Due March 2023 - thread 3

[TeddyBeans]

New thread for ladies due Feb/March 2023.

PM me if you want a link to our private and hidden FB group!

💞 I've had cramps all day today. Barely functioning! 🙁

@Hopingforarainbow27 time for a nice hot (but not too hot) bath?

@TeddyBeans yes I think so! Have a hot water r bottle on my back now and it's helping a lot! Have been so detached today from everything

@Hopingforarainbow27 don't worry I'm sure we've all had days like that. I know I have! Hope you feel better ❤️

What’s the max temperature for a bath?

my gyno has said no baths that are too hot and to not get feet too hot, so I’ve not taken a bath since finding out I’m pregnant.
got a bag of nice bath bombs but also worried to use them 😐

For those that are starting to buy stuff - what tools and gadgets will you buy for feeding?

as a first time mum, I’m very unsure if I should invest in something like Elvie, or bottle sanitising machines and kits etc before I know what the feeding situation will be like, but not having any “tools” also seems like preparing to fail.
I am leaning towards buying those things like a couple of weeks before due date, and then returning anything that I didn’t need.

@havanamama if you're hoping to breast feed / combi feed then lots of places have schemes where you can borrow breast pumps to trial. I can't remember if it's hospital led or council led through the breastfeeding support network.
I wouldn't buy a breast pump so suddenly though, I'd probably leave it til baby was here. Because if breastfeeding works out well for you you can then invest in those first few weeks, and if you find it isn't for you then you've not wasted money.
I breastfed my daughter til 11 months. She refused a bottle for that entire time, so me pumping was an entire waste of time, I was glad I had only bought a cheap-ish pump. Tried it for a bit when she started nursery... And she continued to refuse a bottle there too.
There's so much expense involved in a new baby and you often buy these things and never use them.
If you're hoping to breastfeed I read this book (linked) in pregnancy and it was fantastic. I also paid for a private breastfeeding class pre-baby and that also was so useful.

www.amazon.co.uk/Positive-Breastfeeding-Book-Everything-confidence/dp/1780664605/ref=asc_df_1780664605/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310831412334&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13656464914056723981&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007011&hvtargid=pla-564546227403&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

@havanamama you can buy steriliser bags that go in the microwave, cheap, small to store and super easy to use. I'd say just buy them in the first instance and then if find you use bottles frequently then get a more substantial sterilising solution.
Basically, my personal advice is keep some money aside for these bigger things and just see how things pan out feeding wise when baby is here 👶

I have my baths at 38°. If DS can have a 38° bath then I can too! Basically you shouldn't be sweating so nothing too much higher than body temperature is what I was told

@havanamama another useful gadget for you ...
They don't recommend pumping in the first few weeks if you want to breastfeed as can mess with supply. (That being said I'll be trying this one on a bottle from 4 weeks and breaking their 6 week rule because there's no way I'm being tied up with a bottle refuser until 11 months again. Was lucky it was lockdown and I had no where to go without baby, but filled with dread about history repeating itself this time round, since the world is back to normal and I'll want the odd day/night away from baby!)
But they do say you can use these and again, a little cheap-ish gadget but worked wonders to relieve the pain of heavy/engorged boobs by just expressing a small amount off to a point your boobs are comfortable again

haakaaofficial.co.uk/breast-pumps/

@laurenfeelingsick I’m 14+1 and the sciatica came on about 4 days ago! Is the physio helping? I’m at a loss for what to do given we can’t take much pain medication!

@havanamama I would say wait and see how you go. It’s so easy to get things delivered next day if you do want them.
If you plan to breastfeed but want a back up you could always get some of the prepared bottles with teats which are ready to go, to save you investing in bottles/pumps/sterilisers just in case: Aptamil first bottles

Wahhh 14+1 and just been physically sick again for the first time in weeks 😭 been fighting the nausea so well and not actually vomitting... Not tonight though 😔

I never really got the thing about waiting a specific time period before pumping. I pumped one feed a day from the first week. It was the only way I got any kind of rest! DD always accepted a bottle because she got used to it so early and I never had problems with supply.

It's 11.23 and I've just eaten some cheese because I needed it. Cravings kicking in?

You'll be a midnight fridge raider or buying yourself a mini fridge for your bedside if that one carries on! Let us know if you have wild dreams after this 😆

@havanamama i wouldnt buy a pump until baby is here just my previous experience. I breastfed 2 babies and first couple weeks you arent pumping anyway because your just getting your milk supply up. I would wait to see how you get on with it first as some people dont enjoy it or dont produce enough and breast pumps can be expensive for a decent one. When u do buy one i had the mendala swing i think its spelt different but its what thry used in hospital so just got the same for home. Tommy tippee was rubbish and if you do breast feed i would just get a microwave steriliser as you wont be using many bottles and they are cheaper and easy for travelling.

@TeddyBeans oh i miss cheese so much it makes me so sick now. My bestfriend has come up with a cheese themed gender reveal and wont tell me what i keep picturing me cutting into a big cheese wheel and its pink or blue.

I found a pump useful straight away got me because I really struggled to breastfed so was able to pump in between and take the pressure off whilst giving baby breast milk, also useful if you want to collect colostrum but there is other ways to do that.

I bought a £40/£50 breast pump off Amazon (no fancy brand), it is portable and has lasted me 2 baby's.

@Deut28 that fills me with lots of hope, thank you.
I'm seriously going to look into combi feeding from very early on this time. I enjoyed breastfeeding a lot, but I didn't get that rest or any time away from baby as she was so dependent on me for so many months. She used to come with me to prosecco night with the girls with me and alsorts. Good job she was a relatively calm baby!
I'm thinking from 4 weeks trying a bottle a day 🤞 just to keep them used to having one!

@Babynum2 I had that tommee tippee one and while I didn't pump loads it's interesting you say it's rubbish. Took ages to pump. When people start asking about presents this time round I think I might ask for a better pump, the Medela ones are meant to be amazing and I do love the idea of hands-free Elvie too!

@LittleAcorn20 I only knew it was rubbish until i upgraded! It took double the amount of time as what the new pump i got took.

With BF/Bottles my first didnt take a bottle and it was so stressfull i pumped from early and she just wouldnt take it it caused me mentally a lot of pain i was 18 and i just thought i was doing something wrong on top of the added pain of having a baby attached to your boob 24-7 so i know how you felt. Second baby was much better i BF he was prem and then he was topped up with pre made bottles from the day he came off his feeding tubes in the hospital because my milk was low. By the time we got home he was a pro at both and it made me life so much easier with leaving him witb dad/my mum ect when i needed a break so there is hope!

Now that's an idea 🤔😂 no dreams to report sadly

@Babynum2 a cheese themed gender reveal sounds incredible 😂 I have no idea how it'd work but do share when you find out!

How close to second trimester are you? Hopefully you can eat more cheese when you get past the sickness stage 🧀

@TeddyBeans I am impressed you can stay awake til 11.23!
I'm lucky if I'm awake past 9pm at the min 🤣 😴

I had a Bella baby pump from amazon which worked well and was cheap, around £30/40 I think.
I was pumping and giving bottles from day 4 as we got readmitted to hospital due to weight loss, made it so stressful and although we carried on breastfeeding (and formula) until 12 months I don't think I'd do it again. Planning on bottle feeding from the start with this one!