November 2017 #5. You wait ages for a baby, then 3 come along at once. Ante/post-natal chat ...

[Zampa]

No specific post-natal category so I've added it to the normal ante-natal category ...

@GingerHanna I think those feelings are very normal, I know quite a few people who have breast fed and been through exactly the same thing as you are going through at the moment. However, it may be worth you speaking to your health care professional as hormones can create havoc with our emotions too. I keep finding myself a bit teary this weekend, something I don’t normally experience.

I am having to start going back to work a little bit from tomorrow and feel really sad that I am going to have to leave my little bubble of spending every minute with Jasper. He is 11 days old today and the last 11 days have just been so perfect, we have done loads of things as a family like going for lunches and walks, so now feel as though it’s real life time again 😢

@GingerHanna ah yes forgot temporarily you were in Netherlands apologies. I have health visitor appt tomorrow by coincidence @Zampa so will talk to her thanks xx

Thanks @AGnu that sounds frustrating! Well done for persevering! Xx

@DuRezidal I am amazed that you are going back to work. 4 weeks in and I find it an achievement to have a hot cup of tea, let alone work!

I left Bea for 3 hours early with DH, I went shopping with my best friend and had an actual hot cup of tea. I was surprised to find how much I missed her in those 3 hours, she of course decided to behave like an angel and allowed DH to have a lie in

And yes @GingerHanna those feelings are normal xx

@theotherendofthesockportal I would have loved to have taken a few more weeks off but because I ended up having 5 weeks off with my broken leg when I was 17 weeks pregnant and being self employed it has really impacted on my business and I cannot take much more time off. It’s pretty gutting because if I hadn’t broken my leg I had pencilled 4 weeks off following him arriving.

I think we are in for a rough night tonight as he hasn’t done a poo all day and is looking a bit uncomfortable.

@theotherendofthesockportal I remember the first time I left DS. He was 2 weeks old & I went to a baby first aid course for two hours. By the end of it I felt I was physically aching from missing him so much & ran out to the car where DP was waiting to pick me up. Have no plans to leave Iris as yet, mainly because of not being able to drive. Might get DP to take her on the childminder run (10 minutes each way) one day this week to ease me in gently.

@DuRezidal hope you get on ok at work tomorrow. Is it based close to home so you can pop back & see Jasper? I know what you mean about family time. It’s a lovely little bubble of all your important people around you with no pressures to do anything or be anywhere. Wish it could happen more often.

@butterybollocks personally I wouldn’t be doing the school run yet, it’s probably a bit much as you’re not even a week post op. Maybe aim for doing it on Friday. With DS we went out for lunch when he was a week old & then popped to a couple of shops next door. I was probably on my feet about 40 minutes, far longer than I had been for over a week & I felt so rough by the end of it. I was quite ill after I had DS so that could have been it but that’s one of the reasons I’m trying to take it steady this time. I was literally clinging onto the pram to stay upright, it wasn’t fun.

Hope those of you yet to have your babies are doing ok & not struggling with the end of pregnancy too much. Looking forward to hearing some more birth announcements over the next few days.

Can anyone describe what let down feels like? My milk is diminishing due to mastitis antibiotics and I want to make sure I am feeding or expressing whenever I can

@lydiangel83 to me it's like a painful tingle through the centre of my nipple. I think it can help to try to feel it in the opposite boob to the one you're pumping/feeding from because the one you're using will already be hurting/tingling from the pump/baby's suck. I can also see it start to spurt out with the let down, although mine has always been very forceful.

You can really feed or gently pump whenever. Just the action of either of those, particularly putting baby to the breast, will help to increase your supply.

@durezidal I know exactly what you mean about that little family bubble. Are your horses at home? Can jasper go with you to some things?

@gingerhanna hope you're OK. It's completely normal, breastfeeding is hard but should get easier for you in the coming weeks. When you and baby are just getting the hang of things it's really hard work - if you can, just let yourself relax, watch box sets, get people to bring you food and drink whenever you need it and just sort of give in to it. Hope you have a better day today x

@butterybollocks thanks I am trying to feed every 3 hrs no idea how much she is drinking as has a tendency to suckle a lot as well. This plus strong latch equals v sore nipples.

Do you think nipple shields would reduce stimulation?

The suckling is good, she's telling your body to increase supply, and it'll help clear/prevent mastitis.

Not sure about nipple shields reducing stimulation. I fed DD with them for 3 months and didn't have any problems. I have flat/inverted nips so couldn't feed without them. Do get good quality ones though if you give them a try, and maybe just try them for some feeds not all?

Ladies - we are about to discuss induction with our consultant- I don’t know why I’m so shocked!! I really thought we’d come in and have our scan and then be told we could just wait out for natural labour. Exciting to think I’ll get to meet baby at some point in the next few days!!

Thanks @butterybollocks I have / had small nipples but now bigger thanks to feeding/ soreness and I bought medium nipple shields that were really painful as she sucked directly on teet and I could feel it all. It meant latch wasn’t good because teet filled her mouth. I have bought large ones to see if it makes a difference but don’t think it will. She is just a strong baby! Xx

@izzibee29 I had the same experience! Went in for reduced movements then following routine scan which showed reduced growth they wanted to induce me on the spot! I was ok to wait until the next morning tho just to get my head around it. Good luck! xx

@butterybollocks they are all at my parents house. He can come up a little bit but they are all fit competition horses so just a bit nervous about him being around them while I’m riding etc. Also got 3 young ones too who need quite a lot of work.

My mum is driving me mad. It wouldn't be unusual for us to only speak once a week, if that, but she's messaging me every day asking how I am aka, "are you in labour yet?" & if I don't reply soon enough she'll call me. They're on standby to have the DC so they'd be the first people I'd call if I was in labour, it's just getting annoying being pestered all the time. I'm not even 40w yet & she hardly showed any interest with the other DC so I'm baffled as to why she thinks she needs to harrass me now!

On the plus side, my friend has had her waters broken 4 times & has offered to pop round & do it for me with a crochet hook. Yesterday I had so much pelvic pain that I could barely get around the house & I was almost considering calling her bluff & getting her round! Today DD seems to have moved back up a bit. I'm glad from a pain POV but frustrated because I just want her out now!

@Agnu I am in so much pain with my pelvis! It’s agony!! Only been the last couple of days. Please tell me this will go when Baby comes! It’s the pressure down there I think.

Ah it is so exciting and scary reading all about your babies!!

@Izzi good luck with your induction! How exciting you will be meeting Baby so soon :) Hope it all goes smoothly! Xx

Good luck @izzibee29!

@HazardDuck yep that sounds like typical late pregnancy pelvic pain caused by him/herself having a good burrow down there. Should go straight away after birth.

Come on baby AGnu!

Haz, it's amazing how all the pregnancy aches and pains just disappear when baby arrives - late pregnancy is tough on your body!

Good luck @izzibee29!

@AGnu my mum was a child health visitor c.30 years ago and she is a nurse by training. I am getting so much advice most of which is outdated and now she is coming to stay for a week. I am grateful for her support but a bit worried I won’t be able to do what I want. And the MIL is a whole other topic!

@butterybollocks being pregnant seems like a lifetime ago already!

I know what you mean @lydiangel83! Although at least once a day I think omg I haven't felt the baby move for a while - then I remember he's not in my tummy anymore.

Freddie is a week old today and I already can't remember what life was like before he arrived!

Is it mad to iron muslins?

They wrinkle up after a wash but as they're going to be in and out of the machine, ironing each time seems so laborious!

It’s a little sad to think that although I hated being pregnant, it will never be the case again now we have our two beautiful children. I will never feel that little squiggly life growing inside.

@Zampa I definitely wouldn’t iron muslins, I hang them on the airer and they dry fairly crease free. I think you need to put your feet up with a well deserved cuppa instead of ironing!