May 2015: Still early but babies already arriving!

[Justyouwaitandsee]

Hi ladies, here is a thread to get us started. The support of other 'Maysters' has been so valuable, would hate to miss out on this once babies arrive. I have a feeling we are still going to have lots of questions and experiences to share!

Hi Hooves congratulations on the birth of your baby!
It is the best but is also very difficult so I do understand. Sleep is a rare commodity!

How are things with Matthew piglet - any updates?

mini Sounds like things are getting better every day-you should be really proud of yourself after what you have been through x

Wish me luck tomorrow ladies-Sarah is getting her TT cut in the afternoon. One more hellish night of constant feeding with no sleep and then hopefully a breakthrough

Welcome hooves and don't worry, you're not alone in feeling overwhelmed - I think most of us first-timers are in the same boat!

kitty, so pleased Sarah's getting seen tomorrow. Like you I hope it's a breakthrough - you've really been slogging away!

Not much news to report here. Still pumping and feeding every few hours, catching a bit of sleep in between and changing a lot of nappies! I keep reminding myself that this last is a Good Thing as it shows he's getting his nutrients, unlike this time last week. This afternoon he did manage to suckle a bit in between instalments of his bottle, and we've been spending lots of time cuddled up skin-to-skin which everyone keeps saying should help. I am finding it a bit draining in terms of all the time spent pumping, sterilising etc but I'll keep going if I possibly can!

Hope everyone has a good evening and night.

mini if you're finding it difficult to talk about in rl then please use us as a sounding board until you feel ready.

hooves first time mum here too. Wow is it overwhelming!

piglet I hear you on the pumping!

Thank you lovelies

piglet yay for nappies! I couldn't believe how many nappies we went through in the first 2 weeks, but it's settling down a bit now. I can also relate to the pumping, sterilising etc. It's exhausting but you're doing brilliantly to keep it going. Skin to skin is just such a lovely feeling. Enjoy your snuggles.

kitty good luck for tomorrow. I'm sure it will all get easier once the tt is snipped. You deserve a breakthrough!

Hope everyone manages to get some sleep at some point tonight xx

When is Sarah's appointment kitty? Good luck!

Matthew has actually taken the breast properly this morning - just for ten minutes, and he brought a bit back up, but it's still very exciting!

Just catching up on everyones posts...

Welcome hooves you're in good company here, these ladies are lovely :)

kitty how did Sarah get on today? Hope it went well and she's making a speedy recovery.

mini that is the scariest birth ive ever heard of! Well done for coping so well and def take the counselling sessions on offer. Sending you big hugs.

piglet great news on Matthews feed! Any further progress?

Hi catnip, yes, he's been going great guns all day - it's amazing! Hopefully we've turned a corner. Midwife came earlier and he's gaining weight nicely so all sounds positive. My nipples are feeling the effects though! How are you?

That's fantastic piglet well done! I'm alright thanks. I'm on antibiotics at the moment which has given Evie abit of a dodgy rum, she's very grizzly. But otherwise ok. Oh and I also have the curse of the sore nipples!

Great news piglet! Glad he's getting on ok. Hope you got some rest last night though.

Thanks catnip, it was pretty traumatic. We're just taking things day by day at the minute, but will definitely need to address it with counselling sessions at some point.

Hope tt snip went ok kitty

We had a health visitor visit yesterday and Emmie has gained weight again - she's 6lb 4oz now! Almost put on a whole lb since birth weight. I'm so relieved that switching her to bottle feeding hasn't disrupted her weight gain.

She has got really bad milia/acne on her face though. Has anyone else's babies had this? The health visitor said milia is normal and common but that Emmie's looks really sore and I should take her to the gp for some cream. Have phoned gp 49 times this morning to finally get through and be told they've got no appointments til Tuesday. I hate my gp surgery, they're rubbish! Not sure what to do now because I don't want to just leave her til Tuesday. Might have to brave the urgent care centre at local hospital but would mean waiting for ages.

Could you go to your local pharmacy piglet? The chemist might be able to recommend a cream that could see emmie through til Tues and help you avoid urgent care. If its pretty common they must see cases all the time

I meant mini sorry! (its been a long sleep deprived night)

Glad Evie is a bit better catnip

So impressed you are keeping going piglet - what an amazing mum you are xxx

I don't have milia problems mini but Sarah has bad flaky skin everywhere so have been using olive oil. It's ridiculous about GP appointments isn't it?! A pharmacist is not a bad shout- I've had great advice from my local one xx

Sarah had her TT cut-was 100% anterior tie with gum fusion-no wonder feeding was so tricky! It has affected my milk supply so am on measures to increase that and Sarah has formula top ups after breastfeeding 20 mins each, each side. She is sooooo much happier sleepier

Have any of us got any nice bank holiday plans?!

hi ladies. I've finally made it to the post natal thread
Theo was born yesterday morning after a very quick labour. I've wrote my birth story down, a little scary at times but we're both home and settling in nicely.
Birth story
Contractions started at 2145 and were 5 mins apart lasting roughly 45 secs, went into hospital at 0230 when they were 2-3 mins apart lasting 55 secs, I was 7cm dilated with bulging waters. Hit the gas and air straight away, felt like I needed to push/bear down. Midwife broke my waters. They checked his HB which had dropped to 60, then they couldn't find it. Cue someone hitting the big red button and the room filling up. I was told baby is in distress and if you don't deliver him soon we'll have to cut you and have an instrumental delivery. I didn't have a clue what was going on as I was in so much pain. They took my gas and air off me as I wasn't pushing properly. I delivered theo with no pain relief to a chorus of a lot of people shouting instructions at me. But he is here safe and healthy, and I didn't tear or have to be cut. the whole labour lasted 2hr 48 mins.

Hi royal, thanks for sharing your birth story. Sounds stressful to have had all that going on, especially having people shouting instructions at you. Glad you're both safe and well though

Thanks for the milia advice. I spoke to the Dr on the phone and put a little bit if sudocrem on it. We'll see if that helps it, but I've made an appointment for Tuesday just in case it gets worse. Local pharmacy is a good call - might pop down there tomorrow if need be.

I too am glad you got through all of that Steph-well done!

Settling in for another night shift!!

thank you
I think little man was a bit traumatised by his speedy eviction too, as he slept most of yesterday and only fed twice. but he's definitely recovered and into a nice feeding routine.

Hi ladies. Finally come over to this thread and hello to mini and hooves.

I've caught up on the thread now so know where everyone is up to and how everyone has been getting on. Sorry to those having extra tests and those struggling with bf and tongue tie. Also well done on all of us who have given birth some of your stories are truly amazing/scary/inspiring!

My birth story was a bit up and down. Started contracting on Monday evening for approx 6 hrs but nothing too painful. On the Tuesday went for 3rd sweep at 9.30 and contracted continuously for 12 hours but never getting stronger, died off that evening and allowed me a good night sleep. Next morning they started up again about midday slowly getting stronger by 7.30 we decided to make our way to hospital was 2cm, she gave me another sweep to make me 3 and told me to go for a walk. Before I could walk anywhere my waters popped. So contractions started ramping up quite badly. Had diamorphine which I found great only problem was due to my SPD and bad back I could not get comfy anywhere bar the toilet so had portable gas and air on there. 2 hrs later I had jumped to 9cm they told me to sit back on the loo to reach the last cm which only took 30 mins. So started pushing on MLU but after about 45 mins Babys heartbeat was dropping and mine was beating far too fast so they decided to take me over to delivery suite to be monitored and get doc to look at me. They said they would give me another 45 mins and see how things go before they decide if I needed to go to theatre for forceps possible c section. Somewhere in between baby heartbeat dropped very low and I was tachycardic they said they didn't have time for theatre so would try epesiotime and forceps. I just remeber pushing as much as I physically could by this point using everything I had but they then said I wasn't big enough to get the forceps in position so would have vontouse instead. Bloody cap popped off after first attempt so tried a second time and eventually what felt like an eternity baby finally came out this was all with no epidural. He was really flat so needed to be worked on while they went to deliver the placenta the cord snapped inside me cue a second call to go to theatre by which time I couldn't believe it! After some routing the midwife finally got it out without theatre and the doctor decided to stitch me up and said unfortunately I would be suffering with cut and piles after birth. Whilst all this was going on poor dp was concerned for me and baby but baby finally started crying and after 50 mins they sorted me out and I finally got to hold him.

So all in all started great but went a little hey wire but thankfully we skipped theatre and baby is perfectly healthy. He is so worth it and he's just gorgeous, me and dp are completely in love with him!

Hi royalsteph and sunshinesaz - glad you've made it and thank you for sharing your stories. Sounds like both had some scary moments - I hope you're recovering OK.

Kitty, hope Sarah is getting on OK after the snip and you're getting a bit more rest.

mini how is baby's milia - has the sudocrem helped?

Matthew seems to have got the hang of breastfeeding, which is brilliant - not sure what happened to make it click but long may it last. Off to the postnatal clinic to be checked and weighed tomorrow. Now that he's improving I'm a bit worried about myself as although my c-section wound is healing nicely, a couple of lumpy bits have developed just above the incision. Am concerned that I might have unintentionally overdone it and strained something (Dr Google talks about hernias...) :-/ So going to ask to get that checked out tomorrow too. Naturally I only noticed after the midwife was here the other day.

Take care all [smile ]

I enjoyed reading your v thoughtful birth story sunshine- some similarities with mine. How are you doing despite the scar playing up?
Doing much better with Sarah thank you. Boob and formula is a winning combination at the moment!!!

Hi everyone!

Milla doing better thanks piglet. It's still spreading - has reached her neck and upper body now - but it's not as sore looking. Sudocrem works for everything!

Glad all is going well with the feeding kitty.

Thanks for sharing your story sunahine. Sounds like there were a few scary moments. But glad you're all ok. Are you home now?

Emmie has got really bad trapped wind today I think we're heading into colic territory. I've ordered some Dr brown bottles and am considering switching to Aptamil Comfort formula (she's still getting expressed breast milk too). I've also been plying her with Infacol. But she's just so uncomfortable, she arches her back and screams till she's as red as a beetroot. Poor little mite

Sorry to hear Emmie (and you!) are suffering, minimooo. We've been having a screaming beetroot sort of night too. Poor Matthew is clearly v uncomfortable from wind and being put in his basket seems to make it worse. Soooo tired as he's been feeding continually all day but have abandoned trying to get back to bed for a bit and we're just having a cuddle on the sofa while I eat everything I could find in the kitchen. Midwife said I need more carbs and fat to make my milk more calorific, so this lemon cheesecake and bar of dairy milk is basically a prescription

At 14 days he's just 50g below his birth weight, so he's recovered amazingly well after last week's scare. Still not discharged from midwives but hopefully will be in another week if all's well.

Glad the new feeding regime is going well kitty.

mini and piglet you are both doing such a great job! Sarah was awake for three hours in the night with wind too so cracked open the Infacol we had ready
Nowt wrong with cuddles on the sofa or cheesecake either!!!
I'm using the Mam Anti Colic bottles and they seem to be a bit easier for her as the air is drawn out the bottom of the bottle but they are an art form to put together

We're getting some more awake/alert time now. Think we are 18 days now (brain fog!)

Happy Bank Holiday Maysters

Oh no piglet and kitty, sorry to hear you and babies are suffering too! Infacol has worked wonders with Emmie, I just have to remember to use it every feed because if I miss one we really pay for it later. New Dr brown bottles not arrived yet waits impatiently at window looking for postman

Sofa snuggles and cheesecake sound brilliant. I think I might go and do the same!

Ah kitty, it's so nice when they're a bit more alert isn't it. Emmie is 3 weeks old now and we get at least 3-4 hours of awake time a day (usually in 2 bursts). It's so lovely to see her looking around. She's also started to lift and turn her head and I think I had a real smile earlier too

Forgot to say: brilliant weight gain piglet! So satisfying isn't it

I've had smiles but they are wind related still

Just put Sarah in the bouncer seat we have and she is just staring at the dangly toys. So cute!!!
We even braved it to a pub lunch today and she slept while we ate-good girl!!!!!!!!

Good on Emmie for using her head more-such a strong little thing!

BTW, bought cheesecake on the way home...