Due september thread 5

[mummyhill]

Thanks I thought it would be really difficult to start a new one and silly me it couldn't be simpler.

I am luckier this time round with dd i never saw the same midwife twice this time i have seen the same person at the gp's surgery every time.

Hi all monday blues have kicked in don't want to go to work tonight, house is driving me barmy don't think it will ever be tidy again.

On the other hand DD has been really good today and i haven't been sick over the weekend. Have been feeling a bit better within myself so maybe i will start to bloom soon!!!

Glad to report that all seems well - little babe's heartbeat heard loud and clear which was really reassuring. I know I am really really lucky to have a doctor with a sonicaid at work - especially given the time it takes to get a GP appointment these days!!!

Rhumba, where would your yoga class be? I've just started one at St Marks Church hall, Bromley south, which was very highly recommended. Had to wait about 4 weeks as was also a waiting list. Really enjoyed it last week.

SandyR - thinking of you - hope eveything is ok.

How is everyone feeling regarding tiredness? I just feel exhausted - probably as I spend my time running after my other dds. All my iron levels are fine so this is reassuring. Just feel like sleeping for a week - how realistic is that!!

Mummyhill - glad that you had a good scan last week. They must all be coming up soon now. I have mine next Monday.
I haven't found that people touch my bump yet - and didn't get that with the other two either - I must look too intimidating! and I'd probably just hit them! but the bump is definately there.
I ordered some more maternity trousers from Next last week and although they are drawstring they are still a bit big - most of the elasticated ones fit OK so I'll have to stick with those for a while.

Anyone got any recommendations for mail order maternity clothes? Would like to get some long skirts and long tops for the summer. Have an isabella oliver long skirt which is fab but would like some others.

can't really help Milward - only things I have are from Next or JoJo Maman Bebe (sale stuff).

I ordered my maternity uniform for work about ten weeks ago the trousers still haven't arrived but got the tops last night i laughed so hard i cried, the don't do a specific maternity top they ordered me tops that are three times larger than my usuall ones they look like tents on me and the sleeves finish round my knees wish we could wear our own but it all has to be in corporate colours with the corporate logo, lime green and blue don't exactly suit me but never mind at least we wear plain black trousers but i don't want to ruin mine so the ones that have been ordered had better turn up soon.

Blooming marvellous are meant to be good -
here

I have ordered stuff from funmum.com which has been really nice. To be honest I found the blooming marvellous things quite boring and sent most of it back. The best trousers I bought for work were in Topshop, plain black with the adjusters at the back so they look like my other tailored ones and go with anything. The best casual trousers I bought were like cargo pants from Dorothy Perkins in a khaki colour and they look and feel great. I think both Topshop and DPerkins do mail order from the internet too. I was quite surprised with the quality and I can probably wear them afterwards without them looking like maternity stuff.

Have been reading a leaflet on tax credits etc and am still no wiser as to what if anything we can claim!!! What do they class as a low income? Why do the leaflets and claim forms have to be full of so much jargon? Have filled in the tax credits form on line so i suppose i will have to wait and hear if i can claim anything for DD, if we can we will deffinatley be able to cliam for this one to. Have been paying into the system since i was sixteen so and never claimed except me maternity allowance so i thought i might as well give it a shot.

Thanks Zubb - their stuff looks great, and not as expensive as some I've looked at. Think I'll pop over to the Fulham shop on Sunday and have a look.

Have been researching buggies (another busy day at work) and quite like the look of the Phil & Ted E3 (having said I didn't want a 3 wheeler!). Anyone got one of these? Do you like it? Anyone have any other recommendations?

I am a HUGE advocate of Mountain Buggies. I have a double urban and its great - easy to manouvre, easy to fold and the kids like sitting in it too. It fits through all the doors I have tried too! The simple design is great and the accessories are good quality. The only downside is price but you can often pick one up second hand - probably even more likely now that they have just updated them.

Thanks Sallie - how small do they fold up? They look quite substantial, so imagine that they take up quite a bit of room in a car boot?

The double does take up a lot of room, even when folded but we have a Volvo V70 so its not too much of a problem. The single ones obviously fold smaller though nothing like as small as an umbrella fold maclaren - but then its a very different product....

Guess we have the advantage of not having a car yet, so we can buy a car to fit the buggy . I have to confess to a pathological dislike of Mountain Buggies , as they are the urban baby transport of choice in NZ and parents use them to create major traffic jams in cafes when they go out for brunch, rather than leaving them outside to allow everyone else to be able to get inside... (however I can definitely see their advantages outside of the cafe scene!) . Having said that, DH is quite keen to get the biggest buggy we can find so we can have our turn at annoying everyone . Have to say, that I am coming around to his way of thinking, especially as we're not going to have to worry about negotiating our way around the tube with it...
The Phil and Ted one is a bit narrower, and it folds down to practically flat, which is quite handy. Another of the not so cheap ones, but it has a toddler attachment that you can buy, which means you will get quite a bit of use out of it. Decisions, decisions... Thank goodness I have months in which to make up my mind!!

my father in law has been making enquiries about my forthcoming application for maternity allowance and has had different answers from all quarters!!! my local job centre have said i am not entitled to ANYTHING!!!!! its giving me such a headache and i'm stressing at the thought of losing my income. FIL is an accountant and works in a college who teach payroll etc.......none of his colleagues can agree whether i am entitled to the benefits or not. grrrrrrrrrrrr

on a lighter note......MIL has paid for the nursery furniture we bought (as a gift to us and the baby) and last night one of our closest friends said he would buy us the pushchair/buggy. i've cried at such generosity.............we aren't poor but these gifts all really help, and mean we can afford much more for our little one than we thought possible.

Must confess cannot afford a new one so will be using dd's old travel system, need to get it out of the loft and give it a good clean up. Will need to raid mothercare for a new rain cover as well as dd destroyed the original one. Will have to see if i can get a buggy board to fit it as dd will not walk everywhere and will try to insist on getting in the buggy with baby (not a good idea)!!!!!!! On thinking about it there is a lot of stuff to bring down out of the loft and claen up, decide what to use second time round and what to replace. If this one is a girl we will be laughing but if its a boy i am going to have to do a huge carboot of girly things to buy boys stuff!!!!!

Sallie - should probably qualify that the pathological dislike of mountain buggies was purely the result of having no kids - attitude is changing very fast now that we are going to be on 'the other side'

we'll hopefully be using the same mothercare 3-wheeler for the third time, just hoping that ds2 is like his older brother and quite capable of walking well at 22 months. Might give him a month or two with baby in a sling - but as I tend to have heavy babies then I'm not sure that will work for long. Really really don't want to get a double, although have been offered one by colleagues of dh.
Have got a 'new' moses basket for this time as the old one has now done 6 babies in the family and is looking quite battered, but this one was from a friend who had 2 - one for upstairs and one for down, then realised that it was easier to carry the baby in the basket
Don't think we'll have to buy much this time - do need to sort sleeping arrangements though - ds1 really wants bunk beds but he'll be just under 4 so I'm not sure that the top bunk is such a good idea. Might buy some and keep him on the bottom until ds2 is ready for a bed.

Am hoping to be able to evict my ds out of the pram when no 3 comes along. He will be three by then so should be fine - in fact he would be fine now but what with the London traffic, I do like to have him in the pram when crossing busy roads with the two of them! Not really contemplating buying anything new. Have been given a second hand cot...Only thing I would like to get is a couple of lambskin fleeces for the double buggy.
DH will be resistant against me buying any more clothes etc as we have had one of each now so have both girls and boys clothes covered!!!
Probably will buy a third Stokke trip trap as the others love theirs and will continue using them for a fair time yet.

Well it's my first so we need EVERYTHING although we have been offered some second-hand stuff by friends with kids who are growing out of theirs. Both sets of parents have offered to buy the cot so ione set will have to be skilfully deflected in the direction of something else. I was hoping to have a bit lobger to save up but I got pregnant first month trying (not that I'm complaining!).
Can anyone recommend a sling? Dh will probably use it more than me so would like a rugged manly one if at all possible!

It's our first too, but we have a bit of a dilemma, as we are moving back to NZ at the end of November, so don't want to buy a whole load of stuff that we have to shift back. Am hoping to borrow a carrycot until we go, and hopefully a car seat, and just buy a stroller while we're here.

Added complication is that we will be staying with my parents for the first 6 weeks, then moving to the North Island, so don't really want to buy anything major until we get to our final destination. Luckily have a few friends in Christchurch that I can beg and borrow things off until we move north. Poor baby will be a bit of a nomad for the first few months! And poor me - am itching to get out there and buy some cool stuff to satisfy my shopping habit

we've been thinking about a sling too......but there is quite a big difference in size between me and dp so it looks like we'll probably just get one suitable for him to use.

as for buggies..........god i'm going mad with how many there are!! we have decided we don't want one with a car seat as we would feel better buying the permanent base to fit in the car (i'm not confident of putting the car seat in right myself) and as we have access to more than one vehicle we will be buying several bases to use with one car seat. the buggy needs to be all terrain as we will be rambling over hills and fields...so need one with sturdy frame/wheels etc. i'm overwhelmed and have no idea which one to buy.....and now our friend is paying for it i'm very concious of price too (even though i know the price is not important to him)

to think i looked forward to this when i was ttc..................and as for nappies........i think i'll scream if i read another 'which real nappy' thread this week. i'm still no closer to deciding which ones to use!!

Has anyone treated themselves to any of the Isabella Oliver clothes? Am really tempted by some of the stuff, especially the wrap cardigan but would be interested to hear people's feedback on it.