Sept 2024 - Thread 10!

[SpicyMoth]

Saw we hit page 40, so figured I'd get a head start on the next thread just in case!!

Oh gosh, I just thought, there may not be very many more of these threads - I wonder if this one may even be the last?!

HUGE congrats to @MudandMoet on their gorgeous wee one!!
Best of luck on your way home this afternoon/this evening, I'm desperate to ask all about what it was like but I'll avoid that as I don't want anyone to get nervous/anxious about what's to come!!

Super glad you're feeling mostly okay and so so SO happy for you! <3

Morning everyone! Congrats on all the babies arriving and hang in there everyone still pregnant and waiting!

Esme Ira much preferred her first night at home to in hospital!! I actually got a solid two hours between 2-4!

Anyone using anything down below who has had stitches?? I have the which hazel Frida Mom foam..... And cooling pads (they feel weird like wearing a balloon in your pants!!) when I go all night with no pain relief I'm very sore down there when I wake up.

Just a quick update on the birth and how it went for me but I don't want to worry anyone who's still awaiting an induction! Mine was a bit trickier due to waters breaking and a bit of a boob from triage when they did! Which could of sped things up!

Part of my waters went Wednesday 18th..... But when I went in Thurs 19th at 8pm to be induced as no contractions had started (that I could feel! As apparently some mild ones had!) the lady in triage didn't do the correct swab apparently she tested my pad and was however totally convinced my waters had ruptured but the doctors and midwifes didn't have the "proof" from a swab.

They couldn't break the rest of my waters as my cervix was still not very open at all and didn't want to put the drip in straight away as didn't have the proof from the swab, and couldn't obtain a swab as there was blood on my cervix. So I had to have a prostin tablet into my cervix to try and open it. Tried to sleep that off for 6 hours, it slightly worked and they managed to break my waters and get me on a hormone drip Friday 20th around 10.30am.

The hormone drip bought the contractions thick fast and strong!!! However 1-4cm dilation took a long time and the contractions were so strong and unbearable I said I wanted the epidural which took a while as anaesthetist was in surgery! I think if you are having an epidural get it in before things get unbearable as I was really struggling by time I'd asked for it and when they were putting it in.

Much better once the epidural was in worked so well for a while but my contractions I could still really quite feel them due to the drip making them strong and we went from 4cm at 6.30pm to 10cm by 10.30pm and ready to push. However during pushing babies heart rate got to over 200 and they decided to rush me to theatre with the attempt of forceps delivery quickly if failing that a c-section.

Thankfully with me pushing and them pulling with the forceps she came out at 12.14am on the 21st.

Here is a little pic of going home and her announcement pic!! The first night at home was also so much better

What a journey little Esme took to get here @TripleESept24 ! I’m so glad you’re both safe and well and sorry to hear the triage nurses messed up. It’s very frustrating!

My Caragh arrived super quick after the second sweep- the whole experience still has me shook. Ended up being totally I medicated and I got the water birth experience that I wished for … but only for 8 or so minutes as I felt a super strong urge to push and our hospital guidelines are no birthing in the water 🙄 so I’d to get out. Two big pushes and she crowned and one more and her body arrived. Just 3h after Labour started and just 15min after I arrived on the Labour ward!

Worst part of it all was being stitched… I ended up with second degree tear but of course no pain relief meant it was only a local that was used to stitch. The pain!!!

Aftercare this time was soo much better. For the first 3 days I’ve used the Frida shorts, the green maternity pads and a Frida witch Hazel liner. The last 24h I’ve just used witch Hazel spray and laid off everything else. Truth be told the pain isn’t bad at all and I often I forget my Panadol and difene. So I’ve to be super careful keeping those up cos if I leave them off entirely it does get sore.

i has been taking my difene at 8pm and again at 6am and 2pm. Panadol then at 6pm, 12am, 6am and 12pm. But now I only Panadol when needed but keep up with difene x

Forgot to add lochia chat! Mine had almost disappeared, but I went a bit HAM yesterday doing chores and it came back with a vengeance. It was darker red and super light. The last 24h it’s been much brighter and much heavier. Moral of the story - stop being a hero and let my partner help!

Wow @PinkWatermelon88 that was quick! Lucky you got there in time.

Aww she's gorgeous @TripleESept24

Wow what a productive 2 weeks it has been on this thread! Congratulations @SantasRubiksCube , @Xur , @hol92 , @Decaffe , @Cinai2 , @RosiePH , @SpicyMoth , @HRP1990 , @Caroline2023 , @WinsandSam and @TripleESept24 . 11 babies! I’ve just caught up on about 300 posts on this thread, it’s nerve wracking reading it all in one go!

Thanks for asking and your kind words @WinsandSam , @kc92 , @PinkWatermelon88 , @Wanderlust86 @Kiwi23 , we’re all good now. Funnily enough the birth was super easy and quick and I was up and about immediately afterwards, good thing too given baby’s condition. They just needed support through the infection and are all fine now. Very stressful at the time though obviously. All in about 1.5hrs, pushing was 15min, done with TENs and gas and air, no tears or anything. Swings and roundabouts with the risks in making these babies.

@SpicyMoth I’m so sorry you’ve had a terrible time of it, how are you, your baby and your mum now? When the midwife said one end of your cervix, do you think they meant your cervix was still “at the back”? In advance of labour it moves to the front.

@SantasRubiksCube I’m sure your baby wasn’t the loudest just they sound loudest to us!

There was a TV question - I’m going to rewatch Motherland, Bake Off (of course) and Emily in Paris. A Motherland spin off is coming out soon too Amandaland.

@RosiePH I did! Lots of air has been released and I feel so much better

@TripleESept24 she is adorable. We had two chunks of sleep around 2-4 hours last night too, our first night home 🥳 which felt amazing.

@BakeOffRewatch that's impressive reading 😅 must be the long nights.. so are you are celebrity group member?? How exciting

@WinsandSam I asked in the pharmacy today and any trapped wind products I could buy but they wouldn’t sell me anything as I am (trying to - but thats a whole other story!) breastfeed. But it does seem a bit better.

Does anyone else find that mattress protectors and sheets make mattresses curl up?! I have to really push them to be flat again but I don’t know if they are totally flat around the edges.

@RosiePH the hospital wouldn't even give me anything even though they could. Day 3 and it's definitely much better than it was. I still haven't been for a #2 so don't imagine that helps! All so glam.

Lactulos ladies!

@BakeOffRewatch ah it's not touching me yet! And know it can cause wind too.. can't wait to be able to go to the loo

Very jealous of anyone getting 2 hours a night. That feels like a bit of a dream at the moment.

The cluster feeding is intense. Didn’t realise how hard it would be. But we’re nearing 4 weeks and I hope it’ll get easier. Baby girl will not sleep unless she’s touching me, or has my boob close to her, thinking of introducing an expressed bottle soon. But she won’t take a dummy so unsure of the success

@Emmaev yeah no one told me cluster feeding can go on for 12 hours and for days 😫 I'm in a similar predicament of whether to introduce a bottle to give me some sleep but baby is completely rejecting dummies so I'm not sure it will work, plus it's a lot of hassle at this point.

My baby has hit 4 weeks already and did his first 4 hour stretch of sleep last night so there is hope! I didn't sleep 4 hours obviously but he did 😁

Glad I'm not the only one awake and struggling! I cannot put her down, she screams if I put her in her cot. Then have to feed her to soothe her. It's pretty relentless.
My partner seems to be able to get her in the cot for a few hours but that's it.
He's now snoring away next to me, baby is on my chest. I'm not sure how people do this?!
Are you letting them sleep on you during the night? I'm wondering whether to or to co-sleep as this is crazy

@WinsandSam my first was a Velcro baby and co-sleeping saved my sanity. Got a bed rail from Amazon & followed the safe sleep seven because getting even a 45 minute stretch was good for him. I remember feeling like my mind was melting I was so tired. 🙈

If she doesn't like going on her back though it'd be no harm to see an osteopath to see if this can help? Wish I had done this for my eldest in hindsight! He cried every time he was placed down flat.

Other things that helped with my first to get him down without me were heating up the cot before popping him in - kept a hot water bottle next to it and took it out before putting him in. And making sure the sheets smelled of me and tucking a blanket around him so it felt like he was still being held.

My second is so far a great sleeper in his cot but he does get a formula bottle before bed. I go to sleep at 9, my husband gives 3oz around 10 and then drops him in to me around half 12. Getting 3 & a half - 5 hours at the start of the night has made it a lot easier to be up for the rest of the night feeds. Plus I find he's fuller and does 2-3 hr stretches for the rest of the night, unless he poos and then all bets are off. 😂 I chose not to express because I hated pumping first time round & just wanted rest more than to exclusively breastfeed this time.

@WinsandSam ive started co sleeping and it’s saved my sanity. I was getting delirious before and kept thinking I saw spiders and they were crawling on me. The lack of sleep does crazy things to your brain. I’m not planning on co sleeping forever. But in the newborn stage it def helps us.

I was contemplating a formula bottle before bed, but that’s how it started with our eldest, then was a slippery slope into fully FF and I’d love to just EBF this time. It’s just very draining

So glad i popped in for a catch up!

So I thought my first night home was an improvement but last night was back to where I felt we were in hospital. She won't stay settled In crib for Any longer than 30/45 mins. So sleep is like half an hour then awake again and back on to me feeding but she will only settle on me!!

@Emmaev @WinsandSam the co-sleeping thing!! I thought it was just a no go!? I need some advice on this because I feel like I desperately need some sleep or I'm going to be delirious!! She's asleep on me now, but if I move her to crib guaranteed if not straight away she would be crying and back up within half an hour.....

I have family arriving today around 2.30 and just want to stay in bed and try have some sleep this morning before they come

@kc92 that's good to know. My eyes have double vision and I start to see things that aren't there. So will definitely have a look/read up today. She'll lie on her back in the day, like she is now on her changing mat fast asleep 😅 just nights and her cot. Luckily she doesn't mind having a poo and sleeping through it. So not needing to instantly change her nappy. She just likes cuddling at night which I totally understand.

@Emmaev ok, maybe it's the way forward. Tricky at the moment as recovering from section and if she needs to go on the side of the bed, I can't get in the middle 😅 I'll get stuck. Also don't want to bottle feed yet (totally not against it) as didn't think I'd be able to breast feed and it's going great so far.

@TripleESept24 sounds very similar!! Each night if different and you think you've cracked something and it changes. I really can't put her in the cot for more than 20 mins. However my partner managed 2 nights ago for about 3-4 hours. Hasn't happened since. You can co sleep, I've had a little look at Lulaby trust and will look at it more today and safe sleep 7. Was too scared to try last night. Like you I can't be awake all night. I was just crying at 3am as tired, seeing things and my stomach was really painful.

My milk came in yesterday.. woah! I didn't realise it's literally drip out of you! Woke with wet pj's and it dripped all over the floor 🫣 my boobs feel like heavy bricks and very tender.

@TripleESept24 I did read a lot about it beforehand. I’ve attached a link of one of the pages I read.

My OH has gone to sleeping on the sofa so it’s just me and baby in the bed. No pillows, make sure baby can’t fall off the bed. There’s a few positions as well to get into. I am by no means an expert and I’m still learning myself. But feeding lying down has been a god send.

I was starting to fall to sleep on the sofa or more dangerous positions with her from complete lack of sleep so I knew I needed to do something. I do manage to get her in her next to me for an hour now whereas before it was just a nightmare. She’d been in a deep sleep on me then I’d put her down and she’d be awake in seconds. So I’m hoping in time that she’ll spend more hours in it.

I couldn’t even sleep during the day because she’d only want to be on me or feeding so my OH couldn’t even take over.

We’re still in the uphill battle here, but my friend said it starts to get easier from 6 weeks, just feels a long way away

https://laleche.org.uk/safe-sleep-the-breastfed-baby/laleche.org.uk/safe-sleep-the-breastfed-baby/laleche.org.uk/safe-sleep-the-breastfed-baby/

Also does anyone know when the bleeding ends? I’m almost 4 weeks post section and still no let up

Ever since he was born (seven days ago!) DS simply refused to be put down on any flat surface. We couldn’t understand why in the hospital all these other babies were merrily sleeping away in the cribs whereas ours would only sleep when lying on us. Everyone said it’d be different when we got him home…

Nope.

Currently the Moses basket and Snuzpod are taunting us like the expensive waste of money they were. His personal best for lying flat in one of them is six minutes.

We tried swaddling, gro bags, soother, white noise, lights, reflux bar, taking the mattress out and warming it first, hot water bottle, singing, to no avail.

So at nighttime we were just trying to tag team holding him, but we were sleep deprived and it wasn’t safe.

The midwife who came on our day 5 appointment recommended safe co-sleeping. We tried it that evening and he slept on our bed perfectly. I didn’t get so much sleep as I was feeling very ‘aware’ about it all. We did it again last night and what can I say - my watch tells me I got over six hours! DS slept well again and just gave me a little cry every 1.5 hours or so when he wanted to feed.

DH slept like a log behind me all night through.

I am a convert!

@kc92 you and I must be twins - our first was Velcro and our second is so far a very chill baby!!!

We coslept with #1 for the bones of 20 months. Following the sage sleep 7 saved our sanity but it was still very hard and truth be told we’re doing all we can not to do it this time around. I just never properly relaxed when she was asleep and so small, it felt wrong until she was close to 1y.

i was also freezing!! If I were to do
it again I’d buy a giant adult onesie duvet thing- like this (it’s sold out on the website but keep an eye!!)

Sleep deprivation is horrendous and I’m so sorry for those experiencing it. We had an awful night on Sunday night but last night she was in the cot nearly all night and we’re all like new humans!!

I feel like I need to discuss it with midwife Thursday!! 😭

@Emmaev id some bleeding up to about 6w with #1. It varies in heaviness ans colour, some days much lighter than others. Our poor wombs we’re out through the ringer and it takes a while for the wound to heal. I’d discuss with your midwife or PHN if it’s not letting up though just incase there’s anything else happening xxx

@Decaffe that sounds amazing!! We had the same in hospital and was the ones with the screamer on the ward. Others were swaddled in their cots.
My brother and sister in law have always co slept and swear by it.
In the middle of the night I was struggling to makes the decision, especially as my partner was snoring away. We can't just sit holding her all night and falling to sleep with her in our arms. It's not forever 💕

@PinkWatermelon88 that sounds dreamy having a full sleep! But you've early it after your first one.

@TripleESept24 know I'm feeling your pain and will also chat with midwife

Look up “chest sleeping” - there’s a profile on instagram called “happycosleeper” that details how this can be done safely (it isn’t the same as stomach sleeping in a cot) x