Due in July Part Five - The Final Furlong

[Caroline1852]

We have run out of space on the other thread.

oops

Miaou - What annoyed me was that we all had to wait while she boiled the kettle to show us how to make a feed ('because its important I show you how to make a bottle up properly')!

I commented that the instructions were on the side of the tin and she said 'yes but most people don't read them'!
Well I'm sorry but if I had never done it before the first thing I would do is read the damn instructions!!!!!!

Secondly, she said that you SHOULD NOT under any circumstances (except if your baby is in special care) express breast milk in the first 8 weeks.....now can someone correct me if I am wrong (first time Mum here) but I thought that you could. I asked her why and she said 'because it messes with your milk production'.....

grrrrr.......

Messing with your milk production is bollocks. It is recommended that you don't express for the first few weeks to give to a baby in a bottle because it can cause "nipple confusion" - a bottle is easier to suck from and once a baby is aware of the alternative they become "lazy" and therefore harder to feed from the breast. Once breastfeeding is well established then this is less of a problem. But there is NO problem (afaik) with expressing milk and storing it if you wish to do so! Kellymom.com is a great site for breastfeeding advice and support, and tiktok (MNer) is often around with very sensible advice on breastfeeding. If you have any questions about feeding then post a question in the bottle/breastfeeding topic and you'll get loads of helpful replies (just don't start a thread about which is better, breast or bottle )

It really saddens me that, with the low rate of breastfeeding in this country, midwives should be promoting bottlefeeding in this way.

Myfairone- am very shocked you had an SMA rep at your antenatal class. We were told we weren't allowed to be 'taught' about bottle feeding because 'breast is best'. Are they the classes provided from your hospital? Very odd indeed.
As for the not expressing- we were told not to do it in the first 6 weeks as it wouls confuse baby to take from nipple and bottle. Need to get it established on nipple first.

Hope everyone is OK- sorry to hear people are feeling rough or generally down. Look at it this way not long now- its July in a few days!!!

xx

hello all, have been lurking on this thread but never had much to say, am having an easy time of it really.

Congrats to those who have had their babies!

But now I have a question - do you think it's worth joing the NCT near me for the postnatal bumps and babies stuff? The antenatal classes were full and £39 seems quite a lot if I only go once.

Also it would be the Clapham branch - will it be full of BMW driving alpha mummies? I am quite relaxed and not into keepingup with the Jones'.

Have a nice evening all anyway.

myfairone - I breastfed both my children, and when DD was about a week, she hadnt slept properly and I was freaking out, adn my midwife said "Right! Thats it - that baby is getting a bottle cos I dont want you getting pnd because of feeding. I continued to dual feed (after initially feeling guilty and a failure) for 6 months, and then stopped breastfeeding. Also did this with DS - no problem. So express and feed away!! Silly oul biddy!! GRr

Jennster - have bad cold and horrendous cough and also leaking pee - am now obsesed by pelvic floor exercises.

Ive started having period like pains that come and go under the bump. IS this stretching, BH, or is it IT?!!

The precious, you don't have to be a member of the NCT to go to bumps n babes. You don't even have to be a member to host, but for insurance purposes, I believe there does need to be a member present. See how it goes before you join. You will save your membership fees in one nearly new sale though!

I thought there were rules about formula and antenatal classes. Might be worth investigating and checking.

Thanks for those links Melissa - feeling more positive about the homebirth again now. Still haven't received my hb pack though. Just as well really, nowhere to put it while kitchen is being redecorated and house is upside down!

Congrats Pulapula

The precious, our NCT bumps and babies charges a couple of quid per session you attend, but you don't need to be a member. I was a bit worried about the type of mums I might meet there, but I can honestly say it is the best thing i did, and those mums I met in the early weeks are still some of my closest friends 3 and a half years on, so I highly recommend it

Baby Boy 2 (now called Henry Joseph after my vote of Hamish was vetoed as I chose the last name!) was born at 5.30pm (eight days early) weighing in at 7lb 7oz on 21st June. All well if slightly shocked, VBAC worked out thankfully and was very quick considering my 2 day marathon with my first one!

Labour started at 9am after a not great night's sleep but no contractions, at hospital by 11am, gas and air by 1pm, very manageable labour but started shouting for epidural at 4.30pm! Was walked round to medical side of ward (had been at home from home unit) by 5pm by midwives who by that point thought I was deaf and telling each other I'd give birth before the epidural came! 3 more contractions and waters broke on the way (and oh my was I shouting with no pain relief and no G&A on the way!) and 6 midwives appeared from nowhere and tried to mop up oilslick in comedy Laurel and Hardy stylee and at least one of them tried to catch the baby that was clearly going to "fall out" with a small hand towel. Didn't get my epidural and baby was born 20 minutes later! 2nd degree tear but completely chuffed that he came out!
Stayed the night in hospital with DH, baby straight on the boob and feeding v well. He's sooo lovely.

Now a few days later and recovery so much faster than with my c-section but feeding still really sore (despite me supposed to know what I'm doing - aargh!). Although it is pretty well established and we're sticking with it. Managing to get some sleep too, so it feels quite bizarre!
If anyone has advice on fanjo stitches I'd love to hear it - TMI but they're not stinging, just feels like really low period pain. Trying to do some pelvic floor exercises but I'm sure they don't work overnight! Oh, the joys!

PS GOBSMACKED at SMA person at antenatal class. I'm sure that's illegal (formula companies are not allowed to promote in any way) and she was giving false information. Of course you can express in the first 6 weeks - that's how prem babies get fed - and expressing stimulates milk production. What's recommended if poss is that you try not and bottle feed for the 1st 6 weeks so that the possibility (and it's only a possibility) of nipple confusion doesn't happen as it's easier for a baby to get milk out of a bottle than a boob as bub doesn't have to work so hard. Sometimes babies give up on breastfeeding and go for the easier bottle option instead!

Keiralou - I had an OP baby last time and read about turning it this time as I was convinced that it would happen again. I think this was the link I was given here Good luck!

Sorry for extrremely long post , good luck everyone...

3flights - Great story, thank you so much for sharing that with us! So yet another one that gave birth with no pain relief, do you realise what high standards you are setting for all us cowards!?

Glad that Henry Joseph arrived safely and glad to hear that you are doing well.

Miaou - Thanks for the great advice re websites etc.

Have been thinking about the damn SMA rep all night at the ante natal class (and yes this was laid on by the hospital!) and just think it is so out of order and even though it was a very softly softly sell approach it was still selling and pushing their products.

I hope everyone is feeling okay today. Big shout out to Twoplusone and Jennster who have both felt like crap lately!

Congrats 3flights on lovely boy!! ANd weel done on vbac - thats 2 vbac successes, isnt it? Im hoping for one too - fingers crossed!

Sorry to ask again, but is anyone else getting period like cramps low down. All yesterday evening, i had little waves of them with waves of contracting obdomen. Do you think its false labour? Do you think my body is getting ready to go?

Congrats 3flights on your new arrival! Well done for your VBAC too!

Dews- I've been having a few very low down but mainly when I'm laying down in bed so just think its the pressure of the baby (getting sooooo uncomfy to sleep now!).
Fingers crossed its the start of things for you! X

Not discussing bottle feeding in an ante natal class is a bit like not discussing assisted deliveries or c-sections in an ante natal class. It is unrealistic. We all know a home birth with no medication, no stitches and then breastfed til weaned but in real life things do not always go as planned and in fact a proportion of women will not be able to get on with bottle feeding and not be able to have their natural birth with a ylang ylang candle to distract them from the pain. I think everyone should keep an open mind (the possiblity of ending up with a c-section is something like 20% of the overall birth rate). I do not have any statistics to hand but I would imagine there are a good number of new mothers who will at some point and for various reasons bottle feed their babies. I am very pro breastfeeding but I can't stand the breastapo lack of realism.
Congrats pulapula - all these babies are making me feel quite excited now.

3flights - congratulations, I missed that post!

Dewmeadow. Thats how I started with no.1. They were coming every 5 mins!!! But I got far too excited and thought "this is it".

But I had a day and a bit of this before i had a show and things really kicked off.

Having read another book since, they described that as "false" or "early" labour. Prefer "early" myself!!! I spoke to a midwife and she said that it in first time labour you get a lot of that type of minor action trying to get the cervix into position.

I'm getting some really low down period type pains too and tons of BH yesterday and today. Its still a little early for me so I think its just my body practising.

Caroline, I had no problem discussing bottle feeding in my antenatal class, just wasn't too impressed that the person talking was a rep from SMA.

Kyte - LOL at your story of doc not realising you were pregnant (feather duster in hand too!)

I keep going to my kitchen cabinets/drawers to get things and end up taking everything out and totally reorganising them! I only wanted a drawing pin this morning and wound up knee deep in 'stuff'! Happy days!

Big hugs to all.

Myfairone - Agree that it sounds rather sad that what sounds like a commercial rep was able to infiltrate your antenatal class (I am surprised at that!). But bottle feeding does need covering, ime lots of post natal depression is down to the fact that the realities and difficulties of birth and motherhood bear little resemblance to the information you have been given over the preceding 9 months. I just think it is horrible if those who fail to breastfeed for whatever reason are made to feel like lepers or failures in any way.

Dewmeadow, I've been having slight period type pains too for the last few days, on and off, as well as loads of BH. Think it is just my body practising. Sorry to hear you have a cold.

Kyte, glad you got to see a doctor. How could she not realise you were pg?!

Myfairone, I too am shocked that an SMA rep was at your antenatal class (not that bottle feeding was discussed). I am fairly certain that they are legally not allowed to promote their brand of formula for newborns. On the expressing front, I've been told that it's a good way to increase your milk supply if you aren't producing enough, but that it's best not to confuse the baby with a bottle too early because it's easier for him/her (but b'milk freezes well so you can use it later).

Caoline, I agree that it is sad that people are made to feel like failures if they can't or don't like breast feeding.

3flights, thanks for sharing your experience with us. Lovely name too for your ds.

Bodkin, glad you are feeling more positive. Hope the kitchen is finished soon.

Hello theprecious. I too am thinking of joining my local NCT (Winchester) but have the same concerns are you. As I don't really know any mums with very lo's that aren't also working in the area, I think it will be a good way to meet people, but understand you don't have to be a member to join in many of the groups.

HI all,

seems to be alot of period type pains going around..

Just got back from the mw and little one is 2/5down On the home run now..

Am trying to be strict about catching up on sleep rather than playing on the computer but just wanted to pop in, see how you're all doing and wish you well x

twoplusone, I was wondering where you were are you are usually one of the first to post during the morning. Glad lo moving in the right direction

Message withdrawn

Congrats everyone who has now given birth. Very jealous. I'm 38 + 6 today and am so fed up now. I am waddling properly as my bones feel so sore.
Had a small spurt of energy this morning and hoovered the sofa bed, but thats it.

Ive had loads of Bh and period type pains for weeks now and over the last few days lots of discharge esp after hoovering this morning. thought it might of been the show but i dont think so???
Im really hoping to go into natural labour this time and soon as I think I am going to pop!!
Hope evryone is coping ok and has not been affected by thoses awful floods xx

3flights - I had a third degree tear with DS2 and I was advised to have sea salt baths a couple of times a day - it did seem to help a lot.