Minster's 8th Side Car - Best not let the men see our post-partum bodies eh?!

[larrythelizard]

2022 Bumps

DKDK123 10 May💗
bez91 14 May 💛
Minster2012 22 May 💗 (C-section the week before)
whatwonder 5 June 💛
feliznavidad2 5 July 💗
SWAttempting 23 July (will be delivered in June) 💗
paintfairy 24 July 💗
Vil10 1 August 💛
Juno231 11 August 💗
kaylsd 15 August 💛
larrythelizard 18 August 💛
Inkypaper 28 October 💛
BellatrixK 15 November 💛

Sidecar Babies 👶👶👶

Kirky658 11 August 2021 💗
Kate105 14 October 2021 💙
Justanothercyster 10 November 2021 💗
2020Mission 27 December 2021 💙
blackcurrantqueen 17 January 2022 💗
Crazydoglady123 29 January 2022 💗
Haiyaa 1 February 2022 💙
becarefuloutthere 26 February 2022 💗
Lexber 14 April 2022 💗💙

@bez91 @2020mission i'm honestly appalled that they dont warn you about negatives of induction. I'm sure they should? I suppose they might if you ask, but you shouldnt have to?! You should know what you are agreeing to (with all of it, not just that). Not everyone will react badly but many people do and you should be warned about it.
And i think i would enjoy birth stories after the event. 😂I am still in denial about it all.
@Minster2012 great about Bronte's weight gain! Not so great about the weeping foof. Sounds about right on the SIL - its always the people that should make an effort who dont! We have gone for a focus estate. Breech baby in a car?! What?! No one needs that!
@larrythelizard glad you are home! And seeing DS sounded lovely. I still have migrainey days too sometimes. Annoying.
@Juno231 i've only just joined the positive birth company FB page and i think i might like reading some of those. I'll look. I also need to look at the stuff online. Just not enough time to do all this stuff!
@bez91 Sorry about the nipples. And the rough start at home. I'm sure it will improve though and DD will also get used to it. Its a massive change. Heart palpitations?! What?
@whatwonder I'm bricking it too and i'm not at the top yet! Its going too fast. I'm also having growth scan/baby size issues. How small is small? They can be wrong though - remember that.
@InkyPaper i'm still living off crap and probably do need to eat more veg. And they will probably do the diabetes test. I wish they had with me though as i worry they may have missed it and the crap i eat cant help! But them assuming you eat rubbish is ridiculous. A 14 isnt big anyway? My bottom half is a 14.
@lucyrp hello!
@DKDK123 i've been following on insta. Emily is well cute and i'm loving the photos. I hope she will improve soon so shes out of the light box.

Only news here is my consultant called after my last growth scan (assume she was off last week, so it was this week) and shes decided i need another sooner than my next one as shes not happy with one of the measurements as there was a 20 centile drop. 🙄Which is annoying when the midwife on the day said it was all fine. I've had a text reminder for a scan next thursday so i'm guessing thats when it is! I've not actually had a letter through yet. So i guess its wait and see. I'm hoping they just measured wrong. I'm getting fatter, putting on weight, baby is moving and so i'm not going to worry yet. I'm actually starting to find it hard to roll over in bed now. I have my 28 week midwife appointment this afternoon (even though i'm nearly 30) and get my anti D. Yay. I will report back.......

Sorry had to post & dash then as X was stealing phone!!

@DKDK123 hope Emily is getting a bit more settled with the sleeping bag on under the light (or on top of the light?!) and you too

Yes @bez91 how did you got on with the meds?

I'm currently experiencing my first real life "out" feeding session. I have to say it's not enjoyable. She just doesn't open her mouth to feed from me, I'm literally dropping milk on her & she doesn't open her mouth 😬plus my big boobs means it's not discreet at all, I have to whack a full boob out & squeeze it on her (despite this dress having "a feeding layer" my boob is too big to fit through it. So I'm trying to get her on (very difficult when she's not arsed) whilst not flashing to the whole pub then she just takes herself off straight away. It's so disheartening. I'm not sure how long my boobs will continue to produce if there's only a small amount taken

@larrythelizard you need to eat little & often definitely darling. Salty stuff too

Back to work already @lucyrp that feels like it's gone really quick?!

Hope your anti D injection is OK @paintfairy. In my unmedical opinion I think it's very hard to get decent measurements on these tiny little babies through layers of skin and fluid and if they're moving it's even harder! Hopefully the 20% drop is just a weird blip.

You can get those breast feeding bibs @Minster2012 if you're feeling self conscious - personally I wouldn't bat an eyelid at a baby feeding. Hope lunch was good despite having to feed Bronte like a baby bird.

I'm feeling better now after a nap and lots of food. Had a good conversation with new boss and actually what I thought would be disastrous timing for my career might have a silver lining and I might get to do some different bits and pieces for the 12 weeks before I finish!

@larrythelizard it wasn't necessarily the self consciousness, and I draped a muslin over me, it was the logistics of fannying around under the muslin, holding her, trying to get her on, keep her on, get her to feed, keep the muslin on, try to get her back on as she releases straight away, etc for the 5 minutes she actually feeds often 🙄plus yes the feeling self conscious cos my whole boob is out & im squeezing it etc etc. it's the whole thing really cos she's just not interested then feeding her formula afterwards. It's just so hard & frustrating 😩

@paintfairy an eminently sensible car choice, without the breech birth

God I'm tired now.

And shout out to all our nurses on the buses 🚌 ❤️😊🥰happy international nurses day you are all amazing

@Minster2012 in all honesty I think I'll find the breast feeding hard. I think it's awkward. I have absolutely no issue with others doing it out and about. But personally I'm just not that person. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. But obviously it's harder in the beginning too as you aren't established with it.
@larrythelizard Glad you are feeling better.

So- the midwife appointment. Heartbeat OK and measuring 28cm so only just under what I should be. BP fine. They appear to have given up weighing me though. Took bloods but struggled to get enough- so I'm hoping that doesn't have to be redone. Sure she only put a sticker on one too. 🤔 She was struggling with the computer system as they've had a new one and it's playing up. She was therefore thankful for my proper notes as apparently they have moved to computer based only, since I had mine. She asked me about antenatal classes and who to contact as that's not on the new notes either. So people don't know what to do. I gave her the email address. 🤣
Then came the anti-d. She hasn't been in the community long and was previously in the hospital. But she got out this massive thick needle and was like- which arm do you want it in? I said arm? Doesn't it go in your bum or thigh? She said it used to but now it's arm. 😳 Erm, no, are you insane? I don't think so. She admitted in the hospital she would swap for a smaller needle but doesn't have that here. She read through the instructions to see if it said it had to be somewhere specific as she wasn't sure if she was allowed. But after much complaining I got it in my bum/leg. And yes it hurt so I'm glad i insisted! My next appointment is only a couple of weeks away. Not really sure what they do at that!

In other news- a childminder i contacted has no space until September 2024. Wtf?! God knows what people do if they have no back up. I would be getting stressed by now!

Is there a BF support group near you @Minster2012? Round here they were so much better than the HV team.

I couldn't BF last time @paintfairy and I'm completely on the fence whether I'll try beyond the colostrum this time. I've got to have GTT and 28 week bloods all on the same day in a couple of weeks which won't be a fun morning! Good on you for insisting the mega needle didn't go in your arm!

@bez91 yeah, I think when it comes up again I'm gonna politely and firmly shut it down! How are you feeling now? I know it's a bind but definitely go to A&E if it doesn't improve!!

@lucyrp omg I remember when you got your BFP, I can't believe you're heading back to work soon! How's everything going?

@Minster2012 yay for Bronte gaining weight!! Hopefully she'll keep improving with her latch so that breastfeeding gets a little easier for you, that does sound pretty stressful

@paintfairy yeah, I don't mind them doing the test (although the midwife did say my blood sugar was fine on the blood test they did) I just very much mind the accompanying lecture! My BMI is currently 30, which is why they keep bringing it up. I've only gained 5lbs so far, which I thought was alright but clearly they disagree. They were having a nightmare with the system too when I was there, apparently it's all being updated to the same system everywhere before being updated to the new system and its causing chaos 🙈 that needle sounds terrifying!! Glad you managed to convince her not to do it in your arm! Glad everything seems to be OK too. OK, that has scared me a bit, maybe I should start calling round nurseries now?!

@larrythelizard glad you're feeling better! Sounds like great things are happening career-wise too - that's awesome!

@paintfairy Do pleased everything ok, I told you it was a huge needle 😂I had it in my arm then covid jab same arm 😬the childminder eek that's not good, I'm similar about the feeding, finding breastfeeding very awkward.

@InkyPaper def shut them down. Stick a carrot stick in their mouth 😝it's not the latch that's the issue it's just she's just not interested in opening her mouth to get on (she says as she's actually feeding really well as we speak!)

@larrythelizard im gonna see how next week goes, when DH back at work

@Minster2012 it's a pain but I'd definitely keep up some pumping if you want to keep supply up until Bronte is latching and feeding better. Glad she's gaining weight 😃 I pumped when Matthew was bottle feeding although that was a couple of times a day so it wasn't too demanding. I still pump whenever he's getting a bottle feed from my husband to prevent a drop in supply and to also just keep a fridge store. My husband is less comfortable with the public breastfeeding than me. He seems to think people will be perverted and look but actually it's the opposite I'd say, if anyone noticed they really don't look (from my experience so far). I was in one cafe and a member of staff noticed I was feeding and she passed by and sat a glass of water in front of me which was nice! I do usually try to feed him before we go out to avoid heading to do it though as I don't have a lot of feeding friendly outfits.

The nursing tops everywhere I looked seemed to have extra space for a bump? It's bizarre as we aren't nursing while heavily pregnant 😂 fair enough to not make the tops skin tight while our bellies are still not back to our usual size or wounds healing but we don't need space for a 6-9 month bump!

I'm not sure if everyone here who's had their baby shared their birth stories? I imagine not everyone as the first weeks are so intense with a newborn so it's hard to find time to keep up here never mind write up everything. I think I did share mines though? Can't even remember it's a blur!

I would say with the exception of what happened after my birth the whole thing was actually fine and I had prepared for worse. The birth itself certainly wouldn't put me off having another. It's definitely not bad for everyone!

@larrythelizard migraines again 😩 that sounds promising with your boss. Presuming things that may set you up when you go back?

@lucyrp 6 weeks 😬 I remember just joining the bus about the same time you got your BFP. Enjoy the rest of your time with Evelyn

@Minster2012 you're so brave going out, you're further along than me and I'm almost at towel throwing in stage with feeding. Latch is a big issue, sometimes good and sometimes bad I find and he doesn't go on for long but midwives in hospital said all looked ok. They were bleeding and cracked by the end of day 2 and me crying in pain to feed 😩 and still in bad shape. It's been quite tough with DD too waking in the night/not going to bed so we're both a bit out of it atm.

Childminder for 2024 @paintfairy whattttt!!?!? Do people just know they are going to conceive or what I don't understand. Glad you got the needle in a suitable place, sounds a bit odd 🙈

Went to GP for heart issue today picked up when I had my spinal for my repair post birth. Luckily I was having a palpitation as she listened in so been referred for a 24 hour ECG at the hospital. Whether that happens soon or not I don't know, it feels quite scary but hopefully it'll just stop and all be ok. Only advice she gave me is to avoid caffeine all together which I never had a lot anyway but a small amount in a cuppa wouldn't go a miss when running on limited sleep 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Minster2012 you’ve done so well even getting out. Everyone says how hard breastfeeding is, especially at the beginning. It sounds impossible, especially when she’s struggling.You do whatever is right for you and Bronte. So glad that she’s feeding well now though.

@larrythelizard brilliant news about work! Always good when things turn out better than you think. Especially when you were worrying. So sorry to hear about your migraine. They are the absolute worst. Is it hormones making them worse?

@paintfairy amazing on the scan news! Must be so reassuring! Thank God she listened… a huge needle surely shouldn’t be going into an arm?! Bloody hell… 2024. We will need a nursery/childminder 2-3 days a week, but surely you can’t book one 2 years in advance?

@bez91 I hope that you feel better soon. Glad that it’s been picked up and you are being looked after. Just take it really easy if you can.

@InkyPaper my bmi is higher than yours, and no one has mentioned it to me. Ignore them. It’s obviously dependent upon who you get. Although, I’ve eaten so much fruit and veg today, it’s all I can eat. Alongside a crisp butty to be fair.

@2020mission that’s so lovely about the waitress. I think my DH will be the same. He’s very private and hates it when i parade around in underwear 😂

I’m 13 weeks today! Whooop! Checking down another week feels good. Except the nausea, things are going well. No progesterone anymore as well, which is a relief.

Just a quick check in, mad busy but having such an amazing time. PTSD is just loving life with all of the doting family members! And then he's knackered and stroppy when we get back to the AirBnB 😂🤦🏼‍♀️ we've done a lot of telly watching to make it to bedtime...

@Minster2012 you're doing so well, keep up the good work. NOBODY ever tells you how bloody hard breastfeeding is, even if you have a "good" baby. And on top of all the physical shit the emotional strain is immense. But it really does get better, I promise. Stick it out as long as it's still working for you but equally don't martyr yourself! Do what is best for you. Also don't worry about BF in public, no one gives a shit. I fed PTSD at a funeral when he was 2 weeks old and no one batted an eyelid 😂 ok will get off my soapbox now!

I can believe that about the nursery @paintfairy we got the last Wednesday place for PTSD when I was still pregnant. Was v strange having to phone them and give them all of PTSD's info a couple of months later 😂😂😂

Also MIL has decided she's taking PTSD on a Wednesday now so don't even need that coveted place now 😂🤦🏼‍♀️ but I'm sure they have a waiting list! Anyway I'm in so that's the important thing...

Ds fan club notice
parents evening yesterday
behaviour: he is very sweet, a delight to have in class, a little gentleman, very accurate and meticulous, has nice friends, independent (even when he has a t a), asks for help instead of procrastinating, built a lot of confidence in last few months, teachers hope to have him next year
academically: very good in science, great imagination, very good at plastic arts, enjoys most subjects, predicted 3-5 in all subjects, good in history and geography too, apparently good at maps, doesn’t like biology but getting 5s in physics and chemistry, good at taking test, seems to enjoy the challenge (another surprise)
even though he spent all week preempting the comments, I get distracted, I do my best really, sometimes I talk in class....
had to explain to a couple of teachers that the evening for an autistic is not the same, not a lot of free hours, but I got the message across, and made a homework plan to built resilience, with the head of year, we start with 20 minutes a night, any subject, set alarm to mark time out, teachers that are bothered to send us links to focus on

And my messages are back in green

@2020mission I've found that looking at nursing tops, they have masses of room which is uneeded even now after not even 2weeks my tummy doesn't need that!! How long can the breast milk stay in the fridge again?? That's lovely about the cafe & water

@bez91 I'm currently running on caffeine & wine not gonna lie 😂read the birth story, your poor perineum 😩these babies really put us through it don't they?! Have you squeezed out milk/colostrum onto your nipples, that was def what helped me

@BellatrixK 13 weeks and no progesterone that's amazing so pleased 😀 a crisp nutty oh yeah that's a blast from the past I need in my life!!

@Soph0105 yeah it honestly is really hard, how are your boobs now you've stopped?? Ppl say that's excruciating 😣 glad you are having a fab time though, is PTSD going nursery on another day?

@Franklydear what a glowing report that's amazing 🤩 such a good lad

See the thing with the breast feeding like I found yesterday is I was thinking "this is something I do with X" so every other Tuesday we go to a playgroup then we get lunch & I would find it REALLY difficult to ensure X was safe & not running around like a 🍆whilst trying to feed B as she was requiring all my concentration. So we'll see how it goes when DH back next week (though I'm getting help a lot as still not healing great)

We tried to go get X a bike yesterday and had to give up as there was only a pink one in the size he needs (20" wheels for a nearly 4 year old 😂😂) luckily he didn't have as big a meltdown as we expected coming away without one. Headache here for me today & health visitor coming so a chilled day necessary

Also look at the list of due dates that's gone weird too!!

Have put a quick update on IG will catch up on MN once I'm home, couldn't get onto it in the hospital. Should be a happy home day but now rushing 65miles to my Grans hospital to say our goodbyes and have just found out they won't bend the rules to even let the baby in for one minute for my gran to see her. She was only hanging on this long to see the baby can't believe they won't let a dying woman have her last wish 😭😭😭😭😭

@Minster2012 thank you, he is a good lad, even if I say so myself, must be doing something right
you too are doing great and you’ll figure things out
@DKDK123 should be happy home day, I can’t believe they won’t allow it, have you make all the noise you can? I hope it can happen somehow

@Minster2012 the milk can stay in the fridge for up to 6 days if the fridge is below 4 degrees. Some sources recommend 4 days maximum though so I try to not leave any for longer than 4 days in the fridge without using them just incase.

@DKDK123 so sorry about your gran it's such a shame they won't let baby in. It's hardly the same as bringing a child in, that would be more disruptive.

@DKDK123 oh that's so sad I'm so sorry you can't take her in. Hugs hugs for you ❤️

@2020mission thank you will bear that in mind

I'm going to express a bit this afternoon I think. Put some in the freezer for it's healing power and see if I can get a bit more coming through

In other news health visitor came & all good, DH gonna register her birth on Monday. Can't believe it's his last day off today & we've not been able to actually "do much" cos of my wound & the feeding. I'm feeling very claustrophobic 😣😩

@Minster2012 what you mean you haven’t done much? You’ve done a lot, and there’s more to do, good that the hv found it all well, and get that baby registered, still on knickers watch @larrythelizard i looked at that website thanks, it looks like even if I miracle happens, looks like the bigger problem is lack of research as obviously they wouldn’t, but I am getting ahead of myself, first I would need that miracle, so back to reality and Netflix, thank fuck for Netflix

@DKDK123 that is so shit, I hope Emily gets to meet your gran. Hope you're both doing okay! I'm not on insta so haven't seen any updates but hope the experience was much more positive than the one with DS!

@Minster2012 you're doing an amazing job! literally everyone I spoken to has said how hard breastfeeding is. Also seems like you've been out heaps with Bronte? Hope you (and your foof) are also setting some time aside to relax!

@bez91 hope the nipples are going okay? How is his latch going? I have heard positive things about these silver nipple cup things (although obviously don't have any first hand experience with them). Did you end up giving him any of the expressed colostrum you had?

@InkyPaper that is so shit of them to be giving you a lecture. BMIs are completely outdated and I think it's ridiculous we're still so beholden to them. And a size 14??? that's below the average in the UK surely??

@paintfairy sounds like a pretty hectic appointment but glad to hear things are looking good. and thank god you were able to avoid getting that shot in the arm! I can't remember, did you say you are getting more scans because of IVF? hope all goes well with the growth scan, but it seems like everything else (movement, measurement, HR, BP, etc.) has been good so that's reassuring!

@larrythelizard hope you're feeling better? great news about work stuff!

@Soph0105 hope you're having a good time in NI! How long are you there for? what was your travel experience like with PTSD?

@Franklydear that's so lovely to hear about DS! what a little legend. Hope you are doing okay, how are the lungs feeling?

So I had my 36 week MW appointment today (was meant to be on Tuesday but MW called to reschedule last min on Monday evening). Ended up being slightly stressful. I had mentioned to her that I weighed myself recently and noticed I have only gained 6kg so far in pregnancy (at 36 weeks) and initially she brushed it off (saying "well the less weight you put on during pregnancy means the less weight you need to lose afterwards" like...wtf???) but then spoke with a consultant who has booked me in for a growth scan next week. Then today at the appointment she was in a bit of a weird mood, she did the doppler and palpated my stomach and said "hmm, baby's heart rate is unstable and I can't tell if they're head down or breech, so you'll need to go for extra monitoring" which ofc freaked me out. I also found out that my iron level (Hb) have dropped slightly, despite me taking iron supplements for over a month now. this was the appointment we were also meant to cover my birth plan, where she basically said that I have no control over how things go because ultimately it's whatever the baby decides to do that will dictate it. Also that the birth centre is open/closed on an hourly basis due to low staffing levels. Fab.

Ended up going to triage for monitoring, HR was fine and they did a quick scan and confirmed baby was head down. So seems like MW was having an off day but whole thing was mega stressful 😑

@whatwonder lungs a little better, meds and a little rest do wonders, still have another whole week off and a lot of drugs, should be fine, not in too much discomfort
Ds report is much better than expected, he adapted to a new school really well, made some good friends, advocating for himself and managing bus, lots of teachers, and academically doing well too, teachers starting to talk about hoping he chooses their GCSE, ... now I had a little time to process, it's a lot more positive than I was expecting, you can't help to overprotect I guess
You have no control my ass, and she worried you for no reason, un profesional, I mean we know births never go to plan, but you are always in control, your body your choice

Way to add insult to injury with no caffeine @bez91! Better be safe than sorry. How's your boy today?

13 weeks @BellatrixK whoop, that's exciting! How are you feeling now?

Sounds lovely @Soph0105 and probs even nicer that you get to stay in an Airbnb (I find my family all a bit much so I like staying elsewhere to get a bit of space!)

Yes junior @Franklydear so pleased to hear he's smashing it.

At least if you know that size bike fits him @Minster2012 you can order one online? I also have an abnormally large child so I feel you on that!

Wow that was an unnecessarily stressful appt @whatwonder you do think that MW should choose their words more carefully! Re the birth plan, I sort of get her sentiment but there are loads of things you can think about and dictate - ie you'd like to try and keep moving around/you want an epidural at the earliest opportunity etc. Also how you want to find out the sex - with DS they sort of dangled him in front of us so we could see!

Hope you got to your gran @DKDK123 💜💜💜

I think my migraines are blood sugar related but the problem is once I have one it's very difficult to shift as I obv can't take any decent meds. Better today though even after a massively sweaty horrible workout at the gym!

Have fake tanned my legs today and managed to get some up both arms. Doh! Lucky I went for a light coloured one!