Due June 08: less of the hens hatching, more of the cows milking?

[bitofadramaqueen]

Lets hope it's not too long before everyone is hatched and milking season is in full swing!

Oh, and it's July now, bring on the first July baby!

Congrats Puddock and well done UDC - glad everything went well. I envy you being able to push your baby out so easily! I am feeling a bit 'robbed' now that I wasn;t able to push Theo out (needed forceps) although I did push Esther out I suppose although I didn't feel a thing!

Libra, have you tried moving the pump around on your breast to try to get a better 'latch'? I find if the milk slows when I am pumping if I just reposition the pump it can get loads more. Glad to hear you are able to get more out now. Well done you for even trying - lots of people would have gone fully to formula because what you are doing is such hard work.

Essie - I have had that problem with Always smelling too. I just used Tescos cheap sanitary towels (night time ones). Esther is only tiny so she is in terry nappies at the moment. I have One Life and a few Totsbots and Theo is big enough for them now. They are so much easier than terries. They take much longer to dry though... esp the Totsbots cos they are bamboo. Don't buy them!! You don't need the extra absorbancy cos you can put a booster in. They take about three days to dry.

My babies have their 8-week check today - it is mad to think some of you guys haven't even popped yet and my DTs are having 8-week check!!! They are having their injections too - any tips on coping with potentially grumpy babies tonight? The HV said I'd have to have some Calpol in. I thought that was a bit much - I don't mind giving it them if they need it but she said it as if they HAD to have it.

Congrats to all who have popped since I was last on. Can't believe Isaac is now a week old!
MW came yesterday and my lo has bucked the trend and is now 8lb 3oz, I am so happy after being prepared for him to loose weight.

Overdid it a bit yesterday but wanted to have a boast as we went up to IKEA in Croydon and I bf in the restaurant. I was so happy and no one batted an eyelid.

Mum and DH have gone out leaving me and Isaac alone in preparation for next week when DH goes back to work and my mum goes home. All is good now but he was very unsettled between 4 and 7 this morning so is sleeping soundly at the moment.

Am now going over to the BF board to ask for some advice over there

Morning all, congratulations Puddock on your midsummer baby.

Dylansmum, thanks for the advice on the natures nest - it sounds pretty good, especially for travelling.

I thought the Murray match was fantastic, couldn't believe the turnaround. Although did feel sorry for Gasquet with that crowd being unbelievably rude (booing!! Not on!!). I wouldn't have described Murray as dour though - Gordon Brown, yes, Andy Murray, no.

Laura, you've given me awful visions of DvD now - that will be in my head this afternoon! Happy shopping and pedicure. My toes have taken on a huge significance - there is at least one part of me that looks 'normal' even if I can't reach them myself.

Oooh, thread of the day, get me!

C'mooooon the July babies!!!!!!

allnew fingers crossed for us both that something happens before friday. Keep thinking that at least this time next week I should have a baby.

Josey that is brilliant news, how is Olivia getting on?

LauraT - I too am impressed with how active you are, especially the trampolining! I think I am doing well at the moment if I make it off the sofa! I should definitely try to be more active but finding myself very waddly and slow and this morning far too hot.

UDC good to read you story, makes me feel more positive about the possible induction.

Puddock congratulations! What a great birth. Hoping to copy it sometime this week!

Congartulations to all those whose lo have arrived, some great birth stories, seem to be getting better as we go along. Must mean you'll have a really good labour Laura.

So pleased to hear olivia is home!

still struggling a bit with bf, my nipples apparently have 'significant damage' I think I got really lazy with latching Mia on while we had thrush and damaged my boobs a bit. Still working on correcting the latch as she has got used to sucking on my nipples. A slow process but feeling better today.

Hope to hear some more birth stories next time I logon! Good luck.

Neenz they don't have to have it but useful to have if they need it, we got some for DD but she didn't need it but if you don't have it you will.

Morning all i am overdue and getting nervous...baby was due sunday and no twinges nothing!! Had a curry and nothing might try some pineapple later on...am taking evening primrose oil as well. I really don't want to be induced but i guess if i have to i have to ....I see the OBS this afternoon to see how far they will let me go overdue i am only 5 foot three and feel like i am carrying a bear! :-)

Sarahpo I sympathise! Toward the end with my twins I couldn't walk or sleep or do anything really. Hope that baby comes soon.

Katyjo - are you using lanolin on your nipples to help with the soreness? I found it really helped. Lansinoh is one type but any 100% lanolin will do.

Morning all - vain rant alert...

Not only am I now 9 days overdue and feeling like a heffalump the first stretch marks have appeared on my bump a big patch of them . Dont get me wrong, I hadn't escaped completely (these one match the ones on my thighs and hips) but I was really pleased that I had avoided getting any on my tummy. Am so very cross, because if I wasn't so overdue I wouldn't have got them.

Also, my walk yesterday has been no good for my back. Perhaps walking part way up Arthur's seat wasn't the best idea, but it was a reasonably gentle incline... Anyway, now my back is very sore (not in an imminent labour way) which makes moving about even more difficult.

Am feeling exceptionally fed up today. But having lunch with a friend later so hopefully that will cheer me up.

Sorry for having a whinge everyone - just needed to get all that off my chest.

PS - no-one really thinks that Andy Murray is smouldering do they? Not with that hair surely?!?!?!

V. Jealous BDQ I got my stretchmarks at about 18 weeks and they look even worse now

Good Luck to all those overdue or awaiting being induced. Once my induction date was set I went into labour spontaneously that evening

Having a lazy day here today as it is too hot to really do anything else!!

My stretchmarks - boobs only, fortunately - appeared on week 39. Devastating. I mean, for the sake of 1 week!!

Alipalli - know exactly what you mean about this thread being even better with a baby.
Iestyn was unsettled last night so my Mum came round whilst DH slept. She left at 8, and the minute the car engine faded, he became the screaming baby of 8-11. It's actually distressing - he really screams, angry cries, bashes his little face with his hands, and stops for nothing. Fed him, DH took him for a walk, had mad hymn-singing sessions (full harmony), nothing doing. Then DH took him downstairs at 11.30, and he immediately quieted down. DH slept with him on the sofa (naughty), and came to bed at 1.30. He sleeps between feeds at night, that's the irony. And he's a different baby in the day.

Neenz - a friend (ex-midwife/my unofficial doula) was on the phone whilst he was doing this, and she also suggested cranial osteopathy. Is that what you (Theo!) had? And is there an age limit?

Hello all, have been lurking for a while and reading all the posts while night feeding - haven't yet mastered the art of typing with one hand (or feeding A with one hand either for that matter!) so haven't been able to post much.

Hugely impressed with all those persisting with breast feeding despite issues with damage/latch/quantity. Feel like a bit of a light weight for giving up so early .

Also been interested in all the discussion on reuseables. Still haven't ordered any but thanks for the tip on bamboo ones Neenz. I'd heard they took longer to dry - but didn't realise that meant three days! That's a little excessive!

Many congrats on all those who have had their LOs since I last posted - some fab names and interesting birth stories.

Josey, wonderful news that you finally have your little girl home with you.

Fingers crossed for all those now awaiting their July babies - hope your waits will all soon be over.

Graet news about Olivia being home, Josey.

TGF - thanks for the poo tips! I tried them and she has done a few poos and seems much more comfortable .

Sympathies for those who are overdue. Thea was 8 days late and I was totally loopy with frustration, exhaustion and anxiety by the end.

I've had a few (unplanned) public breastfeeding sessions: in church, in the playground at school... Although haven't quite trumped the time with DD1 when I fed her (discreetly, I thought) in a school governors' meeting only to discover a hour later that although my norks were covered up, I'd left my awful Jabba the Hutt tummy flobbing out the whole time .

josey have emailed you but just to say sling finally on its way - you should get it tomorrow.

rolf am ridiculously chuffed my poo tips worked! And happy for you obviously

Storm had an odd night. Didn't settle from 6.30 to 10.30, feeding loads and not happy - too hot. Then slept till 2, had a EBM feed from DH, just 3oz, burped, fell asleep in about 5 seconds and slept till 5!
Had a good feed with her then and co-slept when she wouldn't settle - next feed at almost 10am! She's asleep again now and has been since 11 - feel like she's giving us a break today

Best of all, because I barely woke during DH's feed I had a pretty much 6 hour sleep straight and woke up feeling fantastic.

Annoyed it's so hot today as it deffo doesn't agree with her and makes her cranky and dozy when feeding, but at least I'm getting to know her ways. Even started using the washables today so I must be feeling confident...

essie cranial oesteopathy has no age limit as far as I'm aware. My HV recommended it if Storm became problematic. Don't really feel she needs it but sounds like it could help Iestyn.

LOL, Rolf! The tummy is quite distressing, really. So much...spare! I'm focusing on my ankles instead and wearing tight knickers.

Cloth nappies - I've not got mine out yet, but I fully intend to. I've got some random ones - Modern Baby nappies. I got them because they were pretty , and bought some locally with my voucher. Then I discovered that they were discontinued, and got a big job lot on ebay. Dead cheap. The company has a new style out now. Strangely, though, I can't find reviews or anything anywhere. Not that it makes a difference - I'm going to have to use them!

So I find myself with a baby in really cute nappies but with poo running down his leg . Let's hope the cuteness is so extreme nobody notices...

Wonderful that Olivia is home Josey!

Congrats to all the new mums and huge sympathy to all the overdue people. I nearly went crazy going 10 days over first time round, I really think this practice of giving us a specific expected due date is misguided given that nearly no-one delivers on it. It was much easier to be overdue this time as I didn't plan to 'count' myself as over until at least 14 days past EDD, and ended up having her at 11 days past - oh and my stretchmarks all appeared once I was past 40 weeks too ...

Little to report here. Glad to read other cord stumps are bleeding a bit; Caitlin's has still not settled down, but no pus or gunkiness any more, just bleeding a little so I'm not too worried. I had her in reusables (one life) but have put her back in disposables for now as the wraps were rubbing the tummy button, and it seems to be settling now. I really prefer the real nappies though - that nasty chemically nappy smell is vile and I don't trust it! plus we have had poo leaks with sposies which I've never had with reusables, yuk. Can't wait to get back to the real ones.

We are getting there with the feeding, slowly. I am being v. v. strict about only latching her on when her mouth is wide open, and am working hard on positioning, and we are getting good feeds and my nipples are much better now - but it makes the start of a feed very frustrating for her, she screams for a long time before we get the split-second opportunity to latch her on. Plus I'm really unco-ordinated so I miss several opportunities before we get it, which is even worse for her! It's even worse at night feeds but I think that's because I'm tired too. Hope she gets it soon! Last time I was told the feeding would get much easier after 6 weeks and it really did, it suddenly 'clicked' for both of us, so I'm hoping it'll be the same this time - she's 3 weeks tomorrow so we're halfway there.

Otherwise, she's still sleeping lots (yay) though not so much at nights (boo) - starting a day-for-night pattern I think, so I am going to have to start prodding her more in the daytime. I have been 'reverse nesting' trying to get the house back in order after months of SPD, but am going to make myself rest this afternoon as I am starting to get v. tired in the evenings. So off to rest now ...

Greenfairy I x posted there. We're going to brave it out this week, and consider it in London next week. He's been all stressed out all morning too! (HV: 'how are you coping?', me: 'he's really good all day, never cries', HV: .

Josey - so pleased you have Olivia at home at last

Puddock - congratulations and welcome Peter

Allipalli - Ethan is still feeding sooo much.So far today(since I've been up) I've fed at 8.30, 9.30, 11.00, 11.30, 12.30, 1.30 - that was both sides - a decent feed and he's crying again.

Also been to the drs today as his tummy button is red, with scabbed blood on and inflamed so I have some cream to put on as it is a little infected.

I am having to seriously re-educate myself into life with a newborn, every day I expect to do certain things - not talking anything adventurous - maybe a little ironing or more than one load of washing and I'm finding it so hard to fit jobs into the short time between feeds, as well as resting too. Anyone else struggling?

I'm being put to shame by all of you using washable nappies. I am SO in favour of it but just can't imagine dealing with any more laundry . And I tell myself that it would have made so much more sense to have bought them when DC1 was born rather than DC4 - but I know that's a bit like being asked for directions and saying "well now, I wouldn't start from here...".

DQ sympathies about the stretch marks, I've definitely gained a few in the last few days which was annoying me but then again my tummy looks like it should belong to a tiger now, it's so stripy. Not too worried though as closer inspection of my tummy and thighs reveals faded stretch marks which appeared in puberty which I can't really remember and have never worried me in the slightest so hoping these go the same way. I heard somewhere that vitamin E was good for healing stretch marks and any other scars and to get the capsules break them open and rub them into the skin. Think I will try that once baby is out!

whinegums even sleep deprived and full of hormones no one could find murray attractive.

Having good day today as got an ok night and so far she is feeding and doing well so feeling bit more relaxed. And actually got a little sleep.

will post later but need to eat while I can

tmi warning

Ethan is 2 weeks old today and so far i have been bleeding but it has got less every day, then today i have just flooded - good job i was at home and got to the loo. i feel really drained now. anyone else experienced anything similar?

sorry 1 handed typing

Yes, you think you are all dried up and then the flood gates opne, has happened twice now and at home both times.

re: Andy Murray, he seems to have attracted a beautiful girlfriend though, suprising, huh! I think the point about smouldering vs dour, was that they were both used to dewcribe moody looking people, but Scots always get the rather less pleasant 'dour'!

let's not talk about stretch marks, it just upsets me. I also have a tiger tum...

the intermittent niggly back pain is back again. happy days! I now have lovely toes though, and a new dress to wear to my cousins wedding in 4 weeks time. no idea what it will look like on, or if it will fit, but it was in the sale so decided to go for it!