-*- AUGUST 2010 -*- scans, kicks and other 2nd trimester bits.

[CherryPie3]

Part 4

Hello everyone! You're all so chatty, I'm finding it almost impossible to keep up.

starshaker that's an impressive bump!!!

As for the work thing, my boss's first reaction to my news, after the obligatory congratulations, was to attempt to basically bench me for the rest of the year - and this from a man who took three months' paternity leave himself. So I kicked up a bit of a fuss and he apologised profusely and gave me a couple of big fat projects. I mean, we still have quite a way to go until mat leave and if they plan things correctly and ensure a smooth transition, there is absolutely no reason to sideline us. It makes me so .

On another matter, I had my first proper panic last night. I was feeling this strange downward pressure in my vagina, unlike ligament pains. I've had treatment for an abnormal smear so I was worried, had a bit of a google (BIG mistake) then I panicked.

Rang my gynae first thing and she told me to go see her as she wanted to check things out. Turns out everything's ok, the baby's head is just low. Then she asked if I wanted to know the sex, I screamed yes and she said she thinks it's a boy . But we'll know for sure in a couple of weeks when I go back for my normal appointment.

I don't say this often, but living in Belgium is great - scans at every appointment, yay!

Phew, I don't post often but when I do...essay.

sayanthing I am glad everything is alright.

I keep thinking of bigmumma - it is so much worse post 12 weeks when you allow yourself to believe everything is going to be OK.

well I have my dating scan tomorrow - only 4 weeks late I think - although it would be great if they push me back a few things. Think of me because I am panicking already..

dh is coming with me - I would like to think it is because he loves me, knows how worried I am and is excitied by the the prospect of the baby ... however it is more because I cried, wrote rude things about him on facebook and he things he can make the 2 important divisions in the bumps... I feel so flattered the way before he puts me before 8 19 year olds

Best of luck tomorrow cazzybabs! When your DH sees the little thing on the screen tomorrow, I'm sure he'll realise he'd have been a fool to even think of missing out.

Loving the bump Starshaker and your scan pics. My bumps is coming along nicely, although to be fair I'd put on quite a bit of tummy just before I fell pregnant so mine's not all baby

Tea oral Cherrypie? Sounds rather deviant, glad to hear it's just your keyboard playing up Oh, and your manager sounds like a right pain.

Yummymummy sorry to hear that work are treating you badly and that things improve. Some places seem to treat pregnant women sooooo badly regardless of how they thought of them before. It's so outdated and unfair.

Enjoy your hot chocolate ladies, I've given up chocolate for Lent so will be having a milk steamer with caramel syrup instead.

cazzy, explain that bit about your DH again... I don't get it!

Star, I reckon my bump is bigger than that and I am only carrying one as well! (although having carried two before I think my belly is just getting ahead of itself!)

I have always found switching between disposbale and cloth to be really hardgoing, cos the cloth have a waterproof wrap which I keep on from change to change, but if you are taking a disposable off and trying to put cloth on, you find you don't have the wrap ready! Lots of nappies these days are all in ones though so you don't have that problem. I have found family to be fine with the cloth as long as I showed them how to use them

I have been looking at prams today - only second-hand ones cos not forking out another £600! We are going to get the Jane powertwin and get a buggypod on the side so it can fit all three kids in. And sell the Mountain Buggy . Love that pram! Just not practical for three under 2.3! Just got to decide on a car now!

Ooh neenz, I have my eye on a mountain buggy...having little dreams about baby hector and I getting wrapped up in down jackets next spring and going tramping in the woods. You'd recommend then? Would I need to buy the carry cot...hoping I would get away with the buggy lying flat and then buying a car seat as my two travel purchases?

Weehector, is it the MB single or twin? Not that it matters I suppose, I just don't know if you have another DC and I'm being nosy . I would recommend the carrycot because it is lovely having them all nice and cosy, facing you and totally flat. You can use the MB without a carrycot from birth but they are facing away from you and don't lie completely flat. It depends how much you want to spend. But I got the carrycot second hand off ebay and then sold at for the same price I bought it at . I would definitley recommend the MB, the big tyres and 3-wheel style are great for manoeuvrability.

Thanks neenz, just need the single as this will be my first. Ebay is probably a good shout for the carry cot...I don't know why I'm kidding myself on about trying to save money when I've asked DH for a Mulberry bag for my birthday next week..double standards mixed with a small dose of 'I'm worth it' & a large spoonful of 'it's still me under this bump even if I don't have any nice clothes any more'.

Well weehector, I say save money on the stuff that doesn't matter ie a carrycot, and spend it on stuff that does matter ie handbags!

We bought second hand cots, a changing station, anything we could really. If it could be given a good scrub I reckoned what's the point in forking out for new?!

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I made the big mistake of getting on the scales this morning. My pregnancy book says that 'some people might even have put on 10lb by week 17'. Well, I've put on a stone . And I was slightly overweight to start with, so I should only have been aiming for a two stone total weight gain. So I'm halfway there already .

By the way, all of you looking at baby equipment, I highly recommend the nearly new sales run by NCT and the like. You can get some really good stuff for very little, and you actually get to have a look at it, unlike on Ebay. They're a real scrum, though, so arrive early!!

Morning everyone! It's Friday at last
We missed last weekend so have spent the last week planning our takeaway/movie night tonight with full English tomorrow morning only to have the ILs phone up last night and ask if they can come and stay...sigh...and of course the rugby's on so FIL will want to watch that which leaves me either sitting in there with him or pottering off to bed Not a happy girl [sulks]

elusive, I made a point of not weighing myself while ttc so I have no idea how much I've put on

I like a bit of money-saving discussion

So far we've saved on pushchair and baby shawl. I've set up a spreadsheet on my laptop so I can keep track of aniticipated costs/actual costs/savings on purchases etc. I also put down where we purchased it from. Makes me feel like I'm doing somrthing at this very early stage

I've budgeted £150 for a cotbed, might have to overspend a tad cos I've seen a beautiful cotbed in Mamas and Papas - its this one and its £160, do you like it?

Thank God it's Friday girls. Looking forward to (trying) having a lie in tomorrow

Morning

Weehector we got the Mclaren MX3 for DD and will use it again this time. It looks a little tired but still works fine, and it has solid rubber wheels so no puntures. It does mean that i am so used to having this big, easy to manoever(sp?) 3 wheeler that i cannot cope with strollers that handle like a shopping trolley! It is a fab buggy but not very popular i don't think (may be cheap!)

I havent bought anything for baby yet as we don't know what it is and have loads of girl stuff from DD. AIBU not to tell my mum what we are having or having a baby list so that she doesn't go and get me bagfuls of stuff like last time? We really don't need it and don't have the storage space.

I have invited a RL friend to join us on here, it is her first baby due a couple of days before me - very exciting!

Oops, missed bits out due to honey covered toddler!

We will get a sheepskin for our buggy this time and a buggy board for DD.

Starshaker i have quite a bump this time too - once those muscles have gone, they have gone! Starting to feel quite a lot of movement too, and even DH felt it last night!

ElusiveMoose I gained 6kg, which is more or less a stone too and I'm 16+2 (we get weighed at every appointment here). But, I can still squeeze into my normal clothes, albeit with a bump band, plus my doctor did not even raise an eyebrow, so I'm guessing it's ok (and I bet a lot of it is boob, I've gone from A to almost D-cup). Having had a read about weight gain during pregnancy, it's definitely not linear, so just because we gained quite a bit for the first 17 weeks doesn't mean that our overall weight gain will be off the scale.

I'd second Elusive's NCT nearly new sale recommendation - my local ones are fab. Some let you in early if you're an NCT member too which can beat the scrum. I volunteer at mine and the perk is that you get first dibs before the paying public comes in.

If you're going to one, I'd advise going on or own or with another adult - a pram or buggy will just slow you down. And try to take a big bag to put stuff in as you go round. We hand out bin bags at our sale, but prepared people turn up with those big blue Ikea bags and fill them to the brim!

Oh, and my local sale has a maternity rail too - I think it will be just the right time for me to have a bit of a spree by then

CherryPie3 I'm the same with the spreadsheet..... whenever I don't feel like doing work (I work from home and make up my own hours) I sit and do some budgeting. I did this when we moved house too, find it helps me focus on the next big challenge!
Urg thank goodness it's Friday....

Morning Girls..

Thank you so much for yesterday and all your support...work is bit better today as no one is here LOL!! How lovely...:-)

Oh We talking money and buying...and saving ....very clever...;-)

We have saved on a lovely chest of draws and nappy changing table...we got already first pressie from cousins..:P

Cherry Pie...we like the same cotbed...love it! I am very indesisve about the buggies and prams... what you girls getting?

and ps I have my spreadsheet too girls...

I have listed everything possible....and including even how many pair of socks or little hats..we will be getting...LOL

I'm going to be dusting down my Silver Cross 3D pram and car-seat. I loved it last time, but had to put it away early as I developed rheumatoid arthritis and wasn't able to lift it in and out of the car and over steps anymore. Am hoping that I'll get more use out of it this time. Iespecially love having the pram insert in when baby is really diddy.

Might need a fabulous new changing bag though- especially with 2 DCs . Have killed the one that I got from Boots and my Silver Cross one is looking a bit battered now.

YummyMummy Me too!! Socks, hats, scratch mits....the lot!!!

And theres another for when baby is born and we know if its pink or blue That cotbed is divine - I'm totally in love with it!! I definitely want it in demerara, but I like the white one too....decisions decisions Do you think a cot top changer will fit on the top as it's curved?

As for prams - we have this one

Cakey i am planning on making a lovely nappy bag. The boots one has done me well. I love the leather ones that look like expensive handbags but that won't happen.

Do you think it would be a good idea for anyone who has written their babylists to copy them here so that anyone can see what they have missed and the first timers can get a better idea of quantities and what people found invaluable and what was a waste of space?

Cakey The 3d is very similar to the pliko pramette isn't it? I also love the pram insert. Looking forward to using it as have never had a 'pram' before (am also stupidly impatient and excited. Need to understand it will NOT make the next 22 weeks go any quicker!)