Dec 08 - the one where we wonder what are our bodies going to do next?

[rosmerta]

Sorry for rubbish title, best I could do

baby carriers can be really bad for the baby and for you - if it's the baby bjorn type it doesn't support the baby's back and legs and is really bad for your back, esp as your baby gets bigger. A woven wrap will distribute the weight far better and is more versatile - they can be used up to toddler age. It takes a bit of time to get used to tying them, but it isn't that complicated (I can manage and I am the most uncoordinated woman in the world!).

I have been browsing this site: they have a great range and a handy Q&A for choosing the right sling for you:

www.bigmamaslings.co.uk/zen-cart/

the hug-a-bub is brilliant both DH and i used it for ages with DS, i'm sure it is similar to other wrap slings on the market. When DS was too big for that i bought a shoulder sling as sometimes he wanted to walk most of the way to the shop etc but wanted a carry when he got tired but i didnt want to bother taking the pushchair. I can't remember the name of the shoulder sling i got it was on that babywearing website and is really simple has a kind of mesh bit that goes under their bum and you can then distribute thier weight more evenly.

With pushchairs if you are wanting off road ones check reviews because some off road ones have really crap tyres that get punctures a lot. Also runners world has done a couple of reviews on running pushchairs so you could have a look on their website. We have a Chariot because we wanted one for cycling and running it was great, very well used, but very expensive. We bought it because at the time cycling was our main mode of transport and was very happy with it. will be able to use it when new DS is big enough as it is a double. Oh and also a warning you can't put your little monkeys in the jogging chairs until they are about 6 months all the jossling and jolting about is bad for their necks, but when they are bigger they love it.

Hello everyone. i'm new to thread and mums net. just worked out what all the DD, DS and things are!
I'm due 21st december with first DS!
Just at work trying to avoid doing any, and looking forward to escape later to do some retail thearpy at brent cross. (soz for crap spelling,thinks its the hormones)
Got a wedding in september and planning my outfit with military prescison so don't look like a frump- so far finding sizings ok in shops (H&M best) and i am size 16 pre pregnancy, hope this doesn't change the bigger i get, erm mean finding clothes to fit! I also love the m&s materni-tee black tops, good lycra.
I took someone's advice about buying tights from evans instead of the maternity ones, however having got them home and took out of packet not sure the waist band will stretch

hi preggiejane welcome, nice to meet you. I found H&M went up a couple of sizes, but love their clothes. Can't help you with tights i vary rarely wear them but they do stretch heaps don't they or could you kind of tuck them under your bump?

I used to work up in Hamsptead so very familiar with the Brent Cross sneak off.

I'm wearing pre-preg jeans today and DH saw them and asked me if they weren't a bit uncomfortable as they were so tight. I nearly wept. But they're ok. got a hair-bobble tying up the button, so it's alright. But I think by the end of the day they might be digging in a bit! Thank goodness for bumpbands as well.

*PreggieJane) - I've got M&S maternitee t-shirt as well - marvellous. Also for upcoming winter, got these which are great. Very comfortable.

I don't like being naked at the moment. Can't recognise myself in the mirror at all, find it extraordinary and a bit depressing! All round tummy and pointy norks!

thankyou veggiemummy love hampstead too- would prob be bankcrupt if i worked there!
its great to read stuff from other mums at same stage of pregnancy as me, even though i go to a yoga class with other preggies we're all at various stages and the DH can only indulge in so much body talk before switchin off!

oh and I would really recommend H&M mat vest tops - 3.99 each and LONG and stretchy. Am wearing one today under my new H&M stripy purple top and it's reallt comfy. I find normal tight roll down over my bump, not sure about Evans ones. Again, M&S do maternity tights, but the nearest store to me that stocks maternity is (of course) Marble Arch

hi preggiejane! veggie I am getting one of those Chariot things hopefully, a biking friend of mine already has his reserved for us to buy off him when sproggie arrives. Is it ok as a pushchair as well - I assumed it would kind of work but wouldn't be that great, but then I think i was viewing it mainly as a biking trailer.

so i am a bit worried as I went out for a cycle with some friends last night and when I got to the pub with them, I started getting pains in my stomach, kind of tightening pains that would come and go, lasting about 15-30 secs. So I got a taxi home, thinking I will ring midwife when i get home, but obviously when I got home it had stopped so I didn't bother! I am assuming that it was probably from riding scrunched over for over an hour, and everything getting a bit squashed, but was a bit scared at the time that it could be contractions yikes, is this possible? Should I ring the on-call midwife (my normal one apparently on hols this week). I am seeing her next Weds anyway so can ask then?

I probably should have not gone out as I had heartburn before going out, but it was my friends biking "hen do" with all the blokes in drag, and I couldn't miss it! And I am giving up "proper" cycling with mates now I think it is time!

On the slings, everyone I know in RL has used the baby bjorn ones and thinks they are fine/great, everyone on here seems to slag them off!! Confused!

i know what you mean Beans i keep looking down at my boobs in complete astonishment that they are on my body. I have to warn you of a similar situation after they baby is born. Someone mentioned about the fact that your tummy doesn't go straight back down which is true but the other thing is your hips. I had fairly small hips due to lots of running and the fact that the bone structure wasn't that big anyway but after DS was born and i had lost some weight and was back running i still had these big literally child bearing hips and as i still had big BFing boobs i looked in the mirror and from the head down it wasn't me it was really weird and a bit upsetting (well exc boobs i loved them) then a friend told me it takes 9months to get them to the size they need to be and 9 months to go back and sure enough 9 months after DS was born my hips went back to their normal size. very weird what this pregnancy thing does to your body.

beans33 those tops look nice too! charmin DH. i hated looking in mirror at first too, but now as getting obvious bump don't mind- as long as its a quick dash past. I've found that i'm getting those little red spot things on body, called spider something...but due to increase in blood flow.

SL - those sound a bit like braxton hicks, which I'm having quite regularly. tummy goes all tight like a drum and it's a really weird feeling. But strangely quite nice too. I'd probably ring the MW for peace o f mind and you can chat in more detail next week. Apparently the braxon hicks things are quite nice for the baby too as they give it a bit of a massage. Although god only knows where someone came up with that idea - it's not like they can ask the baby is it??!

I've had 3 pieces of toast with marmite on this morning and I'm still hungry. I feel like the Big Hungry Caterpillar... "But she was STILL hungry". Honestly. Can't stop.

Off to inlaws this weekend. I'm very lucky with them as they're so kind and lovely, but FIL does tend to call me fatty. Find it a bit depressing!

SL they are great as a pushchair they have these little swivel wheels that tuck away in the back when we were cycling or running then took the other bit off (which also tucked away) and popped the swivel wheels on it was great, very smooth with them and very manouverable. We only used them when between places on bike or when we had got where we were running to (we ofen ran into city center for yum cha) never used it exclusively for pushchair as it is a double so a bit big and not as convenient as pushchair but very comfy for DS check if your friend has the baby insert for under 10months it is a little chair thing that straps into the chariot and is reclined and very comfortable, when DS first got into it he was so happy he cold see out of the chariot really well and fall asleep really easily. It is a brilliant chair, the cycle place we bought it off was our local one and they ordered for us and when it came they were amazed at how brilliant it is how well thought out, and non of them have children.

oh SL forgot to add i used to get the same thing running in last pregnancy, unfortunately it is a bit of a sign that maybe you should stop the cycling. I managed to run up until 28 weeks last time but if i ran any more than 30mins i would get these cramping pains in my side and would have to stop and walk them off eventually they took longer to stop so i took it as a sign to give up. Sorry might be time to get off your bike.

Thanks veggie sounds like nothing to worry about then, I knew I was pushing it still riding with my fast bloke friends and yesterday was meant to be my last ride with them anyway! I shall ask the midwife on Weds, take it totally easy til then and ring if I get it happen again before then.

Oh it's only 11 and I am HUNGRY!

Morning dear girls and hello Preggiejane,

Great about the scan Olipop, I see you are remaining reticent about the sex (I'm so nosey).

I'm getting a Bugaboo Chameleon. I think it's going to be too heavy for me but DP is dead set on it, specifically the dark denim one and if he wants to shell out I can't be bothered drawing it out any further. I'm just hoping it will be ok and that I will be able to use it for more than a few months. It's got to do for both country and city so a big ask.

I have also bought a sling. I didn't know about them before but everyone raves about them on Mumsnet so I bought into the hype. I got it from John Lewis (they should start paying us for advertising - which reminds me, let us know how they respond to your letter, Verso) and they provide a heavy beany doll the weight of a baby to test them with! It seems very padded and comfy. I am a little worried about using it though because I suspect I will love it too much and then the baby will turn into one of those ones that cries every time it isn't being worn by Mum (that's what all the books say, so do put me straight).

I had a spree at H&M but am still failing to find jeans than fit right as my thighs are too fat. I was a 10-12 pre-pregnancy, now a 14 is comfy, even in maternity wear. But size 16 H&M jeans were too tight around my hips and thighs and that's RIDICULOUS because I might have slung a bit on but I am nowhere near a 16. (Er, yet!) Anyway, I found some purple jeans that were a 14 and they were fine. I forgot about the vests, Effie, so I'll have to go back...Oh, you mentioned Gap maternity - there's one in the Gap nearest to Oxford Circus.

As for tights, don't do what I did and cut a vertical slit in the waistband so they sit under the bump. They won't and they ended up sagging right down my thighs, way past my bum, but underneath my jeans. It felt vile. I am wearing some great opaque black support knee highs, again from John Lewis. They are not the epitome of glamour, but not too hot under trousers and comfy as all hell.

LT i wouldn't ake it personally with H&M jeans much as i love their maternity range many of their clothes i find have a dodgy cut. I had the same thing as you i went up to the 16 and it was too tight around the thighs (was also 10-12 prepreg) but i liked the jean so much i went against my principles and went up to the 18 they fit well and as i i wear them they loosen, and now i am constantly pulling them up cos they slide down even though they are over bump ones. I went back and got a pair of cargo pants in the 16 that felt tight around the thighs but have orn them in an they are fine. I think it is just the cut of H&M clothes they are made for women whose thighs are the same width as their carves!!

olipop great news on the scan, sounds like a lovely day off as well!

We got a travel system last time and wished we hadn't! The 3-wheeler was good for when we walked by the river but it was far too bulky for the buses and heavy to carry. Plus we bought it & then SIL gave us a car seat so we ended up with 2 car seats! We've still got it but not sure if its going to get used at all. Am definitely getting a sling though and think a combination of sling, buggyboard & Mclaren will do the job.

There's also a Gap up towards Selfridges that stocks maternity stuff. I found their summer stuff pretty rubbish, but found a long black cardy for £15 and a wrap around dress for a tenner in the sale - brilliant. So was happy - might head back there for autumn stuff.

I've got some lovely maternity jeans, but they're really baggy ones, so I feel like I need a smarter, tighter pair. am heading to H&M at Oxford Circus today to try and find them. I have been borrowing a friend's pair from H&M which are great, but a size 12 and therefore getting impossible to fit my enormous butt into them. Plus the underbump band is digging into the bump and making me and the beastie, really uncomfortable. he/she kicks like a dervish when I wear them. So am going to go and brave the jeans today - got a feeling I'll be well into size 16 ones!!!

ooh yes, olipop - did you find out the sex?

i have a pair of new look maternity jeans and found the fit although not perfect, fit better than others (shudderin at image of camel toe horrors

LT: I went for the 16 trousers (also a 10-12 pre-pg) and they fit pretty well. In Topshop I'm still a 12, so it may be worth going there (the Oxfrd St one stocks maternty - us eht side entrance on Regents St). Di you get the purple canvassy one? I got them in black (boring but versatile) plus the skinny trousers in chocolate. Oh and a massive chunky cardi for when I get too big for my coat!

I'm quite of everyone shopping at Gap, H&M & Topshop. No way can I fit in their clothes! Mothercare's maternity clothes seems to have really gone downhill as well.

Fortunately I still have my clothes from last time which are all winter clothes so they'll come in handy in a couple of months,

Yes, I would so love to have those legs like twiglets that stay that way even if you put on weight elsewhere, but I have never had 'em, not even in the good old days in my twenties when I was a size 8

oh and another good sling place is here

www.thecarryingkind.com

if anyone wants to try a sling, I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a new one (nesting has a lot to answer for) so will have a spare wrap in a linen/cotton mix - if you're in London and would like to borrow one before shelling out am very happy to lend

Hi Zoejeanne - thanks, yes feeling better today - am going to take the dog for a big long walk and then get a healthy sandwich for lunch. Came unstuck at DH last night over it all for no apparent reason - just feeling fat and homesick i guess. He is a doc and tried to explain percentiles (i'm having big baby boy!) and baby related weight to me but I tend to glaze over when he gets too scientific, and then he reassured me if I stop the porker diet and start eating only healthy calories i can probably control only gaining baby weight from now rather than more fat - however shifting existing fat will be hard although not impossible unless I frequent GBK!
Anyway, welcome to preggiejane sorry for my rant yesterday everyone! Glad all the scans have gone well.

Effie, they're sort of jeany more than canvasy, but I think they did have them in black as well as purple. I got one of those long cream chunky cardigans, a long black t shirt, a deep red cardigan with a sort of cabling effect around the elbows and above the bump, a white t shirt with a button at the back (in nice see throughy, textured jersey) and a brown check shirt from the reduced rail. What a spendy Wendy, but I had a few vouchers to spend which covered half of the bill.

I LOVE shopping. I also bought a bag from downstairs, which is a huge shiny black patent thing, which I am going to use as my changing bag. It's giant with a nice wide strap.