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!

Soda Everyone has said to me what a good size Theo is for a 35 weeker. He's being weighed today- I really hope he's heavier than his birth weight today.

The only way I slept in the hospital was in the daytime when DH looked after Theo. It's just impossible on a ward to sleep.

Nev I was, I'm usually up between 10:30 and 11:30 and 2:30 to 3:30. Except apparently when Arya is having a growth spurt, then I may as well give up on sleep all together!

Soda your little one will get used to sleeping. Try putting the top you've worn all day into her cot so that when you put her down about 20 minutes after you thing she's asleep she can still smell you. Also, make fuss and noise when feeding during the day but at night keep everything calm and quiet. That's what I did. Also, the MW told me you produce more milk at night which is why babies are more awake at night. She'll work out night is for sleeping eventually.
It's really lovely that you've found yourself loving her already. I was surprised when that happened too, and it only grows in strength the more you get to know them

Elle I have a massive Tesco near me so I went there. They don't have much baby stuff but they usually have some near the formula isle in most big supermarkets just selling bits and bobs. The sheets are lovely and come in packs of two, they wash really well too

Had a really lovely conversation with OH this morning where he told me he hadn't expected to bond with Arya because he hadn't with his other daughter until she was a toddler but he's been surprised as his experience with Arya has been much more like his experience with his son where he bonded instantly
I think it does help that Arya is a very good baby though and already shows signs of recognising and being happy to see her daddy also, his ex makes everything out to be a hassle, going out or doing anything was apparently a nightmare where as I love doing things for Arya and taking her out is no hassle at all because I always stock up her bag in the morning before we leave the bedroom. So where doing anything with DSD around turned into a pain, the only thing that stops us with Arya is the timing of her feeds and even then she's so chilled out that she's happy to have cold ready made formula while we're out.
I'm going to stop gushing about what an awesome well behaved baby I have now

Saying all that, does anyone else wake up in the morning look at their baby and think aww you're so wonderful... Shit she's looking at me, pretend to be asleep and hope she doesn't wake up properly!

Miley, the epidural was the best thing since sliced bread As soda mentioned, the contractions get a lot worse very quickly on the drip. Mine were already bad prior to the drip and I'd had no pain relief, was sleep deprived and beginning to think I wouldn't be able to make it through to the end (although obviously you have no choice!). I was dead against an epidural before going into labour but I don't think I could have coped with the increased drip pain without one.

It took the doctor maybe 15 minutes to get it in place. I just had to sit on the edge of the bed, bend over a cushion and arch my back like a cat. I felt a small scrape when it was going in, just like an injection, and that was it. I could still feel my legs etc, just with pins and needles, and could still move around on the bed if I wanted to.

I was worried about the possible side effects afterwards but I didn't experience any.

Please don't panic if you do need one, the small discomfort of getting it put in was massively outweighed by the pain relief benefits for me. It also meant that when baby became distressed and they were going to take me to theatre, the epidural was already set up and it saved time when the priority was getting Evelyn out quickly.

Will catch up with the rest of the thread later. Hope everyone is well.

I had a spinal for my caesarean and it sounds similar to the epidural experience described above. I cried as the anaesthetist was putting it in because I was so scared and nervous but they really did look after me well and it wasn't so bad. Really strange when they were checking if it had worked with an ice cube - I could feel it was cold on my face but not anywhere on my tummy or legs. Such a strange thing!

Glad you and arya are motoring along so nicely potato!

I think I am quite keen for an epidural pink. Glad to hear you had a good experience with yours.

Bunch you look great in the Instagram pictures! Can't believe how quickly you shrunk back to size!!

I wish the epidural worked for meI was also dead set against it shut once that drip was mentioned I wanted it. It really was fine going in.

Feefs I haven't, that latest photo makes me look much slimmer than I am. Those jeans are open about 3 inches and were my "fat" jeans pre preggo days

But not shut.

Well you look great anyway bunch!

Hello, I was at a wedding all day yesterday (not drinking proseco was torture and my boobs feel like I ran a marathon without a bra on?! Too much dancing?!)
Haven't read through yet but just wanted to say massive congrats Soda on the birth of baby Ali!! Hope you're both doing well and enjoying adorable snuggles!

Just went to buy some new jeans to tide me over between maternity jeans and fitting in my normal clothes. I had to buy size 18 and it's a bit of a squish to get them on and when they are on they look very, very tight but they'll do.
On the bright side I actually thought my butt looked fantastic lol

Finally finished Arya's cross stitch!!! better late than never

Thank you feefs.

Potato it's utterly gorgeous. Well done, are you pleased with it? I too need to go buy new jeans. I'm at least 3 sizes bigger than pre preggo as those jeans I tried to squeeze into and failed miserably today are 2 sizes bigger. Think I'm going to head to Primark when I feel up to it (means a trek to Liverpool) and get cheap ones as I'm hoping to get back into my old ones.

I think Atticus has an umbilical hernia I can't help but feelings my fault but I can't see anywhere online how I've caused it. Mothers guilt rocks! It's going to mean I can't do the full course of baby massage too which sucks. He clearly thinks it's my fault too as he just pissed on me.

Also I'm terrified I have a prolapse. Any other mums inspected their nethers yet? I have been due to stitches/wound inspection and can help but think the worst. I asked the Dr when I went in last Tuesday and she wouldn't entertain the thought, said it was too early and to do my pf exercises but I can't help but worry.

Bunch yes, I'm very happy with the cross stitch can't wait to get it framed and put up.

To be honest I probably should have got size 20 jeans but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. My tummy is absolutely covered in big angry stretch marks and it's definitely saggy as hell. Not happy but it was worth it for my little one.

I didn't even know prolapse was a possibility, how do you tell? to be honest I've left my nether regions well alone until everything stops feeling wrong and the bleeding stops.

You have done nothing to cause an umbilical hernia, sometimes they just happen. It is definitely not your fault, no matter how much Atticus suggests it is by peeing on you

I feel a bit guilty, I've just realised we have the DSC on my birthday in two weeks and immediately thought Id rather swap that weekend I refrained from asking OH to change weekends when he didn't offer but I'm now thinking my birthday weekend will be a bit of a washout.
DSS isn't a problem but DSD is very attention seaky and I think is quite jealous of Arya. She also waits until I'm out of the room and then asks her dad to let her hold Arya or waits until I'm out of ear shot and then asks her dad is she can push Arya in her pram which drives me mad! I wouldn't mind so much if she didn't appear to purposely do it when I'm not there. Also she doesn't pay attention, today I had to stop her pushing Arya into a road twice and then a bollard. She doesn't do it on purpose she just doesn't have any road sense or attention span.
I just find it very tiresome

Hi everyone,

Potato what a gorgeous cross stitch! I'm worried about how quickly I'll be able to lose my baby weight. I keep naively thinking that it'll come off as soon as baby is out but I know that's not really the case. Anyway, you'll lose the weight and the stretch marks will fade and you have a beautiful little girl so its all good

Bunch how would you be able to tell if you had a prolapse? I don't know if that's a stupid question but I've never seen one so don't know if it's pain related or by the look of it. I really hope it's not for you, maybe go back to the doctor this week if you're still worried. Plus it's definitely not your fault if Atticus has a hernia. You poor things in the wars!

Audrey sorry you've been feeling off, hope everything is sorted now and you're back to feeling yourself soon.

Hope you are both doing well soda and you can get back home soon.

No news really here. Still bored of being pregnant but 3 weeks and 6 days to go! Still need to do baby washing and buy and pack my hospital bag stuff. Kind of leaving it as long as possible so I have something to do.

Also one of my little dogs my other children has come in from the garden with a sore paw/leg. I phoned the out of hours vet and they said it sounds muscular and to see how she is tomorrow but she's not crying or anything and she can put some weight on it so not to worry too much. But I AM bloody worried about her becuase she's usually so hyper and now she looks sad and all sleepy and I just want to make her better. God knows what I'll be like when I have a human child, I was nearly in tears on the phone to the vet! I don't know if I'm emotionally prepared to have a baby human

So... I have a daughter! Waters broke in dramatic fashion last night around 11pm. Straight to hospital as she was early. I was 5cm dilated when I arrived and contractions getting stronger. Breech position, so looks like they've been wrong for weeks about her being head down.

C section then with her being born this morning about 2:50am - just in time as I'd dilated another 2cm in about an hour.

She's 6lb 2oz, called Tamsin, and I'm slowly getting used to the idea of her being here! Utterly shattered but otherwise fine.

Oh, born at 36+3.

Congratulations, Irregular! Sounds like my birth exactly - down to my waters breaking at 11 pm in spectacular fashion! I was 3 to 4 cm dilated when I got to the hospital though and 35+1. Hope you are recovering well from the caesarean - I don't miss the support stockings!

I thought I'd recovered well from the caesarean but stretched in bed this morning and feel a bit sore by my stitches now.

Been a useless mum overnight - DH had to shake me awake for each feed. Managed to feed Theo lying down though after the breastfeeding support worker showed me how yesterday so that was great.

Love the band Tamsin, by the way. Very pretty! 💗💗💗

*name! Not band. Not quite awake yet.

OMG congratulations irregular! I hope you and little Tamsin are doing well.
Hope you are being well looked after, after your c section. And Tamsin is a lovely name. Such lovely news to wake up to

Also that has just scared the shit out me as I'm only a few days behind you. Best get my hospital bag ready

. Huge congratulations irregular. Hope you're both recovering okay. Lovely name.

Potato Indi its apparently quite common after birth for women to get some degree of prolapse. If they do their of exercises it will usually put it all back though. There are some more extreme ones though that need help. I'm just panicking and it's probably hopefully the more standard prolapse. I feel very heavy in the nethers when vertical and having a look I can see bulges inside. I'm at the hospital tomorrow getting perved on again so I'll ask them .

Congratulations Irregular! Tamsin is a lovely name. That must have been a shock that she was breech. Hope you're recovering well and enjoying newborn snuggles.

Potato that cross stitch is beautiful. Arya is such a lucky girl! Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why can't you carry on wearing your maternity jeans?

Bunch hopefully someone will be able to look at Atticus when you go up for your appointment, are you seeing the gp or are you still having to go to the hospital?

I had a letter yesterday from the health visitor telling me she's planning to pop round at a certain time in a couple of weeks-did anyone else have this? What is she likely to do?

Congratulations irregular so happy to wake up to your news!

Trying to decide whether to wake Bodhi Butthead up for a feed... I have been going by his demand for feeds but he went 5 hours over overnight last night then was so hungry when he did feed that he guzzled and bought half of it back up all over me and the bed... Maybe I will sneak in a cup of tea first!

Irregular wow congrats! Hope you're both doing well. You'll get used to being a mummy really quickly. Just enjoy her being teeny tiny

Elle my maternity jeans are now really baggy in the legs and butt department and don't support my tummy so in summary, they make me look like a sack of spuds!!

HV will just talk to you about safe sleeping, get a family history, ask what support you have and give you lots of leaflets.

Nev I'd stick to on demand. He'll work out to take it easy.

That cross stitch is beautiful potato.

Hopefully no prolapse bunch and I'm sure the hernia is just a coincidence.

Hope the paw is better today indi I'm sure it's all your mothering instincts kicking in and making you weepy.

Congratulations irregular! Lovely name too.

Glad you're doing well too leonie you are obviously needing your sleep and a new baby is definitely a two man job! I'm got the support stockings to wear for another 5 weeks

Its ok potato he sharted himself so loudly in his sleep it woke him up