January 2011 - New year, new baby! - 2nd Trimester

[mummychicken]

Got there first - thanks Sarrita for the suggestion!!

deedee - did regret it a little after as was soooo tired!!! But feeling so good at the moment, better than I have through the whole pg

sarrita - big hugs to you, it sounds like you have an awful lot on your plate at a very sensitive time. Have you seen a breastfeeding counsellor? Or are there any breastfeeding groups you can go along to? Are you getting enough of the breast in her mouth? My ds2 was a lazy feeder and used to slip onto the nipple quite a bit so I constantly had to adjust his latch in the early days. I used to try and get his mouth to open as wide as I could, and literally squeeze as much breast in as possible, made a huge difference. Is there a reason for the expressing? Best way to up milk supply is skin to skin and breast feeding whenever they're awake basically, I know this is hard with toddler as well, but must be easier than expressing too? Can anyone watch your ds so you could have a babymoon? (basically staying in bed feeding and cuddling for 24hrs).
Congratulations walkthedog Must be lovely to be back home with Eilidh (lovely name , hope the feedings improving.

Hope everyone's well? Feeling at a loose end here now...although the reality of having newborn and 2 hours sleep a night is helping a little Just dying t o meet her (and be able to bend over again!)

Thanks Deedee and mama. Need the support - guess that is what this is for.

I have plenty of milk - I think that might be part of the problem. She just gets full of foremilk - then passes out. I have been trying to shove more boob in. Just she only sucks for about 10 mins. Health visitor coming on Friday, so I think I will air my concerns. The midwife just wanted me off her books. Says 'she looks fine'. She lost 50g last week and has remained static this week. I am considering bf councillor, but have been resistent because I thought 'hey I've done this before'. Bit silly really.

Luckily DS is off with childminder today and my caring Granny isn't around with soup. So I can focus on DD. And the sun is shining, so I will get out for a walk.

Very impressed with your walk Mama! Try the Clary Sage - I'm sure there is something to it.

It would have been my Mum's 60th birthday today; she passed 2 days before her Birthday. So we are toasting my Mum and DD (who share names) with a bottle of fine champagne and my sister and Gran this evening when DH gets back from work.

hi everyone

mama i dunno how you walked 6 miles! i would i have to go 200 times to the toilets in that distance at the time ;-)

sarrita i hope things gets better for you with bf and sorry about your mum too , not a easy time for you x
thanks for the advice on the hammock and the book i am off to have a look at it online.

ladybuzz and walkthedog congrats to your arrivals. it definitly feels like there are a loooot of babygirls!

littlehuman Here's a clip from Richard & Judy of Harvey Karp and the DVD from the book.

Oh and CONGRATULATIONS walkthedog!

saritta - def. don't let having bf successfully before put you off seeking help, each baby is different and can bring up completely new experiences. I know ds2 did, we actually suffered from oversupply and a Very quick powerful let down, we did block feeding in the end, basically fed from 1 breast only for a block of 3-4 hrs and then swopped sides. It meant that he was emptying breasts properly, getting the fat part of milk. It took a week or so for milk supply to adjust ( i was feeding toddler too, but u could express the uncomfortableness off if u try it?) Your evening remebering and toasting your mum is a really lovely idea, can't imagine how raw it must feel with so many major thing's happening, or should be happening.

Have some clary sage essential oil, so will be bathing in that tonight For some reason I'm sure something's going to start tonight, I'm going to be utterly disappointed if there's nothing happening tomorrow morning!

Many congratulations, Walkthedog?

mamasunshine, you and me both tonight! What is clary sage and where can one get it??

Sarrita, I second what everyone else has said. Do you have a breastfeeding cafe near you? I found my local one invaluable, and the counsellors and peer supporters there were of great help for me.

walkthedog congratulations

sarita really feel for you, hope you get bf sorted.
I had my mums anniversary and 60th in 4 days of each other in nov. what you have planned sounds lovely.

sarita so sorry to hear you're having such a bad time, I think the idea of toastind your mum is lovely and glad it sounds like you do have family support.
I can't believe how different DS2 is to feed, he's awake and ravenous, DS1 was my sleepy one who couldn't be bothered to stay awake for a full feed. It was a lot easier to take a babymoon with him and deal with expressing as there was no toddler to juggle. I hope you've had a nice restful day.

Congratulations walkthedog, boys definitely in the minority!

mamasunshine can't believe that walk - that's got to start something surely!

pacita boots do a range of essential oils and I'm pretty sure they'd have clary sage.

DS2 just waking up, he did a 4 hour feedathon between 11 and 3 last night, at least if he starts another now it's a slightly more civilized hour.

walkthedog big congrats! Hope you're recovering well.

sarrita sorry you're feeling low, big hug!

Lovely news walkthedog, hope you are having blissed out time!
My wee ds decided to stay awake till 7.30am last night/this morning, thoughtfully keeping himself busy feeding and pooing....then dd woke up for the day at 8.30...so we have had a zombified day!!
Hope your evening is a comfort Sarrita.
Best of luck with labour starting up girls, can't wait till all the babies are here! We def need some more boys!

Hi everyone, just a quick check in. First of all, huge congratulations for all the new arrivals

Mine arrived on schedule (elcs) at 9.37am on 14th Jan weighing just 5lb6oz and he's a little treasure.

The hospital experience was, well, 'interesting' and though I won't go into it all now i am planning on asking my consultant for a de-briefing as although the midwives individually were all lovely, the quality and continuity of care was somewhat lacking. The cs team couldn't have been better, but the postnatal care was rather odd. My lovely community midwife has been shocked by some of my treatment not least that I was discharged 48 hours after the cs (huge relief to me).

Anyway, doesn't really matter as I have wonderful and healthy little boy and am now safely and comfortably at home with dh who is being amazing.

I have been lucky enough to have no significant problems with breastfeeding so far, despite Nathaniel having a tongue tie, and got skin to skin whilst being stitched back together in theatre which i think really helped. Hospital also had no problem with my co-sleeping with him too (though probably more because they didn't really notice than because they encouraged it). My milk came in really quickly which came as a bit of a shock - nearly drowned ds, dh and myself in breastmilk the day after we got home from hospital!!

Am really enjoying Nathaniel, makes me wonder why I waited til I was 39 to have a baby. I look at him and can't quite believe that dh and I made something so beautiful

Good luck to everyone who is still waiting

Dancing cat many congratulations! Definitely ask for a debrief if you think the level of care you had was not adequate. I think you can add the positive points you describe her too, to provide a balanced view of the experience, but you need to know why certain areas were lacking.

Still nothing here . 40+2 and my parents go back to spain on Saturday.

Hope things get moving for you soon pacita and mamasunshine!

Sarrita sorry you are having a difficult time, thinking of you.

Congratulations dancingcat!

Hope all the new mummies getting on well.

Today is last day on my own with DS before c section on Monday. It has just hit me this week that its the end of life as we know it for DS and I and its quite sad, but I am sure it will be a positive change!

Congratulations dancingcat

hi guys, just found this thread. I'm 25, EDD 28th jan and i'm gettin impatient already...feel for those of you who are term +.

Hope all the january 2011 babies+mummies are keeping well...and those still waiting don't have to wait too long :)

Found this on another thread yesterday and it made this hormonal mummy cry...

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
For children grow up we've learned to our sorrow
Quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Is it crazy to be worrying about time passing when he's not even 2 weeks old yet??

still not catching up on news! Will try tomorrow.

Enjoying every minute of our DD. Having problems with BF at times, but when it goes well it feels so worth the problems - except this morning when I was in the worst pain ever when a latch went very wrong on already tender, bruised nipple and swollen full boob. Poor DD, dog and OH got such a fright with my scream. Lots of help from MWs but still nervous incase that happens again. Seemingly if you are fair skinned your nipples are less tough - but they get tougher and if we got pg at 12 our nipples would cope well

dancingcat congratulations! Hope you're recovering well from the elcs. Will be interested to hear your debrief - where I was, the policy was to shove women out the door within 48 hrs of a c-section (I made myself deeply unpopular by staying another night) and i thought it was barbaric.

walkthedog having been to see my second bf counsellor today I would urge you to get the latch checked if it hurts even a tiny bit. The mw's in hospital also told me it was supposed to hurt for a few weeks while my nipples got broken in. Turns out that was rubbish and the damage caused almost meant I had to stop feeding. All the bf professionals have said it should never hurt. Google jack Newman (Canadian paediatrician) and kelly's mom for videos and info.

sarrita how are you doing? Thinking of you, hope the feeding is going well.

useful bf websites:

www.breastfeedingonline.com/newman.shtml

www.kellymom.com/bf/

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/Differential_Diagnosis_of_Nipple_Pain_March_2009.pdf

Hope these help; I've had a hell of a tine with bf and still struggling

dancingcat - congratulation Sorry to hear you had a difficult experience with some of the care, hope they explain themselves to you. Is it AIMS you can put a complaint into as well? Yes having your baby in your arms is quite an amazing thing isn't it!
pacita - anything yet? When can your parents get over again? Would be lovely if baby comes before they go home...everything crossed for you
crumble - good luck for Monday It's a big change going from 1-2, but it is absolutely worth it, especially as the younger one reaches about 9 months + and the interaction starts a bit. I LOVE listening and watching my 2 laugh hysterically at each other, it makes the madness of it at time absolutely worth it
Welcome ursula - not long for you hopefully!
deedee - that's lovely I let everything go i.e. housework etc after ds1 and we just cuddled, fed, did lunch/coffee and groups etc for months. I don't regret any of that forgotten housework And the memories I have of that 1st year are wonderful
Great links for bf info macmomo, I've always found those very helpful. at mw's saying bf is supposed to hurt at 1st! has anyone used the lanisoh cream? I never needed too, but has helped a lot of friends during those 1st wks. Hope you're all getting good support and help. It took me and ds1 a loooong time to 'get it' with the beastfeeding, but was worth it.

Well 40+4, longest I've ever been pregnant for...full moon did nothing! 2 clary sage oil baths = NOTHING, 3 reflexology appointments = NOTHING, lots of nookie = not plesant and NOTHING etc etc!!

Had a stretch and sweep yesterday, MW said soft cervix, low down in right place for labour and head engaged (she could touch her head ), but not effaced yet. Had quite a few painful cramps last night, but NOTHING since 11pm Feel like it's never going to happen!

Hope everyone's doing well?

congratulations dancingcat!!!

sarrita thanks for all the advice
been really useful, we gonna invest into a hammock cos we tried to swing her in a wrapped blanket ( gives us sore arms lol) and it works.

come on mamasunshine's baby, come out!

the 1st week of bf was terrible, it was sooo sore and then it eventually got better, i ve been shown the laid back bf position and thats the only one i ve been using since and everything is totally fine now.

i think we are getting almost at the end of the thread(1000posts), any ideas for a new thread name?

MacMomo has started one in Post-natal clubs called January 2011!

Hello ladies,

all sympathies and support for those of you with BF issues. It can be very hard at the start, so get all the support you can get and more, and once you've cracked it, you'll never look back.

mamasunshine I'm in the same boat! 40+3, had a sweep this morning, some erm, prostaglandins last night and still nothing! I am resigned that my parents will leave tomorrow without having met their Grand daughter, and that I'll have to rustle up a contingency plan...

The midwife told me that I'm 1.5 cm dilated, that my cervix is 50% effaced and that the baby's head is pushing against the cervix. She thought that these were all signs that the sweep could be successful to bring labour in the next 48 hours. She did however suggest I make an appointment for Monday, just in case...

That's a shame about your parents pacita, but sounds good on the sweep front Hopefully won't be too long for you! My parents live in the Dubai most of the time and are flying back Sunday, but only here for a few days (i think) before having to fly away for another week or 2, and pop back again! Would be really nice if this baby could come before Tues/Weds!

So my sweep hasn't worked, although not 48 hrs until 3pm ! Having another reflexology session this morning and a walk and may have to make myself have some more 'prostaglandins' as pacita delicately put it 40+5 today Can she really get any bigger?