Due May 2022 (thread 3)

[GinnyBee]

Hiyaaaa! I didn't see a new one yet and thread 2 has 1000 posts now and has closed. Tagging everyone from the last page of previous thread. Sorry if any regulars were missed out!

@fattycatty82 @KMHH @cloudpopbump @TashieWoo @Bubbasmama2017 @Sarah239 @robyna @YummyMummyXoX @morphe @acupofteamakeseverythingbetter

@aNewYorkerInLondon @fattycatty82 I'm exhausted at the moment. Had 6 days off work for Christmas and spent most of it napping! Went back to work yesterday and pretty much collapsed from tiredness the minute I got home! I keep waking up at 4am too (no matter what time I go to bed) and then not being able to get back to sleep. Hips are so achey too at the moment x

@autumn321, if you haven't, do try out a pregnancy pillow. It doesn't fix everything, but the last two nights have been significantly improved by my pillow. I got a C-shaped one, which works really well for me because I need both bump support and a lot of back support. I know that some of the other ladies in here prefer the U-shaped ones or the beloved bbhugme pillow.

@autumn321 & @fattycatty82, I'm sorry you're feeling this way too, but I'm comforted that it's not just me. During the second trimester, I thought I'd have a lot more energy than I do!

Does anyone else feel like they are now in limbo... I don't know what to do with myself, want to jump ahead 10 weeks as I now feel like I want to properly prep the house and buy things and do all the birth planning/classes but I just feel like if we start doing everything now then we will peak too early and be twiddling our thumbs!

Maybe there's no point in waiting?! We just don't have a huge house so not loads of space to store things we buy. We have two bedrooms and the second bedroom is currently full of my wfh setup, my husband's computer and his fishing and golf equipment...! We aren't planning to do a full on nursery as we are hoping to move winter next year to a 3 bed before baby needs her own room. So the nursery is going to be a bit of a squeeze until then. I just don't know when is too soon!

I did clear two drawers yesterday though to start unpacking the mountain of newborn things my sister has given me from her babies!

@robyna the bands haven't really helped tbh. A really warm bath helps and a naaaagr rub/movement like you say but it is painful initially huff.
My appetite is up and down too, but because she moves a lot I'm just happy that she seems ok and it makes nausea and unpleasant symptoms worth it I guess.
I was sooo tired yesterday and day before just from leaving the house and spending time with my son! I did think I'd get a mad burst of energy in 2nd tri but doesn't seem so yet.
Happy NYE everyone - another month closer to May ❤️

@aNewYorkerInLondon I had one of those the day before yesterday! I slept fine that night, and still after I'd taken the dog out in the morning I then went straight back to bed for 2 more hours of sleep. Then managed to drag myself out again for a long stroll and some fresh air, and when we got back I had another lie down for two hours! If I'd had at home LFTs I would've probably done a test as the fatigue felt almost flu-like.

I've now had two night with my new bbhugme and I have to say I love it! I use it in the evenings on a looser setting to prop myself up to read, and then tighten it up to support my bump and hips overnight to sleep. I reckon it'll be fine as a nursing pillow too.

Got my 20 week scan in an hour! Have been feeling him kicking a bit better this past week so the worry that had started creeping in again has eased off a lot. Last night was the first time I felt a kick with my hand! The hubby is going to freak out when I show him next time he's active 😂

@GinnyBee, I'm so pleased to hear about the kicking and your success with the pillow! All victories large and small should be celebrated now!

@Sarah239, in spite of being exhausted, I'm feeling the nesting urge too, but I have SO much to do. We're moving in February and there's way too much to pack. Also, I'm going to visit family in the US for two weeks in January, so I'll lose that time. Once moved, it'll be a mad rush to get settled and the nursery set up well before baby boy arrives. If you're planning to move, maybe you could get a head start by having a good clear out? Channel that nesting energy into your best Marie Kondo impression. 😆

@GinnyBee good luck for your scan 😊 The kicking is great, I only started really feeling it a week ago because of an anterior placenta but now she's kicking away every day and my other half has felt and seen them. I feel so different towards her now... it's as if she's already here in some way especially now we've decided on a name (I guess it could change but we both love it so far)

@Sarah239 I am starting a new more demanding role at work next week (same company) and this is my only extended time off before I go for maternity leave at the end of April so we've done a lot this week. Ordered almost everything apart from travel system and booked our NCT classes. There's still stuff to do but I feel a lot better that a big chunk of it is out the way. We don't have much space either or a proper nursery (also hoping to move when baby is around a year old, been saving for a deposit since forever) but we've cleared just enough space to store everything and thank god other half is having a clear out of all his junk too! Id say crack on with what you can if you feel ready, even if it's just writing a list for what you need including hospital bag etc if you haven't already, the next 4 months or so will fly by

This is my baby cupboard. Sometimes I just open the door and look at the things I've bought and feel excited 😂

@GinnyBee, best of luck for an excellent scan today!

@GinnyBee ohhh good luck with your scan! Hope it goes well. Feeling movements helps so much with reassurance doesn't it!

Thanks for the advice everyone...@aNewYorkerInLondon yes I think you are right, I should get my Marie Kondo on! This is actually probably my last extended holiday before maternity leave too so maybe it's not too early.

I've been lying in bed since 5:30am thinking "Should I actually get a new car? Should we paint the hall and living room to prep for selling the house? Can I fix some bits in the bathroom today?" 😅 I need to channel this energy somewhere! I just find myself thinking about loads but not actually taking much action!

@fattycatty82 that cupboard looks great? My sister gave me the newborn dress I gave her when my niece (her firstborn) was born and we both love it... I have hung it up in our bedroom on the wall to stare at! It's a "Guess How Much I Love You" dress 🥺🥰

On the subject of maternity leave/holiday... as I understand it, you are entitled to take your full holiday allowance as normal even if you are also taking maternity leave... I've been thinking about this too and is anyone else thinking of taking their full holiday allowance immediately before maternity leave? So I take 20 days' holiday off in mid April, immediately followed by starting maternity leave? Will my employer think I'm taking the piss? Within my rights though it sounds like...

@Sarah239 you legally accrue annual leave on maternity but employers all have different rules. I had to take the 10 days I'd build up from jan to May before I go on leave so I'm sticking on the beginning (baby due May 17th and that's the day maternity will officially start) but I'm taking holiday before so last day at work will be end of April. Works out well with bank holiday. I will have also built up about a months holiday by the time I come off maternity which will be feb or March 2023 so I'll take an extra month then bringing baby up to 10/11 months old. She still won't have to go to nursery though as my partner will take a month of his holiday to care for her while I have my first month back at work. That's the plan anyway. I'd love to just take a full year plus holiday but money stops after 9 months and I don't want to use savings as we're aiming to buy a house! 🤞🤞

@Sarah239, they have to give you that annual leave either before or after your maternity leave. The way my HR rep explained it to me was that I'll get the full time for this year and when I return I'll have the full time for next year too, all added up, so rather than me having 40+ days to use in 2023, they'd really like it if I took at least some of that 2022 time in January, February, March, and/or April in 2022. I'd speak to your HR department and see what they recommend.

Good luck @GinnyBee! I have my scan today too 😊

Good luck @itssquidstella!!

@aNewYorkerInLondon you explained that much clearer than I did 😂

@itssquidstella good luck today too 🥰

@Sarah239 I am in similar a situation with not setting up a full nursery. I have been feeling bad about it but we need the space for working from home more and I dont fancy doing teams calls with teddy bears and cots in the background! Glad to hear we are not the only ones.
To get ahead a bit we are getting new carpets fitted and painting it neutral so its either ready to sell or if we stay here longer easy to transfer to a childs room.

I am feeling so much better this week. Finally this 2nd trimester energy seems to have happened. I had really bad sickness which has almost stopped (still having the odd moment) and being able to eat again feels amazing. I am booked to stay my pregnancy yoga next week and cant wait. I also got a ball to sit on and I would really recommend. I have been doing a few gentle stretches before bed and it seems to be helping my hips. I havnt woken up aching and in pain since using it.

@itssquidstella best of luck! Let us know how it goes!

All was well at my scan, nothing of concern to be found. He has all the required parts in the right places working well!

Have you all had your whopping cough vaccine yet? I was going to have it today but they'd run out so now I need to book through my GP or wait for my next midwife appointment, but that's not at the hospital so I don't know if she'll be able to give it to me then.

@GinnyBee very glad to hear that!

No I haven't had my whooping cough vaccine yet, do need to sort it but haven't got round to it yet. It would be good if they just did it at your 24 week midwife appt I think but I don't think they do. Some of these things I do wonder why they don't just integrate in to the midwife appts if you consent...

@Luckygreenduck ahh glad to hear someone else is in the same boat! Yeah we are trying to sort house bits to get it in a position to sell butI just find it all a bit overwhelming sometimes!

I've booked my whooping cough jab for next Friday through my doctor was simple enough although long wait on the phone line to get through to them as always 😩

@GinnyBee I had mine just before Christmas - I also had my flu jab at the same time. The whooping cough isn't just whooping cough, it also has polio, tetanus and diphtheria (was anyone aware of this? I didn't find out until the appointment).

I seem to have had a bunch of symptoms return. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Hips and underbump are aching, plus the dry heaving returned in the evenings (10pm on the dot!). I have also been so tired the last few days. It doesn't help that my insomnia has kicked in and I'm not able to settle until gone 2am.

I'm 21+2 weeks now, and I don't think I've felt the baby move yet which is making me a little antsy tbh. I think I felt something a couple of days ago - like a thumb pressing from the inside of my tummy, but that's been about it.

Scan went well! Had to go for lunch then come back because he was head down and hiding his face but all measurements etc were perfect 😊 Glad yours went well too, @GinnyBee!

Anyone got any tips on baby shopping in general.... I'm a very indecisive person and I feel like I will do SO much research on carseats/prams/cots etc and still just not know which to choose!

How have you all been comparing different options?

I presumed I'd have the whooping cough vaccine at my 20 week scan but it was just the scan and nothing else! I'm gonna book it through my GP soon but it's finding the time to get it around work. I'll probably wait til I'm off for February half term.

@Sarah239, I made a spreadsheet with a column for each feature we care about, so like for the pram it could maybe be length, width, height , folded length, folded width, folded height, weight, fits car seat, newborn lay-flat configuration, rain cover, drink holder, age/weight range, etc. Then, a row for each model we were considering, and filled the sheet out. Once it was all laid out in a way that was easy to compare, then it was super easy to narrow it down.

Not everyone is as fond of spreadsheets as I am though. 🤪

So glad to hear everyone’s scans went well ❤️

My whooping cough vaccine is booked in for 12th. Midwife told me to book after my 20 week scan and was pleased how quick they got me in (the offered next week but it didn’t fit around work and couldn’t be bothered changing hours).

@Sarah239 I’m horridly indecisive and that’s why I partly went down the route of finding the item that made me happy and covered what I want and then almost stopped looking. I’m pretty pleased with everything we have - even got high chair other day with my 15% off Amazon baby wishlist so do recommend just getting on with ☺️ Prams I would suggest thinking about what you want/like - how you will use etc and then searching from there. We wanted to be able to have for multiple kids so getting one you can fit two on was key but almost all seemed to do same thing. Only thing which tipped us to Uppababy vista was that you can use the bassinet as a travel cot and we expect we’ll need that benefit given where family lives but that was only decision between that, silver cross and a bugaboo. They all the same otherwise! Do recommend going out and trying them too.
Most of rest has been as simple as googling “best x 2021” and checking reviews, recommendations etc. work colleagues has some good advice on ones they liked too which was useful. How I found highchair by researching and then my old boss who’s on Mat leave herself said she had and loved so sold me!

Hope you all have a lovely new year xxx