Due August 2021 - over half way!

[Daffodil21]

@wimbler - EDD 29 July, surprise 💛
@Champson - EDD 22 August (but really June/July), TBC 💖💖💖
@coffeeandrainbows1- EDD 4 August (but most likely July), Boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles - EDD 5 August (but having C-section at 39 weeks, so really July), Girl 💖
@Smurf123 - EDD 5 August (but likely to be July) 💛
@WhatEvenIsSleep - EDD 2 August, Boy 💙
@ready2020 - EDD 4 August, Girl 💖
@Xaxnxdxrxexaxandrews87 - EDD 4 August, Boy 💙
@Smushty14 - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Rattyclife - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Dia12 - EDD 8 August, Girl 💖
@Biscuitcat - EDD 10 August, surprise 💛
@ElonaWise - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@Runnergirl123 - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@PurplePansy05 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Srtdr - EDD 12 August, surprise 💛
@Daffodil21 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Inmypjsagain - EDD ???, Boy 💙
@BananaHammock23 - EDD 13 August, surprise 💛
@MrsB2019x - EDD 13 August, Girl 💖
@Magik01 - EDD 13 August, Boy 💙
@Aaaaa1519 - EDD 13 August, Girl 💖
@Carefree1 - EDD 15 August, Girl 💖
@DressyGerbera - EDD 15 August, surprise 💛
@lucyrp - EDD 16 August, undecided 💛
@BertieBotts - EDD 16 August, want to know! 💛
@WolfMother326 - EDD 17 August, surprise 💛
@Caz1226 - EDD 17 August, Boy 💙
@Lille4 - EDD 17 August, Girl 💖
@Redskinsucks - EDD 17 August, TBC 💛
@RockyRockyRoad - EDD 18 August, can't wait to find out 💛
@Smallbean27 - EDD 19 August, surprise 💛
@WatermelonKisses - EDD 20 August, surprise 💛
@Alittlexmasmagic - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@Millymay13 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Whatshouldbemyusername - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@LottSE20 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Notinthestarsigns - EDD 23 August, TBC 💛
@Winecoffeeteamum - EDD 23 August, Girl 💖
@LaceyMermaid - EDD 24 August, TBC 💛
@Fran919 - EDD 25 August, surprise 💛
@ava50x - EDD 25th August, Boy 💙
@Ghhh - EDD 25th August, Boy 💙
@northernsquirrel - EDD 26 August, surprise 💛
@LyraShaeLilly - EDD 27 August, Girl 💖
@ame88 - EDD 28 August, TBC 💛
@diamante11 - EDD 29 August, Girl 💖
@HopefulB - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛
@CountryGirl84 - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛

Sorry to bang on about the vaccine again, I think it may have been mentioned before on this thread but this is a useful video:

nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FsEo-MB8t_c8&data=04%7C01%7C%7Cb94373e27008421baa2908d912cbe0d1%7Cd584a4b7b1f24714a578fd4d43c146a6%7C0%7C0%7C637561489265977626%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0&sdata=1s2cGWzkzsQBhxWKY8VKs3GLEFblWkB%2FNXJxbRR7nlk%3D&reserved=0

It is an hour and 20 mins long though!

@EJT89 welcome! I'm also a FTM so not speaking from experience, but I can share what our logic was 😊

We've gone for the Cybex Cloud Z, which attaches to a base in the car and can also be attached to our pram. I wanted a spinning seat, as my back/hips aren't brilliant anyway (pregnancy has not helped!) and so I'm hoping the spin function will take some of the pressure off there. The Cybex lies flat when on the pram frame, which I thought was helpful in a car seat as it would mean I'd feel more comfortable using it for slightly longer periods if I didn't want to move baby into the bassinet, say for a big supermarket shop or something.

It's such a minefield isn't it! @BertieBotts is probably also your woman here, she's a genius with car seats

@EJT89 i am a second time mum and had a travel system from first DC but decided to buy a new pram, this then meant that my car seat would not be able to attach to the new pram so was trying to weigh up whether to get a new one or not. long story short i am now purchasing a new seat that i can attach to the pram as i used mine a lot with DC1 so can see me missing out on that functionality if it wasn't available this time round. i find it a massive help

@EJT89 I think different people will tell you different things, but I personally would not forgo the car seat that clips onto the pram as I found it really useful. Really good for popping onto the shops etc without waking baby up

I don't think the link I posted earlier works. For anyone interested, it's on YouTube called 'Pregnancy, fertility, breastfeeding and the Covid19 vaccine' on the Pregnant Then Screwed YouTube channel

I think there's a place for both the fixed in place ones up to about 4 years and also the ones you can take out and put on the pram.

Bear in mind it will be cold for pretty much months 2-8 - you don't want babies in big puffy snowsuits in their car seat as it means you can't do the straps up around them tightly, the straps need to go directly over normal indoor clothing. So it can be really helpful to be able to put them in the car seat in the house in their normal clothes and then bundle them up with blankets etc over the top of the straps, rather than carrying them to the car getting cold to put them in or carrying them there in a coat and then having to unwrap them standing next to the car in the cold to put them into the seat, unless you have a garage connected to the house.

It's also handy to be able to put the seat down on the ground (or on the buggy) with the baby in it when they're in that pre-walking stage. Once they're older you can stand them on the pavement to free up your hands for a minute but when they're little you can't do this.

For most people the carry seat is very useful. I like being able to just easily take it and put it in any other car as well, I always miss that when they get bigger! However some people just don't really use that functionality. If you don't use the car often, or you have back problems which means carrying the car seat + baby is just going to be a no for you in the first place, and you don't want the temptation of using it on the pram, then a fixed in place seat can be better. It can certainly be more economical, because a lot of people move to the 0-4 years seats after the baby seat anyway so in theory you could have always just started with that one in the first place. And when they cost £200+ for a basic model with base or more like £500 for a premium model + base, it's a lot to pay for useful features. Worth considering what your plans are for potential future children, because if you do have more than one then you'll get more use out of the infant carrier and it gives you an extra 12-18 months where you won't need the second seat for the next baby so gives your eldest a bit of time to grow and mature and be ready for the next stage, so it can be more worth the outlay.

Maxi Cosi Mica is nice for newborns BTW, but because the insert is one piece you can get into problems when they hit 60cm and you're meant to take it out because they're normally still a bit too small for no inserts at all and they look a bit lost in the seat and it can cause their head to fall forwards in the car when they sleep. This is a short lived issue, as they soon grow, but could be annoying if you use the car a lot. Also like any fixed seat, well worth getting a fit test done and measuring the angle of it in your car both with and without the insert. It should be max 45 degrees (from flat) for a newborn. Better around 40. A lot of modern cars have angled seating for adult comfort/safety, but it plays havoc with rear facing child seats as it tips them backwards which makes them much too upright in certain cars. The fit list is no use for assessing this - you'll normally only realise you have a problem when your child's head is constantly falling forwards and by then it's much too late to return the seat. Checking the angle (e.g. free clinometer app on phone, spirit level) can give you an idea before purchase.

@BertieBotts, we’re having a wobble moment on selling our campervan. Any thoughts on the Jane Transporter 2?! The vehicle is 20years old so no modern safety features. However it has a fully crash tested bench seat with 2x 3point seatbelts in the back. The bench seat is set too far back for any tethers that go around front seats.

I don't know much about the Jané seats because they tend to sue anyone who says anything vaguely negative about them! In general I'm a bit wary of the sideways carrycots because you just don't know how they perform in real life - I'd stick to a normal infant carrier as they have a great tried and tested track record. Britax and Maxi Cosi are normally easiest to fit with a seatbelt.

The tethered ones are for older children anyway, but when you get to that stage you can normally tether around the seat it's installed on as well, it doesn't need to be a front seat. Any solid point somewhere down on the floor underneath where the car seat is is a possibility.

Thanks for the info re GTT, @RunnerGirl123 @Whatshouldbemyusername hope you've both got good results!

@BertieBotts i'm loving all the info on car seats, what is your opinion on the Doona car seat? I have it and absolutely love it but I know many people don't like them...

Yes all clear thanks @Ava50x, my letter arrived on Saturday! Very relieved!!

Ladies, I'm getting a lot of rib pain on my right hand side. My midwife said it'll be baby kicking, but it's just getting so bad! Normally it's just when I'm sitting, but it was preventing me from sleeping last night!! Is anyone else suffering with this?

@RunnerGirl123 not rib pain but have had kicks in the cervix for the last week or so they're painful😖

@lucyrp doesn't sound like a great alternative to be fair 🤣. Pregnancy is so glamorous!!

@RunnerGirl123 it's not at all😬 when I went to my 25 week appointment she said they were feet down at the moment and I think they've stayed like that😖

@RunnerGirl123 I have that too but it's definitely heart burn for me. Happens after eating, especially if I lay down on my left side soon after!

I think the Doona is great, but I find it expensive and heavy so probably not that practical for most people. But if you do lots of airport travel or have multiple kids to take on school runs etc it's probably worth it.

People don't like it because they get judgy about people using a car seat for extended periods but I don't think it's any different to a travel system. Then again the same people get judgy about those so what can you do :o

@BertieBotts very true... I do use it for school run and popping out to the shops. I find it brilliant to be honest... I got it as a gift from my Grandad with DS3 (because we basically had everything else already!) but it is quite expensive.

Re being heavy, I don't find it matters much because you hardly have to carry it around.

Yeah the wheels definitely help with not needing to carry it - I was just thinking about scenarios where I'd normally carry my car seat where there are steps etc and that I'd not want to have to carry the weight of the Doona. But if those are rare for you then it probably doesn't matter.

If you know you want multiple children it probably is a decent investment from DC1.

Thanks @Daffodil21. I don't think mine is heartburn, although it is worse after dinner... I do get heartburn when I lie down but this pain is when sitting and then is usually relived by lying down. Gaviscon does nothing for the rib pain but takes away the heartburn. I am pretty sure it is bub because I feel her kicking around there too and if I give my belly in that area a jiggle I think it moves her off the ribs and gives a bit of relief haha!

@RunnerGirl123 glad a jiggle eases it a bit for you!!

Slightly odd question ladies - does anyone find baby kicks when you do pelvic floor exercises? I can tell I'm doing mine properly when baby gets excited 😬

@biscuitcat not going to lie you've just reminded me I need to do some. Haven't done any in months 😬🤣

@biscuitcat I get odd kicks when I do mine... hopefully that's a sign I'm doing them right then haha!!

I'm feeling quite low in energy lately. I get to this time of the day and really want to get on doing other things other than work but I just want to go to bed with a book 😂

I keep getting punches or kicks in my cervix too and it's very disconcerting.

I offered to drive my sister to her first chemo next week and while happy to I'm slightly worried I've taken on a bit much. It's a fair drive. She's no one else to drive her in though and I'd rather it were me than a stranger, at least on her first visit. It's a shame I can't go in with her though and keep her company. I've no idea how she'll be after the treatment. While my dad died of cancer he was in Ireland with my mum so I didn't see his journey. Plus he didn't make it to chemo treatment.

@RunnerGirl123 I've had this previously and do occasionally now. Check your posture when sitting and get some decent back support. It was worse for me when driving in a car with sporty bucket type seats x

@biscuitcat @lucyrp @LaceyMermaid @BertieBotts

Thank you so much for the advice on car seats, really appreciated especially the tips on how to check the angles and thinking about usage during colder months etc.

Hope everyone's keeping well x