Due April 2009: Episode 16 - BB's magical cervix dust prevents birthing. But Barbarellys Babies are here !

[SmuttyNuttyTaff]

here, that was close

Oh poor Nutty!

BB - whaddya mean expressing now??? Milk only comes in a day or two after the baby is born. Tis the way of things.

I know you can get the odd bit of leaking beforehand but it really isn't the same!

As for Chez Boff - nightmare!!! I've been blitz cleaning my mother's place and cursing her decrepit old appliances but at least they all work (although I don't think her 20 year old washing machine does a very good job - took 4 cycles at 60 to get deodorant stains from DHs white shirt)

Expressing now?! Surely there cannot be a lot to express? Or am I way behind or something? My breasts haven't even got anything hinting at colostrum/milk... Should I be worried?

No Bleu. I've never ever heard of expressing before the baby is born.

Yeah it's my first...So I only have myself to blame when things do not get done...I'm just lazy.

Oh no, poor Nutty, I really hope things look up soon. Really hoping to hear more soon.

Boffin - OUCH! the rotting food pains me so hard on your behalf.

BB - expressing now?! For real? Do people do that?

Bleu, lazy?

You put us all to shame painting walls, making curtains, weaving wraps, baking cakes.

You inspire me to do more! (I baked 1 cake last weekend - the walls, curtains and wraps will have to wait)

Aye, but the list is long and I spend hours doing nothing or only half finishing things. I really ought to work harder since I'm the housekeeper...it would make DH's life easier in the long run if I just did things...

Oh dear, it sounds like Chez Boff is in turmoil poor Boff

I have heard of expressing before baby,but only as a way of bringing on labout (ie nipple stimulation) !

DD and I are playing with playdough. I love the stuff. It really symbolises motherhood for me...

ha ha labour !

OK, then Bleu. You have to think about this. There are many magical moments ahead of you as a mummy. I can't even begin to describe how it feels when your LO starts to smile. And they save the biggest smiles for you. You will be exhausted from being up with them all night but when you put your head over their cot in the morning and they grin away at you, simply because you are you and they are happy to see you, all your cares will melt away. You will be amazed at just how triumphant you feel the first time your LO rolls over or manages to put their hand out and grab something they find interesting. The first time that they learn to blow raspberries will have you cracking up at the look of concentration on their face. Or the look that they get on their face when they sneeze or fart as if to say 'where did that come from?' will make you giggle. Next year, your LO will be old enough to 'help' make a card for you on mother's day and the year after that, they will want to help make mummy breakfast in bed. Try to imagine how you are going to feel when your LO first looks at you and says 'Mama'. Or how about the first time that your LO enjoys something that you have made them for their dinner so much they look up at you and say 'more' for the first time?

My personal favourite thing at the moment is when DD (nearly 2) looks up at me, raises her arms and says "duddle". It melts my heart every time

Bleu, there are so many things to look forward to and you can do all of these things despite the mess. Trust me, I managed for about 18 months with a bathroom half ripped out and not fully put back in, boxes everywhere and not to mention things like a hacksaw being left around for DD to casually pick up. If I can manage with that, then there is proof that you stand every chance of being able to as well!

maths - how old is your DD? I love playdough but I haven't got any yet. I'm not sure I can trust her not to eat it... (she's nearly 2).

Boff - how far is your nearest launderette. Could you pack AP off down there with the laundry?

Gutting about the freezer. I think I would cry if that were me.

Lulu, have you considered making your own playdough that you know will not kill your DD if she did choose to eat it? It's supposed to be very easy to make and she will probably enjoy making it as much as playing with it afterwards.

Oh Swali you've made me all weepy.

Did anyone see this story about the little girl who demanded 'cuddles' from Prince Charles.

Can soooo see DD doing the same.

That's a thought swali - used to make it with flour, water, salt and oil and food coloring when I was a kid. Best of all you can bake and keep your creations for posterity.

< LuLuBai pictures a house-full of DDs dough balls....>

Now feeding. There are rabid bf people and there are both determined and reluctant ff people (as demonstrated on the relevant threads). I am none of these, but I have bf three kids with associated ups and downs, and then moved on to ff later on. I have also advised a lot of friends on bf and ff and most of the time my advice seemed to work OK, based as it is on the NCT advice I have got over the years.

This is what I know.

1. In the first six weeks bf tends to go wrong if you start giving formula as well. This is because your milk supply needs to regulate itself according to the baby's needs.

1. To debunk a myth (sorry), formula does not really help them sleep better. Most people find it makes no difference to this at all. So it's not worth messing up your supply in order to try this.

1. There are loads of different kinds of pumps and if one doesn't suit you, another is bound to. I have had three over the years and my favourite was the Avent Isis manual one, but I am toying with the idea of buying an Ameda Lactaline for when I go back to work, as this has two inputs and is supposed to be very efficient.

1. It is amazing how much milk some women can catch in a simple breast shell put into the other side of a nursing bra while they feed the baby - up to 2oz even. This can be decanted into a breast milk storage bag and frozen for later use. These bags of bm defrost easily in a basic bottle warmer (the sort you put water in and heat up for 10-15 minutes). Then your DH can give the odd bottle if you want to go out or get your hair done. Very low tech, very cheap way of doing things IMO.

1. If people start whittering about the quality or quantity of your milk (eg HVs, MILs, members of the public) they are usually talking bollocks. If you are concerned about this, just eat and drink a normal healthy diet just like for pg, and put the baby on the breast as much as possible - pretty much all day if necessary. If you do this it is almost guaranteed to regulate the milk supply nicely. BTW some babies feed all day and night from birth and this is normal, as are babies who feed tidily every three hours from birth. I have had both kinds, btw. There is no rhyme or reason to it.

1. Nipples need airing, and don't let them get soggy or they start to go sore, like any other body part. Be very careful using breast pads with plastic in them as they can cause such sogginess. Stick a washable one inside perhaps, so you can stay dry and protect your clothes. Always have a spare bra and top for yourself in the changing bag, btw, because most people leak randomly (I only had one friend who didn't, lucky madam!)

1. Positioning is one of the most important things in bf. You have to turn the baby to you, not dangle your nork down as if it was a bottle. You have to bung as much nipple and areola in there as you humanely can, so the baby can latch on well - some of them are totally rubbish at opening their mouths wide enough tbh. You have to aim your nipple towards the top and back of the baby's mouth, kind of underneath the nose, back of the soft palate.

1. It sometimes feels a bit painful while your nipples get used to having a human hoover clamped on there, but after a week or so this should settle. If it is massively sore or you get shooting pains, then you need to ring the NCT helpline, because you may have a cracked nipple, thrush or similar, or need more help getting a good latch. Do not, repeat, do not stop feeding from one breast because the nipple is sore, because then you will get mastitis like I did and get very ill and need antibiotics. Milk needs to keep flowing, so always pump a bit off to stop yourself getting too full if you are not feeding for any reason.

1. Most babies can be taught to take an occasional bottle after the first few weeks. Some never manage it. If you give too many bottles, on the other hand, most soon forget how to knead the breast to get the milk out of it. Again, it's random.

Happy feeding!

Oh, that is the cutest little girl and I love the picture of her raising her arms to Prince Charles!

DD is 3.5, she knows not to eat it but prob would if left alone for too long (I sympathise, it smells sooooo good). We have played with it for years though, if they do accidentally eat it it's non-toxic.

What a lovely post Swali! I have to say all those things were amazing for me too also sharing my favourite children's books with DD is such fun. She is also now old enough to be genuinely good company, so we can go out together and sit chatting about random stuff or just cuddle...having her put her little arms around my neck is just bliss.

She is currently 'singing' along to Maroon 5 which is hilarious, as she has a mix of DH (musician, perfect pitch) and me (sings with joyful abandon and little regard for tuning)

Boffin your feeding post sounds exactly like me. I'm not militant anything. I also found the isis the best pump. I borrowed several electric pumps of the scbus and nicu and found them both inefficient and painful so kepy going back to the isis.

I've just seen the little girls name

Does anyone know of a hotel with a super deep tub (that DH and I could go to instead of Scotland)?

swali, you git, your post just made me cry! and boff, bf wisdom duly copied and pasted! ta!

sorry to read that bb and bleu are in emotional soup too. what are we all like? deary deary me. virtual gin all round

Well done Boff. I must look into breast shells.

I certainly produced plenty of milk and breastfeeding worked brilliantly for us.

For me I think it was a psychological issue with pumping (I hated how bovine I felt). The moment the pump was put away I would be squirting across the room again.

aw give nutty my love boff x

come to scotland bleu, there's cheap places here too. want some suggestions?

Thanks Swan. I do know all that; It's the fear that I won't have a house to put the baby in which is draining me...

Sorry Ladies, I didn't mean to make you cry

I'm going to slink away now and launder some teeny tiny baby clothes before I make my huge pot of chilli...

Things that catch people out when bf:

• Grapes sometimes give bf babies an even runnier nappy, as do any antibiotics mum is taking.

• Some babies have something called reflux, and need special medication at feeding time. I don't know much about this, but if your baby is bringing up more that just a little possett after feeds, then I reckon it's good to investigate this.

• Some babies have something called tongue tie, which is an extra bit of membrane beneath the tongue that stops them getting a proper latch. This can be snipped (not particularly painful for them, I am told), and/or you can contact the NCT for help in achieving a better latch.

• Your norks go like total footballs on about day 3 when the milk comes in. This is the famous engorgement scenario. Soaking in the bath, cold cabbage leaves inside the nursing bra, cooled gel pads and plenty of feeding should settle things, as will a couple of paracetemol if necessary.