🍼👶🏼👣 MAMAS DUE OCTOBER 2021 👣👶🏼🍼

[MyGrassIsBrowner]

Hey ladies, thought I'd start a thread for all us mamas due October 2021! Whether you're on your first or your tenth child, let's share our journey together!

My due date is officially 8th October and this is my second baby girl 💜 My DD is 15 months old so I'm gonna have two under two.. god help me 🙉
I'm actually booked in for an elective section this time (reason being is that I have low grade rectocele prolapse and I'm petrified that another vaginal birth will make it worse) my first labour was 4.5 hours from start of initial contractions to birthing her - textbook waterbirth on paper pretty much. I am however starting to reconsider my decision and go for my original plan of a homebirth. DH has just landed a new job only 15 mins away so it changes a lot. Any other ladies looking to try for a homebirth? I know for me personally it takes a lot of the strain off finding childcare, given how quickly I laboured first time round!

Cant wait to hear your stories and share these last few months of our pregnancies with each other! ❤

@NW2021 What is a months supply though, how many packs of each size hahaha Really struggling to have a scooby.

Also i am pretty sure colustrum harvesting is after 37w as it can induce labour which we defo do not want at 33! When I shower I can see my milk ducts i think beginning to leak etc but I don't squeeze because this baby has to stay put a wee bit longer lol!

@Juicytoot287 ooo sorry 🙈😂 jumbo packs have around 80 nappies so I’m thinking that’ll be like a weeks worth? 10ish a day? I dunno I’m just going off what I’ve read online to be honest 😂 I’ve got 3 boxes and then I’ve got a few packs of aldi ones. I just kept buying so I didn’t have to worry when baby is here that’s all. If I don’t use them all I’ll just donate.

Oo I’ll leave the nips alone then 😂 defo don’t want baby arriving just yet!!

Generally we used to go through 10-15 nappy changes per day with DD, but it can vary. But roughly 10 a day at least!
Also ladies noticed you mentioning colostrum harvesting. Certainly dont start it at 33 weeks @NW2021. To be honest, if you're a low risk pregnancy there's really no need to do it. If you intention is to try breastfeeding you need baby on boob as soon as possible after birth, to start practising getting a good latch and establishing your supply. They feed little and often as their stomachs are so teeny, so the colostrum will sustain them for the first couple of days. Milk comes in anywhere from day 2 onwards generally. If it got to a point where baby had to go off to NICU for whatever reason, then they would get you expressing at that point for bubs.

Fab! Thanks @MyGrassIsBrowner I am low risk so no point in doing by the sounds of it. I’m going to try breast feeding & hope I can do it 🤞🏻 I do need to read a bit more on tips for breastfeeding etc

@NW2021 That's okay, I'm glad I can give you ladies a bit of advice!
Soon as baby is out, get skin on skin and then whack them boobies out! They can smell the colostrum/milk too, so will start 'rooting' after a while of being on your chest. It's quite amusing to witness hehe.

@MyGrassIsBrowner I had an emergency c section last time and due to all the reasons relating to that I’ve been advised to have a planned one. Everyone I’ve spoken to has said planned sections are really calm and relaxed so I’m not too worried especially as I found the recovery last time to be much easier than I was expecting. That’s not to say it isn’t painful because it definitely is but my advice would be not to stay in bed too long afterwards but get up and try to move even if it’s just a little shuffle up and down the ward when the pain killers have kicked in!

@Anynamenottakenplease I'm sorry you didn't have a great experience first time. I too have read so many positive stories of planned sections. I'm just praying I'm not one of the unlucky ones who ends up with complications. I had a rough first birth and rougher recovery so hoping this one will be much smoother. I definitely intend to get up and about as quickly as possible as I'll just want to be back in my own bed lol!

@Peacefulspirit @MyGrassIsBrowner @MeadowHay thanks for the encouragement! Been having a real wobble but think I am out the other side now. The hypnobirthing definitely helps, had two blasts on that yesterday.

@Peacefulspirit really interesting about the positioning, does seem to be key. I think my one has moved from LOA to ROA which I know is less preferential.

@NW2021 sorry you've got the fear too, highly recommend listening to hypnobirthing audios when you're sleepy / want to relax, this is supposed to plant positivity into your sub conscious, and gives you a chance to practice breathing. That's amazing about the golden liquid coming out!! I think it's worth doing the harvesting regardless (from 37 weeks tho!) because it can help get the oxytocin going, along with everything else that's going on around you and in your body, it could help to bring on a natural labour. Also if baby is poorly in the future with a cold or bug, then a little bit of colostrum could help them fight it, so using it like a medicine almost.

Just 4 days to go until I qualify for homebirth. Gas and air being delivered today, can't wait to get on it lol.

I have been trying to relax more after what feels like weeks and weeks of sorting shit. Binge watched Married At First Sight, seems to have done the trick. Blood pressure readings seem to have stabilised back to my normal healthy range, so hopefully that was just a blip! Xx

What travel systems do you ladies all have?
I had a Stokke Xplory V6 with my DD, spent thousands on it and it was utter shit. No suspension, heavy as hell and massive to put in the car even though we have a 4x4.
I've just messaged a lady selling a full iCandy Peach 3 system in jet black that can be turned into a double.. £130 and it's immaculate!! Total steal. She's a good hour and a half away from me but we're willing to travel for it at that price!

Hope everyone's well today! I've been glugging my prescribed Gaviscon to help with the heartburn, but it's aniseed flavour which makes me 🤢🙈 what a ride pregnancy is!

@MyGrassIsBrowner we've gone for the Bugaboo Fox 2 but my brother and SIL had an Icandy Peach and it was lovely. Absolute steal of a price there!

I'm also joining in with the birth fear now 😬 I'm 33 weeks tomorrow and it feels much more real now. Also, for those wondering about breastfeeding, I did a good free online course through Blossom Antenatal the other week which I found helpful (you just book through their website)

@MyGrassIsBrowner I didn't really do much research on prams / car seats etc, just bought first things recommended to me - the Joie Spin 360 and Nuna Mixx Next pram (without the bassinet as the normal pram bed bit goes almost flat and I'll prob be using carrier more when little). Sounds like you got yourself a really good bargain there! X

@mooloop hey hun, other than the shitty heartburn how are you?
I pop antacids like bloody sweets, it's horrid!

Ooooh good shout on the Fox 2, in a world where I was rich I would definitely have loved that pram I must say. They've just brought out the Fox 3 too which is stunning.
We're going to pick up the pram Monday morning, I'm excited now! Can't wait to see the back of my Mamas and Papas Armadillo which is absolutely battered now.

I'm 36 weeks exactly today, I REALLY need to get my arse in gear and pack my hospital bag. I've been super unorganised this time round, my heads a shed.

@summerhillgang Oooh the Nuna Mixx are lovely prams. Wish I'd have got a 360 newborn carseat, we've got a 360 toddler one for my DD and they are an absolute godsend! X

@MyGrassIsBrowner we have bought the ICandy orange from Facebook marketplace that comes with everything we need so 2 seats, 1 carrycot, rain covers, foot muffs etc all for £300 but we did have to travel nearly 2 hours for it. It’s in really good condition and folds well. We were also looking at the peach but there isn’t much difference - we went to a shop to try them out first! We are about to sell our Nuna mixx which is sad as we loved it but need a double.

@MyGrassIsBrowner just the usual pregnancy complaints tbh - bad back, heartburn, tired 😂 but overall not too terrible! I know I'm lucky in the grand scheme of things to not have things like PGP/hyperemesis etc, and to be WFH, so trying to keep that in mind! How are you doing?

Haha I wish we were rich!! We've been really lucky that both sets of GPs wanted to contribute towards the cost of baby's pram so could afford to go for the one we loved

I literally haven’t got a clue about prams. It’s embarrassing really. Some friends gave us one and it looks good so I’m happy. I guess if we need an upgrade we can always buy one. I want to invest in a good running buggy when the time comes (can’t use them until baby is 6 months) as were both runners and selfishly I’d like to save our money for that.
I’m 36 weeks tomorrow and MUST think about a hospital bag. All previous 4 have come late (between 40 and 40+5 so not mega late) so I can’t imagine this little princess rocking up early….

@Anynamenottakenplease I was eyeing up the orange originally but literally the only thing that was putting me off was a lot of reviews saying it's slightly wider than most prams. But then I saw a lady with one outside our hospital and it actually looked a fairly normal sized pram in the grand scheme. There's no way I'm letting this pram go though at under £150 and it's immaculate! Happy to travel an hour and a half for it at that price. She's even just told me she's found some spare accessories for it that she's going to throw in. Feel like I'm robbing her blind tbh lol.

@mooloop Oh bless you! The end is in sight for us now though and I can safely say it's all so worth it.
I've struggled insanely with my PGP this time round and I've been prescribed Codeine as I've not been coping well at all.
So lovely that your GPs have offered to chip in for the pram. It's an investment and Bugaboo are known for their quality!

@Peacefulspirit
Oh it's not embarrassing lol, the world of prams is a minefield and I've had more stress deciding on a pram than expecting a second child 😆

I was 40+6 with my DD so hoping this one stays put. I have been getting regular Braxton Hicks though which always has me on edge.

I have BHs too but I think it’s just irritable uterus after so many kids 😝 I think mine came at 40+5, 40+2, 40+3 and 40+1 so I’m certainly not holding my breath for any action before 39 weeks!

@Peacefulspirit Oh wow, yeah it'll be a turn up for the books if this one comes early then haha!
I'm a little concerned about the after pains this time round as they say they get worse with subsequent births. I actually dont remember having them too much with my DD but also going to be interesting with me having a section this time. I honestly dont know how you're coping with 4 and another on the way. You absolute power house!

I remember the afterpains being mildly worse but not significantly. Some cramping with BF as uterus returned to pre-preg size.
Surprise five wasn’t planned so had to get our heads around a lot but now it’s getting close we’re excited.

I have a Joie pram. Not as well known but was a steal of a price and had 2 car seats which they well known for. It seems to move well enough so hoping that will be great. We do want to get a baby carrier though but no clue where to start. Walking the dog will be much easier with a carrier due to the terrains and what not so any recommendations welcome!

I dont think I have had bracton hicks yet. I just can't imagine what it all feels like. I know they day when you know you know, so I am praying on that being true. Still ignorance is bliss so I am the opposite the other FTMs on here -trying not to research as I don't want to be set on my plans or way. I know all the birthing considerations like pain relief and methods , just not thinking much into it. It's going to hurt like hell but that is just child birth and We will get through it as women have for thousands of years - at least that is what I am telling myself for now.

Need to buy a few more bits for my bag then I am fully packed too which makes me feel a bit better. Extended my Mat Leave today until full term (40 weeks exact...) ahhh

@Peacefulspirit how did your partner react? Bet it was a shock! To be honest this one wasn't planned and we really couldn't believe it at first, especially so soon after my DD but a termination was never going to be an option for us, at the end of the day it was our fault lol. But now we're stupidly excited and glad my DD is going to have a sibling. But I cannot put my body through another pregnancy, physically or mentally. I've trundled through as best I can but I'm pathetic when I'm pregnant, I'm just so used to running round at a million miles an hour.

@Juicytoot287 Joie is one of those brands that's a classic. Never really hear any bad reviews of any of their stuff to be honest!

As far as baby carriers go, we've got the classic baby bjorn carrier and the air mesh one which is better for trekking.
I hear a lot about Ergobaby carriers too and have been looking for one on marketplace myself.

You do right with that mindset. At the end of the day what will be will be for us all, sometimes things are within our control, sometimes not but you just roll with it.
Once they're in your arms it's like the rest of the world doesn't exist and you get in that newborn bubble and it's blissful. I find having a child really changes your perspective on life too. Things you used to worry about suddenly become so insignificant. It's an amazing journey! Hard work, but rewarding.

Best way I can describe Braxton Hicks for me is it feels like my belly is being shrink wrapped! 😆

We have the Cosatto Woosh travel system from DD, they don't make it anymore as they have a couple of slightly newer versions like Woosh 2 but I really love it. I love Cosatto tbh they're just great, all their stuff has a 4 year guarantee on it. We've recently got a new rain cover and a new bassinet mattress for them through that ready for baby no.2.

Ive never had a Braxton hick contraction to my knowledge and this is my second pregnancy, unless I just don't recognise them, who knows.

Probably tmi but I have had diarrhea quite a few days this week randomly which is weird isn't it? I really hope it's not a sign of labour coming soon...I need more time got so much to do still!

We have the baby Bjorn and it is good but it doesn't fit me properly really, I'm 5'5 and a size 8-10 and even on its very tightest it doesn't really sit correctly on me as it's too big. Which means it isn't super ergonomic and then I can't use it as much as I otherwise perhaps could because the weight isn't distributed as it should be so puts more of a strain on my back when baby is a bit bigger anyway. OTOH DH loves it as he can get a good fit out of it. Something to bear in mind. He also loved the Little Life backpack carrier from when DD was about 10 months but I didn't like it, felt so off balanced with her on my back I couldn't do it safely.

Cosatto Wow, not Whoosh! Getting them mixed up