🍼👶🏼👣 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! ❤

@Peacefulspirit that's amazing. I must say I've been considering the profession myself after having my DD. There's a lot of uncompassionate midwives out there and I feel like I would be the total opposite. I totally agree that your birthing partner makes all the difference, but so does the midwife. My midwife left me to it, was rushing to finish her shift and I didn't get a whole lot of interaction from her.
My DP on the other hand was amazing and I saw a side to him I have never seen before!

@MyGrassIsBrowner Oh bless you! You know I have been telling myself this about breast feeding. Had a chat with DP the other day acrually that I want to try but I am not pressuring myself. If i can't do it, then I can't. We have a lot of lactose issues in my family anyhow so that may create issues for us anyhow and result in specialist milk. I will be buying bottles as I am leaning towards combination feeding - to get a bloody break! If you can't express (not everyone can), breastfeeding is a huge toll on the woman so combination feeding really allows DP and others to support. But I agree, there is so much pressure to the breast is best but actually fed is best and mum's wellbeing.

You have all convinced me to keep buying! Ordered some crib sheets and protector today. I have bought the travel system and MIL and family are buying nursery furniture so no big bits left to buy! Just things like baby bath support, nappies, room thermometer/night light thing and some plan baby vests and sleepsuits. Don't know why, but these bits feel a bit more real than the pram or cot 😂😂

I am not really thinking about the birth part yet! You ladies are very prepared - ignorance is bliss at the moment haha.

@Juicytoot287 Definitely go in with an open mind when it comes to breast feeding. I think you've either got it in you or you dont. But yes, fed is best! I commend any woman who breast feeds though. But my DD has been on formula since she was 3 weeks old, she's a strong, intelligent little 16 month old already so obviously it had no negative effect on her 😂

Ahhh it's so exciting buying all new baby bits. DD2 is getting all of DDs cast offs. I've literally bought nothing new at all 😂 maybe I should buy at least one new outfit, you know, just because lol.

I agree with @MyGrassIsBrowner re getting formula etc in even if you plan to breastfeed. Unfortunately most people plan to breastfeed in this country but most people don't stick with EBF long-term for various reasons. I started off breastfeeding last time but had formula/bottles in etc and was glad I did. I struggled with breastfeeding mostly just because it was hideously painful for me. Combination fed for 12 weeks then packed it in because the pain was still no better at all and none of the infant feeding teams or BF support workers could figure out why it was still so sore. My nipples are odd shaped and covered in scars from it. This time I will give it a go again but I'm not going to make myself suffer as much as I did last time, I think it was honestly the main thing that triggered the PND I ended up with. It wasn't worth it and this time I need to focus on my DD too can't be spending all day crying in pain from feeds for weeks on end.

@Juicytoot287 we have a Tommee Tippee electric steriliser. Purely because we got given it as a hand-me-down . It was fine though, easy to use and no complaints, we will use it again this time.

We used Phillips Avent bottles last time, but they seem to have gone out of fashion, I can't find the teats?! We kept all the bottles thinking we'd just buy new teats but I looked on Superdrug and Boots online and neither of them had the newborn teats for them

@MeadowHay I commend you for getting through 12 weeks of it love, I didnt even make 3! Ha!

By the way, did you use Philips Avent natural or the old style ones? They are on Amazon albeit a bit pricey, but I also see them on eBay as well and I have bought them from Tesco before today (the Philips Avent natural teats that is)

@MeadowHay I feel I have seem them in Asda? Could be wrong though! I have seen them somewhere. I think we will go MAM bottles, appear to be highly recommended. Won't buy too many incase they don't seem to match us well though. Good to hear you combination fed, really think it is something I will prefer and help us manage having a baby! I struggle with anxiety and stuff anyway so if it relieves stress then it is worth it. And like @MyGrassIsBrowner has said, her daughter is fine! As all formula fed babies are, so not worth any of the stress we put on ourself. Also - definitely spoil yourself to another cute outfit!

@Juicytoot287 I also have the Philips Avent electric steam steriliser. They're OK, nothing to write home about and need de-scaling often. I stopped using it after a month a bowl of hot water and washing up liquid works as well. Dummies we just put in a pot of water and microwaved. Sometimes I think a lot of these newfangled products are slight overkill. X

@Juicytoot287 I will add actually I'm sure the MAM bottles are self sterilising you just whack them in the microwave!
I dont rate Tommy Tippee bottles whatsoever, I found even the supposed 'anti-cholic' ones made my DD get horrible reflux. When I swapped to the Philips Avent it was like we suddenly had a new child.
I'd also say, my main bit of advice is feed them a couple of ounces and then burp them well! I would sometimes spend a good 5-10 mins just making sure I got a couple of burps out of her before I put the bottle back in her mouth. It makes such a big difference.

I totally agree fed is best. What I find really shit and sad is that women who want to breastfeed don’t get offered the support and guidance they deserve. So much breastfeeding support is peer based which is amazing but it shouldn’t be that way. There should be paid, qualified bf support for those who need it. I had no expectations of bf and thought it was weird to bf past 6 months….until I actually had babies. I ended up feeding them all to over a year, the last one was 2 I think. Also I am very lazy and it was just easier to stick them on. Who knows I might have a completely different experience this time round, I won’t judge myself just like I wouldn’t dream of judging anyone else.

I stayed overnight in hospital 😟 about 9:30pm I was doing some leaning forward with the ball, and leant back, and felt a gush and it was a mix of water and blood. Midwife told me to call triage, who asked me to come in, they assumed my waters had gone. Test for waters breaking came negative and really was just getting tiny amounts of pink spotting, so they did speculum and found a clot of old blood about the size of a 5p piece. They said they wanted to keep me in to do monitoring and get me in for a scan today, so I stayed. Worst nights sleep ever and DH has forgotten to pack some snacks 😞so I am starving. They took 4 vials of blood and gave me a steroid shot to help lung development just in case baby comes. Feel prodded and poked but they are being very thorough and that's a very good thing.

@summerhillgang Oh my god sweetheart noooooo tell that blumming baby to stay put!! How far along are you love?
You poor thing. You know it's strange, I've been getting niggles myself and I had period cramps yesterday and freaked a bit myself. I'm not too bad today I just have a really awful headache.

You're in the best place though sweetie. Sending loads of hugs (and tell DH to bring some damn snacks 😆) ❤

I'm 31+4 today. Yes really not mentally prepared for labour yet. But I am sure it's not that. Consultant said it's likely to be cervical bleeding and defo not bleeding anymore, so god knows how old that blood is. I did go for a long walk (up hill) yesterday and had a long bath after, so maybe those factors made it loosen.

Baby moving lots.
Especially now I've been fed!
A lovely lady brought me some porridge, a banana, apple juice and a yoghurt. Food options are amazing here 🤩

Hopefully they'll get me in for an ultrasound soon x

@summerhillgang well fingers crossed that's the case then! 🤞 aww I'm glad you've been brought some food! Let us know when you've had your scan how it goes! It's a good sign that bubs is on the move though! Sending hugs 💓

@summerhillgang Oh my goodness- keep us updated! You are in the best place, and if they are confident the blood and liquid isn't waters then that is a good sign that baby will stay put! Hopefully the ultrasound puts you at ease but I can't imagine your worry! Sending love x

Thanks ladies. They want to keep me in for another night 😩 so its 24 hours since the last bleed

Got an ultra sound at 11:30 today so check baby, but movement seems fine and growth has been good throughout. No pains. Bleeding stopped as soon as they removed the clot. No other high risk factors apart from wrong side of 35.
Today the doctor was talking about putting me under consultant-led care, and if it happens again ‘taking away mid-wife led care’ 🙄 (obv have independent mid wife so not sure how they can do this)

Ps I sung to the baby for about an hour yesterday, maybe this caused it? Lol

Ah lovely. Hopefully just a one off, sounds like could just have been an old bleed site that’s been aggravated. Try and keep breathing and get through the next 24 hours. Lots of love x

Thinking of you @summerhillgang hope they take good care of you, really reassuring that it's not your waters and that baby is moving lots. I had light bleeding the whole way through my first trimester which is pretty common but that freaked me out as it was as I didn't have any with DD. They said that was just from the cervix too. My midwife said the cervix can become very sensitive during pregnancy and sex and exercise and all sorts can trigger it to bleed sometimes.

@summerhillgang as grim as it may be, hospital is the best place to be. God forbid baby decided they wanted to make an early exit you're in safe hands. Let us know how you get on with the scan wont you. Thinking of you and bubs x

@summerhillgang thinking of you! Hopefully it's just been your cervix I've had on and off bleeding through this pregnancy and it's just due to my cervix being sensitive but it's such a worry when it happens try not to worry about being consultant led I was automatically put on it due to having ivf but had a nice chat my consultant and as long as I've been fine she was happy for me to continue on midwife led care and then check me over at 36 weeks and see how I wanted to give birth. Keep us updated

Just come out of ultra sound. Baby is all fine and moving about, playing with its cord. Placenta still high so not like an issue there, there seems to be no explanation. Head low down in pelvis and back out so let's hope it stays that way. Also not measuring to be massive as I feared. Actually 35 percentile (last scan was 50), they didn't seem worried. Currently weighs 4lb.

Chick pea and spinach curry for lunch 😋 and rhubarb and mandarin crumble with custard for afters, and DH came to scan and gave me a massage after 😍

No more bleeding so hopefully out tomorrow AM. Got my second steroid shot tomorrow.

Thanks for support ladies xx

@summerhillgang that's great news glad to hear everythings ok with baby, hopefully you'll be back home tomorrow. It was probably the walk that did it or even sex can set it off I never knew it was a thing until this pregnancy.

@summerhillgang Glad to hear all looks well! A relaxing hospital evening in for you but at least you got another sneak peak at baby! Hopefully this clears it for you so you have no panics left haha

@summerhillgang fab news chick! Take it easy now! 💗

I'm finally back home! Gosh was pretty hard getting discharged. Overall I didn't hate it being in hospital, it was actually a positive experience and kind of nice to get to know some folks there just in case I end up there for the birth. Food was also really good and there's a beautiful view of the lake from outside the window.
They didn't get to the bottom of what caused it, but likely to be cervix bleeding rather than placenta (still nice and high) or uterine lining. Ultrasound was all completely normal and positive.
Steroid shots were very stingy and made me feel wired but at least it's done now and if baby comes early then at least they have that protection.
I'm going to have some consultant appointments and another growth scan in there.
I think I'll sleep for England over next few days after being woken up 4 times a night for injections and observations. Consultant suggested no more work (fine with me) and prob not too many walks up steep hills at least until I am to term. Prob no sex either, not that either of us has the energy for that right now.
There were some ladies in there with preeclampsia, gosh that is bloody awful if that happens, really felt for them.
Come home some lovely baby grows. Hooded towels and sleeping bags that Ordered from Aldi.
Going to get our shit together with bag packing tomorrow just in case baby does come soon. And get cot up. Assemble bouncer etc. Prob order some ready meals.
Xx

@summerhillgang Glad you're home now and didn't have an AWFUL experience in hospital. So glad everything is okay with bubs. You obviously just need to take it easy now don't you missy! So nice that you've got a nice view of the lake and that the food was good. My hospital is semi rural so there is countryside in the far distance at least 🤣

My DP has four days off so we're also gonna start getting shit organised as we've done sweet FA and I'm panicking now. I'm having a section so I have to be a bit more on it this time round than when I had my DD. I've been way too laid back this time.

Xx