Happy birthday, feather. Glad you got what you wanted!
mean my DH knows better than to make such silly ocmments 
To be fair the first pregnancy was emotional hell for us, so although I find things a lot easier than many women do physically I think DH was very tuned in to the emotional difficulties and I never had any ‘pull yourself together it’s only a bit of sickness/backache/whatever physical ailment’. This one has been much smoother and I can see how some women might even enjoy pregnancy, and I hope this won’t our last child – in fact I’d probably like 2 more! If men had babies they’d have invented artifical wombs a long time ago.
Oh hospital bags…. I love muslin squares, use them for everything! Standard stay here is 3 days, I’m hoping to be out in 2, and I bank on baby needing 5 changes per day and me needing at least 2! I have a mix of music on my labour playlists including chilled out stuff, music that I use to exercise to (it’s a great reminder that you can work through ‘pain’), some heavier stuff and the natal hypnotherapy. I found it very helpful last time, so I’d recommend taking it and then you can always just not use it.
Hello apple I think I’m 30 weeks today. I’m a bit crap about keeping track, I just know that as of the beginning of December baby can arrive any time it wants and if it’s not here by NYE then I need to start having awkard conversations about refusing induction.
whisper I hate to scare you but I didn’t have contractions where my stomach went hard until I was quite far dilated with DS… if you have a constant back ache and period type cramps you should get checked. Also walking relieving the pain is another red flag just based on my experience – I couldn’t stand being immobile.
bohemian I’m so sorry your MW as unhelpful. I think you need to have a conversation with them, and start with ‘I understand your reasons for what you said but I’d like you to consider my case on its individual merits’. Protocols do exist for a reason, but equally they don’t apply to every pregnancy and it might be that upon consideration they would feel comfortable caring for you in an MLU despite your BMI. If they don’t then you’ll want their support to tackle their colleagues about how they can mirror an MLU approach as much as possible with the fallback of a consultant if needed.
Hellooooo rose I’m so jealous of your beach outing! Glad you’ve found a nice doctor and are starting to get settled.
mumand anyone else who’s interested/worried….. Bfing is tiring, but your body does compensate by producing extra helpful hormones when BF is going well. It’s unlikely that every 2 hours at night is going to last for weeks on end. Honestly. There’s a biological reason for night feeding in the early days and through growth spurts – prolactin production is highest between 1 and 3am or so. If you are still feeding frequently day and night after the first few crazy weeks then there’s an issue that you need to talk to a BFC about. It might be that the latch isn’t quite effective or baby is dropping off before feeds have finished. The other option is co-sleeping. As for formula keeping feeds apart, that’s a bit of a myth IF BF is effective. After 6 weeks or so when BF is established you can reasonably think about introducing a dream feed or night feed of formula without it impacting hugely on your supply because that will adjust. Some babies do just naturally go longer between feeds, but I know BF babies who’ve gone 3 hours since birth and 4 hours since 6 weeks, and FF babies who’ve been every 2 hours for the first 6 months.
Part of establishing BFing for everyone, but especially those with older children, is pacing yourself. Accepting that it’s tiring and you won’t be on top of the housework/older DCs will watch more TV/you will be going to bed as soon as you can is half way there. DP/H needs to pull his weight, getting up to do nappy changes in the night and settling baby back after a feed for example, so you can benefit from those nice sleepy hormones and drift off again as soon as a feed is done. At the same time lots of crying and emotional wreckage is kind of to be expected postnatally anyway, and again preparing yourself for that and not necessarily linking it to BFing will help.
We’re fairly long term co-sleepers, DS is often still in with us. I just need to work out how that’ll work with a new baby. I settle much better when he’s withing arms reach and I just know I’ll be the same this time! I’m in awe of your bed though, ring!
Gosh, epic post! I need to go eat some dinner really!