Thread 11. TTC #1 Grads, Babies Arriving Or 'Look At What I Made With My Genitals!'

[AudreyBradshaw]

Behold, the wonder of birth! Members from 6 weeks bfp to post-partum wonder Mamas! No question to grotty or minging.

We've come full circle from obsessing about cervical mucus to now obsessing if it's our vagina baby plug going! What larks!

Lots of talk about poo, ours and now babies too! Baby brain is REAL! This heat can kiss my arse. And who KNEW being so neurotic about which changing mat to buy could be so satisfying and addictive!

Roll up literally, in my case, cause I'm practically rotund! for TTC #1 Grads!

Spoke too soon, I've been awake since 2am with a very unhappy baby. Oh well

Off to have Arya registered today, very excited we're also going to get a baby carrier so that I can keep her with me when she's grumpy.

DSD is back from holiday today so we've got her for dinner... I feel a bit mean saying it but it's been lovely and peaceful without her about.

I've just written a big post and now it's deleted I seem to only be able to catch up at stupid o'clock.

Miley don't start me on the whole 'you're doing too much' thing. I think as long as you feel good doing your walks then it's not going to do you any harm. You know your body and I'm sure you'll know when to stop. I am still doing quite strenuous stuff in the gym (spin, circuits, HIIT etc) and I have so many people saying 'are you ok doing that?' I know they are trying to look out for me but I know my body and I know that atm I'm fine. As long as you feel good I wouldn't worry what the midwife says.

I'm not looking forward to poonamis/projectile poo bunch and potato! Good job babies are cute and get away with it!!
Great news about your BP too potato!
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Lisa* I often have wobbles but I think once baby is here, then everything will fall in to place and we won't be able to imagine life without them. Also me and DH do the mummy/daddy thing with our dogs too

Canters what a cutie!

So happy you're home Leonie!

Sorry if I've missed anyone but hope you're all well.
No news here, still have a sore back and pelvis but not as bad as the other day. It's DH's birthday tomorrow so we have a nice few days planned and then back up to Scotland on Sunday. I won't be back home in Liverpool until New Year after this little trip, I'm usually back quite often so it feels weird to think i won't be back for a few months.
I'm still having the odd emotional wobble about becoming a mum and how life is going to change but tbh it's usually when I wake up in the early hours so I guess my mind is just over running with baby thoughts atm.

Potato oh poor little Arya ( and you!). Exciting that you're getting her registered

Morning ladies

Very exciting that you are getting Arya registered today Potato! I hope she sleeps a bit better tonight.

Indi, is this the last time you will be in Liverpool before the birth then? Do you live in Scotland for work reasons?

Yes pink, I won't be coming back to Liverpool until she's at least a couple of months old. The drive is too long for a newborn and my mum will be staying with us anyway. Yeah we moved there for DH's job a couple of years ago

Huge congratulations Shelb and Nevlet! Hope you're both recovering well and enjoying lots of newborn snuggles!

Thanks so much for the list Feefs, that's really lovely of you. Great news on the house too

Lovely picture Canters, he's a cutie!

Projectile poo Potato wtf?! How exciting you're getting her registered

Elle yup, projectile poo was a bit of a surprise at 1am. For future reference, it's always good to keep a nappy over any potentially explosive area... Babies also love to wee at the least convenient moment, usually the second between you removing a dirty nappy and outing a clean one on!!

Probably better you weren't dressed though Potato?! Hmm not sure what's worse!

Lol, that's true and baby wipes are good for everything!!!

Anyone else finding it impossible to eat with a newborn? As soon as I pick up food arya wakes up and demands a bottle.

Yup potato which means we feed together and he's my crumb catcher very exciting doing the registering, I'm still waiting on Atticus' birth certs as he was born in a different county everything had to be posted off from our local registry office. Hoping they arrive tomorrow or Saturday.

Had my first bath with Atticus yesterday. It was utterly gorgeous, I feel I bonded so much more with him. So peaceful and relaxed and then I rolled him over for a feed and he dunked his head in the water...... Lots of screaming. Poor little man. He slept amazing though, went a full 3.5 hours 10-1.30 then was up every 2 to 2.5 hours and we stayed in bed until noon being lazy and dozing. I've really needed it. In the day he won't nap anywhere but on me but it means I'm getting gorgeous snuggles. He has this adorable habit of sticking his hand in my bra when feeding or napping and I just love it. He strokes my arm with his other hand too. Happy sigh.

Anyone who is considering cloth nappies I massively suggest looking up wool soakers. It's a nappy cover made of a certain type of wool that once made has been lanolised to make it water repellent. My MIL made them for us. We put one on over a shaped little lamb nappy and didn't need to change his nappy all night. They work by allowing the wee to evaporate at the same rate it soaks into the absorbent nappy. We usually have to change after every feed. It meant DH got a full nights sleep so we're chuffed with it. That and baby bundlers- the most gorgeous little nightgowns that allows easy access to nappies and give good airflow for the soaker.

So glad you're home Leonie, hope your first night was okay, ours was our hardest.

I think I'm going to head to the supermarket with little man in a sling for our first shop alone eek!! Another car journey just the two of us.

Aww, Bunch, that sounds adorable. I love reading about the bonding you guys are doing with your babies. It really reassures me, I think.

Thanks for the advice about nappies and baby bundlers (never heard of them before, but I am googling as we speak!).

How have you found the non-disposable nappies? Were they like you expected?

First night okay but I'm just shattered now. DH is going to Mothercare to pick up our steriliser (we are doing cold water Milton sterilisation and need a proper container rather than a lunch box which we've improvised with). Hope he's not too long as the water needs refreshing so I can sterilise my breast pump and express. My boobs are rock solid as I missed Theodore's 3 pm free and haven't expressed since 11 am. We are dozing in our bed and crib now. Theo sleeps well and we wake him every 3 hours to feed plus on demand. Exhausting... hence headache now.

DH is washing our Cheeky Wipes too.

Really recommend Medela Swing if you want an electric breast pump - I have my own shelf of breastmilk in the fridge plus some in the freezer... DH is going to try to find some storage bags to make it easier to freeze.

*3pm feed - DH bottle fed him and then he refused my boobs afterwards! 😢 Normally we offer breast then bottle but DH couldn't rouse me.

Week appears to be getting worse! But will see how today plays out. Trying not to be negative or stressed. Got 4 dogs today and a trapped nerve in back, it's been interesting

We've got baby bundlers, marks and spencer and John lewis have them.

Loving stories from new Mammy's, so lovely.

So glad to hear you're home and settling in leonie

How are you today Pink? The sweep sounded interesting - fingers crossed it kick starts labour for you.

Thanks marmite - I've had to go out and buy salt and vinegar crisps. No philly though. I'm on my way to Tenerife tomorrow so stuck a tube of pringles in my bag. I'm horribly suggestive to cravings.

Lilian my parents and older sister live abroad too. It's going go be a completely different experience settling in to motherhood! We're already trying to plan visits, but travelling with an infant is a scary thought.

Beautiful scan Canters! He is adorable!

Feef congratulations on the house! That must be a huge weight off.

Miley I get really disorientated when I've done too much. And then sore if I persist. I've found walking to be fabulous pregnancy exercise.

Co5mo not many people know I'm pregnant yet, so I'm hoping to avoid the repetition as long a possible. I love my friends that still have 'normal' conversations with me.

Potato glad your blood pressure is settling. Sorry you've had a difficult night, and I'm enjoying the poo stories! I hope the carrier makes a difference - I'd be interested to know which one you decide on as it's one of the items on my list. Happy registration day Arya!

Indi enjoy your few days home! Is your mum staying with you very long after the birth? I think I can only tolerate mine for a week or two at best, which is what I've suggested to her..

Bunch if my ovaries weren't in hibernation they'd be exploding reading about your experiences with Atticus. I'm going to have to ask you for nappy recommendations in the future as my head is swimming with so many things lately.

Stardrey trapped nerve sounds painful! Was this an issue before pregnancy? Enjoy the doggy company - I had some this morning and now I'm wanting a dog. I'm so suggestible...

Bunch glad to hear its it just me with the psychic food baby.
We haven't given Arya her bath yet, were planning to do it yesterday but she was grumpy then we went for a walk that was longer than expected. Looking forward to it though Arya has to be cuddled to sleep night and day but it doesn't take long and it's a good excuse to get lots of snuggles. She gets bored of them long before I do lol.

Leonie glad your first night together went well the exhaustion will get easier to manage.

Audrey trapped nerve sounds awful. Try to take it easy.

Pink how's things? Anything happening?

Shelb how are you getting on? I've found it awfully difficult to keep up on here since Arya joined us. Mainly as I'm usually down to one handed typing.

Arya's all registered it took about 20 minutes. The person doing it managed to spell Arya's name and last name wrong but we got there in the end.
We didn't get to look at carriers though going to have to do it at the weekend instead.

OH has agreed to have DSD over night tomorrow as well as for dinner tonight. Hopefully she's going to be in a sit and play iPad mood as I just don't have the energy for her in bouncy, excitable mood.
So far having DSS live with us has been no effort at all. Being a teen he spends all his time in his room playing with his friends on Xbox or talking to his girlfriend and if he's not in his room he's out on his bike. We only see him at meal times

OH and if anyone has issues with a baby with trapped wind Infacol is brilliant. You give your baby a little just before their feed and it helps the air bubbles join into larger ones that are easier to dislodge.
As a cute side effect it appears to be a bit sour and every time I give it to Arya she pulls the most adorable "sour" faces

Whoops sorry may! Hope you enjoyed them . I never actually got round to getting any yesterday, but DH has texted me saying he has been to shop and bought a selection for me! Now just to ration them out

What an amazing scan pic canters!

I too am loving all these baby stories. Making me less terrified and more excited!

Aww maya , Lisa thank you. Honestly that bath has made me fall head over heels for him even more, I wasn't quite there with the bonding but I am now.
Tesco was fun, we got so much attention with him all snug in the sling and I walked around beaming the whole time. He completes me. We just had a full on 20 min screaming session after an attempt a tummy time.... Atticus didn't approve clearly. I found myself just smiling and obviously feeling bad for him but not finding it stressful at all. Which is so good to realise.

Forgot to say congrats feefs hope everything with the house goes smoothly now.

Oh potato I may have to get some as Atticus had some trapped wind this morning. He farts for Britain this one though, it's adult loud! He did the most hilarious burp earlier and scared himself so much with it he jumped a mile.

Have any of the mums gone onto dummies yet? I was all in not having one, then he kept almost discovering his thumb and I realised its a much harder habit to break so dummy it is. He mostly spits it out but like now he has moments where he wants the boob then gets uber pissed off that there milk in there and properly shouts at the boob and hits it. Stick the dummy in and he's a happy suckling boy.
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Lisa* I've found the nappies great, they get so many comments when people see them too. I love them.

Leonie, it sounds like you're doing so well. Can't believe you've got going with expressing already, it's amazing. Thanks for the recommendation on the pump! I saw Lansinoh do freezer storage bags for breast milk on Amazon the other day. Only something like £1.99 for a hundred or something.

Stardrey - sorry about the trapped nerve, that sounds painful and I can sympathise! Hopefully it sorts itself out soon.

Congrats on registering Arya, Potato! It must make it feel so real and official!

Marmite, same here, I love the mummy stories. I don't know why, but mums and new mums I know don't seem to talk about the good stuff. They say they're coping, talk about tiredness, etc. But I don't think they've ever really said - this is amazing, I'm so happy, I love him/her. Maybe it's a personal thing for them and the day-to-day coping is much more salient for them. But reading all the lovely happiness and baby love on here has really helped reassure me and make me feel a little excited (as well as the usual scared).

Bunch, I hope the supermarket trip was successful! I also love hearing the baby stories.

Potato - a 1am poonami does not sounds good! I'm glad to hear having DSS live with you has been fine so far. Fingers crossed his sister is well behaved while she stays! You'd think the registry person would double check spellings with you from the get go .

Do you wait a week or so before giving baby its first bath? I should probably know that, but I have no clue.

Leonie, its good to hear the pump recommendation. I am waiting until after baby arrives to buy one but the Medela one is top of my list. I know they see various freezer/ storage bags in John Lewis and in Mothercare as I was looking at them yesterday.

Have fun in Tenerife May!

I hope everything is ok Audrey. Is your back feeling any better?

No news really here. I think I may have lost the rest of my mucus plug, but it could also have been a bit of left over blood from the sweep yesterday. It was in the toilet rather than on the paper, so I couldn't check. I've also had three delightfully runny poos today, which I think is meant to be a good sign. We've been for a walk and I'm now sat drinking pineapple juice, so hopefully something will help.

Sorry, just realised that is two lovely bits of information I've shared with you all relatively close to dinner time . We obviously want to meet baby as soon as possible, but I think its helping me to think that at most we have another week left (assuming baby will be here by Thursday next week if I am induced on the Tuesday).

Bunch, Potato, Shelb, New and Nev, did any of you DTD shortly before the birth in an attempt to get things moving?

I hope everyone else is well.

I know exactly what you mean Lisa. I don't have any mummy friends at all so that doesn't help, makes me feel a bit lonely with all this. The only person I know really with a baby is my SIL but we're not very close, their family aren't really the talking type!

I should be at my cancelled scan now instead I'm sat eating salt & vinegar crisps perusing new ankle boots online

Sounds promising Pink I hope you don't have too much longer to wait now!

Thanks for all the scan love ladies! I'm so made up with the pictures.

Bunch I follow you on ig, username ends in 86 loved the bath pic btw, you look so happy.

Eeek good luck pink heres hoping this is the start of things.

Sorry about the trapped nerve audrey. Hope you're resting up and not too uncomfortable.

Congrats on registering arya potato! I have already stocked up on infacol!

Bunch I'm so glad you feel fully bonded now. I know what you mean about not finding the screaming fits too traumatic. We just had a screaming fit because I tried and failed to extract a large bogie... She did not approve.

Arya is a proper lady and doesn't fart... She does however burp really loudly in my face at least a couple of times a day

I was adamant I wouldn't use dummies but we got one with her bottle set and it really soothes her when she's a bit grisly or unhappy... I've just bought 2 more

Lisa the good outweighs the bad 100 fold, one minute your baby is screaming and your sat there saying nope, no idea what's wrong, the next they'll pull an adorable face and look straight at you and all you'll want to do is kiss them all over their chubby little face.
As Bunch said, even the tantrums it's easy to not get stressed with, even after 4 hours of Arya refusing to sleep last night I was still in my feeding chair cuddling her and telling her how wonderful she is and meaning it
At the end of the day, I don't think looking after a tiny baby is difficult, you just have to love them, that's the important bit. You hardly notice the nappy changes and the odd bit of vomit, I guess you're programmed not to find it that gross when it's your own baby. Even the 1am poonamie was a case of "err ok, that's not cool" followed by a quick baby wipe wash.

Pink I was told babies don't really need to be bathed often and it's bad for their skin to do so. You should also avoid using any soaps for a good few months.

Pooping is definitely a good sign, your bowels empty before labour you will probably still poop during but you're unlikely to know anything about it, I didn't

No DTD here, I'm looking forward to being able to soon but it takes a while to heal

Evening all! Had a hellish day today so am going to read and run them properly catch up tomorrow. I think my hormones are completely messed up - I'm not one for being over emotional but I've had 2 episodes of tears today for basically no reason what so ever. I bawled my eyes out this evening and genuinely couldn't say what was wrong I thought all this hormonal shit was supposed to be first tri?!

pink I really hope you're not made to wait any longer! I can't imagine how frustrated you will be.

Loving the new mummy stories and photos! You are all doing so amazingly well