12-24 weeks pregnant (part 3)

wendz86

Lilmiss - my care was shared with gp and midwife last time. Was basically the same checks etc.

teaandcakeordeath

You can get matb1 from gp or gospital appts. Lilmiss it has to be in to emplyer before end of 25th week of pregnancy. If you're nhs (i think you are?) check your policy as i also had to fill in my mat leave request and give date for it to start and duration at same time. Totally wasn't expecting it. Now rwalise have filled it in wrongly and am hoping it hasn't been posted yet so I can rescue it and amend it!

MrsC....tobe

My next midwife appt is at 24 weeks and she told me last time that I'd get my form then. Means I have a week to get it to head office and since it's usually me that does the posting I'm sure I can manage to get it down for then! HR will drag their heels with that anyway like they do with everything else but at least I know I'll have it with them on time!

lollypopswater

Odd that all seems different!

Hubby wants us to do christmas here, somewhere between 6 (inc baby - eek) and 8 of us though so not too many...

daisiegg

Christmas will probably be at my mum's this year. I would actually like to host but despite the fact we have a huge kitchen it has a rubbish tiny oven and two of the four rings on the hob don't work so not really conducive to catering for a crowd! We may have a new kitchen by then but it is looking less likely. We have had it at my uncle's for the last two years which was nice but my mum is already saying that with the baby here she would like to have it at hers this year. Everyone lives in the same town anyway and my sister doesn't drink so she usually ferries us back and forth so we can have some champagne

lilmissreading

daisiegg wrote: »

Oh you are kind. Thank you. It is fine, none since this morning my sister (almost doctor, currently studying for finals upstairs) says she reckons there must still be some of the placenta covering the cervix even if they could not see it on the 20 week scan. So who knows. I just don't like seeing blood and am much happier when it stops again!

Good, glad to hear it's gone away again. Can quite understand why it's stressful.

Going to try to cut and apaste that email now. Here goes...

lilmissreading

teaandcakeordeath wrote: »

You can get matb1 from gp or gospital appts. Lilmiss it has to be in to emplyer before end of 25th week of pregnancy. If you're nhs (i think you are?) check your policy as i also had to fill in my mat leave request and give date for it to start and duration at same time. Totally wasn't expecting it. Now rwalise have filled it in wrongly and am hoping it hasn't been posted yet so I can rescue it and amend it!

Hmmm yes I have not checked for a while. my manager asked for vague dates and wrote it on a scrap of paper on wednesday. He's lovely but not fully switched on practically. One of those intelligent men who put their clothes on inside out.

lilmissreading

This is it cut and paste. preview looks successful. It's long but pretty comprehensive! Obs some stuff will be personal choice/taste.

Hey Ladies,



I hope you're all well and had lovely weekends. A friend of mine sent me the below e-mail months ago, it's really long, but has loads of useful stuff in it, probably old hat to you all by now, but thought I'd share anyway. So, starts off with all the clubs you can join to get freebies, then a few useful links, books and then an e-mail from a friend of a friend of a friend that's really done the rounds but is a really good comprehensive one off source.



The same friend also sent me this link to a special report on Oprah about baby sounds and what they mean, may be nonsense, but worth a go to try to avoid hysterical crying...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv3-74EFtWQ



Anyone doing any swimming this week? i'm aching so badly at the moment, I could really do with a gentle float around the pool...



Laura xx



Hey as promised - !!!!! yourself out to all the websites possible if you have a personal email address you don't mind spamming (or set one up):

Boots (changing bag free and good vouchers)
Mothercare baby club (vouchers)
Bounty (should get starter pack from midwife)
Pampers (free nappy starter pack)
Sainsburys (samples),
Emma's diary (argos - samples and vouchers),
Philips Avent(free bottles),
Tomee tippee
Cow and gate (toy)
Apitmil (toy)
HIPP
Asda (vouchers)

The place near me for birth equipment - ball etc is
http://www.birthease.co.uk/
If you want anything let me know and I can collect and get you a discount and save the delivery fee

The book about birth I would highly recommend reading as it gives you the proper nuts and bolts on what to expect/prepare for (noises, smells, best & worst bits all details) as well as all the info you need on the various options:
Blooming Birth by Lucy Atkins and Julia Guderian

Take it easy, happy shopping and see you in a couple of weeks if no early surprises



xxx



THE baby list (combined from a few sources - really useful checklist - looks scary at first but I think you do actually need all this stuff!)



Hospital bag (based on 2 day/1 night stay)

You:

maternity notes
1 x old Tshirt
2 x set of loose PJ or nightdresses (make sure they are front opening)
slippers
socks
dressing gown
maternity bra
going home clothes
magazine
tens machines (Lloyds Pharmacy Labour Tens)
5 x big cheap cotton pants
20 x maternity pads
breast pads
Lanisoh nipple cream
6 x bottles water (keep a couple in the freezer until d-day)
straw
funsize bag of mini chocolate bars
cereal bars
mints/chewing gum
phone and charger
camera
ear plugs and eye mask
washbag to include: flannel, deodrant, mini shampoo and conditioner, shower gel, face wipes, hairbrush, basic makeup, toothbrush and toothpaste, lip balm, hairband
towel
paper and pen
change for carpark
ipod and speakers if you want music in delivery room
your own pillows/blankets

Men:

wear shorts and tshirt as the wards get very very hot!
book, mags

Phone, charger, camera, charger, batteries etc.
Your phone numbers in his phone


Baby:

2 x newborn babygrow
2 x newborn vests
2 x mitts
12 x nappies (newborn size 1)
nappy sacks
cotton wool balls
small tupperware container (to put in water to wipe baby's bottom)
swaddling blanket
2 x muslin cloths
hat and jacket to go home in
carseat

Nursery:

Cotbed and mattress
Cot changer (Toys R Us for universal wooden ones)
Moses basket and stand (ideally a rocking one)
Chest of drawers (charger units are a waste of money and space - much better with chest of drawers and cot changer to go over cot instead)
Nursing or rocking chair
Blackout blinds or curtains
Cot mobile (Fisher Price rain forest one is a favourite with Lyla and Carrie)
Room thermometer (groegg is good or you may have one already on your monitor)
Monitor (BT are good)
Nightlight
2 x fitted sheets for moses basket
2 x fitted sheets for cot bed
2 x swaddling blankets
1 x small cellular blanket for moses basket
1 x large cellular blanket for cot bed
Nappy Bin (I found a cheap plastic one with a lid was fine - those special nappy bins are very expensive to change the filters so would advise against them)
Laundry basket (make sure you get one as you don't want pooey clothes to mix in with yours....)
Radiator covers are good to give an extra shelf and prevent small hands touching hot radiators in the winter
Changing mat
Wipes
Cotton wool balls
Top and tail bowl
newborn size one nappies (lots of and boots and tesco are as good as brand ones and alot cheaper)
nappy sacks
nappy rash cream - metanium is the best by far
pack of 10 x terry toweling nappies (to put on changing mats as babies will wee when take off nappy so it soaks it up rather than having to wipe down mat each time)
baby scissors
dummy just in case (Avent 0-3 is the best)
digital ear thermometer (they are expensive but you will end up getting one eventually so may as well get one at the beginning)
7 x muslins
7 x bibs
Grobag (1 tog for summer, 2.5 tog for winter) can be used from 6 weeks/10lbs onwards

Bathtime:

Washing up bowl/top & tail bowl for first couple of weeks (have to keep water for washing face and bottom separate and can't use wipes for first 6 weeks unless you order water wipes online which hospital recommended)
Baby bath seat
2 x sponges (one for face and one for bottom)
2 x towels
Oilatum bath oil and moisturiser is good if you want to use but just water is best for the first few weeks
Bath thermometer
Avent Magic Cream is great after the first month
Infacare bath cream is good after the first month

Feeding:

Couple of maternity bras - get measured about two weeks before due date
Some nursing tops for first few weeks - H&M do cheap ones
Lanisoh cream
Breast pads
Nursing cushion
2 x wide necked bottles with 1 size teat (Avent and Tommy Tippee are good)
Steam steriliser (make sure get same brand steriliser and bottles)
Ready made Aptimel cartons just in case
Bottle brush
Breastpump - medula swing is good - buy a week before due date and keep receipt so you can take it back if you don't need it

Activities (for newborn)

Rocker chair - I found a swing one invaluable as it got Lyla off to sleep
Playmat - again FP rainforest is a good one
High chair - the bloom high chair is a great investment as you can use it from newborn - defo in my top 5

Clothes (newborn size)

7 x babygrows
7 x shortsleeve vests
2 x cardigans
4 x socks (babygap 0-3 and jojo maman do the best ones that stay on)
7 x bibs
7 x muslins
2 x mitts

This is honestly all you will need to start off with as people will buy you stuff and it will be hot so you may just have them in a vest and socks.

Transport

Pram - a travel system is the best bet (ie a set of wheels that you can attach a carrycot, car seat and pushchair seat too). Bugaboo Cameleon is the most popular of these and are great and I love my ICandy Peach which is a new brand and can be adapted for two children. Both retail at around £800 for all the components. Don't waste money on a parasol - a muslin attached by clothes peg is just as good. I have also heard the new Bugaboo Bee is great for people with flats and stairs to negotiate.

Car Seat - a bit confusing so explanation below:
You will need a group 0 car seat until they are one - this is rear facing and can be belted on its own or can click into a base. Just belted is not that safe so would suggest a base.

Base - there are three types:
EasyFix - belted
Isofix - all cars built from 2006 onwards have to have isofix which is fixing built into the car and the base just clicks onto it. You have to buy a base for each group car seat ie carseat and base for group 0, carseat and base for group 1 etc.
FamilyFix - just out at the moment - this is an isofix but can be used for both group 0 and group 1 so saves you getting a new base once they go into group 1 - definitely the best option if you have isofix in the car.

The best type of carseat is a maxicosi and these can fit onto the bugaboo, icandy and quinny prams aswell as the three bases above.

Baby Bjion - the kangaroo pouches mainly used by dads to show off their new babies! I would suggest getting this second hand as it is useful at first especially if your baby does not like the pram but it has a limited lifespan as they grow out of them quickly (think they retail at £80 new but you can pick them up on Nappy Valley for about £20 and they will not have been used much).

Other travel things:

Blinds for the car
Mirror to attach to rear carseat so you can see the baby in your rear mirror
Baby bag that has a bottle warmer and changing mat incorporated - Storksak is a good make and John Lewis have a good range. Make sure you join the Boots baby club to get the free one they give out but it is small and wont last long (we now use ours as a swimming bag).
Toy to attach to car seat

Misc

If you want to try and follow a routine I would suggest Baby Secrets by Jo Tantum (easier to follow than Gina Ford)

If you are not already doing so - sign up to the weekly updates on Baby Centre

Ante Natal classes - this has been the best thing I did - met a great group of girls whose babies are all within two weeks of age with Lyla. It is also nice to meet new people in your area so you have other people to rely on other than your friends.

Secondhand - alot of things are great secondhand and NCT do fantastic second hand sales - you can find them by going on their website. Also nappyvalley.co.ukis a great second hand website.

My top five:

Have been asked a few times what my top five purchases were so here goes:

1) Bloom High Chair - well worth the investment as you can put newborns in them and they are on the same level as you. Lyla would be perfectly content sitting in it as we ate or I cooked as she could see what I was doing.

2) Ante Natal classes - mainly for the support system I gained from meeting other people in the same situation. Also great for Lyla as she will end up going to school with most of the other babies.

3) Mobile - FP rainforest one was a lifesaver - can put Lyla under it in her cot and will keep her happy for 30 mins whilst I have a shower etc

4) Buy toys secondhand - especially the big things like walkers and gyms as they can get so expensive and they grown out of them so quickly. One toy to buy new is a Sophie Giraffe (you can get them off amazon) - best toy for teething and all babies love them - a must!

5) Cot changer - saves on space and there was no way I could have changed her on the floor when she was a newborn as would not have got up again! Also great for the men who have bad backs/knees!

MrsC....tobe

Another reason for me not to host Christmas is that we have decided that if we decide to get baby christened (will be a christening, not a naming day as my sister had for all hers) then we will probably have it in January and the whole thing will be done at our house so I will host everyone that wants to make the effort to come then. I'll make a huge pot of curry and a huge pot of chilli so that it's my choice and if they don't like it, tough! MIL hates chilli and the smell of it so it might get rid of some family quite quickly!

LailaP_2

lilmissreading Congratulation on team Blue :j:j

I am getting proper excited about Christmas after all this chat. My MIL has been furiously knitting for the baby and she has promised to knit a Christmas jumper. I think we might be having Christmas at ours this year which will be a first and I wouldn't even know how to cook an Xmas dinner but MIL said she will come and cook it so sounds good to me! I really do have the best MIL in the world.

time2deal That reindeer outfit is just too cute! Have you seen baby beards? They just crack me up



Peonie I've been doing an Amazon wishlist too, as I don't really want to buy anything before we move it's good for keeping track of things I will need to get. Got told we can't move until end of July now :mad: