Due DECEMBER 2008 - just over a hundred shopping days to Baby

[LadyThompson]

New thread, people, unless someone else has started one...

Hi all, I was 20 weeks yesterday, so now can offically say over half way there

Am completely knackered due to providing rolling catering for hordes of people to celebrate DS's 2nd birthday - completely ridiculous really. DS's party was just a tea party, but I'd already cooked about 3 meals for the full complement of family by then.... Far too much ceebeebies is being watched in our house today, too tired to provide alternative entertainment, or to deal with the ructions if I say no

It was making me panic a bit thinking of what's going to happen when the baby comes... We won't have anyone staying with us apart from my mum (no space), but DH's family will probably stay in a nearby hotel and then come round and stay for hours judging by last time. Would it be too nasty to impose visiting hrs in the first 2 weeks? Especially as will hopefully be at home from day 0... What are rest of you planning?

it's your baby and your life so def impose visiting hours, you will need them they could easily take your DS for time out at their hotel or out to play if they want some grandchild time but you need your resting and bonding time so i would def put your foot down.

My mum has just suggested that she would happily pay the high flight fee to fly over for christmas, i have already said i would rather she came in feb but she seems to think i'm suggesting that because of the flight costs, but it is mainly because i want the first few weeks to ourselves. DH is saving his annual leave so that he can take up to a month off after the baby is born and i want to have that time as just us.

YES to visiting hours

suggest other stuff they can do as well - days out?

we will go one better and not have any visitors for the first couple of weeks, much better when you;ve recovered a bit and feeding has settled down IME (unless you have lovely visitors who cook and clean and then bugger off)

Thanks, my mum is fab, wish she could have stayed longer last time. She wanted us to have some time as a family so went home on day 3. ILs arrived on day 4, me and DS hospitalised due to his feeding probs on day 6 . I know I have to discuss this with DH, but his family don't believe in making plans...

Will suggest the taking DS out thing, that would actually be helpful. Last time I just wanted to hold DS and felt really tearful when I was sent upstairs for a nap and they had him downstairs - even tho I know they were trying to be helpful. Didn't help that I was struggling to bf at the time.

i know what you mean, i didn't need to be away from DS i just needed to be away from everyone else (exc DH), apart from too much for parents it is also too much for bubs, the poor little mites get very overstimulated. we are lucky in that have very understanding friends and this time around most of the people we know in this country live in London. they will all prob wait until we are feeling up to venturing down to meet the new DS as we couldn't accomodate them here after new arrival and SIL will be still preggers and wound up in herself for a while, apart from expecting us to be around when she has hers we may be safe from her demands for a while. She didnt grace us with her presence for DS's birthday even though we made the trip down to London for her DS's 4th but to be truthful i'm glad i just wanted a nice day with DS DH and DS's 2 little buddies and their lovely parents. You know for all the annoying people around there are also loads of great people. wish we could just be honest and tell the difficult ones to bugger off, unfortunately they are usually family.

sorry that was a bit of a ramble, my mind wanders a bit these days.

Gosh, well haven't been on Mumsnet since Wednesday night - and it's all maggots, nits and poo. Oh dear. Let's hope this week is a little more full of fairydust for all affected.

I second those who have had people gaping at the size of their bumps. It's so rude, I think. I'm not going to laugh it off anymore, I've decided, so I am busy concocting a tart reply for such occasions.

Flumpy, what was your original due date if they have scheduled your cs for 19th Nov? My due date is 3rd December so I am guessing that my cs will be in the week beginning 24th Nov, but I don't know yet.

LT when it's a women and in particular one with a heavy step, i wish that i could just look at her tummy and say 'oh and when are you due' actually you know i might just say it to the guys anyway, most that say it have beer bellies anyway and would have def desired effect.

I'm definitely putting husband on kicking-out duty for visitors. I'm saying half an hour tops, then thye've got to go! I don't think I'll be up to much.

Added to that, the beast will probably get tired too. AND they're not that interesting at that age, so would rather wait til they're a few months old for people to be able to get a response from them. although I'm starting to think new borns are rather sweet these days! But they're definitely more attractive once they're a month or 2 old!

Beans you'll think your little beast is the most gorgeous creature on earth the second you lay on it. Everyone else can wait. also it is hard for the little thing all they want is to be cuddled by their mummy and be able to smell their mummy, if they have loads of other people trying to cuddle them and hand them around taking them away from their mum they get a bit peaved

Agree with visiting hours also what we did last time round was have an open house a few weeks after the baby was born but if he was tired or over stimulated they had to put up with us disappearing for half an hour or so.

Had a v busy wkend so am cream crackered today. We went up to London on Saturday night for a friends 30th unfortunatly most of the others there were 20something hoxtonites all skinny jeans and very long legged, so felt like a total fright compounded by some FB photos this morning showing myself and the birthday girl and I was sweaty wearing a dress which I had thought looked great but obviously did not aqnd she was all suntanned and gorgeous. So I have a challenge for you find me a dress for wearing to a wedding end of September.

Found some lovely maternity dresses in Crave Maternity

like this in the sale

www.cravematernity.co.uk/CraveMaternitySite/product/dresses/DRS230.htm

ot this would be lovely for cooler weather

www.cravematernity.co.uk/CraveMaternitySite/product/dresses/DRS362.htm

Hi All,

I'm new to MN as well.

Have added the list below.

I know what you mean about just looking a bit fat, I live in Manchester now but was back home in London last week, I had swollen feet and was sweating like a big. At the momment I am really glad that Manchester is a few degrees cooler!

MrsMattie due 28/11 DC#2
snowwombat due 30/11 DC#1
badkitty due 01/12 DC#1
twinkle183 due 01/12 DC#3
pwcbird due 01/12 DC#2
rosmerta due 02/12 DC#2
RawChocolate due 02/12 DC#3
Flumpybumpy due 02/12 DC#3
theyoungvisiter due 03/12 DC#2
Modernlove due 03/12 DC#1
cc21 due 03/12 DC#2
DonnyLass due 03/12 DC#2
LadyThompson due 03/12 DD#1 St Mary's, London
goneundergroundtillfamilyknow due 04/12 DC#3
Verso due 04/12 DC#2
Hanni22anni due 04/12 DC#2
BrightShinySun due 05/12 DC#2
Nolda due 05/12 DC#2 Princess Anne, Southampton
mibbes due 06/12 DC#1 Stirling Royal
majormoo due 06/12 DC#3
pixsix due 07/12 DC#1 St Thomas', London
elenamaesmummy due 07/12 DC#2
jenduck due 07/12 DC#1
Beans33 due 07/12 DC#1 St Thomas' London
poisondwarf due 08/12 DC#2 Homerton, London
toratora due 08/12 DC#3
Mina30 due 08/12 DC#2
lal07 due 08/12 DC#2
jumpjockey due 08/12 DC#1
JamInMyWellies due 09/12 DC#2 St Johns, Chelmsford
ChutneyMary due 10/12 DC#3
Artichokes due 10/12 DC#2
hiccymapops due 11/12 DC#2
Bisou due 12/12 DC#1
fishnchips due 12/12 DC#3
Jackstini due 12/12 DC#2
kayzisexpecting due 12/12 DC#2
Alliebongo due 13/12 DC#3
KutilPutil due 13/12 DC#2
cococat due 14/12 DC#1
pootleflump due 14/12 DC#2
Katie3677 due 14/12 DC#2
monkeydops due 15/12 DC#2
Veggiemummy due 1512 DC#2 Homebirth in Derby
bunnysgirl due 16/12 DC#2
Kmp1 due 17/12 DC#1 Queen Charlottes London
chinchi due 17/12 DC#2 Calderdale Royal, Halifax
IceCube due 18/12 DC#1 Homebirth in Cheshire
snorris due 18/12 DC#5
SummerLightning 18/12 DC#1 Addenbrookes Cambridge
moaningminnie2020 due 20/12 DC#2
reban due 20/12 DC#4
hotmama due 21/12 DC#3
RhinestoneCowgirl/MaeWest due 21/12 DC#
abbymeg due 21/12 DC#2
waitinggirl 21/12/ DC#1 - Whittington, London
georgiepig due 22/12 DC#2
NineUnlikelyTales due 22/12 DC#2
hattyyellow due 22/12 DC#3
Indith due 24/12 DC#2
Turniphead1 due 24/12 DC#3- St John & Elizabeth's, North London
zoejeanne due 24/12 DC#1, Scarborough
Missmama due 25/12 DC#3
Disenchanted due 25/12 DC#3
kitkat9 due 25/12 DC#3
Annagt due 25/12 DC#1
strikey due 25/12 DC#2
GettingBiggerBird due 25/12 DC's#2&3 Homerton, London
purplepansy due 25/12 DC#3
PinguRocks due 25/12 DC#1 St Thomas' London
Jollybear due 26/12 DC#1
tm2 due 26/12 DC#1
GordontheGopher due 26/12 DC#2
Twiga/okaythen due 26/12 DC#3
LitterBug due 26/12 DC#3
Olipop due 27/12 DC#2 (one DS already age 2 1/2) - West Middlesex Hospital London
simmo14 due 27/12 DC#2
rowergirl due 27/12 DC#2
feb due 28/12 DC#2
babblington due 29/12 DC#3
EffiePerine due 30/12 DC2 Homerton, London
march29 due 31/12 DC2
JezzaJ9 due 08/12/08 Hope, Manchester

Hi everyone, sounds like it's been a fun weekend, but a little dirty for some of you! Hope you're all cleaned up now!

I've been trying to compose a list of things to buy before baby arrives - and I'm sure I've got it all wrong! Do the mothers among you have advice on useless kit, what did you buy that you never used and I should cross off my list immediately?? Thanks!

Z.x

that blue one is lovely, really cheap on sale.

Re baby kit, you need

something for them to wear (babygros, sleepsuits, hat for the winter, cardigans ditto, snowsuit or similar for when you take them outside, bootee thingies again for colder days. Don't buy too much newborn sized stuff, they grow quickly

somewhere for them to sleep (crib, moses basket, your own bed) plus sheets and blankets (cotton cellular ones you can layer)

lots of muslins

bath support for bath (or you can use a washing up bowl/sink when they're little)

changing mat, nappies, lots of cotton wool (don;t use wipes on tiny babies)

car seat - to get home from hospital

pram/buggy/sling, but you can get this afterwards if you like

er

can't think of anything else!

Useless items:

top and tail bowls
baby baths (they are heavy and pointless)
little outfits - have you tried doing up buttons on a wriggly baby? Then they puke up and you have to change them
baby wipes (see above)
changing station (use the floor, it's safer and easier)
baby bath/shampoo/toiletries - plain water best
toys (small babies don't notice them and you're not supposed to litter up cots with stuff)
cot bumpers - again, not supposed to use them for small babies

Oh and get a bigger laundry basket!

Grobags are also good, but you can't use them with newborns.

oh and if you;re planning to breastfeed, get Lansinoh, breastpads and pillows (you can get special bursing pillows but I found normal ones were better)

ooh like the red one EFFIE.

Useless items one of those nappy bin things where you store all the dirty nappies and they have cassete things which cost the earth. Just use a nappy sac and chuck it in your regular bin.

Tummy Tub for washing baby in just buy a regular bucket.

don't get any feeding kits i.e. bottles teats breast pumps sterilizers until after the birth and you know whats going on unless you are sure you are going to bottle feed. These are easy to get asap if you need.

don't get baby shoes, they are rediculous, most baby grows have feet in them the most extra you need is little socks if it cold outside. Oh and as these little darlings are due in december do get a foot muff for your pushchair.

yes baby shoes are ridiculous

also little dresses for newborn girls - they look awful! Ditto jeans on tiny boys.

and make sure everything can go in a hot wash and doesn't need ironing

masses of plain white vests and baby gros then get a couple of nice cardis when you know the flavour.

Swaddling blankets great for helping them feel secure and settled.

hi Jezza welcome, is this your first bub? My DH is up in Manchester today for a meeting, he just arrived it took him 2hrs to get up there (coming from Derby) bless him i think he might have got a bit lost even with the SatNav.

Sounds like we are all a bit shattered today, i could so just close my eyes and go to sleep but have already agreed to an afternoon out with 2 of DS's little friends and their mums. luckily they are easy to get along with and won't mind i f i just grunt a few responses to the conversation every now and then.

hey has anyone got any amazingly comfortable shoe or sandals they can recommend, my feet just don't seem to feel comfy in anything i have. was thinking of looking at clarks or somewhere like that.

Would people recommend a hand or electric breast pump
Mum has found a brand new hand pump at home, but I've heard they're exhausting?

Welcome Jezza

zoejeanne - DS lived in vests & babygros for about the first 6 months, sometimes accessorised with a cardi/jumper. My tip would be to say yes to any second hand stuff you are offered so that you can save your money for the things you have to buy new (if you don't like/want it, you can always pass on to the charity shop). We got bags and bags of clothes, a cotbed(only had to buy a new mattress) plus other bits and pieces.

Muslins were my best buy, as DS was an extremely pukey baby. We're still using them 2 yrs on as bibs, hankies, nappy boosters, impromtu towel when toddler jumps in public fountain....