It's been 7 weeks since mc but still not af...when to ring the GP?

[MrsPhez]

Forgot to mention when we were on holiday in Bulgaria last week, we were thinking about getting a taxi and one of the guys came up, pointed at my belly and said "girl"! It was all the English he knew pretty much. I hadn't even tested by then! But I had been eating A LOT so put it down to that or the fact we had a boy already. Freaky stuff!

 

[MrsPhez]

Also forgot to add that although I haven't been swallowing pills, I had just started using some progesterone cream as a last resort to lengthen my LP. Is it just a coincidence I'm now pregnant? I don't know but I will be uing it religiously till 12 weeks!

 

[bobster]

Oh interesting! Not sure phez but i think I would continue with the cream too as long as it can't do any harm. All good symptoms and signs. I remember feeling like af was coming all the time. Do you think you'll get an early scan too?

 

[MrsPhez]

Well Bobster if I fib a little about some unusual bleeding then I guess they'll send me to EPU, but I think I'll just sit it out. I had reconciled the single child scenario with myself so I'm just sitting back and seeing what comes. Did any of you get early scan (Mlm I know you're from US so you probably will soon, will you?!)? Or any UKers go private?

 

[mlm115]

My next scan is in 2 days. I'm definitely starting to get nervous. I don't know what I will do if I don't see a heartbeat again...

 

[MrsPhez]

2 days, wow! Do you feel differently to the last pregnancy? Not that it means much from my past history. Hang in there, can't wait to hear the happy news of a little heart beating away!

 

[mackjess]

Hang in there MLM. I think waiting for the HB scan was the hardest. I was SO sure we weren't gonna see one. I was so early I didn't feel prego yet. Hope these 2 days fly by for you.

 

[GI_Jane]

Mlm, I hate waiting for the scans, really hope the next 2 days fly and you see that strong HB. You saw it once already? So good chances it will still be there.

Mrs Phez, I had an early scan at the EPU but I needed it because I had a lot of bright red blood. You sound relaxed about it so do what you feel is best for you.

Bobster, nursery ideas are a bit crap because the nursey will also be the home office and it's our box room really so on the smaller side. I was think of painting the walls a dusty lilac colour and going for a while cot and dresser with the changing unit ontop. But we'll see what space we have once we rearrange furniture. I was thinking of a small swinging crib thing for our bedroom for the first couple months rather than a Moses basket as they don't look very sturdy. What are your ideas?

Mackjess, you still look pretty organised to me! When is your last day at work? How is your doggy now?

 

[MrsPhez]

Mlm, I hate waiting for the scans, really hope the next 2 days fly and you see that strong HB. You saw it once already? So good chances it will still be there.

Mrs Phez, I had an early scan at the EPU but I needed it because I had a lot of bright red blood. You sound relaxed about it so do what you feel is best for you.

Bobster, nursery ideas are a bit crap because the nursey will also be the home office and it's our box room really so on the smaller side. I was think of painting the walls a dusty lilac colour and going for a while cot and dresser with the changing unit ontop. But we'll see what space we have once we rearrange furniture. I was thinking of a small swinging crib thing for our bedroom for the first couple months rather than a Moses basket as they don't look very sturdy. What are your ideas?

Mackjess, you still look pretty organised to me! When is your last day at work? How is your doggy now?

Don't worry Jane, Dexter didn't have much of a nursery when he was little and he still doesn't (few rockets and planets on the wall). Peelable wall stickers are easy and look fab.
Sorry this was directed at Bobster but we got a buggy that came with a bassinet/carrycot which we used as his first bed which was great because it was portable as well as cheaper and space saving. Then put him in the swinging crib, then cot bed, he's now in the bed. Already!?!
I'm just gonna say this from my experience, it's so easy to get caught up in willing your baby to roll, crawl, walk etc but they'll get there in their own time and just try and enjoy those early days, clichéd but so so true. So glad to have that chance again, getting excited talking about it! No more I've-been-there-before Mummy, it's annoying right!!!!!!????!!!!! Sorry

 

[GI_Jane]

Not at all Mrs Phez, good to hear the voice of experience. We had a quick look in John Lewis nursery section and it was ridiculous the amount of stuff you could buy so figuring out what we actually need and what are just money spinners for stores is going to be difficult with my lack of knowledge and experience.

Great idea about using the carrycot from the buggy initially. The buggy we were looking at getting has one of those (btw, how expensive are buggies/ travel systems! Ridiculous prices!)

I was planning on bathing the baby in the kitchen sink but seems the stores are pushing me to buy something more sophisticated!

Did you keep everything from dexter so can re use? What about maternity clothes, can you re use or are they worn out?

 

[GI_Jane]

Bobster, what day is your 24 week appointment?

 

[MrsPhez]

Not at all Mrs Phez, good to hear the voice of experience. We had a quick look in John Lewis nursery section and it was ridiculous the amount of stuff you could buy so figuring out what we actually need and what are just money spinners for stores is going to be difficult with my lack of knowledge and experience.

Great idea about using the carrycot from the buggy initially. The buggy we were looking at getting has one of those (btw, how expensive are buggies/ travel systems! Ridiculous prices!)

I was planning on bathing the baby in the kitchen sink but seems the stores are pushing me to buy something more sophisticated!

Did you keep everything from dexter so can re use? What about maternity clothes, can you re use or are they worn out?

Oh good, I will rein it in unless you have specific questions! My advice is bypass John Lewis, at least for purchasing. Source the things you like in shops, then buy online. We got an Uppababy Vista which is pricey but the storage is amazing and it is a fab buggy. Downside is it's heavy and pretty big.
All Dexter's clothes are in the loft. If we have a girl she might be in blue! Better than pink in my opinion though. As for mat stuff, I bought one pair of jeans from H&M which were awesome and then just normal tops in bigger sizes. Mat stuff again overpriced and could be unnecessary. Bras, well that's a different story!! Expect gargantuan boobs when your milk comes a few days after delivery! Sizing is impossible I went for sports bra type with straps for BF (from Mothercare, another overpriced store!).

 

[GI_Jane]

Until what age is a cot suitable until? We are not sure whether to go for a cot or the cot bed that converts?

 

[bobster]

My 24 week appointment if on wednesday. Not sure what to expect from this appointment as she's already done bloods, doppler etc. I will let you all know.

I know the price of travel systems is ridiculous isn't it! OH's parents have very kindly offered to buy ours so we're going to try and find a bargain one as its too much to take and they refuse for us to pay half.

Apparently boots do some at a better price so might be worth looking there. I just want something that folds quite small for the car and is easy to put up and down.

I was thinking along the same lines as you Jane about getting a crib instead of a moses basket. I saw a gorgeous one in mothercare but it was £100 and for the time they're in them it doesn't seem worth it so we're going to get a second hand one from ebay I think. I think they look more sturdy too.

I'm not sure about the cotbed/cot thing. I was going to go for a cot bed but I think they can stay in a cot until about 2.. is that right Phez or have I completely made that up?

MLM- I know its awful waiting for scans and its scary as we all think about the worst possible scenario but I just kept trying to remember what the doctor told me about having less then 1 in 50 chance of mc after seeing the heartbeat so your odds are so good that beans going to be just fine. The wait it awful isn't it.

Mackjess yes how's Jake? Still can't believe you're going to be holding your baby in less than a month. Are you getting nervous about the birth?

Mrsphez- its so nice to have you back again. Yes I paid for a private early scan. It was great as the dr spent so much time with us, we got pictures and a dvd all for £80. It was the best money I've ever spent as I couldn't have bared to wait until the 12 week scan and I couldn't face going back to EPU after the mc. I would highly recommend it for some early reassurance.

 

[bobster]

Also are you ladies all going for breast feeding?

I'm going to try my hardest to breastfeed but I would prefer to teach the baby to take a bottle too (and express) so OH can feed baby sometimes. They say this can confuse the baby though don't they. I just know i'll want a break at times... might ask the mw on wednesday about this...

 

[mackjess]

We used to have a spare room, and that's now the nursery. So now guests have to stay in the basement! We did spruce it up some and put new fixtures in the bathroom down there so it doesn't seem so old. It's the only part of the house we didn't put down new flooring, paint or trim. I'm hoping we can replace the carpet next year. Only half of it is finished, so it shouldn't be too pricey. I was lucky that my sister had really nice nursery furniture so I got that! We have a big store here called babies r us, and between gifts and gift cards I have barely bought anything. What I have purchased I wait til I have a coupon for 20% off one item, and stop there after work to get one item at a time! It can certainly add up.

 

[mackjess]

I'm going to try BF too Jane. Went to a class last week, and they say to hold off on pacifiers and bottles until they are 4 weeks, and when you do give them a bottle make sure its labeled newborn/low flow nipple. I guess if you get regular nipples, they get the milk so fast that it can either choke them, or they find that it is so much easier/faster to get the milk that way they won't go back to the boob! They did say the first time you tried a bottle, to give the baby and bottle to the dad and let them work it out amongst themselves, becasue mom smells like the food and that might confuse them. I get a little tickle about passing the baby and bottle off to DH and leaving the room. LOL. He will be like OMG what do I do.

Oh yea, and when you want to pump to get milk to store up or use in bottles, to use the pump right after the first feeding in the morning. I guess that's when you have the most milk, and the baby has the rest of the day to catch up on feeding if you pump then.

Do they offer the BF classes there? I was super surprised how much info I learned from it and it was my favorite class. Or will they cover that in your child care classes?

Don't do what I did. I bought a big pack that was a bottle starter kit. It was $50. Then I heard in the first child care class about the nipple size. So I looked at the ones I bought, and they were 'newborn' but they WERENT 'low-flow'. Ugh. So I had to return that, and I bought close to nature bottles that were supposed to mimic breastfeeding. THEN I had the BF class, and they mention that only certain brands of bottles fit well with the pumps, and may not work in the bottle warmers. I think the pump I want to get won't fit the bottles, so I'd have to pour the milk out into the bottle each time. SO I think I have to return the bottles AGAIN. Oy!! I think I live at Babies R Us now. I'm just going to return all bottle stuff and wait til I know I can breastfeed, might rent a pump for a few weeks before I buy one. Then after I buy one I'll figure out which bottles to use.

 

[bobster]

Oh jeez it sounds so confusing mackjess! I hope they do cover it in the antenatal class. Otherwise I might invest and pay for extra classes like you ladies. Sounds so confusing knowing what to buy too.

We have a babies'r'us here too but haven't been yet. Might look at prams there too. What type of pram have you got mack? You're so lucky that you got so much off your family and friends. It must be an ease off knowing you did't have to buy everything from scratch.

 

[mackjess]

Oops, I thought Jane asked about BF! Hehe. They had a book there too that they recommended, but since I took the class and they gave a booklet with all the highlights I didn't get the book. I think the reason I found it so valuable was that I've babysat and know a fair amount about children with friends and family having babies. So while the classes on swaddling, diapers, etc were great to go thru as a refresher and pick up a few tips, I think it was stuff I would have known or figured out. IT was great for reassurance though for sure! The breastfeeding class was all new info so I was like woah!! If they don't cover it much in class I'd see about getting a book or even a DVD on amazon or something. It was the one class my OB strongly recommended. At first I couldn't believe it was 3 hours, but now I see why.

And Jake is doing good, thanks for asking. I still walk him around the front so it's only a few steps for him to make it up, and he does a little two legged hop up the steps, but is getting by just fine. Thank goodness, I couldn't handle something happening to my first baby right now!

DH and I are feeling VERY grateful for the wonderful shower we had and all the generous gifts. It has been such a blessing. Otherwise I'd have some hand me down furniture, the bedding, carseat and probably hardly another thing!

 

[MrsPhez]

My input on BF!
Midwives will push push push for BF. Don't feel pressured by it, not all women can as I found out when Dexter had a tongue tie and couldn't latch on. He went into hospital 5 days after birth to be fed my expressed milk as he had lost so much weight. I expressed in hospital till he had recovered the lost baby weight and then some. I thought he was feeding OK. Babies can withstand quite a lot in those early days but still chokes me up, felt so guilty. If you don't want to, don't. Give it a shot but it's not as easy as people say and it bloody hurts!!!! I went on to express for 5 months! Guilt got the better of me and I just carried on till he was weaning. Will try BF next time but wont be upset if I can't.