The PESH are getting busy and looking out for a cluster diff!!

[pinkr]

blonderthanred, boy, born 26th October 2012.
FriendofDorothy, boy, born 14th December 2012.
QueenRollo, boy, born 21st January 2013.

Need dates:

Rollerbaby, No pink here, expecting boy due March 20th 2012
IveBeenExpectingYou (CockDodger), A very active baby girl, due March 28th 2012
Silver, hoping for an easier sneeze, due mid-July 2012
Starryeyedmole, regretting recently investing in scales
cakeandcava approaching walrus proportions, DC1 EDD 21/10/12

LazyMachine (38) DC1 EDD 9/2/13
CamelKnees (34) fat and fatigued DC2 EDD 22/04/2013
HaveALittleFaith (31), Faithlet arrived 14.04.13
fertilityFTW (34) date needed.
pinkr, (33), any day now!!, DC1 due 22/08/2013
Jethro (36) head in the sand Edd 071013
Frankel (32) nauseous and knackered Edd 4/3/14
Noks - info needed
Sinky - info needed

Done my best - apologies for any misinformation or omissions!

Pink - expressing has kept me sane! It does make me feel a bit like a cow (especially last night when I was double pumping) but I'd rather express than use formula at the mo. I've given myself a six week challenge. I can put up with anything for 6 weeks. If its got no better I will consider my options.

Jeff by your 6wk benchmark I would think you'll have it sussed (if not before). As Jupiter says, feed when he seems to want it, try and rest when he sleeps, and don't worry about how many hours pass between feeds. This bit does pass quickly, although it doesn't feel like it at the time.

And as Pinkr says, far too much hassle arsing around with bottles and formula, esp in the middle of the night.

We were still on the nipple shields at 8 days. I was told to wake Faithlet for 3 hourly feeds initially but one time I woke her and she was awake and miserable for 2 hours. She looked at me like Hey, you woke me! Gradually I trusted her to wake herself and she generally woke every 3-4 hours but fed better on her own terms. We introduced a bottle at 3 weeks - I expressed in the morning when I had lots of milk and gave it in the evening.

How are things this morning jeff?

How are the differs?

We are sleep deprived thanks to what I can only assume is teething.

Hideous Faith! One of my boobs is engorged & I can't seem to get anything out. Pumping is AGONY. I've tried hot flannel, shower, hand massaging.... I've not even made it out of bed.

Oh Jeff poor you. I can't give much if any advice but I've heard that cabbage leaves in the bra help with engorged boobs.

I'm doing ok, 18 weeks yesterday . My acid indigestion has temporarily been halted by a stinking cold . I'm not sure which I prefer!

I'm no expert but could be mastitis...ant red spots or lumps? Get to a doctor and get checked asap!

I agree with pinkr! The sooner you get it seen, the better. Sorry it's tough jeff :(

Frank, I didn't realised but with my change of dates, I'm exactly 2 weeks behind you. 16weeks yesterday here. Appt with midwife tomorrow, but was told at my booking that they don't Doppler at 16 weeks, so I'm expecting to get my urine dipped and bp checked and go home...

Sorry about the boob Jeff. Agree with faife, can you drag yourself to the gp/get a midwife to come round? Sounds really sore.

Ooh. Was Pinkr. Not faife. In my defence it is v sensible faife type advice!

I luff how I am seen as the sensible, non-sweary ESH

I'm a mostly non-sweary BESH (autocorrect tried make that "sweaty"). I find it's more effective when I do swear that way

My earlier comment about the acid indigestion being halted by my cold has proved to be premature - it's back

Sweaty for me too!

My sympathies Frank. I had awful reflux too. Threw up in my sleep once!

I was really anxious about getting The Little Mister to latch on too. It seemed so bloody fiddly!

Somehow we managed it though and it definitely gets easier.

If you are engorged with red spots you definitely need to get checked out though.

Urgh. I think I had pretty low expectations for the 16 week appointment, but it really surpassed even that.

Started with midwife telling me I had the wrong name. Admin woman had to come out to back me up . Apparently she had already ticked my name off, so I had been seen. I took me saying, "well, have you seen me?" I then got taken in. To be told off for not having filled my specimen pot. Even though the single toilet had been engaged since I'd arrived.

Then she felt my stomach and told me I was "much bigger" than my dates and who had given me my edd? She then topped it off (after reading through my notes and TTC history) by telling me I probably got pregnant after I relaxed.

The only question I had was what my neucal results were - 4.5 weeks ago. But they don't do those apparently.

Waste of time.

Sinks the more interaction I have with Midwifes the less I like them. My hospital & post natal care experience has been hideous. It's taken a visit from my neighbour who happens to work on the county's BF support team to get me any help. She also thinks MiniJeff might have tongue tie - if it's been missed I won't be happy.

When's your next appointment?

20 week scan at the end of the month. Then end nov for the 25 week appt. The hospital appointments (got seen by a lovely mw after my 12 week scan) are great- really helpful, lots of info, just nice (n=1!). The 2 at the community centre have both been shit. I'm pretty certain you shouldn't tell someone they're much too big and then just leave it. She's marked me down as 18 weeks... . Apparently it's not important. So why measure at all?

Poor you and mini jeff. What's the next step then? Is your useful neighbour going to help?

Sinks how rubbish for you. I much preferred the midwife I saw at 16w to the 12w one. She was fine, just a bit dour. 16w one was very chatty and friendly and seemed excited for me IYSWIM.

Jeff glad you are getting some support, even if it's not coming from where it should.

Shh sinks the relax method of getting pregnant...if only someone had told you eh?
I found midwife very hit and miss!

in better news, the hospital has found my neural result - 1:46000! Not bad for an old bird!

Blimey sinks mine was 1:3000! My community MW was pretty old school (been qualified for 25 years) but was reliable when I needed her.

Ah that would explain things jeff... I think Faithlet has upper lie tie but at her age they're unlikely to do anything about it so I will just monitor it as her teeth come in and as she starts talking! I hope things improve soon. How is the boob?

Oh I've had a BF clothing revelation I must share! I have tended to wear clothes with a vest underneath so I can whip my top up and pull bra down. However my vests are a bit tight. My friend lent me a breastvest but they are expensive. I considered cutting my vests and then it hit me: Wear it back to front! still get the tummy coverage but boob access is unhindered. Just wish I'd thought of it 6 months ago! :)

Boobs are much better thanks Faith. I've been massaging with hot flannels & the expressing helps to relieve it. MiniJeff seems very happy, he's had his eyes open more & when the MW weighed him yesterday he'd put on 110g in 2 days. So now he's only 7oz off his birth weight. She's coming back on Monday & fingers crossed he'll be back at birth weight and they can discharge me.

How do you feel about BFing in public Faith?

Wow Sinks, them's some impressive stats! Mine were 1:9200.

Faith, keep coming up withies ingenious solutions - you'll save us all a lot of money/time when it's our turn!

My best friend came over last night for a catch up. Her partner put their little boy to bed so we had no distractions! She stayed for 4 hours and we just battered about everything! Bless her she has a "plan" to help me with my lack of baby knowledge - she's going to buy me a baby-sized doll and teach me how to change nappies/bath a baby etc using it!
She's also offered to come over in the days following the birth and cook/clean for me if I want her to. I luffs her