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

yey pink Good Luck!

Thanks ruby will keep any eye on nappies. your probably right about it looking more than it is. especially at 4 o clock in the morning.

thats awful mrsH I also got the congratulations on your newborn but luckily she was born that day. seems mad since so many people go more than a week overdue.

flyer please don't put pressure on yourself. Or let anyone else for that matter. It's so evident on this thread especially that you have to do what works for you.

I have the opposite. I was ff as we're my 3 brothers and sisters and mil ff all gets so I keep getting questioned on why I put him to the breast so often. He just be hungry blah blah, it's tiring you why don't you give him formula. I have nothing against it and will probably be ff in a few weeks but I'm coping ok ATM.

Oh flyer its a nightmare I know how you feel. Can only offer virtual support and say that in the end you must do what you want and if you hate it don't do it. I will say though that it does get easier after a few weeks. However, I'm feeling a bit the same B is such a big boy and clearly hungry and I have no milk yet so he is permanently attached to me and just won't settle because he is hungry. Think I will still offer breast but also top him up with formula and then hopefully wheny milk comes in we can drop the formula. I did that with ds1 and it worked.

flyer could you top her up with formula? I really wish I knew more about mixing feeding especially at first or maybe I wouldn't have just switched to formula straight off. I have to say, I so wanted to bf as its best for baby but ff was best for both of us in the end. my dp didn't like seeing how much bf was upsetting me so was very supportive of me switching but I do think that made me give up easier.
sorry that was all meant to be helpful but I'm not sure any of it was. anyway, my point it keep trying, maybe top up if it will help and ultimately never feel bad for whatever decision you make in the end. A has gotten so much of your good milk already!!

Sorry cross posted earlier flyer agree with what everyone else has said though you have to do whats best for you. There will always be someone with an opinion on whats best for your baby but yours and Dps is the only one that matters. Could you maybe express for more feeds while your sore? you were saying yesterday that expressing was going well. Isla is having a growth spurt here and is exhausting but keep trying to tell myself it will just increase my supply but is really difficult when your so sore. whatever you decide sending you hugs and hope DP is supportive xx

There are already a couple of births on the November thread. This is giving me the jealousy rage

Flyer its agonising isn't it. I'm going to express some in a mo (C has been feeding every 2 hours since we got home from hospital) to give my boobs a rest. He doesn't much like the bottle but I need to not have to do the next feed if I don't want to IYSWIM.

You must do what you want not what you feel you should and ignore anyone who gives you grief. You can't end up in a situation where you end up resenting A because of the feeding.

Oh, and get this - when I mentioned to DH that I was goin to express because I thought I had enough DH agreed that my boobs were looking "uddery". Fucking cock . I burst into tears :(

Hugs Nat, could you contact your midwife? She was really nice wasn't she? She's bound to have seen everything before and will be able to help, even if it's just to listen. If it's partially exhaustion, could your DH and mum look after H and A for a bit while you get some sleep? I know I had a bit of a meltdown during the week with exhaustion and my baby isn't even here yet, so I imagine it only gets harder.

I'm SC at 40+2 and very happy for pinkforboys and at the same time jealous. Best of luck!

I can report that a due date on a full moon, a very long walk around ikea (I mean, surely if my waters are going to break, they'd do it while I was testing out chairs?!), raspberry leaf tea, a bath in Clary sage oil, a hot curry and much bouncing on a gym ball have no effect whatsoever except to tire you out! No chance of DTD unless I get DH drunk and tie him up, in a non kinky way, and who has the energy for all that?

Flyer trust your instincts, you'll know what's best for both of you. Could you tell your DH how you're feeling so he stops repeating things his mother says about breastfeeding?

Sparkeleigh I'm SC 40+1 ditto on the raspberry leaf, curry last night, bouncing, sideways stair walking and I managed to dtd with dh this morning! Had a bit of spotting and usual bh, but nothing ramping up yet!

Flyer fingers crossed u get home tomorrow, I'm sure u will be more comfortable, and things change again bf wise when ur milk comes in, just try and ride it out today xx

Nat hope u have someone to talk to in rl, bloody hormones, cut yourself some slack hun xx

Sparkleigh I've been doing all that plus sex at least twice daily for the past 3 days. And apart from bh....nothing so I wouldn't think you're missing out the magic ingredient there!!
Nat hope you're getting some tlc today and like others said maybe you could chat to your midwife who would be able to offer support.
Flyer you need tlc too, hope there's some available today for you. I think you're doing amazing in really stressful and unexpected circumstances. Keep going. Xx
Anyone else sc or sfw getting extreme cervical pains? Literally feels like a knife and sometimes kind of comes up the front too. Been happening for a bit and I can usually grit my teeth and ignore but now causing me to double over. Sure it's normal but would be nice to have confirmation of this!

Yes Ready. I've been getting the stabby fanjo pains pretty badly since Friday. I just put it down to the baby dropping down and head butting my cervix.

Sigh, come on baby 3 days till you're supposed to be out!

Sorry the full moon worked for us, baby Eva was born on Friday at 8:17pm, 7lb 7oz. Water broke at 2:30, so did the school pick up and dropped Ds1 and Ds2 at friends house. Met DH at maternity ward, got checked in, nothing really started until 6:30pm, at that point had more like Braxton hicks and was only 3cm dilated. The midwife gave me a swipe at that point and went from 3cm to fully dilated in 1h30, with no pain killer, ouch. Delivered on all four (probably tmi), she was placed on me straight away for skin to skin and started to BF. The first night was tough as she just wanted to BF but seemed confused, last night was much better she fed and slept and had a few meconium poos. Feeling exhausted but being discharged today.

Would love to post pics on FB but can't figure out how to join.

sorry out of it but it seemed roxvio we have similarities in giving births, it is indeed traumatic to have such fast labour with all the pain coming quickly and no time for pain killers, but it is amazing that you've managed it, you can be very proud of yourself for it.

Congratulations prisci

Congratulations Pricsi

And Ready yes to the stabby pains too, had a couple last night in bed that really bloody hurt!

Huge hugs Flyer x x Lots of good advice already... You have yo so what's best for you, but I echo what threeblondies said - I promise it gets easier. If you feel that you do want to continue, I would express and give a feed or two of expressed milk in a sippy cup (the hospital has them - I took a load home as well) to rest your poor boobs. Also try nipple guards - either

Sorry - either all the time for now it just when you need them. Ask again about latch etc. I find / found many midwives clueless. After all, many of them know the theory but have never bf themselves. I would get a private lactation consultant to come to you.... Whatever you decide though, you are doing great!!! Feeding is a tiny part of motherhood x

Congratulations Prisci!!

Are you on FB prisci? if so PM me your name and picture details and I'll see if I can add you to the group.

SC @ 40 weeks today. Can't see anything kicking off in the next few days, he seems to be quite happy hanging in there for the long haul.

Congratulations prisci!

Congratulations Prisci!

Can I ask a question about milk quantities? It might be difficult to answer. When he BF C has been taking both sides and taking about 30 mins per side. He seems to be completely gorging himself because he often then sicks up some undigested milk a short while later (different to the possets he does at other times).

We've just given him an expressed bottle of 65ml which he has taken in about 5 minutes and he seems to be rooting for more (so much for giving my boobs a rest...)

How do those quantities sound? How much are your FF babies taking per feed? I know it's not necessarily directly comparable, but it would give me a rough idea.

mrsh Hunter is 16 days old. hv said ideally he'd be on 90ml every 4 hours, but he sometimes takes more!!

saying that I know there are less calories in formula than breast milk so think they need more of it to get by!!

Huge congratulations on all of the gorgeous squishy babies (if I name I'm bound to forget someone). Loving all of the Facebook photographs.

pink good luck!! fem I hope you are progressing well/have bubs. Did anyone ever hear from terrified again? Bit worried about her.

nat hugs your way. I'm sorry it's so tough on you I def recommend speaking to midwife or your mum. Perhaps taking the pram for a walk to the park with dd would be nice? Or leaving bubs with DH and just taking dd for an hours break and fresh air.

flyer sorry you are finding bf tough mrsh :O

roo my first labour was 3 hours start to finish and for a few months bits would suddenly come back to me. I just kept asking DP questions and suggest you do the same.

Finding it really tough not having anyone to ask this time :(

Sorry I've not been posting, I'm feeling a bit glum. I think I had such high expectations of my post labour recovery being like last time, that this is going way too slow and I'm unable to do the things I'd imagined. Combined with the normal CS recovery my back feels like its so weak if I dare do anything or walk around the flat - anyone else had post CS back weakness?? I'm also feeling like an awful mum to DS1, he is really pushing me away, which really upsets. its making me distance myself a bit to protect me, which I know won't help. I love him to bits, but [worst mummy ever icon] don't like him that much at the moment and want to hide away with the baby :( DP isn't being that suppotive either. Has anyone experienced these feelings? I've tried google but seems I'm alone.

Urg sorry for the messy post and typos. One hand isn't easy with long thumb nail!