Due May 2020 (7)

[sao81]

Continued from thread 6!

@november90

That's great news! Glad you'll have him with you soon.

Is hand expressing ok to do in advance? I thought the first milk was especially good for baby and shouldn't be wasted.

I literally have no idea though! Haha.

@november90 great news! You must be looking forward to getting home so much!

@MarshmallowsOnToast hand expressing is fine to do in advance and might also bring on labour Colostrum is "liquid gold" as they say, and if you express some then your body will just make more, you don't have a limited supply. Some people just express a little before the birth in case baby has issues latching so they can give that instead of formula.

@AlmostAlwyn

Interesting thanks!

@november90 so pleased to hear Marley will be joining you on the ward today 😊 back with his mummy where he belongs.
It reassures me you had an episiotomy before and didn’t need one again even with a bigger baby 👍🏻

Can I ask how much you managed to express pre his birth. I’ve tried over the last week ( no labour tho 😩 ) and I’ve got 2mls total. To be fair that’s only 3 attempts. I’ve been bouncing, walking, eating pineapple and spicy food! And nada!!! This pickle is stubborn 39+4 so I can see myself having a sweep on Thursday.

@Bumpingalong84 @MarshmallowsOnToast I used my pump.... there's lots if mixed opinions as to whether you should is a pump as it can cause you to over supply, but hand expressing was making me soar and I was desperate so I just used it a little on each side! My milk came through today so Marley has still had plenty of the colostrum ☺️

@marshmallowsontoast colostrum is liquid gold and it would be a shame to waste any of it. If you can collect the drops in a syringe, they should be ok in a fridge for 48hrs. That's how long the nicu would keep it and feed it to baby.

@MarshmallowsOnToast @november90 i am in hospital with my baby too she won't latch and got dehydrated so for first 3 days i hand expressed and it was that thick colostrum and day 3 my milk came in ( boobs exploded hot sore solid and huge u will know when it happens) until then the midwifes said no to pumping ... you pump when your boobs are making milk ( you will notice it's watery running literally dripping off your nipples) this u can use the pump for! on day 4 i was too uncomfortable so they got me a pump- you only use for 10 mins on each side so that you don't over stimulate if your baby isn't needing all that milk or you will be sore if the baby isn't taking all or u will be expressing all the time and it's exhausting

i hope this helps x

Thanks to all those that have offered advice. Really useful!

@MarshmallowsOnToast I get your concern though, I have been thinking the same - I am 39+3 now so if I express colostrum now, and say baby is born in 2 weeks - will the body know then that it still needs to produce colostrum or will it think the 3 day (or whatever) period of colostrum is over as it first released it two weeks ago - and so it'll have transitioned to milk. Ugh, I am probably overthinking it. Just don't know how it'll know that it still needs to produce colostrum 2 weeks after first colostrum is expressed 😒😬

@woollycat hormones released after your baby is born are in charge of your milk production, so however much you express before the birth won't affect it.

kellymom.com/hot-topics/milkproduction/

@AlmostAlwyn thanks, that article is a great explainer 👍🏻

Yeah I was gonna say you can actually express colostrum from 36wks onward it’s suggested by the nhs. I had a leaflet from the nhs along with syringes so it’s the only reason I started And you can freeze it.

Hi everyone, hope you all had a good weekend?

I hope this link works and someone might find this useful! It's a chart which compares baby clothes sizes between shops/ super markets. So handy if your baby is a bit smaller/bigger than average to get a better fit ie. Gap and John Lewis come up a bit smaller than other shops.

drive.google.com/file/d/1GK72eUGHbl7XY3S-5C5Z_yMyEuLB6MCr/view?usp=drivesdk

@Lu1u

Thanks for the link, I've saved it.

@Lu1u thanks - that is useful!

I watched a breastfeeding workshop on the positive birth company's you tube last night. It was a whole hour long. But, I do think it was worth it. Lots of info and a quick tutorial of how to hand express at the end too.
I watched the antenatal one, but there's a postnatal one with how to resolve latch issues apparently too. Might save that for next week.

Yesterday I was thinking about how nice my pre-baby maternity leave had been last time. I just lazed around, watching tv, napping, and popping out for nice little trips when I felt like it. This time DH and DS are home all the time and I feel like I have to be always doing something/joining in apart from a 1 - 2hour nap slot. It's exhausting!

Oh what a night!!! I went in again for reduced moment last night. Once in the baby was doing a disco party for one!! Was so active. As like last week the machine was showing I was having two contractions every ten mins but I was only feeling tightenings. She is sitting back to back currently so need to try and get her to move. Once home and in bed I was getting regular aches at the front and only managed 1.5hrs sleep. Was on and off toilet most of the night. They also picked up I may be getting a uti, so I need to go get some meds today. Still getting some ache in back and front but not we regular. Midwife from last night just called before she ends her shift to see how I am doing, which was nice. She said if it gets worse, call up and they can have me in to check me out.

I hope you’re ok @Raindancer411 it sounds like something’s happening!
I think I might be in early labour... woke up with back and stomach pains that seem to gradually get worse and then disappear. Also had a bit of brown discharge (sorry TMI) I’m in denial at the minute so I’ve not told anyone 😂

@CharlieB93 Oh I know the denial well!! I haven't had any discharge that I have noticed. Your aches sound the same as mine.

@CharlieB93

Ooh that sounds exciting 🤞🤞

Ahh ladies your symptoms sound exciting. 39+5 today and still nothing, no signs just general back ache and stretching tummy 😩 can see this sweep happening on Thursday.

Oddly I’m due 20/05 and last year on the 20/05 We had a 12wk scan and had a mmc of twins. It was a horrible day and I ended up in a&e that evening with severe bleeding and ended up in resus. So a horrible memory really so I’d love her to come on Wednesday just to replace that date with something amazing! Wonder if that’s what she’s holding out for 🙈 I doubt it tho and can see her being late!!

@Bumpingalong84 good for you for thinking of things so positively, what a strong lady you are. I’ll keep everything crossed for you!!

All my pains have completely stopped ☹️ Aghhhh!

@Bumpingalong84 are we twins in the exact same! Will be getting a sweep Friday if nothing by then. So annoying just sitting waiting this house has never been so clean!

Ahh @helpasisterout are you due Wednesday too? It’s so frustrating isn’t it.

@Bumpingalong84 yeah Wednesday too but I just don't feel like I could be having a baby by then - not that I'm not prepared but I just feel like a slightly fatter slower normal version of myself!

Haha yeah I get you. I just don’t feel like she’s coming then either. Can see myself still pregnant in a week 😳 I’m just so eager to meet her now!