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)

The WHO recommend bf for 2 years because some countries around the world have such poor quality water supplies that it is much safer for mothers to continue to bf for that long than to give young children water, baby foods made mixed with water or ff made from water. You naturally filter out most of the bad stuff from your food/water supply before feeding. I would have loved to keep bf for that long but its not always feasible/right for everyone. I had lots of friends when ds was born who couldn't bf for all sorts of reasons and it was heartbreaking to hear how they were beating themselves up about not being able to do the 'best' by their child. Whilst 'breast is best', its not the be all and end all.

Star - ff has a lots of ingredients because it is trying to mimic breat milk which is a hugely complex substance. I guess i'm saying don't put too much pressure of yourself to only bf or bust (no pun intended).

Love the pun loulou33. I know, I will try not to pressure myself too much.
Lately, the more I talk about it, the more I realize how resistant others are to it... except dh, which is great because I will need his support to give it my best shot and not give up.
La Leche is a great support, but I have to say they are a BIT pushy. I went to a meeting and they pretty much say that all mothers can breast feed, it's natural you just have to be determined and keep going with it. I know from other's stories that this is not always the case.

Actually loulou, I can't let that comment go without correcting you, because it's one of the ones that regularly gets thrown at extended feeders as a reason that they should stop. The WHO guidelines are not just for 3rd world countries - they are for everywhere. In developing countries they generally continue to feed for several more years because of water issues, but there are benefits to every child and mother from continuing for 2 years.

Star - I borrowed a book from lll which I also felt was a bit pushy, but thankfully the people I've met from there have been ok. It is true though that most women can breastfeed (there are some undeniable exceptions naturally), but some people are prepared to persevere more than others in the face of adversity, and there are lots of difficulties that can arise in the early weeks and need overcoming. Unfortunately breastfeeding support from the NHS can sometimes be woefully poor, and this can jeopardise the breastfeeding relationship early on.

star Morning! You up early again!!!!
I used formula milk (aptimil) told it was the best form (by a MW) but everyone is different and babies suit different milk. The MW told me not to tell anyone she has actually advised it! A good frientd of mine used it too so we knew it worked well for their babies. To be honest, I BF for 5 weeks but DH or family would give bottles too and they were formula. It just depends on whats easier for you and what you prefer. I was nervous about doing it in front of people.
When your baby is born the best thing to do is put them on your breast in the first hour as they can then lose their sucking reflex after that (not in all cases) but I attached DD straight away, very odd as I rememeber MW telling me about it and me thinking "no way I want to spend time with baby first etc" but actaully once they are born you fall in love with them straight away. I was soooo scared that if she lost her sucking reflex that would be it. Also had a panic that if I suddendly died she would have at least had some nutrition from me!! How mad is that, I was just thinking of all the worse cases! I even got DH to take a pic of and DD straight away and of him and DD so that there were pics of us with her in case anything happened. I dont think at any time I would have actually died but its weird what goes through your head and I am such a planner I needed things done!!!

Anyway, BF is good and if it does not work for you then please dont beat yourself up about it as your baby will be fine without and with formula, if you try then at least you have given it a shot. And dont care what other people say or do, it is your baby. Family can be very pushy about things!

I'm always up early Jenwa can't sleep in for some reason. But I do LOVE early mornings - the quiet and time to just relax and do as I please.
Need to go into school today and sort out stuff for my maternity cover in 5 weeks or whenever little one decides to arrive! Starting to panic that nothing is ready

went out for a lovely meal last night really enjoyed it . we went out with 2 other couples so was nice to sit around and talk about adult stuff

of course we talked about the baby to and how excited everyone is

is anyone starting to feel nervous ??

i feel so excited at the thought of holding my wee princess in my arms and giving her her first wee kiss and cuddle then my i think to my myself for me to actually do that i need to give birth and then i panick and think no maybe you should stay in there for a while longer !!!

to be honest i am a wee bit scared

It's perfect natural to be scared but try not to be.

The more relaxed you can be at the birth the easier it will be for you. Fear can increase pain so you need to trust yourself, your body and mother nature to see you through. It is all new to you but your body is made to give birth and instinctively knows what to do. The more you relax, the better your body can do its job.

You'll do fine at the birth and as a mum.

ajm200 this is my second baby

i think im crapping myself as i know whats coming to me

i am also feeling nervous as i wish now i would have got scanned at 35 weeks and i would know everything is ok !! like how do they know she has not stopped growing or something is wrong with just feeling my belly??

forgot to say earlier csws thats brill about the moses basket !!!!

i myself have got a few bits off ebay i am currently bidding on some lovely dresses for my little princess oh to buy pink instead of blue

i think its going to be bril beig able to walk into a shop and looking at both sections !!!

does anyone else go to the next sale at boxing day??

i spend a serious fortune although i have decided to give myelf a budget as i have 2 to buy for this year

I've been away for a few days and everyone has been really busy, there are so many messages to get through. We went to a lovely cottage in the country for a few last baby free days. Pity the weather was so bad but we cosied down with a fire and lovely food which was nice. There was no reception on our phones however which caused some issues with my sister who had a bit of a panic as she could not get hold of me and had a whole list of things she thought had happened. I blame my Mum who has been filling the family's heads full of old wives tales. What is it about Irish mothers?

Intersting reading the messages about BF. I plan to give it a go and see how I get on. Have been experiencing one leaky boob in the last few weeks which has freaked me out a bit though. Imagine how I will be with both on the go !!

I've really been suffering with itchy hands and feet in the last few days. Has anyone else had this or have any idea if it's something preg related??

I was in Sainburys (again) today and was shocked by price of formula . Will definitely try to BF longer than 7 months this time round- would cost a fortune otherwise!

CSWS I have enormous norks in general and massive when BFing. At the moment they are a staggering 36H so goodness knows what they will go up to when fully loaded . Will try figleaves anyway tho- last time I used M&S and hated them- then moved to Mothercare which were marginally better. This time have invested in some bravissimo Freya ones which are quite substantial but not lovely. Some of them make your boobs look a really funny shape . Its bad enough having a saggy old jelly belly without downwards pointing torpedo boobies too

wherestheaupair I was just at the grocery store as well and noticed this... wow, that's a lot of money it could end up costing. Will definitely try my best to bf! ANOTHER good reason!

How long does this "jelly belly" post birth last? Are we talking a few days or a few weeks here? (or a few months ?). I know it takes a while to go back to normal size, but just wondering about the jelly belly that everyone describes. When does it become taught like a normal stomach again?

Hi everyone has taken me two hours to get through the new thread - must be that more and more are on ML now? I'v still got a week to go - am going to try to do as little as possible. Big 8am meeting tomorrow and then I don't really care what happens between then and Friday. Have had mum here all weekend - she'sbeen feeding me every three hours and crocheting a gorgeous blanket for minipops - so exciting - can't believe next time I see her baby will be here. Have 21 days to go (give or take an ) DH has been at a stag do in Belgium this weekend - his last big fling before life changes forever (or so I keep telling him). Have been shopping and finished all my list yikes - still not gotten around to getting a ball to sit on - seems to be one of those things am going to forget and will be too late. Have also been getting period pains and more frequent BH - uusally have an hour or so of loads of them and then they wear off - looks like our boddies/bellies are getting geared up for the big push hooray!
Am going to kick my arse off sofa and have a short walk cos I am so inactive these days - taking phone so I can catch up with all the missed calls/texts that I don't have energy to answer on a week night after work
Have a good week everyone...getting excited about the first October babies arriving YIKES!!!

star- i think it depends on your body and the birth really. I had CS and it took ages to deflate as I couldn't exercise for ages either -in fact it took well over 3 months for me to be able to get around without pain. I think its quicker after a VB although feel feel to correct me ladies!

Mine never went back to how it was pre baby and I've had problems with a separation between my stomach muscles following my giant DS.

This time round i'm arming myself with a book recommended by my annoyingly skinny friend (with 3DC's herself)- 'Lose your mummy tummmy' which has loads of exercises to close the gap between your abs post childbirth and of course drinking loads of aloe vera gel (and slapping it on the wound) to heal a lot quicker this time around!

jesus, girls you are a chatty lot over the weekend so getting in now before i get culled!
good to hear chats about breast feeding - I'd really like to aim for at least 6 months but it seems there's a lot of support out there whichever way you decide to go, which is great

we had a yoga birth rehearsal yesterday which made it all very real. A lot of breathing and relaxation techniques and positions, was just so god to be so focused on the birth with DH, think it was really useful for him

also had fun in mothercare trying out lots of buggies and have to say I've discovered my inner yummy mummy and fallen in love with the bugaboo bee, so off to do some more research on it (we're uber lucky, my rich uncle said he'd get us our pram so means we can get summat like the bee rather than wait til 3 months and get a cheaper maclaren)

No, no csws i wasn't suggesting that it didn't apply to other coutries as well and that this should be used against extended feeding at all. I don't believe that any bf stas should be used for/against anything because it's up to the individual to do whats best for them. I guess i'm saying that it's not that you have to feed until 2 years or you've failed which is often how WHO figures are quoted and have been at me. I met some bf awarerness advisers who said this and that means that i have failed in their eyes and i don't think that's helpful. These advisers had also prduced some t-shirts for awareness week for us to wear that said 'bottles are for dummies' and i refused to wear it as i thought it was offensive. I would encourage everyone to try to bf. i didn't mean to say you shouldn't be bf because your dd is over 1 year old - that would be just as bad! In fact, i admire people who do, i just think numbers/datges/ages for stopping are unhelpful as it sets people up to fail....and can be misused to make people feel pressured into something....hope that clears up what i was saying..

I have to say that after all of this talk, I'm now a bit more excited to bf! I used to think of it as some chore to which I would need to become accustomed... you know, one of those things that is such a hassle and you don't really like it but you have to make it seem like you actually enjoy it or everyone will think you are a horrible person? I feel now like I'm actually going to enjoy it. I think when I return to work, I'll pump during the day so my friend can feed him as needed, but I'll go over for lunchtime bf and bf in the morning and afternoon and evening at home. I've been reading a lot about it and it seems like a really special bond.
My psycho sister keeps telling me how my nipples will crack and bleed and I will be in so much pain I will just stop. I'm determined to work through that, if anything just to prove her wrong!! (we're not close at all)

Hello ladies - this thread move fast!

Lozza70 - I don't want to scare you but itching on your hands and feet can indicate obstetric cholestasis. I'm being regularly monitored for this at the moment as I've had some weird blood tests but am not itching. Definitely get yourself checked out. It's a manageable condition, but it does need to be managed, if you see what I mean.

Girlwiththemouseyhair - we've gone for the Bee as well! We were lucky to get a cheque from the grandparents but I know what you mean - it does feel like a lot of money. One of the reasons we chose it is that it's very narrow and our flat is down some steps so lots of other buggies were completely impractical, plus the buggy can be front or rear facing which is quite important for me. 2leftfeet.com have got a package offer including the carseat, adaptors etc but there's a lead time of about 6-8 weeks. We ordered it then found that out and panicked (I'm 37 weeks on Tues!), but they've been really helpful and are trying to get another colour to us more quickly.

Star- that's fantastic to hear -just be prepared that it is a new skill that you both need to learn. I assumed it would come as naturally as breathing but DS took a fair few weeks to cop on to it! My advice would be to get a BFing pillow- i bought one after a few weeks of creating pillow mountains to give my arms a rest (at 10 lbs and post CS any weight was v.painful) that way you can get your LO in the optimal position and read a book and chillout (probably the lazy way but hey . I mastered the art of BFing while emailing and MNing over the first few months and its probably the last time I had proper time for reading and me time

Not sure if this has already been mentioned but Lansinoh nipple cream is the best (much better than the avent stuff imo) and stock up on pads. Your milk is wild for the first few weeks til it settles down. There is so much rubbish advice out there but hopefully you'll get the support you need on here

star6 I found that the really scary jelly belly disappeared within one to two weeks, but my tummy has never gone quite back to how it was pre-pregnancy - I'm blaming that on getting pregnant again 8mths after dd was born, though the lack of exercises after my 6-week check probably had more to do with it .

As for bf, dd had tongue tie that wasn't picked up for a week which meant she didn't latch on properly till it was corrected when she was a couple of weeks old, so I did get cracked nipples/bleeding though funnily enough not lots of pain, but we persevered (through about 3weeks of mixed feeding, which was unplanned and a complete hassle - I remember a vague haze of ff, expressing, sterilising etc etc) and I was so glad when at 1 month she was entirely bf!!!! It also probably helped that my SIL was a bf counsellor, so could give useful advice.... DD bf till about a couple of months ago though I never really planned how long I'd feed her. This time I am definitely going to make sure the mw/doc checks if dc has tongue tie early on as I don't want the same hassle....

Among my friends we've an even mix of bf/ff mums and the most important thing I think is not to beat yourself up about whatever feeding choices you make. It seems to me that whatever you do as a mum, there is always someone who will criticise you, whether for ff or extended bf, I've given up listening to most of the pregnancy/baby stories in the news as I'm sure to hear that something I'm doing is wrong . Usually the mw/hv will let you know any really essential stuff!

Sorry, one more boring point about bf that DH (just reading over my shoulder ) just pointed out - find out if your hospital has a bf counsellor and if and when clinics are held etc. For me, she was a complete lifesaver - not all the mw were very useful, but she was brilliant and v patient!

I got this off of another thread on MN and have programmed all of these numbers into my mobile and landline phones for easy access. If any are interested or in need of them... here they are, all in one place

Helpline: 08444 122 949
Offers voluntary mother-to-mother support, counselling and information for breastfeeding women. Helpline open from 9.30am to 10.30pm.

National Breastfeeding Helpline

Helpline: 0844 20 909 20
Funded by the Department of Health and staffed by trained volunteer mothers from the Breastfeeding Network and the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers. Lines are open 9.30am-9.30pm every day of the year.

NCT Breastfeeding helpline

Breastfeeding Line: 0870 444 8708
The National Childbirth Trust has trained breastfeeding counsellors who can offer individual advice and support.

hi ladies im just off the boots website and they are doing a 50% clearance sale on selected baby products its fabulous!!!!

there is cots moses baskets basically everything you need!!!

there is a first wheels twin pram £400 and now its £200 how good is that!!!!!!

I'm still here too. I'm hoping to bf again although having done it once and remembering how hard it was for 1st 8 weeks I'm not making any promises. I find the WHO advice really unhelpful because its cast in stone and you are a bad mother for not following it. When I had DS I had to go back to work at 5 months so how was I supposed to carry on fully bf when mat leave had ended? also at 4 months had to fit in 8 feeds between 7am and 11pm and then he began to wake again in the night so it was onto some solids, again much tutting from HV. Overall kept morning and night feeds going for 11months.

Another piece of advice that we chose not to follow was the cot in the room advice. We tried 2 nights during which time none of us got any sleep because DH and I both woke up whenever he snuffled and I kept trying to feed him when he wasn't hungry. DH was knackered and had to go to work so we shifted DS to the bedroom next door ie 7 feet away and I got up to him and could shut the door put the light on and generally take as long as it took without worrying about DH. We will do the same with next one. No room in our room for cot anyway just about enough for moses basket so would have had to shift him at 8 weeks.

Otherwise just plodding along with all usual aches and pains but getting much more sitting down time now DS at pre school which helps. He sailed in without a backward glance and is loving it. Must be one benefit of being working Mum, poor child is so used to being left it doesn't phase him at all. Don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Little darling refused to eat his tea (spaghetti which he'd asked for) so was told its eat your spaghetti or its bedtime. Got up from the table and went upstairs, found snuggled under duvet. What do you do??!!