The Elderberry Helicopter #3, in which we continue to fret and play 'guess the sex'

[Boomgoestheweasel]

Open to all elderberry grads and anyone who fits the berry criteria: over 30, pregnant with #1 after trying for a loooong time, and nervous as hell. Come on in for handholding and nub theory!

boom is right bunny, the fc will give you a letter to give to your mw. The mw isn't bothered about seeing you until about 8 weeks anyway.

Re swimwear I squeezed into old stuff and definitely gave Jordan a run for her money!!!

foody are you sure you don't want to tell us? I'd hate for you to bottle it all up. You know, it's good to share..

bunny you don't normally need anything other than 400micrograms of folic acid with a balanced diet. However, although I wasn't vomiting as such my diet wasn't great in the first trimester as went off a lot of things, so I took pregnacare as well. Sainsburys often have them on 3 for 2 offers

Guys, my bump is feeling really uncomfortable at the top. Is that normal? X

boom i got my tankinis online from sports direct, admittedly i could now do with a bigger size for decency, but the one I got last summer is stretchy and comfy for now.

bunny GTT is glucose tolerance test to check fro gestational diabetes, not routinely done unless you are at risk, involves a blood test, a minging drink and another blood test! lovely.www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/diabetes-pregnant.aspx#close

Oh and I am really quite enjoying having the secret, I am worryingly good at lying so just bare faced telling people I dont know!

Merk I would get some bibs in case you plan to express and give her a bottle. Plus when she starts teething and dribbling for England you may decide to have her permanently with a bib!!! And if not you will use it when you start weaning

bunny you might have to have a gtt (aaages away) as you have some pcos (I think)

bleary do you not need them with bf then? I really have sooo much to learn haha!

I've never used a bib while bf kitty but I have seen people who do. They do tend to dribble more when feeding from a bottle!
Oh and I still feel like I don't know my head from my own ass so get used to this feeling

bleary you know a hell of a lot more than us! How many bottles do you think I'll need? (Planning on bf and occasional expressing). Do you think it's reasonable to expect to express one feed a day? Was hoping Dh could do one

Thanks for the advice ladies.

Yep kitty I have PCO but not PCOS.

P.s. have you all CLENCHED today?!?

Kitty the whole expressing thing is a minefield on its own. Some women express loads easily while others like me struggle to get enough. It's worth a try but it's a pain in the backside!!
Get the best pump you can afford, electric if possible and pump everyday from about 4-6 weeks on (they say bf needs to be established before you pump).
Re bottles it's worth you getting different ones as you don't know if baby will take the ones you have. I bought loads of avent ones and she never took them. I'd say get an avent newborn one and a tommee tippy to start with and then see how you get on. I wasted money buying too much while pg and had to buy new stuff after she was born.
If expressing you will need a steriliser and something to store milk - cups or bags.
From what I know the best pumps are the avent electric one and the medela but others may recommend different ones.
Wow I do sound like I know a lot don't I? Shame I can't figure out how to get baby to sleep

Woah, expressing, bottles, bibs..... I'm out of here again!

Thank you for the reminder Bunny. How are you feeling btw? Done anymore tests?? :)

Kitty - not sure exactly what you mean by uncomfortable - but if i get a foot up at the top it is distinctly uncomfortable. I can often get her to move by getting on all fours for a bit. Otherwise it may well just be that baby is getting big and there is less space so more pressure on your ribs at the top

Bottles - I have just bought a tommee tippee newborn starter kit (4 bottles) and an avent newborn starter kit (4 bottles). I also got a Milton Combi steriliser (reduced to £12) as it fits all bottle types rather than being specific to a brand. I figured that had me covered in case i needed to get bottles involved earlier than i hope. Haven't bought a breast pump yet... am semi considering hanging on to see how breastfeeding goes first.

In case anybody is interested, i have just done a HUGE panic shop. I had moses basket & pram & car seat already, and i am not too worried about clothes as i have some and am expecting more in pressies etc but i have just managed to buy....
newborn nappies, nappy cream, wipes, changing mat, cotton wool, steriliser, bottles, bottle brush, teats, bibs, lansinoh cream, breast pads, nursing vests, bath thermometer, hooded towels, baby wash and powder, lots of blankets, fitted sheets for pram/moses basket, scratch mitts & hats, thermometer, nasal aspirator, emery boards, nail clippers, brush/comb, infacol,baby first aid kit, muslins, maternity pads & big pants.

Plus some 'luxuries' which i know were not a must have and may not get used at all such as an angelcare nappy disposal system, travel changing mat, bath support etc.

Still got some odd bits and bobs on my list but i do feel better for that if not skint Want to have my hospital bag packed this weekend and then i will have one less thing to worry about!

Wow merk that's amazing! Where did you go shopping? Will our old bbt thermometers suffice for baths do you know?

bunny actually we don't usually talk about this stuff!

bleary this might sound a bit skanky but my friend is giving me her electric pump!

online shop.. combination of amazon, asda, H&M & kiddicare. I'm pretty sure a bath thermometer is non essential and we will all just be judging with our hands after a few short weeks but mine is a floating yellow duck one that was only £2.99!

owwwww. baby has found my cervix. been feeling bruised and now I know why. she must have been jumping on it overnight. I assume that is the lightning crotch previously mentioned?

uncomfortable top bump might just be your insides squashing together?

ouch tally. you can try the hands and knees trick to move it

oh and as for the bath thermometer, mil said to me the other day I don't need one as I still have an elbow....

That is true though tally. Your elbow is a perfect way to check the temperature of the bath but it's not as cute as Merks yellow duck one
Wow liking your preparation merk. And I love my nappy bin so don't think you've wasted money there either!

merk we have a 'frogometer' and it makes life much easier for us at bath time, so I am all for the duck

oh an re pumps I was lent a tommee tippee one which was amazing, really comfy and easy to use plus I got heaps when using it and it didnt take long, I used my friends advent one once and found it far less comfortable and it took ages to get half as much milk. Thats just my experience though.

We also have the tommee tippee bottles but havent been able to use them as they gave H bad wind, luckily we had been bought 3 dr browns ones which have been amazing. Most of my friends use tommee tippee ones without issue though.

and finally lol I used a bib when bfing as I had oversupply and was using nipple shields, H used to drown us both, now I just use a muslin when bottle feeding

sorry....buggering off now.

mother don't go! We need your wisdom! I'd already decided on dr browns bottles as heard loads of good stuff about them

Frogs and ducks defo beat elbows merk

bunny how you feeling? Any symptoms yet?

Right I am avoiding all talk of baby equipment, much too scary at the mo, I need more under 12weekers in here with me!

merk I have done 4 tests so far, one FC gave me, one Sainsburys one, and then some cheapy Internet ones which I did Sunday and Tuesday, will do another tonight, I like seeing them get darker, am I crazy?!?

merk kitty* thanks for asking, I'm feeling fine which is worrying me. The only possible symptoms I guess is the tiredness and strange twinges sometimes when I get off sofa or out of bed.

Don't worry Bunny I felt fine with no symptoms early on too then the sickness struck

Ps Pip needs a hand hold

Bunny I never really had much in the way of symptoms apart from The Greed. I would tell you not to fret but from personal experience that's impossible, so fret away but try to remember that it's normal!

All this talk of bottles is also making me very nervous. I can't think of any reason why I would need all this baby equipment, it's not as though I'm actually going to have any babies. They are staying inside nice and safe until I'm ready in about 20 years time

Thanks lol and mother for the tips though, when I've finished being in denial I might read them!

Eesh, bottles - haven't even thought about that. Got scared when two Avent bottles were included in the ridiculous load of stuff my SIL donated last weekend. It's all so complicated!

Nappy bins also scare me - they are not just bins, they're 'systems' and 'solutions'! Just getting used to the babygros (7 second hand ones for £1 on Leeds Market!!).

We're also working on our names shortlist - scary times!