2nd timers - are you going to classes? And what gear will you get?

[philbee]

When I was pg last year I went all gung ho for finding crash refresher courses, harrassing home birth midwives, signing up for pilates etc. It was all a bit premature and obsessive and unnecessary and I then had an mc (not because of that).

Have been really careful this time not to start looking these things up, and just let it happen after the scan if news is good. We had one good scan at 11+2, and have another scheduled next week for 13+2. So I'm starting to think about whether I want to do stuff this time. So far I feel like I just can't be arsed, and the only thing that's appealing is a very close by pg yoga class, which I know won't be a chore to get to. What are the rest of you 2nd timers doing? I feel a bit like I should try to do an antenatal class as my mum has said she'd forgotten everything by the time my sister came along, and that was only 2 years, not 4!

Also last time I had a massive list of equipment (really, I was a psycho, I have no idea what was going on). This time all I can think of is some new muslins, new mattress for the basket, and some small nappies. Maybe that cot thing that is meant to fit onto the maclaren, although will have to research more as DD was LARGE, and I read somewhere it wasn't good for big babies. Anyone getting any more stuff than this? I have to recall various loans of things, but I think then we're sorted. It just seems very easy to get sucked into having all the 'right' stuff, which actually doesn't help very much at all.

Hello! I'm 36+6 with second baby (ds is 3 and a half). I haven't been to any antenatal classes - I considered it purely to meet a few other mums, but didn't feel the classes themselves would be helpful in any way. I'd rather not think too much about the birth - I got baby out last time so I figure my body will manage it again with this one! Your yoga classes might be a good idea, as you'll get the benefit of a bit of relaxing you-time plus get to meet and chat with a few other expectant mums.

This time round I've been given a ton of clothes by my SIL as this bubs is a girl :) but I've only washed and got ready 7 bodysuits and 7 sleepsuits, a padded snowsuit-type thing to bring her home in, 2 sheets for crib and moses basket (not sure which I'll use for her initially as the crib was a present and I didn't have it for ds), 2 grobag swaddles (then will move to grobags when she's a little bigger), and I have a hat, some scratch mitts, muslins and newborn-size nappies. And wipes. And I've bought some canisters to go in the nappy bin (got that when ds was over 6 months old and wished I'd had it from birth as it helped eliminate foul odours and was much less unpleasant.

We've got the bath and little bouncy chair and playmat which we had for ds. And a couple of pram blankets. And car seat / buggy. I'm thinking that should have it covered! But there is always Amazon for anything I've forgotten or can dispatch hubby to the nearest Tesco / Mothercare if needed. x

I did classes etc the first time but found them a waste of time (and terrifying) so didn't bother with #2 and certainly won't bother with #3.

For #2 I bought a double pushchair, more Muslims, and nappies. Nothing else.

For #3 I will have to buy lots of stuff as I have everything away! Going to buy cheap stuff and the bare minimum as there will definitely NOT be any more after this one.

Glad to hear others are also dodging the classes this time. We did NCT and it was great for meeting people, we still meet up now and are good friends. But afterwards I realised that there was loads on the birth and not much at all on actually coping with bathing, nappy changing etc. Not really keen to do all that again tbh.

mrsjohndeere, how annoying to have given it away. Tbh i really felt like doing the same though, even though we were TTCing. Just to have a big clear out! I guess you realise that you don't need half of what you get the first time anyway. I don't think we need a double pushchair as DD will be over 4.5 yrs, so pretty good walker. I think I'll buy a buckley sling, as DH won't go near my flappy ones, and try to carry the baby when DD wants to ride in the pushchair.

mummy2, we probably won't find out the sex, so if it's a boy it'll just have to get over the pinkish gros for a few months until we sort out something else. Having said the we didn't find out for DD either, so the early clothes are all pretty unisex. Am hoping to have a go with reusable nappies this time, partly because we've got a load that I got for DD and then didn't manage to stick with, so it wouldn't me too much more to get enough to use properly. That is if the mice aren't nesting in them!

I'm doing classes (start next week) because it's my boyfriend's first baby even though it's my second. All the refresher type things locally were aimed at the mums with just a 2 hour slot for partners so we've ended up with a normal NCT course.

I need a new car seat as we loaned the first stage one to a friend of a friend for driving their DC home from hospital and never saw it again :(
And a new mattress for the little cradle that I only ever use if I want to get in the bath or something as generally I'm a co-sleep by choice sort of person.
And more nappies since ours got passed on to friends and weren't brand new anyway by the time we got them so even those we got back are pretty much past it now.
Will need more clothes since haven't kept everything, but have basics and so will wait to see what gifts the baby gets before picking up the rest of what we need.

And we don't NEED them, but I always want more pretty slings...

Doing nothing in terms of classes. Only got mattresses new and some clothes but not much. This poor child will be raised by the dog....

I didn't learn anything from the classes first time apart from
if you feel pain, don't come in, if you've been having contractions for hours, don't come in
If you think the baby is comming,don't come in
When the baby is crowning, now you can come in!!!! ( sorry too late for drugs )
Good for meeting people but your yoga class is a better idea for that

First time did it all (nct, yoga, sling meets) but bought very little except minimal amount if clothes, pram, cot and bed nest

This time I will do yoga or Pilates, and I will treat myself and baby to some little luxuries like the fluffy clever bath towel you put round your neck, a proper bath support, Moses basket, swing etc.

I'm not doing classes this time round. Only things we're buying are a new playmat, new bouncy seat (as both went mouldy in the spare room!) and a second car seat and new nappies and stuff like that.

Am washing our mattress for moses basket and we have loads of clothes (we are having a second boy) and everything else is in pretty good nick.

Feels nice to be a bit more relaxed this time round!

We've not done any classes this time around, did NCT with preg 1 & found it all a bit dictatorial, plus very little advice re what happens when dc is actually here which IMO is much harder than labour.

From attending groups early on with ds1 I've made loads of Mummy friends who are all the support and advice I could ask for for this pregnancy.
Have bought a few new bits clothes wise so ds2 isn't a complete hand me down kid but otherwise have generally recalled all the loaned out bits and given it all a good wash.
This time around for us is more about how we handle it rather than having all the kit and doing it by the book.

Did nct last time, but even if we had someone to watch DS I wouldn't attend more classes. We've bought some new clothes (DD this time), a new bouncer as DS hated the rocker, and a new playmat as he also hated that.

Also bought a new car seat base as DS is still using his as he's only 19 m

DC 2 due in next couple of weeks, its been 3.5 years since DC1.

Not done any more NCT classes, mainly because we decided to do natal hypnotherapy and couldn't justify cost of both.

Due to age gap, we are able to reuse everything as DD no longer needs it. The pushchair/pram, cot bed, crib and all the neutral newborn stuff. We've bought a new car seat as the one we had for DC1 was already 2nd hand (from a source we knew was safe!) and was over 6yrs old, plus it had been thrown around on planes a few too many times for my liking.

I will be buying a new playmat/nest thing and sling. Im also considering a soft carry cot to go on my pram to make the early days easier.
PLus I've got a few luxury bits like posh muslins as I wasnt buying much else.

Why dont you wait a bit and think about it later on in pregnancy? As you might feel differently by then. I didnt do anything until late august this time for baby due late Oct.

Thanks all. I went to pregnayoga, but I had forgotten how pregnancy orientated it is, lots of sitting and saying how many weeks you are and how you're feeling, like an AA meeting. And bonding with your baby. I really would just like to be doing yoga, like before, but adjusted for my being pregnant. I had contacted my normal teacher, and we were going to have a chat about it, but since then my PGP has flared up and I don't feel it's really fair to her to go along knowing I have that problem, as it can be tricky to manage.

I wasn't going to buy anything now. I think with DD we waited until 20 weeks, but with this one it will be later. I think we need a new mattress, some muslins, some nappies, and a more DH friendly sling.

Apart from that it's just washing what we've got. Like you, gingerbread, our DD will be nearly 5, so she is two carseats ahead, and we can just reuse all her old stuff for a bit. We'll wait until the baby's born to get the sling so we can try some out and find one that's comfy, and probably get the other stuff a few months before.

I guess a more pressing thing will be to start getting the baby onto some lists for nursery and childminders, as I'll go back to work two days a week when it's 1yo, and with DD we moved house and then couldn't find any suitable childcare. At least we've been here a while now so I know some places. It's a bit miserable doing that before it's even born though!

There's a 10yr age gap wirh mine so I've given everything away! That said, I am really fussy about what I'll be buying: eg. certainly no big fancy travel systems, but instead a sling and a small pushchair whuch folds into the boot with one hand and a multisize car seat. Half the price and 10times more practical!
It's my hubby's first baby so we will be going to NCT for his benefit, and I've been doing aqua-natal and NCT preg yoga and they're great to chill out and meet some other mums.