Babies due September 2021

[FTEngineerM]

WE HAVE ARRIVALS 🥳🥳
Since we’ve had babies arriving I thought we could have somewhere to carry on after the babies are born and we tackle our new mum lives

I hope I tag everyone but ones arrived so far:
@kat1112025
@kirky685
@sillysocks998
@jay3004

And everyone else when your bundles of joy arrive:

@Noodles4Me - 26th Aug 💙
@Scotti84 - 30th Aug 💖

@Sceptre86 - 1st 💖
@primhutch - 1st 💖
@RaeRae84 - 1st 💙
@KHR1 - 1st 💙
@CherylLW - 3rd 💙
@GWhiteley - 3rd 💖
@deedeebythesea - 3rd 💙
@Allicit - 3rd 💙
@Poppins2016 - 4th 💛
@2021mumma - 5th 💙
@Squibble84 - 6th 💛
@leftitlate37 - 7th 💙
@SillyBry - 7th 💛
@LouiseJayne23 -7th 💖
@bewitchingnight - 8th 💖
@SK28 - 8th 💛
@Taralweaver - 8th 💖
@AdventuresAwait - 9th 💖
@mumof23188 - 9th 💙
@Bubbles1st - 10th 💙
@Catkin7 - 10th 💖
@FTEngineerM - 12th 💙
@CobleCloud - 13th 💙
@Maybebaby29 - 14th 💙
@Taybz - 14th 💙
@Bigdreamer9 - 14th 💙
@Eppy123 - 14th 💛
@Newmum110 -14th 💛
@Hopefulmummie - 16th 💖
@Mamabearwhere - 17th 💙
@HollyMoore - 17th 💖
@aurora2021 - 18th 💖
@Bluespace - 18th 💙
@ErrolFinn - 19th 💖
@xsjrx - 19th 💛tbc
@unicornpower - 20th 💖
@Moominmiss - 20th 💙
@Sophieandtiger - 20th 💛
@bluemagicalsky - 21st 💙
@Clouless - 21st 💛
@Suma2021 - 21st 💙
@SP2Bx - 22nd 💛
@Geegee20 - 22nd 💙
@Holly91 - 22nd 💛
@Rach921 - 23rd 💙
@LittleCatDog - 23rd 💖
@SproutingSprout2021 - 24th 💛
@LittleAurora -24th 💙
@RadDarwazeh - 25th 💛
@crobo87 - 25th 💙
@d0nut - 25th 💖
@GummyBear91 - 25th 💖
@AdriannaP - 25th 💛
@MrsTD88 -27th 💖
@MrsBrett20 - 27th 💛
@marshmallowmode -27th 💙
@Mrssernalewis - 28th 💛
@ams92 - 30th 💖

@Scotti84 I use the Madela freestyle flex. It’s the only one that’s worked for me as I usually struggle to express any milk with any other pumps. I would invest in the expressing bra so you can have your hands free. It’s a game changer compared to a manual hand pump.

@SillyBry until now I've only pumped enough that hubby can feed her once on an evening and with the drip catcher device I didnt need to do it too often but if shes going to start getting picky I'd rather make sure I've got some in reserve as I hate using formula.

@Mamabearwhere thanks guys for the info, bra also now purchased!

The pumping bras are a total game changer. I mean, you feel like something out of a sci fi movie with tubes coming out of your boobs, but you can do things at the same time!

@SillyBry I hadnt even considered until you guys mentioned it, what's the option without, you have to sit and hold them? This whole experience has really opened my eyes! Motherhood is almost as strange as the pregnancy!

@Scotti84 that’s exactly it, you just hold it in place. Which isn’t so bad with a single pump. But a double, you literally can’t do anything!

@Scotti84 I have an ardo calypso and a hands free electric pump and love them both. I started with one that fits in my bra as I wanted something hands free as it means I still have hands to sort DC1 and I'm not stuck in one place as it's battery powered. After a trip to hospital where I borrowed the ardo I loved it and ended up getting a second hand one on eBay for £20 and then bought a new pump set for it - it's a bit more tying as I don't have a pumping bra but works really effectively. I get barely anything with a hand/manual pump!

How is everyone doing? We got signed off by the health visitor today at 7 weeks. Rosie weighs 12lb8oz now - such a chunk!! I think we are at the absolute limit of 0-3 months clothes now.

On a TMI topic, has anyone braved sex yet?! LOL! I have once and it was awful. I think it was too soon. Plus... and sorry, this is gross, but does breastfeeding make anyone else very dry down there? I remember it happened with my first... but it seems worse this time! Note to self to buy some lube... LOL!

Oh the joys of motherhood!!

@sillybry hey hun, great news on Rosie's weight! Happy days. Alice has her 3-4 month check up next week but I feel like she's deffo grown over the last week while we've been away in Cornwall. On the sex front... We've done it a few times now. The first time was awful and hurt like hell, lots and lots of lube now and we are good to go! Although I'm paranoid about getting pregnant again so I'm making DH use condoms as well as me being on the pill 🤣🤣

@Kirky658 we are same! And I'm not back on implant yet. My friend is pregnant again, got pregnant when her first baby was 8 weeks old and it has terrified me!

I'm going to book some 1-1 swimming lessons tomorrow to start in 2 weeks. Just hope the boy behaves!

Is anyone booking anything Christmassey for their babies?

@Noodles4Me @Kirky658 oh god, I would die if I got pregnant again!!! 🤣🤣
My drs have an 8 week wait for implant fitting, so it’s all condoms here. I think I’ll just try and avoid the hubby for a bit 🤪🤣

@SillyBry I'm glad Zach isn't the only one who's coming to the end of fitting in 0-3 clothes! I've stated getting him in some of his smaller looking 3-6 stuff as I'm worried he will barely get any use out of them if not, when he got weighed at 7 weeks he was 12lb 9oz.

@KHR1, @SillyBry... starting to not fit in 0-3 clothes here too! But 3-6 months clothing seems big for her at the moment so it's like she needs something in between! Do you have any recommendations of shops where the 3-6 clothing is on the smaller side? Xx

@AdventuresAwait @KHR1 Zach and Rosie sound a similar size. Little chunks! 🤣
H&M do 2-4 months. I’ve not got any, but it might be a good middle ground?
M&S used to come up small, but that’s memory from my eldest, so not very reliably correct!!

Weve tried it a couple of times too, not successful but i Tore in a few places, one being sort of on the way in, and it was quite obviously not healed enough. I'd be ok if i got pregnant again, ideally i would like to have about a year or so to really enjoy Lilly before we start with another one, but due to my age im reluctant to go back on the pill or anything like that. We said we'll see what happens, two close together is ok, but I don't want Lilly to miss out on time with me and DH because we'd be knackered from another one. People do manage it though so i guess we'll have to see. As long as its not twins!

@SillyBry, thanks so much, I'll have a look xx

@adventuresawait @khr1 Alice is just getting into her 0-3 months now 😂 I think she will be wearing them for a good while yet!!! Lol

@Kirky658, how many weeks is Alice now? How are you both doing? Hettie is 2 months today and I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are passing. I want to cherish this time but it's just flying by Xx

@adventuresawait she's 12 weeks tomorrow, it's flown by. She's doing well, she's smiling lots now and able to hold her head up pretty well! We are battling colic and reflux which is so challenging. I'm still struggling with my PND. My meds have been doubled now but I'm still not seeing much improvement. Only saving grace really is I seem to have bonded better with Alice now. I have also stopped pumping and now we are exclusively using formula which for me is so much easier!

@Kirky658, 12 weeks, wow! Lovely to get smiles and that she can hold her head well. I'm looking forward to when Hettie can hold her head up a bit more. Sorry to hear about the colic/reflux and the struggle with PND but wonderful that you've bonded with Alice & that feeding is going well. It's a rollercoaster ride I think. Someone asked if being a Mum was how I expected but I honestly don't know what I expected! Or how to describe it. Challenging, rewarding, tiring, exhilarating... so many different things xx

Hi Ladies, hope you and your babies are all doing well.
Just wondering whether anyone has any experience of gassiness / wind in their baby? Was there anything that worked for you and helped them feel more comfortable? Did you ever find it was related to what you ate?

Robbie is just over 3 weeks now and the issue is mostly when breastfeeding. He'll squirm and grunt every now and then, several times per boob, his body stiffening up or his legs kicking out. I think his latch is pretty good, and he usually stays "attached" when squirming about. But he does basically want boob constantly.

I try to burp him as much as possible and at least between switching sides - sometimes he lets out a massive burp and seems happier, but often there's no burp. I try bicycle legs, changing positions, being more upright but not sure these work (or maybe I'm doing it wrong).

I'd really appreciate if anyone does have any tips as I'm definitely feeling like a clueless FTM

Hi @Suma2021,

I unfortunately dont have much helpful advice other than Lilly Was the same for the first six or so weeks, we did all the same things as you, tummy massage, changed what i ate, how she fed etc, but honestly i dont think anything will help much until their stomach matures a bit. It is awful to see them so upset and nothing helps but it doesnt last forever, hang in there! From one clueless FTM to another 😅

@Suma2021 sorry to hear about Robbie and his wind 😞 it’s really hard. My little Jesse had the exact same thing about 3-4 weeks and I asked midwives, health visitors, any nurses at appointments etc and they all said it was normal and his tummy was just adjusting.

I didn’t change my diet in anyway, although I don’t have much caffeine anyway. I started giving him infacol which didn’t help at all!! Then Gripe water but only at 1 month old which either helped a little or distracted him as he liked the taste. I would dip a dummy in it and he would happily have that. I also took him to see an osteopath which I feel really helped.. it was expensive but now he’s 10 weeks tomorrow and his wind is almost non existent! It may just be coincidence with him getting older but I’ll take it.

Bicycle legs didn’t really help Jesse, I would burp him in between sides and if he was fussy on the boob I would try and burp again.. although I was told breastfed babies aren’t as burpy.

Sorry it’s not much help but I tried everything but I feel now it’s just going with it until their little bodies adjust

@Suma2021exactly what @CherLW said! Gripe water has saved us! They have to be 4 weeks though I think. Billie is 7.5 weeks and is still windy tbh. I’ve cut out dairy and limiting caffeine but has it made a difference? Who knows!

@Suma2021 we found infacol helped Zach get his wind up as he really struggled with trapped wind for the first month or so. I also massage his tummy (small circles around his belly button) and that seems to help as we found bicycle legs useless!

@Scotti84 @CherLW @KHR1 @unicornpower Thanks so much for your suggestions! Reassuring to hear it's happened to others too and it didn't last forever although I will definitely check out the gripe water. It is hard seeing them like that though isn't it. Glad it was just a phase for your little ones.

My sister in law visited the other day and I mentioned the gassiness to her. She was horrified to learn that I'd been eating my partner's delicious Romanian bean stew 🙈 (probably not the wisest food choice there admittedly). Said I'd need to be really careful about what I ate. In all honesty I didn't think diet had any influence on little one except the obvious (alcohol, food allergies or intolerance etc). I'll try my best to clean up my diet a bit anyway as maybe I'm having too much dairy and "grabbable" food but oh it is hard when you're so tired!