35+ TTC 1st Graduates!!! Come on Over!

[Mommy's Angel]

Can't do this What is URL. MA I read what u wrote for Pablo but I can't access photobucket from here. Dunno how to post these images? Any UK ladies know how to post jpeg images

Do you have a photo website in the UK? Can you use flickr uploader there? You need something that you can upload your pics to the site and it will give you a URL/link. You'll go to the icon that has the mountain at the top of our reply box and then add the link to the box when it asks.

 

[skye2010]

Yaaay managed ) Here's how chubby I am xxx

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Here's a link to flickr

 

[Mommy's Angel]

WTG!!

Oh my goodness! Your SO CUTE! You actually remind me of my cousin a little bit. you already have that little bump already. Isn't it just LOVELY?!



As for the swaddling...okay, I probably sound neurotic but can't the newborns who are swaddled find a way to roll over and suffocate. Without their arms out they won't have a way to move if they accidentally roll over. Forgive me because this is all new to me. Doug says I've gone all "worse case scenario" the past two years. I think it's because of what happened with Jackson and for some reason my mindset has gone to preparing for what "could" happen so I can try to keep it FROM happening.

 

[skye2010]

MA Thank youu bb, managed to find the thread from the moderators and I followed their instructions. It's actually really easy. I went to advanced option of posting and clicked paper clip icon on the top. Tadaaaaa!!!!!

 

[skye2010]

Yeeah I know I love it. Makes me feel more prego hahahahhahaha!!! Which is a change after all these years eh?
The swaddles that Angela mentioned looks quite firm. Google it. But i dunno if they would get frustrated not being able to move arms untill falling a sleep. Or perhaps it actually helps them to go into sleeping mode???

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Yeeah I know I love it. Makes me feel more prego hahahahhahaha!!! Which is a change after all these years eh?
The swaddles that Angela mentioned looks quite firm. Google it. But i dunno if they would get frustrated not being able to move arms untill falling a sleep. Or perhaps it actually helps them to go into sleeping mode???

I've heard swaddling actually calms them and they sleep a whole lot better. It's leaving them for the night not knowing what would happen if she were to roll over and I could catch her that's my fear. Oh goodness ((sigh)) I'm become a neurotic mommy who worries about every little thing.

 

[Neversaynever]

Sneaking in to say Skye...congrats on the 12 weeks scan and fab that all is looking good

Your bump is beautiful

Good to see everyone doing well

Back to lurking for the time being

XxX

 

[rottpaw]

Hey girls on ipad so cannot type as well please forgive typos and grammar lol.

On sleeping - like many, I was VERY worried about how best to clothe and use bedding for the earliest days. Bek, in the earliest months they are unable to roll over (you will feel more sure of this for yourself once you observe Amelia in action). Despite constant warnings on everything you see they simply cannot roll at the newborn stage. When they CAN roll over varies from childnto child - for example at four months, Ethan still cannot although he can move around a lot on his back (like scooting from one end of the crib to the other in the night). So I definitely recommend swaddling asnit helps them sleep securely and helps prevent scratching, etc. And in the early days it is very safe. As strangew as it sounds to us in the west, swaddling has been around for millennia and babies love it. One of my friends calls it the burrito lol. To get an effective swaddle (one they cannot wiggle out of) you will actually wrap them pretty tightly which can itself be scary to do at first. You will quickly learn how to do it well while still knowing baby can breathe well etc. And you will feel more confident. They swaddle them in the hospital and can teach you how. Ironically you need a bigger, not smaller blanket to swaddle effectively and we liked the Aden and Anais swaddles or others that size. The commercially prepared swaddles (like the "swaddle me" ones with Velcro) work well for some but Ethan hated them and you have to fight your way through "stuffing" the baby into them (forgive that term but that is what it feels like trying to wrestle a weeks-old baby into those, plus we found the loud Velcro sounds just woke him right up right as we were trying to soothe him to sleep in them!)

The pros of swaddling are many - when properly swaddled the baby will sleep better and tend to stay more where you put them within the crib. The downside (at least in my experience) is that if your child is fairly active like mine, they will wiggle themselves out of almost any swaddle that does NOT have the Velcro, so it can be a catch 22 in ways. One they are loose from the swaddle, then you are dealing with a loose blanket in the crib which of course is what we are trying to avoid in the first place.

So, all that said, what worked for us was the blanket type swaddles until he was consistently wriggling out of them and sleeping most of the night unswsddled anyway... At that point (about two month I think) we switched to the foot pajamas (bear in mind it is currently summer where we live, so additional covers are definitely not necessary.). For anyone living in a colder climate in the early months I would say just do both the pjs and the swaddle...the swaddle, because it involves layers of fabric, actually adds quite a lot of warmth. See post part two below...

 

[rottpaw]

Sorry posted in two pieces as was afraid I might lose the first one.

So now Ethan simply sleeps in his crib, in sleepers/footie pjs and we use only a fitted flat sheet and the breathable bumper. I will continue this strategy (just switching to fleecy sleepers in winter with maybe an undershirt underneath if I think he needs extra layers) until I am absolutely positive there is no danger from blankets...not sure when that will be. Once he can roll over well I may use the bumper that came with the bedding, and once it becomes a toddler bed he can use the comforter that came with the bedding (at least I think one came with ours lol!)

I registered for and received a ton of halo sleep sacks, and may use those once he is bigger. But for now, even the smallest size leaves a lot of fabric at the bottom that, at least to me, looks just as dangerous as a loose blanket. The way Ethan wiggles to the bottom of his crib each night, I can easily see him getting all that extra fabric around his face which just makes me too nervous. He used to do that witth his swddles and it would scare me to death when i saw him in the mornings with the fabric alll in his face. Yeesh! Once he is bigger I can see using the sleep sacks, but not yet.

The funny thing is that about the time you start to feel comfortable with how they are sleeping, they will learn to roll over and will turn over on their own in the middle of the night, and then this mommy will begin worrying all over again

For all these reasons, the one product that I think is indispensable is the video monitor system. When you are desperately trying to get some sleep but want to know babying okay, you can click a button and see the baby onscreen (audio would already be on). We LOVE ours and i think it is the one thing sleep wise that is invaluable. When you are ready to let them sleep in their own crib and don't want to have to jump out of bed every five minutes you can just grab the monitor and see instantly what's going on. :thumb up:

Hope all that helps! And rebekah, you are NOT being overly paranoid. We all worry about these things and you are right to carefullynconsider!

Later girls!

 

[rottpaw]

Skye you look GREAT and so glad all was well with your scan!!!!!

 

[lavalux]

Awesome advice on the blankets/swadling which I will file away for future reference.

Skye,
Your bump pic is adorable. Congrats on your 12 week scan & the good Downs results. That gives me hope that maybe we will have good luck & not have to do an amnio.

Austin,
Thanks for the info about the night nurse. I'm so torn right now b/c I really just want to take one day at a time, celebrate each week as a milestone, and look forward to our next OB appt on Tuesday. If all is well with the babies, we will have our first maternal/fetal specialist appt & genetic screening in 2 weeks. On the other hand, I feel like I have to think ahead about daycare waiting lists and night nurse interviews. BTW, I am a lawyer for the state as well. I work at the state AG's office doing employment litigation. What do you do? That is great your boss is so understanding. I'm hoping mine will be. Right now, since she doesn't know, she keeps assigning me new cases, which is fine, but may get messy if I go on bedrest early. We also only have FMLA. Anyway, good luck keeping those babies in there for another month. Tell them it's too hot to come out right now anyway!

 

[skye2010]

Nevernever thank u hon )

Ma you'll be a great mum. I think having a difficult sort of pregnancy make u wonder if u r paranoid cause now you are in full alert, symptom spotting. But once Amelia arrives I bet you will relax and go back to your own routine ))

Angela thank you so much for the info. It actually made a lot of sense to me cause I was wondering how to keep the baby warm in this cold flat. Also the monitor is a great idea. Than it wouldn't be too different than sleeping in the same room as long as the other room isn't far. Which isn't in our flat. There's some cute imgaes of swaddles on the net I bet it wouldn't be too hard to find on in the UK

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Hi Skye, Thanks...one can only hope!

Angela...Thank you so much! We have the swaddle blankets you suggested already on our registry so that's good. Maybe I'll add a couple haylo for later use. HOPEFULLY in a couple more weeks we'll be able to put some winter footie pj's on the list and I'd LOVE a winter coat for her. Nobody had them out yet here. What kind of monitor did you get again? I believe it was the Summer brand wasn't it? We put one on our registry as well.

It's good to know babies won't roll the first few months then. Also, how long did you have your baby in your room before you transferred him to the crib in his own room? We have fans on throughout the year. The white noise helps me get to sleep. I think it was you who may have mentioned air is supposed to be good for baby to keep from sids as well?? Just wanted to make sure of that.

Thanks again for the help!



Anyone heard from CJ?? Just wondering how she's doing since so much has gone on with her. She's been in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[codegirl]

CJ is good, just busy busy. I'll let her know that you are thinking of her

 

[Mommy's Angel]

CJ is good, just busy busy. I'll let her know that you are thinking of her

Thanks....how are you and the little ones doing?!

 

[codegirl]

We are doing ok. I'm having some trouble adjusting to all the changes in my life so I find that I'm lurking more and posting less these days.

The boys are fantastic, although draining and DH is been nothing short of amazing.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

We are doing ok. I'm having some trouble adjusting to all the changes in my life so I find that I'm lurking more and posting less these days.

The boys are fantastic, although draining and DH is been nothing short of amazing.

It's okay to lurk. You know your welcome anytime.

Sorry your having problems adjusting. Hopefully that will start to work itself out soon. I have a hard time with change too. Anxiety starts to take over when I feel helpless or unable to control my environment. It's a part of life as I'm learning, but it doesn't make it any easier.

Sounds like you have a good support with your husband and the two most amazing boys. That's a step in the right direction!

 

[Vivienne]

Hi ladies,

Austin you are sooo organised, I love it!

MA glad things are on the up and up for you.

Lava, time will pass faster than you think and I'm glad you feel better.

Anna, I cannot believe how active you still are!!!! Amazing woman!!! OH baby shower is this weekend. It's going to be interesting with my mum and step mum there who don't get on!

I really feel for all you ladies who have 'difficult' mums. My mother is my best friend and is going to be with me through the delivery as well as Chris. She has also offered to take time off work and come and clean and cook for us so we can just concentrate on baby for the first couple of weeks, as well as running interference with visitors!

AFM, I am 35 weeks but I think I will go another 5 weeks. I have another scan today just to check posi and size as I am a bit bigger than they would like.
I have had some pain down there though and a lot of pressure and bladder emptying! So fingers crossed he's headed the right way down!!

I promise there will be nursery piccies but still need curtains so it is 95% finished!

 

[sunshine71]

Good morning everyone!

I'm still training my replacement, so don't really have time to get on here much. And by the time I'm home, I'm exhausted and don't even turn on the computer...

So much going on, but it looks like everyone's doing well - very good to see! Not much going on with me - we took our last bike trip over the weekend and had a good time and we're going for a 3D/4D scan after work this afternoon - so excited!

I'll try to see if I can post something from it in the next few days.

Have a great day, ladies!