Do you have questions about the fourth trimester? MAM’s experts are here to answer your questions

[BellaMumsnet]

Created for MAM

Whether you’re a first time parent or have had a baby before, each pregnancy is different physically and emotionally. Whatever your question about the fourth trimester is, MAM’s experts - Zoe, Claire and Naomi are here to answer your questions.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below by the 6th October will be entered into a prize draw.
• One lucky user will win a £200 Amazon voucher.
• MAM’s experts will be back online in a couple of weeks to answer a selection of your questions.

About Midwife Zoe Watson: Zoe is a Registered Nurse and Midwife with over ten years of experience working in the NHS caring for patients and their families. Zoe qualified as a Midwife in 2012 and has since worked in various settings, from a specialist home birth team to a high-risk delivery suite, and most recently at a community birth centre.

About Health Visitor Claire Crips:
A dual-qualified nurse, midwife & health visitor with three beautiful children of her own. Currently working as a health visitor, Claire loves working with families.
Supporting them and their babies through the good and the hard times.

About Consultant Naomi Saunders:
Naomi Saunders, mum of two, infant massage consultant and primary school teacher, Naomi has since become an advocate of Combination Feeding and works with MAM to raise awareness of parents right to choose their own path when it comes to feeding.

Here’s what MAM has to say:
“Here at MAM we believe in supporting every mum on their feeding journey whichever journey they choose. We want mums to join us in supporting each other, MAM has a solution to help parents feel confident and babies feel good.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

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Do you have to extend the fourth trimester for babies born early? DS is eight weeks but born at 36 weeks and it doesn’t feel like we’ve a month away from things improving. He still hates to be put down, only naps in the sling or pram Co-sleeps even though we shouldn’t. And his evening crying has gone off the charts in the last couple of weeks.

Also how much should you actively try and get them used to sleeping alone etc or do you just have to ride out the fourth trimester and trust they’ll eventually let you put them down?

Do you get any support in 4th trimester? Or is it a case of once you've had baby just going to the GP?

Is it normal for the fourth trimester to drag out for 8+ weeks? Last time was long for me and I am worried this will be a predictor that the next one will be the same

How can dads get involved more during this period of time?

As a ftm everything has seemed so full on. There seems to be an expectation to get out and be doing loads of things but personally I've felt I'm still recovering from the birth. Is it OK to be not out at baby groups/seeing people all the time during the fourth trimester, or are we majorly missing out?

What is the best activity to aid my baby's physical development in the fourth trimester?

What are the best resources to share to family members who scoff at the idea of a fourth trimester?

Despite having DC, I had to Google what the fourth trimester was as had never heard of it.
Obviously I understand recovering from birth and getting used to a new baby but does giving it a name and a timescale not create undue stress and/or pressure for those who don't feel back to 'normal' in time?

I don't remember being told about the fourth trimester at the time but have a lot since (twins are nearly 4). I strongly remember though thinking that things were easier about 12 weeks

Are there any plans to include this in NHS literature and classes? Knowing this at the time would have been much better

Same as pp, I'd never heard of this and I actually think it would have made me feel even more inadequate if I'd thought there was some kind of milestone/settling that we were missing that early on. DS was ill for the 1st 6 months (later diagnosed with multiple food allergies through my milk), went through 10 nappies a day and slept for 5 hours max. That time was just about surviving another day for our family.

Have you got any tips for dealing with the 'baby blues'? My hormones went crazy in the weeks after having DC - this combined with the sleep deprivation meant I was a wreck!

Should the fourth trimester be "compulsory" for surrogacy?

do things feel easier after the 4th trimester due to any physical or physiological changes or just because you are finally getting to grips with routines/reality

By definition it would be around 13 weeks…..

That was for @AliceUK

When and how should you start implementing a nap and bedtime routine in the fourth trimester?
DS is almost 9 weeks and DH and I are still very much winging it!

What is meant by 4th trimester? I’ve googled it and it just seems to be a made up stick to beat new mothers with by telling them their newborn can’t survive/ won’t thrive without them, the mother, being glued to them 24/7.

Would you recommend slings during the 4th trimester?

What is your advice about best practices.for pelvic floor exercises after birth?

Does starting contraception very soon after birth cause any complications with the recovery process? I would be looking at an implant specifically and they usually stop my periods.

How do you balance the needs of a newborn in the fourth trimester with looking after older children?

I hadn’t heard of the 4th trimester before. Where is the best place to find out about it?

Hi mums,
I wondered if anyone had any idea how much replacing the tiles in my kitchen would cost? I know that sounds a daft question but I just wanted a ball park figure. It’s just the splash back behind the sink, oven and and worktops. Single mum so tryin to not pay out in quotes. Thanks for ur help x

@jojo2022

1. This is a thread about the 4th trimester after pregnancy. 😂 You’re likely time get more responses if you start your own thread.
2. It will be cost of tiles + cost of labour and misc materials (grout etc).
3. The best way to get a price for the cost of labour is to get quotes, you don’t need to pay for these. Take a photo and measurements of the area you’d like tiling and email that info on to any prospective tradespeople. They’ll probably want to come round and have a look (which won’t cost you anything) or will give you rough idea of pricing over the phone/email.

How would you balance a your newborn and yourselves time, sleep when they sleep? And cope while having the blues as hormones are flying left, right and centre?