Due February 2022 (thread 3)

[Winterfellismyhome]

Our other thread about to max out so welcome to thread 3! How is everyone doing?

@Jellybean8 we actually got cheap one from amazon, I think we paid about 40quid for it. I know for some people money is no object and it will never be as good as a 200 pound bit of kit. But for us it has been great, really reliable, decent picture and sound quality and is still working a year later despite the screen part being dropped /thrown what feels like 100 times by my toddler!

Just to say we have never really used a baby monitor - we could always hear the baby scream 🤣 the few times we have had to on holiday as houses too big have used a phone app with one phone left in the baby’s room. We gave away our BT one.

Everyone I know who has a yo-yo seems to like it (live in London) but we are tall and it didn’t previously have extending handlebars so it was a no-go. You can try prams in John Lewis etc even if you don’t buy from there - in first pregnancy we tried them out about 22 weeks and then I looked out for sales after that, buying with a discount from an online retailer.

I plan to get a new mattress for the snuzpod but that’s it… plus going to buy a second hand baby feeding chair as I tried one just as I stopped breastfeeding and it was sooo comfy!

Hi mums, I had my 20 week scan in Friday, well I was 21 weeks. Baby is very well and super active and baby's gender confirmed as a boy. After two girls this means we will have a massive sort out of baby clothes, selling things we don't want and need to buy more boy and gender neautral items. Also just need to replenish supplies, nappies, toiletries, towels. Maybe get a sheepskin liner for the basket and pram etc. So not too much. I started buying some bits at the start of September when I was in the UK

Is anyone going to use or have experience of glass baby bottles?

Not heard of glass bottles but have seen metal ones. Trying to find eco breastmilk bags/container. Can you use any old container to freeze in?

Had my flu and whooping cough vax this morning and I feel awful. Like I have flu. My bones are aching. I get it every year in my job but never had side effects like this before. Nurse said it was stronger this year and I did hear on the radio that because less around to compare with they have chosen a stronger strain to base it on to be safe... Anyone had theirs yet?

@22Feb22 I've used glass bottles in the past the dr browns ones are really good and much easier to clean, but I found as baby got older and wanted to hold the bottle themselves it was a bit heavy, and sometimes slippery with their little wet slobbery hands so we changed to mam plastic ones at that point with the handles
😊

@prettyplatapus oh you poor thing! I've had mine and had no side effects at all, but the whooping cough one MY GOD my arm is still hurting nearly two weeks later! The nurse did warn me it was a painful one but I still can't sleep on that side! The nurse did say to me to keep dosed up on paracetamol if I started to feel rough after the flu jab, so definitely do that and hopefully the side effects won't last long.
Got my covid booster vaccine coming up on Friday too, have checked with midwife and various other sources and they're saying to get it if you're offered it so I'm going for it. Because I'm an NHS worker and had my first vaccine so long ago I had been worrying about immunity dropping etc especially over the winter so I'm glad to finally have some formal guidance before my actual jab date.

@PrettyPlatapus
Oh, you poor thing.

My surgery isn't taking bookings of pregnant women yet. But to be honest I am terrified... I know that flu will be worse, but I am so done with vaccine reactions this year.

With my son I didn't take the flu vaccine because I always react badly to it and in the years I had it I was usually quite ill at least once in winter.

I've got my whooping cough and flu vaccines on Friday.

Just got over a huge sinus and ear infection so I'm really looking forward to being I'll again.

Hi all I have been ghosting this thread for a while but never posted before (didnt want to jinx it by talking about it, we had issues getting to this point). I'm due in mid February with my first baby. I was double jabbed before I got pregnant (I'm NHS).
I've had my flu and whooping cough jab but I'm due a booster covid jab this month. Dreading it as normally I bounce back okay from jabs but I felt awful after my covid jab both times. Trying to make sure I can keep sleeping on my left side so my poor right arm has been bearing the brunt of the needles so far.

@Jellybean8 @apricotoreos I’m also an nhs worker and I’m really undecided on getting the booster. I’ve got my midwife on Monday so was planning on discussing it with her! Are yous in a patient facing role? I’m a nurse so at the moment we have to change to a non facing role at 28 weeks, not sure if this is likely to change before I get to 28 weeks or not! Just curious to see what your trusts are doing in regard to this?

@macccc yes I'm patient facing. At the moment my manager has been pretty shit with doing any kind of pregnancy risk assessment and hasn't mentioned going non patient facing after 28 weeks. I've actually been looking online for up to date guidance on third trimester patient facing roles but can only find the last update from August, assume that's still right and we should be considered for non patient facing roles? Anyway I don't trust I won't be shoved into continuing seeing people so I'm getting my booster in case! I had both my other jabs before falling pregnant but feel assured about getting the booster now after speaking to my midwife and there being updated formal guidance. It's very much a personal choice which I was stressing over until I could actually read the recommendations in black and white and have reassurance from my midwife. Pregnant then Screwed on Instagram has been a great resource and they've published some guidance via an organisation called Full Fact about the vaccine and booster fullfact.org/pregnant-then-screwed/boosters-in-pregnancy/

@Jellybean8 thanks for the link! I’ll check out that insta page aswell. My ward manager isn’t sure herself about the 28 week rule, I did email my maternity leave coordinator who said it’s still in place just now but she’s not sure if there’s any plans on it changing. I don’t think it’s been reviewed since august, on the government website it’s not been updated anyway. There was talk on me doing risk assessments working from an office so will just wait and see what comes of that. A girl I work with is on mat leave just now and she went off at 28 weeks and didn’t have to do any work so I’m really not sure! Only 6 weeks left until I’m 28 weeks so would really like to have a plan in place soon😬

Wish there loads of NHS in the group! I am too but admin non-patient facing. Our policy went out of date in July and had been 'extended' until Feb 22.... So may change while I'm off.
Do your Trusts do childcare vouchers? Mine isn't (according to the out of date policy).

I had to sleep practically sitting up (because of the jabs in both arms) the other night and only got about 3 hours!

Not sure about NHS, but in general childcare vouchers are not a thing anymore. You can get taxfree childcare over the government (if both partners are working over a certain minimum and under a certain maximum).

Edit to say: there are still some people eligible for childcare vouchers, but they would have needed to join before a date in 2018 (?) or something like this.
We didn't make the cut with our son as he started nursery in 2019, but according to a few calculators there is hardly any difference between the vouchers and the taxfree scheme.

Not sure if there were/are different vouchers for NHS? We're both not NHS.

*woah, lots of NHS in this group!

Thanks @Peachi82. I see, I was trying to compare the tax free scheme and vouchers!

Having to confirm baby's nursery place today with £500 deposit...so surreal!

£500? What?

The baby isn't even here yet?

No my trust don’t offer childcare vouchers! I think some still do tho as was on another thread and someone who’s in north of England said she was getting 20% off childcare? I’m in Scotland and I don’t think there’s any thing like that here! Wow you must have to be very prepared organising childcare already, I’m hoping to do night shifts to make it a bit easier for childcare.

I'm NHS too but not typically patient facing. I partly work from home so I'm not sure what works plan is for me past 28 weeks, probably carry on the same.

Has anyone else got a pain by their left hipbone? It's almost constant now. I thought it was baby's leg or arm at first but I don't feel movement there so I don't think it's that.

I’m also NHS and trust policy was to be non patient facing at 28 weeks. Asked to stay working in green areas.

Had both booster and flu jab yesterday so pretty pleased that’s done - definitely feeling better than after second covid vaccine :)

24+4 here and getting more uncomfortable by the day! I had covid, flu and whooping cough vaccines all in the space of 2 weeks! Great fun! Glad I’ve had them all though with winter approaching.

I’ve not been offered a flu jab yet.. Although I did have a letter reminding me I haven’t yet booked my cervical screening! I’ve booked in for a flu jab end of next month through work but just praying I don’t get anything before then. Just seems like a long wait.

@Sunshine8888 I’m feeling similar these past few days. Everything was going quite smoothly but now I’m just so uncomfortable and struggling with my lower back. I’m sure it’s only going to get worse from here 😂

@highstreetdiestreet
Yep that for them to start this time next year. A months fee as the deposit to save the place. It's name is down as 'Baby Mysurname Partnerssurname'. That fee is the minimum amount of time they will accept children for (4 sessions).

It's not me being organised, it's necessity! If I had waited any longer I would have been scewed and had to give up work as had no childcare!! All childminders are booked until Oct 2022 earliest and even alternative forest schools (yeah I live that that type of area!) are until 2023!! No family near so I was lucky to get the place and have a hope to continuing my career!!

@0Scapes we don't have it though do we? Do you just have to have it after baby is born (and you've recovered) or do you wait a set amount of time and they remind you again? Is there a way of telling the screening people your preg?
They should have offered/reminded you flu and whooping at your 20wk scan. I had to go GP for it. Still get my Costa voucher though!

@PrettyPlatapus nope! I got the letter months back and thought I’d best do a test before booking just in case… once I got that positive result I rang the docs and said I wouldn’t be able to have the cervical screening but have now been sent a reminder for some reason! It might be done from different departments or something but did make me laugh.

My GP surgery have a recording saying not to call in about the flu vaccine as they don’t control it but don’t advise who can help. My 25 week midwife appointment is in a couple of so I’ll bring it up then!