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

[Bronzemoth]

Congratulations imp

smitten and clapham wishing you positive baby appearing vibes.

sanji well done on managing the pain after such a stressful build up.

Finally some good bf news for me. N has got back to his birth weight so I'm 'allowed' by the mw to feed on demand rather than a 2 hourly cycle. I'm so relieved he is doing okay and lovely not to have to wake him on such a strict schedule anymore but trust our instincts.

[Flyer747]

Will catch up later.

Just at docs with dp Alexandra totally refusing to feed all day....and is really lethargic so worried

[Smitten1981]

Hope she's ok Flyer.

[GTbaby]

Pink my lo looked like a snack shredding his skin. Really bad.

With DS1 went to a baby massage class. Instructor asked if we would drink baby oil. Obviously not. She said babies put their hands in their mouth, so don't use anything we wouldn't eat.
I use tesco olive oil. It worked a treat. Used it for a week, few times a day on hands. Once a day on tummy back n legs.
I got given quite a few posh massage oils at baby shower but used none as olive oil is great (also excellent for taking off eye make up)

[chickieno1]

Hope she's alright flyer

[GTbaby]

Snake! Lol

[whistlingdixie]

Slippy call & go to your hospital's antenatal triage and tell them you think your waters have broken. They'll check and might sweep at same time (ps they have to check your waters as if they have broken the 24hrs count down to induction starts). Good luck!!!

After some difficult days BF, we seem to have turned a corner here... fx!! As a serial lurker, your stories and posts about what you have been going through and your advice have been a great help to me. Thanks :-)

Good luck to those SFW or SWIL. I may not post much but I check in regularly to see how you're getting on. I will be lurking & sending you labour vibes until everyone on the bus has their bundles of pooing, peeing, feeding, crying joy!!

[Natalieand]

Oh dear I hope A is ok flyer xxx

Hugs to all those SC and SFW xx

Congrats imp and anyone else I'm forgetting.

H was weighed today (day 12) and has gained 60g (2.5oz) since he was born and were formula feeding MW says its a good weight gain and has discharged us. I also asked about him sleeping 10.30-5.00 without feeding and if I needed to wake him as a few of u mentioned not to leave him that long she said now feeding is established and he feeds fine in the day its ok to leave him as long as he wants overnight xx

[roxvox]

Thanks bowlfull. 15 hours of feeding?! Bleddy hell that must've been tough. I'm not sure if it's something A might have, but the fact it's only been in the last 24 hours that she's changed has made me wonder if it's just something I have eaten, so I am going to see what she's like tomorrow.

slippy that sounds horrible. I really hope you progress or get some pain relief soon.

natalieand well done with H! Lucky you with your long nights now!

flyer I hope Alexandra is ok

[claphammama]

Congrats imp! Very quick for a first birth. Enjoy your cuddles!

flyer really hope your little girl is ok... glad you are being seen by a doc. Thinking of you and little Alexandra xx

slippy sorry to hear you are in so much pain... hope you manage to see someone and things start moving for you soon. Sometimes early labour can take days... do you remember falcon and nelly's stories? Hope they can do something to speed it up for you.

legally and chickie thanks for your earlier posts and for reminding me what's important. As always, you pressed all the right buttons and said all the right things. legally yes, my first labour was exactly like your first labour (only difference - I was induced at 39 weeks because of meconium in waters but exactly the same birth story otherwise!) And it really doesn't matter once they are here. If I have to do it again, so be it... Thanks both for reminding me that what really matters is that I will have a healthy mature newborn who had lots of time inside to get ready for the world. I also need to remember how lucky I am to be able to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy. Your words really made me feel better and woke me up a bit. Thanks again - you are so busy with your babies and you still find time to give so much support to everyone here. A massive hug xxx

On a separate note, I had a massive meltdown and pregnancy rage episode earlier. We had a tiny leak in the top bedroom which we found months ago. I kept telling DP we needed to fix it and make plans before it gets worse and before the winter (told him probably 20 times over the last 6 months). But he always thought that changing our light bulbs to funky LEDs, researching new kitchens online (although we won't change for years anyway) and doing other totally non urgent things was more important... and now, after last night's storm, the leak is obviously much worse... and in response to me being annoyed about it, he said it was also my fault as I SHOULD HAVE NAGGED HIM MORE...?? Here comes proper and full on pregnancy rage and tears (my little baby will now have to live in a leaking house)... and despite my hopes, even the rage didn't lead to labour... but, honestly, did your DH ever blamed you for "not nagging him enough"...? And they say women are complicated...

[claphammama]

ps. thanks for the acupressure tips dontworry! I shall research it right now... sorry your DS is poorly... NOT a good time to have a sick toddler... I hope things will happen to you before your Monday appointment.

nat good news about H's weight gain and he seems to be sleeping so well too! lucky mummy

[claphammama]

and congrats georgie! sorry I'm reading everything backwards today... also, thank you for your positive sweep story!

[PseudoBadger]

Flyer I hope Alexandra is ok xxx

[xuntitledx]

Midwife visit today and LO has gained 6oz - only another 6oz to go before he reaches his birth weight and we can be discharged to the HV so (hopefully) final midwife visit next friday.

Going to have to make a GP appointment tomorrow though as LO has a lump under his eyelid and it's swollen and pink - hopefully nothing too serious though!

Also feeling like I'm over the breastfeeding hump - we have a good latch and the cracking is healing which is a good job as we're on for hour number 4 of tonight's cluster feed

[GTbaby]

Clapham if he ever accuses u of nagging again you will forever have a perfect come back.

[JellyCurls]

Flyer hope A is ok and just being a little madam

Was changing JellyBaby this afternoon and noticed his arms, legs, hands and feet were blue but they weren't cold. Rest of him was nice and pink so very strange. Has anybody else had a blue baby

[OrangeBlossom2]

Waves to lurkers and congratulations imp.

Today I thought sod it I am demand feeding and Thomas has been a star. He has shown me he is hungry by chewing his hands or rooting, has had lots of ten minute feeds throughout the day, latched himself on a couple of times and actually did a better job than I do and stays awake when feeding. We are still doing the bottle every four hours and it was actually nice having one less time to get up in the night but breastfeeding whenever he wants it and I have really enjoyed a cuddly relaxed day with my baby. He weighs 3090g and has to get back up to to 3210g before we are released, that seems so close now it's over 3kg. Thanks all for your support,it helped me realise he is my baby and I don't have to follow whatever the most recent MW has told us if it doesn't feel right.

We also had his first bath today and he enjoyed it, I thought he would scream! He used to like me splashing water over him when he was my bump too.

And (so far) I haven't cried today. A Good Day!

[claphammama]

I know gt I'm going to feed off that comment for years...

Glad you feel more relaxed about everything now orange. MWs and HVs should be here to help not to police and bully young mums!!

[dontworryjustpanic]

Hope Dr's appointment goes well flyer.

Congrats to Georgie & imp - sorry if I've missed anyone.

Sorry to hear about the leaky roof (wad it you Clapham?) - last thing you need. I think we have a small leak too - my head is stuck firmly in the sand tho, it's just too much to deal with right now!

[roofio87]

urgh. H has just been crying all day today. It's just wind, its just so hard when he's so unhappy. its really getting me down

[rubytwosday]

I feel exactly the same Roofio. I know there is nothing seriously wrong with her but she is just so unhappy and unsettled. Its heartbreaking and exhausting. DH has just bought home a dummy ( or is soother a better term? ) which is keeping her quiet but I feel bad for using it and worry that I now won't know when she is hungry and that she will just cry unless there is a dummy stuffed in her face.

[Natalieand]

ruby... U will know if she's hungry a dummy might work the first few times u put it in but she will just continually spit it out if she's crying for food and not comfort

[rubytwosday]

Thanks for the reassurance Nat.

[BowlFullofJelly]

Your post made me smile orange, glad you have had a better day, and good on you for having the confidenceto follow your instincts, that's not easy first time round when you are being told something totally different by health care professionals.

[Pinkforboys]

orange glad you've had a good day

flyer really hope A is okay xx

clapham now you've got something to sort out in the house the law of sod says you'll go into labour x

ready, imp, georgie Congratulations!!!!!

Acupressure points... find the fattest bit between your thumb and forefinger when you squeeze them together, then press that point when hand relaxed; the similar point between your big two and next toe- about a 3cm towards the ankle. I as told to squeeze all 4 points at once might need to recruit OH for that!
Good luck xx

Thanks for the olive oil advice...