Due August 2021 - the final countdown!

[Daffodil21]

Continuation of the previous thread.

All newcomers welcome!

Not long now!!!

@PurplePansy05 Not long to go now and your little boy will be here! 💙 Hope you’re ok! Glad you decided to go and get checked even just for peace of mind. Let us know how you get on and enjoy popping your feet up for a little while xx

@PurplePansy05 I'm glad you went in hope all is ok?

I panic when everyone's getting checked out on the CTGs 😬 I haven't gone in once yet, I just put it down to me working and not feeling them as I'm busy 😬 maybe I should be more cautious x

@PurplePansy05 oh you poor thing, that must be really stressful, but absolutely the right thing to go and get checked out. Not too long until Pansy Junior will be all snuggled up in your arms now 🥰 you've done such an amazing job getting this far and over all the obstacles you've faced, home stretch now! Xx

@BertieBotts that's what a colleague of mine said too. The idea of eating placenta just feels morbid but encapsulated tablets apparently is the future. Many famous people swear by it too. I didn't find any solid evidence but will still look into it x

@Smurf123 hope all ok!!! Interesting few nights for you, you must be pooped!

@Whatshouldbemyusername congratulations on passing your test!

@PurplePansy05 oh stressful! Hope all ok! My movements have changed on last week or so, less kicky and more rolly, definitely less than before- it’s why I ended up on ctg last week. Really hope you get the all clear

@biscuitcat 🎉 for finishing work! I felt guilty while husband is working but I got over it pretty quick quickly 😂

Hope everyone else is doing ok. We have an actual breeze today, I had forgotten what that felt like!

@PurplePansy05 I’m at 37 weeks & mines is all rolls and softer movements as well no more hard kicks although baby does still like to push up into my lungs

@Inmypjsagain thanks I'm ok .. but wrecked tbh .. I have spells of heavy contractions and then they ease way off. They are still overcrowded so despite should get your waters broken today I'm still waiting on ward so not looking likely that it will be today now

Thanks girls. Been on CTG for 40 mins, only two movements and it went flat for a while, you know how they like when it goes up and down a lot. Am really worried now. They're reviewing and will tell me if I need to go back on it xx

@PurplePansy05 sounds like you did the right thing going in. Always better to go in anyway I say. Never ignore your mother instinct

Hope you’re doing ok @Smurf123 sounds like a lot of waiting around for you.

I actually thought I was in labour last night. I was getting really bad braxton hicks and back pain consistently throughout the evening and into the night but was convinced it was because I’ve had a mental 3 days of hot weather and chasing a toddler. They died off and I got some sleep and nothing more happened but If it happens again tonight I’ll definitely call

@Smurf123 that must be really frustrating for you, really hope they can get the process going for you soon. Hope the contractions are manageable because that sounds painful! Have you got Netflix on your phone, or a book or something to distract you? Xx

@PurplePansy05 yeah they like to see a good range, think the max the cgt tests goes on for is an hour? I was on it 4 times in one day a while ago and when they said go on again I asked I could speak to someone because it seemed silly to waste another hour on it if I kept failing the test. That’s when I spoke to the fetal medicine consultant- hopefully you can speak to someone similar. Hopefully they’ll say he’s sleepy and keep you at your planned c section date. I know it’s stressful, but you’re in the best place for monitoring xx

On a different note, I’ve been talking to some new mums who I met on Peanut. They’re really struggling with breastfeeding atm and finding it difficult, the three of them are trying to get their babies up to birth weight and if weight gain isn’t enough they’ll be having to add formula to the mix. One is on antibiotics for something feeding related too but I didn’t ask too much.

Anyone has who has formula fed, or looked into it, are there key things that were helpful or needed? I’m just about to google- I had just assumed I’d breastfeed but I’d like to prepare myself for this not being possible. I think I’ll buy some of the pre made formulas to start with but I guess there’s a whole heap of milk paraphernalia that I’d need to look at…

@Inmypjsagain just a tip for breastfeeding you have to make sure you are consuming enough fluids and calories otherwise it will affect your supply x

Get your breastfeeding support sources in place. Unfortunately the reality is the frontline support (midwives, health visitors, GPs) is very very patchy in the UK and a lot of women get given bad advice which causes problems, or not advised correctly about how to fix totally normal starting-out worries or problems. So it is very useful to know where to turn and who you can trust if you encounter any issues at all or even just have questions.

As for formula when we had to add some in last time, we started with ready made and just moved to powder when we were using enough that it was cost effective. Once you open a tub, you have to use it within 4 weeks and then throw the rest away which is no problem if you're FF full time (I think a tub lasts about a week) but if you're only giving small top ups, the ready made is actually more cost effective as you waste less.

The brands of first infant formula are very highly regulated so there isn't really any benefit to one over another. Actually we just brand swapped all the time last time because (long complicated explanation, in short: Germany) and had no problems doing this.

Then you just need to know how to sterilise/clean a bottle (we did it in the microwave) and how long you can keep made up milk or expressed milk for safely. Write on the bottle/container when you put something in the fridge!! It's really hard to keep track of otherwise and horrible if you end up mixed up between yourself and DP and need to throw away milk because you can't be sure how old it is. Or worse if you realise after you've fed it to your baby! (It happens; they will be fine.)

I would recommend reading about "paced bottle feeding" as well if you want to continue breastfeeding alongside formula or if you're hoping for topping up to be temporary. I found this really helpful and made me feel like I was negating some of the "downsides" of formula that can sometimes make you feel guilty if you really wanted to exclusively breastfeed.

And follow some feeding specialists on social media :) I find this really good as you get a little drip drip of useful info which might or might not be relevant but it all gets repeated and adds up!

I like Lucy Ruddle, LMJ Feeding Support, Lyndsay Hookway and Amy Brown.

I'm still waiting...honestly losing the plot. I am on the verge of self-discharging myself, I've been here since 1.30 pm 😭 xx

My midwife said the other day that there are two formula factories in the whole of Europe, and that all formula comes from ether one of them so it is all the same.

@PurplePansy05 hang on in there. Id you self discharge yourself you won't be able to relax x

True @Daffodil21. I'm just exhausted, sweaty, hungry, thirsty, uncomfortable...the list goes on! And now I'll have to work overnight to finish my work stuff too. Brilliant. 🙄 Happy first evening on maternity leave to me... xx

Well here we go, I need to come back daily now to be monitored. Also getting another scan next week and on that basis (or if anything goes wrong sooner) they may bring my C-section forward. I am so overwhelmed. The doctor gave me an option to be admitted now, but I think I'd rather still have some time at home and if there are no improvements thrn I'll consider that. I need to finish packing my bags tonight 🤯😱 xx

Hope everything is ok and you get home soon @PurplePansy05 x

@Inmypjsagain from a personal point of view (from a UK organic dairy farming family) I'm toying the idea of combi feeding.
Brand wise I'm considering either Kendamil, which is locally produced in the Lakes from farmers in that area.
Or, HiPP organic, which our cooperative supply to (although a lot more air-mileage than Kendamil),
Neither are a cheap option though. I've heard that Aldi's Mamia & Aptamil are very similar, with the former being much more affordable x

We switched to formula at 7 months and used hipp organic which she took to really well. My only gripe is that it has palm oil in it though. We used ready made for a bit but then switched to powder and used the perfect prep machine which was an absolute godsend if full time Formula feeding! I got mine second hand for £20.

You’ll need a steriliser of some sort, too - you should sterilise pump parts too. I’ll be using cold water sterilising this time round but I had a microwave one last time.

Like Bertie said, the breastfeeding support can be patchy and with covid i imagine it’s impacted further. If you have a local breastfeeding cafe the one local to me was amazing. They usually have set opening hours. Also when I was in hospital, I pressed the buzzer for literally every feed to get them to come and check. I had no shame but It worked and I had a good experience with feeding.

I used hipp organic with DS once I had gone back to work when he was 12 months old, aptamil did not agree with him at all I think sometimes it's a bit hit and miss. You don't choose the brand the baby does

Glad they're keeping a close eye on you @PurplePansy05. By admit so you mean they're looking to induce/do CS?

@PurplePansy05 how stressful! I was thinking earlier when you said second day in a row on the ctg that it was your last day before mat leave- hope you don’t have too late a night finishing up, that’s exactly what you don’t need! I know it’s a pain, but it’s good to be monitored.

Thank you @BertieBotts @alittlexmasmagic @wimbler and @lucyrp for your advice! There’s a thread in AIBU about why women stopped breastfeeding that has been an interesting read. It does look like a lot of it can come down to support- when I asked my midwife she said we’d get visitors and all the support we need. Fine in theory but it takes a midwife a good week to get back to you, so I do wonder (esp as im repeatedly told how understaffed and busy they are) I’ve been reading up on the nhs website about it too which was helpful. note all the comments as to brands. I’d love to try all of Aldi’s stuff but our nearest one is a half hour drive away, which I know isn’t far really but it’s a faff to go there for formula and nappies only!

We already have some Milton in the cleaning cupboard if that’s a cold water steriliser, I use it for toothbrush heads and disinfecting other stuff.

Combi feeding sounds quite a good way of getting husband involved in night feeds. Just about to google paced feeding. Thanks again, appreciate all your input!