April 2013 Part 8: Welcoming our Easter Chicks & as Alex & Evan hopefully go home!

[toobreathless]

Over here Ladies!

I hope you don't mind me starting this thread too.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1689714-April-2013-Part-7-As-our-miracle-Alex-continues-to-grow-the-one-that-sees-us-reach-TERM

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1560543-April-2013-stats-thread

Wonderful news for today as we welcome babycandy and little Charlotte and hoping that this thread sees little Alex and Evan home very soon.

How many more babies will this thread see?

I am sitting on the sofa cuddling Evan

DP has just taken DDs up to bed - very late but it has been quite a day!

I got to NICU at about 8.30am this morning and the ward sister said she had been about to phone me. That caused a moment of panic as they have never had to call with Evan so it makes you think there is something wrong.

But then she said, "Well, you're going to need your car seat if you are taking him home today!"

Again, a moment of panic but then it sunk in and we were out of the hospital at lunchtime. I did consider just taking him home to surprise everyone but then thought that, had it been DP at the hospital this morning, then I would want to know and be involved in Evan coming home. So I called DP but we agreed to keep it a surprise for the DDs so my dad came over - and put the cot together for us!

Evan passed all of his discharge tests - car seat, eyes, hearing, weight (5lb 3oz) with flying colours.

The girls were very excited to see him home - the NICU staff gave him a knitted hat in the design on a chicken so he was little easter chick and even brought chocolate eggs for the DDs, courtesy of the NICU staff.

DD1 had the first cuddle and was quickly followed by DD2. They have both helped with nappy changes and feeding and we took him out in the car where the girls have been taking it in turns to sit next to him.

He has had cuddles with my Dparents who can't get over how tiny he is in person!

I am hoping that we have a good first night - both DDs have not been sleeping through the night since I had him and are anxious about wanting us in the night and us being busy with Evan. Hopefully such a late night for them might mean they are so tired and sleep through - although DP has a habit of falling asleep with them so I might need to go wake him in a while!

Glad to hear all the newborns are doing well and going home... So exciting and means the mums can relax a bit more

Just a quick question for anyone taking raspberry leaf tea capsules- I bought some 400mg ones and it says to take one at a time 3-6 times a day? Can I just not take a couple in the morning and a couple at night? They are from holland and Barrett in case anyone has the same....

Induction two weeks tomorrow

35+6

So had a bad back on and off today, this evening my tummy is almost constantly hard, but feels like it is getting harder every 3 minutes but the pain is hardly anything, just like constant period pains mainly in my back.

Then about 10 mins ago when sat on my ball I felt damp and had a damp patch through knickers, pyjamas and on ball about 10cm circle, but not having regular painful contractions, just doesn't feel like the real thing, any advice mums that have been through this.

Thanks

Sounds like things are moving to me essex but I'm a first timer too I'm afraid so hopefully someone a bit more in the know will be along in a bit.

I can't remember who asked up thread about piles but just to let you know I'm in the same boat. I'm just using the cream and hoping they don't get any worse! Have read that they will prob get worse after labour so just trying to keep them under control til then.

That's my first full week of leave finished, and i finally feel like I'm getting into the swing of it. It was a really horrible limbo feeling the first few days, so just to warn those of you still working that it can be a bit of a culture shock.

38+1 today and slowly getting my head around the fact that that means Bumps could come tomorrow or could be another 4 weeks.

Hope you all have a lovely Easter [busmile]

Also somebody asked about the raspberry leaf capsules from H&B. I am taking 2 caps 3 times a day to get my 6 in (mainly as I find 3 times a day hard enough to remember, nevermind 6!) and it seems to be fine. I don't know much about it so if others know better I'd listen to them. I think aufaniae knew a bit about it but she's not been on the board for a while?

Congrats wombat and noddy

Sounds like lots of others are on the verge of meeting their little bundles too

We came home from hospital on Thursday and so far things are going well. DS adores his little sister and is being very helpful. Dd is feeding well after a few initial problems with latching. I'm feeling a bit better each day, am managing to get out for a little walk every day. Just feel a bit trapped with not being able to drive-its a pita to load two children into the car and get dh to drive us every time I fancy a change of scenery

Home from maternity triage, nothing exciting to report, they kept me ages on a trace monitor as baby's heartbeat was very high but decided that this was ok and the 'waters' was in fact just a major amount of discharge which she kindly showed me and DP on the speculum to show how much, DP's first experience of what is the come with all things gory! So back to symptom spotting and to sleep!

Thanks for your comments tho, everyone reassured me that I wasn't wasting time although I felt I was!

Glad everything's ok Essex, always best to get things checked out (although I am useless at taking this advice myself!)

Maternity leave see,s to have rewarded me with...sleepless nights. I just can't get comfy: my arms go numb, my legs hurt and are restless, my shoulders kill, indigestion, thirsty, need to pee....sigh. Extra pillows do not work for me at all. Ah well, at least I can vent over here!

Had some great news today as one of my brothers is expecting! His DP is due in Oct, so mine will have a little cousin born in the same year. So cool!

Congrats Noddy!

38+6

Yay dysgu and well done Evan! How lovely you made it home in time for Easter how was your first night? Alex is feeding every two hours and I'm also co sleeping with ds 1 also but thankfully I'm managing to mostly preempt Alex's crying for food -boob in mouth before he gets to ask
Weigh in yesterday went great Alex has put on 4 oz and the nurse/mw had no concerns.

Welcome to the world new babies!

kitkat I have an ELCS booked for 22nd, I won't be much help with before advice but I do share your worry. I just keep telling myself its the way my baby needs to newborn to be safe for both of us.
I'm not worried about afterwards as I'm an old hat where surgery is involved but I am a bit worried about adapting to life with a newborn while feeling less than normal. Although thousands of women have done it before so I'm sure we'll manage :).

Dysgu - I hope you had a lovely first night at home with Evan. It sounds like your DD's love him to pieces :).

No news to report my side, still sitting on the sofa to keep my BP down and I'm getting increasingly bored. DP isn't up for letting me do anything though so box sets of DVDs and lots of fussing from him is my life right now lol.

It is lovely to see the new babies. I'm booked for an ELCS next Friday 5th (eeek) so I know how you feel fluffeh and kitkat. Mine is due to GD and breech baby. Although if he/she turns by fri morning then its an induction. I'm hoping for the op as I have SPD and feel that intervention will be necessary if I try naturally. I was offered an ECV but declined as they told me I had less than 50% chance of success. I've decided to let baby decide how it wants to be born next friday!

I have been feeling reduced movement a little these last few days which I am a little concerned about. I was at the hospital on Thursday for diabetes clinic and asked to be put on a trace and they did. It was fine but I still feel as if I can feel the baby less. I think it may be due to different positioning at the moment.

Sorry for the long mememe post.

Fluff and kitkat, I had a section 11 days ago. I was being induced two weeks early so knew it was on the cards if induction failed but looking back don't think I believed I would have to have one.

Let me reassure you that the section itself was absolutely fine. No it is not the natural birth of my dreams but actually I feel I have recovered v quickly. Was on my feet and happily tottering about in the first 24 Hours and honestly you can hardly see the scar already! Take the lovely cocodamol they offer you, but due to a mistake I made it through the first 24 hours on paracetamol alone!

Make sure you ask for what you want before you go in - should your surgeon or the partner announce the sex, does you partner want to cut the cord, when the paed is finished checking the baby, should he be passed to you or your partner, ask for skin to skin ASAP (I held DS while they stitched me but was not skin to skin til I was in recovery about 40 mins after he was born). As this is elective you have the time to at least plan what you do want.

Issues you might have- section babies are sometimes slower to bf than other babies so do your reading on that in advance. Your milk will take a bit longer to come in although you will have colostrum as usual to start with. I pre-natally expressed a lot of colostrum and froze it which my DS then had to top him up until my milk came in. If you still have a week or two to go I would recommend that. You may be advised to top him up with formula - that's your choice. I resisted at first but he had 2 cup-fed formula top ups in the end. No bottles at any point.

I was basically fit to go home after 48 hours but we stayed a bit longer as DS became jaundiced ( common with early babies or where there are some feeding issues). The first few days you'll need some physical help - getting up and down out of bed, putting socks on etc but within a week easily you'll be pretty much back to normal of taking it slightly easy

HTH.

Yey new babies! Congrats to the new mums & to those going home!

I look like I belong in a circus right now, bump is that HUGE. I could paint a clown face on & people still wouldn't see it past my bump. My bladder is reduced to the size of a teaspoon and I am actually waddling when I walk.

I read babies stop growing from 38 weeks? Is this true or is the Hipp baby club email just toying with me?

Am 38+1 now, amazed bump has held out this long. Weirdest thing is she is still finding space, yesterday had a foot in my side & some of her kicks are still strong enough to shake the bed.

Hello! 39 weeks today and really hoping this baby decides to put an appearance in soon. It's a lovely sunny day, so I'm off to our local country park for a long walk with DH and DD in the hopes to get things moving (unlikely)!

I have a consultant appointment on Tuesday and the MW said they may give me a date for induction due to previous PE/size of baby, so I'm hoping to avoid that (although I must admit it wasn't too bad last time).

Congratulations to all the new babies and to Alex and Evan for coming home!

39+0

Great news Dysgu, Happy Easter at home Evan!

Fluffeh and MumofTwoCats, I'm glad I'm not alone with a booked section in April :). Are you planning to take Arnica before and after?Do you believe in it?Are you preparing your body in any way?

BonaDea thank you for the lovely advise about what we should consider and re breastfeeding. I know the hospital will be offering me a formula top up a loads and I'm going to try to refuse even if it means we are not allowed home for longer. I wasn't aware of the cup-fed formula option - good to know!I'll try to express colostrum before. Have you used breast pump or only hands at this stage?

Good luck to all of the ladies who are about to give birth, exciting times!

Ohh I hadn't really considered arnica, I remember hearing about it before I was pg so must do some research!
Thank you for the advice bona. I have a pump and seriously leaky boobs (wearing my breast pads overnight already as if I don't I soak the sheets -eww) so hopefully expressing and storing it in the freezer will help persuade the hospital not to try and feed my baby formula. The only formulas that don't contain fish oils are soy based. I'm pretty strict with my vegetarian diet and really don't want to feed my baby animal products until she is old enough to realise what they are, and then if course it's her choice. Soya formulas aren't perfect either as they have been linked to reproductive cancers. If I can't breastfeed for any reason I'm not sure what option we'll go for.
I know there's nothing morally wrong with formula feeding and I fully support any mum who makes that choice, I just know it wouldn't be the right one for me.

I'm on a mad cleaning mission today. I woke at 4am and started deep cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. I've done the living room and hallway and the bedrooms are next. Hopefully it'll send the baby to sleep as she hasn't stopped dancing along to queen since around 10am. I think I'm going to get a non sleeper lol.

It's not usually worth trying to use a pump to express colostrum - you might look at getting 5ml per sitting so it gets lost in the workings. Do hand expression and express into a syringe. I then topped DS up by finger feeding with the syringe so he was sucking. There are loads of videos on YouTube about it syringes etc.

We ended up doing a couple of formula cup feeds then moved to cup feeding expressed milk too. The hospital have the little cups and will show you what to do. Be warned some of the mid wives think it is mad (ie think you are mad) for it just giving a bottle but remember it is your baby and you don't have to do anything you don't want to. Be warned the combo of breast feeding, expressing and then cup feeding takes AGES! You are on the go constantly so get DH on board so he can do the cup feeds if needed.

I hasn't even thought of these issues with breast feeding after the section before, just assumed it'd be pretty straight forward as it was with dd, so alot to think about there!
Stupid question, but what's the benefit of using arnica before hand? Does it help with the healing after?

We all had a good night although Evan was not sure about settling in his moses basket at night - but that might have had something to do with the huge number of times he dirtied his nappy overnight and then kept peeing so we kept having to find more clothes for him [sigh emoticon!)

DD1 came down in the early hours but decided that she didn't want to stay because of Evan's constant squeaking! DP ended up taking her back up to her own bed and he stayed there for the rest of the night - which meant that I had plenty of space to bring Evan into bed with me where he settled easily.

We co-slept with DD1 and have always been very 'flexible' on sleeping arrangements with both DDs. Mama if you don't mind me asking, how do you deal with co-sleeping with Alex and DS1? I guess my biggest 'problem' is having DP in the bed too (although that is a problem related to co-sleeping and space, not anything else!) Perhaps we just need to buy a bigger bed - but our bedroom is not that huge.

Today we took Evan to the girls' dancing class - he was totally unfazed by the music and all the new faces. He had cuddles with my DParents yesterday and DP's family are visiting us next week. DD1 swings between really being fascinated with Evan and getting that he gets so much attention from other people. We even had tears from her at her dance class but soon got over that when I needed her to help me get him ready to come home again. DD2 is totally unfazed by him - she loves to cuddles him but there doesn't seem to be any jealousy issue as with DD1.

Generally they think he is fabulous and make up songs about him being 'the best baby brother in the world'

aw Dysgu that sounds so cute!

I had a really nice afternoon shopping, just a shame everything is so tiring at this stage, just walking around a few shops & the pelvic pain is ridiculous. I didn't everything we needed but I might just buy online the last bits now, no point in forcing myself to go to the shops.

It's so lovely to hear you're doing so well with Evan home dysgu. I hope the sleeping arrangements settle in quickly, it sounds like both DDs have adapted very quickly to having their wonderful little brother home.

cheese, I'm also taking the Holland and Barratt raspberry leaf tablets. I'm taking 4 a day at the moment but plan to increase to up to 6 next week.

The batch baking continues - I made a shed load of meatballs today which I'm really pleased with as they have a lot of veg in as well as meet. I also made a big batch of banana and oat muffins and I'm about to start on a large batch of tomato sauce. No early signs of anything starting yet for me, it looks like the freezer may be fully stuffed before baby arrives.

Lovely to hear Evan and Alex are doing so well!

Congratulations too to all the others with early babies and hope everyone is getting on okay.

All this talk of feeding makes me feel like I don't know anything!

Enjoying this long weekend but just feel tired after doing the smallest tasks and generally in a bad mood (poor DH) and it is v frustrating. My Margaret Howell cd has come though - I have listened a bit and it sounds great so thank you for those who suggested it.

mum if you are worried about reduced movements you should get checked. I think my movements have changed - more squirms and stretches than kicks, though she really got me in the ribs when I was driving earlier!

36+1 [busmile] happy easter x

Well I've also been in labour ward on trace and getting checked out over suspected but not broken waters, sigh! All is ok anyway but I am seriously fed up. Why doesn't my baby wanna come out

39+1

monkeyblossom Yes, Arnica help the healing, it's a natural anti-bacterial plant, good for bruised tissues, swelling and pain especially after post-surgery. I am also thinking of taking some probiotics myself as babies born via c-section don't pick up the good bacterias as they don't go through the birth canal. It's important for their gut flora and I'm hoping via breastfeeding I could help it. I'm thinking of this:
www.optibacprobiotics.co.uk/shop/for-your-childs-health.html?gclid=CK3NuPTipLYCFaLHtAodZkcAUw

BonaDea, thanks for the syringe advise, oh dear...I am a total beginner here, I can see now why breastfeeding is a whole total separate topic.

I have bought arnica but was planning in taking in post birth, when should you start taking it before? Hadn't even thought of doing that!