July 2017 #6 - labour here we come

[nat2311]

I think this is how you make one?

Keep falling so behind on this thread! Congratulations Tinkling and Sewing on your gorgeous chunky babies!! Hope you're both recovering well.

Hope you're ok @Algebraic and getting some respite. I had quite bad sleep deprivation in hospital - 7 hours over 7 days - and ended up starting to trip out rather worryingly. At 4am one day I could be found getting the baby changed and dressed nicely to give her away as a welcome gift to the lady who'd moved into the cubicle opposite me. Luckily I came to before I actually gave her away!!

Baby CatRash is doing well - got weighed yesterday and only 75g down on her birth weight. Still going through periods of cluster feeding but she's learnt screeching the house down doesn't help the situation.

One thing that's worrying me, apart from DH going back to work tomorrow, is breastfeeding in public. I have naturally big boobs anyway and find I need either eight hands, a bed or pillows to breastfeed. I need to hold my boob with at least one hand, if not both, to guide my nipple into her mouth and then keep my boob off her nose - my boobs are bigger than her little noggin!! Any tips as to how to do this in public?!

Well done @glitterglitters it sounds like you managed the lone night shift like an absolute boss! So glad the girls were cooperative too.

@CatRash That was one of the major inconveniences I was finding when I was EBF - my knockers are also bigger than Baby Z's head and I was so terrified of smothering him! Couldn't feed without a pillow and two hands; one holding his head and one holding my boob. I felt so incapacitated as he was feeding non stop and always for 45mins-1hr every feed. Pair that with the fact that I'm enormously shy (and a prude) and I literally couldn't think of anything worse than BF in public. Since I've started expressing and feeding him my breast milk by bottle it has totally revolutionised my days. I can feed him one-handed, he's satisfied and drained the bottle within 10-15 mins, and I really don't mind the extra faff of pumping and sterilising the bottles because overall it is saving me a lot of time (and pain).

Would expressing be something you'd consider so that you could give bottles of BM when out and about? I'm sure others will have far better tips and solutions about how to successfully and confidently BF in public but just thought I'd share what's working for me :)

@catrash I've been a 34HH and a 36G respectively and the first few times were terrifying but I went somewhere familiar (Starbucks) with dh and I also went to bf group and practiced in front of the mirror. As baby CarRash gets bigger and necklace muscles improve it gets easier too.

Nobody has ever uttered a word to me negatively and I've even had free cake. Just focus on your baby and you'll be fine :)

If you have any friends who bf maybe go did a coffee date with them to get a bit of moral support/confidence xxxx

There's a Facebook group where you can meet other bf in your area as well so you can meet with others if you want some support too :) I'll find the link xxx

Also remember you are legally entitled to feed your baby wherever and whenever you need as well. If anybody does ever say to you to stop/cover up etc they are breaking the law xxxx

CatRash have you got a local café where NCT groups and the like meet up to drink overpriced coffee and eat overpriced cake? If so: go there. Everyone going there knows that they will see boobs, and won't bat an eyelid. The people who run it rely on selling overpriced cake and coffee to groups of mums, and so it's in their interest to make you comfortable.

Or go to a quiet park.

Good luck!

@Spindelina they also tend to sell "smashed" avocado on toast as well

Thanks for the ideas - think I'll wander down my Mum's at some point (other end of the village) and will probably need to stop at a bench / park along the way to BF. At least if I'm not quick enough to get boob to mouth and she kicks off then I'll only be disturbing the birds! Just have to wait for some half decent weather!!

I will investigate local BF groups too and see what's in the area. I'm very much out in the sticks a bit though so not expecting any smashed avocado lol!!!

Haven't really considered expressing tbh - I'm far too disorganised for all that lol! However if the BFing doesn't work out then I'll definitely be trying it!

I'm so behind - will have a read of the thread soon and see how everyone is doing. I finally had my overdue little one - a few days in now, and I'm experiencing sore boobs and lots of disturbed sleep. Very glad he's feeding though and taking each day as it comes. He's the sweetest thing and I wouldn't be without him now.

Other nice post pregnancy things - no heartburn and having normal bladder function again.

Congratulations @Lallypopstick !!!!

Congratulations, Lally! Sounds like you're getting into the swing of things!

Congratulations @Lallypopstick 😍👶🏻

Now we're nearing the end of the month and it seems like almost all of us have given birth by now but I've lost track - who's still waiting to pop?

Me . 39+2 here. Hoping not much longer.

Congratulations Lally, Sewing and Tinkling

We (DH, me + 2DCs) went out for overpriced coffee and cake today. Very nice it was too. Avoided the avocado though .

Had my wee boy on Monday night. ❤️ he's so perfect!!! So happy to finally have him here!

Congratulations @Holz657 😍💙

@HaichM Fingers firmly crossed for you 🤞🏻 have you had any twinges or signs lately?

@Spindelina sounds like a lovely family day out (despite the lack of smashed 🥑 lol)

Yay! Well done @Holz657

Hopefully not too much longer @HaichM try and relax as much as humanly possible

Oh @Spindelina no smashed avocado on toast?! I bet they snuck some of that or beetroot into the cake #sneakyhipsterbaking

Congratulations, Holz!

glitters I had carrot cake - the veg wasn't even hidden .

Oooh I love carrot cake for banned from my house as dh has a walnut allergy sob

Just had a short feed and catching up.

Congratulations to all those who have their little ones - Holz, Tinkling and Sewing - Tinkling I had a pretty drawn out induction process as well, then a section though not as long as yours.

I'm really appreciating all the honest breastfeeding chat on here as well. I hope things improve for you Butterfly - your pain sounds horrendous.

Last night was a tough one for me because he would feed for over an hour, then only sleep for half an hour. Today has been better, though then I get anxious about him not feeding every couple of hours and think "should I wake him up?" Tonight he fed until about 10pm, and then woke up about half 1. Fed for nearly an hour and has just had a 20 minute feed then. He fell asleep and came off himself, so I assume he's done? So hard not to assume you're getting it wrong all the time.

Algebraic how are you doing with getting some sleep? It seems like it's impossible to get any deep sleep now because of our innate instinct to listen out for the baby. I'm surprised that I seem to wake up before he cries for food now, as I must hear his little snuffly piglet sounds.

Another one who'd be interested in hearing about Dubai as a baby friendly destination. I'd love a holiday at some stage, before baby is mobile.

Haich I hope you get a prompt baby. Being overdue is not fun!

CatRash we have a breastfeeding cafe once a week in my area, and some of the maternity care assistants attend to offer support if needed. I think I'll go there to pop my public feeding cherry, though I did go to a fancy cake place (as mentioned by glitters and Spindelina with my NCT group the other week and they welcomed five hungry breastfeeding women with open arms (plus one heavily pregnant hungry woman - me at the time!)

This has turned into a long post - better get some sleep now before the next feed!

I managed to press something and nearly lose my message by going from the mobile site to the normal one (thank god I'd previewed the message near the end), so apologies for lack of bold names / @s.

@Lallypopstick I used to wake before dd1 would need a feed.

Dd2? No 😂

@lallypopstick sounds like their done feeding, throwing the head back and sleeping is a good sign. If baby is gaining weight i woukd worry abiut waking them.
Dd can go 3-4 hours sometimes between feeds. But she hasnt gained at her 10 day check so the mw suggested i wake her to feed (which i havent done so far) and make sure im offering both breasts. Weigh again on tuesday.

Aaaarrrghhhhhhhhhhh Aaaaaarrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhh Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhh

DS just did a wet fart. I knew there was more to come. So what did I do? Change his nappy. Squirty poo half way across the room. On me and my clothes, on the floor, the cotton wool, the nappies, DD's Brio box... I shrieked a bit, which freaked DD who started wailing...

I already was in awe of those of you who do this more-or-less solo. Even before he was a SAHD, DH was self-employed working from home, so mostly available in these sorts of crises!