June 2018 #4

[ClareB83]

Just restarting the thread as we're close to 1000 posts again.

June 2018 #3 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/3100612-june-2018-3

Thanks everyone, some great tips and links!

I had the BFing lady round earlier and she showed me how to hand express, it was a bit uncomfortable but we managed to get some colostrum out which amazed me. Only little drops but she said if I keep at it I’ll be able to produce more and more, she’s left me some syringes that can go in the freezer. She did say that hand expressing can bring on labour which is a bit worrying as I really don’t want to do that before my section next week! So I’m not sure whether to carry on or not, honestly though the fact that my boobs are doing what they’re meant to has made me so much more confident so it was worth it just for that.

@HoneyBee03 when I had my 1st my MIL was literally hovering over me with a tin of formula whenever I fed 😅. It is irritating but just concentrate on your baby and you’ll be fine, if they do make you feel uncomfortable tell them to leave!

Hi all,

Massive respect to all of you with a child/children already, you must be exhausted. I appear to have developed a phobia of children, which is poor timing . Just so scared when I go out of the house. I feel so vulnerable waddling down the road as they come running/scooting toward me, worried they will knock me over or crash into bump. I'm also finding children crying or screaming much more grating than it was pre-pregnancy - does anyone else get this?! May well be body/brain preparing me to be more responsive, but gah!

@elizabethlemon @honeybee03 That sounds really hard re breastfeeding. I gather that it is pretty tough, so the last thing you need is relatives "strongly encouraging" you to take the alternative route when you are exhausted. I'm in the unusual position that all of the older women in my family (and ILs) breastfed so that is good in a way. However I am worried that my DMIL, who is very pro-breastfeeding, will not be thrilled if it doesn't work out for me (I'm going to give it my best shot but if ultimately I need to eg supplement with formula I don't intend to beat myself up). At the same time she is liable to spend hours holding the baby when I'm trying to establish supply...!

My midwife has confirmed my suspicion that I am carrying a monstrously large child - "neat bump" my foot!

@Heregoeseverything that sounds tough too! I guess at least if it really doesn't work out I have a whole family of formula-supporters behind me!!

@ElizabethLemon I'm pleased to hear it went well with the breastfeeding lady! It's great that you have that support available. I felt similarly when my boobs leaked for the first time - "Yippee, they work!"

Great to hear all the BF tips and info sources. I've just ordered some lansinoh cream in anticipation!
Hope you're all doing well. Anyone planning to use disposable pants for hospital or would some old baggy ones (a bit embarrassing, how much of my underwear collection comes under this category!) do the trick? I've got a stash of maternity pads at the ready for after birth too, as I've been told that going through about 5 mat. pads a day is the norm(!).

I have bought big knickers from Primark as I got rid of all my old pants before I got pregnant. Mind you my arse has grown since then too 😆.
All the bf advice is lovely to read, I wish I’d had it before I had my daughter as though I fed her till she was 8ish months I cried through every feed as it was so painful. I have already to decided to formula feed this time which has actually been greeted with a better response than I expected from my family (mum bf me and my siblings so I thought she might say something).
I have the hospital tomorrow for obs and a scan to check the cord, placenta (I think), and fluids around the baby. Hopefully then I will be given my induction date.

Looks like it won’t be long before the babies start to arrive thick and fast 😊

I'm planning to colostrum harvest too.....I seem to have NO supply issues which was a shock to dp when he squeezed a boob as a joke but do you get baby to drink from the syringe? Or how does that work?

Still need to buy big pants

So - I've had some acupressure today and a second sweep. Anyone had a sweep before? Is it normal to bleed a bit? Midwife said spotting might happen but I wouldn't call this spotting.

I'm wondering whether I should call them?

@SparklesAndBubbles if you haven’t called already I’d give them a call. The only time I bled was with a bloody show x hope you are ok and if it’s the start hope it goes well 😊

@sparklesandbubbles hopefully that was the beginning of it for you

@Northernbeachbum I haven’t done any harvesting myself but I gather that you pace feed them from the syringe.

My mum (god love her) has no clue about BF and although she tried to help made a few comments last time that made me go eh? But she never mentioned formula to me, which I appreciated.

For pants, first/second day I’d wear the disposable knickers as any will get destroyed From 3rd day on I wore my big granny pants and I’ll be honest, they were very comfy esp as I had a c-sec.

Another tip I got was for extra padding around any scar you might have, use a clean pad and stick it on your pants on the inside were your scar is. Helps cushion a little if you wanna wear trousers

I'd wear the hospital provided disposal pants the first couple of days. They're funny better things but they stretch to fit anyone, are strangely comfortable and you will just destroy them. I even took a couple of pairs home, but didn't need them as the bleeding tails off after a couple of days. And then your granny pants are fine.

As bump shrinks my big pregnancy pants are too big but not convinced my regular pants will fit yet. Same with trousers my maternity leggings are too stretched out but not convinced my first trimester clothes will fit either. Kind of in between.

Thanks @shutupanddance I'll have a chat with the midwife when we see her next week. Might not have much time pre baby arrival but I guess every little helps!

Thanks to you and @clareb83 for the pants related tips. I didn't know they'd give you disposables in hospital!

Our hospital doesn't provide throw away ones but I found I didn't bleed that much after my emcs and so my giant cheap pants from the supermarket were fine as long as I changed the pad regularly.

You can also get the disposable pants in boots and I think Asda do them in their maternity range?

I’ve heard great things about Tena lady pants as well .

Northernbeachbum - If you need to use the syringes - you should ask your midwife if they have lactation aids in your maternity unit. Kinda like a long tube with a container at the end for the milk. You can latch baby on and tube slipped into baby’s mouth. That way it stimulates your supply and also giving extra to baby.

@SparklesandBubbles I hope it's going well for you today? Did you speak to your midwife?

I've got a pack of cheap, massive black knickers from Matalan. Had no clue on the size I'd need, was pulling a few out of the packs (sorry Matalan) and holding them up around my tummy to get an idea. Will definitely go for some disposable undies at first though if hospital offer them.

Yeah Asda definitely do disposable ones. I've got two packs of five that were a pound a box.

Hi ladies, still no progression. I think it was all just plug and from the sweep last night. Not had any more this morning so didn't phone midwife in the end. Just had a lovely relaxing reflexology session which has made me super chilled. The Reflexologist shared her Spotify play list with me so am currently sat on my ball bouncing again and listening to her super chilled playlist while toddler is asleep!!

Been having a lot of Braxton Hicks today and yesterday , finding it hard to move around due to being generally uncomfortable. Was looking forward to having DH around for the weekend to help me out . I’m cooking lunch for everyone and have hoovered and been sorting out baby stuff and playing with 3 year old, DH is outside in the shade reading his book . I keep thinking it will all change when baby comes but I know I wont like the amount of mess he makes in the kitchen , he won’t hoover unless reminded, he won’t worry about what DS has eaten in terms of fruit and veg etc . I will nag , be overtired , we will argue . He doesn’t get why I get stressed out or why I keep buying vast amounts of loo roll and fairy liquid . I think it’s called The mental load .. I want to sit and read my book but I’m can’t stop myself . Nesting is too nice a word , it’s more like preparing for Armageddon

Watchingmasterchef Armageddon sums up our house perfectly. Ds (also 3) and dh spent the morning watching the practise for the Monaco Grand Prix and eating chocolate whilst I was out. There are toys everywhere and they both just step over everything as if I'm the only one who can see them.

So uncomfortable, managed to pick up a chest infection from a cold that ds brought home from preschool so now even though I convinced them to let me have a general anesthetic, they say unless it's completely gone by next week, I either have to accept a spinal for an elective or try for a vaginal birth. Consultant gave me antibiotics but they aren't doing anything. Pulled a muscle in my side coughing, got a ton of braxton hicks which make me cough and my coughing makes baby thump me which also makes me cough. On the plus side, hospital bag is packed and I'm seriously tempted to stay as long as they will let me in the hope that somehow the house tidies itself whilst I'm away.

That sounds horrendous . How long until your c section ? Hopefully antibiotics will kick in by then ! My midwife said in a very blasé way ‘might want to induce me’ due to size of baby - I am also having elective section . She keeps ‘forgetting’ this or making little negative remarks about my choice . She said ‘well I suppose if you don’t want to give birth then it doesn’t matter’. Have to grit my teeth and really only bother going so she can check blood pressure etc

It's a week on Thursday but I've only 2 days left of the course and it's done precisely zero so far. Seeing a Consultant Anesthetist on Friday as part of the pre-op and apparently it's his decision.

I hate the snide comments. My community midwives weren't too bad but they both felt I should want to try again for a vaginal birth despite admitting that the consultant would probably advise against it (ds got stuck mid pelvis at full dilation, couldn't be pushed down or pulled out with forceps and there was no reason to suppose it was something weird and/or random that just wouldn't happen again).

Hope the antibiotics kick in soon @dinosaurs. Have you decided what you want to do if they don't and they only offer you a spinal?

I'm so lucky I've had no negative remarks about having an ELCS here, they're very supportive

Hope you feel better soon @Dinosaurs and the antibiotics help (or you find something that does help)

I am going into be induced tomorrow morning! I went into be checked yesterday in the Adau, my heart rate was up and so was the baby’s, they said baby’s was up because I’d had a milkshake before hand and because I was anxious. Either way they booked me in there and then to go in tomorrow morning.
I’m feeling so very nervous now, just finishing getting everyone’s things together.
Hope everyone is ok otherwise 😊

@Northernbeachbum Will have to take the spinal. I'm involved in a study looking into outcomes of what happened with ds run by a consultant obstetrician at the same hospital, it's fairly rare and we got lucky given the possible outcomes/rates of those outcomes but this baby is gearing up to do exactly the same, giant head and back to back despite my best efforts to shift them. I just don't fancy my luck holding the second time around.

@jadeward89 Hope everything goes well for you tomorrow, will be thinking of you.

@Dinosauratemydaffodils - I had a spinal with my c section, it was fine! Felt a bit loopy for first 24 hours but I still managed to BF etc.