October 2013: The Fourth Trimester - the bit no one warns you about!

[roxvox]

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

Sparkleigh....congratulations!!! Welcome tothe outside world little baby spark!!!!
Xx

clapham I'm so happy baby's on the way for you. Go baby go! Good luck.xx
Big congrats imp (hope recovery is going well) and sparkleigh and to all the new arrivals whilst I've been AWOL from the thread. Most of you know via fb thar Cyrus was born mon lunchtime 6lb 9 oz and is perfect. We're home now and have survived the 1st night. He is feeding well but feeds for ages. Seems to sleep between 2-3 hrs in between. So I guess so far so good.
Sending lots of love to those struggling with feeding, I now have a whole new level of empathy of the stress it must cause. I pray he carries on as he's started. I have to say bf is not my favourite thing so I hope I start to like it more!
I need to confess I caused trouble on the delivery suite by accidentally ( I promise) kicking the midwife in the head as she gave me local anaesthetic before stitching me up. Caused her to stab herself with my bloody needle so she had to go off to a and e for bloods and examination and they had to retest me for all the obvious diseases! Then it was decided that the registrar would do it and I'm pleased to say I managed not to cause any GBH to him. Though I felt like it when he suggested a spinal as I cried while he injected the local. I had just had the baby with nothing! I was surely allowed to cry with the pain! I told him.... You just stitch, I'll just cry.
flyer big hugs to you and Alexandra, I think you are coping amazingly. You have had such a rough time and you're still going strong, be good to yourself. And your baby is a total beaut.
Love to everyone else and thanks for all the lovely fb messages. Thank you for all the thread info, truly helped me cope with the induction. Never thought I'd be drawing on the strength of strangers during labour but I really was so thank you all for sharing so much over the last months and wks.
Right, enough thread hogging, better go and do something mother-ish. Xx

Good luck clapham xxx

Congrats sparkle !!

for mnippy

(((Hugs))) for notso

Eeeeek - go Clapham

Congratulations to new arrivals, but loving Ready's kicking story!

Today, I'm going to attempt our first long cross-country walk. This could end in disaster...

Go clapham go!

Just had to re-read your kicking story ready Brilliant! (As a dentist I have been 'attacked' a few times in my career and never taken it personally!)

Congratulations to all the new babies, only 39 hours for these 'October' babies to be evicted [thismile]

Hehe ready that is hillarious, just shared with dh :-)

Haha ready, oh dear!

Congratulations Sparkle & Ready
How are you doing Smitten

And Clapham at last!! Hope you've got little C in your arms xxx

Love your story Ready, I know it was an accident but I bet a lot of us felt like doing that to the needle-wielding midwife!

My cat has found revenge for us bringing T into the house- I've just discovered cat hair all over the moses basket My fault for leaving it in the living room i guess as T's been sleeping with me. Darn cat. Got to wash everything again now. And pray she hasnt left fleas in it..... grrrrrr.

yey go clapham!! and congrats spark :)

Great news Clapham I hope it's a swift labour. He obviously wanted to arrive before Halloween

Things slowly getting worse here Alexandra now refusing to feed I have no idea what to do anymore

I no its not what u wanted flyer but have u tried switching to just ff? And trying a different formula incase she doesn't like the one u have? Xx

Flyer
When did she last feed? Still producing wet and dirty nappies?

Go Clapham! Hope you're at hospital now x

Mnippy DH is the same. V irritating.

Go clapham! how exciting!

Ready I had a similar experience with my stitches, I jumped about a meter off the bed (in stirrups while feeding baby!) when she did a deep injection, they were rather impressed with my ability to move! I also swore like a fish wife throughout the stitching, when I wasn't giggling on gas and air

flyer I really hope u get some help and advice that works soon, it must be so stressful, when u can try and have a shower/bath and a little space and calm chill out, you are doing the best u can in getting help but need to look after yourself too xx

ready hah! That is hilarious!
pinkforboys did you know you can buy a cat net to put over the Moses basket? From mothercare and amazon, quite cheap if I remember rightly.
flyer sorry it's getting so difficult. Can you call one of the helplines, NCT or laleche league or get your midwife round?
FF, if she would go for that, is worth trying too.

Flyer hugs from here too. Can you call DPs cousin today and ask for any advice?

Sanji Thanks for the reminder...a cat net was the first thing my Mum bought for me, I just completely forgot about it

Paternity Leave is turning into working-from-home/DIY-leave. DH has argued with DS more than played with him (which was the half-term plan) and is now up a ladder repairing the front of the house. He's also announced that tomorrow he needs to do some drawings. Poor DS. So much for an entertaining half-term break... I haven't had a hormonal breakdown yet, but when I hear the two of them arguing over something DS has done I'm on the edge. Co-parenting is hard work

Flyer how long since A's had a proper feed? Check her fontanelle - if it looks sunken she could be dehydrated. Nappies also a sign, if she's not weeing much etc. I think if I were you I would take her to the hospital if she has any symptoms of dehydration. Not worth messing about, and understandably it's making you very stressed and worried. Really hope she starts feeding properly soon

Nat we are trying aptimal she point blank refuses to take it from a bottle.

The health visitor just called me told her that she last fed at 5am (small feeble feed) and she told me I have to go to Alder Hey. So off we go

flyer try Nuk latex teat bottles Ds found it very difficult to feed and these are the only ones that worked they are very soft and easy to get milk from for a weak feeder, also he despised aptamil may be worth trying a different brand there a very subtle differences in them xxx

Well fingers crossed flyer if ur at the hospital and there is something that can be done i.e tongue tie they just bloody get on and do it! Seems ridiculous to keep passing u from pillar to post, lets hope u see someone with some common sense! xxx

flyer good luck I hope they can get the tongue tie fixed asap. Hang in there.

clapham hoping the lack of updates is all good news

Whoop whoop Clapham!

Sanji - re 30 secs of pain... Check latch etc but its not abnormal and good that it goes.... It should ease off soon, bit like I said, triple check latch. I find that the first latch the baby gets is sore, so after a suck or two, I latch off (with my little finger) then on again and it seems better.

Sparkleigh - huge congratulations!!!!

Ready - welcome Cyrus! Fab name! Love the kicking! I kicked the surgeon in the middle if my cervical stitch op at 24 weeks..... Under GA!!!

Flyer - I guess they'll prob tube feed (they almost did this to V because of low blood sugars) until she's got enough energy to feed herself again. Are you pumping in case you want to go back to bf? The hospital will led you a fab pump if you wish x

Notsoold - I had to top up V with formula until she got back to birth weight. I pumped to improve supply for those few days as well. She bfeeds (and gains) like a trooper now!!! I expect it'll just be for a few days. Don't cry!!!!