Due Sept '08 - Counting Down Rather than Up Now!

[Sunshinemummy]

Thought I'd do this and post my last comments:

Hi all. Glad to hear more good scan news!

We had MIL visit this weekend and she is such hard work. She literally never lifted a finger and kept going back to bed every couple of hours. I've asked DP not to let her come again for a while as it's hard work waiting on someone.

We also finally put DS in his 'big boy bed'. Went quite well - he went to bed no problems, but he woke up at 2am crying as he'd got stuck under the duvet. He was then awake for a couple of hours so I'm feeling shattered today. Anyone of you with older children got any tips?

Slinkie we'll be near each other for mat leave won't we? We can have some fun together I'm sure.

Meglet I'm the same as you with the whole bf thing. I hated it last time and was relieved when I gave up. I keep veering to and fro with regards to trying it for this baby. I had such a happy time last time round, really enjoyed the whole experience, and am worried that attempting to bf will make the whole thing fraught.

awww....we really are pregnant.

the thing is, even though i get pregnant a lot... i still never thought i'd actually have kids...it's soo weird to feel him move and know he'll be here soon.

kinda cool!

Just spent a bit catching up - had a second scan today at 22 weeks, cos 20wk scan didn't pick up all the bits of the heart etc. All fine - mw was lovely and congratulated me that no abnormal markers had been found. Very pleased!
Then went to Tesco and they have buy one get one free on Cadbury's caramel and turkish delight - so i gave in and now have heartburn . Damn Tesco's for tempting me.

Great reading all posts - soooo much useful info. I am worried you are all so organised. All I have is a baby playnest and we are still debating what type of pram to think about!!

Here's my qn for the day - what are the rules on dressing your newborn (are there any?). I understand the babygows and sleepsuits, and the socks, hats and mittens, but why do I also need vests and where do they go - under or over babygrow? If LO is in babygrow, does it then need top and trousers and coat if we go out or can I just wrap it in blanket? And if swaddling, what do they wear? Just a nappy or a sleepsuit under the swaddle? Oh help, I am getting mighy confused!!

BF tips.

1. don't bother sterlising bottle or pump. waste of time. Just wash properly in hot soapy water is enough. Breastmilk has white blood cells which actively kill any bacteria present. Ebm can sit around undrunk for at least 4 hrs even if your baby has already drunk some of it. Formula should be thrown away after an hour of sitting around.

Plus, the minute you remove a bottle from the steriliser, any fungal spores etc. in the air touch it anyway so it is not sterile anymore.

1. If you are feeding on cue in the first three days, it is likely that you won't become engorged when your milk comes in. Frequent feeding from day one stops engorgement. I will link a feeding log for the first week later on as I have to go out soon.

If you have a sleepy baby for any reason (c-section, epidural, pethidine, betablockers - treatment for pre-eclampsia or high bp, early, small for dates, diabetes are the usual reasons) and your baby does not feed in the first 5 or 6 hrs, it is time to hand express colostrum and feed the baby to get him to wake up and do it himself.

I have posted on the last thread how to hand express colostrum. Not all hospitals have this policy yet so you may have to be pigheaded to get them to help you do what is best for your baby.

Funny you should ask that question Imoscarsmum because I was thinking exactly the same thing about what to put on a baby. I'm also wondering about what you put in the pram ie do you put a blanket down and then cover them in a sheet or anything?

think i got SPD between my legs as i had it on my bum but now i can only feel now and again. i last did my exercise last monday but since yesterday whenever i stand up or walk, my fanjo feels achy.

Does that mean im falling apart or baby may come early???

biglips,
spd- are you doing that pelvic thrust thing...the one where you lay on your back and bring your knees to your chest, but straighten your back 100% along the mattress? you can do it standing against a wall as well... i find it helps me a little bit.

lolli in the winter depending on how warm your house is your baby will have on

a vest and a babygrow/pj's and socks
a vest and outfit
or for outside vest, outfit, snowsuit or coat

in the pram you would have a pram sheet to protect the pram mattress and a cover i.e pram blanket which are roughly the same as moses basket blankets

if you have just a buggy you would maybe have a seatliner and a blanket or just a footmuff it just depends how cold it is

hth

yes im doing both of them and plus others - eg toning my bottom!

biglips,
swimming? it was helping me till the smell of the chlorine started to make me sick

yes ive done gentle swimming and i was feeling good. Will have to change my exercises and do the easy ones for now!
thanks

Debi I think the different nurseries accept children at different ages, ie 2.5, 2.9, 3, but you have to pay til the term after they're 3.

You all sound so organised - I find it hard to actually believe in the baby, so find it hard to prepare for it.

Also, due to the problems with P, I don't even know if we can stay where we're living, may well have to try and sell the house - not a good time for that market-wise or baby-wise , and as I'm not working at the moment, probably have to rent instead. Dd has had me at home all her life, if end up having to find work when dc2 is really young, will feel really guilty. Sorry - feeling a bit down at mo, not helped by the fact that I was supposed to be going out an hour ago, but P hasn't turned up to look after dd, and won't answer his phone either

I need some advice from one of the breastfeeding experts (Starlight, Kiskiddee?). My friend had her little boy today by planned C-Section and he was healthy (7 and a half pounds) but cold (36 degrees) and sleepy (my mum says maybe it's shock after the sudden birth). So he hasn't taken her breast. Apparently he didn't even try to latch on when they put him there. So far they've got her hand-expressing colostrum and feeding it to him (I assume by syringe). I haven't seen her yet but I said to her DH when he rang that they should try again later, maybe when he has warmed up and is less drowsy they'll have more success. But I can imagine if he doesn't start feeding soon it would be very tempting for her just to give him formula so what advice can I give her when I see her? She was keen to breastfeed and I think it's great that she is expressing for him, but I also know that they need to get the breastfeeding established as soon as possible.

Sorry for the long post but really want to help her. I warned her in advance about things like sore nipples and incorrect latch but it never occured to me that the baby wouldn't try to latch on at all so we didn't cover that one! I'm going to see her tomorrow afternoon.

Re buying things for the baby, all we have bought so far is 2 little newborn romper suits (blue) and a comforter (soft blanket/ toy thing). Last time we had bought everything and had the nursery ready by this time! I'm a lot more laid back (and busier!) this time and I guess most of what we already have for DD can be re-used so it's just the clothes really (unless we dress him in pink!). Oh and a cot as DD is still in her cotbed, but he'll be in the moses basket for the first few months.

so tried to get rid of my woman carpeting... i couldn't even nudge my belly out of the way...not even a little! looks like this rug is here to stay ...how is everyone else doing this? is there a secret tip?

Eandz and Imoscarsmum we went to Dubai 2 years ago in June to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. It was there that we found out I was pregnant (long story) as we were both ill (caught flu on the plane) and my morning sickness started (I was 7 weeks when we arrived). We had 3 days in Dubai and 10 in Fujairah by the sea. It was well over 40 and impossibly hot. Because I was ill I couldn't bear it at all (and I normally love the sun) so we spent the whole fortnight in the air-conditioned hotel room. The holiday was the worst we've ever had (apart from discovering I was pregnant!). I'm not saying don't go (although I've no wish to go back, and especially not in June!) but as Imoscarsmum says, be aware of what it will be like! Also Dubai is a high-rise city - I hated that too as there was a permanent haze (not sure whether heat or pollution!) and it was very busy. On the other hand if you fancy shopping in the air-conditioned malls......!

Debithescot - DD also used to sleep with her arms above her head (I think it's quite common). We didn't swaddle at first but she kept waking up and thrashing. We finally started swaddling at about 6 weeks (on DH's mother's advice) with an old piece of bed sheet. She hated being wrapped up but then went off to sleep really easily once it was done. We swaddled every night until she got control of her arms and didn't thrash any more. We plan to do the same with DS.

becaroo - I bought an electric breastpump (the Avent Isis IQ) and used it loads. I found expressing took ages and at least with an electric one all I had to do was hold it. I think a manual one would have killed me! It may depend on how fast your milk flow is. I think mine was quite slow as when DD was little feeds routinely took 40 minutes. Expressing wasn't much different!

Oooh just got a great bargain! Bought a moses basket from Ebay with M&P stand, and a new change mat to match all for £16, woopwoop!

I've looked everywhere and this was the only one I liked. Couldn't use the one we have as it's pink so have got a lovely blue one. It's the Petit Chien range from Babies r us. Don't think they sell it anymore though.

Anyway that was all

jearund skin to skin contact is the best way to warm up a baby. he needs to be in nothing but his nappy and she with nothing on top then maybe a light sheet over them both for privacy. Her heartbeat and smell will stimulate him too as the smell of her nipples which apparently will smell like amniotic fluid.

I don't know her size but I imagine she wants to be careful of her c-section. If she can even lie him somewhat across her chest or failing that, lie side by side, it can still work.

If you search my posts on the last thread, you will find a lot of links re feeding lying down, biological nurturing and hand expression. If you look at the website from the australian bfing association, you should find a handout on c-section advice.

I have read that a mum with a c-section was helped to have her baby latched with the baby draped over her shoulders.

It is fine to feed by syringe as often as she can. no need for formula. A baby's stomach on day one holds the capacity of a teaspoon. By day three it is the size of a ping pong ball and by day 10 the size of a hen's egg. No need to try to stuff an ounce or 15 mils of formula into a stomach that is built to hold 5 mils. IF she can hand express every 2 hrs and feed by syringe, it will be all he will need to keep his sugar levels up plus he will get the antibodies he needs. Plus colostrum has a laxative quality to it which will help him pass meconioum.

Will link the breastfeeding log next. Print it out and take it to hospital for her.

Splishsplosh Really sorry to hear about your problems with the house, it's not a great time to go through something so stressful, but renting really isn't so bad and you shouldn't feel guilty about maybe having to go back to work, you're thinking a looong way in the future yet.

first week breastfeeding log

Kiskidee Thank you! I've printed out the log,the bf lying down and the baby-led attachment pages. The link to biological nurturing doesn't work. Also would you mind posting the link to the c-section advice page? I'm going to take the lot to my friend tomorrow.

hang on.