Due April 2007 - Pregnant women aren't just walking wombs on legs

[Ellieump]

We all seem to be having a tough time of it in one way or another so this seemed quite appropriate somehow!

I know what you mean dooby, when i told my mw that 'im not going to force myself to bf and will give it a try but will not allow myself to feel guilty if i can't manage' she looked at me in absolute horror.

Good luck with the hoovering.

mmk, LOL, so funny bless you(re the outfit/tattoo!)

Glad all ok 1b3.

Octo, LOL too (3 y/o bf)

I don't get bf older children, sorry if that offends anyone, but i find it really weird. Mind you i'm not too keen on bf personally anyway only managed a few hours with dd. I just know i'd not do it in front of other people. I know i shouldn't worry but i just don't want other people seeing my bits!!! My personal opinion and i have no issues with people doing it around me which is odd i know. And my mum did bf me and brother & sister and i saw her doing it too brother as he's 7 years younger than me so it's not that issue either. Just think it's me.

Yes, it is a very suportive thread here, I'm grateful for it.

Last time, when I said I needed to go elsewhere to feed, MIL and others said, 'no, no, stay here I don't mind' and I felt too numpty to say no.
This time i'm going to say I mind though, and need to do it alone at least at first. However, the only problem with this theory is DS, who will no doubt be jumping all over us, pulling at assorted body parts and saying things like 'oooh look at mummy's other tummies' arrg, can you imagine it?

whenscooby- yes, some comment on whatever you do! Some bf mums almost sneered at me and my Dr Brown bottles.

oh yes, I forgot, part of my plan is also when out and about, to plan the trip around good baby feed/change places. Our local shopping centre has a dreamy mothercare feeding room with recliner chairs etc, as do some places at the city centre.

LOL @ 'mummies other tummies'
I forgot about the having an older child issues.
Dd has an obsession with mummies 'lovely' boobies and makes sure that she points them out to everyone (and that is when they are under clothes)

Its funny cos my dp gets very freaked out at the idea of me whipping out my norks....not in private he just curtainly wouldn't be comfortable me doing it in public.... doesn't help any I supose.

Ok going to pay a visit to next door neighbour as she has just had a baby girl.... hopefully she will be up for visitors....

be back after...

I have just got my huggababy sling out and feel it will cover everything up for bf in public - think will just keep it under the pushchair.

Must go into town....

Hugababy sling looks like a good idea, I've tried to find one in large on ebay, but no joy! I guess I'll just have to fork out the wads for a new one.

Now, about these norks, I went into mothercare, they've never heard of them, so I went into John Lewis, and they hadn't either. Are they in the feeding section?

(I'm only teasing you, I know what they are really)

mmk. When I started to read that post I thought you were serious, was cringing at the thought of you in the shops!! I am very gullible!!

Saw the midwife this afternoon. Everything seems to be fine. Heartbeat today 144 so does that mean boy or girl? Measuring at 36 weeks so right for dates, blood pressure fine too. She had a look at my swollen hands and feet but after I told her they were much worse first time round she wasnt particularly worried. So I will just have to keep plodding on until my waters decide to pop which will hopefully be this side of my due date as my show doesnt mean much at all since this is my second baby.

Agree with the embarassment factor of bf in public. I never did it with ds which kind of made me housebound or I would have to make a mad dash to the bank/shops etc in between feeds. Its weird really as I have no problem whatsoever with seeing other women doing it, its just my own hang ups. I actually dont have a problem with anyone having a go at me as I am mouthy enough to tell them where to get off, but just dont like the idea of everyone getting an eyeful of my huge norks!

mmk I paid £20 for mine on ebay. Maybe try on the wanted boards on mn?

Trip to town successful - have planted some primulas in my pots out the front - we're not really gardeners so that is as good as it gets!

Have had another look at my hospital bag - need toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, make up, camera, phone, money, ipod and arnica - think will manage that in early labour . Have a second bag packed with extra nappies, sleepsuits, muslins, breastpads, maternity pads and more towels. My tens machine and waterproof sheet 9for car) are kind of on top as think will need those in early labour rather than in bag for hospital.

Am waiting for baby to drop so can breathe again!

now, about these norks!..I'm feeling so much better since I've heard others suffer similar embarrasment feeligs. There must be some sort of nork disguising kit somewhere, I'll look on the web.

The bf tops I have should do the trick, and I hope that by practising, I can do it discreetly. I've got two with slots going up and down, and two with one slot and two holes in the front.
I've got some beautiful Royce Bras for feeding too, so I just have to get that done, and get the nork through the bra, and through the top. I can just see that all that faffing about is sure to attract attention.

Unlike SIL, whose 3 year old can undo her bra, find the nork, make use of it, and then just leave it hanging there. Meanwhile, everyone is trying to eat, and not notice...

mmk that would be classic if you went into the shops asking for norks

Saw next door neighbours baby girly ssssooooo cute with her straight black hair already...

Starting to feel a little anxious about the whole labour thing now.. Also feeling quite weird like 'the end is neigh' .... don't get me wrong i am looking forward to meeting lo but I'm nervous and slightly pannic stricken...I think its getting worse as i type

MAMMYJO - Did you have a show???

LOL mmk, i too thought you were serious

Had mw earlier and all looking ok, I'm 36 weeks, measuring 37 so not as bad as last time when they thought i was a bit big!!

Now is it a train that's a boy and a horse that's a girl heartbeat wise can't remember. Think it was a horse!!! But they do sound very similar so who knows!!

Well my dd free time has been put to use on the computer, house remains looking the sameOoops!! But i have listed my items for ebay so fingers crossed i make a fortune, hmm maybe not with the items! Not that they crap just not worth a fortune. Some tops and maternity stuff that doesn't fit!!

And MIL said i don't have to pick dd up til 6.30 and i'm off out at 7 so really had a dd free day!!! Shouldn't get excited but it is rare and so needed. Even had fish and chip shop sausage and chips for lunch!!!

When i bf before in public i always made sure i was wearing loose tops i could lift up easily and quite often a jacket or cardigan to cover round the sides and baby covers the tummy so i dont think there was ever anything on show. But that was once bf was established and we both knew what we were doing, definitely best done on your own at first. And a cushion on the lap is not only great for helping support the baby but also very good at covering tummies! And then when they get abit older it all gets more difficult again as they get to the stage of suddenly letting go and turning around to look at something on the other side of the room thus exposing your nipple to all and sundry! But i learnt to keep a hand there just in case. Oh and the great habit they both had around 6 months (i think?) of sucking and pulling their head back till your nipple pops out their mouth! And then they get teeth!! Sorry getting abit carried away reminiscing!

I did feel abit uncomfortable and self conscious doing it even when i knew there was nothing on show but its definitely so worth doing it if you can, its SOO lovely bringing your baby into bed with you of a morning for a feed and a doze or gazing into each others eyes. Or a lovely cuddle and a feed before bed. And if you're lazy like me then its definitely easier to whip out your norks and feed your baby than faff around with warming bottles and things. i did have alot of trouble in my first few weeks both times though with bleeding nipples and really cant see that they werent latched on properly, i think its just my nipples adjusting. And with ds also had terrible after pains when feeding so am expecting them to be even worse this time. So when im here moaning and crying how horrible it is just remind me how much i loved it in the end!

Hello - am still chuckling about bfing a 3 year old at the sink while washing up! Can you imagine a small child just walking up to you, lifting up your top and latching on whilst you're in the middle of doing something? EEOOooowwwww! I have such mixed feelings about bfing this time around. Fed Emily for 3 months and was very successful at it (after the initial needles in boobs sensations during each feed), but the problem was I just hated it. Not so much the feeding itself, but I hated having sore, huge, rock-hard leaky boobs. I hated the way they looked, felt, their leakiness, having to wear a bra all the time, soggy breast-pads, the fact that I just couldn't get away from them! So I really don't know what I'm going to do this time. I guess I will give it a go for a while, but if I really hate it again I'm going to have to just stop. Also, I didn't really start to get my figure back until I stopped feeding (selfish I know, but I was a bit PNDish and self-esteem played a bit part). I just remember thinking I wanted my body back after loaning it out for a year!

Did mammyjo have a show??? Have I missed something?

emmymummy - have you bought formula just in case? I have resisted so far....

Octopussy - haven't bought any formula yet, but have bottles, steriliser etc. But also have bfing bras and breast pads, so could go either way!

Mammyjo's had on & off shows but has been told it doesn't necessarily mean anything 2nd time round.

But I'd still be excited if it was me!

Yes I did have a show on Saturday morning but sadly it was nothing to get excited about. The midwife said that if its not your first baby you can have several shows weeks before actually going into labour. Crap I know, I thought things were starting!! I saw her today and she said I could have more yet before actually getting anywhere - crap.

Sorry Emmy, x posted with you then!

I'd still be excited, at least something's happening at long last!

DS2 came out 24 hours after my show - ooh thought of a new thread title:

Its pant checking time again!

emmymummy - ditto re stuff!

Pesha, your info was very useful and should go in our new thread when someone tells me how to do it! I had a laugh thinking of sitting there in public, frantically trying to get the baby back on again. That is something else it doesn't mention in the leaflets!
Emmymummy- hmm, they don't mention any of that in the leaflets do they?? It made me laugh.
For me, it was agony frst time around, and I'm already wondering how long I'll stick it! I mean, still no drinking!

I've just seen something really funny on Amazon, the Podee feeding bottle. It has a lid on it, and tube, and the teat at the far end of the tube, so baby can feed whilst watching the tv, bottle on floor, teat in mouth- now, why don't i get one for DH.

And if I had a show I would be hopping around for joy - mega exciting

MMK - no they don't tell you about how excruciatingly painful rock hard boobs can be, and how, when you get out of the shower all clean, they start dripping on your feet .

Have looked for the Podee thing - check this out!

mmk, was just looking at slings on ebay and found freedom slings. They are £20 and look quite good. I emailed the seller who emailed me straight back. I wanted to ask what she thought might suit me and she actually recommended the cheapest one she sells so I thought that was a good sign. Just thought of you as you were talking about one earlier. I plan to get the one she recommends and attempt discreet public bf!