Graduated Elderberries - Thread 8

[Cavort]

The over 30's expecting/just given birth to their first little bundle of joy.

Thread 8 already!!

You've now reminded me of those last few weeks and days when you're totally fed up being pregnant, but the little one is quite happy where he/she is, thanks very much.

Gah, do I really have to do all this pregnancy thing again if I want another one? Really? It's so much more fun and so much easier when the baby is here.

That's good to hear about it being easier and more fun when the baby is here, especially as I'm still enjoying the pregnancy at 37 weeks. However poor you mother and I'm next in the line for the really tough bit!

Oh, the fun we're having with sleep at the moment. It is reassuring that it's not just us though

We spent the whole of October in shitty sleep hell, but then had a week of better sleeping where I mistakenly allowed myself to think there may be light at the end of the tunnel, but no, she was just lulling us into a false sense of security before hitting us harder than ever over the last few nights.

Our problem is not number of feedings/wakings as it's rarely more than twice. The problem now is trying to settle her afterwards. I used to put her down awake but drowsy after a night feed and she'd generally go off to sleep, but now it takes absolutely ages to settle her. Last night she woke at 12.30 and it took until 01.20 to settle her off,but then she woke again at 03.30 and wouldn't settle until 05.30 and then she only slept for 40 minutes before waking up for the day at 06.10. It's a bloody nightmare! Like Lol says, she will sleep after a night feed but only on me and it's suddenly become very difficult to put her down where it was fine previously.

Sleep? Rings a bell but...nope, can't really remember it. Can't complain too much as she does settle back down quickly after food but I'm a lot more familiar with 3am than i'd like to be. It's the way they give you false hope that get to me, we had a few days of 5am and I felt like a new woman, I thought, this is it! She's finally sleeping longer...only to crash and burn back down to 3am a few days later. It's a bit worrying that the papers are saying how rough Kate Cambridge looks though, she's the same age as me and her grey roots/bags under her eyes have got nothing on me. And she fits in her clothes
Then again, she has staff.

Hazle I'm not sure it's easier with a baby! I found it easier when I could just lie on the sofa and stuff my face in peace However it is definitely more enjoyable when you don't feel sick from a lack of sleep

True, more enjoyable is more accurate description. I just found the worrying if everything is ok with the baby (when he was a little more quiet some days) exhausting. This, of course, has now been replaced with immense fear that something might happen to him.. But at least I can tie my shoelaces and don't have to pee every 5 minutes.

I'm in Costas working on my laptop (last day before mat leave) and it's baby central in here. There is one particular baby that has taken to screaming. It's a very cute looking baby but every few seconds, it does this ridiculously loud high pitched scream sitting there in its high chair. Hope mine doesn't develop that habit!

I need fashion advice - I have this dress in turquoise for my sister's wedding, www.amazon.com/dp/B007VP28ZM/ref=asc_df_B007VP28ZM2812977?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B007VP28ZM&tag=wwwshopstylec-20&ascsubtag=815281110
but what shoes would you wear? same colour could be nice, but then they would need to match exatly, and that's not easy to find. Nude and black are boring. Silver?

Well we've already established that night sleeping is most definitely not Elodie's forte unlike her piggy eating but it appears swimming might be... not a single peep out of her so far during her lessons. While the other babies cry their way through it Elodie grins and giggles, it's so cute! It almost makes me forgive her for keeping me up all night. Almost...

That's a lovely dress Hazle I think the silver sandals the model is wearing look nice with it. Is your Sister getting married somewhere warm or will you need to wear shoes with closed toes?

Closed toes, in Estonia you can only wear sandals in the summer, as stockings and sandals are considered like the biggest fashion faux pas ever.

Viki loves swimming so much that we now have to bathe him in the big bath - he splashed so much in the baby bath that the whole floor was wet.

My baby is already keeping me up all night!

Can I ask - did anyone else find baby movement quite uncomfortable in the latter stages? Mine is so strong now, and seems to have no room and no cushioning, and is stretching out in all directions (ow my pelvic floor! Ow my ribs!). I can't sleep if it is properly on the go, and it tends to have periods of quite long intensive activity where it feels like it is on the rampage. I am wondering if this level of discomfort is normal (seems to have increased quite significantly in the past few weeks) or if I should check it out with midwife? Maybe is just a side effect of having a quite compact bump (nowhere for it to be apart from rummaging in my internal organs)?

I also had a compact bump Quod and also felt quite a lot of movement around the early to mid 30's weeks which did keep me awake a bit, but by the time I was full term I think she had run out of room so movements weren't quite so brutal for the last few weeks. I just had sodding lightning crotch keeping me awake instead.

Hazle these might look nice if you happen to be a 39 or 39.5?

Whoop whoop get the bubbly out!

Well I think I'm not in the thick of this leap yet!!! All I'm getting is fussiness in the evening and that's already driving me potty. But she slept from 9-5 with no feeding and then fed 6,7,9,11.... So I'm sure it will get much worse.
Wonder weeks says 36 days until she's out of it. That's practically Xmas!!! So if I disappear off mn it's because vid committed suicide
How's everyone sat been??? Baby mother is soooooo cute!

Baby mother is indeed cute so lovely to have a new berry!

DP and I have come away without Miles for my bday, mainly because the longer we leave it to be away from Miles I suspect the harder it will be. Have had a lovely afternoon lazing around the spa, then we cark back to the hotel room...and...I've slept for two hours!! How times have changed Currently expressing off gallons of milk then we're having dinner. Am so over excited about drinking too much wine with dinner and sleeping throughout the night.

We have, however, talked about the boy all day long and had constant updates from my folks. When we facetimed him earlier miles saw us and his bottom lip went all wobbly then he burst out crying, which made me feel suitably guilty! Am reassured though that he's been ok otherwise. Am sure he's enjoying being spoilt.

Aw happy birthday Janey! Sounds like a fabulous way to spend it tho it must be really hard too. Hope you have a lovely time :)

Wow you ladies are much braver than me!! The most I've managed so far is 3 hours I think!!! And that was already hard enough!!
I'm still not able to express enough though an that's one of my excuses problems. The most I've ever got is 4oz and I think I would need at least 10 for a whole evening. I give her a bottle every night so have not managed to freeze any.
Can I ask what pumps you all have? Mine is an advent electric one and I thought it was one of the best ones?
Any other suggestions from anyone?
Happy birthday janey. Enjoy your break

Happy birthday Janey!

Happy Birthday Janey! I am very jealous of your full nights sleep!

I too have been out tonight but have been driving and am back home now ready for an early night followed by more probable 4am hell from our suddenly non-sleeping daughter. I would miss her but would actually love a night away from Elodie just to get some decent sleep, but I could not possibly expect a babysitter to be up at all hours with her like we currently are so it's all left to me and DH at the moment until we get past this little blip.

Lol I have a Medela Swing which I find is very good.

Glad you're having a lovely time janey, it's so nice there!

Had a great evening, meal out with some friends, only thing was at one point near the end of the night I came over all funny and dizzy and had to go and get fresh air and sit down outside, was shaking all over and went pale. Low blood pressure maybe?! Wondered if anyone had dizzy spells like that when labour's near? Felt awful for about 15 mins and then it passed and I was fine - was trying not to be dramatic but literally thought I might faint.

Then as I was leaving the restaurant, the owner was guessing boy/girl which I love people doing even though it's ridiculous, and she said I'd stayed slim and had a neat bump (all good so far) but then she looked behind me and said "and big bum" so all that meant I was having a boy. Poor me and my big booty I already had!

Ha Alex I too have a big bum and had a girl
On some silly news today is my smiley anniversary day!!! Got a in the morning, jumped in dh and we made our baby that morning
It's hard to believe how much has happened in one year.
You lot must be on your bfp anniversary as I remember you were all earlier than me!

lol I have the opposite problem, as Viki will still take an oz or 2 max from the bottle, DH was complaining that the freezer is full of milk now, no room for anything else.

I have 2 pumps, Ameda Lactaline that I got used (this is a closed system pump, so ok to buy used as well) and Medela Freestyle - I keep one at work and one at home, so I don't have drag the whole thing with me every day. Both equally good I would say - if you only want to use it at home, Ameda is cheaper and you can re-sell it.

They can both be used for double or single pumping, but I definitely get more milk when double-pumping (compared to doing one boob first and then the other), so that's maybe one thing that could help you as well.

Viki, as he is still not drinking from bottle, got his first taste of food. we started with avocado and he really seemed to like it. Will try some pumpkin tomorow.

Alex I have put on weight round my arse and thighs too - some of my maternity trousers are now too tight and I discovered a load of new stretch marks on the the inside of my thighs yesterday :(
I am being philosophical about it and thinking of it as my baby's larder! And at least if I know I have put on some fat then I must be eating enough for baby to grow properly.
Happy belated birthday Janey!

I can't blame pregnancy though quod - just have a big bum!