Due Nov 2008 - Explosion Risks, Names Dilemmas and Baby shopping Galore!

[LadyBuzz]

New thread ladies

Welcome Pinkglow Chocolatgal yes it was me who wanted to express and bottle feed most of the time. I don't know if it will be practical or even possible but I would like to give it a go, I never mastered the art of being discreet with DS ans was not comfortabl with my norks out for all to see . I bottle and breast fed DS right from the start and he never minded where the food came from as long as it came in some form!
I am going to start looking at electric breast pumps now so will check out the medula as a few of you ladies seem to like it!

hey ladybuzz!
so i take it you still produce milk okay as long as you express reguarly enough??
and then so you just keep a few bottles of expressed milk in fridge????

chocorange well done you! Shall we go for the Cadogan as seems a good deal on the buy one get one free?? What does everybody else think? Who is definately coming (reminder will be firday 3rd October at 3pm (ish)

monkeymargot I BF both boys until 10 months but always got Dh to give them a bottle of expressed (for first son) and formula for 2nd son from day 1 - as I was following a routine (you know what one it meant that I could breast feed at 630pm-7ish and then was free until the middle of the night feed as DH would do the 10-11pm one with the bottle. Really really loved it as gave me the opportunity to go to bed at 8pm if I wanted (and belive you me I did I was so shattered) and then didn't feel so bad getting up once in the night.......

I know lots of people who have successfully done this, but until your milk is e3stabslished you need to feed on demand to get your supply up.......

I am getting serious pains in my noo-nee these past few days, is anyone else?! iS IT MY CERVIX RIPENING??!!!!!!!!!!!

god, nmy spelliong and grammar is atrocious. I am so so so so so so sorry! I'm not thick and illeterate really!

Saurus - I think I missed the conversation about sex too

I think DS may have hand, foot and mouth disease - obviously this is just a self-diagnosis from the internet but he has got loads of spots round his bum and penis and just started complaining of a sore mouth after his bathtime and wouldn't put his dummy in - I know it sounds just like teething but he has all his teeth through so it can't be that. I have given him some calpol and he has been perfectly happy since we picked him up from nursery - so I really hope it isn't that! Especially as he just gave me a couple of sloppy kisses (take that as 'with tongues' ) and I am not sure it is good for me to catch it.

Sparks - there is still tons of time for the baby to turn so don't worry just yet about it being breech.

dozy that's exactly what I'm hoping will happen with me and DH. How long did you leave it til you started milking expressing?

RuthO - your posts always make me LOL you have a certain 'turn of phrase'! YES I did get the birthing ball talk from MW and have had the 'clean the kitchen floor advice' 3x since too! I will obviously try them all as I am desperate for a regular delivery this time. I know, I know completely selfish of me but I got the stitches down below last time so don't really want more on my tummy this time...

Thanks for the reassurance Ceebs the MW was also quite 'ach there's plenty time lassie' about it all too. Somehow I don't quite believe it tho! Reckon it has been in this position for ages! Did LOL at some advice on the internet which suggested hooking an ipod up to my knickers and playing classical music for 10 min intervals!!!

Also re: foot and mouth, my DS got that probably about this time last year, he didn't seem to bothered by it, bit of Calpol and he was happy again. I also caught it too and my friend got it from her DS. It caused blisters in my mouth which made it hard to eat/drink hot liquids and I got spots on my fingers. However the worst of it was over in a day. It is normally of no risk in pregnancy except if you get it very close to delivery (where it can pass on to baby). However it isn't a given that you will catch it from your DS in first place and even if you did it is still plenty time before your Due Date to get it out of your system so you'll be fine. Go to your GP tho if worried but am sure mine said just give DS Calpol and take paracetamol to me.

P.S There was a conversation about sex?? Humph...

dd3 had her bandages removed today from her hand. her poor little fingers are swollen and bruised, but looking a lot better than before.

bumpy is kicking me hard, but feels lower as well.

am shattered again, get so tired these days.

anyway shocked a friend today when i said '9 weeks left' i'd forgotton to tell her i was pregnant (dont see her often) and she looked shocked as apparently am barely showing still. i feel like a whale though

Dozy / Choc - I am definitely coming to the LadiesWotDoPoshTea event 3rd Oct!

Misdee - I just checked out the photo of your DD's hand. Poor thing!!

misdee you are allowed to be shattered, being pregnant AND looking after your 3DD!!

i also had a nosey at your dd3's hand, and ouch it looks sore, looks like its healing well tho

some snippets of wisdom from me...whether you want to hear them or not

re layers for baby.....for the first few weeks or so while they are acclimatising to the outside world they should have on one more layer than you. so if you are in a tshirt and jumper, htey need tshirt, jumper and vest. But after they are a few weeks old, they can be in the same no of layers as you. Saying that I always have LOs in a vest in the winter.

re moses basket bedding.....you can buy bales of bedding in mothercare, toys r us etc for crib/moses basket, cot, cotbed etc. ASDA have a baby event on at the minute and have some good bargains on bedding bales. tesco and boots will also sell them.

first timers...don't panic. you'll be an expert at changing nappies by the end of the first week. In the meantime purloin a friend's baby for a spot of practice (note, only do wet ones; it's a well known fact that other babies poo smells rank and will make you gag, but your own baby's poo is like toffee popcorn to your senses ). the hospital will have a maternity nurse who will come round and show you how to top and tail them or bath and dress them. Just remember that they're not as fragile as they look!

BFing.....take it as it comes. It can be really hard work pumping exclusively (can't remember who wanted to do that ) and you need to pump at least eight times in 24 hours including nights to build and maintain your supply. Same with expressing for DHs to gove a feed......better to get your supply up and running before you start so after the first four - six weeks. (takes off BFC hat )

I'll stop being a know it all shut up now!

MerryM....wow, four weeks. How scary exciting

I'm also lolling at ruthosaurus, "so I bit her". Your SOH is very funny rutho

pinky, I know what you mean about the shopping. I did a big food shop this afternoon and am knackered now. Pushing a full trolley around is no mean feat and my whole pelvis was aching by the time I was finished.

misdee, I hope DDs hand is on the mend. Have you moved yet?

now what else.......? have forgotten all I've read

I'm also planning to come for tea on October 3rd The Cadogan sounds good to me and I'm really looking forward to meeting those who are able to make it!
Chocolategal When is the christening? There is so much choice for gifts - from traditional moneyboxes/tankards/bibles (Google christening gifts and see how many sites come up ) to more unusual ideas. I was asked to be godmother twice this year - for my goddaughter I bought a souvenir copy of a newspaper published on the day of her birth and I also plan to get her a couple of bottles of decent wine from the year of her birth that she could drink on her 18th birthday once the 2007 vintage is released. Port is also a good option. For my godson I ended up just writing a cheque as his mum (my friend) said not to worry about getting anything She also has a tendency to have regular drastic clear-outs and is not sentimental in any way so I had visions of any gift ending up at the charity shop at some point...
Misdee Glad DD is on the mend.
Sparkletoes Sorry to hear baby is breech but there's still plenty of time. Have you looked at the Spinningbabies.com website? There was also an interesting thread on here recently about how to get babies to turn.
Ceebee Hope DS gets better soon.

First let me clarify: my own personal, GUESS of an EDD is 10th October!!! Don't panic for me, it could be 11th November still! I just picked that date as it seems just about realistic for me to hang on till then and be sane. There's a million and one things I need to get done first, but it's actually too difficult to do anything anymore, and I am not sleeping a lot, and coming to the end of my driving life despite adjusting the steering wheel/ seat to maximum, so....the 10th is more for my own benefit.

I'm getting very excited about everyone else's babies now. Mine seem unreal still! . But seriously, I can't wait to see pics. There is a lady on my twins thread who will have her babies this week (she's 38 weeks already, blimey!) - I am SO EXCITED!

I'd love to come to the tea, but will have to pass, I think. Not a money issue (thankyou Obs). I may have an Oct 4th baby if I over exert myself (getting train and tube counts as vigorous exertion for me!). Can someone take a webcam and broadcast it? . I'm really sorry to miss, sounds like a great last 'fling' before we all sit around in pj's all day with unwashed hair and boobs hanging out(or is that just me?).

Saurus, my policy was to buy less rather than more 'cos you don't know what you're gonna need till you need it. Tesco's sell nearly everything. My friend turned up with a breast pump (I found the Avent hand one was fine for me, and very good for me as I had to express a little off everytime for ds to latch on - had too much milk and boobs were always rock hard). I also PLANNED to do the express one bottle a day and did so for about a month, but then started having too much milk so if he had any bottle I would end up 'bursting' (literally! I will spare you TMI). I am planning to express this time though and hoping that with twins I will not have oversupply issues. Will have to wait and see...

Ladybuzz, if you plan to mainly express then you probably need a Medela In Style Pump as this will simulate baby's feeding the best. However, it is a lot of extra hassle to pump, sterilise, store, warm up rather than just shove on boob. Maybe just use expressed bottles for when you are out?!

Misdee, glad your dd is getting better. It must've been a right, old time at yours.

Ceebee, I never heard of that foot and mouth thing. I thought horses got it. Yuck. I don't want it!!! Wht do you support CFC - you are a northerner? Don't waste your energy on those suvvern poofs.

ChocO, I agree with you on Chelsea FC. Please tell me you support Arsenal!

Agree with Merry - supermarkets sell most 'emergency' stuff if needed in the middle of the night - otherwise the other shops are always there. I am sure DH was literally going to Mothercare on a daily basis in that first week as we always seemed to need something that we hadn't thought of before DS was born. So maybe just prepare your DH/DP's for lots of trips to Mothercare

Have supported the 'suvvern poofs' for about 24 years now (just wanted to point that out to ensure you all realise I am not a glory hunter ) - couldn't even tell you why it started as I have lived in the north since I was 6 months old. My mum and bro are Arsenal supporters so it may have been a reaction to that - I literally chose Chelsea when I was 10 and it has just stuck - am a happy bunny tonight anyway .

Well done for your immaculate taste ceebeemummy and ceebeebro!

Oh, and I forgot to say. I had loads of experience of babies, but that first night I had ds at home I was a WRECK! I was shattered but got up to look at him and see if he was ok about every 20 minutes ALL NIGHT!

mmm either my socks were too tight or my ankles are a little bit puffy this evening

HI all
oh MM you are doing so well, carrying those little twins around! It's so exciting.

Had my trip round the hospital etc. tonight, really enjoyed it. MW nearly fell off her chair when I said I was going for a VBA2C it was very funny!

re expressing.. here's my story- I expressed exclusivlely for oh around 10-12 weeks can't quite remember exactly, because of lots of reasons but basically DS latched on after that time and I bfed for 7 months. I started by doubling up to get ahead of him with feeds,expressing every two hours, then dropped to every...3 it was hard work. I hired a pump at first but after that I tried the medela electric but TBH preferred my hand pump. I've got a tommee tippee one. I did very little expressing for DD and fed her for 15 months. It was easier with the two little ones at home to just bfeed,though I think DH would have liked to give her the occaisional bottle.

Very of your lovely afternoon tea. I love afternoon tea.

Oh Pinky - glad I've got you here as the pump expert! I think I want the Medela In Style as is nearest pump to hospital grade and can do 2 boobs at once, but is expensive (trying to ebay it). I think if I don't express at least one bottle each a day that I will need to use formula or go crazy and I bfed ds for 11 months so would like to give twins the same treatment if I possibly can. I think pumping each boob by hand will take too long...hence the electric thing, though it wasn't that hard, just that you can't do 2 a once. Which electric one did you have? Why didn't you like it? How was the hospital one? (Was it a medela?).

Hi MM no expert, more a victim of circumstance!
I did use the medela pump at hospital, but when I got home I rented one from the NCT breastfeeding lady. It was a great big milking machine thing, but it worked, and was quick.

I did get myself the mini electric pump and I used it a bit, but actually it was a bit slow for me- I actually got better results pumping quite quickly (oh lordy what a conversation!),I think the new more fancy electric pumps are more adjustable.

I never did both boobs at once,never got the hang of it.
Hand expressing enough for a couple of bottles took me about tweny minutes, I think.

Oh my, I could never get the knack of hand expressing, just felt too odd!!!

Loving all the pumping advice, I know I won't be organised enough to start right from the beginning so will be trying to feed myself. I found it quite hard last time and only managed about 6 weeks or so. I am keeping my options open to hopefully alow me to do it for longer this time!
I saw the hospital ones on the net last night and they made DH laugh

Morning. I have been up most of the night , sobbing, from pains in my hands. Can't wait until steroid injection tonight at 5.30pm.

I have decided that I must change my GP. I already told her that paracetemol and co-codomal do nothing for me, other than making me sick. She said she could offer me paracetemol, if things get 'really bad'. I nearly spluttered into her face. And asked her if she was joking. Clearly the woman is not listening. What do you think being up most of the night, sobbing, is then ? Just for the fun of it ?
Her 'less is more' attitude doesn't suit my philosophy. I rarely go to GP. But when I do, I am in pain. And I need something DONE.

Spoke to consultant. And the MW's at Kings. And Dr Gale rang me whilst I was in the bath last night, with ds splashing around. She is Prof Amiels deputy. They are all fine with steroid injection. Said women had them for all sorts of reasons. And she actually recommended it, becasue I am only 32 weeks and there is still quite a while till birth. Only worried that my blood sugars will shoot up. We discussed more monitoring of bloods and proceedures that I must follow.

So, that made my Gp's attitude - honestly you should have seen her face. She was HORRIFIED. And said she strongly advised against it. It was "not necessary". This just makes my GP's attitude even more irritating. And makes me even more cross.

Sorry for rant. I have been up all night, getting crosser and crosser with stupid GP.

Sorry to see Misdee's dd hands. Ouch. Hope they heal soon.

^^ i thought that all GPs were like this in the UK ? (says the french girl)