Due Sept 08: Come on babies, 'cause we are running out of space.

[kiskidee]

New thread here.

Daft name cause we only have 4 more before we hit 1000.

Congrats to ponymum and any others celebrating their anniversary! it was mine and DH's 'dating' anniversary yesterday, which I totally forgot and didn't even click when he came home with a bunch of beautiful roses. it was only later he asked me if I realised the date and what it meant!! we've been together 13 years.

Have actually started packing the hospital bags. You've all inspired me to get a move on. Have a little suitcase for me and a holdall for baby stuff. Have to go out tomorrow to buy a load of toiletries to pack so that I don't have to remember anything at the last minute (except maybe food).

Also - can anyone recommend where to buy some supportive nursing bras? I went to M&S the other week and bought nursing bras a cupsize bigger than my maternity bras as I was starting to bust out of them. But my boobs still look flabby and saggy in their bras. It's depressing. Just want something that provides support and a nice shape.

Went shopping today for some pretty flip-flops to wear to SIL's wedding next weekend. Couldn't find any that I could squeeze my giant puffy feet into. Normally a size 7, tried a size 8 and they were still too tight. I am officially a freak of nature. Am going to have to go to the wedding in my 12 year old battered green flip flops (that don't match my only smart maternity dress which is pink). Oh well, they'll understand.

digitalgirl You have my sympathies re: flip flops. My feet are an 8 to start with and I can only fit my Crocs now (33+4)! It's a good work look, but I'm off on mat leave in 3 weeks!

D'Oh.Obviously meant that it's not a good work look!

Morning all

A rough nigh of indegestion for me despite loads of gaviscon advanced. It must have been the chilli nachos for lunch.
Dig I ve brought the nursing underwired bras off the yummy mummy website. They are designed specially for nursing. They hold my bust up great, I highly recommend them.
Have a great day guys x

Izzybiz Why do you find it rude? I've always found it really amusing that people think my bump is large, people just don't know what they're talking about, and it's the baby they're commenting on anyway, it hasn't got anything to do with them suggesting we are fat.

eandz maybe you made the mistake because I had just said it was my 10 year anniversary on friday. anyway I was in st johns wood for a family party and looked out for pregnant women wandering around but didn't see any!

congrats to other people having anniversaries! I guess august is a top month for it

rel to CS dates and breast feeding, I have found from mumsnet women successfully breast feeding even after csection at 34 weeks so I feel a bit less worried about it now

Thanks everyone for good wishes on the anniversary. We had a lovely dinner out, but I find it so hard now to eat a proper meal with having no room in there for my insides, giant wriggly baby, and the food! Also I refuse to buy any more new clothes so was wearing some snazzy black non-maternity 3/4 pants completely unzipped but with a long top pulled down over my otherwise-on-display knickers! Hope nobody noticed!

littleconnie to answer your questions: kiwis AND rugby fanatics. Nice to know we're not the only ones!

I am now writing my list ready for moving house, and the first thing I have to do is pack the hospital bag and put this to one side!! Better late than never, I suppose...

kiskidee, I'm glad my mistake came in useful! congrats to you and your husband!

blimey, congrats to you too! 10 years. wow. how was the family party? sorry you didn't get your EandZ sighting. I'll make sure to be out more often .

digitalgirl, 13 years! you guys must have been really little when you met...? i remember from your profile that your quite young.

we'll be married 2 years come tomorrow and it'll be our 6th year of being together. i got my first white hair the other day. i don't think we'll be in any position to celebrate.

Hello,

I bet you any money someone has asked this question before, but I'll ask anyway, and perhaps you can point me to the right thread.

Baby essentials: what should one absolutely get? I've seen some ridiculously long lists including things like room thermometers. Could perhaps a savvy second time mother enlighten us on this? I have not done any baby shopping yet, and feel highly inadequate.

Here is the list a friend made for me, for comment. I guess I'd like to know what is a priority, so that I don't have to remortgage the house in order to get kitted up (Selling The big issue while carrying a new born baby not a good look):

• cot + padding
• Sheets (plus lower ones with elastic)
• plastic undersheet
• blankets
• moses basket
• Hammock
• bath
• thermometer
• changing matt + covers

• wet wipes
• nappies
• bum cream (which?)
• bath oil
• sponge

• car seat
• buggy
• sling (tricotti, babybjorn...)
• travelling cot

• hat for newborn
• mittens
• 4 pijamas

• 4 breast feeding bras
• Avent breast pump
• Breast feeding pads
• Nipple cream (which?)
• Breast feeding pillow

Anything sound ridiculous? Any glaring gaps?

Thanks to all, and sorry for the barrage of stuff...

babies do not need soap type stuff at all. in fact it does their skin more harm than good. There is no real reason to use it at least for the first year of their lives. Plain water is good enough.

nipple cream: Lanisoh or Medela. they are expensive but worth it. I would first be cheeky and ask for sample packs from at a breastfeeding suppport group which I heartily recommend any pg woman who is planning to bf to attend before her baby gets here.

sample pack from the HV or other bf support group leader.

My brain thinks faster than it can type. My excuse anyway.

ponymum - happy anniversary! It also reminded me that our commitment ceremony was on the 24th (24/7 - sounds like our lives...) and so once I stop work next week MrNC and I will go out for dinner somewhere.

My antenatal classes had a useful bit on "What you need to survive the first 72 hours", on the grounds that after that in London someone can just buy whatever you need. It boiled down to a very short list - lots of clothes and nappies, details of breastfeeding helplines (all our class plan to bf), somewhere for baby to sleep, eg Moses basket, somewhere to change nappies. Plus maternity + breast pads for you. And cash and food and laundry facilities in the house!

SIL2's baby still hasn't needed much more - a box of room temp water and cloth wipes (for cleaning) and a flannel (for protection against projectile peeing) suffice for changing, and the tiny pot of Sudocrem that came in the Bounty preg pack is still nearly full. Pillowcases make good sheets in a Moses basket/carrycot, the sink is fine for bathing still. He likes the sling too.

Apparently thermometers are both useless and make parents paranoid, and feeding pillows aren't high enough until the baby is bigger.

Met two friends yesterday, one with 3 kids who is also a nursery nurse, previously did a year of midwife training, and most importantly has more common sense than anyone I know and has known me for 20 years. We concluded I've got everything I'll definitely need, but there's lots of things on a list of 'stuff that I might decide I really want once I have the baby' - particularly a buggy. Apparently the Mothercare Aulto (for newborns and sitting-up) at £79 is as good or better than any of the pricier ones, given I'll hardly ever use a car. BIL3 is still boasting about his £500 pushchair, so I was glad to hear that Squirmy won't be deprived by not having one...

Back from 2 week holiday and what a catch up - I think it was about 30 pages!! And I've had to skim them.

Brilliant holidays in Cornwall and Devon. The two girls were in heaven on the beach. Dd1 turned 6 whilst we were away. And even the rain in the last few days couldn't dampen our spirits!

Back home and the kitchen re-building hasn't progressed at all (long and boring story), but should get going again tomorrow, so maybe by end of August it will be done! Meanwhile we're still camped in the living room, nearest sink up in the bathroom on the 3rd floor, no oven, no washing machine, and half the room filled with the flat-pack kitchen waiting for installation! Oh and one of our 2 electronic hob rings has packed up! Chaos. But hey ho.

Dp is off to Africa for a week tomorrow with a charity he's involved with, so it's just me and the girls, which is going to be weird, and inevitably hard work. Thank goodness MIL is covering the 3 days I work, and given our lack of kitchen is taking dd1 and 2 to stay with her for 2 nights.

I still have 5 weeks at work (plus a week's holiday end of August), and NO baby clothes, no baby car seat, no nappies (all in the loft). So I'm just hoping this one stays firmly put till end of September as scheduled!

jennylindinha - did you get your homebirth team sorted out? I take it the Brierley were full as well as the Albany, but hopefully the King's community team will have been able to take you on.

Hi,

thanks a lot for the responses re: baby essentials.

Notcitrus, your "What you need to survive the first 72 hours" comment was very useful, and I like the idea of making do with the bare essentials and then discover what are the nice to haves as you go along.

Here is me being anal and spending too much time on MN with your list, Pacita. It is more about me than about your list.

cot + padding

• Sheets (plus lower ones with elastic)
• plastic undersheet - never bought or used these
• blankets
• moses basket - meh, some people like em some people find them a PITA.
• Hammock - good idea, my mom put all of us in hammocks as babies but then it is a cultural thing for us. so it wasn't a fancy schmaltzy baby hammock like they flog now to new parents. iyswim. This time round, we are cosleeping as this bloody new house has no place to tie up a proper Mexican hamaca.
• bath - washing up bowl/kitchen sink also works. in the early days they hate bathing and a couple times a week is good enough
• thermometer - bath thermometer only. or just test with your elbow. I was told by a gp that a good way to test if a baby is cold or hot or has a temp is to touch the back of your own neck first, then theirs, then compare the two
• changing matt + covers - we used a change mat early days a muslin makes a reusable and more economical cover in the long run.

• wet wipes yes, or make your own reusable ones. The Co-op wipes have the least amt of nasties in them and are totally biodegradable. I hate pampers and johnson's wipes with a passion. I used huggies mostly with dd1 but this time, I am going Co-op and reusables.
• nappies - Pampers have god knows what in them but they gave dd v. nasty nappy rash immediately. she has eczema though.
• bum cream (which?) I only used bum cream if she had nappy rash and got nappy rash cream, can;t remember which now. - Weleda is expensive but lovely but you can also go with something like cocoa butter or almond or olive oil on a day to day basis.
• bath oil - already said
• sponge

• car seat - yup.
• buggy - yup.
• sling (tricotti, babybjorn...) not babybjorn. tricotti, close, hugabub or other stretchy wrap, ringsling are all better than BB.
• travelling cot - had one. dragged it to Devon once taking up half the boot space, used it about once down there, car booted it shortly thereafter.

• hat for newborn - a cute little NB hat
• mittens - never used it.
• 4 pijamas

• 4 breast feeding bras
• Avent breast pump - may come in useful
• Breast feeding pads
• Nipple cream (which?) - already said.
• Breast feeding pillow - it varies from person to person.

yes, make sure you pack the helpline numbers for breastfeeding support.

here the are:

National Breastfeeding Helpline 0844 20 909 20
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers 08444 122 949
Breastfeeding Network: 0844 412 4664 Breastfeeding Network Drugline: 0844 412 4665
La Leche League: 0845 120 2918
National Childbirth Trust: 0870 444 8708

Ok - to add to your to buy list...

• cotton wool balls

(used with water instead of wipes for first couple of days, hospital I was in last time insisted on no wipes, but DD had nappy rash within a few days that disappeared when started with wipes)

From Holland and Barrett...

• Arnica tablets (brings down any bruising after birth)
• Grapeseed massage oil (for baby massage)
• Sweet Almond oil - (for perineal massage)
• Raspberry leaf tea (bags or capsules, taken from 37 weeks, prepares uterus for labour)
• Good for you snack stuff... I found the easiest way to snap myself awake for middle of the night feeds was to eat something sugary... so I had flapjacky bar things cut into pieces in cling film by the bed.

Other bits...

• A dummy! (just in case - you don't have to use it but I'd advise everyone to have one in case)

• Breastfeeding pillow (I got an inflatable one which had a fleece cover from Boots last time it was a £10)

• Maternity Pads or big sanitary towels

And don't forget to get a big food shop in too, with lots of nice treats!

Arnica tabs - what mg dose am i looking for?? as they had some in Mothercare but it was a very low mg dose.

lollipopmother When you get called fattie all the time starts to get a bit tedious! I really don't take it personally, well, depends what mood I am in that day!

Hello - birth announcement here!

Baby Clara was born last Saturday at 32 weeks weighing 3 pounds 6 ounces.

She's been moved to our more local hospital today and so they sent me home yesterday (which I have found very difficult, leaving her overnight instead of being able to wander down the corridor to look at her every few hours). But they moved her because she's doing well and doesn't need to be in or near the intensive care premature baby bit anymore at the first hospital, so it is good news.

Anyway, that's a bit quick but I wanted to let you all know! I'll be back soon with more info. xx

Woooooooooo a baaaabyyyyyyyyy! Congratulations jenbot!!!!!! Take it easy, gentle hugs to Clara. x

goodness knows why I am suprised, it's not like we aren't expecting lots of babies too appear soon.

I'll update the list in a moment.

yay!

Arrivals!
28-May - Johnworf ? Katherine, 1lb 8oz
30-June ? KashaSarrasin ? DS2, 1.39kg
26th? July - Jenbot - DD, 3lb 6oz

Counting down the days:
19 - Aug - Sassafrass - age 31 - east midlands - DD 3 - GIRL - Elective C-section
25-Aug - Excitable - age 31 - North Lancashire - first baby
26-Aug - Sunshinemummy - age 38 - SW London - DS 2.4m - GIRL - Elective CS at Chelsea & Westminster
27-Aug - Potxola - age 41 - ELECTIVE C-SECTION - Devon - DS 3.10 - GIRL
30-Aug - Gracie14 - age 26 - Berkshire - BOY
01-Sep - Talia1 - age 29 - Leeds/Buxton - 1st baby - GIRL
02-Sep - expatmom2be - age 28 - London - 1st baby - GIRL(?)
02-Sep - Fandango - age 31 - Cheshire - DD 11m
03-Sep - Debithescot - age 27 - North Hampshire - DS 25m - SURPRISE
03-Sep - Jenpet - Brittany, France - DS 6
04-Sep - Lollipopmother - age 26 - Oxford - 1st baby - GIRL
04 -Sep - Meglet - age 34 - North Hampshire - DS born Nov 06 - GIRL, planned c-section
06 Sep - Lilapple - age 37 - North London - first baby - surprise!
06-Sep - Kagey - age 30 - Kent - first baby - GIRL
07 - Sep - Leenie - age 36 - south london - 3rd baby
09-Sep - Hopefully - age 25 - West Sussex - first baby - Surprise!
09-Sep - Kirstygem - Norfolk - DD 19m
09 Sep - Starlight - age 32 - Herts - DS 19m - GIRL (Planning homebirth)
09-Sep - Ponymum - North Yorkshire - first baby - SURPRISE (planned c-s)
10-Sep - kiki21 - age 32 - Southeast London - first baby
10-Sep - Lollyheart - age26 - basingstoke - dd3,ds17 months - BOY
10-Sep - MrsElle28 - age 28 - Yorkshire - First baby - BOY
10-Sep - Workstostaysane - London - DD 17m
12-Sep - Mustsleep - age 27 - ds 6.8, dd 2.10 - yorkshire - BOY
12-Sep - Biglips - age 33 - Liverpool - DD3 - SURPRISE - girl???
13-Sep - Lulu15 - 1DC
13-Sep - mama2bee - age 34 - South London - first baby
13-Sep - mumiyumi-age 35- Warwickshire -DS 2.9 - suprise
13 Sep - notcitrus - first baby - South London - BOY
14-Se[ - Alaro - age 34 - Essex - DD 3 - Surprise (girl?) - MLU St Peters, Maldon
14-Sep - Crabby - first baby - Cambridge - GIRL
14-Sep - kel78 - age 29 - dd1 3, dd2 8 - Surprise- Royal Glamorgan South Wales
15-Sep - ellideb - age 24 - North Wales - 1st baby - BOY
15-Sep - Bogie - age 20 - DS2 - GIRL - Nottingham City Hospital
15-Sep - Goldiewithabump - age 26 - London - 1st baby - BOY
16-Sep - BikeRunSki - age 37 - W Yorks - First baby - BOY
16-Sep - Surelyyoucantbeserious - age 30 - s. London - first baby
17-Sep - LumpyBumpyThingy - age 23 - W.Sussex - 1st Baby - GIRL
18-Sep - MelT76 - age 31 - Staffs - 1st baby - BOY
18-Sep - Becaroo - age 35 - ds aged 5 - East Mids - BOY - Homebirth/QMC (Notts)
18-Sep - mamamufin - age 28 - Yorks - DS 3 - BOY
19-Sep - barnpot - age 27 - west yorks - 1st baby - BOY
19-Sep - kiskidee - dd 3 - Durham. - - GIRL
19-Sep - LeonieD - age 31 - Sutton Coldfield - DD 4.2
19-Sep - Naturalblonde - age 28 - N. Somerset - DD 1.4
19-Sep - Lilypink - age 31 - Suffold - DD 19m
20-Sep - eandz - age 24 - NW London - 1st baby - BOY; Chelsea & Westminster,(sw london)
20-Sep - imoscarsmum - age 35 - Cheshire/North Wales Boarder - first baby - Surprise!
20-Sep - izzybiz - age 31 - Winchester - DS 15, DD 3.8 - BOY
20-Sep - Treadmillmom - aged 37 - West Midlands - DS1 5, DS2 2 - GIRL
20-Sep - nellyonthetelly - age 35 - London 2nd baby - DD will be 2 on 21st Sept!
21-Sep - Charitygirl - age 30 - SW London - first baby
22-Sep - jearund - age 35 - Glos - DD 17 months - BOY - Hospital birth (prob VBAC)
22-Sep - Luboo - age 31 - Hants - DD 14m
22-Sep - MummyToOneForNow - dd 14mths
22-Sep - Slinkiemalinki - age 31 - West London - dd 2.1 - BOY
22-Sep - kgirl - age 25 - 1st baby - Herts
23-Sep - digitalgirl - age 30 - North London - first baby - SURPRISE - hospital birth
23-Sep - feelingpositive - age 31 - Edinburgh - DD 21m - GIRL
23-Sep - LouiseAnn - age 40 - Guildford - ds 8yo - BOY
23-Sep - Blimey - age 40 - South London - DS 5, DS 3 - BOY
24-Sep - Ninja - age 37 - Manchester - DD 4.5
26-Sep - MissusH - age 35 - S.Derbys - dd, 5.8
25-Sep - Pacita - BOY
26-Sep - Pitufina - age 29 - 2nd baby - ds, 3.5 - surprise! - South wales
27-Sep - Inquisitive - age 31 - Berks - 1st baby - BOY
27-Sep - pidge - age 37 - London - 2 dds age 6 and 3 - Surprise! Homebirth.
27-Sep - Jennylindinha - age 36 - London - first baby - Surprise! Planned homebirth (otherwise Kings)
28-Sep - Carrieon - age 28 - York - dd 12 months - Surprise!-Boy??
28-Sep - LittleConnie - age 33 - West London - 1st baby - Surprise! - St. Mary's birth centre
28-Sep - splishsplosh - age 37 - London - dd 2
29-Sep - WombFor1More - age 26 - Kent - DS 6, DS 4, DD 1yr - BOY - Homebirth
30-Sep - Ninja - age 37 - Manchester - DD 4.5

congratulations jenbot! Only August and 3 arrivals!

So exciting.xx

CONGRATULATIONS JENBOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WELL DONE MAMA!!!!!!!!
GIVE CLARA LOTS OF EXTRA CUDDLES FROM ALL OF US.
TAKE CARE