November 2014- Thread 6- Pink, blue or yellow? 20 week scans coming up for the rainbow collective

[Alita7]

Wow this makes me feel so far along! Nearly halfway!

Went back to gp today signed off for another 2wks this nausea has to end ! 16wks on thur

Checking in!

Same as Oklahoma, still suffering with sickness and I think finding out the gender is going to be a positive aspect to the pregnancy! Everyone is convinced it's another girl as I was poorly last time as well (although not for this long... :-( 18+2 today)
Scan a week on Monday, can't wait!

Found out last time and it helped with the bonding, I want to find out to help DD as well. We are talking about it a lot and she is convinced it's a girl so it would be nice to confirm if this is true or not!

Kate they got it wrong? I thought boys they always got right. On my scan I saw its little bits sticking out. Will ask for confirmation on the 20 week scan now though!

Nightnanny, hope you feel better soon. Is that how it really is ? Feeding every two hours for an hour? I think I underestimated the whole feeding thing! How long does that phase last, or in other words, how long do you get no sleep at all during the night?

Blamber I exclusively breastfed DD and she was sleeping through at 6 weeks.

I think that's why people always suggest to 'top up' with formula at night as it's heavier, fills their stomach for longer and keeps them asleep.

I know that I had my mum/aunty/etc suggesting I 'top up' DD so I could get some sleep!

Blamber...I wouldn't worry...I think out sonographer was a bit pants....she couldn't tell whilst scanning then when she looked back at images she said def boy (I've since heard numerous ppl say it should never be predicted off still images only during a moving scan) and she said her colleague looked at the images too and also said def boy. Being the first time we didn't question it...but I was glad we did actually know correctly before the birth!
I cannot remember anything about how it went first time round with nighttime n feeding...although I only breast fed for a couple of weeks in end before going to half n half n then fully formula (couldn't get on with the breastfeeding)

Afternoon all! Just catching up and marking my place - so exciting we're nearing the halfway stage

Got my 20 week scan two weeks on Thurs and we're hoping to find out the flavour - never have been one for surprises lol! Although we're both fairly convinced it's a boy so I'll be surprised if the scan reveals otherwise!

Have expanded rapidly seemingly overnight and woke up yesterday with a prominent bump which didn't go down and feels like it's get bigger as I watch! Oh, and definite porn star boobs which DH is loving!

Been having a sneaky read thought the Scary Mommy blog New Baby Guide at work while waiting for our ad sales team to find another £4k so we can get this month's magazine planned - www.scarymommy.com - it's frickin hilarious! And terrifying!

Blamber, I had 1 hour feeding every 2-3 hours for a long time with DS. It's just one of those things, unfortunately. It mostly happen during the first 6 weeks then later on during growth spurts. Co-sleeping and sling wearing will get you through a lot of it, hopefully.

Babies mostly get the majority of their milk at night time as well. Feeding at night releases a hormone sends you and baby back to sleep...apparently....DS didn't get THAT memo!

Afternoon all!
Its an exciting charge towards 20 week scans.....

All babies are different. Just because 1 baby fee alot all night doesnt mean yours will. Equally they might. Some babies will sleep the night through from an early age - others dont. Their tummies are so tiny that alot of them need to be fed through the night. It can seem like a terrible competition sometimes - when you are chatting to other mums who are like " oh my suchandsuch is a WONDERFUL sleeper - she slept through 12 hours from 4 days old - never a whimper!!" and yours is managing 3 hours at the longest stretch and you wonder what the heck you are doing "wrong".

I exclusivley bf DD and she seemed to constantly feed through the night at times. She wasnt a fast feeder so in the early days - she would feed for 1.5 hours, i would get her changed and settled and then she would be up an hour later for the whole cycle to start again. I remember sitting watch DP sleep like the proverbial baby and think - how come our 'real" baby never sleeps like that? DD was always grim to get to sleep - i got my first full night sleep when she was 2.5 ...... (remind me again why i have decided to do this another time !!! )

Amongst my friends - the babies who bottle fed did tend to sleep longer through the night. DD refused a bottle of expressed milk - never let a teat past her lips so it was up to me for all night feeds. It did get easier when i kinda "gave myself over to it" and dozed whilst she fed....

I just hope ninja is like me, I was a sleeping angel apparently and even though I was exclusively breast fed, I slept 6 hrs from day one and after 3 weeks 8 hrs. Fingers crossed :p

I know what you mean weeonion

I know we're all sharing experiences but I never know whether I'm going to offend someone/seem like I'm in conpetition with them on here, just telling people what happened to me!

DD has always been a good sleeper through the night but has very very very rarely had naps during the day, from day 1, so she's probably worn herself out by bedtime!

I'll second what the others have said Blamber, I've worked as a maternity nanny and night nanny on and off for last 11 years and must have looked after more than 50 newborns - there are some that sleep 10.30pm-6am by about 6 weeks, there are some that won't do that until 12-14 weeks or even much much longer.
They are all different, plus reflux, colic and allergies can play a part.
A formula top-up at night can help because it is often more filling than breast milk and it means they can go slightly longer, plus you have a better idea of how much they are taking, but then breastmilk is the most amazing substance and might be worth the slower feed times and more frequent feeds. Plus breastfed babies can absolutely sleep well too.
I night-nannied two weekends in a row about a month ago for a little boy who was 2 weeks/3 weeks; he had expressed milk at 10.15pm and was clean, swaddled, fed 90mls and asleep by 11.00pm and went until between 2.30am-3am, a formula feed and settling took about an hour and he slept until 6.30-7.15am - absolutely brilliant for his age and certainly very manageable in terms of tiredness.
I'm going back this weekend to help as it's all gone 'wrong' and the parents are utterly exhausted.
He is now 9 weeks and is still both breast and bottle fed. He had a dairy allergy diagnosed so formula milk changed twice, mum's diet changed and has been very unsettled ever since.
He is now apparently going 11-1am, awake, unsettled, hungry but not feeding much and grizzly for several hours, finally rocked/fed back to sleep by 3.30am, awake again at 4.30-5am then finally falling deeply asleep at 6.30-9.30am!
They are so tired as they have a full on toddler too.
Hopefully I can help them get his feeding and sleep back on track.
I had another job in from my agency today - 5 month old twins that wake up EVERY HOUR through the night.
You never can tell what you'll get but I find having a flexible routine and regular feeding and sleeping times helps as you both know what to expect when and can work towards gradually stretching sleeps and feeds, some people prefer to follow baby's lead and love co-sleeping and breast-feeding baby to sleep for the closeness and bonding - others want a firm, consistent routine and baby sleeping in Moses basket/cot from early on.
I feel sure I'll be pretty regimented and routine-led for my own sanity but I may well end up being the absolute opposite with my own - I'll have to wait and see!

petal -ach no way - it was no direct reference to yourself!

it was more the point that none of know what will happen, what kind of little people will be joining us in a few months and what will work will for them / us! I certainly wasnt prepared for the possibility that my dd wouldnt sleep alot and what a reality can be. I had kinda set the benchmark of successful parenting parenting as being a baby that slept through - especially as that was all some people seemed interested in / wanted to know.

so much pf parenting can feel like a competition and race - about sleeping, eating, crawling, walking, talking etc etc. I remember in one baby group that i was part of where it seemed like everyone was having a fab time with text book babies who never squeaked unless scheduled to. After about 6 weeks of hearing their stealth boasts - i remember blubbing that i was having a crap time of it and what was i doing wrong. 3 other mums also burst out crying and admitted that they hadnt said what a grim time they were also having as they were so afraid of being judged / seen as lacking!

None of us are perfect and none of our babies will be. It can be awfully tough at times and hearing others experiences, getting support is what gets us through the good and not so good times!

Just checking in on the new thread.

Barmy - I have been really irrationally annoyed with DH over the last week and have been nagging him a lot, and even though I know I'm going over the top, I can't seem to stop myself. I do feel sorry for him and hope he puts it all down to pregnancy hormones. Last night I had a massive go at him for putting some dirty plates in the dishwasher when it had just finished and needed to be emptied!

Winter - that's really unfair. When do you go on maternity leave? Bet you're counting down the days.

My doppler has arrived tonight and I have just finished using it. I think I have found the heartbeat :) At first I was unable to find anything, then I found one which I thought was it for a bit, but then it occurred to me it was too slow, so I think it was my own, maybe an artery or something. Finally I found one, really low down, much lower than I thought it would be, only just above the hairline. I counted and it was about 145bpm, so I think that's the baby :) I would have thought at 19 weeks it would have been higher, the one I found at first was by my bellybutton. I guess it's still pretty low

Yes I guess none of us know what is waiting for us! Terrible that some muns feel they have to lie or get judged. We should all be supporting each other. An Internet forum like this might be a good thing, as we can be honest and anonymous!

Hopeful I'm so glad you found the heartbeat easily. They are usually still quite low down at this stage. Hope you're feeling better now you've heard it.

Hmm. Having a bit of a stress now. 16+6. Not put on much weight and no real bump yet although trousers tighter, symptoms going away a but and no movement yet. The midwife wouldn't listen last week for Hb as said it was too early.DP says I'll only stress if I get a Doppler but I'm stressed now that it's all gone wrong. I've also had more general discomfort in lower back and across front the last few days. I have dropped off a urine sample as have stuff to send off repeat tests without seeing doc because I've had so many before, but won't get results for a couple of days. It doesn't feel like my usual UTIs though. Haven't rung anyone but am just worrying that well get to the 20 week scan in 3 weeks and there'll be nothing. I think telling everyone this week has made me more paranoid that things will now go wrong. Somebody slap me and tell me I'm being a lunatic!

FTMK - I am exactly like you. I am always panicking that something has gone wrong. I did not have much bump until about 16 weeks. Weeks 17-19 it has suddenly increased massively. There are others on here wishing for more of a bump too so you're not the only one. I also can't feel any movement and I'm 19 weeks. I have put off getting a doppler for so long because I was worried it would stress me out but now I'm glad I've got one and wish I'd done it sooner. I'm sure all is fine. Sending a virtual hug

Omg those first few weeks +/- sound intense. But a lot of you are doing it again so it can't be that bad?! What do DP's do through the first bit? Have their heads bitten off by overtired partners. Going to be such a shock after sleeping so much while pg.

Try not to worry, although I think that's a bit mean on the midwife not to have a listen - I had my 16 week check two days before 16 weeks and she found the heartbeat immediately.
I've got quite a bump but still haven't really felt anything - I really thought I had WEEKS ago but now I'm really not so sure. I'm 19 weeks on Friday.
I have had to odd random brief pain or sensation but it doesn't feel like hat I expect movement to feel like so I don't think it is - or placenta has moved.
I don't think you need to worry, I didn't have much of a bump until the last two weeks but now there is no doubt about it.
I find it quite scary how my body is now totally out of my control!
But good, very good - it clearly know what to do even though I am terrified!

Venus, you got it in one, first grandchild on both sides and they tell us they have been waiting a long time for this .

Eastmids, sorry you are still feeling rotten! I hope it eases for you soon. I am totally with you about taking any help offered, but I am hoping to breastfeed and know I probably won't have got enough of a hang of it to express enough when baby is a week old, so him or her staying with grandparents at that stage isn't feasible I don't think. My parents live in Edinburgh though, and we live in Lincolnshire so they don't mean at their house although I hope they will be happy to have baby up there when they feel ready. My mum is talking about when they are staying near us after the birth, they are staying with us for a while then have access to a house for month so she is talking about there. We are more than happy for them to stay here . I agree that it's important to let them build their own relationship with the baby.

Glad to hear I am not the only one with irrational rage! Poor DHs , hopefully they realise it isn't intentional!

Hopeful if it was 145 bpm it was definitely baby. We've all mistaken our own for itl! I have a massive belly and am still using my Doppler for reassurance even though I'm going to look like Giant Haystacks by the end.

From what you've all described I am now SHITTING IT for the first year. We all must be crazy!

Am definitely going to think about a night feed being formula. My cousin did that - she bf the rest of the time but then gave baby a big bottle of "Hungry Baby" milk last thing. Baby slept through by three months. She still looked about 90 years old mind you!

Just getting it out there... My DP is being an asshat tonight. I have gone beyond rage to the verge of tears.

Seriously contemplating going to bed.

Hello all. Don't worry about lack of bump. With my son last time I didn't show at all until 30ish weeks. Definitely showing more this time round now I'm 18+5 scan next Thursday excited!!!

Gotta dash to Daisy class but just wanted to send you a BIG hug Twiglet. Xxx