June 2023 Babies ☀️ (thread four)

[firsttimelondonmummy]

Hey all,
We are getting close to full so getting another thread ready 😊

We have the chicco next to me from market place, and a new mattress. For after we have an IKEA cotbed.

Our NCT is 2 days in April. It was one reccomend for our due date.

We were thinking of getting the chicco next to me after recommendation in John Lewis, but haven't really done much research. Would people consider the tutti bambini cozee or snooze pod as better?

We're starting NCT in mid April too. Seems ages away!

Our bed is really high for some reason so don't know if we'd be able to get a next to me style cot as we noticed they don't go very high so we wouldn't be able to attach it 😕

We have one class a week until end of May!! Cutting it a bit fine I think 🤔 haha

I've not got any classes booked in. Got my growth scan in April and consultant end of this month.

Waiting for my nephew to be done with his next to me crib so I can use it. He's only 10 weeks now though 😀

I haven't booked yet but the classes we're looking at don't start until beginning of May, seems ages away but also so soon! The second half of this pregnancy is definitely going quicker than the first!

Our bed was the same, we had a stokke sleepi mini which was moses basket size for newborn and it then extended to a full cot as she got bigger. It wasn't too much of an issue getting up for feeds in the night etc but we did end up co-sleeping sometimes, husband was in the guest bedroom!

Anyone here know of any good classes videos re breastfeeding I want to breast feed but have no idea where to start

@thedust I think we'll have to just do the same & put him in a Moses basket or next to me with the sides up or something ! Bit rubbish though xx

@ImHopeful2023 have you looked at the baby academy? They have loads of free webinars. I did a breastfeeding one last Saturday and it was great. Def recommend it!!

@justbelieve we went with the Snoo.
We heard amazing things and couldn’t resist!

@C1umsyGiraffe i’d suggest to book soon.
Some of the Bump & Baby classes in our area are already sold out!! Crazy.

P.s I got the Snoo on sale, we actually only paid £800 (I believe they drop 30-40% off every few months).

Hi @LT103 will look into them sorry such a newbie don't know where to go look

@ImHopeful2023 i just came across them but have done the breastfeeding, baby care and first 6 weeks courses. All been great so def recommend!!
newbie first time mum here too

think it’s yourbabyacademy

I think we will go with John Lewis nexttome crib then ikea cotbed.

My NHS booklet has sent 3 whole morning baby care virtual lessons to sign up to that are live lessons. Going to do two of them with our son to help him feel involved during Easter 😊 Took him to a scan the other day and he loved seeing baby, it’s feeling more real now 😍

I won't be breastfeeding as I couldn't with DD1. Midwife recommended me getting some ready made milk for hospital too as it'll be easier. I agree as last time they wouldn't let me make bottles for her as couldn't bring powder in. Looking at the Kendamil ready made bottles with teats included for first initial days then powder at home.

@ImHopeful2023 La Leche League is a good resource and they offer breastfeeding sessions once baby has arrived. There is some criticism about them being a bit militant with pro breastfeeding, just to be aware of that.

My colostrum is well and truly here. I didn’t collect/harvest any with DS but wish I had had a handful of syringes as he struggled with his latch and I’d spend an hour trying to get him to feed and then the next hour trying to hand express: it was constant in those early hours and days. I swear last time it wasn’t advised to collect it before birth unless there was a specific reason but the research I’ve found this time is more mixed. Anyone got any experience or advice? How early can I start (I appreciate its way too early at the moment)? Is anyone else planning to? I’ve read anything from 32-36 weeks as a starting time.

@ImHopeful2023 ooo I’ve just remembered: The Positive Breastfeeding Book is great.

My big advice for breastfeeding, for what it’s worth, is to get as much help from the midwives in the hospital as you can whilst you are there. We had an amazing midwife who basically got my boob and pushed baby into the ideal position into it. Maybe not everyone would like that approach, but I had no idea how to get baby to latch and I was very grateful. If she hadn’t done that I probably would have given up, I was gently trying to coax baby to my nipple but actually she grabbed my boob so it was all squashed and easy for baby to latch onto…it made the nipple area larger….I don’t know if this makes sense, hope it does. So try to get a hands on bolshy midwife if you can 😅😂

Re colostrum harvesting. I tried really really hard to with my son from about 37 weeks. Watched every tutorial going, spoke to midwives, tried every day. And never got anything out. I ended up in the High dependency unit (massive blood loss) after I gave birth and the midwife basically had to milk the colostrum out of me. Turns out you have to use WAY more pressure than I had ever been doing. Just fyi, if you are trying, be very firm (but gentle)!

I exclusively breastfed for 13 months after this. And agree with what the pp said about getting as much help as possible. I however was in hospital for multiple days and every midwife and feeding specialist told me something different and had a different technique. So utterly confusing. I would know exactly who you want to call for help before you give birth. Hopefully you won't need it but you will be ready. Highly recommend having the number of a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) ready to go. Appreciate there is a cost involved with that but it 100% saved my breastfeeding journey. Lots of good feeding groups and support lines too.

I want to seriously try breastfeeding this time. Only did the first couple of feeds with the others.
Trust me to decide to try when there's 2 of them 😂 I've just joined a breastfeeding multiples group on fb so hoping to get some tips there.

Thanks all hearing some good and bad stories re breastfeeding just hoping I'll be able.to do it

@Whentwobecomesthreesorry for the TMI but it’s already coming out in the shower when I soap up my boobs and they’ve not stopped being tender all pregnancy. I found it tricky to get the hang of hand expressing with DS but figured it out in the end, maybe it’ll be easier this time around…? I think I’ll ask the midwife because it would be silly to risk preterm labour for a few syringes (though “nipple stimulation” didn’t induce labour with DS, I tried).

@PurBal Yeah if I remember correctly they told me not to start trying until 37/38 weeks in case it induced labour. But yeah I'd ask the midwife. Seems a shame to waste if it's there and already coming out!