Due October 08 - The Only Way Is Out!

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Thought we'd go with twinklytoes suggestion since she's gone and got herself admitted to hospital in a desperate bid for attention .

Have left everyone on the stats for now, but will do another cull of deserters soon....
(and apols if I've missed off any of the recent joiners)

29th Sept perkypopsy first baby Surprise North Herts (Ware)
29th Sept WombFor1More 2 ds's 1 dd Boy
30th Sept Aubergenie first baby Surprise
30th Sept sambrads 1 ds Girl
1st CantSleepWontSleep 1 dd Boy North Herts
1st accessorizequeen 2 ds's Twins - one of each
1st loulou33 1 ds Surprise Southern Scotland C-Section 12th Sept
2nd snowymum first baby Boy Near Oxford
2nd 1sttimer80 first baby Surprise. Hydronephrosis discovered. Extra scan at 28 weeks (7th July) planned. Edgware (Royal Free, Hampstead)
2nd FranMum2B first baby Surprise Kingston
2nd my3honeypies 2 dd's Boy
4th minervaitalica first baby Surprise (unintentionally!)
4th hedgepig 1 ds Surprise
4th pistachio 1 dc Secret
4th annwoo 2 dc Surprise
5th myjobismum 1 ds Surprise Poole, Dorset
5th rosebury 3 ds's 2 dd's Boy Bristol
5th BabyNubie
6th Bethoo 1 ds Girl Salisbury
6th iuseantiageingstuff 2 ds's 1 dd Boy
6th ronshar 2 dd's Surprise (with dangly bits ) West Sussex
6th hoff first baby Boy Spain
7th belgo 2 dd's
8th kookiegoddess first baby Surprise
8th Alexa808 first baby
8th Ksal first baby Surprise Hitchin
10th Lozza70 first baby Surprise NE London (Woodford)
10th emkay 1 dd Surprise West London (Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea)
10th pepperrabbit 2 ds's Surprise
11th staceylouisex first baby Girl
11th dooleymum
12th milfakamonkeymonkeymoomoo 1 dd Boy Salisbury
12th star6 first baby Boy Surbiton
13th YumMum22 1 ds Boy
14th tedmundo 1 ds Surprise Bristol (Southmead)
14th twinklytoes 2 dd's Boy
15th mum2jakeyroo 2 ds's Surprise Near Lancaster
16th moodywren 1 dd 2 ds's Boy Lincolnshire (nr Spalding)
16th bigmouthstrikesagain 1 ds 1 dd Girl Mid-Beds
16th WheresTheAuPair 1 ds Boy
19th MrsTittleMouse 1 dd Girl
19th rach010 1 ds Surprise (but dp knows!) Lincolnshire
20th 07mumstheword 1 dd Surprise Bristol
20th AandMsmum 2 dd's Surprise Bristol
20th KnickersOnMaHead 1 dd Boy
20th jenwa 1 dd Girl Worcestershire
20th firsttimer08 first baby Boy. Dilated renal pelvis - rescan at 34 weeks. Greenwich
21st hansnava 1 dd Surprise Luton
21st rowanmac 1 ds Surprise North Scotland
21st caramelbunny 1 dd Surprise Manchester
21st jess1996 first baby Surprise
21st GirlWithTheMouseyHair first baby Surprise (but written down in case of moment of weakness!) SW London (St Thomas)
21st lilbitmum 1 dc
22nd SmudgeyDoodle 1 ds Surprise Newcastle (Gateshead)
22nd wombleprincess 1 dd
23rd Sallypuss first baby Probably girl Herts/Essex border
23rd Emmsy1 3 ds's 1 dd Girl The Wirral
23rd ajm200 1 ds Girl Camberley, Surrey
24th sparklesandnowineforxxweeks 3 ds's 1 dd Surprise
24th Personanna 1 ds Boy Peru
25th Flum 2 dd's 5th June Wiltshire
26th 4andnotout 3 dd's Girl
26th mariekg 3 dc Girl
27th Rhian82 Boy
27th mybabysinthegarden 1 dd Boy Scottish Borders
27th beaufies first baby Boy c-section 17th Oct
29th Ekka 1 dd Surprise
30th Jambers99 1 ds Girl NW London (Hillingdon)

[bethoo]

my own mum kept telling me that i should be stopping ie when ds got to 6 months then when i got pregnant, she said ''you'll be stopping bf now as you will be ill''

[pepperrabbit]

CSWS - can I lure you over to the GD thread - v confused.

[rosebury]

Evening ladies how on earth can anyone keep up with all these posts 124 messages in 48hrs that is some going.

I will be having a homebirth so going home clothes are nt needed but I know that i would not give a toss whaat I looked like i could leave in my dressing gown and slippers after giving birth standards do not apply.

Someone mentioned swimming and gorgeous young lifeguards which is exactly why I cannot bring myself to go as it would scare them so much as to put them off sex forever.

bye for now.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Morning ladies. Have I beaten even star up today? Been awake since 3:30 (after not managing to get to sleep until 11:30 and getting up for a wee during that time too) and was getting frustrated with not sleeping so decided that I may as well get up properly. Thankfully dd is going to grandparents for the afternoon/evening/night, so I'll have to try and get a nap in this afternoon before next door's all night party!

[star6]

Thanks all for encouragement about bf. I'm reading lots of books about it now, so trying to get it in my head that it's natural and nomal and wonderful. I'm sure I'll want to once the baby is here... just hard to imagine, I guess There are so many great reasons to do it...
CSWS, welcome to my world I didn't get u until 6.30 today as it's saturday. Baby was kicking about at 4, but tried my best to ignore him don't worry I won't do that when he's here!

bethoo csws ajm - I wonder why people around you try to make you give up bf... I can see this happening to me - why do you think that is? Why do they care how we feed our babies?

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

Morning Ladies, I was awoken at 6.30 by dd getting into our bed once ds joined us it was time to get up as the two together inevitably ends in kicking, shoving and very little rest.

Not a great start to the day as I ended up in tears less than 30 mins after getting up! First there was a headles smouse waiting for me on the new living room rug - thanks cats! Then I needed to bring some washing downstairs and dropped some at the bottom of the stairs. I have trouble bending at the moment especially first thing in the morning when walking is a challenge! So I asked my ds to help and he refused so did 2 yo dd (I don't expect so much from her though). I felt so helpless I started blubbing. Then I grew a backbone and refused to provide breakfast or tv till ds helped - begrudgingly he finally did - lordy what ungrateful children I have!

Star try not to worry too much about breastfeeding - I had all these ideas about how it would go for me pre-conceived notions of when I would stop (at 6 months) and no idea what it would actually be like! I found it both harder and easier than I thought and ended up feeding ds for nearly 2 years and dd for 2 1/4 years. Other peoples sometimes negative attitudes have not stopped me - but it makes life easier if you have a supportive dh.

[sambrads]

good morning ladies how are you all??

sorry i cant give any advice on bf as i bottle fed my ds . i have bought new bottles and steriliser for this baby but i have been thinking of bf this time for some reason but wont put myself under any pressure

i have woke up this morning and i swear i think my belly has shrank over night its so strange i wonder were she goes hahaha

going out tonight for nice meal with a few friends . you dont realise how enjoyable it is to have a meal with no kids . i love having time to order time to eat and time to let it digest

[loulou33]

Morning all,

Star i was thinking about your lack of joy with beating your anaemia. my local health food shop guy said, don't bother taking iron preparations with oj as its not got enough vit c (you'd need to drink gallons apparently). he said its best to eat kiwi fruit or green pepper with iron as they have far more vit c than any oj!! Also don't drink tea (even decaf) 1/2 hour before or after taking iron as the tannin stops iron being absorbed. once i knew this and followed his advice, anaemia got a lot better. Don't know if you have already tried this but hope it helps.. Also try sesame seeds and chocolate, they help too!!!

I too had some negativity from my mother who never bf either me or brother. She didn't actually dicscourage me but couldn't offer any advice and often suggested ff when ds fractious/colicky/not sleeping. Apparently it is much harder to stick with bf if no one in your family has done it but i managed with good support from friends, mn (of course!) and determination to continue (even when ds had horrendous reflux and vomited up most of his feeds for about 5 months!!) Good advice csws btw about taking one feed/day at a time, worked for me!!

[star6]

I just tried out my Avent Isis IQ breast pump... it's not bad actually! I know I will have to pump while I'm at work, so this is something I've been afraid of as well... following on bf.
previously, I had just turned it on and listened to the sound...
It's actually just not that bad. It's cushioned and gentle and very compact. I think this will be ok.

[SmudgeyDoodle]

Afternoon all. I'm such a numpty!! I've been asked to play in a concert which I thought was today - rehearsal at 2, concert starts 7.30. DH taken DS out and was all prepared for sorting him all day. Only for me to realise that I've actually been asked to play in a concert tomorrow!! So, what should I do with my now free afternoon - MN of course
Bethoo - sorry for confusion with cot. Do plan to have LO in our room for a while but that will be in moses basket but want to use cot top changer for getting LO dressed and changed which is why we are wondering where to put it. Just had a bit of a move around of furniture and realise that it could all fit in our room as long as we clear out some junk.
I BF DS for nearly a year and although I was keen to give it a go beforehand, I decided to wait and see what happened. Star I'd say that taking each day at a time, enjoying the cuddles and thinking how you are going to spend all the lovely money that you are saving is quite a good strategy. Also don't be afraid to ask the MW for help (and if you find a nice one, keep asking). I loved feeding DS when out - not that I'm an exhibitionist as honestly, it's really discreet - but I just felt really proud. I never had any negative comments from anyone and fed DS just about everywhere.

[loulou33]

Me too smudgy - i remember a woman coming up to me in a restaurant on mothers day as i was feeding ds and she said it was sooooo nice to see bf and i should be proud of myself - i think comments like that make dealing with the crap comments so much easier..... like the woman in the supermarket when ds was crying (hot/too bright in there for 4 week old) that he looked hungry and i should give him a bottle and put extra formula in . when i told her this was dangerous and 10 thousand babies are admitted to hospital each year because of this sort of advice she shut up - NEVER mess with a sleep deprived bf mother - silly woman!!!!!

Have nothing against ff by the way as started ds on bottles as well as bf from 5 months as losing weight due to reflux. Got to do whats right for babs but hoping this baby is reflux-free!!

[CantSleepWontSleep]

What do you play Smudgey?

I just won a Mamas & Papas moses basket and stand for a fiver on ebay . We have a crib for in the bedroom, but I figured that if I could find a bargain one then I'd use it for downstairs. Just have to collect from one of the local towns, which is easy enough, and buy a new mattress to be uber precautious (theirs was only used for a week apparently, and we have dd's old one, but don't want to chance it).

Haven't managed a nap this afternoon yet, although did get an hour back in bed from 7-8 this morning. Have been sorting a huge pile of paperwork and assorted crap that had been building up in the kitchen, and then dh and I have had a good clean up in the main bathroom, as it was filthy with building rubble/dust. Hoping it shouldn't get too messy in there from now on in, so now it's just the rest of the house that will need a thorough clean!

Now debating between nap or long bath. Bath is winning I think, but I know that I'll keep on going until about 9pm (if that) and then want to collapse in a heap! Ah well, not far to come back if I am tired at party!

[jenwa]

star I BF for 5 weeks, did suffer with leaky boobs alot but I think it was because dd was mixed between me and bottle as it worked out better. I do def advise that you get some nipple cream (lanasone I think) from mothercare, expensive but a life saver. Your nipples can be very sensitive to begin with and even the shower can be a little uncomfortable ( I really am not trying to put you off but help you)! but the cream is like a really think vaseline and the baby can still feed when you have it on and it really helps them heal (if they get sore) I hardly used mine as DD got better but the first few days they were quite sore.

What another miserable day with the biggest bang of thunder I have heard. I tho

[jenwa]

star I BF for 5 weeks, did suffer with leaky boobs alot but I think it was because dd was mixed between me and bottle as it worked out better. I do def advise that you get some nipple cream (lanasone I think) from mothercare, expensive but a life saver. Your nipples can be very sensitive to begin with and even the shower can be a little uncomfortable ( I really am not trying to put you off but help you)! but the cream is like a really think vaseline and the baby can still feed when you have it on and it really helps them heal (if they get sore) I hardly used mine as DD got better but the first few days they were quite sore.

What another miserable day with the biggest bang of thunder I have heard. I tho

[jenwa]

whoops, message went and I had not finished it!!!

I thought the thunder was a huge lorry coming down the road!!!!!

[Honeymoonmummy]

Hello! I'm due on 29 October and am relatively new to Mumsnet but am already addicted - its BRILLIANT! Is there a separate "October babies" page I should be joining?

[star6]

welcome honeymoonmummy! Cute name
Thanks Jenwa! I have bought lansinoh cream already as nipples were getting dry from leaking a few weeks ago. It is great stuff!!

[star6]

jenwa did you express after the 5 weeks or move to formula?

Anyone know what the "typical" time period for bfing is?

Another (VERY SELFISH... SORRY!) reason that I want to bf is that pre pregnancy I suffered from severe migraines. I would get at least 1 per week and often 2-3 per week. Pregnancy hormones have completely eliminated them. My dr and mw have told me that the same hormones will keep migraines away for as long as I bf...

I also know that breast milk is best for the baby and dh and I are very, very healthy eaters ourselves, don't buy anything with anything artificial in it... I am careful about making sure we get all of the nutrients we need from wholesome foods...etc. So keeping the migraines away is just a bonus...

Besides, not sure how I could handle a newborn baby with migraines... I have a presciption, but still horrible.

[WheresTheAuPair]

Hi welcome Heather1980 and Honeymoonmummy in the same boat here with an active 22 month DS to run round after!

I was worried aswell before I BF as I absolutely hate my nipples being touched and was worried that I'd find the experience horrible! Despite this I was determined to give it a go ('breast is best' and all that). After quite a few hiccups at the beginning (DS didn't want to feed, mastitis etc) I BF DS for 7 months in the end but plan to feed longer this time if poss- i was shocked at how much work bottles were i guess i'm a lazy cow then!

It was lovely tho to ditch the feeding bras and get back to underwires. Does anyone know if you can get underwired feeding bras btw? I have such massive jugs when BFing I find the soft ones really annoying. I had a fab underwired maternity bra that was fine til about 6 months PG. If anyone does then I'd love to know where you can get them!!

Have had such a boring day today. DS with is with his grandparents and I have mucked out our bedroom to reveal masses of floorspace luckily nothing scary jumped out at me! I seem to be incapable of using a wardrobe until this gigantic pile emerges on the floor . Was worrying that if baby arrives early i'll be in serious trouble as upstairs is in so much chaos!!

Now have just got to get DH to clear all his IT stuff out of the box room and buy a cot/get baby stuff down from loft etc! why oh why did i not do this sooner than now when it was easy to bend and do stuff???

[CantSleepWontSleep]

WTAP - you can get underwired feeding bras yes, as long as you're not ridiculously big (like me ). Figleaves sell a load. In fact there was a whole thread about them on here this week!

star - I think you'd be hard pushed to find a 'typical' length of breast feeding, as people just do what they feel is right for them, but many people aim for 6 months (because of the landmark of them moving on to solids) and others aim for one year (because then you skip formula altogether and go straight on to cows milk). The WHO recommend at least until age 2, but sadly that's quite rare in the UK. Other women are delighted to manage a few weeks, and others still will be satisfied if their babies at least get some colostrum (so a few days). I had assumed that I would do 6 months before I started, because I thought it was the 'norm', but here I am still going years later! Please don't worry about long term goals at this point - having a newborn can be really hard work, and applying extra pressure to yourself is the last thing you need.

Welcome honeymoon - you have just joined the October babies thread! I'll include you on the next stats update .

[star6]

ah 1 year for cow's milk.... 6 mos solids. Thanks csws! dh and I were disagreeing about this earlier today... I was wrong! I thought it was cow's milk at 6 months and no clue about solids.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

They can have cows milk in cooking at 6 months star, but it's not nutritious enough to be a main drink until 1 year.

[star6]

I will try to bf for a year, then. I looked at the back of some formula containers in the shop the other day and the list of ingredients was MUCH too long for my liking.