Emmsys Weebles - moving to the Greenhouse for spring and summer!

[4everhopeful]

Onwards and upwards lovelies... Bfp's, bumps, babies and young graduates, growing nicely back in the warmth of the greenhouse...

[Rumours]

Awww happy birthday for yesterday missneeko and hope you have a wonderful party today

mls how're you doing lovely? Xx

[Neeko]

Thanks Rumours and Cloud. It really has flown past. Bear this in mind Moon

Good luck with the curtain convincing cloud

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

[4everhopeful]

Hola! I'm back!

Not caught up properly, quick scan so far, but...

Moon still beaming for you! Sorry to read it took a while to get home and also very relate to painful stitches from Summer, but bet its all a distant memory now and you are relishing every delightful second of your gorgeous son, and being a mummy!! Looked at your pic, he is scrumptious!

Mls hope you are recovering after your op? Praying very hard they got it all this time, and after your radiotherapy that will be the end of it... Your a strong lady...

Shroom still thrilled for you too as each milestone passes! Brought a tear to my eye too reading what Ds said, but especially what Dh said about 'putting things right' after your lost angel boy.. You are already doing that, however this baby arrives, you'll be taking him home with you..

Lastly but not leastly a very big Happy 4th birthday to young Saara! Our first girl graduate! A big for mummy Sabs on a special day!

Rumours please forgive us, does that mean we missed our first boy graduates 4th birthday?! Always remember our first graduates as I had a similar edd for my 2nd... Do let us know and belated greetings if we did! Wow 4?!?!?

Hi and waves to those I've missed! Sorry!

Hols were lovely! Whole huge family party of 23 was really relaxed and easy going, fantastic for all the kids to play with their cousins Teddy was good as gold and I swear has grown massively in just a week! Gorgeous place and wonderful weather.. Unfortunately, we had very sad news whilst there that Dh grandad passed away... was unexpected and a shock, but thankfully we were all there for Dh mum, so a small comfort that the family were all together, but also hard being away from home.. Then Summer got an awful virus on the last day and threw up all the way home, was just awful, and still not 100% and has had fevers, bad cough since, she starts pre school tomorrow too, but its only an hour and we stay with her, so hopefully first day on her own, weds, she should be well on rd to recovery! I'm dreading it even more cos her being poorly just makes me wanna wrap her in cotton wool not send her off to the big world and first step of independence!

[CloudOfStarlings]

Hello 4ever welcome back! So glad you had a lovely time and what a star little Teddy is. Sorry to hear about dh Grandad :( and horrible about poor summer but I'm sure she'll be fine tomorrow! Ds1 is loving school but is just SO tired - dinner times and bathtimes are a challenge! Hoping it will settle down. Really he should be napping 11-12 but theres no way I can make it happen!

Yes I realised the other day that rumours ds2 must have turned 4 too, sorry rumours! I honestly can't believe he's 4. I still picture him as that baby in the santa hat
Hope sabs' dd has had a lovely day too, They're all growing up too fast!!

[CloudOfStarlings]

Oh moon how are you lovely?? Settling into it all? Lots of visitors??

[CurlyLikesShortShorts]

Hello lovely ladies and massive congratulations to moon what wonderful news he's a very lucky little man having you as his mummy. He is just gorgeous

Big hugs mls. Cancer is no match for you strong lady. I hope you're recovering okay and not too sore. How are you doing? xxxx

Hope you are okay too shroom. I can't wait to hear your good news (you too I bet..it prob seems like a lifetime away!!!) try not to worry about the low lying placenta. The vast majority move up by 30 weeks. Even if you end up with a CS, it can be rather wonderful and an emotional experience. It was for me :)

happy birthday to our first graduate rumourboy, little miss neeko and lovely little Saara :) how are you getting on with two sabs?

cloud how is J at school already?!!! I bet he will do wonderfully though. Is he liking it now?

Big waves to 4ever. I'm so sorry to hear about dh's grandad :(

blue come and sort out my garden. I'll feed you lots of chocolate and wine

Sorry to anyone I've missed. As always I've left it too long and must sneak in the back door and pretend I just popped out for some milk . Not much news from me except I'm back at work (and strangely seem to suddenly have more time!) it's lovely to see that the love and support is still going especially with challenging times ahead for some. And how wonderful that baby Joshua moon is here at last. I cannot stop grinning

[moonmrs]

I'm still here but struggling to find time to post, please tell me it gets easier!
Waves to curly and the rest of the girls, will try to get back soon.

[CurlyLikesShortShorts]

It gets easier moon :)

It's very easy to give advice after the event i know but if you can, take any help you can get, get out every day, keep a diary so that you can see the progress that they are making. Eat lots of cake, meet as many mums as you can with babies the same age - only they will truly understand how hard it is. If you are breast feeding and still finding it hard, get help from one of the local groups. I was too proud to do any of these things first time around (except for the cake ) I was trying too hard to be superwoman :)

You are an amazing mum. Look at how hard you fought to have your little man. Cut yourself some slack, grab sleep whenever you can and when you are not too tired, savour every minute. He'll be three and a half in the blink of an eye xxx

[CloudOfStarlings]

curly has said it perfectly, and great advice too! I definitely agree with meeting other mums. In the beginning I lived for Wednesday afternoons which was when I met my nct friends..it was my true solace in a crazy wk when I knew we would just talk everything out. I don't think you did nct but my top tip would be church playgroups.. they're a fraction of the cost of baby classes & usually make you a cup of tea too! Google your local churches & find out what day their playgroups are on then take J in a few weeks. Force yourself to talk to other mums -it's how I've made some great friends over the last 18 months. If it's a bit crap, try another one, there's bound to be one you like. I think it's really important to have some things to look forward to during the week in the beginning.
Hope you're doing ok though moon, those early weeks are hard but you'll be an old hand in no time x x x

[moonmrs]

So here is the long awaited birth story of our little Joshua. I can't believe I'm writing this, who would have thought it....

I went for the sweep on the Tuesday, and as soon as I came out from it I said to dh my back doesn't half hurt - little did I know this was the start! The midwife had sent me to the hospital as my blood pressure was high, so I had to sit and be monitored for a few hours, turns out all was ok so I got sent home, but on the way home in the car the contractions started. Rang the midwife just to check this was normal to happen so quickly after the sweep, she said it was and to try to manage the pain at home as long as possible. Got to 6pm when they were starting to get pretty painful, rang the hospital they said to go in, they examined me and said I was only 1-2cm dilated and to go home! They let me borrow a tens machine, gave me paracetamol and codeine and said to come back when contractions were closer together. I paced the living room floor all night with poor dh sat there watching me, making me cups of sweet tea and rubbing my back. By the time it got to 6am on Wednesday I couldn't take any more and begged dh to take me back to hospital, rang the labour suite again and they said to come back in. Examined me and by then was 5-6cm dilated, said I'd done well to manage that far on my own and then gave me a room, our midwife who would deliver us, and some gas and air. To be honest the rest is all a bit of a blur as I was in so much pain, although I only ever got the contractions in my back, and I keep remembering bits or dh reminds me of them.

I had gas and air to get through the morning, then they were worried that I wasn't progressing as quickly as I should be so the midwife examined me and found that when my waters broke (even though I am not aware when this happened!) some of the membrane got left behind and so labour couldn't progress any further, so I had to have it snipped! That hurt! But after that, things started moving again. Then they realised that the baby had turned and was now back to back, so they gave me oxytocin (sp?) to try to turn him, and warned me that the contractions would be very painful - omg they weren't kidding! They also wouldn't let me stand up, which is how I was before, leant over the counter and I could just about deal with the pain, but now I had to lie down and I couldn't manage the contractions at all, it was awful. Apparently you only get 1 hour to push from when the oxytocin is administered, otherwise you get a c-section, so another midwife came in to help and between them and dh they held up my legs and made me push. I gave birth to Joshua 2 minutes before the cut off point which was 6pm on the Wednesday! He came out with a bit of force, and with his arm around his head so consequently he ripped me to bits. Had stitches inside and out, and apparently I pushed so hard I gave myself haemorrhoids too, so the last couple of weeks have been horrible feeling very sore and swollen down there.

Anyway, because the birth had been quite full on, everytime I tried to wee I couldn't, so I ended up having to have a catheter for 24 hours and they said my bladder had been traumatised. Then when I could wee again, we were getting ready to go home when a midwife came along and said we think your baby is jaundiced, so they took blood from him (from his heel and squeezed blood out of him into a bottle poor little thing) and turns out he was, so we had to stay in. They put him under a UV light for 2 days and they took blood from him twice a day til his levels returned to normal. This is where we fell out with the paediatrician, as because I was breastfeeding, I had to keep taking him out of the UV light to feed him, and she kept saying I had to be strong and leave him in there, and I was like but he's hungry I can't starve him. I was really distressed by this point and I felt like I couldn't do right for doing wrong, one of the lovely midwives had a word with her and reassured me I was doing everything right, and she was so great - she borrowed what they call a hugger blanket from the premature baby unit, which is a blanket with a UV light in it, so I could wrap Joshua in the blanket and feed him whilst also getting the UV. We got there in the end though and eventually got discharged on the Sunday, I couldn't get out of there quick enough!



My mum was at home when we got back and she'd made us a stew for tea, people had sent us flowers and there were cards and presents waiting for us, it was the best feeling ever to bring him home. It was then I learnt about my sister - she'd asked my mum not to tell me until I was home from hospital, and I was told she had a bad cold and so didn't want to visit us in hospital in case she passed her germs on. When actually she was recovering from having a tube removed, my poor little sister, always thinking about me even when she's having a rough time.



The last couple of weeks have been a struggle - I've been so sore with my stitches that I could barely walk or sit, my feet got extremely swollen and they're still swollen now, but more than anything I think the extended stay in hospital had got Joshua into a routine that we didn't want for him, as anytime he cried the midwives made me pick him up and if I wasn't there or I'd nipped to the toilet they would pick him up! So he'd got used to attention every time he cried and consequently he wouldn't settle, we had 2 nights where neither of us got a wink of sleep. Its taken until the last couple of days to finally get him into our ways, he'll sleep for 3 hours at a time at night, so I can feed him once during the small hours and he'll go off to sleep again. Finally feel like we're getting somewhere. But I had no idea how hard breastfeeding would be, the actual feeding bit is ok he feeds really well, but I had no concept of how often and how long they feed for. Now I know, its ok, I felt like I had no life other than just being a milk machine, so I've just resigned myself to the fact that that's how it is for now and its not forever.


I'm sure I had loads more to say but I've been writing this over the last few days so its a bit disjointed. But the most important thing I want to say is thank you times a million from the bottom of my heart to every one of you for constantly being there for me through some of the toughest times in my life, and for having faith that one day we would get our longed for baby. I never truly believed it would happen but you all did. I remember someone saying (cloud perhaps?) that you'd all stay and bring up the rear after you'd all had your first babies after the miscarriages. You are all such wonderful people and I wouldn't be the person I am today without you all to keep me sane.

[moonmrs]

And some new pics

[Rumours]

Huge hugs moon im grinning from ear to ear for you. Hes just so lovely and what an amazing birth story, you did so well managing at home.

[Neeko]

Aww Moon your story made me cry happy tears. I'm so pleased you got your happy ending. Beautiful pictures of your wonderful son too.
Becoming a mum is the hardest and best thing ever. The good bits are amazing but the hard bits are genuinely exhausting.
I totally sympathise on the trauma of the birth. The oxytocin, the near caesarian, the catheter and the stitches were all like my birth with DD1 - I even was the same as you in pushing too hard and traumatised bladder.
As you know my birth with DD2 was the total opposite so don't be put off going for it again
Just enjoy him. Miracles do happen. You know that every time you look into his wee face. I'm sure it will one day happen for your sister too.

[CloudOfStarlings]

Aww moon I so enjoy a good birth story :) huge well done to you! You did amazingly! Can totally sympathise on those back contractions! They hurt like nothing else! Also hugely sympathise on the unable to sit/walk thing.. I had same after ds1, will you get to see a physio at all?
Breastfeeding is so time consuming at first but it does get better. In a few weeks he'll just be doing 5 mins on the breast & you might miss sitting down for a long time with him! :) I used to watch entire episodes of Grey's while ds1 fed from just one side.
Hope your sister is recovering. I think it was actually barbie who said we were all here til everyone got their miracle.. but I'm sure we'll all be around a lot longer still too! :)

[CurlyLikesShortShorts]

What a wonderful birth story moon you are amazing to go through all of that for your little boy and still be smiling :)

Breastfeeding is tough but it will get easy honestly. What worked for us and a lot of my friends was to do a dream feed at 10 or 11pm with formula. It meant my dh could do it and I could head to bed at 8 or 9 and sleep for 5 or six glorious hours before the next feed which was great for all three of us. Some prefer to exclusively breastfeed I know but I was happy that overall this was best for us. You could also
express milk if you prefer just before you go to bed and leave lovely dh to feed and settle while you sleep. Mine still remembers those early days fondly as he got his bonding time every evening :)

Is there any mother and baby cinema near you? It used to be our special thing. Curly girl either slept or fed and I got to watch every movie released in 2010!!!!

Waves to rumours, neeko and cloud :)

[Shroomboom]

Wow moon thanks so much for posting your birth story, you did amazingly well! Poor you having such painful back contractions, it must've been awful. It made me wince reading that J had come out with force and with his arm round his head, no wonder you tore so badly. The midwife who gave you the hugger blanket sounds like she was wonderful, you must've been so happy to be able to hold him without fear he wasn't getting enough UV light...
All in all it sounds like you were incredibly brave, and I'm so glad you're both home safely andthat you're settling into being a mummy It's so difficult I know, but it's so special too, getting to know your little boy. Breastfeeding can be tough, I remember sitting reading book after book in the time that ds would be feeding for You really have to kiss goodbye to anything in your life you might have to do, but then that stage doesn't last forever. I have to say I can't wait to be doing it all again, even though it's exhausting and the rest of life is put on hold. After the first while I loved breastfeeding, as cloud and curly said it will get so much easier, feeds will be for a shorter amount of time, and soon it will just be part of the routine
I'm so happy for you that you finally have your longed for and much deserved little boy. Bet you are still pinching yourself that it's all actually happened!
How is your sister doing? It must be a very difficult situation
Lots of love to you and J xxx

Hello everyone else MLS I've been thinking of you loads, how are doing, and how are you feeling? Hope you're less sore now. When do you find out the results from the op? I have everything crossed for you that it's good news xxx

All fine here, 24+1 now and being kicked to smithereens Got diabetes test on 17th to look forward to, have been trying to be really good re sugar, haven't got a clue whether it makes any difference but hey ho. Still getting horrible pain under and above bump, and also in my back, but am going to see a physio so hope that helps

Have a lovely Sunday all!

[CurlyLikesShortShorts]

Oh shroom I'm so delighted for you know we can't take anything for granted but 24 weeks is a major milestone. Hope the diabetes test goes well xxx

[CloudOfStarlings]

Yaaaay shroom I was also grinning to read you'd reached 24 weeks, viability :) bet you never thought it would happen, just so pleased for you!
Hope the test goes ok, we don';t need any extra worries thank you very much! (Though you would have the wise words of 4ever to support you if it did come back positive)

My lovely best friend has a scan tomorrow morning at 8 weeks to confirm whether she is having a mmc :( she had one last week after some pain & they found no heartbeat and a blood clot covering half the sac. It's dc2 for her so she's taking comfort from her ds but just so sad. It's pretty much exactly what I went through too though so once again, I'm so glad to be able to support her properly.

[CurlyLikesShortShorts]

Handhold for your friend cloud :( it brings back such sad memories. She's very lucky to have you xx

[Neeko]

Cloud hope your friend is ok

Shroom. So pleased all is going well. Fingers crossed for the diabetes test.

Waves to Curly.

[CurlyLikesShortShorts]

Waves back to neeko how are you lovely lady? :)

How are you doing mls? I've been thinking about you x

How's it going with baby j today moon?

[CloudOfStarlings]

Ah thanks lovely ladies. It was possibly slightly better news today in that they did see a heartbeat but said baby hasn't grown as it should have yet.. she has to go again next wk, again echoing the exact process of my mmc! But she sounded a lot stronger on the phone today so I'm pleased about that, shes been a wreck all week.

Yes mls how are you lady? I've just finished my crochet course tonight & so excited by the prospect of all the stuff I can make! :)

[MummysLittleSunbeams]

Hello lovely ladies

Shroom yay for 24 weeks, you must be getting quite big now?

Moon lovely birth story, except for the bit about him coming out with his arm up, eeeeeaaaaawww. No wonder you needed so many stitches. Are you healing up now?


Thanks everyone for asking about me. I have my results appt this afternoon.

[MummysLittleSunbeams]

Lol! That was me making a quick exit to bury my head in the sand!!

[MummysLittleSunbeams]

Cloud - just seen you've done a crochet course, fantastic! Are you on Pinterest?