July 2017 #6 - labour here we come

[nat2311]

I think this is how you make one?

@mynameisntLinda I had the midwife again today and I mentioned my clot. She asked was there any membranes so perhaps you should give someone a ring and get an examination? She also asked about abdomen tenderness. Not to scare you but they did say to call in the same day. Hope all is ok.

Congratulations, tinkling! And bloody well done for coping with a six day induction!

Butterfly I'm so glad to hear that the LC was helpful and had some sane advice. Don't know about you, but having a plan helps me cope much better.

Algebraic I'm not sure that the way we did mixed feeding would help you. We were on a three-hourly schedule of one breast, other breast, ebm, formula, then pump while DD slept. We were doing it to try to get her weight up - she wasn't much above her birthweight at 6 weeks. I gave up on going back to EBF at about 3mo (and stopped pumping), and then at about 4mo we stopped using formula at night and instead did four bottles in the day/ evening, with bf in between and overnight. That was pretty sustainable and carried on basically the same until she was 12mo (though we reduced the number of bottles, eventually just to 2 a day). She was taking something like half the amount of formula that the box suggested for her age, so it was a substantial proportion of her intake (enough that we didn't need to faff with vitamin drops - bonus!!). At 12mo, we replaced formula with cows milk, and then I stopped bf (my choice not hers!) at 18mo.

Oh baby Holly is beautiful @TinklingTheIvories good size as well. Sounds like you've been right through the wringer as well 😣

Congratulations @TinklingTheIvories !! Baby Holly is a little beauty ❤️ can't believe you coped with a 6-day induction; what a trouper you are!

Thanks @Spindelina yes I'm the same; definitely helps me to have a plan in place. My mood is already so much better because I feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Just got back from Peter Jones where I went to buy the full Tommee Tippee closer to nature set - steriliser etc - as I hadn't even got any of these things in advance, such was my determination that I would be exclusively BF. But, it is what it is, I've made peace with it already, and fingers crossed it'll be onwards and upwards from now on.

Baby Z absolutely loves car journeys and his car seat (Mima BeSafe IziGo); he's always good as gold and sleeps like a little sloth when we take him out. In fact, pop him in the car seat anywhere and he's out like a light!

Wow @TinklingTheIvories she is stunning. I can't believe you did 6 days you deserve a medal. I hope you can get a little rest (I know easier said than done). Congrats xx

Realised I didn't share a pic of baby. Here she is!

Ohhhh all the babies 😍😍😍😍😍

Tinkling well done. She is gorgeous!

Butterfly glad that you now that you have an action plan. Very soon you will have the cuddles with baby Z and lovingly enjoy them with a bottle. Absolutely the right decision for you.

We saw our Gp earlier and he gave us lots of assurances that baby is fine. He examined her and she kicked and scratched the hell out of him!. His diagnosis was that your baby is very strong and alert so she is fine. The rash is quite extensive but he confirmed that he had seen worse. He also recommended that I get her weighed every week to ensure she is gaining weight and following the 25th centile trend as she is possetting a lot and still poos just as much.

Anyone up? Needing a hand hold

What's up, @Algebraic?

Getting concerned about my mental state. Literally cannot sleep for fear that baby will stop breathing. Haven't managed daytime naps as she feeds sometimes every 45 mins so the cycle is too quick to get any rest.
Worried about what the sleep deprivation is doing to me. Feel like hell if she cries for even 2 minutes...

Have a hand to hold.

Have you spoken to the midwives (or HV) about it?

Sleep deprivation is grim. I was getting really quite down at the end of last week before I decided that we were going to cosleep.

Day before yesterday DH took baby away from me for 3 hours and supplemented with a FF. I managed two hours sleep. So that's something in the past few days but is unsustainable, of course. Interestingly, when I feel her close to me I can sleep. But at the hospital they said only cosleep if you are exclusively breastfeeding and she's now had 4 FF feeds since birth... again, probably my paranoia.
I read about what can happen from sleep deprivation awhile ago and that has added to my fears. I am now second guessing every small feeling. E.g what if I get so sleep deprived I get psychosis and want to hurt her?
Just to clarify I don't want to do this, I think I actually love her too much hence being unable to sleep!
As you can see I've got myself in a state. I was wondering if midwife or gp might be able to help with a sleeping tablet so I could get 4 hours in a chunk with DH feeding some pumped milk.
Oh and milk also can't keep up due to my anaemia so poor thing is ravenous.

I think the pressure of being responsible for a human life is really weighing on me.

Apologies I have completely negged everyone out there.
I have spoken to hospital and they are going to send mental health team to see me soon and they also asked me to contact GP so DH will do that for me on opening.
Hope everyone is good. X

Oh @Algebraic I've just seen your posts. Big unmumsnetty hug. I know what you mean about checking they are breathing. I'm really pleased they are coming out to see you, and hopefully you'll be able to get some rest very soon.

Bless your heart @Algebraic have a handhold and some big unmumsnetty hugs from me too. I've been up all night with a fussy cluster-feeding Baby Z but only just checked the thread now.

I think what you're feeling is totally normal, and the fact that you have identified it so quickly and are seeking support is hugely positive. It sounds like the anxiety and overwhelming love of new motherhood, mixed with sleep deprivation - I hope they will help you come up with a constructive way to cope with it.

In the meantime we're always here to lend a listening ear whenever you need it

Thank you so much. Honestly don't know what I'd do without this group in the depths of the night!

Introducing baby sewing, who took us by surprise weighing 10lb 9oz (siblings were only 9lb 3oz & 9lb 4oz so I expected the same again). Was induced on due date, Sunday. Only 1-2cm so had pessary in at 10.30pm, started contracting immediately every 2-3 minutes, birthing pool at 11.30 then pessary out at midnight as the contractions were ontop of each other with no breaks - they broke my waters as soon as pessary was out and hooked me to monitor.

Contractions stayed 2-3 minutes apart but I was getting 30 seconds respite between them. It was all too stressful for baby as heart rate was 180 so I had to stay hooked to monitor until his head started to crown and was given a drip to slow heart rate down which worked eventually.

Started needing to push at 5am but was only 7cm so I begged for diamorphine on top of g&a at that point, he was born at 6.25am.

Had to stay in hospital until this morning as he stopped breathing shortly after birth and needed an injection to get him going again so they wanted to monitor him to make sure it was just due to the morphine - all good now though!

Oooh he's lovely! Congratulations! What an absolutely squishy baby

@Algebraic how's it going today?

And congratulations, Sewing.

Welcome to the world baby Sewing! Congratulations.

Algebraic I'm sorry I missed your posts last night. I was awake at that time but on the only day I didn't check this thread ( was on the Game of Thrones thread )someone needed a chat! Im sorry; Next time I will check this thread first. I don't know how I would have got through some days without the support and encouragement on this thread. Breastfeeding at the beginning almost broke me and this thread got me through. Glad Spin was around to respond. Hope you get some reassurance from the visits of the physch medics. I find that facts about my fear give me some comfort. I don't worry about baby not breathing as she sleeps noisily making all kinds of noises but I over-analyse her general health- the contents of her nappies, her skin, she is feeds too much, she hasn't fed enough today, why is she crying so much! All kinds of worry. I have been to see doctors(including out of hrs) in the last 3wks. I will continue to do so even if it turns out to be nothing as it gives me reassurance and it is good for my mental state.

Now that we are about to fill this thread, how do you all feel about opening our next thread in the Being a parent - post natal clubs? I know we are waiting for some more babies but also we are getting to the end of July. What do you think?

Dh and I were planning on going on holiday when baby Fran is about 3-6months before she is mobile and before she starts on solids so only breast milk. Dh suggested Dubai and I immediately thought of you Butterfly 😀. We are thinking of October or November when temperatures start to drop.

I agree! I know i don't post all the time but this thread has been such a lifeline!

I'm now 50/50 on bf and ff and baby is much happier for it because I am! After feeling so weak having a bug last week it made so much sense and now OH can help with the night feeds. He gets some painful wind (he had before ff) so tying to work that out but other than that he's so calm.

Will also make the effort to check the thread when I'm on the night feed. We're all here for each other xx

Congratulations @Sewingbeatshousework - look at those edible cheeks!!! 😍

@Notyetthere a Notyet family holiday to Dubai would be lovely, and October/November would be the perfect time to come. It's a very baby-friendly place and I understand the hotels are well equipped for those holidaying with little ones. Let me know if you want any advice about choosing a hotel or anything else if you do decide to visit ☺️

@nat2311 I've also been combination BF/FF since yesterday and the relief it's given me is enormous. I'm actually happy when feeding Baby Z now and got through an entire 24 hrs with no tears!

Baby Z had his hearing screening test today and passed with flying colours. The nurse conducting the test made a passing comment about how young he is to be teething... I was like wait what?!?!!! She pointed out how visible his top two front teeth are under the gum and said it probably explains why he's been gnawing on his sleeves and hands for the past few days. How can he be teething at 12 days old though! We're still not even at his due date yet! He also got his UAE passport today - how adorable is this 😩

Oooh lots of posts! Adorable passport photo @ButterflyFree kids always take great ones m, it's us poor adults that look like a state

Happy to have the new thread moved to post pregnancy when the time is right.

It sounds like everybody is starting to find their groove and what's suiting them as a family as well. We all have these expectations when we decide to have kids but it never, ever turns out like that and that's ok It's the hardest, most fulfilling and worthwhile job in the world. If it were easy it wouldn't be such a big deal

I've just done something I've always thought I'd never ever do and given Baby Glitter a dummy. This was my one "big" I don't want to do this etc but she's a super efficient feeder, gaining weight but wants to such constantly but gets up upset. I felt really crap about it (and when you think about it it's really stupid!) but it's working for us. She didn't even use it last night though.

I've just survived my first solo night with the two of them as dh had a night shift. He thankfully put the toddler to bed at 6:30 for me (one logistic I'm struggling with) and then no peep from her (hooray) and two feeds from the smaller one (double hooray).