January 2021 babies - the one where there actually are babies!!!

[Onekidnoclue]

So torn about putting this under pregnancy or parenting 🥴 I think we’re halfway there on deliveries - just a last push needed!

How are people getting on with feeding? My milk has just come in and I’m now carting rugby balls around in my bra.
Baby is struggling to latch and we’re already on formula top ups. I’ve remembered how much I hate breastfeeding! Am now desperate to stop but worried about mastitis.

@Onekidnoclue have you tried Savoy cabbage? Sounds like an old wives tale but it isn't. It's such an awful few days for feeding but it will get better. The agony of engorgement is horrific and made my cry a lot but the cabbage was so good. In fact they say don't overdo it as it can reduce milk supply.

@WhoUsedMyName 8lb12oz. Big enough for me lol

@footprintsintheslow I'm really shocked! My ds isn't even that now maybe girls just look more delicate lol. Funny you say about the cabbage my mum said lay in the bath with cabbage leafs on your boobs or put cabbage leafs in your bra and I thought she'd lost the plot! X

We are using more and more formula feeds, I think she has gotten lazy and doesn’t like to faff with latching but now I have one massive boob and a normal one 🤣 I just comfort her with boob after a feed during the night, she is due to be weighed on Monday so fingers crossed she has put weight on, she is taken 4oz every 2-3 hours so I’m guessing it’s a good sign xx

@WhoUsedMyName honestly it's incredible. Get the nice and cold in the fridge or freezer and pop them in your bra. You get relief from the cold but also the cabbage release an enzyme to reduce swelling.

I’m so frustrated. 3 days overdue! Some tightening yesterday but that’s it, it’s just hard to know what to look out for really! Walking loads and catching up on Drag Race whilst bouncing on my ball hoping that sets something off!
Had a failed sweep at 39+6 and got another one at 40+6 but hoping he comes before then!

@Bambam2019 one day overdue here... I’d been feeling fairly positive up to this point thinking ‘baby will come when baby is ready..’ etc... but must say, having to do a bit of reframing today as I’ve had barely any signs of impending baby - I think I had presumed there would be signs of something happening by now. It’s tough isn’t it? If nothing has happened by Monday then I’m seeing midwife and have the opportunity of a sweep but currently not planning to have one as I still think it’ll happen when it needs to... interestingly, before official dates given post-scan etc I had calculated my own due date to be closer to the 24th/25th so kind of working to that in my head!

@pigletpie2177 that’s great that you’ve made it to term after all the earlier worries! Love your positive attitude and using it as a reminder that there are definitely worse things than passing 40wks!! We are so lucky 💗 fingers crossed our Bubba’s make safe happy arrivals in the next few days

These babies just seem to come when they want! Really hope everyone is coping and staying sane.

How are all the new babies?

Baby Girl arrived yesterday 07.19 weighing 6lb 14oz. She is beautiful 😍.

@Bunnycrazy aw congratulations!! That’s fantastic! Enjoy this precious newborn time with your little one! 🥰

Wonderful news @Bunnycrazy

Congratulations @Bunnycrazy seems like the induction worked pretty quickly then!

Hope all the babies (and mums!) are doing well!

Still nothing happening here 🤷🏼‍♀️

Hello, congratulations to all with lovely new babies! My boy arrived a week ago at 39+9 by planned c section (he was breech) after I went into early labour the day before (not far enough to threaten delivery but the cramps were very bad and stressful). I also tested covid positive the day before in a routine hospital test so that was a bit of a curve ball - no symptoms but was in isolation for my two night stay and baby was delivered while I was in a mask, which was weird!

Agree about babies being poo machines, it's quite impressive really. Where do they put it all? I am combi feeding after baby finally latched two days ago - he wasn't getting anything from me for the first day so went straight to formula top ups too @WhoUsedMyName and @Tink20058.

My nipples are killing me but determined to carry on after he's got the hang of latching (though have appointment for tongue tie soon which will change things again- hopefully for the better!).

Another fan of the nipple shield here @footprintsintheslow - it's what taught baby how to latch for me and helped last night with the pain. Do nipples toughen up eventually of their own accord?!

Thanks for the reminder about the breast milk for healing, too. I was reading rave reviews about some multi-mam compresses last night too so might give those a try xx

Here's a picture of my sausage, I'm totally obsessed with him. I'm still getting over the realisation that he's been inside of me more or less as he is now @Onekidnoclue , it's totally boggling

@oliveroses soooo bloody gorgeous I'm the same, he's changed my life I love all my dc but he's really finished our family. Not sure how much longer I can combi feed tho which I'm gutted about but he's just so hungry now he has bottles, he starts well on the boob then gets frustrated like he just can't get it out quick enough so I get a bottle and he downs it x

@oliveroses he is absolutely beautiful congratulations- if I wasn't already [very] pregnant that would have made me broody! Can't wait to meet my squish ❤️

Nipples do toughen up - I breastfed my toddler to 2 and it didn't hurt at all - but it took a little while to get to that point, partly because of the damage done in the hospital when he had TT. I also had a planned c for breech and I think maybe my colostrum just didn't come fast enough so they kept putting him on me and it was agony. Getting the TT cut, nipple shields and lansinoh sorted it out but I remember closing my eyes and curling my toes every feed for the first few weeks. It's also such a one way relationship for the first six weeks that it really helped me psychologically to get my first smile - I remember saying to DH before that, "he doesn't even like me!" ☺️

@WhoUsedMyName great that he's guzzling, even if not quite the way you'd planned. Little monkeys aren't they?

Any movement @SnookyPook? I've had absolutely nothing to suggest anything's going to happen here. I never thought I'd be so excited at the prospect of losing my mucus plug or my waters going, but Id quite like something to happen now!

@WhoUsedMyName that sounds familiar. My midwife said it is fine to switch between boob and bottle mid feed and it shouldn't cause too much confusion, so she recommended using a small swing of formula as a pacifier before getting him back on the boob when he is frustrated. She also said it would give a quick energy boost as apparently breastfeeding tires them out easily! But yes, there's a point at which you've got to decide how long to slog away for. Main thing is baby is fed and you and baby are happy!

Thank you @pigletpie2177 , that is really interesting to hear and it's good to know that the pain can be fixed! I can't wait for smiles and when he has wind and it looks like he is smiling I secretly kid myself that's he really is

@oliveroses aaaw soooo adorable 🥰

@pigletpie2177 I actually thought things might be beginning to happen at 5am - had cramps and backache for a while but then it all stopped and not had anything since. First time something like that has really happened though so hopefully a good sign that things are slowly heading in the right direction. Haha I’m with you on the mucus plug/waters breaking. Last two nights I’ve been optimistically sleeping with a towel under me ‘just in case’ and eagerly checking tissue after every wipe 😝

How do you all remember who said what to tag everyone about what they said! My brain is frazzled 😂. @pigletpie2177 your so positive and sweet I can't wait for you to have your baby ❤️

@oliveroses very true I'm gonna persevere for abit longer whilst he's not screaming just pulling my nipple off like a teat!! Until it gets unbearable. X

@SnookyPook fellow tissue checker right here 🙋🏼‍♀️ 🙊

I haven't used a towel on the bed but I did change the bedding yesterday with Murphy's Law optimism. Surely this will mean my waters break!? Alas no ☺️

I'm placing my bets now - your baby is coming tomorrow and mine is clinging on til Sunday.

Haha @WhoUsedMyName I'm not sure that anyone who knows me in RL would describe me as sweet but I'll run with it, maybe pregnancy has softened me 🙊 glad you're doing ok though. I may need you all to talk sense into me when I'm in that weird post-baby fog stage!

@pigletpie2177 😁 Fingers crossed!! Hope neither of us are still waiting by next Sunday though!

Hi Everyone!

I gave birth to a beautiful little girl on 19th January via c-section at 38+3 after my waters broke at 2am on 18th. Despite having VILE regular contractions for 38 hours, I only dilated from 1cm to 3cm.

We opted for a c-section at this point as I had no energy left at all and waters had been gone for so long. Best decision we could have made, baby girl had the cord wrapped round her neck TWICE - (was still showing up healthy and happy on the machines so would never have known)

But she’s here now and is as perfect as can be.

Best of luck to everyone’s who’s still waiting on their special arrival

The only advice I can give/push on anyone is to GO WITH YOUR GUT!

If at any point during labour, you or your partner feels that you should maybe consider something else or is unsure about something, listen to yourselves! DH really really didn’t want me to have a c-section, but in the end it was him to suggested that we go for one cause of lack of progression, how tired I was, and he didn’t think we should wait a few more hours.