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!

loving all the new baby pics from the new mums! makes me so so excited!

potato well done on Arya on her way to sleeping through the night. Must be because she feels so safe and secure from all the mummy cuddles - take that cuddle haters! I plan to be a cuddle machine!

I've got my NCT classes this weekend I hope it's good and useful even if we're not lucky enough to get on with the group. Why do they tell you to bring a pillow? I sure hope they don't make me sit on the floor the whole day what a nightmare!!! for those that did NCT did you get in touch with the group after the sessions or after people have given birth?

Counting down ML - 2 weeks to go! I am also excited to get some sleep without the accompanying back and hip pain - it's so stressful sleeping now I can't get comfortable!!! And the fanny daggers are almost daily now - does that mean the head is engaged?

Also trying to decide if I should buy a Sitz bath that fits onto the toilet. I only have a shower at home and sitting in a bath in lavender oil and salts is recommended to help heal stitches etc so it's my only option. Has anyone heard of or tried them?

I wish it did Lillian. I've been getting them for a couple of weeks but baby isn't engaged. I desperately want him to engage because he needs to come by 40 weeks of his own accord or they'll induce me.

Just wrote a long post but it disappeared!

Anyway just to say all the baby photos are soooo gorgeous!!!!

and Hi Damson nice to see you over here! Hopefully you won't have to wait too much longer to get your appointment date. I had my booking in at 9 weeks. I'm now on count down to 12 week scan - 2 weeks today!!

When did anyone else's nausea go away? I'm approaching 10 weeks and it's definitely starting to recede now which is great but making me worry something is wrong

Hope all mummies, babies and bumps are doing well

Hi everyone!

It's lovely to hear how everyone's getting on with their babies , loving the cute baby pics too. I'm getting really impatient to meet this one now!

I went and had a Brazilian wax this morning...OUCH! What was I thinking?! I was worried about spiders legs as I am swimming a lot and thought I might as well get it all off. Not sure I can bring myself to go back in 4 weeks as planned! I am a bit of a hairy beast though unfortunately.

Co5mo not sure if this is fact or myth, but my yoga teacher said there are ways to try to get the baby to engage, she mentioned the 'cat' pose I think (on all fours, arching and then straightening the back)-might be worth a try anyway?

Oh shame cosmo I wouldn't want to be induced either because of the increased interventions and more painful contractions - how many weeks are you? are you planning on raspberry leaf tea, pineapples, curry and all the rest that's supposed to bring on labour?

Hope all goes well at the docs Bunch.

Lillian not sure on the pillow thing. Maybe it's just because they know the chairs at the venue aren't that comfy? We definitely didn't sit on the floor at all at ours.

In terms of keeping in touch with the group, I'm sure it varies, but I think usually someone sets up a WhatsApp group - so worth volunteering to do that if nobody else does. I know some people who haven't had any contact with their nct group between the class and the official reunion and have then done groups and meet ups with each other from there. Our group probably has messages going back and forth most days, but then that also includes me going into labour 4 weeks early, so an easy talking point!

Oh thanks for the insight irregular! I'd have been very uncomfortable sitting on the floor and I can't imagine they expect anyone at 35w to do that - I don't know how I'd get up from the floor since I get stuck sitting on the couch these days!

After reunion makes sense I guess as people will be going into labour at different times and socialising may not be at the top of the list in the early days!

Eek elle I was thinking of getting bikini line done which I think should be ok I don't think I could brave a Brazilian atm esp since my usual place normally asks for awkward positions to rival a contortionist to get to some awkward areas!

Oh Elle sorry your Brazilian was sore. I've never had my bits waxed, I usually just shave. I was going to book in for a Hollywood before baby comes but I can still manage to shave if I'm in the bath so I may just do that..don't think I could cope with the pain.

Marmite my nausea was at its worst from weeks 6-9, by week 10 I'd have the odd off day but was pretty much feeling myself by week 11. So don't worry, nothing will be wrong

Cosmo hope you don't have to be induced, that was always my worry too if I was having a normal birth. How long have you got now?

Love the baby photos today ladies. They make me so smiley.

Having a shitty pregnant day today. Had to get last bits from town for my hospital bag, I keep having hot flushes, I'm aching all over, bloody knackered, bloated and generally look like a hippo..and OF COURSE we bump in to a load of people that DH and I know. I had no personality at all and was in no mood to chat. I just kept thinking 'my face is sweating and i can't stand in the same spot for too long and I don't give a shit about this small talk'

Sorry just needed a rant. I just want to take my now slightly sweaty clothes off and get in bed and not see or speak to anyone for the rest of the day!

Thanks for the reassurance Indi
Sorry you've had sweaty shitty day! Hope you have now had a chance to lie down and cool off!

Glad she fed better this morning irregular. Definitely getting myself a sleepyhead after all the comments on here!!! Hope the vent helped! You sound like you're doing great.

My belly piercing scar is doing the same thing Audrey! Looks awful.

Fingers crossed bunch.

I was about 17weeks marmite but it did get better around week 11/12 then worse than ever weeks 13-17. Then poof gone. Kind of returning again now tho!

The girls from my NCT group and I have a WhatsApp group. We've met up once since we finished - and then my waters went half an hour after I got home from the pub we went to! 😲 Hoping to get together again next week.

I'm so glad we've got some well behaved babies sleeping away now!

indi same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. I was boiling hot, red, sweaty, hungry and grumpy. We saw loads of people dh knows from work, and they're all skinny young things (how I used to be once!) I was mortified because all I could think was "fuck off with your skinny ankles, I'm sweating from my vagina and I care not for your twittering!"

marmite I sound smug but I never had any sickness/nausea felt a bit wobbly if I didn't eat but that was mainly down to the deep, demonic hunger which started in my toes and ended in my soul. I've had a ridiculously easy pregnancy compared to loads of the ladies, I'm fully expecting to deliver a 12 lb baby that tears me from arse to elbow and doesn't sleep till its 5 years old as punishment.

Stark - My pregnancy was the same. Pretty straightforward, no nausea or sickness, and then PGP hit and Theo was breech and born early! You just don't know what's around the corner but there's no reason why you won't have a nice, normal delivery!

Someone asked about pets adapting to the new arrivals... Here are my cats.

Leonie. Your cats are lush.

I was the same with no morning sickness but had plenty of other fun to deal with.
Here's a couple of photos of how well Sherlock is getting on with Atticus.

That's the only thing I've had to think about leonie baby swings between transverse and breech. Midwife said not to worry too much yet but she did say I'm measuring fine "but...its certainly not a small baby" whilst palpating my bump. So lord only knows what will happen!

Awww I love those pics bunch and leonie so lovely!

Thank Audrey, makes me feel better that someone else has been in the same situation. It was mostly DH's colleagues that we saw out too, I know one of the wives quite well so I just told her I was in a bad mood and having a hot flush but 2 mins later we bumped in to another couple that I hadn't met and I was just sweating and going through the usual 'yeah I'm doing well just tired/I've got 3 weeks left/I'm a bit achey/yes I'm organised/yes I'm excited' usually baby small talk...
Btw hope your belly bar scar is ok! I didn't think they could rip

Leonie gorgeous cats and what a fab cat play/relaxing area!

I missed your post earlier bunch but hope the doctors went ok. Also glad that Bodhi seems to feeling better nev!

Marmite - not to worry you, but my sickness and nausea lasted until 20 weeks. It wasn't full HG (like some have had, like Miley), but it was horrid. Hope yours doesn't last that long!

Lillian, the pillows are for when you practice labour and birthing positions. It was definitely useful.

Sorry you had a shitty day, Indi! That sounds rubbish. I know exactly what you mean when you just don't want to engage with people and feel rubbish. Hope your evening is better!

Leonie, your cats are adorable! Love their big tower thing! How have they felt about Theo? Have they been a bit off or are they fine?

Aww, Bunch, that second photo where Sherlock is lying by Atticus on the bed is lovely! Bless them!

Shelb yup, it's hard but it gets easier. I always feel a bit useless when OH gets home and I've done pretty much nothing but sit and watch TV while looking after Arya but sometimes they just don't settle.

Miley Harrison is a cutie!

Irregular the door kicking has stopped so either it was a fluke or the note on the door worked. It was really scary and I'm still nervous of coming downstairs on my own at night.
Glad the first poo went well lol
Tamsin looks deceptively relaxed, what a sweetie

Nev your lucky baby has a pooping face. Arya has stealth poops, I never know ones coming until it's too late!
I know what you mean about not realising you'd need assistance just to shower, being clean is one of the things I miss

Bunch good luck at the Drs tomorrow, hopefully they can do something for little Atticus.
Sherlock and Atticus together are adorable

Lillian good luck with the class
I didn't do the bath thing, just a shower once or twice a day.

Marmite my nausea didn't go until the second trimester but everyone is different.

Elle you're brave getting a Brazilian!!!

Lol Indi that's how I usually feel about people on a good day just remember that you'll be feeling a whole lot better soon.

So, I have discovered that Arya will now go though the night with only one feed but she's awake much more during the day meaning I can do absolutely nothing. I do feel a bit bad when OH gets back from work and needs to make dinner and tidy up a bit but there's nothing I can do. OH helpfully informs me that I'm a really good mum but I'm rubbish at house work at the moment

Arya is definitely starting to pay attention to toys. She had two shaking bugs on her chair, one is pink and one is red. Today she was happily staring at and batting the pink one but she doesn't seem to like the red one we also do reading every morning. This morning it was puss in boots.

Marmite - my horrid nausea went by about 16w to be replaced by unusual (once a week or so) very intense nausea. I am not the sort to normally feel sick (my stomach is pretty steely) so the awful nausea throughout this pregnancy has really caught me by surprise. And I detest all of you who haven't been through this

I wonder what makes some people sick and not others? I didn't ever think I would be "the sort".

marmite, my sickness lasted until about week 21, but was much better from week 16 onwards.

lillian, my NCT group has met up once so far. We have a WhatsApp group and message most days.

stardey, hope your belly scar is ok. I didn't realise the scars could open

Loving the pets and babies pictures

I wonder who will be next to have their baby?!

For the mummies, are you sleeping during the day? I find that when Evelyn sleeps I use the opportunity to tidy up etc, but I think maybe I should sleep. I've been hit by a wave of tiredness today, it all seems to be catching up on me. Has anyone also had periods of feeling emotional? I've felt a bit crap today and I think it's partly the tiredness and also because I'm still not producing much milk and it's stressing me out.

potato do NOT FEEL bad about him cleaning up/doing tea. You have created life and now you are nurturing it! Bloody well enjoy your time with her! They're only tiny for such a small amount of time! You won't regret not knocking up a pasta and sauce when she's bigger!

Pink I nap sometime, I find it easiest to nap before I've gotten out of bed, Atticus is up 4-6 ish most days. I then eat breakfast and try to sleep whilst he does. If DH is off or working from home I can sleep until his next feed. If not I can only sleep whilst he does. I find it harder to nap in the middle of the day as I get Carrie sassy with laundry etc.l (I love laundry, god knows why). Feeling emotional and down is completely normal. The day I woke up Atticus for a bath (Don't ever do it) I cried because "I'm a terrible mum and Atticus hates me", slight over reaction I now realise.

Can I ask why you think you're not producing much milk?

Pink nope, no day napping here. I know you're supposed to but I use the time to wash and sterilise bottles, put the dishwasher on and do laundry. In the first two weeks I did at least lay down for a bit though.
If you're getting worn out I'd try to nap, you'll do no one any favours if you burn out.
I definitely had emotional ups and downs after Arya was born. It's now 4 weeks later (tomorrow) and my emotional state seems to have finally settled down.

Audrey I feel a little bad about the housework but there is no competition when it comes to a choice of housework or Arya. She comes before just about everything.

DSS informed us all that it was better when he was an only child earlier. His sister and I were not in agreement

Potato, don't feel bad about the cooking, housework etc. It's hard work looking after a baby all day, and I know your OH has been out to work but you need a break too.

Bunch, I spent 1 hour 40 minutes this morning breast feeding Evelyn. She got agitated on the boob after that amount of time but was still hungry (still going for my nipple but not latching on) so I topped up with formula - she drank 60ml of formula. We had the same process again this afternoon. I figure if she's needing formula after that long breastfeeding then not much must be coming out my boobs I expressed some this evening to get an idea of how much is coming out and I got 30ml combined from both breasts, having expressed on each side for 15/20 minutes. That's more than I got when expressing yesterday, so there is progress. I suppose I just thought that my boobs alone would be enough and she wouldn't need formula in addition....