Due August 2021 - The Final Countdown continues...

[Daffodil21]

Continuing the previous thread!

I'll let @PurplePansy05 post the updated list

Wow, some pretty scary stories, that must have been such a stressful experience for her and everyone who witnessed too!

I'll tell you a lighter story to lift the mood.

DS had his first ever bath today. DH and I thought, how lovely.

DH got naked and decided he'd sit in a bath himself with DS on bath support, added precautions.

First DS had a shit over his Apple watch. Not to worry, we've cleaned the strap.

Then the sat down in the bath together for a lovely bit of skin to skin. Within 30 seconds, DS let out a massive korma shart. All over my husband's bits.

So here we go, let out all the water, DH got himself cleaned up, we're carefully refilling again.

DS is having time of his life.

Meanwhile I'm giggling at the whole situation uncontrollably and forget that my bladder control isn't quite as good post partum. So there, you've guessed it, I pissed myself laughing at these two comedians. Luckily the toilet was near.

Ladies, I give you The Shart Story.

The end.

So many new babies and birth stories, congratulations to all of you!
I’ve been a bit missing in action for a combination of reasons, but more recently having anxiety about the birth (in particular the internal exams and the pain following our previous miscarriages). Well today it seems our little one has decided to move from head down to breech position between my scan at 36+4 and today 38+1, so I have a meeting tomorrow with the doctors to make a plan. Given my anxieties/trauma, and the lovely positive ECS stories we’ve decided to ask for the ECS. Thank you to everyone who has posted their story on here, it’s so good to hear what really happens and what’s been useful to each of you.
And P.S. @PurplePansy05 that is a hilarious bath time shart story, I look forward to experiencing such delights in the near future!!

@PurplePansy05 that’s cracked me up 🤣🤣 your poor dh 😂

Thanks everyone!

I also second @BertieBotts suggestion of the disposable period pants - thanks for this suggestion!

@Millymay13 aww, sometimes they just decide for you I think ❤️ Mine was maternal request but he did have a low placenta that had moved a tiny amount so could have tried for a vaginal birth (always wanted a c-section though). His head ended up low down but never engaged and I really doubt he would have came on his own so we were very much in agreement on the section 😂 Honestly I’ve had the best day of my life! Been able to stand up and move to the chair and back. It was just so lovely and so so fast! The worst part was the cannula (only because I’d never had one before). The guy doing it was so nice and put some local in then did it. I need to remember his name and send him a thank you card 😂 he made the whole experience for me! I wouldn’t believe I’ve had a baby today. Even after seeing him I was just saying in my head ‘how have I just had a baby?!’ 😲 I’ll be giving myself a few years to recover from this baby but I will 100% opt for another section in future. I have been really lucky it seems but every other woman in my ward had a nice experience too 😊 good luck with it!

Congratulations @sarah13xx !

I will also be opting for another one in future

I got lucky enough to get a room with just me and one other lady.

The noisiest fucking snorer ever!! 😂

just got home after discharging myself, it was another 2 hour wait to see the dr and even though she wasn’t allowed to actually say it the midwife seemed very keen to send as many people home as possible

@Daffodil21 glad it was a positive experience for you too!

Haven’t had a single minute of sleep yet, not because of my baby either - he’s a dream and has just slept the entire time without a sound. Everyone else’s baby’s are wide awake and crying though. The ward door is squeaky as anything and makes me jump out my skin just as I’m almost falling asleep then there’s another thing happening in under an hours time like a drug round or him needing a feed so I literally haven’t been able to yet! Wishing I was going home earlier tomorrow but I don’t think I’ll be out of here til last because it was later on he was born.

The majority of the staff have been really helpful but just pressed the buzzer having stood up (for the second time) and seen I’ve bled through my pad, nightie and onto the bed pad to ask if I could have it changed and for a hand to get my nightie and pants from my bag. A nurse arrived, didn’t speak, changed the pad and plonked my massive heavy bag on the bed for me to dig through it myself. I’ve never felt so helpless trying to find a pad, stick it on pants then somehow change them, change my nightie and get my heavy bag off the bed. I just had to push it off in the end as it was way too heavy for me to lift down. Why are some people so unhelpful when 99% of them couldn’t do more for you? 🤦🏼‍♀️ Hope that’s my lowest point over with! The bleeding isn’t even majorly heavy, I don’t think I’m bleeding most of the time then I can just feel a bit of a trickle and know its soaked through. Now sleeping with my new nightie pulled up past my bum and lying on the pad so I just have to change my pants if it happens again (as I only brought 2 nighties)! Should have sat the pants and nighties in the most obvious spot in my bag so I wasn’t digging through it so pathetically wanting to cry 🙈 should have also pre-stuck some more pads to pants and brought a load more carrier bags just to chuck dirty clothes in without having to faff about looking for one!

I’ll know for next time 😂

@sarah13xx I haven't either - tried feeding, hand expressing etc (expressing fairly ok the first time) then gave him a formula top up. He took to bf sort of ok in the recovery room but now he just has the boob in his mouth but doesn't do anything with it 🙈

Sorry you're not having a great experience on the ward. I'm so lucky that the night midwife is absolutely lovely!

Elliot is sleeping perfectly but the other lady's baby is crying lots, and when it's not she's snoring away 😂 planning on napping when DH is back in the morning! Tbf Elliot was crying a bit earlier when we were trying to feed so I'm sure he was keeping her awake then!

@sarah13xx bless you. I was in that position on Saturday night and it was horrible. I think at about 3am I went to reception and told them I couldn't stay here as I couldn't sleep. I was determined I was going home then. Obviously I didn't but I think they got how desperate I was.

Tonight is/was as bad as expected. Got about 1 hour of glorious sleep badge awoke and since then it's been constant mix of feeding her, putting her down for her to just want back on the boob again. I have a snuz pod that is about 3 inches away from me but apparently that's still too far. I tried to sleep next to her in the main bed (kicked OH out) but I'm a light wiggley sleeper and could not nod off when she was there too. Didn't last for long anyway as she was awake for more boob half hour later.

Currently she is comatosed on my arm after more boob but if I put her down she'll just wake up for yet more boob. Plus the new milk is currently making her sicky.

I'm not sure how exactly OH can help. He can't feed her. He can comfort her up to a point, until she realises his boobs don't taste all that good. I'm going to get a pump and think about pumping milk for night time. I know she wants comfort too but we can both do that, with OH feeding her a well so I can get some kind of sleep.

I'm off to repeat the cycle.

Sorry random typos and predicted text there!

@Ready2020 Try expressing at the same time as you're feeding at night from the other breast. That's because your milk will thrn have increased prolactin which will help your little girl with sleep - it really does make a difference! Then your DH can use the "night time" bottles the next night. Guaranteed she'll sleep longer on this and also get the perfect mix of your milk. BF is hard and I recognise a lot of what you're saying about the constant need for food in the night and lack of sleep. But this isn't going to be your experience 24/7 - literally rest whenever you can, there are pockets of time when you can, use them all. DH should do everything else. The feeds will also become easier and more bearable, it's a tough beginning but won't last forever. Like I said before though, it's bloody hard going and I wish I was told that more before giving birth actually, I would have cracked on without a second thought whereas I ended up questioning myself snd thinking I must be so shit at it when for everyone else it's so easy and natural It's not! It's really not!

I know this will sound silly but the best thing I did was staying calm and positive and letting DS suck/fiddle/be a grizzly PITA sometimes, but it works! It increased my milk supply and he's much more content now. I really think more than 50% of success here is your mental attitude, you need to feel good for the milk to be there and babies need to be allowed to feed a lot to estsblish the supply. It will get easier and it will be worth it. You're doing a fab job, all of you from what I'm reading, don't give up on yourselves ❤❤❤ xxx

@sarah13xx I would say that's pretty normal at the postnatal ward, don't take it personally. Some staff are keen for you to get on with moving as quickly as you can and it's a good thing for you and done in good faith (although I know you're achy and high on hormones and don't see it that way!). Some simply may not have clicked that you had a section yesterday afternoon, postnatal ward has a complete mix of patients don't forget. Sometimes a gentle reminder about what you feel you can or can't do is all it takes 😊 Don't stress out about this sort of things, it's nothing personal or ill intended xx

Hi everyone
Congratulations to all the new arrivals!
For those who I still waiting- is anyone just not sleeping at all on a night time? I’m continually tossing and turning and getting up to wee etc i try and nap in the day for an hour or so but that’s it I feel completely drained
Also my hands or fingers now seem to have swelled up and they are sooooo stiff, I keeep dropping things- anyone else experienced this?
I’m 39 weeks today xx

@Daffodil21 I did mention the headphones...🤣🤣 It's a busy ward. You'll feel so much more peaceful at home, don't worry. It was getting to me towards the end of my stay too but hopefully you'll be discharged very soon. How are you in yourself?

That's fantastic news that Elliot was on the boob to start with and he's trying now. The lovely ladies on here told me these were all positive things when I hit the point of not knowing where to go with this and FF top ups. It's a step in the right direction, keep him close, lots of cuddles, skin to skin, express colostrum if you can. Fiddle with your boobs when he doesn't too! Warm shower (but not too hot so you don't get dizzy). Keep the good spirit up as much as you can, which it sounds you are 💐 I'm so so happy for you again ❤ I bet your DH cannot wait to see you both! xx

@PurplePansy05 I've got earphones :) haven't cracked them out yet though! It's not busy in this room - just me and one other!

Thank you for sharing your feeding experience btw - I didn't feel like I'd given up already by giving him a top up because I know we can come back from it.

I'm good thank you! Did a good walk around earlier but then felt like I was going to vom then pass out so think I pushed it a little too much 🙈 didn't last long and fine now though!

DH was allowed to stay until 830 last night and he'll be back again at 8am. Going to have a proper sleep then!

So far I'm definitely not experiencing trapped wind - nothing trapped about my wind 😂😂

@Caz1226 the last week or so I started to dread going to bed because I couldn't sleep properly. Hang on in there!

You sound so happy @Daffodil21 😊 Delighted to hear you have such good visiting hours today too, it will make a huge difference to you and DH. Mine was allowed 2 hrs in the afternoon and we both found it so short and hard being separated. Make the absolute most of it, not long left till he arrives now 😊 xx

@Aaaaa1519 hope you're doing okay after discharging yourself and managed to get some sleep once home x

All you lovely ladies sound like you're doing a great job with your newborns. Keep it up❤️

DH has started jumping/twitching every time I make any sound of discomfort. Unfortunately for him this stage of pregnancy is just very uncomfortable.

Baby feels so huge like he is completely running out of room! He is still moving lots thankfully, but really can't go far any more and it's like my tummy is all full up with constant pressure.

@BertieBotts my OH is the opposite as I've been making those noises for a while and he just rolls his eyes as if labour is not imminent at all 🤣 I've been really struggling with feeling okay in general without something hurting or being irritating I.e trapped wind, feeling sick, headache, tired, legs hurting, pressure pain etc.

@Ready2020 sorry you are having a tough time.. The first couple of nights I found hard as Sophia wanted to be held/ feed all night but it seemed to really help my milk come on and blue she will go longer between feeds. Swaddling after a feed before putting her back in moses basket can help too. Im just using a small muslin tucked in over her arms tbh rather than properly Swaddling.
Last night she slept for 2.5/ 3 hours between feeds - longest being between 3-just before 6 this morning.... Only for ds to wake up mins after she went down at 3 and stay awake to 530 😫
@Daffodil21 wow amazing visiting hours that's great your dh can come.. Ours were 7-8 in the evening only! And supposed to be only 1 visitor a week though they weren't enforcing that when I was in, they are now and no visiting kids.

@sarah13xx pleased he seems so settled :) hope you get some sleep soon. It is super hard to find quiet time in hospital as there is so much going on. I wanted to be discharged the next day purely because of pain relief as it wasn’t issued in a timely manner, even when requesting it slightly ahead of time. I brought my own but couldn’t take it because it had to be charted. You’ll soon be home where you’ll have more peace.

@Aaaaa1519 oh my goodness! What a thing to witness, that poor lady having it all go on in public. I bet she didn’t care at that point probably!

I can’t understand the variation in visiting hours. There is no consistency across the board at all. Visiting hours were 11am-11pm at our hospital which was great, OH was offered brews alongside me and they have loads of side rooms for postnatal. It’s a brilliant set up and I may have thanked them far too many times.

@PurplePansy05 thanks for including me on the list :) so many babies arrived and so many to come! Loving the baby names so far too.

Congratulations @sarah13xx hope you’re doing well and glad you have a good experience! So good you got the cannula area number as well!

How did you and @Daffodil21 sleep? my night in the ward meant I only got sleep when the midwife toon him for a stroll- he didn’t really settle in the hospital cot so I basically held him the whole night- all the babies crying was just a domino effect and I had a snorer too! I don’t know how she could sleep over the sound of her snoring actually, or her how her baby could!

@Caz1226 I had water retention the whole pregnancy but my last week was awful! I think it’s normal to an extent but sudden swelling is something you should check with your midwife!

@Aaaaa1519 hope you’re alright today. That sounded like a stressful hospital visit!

@WinterBabyof89 I can’t remember if I congratulated on your little bundle 🙈 sorry if I didn’t and belated congratulations! ❤️

@lucyrp how are you doing?

hi everyone,
I’m doing ok just a little here and there after yesterday. Everything was fine but I’m still not really feeling movements, never felt them at hospital either. They wanted to talk induction which I’m all for but the wait meant I would be getting home after 3am which I couldn’t do because of dd.
Felt like I had no choice but to come home.
Have growth scan on Friday which is also due date hopefully may be able to talk to someone about induction then.