Due May 2022 thread 5

[Kittycaz]

@midnight90 @MrsMay19 @JMill13 @YfenniChristie @EastMidsGem @morphe @Sarah239 @fejkalove @Mummyingetc @Orangesunshin @aNewYorkerInLondon @Bubbasmama2017 @GinnyBee @Lavendersblue42 @Honeymint @YummyMummyXoX @K834baby3

Hey all if I missed anyone please add. Noticed last board is almost full.

Congrats @morphe ! Glad it all went well 😊

I started collecting colostrum today, managed a whopping 0.2ml! 😂 But it's a start! It's sticky stuff! Quite difficult to get in all in the syringe as well as I found the smaller droplets stuck to the spoon. Are you gals doing it?

@GinnyBee congrats, that's 0.2ml of gold!

I haven't tried yet... have ordered some syringes but I have a bit of a mental hurdle to get over if I'm honest!, it freaks me out a bit to think I could just squeeze my boob and milk/colostrum could start coming out of it... but of a mindset shift I need to get over I think, especially considering I do want to breastfeed! If I'd been leaking up til now I think I would feel less freaked by it, but I've had nothing and so trying to squeeze it out just seems a bit of a mental hurdle to me! It almost makes me feel a bit squeamish? This is absolutely not directed at anyone who's done it, I think it's awesome I just am not sure how I can personally bring myself to do it...! Help! I guess I just need to give it a go and stop overthinking,

(It probably doesn't help that I actually don't like milk myself, it makes me gag!)

First time mum due May 14th! Anyone else feel like the preparations are never ending? And this is before I finish for maternity...

@morphe congratulations!! X

I had a growth scan today, baby is measuring on the large side but they don't think it's anything to worry about still I'd like to have her out sooner rather than later in case I struggle pushing out a big baby! Will be trying nipple stimulation, colustrum harvesting and sex from tonight. I have put a few dates in my smoothies but not really commited to that one! Also has anyone heard of the miles circuit? Sorry if this has been mentioned already I've seen a bit on YouTube about different positions to get into that apparently work quite well to get labour going!

I found it easier to get the colostrum straight into the syringe, squeezed out a droplet and then sucked it up with the syringe. I had to keep drawing it up and down to get rid of air bubbles but I'm used to doing that from meds training at work. And I found it much quicker and easier to fill a 1ml syringe by squeezing one nipple once then switching sides and repeat. It's like they needed a few seconds to refill before trying again so the whole process was quicker if I alternated.
The leaflet from my Midwives says working up to 8 sessions per 24hrs! Similar to what a baby would be doing, including overnight! Not sure I'm so committed to it that I'm going to get up in the night for it but I guess when the pregnancy insomnia hits for an hr or two I might as well make use of the time!

Oh congratulations @morphe They're gorgeous! Hope you and baby are doing well.

I haven't started harvesting colostrum yet. I've looked into it, and I've got the syringes (and DH offering to help 😂); but I feel very similar to you @Sarah239! I don't know why but breastfeeding feels perfectly natural, but there's something about expressing that I'm struggling with.

Baby is sitting very low and have so many aches, niggles and lightning crotch moments today. Yesterday during the growth scan they mentioned that the baby's head was too low down to measure, and now I'm kicking myself for not asking if they were engaged or not. 🤦🏼‍♀️

These lightning crotch pains are horrendous, and the consultant was just matter of fact like "oh, completely normal, from now until birth" 😂pregnancy is great...!

I harvested colustrum last week, after practicing in the bath a few times to get used to it. I was given a small (10ml) container from the hospital and some syringes. I spent ages doing it (I know you're not supposed to...now, after reading more!!) and filled a few syringes. Then panicked about over stimulation... So have now stopped. Those syringes are frozen now anyway.

I found expressing into the little container, then collecting with the syringe at the end, to be the easiest. If you start in the morning, you can store the little container in the fridge and do it 2 or 3 times over the course of the day, then collect in the syringe (s) in the evening, before freezing.

I've been using the 1ml syringes filling one a day. I'm trying not to do to much as it does hurt if you do it to long and also apparently it makes the latch once babies here a bit more sore. Tbh I have 15 syringes full and frozen each dated to. I'm taking 5 syringes to hospital with me and rest will be for top ups once LO is here. Lightning crotch is the worst but now I welcome it as its like "good boy keep rubbing my cervix get labour going" bouncing on the ball is kinda helping and my cramps are still on and off. @Bubbasmama2017 the miles circuit is it like yoga poses? X

@Kittycaz sort of, some of it seems to be lying down and also walking around www.balancedfamilies.com/post/the-miles-circuit

Congratulations @morphe absolutely gorgeous!

I came in to hospital again at 7.15 this morning and finally had my baby boy by c-section after 5pm this evening. I'm now on the ward out of recovery and both doing well. Can't believe how gorgeous he is

Oh and 8lb 1oz xx

@EastMidsGem congratulations! Sounds like you had a long wait again yesterday but glad it was worth it :)

It feels like so many babies have arrived now and not even May! 🥰

@EastMidsGem, congratulations!!

@EastMidsGem congratulations xx

Congratulations @EastMidsGem !

@Sarah239 I haven't had any leakage at all either so was sceptical about whether anything would come out, but I got a drop on the first squeeze! One side was better than the other.

@Zibidee good tip, I think I'll try to just suck them straight into the syringe today. I had air bubble trouble too and because the stuff is so thick and sticky it was tough to break the surface tension to allow the colostrum to flow down and air to get out but managed in the end.

@GinnyBee the breastfeeding counsellor I saw at NCT also advised sucking it up straight from boob to syringe. Good luck!

@EastMidsGem congratulatons 😊 x

Congrats @morphe and @EastMidsGem amazing news, enjoy your gorgeous babies 🥰

Congrats 🎉 🥳 @EastMidsGem @morphe xxx

@EastMidsGem Congratulations!!! Lots of love xx

It's so exciting to see babies arriving on this group!😊❤️

So, I have my first sweep booked in this afternoon! I have my mum and sister staying with me for the bank holiday weekend and DH has time off work for my sweep this afternoon as well as for the Bank holiday weekend so really hoping she arrives over the weekend!

Have tried expressing colostrum, semen & orgasms, bouncing on my birthing ball, long walks, Red Raspberry Leaf tea, let's see if any of this helps lol.

Seems like we are all almost there now!🙂 Finding it hard to believe it's so close to May already xxxx

Ooo @H0peing good luck. I wanted a sweep at 38 weeks but midwife wouldn't give me one I'm not having one until 40+4 I hope it gets things moving x

@Kittycaz Thanks! My midwife is only giving me a sweep at 38 weeks because I have a consultant for my gestational diabetes and she's written it into my notes for the Midwife to give me one today and again next week if today doesn't do enough. It seemed like the consultant only recommended the early sweeps due to my GD and being 40 years old as well so two risk factors apparently. Excited and nervous at the same time! Xx