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First time mums expecting Spring babies

970 replies

FlirtyThirty · 19/08/2008 11:38

Hello!

I'm expecting my first baby on 24 April. I'm currently only 4+4 but have NO symptoms at all! Have just retested as I'm convinced I've imagined it!

Went to Dr yesterday to share the news and have to wait for hospital 'choose & book' paperwork so that I can arrange first scan for around 10 October.

There seems to be so many decisions to make all of a sudden...

Anyway...just wondered how you other first timers were finding things...or your other halves for that matter. Mine is still in total shock in spite of this being a planned baby!

Flirty x

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Bicnod · 24/02/2009 18:12

hey lovely spring mums...

i too am convinced i'm going to be early - do you think it's just wishful thinking?!

baby going crazy at the moment - ridiculously active and hiccupy all the time. i think i'm in for NO sleep at all when he/she comes along.

so, kingston girls we're meeting at 2pm on 15 march - shall we meet in Starbucks in the Bentalls Centre? Just because it's easy to find and close to the station... how are we going to find each other?!

i've just eaten two bowls of coco pops - not very healthy - and am going to have lots of pancakes for tea. oh well

x x x

PuzzleRocks · 24/02/2009 18:54

Sorry for the hijack. Bicnod - message for you here.

BrightSideOfLife · 25/02/2009 15:37

Hello all!

I am definitely on for the 15th March. Good point on how to find each other...the bumps alone might be awkward if any other pregnant woman are having coffee alone (And get approached by us random strangers!!)

bicnod I wonder if coco-pops are compulsory in pregnancy - I also had a huge bowl this morning. I love them at the moment.

evs It sounds like you have been busy and it has been worth it What colour / theme have you gone for in the nursery?

CE So you now have 2 more days at work? How exciting! I hope your last few days are going well.

bicnod My baby does the same thing with sticking its bum out on the one side and wedging its feet on the other side at the same time. It can get VERY uncomfortable! I have one of those glider chairs and although I haven't set-up the chair yet (It is a birthday gift and it isn't my birthday yet ) I already use the footrest and it is a life saver. We bought it from kiddicare for less than £100 and seems brilliant from what I can tell?

I am well - 5 weeks until mat leave starts and I cannot WAIT!

Hope everyone else is well,

mizzannie · 27/02/2009 08:20

hello all! i know this is rather late in the day but have ben reading your thread and so much more manageable than the april thread. can i join?

35 weeks, baby in st mary's b centre, just started mat leave woohoo, feeling very large but happy and calm. hope you are all well - have there been any early births on this thread yet?

pinkadink · 27/02/2009 11:47

Hi All

Welcome Mizzannie . Of course you can join. If you tell me your due date I'll add you to the list.

ChocolateEclair you must be very excited about going off on maternity leave today. No news of any early babies yet though Lolianja sounded like she was getting very close.

Lolianja hope things are going well for you. Am really looking forward to hearing your baby news. You can't have long to wait now (or have maybe already had your baby)?

Evs34 how lovely to have the nursery all finished. What colour did you go for? Our furniture finally arrived yesterday so going to help DH build it at the weekend - will pass the nuts and bolts and read the instructions . Have already gor the border, curtains and lightshade up - all neutral Winnie the Pooh theme, so once we have the furniture built that should just about be us there with the nursery too. Really looking forward to seeing it all finished.

Brightside what chair did you go for on Kiddicare - was it the Baby Weavers one? I can't decide between that and the Dutailier Sophie one. Hmmmm decisions decisions.

I have my next midwife appointment on Thursday so really hoping she'll be able to tell me my baby is head down. The last time I went she wasn't sure of the position. Feels to me like baby's lying sort of sideways but pretty difficult to tell. If she still can't tell does anyone know if they send you for a scan to check at this stage (I'll be 34 weeks when I go)?

Hi to everyone else . Hope you and your bumps are all well.

ChocEclair · 01/03/2009 14:58

Oooo we have had our first birth! Now I'm scared! Link here to Lolianja's story wow

I am happy to have started my ML although feeling quite overwhelmed by everything. 4 weeks and counting!

welcome to mizzannie - never too late to join! The big antenatal threads are hard work aren't they!

teeheelaydee · 01/03/2009 15:36

Hello Springmums

Oh gosh the first baby - scary or marvellous - I can't quite make up my mind. Have been so busy lately have not had a chance to post but have been poking head round the door and glad to see that everyone seems to be feeling a mixture of excitement (Not sure that is really the right word but have yet to find a more suitable one) and nerves/downright panic!

Nice to see some more joining me on ML as well - was starting to feel a bit of a slacker.

Evs & pinkadink The nurseries sound lovely and it is a real milestone I think when they start looking baby friendly rather than a junk room (as ours was) Pinkadink I steered well clear of the building bit as could hear the swearing. Have been let off all the boring painting and stuff and have just pottered about putting things in drawers and on shelfs and stuff - Must get a chair so I can just sit and relax in there.

Speaking of which - what did you choose Brightside I am trying a Grandad chair from my Dad first but if that is not comfy may invest in a nursing chair - if BF is going well!

Nice to see another newbie Mizzannie Know what you mean about the April thread - it is seriously fast! When's your due date.

Off to do some more baby shopping - ah the internet is a wonderful thing!

Bicnod · 01/03/2009 20:50

Oooooooooooo - how exciting about Lolianja so she's our first new mummy...

Hi everyone and welcome Mizzannie

I'm 31+6 today and feeling VERY tired... spent this afternoon painting the baby's room yellow and it still needs another coat i started off with such enthusiasm and now i'm a bit bored of painting - does that make me a bad mummy-to-be?! i feel i should be singing while painting or something but i'm just sooooooo tired...

DH and i are off to brighton for the weekend and i can't wait... our last break away without mini-bicnod, scary thought.

only 4 weeks left until maternity leave - woop woop

right, feeling a bit baby brain so going to bed

can't wait for 15th march meet up kingston girlies x x

mizzannie · 02/03/2009 08:45

hello all - thanks for the welcome! i am due 3rd april and so far absolutely loving mat leave. planning lots of treats like lunches out, pedicure, day trips etc.

bicnod - enjoy brighton, i used to live there and feel quite nostalgic for it!

pinkadink - it's hard to tell where the baby is isn't it? think my baby is head down but back to back which is spose to be not great, more painful labour etc. but plenty of time for things to change.

choceclair - weird to be counting down rather than counting up isn't it?

enjoy the sunshine today!

BrightSideOfLife · 02/03/2009 17:22

Hello all,

What a lovely weekend - it was a good mix of productive, social & relaxing. We built the cot, attended a 2nd birthday Party (How exausting) and I managed to fit in a lovely sunday-afternoon nap!

I am having a very uncomfortable few days, the baby has its bottom wedged under my right-hand ribs and enjoys bracing its feet and pushing up. Now that is something that I never thought I would say: I have a little bottom wedged in my ribs!

Welcome mizzannie I know what you mean about the main antenatal threads. I still read the May thread to keep up but am completely daunted by the prospect of posting, things move so fast! Your mat leave sounds like heaven...

bicnod our nursery is also yellow (Although I made DH paint it...while I supervised ) Enjoy your weekend away.

pink I went for the Baby Weavers chair (They didn't have the Dutailier when I bought). The quality seems OK...admittedly not the same as the top range ones, but comfortable enouand well worth the money.

teehee I also love just pottering around the nursery (which - as you say) is now looking slightly less like a junk room and more like a nursery. I can't believe that it is going to be some-one's bedroom!

Hello to everyone else I might have missed. I am really looking forward to the Kingston meet-up!

evs34 · 03/03/2009 16:03

congratulations lolianja. how exciting. our first baby!

hope you are all well and new arrival settling in well.

it is lovely not being in work though i do feel a bit guilty waving hubbie off in the morning. feeling v v tired today, like a big slug infact.

we are having a night away in a gorgeous spa hotel on thursday night for a bit of pampering and time together. looking forward to getting away as all i seem to think about is pregnancy and what lies ahead - quite exhausting at times!

i am starting to fret that our scans are wrong and that the baby will be a boy! entire nursery and lots of clothes are pink so not sure what i will do! agghhhh. anyone else worrying about this?

lol, evs xx

littleduck · 04/03/2009 21:01

Hi springmums

First of all congrats to Lolianja on the arrival of your little boy!!! Hope you are both doing well.

Had 32 week ante-natal check with GP today. All basically fine - bp up a tiny bit but that's just me, my blood pressure readings are always all over the show and no protein or sugar in urine or swelling/itching/headaches etc so GP wasn't worried. Heartbeat nice and strong, little Microduck rather naughtily tried to kick the Sonicaid off when the GP was listening to the heartbeat and kept trying to push GP's hands away when she was feeling my tummy to see which way Micro was lying!

Looking forward to Kingston meet up, was there last weekend with my mum who was visiting from the West Country, we did a little shop for baby stuff at John Lewis and bought hospital bag stuff at Mothercare - I am very well stocked with maternity pads, breast pads and nipple cream!!!!!

Hope everyone is well

Littleduck xx

pinkadink · 04/03/2009 21:21

Congratulations to Lolianja - how exciting (and slightly scary) to have our first baby. Thanks for the link to the birth story ChocEclair. Glad you're enjoying your maternity leave.

Teehee hope you had fun internet shopping for baby stuff - what did you buy?

Bicnod you're definitely not a bad mummy-to-be for getting bored with the painting, especially when you realise it needs a second coat. We decided not to paint the baby's room as it was already magnolia so just put up a border . Maybe a bit lazy but it looks really nice anyway. We got all the furniture built so that's the nursery pretty much finished apart from a chair which I'm going to order fairly soon. Think I'll put it in the lounge for the last few weeks of pregnancy as the sofa is getting a bit uncomfortable now. Hope you had a lovely weekend away in Brighton.

Brightside sounds like you had a lovely weekend. I loved getting our cot built up and also love passing the baby's room and looking in at it. Our baby also enjoys bracing itself with feet on one side and bottom (or what I hope is a bottom if it's head down) on the other.

Evs hope you're feeling a bit less tired today. Don't worry about your scans being wrong. Sure they won't be. If they are I think it would be a bit of a surprise at first but you'll probably quickly feel like Lolianja and her partner and not be able to imagine your baby as anything else (followed by exchanging the clothes and repainting the nursery ). Enjoy your spa break tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you while I'm at work .

Mizzannie your maternity leave sounds fab. I've added you to the list.

Have also updated and added a baby list for Lolianja's baby news. Hope this is okay with everyone?

BabiesList_

1st March - Lolianja, Essex/Lancs: James Mark Nicholas Andrew, 9lb 8.5oz

StilltoPop

March
23 March - Rosa7 - SURPRISE - Kings College London
24 March - BinkyB - TWINS - Chelsea & Westminster
28 March - ChocolateEclair - SURPRISE - North Yorkshire
28 March - DaisyJ ? SURPRISE ? Lewisham (home preferably)

April
3 April - skiingone - GIRL - Portland Hospital
3 April - Kalikaroo - SURPRISE - Scandinavia
3 April - Mizzannie - St Mary's Birth Centre
4 April - Peaches174 - SURPRISE - Kings College London
4 April - Bleuravin - SURPRISE- Cardiff
8 April - Evs34 - GIRL - North Yorkshire
9 April - BarbarellaNz - TRIPLETS - Chelsea and Westminster
11 April - SpringySunshine - Jessops Sheffield
12 April - Brettgirl2 - GIRL - Warwickshire
14 April - Girlylala0807 - Edinburgh
16 April - Pinkadink - SURPRISE - Edinburgh
18 April - Salbysea - Dorset
19 April - Kittycat8 - GIRL - Epsom Hospital
20 April - FlossieF - BOY - Birmingham
21 April - Beth29
23 April - Elpis - GIRL - Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, London
24 April - FlirtyThirty - SURPRISE - Kingston Hospital
27 April - Bicnod - Kingston Hospital
27 April - Littleduck - Kingston Hospital

May
1 May - BrightSideOfLife - SURPRISE - Kingston Hospital
1 May - Due1stMay09
2 May - Heverhoney - GIRL - QE Woolwich
15 May - Saz007 - SURPRISE - Durham

July
9 July - bellybaba - Homebirthing

girlylala0807 · 06/03/2009 20:33

Hi all,

thanks for the comments about the rocking chair! I have to admit I sit in in it in a bit of a daydream. Im at the point at the moment where all childbirth fears are out the window and I just cant wait to meet the baby!!!

Last day at work tomorrow, 3 more weeks at uni then maybe I can have a rest.

My shoulder is much better, thanks for all the support!

Pinadink: I am going to the Royal, I only have 1 more ante natal class, they have been fine. My lovely midwife took them so It was nice. I could not have afforded NCT classes but im sure if I would have went if money not an option.

Im getting sooo excited for everyone!!!

ChocEclair · 07/03/2009 10:17

morning spring Mum's!

No births this week then?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first week of ML - been for some lovely long walks in the sunshine to get baby moving southwards!

We also had our 37 week presentation scan on thursday just to check he/she is head down and ready to go - all was well! It was fab to see the little face again so clearly!

I dreamt that the baby was a GIRL last night - all dressed in pink! I've thought it was prob a boy until now so it's quite odd!

Hope everyone is well - all counting down now rather than up! Woo hoo!

CE xx

skiingone · 10/03/2009 15:36

Hello girls,

Hope that everyone is feeling ok today!
Sorry for looong silence, but I now do have something to report.

My little girl Marianna was born on the 12/02. So a WINTER baby not a spring one!

Sorry this is long, but here are the details of my BS.

On the 11/02 at about 00.30 I woke up feeling that something walk has leaked out of me and thinking that these could be my waters. It was not a lot, but I definitely knew it was waters ( not urine or discharge), so I called the hospital and they asked to make my way to them. On arrival I was assessed, the consultant confirmed the rupturing of membranes and has given me my first lot of steroids at 04.00 AM to help baby's lungs develop faster in case she was coming. I was monitored overnight, had a scan next morning which showed that the baby was happy and there was still enough water. I got given the second lot of steroids at 4PM and got sent home to see what happens. I only managed to get home, have a shower and as I didn;t slep most of the prevous night I decided to have some rest. My husband was measuring my temperature every 30 minutes as instructed ny the hospital and unfortunately the temperature started to go up: 32,3, 32.4.

My consultant called and asked me to come back to the hospital. All this time I continued to loose waters. When I arrived the consultant checked me for signs of labour ( there were none), measured my pulse which was very high and temperature which kept rising and announced that she has to come out now, in the next hour by emergency c section...to avoid an exposure to possible infection. From this moment it all was extremely fast, within 5 minutes I had an epidural and about 15 minutes later at 23.20 on the 12/02 she was out. Mariana didn't need help with breathing ( steroids must have helped) and was just about 2 kilos which was great weight for her and has a full head of brown hair. I could only see her for 5 seconds before she was taken by the doctors. Her Apgar score was 8 at 1 minute and 9 at 5 minutes.

Although it was a great shock as I never expected anything like that, the pd was going really well ( except for SPD which vanished as soon as she was out) I'm really glad she was in good shape and my consultant didn't waste any time getting her out. The tests didn't show any infection but during c section the doctors mentioned that the placenta and membraned were turning yellow which was not a good sign.

We have spent 3 weeks in the hospital with me spending the first 10 days there as a patient as well ( I had severe reaction to the antibiotics) and then travelling between home and hospital to get Marianna to learn to feel independently ( she had a tube for feeding for the first 2.5 weeks). 6 days ago she started breastfeeding and kept gaining weight ( she was 2kg 450gr on discharge) and I stayed with her for the last 4 days to make sure she feeds. We left the hospital last Friday afternoon after 22 days in intensive and special care. Now we are home and trying to settle. She is feeding every 2-3 hours day and night. As I missed out on my antenatal classes ( they were supposed to start one week after she was born) I'm learning it all on the job and becoming an expert day by day.

While at the hospital we also had a scare of a entero virus that she tested positive catching it from another baby in NICU ( her nose swab showed traces of the virus). She end up having 40 ml of immunoglobuline, chest x-ray, blood tests every day for 5 days, antibiotics just in case, while we waited for the 10 day incubation period to be over, but luckily the virus didn't develop.

Thank you for all your support.Wishing you all great last months/weeks of pregnancy and easy deliveries.
Hugs

Elpis · 10/03/2009 22:26

skiingone - that sounds incredibly traumatic, but you also sound very brave. Congratulations - I am so glad Marianna is healthy. This kind of story makes me very glad we're all pregnant in 2009 and live in places with such good care. It sounds as though she's strong and growing fast.

I have a breastfeeding workshop on Sunday - anyone else been to one? Apparently we're encouraged to bring partners, but it seems a bit cruel ...

evs34 · 11/03/2009 09:36

Oh my goodness skiingone. CONGRATULATIONS. glad you are both home and doing well. it all sounds a bit scary.

Elpis - my hubbie came along to our breast feeding session as did all other partners and i think they all found it v helpful. The more he knows the better as he might need to give you support and help if you decide to breast feed.

hope everyone else is keeping well. maternity leave is wonderful! have my 36 week app with midwife later.

take care. love evs xxxx

BrightSideOfLife · 11/03/2009 11:33

Congratulations skiingone

It sounds like a really traumatic experience but little Marianna seems to be a real fighter and I am glad that everything is going well. How are you feeling after the c-section?

elpis I started NCT classes last week and had my breastfeeding session yesterday. My hubby couldn't go and I wasn't too worried because I wasn't sure how important it would be for him. In retrospect I wish he had been there as I had completely underestimated what a large role the partners can play.

evs34 your mat leave sounds lovely....3 and a half weeks to go for me and I cannot wait!!

ChocEclair · 11/03/2009 12:18

Oh my Goodness skiingone!!! Massive congratulations to you both and baby Marianna - what a beautiful name! i have to say it does sound like a crazy start to motherhood for you, I can't imagine how scared you must have been. So very pleased that all is well now and you are settling in at home.

Any chance of a piccie?

elpis - 1 of our 4 parentcraft classes was entirely devoted to feeding. DP was quite anxious that he would be embarassed but in the end he said he was glad he went. As brightside says, the partner's role is very important. He needs to bring you food and drink and look after things while you devote all your energies to the feeding. A definite team effort!

Well, yesterday was interesting. I thought I was starting in labour. I had gone on a long walk and started having really strong contraction type pains. It lasted about 20 mins but as soon as I got sat down it all stopped! I was getting excited though! MIL says it just means things are moving in the right direction! Only 2 weeks and 3 days to go!

pinkadink · 11/03/2009 16:09

Wow Skiingone! Firstly huge congratulations on the birth of your baby girl . Marianna is such a lovely name. Sounds like you've been through alot in the last few weeks, but so pleased you're both home now and getting settled. It's also fantastic that both Marianna and you are managing breastfeeding after everything that's happened. I could well be on here in a few weeks asking for your expert advice.

Elpis I have a breastfeeding workshop next week and am going to try to persuade DH to come. I think it's probably easier for someone else to see if you're positioning the baby correctly on the breast rather than knowing if you're doing it properly yourself IYSWIM, so if he can learn about it too hopefully he can help me if I have any problems.

Evs34 glad you're loving your maternity leave. Two days to go at work for me before I can join you as a lady of leisure, hopefully for a few weeks before baby arrives.

ChocEclair definitely sounds like things are moving in the right direction - could be any day for you now - how exciting. Do you feel prepared for the birth?

Hi to everyone else - hope you're all well .

skiingone · 12/03/2009 11:50

Thanks girls!

It's all good not she is at home and she is ONE month old tonight!!!
Didn't have much time to recover from c-section properly as had to run around first between floors in the hospital and then betwen home and hospital. But for those who have any SPD pain - it disappeared now completely.

Marianna is doing well. I ordered baby scales as I'm not sure how she is growing, but she definitely is as I can notice that her premature nappy size is getting too tight. I'm having problems resizing photos with the program I have to put on the site. I will try to look into it soon.

Choceclair - that sounds like you're going to have a little baby soon!!!

PS - my experience with things for babies:
I have a nursing chair with a foot support and it's really good for those long night feeds ( I use it for every feed as we are stil working on geting used to each other). I highly recommend if you can get one, but one can definitely get by without if there is no space for it.
Alos muslin sqares are useful for keping on your knees when feeding and winding the baby and stretchy kind of blankets and good for wrapping them. Make sue all clothes you buy opens from the front and has poppers ( not buttons). All the baby needs is vests and babygrows ( like body suits).
Moses basket is very handy for moving her from room to room with me and you'll also need lots of tissues as the baby will bring up milk. Cotton wool is good for cleaning the baby, but cotton pads are best for drying ( patting dry) after cleaning. Also clear yellow parafin cream is great to use on the bum after each change to avoid nappy rash.

Hugs

Hugs

Hugs

Bicnod · 13/03/2009 14:31

Hey girls - Brighton was fab lots of walking, sleeping, eating, talking. It was just so nice to be away from home and having no organising/DIY to do...

Wowwwwweeeeeeeeee! congratulations skiingone - that is so fantastic... Marianna is a gorgeous name and you must be so pleased that she is home safe and sound now.

Evs - lol at feeling like a big slug

kingston mums, so are we still on for meet up this sunday? we said 2pm in starbucks at the bentalls centre - shall we meet outside starbucks at 2pm as we might not be able to find each other once we're inside, and pregnant women hanging around outside on their own should be pretty easy to spot?! i think its littleduck, brightside, flirty (although haven't heard from flirty in ages...) and me - anyone else able to come along?

x

Bicnod · 13/03/2009 14:35

p.s. new list updated with skiingone's news:

Babies_List

12th February - Skiingone: Marianna, 2kg

1st March - Lolianja, Essex/Lancs: James Mark Nicholas Andrew, 9lb 8.5oz

StilltoPop

March
23 March - Rosa7 - SURPRISE - Kings College London
24 March - BinkyB - TWINS - Chelsea & Westminster
28 March - ChocolateEclair - SURPRISE - North Yorkshire
28 March - DaisyJ ? SURPRISE ? Lewisham (home preferably)

April
3 April - Kalikaroo - SURPRISE - Scandinavia
3 April - Mizzannie - St Mary's Birth Centre
4 April - Peaches174 - SURPRISE - Kings College London
4 April - Bleuravin - SURPRISE- Cardiff
8 April - Evs34 - GIRL - North Yorkshire
9 April - BarbarellaNz - TRIPLETS - Chelsea and Westminster
11 April - SpringySunshine - Jessops Sheffield
12 April - Brettgirl2 - GIRL - Warwickshire
14 April - Girlylala0807 - Edinburgh
16 April - Pinkadink - SURPRISE - Edinburgh
18 April - Salbysea - Dorset
19 April - Kittycat8 - GIRL - Epsom Hospital
20 April - FlossieF - BOY - Birmingham
21 April - Beth29
23 April - Elpis - GIRL - Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, London
24 April - FlirtyThirty - SURPRISE - Kingston Hospital
27 April - Bicnod - SURPRISE - Kingston Hospital
27 April - Littleduck - Kingston Hospital

May
1 May - BrightSideOfLife - SURPRISE - Kingston Hospital
1 May - Due1stMay09
2 May - Heverhoney - GIRL - QE Woolwich
15 May - Saz007 - SURPRISE - Durham

July
9 July - bellybaba - Homebirthing

littleduck · 13/03/2009 20:35

Hi Springmums

Skiingone - many congrats on Marianna's arrival, so pleased to hear you are doing well after a somewhat traumatic start.

Kingston Girls - yup still up for Sunday, which floor is the Starbucks on in Bentalls? Looking forward to meeting all of you!

Big hello to everyone else - supper in oven and nearly ready so must dash!!!!

Littleduck xx