Due March 2010 - just because I'm pregnant at Christmas doesn't mean I'm a taxi driver

[annamama]

... new thread for oldies and newbies due in March! ...

DB - hope you're happy with St Helier. Two of my work colleagues (well, one colleague and one colleague's DP) are scheduled to go there in March and have been really happy with the antenatal care they've received so far, so bodes well for you too

annamamma - you can get varicose veins treated. My mum got them in the backs of both knees during/after her 2nd pregnancy with my brother (she had appalling morning sickness & pretty much the only thing she could reliably eat was butter biscuits; the weight of the biscuits + my brother clearly didn't do her any favours . Anyway, I guess it depends on where the VVs are, but she had hers surgically removed. This was all c.25yrs ago, so am sure there must be a better, less invasive treatment by now!

So is anyone else getting fed up with the weather? I'm really hoping that tomorrow (Sunday's) forecast is correct. I'm really looking forward to some balmy (!) temps and sunshine! Fingers crossed it lasts more than 24hrs

I have just been and bought literally hundreds of nappies from Sainsburys with 1/3 off. DH kept saying surely thats enough every time I added another pack. Not sure he really realises just how often you have to change a newborn! I hope to do real nappies once I get over the initial shock of having a baby to care for.
I also got another bargain at Boots. I have been saving my points and got £75 worth of toiletries for me and the LO and some bottles and stuff for free!
Please can one of you experienced mums tell me that 50 brick like maternity pads is going to be enough!!?? Surely it is

I agree that the whole sizing thing is a minefield. I have been given a bag of newborn clothes from a friend and some of them are for newborn (not tiny or prem) and only go up to a weight of 7.5lb?!

I've bought 2 packs of 10 brick like maternity pads and think I have 4 left over from last time. I think 50 will be more than enough. I quickly moved over to night time normal pads as they are still really absorbant and allow you to walk a little more normally! There was a thread recently about how many maternity pads were needed and opinions and experiences of post partum bleeding seemed to vary hugely!
Last night I had my worst episode of heartburn ever. I was slugging down the gavison and it really wasn't making much difference. I went and got a 3rd pillow which did help a bit but I think the hot chocolate before bed wasn't a good plan!
Getting loads of aches and pains now, thought I was going to faint in Tescos yesterday and just generally pretty fed up with pregnancy. I'm finding most day to day things a struggle - roll on 40 weeks

Hi, ladies, I must be quick, I can hear DS3 stirring in his cot...

DB, I have never heard such a thing as a hospital refusing referrals for deliveries ! Is it to do with reputation/poshness of area/staff or what?? Anyway, it sounds like you were welcomed at the alternative hospital and I hope you will have a good experience - as we well all have of course !

Re newborn clothes: I have tiny amount of newborn/small baby all-in-ones, and then more of the 0-3 months sizes. They do outgrow things in about 5 minutes, but can look a bit lost if 0-3 months stuff when they are brandnew. I have also kept some of DS2's premature babystuff and OMG they are scarily small!! I have no intention of going back there (no matter what the haematologist says )! The other 2 were over 7 1/2 lbs and I would like to aim for that kind of size again, please: healthy size, not too skinny, not too huge, juuuuuust right !

I have bought baby bootees for DS4, as he is going to live mainly in hand-me-downs I thought he deserved at least ONE new thing (and the Very Hungry Caterpillar baby grow I bought a while back).

Hello, to everybody, DS3 is now shouting "Ma-MAAA" as he does, he sounds like a very noisy French child !!

re maternity bricks. i didnt buy any 'maternity' ones last time just normal pads. however... i did find that that it was better to get 'night time' ones as they were a bit more heavy duty.
i bought 4 packs of ordinary always and 4 packs of night time always....good old costco! hoping this will see me through, but i do recall from last time that it felt like it would NEVER stop!
re sizing. think we had a small amount of newborn stuff last time for ds. he was 7lb 11oz. but very long. so newborn stuff didnt last long. went to visit a friend yest with a 2wk old, who weighed just shy of 7lb at birth (2wks prem) and newborn stuff bit on the big side for her still...bless...very cute!

Pacific - my DD says Ma-MAAA as well, haha, strange. (yes that's my name, don't wear it out...)

hey all were home from hospital, all ok, Rosie was in surgery on thurs night for 8 hours in the end she had 3 sugeons as they could not get her hip where it should be but all ok now, MRI scan shows all well on friday , we got home last night and i am exhausted!!!

@I have read the posts i have missed but cannot think for the life of me what to write!!!

sorry ladies, going to bed to catch up on much needed sleep, spk tomorrow, xxx tc everyone x

Hi All - thanks for the well wishing. back from the Hen do in Lincoln and Nottingham. 11 hens ( 4 of whom pregnant ,1 of whom my Mum) dressed as bunny girls. Lots of fun but the aforementioned 5 turnedin very early at midnight whereas my sister was sittin gin her hotel room at 4:30 this morning doing miniture bottles of wine. I felt bad for wussing out so early but know I wasn't enjoying it past about 10:30 and that I was kind of stopping her from enjoying it by being VERY sober! Home now and loving the reception by DS and DD. Mummmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

(Photos being uploaded onto facebook if any of you particularly care!)

ang 50 bricks is more than enough, don't forget you'll need a lot of breast pads too if you're planning on bf

beanz totally fed up with weather too and just as sunshine arrives we're due to get snow again later this week

Smac I really feel sorry for you re: heartburn, I have the same thing, Gaviscon is my new best friend

sarah glad surgery went well, I know it's hard but try and get some rest, you must be exhausted

pacific so cute that your DS3 says ma-maa

Now have labour bag, baby bag, post-labour bag and food bag (most important) partly packed. Got my witch hazel and maternity bricks, almost ready to go!

Also got some perineal oil called 'perfect delivery' from Mothercare. Hmm

Nursery is painted, furniture up and DS1 hand-me-downs washed and dried

xxxxx

Great news, sarah, glad Rosie got through it all right. Wishing her a speedy recovery - and you a good night's sleep. I hope your UTI is cleared .

Mat bricks - I am going to make do with 1 pack and then rapidly change to normal/night time ones. From previous experience really heavy bleeding did not last terribly long, so here's hoping. It does seem to be one of those things that can be so individually different.

@ Pixie having thrown everything out! I am absolutely drowning in boy's clothes up to the age of 6-7 and I have sworn that as this baby grown out of clothes/toys/stuff ie cribs/cots it will be given away as we go along, gah!! Otherwise we will need an extension just for all the baby gear .

And totally agree that babies are soooo much easier looked after inside than out.. apart from that I have done the preemie thing once and had a very lucky outcome so really really do not want to go there again - and as stated before have every intention of going overdue to enjoy a bit of mat leave before maternity enslavement begins !!

Take care, all of you.

So glad to hear your prem experience had a good outcome pacific How many weeks pregnant were you when you went in to labour?

Good plan to go overdue by a bit but not long enough for sweep

at mumbot and her organisation. Still nothing packed. I'm taking Sariska's approach and hoping packing at 36 weeeks when I go on leave will be OK.

EXCEPT I've just agreed to have an interview for promotion 2 days after I go on leave. So maybe the bag will have to wait for 37 weeks. Can't really afford to miss this window and hopefully what's left of my brain won't have already dribbled out of my ears by then. And I can't even pretend to go into labour as a means of getting through it as the panel have too many children between them. I need an insanely grinning smiley emoticon!

Sarah, what a marathon for all of you but good news that they did finally sort it.

Have survived DD's birthday party so am going to celebrate with an early night. Which was more than she got, poor little sugar/adrenalin wired girl!

Enjoy your week everyone!

Morning all yes it is that time of the night and yes i know i'm supposed to be in work tomorrow but no I DON'T know why i'm not asleep but still... it seems to be turning into a Sunday night thing.... oof
So ang1sttimer i'm afraid I have to go against the crowd here and say that no I don't think 50 maternity bricks are enough, that's how many I went through before I had DD once my waters broke - however it doesn't mean that's what happens with everyone.... I applaud the nappy buying at Sains and moreover the very realistic ambition of starting real nappies once life has stopped taking over!!
And everyone is right about using other "normal" sanitary pads once you are home and the MW has stopped hassling you..much more comfy, and I wish someone had imparted these wise words to me first time round too...
smac also clutching the gaviscon. irritating isn't it?! though have you seen the pouchy type ones for your handbag, now THAT'S a good idea...
pixie do they reckon you'll be early btw? ie have you got a week in mind that you think they'll arrive? (as much as you can?!) just that my friend who has twins was more or less told she'd have them by 38 wks whatever happened but then OTOH she was also pushing for an elective so who knows what was going on there...i can't quite remember how many weeks you are now but think a bit ahead of us End of MArchers...
also at mumbot bag packing, well done!! will look at that in feb once my mat leave starts (though even DH said last night we should think about it....) i am quite looking forward to going through the old 0-3 month bag and rewashing etc, so dinks...
sarah so glad you guys back at home and on the mend, hope you had a nice birthday amidst it all....

nothing much from me. I know various people have posted saying you don't know how pg can be done with a toddler in tow, but seriously am in AWE of full timers at the moment, I can't take work seriously and I find it KNACKERING even getting there! At least with a toddler there is the promise of endless CBeebies and a cup of tea not too far from reach.....
Anyone else wondering how on earth they got in this state in the first place? I'm so out of touch with any sort of sexy shenanigans and i can't see how I'm going to get back on that horse (er, so to speak) EVER...poor DH...even he got a bit arsey the other morning about it which is NOT good considering he's generally a saint... any tips on rediscovering your sex life in the last throes of pg do tell...

and on that bombshell i'm off to see if the hypnobirthing thing i downloaded might just lull me into sleep for a couple more hours.....
hope all well and i haven't missed anything, sorry if i have...

Morning ladies

MummyElk if the hypnobirthing thing is anything like the one I have, it gets me to sleep in about 10 minutes - maybe the lady reading it has an incredibly boring voice...

Well, I went to a Mothercare superstore on Saturday, with the laudable aim of "getting prepared". After ten minutes was almost tempted to run screaming from the place. This is my first baby, and the sheer amount of STUFF nearly overwhelmed me. Sterilisers! Blankets with holes! Blankets without holes! Baths with cloth in! Baths that look like Aqua Parks for guinea pigs! Buggies with hoods and aluminium rollcages (presumably for the racing baby)! Buggies with iPods installed! Huge amounts of disposable or reusable items for soaking up a variety of substances The Pregnant Woman Or New Parent May Encounter! AAAGH!

Now I know why my mother is an inveterate maker of lists.

sarah - thank goodness it went well and you are back home - hope you managed to have a good sleep and here's to a speedy recovery for your DD

JasHook - don't blame you for running - the amount of crap stuff that they try to market as absolutely necessary for all new mothers is staggering. There are loads of good lists of what you actually do need in pregnancy/childbirth forums - will see if I can link to one in a minute

Mummyelk - I also feel sorry for my DH as I have been very keen throughout my pg but for this last bit cannot think of anything I would like to do less than have sex! The only thing your DH might hope for is if you are overdue and want to try and get things going! Think my DH is also holding out for that - followed by a six month drought as I always completely go off sex when BF - poor DH but then I remind myself that it was HIM who wanted a 3rd baby!

mumbot - well done on packing - I also have partially packed my bag - although don't have a separate FOOD BAG - what a FANTASTIC idea!

blueydragon - gosh an interview at 36 weeks! Good luck - would be a great way to be leaving work, knowing you will go back with a promotion. I have been invited to give a talk at a university an hour and a half away at 38 weeks and can't decide if it would be madness to do it - think the biggest problem might be standing up for an hour (well, that and trying to sound intelligent!)!

smac and mumbot - with you on the gaviscon - isn't heartburn horrible? Never had it before

JasHook - Re Mothercare: 'After ten minutes was almost tempted to run screaming from the place'. Yep - I know that feeling. I did the same in Boots (ran screaming) and then in John Lewis 10 mins later . I found it all so intimidating/daunting. It's my first baby too, which is why, at 32 weeks, I've been so keen to get my hospital bag sorted (after not knowing what to put in one 2 weeks ago). And no, it's not sorted yet. I'm with your mam on making lists - it helps me stay sane.

My partner's sister has given us loads of bags of second hand gear, and we spend yesterday opening up the bags wondering what the hell most of it was/could be used for.

It p's me off that there is so much pressure on us to buy, buy, BUY:

• 'If you don't buy our GlowEgg thing, your child will get too hot/cold. Oh, and please read the section on room temperature and COT DEATH.'

• 'Our cot has a side that drops. If you don't buy a cot with a side that drops you will have to SIT UP IN BED to feed your baby and MY GOD that's inconvenient/tiring/going to ruin your life'

• 'Most baby bouncers are lovely, but OUR bouncer sings songs, vibrates and makes chocolate muffins; then it sense when your relationship is at breaking point and rings Relate directly on your behalf.

You've hit a nerve

JasHook - hahaha, poor you! Just buy what you feel like buying, anything else can always be bought later... if & when you have actually identified a true need!

Pixie - tell us the names... please!

MummyElk - hope you went back to sleep?

Yes working full time is knackering, well done those of you who do that! My last pg I worked until 37 weeks, commuted for 2 hours each way which included a 20 mins walk through the City, I remember almost hitting people who bumped into my bump.

We are ill again, it really is true that kids get so many bugs from nursery... Just a cold this time but it's still very annoying. I get so thirsty during the night and also have to get up and wee at least twice.

Trying to remember that it's easier to have baby inside than outside, but I still can't help thinking I want it to be born a couple of weeks early!

Shroomer - hahahahaha!

Heh Shroomer - That's if I could run...probably "waddle" might be more accurate at the moment as the bump seems to have expanded to 3 times its previous size in the past day hour week...!

The pressure and, as you say, bordering-on-scaremongering for us poor benighted newbies to the parenting world can be so flummoxing. We want to do everything possible right for our first baby and darn it, if that means buying the SuperCook MarriageSaver Bouncer by BabyBuggeeBoundlessCash Ltd, that's what we'll do!!! Grrr!

DrSki thanks for the offer of a list - also any input from those who remember going through this the first time would be great.

Agree with all on the amount of dross mothercare and co would have us buy/
a newborn does not need a lot except food, warmth and cuddles.

the MOST useless item i have ever heard someone buying is a baby wipe warmer...yes, poor little cherub should not have a cold wipe on its little bottom or the world may well end there and then.

seriously tho... two of the best tips i can give is: 1 - get two changing mats - one for upstairs one for downstairs. 2 - (i didnt do this last time but i will this time) get a spare kettle. one is strictly for bottles, then you don't find yourself constantly asking whether its alredy been boiled. obv if BF is on the cards then not a worry.

all the talk of hospital bags it edging me closer to actually getting a bag out and filling it

sarah I'm so glad that you and Rosie are home again and everything went well. Fingers firmly crossed that it keeps going that way.

jashook - can I just second DrSkiddadle you do NOT need everything that they sell in Mothercare. Last time round I religiously worked my way through the list they put on the back of the mothercare catalogue (hadn't discovered Mumsnet at that point). Some of it was very useful and some of it wasn't.

Maybe we should start an essentials list here? I'd kick off with:

car-seat

sleepsuits
vests
socks
mits / hat

nappies and changing gear (mat / cotton wool / nappy sacks etc) or real nappies as preferred

somewhere to sleep
sheets / blankets OR growbag (these are v good although I didn't clock onto them till a bit later)

Small towel for bath / bathwash

Feeding stuff (lots if bottle feeding)

one or two bottles / steriliser if breast-feeding for top-ups or expressing

Any further additions list-makers?

My mum went off to mothercare / sainsbury's to get a selection of newborn and tinybaby sleepsuits when my DD was born as she was 6lb 6oz and SWIMMING in 0-3 stuff. Then I know of other friends who had much larger / longer babies who bypassed the newborn stage altogether and went straight into 3-6 months!It's difficult to really know till they come out though - but on the plus side, they don't complain about clothes at this stage, so if they have to swim in large sizes for a day or two it's not the end of the world.

While I'm in the mood for a list (I'm not trying to rival Arcadie or Annamama) but with sizing I always thought the shops go in this order from largest to smallest - feel free to disagree as I'm struggling to remember exactly (brain has gone awol)and some I'm plain not sure about:

Next - large sizing
M&S

H&M - long and skinny fitting (!)

Mothercare

Sainsbury's - somewhere in the middle
Asda / Tesco

Zara - small

Anything more expensive / designery / European originating tended to come up smaller in my experience (not that we've got a lot of those kind of clothes but we got given one or two nice things as presents)

Happy shopping. I'm v envious as DD2 is going to be in 99% hand-me-downs. My Mum is coming up to stay this afternoon and we're going to go through all the babyclothes that are stored up in the attic - guess that will have to do.

Here's a tip for you non-millionaires: Ebay, charity shops, NCT sales, car boot sales, hand me downs, etc. Think the only expensive things we bought new for DD was a Fisher Price rainforest baby gym, a cot and a changing table. The following were second hand: bouncer, moses basket, wardrobe, chest of drawers, pram, car seat (naughty I know), lots of clothes and toys.

Swings - sorry I don't agree, Tesco should be near the top, it's huge! DD 20 months is still wearing a t-shirt that says 6-9 months...