christmas binging into account, before then I'd put on about 10lbs (by 18 weeks) - I dread to think what it is now that the festivities are over - I've not been brave enough to weigh myself again

Pop-up cots = \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1915&threadid=50375&stamp=041231003039}

Nursery sets = www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1915&threadid=50567&stamp=041231002238

Given up trying to do links - must be a bit stooopid! x

Lipstick - Check this out www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=138&threadid=50684&stamp=041231094654

Lipstick - I know what you mean about dp's being (over) vigilant. The other day mine "caught" me eating a little bit of smoked salmon. He really told me off and referred to it as DEATH SALMON!! then fed the rest to the dog.

Don't you just love Night Nurse?? It's the best thing about having a cold - hope I don't get a cold now, I'd really miss it

Thanks for that info Teabelly - Christmas certainly didn't help did it? I used to be almost double the weight I am now (a long time ago) so I'm probably a bit more preoccupied with keeping an eye on the scales than I should be.