June 2023 Babies ☀️ (thread four)

[firsttimelondonmummy]

Hey all,
We are getting close to full so getting another thread ready 😊

@Hlc86 statutory maternity pay is a big factor for me only taking 6 months.
As the breadwinner we will be at a significant loss once my full pay ceases and I just don’t want to live hand to mouth.

Had my 20 week scan this afternoon - all was perfect (thank goodness) and I’ve joined team girl! I feel like now that milestone is done I might be brave enough to buy something!

@theblueflowers I don't know why I thought i would have to take time before. I wfh, well I have the option, and my SPD gets quite bad in 3rd trimester so im going to see if I will want maybe a week off before due date

@firsttimelondonmummy oh yea most likely I personally will want to go back to work to get a break and adult convo lol, but I like to stay with my babies as long as I can. Don't like the idea of sending them nursery too young. I know everyone's situation is different but luckily I can stay home with the baby. I wfh too but I'd still have to put baby in nursery. I work 4 days atm 9-5pm, when I go back I'm going to reduce down to 3 days 9-3pm hopefully. Mainly cos with 3 kids I'm going to be needed at home more for sure!

We have seriously discussed DH being at home rather than me at some point in the SMP period. I'm also the bread winner.
My boss told me today that they are going to give me my annual pay rise in May rather than August so it will increase the first 6 weeks pay at least. Very generous of them. They also said if I have to leave before then, they will back date it. Sadly they don't do the full pay thing. But every little helps.

So I started to try and get organised and put together a baby wish list on Amazon, does anyone have any recommendations for breast pumps?

Now I’m reading that you shouldn’t get a breast pump until after the baby is born, it’s my first so I’m a bit clueless with this!

@Ally1992 I've been on the look out for recommendations too but think I'll wait and see. It's my first so I don't know if breastfeeding will "work" for us yet, although I'm hopeful!

@tigerlily0 we are quite lucky as my mum has retired to lend a hand and my partner will be going down to part time.
This will also be our first and I imagine it’s 10x harder with 3!

@DrinkingAllTheGin I was so annoyed as my partner offered to take the extra 6 month statutory I’m entitled to and his work said no as it’s enhanced so either I take it or we loose it and me taking it isn’t an option so goodbye it goes.
Nice of your company to do that though companies really need to sort their maternity out.
I thought I was hard done by and quickly realised from mumsnet 6 months full pay is amazing.
I know some friends whose companies gave them a year full pay!

Yeah 6 min th a full pay is great. I get 12 weeks 90% then statutory so just budgeting for it and using some holidays to make it 9-10ths hopefully

I’ll be taking annual leave the week before due date, then 16 weeks off before my husband takes over for another 23 weeks of shared parental leave. He’ll be off on full pay, whereas I’d have to be off on statutory so it makes financial sense. Luckily I’ll be working from home most of the time so can be around for feeding duties 😂

@Ally1992 there is lots of advice (and conflicting advice!!) I got a hand pump with DC1 (Tommee Tippee but a Hakka has a good reputation), and used it in the early days to relieve the pain from breastfeeding, I’d then give expressed milk to him. Midwife didn’t really approve because it was about day 5 and the recommendation is for breastfeeding to be established. Then I told her I was giving it in a bottle rather than a cup, face like thunder… BUT my nipples were literally bleeding and I found expressing manageable. I also bought a couple of those small premixed bottles of formula, and I will do again. It saved me at 4am when DS wouldn’t settle after 2 hours of non stop crying. I did what I had to do to feed my baby. People talk about nipple confusion and I won’t lie, DS stopped taking a bottle once he was older and BFing was established but I didn’t really need him to take a bottle by then and we never forced it. I always made enough milk for DS but I could never pump enough to stash (and I never had to use a breast pad).
So as not to scare anyone: for me the sore nipples didn’t last for long and DS had “borderline” tongue tie which was diagnosed at 9 days. We didn’t cut it in the end, I kept being reminded that baby is learning too. By 2 weeks it had settled and by 6 weeks (which had been my goal as an obstetrician told me I might not be able to breastfeed) I was comfortable enough to continue, it was a couple of months before I started to “enjoy” it. I ended up BF for 12.5 months before he self weaned.

@PurBal thank you that’s really helpful! I know it’s a wait and see situation but I’m leaning towards wanting to do combination feeding from the start so will look in to a cheaper manual one to begin with. That’s good advice about the pre mixed fomula thank you 😊

We have actually finished sorting the shit out in our spare room. We can finally start the fun bits. Painting and decorating.

We are going to have a woodland animal theme. Anyone else know how they are decorating?

@DrinkingAllTheGin well done! That's on our to do list 😂 we're going for an animal theme too but more safari, we can't wait to start decorating!

@DrinkingAllTheGin @C1umsyGiraffe

Awe super cute. Baby is going to be in with us for a while but we will put easy peel stickers on the walls next to our bed. With our first baby we had a Winnie the Pooh scene with butterflies…I’m thinking maybe animal themed too this time ☺️

Safari is much simpler, much larger range available.
I have my heart set on uk style woodland, badgers, squirrels foxes etc

@DrinkingAllTheGin @summerpoolandsun aww Winnie the Pooh is so cute! Me and my husband and love animals so are hoping we can influence the baby to love them too 😂

@summerpoolandsun we are going for easy peel stickers too. The walls need repainting first. Not sure what colour to go for though.
Pinterest calls I think!

@summerpoolandsun were they easy to peel off or did you find they ruined the paint? I'd love to get some wall stickers too ☺️

@Happinessandrainbows Really easy to peel off. I was amazed. You couldn’t even tell they had been on at all. 👌

@summerpoolandsun thanks!

I had a blood test last week To get my levels as I said I’m feeling weak and now they have called me in for a scan on Wednesday and a consultant appointment on Thursday . The person that called me I think was just a booking in officer so she said she doesn’t have further information. So worried - with what’s going on. I have an under active thyroid so I’m working have they found something wrong . Stress .

loving all the themes for nurseries / baby rooms. Unfortunately as baby will be sharing a room with my 2 year old ( after baby is a few months) My 2 year is really into pink and princesses and stars - so baby will be subjected to her love of pink.

Hope all goes well for you on @Zaalfruit if it helps my bloods were a bit all over place last week had scan Thursday and baby was fine doing bloods again Monday they said they will just keep on eye on them

@Zaalfruit sending positive vibes your way. Baby will also be going in with DC1, how are you planning the transition to room sharing? We’re wondering whether to set the room up for 2 of them before DC2 arrives and then move them in when they’re (hopefully) sleeping more consistently but I’m definitely anxious about it.

Ahh thank you both @ImHopeful2023 and @PurBal .

In terms of the room - I think we are going to start adding in the cot and some bits for the baby in about 2 months . Just so that she doesn’t feel sidelined straight away when baby is here and that it’s not to much change for her . Nursery has already kinda mentioned that she will be filled with mixed emotions and there many be a sleep regression . We have been talking lots about new baby and how fun it will be to be together and she’s really excited. We let her pick things that she thinks baby will like - but it’s hard as she’s only 2 and I am really worried . I think 2/3 is a hard age as they understand- but at the same time they don’t . I’m also concerned that she will try and pick baby up in the night - which makes me really anxious .