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

Hi everyone. I started posting had to pause as they bought A over and lost the original message. I now have a sleeping baby lying on me, doing skin to skin so typing one handed.

How exciting Orange, just think by this time tomorrow you will possibly have your own baby. I hope you get the water birth you wanted.

Clapham sorry to hear you are feeling give your dp a telling off from me, he needs to be looking after you now not upsetting you. I hope you feel better tomorrow xx

So A is back with me in my room she is super scrummy and like a
Little Michelin man with her fat arms and legs. It makes my heart melt when I see dp holding her in just her nappy it's so cute. She is a lovely baby but gets a bit angry and upset when she's hungry then as soon as she's fed she is happy and just sleeps until the next feed. Finding bf really tough basically it ain't happening. She looks for the nipple but can't seem to understand the latching part.

Shire that's quite a birth story.

Shooting I hope you feel better tomorrow.

So it seems that Alex is free of anything sinister so chuffed. They've ruled out herpes and menegitis they think it may be an infection caused through group b strep. It looks like we will be in for 5 days.

Can a c section expert tell me the pains in my uterus feel like a bad period pain is this normal? And have quite a lot of bleeding too, just looking for reassurance.

Hope everyone else ok. Good luck to all those having inductions over the next few days.

Nat Nat are you there Nat? Maybe you are swil or even better our first LIT?! I do hope so.

Hope she has a good night, soup - it is so hard to watch them go x

Apologies for the epic birth account - once I started it was really quite cathartic to get it all out

Hugs, Soup x

Could I ask a baby poo question of you all? We had a couple of meconium poos in the first 24 hours, but no dirty nappies since, just wet. I mentioned it to the midwife this morning and she said not to worry yet, but I'm wondering when it will become a worry - I remember breastfed babies having plenty of yellow poos??

Oh meant to say - she was born on Monday, so no dirty nappy since yesterday morning..

cross-post - that's fab news about A - so pleased for you xx

Wow, a big day for baby announcements and births. Congratulations to all!

Nat hope all is going / went well.

tucking, nope, not breaking ranks, no signs here, just had a busy day!

orange good luck!

shire great birth story, rubbish treatment to start with, but sounds like they listened to your opinion when it mattered.

flyer glad you have A back with you.

soup hope the feeding situation resolves soon.

Flyer - so happy for you guys! The pains are your uterus contracting. It can feel as bad a contractions! The faster it contracts the better really. Quite a lot of bleeding is normal. Do mention though if you are soaking through a pad in an hour OR if you pass clots bigger than a £2 coin.

Re bf, tbh, it's no huge surprise it's not really happening yet. She still has plenty of reserved AND she's pretty full on formula. Keep going with skin to skin and let preying. Kept getting the MW assistants to hand express colostrum into a syringe and give it to her, then try latching her. When your milk starts to come in, try pushing to give formula top ups only after trying to latch her and giving her expressed milk. If she's getting lots if skin to skin and looking for the nipple, I am sure she'll click with it in the next day or two. In my opinion, the MWs are a but too obsessed with quantity and lengthif feeds in the v early days. Keys is lots if skin to skin and offering feeds every two hours once milk comes in. Congrats again!!

flyer glad you're getting cuddle time with A.

well, I know the mw said it would take time to work and some people don't think it works at all, but wow infacol works on my baby!! he never burps and usually takes no more than 2oz of milk at a time, but after a few doses of infacol he's given me 5 massive burps and guzzled down 4oz!!!

Sorry for all the typos Flyer!

Super news roofio! Well done H!

flyer so pleased your getting cuddles. I remember being so pleased when the nurses mentioned getting Isaac out his incubator... But too scared to ask! Hope the next few days fly by.

Congratulations to all with new babies, loving the pics on FB. Not jealous in the slightest!

to those of you having troubles feeding. It sounds like you're all doing an amazing job in trying times. I'm trying to soak up all the advice flying around, this thread is an amazing source of support.

Thanks to Bowlfull for your positive BF story- sometimes it seems like it never works but I guess when things are going ok people don't say so.

Ana I had a friend round with her 9 month old yesterday who gave me a lesson in how un childproof my front room was! Luckily for us, they don't come out crawling!

Caz I like Lucinda and wouldn't worry about the similarities to Lucy.

Clapham your DP's comment about the name made me laugh, imagine if someone else at the hospital called their baby Conrad what would he do then?! Hope you're feeling better now though, I'm now at the back of the bus with you after previously rebelling against the rebels...

Hope Orange and Nat are progressing well- and that Untitled manages to go into labour before induction. Either way, babies soon for you all!

Shire your birth story was a gripping read, thank you for sharing. I'm glad you were listened to in the end despite some shocking treatment early on.

Flyer congratulations on getting baby A back with you. Skin to skin hugs must feel amazing

Tucking and Sanji I'm concerned that my baby may be patiently waiting in line behind yours. I would be very grateful if you could just get on with it Seriously though, I'm fed up of the calls/texts etc so to you and anyone else SFW.

40+2, at least I've finished the blanket now. I'm starting to think this baby is never coming out

Great news Roofio

I do not have any time to catch up with the thread but just wanted to let u all no that
Baby boy natalieand (still to be named) arrived today after a long induction at 1.32pm weighing 8lb 3.5oz we were home by 6pm gestation was 40+2 will catch up properly over the next few days xxx

Congrats nat!

Can I ask a personal question? I've started to pass little bits of mucus but not what I would think constitutes the whole plug. (Someone on here said it was more than you think?) Anyway I have suggested we dtd to get things moving and DH says you're not supposed to if you lost your mucous plug. Is that right? Do you think it applies to me? Would the risk just be inducing labour? I want my squishy baby soon like everyone else here!

congrats again nat! and good to see both your boys on FB. How was DD when you brought the baby home? Hope you have a good first night

flyer glad you have your little girl with you now and they've eliminated all the scary things. A glass of champagne for you and your DP? Why don't we have a champagne flute icon by the way...? such an oversight...

feminist we happily welcome you amongst the rebels hope they are not harassing you with "are we there yet" messages too much... is your dad already camping in front of your house?

shire what a story... makes me so sounds like you were deprioritised for not being a drama queen... glad everything ended up well but sorry it was so painful and traumatic... doesn't sound like a first world experience at all...

hope orange is contracting nicely.

mrsH we will need to arrange a little Conrad versus Conrad one day

hope everyone is OK tonight. I have a feeling I'm forgetting someone / something... my brain is gone... And my bank card is now blocked as I got my PIN wrong three times today. I combined PINs from two cards and was so sure that was the right number. I remembered the correct PIN only as I left the shop... the card I use every day...

DP is trying to make up for everything tonight. I asked DS's dad to have DS tonight as felt so low and physically exhausted. Couldn't face even the bedtime routine tonight... really need to dig myself our of this black hole before labour strikes...

After a day of regular feeds (she was constantly asking, so it was whenever I was able to stop and feed her, so about one an hour) I have sat with Ailla since 6pm and she has been constantly feeding since. Going from one boob to the next and back again. I am seriously starting to get very depressed with the constant crying in the seconds when she's not being fed, and my nipples are killing me too. Getting seriously fed up. Sorry for the me me me post, but I had to vent.

I an starting to relate to those of you who had early Oct babies popping in and not being able to remember who said what, who's had a baby and what they had...

flyer that sounds exactly like C with the feeding. He knows what to do (and has proven that he can do it, almost irritatingly well sometimes) but a lot of the time he's get the nipple in front of him.or even in his mouth and just sit there.

Now my milk has come in more i am much happier expressing knowing that he's getting a decent amount and we're feeding from a cup, even if a lot of it does dribble down his chin. They are going to lend me a pump to take home as well. So i feel much more confident going home (for our 4th wedding anniversary :)) tomorrow.

for rox and everyone else in need of them.

flyer so pleased you have A back with the all clear from the big things. Did it pick up an infection or are they still being over cautious?

orange good luck!!

clapham I'm so sorry you are feeling blue :( I hope DP understands the effect he has had and makes it up to you sharpish. It's good news DS dad is well enough to help out still.

rox you poor thing. I remember that from DS1, I remember crying in frustration because it felt endless, my boobs felt empty and yet he still wanted to keep going which began to get sore. I will say that it does pass and your evenings will not be spent like this for the whole of your breast feeding relationship

mrsh so glad your milk is in, congrats for tomorrow as no doubt ill forget by morn!

Clapham I'm sorry you're feeling low. Hope you feel better tomorrow.

soupqueen hope you're little one has woken up a bit and is starting to feed better.

for Roxvox and everyone who is struggling with feeding - it does get easier.

Hope those who are SC & SFW are doing ok and not getting too fed up, not much longer to go now!

Please someone tell me I'm normal I can't go to sleep as I'm so in edge to every noise she makes, and wondering "is that normal, should she sound like this" my brain can't switch off even though I'm so tired.

flyer totally normal. it was at least day 7 before I could sleep properly when H does, but it does get easier! (she says desperatly trying to get him to settle so can go back to sleep!!) how are you both?
rox sorry you're finding feeding so stressful. you're doing a fab job and I'm sure will setlle into a rountine soon!!

Morning ladies, Congratulations on all new babies!

Hope things are happening for you orange
and still hoping baby decides to leave off its own accord tonight untitled
flyer I think thats totally normal. I spent my whole first night awake listening to Isla breathing and checking everytime she made a noise. try to relax though as best you can. So glad shes back with you now. is DP staying with you?
clapham sending hugs your way, youve had so much to deal with on top of being heavily pregnant I really hope you and DP have a lovely night.

yey for the infacol roofio think we may have to give it a go, Isla also ridiculously windy. can hear it all in her tummy and is pretty much the only time she cries when she wakes up sore.

rox sending hugs there too. really hope youve managed to get some rest. was it you that asked about the painless feeding? with both of mine ive had pain initially even with latch being checked continuously. I also get a painful let down of my milk and did for 6 months with DS just those first few sucks were always toe curling. so dont think its true that it should always be pain free if your doing it right.

All ok here although still worrying about Islas sleepiness. last night and tonight she has slept for 6 hours... Im not sure whether to be grateful for the sleep or worry shes not getting enough milk. I havent been waking her as shes doing 4 yellow poos a day still so know shes getting something but shes also very sicky so just not sure. On the otherhand my body appears to be making gallons of milk which seems excessive for a 4 day old baby so maybe shes just getting more than I think. Midwife is coming tomorrow so am assuming they will weigh her then and I will know one way or another.

and to all struggling. sorry of ive missed anyone!

Also wanted to send special to soup hope your ok and little one is feeding better now xxx

Oh no flyer it can be like that the first few days (and sometimes later on). They can make a lot of noise these little humans! Try and get some rest .

Congrats nat it seemed like a long enough induction. Glad they didn't succeed in sending you home! How is your dd? Hope you're getting lots of cuddles xx

clapham hope you got some rest and your dp looked after you. Hope you feel better soon xx

shire unfortunately we've heard similar lack of privacy stories in hospital. My best friend laboured in a waiting room and then delivered her baby in a storage cupboard/room with no gas and air available! Just not good enough. Hope you're ok and that you and Al don't have to be in too long.

for you roxvox.

Dh away tonight for work. He s not back til tomorrow evening. Feel like a wuss as got a bit overwhelmed with juggling ds and dd tonight. Crazy when legally looks after twins and her dd and organises birthday parties!! Going to try and sleep now. Hopefully can get us out of the house tomorrow am.

Happy anniversary mrshn! Glad your milk has come in and you're being discharged tomorrow.

soupqueen for you. Hope baby wakes up and starts to feed.

Good luck orange and untitled

Hang in there to all those Sc and SFW. Xx

WHat a story shire I literarily relived labour pains again while reading it. Glad you have your beautiful baby now.

taking on day 3/4. Lo did not do a poo for two days, he had previously done mecomium poop, MW said not to worry and a scary poo was on the way, sure enough his next poop was the yellow ( he's being bf) one and it was a horrible mess down below. It's now more regular. I would say not to worry but speak to MW again if it lasts another day or so as long as he doesn't seem uncomfortable and is feeding well.

Congrats to all the new mums, hope we are all enjoying our snuggles and lack of sleep.