Due May 05 part 4

[fisil]

Here it is ... let me start:

Name: fisil
Due: 26th April officially, 3rd May unofficially
Children: ds (just turned 2)
About me: work full time (teacher, head of dept), live SW London with dp & ds
Anything else: think its a boy

Hi everyone. I had my scan today. Al is well. It's a boy . Dh has just decided he no longer like the name we agreed on. So we're renegotiating. Also a bit of debate in whether or not to circumsise. Anyone else have any views on circumsision? Would welcome your input.

Congratulations Uwila on your little boy! Fantastic news, so pleased all went well.

Another boy!!!! Congratulations Uwilla!!

We're having the big name debate at the moment too so know exactly what you're going through. Thought we had both agreed before we found out but now 'the bloke' doesn't like it!

Haven't even thought about circumcision but good idea to discuss it I suppose

Congraulations Uwila Personally I wouldn't circumsise.

We have got our name sorted out anyway. My mum loathes it but has accepted that we have made our choice. Only took her 6 months this time lol She still hasn't got over ds' name!

Congratulations Uwila!

We're struggling a bit with boys' names too. Had no problem coming up with girls' names we both liked - in fact we were so convinced it was a girl we'd decided on a name! DH's middle name is nice, so we may go with that.

Has anyone looked at the Bebe Confort Loola pram. I was looking at it online (Daisy and Tom site) It looks nice and compact, and I hear a key factor of getting DD1 to stand on a buggyboard is her ability to see over the pram and where she is going. But, this pram looks like it has no sun/wind/rain protection. How could they sell a pram in England that hasn't those things? Did I miss something? Does anyone else know anything about this pram?

thanks

Hi Uwila, that pram looks really nice but I would be worried about the lack of weather protection too. I think we will drag the graco out of the garage and wash that

Uwila
Congrats! A healthy boy
Just wanted to add my two pennies hope thats OK -
We looked at the Bebe Confort Loola and went to try it out (toys r us). Its a nice pram but like you say no weather protection (madness) but there is a raincover available for the pushchair bit once you stop using the carseat. We decided against in the end because it is really heavy (IMO). the folding system seems to have been overly complicated and also it appears to be slightly wider in the wheelbase than most. If you have a local dealer (or toysrus) i'd go and have a look and a play

Also been writing up some research on circumcison for my Masters (Child Welfare) and there seem to be two main reasons for it - religious beliefs or the idea that it is 'cleaner'. Obviously the former is self explantatory (although nothing conclusive (apparently) in any religious text to suggest it is a requirement).

None of the research found that it is more hygienic provided the child is properly washed and taught how to do this when old enough. There are just as many infections recorded in circumcised boys as in non-circumcised boys who are properly 'cared' for (comparing like for like).

I guess the upshot is the reason why one would consider it a necessary thing to do.

There is some bizarre research suggesting that there is less cervical cancer among Jewish women though (implication being that their men are circumcised) (Although I wouldn't look at this as a reason for doing it!)

Hope this isn't offensive - I am trying to be impartial and am only stating what has been found by others

That's really helpful Holly!! I'd never really looked into it but as DP moans about a little overhang he has (won't tell him my nickname so he won't read this!) thought it might be worth considering. But may think twice now rather than put the little mite through it (baby that is!)

Wanted to ask if anyone has enrolled on the NCT clases, my friend said she didn't do it but has met so many mums who have met really good friends on this that we may do it. DP is up for it. Or maybe the active birth classes?!?

fashill - I did NCT last time and appreciate the friends I met, and will do it again this time. Look back on the last thread/this thread (can't rememeber how far back it is) some people get fed up cos NCT can be a bit "knit your own vagina" but mine (luckily) wasn't.

Holly, I'm not sure if comparing a circumcised boy to one who cleans properly is actually the fair comparison as I do not hold much confidence that a young boy will be responsible enough to always clean himself properly. Hell, I can't even be confident that his father will clean a pan in the kitchen. Are boys that reliable?

Anyway, thanks for your information. I do appreciate your thoughts.

BTW, it's not religeous for me. It's a hygeine issue. It's also an issue of avoiding any embarrassment later in life. In the US, most boys are circumcised (though not as many as used to be), and there are many a women who are really king of grossed out by the non circumcised willie. Wouldn't my boy to ever have a woman be grossed out be his person parts. Don't think that would make him feel very good about himself.

There now I've laid my thoughts out on the table. Please be honest with responses. I have not decided which to do, so all views are helpful.

I know what you mean. Social science is well-known for being difficult in terms of applying constants. The comparisons are made 'like for like' as far as is possible i.e in boys young enough to be cared for by others. It seems to say once they are old enough to be doing it themself, being circumcised won't prevent infection if they are not cleaning themselves anyway (UTIs occur equally). There is also that that says the foreskin actually serves to protect in terms of external bacteria (ie a circumcised penis is exposed to more 'foreign' (origniating outside body) bacteria than a non-circumcised one.

Anyway as far as my own opinion goes I think that the way you look at this is very much cultural i.e what is the norm where you come from. I have never experienced circumcision in an adult and have to say due to this if i had done would have probably (albeit momentarily) been more 'grossed out' by that. IYSWIM? The only circumcision I have seen was on a 2year old African boy who I looked after at a nursery and was taken aback by it at the beginning.

What I'm trying to get out is I think your son is highly unlikely to be met by a bad reaction if he isn't circumcised - unless you live in, and he is going to stay within, a culture where it is very common - otherwise the women will be more taken aback if he IS. I hoep I'm making sense!

My personal opinion (and thats all it is) is that we are born the way we are for a reason (Function not religion!) and I would only interfere with it surgically if medically necessary. It seems whimsical at best and barbaric at worst TO ME to do otherwise.

Sorry for the essay!

Holly, Logic is right I'm from South Wales too. Can't find your thread though.

Hi Brighteyes - the thread is under mums-to-be in south wales on this antenatal clubs bit. Come join us and tell us where u are (if u like!) we are both in Swansea and hoping to get together :-)

Uwila, about the Loola...

We looked into it and very nearly bought one. I'm not sure whether any raingear is included but if not, you can DEFINITELY buy it separately. You should really try to look at it in a shop. It's ever so clever in a lot of ways. Here's where I start to sound like an advert for Bebe Confort!!! The seat unit can face forwards or back & you can change it with just 2 very easy button presses. If you decided to go for the Windoo carrycot or Creatis car seat (both very well designed), they clip on & off the chassis with the same 2 easy buttons. It is extremely easy to fold & unfold. When I was trying it, I decided that it was quite heavy to fold with the seat unit on, so I would remove the seat unit to put it in the car boot etc. but you don't have to do that. You don't have to bend down to fix/unfix the swivel wheels - there are buttons near the handles. The brakes are VERY easy to operate.

I still really like it, but in the end, decided not to go for it because I didn't like how it was heavy (relatively) with the seat unit in place, and the shopping basket is as good as useless - you can't get into it very well because there is a metal frame thing in the way. Also beware that the chassis tubes are a funny shape, which might affect whether you could attach a buggy board.

If you do decide to go for one, Kiddicare.com do an excellent price. I have received 2 big orders from them with no problems at all, and they always reply to my e-mails very quickly.

So sorry to run on, but I hope it helps.

Very helpful. Thanks, Maymum. You are the second person to tell me it's rather heavy. I'm sort of leaning toward Maclaren Techno... just wish I could buy a car seat to clip into it. I'll keep looking. Perhaps a visit to John Lewis is in order.

What the maclaren global...you can fit a car sit onto it...

Yeah, but I don't think the quality of the pram is as nice as the techno. WIll just have to go out looking, I think.

Uwila - I had EXACTLY the same dilemma as you! Deciding between the Techno XT and the Loola - just wasn't keen on the Global even though it might have seemed like the ideal solution. I decided to go for something a little more substantial than the Maclaren - it just didn't seem comfy enough for a newborn, even though it would probably be absolutely fine! Just to throw another idea into the pot for you, since you & I obviously have similar needs/desires from a buggy, we ordered ours yesterday, and decided on a Jane Carrera C Matrix travel system. If you want info about it let me know. The pushchair is great - so light, but somehow much more suitable for a newborn than the Maclaren.

If you do decide on the Maclaren Techno series, the 2005 Classic is more cushioned than the XT (2005 Classic much better in my opinion than 2004). If you go for an XT, beware that the 2005 version is quite a bit heavier than 2004 - no idea why! Kiddicare.com are doing 2004 XT for £99.99 in various colours.

Good Luck in your decision making. I've lost so much sleep over the decision myself, I hope I can put all my research to good use by helping you!

Well we have decided to get the maxi cosi sx...was very impressed in mothercare how small it folds down and was very easy to do so..(no unscrewing wheels)...will be getting of net thou as we have seen it for £285 with carrycot.

On the subject of prams - my M&P pramette arrived on Friday. We unpacked it today - really pleased with it. Have practiced switching it from pushchair to pram (although am assuming we won't be needing the pushchair option for quite a while) and folding/unfolding it. Seems fairly straightforward. We decided against getting a car seat that clicks in because the John Lewis nursery advisor put the frighteners up me about how long a newborn should be in a car seat (i.e. not very long at all!). So, decided on a separate car seat - got a Britax First Class, because it has a reclinign feature - apparently useful to stop a newborn's head from dropping forwards all the time. Anybody familiar with the seat? Any good?

Vicstervic - Congratulations on getting your pram. I don't know about the car seat, but you are quite right about babies not spending long in infant carriers - advice everywhere says max. 1 and a half hours a day! Doesn't seem long. That's another reason we went for the Jane pushchair with the Matrix car seat - the Matrix can be used as a regular car seat, or reclined to lay completely flat. It can be strapped onto the back car seat as an auto carrycot thingy. We thought it would be good for shopping trips etc. - I can travel with baby in car seat position, then attach to pushchair chassis in lie flat position for as long as I like. I hope it works out as well as we hope!

Had a look at John Lewis yesterday. Think we'll go for the Maclaren Techno Classic. And thanks for the tip on the differences in the 2005 range. I probably would have bought the 2004 to save a bit of money. But if the 2005 has more padding than that is what we'll get. And, if I'm worried about his comfort, I might add one of sheepskin liners. They look so cozy, I'd like one for myself.

Haven't decided on a car seat (gave the last one away). I think I like the Silver Cross Ventura one. Anyone tried it out? I've only seen it online. I'll have to shop them in person to make a decision, I suppose.

Hello girls. Hope everyone had a nice weekend! Dh whisked me off to a spa hotel in Stratford-upon-avon for the weekend which was excellent. I can really recommend getting away for a break, just the two of you, before the baby is born. I am feeling really positive and happy again.

Has anyone thought about the Child Trust Fund yet? I got ds' voucher this morning and I assume we'll all get a voucher for the new baby...it's difficult to decide what to do with it.