Due January 2024, Part 7!

[RG9895]

Thought better make a new one!

I bought a maternity coat on vinted. I think it'll be necessary for school runs etc but I didn't want to pay for a new one for just a few months use.

Also we just bought a Snuzpod 4 from Boots, it has £50 off it until end of sept and you get a good amount of points if you're signed up to the parenting club.

Think the only 'essential' we have left is a proper cot but we won't need that for a while and a breast pump/formula equipment but not sure when to buy these. As obviously won't know what I'll need here until he's born! Oh and loads of clothes/muslins but I'm sure I'll collect some of those over the next few months.

I’ve bought nothing yet bar some clothes and a few new cloth nappies.
going to the baby show on Friday so hopefully it will kick us into shape a bit. Need to order the pram, and should start getting some bits down from the loft to assess

Oooh some great advice on here, have ordered my tights from next so thanks ☺️
Also not 100% on a maternity coat, mine is already quite baggy so could wear it but maybe not zip up as I get further along. One annoying part to being due in the height of winter 🙈
Is anyone else just feeling really heavy? I'm 25 weeks today and yesterday especially I was aching so much after lunch time right up til I was in bed

Apart from maternity clothes and stuff for my labour bags, oh and a cuddly toy that we always get our babies (inc those we have lost), we haven't bought anything.

We didn't buy anything either for DS3 until after he was born. That was a worry actually as we realised things had got a bit harder to source due to covid lockdown but Tescos were amazing, my mum spoke to the local tesco manager about our situation and he let my mum into the clothes sections (do you remember when those were all locked off! Crazy times) to pick things whilst he went out back and collected a bundle of baby essentials.

Morning ladies
I have my midwife appointment today. Can’t believe I’m 26 weeks on Friday, need to get my bum into gear massively and start to buy and get organised more
Baby is now well above my belly button moving and I can actually feel massive movements now and finally feel like we are in more of a routine with times that she likes a good wiggle 🥰

Anyone else absolutely ravenous? I had my breakfast at 6.30 but just went and got a sausage roll at 8 before work 😬and last night I was starving 2 hours after my tea. I was already in bed so didn’t eat anything but worried I am going to be huge!

We’re these the maternity pads some of you recommend? Thanks

Ive had some success with getting maternity clothes from Next outlet section on their website. Jeans for £10, coat with zip out panel for bump/ baby for £20. Worth a look :)
Im obsessed with sorting the house out and deciding on a name at the moment, nesting has begun! Finding it very frustratign that I can't do any of the work needed - its all moving furniture around at the moment! I just want to have somewhere that is for the baby to put all his stuff which is building up in corners around the house.

Also bought nothing apart from clothes. I have a lot from DD.

Deffo need feeding stuff, although bit unsure what to get as I want to try and breastfeed but was completely unsuccessful last time and ended up bottle feeding. Don't know if I should get a perfect prep and bottles or a pump or what to do.

Also need a new monitor and new matresses for the stuff my DD had (cot, pram and bedside crib)

@TunnocksTCake I’m feeling frustrated at not being able to get organised in the house too. DP has a few jobs to get done before I can get things set up in the nursery and we have a messy pile of baby things in the spare bedroom at the moment. I’ve been buying little bits here and there when I’ve seen offers/sales and I’m at the point where I can’t remember exactly what I’ve got.

I like to be organised anyway so I imagine if I go mad with nesting it’ll drive DP up the wall! My family are usually frustrated at me asking what they want for Christmas in November when they all leave shopping until a couple of weeks before - at least I’ll have an excuse this year!

I need everything - all I’ve bought is like 3 sleepsuits.

It’s boots double discount next week so hoping to make use of that. Also have a John Lewis discount code I need to use from our nursery appointment.

Im on holiday so hitting it hard when I get back!

I wish I was nesting 😐 I really need to write lists of things to do in the house, but I’m so tired and achey that I want to sit on the sofa all day. Once we’ve got Rhodes out of the way I’m hoping we will get our heads in to gear

@Flossiepot I’m feeling very heavy. I’m 24+3 and feel like I could be 34weeks.

@Dannic2018 yes those are the maternity pads. Really swear by them

@Dannic2018 i get those and they are amazing post birth for softness. Highly recommend and will get them again this time round.

No purchases at all here yet! Not even any nappies or sleep suits!

@Onedayatatime24 same as you. Not buying proper cot until he outgrows the next to me! and also not buying too much BF/Bottle stuff because i'm assuming im going to BF but who knows...

@Flossiepot I felt so heavy a couple of weeks ago but i don't feel like i've grown much since then and I actually feel better this week! But i did weigh myself again and i'm definitely heavy! 😂

@TunnocksTCake yeah it's nice having somewhere to put things, I sorted out a few drawers a couple of weeks ago so he's already got drawers and wardrobe space! I need to buy a few shelves and some kallax inserts for the cupboards, the big things are up the loft at the mother in laws!

@Lightningrain i've no idea what to ask for for Christmas at all! I don't "need" anything and all the things on my list so far are things for after baby is here, breast pads for Christmas anyone??

Making a note of those maternity pads thanks All!
@Luhou Im the same with feeding stuff - I had a really hard time last time and was basically exclusively pumping but know I wont have the time to do that this time, It was literally constant - Try to breastfeed, wouldnt work, pump, bottle feed, then start again! Really want to make a success of feeding this time and I hope there will be more support - both peer and professional - now we're not in lockdown. Also going to stay in hospital longer. But like you, I dont know what to buy in advance, if anything... part of me feels like I will most likely pump at least a bit so I can have a rest, and I loved that DH could feed DD and have that bonding time. It made him so happy. I think for me it will be better to keep all formula stuff out of the house to avoid temptation when its tough, but I will work out whats available in our local shops and maybe start an amazon basket for prep machine etc.

Having same conundrum with cloth nappies - not sure Im realistically going to have the time to do all the extra washing/ space to dry them in winter is a factor too. Trying to be realistic and not try to be superwoman like I did first time but I do already have them so seems a waste...

@Lightningrain I got to that point and a few weeks ago had a good sort and worked out what I actually had - turns out a lot of 0-1 months and not a lot else so glad I checked!!

@Mummyme87 Im feeling really heavy and achey too. Most of the organisation Im doing is in my mind/ sat down!! Planning a weekend when I will stay with my mum so DH can do all the manual labour / start painting so after that I can move baby stuff into his room and actually put it away!

@TunnocksTCake sounds like we had a really simillar experience. I also had my DD in lock down, struggled with getting her to latch, expressed for 8 weeks but nearly finished me off to be honest. I have decided that if I cannot successfully feed this time round, pumping is not something I will do again. (Unless I can feed and pump for occasional use but not exclusively pumping!)

I was thinking about buying bottles and prep-machine from somewhere with a 30 day refund policy (also feel like returns get extended some places over Christmas) so if I buy the week before I've got 3 weeks post birth to decide if I need it or send it back.

If I can successfully feed, then I'll just get a pump for occasional use after.

Also unsure if I should get baby bottles for hospital bag, as my daughter was literally screaming hungry and I couldn't feed at all.

24 weeks today, baby is officially considered viable, which I know carries no guarantees but I'm still relieved to be here. We're now 8 days away from when my 6 year old was born so that's my next mini milestone!

When my stitch went in we were told they were expecting delivery within 4-6 weeks (by the end of week 26) but we're 3 weeks into that now and as far as I can tell things seem to be going well 🤞

Only things left on our list now are car seat (Avionaut pixel pro), bedside crib (I think Snuzpod), steriliser and breast pump (no idea). I pumped for the best part of a year for my younger two so I know what works well for me but it's making me a bit too picky I think, nothing I've looked at so far is quite right 😆

We're also mid reno. Kitchen was started in April and still isn't finished 😳 Multiple half finished rooms, decorating stuff everywhere, I'll be amazed if its all done before baby arrives!

@PartRadish that's good news, seems like the stitch is doing a good job! Hope baby wants to hang out inside for a lot longer! 😍

@Luhou yes sounds very similar. That's a good idea about buying things with 30 days returns! May be a plan to get some ready made formula for hospital maybe just in case? Argh its hard to know isnt it!

@PartRadish I felt the 24 week mark wa s asignificant milestone too, thats great news your stitch is holding so well, long may it continue! Do you have any scans to monitor it now or is it a wait and see situation?

@TunnocksTCake I'd sooner get some and not need it, is my thinking!

@PartRadish congratulations on getting to 24 weeks, I'm 2 days behind you and also looking forward to the 24 week marker. Hope you're doing okay

Fab news @PartRadish hold tight little stitch!!!

I’m an advocate for not buying bottles/formula etc until you need them to avoid the temptation. I used formula in emergencies both times, including me driving crying to Tesco at 3am about 5days PN to buy pre-made formula. Which I gave, felt immensely guilty about then he vommed the whole lot up 🤪 for me we have 24hr supermarkets, Amazon etc so it’s easily accessible

You can buy bottles/prep machine etc from most supermarkets and amazon so I think it's something you could leave and buy in the moment if you need it.

Would really recommend either a haaka or their little ladybug catcher things. I would pop one on the boob I wasn't feeding from and easily get an ounce or two just from my let down, would pop it all in a storage bag throughout the day in the fridge and then freeze for future use. I don't plan on pumping this time although I do still have my pump, I'm hoping to just build up a bit of a supply from catching let down. I also have a huge over supply so even if I did pump it wouldn't be until 6+ weeks when supply has sorted itself out a bit or I'll end up with mastitis again.

I'm ordering a ball to swap my office chair for, only 25 weeks and feeling very uncomfy already.

Braxton hicks have also been out of this world already. I can barely walk 10 metres without my bump going rock solid and so much pressure I feel like I'm about to give birth there and then. Am also leaking colostrum most days.

Thanks all 😊

@TunnocksTCake We have another cervical length scan a week today but if that one is good then they won't do anymore after that unless there are any obvious symptoms that need checking out etc. We'll still be seen in clinic regularly though. They said that if I go into labour at any point after this then they would just remove the stitch because essentially it's done it's it's job us getting us to viability.