12-24 weeks pregnant (part 4)

me-charlotte

Hi Guys, hope everyone is well. Sorry I've been a bit quiet, not had a lot going on.
I'm 20+6 today and had my 20 week scan yesterday, all is looking good and as it should.
I didn't want to know what the sex was but the look on hubby's face said he really did so we found out it's a girl. I'm indifferent as it really doesn't matter to me as long as its healthy.

Pushchairs and travel systems are a complete mind boggle, I've been looking at the hauck ones and like the look of those and know a few people with them as well who recommend them, they seem quite reasonably priced as well which is a bonus, though i must admit i just looked up the egg and really like the look, though not sure we can afford the £600+ price tag!!!

michbright

kroberts wrote: »

Thank you, I love the look of The Egg and is my favourite, love the colours too. OH prefers the Mima Xari so I think it will be between them 2. I will have to go and get some demonstrations.

Went for the petrol blue one with the tan leather handles

laura_hoggle

Hi all, hope everyone is feeling well!

We've been buying bits & bobs for our baby girl, got a few bundles of clothes on eBay and clothes from shops where there's been sales & offers on. We've also ordered the pram, which is being delivered today. We went for the Silver Cross Pioneer, and ordered it from Boots while they had their points event on last week. They had a 10% off offer on selected pushchairs too, so I bought the chassis & used the points I received to pay for the colour pack (hood & apron). Essentially got a £650 pram for £495 cash so really pleased! And got cashback too!

The room we've chosen for our nursery is the box room and has an awkward bulk head over the stairs, so I've been trying to think of ways to maximise the space. I was thinking of getting a wardrobe fitted by a carpenter, so we had someone round to quote us the other day. The quote was £840 and I don't know if that's good or not! Another carpenter was meant to come round today but never turned up, which I'm really annoyed about!

devildolly5

Just popping back from the other thread. Laura-hoggle, we have the same bulkhead in our box room. We thought the same as you and got a few quotes in to have a wardrobe fitted. In the end, we didn't. We are putting up some shelves over the lump, and might use it as a baby changing area or for storage boxes. We thought that boxing it in would make the room feel too small. Your price is not too bad though, we had quotes in the thousands.

laura_hoggle

Thanks devildolly! It's currently boxed in and there were shelves over it as the room was used as an office by the previous owner, but the shelves were too high for me to reach over the boxed in bit! Hubby did suggest using it as a changing table but as it is completely boxed off to the floor, it felt awkward not being able to put my feet underneath it and it's a bit low. I'd also really like a wardrobe in the room and without putting it there, I can't really see where else it would go-the radiator is along a wall rather than under the window, and the location of plug sockets is awkward! I know they are both moveable but I thought that the cost would probably make the wardrobe seem more sensible, and also give us a more usable room for a longer time. Thanks for the info about your quotes, having never had work like that done I wasn't sure what to expect! It's a local carpenter and he's done lots of wardrobes so I think it would be a good job.

littlesnuggy

I've been meaning to join this thread but have just lurked thus far (I was on the TTC thread under a different username but kept forgetting to log back in). I'm 21+6 and due a baby boy early March.

Wanted to join in on the pram chat as I too have my heart set on the Joolz and want the Kiddy Evo Lunafix car seat as it lies flat - looks like I have found my people! Which is surprising on MSE as neither are cheap and my DH keeps telling me so! Hoping to go to a shop soon to look at both in the flesh. I followed a lady with the Joolz through Sainsburys yesterday and it looked beautiful. I think I'll go for the Geo for the bigger basket/potential duo adaptability in the future in parrot blue. sweetielemon Did you get to try both the Geo & Day out? Are there many differences?

Laura We are planning to get our radiator moved as it is on the one wall where I want to put the cot. I've had a quick look online for rough costs and it shouldn't be more than £150, but obviously depends upon where your pipes are.

*niptuckfan*

congrats on the pink me-charlotte - i was exactly the same didnt want to know and told OH tough you cant LOL

I have been super lucky with gumtree/facebook sales and have picked up everything I wanted for a fraction of the cost and all in fantastic condition – I know second hand isn’t for everyone but we enjoy getting a bargain and there so many to be had with baby stuff as lot doesn’t get used or is at grannies house so minimal use….and the way I see it this money I have saved will give me a comfortable maternity leave and not worrying about bills before I am back to work.

I have bugaboo chameleon pram, maxi cosy car seat, snuz pod crib, bought a few wee bits of natural clothes but trying not to go daft as think we will get gifts in blue/pink

I am currently helping HR write my job spec a with a view to starting interviewing soon for my maternity replacement….this is starting to feel more real LOL

Have you working ladies thought about when finishing up work?

laura_hoggle

That's great about getting some bargains *niptuckfan*! The only thing I said I wouldn't get second hand was a car seat because you can't be sure of it not being in an accident. As it was, I was given a maxi cosi Cabriofix and easy fix base by my cousin who has an 11 month old & is going up a seat. As it was my cousin who I completely trust, I didn't have any issues with it! I've also got a swinging crib from a Facebook group which looks brand new (I think it was only used for a couple of months) for half the price new. Our parents have also been incredibly generous (first grandchild my side, first granddaughter DHs side) and are giving us the money for the pram & nursery furniture which we weren't expecting.

I am just awaiting a meeting with HR to discuss my maternity leave, I think I'll finish around 20th January with baby due 4th March, so I'll be about 33/34 weeks. I've got 18 days of annual leave left until the end of March, so I'll be taking those then my actual maternity will start about 2 weeks before I'm due. I'm taking the full year of maternity, and as i still accrue annual leave whilst I'm on maternity, I'll have 33 days to take once that's over-so I'll go back to work around the 1st April 2017. Seems so far away! We've also been saving to cover the bills whilst I'm off, and are doing well so far-have £3700 saved from my £5000 target with 3 pay days left before I finish so think we'll manage!

I think I'm going to the local NCT nearly new sale this weekend, has anyone else been to one? I've heard people say they've had some great bargains, but they can get busy & I'd need to sharpen my elbows!!

littlesnuggy

I missed my local NCT sale when I was away in September and the next one isn't until March after baby is born, which is a shame. I am now on two local Facebook selling sites and have got two lovely bundles of clothes, all in great condition and good quality (Next, John Lewis etc) and very cheap - average about 40p an item I think!

I run my own business with a colleague so going to have to leave starting maternity as late as possible; probably mid-February (which is late as I'll be induced at 38 weeks due to medical condition, which will be end of Feb!). The last two days I've started keeping a log of all the things I do to help when writing a job spec/recruiting temporary cover.

sweetilemon

littlesnuggy wrote: »

I've been meaning to join this thread but have just lurked thus far (I was on the TTC thread under a different username but kept forgetting to log back in). I'm 21+6 and due a baby boy early March.

Wanted to join in on the pram chat as I too have my heart set on the Joolz and want the Kiddy Evo Lunafix car seat as it lies flat - looks like I have found my people! Which is surprising on MSE as neither are cheap and my DH keeps telling me so! Hoping to go to a shop soon to look at both in the flesh. I followed a lady with the Joolz through Sainsburys yesterday and it looked beautiful. I think I'll go for the Geo for the bigger basket/potential duo adaptability in the future in parrot blue. sweetielemon Did you get to try both the Geo & Day out? Are there many differences?

Some things are worth spending on lol...i just try to get the best price! I don't do MSE things to not enjoy the things I like heehee.

I did look at them both, i didnt really notice much difference apart from the basket. When I went to order it the only one there was day but the price in the pram centre shop was £689 for the day and all the rest were £799 so I didn't think the bigger basket was worth the extra. Everywhere else I've seen they are all around £799, even on the pram centre website so not quite sure why there's such a difference in store. John lewis are doing a free footmuff but it still worked out cheaper to buy that separate from the pram centre. I got the rain cover with it and bought the foot muff, bag and sun parasol. I spent £25 on the shopping basket add on so I had enough room for "stuff".

That's what I liked about the cybex cloud, you can lay the baby down