Feb 2020 Bus Pt 4

[Juno231]

For the small group of ladies still here from the original February bus from 2020.

Maybe 2022 is when we finally get our babies?

@MimiArm
@paintfairy
@MrsTwentyNine

@paintfairy it's the glucose tolerance test to test for gestational diabetes. Holding I don't have it 

And yes @Juno231 there was an offer this year too where it was £50 for the whole pack including the book (might be worth looking into if you consider it @paintfairy )

And my maternity leave I'm starting exactly 3 weeks before my due date! I'm out of here once I hit full term was my view 🤞🏽 Taking the whole year too! How about you all ?

Hoping**

Speaking of antenatal classes, my NCT starts next month!

@MrsTwentyNine I definitely can't afford to take a whole year. I'm going to just play it by ear i think, but I've saved up holiday so I can use that in conjunction with finishing/ starting back.

Ahh @paintfairy one year is only because nhs maternity leave is very generous so I am lucky in that sense.

Adding on leave sounds like a good idea!

I've gone shopping crazy and bought all the big stuff now ...not sure how many babygrows to buy in each size so just kept buying until they looked enough 😂

@MrsTwentyNine I am not sure ours is bad. But I just don't see how anyone can live on anything less than full pay? And most places you only get statutory for the final 3 months of the year. 🤷‍♀️

I don't even know what i need. 🤣 I need to do a proper list but I just keep buying random stuff. I bought some clothes bundles 2nd hand and I think i have enough vests and sleepsuits now in newborn and 0-3.
I've also got a snuzpod, car seat, pram, playmat, and baby bath so far......

@paintfairy I think tbh I have no pay in the last 8 weeks or something! 🙈 I need to look into it at all again.

That's quite good! I've got similar except I got a chicco next to me and I got a baby rocker instead of a play mat. I bought another set of baby of clothes being delivered next week but chose 0-3 as everyone says not to buy too many in newborn sizing. Are you having a nursery ?

@MrsTwentyNine I intend getting a baby rocker as well, just haven't yet. Although mum has managed to pick up a basic one, but I'll leave that at her house if I manage to pick up another.
Yeah I bought mostly all 0-3 initially as I thought the same. But then people were saying to me that theirs were in newborn until over 9lb and I can't see mine being a big baby. The measurements don't indicate that and both me and my brother were under 8lb. So I bought more newborn. They are all second hand though so I figure I haven't lost anything and I'll just sell them on if not needed. I've not bought 'outfits' though, just vests, sleepsuits, and rompers. I've just covered all bases. 🤣
I'm hoping I can sort out a bedroom in time. Mostly because I need somewhere to shove stuff. But we had loads of stuff done to ours, which meant we were in the bigger spare room. So there's just chaos everywhere. Although we are finally back sleeping in our room, I can't begin to move all the clothes and crap back into it for another month, when it's finished, so nothing can happen with sorting out the other rooms until after that. But I'm hoping to sort the bigger room and organise that, and then empty and decorate the smaller room. Not enough weeks in my year! 🙈

As for maternity pay, I think mine is OK for the first 6 months. Its after that it becomes a disaster and I just can't see how i would manage on the money. DH can't really afford to cover my outgoings (my share of bills maybe at a push, its all the other stuff!).

Been AWOL sorry! How is everyone doing ??
Sorry @paintfairy I always think I've replied and I actually haven't!
I'm 32 weeks tomorrow and I can't remember if I told you all that they think he is quite a big bubba 🙈 So going for a private scan - no diabetes , baby is just chubby I think
How are you all @paintfairy @Juno231 @MimiArm ? Started shopping for things ?

Also regarding baby clothes @paintfairy , I'm glad you said that because I'm worried none of my newborn sizes will fit my 10lb-er 😂 I've gone and got a bunch of 0-3 but tbh some of the 0-3 look like newborn sizes!! So much variation between shops...

@MrsTwentyNine yeah i think i need to go through all mine and just put them in the wardrobe in size order regardless of label. When i get a wardrobe that is......... 😂

@Juno231 Hey! So nice to hear from you. I had typed out a reply to this two days ago but it failed to post and now I've lost what I had wrote!

Gosh, 32 weeks - eek! Serious business now eh! How are you feeling? Nervous/excited/uncomfortable - all of the aforementioned?!

I'm good - struggling with heartburn just and think I may have to go to GP soon to get a prescription as it's very frequent and very strong so Gaviscon doesn't really help at all. It strikes at any time (could he hours after I've eaten) and is worse at night time and the surges are so strong that they wake me up!

I'm pretty much all set with baby purchases. After the 20 week scan, I had ordered the travel system, next to me crib, bouncer and changing table so just waiting on those arriving into the store. They threw in a free baby blanket worth £50 and a Ewan the Sheep white noise thing, which was nice of them.

I've since ordered a Mamas and Papas three piece furniture set (it was reduced by £250 on Argos) and a lovely rug for the nursery. The painter/decorator is coming next week to put wallpaper on one wall, and paint the other three walls. All I now need for the nursery is new blinds - I've also ordered some nice pictures from Wayfair which should arrive next week.

Clothes wise, I didn't buy any newborn, just 0-1 and 0-3 but my mum has bought three bundle sets of newborn clothes. I've got mostly short sleeved vests (but have a few long sleeved), and long sleeved sleepsuits with the feet in them. I also got 4 sleeping bags which are 0-6 months: 2 x 1.5 tog and 2 x 2.5 tog. I haven't got much in the way of outfits per se, but I have a couple (I'm a sucker for baby dungarees haha). I've also then got hospital bag essentials such as maternity pads, breast pads, nipple cream, spritz for bits spray, water wipes, nappies, etc.

How are you going with purchases?

@MrsTwentyNine @paintfairy - it would help if I tagged the right people d'oh!

@MimiArm God, I'm going to look really tight. I've bought nothing new. I've slowed down on the buying but I do need to still get loads of things. I have a list. I'm also on the lookout for baby furniture on fb marketplace but I haven't really anywhere to put it yet as we still need to sort rooms out.
Clothes wise I just bought newborn and 0-3 stuff. I have short and long sleeved vests, sleepsuits both with and without feet, rompers, hats and socks. I haven't got many proper outfits either but I figure you won't use them the first few weeks. Also since I've no idea what size you need for what season (hinges on baby weight, coming out) I thought I could get some later. Plus other people will buy things. Mum is knitting cardigans. I've got blankets, muslins and sleeping bags of different weights (again 2 sizes, as the first ones I bought have a minimumweight of 8lb 8 and I realised she might be smaller).
I've got a next to me crib (need to order new mattress), car seat, pram, playmat, moses basket for downstairs, 2x bottles (they were new) just in case, changing bag.
For me I've only bought washable breast pads and nipple cream so I still need all the other hospital stuff. Haven't bought nappies etc yet either. We also still need a new car! Time is ticking.....

Hey @MimiArm and @paintfairy !

Lovely to hear from you both. Sorry to hear you're suffering with heartburn really badly! Mine so far have been at random times and not regularly. Though at random times I now also feel nauseous -.-

You've got pretty much everything @MimiArm !! So I've got - the pram, the chicco next to me, car seat and base, a changing table from mamas and papas (it's part of the range we want but we aren't doing a nursery yet so just got this for now!), a totally unnecessary nursing chair from there too mainly because the olive green colour looked so fabulous (it is arriving after due date.. ha!), quite a few outfits but majority being 0-3. I have a lot of vests too and baby grows but haven't got any 2 piece outfits as I figured they are too young for all that haha. I also have 2 sleeping bags but probably should get more. I wasn't sure if the baby would settle with this or a cellular blanket so got a blanket too. We also got a baby rocker just because they looked like something baby "might" sit in but who even knows!! That was probably more money down the drain...oh got the dock-a-tot/ sleepyhead for downstairs (SIDS risk but I plan to watch him when he is in it 🤞🏽) , an electric breast pump and ermm I think that's it ?? I got nappies with a few grocery shops after your fabulous idea and some wet wipe boxes too.
What I do need to get urgently done however is my hospital bag! 33 weeks in a few days and people keep telling me stories about how early they were. Don't have any nursing bras, pads, nipple cream or anything of the sort...though I did order a bunch of long XXL cotton shirt dresses for post delivery. It definitely is getting more real but I also just want to get there asap now and getting impatient! I'm finding walking around at work so exhausting even though I know it's good for me. I used to walk to work but I have the lovely pregnancy effect of sweating like crazy even if it was a gentle stroll (madness!!)

How many weeks are you ladies now ? How is @Juno231 ? Sorry you're having to update me on here when you're probably all catching up on fb!!

@MrsTwentyNine Oh god. I just read that you should sort the hospital bag after 30 weeks and i'm nearly 28. I dont even own a suitable bag (what kind of thing do you even take?!) and neither do i have most the stuff for it! 🤔I have got a couple of nursing bras but only because i bought some 2nd hand that just happened to be that when i got bigger and needed more. 2 birds one stone kind of thing. But i will need more. I did order 2 nighties this week and i do own nipple cream. But i still need big pants, breast pads, big pads, nappies, all that stuff! Useless.
I have my first growth scan tomorrow. I'm so over scans, i have realised being left alone to get on with it all might have been more enjoyable. I know shes there, she moves. Actually think i felt hiccups for the first time yesterday! And despite the fact most my clothes are 2nd hand i've realised i have a massive issue if she is not a 'she' as he will look silly in pink!

Don't worry @paintfairy I still haven't got mine ready! I'm hoping to get it sorted this weekend though.
What have the growth scans shown? Is she within the normal parameters ? Why do they need to do so many then?

@MrsTwentyNine the growth scans should show if she's got space to grow in my womb. She's smaller end anyway which isn't helpful. The 28 week one was ok but then the consultant called and wasnt happy with one of the measurements, so bought my next scan forwards to tomorrow. 🙄

I do find it odd they don't check everyone at least once past 20 weeks though. I never realised they didn't until now. As some things do show later. I'm hoping with me it'll all be fine.

How's everyone getting on? Can't believe I'm 30 weeks already. Its going too fast!

@paintfairy I'm with you on that one - I have a growth scan at 36 weeks as that's just what my trust does across the board but find it crazy that lots of places don't check after 20 weeks at all!

28 weeks tomorrow for me - still haven't dragged my arse over for a whooping cough jab so need to get that sorted sharpish. Got my next MW appt on Tuesday I think which will be the first time they measure my tummy - I'm intrigued to see what the verdict is! Then I've got antenatal classes starting on Tuesday as well.

Oh and OH got me prenatal massages for my birthday I still need to use up so that is probably on my schedule for next week too.

@MimiArm how's it going with the GD? Is it a big adjustment to monitor it/watch what you eat?

We've just moved out of our house into a rent we'll be staying in probably the rest of the year as the house is being renovated and extended. On the one hand it's sad not to be able to go all out on a nursery after waiting for a baby for this long but I'm just happy that I'm finally in the property where I'll have her so at least I can start the nesting properly!

Did I just read @MimiArm has GD? Oh no! Sorry you're having to go through this!! Hope it's been under control and manageable with diet!

36 weeks today ladies. Bag is packed (I think..need to double check items) Antenatal classes done ✅ Everything basic bought ✅ Maternity leave starting in a week! ⏰
Speaking of scans, I have one at 36+5 for growth again as he is measuring big. No talk of induction or c section or anything though yet so I'm staying positive.

Nice to hear from you both @Juno231 @paintfairy

And yes to not being scanned at all after 20. I guess it's resource management with how the NHS is at the moment. Though I've had one at 29 weeks ish for growth and now coming up again. We also did another private one in between. I'm happy I'm having one next week as i want to absolutely confirm he is head down as I've heard midwives palpating can sometimes get it wrong and they find out during labour!!

Im sure all will be well with your scans @paintfairy - try not to worry!

@Juno231 Hey! it's going ok thanks. It's a huge adjustment but so long as I've carefully planned, it's manageable. The issue is that the readings fluctuate from day to day due to hormones. Something I can tolerate one day, I can't the next. I'm on meds now (low dose) so I have scope to increase before needing insulin. If I do need insult then I need to move hospitals again. It's just very, very restrictive. The only snack I can really have is raw nuts. Fruit sends me too high due to the natural sugars. If you do have a carb, you have to keep it low and pair it with something high fat and high in protein. It's still trial and error at this stage.

Growth scan wise, baby is bang on 50th percentile and at yesterdays scan, he was predicted to be 3lb 12. They measure the fluid and blood flow to placenta at each scan too as GD can impact on those. Everything is good.

31 weeks now and on basis they say I will be induced early, not long to go potentially!!

That's such an upheaval to be moving temporarily now but you seem to be happy enough. Sounds like the work on your own house will be lovely and you can look forward to moving back in again!

@MrsTwentyNine Wow. You are ready to pop anytime now!! Roll on next week to finish up for mat leave. Great that you're all organised and hopefully you'll have a week or two to forget about work before baby arrives! Exciting!

Yes. GD for me! Thanks PCOS!! The good thing is I'm losing weight despite baby putting on weight haha!

@MimiArm God that must be a nightmare watching what you eat like that. I would be terrible. I'm struggling to even eat full stop right now. I'm not sure if it's because I'm hot or fat. 🤣 So anything going in is a bonus. I suppose at least it's temporary, but still, like being pregnant isn't bad enough.
@MrsTwentyNine I need to write a hospital bag list! I am hoping I've got most things but who even knows. 🤷‍♀️
@Juno231 prenatal massage sounds amazing. I feel I need that! 🤣

And yes the lack of scan thing is bizarre. Not so much on the measurement side as it can be largely inaccurate. But there are conditions that don't show until after 20 weeks.

Fingers crossed my nursery will be decorated by the weekend, so furniture can go in and then I can start sorting all my stuff out! As it's shoved all over atm.

Being induced in 2 weeks!

@MrsTwentyNine how many weeks will you be then? And what is the reason?