Due February 2025 - Thread 5: IT'S TIME

[UrbanSquirrel]

Creating this as a space to continue the Feb 2025 chat - quite frankly it's all starting to feel very, very real right now!

I was told to do them in my stomach 😣 I wasn't given any other site options. I could probably handle it better if I could do it in my arm or something.
I just hate the whole thing tbh, so I think the bruising just put me off completely, it was huge and painful all day. I'm scared of clotting too though but also had major surgery this time last year and never had to do this.. I'll speak to the midwife and see what she says.

Ah you poor thing 😥 do you self administer them? I'm a huge wimp with needles so my husband does them. Ask the midwife but we were told top of thigh or stomach and I think someone said arm as well. I've just been doing them stomach and thigh, I preferred thigh which I was surprised about. I'm still wearing the surgery socks too lol, they said to wear them for 6 weeks also while I'm doing injections. Not sure what I'm looking forward to stopping first haha. Maybe it's all the hormones also and the lack of movement having a baby to look after that means we get them for this surgery.

Our darling girl arrived 13/2/25 at her planned c-section.
A brilliant experience from start to finish!

She’s an absolute gem, feds well mostly, loves a sleep! Has lost 10.4% of birthweight at day 3 but otherwise doing fab.

Good luck to all those still waiting and congratulations to all the new baby families!

@retrievermum it's so worrying. I've had so many worries already with him. He's got jaundice which scary but trying to flush it out. I've fed him so much the last two days so really worried why he's losing weight.

@SBelfast I'm sorry your little one lost weight too. I'm breastfeeding and thought it was going really well but obviously not.

I'm currently obsessed with some ridges on his skull that ate showing but midwives don't seem concerned at all. Xx

@SBelfast as if we haven’t gone through enough eh!!
@Hhdxx try not to worry about the weight loss just yet. It’s still v early days. My first little one never lost weight as was just so hungry from the outset (formula). This little one is also formula but spent two nights in nicu and then one night on post natal with me which was so noisy that he couldn’t focus on feeding. He lost a bit and has gained back a tiny amount as was weighed yesterday. I’m just focused on ensuring he’s regularly drinking something and reminding myself it’s early days.

@Hopefully2ndtimemummy it's hard isn't it. I'm now combi feeding rather than just breastfeeding. Trying to pump as well! Need to fatten him up. He's so tiny. X

@JayJay92 yea I'm trying my hardest just to get on with everyday and not think about it. But it's not working 😂

When's your due date?

I meant to tag @jaybeez 😂🙈

@bumpkin34 it was yesterday! What about you?

Sunday coming. So not even overdue and I'm like this 😂

You got any sweeps coming up?

Hey, do you mind if I ask how combi-feeding is going? I've ebf so far (12 days) but have just introduced a dummy today and have bought formula, bottles and steriliser as I'm finding it harder to manage the night times than I did first time round. I don't know where to start though x

ETA: he's also not putting on as much weight either and is still quite below his birth weight. Although now gaining, it's very slow

Yeah I do them myself! I was told to keep them to the same times as the hospital administered them, so 9am daily, I do them after the morning school run. I spoke to the health visitor today and she basically said it's up to me ultimately, checked I was wearing my socks (they're lovely aren't they 🙄😂 I'm so glad to be wearing these for the second time in a year haha) and warned me of the signs of a blood clot. She didn't seem too worried or pushy about me taking them so it's reassured me.

@SBelfast @Lunalovegod when I had to do the injections last time, a bag of peas for a few minutes before jabbing helped a LOT! I left hospital without the compression socks as I got blood on them and nobody was worried, and my student midwife told me not to worry too much if I missed a few injections (I got given six weeks worth but nobody seemed to know why!)

Obviously follow medical advice, but just an anecdote that I didn’t and I survived!

@Lunalovegod Intresting you have the socks to wear this time round i never had any but did last section time. Have you tried doing your intentions like under your belly bit as mine is still numb round there and felt less painful doing the intentions there.

I was told a really specific area to do them in on either side of my belly button - weird how we've all been given different advice on where we can administer them!

@Hhdxx I've just remembered you delivered also at 37+3 so we probably had similar tiny babies! Don't be hard on yourself about the breastfeeding. It's really hard going, and it seemed to take days for my milk to establish and he's still cluster feeding a lot increasing my supply even more. I'm sure the midwives will keep you right so try not to worry (easier said than done I know). Also can't remember if I said before but we are also combi-feeding with both pumped breastmilk (if I've enough in the tank) and formula. They gave him formula in the neonatal unit to help get him released to me sooner and we've been using it when needed if my husbands doing a shift or he needs babysat as I've had a few unrelated medical apts. I don't think I'd cope quite frankly exclusively breastfeeding with the lack of sleep and all! My depression and anxiety is not as intense but I'm still not in a great headspace. Is hard going! 😊

@SBelfast yes 37+3 too! We've been back to the hospital because of my son's jaundice. Anyway, we're having to up the formula as he's now lost 11% of body weight now. How is your baby's latch with the combi? I've found since introducing formula, he's not latching as well on the boob.
I'm so sorry you're feeling so low. Bring in neonatal is like another world, I remember it so so well. Make sure you're getting help.
I keep crying and awful lot about every tiny thing. Also keep thinking the worst is going to happen again xxx

Oh it is, along with our own recovery, hormones etc!!
as someone with typically low BP it was a surprise yesterday to be diagnosed with post partum pre eclampsia following a visit from the PHN and a panicked follow up visit to the GP!

I’ve come to give a bit of an update as well. We’ve had a bit of a situation following discharge from hospital where my C-section scar came apart in one spot and started bleeding. I actually made a makeshift dressing and waited until the community midwife came the following morning but after her initial
assessment had to go back to hospital. Luckily I haven’t got an infection and they redressed it and gave me antibiotics as precaution. It was scary though and reminded me to take it easy!!! I definitely did too much too soon.

Feeding wise - my milk came in late and so we’ve had to introduce formula in hospital. LO is cluster feeding now but we find latching challenging and so I am expressing milk and topping up with formula. He’s basically constantly bottle fed 😔

I've got antibiotics for an infected c section wound too, 3 weeks on from actual section so I urge everyone to keep an eye on their wounds! Also sure I'm overdoing it as still getting pain especially towards the end of the day! Hopefully yours is healing better now!

You poor thing, it’s so hard not to do what we normally do so it could happen to any of us post CS! I hope you’re not in any pain and feeling somewhat relieved now.
re feeding, I’m sorry it hasn’t been going as planned for you but my little one really did thrive on formula and is a healthy little 5yr old now. I’m hoping this little one will be the same

@SBelfast sorry to reply so late, trying to catch up with baby, in-laws, my mum, my recovery and last but not least sleep.

Yuna is having horrific colics at night also... She's not the crying baby type and she ends up crying so I guess she's under a lot of pain. So, I can understand you with yours. (btw, what's your name in fb? I don't know much who's who there) hopefully it's going to pass at some point. Believe it! (that's what I've been told) I tried to change milk but still the same. I'll try to get the cod one side higher than the other and see. There're some videos (reels on fb) about exercises for release wind and prevent colics. I tried some and sometimes they helped. However, every night we have the same show of un resting and a little bit of crying. And you feel for the poor baby.... I hope it stops.

We went for the blood test and she barely complained. We should have results tomorrow. How's yours? Have you end up referred for the blood test?

How are you in terms of morale? Are you in high spirits or a little bit down? I feel sometimes down and overwhelm but it passes (after crying for something stupid, of course).

Hi everyone just to update our little boy arrived on 15 February at 19.42. Went from plan A water birth in birth centre to instrumental birth + episiotomy (kiwi(?) suction cup not forceps)!

He shares a birthday with my best friend and two of our extended family 😊 we are just obsessed with him, and so happy with the care we got in the hospital. Transferred to a midwife led centre for aftercare which has been great for support with feeding and sleep practice etc.

The cluster feeding has been a lot but we're doing well, got a bit more sleep today so will keep at it. Planning to go home tomorrow!

@Piluka Not sure if you've tried but we've been using a dummy and this has settled Sophia quite well when she's getting fussy, also Infacol/gripe water offers some relief to the windyness! It will get better the first 6 weeks are the worst for colic.

Btw, Congratulations on all of your lovely babies❤️❤️❤️❤️
And also, best of luck to everyone else whose going to have a baby soon❤️