Minster's side car bumping along- TTC graduates part 2

[Justanothercyster]

Here we go ladies, hope to see more OGs soon 🤞🏼👶🏽🌈✨💕🥰

@Justanothercyster we've bought nappies I've got like 4/5 packs of size 1 and my friend has given me a big pack of size 2 but that's all I've got so far !

On the clothing front, if anyone is near a Lidl they have some nice cheap babygros and vests in at the moment! Like £3 for 5... and basics like muslins and dummies too!

Glad things are back to normal @lucyrp what a relief!

My mat pay is the same as @Justanothercyster I presume that's a standard education sector offer! Nothing to compare it to really but judging by what others have said it could be worse! Statutory is going to be a shock...

LAST WEEK OF TERM! So close! And I've had permission from HR to WFH for the first 10 days of September until my mat leave starts so I am winning!

@Kate105 yes good shout on aldi/Lidl I went into aldi and got myself a silicone breast pump and some breast milk storage bags. That's also where I've got my nappies and wipes from so far. Some nice weighted muslin blankets in there too at the moment.

@lucyrp ah ok, so is size 1 the standard for all newborns? I'm clueless! What brand would you recommend?

@lucyrp ha ha, no happy to just wait for it to happen, but I have got my ball blown up to sit on so that might help but no plans for raspberry leaf tea, curries or pineapple just yet. I'll be keen to see if baby is even engaged when I see the midwife Friday as haven't had any feeling of baby being particularly low yet, still feel ok sitting and driving...although getting up from the sofa is an effort hence the ball being blown up!

@becarefuloutthere yeah I'm defo lucky here (Leicestershire) as we break up almost 2 weeks before everyone else...I normally take advantage of a cheap holiday as soon as school finishes lol

@Justanothercyster yeah! Well I always found with DS aldi nappies we're the best to begin with and they're cheap ! But you will find that you may have to swap brands etc as they grow and change! I swapped between aldi and pampers. aldi nappies are like 79p/99p for 24!

@Clairey844 that's interesting! Baby is head down for me and I really feel like they're getting lower every day, sitting and driving are hard work! Also feel like I need to go for a number 2 quite regularly but its just their head I'm sure 🤣

@justanothercyster honestly we've got a pack of 'tiny baby' vests from matalan, about 8 'newborn' vests from matalan, and 3 sleepsuits in newborn size. Going to get more sleepsuits and perhaps some Leggings maybe too. Nappies wise we've just gone for the newborn sizes (2?) xx

@Kirky658 @lucyrp ah thanks ladies. I'm thinking I want to start stocking up and buying a pack every 2 weeks now but my fear is that they won't fit or something and it will all be a waste??
What else are the essentials would you say? We've got all the big things sorted, just the little bits and bobs

@Justanothercyster I've just been buying wipes every time I go to the supermarket. I wouldn't say you need many in size 1 so don't buy too many packs incase you have a bigger baby and don't get round to using them. You can always buy nappies when they're here as long as you have some to go on with. Muslins are a must! Little ones

@justanothercyster yep I'm with @lucyrp. Nappies, wipes, nappy bags, we've got nappy cream, baby bath etc. Mum did us a little baby box with baby bath, cotton wool for the strip washes etc. Other than that we've got a bucket load of Bibs and Muslin Cloths. The antenatal ladies recommended some reusable washable wipes called cheeky wipes which we are going to look at too. X

@Justanothercyster @Kirky658 also if planning to breastfeed my best friends bought me some washable breast pads and they look so much better than the disposable ones I used with DS. They're bigger so cover a larger area and supposedly can take more too. I did used to find the disposable ones were sometimes itchy so looking forward to trying these. I haven't bought any lotions or bath stuff etc yet as can always get that once they're here too

@lucyrp I've got some disposable breast pads already but will deffo consider those. Haven't got a breast pump yet, want to see if I can breastfeed when she arrives first. Have got nipple cream ready to go just in case!

@Kirky658 mines not a pump as such it's just the haakaa so you can put it on the other side to catch let down whilst feeding. I might buy a pump if breast feeding works out this time for me but will defo be an electric one

@lucyrp funnily y enough the lady running this class this weekend mentioned the hakkaa!

@Kirky658 mine is just a cheap one from aldi but if it works it works! Otherwise I'll get the real deal and see how that works. Heard great things about it

@lucyrp @Kirky658 thank you ladies. The reusable breast pads sound a very good idea, I'll look into that. We've just had our Snuzpod side sleeper delivered, just waiting on the cot and chest of drawers next!
Breast pump is another one to learn about for me 🙈

Feeling so far behind reading you all chat about purchases 😅 I'm with @Kirky658 on not bothering with a breast pump until checking if breast feeding works out. One less thing to worry about too!

Are you all going for a bedside crib initially?

@2020mission I think with the pump, I want to get a hand held one just to make sure baby is getting enough as you never really know otherwise.
We were initially just going to have the cot in our room for a bit, but then found a good deal so we're going for side sleeper. We also considered Moses basket at first too but they don't last as long x

@2020mission we've got a moses basket because my mum got given it for next to nothing, so I've washed all the fabrics and got a new mattress for £10. Our room isn't really big enough for anything else, we figured we will see how long the moses lasts and have to reconfigure our bedroom if it's pre 6 months when she can go to her own room when she outgrows it xx

We've got a side sleeper borrowed from a friend, just have to get a new mattress for it.

I'm a bit confused about the breast pumps... Do I need one if I want to breastfeed? Or do you use one if you struggle breastfeeding? It's a minefield!

@2020mission I have a swinging crib from mothercare that I had for DS so using that again. It's pretty cute looking I'll take a pic when I go upstairs.

@Kate105 it all depends really, on if you're going to combi feed with formula or not. If you want OH to help with feeds sometimes so they get a bit of bonding time with baby a pump would let you express milk for them to feed in a bottle, or if you're going to leave baby with them or anyone else for a period of time you'd need a pump to express then unless like I say you plan on combi feeding where you feed mostly breast but use formula for when OH feeds them or when you leave them. Also the haakaa isn't necessarily a pump its just a useful tool that you attach to your breast and it does the work itself and catches the leaking milk as baby feeds on the other side. YouTube it !

I started pumping as DD had tongue tie and difficulty feeding. Once that was sorted she went back to breast but I started pumping when I could so that I could get a bit of respite in the night occasionally or for later on when I had some baby free time so that DH could manage for longer than 3-4 hours. I got the medela swing and the hand pump for when out and about - I actually found the manual one really good especially once your milk is in properly and it is relatively cheap. I might look into the milk collector this time so that I’m not wasting anything, breast milk is liquid gold!

Thanks @Haiyaa @lucyrp that's really helpful. Lots of googling to do when I'm off work!

A midwife called earlier today and did my 16 week appointment over the phone instead of me going in tomorrow 🙃 so I guess no one's checking my BP or urine! Did anyone else have theirs over the phone?

The good news is she said my blood results are fine. My risk for downs is 1:2548 which I think is ok considering I'm 33? Would you agree? I'm so relieved to have confirmation on them all after they were taken a month ago.

She also said I'm not meant to have maternity notes - they are digital and they haven't got the app set up for us yet (bloody nhs)!

I'm a bit gutted I didn't get to go in and ask for a listen to the heartbeat on a Doppler.

Keeping note of the handheld breast pumps being fine for if I am able to breast feed. I'll order one on prime for next day delivery as soon as I know breast feeding has worked 👍