👣 Due November/December 2020 - nearly there ladies!👣

[danielasummer]

💫 @NaomiB79 - due 13th November - girl - FTM
💫 @Jwl45 - due 13th November - girl - 3TM
💫 @Jellycat2020 - due 14th November - girl - FTM
💫 @BG1234 - due 19th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @EithneBlue - due 21st November - surprise
💫 @mysafespace - due 25th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @kkr168 - due 26th November - boy - 2TM
💫 @MsBee13 - due 26th November - boy - FTM
💫 @PipTed - due 26th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @Snowwhite2020 - due 26th November
💫 @Pinktruffle - due 26th November
💫 @Bluebell2020 - due 27th November - girl - FTM
💫 @phe694 - due 27th November - girl - FTM
💫 @mummyshark97 - due 28th November - boy - FTM
💫 @Babyhope98 - due 28th November - girl - FTM
💫 @peachypetite - due 30th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @Awkes - due 1st December - girl - FTM
💫 @Amyyy1 - due 2nd December - girl - FTM
💫 @confused107 - due 3rd December - girl - FTM
💫 @lionsmum - due 6th December - boy - 2TM
💫 @lc86 - due 6th December - boy - 3TM
💫 @Asianchick6693 - due 6th December - girl - FTM
💫 @danielasummer - due 9th December - surprise - FTM
💫 @kj1010 - due 13th December - boy - 4TM
💫 @jalu47 - due 13th December - boy - FTM
💫 @Nic2908 - due 15th December - boy - FTM
💫 @Whitter - due 15th December - girl - FTM
💫 @loobeelou - due 26th December - girl - 2TM

and of course congratulations to the lovely mummies who have already had their beautiful babies x

Oh @peachypetite that sounds rough: be kind to yourself - it's very common to struggle with breastfeeding. Are you on Reddit at all? There is a breastfeeding sub there where people are great at sharing tips: a lot of the people on it are American where it's actually more normal to pump and/or use a bottle to supplement whilst you figure it out - I think in the UK we are a bit obsessed with latching to bare nipple instantly and perfectly which happens to NO WOMAN EVER. It might gove you some advice that's actually relevant to your situation. I second the recommendation for nipple shields - it can't hurt to try them (apparently some midwives think they are the devil - ignore these midwives) :-)

@Jellycat2020 such a relief isn’t it? As long as baby is fed that’s the main thing. You can work on doing more breast and less bottle if you want to, but it soooo much easier when your baby (and you) are calmer and relaxed rather than stressed out and starving.

I had support from the best breast feeding consultant who had endless patience but never made me feel judged. I was so angry at all the propaganda that “babies just latch on”, was I not doing something right? Why was it so hard? And the BF consultant really made me see that neither baby or I had done this before and we just needed time to get the hang of it. We did, I expressed and bottle fed and slowly switched bottle to breast (also gives your poor boobs a break to recover), then I combi fed a few months later as I couldn’t keep up with him, until he was on 3 meals a day, then I stopped. He can still eat for Britain, even now!

Hi ladies,

I'm doing an NCT course at the moment and they told us to watch this 10 minute video on breastfeeding which I found really insightful. You may know all this already but as a FTM I found it helpful!

@Kj1010 I can second all the hypobirthing info, even if you do have a c section, the breathing techniques etc can still be really helpful. As my due date twin I'm jealous you have a date! I'm thinking I'll be induced at 39 weeks so we might still end up being close!!

@kj1010 I had a planned c section 2 weeks ago. If your hospital is anything like mine, the whole procedure was calm, staff - from nurses... to surgeons... to anaesthetists.... we're reassuring , informative- talked me through every single step.... The section itself is over super quick and your baby is put skin to skin with you should you want straight away. Back at ward, nurses will help you etc with baby and you'll be out of bed the next day and on your way home after 24 hrs. Take things slowly, (no housework 😉) and you'll be just fine. 2 weeks on I'm very mobile- have to remind myself not to overdo things ,(The housework is still on hold!)
You'll be just fine 🙂

@jalu47 will have a look today they only gave me a date and csection as I refused the ecv as just didn't think there was enough positives for the procedure and the doctor said he more than likely wont change position so will be safer for csection delivery rather than still trying for natural delivery as would prob end up in emergency csection x

@jwl45 thankyou for the info on planned csection what I've been told by midwife is same in regards to it being calm etc but said to me because of covid if everything goes fine and I'm up out of bed the same day I be out by the next morning as they really dont want you in hospital they rather you be home recovering so if that's true and I can do it as soon as I can feel.my legs I do it as would rather be at home obviously like everyone than stay in hospital I dont even know about partners being aloud up etc so have a lot of questions to ask on Monday after my last scan

Anyone get painful braxton hicks? I didn't really get them with my last two pregnancies. I'm 37 weeks today but the last few weeks I tend to get the odd couple just when lying on the sofa in the evenings. However last night I had lots with pressure into my bum/bottom of my back. These then continued for an hour or so in bed every 5 mins or so. Is this just one of those things or something more. Lots of pressure below when walking today, I'm currently just sitting.

I’ve been getting lots of painful braxton hicks for a couple of weeks now currently 39+4 😄 nothings come of it yet , but they are getting more painful @viixie

@viixie me, I've had horrendous cramping pains since yday evening, went to triage around 6ish who said I'm only 2/3cm so go home to progress more, apparently I'll know when it's time to phone again but 41/2 hrs later I'm still none the wiser, how do you know??
I'm 40 weeks today

How long do yours last? Mine have been more frequent since yesterday and painful they last quite a while rather than a minute. So I don’t know if they are contractions lol or aches as they shouldn’t be lasting longer just coming frequently? I have no idea tbh. My lower back is just constantly hurting now too.. @MySafeSpace

I'm the same. Never had braxton hicks with first two pregnancies but been getting them for weeks now. 38+3 now and at night they wake me up, I get all excited and then nothing 😥. With my first two dd's my waters broke before I went into labour so I'm really hoping that's what happens this time rather than just having to monitor contractions and wondering when to go in to hospital

@MySafeSpace with my contractions on previous pregnancies they were so intense and I got to the point at home whenever thought I need pain relief now and when I went in I was 6cm.. once they get to the point the pains are closer together and getting unbearable then I would go in xx

Girls I need some post partum advice for those that have been through it before. I have birth naturally but it was traumatic. Now day 3 I have strong period cramps, feels like my stomach and uterus are shrinking and the pain is very similar to the god awful contractions I felt. Obviously nowhere near as intense but still makes me scared. I dont know if I have PTSD from it but I have been reliving the labour quite a bit and getting upset from it. Is what I'm feeling normal?

@MySafeSpace for me, my waters had broken that morning so I knew I was in labour and just needed to wait for them to get more intense xx

@Asianchick6693 I have not had a baby yet but as far as I am aware post birth contractions are a thing, especially if breast feeding. Maybe try and ring your midwife for clarification. If your traumatised you can get an appointment with the matron of the unit who can go through the notes with you and explain everything to reduce ptsd

I've just lost my mucus plug, eek!!

Exciting @kkr168 hope things progress quickly !!

Actually think it was a bloody show? It was a lot of thick discharge with blood in it (sorry tmi)
Didn't even realise they were different!! I was induced with my 1st & don't remember losing any plug or a show.

@Asianchick6693 take paracetamol every four hours don’t wait for pain to kick in. It’s totally normal it’s your uterus coming back down. www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/you-after-birth/
day three is notorious for baby blues so if you’re feeling down and bursting into tears again completely normal. I had a positive birth but it took me several days to stop reliving it. I believe you are able to organise a birth debrief/reflections with your hospital to talk through your labour. Perhaps you can ask about this at your 5 day check?

@MySafeSpace get the Freya app and time them, the app also counts so you can breathe in and out and get through the pain. I left my house when they had been three in every 10 mins for a decent amount of time. There is no point going in too early, the longer you can spend at home the better as you’ll progress better in your own environment, good luck!!

Random question, what's everyone's thoughts on the name Aston? Be honest please xx

Sorry to hear about those of you are struggling with your birth experience/ breast feeding. Wish I had some helpful advice for you all. Just remember you are doing the best you can

@lc86 I like it! I'm glad I'm having a girl as me and OH really struggled with coming up with any boys names we could agree on 🤣 x

@lc86 - I like it but it does give me word association with "Villa"

@Amyyy1 @EithneBlue lol thanks. I know, we were 100% with a girls name so it's typical we are having a boy.. we liked Harri or Alfie, but now the time is coming closer I just don't think I love either of those names 😩 might just call him baby for the rest of his life lol