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

Eeekkk, just read what I wrote earlier about formula. I didn't mean it to sound snappy/judgy, so sorry, I was/am tired and was trying to be brief.

Think I need to up my iron as I got way less sleep with DS1 and lots of you guys - baby is usually giving me a 3 hour and a 3 or 4 hour sleep. Anyway, back I go zzzzzz

3' minutely contractions for 3.5 hours now that are agony and lasting 40+ seconds so fingers crossed

thanks for all the advice ladies. its so hard to know what best to do. I feel guilty for not giving him breast milk so I'd just feel awful if he got sick from my ff. tonight we've got steralised bottles and a flask in the bedroom. just making and cooling the feeds as I need them (the water is staying scalding hot) and it seems to be working well.

Just a quickie as still in hospital. I'll post the full birth story soon but in the meantime, after 3 days of unsuccessful induction, our beautiful daughter was delivered by emcs yesterday, weighing exactly 7 pounds.

We are besotted, every rotten minute of the failed induction was worth it. No name yet, we're trying out a couple to see what suits.

Fingers crossed Nat! I know it is not nearly as worrying as what lots of the new mums are dealing with but Alice has been sick after every feed since yesterday afternoon. She projectile vomited into DHs mouth earlier! I am trying to sit her up for 20 mins after every feed but it doesn't seem to be working. Tried burping Her mid feed but she doesn't burp. She doesn't get distressed when she's sick but I'm worried she isn't keeping enough down to keep gaining weight.

Crossed posts. Congratulations Soup! Sorry you had a crappy induction but so glad your little girl is here safe and sound. Right - been sitting up for 20 mins now - hoping Alice doesn't puke on herself when I put her in the basket...

Thanks for thread feminist

Congrats on new babies diege, Ellie, wicked, taking and soup and well done to you all.

Amazing birth story caz you cooked her and delivered her yourself!! Enjoy your newborn cuddles xx

It has been a tough day on the thread. Thinking of you flyer. shire hope little A is okay. mrshn and anyone else struggling with bf I agree with tarlia skin to skin really does help! I did it throughout my hospital stay, esp as had CS. It was lovely for both of us. Asking for professional help good idea.

Good luck nat and bree hope you have your babies with you very soon.

ruby have you been to gp??

Ok dd has fallen asleep now so I'm off for hopefully 2 hours!

Urgh... Not a good night's sleep. H and V have taken it in turns since 2am to hate sleeping on their backs because of reflux (not proper silent reflux I think, yay them being u comfortable because of the barrier to the stomach being immature,,,). They've just taken it in turns to be uncomfortable, come onto my chest upright, resettle, go back into cot then wake half an hour later uncomfortable again...... Sigh!

So many of you having a rough time! Hugs to all of you & hope things start looking up today.

Congratulations on those new babies - sorry I can't remember names. My poor brain is struggling with lack of sleep & I don't even have a newborn baby yet! SC at 39 weeks today.

Morning all, checking in. Thanks for your kind words of encouragement. C doing a little better, he hasn't matched what i now call his mammoth 40 min feed but he has latched on (lazily) a couple of times since and I've apparently got masses of colostrum so the mw think he might be getting more than i realise. He had a phenomenal poo at about 3 am and a lovely mw who was on overnight pointed out that it was a "changing" poo so he's obviously getting something and it was so big it was probably making him uncomfortable.

However, i have had a night much like legally (must be in the water here) but of course if i have a velcro baby i still have a spare arm...

to flyer and nat and those struggling. I think nat's dh had to fight for paternity leave so maybe that's why he's had to start already.

And (not that i have ever done FF) but i was going to ask any old hands whether topping up hot bottles with cooled.boiled water would work o combine the cooling and also the milk hitting the water at the right temp, so that's useful to know.

Good morning MNers. SC at 39+3. This week is really dragging!
Hope things progress quickly for you today Nat and Bree. Sounds like you are getting there Nat.
Congratulations taking and wicked. Both beautiful names.
Waves to oddlife. Congratulations and I hope things get easier for you soon. Sorry to hear about the way the c section went.
Congratulations soup. Well done on getting through all that to get your baby here!
Oh dear Ruby. It did make me laugh that she vomited into DHs mouth though. Good aim!
I see from Facebook congratulations also due to MrsO. Wow so many babies!
Flyer I hope you feel a bit better this morning and that A is ok?
Shire how are you today?

Good Morning everyone, I hope I remember all I've read over night, I'm very sleep deprived.

So congrats to Wicked, soup, taking ( excellent name choice btw) MrsO on the arrival of your little bundles. For you all. Sorry if I've forgotten anyone else, if so have as well.

Orange the last week of pregnancy is tough you have my sympathies, for all those SC, SFW, SWIL.

Nat I hope things progress.

MrsH nice to hear C had a big poo who'd have thought we'd get so excited over a dump! They told me last night Alex had a wee and a poo , it was like someone telling me I'd just won £10m on the lottery...

Alexandra is currently on formula being cup fed or syringe fed. Going to attempt bf again today as not so sore..DP going to collect a bf cushion this am before heading here ( pointless him staying over night, he was knackered and told him to go home) didn't realise how vital a bf cushion is post c section.

DP has been my rock I couldn't have got through this without him. It's made me see him in a totally different light. He left at 10pm last night went straight to Tesco (without me even asking) to buy A more baby grows, she doesn't fit newborn clothes (and I have loads of the things)

I've just had breakfast and Someone is coming shortly to help me up , shower and dress me so I can get over to see her. I've never been so determined to try and get moving asap but when you are separated from your baby I guess maternal instinct just kicks in trust me I was the most none maternal person ever prior to yesterday

My mum, dad and sister came to see her yesterday. Although visiting is limited in HD and only 2 per incubator allowed. They were smitten with her.

So her initial blood tests didn't show any infection, but more detailed results due back today or tomorrow. They are monitoring her for infection caused through the group b strep or herpes. She had puffy eyes when she was born and has struggled to open them, she also has a small red mark on one eye so they are being cautious in case it is herpes, although they said they think it's something called an angel mark ( like a small birth mark) they have to treat her for worse case scenario just in case until the detailed blood results come back to say otherwise ...she is on iv anti biotics and iv anti virals. Hoping its just a small birth mark but worrying like crazy here.

Anyway sorry for the long post. I hope everyone is well and your babies are happy, healthy and content that's all any of us want I guess.

Love to all the bus xx

Lots of love flyer I'm sorry i forget whether Alexandra is in hd because of the herpes or something else?

C has just fed for 45 minutes so despite the lack of sleep I'm feeling more hopeful that we are at least looking at the corner and indicating, even if we haven't actually turned it yet.

Oh and Alexandra will have a middle name btw. Dp and I are "in talks" over what it will be. Although I think I will get my way eventually so it will be Alexandra Grace.

Herpes and any infection caused through the group b strep which I carry MrsH. Glad to hear C has fed yey x

Flyer, things sound more positive this am which is great news. A friend of mine unfortunately had undiagnosed active herpes and had a vaginal birth, baby had herpes but with treatment has done absolutely fine and is now 4 months and thriving like any other. He was on anti virals for 6 wks I think. the medics know what they're at and treatment available is great. Sounds like she's already doing brilliant. She will be back with you in no time. Hope the bf goes well, go easy on yourself. Big hugs to you all.xxxx

So glad it is not meningitis flyer. That would surely have shown up in the first tests. I was thinking of you last night. I hope the more detailed tests are all clear too and it is good that they are being ultra cautious. Hooray for Mr flyer pulling through when you need him.

Hi flyer I hope you and A have a better day today. I think Angel kisses are like stork marks, but on the eyelids rather than forehead/nape of neck so should hopefully just fade over time. Hope all her blood results are reassuring and you're less sore. Glad that you DP is being so great and our family have managed to visit her.

Glad things are a bit brighter this morning for you flyer. Hope Alexandra gets the all clear soon.
I woke up last night with terrible cramps got a bit giddy thinking maybe early labour but then threw up everywhere- yuk! Just been sick again so reckon I have a tummy bug. Not sure I could get any more uncomfortable and feeling a bit poo. SC 39+4

Congratulations to all you new mummies out there!

I have a massive party to go to tonight, 200 guests. Nothing at all appears to be happening down below so I reckon I can hit the dance floor in my glad rags or more realistically shuffle about painfully for 5 mins then have a nice sit-down while DP brings me goodies from the buffet.

Hopefully it is a labour sign not a bug shooting.

Imp dancing must be just as good as bouncing on a birth ball. Have fun, bring your notes just in case!

Morning all.
Thank you all so much for all your good wishes - it meant loads to me to read them while everything was kicking off here
It's funny, pre-pregnancy and birth I was quite a shy/reserved kind of person, but in the last two weeks I have completely lost all sense of self-consciousness over my body, culminating in me whipping my boobs out in front of anyone and everyone over the last week. And normally stoic, I have sobbed unashamedly, publicly for pretty much the last 24+hrs.

The news for Al is looking good - all his blood tests are coming back clear, though I hope never to have to hold him down while they insert canulas into his tiny body ever again
It looks like the issue really is me and my milk
Though my milk looked like it was coming in day3/4 it hasn't done so properly. So the poor boy was feeding constantly for no reward. And it doesn't matter how many people are telling me that sometimes this just happens, that I've done nothing wrong, I can't escape the crushing feeling of guilt and failure.
I've been perma-latched to an electric pump, which is having a positive effect on one boob, but not the other, yet and feeding Al on the breast every three hours, topped up with any results from expressing with formula, from a sippy cup.
Sad and exhausted, but so relieved he is finally getting what he needs. We may be here some time, though.

Congratulations to all the new arrivals - the FB photos really make me smile
And to Flyer - hope your Al is out of special care and you feel less sore, soon x

Thinking of you Flyer It does sound as if the situation is being well-monitored though but you and dp must be extremely stressed xx
I've had the stork marks on eyelids for 2 of my dcs and they totally disappeared after a few mths iirc.
Re: formula, what I do is sterise bottles, pour recently boiled water in, then store the bottles with just water in in the fridge. I then get the bottle out at feed time, heat up until pretty hot in microwave and then cool in jug of cold water. I suppose I could do one at a time, but it does help with my organisation to get them washed in batches, and just take bottle as I need. Out and about it's cartons, and also at night, though I am finding the cartons are pretty cold when I come to need them in the night, even if stored under the bed covers...
This is a great group, with so much support - wish I had joined a lot longer ago!

More to all the new mums from me as well - especially those struggling. Thinking of you Flyer, and little A.

What's the latest on Eliana, MoN? Sorry if I've missed an update (so much going on!) Thinking of her too.

SC at 39+3, but ELCS tomorrow for my breech baby. Very weird that this is my last day without being a mum. And pleased to hear from Flyer that the maternal instinct kicks in quickly, as I do worry a bit whether I'm bonded enough with this baby.

Checking in to catch up later x