Due Feb/Mar after MC 🌈 🙈 Thread 2

[MooBugz]

New thread following the almost full last one! Sorry if I missed the tag for anyone 😬

@Ally256 @madeinthe80z @Lmcc88 @OceanbreezeSun @doingitalllagain @RedElleJ @STom2 @WonderWoop @LittleLottle @Skylark1990 @Rubes1234 @Hagster @JoKB @Gamergirl84 @Franklin321

Thank you @ChangeHtotheP thats really helpful! 🥰

I remember colostrum harvesting when I was pregnant with my first, found all the syringes in the ice cube tray when he was about 8 months old and threw the lot

I haven't bothered this time as I already am leaking so much I'm having to change breast pads twice a day. I find atleast 3/4 times a day my boobs suddenly go rock hard and full on let down as if I'm feeding again! It's been doing it for around 10 weeks I couldn't believe how early it started and how much. I had massive oversupply with my first, so much so I had to express every time before he latched on because so much came out he'd be sick or choke on it. We thought he had severe reflux until I figured out it was me. I also had mastitis about four times with him. I couldn't pump because it just made me make more and I had way too much. I remember a midwife saying to me it's better to have too much than not enough and just wanting to cry that it's not better at all, it's difficult in a completely different way and doesn't need to be compared or minimised. I really struggled with it and was hoping it wouldn't happen again but if the amount I'm already making is anything to go by

1 week today until my section! I cannot wait. I am ready for all of the newborn snuggles. I'm having sleepless nights regardless so he might as well join me for them!

Wow @doingitallagain that sounds hard you poor thing! Hopefully it's not a sign of things to come and it will be more straightforward for you. I bought my nipple shields today fed my daughter for 12 months using them so will start as I mean to go on this time. Will still try without as well as its really annoying having to get them on first, particularly when out and about, but never seemed to work first time!

Is anyone else having mad mad dreams again? This week I've dreamt that I held my baby's hand through my tummy and another where my husband presented me with our baby which was about 3 inches tall lay on some tissue paper like a jelly thing. It was a girl apparently though - maybe a premonition?! 🤣

@doingitalllagain that was one of my main thoughts… whether I would use/need it!

Your feeding journey sounds really challenging hoping it’s smoother for you this time!

@madeinthe80z Yes! I dreamt I was being chased by a crocodile in Glasgow (makes total sense as Glasgow is know for its large crocodile population) I have been shouting out loads too so I must be having crazy dreams but not remembering them!

@madeinthe80z oh tell me about those mad dreams! I have had 3 of them last night, one weirder than the other... By the time I woke up, I was quite sure I have gone mad because despite then being mad and scary, I just slept through seeing them as though they were some highly interesting films🤦🏻‍♀️

Broken sleep, hurting everywhere when I try to turn in bed, mad dreams- best recipe for tiredness despite being in bed whole night 😵‍💫

@madeinthe80z Another nipple shields user here! Have them in my hospital bag. I recall the first night in hospital I got a huge blister on one of my nipples from feeding. Then the next couple days they were quite bruised. I started to use the shields and the difference felt miraculous. Used them for almost 5 months, but like you felt they were a faff. Ended up managing to get rid of them by starting with the shield then kind of removing it partway through feeding and DS seemed fine. Also noticed that by that stage feeding without the shields presented zero pain issues. Any time I tried to ditch them earlier it was too sore.

@STom2 that's good to know. I think I probably gave up trying without them by about 3 months so will persevere this time! She just couldn't latch without them with me. I think I have inverted nipples or something 💁‍♀️

Hi all, quick update from me... consultant booked me in for a section in the 15th Feb. Was really hoping for something earlier but all dates were booked up already!

So looks like a long 3 week wait to meet baby.
I'm so tired and finding even every day tasks a chore with the spd ramping up over the past few weeks.
Hope everyone else isn't finding these last few weeks too bad!

@doingitalllagain I had the opposite problem milk wise- my milk didn't come in for 5 days after the birth and I ended up exclusively pumping for 6 months. It was a living nightmare. Really hoping baby latches this time round and definitely going to start expressing before b day. ¹

@Gamergirl84 wow you are lucky! I haven't got a date yet, doesn't look like I will get one any soon either... I am under consultant led care and my consultant seems to be enjoying testing my patience.. she says let's decide the date in the next appointment every time I see her😫

I was made an offer to choose York Hospital to deliver the baby; I refused and went with Scarborough Hospital thinking it would be difficult to travel to York (40 miles from here). Now I am seriously regretting my decision🤦🏻‍♀️

Currently 35+4 and finding it difficult to cope with back pain.. otherwise I feel fine! Few new mums suggested I could try a bump support belt.. I was wondering if anyone of you have tried it and is it safe? Any other way to deal with this back pain?

@drV so sorry your consultant is messing you about, when is your due date?
I have a bump.support belt and it really helps when I'm out about. I got mine from Amazon- and was recommended by the physio at the hospital so I guess pretty safe?!

@Gamergirl84 my due date is 19/2. Four weeks to go but no news of a date yet And I just got know that I won't even be meeting the consultant in my 36 week antenatal clinic.. it's going to be a registrar And I am sure they are not responsible for fixing a date! I am just so furious atm 😡

Could you please post the link of the belt you got? Tia xx

I seem to be the only one where my trust booked in my section date 3 months ago! Mine is 9th Feb and have already met with anaesthetist etc.

@gamergirl84 I can only begin to imagine the hell of exclusively pumping. I did it alongside breastfeeding for the first 7 months, as I wanted the option of DH being able to give a bottle. Luckily DS took to bottles as well as breastfeeding without issue, but honestly the pumping was soul destroying. I can recall so many times where I was just in tears about it. In the end I just knocked it on the head entirely, for my own mental health, and started using formula in the bottles. Unfortunately not long after that DS decided he didn't want bottles anymore and only wanted the boob. But at that stage he was on to solids so the boob was more a comfort thing really rather than a 24/7 feeding machine.

These breastfeeding stories are scaring me🙈 being a ftm is like walking with a blindfold on! So many new things to learn... Feels overwhelming at times.. I guess it's best to live one day at a time for the sake of my mental health😬

Experienced mums, I really applaud your dedication to your babies! Hope it all goes well for you guys this time!

@drV Sorry don't mean to scare you!! I mean if it helps, if I thought it was that bad I absolutely wouldn't be doing it again, but I am.

Here's some positive things I experienced breastfeeding, for balance:

I was lucky in that DS took to it instantly. Despite it being my first time and not harvesting colostrum etc beforehand.

I had no issues with milk coming in, despite being advised a c section can cause a delay.

Breastfeeding was an amazing tool through the whole newborn stage. If my DS ever cried, being offered the breast was like this instant magic cure. Every single time.

Breastmilk got us through a couple of random baby ailments - eye infection, skin reactions. Also works for adults. My DS has viral conjunctivitis atm with a headcold and I wished I was still breastfeeding as last time he'd an eye issue I put breastmilk on it and it cleared up instantly.

If you're breastfeeding and baby is sleeping next to you, you literally don't have to get up from the bed at night. No sterilising or warming bottles in the middle of the night. This is a win!

I just wanted to give some positives for context. You'll always be told its tough at the start to get established. And if you can do that then it honestly becomes very easy. Equally, if you struggle with it, never ever feel any guilt about offering formula. A fed baby is a happy baby. This is definitely my biggest takeaway from first time. I felt massive guilt when I started offering formula first time. And in hindsight I have no clue why. I put unnecessary pressure on myself with the pumping etc. But I've learned from that and won't allow myself to feel that way this time.

Fed baby is happy baby. No matter what method you chose. x

Oh my son took to breastfeeding straight away, no need for nipple shields or the like he was very easy in that sense! The complications only arose from me just having massive oversupply issues. It just took a while to pin that down as the cause, in which time he was seeing a hospital consultant about severe reflux, I was suffering chronic mastitis etc. It is the most natural thing in the world and it's usually the detective work about why certain aspects aren't quite right that is the worst of it, figuring out that you have supply issues, or a tongue tie, or need nipple shields etc. Most of the time you can work it out and have an enjoyable feeding experience in the end

Also a big advocate of shoving some bottles into the mix over here as well!
If you manage to beeastfeed, once your supply is established, go for it. I used a haaka pump on the boob that wasn't feeding throughout the day and got enough for my husband to give an early morning bottle whilst I slept, but eventually as baby was taking most of my supply, we shoved some formula in there too. Don't worry about it, just do what feels right for you and baby. There's such a stigma around feeding but as you always hear, nobody can tell a breastfed adult vs a formula fed! No need for all the mum pressure!

@drV so sorry! Here it is hun,
BABYGO® 4 in 1 Pregnancy Support Belt Maternity & Postpartum Band - Relieve Back, Pelvic, Hip Pain, SPD & PGP >> inc 40 Page Pregnancy Book for Birth Preparation, Labour & Recovery L Black amzn.eu/d/231Am4Y

I'm off for my last scan and pre-op now I'm having a baby this week! Ahhhh!!

@doingitalllagain aaahhhh 🙈🫶🏽 that's so cute! And so soon so your going to be the first of the group by looks of it!

Hope all goes well can't wait to hear all about it 🥳

I've got a scan tomorrow and a hair appointment on Wednesday followed by a final wax next Monday then I'm happy for baby to come whenever haha. We also have strep child today so it's all fun and games in our house! Life never stops even if our mat leave starts haha 😆

Hope everyone is going good! I've been enjoying being off work and doing normal things but at a slower speed x

Best of luck @doingitalllagain!

I had my final scan this morning. All looking good. Always such a relief even at this late stage.

Good luck @doingitalllagain!!! Excited for you to meet your baby. Starting to seem
real that we’re all about to end one journey and start another crazy one. 😁

I agree with you @drV, being a ftm everything seems so scary! I’m trying to not plan too much and just see how things go but I’m normally such a control freak it’s sooooo hard. In terms of feeding I want to try breastfeeding but I’ve bought some of those momcozy wireless pumps in case I can’t or I get so fed up of being a milk machine and I need my husband to do a few shifts.

I tried to do a hypnobirthing course last night. I ended up getting so fed up I gave up. It was all about a natural and no intervention birth but my only concern is getting her here safely. I’ll do what ever is needed and don’t want to class any intervention as failure. If any experienced mums have any tips for helping with any type of birth I’m all ears. 😄

@Gamergirl84 thank you for the link, will definitely have a look!

@doingitalllagain so pleased for you, crossing fingers that everything goes well for you and the baby... It's so exciting and scary at the same time isn't it 😁

@ChangeHtotheP it is really scary being ftm and I can so empathize with you that the classes can be scary at times! I have adamantly decided on elective c section and hence I have not troubled my already anxious brain with any kind of classes ! Just had a in-detail discussion with my midwife regarding birthing plans And I am happy I did.. if at all I go into labour before 39 weeks, it's going to be an emergency c section🙈 or the max I will be going with an epidural.

You are right and an intervention is NOT a failure.. it's not just our egos but the baby needs to be here safely... I'm ok with any intervention as long as my baby is delivered safely🙏

@ChangeHtotheP you've got the right idea there I'd say go in with an open mind and that way it won't get scary. Just know that you do what you need to to get your baby here safely. The baby will not know any different whether there was intervention or not and there's absolutely nothing wrong if it's needed. Every body is different.

For me the only thing I was scared of my previous pregnancies was a C-section, which i ended up having with my last. And altho having been through it I still don't like the idea and don't even look or touch my scar. That being said I'm prepared for that being a possibility should it be needed.

I used to watch one born every minute and found that helped prepare for different scenarios. Yea it's scary and sometimes can be traumatic but when you look at your little baby it's worth it all 🌈

We’ve been watching the Emma Willis programme @MooBugz which really helped me ease any anxiety I had about birth. It still makes me nervous but I’m a lot better than I was.

Ive tried to discuss birth with consultants and midwives @drV but no one wants to seem to have the conversation with me. I know I’m a tricky case because I’m 40, suffer with sickness (which means I’m on fragmin) and have gestational diabetes. According to one consultant if I go into spontaneous labour early and haven’t stopped the medication I won’t be allowed an epidural and would need a general for a c section. I’m so confused about it all. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Hi everyone, hope you are all well and it has been interesting reading about the birth plans and breastfeeding stories! Just to add to the former, I loved breastfeeding and after a few tricky days while she figured out how to latch, we had zero issues and I fed her for just over 2 years. I always fed on demand during the first year which I think helped me avoid certain issues that can crop up like mastitis, blocked ducts etc. My top tip is to ask for support - don't be afraid to speak up - and hire a consultation with a private IBCLC (lactation consultant) if you have issues and the midwives are not helping enough.

Re birth - I wish everyone the best for the birth of your babies the next few weeks! So exciting. ❤And no, interventions absolutely don't make you a failure and we should all have the ability to choose how we wish to give birth, whether that is a home birth or ELCS or somewhere in between. Being informed is important, that's the main thing. And sometimes hospitals have blanket policies in place that are not actually right for everyone, so it's good to question advice and recommendations imo. I think the reason there is a focus on intervention free birth when it comes to antenatal courses / hypnobirthing is because, to an extent, interventions can actually make things more complicated /less safe for babies and mothers, so it's not necessarily that they will make things better. Of course, sometimes they are needed and will save lives, so it is a balancing act based on the situation. I'm currently reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and it is eye-opening. Absolutely loving it and it's giving me renewed confidence to birth this baby, after a difficult and interventions heavy labour with my first!

Update from me is bump is measuring below 3rd centile so off for a growth scan tomorrow... I'm not too worried as I know the fundal height measurements are often dodgy, but just hoping the scan gives me reassurance rather than anxiety!