Minsters Sidecar Bumping Along - ttc graduates thread 4

[lucyrp]

Hey girls! I've gone ahead and created a follow up thread for us all. Let's hope we have some more ladies joining us from over on the other thread! ❤️

That's great news @lucyrp must be a lot less hassle without those shields!

Quick question to run by you all today... I'm planning on breastfeeding but still not feeling confident it's going to work so I'm going to buy some formula in preparation for any problems. Just curious if anyone has any recommendations? I saw a channel 4 despatches program on baby formula which basically said they are all the same and anything beyond the standard first milk is a waste of money and all marketing. Still would be good to hear of any brands that worked well though as there's a lot of options.

@2020mission obviously DS was FF from the start. yes they have to be largely the same under regulations and the only reason they produce stage 2 (follow on mills) is because they are allowed to tax those whereas they aren't for stage 1 so we were told by everyone don't buy follow on as waste of money, transition to milk then or keep going with stage 1. No benefit to follow on.
We used aptimil ready made when DS was v small for the first 4 weeks or so, and for the first 2 weeks we used the ready made ones with teats. At around 3 months we switched to Aldi own brand as very similar & no issues.

I'm bamboozled by the whole breast feeding thing cos atm my nipples are very sore, I CANNOT imagine having something then suck on them will be in any way not painful. But I guess suck it and see as they say 😂

Forgot to say @2020mission using the Tommy tippee prep was a godsend for us and as we had started him on the ready made he was used to cool milk which helped for being out and about.

Thanks ladies for all your congratulations! 🥳 feeling chuffed !

@2020mission I would recommend Kendamil! I used hipp organic with DS and he was fine on that but used it with Evelyn and she hated it and threw it back uk every time she had it! So we went on to Kendamil and she's fine with that x

@bez91 typical huh! Hope she feels better soon! I'm at my works Christmas party tonight so on my way to London. Dh has his too so staying at the in-laws tonight. Nothing else planned, need to put the door reef up at some point, prob see my mum or some friends.
@lucyrp yay for Evelyn! 👏🏾
@DKDK123 ah sounds fun, have a lovely weekend!
@Minster2012 I came across that thread yesterday, outrageous thing to say! Can't wait to see the follow up...
Good luck for the scan! Are you going to do a gender reveal type thing?
Looks like a lot of us are doing Christmassy things this weekend. Lucky Dh and his jaunt about town, he'll be feeling all sorry for himself on his return then if he's anything like mine. Massively overdoing it 😆
@2020mission I feel the same as you so interested to hear the responses...

Thank you @becarefuloutthere, I'm keeping busy today to occupy myself. No we won't do a gender reveal, we haven't announced the pregnancy or anything, I'm not sure if we will. For DS I did a post on Facebook at around 17 weeks as my friend was showing and she was getting awkward questions & she didn't want to say anything without us doing it so I did a post explaining that we were expecting and he was being carried by an amazing lady and we took some pics together.
I kinda want to do one to explain this isn't surrogacy and it's not been easy but I'm not sure yet. We are still a bit in ostrich land so maybe after tomorrow. I don't know if I want to tell ppl my way before seeing them at Xmas IYSWIM? I'm going to text a few more friends if tomorrow is ok. Enjoy your work do!

@Minster2012 can't wait to hear about how the scan goes and how DS takes the news! I didn't do any gender reveal posts either, the whole posting about pregnancy on social just felt uncomfortable for me in general because I know how difficult it is and also never felt confident it would stick in the early part of pregnancy.

Thanks @Minster2012 and @lucyrp for the formula feedback 👍 both noted. I'm going to make sure whichever we go for is available in at least a couple of nearby shops so it's easy to grab.

That's great @lucyrp big wahooooo your way 🥳 I think getting off shields can be one of the hardest things about breastfeeding. We used them for a while but she never really got off them before we switched to full FF.

@DKDK123 they definitely do, happens every time 🤦🏼‍♀️ we have antibiotics now so just trying to keep temp down. Think may be an ear infection but not 100%

@becarefuloutthere sounds good! Busy evening and chilled weekend 🙌🏼

@2020mission we moved into Aptamil from BF under medial advice for weight gain. She had bad reflux and the only one I found was easier on her tummy was HiP organic. I think a lot of them are the same they have to have all the same ingredients in but some babies seem to take to different types better.

@Minster2012 I'm so excited for you telling DS, are you telling him before the scan tomorrow?

@becarefuloutthere thanks! She's a good'un

@bez91 100%. I kept saying we'll get there but I never really knew or thought that we would yet here we are 😅

Although I do think I have an extremely reflux baby 😅🥲

@bez91 I told DS this evening that we are going somewhere tomorrow morning to see if we can why mummy is ill (it's helped that I've been ill, before then my knee was my excuse!) he then promptly kneed my in the stomach 😂we'll keep telling him that til we get there & say they need to look in mummy's tummy

@lucyrp DS was reflex too, we went through at least 3 sets of clothes per day

@2020mission def need somewhere local with it too! Totally get the not posting thing. It's a weird one isn't it

@2020mission I used Cow & Gate with DS, for no other reason than I was totally unprepared for having to use formula so didn't have a clue about it and that's the brand they gave him in hospital so I just stuck with it. Eventually moved him onto the cow & gate anti reflux formula which seemed to help a little but didn't stop his reflux and later the hungry baby version when he was just an unfillable pie but never had any problems with cow and gate. To be fair I think they're all much of a muchness at stage 1.
Stage 2 formulas the health visitor told me to stay away from as they're allowed to be less regulated and all to just bulk them up with fillers rather than decent nutrients to cut their manufacturing costs down. Thats why they're allowed to put on offers of stage 2 milk but not stage 1 milk that has to be standard ingredients and standard pricing across the board. She said by the time they're ready for stage 2 just use proper cows milk and stage 1 if you feel they need a top up formula. She explained it much better than that, it made total sense at the time but its something along those lines. I second @Minster2012 on the Tommy tippee prep machine, total lifesaver when you're tired, minimal brain power required to make the perfect bottle.

@minster2012 can't wait to hear how your DS reacts to the news of being a big brother 🥰 We have our gender scan in 2 weeks, may need to take DS if we can't get a baby sitter but I'm worried what his reaction will be in the scan room if she says it's a boy 🙈😂

So excited for you today @Minster2012 - I'm guessing 💙 too!

Hope DD is feeling better after a day or two of antibiotics @bez91 so horrible when they're poorly.

Apologies for being a bit quiet over here, still reading, been busy with work and feeling sick, 8 weeks now and just had my 12 week scan date through for 29th December which suddenly makes things feel very real - in a good way. (Still constipated AF and spotting a little on occasion but trying not to worry...)

How exciting @Minster2012 can't wait to hear about it!

Busy one here this week with work and illness. We have all come down with colds and last night oh tested positive on LFT.. just waiting fir PCR results. He's been banished to the bedroom and i tried sleeping on the sofa (bug 4 seater so plenty of space) but had such a bad night.. I usually sleep so well on it in the day?!

Hoping I don't come down with it!

@lucyrp amazing on the breastfeeding, well done for persevering!!!! You rock.

It's a girl!! I'm a total blubbering mess, one very happy healthy baby wriggling around blowing bubbles and burping

DS took it fantastic and chose a rainbow dinosaur 🦕 to keep safe until he can give it to his little sister

I've put some videos on Insta but I missed it where he said "mummy's been eating too much, she has a big tummy!"

@Minster2012 lovely lovely news! Xx

Ahhhhh lovely @Minster2012 congrats! 🥳

Thank you so much ladies we are believing it now it's so bizarre 😂💗😊

💖💖💖💖@Minster2012 has it sunk in yet?

I've just woken to what felt like something pushing out my stomach under my belly button on the left side and weird movement feelings, and when I put my hand on my stomach there was what can only be described as a bump of a bum or head pushing out 🤣🤣
I'm only 17+4 so wasn't expecting anything like that yet!!

I'm so excited for you @Minster2012 you can start breathing and hopefully enjoying it a bit more now! 💞 another girl to the gang 🥰

So my perfect newborn who barely woke up at night was very annoying last night. Where can I get a new one please? 🙈

@Justanothercyster sorry that made me laugh, I say that about my teenager.. 🤣🤣

Trust me the fun you have ahead ❤️

I've asked about returning the youngest but apparently that's not allowed 🤷🏽‍♀️

Oh dear @Justanothercyster have you googled "is my baby broken" yet?! 😂🙈 my internet search history from the last 2 months must be hilarious

@Justanothercyster sorry no returns! They lead you into a false sense of security!

@Lexber oh gosh that's mad. I've seen a bit of movement from the outside but not a full bottom/limb/head 😆

DH took me aback this morning. We had 🍆 and he said after. I think we should try for another one straight after 🤯 because of all the issues we've had he said it's made him think differently. This was always Mr 2 children only. I've not agreed nor disagreed but I'm a bit of the opposite after the issues 🙈

@bez91 I'd not really seen any outside movement so it took me by surprise!! When I told eldest her little (well 14) face lit up and she was all cooing and excited bless her - I can't wait fir them to feel the movement and see them move. She is so excited for the pregnancy and babies.

I ordered a maccys breakfast, ate half my roll and now regret it - feel so sick today! Meh! And tired and mardy! Good job I'm having a pj day!

Feels so weird without OH, I'm not enjoying it one bit but know it's for the best..