Due May 2023 - Thread Three

[AlwaysTryingToHelp]

New thread as the other one was full!

I will try and tag everyone from the previous thread, sorry if I forget anyone 😊

@OptimusPrime31 I have terrible restless legs every evening and at bedtime. I haven’t found anything that works but sometimes I go sleep in the spare room so that I can kick or move my legs without being conscious of disturbing my husbands sleep. I do occasionally get it when I’m not pregnant too but have never found a cure.

@TheBeesKnee @Janch13 Thank you both so much!! I took your advice and managed 2ml yesterday! Admittedly it took AGES and my nips are a bit sore today so I possibly wrangled them a bit too much, but I’m so pleased!! Genuinely thank you!

The baby was moving a lot when I was doing it…is that normal???

@Awkwardusername i only have experience when I was hand expressing when my 1st was born and in SCBU (I darent do it now as I’m trying to keep baby in and don’t want to risk inducing labour lol) but the midwives showed me to knead your boobs like bread dough, so with knuckles and pushing towards nipples. Then sort of squeeze your nipples and that’s how I managed to get quite a few syringes. Just working round my whole boob so on the sides and underneath as well. I hope that makes sense!

@Awkwardusername yay congrats!! So pleased it worked for you!

I think mine was wriggling a bit and then I started having cramps, but didn't go into labour (thankfully) so I'm assuming it's normal 😬

How are you labelling yours? My hospital said that they must be labelled with a name, date and time otherwise they can't store it. I don't have labels to stick on the syringes so I'm debating leaving them at home and just sending DP back for them if I can't breastfeed in the hospital.

...talk about premature celebration.

I got a call this morning from MAU telling me that I had an infection and need antibiotics for one week. I am being induced in one week. So there goes my colostrum harvesting time.

The pharmacist said I shouldn't save/freeze anything while on antibiotics but that I "should be fine" with milk once I've stopped the antibiotics and it's out of my system.

I'm so upset! Going to have one more go tonight before I start the tablets.

@TheBeesKnee I’ve got my name and the date stuck on (cut up bits of post it note that I’ve sellotaped on!) but no times - if they ask I’ll just say I did it every night at 7pm or something and hopefully that’ll suffice!

Hope you’re not too upset about the antibiotics! If it helps, I saw the midwife today and she said expressing colostrum before baby is born is just an “added bonus” and that you’ll be able to produce more once it’s born anyway, so try not to panic! Hope you’re okay!

@TheBeesKnee I wouldn't worry about not being able to harvest colostrum beforehand. Baby arrived at 37+2 for me and I didn't get the chance to harvest colostrum but the hospital were fantastic at helping with that once baby was born and offered a lot of support to establish breastfeeding. They were also happy for me to stay in to make sure it was established before going home. As it happened, baby needed some extra care with being premature so I was in for a week and my milk supply arrived long before leaving the hospital.

@Awkwardusername aw yay! Well done. Yes I got lots of baby movement during and after as well.

@TheBeesKnee I just stored the full syringes in a sandwich bag labelled with the date. Maybe try that, then they’re all kept together. I’m not planning on taking into hospital with me though, will probably end up forgetting them and leaving them there! Also ask your midwife about the antibiotics advice as I’m pretty sure anything that does cross over into your colustrum/milk is super minimal! Also I’d still keep it as could be useful for topical use for things like baby acne, dry skin etc. It cleared up my first baby’s sticky eye when he was a newborn - magic stuff!!

also like @Bananabreakfast123 said, anything you create now is just a bonus. I didn’t harvest with my first and supply was fine once he arrived. I’m actually only really bothering to do it this time as a natural induction method.

Thanks everyone, you're right it is a precaution in case the baby doesn't latch or I'm too unwell to feed etc. Hoping I won't need it but I do like to be as prepared as I can be. I got 4 more ml last night and 1ml this morning, so I have 7 in total. Not the 10ml I was aiming for but close enough that I feel okay with my stash. I also tried a pump and that did absolutely nothing for me.

@Awkwardusername I read that the time stamp is helpful because your milk contains hormones to sleep/wake up depending on when you collect, so you'd want to avoid giving morning milk at night and so on?

@Janch13 that is an excellent point, I didn't think to save it for topical uses!

Hey, I'm new just found this chat but I'm due May 20th after a few IVF transfers. I plan to start colostrum harvesting next week but my nipples are so sore already not sure how that's gunna work.

How's everyone doing? I'm so over being pregnant, I've had pelvic pain since 20 weeks and now I just waddle around in pain, sleep is not restful and I'm so ready to meet them. I say them because we don't know if it's a boy or girl.

Anyone else up with heartburn? Really struggling with it now and I stupidly ran out of gaviscon. So many regrets

@wintersun21 I got Omeprazole from the doctor for heartburn and it’s a game changer! Worked immediately and it’s such a relief! Even if you’ve only got a few weeks left I’d still recommend highly, I just did an online consultation and got it prescribed without the doctor ever actually talking to me!

I would second the Omeprezole advice @wintersun21 , I struggled in for weeks with the worst reflux and heartburn. Within a day of taking the first tablet I can eat and drink again! It's such a relief. You can't take gaviscon with it as that blocks the absorption but you won't need it, it's truly a miracle drug!

Induction tomorrow at bang on 37 weeks due to a number of issues - wish me luck!!

Good luck @Baguette2021 - Fingers crossed for a smooth induction and birth!!

Ooh good luck @Baguette2021 do you know what kind of induction you're going to have?

Good luck @Baguette2021 !!!
Anyone else feeling like this? All of a sudden yesterday and worse today, shaky, anxious feeling. Almost feel like I haven't eaten but I have. It's really strange and making me feel so wierd.

Start off with a pessary and then gel and then break waters is the plan!

@Baguette2021 good luck!!!

@Baguette2021 Good luck! Please keep us posted xx

Hi everyone hope your all getting some sleep!
@wintersun21 definitely speak to your gp nothing worked for my heart burn but Omeprezole!
@Baguette2021 hope your induction goes well!

my little boy was born this morning via emergency c sections due to waters braking, a history of fast labours and he had decided to turn round and upside down!
so now an April baby! His doing so well I was so scared of a c section but so far it’s been fine!

@Firefly89 congrats!! Glad your recovery is going well so far.

Anyone feeling like there baby is going to drop out. I legit feel like this baby is so low down its a combination of what I think is lightening crotch and feeling like I'm gunna wet myself. Sometimes I'm gasping when I stand up it's that intense. Hoping that means they will come sooner rather than later because I'm miserable. 37 weeks along at the moment.

@Hoping4baby21 i had bad lightning crotch last night - took my breath away! Currently 39 weeks and have had low down pressure for at least a week now and lightning crotch. Still no other signs of labour though!

Fingers crossed for both of us @Leostratts hoe long gave you been feeling this?