Stupid questions from a second-timer (who can't remember a thing...)

[flyingcloud]

Firstly is there any to say that DC2s arrive earlier than DC1s? DD was born at 40+5 and am currently 34.5 weeks and have done absolutely nothing. I am working up until 38.5 weeks so slightly concerned that I need to get myself in gear!

I have started drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea - is it too early, when should you usually start?

When do you pack your hospital bag?

That's it for now, although I know I have more questions, just can't remember them, silly pregnancy brain.

All my newborn baby clothes are at MIL's house (DH insisted that we leave them there due to lack of space at ours, I didn't want to, as she lives far away and now I have nothing at home, MIL says I will be fine for another four weeks or so when she will drive them up to us, but that doesn't give me much time to wash and sort stuff pre-arrival. It's a six hour drive - that's really too far for me to go on my own isn't it at this stage of pregnancy, or not? I don't really want to leave all the responsibility on mil either, not really fair on her.)

Nope, usually the other way round in my family's experience. DCs 2&3 have been later.

You're about bang on for RLT...from what I've read. 32wks was mentioned be 2 different MWs and many websites, but having had a scare, I've avoided it.

I packed my bag properly (I'd been flinging stuff in casually until that point) after being admitted with a UTI and contractions at 31wks...you just never know. Buggerlugs is still in there...bag packed, in car. Carseat in car too. Proper-good-scary (DC1 here) seeing it in there. Just food for DH to pack basically.

I'd be fretting about clothes too. Didn't/don't want to travel more than about 2h away from hospital...and have cut that distance down further now I'm term I'd be getting the clothes asap and bunging them in the wash BUT not going alone. 6h is a very long way...could you meet them half way???

Hi - this is quite helpful and factual.

Perhaps get your bag basics ready now and then you can add to/remove as the last few weeks pass.

Sometimes, second babies can be earliler but often the same or later. everyone is different.

Ref the baby clothes - I'd perhaps (if you can afford to) grab a few cheap vests and babygroes from Tesco until your MIL/you can collect the rest - that way, you'll be covered.

Hi flyingcloud! I'm 34+3 with DC3 and have forgotten everything! I'll try and answer your questions, but wanted to invite you to join me and others in the Feb 2012 ante-natal club - we're all discussing the same things.

My DC1 was 40+15 (induced), and DC2 was 40+11.

Today I bought Raspberry leaf tea, plus bits for hospital bag. And I'm going to wash the newborn clothes I fished out of the loft when I get round to getting off the sofa...

I packed the bulk of my bag last night.

I am 27w today

Second babies had better not be later, DD was born at 40+16

I'd also be fretting about clothes. Definitely get some basics from somewhere until the rest of the stuff is available. 4 weeks could be too late - term is anywhere from 37 weeks, which is only 2 and a half weeks, so by MILs suggestion you could have a baby who is 1.5wo before she plans to bring the clothes down. Have you pointed that out to your DH?

Thanks all!

Appreciate your empathy re the clothes, I don't want to get foot-stampy about it as they're my responsibility after all, not MIL's. What's rather annoying is the fact that she suggested going through them to see what I needed. I packed up two boxes with baby clothes, but also things like breast pump, unused breast pads, a couple of unopened tubes of lansinoh, maternity pads and other miscelleneous. Quite a lot being stuff I couldn't get here in France (electric breast pumps are on prescription only...).

Also I went a bit crazy first time round buying stuff for DD, so I really, really don't want to have to buy anything unneccessary. We were given tonnes of gifts and I also ended up ordering a few things after she was born. She was born 2 years ago exactly, so it's all the same type of clothing for size and season (except the colours...)

So I need everything, I don't want her going through them to decide what I do or don't need.

I have tried calmly explaining to DH that nesting is kicking in and I really need my stuff, but he just doesn't get it (I had the 'nothing is ready' meltdown at about 20 weeks first time round, so think I am doing quite well here, although the meltdown is imminent, I'm going to force him to watch One Born Every Minute tonight!)

Also another annoying thing is that being in France my EDD is at 40+10, so everyone keeps saying that I have loooaaaadddss of time, but I know that anything from 39wks is game on really and 37 weeks is a good cut off to have the basics ready.

Thanks all, you've given me space to get some of this off my chest, to stave off the melt-down a bit longer!

If you need to get ranty with DH then do so, and get him to make sure that MIL is clear that you don't want her to decide what you do and don't need. That is your job, and no doubt the one thing she thinks you really don't need will be the one thing that you really need rather desperately.

Thanks fliss - I just told him that at 37 weeks I would be full term and that scared the crap out of him.

I also told him that I was only a whisker away from a full-on meltdown. Will try again tonight :)

Have you thought about pricing the boxes up for a courier? You might find it's not that expensive (almost definitely cheaper than the petrol there and back, and maybe cheaper than buying new essentials)

Flying, I'm glad I'm not the only one champing at the bit at 20 weeks! I'm bored stiff waiting for spring and the wee ones to arrive, and I could happily do baby stuff organising as my full time job at the moment. Other half doesn't see the urgency, which, I can kind of sympathise with, but I don't care - this is my 4th pregnancy, first ongoing (problems identified and apparently fixed) and I've had to develop superhuman levels of patience... I feel like, well, we wanted kids, I've got the energy and the inclination to organise stuff just now, so why not do it while I want to?