May 2010: Final call for May babies - please exit the waiting lounge & head for the arrivals desk!

[cupcakefairy]

New thread to welcome some more new babies! Let's have a flurry this weekend please!

booboomonster, nah, nothing. But I've been given 3 different due dates since my first scan ranging from yesterday to the 2nd June.

To be honest, I'm just planning my days the night before so I have plenty to do and I see friends in the assumption it won't happen! Now I know i have very little time left, like you, the thought of a newborn to look after is a bit daunting. And reading all the birth stories - I'm kinda appreciating my frou frou whilst it's all still in tact!

No walk for me today - it's pouring with rain - a little internet shopping instead with my last full wage for a very long time...

I'm so glad some of those overdue ladies have finally started labouring! Best of luck to them and congrats to myfirstbump!

AnAngelWithin hope you had a good night and things progressed!

anangelwithin, hope you are ok

racquel, you are the second person ive heard mention babies and full moons, hope you are right as 40+7 today and really fed up, although seeing mw this afternoon...i see some google searching coming up to find out more.

hope all the new mummies got at least some rest during the night.

Good luck Angel, hope things are going well for you this morning...

Cupcake - you are not alone, I know what you mean, it's good not to be the only one overdue... and Alimouse, hope things get going soon!

Congrats to "myfirstbump and hope that Sassles* is on her way home too

Thanks booboo for the good luck wishes, it's a bit weird waking up every day and thinking "is it going to be today?" and then going to bed at night realising it's not!

homebirthmummy let's hope the moon theory is correct. Right now, I'm open to anything

sweetkitty I'm impressed at you being back in your pre-pregnancy clothes already. I made the mistake of putting on a pre pregnancy, low slung skirt the other day thinking I would be bound to fit it still (was clearly not thinking straight) and was stupidly surprised when I couldn't do it up by about 4 inches. Hmph.

Right. Best go and find some cleaning to do...

Morning ladies..it has gone very quiet in here. Everyone is busy with their babies I guess so just us big pregnant ladies still left!! Come ooooooonn.

I was so sure last night was the night (don't know why, just a feeling) so I brought all my hospital stuff & car seat, birth ball etc downstairs...now it is just clogging up the living room and not so much as a Braxton Hicks happening
I so desperately don't want to be induced... please come out baby! 40+8 today.

Has anyone heard from James?

ok, have done some research online (how reliable it is i cannot say) but it does seem that the moons gravitational pull CAN make your waters break (can be within the 3 days surrounding full moon but more likely on the actual night)! and tonight is the full moon, here's hoping for all of us that are due/overdue. would be fun to find out if anyone does go tonight.

still here!!! contractions every 10 minutes and starting to get painful now Thinking of going in soon, am so tired.... x x x

ooh how exciting angel...

how long have you been having contractions for??

x

Just realised... I should have made my own announcement.

Baby girl (no name yet) 8lbs12.5oz born after 2 hour 14 minute labour at 6.34 Sunday morning.

NO STITCHES or grazes!!

Bit of a mad dash, but mad it (through two red lights at 80mph) and got my MLU birth. No water birth though as, well no time basically.

Masses of black hair, feeding going really well, even with a slight tongue-tie. But nothing as severe as my DS1's TT so hopefully won't need snipping.

Day 4 - she's lost 4oz, so generally quite pleased.

Feeling very human, no pain down below. Bleeding almost stopped (is this right - it seems very soon?), but boobs are the size of two small elephants and very painful. When I take my bra off its like having two torpedoes - they just pour milk on the floor. Very amusing!

Can post birth story if anyone has time or inclination to read it!

Hoping things are going well for you angel and be nice to hear from you first. Any news?

Angel hope it all goes well and sending out some speedy labour vibes to you.

Also does anyone have any advice please? Alice will sleep beautifully in her moses basket during the day but won't stay in it for any more than about 2 minutes at night. If she comes in bed with us she will sleep but only if I spend a lot of time with my finger in her mouth. Is this time to get a dummy to spare my finger and what can we do to make her like her basket at nighttime?

Sending lots of full moon vibes to those of you still waiting

I'm so hoping this full moon theory is true! I'm so bored and I'm only overdue by 1 measily day! I will happily convert to druidism if it is.

Angel hang on in there buddy! Have you rung the labour ward? What is their advice? Best of luck love!

Carikube it's worth trying a dummy once you put her back in her basket and putting something in there that smells of you and your boobs (tucking a milky breaspad under the sheet). Your sleep is a priority! My boys wouldn't take a dummy when tiny and just spat it out. It is a pain if they get attached to one but maybe on balance if it means they sleep without finger assistance, it's worth it!

I've just checked Jake's overnight bag and my bag for the 7millionth time. I believe we have more clothes packed that we have at home now. And I just cleaned the cooker again, CANT RELAX!!

Congratulations newmomma! Great news! Sounds like a lovely speedy labour and fab that you are feeling great.
Re the no name thing, it's looking like this might happen for dh and me is it because you can't agree or you don't think anything suits her perfectly or what? We've had a few names picked out all through the pregnancy but are suddenly coming up with reasons not to use them dunno if it's just last minute cold feet and when we see baby all will make sense!

Carikube how strange A won't sleep in her basket at night. I've been reading Baby Whisperer and she does suggest a dummy for them dropping off to sleep just to 'quench' that sucking instinct, rather than Mum being used as a suckling machine. (She says for most babies it will then drop out of their mouth once they're asleep) No idea about making her like the basket at night though

Ali I'm making more cakes and feeling very restless too! Bah!

SK- Sorry you are feeling stretched right now but glad to hear Jacob is doing well

Angel- How exciting Your'll be holding your bubba soon

Homebirthmummy- My friends mum is a MW and too agrees with the full moon therory. She says its always busier then.

Newmomma- Wow... another speedy one Congratulations Looking forward to hearing her name.

HV came this morning to see Lucy. Hearing test was fine and as DD1 shes on the 91st centile for her height. HV weighed her again after her 8oz weight loss. Shes only put on 2ozs so is now 7lbs 6ozs and made me feel really bad about it Wants me to go to clinic next week to get her weighed.
Still struggling with the latching on and pumping as much as possible. She suggested I go to the BF cafe tomorrow but being a prude feel abit funny about other people helping Ifyswim. Nonsense really but im shy
Just feels like i should be able to just do it like everyone else, like its the most natural thing in the world. I was determined not to beat myself up about it again if it didnt work out again this time but feel like such a failiure and that ive let Lucy down with her weight loss. DD1 didnt lose any weight. DH doesnt really get it and thinks im being daft ( prob true!) so finding it hard not to just burst into tears in front of him.
Anyway enough of my moaning!

Hope everyone is well, Babies happy and hope to read many more birth stories in the next few days after this full moon!!

CONGRATULATIONS Newmomma, well done you!!! I thought my 2 hrs 58 minutes was fast, that is scarily fast! I would LOVE to read your birth story, can't get enough of them!!

Carikube this is getting spooky, we're the same with Eric. Last night I had to put my foot down with all the sucking (I know he's 11 lbs and needs a lot of milk, but still!), my nipples are both scabbing now! He is exactly the same with the bed/moses basket scenario - we got the dummy out and that seems to be working, so I would definitely recommend that for Alice. Today I am trying to wake him every 2 hours and give him a bit of a feed in hopes that if he takes in more milk and is awake more during the day he won't suck so much at night. James (DS1) was like this as well, just trying to remember what we did with him that worked!!

Angel thinking of you today, hope it goes quick and easy once you get to hospital!!! Hope you have some energy drinks!

Cupcake, Ali, Racquel, Homebirthmummy and all the rest waiting, I hope that you are all getting rest building up to the big day and that you're eating lots of chocolate! There is some truth (I have read) to women's menstrual and ovulation cycles coinciding to the full and new moons back in the days before electric lights interfering with the "pull" of the moon, so I can believe in the full moon theory for labour! Let's hope it kicks off for somebody!

I'm so tired today!!! Feeling pretty well otherwise, just my stomach is so stretched out from having the massive bump that I'm wearing a tubagrip (sp?) the MW brought for me and will have to do physio to get my muscles back together. She could fit 4 fingers between my muscles! My nipples are very sore but getting tougher and Lansinoh is helping. Eric is adorable, though! He looks so much like his big brother! We're going to register his birth tomorrow, it will be the first big outing for him. Took him to the pre-school to pick up DS1 yesterday and used the Quinny for the first time, very easy to manoeuver!

Best get going and eat some lunch. Hope you're all well and hope to hear some more birth announcements!

Cross post Pigley I'm sorry you're struggling with the BF. It really isn't easy, don't feel bad! I had it down to a science with DS1 by the end, but am finding that it is hard to get it all right when the baby is still little, it's not only doing the right things yourself but showing the baby the right way to do it, too. With DS1 it took us 6 weeks to get the latch right and I was about to give up and then it suddenly all clicked. I had gone to a couple of the town's breastfeeding clinics and that helped a lot. Also reading the book What To Expect When You're Breast Feeding ... And What If You Can't? by Clare Byam-Cook was great, it's on Amazon here, I highly recommend it.

I found going to the BF clinic was really embarrassing at first but I just kept in mind that the others there are also self-conscious or aren't bothered about seeing your breasts. Once you get the breastfeeding down, if you're like me (a prude) you'll find that in a couple of months you just don't care who sees a little boob and you'll be good at using a muslin to hide anything too embarrassing!

As long as your baby isn't losing too much weight and you're not too stressed/uncomfortable, I say keep trying. These things don't come together overnight. MWs can be so good at making us feel like crap mummies, especially when we're already feeling hormonal! Hugs to you!

cupcakefairy - is that how you got your name? It's a good strategy - when the chips are down, bake cakes. I like.

Looking forward to your birth story newmomma.

sorry for me post, just struggling

had been so lucky with alexs sleeping, then last night hewoke at 2am and went bck to sleep to 11am!!!! just fretful and windy and feeding

have dd today too and although dh off feel cant cope. had 3 hours sleep

could not sleep when alex did as hv came round

is this 10 day growth spurt?!!

dh gone with dd to get infacol

thanks everyone. Still in hosp so v quick post from dh phone.

Darcey elizabeth arrived 2.18 yesterday morning 8lb 15oz

had rough time after but thats a story forr another day.

Go angel! If youre not here yet im in bay c with pink pj top on. Good luck xx

wow, darcey, what a beautiful name..

myfirstbump congrats and what a lovely name!

pamelat sorry you're so tired; these first few days really are such a period of up and down, aren't they? I'd forgotten about them really but now I'm back in the thick of it, I remember how easy it is to just cry with despair. I'm already getting emotional about the fact that my parents are leaving this evening; they have been so helpful and I'll really miss having them around (and I'll be resentful about the fact that they have gone whilst MIL is still here ) so there will be lots of tears round here tonight.

pigley I totally sympathise with you. DD1 lost a pound after birth and then didn't put weight on as quickly as the HVs wanted and I was made to feel a failure - they started telling me that I needed to get her weighed more regularly so that they could keep an eye on her. As she was my PFB at the time I followed what they said (and probably let them help influence me on giving up bfing as I was finding it so hard). I have since decided that it's all cobblers - as long as I'm happy with how I think she's doing then I think it's up to me so I rarely get her weighed as I think she's fine and I know that with DD2 I won't bother taking her to the HV very often. For the bfing with DD1 I went to the clinic at the hospital a few times but didn't go to any of the cafes or anything as like you, I didn't really like the thought of it. In some ways I regret not reaching out for help more but I was so emotional about it all - each feed being a pain etc and feeling a failure as a result. I really think the only reason it is going better this time is because a) DD2 is actually a better feeder than DD1 and b) the first MW to do a home visit is actually the first person to really convince me that it is not nipple shape but latch that affects feeding and actually did something to show me how to sort it out. If it hadn't been for her I would probably have already given up this time round so if there is any way that you can find someone that you have some faith in then I would say to hang on in there if you really want bfing to work (oh, and slather on the Lansinoh after every feed - I only used it once a day after DD1 which was another big mistake )

Forgot to say Rachel let me know if the waking and feeding every 2 hours during the day works as I'm watching DD2 sleeping at the moment and wishing that she was this peaceful at night...

Afternoon all!

DH and Felix are watching the cricket together, looking very contented on the sofa! We've had a lovely day today. It's our wedding anniversary, so we took Felix out for a pub lunch. Took a bottle of expressed breast milk with us, which kept F happy and spared my blushes in public! We had a good night last night too - I did the midnight feed at bedtime, then DH got up to do a 3.30 feed with expressed milk, then F slept until 7, when I gave him a quick feed, then we all went back to sleep until 9.30. If only every night could be like that!!! Pamelat - Like you I have no idea what determines whether they will have a good night or a bad one, I wish there was some way of predicting it.

SK - sounds like you've got a great night-time feeding routine going!

Pigley - I know several new mums who have found the breastfeeding cafes to be incredibly helpful and supportive. It can be a bit odd at first, I think, especially if you're naturally a bit reluctant to get your boobs out in public, but everyone is in the same boat, and the helpers there really know what they're doing, and have seen everything. I would recommend giving it a go if you can bear to bare! (couldn't resist that pun, sorry). My midwife recommended going along even if you're not having any problems, as it's quite nice to meet other mums, and it's a good way to ease yourself gently into feeding in public, in what is a very benign environment.

Congratulations Newmomma- that sounds scarily speedy! And congrats too to Myfirstbump. I'm on tenterhooks waiting to hear if MFB and Angel meet in hospital!

Cupcake - hope you don't have to wait too much longer.

Do any of the more experienced mummies have any advice on when is the best time to try to introduce a routine? I'm not talking about anything as extreme as gina ford, but just to try to get to the point where sleep and wake times get a bit more predictable.

Wonder how Forces and Pagen are doing...

hello all,
congrats to all the new mums and babies, we don't have much may left, keep those babies coming,...
breastfeeding report: we mastered it!!! no bottles today!!!
gotta go, oscar crying for yet another feed.

MarquiseDeMerteuil I don't know if it was so much introducing a routine as a desperate need for sleep/to get our sex life back on track but with DS2 he was in his own cot in his room from about 8 weeks old, at least at the start of the evening. I had done the same years before with DS1 (I couldn't feed him in bed as my CS scar pulled too much so it was just easier to get him in his own room from the start and feed him in there)and he settled into a bath/feed/bed thing from 7pm from about 6 weeks so I thought I'd try.

With DS2 we then introduced a formula bottle from 2 weeks which my DH gave him so I could spend some time with DS1 at bedtime (he was feeling a little forgotton). This feed also meant he would go through until about 3am before needing to be BF by me.

I found with both of them that I and they slept better in their own rooms/cots from 6 weeks and it did my relationship the world of good too!

I breast fed DS1 for 8months but only 7 weeks with DS2 - all went wrong, not sure why, but I started a new job when he was 12 weeks old so probably for the best anyway.

I like a routine, as long as it's flexible - we regularly took DS2 out to dinner with us when he was only a few months old too (he was another summer baby so often ended up at people's bbqs on the beach). It's got to work for you and not be so rigid that when it needs to change, or you need to adapt it, it makes you feel like it's failed or a bit panicky. I personally don't think it really matters if you stray from a routine now and again when they are little - mine seemed to rely/like it more and need it from about 4/5 months on. Hope that helps! They are all different so experiment until you get it right.