March 2016 babies! The (hopefully) graduation thread!

[hayleycookie]

We reached 999 posts without making a new thread - woops!

Park your bums and continue the newborn chitter, and due date whinges

Still waiting for the midwife! Wow Indom hope your DH is ok and everything.

We couldn't do the child benefit forms online - our phones/laptop won't support them for some reason. The registrar was lovely though and printed them off for us.

Oh he's fine, Beaut! It's one of the ones that terrified parents because it's very rare, but it's absolutely fine! Most people will never encounter someone with it (most GPs won't either!)

Hi all, marking place on the new thread.

After a fairly sleepless night last night (though good for baby me in that he fed loads), today hasn't been quite so good. He's still feeding quite a lot and filling a fair few nappies which is the main thing. I feel like I haven't been reading his cues very well though. It's all just so trial and error.

I was hoping to have had some reassurance by now as the midwife was due to visit for his 5 day check but she still hasn't turned up. I called the main line around 1.30 to check what time to expect her and was told they'd try to get hold of her and call me back, but nothing. They did say it's normal for them to be working into the evening but it really does seem quite late now. I just want to know how he's getting on - if he's lost too much weight etc and if so then how to introduce formula top ups properly.

Ooh very rare then Indom!

I got DH to hold her during the heel prick test and she wasn't too bad. Then she pooed and I got her changed which really upset her, oops! She now weighs 5lb 14oz and has only lost 2% so I'm very happy about that. Seems babies is the only thing I'm sort of good at!

me how annoying, hope your midwife turns up soon so you can see how baby is doing.

That sounds really annoying me - I absolutely hate waiting in all day for things! Hope midwife turned up and gave you reassurance. Try not to worry too much about weight - lots of wet and dirty nappies is a good sign.

After the quiet morning, baby Marmite woke up early evening and had a two hour party! Lots of wriggling, stretching and hiccuping! So no sign of labour for me- I did a diy check today and couldn't feel much so don't think things are happening anytime soon for me...

Hayley Thanks for new thread.

Mrs E, hoping that Cassidy feels better soon and her weight picks up. It's annoying because it will happen, it's just a waiting game.

Marmite, good to hear you are getting lots of wiggles now.

And nearly everyone else, shared sympathies at waiting for labour and feeling massive, frustrated and wishing the days away!

I saw the obstetrician yesterday and am booked in for a c section on Wednesday 23 March, I'll be 39+1. While I'm obviously pleased to be booked in, I was really hoping it would be on Tuesday 22, as a) Wednesday's child is full of woe, and b) then all of our family would have birthdays on even days. I know this is silly! My kind DP has made me feel better by saying that 23 is a prime number and that's special.

charley I have my mum on standby, she's supposed to be having ds1 but she can leave him with my dad. I'm seeing mw tomorrow so I'm hoping for good news.

me that sounds so annoying, I hate waiting in all day for things!

Hello everyone, I found you all!

40+1 today and feeling quite depressed - had my 40 week appointment yesterday and baby still isn't fully engaged - only the tiny top of his head is in there. Midwife wasn't even vaguely fussed and said even though it was more usual for first babies to engage weeks before labour, it wasn't unheard of for them to go in labour. But I feel down about it. Feel like I'll go really overdue and/or have a traumatic birth if he won't engage. I've also read there's a higher risk of cord prolapse with a non-engaged baby.

Doing lots of bouncing on the birth ball and have tried some of the techniques on the spinning babies website but not sure they'll do much good.

How is everyone today? Anyone in labour??

Don't worry maybe - DD1 was never properly engaged until labour (probably as she was back to back) and didn't have any issues with the cord.

40+1 here and no signs baby is coming - I'm not expecting her till next week and then if she doesn't show up I am going to have a proper grump on. I am massively overanalysing everything, any little tiny change in how I feel etc, but nothing happening! hope we get some more babies mine on this thread soon!

My ds was the same maybe, he didn't engage until labour. Came on his due date and was a nice quick labour too. It doesn't mean anything!

I feel exactly the same marmite, although part of me knows I should be making the most of this time alone while ds is at the childminder's, I just want the baby to come now! Doesn't help that a friend due after me had hers yesterday. I'm uncomfortable and feel horrible, so definitely not making the most of my time!

Oh, and I was convinced this one would be early, but here I am at 39+6...

thanks both, that is reassuring to know :)

Going for acupuncture tomorrow anyway, apparently that is useful for helping them engage/inducing labour...

Shit scared of needles to be honest but willing to try anything non-drug related at this point!

you still have time to be early suz

maybe same as suz and marmite here for DS (first baby). He wasn't even 1/5 engaged at my 40 week appointment, so when my waters broke his head slid right down down to the cervix and kicked off immediate labour. When it happens, I bet it happens fast for you too

Haha, that's true marmite, but I'm not feeling very birthy today at all! I really did yesterday but no dice. Maybe the stress of wrestling the cat into its basket later for our trip to the vet will do the trick.

Apparently pressure points in your feet and hands can set off labour maybe, I think if I'm still pregnant next week I'll book myself a nice pedicure. Good luck with the acupuncture, let us know if it works!

to those who had non engaging babies, when did yours arrive? suz I know yours was on the due date, were the rest of you super late?

suz you have my sympathies re: the cat, fortunately my cats are completely weird and go willingly into their baskets. They actually seek them out while we're not even using them and sit in them

Lucky you maybe! I took her last week and it took 25 minutes to get her in there. Luckily she's a trusting wee thing, or very stupid, because every time I called her back she came and let me pick her up! Mad scramble once we got near the basket though, and my poor arms, stomach and shoulders were shredded in the panic to get away.

I feel your pain suz, DP took our cat to the vets last week and it took the two of us to get him in the basket (always does). if only one of us tries it we get shredded to pieces! Also totally know what you mean about 'not feeling laboury'. There have been a few days this week where I have felt like maybe something is coming and then it passes, and now just feeling completely fine. which I shouldn't be complaining about, but I feel like it means my body is ready to just keep going! I think with DD1 I did try the acupressure points in your hand as it's easy to do it by yourself with a massive bump, and if I get desperate, I may try it again this time don't think it worked last time but who knows

maybe I went into labour with DD1 at 40+3 so her not engaging didn't seem to make a difference!

maybe I had DS last Thursday at 39+6. I'd had a midwife appointment the day before at which he was only 2/5 engaged. He was back to back which is probably why but no cord issues.

DH was on the phone to the community midwives first thing this morning and for some inexplicable reason I was missed off the list of visits yesterday. Despite having phoned at 1.30 to chase it. After several phone calls the midwife has now rung to say she'll be here within an hour to do the 5 day checks.

That means I've had to cancel the appointment we had for the breastfeeding clinic. But it's more important to get his checks done and they said I might still be able to go to the clinic later or there are also other options locally, breastfeeding support groups I could get to later on today.

I'm finding this all extremely tough mentally. I just have no idea if I'm doing right by DS. He seems to want to feed constantly, struggles a bit to latch and then only takes a small amount at a time. After advice on the thread yesterday I started trying to unsettle him when he feeds to sleep and wake him up to make him take more. But even when I managed to get him to feed for an hour or so (on and off) he wouldn't sleep for longer than a half hour or hour stretch. Which means I can't get any sleep at all. I eventually gave him a top up of formula last night about 1 which settled him for long enough for me to get about 2 hours sleep and then we were off again.

Sorry for this essay. I just have no idea what to do.

I feel your pain marmite and maybe, I'm 40+5 today and well fed up. Think wooden is is the lead though, but no word so far today, fingers crossed she's too busy labouring to post!

Hi it's scared here with a new username.
Congrats everyone on your new arrivals. Their all gorgeous and such lovely names.
Sorry haven't been on be very busy with moving and calais. She was 3 weeks yesterday it's gone so quick and she's changed so much.
She's such a content lovely little lady. Earlier on she just laid in her moses basket making little noises and just looking around. We've been so lucky. She sleeps so well I get around eight broken hours a night. We are ff oh does the 9pm and 3am feed and I do the midnight and 6am feed and all the day feeds when his at work. I do offer to do the 3am for him but he feels it's fair that he should do - not going to complain ! Lol. She weighs 5 pounds 5 Oz now. Was 5 pounds 1 at birth. She had lost 5 per cent on day five and 7 per cent by day ten but she's gaining now. She feeds 3 hourly at night and two-three hourly in the day about 2oz worth each time. Any more and she projectile vomits as her tummy is still so small . She has a bit of nappy rash bur sudocream Is clearing it. She screams during nappy and clothing changes but other than that is very happy.
I am loving not bring pregnant. No more restless legs. Constant peeing all night etc.
Life honestly couldn't be better.
To everyone still pregnant keep going it's all worth it! Hope everyone is doing OK. Will start posting more when wifi is installed in new flat Friday

me what is his feeding pattern like in terms of which boobs you are using? Is he switching boobs or feeding from one boob at a time? The initial bit of milk that comes out is the watery fore milk which is thirst quenching but less fatty and filling and then they need to stay at that same breast as long as possible to get the fattier and more filling hind milk. Try feeding as long as possible from one breast before offering the other.

Is he latching deeply? A shallow latch might also result in less hind milk being suckled which in turn can lead to fussing. biological nurturing positioning can help with an alternative way to latch and feed that might settle baby

So sorry you're tired and struggling . Hope you get some real life support.

time sorry x post wow so amazing to hear you are doing well and Calais sounds like an absolute delight

No such luck doc I'm still here and not a twinge today!! Ds1 was born exactly a week before his due date so I'm not sure why his brother is so laid back!!

me that sounds awful!! Hopefully mw will be able to give you some advice!!