Thread 12 TTC#1 Grads. "You are my favourite thing that ever shit all over my hands"

[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!

Sooo many gorgeous babies now! And equally lovely Mummy's! We are amazing! What a year! Can you believe it's been a year since our first tentative TTC thread!? Look how far we've come!

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

Nev sounds lovely we went to the big sheep last year the DSC loved it I remember going when it wasn't much more than a few sheep and a visitors hut lol.
Next year we're probably going to camp with Arya (when I say camp I mean take our massive tent to a campsite with nice amenities and electricity... I don't do roughing it since I turned 30 )
Have a good time, I hope Bidhi lets you get some sleep.

Anyone else with a noisy sleeper find that when your baby does sneer soundly without a noise you find it as worrying as if they were wheezing and yelping?

Potato I find the silence much more concerning and I'm usually bolt upright as soon as he's quiet.

Atticus is being a trooper with his cold. Poor little lad doesn't like being flat as he gets really snuffly and struggles to breathe so his mattress is now propped up at one end. Tip for when the little ones get a cold -
We've found running a very hot shower and letting the bathroom fill with steam with Atticus in his bouncers really helps clear his nose for a few hours. That and the snot sucker, simultaneously the most disgusting and amazing invention ever. Also epic call on the saline drops Potato they really work! We do saline drops, shower then suck and it really helps him feel better. This time last night we had had a couple of screaming fits by now when he got scared after a particularly snuffly session (so it would seem). We've had none as of yet and are on our second feed.

We're home! And I think I brought someone else's baby with me. Gone is my lovely settled and feeding well newborn and here I have a crying, sleepless cluster feeder who has had 5 meconium nappies in as many hours 😷

The birth was eventful. I went into labour naturally after the second sweep and arrived at the hospital at only 2cm dilated. They broke my waters and I progressed to 4cm and there I stayed while contracting 3 in every 10 minutes. The first midwife was great, the second came in, introduced herself, got called away and a replacement arrived who immediately got my back up and things just went pear shaped from there on. We moved on to trying to speed things up with drugs so they put an epidural in (which wasn't nearly as bad as I expected). The epidural worked well and for a while everything was great. I could see myself contracting on the monitor but not feel it one little bit. Baby's heart rate started to slow with contractions and it reached the stage where the midwife had to pull the emergency buzzer and a gazillion people arrived very quickly into the delivery suite. Queue monitors being placed on Baby's head and blood tests taken from the top of his head. As his heart rate came back up and the blood test was ok they left us to see if we could progress further from 6cm but down went his heart rate again and this time it wasn't coming back up so we were rushed very rapidly into theatre (I'd made it to 9cm which was a vast improvement on progression earlier). My epidural was topped up to a full spinal block so I couldn't move from the chest down and Baby was out within a matter of minutes. It all happened so quickly I think we were all very shell shocked. Recovery from the spinal was amusing - I've never wished my toes to wiggle before and if I couldn't have seen them I would have sworn blind I was moving them. A dose of diamorphine made me sick and very sleepy and the combination of that and the on the bed transfer round the hospital meant I announced my arrival on the obstetric ward at 5am by vomiting, more than 24 hours after I last slept.

What I've learned... I'd consider an epidural straight up if there were to be a next time and my bladder less than 24 hours after giving birth can hold 500ml of urine!!! I also have list all dignity but when you're in the moment you don't notice it one little bit.

Now I just need to find a nappy small enough to capture his peenamis. I'm sure a poonami won't be far behind.

How long did anyone's newborns suckle for? He's managing short bursts of maybe 10 seconds at a time with a similar length break in between so I'm wondering if he's not getting enough milk.

Cosmo god that sounds all a bit stressful! So glad that Arthur arrived safely though and you're feeling ok. How's your scar feeling? The spinal block is a very strange feeling, I felt slightly emotional when it first kicked in and I felt paralysed. Also Arthur will settle but you will feel a bit knackered the first few days until you realise you can cope off 3 hours sleep!

Bunch I'm glad Atticus is doing ok, that's a great idea about the steamy shower. I'll keep that in mind if Autumn gets a cold.

Fishy yeah pasteurised cheese is fine. TBH though once I was in late tri 2 I was eating any cheese. I didnt worry too much about restricting my goats cheese and Brie obsession

Well done for the run pink. I can't wait to be recovered and get back in the gym. I definitely think it's the worst part of my recovery is loss of independence and lack of gym!

Lillian not long to go! You're nearly there now

So yesterday me and mum went for our afternoon tea with Autumn. I drove to town ( my insurance company have said it's fine to drive after a c section so any other c section ladies maybe ring your insurance and check?!) and I sorted the pram and car seat out all by myself, usually I let DH take over but yesterday I did it alone and felt like I was getting back to my normal control freak self. Autumn was an angel and slept for the 2.5 hours we were out. She also slept for about 7 hours last night with only one wake up from 2-3am I was owed it though as the night before she only allowed me 2.5/3 hours sleep

FIL has been staying the past 2 nights, he's quite tiresome and very opinionated. He was being very passive aggressive about her not sleeping in her big cot in the nursery yet...she's 11 days old....but I have to try to let it go over my head. He's leaving this morning thank god!

DH has booked a table in a nice restaurant for dinner tonight but I've just told him I don't think I'm ready to leave Autumn, obviously my mum would be minding her and i know she'd be safe but I'm just not reddy. Maybe next week we can go but right now feels too soon and I think I'd miss her too much. Does that sound really silly?

Sorry to anyone I've missed, hope everyone has had a nice weekend x

congrats on c-section date canters!

Lovely I was told by 2 separate cheese shops that even though it's made with pasteurised milk there is something in the way they make and age the soft cheeses that is still a concern. But try sticking that lovely Camembert in the oven with some garlic and rosemary it is melty cheesy heaven and guilt free!

indi yay for afternoon tea and getting out and about with Autumn on your own. FIL sounds a nightmare glad he's leaving!! I don't think it's silly to not want to leave her just yet. 11 days old is very young - less than 2 weeks ago she was safely tucked in your tummy!!

potato lol at you and your DH's painting methods!

bunch nice tips for blocked baby noses - definitely taking notes. Poor little thing!

cosmo labour progression and emergency section sounds so stressful! Glad you were well monitored and they were aware of how little Arthur was doing the whole time though. He's with you now hope you're recovering well from the c section and hope he's done with the meconiom poonamis he settles into his new home soon!

39w today and I've had to stop hoping for an early arrival I'm just now hoping she's not overdue! DH is overly excited and bags are by the door already I might go and make some padscicles to stick in the freezer. Did any new mums find this useful? Also I've seen the Feme pads on Amazon that I'm considering.

Walked into lounge to see this... ingenuity at it's best there!

Congratulations co5mo!

Sorry I'm struggling to keep up at the moment! You all sounds like you're doing great! Sorry things are difficult canters

Tip: don't arrange to have your whole house recarpeted when you have a newborn and one of you is recovering from a c section! Manic!

On the upside... how cute is this little munchkin?! Cannot believe Tamsin is five weeks old now.

That's awesome nev! haha

Irregular 5 weeks! she looks so precious with that outfit

Found yous! Lost the thread for a couple of days! Need to catch up!

I know I am biased but my gosh I think I have a handsome little lad

Bunch sorry Atticus is still feeling poorly but thanks for sharing your tips. Glad the saline drops are helping. Are you giving him infant calpol too?

cosmo that labour sounds like an ordeal but great that you've been sent home so soon. LO will settle soon enough, and you will get used to the sleepless nights and being on call 24/7. It just takes a couple of weeks.

Indi glad you're feeling more yourself

Your FIL sounds like a right PITA but hopefully he's gone now.

You are so not being unreasonable not wanting to leave LO yet. Arya's 8 weeks and I wouldn't leave her for anything. I'm going to have to leave her for a couple of hours early December as OH and I are going to watch the new Star Wars movie. We're both massive fans but I know I'm not going to enjoy it as I'll be desperate to get home to her.

aww Lillian fingers crossed something happens soon.

Irregular Tamsin is never 5 weeks!!! She's so cute

So, on OHs insistence I put Arya down to bed without snuggling her to sleep tonight and she put herself to sleep. I'm so proud that she's confident and settled enough to self sooth like that but I'm also devastated that she doesn't need me to hold her in order for her to go to sleep any more
She's been getting really good at self soothing the past few days, although she does suck her thumb/fist to OHs frustration. He wanted her to have a dummy to prevent thumb sucking

Nev he's such a cutie and irregular Tamsin looks adorable.

FIL went this morning, thank god! I can't really stand the man for more than 5 minutes at a time. Good job he doesn't live close by.

DH understood completely that I didn't want to leave Autumn to go for dinner, I think I thought I'd be ready and it would only be for a couple of hours but I'm not there yet. Maybe in the next couple of weeks I'll start feeling more comfortable with the idea.

Potato we have a dummy for Autumn, even though they say it causes nipple confusion etc ( she's had no problem and definitely knows where she is fed from)..I only really use the dummy if she's in a fussy mood but I would recommend one tbh.
Where is Arya sleeping? In a Moses basket? Well done to you both though for her self settling, what a good girl!

Indi no way I'd be ready to leave Atticus and he's 10 weeks tomorrow. I was planning to go the cinema this month but it's not happening. Mainly because I'm not ready but also no way I could leave him when I haven't pumped enough and we can't get Atticus to take a bottle. The only way to feed him is me- which I am more than happy with. Easy way to shut anyone down who is trying to convince you to go out "do you want my child to starve?" It may sound harsh but it's the only way I got my MIL to stop harping on about me going out to "have a break". Atticus also has a dummy (has had it since 3 days old) and no nipple confusion at all.

Potato Atticus has been intently fist sucking the last 2 days. He got his thumb in his mouth once then promptly gagged and grimaced. So funny! I think he'll have found it by the end of the week though. I'm intent on not having a thumb sucker but I can't really stop it if he's determined.

Welcome back Stardrey

Aww Nev and Irregular, the babies are adorable!

For those of you not on IG we took our little skeleton pumpkin picking and he's developed a death grip on my hair which is nigh on impossible to break without help!

Indi Arya now sleeps in her chicco lullago which is somewhere between a Moses basket and s cot. She loves it as the mattress is nice and comfy and she has lots of room to stretch, kick and wave.
So impressed with her, although, she's been putting herself down for naps when she's bored for ages.

Bunch why the hell is everyone determined that you should have a break?! My HV was the same, "make sure you leave Arya with someone and have a break so you don't burn out" I don't want a break thank you very much, I like my baby, I don't want to leave her, I get a break when she naps!
I've got to go out without her twice in December and if I'm honest I don't want to go at all. We've said we're going to the new Star Wars movie and I have to go to my work Christmas party... I'm secretly hoping I get a cold.

OH was determined Arya wouldn't suck her thumb but she likes to suck and if you don't immediately put her dummy in when it falls out her thumb will be in her mouth in seconds. She also likes nibbling Sophie the Giraffe but she hasn't got the hang of holding her in the right place yet.

Aww those photos are adorable!

So, not only did Arya put herself to sleep but she slept from 10:30 to 6:30 without waking!!! and this morning after a feed and a cuddle she's gone down again so I can have a lay in!!!

We've nearly finished painting Arya's room, just a little bit of touching up and the glossing to go then I can do the wall sticker and put up the cot We've got to have the room finished by next Sunday as DSD is going to be staying with us from Sunday night for the whole of the school holiday I thought it was only going to be for a couple of days and her room is currently full of Arya's stuff. I'm a little concerned that she's going to be upset that we've don Arya's room and not hers as her dad told her we'd do both of them at the same time but it's been hard enough getting the one room nearly finished. We've also got to buy her a bed she's still on her camp bed, bedside cabinet and a TV. So a trip to IKEA is required... Plus, Arya needs some shelves and a frame for her cross stitch

My scar doesn't feel as bad as I was expecting it to Indi. I get the odd hot sensation in it if I move too much but the painkillers seem to keep it quite comfortable at the moment. It's quite bruised but seems to be healing ok so far.

Last night was slightly better than the night before. At least A slept for a whole hour in our room, but in his carrycot rather than his crib. All three of us were sleeping at the same time as well unlike last night. Today is operation familiarise A with the crib so I will be spending lots of time in bed today.

Added Co5mo to the grad list and updated canters with her ELCS date! I can't believe I'm almost up next! Hope planet is doing ok and busy with baby cuddles now.

Team B - 12 / Team P - 11 / Team V - 7

Graduate Babies
Blue - 8 / Pink - 7

August
Bunch: Atticus 09-Aug @ 39+3 - 8lb 12oz (Blue)
New: Jacob 16-Aug @ 40 (Blue)
Potato: Arya 19-Aug @ 38+6 - 6lb 12oz (Pink)
Leonie: Theodore 25-Aug @ 35+1 (Blue)
Shelb: Evelyn 29-Aug (Pink)
Nev: Bodhi 30-Aug @ 39+1 - 9lb 4oz (Blue)

September
Danni: Mason 01-Sep @ 38+4 - 7lb 1oz (Blue)
Pink: Evelyn 07-Sep @ 41+1 (Pink)
Soda: Alexa 09-Sep @ 39+2 - 6lb 1oz (Pink)
Irregular: Tamsin 11-Sep @ 36+3 - 6lb 2oz (Pink)
Miley: Harrison 12-Sep @ 36+2 - 6lb 6.5oz (Blue)
DrWhy: Edward 14-Sep @ 40+6 - 9lb 6oz (Blue)

October
Lisa: Quinn 01-Oct @ 39+5 - 8lb 7oz (Pink)
Indi: Autumn 05-Oct @ 39 - 7lb 2oz (Pink)
Co5mo: Arthur 13-Oct @ 40 - (Blue)

The Waiting Room

October
15 Planet (Team Pink)
23 Lillian (Team Pink)
26 Lara (Team Blue)
30 First (Team Blue)

November
5 Pyxie (Team Vanilla)
14 19 Canters (Team Blue)
20 Jam
25 Audrey (Stark) (Team Vanilla)
28 Elle (Team Vanilla)

December
12 Feef (Team Vanilla)

January 2017
5 May (Team Pink)
11 Ni (Team Vanilla)

February 2017
15 Evergreen

April 2017
03 Drink
14 Marmite

? 2017
Damson
Jan
Lovely

TBC
11-Aug Mor (Team Vanilla)
2-Sep Taz (Team Blue)
29-Sep Laurenrl (Team Pink)

Nev Your little boy is a looker!! Love that knitted sleep suit.

Potato how good is Arya self settling and sleeping so well! she is officially awesome! Have fun in IKEA!

Omg bunch that photo of you and Atticus with the pumpkins and that skeleton suit is

Glad to hear you are recovering well cosmo! Good luck on operation crib

I might go and pick up a dummy today - I thought I had one come with the Avent set but just checked and it doesn't. Which dummy would you recommend?

Upped my RLT to 2 a day yesterday but still no sign of BabyLillian making her way out at 39+1. I have a sweep this afternoon so hopefully it gets things going! Not looking forward to the actual procedure as it sounds quite invasive but if it works I'm sure it will be worth it!

Cosmo put a top that you have worn under A's head in his crib so that it smells familiar.

Lillian I definitely recommend the Tommy tippy dummys Arya loves them.

You lose all sense of privacy and dignity with child birth so you may as well just go with it during the sweep.

Another breakthrough today. Arya tolerated her sling, she made quite a few fussy noises but then went to sleep. The only problem is that both she and I get really really hot during baby carrying... Do any of you have the same problem?

Just curious, what are your daytime routines with your baby? We usually get up and dressed then she snoozes until first feed while I get something to eat/tidy, after first feed we usually read then she snoozes, then we play on her mat followed by a feed and a snooze while I try to work. another feed then OH is home and we have dinner then I try to work some more while entertaining Arya.
How much time during the day do your babies sleep?

Hi all. So sorry for being AWOL for so long! The house move totally knackered me and am just getting back on top of things. Baby Planet is taking her sweet time and making me v impatient!!! Have an induction booked on the 26th if no progress by then, but am hoping not to need it.

Right...now to read back over this whole thread and see lots of lovely squishy baby news! Hope you're all doing ok - will try and keep up a bit more regularly from now on, have missed you guys!

Lillian thank you we love the mam dummies. We have avent but don't like them as much. The MAM seem to curve to his face more IYSWIM. Sweep is fine. No worse than a smear and you'll find yourself utterly amazed that she can usually feel babies head. It's so bizarre to think about. DH and I had rather amusing conversations following my sweep pretending we were Atticus "oh here I am enjoying my cosy warm dark womb .....WTF just touched my head" it really did make me laugh.

Potato you have yourself a there. Arya sounds like she's doing so well. Also any excuse for an IKEA trip is a great one. I'm off to my parents today (DH away for the week) and somehow my DM has come up with some reason for us to go, I'm more than happy Hopefully with her new bedroom furniture DSD will be appeased. What are you both wearing when baby wearing? I find it helps to have less layers on, I wear a cardigan over the top of the sling to keep arms warm. What sling are you using? Glad the sleepydust is settling at last Atticus fully fights sleep in the day. He'll sleep if being carried in the sling or in the car if not he will be away until 1ish from about 9 and grumpy with it as he's tired. Little git .

Yay welcome back Planet!

So turns out I've been worried about Atticus' weight for the last 2 weeks for nothing. HV came today and said "I don't really need to weigh him as can see he's fine but will if you want". He's now 13lb 6.5 oz and back into the 75th centile woohoo!

Hi everyone,

Really struggling with keeping up so just responding to latest posts that I can remember - sorry!

Nev hope you're having a lovely time away.

Planet welcome back and hope the sweep works for you

Lillian I use a dummy for Alexa too. I originally used the ones that came with the Tommee Tippee starter set but then bought NUK ones and she seems to prefer them - the teat is a big flatter. No issues with any confusion. Having said that I think Alexa is very unfussy, as long as she's getting food! She'll take boob, milk expressed in a bottle, nipple shields on my boob and a dummy

Potato I'm not sure we have a daytime routine as such! Alexa is just over 5 weeks old. We're fairly slow to start in the morning. She'll usually be awake at 7 and if I'm lucky I coax her back to sleep til 8.30ish. Then she'll have a big feed and drop off again. I use this time to have breakfast, tidy and dash through the shower. She then feeds. Again. And we might play on her mat, have tummy time etc. She'll have another feed and then I tend to venture out in the early afternoon - I try to get out the house every day. She'll usually have a long sleep in her pram for 2-3 hours and then be awake and alert until DH comes home at .7ish. She does a lot of cluster feeding until bedtime. And that's our 'routine' if you can call it that!! Basically I spend a lot of the day feeding and she sleeps a lot of the time - she'll drop off straight after a feed but I've definitely noticed her being more awake in the last week or so.

Blimey, I cannot keep up with this, or life. Will have a proper read through soon to catch up, but just checking in as all my threads had dropped off my 'I'm on' menu.

Hope everyone is doing well, what a lovely array of baby pics there have been recently (ok, I looked at the pictures, but words will have to wait until a bit later...) :)

I'm looking forward to my 12-week scan, which is on Monday. We had a private one a few weeks back, so I'm pretty excited to see how much it's grown. And to get to see the causer of all my feeling wanky again, it is pretty thrilling

Best wishes to all bumps and babes xx

Damson I'm with you. Have managed pictures but not all words yet.

My word we have a crop of beautifully baked babies here! Excellent person-making skills, guys! They're all just gorgeous and making me even keener for my little one to make her appearance.

Co5mo, many many congratulations! Hope Arthur is doing well (love the name!)

Love the elf outfit Miley! Can't wait to see photos of Harrison

Potato - no longer a newborn?! Bloody hell, that's come round so quickly! She's so adorable

Indi - completely sympathise with the feeling out of control and lack of independence after C-section. It's still annoying not being able to drive.

Nev - I love north Devon, it's beautiful! Hope you're having a good time. Woolacombe is our family tradition.

Bunch - the death hair grip is indeed a worthy weapon they have. I haven't found a way to extricate myself yet!

Hope everyone is doing well! Finding it hard to keep up here, so sorry if I've missed anything. Quinn is just over two weeks old and DH is back to work today, so this is our first day by ourselves. So far ok, but not sure if I'll be able to get a nap in (makes nighttime hard as I'm so damn tired).