IVF pregnancies - Spring 2024 (thread 2)

[thislittlebird]

New thread! Do tag everyone I've missed, I'm off out to see the new Hunger Games so can add more later but need to dash! @CazzyM1983 @KG1244 @countrypunk @Misty84 @ASGIRC @TheBirdintheCave @Summerishere83

@thislittlebird that is cute! I was thinking about buying a cot secondhand but didn’t realise that vinted was more than clothes. I will take a look. Thanks! Xx

@thislittlebird It doesn't look like they do but I have narrow feet so wouldn't be surprised if I had to pull them in a bit.

28 scan went well. Baby is teeny just like their brother and was in all kinds of weird positions 😂

@ASGIRC Thank you! That makes sense about cot sheets! lol.

@KG1244 I got my baby tub (a stokke one, all fancy and expensive) on Vinted, for less than half price! And it looks brand new!

@ASGIRC I’ve downloaded the app 😂

@KG1244 careful to not go ABSOLUTELY CRAZY with it! It has been known to happen! LOL

@ASGIRC had a conversation with my sister this evening about crazy shopping! She thinks I’m buying too much stuff in advance. Things like a cute pillow for tummy time ❤️

Am I the only one with the big shopping list?

@KG1244 mine is kinda big :/

I will buy a tummy time thing or put it on our list of things people could get us.

I’m mildly superstitious/overthinking/paranoid about buying things in advance because so many people say don’t. But at the same time, I won’t have time or energy for it all come May and I feel like this stuff isn’t bad to buy? We’re getting a nursery night light that tells you the room temperature and tog rating you need, a light up (?) driving mirror to see the baby, probably a bottle prep machine and warmer, a teether (could add the teether to the possible gift list too), a bouncer.

Are you using your John Lewis code? I definitely am. 15% off everything makes a big difference imo, so I’m hoping to buy as much as we can with that discount as it’s still cheaper after the discount than most places online. The changing unit isn’t, for example, that’s cheaper on wayfair, but most things don’t seem to have better deals from what I’ve seen so far.

@KG1244 I had a big list for my son but this baby is basically inheriting all of my son's and nephews things so there's barely anything we need to buy. My nephew was conveniently born in June last year so everything from him is seasonally appropriate.

@thislittlebird I have been feeling the superstition a bit but I’m trying to tell it to F off. I’ve been through enough, I deserve to buy all the cute stuff but it has been a bit emotional at times. Cried when I bought my first babygrow! As we didn’t buy our pram at John Lewis I don’t think we will spend enough with them to get the discount.

@TheBirdintheCave That is convenient. Baby stuff is expensive!!

@KG1244 It really is! My biggest mistake with my son was the eye wateringly expensive travel system. £1400 for something we only used it for a year seems mad to me now. It's all out of the loft at the moment and ready to be cleaned, photographed and hopefully sold.

@TheBirdintheCave oh wow! Which one did you buy?

We got the UppaBaby Vista V2. It's a great pram it's just SO BIG.

My shopping list isnt big, but Ive been buying things for months now!
I ahve inherited A LOT, as well! Most of the clothes are hand me downs, which saves a BUNCH.
And I got a few things second hand!
And I also put everything I didnt have already on my baby shower registry. And I got everything on it.

I dont have any tummy time stuff, or any toys, really.
I wasnt gonna have a bouncer, but I was gifted one.

When I got my travel system, size wasnt a worry at all, as I didnt have a car. Now I have a car. And what car do I have? I F SMART! Forfour, but still, a SMART!
So every pram would be massive anyway!
In any case, I plan on carrying on travelling by public transport as much as possible, as it is cheaper and better for me and the environment, but yeah... Theres zero boot space (which is also currently taken up by my dads collapsable wheelchair), and limited space inside!

Nursery bed is arriving tomorrow, so after that, the nursery will be mostly ready bar a few decorative details!!!

@ASGIRC oh god not a smart boot. That is typical. Nude that the nursery is nearly done! We need to start clearing out the small room this weekend.

@KG1244 I want to place my JL order because we’re easily spending £1500 there with the pram included but I’m hesitant to do it until I’m in the third tri (next week). We didn’t get a travel system because we wanted the compact Nuna pram and the fancy maxi cosi car seat that slides out so we can hopefully limit back issues in our geriatric parent era, but it still added up fast having to buy a buggy, a carrycot, a footmuff separately, probably £900 for those three items alone. I don’t live how much the carrycot costs but feels like k need to buy it.

@TheBirdintheCave your travel system came with a car seat too? Hopefully for that money. I liked lots of prams in the shop but the size put me off so many. I’m short and I’m just not going to be able to haul some big thing in and out of the car. Also our hallway is not huge, so a smaller/lighter one made some sense for us.

@thislittlebird Yeah a car seat and an Isofix base thankfully :) That got used FAR more than the buggy in the end.

@KG1244 I think you should shop as you see fit! I think your sister's advice, however well meaning, falls into the not needed category.

Like others I have a decent list which just keeps growing the more I learn. I'm also a bit superstitious/nervous but trying to let that go. Mostly I'm waiting until late March/April as I will start my leave then. So for now I'm just trying to unpack from moving, tidy and keep the flat clean.

Though I do have a list and have been adding more detail to it as time goes. And I do have a travel system (pram, pushchair & car seat).

What's the John Lewis voucher? Sorry If that's already been explained.

@thislittlebird Hahah its fine. I didnt expect to have a car anyway.. At least I can put the isofix base there, and it wont be in the house taking up space LOL
And yeah, it is very nearly done! But then again, so am I! 4 weeks to go now! This time will fly by!!!!

Need to get onto my maternity bag now! Been procrastinating on it!

@ASGIRC yeah true! I feel like we will spend too much on the car seat and base but maybe it’ll be worth it in the end.

The whole maternity bag feels like a nightmare, you seem to need a whole suitcase. I have bought a black cotton nightdress already though. I’m glad those ready to feed bottles exist for taking in.

@CollsR basically, if you book an in store appointment with John Lewis baby department they talk you through various products and at the end they email you discount code for 10% off when you spend over £1,000 and 15% off when you spend over £1,500. Which, I’ve discovered, isn’t difficult to do if you’re buying a pram etc and car seat from them.

@thislittlebird Honestly, the lists the hospital gives are RIDICULOUS! My hospital asks for FOUR Pjs/Nighties for the mother. for a THREE DAY stay! I am not quite sure what they think I will be doing...

And then people are like "what if it gets dirty?" And Im like... "What IF it gets dirty??? It can stay dirty for a couple of days! Im sure I wont die of it." Particularly if it is blood... which doesnt wash from clothes... I dont want to be ruining several pjs.

Here in Portugal you cant take ANY formula, whatsoever. It is illegal. Because apparently, parents were poisoning babies?!?!? So they had to ban them?!?!?
And theyll give you nappies, wipes, etc for the baby, and pads for the mother, but I am taking adult pull up nappies, as I think I will be more comfortable with them.

Otherwise, just 3/4 outfits for the baby, room slippers and flip flops, a robe, and hygiene r«products.
I also am of the mind that less is more, and if anything else is needed, someone can go get it!
So i will be taking 2 small bags. with me.
Some of my due date buddies have 3 bags!!!! It seems excessive, as they arent small, either!

Oh goodness i’d forgotten about the hospital bag nightmare, thanks for reminding me! Last time I definitely took a pack of maternity pads (much better than monthly sanitary towels) and disposable knickers from boots, which were very handy to just throw away. I think I took 3 pairs of PJ’s (traditional button down the front ones so I could get access for breast feeding/skin to skin) last time and wore one set home with a hoody over the top. BIG pants and socks. Also shower gel, shampoo, brush, toothpaste/brush, hairbrush, hairbands, face moisturizer and lipsalve etc for me (towels provided) which I was grateful for as I was encouraged to have a shower as soon as I was up and about from C section. I also took 4x babygrows, vests, hats and nappies in 4 separate zip lock bags for baby, easy for DH to find in top of bag for delivery and a pack of 16 newborn nappies. 6 bottles of ready made formula with teats, just in case. 2x cellular baby blankets (only needed one really for coming home). Cotton pads for wiping baby bottom as the first few poops are sticky! A bathrobe/dressing gown for me (didn’t need that as hospital was very hot). A pair of flip flops for the communal toilet/shower as the floors might be wet I wore these in the shower. A pair of crocs- slip on shoes are excellent to prevent having to tie laces after birth/c section to come home in. Phone charger with LONG cable as the plug sockets can be a good distance from the bed! Earphones and phone. This time as it will be May i’ll take my slip on birkenstocks and forget the socks! Will also take the feeding pillow and leav in the car so DH can bring it in after birth. DH was able to bring extra things I needed such as a pillow to cushion my c section wound for the way home in the car. I had this all packed about 4 weeks before due date and left newr the front door.
we also found that having a baby seat you could remove from the isofix base was the best option as I could put baby in and faff about with hats,blankets and fasten straps etc in the hospital without struggling outside in the car park and getting annoyed with DH for ‘doing it all wrong’
I also took some snacks for me and a large water bottle with a straw which was handy for labour in a different bag. My own hospital bag was my gym bag so a smallish holdall.

I don't even want to think about packing my hospital bag yet 😂I remember that I took a lot of snacks and Lucozade last time though which was really helpful as I was in hospital for a couple of days after my son was born.

@ASGIRC have they told you to wear nightdresses with a c section? I read that you should because of the catheter. I'm a PJs person so having to buy a couple of nighties.

Poisoning babies? Ok...I heard the nhs are funny here if you say you're formula feeding and don't bring any. So I'm packing the ready made bottles with the teats in case my attempt at breastfeeding doesn't go well. They told me I won't be able to use a breast pump for colostrum because it's too thick? I have no idea.

DH is not looking forward to sleeping in a chair overnight in hospital, he's threatening to bring a sleeping bag or something lol

Did anyone here buy lots of stuff by 27/28 weeks? I want to place my big John Lewis order but I'm being anxious about getting almost everything with three months to go. I quite like the idea of tit all being ordered though,

Having a high anterior placenta is a pain, I can't always feel this baby. It moved today but didn't feel much yesterday at all.

I've finally been referred to Birth Options here, so I have two appointments in March and April.

@thislittlebird No, and also, if they use a catherer, it is only for the actual c section, it is removed straight away. And I will be demanding it is, if they dont.
Also... You have to wear underwear and pads, because you still bleed even after a c section, so what difference does it make if you are wearing PJs or a nightie???

Yeah, I was shocked too. How can parents be poisoning their babies in such numbers that a law has to be brought out?!?!? Absolutely outrageous!!!

I had almost everything ready by 27/28 weeks.
And I was told to get all the big ticket items done before the 3rd trimester, by the nurses. Because your physical ability definitely declines afterwards.

I know it is easier said than done, but you need to get over that anxiety! It is TIME! Were not talking about you being 3 months along! You are over 6 months along! Baby will be here before you know it! Nothing is too early, now. That concept no longer exists! It is TIME!

Im not taking any snacks... Im not going to be labouring, so dont need snacks for that. And will stay in hospital for 3 days, but Im not much of a snack person. If Im hungry, my mom can go get me something.

My hospital bag is still not done. I do, however, have little bags to put the babys clothes in, now! But I havent decided which clothes I am taking!

@thislittlebird With my son I didn't order a single thing until I hit 30 weeks 😅

Re catheter. I had a spinal block for my tear repair after my son's birth. They left the catheter in until I got the feeling back in my legs (which took quite a while!) and then removed it.