Due in July 2013 - newborns to the left of me, big bumps to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you babe!

[SlouchingPanda]

Hello shiny new thread!

Wow I haven't posted for a couple of days and lots of new babies and bumps! Congratulations to all
My brain is officially mush so I'm not doing personals but hope twirlie and slouching don't have too much longer to wait!
Re contractions app I used one called contraction timer I think, it was free to download and very simple to use. Gave dh something to do!!

Do you really get a breastfeeding app??? Can't imagine what it's for, my strategy is just -baby crying?- feed/change/feed again.
Anyone else have a dm/dmil obsessed with timing feeds etc!! (oh she can't need fed again - yes she can, she's only 2 days old!!)
Anyway Morven doing pretty well with latch, my milk is coming in already but she is feeding a lot so not too surprising. Am a bit sore but using lansinoh which helps. Afterpains not as bad as I had feared, but taking regular paracetamol/ ibuprofen and still drinking rlt which is supposed to help too.

Shelley just wanted to add be kind to yourself, you are still recovering, looking after 3 kids and doing really well I'm sure

Also everyone else having first days on their own with babies good luck!!
And hope everyone else still waiting isn't getting too fed up with the heat

Xpost dinky glad your approach to bf is as scientific as mine!

Good luck at the hospital, MightBeMad

Welcome, Mrsd.

DH has a day of paternity leave tomorrow - it's DD2's due date. He needs to give at least 6 weeks notice for time off for his clinics and lists to be cancelled, so he booked one day for the due date and the rest of his paternity leave for August. It'll be great to have him around to help out with DD1.

I definitely wouldn't want to still be pregnant in this heat, but I really miss my bump & I'd love to start cooking DC3. (not going to happen for a while though, if ever )

Re:apps for timing contractions. DH used the stop watch on his phone to time the gaps between contractions as split times and just watched how long they lasted. They were about every 2 minutes right from the start. Not sure how it'd work out for a more gradual labour that went on for longer, but it was a simple way of doing it.

Welcome mrsd. Sounds like you've had a tough time (not the same but we mc'd at 11 weeks between dc1 and 2 so know how difficult it is to find the strength to decide to try again). Glad you have and hope that happier times are just round the corner. Ds correctly predicted the sex of the baby, so you never know. And you have a 50/50 chance of being right.

There are loads of us on here bf now or with bf experience, with blips along the way so you have lots of support here should you need it. But you should never feel guilty about what's past. Ooh and I kept my shellac pedicure during my section so get that pampering session booked!

I saw my Nan and grandad today, who agreed that I looked far better today than last time they saw me. Think my mum may have had words !!! Seeing their newest g grandchild cheered them up I think. Still feel terrible though, especially as ds has come home from school saying he's not having happy playtime despite telling a grown up. I truly feel an awful parent.

Hope everyone is managing to stay cool in this heat. I'm literally stuck to a feeding baby !

Glad I have a similar feeding steady strategy to others - F awake=boob, crying=boob, fractious=boob - you get the idea. Will see how much she weighs in at tomorrow

Welcome mrsd, thanks for all the offers re contraction apps, found a simple one via google that seems to be doing the trick. This labour is definitely a slow one, fortunately not too awful yet as a result but am a bit worried I might still have a very long way to go. Def getting more painful but managing with tens which suggests to me that it can't be that bad yet and lasting around 50 secs every 6 mins

Oooh lancs still very exciting! And things might speed up for you yet!

Im thinking i can just will the baby out, surely if i want it enough, ill just go into labour?!

Shelley, just keep taking 1 day at a time.the kids must all be really fractious now at school as its so hot and so near end of term. My dd was exhausted and v teary by the time school ended for her. If all the other kids are like this can understand playground not being happy, i do hate it though when teacher knows and still no improvement, sad and angry making.
Mrs d hello! I had really rocky time bf with dd and ds, ran out of milk, sore nipples etc. this time milk started to run out but am on domperidone which, touch every piece of wood , is increasing my milk supply again- made me so happy.( I got v stressed about not being able to bf)

Lmao at the BFing "strategies" - mine is very similar. Coupled with a bit of self groping to try and remember which side I need to start on.

Another weigh in today - 3.9kg so up 350g from her birth weight already. At least the constant daytime feeds are going in!

Oh and DS is doing fantastically with his self toilet training - 3 wees and 2 poos in the loo with no accidents so far!

Whoop! Go vinegar DS!

lancs that is how my labour started with DS. Nice and steady for a whole day, went to sleep and woke up at 6 the next morning to full on contractions. Hope your experience is working for you too!

Thanks for bf guidance. The NCT bf lady who was in charge when I had DS didn't answer her phone (to many of us - don't think she just hated me!) but I will now defo look up lactation consultants in my area.

Just woken from my afternoon nap. So hot here I had sweaty eye lids! Yuk!

Glad the milk supply is on the up princessllama and that B is stacking on weight Vinegar And D's is being so successful with potty training himself. Have a lovely day tomorrow with dh Totally.

Shelley - its so hot I bet lots of kids are grumpy and fractious especially in reception. Don't feel bad.

Ds1 is off with his whole school to a beach in Kent tomorrow, ds2 and his nursery are off to a city farm, dh is off to lords and I will be stuck in all day with J waiting for my 10 day mW appointment.

dinky do your MWs do a community clinic? I've been opting to go to the drop in clinic rather than wait in for home visits so I can get it over & done with when I want - although we had the HV introductory visit today just at lunch time, so DS was not only running around naked but also getting more and more grumpy and attention seeking the hungrier he got! Not sure I gave a very good first impression!

Sadly I fall under the Brent midwives so no community clinic anywhere near me. At least its the last visit I need to sit in for.

Welcome Mrs D.

No sign of baby here. Even the Bhs and pressure pains seem to have disappeared. I'm getting fed up of RLT.

Dinky what strength of EPO did you take? Also was it orally or vaginally?

Sounds like a good day in the Vinegar house! Well done B and DS!

I'm another one who lacks any formal 'strategy' for BF. if she's awake & crying or rooting she gets a boob stuck in her mouth. (after a quick squeeze of each one to try to figure out which one is fullest).

dinky - don't they at least tell you when they're going to call? The MW gave me pretty accurate timings For when they'd call round. They also called about 30 minutes ahead to check. I definitely wouldn't expect to be waiting in all day! Although the MW rang DH to try and find out where I was for the first post-natal visit because I didn't answer the home phone (I was at the supermarket), so maybe I was meant to wait in.....

Just normal strength EPO Silver15 - you can take up to 3 a day.Definitely take orally.

Totally - no they dont call beforehand round here - they just expect you to be in all day and get abit arsey if you aren't! As I had to tell the midwife at the last visit when 10 days post birth would be (she was insistent it would be Tuesday), they dont instil me with too much confidence at the best of times....

I think baby has retreated back up no signs today, no bh, no pressure pains not even a twinge. Just normal baby movements. humph.

hope everyone else is having a bit more luck. :)

Hi all

Hope everyone is good & coping! Not caught up on all the activity yet but congrats to any new babies & welcome to new mums to be

We're home-baby Florence Heather Rose born on Monday morn at 9.50am, 8lb 12oz & she is absolutely fabulous! Birth was as good as elcs can be & staff at hospital have all been great.

She is the opposite to her big bro & super chilled, sleeping nearly all the time & feeding not that much but seems satisfied when she does so hey ho. I had an awful time bf DS so kept having them check my latch when she was on & they said it was fine. I have large nipples/breasts & done know if that is a factor but my word it hurts like hell when she latches on & not for the count of 10 as I've read somewhere but for a count of 20 at least, although it does settle after this. Maybe it's just getting toughened up.

Will check back to read missed posts when we're no doubt up at all hours having said how chilled she is.

Evelyn :)

Evelyn if it helps, I had some blistering and pain from latching from about day 4 or 5 for a week or so. Being anal about latch, using the rugby ball hold and plenty of lansinoh and we are feeding totally pain free now (day 15).

I have fairly big boobs and find I need both hands to BF a newborn - I hold them with the opposite arm and use the hand on the side I'm feeding on to support my boob, so the weight of it doesn't drag down in her mouth and create a crap latch. See cross-over hold here: www.babycenter.com/0_positions-and-tips-for-making-breastfeeding-work_8784.bc#articlesection2

Congratulations on the new arrivals and lots of sympathy for those of you still waiting!
I just been trying to put theo down in his basket this evening but he's not having any of it! 1st time he was fast asleep as I put him down but he woke and screamed the place down! Can't see there is anything wrong with him as he sleeps perfectly well when I'm holding him. Not sure if he is old enough to be naughty?! Last night I spent 2 hours putting his dummy back in as he seemed to need to suck but can't really keep it in. I end up putting him in bed with me cos I'm tired, any ideas?

Congratulations evelyn. Lovely name and good size, fx she stays this good, sounds lovely
Dinky what an arse to have to stay in waiting, would do my head in. Great its the last time.
Begining i def dont think they are naughty At this age- research says learned patterns of behaviour kick in at 6 mths. I think they just feel more secure in your arms. Can you put him down in his basket in daytime for a kick to get used to it? Or try swaddling? Sonebody( totaly?) has a trick with hot water bottle but perhaps not in this weather! Dare i say it, cranial osteopathy is good for settling babies. Have to say humphrey is on my chest alot though i vowed not to do it

Also, begining, nuk have quite a good dummy for staying in- it's 0-6 mths white one with heart on avail from occado. Its smoother on outside part so doesnt catch on sheets/ hands etc

Congrats Evelyn and Hai (have we had the official announcement yet?).

Well, without wanting to get you all too excited, I'm possibly feeling a bit contracty today... certainly much stronger and more frequent BHs. Will see what tonight brings but going to try to sleep now although secretly hoping to be woken by some proper good going contractions.