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Connect with mums-to-be with similar due dates to share experiences and support.

May 2017 #9 3rd trimester!

959 replies

Rustler74 · 27/02/2017 10:10

Hello all! Now to find a way to guide you to the new thread...

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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savagehk · 09/03/2017 11:36

@nursebickypegs I'd personally not pack either formula or a breast pump in the hospital bag if you want to try bf.

Expressing at first is probably a bad idea unless you need to because your supply is being established, and unless baby can't latch or needs topping up you risk either having over or under supply. If you do need to pump the hospital should be able to assist with a hospital grade pump in the meanwhile. The best idea is loads of skin to skin and letting the baby suckle as often as it wants (and if it hurts when baby does that, getting help asap to check latch and so on).

Packing formula is almost like admitting defeat before you'e started IMO (unless you're sure you want to ff or mixed feed from day 1). If you do want to pack some, it's worth checking your hospital's policy on formula. Some insist you provide your own, and some insist that if you do provide your own it's the carton stuff not the powdered stuff.

Realistically, I'd not try expressing (if all is going well) until at least two weeks post birth, probably more like a month. The first two weeks with a newborn - you should expect to do nothing else (nothing!!) aside from recover from the birth (even if you had the most fantastic birth ever, your body is still dealing with a shedload of changes and hormones!), get used to the new baby, feeding / sleeping / changing the baby. Don't expect to do any housework or cooking whatsoever (anything you do get done is a bonus). It gets easier after two weeks, quite quickly. And yes, almost anything is 'normal' regarding baby feeding - some like a massive long cluster feed in the evening (if they do this you may be lucky and have them sleep a bit longer at night!). At first you're literally feeding / changing / getting baby to nap and then the cycle starts again.

savagehk · 09/03/2017 11:49

Some introductory info on BF here: www.laleche.org.uk/supporting-a-breastfeeding-mother/ (can't copy/paste text for some reason)

nursebickypegs · 09/03/2017 11:50

Wow thank you so much @savagehk. My midwifes have gone "do what you think is best" which TBH, is nothing as I am clueless. When we went to look around the ward, the sister said to bring a few bottles as a "just in case" so I just did. I want the best for Bub, but there is so many biased opinions out there that I don't know what's best.

peasandquiet · 09/03/2017 11:50

Nurse you don't need to pack a pump or formula if you intend to BF, if the baby needs either due to BF struggles the hospital will provide it for you.

Rustler74 · 09/03/2017 11:56

@nursebickypegs I think I remember a few different teams' midwives saying that feeding is just the one thing that mums should be doing in the first 6 weeks to 3 months, even when bottle feeding or expressing. Other tasks such as changing and dressing are tasks that are better suitable for outsourcing. That was something that a friend of mine also had told me, but now 'confirmed'. I'm not 100% sure whether achievable but I think I'd like to do just that, and only have my OH feed after 6 weeks or so but no one else.
US scan done and now baby's measurements have caught up to 90th percentile! I think that there was a muck up with the due dates again. Very long story but they really confused me and OH panicked. Couldn't get a measurement of the circulation in the head as they asked me to hold my breath which appeared impossible when lying on my back as flat as I did. Now waiting for the endocrinologist and obstetrician appointment. Should have been 10.40!

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EsmesBees · 09/03/2017 12:19

nurse agree about not taking formula with you, it's a temptation at 3am that is hard to resist. And the first few days are really important for getting bfeeding established.

savagehk · 09/03/2017 12:44

Rustler oh no! Do you think they just put the wrong date in the machine when they were doing the measurements?! Why were you in for a scan anyway (difficult to keep up with everyone plus baby brain, sorry!)

nursebickypegs · 09/03/2017 12:46

@EsmesBees thank you! I am just terrified of not being able to do it. I have little support from the women in my family, MIL who is a HV (an evil one!) told me not to bother as "I'll always have my tits out" and my Mum said that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable if I was doing it. DH is fab, he says he will do anything to make my life easier, but he does want to feed baby too.

I'm attempting to spring clean today as the sun is really beaming here in Nottinghamshire. Getting some baby stuff on the line and making the house smell like zoflora. I feel like absolute crap though and just want to drink loads and watch law and order!

EsmesBees · 09/03/2017 13:29

Bless you nurse. It is completely up to you how you feed your baby and whatever way you do it will be fine. If you are keen to bfeed then you'll need to put fingers in your ears and plough on past the naysayers. For what it's worth, I breastfed dd1 for 10 months, but introduced a bottle a day at 6 weeks which DH gave her, so he did get some chance to feed her, and I got a bit of a break.

1004Rise · 09/03/2017 13:34

Esme how did you introduce a bottle a day? I'd like to do something similar, partly to give DH a shot and because if we can get expressing and bottles to work we can bf baby for longer if we want Smile

savagehk · 09/03/2017 13:36

If everything goes well, I'll be looking to introduce a bottle from about 4 weeks, and intend for OH to give that bottle every day so we don't end up (like last time!) with a baby who took a bottle early on but then refused later when I started back at work at 6 months!

But make sure you express when that feed is due / happening to keep up the supply (or express it and feed it immediately). I know 4 weeks is a bit earlier than recommended, but is about when I started expressing last time, and we had no issues that could get in the way. Introducing one before than could result in both your supply going a bit wonky and / or the baby getting confused between the nipple and the bottle.

savagehk · 09/03/2017 13:40

1004 some info here breastfeedingtoday-llli.org/bottle-feeding-a-breastfed-baby/

You may find baby flat out refuses to take a bottle if you're nearby so often works best if you leave the room.

The medela calma teat was supposed to be most similar to the action needed to get milk out of a breast so may result in less nipple confusion. Also may help if the teat smells a bit like you (or may result in complete rejection when baby realises the con Grin )

nursebickypegs · 09/03/2017 13:44

Yay! Just got a phone call saying I got the job and they are happy to wait until I come off mat leave!!!! It's a sister role in outpatient clinic, so no nights/weekends/Christmas. It's 4 days a week, so I'm going to ask husband to sort out his contract so Bub can have Nana two days a week, Daddy 2 days, Mummy 3 days!

dreamofhungarianlanterns · 09/03/2017 13:47

Lovely flurry of cat pictures!

And grateful for all the chat about growbags/ slings etc again as going on a mega shopping trip on Sunday.

Uggg I seem to be becoming a two breakfast person on an annoyingly increasing number of mornings. First breakfast at about 4.30am on waking up ravenous and second breakfast at 8.30am after I've managed to haul my ass into work. I'm like a knackered hobbit.

Rustler74 · 09/03/2017 13:50

Literally JUST got home and a rant has just passed... I asked if i needed to see the midwife or not and when I will get my anti d appointment. I was told at my booking in appointment on 2 Feb that I would get this, so they've had 5 weeks to book that! It seems now that they never booked it (obv Confused) and that I can only get it on a Wednesday morning in the Lister! Which is the one day of the week I work! I can only get it until I'm 30 weeks which is next Friday! What a muck up! So now I have to ask my lovely boss (no not ironically, really lovely) if I can have a few hours next Wednesday to have that done, on the one day I work there.
AngryAngryAngry I'm in a seriously foul mood today!

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nursebickypegs · 09/03/2017 13:53

@dreamofhungarianlanterns I am the queen of hobbit breakfasts. I can't eat a meal towards the end of the day so it helps a lot! I had cereal at about 10 and I'm going to rustle up some bacon now.

PeachIcedT · 09/03/2017 13:59

Congratulations nurse that sounds a great job!

I've just had to buy an emergency bra from the supermarket as my (new) current one was digging a big red line into my bump, ouch.

EsmesBees · 09/03/2017 14:04

dream my toddler actually asks for 'second breakfast' at weekends. That's how normal it is in our house!

Rise I went upstairs and left DH and DD to it! It took him a little while, but once she realised what the teat was she took it no problem. Second the recommendation for the Calma bottles. I did pump at the same time for quite a while. I was really worried it would ruin her latch and she would never want me again, but she was fine.

Nurse great news about the job!

Sipperskipper · 09/03/2017 14:06

Great news nurse! Congratulations!

Rustler74 · 09/03/2017 14:13

@nursebickypegs fabulous news! Proof that some employers actually respect the law and don't discriminate pregnant women!

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nursebickypegs · 09/03/2017 14:20

Thanks everyone!!! They were absolutely lovely, so I'm going to bake them a cake and take it into them next week. I'm so grateful and I feel like I can actually relax now and enjoy nesting and my maternity leave. Plus the money sounds good. DH is worried I've put my dreams on hold, but I don't mind if it means our family has a roof over our heads.

Thank you for the feeding chats, I have a range of bottles for DH including the prep machine which he bought himself!! He actually cracked me up, I said Bub is going to be BF as long as possible but he went "oh it's for just in case". I let it slide, I've been super control freak with buying stuff for the pregnancy so if this gathers dust in the corner I don't mind. I'm going to read the BF links later on.

I've just dropped the hoover down the stairs, spring cleaning is hard with a bump and two cats at your feet...

MrsJW15 · 09/03/2017 14:30

Ladies, can you help? Not sure if I'm being paranoid or if I should call MWs.

Baby was very active yesterday, but I've had a lot of hip pain (I assume PGP). Last night that pain spread further in my pelvis - it almost feels like period pain. A bath definitely eased it, but I was still uncomfortable. Today the hip pain is still here, and I'm getting some lower back pain as well - I haven't had that before. A few odd twinges quite low down and a bit of a headache. Plus baby is much quieter, although I have felt a few movements. Suspect it may be head up and be kicking low but I'm not sure.

Should I call?

nursebickypegs · 09/03/2017 14:33

I'd give them a call @MrsJW15, have you had any bleeding, discharge or losing mucus? Sometimes my baby kicks "down" and I really feel it in my private parts, it's awful. But the period pain cramps worry me a tad.

savagehk · 09/03/2017 14:39

Definitely call mrsJW better safe than sorry!

nursebickypegs · 09/03/2017 14:40

Keep us in the loop @MrsJW15 CakeBrewFlowers