Due June 08: A few eggs have hatched, we wish the rest would GET CRACKING!!!

[systemsaddict]

Let's hope the rest of the eggs get cracking very soon!

Essie, hope you feel better for that Congratulations.

I'm celebrating, cos the midwife has been and Adele has gained weight really well, and se has even been awake for a bit today! Honestly, it's so unusual, the kids shriek if they see her open her eyes. She's 2 weeks old today, so hopefully she'll start to be more wakeful. I'm pleased that the bf is working out ok, I just couldn't contemplate a bottle, after bf my 3 boys I just couldn't even consider or get my head round not doing it with Adele, so am very pleased. Once she wakes up a bit it'll get easier I'm sure too. Yesterday, she slept the whole day, woke up about 7 pm for about an hour, then slept again for the whole night. She'll even sleep through nappy changes. Sorry for those whose lo aren't sleeping, but this is also a real problem at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Midwife also did acupuncture on me and doc prescribed a nasal spray to see if it can get lochia moving a bit. Doc did ultrasound to see & there is 'some fluid' but I'm not clear how much, but it just won't come out.

Anyway, good luck all you bf-ers. Be confident & persevere

Congratulations Looneytune, impressed by your posting so quick!

Essie - what a marathon! Hope you manage to get some sleep.

Ernest - glad Adele is doing well.

Essie - congratulations. What a birth story. You are amazing. Sending hugs.

Looneytunes Congrats. Can't wait to hear your story.

PP Good luck - thinking of you.

Hello all,
Yes, I'm still here twinging away! The pains (dare I call them contractions?) continued yesterday evening with us timing them. Eventually at 10.30 pm I decided to try to get some sleep because whilst they were every 7 minutes and lasted a minute they were not getting any more painful and were perfectly managable. Managed to sleep until midnight when I woke up with the pains much worse and now 5 mins apart. Tried to wake DH who told me to chill out and get some more sleep. Walked around the house until 2.30 am this morning then they stopped! Eventually got back to sleep but seething.

Woke up twinging again this morning, but again nothing too painful. Had an absolutely massive show (I was quite shocked - was like something alien). Rang the midwife who came out at mid-day and examined me and performed another sweep. Apparently I am now 2cms dilated and still in latent labour. She said this can go on and off for days with 2nd time mums - great!

Feel completely in limbo now and quite uncomfortable. Not sure if I want it all to stop and go away so I can rest or if I want full-on labour to start.

To all of you with your LOs - just rememebered a fab book that might help - Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg. She is not at all like Annabel Karmel and the book is written in a really nice way. Full of lots of good advice and tips.

Hope you are all managing to get some rest. xx

cONGRATULATIONS LOONEY!!

congrats Looney, Essie - cor and good luck to PP.

Just a quick add on about the Baby Whisperer - it has quite a useful guide on how much and how frequently to feed in the first 4 days - it might help those just starting out.

Still waiting this end (41.5). Had a very lazy day but can't think of anything else to do other than read a book and relax.

Congrats Essie and Looney!

Hope those waiting not hanging ontooo much longer.

Storm asleep (ish) and contemplating a nap myself.

Congrats Looney looking forward to hearing more about your LO.

Essie well done to you, sounds like a rough time and that you did brilliantly. How do you pronounce your son's name? it looks lovely written down, just wondering if I'm saying it correctly in my head!

Bun2 good luck hope it starts to escalate soon!

whinegums I shall expect you to hold on to keep me company now you've revealed that! although if I went on my own dates I'd be the 30th...

poppy might be up again tonight, feel free to join me, I felt better once I got up and had a walk and a stretch!

laurat will definitely get up tonight as not tossing and turning (well in as much as you can ) in bed again...

bun2 hoping things get moving for you.

Am all but giving up on anything but bouncing on the gym ball as am sure its a conspiracy amongst raspberry and pineapple growers...

hurry up baby.. have moved on from watching richard and judy to the one show.. this is a new low...

they are doing an article on vintage hoovers...

Congratulations to looney!

Had scan today and they gave me a sweep but unfortunately cervix closed so no use . I've to ask for another sweep next Tues with mw, which is my due date. If that doesn't work, have an induction booked for 4th July. That just sounds like forever away and I so hope I don't have to wait until then!!

I'm now finally going to join the RLT/pineapple gang. Convinced DH this morning to try and give me a bit of a head start, but I can't say I enjoyed it as I kept imagining the poor baby's head in the way!

poppy - I too have reached these lows and have just noticed the hoover article! If it wasn't for the 24 series I would have gone mad by now - I'm on series 4 now and at this rate I'll be through them all by the time the baby arrives

know what you mean allnew re the headstart -it becomes more of an exercise in logistics rather than passion.

TMI alert -am not sure but think I may have had a bit of a show... only thing there was no blood ... just to quote whinegums gunkiness.. mind you that doesn't mean much so could still be watching quite a few episodes of the one show.

Evening all, congrats to Looney and Essie . allnew sorry to hear your cervix closed.

No shows here (or any offers of DH to help with a headstart...) but I think I'm finally having BH's. Hurrah! Also been getting some stabbing pains down below and had some really shooting pains in my boobs earlier.

DH is making a hot curry tomorrow for tea, but the fruit flies story has put me off having any pineapple in the house!!! I did have a little tub of pineapple in juice today if that counts? Keep making pots of RLT to leave and drink cold (found it marginally more palatable) but then I forget about it. So, I've managed to have about 3 cups this week. [Hmm]

Anyway, very tired today so off to put put my feet up (had a terrible nights sleep last night - tossing and turning constantly).

Hope the baby comes soon, my boredom has driven me to shopping, which is never good...

depends what you're shopping for DQ

Hello all, just thought I would post my birth story - also got a pic of little Luke up now.

Well as those of you who were on her on Friday night might remember I had contractions once every 7 minutes or so until 5am at which point they disappeared. Had to go to the hospital anyway for my fetal heart trace at 9.30am so was feeling rough. They told me I was in a latent phase and I knew things would get goinhg again that day so when I got home I tried to get some sleep (yeah right!). By mid afternoon I had got my pains back and by about midnight they were manageable once in every 7 mins. I came down and logged into mumsnet at abou 2ish i think to get some advice and calle dthe MW when I was one in 5 mins lasting 1.5 mins (and painful!!). By the time she got here I had the Tens machine on and was in agony! She examined me and said I was 3cm and in labour - hurrah!! Got our bags and went to the hospital by which point I could not even stand I was in so much pain. From that moment on I had a contraction once every 2 mins more or less for the rest of the duration - agonising - the pool was good for 30 mins, then I went on to gas and air and then at around 7am asked for an epidural. MW was convinced I must be in transsition and said if I was would I reconsider - I wasn;t - was still 6cm. Managed to get to the room where I was to have an epidural and my waters broke (all bloody)I was screaming in pain even with gas and air and climbong the walls begging for the aneasthetist by tyhen. Finally got my epi which was like heaven. Kept going until about 2 pm where I got another examination and had not dilated anyh further than 7cms. Also baby had turned OP (he was perfect before). The obs people came and had a rummage and offered me a section or a go on the syntocinon drip to strengthen the contrations. I chose the section but they went on and on about it until I felt bullied into the other option. Wennt on Synto for 4 hours at which point I had fully dilated (6ish Sunday). Started pushing and for 1.5 hours the baby was coming down sooooo slowly until his heart rate started to dip on the push. They took me to theatre and tried a ventouse which was even worse - only one pull and he was in so much distress they immediately performed a section. They had to pull him all the way back the wrong way through my vagina and they couldn't get him out. He had breathing problems and they wouldn't let me see him (at which point DP and I were in floods of tears). Eventually they got him right and ket ne have him at 10.10 pm.

I still can't breastfeed I have got milk today and expressed 40ml which I have fed to Luke in a bottle. He got hungry about 30 mins later for formula! Should I continue giving him my milk? It is a hassle expressing and if he doesn't even get anything out of it what's the point? I was really down on myself like Sponge as I haven't even got him to have a go at all - tried everything.

Thanks for listening all! New babies are lovely but hard work!! Have been so emotional through hormones and lack of sleep. I really miss my midwives who looked after me for 41 weeks and can't bear the thought of not seeing them again- is that weird?

Evening Amber

Gosh - you sound like you've been through the mill.

Do you have a community MW? They should visit you for a couple of weeks afterwards, and then a health visitor? You shouldn't just be left to fend for yourself, particularly if you're having probs BF and want to persevere..

Have you got a local BF counsellor or support group? There should be help for you out there and you shouldn't have to fight for it.

Hope tomorrow is better. I found the first few days a total rollercoaster of emotion - almost unbearable at times. I do hope you feel better soon...

Evening all

Wow more babies congrats

Just had a flick though as not getting a chance to read properly....Sponge really sorry you feel devistated....please dont feel like a failure....this baby process isnt straight forward and nature doesnt always run a text book course....Easy drug free labour isnt the be all and end all....and if you give your baby a bottle it doesnt make you a bad mum as long as you and your baby are happy and healthy...enjoy each other....big hugs.

Rolf Thanks for asking...Hoping cream is clearing infection im not aware of it though there are some unusal goings on down there

TGF Im 5ft7 and Olivia was 8.15 at birth and I think she is just over 9lb now will need to check her chart...not sure by the sizing would that fit.

Ernest glad Adele is putting weight on well...I know what you mean about your baby being awake I have only seen Olivia with her eyes properly open the day she was born when she was seizing and for a good few days I found it difficult to think she would ever open them....I get so excited when she gets them open for a few seconds now.

Well today was a special day for me...I went to see my darling beautiful daughter and she supprised me but being out of an icubator and is in a big girl cotshe had a lovely ikle knitted pink bonnet on to keep her cosey...But best of all I can pick her up when I like now for a bozie If she holds her temp well she will get her 1st bath at the weekend.

I also changed her tube for the 1st time. I thought I would howl my eyes out but no, its a strange sensation but it has become natural to feed her they way we do. I had to push it up her nose and down her throat which was alot easier than I expected ...getting the lenght right was hardest to be honest, as I have to measure from ear to nose then nose to top of stomack.

AmberC Well done - you did have a tough time didn't you? What did Luke weigh in the end? Don't beat yourself up about BF - I am planning on supplementing BF with FF from the get go this time, rather than stressing. Found that a happy and full DD1 was better than a stressed me and a hungry fractious DD1. That's the plan anyway - who knows what it will be like this time?

Poppy34 I'm with you on the gross shows - I've just had more strange gook - how much can there be?

Josey Glad you had such a good day today and that you are able to take over more of Olivia's care. That must be very special. Sending hugs.

Well I'm off to bed - still twinging - AmberC can thorough sympathise with your experience - hoping to get some more sleep.

Night night all. xx

Quick post to say added pics and will come and catch up tomorrow.

Off to get some advice about feeding tonight x

hi all

I posted on some of the earlier threads but have been so busy I havn't had time to catch up.
I am due on the 29th June with my fourth, another girl which evens things up as I will have two of each

Congratulations to all of those who have already hatched! I am now going to try and catch up with the thread

greenfairy I have got my midwives - they came yesterday and today and once more next week before handing over to the HV. They have tried everything known to mankind to ge t the baby to latch - I don't think I have the right equipment to be honest as my nipples are rather flat. Nothing that any BF counsellor or group could do more I don't suppose. Luke likes formula - he did like my milk yesterday too but he got hungry 30 mins later! I am thinking of not bothering to express any more and just letting my body get back to normal. I guess it's easire using formula and evry time I try and get Luke to latch on (recommended before every feed by th MW)he gets upset and then so do I.

When I say I miss my midwives I mean like losing a friend - that's why I must be weird.

Sorry about bad typing - so tired.

Essie - wow, that was quite the ordeal! I hope you get a bit of rest now, or at least lots of time to lie down.

congrats looney.

amberc - lots of hugs to you after that birth! I'm not an expert on breastfeeding, the only other thing I could think of would be trying nipple shields. If they don't help, then I wouldn't feel guilty about switching to formula. He is getting a lot out of your expressed breastmilk (immunity, all the gut bacteria he needs etc) but pumping is a ton of work and you have to see what works for you and Luke.

josey - you're a superstar! Fraser's cord is making me feel nauseaus (it's disgusting) so I'm in awe that you've learned to change Olivia's tube (needs must I guess). And yeah for unlimited bozies!

I took Fraser to the osteopath yesterday as he was having trouble feeding/lying on his left side and she said he had a bit of tension in his neck but she'd managed to treat it. I'm hoping that makes him happier! He did feed off that side happily this morning, but also threw up twice last night and we're not sure if that's at all connected with the osteopath...

Amber - Luke is gorgeous - well done! You really went through the mill didn't you? How distressing for the 3 of you. Everyone else is giving such good, sensible advice about bfeeding and I hope you're getting your head around the whole thing. Being is mother is so much more than giving your baby breastmilk.
x

Josey - delighted you had such a good day, and how wonderful to see Olivia in a big girl cot . I'm so pleased for you.

Looney - gorgeous pictures . Love the pool one.

PearTart's little peach

DD2 arrived yesterday at 1.12pm, at home weighing 8lb,4oz.
Here's the story...

Midnight Wednesday night, I was rudely awoken by DH's phone pinging a message and realised I was having big period type belly aches. This was following a sweep by my community MW that day. By 3am I couldn't settle and woke DH to tell him the aches were every half hour- until he pointed out that they were every 7 minutes!

We dropped DD1 off at her friend's house at 6.30am and went to hospital. Contractions were every 3-4 minutes and getting quite painful. However, half of Cambridge was giving birth that morning too (who said the full moon thing is a myth?), so the midwife lead unit was full to capacity and understaffed and the delivery unit was full with no low-risk rooms left. We were left in a room (with no pillows) for an hour before anyone bothered to come and see us! By that time I'd got stressed and lost confidence and the contractions had dropped off form 1 in 3mins to less than one in 10!

I knew that the hospital room really wasn't the right place for me and decided that I needed to go home. Once home, at 9am, contractions picked up to every 4 mins and painful. We phoned the community MW and asked if it was possible to have a home birth, and she agreed as I was low-risk. DH was a star and prepared the room with clean plastic dust sheets, old bed linen and stacks of towels.

The MW came at about 11.30am and unloaded her stuff. by midday I was getting close to 2nd stage and was really nervous. A second MW arrived for the delivery and post-natal checks. DD2 was delivered with me kneeling and leaning over the sofa in DD1's room after the famous last words "NO, I CAN"T do this, she's NOT coming out!" and then there was a wriggling, crying knot of pinky-bluey limbs beneath me. I couldn't and still can't quite believe I did it. And at home.

The community MW's were brilliant, the atmosphere was relaxed and we all had a cup of tea afterwards. There were amazing at cleaning up all the mess and dealing with the 3rd stage and postnatal checks whilst DD settled into a big feed with me, in our own bed (with pillows!)