Due January - Part 9!

[PartRadish]

Couldn't see another and the old one is full. Will copy the list from the last one, the tags are really temperamental though and it definitely has quite a few people missing sorry 🙈

@Kalodin
@buckingmad
@FirstT1meMum
@Vikki7
@sashastuck
@xLJ1990x
@suz2285
@TunnocksTCake
@Mummyme87
@Redpanda21
@Luhou
@RootsHere
@Matildahoney
@flowerpot258
@Ttcdcno1
@Onedayatatime24
@PartRadish
@youaremysunshine03
@Dannic2018

Getting super bored of not being able to walk more than 5 mins without awful braxton hicks. Doesn’t help that the track to horses field is flooded and muddy. When will this rain end!!!

On the plus side I’ve been telling everyone I’m 34.5 weeks and Ive just realised I’m actually 35.5 weeks. So that’s taken a week of misery off 😂 3 days left at work woohooo.

Had my haircut yesterday at a new hairdressers, lady cutting my hair was also pregnant but it was her due date yesterday! Major props to her, I can't imagine working up until then. She's pregnant with her fourth and actually gave me some great advice. It's so nice to hear positive birth stories at this point especially at a hospital I'll be going to!

As I was so relaxed after haircut and a nice warm bath I decided to try collect colostrum for the first time. (As previously advised by midwife as im 36 weeks+) I didn't expect anything as I haven't tried it before or leaked at all during pregnancy. But I actually managed to get a few drops out woo! I think there definitely is a technique to hand expressing that I'm figuring out so I'm going to try a little bit each day and see how I go. 😅

@EL27 congtats on the collostrum harvesting!! It makes you feel quite chuffed, doesn’t it. I feel the same.

I got like 0.1 ml first time and now I do it every 2-3 days and it’s doubling the amount I get in 20 minutes or so.

it’s given me a lot more confidence re breastfeeding. Well done!

@Mummyme87 thank you I’ll start taking them then. Hope you managed to get some sleep

@am3017 you poor thing, I’d be an anxious mess too. Not being able to really feel baby would make me want to be in hospital everyday. I hope you’re ok and managed to get some sleep

I had a 2 hour lie in there and honestly that’s the deepest I’ve slept in weeks! I felt drugged, not sure if it’s a good or bad thing 🤣
We were painting till 11pm last night but the kitchen is getting there now thank god, another busy day today too

@lucya66 ah thanks well done to you too! I felt bit disheartened at first because I was trying for about 15 minutes and was like that's it? Only a few drops..? But when researching it, it's completely normal to not get much at first or some people don't get any at all.

It's great to hear yours is doubling every few days I hope mine does too! Definitely giving me more hope breastfeeding too I thought harvesting colostrum may be painful but it's really not it's just a bit fiddly 😅

@EL27 did your midwife give you advice/syringes for colostrum? Not sure if i should be buying my own, i have my 36 week appointment next week

I know everyone is uncomfy and fed up but jeez, i am grouchy, swollen and fed up this weekend. Everything is an effort. I've got the laptop open on a sunday trying to type up some notes so i'm not pushed last min next week, as i've got another busy week. Just want to rest but even when i'm resting i'm swollen and uncomfy!

@EL27 I think it’s the unknown that’s makes it so stressful, I would be so worried I missed a sign something was wrong and don’t have my hospital check up until Tuesday!

Don’t be disheartened, it’s great you got some out and will keep building like @lucya66 has said.

I started harvesting Friday night after my water breaking on the Thursday so I had some incase the baby comes anytime soon, I managed 0.8ml but I have been leaking colostrum for a couple of months now…I bought the my expert midwife harvesting kit and it gives you advice on the best way to press on your breast to get it out!

I forgot to get some syringes from work so can’t start yet as I was planning to.

Hello everyone, how are you all getting on? I will catch up at some point, but I hope you're all okay. DD3 arrived early on Tuesday so I've been out of touch. She's doing very well despite being so early, but it was a bit of a scary birth and I'm still feeling a bit all over the place. Sorry for the short message and I hope that you are all doing okay!

On colostrum, the first day it took me over an hour to get 0.2ml and one boob wasn’t really cooperating.

4 days in I managed a whole syringe in about an hour or so, so it definitely ramps up quite quickly!

I hear people being able to do it in about 20 mins which seems mad, it takes me that long faffing about with the syringe!

Oh @Kirova congratulations, hope you and baby are ok! And everything settles for you soon.

On colostrum, I can squeeze little droplets out when I'm in the shower, haven't tried harvesting it yet, will start this week as I want to ensure my supply comes in fully.

Thank you! I'm sorry to hear about your mum's news, it must be tough. Make sure you're doing the right thing by you and taking care of yourself re work.

Baby is doing well and has needed less special care than anticipated (she was born at 32 + 5 but my older two were early and normal weight etc, so perhaps my pregnancies just don't last as long as other people's!!). She came super super fast and I lost a lot of blood, so it all feels a bit vague and surreal. I still feel a bit vague and surreal and can't quite get my head together - such a mess!

@suz2285 yes she gave me advice - two leaflets and syringes at the last appointment. She gave me 6 syringes, not sure if I'll need/want more though as I know it can be handy to have a good supply of them. I definitely relate to the feeling to uncomfortable to even relax. The PGP is too much right now 🥲

@Kirova omg congrats!! Don't apologise for short message, please take time to rest and recover with your little one. We are all here for you when/if you want to discuss it at all ❤️

Congrats @Kirova I'm extremely jealous, I'm 36+3 and very fed up and impatient 🤣

I really need to get a move in trying to harvest colostrum. Midwife gave me some suggestions and told me to get on you tube to look at ways of doing it.

Congratulations @Kirova! Hope you and baby are doing well 😊

I've also been able to get a few drops of colostrum but haven't started collecting it yet. Have got syringes so must try those soon!

@EL27 thanks! Good to know

@Kirova big congrats! 🥰

@Matildahoney I'm so fed up and impatient too but at the same time want to have no issues till after Xmas but I'm so uncomfortable now!

Aw congratulations @Kirova such lovely news, hope you’re ok. Bet your heads a whirlwind bless you. Take care

I think I’ll still be here till the middle of January and completely fed up. I wonder why some people have babies early and some late ? I’m hoping after 3 late babies my last will be different 🙏

Thank you @Kirova

@Bims2019 I've just ordered a syringe kit off amazon £6ish for 20 1ml, I'll start on that tomorrow and start freezing them ready. I'm 36 weeks Tuesday, totally with all you others who are ready for eviction time!

Congratulations @Kirova take it easy and enjoy your baby girl ❤️

I haven't really tried to get any colostrum out but I never leaked pre birth with any of my others so not sure it's worth the stress lol. Only 10 days until my c section so there's not much time now.

@Kirova huge congrats. Hope you’re all home for Christmas.

@Hummusanddipdip sorry to hear about your mum. You need to think about yourself and not the short staffedness at work.

34+1 today and had enough of being pregnant now! Especially with a bouncing toddler! Finished work now and going to pack my bags this week.

@Kirova massive congratulations! Glad to hear you're all doing well despite her early arrival, what a lovely Christmas present 🥰🩷

Oh wow huge congrats @Kirova what a surprise!
Glad to hear all is well despite being so early, enjoy your little bundle 💕

Congratulations @Kirova ! Sorry to hear the birth was scary, hope you're doing okay. Lovely to hear baby is all okay despite being early too. Am I right at calculating she is 33wks and 3 days now? She may be home for NY? How's she doing?

If you ever want to chat SCBU / NICU, I'm here ❤️

Aww, thank you! I appreciate it. DDs 1 and 2 had extremely normal and uneventful births, so this is all a bit unexpected.

Yep, she is 33 weeks 3 days now and she's doing well. She's now breathing without help but still has a feeding tube. I really wanted to express so that she could have my milk, since it's supposed to be so beneficial for premature babies, but my milk hasn't come it properly.

I was already in hospital because I had contractions which were classed as premature labour, so I was having nifedipine, steroids for baby's lung developments, the work. And I was really hoping that she'd hang on a bit longer, but she'd obviously had enough and came VERY quickly. I remember I was upset and I didn't want to push because it was too early... And then after she was born, I don't really remember much because apparently my blood pressure was dropping and I had a big PPH and ended up in HDU. Now I'm pretty much okay, but I still get dizzy whenever I do anything and even the smallest activities are completely wiping me out (like writing this message, ha).

I just feel weirdly emotional because it's not how I wanted it to be. And it's a mess up with DD1 and 2 (who had to go stay with their grandparents, my PiL) and DH didn't even get back to the UK till the day after she was born!

The strangest thing is her name - which we really hadn't decided on. But for some reason, when I was kind of more or less "with it" again, I was really insistent that I wanted her to be called Rose. It wasn't even a name that we'd considered, so I've no idea where it came from! But she looks a bit like a rose which hasn't quite fully got its petals out yet. Luckily DH likes it okay and she's going to be Rosie for everyday.

Sorry for the offloading... I'm in a bit of a weird emotional state still, I think.

Offload away @Kirova , you're definitely okay in doing so, it is emotional and you've gone through and are going through a lot. It really does mess it all up and makes it hard to juggle family life, plus the festive season is all going to be different to how you imagined too.

Absolutely amazing she is breathing on her own, looks like the steroids helped! Is she a good weight too?

You're still early days on the breastfeeding. Your day 5. You've gone through a lot, both mentally and physically, and so I'm sure that be effecting your supply. Do you have breastfeeding support team there? I really found just constantly going every 2hrs for 20 minutes even through the night got mine in. I did have some trouble this past week and I found forcing myself to express through the night every 2hrs helped get it to pick back up again.

Rose is a pretty name and as much as it came out of nowhere during an emotional time I think it makes it really special.