November 2010 - It's not fat, it's a baby!

[Lorelai]

Hi all. Thought I would get the new thread started before the old one got too full! Thanks to nomoremagnolia for the title

Thanks somethingsuitablywitty, it still seems like ages away doesnt it, luckily I have a really busy couple of weeks coming up so it should pass quickly,

buzzinblue, I am way ahead of you not only have I looked at buggies, but also slings, cots, checked out which car seats will fit in both cars and baby baths, I havent bought anything yet but I feel like I wont hold out too long after the scan

Well, I haven't started properly looking at buggies etc, but only because I want to get a better travel system than I had last time, and want to be organised about it, so am waiting for next month's Which magazine, which is testing car seats, so I can choose a seat first, then work backwards from there to choose a buggy I will be buying a second hand buggy though - don't feel I can waste money buying a brand new one when I do have a buggy I could use (well 2, but only one is a travel system!). I'm hoping I will be able to get one at a NCT Nearly New Sale, otherwise it will be an Ebay job or through the sale boards here I think!

I've still got 3 weeks till my scan - am very jealous of everyone here who has already had them, or who has one coming up soon I also seem to have loads of appointments coming up - as well as MW and scans, I will also have to see a consultant obstetrician at some point, and I'm having to see my thyroid consultant every 4 weeks - if I work it right I will have a half day at work pretty much every week!!

Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one already looking at buying stuff! Makes me feel a little more sane :-)

Loopymumsy - oh heck, I guess I really need to find out more about the system here. I'm going to have a good chat with my ob next week. I might even do the maternity ward tour soon too to ask them questions or would that be a bit weird this early?

On which note, asking all those experienced mums - when do you start prenatal classes etc?

Oh, and yes - a list of essentials would be fab!! E.g. can I get away with a MOses basket to start or so I need a crib/cot as well?

:-)

Hello, nice to hear of all of the scans and congratulations on the twins Headless Buzz yes I am in Munich, Germany and it´s all been doctor-lead so far. Actually it´s fine as I chose a gynaecologist a few years ago based on recommendations from a couple of friends and she´s been really nice. At some point I think I need to find a mid-wife for the post-birth care and my doctor will also give advice on hospitals.

Dh has been looking at prams, saying that we should paint the nursery and speculating on when the baby can have his/her first pair of skis. I have failed to buy any maternity clothing so you can see which of us is most organised. Mum asked today what sort of nappies I will be using, had really not thought about that sort of thing, I´d quite like to at least get into the 2nd trimester first.

Sabie is your lido heated? Our outdoor pools are all at about 24°C, so I think that will be fine - better than being too warm actually. I´m less sure about lake swimming so I wimped out yesterday, but I can´t find any reasons why it would be really dangerous, so I may dig out my wetsuit when it´s warmed up a few degrees more.

First pair of skis - lol . Love it!!!

Haven't posted for ages.

Like the suggestions for different drinks. Will def try tonic water, nice to pretend its got a gin in it! Something a bit more bitter rather than lemonade which is getting very sickly.

Have been feeling better last 48 hours although felt a bit wobbly just before tea but ok now.

Lovely to hear all about scan's mine's a week today.

On my essential list,

Sleeping bag, after week 4,
Muslins,
Lots of babygrows,
Carseat/pram,
Sling,
Cot.
If not BF baby, then steriliser and bottles.

We never even used a moses basket.
Anyone else have anything to add?

Loopymumsy - thanks. Yes first baby for me, which in a way makes it easier as I don't have any UK experience to compare to. But I followed family and very close friends' experiences at home, so I do have some UK expectations! Finding it very hard to find any US-based forums as well run as mumsnet, which is a shame as it would be nice to hear about experiences here. Still, mumsnet is a godsend and I'm loving hearing about all of you back home! :-)

Yey, more good scan news, hopefully more to come from those having them over the next few days.

Buzzin, I had both mine in moses baskets for the first 5 months, I do have tiny children though, it was only because they were sitting up that I felt I'd better make the switch to a high sided cot.

I'm putting off thinking about baby stuff until the third trimester. Think I'm just upset that my phil and ted is in such a bad state that I don't actually think it'd be safe to use in the baby / toddler mode anymore, and the thought of forking out another £500 is sooo annoying. Other than that I'm going to beg borrow and steal everything else. (I gave everything away after dc2 as I was not going to have a third!)

Also with all of you not sleeping, weeing 3 times a night, weird dreams and totally overheating does not make a good nights sleep.

YES! YES! All you 'been there, done that, already got the T-shirt with sick on it' Mums please, please write us first time mums a list! Would be so helpful.

Headless; congrats on the twins. To all those who've had scans so far this week - GREAT NEWS!!! To all those waiting scans - (especially Lorelai with 3 weeks to go) I so feel for us; time has become GLACIAL!

I think I have officially 'lost the plot' today; at 10 + 1, my symptoms are virtually non-existent so I TOOK A PREGNANCY TEST!!! It was positive! I just needed something.....I am constantly worrying there is nothing there. (Note to self; get a grip!)

CardiCorgi the Lido is heated but only to 16 deg's, I think that's too cool. 24 deg's sounds fine though. I agree leaving it a few weeks before starting the Lake diving (am jealous of local Lake by the way!)

sabie i took a preg test at the weekend just to reassure myself, infact i have taken one a fortnight since i found i was preg, just to check infact i have one sat waiting upstairs.....

re a things for babies, my list would NOT include a cot or a moses basket purely because we co sleep with ours when they are little, but thats personal choice.

grobags are fab!

MUSLIN CLOTHS totally essential, along with vests, babygrows, a couple of blankets, a hat or two, nappies, etc

SLING another essential i think

carseat totally essential and of course illegal not to use one!

with regards to pram/pushchair etc i would say think VERY carefully what you will be doing ie using bus, folding it lots to put it in car, walking lots in town/country etc as this will all influence your decision big time.

i have gone through sooo many prams/buggies, travel sytems etc and i can say that the two that i LOVE are bugaboo, fab light, suitable for fields etc as well as town, lovely carrycot for when they are little, good isez seat and can face both ways.

and the Nipper instep single, with the 360 swivel front wheel, it is basic, but lies flat so suitable for newborn (you would need cosytoes etc to make it comfy) it is really light, folds easily and relatively small, a DREAM to push honestly, use if for 2hrs plus of school run everyday with ds4 in it and he is BIG and yet i can easily push it over a field with one hand!

i dont like mamas and papas particularly, had a chicco one that fell to bits within a few months

i also have a loola and a maclaren, one is for at grandmas house and the other is just cos its always worth having a maclaren stroller as they are so light and easy to chuck in the boot of a car etc.

anyway i shall stop going on about buggies but have got through loads with my four so am happy to answer questions any first timers may have!

4madboys Thanks for reassurance that I am not being totally weird in taking pg. test!

And I'm liking the list tips but never write 'etc' we first time mums panic at 'etc'. 'Etc' is all the stuff we'll not get but are essential (only teasing) - seriously ALL advice gratefully received!

YIPPEE more good news to add to the scans!! I'm still buzzing about seeing a healthy looking baby with arms, legs, head, body and a heartbeat! It even gave us a little wave and we have a great pic that I just can't stop looking at!! I'M SOOO bloody excited I may burst! Really feel like it's real now and I may start believing I'm really having a baby!!
Been wanting to post all night but have only just got home and my battery died on phone!!

Midwife put me at 13 weeks instead of 12+2 (which was nice as meant one week less to worry about!!) so Edd is 3rd Nov. If someone could update when next doing the list that would be great! I'd do it but need to go and get a bit more excited!!

Hope all of you with scans tommorrow sleep well and are made as happy as me

Blankets - I got some as pressies and wasn't sure I'd use them but they are great for extra wrapping when out / lying the baby on the floor (you do this a lot!)

sleeping bags fab for sleeping in, still using them at 19 months.

I guess with November babies we'll definitely need hats etc, yes.
I will say don't buy too many clothes but I fully expect to be ignored

oh and a baby bath, I had a fisher price one with hammock thing to hold the baby, very useful so you have your hands free. Quite fancy one of those tummy tubs this time around though, they just look so cute!

Some towels too

I barely used my Moses basket, didn't buy it til a few weeks old and then she outgrew it a few weeks later, normal cot was fine.

Buggy wise, I've been very happy with my quinny buzz (4 wheeler version). I got the carry cot too and that was great for her to sleep in downstairs and whenever we went away. It fits the maxi cosi car seat which seemed pretty good and the isofix base is great for the car.

I can't decide whether to get a twin buggy or not, but dd will be 2.3 by the time she becomes a big sister so I'm hoping to get away without that and perhaps just use the sling for the baby. Will see how we get on when the baby arrives I think.

Oh and you'll prob need a baby monitor. I'm paranoid so got the tommee tippee one with movement / breathing sensor - found it v reassuring to watch it flashing away and used it even when she wassleeping right next to us.

Babybean1: Great news. Now you go get excited!

This is my first message in a million. Literally too nauseous to do anything but sleep, eat, go to work and vomit. I thought I'd book mark as I have missed you guys.

I'm in Canada and they don't normally scan until 15 WEEKS! Thank goodness I am old and have to have a nuchal scan so they have to do one early!

I've just got back from my dating scan. All was well, and baby was very wriggly. The obstetrician struggled to get him/her to stay still long enough to do the measurement! EDD was spot on, so looks like all my charting while TTC paid off

I think it's a great idea to do a list of what we need for baby so us first timers don't spend thousands on unnecessary crap. I'm sure I'll be buying a few random items for my PFB though!!

Good luck to everyone else having scans today

I know a few people on here have said they don't see the need for a moses basket, but for me it really was a necessity, guess it's all about personal preference. I didn't feel comfortable co-sleeping but wanted the baby close by, didn't have space for a cot next to the bed so moses basket was best option for me. I put it right up next to the bed so that I could see baby and just lean over and lift them out for breastfeeding in the night. It also meant I could just carry the basket into the living room in the morning and found it great to use when visiting friends and family.

As for pushchairs have only had 2, A mclaren suitable from birth and a phil and teds doulble when dc2 arrived.

I went for the isofix carseats, none of that hassle with seatbelts and worry about not fitting properly, with the isofix you just clip it in and out easily, much easier for carrying from car to house etc.

Always just bathed the baby in with me, found it easier.

Great scan news babybean and bunnygirl