Due March/April 2022 Thread 3. Third trimester and babies!!

[Dyra]

Didn't quite realise we were so close to the end of the second one. So let's have another one! I'll post the due date list in a moment.

@Catconfusion They're going to try the same antibiotics again, as it did improve first time. If this lot doesn't work, then they'll swab.

My dressing came off two days later iirc. Just before I went home. I put the infection down to already having an overhang from previous pregnancy, being fat, and not being able to air the wound.

@dyra good you saw some improvement with the first antibiotic. I was on one form of penicillin and saw some improvement but the swob showed a different form of penicillin would be more effective. Hopefully you just need another course. It must be so frustrating. I have quite the overhang too this time. Xx

@MiracleBaby2022 consultation and care plan was £110. She was fantastic, and it was totally worth it.

He is feeding ok now, but loses suction as she says he has a submuchal tongue tie (easily missed in hospital apparently). We’re booked in to have it snipped on 23rd April (£200) as the NHS waiting times are huge apparently

@derbee such a shame you’ve had to pay to have the tongue tie snipped. Ours was the same type of tongue tie. It was diagnosed at 2 weeks and snipped the same day on the NHS. It’s definitely improved the latch so with doing. She still slips a bit but it’s not nearly as bad. Xx

Hi Everyone.
Not posted in a while. Been in that newborn bubble.
Congratulations to everyone who's little ones have now arrived. Hope everyone is doing well.
Teddy is now 23 days old. Cant quite believe it.
Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with breast buds? Teddys little boobies are quite swollen. Wondering if i need a trip to the go or not? Xx

@Scoaf Can't hurt to see the GP for reassurance, but have they stayed the same size since birth? If they have could just be left over maternal hormones from in utero. Are you breastfeeding? Could be hormones from that if you are.

Anyone else's baby got baby acne? Max has a spectacular crop. Poor guy. Poor me too. I'm very much a squeezer, and the forbidden pops are soooo tempting.

Hope everyone is enjoying this fabulous Easter weekend weather with their wee ones. 🥰

@Catconfusion haven't got any NHS support and we were discharged quite a while ago when she was back up to birth weight. Will try to ring a consultant next week. I've had a good look at her tongue and think maybe there's a small tongue tie. I'm so exhausted trying to pump and feed it's just impossible even with my partner doing almost all the night feeds while I pump... X

Thanks @Derbee - I've had a look at the link you sent, will try to get something sorted next week because this situation is just totally unsustainable...

@Dyra haha yes mine is covered in acne and your post made me laugh out loud because I've got the same problem - they are soooo tempting!! But then I feel very guilty afterwards, poor poppet...

I’m sorry to hear that @MiracleBaby2022 the problem is tongue tie is really hard to diagnose. Elwen had the type you can’t see. All the midwives missed it. We got a referral because her weight gain was static. It’s great that your baby is up to birth weight but it sounds so stressful having to pump so much. If the feeding is difficult they should not have discharged you. It’s quite shocking you’ve just been discharged without any more support. Have you seen a health visitor? I’m hoping there is some other support for you.

I’m feeling so much better now I don’t have to pump any more and baby is gaining just from feeding. She cluster feeds a couple of times a day but generally is settled by feeds. Xx

@MiracleBaby2022 sorry I just reread your post. Definitely push for a referral if you can see something. It may be that your baby needs so much milk because the milk transfer is poor due to a tongue tie. I didn’t really understand this when I had my son. He fed near constantly and the first six months were hell until I gave up on breastfeeding. I think now he had tongue tie. It can be genetic. We were discharged before he even got up to his birth weight due to Covid. He continued to gain weight well but the amount of milk he needed was insane. I put it down to him being a big baby but plenty of big babies feed less and gain weight. I really hope it gets sorted! Xx

@dyra little Elwen is covered too in spots. My son had no skin issues. Not sure if it’s the hormones. My skin has broken out too which is odd as I’ve never had issues with my skin before. Hoping it all clears up soon. Xx

It seems so silly that tongue tie isn't checked for at the newborn check. It's hardly rare, and can cause such huge problems. And the earlier it's caught, the easier it is to remedy.

Your boy sounds similar to my nephew @Catconfusion. He fed constantly, but was never satiated, so my sister swapped to formula feeding early on. How's your wound healing now? Mine's doing better already. Keeping everything crossed it stays that way.

@MiracleBaby2022 Hopefully something will be sorted for you. It's so wrong you've had so little help, and was discharged despite your feeding difficulties.

@dyra exactly! I also didn’t realise how difficult it can be to spot. You’d think the midwives would be better trained on it as well. Elwen’s tongue was free moving yet she still had it.

It was a nightmare with my son. I don’t know how I carried on for so long. We added in one formula feed a day to be fair.

My wound is still a bit manky but is far less sore thanks. I’ve finished the antibiotics now. Glad yours is feeling better. I can’t believe how long it’s taken to heal this time. Xx

@MiracleBaby2022 I hope the link helps. I was in tears all day every day until we saw the lactation consultant. She pointed out that when Morris cries, his tongue doesn’t reach the roof of his mouth, and only goes half way up. That’s a submuchal tongue tie apparently, which is easily missed. She said we will have noticed that he clicks when he’s feeding, as he loses suction. Also will tend to be hiccuppy and sneezy. Not sure if that ties in with your baby? But I think a lot of tongue ties, or any restrictions are easily missed in hospital unless they’re massively obvious.

@Derbee it’s really interesting you mention hiccups and sneezes. Our baby girl has been hiccuping multiple times a day since I was about 34 weeks pregnant. My son didn’t hiccup once so I was a bit worried about it. The consultant who did the snip didn’t mention it but it makes sense it could be linked to the tongue tie as ours is the same type as yours. Xx

@Dyra to be honest I don't think I realised there was a problem when we were discharged. Thinking back it was pretty obvious but it's all new to me and I think I thought it would probably be ok.

@Catconfusion yeah I can breastfeed for 1.5 hours and literally 5 minutes later she screams with hunger. I'm only surviving because I give 50% of her feeds as formula (sometimes more) 😭. I think the midwife did have a swift look into her mouth and mentioned something about it and I remember her words being 'a small one', but I was too tired/wired to register at the time. She must have been talking about tongue tie!? I'm not English and this being all new to me I don't think I registered what she was talking about.

That's interesting @Derbee - I think those things rings a bell with my baby too!! My partner thinks all of those things apply to her!

Attaching some pics of her mouth - I think that's a small tongue tie isn't it??

@MiracleBaby2022

www.tongue-tie.info/tongue-tie

www.tongue-tie.org.uk/product/tongue-tie-information-leaflet/

These are the pages that our lactation consultant pointed us towards.

Also, don’t feel bad about topping up with formula for a bit if that’s what your baby needs for calorie intake. I felt so sad about it, until the NHS infant feeding lady told me to view it as a temporary medicine.

We’re all doing our best, and it’s bloody hard.

Thanks @Derbee - I'm trying not to feel bad about it, it is so very hard indeed. Will take a look at the link!

@MiracleBaby2022 it’s so difficult. I’m not really sure by looking at the pictures but the midwives should be referring you if they suspect tongue tie.

Please don’t worry about formula. My son was combi fed and he’s grown big and strong. He’s not been ill once so must have a good immune system. It gives you the best of both worlds. My health visitor strongly recommends it with babies who need to feed a lot. You’re doing a great job by the sounds of it. Xx

@MiracleBaby2022 we combi feed too. I was really feeling guilty about it at first but now I am much more settled with it. I find in the evenings she can feed off my constantly and not fill up. She will always be hungry for more so we bottle feed before bed and once during the night. The issue we have is she is often really sick after her bedtime bottle. Only that one it's very strange.

@Caass45 sounds very much like what we’re doing. We’re finding Elwen is a bit colicky in the night. Which formula are you using? We’re using Kendamil. She’s not like it during the day so hopefully not the formula causing it. Not sure whether to try a different one. Xx

@Catconfusion exzctly the same if she gets a bottle in the day she's hardly sick. She gets one about 3 or 4am and again hardly sick it's just that one feed where she can bring up even a couple of ounces at a time. We are using cow and gate. I have heard that formula is so well regulated they qre all basically the zame thing so I'm not sure changing will work. It's frustrating the last 2 days its taken 3 hours to settle her at night

We’ve just got home from having our tongue tie snipped. It was all done very quickly. He cried, but stopped as soon as he was fed. He slept the whole way home in the car (an hour), fed again at home (the latch already feels different) and is currently asleep on his daddy’s chest. So not as traumatic as I expected it to be. Hoping it helps us continue our progress with feeding.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend

Glad the tongue tie was successfully snipped and wasn't traumatic for either of you. Everything crossed feeding only gets better from here on out. Having a lovely weekend. Went to a funfair, then cooked a roast dinner today, and going into town tomorrow to see my SiL do some Morris dancing. _ Monday is our 6 week check (it's gone by so fast). Handily timed, as while antibiotics round 2 worked, my wound has opened up at one end and is already showing signs of reinfection. Urgh. If I have a third, I'm fighting tooth and nail for a VBAC. Then Tuesday is Max's ultrasound on his hips. Busy busy busy.

Hope everyone else is doing great! ❤