Due June 2022 (thread seven!)

[PeeAche]

New Thread!

@pansytub I'm under North Manchester. Think they are the same trust? I've got to go back at 32 weeks for a birth options clinic as I had a c section last time, but that's it I think.
Pregnancy is going well, so much more tired this time than the last one though!

I've not even thought about a pram yet . I know we want a travel system because it makes sense with the car seat, but they are just so expensive. Anyone got any lower cost recommendations? We do have an occaro for my daughter, but not the cot bit of it (can't think what it's called), just the pushchair seat. And where are people getting them from with mama and papa and mothercare closed? Are there still some shops open?

I'm planning on starting mat leave at 37 weeks, I'm taking my mat leave from the start and annual leave from the end as I'm due a pay rise in summer, so makes sense to take the annual leave when I'm on more money. I'm also considering applying for an internal promotion, but not sure if it's the best idea at the minute. It's my ideal job though, so feel it would be silly not to.

Congrats to everyone who has had scans recently!!

@rubyross I personally did the maths on cloth nappies based on what I spent with DS on disposables and found it to be roughly the same, but harder as it incurs the upfront cost.

But I can understand why people choose cloth nappies and if that’s what you want to do and can afford the up front cost then do it. They are more environmentally friendly even though you will need to use the washing machine more.

Disposables can be cheap if you buy e.g asda or Aldi nappies.

Guys…. I got my first pregnancy stretch marks today. I’ve been neglecting my mama mio body butter and now sat lathered in it. I know there is no stopping stretch marks, and I should wear them with pride, but I have such a poor body image regardless 😅

@fpeg @CurryandSnuggle Interesting, I was planning on using a lot of bamboo Terry cloths because they are cheap and can end up as rags until the fancy prefold ones. It's such a minefield.

@Octoblockisadick there's a mamas and papas in the Trafford centre in Manchester. You could just buy the cot bit (sorry don't know the name either 😂) and a compatible car seat to make it cheaper? I'd say go for the internal promotion, even if you don't get it, it shows them you're interested and gives you the experience of the interview/application process for the next time. Asking you do go for it, good luck 🍀

I find it so hard to stay up to date with this thread! Keep falling off!

@Clomid1 my appetite is huge and I had my 20 week scan last Friday and baby's abdominal circumference was on 97th percentile while everything else was on 50th!! So now I'm feeling really worried that I'm eating too much. I don't have any advice but just solidarity, I'm not weighing myself so no idea if I'm gaining a lot of weight. I'm trying to stay focused on the fact that I'm eating lots of nutritious foods and keeping active but I do still worry lots.

@AlbatrossSociety I think a bigger abdomen is normal, everyone’s I have seen has always been bigger than their body. My babies measurements were all around 34th percentile except stomach which was around 67 so doubling everything else

Before baby I ate clean healthy meals. Now I eat junk as that’s all I want to eat 😅

@Octoblockisadick we didn’t buy a travel system for our daughter - we just got a car seat that could be used with our pram using adapters, which we bought separately from Amazon. As @fpeg suggests, a carry cot for the pram plus car seat (and adapters of needed) should be much cheaper.

@Vimto1991 aaw thanks, I did read that some other ladies on this thread had babies with big tummies too so that did make me feel better and like it's normal!! The sonographer said it was normal as they tend to go out and then stretch so she said she wasn't worried.

My meals are all healthy but I just want all the sweet snacks and chocolate particularly in the evening!

Another big tummied baby here. She said it was probably because he was filled over with his legs up, but didn't seem worried.

Mine also has a big tummy- most of the measurements were around 50th-60th percentile but the abdominal one was 86th. They didn't comment and said they were happy with the measurements but that one did stand out to me- glad to see that it seems fairly normal for that to be a bit bigger!

Ladies who mentioned big bellied babies

My little ones transcerebellar diameter measurement is right at the edge of high at 22.7 ...Googling just says it's an indication of how far along I am and only to worry if it's on the lower side...
Anyone else ?

Re. Individual measurements of baby's body parts- I asked my sonographer about our baby's head seeming a bit small and she said they look at the baby as a whole not individual measurements and it's usually pretty obvious straight away on the scan if something is wrong. The main thing that are concerned about is that your cervix is closed, baby has a heartbeat and is roughly the right size. She was annoyed that we get all the measurements & graphs as it doesn't help us only makes us worry!

@Prema112 fair enough! If anything, my in laws thought our baby's head looked big!
Got my rescan today to check baby's heart as "maternal habitus" prevented it the first time 🙈🤣

@MrsTwentyNine we were concerned because that was our lowest measure by a long shot. My baby has a tiny brain i think!

@Turniptracker don't listen to my googling! Like Prema says, if there was anything to worry, they have a responsibility to tell us so fret not!

@Turniptracker did the weeks match up based on the measurement by any chance? My DH said was saying I should be 22 weeks if it was 22.7 ...based on that number (I was 20+1 so not quite true)

@MrsTwentyNine It was 21.4 and I was 21+6 when they did the scan (although 21+4 according to my own calculations)

I'm 23+6 today and I'm finding it so weird to think that today my baby is not recognised as a legal person and if I lost him today it would still be classed as miscarriage, but at midnight tonight he becomes a legal person! I know there has to be a cut off date for this to happen but it's just strange!

@Prema112 it's so strange isn't it, as of tonight she has her own legal standing 🥰 feels like a huge step. That said we've had a conversation and I've impressed upon her the importance of staying where she is right now 😂

@fpeg Ha! Yes for sure I have that chat daily with my tiny boy!

@earlgreywithlemon @octoblockisadick

I got a carseat and isofix from fb market place. Was a bargain and in immaculate condition . It was the maxi cosi pebble and its very easy to wash so stripped it all down and washed at 60 degrees . And i checked if it will fit on the pram I want with adaptors so worked out quite cheap

Im buying the babyzen yoyo stroller and bassinet set

@fpeg me too! This is basically my main conversation topic for my baby - "You stay there. You're safe and you're growing."

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with buying baby stuff tbh. We've had a really kind offer from a colleague for some of their baby bits - buggy and car seat mostly. Which is great from a cost point, but it means I didn't get the fun of choosing for myself what I want. At the same time, DH has found some auction site that sells previous display models of various things. He keeps springing something random on me (particular brand of baby bouncer, cot, monitor etc), asking if we should get it, then getting grumpy if I say no or I'm not sure. It's really stressing me out. From his perspective it's available, cheap and good enough so why not. But for me it feels weird somehow to just choose the first available or potentially good enough thing. I want to actively choose what we want. And at the same time the pressure of "do we want this now" is making me avoid thinking about things because I'm irritated by it.

Looks like the solution is for me to get a bit more organized about what I think we want / need, so I can be more involved in the choosing process than just having something sprung on me.

@Prema112 that’s good to hear from your sonography. My notes just have the measurements and all say normal, no percentile figures included however obviously googled and was a bit alarmed everything was in the 65-93%.

I’ve also been counting down to 24 weeks for viability but forgot the bit about them becoming a legal person. That blows my mind. I’ll be 24 weeks on Thursday according to my NHS paperwork although in reality it’s not until Saturday based on my IVF dates. Feels like something we should celebrate this weekend.

Does anyone else feel like time seems to be speeding up now? Who else is scanning this week? I’ve a private well-being one and cervix length check next Tuesday. I couldn’t wait until 28 weeks!