Feb 2019 babies thread 7! Growing bumps and gender reveals!

[maxiflump1]

Thread 7 ladies......!!

Love a good massage - had one on Sunday actually. X

@notquiteagandt I can't remember if you said this was your first baby or not. But when I was pregnant with my first my midwife told me not to buy bottles because breastfeeding is hard- really hard- for those first couple of weeks and you will feel like giving up. If you have bottles around that will make it easier for you to stop bf, if you don't have them laying around you're more likely to persevere.

I had a hard time with ds1 because I had preeclampsia and he was 5lb 4 so needed top ups and wouldn't take my enormous boobs because he was so tiny. So i expressed for 6 weeks, stopped the top ups and eventually breastfed him for 8 months. Ds2 fed perfectly from birth for 18 months!

Every baby is different but you need support from family but also from professionals, HV/NCT/LLL/bf advisors.

Once those first couple of weeks are over it is so rewarding and so much easier than bottle feeding imo- you don't have to worry about sterilizing or think about taking a number of bottles out with you etc etc - no getting up in middle of night to make bottles either!

I had a pregnancy massage last week and it was HEAVEN. Honestly didn't realise how much I needed it.
In other news: found out we're having a girl!!
In more other news: I'm taking a plunge and resigning from my job tomorrow, going back to my self employed/freelance life I was doing a year ago. My job is making me stressed and unhappy, just doesn't feel worth it!!

@dragonflew I totally agree with everything you’ve said - which was my take on it and why I didn’t bring bottles / formula to hospital but it is a totally personal thing and BF can be v v difficult at the start.

But yyyyyyyyy to no faffing - I honestly couldn’t cope with the bottles etc in the middle of the night or the fannying around when out and about but that’s just me - I’m obviously super lazy!

No judgement here for anyone who decides BF isn’t for them. Its not for everyone and you do need support esp the first time as you’ve no idea what’s ‘normal’

My JoJo order has arrived today and I’m really pleased! I got the black dungarees (my main reason for ordering) which I really like and a couple of other bits like leggings, a bra, a support top (so think and luxurious) and some stretch mark oil spray. Clothes all feel v good quality. I recommend!

I've got my 16w appointment today! Super hopeful I get to hear the heartbeat!
Also a bit paranoid that I'm going to have glucose show up in my urine as I've been pigging out alot the last few days!

Thanks @DragonFlew. I had no idea and didn’t want to waste an expensive treatment on something that was just average. Looking forward to it now! X

Mine isn’t until end Sept @Yakadee but I’m counting down the days! Just need to avoid the sauna and jacuzzi but heard that the hydrotherapy pool is ok as long as it isn’t too warm?

Congrats on your baby girl @fizzledays. I’ve got a buddy in team pink!! There are so many baby boys on this thread !! I’m struggling with work as well.....counting down the days until maternity leave! Glad that you have made the decision which will make you happier x

@bubblybrit - I went to a spa on Sunday too and had to miss the sauna / jacuzzi etc. It was fine though, I love the pool anyway x

Hi, I’ve been dipping in and out but haven’t commented yet. 17w0d FTM due on 19th Feb, and have been finding pregnancy pretty rough. Morning sickness is finally easing and only throwing up 1-2 times a day now which is a massive improvement and anxiety about something going wrong is starting to get less.
Starting to get excited and want to do a gender scan before our 20 week scan but DH is not too bothered and is happy tomwait til birth to find out. We’ve compromised and agreed to find out at 20 week scan, but i’m so nosey I want to find out now 😬.

A bit of controversy online.....

Can we eat salmon?

Baby160p definitely, in fact I think it's a good thing for at, but limited to twice a week.

For me the jury is still out on chorizo does anyone else have an opinion? I miss it as I have it in meals a couple of times a month.

@Lookingforadvice123 thank you.
I'm finally getting my non carb and beige diet back!!

@looking definitely in for me - but cooked. Had dinner with another pregnant friend the other night and we both had it! I think it’s fine if cooked through x

Thanks Since2016, it's cooked when you buy it from the supermarket isn't it, then I tend to just heat it through for the recipes? Hopefully that's fine! I miss it!

Baby160p me too! I'm eating healthily since Saturday to stop me from ballooning (even more!).

Hope everyone's doing ok! Finally had my 16 week midwife appointment today (2 weeks late) and all good, and got to hear heartbeat as midwife 2as checking sounds from placenta and cord too. Baby gave a huge kick at the doppler and went and hid after 45 seconds though 😂 midwife found it quite funny!

Also, anyone else's midwife take a guess at the sex of the baby?

Mine guessed boy, which is the inkling I have too, but still firmly Team Yellow until birth 😊

Thanks ladies re imput on the bottles fiasco. Much appreciated.

I have been looking at hiring a medela pump from hospital anyways as ive worked with medela before and like their company ethos.

On the off chance I have the miracle of a large supply id like to donate to milk bank.

Looking at harvesting a little collustrum before birth too just incase if anyones ever done this with a MW guidance?

Obviously thinking way ahead. Being stuck in is giving me way to much time to over think everything

@clairehr was that based on HB gender theory or....? What did they base it on im curious.

Ive looked into them all. But as I didnt have the genetic screening the nub wasnt in my scan photos. My HB was on 140 so blows those theories out the window.

So im totally in the dark but v.v.v.v. curious and impatient.

@looking no I don’t think so as it’s cured? I tend to buy it in the sausage dried cured form and cook it. Obv in sausage form proper it’s raw. But if you’re cooking it I’m sure it’s fine?

@notquiteagandt you never know! I had oversupply issues and a v fast let down so pumping was a must for me, I wish I’d been more organised to donate as I had so much expressed milk that DD just never took as she rejected all bottles!

@notquiteagandt I didn’t do before birth but my milk took 3 days to come in, so I hand expressed into syringes for DD. Takes a bit of a knack so doing so before would make you a pro by that point if you had feeding issues at the beginning.

I’ve eaten chorizo... both cooked and in the ‘anti pasti’ form.

Also eaten salmon. And prawns, mussels, cockles, squid, octopus, etc.. I love seafood too much 😂

I’ve given up alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, pate and rare steaks... I need to keep something!

Chorizo is fine so long as you cook it. Same with Parma ham etc. All
Seafood is fine so long as it’s cooked. In fact I don’t think there’s any cooked food that you can’t eat!

@Since2016 I'm sorry you struggled with it too. Few people really talks about the emotional side of not being able to bf (for whatever reason) when you wanted to.

@DragonFlew I agree that it definitely seems easier to bf than ff once it's established. From seeing friends do it I was envious of them just being able to feed their hungry or upset baby while I was there with flasks of water and powder while dd wailed. The same for holiday too - definitely did not enjoy trying to make feeds on a plane or dragging formula away with us.

Whatever you decide to do - be prepared! It's not easy especially in the beginning. I think people need to be more open about how difficult and painful bf can be in the beginning - I know not for everyone but "oh just whack them on your boob" doesn't always work that way. Bottles aren't easy either - there's so much more faffing that goes into making feeds and sterilising. Just try not to be pressured into either option and do what's right for your family.

@Notquiteagandt I've wondered about harvesting colostrum too given the problems I had last time. Don't really know anything about it. Does anyone have any info/suggestions of places to look for info?

@Lookingforadvice123 that's what I've been doing with chorizo. Hope it's ok!

Wow - essay! Sorry! As you can probably tell feeding is still a very emotional issue for me, even two years on. I don't think that'll ever go away.