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 💛

Oh I just ignore anything family say about names, MIL has such awful 70s taste in names! She keeps suggesting stuff like Kevin or Neil which I don't like at all! In fact we normally keep it quiet until we've decided but just getting a bit fed up with the indecision this time :o

I've not ordered anything else for the baby but I have ordered DS2 a new car seat which actually means we'll have the choice of the 360 or the infant carrier for the baby. I'm going to play around with them in the car probably this weekend to see how they fit and what combination gives DS1 the most space in the middle. We might have a different set up for long journeys or days out compared with just normal 20 min journeys as well.

Also- midwife calls are really stressful. She told me that I had to go up to the hospital for blood tests today, I am now with the antenatal ward and should be there for all appointments because I’m rhesus negative. I also need blood tests every few weeks for monitoring but apparently this should have started back In January, as it’s because of my blood results from booking in! I told the midwife I was confused and didn’t know what I was being monitored for, I thought Rhesus negative just needed an anti d injection. She said she wasn’t sure as the Dr’s notes were complicated. So I’m now going up to QC hospital and I’m hoping someone there can explain what’s happening and the implication of not having my bloods monitored for the last 3 months? I wish the midwife could have explained because I’m really confused now whereas I thought I had understood. Anyone else rhesus negative and had to have regular bloods? I could be making a mountain out of a molehill here but it was her confusion that has worried me!

And yeah this is DH's only issue with Alex, while he likes it, he also has a colleague called Alex which he finds a bit weird.

@biscuitcat Marmaduke!!! Well, it’s unique?!

They can do blood tests when you're negative to see whether you need the anti d or not, as not everyone needs it. They have checked mine even though I'm rhesus positive!

Thanks Bertie, I had to do a blood test at 20 weeks which confirmed that baby is positive so I definitely need the anti D. But I thought that was a one off test, I didn’t think it was something that needed to be repeated? From 28 weeks I need the bloods every 2 weeks (I think?)

I'm RH negative and have just had it confirmed that baby is positive. I need to have Anti-D at 28 weeks but 24 hours beforehand I need to go for a blood test as apparently they need up to date bloods on the system prior to giving the Anti-D 🤷🏻‍♀️ - Other than that I'm not monitored and there are no additional blood tests required

It must vary by area as I was told I was being tested to see whether I had developed antibodies, rather than to check the baby's blood type.

@BertieBotts can i ask what car seat you went for for ds2? I think our ds are a similar age and have been considering getting him a new car seat so baby can possibly use the 360 also. Plus ds is tall and though only 16kg I think may be approaching the height limit on the 360

@MM1993 that’s what I thought, they redo the tests at 28 weeks before the injection (though that’s a separate hospital appt as midwife won’t see me in person til 30 weeks). So I wonder if it’s something to do with antibodies?

@bertiebotts oh- so antibodies were picked up at my booking appointment so maybe it’s monitoring of that?

I hope someone at the hospital can explain it to me anyway!

@Inmypjsagain yes we're planning on something a touch more mainstream! Though I'd not be surprised if we end up with something along those lines as a nickname now...

@Inmypjsagain you aren't the only one re buying stuff.. I have some outfits sitting in my patpat basket but can't bring myself to press buy for fear of jinxing things which I know is completely irrational!
I do need to get dh to get ds baby clothes and stuff that we kept out of the attic and sort through/ wash it soon as I'm sure we have lots of neutral clothing from him as a newborn as we didn't find out the gender for him.

@Smurf123 I decided on the britax Advansafix i-Size M.

Reason being he is always FF in the 360 now and I don't think it's as well rated forward facing as it is rear facing. Britax have a feature in their isofix seats which helps deflect movement downwards which I was happy about. And it has top tether.

He weighs 16.6kg and is 92cm tall with a long body and shorter legs, so I think the 21kg / 102cm limit on the harnessed part will be fine for him, whereas an 18kg limit would be a bit too low, even without a height limit. I'm not too worried about him going into a seatbelt before age 4, but I didn't want to have to move him at just turned 3. I also really like the booster mode in this seat and think it will be great for long journeys in the future due to the combination of recline and secureguard. I might get the XP pad as an add on item later.

If I was in full on ERF mode, I'd probably have gone for britax max way plus. I like the way it works and the price point of it.

Also considered Joie bold, but it's quite a bit wider in the car and I felt that would be uncomfortable for DS1. Plus I just like the features and quality of the britax better. However I suspect DS3 might be slightly bigger than DS2 so I might end up regretting this in a few years when he needs a harnessed seat! But we'll worry about that later if it happens. There might be more options on the market then.

Would have gone for the full isize one not the M, but decided to save money as our car already has good side impact protection for rear passengers so decided it wasn't as important to get a car seat with the best possible side impact protection as it would be if perhaps we had an older car.

Funny this discussion about Alex as a boy's name. My name is Alexis, and DH and I have both fallen in love with Alasdair for a boy's name - and we now know we're having a boy. The name comes from the same root (Alexander) and has the same meaning (protector of mankind) and number of syllables as my name. Anyway, It's the only name we can agree on and I love it so much. Been talking to the baby for weeks using it in my head, so will be a bit sad if we change our minds last minute but we want to meet him before we firmly decide. We both have Scottish ancestry and my husband was raised in Orkney although we're definitely not Scottish. My family in the US don't really like the name but it's not really up to them is it!

Well I just had the news through my colleagues that the employer that was supposedly waiting for my return from maternity leave hired someone else this month for what was supposed to be my job and in their own words "I was their perfect fit". Have a guess who they've hired, yes, a man. With less qualifications than me.

I am fucking livid. And that's an understatement.

Please someone tell me they are pricks, I wouldn't ever be happy there, a dream job paying even more is around the corner and generally there will be rainbows and unicorns soon? and that twat that stole my job slips on a banana peel on his first day

For fuck's sake!

xx

@BertieBotts thanks ds is between 16.4 - 16.6kg also but somewhere between 102-106cm already (he wouldn't stand still 🙈) but also forward facing so I'll maybe have a look at the joie bold. I'd like to keep him in a harnessed seat until closer to 4 if I can.
Definitely don't want him in a high back booster yet. All our shops are still currently closed but due to open from the weekend so hopefully I can see some in person too

@biscuitcat that would be a cute nickname!! I think it’s law that every baby needs a cute nickname. Actually the more I think of Marmaduke the more I like it 😂 but reminds me of the big dog!

@Smurf123 glad I’m not alone. I thought maybe buying in mid June might be ok but it’s annoying I’m not letting myself enjoy some of the fun stuff! Oh it’ll be so sweet going through old baby clothes though!

@WolfMother326 I like Alasdair too, the one I know is very lovely and it’s funny how much the opinion of a person you know can make a break or name!

@PurplePansy05 😡 ugh I’m so sorry. Thing is, if they’ve done that then maybe they weren’t the company they made out they were and it’s a good thing you’re not working there! Though
I’d be interested in when and how they tell you this though? I’m sorry I shouldn’t laugh but I did giggle at the banana peel comment 😂 xx

@Inmypjsagain Well I've made it very awkward for them because I've just emailed them with a direct question, and a comment that I'd appreciate the transparency since I have other options lined up for my return which I will certainly make myself available to.

I am raging because I didn't have to tell them about my pregnancy. And for what they know, I could have MCd again. I could have had
stillbirth. That's the reality of it. Of course I am hoping for the best outcome, but the point I'm making is that they've promised to wait till end of my mat leave. The reality is I don't know how things will go, obviously hoping for the best. But if I lost my son a month ago, and were available to start in a month, what is their excuse? They don't know my situation because they never reached out to ask, keep in touch, anything. Not even common courtesy of telling me directly now what the situation is. It's disgusting.

You are right if that's how they act, we are miles apart in terms of honesty and principles. But I now need to go back to square one and look for other options after mat leave. This one would have been very convenient actually as it's close to home, which is what annoys me most.

Pricks. Still praying for that banana peel, karma will get them. xx

@PurplePansy05 sorry to read your employer is such a dick! What a shitty thing to do!!!!

You can join me in being back to square one due to crappy employers!

@Daffodil21 It was my potential new employer, a competitor! At least I know to avoid now! Thanks (them and your employer can now get together in their shitty employers club, what an elite!) xx

@PurplePansy05 that sucks!! Hopefully he won't get through probation!

You're probably all aware but ONS is really good for looking at current baby name trends. 2020 won't be released for a few months yet though.
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsgirls

@Daffodil21 Elliot is lovely! Really classy name ☺️

@BertieBotts I love Alex and Max! We had a hamster called Max otherwise that would definitely be high up my list for a boy.

@Smurf123 That’s so cute from your DS! 🥺 I imagine he’ll drop the association once his sister is here though ☺️

@Inmypjsagain My movements are all over the place, some days she’s really low down and feels like she’s going to stick her foot out my foof 😳 then other days she’s high up and I saw her poking around my ribs the other day!

@Magik01 I’d be livid if my MIL said that! So rude 😠 hope she hasn’t put you off!

Love reading everyone talking about names! We have had 2 boys names picked out incase we ever have a third baby and it’s a boy! (Rory or Henry).
We have our little girls name chosen and refer to her as it already, we’re calling her Madison with her middle name as Rachel after my late mum ❤️

@Smurf123 my friend has a Joie Bold so when she gives us a lift home I put DS2 in there. It is much more spacious than the 360. Harness goes incredibly high as well. Her tall 6yo is still using it. I took a pic of him the other day. It's a good option if you want or need that higher capacity.

@PurplePansy05 grrr! How annoying of them!

@PurplePansy05 that's awful of them - god wouldn't life be easy as a mediocre man! Do you have anything in writing about the offer, your pregnancy, and this new development (I guess them rescinding your offer?)? Good for you for emailing them directly. Whenever anyone irritates me I hope they get stuck in traffic and caught at every red light - hope it happens to all of them too!

@Jessicapebbles gorgeous names 🥰 will she be a Maddie or a Madison?