Due July 24 - Part 2

[MixedCouple]

Started a new thread as the last one is full.
Got my apt letter today for my scan in Jan will be the 11th should be 12w 3D.

@Oatmilk - it is tough but what else cam we do. Have no other choixe but to suffer and keep going. I reflect very very often in the ease of my last pregnancy. Naps when I wanted. Sleep in when I wanted. Just really self centered 😂 now I am lucky to put my feet up for 10mins.

I just think loooooads of women have done, are doing it. And I need to suck it up.
My Nausea is easing up a little the last couple days. So hopefully it goes soon.

@hopingfor23 ahh it's so miserable isn't it! I have been on antisickness meds since like week 8! And even with them I still throw up at least twice a day lol. Without them it was double figures, so they do something but just not enough! 😂 Hoping they work for you, amazed you have held out so long lol

@Oatmilktea - agree with the advice from @MixedCouple on the essentials.

Also got loads of muslins as gifts and some people will tell you you’ll go through 1000s a day etc but ours were barely used - also lucky with a non sicky baby, mainly used as a cover for my clothes when bottle feeding. The big ones do make a handy emergency nappy if you’re out and about and caught short though.

we also didn’t end up swaddling at all - partly as DS had a nicu stay so by the time he came home he was 8 weeks and had never been swaddled so felt too late to try but as a summer baby he just slept in a vest or sleep suit depending on how hot it got for a while and then straight to sleeping bags once it got cooler.

So I 100% agree don’t go mad on these things and see whether they work for you before buying too many of anything!

I am worried what to get clothing wise for a summer newborn.
My DS was a winter baby so lots or fluffy and thick sleep suits.

I am thinking some Summer rompers shortie style or without feet. I have no idea 😂

@Jess725
Yes, same!! My close friend is 2 months ahead so somewhere around her 25th week. It's so interesting to hear from someone first hand what the next stage will be. Better than any pregnancy book!

@Welshgal85
Aww, yes! Small little pulses and flutters. Once I felt a proper roll. It was absurd! I really want to experience it again.

@MixedCouple I'm 18 weeks today too!

@MixedCouple - during the brief heatwave we had that year he was honestly just in his nappy a lot of the time. Otherwise mainly lightweight sleepsuits (the sort that you’d layer with a vest and a cardigan in the winter) as it’s not that warm in the UK most of the time and a few shortie rompers for warmer days, but didn’t go mad as it was only very briefly warm enough for them.

Anyone else with a due date of 14th July?

Have been feeling movements since 17 weeks but would say they are starting to get more definite.

agree re muslin cloths - i didn’t use at all with 2 previous ds

18weeks today.

Had a meeting with midwife to discuss VBAC amongst other things.

Turns out another midwife forgot to assign me a community midwife, and also failed to let me know I was severely low on iron and potentially had a UTI. Complaint has been raised.

This explains why I've felt like shit the last few weeks, and why this pregnancy has felt so different to my last.

Newborn essentials:

• Sleepsuits (we had 10, all second hand/gifted) - didn't bother actually dressing the baby in 'clothes' first 8 weeks really.
• Onesies (since it'll be summer, around 10, shortsleeved)
• We had the Stokke bath too, love that you can fold it away (had a v small bathroom when first baby was born)!
• Re-useable postpatrum underwear (I had Wuka). Personal preference obv, but I found this SO MUCH more comfortable than pads, cannot describe...
• 'First aid' essentials, i.e. a snot sucker (lol), nail clippers, bath thermometer... Some stores/sites sell little sets.
• Moses basket. Only thing the baby slept in the first 2 months (wouldn't even go in the next-to-me haha). Got it for 5 quid from a charity shop. Handy that it can easily move around the house.

Optional:

• We got a cheap version of the baby bjorn bouncer, looked the same, cost less than 30 quid.
• Room thermometer (we got one second hand off FB), can help calm anxiety during heatwave...
• Storage/organising baskets for the million tiny items you're about to own haha
• We did use loads of muslins, but that's because we do cloth nappies. Can give details on nr of items if anyone wants them. We did also swaddle the first 3-4 months, and still use those as stroller blankets!
• An extension chord for your plugs, for all the many extra things you're going to be charging (like breast pump)
• We borrowed a bunch of bottles from my SIL, not knowing how breastfeeding would go; just to have a backup ready without spending money on it

Things not to get:

• Got a super lovely changing mat... only to permanently cover it with a muslin to stop it getting dirty lol. And have since changed babies on every surface imaginable, baby never cared one bit.
• Baby monitor (my opinion obv!) - you're not meant to leave the baby in a different room first 6 months; and after that we were so used to listening and checking in that we never bothered getting one. Friends have also warned me about fancy digital monitors getting hacked btw! Sorry to make anyone paranoid...
• Special sterilising machine/items (again, just my opinion); we just boiled everything, or sometimes used a bit of milton for good measure

I think my cravings have begun.
I had a healthy lunch made but I just couldn't imagine eating it. I'm just craving lunch meats like chicken ham or pepperoni. Which is processed and it's not good but I had it twice last week and today.
I also had instant ramen yesterday which isn't good for pregnant women. It says so on the box but I just needed to have it.
I've had instant noodles 4 times since I got pregnant. But I've managed to avoid chinese food which I love. :/

@ceruleansky i have had a ham and crisp sandwich, every day for 2 weeks lol. I just can't get enough of them! And kfc! My waistline is not happy with me haha!

I'm ashamed of my Deliveroo order history 😭😂

@ceruleansky What's wrong with Chinese? 🤷‍♀️ We've had Chinese for my birthday and we've also had sushi, which I really craved in the first trimester.
I seem to be OK with cravings for the moment, though. Don't think I had any with DS, either. I do come across certain foods every so often and then I really fancy them but I'm generally OK even if I don't have them.
I'm 18 weeks so far, so still have to wait a little while for my next scan. The baby is kicking quite happily, though, usually in the mornings.

@Busyhedgehog @ceruleansky Im not sure I want to know if Chinese isn’t allowed. Early on I was desperate for special fried rice so had it quite a few times. Have also had smoked salmon bagels without thinking about it but luckily all is well.

The main thing I was craving was salt and vinegar crisps, but I’ve moved past that and onto iced buns which I finally cracked and had for breakfast this morning - I don’t think anything has made me quite so happy food wise. Definitely not the best thing for me though!

@missmoosh
That sounds amazing!! What is it with crisps that is so addictive right now? I went ages without eating them. But everything has changed! I agree, my waistline isn't happy either and I've got a long way to go.

@ExpectantEs
Spending so much on groceries and then ordering in.. 😭

@Busyhedgehog
I think it's okay to have it once in a while but chinese food supposedly has MSG or aginomoto. It's supposed to enhance the flavour. And yeah sushi is also technically avoided because of the risks that uncooked fish supposedly has. On that note, I also read that people who have healthy salads are also at a risk for tapeworm eggs? Obviously everyone has salads and it's not common but it has happened.. basically advice against anything uncooked so I try to boil and sautée all my veggies.

@Morningcoffeeaddict
I think everything in moderation is perfectly fine! I was adviced against chinese food (instant or otherwise) and processed meats but its difficult to not give in to our tastes when we can't eat anything else
I agree with you on the salt and vinegar crisps. I love salty/spicy things rn. Even if I have something sweet I have to have something salty after.

@ceruleansky - the crisps are just so satisfying aren’t they! I didn’t have any cravings with DS but I never normally eat crisps so must be pregnancy related- I just had to have them all of the first trimester. 18 weeks today and have calmed down on them a bit now but still not sure how much of my belly is bump and how much is just crisps!

hello ladies❤️ so glad so many had already their 20w scan and all went well!! Another 2 long weeks for me and honestly can’t wait anymore😅 also planning to start buying things after the scan!
ive been having sooo much movement the past 2-3 days out of nowhere and it was such a great feeling!! Although I know they aren’t meant to be regular till later on but today my bubas have been so quiet😭 did anyone else experienced that? Having few days in a row and then nothing really?

Had our 20 week scan this morning and all looking good 😍 we didn't find out what we're having though part of me really wanted to

Had our 20 week scan today. All was looking good and it's another boy! 💙
Saw the consultant after and she wants me to do the gestational diabetes test because my previous baby was born above the 95th percentile 😫 I had to do it last time and was all fine. It's such a long boring test! The consultant also said I'll have a growth scan at 32 weeks and will have an appointment with a midwife to discuss having a VBAC. Feels like my 3rd trimester will be spent having constant appointments!

Ehm sorry but what on earth are pregnant people in China meant to eat then, if the whole cuisine is off-limits 😂

@wannabe123 ahhh that's great news! I have to have the diabetes test at 28 weeks 😢 didn't have one last time and can't say I'm looking forward to it either! Also found out our trust does growth scans for everyone at 36 weeks which I also didn't have last time so that was a nice treat getting to see baby again that one I don't mind 😂

@bringmearainbow it's not horrendous but you can't eat for 12 hours (I think) before the test is done then have bloods taken. You are then given a really sugary drink like strong orange squash and then have to sit in the waiting room for 2 hours! They don't like you walking around because it can impact on the results. You then have another lot of bloods taken. The waiting was the worst bit last time.

@AnonymousXXIX
I've thought about it often and honestly, I don't know. I didn't mean to say all chinese food is bad, I've heard that restaurants that use MSG should be avoided. Also, MSG is also used in junk food link MCD so it's not just chinese food, which I love.

This was on the label of the ramen I ate yesterday but I ate it anyway because I don't eat it every day so it's a personal choice to avoid it or not. Some countries have banned it. As I said, I think anything in moderation is fine.

Congratulations to everyone who had their scans go well!!

@Morningcoffeeaddict
Ah well you know what, I think we get a pass to eat comfort food to take our minds off all the other stuff our body goes through.. 🤣
I am totally okay with my crisps belly! 18 weeks, nice! I'm a week behind you exactly. I'm so excited to reach the halfway point.

Anyway, has anyone thought of names yet?
I've been watching the new Percy Jackson series and have gone down a rabbit hole of Greek mythology and idk why some names are so pretty, like Hera. 😭