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 💗💙

@larrythelizard we haven't even found one in stock online! The guy was like "he's 3????" What?? Sort of dangled DS?? 😂😂do you have an event you are tanning for??

@whatwonder we've only been out twice, other than that ppl have come to us to meet her. I just mean more like I can't join DH, the dogs & her in pram for a walk, or go to the beach or even just help do stuff, I feel like we've missed out on the time DH has been off cos I've had to be so mindful of my scar healing. That midwife appointment sounds awful, a growth scan is a good thing next week, hopefully the 6kg is just yhe right amount of weight for you. I put on 10kg in total, was at week 37

@Franklydear lack of research for what?

@Minster2012 my personal paranoid rabbit hole of the effect of these meds on the first few weeks of pregnancy, I have little to do, and not much sleep, I’ll pick up my knitting instead

In other news even if she's not drinking loads she's DEF 💩 ing loads and mannnnnn she's got a good projectile shit on her 😂

@Minster2012 then she must be having enough, poo + weight gain = get X-ray machine to see her drink

After driving all that way down we didn't get to see my Gran in the end. However the hosptial did explain it better which made me less angry, it wasn't that they wouldn't shift the policy for the baby it was to protect her. There's numerous bays in the ward closed off due to people catching covid and they can't let a baby with no protection into a place where covid is so rife at the moment. Once they explained it properly my mum told me not to go in either as she said my Gran was barely lucid and not registering who was there anyways and if she was awake she'd be raging at me risking catching covid when I've just had major surgery. So instead I facetimed her from the carpark so she could see I was nearby. She wasnt really with it for most of the call and didn't know who I was then all of a sudden a brief moment of clarity came over her and her eyes lit and up she said "That's Emily! She's beautiful.......but you do know it doesn't matter how much pink you dress her in, she's still going to be a wee Tom boy like you" 😂 then her awareness was gone again. But it did give me comfort knowing that even for a brief second she knew we were there and finally got to meet her great granddaughter that she was holding out for 🥰
I'll post the birth story in a separate post so that those who don't want to know the gory details can skip it!

warning, not a smooth sailing birth story

Went in for my pre op and covid swabs the day before the section, me and DH were joking on the way in that things had gone scarily smoothly compared to last time and this is where the shit would hit the fan. DS was at his grans so I was feeling relaxed, happily looking forward to the date night out we'd planned as our last dinner child free for the night. Nurse did my BP and it was 150/117, tested my urine +++ for protein and before I had time to blink I had cannulas in, IV fluids getting pushed into me, baby heart trace monitor on and admitted to labour ward. 🤦‍♀️ Baby's heart rate was through the roof too, they spent ages trying different things to get my BP down and her heart rate down all while admitting that if they couldn't control them both they'd have to do the section but knowing how tricky an op mine was going to be they really didn't want to unless it was a last resort as they didn't have the same amount or experience of staff on that night compared to the scheduled team the next morning (not reasurring to hear in the slightest!!). Luckily by about 3am they decided things were stable enough that they could leave it until the morning but it was a bit of a touch and go day!

Going down for the section the next morning was great (all nice and calm for those going for a planned section). The team were amazing explaining everything to me and all the back up plans they had. I actually unknowingly to them watched my section happening as the overhead light they use has a metal trim that acts like a mirror and I find stuff like that fascinating so I watched my insides which was cool! (Obv if you're squeamish don't look up at the lights 😂). They tried to take baby out but as I had so much fluid as soon as they reached in to pull her head out she had other ideas and basically swam her way back up high inside 🙈 so they had to use forecepts to pull her out. Got to see her being born and hear her first cry which is all I ever wanted so I was over the moon (tho she didn't stop crying for the entire time in theatre after that, she's an angry wee lady 😂).
All went a bit pear shaped from there tho. My previous section was a horizontal cut in my womb, this one was a normal vertical but the pressure of getting her out the old horizontal scar burst open and once they had baby out I was hemorrhaging a lot of blood so they were trying to race against the clock 2 surgeons closing the 2gaps in my uterus and 2 people trying to stop the bleeding and give me a transfusion. It went from lovely and calm to oh shit status very quickly. They ended up having to physically lift my whole uterus out of my body, one of the most bizarre things ever after it was finished hearing the surgeon say, I'm just going to pop your womb back into your body now 😂. Amidst all the chaos my BP dropped suddenly and extremely low which made me feel sick but being numb from the neck down I couldn't lift my chest to be sick and started choking out of all of it that was the worst part the being sick and knowing I couldn't sit up! So had to just tilt my head to the side and try be sick that way but realised the amount your insides move when you heave and every time I did I was sending more blood spurting everywhere so I started trying to hold in the sick. It was all a bit of a mess, poor DH had to walk over to the corner with baby and stand there as he couldn't bear to see it all and all hands were on deck so there wasn't really anyone free to usher him out.
However despite all that they got everything under control and I'm so glad we waited for the morning, I can now see why she cherry picked the best team as they just all worked seamlessly together like a well oiled machine, I'd dread to think what a shit show it would have been with a less experienced team!

I probably should be traumatised after all that but I'm just so externally grateful that they let me stay awake as I wished and that our little girl was born perfect, her heart is fine and she didn't even need a NICU stay 😁. She had jaundice so was in the phototherapy cot but that's nothing on comparison to what could have been wrong with her. We weren't really supposed to get discharged yesterday but when I told them about my gran they pulled all the stops to make it happen but we've to take it very easy at home.
Big brother is 100% I love with her and won't give her a minutes peace. Breast feeding isn't going well just because she was early and is too lazy to suck properly, she can latch does 3 sucks and gives in. Nurses at the hospital were amazing one spent 2hours trying all diff positions and everything she could think of but in the end we decided it best to try her at the breast for 15-20mins each feed then give her a bottle of formula so she's fed, put her down then I express for another 15mins. Feels like a round the clock milk cycle at the minute but I'll stick with it for a month in the hope that we get there....and speaking of milk cycles someone's hungry again I better get back to it, will read up on everyone's news when she next goes down.

Oh @DKDK123 I'm welling up, it's so lovely she realised that's amazing, so pleased for you all, she made it to meet Emily & you are safe too 🥰hopefully you can now get back home & start settling in

@Franklydear oh yes well she proved that last night with cluster feeding & shitting all evening & all night 😝who needs sleep anyhow?

It's a lovely sunny day day here & so we are sat outside getting some vitamin D. Oh yes vitamin D drops, you need those as well for the babies 😝

@DKDK123 good thing they did wait Jesus!!! That's what B does with the feeding, latched then takes a few sips & comes off

@DKDK123 that's fantastic with your nan, and yes to not risking covid for either of you, good birth story too, medics are miracle workers and as far as you are both well, that's all that matters
@Minster2012 pooooonamy, haha sitting outside is good, I am sitting in the music school car park with a coffee, I am planning to use the communal garden, we call it garden, patch of unkept grass, and sit outside this week too

Your birth story @DKDK123 - bless you, you're a strong woman! And sounds like your gran is too. Glad the hospital were able to explain their thinking when you got there, but wish they just had in the first place. So lovely your Gran got to see Emily albeit on video call, she may have known she was near!

Need to catch up properly - I will this weekend; promise! We had 32 week scan and appt yesterday, I've got bit too much amniotic fluid (someone else has had this recently, no?) and baby's tummy is 90th centile which can apparently mean gestational diabetes... so got a repeat GTT and another blood test this week. Her legs are only on 30th centile but they weren't worried about that, she'll come out with the same proportions as me at this rate. 😂

Off to a bday party with DS, and hopefully a nap this pm for me as he woke up at 0530. 😩

Great parents evening @Franklydear also really glad you're happy with the school after you worried so much before

@Minster2012 yes that was a definite relief for the nips but one has been infected too and still not great 🤦🏼‍♀️ still supplementing and he's happier that way out so I don't know if I can get him back on permanently but expressing lots (less tears of pain from me) so latch isn't great @whatwonder but yes he had all the expressed colostrum I'd been freezing. Feeding caused so much anxiety for me last time and my main target personally this pregnancy was to avoid PND again so we're taking it as it comes. Glad no meltdown was had by X! You're doing amazing to get out, I've ventured as far as the GP all week. I know what you mean about supervising older one, I'm still thinking argggh about DH going back to work. Not done a lot though? You've birthed a whole child and kept everyone alive for 2 weeks lady!

Sounds like a worrying time @whatwonder that was maybe unnecessary! Glad you and baby ok though!

@larrythelizard baby boy is good, just trying to pile that weight on. Fake tanned your legs is impressive, I don't think I could have seen all areas of my legs at that stage to dare risk it or even now 😆

@DKDK123 so glad you got some time with your gran albeit on FaceTime and for her to recognise what was going on ❤️
That's cool with the lights, I'd like to see what was going on too! "Pop your womb back into your body" wow, really happy it was a positive experience for you though albeit pretty touch and go and you now have your family all together 🥰

@feliznavidad2 it was me who had the excess amniotic fluid which eventually sorted itself out so just good they're checking you over as a precaution with repeat tests

Things still manic here, the tiredness is just manageable but struggling in between these weird heart palpitations and a 3 day migraine. I've been properly dressed once to go out to the GP in 6 days 🙈 DH is a great help in the day but he is so hard to rouse in the night

Just checking in quickly as I can't seem to stay on top of this anymore so think I'll just post when you each have your babies 🥰

@DKDK123 what a story! So glad you're both ok and that your grandma got to see her and you albeit via FaceTime.

My sister is doing combi feeding too for the same reasons as you. It works well for her little one so I'm sure it will for you and Emily too. ❤️

@bez91 it was agony, but definitely a great choice, with a team of can do people, any problems is heads together for a solution,
hope you feel better soon and for dh night time, elbow to the ribs seems to work here
@Vil10 hows the house? I’m a bit lost there

Afternoon family movie: willow, the old one, Disney+ if anyone is interested

Thought it might be shorts weather @Minster2012 so I thought I'd be prepared!

That makes more sense in terms of hospital visit @DKDK123 and at least you were nearby and your Gran met Emily.

I'm so pleased you were awake for Emily being born @DKDK123 and even though it all got a bit rocky afterwards, the crack team were there and were ready for it.

I think it was @bez91 @feliznavidad2 and it largely resolved itself before birth (with the fluid) ergh on repeat GTT; I'm not looking forward to mine in a couple of weeks! 32 weeks though, finish line is in sight!

Look after yourself @bez91, you're right in the window for the baby blue post birth crash. Can you have ibuprofen if BF?

Gym, out for lunch now out in the garden in shorts and tankini top 👌🏻 (it's the only thing resembling an underwired strapless bra I have!) pretty lush day so far even though I would quite like a nap!

Had a mammoth catch up read so I'm up to date with where everyone's at.

@Minster2012 I had a chuckle at your description of bf in public as its the exact same as DD at the minute. These babies just dont know the good stuff when its literally plopped into their mouths 😂

@paintfairy try not to worry about the growth scan, DD went from 97th percentile at the beginning to the 50somethingth by the end, I was worried she wouldn't be growing with that much of a drop but she was still a chunky 7lb 15 when born. Its good for them to have the growth scans just so they can do extra monitoring just incase but try not worry that they definitely mean anythings wrong.

@feliznavidad2 I had polyhydramnios too. It didn't really effect much my end, think it's more of a concern if you're going to labour naturally they just need to monitor you more closely when your waters break to make sure that the cord doesn't come out before baby. Because mine was a section that was irrelevant they just said if my waters did break to get straight to hosptial. It did mean forceps during the section for me tho as the excess fluid meant babybcould escape the surgeon when she tried to pull her out.
Hope the birthday party wasn't too painful!

@bez91 3 day migraine sounds like torture while trying to look after children! Has the GP given you anything for it? Hope it lifts soon.

@larrythelizard jealous of your garden weather its very overcast here today. Could be doing with a bit of sunshine, health visitor has just been to see DD and said she's still a bit jaundice so if it doesn't start to lift more in thr next few days we'll be back in hosptial. Its freezing for keeping her outside here today so I just keep sticking her moses basket under the window hoping she'll catch some rays.

Well my Gran passed away today, but she was peaceful and definitely was just hanging on to make sure our little girly made a safe appearance. We'll need to go register DDs birth next week, I think I'll give her my Grans name as a middle name as I'm sure she'll be watching over her 🥰

Heyy! Not been on much this last week with being away so will catch up now!!

@DKDK123 I was so so happy to see you post about Emily and that you were both okay!! And so happy you got to stay awake for it! I'm not surprised you were initially frustrated with not being able to go in to see your Gran but so happy she got to see Emily in the end even if it was over FaceTime! I'm so sorry she's gone now but positive it was peaceful and she got to see your beautiful daughter! What a lovely way to honour her as well by giving Emily her middle name, she'll definitely be watching over you all!!❤️

@whatwonder your midwife🤯 they really need to choose their words more carefully sont they!! Honestly I don't understand them sometimes!! Glad baby is okay and head down though, at least you got a positive out of the erratic appointment!!

@Franklydear what an amazing report for your DS!! You must be so so proud!! House sitch, we got an email from our solicitor yesterday saying the vendors are ready to proceed with their purchase so we should have our move in date next week, hoping for the last week of may, which works perfect because im on half term!! Hopefully be spending the jubilee weekend in our new home🤞🏼

@BellatrixK woooo to 13 weeks, that has gone super quick!!!

@paintfairy glad everything with baby is looking good! And good on you for arguing about the needle!! I don't know how I'd have coped, I hate needles at the best of times!! Also 2024 for the childminder??? Wtf!!! That's mental!!

@Minster2012 hope your wound is doing okay?? And glad to hear little miss is doing well!! I'm loving your Instagram posts and updates and her colourful outfits!!

@larrythelizard having a tan makes everything feel better! You're making me feel lazy with you still going to the gym, I haven't been since I was 10 weeks😳 I have been swimming and doing 2 big walks a day but there's nothing like a good sweaty gym session, you're a warrior💪🏽

@feliznavidad2 wow 32 weeks!! I think a few women have had that on here!! You're on the home stretch now🥳

@bez91 you're doing amazing keep going❤️

Well, finally got home at about 3:30am this morning after our flight got delayed and the motorway was shut on our way home from the airport so a 45 min drive turned into an hour and a half drive, was feeling slightly worried about babies movements as they weren't half as active as usual and their movements weren't consistent at all, and these last 2 days I've had a funny feeling, wouldn't say pain more like uncomfortable feeling above my pubic bone and lower back has been sore (aware this could've been from walking uphill a lot on holiday and not sleeping well) I left it a couple of hours then spoke to my midwife friend and she said to ring triage as it's always best to be safe, rang them at 12 and got an app for 2 this afternoon, did my blood pressure, temp and tested my urine all good with those, then had me on the monitor to check baby and suddenly they woke up, heart rate was perfect and they seemed nice and happy in there so midwife was really happy which reassured me a lot! She measured me, I haven't been measured yet as I was 28 weeks on Monday when I was away so I have my midwife app on Thursday when she said she'll measure me then, so midwife measured me today and said I'm measuring a little bit smaller than I should be, I'll attach my chart for others to see and tell me whether I should be worried, so they're sending me for w a growth scan on Monday at 11:30, I feel really worried and I'm not sure why, I know how inaccurate the tape measure is and hopefully the scan will give more info but I just feel worried😫

Forgot to add chart, attached it now x

With all the chat about breastfeeding tops that aren't for a preggo belly - I have two sized 18 B Shirt vests one baby pink and one royal blue if anyone wants them popping in the post?

www.thebshirt.clothing

Pleased y

Fat fingers soz. Pleased you had a lovely time @Vil10 - I find baby movements are much quieter when I'm busy and/or dehydrated. Good work going in and checking, so much better than worrying. Tape measurements are inaccurate, try not to freak out about scan on Monday - it'll be a good chance to see baby again

Oh @DKDK123 that made me cry with such emotion that your gran saw and knew who Emily was and even said what she did ❤️❤️ what a precious moment - she had waited for that moment!! Gosh what a birth story, you did amazing! Xxxxx

You are doing amazing @Minster2012 with feeding B and being out and about too after a section! Hats off to you lovely lady!

That's great news about DS doing so well, it's so reassuring when after such difficult times they find their feet and start to thrive - we have the same happening here with DD and it feels amazing to know after all our hard work we are getting somewhere!!

You are also doing amazing @bez91 ! I have the same with DH - great in the daytime but useless at night 🤣 I don't even try to wake him it's just easier to do it myself, even with 2! I honestly think you guys with a younger one at home alongside baby have it so much harder than I do with 2 babies, i have teens with hands to help and only the babies so can find our feet but add in a toddler-4ye old and Jesus that's hard work!? You are all awesome!

@larrythelizard yes you can take ibruprofen when BF as I was taking it in hospital

@DKDK123 im sorry to hear your gran has passed away, I think you are right, she waited to meet Emily ❤️ and what a beautiful tribute to her! We named Elsie Kathleen after my beautiful nana(stepdads mum I was very close to) who passed away 01.04.2020 so we were unable to see her due to covid. And Shayla after my mums mum who is also no longer with us.

Elsie is a bit bunged up, so very fussy at the minute. She can't have anything to help except saline nasal drops which do seem to help but it's making her fussy and means I am running on 2/3 hours sleep a night between their feeds, winding and changing 2 then Trying to settle Els.. I just keep telling myself it's temporary as otherwise they're e both still a dream especially for 2! Altho Theo tried to wake his sister this morning (I videoed him) but wriggling close to her and trying to stick his fingers up her nose and in her mouth 🤣🤣
I can't believe the twins are a month old today, where has that time gone?! And we've had 3 more new babies since their birth! 5 babies in the last month!!

You are honestly a legend still going to the gym @larrythelizard go you 💪🏼 yesterday was lovely weather, hoping for more of the same next week! Think I'm feeling ok 🤞🏼DH keeps checking in on me so it's helpful he's super aware after last time.

@DKDK123 migraine just about lifted so feeling more human. Hopefully that sun albeit it in the window will help Emily flush it out her system. Sending love on the news of your gran, although I'm pleased you seem somewhat at peace with it ❤️
What's with you all being able to register babies quickly @Minster2012 too? First appointment I could get was the 14th June!

Glad baby all ok @Vil10 movements can be hard to track when you're on the go too. Take it as another chance to see baby Monday, I think sometimes they just go off guidelines of every baby being on the 50th centile when in theory some people just have smaller babies which are perfectly fine too.

@Lexber glad I'm not alone on the DH front, I'm not complaining - he has to sort DD like tonight she's been up twice because she's heard Zac crying, so he's had to go into her room to sleep with her. It's a bloody pain in the arse as she seems to wake up every time he cries 🤦🏼‍♀️ extra hands are always good, especially for the 2 man job nappy changes! A month old wow, it doesn't seem that long at all. Lovely you've still got them in together despite them waking each other, what a little tinker

@bez91 the twins aren't registered yet 🤦🏽‍♀️ earliest appointment was when they're nearly 6 wks!

@Lexber it is a great feeling when things start to finally roll, it reassures me that all the hard work is not in vain and I shouldn’t be such a pain, I don’t know if to be more proud of the academic prospects, which are good, or the kind of person he is, literally not a single teacher has a meh thing to say, glad your girls are helping, and dh even if not so much at night, but as far as allows you to sleep at times....