October 14. Thread 12. Still no babies? Let the raspberry leaf tea drinking commence

[YellowWellies]

New Fred

Shot = shit!

What's happened to your jaw bugs?! Sorry if you've already said...I was crap at keeping up yesterday!

The lentil loaf recipe is written down at home - I'll dig it out tonight and post some links to the daals/chickpea curries etc. BBC Food is a great source of recipes.

Was reading the September thread earlier and one poor girl's story has really frightened me - she had an EMCS but the hospital sounds really really short staffed so couldn't get pain relief during the night, no breastfeeding helpers working on the weekend, the midwives quite rough with her when trying to get the baby latched on, the hosp trying to discharge her before she is ready - baby hasn't established feeding. And now they think her baby girl might have a congenital/birth defect. Sounds like a horrible situation... hope she gets some help.

Fatpony the feeding issues and pressure to discharge usually result in being pushed toward FF as its quicker to teach someone how to make a bottle up than to BF. For all of the so-called NHS 'Breastapo' oft cited in the media - I've never met one! There's a much stronger pressure to FF if beds are scarce - as they always are in the baby boom months of September / October. So anyone thinking about BF - put that 100th pregnancy and labour book aside and get swotting up on BF - if you want to BF you can't assume staff in the hospital will be able to help - you may find yourself on your own. Knowledge is power. Labour is a couple of days and once its done its done - reading up on feeding will be of much more long term use. I can't recommend Kate Evans 'Food of love' highly enough

Yellow when I had ds I noticed a big difference in mws between labour ward and postnatal ward.
Luckily there were a couple of health care assistants that sat with me and helped with bf. I had to ring my bell to ask for help so felt a pain but knew if I didn't get help in hosp I might not have persevered when I got home. So don't let short staffed wards put you off asking, there may be a volunteer or HCA that can help if mws are busy.

Sweet good idea! The last thing you want is to have to rely on the overworked MW pushing you out of the door with "I bottle fed all mine dear I don't know what the fuss is about" which is what my sister got told with her first! The pressure to BF antenatally just isn't matched by post natal support thanks to funding cuts.

I'm going to order that book...

I think I might give that one a go too. Heard lots about it. From what I've heard the worst thing is putting a lot of pressure on yourselves. As with everything I guess!

It's a great book, obv i haven't had a chance to put any of it into practice but I can already tell how helpful and supportive it will be, I love the informal style of it.
Late congratulations to mum2 being an auntie again and whoopwhoop to Littlewelly finally turning!

So impressed with all the batch cooking! I have a spag bol in the freezer and that's it! I found it really handy to have bits I could just shove in the microwave/oven last time so must get my arse in gear with that.

Had my 34 week appointment with my midwife today and came away feeling really excited . The next time she visits me will be at home to discuss my home birth plans and arrange a time to drop off all the bits like gas & air etc. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful midwife who hasn't even blinked at my plans to home birth or got caught up with my BMI like the nurse in the hospital did. I wish she could be the midwife for all you ladies too cos she's awesome! All my appointments will be at home from now on so no traipsing to the doctors and she has told me she will be there for the delivery weather she is working or not (as long as she's not with another woman obviously) just because that's just what she does for all home birth ladies

Definitely agree with getting clued up on BF now, the support in my area is really good but its so stressful learning as you go, much better to be armed with the basics before hand. Our surestart centres run a breastfeeding support group which you can attend before the baby arrives which I think I'll be doing, there is also a weekly boobie club in my local library which I think I might join too. I didn't manage to BF last time so that is very high on my list of wants this time around.

Oops that was a bit of an epic post, sorry!

Well i am just back from physio at my hospital where i will be giving birth ... I am bloody traumatised.,, as i was leaving there was a stampede of midwifes running by me shouting "the baby's out"!!! I turned the corner and the place was covered in blood with a women getting put on to a wheelchair and getting rushed by me ... With her wee husband following behind looking as chalk white as his wife did couldnt see the baby but i take it the head was out ?? The women was covered with blankets!! .. I hope to god she & baby are ok !! I am very shocked

There is a breast feeding café about half a mile walk from my house - open every day at 10.30. One reason I'm really glad I live where I do at the moment. The children's centre there is brilliant for new mum stuff.

First day with the kids in class today - by 2pm I was on a full-on waddle!! Can't be standing up all day, everything drops after lunch. Then once I've had dinner I can't breathe properly either. Yay. Should have pushed for a class of older kids - the little ones need you to get down to their level far too often for my knackered self at the moment.

Stigz - sounds like my sil! She couldn't sit in the wheelchair, she had to hold herself above it because the head was out. My brother said it was the longest 6 minutes of his life getting her from the car to a wheelchair, he still loses his sense of humour when he's talking about it. Anyway, baby totally fine! Just a bit speedier than planned... brother had also driven 120mph through a 30mph limit (at 2am, so not too awful), which was quite funny.

I'm finding the 'sat on the side of the bed' position a familiar one at the moment mum2 I end up in it at least every 2 hours now trying to bring my hands back to life, they're getting so painful at times now :(
Had a panic today as my hands and feet were both puffy and I started getting bright lights/ auras, phoned triage and my MW is calling in a while to check by BP. After a sleep the lights have gone and I'm just left with a dull headache so i'm thinking it was probably the start of a migraine - anyone else had this happen? I was convinced I was starting with PE and it was really scary not being able to see properly and in house alone without a car. Need to add car to the 'to buy' list!

Congrats yellow on the new baby position, that's brilliant news. I'm hoping MW will also check position for me when she calls in, I suspecting still at least transverse as I still have big bulges on my sides at times.

Re: BF support, I went to a drop in at children's centre and also had a session with NCT, bit of conflicting advice on getting latch - NHS advice was to make C shape with hand around boob, nipple up and bring baby's head towards it, NCT advice was to put baby on tummy nose to nipple and let them bob around and find it themselves. I'm guessing both work and i like the idea of it being a natural process of baby locating it, just wondered what other people been told/ used and what would recommend?

Sorry for long post!

p.s. my/hubby's batch cooking of chilli and sausage casserole is put to shame by your amazing recipes!

Mmmm, sausage casserole is being added to my list. Beef in Guinness. Spag bol sauce. Lots of meaty and cheesy soups I think mostly, since I expect I'll be back to no wheat come end of pregnancy. Need quick lunch options.

Any good sausage casserole recipes? Or soup?
I have a tasty spicy butternut squash soup recipe if anyone wants it?

Holy moley stigz that sounds awful [shocked]. I am sure it wasn't as bad as it looked though, you probably just caught the situation at exactly the wrong moment. Hope all concerned are ok too.

Forgot to say congrats on baby turning yellow! Bet that's a weight off your mind

clops, the BF advice I got last time was nose to nipple. I found trying to manoeuvre my giant boobs didn't work as they would just flop back out of DS's mouth once he'd latched causing an ouch! I am by no means an expert obviously though.

Clops of those two latch techniques I always followed the former NHS advice in the first few months as it was quicker than having a squawking frustrated baby rooting around for the nipple to just present him with it and shut him up! By 2 months they just dive on you like a hungry shark so don't need help .

Those sideways bulges could be knees/ thighs. J used to do an upside down Cossack dance with his massive thighs / knees stretching my bump out sideways. If baby is facing belly to back it can feel like they are transverse when they do this.

I made up the sausage casserole i'm afraid! tasted good though - just fried off onions, garlic and sausages (cut up into pieces), added couple of spoons of flour and then a bottle of spitfire ale, tin of tomatoes, lots of veg, beef stock, salt&pepper. Would have also put in henderson's relish/ worcester sauce if had any in, and also chucked in some chickpeas for added health benefits.
Thanks for the advice on the BF, I guess I may end up trying both depending on how easily it happens.
REally hope baby had turned, MW should be here shortly so keeping fingers crossed.
Yourt experience at hospital sounds scary stigz - one of the reason's i'm planning a home birth, seeing what might happen! I'm enjoying convincing myself my birth will be calm and peaceful and am not letting anything alter that. I understand things could change but I like not seeing/ hearing the possibilities! Having said that I have been watching 'In the Club'...

Agree with yellow and others get yourselves prepared for breastfeeding now. Look up positioning and attachment as this is where the majority of problems occur this is a good link, www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/watch-fbtb

As for mws pushing formula that doesn't happen where I work we are fully baby friendly accredited which means everyone is fuly trained in breastfeeding support and we do not hand out formula for non medical reasons nor do we have any sterilising equipment or milk kitchen for preparing feeds so cannot demonstrate how to sterilise an make up formula that would have to be done in the community. However all this training and pro bf ideology does not manifest into time to give support as we have so much do to and so many women and babies to look after it is impossible for us to give enough time. Luckily on some days we have volunteer bf support workers who are able to spend a long time with someone helping bf which is great. We also have mcas too but not enough. Also sept/oct are extremely busy for maternity which doesn't help.

Feck & Bugger! I have to go to hospital for a GTT! Went to my 34 week appt with midwife & urine was 4++ for sugar. Although I'd had 4 Colin caterpillars, a Chai tea from Starbucks & a bottle of raspberry This Water by Innocent before the test?! Think I have a chance of not having GD?

Me23 Thanks for the link, that's really useful. I am definitely going to take the advice and swat up on BF as I know a few people who have found this the biggest challenge.

I got over my first NCT experience... I did find it v useful, but perhaps I was the slightly annoying one who found some of it amusing though. I am going to some NHS classes too and am interested to see what the difference will be. I think the main difference will be the demographics, I'm hoping there will be a proper mix of people.

After I got back from NCT last night I had major heartburn and acid. It made me really sick and I'd eaten about 4hrs before! I too spent a lot of time sitting on bed not able to lie down... I just don't know how to avoid the heartburn. Can certain foods cause it?

Feeling for those suffering with back pain/SPD - can your GP refer you to osteo or acupuncture? Sometimes you have to push for it, but I've found it has made a difference.

Sorry to hear that Excited, I'm afraid I don't know much about diabetes, but I think that insulin should regulate your blood sugar levels. I was worried about mine last time as I'd had a milkshake beforehand, but they were fine... fingers crossed for you

excited don't worry urine is not a reliable indicator for gestational diabetes. You had a lot of sugar before appt! We would only do gtt if 1+ or more of glucose in in urine on 2 occasions the policy must be different where you are.