Thread 13. TTC #1 Grads. Some of us still remember that thing called "a full nights sleep" for most, it's a mere memory.

[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! From morning sickness in the first trimester to the third trimester struggle of getting out of bed ( "walrus-ing"in our house), to actual real babies who are growing so fast! Discussion on the merits of sleepyhead and Ewan the dream sheep.

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!

Miley thank you for such support. We just had a triple shitsplosion at last. No clothes were sacrificed as the second I heard the first eruption we were running to the changing table. He put such effort in that he was really sick a few times. He doesn't seem to care has no temperature so I assume it was just being laid down after a feed and the sheer effort of the poonami.

pink no unfortunately not! OH is at work for the next lot, too. Plus my mum is probably just as bad if not worse than me about injections!!

soda they haven't affected him as muche this time round! He cried for about 15 seconds but has been ok ever since really! He was more sleepy but that was it

indi glad you are feeling better and Autumn too! It's weird how excited you get about poo now isn't it

bunch Atticus is king of Christmas! The photos are amazing.

feef sorry about the car. But your nursery looks beautiful

nev good work! I'm terrified to assess the situation until a few minutes after the first rumblings. He has previous for having a second round and has done it on television carpet before as I was over eager! good job Bods - I admire your efforts!

Oh nev. You're doing wonderfully. R obv hadn't had any injections yet but I was v none fussed when he had his heel prick, these things just have to be done. Plus bodhi was so ill, the jabs are nothing compared to that. You made the right decision for you and your baby with regards to feeding, and bodhi is thriving. If it helps I'm going to get my nails done today and R will probs have formula in my absence as haven't been able to express enough- so really hes getting formula just for my convenience, which is definitely dubious parenting. I think its healthy to leave your baby, you have to at some point or else you end up like my SIL who has never left her almost 3 year old and has him in bed with her instead of BIL!

I'm leaving R for the first time today to get a Mani and pedi. Bit nervous but hes with MIL and will be fine.

Soda, the breastfeeding purists would say that's how she will increase your supply and giving formula will interrupt the feedback loop. However R does the exact thing you describe and it's bloody exhausting, I don't think mixed feeding is as big a deal as it's made out to be- we do use a bit of formula in this situation. I figure keeping my sanity is more important!

I'm below pre preg weight but flabby. Would love to get to the gym soon, it's been a long hiatus!

Yay for nursery feefs! Cant believe your dh car is written off!

Miley he had round two and three with nappy undone and used as a shield. When he does these superpoops they leak everywhere... at least if he has the nappy open there is more room to catch it all

Canters thank you. I hope you enjoy your time off today. I have really struggled leaving him with anyone but my parents or DP. I force myself to leave him with MIL so that there are no family fall outs! Did you want to meet for a coffee before christmas with the boys? I have yet to venture into town to do any Christmas shopping... have been enjoying christmas films and being in the village too much!

Thanks for the advice re dieting while breastfeeding. How bloody annoying

Canters I know and that's what I would have advised myself. But last night after I'd been on my own with her for 15 hours and she was screaming on the boob for food I broke. DH came home from work at 10.30 with formula after I cried down the phone to him. She gobbled 5oz so was clearly starving

Thanks for reassurance on injections miley

Enjoy your mani and pedi canters! My nails have been seriously neglected post birth

Re feeding. We have combination fed since birth. I'm firmly of the view that there is no 'right' way to feed. It's whatever is best for baby and mum and whatever ensures baby is well fed and happy. There are pros and cons to all options I think.

canters, I can't believe your SIL has never left her three year old! No matter how much we love our babies, I think everyone needs a break every now and then.

miley, has Harrison taken a bottle yet? I'm sure you've mentioned it before but I'm sorry I can't remember. I did chuckle at the outfit being lost to the 'poo Gods'!! We had a poonami yesterday and three washes and super strength stain remover later, I'm giving up and the outfit is going in the bin.

For those who weigh less now than pre pregnancy, is that just luck or have you been consciously trying to lose the weight?

bunch Atticus has a brilliant array of Christmas outfits, I love them! I find myself getting more excited buying baby clothes nowadays than clothes for me!

Glad your complaint was taken seriously potato. Well done.

Thanks miley.

See that situation with your SIL sounds like my worst nightmare canters. Enjoy your mani pedi. Self care is important! Sanity is too!

Ended up back in daycare again today (surprise surprise) as high blood pressure, it came down a bit as usual as soon as they put me on the machine. I thought I had a UTI as well but nothing in sample although they have sent one away too. However as generally been feeling shite all week they have decided to induce me tomorrow!! I know I should be patient etc. But oh god am I relieved with the SPD and all the crying this week and diarrhoea etc etc just so glad to have an end in site. They said because I'm due Monday anyway and they know from last weeks extra scan that baby is a good size enough is enough and the best thing is just delivering. Apparently I've complained so little as well that they were happy to go ahead! Glad they can't see all my online moaning!!

pink he was taking a bottle as I had to express to mix with his gaviscon but hasn't had any the past 3/4 weeks as reflux seems to have gone. Tried him with a bottle last week and he was horrendously offended! We've been persevering though and today he took a full 3 oz off my mum. It did take am hour and a slight protest but he did it and I'm so happy. OH and I are in a better place now i.e I don't want to murder him anymore and I'm desperate for a date night with him so my mum is going to have H next week for us providing he continues to take a bottle every day. I've learned now that no amount of stain remover gets rid. It's like toxic waste particularly upsetting when it's a favourite outfit!

Oh my goodness feef how exciting!!!!!!!! I'm sorry it's been a shit journey but you're going to be a mummy probably tomorrow!!!! Good luck with it

Thanks miley they've warned me it may take a few days but I don't mind!! Probably a sign I'm ready at least!!! Ha ha

nev yes definitely to coffee- that would be lovely. When might be good?

Soda hope that didn't sound like I didn't agree with what you were doing- I completely understand, we've used the ready made 2oz aptamil in exactly the same situation. I find the cluster feeding/screaming baby thing so hard to deal with and as a mum you just want to relieve distress and also get some sleep

Pink how have you worked the combination feeding? When do you give formula/how much? I expect we will continue combination feeding R to some degree. The night time bottle does seem to help him sleep.

Feef omg!!!! That is so exciting! Best of luck for tomorrow!

Eeeek feefs! So exciting you are finally going to meet baby soon!! Hope all goes well. Take something to entertain both you and DH. I found there was a lot of waiting around when I was induced. I also took food because I was starving

canters, we have combination fed since E was born. She wasn't latching for long enough to get a decent amount of milk so it was the only way the midwives would agree to discharge us from hospital! She is breastfed in the morning and always has an expressed bottle before bed so that we know she is getting a decent amount of milk. During the day she is breastfed if we are in the house and has a formula bottle if we are out. I don't have an issue with bf in public but I'm still using nipple shields and I find it so faffy when we are out, so we go with formula. I'd say she has two bottles a day on average and the rest breast milk. I think because we've done this since she was born, she has no issue switching between bottle and boob.

miley, fingers crossed Harrison continues to take bottles and you can have your date night!

Thanks pink good tips

Not at all canters. We used the ready made aptimil last night too and she was a much happier baby for it!

Feef - good luck, how exciting! Definitely agree with pink re taking in some stuff to keep you occupied. I was induced and there was loads of waiting around. Take books / magazines, download some stuff to watch on the iPad etc. Also take earplugs!!

Feefs how exciting. I won't get to share a birthday with little one but yay to the next thread baby

For those with poo stains have you tried sunlight? Yes the weather isn't the sunniest but the uv really does conquer all. It works on nappies. Even just having it on the windowsill. May take a few days but worth a try Before binning the outfits.

Feefs ooooh yay how exciting! Hope all goes easily for you

We are at the airport for our flight to Germany. Very strange being so 'normal' with no baby related items with me etc. Less than 48 hours and will be back to little lad am already excited to see his happy face again.

Will be spamming IG with christmas related shite all weekend - apologies in advance.

Have a wonderful time nev.

I hadn't tried sunlight bunch, will give it a go.

Pink apparently there's a cuddly toy, a night light in the hamper and some other bits and bobs. It should be arriving Monday so I'll share some photos when it does.

Feef yay for induction. Another thread baby on the way!!! would say, I was induced and from the moment they broke my waters to the moment active labour started was about 15 minutes so you never know, you might be lucky

Miley yay for not wanting to kill your OH

Nev have a bloody good time

OH is off work next week for his birthday so we're going to Bath on Monday and then going for a posh meal afterwards with his family.

Did I mention I've got Arya in her pushchair attachment now? I'm a bit sad to say goodbye to the carry cot as the pushchair feels a lot more grown up (even if it is laying nearly flat) but she really loves it, much more than her carry cot or car seat and sits playing with her toys and having a nose around. can't believe that she's going to be 4 months next week

potato I thought you wrote 'going for a bath' it took me a while to click that'll be the 2 hours sleep I'm surviving on today thank you Harrison that sounds lovely - hope you have a wonderful time. We're considering pushchair attachment already, too. I think he's too broad for his bassinet now but I feel so sad retiring it already! I'll put him in, post a photo and see what you ladies think. OH reckons it'll be ok but I'm scared he doesn't have enough room cause he loves to wriggle.

nev I'm loving your Christmas related photos! Keep them coming and have a brilliant time!!

bunch thanks for the tip! No idea why it didn't occur to me to use sunlight as I use it for our whites!

Harrison had his first Christmas party today and it was the cutest ever! He met Santa, made salt dough handprints and tree decorations, handprint canvas and played pass the parcel and musical corners. I know he's so little and hasn't got a clue but it's a memory I'm going to cherish forever it was really lovely. He was wide awake and smiling throughout so I'm going to have a grumpy baby soon as he's refusing to nap. We went for lunch with my cousin and her husband and their gorgeous little girl and I'm now bloody shattered. Here's Santa Harrison for those without instagram and a smiley one from his morning bath.

feefs hope you're getting on well! I'm quite lucky as 6 hours after the pessary my contractions started and 4 hours later H was here so I have everything crossed that you're the same!!!

Harrison is so cute miley! Love the pictures! Have you tried a sling to get him to nap?

Hope all going well feefs!

Thanks all. Have had one prostin so far another one at 10-12pm if nothing doing then 3 rd 6-8 hours again. I think it might be a different type then some people get one every 6 hours, then they break your waters if nothing happening? Online seems like lots of people get one that's inserted and stays for 24hours?

feefs, the one I had was one every 6 hours up to a maximum of three. I had one at 3pm which got things going (although slowly!) and they broke my waters at 3am. I then had the drip at 11am as I wasn't progressing quickly enough.

feefs I had the one every 6 hours but because my waters had already gone they only gave me 1 then were going to start me on the drip if my contractions hadn't started. Luckily they started 15 minutes before I was due the drip.

Thanks pink and miley that helps. Just feels like period type cramps and pressure now. Hopefully increases soon, helpful to hear what happened to others though it's a unknown scenario!