Due May 2024? Part 3

[Sa11yCinnamon]

Just kicking off a new thread, hoping no one else does it at the same time!

@Athena1984 hope all is ok, keep us posted xx

I was given loads of syringes by my midwives and a little guide and they told me too start at 36 weeks, which was yesterday, so I have it a go.

It was a very weird activity (never done anything similar before) but I managed to almost fill one syringe (half from each breast).

I don't know if I overdid it but my breasts feel a bit sore today, similar sensation to the start of the pregnancy (although less sore than at the start of pregnancy).
I hope it's just them "filling up" again and now me having damaged something 😬
I don't think I did, it didn't hurt or anything... But I did spend about an hour squeezing...

As a note, I didn't have any milk leaking out on its own

Sounds like you did really well @Nina7 I hardly got any from my first attempt yesterday but I’m going to have another go today. My left breast seems more cooperative than the right! No pain for me today so either I’ve not done enough or you’ve maybe overdone it a little bit 🙈 I’ve read that having a bath can help things along so I’ll try that over the weekend depending how it goes tonight.

The syringes are tricky little things to get a hang of!

I did a bit of harvesting yesterday and got about half a ml. I would say that the advice is about 10 minutes in the information leaflet I got given so an hour seems like an awfully long time to be squeezing, perhaps that’s why they are a bit sore today. I only got some from one side but will definitely try again.

I find the amount of colostrum I produce varies from day to day. I generally do between 1-2ml but yesterday I was able to get out 10ml, which is the most I’ve ever had by far this pregnancy or my last. Today, I had to push to get out 1ml. My first day was a bit slow too.

I’ve also tried with the colostrum harvesting but got nothing… I’m going to keep trying though! I’ve had lots of cramps today and quite a lot of pressure below and my stomach feels so hard- I almost thought it may be the start of things but I think it may just be my body getting ready now.

I decided today was a good day to paint our nursery (what was I thinking) so now I have one very annoyed man who just got in from a long day of work and is now painting an entire room mwahhahaa

@PeppedUp omg that’s good going!! The syringes I have are 1ml so I don’t think I’d have enough if I got 10ml out!

I managed to fill 0.1 today which was loads more than yesterday. I definitely expressed more but was a bit clumsy with sucking it up. I’m feeling really positive about it after getting more today than yesterday so will keep going.

Thanks for all your well wishes.
This week has certainly been a rollercoaster! I still can't believe mine is here already.

Little girl is doing well, she is a little angel. Sleep deprivation & hormones have been a killer for me.

Looking forward to reading all about your little ones arriving soon. Not long left now for you all.

@junebuglb @Clarkey34 congrats to you both 😊 hope Ur little ones are doing ok!

Where are people buying colostrum harvesting kits and what are they using? Some are v expensive! I don't wanna spend too much incase it doesn't work or can't do it! Thanks.

I just bought these on Amazon and keep them
in a Tupperware box in the freezer, back in their individual bag with the date and time written on it. My MW gave me a bag for taking them to the hospital on the day but did also offer me syringes. I was hand expressing in to a sterilised bottle lid at first then syringing it up but now I’m getting a lot more and I’m close to due date I use a hand pump to get more out (I know that’s not recommended, but my MW said it was ok when I asked).

https://amzn.eu/d/4V5f06r

@Mum2b2024 I’m also buying them off Amazon and storing them in an existing Tupperware. I don’t write the date on them, I’ll just aim to use them in the first three or four months. I’ll have some as back ups in the early days in case I’m too tired to feed and want someone else to do it (although only if I’m really at my limit as need baby to breastfeed to get milk supply going) and/or as top ups to flush out jaundice. Then I’ll keep some in case baby gets sick. Beyond that, I’ll probably just add it to expressed milk.

You might want to find out from wherever you’re giving birth what their fridge/freezer facilities are. Last time, mine advised us not to bring any in unless there was a feeding problem (we live 10 minutes walk from the hospital so was easy for my partner to pop home).

@PurplePastaBake thanks for the advice! I will have a look and ask my mw this week as got my 36 week appt but I will actually be 37 that day as earliest could get me in this week so can start to try and do it!

@PeppedUp thanks for the advice as well! Sounds like Amazon is the place! Ah ok then thanks for the tip, I will check at mw appt this week. Luckily we only live a 10min drive from the hospital so not too far either!

I can’t believe tomorrow is the final day of April and then… it’s MAY BABY SEASON!

How is everyone feeling?! Have we had any more early arrivals? I’m so excited and ready now. I’m eating dates, drinking the raspberry leaf tea and just doing whatever I can basically 🤣

@LondonGirl1992 I’m so looking forward to being in May! My father in law is staying with us from 10 days before my due date so hoping baby can wait until then as he will be able to look after our son while I’m in labour (otherwise I’d be happy for baby to come now as I am so over pregnancy!).

My feet have really swollen up in the last couple of days - only really have one pair of shoes I can wear by completely loosening the laces.

@LondonGirl1992 I flit from being so over being pregnant and wanting baby here now to being so nervous about the labour and adding a newborn to our family and routine that they can stay put for a while longer.

Although symptoms wise I am starting to struggle more, rolling over in bed I look like a huge hippo, my feet are swollen, I'm struggling to get my socks / shoes on myself and I'm so so tired but struggle to get comfy either in bed or on the sofa.

Hope everyone else is doing ok - I still cant believe we are in the final few weeks / days. It still doesnt seem that long ago we were getting our BFPs!

I just need to get past tomorrow as it’s my current youngests bday and then I’ll be more than happy for baby to arrive! I’m so uncomfortable, the school run is a chore and insomnia has hit hard - last night I didn’t get to sleep until 4:30am 😩 hope everyone else is doing ok

I think I’m starting to get the start of my show - has anyone else had this yet? Last time, I went into labour four days later. Luckily I’m 37 weeks today so officially full term although not prepped in terms of hospital bag etc!

@PeppedUp I'm also 37 weeks today! Haven't had any show yet, and will be packing my hospital bag today after talking about doing it for weeks! I'm feeling loads of pressure so really hoping something might happen soonish.

38 +3 today and think I'm slowly losing my mucus plug. Booked in for a stretch and sweep next week to see if we can encourage labour.

Pressure has definitely increased down low the last few days and bump looks different and much lower.

Also losing the plug but that’s been ongoing for a little while. It seems to come out then maybe regrow for the last month. The midwife has been picking it up in my urine and I’ve been seeing clumps of it.

Loads of pressure and twinges, midwife thinks I could go this week but we’ll see. I saw a doctor this morning to get booked in for a section if I go over my due date. It was really positive which I was surprised by! I’ve even consented to a sweep next week if nothing happens before then, didn’t think I’d go for a sweep but for the sake of being uncomfortable for a period of time I’ll give it a go. I asked the doctor if she’d check me for dilation but she said midwife will do that next week if baby hasn’t come. I really feel like something must be going on down there with all the cramps I’ve been having!

Either way we will definitely have a baby before the end of May now!

Sorry should add, is anyone else just not feeling quite right? I’ve been feeling a bit funny since Sunday evening. My mum said that’s how her labour so will wait and see.

@SarahB88 I feel a bit off and can't really put my finger on it. Just had a 90 minute lunchtime nap and I can't usually sleep in the middle of the day.

@Sa11yCinnamon I’ve been having naps since Sunday too which is just not like me at all! I’m just back from my acupuncture appointment and fully intend on having a little snooze! Here’s hoping it means something is happening for us 🤞

Happy 37 weeks @Sa11yCinnamon !

I’m actually reassured you’ve been losing your plug for a while @SarahB88 - I don’t want to have my baby just yet, only due to childcare reasons. I told my son this morning that if the baby comes early he might have to go to his nursery friend’s house while I’m at the hospital and he started crying and saying he wants to stay at home 🥺 If baby can hold on 12 more days my FIL will be here to look after him and he has been much happier about that.

@PeppedUp oh your little boy 😭 what a sweetie! Hopefully baby can hang on in there for a bit but I’m sure he’d have a great with his little friend if it comes to it! I was fully expecting a big show but it just seems to be coming away in clumps every so often. Everyone seems to be different when it comes to the mucous plug don’t they. A girl in my yoga class had nothing then it all came away at once one evening then her waters broke a couple of hours later and she had her daughter the following morning!