Due May 09 - May Day! May Day!! Read All About It - Babies Dropping Everywhere!!!

[divedaisy]

Here we go ladies... over to you all!

Hi folks, just a quick one as I am so, so tired!

I've had patchy support with breastfeeding. With DS1, I felt the hospital saw ff as the easiest option for us, as he was severely jaundiced. I almost had to rugby tackle the SCBU nurse to stop her taking him away to be ff and in the end I gave in. It took weeks of stubbornness to get it established and was probably a contributing factor in me feeding him for so long. There was no support or help on the ward with breastfeeding at all.

With DS2, I've had a completely different experience. We had a dedicated midwife in the hospital who spent time with each of us talking about feeding, positions and checking latches. We went to the hospital yesterday to get DS2 weighed and the midwife had actually tandem fed her children, so she was able to give me some real help and advice with tandem feeding DS1 and 2.

I hope everyone is keeping well. Blotted maybe your cat will send out some birthing hormones to you?

Meant to say daizy hope your scan goes ok and your decision making too. Enjoy your first day of proper mat leave too.

I go away for a couple of days, and there are tons of birth announcements . So HUGE CONGRATS to Divedaisy, Momino, Tummum and LadyHelen
I must say, all the babes have lovely names, and it's nice to see the expanding photo albums on FB. I hope all new mums are settling in nicely with their lo's.

All going fine here. Ben is now 11 days old and I'm still amazed at how different to dd he is. Mainly the fact he actually sleeps, and I am not an emotional wreck this time. Am getting c 3.5 solid hours in the night, then another couple of hours before gettign up with dd, so am surviving.

It;s good to read all your experiences re bf. With dd I gave up at 13 weeks (mixed feeding from 6) as it was so painful. I sought help but ended up crying each time as everyone told me there was nothing wrong. But it was sooo painful. This time I have a really sore left nip, but it's improving. Right nip fine after initial hardening up, so I'm hoping all will be fine. If it doesn't work out though, I will not beat myself up as I crack open the formula (I was in tears with guilt for weeks after bringing out the formula with dd).
I have huge boobs (need to get remeasured though as nursing bra is waay too small) and the rugby ball hold thing is the best by far, but struggle a bit with the left hand hold (am right handed). Hoping it will click soon.

DH is being a star, although he keeps sending me up to bed during the day to sleep when I want to MN, hence my lack of communication .

Sorry for those of you with insensitive MIL's. In this ridiculously cheery post (must be the hormones still on a high), my MIL is fab and came round over the weekend just to spoil entertain dd. She also says she will pop round whenever we let her know, but doesn't want to intrude. bless her.

Have a good night all, am off to bed for a quick couple of hours before the lo will need another feed.

I'm finding the FF vs BF chat really interesting. I BFed DS1 with absolutely no problems whatsoever, we took to it like ducks to water and I was superconfident. He gained loads of weight, was healthy and happy - win win all round. DS2 came along and fed really well but had really severe reflux so I'd feed him for an hour, he'd barf the whole lot up and I'd need to start all over again. We lasted 3 months before I put him onto formula and I felt so horrifically unsupported and guilty about it. Even now, I wonder if he'd be a more affectionate child if I'd fed him longer.

DD and I breastfed until she was nine months old, and everything was great in terms of our breastfeeding relationship. What wasn't so great was her lack of weight gain and the medical professionals reaction to it. She was declared failure to thrive, we had to take her to hospital for (extremely stressful and invasive) tests because our Doctor thought she had Cystic Fibrosis and we were threatened with court action and social work intervention if we continued refusing to allow the health visitor & GP to weigh her regularly.

She was absolutely fine. What we really needed (and what there is a dearth of) was breastfeeding support and understanding that just sometimes, a child doesn't follow those bloody outdated growth charts. Plenty of encouragement to breastfeed before the baby is here, but so little support afterwards.

And the NHS wonders why so few women continue to breastfeed

Just managed to read the last part of this thread.

Had Rufus pretty much attached to my boobs constantly for the past 36 hours! Milk hasn't yet come in Momimo has yours arrived yet - I think we delivered within a couple of hours of each other. He has been giving it a good go and so I hope that it will come in any hour now. MW said 3 days post delivery is normal so anytime now.....
My nips are quite sore but am hoping that is due to the frequency of his feeding rather than the latch.

Better go as also need to post the news on the pregnancy after miscarriage thread.

Hope all the new babies give the new mummies a peaceful night.

I've just got off the phone with a friend, and she told me a very useful piece of information which I am going to shamelessly use over the next few weeks.

She was told (and like me, she doesn't care whether it is true or not) that giving birth uses as much energy as running a marathon.

So, all those with unsupportive DHs, why not use it as I am going to?

I think sore nips can be caused by getting used to feeding. Someone once advised me to sunbathe topless prior to childbirth to toughen up my nipples. I declined for several reasons; it was October, I am ridiculously fair-skinned and I would never subject anyone to my topless sunbathing! I'm not getting any pain from DS2 and I can only imagine it is because I really am used to after all this time.

Evening everyone. Typing one-handedly, cuddling G in other hand, trying to keep him awake a bit longer.

BF discussion very appropriate... my nips are killing because my milk isn't in yet so hopefully that will help tomorrow when I should have a better supply. Monimo I found it reassuring that you are experiencing the same.

Been a busy weekend with loads of visitors, including MIL who has driven me nuts completely spoiling the DDs so I know they will be monsters tomorrow, but she has now left so DH and I will be able to have a lovely week getting to know G and settling him in with our family.

Last night was total nightmare. I couldn't sleep on Sat night because of adrenalin, and having to check G was breathing every 5 mins because of paranoia and then G was awake until 3.30 am this morning. I finally twigged this was because he was cold (and no milk) so he finally slept from then and I had 3 hours so now feel slightly more alive but still tired.

Will post lovely birth story tomorrow when I have more time, but just want to encourage everyone that, although painful, it is so so so so so worth it (having had 3 hours sleep in the last 48...!) and already I am thinking that the labour bit was actually not too bad and wouldn't put me off. The pregnancy bit, mind, I probably won't be repeating in a hurry

Night all, take care. Sorry not replying to everyone individually. Will do better tomorrow.

Evening all!

Re breastfeeding - I really miss it too, and am looking forward to doing it again. I stopped when DD was 16 months old (I had to stop to conceive this time, it just wasn't happening otherwise). I was so lucky that DD got the hang of it fairly quickly, but I did have mastitis a few times which wasn't much fun! I had one boob that absolutely gushed rivers all the time, and the other one was completely different, and DD got a bit lazy at times so I got the infections. I was also told that once you've had it you tend to be more prone. I agree with belgian that it must be realloy difficult to balance the messages about doing it but potential difficulties, but the the NCT antental class I attended was only 2 hours and skimmed over a lot of things. I was lucky that there is a very good bf group near where I live that provided suppport, not just from the councillor but also from other mums in the same position; I've also made a few good friends from the group so double bonus!

I found the support in the hospotal was patchy, there was one good MW who really helped, but then the rest were only interested in prodding my nipples/boobs to get DD latached on without explaining what they were doing or why, and with no suggestions so that I could do it on my own later. As I said though, I was lucky with DD.

Big boobs and feeding - I have that problem too! A cushion was quite a big help for a while, but don't assume that it will always work for you. As DD got bigger I found that the cushion actually put her in the wrong
position and messed up her latch a bit. Just keep an eye on it.

Blotted - what great timing with your cat!

daizy - hope it goes ok tomorrow and that you are able to make a decision you are happy with.

I've had a bad afternoon, nothing particularly wrong happened but I'm really tired, uncomfortable, and just genreally grumpy. Could cry quite easily if I thought about it. Going for a clary sage and lavender bath soon - I assume it's ok to mix the two?

llaregub - I love that marathon idea!

tummum - lovely to hear from you, and looking forward to hearing the full story. Hope you have a wonderful week with the whole family.

Sorry about all the typos in my post, really should preview before posting. Not even sure if I made that much sense?!

Momino Oops forgot the last number,

NCT 0300 330 0771 but then you should know this one!

evening all. just about to pass the laptop over to my sis so thought I'd say hello first.

BF: ladyhelen, my milk is just coming in now (very swollen and painful... ouch!) I've been putting H to the boob whenever she seems to want it and nips very sore. last time, i checked the latch and it's as belgian said, hurts at first but eases off a little. maybe just getting used to it? I've got lansinoh but will also try what someone else said about rubbing milk and airing.

Jennster, thanks for the numbers. didn't get a chance but will try to ring tomorrow.

well, sis has brough baby down to me (lucky me , so will try again. baby does seem to latch on better now that there is milk there.

will check in tomorrow to see how everyone is and any new babies arriving. hope you get some sleep. xx

I'm leaning over a beanbag with my bum in the air. Just had a painful 40 mins of baby moving like it wants to turn around. Not just the normal movements, but unusually strong long movements distending my belly. I'm paranoid - ow it's still doing it - it's trying to turn around. They're not contractions, so don't think it's labour, but painful enough to breathe deeply through it.

And I'm starving because I've had the worst reflux of the whole pregnancy tonight, even though baby has dropped, and have particularly bad diarrhoea. Couldn't eat much dinner.

Don't think I'm going to sleep much tonight. Have images of baby's foot crashing out between my legs.

All stopped. Think I'll have a banana and try to sleep again. At one point baby was making a lot of noise crawling over the beanbag. Very strange sensation.

Night all.

Oh Jen just missed you. I am up for precisely the same reason and have got periody pains to boot. Having an ovaltine and going to knit a bit more while bouncing on my ball to try to send him/her to sleep

jennster and runningmonkey- hope you are both OK and getting some sleep.

I am just up because i went for a wee, and then my mind is racing, i can't get comfy, i have a stupid cbeebies song going round in my head,....so i have moved to the spare room as my tossing and turning was affecting DH.

Hi jennester, runningm and pula, I hope you all got enough sleep in the end, you all sound so uncomfortable, it's horrible isn't it? I woke up several times with leg cramp and then seem to have pulled a muscle in the side of the bump, while I was trying to grab my foot quickly enough to deal with it. Hurts lots .

Anyway, something that cheered me up yesterday that I thought you might all like to hear is that dh was woken up in the morning when dd crawled into bed and headbutted him right on the nose. I thought he was exaggerating the pain, but she did in fact manage to give him a nosebleed! and ! She doesn't seem to have been hurt at all so it was obviously very well aimed. We're assuming it was a kiss gone wrong, but of course maybe it wasn't accidental...

Morning all. DD has kindly changed her waking time in honour of my maternity leave. From 8am to 6am. I guess its pay back for all the mornings when I woke her up to get ready for work/ childminder.

DH worked last night and came home at 5am for a couple of hours sleep and has now gone back. He is working at the O2 (millinium dome) and is spending the day with Dermot O'Learly on the scissor hoist as it's x factor today. He siad there were over 200 people lining up when he left at 4am so I wonder how many will be lined up by now. I'm unrealisably ecited but he couldn't give a monkeys .

Jennster My LO was also doing aerobics last night and I was having painful period thingys but not labour just annoying. sigh.

Momi When my milk came in DD kept slipping off my nipples as the milk was leaking everywhere. My nipples are hugh so it was like an ice skating rink for her. My boobs were at least twice the size of her poor little head. .

euromum, really funny about the headbut .

blotted, congrats on you cat btw. also, your story on 'failure to thrive' sounds like my exp with dd1 and BF. dd1 was tiny 5lb10 when born and had tongue tie so diff to feed efficiently. was always underweight, off the chart even when TT was fixed. i was pressured to FF and gave in to a bottle but then changed my mind because dd was healthy, reached milestones, happy, etc. maybe she was just small? got referred to paediatrician for CS tests (so obvious she didn't have it). but eventually she caught up to chart in weight and is now a bit above ave.

the main mssg: with feeding either way, try not to get caught up in weight charts, pressurising by HV, GP whomever to feed a certain way you'd rather not. you aree the parent and know what is best for your DC and whether s/he is healthy and 'thriving'. with hindsight, i really wish i hadn't stressed so much about it as dd1 is perfectly healthy and happy. but hindsight is great isn't it ?

jennster and runningmonkey, hope you got some sleep last night. febes, you ok today? I keep wondering who's going to be next .

llare, about the marathon, i actually do feel like i've run one! very sore in all my muscles. strangely, my upper body, neck muscles are the most sore yesterday/today. must have been being so tense.

Morning ladies, dh has taken ds to nursery with my dad this am, the house is sooooo quiet, but I'd better get cracking on my list of jobs!

Sympathies to all those who didn't sleep well last night. I had period type pains and back ache - thought labour was coming and all I could think about was the state of the house! This morning I think it was actually wind and reflux as well! Ds didn't sleep very well either, which didn't help matters!

Euromum thats funny about your lo headbutting your dh! You have my sympathies living with your FIL. We lived with dh's dad and step mum for the best part of 6 months last yr as they live abroad and we wanted them to spend with ds, but we've vowed we aren't doing it again for such a long period!

Right off to pack my hospital bag!

Morning all,

Got back to sleep around 5am and DS up at 7.15 although just had a quick doze whilst he watched TV next to me.

Got 2 days whilst DCs are in nursery to get things sorted before elcs next Tues!. So today is drop kids at nursery, post TENS to emmabemmasmom, get toiletries for hospital bag, go to NCT coffee morning, meet work colleagues for lunch (got to have some relaxation), get presents from baby for DD/DS, and tidy house ready for our cleaner tomorrow! Tomorrow is more relaxed- haircut and pack hospital bag.

Pula - your day sounds packed! I just have to clean the house from top to bottom, get a present from the baby for ds and a few bits for my hospital bag - all before 2.30pm!!

Meant to say re breastfeeding, I read an article yesterday that the govt are supposed to be bringing new charts in for breastfed babies as the current ones are ff based and making babies obese disclaimer - can't remember where I read it!!

Right tell me to go away if I post on here again this morning! I was actually looking for the hospital bag list and got side tracked - again!!

Momino Totally! I believe there's far too much weight put onto these idiotic charts and not enough common sense attached to looking at a baby and seeing if (s)he is doing well. I'm still so angry at the complete lack of support we had for breastfeeding but still proud we made it to 9 months breastfeeding.

Hope I can do similar this time

Thanks for the thoughts folks. I got back to sleep, but don't feel like I have. I'm just off for a shower, and then going to view a primary school for dd. Need to buy a present from the baby to the dc. It's going to be a mini trampoline to share. Bad idea? Perhaps a little present each too.

blotted I made the jaffacake again but with lemons and lemon icing. Mmmmm. Very nice. Fantastic texture. I don't feel like eating proper food, but the cake is delicious.

Aquanatal at lunch, then nap I think. Still got to make dinner for tonight. Chicken and mushroom pie with veg.