June 2023 Babies ☀️ (Thread Six)

[ireneadler101]

Thought I'd start a new one as the old one is full!

I'm 37w exactly and definitely starting to feel more Braxton Hicks (they woke me up last night) but they don't seem to be getting more intense/frequent. Also a bit of lower back ache and general bump tenderness, plus I think I've lost a small bit of my mucus plug. Think this is probably normal at this stage and just my body gearing up for labour but am quite nervous as have a c section at 38+3 and hoping to last till then! Second pregnancy but last baby arrived at 36w so feels like uncharted territory!

How is everyone else feeling?

Best of luck to all the ladies still pregnant in this heat and especially those on the wards, I can imagine how unbearable it is!

I'm in hospital for monitoring. Lost my mucus plug this morning and I have had awful period/back pains most of the day with rescued movement from baby. It's so, so hot in here. I'm sweating so have asked DH to buy a fan in the local Tesco. It's really is very, very hot To those of you that have had your babies, how are you and baby coping with the heat? I've bought an air conditioning unit (for the bedroom we'll share) as it's so hot and stuffy! Do they just wear nappies in really hot/stuffy rooms? Can you drape a cool flannel over them? I'd happily sit around naked right now...

@toomanysausages our bedroom is boiling and so is the whole house atm (27c 😢) so little one has just been sleeping in a long sleeved vest (long sleeved as it has mittens and she keeps scratching her face) and I just put a muslin laid over her, she's been coping well tbf

Still pregnant but we have an old Victorian house with half meter thick walls. So when it’s registering as 30 outside it’s still only 21 inside. Going outside, to the shops, to nursery for DC1 is horrible but fine at home. DC1 was born in a heatwave too and it was horrendous being on the ward afterwards so I feel for mums recovering. @toomanysausages with DC1 we used a short sleeved vest if very hot, but he still has cold hands and feet. I didn’t put a blanket on him in hospital because it was sweltering and a midwife demanded I get a blanket out for him, I thought she was nuts.

@toomanysausages I've been tempted by an air conditioning unit to! Just don't see myself coping if it gets hotter than this or stays this hot for another 2 months! Hopefully it works for you!

We’ve also got the air con unit on and I put a cold flannel over my neck last night, which really helped! I’m suffering really bad with carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands (pregnancy induced, didn’t suffer beforehand), which is also making sleep very difficult 😥 have a wrist splint coming today though which should help.

I’m 38+5 today and zero signs of impending labour so far 🙃

@justbelieve I am also suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands. Splint does help, hope it helps to manage the pain.

Is anyone on Progesterone pessaries? I was wondering if progesterone should be stopped after 37 weeks? NHS doctors have said nothing about stopping. It is given to stop pre term birth, so could be stopping labour as well? I am 37+ 4, no symptoms except Braxton Hicks and had a very very tiny bloody streak in wiping and then nothing.

1 week in and I'm ready to give up on breastfeeding. DD won't latch so im expressing and I'm just not getting anywhere near enough. Last night I was in tears at 3am having pumped for 30mins and only getting 25ml.
We have been combo feeding but I can't do it anymore.

@DrinkingAllTheGin this sounds really hard. 25ml is really great too. Do you want to stop? It’s entirely up to you. There are some great breastfeeding support groups if you want to keep trying. Have you had a tongue tie assessment? I’m not trying to encourage you to continue to do something that makes you miserable, but I wouldn’t want you to “give up” if you want to continue. I also completely empathise, someone said to me it’s like wearing in a new pair of shoes. I remember after hours of trying to get DC1 to latch screaming through tears at DH to get the bottle, it was a game changer and we combi fed for a few weeks. DC1 learnt how to latch, I learnt better positioning and it became easier. I remember asking my elderly neighbour who is a retired midwife if it got better, she put her hand on my arm and gently said “persevere”, I burst into tears. It was both the best and worst advice.

@DrinkingAllTheGin Sorry that you are finding BF so tough - have you considered speaking to a lactation consultant? I used one with DS1 and it definitely helped me turn a corner when I was struggling. I used an IBCLC and would 💯 recommend if it's something that you can afford to do. They usually visit you at home, and then help with the latch, check for tongue tie etc, and often offer ongoing whatsapp support which can be so helpful when things are not going to plan. Expressing milk is really tough and I never got much out. Sending hugs.

I've seen my midwife today and she is sending the feeding consultant to see me tomorrow.
She has given me some pumping tips and I've just managed the most milk in one session.
I might be able to carry on a bit longer. But have asked people to stop asking if my boobs have "gone crazy" as it feels like pressure!

And the ice-cream van came round. Mr whippy for the win!

@DrinkingAllTheGin breastfeeding is bloody hard work and there's still way too much pressure around it imo. If you don't want to do it or can't do it, formula is there as a substitute and it contains the same nutrients and allows the same bonding and lovely feeding experience that can also be shared more easily with others. Breastfeeding seems to be working for us this time round but it was terrible with DS1. We went to see a private lactation consultant in the end and he had bad tongue tie the Hospital didn't pick up on. We had it snipped and gave it a good go with her advice but by then he was gone 10 days old and favoured bottle and formula. It's just one of those things. If I struggle this time, I won't be putting pressure on myself and will stop. They're not newborn for long and now is the time to enjoy them and the feeding experience. Sorry for the essay but I hate how it's made you feel x

@DrinkingAllTheGin My little man won’t latch and I’ve made decision to switch to formula today, feel a weights been lifted! I can enjoy my little bundle now rather than worrying about when and how to express ect!

DD is taking so much formula, I don't think anyone could produce enough.
DH fed her at midnight, 70ml, and I've just given her a further 60ml.
Pumping has given me a full feed for her breakfast in a few hours.

Baby made a very sudden appearance Monday evening! She shocked herself and had to spend a night in SCBU. She’s doing well now and we should be being discharged this morning 😊

Oh congratulations @AngelBlue12 she is beautiful !! Fingers crossed for your discharge x

Look at all that hair. Beautiful. X

@AngelBlue12 oooh congratulations! Look at all her hair 😍😍

Congrats @AngelBlue12

@DrinkingAllTheGin my little one is the same.
He’s doing 20 minutes on the breast then taking 50ml in EBM per feed.
He was only 5lb 1oz at birth 😳

P.s fingers crossed for your discharge this morning @AngelBlue12 💕

Gorgeous @AngelBlue12 !

I'm due to have my section today (6 days earlier). Very excited to meet baby and it doesn't seem as hot! Haven't checked the weather though but there's a nice breeze in this room :-)

I have mostly long sleeve sleep suits for baby, I think two short rompers and then some vests - hoping she won't be too hot or will have to send DH out to get her some more bits!

@toomanysausages short sleeve vests will be your best friend.
I’ve got a v small one and he’s still vvv warm in just the vest and we have a Dyson fan constantly running.

Amazon have an under arm thermometer £45 down to £10
well worth it for piece of mind re baby’s temp.

Braun Digital StickThermometer with Age Precision, PRT2000 https://amzn.eu/d/5iztgDs

P.s hope you have a wonderful, magical birth @toomanysausages 🥰

I’ve been booked in for an induction on Sunday, I’ll be 39+3 and I’m very nervous!

I’ve been told to ask my midwife for a sweep tomorrow to see if that’ll get things going, but I’m so worried it’s going to really hurt 🙈