Well except me that is.
I know it’s going to sound mental at 24 weeks but I’m only now realising how pregnant I am and how we are going to have a tiny weeny baby in our house again in 16 or so weeks. Maybe it was hanging out with my nephew last weekend in Paris or my niece this week in Dublin that reminded me of how our lives are about to change again come February. (Image left from Eumom.com)
A mental checklist is forming itself in my head and I think it’s time I physicalised it on paper. The checklist becomes far shorter on subsequent children because much of the stuff is got. However it will be over three and a half years since a newborn has lived with us so many things have been lent to others or packed into the attic in the interim. Many of our baby clothes are just gone past their best after being received from Nipper 1.0’s older cousin in the first place and will have to be replaced. Some items were always bloody useless!
One thing I absolutely have to get back is my HappyBaby Sling. Basically this is a sling that is literally about a metre or a meter and a half of material with a small bit of padding here and there and two hoops on one end. The label on it includes the website HappyBabySling.com but you will see that sadly this company are no longer producing these great slings. My sister in law gave this to me, saying neither she nor my brother used it that much. I didn’t use it much with Nipper 1.0 and sure wish I had. I managed to developed de Quervain’s syndrome, probably from hoiking Nipper 1.0 around. It meant that flicking my hair, picking up the phone and other seriously essential tasks were accompanied by serious pain in my wrist. Physio and rest sorted it out. So when Nipper 2.o came along I knew I would need some help. I also knew I would need my two hands free to hold onto the 3 year old while hoiking the infant around. I started using the sling then, checking out the website to find the best ways to tie the baby in for various situations. You do need to get confident using a sling like this but it is so flexible it is great. I’m happy to report that I recently found another site selling these slings: check out the New Native Slings on Ecobrats. EcoBrats is a great site that sells all manner of products for the environmentally conscious parent and parents like me who have aspirations!
For example, show me a parent in the 21st century who doesn’t flinch every time they empty the nappy bin. Myself and Himself, around the arrival of each child, have discussed using cloth nappies but knowing that our nippers will be in childcare by 6 months we never took it much further. Also to be honest I was a little ignorant about it. However while on the Ecobrats site looking at their slings I also wandered over to their cloth nappies and read up and I’m becoming convinced. While I would continue to use disposable in childcare situations I would really like to give cloth nappies a go but in a way that’s partly the problem isn’t it? You can’t just give them a go. There’s too much of an investment. You have to buy all the kit and kaboodle and the next thing you know the damn child goes and grows! Clare Etherington, who runs EcoBrats, told me on Twitter that they are hoping to stock a new nappy soon that allows for the rapid growth in childer. She also very kindly offered me a free sample so I might well be able to give em a go. How my female elders will guffaw!
The mental checklist also involves trying to prepare myself. I was very lucky to be invited byClaire from Tots2Teens to a Paediatric First Aid course this weekend. This is something I intended before the arrival of Nipper 1.0 and thankfully I have not had the occassion to curse my procrastination since then and long may this last. However I wasn’t a girl guide for many the long year to know that being prepared is all it’s cracked up to be. The course seems to be very comprehensive covering everything from bandaging to CPR to treating wounds, burning and scalding over the course of the day on Saturday. They seem to be taking bookings still on the site so I might see you there. It also looks at medical emergencies like asthma which I’m only sorry I didn’t know about when I was awaiting the arrival of Nipper 2.0 and Nipper 1.0 had an asthma attack. One of the stress factors in my life at the time. *eyeroll*
Which reminds me I’m looking for an ante-natal yoga class – can anyone recommend one please?