# Pregnancy and Parenting After Infertility - Donor recipients - Part 20



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Happy Chatting!

Please post any additions/changes and I will edit the page.......

Name DS/DE/Both EDD or Birthday Flavour/Name/Weight

ceci.bee DS ICSI EDD 11/04/11 Joshua 6lbs 4oz

juju81 DS IUI born 17/03/10 Noah Alfie 6lb 0.5oz

HellyS DS IVF born 28/10/08 Emily 4lb 8oz

Ju2006 DS IVF born 29/09/07 Girl 8lbs 2.5oz
born 07/08/10 Girl 9lb 8.5oz

teresal DS IVF born 06/08/10 Meredith Emma 6lb

Mighty Mini DS IVF born 05/07/10 Lucas Edward 6lb 7oz

pinkcat DS IVF born 03/07/10 Joshua 8lb 5oz

Fizzypop DS FET EDD 29/08/11









carrie lou DS IUI EDD 26/05/11 Zachary Stephen 7lb 7oz

pippilongstockings DS IUI born 09/10/07 Luke 7lb 11oz
born 30/04/10 Zachary 7lb 10oz

ALF DS FET born May 08 Girl 9lb 5.5oz

margesimpson DS IUI born June 2010 Boy 8lb 2oz

snoopygirl79 DS ICSI born 05/05/09 Maisie 5lb 8oz and
Chloe 4lb 13oz

Hopeful Hazel DS ICSI born 21/06/11 Charley 7lbs 14oz

Chrispx DS IUI born 21/01/11 Girl 5lb 10oz

Northernmonkey DS IUI born 28/04/07 Girl 7lb 14oz
born 19/04/10 Girl 8 lb 140z

Paws 18 DS IUI born 17/03/10 Boy 7lbs.

Suze DS ICSI born 19/12/09 Libby Pauline 6lb

Speeder DS IUI born Sep 09 Little Speeder - Girl

JanaH DS IVF born 25/05/11 Joseph 8lbs 2oz

Sweetdreams73 DIVF EDD 6th Oct ID twin  

Amandaloo DIVF born 04/07/11 Noah 7lbs 13oz


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

They will see it Cupcake, don't worry hun!

I am back from maternity leave as vounteer for the donor boards so I have house keeping to catch up on.  
Shout if any probs, or details to be edited on page 1.


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## Fizzypop

Cupcake - my plan atm is to have a water birth at the midwife led unit, as long as I can hold on to my low risk status. However, I am fast learning that not everything goes to plan!!! I've also been studying hypnobirthing on NM's suggestion and am so glad I did - v good at relaxing you about the birth and experience...


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## carrie lou

Fizzy I was the same as you, was booked for midwife led birthing centre and hoping to use the pool. But the best laid plans... I ended up going 2 weeks overdue, being induced and having baby in the main labour ward instead. But it really wasn't the end of the world, baby and I both finished up safe and well which is of course the most important thing, and all the midwives and doctors were lovely. Whatever happens, I'm sure you will be fine xx Very excited for you


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## speeder

Just bookmarking, will post tomorrow..

Ceci - can you tell me more about the cd?? Xx


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥




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## amandaloo

Just bookmarking 
Post tommoz well it is tommoz but middle of night !


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## snoopygirl79

Bookmarking!!


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## ceci.bee

Hey everyone thanks Hazel for the new thread - looks great and welcome back to the boards as a FF mod as well as a poster, and great memory for the updates on the first post  !

speeder I used Maggie Howell Natal hypnotherapy - I chose that one because I used her IVF hypnotherapy and it had really helped me keep calm during tx. She does a whole pg range that goes through to hypnobirthing (which I didn't use as I was having a CS). The CD is quite short, about 25 mins, and you lie down somewhere comfy and quiet with your phone off and listen to it. She goes through deep breathing and relaxation then lots of healthy pg visualisation and at the end you get a chance to talk to your bump in your head which sounds   but I found really helpful as I could either congratulate my bump on growing so well, or talk to it about the donor, or about how much it was loved/wanted or about any concerns I had, and always felt better afterwards, so it was worth the 11.99 which is a lot for a CD these days. I have a copy that I am not using, but can't really post it to anyone from malawi, as you would have your baby before it arrived  

Cupcake I am so pleased you are feeling better and smiled when I thought of you in the loo at work  but I hope it helps and do anything that helps keep you calm and enjoying things a bit - I got told off by a doc at my 13 week scan because we were so worried and he said you will have the baby and realise you ddin't enjoy your pg! And actually as things turned out, my pg got cut short, and I was so worried up to 13 weeks, and then again after 20 weeks with the placenta praevia and risk of bleeding that I only got a few weeks to enjoy my pg and really miss it now (even though I have such a gorgeous child who I adore and love and would not change for a thing) -which I know sounds  bit   . you will be fine sweetie and big       coming your way

Sweetdreams - good luck for your scan tomorrow hun             really hope the twins are doing ok and can stay in you for a bit longer, but if not they are at a great gestation and you and they will be fine   

lots of love to all
Ceci


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## speeder

Thanks Ceci - will give the cd a shot on your recommendation. Cupcake - think Ceci puts it v nicely about really trying to enjoy it.  In hindsight it is such a short time and it's so special that you don't want to worry it away.  I really should take Ceci's advice myself!   

weclome back HH - hope all is well   

good luck tomorrow SD with the scan - and you get the news you want and if not, you have done just fab to go so far   

Fizzy - hope you get your waterbirth honey - sounds a bit odd that they want to induce you - hope you get to the bottom of that!  I was induced and on balance it's best not to be I think although I went two weeks over.  Have you got a hypnobirthing cd and would you recommend it?  I'd like try hypnobirthing this time round but am too skint to attend any courses.  Can't believe it's all about to happen for you - it's so exciting

love speeder x


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## sweetdreams73

Thanks girls     just book marking...will update tomorrow after scan, hope everyone all ok lots of      to bumps and babes too xxxxx


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## Fizzypop

SD - good luck for tomorrow, will be keeping fingers crossed for another week baking.

Speeder - we went to classes but there is a book they gave us - Hypnobirthing by Marie mongan.

Afm - Alls well, consultant was happy so for now no induction, yay! Bp has gone up but pee is clear so I am going to be monitored twice weekly for bp and pee until the end...I might just scrape my water birth yet, lol!


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## *ALF*

SD - have everything crossed that tomorrows scan brings good news    

Fizzy - great that they are letting you carry on with no induction, hope the bp comes down, mine was always sky high with the consultant and then back to normal with the midwife - white coat syndrome!!!

Love to all
ALF


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## Fizzypop

Haha, I do think it went up cos I was so tense about going to see cons (first time during pg, plus had threat of induction hanging over me!) going to mw tomorrow so will see!


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## amandaloo

Sd-  good luck for tomorrow  

Fizzy - great news well chuffed for you . My bp went up plus I had protien in my urine both signs of preeclampsia that's why I was induced . Anyway you are going to be fine fingers crossed for that lovely water birth you want x


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## carrie lou

Fizzy great news  Fingers crossed for that BP to stay down    Mine was up and down a bit but pee was always clear so they didn't worry.

SD will be thinking of you tomorrow, hope your scan brings good news   

Lots of love to all


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Best of luck SD


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## hakunamatata

thats great news fizzy, keep that bp down   

good luck for today sd xxx


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## speeder

Hakuna - can you not sleep either?! What are we like  

I am wide awake most nites and then exhausted all day. Obviously body trying to prepare me for no sleep again for months  

Sd - best of luck today - thinking of you x

Fizzy - that's brill that you have avoided induction for now, hope you get to splash in that pool  

Ceci - have ordered that cd from amazon so big thanks. Will it turn me into the laid back blooming earth mother type who drinks red wine whilst eating Camembert that I see everywhere??

X


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## hakunamatata

morning speeder no unfortunately been awake since 3.30 and most of night on and off. hubby is really sick with a fever, aching being sick etc. trying to keep him hydrated but also really concerned for widget. got to plan how to get to the hospital and scan on my own which we are both really disappointed about. ive never felt him so hot. ruby and i are downstairs and im contemplating an early breakfast as ms is kicking in as been awake for a while. what are we like hey! why arent you sleeping. bet sd awake too xx


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## amandaloo

Heck that makes 3 of us up ! Hakuna hope dh gets better soon  . Good luck for today. Give him some paracetomol to get temp down you most prob already have done but thought I'd say anyway 

Speeder - I always woke up starving when I was pg early mornings . Hope your ok


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## hakunamatata

morning amanda yes hes taking paracetemol but still burning up. trying to get water down him but he feels sick again. im munching cheerios


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## amandaloo

Hakuna- mOrning back to you too  speedy recovery vibes for hubby 

Question for you all with lo . Noah makes sOme really strange noises in his sleep that's what's kept me up fOr last few hrs . Sounds like a lamb/ goat screeches a bit sometimes just grunts just generally noisy more so in morn . I've got him up and winded him he didn't wake up still fast asleep no wind no sickness dosent have breathing problems . Anyone else experience this


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## carrie lou

Hakuna my DH is sick too, vomiting and fever - he sweated right through his PJs last night  Doc signed him off work for a week though he seems a bit better today. Hope yours gets better soon  


Amanda Zac makes odd noises in his sleep too, according to my book it's nothing to worry about and babies can make all sorts of noises sleeping. Generally I think if there was something really wrong he would wake up and let me know, so as long as he stays asleep I just leave him. Difficult though if he sleeps in with you, because every little sound wakes you up!  


Hope you ladies managed to get some sleep


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Ananda we evicted Ds from our room at 3 wks cos his noisy sleep   it was much better, we all slept better


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## ceci.bee

cupcake hun really pleased the CD was helpful and you felt more relaxed afterwards   

Speeder hun it won't turn you into an earth mother eating soft cheese I promise  but it might help you sleep which is always a good thing  

Hakuna good luck for your scan and so sorry hubby is poorly - am sure the widget will be fine, just make sure if you do catch it you keep your temperature down if you can. Sorry he can't come too    - hope you get lots of pics to show him        

Fizzy great news they are holding off the induction, and your BP is under control. Not long now and so much luck!!

Amanda Joshi also made loads of funny noises in his sleep - mostly snuffling and mucous in his airway noises. It got so bad that we took him to the paediatrician as it sounded a few times like he was not able to breathe, and the doc was really reassuring saying all babies make noises in their sleep, but as long as they are pink and moving around and breathing then it is nothing to worry about. it does get better I think as they get older and have stronger tongue and palate, but the wriggling keeps going (well so far at least!). I am sure it is not made easier by poorly DH   

Sweetdreams good luck today am thinking of you sweetie and hope all is ok with the boys              

Carrie so sorry your DH is also poorly - he has been in the wars since Zach was born hasn't he   i hope he recovers from this pdq and is back to his normal self   

AFM Joshi is starting to ask for an extra feed in the daytime now - he is 8kg at 4 months so is a big baby from his teeny weeny birth weight - so I tried to give him some baby rice cereal with breast milk which he spat out and howled indignantly at me   - any ideas about how to do this?? Should i keep giving extra BF for now and try again with the cereal in a few weeks, or keep pushing the cereal??

Thanks!
ltos of love
Ceci


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## amandaloo

Ceci- my friend only told me last night about giving baby rice in a bottle around 10 weeks . She also said I'd need a bigger teat to give it . I was reading up on net about it and few sites say not to give due to choking hazard  and few mums said they have not had a problem with it how confusing can things get   I don't like the net sometimes for this reason . I read more and drs prescribe rice to mothers whose babies have reflux so surely it mustbe ok ?? Ps my hubby is ok he's not ill lol !


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## carrie lou

Amanda I was told no solids at all until at least 17 weeks, including no cereal in bottles. 10 weeks seems very early - personally I would not give any rice until at least 4 months unless a doctor tells you otherwise  I think there is a risk of food allergies and other problems if you start too early.

Ceci - I suppose it is a very new concept for Joshi as he has only ever had milk before! I'm certainly no expert but personally I would try again in a few days maybe? He will have to get used to the new taste, texture etc so it's bound to take time. Wow, I have all this to look forward to with Zac in a couple of months!  

SD - thinking of you  

DH is a little better today, still feverish but at least he's not being sick anymore.


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## Fizzypop

Ceci - am sure I read somewhere that when they first start eating it is more about texture and getting used to it, so they often don't take to it straight away. Guess perseverance is the key and if it were me I'd carry on with the extra milk till he took food? Nit that I have any experience of this, yet!!!

Amanda - 10 weeks does sound too soon. I was told at nct that 4 months is absolute minimum for solids because the body just isn't ready for it before then. 

All these sick dh's, hope they get better soon. Hak, hope all goes well at the scan, real shame dh can't go :-( my poor dh just had me flying off the handle at him yesterday over any little thing, reckon it's cos I was so stressed. But then I guess he should just get used to it for a few weeks yet, lol!


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## speeder

Hey all

CD arrived already so will try tonight and report tomorrow on my zen like state   

Hakuna & Carrie - hope you are coping with your DHs - sometimes I think they are like babies themselves when they are ill.  Hope you both don't get it    It sounds nuts but when DD has a tummy bug I use gloves to change her nappies only because I hate having tummy bugs and can't take to my bed.  Hakuna - that's a shame DH can't make the scan   

Ceci - does sound quite early to start the baby rice.  We started to wean DD at 4 months but only because the paediatrician told us to (she had health problems at the start, meaning she needed medication which caused reflux and so her weight gain was very poor. all fine now, seems like a distant nightmare).  They don't generally recommend weaning early unless you have weight gain issues.  However, I just gave her a little baby rice mixed with breast milk and she took it really well.  I also gave her pureed banana. Sounds like you have a hungry monkey! There is a theory that early weaning can increase the risk of allergies but I'm sure I read a contradictory report saying the reverse somewhere recently!  We didn't have much choice but funnily enough I feel that DD is slightly allergic to having too much dairy sowho knows....   

Amanda - DD makes lots of noises too.  It's only a problem if it sounds like they are grunting loudly as if they are struggling to breathe.  Without being alarmist at all, it was DD's grunting in her sleep at 7 days old that alerted me to her health issues - but it was very obviously a grunting noise as if she was struggling for air (which she was).  It was quite loud - like an old man who was sick.  She still makes loads of grunting noises now, but not like the ones that worried me.  If you are at all worried then I would mention it to your gp - don't want to alarm you at all - but I am firmly now in the "better safe than sorry camp" after my experiences. I had mentioned it to NHS 24 initially and they were useless - told me on the phone she was fine which was wasn't, TWICE - but GPs can quickly spot a baby who is having trouble breathing - their chest muscles move more than usual etc.  As I said - definitely not trying to worry you - but I would always play safe if you are unsure.  (DD is absolutely fine now!)    I'm now really worried I've worried you unnecessarily as it sounds like DS is just a normal noisy baby - it's just that it's hard to explain what worrying grunting sounds like - and I would hate to give you the wrong advice.   

Cupcake - if when you go to hospital you say you def want a water birth and keep pressing it you will probably find it will be free by the time you need it, no?  You don't immediately get in it so hopefully if you press the issue they will realise you are heading up the queue.... xx

AFM - for anyone else thinking about mat clothes - just been to H and M - they have a fab autumn selection and I just spent too much money on some lovely stuff.  Great leggings for £7.99 which are nice and long and nice dresses etc.  I'm really showing now and my usual tops look a bit daft...

x


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## carrie lou

Cupcake - meant to say, the labour ward I went to also has only 1 birthing pool, so if it's in use when you need it, it's just too bad. Seems daft doesn't it when water births are getting more and more popular  (though in the end I couldn't have gone in it anyway as had to be on the monitor the whole time  ). I know it's still early days for you but if you really want to use the pool, make sure you put this in your birth plan and hopefully they'll do everything they can to make it available for you  Otherwise some labour wards have en-suite bathrooms and a warm bath can be a nice alternative in the early stages.


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## hakunamatata

speeder great hint on h and m maternity, i know this sounds daft but is it just for slim pg ladies, if that doesnt sound too contradictory
carrie sorry to hear hubby poorly, mine was a lot better when i got home and is now snoring on the sofa lol
scan was good. baby was in awkward seated position so no nuchal measurement. very proud of myself for making it. widget is about 7 cm now and im 13 2 due 20th feb, yippee life is fabulous. hopefully i will get some sleep soon. hope speeder and amanda did too

cupcake glad you are feeling more zen. you defo need to chase midwife as they also refer you for scan and nuchal needs to be done by 13 6. good luck honey xxx

thinking of you sd


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## speeder

Hakuna - huge congrats on the scan - that is great news.    You sound on cloud 9!      H and M sizes are small - I am usually a 10/12 and wear their medium and it's often tight but they go up to XL so I think that would cover most options.  And a lot of their mat stuff is looser dresses etc anyway.  It's my favourite mat clothes shop definitely!


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## carrie lou

Hakuna great news on your scan, you must be thrilled, and 20th feb is the anniversary of DH's and my first date! So a wonderful EDD


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## amandaloo

THANKS ladies

Speeder- No dont worry    im grateful of the advice and its better than not saying it then regretting not doing thats how i see things anyway! Def do not think its breathing issues as ive stood over him and watched him do it but I will mention it to GP when I go next. 

Hakuna- great news on the scan and well done on getting there

Fizzy and carrielou- thanks for advice on rice, think ill leave it longer than 10 weeks  

SD- hope alls gone well


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## Fizzypop

Hak - massive congrats xxx so glad that all is going well for you. 

On the clothes, George at asda were one of my favs, and next for work stuff. Both are generously sized (whic is unusual for next cos their clothes normally come up small!


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## speeder

Hi again girls....

Just a quick one.  Bit upset as a colleague just told me my bump is "huge" for 23 weeks. I'm don't care if I'm big or not, per se, but I am worried that maybe baby is measuring too big.  Why do folk comment on bump size?  I mean it's such a personal thing.  I just shrugged it off as a second baby thing....but I'm now wondering.

I hardly showed at 23 weeks with DD - I'm slim anyway, but do feel like I look quite pregnant now but I've no idea if it's normal for second babies to show way more.  I guess it makes sense as the muscles must be weaker but I was very small at 23 weeks with DD. 

Any advice?

slightly anxious speeder needing to do her cd x


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## carrie lou

Speeder don't worry honey, during my pregnancy I was constantly the target of remarks, half of people seemed to think I was huge, the other half thought I was tiny and it did worry me ... but in the end I had a 7lb 7oz baby so spot on average! Guess they were all wrong  People just love to comment when they see a pregnant lady, sometimes I wish they would think before opening their mouths  but it does not mean a thing, I mean they really can't tell just by looking at you. As long as your MW is happy with your bump size, that's all that matters. I do think bumps are often bigger with 2nd and subsequent babies but I'm sure you have nothing to worry about.


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## amandaloo

Speeder- everyone is different and every pg is different . Dont worry honestly If you saw pics of me I was big and Noah was only 7 13 and I was over my edd . Someone commented about me a shop assistant who I didn't know sayIng I was going to be ginanormous ! Huh charming !! I shrugged it off in the end as a) what's it got tO do with them and b) just thought as long as baby is healthy I'm not bothered !! I kept asking my midwife if I put on too much weight and she reassured me I hadn't done . I was 3 stone heavier in the end . Some of my friends put on 5 stone heck !!! You will be fine embrace the bump ;-))))


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## speeder

Great news about Vix.  Thanks for the update. 

Thanks girls for the advice. I don't know why people think they can comment on our bumps (or feel them!)  You are right about bumps not reflecting baby size - with my little bump last time DD was nearly 9 pounds.  I guess I just take comments personally at the mo and it made me scratch my head wondering if all was OK. See the midwife next week so I guess she'll say if it's a problem.  I actually don't think I'm that big but can't post a pic xxxxxxx


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## Fizzypop

Speeder - that happened to me all the way thru, last week someone asked me if I was having twins (this was the day after referral for growth scan cos I am big!) grrr, wanted to make some comment back but then I was in wetherspoons, lol! 

Even now the midwife keeps saying I'm having a big baby but at my scan at 37.5 weeks, she was 7lb, and this seems not that big....anyway I burst into tears at the midwife when they said they would refer me back to cons at 40 weeks and I said no bc they will book me in for induction. So I am going to have a stretch and sweep at 40 weeks (I am pushing for 39 weeks!) and go from there. My bp was sky high again but then I was dead stressed again so they are coming to the house on Friday to take it again...fingers crossed xxx oh and good news is that she is engaged. Another session of acupuncture tomorrow will hopefully get things moving!


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## Fizzypop

Ps SD any news?


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## carrie lou

I got the twins comment too   Why do people think it's OK to be so rude? And i really wasn't that big!


Fizzy hope your BP comes down, mine was always a bit lower when MW took it at home! You are more relaxed in your own environment. Fingers crossed the acupuncture will help things along


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

At my 34 week scan they told me Charley was above 95th centile  , weighed 6lbs 2oz already and was going to be over 9lbs at term.

He was 7lb 14oz when born at 39 weeks, dropped to 6lbs 10oz in the first week with our feeding problems. Started on 50th centile (which he had been on previous scans) and is now struggling to maintain 25th centile.

I also had the twins comment, but at antenatal I was no bigger than the others.

They are often wrong!


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## *ALF*

Hi all

On the baby size thing, I had a scan at 38+6 and was told DD was off the scale and was estimated at 9lb 15oz at that point with the prospect of 3 more weeks to go   - hence the induction at term - she was 9lb 5.5oz at birth 13 days after scan!!!!!

I never had the twins comment but did quite enjoy telling the rather rude lady who had just told me I was full term and having a boy that I actually had 4 weeks to go and was having a girl......

Cupcake - good to hear you have your midwife app through.

Hakuna - great to hear all well at scan, will they try and do another one to get the nuchal measurement?

Fizzy - hope BP comes down by Friday.

SD - been thinking off you all day, hope all went well...


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## hakunamatata

Alf they actually have said the theres this triple blood test they can do which can only be done after 14 3 so i will have that. it is 80% proof but better than a bad nuchal measurement. was a bit anoyed they abandoned so quick today, but what can you do. to be honest it wont affect our decision just knowledge is power lol

fizzy sorry bp still high, hope taking it at home helps xx

cupcake so glad you have your midwife appointment, keep playing that cd. it was so nice to announce on **, all still so surreal but wonderful. x


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Hak - Yes H&M is for size 0 pg women    i tried every size and still i couldn't fit into the jeans   

Speeder - stuff your collegue    people like to think they know best   

amanda - I wouldn't bother with baby rice. Can 't you give him some formula?


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## Auntie Betty

sorry to jump in and gate crash your thread but this evening, very unusally, i have a sleeping baby and dh is out so am having a ff catch on some people i used to "know"on the noa thread and noticed fizzy is pregnant (very pregnant in fact!) so just wanted to say congrats and all the best for the birth! x


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## teresal

Hakuna -- i had the triple blood test done, ours came back high risk of downs but other 2 where fine, when we went for the follow up scan they couldn't see anything on it, but we where still offered an amnio but we refused as we personally felt the risk of m/c was to high for us. 

on the weaning front, theres lots of different advice all i will add is do it when you feel your baby is ready, you as the mummy will know when that is

bump sizes, i had all things said, she was big one week, small the next and fine on another day, as for people i was huge, small etc but the thing that really annoyed me was that everyone thinks they have the right to rub/touch your bump, i did say to somebody one day not to touch it again cos it was invading my space, its not that anyone would go and touch somebodies tummy if they weren't pg   

hope everyone is ok


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## teresal

mini -- whens your next scan xx


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## hakunamatata

thanks teresa so trying not to sound stupid here are there 3 blood tests and are they all taken the same day of different stages? i think we would agree with you on amnio xxxx

mini dont think h and m for me then honey lol xx


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## teresal

hakuna -- it was just one blood test but tests for 3 different things, downs, williams syndrome and spina bifida (i think, am sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong)


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## hakunamatata

thanks teresa that sounds good. off to bed now. long taxing day with early start with only hour and half kip. night sweeties. hope not to be awake at 3.30 again. sleep well speeder and amanda particularly x


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## speeder

Thanks girls - feel a bit better about bump now.  I'm proud of it to be honest - it's not there for very long so I figure I'll just stick it out and get on with it.  I do agree - people feel they can make all sorts of comments about you and your size - even when they don't know you!  I was also told today that my boobs are "massive" (which, in fairness they are  - 34GG!! - but really how rude) but what with that and the big boob comment and the fact I'm generally quite skinny I feel I must look like a walking weeble or something - you know those toys with massive middles and thin legs that topple over    

Hakuna - the Downs tests - did you get sent a little book about it?  It might also vary across the country. Can you ask them to look at the nuchal thickness another day?  I'm surprised they didn't offer that.  I have declined the blood tests each time but it's a difficult decision.  The nuchal scan is reassuring to have though.  I think the test done at 16 weeks is more unreliable than the one offered at 12 weeks.  Did they not take blood today for that purpose?  Sorry if I've confused you further....   

SD - was thinking of you today x

nite nite all! xx 
Right - off to try the CD and try and put all my worries aside! 

x


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Doesn't the blood test use the levels of 3 different hormones to decide on the risk?
With the combined test they look at the hormone levels, your age and the nuchal measurement to decide the risk.


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## sweetdreams73

Hello lovely ladies, just a quick one from me... we had our 33wk scan today and sadly twin 2's growth has decreased even more and the placenta is really not functioning as it should and supplying the right amount of blood supply to him and twin 1 is growing but still not at the rate he should be    so our consultant has made the decision that they will be delivered 7 weeks early by c-section, so they have provisionally booked me in for tomorrow   .... OMG! but if an emergency case comes in tonight to labour ward and they then dont have two spare cots in Neonatal special care baby unit we will be postponed... so fingers crossed we are going to meet our special precious boys tomorrow and we just      they are both ok and do really well...will keep you updated on how it all goes..

Lots of love and hope everyone all ok      

sweetdreams xxxxxx


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## *ALF*

Oh sweetdreams will be thinking of you and your boys tomorrow. They will be early but they will be in the best possible place and will have the best possible care. You've done really well to get this far. Take care of yourself


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## abcdefgh

Hi girls,

Sorry to butt in on here but been looking out for news from Sweetdreams.

Wow, amazing that you will meet your lovely little boys so soon. I know it must be a very nerve racking time   but it sounds they will take very good care of you all. Just wanted to wish you all the best. I, along with all the others, will be thinking of you over the next few days and sending lots of     . xxxx


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Sweetdreams - how exciting - tomorrow.
I sincerely hope your boys do really well and won't need much support.

Your ''sweetdreams'' are about to come true


----------



## *ALF*

HH - on phone so can't do quote but that last sentence of yours has bought tears to my eyes nevermind sweetdreams...


----------



## speeder

Yes alf - me too! Sweetdreams honey wow you meet your babies tomorrow. We are all thinking of you all and wishing you the very very best. Xx


----------



## Fizzypop

SD - wishing you the best of luck for tomorrow, fingers crossed everything goes to plan and you don't get postponed. xxx


----------



## JanaH

Sweetdreams, this has been a hard and long journey for you and dh, can't believe you will meet your precious sons tomorrow. Pray everything goes smoothly and that they won't stay in scbu for too long. You are going to be a mommy tomorrow....      Good luck will be thinking of you and dh.


----------



## pinkcat

Very best of luck sweetdreams


----------



## carrie lou

Just popping on for SD's news ... best of luck honey, I hope it all goes well today and will be thinking of you all day. How exciting you are about to meet your two precious little boys! All the best


----------



## hakunamatata

sd wow wow wow youre going to  be a family!!!!!

on the nuchal front they couldnt measure it due to position and are too fully booked to give me another scan. so she said there was no point having the blood test that usually accompanies it on the day. the only option is this triple test which cant be done till 14 3. it is less definitive but is better than a bad nuchal fold test apparently.

hubby is still off sick. feel very annoyed as his boss called this am to say one of his customers is having problems and could hubby contact him - on a sick day. companies really do take the mick nowadays, no mention of refunding days leave yest as sick!! moan over


----------



## Fizzypop

Hak - time to get a ticker...... xxx


----------



## hopingagain

Just a quick one to say thinking of you today Sweetdreams, you get to meet your special boys today how exciting. Hope everything goes well for you xx Cant wait to hear of their safe arrival xx


----------



## hakunamatata

sorted fizzy, ceci will be pleased too xx


----------



## Fizzypop

Yay! Just wait - that 186 days to go will be 10 in no time - enjoy every minute of it!!


----------



## Lindz

Just to wish Sweetdreams the very best of luck for today. You've done so well to get to 33 weeks. Will be looking out for your news. I popped a few bits in the post for you yesterday  The mamas and papas vests and babygrows are the smallest for tiny/early baby xxxxx


----------



## teresal

just to quickly wish SD and hubby all the best of luck for today, we are all thinking and    for all 4 of you, safe arrival to your special 2 boys


----------



## ceci.bee

sweetdreams you have probably had your boys by now - have only just got the internet working again here and I sooooooo hope it all went smoothly and you are a mummy now!! I totally agree wtih Hazel that your sweet dreams are coming true and you will be an amazing mummy. I can't wait to hear about it when you are up to posting again and am thinking of you loads

Hakuna - yay a ticker!!! am so chuffed for you hun (insert dancing banana's here). I can't help with the tests because we decided not to do them - if they came back high risk we would not have terminated the pg or risked a miscarriage with an amnio so didn't see the point in them - but it is a really individual decision and there is lots to think about.  

speeder hope you slept well hun   

hi to everyone else thanks for the advice re feeding - I am going to try again next week  - I would love to exclusively BF until 6 months, but have been told by various people he is too big and will need too many calories for exclusive BFing so will see how we go!

lots of love
Ceci


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Fecking hormones   I'm sitting in cafe   for SD   

Best of luck honey   

Has anyone got her number for any updates?


----------



## Fizzypop

I think Ceci might but not sure of time difference between us and Africa.....


----------



## amandaloo

Owww just logged on exciting stuff best of luck sd hope all has gone well x


----------



## hakunamatata

hey girls i dont want to say too much and spoil sd moment but both babies delivered last night 6.11 and 6.13 and doing well. will leave sd to give further details but didnt want to keep everyone in suspense. xxx im so proud of sd its amazing xx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Thanks Hak Are they all ok tho?


----------



## carrie lou

Ooh exciting, thanks Hakuna for the update! SD hope you and your boys are all well and can't wait to hear more


----------



## Fizzypop

Congrats SD - hope you are all doing well xx


----------



## hakunamatata

Sd is obviously sore and both babies have feeding tubes and the heavier one surprisingly is having assistance breathing, but all sounds grand. sd excited to see them, hubby sounds like he's doing a great job standing in x


----------



## *ALF*

On phone so brief post but

Huge congratulations SD 

and thanks for passing on news H.

Sending lots of positive vibes to you all +++++


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

We need weights please


----------



## hakunamatata

sorry mini this really is sd's moment xxxxx


----------



## pinkcat

Congrats Sweetdreams      So pleased the boys arrived safely and    they continue to grow big and strong


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

SD - can't wait to hear more!


----------



## speeder

oh my goodness - this is wonderful. SD - can't wait to hear more.  xx


----------



## ceci.bee

yay sweetdreams am so proud of you and so happy for you both!! Looking forward to hearing more when you are up to posting your birth story                   

lots of love Ceci DH and Joshi


----------



## hopingagain

Congratulations SD on the birth of your boys. Can't wait to hear all about it xxx

Thanks hakuna for the news xx


----------



## amandaloo

Congratulations sweetdreams . We are all so happy for you , you thoroughly deserve it . Enjoy the most precious moments in your life . Can't wait to hear more . Fingers crossed you are recovering well   and your sons are getting stronger day by day xx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Sorry I asked hak  

Congrats SD and dh. Hope u are both ok and looking forward to hearing your news   big kiss to your boys


----------



## hakunamatata

youre ok mini i would love to tell you more but i know sd will take great pleasure in telling you. you could put in a guess as to their weights xx


----------



## juju81

Congrats sd xx


----------



## hakunamatata

hey girls it seems sd has text someone and it has been announced on another thread so i am pleased to announce that at 18.11 matthew john was born weighing 3lb 7oz and at 18. 13 daniel peter was born weighing 2lb 13 ozs. yippee for jen and family xxx


----------



## carrie lou

Aw lovely, huge congrats SD     Hope your little guys are getting bigger and stronger by the day and you will soon be bringing them home.


Hakuna thanks for letting us know honey


----------



## teresal

massive congratulations SD and hubby on the birth of your precious boys     lovely names and decent weights as well. hope you are recovering after C-Section. enjoy these precious momnets they go so fast


----------



## Fizzypop

Thanks hak. 

SD thinking of you all - lovely names and hope they build up their strength quickly so you can all be at home together. xxxxx


----------



## Fizzypop

Yep and if I've got any say in it, will be sooner rather than later - but this baby is not showing any signs of wanting to meet the world!!


----------



## *ALF*

SD & DH  

     Congratulations on the safe arrival of Matthew and Daniel, two very precious boys     

Sending lots of growing strong vibes to your little boys and hope they'll soon be home with you


----------



## speeder

Sd - what beautiful names for your precious boys - so glad all is well and hope your new family are home soon. Xxxxx

Fizzy - enjoy the last few days - can you believe you will soon meet your little one too?  

Xx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

FIzzy this is the longest time now Hun. Tick tock tick tock.


----------



## juju81

I lost this thread as forgot to bookmark so jt read back!

Amanda/ceci, agree with others, wean when ur ready. They do say 17wks minimum cis their little stomach aren't quite ready and babes probably will pull faces, they need to get used to the texture. We fed Noah a tiny amount each day and gradually built it up and ended up doing a bit of pureed and Baby led weaning. Do what right for you, people will contradict each other but jut go with the flow

Amanda, agree with mini, could u try formula top up in his last bottle at night?

Our hospital only had one birth pool...first come first served, luckily I got it  

On the bump front, can I just sy it's also actually quite upsetting when people continuously tell u ur 'tiny'! Makes u stet o think babies not growing or something!! Noah was only 6lb 1/2 oz


----------



## juju81

Whoops

at 39+1 so he was a small one.  I had a top that said "hands off the bump" and I'd wear it round nicks mums   I had serious issues with bump touching. I have serious issues full stop ha ha ha ha ha ha ha


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

We know!!  

I didn't like people touching my bump either. My sister took offence and said I should be proud and that she wanted to bond with it WTF   I had to explain explain it's my body and not for public consumption


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

I really loved bump rubbing. I was so happy to finally have a bump after the longing, I wanted to be proud and enjoy it to the full for the short time you have it.


SD hope the little bundles are doing great today


----------



## juju81

Hazel I just didn't like that people thought they had a god given right to touch my tummy because I was pregnant!

I loved sitting there rubbing it


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Perhaps I am just weird then - I liked it when people patted my tum and spoke to baby! Usually friends and colleagues, not complete strangers in the street.


----------



## Lindz

Yey SD and DH! So pleased for you. Can't wait to hear more. Hope it isn't too long until you can all go home xx. 

Good luck Fizzy, won't be long now!

I used to make people feel my bump  . My sister's boyfriend in particular looked pretty uncomfortable!  
Love the new pic Ju x


----------



## carrie lou

I didn't get much bump rubbing - only from close friends and family which I didn't mind! What annoyed me was that people think they have a right to comment on your figure/size when you are pregnant. One woman (total stranger) actually told me I had a big bum and big boobs   when I was about 24 weeks. You wouldn't dream of saying anything like that to someone who wasn't pregnant. At least I hope you wouldn't!


----------



## juju81

Thanks lindz, we went camping last wknd and that was him playing out in his pjs at 630am   

I didn't mind my family but had issues of nicks mum and strangers!

Carrie, I agree, I also got u haven't put much weight on, again wouldn't tell say to someone Christ you've packed the weight on fatty would u?? My work colleague did bless her! Her baby was 10.14 tho


----------



## hakunamatata

morning ladies hope you are all well. i have beeb texting with sd and she asked me to update. shes thrilled to report matthew is no longer needing support with breathing. she also had a magic moment yest and had skin to skin contact with daniel whilst hubby was with matthew. unfort poor sd is in a lot of pain as swollen tummy and only on drip whilst expressing for boys. they hope if its a blockage it will clear naturally if not she may need another op. im sure youll all agree shes being a champion and doing really well. pray those boys continue to do well and mummy gets some relief xx


----------



## carrie lou

Hakuna thanks for the update, wonderful news that the boys are doing well. Poor SD, I hope she is feeling better soon. Please pass on my best wishes to her and tell her we are all thinking of her and family


----------



## juju81

Thanks hak. What do u mean a blockage?? I'm confused?


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Perhaps they are concerned they have nicked a piece of bowel whilst doing the c-section.

Hope it is not that SD and the swollen tummy and pain goes away very soon and you can ditch the drip and eat and drink normally.


----------



## hopingagain

Glad the boys are doing well but poor SD hope your on the road to recovery soon to Hun. Thinking of you xx


----------



## amandaloo

Sd-   For a speedy recovery x


----------



## ceci.bee

sweetdreams thinking of you from africa and i hope you recover soon - and am so pleased to hear about the magic skin on skin moments - soooooooo precious and special    all the    for a speedy recovery and hope you are home soon with your boys

re the bump touching - I didn't have stranger touching but am 6 ft so probably they were all put off    but it always felt weird even when friends and family touched it - but I loved to sit and constantly bump rub - miss it now   .


----------



## *ALF*

SD - so hoping you recover soon and don't need another op.  Great news that M no longer needs help with his breathing and geat that you and DH got some skin to skin, hope that continued today.xxxx

Hak - thanks for keeping us updated aand please pass on our best wishes.


----------



## speeder

Hakuna - thanks for the updates.  SD - how amazing you've had the skin contact    Hope you have a speedy recovery.   

Ceci - wish you hadn't told me you are 6 feet tall!  For some reason, I have a picture of each of you in my head and because your name has the word "bee" in it, I imagined you as 5 feet tall like a little bumble bee!!  I'm now going to have to imagine you as a 6 feet tall bumble bee   

Cupcake - how are you getting on with Ceci's cd?  I really like the content - it's pretty much what I was hoping for and I LOVE the talking to baby bit at the end - makes me cry    It's taken me a while to get used to her voice though - it's quite singysongy and occasionally goes a bit weird and squeaky (I am definitely weird - it wouldn't bother anyone else) but I've persevered and am warming to her now.  More importantly, the cd makes me feel better and more relaxed - so thanks Ceci! 

If anyone wants a good pregnancy yoga DVD recommendation then I love Tara Lee's (think that's her name, will check if anyone wants to know more) pregnancy yoga DVD. 

Fizzy - how are you doing?!

xx


----------



## paws18




----------



## paws18

Congrats sweetdreams hope all well take care x


----------



## Fizzypop

Speeder - I am still hanging on in there. Crying lots, more than I have during the whole pregnancy!!! Had some hypnotherapy last night to calm me down and get me thru my fear of induction. I am being monitored 3x week for my bp and pre-eclampsia as my bp is creeping up. 

Feel a lot more positive today tho, so feel like the hypno did some good x


----------



## juju81

Ahh fizzy Hun, my sister was induced! She had 2 pessarys and then started herself without needing drip. Not everyone has bad experiences. Try not o stress vos that wont help ur bp


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

mine was really good too, have an epidural before it even starts cos it can be intense, mine started stright away. 

AFM - DS is walking    not all the time just lunging himself from sofa to sofa, but defo walking!


----------



## carrie lou

Ah Fizzy   I was induced and only needed one pessary in the end, no drip at all, I just needed kick-starting  I too had an epidural, definitely worth considering. My MW told me to think of it like this: you know that whatever happens, you will be coming home with little one in your arms! Just focus on that. I'm sure you will be fine    


Mini - walking!  Cool


----------



## speeder

Fizzy - me too - just one pessary got me started.  It could be any day now you meet your little one....so exciting.  xx

Mini - life won't feel the same again!  You'll forever be chasing around after your little walker!  It's all they ever want to do once they start    you must be a v proud mummy.

AFM - Had my 24 week check with the midwife this morning and all fine - measuring OK etc. Dare I say it I've been a bit more relaxed recently and trying to enjoy it all and my expanding bump as it's beginning to go quite quickly now and, all going well, this will be the last time I'm pregnant.  DD is about to turn 2 and is a little monkey just now (albeit a very lovable one) and her favourite words are "no don't like it" and "no don't want it" and "no, not that one, different one" which is amusing but very tiring!!!!  Felt like my blood pressure should have been through the roof by the time I got to the midwife but it was still low even though I felt totally stressed out!  Lovely little toddlers


----------



## ceci.bee

Mini how cool that DS is walking  must be so sweet! hope you have eyes in the back of your head! When is your next scan??

speeder am so pleased the hypno CD is helping you a bit - and I loved the talking to the bump bit as well, and totally agree her voice is a bit weird but think she talks like that to get you relaxed  and yes am a giant not a bumble bee - and Joshi seems to be taking after me - he seems to grow every time he sleeps at the moment and is the biggest 4 month old I have ever seen!

sweetdreams thinking of you and hope all is going well in hospital - and you are discharged soon

Fizzy - I totally agree with Carrie and whatever happens you will be taking home a beautiful baby - I sat on the antenatal ward for a month and watched loads of women be induced - and lots were very smooth and straightforward so good luck and hope all goes well whatever happens 

AFM have updated our blog with some more joshi pics in Africa if you want to take a peek www.gavemandjoshi.blogspot.com
lots of love to all
Ceci 

/links


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Believe me it will be no different with him walking than crawling. Actually I think it will be easier  

Ceci I'll look at your blog later! 

Speeder glad your bp is ok cos mine sure us not after chasing Ds


----------



## Fizzypop

Mini - this is it now, no relaxing during pg this time around! 

Thanks girls for the advice. I keep getting stuck on the drip bit and forgetting that you have 24 hours of pessaries first. I really didn't want to have an epidural (you can all say I told you so afterwards, lol!) but anyway as you say, at last bubba will be here!

Took myself off to the hairdressers this pm and got my hair cut and coloured so am feeling a lot better, dh isn't, it was his money I was spending cos he got paid today, lol!

SD - hope all is well with you and the boys.

Speeder - glad you are feeling more relaxed too.


----------



## ceci.bee

cupcake hun I totally totally understand         remember you are past 12 weeks when the risk of MMC goes down DRAMATICALLY and it is really really rare after that.BUT I totally understand you needing to stay away from the internet. We are all here for you and will be here for you when you come back. Go and do what you need to do to stay sane in this pg and keep yourself and baby cupcake healthy and happy


----------



## carrie lou

Totally understand Cupcake though I'm sure baby cupcake is going to be just fine. Make sure you do come back when you are ready as we will all be longing to know how you're getting on!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Cupcake I was the same with my first pg. I read something today actually that freaked me a bit. Might been the same thing. But remember women on here are here cos they need help. ( like us) Don't forget all the millions of babies that made it!


----------



## juju81

Cupcake Hun I totally understand. I'll be checking up on u don't worry!

Aside the fact we don't have any sperm or money that is a major major factor that stops me wanting more.....I spent 9whole months worrying something was going to go wron and it was to good to be true...it didn't obviously but I totally get you feelings.

As ceci and carrie lou says, were right here if you need us. Screw the other boards


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Why has  Noah got black knees??!


----------



## juju81

I wondered what the he'll u were going on about!

Because he insisted on going outside at 6.30am in his pjs whilst camping and because the ground was damp he was covered in dirt!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Oh!!!


----------



## hakunamatata

hey girls, just a quicky. im sure sd will be on to update you all soon as she is being discharged tomorrow. the great news is her tummy swelling problems sorted themselves. hip hip horray.

cupcake so sorry youre so full of worry. we're all here for you and will look out for you on ** xx

lots of love to all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


----------



## Lindz

SD- yay, looking forwad to hearing from you

Fizzy- please try not to worry about induction. Although my labour wasn't straightforward that was DD's fault. The induction bit really was ok and actually quite calm and civilised! 

Cupcake- totally understand. I was pretty stressed during my pg. It actually helped me when I realised that my negative thoughts were to try and protect myself. Like if I thought something bad would happen then I'd be less upset if it did. Once I realised that I had no control over anything that would happen, that I wasn't protecting myself because I'd still be just as upset and that I had to trust my body to do what it was supposed to do I felt a bit better.  

AFM- first night out with DH watching the babies, woo! Both still fast alssep but going home early in the hope he'll let me out again one day! 

X


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥




----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Wonderful news on SD - is she bringing the babies home, or are they staying on SCBU for a little while?

Cupcake - you have to take each day as it comes and slowly the days will disappear and you will be closer and closer to meeting little one.


----------



## hakunamatata

unfort i think the boys will be in there for a few weeks.      to sd must be hard coming home without them.


----------



## ceci.bee

cupcake hun hope you are ok        

great news that sweetdreams is being discharged, Hakuna do you know which hospital she had the babies in in the end?? I hope its not too far to travel every day for her        and fab the babies are doing so well

Can I ask you guys a quick question?? We picked our donor to match DH (Jewish, brown hair, brown eyes) and Joshi who is gorgeous and I woudln't change for anything has bright blue eyes and blonde hair. This obviously leads to lots of questions about ?where do his blue eyes come from and ?he doesn't look like either of you (I also have brown hair and eyes). Here in AFrica we are not publicising his origins as we have told who we need to tell and it is Joshi's info now rather than general public, but I am not sure what to say to these questions. Do any of you have a baby who doesn't look anything like you?? if so what do you say when people comment?? I have tried the 'well he just looks like himself' and have had comments from friends who know we had IVF (but not used a donor) who reply ?maybe they mixed up the embryos in teh clinic?    - then I really don't know what to say next!!
Thansk for your help
lots of love 
Ceci


----------



## juju81

Ceci, my niece looks nothing like my sis or bil! Sh has bizarre yellow eyes with a green ring round the edge! It's obviously just a mix of genes.

You could just say something along those lines, that he looks like a great nan or something??

Unfortunately, just because we picked certain donors it just goes to show that actually they end up with thir own characteristics anyway!

I'm quite lucky in that noahs a spitting image of me as a baby/toddler but also looks uncannily like nick  

He has green/grey eyes that also go blue sometimes - bizarre!


----------



## *ALF*

Ceci - will have to be brief but;
Eyes - two brown eyed people can have a blue eyed baby because the brown gene is dominant over the blue gene, if both have one of each gene they will have brown eyes but could pass on a blue gene. If a child inherits one blue gene from each parent then they will have blue eyes BUT equally eye colour can change at anything from a few weeks old to several months old to several years old, so there is time for Joshi's to change yet. Obviously you don't want to go into genentics lecture when people comment but could you just say something along the lines of 'my eyes didn't darken till I was X years old' (even if it isn't true)
Hair - both DH and I now have dark brown hair but were both very fair as children (DH was blond for several years) and have gradually got darker over the years. DD is also quite fair at the moment and I just say that both me and DH were fair as children and just got darker with age. Nobody has ever questioned it further.


----------



## juju81

Was coming back on to say he's still very young, his hair could darken. I was jet black at birth then went white blond as a toddler!

Was also going to say about the eyes like alf! 

xxxx


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Almost all caucasian babies have blue eyes which change to final colour by about a year.

It is also true that new born hair can fall out after several weeks and grow back different colour and texture.

I too was born with jet black hair, turned strawberry blonde by 5 years and settled at mid brown. Trying not to notice the one or two grey hairs appearing   

I was asked today by a nurse at work ( I was visiting for lunch) who Charley looks like. I said me and my Dad and then pointed out only those features. Well I don't know what features are from donor, so I can only be truthful.

I shocked a nurse in Scbu when we were there with jaundice who said ''Charley looks so like mummy, but I haven't seen daddy yet....'' I said ''I haven't seen daddy either!'' She nearly fell off her perch, very amusing. I then clarified. She still hastily ran away   

All I know about our donor is he has blue eyes, brown hair and is tall. 
The donor bank staff said he was good looking. I have to say I am very curious.


----------



## carrie lou

Ceci - like Alf says it's recessive genes that cause blonde hair and blue eyes, so it's perfectly possible for two parents with dark colouring to have a blond blue eyed child. But his colouring could very well change as he grows. Both DH and I had blonde hair as babies; his is now a very dark brown and mine is sort of light brown. Zac was born with dark brown hair (as you can see in the photo) but is now almost strawberry blonde, it's very bizarre but childrens' looks can change quite dramatically. I think Zac takes after me quite a lot in looks and colouring, so if people ask that's what I tell them. I don't think you should feel the need to explain it to anyone, after all lots of children don't look much like either parent and he is still so young, it's impossible to tell who he will end up looking like.


----------



## ceci.bee

Thanks guys        you are fab
xx


----------



## hakunamatata

ceci cant offer you any advice but in answer to your other question sd had the boys in north london as her chosen hospital did not have neonatal costs avail. hope she is coping with the distance. i know her and hubby were going back last night with her expressed milk. look after yourself sd youre doing so well    
sofa day today girls was sick 8 times this am and back is really playing up, has been for about 5 weeks. its right at base but more to left anyone else had this? not that im complaining, luckily i can have a sofa day


----------



## Fizzypop

SD - thinking of you and your trekking across town x hope it won't be for too much longer. Such a shame mums can't stay in longer but guess they need the beds. 

Hak - if weather is as bad there as it is here then nothing but a sofa day called for! 8 times is a lot, hope you feel better. If the pain goes down the side, could that be sciatica?

Hope everyone else is well x


----------



## hakunamatata

it doesnt go down the side but hurts more when i put weight on left leg.

how are you feeling honey? not long now    yep weather pretty awful here but hubby will be home for lunch soon xx


----------



## carrie lou

Sounds like it could be a muscle strain Hak. I had similar at 5-6 weeks pregnant only mine was more in my groin and down the front of my thigh. GP said you are more susceptible to muscle injuries in pregnancy cause of the hormones softening all your ligaments. Rest up and maybe try a hot water bottle? It helped for me. Hope you feel better soon.  


SD it must be hard coming home without your babies, hope they won't have to stay in hospital too long. Thinking of you lots  


Taking Zac for his 2nd set of jabs this afternoon


----------



## Fizzypop

I'm okay, bp has come down so I am happy about that. Booked in for reflexology tomorrow and stretch and sweep Monday so fingers crossed there will be news soon x


----------



## ceci.bee

good luck fizzy!!! hope the stretch and sweep works....        

Hakuna sorry you are sore with your back - I had lots of back probs and lots were to do with sleeping in funny position with loose ligaments and joints - I bought a wedge pillow that helped loads to support my back when sitting/lying etc I think only 5 quid from amazon
Thanks for posting the update about SD - I hope she is managing with the travelling and pumping - i can't imagine being separated from my babies for a long time like that, but she is so strong and amazing, she will be brill I am sure

lots of lvoe to all
Ceci


----------



## hakunamatata

ohhhh fizzy good luck with the sweep.

im hoping back heals. i did wonder whether it was way i was sleeping so changed that from last night but didnt have a good night lol. sofa is lovely, with cushion rolled up at base. might try hot water bottle later, heat sounds appealing too xx


----------



## Bluebottle

Fizzy - I found you! A friend pointed me in your direction! Sooooo happy to see you're not only pregnant .... but about to give birth!! Fantastic! GOOD LUCK with it all. I'll be thinking of you .... It seems such a long time ago that we met for lunch when I was cycling at the ARGC .... look at us now   

BBxx


----------



## Fizzypop

Thanks BB - not long to go now, am getting a bit impatient 

Meant to say thanks for the message to AB too x we all got there eventually x

I've just been out for lunch with DH. After moaning that I was fed up of staying in all the time, I was so knackered when I got home that I just about dragged myself onto the sofa!


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Hakuna - not too hot with that bottle!

I had flare up of old sacro iliac injury in pregnancy and had accupunture by one of the midwives on the nhs!


----------



## hakunamatata

really hazel is it a prob had a hot one on for 15 mins have i done wrong


----------



## carrie lou

Don't worry Hak  I think you are not supposed to put a hot water bottle directly on your tummy while pg, but on your back it should be fine. I used a HWB and microwave heat pack in pregnancy for my back pain and no problems.


----------



## hakunamatata

thanks carrie i do worry. so scared ive got this far but had horrible thoughts of loss yest and stillbirth. im sure theyre all normal fears. xxxxx


----------



## carrie lou

Oh Hakuna    I think everyone has those fears from time to time but remember now you have got past the magic 12 week mark, the chances of anything going wrong is very small indeed. You will be cuddling your little one before you know it.


----------



## hakunamatata

thanks hun. wow love the pic of zac he looks so bubbley xx


----------



## carrie lou




----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

ceci - DS looked nothing like me at Joshs age, a lot of people commented on that he looked like no one!    but has he developed he suddenly looks like me and my dad    me and DH have brown/green eyes and DS has gey/green eyes, He has my hair   

DH had blonde hair as a baby but now its brown    

I know its frustrsating as you want him to look a bit like DH but if you used DHs sperm you would laugh that he didn't look like DH and say no more about it!


----------



## amandaloo

Aya ladies

Quick one to let you know still reading thinking about you all . I'm really sleep deprived at mo hence quick posts . Yawn yawn !!


----------



## chrispx

Hi guys... Long time no speak. Ain't been on for ages & thought I'd just have a quick look on my phone.

Wow mini am a reading right your pregnant naturally with no2? Fantastic news!!! How
Many weeks? Crikey bet you were shocked. 

Carrie- congrats on your little man he looks adorable. Hope your well & enjoying motherhood.

Ceci- congrats to you too, hope your doing well.

I really will have to log on the computer & read back over to see how you all doing, although I don't come on much I do think of you all & all the support you give me & everyone else.

My little girl is 7 months time does fly! She crawling & into everything at the minute. She only has half hour power naps during the day so don't get chance to do much like log on here. Oh & she been sleeping in our bed recently   must try get her out any tips


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Yes that's right au natural  

Re bed. Just put her back in her cot. She'll cry for a while bit will soon get it


----------



## speeder

Hey all  

Posting this from mum's house - our furry little mice friends are back!!! So I have moved out and taken dd with me, and left dh and dog until it's sorted. Prob sounds a bit extreme but the little furry sods are all over the kitchen and I can't cope with it when pg. Can't stay here forever so not sure what I gonna do!! Argh. I am becoming obsessed at avoiding little furry rodents!!

Crispx - got to agree with mini - break that habit ASAP! My friend still has her two year old toddler in her bed as she let it go on too long  .  

Ceci - agree with whoever said make light of the looks issue. Dd now looks nothing like dh - from colouring to build - and if anyone mentions it I just say 'thank goodness she takes after mummy'  . I think about it too - but I remember that no one knows   weirdly I think donor must look more like me, as I have darker skin and a slighter build whereas dh is totally opposite but we always knew that physically donor was not a great physical match for dh. I guess you can also always say one of you was blonde as a kid?  

Fizzy - hope it all kicks off soon - you must be getting impatient! 

Carrie - beautiful pic! What a gorgeous little boy! 

Hakuna - we all worry like that honey. I think heat is only a problem before 12 weeks and even then you really have to be raising your temp in a jacuzzi etc. Don't worry about heat on your back  . The nhs physio was fab for me - I had pains about your stage too but it's really settled just by avoiding stuff she suggested.  

Hello everyone else.can't sleep so off to do cecis cd but not sure it's designed for rodent worries   . On a happier note we are having a little party for dd tomorrow and she seems to know it's her birthday. Xx


----------



## hakunamatata

happy birthday speeders dd. love childrens birthday parties.

back seems a little better today tho last 3 nights i have avoided sleeping on my tummy as i thought i could be twisting a bit with pillow under one side. have also only been using the laptop up the table not on lap, and changed position watching tv. so hopefully things will improve. xx if not its off to dr for physio referral.

hope evryone has a wonderful bank holiday weekend, i need a wedding outfit but thought of going into cambridge not appealing xx


----------



## Fizzypop

Ooh speeder, time to get rentokil in me thinks, don't envy you at all :-( I reckon you should get a few cats too!! Can your dog help catch?


----------



## carrie lou

Speeder - better get a cat! Poor you, that must be horrible  Happy birthday to little Speeder  

Fizzy - hope you're OK and not too fed up, not long now  

Chrispx lovely to hear from you, wow your little one is crawling already!   Re the bed - Zac took a long time to get used to sleeping in his crib even though it's in our room, he would rather be cuddled up in bed with me  but I read a tip that's supposed to help. You put the baby in the cot/crib for a short time during the day, wide awake, and play with them in there. Once they get engrossed in a toy, you just leave them to it for a little while or as long as they remain happy. They are meant to learn that cot/crib is a nice pleasant place to be and it seems to have helped for us. Zac has a mobile above his crib which he loves. Now when he wakes up and finds himself there, he often doesn't cry like he used to, he just lies there gazing up at his mobile and "taking" to the animals on it!


----------



## chrispx

Great news mini, hope everything goes well... Will keep popping on see how you doing. 

Speeder- hope dd had lovely birthday. I know must get my dd back in own bed soon.

Carrie- thanks for the advice. She actually likes her cot & goes to sleep in it, it's just when she wakes up in night I have been bringing her into our bed as im half asleep & tired so Find it easier. We go away in couple of weeks & no doubt her routine will be all over so going to try when we get back although I do quite like her in the bed...  just then I know she is ok if you know what I mean. Your little man looks gorgeous, they do come on, my little miss has been pulling herself up today on furniture, she is so quick will need eyes in the back of me head. 

Ceci- it's hard when people say things about looks, at first I didn't know what to say but we just decided to say that she is more like me ( even though lot of people say looks like dh) we just say a mixture. But I agree it is difficult.


----------



## speeder

Hi all

Just a quick one.  For anyone who has a little one at nursery (or has a view on my question) any thoughts on the attached?

I dropped DD at nursery this morning as usual.  There was another 2 year old already in the room plus a baby of about 15 months. The other toddler was sitting on the nursery nurse's knee and playing with a chapstick (you know, those lipsalve things complete with little tops).  I was quite horrified to be honest - I don't let DD play with anything she could choke on.  I made a light comment to the nursery nurse such as "Oh, little Janey has her lipstick.  Is she ok with the lid" to which I was told her daddy had given it to her that day and of course she was being supervised.  

But what if another kid started to cry or arrived at nursery and little Janey was put down on the ground and then put the lid  in her mouth, or left it lying around for my child to pick up?  There was a 15 month baby playing nearby and DD, even though just 2, still puts things in her mouths.  It only takes a minute to choke.....  

I guess I think a lipsalve lid isn't appropriate for a toddler room at nursery.  

Anyone think I'm overreacting?  Would you say something?  I sometimes wonder if the very young nursery nurses lack common sense - although presumably choking risks are covered when they are at college?

Thanks all - appreciate any honest advice!! 

It's gone quiet here so hope all are well.  speeder x


----------



## pinkcat

Speeder - I don't think you are overreacting at all. I am quite shocked by that. I don't think it matters that her daddy gave it to her, the nursery nurse should have put it in a safe place to give back to the parent at the end of the day. Her parents might let her play with inappropriate things at home which is up to them, but at nursery there are other children to think of. 

Hi ya Chrispx, I wondered where you'd gone! Sounds like your little miss is keeping you busy   


Hi everyone else


----------



## carrie lou

Speeder it does seem an odd thing to give to a toddler and I agree, not really appropriate to bring to nursery. As you say nursery nurses are often very young and don't' have children of their own so I suppose they don't see the risks in the same way we do.  


Chrispx - I am guilty of the same thing! In the middle of the night when I'm longing to get back to sleep, sometimes the easiest thing is just to put Zac in bed with me, but trying to break the habit because we will eventually be moving him to his own room. Your little lady sounds very mobile for her age! I have a feeling Zac will be the same, all he wants to do at the moment is stand up and sometimes he even tries to take a couple of steps, it's so cute.


Any news of Fizzy? Hope she is OK  


I too have a question for you lovely ladies... Zac and I were at my parents' house this afternoon and my mum got out an old photo album. There was a picture of me at about Zac's age and the resemblance is striking, he really does take after me. As lovely as this was to see, I felt a small pang of sadness for my DH because he will never be able to look at old photos of himself and point out the features that Zac gets from him.  I would like to show DH this photo but am now worried it will upset him because he will think the same as I did. Has anyone else had a "moment" like this or am I being a little over-sensitive? And do you think DH would feel sad about the photo?


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

It is a tricky one. I certainly could not do that in this house. DH would be very upset. I made the mistake of pointing out that Charley has my ears and toes and DH's reaction was to say ''well he certainly sure as h£ll won't have anything of me'' and conversation ended.
I said something similar to MIL this weekend and reaction was ''well at least he has something of you''. Again conversation ended.

In another way it might reassure DH to know that he can say without a lie that Z takes after you if anyone comments. 

You might just be seeing the striking resemblance because you don't know what is coming from the donor. People see the features that match. I think Charley takes after me, but I have no idea what the donor has given to him.

I did have the first comment this week that Charley is starting to look like his Daddy! He is very long and thin and my DH is very tall and skinny, so it is quite lucky really.


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

i must admit DH is fine about DS not looking like him. Alot of people say how he looks like me, i feel more uncomfortable about it than he does. I'm more concerend that the new baby won't look like DS and more like DH


----------



## carrie lou

Hazel I know it's impossible to tell what he gets from the donor, but he really does take after me - it's almost like looking at the same baby!  Strangely people who don't know often comment that Zac looks like DH  so it's certainly true people will see what they want to.


----------



## Fizzypop

I'm still brewing nicely...they couldn't do the s/s on Monday so trying again this Monday. Since been told mw should have tried harder, so will request cons review if she doesn't do on Monday. Had a mare of a week but have a plan now so feel better. 

Speeder - totally agree that lipbalm is inappropriate. However, she did say that she was being supervised and so you do not know what would have happened if the nursery nurse got up.

Carrie - sometimes I feel sad for DH in that way but I think he is okay with it, after all, there isn't much he can do about it!

Mini - does ds take after you at mo?


----------



## juju81

Carrie, hmm, when I had Noah he used to pull a face that reminded me of a pic my mum has of me at that age. I was desp to see this pic and sure as hell he was a spitting imge of me as a baby. My parent say now that e remids them of me in every way. 

Recently tho nicks mum found a picture of nick as a baby/toddler and the similarity of nick and Noah is uncanny - mini will vouch for me!

Nick has no problems whatsoever that he's not he bio dad, so maybe my situation is slightly different. Does it 'bother' dh that zac looks like you? I think we worry about their feelings more than we really need to


----------



## juju81

Fizzy, baby is obviously very comfortable   good luck tho, not much longer now xx

Speeder, the nursery nurses should have just taken it off her until parents back!  Noah does sometimes ge hold of stuff he shouldn't and he loves playing with bottles and bottle tops but I don't let him wonder around.....suppose everyones different


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

I think he looks more like nick than u!  

Fizzy yes Ds is very much like me. This is the longest bit for u fizzy. the waiting bit is toture


----------



## Fizzypop

Funny you say that cos I was thinking just yesterday that this is like another 2ww - once you pass the due day there is a clock ticking down for another 2 weeks and if baby doesn't come in that time they will induce me. I was tempted to be asked to be induced next week but then I've spoken to quite a few people who went 10 days over, so am going to give it the full 2 weeks :-(


----------



## juju81

Yeah I think he does now, he really looked like ne as a newborn! He even has long eyelashes like nick 

I can only imagine what it must feel ilk to go over as I was in the minority of 1st time mummies by going 1wk early.....you are so very near tho, enjoy this wknd as it might be ur last


----------



## carrie lou

Fizzy I went 2 weeks overdue   so know how you feel, but think I was unlucky in needing to be induced - my MW said most will go into labour on their own before 42 weeks so could be any day now for you. Make the most of being able to sleep!  


Juju I don't think it bothers my DH all that much that Zac is not genetically his, he's always saying that doesn't matter to him and I know he adores Zac as if he was the bio dad. It just seemed such a poignant and special thing to be able to look at photos of myself and see the resemblance in Zac, it struck me as sad that DH will never have that experience. Perhaps you are right, I do worry about his feelings probably more than I need to!


----------



## juju81

Ahh I see what u mean, have u seen pics of dh as a baby??

I think my midwife tried not to get my hopes up at my last appoint cos she told me most 1st timers end up being induced....damn midwife   

I'm sooo bored this week. Think I need a hobby. Theres cack all on telly, I might just have to go to bed!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

i thought you hobby was holidays and shopping!


----------



## juju81

I'm even bored shopping online for holidays


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥




----------



## sweetdreams73

hello lovely ladies

Just due back to the hospital in a minute so will try and catch up with everyone when I get a spare minute. Hope everyone is ok and wishing you all well    

AFM - Thank you so much lovely ladies, for all your messages, PM's emails, texts, cards and pressies your support is so much appreciated thanks so much sending you all lots of    

The boys are doing really really well, matthew now weights 3lb 13ozs and daniel is now 3lb 4 ozs they are both now out of intensive care and breathing all by themselves and in the special care ward of the neonatal unit, where they are now out of their icubators and off all the machines and various monitors and iv drips etc and have been united and back together in a heated twin cot... they are still being tube fed my expressed breast milk, but the last few days we have been trying to get them to understand the concept of going on mummy's breast and having a go at breastfeeding, they are trying really hard but its difficult for them as they get so tired trying to suck and swallow and also get a bit confused at times  , but as they are only really 35 weeks and 3 days old and should still be inside me they are actually doing really well... the boys love being back together again and they just love snuggling upto each other and holding eachother's hand and cuddling each other   , its so very lovely to see them as they are just so very close... there little personalities are coming out and even though they look identical accept daniel is a lot smaller than his brother matthew they are very different in personalities which is very interesting.... I am spending a 12 hour day at the hospital helping the nurses look after them while DH is at work and then DH is coming up in the evening and weekends and then when we go home I am expressing breast milk to be tube fed to the boys every few hours during the night, so its all a bit full on and manic at the moment but its all lovely and we are very lucky and very blessed indeed and we just cant wait till the boys establish feeding by themselves and put some more weight on and then can come home to us where they belong... we miss them terribly and its very hard to go home at night and leave them in hospital but the nurses and drs are fab so we are very lucky they are looking after them so well..

lots of love
sweetdreamsxxxx


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

What lovely news SD - you are one lucky family indeed! How special it is.


----------



## JanaH

It's so nice to hear from you SD. Glad that your boys are doing well, hope they pick up weight and establish feeding so they can go home soon. Look after yourself, so that you have loads of energy when they are home. Enjoy every minute with them.

Fizzy - hope you are doing well and don't have to wait much longer for your LO to arrive.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

We got back from camping late last night, and have loads of washing to do. Will catch up soon


----------



## carrie lou

SD how lovely to hear from you and so pleased that your boys are doing so well! I can only imagine how hard it must be to leave them behind every evening but honey you are doing an amazing job as their mummy and I'm sure the day will soon come when they can both go home with you. How nice that they can be together in a twin cot. Sending special gentle    to you and your boys.


Jana  hope you had fun camping


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

so nice to hear from you hun.    so glad you are all getting through and soon you will be together as it should be


----------



## Fizzypop

SD - so lovely to hear from you and thank you for taking the time to post with everything
going on. Sounds like the boys are doing brilliantly. Have they given a timeframe/benchmark for when they cam come home?


----------



## hopingagain

SD lovely to hear such lovely news that your boys are doing so well. Can't wait to hear when you can take them home xx

Fizzy won't be long now and you should have your lo in your arms to. Hope you are feeling well xx


----------



## Fizzypop

Thanks hoping x I am feeling really well considering where I am at the moment, this baby is just too comfy! I have the first of my s/sweeps tomorrow so hope that gets things moving! Regardless, I know that in the next week I will finally have my little bubba x


----------



## hopingagain

Fizzy I remeber that time with DS he was 10 days late and after 3 sweeps still needed inducing and still didnt want to come lol!!! However it will all be worth it and like you said it wont be long and either way you will have a bubba in your arms very soon xx


----------



## amandaloo

hi ladies

sorry Ive been a bit awol im finally feeling a bit better with regards to not being as exhuasted !

Lots to read back on so ill just do a quick one

Fizzy- very best of luck for your sweep         hope it goes well       

Sweetdreams- so pleased to hear about the twins doing well it must be such a relief for you all, bless them both holding each others hands thats so sweet.  sending you all lots of positive vibes and hope you can get them home soon  

Jana- camping    Im going to cornwall soon in a static looking forward to it  

Juju- Hows you ?

Hello to everyone else hope your all ok sorry wish I had more time to write few more posts . Ive put a profile pic of Noah on not sure if ill keep it on so have a nose while you can!! Im a bit paranoid that ppl might read the thread that know me does anyone else ever have that feeling? Dont get me wrong we are telling Noah about him being a donor baby but dont want others knowing before him especially ppl that Im not that close too!! Bet i sound very paranoid now!!


----------



## JanaH

Amanda - love your profile pic, Noah is so scrummy. The camping was fantastic, it gave DH and Joseph some quality time together. Hope you have a good time in Cornwall.

Fizzy hope the sweep has kicked started the process. 

I still have loads of washing to catch up with. Just downloaded all the photo's, we took nearly 600 photo's, it was sush a blessed time, never thought we would ever experience a family holiday after all these years of trying. It was exactly a year ago today that we found out we are pregnant, and it's my sisters girls first birthday today. I have to take Joseph to get weight again tomorrow to see if he gained any weight, just hope he did as he is still a bad drinker.


----------



## Fizzypop

Just thought I'd update you all in case you thought anything exciting was happening...she couldn't do the stretch and sweep again, gave a different reason to the last midwife as to why it couldn't be done ao I've requested cons review and am going on Wednesday. So [email protected] off with all these differences of opinion.


----------



## amandaloo

Fizzypop- thye couldnt do mine either when I went to midwife as my cervix hadnt opened at all its well annoying isnt it      I was annoyed until I was told I needed to go to hospital as BP was high and protien in urine had an induction day after...Oh god I bet you are well fed up of waiting now  ...


----------



## Fizzypop

Yup, but at least the end is nigh! Its just so frustrating being told different things each time!


----------



## juju81

Fizzy,   its so so near now, how long will they leave you?

Amanda, ooh I love static caravans we have one booked for April. Is hows noahs sleeping? 

Jana, I went camping in august! Was great fun. We've done it loads of time but it was our first time with Noah! He absolutely loved it!

Nowt to report here, noahs into climbing, saying loads of words! He's tiring but its all good fun


----------



## carrie lou

Aw sorry Fizzy  but just think, at the most you have only 1 week left!!!   


Amanda lovely pic, Noah is gorgeous   


We are off to Cornwall next month, not camping though, self catering cottage - will be Zac's first holiday!


----------



## teresal

Fizzy -- time for an eviction notice i think to get that baby out of there    not long now though either way and you will have your prescious baby.

loving all the new baby/toddler pics, they are all beautiful bundles

sorry its just a quicky, am off to bed, have horrid headache and that doesn't mix with a baby waking constantly through the night with her teething    boy do i wish these teeth would get through, who would have thought they would cause so much trouble (she only has 3)


----------



## chrispx

Fizzy- good luck, hope your lo makes an appearance soon for you.

SD- lovely to hear the boys are doing well.

Carrie- I showed my dh hubby pics of me as a baby & he enjoyed picking out the resemblences so you never know. Think it's us that feel it more for our dh.

Pinkcat- hello, yes my little miss is keeping me busy alright, she is crawling & pulling herself up on anything she can. Need to pause her she is only 7 month & growing too fast. Hope you are well.

Ju ju- camping is a laugh, what did Noah sleep in? I'm hoping to take our little one next year

Hi to everyone else. 

Got a busy 2 weeks now, moving house & going on holiday.


----------



## juju81

Crispx, we put him in a travel cot, wrapped up nice and warm. He was fine too xxx


----------



## hakunamatata

hello ladies hope you are all well. must admit i too am loving all the piccies.

sd its so nice to hear about the boys and that they are trying to latch on. sounds like you and the nurses are doing a fantastic job xx

fizzy i do hope youre not kept waiting much longer honey, cant wait to see piccies.

well we have 2nd miswife app tomorrow. hoping dh and i can hear the heartbeat. still need to get triple test done but this weather doesnt make it appealing to trope to the hospital so i think i will do it after midwife tomorrow as im out anyway. 
sorry i dont post often but not a lot going on here lol. i am always reading with such interest tho x it is strange how i have now started to expand above my belly button right to under my breasts. all so wonderful and surreal xxx


----------



## chrispx

Ju ju- never thought of travel cot   I'm always obsessed with the temp. 

Hakunamata- congratulations to you. I don't find time to post as often as I'd like but think of you all.

Xxx


----------



## juju81

Hi Girls,

just a quick one to update on Cupcake, she had a fab holiday (anxiety still there) and on her return booked a private 12wk scan.  Shes actually 13wks and scan looked fab, bloods came back today and she has a 1:21600 chance of downs.  Am hoping she starts to relax now!

She sends her love and is thinking of everyone

xxx


----------



## ceci.bee

fab news ju thanks for posting - thinking of you cupcake and hope you can finally start to relax a little bit and enjoy it now     

wonderful you are starting to grow hakuna it is an amazing feeling enjoy


----------



## hakunamatata

thats great news ju, well done cupcake.

any news on fizzy?


----------



## margesimpson

Hi all,


Just coming out of the fog that is morning sickness now and wanted to come and see how you're all doing.


Teresa - I'm sooooooooo sorry that I missed M's birthday. I had it all planned and then everything went pear shaped. Promise Freddie & I'll make it up to her.


Lovely news pics!


Cupcake - great news, hope by the time you read this, you're really starting to enjoy things.


SD - breast feeding twins? - you go girl! Lovely to hear about them being together!


Hi to everyone else,


Mx


----------



## Fizzypop

Hi everyone, just a real quick one to let you know that baby fizzypop was born yesterday after a three day induction (which nearly ended up in a c-section! We are all well, she weighed 6.14 and is completely gorgeous. Catch up soon x


----------



## amandaloo

Congratulations fizzypop well done you so pleased for you . Here's to a speedy recovery xx


----------



## JanaH

Congratulations on the birth of your little girl Fizzy.


----------



## pinkcat

Congrats Fizzy


----------



## juju81

Ccongrats fizzy - she really is gorgeous


----------



## *ALF*

Fizzy-

    HUGE CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SAFE ARRIVAL OF YOUR DAUGHTER      



P.S. My three day induction did end up in a section


----------



## carrie lou

Yay Fizzy! Many congratulations    Hope everything is going well and can't wait to hear more about her


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Congrats fizzy bomb


----------



## Lindz

Yay Fizzy. Congratulations on the safe arrival of your little girl and well done on avoiding the c-sec xx


----------



## Ju2006

Huge congrats Fizzypop !


----------



## hakunamatata

congrats fizzy so pleased your precious bundle is finally here xx


----------



## hopingagain

Congratulations Fizzy xx


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Wonderful news Fizzy


----------



## Fizzypop

Thanks ladies. Alls going well here. Feeding not going brilliantly but I am expressing colustrum at each feed and giving on my finger as well as giving her formula in a cup. Can't wait for milk to come in so that I can start expressing.

She sleeps better at day than during night. But she is sleeping tonight - last night was just awful but then it was first night at home! Feel like everyday is a massive learning curve and have learnt so much already. 

DH and I are working in shifts to get the sleep in. He is currently asleep while I'm on night shift number 2!

Alf - sounds like you went thru the mill too. DH got really upset that I signed c section consent forms nut at that stage it was whatever was needed!


----------



## carrie lou

Hi Fizzy, hope you managed to get some sleep last night and that the feeding improves. Personally I found things started getting a lot easier when my milk came in, hopefully it will be the same for you.


----------



## juju81

Ahh fizzy it does get easier. I did 27.5 hrs, signed c-section form as his heart rate kept going but they got him out with forceps.....u do hat u have to do at the time. Nick was pee'd off they didn't do it sooner as my labour towards the end was pretty shocking!

Anyway, over th days and weeks things do just fall into place


----------



## speeder

sorry been on hols...

Just wanted to say HUGE congratulations to Fizzy on the safe arrival of your little precious girl.  definitely gets easier when the milk comes in - it just floods in.  hope the sleep improves soon - it's all a bit nuts for the first few weeks! I think all newborns are like little nocturnal bats


----------



## hakunamatata

very niave here girls but doesnt the milk come in quite quickly then, thought colostrum would be brief thing   . fizzy youre doing amazing xx


----------



## speeder

Hello Hakuna - how are you?   

It normally takes a few days to come in!  I was desperate for mine to make an appearance too - and when it does, it's the weirdest feeling - like your boobs have been injected with loads of warm lava like a volcano waiting to explode    Mine used to spurt all over the room if I didn't quickly express some away (I used to squirt it at DH   )


----------



## carrie lou

My milk came in 2 and a half days after Z was born but I think it can be a bit longer than that, it depends on the individual. Quite an experience - My (.)(.) went rock hard and enormous and every time I heard Z cry or even whimper, I would leak all down my front  Thankfully it's not that dramatic anymore


----------



## hakunamatata

sounds like fun


----------



## *ALF*

H - as the other ladies have said for most women your milk is supposed to come in about day 3 and as they have said is quite an exprience - it would appear that for me this is another thing my body likes to do differently to most women - my milk didn't come in till day 5 and there was definately no gushing or leaking, much more of a trickle, which was not very helpful when you have a 9lb VERY hungry baby, hence we started topping up with formula.  I would point out though that I think I am in a very small minority who has such issues with milk levels.

Fizzy - I don't think I went through the mill quite as much as many other ladies on here. DD took quite a while to even be persuaded that coming out was a good idea, she then got herself into such a position that despite the highest levels of the drip they could give me I stopped progressing at 4cm despite strong regular contractions - I was lucky though cos through most of the painful time I had an epidural


----------



## carrie lou

Something to look forward to Hakuna    But don't worry, like I said once your milk supply settles down it's nowhere near that dramatic


----------



## teresal

Congratulations Fizzy, it does get easier, just relax and try and enjoy these special moments they will be gone before you know it, i try and remember what the first few weeks where like but its just a blur really, wish i had written things down now, time flies by so quick


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Fizzy - so glad that you are taking the sensible approach and giving formula top ups. I bitterly regret not doing that with all that terrible first week happened to us. As long as you stimulate your breasts every 2 hours or more for the first few days with feeding it will get your milk going. Unfortunately it turned out we also had the tongue tie so Charley was not able to stimulate the milk supply and after my c-section and 1 litre bleed/ anaemia I was run down so my body wasn't really concentrating on making milk.

I never had milk gush - it took about 4 days to appear and then it was only about 5 ml per side if I expresssed, even at day 7 when we were readmitted to SCBU. I never felt particularly engorged - in fact I was more engorged after my 17 week miscarriage than my full term pregnancy. That time I had red hot swollen breasts that were leaking 2 days after the surgery and continued to leak for a month, and I had no baby that time to feed or stimulate supply. 

This time it wasn't until about week 4 that I would drip when feeding on the other side. By then I was able to express an ounce per side and was on domperidone to increase prolactin levels. That is still the case.
Now I can get a jet if I am lucky when I press and if I don't feed for a few hours I will get a wet top, nothing enough to warrant breast pads though.

I hope you get lots of nice milk coming in. BF is lovely if it works out.


----------



## amandaloo

Fizzy- I had feeding problems too its not unusual, when I was in hospital I had all and sundry trying to help me get him latched on and he wasnt easy at all. I remember people taking over from each other many of them without success. So he wasnt getting enough and was starving hungry. Id fed him and sometimes he was still hungry after about half an hour I literally didnt have anything left to feed him with and if I did I didnt have the energy!! He fed for over an hour each time and was hungry approx every 2 hrs sometimes sooner it was very hard going especially with the problems latching on. I ended up with a screaming baby and therefore he ended up getting formula top ups. I perservered and persevered, continued trying to breastfeed which incidently I found much easier when I got home and used my feeding cushion and I carried on with fromula top ups. Did this for a while until I decided he wasnt getting enough and never ever seemed satisfied feeding from my (.) (.) (as he cried after Id fed him) thats when I decided I would express instead so thats what I do now plus formula top ups. I give him approx 5 bottles of my milk and 1 bottle of formula a day sometimes 2 depending on how much milk Ive been able to express... Now I know how much he gets at every feed and once I started doing that he settled down lots. *There are drawbacks* to what I do though as I have to express numerous times a day to keep my milk supply up, sterilise equipment, get up in night to do it (even though he sleeps through) and refrigerate it then warm it up, then feed it him !!. Its all time consuming and sometimes I wish Id never bloomin started expressing as its very tying!! When i tell ppl what I do they look at me as if Im mad ha ha ... Not sure how long Im going to be able to keep it up was hoping to get to 4 months if I can. But not going to feel bad if its earlier... Anyway think my milk came in on about day 3/4 something like that...

Hello ladies hope all is well with everyone


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

mine took 5 days to come through. But this was because of the blood loss i had.


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## Fizzypop

Thanks for all the advice ladies. Good news is milk has started coming in...I phoned our local birthing centre this morning to ask to come in for some help (decided wanted help when I started to get that useless feeling and couldn't stop crying!) We have been here for over 3 hours now and theyare letting me stay overnight to get concentrated help. I realize I am lucky to have this option and still don't know if it will work out but as DH said to me it's a short term pain for long term gain, as I really didnt want to stay in hospital. Yet another part of my birthing plan/experience that has been thrown out the window!!!

Hazel - it's your experience with C that made me get the formula and to be alert over it. I remember you said about dehydrate skin so little Mya (that's her name), has been having her skin checked for saginess by an over zealous mum!

God this bf lark so tough. Now it's getting more difficult I can really see why it's not for everyone. Sitting here with my (.)(.) hanging out with baby asleep on them to help stimulate. Cue of tea gone cold. Thank god I picked up my phone first!!!


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

It is really really hard, but it will get better - promise.

You will find a way that works out for you and Mya. Any amount of breast milk she gets is beneficial. The most important thing of all is though that she doesn't fall ill with dehydration or jaundice, and that her weight loss is kept in check - do make sure they weigh her and calculate the percentage weight loss. It should not exceed 10% in the first week. These considerations must outweigh everything else in my opinion.

Watch her urine output to make sure it is a reasonable volume by day 4-5 and of a normal colour - not dark, and make sure she is properly assessed for jaundice - if she is yellow, and it is spreading down the body, then have a blood level done.

I so wish I had known these things before.

I remember those days of laying skin to skin and trying to feed a fretful baby, so tired I could hardly move. There are however special moments intertwined that I would not miss for the world. It is all part of the joy of being a mummy at last.


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## carrie lou

Fizzy honey it honestly does get better, if you can just tough it out for the first few weeks. I remember I had days when Zac would feed for an hour on, an hour off, day and night, god it was exhausting, I barely had time for a shower let alone anything else!   I too can see why it doesn't work out for everyone. But this sort of constant feeding is normal in the early days, you are not doing anything wrong. Zac is now nearly 16 weeks and feeds for 20-30 minutes, then he's good for the next 3 hours. It is so much easier and I never have to worry about how many bottles to take when we go out, no sterilising, no worry about running out of formula, etc. Also I love the closeness and specialness of the bond I now have with Z as a result. I know BFing is not for everyone and doesn't always work out and in these situations there is absolutely nothing wrong with formula. But personally I am so glad I persevered with my choice to BF. Hang in there, you will do what's best for your baby


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## amandaloo

Carrie Lou - I admire you and anyone who
Can stick it out   wish I could have done x


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## juju81

Oh fizzy hunny, it won't help that your 3 days post birth and ur hornones will be plummeting and that's what making you especially tearful.

Persevere if that's what you want but don't feel bad for 'giving' up and turning to formula exclusively. Theres plenty of us on here who didn't want to or couldn't breaatfeed and all our babes are fit and healthy.  A happy mummy = a happy baby. There really is no need o stress yourself out about it my sweet. Were all here to help you and offer advice whether it be sitting there naked to get you milk flow going or how to make up formula - that in itself can lead to many different answers


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## Fizzypop

Haha, thanks Ju. I just thought I'd give it this one go and if it doesn't work then so be it. 

On the plus side, I am the only person in the hospital, also someone forgot to put the oven on so DH gone to tesco and we are going to have romantic cook-in-oven ready meal, lol!!


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

how can you be the only person there     ................wait, hold up, i;m on my way for a rest!   

I tried to BF but was so tired and it flipping hurt, and i hurt so much anyway, i decided for my own sanity i couldnt have anymore pain so gave him a bottle    I never looked back. But i'm sure you'll be fine with your 1-1 nursing


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## carrie lou

It does hurt at first despite what the midwives tell you  but again, this gets better, you just have to grit your teeth for a while I'm afraid  


Fizzy lucky you having all that attention to yourself!  


Amanda   I think a lot of it in my case was luck (not just my stubborn nature  ) i.e. Zac latching on perfectly, me having a good supply that came in quickly, etc. I'm aware I'm one of the very few on here who didn't have any significant problems BFing and I think that speaks volumes about just how hard it can be in the early days. I don't criticise anyone for giving formula, after all the baby has to be fed somehow, and formula fed babies grow up just as happy and healthy. I just wanted to give Fizzy some encouragement so she knows if she does decide to persevere with BFing, it's well worth it in the long run.


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## juju81

We should all go to fizzys hospital and have a night off *clap*  

Carrie, do u have any nipples left     well done u for doing it xxx


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## carrie lou

Sometimes they feel a bit - um - raw!   But seriously I think they must be as tough as leather by now because most of the time they don't hurt at all!


Yes let's all go camp out in Fizzy's ward and be taken care of for a bit


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## Spaykay

Can I join you ladies? My DEDD is now 2...time has flown. Hope I can keep up! Sorry if I'm rubbish.

Kay xxx


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## amandaloo

Carrielou- yeah I know you were  hope what I wrote didn't sound funny . I really meant what I said to you . I found it really hard think that's why I take my hat off to anyone who can stick it out x


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## ceci.bee

Fizzy hun Congratulations!!! sorry have not been on for a few days. I also have managed to get through BFing Joshi but at the begining it was really hard - esp as my milk didn't come in until the 4th day - by which time I was worried he would starve! Also at 4am for the *&nth time getting up to get your boobs out is really tiring. But if you do managed to get into a rhythmn it is great and once the baby gets the idea if they can then it is fab. there also comes a point between 3-6 weeks where it suddenly seems too much and I had really sore nipples which I was trying to persevere with and then got diagnosed with a thrush infection so if they really hurt then get it checked out. Once thath cleared up they were fine and we haven't looked back. But I know like Carrie that I was lucky to have a baby that latched and fed and boobs that made milk, and ultimately a fed baby however fed is a happy baby   enjoy those precious momnets.
Welcome Spaykay and don't worry about keeping up !

Hi everyone else - can you believe Joshi is 5 months old and weighs 8.1kg    I have a monster (but a gorgeous one!) for a baby - who had his first meal of sweet potato today and gobbled it up - I can't managed the exclusive BF to 6 months as he is just hungry all the time now and growing in front of me!!
lots of lvoe to all
Ceci


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

I am still doing a bit of breast feeding - it doesn't have to be one thing or the other like some would have you believe. Combination feeding is possible.

I still BF for a good couple of hours in bed in the morning with my little boy and we both love the closeness and the comfort it brings, that doesn't mean that we couldn't just have a cuddle and be close or that I am not close when I give him his bottles. I also BF 2 or 3 other times in the day and top up to make sure he gets enough. He has his first bottle of the day as my EBM from the middle of the night which is usually 40-60ml and then first formula about 12-1pm then another bottle at about 4pm and another 2-3 in the evening finally finishing at about 12-1am. I do try and BF first both sides to keep things going if I am not really busy or rushing out. There is also an advantage to bottles in that someone else gets the pleasure of feeding - like my Dad! He really enjoys it. 

If you can manage to do the breast feeding and the milk comes in properly and the latch can be sorted out, she doesn't have a tongue tie etc. then it is free, perfect food and easy to prepare, sterile, right temperature etc. I really wish I could have done it and I wonder if my heart being set on it was a reason why Charley got so ill. But I listened to all the advice about formula reducing milk supply etc and was put off until it was too late.


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## *ALF*

Amandaloo - you say about admiring those who managed to perserver with BF but I admire you for staying with the expressing for as long as you have serious   coming your way, I tried for a week or so but gave up as it was very time consuming and I was lucky if I got one feeds worth during the course of the day (yes my supply was c**p).

I think I might have stuck it longer and done the one hour on one hour off, even with our latching problems, if DD had actually ever been contented after a feed, she would feed for an hour and still scream in hunger, but I had nothing left to give her.  Formula was the only way for us to go.  It may also have helped if I'd have had a midwife who was of any use or showed any interest. She never gave me any help for increasing my supply, or mentioned that I could take anything that would increase my supply.

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret turning to formula or feel guilty as I know I did all I could of at the time. 


Spaykay - I remember you    How is your DD?

Ceci - well done for getting to 5 months exclusively BF. Just looked in DD red book and she was a very similar weight to Joshi and I started weaning seriously at 18weeks!

Love to all
ALF
x


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## amandaloo

Hazel - big hugs you can't blame yourself :-( from reading back at your posts you did everything you could do and it's such a hard time at the beginning and overwhelming it's difficult to know what to fo for the best ( that's what I found anyway ). You were not to know that would happen . Sounds like your still doing really well after all you've been through. I don't even breastfeed anymore mine is all ebm and a top up of formula once or twice a day . I tried breastfeeding again a little while back when I had a blocked duct but didn't stick with it went straight back to expressing . Each and everyOne of us has there own way and as I see it as long as you and baby are happy that's the main thing . Xx

Alf- what you described was exactly what my DS was like crying in hunger after over an hour on the boobs it was hard . Lol thanks yeah the crazy world of expressing is well madness !!!


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## carrie lou

Spaykay   

Hi ceci, how is the weaning going? We will be crossing that bridge with Zac in a few weeks, I know he is still too young now but have a feeling he will also be ready to try solids a bit before the 6 month mark. He is nearly 7kg already and not quite 4 months yet. He is already showing a real interest in everything we eat and drink! We'll see how we go but at the moment am thinking of trying him with some baby rice around 5 months or so.

Amanda definitely big respect for expressing. I have expressed a few times but don't get a lot out and Z is reluctant to take a bottle anyway so it's a lot of work for not much reward in our case. No it didn't sound funny what you wrote, I just don't want to come across as smug or anything like that because it is really hard and I know how lucky I am that it worked out well for me.


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## Spaykay

I never managed to express so was a slave to the boob for 11 months until she rejected me. I think I didn't have much milk as she crued a lot until started weaning at 4 months. I remember starting off confidently and then getting into a real tizzy...sometimes not getting out as she slept when I tried to feed her and criedxwhen I tried to put her to sleep! 

*ALF* glad we've 'met' before. My memory fails me I'm afraid 

Kay xxx


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## juju81

Spaykay, I've 'seen' u before!! Ooh not long for you then?! Mini had surprise natural too!


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## amandaloo

Spaykay- forgot to say hello


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## Fizzypop

It's good to hear all the different experiences, certainly there is not a one size fits all approach to this baby lark!

This place seriously is not a hospital. They have cooked my dinner for me, served it up at the dining table in the day room, where there is also toast, jam, peanut butter, tea and coffee etc. Plus one midwife and one midwife assistant to look after me! They changed her dirty nappy and watched over her so i had time to eat my tea! Told dh I'm staying for a bit....

Anyway, best go to bed. My darling daughter has just royally chucked up. Better not be the 2mls of breast milk I managed to express, grrr!


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

It was like that in SCBU when I was readmitted - shown the kitchen - given access to as much toast, cereal, milk, jam, tea, coffee as I could eat to try and improve my milk supply. I did go from 12 ml expressed on the first night to more than 30ml after a couple of days. Baby being looked after for me (he was sunbathing and wired up to drips in an incubator) while I slept and ate and drank when I wanted to. They really looked after both of us and calmed us right down from an horrific week. I hadn't realised quite how tired and stressed I was until the SCBU angel nurses took charge of me. A contrast to the post natal ward where I was in my bed space and had to do most of it on my own. 
I guess that is what happens when you have an experienced extended family with lots of women. They take care of everything else and sometimes the baby so you can rest and just be. Now sadly it has to be done in hospital. When I came home after my c-section I had a string of visitors, my dad here, no privacy, a husband who didn't stop work and I was expected to slip straight back into cooking and cleaning while I had a fretful baby that screamed 24 hours a day and wouldn't stay latched on or be satisfied.


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## juju81

Hazel, look how far u have come...12 wks already! That's flown. I still remember the early days like they were yesterday, cant believe he's nearly 18months!

Fizzy, what hospital are u at? They sound fab xx


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## sweetdreams73

Fizzy - huge huge congratulations sweetie of the birth of your beautiful daughter       , so very happy for you hun xx  .  So well done on the BF its really hard and some babies take to it and get the hang of it quicker than others... I was lucky and my milk came in after 2 days of me starting to express the day after my csection... I am expressing every two to three hours and are producing loads of the stuff which is just as well as I have two hungry babies needing it... I am trying to establish breastfeeding with my boys when I am at the hospital and then I have to tube feed them both with my expressed breast milk then I have to express again for their next feed and then sterilising... its all rather manic and neverending and I am not even doing nights yet!!! god knows how I will cope with that when the boys come home... I am going to have to introduce expressed milk in bottles once the breastfeeding is established as otherwise I wont ever get any sleep again   if I cant get DH and others to help me.... so as long as they get my milk for as long as I can manage then thats something.... I am very lucky that I have loads of milk and even have a load in the freezer but my nipples are really really sore and unfortunately I am getting lumps in my breasts which I hope wont turn into something more serious, the ducts seem a bit blocked as I cant seem to express often enough to get out all the milk.... It hurts so much when I am full!! BUT I will just carry on expressing and carry on trying to get my little boys to latch on and suck and swallow, they find it so so very hard as they are so tiny and they dont have the strength to be able to do it... but we will try it for a while longer... I am having a lovely breastfeeding counsellor lady from our local NCT helping me each day at the hospital as last week I was about to give up totally    and just try a bottle of my expressed milk instead... but this week we seem to be getting on a bit better and the boys are slowly getting the hang of trying to latch on properly... the breastfeeding lady said it can take some babies 6 weeks to establish breastfeeding... so dont give up hun it can take a while to establish it.... she suggested that if you are worried that your baby is not getting enough milk as not properly established with breastfeeding... you can always syringe breast milk down their throat as that way you know they are getting some of your milk and you also know how much too, just until the breastfeeding is established properly and without introducing bottles to them which might confuse them if they havent learnt to breastfeed first... I will definitely be doing this when the boys come home... you can get syringes from Boots for 60p each.....Anyway dont give up hun you can do it... and if you find it doesnt work then dont beat yourself up about it    ... loads of babies are feed formula and are really happy and healthy and I was fed formula by my mum and it hasnt done me any harm!  take care sweetie  lots of xxx


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## amandaloo

Sweetdreams- sounds like your doing well and glad to hear the twins are too . Just a quick one about the blocked ducts . Put boiling water onto a nappy let it cool down slightly so you can bear it in your skin than put it over the area/s that are blocked. For as long as you can then express. When u r showering point the shower in the direction of the ducts . Massage your boob and try and push upwards towards nipple ... There's also a thing about using cabbage leaves  to help draw them out too there's actually a utube vid to show what to do . I did all the above apart from cabbage leaf it went in few days . I also massaged towards nipple when I was expressing . Think if u r breasfeeding too you can do it then as well . Xx


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## juju81

Crikey and who said formula feeding was a faff     

Sd, how are the boys doing??x


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## Spaykay

Fizzi - can u take the staff home with u? Or move in permanently? 

Lumps in boobs - do get them looked after, u DON't want mastitis ((()))

My personals will get better I promise

Mini - weird grtting a natural BFP isn't it. Will talk to u as we have some concerns about how DD will feel. I feel no different I can honestly say...well, at the moment I feel more for DD as I know her, but at birth I'm sure I'll find a way to share my love with the new one too!

Kay xxxx


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Spay I was thinking about you the other day as we are in the same boat  

It's a bit   Isn't it!!  I feel bad for Ds too   how is he gonna feel, will he feel the odd one out etc. I just want to protect him. 

Ju - yep bottles less hassle!!  

SD I used cabbage leaves and they do work!


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Ps spay- my personals are just as good!


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## carrie lou

SD I had a blocked milk duct once, it's   agony isn't it  But like Amanda says it should go away in a couple of days with warm water etc. If it's not settling soon I would definitely get it looked at. You're doing an amazing job hun  and so glad to hear your little boys are doing well   


BF does take a while to establish but in the long run I think it's easier than bottles  No sterilising for me!


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## juju81

My steriliser worked in 3mins! Was super quick! Patience is not one o my string points so I think had Noah not latched on straight away etc I'd have given up anyway.  I think the big plus for me bottle feeding was that I got a break. He wasn't reliant just on me.  I didn't warm milk either so it was really easy going out and about, just took the lid off and plopped the teat in his mouth  

My friend bf both hers and loved every minute of it so can see why u might want too


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## ceci.bee

sweetdreams have only one thing to say to you                        BF is hard work but doing it for two premies at the same time is incredible well done you!

My mum put feeding brilliantly - she said 'however you choose to feed your baby it is time consuming, messy, fiddly, tiring and one of the most wonderful things you can ever do'
lots of love to all
Ceci


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## carrie lou

Good point Ju, I never get a break as Z will not take expressed milk in a bottle, and in the last 16 weeks have not had more than 4 hours uninterrupted sleep, usually much less  and the longest period of time I have ever spent away from Z in his entire life is 1 hour. However I knew all this when I decided to BF and I do love it, have never regretted my decision for a moment. Each to their own, there are clearly pros and cons both ways


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## juju81

It's so true. We make a decision for ourselves....it's so much easier when they learn to eat themselves.........!!!!


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## speeder

Hello SD - wow - sounds like you are doing brilliantly with the feeding.  Apparently popping cabbage leaves in your bra can help with the sore ducts - there is a substance in the cabbage that draws the fluid out.  I haven't actually tried it but have heard of many swearing by it - midwives recommend it.  I used to get the odd sore point and so would express constantly even if I had to chuck it away till I felt the pain being relieved - and massage the area.  you don't want it to get infected   

hearing everyone's stories - our little ones are incredibly cherished however we've done it - I wonder if all mums give it as much thought or if tx makes us think about it even more?  I did love breast feeding but once I had stopped I did also really enjoy the increased freedom too of knowing DH could bottle feed - it's so so tying.  I could only ever hand express and my boobs just didn't work with any of the machines (no idea why) and I found expressing just took soooooooooo long. 

Carrie - it's lovely weaning and watching them try few flavours!   

Hello Spaykay - congratulations on your natural BFP - I remember you from way back before our babies were due!  (although yuou might not remember me - I'm a rubbish poster   ) You must be soo excited   

Fizzy - where are you staying?  it sounds amazing.    I sometimes wish new mums had way more support from the NHS (yes I know funding is tight etc, but I think we're often just emptied out and left to get on with it).  Apparently in New Zealand new mums can stay somewhere for a couple of weeks where they - and their new babies - can be looked after and helped to settle in.  I sometimes wonder if there are so many problems with b/feeding etc in the UK because new mums are just too nackered/recovering themselves etc and their bodies can't cope.  Whilst my milk supply was fine, I think my milk was quite "thin" and that didn't help DD's weight gain which is why I stopped b/feeding early and I wonder if I had had more support etc (after my haemorrage etc) whether my milk would have been better quality. Ho hum - I bet David Cameron would love to give funds for this kind of support ....

AFM - well our mice have finally gone!!  if anyone needs any tips on eradicating the little blighters then PM me.  We ended up resorting to concrete.    

xx


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## Spaykay

Speeder - our LO's will have about the same age gap.

Mini - I think the elder LO's will be fine so long as we're open and natural. Can't imagine loving anyone else the same as her.

I loved breastfeeding I have to say and think I would get in a total mess with bottles. Do have to flop boobs out in public though!

Feeling like poop and have to go cook, cheerio!


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Spay I'm the same about not knowing how I could love another   I'm bot brooch yet   is that bad??!


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## Spaykay

What does bot brooch mean Mini?


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

flipping iPhone   I meant I'm not broody yet


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## Spaykay

lol...me neither...I think petrified is the word for it  Nahhhhh, I'm looking forward to EG being a big sis really, but am unsure I'll cope.

Kay xxx


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Yeah I'm exactly the same !


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## Fizzypop

SD - thank you for taking the time to post to me when you have your hands full x How much do the boys weigh now? How are you feeling? Do you know when they will be allowed home? 

The hospital I was at was our local NHS midwife led unit, called St Peters. It's always very quiet as people prefer to go to the main hospital in Chelmsford in case of complications. However, post natal care is first class, they literally waited on me - drinks, hot chocolate, cooked meals DH brought in, looked after baby when I ate tea, changed nappies etc. I was really against staying there but it was amazing. Didn't want to leave!!! They chucked me out on Thursday. On Thursday morning I was crying on the phone to DH saying I wasn't ready to leave, but then fed her on my own and felt more confident.

So, we are doing a "best of both worlds" approach. Now we ae settling into a bit of a pattern, I am bf near enough every hour of the day but she only latches on with nipple guards, then topping up with formula at night and expressing regularly of no breast milk taken. On the first day of doing this, she slept for 7 hours straight. We were so worried we woke her up, lol!!! Mw said no, let her sleep! Now we just need to time it so that the long stint is at a decent night time time.

DH mum and his best friends wife both keep saying don't formula top up, but exclusive bf is just not for me as it is impossible to feed every hour. DH gonna tell her how it is if she goes on about it when she's here later!!!

Anyway, hope everyone is well, not looking forward to inlaws coming. She believes you should be confined to bed post baby and that's just not me!!!


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## carrie lou

Fizzy - St Peters sounds lovely  Stand your ground with the in-laws - my MIL was also very overbearing after Zac was born (still is in fact  ), telling me what to do constantly, saying I was spoiling Zac, etc. And in hindsight I so wish I had stood up to her more. At the end of the day no one can tell you what to do for your own baby, as it's you who will actually have to do it, so you need to be comfortable and confident with whatever you choose. I did stay in bed for about 3 days post baby but only because I was anaemic and felt so yucky! Anyway, glad to hear things are settling down a bit for you.


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Fizzy remember you are the mum now so do it your way


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## Fizzypop

Grrrr I am so wound up. Just who does she think she is telling me that my baby wouldn't be crying for a wet nappy. Apparently "it doesn't bother them that much". Guess what, nappy was saturated! Oh well, DH just given baby a bottle of formula and I've come upstairs to express. Do you think I can get away with an hour on each side?


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## carrie lou

At least!


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

2 !
Will she have gone by then?
Your boobs might be in the bottle with the milk by then though


----------



## Fizzypop

Oh my god, can you believe it. I went upstairs to express and she popped up to see me. Then I asked DH to leave baby with me (got a bit emotional about her being passed around - over protective mummy!) and I started feeding her and when I did that she came and put her head by my (.)(.) and talked to the baby. Arghhhh...would have been downstairs for feeding if it weren't for the fact I am still at the stage I need to practically undress my top half and put the nipple shield on...

Anyway, she's gone now, popping over tomorrow then back home loads of miles away!


----------



## carrie lou

Phew. Kind of reminds me of when my MIL was staying here after DH had his accident, Zac was about 4 weeks old and I was trying to teach him the difference between night and day, i.e. no chatting or playing during night time wakings. So there I am at 3am one night changing a pooey nappy, Zac was crying a little bit, and MIL actually got out of bed, came into the nursery and said in a bright cheery voice, "Ah good morning Zac, how are you? Ah don't cry Zac" etc etc. AAAARRRGH    Good morning? At 3am?


----------



## Spaykay

Carrie - you should've said....awwwww thanks Granny, here you go and popped back to bed yourself!!!! DH never quite got the idea of silence at night!!!

Fizzy - grrrrrr, I feel for you but my MIL is very sweet so I'm lucky

Kay xxx


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Grrrr! 
How rude and inconsiderate!
My MIL for all her faults and nasty comments over the decade about IVF and donor conception and my chances of success at ''my'' age, she has actually been really good since my little miracle was conceived.  

She has stayed in the background and just done useful things like encouraging words, ringing me to check I am OK and doing shopping in the early weeks and washing/hoovering/emptying dishwasher whilst I was back in SCBU. She has even rung from her hols in Australia to check on me and Charley.

I do remember those stressful early days of breast feeding when all you want to do is lay in bed with your boobs out, skin to skin for hours and all people in the house want to do is come up and check you are OK, bring you tea, come up to cuddle the baby - and they never knock on the door! No wonder it is difficult to be successful. I remember telling people who were all in the nursery looking at my crying baby and asking what was wrong and me saying ''he is hungry and we both need to do skin to skin to get my milk going'' and no one moved an inch until I snapped ''that means both me and him naked!'' that soon got them shifted, but in a huffy sort of way.

Another time in hospital, some visitors turned up as I was hand expressing about 1ml of liquid gold colostrum into a syringe with the help of a feeding midwife - it had taken ages and I had to cover up as they stuck their heads in. I said ''we are trying to get some milk out of me to give to him''. They all nodded and stood there. I then had to ask the midwife to ask them to wait in the day room.    

Does it just not register that you might want some privacy or do you become everybody's property and not entitled to dignity once you have had a baby?

I have also had people poking the baby and coming up to the nursery when I have almost got him off to sleep to ask me ''is he asleep yet'' in a normal talking voice. Grrrrrr


----------



## amandaloo

Oh my god the MIL stories are horrendous ! 

Fizzy - I'd be seriously peed off . I told all of my family and friends in no uncertain terms would I breastfeed in front of them and they would have to work their visiting around me . Hope your ok I remember how I felt a few days in big hugs . Tell dh to tell u mil to back of a bit especially round feeding xx


----------



## Fizzypop

Thanks amanda. Let me guess what we're both doing Thanks for for your pm, not had chance to read properly yet. 

Mil coming back today. I am going to hide under duvet xxx


----------



## amandaloo

I'm in Cornwall fizzy ! Lol having a lovely time on our first family holiday )))


----------



## carrie lou

Fizzy I eventually lost patience and told DH to keep everyone out of the bedroom, I would bring baby downstairs to see them when we were both ready. These early days are so important, you and baby should be top priority.  


I do remember though when Zac was about 2 days old, my dad, brother and brother-in-law all standing in our bedroom cooing over the baby, then Zac started rooting and sucking his fingers, I said "Uh oh, think I have to feed him again". You've never seen 3 men leave a room so fast!


----------



## carrie lou

P.S. Amanda have a lovely holiday! We are off to Cornwall too in 2 weeks time, also our first family holiday - I can't wait!


----------



## teresal

only comment on in laws is they should be banned (for ever if i had my way) until you are ready. end off ( i won't start about mine)


----------



## JanaH

All I can say about the in laws is stand your ground.   

Hope everyone else is doing well.

We are doing well, I've started weaning Joseph yesterday.


----------



## carrie lou

Ooh that's exciting Jana  What are you feeding him? We are thinking of trying Zac with some baby rice when we get back from holiday, he will be just over 20 weeks then and think he will probably be ready.


Hope everyone is well this evening. We have just had some exciting news, my best friend had her baby girl this afternoon, they have called her Isobelle, 6lb 8oz  We've been best friends since school and now we have babies who can play together one day! Really pleased for her.


----------



## Spaykay

Mt wee one (well, big one soon enough!) staed at 4 months on mashed banana and grated apple....loved it. Not saying this is right though. Just did as my Spanish nurse told me 

Kay xxx


----------



## JanaH

Carrie I started him on baby rice. Will do this for a week or so before introducing fruit and veg. 

The hv is coming to see us this coming Thursday, as Joseph is gaining weight but is dropping on the centile. It was funny yesterday when we fed him, I had to put the spoon in and then the dummy to get him to swallow. This morning he cried for more LOL.... Hopefully tomorrow goes even better.


----------



## Spaykay

They soon get the idea...amazing they are. I used Annabel Karmel's baby recipes, was pleased with the results...DD loved everything, until she turned 2!

Kay xxx


----------



## carrie lou

Jana I have read that it takes a few goes for them to get the idea. My DH is keen to feed Zac when we start weaning (I'm still exclusive BFing and Z won't take a bottle so DH has never really had the experience of feeding him and is looking forward to it  ) but I warned him he may get spat on at first!!!


----------



## ceci.bee

Janah we started on baby rice cereal with breast milk and now he eats a bowl a day to get his iron, and I am slowly introducing a second feed of mashed banana/sweet potato etc also with breast milk which so far he has also gobbled down. I try to give him some breast first so he is not too hungry so he can concetrate on the tastes and textures, but it is all very messy! I am also trying to teach him to drink water out of a cup which is very messy but it is getting so hot here he needs to drink water all the time.....
I will check out the annabel karmel recipes as am looking for inspiration thanks spaykay!

Fizzy also really feel for you wtih inlaws - you just have to tell her to back off and give you space - it is hard but life will be much easier when you do. My MIL also pops into the change room in the small hours and there is no telling her to **** off at that point   but a quiet word afterwards is realy important......

Mini- how many weeks are you now?? are you getting a ticker?? hope you are feeling well and all the scans are going well   

do any of you have remedies for heat rash?? poor Joshi is covered in it despite everything I try.........
lots of love to all
Ceci


----------



## Spaykay

Ceci - DD was born mid summer in Madrid and really suffered. I was given some creams for the spots but not much else u can do. It's hard. Where do u live?

Kay xxx


----------



## Fizzypop

Mil came back on the Sunday and was completely different. DH thinks his SIL said something. She also came back armed with loads of nappies. Still doesn't mean I am anywhere near ready to go and stay with them for a long weekend...

All is going well here. We so far have gotten 7.5-8 hours sleep out of her each night since we came home from hospital. Even last night I thought our luck had ended but she went down at 3.30 and I got her up at 10.30!

Ceci - I had a quick look on google and it said calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream 0.5% (under doctors advice), wet flannels to area, cotton/natural clothing etc. Is this coming up for the hot season then?


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Ceci - I'm nearly 14 weeks!    I had a CVS test done to check the chromosomes cos of DH and looks like its not inherited DHs funny chromosome, just waiting for the full set of results now


----------



## ceci.bee

yay Min - so lovely to see your ticker - congrats on getting to 14 weeks and the low risk CVS fab fab   

thanks FIzzy for tips on heat rash - have tried calamine might try to lay hands on cortisone cream. we are headed into the hot season at the moment and it was 28 degrees on the veranda today and its only getting hotter. Mum is coming to stay and bringing a paddling pool which will help keep him cool and can't wait to see him splashing   

lots of love to all
Ceci


----------



## Spaykay

Mini - hope all the tests come back ok. i was sure our new LO wouldn't survive and would have something wrong with him, but nope! Must've been a good egg that escaped so here's to your DH's good sperm escaping, mind blowing miracles do happen eh!

ewwwww my DD stinks! 

Kay xxx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

I didn't realise u were having a boy! Have u a name?


----------



## Spaykay

Alex(ander) He¡s very comfortable and in place....mummy is NOT very comfortable however! How are you feeling?

Kay xxx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Aww lovely name. I'm fine. Got the headaches now. Forgot about them


----------



## sweetdreams73

hello lovely ladies

Hope you are all good    

Well the boys are finally home now after spending a week in ICU and four weeks in SCBU... its just so lovely to be a proper family    We are settling into a established routine and the boys are doing great, they are such sweet and good little boys we are just so very lucky!  Daniel is very funny the little twin he has a built in alarm clock I am sure   as 10mins before he and matthew are due for their feeds, he starts squeeking to matthew to wake up.... we did have the boys on different feeding schedules but now they seem to be on the same one... give or take 15 -20 mins or so... so I am learning the art of feeding two babies at the same time... it certainly takes a bit of doing but its amazing what you can do with lots of pillows      Unfortunately I had to give up on the breastfeeding, SCBU is a very noisy and stressful place to be what with no privacy and everyone doing stuff with the babies all the time trying to have a relaxed peaceful enviroment to breastfeed is IMPOSSIBLE therefore the boys just were not latching on properly at all and then finding it really hard they were getting all stressed and that was making me then stressed too but also on top of that the fact that my nipples are just so so painful    and cracked from all the expressing every three hours..it was really hurting when they were not latching on right... was really disappointed about it to begin with... but I am still expressing my breastmilk even though is pretty painful every three hours and putting it into bottles to feed to them so its the next best thing... it is however a lot of work with expressing and sterilising bottles all the time but the advantages are I know exactly how much the boys are getting quantity wise of milk which is really important when you have two premie twins that need to gain great amounts of weight...and my lovely DH can actually help with doing some of the night feeds so I can actually try and get 3-4 hours sleep in a row rather than no sleep at all... so its all worked out well in the end and the boys and me are a lot happier... Its a crazy time of feeding them burping them changing them getting them down to sleep, expressing, sterilising etc and by the time you have done all that we get a bit of a break and then its time to do it all again  , but we are so so happy and enjoying are beautiful precious boys and wouldnt change the madness for the world!! we are very blessed indeed!!

Oh my better go two small people are squeeky away to eachother, it must be that time again... DH is working at the moment so its solo time for me again with pillows more than likely... DH is off on 2 weeks paternity leave tomorrow so cant wait for that... its a lot easier when you have some one else helping you!...  

Thinking of you guys and hope one day I will be able to actually catch up with everyone a bit

lots of love and    to you al

sweetdreamsxxxx


----------



## Fizzypop

Oh wow SD that is great news. I can only imagine what it's like with two by doubling my one and that means I am truly in admiration!

Don't know what method of sterilizing you are using but we have found cold water/Milton a lot easier. Basically we keep our sterilizer container full up with cold water and one tablet of Milton per 24 hour period and during that time dip in and out of it as many times as needed. Did try microwaving but found microwave was constantly on!

Well we got off to a good start but now she has decided doesn't like sleep at nights. She finally went down at 9 am this morning. Just trying to make sure we feed her regularly during the day today so she does not get too hungry through the night and hopefully we can claim some of it back!!


----------



## Spaykay

SD - glad urhome and bubsies are well. I respect u with 2 alone for even 1 hour!!! 

Fizzi - hope the sleep routine soon gers going. My midwife said at night always dark and no talking. I fed DD in bed then straight to moses...only a change if pooed. It did workbut I was probably just lucky.

Kay xxx


----------



## juju81

SD great news on being home lovey

Fizzy, yeah we didnt other changing Noah unless he poo'd!


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## carrie lou

SD great to hear you are home with your two little ones, you must be thrilled  Don't worry about the breastfeeding hun, they will still be getting all the goodies from your milk and this way you can get some help with feeding them!

Fizzy I think many babies go through a "nocturnal" phase but she will get the idea, just keep night-time feedings very low key, no talking, no lights on etc. And yes I don't change Zac at night either unless he poos - or vomits all over his babygrow ... which has happened  Just put him in a special night time nappy which is extra absorbent  

Mini 14 weeks already  That's great hun, hope it all continues to go well for you  

Spaykay hope not long to go for you  Alex is a lovely name.

I've just had a terrible weekend at my in-laws and if I never see them again it will be too soon


----------



## ceci.bee

carrie hun sorry about the in laws         

Fizzy I also did exactly the same as the others to get the stimulation down as much as poss for night feeds/changes - it is hard but they do get an idea about day/night in the end although it feels like forever at the time until they do! good luck hun     

sweetdreams amazing news abotu the boys enjoy!!!
hi to everyone else
lots of love
Ceci


----------



## Fizzypop

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have been trying to do the quiet night times but sometimes easier said than done! Particularly need to have this chat with DH who hasn't grasped the concept yet!!


----------



## Spaykay

Ahhhhh Fizzypop...the DH. Mine even last night went in to DD, turned on light, played tickle tickle as he changed her and then banged on the wind chimes...dreading trying to get silence through to him with new one!

Kay xxx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

fizzy - in a few days,  he won't have enough energy to even speak    God, i couldn't even speak on the night feeds! I used to fall asleep myself!   

SD - So glad you are a family at last.    Don't worry about the bottle feeding,. No more cracked nips for you!!


----------



## carrie lou

Ah so glad it's not just my DH!!! One night he offered to get up and change a pooey nappy, Great I thought, an extra few minutes in bed for me! However he then swung Zac up in the air, saying loudly Come on then young man! Then proceeded to turn on all the lights as he took Zac into the nursery and SHOUTED and swore at the cat for getting in his way.  We had a little "chat" the next morning.


Mini I fall asleep while feeding Zac all the time  That's how he ends up spending half the night in bed with me.


----------



## Fizzypop

Oh I'm glad I'm not the only one that falls asleep while feeding! I asked my friend and she said that she never did...

Bless DH he just made me my first cup of coffee from our coffee machine because I said I didn't like the coffee in the pods that he keeps buying. He's trying to be nice to me bc I've spent the last three days shouting at him. A combination of my tiredness and him trying to do the best thing but always getting it wrong...like trying to move the Moses basket from my side of bed to his at 3 am in the morning. His side of the bed is next to the window so he was basically trying to put baby to sleep underneath an open window!

Anyway, don't know how this is linked, but if we give her mid afternoon formula feed, she sleeps for longer period at night. Don't really care either. As long as she sleeps I will carry on doing it!!! It's so much nicer feeling a bit more rational. Hv and some mw say we are leaving her to sleep for too long (but another mw said it was okay) but when she was on 2 formula feeds and long sleep at night she put on 4 oz in 6 days and on one formula top up and no sleep at night it was 2oz in 5 days. After meeting them a few times, the hv are nowhere near as nice as the midwives!


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## Spaykay

i always fell asleep whilst feeding. I'd wake to find her flat out next to me.

Kay xxx


----------



## juju81

Nick still insists on talking to Noah if he has to go in for 1 reason or another   I do it myself instead!!

I didn't fall asleep but was very close to it! Some mummies like to make out they do nowt wrong....I bet I pressed they would actually admit a whole lot more. I waited 8yrs for Noah, wanted nothing else in the world to be a mummy. I absolutely love him to pieces but it's nothing I imagined it to be. It's 100% harder than I ever imagined and that is one reason we are not having more  


Some people will say - and I'm not starting a debate again but formula can stuff a baby out for longer hence why she might go through the night more. I mean it doesn't matte does it, she sleeps longer, that's always a bonus


----------



## carrie lou

I'm pretty sure formula has more calories than breastmilk so if she is taking in most of her calorie requirement in the day, perhaps she doesn't need as much at night? Just guessing though.


Ju you're right it is far harder than you could ever imagine, Wonderful though. But I can understand why some people want to stop at one. Me, I'm a bit    and still want another


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## carrie lou

Ooh I meant to ask, does anyone know how to persuade a little one to have a dummy?  I think it would make life a lot easier if Zac would have one, just to help him get to sleep as he is such a bad sleeper, but he is not keen  I've tried 3 different types and there is one that he prefers over the others and we've had limited success with this. In other words he will now accept it in his mouth instead of spitting it out immediately, and he will suck it for about 10 seconds at a time before letting it fall out. I've read about tapping it to encourage sucking and this does help but if I stop tapping, he stops sucking. Just wondering if anyone has any other tips? It's odd as he is quite a "sucky" baby and when he's sleepy will happily latch on just for comfort. Am happy for him to do this when we're at home but it's a little more difficult when we're out and about or in the car


----------



## juju81

Not sure what happened to my reply! 

Noah will only take a cherry teat and it has to be a certain mould   he'll take it out, look at it and throw it if it's not the tommee tippee ones ha ha!

Jut preservere. If after a few days he's still spitting it out I'd say he doesn't want one. Just hold it in for him for a while until he gets it iykwim!


----------



## Spaykay

Carrie - EG would NOT have one. She used one at 4 months for a month but then quit the habit. However, I didn't really want h
er to have one and am glad now as don't have to wean her off. She has a a snuggly blanket bear/rabbit/monkey instead. Would he chew on one of those?

Kay xxx


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## Fizzypop

Ju - exactly. I think if it means happy mummy then it's all worth it. 

Carrie - mw told us that breast is higher in calories but do agree babies sleep longer on formula. Prob something to do with getting more quicker or something. 

I spoke to the clinic today to dons out how much donor sperm we had left 

On the dummy front we tries the other say and I found holding it on for a little whole worked although she did lose it eventually. Mind you she is a lot smaller than zac at the moment. But good idea on the toy...

Oh well best go. Dh wants to go out and he's moaning a bit cos baby needs to be fed first. They just don't get it do they!!! We are going to the factory outlet shop so I'm going to look at the baby trainers in the Nike shop. Wrong on so many levels bit so cute at the sametime!!!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

carrie - If he won't have a dummy then i'd leave be, It will be easier in the long run to train him to fall asleep on his own. We had to get rid of the dummy cos DS kept waking up for it in the night.............endlessly   

Fizzy - Formula will fill her out, it has something in it to make them feel fuller for longer. Try to get 5 feeds in from 7-7 then feed on demand at night.


----------



## speeder

Hi Carrie- in my (limited) experience I think that some babies just don't really want a dummy.  to be honest, I'm trying to wean DD off hers and it's a flipping nightmare so I'd be quite glad if I was you that he doesn't really want one!!  

I have heard so many folk say babies sleep better on formula.  I didn't try it last time but to be honest, this time around I think I will give some formula late at night as babies do sleep better on it and it's absolutely exhausting breastfeeding night after night with so much broken sleep.  I have long taken the view that formula really is just fine - I know there was a tricky debate on here a while ago about it so I won't say too much but I really think that health visitors are overly obsessed with solely breast feeding and they do forget that happy mums mean happy babies and that we need some sleep or we go nuts     

Spaykay - not long at all for you now!!  how are you feeling?

SD - so glad it's going well - sounds like you are coping brilliantly...  lovely to hear it's going well 

AFM - well I'm 29 weeks now and feeling so much better.  I met the consultant yesterday to discuss avoiding the problems of my last delivery (haemorrhage, third degree tear).  Apparently I'm just as likely to haemorrhage again with a c-section so we're not having one but trying to manage things a bit better this time.  It was all a bit rubbish last time in as much as my midwife care was non-existent and so I'm hoping to be a bit better looked after.  I'm getting nervous - I can't stand the thought of haemorraghing again EEK

speeder x

speeder x


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

I haemorrhaged too and it scares me ridgid, i was so ill for weeks afterwards (on top of the normal after birth bits) i'm not sure how i'll cope if it happens again. I was going to ask for a CS, but they'll probably say no


----------



## speeder

Oh Mini - know how you feel    Consultant said we're just as likely to haemorrhage with a c-section apparently.  So they are going to have a canula in my hand all ready this time, give oxytocin as baby is born and then give something else for 4 hours afterwards.  Plus we need to make sure we aren't anaemic.  Not sure what else we can do!!!!  I had really bad bleeding with my m/c too so feel I've just got a uterus that doesn't know how to stop contracting.  Eek.  I'm getting nervous!!!!!!!


----------



## carrie lou

Oh - I had a bleed after Z was born, not a huge one apparently, about 800 mls, but was enough to leave me anaemic and feeling pretty rubbish for about 2 weeks afterwards and was very scary  Hadn't even occurred to me that it might happen again next time. But I suppose forewarned is forearmed? Mini and Speeder I'm sure you will be well looked after this time


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

It was Ds that made me bleed. My nerve endings ballooned and he ripped them as he came down   I bled before I had him hence quick delivery and 5 units of blood.


----------



## Spaykay

Not making me nervous at all girls!!!

Kay xxx


----------



## carrie lou

Aw Kay you'll be fine hun!    


I don't know why I bled, they never explained it to me  but it only started a few minutes after he was born in my case.


----------



## juju81

Speeder and mini, every birth is different, just like every preg. I can understand you being petrified, my birth wasn't exactly the birth I'd hoped but I'm sure they will keep an extra special eye on u if you tell them how anxious u are  

Speeder, my sisters eldest never took a dummy, youngest did. They got rid of it when she was about 2.5 and could understand that it was being left for th dummy fairies to give to all babies and that a toy woul replace it. Just like that she got rid of it. I think when they hit a certain age u might aswell just keep with it until try are old enough to give it to someone, whether it be Santa, dummy fairy etc etc. I don't care Noah has one. I'll give to the dummy fairy when he's old enough to understand!

It can get just as hard with a particular special teddy. My friend lost her little girls tigger one day. She was devastated and took ages for her to go to sleep. They had to buy her a new one the next day


----------



## Spaykay

DH hates it when EG walks aroi¡und with  a rabbit hanging out of her mouth!!! Wherever they find comfort they.ll come the day when we need to seperate them from it 

As John Lennon said "Whatever gets you through the night...it's alright...alright!"

Kay xxx


----------



## ceci.bee

Mini & Speeder I bled a litre after my CS and also was anaemic after (Haemoglobin Hb was 9)- and I took iron religiously in my third trimster to keep my Hb as topped up as possible which I was told was totally safe for me and baby although messed up my guts a bit. SpeederI really hope they keep a closer eye on you this time!
Kay you will be fine am sure and its amazing even if you do bleed how the body does actually cope with it and the baby is fine even though you feel rubbish for a while....

I also was told that formula helps babies sleep longer, but think that is also different for different babies as they metabolise all types of milk at different speeds - joshi slept through the night as  soon as he had gained enough weight to not need feeding every 2-4 horus in the night at around 10 weeks and he has only had breastmilk, but now he is growing so fast he is gobbling milk and two solid feeds a day and is still sleeping through. I think yyou have to find what works for you and your baby to help maximise your rest. But the sleepless period is really really tough, but in the grand scheme of things doesn't last that long, so do what you have to do to get through it!!

Carrie - joshi used a dummy for a bit but like you it kept falling out and only stayed in if held in or wedged in (sorry yes am bad mother) with a toy   - and he is also a really sucky baby. But the moment he discovered sucking his thumb the dummy disappeared and now he uses that to get to sleep - and I am happy about that, but know I will be paying for the orthodontist in the future! I also wouldn't push it on zach but see if you can find another prop such as a toy that he can cuddle to help him sleep - we also use classic Fm sleepy baby music to help get him off to sleep which works a treat..........

lots of love from sunny africa
Ceci


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

The formula takes a bit longer to digest apparently so they can sleep a bit longer. As far as I am concerned formula is life saving magic potion after the first devastating and nearly fatal week we had with breast feeding. I am still breast feeding as much as I can within my daytime activities and expressing once or twice a day, but I feed mostly formula and baby and I are happy and healthy now. I am really lucky and have a down to earth, lovely health visitor. I also had a lovely community midwife. My HV is totally on my side and she gets really irate about breast feeding dictators - she says that they have to battle so much post natal depression from it that she is with the mother on doing what is healthy for both mother and baby in individual circumstances.

I also had a post partum haemhorrage after a c-section of 1 litre and it was a bit scary. They were pumping loads of gelatin IV fluids into me whilst giving extra oxytocin to try and get my uterus to contract. Consequently the next day my hands and feet were oedematous and I felt very short of breath. They did not test my haemaglobin levels until 3 days later and then I was put on iron. This was another reason why I didn't make much milk.

To those wanting an explanation when the placenta is delivered it leaves loads of open bleeding blood vessels in the uterus. The uterus is supposed to contract down immediately under the influence of the oxytocin hormone and clamp off the blood vessels as it contracts. If the uterus doesn't respond then you have a huge bleed.

In terms of dummies, Charley has to have it put back in several times and held there while he starts to suck. Once he is in a rhythm and enjoying it, you can step away and it stays put.


----------



## Spaykay

Thumb sucking - I was one and never had teeth probs. I'm almost hoping LO will suck his  He dud in the scan. EG sucked hers for 1 day only! U can't chuck a thumb in the bin though!

As for sleeping longer, I think it just depends on the baby. My LO was breastfed and slept through at 8 weeks after the doctor asked me why I kept giving a feed at 5 am. The midwife however told me not to ket her go more tgan 4 hrs without a feed...such contradictory advice! Once I knew her feeding time, I would 'dream feed' her so that she didn't actually wake and learnt to sleep througg, but still got grub in her tummy. My friends biy hiwever, bittle fed, has just started sleeping through at 18 months! So, who knows?

Kay xxx


----------



## amandaloo

Hi ladies

Hope you are all ok , and the sun shines for everybody today  

Spaykay- I agree my DS gets both breastmilk and formula and he slept through from 8 weeks and I found that it didnt matter what I give him before his last feed he will still sleep.   

Speeder and Mini- Hope you two are ok try not too worry you will be in the safest of hands Im sure. I was told off my GP that just because I had forceps and my placenta was hand delivered last time would not mean to say that it would happen again, know its not exactly the same thing but I suppose every birth is different and if they know you had a problem last time they can be sure to make sure they take precautions. GP said to me that they would give me a bigger volume injection to help get my placenta out next time so hopefully it wont be hand delivered....yuk hope noone eating their breakfast ha!

Fizzypop- Hope your ok and surviving the nightshifts  

Carrie- Maybe Zac dosent want a dummy not all babies like them or need them some do of course. I know some ppl told me it took them a while to find a dummy that their child liked Im talking most of the dummys on sale! I never gave DS a dummy mostly cause I was trying to establish breastfeeding at first, then as time went on found out he didnt really need one, he occasionally sucks his thumb or fist,  I have been introducing slowly a blankie teddy but he dosent take that to bed either maybe when hes a bit older he might do. 

sweetdreams- Glad all is ok I bet you are a very busy lady  

Ceci and Juju- Hope you are well  

Aya to anybody Ive missed

AFM- well Noah is 3 months old now heck how fast has that gone, hes a little treasure he really is such a happy lil sole. Weve just been to cornwall for a weeks holiday which was lovely oh and also pretty tiring sightseeing and organising things before we set off and trying to fit expressing in too. Noah still wakes up between 5-6 luckily he sleep around 10 hrs a night has done since around 8 weeks old. Im hoping when we start weaning around 4 months he may sleep longer if he dosent wont be too upset as 10 hrs isnt too bad if im really tired ill go to bed after he does so I get the 10 hrs in...ha now I most prob sound lazy!! Noah had his second lot of jabs yesterday and was weighed hes now 14 14 the little pudding. Im thinking of giving up expressing to feed him, I kinda want my body back if anyone can relate to that? Im finding it hard though knowing where to start do I go cold turkey or cut back?


----------



## Fizzypop

Ok so 10 hours a night by 8 weeks. I've got something to aspire to!!

I think I might have dream fed her on the night...she started letting out a little yelp and I didn't want to wake dh so I put her on and she sucked for 8 mins. I'm pretty sure she didn't open her eyes in that time!!


----------



## juju81

Noah was 16wwks when he slept through. My inters kids were 4 & 6 wks. Lucky cow!

Amanda, can't help with that. Unless its like when your not breast feeding and u just let it dry up?? No idea. I'm sure one o the 'breast' mummies will advise! U holiday sounds lovely, were off to centre parcs next week. I love it there


----------



## amandaloo

Juju- thats the third time in two days someone has told me they are going to centreparcs. Im thinking of booking it for next feb or something and trying it out. Is it ok for babys then?

PS Fizzy and Juju- I slept from through from being born!!!! thats madness, I asked my mum three times same question "did I sleep through from biurth did I hear right lol". Mum said i slept from 10pm til 7am


----------



## ceci.bee

fizzy - we put joshi down after his bath with a bottle of expressed milk, and then I pick him up at 10.30-11 for a dream feed where he hardly wakes up - latches on and feeds for about 10 mins then sleeps through (uless he poos) until around 6-8am. It took us a little while to get into the swing of it, but now he loves it and it helps both of us stay full/empty and sane! He only got the hang of it by 10 weeks or so - before then we had several nightmare attempts where he was awake all night after me picking him up..........

hi everyone else hope all ok today!
lots of love
Ceci


----------



## carrie lou

Amanda I think if you are going to stop expressing you should do so gradually, otherwise you can get engorgement and mastitis etc. Not an expert though as I am still BFing.  


Juju enjoy centreparcs, we went there (the Longleat one) before having Zac and it was lovely. I think it would be a great place for a holiday with little ones.  


All you ladies are lucky with your little ones sleeping through; Zac is 4 months now and still wakes usually 3 times a night. I'm hoping things will improve when he starts solids.


I've just had my boy weighed and he is 16lb or 7.27kg    Am thinking of introducing him to some baby rice around 5 months and see how we go...


----------



## juju81

Amanda, we go with my family. There's 8 of us. Not sure I'd go just me', nick and Noah, not at the age noahs is. Maybe in a few yrs time.  There's plenty do tho tho, do go tho.   I did a henwknd there last year too. Noah was only 3 months old. It was lush and he had a fab wknd with daddy at home   god your mum was lucky! Noah goes 7-630 ish! It's enough for me'. I love that I have my evenings to myself 

Carrie, yep, we go to the longleat one. It's fab. I get real bad holiday blues afterwards. We have been goun every year for the last 4yrs I think!


----------



## carrie lou

Juju did you go on that big crazy water slide? That was so much fun! (This was before I was pregnant I hasten to add  and probably not suitable for little ones)


----------



## juju81

Yeah I love it! I went this week last sept and my parents kept an eye on the kids so me, my sisters and partners could go swimming on our own. It was great fun. Altho cos of my spd depending how I landed it frickin killed my groin


----------



## carrie lou

My DH hurt his coccyx by landing funny on that thing


----------



## Saffa77

Bookmarking


----------



## Spaykay

When I and my SIL stop having babies (sounds like we're rabbits! Not so, just happen to be doing it at the same time) mum and dad want to take us away. her friends did centre pasrks and loved it. I think we will try something where little kids can be entertained though.

Kay xxx


----------



## carrie lou

Happy due date Kay!   How are you feeling?


----------



## Spaykay

Thanks CL. Ticker is a bit off track though due to my long cycles...Sun 2nd is now official DDay! Feeling achy and tired. Although I'll miss being pg and probably never will be again, I'm ready now. Feel so blessed. Never dreamed this would be my life. 

Kay xxx


----------



## Lindz

Good luck Kay   
Very jealous of all those with little ones who started sleeping through early. Mine were 7 months and still have their moments and DD always wakes at 5:15   
x


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Don't worry Lindz, they change and carry on waking at stupid o'clock.     Usually teeth. We were up at 530 this morning.   

Well my boy has suddenly grown up. TOnight he had his night milk in  a cup and went to bed. No more bottles!!!


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Amanda - I agree with Carrie - you stop expressing/feeding gradually - otherwise you will be in for a very uncomfortable time with mastitis and engorgement. One lady at my BF support group is weaning off the breast and she is cutting out one feed per week.


----------



## speeder

Amanda - I pretty much had to stop b/feeding straightaway due to dd's weight issues and it was fine. over the course of a week or so I gradually gave more formula - it was the day feeds I stopped last. if I was too full in the day I just expressed it away. the body is amazing - it soon worked out what was going on. although I can still squeeze a bit of milk out even now which is quite weird! hope this helps 


----------



## amandaloo

Thanks for all your advice ladies   appreciate it  . Think I'm going to try and work out a cutting down regime that won't take months ! Feel guilty about giving up think that's what keeps putting me off doing it . God knows why I feel guilty as I happily give him formula anyway !! Call me weird


----------



## Spaykay

Amanda - as adults...noone has a clue which ones of us were breazt or bottle fed! U do what u can to keep ur boy healthy, if it's formula then that's fine!

Kay xxx


----------



## carrie lou

Amanda don't feel bad honey  You have given him nearly 3 months of your milk which is a real achievement. Also my mum said to me, children don't get "breast" or "bottle" tattooed on their foreheads so in the long run, as long as he's getting what he needs, that's all that matters!


----------



## amandaloo

Thanks Carrie and spaykay- well I've written down a reducing regime hopefully Should be ok going to cut down every 4 days by one less expressing session. I'm hoping to finish by middle of October . I'll have done over 3 and a half months by then . ( my ticker wrong ) he was 3 month on Monday . I feel better now I've made the decision to do it and have a clear plan .


----------



## Saffa77

spaykay - wow a natural miracle congrats!!! i remember u from the ivi board and rememb er you were thinking about going to have your frostie put back!  and now you about to pop fantastic!  so happy for you!  My boys are almost a year and growing up so quickly we are busy moving to Newzealand so to think of going for another go at IVI will be difficult but would have to do a whole new cycle as have no frosties.

Sx


----------



## speeder

Just popping on to say ALL THE BEST for your due date Spaykay - hope s/he doesn't keep you waiting!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Just found out we are having a


----------



## juju81

Whooooooooo hooooooo, a little Phil xxx


----------



## carrie lou

OOOh congrats Mini! I hope you saved all DS's clothes to use for his little bro!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

no we Sold  everything cos we weren't having anymore


----------



## Fizzypop

Ooh mini fab news, a little bro for Lucas, being so close in age they are sure to keep you busy in loads of ways. My friends got boys with a similar age gap and she caught them tag teaming to get the biscuits out of the cupboard!

Shame you sold all the stuff but will be nice to buy again rather than have hand me downs (cost aside).


----------



## carrie lou

Oh dear Mini    Never mind, you can start saving his clothes now and in 18 months or so you'll be laughing


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

I'll be laughing manically in a corner while rocking in a chair


----------



## hakunamatata

congrats mini, you had a nice early scan then? good for you xxxxx

im still here and reading girls and pickng up loads of tips, so thank you all xxx


----------



## teresal

mini --        congratulations honey.    you will be crazy     , only joking you will be fine, you are good at routine so it will all come together for you   

hi to everyone, sorry i don't get a chance to post much now, the days just dissappear


----------



## juju81

Mini, your'll have an age gap of nearly what Noah is now iykwim! Christ, u wont be sitting in your corner rocking you will be in a home   so Lucas will be 20months when Phil is born??

Hak, she had a cmv or whatever the 3 initials are   csv maybe?? The tests that go through tummy  

Mini, I might still hav some stuff. Seriously, why do u need??


----------



## juju81

Jeepers hak, I looked at your ticker thinking u must be about 15 wks and ur nearly 20   will u find out??


----------



## carrie lou

CVS I think it is  

Hak how are you doing hun, crikey nearly halfway there now!!!  

Hi Teresa lovely to hear from you


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

ju!! It's cvs!   noah is 18 mths not 21!    ok 3 mths difference!  
I need nb. 3-6 6-9  
Hak- no scan. We had to do the cvs to check the chromosomes cos of dh so they did the sexing too! How u feeling?


----------



## Spaykay

Mini - no mistaking sex there then! 

Saffa - good luck with the move

Speeder - can't remember what I was going to reply to u now

Kay xxx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

no,. no mistakes!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

unless they got my results mixed up with someone else!


----------



## juju81

Ive got some summer 6-9 your welcome to you muvva! I'll bring them with me next month


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

if hes like lucas he'll follow the same growth thing so he'll be 9 months in dec and 6 in sept you MOFO!


----------



## hakunamatata

hey girls yes time is ticking on. im feeling good thanks. scan is on the 11th and we will find out the sex. xits all so exciting. i can feel around my tummy and find the lump now and feel tightening in that area. im keeping up my 6am walks with dh and ruby, but still concerned about weight. ive gained 12 pounds now.


----------



## amandaloo

Hi ladies

Hakuna- I wouldnt worry too much about weight gain I think everybody is diffferent and everytime I asked my midwife if Id put on too much she said No . I put on just over 3 stone. Need to loose just under a stone now to get back to where I was before, Ive not dieted since Ive given birth and to be honest with breastfeeding I havent yet had a period and my boobs are full quite a lot so Id say theres a good few pounds there  . I think around 20 weeks Id most prob put on as much as you have done. Your doing really well   

Mini- congrats on the lil boy   

Hello to everyone hope you all enjoy the sunshine today unless you live in Scotland  

Amanda x


----------



## hakunamatata

thanks amanda thats good to hear. and great about how youre loosing it. i already have a lot to loose so ww will be my best friend x


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

I'm trying to carry On with Sw but finding it difficult. I've put on nearly 1/2 St already!


----------



## carrie lou

Don't worry Hak, it would be more worrying if you didn't gain weight! Plenty of time to lose it afterwards. Yes BFing helps but you have to do it for a while, I've been BFing for 4 months and the weight has just started coming off in the last few weeks  Mind you pushing the pram is good exercise so that helps


----------



## Fizzypop

You have got nothing to worry about. I've got about 4 stone to loose to get back to pre pregnancy weight, but am still carrying a bit of water. Was gonna weight myself after 6 weeks when uterus should also have contracted to see how much I've really got to loose!!


----------



## juju81

Ha ha! It's because noahs still in 6-9 and got confused thinking he was born this march but really he should be in 12-18   dykwim


----------



## speeder

hak - great you are doing so well   you have hardly put on any weight   I always put on more in the first half as well. when I breastfed the weight came away really easily, but it took me a while for everything to tighten up - it never really did ho hum! is ruby your dog? 

well the weather here is rubbish, I am so jealous of you southern girls. it's chucking it down, foggy and about ten degrees    even looked at Xmas decorations in the garden centre yday as we sheltered in the rain hurrumph


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

sorry! But when u have a little one the heat is a pain sometimes. We're off to Cyprus on wed. We've hired a villa. Parents are coming too so we can have a rest!


----------



## hakunamatata

yes speeder ruby is my lab who will need to be walked in a bit. shes out chewing a bone at the moment. thanks for the comments about weight, i will try not to worry. sorry speeder looks like another sunny day here.

mini enjoy your hols hun. must admit we havent had a abroad holiday for 2 years. will be great when widget is old enough. 

girls ive been looking on the net for things for bubba. on the baby alarm front what do you girls recommend. i was thinking about the tommee tippee sound and movement monitor, hubby not too convinced by the ideo ones. theres so much to choose froma nd dont even get me started on pushchairs im just lost. think we will take a trip to kiddicare as we're not far from peterborough and try them out. i would like something robust enough to walk with ruby around the lake ect.
hope youre all ok


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

We have a video one it's good to see if they are really crying or just messing around!!   we don't use it now unless we go away or in garden. I never used it at night. In fact it made me more anxious cos u get a slight delay in sound so u get double the crying


----------



## Fizzypop

Hak - we've got a samsung video one. Was gonna get a movement one but decided I needed to stop worrying so much! The one we got is rated as a best buy by which. We got video so we can leave it plugged in if dog is near her but we haven't used it yet cos dog doesn't come upstairs and downstairs we move her around in pram. 

We went to kiddicare to get our pram!! We got the stokke one. Great for one handed pushing but very big when folded down and car seat is massive too. Cos dh and I are tall, there is little room in front when seat in back so we are having to look around at smaller ones...turns out they are all about the same size give or take an inch so make sure you try in car before you buy. We bought our car without trying it in. Doh.


----------



## juju81

Speeder as far south as u can possibly go! I'm on the coast.....just off for my 5min bike ride to the beach  

Hak, we didn't bother at all with monitors and we got the oyster. Its fab


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Hak - I had access to a breathing monitor when on SCBU and sometimes wish I had one at home as I am always checking.
As for pushchairs, if I had had my choice of a new one I would have got the UppaBaby Vista - had it recommended to me and I tried it at the baby show. It really has lots of good features and has the Which report best pram award.

As it was in the end, a friend of a friend offered me the Bugaboo Chameleon for a fraction of the new cost and half the cost of the UppaBaby. It is good once you get the hang of it and I do walk the dog with it. It is easy to push and turn. It is not great on really rutted ground as you are supposed to have the big wheels in front, then you can't steer, but it is fine on most ground. I do push it around our farm and go to pick fruit around the orchard.

I would say it is quite heavy and the shopping basket is quite difficult to access with the bassinet on top. I manage though. I do wish sometimes that I could have afforded the uppababy.


----------



## hakunamatata

thanks hazel i will take a look, keep the ideas coming girls xx


----------



## hakunamatata

thanks ju will also look at the oyster


----------



## juju81

The uppababy is very similar to the oyster, difference from what I see is price (oyster alot cheaper) and oyster folds smaller! I find the oyster quite light and it has a big enough basket

I will cry when he gets to big for the oyster


----------



## northernmonkey

hakuna - we actually bought 2 prams, our main one and one for walking the dog.  At the time dh thought I was just wasting money but 4 years later he says it was the best pram we ever bought (I've bought another few over the years....) The dog walking one was an out 'n' about nipper 3 wheeler and it's fab - all our dog walks are off road and it's so light and easy to push and was relatively cheap at around £150.  the best part is that because it's only for off road walking I don't have to bother cleaning the mud off it after our walks, I just fold it up and chuck it in the outhouse.


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

We've got the oyster too! I love it! Mother are do it bow. It comes in loads of colours which we didn't have when we bought it 2 yrs ago


----------



## Spaykay

Did someone mention monitors? I git tge summerinfant video monitor and it xan have many cameras and will scan between them. i get interference when on full power but half volume is absolutely sufficient and allows me to hear snuffles and turns.

Kayxxx


----------



## speeder

monitors？we went for the angelcare movement monitor and it was fab. I found it really reassuring, not least as when dd had her heart issue, she would breathe very rapidly and set the alarm off. in fact I partly credit the alarm for alerting me to the issue. I long ago disabled the movement bit and just use it as a normal alarm now. 

anyone recommend any good off road twin buggies? 

hak, I think dog walking is fab in pg - definitely keeps your fitness up - and forces out each day..

Hazel - v jealous, do you live on a farm?! 

well it rained all day here girls, feels very autumnal - can't imagine what it must be like still to be sunbathing!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Mountain buggy duet


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Speeder, sadly no. My MIL looks after horses on a farm/small holding. It used to be an orchard in the old days and still has many fruit trees of different types around the paddocks. Lots of blackberries too. It is a minature nature reserve and I love it. It is so peaceful and beautiful down there. It is only 5 minutes walk from my house though, so I can easily walk Charley and the dog down there for some tranquility and fruit picking.
My horse is lame at the moment - wrenched his check ligament, and on box rest. I think I would find it hard to leave Charley with someone to ride yet, so in a way if it had to happen it is at the right time. Although poor horse


----------



## amandaloo

It's quiet on here x


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

I'm here!

If anyone is interested they have great PVC children's splash mats in Aldi at the moment.   £4.99 and perfect for under the high chair for weaning or later for painting. I got one with jelly beans on it - very colourful, but they have other designs available including a street map for little cars (that one was out of stock at our branch though  )


----------



## hakunamatata

thanks for that hazel will pick one up when im in ipswich wed at least then i will know the sex   . we are off to kiddicare today for a reccy after we get organised and have walked ruby. tho hubby seems rather interested in the rugby at the moment, but if france win any more he could lose that   .
did any of you ladies find there sleep was affected from about 20 weeks? not just for pee purposes but trying to get comfy. because of my medical history hubby is very hot on counting the number of hours i sleep and the dreams have been rather wierd. had cronic heartburn for the first time last night. must pick something up from the chemist today. i did have something at home but it was out of date to shouldnt really have swigged it back but i was desperate lol. 
hope everyone is good. guess the winter clothes are defo out now girls xx


----------



## amandaloo

Hakuna - yes my sleep was affected mostly bad heartburn I ended up that bad with heartburn it made me physically sick . I was going through loads of the stuff my GP was being an as* and took no Notice when I told her . Anyway when I went to hospital the dr there pxd me ranitidine which was a godsend as I'd put up with the sickness for ages . Also had a period of time where had to Have time off work as was getting up 10-15 times a night going the loo night in night out ot made me exhausted .  Again my GP wasn't very understanding and said I shud start mat leave early I dont think she believed me . I later found out about 2 week before my edd that they had never chased my bloods up And I'd got low iron levels around the time I was off work sick so that wouldn't have helped matters either :-/ .


----------



## Spaykay

You can swig gaviscon for heartburn guys!


----------



## juju81

Yeah get gaviscon on prescription! It's vile but does the trick!

I don't know what ur medical history is but could u get a pillow between ur legs? That helped me. I hate to say it tho but it gets worse


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

I had a long pillow and used to lay on my side, draped my leg and arm over it and wrapped around my bump for support. Woke up to reorganise when need to turn over, but couldn't sleep at all without it.


----------



## carrie lou

Hiya ladies  Just back from a week in Cornwall, our first family holiday, it was lovely  

Re monitors, I wasn't going to bother but my in-laws gave us one as a present, it's a fairly basic BT monitor, no video or anything but it does the job and I have to admit it has been useful especially as my boy is such a bad sleeper and wakes up A LOT  I think a breathing monitor would have just made me a lot more anxious so am glad we haven't got one, though can see why some people like them   

Re prams - I was totally confused too so let DH choose in the end and he went for a Micralite, it is a 3-in-1 travel system so the base can take the carrycot, car seat or pushchair for older baby (we haven't used this yet though). I really like it.

Hakuna I had terrible backache from about 20 weeks onwards making it difficult to get comfy at any time of the day  so you have my sympathy  I got a widgey cushion from mothercare which helped, and I still use it now for feeding Zac and supporting him as he's trying  to sit up by himself now.


----------



## juju81

Carrie, glad u had a nice hols, I just got back from centre parcs too!

Been speaking to cupcake on **....shes now 17+2 and has been using a Doppler so starting to feel more chilled. 20wk scan is 27th oct and may come back after that.....bless her


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Oh Cupcake - hope she comes back!


----------



## carrie lou

Wow, Cupcake's 17 weeks already  Do hope she comes back. How funny, my 12 week scan was 27th October last year


----------



## speeder

Hello - it is quite quiet on here!

Hak - I just have trouble sleeping in preg from about 20 weeks, whether I'm in pain or not (I've been quite lucky - most of my niggles have gone).  I just think the hormones keep me awake and no matter how tired I am I'm awake most nights between 2 and 4am.  It happened last time too - I think it's our bodies way of preparing us for sleepness nights hurrumph.  Is backache keeping you awake? Have you tried your NHS antenatal physi?  They can often recommend things to help    thinking of you tomorrow - will be great to see little one at 20 weeks x

Hi Carrie- glad you had a good hols.  Did DS enjoy having both of you to himself the whole time?  I think they really come on when they have both mummy and daddy time   

Hazel - it sounds beautiful where you live.  Sorry about your horse...  We live on the outskirts of a city so have access to lovely countryside too and DD loves seeing the goats and chickens and horses but I'm a total woose and a bit scared of horses but I don't want DD to pick up on that so try to get over it!  I'm always worried they kick me as I walk past....  DH loves them and feeds them grass with DD and I have to look away   

AFM, well I'm fine.  31 weeks today - I'm quite big now but feeling physically fine if a bit tired.... Have any of you other pregnant ladies have the flu jab? Think I'm having it on Thursday but do you know if they contain thiomersal and if we have to avoid that if pregnant?

xx


----------



## amandaloo

Speeder- I had the flu jab when I was pg and was fine . My friend didn't have one she was expecting twins and ended up getting swine flu and being hospitalised so didn't want to take any chances . It made me feel a lil bit off next day but nothing to write home about . Hope that helps x

Hakuna- good luck for tommoz 

Cupcake- hope to see you on here soon

Juju- thanks for update on cupcake


----------



## carrie lou

Speeder I had the flu jab last year, I was only about 13 weeks at the time but like Amanda didn't want to risk ending up in hospital or worse  I had no problems with it at all. They recommend for pregnant women to have it and I'm sure they wouldn't do so if there was any serious risk to the baby. Last year so many pregnant women got flu and ended up in ITU, some even died which was awful  so personally I am very much in favour of having the jab.


Yes I think Zac loved having us both around, he especially liked having daddy bonding time   as he is usually almost ready for bed when DH gets home from work in the evenings so they don't get a lot of quality time together in the week. It was nice for me too because DH could play with Zac while I had a few minutes to myself which I don't often get!


----------



## Zaffa

Hi Ladies,

Sorry to pop up like this.
I am nearly 12 weeks pregnant after DEIVF. After years of trying, Im finally where I wanted to be but I just dont feel like I expected to. I had thought I would be really happy, serene and the world would seem like a better place. In reality Im not feeling an awful lot different to when I was just "infertile". I feel in denial about this pregnancy. I guess the lack of symptoms doesnt help. Im not sure at what point you are supposed to feel any sort of connection or a "thats my baby on the scan" feeling but after 3 scans now I still dont feel anything. My Dr told me before we went for DE that women with DE pregnancies see the baby on their first scan and a switch flips and they immediately feel that it is their baby. That didnt happen to me.  Now Im worried Im never going to bond with a baby that is not mine (but from an egg donor) and Im already a bad mother.   
Am I in trouble or is this to be expected, is it too early or not?? Should I get counselling Any advice would really be appreciated!


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Speeder - the flu jab appears to be safe in pregnant women and far safer than getting the flu. I had the jab at work and had no problems at all. The vaccine is now in single use syringes so does not need preservatives like thiomersal or other nasty stuff. I had it also the year before in the multidose vials that they rushed through in response to the swine flu and the stuff that was mixed with was   painful for a week. Last year I had the prefilled single dose syringe formulation and it did not hurt at all. I have even booked one for this year! (I was a needle phobic before IVF) I figure I would normally have a booster at work and I am not there at the moment and the care of my 4 month old depends solely on me. I also have an 82 year old father with bad breathing coming to stay regularly and 3 years ago I put him in hospital at Christmas because I had the flu and gave it to him. I want him to have it, but he is reluctant. Think I might have to force him!

Zaffa - many women do not bond with their babies for ages. I am sure it is because you are frightened of the unknown. It may be that the oxytocin you get at the birth and during breast feeding will help with bonding, or it might be later. When you feel it kick might be the time.
I was frightened about what my baby would look like and how it would be for DH and had quite a lot of fears. But they were unfounded and everything was like the fairytale in the end. Try to be positive. Perhaps some counselling would help you to talk through your conscious and subconscious worries.


----------



## carrie lou

Zaffa welcome    I can relate to some of what you are feeling. I think when you have wanted something so badly for so long, when you finally get it, it can be hard to make yourself believe that it's real. When I got pregnant, I was delighted but also scared to believe it was really happening; saying the words "I'm pregnant" seemed somehow wrong, as if saying it might jinx it and make it not true  Not everyone bonds immediately, and 12 weeks is still really early anyway. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you and you are certainly not a bad mother. We have a little boy conceived with donor sperm and my DH, though he loves him dearly and came to all my scans with me, would probably tell you he didn't bond with Zac properly until he was born and became more "real" to him. He is a fantastic father now though. Try not to stress about it, best of luck to you and I hope your pregnancy goes well


----------



## speeder

Thanks Hazel.  I guess that makes sense - I recall now when DD had the flu jab last year they said it didn't contain thiomersal and it was the single dose syringe. She was absolutely fine wiht it - no temperature.  I paid to have the swine flu jab last December privately (as a bit like you, I didn't want to get sick with DD to look after) and I was up all night with a high temperature!  I'm the only only person I know who had that so I must be a bit of a freak   

Welcome Zaffa - congratulations on your pregnancy    I wouldn't beat yourself up about how you are feeling, or how you think you are meant to feel    I know that lots of women, whether they have had tx or not, don't really bond with their babies for a long long time.  My mum (who conceived us all naturally) said she didn't bond with us at all in pregnancy and it took her a week after we were born to finally connect with us - and apparently that's really really normal.  She said she felt like we were little aliens inside her! I know that the tx issue adds another dimension - but you might feel this way anyway with or without the donor issue but probably wouldn't give it another thought? My DH definitely does not bond with the babies before they are born - he's fully admitted that and I think it's totally normal.  I think if you are worried about it then counselling might help but I definitely wouldn't worry about it    Pregnancy is a really strange time and different for every women and everyone feels differently about it.   

Hak - hope it all goes well today and you enjoy seeing bubs in huge detail!  don't worry if they make you come back to check stuff etc as sometimes baby is in a bad position and they can't see everything.  (We had to come back to they could check the heart as baby was curled up).


----------



## Mistletoe (Holly)

Hak - good luck!
We also had to go back at 23 weeks as Charley would not turn over at the 21 weeks scan so she could see his heart properly and he decided to have his hands in front of his face the whole time so she could not check him for cleft lip and palate.


----------



## carrie lou

Good luck Hakuna!   I didn't have to go back for a 2nd scan but it was a close thing as my little Zac was curled up deep in my pelvis facing away from the scanner, I had to get up and perform some gymnastics to get him into the right position!


----------



## hakunamatata

afternoon ladies well im the happiest lady i the world today to report that widget is all good and healthy. it was fine doing all the medical stuff which is whats important, but to check the sex was really difficult as cord was between the legs. i was turned upside down and made to jump up and down. and eventually she saw widget is a girl. she has lovely long legs and did nothing but look like chatter the whole way through and did many a summersault (check spelling!!) it was truely magical and such a relief xxxxxx we're a happy couple


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## carrie lou

Congratulations Hakuna     Lovely news and so glad everything is OK


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## hakunamatata

Thanks honey. have this image of you jumping up and down now. not that i know what you look like. i imagine you with dark hair lol


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## Zaffa

Hi ladies,

Thanks so much for your comments. I feel a little better and think maybe I need to give it a bit of time before I decide I really have an issue.

Hopeful hazel - Yes, I think I am scared of the unknown. Shame I cant get the oxytocin now instead!

Carrie Lou - Thats exactly right! I too dont want to say "Im pregnant" in case it just all goes horribly wrong. Those 2 words are not something I ever thought I would actually say. Its a bit like saying "This cycle is going really well so far" and then it collapses around your feet (been there done that) I think it is the self preservation thing Ive developed after all the IVF failures.

Speeder - Thanks. I will try not to worry but when we finally go "public" with this pregnancy I certainly wont be telling any one how I really feel!

Pinkcat - Thanks for the welcome. I hope you are right! 

Zx


----------



## Fizzypop

Hak - yay another girl for the thread, so so happy for you xxx


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## speeder

Hak - so so delighted for you - that's great - how lovely - a little girl   

Zaffa - I wonder whether it's all part of the self-protection as well?  I know I was always quite scared to bond with DD when pregnant first time round (and have been this time too).  You know - you just can't quite believe it's actually happened as it's felt so hard? You might also find you start to relax a bit more as things progress.  I know I avoided telling people for as long as possible first time round - which is daft really as it's not going to stop anything going wrong or otherwise.  Anyway   and I feel sure that you will feel differently as things progress.


----------



## speeder

Just a quickie - finally had flu jab yesterday and just before, I quickly checked that it didn't contain thiomersal - and it turned out it did!!  (Hazel - wonder if Scotland is different to England?)  The doctor was happy to give me another brand instead - the one they give to kids - but it did get me wondering.... If they don't want to give thiomersal to children in vaccines, why are they happy to give it to unborn babies through their pregnant mothers?  I appreciate they think there is no risk but I still think we should be told. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! 

speeder x


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

That is bizarre - I wonder what on earth they had in stock then?

I have double checked the summary of product characteristcs for both Fluarix and Fluvirin and neither has thiomersal. It is almost unheard of for thiomersal to be in vaccines nowadays.

I know when they were using the multidose vials the amount of mercury in a dose was no more than the weekly fish exposure recommended in pregnancy - so just don't eat fish that week.


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## speeder

That's weird Hazel as I'm sure the one I was about to be given (stating it did contain it) was Fluvirin....  I was given one by Sanofi Pasteur instead. 

I know it's a very unlikely risk but when pg you just want to avoid these things. 

I thought thiomersal was still in most adult vaccines?  To be honest if I wasn't pg it wouldn't really bother me. And the vaccines we all had as kids was full of it!


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

i saw the MW yesterday and forgot to ask about the flu jab.    

I'm back from holiday in cyprus, we had a lovely time. DS ate for england and has carried on now hes back! Hes gone from eating nothing to eating his whole body weight in stuff!    

Hak congrats on your pink one!    have you any names? With DS i  couldn't sleep after about 30 wks. I used a V pillow and a wedge to fit under the bump.. After a while it all got thrown out the bed then at the end i got them back again    thankfully i actually kept them all   


cupcake - come back hun. you are only a week or so in front  of me. We can go stir crazy together!!


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

looks like spaykay had her boy on the 9th Oct


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## hopingagain

Mighty mini glad you had a lovely family holiday xx

Congratulations spaykay on the birth of your baby boy xx

Afm I am now officially on maternity as I have been instructed by docs to rest as been in hospital Wednesday night and Thursday as I had a little bleed on Wednesday in work and when I got to the hospital I was having contractions. I am still having contractions but they have sent me home to see if it is the start of early labour or just my body playing tricks. They talked me through everything to do with premature birth yesterday and I met the anethetist. So now I am home resting waiting to see what is happening xx


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## hakunamatata

keep resting hoping, hang in there an iccle longer little one xx


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Speeder - Oh I see where the thiomersal is mentioned in the product info fo fluvirin - it is used in the manufacturing processes only (as they grow the virus in eggs) and there is a minute trace in the final product. It is not an excipient in large amounts and not listed in that section of the data sheet, but a tiny trace - maximum content of 0.0004% w/v which is only 2 micrograms of thiomersal or just less than 1 microgram of mercury per single dose syringe. The multidose vial contains 25 micrograms mercury per dose, so a big difference. Sorry if I misled you.


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## amandaloo

Hopingagain - you take care be thinking about you. X

Spaykay- many congratulations on your lil arrival )))

Speeder - hope your ok after the flu jab Remember I felt just a tad off day after . X


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## ceci.bee

Zaffa welcome! I think most of us can identify with how you are feeling - 12 weeks is so early in the pg and after everythign you have been through (and all the times you have dreamed about being pg) the reality takes a long time to sink in and it is different for everyone. Take each day as it comes, and think positive thoughts to help you and your baby grow. I found a pg relaxation CD I did really helpful for the anxiety and also to help me bond with my bump as it had a section to talk to your bump each time, which was fab. Congratulations on your pg and you will be a wonderful mummy I promise   

Hakuna - wow am sooooooooooo pleased for you hun that is amazing news congratulations and enjoy. I also had a horrible back, terrible heart burn and lots of general aches and pains - nothing really takes them away properly, but a good sleeping pillow, lots of gaviscon tablets and ranitidine when it got really bad, and pg yoga really helped. The heartburn goes away the moment you deliver I promise - v strange but true.

Spay congrats on the birht of your boy that is wonderful and look forward to hearing your birth story!

Cupcake and Mini -wwo a week apart, thats' cool! cupcake I hope you come back here soon   

BTW I had an email from the DC network and the national gamete donation trust is putting together a book for potential sperm and egg donors, consisting of 'letters to our donor' so they can read about the impact donation can make on lives - I have written our letter, and if you want to take part the details are on their website   

AFM all fine here in Malawi, Joshi is 6 months and gorgeous I really can't believe how much I love him and how grateful I am, and how cute he is! but am getting ready to go back to work in a couple of weeks and am feeling really sad about it - I have to work (I am the bread winner out here) but my mat leave here has been like a golden period of my life where I have been so happy and I don't want it to end! 
lots of love to all
Ceci


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## carrie lou

Spaykay many congratulations! I hope things are going well and look forward to hearing about your little man when you have time  

Ceci - can't believe Joshi is 6 months already  where did that go?! Letter to the donor sounds interesting, I have often thought about writing to ours to thank him but have no idea where to start or what to say to express how I feel  May have to give it some more thought!

Hakuna - I thought of something else that helped me in pregnancy, DH bought me a support belt that you wear under your clothes and it has a stretchy bit that comes up over your bump. You won't win any prizes for glamour but I found it really helped with the backache.  

Hoping - hope you are OK hun and that your little one stays put a bit longer   

Hope everyone is well  

AFM - all OK, we have started Zac on his first solid foods this week  just some baby rice, mashed banana and apple puree so far. I was a bit worried that we were starting him too soon (he is 4 and a half months) but he's surprised me by eagerly gobbling up everything I give him! And I suppose he wouldn't do that if he wasn't ready. He is quite a big boy, 7.2kg at his last weigh in 2 weeks ago  which is surprising as I am quite petite and our donor is tall and skinny!


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## ceci.bee

Carrie we started Joshi at the same age as he was also big and hungry and he has totally thrived and gobbles up everything we give him - enjoy the mess and menu creation!


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## amandaloo

Carrie Lou- if it makes you feel any better I'm Thinking of starting weaning at 17 weeks so just a bit before you. Think he would have it now to be honest but I'm holding back bit longer ! Glad zac has taken to it well 

Ceci- the letters from the dc network was one of the big things that helped my dh and me for that matter so good on you for doing that x

How's everyone doing ? I'm off to Manchester tonight my mum and dad having ds over night for first time . I'm looking forward to it hope the early mornings dont put them off doing it again !


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

We waited 6 months to wean. We did blw. To be honest I was glad we waited cos milk is so much easier!


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## ceci.bee

I originally planned to do BLW but Joshi just too hungry - but am going to mix it in over the next few weeks to see how it goes


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## Fizzypop

How does blw work?


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## carrie lou

I also want to do BLW when Zac is a little older. Always planned to do a combination of that and purees though, best of both worlds  . 


Fizzy BLW is (as I understand it) when you offer a baby a selection of "finger foods" and let them decide what they eat and how much. Baby obviously needs to be old enough to grab things and put them in mouth himself.


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

To do it properly u have to start at 6 mths. The theory is they eat off your plate and Suss out what they like etc. But we started off with veg. Carrots, broccoli. All thing they can hold. They won't est for at least month but they will suck the goodness out. Toast is a good one. Eventually they will start to eat. I've never used a blender or mashed any food up for him. He's eaten everything apart from cereal and yoghurt  with his hands. Only now he's using a spoon and a fork!! 

It's meant to stop fussy eating and force feeding. Plus it lets baby see what its actually eating  Pureef Food they cant see cos its mixed Up  Don't mis quote me  not saying pureeing is force feeding!! Either way is fine, like breast or bottle. Both have good and bad points. blw is time consuming. We hit a bad point 2 mths ago when he refused anything for a couple of months. But now he's eating evrryting in sight!   and likes to use a spoon and fork now. 

If ice no time and nothing in the freezer I have bpught ready prepared baby food. We did on holiday for ease. But then he decided to eat everything off our plates!  

I do feel quite proud that we did it and persevered with it cos at times I wanted to jack it in and buy a blender


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

He could of eaten cereal and yoghurt with his hands but that was 1 step too far for me I'm
Afraid!!


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Another thing its good for is motor skills and to stop things like OCD cos they aren't fussy about touching wet messy things. It's only the mother that develops it with the messiness of it all


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## juju81

Carrie Ann and ceci, I did a combo for a while just so I knew he was at least getting something! Go with the flow and don't stress otherwise u run the risk of baby being difficult.......easier said than doe sometimes tho


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## carrie lou

Thanks Ju and Mini, I do feel he is starting to need a little more than just milk and although he can grab things and put them in his mouth, he is not quite at the stage of being able to feed himself. So I will give purees for now to make sure he is getting something into his tummy, and when he is a little older add in BLW so he gets to explore and touch food too. Tonight he ate his biggest ever bowl of baby rice, then finished off the expressed milk in a sippy cup, then was still looking for more!!!


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

force feeding mis quotes   

I think I am going to do a mixture of purees and BLW too.
To do BLW the baby has to be able to sit up in a high chair, be able to pick things up and put them in their mouth and swallow food.

They are unlikely to occur togther until 6 months.

I have made a load of lovely purees using fruit from our trees, so will be nice to start with baby rice and apple or pear puree and then move on to other vegetable tastes. I wait to see how long we can continue with just milk and will play it by ear. Hoping to wait to nearly 6 months.

My friend did BLW she just put bits and pieces like cooked carrot battons, bits of broccoli, chicken and pasta on the high chair table and just left them to explore with no pressure. They can explore the textures, smell and taste in their own way. Seemed to work.

She also just gave plain yogurt and fromage frais and none of the sweetened processed stuff and the kids loved it.
Really surprised me, but I guess if they never taste it they don't get a sweet tooth. You can always add fresh mashed fruit or cooked puree.


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## *ALF*

Hi

More of a lurker than a poster but thought I'd add my two-penny's worth on the weaning front.....

I think one piece of advise would be to be prepared to be flexible in your approach - you may have a child like my DD.

We started weaning properly at about 5 months as DD was very hungry and needed more than just milk.  I had planned to start with purees and introduce finger foods a bit later.......DD had other ideas.....after a few weeks of spoon feeding she decided that spoon feeding wasn't for her and stubbornly refused to accept a spoon, give her a piece of toast and she wolfed it down, so purely BLW was the way we HAD to go.  Ideally I would have wanted to do what Juju did and do a bit of both but NO, DD WAS NOT even going to let me spoon feed her a yogurt/fromage frais.......................... Yes I have a VERY independent DD who does EVERYTHING in her own time and in her own way (even learning to walk, but that's a whole other post!!!)

I actually got quite stressed by the whole process as DD also didn't cut any teeth until 11.5 months and found chomping at harder foods difficult whilst stubbornly refusing to let me help at all!!!

Love to all
ALF
xx


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Alf    DS got to the stage where he didn't want to be fed his bleeding yoghurt too!    

Hazel - I forgot about the force-feeding-Gate!


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## Spaykay

We did a mix of Real food and pure and got on fine. My bro did BLW and got on fine too. Actually, his DD is a grub monster! Will do mix this time too.

Kay xxx


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## speeder

hello Kay - congratulations! how is it all going? 

girls - this baby is hiccupping all the time. dd did too, but think this baby is even worse! anyone else have that? x


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

DS was a hiccupper!    I forgot they hiccup


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## carrie lou

Yes Zac got hiccups sometimes - once when I was in hospital attached to the monitor   That was funny


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## amandaloo

Yes Noah had hiccups quite a lot


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## juju81

Noah did to. Still gets them quite a bit now, especially if he's having/had a laughing fit!!!!


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Yes, Charley had hiccups quite a lot. Apparently they are exercising the diaphragm ready for breathing.


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Latest photos of Charley

password : baby102011

http://photobucket.com/baby102011

/links


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## carrie lou

Hazel he's gorgeous hun  Zac has the same little wetsuit for swimming!


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## hakunamatata

hazel hes adorable he looks to be concentrating in some so intently!

babies get hiccups whilst inside!! would love to feel something. darn placenta is anterior, does this mean i never will?


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

I had an anterior placenta too and Charley was a right wriggle mouse! I felt him at 15.5 weeks.


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## carrie lou

I had anterior placenta and started feeling flutterings around 17 weeks. I only got big strong kicks after 20 weeks though, then he never seemed to stop! He was such an active baby and still is now


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

hes lovely Hazel We had a swimsuit like that! 

Its amazing how quick they grow up!


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## hakunamatata

im 22 weeks!


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## carrie lou

Don't worry Hak, everyone's different and it depends how baby is positioned etc. I'm sure you'll feel something soon  Maybe you already have but didn't realise it was the baby - it took me a little while to recognise what baby kicks and wriggles felt like


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## ceci.bee

don't worry hakuna you will feel it as she grows and gets bigger - and when you do its amazing promise


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## Lindz

Just popping in to say hi though should be going to sleep as DD is still waking at 5:30 every day! Just wanted to say to Hak that DS had anterior placenta and I didn't feel him as much as DD and didn't feel that much til about where you are now which is late for twins. I did feel him lots later on though and he had hiccups all the time. 

Hi to everyone else. Had a bit of a tough week here as everyone had a tummy bug. Looking after 2 babies is hard, looking after 2 poorly babies and a sick DH when you are ill yourself... Urgh... X


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## speeder

Hak - I haven't felt hiccups until 28 weeks with either preg.  I have an anterior placenta this time too and it's not really made a huge difference - I feel as much movement, and even earlier this time - it's just a bit more muted!  You don't get the sticky out feet or hands with an anterior placenta...  I think with the first you don't know what movement feels like so you feel it later and everyone is different too. 

Don't wish for hiccups!  This baby is getting them 5 times a day - no joke...!  They wake me up every flipping night!!! 

Hope you are feeling better Lindz? Was DH the hardest one of all to look after....?!

Hazel - your little boy is just absolutely adorable...x


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## Lindz

He he Speeder. DH and DS were both pretty bad, men


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## juju81

Speeder, ha ha Noah used to have hiccups all day every day and when he was born. They used to start 3am every night. Drove me insane! After the hiccups he'd hav an active half hour too which also carried on after birth   midwife told me it can take up to 2wks to get out of the habit of being inside us.....2 wks my  ar5e


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## sweetdreams73

hakua - hope you start feeling some flutterings really soon hun, cant believe you are 22wks already, gone so quick, sending you lots of    x

lindz - sending you lots of     looking after twins is hard enough without them being sick and DH too!! OMG!! you poor thing! take care hun xx  

hazel - your little boy is adorable  , loving the pictures x  

speeder - my boys both had hiccups   all the time whilst inside me and they still get them now reguarly.. x  

carrie - good luck with the weaning... messy business I am sure!! but fun!! x  

hello to everyone else, dont have much time to post unfortunately anymore as so busy with the boys... alll good with us the boys are growing so much matthew is now 7lb 11ozs and daniel 6lb 8ozs and they are 9 weeks old (2weeks past full term) so they have grown loads since they were born at 2lb 13ozs and 3lb 6ozs... its really really hard work but also very very rewarding and a special experience... I am still expressing breast milk for them both and bottle feeding and giving top ups of formula when my milk supply is low... not getting much sleep which is the hardest thing of all but loving the boys and they are such sweet good boys... 

lots of     to all xxx


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Lovely to hear how well you are doing SD!


----------



## Lindz

SD- ahh, you sound like you're doing so well. I think I've blocked out just how hard those early weeks of expreaaing and no sleep were!   Your boys are gorgeous and have more hair already than my DS! You aren't too far off getting those first smiles now which was my first milestone of things getting a bit easier. Thankfully we're all better now and only problem at the moment is trying to watch 2 babies who are trying to walk and minimise falls and bangs on the head. Especially as my brother taught them how to climb the stairs last week  
X


----------



## hopingagain

SD lovely to have an update on how the twins are doing xx

AFM still having contractions but not leading to anything. Back to hospital tomorrow and will get to see consultant to discuss c section if nothing happens so at least we should have a date as to when we will get to meet our little girl xx


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## carrie lou

Hoping - hope you are OK, sounds like you might not have much longer to wait, how exciting   

SD lovely to hear how well your little boys are getting on, you must be a very tired lady but you're doing a brilliant job  

Lindz - oh dear, climbing stairs, must be a nightmare  

Hope everyone is well especially all the pregnant ladies  

Quick question for ladies who have breastfed ... when did your periods come back?  Z is not quite 5 months and I'm still BFing (plan to continue until I go back to work), I realize even though he's started solids now he is still getting most of his nutrition from my milk - so I'm not surprised AF has not made a return yet, just wondering roughly when to expect it  

AFM - Z is 5 months on Wednesday  How did that happen?  He is a VERY active and bright little boy, I struggle to keep up some days. He can roll over (but doesn't like to  ), can sit for a few seconds before toppling over, and his latest thing is standing while holding on to my hands. In a way I'll be pleased when he is a little more mobile (  I know), because at the moment he gets SO upset if he drops a toy and can't reach it! Weaning is going pretty well and hasn't been quite as messy as I expected  , Zac is now eating 2 solid meals a day. He loves his baby rice and fruit purees but needs a bit more persuasion to eat his vegetable purees. Must be developing a sweet tooth like his mummy. But I've discovered he really likes butternut squash so if I want him to try a new veg I just mix it in with a little butternut and he usually eats it all up.


----------



## hakunamatata

carrie sounds like weaning is going really well, good for you xx

sd lovely to hear you and the boys are doing so well.

afm i started feeling iccle kicks last week and hubby even felt them last night which was magical, the look on his face was a picture. he said he feared he wouldnt be the first other than me to feel them. xx having an energy burst today s getting a lot done. not a usual occurance so going with the flow. x

hope everyone is doing well. i do read but dont have so much to contribute, but lovvvvvvvve reading about you all and your iccle ones x


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## amandaloo

Carrie - re periods - I started cutting down expressing with a view to stopping ( finished expressing around a week and half ago) and during the time I was reducing I had a small period around 3 days only . I think sorry if tmi I've ovulated twice since reducing then stopping and feel like I may be due again on period soon but not sure as I've been having period pains but no period yet think it might be hit and miss until body gets back into routine . I'll let you know though what happens . I was shocked that I had the small bleed thought it might take a while for periods !


----------



## amandaloo

Will do some more personals later hello to everyone x


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

carrie - i didn't BF but my AF didn't come for 3 months. (after all the gunk had gone    ) but  i know they do come at different times for each woman.


----------



## carrie lou

Thanks Amanda and Mini  Can't say I miss AF really, just curious when it will come back


----------



## ceci.bee

sweetdreams so lovely to hear from you how things are going - not surprised about the lack of sleep but am in awe of you expressing enough milk to feed two growing boys you are amazing- and they are growing and doing so well that is wonderful

Carrie - it is so funny to hear you talk about Z as he sounds sooo like Joshi at the same age - I would love them to meet one day. Joshi got so fed up of not being able to move to get things, but the frustration is actually a good thing as it drives them to learn how to get what they want. A friend here has given us a little UFO car thingy on wheels that he sits in and can push himself around and he loves it as now he has independent mobility - it helps that our house here has all tiles so he really whizzes along and can now move one foot in front of the other. I have started putting white sauce in his purees to bulk up the protein as he won't drink formula, and also making his baby rice with the forumla as I am trying to drop to two BFs feeds per day and 3 solid feeds to help me go back to work - next week!! it has come around soooooo fast I can't believe it. When are you going back??

Hakuna am so excited you felt movement at last, it is such a special moment am grinning for you    so amazed and happy for you and DH after everything you went through to get here and great the pg is going well

Amanda good luck with weaning off expressed milk, and welcome over here it is fab

lots of love to all from a very hot (27 degrees in Joshi's room at 7am today) Malawi
Ceci


----------



## Lindz

Carrie- I just got my first AF after stopping expressing 3 weeks ago. Was't too bad actually. X


----------



## ceci.bee

Carrie also forgot to say I got my first AF at exacly 6 months of BFing and 2 months of slow weaning......

also forgot to put the link to our blog with latest joshi pics incluing the story of his encounter with a leopard in Zambia.......
www.gavemandjoshi.blogspot.com

lots of love
Ceci 

This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.uk or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites


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## Fizzypop

Ceci - gorgeous pics, makes my life seem so boring in comparison! Joshi is soooo cute too.


----------



## carrie lou

Oh Ceci wouldn't it be amazing if our boys could meet one day  My mum is talking about buying Z a baby walker, I know they've had some bad press but he is so desperate to be on the move and surely if I watch him carefully when he's in it, he'll be OK... I'm supposed to be going back to work in April, Z will be 10 and a half months, but am having serious doubts  My old job was so stressful and the hours so long, sometimes 12-13 hour days, I just don't think I can do that and still be a good mother to Zac. So I'm going to start looking around for something else. I don't envy you going back already  


Ladies does anyone have in-laws as barmy as mine  My MIL has just been on the phone accusing me of "pretending" and being a liar and breaking my wedding vows because I want to have a humanist naming ceremony for Zac. I am so angry right now


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## Spaykay

CL - whhhaaaatttt...why do they have to stick their noses in?

Kay xxx


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## Spaykay

CECI - WOW!

kay xxx


----------



## carrie lou

They are catholics and claim it's come as a huge surprise to them that I don't attend church or believe in God. I've never made any secret of this, just never discussed it with them because it's such a sensitive issue. Now MIL is saying I should never have got married in church and that my vows were all a sham and that I've been lying to them for 10 years. We are having Z christened (C of E) which is what DH wants but also having the humanist ceremony to reflect what I believe. MIL is saying she won't come - even though my family (all non-believers) are coming to the christening to show respect for my DH. Apparently I don't deserve the same respect from my in-laws.


----------



## ceci.bee

Carrie            to your MIL am soooooo shocked - surely she can respect your beliefs and come along to the ceremony for Zs sake if nothing else. The only thing I can think of is to get DH to talk to her if possiible when she has calmed down a bit and am sure you will have fun at the naming ceremony with your family. If she is asking you to respect her catholic beliefs then she has to respect yours..............my in laws are pretty hard core Jewish but just don't ask me about my lack of belief in god/religion etc and we don't discuss it thank goodness- not sure where we would get if we started.
Big       and take a deep breath - you know your wedding vows were 'valid' in every sense of the word, as is your relationship and everything you have been through to get here and that is the most important thing.
lots of love
Ceci


----------



## carrie lou

Thanks Ceci, you've made me   again.   I don't actually want the in-laws there now because I will just be worried all day about what if they say something or do something etc. It's such a special day for Zac I don't want anything to spoil it. Our wedding day was the same, they threatened not to come but did in the end but spoiled the day by being totally miserable. I won't let them spoil another happy occasion.  


Kay - sorry hun, I forgot to ask how are you and the little one doing?


----------



## Spaykay

We're good. Was at home woth the 2 today as DD is ill. Same agaon tomorrow. Both been absolute stars I must say.

Kay xxx


----------



## teresal

hows everyone planning on coping with the clocks going back at the weekend    last year was fine i just moved bath time by 15 mins every night till we had the right time but when we have tried ti keep meredith up till 7pm to go for her bath she still gets up at 6am which will be 5am next week   am not going to be a happy mummy if she doesn't adjust quickly


----------



## teresal

sorry meant to reply to carrie, your in laws and mine are the same, we decided not to get meredith chrisened cos the are catholic and i'm not and DH doesn't bother with it, but they do drop comments about it and about us getting married in a register office and it not being recognised in the catholic church but to be honest i just let it go over my head now. Zac is your child not theirs so you do what you want and if they don't like it then thats their problem. massive     honey its not easy having inlaws


----------



## carrie lou

Thanks Teresa  DH has been trying to ring them all evening to give them an earful but they won't answer the phone. It will be their loss though, not ours. You're right about the clocks going back, it's going to be a nightmare  Zac wakes up at 6 every morning, I've experimented with putting him to bed slightly later but it makes absolutely no difference. So it looks like a 5am wake up call for us this Sunday


----------



## Spaykay

Oh nooooo, is it this weekend? Ok for DS as not in routine yet. Mind u, DD usually adapts quickly; but, shw's ill and her clock is up the shoot as it is! Extra hour in bed kids...get that?

Kay xxx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

leave the clocks as they are until after you get up then you won't notice the change. Put him to bed half an hour earlier for his naps.  

We did a 2 hour difference when we went to cyprus and it made no diffence at all, he fell into the new times straight away. As for putting him to bed later, MAKES NO DIFFERNCE!!! Its only now at 15 mths DS has been sleeping later. You might as well just accept that this is how it is for a while. we had weeks of 4, 5, and 6sam calls.    alot of it is teething.


----------



## carrie lou

I don't mind getting up at 6, I'm used to it now - even DH has accepted it  but 5 really is too early especially as he is still waking at least twice a night!


----------



## amandaloo

hello ladies

Spaykay-     lol hope DD gets better soon  and glad to hear all is well  

Teresa- I was hoping he wouldnt notice lol!! I mentioned it to DH yesterday and he couldnt get his head round it MEN!!!  

Carrielou- Cant remember which person wrote its your baby and your choice but I totally agree with what they have said, how rude to interfere. They will most prob protest like they did your wedding and then turn up perhaps Id go ahead with what you want they can like it or lump it. How woudl they like it if someone had said that to them when there children were born, and how awful to say your marriage is a fraud. Id be ripping as you most prob can tell! Big hugs hope your ok     They should have more sense knowing how hard your journey has been so far  

Juju- Thanks for the advice on the flu jab on **  had mine yesterday same time as DS had his 4 month jabs

Ceci- looked at your blog it looks wonderful where you live and you DS is absolutly geourgeous

Hazel- Hope you and DS are well  

Sweetdreams- Great to hear how well you are all doing and loving the profile pic  

Hello to everyone I may have missed know there will be some  

AFM- well Noah is doing very well he is 4 months old now and weighed 16 13 yesterday big boy!! Hes lovely though and looks all the more cuter for it ! He sleeps around 10- 11 hrs a night sometimes a bit less its not always that good. I managed to sort myself out a reducing regime for stopping expressing breastmilk for him and finished it around a week and half ago now so feeling a lot better for it   . Got a nursery nurse coming round today to discuss weaning with me (I didnt arrange it she did) It says on my letter that they know DOH recommend 6 months but know ppl start around 4 month so thtas why they are coming early. Right best be off need to get him organised and myself for that matter!


----------



## Spaykay

Apparantley weaning at 6 months comes from 3rd world theories. But then baby led weaning swears by milk is best until 1 and food is for play.  Then again we're told to look for signs that the tongue thrust action stops, baby shows interest in ur food etc. Baby will let u know if they don't want it. DD started at 4 months on apple and banana and took 3 days to love it! I think she was starving due to my milk not being very plentiful.

Kay xxx


----------



## carrie lou

I think they are worried that if they said it was OK to wean at 4 months, that people would start even sooner! I started weaning Zac at 4.5 months, the first day he looked at me as if I'd lost my mind, but from the 2nd day onwards he has happily gobbled it all up! There's no longer any doubt in my mind that he was ready for it. Mind you even though he's now having 2 solid meals a day, he's not drinking any less milk! So maybe there is something to the theory that milk is best...


----------



## juju81

Carrie lou, ur inlaws are kn*bs   my inlawa ruined our wedding meal last year and so for that reason we didn't have anything for Noah, 'no' christening or naming ceremony because of it just because I couldn't be dealing with the stress. Noahs missed out and now I feel he's too old for a naming ceremony   do what you want honey  

Teresa, the clocks, if I remember last year we just put Noah to bed at the normal time. I think there may have been a day or 2 where he got up at 5 but they soon start getting up at normal time again....! I really don't see why they play around with clocks   so, Sunday night just put M to bed at her normal time!  Noahs another one up between 6-7 and if he went to be at 10 he'd still be up at 6-7 and then be a nightmare whingy child for the next day


----------



## teresal

ju -- i feel the same about meredith aboout the namimg ceremony, i wanted something just to celebrate her being born and to show how proud we are to have her, nothing religious at all just a wee party to celebrate but as everyone knows my thoughts and troubles with my inlaws i felt that i couldn't have them with us cos they would be tutting that it wasn't a proper christening, so she has missed out on something that i wanted (damned inlaws have a lot to answer for)
when you go to edinburgh you should give marge a shout she lives there

why do we have to have the clocks change anyway, its a pain, must have been someone who didn't have kids who thought this one up


----------



## juju81

Teresa, apparently the clock change is to do with the farmers  

Not going to Edinburgh for ages damn it!!


----------



## Spaykay

It's to save energy I think with the lights


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

its so the farmers have more day light in the summer   

weaning at 6 months is to do with allergies.


----------



## chrispx

Hi all, I've just read back a few pages to try keep up with you all.

Ceci- fab blog & pictures. Joshi is so cute & looks like he coming on lovely. Amazing how quick they grow & learn things. Will he go to nursery when you back to work? I'm due back in January & not looking forward to it.

Carri- inlaws!!!!! Pains in the bum (can't do pic as on my phone) don't let them get to you. We got married in a church as that's what I wanted & inlaws weren't impressed as we aren't 'churchgoers' so to speak, but my vows mean everything. We had a humanist naming ceremony for our daughter because that's what we wanted, it was lovely a celebration as we had waited so long for our special baby. My mother didn't have inlaws, I tell her she is so lucky! 

Minnie- how are you? So the clocks go back & forth for farmers? Learn something new everyday.

Sd- glad all going ok, the sleeping part is the killer... I used to love my sleep. But as you say so worth it.

Hi to anyone else I missed, can't see back now writing post from phone.
My little one is 9 month now & into everything, crawling, pulling up on furniture, walks with her pushalong.. Won't belong before she is off walking alone, eyes in back of my head needed. Enjoying everybit though.
Haven't thought much about clocks going forward... Except I don't want to loose that extra hour! Mmmmm afternoon nap Sunday will be required.
Oh & she is still in our bed, I'm not tough enough.


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Get her out of that bed       

You gain an hour cos you put the clocks back (well gain an hours sleep if baby sleeps ) ( so yes, you lose an hour if baby doesn't sleep) (well you don't it stays the same if baby wakes at normal body clock time )    PHEW!


----------



## carrie lou

Chrispx - Zac is in our bed most nights  DH sleeps in the spare room. It's crazy but it's the only way I get any sleep!  


They are doing a study on weaning at the moment and how much early weaning actually does contribute to allergies, will be interesting to see what it concludes...


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

DS wouldn't sleep in our bed if i wanted him to


----------



## chrispx

Mini- you are so lucky, good night sleep in your house. She goes down in her cot but wakes after half hour or an hour then stands up in cot. Tried keep laying her down & she just gets back up. Put her in with us & she flat out in 5 mins. This sleeping lark is hard   I couldn't do controlled crying.

Carrie- it is a bit of pain having them in, but as you say need sleep. We don't have spare room at minute with bed in but my DH would probably run in there if we did.  

Oh & ladies the clocks go forward not back   so hopefully make no difference.


----------



## carrie lou

Chrispx I can't do controlled crying either  not got the nerve I'm afraid. I'm getting used to sleeping with Z for most of the night but going to try moving him into his own room soon, though I doubt he will stay in there for long


----------



## teresal

chrispx -- no the clocks go back this time (i am sure), a rhymn we where taught was spring forward, fall back and we are into autumn now    unless i have got it wrong, anyway am sure somebody will get it right


----------



## carrie lou

I'm pretty sure they are going back


----------



## amandaloo

lol god knows what time it's going to be on Sunday then !


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

the clocks go BACK!!!   

Chrispy - it would just take one night of a bit of crying, do 10 mins of crying then go in don't speak, lay her  down and walk out. Keep doing it and she'll soon get the message. All babies stand up in the cot when they learn how to. 

we don't always have good nights. we;ve had a spell of bad nights, i did bring him into the bed with us but it made him worse.


----------



## juju81

I cant do proper controlled crying, it grates mr after a while   but we do leave him for a few minutes, lie him down then leave him slightly longer, go in, lie him down so on so on. 

I know sleep deprivation is ****e but a night or 2 of crying and a baby sleeping in their own room has got to be better than a baby in ur bed night after night  


Cupcake had her anomaly scan today, alls ok, baby has super long legs! He didn't find out the sex   . She sends her love to everyone  

I'm trying to get her to come back on!!


----------



## carrie lou

Good news re. Cupcake  Hoping to see her back here soon!


I actually don't mind Zac sleeping with me for now, he's only a baby once after all and as long as he's not still sleeping with me by the time he starts school I reckon it'll be OK...  I know I have to move him into his own room eventually and there probably will be a certain amount of crying but for now I'm just enjoying the little baby phase


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

i just couldn't sleep with them in the bed, i can't even sleep with him in the same room!! I had to evict him after 3 weeks!    The new baby will be too!


----------



## Spaykay

I evicted EG as soon as she didn't need my boobs at night. A sometimes comes in with me if it 's the only way he'll sleep...when I'm despeeate! But DH likes his beer so not very practical.

Kay xxx


----------



## juju81

Yep Noah was turfed out at 3wks too! We all slept so much better after that. I hate sharing th bed with nick let alone both of thwm   thankfully he never likes our bed and take himself off to his cot anyway!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥




----------



## speeder

hee hee - I didn't like dd in my bed either - I was too scared to sleep and I need my sleep! I didn't evict her from my room till 8 months but only as she was a quiet sleeper! I did do controlled crying too - one night of tears for sleep is a great trade off. we are v lucky as dd is a champion sleeper now and actualy asks for her cot at night. I guess everyone does what is right for them but I think a little bit of controlled crying keeps mummy sane  

great bout cupcake- hope she comes back. 

have a chest infection and feel rotten! I am so ready to stop work now - it's v draining at the mo - but we are skint so battling on to 38.5 weeks if I can argh!


----------



## hakunamatata

speeder honey you poor thing. bet its difficult for you to rest when at home too. sending you some soothing thoughts and hot honey and lemon xx

great news about cupcake, another one with long legs!!


----------



## speeder

thanks hakuna    I feel slightly pathetic.....  

funnily enough, we have been told at each scan that baby has long legs too - and DD still does (so do I which is a massive pain for buying trousers).  it's funny how these genetic traits start so early on....  

I've been given antiobiotics from doc and we agreed I'd take them from Monday if no better as apparently most chest infections are viral not bacterial.  that's fine by me as I hate taking antiobiotics....  I've never had a chest infection before though!  (is this another joy of pregnancy?!)  when will I start to feel better?! I hate being ill!!


----------



## hakunamatata

hopefully you'll feel better real soon


----------



## carrie lou

Hope you feel better soon Speeder  


Z has a cold  He's coughing quite a bit but no temperature and seems fine in himself. Do you think it's OK to take him swimming tomorrow?


----------



## speeder

thanks carrie

sorry ds has cold. dh and I discuss this one a lot as dd loves her swimming. I wouldn't go, especially if he is coughing. I think they get cold quicker than we do and his wee system is working hard already. funnily enough I swam on Monday with a mild cold and have a chest infection! dh tells me I am silly and dd can swim with a cold but I win the fight and don't take her  

I think fresh air is good when they have colds though


----------



## hopingagain

Speeder can't you get a sick note off the doctor for your chest infection atleast then it is not pregnancy related and they can't start your maternity leave early.
Have a rest andgo back to work when you feel better. Xx

On the sleep issue ds slept in bed with me as a baby andeven at the ageof 6 he still
Chooses my bed. He even calls it his bed. I am so going to do it differently with my dd when she is born. Xx

Great news on cupcake hope she comes back soon.

AFM just counting down the days till 15th November when I have my section xx


----------



## carrie lou

Thanks Speeder, guess I'll see how he is in the morning  It's his first cold ever  


Hoping - ooh not long to go then, very excited for you


----------



## juju81

Carrie, saline spray is good for clearing the snot! There's a big sign at our swimming centre that says ur best not to take babies with colds, sickness or diahorra (sp) I have never taken Noah when he's under the weather. Give him some calpol if he's under the weather, I always think if u felt like that ud take paracetomol    

Ooh hoping again, not long at all. So exciting x


----------



## teresal

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/babies--should-sleep-in-mother-s-bed-until-age-three-.html 
something to read 
xx

This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.uk or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites


----------



## carrie lou

Teresa - interesting, don't think I'll keep him in my bed till he's 3 though  but it does make BFing a lot easier.


Juju and Speeder thanks for your advice, Z is still coughing quite a lot so think we may give it a miss tomorrow, it's a shame cos he does enjoy his swimming but there's always next week. He's still his normal chirpy self though


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Carrie I wouldn't take Him swimming either the cough is just his snot gettingon his chest. Like ju give Calpol (recommeded from gp) ive got a cold and have been taking paracetamol for throat and pure horribleness! so no different for babies  and saline spray plus carvol capsules on his sleeping bag. Maybe raise his mattress at the head end.


----------



## spooks

hello all just a quickie from me - i have been reading but not posting. I have a severe case of cupcake-itis!
I am 14 wks pregnant after tx in the summer but don't think I'll believe it til baby is in my arms   
facts, figures and scans don't seem to offer any reassurance for me but I'm trying to take it all day by day and enjoy it as much as I can. 
take care everyone,   love spooks


----------



## juju81

Spooks congratulations hun, that's fab news xxxxx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

OMG SPOOKS       

I kept thinking about u and even a few mins ago when I posted I wondered how u were!! Spooky!!


----------



## Spaykay

Spooks - that's great news!

Kay xxx


----------



## hopingagain

Congratulations spooks xx


----------



## Fizzypop

Fab news spooks xxx


----------



## carrie lou

Spooks how wonderful honey I'm so pleased for you!!!!     


Mini thanks for the advice  Definitely no swimming tomorrow. I'm feeling snotty now, think I've caught it from him


----------



## amandaloo

Fab news spooks many congrats 

Cupcake - great news too


----------



## hakunamatata

congrats spooks


----------



## teresal

Fantastic news spooks     congratulations honey


----------



## Lindz

Wow, what great news spoooks!   
Anyone got any tips on how to get a 10 month old to sleep past 5am?! We're doing really well apart from this little habit from DD. I've tried an earlier bedtime, later bedtime, dreamfeed etc. DH says we're trying CC from Monday if i dont have any better ideas. She's still tired but she just seems to wake up and not want to go back in her cot. I'd have her in with us but she doesn't sleep then and just tries to pull my hair, or this morning, went for DH's eyes   x


----------



## ceci.bee

congrats spooks!!! am thrilled for you hun that is great news

hmmm re sleeping - so far (touch wood) I have an amazing sleeping baby who goes down at 7 and wakes at 7am (have just dropped the dream feed and he still sleeps through) even when its 30 degrees in his room........daytime sleeping has been harder and we did do a bit of controlled crying to get him to sleep in the day time which worked wonderfully as now he gives me his sleepy signal and I put him down and he sleeps - but if I miss the signal we are in for a hectic time. He slept in our room from 0- 6 months but has never slept in our bed - no room with us and him and I find it hard enough with DH wriggling around. I hated kicking him into his own room but he loves it and it has helped our sex life a bit as having a snoring baby in the room is a bit of a passion killer!

lots of lvoe to all
Ceci


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Lindz - CC is the only thing!    They go into a lighter sleep at 4-5am, they wake slightly but then have to get back to sleep. we had this with DS, at 4am EVERY morning, CC was the only think that solved it. it only took a couple of nights. Each night the crying got shorter. Even now i can hear him mumble at 4am when he stirs.


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

If you can;t stand the crying, Try 10 mins of crying then go in and put her back down and shush then start again.


----------



## carrie lou

Lindz sorry can't help much with the sleeping issue, Zac is similar - wakes at 6 every morning (I know, not as bad as 5  ) and nothing I've tried can persuade him to sleep any longer than that! Though this morning he let us have a "lie in" until 7!  Will DD just play by herself in her cot for a while or does she want to get up immediately?


The last few nights Zac seems to be sleeping a little better  Hope I'm not jinxing anything by saying this - he is still waking for feeds at night but seems able to go a bit longer between night time feeds now and always goes back to sleep straight after without a fuss. I've also noticed lately he seems able to be awake during the day for longer periods of time. He used to have 3 or 4 naps during the day (most of them short cat naps) but now seems ready to drop one or two of them so most days he just has a short nap in the morning and a longer nap after lunch. The problem I have now is how to keep him entertained for longer periods during the day!   


Ceci - sex life? What sex life?


----------



## Spaykay

Lindz - if u can stand CC then do it. I did with DD and could put her down awake from abiur 6 months and she'd get herself to sleep if waking. Hope we're as successful with DS.

Kay zxx


----------



## juju81

Lindz, I had to do CC this morning when Noah woke at 5   I know it 6 really but I'm not having him get up at 5 from now on. It did take a while, he went bck off at 6.10 and I was thinking shall I just get up now but I knew he was still knackered (we went to our towns annual bonfire celebrations so he didn't go to bed until 10) and he woke at 7.45!

Failing that, see if she wants a bottle, sometimes Noah will go off for another hr or so with a bottle!

It's torturous!


----------



## juju81

Ceci    it gets harder the older they get, we were getting down to a bit once when on a holiday, he was asleep but woke up mid way through just staring and laughing! Kind of killed he moment   

Were lucky really, Noah generally goes 6/7-6/7 and I said to nick quite frankly I don't care that he wakes at 6am because we get our evenings to ourselves to chill. I'd sooner that then a lie in personally!!! 

Kids eh


----------



## juju81

Fizzy, ooh did u have anything nice? That was nice of the restaurant

Yeah Noah loves them. He loves all things loud tho the weirdo


----------



## Fizzypop

Steak and chips, yum yum, and chocolate torte with cream. Mmmmmmmm x only thing is that I am so used to having to eat quickly that I gulp everything down without really enjoying it iykwim...even tho she slept thru the whole thing I kept thinking any minute now :-(


----------



## carrie lou

Ah Fizzy I know that feeling! But chocolate torte sounds scrummy, lucky you


----------



## spooks

thanks everyone,  going back to just stalking you all for a while now


----------



## Lindz

Morning girls
Thanks for all the advice. So she woke at 4:50 and we're trying controlled crying. Problem is that I think she has more resolve than we do. DH think we should go in every 3 mins to put her back down and shhh but I think that's just going to annoy her more and maybe if we're doing this we should just let her cry it out. Either way I think she's just going to cry til 6:45 and then we'll get her up. Isn't that just going to teach her that if she cries for long enough then we'll get her? We tried my way  yesterday though and gave bottle sat with her, rubbed tummy etc and she didn't sleep then so we'll see. Just really hate hearing her scream. Not only do I feel bad but it's so annoying when she stops for a few seconds and then starts again. Cr&p, she's woken up DS now 

Ceci- sex life?! 
Xx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Ceci 3 mins is too soon.  10 mins then go in.  they go through different stages of crying so she needs to work through the stages. You'll soon hear the stages.  

It does work. She'll tire herself out quicker too!


----------



## carrie lou

Oh dear sorry Lindz  Hope she gets the idea, it does sound like a difficult situation


Zac was up at 5.20 this morning - must be still adjusting to the clock changing - but I had him in bed with me and he just played and let me doze until 6


----------



## Lindz

I take it back. She cried on and off for about half an hour and then went back to sleep for an hour which is unheard of. She was also so much happier this morning and they've both gone down for a little nap now-woo! So I guess we do the same thing every morning and eventually she'll cry less and settle herself as soon as she wakes?

Carrie- Zac sounds so good, I'm very jealous. The mornings where it's been really bad win DD shes been in with us watching Peppa Pig. Pretty sure I've never seen that recommended in any sleep advice books


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Well done girls. It is so hard at first but when u see results u do get more confident. 

It's funny when u expect them to cry for ages then it's only a min!  

Keep it up lindz.  

Pinkcar I've noticed when they get older holding them doesn't work. Last night Ds woke up at 10. I held him etc but in the end I put him back crying and he stopped crying as soon as I put him in his cot   obviously had had enough of mummy


----------



## carrie lou

Well done Lindz and Pinkcat, it must be hard at first   but glad it's working for you!


Mini - I'm starting to notice something similar with Zac, sometimes when he wakes at night and grizzles, I try to feed him but he won't latch on, then I put him down and he goes straight back to sleep   Weird.


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Yeah Ds doesn't 'do' milk to get him off anymore!


----------



## carrie lou

Oh milk still works for Z most of the time... dreading the day it stops working though!


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Water


----------



## juju81

Good work girls 

Noah woke at 5.40 and I went in, lai him down, told him it was bedtime still and walked out. He screamed for about 50seconds and wnt back of until 6.20!

I don't think we help actually because at the wknd, quite frankly we don't want to be getting up at 6 but during the wk it's quite helpful when he gets up that time as I have to leave at 730  

I also agree....I min of crying feels like 1 flipping hour in the middle of the night !!!


----------



## Fizzypop

What age do you do controlled crying from I'm thinking 7 weeks is probably a bit too young!?!?


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

we did it at 4 months, but we did pick up put down, 10 mins of crying. we had to do it because we had to get rid of the dummy.   
Yes 7 weeks is too young


----------



## carrie lou

I think most people would say 4 months for pick up put down, 6 months for controlled crying   Though we haven't done either yet


----------



## juju81

I've only done controlled crying and tbh I dint think it's proper controlled crying! I leave him until I can't stand it 'no' more! Usually a couple of minutes


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥




----------



## carrie lou

Sometimes if Z won't sleep I leave him crying for 5 mins or so while I have a breather, then go back in and try again. Don't think this counts as CC though. 5 mins is probably the most I can stand too


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

It's a start tho! I used to put the Hoover on. Kill 2 birds and all that!


----------



## Spaykay

My HV said 5 months was fine as DD slept through then suddenly started crying to go to bed. Sge cried 2 nights


----------



## Spaykay

We did the same with EG when she started walking 

Kay xxx


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

DS is still a 4.5    He can;t have walking shoes yet, they don't do them small enough


----------



## teresal

mini -- meredith is only a 3.5 and she has proper walking shoes, theres not a lot of choice until they are a size 4 tho. did you go to clarks


----------



## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

He's got start rite ones. They are lovely. Boys shoes are hard cos they need to go with jeans and not look too smart iykwim?


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## ceci.bee

just coming on to make sure everything is ok - no chat for 5 days v unusual here! also have a quick question - Joshi is sucking his thumb loads, and even to help him swallow and we have tears when I feed him and hold his thumb out of his mouth while he eats - I want him to learn to chew and he can't do this with his thumb obviously so any advice to banish the thumb would be v helpful!

lots of love to all
Ceci


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## carrie lou

Hi Ceci, not sure I can help but I've read that babies often put fingers in their mouths while eating as it's the same action they use when sucking so it helps them learn to eat and swallow. I know what you mean though, Zac's hands often get in the way when I'm feeding him - pretty messy


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

hes probably teething?


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

had my 20 weeks scan. I have a low lying placenta and they are concerned the femer is too short. I'm short - 4ft 10 and my parents are short. DHs dad has really short legs too!   but they want me to have a detailed scan. we know its not chromosomal cos i had a CVS. 

if it doesn't rain it pours...............


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## carrie lou

Oh dear Mini  Do they take your height and DH's into account in their measurements? When will the detailed scan be? Hope you are OK


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

seeing con tomorrow, hopefully they'll get me in for scan tomorrow or fri. will ask con about height etc. sonographer won't tell you anything


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## Spaykay

MM - hopefully tyhe'yre just being overly cautious! Good luck hun.

Kay xxx


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## carrie lou

Yep, sure everything will be fine Mini. There always seems to be something to stress about! Hope you don't have to wait too long for the scan


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

Oh Mini - hoping and praying all is well with little one and it is just one of those things to worry about. 
They told me that Charley was huge at my 34 week scan - on or above 95th centile and weighed 6lbs already and was going to put on 8oz a week and be over 9lbs at full term. He had always been 50-60th centile til then so I was shocked.
When he was born he was 50-60th centile again and 7lbs 14 oz. I was later told that us scans can be 25% wrong either way. 
Perhaps the measurements were taken at an angle.


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## ceci.bee

Mini sorry to hear you have been given worry         if you and DH are short it is most likely that the baby will also be a shortie - the measurements they call 'normal' are taken from a wide selection of babies but are only 95% of the 'normal' population - the tallies and the shorties get left out at either end. I was told Joshi had a long femur and told them no sh*t sherlock - I am 6' and the donor was 5'10 and now he is as big as his 10.5 month old friends    am sure it will be fine and also am sure you will grill the cons at the scan!
sorry to hear about your low lying placenta - I know all too well how worryin they can be                  it moves out of the way by 32 weeks
llots of love
Ceci


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Tha girls


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## hopingagain

Mini I hope the con manages to get a more detailed scan for you today and can hopefully put your mind at rest. Thinkingof you xx


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## Lindz

Mini   really hoping its nothing to worry about. There's plenty of time for the placenta to move and hope the detailed scan can put your mind to rest about bubs. My scans always showed up something and they were always concerned about DD growth and DS's head size. DD ended up bigger than DS and DS does have kind of a small head but so do the men in my family and it doesn't seem to be doing him any harm. Hopefully you'll have your scan and this worry wil be over by the weekend but I know how horrible it is waiting and worrying   xx


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## amandaloo

Mini- I'm copying pinkcat and putting ditto everyone's comments hope you get a scan today will be thinking about you x


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## teresal

mini -- didn't they say DS had short legs as well when you had a scan with him, maybe wasn't you. i am sure this one will be fine


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

Tezza that's when they did the measurements wrong and said he wasn't growing  

Saw con today. She said could be placenta not working or just short legs  so scanning me on tues again may need to deliver early if placenta crap


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## carrie lou

Oh sorry you have more worry Mini, hope the wait till Tuesday goes quickly and you get some reassurance.


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## speeder

Hey Mini - sorry you are having the worry.    

It's just difficult when babies don't fit the "norm" but must be very reassuring that you are both shorties - stands to reason you will have a bubba with shorter legs. Especially with a fine CVS. (At both my 20 week scan, they have commented on how long the legs are - and a bit like Ceci - I said - well look at the length of my legs!!)  Similarly after DD was born we had loads of worries with her small wee head dropping down the centiles - we had monthly checks - and it turns out I have a small head too and everything was fine.  I know it doesn't stop the worry though - so hope you get some reassurance on Tuesday. If placenta not functioning right surely that would show up in other ways too? xxxxx


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## teresal

mini -- short legs for a short    mummy     he's just going to be dainty like you x


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## ♥ Mighty Mini ♥

They just need to check the placenta cos the femur is the first thing to stop growing if the placenta isn't working and also cos of DHs chromosomal thing, the whole pg makeup could be a bit out of kilter. But yes it could just be a short ****! 

Tezza I wouldn't call myself dainty   my **** and thighs are massive !!!


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## Spaykay

MM- it is a worry when u know there's a problem with sperm/eggs. I was sure sometging woukd be wrong with DS. Hope the scan shows a healthy plzcenta xxx

Kay xxx


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## Mistletoe (Holly)

I am going to set up a new thread as we are over 50 pages.

New home this way .....

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=275245.new#new


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