September 2019 #13

[Stroan]

Oops, we filled up the last thread. Hope everyone finds this one.

@moraxella how many are you eating a day? Brought a big box the other day and been eating 2/3 but thinking I need to eat more?

The research says 60-80g, so I do that - it’s about 8. I love them but it’s a bit arduous first thing 😳

I am now so glad I have GD-dates are vile! 🤢

Have had a really productive morning, stable jobs, mended haynets, changed 2 beds and got both loads washed and dried. Cleaned the baby bath we were given as it was dusty from the loft and have put the bedside crib out on the lawn to air in the sun as the new mattress smells a bit too “new”.
Now knackered and tried to sort out the bits that attach the crib to the bed, but the mattress is too heavy and I got really hot so then had a proper cry

Still need to clean out the chickens before I go back to the horse, but have to be honest and say I can’t be arsed anymore today!

39wks today and definitely feel odd. Bit teary with a frustrated energy to clean and sort shit out. Nesting? Or just anxiety?

@Megan2018 I too have tried and failed to attach crib straps to bed base today and ended up a sweaty heap on the floor. Solidarity! The job has been officially transferred onto DH's to do list.

I love dates, but that is a lot!! Will see how many I can manage or get creative with a morning smoothie

Glad its not just me @RonaldWeasley
What will drive me mental now though is waiting for DH to do it. He’ll be doing it as we try to put her in it for the first time

Hurray re baby being official @Stroan ! And bittersweet hooray re being discharged!

Re dates I was told 6. I love them with a black (decaf) coffee for elevenses, or after lunch (or both!). I literally had one day of coffee and dates bliss before my GD diagnosis. Nooooooooo!

Hoping no news is good news from @BridgetJonesDaiquiri , and it was all speedy, babe now in arms- fingers crossed!

Hope everything went well @BridgetJonesDaiquiri and you're enjoying lots and lots of newborn snuggles!!

I used to be all about the sun, not so much now. Dh tried to close the patio doors over the weekend and I swear I nearly killed him. If he tries to shut the bedroom windows tonight I won't be held responsible for my actions.

Hospital tomorrow, probably last growth scan and if they have done as they said and actually booked me in with the consultant we should be coming out with a plan of action tomorrow afternoon... scary times!

Quick straw poll - I think they're going to want to sweep - does anyone know anyone for whom it was actually effective as opposed to just bloody uncomfortable for a couple of days afterwards? I think I'm going to refuse for that reason... need to google to try to find some official stats...?

Only ever had one sweep but gave birth the following day! It was positive for me.

I spent last two days googling on sweeps. Seems pretty mixed. I’m having one tomorrow anyway though. Just in case

Hi everyone!

We ended up being readmitted to hospital on Saturday and spent 2 nights there for jaundice and weight loss..it was hell. This was on the day my milk came in and my hormones were all over the place..think baby blues kicked in.
Baby had to have 2 lights on him as his jaundice results were so high (496 if that means anything to anyone). It was awful to see him with his eye mask on. He was absolutely amazing having all the tests taken so regularly. He barely cried and was such a good baby.
The first night we were in a ward and I was going out of my mind. All other screaming babies, lots of noise and others in emotional states. I was told I'd get breastfeeding support there but I found it meant midwives taking over and me not learning anything. Also, one midwife who was so forceful trying to get him on me when he was furious she really stressed me out. The plan was for me to feed minimum 50ml every 3 hours and i was to try breast first but if he wasn't to take it I wasn't to spend long on it then switch to EBM and top up with formula.
I basically ended up telling them I was not continuing trying to get him on me whilst i was in hospital as it was so stressful. I just wanted him to eat and put weight on. And so I expressed as much as I could. I was getting around 20ml ebm each time.
By day 2 I had milk blisters on my left breast and realised the pump nozzle was too small. Managed to get a wider one and felt a lot better. A breastfeeding consultants came to see me a few hours before we were discharged and she gave me a great tip: if your vlbreats are full and rock hard try the "reverse pressure" technique. There will be a video on YouTube for it. It has really made a difference to them. They become alot softer and I did actually manage to latch baby for a few mins. So we are getting there! Feeling alot more happy now.
This is such a crazy time. Im sorry not been on the thread much but wishing everyone well!

@kyles101 the problem with sweeps is there is no way to tell if they have any impact at all, as its impossible to know if labour was triggered by the sweep or would have happened regardless.
I’d say if you are trying to avoid induction then definitely try it though, nothing to lose!

I don’t think I’ll bother now induction booked anyway-although I am already panicked by the balloon catheter they are using!

Ahh @Horehound you have been through it! Not quite what you had in mind eh?! But your baby sounds like a trooper.

I was a very jaundiced, weight losing baby myself who was re-admitted but I turned out fine in the end, so don’t worry, he’ll be right as rain in the end. Well done for keeping going!

38 weeks from midnight.
Really struggling with the heat, it's 33 degrees here and my house is so hot. Been lying in bed for hours trying to sleep. DH came up.and I realised I had been sweating from my wrists... think that's the first I've ever experienced that. Neck, forehead, shoulders.. Covered in sweat. Have the windows open with mosquito nets over but not really providing relief. Also think the neighbours had their window frames painted so paranoid about any fumes that may be coming in. Suffice to say, I'm a mess. Must get some sleep to help my mental health.
Sorry to read your story @Horehound, sounds like a really bad experience but glad you're out the other end of it.
Those talking dates, I am definitely not a fan so can't imagine craving those in any quantity! My personal current cravings are salty crackers and ice but my appetite is very low.
Never had a sweep but would rather just let it come naturally personally. I'm highly impatient for her to come but recognise she needs however long she needs in there to come out healthy. Midwife said they really need 40 weeks to ripen so am accepting that.

@kyles101 I had a sweep that dislodged the baby (or the baby was going to be dislodged anyway, as @Megan2018 says). Or rather , I had about 4 sweeps on alternate days as my BP crept up, and the night of the 4th one gave birth. It included a student midwife giving her very first sweep which wasn't brilliant (it was suggested as my cervix was so favourable, but the poor student couldn't find it! Fortunately I don't find sweets particularly sore- although the 4th - from a doc not a midwife - one was very errr vigorous?

@Horehound Oh no! What a stressful few days!!! V glad you are home again now!!!

Sorry I fell off the thread but have been posting on FB - our little girl is now 4 days old and was born at 39+2 less than 24 hours after a sweep - which I would call a success @kyles101 !
@Horehound oh gosh - what an absolutely awful time you have both had of it. I really really hope feeding improves and baby starts putting weight on!
My milk has come in tonight and oh my GOD I forgot how painful it is!

Morning all! So that was an eventful night! Our little girl (still working on name) was born at 11:20pm last night, after less than 50 minutes on the labour ward. She's 6lb 13oz so fairly close to her last growth scan prediction and a decent weight for 37+1, but feels absolutely diddy! Only needed the one pessary in the end to get things going, but didn't feel like the antenatal staff took my pleas of "I'm having pretty fucking intense contractions now every 2 minutes" seriously at all as was only 1-2cm, but out she popped within the next hour. Trust your instincts ladies!

Now on postnatal ward trying (unsuccessfully) to get some sleep but enjoying doing some lovely skin to skin. Will update later with a pic!

Congrats bridgetjonesdaquiri and well done for going with your instincts! Enjoy your cuddles and can't wait for a name/photo.

Congratulations bridget and tefiti

I would definitely be up for a sweep as soon as offered. Hopefully my mw will do one on monday if i last that long. I will be 39+4. 3 of my 4 dc have be born by then so fingers crossed. Losing lots of gloopy plug like stuff this morning.

Horehound sorry you have had such a hard time but good that things are starting to improve!

Challenge i hope you managed some sleep. I have really struggled this week. So glad it has cooled now!

@BridgetJonesDaiquiri congratulations on your little girl, that is a good birth story!

@Horehound I'm sorry you had such a shit few days and hoping the support continues now you are home. Your boy sounds to be taking it in his stride!

36wk scan this morning and OH was on a job all night. Totally loath to wake him up but want a second set of ears to talk through birth options.

Huge congrats @BridgetJonesDaiquiri and @Tefiti2 on your little girls! That's a lot of babies now and not even Sept yet! 36 weeks today for me so most likely still got a while to go

Huge congratulations @BridgetJonesDaiquiri I hope my induction is that fast!!

Lovely to hear your update @Tefiti2

37+6 here today and starting to feel a bit anxious again, worrying about everything that could go wrong and the reality of an actual baby. I think it's just because I’m tired, as sleep has been scarce!

Aaaaa @Tefiti2 and @BridgetJonesDaiquiri congratulations!
Bridget that sounds like the dream induction (bar the being ignored)
Naming is so hard! It took us 6 weeks after DC1 was born, and we are totally at a loss now with DC3. We are going to have to name her after the midwife or something!

Honestly i could name 20 daughters. Boys are much harder i think! Luckily this one has a name so no stress