Feb 2016 babies: Welcome to the 3rd trimester - the final stretch! (in more ways than one)

[haquoi123]

New thread! Stats in next post

Oh and I had some kind of freak-out last night. It started around the time DS was having his tea, about 5.30pm, i felt myself starting to cry and I couldn't control it. Then I was ok for a while. I cooked dinner for everyone else, and when I went to serve it I realised we had no nice cheese (I wanted grated cheese on my baked potato).

End of the world is putting it mildly. It wasn't a tantrum I had, per se, more that I was utterly distraught about every facet of my life and existence. It took me about an hour and a half to calm down

Sorry I started that post an hour ago so I crossed posts with maisie

Tights are great too actually. DS has some cool ones from Lidl that have non-slip feet and knees and say "wild boys" on them

I had to show DH the "wild boys" bit as he didn't believe me that boys' tights were a thing.

Happy new year everyone.

It was great to read about brummies arrival.

hacquoi that cake!!!!

Mawsy and Isla I'm glad that everything was ok after your hospital visits - not the best time of year to have a scare

Off out this afternoon to buy bits and bobs for hospital bag - eek!

I dressed my DS in tights for pretty much the first year of his life 😳😳. I used to buy a lot of play suits in bright colours and team then with the tights. I then moved onto Rose and Blade leggings with various patterns on the bum. I hated anything that restricted him do everything had to be soft and colourful.

I was up in the loft today and found a load more baby stuff. We have so many things and SO many clothes as my sister passed over masses and masses. I feel a bit overwhelmed but I know it's a phase and as they get older there is just less volume of things. I sorted out my sons toys and separated all the baby things from the toddler things. Of course my son wanted to start playing with all the baby things again lol. I can see we are going to have some regression once the baby is here.

Thanks for the sock and tights advice.

Just been told that the stabbing solar plexus pain that I and half my NCT group are getting is our abdominal muscles splitting. Apparently the fact that when I start to sit up and my bump goes to a sharp point at the centre line is a really bad sign. I don't want my muscles to split

Oh no Rufus I have that too. Didn't realise it was such a bad time. My stomach muscles are pretty much nonexistent anyway but was planning on rectifying that and this will make it so much harder 😞

Sign, not time. That'll teach me not to preview before I post.

So the breastfeeding class I went to has finally sent out the promised info. See below, there is a lot, hope it is useful. 1st link is one we watched in the class and was very informative. Warning lots of very big boobs on display.

Very useful videos on all aspects to do with breastfeeding.

globalhealthmedia.org/portfolio-items/attaching-your-baby-at-the-breast/?portfolioID=5623

INFORMATION ON STORING BREASTMILK

Fresh Milk at room temperature (Ie, expressed and not put in either a fridge or freezer) - for up to 6 hours (however, to be used within an hour once baby has had milk from it)
Fridge - 3 days (store at back of fridge away from eggs and meat) Once out of fridge, warm by placing bottle in bowl of warm water to bring it up to blood temperature. Then use in the same way as fresh milk
Frozen Milk up to 6 months. Defrost in fridge, and then use in the same way as fresh milk. If you forget to take frozen milk out of the freezer early enough to defrost in the fridge, you can defrost at room temperature, but then the milk needs to be used immediately.

Here is information on how much expressed milk to give your baby per feed. There is an automatic breast milk calculator.
kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

Information on giving your baby a bottle in a breastfeeding way
attachmentparenting.co.uk/responsive-bottle-feeding/

Responsive breastfeeding

Professional Help
Lactation Consultants

www.lcgb.org/

Tongue Tie Practitioners

www.tongue-tie.org.uk/

USEFUL WEB LINKS

Is my baby tongue-tied? Signs to look for.
cwgenna.com/ttidentify.html

kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing/ Here is a link to hand expressing. www.realbabymilk.org/breastfeeding-information/31-hand-expressing
Information on hand expressing

A technique to help you express using a breast pump. You will get two error messages when you try to open up the clip. Press continue on the first error message, then proceed on the second one.
newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

kellymom.com/ages/newborn/newborn-concerns/c-section/
Breastfeeding after a C Section

realbabymilk.org/attachment/
This is a link to the realbabymilk website, which gives lots of useful breastfeeding tips, and also shows a small clip of a baby latching on, It also shows pictorial breastfeeding positions.

www.nct.org.uk/parenting/feeding
Information on all aspects of infant feeding, including bottle feeding with expressed breast milk, introducing formula, the health benefits of breast feeding, weaning etc.

www.expressyourselfmums.co.uk/
Very useful information on all aspects of expressing breastmilk, pumps etc

www.kellymom.com/

• Referenced information on a wide range of breastfeeding topics, including what to expect in the early days

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/

– Downloadable handouts including thrush, mastitis, expressing & storing milk, taking antibiotics, smoking and cough and cold remedies during breastfeeding. The pharmaceutical information has been compiled by a pharmacist who is also a breastfeeding counsellor.

www.biologicalnurturing.com/

• Ideas about breastfeeding positions which harness baby's natural reflexes.

www.bfar.org/

• Breastfeeding after breast and nipple surgeries.

www.isisonline.org.uk/

Information on infant sleep and also co-sleeping with your baby

Thank you so much Rufus that is so helpful.

I keep (half) convincing myself that I'm close as some minor cramps, baby feels v low & (TMI) my tummy is, er, a bit funny. Haha thus could be a long 6 weeks if I go to 42 weeks!

I've been getting really strong tightening and sharp pains off and on all afternoon- I'm only 32 weeks though so although part of me is wondering if this is the start, i should really be hoping it's just baby engaging and he'll stay put another 4 weeks at least!

Since I have started taking it easier my tightening have gone. However staying with friends miles away so sleeping on a maternity mat just in case - would hate to ruin their mattress!

Have had an outrageously lazy relaxed new year. Have to get moving and soon but we are staying tonight before reality hits

35 weeks nearly and bubs still firmly head in my liver. ....

Socks on a new born or small infant are a nightmare!! They always fall off! I loved onesies (full body with feet included) with zippers (not a billion snaps!) Bottoms with feet included are also very nice! Easy to change baby 10x a day.

Also, Any shirts that have to go over the babies head in the early days are not worth the trouble.

gone swimming I am having lots of BH as well. Strong ones that take my breath away. And some period like cramping - but not at the same time. I'm 34 wks. I hope yours settle down!

mawsy have things settled down after you lost your plug? Can that happen well before actual labor or do you expect to go into labour soon?

Sorry to hear about all the colds/sickness. I can relate. Going on week 3 of a cold here... Hopefully everyone will get better and be in tip top shape for the births!!

Gold maple and gone swimming - I am experiencing similar. BH that take my breath away, period like cramping (not at the same time) and last night and today I have lost a bit of mucus plug. I'm 32+3 weeks. Hoping babe stays but for a while yet but convinced I'm gonna go early. Bag is packed!

DS lived in onesies til he was 9 months and went to nursery; DD-to-be will have the same wardrobe, so unless she's ridiculously long it'll be the same for her!

Lots of people seem to be gearing up! I didn't have a single BH with DS, although can remember being utterly freaked when I lost a bit of the plug....

Mawsy, how're you getting on now? Still safely at home? And hope it's all calm on the Western Front for you Isla, and for you Ratty, unless you're half way to hospital!

Had the oddest sensation two days ago; like the baby was giving me a friction burn on a patch of my belly/womb. Made me shout out in pain and DP came running!

I'm 36+6 today been having loads of bh in the evenings for the last couple of weeks but seem to be having a few this morning as well. Really hope baby stays put for this week at least dd goes back to nursery tomorrow and want to make sure she's okay after the holidays before we disrupt her routine again and got a mothercare order to be collected on Tuesday with last few bits and bobs including long sleeved vests which I think we're going to need as it's got a bit colder last couple of weeks dd was a late spring baby so don't have any from her. I didn't lose my plug until I was in labour last time so will be interesting to see if anyone who's losing there's has baby soon it can happen a few weeks before labour or right before it starts keep us updated!

i'm another one with frequent BH's that aren't painful but literally take my breath away. Baby is deffo lower but I don't think she's ready yet. I'm 36+3 so almost fully cooked!

No movement here! 36+6 today. My antibiotics have kicked in and I feel so much better in myself - I even got out for a long walk with DS this morning and the sun was shining for the first time in weeks.

I'm losing tiny bits of mucus but I'm not expecting anything to happen soon. I'm finding the nights uncomfortable but otherwise doing well. Back to work tomorrow!

Oooh babies are going to start appearing soon!! 😋😋

My son was born 40+2 with no early signs at all. My waters had to be broken by the midwife during labour and I went straight into labour, no latent phase. I'm 35 weeks on Thursday and have my labour ward your on the 20th Jan. Kind of hoping he stays put long enough for me to figure out where I'm going in the hospital!!

Me too mawsy, and I know it's going to be manic as it went crazy before Xmas. Got a MW appointment and an overnight/all day training session in Oxfordshire to squeeze in too !

Oh no Northern sounds like you have a busy time ahead - I can't complain as I'm only in for the week so finishing again on Friday evening! It definitely makes tomorrow more bearable! I'm finding it hard to get my head around getting my bag and lunch ready tonight and up before 6am tomorrow though!

I think I need a few days the following week to do the final preparations so hopefully baby gives me my week off. I'll put DS into creche a few days and if I'm feeling up to it I'll bring him off to do some activities just the 2 of us some other days.

Hello everyone, and belated congrats to Brummie! So exciting to think that babies are almost ready to start arriving...

25 more work days to go here, I finish on the 5th Feb with a due date of the 18th- really starting to wish I'd asked to go earlier, not sleeping well and get so tired! Random question- can anybody tell body parts when baby moves? The books seem to indicate that people can tell apart knees vs feet vs elbows etc, but I totally can't and am a bit paranoid!

Ooh that sounds nice mawsy and fingers crossed you get your week.

I can tell if it's something knobbly monkerina, like a knee or a fist, as opposed to her chubby bum moving around, but as to which bit, pfffft!! Even the MWs have difficulty some of the time.

monk I can't really tell - just odd jabs or rolls!

I can't tell either. I would think that a stronger jab is a kick and lighter is a punch but really no idea.

One thing im not sure about is whether I'm getting BH or what I'm feeling is the baby doing full turns - top to bottom / bottom to top. My tummy tightens up and I just feel so much pressure - not painful but enough to make my breathing change. Anyone able to shed some light? I'm 33 weeks on Weds.