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!

Oh wow Frank she sounds awesome! :)

jeff I've always done it. I used to feel very self-conscious but as time has gone on I realise 99% of the time no-one is even looking. I was at a party the other week where there was a Mum with a 6 week old and my sister said afterwards she was BF - I hadn't even noticed! I was sitting down at a village fair feeding Faithlet a while ago and a little old lady came up to me to say I just wanted to say what a lovely sight that is I find two layers of clothes more subtle even than a muslin. You can get BF covers but I think that draws more attention and suggests you're doing something that needs hiding. The more I do it, the easier it gets (especially tough in the early days when latch wasn't brilliant).

Just catching up...

Sinks sorry you've had a crappy time with midwife. I think the EDD "doesn't matter" because it is such a rough guess anyway. What does matter is that growth rate is within normal limits, so I guess if they still think you're "too big" at next appt they might investigate. This happened to me last time round, but a scan revealed a normal-sized baby for dates. However, the midwife should've explained herself, and she sound like an arse.

Jeff, Yay for improved buzzwams! I'm still baffled as to why something so natural as BFing is so damned difficult to do!

Also re: bfing in public. I think if you get out there and do it as early as possible, you're still too busy getting a good latch to notice how discrete you're being, whether anyone notices etc. Then it quickly becomes second nature and you are skilled enough to cover up more effectively if you think you need to (I know a few people who don't care how much is on show, but not quite that brave myself)

I've never had any comments/tutting, or even any interest, except obvious relief when offer of boob has quietened screaming child.

Frank I 'practised' on my friends baby. It was great! I'm still quite nervous about winding / burping - MiniJeff seems so delicate!

I'm hoping my BF counselling session today will help. I desperately want to BF but I know there is only so long I can carry on expressing. It just takes SO much longer to do everything as you have to factor an extra half an hour every feed to express.

Good to know Gin & Faith that it can be done in public without too much hassle

My best friend said that if we can afford it we should think about a lactation consultant to help establish BF. She was unable to as her little boy spent a week in intensive care and when he came out refused to take the breast. She struggled on for 3 weeks, and admits she came very close to PND before switching to formula.

I've been feeding everywhere! Think it helps to have a supportive husband...good help to anyone who dares say anything about it when he's there! I've had a few looks but nothing more...at the moment I think i've had so many appointments etc that my body no longer has any dignity left, I'm used to everyone and anyone having a look! Good advice on the vests faith...on a separate note I'll be down your neck of the woods about the 18th if you fancy meeting little pink!

Thanks guys. Pinkr - you'll be right, of course. The size thing will be nothing to worry about. And I have my 20 week scan soonish anyway. I think I just took offence from the off and she did nothing to improve my opinion!

I might start saying I'm 18 weeks though - that would be 3 weeks taken off my initial edd!

Glad the boob is better jeff. And I'm in awe of everybodies bf expertise!

Oh yes whip the boobs out wherever :)

Yes yes yes Pink! Nothing booked in as yet. Ooh little baby cuddles!

jeff measurements are a bit odd. I was measuring as 34 at 36 weeks, yet no-one anticipated on me having such a weeny baybee. Even my scan at 36 weeks didn't indicate she was that small. Take it all with a pinch of salt!

BFing in public definitely gets easier.

We are still feeding at nearly 9 months and it has got more complicated again now The Little Mister is a nosey little bugger and likes to look about whilst dragging my nipple with him.

Nearly 10 months I mean.

im a broken woman,,,i reckon its a growth spurt but little pink has gone from 3 hourly feeds to evry hour nearly. its been this way since Tuesday! Shes well cranky too. my nipples may fall off...

Oh pink I feel for you! Try and get what rest you can! This too shall pass.....

Oh pink that sounds exhausting. When are you sleeping?

My broken boob is back with a vengeance today I had to take paracetamol & nurofen just so I could express. I am SO close to giving up. I can't spend more days feeling like this

I'm not sleeping! ! My extremist pro boob feeding friend told me the six week spurt was when she nearly have up bf. I can see why!
Oh Jeff I feel for you I really do...

jeff you need to see a doctor. Get it sorted!

pink I would just hole up in bed with her tomorrow. Plenty of skin to skin and get himself to take her off you between feeds to do the nappies/winding/entertaining so you can kip.

I am wide awake. Faithlet is having her first night in her own room. She is fine and fast asleep. MSB is fast asleep and snoring after too much beer! but I am wired!

Is your broken boob because it is cracked?

I know several people who basically said that they would sit with their nipples out to let the air get to them, they used breast milk on them to try and clean them and Lasinoh cream.

It is so hard, especially that six week point. I spent most of the time sat on the sofa, although I also found it very painful to sit down which wasn't helpful! Stick with it, if you can, and if you can't you haven't failed, it's just how it is.

The broken boob is just huge & painful. I've tried massage, hot flannels, expressing gets maybe 5mls but then nothing more. I'm currently submerged in the bath hoping this might help.

Will phone GP tomorrow morning. I want to stop now. It's just making me miserable.

In other news MiniJeff is doing really well - getting noticeably fatter & less jaundiced. He can guzzle between 75-125ml of breast milk or formula in one sitting. Clearly he's got my appetite!

Did I miss something? Are you expressing every feed? Are you putting baby to boob at all?

Jeff, sorry you are having such a tough time! has your BF counsellor neighbour been any help?

Pink, hope the growth spurt passes soon you sound exhausted.

Anyone know what I'm supposed to do about the flu jab? Do the midwives arrange it for me or should I contact my GP myself?

Contact your GP Frank. I need to do that too, but am hoping I'll be able to sort it at work instead. Are you getting whooping cough? I am, but not due till ?Jan

Well she went down at eleven and didn't wake till three, quick feed and back down till six, feed at nine and she slept on me whilst I had breakfast in bed and watched TV. it's so much easier when Mr df is home!
My go gave me the flu vaccine the day I discovered I was pregnant. We had the whopping cough at 30 Weeks and my midwife was worried I'd left out too late because of the premature labour worry.

I'm glad the bad crack I had a couple of Weeks ago has healed or this would be it for feeding I think...add it it's I'm feeling happier and finally get that out is something that takes time to perfect. I nearly chucked it early on because it was so sore and I started dreading every feed. In some ways I'm sad because the focus on those first Weeks was always on feeding worry...the cracks, the supply etc and out took done of the enjoyment out. Nown I'm proud I stuck it out but knowing how bloody awful it was I would never ever judge anyone who went to bottles.

Yes Dor, I think you've missed something - baby won't latch at all so I'm expressing & using formula top ups. It's probably due to me having a section (delayed milk) & miniJeff being 38 weeks. I've been to see the BF counsellor who was great & we managed to get him to latch a couple of times but not for v long. I've tried since but to no avail.

Going to see GP tomorrow hopefully. I feel like I've got the flu.

Pink - I really want to persevere but I just feel like its making me miserable & stressed. I worry about how that makes MiniJeff feel too (as well as SSG). It's all so hard!

I'd put my money on it being mastitis then jeff. Any BM is great for miniJeff but don't carry on if it's your health/mental health at stake! Expressing is hard work especially if you're expressing for most feeds. You deserve a medal for getting this far.

Thanks Faith. I'd sort of set my heart on BFing but you're right. It's all I think about & as a result I'm just not enjoying these early days like I should be.