October 2013: Newborn snuggles and waddles to the finish line

[FeministInTraining]

Stats sheet here

New arrivals here

Key:
SC - still cooking (pre EDD)
SFW - still f*ing waiting (post EDD)
OWT - on way to theatre (CS)
IP - induction in progress
SWIL - somewhere in labour
LIT - lost in transition

Oh god oh god oh god. For the greater good of the bus as a whole, I am going to swallow my pride and make a little public health announcement for anyone taking peppermint oil capsules. I have had some terrible wind so I picked up some capsules. I hadn't realised that they way they work is essentially to relax the muscles to allow everything to ease through better. I'm not going to say any more and Ill leave your own puerile minds imagination to work, but just go easy on them if you think your symptoms are easing, OK?

Right, moving swiftly on, chickie and legally the initials FFS spring to mind...

Whenever you get a spare five minutes, which is not often with a newborn. Please could I ask you to kindly sign this e petition to get all pregnant women routinely tested for group b streptococcus. So many women and their newborns suffer through something which could be easily prevented if only the testing was freely and routinely available.

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43712

SC here at 38+4 and I'm already feeling moody about it, so sending all you that are overdue a speedy start.

Spent yesterday afternoon at the local day unit as LO decided not to move for a full night and most of the day, very scary as he's normally Very wiggly. Lovely midwife was very calming and happily all is well, turns out he was just being lazy!
Then on the way home DD was spectacularly sick all over the back of DMs nice new car, so I'm just waiting to start hurling now...

MrsH I have a moderate obsession with Trebor strong mints that I'm having to control for the same kind of reasons! you have my sympathies.

Done Flyer x

I've signed too flyer how you guys doing today?
dp is going out tonight for food and cinema because "I won't get to see my mates otherwise" having just said that he misses me because he feels like we barely spend time together!!?! I'm too tired to argue. me and H will just have a nice snuggly night in by ourselves.

I can no longer breathe... DP asks "do you really have to breathe so heavily? it's a bit disturbing"... I'm such a bad disturbing partner....

Clapham, you breathe? Disgraceful! Poor you, men as we said yesterday ,are so very special.
I feel sick as a dog and like my abdomen my just burst. No real contractions, just bh and general discomfort. Also think I just actually heard baby's rib clunking against my rib which has made me feel just that little bit sicker! Hopefully a bit of strictly will help.
Off to sign that petition flyer. X

What's with these OHs?!?
Clapham I'd love to hear your DPs response to my yoga teachers Dragons Fiery Breath for mid contraction. Perhaps you shd try it and see...

Roof- hope you enjoy your evening with your 'new' man xxx

I'm getting a little bored in my cell. Can you tell? Just had visit from DH & DS and only just managed to save my measly supper (cardboard cheese sarnie + cheese and 2 crackers) from DS. Thank God for all of your encouragement to stuff my bag full of sugar filled healthy snacks...
I've got a lovely picture on my wall now tho!
Go bathe in the moonlight ladies!! (Looks out of the window and its cloudy )

Thanks for signing

Pink I can sympathise with the food. 5 days in here and If I ever see another hospital dinner it will be too soon.

Roofio hoping to get out on Monday, although could be Tuesday. They were treating Alex with anti biotics for suspected Sepsis or Menegitis caused through group b strep. (I didn't receive anti biotics throughout my c section, as it appears the NHS guidelines have changed recently, they used to give you them for a c section no longer the case) those results came back negative. However they also had to treat for possible herpes as she had a small red mark on her eye, via iv anti virals, although they are 99% sure she is fine the blood results haven't come back yet, hence the reason why she has to keep having them and we cannot leave. All very in depth and confusing.
I'm going out of my mind in here just desperate to get home now.

Clapham please stop breathing you are keeping all the newborns awake on the October bus

Just checking in, slightly concerned as LO isn't feeding...

Had a 25 minute feed this morning (about 11am-ish) - tried to get him back on the boob a few times today but he's just fallen asleep with nipple in his mouth.

Any advice?

LOL - now sitting on the sofa watching Strictly trying to look graceful and breathe in a ladylike fashion. Also trying not to direct any Dragon Fiery Breaths at DP. pink what are they?? I'm intrigued!

How are you enjoying Bridget's new book by the way? I must say I found it disappointing...

ready I'm feeling really fed up here too... feeling really heavy and uncomfortable and struggling to keep my spirits up... trying to appreciate these last few days and not wish the time away...

flyer only two days to go. Not long and you will take your little girl home x

Natalie you say sleep but, ironically, this proves to be the most difficult thing right now!

Signed flyer. At some point when I was in labour I got asked about strep b and thought how would I know when you've not tested me.

untitled you could try these
www.breastfeedingbasics.com/articles/waking-a-sleepy-baby

Oh Pink the Whit sandwiches are awful! I'm guessing you're in a private room on Murray?
I quite liked the cottage pie, beef stew, sweet and sour chicken. One night I had mashed potatoes and baked beans as I couldn't face the sandwiches. DP brought mcdonalds another night, and a selection of waitrose snacks another night and we scoffed it all and watched GBBO and Holby on the iPad
Hopefully you won't become quite as acquainted with the food as I did!

also signed the petition flyer x

Pseudo- I'd forgotten you were in here for so long Yup- I'm in room 18 and making myself at home. No iPad but at least I've found iplayer on my phone so have R4...(just ordered macaroni cheese with a Yorkshire pud for lunch tomorrow!)

Clapham- I've finally finished my knitting/sewing projects so about to tuck into Bridget. If she doesn't appeal I'll just make more bootees...any orders?!
And feel same about the sleep- I'm actually happy to be in a hospital bed tonight cos I can prop my upper half up and just roll out of bed. Only draw back tonight is that I might (fx) be disturbed by contractions.

Flyer- I've signed. Noone's asked me about Strep B and mw I asked about it just dismissed it (?)

Untitled- good luck with feeding. Hope it improves x

Thanks bronze - will take a look!

Flyer - also signed the petition.

Untitled - I have the opposite problem. Both are so emotionally draining. Can I suggest if he's falling asleep why not try changing him before putting him back on to wake him up a bit? I've been advised if they feed more than once within about an hour, to put them back on the same breast so they get to the fatty rich hind milk. My Baby is feeding every 90mins to an hour on boob and is just miserable inbetween. My milk had come in big time and I've expressed some so DH can do a couple of feeds tonight as I'm just so exhausted. It was the same with my first baby - he fed well and often, but never seemed satisfied. When we switched to formula at 9 weeks, he slept through and has done ever since... I'm so determined to try and breastfeed this time though, but its hard when you're so tired and emotional. I've just had a big cry (first one since the birth) and I think it's just the prospect of another long night ahead of me.

A quick post and run but afvice for untitled.

Strip baby down To just vest to try and waken before feeding. Once latched on you can cover them in a light blanket. Then whip off when they fall asleep.

Also feet tickling and blowing gently in their face are methods I have been advised to try but didn't work for me.

All this talk of eating whilst in hospital is making me miss home and the good ole NHS.. As soon as i'm signed in to the hospital here i'm not allowed to eat OR drink anything until after i've squeezed out a wee human :( i've already told OH that we aren't going to be making a mad-dash to hospital and that we'll stop at McDonalds to get one last feed before the fast!

Thanks to those who've answered the 'visitors' question i had on FB, lots to think about and make me panic hah! Glad most of your visitors are behaving themselves though! My in-laws followed us to the States (grr) and even the same city (double grr) so i'm fully expecting them to be overbearing and a nuisance! My parents are flying out on Friday to stay with us for 2 weeks, but my mum has already stated that she's going to be here as support to us and to make our lives easier, so i'm cheering her arrival! My dad will just insist on wetting babies head with OH every night with Whisky, so that's fine :) He's had a shit year (heart attack leading to triple bypass in April) so i'll let him off, i already know they're going to be fantastic GPs and not 'second parents' who try to take over!

Clapham sorry to hear you're having a shit time of it at the moment, we're almost DDbuddies, and i hear your frustration at everything/everyone loud and clear! Hopefully the stork will arrive soon and give you the best present in the world :)

Happy snuggles to all those with their babies, and extra special snuggles to those just getting reunited with their precious bundles who have been poorly.

Right, i'm off to scrub the bathroom to try and get things moving.. 'early labour' since Tuesday is proving not so much fun! Come on baby!

Karma- if you miss MHD food just make yourself a cheese sandwich with a couple of Kraft Slices, add a sliver of tomato, leave out on the counter for half an hour to dry out before wrapping in cling film. You could also tread on it but that's optional
Your mum sounds like mine- I hope she acts as a good balance to your ILs xx

MHD??? that was sposed to be NHS.

Lol Pink! Ok so for the Chicken and Mayo sandwich take one wafer thin slice of reformed chicken 'breast', chop it up very small and mix into bizarre tasting mayonnaise. Spread across three sandwiches.

I was given antibiotics during my section flyer seems the nhs is different wherever you go. Love my consultant though he has popped in twice today even though it's the weekend and he's coming back tomorrow to check my bloods and hopefully they'll be ok and we can go home.
Ds came in to see us today and was very smiley and interested in his baby brother so I'm hoping he'll stay that way and not be jealous once we get home.
Good luck to those SWIL
And please stop breathing so heavily at the back there!

Just checking in. Feeling a lot bit sore of boob this evening and no point going to sleep until C's next feed. Really need to get this latch sorted - he's not opening his mouth wide enough or swinging his head back far enough. I haven't got the patience or energy to keep unlatching him to correct since he's not getting it and I just want him to feed.

The maternity support worker who helped me in hospital specialises in breast feeding and came today to do his heel prick and helped but he just needs to learn it.

On the plus side, he comes off the breast so milk drunk that there's no settling to do - I've barely seen his eyes open in the last few days.

I think this glass of wine was a bad idea. I feel very tired and teary now :(

Pink and Pseudo very funny.. but at least you're allowed food brought in to munch on!

Now craving a chicken mayo sarnie..