Pregnant After Loss and Dreaming of Rainbows - 4

[Avocuddles]

Thread 4 already! New members very welcome to our friendly and supportive team.

Latest roll call....

@Bellsx. 26wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 26wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Pugmum19 18wks (due 31/08/20)⁣
@UrsulaSings 17wks (due 07/09/20)⁣
@Hoping2020 19wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 22wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣
@Knotemma 21 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣
@LilMrsS 20wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 20wks 26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 19wks (due 26/09/20)⁣
@avocuddles 20wks (due 27/09/20)⁣
@Sunflower1608 20wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣
@SunStruck 19wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 19wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 20wks (due 30/09/20)⁣
@HighHopes20 16wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 18wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣
@Aria2015 10wks⁣
@tmc14 17wks (due 11/10/20)⁣
@Hagster 17wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@seaduck 12wks (due 17/10/20)⁣
@DressingGown87 13wks (due 20/10/20)⁣
@rachelrainbow 11wks (due 1/11/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 14wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 13wks (due 09/11/20)⁣
@MysteriousSheep 12wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 11wks (due 04/12/20)⁣
@MOGMOGMOG85 10wks (due 09/12/20)

@Litrlegoth congratulations on getting this far, it's amazing the difference a year makes!

@Avocuddles sorry to hear that your feeling down. I would maybe talk about how exciting it's always going to be for baby to see there grandma and how much more special that bond is when they can't see each other every day. My 2 nieces and nephew (on DH side) live in Canada and are obsessed with Grandma and Grandad D. They do Skype at least once a week and they always get so excited about coming here or the grandparents going over. I know it's tough, but she will most definitely be a real grandma!

Another week and another update... Hello third trimester! Can believe we're 2 thirds of the way there, some days it still doesn't feel real.

@Bellsx 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣ -SURPRISE
@Hoping2020 28 wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 28wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Knotemma 28 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣- SURPRISE
@LilMrsS 27wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 27 wks - Girl (26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 27 wks (due 26/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@avocuddles 27wks (due 27/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Sunflower1608 27wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣- GIRL & BOY
@SunStruck 27wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 26wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 27wks (due 30/09/20)⁣ BOY
@HighHopes20 25wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 25wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣ GIRL
@tmc14 24wks (due 11/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@Hagster 23wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@DressingGown87 18wks (due 20/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@rachelrainbow 17wks (due 28/10/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 20wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 20wks (due 09/11/20)⁣ BOY
@MrsG3 18wks (due 16/11/20) GIRL
@MysteriousSheep 15wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 17wks (due 02/12/20)⁣ SURPRISE
@MOGMOGMOG85 16wks (due 05/12/20)
@footprintsintheslow 9weeks (due 16/01/21)

Hi @Rachael321 please dont be too worried! Many people live with gallstones and choose not to have their gallbladder removed, it's nothing that needs fixing urgently (though I appreciate the pain is horrific when it happens!).
You can control the pain largely by diet - usually low fat, healthy diet - certain foods kicked mine off too but not always to the worst type of pain. I managed to control mine successfully with diet for quite awhile before I chose to have my gallbladder removed. Theres lots of information online to review, there are also a lot of awful suggestions to get rid of them - please dont do these!!

Congrats @Littlegoth and @Knotemma it's great to see people getting so far on. Another week for me too!
@Bellsx 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣ -SURPRISE
@Hoping2020 28 wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 28wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Knotemma 28 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣- SURPRISE
@LilMrsS 27wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 27 wks - Girl (26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 27 wks (due 26/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@avocuddles 27wks (due 27/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Sunflower1608 27wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣- GIRL & BOY
@SunStruck 27wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 26wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 27wks (due 30/09/20)⁣ BOY
@HighHopes20 25wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 25wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣ GIRL
@tmc14 24wks (due 11/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@Hagster 23wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@DressingGown87 18wks (due 20/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@rachelrainbow 17wks (due 28/10/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 20wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 20wks (due 09/11/20)⁣ BOY
@MrsG3 18wks (due 16/11/20) GIRL
@MysteriousSheep 15wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 18wks (due 02/12/20)⁣ SURPRISE
@MOGMOGMOG85 16wks (due 05/12/20)
@footprintsintheslow 9weeks (due 16/01/21)

@Rachael321 I'm so sorry about your gallstones! It did sound like you were a bit more ill than just standard pregnancy stuff, I'm glad they've found out what the issue is. It does all sound a bit scary and overwhelming, but don't google, definitely speak to your doctor about all your options and your worries for different outcomes. All situations are different and I'm sure some of the things you see when you google stuff are the absolute worst case scenario xxx

@Avocuddles sorry about your mum! It sounds like she's subtly almost blaming you for the situation but as you say it's nothing new! I'm in the opposite situation, when my mum found out we were planning a family she said she wanted to move down south to be closer to us, but I wasn't keen for her to move until we were sure we were going to be living somewhere long term. We've only lived in Kent a year and I knew my partner was keen to move West to be closer to his family in the long run. Then when he mentioned the possibility of working from home or seeking new work over near Bristol I jumped at the chance to move and told my Mum it was what we were planning and that she could move down too! She lives by the sea up north and I thought Weston-super-mare would be affordable and also not too different from where she lives now. She's only lived there 6 years so I didn't think it would be toooooo bad for her to uproot herself but I was mainly being guided by the fact that she kept talking about how much she wanted to be closer to us. Anyway, as soon as I told her that I thought it would be a good idea for her to move down she got cold feet and started blaming me for it! I went to visit her last week and she kept calling me selfish, and suggesting I only wanted her to live close by for financial (childcare) reasons, as well as a whole host of other stuff that was frankly really rude and hard to deal with. I think she is happy where she is and now that I'm no longer protesting against her moving closer she is confronted with the reality of it and she just doesn't want to do it, but can't admit to herself that she'd prefer to be further away from her family (we don't have any other family), so is being really actually quite mean to me all of a sudden! After that week visiting I decided I'm quite happy for her to stay up there too as I don't need someone making snipes at me all the time because of their own issues! I'm sure your mum is not like mine and maybe I'm reading into it too much but it sounded like she was kind of blaming you a bit. As others have said there will be benefits to being a distant grandparent - she will be adored and revered and the young one will see going to visit her as a holiday!

All of you further along than me talking about 10 more weeks etc are really making me anxious about how little time there is left! Great news that you guys are all so close though. I think for now with all I'm weighing up about big life decisions I'm happy to have a bit more time...!!

@Bellsx 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣ -SURPRISE
@Hoping2020 28 wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 28wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Knotemma 28 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣- SURPRISE
@LilMrsS 27wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 27 wks - Girl (26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 27 wks (due 26/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@avocuddles 27wks (due 27/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Sunflower1608 27wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣- GIRL & BOY
@SunStruck 27wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 26wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 27wks (due 30/09/20)⁣ BOY
@HighHopes20 25wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 25wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣ GIRL
@tmc14 24wks (due 11/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@Hagster 23wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@DressingGown87 18wks (due 20/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@rachelrainbow 17wks (due 28/10/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 20wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 20wks (due 09/11/20)⁣ BOY
@MrsG3 18wks (due 16/11/20) GIRL
@MysteriousSheep 15wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 17wks (due 02/12/20)⁣ SURPRISE
@MOGMOGMOG85 17wks (due 05/12/20)
@footprintsintheslow 9weeks (due 16/01/21)

@Avocuddles that sounds hard hearing your mum has been saying that. I expect it’s that she is worried and wants to be close to you so she can support you. Thought I’d briefly share my experience in hope that it helps.. my son’s grandparents on his dads side live a 4-5hr drive away and they honestly have such a fantastic and close relationship with him. Definitely they had to put some effort in, visiting fairly regularly plus we go on holiday with them every summer. Once he was able to write he became ‘pen pals’ with his granny and they still write to each other now (he’s 12). He loves them so much and I can’t imagine they would be closer even if they were doing the school run every day! He is also very close with my mum who used to live in the same city but now we have moved. Grandparents can be such a special relationship, I didn’t know mine and had no idea how lovely until I saw it with my son.

Updating my weeks. Got my anomaly scan tomorrow, feeling ridiculously nervous!

@Bellsx 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣ -SURPRISE
@Hoping2020 28 wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 28wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Knotemma 28 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣- SURPRISE
@LilMrsS 27wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 27 wks - Girl (26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 27 wks (due 26/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@avocuddles 27wks (due 27/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Sunflower1608 27wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣- GIRL & BOY
@SunStruck 27wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 26wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 27wks (due 30/09/20)⁣ BOY
@HighHopes20 25wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 25wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣ GIRL
@tmc14 24wks (due 11/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@Hagster 23wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@DressingGown87 18wks (due 20/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@rachelrainbow 17wks (due 28/10/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 20wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 20wks (due 09/11/20)⁣ BOY
@MrsG3 18wks (due 16/11/20) GIRL
@MysteriousSheep 19wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 17wks (due 02/12/20)⁣ SURPRISE
@MOGMOGMOG85 17wks (due 05/12/20)
@footprintsintheslow 9weeks (due 16/01/21)

Updating my weeks. Can't believe it's nearly the 3rd trimester. I do feel like its going slowly though... needs to really because I have loads to do 😂

@Bellsx 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣ -SURPRISE
@Hoping2020 28 wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 28wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Knotemma 28 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣- SURPRISE
@LilMrsS 27wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 27 wks - Girl (26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 27 wks (due 26/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@avocuddles 27wks (due 27/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Sunflower1608 27wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣- GIRL & BOY
@SunStruck 27wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 26wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 27wks (due 30/09/20)⁣ BOY
@HighHopes20 25wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 26wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣ GIRL
@tmc14 24wks (due 11/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@Hagster 23wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@DressingGown87 18wks (due 20/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@rachelrainbow 17wks (due 28/10/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 20wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 20wks (due 09/11/20)⁣ BOY
@MrsG3 18wks (due 16/11/20) GIRL
@MysteriousSheep 19wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 17wks (due 02/12/20)⁣ SURPRISE
@MOGMOGMOG85 17wks (due 05/12/20)
@footprintsintheslow 9weeks (due 16/01/21)

Hi everyone, I've been away for a bit. I find these early weeks so hard so I've just been trying not to think about it. Still 10 days til my early scan, just seems so long. Only today and Friday at work though and then a week off in Cornwall. We booked it back in January and now it's going to be the crazy traffic day as lockdown ends 🙈

@Pippop21 I'm so so sorry, I hope that you are doing as ok as you can be. Life is so unfair xx

@MOGMOGMOG85 people on mumsnet can be so mean. I've had people be quite horrid before so am much more of a lurker now!

@AnxiousLady1 it could be worth looking at a childminder in London rather than a nursery. It's a bit more effort to find one that suits you but we save £50 a week based on 2.5 days compared to nursery and DS loves it. If you can find the right one it's worth considering. Also smaller setting more relaxed. I sent DS back to to CM as soon as she reopened but I wouldn't have been so sure about nursery with the bubbles etc (mind you the nursery he went to was pretty disorganised, I'm sure lots are dealing with it really well)

@MysteriousSheep I have a growth scan today, so we can be nervous together! I'm sure both will go well but I'm sending you a virtual hug anyway. I've put some tea tree oil on the tissue inside my cloth mask and it smells lovely, I'm hoping it will help me take lots of big calming breaths!

@Rachael321 low fat diet and buscopan certainly helped my gallstones while I awaited surgery. I got the pain in October and had it out in the next February.
Hope you're okay.

@seahawk80 Thank you, that is a good suggestion actually. I'll definitely look into that, as I'm in favour of a CM if I found the right one.

@Knotemma and @MysteriousSheep I've got my anomaly scan on Friday. Feel like the last 4 weeks did move quickly as others assured me they would. Also super nervous. I don't know if we will ever enjoy the lead up to scans!! Let us know how you both get on. Xx

@AnxiousLady1 if you are in SE London I can probably recommend some! I wasn't sure about a CM as it is just one person so you have to be really sure about them but I met lots at a local playgroup and now I'm a total convert. DS was in the park all day yesterday and they just have such a lovely time. I think nursery does more arts and crafts but then he's not been to the CM in winter much so I'm sure that will happen when the weather is bad. I also get sent loads of pics of his day and a detailed report which lots of nurseries just can't do (especially in London as just busier).

Hi all 🥰

Just updating my dates. We found out we’re having a girl. It all feels very real. I a getting slightly annoyed with myself- I keep setting deadlines for my anxiety to stop. First it was the 12 week scan- then the 20 week scan. I’m still feeling anxious and pinning my hopes on 24 weeks (viability!). Starting to realise the anxiety is here to stay...

@Bellsx 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣ -SURPRISE
@Hoping2020 28 wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 28wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Knotemma 28 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣- SURPRISE
@LilMrsS 27wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 27 wks - Girl (26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 27 wks (due 26/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@avocuddles 27wks (due 27/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Sunflower1608 27wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣- GIRL & BOY
@SunStruck 27wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 26wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 27wks (due 30/09/20)⁣ BOY
@HighHopes20 25wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 26wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣ GIRL
@tmc14 24wks (due 11/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@Hagster 23wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@DressingGown87 18wks (due 20/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@rachelrainbow 23 weeks (due 28/10/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 20wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 20wks (due 09/11/20)⁣ BOY
@MrsG3 18wks (due 16/11/20) GIRL
@MysteriousSheep 19wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 17wks (due 02/12/20)⁣ SURPRISE
@MOGMOGMOG85 17wks (due 05/12/20)
@footprintsintheslow 9weeks (due 16/01/21)

Updating mine again as got missed in other updates.

@Bellsx 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣
@Rachael321 31wks (due 20/08/20)⁣ -SURPRISE
@Hoping2020 28 wks (due 13/09/20)⁣
@SammiLou2312 28wks⁣ (due 17/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Knotemma 28 wks⁣ (due 23/09/20)⁣- SURPRISE
@LilMrsS 27wks (due 24/09/20)⁣
@didslysquiddlydoo 27 wks - Girl (26/09/20)⁣
@TunnocksTcake 27 wks (due 26/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@avocuddles 27wks (due 27/09/20)⁣ - GIRL
@Sunflower1608 27wks with twins (due 28/09/20)⁣- GIRL & BOY
@SunStruck 27wks (due 28/09/20)⁣⁣
@Scout20 26wks (due 29/09/20)⁣
@Littlegoth 27wks (due 30/09/20)⁣ BOY
@HighHopes20 25wks (due 03/10/20)⁣⁣
@Treaclepie19 26wks (due 07/10/20)⁣⁣ GIRL
@tmc14 24wks (due 11/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@Hagster 23wks (due 12/10/20)⁣⁣
@DressingGown87 18wks (due 20/10/20)⁣ GIRL
@rachelrainbow 23 weeks (due 28/10/20)⁣
@teaandtantrums90 13wks (due 05/11/20)⁣
@AnxiousLady1 20wks (due 07/11/20)⁣
@Shefliesonherownwings 20wks (due 09/11/20)⁣ BOY
@MrsG3 18wks (due 16/11/20) GIRL
@MysteriousSheep 19wks (due 21/11/20)
@Whiffle77 18wks (due 02/12/20)⁣ SURPRISE
@MOGMOGMOG85 17wks (due 05/12/20)
@footprintsintheslow 9weeks (due 16/01/21)

All went well for the growth scan, got to see the consultant and she's happy for me to remain midwife led because everything is still looking good. Goblin is a whopping 2lb10 and bang on 50th percentile, which is a relief because DH was a massive baby! Back for a second growth/reassurance scan in 6 weeks. I'm pretty sure little one was sticking their tongue out for the camera!

Lovely scan picture there!

I went for a scan on Tuesday and was in a right old pickle waiting to go in but all was well and in fact they moved me forwards a week so I'm 12+4 now. Then it was all action stations to get me a new 12 week scan date so I'd be in the right window and I'm going back tomorrow! What an exciting week!
Hopefully I'll be posting a picture tomorrow. In the meantime here's a picture of my crochet blanket. It's very garish is know but it's meaningful. It's been crocheted over three pregnancies so hopefully this time I'll get to wrap a baby up in it!

That’s excellent that everything is looking good with your little goblin @Knotemma

What a beautiful blanket @footprintsintheslow, your baby will be very lucky to be snuggled in that this winter. My mum makes nice blankets and cuddly toys so am hoping she’ll make some nice things for this baby. I’m useless at knitting and crochet, although I did make cuddly toys out of socks for my son ‘Sock’ and ‘Sock-let’ and he loved them. Homemade stuff is my favourite.

@footprintsintheslow that's a gorgeous blanket! I've been knitting and crocheting quite a bit, and I've even had the sewing machine out! Love a bit of homemade craft

Lovely ladies who have started shopping, I've just bought a lovely skiphop changing bag from onlinebaby4u for £40 instead of £110! They have quite a few different styles in the sale with big savings on them. Because I'm a sucker for a sale I've also bought a bouncer and a bath thermometer 🙈

Great scan news @knotemma and @footprintsintheslow! And a really lovely scan picture. It's always great to hear good news.
@footprintsintheslow that blanket is absolutely gorgeous!! And what a lovely idea, how nice to think that will be comforting your little one 💞 I'm also useless at things like that but a few of my friends mums are good so I am keeping my fingers crossed!
That's a great bag @knotemma i still feel awhile away from buying things! I started googling about prams earlier and wish i hadn't - what an absolute minefield!!! 🙈 so many to choose from, I dont even know where to start to narrow down a list! Wasnt planning on buying for awhile yet but just wanted an idea, feel very confused now! Would like to go and play with some but I dont know where sells them nowadays.
In other news, I suddenly feel massive tonight!

@Whiffle77 John Lewis is good for prams and also you'll find there are great little independent stores with tonnes of stock. Maybe ask on local Facebook community pages for shop recommendations.

For me I wanted a big shopping basket. That was my priority. I also wanted a proper carrycot as me eldest slept in hers in my bedroom in the early weeks.

When I went to look I then knew I wanted Silvercross as it seemed quality. I used mumsnet reviews to help me come to a decision as well as staring at lots of prams out in real life. Then I looked on fb marketplace for the specific pram I wanted and I picked up a complete bargain for £120. Absolute immaculate that was John Lewis current stock selling for £1000.

@Whiffle77 I took a gamble and bought mine online, I'd done quite a bit of research and new what I wanted, but hadn't played with any. I think Mamas and Papas have prams on their shop floor, also possibly John Lewis? (I feel like you can book a free appointment with them but I may have made that up) I'd also have a look online and see if there's an independent near you, we have a big one at a local shopping outlet that I'd have gone for a play at under normal circumstances. It definitely is a minefield, but you have time and you can go and have a play in a few places before you make any kind of commitment... Or buy online as long as they offer free returns!

Thanks both! I hadn't thought of John Lewis, that's a good idea! Hopefully a bit easier now the shops are opening up too. I deffo want to have a look at a few and push them about as I just have no idea on sizes etc.
That's a brilliant bargain @footprintsintheslow the range of prices is staggering!!

You can definitely get some good nearly new ones of the likes of Facebook marketplace and gumtree. A close friend got the bugaboo twin pram (possibly the donkey?) For about £200 on Facebook when they sell for about £700-800 new. I wanted something a bit more rugged and off-road because I'm planning on walking with my parents a lot when little one arrives (which I already do, we meet twice a weeks and do between 5&7 km now that I'm pregnant and taking it "easy") they live with lots of excellent country walks literally on their doorstep. But I got a bargain, as I got a Joie x Mothercare crosster, which I'm guessing will be end of the line stock from Mothercare closing down, so I got it for £300 instead of £700 with the i-level car seat

@footprintsintheslow good to hear from you and that its all good news! What a lovely blanket and I think its lovely that you had been making it for all your pregnancies... I'm sure this time you will get to wrap that baby up xx

@Knotemma what an amazing scan, I can see the face so clearly! I think you're right - so cute with the tongue poking out!

@Whiffle77 me too, I am suddenly absolutely huge today, my bellybutton is stretched out alarmingly! I'm lucky to have a friend who basically tells me what to buy. With the pram she said I should get a bugaboo chameleon 3 because I'm tall and its a good buggy. THEN she was out charity shopping and spotted a great one in the local shop for £150, reserved it for me and gave me a call. I was only 15 weeks and it felt a bit premature but I can't resist a bargain and they really can be extortionate! I pushed it home from the shop with no visible bump at that time, and old ladies kept glancing in and then giving me strange looks! I felt so self-conscious like I didn't know what I was doing. When I got home I discovered I'd been pushing it backwards too xD