September 2020 4

[ChipsAreLife]

New thread...

Probably worth asking the midwife. The hospital may have somewhere that it can be stored. I haven't spoken to the midwife about it yet just what I've seen online. If @ShiningStarz has looked into it she may know more

@lilice I try and sleep on left but I hate it so I switch between both sides! I'm normally a front sleeper!
NHS guidance is either side is better than back

@LatteLover12 you apparently keep it in the freezer at home. When you go to hospital you take it in a cool bag with ice pack and providing the hospital has facilities they will store it in a fridge / freezer. Definitely ask your midwife. I plan to ask mine about it too the the next visit.

Ooh thanks @ShiningStarz I wonder if it's possible even if I've never 'leaked' in my other pregnancies?

I've heard of it @ShiningStarz and it's my third too

@LatteLover12
I just know they recommend expressing or nipple stimulation to kick off labour. What's the benefit?

@Lilice I keep waking up on my back!!! I think they just left is ideal but right is good too it's so hard to get comfy as it is without stressing about sides!!!

Never heard of it!!! Baby brain 😆

@LatteLover12 the instruction @Roxy8203 shared are good, tells you what to do to stimulate the production, it's teeny amounts and you only do a few minutes 3 times a day. You need to have clearance from your midwife though. Apparently it's good for stabilising baby's blood sugar in mums like me with GD so that's why I'm hoping I can get a little supply.

😂 @ChipsAreLife

If it will stop my nipples being chewed to bits on days 1-3 then I'd try it! I've already bought nipple shields for my hospital bag!

That's really interesting @ShiningStarz is there a gestation you're supposed to start from? I'm guessing it's still too early at 28 weeks?

@LatteLover12 I read somewhere you
Have to be 36 weeks but again don't try it until you get the ok. I'm going to ask at my next appt. I'm getting nervous now that I'll
need a c section. I think with GD they need to monitor your sugars closely so water birth is out the window!

I've already had 2 sections, an emergency then an elective and they were fine. The elective was so calm and stress free.

If you do have to have one I found it's the lack of mobility afterwards (just for a few days) that bothered me rather than the op itself xx

@ShiningStarz I'm definitely going to be doing colostrum harvesting this time. Last time no-one mentioned it to me so I didn't know anything about it. Then my son had a tongue tie and struggled to latch and I ended up having to try and hand express at the hospital which was quite stressful. Would have been great to have some syringes ready. Especially as I leaked from 6 months so had plenty of chance!! Wait until 37 weeks ish and you might only get a few drops at a time but it all adds up. In the early days with my son I found it easier to express into a little shot glass or onto a teaspoon (sterilised obviously) and then sucking it up with the syringe from there.

@LatteLover12 how long until you can drive??

@Lazydaisydaydream that's great to know. I was wondering how do you get the drops in syringe so makes sense to use sterile spoon. There's so much I feel I'm learning through google !!

Six weeks @ShiningStarz my ex DH took a month off after each baby. Two weeks paternity leave then 2 weeks holiday. Hoping DP can do the same this time round x

Thanks @LatteLover12 xx

@ShiningStarz if you do have a c section check with your insurance regarding driving. My insurers said I wasn't covered to drive until I'd had my GP check, and my GP doesn't do them until 8 weeks (they combine them with the 8 week jabs for baby). It's usually a standard 6 weeks though.

That's great Info thank you @Lazydaisydaydream
I would rather a natural delivery but I'm worried not what GD means and also baby is breech with legs in air, bum down, which I hear isn't the worst but I really don't want to be breech and in labour !!

I did colostrum harvesting last time and will definitely be doing it this time it was great. You can do it straight into the syringes (make sure you get a stash of 1ml ones) and straight into the freezer (in a Tupperware with your name on it). Don’t do it before 37 weeks as there’s a low chance it can stimulate labour. The first time you try it may take an hour to do 1ml! Then when you go to hospital take them with you straight from the freezer and have midwife put them in the fridge for you. They can help if baby struggling to latch / milk not in / If baby sugars struggling at the very beginning. Would recommend to everyone !

@MostlyAmbridgeandcoffee can I ask where you got the syringes from? What type? I tried to get some after DD was born when she was struggling with feeding but the pharmacist wasn't much help and I ended up giving in and using formula

Morning all, been awake since 4am, gahhhh!

My DH said yesterday he doesnt know how he feels about baby and if he'll resent it because he is too selfish and doesn't want to give up his time yet.

Instantly made me want to resent him for it, although of course he's allowed to feel how he feels. Don't really know how to address it or to reassure him. He's also really struggled with lockdown and gets so frustrated and easily tempers now, I don't know how much of it stems from lockdown or, now after his comment, resentment and regret about baby. I'm sure it will pass. I hope it will pass.

Morning @Margo34
I was reading something about how 1:10 mums and dads will suffer depression regarding having a baby in 'lockdown'. It's probably a natural reaction to having all things he cant control taken away from him. I'm sure once he sees little one all those worries and selfishness will disappear. I hope you are ok.

For anyone like me that been searching for plain white organic sleepsuits in NB! M&S have them online! I also got NB sleeveless vests. Can't seem to get sleeved but i do have next up to 1 month in sleeved. Hoping Aug/Sept will be mild and as we'll be home a lot the sleeveless will be fine xx

@ShiningStarz he did acknowledge his frustration in lockdown being about not having control, especially over little things. He has battled depression in the last 3 years although only recently acknowledged it. I guess I just want him to be as excited as I am and sad that he isn't there yet.

@Margo34 what age are you both?
I'm sure someone will be along who has been through something similar.

My partner and I are late 30's / early 40's and thought we could never have kids so it's a different feeling for us. Even though he's excited he still feels apprehensive about his time and especially pub time!!! TBH I think it's just men in general 🤣 try not to worry xx

@ShiningStarz Mid-30s for us. Perhaps he's just so used to his own time (an unhealthy amount of which he spends playing on his phone though, she says whilst using her own phone 😂)