Catching up with TTC #1, thread 6!

[Fivebyfive2]

Thought I'd start us a new one as thread 5 is almost full! Have tagged as many as I can, sorry if I've missed anyone!! Xxx
@stormtrooperjulian
@thumper59
@TrashKitten10
@Bostonfern
@MrsR16
@Tropicana1
@Bettythecat
@purplefig
@MrsEG
@MrsR16
@ELW85
@daisiesandpeonies
@PippaPug
@cupcakesandglitter

Also tagging some grads, again sorry if I miss anyone,
@Delilah7
@crossfitgirl
@RanchoRelaxo
@cookie0508
@mrsof20118

If I've missed anyone feel free to add tags 😀

@MrsR16 Your poor toe haha! Hope it’s okay today!

@ELW85 @Fivebyfive2 I get quite irritated by poor workplace provisions for maternity - women bear children, this isn’t new information! Having worked in two places with polar opposite views on pregnancy and maternity I do empathise - I left my last job as it was just an awful place to work and I watched friends go through a very stressful pregnancy with lots of late nights and even rearranging their antenatal appts around work. In contrast, where I am now are amazing, I have full details of my maternity and all the forms they need from me, a meeting at 20 weeks booked in and I have already been offered completely flexible working when I return, based on my own needs. WHY all companies can’t take on a similar mindset just blows my mind!!

@Fivebyfive2 Ha yes the switch has definitely been flipped! I have also spotted a baby walker now on marketplace that I have my eye on ha! I think once we hit ‘pay’ on the pram and have our nursery shop this weekend I’ll feel better - get the big stuff sorted, the rest I’m sure will fall in to place!

Happy Tuesday and yes, Bake Off! I have Priya in the sweepstake at work so whichever week she goes home, I have to make one of her bakes! I hope it isn’t tonight, I’m useless with dairy free!!

Morning ladies! How could I forget bake off is tonight! Too early to blame baby brain?!

Ooh @MrsR16 ouch! I've done that think I was more shocked by the blood hope it's ok today though.

@MrsEG I totally agree all companies however big or small should have good maternity care for their employees (although your company sounds amazing!) told my line manager (different one now from last time) she's been great knows about our MC and said if I struggle with the 7am starts just tell her and I can start later.

Can't wait to start buying things even maternity clothes which is sad I know. Last day at work today before a week with DH watching the golf at Wentworth.

Have a fab day lovely ladies (still so excited to be here!)

@MrsEG cute bouncer 😍 you've definitely flipped a switch! I'm hoping the same will happen after my scan 🤣. Does it feel more 'real' (for want of a better word) now you know what you're having and you're starting to pick bits up? That's DH's main reason for wanting to find out the sex.

@MrsR16 oh wow you're storming along! 10 weeks on Wednesday is no time at all - how exciting!!

@LokiCat I know - after 12 weeks it seems to have really picked up pace. Good you've got your certificate through, definitely worth doing all the boring bits like dental checkups before the baby gets here. Though despite my teeth being fine, my dentist has scheduled my next appointment for March....the baby will be 4 weeks at most 😳 think I'll be rescheduling 😬

@ELW85 my scan is next Tuesday (I'll be 20+1) and I cannot freaking wait to know whose in there!! Fingers crossed they don't have their legs crossed 🤣. Sorry to hear work aren't totally supportive, like the others have said though there's nothing you can do and it's happening regardless of their opinions. And like you said, there's never a 'good' time and even if there were, TTC doesn't work like that for most of us. It'll all work out and they'll deal with it, I'd just say try and avoid ever feeling bad or apologetic.

@MrsH497 that's not sad at all - it's a very exciting time! Lots of us have had good luck with New Look and eBay for clothes - also lots of ladies on here have some lovely (super reasonably priced!) maternity pieces from BooHoo.

The Capture tonight guys!! So excited!! You can't beat a good beeb drama imho.

@MrsEG @MrsH497 I'll survive, I'm sure! Still bloody hurts today 😂 but that's ok - it's an excuse to not do much at home hehehe!

@MrsH497 it is never too early for baby brain haha! I use it all the time and will continue to use it for as long as possible!

@purplefig I genuinely can't wait to finish! Admittedly, I'll have 3 weeks before due date to not do very much but that's ok! Like @ELW85 I've had a rubbish time at work, they have just changed so much since I told them I was pregnant! I had to fight for a risk assessment to be done and was told off for essentially saying that I should have one done... 🤦‍♀️ I'm not sure I'll be coming back here after my mat leave finishes... they'll replace me soon enough! 😊😊

@MrsH497 Yep, I feel very strongly about it and get so angered by others stories! In my opinion if you own a business and have even one woman on staff, you should have a maternity policy in place. No less important than sick leave, annual leave policies etc! So glad your work have been good with you.

@purplefig Finding out the sex definitely helped but I also think just seeing how big they are now and moving around so much made it seem really, really real. We could see their spines and brains and everything! She made a comment I am nearly half way too (18 weeks will be halfway for me) and I was like ‘Oh shit!!’ So it was the sum of a few things! Clearly I need to catch up with Capture! I’ve been watching a Netflix show called Unbelievable - very good but very dark/sad

@MrsR16 So painful, kinda like standing on a plug!! Sorry to hear work has still been so rubbish, only 10 weeks to suffer through now!!

@MrsEG - great bouncer!

@MrsR16 - how’s the toe?

I somehow thought I was a week further behind then I was, so I’m 15 weeks and 3 instead of 14 weeks! I had a lovely midwife appointment today who was just very positive about me having a natural labour and I can have some things less members of staff in the room, dimmed lighting - unless there is a issue.
She also did a quick scan which was wonderful, although no scan photo, it was the first time I have seen them on the screen together can, their heads were really close and Pip was spinning around and Pop was kicking his (her?!) legs and yawning! Was a wonderful surprise as I didn’t think I would see them today so I’m looking like this now

Haven’t watched bake off the last few weeks as it was making me feel nauseas - but I’m hoping I’m on the tail end of that now!

How is everyone’s Tuesday going?

@PippaPug It’s so fab when you can actually see them both at the same time isn’t it!! That’s great the midwife is listening to all of your preferences for birth. Have they told you which way your babies are lying? Mine are both transverse at the moment, the awkward buggers haha. Hoping they’ll turn/change position in the next few weeks as if they stay like that it can be super uncomfortable! Do you have a date in for your 20 week scan? If you’re 15+3 we’re super close I am 17+2 today!

@MrsEG - first time I have seen them together and my husband is gutted he wasn’t able to be there, but it wasn’t a scan, just lucky the midwife decided to do a scan just to have a look!

Sadly this midwife isn’t in the labour department but I feel a bit more confident that I can say/ask for certain stuff and I am more likely to get it. I have felt a bit disheartened lately about the birth and the fact it’s more medicalised then I wanted, but I now feel more hopeful about it all.

No idea about the positions but I am seeing the consultant next week and may have another scan next week so I will ask then. The midwife today said she doesn’t often do scans so I was very lucky!

Wow only 13 days apart then! I can’t believe I lost track of a week 😱 I think with working 14/15 hour shifts for 9 days muddled my brain!

Have you decided what pram you want? I think I’m 95% which one I am swaying towards! My friend semi offered a double buggy to me this week but i think it’s just too wide for the bus sadly

@PippaPug It's difficult isn't it, factoring in what you want for birth along with wanting the best for a twin delivery! As mine as transverse it looks more likely a c-section is my only option really as they wouldn't even attempt to move them. I feel okay with a planned section though; again you can ask for dimmed lights, a playlist to be on, etc so it can all be very calm and relaxed. So that's what I am swaying towards!

We are down to the Mountain Buggy Duet or Out n About Nipper double, with the added carrycots. I'm not too fussed about the ability to attach car seats to the pram, but that's our main sticking point now! I want it bought this weekend though so we're going through all pros and cons this week! Luckily when I use public transport it's the tram so I should be okay width wise!

Hope everything goes great with your consultant next week. Have you signed up for TAMBA? I went to one of their workshops this weekend and it was excellent, and only £10!

@MrsEG oh god, tell me about it! The worst thing I have to stand on at the moment is dog toys! His half chewed bones are super painful if I don't see them...

@PippaPug it's painful still but alright! That's exciting you're a week ahead! I hope you get to watch Bake Off tonight without feeling awful 😊

So, in other MrsR16 news, my DH is on his second day of no smoking! I'm super proud of him 😍

@MrsR16 that toe sounds super grim, hope it's not broken or damaged your nail. And well done to DH. I know how hard it is, I went cold turkey 7 years ago and never looked back!
@MrsEG and @PippaPug it's so cute that you two are both having twins and are so close together. It must be a bit of a bummer about only having a minimal number of plans to choose from though.

What do people think about flying with a 2 month old? My DH is potentially off to Finland for work in April for 6/8 weeks, so was thinking me and bubba could fly out for week, but it'll only be 2, almost 3 months by then, and my bag for a week, kids bag for a week, pram etc on my own... thinking about it sounds a nightmare.

@MrsR16 Ha oh our dog is the same!! He also has a habit of ‘burying’ his bones behind the sofa cushions 🙈 What is my house even going to look like with him and two babies come next year haha!
Oh that’s great news!! I quit smoking about 8 years ago now. Everyone’s experience is different but I went cold turkey - the first few days were really hard but honestly once I got to two weeks I was over the worst of it. Tell him to buy lots of chewing gum!

@BabySquid What would you be doing there? I can only speak from my niece but at 8 weeks she was a bit of a cluster feeder and not sleeping well at all. It was also when my sisters baby blues really kicked in. Plus as you say, it’s a risk taking your pram on a flight - I think most people try and grab a cheap buggy somewhere just in case it gets damaged. BUT if you’re literally just going over to not be away from DH, the flight might be a pain but if you won’t need to be doing much and thought it was manageable then why not. But I really remember how hard work my niece was at that stage and I was at my sisters most days just to walk their dog and make her a brew etc. Try and bear in mind you could be overdue too, so baby might not be as old as you think! We’ve been invited to a wedding when babies will be 6 weeks old and have said no. It just all sounds like too much hard work to me!!

@BabySquid Oh one other thing to think about is baby would also need a passport, so you’ll just have to make sure baby is born in enough time to get that sorted too!

Baby squid - honestly - easiest age to fly with a little one as long as your well enough (recovered after the birth etc!) feed them when you take off and land, no purées or solids, just formula or breast milk!
Yes defo a disappointment over the buggy’s - I know what buggy I wanted pre knowing we were having twins!

@MrsEG - a planned c section is better then a emergency C section, and you should do what you think is best for you and the babies (as well as listening to doctors and midwifes!) personally I want to avoid a c section if I can mainly due to my husbands work - he can have 4 weeks off work but no more and due to the fact he works long distance if I’m not fully recovered after 4 weeks and he is away for a few nights it may just be a bit harder for me to deal with two little ones!
They are the buggies we like as well - I want to see them both together and get a tape measure and compare them and the carrycots, but struggling to find someone which stocks both of them!

@MrsR16 - congratulations to your DH! well done him!

@BabySquid - you will need a passport too - but what families I have worked for have down when they are flying when baby is very young is fill out the passport form as much as possible and leave the name/date of birth blank till they are born.

@BabySquid I just found some info on BabyCentre which looks useful - have a look and see what you think! www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.babycenter.com/amp/0_traveling-with-a-newborn-to-8-month-old_7157.bc

@PippaPug Oh god yeah you wouldn’t want to be alone and still recovering from major surgery! I suppose I am quite lucky in that DH is self employed and works very close to home, so I could have him on hand.
Oh that makes me feel better that you are thinking of the same two!! I am edging a bit more towards the mountain buggy I think. I may even then try and sell it after a year or so and get an Out n About then when they are just in a buggy! They are also the prams that they recommended at the workshop too, some also got Bugaboos second hand but said they were only really good for babies and then just felt way too big!

@MrsEG well I'd only be going to break up the time that he's away from the baby. He doesn't really want to go for that long but the money would be stupid to turn down while I'm on mat pay.
I'd probs get the passport just after it's born so I don't think that would be an issue. And I can book the flights last min if I need its passport number.
It's something I'll have to think about after baby's here I suppose. I just don't want hubs to miss out on 6/8 weeks worth of baby, only seeing it over FaceTime.

@BabySquid Totally understandable, it’s your choice entirely - if you can book on a whim maybe you could just wait and see how you feel, when baby has actually arrived, if you are recovered etc? And then if you fancy the trip just book it and go! That BabyCentre link has some good tips for plane travel with a little baby. It’s something DH has mentioned too for us to visit his family in Ireland but I’ve said no chance til they’re older ha but my excuse is I’m not carting a double buggy, two travel cots etc over, especially on bloody RyanAir!!

@MrsEG - ah yes very lucky! Esp in the early days and weeks!
I’m edging more towards the mountain buggy - I like that when they outgrow the carrycots, you can still get them to face you with another attachment - a bit like a bouncer type thing - but means they can face you for longer.

Bugaboo donkeys are incredibly wide/heavy in my opinion most people I know buy them and get a replacement within 12 months!

I like the mini city jogger twin one! I have pushed a nipper 360 but approx 8/9 years ago and it was really good - pushed well in snow too

@PippaPug yeah I’m edging towards the mountain buggy too - I reckon we’d have already bought it but DH is doing his own research haha! He has a deadline of this week though! I find for good deals the wait time for delivery is a bit mad. But I have found it online for the buggy and two carry cots for £700 which is pretty good. I’ll just buy any other attachments as and when I feel I need them I guess?
Are there any other baby must haves you’ve seen in your job?? I’m making my shopping list at the moment ha!

@MrsEG - double check it comes with the rain covers for the carrycots - they normally come with a rain cover for the pram when they are older and not for the carry cots!
I would suggest the actual rain covers for the carry cots as the other one won’t fit properly.

Nappy bin is always handy in the early days and I have never noticed they smell (but I do take the nappies out every other day)

I tell parents not to bother with a room temp guide and a bath temp - I find you can get quite obsessive over the perfect temp!

Get a snot sucker - it’s grim, but if they have blocked up noses it does help with breathing/feeding and sleeping

I’m going to get the twins some baby gowns - they are elasticated at the bottom by the feet, so when your changing them in the night, no poppers!

A water bottle for you - super sparrow is fantastic and keeps it cold when your breast feeding (if you want to BF!)

For sleeping - check out the lullaby trust, it says that twins can share a cot till one of them rolls over (also gives recommendations of what to buy, and what not to buy)

As your swaying towards a C section - somewhere high up to Bath them (if you want to bath them - if your husband baths them he can do it in a normal bath ) - with a baby bath (change unit is normally fine)

Hooded towels are easier to stay on little heads and keep them warm whilst your bathing/dressing the other

183637321 bodysuits/vests 😂

I like euan the dream sheep - but I don’t actually know if they help!

I wanted a side by side crib for one baby so I’m trying to work out if I just get a cot for in our room for the first 6 months and they share for a while and then a Moses basket for the lounge/going to families.

If your going to get a travel cot - and potentially two the baby bjorn ones are fab, but expensive - but you can get a thicker mattress and always advise that parents should get that, travel cot mattresses are like wood and I can’t imagine that they are comfy!

They are the more random things I can think of at the top of my head! I haven’t even got a list started 😂😂

@PippaPug This is so so helpful - thank you lovely!!

@MrsR16 oh that's so annoying - but at least you might potentially not be going back, they don't sound like they'd be great for flexible working etc.

@MrsEG oh my goodness, of course, you're at the halfway point already! How freaking exciting!! I am waiting for that shocker to hit me next week . My app tells me he or she is now the size of a mango, which is just insane. They were a poppy seed but mere months ago! Ooo just seen you're thinking of going for the Out n About Nipper double - we're thinking of going for the single. Have you tried one out? Our nearest stockist is 1.5 hrs away, but thinking it'll be worth the trek. We're going to go in November and combined it with the classic parents-to-be Big Ikea Trip.

@PippaPug so great you got to see them both! And fab to hear your midwife is on board with your labour preferences. Do you have to give birth on a labour ward with twins?Totally get why you'd want a natural delivery if you're partner can only get 4 weeks off. Do you have anyone else close by that you could get support from in those first few months? Oh my god just read your list of things to get - you are one wise owl!!

@BabySquid Personally I wouldn't fancy flying with a two-month-old, but I'm a bit of a control freak and there are just too many unknown variables at this stage (e.g. what kind of temperament they have, how you recover from labour etc.). But if you're more of a chilled out person than me, it's probably totally doable! I'm just in the camp of making things as easy as possible for myself postpartum...we have zero plans for the first half of next year .

@MrsEG - not sure where you live but a Ikea highchair - honestly doesn’t look the most attractive but it’s the easiest to clean by far and it is pretty easy to Chuck in the car for going round to friends/families and can even go in the dishwasher. You can also get a blow up insert when they are still a little bit wobbly. It’s approx £15 and honestly the easiest high chair to clean up (no tiny holes and gaps!)

@Purplefig - I have been walking around with a big smile on my face, just seeing both of them and its starting to feel real I’m having twins after seeing both at the same time! Unfortunately she won’t be my midwife - I have a twin midwife, but she said that my twin midwife is lovely and will listen to me which makes me so much happy! Sadly yes have to give birth on the labour ward, I wanted a home birth but I can’t have that or be on the midwife less unit both of which I’m rather gutted about!

I have friends and family if my husband is on long days but due to my job I feel people wont offer to help and think I will be fine I have worked with newborns before but the mother has always been around....and never had two all by myself, let alone the hormonal changes my body will be going through!

I need to start my own list - I’m just pondering if I put the twins together in a cot from day one, I can’t find a safe twin bassinet so don’t think they exist sadly!

@PippaPug I bet, it's such a magical feeling getting to see them in their own little world in there isn't it? Shame you only have the option of the labour ward (though I get why!) but lots you can do to still have control, like you said with the dimmed lighting, music, less people etc. It might be worth mentioning to some of your family and close friends that you're struggling with the idea of coping with two newborns when DH goes back to work, and see if they'll offer some support? I've seen twins in cots in two sleepheads before I'm sure.