Due January 2024 - Part 10!

[Lilothblos]

Starting a new thread. Hopefully this will be one with lots of baby arrivals!

Tagging using the list from last time:

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

Congratulations @Vikki7 Home birth sounds amazing allowing you all to be together and relaxed soon after the birth.

So happy for you! Sounds very emotional for you and your OH. Enjoy newborn bliss.

I agree, it sounds wonderful.

My midwife and consultant midwife are really against me homebirthing due to previous severe PPH. I'd love to birth at home.

Huge congrats @Vikki7 and @Matildahoney I'm so glad your babies are here safely!

@Vikki7 and @Matildahoney congratulations!! Hope you're both doing well.

@Mummyme87 why did they suggest to bring forward your induction, are you feeling well?

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 started me on metformin for some raised fasting blood sugars and diabetes midwife thinks in view of him being big and that we should bring IOL forward, the registrar agreed… I was like, no. They discussed with consultant and he agreed with me actually so didn’t have to have the fight luckily!

Hello everyone, sorry I lost you! Then realised there was a new thread. I hope everyone is doing okay - have been trying to catch up on the news. Congratulations to all those with new arrivals and good luck to everyone who's going through the final stages...

Little Rose is okay but still in hospital, because she got an infection. She's doing a lot better now but we had some worrying days.

I'm feeling a bit out of sorts. A bit anxious and teary and still so tired! My work want me to do a day's handover (online!) because I obviously went off way earlier than expected and I feel totally overwhelmed at even the thought of it. Which is a bit pathetic! I was worried that Christmas was a bit of a damp squib for my older two but they were both really good about it and seemed to have a fun time without it being massively spectacular. The younger one was diagnosed with Crohn's earlier in the year and we've agreed later school starts as a reasonable adjustment, which is going to be much easier to manage with me on mat leave - so that's a positive.

I'm so sorry for what you are going through @Kirova . Hopefully little Rose gets better soon. In the meantime, your work can (respectfully) Fcuk off! They'll figure it out. Don't let them stress you out x

Oh bless you @Kirova hopefully then infection clears up fast and you can take Rose home soon. I agree with @TrudyProud work can sort themselves out, you've got enough on your plate to be thinking about them!

@Kirova hoping you can take Rose home soon! Echo others - you have no obligations to work at the moment. Yes, baby came earlier than expected but you’re still on mat leave regardless. They can figure things out and you can do a keeping in touch day as and when you are ready for it, not before. Keep a record of it - KIT days can be converted to time off in lieu or fully paid days so don’t let them try to see it as a sneaky bonus day just because you had to leave early.

I know I should be used to it by now, but it still baffles me why friends and family, however well meaning, feel the need to comment on my pregnancy/birth plan: “oh look how big you are!” “I was much bigger by now” “should you be doing/eating that?” “Take all the drugs on offer” “fingers crossed baby is early!” “You must be so uncomfortable by now!”. And the desire to touch the bump without asking if it’s ok first.

I can’t remember the last time I had a conversation with someone where they didn’t keep steering it back to impending baby.

@Gremlin84 too right, it's as though you become public property when you're pregnant! Or, like, a cat or something. Sadly it isn't really socially acceptable to hiss and bite at people's hands when they pat you, though.

Mind you, I did have a funny experience in my last week at work when we had a cross-team meeting and this young guy who I'd never met before exclaimed, "Oh! You're pregnant!" as though I might not have noticed. And then cast me worried looks through the whole meeting, clearly fearing that I might go into labour there and then. He did leap up and give me his comfy chair though, he was quite sweet!

@Kirova glad Rose is doing better, hope she continues to improve and you can take her home soon ❤️

Definitely with you on feeling out of sorts, my anxiety is through the roof and I have a daily cry about 9pm. Post-partum emotions seem to be a totally new roller coaster to ride!

Thank you for the moral support and the KIT advice too. Rose is doing a lot better now, but it was a bit anxious and I'm just not feeling myself somehow.

@Gremlin84 I hate it when people comment on the bump size too! It’s so unnecessary and inappropriate. And people reminding me how long is left until the due date…yes I am well aware and also it’s not like the baby has a calendar and is planning to arrive bang on time!

Has anyone been prescribed Dihydrocodeine postpartum on discharge from hospital? It’s been a godsend due to my birth/stitches and it’s the only thing that’s made me comfortable. I was prescribed 2 tablets 4 times a day alongside your bog standard paracetamol and ibuprofen. Has anyone ever been prescribed more upon request to their GP? I think I will only need 1 weeks prescription however just wondered due to the nature of it whether they would prescribe.

@Lilothblos yes people seem obsessed with the due date. Getting tired of saying “you know only 5% of babies arrive on their date”. And my dad took to going “X days to go! Tick tock!” over Christmas. Not helpful!

How often becomes too often to ring the gp/111 about little one?

We saw an out of hours gp last night about her constipation and the pain and whilst they saw her they couldn't do anything. Had a midwife appointment today for reweigh and she did speak to the children's assessment unit about a couple of worries and they said it was all okay as no other symptoms. However tonight she has gone very sleepy and we are struggling to wake her to feed so back in to 111 to see if they can refer us directly to the assessment unit. Is this becoming too many times to ring? Are we being overly anxious?

@FirstT1meMum I don't think you can be too safe tbh, if you don't think something is right then call! It's the only way you'll learn what's normal and not for your baba and that's what they're there for.

@Gremlin84 I'm getting tired of people counting down to due date too! And asking if I'm ready?! Can you ever be ready? Also both our mum's are lovely but every time I see them they guess when he'll come, what he'll weigh, what his name will be... They've been so supportive so can't moan too much but I'm just like... 😮‍💨Give me a rest, you'll find out in less than 2 weeks.

Since Christmas has been over, I keep having waves of anxiety out of nowhere. Feels like I'm on the edge of a panic attack and then I have a good breathe and I'm okay. I can only imagine it's because now Christmas and work is pretty much done (working next week then I'm off!) baby is all I have to think about? I don't feel stressed about it consciously, trying to just be chilled, people give birth everyday, but my tummy just keeps flipping at the thought that life will change so much soon. But I also am getting impatient for him to come!

@MrsJ6921 I can't take it so I got sent home with 100ml oramorph to take when necessary, it's a 10ml dose, luckily I only take it first thing!

@Onedayatatime24 thank you. 111 advised us to bring her to a&e do here we are. Hoping someone will finally do something to help

You're in the best place if you're concerned @FirstT1meMum like @Onedayatatime24 said, there's no such thing as too safe with a newborn.

I understand where you're coming from about the edge of a panic attack, out of nowhere my heart has started randomly rapidly beating, but controlling my breathing seems to help. It probably is a subconscious reaction to all the change that is coming, if you mention it at your next midwife apt they'll probs have some good advice because like you say women five birth every day, but women worry about it every day too.

For all those waiting for their little ones, I just wanted to share my experience so far, as it’s been very positive much to my surprise! For context, I really was on the fence about having kids, and really was dreading the newborn baby stage, and saw it as something to just get out the way.

6 days in, I am shattered, but so so in love and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

The birth itself was long, but the worst part was the lack of sleep over 4 days of being in hospital. Although the c section wasn’t the plan, the recovery is going great and at day 6 I’ve been able to go on a few walks, out to the pub, and I’m popping to a New Year’s party later.

Breastfeeding is getting better each day - day 2/3 my nipples were killing me and I was dreading each feed. However, this is now improved a lot and latching is quick. Highly highly recommend the silver nipple shields.

I’ve also been having DH do a formula night feed so I sleep from about 10pm - 2am. This has been a game changer and means I feel human. Yesterday I used the haakaa and expressed enough that he could use expressed milk rather than formula. She’s already back at birth weight (5 days in) so midwife was very pleased.

Little one is also now sleeping in the cot for a few hour stretches.

I just wanted to share as I’ve been very pleasantly surprised, and although hard, it really is the best so far.

I do mine at 9.30, we must be in sync! Seriously though, I hope you're doing okay. I remember how anxious I was with my first and I was constantly worried that something was wrong with her or that I was doing something wrong. It's really a lot, so don't be hard on yourself.

I feel like I've massively failed this time because I gave birth too early and ever since I've been failing as well. My milk did finally come in but there's still not enough, Rose isn't well enough to come home and the longer it is, the more I'm worrying that I won't be able to look after her, I'm still bleeding loads and having to get infusions once a week, my older two girls are living off cheese sandwiches and tomato pasta, and there is never enough clean laundry! Sorry, moan over.

Please be kind to yourself. You're doing amazing things. It really does sound like a tough recovery for you so listen to your body. Cheese sandwiches and tomato pasta sounds delicious!