First Time Mom's - Due March/April 2013

[Laura91]

LiverpoolLass, Have you not got a MW appointment or anything coming up? Or maybe just give her a call and ask her? I bet they get questions all the time!

That's so sweet about Bean's emails!

My cold is still here, unfortunately. Hoping it will ease off for Christmas though! Hope you get better soon too!

I have a cousin named Macauley! Although, he tends to get Cauley as his nickname.. I suppose it's what you shorten it too though Could you not do Macauley Tyne..? That way you're getting both names in there - or did your middle name(s) mean something?

As for me.. I got a bit freaked out a minute ago. Just posted my 26 week bump picture in the 2nd Tri bit and then noticed that it will be my last picture in there! It doesn't seem two minutes ago that I was debating whether or not to post in there - I felt like I was too early even though I was 14 weeks!

Had the worst nights sleep ever last night and i'm now soooo tired!
Kept waking up because my nose kept blocking, then my mouth would be dry, my throat would hurt, OH would be taking up too much of the bed - and at one point he turned over and elbowed me in the boob To which he replied, "i'm sorry i'm a shit bed" He sleep walks/talks A LOT!
When my alarm went off this morning I could have cried

7 HOURS TO GO...

 

[Laura91]

Oh also, my stomach was rock hard last night. Literally.

I tried to turn over in the middle of the night and it was so uncomfortable! It just felt so tight and hard - still was like it this morning I have no idea what LO was doing in there, but I didn't like it! x

 

[doggylover]

Hayley I wouldnt worry about names, you have it narrowed down, so you are waaay ahead of most people. Probably mentioned my aunt before - they didn't have a name until brandon was 5 1/2 weeks old!!! If you prefer Macauley definitely throw it into your mix. See how you get on with the names over the next few weeks, and maybe when baby arrives you will just look at him and think "Oh my goodness...you are ____!"
I would definitely speak to midwife/dr about your breast. Always get anything like that checked out, but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. I had some wee lumps early in pregnancy and apparently that was just the breast tissue getting 'ready'!

Alex let us know how you get on at your NCT classes. I would have loved to do some but they don't run here until end of March...not helpful for me!!! And great news about the nursery being cleared! I wish I was at that stage - my dh is "clearing" but just seems to be making more mess?! In terms of bedding for our swinging crib I got 4 sheets, and that's it. I'm not getting a quilt/duvet/throw as I plan to use the wee gro-bags instead.

I'm suddenly unsure about clothes as well - are you ladies getting a lot of 3-6month clothes? I only have 0-3 at theminute and a couple of newborn bits. It's so ifficult knowing what you'll need!

Brittany good work starting the painting! Can't wait to see the finished product.

Afm, just had a pregnant lady moment - it's the last day of term and we were having a whole school carol concert. Well 500 people in an enclosed space makes it HOT. I was sitting down but I got so warm I had to fan myself, which made me look insanely pregnant (in my mind anyway!) and then i had to LEAVE because I was overheating! And my colleagues were all fussing round me to make sure I was ok, offering me this and that, and I just felt so PREGNANT!

 

[LiverpoolLass]

Aww Sarah, poor you I overheat a LOT but usually in shopping malls or supermarkets (Is it REALLY necessary to have the heating on so high?! I always have to go and sit in the shoe section for a minute these days....Meh.)
Nice that your colleagues were fussing around you though!

Yeah I'm worried that Bean will end up nameless for a while too, and people keep asking already as my sister wants to buy some personalised blankets and stuff - and my cousin makes ceramic letters for nurseries and wants to do babies name as a gift, but of course she can't until I decide!
I daren't tell anybody the name I *feel* like I've settled on coz I know myself - Its TOO likely to change again :/

I'm going to call the midwife in a minute - from Googling it seems like the breast thing could be a blocked milk duct/mastitis - which seems weird as I wasn't aware I had any milk coming in yet, but apparently it can be caused by a cold! So

I've been getting a mix of clothes. I've been buying most of the cheaper/more comfortable things in Newborn, and the more "outfit"y type clothes (I'm avoiding cartoon character/truck clothes like the plague and going for the "little man" shirt, trousers, jumpers kind of clothes) in mostly 0-3 and 3-6 months.

I definitely have much more in 0-3 months, but I have several outfits, 6 vests and 6 sleepsuits in 3-6 months, and the same in 6-9 months (the stuff that the baby will need season-wise in 6-9 months is the stuff that's been on sale recently, so it made sense to me to get some bits & pieces now while its cheaper! I can always top it up closer to the time, but I figure my money will be tighter when baby is actually here so I might as well stock up now!).

As most of the things I've bought is in newborn or 0-3 months, I'm going to ask that if any of my family/friends buy baby clothes as gifts (Which they always do!) that they buy them in 3-6 months.

The 0-3 stuff is surprisingly big, so he should get enough wear out of it - I just worry about needing any Tiny Baby stuff, as I havn't bought any (and after all - this baby could be born 2 weeks ahead of time if my c-section goes ahead) - my sister needed Tiny Baby with both of her kids, even though one of them weighed almost 9lbs - Newborn clothing in general isn't always as small as it seems! :/

 

[doggylover]

I suppose it depends on the shape of the baby - if they are a long one they'll need the bigger sleepsuits sooner so their wee feet don't pop out the end! We definitely need to get more 0-3 months and then get some 3-6 as well, but i know if baby comes and needs newborn stuff my mum will be all over it like a rash!!

Don't feel pressured into picking a name. Just tell people you aren't choosing just yet, you have a few ideas but don't want to tell people anything for sure in case you change your mind.We still have a while to go, so it's not unreasonable not to be 100% sure yet. It's more important that you and dh both love the name than you have something to call him anytime in the next 15 weeks!

 

[LiverpoolLass]

I suppose it depends on the shape of the baby - if they are a long one they'll need the bigger sleepsuits sooner so their wee feet don't pop out the end! We definitely need to get more 0-3 months and then get some 3-6 as well, but i know if baby comes and needs newborn stuff my mum will be all over it like a rash!!

Don't feel pressured into picking a name. Just tell people you aren't choosing just yet, you have a few ideas but don't want to tell people anything for sure in case you change your mind.We still have a while to go, so it's not unreasonable not to be 100% sure yet. It's more important that you and dh both love the name than you have something to call him anytime in the next 15 weeks!

Yeah, I would have thought that but my sisters first baby was pretty long too (20 inches) and STILL needed Tiny Baby for the first few weeks! When you look at the Newborn stuff, I do think they must deliberately quite big to give you a bit of wear out of them.
Though I think it varies depending the brand - the Mothercare sleepsuits I have look REALLY big, but I bought a little romper suit in Matalan the other day which is half the size of it - and they're all supposed to be "Newborn"!

God - 15 weeks. That sounds like nothing

 

[Laura91]

I'm glad it's not just me that takes full advantage of the shoe area in shops! I went Christmas shopping with my mum the other night and spent most of the time looking for seating areas

I agree with DoggyLover, there's plenty of time yet. If people are wanting to buy personalised items (or make them) just ask that they do it once LO is here so you're certain on the name - I don't think anyone would mind

As for clothes etc, I've bought mainly just sleepsuits.. I plan on just dressing her in these through the day - unless we go out somewhere. So far we have:

9 x pairs of scratch mits (maybe more now..)

Tiny Baby -
3 x white vests

Newborn -
2 x white hats
13 x vests
6 x sleepsuits
2 x jamas (top and trousers)
1 x shrug/cardy
3 x cream jackets
5 x soft shoes/slip-ons

0-3 Months -
11 x vests
11 x sleepsuits
2 x thick sleepsuit/bodysuit things (for outings)
1 x pink top & joggers outfit
3 x summer outfits
15 x white socks
5 x pink socks
2 x pink/cream tights
3 x pink frilly pants
3 x shoes

3-6 Months -
0 vests yet
12 sleepsuits
10 x pink socks
2 x shoes

20 normal material bibs and 40 plastic backed-bibs, ridiculous.

All outfits and shoes have been bought by my mum, nana, auntie etc I'm not a crazy lady, honest! x

 

[LiverpoolLass]

Hehe Laura! Awww little lady is gonna be a shoe girlie!!!!

You sound well organised. Did you just go through and count that out or have you got a list you keep?

I keep meaning to go through our stuff and make a list (I'm a Virgo, we need LISTS!!!!!) but I havn't got around to it yet - maybe that can be a job for tonight!

One thing Bean hasn't got any of yet is shoes! We did look at some the other day, my mum saw some buckskin ones and is apparently obsessed with them and wants to buy some but she said not to buy them until he's here coz its impossible to judge the sizes? (And they're pretty pricey for baby shoes I think!!!) I admit, I know absolutely nothing whatsoever about baby shoe sizes!!

I need more bibs too. Where did you get yours from?
Everywhere I look they seem to be those really MASSIVE looking square ones, that look like they'd swamp any baby under 6 months old :/
And I don't like the handkerchief style - I just want some normal little rounded baby bibs but they seem to be a hard find!!

 

[LiverpoolLass]

Oh and I just spoke to my midwife about the weird shaped breast thing - she told me I can't leave it until my appointment on the 28th, and I have to go to the walk in centre today to get checked over.
That'll be fun! :/ I'd better not pick up any extra germs while sitting around a waiting room for god knows how long!

 

[Laura91]

It's a list I did when I put everything into her drawers/wardrobe but haven't updated it in a while - might do that this weekend, infact i'll wait till after Christmas incase anyone gets her anything

My life is on lists and spreadsheets Everyone thinks it's hilarious but I like to know where I am with things!

What are buckskin shoes? I tried to Google but it comes up with loads of different styles so i'm none the wiser!

The majority of the plastic-backed ones are from Asda, they're something like £2 for 5 (or something like that) - Just Asda's own plain white ones.
My mum said that the material ones soak through really quickly and end up wetting baby through, so I just pick a pack up whenever I go

Glad you spoke to your midwife! Was it as awkward as you expected? xx

 

[Laura91]

Sneaky peak inside her drawers and wardrobe..

 

[LiverpoolLass]

Sneaky peak inside her drawers and wardrobe..

Awww sooo cute! I wish I could get Beans stuff organised like that :/
We won't be able to until we move to the new house after he's born!
We've got his wardrobe but there's no use in assembling it here only to dismantle it all again!

I love the baby Minnie clothes. I generally hate any cartoon-y clothes (especially the boys ones, working in so many nurseries you notice the popularity and I'm SO sick of seeing boys in Tigger outfits!! Tigger is 100% banned from Beans wardrobe lol) but there are 1 or 2 I like, and Baby Mickey and Minnie are among them! I bought a Dumbo outfit the other day, as I love Dumbo and it seems less popular!

Buckskin I guess are just real leather shoes, they looked quite old fashioned so I reckon they're something that Grandmothers like a lot! They were cute though, so if she wants to buy them I'll let her.
They looked like this: https://www.littlegemsonlineshop.co.uk/fofito-baby-boys-leather-shoes-style---2112-1748-p.asp

While trying to find an image of them I stumbled across this website - personalised baby shoes, sooo cute! : https://www.my1styears.com/baby-shoes.html?gclid=CMHG8v_oq7QCFXHLtAod3jQAXQ&p=1

As for the midwife, the conversation wasn't that awkward - except that my Dad walked in just as I was saying the sentence "I have a weird shaped right breast"....I could have lived without THAT happening lol

 

[Laura91]

I don't like anything that has a huge cartoon/character on but I don't mind those jamas - they were bought by my friend.

OH keeps picking up the same Tigger outfit every single time we go into Tesco, i'm sick of saying no!

Ooh I know what they are now - I love them, especially patent ones on little girls, so cute!

I love that website too! Might have to make a sneaky purchase on there after Christmas x

 

[doggylover]

Laura you are so organised!!! Eva is going to be the best dressed girl around!! All those clothes are beautiful.

Hayley let us know how you get on at the clinic, glad your phoned your midwife, hopefully get it sorted before Christmas - whatever 'it' may be!

I think we don't have as many clothes as we are so we can't go buy a whole load of stuff as the selection of neutral clothes is actually pretty woeful! So we have

12 x 0-3 vests
6 x 0-3 sleep suits
3 x newborn vests

And um....that's it oh apart from the bibs!

Thinking I need to get on this soon!! I feel so underprepared compared to you lot!

And Hayley, I know the tesco tigger outfit you mean! And I love it I do enjoy a novelty baby outfit...I'm going to be such a cruel mother and dress my baby up in all sorts of ridiculous stuff!!!

 

[I Love Lucy]

Alex, I'm glad to hear your bloods for the liver function came back good. I'm sorry you're still dealing with the itchiness though. Did your doctor have any ideas on what the cause might be or do you just have to deal with it?

As for your nursery, it's exciting starting to get things set up. What color are you planning to paint yours? As for the bedding, I've ready you should aim to have 2-3 fitted sheets and couple waterproof mattress pads/covers.

Hayley, I know what you mean about feeling silly when you have to call about stuff. I remember in first tri I woke up in the morning to go to the bathroom and noticed my urine smelled like eggs. I felt so dumb calling my doctor to tell her my FMU smelled like eggs and that it was freaking me out. Hopefully the patch on your breast isn't anything serious.

I'm sorry about the name situation. Having people already referring to your baby by a name you haven't even decided on must be frustrating. I do like Macaulay though and I definitely think the the connection with your surname would be interesting if your son ever asks where his name came from.

Laura I'm sorry you had a rough night last night. It seems I always wake up tired these days because my back/belly end up being sore and waking me up multiple times. Not to mention, DH apparently wanted to cuddle last night and then sweated all over me. I woke up at one point to go use the bathroom only to discover the whole back side of my t-shirt was soaked.

AFM, it's my birthday today! I'm planning to have a lazy day today since I feel like I've been working my butt off this week with housework and painting. It will be nice to just sit around and do nothing for a day since tomorrow we'll be heading out of town for the holidays. We do have to go out tonight to finish up our Christmas shopping but that's it.

Painting update, I've painted just about all I could reach so the rest is up to DH to do. I attempted to do some painting on a ladder but I'm so clumsy and uncoordinated right now that I kept slipping off so I decided not to risk a serious fall. It won't be done before Christmas but we have enough paint on the wall to have an idea of what it will look like when it's completed so I'm happy with that.

I'm also so jealous of all you ladies buying baby clothes. DH and I bought one newborn sleep suit but haven't bought anything else because of the baby shower. I'll get a ton of clothes at that so there is no telling what I'll actually need until after that. I did, however, buy 2 diaper covers and some extra diaper liners for Aiden today. These were on my list of things that I needed to get for my diaper collection to be completed then I just happened to see the website was having a deal where if you spent $35+ you got a free OS diaper. Free diaper, yes please.

 

[doggylover]

I need to stop reading what you ladies write- it makes me feel like I'm slacking Brittany I can't believe your diaper stash is now finished! I am so jealous! I just keep thinking its too early to do anything, and I'm flipping 26 weeks pregnant...when am I going to think its time to really start?!

And....

happy birthday!!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful, and relaxing, day!

 

[MrsHippo]

Happy birthday!! hope you've had a lovely - relaxing day??

Glad your liver test came back ok Alex. Bet that's a big relief. Let's hope the itching doesn't carry on for much longer. I find that I am scratching a lot more than I usually do but it can happen anywhere on my body.

I wouldn't worry about the name situations, I know so many people that chose a name then changed it when they were born as it didn't suit. Even though we still want Beau I keep coming accross other names and thinking 'ooh that's nice' but we'll see.

I can't believe how many things you have Laura!! I only have a few bits. I am planning on getting everything over the next couple of months though. I cleared out my wardrobe the other day to make space for all her stuff until we move out. We only live in a small 2 bed apartment and just don't have the space for loads of stuff. I hate clutter too, it winds me up if I see things on the floor for too long. It has to be put away where I can't see it! As for sizes, I am buying max 10 items per age - so 10x baby grows and 10x vests in 0-3 then the same in 3-6. I'll be buying a few NB stuff but only a couple of vests, baby grows and mittens ect because even if she did come out small they outgrow them so quickly. I love little shoes and booties. I am planning on buying some llama fur ones - they are sooo cute. Then once she has outgrown them I will put them in a boxed frame and pop it on the wall in her bedroom

As for me, nothing particularly interesting. I have had a terrible nights sleep ALL week!! Last two nights have been the worst. Night before last I was tossing and turning all the time, was up for a wee a couple of times, needed a drink all the time, oh and to top it off OH poked me in the eye!! I dont know how it happened but it hurt and when I moaned at him he just rolled over and carried on sleeping!! Then last night OMG I had THE worst cramp in my calf, I've never had one so painful in all my life. It came on about 4:15am, woke me up... It hurt, went down again then came back, this time more painful... It happened SIX times, each time being more painful than the last. By the fourth time I was literally crying my eyes out. Adam woke up thinking I was dying or something lol... It was awful. My leg has been aching all day today. I hope that never happens again!!

Planning on not doing much this weekend, got to drop some presents off at relatives and am braving the town centre tomorrow morning to swap a jumper for a bigger size!!

Oh as for kicks, I have noticed mine have become much higher but then she will move back down again. At the moment feels like she is having an argument with my belly button lol. I love how often she moves around now BUT the kicks can be really unpleasant at times!!

 

[I Love Lucy]

Lauren, I've had those legs pains you're describing. We call them charley horses around here. I basically scream my head off when I get one because they're so damn painful. I find the only thing that helps is massaging the area and then it goes away after about a minute. I also discovered that stretching out in beg is usually what would trigger it. Thankfully I haven't had one in awhile and hopefully you won't have anymore soon.

Also thank you Lauren and Sarah for the birthday wishes.

 

[baby_nurse]

Laura You are the queen of organisation! I love how it's all neatly piled already, want to come do my nursery lol! I didn't even think to get 3-6 months stuff I thought I'd just need newborn?!? I am going to try and hold off going to mental as don't want a wardrobe of neutral stuff! I'm not a huge fan of cartoon stuff either, however when they get to a certain age it seems all they seem to do for kids! It's the kind of thing my Mum loves as well (she has quite different tastes to me!) so sure we'll end up with a few cartoon based clothes...baby can just wear those when we see her lol.

I love Lucy Belated birthday wishes! Hope you had a lovely day and got spoilt. My OH and Dad's birthday is this time of year and I always feel a bit sorry for them as people are so focused with xmas they forget about birthdays so hope you had a lovely day!

We are painted the nursery a really light sage colour infact it's almost white, just a hint of green really. We are getting white furniture so thought it would compliment it well and still remain neutral. What colour is yours? I am just waiting for OH to get back from his Dad's then he promised he'd crack on with it! We had a drama with the paint as when we went to buy it, it had all gone! We found out it was being discontinued and reduced! Luckily they had some in stock 10 miles away so we trekked out to buy it after a few stressful phonecalls to DIY shops we got our paint lol!

MrsHippo Oh my gosh I've had those legs cramps too they are agony aren't they!! I had it a few weeks ago and like someone else said, think I stretched out my calf and it went into a 5 minute horrible spasm, I was crying out at one point! Then my leg hurt for the rest of the day!!

AFM I am having a xmas baking fest atm, really can't be bothered though why do I decide to do homemade every xmas it's more of a stress lol! I am just taking a breather as getting tired and hot standing in a hot kitchen for hours but am nearly there now thankgod!

My itching has subsided a little however I'm a little worried because the dr prescribed antihistamines to take which he said are safe to take in pregnancy but aren't licensed in pregnancy as they haven't been tested on pregnant people (afterall who would agree to it!) however he said there have been no side effects and I did a bit of internet research which seemed ok, however I'm not sure if I'm being overly paranoid but jiggles seems to have been a bit quieter last few days so now I'm massively worried I've done something to damage or hurt him/her so I've stopped taking the tablets. I still feel the odd kick, and I know with an anterior placenta LO might just be lying in a different place. I put my doppler on and nice strong heartbeat and LO kicked it loads but rest of the time he/she has been quiet and now I'm freaking out! I really hope all is ok I don't really want to ring triage with reduced movements as before 28 weeks it can be inconsistent and I do feel some movement. I'd rather be itchy than worry though so back to itching again lol! Although since I've stopped using the bio oil things seem a little better.

 

[doggylover]

Alex I'm sure your Dr wouldn't have given you anything he didn't think is safe. Probably just coincidence that LO hasn't been as active - maybe going through a growth spurt? But I'm glad to hear that the itching has subsided slightly, hopefully it continues in that direction.

Sounds like you are doing your nursery similar to mine. We are going for a pale greeny/blue and white furniture as well.

Afm, heading off to the in laws today so I've spent all morning finishing the packing and cleaning the house - what joys!