November ladies are having there babies. One by one here they come. But here we'll let the candle burn. Until we've all had our turn

[Ninjacat]

Come on over....

congratulations eeyore , you really went through it.

BBl my mum was a big cheerleader for a bottle of formula when i had hungry ds and milk was late. It made me sooooo cross! I am going to hide under the sofa to say this, but in retrospect I think she was right and i made a rod for my own back by not trying a bottle earlier. In the end, they gave him one in hospital anyway when we were readmitted! But it did not stop me from bfing successfully from then on, and was the only time he ever had formula. Well done for sticking to your guns, it's hard!

I am having big sibling rivalry problems here

ps bbl i have never given mum the satisfaction of telling her btw....!!

Wook, that you are having sibling rivalry issues. How old is your eldest? I can't remember if you have two girls or a boy and a girl. It must be so hard! But remember, it is only early days and a new family member is a huge thing for everyone... Hope you are getting lots of support and things improve soon... x

Pav just seen your FB status - was your daughter early? I think it's boys who are late!! I am the world's most impatient person, it has become apparent...

preggok8 - glad to have you back! I remember ursi and you going into labour together and had been worried that you hadn't updated since. Congratulations on the arrival of Joseph, hope you are both keeping well x

eeyore - my goodness you've been through the mill! I've had a peek at your fb photos, he's a beautiful boy and no sign of any of the trauma you've both been through. Congratulations and can't wait to hear the name you've chosen.

Well I was at the midwife today and baby is 1/5 engaged. Pathetic really but I am so pleased! It's a step in the right direction if nothing else. Next appointment is 2nd Dec!!!

katster she was 10 days early.

All the ladies who have had contractions. Lets talk about them...are they ever on one side? Do they ever last for more than a couple of minutes at first?

I have had the most excrutiating pain, but it was predominantly on one side (right), and made me cry, it hurt so so much. I could not stand, and DH has given me a hot water bottle, but it went on forever (say 3 mins?). My left side, hurts not a jot...not a contraction? although the pain felt like one and had it been all over I would have been convinced of it. I said the the (relatively unsympathetic) DH 'O.M.G that had better not have been a contraction. It bloody hurt!' . I am off to google.

Hello all! I fear I am behind in the poem business but I am sooo tired sorry zzzz. Ninja feel free to take over!

My boobies are fit to burst but Toby is asleep for once He has had more than one bottle now since we have got home but only in the evening as a top up and I am trying to BF him as much as I can too (as soon as he wakes up before I burst!). I'm trying to be pragmatic about all this. In an ideal world he'd be exclusively BF but I have two other children to consider and we all need a happy household without me attached to Toby 24/7 and I need enough sleep to cope with everyone's needs.

I took him to pick up DS1 from school today and we got lots of ooos and ahhhhs. It is lovely showing off a new baby

claire the MW at my NHS class told us that 1/5 actually means the opposite - 4/5ths engaged! News to me, but apparently they are counting how many features of the baby's head they can still feel, so the fewer, the better. She said that even doctors get confused about this, as it's a midwife thing? Anyway... hope it's all true

BBL does Toby take the bottle ok?

In theory I have no problems with the odd bottle, but DD refused, so I am wondering if it will be the same this time.

We have some of those pre-packed bottles with the teats like they have in the hospitals, in case we need them as an emergency. Like you said, with other LOs it can prove difficult to exclusively BF. I am going to try to express and then DH can feed expressed milk if I need a break/need him to take over, but if not, the odd formula will be ok, as a backup.

Thanks guys
Been trying to catch up but it's so hard once you've not been on for a while!
Eeyore - that sounds horrendous, I'm so glad it's over for you now and you have your gorgeous baby to show for it all. How are you feeling??
I'm feeling very sorry for all the ladies with piles, SPD, and stop/start labours. Big hugs to all who are suffering. xXx

Oh and I also wanted to say hi to the lady who was in the bed opposite to me in hospital. Not sure if you're watching this thread, but you gave birth to a gorgeous little girl with no drugs (not even gas and air!!!)either late on the 3rd or early hours fof the 4th. It was just you and me on the ward and you helped me change joe's first nappy. sorry I was asleep when you left the next day and I didn't get to say bye, but my DP said you said to say bye from you.
Hope everything's going well for you and I hope you see this. xxx

Congratulations preggo! I was already wondering where you have been. We have been in labour together, if you remember. Paula was born shortly after midnight on the 4th
pavlov, I'll less sympathize then, if you feel better
katster, thanks for asking.during the day everything goes smootly but major crying/screaming between 7 and 9 usually. Don't really now why. She usually had enough milk, clean nappies and just seems desperate. And I don't really now how to help her. It might be digestion? Well, inlaws will be here any minute and I wish I could just scream as Paula does

Massive congratulations to Preggo and Eeyore!! I'd also been wondering where you'd both got to. I'm like a mum peering out of the bedroom window at 3am when DD has been out clubbing for the first time. I need to know where everyone is at all times please!! Thank you Glad to hear you're both doing well.

wook I am trying to cover my eyes and ears to your sibling rivalry comment... hope it's nothing you can't handle and that DS cheers up a bit soon. I'm scared of this.

becky you sound like you're doing brilliantly. I am worried too about having the time and energy to exclusively BF this time. It really is a full-time job in the early days, which I didn't mind but now I have DD to think of too.

longwayaway your sweet potato pie sounds yum. My baby is due on Thanksgiving - do I get any reward for giving birth then??

Just back from the scan and the baby is head down - Yay!! We had to wait 3 hours for the scan which took about 3 seconds. Worth it though.

Crikey, it really does sound like a full-time, horrendous job, BFing.

Pavlov I am not sure, re your contraction-type thing. But we have just had a walk, and I was in excruciating pain for several minutes, in my back and tummy, made me feel really sick. Had the same thing in the night but now I feel fine. No idea if it was a contraction, or a random something-or-other... I have heard that contractions can feel v different to different people though.

ursi i figured out the word you were looking for...dramatic does that sum it up? hehe!

Katster - sorry! I keep on scaring you today... I actually loved BF'ing once I got into the swing of it. I found it a real bonding experience and carried on (because I wanted to) after I went back to work, until DD was about 18/19 months. BUT... the first few weeks were hard work. It is pretty much non-stop and there is nothing like a hungry baby to knock your confidence. Last time I know I was able to devote myself to it in a way I won't have time for with this baby. I'm just hoping that things are a bit easier in the early days.

Hi all just popping in to say congrats to all those who've had their babies and big hugs to those who've passed their due dates and are feeling fed up.
For those who have sore nipples I have used nipple shields and they really helped me get through the worst days so if you're struggling they're worth a try.
I'm making the most of DH being off work he's done all the running around with our 2DS's and DD + all the laundry, even the nappies. I'm just not sure how we'll get on come Monday when he's back at work and I have to get up for the school run.

Ursi with the crying, does Paula also want to feed, feed, feed? DD did a similar thing for a few weeks, possibly as long as 4-5 weeks? She would cry/feed/cry/feed/cry/feed every evening between 6-11pm. I have read several theories - cluster feeding to build up bm supplies is the most popular theory, to get your boobs used to giving lots of milk, in particular to increase last evening feed/increase the fatty milk of that feed in preparation to baby sleeping longer at night time..I am not sure how valid this is, but it makes sense, and DD started to sleep longer after 11pm feed. I used to worry and stress and in the end i went with it, had her either permanently attached to my boobs with a plate of biccies by my side, or walked around with her in my arms trying to calm her while listening to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol followed by Lullaby for Cain by Sinead Oconnor over and over again (happened to be on the ipod shuffle mix once and she calmed to it, so i kept it going)

Toby loves the bottle I just fed him for 30 mins while watching Waterloo Road and DH has just given him formula to top him up before bed and apparently he's had over 50 ml. I'm confused. Perhaps I'm just not supplying enough

Will carry on though! I love the feeling of BF once he's on. As Laugs says it is so bonding albeit a bit painful at times at the beginning at least.

Come on we need more babies now...

hello all

Just dropping in to give an update, will read and catch up with everyone else's news in the next day or two.

Good news is that baby Venus, provisionally named James, was finally born at by ECS at 10.12am on Mon 16th November weighing 10lb 11oz. He was 15 days overdue but arrived healthy and beautiful when he did show up. Arrived back from the hospital this afternoon.

I went in for induction at 10am on Friday, so it was a long and winding road before he arrived. I was sorry to miss out on the whole birthing unit and water birth thing, but had excellent care throughout and the CS was absolutely the right thing for me and the baby. DH and I are utterly smitten with him and full of awe that we get the privilage of keeping him and giving him all our love. Photo will be up soon. I'm tired but healing well and have my mum here to look after me as well as DH for the next few days.

Hope all are well.

BBL I think its more likely that he has a lot of weight he wants to gain!

It gives me hope that this little one might take bottle and boob.

venus wow what a good sized baby! So glad you are smitten. I love that feeling and looking forward to feeling it with a newborn again. Rest well x

Venus! Congratulations! You must be shattered after that never-ending labour, but sound so profoundly in love

BBL don't worry, I bet he loves your milk loads, loads more- he's just a big, hungry boy. Demand and supply WILL meet At least you got to watch WR without nipple agony and if he's had 50ml you can watch Spooks too, then have a bit of sleep before it all starts again

Katster my DS is 4 and 3 months. He is the loveliest child in the universe, obviously, being my PFB. I miss him so much at the moment as I am hardly getting to spend time with him, and he is playing up, especially at bedtime. The sibling rivalry thing is definitely being exacerbated by the fact that Hedy is stuck to my boobs 24/7. I think tomorrow night I will try to do ds's bedtime hour and ask dh to give Hedy a bottle. ds was asleep by the time I got up to him tonight and I just whispered that i loved him and had a little blub on his pillow, mourning the olden days of us being a three person family Not that I would want to go back, but just recognising that things will always be different now. Poor boy, must be ten times worse for him!!!! So Laugs not meaning to scare you but it is more of an adjustment than I thought, for all of us!

Venus x posted- amazing news, how ever did you cope with 15 days late, I would have gone insane! What a big boy! Incredible! Well done