September 2014 - Babies are starting to make an appearance!

[lilone1234]

A few babies have already arrived, with more due to make their entrance soon, and it's not even September yet!

dinah I forgot to say about the expressing, that every little bit counts and when I first started I could only manage 2-5ml and we were using syringes to collect it.

Likewise cookie.

Cookie - don't feel bad! Every baby is going to catch a cold sooner or later, and taking them out is certainly not a bad thing!

beccus I've replenished the flapjacks in my snackbag twice already and it needs doing again!

beccus I'm the same. We have lots of different snacks around the house, but I seem to crave only these in my hospital bag So far I've been holding myself from eating them, but don't know how long I'll be that strong!

cookie Really, don't beat yourself up. Every baby is different, but each of them will get cold sometimes.

dinah Good you're finally at home, hope you recover soon and will be enjoying lovely time with your little girl. I believe you'll get good news!

Random question: as September is such a busy month for babies and we have a full moon coming up what happens if the labour ward's full when you go into labour? Do they send you elsewhere?

Inbl00m I wouldn't worry about more births in September. July and August are very busy months too, but there are more staff off on holiday. Equally, in the winter, more staff are off sick.

inbloom if the hospital is full they will send you somewhere else if they really don't have anywhere to put you. I think it's quite unusual though, as most hospitals have overflow beds.

Cookie- taking baby out will NOT have given them the cold. Please don't feel bad about it. It's good for their immune system.

I've finally bought snacks for labour bag. Got drinks too, cooling in the fridge. Didn't eat anything last time but would be nice to have something for afterwards incase we have to stay and to keep dh from moaning so much

Massive congrats to all the new mums and their babies. Sorry have been off the radar, have been reading but getting myself upset as I'm beyond fed up and desperate for this baby now.

Due a sweep this week so fingers crossed that sets things off.
Dd has been a nightmare, really badly behaved and crying at everything. Making me not want to take her anywhere and feeling like I can't cope. I know some of it is probably reacting to how I am at the moment (exhausted and hormonal) but it's so hard when it's constant and all day.

Sleep is eluding me. The spd is awful, can hear and feel grinding clicking and popping all day. Agony. Heartburn and indigestion making me sick and waking me at night.

I'm afraid I don't suffer pregnancy well (can't you tell?! ) and am desperate for this to all be over. Officially have 1 day left but dd was late and the thought of another 2 weeks makes me cry.

Plenty of sobbing to dh bless him. I just start crying all of a sudden and he's so surprised by it! I keep reminding him it's like strapping dd to you all day everyday and trying to carry on as normal (weight wise) but I don't think he gets it still.

Anyway! Here's to some labouring women this week what with the full moon! Fingers crossed and cervix's open!

Good luck to all and again, to the new mums.

cookie thank you I just need people to tell me that I suppose. DH doesn't seem to supportive at the moment, I know he's tired it's been a stressful week, he's very snappy & I'm not feeling very loved, he's good with Evie though, perhaps I'm just being sensitive but I could just do with a bit of a boost!

Sorry to hear about all the issues you've been having Dinah, it must be really tough. I hope you get an answer soon. And yes, definitely every little bit helps. What brand pump are you using? I found my Avent pump so much better for expressing than the Toys R Us (I think?) one my SIL lent me. Plus it does take a while at first.

What a ridiculous thing for your mum to say cookie, children catch colds the same way as every one else - from a virus, not from daring to venture outside! I hope you're not blaming yourself for it.

My husband has actually had to hide the treats for during labour Beccus - I have no will power and there's no way I could be trusted not to eat them if he hadn't. I've already devoured all the biscuits we specifically got for the midwives - shall have to buy more tomorrow.

Sorry to hear things are so bad for you Show, I have PGP rather than SPD (I think there's a bit of a difference) and it's made the last few weeks really hard.

Every evening I get period cramps before going to bed, last night painful enough to take paracetamol. Every morning I wake up labour free. Husband has gone out with friends tonight so you'd think surely Sod's Law would kick in, but I know it won't!

dinah, I will be taking baby out asap. it's good for me to get out of the house and good for baby to get some daylight to help regulate sleep, ie acclimatising to night & day. evie probably caught it in hospital

sorry, it was cookie's eli with cold, not dinah's evie...I need to go to bed ;)

dinah glad I could help :) I am still expressing trying to get my milk supply up, as Eli is still struggling to take the boob, I think it is because there is no instant milk like there is with a bottle, he will initially suck them can't be bothered. Lazy like me

Any way went with a bit of a ramble there, if you ever need to talk I will be here :)

Congrautlations Don't and Cumbrian and anyone else I've missed.

showme, velvet and ella After months of taking antacid tablets daily, and terrible heartburn, I bought some Ranitidine today and I've only taken 1 x 75mg tablet and my heartburn is much improved. I'm so happy! It's safe in pregnancy and was only £2 off the shelf in Boots. Can't believe I didn't try this sooner!

dinah glad you are home. Sounds like you've been very brave. Good luck with the feeding and expressing.

red would you say it's worth getting an electric pump before baby is born then? I've been considering this - but they're not cheap. I hope to breast feed, but I know its really not easy.

cookie babies get colds no matter what you do or don't do. Please don't blame yourself. You can do your best to be extra cautious and they will still constantly get poorly. It's part of them developing their immune system.

38 weeks today. Got one of them gym balls yesterday which I've quite enjoyed stretching and bouncing on. Bump still high and pretty sure baby is not engaged (wasn't on Tue when I saw midwife). Ridiculously emotional today. Emotions not been too bad for a while until this last week. Cried a few times today at ridiculous things - like spilling my coke and a tune on the radio. It's out of control! Oh and I squeezed my boobs, just to see, and yellowish milk came out. Wow - wasn't expecting it to be there yet. I guess I shouldn't do this, as baby is going to need it all when he arrives.

Oh I weighed myself today for first time since 12 week midwife appt. Put on 14kg in this pregnancy. Looked it up on nhs website and was surprised to see that's more than is recommended as I although I feel huge, I think I look the same, just with a massive bump and boobs.

Thank you everyone for your support.
Really hoping those waiting feel baby exit twinges very soon xxx

Just had to get back out of bed, my throat feels really uncomfortably tight. I have GERD so know it's almost certainly down to that - this pregnancy has really aggravated it - but got myself worried thinking what if I go into labour and have a tight throat and find it hard to breathe. Ack, blasted brain. Now I'm going to be conscious of my throat all night. I really hope this pregnancy is over soon and my GERD goes back to normal!

Well baby haven't got a name yet arrived yesterday morning weighing 8lbs8. Contractions crept up on me and were thick and fast by 6am when my waters went. A quick dash to birth centre showed I was fully dilated so straight in the pool to start pushing. Unfortunately this slowed everything down and his heart rate wasn't as regular as it should be so did the last desperate pushing out the pool on my back. Baby is fine thankfully, cord was tightly round his neck. Highly recommend a tens machine, I used that as my only pain relief and it wasn't completely unbearable apart from crowning

Just so tired now, he won't sleep in his cot or basket so doing hour shifts with DH swapping holding him pfb

BF is painful and not like I'd hoped, just can't get the latch right

Anyway, enough moaning, we're besotted already.

Awwww congratulations acorncat he is gorgeous.

Thanks Red and Lucid, that's put my mind at rest.

Congratulations Acorn, he's lovely!

Oh acorn he looks so snuggly congratulations :)

red would you say it's worth getting an electric pump before baby is born then? I've been considering this - but they're not cheap. I hope to breast feed, but I know its really not easy.

Honestly, I think this is one of those that really depends on what happens to you and more importantly I think how you feel.

I had no idea what I was going to do with feeding, and totally didn't appreciate how physically and mentally I was going to feel.

I personally would research my options ahead of time instead, including where you can get one at short notice. I would recommend 24hr supermarkets if it comes to it!!! As you say you don't know whether you will need one and they are expensive. (though if the alternative is formula then, the price is somewhat misleading).

You probably won't need one for a few days anyway. If you are having problems it will be fairly obvious, but you can hand express at first anyway.

I've been using a couple of different pumps (been lent one and bought one). They are definitely different. As are the bottles/teets. Some seem to be better for continuing breast feeding, some are better for preventing colic. Its not quite as bad as buying a pram, (especially as there are fewer options available) but its that kind of complicated. We were totally unprepared and just threw whatever in the trolley! Fortunately it does seem to be a reasonably good choice.