Pregnant (IVF) Worriers/Warriors Part 4

[Buzzybee123]

Hi everyone,

This thread is for all you incessant worriers out there, not necessarily limited to IVF-ers, although I get the feeling the people who have had trouble TTC are more prone to worrying than others!

[Dildals]

Evening. DH is force feeding my goose baby and I am expressing. Joy. I have bought the cutest thing today. Sock Ons. I can't explain what they are, but babies wear them over their socks so that their socks stay on. I keep finding Bella's socks FRIKKIN EVERYWHERE! I have stopped putting socks on her because she keeps losing them anyway. I put a knitted cardigan on her today, she looked so cute with her upturned collar. Haha. Until she vommed all over it of course. Oh, she threw up her entire feed over me this morning, in between the boobs right down to, well, everywhere. Babies eh.

onion that sounds awful, no sage words of advice from this side. Don't feel guilty about not BF'ing. I can't wait to get a bottle of formula in to the LO because I want to get the extra calories in to her to fatten her up! So perhaps whatever your situation we always find something to feel guilty about!?

[Shazzamattazzerly]

Dildals I also discovered sock ons this weekend! Dn2 was wearing them. I thought they were corrective at first as if her feet were funny but they are brilliant. That is exactly the sort of thing I wish I could invent and never have to go back to work. I've just finished crocheting a cardy for shazlett. Shame it will end up with sick all over it!

Onion Freddie sounds like fun. I bet DD1 loves it. No idea what to suggest re feeding I'm afraid. Can only offer a supportive ear. You can vent whenever you need to if it helps at all.

Does anyone else have their heart racing? Mine is worse in the morning after breakfast. I have to sit still for quite a while to help it slow down. But basically it speeds up after every meal. I assume it's the added pressure of digestion that is doing it.

Pumped the pool up today. We had to rearrange our whole lounge/dining room and have decided just to leave it up now so I've got to live with it for the next few weeks. We haven't tried filling it yet. I got a spare liner do we will definitely do that in the next couple of days.

[ceara]

onion, really hope you are asleep right now, and having a better night. I have no experience or wisdom about getting ringlet to take a bottle, just hand holding in the wee hours if ringlet's keeping you up. But as others have said, do not feel guilty if you stop BF at 6.5 months. You've done amazingly for ringlet to breastfeed for so long.

I think the statistic is that only 1? of babies in the UK are still breastfed at 6 months, so pat yourself and ringlet on the back and let yourself off the hook. For what it's worth, I was a formula fed baby (my mum was desperately ideologically committed to breastfeeding but things didn't work out, she was guilt-ridden). Wasn't a vomity child, haven't developed asthma, eczema, high blood pressure, diabetes, lowered IQ or any of the other dire consequences bandied about :-)

[ExpatAl]

Fairy, massive congratulations!! Do you have any pictures? Sorry to be so late to the party.

All good with mini Al. She slept for SIX hours last night and is snoozing on my lap at the moment.

Totally agree that there is always something to feel guilty about. Onion, 6 months bf is brilliant. Is she eating any purées now?

[keepitgoing]

onions 6 months is brilliant!!

expat lovely to see you - good little miniAl sleeping for 6 hours

Ha ha shaz at having a pool in your living room for the next potentially 4 weeks..... Hope you're enjoying your lone time. I am jealous if you can make DH wait on you. Mine is always at blooming work, and I am getting pissed off at always having to cook. Last night though I was back after him and he did cook eventually I know it's not his fault but still grrr. I suspect once I'm on ML i'll feel I have to do all the housework etc that i we haven't been doing recently.

I think that Kip may be starting to engage. Driving has become a lot more uncomfortable, and i have to get up even more in the night. MW appt not until monday, so we'll know then.

gin 3 buggies!! Goodness you must have a giant house! We have the Bugaboo Bee from my sister. Dh has been having fun trying to figure out how to use it - i can't be arsed yet.

madness when's your big 12 week scan? Hope you're not succumbing to, well, too much madness :)

[keepitgoing]

beetle I've just had a vision of your id twin little boys. Oh, they're going to be just gorgeous!!

[OnionRing]

ceara thanks. Logic has long since left me over this!

keep sort your cleaner. Now! If I could afford it I'd have one but we can't so it's all down to me and it's hard. I don't mind actually cleaning at all, but trying to fit it all in feels impossible. I spread it through Monday to Friday with a bit a day so the house always feels vaguely clean.

shaz my heart used to race during Braxton hicks. I used to feel breathless and get a fluttery feeling in my throat.

Another terrible night. I saw every hour from 7pm to 7am, I've started my own thread to moan about it elsewhere. I've found out it's called reverse cycle where they go right hours without milk all day instead of at night. Not really found any solutions for it yet though. I've a horrible feeling the solution will be moving her into her own room and making her go hungry for a few nights until she learns. This will be awful.

Anyway. Today is a play date and we are decorating Halloween fairy cakes.

[Shazzamattazzerly]

Onion I really hope you can find a solution. Could a breast feeding counsellor or sleep specialist help? It's funny, I forget that there are other threads and that there are people chatting elsewhere. I think it's just us

Someone else has recommended that we get a cleaner as well. I can't really afford it either but it might be that the £20 a week ends up being an investment for my sanity. We shall see. I also read about getting together with another mum in your area and helping each other. So one day one of you goes to one house and helps with cleaning/childcare and another day the other comes to your house. That way you aren't alone with boring chores. Gin maybe this something we could do in the Hood?

Keep fingers crossed Kip is nestling in downwards nicely. Sounds like s/he is. It does become more uncomfortable down there and the endless weeing is a good sign. I'm amazed at how much I go every time. It's funny to have the pool and the furniture rearranged. It feels like camping in our front room!

Expat lovely to hear from you. Mini al is such a poppet. What a cute pic of her waking up on FB.

Well DP has gone to the studio and I'm alone for the first time since I started mat leave. I've got a list of things to do but its so quiet and I'm....erm....lonely and it's not even been an hour yet.

One question, what is the likelihood of me fitting into prepreggers bras? I've got some that weren't the most comfy anyway and my job this morning is to sort my clothes out as we now can't store things under the bed because of the cot. We can't access it. Probably just as well as it was a lot of rubbish under there.

[ExpatAl]

My top tip is glamourmom vests with built in adjustable bras. My boobs were all over the place when I started bf. they're comfortable to wear at night too.

[Shazzamattazzerly]

Thanks expat. I've been looking for some vests. I've also discovered body silks which are yummy. I wonder if I will ever go back to my old size? I reckon it's time to throw them out and when I stop BFing I can treat myself to some nice new underwear.

[keepitgoing]

Those vests are no good for small back big boobs :(

shaz now is a perfect time for you to get fitted for nursing bras. I plan to keep my old bras just in case they ever fit again.

[Shazzamattazzerly]

Thanks keep.

Black beauty is on film 4 bang goes the rest of my to do list this afternoon!

[ExpatAl]

Keep they're the only ones I've found that are any good. I'm 34 G. It does have to be the ones with the bra though. The bra has 4 rows of hooks.

[Dildals]

onion I have mulled over your predicament and I think I have found the solution. In our household we are quite fond of a little tipple, especially DH is quite the expert. Red wine especially sends him to sleep like a baby . Red wine however should not be deployed here, because it will give Ringlet the tell tale red wine smile, which health visitors tend to frown upon. I suggest using a clear spirit, start off with a low alcohol % one, such as perhaps a fruit beer (sweet, like milk). I know ringlet doesn't take the bottle. I have a solution for this too. A lactation aid. This basically entails you carrying a container of alcohol around your neck, like those St Bernards snow dogs, with a tube gaffer taped to your nipple, tricking Ringlet in to taking some sleep inducing amber nectar. Sorted. Now just hope she's a pleasant drunk and young enough to not suffer from hangovers too much.

shazz even if they vom all over it you still think they're awfully cute and totally edible. This morning Bella did the exact same thing with her morning feed as yesterday. She had 2 breakfasts and pudding and then expelled it all in exorcist style manner, this time over her bouncy chair and herself. She smells like Alex James' shed. After that she spent 15 mins chewing off her hand! She's happily cooing along to Aretha Franklin's respect at the moment though. (me singing: 'what you want, I know I've got it!'). And then we wonder where our mornings go ... I think she just likes to suck on something. She is a sucky baby. And a spitty baby. And her farts smell foul. But totally gorgeous. She's also now in to her bouncy chair. I rolled up a towel for to sit on and that made the world of difference. She now loves sitting in it, being part of the action. Anyway. Enough muttering on about Bella! What a strange (in a good way) thought that you know where Shazlett will be born! I would be tempted to try it out before hand and watch telly every night hot tub style!

Everyone else out there, enjoy your pregnancies as much as possible and not worry too much! x

[OnionRing]

Well you've just made me laugh so that's something dildals. I bet she'd be a violent angry drunk though. I'm just forcing some milk down her now my guests have left. It's funny because she reeks of aftershave as one of the men was carrying her round for me and was wearing some quite potent scent. She doesn't smell like my baby, I need to bath her ASAP.

shazz I love that housework idea. I don't have a local buddy though. I'd keep your old bras just in case you go back to the same size. I did first time round. Hope you had a lovely afternoon.

[ceara]

dildals, onion, my mum swears her parents weaned her onto whisky, but maybe as dildals says, you should start on the fruit beer or similar and work up to the hard stuff.

The baby book I have been trying to mug up from which by definition is theory and totally useless in the real world says you are right, the only answer to loss of daytime appetite is to get tough, curtail night feeding to every 4 hours with the last feed at 3 am, and sit out the crying for a few nights. Which I imagine is completely horrendous to actually do. If only it was all as simple as in the textbooks :-)

shazz daytime TV and time by yourself sound lovely, you enjoy.

expat good to hear that all is well with you and minimal, wow, all that sleep, there is hope for life after baby!

I had my 28 week appt today, all seems good and bump measuring just as it should (so boo hiss to all the people who've been telling me it looks far too small for 6 months, and yes MIL that means you too :-) ). Phew! It is still nerve racking waiting for the heartbeat to be picked up even with the evidence of kicks and punches to prove there's a baby in there, but so lovely to hear it again. Sorry for the me me me post.

gin the spinning babies website has that exercise with rubbing the bump with a length of cloth. Trying it could be entertaining if nothing else.

Waving to everyone else.

[ceara]

Mini-al not minimal. Effing auto correct.

[OnionRing]

ceara I think your book is probably right. I'm just pathetic at being tough!

Glad your appointment went ok and you're reassured. I used to find it nerve wracking waiting for the heart beat. Ridiculous when you can actually feel the baby but any excuse for a panic.

[MotorcycleMama]

Hi beetle and all. 20 week scan went well - all measurements within normal range and no problems identified. Needless to say I am relieved and delighted. I was strong and didn't opt to find out the sex. I've got a long weekend coming up as tomorrow is my birthday so I have the day off with nothing much planned so will read back on the thread and try and catch up with everybody. X

[keepitgoing]

motor congratulations. Time will speed up now.

[Ginestas]

motor so pleased to hear the scan all went well. And happy birthday!

onion hope you managed to get some sleep. I can't even begin to imagine how knackered you must feel. I think BFing for 6 months is an incredible achievement and I'm sure Ringlet will have got what she needs to protect her from allergies etc. Most of my friends gave up around 3 months.

ceara hurrah for perfect bump measurements! How rude of people to tell you your bump is small.

dildals ha ha at Bella smelling like Alex J's shed! My mum used to drink stout when BFing my bro (on the MW's recommendation!) and it used to make him pissed sleepy.

keep hurrah for kip engaging. Everything is a lot more uncomfortable for me this week, but I think it's just the weight of the giant baby pressing down in my case.

Hope you enjoyed your afternoon in the end shazz. I have big fears about being lonely. You will be sick of the sight of me! Unfortunately I can't see our nct group doing much socially - so waste of money on that front, as well as the actual content! I may waddle down to the bumps and babies nct group thing when I start mat leave, if it's still running. I LOVE the housework/child care buddy plan and would def be up for it!

Waves to expat and the cuteness that is mini Al.

Just over 2 weeks until mat leave and I can't bloody wait! Everything feels really hard this week. The bump seems to be getting huge and my rib cage has suddenly expanded, meaning none of even my preggo bras fit! Is this normal in the later stages?! Will have to get myself on the net and order another body silk.

Ta for the reassurance and tips re ginster's position. We'll see where she is at next week's antenatal check and then maybe start some of the spinning baby exercises.

Have good days everyone!

[putthecrispsDOWN]

Congrats motor on your scan, it is a lovely milestone to pass.

dildals I did laugh at Bella smelling like Alex James' shed!

onion have you tried lots of different types of teats? My friend struggled so much to wean her two babies that they both ended up at nursery at 8 months going cold turkey in the day...then someone told her that everyone's boobs have a different flow rate (which seems to make sense!) and that it is the different flow rather than the shape that they object to. Worth a try, although I am no expert, being a horrid irresponsible bottle-feeder! It is so hard to leave babies though, for me it just went against my instinct to not respond to DD1's wants and needs...my mum thought we should try leaving her to cry as she was a terrible sleeper but I just felt she was too young. She's always been a rubbish sleeper - she's been up at 4/half4 every morning since the clocks changed ffs.

ceara waiting for the heartbeat is terrifying, with dd1 we bought one of those monitors which hardly ever worked. 28 weeks is ace though, ticking along nicely now.

I had really bad pains in the right hand side of my bumpmyesterday. It felt muscular and not like bh or labour, more like a very bad stitch or a pulled muscle but in the whole right hand side of my bump. Anyone else had this? It took my breath away and I called DH as I was so worried. Came and went over a few hours, feels ok now and both are moving but was very painful and strange.

In other news, i can now crochet granny squares and blankets thanks to some american lady's youtube videos. Well its got to be better than watching geordie shore.

[keepitgoing]

motor I had my 20 week scan the day before my birthday in the summer as well :) Enjoy your long weekend!

gin and shaz that's a shame it doesn't look like your NCT class'll meet up much - keep trying, as I'm sure everyone wants to really. It'll probably be easier once the babies have arrived - some of ours have, but I am last and still 4 weeks to go, so at the moment it's a bit weird, but we're still keeping in touch. But even if it doesn't work out then at least you two live near each other -

crisps that sounds a bit scary. could it just be digestive pains of some sort? I've been having a few, but I think if it's kind of around the bump rather than over it then it's probably ok. But no harm in phoning up the ward to talk it through with them. Also I guess it could have been one of the babies just pressing on something. The crocheting sounds impressive.

shaz i have to say that i think a cleaner is a good investment in sanity. I think we'll have enough to do once the babies are here and not want to spend our spare time scrubbing the bath... I'd rather go out less and not clean, but tis tough choices i know.

Penultimate day of work today. Woop woop.