September Babies Thread #5 - we're a chatty bunch

[Stroan]

Yet another thread for our September babies!

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This post was edited at OP's request

I like the idea of reusables and I've looked into it before, but found the whole thing really confusing- specifically, what does one do with the poop? Do you scrape it out? The liners make sense if you can fire them in the loo. If anyone has any YouTube links to "idiot's guide to reusables" or similar I'd be love to know more. I don't think DH would be receptive to the idea but lll discuss it with him once I'm better informed.

I do really want to get some reusable pads for the end (heard the amount of discharge you get can be incredible) and to use as maternity pads but I'd like pale ones rather than the standard black. Grim as it sounds, I'd like to keep an eye on what's coming out in case it's anything dodgy. So if any of you reusable ladies know of any good reusable sanitary brands/products that might do please let me know!

Omg @boodles101 what is a bing?

The part you flush @TwittleBee is it like toilet paper (we're not on mains sewerage and dh has epic minor fits if anything no degradable goes down... he told me the toilet paper we have at the moment is too think even 🙄

@kyles101 yes with mine there are pop in liners made of Terry which pop out for ease of washing and drying etc and then a thin toilet paper style liner that comes on a roll which you just flush. It's very fine. I'm not sure I'm convinced at how effective that is going to be for poo catching but I guess every little helps!

@boodles101 We've got this problem with Fireman Sam. It's doing my head in! Bing is equally annoying- he's just so whiney! Why is it always the irritating programmes that they become obsessed with?

I’ve called in sick today, feeling guilty already but feeling totally overwhelmed. Its been a really shitty week, pressure being piled on due to a staffing issue and I just can’t do it today. Can feel my already dodgy blood pressure rocketing. It dawned on me at 3am when I couldn’t sleep that my lack of appetite this week may be nothing to do with baby and everything to do with stress! So sod it, I’m giving myself a break. They’ll have to cope without me.

@Astret don't worry you are not alone untroubled by the child benefit earnings limit- we don't make anywhere near 50k between us and are topped up by tax credits. you will be fine. We all cut our cloth, right? If you are used to cutting it with big numbers mat leave is a shock and a juggle. Mat leave doesn't affect my income half as steeply...
Re newborn washable nappies- you can hire kits as you only use them briefly (I think nappy lady does some mixed sets so you can also try different ones at the same time). Nappy lady also has loads of good very basic YouTube videos, I forget who was asking (was it you, @kyles101?)
Ugh my arm has gone weird overnight from lying on it. Sleeping is already getting a bit uncomfortable and I'm only 15 weeks. Yay scan @Florencenotflo !

Good move @Megan2018 !!! Not worth it!!

Sorry- it was @TheCraicDealer asking re nappy videos- try here:
www.thenappylady.co.uk/help-videos-getting-started.html

@kyles101 you were asking about bing! He's a bunny on the telly...
uk.bingbunny.com/

@TheCraicDealer I use earthwise pads for normal periods and pregnancy incontinence (a real problem since DD) but for the immediate aftermath I'm collecting the biggest disposables I can and have big dark pants. I grossely underestimated all that last time, I cant imagine my re-usables managing in the first couple of weeks, though I love them normally!

I hadn’t even thought about post delivery aftermath - how long does it last? I wanted to be able to get out the house 🤦‍♀️ (Been told running three weeks post birth is doable..)

kyles Bing is an extremely annoying cbeebies programme, the only one that my son ever wants to watch. He doesn't watch tv in the day but we do let him watch a bit in the evening to calm him down before bedtime. It's certainly not something I want to be watching at 4.30am!
Luckily my mum has him today and offered to take him overnight so I can get some rest. Quickest yes please I've ever said!!

Am I the only one who gets a little weirded out when the baby moves 😂. I think I’ve watched the alien films too many times and I’m 75% awww he’s growing and 25% omg something is moving inside me 😂

I was out of the house next day with all of mine. My method with the bleeding is to layer up. Big pants, big super dooper long winged ultra absorbance pad, then on top of that one or two maternity pads. Replace the top pad(s) as needed

We are no where near £50k either and get a tax credit top up plus child benefit

And we wont be using reusable nappies. I feel bad i will have sent nappies for 5 dc to landfill but i am already on verge of needing a second washing machine!

@Karigan195
Nope I was almost sick the other day at the thought of small bones/skeleton being inside of me. Weird phobia (I’ve seen a few teratoma at work).

Decaf: thank you I’m off out to buy my first pair of big pants 🙌🙌🙌

Last time my MW recommended using the always disposable incontinence pants for after, they were ace!
Not sure if I'd have fancied a run three weeks later though- but I'm not much of a one for running at the best of times...

Same here with the running DustyDoorframes although did force myself out at 6 weeks post partum and felt like I was gonna die haha.

Btw, I found the weirdest thing post partum was my inability to do a sit up or a plank! Thankfully my friend is a physio so she checked me over before advising better exercises to do

Oh god no way I could have run 3 weeks later! But if you do too much it can start all the bleeding again, best to just ease yourself back into things.

@karigan195 i don't mind the little rolls and wriggles just now, but when they are bigger and can actually see the movement I find it a bit freaky!

@boodles101 I am so glad we are past the bing stage, the whiny little turd. DD is now obsessed with Andy's Dinosaur Adventures and Do You Know so I get to have conversations about whether a Muttaburrasuarus was a carnivore or herbivore!

I am very impressed at all the disposable nappy chat. I'd like to try it, and definitely want to try cheeky wipes but will wait to see how we settle in first. With DD, between all the reflux related washing and combi feeding with expressing - I wasn't really in the right frame of mind to add more work in to the mix! But do feel guilty about the landfill.

It keeps depression at bay for me (my main concern) and gives me my only sense of achievement. And is currently the one constant amongst all the other stuff I’m finding a bit of a struggle to keep my head above water with (identity change, body change, time out of work, major relocation) 😬😱

@moraxella it really is different for everyone and also depends on the birth. I was still bleeding about 8 weeks later and developed really bad hip pain a month after birth. I was doing normal everyday stuff as soon as we were home but did get pretty achey most days. I also had a blood transfusion and felt fairly wiped for a lot longer than I had expected.

But I know loads of people who seemed to bounce right back, even if they hadn't been particularly fit and active before! I'm having a section this time and quite worried about not being able to be active straight away, I hate the thought of not being able to lift 3yo DD for a cuddle!

Ah, I didn't know you used a liner in the reusable nappies. I won't be using them at night (I find it hard enough changing a disposable nappy in the middle of the night), as someone else said, but might consider them in the daytime now I know that.

Oh the aftermath is just not great is it. I used gigantic pads from Tesco's or something which worked fine. And giant black pants. I think my bleeding only lasted for a week or two maybe? Or maybe I've just forgotten that part.

I also highly recommend spraying some pads with witch hazel, lavender oil, aloe Vera , wrapping in foil and freezing them for post birth. I had an episiotomy and forceps birth with DD and the frozen pads were like heaven for my poor swollen lady bits!

Solidarity with the hatred for Bing!!! My DD loves him and I just cannot bear his whining. Not as bad for me as Pippa Pig though, I have quite literally banned her from watching that in the house!

@Moraxella as pp have said, everyone really is different and I have friends who have bounced back but even then I'm not sure any have been running before the 6 week mark.

Is there any chance you could try a different exercise now you are pg? Something lower impact ie yoga, swimming etc? If you are concerned this will impact your MH (possibly towards the end of your pg too as not sure how successfully you will be able to run come 40 weeks) perhaps it is worth mentioning to your MW/GP so you are able to start making a bit of a plan? Would that help with some of the anxiety?

I totally get it and post birth is such a mess of sleep deprivation / hormones - perhaps it would be worth having a set one hour to do this yoga / swimming whatever it may be. Plenty of PTs I know work with women up to their due dates and afterwards, but again worth speaking to them as not sure how many would train pre 6 weeks postpartum

With DD, I bled for literally 3-4 days, and was back to my usual self in a matter of 2-3 weeks. However, I was 18 so I'm pretty sure my body isn't that resilient now!