May mummies and rainbows to be :) the wait is nearly over!

[Leighwiltshire]

thank you hun - i can still feel him under my ribs giving me a wriggle. but im gunna asked to be checked properly - its just come out of nowhere.

i can also smell like the smell i get before my AF weird i know. xx

 

[Mariexo]

i think i might, the cramps are short bursts but they are intense more than a period pain.

ill give them a call just as a heads up as well.

thank you - its all new to me

You're welcome hunni
Let us know how you get on
Thinking of you .. x

 

[Emily0505]

Hopefully it's nothing to worry about hun.

Keep us updated.

XX

 

[nikkix86]

Hope it all goes ok leigh

I have no idea for snacks and drinks lol

 

[lisey]

Good luck Leigh xx

Emily, I have no idea. I will put in crisps for OH lol. I am not going to fuss too much with snacks as OH can pop down to the hospital shop if anything, everything I would want would melt (or possibly get eaten before lol) beforehand. I might take some mints or sucky sweets?! xx

 

[Loubalouba]

Hope all ok Leigh xx I had bad period pains yesterday and I have a feeling she might come early, had loads of weird Danny daggers too and loads of braxton hicks.

3 weeks today and my induction will be well underway! 5lb 13oz's on growth scan today!

Has anyone bought a bottle warmer to warm or defrost expressed breast milk?

Xx hope everyone doing well xx

 

[Emily0505]

I've read Jaffa cakes are good to take as they give good energy and are quick and easy to digest. Plus.....yum!! I may have to mosey round Tesco for some inspiration for other bits! I guess lucozade is always a good bet although I've only had it at the gtt and I don't think I really liked it! Lol! Mind you, apart from a few haribo while I was pushing, I didn't eat anything during labour last time anyway!

XX

 

[Emily0505]

Just tried to book an appt to see my gp about my foof and earliest pre book appt is 18th April!! I've booked it but I'll be full term by then and I think I'd rather get in asap just in case it is anything that needs dealing with as then I've got more time to heal or whatever?! I'm worried it might be a bartholins cyst and I don't know if they could maybe drain it with a needle or something if it is that?! I guess really all I want is the reassurance that it won't affect a vaginal birth.

I'm in on Monday for my whooping cough jab so I'll cancel it then and ask about getting an earlier one. I'll probably just have to call first thing in the morning each day to try and get a same day appt. I wouldn't normally worry about being seen so soon (I'm not one of these that rushes off to the doctor with every little thing) but we're on a bit of a time limit now!

XX

 

[nikkix86]

Wow lou only 3 weeks?? Thats not long at all!

 

[Dovekie]

Hope you and the baby are well Leigh! X

I'm feeling quite stressed. I keep realising I've still got lots to buy. I'm not sure what's essential and what's not. Do I need a bottle steriliser, breast feeding or not? A breast pump? A baby monitor? If so, which? I've decided to get a bath insert instead of a baby bath.

So confusing!

 

[lisey]

If you're breastfeeding you won't need a steraliser but there is always a chance baby won't take to breast. If you are using a breast pump then you will need a steraliser. Baby monitor depends if baby will be in a different room from you at all. I am not rushing to get one at first as I will have people here with me when I have shower etc and any other time, she will be with me. I will buy one though xx

Emily, jaffa cakes sounds like a good option, I am going to get some, but nearer the time as I will eat them in no time

I washed bubbas clothes for bag, so cute and tiny. I am going to start packing bag gradually now. It feels so real xx

 

[missyeovil]

Dovekie - I bought a manual breast pump a few weeks after my daughter was born which came with a steriliser and a couple of wee bottles and teats. Used that steriliser even after we switched to bottles.
You will want a baby monitor but it totally depends on your budget. The cheaper ones are totally fine but you're unlikely to have video monitoring on it. Tbh I had a cheap one, then my son threw it in a glass of water so bought a video one, but that was because they were older and I was trying not to go into them for every single bang but wanted to check they hadn't climbed out the cot or something! Also lisey is right that in the first few weeks you're unlikely to leave baby unattended long enough to need one so it's not an essential before birth. X

 

[snowbee]

Nikki we said we would go somewhere about 1.5-2 hours away, but in the direction of our hospital which is a good 45 mins from us. Not really planning on doing much, just a change of scene and mooch about the odd tourist attraction and eat out.

I love jaffa cakes, I'll stock up (well I'll try not to eat them beforehand). I'm going to take something salty, peanuts and crisps maybe, as if it is hot I'll need salt to rehydrate. I'm also going to take some fruit as I've been mad for fruit lately, if that changes to something else I'll add whatever that is in too.

I'm not getting a steriliser, I'm going to use milton, which I have in anyway. Will plan on sterilising that way even if I can't breast feed, unless it is really inconvenient and then I can reassess. I don't see the point in buying stuff just in case, I'll get by until I can get what I need. I don't have a monitor either and I'm not sure if we need one to begin with as baby will be in with us (well that is the theory). Again I can always online shop if needed with next day delivery! I have bought a breast pump, just a cheapish electric one in the sales to see how it goes as I would really like to express so my husband can also feed in the evenings. I hadn't thought about warming up expressed milk, something else to consider!

My midwife appointment was good, all is well. My 34 week bloods are all perfect. Growth scan next week and midwife again in two weeks. She asked me if I had started packing my hospital bag, I said I can't until the builders go and I can get to things! So baby been told to stay put for a while yet.

Wow Lou three weeks! Exciting times

 

[lisey]

I didn't know you could steralise with just Milton? Tbh, didn't look into it all, just went for steam one without any research. It's pretty big which is annoying but will do 6 bottles at a time which in theory should be a days worth!! I am not planning on breastfeeding either so definitely needed one. Will do a few feeds at hospital and then that's it. I can't wait for my boobs to go smaller, they a huge and just get in the way. I know they will get bigger first though (sigh)
My bottle set came with a bottle warmer. I had one with my son and used it probably twice. Hot water in a bowl was better for me and quicker.
I agree snowbee, anything we need we can order for next day delivery so not too much panic. Amazon prime will be my go to xx

 

[Pebbles05]

I used to put the bottle in hot water to warm the milk.
You don't need to sterilise the bottles if it's breastmilk. Just wash with usual soapy water. That's what I was told last time. They said because breastmilk has live cultures it would fight any bacteria on the bottle.

 

[kabuk1]

Nikki, I'm getting those daggers too. Had them yesterday morning on my walk to the train and this morning on the bus home after a swim. I'm hoping it means he's engaging.

Leigh, hope all goes well at your scan!

Had my growth scan. He's growing well, a little too well. I'm know the estimated weight isn't always accurate, but at this point, he's 6lbs. If he gains 1/2 lb every week, then he'll be 8lbs at 38 weeks. So he better not get comfy and come much later than that. His head circumference is in the 90th+ percentile, as is most of his measurements. Femur length is the only one that isn't, but it's still in the 80th percentile. I wasn't a big baby, but I did have a rather round head that was slightly on the bigger side and round belly when I was born, but I was just over 7lbs.

He's still head down. After paying attention to location of everything during the scan, he's sitting on my left side- saw his spine there. It's his bum that is up in my ribs that he seems to like to wiggle a lot. It's his knees and feet I feel pushing out on my right side. He seems to be in the optimal position for birth, so that's good. I'm hoping his position combined with those lightning daggers in my cervix means he's engaging and preparing to drop.

This was my last appointment with the consultant. He did book me in with the sonographer for another growth scan at 37 weeks. And now I'm waiting for confirmation of my next mw appointment, which should be at 36 weeks at which point we'll write up a birth plan.

I'll start packing my hospital bag next week. As for snacks, I'm planning on packing rather healthy food- bananas and other fresh fruit; wholegrain bread or biscuits, maybe even sandwiches cut into 4 squares; protein/energy bars; water; isotonic drinks or gels. I know myself and these are definitely the kinds of snacks I'll need to keep up my energy. Most of these are easy for small snacks and won't make me feel sick when exhausted.

 

[lisey]

I used to put the bottle in hot water to warm the milk.
You don't need to sterilise the bottles if it's breastmilk. Just wash with usual soapy water. That's what I was told last time. They said because breastmilk has live cultures it would fight any bacteria on the bottle.

That's interesting. I didn't know that xx

 

[snowbee]

Milton is fine for sterilising all baby stuff, takes 15 mins, so maybe not as fast as other types but I've not looked into anything else as I don't need any more crap cluttering up my kitchen! I've either used this or anti bac cleaner on all the second hand stuff I've bought too.

That is a good position kabuk, I wouldn't worry too much about the scan showing a bit larger as I've heard a lot of people say they aren't that accurate.

I've got heating! Well sort of. It is running as a test at the moment, all radiators apart from one are going. Boy it is hot when I've had nothing all winter lol. Builders think they will finish on Friday, so now planning to squeeze a night away Sunday or Monday then put house back together over the next couple of weeks, depending how soon the carpet fitter can come and if I need new underlay buying as some of it has got damaged.

 

[lisey]

Oh I know what you mean. We have quite a small kitchen and anything extra is a pain. We used cold water steraliser with my son and it annoyed me as took too long so went for steam this time...I am not the most patient of people lol. I am not looking forward to the sterilising business, it's so time consuming, esp when you have a newborn and 5000 other things to be doing. Plus I stress over germs with babies and I know I will drive myself crazy that I am not doing it right! Xx

 

[nikkix86]

I bought a microwave steriliser we have a tiny kitchen and no work surface space so i can hide it in the microwave lol