# From Spotters TTC thread to BFP! Success at last!



## MrsPTTC

From here: https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/t...g-week-before-af-every-month-anyone-else.html to here: :bfp:! I've made some wonderful friends in the TTC thread, now many of us have their bumps & :baby: I would love to stay in touch with you girls without clogging up the TTC thread with our baby & pregnancy talk as its not fair on those still TTC... 

If you've been on the thread please join me! If not & you were a spotter & are now a success story you're also welcome! :flower:

X


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## daydream

Thanks for putting this together! I'd love to hear more about how your pregnancy is going!

Right now we've got a fussy awake baby, so I'm going to put on the ergo carrier and go for a walk with DH and the dogs. :)


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## KatieTTC

Thank you, for the new thread. It was a great idea. Hope more pregnant ladies/mommies will join and stay in touch! 

How are you feeling, MrsP? My back is killing me, breathing is getting harder and heartburn is my worst enemy. All in all, not doing too bad considering my friend, who is 20 weeks preggo, had just stopped puking every day and going to the hospital for IVs to keep her nourished. I was spared and I'm thankful.

How are you handling everything, daydream? Do you manage to get some sleep? I've been allowing myself to sleep in more often. I know it will all be over soon. This girl might end up being an owl. Every night, as soon as I get in bed, she starts performing her somersaults and won't stop for hours. I tell my husband she is probably already packing her stuff and getting ready to leave soon and see the world.


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## MrsPTTC

Eeee Katie can't believe how far along we both are! :happydance: When do you finish work? I'm hanging on another 5 weeks, can't wait to be off! Us UK ladies are very lucky with maternity leave & I plan to stay off til Jan 2014! I had the new whooping cough jab yesterday (not sure if you have that over there?) and I've woken up this morning to a very sore arm! :growlmad: Baby P is good during the night and doesn't move that much at the minute during the night - hoping its a sign of things to come! But it goes crazy during the day! I have a desk job & it squirms & bashes itself off the desk during the day lol, & around 8pm when we settle down for tea it also goes wild. I had problems with my back early on & bought a pregnancy pillow which has helped. I'm starting to get sore sitting at work though :( Yeh I have a friend who's had it bad compared to me, though she's not been hospitalised, but the terrible sickness she had in first tri comes back every now & again & she gets terrible heartburn. I usually get heartburn every day but only mild. I've heard it's a sign of hair?! 

Daydream how's Harrison doing Hun? How's the bf'ing going? You got new pics in your journal? Will have to take a peek. We will be asking you all the labour questions when it gets closer! 

Got to get showered & off to work now, catch you girls later xx 

P.s. glad you like the new thread :thumbup: x


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## CaT1285

Hey ladies, hope you don't mind me stalking, even though I haven't been hanging around here long. The spotters thread is the only thread I really follow on bnb, so I'm hoping to get some helpful tips from you ladies!


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## daydream

Things here are good with our little guy. He sleeps well from midnight on to the morning. My DH has been giving him a bottle of my breast milk for the midnight/1am feeding so that I'm able to go to bed around 9 or 10. Then I take over for the 4am wake up and 8/9 am wake up. I haven't had a night where I didn't get enough sleep since around the 3 week growth spurt. Being able to split the work with DH helps a lot, but I think we'll have to change the routine when he goes back to work after his leave. Katie - definitely sleep in while you can. I slept a lot during my last few weeks of pregnancy and it was heavenly. Your body is gearing up for labor so probably why you need the extra rest.

Our Bf journey has ended up great, though it was rough at the beginning. Before my milk came in poor LO was starving at wanted to be at the breast 24/7. Well during that time his latch was shallow and he really tore up my nipples. Then when my milk came in, it was way too much and I had such a forceful letdown that he would just pull off and scream. I was able to get in to the lactation consultants that day thankfully and they gave me a nipple shield to let my nipples heal and to help block the stream of milk so LO could drink it easier. I used the shields for a couple weeks until my nipples were completely healed. Then started giving my bare breast again, I had to be very diligent on making sure he latched deep enough and had his lips turned outward, but now we're doing so great. No problems and he even takes a bottle and doesn't have nipple confusion when it's time to breastfeed again.

Otherwise things are well, he gets fussy in the evenings, we've battled diaper rash, which is better now. Our new thing that were seeing a doctor for today is he has a mass in his groin which we think might be a hernia. It doesn't seem to hurt him, but from my googling I'm worried because they say it will require minor surgery. I'm trying not too get to ahead of myself until we see the doctor, but the thought of my little guy being cut open is killing me. I'll let you guys know how it goes today.


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## MrsPTTC

Oh no daydream hope your LO is ok! I think hernias are pretty common though, is it similar to an umbilical hernia? Glad to hear he's sleeping well & brill he's managing bottle too! My irl friend used nipple shields & she found her LO took the bottle much better. I'm hoping to express so I can get out the house a little bit, I imagine solely bf'ing is so tying & tiring!

Hi cat, welcome :wave: how is your pregnancy going?

x


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## KatieTTC

Hi cat, glad you're joining us! Hope your pregnancy is going well! 

Daydream, I hope the mass is nothing serious, let us know what the doctors say. Interesting to hear about you bf experience. My mother in law brought me a book from her NICU on breastfeeding and I was surprised to read about all the issues that may come along, shallow latch, torn nipples, strong flow... I thought you just stick it in baby's mouth and you're good to go. 

MrsP, after we moved I decided not to look for a fulltime position, since I was already pregnant. I can work part time from home though, so that's not an issue. That's why I've been able to adjust work schedule to my needs and sleep in when I want to. I did get a pillow too and it somewhat helped my back. Regarding heartburn and baby's hair, I always considered it an old wife's tale, I'll let you know how hairy she comes out :) I can't believe how close we are getting!


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## daydream

Here in the hospital, will have surgery tomorrow. It's apparently the most common pediatric surgery. I've read everything to get informed, trying to reassure myself. Surgery is the only option so nothing else we can do. It's an inguinal hernia, diff than umbilical. Trying to be a strong momma.


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## CaT1285

daydream - Sorry to hear about the surgery. Good to know that it is common though. I hope everything is fine. 

Also, thanks for sharing your BFing experience. Having a hard time BFing is something that worries me. I'll have to buy a book to try to prepare myself as much as possible.

My pregnancy is going well. I didn't have terrible symptoms - a little nausea but not bad, mainly just REALLY hungry all the time, which seems like it may be calming down a little bit now. The worst thing is that I'm having a lot of trouble sleeping. I'm taking benadryl every now and then just to get a full night's sleep sometimes.

We did have our first u/s yesterday - a NT scan. It was great being able to see the baby, and my OH was especially excited because he wasn't at the appointment 2 weeks ago when I heard the heartbeat. When the scan first started, the baby was moving around a lot, but about halfway through, it decided it was time to chill out and not move for awhile. It frustrated the tech, because it wasn't in a great position to measure the fluid. It was pretty funny. We also heard the heartbeat, which was 170, and saw two legs, arms, and hands. So far, so good!

I haven't gotten the official results of the NT scan, but I saw that the measurement was 1.0, which seems good. They'll have to combine that with the blood test and hopefully call me soon. I don't know how long it takes to get the results.


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## MrsPTTC

Fxd for the NT scan cat! I had that done, though a lot of people choose not to have it. I have had a huge appetite all the way through! Though been off certain foods. I need to slow down as now bump getting bigger I feel like a whale after a big tea/dinner. Scan pic? 

Aww daydream sorry he's got to have the op, hope everything goes well, keep us posted :hugs:

Katie my friend has been almost crying with her heartburn, her OH has a big Afro so they're expecting a hairy baby! She asked the mw about it & apparently it's true! I had no hair (well hardly any) til I was 2 & expecting my LO to be the same, but I don't know with the heartburn tale! :haha: 

x


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## MrsPTTC

Eeeek I'm a honeydew! :wohoo: x


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## Chloe597

not sure how i missed this link before! Daydream, glad the surgery is common, although it sucks that harrison has to go through any sort of surgery. You are in my thoughts!

I have had a good experience with bf, so if anyone has any questions i can hopefully offer some insight. Gabby is a super latcher, and i must make super milk as she has steadily gained about 2 oz a day. average is 1 oz! 

Can't wait to hear your birth stories, MrsP, Katie and Cat! I love birth stories. and we need bump pics! 

Gabby is sleeping on me now, so i get 2 hands to use the computer and i am watching tv. love when she sleeps on me, even tho it means i get nothing done, and right now i really need to get stuff done. Just moved and my house is full of dust. we had kitchen and baths redone, and some new drywall in bedrooms, so there is a layer of dust and grime all over every surface. We dont even have counter tops yet, so we are eating a lot of frozen meals and everything with paper plates and plastic forks. I have been slowly trying to clean but its so hard with a baby. You will all find out soon enough :) 

Enjoy sleep while you can, pregnant ladies! Your body will quickly adjust to sleep deprivation tho once you have your babies and you will learn to function on less sleep. Gabby usually goes down between 10 and 11, and wakes up sometime between 3 and 6, and then again between 8 and 9. I consider myself lucky to have a baby who knows when night is, who will give me a stretch of at least 4 hours to sleep, and who doesn't have colic. She requires attention when awake, likes to be walked around, and has just started liking the baby carrier. I love my moby wrap! I also have a maya ring sling and have yet to figure out how to use it, so i pretty much hate it.


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## Chloe597

Thought i would update with a pic of 8 week old Gabby :)
 



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## MrsPTTC

Aww she's lovely Chloe! I could pinch those chubby cheeks :) I think I'll defo be asking you ladies for bf'ing advice! Though I don't plan on doing it for too long, or forcing it, I'd still like to give it a go :thumbup: great that Gabby's sleeping well. I've never been a good sleeper so think I _should_ be ok with the sleep deprivation, though dh will struggle! Not sleeping very well at the minute, I keep getting leg cramp :( 

I know exactly what you mean about the dust! We're half way through a kitchen extension, hopefully the building work will be finished in a week, then dh & his friend are fitting the gorgeous new kitchen, I can't wait! We've been without a kitchen 2 weeks now so been using the dining room with microwave, kettle, mini fridge & a George foreman grill! Had problems with heating too, snowy outside yet the radiators are only luke warm! :dohh:

x


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## daydream

We're home! We had the surgery this afternoon. I was a crying mess all day bc of nerves and bc DS couldn't eat from 4am to the surgery but they kept pushing it back. He was starving and crying all day. Once we got in, it was quick and went perfectly. He wasn't even that groggy afterward and was ready to eat. I am so relieved and exhausted.


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## MrsPTTC

Glad things went well daydream, hope he heals quick :hugs: x


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## Chloe597

Glad everything went well, Daydream! I can't imagine keeping food from an infant for that long. He must have been screaming! I would have been a crying mess too. 

I just remembered that my birthday is next week. It's amazing what things become important and what is insignificant when there is a newborn at home! I told DH all i want for my birthday is for him to wake up in the middle of the night with gabby and to give me an evening off to drink beer and wine, and not have to worry about feeding her! But I think the best i'll get is wine and beer during evening hours. I'll still be waking up with her at 4am.


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## KatieTTC

Daydream, so happy everything went smoothly and it's over, I kept thinking about you. Wishing Harrison a quick and easy recovery :baby:

Chloe, thank you for sharing the picture, she is so adorable, makes me eager to meet my own little girl. I'd like to bf, but I'm already thinking about different ways to sneak in a glass of wine or a pint of beer here and there, some meals just taste so much better with it. I better get those baby bottles ready. 

All the moving and remodeling on top of being pregnant or having a newborn is exhausting. When we moved this summer I couldn't help much, because I was considered high risk. I'm finally done with settling in, all things have their own place, pictures are hanging etc. and we just found out that we might have to move again this summer, that should be interesting...

MrsP, thanks again for starting a new thread, I'm glad we can still share our experiences and not feel guilty about it. It's nice to continue following your journeys!


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## Jellycat

Thanks for starting the thread mrsP 

Daydream glad to hear the op went well


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## MrsPTTC

My pleasure jellycat, you're almost 20 weeks! Are you finding out the sex?

Katie I'll also be doing a bit of bottle feeding as well as breast, otherwise how do you go out by yourself?! And it's awkward if you want some alcohol.. Hope you don't have to move again! :( 

Chloe, your night off sounds like a good birthday present! :)

x


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## Jellycat

20 weeks today! Scan is in just under 2 weeks but we are staying :yellow: as we did last time too even though have to say been very tempted to know this time.

I feel so disorganised this time have hardly discussed names, haven't bought any clothes or sorted out current clothes, looked at crib mattresses... Or anything. Dh seems to think we can organise it all once I'm 36 weeks pregnant !


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## Chloe597

Katie and MrsP, you can still exclusively breast feed and drink if you are clever with pumpings. I have gone 2 months without having to give her formula because I have pumped when she has slept for long stretches, or when she only takes one boob before falling asleep. That way I can have someone give bottles of breast milk while I go drink, shop, have date night, etc. But you have to really want to breast feed in order to not get super annoyed by the whole process. I didn't think I was that intent on exclusive breast feeding but I have become very protective of my supply and I yell at dh any time he suggests formula to supplement. Once I go back to work and can only pump twice while there I wonder if I will have to supplement with formula. One boob makes way less milk than the other, and the pump is way less efficient than gabby, so it will ban interesting transition. 

Jelly, you have plenty of time :). Do you think it's because this is #2 that you are less prepared so early?


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## Chloe597

Katie and MrsP, you can still exclusively breast feed and drink if you are clever with pumpings. I have gone 2 months without having to give her formula because I have pumped when she has slept for long stretches, or when she only takes one boob before falling asleep. That way I can have someone give bottles of breast milk while I go drink, shop, have date night, etc. But you have to really want to breast feed in order to not get super annoyed by the whole process. I didn't think I was that intent on exclusive breast feeding but I have become very protective of my supply and I yell at dh any time he suggests formula to supplement. Once I go back to work and can only pump twice while there I wonder if I will have to supplement with formula. One boob makes way less milk than the other, and the pump is way less efficient than gabby, so it will ban interesting transition. 

Jelly, you have plenty of time :). Do you think it's because this is #2 that you are less prepared so early?


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## MrsPTTC

Ahh another team :yellow: yay! I've been super organised with buying stuff, but we've been very disorganized when it comes to names! We've discussed it in conversation but not sat down properly & talked about it. I started going through a names book & highlighting in pink the names I liked, then the idea was DH is to go through with a blue hi-lighter & any we've both hilighted will be on the short list. But I'm still not finished doing mine yet & haven't looked at the book for about 2 months! :wacko: 

Thanks for the tips chloe :thumbup: Yes I was planning on expressing rather than formula, we'll see how it goes... :) 

x


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## MrsPTTC

P.s when are you back to work chloe?


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## Jellycat

I think it might be because it's no2 or that we've just moved us or the fact after one you have less time to yourself. Mrs p have you not got any kind of short list ?


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## daydream

I agree with Chloe, totally worth it to bf. the bonding is so special. I pump in the mornings and usually get between 5-8 ounces. I'm able to have one bottle for me to get a break and am starting my freezer stockpile. I try not to do more than one bottle a day so it doesn't impact my supply. While DS was in the hospital my schedule got all out of whack, so DS has been cluster feeding to bring up my supply, but it also may be the 6 week growth spurt hitting at the same time. The cluster feedings can be hard, but you just have to remember that it's temporary and necessary because your boobs will catch up.

We are doing great. DS healed so quickly. He's pretty much back to normal. We have his post-op appointment this week. I also have my six week OB appt on Tuesday. I can't believe how quickly things are going by.


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## daydream

Pregnant ladies - have you taken bump photos?

And if you can believe it I miss being pregnant so much! Enjoy it while you're there. It's just so special to have your LO in there with you. I can't wait until its time to try for #2. 

Have any of you been taking childbirth classes?


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## CaT1285

I haven't signed up for a childbirth class, but I did order the natal hypnotherapy CDs. I can't take that class, since it's only offered in the UK, but I heard so many good things about it, I wanted to try it over hypnobirthing. Hopefully the CDs and book will be good enough. I could take a different class, but I'm not sure I want to take a class that uses a different method. Might be counterproductive.

I'm wondering if I should take the general childbirth class at the hospital. It focuses on relaxation techniques for childbirth, but discusses pain relief options and other general childbirth knowledge, plus it includes a basic course on breastfeeding and infant care. They also have separate classes specifically devoted to infant care and breastfeeding that I'm very interested in. What do you all think? Is it worth doing all three? Obviously, the more classes I take, the more money I'll spend. The breastfeeding and infant care courses are significantly cheaper than the comprehensive childbirth class, and I'm more worried about the breastfeeding and infant care aspects.

I would share a picture of my bump, but I'm not sure if I actually have a baby bump or I'm just getting big because I've been so hungry. That has actually started to calm down recently, thankfully.


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## _Nell

urgh typed a heap of personals then lost my post :( i'll go fast from memory!

mrspttc- thanks for starting the thread, i never felt totally comfortable posting on the old one after my bfp. re names, we went through an entire ipod app and didn't really find any that felt right. DH came up with Layla but i wasn't sure at first - she didn't get her name officially until 3 days old.

daydream - so glad your LO is ok, that must have been so worrying. I miss being pregnant too, i wish i could have enjoyed it more but i almost didn't dare as i was so worried i wouldn't have a happy end tbh. Can you believe i have no bump pics at all and only 2 of me with layla and she's 10 weeks, I feel sad that chunk of memories hasn't been captured for her to look at :(

chloe - lovely to hear how gabby is doing, our LO's are only a week apart!

cat, katie, jellycat and anyone i've missed - 'hi' :)

AFM: I'll try summarise where we're at,
Layla is 10 weeks, we've had a stressful start what with the eclampsia, emcs, slow recovery and laylas colic. we've now seen a paed and he's given us special formula and meds for her digestion and 10days in she is sleeping more and crying less.....i'm not happy about the formula or meds but at least i no longer have her crying for hours on end in pain....horrible to see and a rotten start for her to life. she now smiles and laughs more too :)
She is currently sleeping now and i'm feeling pleased to have finally braved cutting her fingernails - they were so long!


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## MrsPTTC

Katie, dh has agreed he likes a boys name I like (Harry) but says its too common. Tbh though we don't like unusual or modern names so I don't know what he expects as there's not a great deal of choice compared to girls! My other choice of name is James which was my grandads name & goes nice with George (DH & his dads middle name & his grandads first name) but he's not thrilled by that either! I have a list of girls names & he's not keen on most, but has said he likes Scarlett, after originally saying a few months ago was awful when I suggested it! :dohh: I think it'll be nameless for a bit tbh, maybe we need to see it & then decide... :shrug:

Oh yes daydream I've been taking plenty bump shots, and as much as I'm now getting uncomfortable I love being pregnant, love my bump & LO moving round, it feels like I have a pet :haha: So I'll defo miss it!

I've booked it for 2 antenatal/parenting classes & also a waterbirth class. And got a hospital visit too. Cat I've got a hypnobirthing book too, though haven't started it yet!

Aw Nell you must take more pics! Can't believe you've no bump pics either! You need to make up for it so get that camera out :winkwink: Sorry to hear you've had a bad time with Layla, fxd things get easier & you both enjoy your time together more :hugs: 

X


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## daydream

Cat - you are on top of things! I did all the classes at my hospital, the childcare, infant CPR, breastfeeding and Lamaze. The benefit of the childbirth classes through the hospital are you get to know what their specific policies are (whether you are required to have IVs, showering, etc.). Also taking all the classes at the hospital helped me feel comfortable in that environment. Also definitely take the breastfeeding class. I think the more information you have beforehand the easier it goes once you're doing it.

Nell - oh sorry you don't have much, but its never too late to start! Don't get too discouraged. Also I'm so glad the colic is under control. That is soooo hard.

MrsP - good luck with the names! Half the reason we chose Harrison is because it was the first name that DH liked :haha: 

AFM first day home by myself with LO. DH has 7 weeks off, but today he's going into work bc they're needing his help, plus we are doing practice mini-days of me being on my own. So far so good, now dare I try to take a shower? Think sleepy baby thoughts for me.


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## MrsPTTC

Daydream sorry I meant to say its great news Harrison is healing well. Hope he's a good boy for you & let's you get things done whilst he sleeps :sleep: x


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## Chloe597

Nell, so glad you can join us again! Sorry about the colic but it seems as if its getting better, so yay! Was layla born early? Our DD's are quite close in age. It's so much fun when they smile, isn't it?! I weighed gabby today...13.8 lbs! She is already in 6 month clothing. They grow up so fast!

I go back to work on Feb 21, so I'm currently searching for a good bottle. I have Philips avent but I think she takes too much air, so I am going to try Dr Brown's. 

MrsP, you're getting so close! I had gabby at 37.5 weeks, so u could be just a month out! Exciting :)

Best of luck to all with names. Dh and I had no clue what we would have named a boy.


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## KatieTTC

Hey girls, it's nice to be able to have baby talk and not feel guilty, I feel like I'm learning quite a bit from our mommies.

Chloe, thanks for the tips on breastfeeding. I hope it works, I do feel like that would be a wonderful time to bond.

Daydream, so glad your little boy healed quickly! I do have bump pictures, but I need to upload them first and I never find time. I haven't taken one class. I think the one on breastfeeding could be especially beneficial.

Nell, it must be wonderful to see your baby smile and laugh after so much pain. Hope the pain stays away.

Cat, you can post the bump picture and we'll tell you if we see it or not :winkwink:

MrsP, I like both, Harry and James. When it comes to names, we are an international family with relatives in both Europe and the States, so we're looking for a simple universal name that's easy to pronounce in multiple languages. I think the name Anne will end up winning, the more we think about it, the more we like it. It can't get simpler than that. Also, My DH's aunt/godmother is Anne and she is an amazing woman, I think she'd be brought to tears if she learned we named our girl after her. I'm not a big fan of cool hip modern names that are so popular these days, I like the old classic ones.

I had an ultrasound today, the girl made adorable faces and moved a lot for us. I'm almost 36 weeks and she's currently transverse, that is, laying sideways. It wasn't news to me, I could tell from the way she moves and my belly looks. If she doesn't turn in the next couple of weeks, I might have to be making a decision if I want to try version or go ahead with a C section just like Chloe. Hope she turns, I'd rather deliver naturally.


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## daydream

There's that spinning babies site you can check out. Do lots of cat cow poses and spend time on the exercise ball. I'll think good thoughts for you!


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## Chloe597

Wow, Katie, your time is fast approaching! Not sure if u remember, but I tried a version and it was awful and then lead to my emergency c section. It was so painful and put my dd at risk. Go on spinningbabies.com and see if you can find some exercises to try to help turn her. Or I would also look into chiropractors who specialize in a procedure that I hear is pretty painless but often has success in turning babies. I would try everything you can to avoid a version as I am now and was when I got talked into the version, that the baby is in her position for a reason. Trying to force her into a different position just didn't feel right to me, but I didn't listen to my gut. But if your gut says he version would be good, you should try it. Good luck, and let us know what you decide!


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## KatieTTC

Yeah, I was looking up transverse online and it took me to the spinningbabies website. I will try to be active and do the excercises they suggest, this is the least I can do. Hope I won't break my neck hanging off my couch head down. Yes Chloe, I remember you had the inversion and how it ended. When my doc was talking about about inversion and its success rate, all I could think of was you and your birth story.


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## MrsPTTC

Aww Chloe, shame you're back to work already next month :( I have a friend who couldn't live without Dr browns! I seriously doubt my LO will come early but you never know? It must be after 37 weeks tho as I want to try the midwifery led birthing centre, rather than the normal maternity unit.

Katie sorry to here your LO is transverse! :growlmad: turn LO turn!! Anne is a pretty & traditional name, my middle name in Ann (without an E) I think Anna is nice too.

Hey this spinningbabies thing sounds good if it comes to it!

x


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## CaT1285

daydream - thanks for the advice! I will definitely sign up for all the classes. Better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. Glad everything is going well for you and Harrison. Good luck with being on your own!

Katie - hmmm... you will definitely see something, it's just that it might just be me getting fat and not necessarily a baby bump. Maybe I'll take a picture in the morning, when it's more likely to be actual baby than bloating and food baby. I hope your girlie gets in position for a natural birth very soon!

Chloe - obviously I haven't a clue about bottles, but I noticed that your maternity leave seemed to be about the usual in the US - about 12 weeks - is that right? How did you find that amount of time to be? I'm planning on taking off 12 weeks, then my OH will be able to take off 12 weeks as well, but I'm wondering if I should try to do more. It would have to be leave without pay, though.

I got the official results of the NT scan. Everything's normal!


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## Chloe597

Cat - I think 12 weeks is pretty good. I am going a bit stir crazy staying home all day. I think it would be a bit nicer if maternity leave were in the summer and I could go for walks with gabby, but the weather is cold and snowy so I don't tend to venture out much, plus I'm afraid if I go out she will start screaming and I won't be able to control her (even tho tha is not in her personality),l. Sleep is gettings better so that was one of my concerns with going back to work - would I be so sleep deprived that I couldn't focus on work. So far gabby is a good sleeper and if I have to wake up once a night to feed her while I am working, I can handle that. I'm a nervous first time mom and I don't really.hang out with other new moms so I think that makes life.more.boring too. If you have your baby in the summer and have a network of new moms to hang with, 12 weeks will fly by and you may wish for more. If baby is colicy, you will be ready to go back to work after 6 weeks :). So that is my long winded answer. 

Sorry for the typos, I'm on my phone and it is misbehaving.

Trying to put gabby to bed half awake and I keep hearing her make noises. Makes it impossible for me to sleep! Just waiting for her to start crying.


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## daydream

GL tonight Chloe, I know exactly what you mean. I hate to crawl into bed and have those noises turn into crying.

Today went great! A little lonely but Harrison was very nice to his momma. Tomorrow DH is back home and I have my six week OB visit. DH is very ready for the all clear to DTD. I can't believe how fast time is going by.


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## _Nell

Katie - i did those exercises as baby started to turn back to back almost, you get used to hanging off the couch! Hope it works.

Chloe - yes layla was emcs at 38+2 so a little early, she's 11lb today. I use dr browns now we're on formula and find them good.

Daydream hope you're home alone day goes well :)

Mrspttc - i like all those names, scarlett is a beautiful name for a little girl :)

Afm, today is a good day :) layla is doing so much better on the meds now after almost 2 weeks of them.....2 weeks ago i held her all day, either sleeping, feeding or wailing, she virtually had no awake time without tears and would scrunch up in pain. I fed myself, brushed my teeth and even went to the loo one handed while holding her! Now i can sit here and type on the ipad relaxed with a drink and having had lunch at a normal time!


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks Nell! Not sure of the correct spelling though, Scarlett or Scarlet? Both spellings are in the baby names lists but would prefer the traditional spelling, whichever it is lol. I guess you had the same decision to make with Layla/Leila :winkwink: So pleased she's being good for you now :)

My I don't know how you US ladies cope with only 12 weeks off! I'm having 10 months :wacko: Nell how long are you off for? I don't think I'll get too bored, I have lots of friends with kids so I'm sure we'll have lots of play dates & dog walking dates (my dogs dog walker is preggo.) 

Daydream, glad yesterday went well! Can't believe time for you to :sex: again lol! 

x


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## Chloe597

Wow, mrsP, 10 months?? I can't imagine what I would do with that time. Although I would take it if it were offered to me, that's for sure! The weather was nice today so i took gabby on a little walk around the block (heat wave! 12C/54F) It was nice to get out of the house.

I still haven't mastered the art of putting gabby in her crib for a nap and having it result in a nap longer than 1 hour. If i let her sleep on me, she will sleep for 2-3 hours. So she is in her Moby wrap now, going on 2.5 hours fast asleep. At least this means i can have both hands free, even if i am still somewhat limited in my range of motion. 

I've got the bottles sterilized already so DH can feed gabby while I take my first bath in our brand new jacuzzi tub with my pumpkin ale that i have been saving since October :) Excited for my birthday tomorrow!


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## CaT1285

MrsPTTC - Do they pay you when you're away for 10 months on maternity leave??

Chloe - we had a heat wave in Baltimore yesterday too! It was in the 50s. It's nice today also - maybe getting up to 70!! Then it's rain and back to winter. A bath and a pumpkin ale sounds AMAZING, btw. Happy birthday!

I finally took a picture of my bump that I wasn't too embarrassed to put on the internet. You guys are going to think I'm crazy because there's barely anything there, but I'll try to attach.
 



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## Chloe597

Cat, there is definitely a baby bump! I looked similar around 12 weeks. Thats right around when i still had my bump in the morning (ie, it wasn't bloat baby anymore!)

Love bump pics! MrsP, Katie, and Jelly, waiting on you guys now!

Gabby gave me an awesome birthday present...she slept from 11:30-6:30!


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## KatieTTC

Happy Birthday, Chloe! :cake: Lovely gift from your daughter :) Will post the bump pic too, just need to take one.

Cat, I def see a bump, very cute! I've been taking a picture of the bump every week, want to put them in sequence later and make a little animation of the progress. Mine has gotten so big, I look at it in desbelief. Picking stuff up, getting out of bed or tying my shoes has become an unbearable task and a comic act. It will be strange not to have that beach ball once the baby is born.

Daydream, looks like you're handling the days on your own quite well. Enjoy your dh being back!

Nell, so glad the baby is feeling better. You said you did the excercises, did they help? I'm sorry, there were so many girls on the spotters thread I lost track of your birth story. 

My girl is still sideways. I keep telling her it's time to move, but to no avail. She is on her own schedule :) I try to do the excercises to help her turn when she is active and engaged, but her favorite time to jump around is when I'm in bed falling asleep or right after I eat and standing on my head with a full stomach and strong heartburn seems a bit too risky :) I've also been walking, we had a heat wave here too, there was snow and ice everywhere just 5 days ago and yesterday the temps were around 70F/21C. 4 more weeks to go, or even less if I decide to go for a C-section.

PS. Have been wondering how expat is doing, anyone heard from her?


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## _Nell

katie - i'm not sure if they helped tbh. Leila wasn't badly positioned she had been OA but then turned slightly to LOA and because I had an anterior placenta i was worried she'd go back to back for labour (spinning babies shows a pic of all the positions). I got eclampsia though so ended up with an EMCS. I think the exercises are about giving them a little more room to enable them to move into a good position.

chloe - very envious of the present Gabby gave you!!!

cat - cute bump, much more obviously a baby bump than mine was at that stage. I was bloated from the ivf meds so just looked all over podgy.

mrspttc- Indefinitely, i'm now a SAHM :) re the spelling, it's a tough one, i prefer Scarlett but most would naturally spell it scarlet i think . I instinctively felt my LO should be Leila, to me that's the general UK traditional way of spelling the name. But a bit of research told us that americans commonly pronounce that Leela or Lila. Layla is phonetically spelt, as we have a surname that is commonly mispronounced we didn't want her to have a double whammy really so went against my preference. As it is we've had people mis-spell it as Laila already, which we hadn't considered.

AFM: I have my 'birth recollection' meeting tomorrow at the hospital. Not sure what to expect tbh but as i'm the only case of eclampsia they've had as far as anyone on the midwife team can remember i was repeatedly encouraged to have one. It's for traumatic births and they go through your file and explain why decisions were made. I don't remember all of it so it will be interesting to get the detail but I can't say i'm traumatised by the actual birth, I had plenty of medical people taking care of me......the days that followed, my 'care' afterwards was pretty trauumatic and has played on my mind plenty but not the actual birth!


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## CaT1285

Interesting that you heard that Americans would mispronounce Leila as Leela or Lila. I would consider it to be a pretty common name, and much more often spelled Leila than any other way. I've never heard of anyone pronouncing it as anything but Layla. Of course, I also have a relatively common name that you wouldn't think people would mispronounce (Chelsea), but you'd be surprised.... And it was even our president's daughter's name at one time!


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## Chloe597

I can see the confusion in pronunciation of Leila. I had been thinking her name was layla this whole time, like the Eric Clapton song :). But veil is pronounced the same way so it's not unreasonable to think Americans would pronounce it correctly. 

Time for baby to nap so mommy can eat lunch. Sleep, baby, sleep! (as she stares back at me, enjoying her lunch)


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## CaT1285

Wait, it is Layla like the Eric Clapton song, right? 

I guess I'm in the minority of Americans in saying that Layla isn't the way I would expect the name to be spelled if I just heard it (I would automatically think Leila), but I think it's a beautiful spelling of the name because it is a little unusual.


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## Chloe597

Ha, i think i was being confusing. I wrote Layla like the Clapton song meaning pronunciation, not spelling. I had thought it was spelled L-a-y-l-a up until just now, but always knew it was pronounced that way. In any case, Leila is a beautiful spelling :) I have people ask me how to spell Gabriella all the time. I really thought there was only one way of spelling that, but i suppose you could do some non traditional spellings, adding a Y, removing an L, adding a B perhaps? Poor girl is going to have to spell her last name to everyone since no one EVER gets it right (thanks, DH!) so i thought I was doing her a favor by giving her a first name that is easy to spell. Nope!


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## KatieTTC

Now I have Clapton's song stuck in my head :dance:

We also had a spelling discussion with DH. Ann is more common than Anne, but that's the way his aunt's name is spelled, so I think we'll stick to Anne. We also considered Anna, but I think I like the way Anne sounds a bit more, seems softer and more gentle, but that's just me.

The girl started moving all of a sudden, of course just as started eating. I think its time for a :headspin: Turn, baby, turn!


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## daydream

Happy birthday Chloe! Good job Gabby on the perfect present!

Cat your bump is perfect! 

I have been having phantom baby kicks since last night, SO weird and kind of annoying bc it's more often than when I actually had a baby in there! I can't tell if its my uterus twitching or something with my intestines? Either way it is WEIRD! I also had my 6 week check and one of my tears is slow to heal bc breastfeeding apparently. Another week or so and should be all clear. DH was a bit disappointed, as am I to be honest. Ready to be back to normal.


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## _Nell

wow daydream, I had no idea phantom kicks was a thing, hope they have passed. Really sorry to hear that you're not quite healed, hope it's not too much longer for you.

katie - I love the spelling Anne, I agree it has a nice soft sound to the name :)

chloe - yep we have a difficult to spell or pronounce correctly surname (and i think it's straightforward again!) so thought we were doing baby a favour too.

cat - i have to ask how else did people pronounce Chelsea?! I can't think of any other way to pronounce it.

AFM: well I think we might be changing Leila to Layla :blush:. Discussed it with DH last night after it coming up on here as it got me thinking. 10 weeks on it seems Layla isn't so straightforward, people pronounce it correctly but regardless commonly people spell it wrong and I keep writing 'Leila' as instinctively that's how i would spell it. 
It seems it's pretty straightforward to change babies name in the first year and as it's not an actual name change it won't really be odd for friends and family.....going to mull it over this weekend but really wish i'd just gone with Leila in the first place as I wanted!


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## CaT1285

daydream - sorry your appointment didn't go as well as you hoped :( I hope it's not much longer.

katie - I've always like the name Anne or Ann, and the spelling Anne looks more complete to me, but they are both nice. 

nell - Amazingly, some people will pronounce Chelsea as "Chelsea-ah". I have no idea why. I'm sure they've heard the name Chelsea before, but maybe they are not familiar with seeing it spelled? Despite Chelsea Clinton being the president's daughter for 8 years? It's mystifying. It's definitely not the majority of people, but every once in awhile I'll get this. I probably wouldn't have this problem if I lived in the UK. It just goes to show you that some people will find a way to butcher most names, so just go with what you like. I wouldn't even be that surprised if some people thought Anne was pronounced like Annie haha.

Thanks for the nice bump comments, ladies :) I still think it might not be a baby bump, because I have gained about 4 pounds already, which is a lot of weight for me. Plus, I can suck in that little bump if I want to. You shouldn't be able to suck in a baby bump, right?


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies,

Chloe ooh a jacuzzi bath, very nice! Can't believe people can't spell/pronounce Gabriella! :dohh:

Cat you're very slim, I'd say that's a cute lil bump :) You can suck it in at first, I did. Re the maternity leave, it's law for you to be able to take a year off, 6 weeks at 90% of your pay then 33 weeks at statutory pay (smp) which is £135 a week then 13 weeks unpaid. I work for the government and am lucky to get 26 weeks full pay, 13 weeks smp then no pay if I want it. I have plenty holidays to use so won't need to go onto no pay. We're very lucky over here.

Eee Nell sorry for starting the Layla/Leila debate! :wacko: I take it you haven't registered her yet if you're talking about changing the spelling? 

Katie, turn baby turn!

AFM I have swollen ankles and mild shin splints :( hope it's not here to stay, especially the swelling! 

x


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## CaT1285

mrsP - ah, I see. Usually here, people will get 6-8 weeks with full pay, then they have to take their accumulated leave or unpaid. I work for the federal government, and here in the US, that means I get nothing at all paid, I have to use my own leave for 6 weeks, then unpaid. Luckily, I have been able to save enough money over the past several years that I could actually take the year off and pay my full salary to myself from my savings haha. But I'll save my money for future education expenses.... OH has 8 weeks paternity, then he'll take 4 weeks sick leave, giving us 6 months between the two us. So back to work after 12 weeks for me!

The only thing I think is pretty crappy here is that I think the law only protects your job for 12 weeks of maternity leave. So depending on where you work, you have to go back after 12 weeks if you want to keep your job. It doesn't apply to me - I can take up to a year before I would lose my health insurance coverage (I think I would still have the job). But I wish the law would protect everyone for up to a year.


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## MrsPTTC

Wow cat that is even worse than I thought! I feel sorry for you US ladies, we don't know we're born over here, with our NHS & benefit system too. Do you get any help with childcare costs seeing as you have to go back so early?

Ladies have any of you had pains up your urethra I think it is when you've been heavily preggo? I think it's my urethra (pee hole?) rather than vagina, and they're like stabbing pains. I mentioned it to the mw last week & she sounded surprised but then said pains in that area are normal with everything stretching :shrug: 

x


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## daydream

Most people don't get any childcare help. My work has a pre-tax childcare program, but still it's expensive. I'm pretty lucky in that my work pays full pay for the entire time on disability (4 weeks before and 6 weeks after) and then an additional 8 weeks after that. Then I'm going to take 4 weeks of paid time off to bring me to when he'll be four months old before I go back to work. I'm definitely going to stay with this company until I'm done having babies, not many companies have benefits this good. Also in California, we have a Paid Family Leave program where you can get 6 weeks at 55% pay that my husband used. It's been amazing having him home for this long.


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## daydream

Also I didn't have those type pains, do you think maybe it's a UTI? That's really common in pregnancy


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## MrsPTTC

I've been tested for them daydream so I don't think so :shrug: I have to take urine samples with me every mw appt 2-3 weeks. I'm back again on tues so will mention it again :thumbup:

Your employee benefits sound really good :) we can also get pre-tax childcare vouchers. Some people get help with childcare here but you've got to be on a low household income.

x


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## KatieTTC

MrsP, I had pains around week 33, but they were more like cramps all over my lower abdomen, they would come and go throughout the day and I only had them for a couple of days. My ob confirmed that those were Braxton Hicks. Sorry about the pain and the swelling. Hang in there, we're approaching the finish line!

Daydream, phantom baby kicks sound kind of creepy :)

Nell, let us know you if end up changing the spelling. Honestly, I like both. 

I saw my ob today, the baby is no longer transverse, but back to being breech. She's moving clockwise though, so hopefully she'll continue to turn and stop with her head at 6 o'clock. If not, I will have a C section in 3 weeks, I don't think I want a version after talking to my doc and reading about Chloe's experience with it.


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## Chloe597

Wow, cat, working for the government and getting no paid leave?? I would have thought they would have the best benefits! 

Daycare around here is about $220/week, and we can takes $5000 pre tax to help with it, but that only covers about 5 months a year. Low income families can get assistance, However.

Sorry baby is breech, Katie. C section wasn't the worst thing in the world. Gives you a good excuse to be waited on for a while :)

Gabby had her vaccines today. Poor thing screamed like I have never heard before. But I gave her what I now call the magic boob and it put her right to sleep. She has pretty much been asleep all day since the doctors, and is now down for the night (i hope!)


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## daydream

Chloe - glad your vax went well! We had ours yesterday as our dr does an accelerated schedule due to the whopping cough scares. He cried more for the alcohol swab before the shots than the actual shots. He slept well for his naps and at night, really didn't notice any side effects. Hope you have a good night ahead of you too!


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## MrsPTTC

Aw so upsetting I bet having to take your Lo's for their injections :( 

Katie that's good news, I read they can deliver breech normally if its bum down rather than feet down? Or have they said that's not an option? FXd baby keeps turning!

Magic boob chloe! :haha: 

x


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## MrsPTTC

Thought I'd share a bump pic, 34+2. And please ignore the dog on the bed behind me!! :haha: x
 



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## daydream

You look great!! Getting close! And beautiful dog :)


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## KatieTTC

Love the dog on the bed, MrsP! And, of course, love the bump too :flower:
I don't think they would deliver a breech baby naturally. I've been told that this work of art has been lost and nowadays here a breech baby means a version and/or a C section. The girl is moving a lot though, so we'll see. I've come to peace with both options. Here's my bump, I finally took a picture
 



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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies! We love our dog :) Katie that's a lovely bump! Quite a difference in size between us for 2 weeks! :) x


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## MrsPTTC

BTW loving the frogs in the nursery too! x


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## _Nell

What lovely bumps you both have :) i sort of miss mine. I hope i get to be pregnant again one day.
Mrspttc you have a lab?! Gorgeous! Me too, i have two :)

Chloe / daydream , hope your LO's are ok post shots? Layla had hers a coupleof weeks back, she wailed but only like she does with her gut pains...the GP said reflux babies mums are used to seeing their babes in pain so not shocked at vacc time, which as you can imagine really upset me.

Afm: is it wrong i've taken to training my baby like i would my dogs?! Layla hates me putting a hat on her, she cries for over half an hour after and gets in a real state - real tears flow too :( She already cries so much anyway that i hate doing anything to add to it. So the last few days i have been putting her hat on as i feed her, she can't multi task and so totally accepts it. now hat = nom noms she is getting a positive association. If i could click and treat i would!


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## daydream

That is brilliant! Harrison is doing great after his shots, didn't really notice any difference. Tonight he shocked us by going down for bed easy and sleeping almost five hours during his first spurt when usually he does one two hour spurt first. I kept expecting him to wake up so didn't want to go to sleep, I really should have! 

The shots also didn't really upset me, but because it was nothing compared to how he cried when they put the IV in the other week before his surgery.


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## _Nell

daydream said:


> That is brilliant! Harrison is doing great after his shots, didn't really notice any difference. Tonight he shocked us by going down for bed easy and sleeping almost five hours during his first spurt when usually he does one two hour spurt first. I kept expecting him to wake up so didn't want to go to sleep, I really should have!
> 
> The shots also didn't really upset me, but because it was nothing compared to how he cried when they put the IV in the other week before his surgery.

I bet the iv really burt, brave little boy - and mom too.
I know what you mean about waiting awake in the night, i do too, The first night she ever sleeps throughi'll probably have been waiting all night for her to stir!


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## MrsPTTC

:rofl: Nell! Well if it work then train her like a dog! :haha: I'm sure dog training can work on children as well as babies :) 

Yep my lab is 3 now. How have yours been with Layla?

x


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## _Nell

Mine are 6 and 3 and both have been great. The eldest loves toys, soft cuddlies best but also squeaky and muscial ones too.....so all Laylas christmas gifts he thought were for him, bless. 
They both get a little fed up of the crying some days and go to their beds in another room, but other than that nothing has really changed which is good :)


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## MrsPTTC

Good to hear :) I'm sure ours will be fine, it's in their breed to be good with kids & he's soft as muck :thumbup: I'm a bit concerned about the cuddly toy thing though, ha ha x


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## daydream

_Nell said:


> Mine are 6 and 3 and both have been great. The eldest loves toys, soft cuddlies best but also squeaky and muscial ones too.....so all Laylas christmas gifts he thought were for him, bless.
> They both get a little fed up of the crying some days and go to their beds in another room, but other than that nothing has really changed which is good :)

Mine do the same! We accidentally left one out in the living room one night and I don't think she minded one bit. She was happily sleeping in her bed. 

Also my dogs are dying to get a hold of Sophie the Giraffe bc it squeaks. Once Harrison actually can play and carry it around, I'm afraid it may have a short life.


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## KatieTTC

Love your training strategy, Nell :thumbup: I think I would do the same.


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## Chloe597

Lol, Nell, not a bad training method at all! I'm starting to think of ways to train Gabby to fall asleep without needing a boob. And to also train her to nap for more than 45 minutes in her crib. Had her sleeping on me for 3 hours in the moby wrap today. If only there was better head/neck support in that thing, i could do more while wearing her.

MrsP and Katie, love the bump pics! And the photo bombing by the dog :) My cats like to show up in all of my pictures too, its funny :)


Katie, I hope all of that movement means baby has turned! everyone told me i would know if baby turned because it would be fairly painful and different from the normal movements.


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## MrsPTTC

What breed of dogs you got daydream? I've bought a Sophie la giraffe too, it's so cute!

Ha ha Chloe my cats are the same, we've got 2 cats & a dog :thumbup: How are your cats with Gabby? 

I saw the mw today, good & bad news, my urethra pain & swollen ankles/thread veins are nothing to worry about, blood pressure fine (not sure how after a very stressful weekend) & still head down. BUT baby has only grown 1cm in 3 weeks! It was a different mw & she admitted thy could all measure it differently but she needs to act on what she's seen today so I'm booked in for a growth scan tomorrow. I've measured behind all the way along but now 3/4cm behind. Did anyone else have this problem? x 

x


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## daydream

We have a Scottie and a westie. They are the best, they made a few appearances in my bump pics. 

I hope your growth scan goes well, fundal height is not too accurate. My friend had a similar thing happen and the scan showed all was well.


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## MrsPTTC

Ah how cute! :)

Yeah I think it's quite common, so not too worried, just hope we don't see something we shouldn't & manage to stay team yellow! Had a dream last night during the scan they kept calling it 'he' :dohh: x


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## daydream

Oh yes! Hope they don't spoil anything for you!

Katie - you're a watermelon now! It's so close!


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## _Nell

Mrs pttc - i measured 5cm behind and had no bump growth from 34 weeks. My scans showed baby to be 95th percentile though and a whopper. The Dr started talking about induction as soon as i hit my due date (but i was early so it didn't happen)
At 36 weeks the scan showed baby to be 6lb 10oz (so approx 9b at term as they say half a pound a week), she was born 2 weeks and 2 days later at 6lb 9oz. she's 25th percentile not 95th!

Enjoy the scan and the chance to see bubs but take it's measurements with a pinch of salt still. The lady in the maternity ward opposite me chose a c section based on scan showing big baby.....ended up being 7lb, poor woman :(


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## Chloe597

Good luck, MrsP! Hope the scan goes well. I doubt you will be able to determine gender without someone pointing it out. I often had to be told which end was baby's head! Those ultrasounds are tricky sometimes. 

Measurements are also all over the place. Some women just have small babies. My ultrasound the day before Gabby's birthday put baby at 7 lbs, and she was born 6 lbs 13 oz, so it was pretty close, but then you have other people who are told they are having giants and the baby is born small So its all over the place, really.

Gabby has not been napping well yesterday or today, so I'm one exhausted mommy! Overtired babies are no fun at all!


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies all is well, weighing estimated 5lb9 at the minute & expected to be around 7 or 8lb mark at birth. Hope its no bigger ha ha! Not sure if she dropped a clanger, she mentioned 'she' but this was before she'd gone down that end, & when she did go down she said we could look as we couldn't see anything anyway, so maybe it was a slip of the tongue, most people call it he or she rather than it, maybe she just thought its face looked like an she ha ha. It was frowning lol. Scary from your story Nell how wrong they can be! Anyway do they not normally say the bigger the baby the easier the birth (unless a whopper of course?!) x


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## MrsPTTC

Wow Katie a watermelon! :happydance: x


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## KatieTTC

Soooo... During my app on Friday at perinatalogist they drew my blood to check my liver enzymes and platelet values, because previous blood work showed some abnormalities. The numbers weren't that great, so I got it drawn again on Monday. On Tuesday I got a call telling me to come to Labor and Delivery at our hospital to get it checked again, because they've gotten worse. In total denial I just grabbed my purse and had my husband who had a day off drive me there just to get my blood drawn again. 6 hours later I was on the operating table. Our beautiful little Anne was born 6 pounds 10 ounces, 22 inches, on Feb 5, at 36 weeks and 6 days via C section. We should be back home from the hospital tomorrow.


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## daydream

Oh Katie congratulations! Get rest and hope your recovery is quick.


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## _Nell

ooh you went from a watermelon to baby real fast! ;)

Congratulations Katie, I had a little chuckle at you 'just nipping out with your purse'! What a wonderful thing to pop out for :)
I hope you recover well and are home with baby Anne soon.

......

Daydream - did you have an EMCS too? I thought you did and if so, well that's all 4 of us spotters so far with EMCS!


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## CaT1285

Congratulations, Katie!!! Hoping for a quick recovery for you. Wonderful news :)


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## daydream

Nope, vaginal delivery for me. My birth story is in my journal if you want to read.


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## Chloe597

Katie, congrats!! Guess that made the decision about whether or not to have a version easy ;). Did they say what position baby was in when she was delivered? Did you get an epidural or did they have to do general? Can't wait to see a pic! Enjoy your baby girl and get sleep whenever u can!


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## MrsPTTC

Omg wow Katie can't believe that! Congrats Hun! I'm also laughing at you grabbing your purse & not your hospital bag! :haha: Can't wait to see pics, hope you heal & feel better quickly x


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## KatieTTC

Just reporting that our Anne is doing well, eating and pooping like a champ. So far mommy's best friends are Lansinoh Lanolin nipple cream, SwaddleMe blankets and the bassinet part of Pack 'N Play, she sleeps in it much better than her crib. My mother in law who is a NICU nurse is here and she is helping tremendously. How is everybody else doing?


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## MrsPTTC

Great to hear Katie! Is the bf'ing going ok? Bet you're both on :cloud9:

I'm getting VERY uncomfortable now, I'm waddling! Quack quack lol! :haha: 2 weeks on Friday til I finish work though, woop!

Mummies/mommies, was motherhood as great a shock to the system as what people say it is?! 

x


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## KatieTTC

Oh yes, MrsP, I remember walking like a duck too. The happiness is overflowing here, I never knew what tears of joy really meant untill this baby. I had tears in my eyes the first time I saw her, I had tears in my eyes the first time I fed her, I cried the first time I sang her a lullaby. Must be hormones ;) 
Bfing is going well so far, she started eating as soon as she was pulled out. Even though I read all I could about bf, proper latching etc, it still took some practice and my areolas were quite bruised at first. Having sore, dry and cracked nipples was the worst part and feeding would hurt like hell, but after I started applying lanolin after each feeding the problem disappeared. 
The main shock to my system has been the C section, it's still hard to get out of bed, get off the chair or walk straight, but I noticed that the more I move the better it gets and I only took pain killers while in the hospital, it doesn't hurt as much anymore.


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## MrsPTTC

Aww bless you Katie :flower: did dh cry? Great tip with the lanolin, I've got nipple cream somewhere in the nursery, don't think it's lanolin but I'm sure it'll do, if not can buy some. Gosh my nursery is a tip! Drawers & wardrobe needs sorting out big style, but with the kitchen extension it's not top of the list. Hopefully I'll sort it on my maternity before EDD. Hope things get easier with the section wound Hun, am I right you can't drive for 6 weeks?I'm sure in the uk our insurance is void until 6 weeks x


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## MrsPTTC

P.s love your ticker :thumbup: the bump tickers are fab


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## daydream

MrsP - It was kind of a shock, and I was even very ready! It's just such a HUGE change that happens in such a short period of time. Oh maternity leave while pregnant, you can relax, enjoy time to yourself. and then BAM! your life 24/7 is taking care of this baby that you've never known before now.. but that you love so very very much. I have been trying to steal as many minutes alone with DH because it's also a big change to your relationship.

Katie - So glad all is going well! We also lived by the sleepsack swaddles. Our LO is pretty strong and started breaking out of them, so now we adore the Miracle blanket. It has flaps that secures his arms to his sides and he sleeps much more soundly in that. I'm so glad breastfeeding is going well for you!

We took our first trip with Harrison this weekend to our hometown to meet the extended family. It was a four hour drive, and he did great! Slept most of the way and just had to stop once to feed him. We got to take our Four generations pictures with my mom and grandma and DH's dad and grandpa. So precious!


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## MrsPTTC

Aw that photo sounds lovely daydream! Glad Harrison was good :) 

Ha it's as I've heard, life never the same again! :haha: I don't know why I'm laughing?! :dohh:

x


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## Chloe597

Glad u r off painkillers and bfing is going well! Lanolin and gel nipple shields were such a help in the beginning. I haven't used nipple cream in over a month now. I think I was done with the hard core pain killers after a week, and off of ibuprofen after 2 weeks. I think the driving restriction was only 2 weeks - until no more narcotics and when u could make sudden movements without pain.

Motherhood is quite a shock and hormones were surging! I cried off and on for 3ish weeks. It is overwhelming changing your life so much and looking at this tiny human that grew inside of u! Some days I still can't believe I am a mom and my life will never be the same again. But I love it! It is hard to save up enough energy to dtd with dh, however. That part of our lives has definitely suffered! 

Daydream, glad your trip went well!

We start daycare in 2 weeks. I cried after dropping off her registration. I'm so scared that they will just leave her crying in the crib while tending to other babies. Gabby is such great happy baby, bit is a bit needy in that she is quiet and content when being held, bit doesn't like to be put down for long, and she naps beautifully while I am wearing her, but only for about 40 min if she is in the crib. So jealous of the UK ladies and your maternity leave! I am looking forward to going back to work but really wish it was part time.


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## daydream

Yeah I think the last time I used nipple cream was around the 3 week growth spurt. Now it's totally natural.

At least you guys are DTD! We've attempted once but I was still a little tender at my tear site. Then now that I've felt better, I've been exhausted at bedtime and then we were out of town staying at my parents. My poor DH is very ready, hopefully tonight will work out for us! Haha

Sorry you are feeling sad about daycare, I'm sure when my time comes ill feel the same. I'm sure Gabby will adapt quickly, and it may end up making your life at home easier! It will be so great having her around kids her age to entertain her


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## MrsPTTC

Aww Chloe :hugs: are you having to go back full time? I used to be a nursery nurse & I'm sure they won't let her cry! It was a long time ago but that definitely wasn't how we did it over here. I'm sure she'll be fine & it'll be good for her :thumbup: As for :sex: what is that ha?! We've never DTD properly since I ovulated!! :blush: We never did have a good sex life but pregnancy has pretty much killed it! :haha: 

x


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## CaT1285

Katie - glad you and Anne are doing well and BFing is going smoothly. I will definitely have to get that nipple cream you all are talking about.

daydream - That's amazing that Harrison was so good on a car trip! I hope he stays that way forever :)

I had my second midwife appointment today. She said I'm measuring right on target and we heard the heartbeat again. Everything is going very well :) Next appointment is the anatomy scan on March 19.


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## MrsPTTC

Glad everything went well cat! It's really special hearing the HB for the first time :) Eek I might have my baby by the time you have your next scan :shock: x


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## Sbmack

Hi ladies! I hope it's ok to join this thread. I'm only 5 weeks, but I've been stalking this thread. So much useful information. This is my first so I'm learning a I go. It's great to read all of your stories. 

Did any of you spot in the beggining of your pregnancy? Cat, I know you did. How long did it last? I started to a little today. 

Katie, congratulations!! So glad you an Anne are doing well! 

Daydream, how wonderful to be able to have so many generations in one picture. I still have three surviving grandparents. One is pretty sick. I hope she makes it to meet the LO. I want to tell them because I know they will be so so happy, but it would devastate them if anything happened. 

Cat, glad your pregnancy is going smoothly! How wonderful to hear the heartbeat! 

Mrs.P, I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well and that you aren't too uncomfortable. 

Chloe, it must be so hard putting Gabby into daycare. I will most likely do the same. I do think it makes for smart babies though.


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## Chloe597

Welcome to the baby talk, SB! I didn't spot once i got my BFP right away, but I had days of spotting off and on throughout the pregnancy. It was typically light and brownish. Never red blood, although I believe others spotted red (maybe katie?)

I definitely want Gabby in daycare because i want her to get interaction with other kids, but still so sad to picture her there crying, being neglected. She is getting better at sitting on her own tho, so maybe by the time daycare starts, it will be ok. She has become a champion sleeper, going down around 930 and waking around 6 to eat. I only hope that lasts! I hear babies eventually start going to bed at 7 which seems very inconvenient, so i'm hoping to keep gabby as an 8 or 9 girl, but i'll let her decide if she wants to crash earlier, I suppose!


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## MrsPTTC

Welcome over to the success thread SBmack, sorry to hear you're spotting :hugs: I know a few successes still spotted, I didn't though. Yes Chloe I'm sure Katie passed big red clots! Have you spoken to your dr SB? No cramping or anything? 

Chloe she's a great sleeper so far! I agree it'd be better for her to stay awake later, more time for dh to spend with her after he finishes work :thumbup: My friends LO can't stay awake passed 6.30pm then is awake at 4/5am, not good! :nope: Keeping her awake does no good either, she still wakes at the same time! 

My LO woke me with its kicks for the first time last night, I'm a light sleeper but it seemed to sleep when I slept until last night...hope it's not a sign of things to come lol! It's got the hiccups right now, it's a good sign of health the mw said but gosh it's annoying :haha: 

x


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## Jellycat

Katie - congratulations on the early arrival , sounds like you've settled into motherhood quickly

Mrspttc - I remember clearly how hard the end was not being able to get dressed or empty the dishwasher etc then the shower day after JJ was born was amazing couldn't believe how easily I could move around again . I found it quite a shock last time and my hormones were quite crazy but I had issues with milk supply and think I put too much pressure in myself with that rather than enjoy my time with JJ oh and far too many visitors at the beginning

Sbhmack - congrats on your BFP, the cycle I conceived I had no spotting but mine had stopped two cycles before my BFP anyways


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## Sbmack

Thanks for the welcome! I had no spotting when I got my BFP. That was the first time in a year not spotting. I only started to spot a little yesterday. Going to call the dr. Today. 

Chloe, that's great Gabby is sleeping so well!!


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## CaT1285

Yay, sbmack! I was wondering when you might join us in here. My spotting started as usual before my BFP and continued off and on until I was about 8-9 weeks. I also had some cramping, but not severe. 

When are you seeing your doctor? Try not to worry too much until you're able to see him/her. The majority of the time spotting doesn't lead to problems, even with women who aren't normally spotters like we are.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks for your input jellycat, I hope you don't have the same problems this time around! The too many visitors thing bothers me, MIL only lives 2 mies away when my mum lives 18 miles away & I have a feeling she'll be around A LOT! :wacko: 

SB keep us posted :hugs: It's positive that Cat was spotting & everything's turned out fine :) 

x


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## Sbmack

Thanks ladies. I'm trying not to worry about the spotting. It's a little brighter today which worries me a bit. I'm not cramping bad and there's no clots. That's what the dr. said to watch out for so hopefully I'm good.


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## YomsYoms

Hi girls! Not made it to this thread yet - there's sooooo much to take in when you get pregnant I'm finding it hard to keep up with regular threads/forums/facebook/friends etc! So sorry if I'm not a regular, but wanted to say that I'm still lurking a little and love that you're all doing so well :)

Sbmack, I had spotting at 5 weeks and all was okay! I had my regular spotting which then stopped, got a BFP, and then it started again. Was a couple of days of brown (old blood), 3 days spotting red, and then a week of brown again. I then had a further few days of it at 8 weeks.
I got checked over and they tested HCG and did an internal exam which showed my cervix was closed (although didn't find a cause). I also had scans at 5 and 7 weeks. I'm not sure if any of that is an option for you but it was very reassuring? I was told that any bleeding in pregnancy isn't normal, even if it's not uncommon so if you can get checked, I would do.
Hope that helps xx


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## Chloe597

Hi Yoms! How far along are you now? 

Happy Valentines to all!
 



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## CaT1285

When I called my midwife about it, they didn't want me to come in to get it checked out. I think if you say it's RED, they are more concerned, but mine was usually pink or brown. I did have red once (and was convinced I was miscarrying), but I was on vacation at the time and had an appointment as soon as I got back (where I heard the heartbeat). That may have been the last time I spotted, and all has been progressing well since then, so I pretty much forgot about it and never mentioned it to my midwife :shrug: I did have to wait about a week and a half between the red spotting and the appointment, which was very difficult.

It very much depends on what you say. If you say things like "spotting", "pink", and "brown", they are likely not going to be concerned. I don't think they understand how hard it is to wait for weeks to find out if that spotting really was harmless. If you say "red" or "bleeding", they might think you are miscarrying.


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## CaT1285

Cute pics, Chloe! She has cute little cheeks, and a funny expression in that second pic :)


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## Chloe597

Hi Yoms! How far along are you now? 

Happy Valentines to all!


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## Sbmack

What a cutie!! Such a precious Valentine! 

Glad to hear your doing well Yoms!

I did talk to the dr. about the spotting and she said to keep an eye on it. Both times it has happened has been after exercising. I think I'll take it easy for a while. 

Have you ladies worked out during your pregnancy. My dr. said it was fine as long as I don't work out to breathlessness. I only did yoga one night and run/walked on the treadmill another. I guess I'll hold off maybe for my first trimester. I'm going on vacation in a few weeks so I was trying to drop a few pounds before I got my BFP. Of course I'm not dieting now, just trying to stay healthy.


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## Chloe597

ugh, i hate my crappy internet connection that causes things to post twice! sorry for cluttering the board. 

I exercised during my pregnancy, although it was light. I bought a denise austin pregnancy workout dvd that has workouts for the different trimesters. it helped my backpain. Prenatal yoga also helped my back pain, but wasn't much of a workout. I did some hiking and even went zip lining when i was 21 weeks pregnant. Pregnancy workouts are pretty lame if you are used to more intense stuff, but i would recommend exercising now to help strengthen your back, even if its not intense. I couldn't believe how much my back was hurting by the end there, and how stretching and light weight lifting (like 3 lbs) really helped with the pain. I stayed away from cardio tho (still am, but have no excuses now :haha:)


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## Buninmyoven

Hi ladies,

Firstly congratulations to you all on your pregnancies! i also spot for days after OV to AF and it really gives me hope to see that others have had the same symptoms as me and still managed to get pregnant!

I have been actively ttc for two years and have had the spotting ever since I came off the pill. Most of the time it's about 5/6 days before AF but sometimes it's as early as 2/3 days from OV all the way to AF. I have spotted every single cycle before AF except when I did get PG last year. Unfortunately that ended in mc very early and it's almost been a year and I've still not got PG again. I have noticed I get cramps before my periods start and I'm really worried it might be endo. I've been referred to a FS and have been given progesterone to take after OV (400mg suppositories). That reduced the spotting but it didn't go away. i decided not to start taking them until 3dpo to make sure id ovulated first and of course the dreaded spotting started the same evening before i took the first one. Typical! Im also having an HSG done in April (dreading that!). I've told the FS about the spotting but he doesn't think it's an issue and said if I had endo bad enough to affect fertility it would have shown up on the ultrasound I had done of my womb :-k I also asked if I could try Clomid incase I'm not ovulating properly and he said no because I get positive OPKs each month and had satisfactory day 21 test results (even though I always started to spot shortly after and my temps fell). Also had day 3 bloods done and I was told they are normal, although prolactin was in the 300s which seems high.

I hope you don't mind me posting but would you mind telling me if you ever found out what caused your spotting and how you managed to get pregnant? Did you need Clomid / IVF or did you fall naturally? And how long did it take you to get PG? Is there any advice you could offer me? Really feel at my wits end about this. It's so disheartening when im at work and go to the bathroom only to see the spotting has started so soon and to know at that point im not pregnant yet again. Also since my mc my best friend, sister and SIL announced their pregnancies and they fell straight away. I've spent hours and hours online trying to find out what's causing it. I feel like things are moving so slowly and that I'm running out of time as in my 30s.

Thanks x


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## MrsPTTC

Aww Chloe how cute! Happy valentines to your little Gabriella!

Welcome back Yoms, hope everything is well!

SB I don't really exercise but like walking with my dog, me and my friend who is preggo take the dogs out & we're out quite a while at the weekends, but I'm having to slow down now. I got really breathless & still am, but now I'm waddling & very slow, it's really hard work! I'm also finding I get pain in my bladder & uterus when I walk about sometimes, not nice :nope:

Welcome buninmyoven! You should join the TTC thread for support (see first post) they're lovely ladies. I was 8 months on clomid, no answer to my spotting & my FS wasn't interested. I wasn't one of the worst spotters on the thread though. In hindsight I just think it was extended pre AF spotting made worse when I starting taking Agnus cactus/vitex & the stress was continuing it after I stopped taking it. I hope you get your BFP soon Hun, the cycle you got your last BFP did you do or was anything different? I'm sure the cliche 'relaxation' had a lot to do with mine... :wacko: p.s I love your avatar!

Mummies/mommies, how long before your birth did your baby's head engage? I was seen today & nothing was said but have noticed on my notes it's 3/5. I'm not getting excited as I knw it could stay like that a long time, but at least it's moving in the right direction & am curious!

x


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## daydream

Mrsp - H didn't engage until it was time to go. My dr never gave me the numbers but said he was floating, even though my cervix was dilating.


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## YomsYoms

Chloe, I'm 16+3 today. Time is flying by! Your girl is gorgeous, what a cute little face!!

Sbmack, glad your dr wasn't concerned about the spotting. I've not been working out at all. I've felt too exhausted and sick until very recently so just getting to work and back has been enough! I'm hoping to start yoga soon.

BIMO, welcome! I got pg after only 4 cycles off the pill and had heavy spotting from 1-3 days past ov until AF... so it seems that the spotting didn't affect me getting pregnant at all. I have no idea what the cause is, and suspect either luteal phase defect or endo. I changed my diet to include more essential oils (seeds, nuts, fish, olives etc) and also took a B-vitamin complex in case it was the former. It sounds like your FS is doing a lot to help and hopefully the progesterone and HSG will bring some clarity. Good luck xx

Hi MrsP! You're soooo close now! eek!


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## MrsPTTC

Ha that's funny daydream !

Question about what you use to change nappies, wipes or cotton wool & water? Johnsons do extra sensitive baby wipes & is 'clinically proven' to be as gentle as water but a friend of a friend who is a mw said its tosh & you should only use water for the first few weeks :wacko: x


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## KatieTTC

I finally found some time to have a cup of tea and check out and reply to the thread. 

MrsP, it can come any time now! Are you ready? Crossing my fingers everything goes well, can't wait for you to share your birth story and the pictures of the little one. Get ready for some tears too! My dh didn't cry, I've probably only seen him cry once in my life. He's so adorable with his little girl though and so dedicated. Love listening to his songs to her, my new ticker was inspired by his singing You're my sunshine to our girl :) 

Daydream, that 4 generation photo sounds great. I'd love a pic like that but all family members are all over the place and so far away. My husband's aunt/godmother Anne is coming to visit and I'm glad she'll be one of the first in the family, since our lo was named after her. Each time she calls, she ends up :cry: she's so humbled and overwhelmed. We'll def take a picture of that.

Chloe, I love the pictures, thank you for sharing. Don't they change so quickly. I'm looking at the pictures I took right after birth and she's already changed. Before we know it, daddy will be performing background checks on a guy who asks her out. Sorry you're having a hard time putting your baby in daycare, but it will only make you both stronger. 

Cat, hope the pregnancy keeps going smoothly!

Sb, glad to see you on here. I spotted heavily right after conception, passed large clots, which were mistaken for miscarriage. After that I didn't spot for a couple of months, but it eventually came back, usually brown, with some red once or twice. The spotting didn't affect my pregnancy though. I keep looking at my daughter thinking: I've been told you didn't survive, I've been told all the spotting is bad news, I've been told you won't make it, and here you are in my arms :)

Yoms, excited to see you here too. I know it's hard to keep up, but keep us posted. Hope the pregnancy is going well.

Bun, I never found out what caused the spotting and didn't do anything extra the month we conceived. I'd usually start spotting shortly after O, and it would last all the way till AF. The month we conceived spotting was at its worst. Sorry I can't give you a magic tip that will do the trick. Everyone's story on here seems to be slightly different, but as you can see, we all spotted and all were able to conceive. Don't despair!

AFM, everything is going well, we're slowly figuring out the routine. The girl knows her schedule already and though I set the alarm at night to feed her, she is the one who usually wakes me up with cute sounds 5 minutes before the alarm goes off. We started feeding her formula here and there, so that I can get more than 3 hours of sleep in a row. With my epilepsy I have to be careful because seizures are usually caused by sleep deprivation and exhaustion. My DH and mother in law have been amazing though and are making motherhood so much easier. My healing is going well too, bending and turning is still hard, but I can walk straight now. I just need to buy some grandma underwear that reaches all the way to my breasts, because every panty I have ends on the scar tissue line and it's been bothering me ever since they took the bandaid off.

A tip for expecting mothers: get a couple of onesies or shirts that have 'pocket' sleeves. I don't know about other babies, but mine was born with pretty sharp nails and would accidentally scratch herself until I could give her proper manicure (no nail polish, I promise). Putting her in those onesies and covering her hands helped to keep her skin nice and smooth without any scratches.


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## KatieTTC

Here's our little bundle of joy
 



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## Cupcake2012

Just wanted to let you all know I'm stalking this thread! Hopefully will be able to post here myself one day but am enjoying all your stories and successes !

Your babies are all very cute! Glad it's going so well for your all!

Bun- come join us in the ttc spotters thread!

x


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## Sbmack

So great to hear from you Katie! She is beautiful!!! 

Thanks for sharing your spotting story. I'm at the dr. right now. I woke up in the middle of the night to heavier red bleeding and cramps on my right side. They are worried about an ectopic, but I just got an US and there was a sac in the uterus. It's too early to see anything in there, but it's good that its showing there and that its not a tubal. I'm still really worried I'm miscarrying though. Waiting to meet with the midwife right now. I won't really know for a few days while they monitor my hormone levels.

Welcome Bun. Definitely check out the other spotting thread. Great ladies on both sides!


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## KatieTTC

Hope everything goes well, sb! Thinking of you and crossing my fingers!


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## Buninmyoven

Thanks ladies, yes I will check out the ttc spotters thread. I feel so relieved to know I'm not the only one who gets this, and more especially that people are still able to go on and have babies even with the spotting! And what beautiful baby pics. Makes me want one even more now! X


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## daydream

Ah I wrote a long comment and lost it. :doh: 

Katie - glad all is going well, your LO is adorable

Mrsp - we use cloths and water since we are cloth diapering and its easier than having to fish out disposable wipes. Also I think LO has sensitive skin as we had several bouts of diaper rash at the beginning. His poops don't really stick to his skin, so water does the job just fine. We only use wipes when out and about

Sb- thinking of you. Hope all is fine, and I'm glad they're watching you

Afm - we are battling our first colds, was hoping that we would wake up better today but nope. He did go six hours sleeping last night though so maybe he doesn't feel as bad as we do. I'm just continuing to Bf and hope he's getting lots of good antibodies

I added one photo.. It's only letting me do one attachment, I'll add a couple to my journal too. I've meant to write monthly updates, but haven't finished that yet.
 



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## MrsPTTC

Ahhh Katie you've made me cry :( of happiness of course lol :) Anne is beautiful, such big pretty eyes! Glad to hear things are going well. Thanks for the tip too, I've got some packs of scratch mits & also some babygro's with fold over mits in them. No we're not particularly ready for LO to arrive as dh is still fitting/tiling & painting the kitchen! :haha: 

Daydream, what a gorgeous happy pic of Harrison! Hope you're both feeling better soon.

Thanks for dropping by cupcake! Hope you get your BFP soon.


Sbmack I hope it's just a blip & everything turns out ok, it could just be something similar to Katie. Thinking of you & keep us posted :hugs:


Hope you can join us soon buninmyoven :thumbup:

x


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## Sbmack

KatieTTC said:


> Sb, glad to see you on here. I spotted heavily right after conception, passed large clots, which were mistaken for miscarriage. After that I didn't spot for a couple of months, but it eventually came back, usually brown, with some red once or twice. The spotting didn't affect my pregnancy though. I keep looking at my daughter thinking: I've been told you didn't survive, I've been told all the spotting is bad news, I've been told you won't make it, and here you are in my arms :)

Katie, how many weeks were you when they said you miscarried? I searched back through the other thread to read your story. I think you were earlier along. I'm 5+2 today and it's not looking good. The heavy bleeding comes and goes. No clots though. The midwife called and said my hcg results weren't optimistic at 16,000. It sounded like she thinks I am miscarrying and spoke of monitoring me to see if it passes naturally or if it will have to be removed. I will go back for more bloodwork on Monday and to meet with my dr. I don't have any severe cramps it's just like you said in the other thread that something is always there. It feels like when I had a cyst.


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## KatieTTC

Sb, I was 4 weeks and 5 days. I felt cramps during bleeding, but not on the day I passed those clots. Thinking of you and crossing my fingers everything goes well. Try to rest and take it easy.


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## Chloe597

:hugs: sb. I hope everything works out. Take it easy over there!

Katie, gorgeous pics! I agree with the use of the little mits. Gabbys nails were razors, and its awful trying to cut their nails. Even now I have trouble and she will scratch herself.

MrsP, I use alcohol free wipes by earths best and seventh generation, but I have heard that water and cotton is good for the first month or so. If gabby was irritated by the wipes I would have switched, but I belve her poo caused the most irritation.

Hi cat! Nice to see you pop in :)

Daydream, cute pic of your little man! Love the outfit.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks Chloe :thumbup:

Sbmack sending you tons of :hugs: stick beanie stick! :dust:

x


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## Sbmack

So I still won't know what's really going on until Monday, but I'm feeling optimistic. I haven't been bleeding all weekend. Just some light brown spotting on and off. No cramping either. I would think that if I were miscarrying I would be bleeding. Also on another thread a few girls said my levels weren't that abnormal. I really wish the midwife didn't call with such a grim outlook on Friday. It's really made for a horrible weekend. I have been feeling better though because the lack of bleeding. 

I hope everyone had a great weekend with their little ones!!


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## Cupcake2012

That's good the bleeding is better sbmack. I don't know much about levels but from things I've read I thought it sounded fine. Fingers crossed for you


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## YomsYoms

Katie and Daydream, thanks for sharing photos! Your babies are gorgeous!!

Sbmack, fingers crossed for you. Your HCG sounds fine. Mine was 4771 at 5+1. This website seems to think you're 5+4 or later so a great result! https://www.babymed.com/hcg-level-in-early-pregnancy


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## MrsPTTC

Ahhh that's great news sbmack, what happens tomorrow then, do you get more bloods or a scan? x


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## daydream

Glad things seem to be looking up sb! I'm rooting for you


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## Sbmack

MrsPTTC said:


> Ahhh that's great news sbmack, what happens tomorrow then, do you get more bloods or a scan? x

I go back for more bloodwork. I don't think they'll do a scan. Not really sure though.


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## daydream

They'll probably recheck hcg to make sure it's going up. Have they talked about giving you progesterone? Maybe ask about that on Monday


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## MrsPTTC

Hope the numbers have gone up Hun. It should only be a week or so before they could see the foetus & heartbeat on a scan so I wonder cos of your bleed if they'll do one or make you wait for the first proper scan :shrug: x


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## Sbmack

They did a scan on Friday and just saw a sac. Not sure if they could see a yolk sac. The midwife was consulting with my dr., but I didn't get to speak with her then. I'm hoping to see a dr. tomorrow.


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## MrsPTTC

Oh yes I forgot they'd already done one, they'll prob do another one at the end of the week then. Keep us posted :hugs: x


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## CaT1285

sbmack - I'm sorry to hear what you're going through. I'm glad you're feeling optimistic this weekend. I don't think there's any reason not to feel optimistic at this point. I hope everything goes well tomorrow.


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## KatieTTC

Sb, your story sounds so much like mine - bleeding, no cramping and really bad news on Friday making for a miserable weekend. Thinking of you!


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## Sbmack

So I just got back from meeting with a doctor. I seriously want to punch the midwife in the face that told me I was most likely miscarrying! The dr. was much more optimistic and said that the light bleeding and spotting could happen for a number of reasons. I got bloodwork done today. Will know more when I get my results tomorrow. Trying to stay hopeful for now.


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## Cupcake2012

It's awful when medical staff do things like that! She shouldn't have told you that if she didn't know, don't these people realise what it does to people's emotions! Good luck with the test results! Fingers crossed for you x


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## MrsPTTC

Good luck for tomorrow SB! Sounds promising! :thumbup:

x


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## KatieTTC

Oh gosh, sb, I can totally relate. I wanted to kill that nurse practitioner who told me I had miscarried. My ob wasn't in the office that day and I only came in to get my blood drawn. I described my bleeding to the nurse and she 'matter-of-factly' announced, oh, you miscarried and left me alone in the room. 30 seconds later I heard her laughing with someone next door. I thought that was so rude and inconsiderate. I didn't expect her to cry with me, but she handled it terribly. When I got back and found out my levels were rising I wanted to kill her. Since that day she avoided me every time I went back to the office. 

I hope your blood work is good, sb! Keep us posted, fingers crossed!


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## MrsPTTC

KatieTTC said:


> Oh gosh, sb, I can totally relate. I wanted to kill that nurse practitioner who told me I had miscarried. My ob wasn't in the office that day and I only came in to get my blood drawn. I described my bleeding to the nurse and she 'matter-of-factly' announced, oh, you miscarried and left me alone in the room. 30 seconds later I heard her laughing with someone next door. I thought that was so rude and inconsiderate. I didn't expect her to cry with me, but she handled it terribly. When I got back and found out my levels were rising I wanted to kill her. Since that day she avoided me every time I went back to the office.
> 
> I hope your blood work is good, sb! Keep us posted, fingers crossed!

What a bitch she was Katie!! :grr: laughing straight after too! :growlmad: x


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## Sbmack

Katie, that's horrible! What an awful woman. I hope you give her the stink eye every time you see her. I am going to make a note at my dr.'s office that I refuse to see this midwife. 

My dr. called today and my levels are up! They haven't doubled since Friday but there up to 25k from 16k so I'm feeling a lot better. 

Thanks for all the well wishes!!


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## Cupcake2012

There is a chart which states the average level for your stage is 13k and over 6k they go up slower and only double every 4 or more days so I would say your doing fab! Great news!


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## daydream

Wonderful! Oh I'm so glad to hear that


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## Chloe597

Great news, sb! That MW really does deserve a good smack in the face!


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## CaT1285

What a relief, sbmack! Your levels sound great! So when is your next appointment? You're coming up on your 7 week scan soon, right?


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## Sbmack

CaT1285 said:


> What a relief, sbmack! Your levels sound great! So when is your next appointment? You're coming up on your 7 week scan soon, right?

I have a scan scheduled for next Thursday. The dr. said I could come in on Monday if we're worried, but I'd rather wait to make sure we can really see something. If there's nothing there then it's a missed miscarraige. I have a good feeling that it won't be though!


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## CaT1285

Good for you for waiting. I'm sure you're going to be able to see a heartbeat by next Thursday - what a special moment!


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## MrsPTTC

Excellent Sbmack! :) x


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## KatieTTC

Great news, sb! I think refusing that midwife is the right thing to do. I was going to complain about the nurse, but we were moving at this point and I was changing my ob anyways, so I just didn't care anymore. Although now I wish I had said something.


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## KatieTTC

Mrs. P, you're 36 weeks and 6 days. That's when my little precious bundle of joy was born. Are you ready? Is your bag packed?


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## MrsPTTC

Aw was it Katie?! Scary thought eh?! :winkwink: Bag was *supposed* to be packed last Sunday but I didn't quite get round to it... I did make my list though! :thumbup: I MUST do it this weekend, I finish work on Friday so will have more time, though I've got such a busy week next week I may as well be at work lol. I'm going last minute baby shopping with my mum next wed so baby is pretty much sorted, however our new kitchen is not yet finished, extension is though, hopefully in the next week or 2!! 

How's Anne doing?

x


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## Sbmack

KatieTTC said:


> Mrs. P, you're 36 weeks and 6 days. That's when my little precious bundle of joy was born. Are you ready? Is your bag packed?

So exciting Mrs. P!!! Good luck!


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks SB! I'm a watermelon today!!! :wohoo: x


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## daydream

Yay for watermelon!!


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## Chloe597

Good luck mrsP! I packed my bag the night before my version, so as long as you have your list, you should be good! Better to have it ready just in case tho :) can't wait for your birth story!
I go back to work tomorrow. No clue how I am going to keep it together!


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## MrsPTTC

:hugs: Chloe, that really sucks! :growlmad: 

I'm the opposite, I leave work on Friday, I'm totally ready for it, not sleeping well & I really need some lie ins whilst I can. Once baby is here I'll not be having one again :winkwink: Though I can have cat naps during the day I guess x


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## Sbmack

Chloe597 said:


> Good luck mrsP! I packed my bag the night before my version, so as long as you have your list, you should be good! Better to have it ready just in case tho :) can't wait for your birth story!
> I go back to work tomorrow. No clue how I am going to keep it together!

Good luck, Chloe!! That's going to be tough.


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## Chloe597

At work now...and missing my DD terribly, but its good to be back. Took forever to get ready this morning, and let me say, pumping at work SUCKS! 20 minutes round trip each time, and no sink in the lactation rooms. This will be a long 9 months...

MrsP, good luck with those cat naps! Everyone says nap when baby naps, but I was never able to do that. Always had other things to do, or was enjoying her napping on me.


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## MrsPTTC

Hope today went ok Chloe! So are you wanting to bf her until she's 1? 

Question for you ad the other new mothers, how many breast pads do you go through a day? I know everyone is different but not sure how many packs to buy...

x


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## daydream

I have cotton washable ones. I just use the same ones all day. I don't usually leak unless I'm out during one of his feedings


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## daydream

Chloe - you've made it through the first day back! That will be the hardest, it can only get easier from here :hugs:


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## daydream

Oh and I also am not a napper, but get enough sleep usually. It's just broken up at night, so for a while we weren't up for the day until 11 or 12

Last night H went 7 hours between feedings! I was shocked. He probably would have gone longer but when I woke up at 5 he was stirring a little so I got him up to eat, my boobs were killing me!


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## Chloe597

I tried the cotton nursing pads but I just soak right through them. The leaking has gotten better, but I need the disposables. I buy the lansinoh brand and in the first month I changed the pads multiple times a day, but now I usually change once a day. If you'e like me, buy a case :) they are cheaper like that on amazon (4 boxes, 60 pads/box $25 vs $12/ box if bought by the single box.)


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## Chloe597

wanted to add that the cotton ones would probably be fine now that i've been at this for about 3 months. In the beginning the leaking was really bad. Sometimes if i see someone's ultrasound pic on facebook, or hear a baby cry on tv, my boobs leak. At first i thought it was hilarious, now its just annoying. And at night, as i'm getting used to gabby sleeping longer, my boobs get really hard and sore, and will leak depending on how i sleep. And I can't feed from one side without also feeling the letdown on the other side. Maybe you'll be lucky like daydream, MrsP, and be able to use the washables. 

I do plan to BF for a year, as much as it sucks pumping at work. There is really something totally awesome about giving my baby 100% of her nutrition. What do you girls plan to do? 

Sorry if i seemed harsh earlier about the naps. Maybe you will be someone who can nap easily when baby does. I was just never able to, as much as i wanted/tried to. Gabby has woken up at 3:30 the past 2 nights..here's hoping tonight is different!


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## daydream

Agree, I think it also depends on the type of cotton ones. I have thick organic ones (and like my cloth diapers, I can tell the organic is more absorbant. Have both on hand, you never know what will work for you. I have a stash of disposable ones that I plan on keeping at work when I go back.. you know.. just in case. For me, my letdown comes when I think of the fact that I need to feed him soon. If I'm driving I can feel it, but it doesn't really spray until he's actually on the breast. If he pulls off once on, woah it sprays everywhere. Good thing our rocker is leather.. otherwise it would be soaked!

And I plan on a year as well. We've made it through the hard part by now! No sense in stopping early.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you tonight. I'm sure the middle of the night feeds are much harder now that you're back at work.


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## CaT1285

I'm hoping to BF for a year if I can! At least 6 months hopefully. Obviously I'll have to pump at work after the first 3 months, but I hope I can stick with it. Good to know there are other working moms on here trying to do the same. Hopefully we'll actually be BFing at the same time eventually, even though I'm so far behind :) I just started reading the book I bought about BFing last night, actually. I know it's a little premature, but I'm trying to prepare myself as much as possible.


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## MrsPTTC

Chloe597 said:


> wanted to add that the cotton ones would probably be fine now that i've been at this for about 3 months. In the beginning the leaking was really bad. Sometimes if i see someone's ultrasound pic on facebook, or hear a baby cry on tv, my boobs leak. At first i thought it was hilarious, now its just annoying. And at night, as i'm getting used to gabby sleeping longer, my boobs get really hard and sore, and will leak depending on how i sleep. And I can't feed from one side without also feeling the letdown on the other side. Maybe you'll be lucky like daydream, MrsP, and be able to use the washables.
> 
> I do plan to BF for a year, as much as it sucks pumping at work. There is really something totally awesome about giving my baby 100% of her nutrition. What do you girls plan to do?
> 
> Sorry if i seemed harsh earlier about the naps. Maybe you will be someone who can nap easily when baby does. I was just never able to, as much as i wanted/tried to. Gabby has woken up at 3:30 the past 2 nights..here's hoping tonight is different!

:rofl: wow that is so weird that your bbs leak at things like that. Mother Nature is really fascinating!

You weren't harsh at all Hun, I can imagine how hard it is bless you. Hope she sleeps a bit better soon!

Wow ladies I admire you bf'ing for a year. I'm sorry to say I'm not planning on doing it very long, prob 4 months at the most. It's not really something I _want_ to do, more something I think I should at least try to do. We'll see how it goes though.

How's Nell and Layla?

x


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## daydream

Mrsp - just take it a month at a time, but really after the first six weeks it's so easy and comforting. They also get very quick at it. H will feed for only five minutes most feedings, sometimes before he sleeps he'll go for 15-20 but I think it's just to lull him to sleep. 

Cat - yes I'll be pumping at work once I go back when he's four months. I've been pumping at home once a day since he was four weeks and I'm already ending up with a freezer stockpile. It's great you're already reading up! I listened to a podcast while pregnant called Pregtastic. It helped me feel SO informed. Also the website kellymom.com is the best resource on breast feeding.


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## MrsPTTC

Wow only 5 minute feeds? That's great, I've heard of some going hours! Yes I'll see how things go, the main thing I want to make sure i do is express & get it used to the bottle so dh can help with feeds & I can leave it x


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## Chloe597

How are you feeling mrsP? You're already more pregnant than me or Katie were! I keep waiting to see you announce the birth! 

Gabby started daycare today! I called to check in, and DH went to visit, and so far she seems content. She was sleeping in a swing when DH went to visit, and had just woken from a nap when I called. But I could hear multiple babies crying in the background. Made me feel so guilty... Gabby has slept better the past few nights. Last night she went to bed at 830 and didn't wake up until 5 this morning! I would love every day to be like that :) even better would be to sleep until 6:thumbup:


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## daydream

Glad daycare went well and YAY gabby for sleeping so well.

We've seemed to fall into a routine with H. I follow his lead for sleeping but he usually does catnaps during the day but takes one or two longer naps. Then at night he goes down for his long sleep between 10-11. That one has ranged from 5-7.5 hours. After that he'll do a few 2-3 hour sleeps until we're up for the day. It's been nice being able to deal with his slightly fussy period at night knowing good sleep will come soon. Usually if he's crying I just feed feed feed him because I think he's trying to tank up for that long sleep. 

We have our second round of vax on Thursday. He did great last time so I hope it's the same this time. I'm really just curious of how much he weighs now. He's getting close to being out of 0-3 clothes, but I think part of that is because his booty is so fluffy with the cloth diapers :haha:


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## Chloe597

Good luck to Harrison with his vaccines! When was round 1? Are you on an alternate vaccine schedule? Keep us posted on his weight! Its great if he has lasted in 0-3 months this long IMO. Gabby has actually outgrown some of her 6 months clothes, although others are still quite large on her. Would be nice if there was some consistency in sizing!

I too try to fill gabby up as much as possible in the evenings. If she falls asleep with less than 5 minutes at the boob, I know i'm going to be waking up earlier than I would like, but if I can manage a good 10 min on one, or better yet, both, I know we should be good until at least 5.


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## daydream

His first round was at 6 weeks. And next rounds 2-3 have at least four week spacing between them. It's a slightly accelerated schedule our dr offers to get the whopping cough vax in quickly due to the recent outbreaks. We opted for that just to be on the safe side.

And YES sizing is so varied. I put everything by size in his dresser and realized that some of the 6 month stuff I would have completely missed because it fits right now.


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies :wave: I'm feeling great thanks :thumbup: Ooh chloe that's scary that I'm already passed yours & katies dates! :wacko: I STILL haven't packed the hospital bag :rofl: BUT I've started washing the baby clothes... I was at the mw today, bump has finally caught up am 37cm though still compact, she said baby hasnt got a lot of room in there! Still engaged 2/5 so no change from last time but apparently they wouldn't expect any more yet. Going baby shopping with my mum tomorrow for last minute bits & bobs :) 

Chloe I'm so pleased day care went well! And she sounds like a great sleeper. Did I read that right though she's almost out if 3-6 month clothes at 2 month old?!! :saywhat:

Daydream GL with Harrison's jabs. It sounds like he's sleeping pretty well at night! :D 

x


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## CaT1285

Sizing varies so much! My friend whose son is now almost 2 months but was born 3 weeks early, so is relatively small for 2 months, is starting to fit into some of the smaller 3-6 months stuff too. I know my niece and nephew, who were both always large (my brother-in-law is 6'4), fit into some 3-6 months clothes right away. I'm coming to realize the labels don't mean too much.

Everyone seems to be doing really well with feeding, sleeping, adjusting to a new life. It's really great to hear positive stories!

Nothing new to report here really. I had bloodwork done at my regular annual check-up with my primary care doc and my platelet count was slightly low. Apparently it happens in some pregnancies, but they did the test again last week to be sure it wasn't getting worse. I haven't heard anything, so I'm thinking no news is good news. 

We visited the daycare we will probably be using this morning. It seemed nice, the children all looked happy. A lot of people in the neighborhood use that daycare and we've heard only good things. They will also do cloth diapers, which is a huge plus! It's expensive, but seems well worth it.

People are noticing I'm pregnant already. It seems to me like I'm big for how far along I am, but my midwife said I'm measuring on target. I can't wait to feel something in there!


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## Chloe597

Wow, cat, good work with finding daycare early! If i would have gone when I was 16 weeks, I may have gotten the one i wanted. I have a friend in MD, Bethesda, and he said the daycare where he works has a 1500 person waiting list!! which i guess amounts to 2 years, and you have to sign up pretty much as soon as you get a due date. I couldn't believe that!

Gabby will be 3 months on Thursday, and yes, she is definitely too big for a couple of her 6 month outfits! she is 15 lbs already! I know some babies who are 8 months and only 15 lbs. My little chubster :) Totally in love with all of her rolls of baby fat :cloud9:

Daydream, that is nice that you can get the whooping cough vaccine in early. It is scary that it has become a threat again. 

Major props to those who use cloth diapers! I wanted to, but I just couldn't imagine having the time to put them together every day. And Gabby literally has poop in her diaper at EVERY SINGLE DIAPER CHANGE! So i feel like I would go through many more cloth diapers than I would like. I try to buy the ones that are chlorine free at least, although I have to admit I really like the pampers. But I'm trying to switch over to the chlorine free ones. 

MrsP, you better get packin!! That baby is gonna pop out any day now :) Any thoughts on what you are having? I'm thinking girl. Is your nursery all set up? How are you feeling?

Cat, you're probably done with any morning sickness now, right? I can't recall, did you have it bad? Hope the bloodwork is ok! I dont think I got that test. Was it one that would not normally be done to pregnant women? 

Katie, how is everything going with your LO?

Nell, hope all is well with you!


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## CaT1285

Luckily the waiting list for this place isn't that long! I think it's about 8 months. Two years is insane! We plan are starting with daycare in a little less than a year. A year ago, we were still 6 months away from TTC! Bethesda is generally crazy though, so I'm not really surprised.

I'm glad you're in love with Gabby's fat rolls, Chloe. I was apparently an really fat baby, and my mom's doctor told her that she should think about putting me on a diet at some point. Fortunately, my mom said thanks, but no thanks. I lost the fat rolls soon after I started walking!

We are probably going to do cloth diapers with a cleaning service, which makes it a bit easier. And I imagine in the beginning we may need to supplement with disposables if we go over our weekly allotment.

I had some morning sickness, but really not bad at all. The main thing was that my appetite was way out of control, but that calmed down around 12 weeks.

My bloodwork results came yesterday. It was fine (my platelet count went up, though it was still on the low side), so she just sent the results in the mail instead of calling. She still wants me to come back in a month to test again. My primary care doc does a routine blood test annually for everyone, so it wasn't something that she did specifically because I'm pregnant. Honestly, I wish I hadn't had the blood test, because I really don't think there's anything wrong with me. So it's just a hassle to have to go to the doctor's office repeatedly. I thought about not going back at all to have it retested, and now she wants me to come back again!

Can't wait to read MrsP's birth post!


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## Sbmack

You guys are making me nervous....better start looking into daycare now. I'll wait until my scan tomorrow of course, to make sure everything is ok. 

We haven't really decided what we will do for daycare. My husband doesn't really want to do daycare. He seems to think that we can just switch our schedules around so there will always be one of us available. He's crazy and doesn't really understand what goes into taking care of a baby yet. He works from home so he does have that flexibility and I'm in outside sales so I make my own hours, they still have to be somewhat normal though. I sell wine so I can't go making calls in the evening. Nor would I want to. I'm hoping I can cut back to three days a week. My mother has recently moved back (her and her husband are living with us until they sell their house...we are ready for them to go!). Depending on what kind of job she gets she can watch the baby a couple days a week. I like the idea of daycare though. I want the socialization.


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## MrsPTTC

I know Chloe I really need to get things sorted! Bought last minute baby things with my mum today so that was nice, it's the only time we've been shopping for baby together. I'm kinda thinking girl too, but think its cos everyone is saying its a girl with my bump so compact lol. I'll have to upload another bump pic soon. The nursery was done but is a mess at the minute as the whole house is upside down with the extension. Hopefully get it sorted this week. Only thing we need is the nursing chair & a big tree/owl wall sticker but we're waiting for the sex before we order that so I can get some blue or pink in there... I'm feeling fine thanks, pretty fit for 38 weeks! I went walking with my preggo friend & our dogs this morning & was out an hour & a half :) 

Wow cat you're very organised! We're not sure what we're doing about nursery yet, but sbmack I agree I think it's good for them, ideally we would like one day a week, but most nurseries over here will only do a minimum of 2 half days so we'll see.

x


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## CaT1285

good luck with your scan today, sbmack!


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## Sbmack

Everything is great! Baby is measuring perfect. Saw a heartbeat!! 

I told the midwife I saw today that I didn't want to see the one who told me I was probably miscarrying. She thought I should give her another try and showed me the report on the last US. It wasn't good and said not a viable pregnancy. I guess she didn't want to give me false hope. I'm still not sure why they thought that when I was only 5 weeks. I thought it was pretty common not to see a fetal pole that early. Oh well, none of that matters now. 

I hope everyone has as great a day as I am today!


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## daydream

That is so wonderful! Congrats sb!


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## MrsPTTC

Yay, excellent news sbmack! :happydance: So pleased everything is ok! x


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## CaT1285

I'm so happy for you, sbmack! I had a feeling everything was just fine with you and your bun. When is your next appointment/ultrasound?


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## CaT1285

sbmack - I had a thought about the midwife who told you that you were probably miscarrying. Maybe she felt that with your hcg levels so high, she would see more on the ultrasound (like fetal pole, maybe even heartbeat). I know that over 1000-1500, you should be able to see something on an ultrasound, but I'm not sure if there are guidelines for matching levels to ultrasounds beyond that. Sounds like it's not really a good idea, if that's what she was doing.


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## KatieTTC

Hi girls, I've been MIA because there's been plenty of action at home. I've been wanting to post a message, but each time I started I had to leave it unfinished. Just a real quick one, my girl is gassy and I she's been waking up asking for comfort. We haven't figured out how to avoid it or treat it. My mother in law was helping us for two weeks, mainly with night feedings, but she's gone now, so it's just two of us. My husband has taken over the night feeding, so I usually get about 5 straight hours of sleep. I feed her around midnight, dh covers the 3am feeding and then I get up for 6am. It has varied though. Some nights she would sleep for 4,5h at a time and last couple of nights she wanted to eat every 2 hours, I think she's going through a growth spurt and is hungry all the time. And now that gas... makes her miserable sometimes. 

Daydream, I really like kellymom, a lot of useful info and so many additional links they provide. I'm currently also reading On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the GIFT of Nighttime Sleep and found quite a few useful tips.

Chloe, hope daycare is a good experience for you and your baby.

Sb, glad you got to see the heartbeat. 

Mrs P, shoot, Anne's crying, it's breaking my heart. I will post this now and will try to finish the message later otherwise I'll never post anything.


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## Chloe597

Great news, sb! Wasn't it wonderful seeing the heartbeat?? So happy for you!

Katie, gabby was gassy in the beginning too. Still is, but she manages it much better. Anne's little system will mature and gas won't bother her anymore. Hang in there! I found that pushing gabbys knees up to her chest helped to relieve some of the gas for her. Glad you found a good feeding system. Are you pumping for the night feed or giving formula? Hope you are enjoying motherhood!


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## daydream

Katie- you are doing great! getting that much sleep at three weeks out is really very good. And yes, she will be gassy, just like Chloe said, that digestive system has to get used to processing food. It will get so much better over the next few weeks.


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## daydream

H did great with his vaccinations today, slept & ate a lot, but was still smiley. Now he's a bit grumpy, so we'll see how tonight goes. FX for some good sleep.


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## MrsPTTC

:rofl: no problem Katie! Speak to you soon!

Funny you girls talking about your babies having bad gas, I heard bf babies don't usually get much wind compared to bottle feeding!

Daydream great H was good for his injections!

x


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## KatieTTC

Ok, Anne ate and farted throughout the whole feeding, so hopefully she'll sleep till the next feeding and I'll have some :coffee: time. I never thought I'd be so excited to hear farts or burps. It's like music to my ears. Seeing poop is very exciting and reassuring too.

MrsP, is your BAG PACKED YET?! It's coming any day now. Can't wait to hear your birth story and see the pictures of the little one. I'm guessing it's a girl. You should also post your recent bump pictures. You had asked about pads earlier: I haven't really used any, my milk isn't leaking. You were also discussing naps. I was never a napper and naps would only spoil my day, but now is a different story. I can lay down any time of the day or night and be asleep within 10 minutes. It helps me a lot. 

Cat, you're an onion already:) It seems like it's been ages since I was an onion. It's hard to think that little girl of mine was once the size of an onion. Once you meet your baby, it's hard to imagine your life without her/him. It's like she's been here forever and everything else is irrelevant and happened in a different life with a different person. Keep your eye on that platelet count. 

Chloe, your comments about leaking during certain occasions made me laugh. I knew that a hormone is released when getting ready to feed the baby or just thinking about her, which releases the milk, but I never leaked like that. It seems like my milk only comes out when there's suction or pressure applied. I pump for the night feeding and the time it takes to pump a certain amount varies significantly (I only use a manual Lansinoh pump). Funny you mentioned a friend in Bethesda, that's where I was originally going to give birth, but we changed our mind later. Any new pictures of Gabby you'd like to share?

Daydream, 5 minute feedings only? Wow! How often do you feed now? My girl's breaks between feedings seem to increase and sometimes she only gets 7 feedings in 24h. Seems like it's too soon to cut down on feedings, but she looks happy, is gaining weight, so I don't force her to eat by the clock. Last night I fed her at midnight and she didn't wake up until 4:30, ate, passed out and slept till 8am, then I woke her up to feed her again, because I was afraid she's not getting enough food. Would love to see an updated photo of Harrison!

Sb, hope you're doing well. So glad all that midwife talk was nonsense and your baby keeps developing. Makes you appreciate and treasure that little miracle even more.


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## MrsPTTC

:haha: nope still not packed!! :dohh: :dohh: :dohh: I promise I will this week though! I'm sitting on my gym ball having a good bounce, it's very comfortable lol! My friend has recommended raspberry leaf capsules, I've got some tea bags but not tried it yet & heard it tastes yack! I have another couple of bump pics to upload. Any more pics of Anne? My bump is funny, it's so compact I look like I've got a football stuffed up my top lol. It's funny how excited you get over a poop :rofl: x


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## Sbmack

Glad you're doing well, Katie!

Mrs.P, good luck in the final stretch! 

It's so great to read all about how you're all doing with your LO's. I'm learning a alot! 

I found put today that one of my best friends is also pregnant and due just 8 days before me! I am pumped!! She was afraid to tell me because she knows it was taking us a while to concieve. She was so relieved and happy to hear that I am also pregnant.


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## CaT1285

That is so exciting, sbmack! That's going to be so much fun to be preggo together. And your LOs will be the same age. That's awesome.

Katie - I didn't realize you live so close to me (or at least I assume you do if you were going to deliver in Bethesda). That's funny!


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## MrsPTTC

Aw that's lovely sbmack! On the day of my 12 week scan a friend & I went walking our dogs & we were talking kids & I was dying to tell her I was preggo. I had my scan in the afternoon & text her on the evening to tell her & she was like 'no way I'm pregnant too' turned out she's due 16 days after me :) x


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## MrsPTTC

Double post! :dohh:


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## daydream

So exciting for you all to have preggo buddies. It's the best. One of my friends from high school was pregnant with twins and just gave birth a couple weeks ago. So all our boys can be buddies :)

MrsP - you are getting so close! I did the RRLT and EPO. There's a thread somewhere in the third tri boards that has all the details on it. I didn't think the tea tasted too bad. I also bounced on the ball a lot, but ultimately it was the sweep my OB did that put me into labor. Has your dr talked about doing that yet?

Katie - at least 7-9 is completely normal. We end up around 10-11 feedings a day, but that's because I do some cluster feeds before bed when he's a little fussy. Basically at night if he starts to cry, I offer him food. It's made our evenings a lot quieter and helps get him to sleep longer. Last night he was in bed for good at 10:30, woke at 3:30, woke at 6:30 and up for the day at 9:40. I think all in all DH and I got about ten hours of sleep. It felt amazing!

I'll post a few more pictures to my journal. I have a video in there of his wonderful sleepy noises. I've been taking loads of videos to try to capture all the memories. He's growing up too fast!!


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## KatieTTC

CaT1285 said:


> That is so exciting, sbmack! That's going to be so much fun to be preggo together. And your LOs will be the same age. That's awesome.
> 
> Katie - I didn't realize you live so close to me (or at least I assume you do if you were going to deliver in Bethesda). That's funny!

That is funny, I just noticed that your location is MD :) Right now we are in VA about 45 mins from DC. The traffic in the area is horrible though, so 45 mins can easily turn into a 3-4 hour drive. Being in labor pains and sitting in traffic didn't sound that great, that's why we decided not to deliver at Walter Reed in Bethesda.


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## KatieTTC

Daydream, I didn't realize you were continuing your blog. I thought you were done posting after the pregnancy was over. I just checked it out, beautiful pictures! :flower: I love it when they make those super serious faces. Sometimes I'll smile and giggle and talk silly and Anne just gives me that stoic look as if she wanted to tell me to knock it off and act like an adult.


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## MrsPTTC

Awww daydream he's gorgeous! And yes some of his faces & frowns :cloud9: I think he looks like you! I love his grandad cap :winkwink:

They said they'll do a sweep at 40+3 so a while yet!

x


----------



## daydream

Katie - I wasn't going to, but changed my mind, haha! I post a ton of pictures of H to facebook, so I may just do a monthly photo dump of the best ones onto the blog. You'll have to post some more of Anne. Gosh I love that name. It's so classic and pretty.

And yes he is the king of serious faces. Thankfully he does smile a lot too, just the serious ones are so much funnier to photograph :)

MrsP - Yes he looks like me, but my husband too. He's a perfect blend, just the dark hair makes people think he looks like me more.


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## Sbmack

Daydream, the video is just the most precious. He's so cute! I think it's amazing to chronicle his early life and maybe all of it. It is something he will enjoy reading when he's older.


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## CaT1285

daydream - 10 hours of sleep sounds amazing, baby or no baby! Good for you guys!

katie - I live in Baltimore, but my husband's brother and sister live in DC and his parents live in Richmond. Plus, we have some friends who live in Northern VA and I went to GWU and UMCP for undergrad. So I know TOO well how horrendous the traffic is around DC. Ugh. I don't blame you for giving up the idea of trying to get around DC while in labor.


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## CaT1285

It has been quiet on here. MrsP, are you having a baby?


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## daydream

Ohh I can't wait to hear. The countdown to a due date is such an exciting time!

We had family pictures taken yesterday, I can't wait to get our proofs! Otherwise all here is just the normal routine. My mom is coming this afternoon to stay a few days. I love her visits!


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## Chloe597

It has been quiet! I've been busy with work/home. Its really hard to balance the two. I only get about 2 hours of awake time with gabby after work, and then i spend another hour washing bottles, filling bottles, pumping, & getting stuff ready for daycare. That leaves maybe another hour to get showered and finish housework. so crazy!

Never take your babies for granted. My friend's baby just passed away in his sleep last night after a bout with a fever/cough. I dont know any details, but I gave gabby extra hugs and kisses last night and had a hard time leaving her in her crib, as she has a bit of a cold right now and is very sniffly. Hard to imagine such awful things can happen. Makes me really appreciate what I have.


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## CaT1285

Oh my gosh, Chloe. I'm so sorry to hear that. That is really tragic.


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## Sbmack

That is so horrible, Chloe. So sorry to hear that.

I had another scare. Had to cancel all my afternoon appts. and go to the practice to get an ultrasound. I have a synchrionic bleed or hemorage. It's a small sac next to the gestational sac that's filled with blood from a burst blood vessel I guess. Sometimes if it gets agitated it bleeds out or gets absorbed back into the uterus. The US tech and midwife said I could definitely experience more bleeding. Not looking forward to that while I'm on vacation on the beach. 

I hope everyone is doing well. Hug your babies tight. That story makes my heart ache.


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## MrsPTTC

Omg Chloe that's so awful! Makes me feel sick especially now I'm nearly a mummy :cry:

Sbmack, sorry to hear about your haemorrhage Hun, so is it nothing for you to worry about other than the bleeding being annoying? 

:haha: no cat no baby p yet! :coffee:

x


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## Chloe597

MrsP, you areas close to your due date! Is it getting hard to walk? 

Sb, is this bleeding only going to be an issue in early pregnancy, or could this happen in second and third tris?

Gabby has a cold. Such a little stuffy nose and slept all day. Poor thing! I hate thinking she might be miserable :(


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## daydream

MrsP - do you feel ready? Have you had any checks yet?

Sb - how scary! I'm glad they found the cause so quickly

I've had a very fussy boy today, I've been suspecting that were going through the 12 week wonder week. He's sleeping now thankfully. I think it could be teething as well. We bought a slew of teethers and he seems to like the life factory ones. It's hard bc he can't hold them yet, so I've got to hold them for him


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## MrsPTTC

Chloe it's fine for me to walk, I really am fighting fit, my friends and neighbours are amazed. A week today I cleaned the car inside & out, including the vacuuming! I've been taking the dog out for walks lasting an hour & a half! Though not every day as we haves dog walker. I think I'm superwoman :winkwink:

Daydream, I'm semi ready, got the bags pretty much packed & nursery half sorted, just need to dress the cot (not that it'll be used for a while) & the Moses basket & check the isofix & car seat works ok in DH's car! I'm due to see the mw again on tues so fxd I'm further engaged!

The bump has dropped a bit so I'm finding it easier to bend :) I'm taking my raspberry leaf capsules, eating pineapple & bouncing on my gym ball so we'll see what happens!

x


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## Chloe597

MrsP, you sound like such a happy pregnant woman! Your story makes me sad I didn't get to see my pregnancy through til labor, but then I hear stories about 36 hr labors, pushing for hours, then ending up with c section and I get happy I didn't have to deal with labor! Would have been fun to bounce on balls, go for long walks, to see if I could bring it on tho! Hope it happens soon!


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## Sbmack

MrsP, I hope I'm fairing as well as you near the end. You do sound like superwoman! 

Daydream, good luck with the teething! It must be hard when there's fussing and you can't really do much about it. I hope he likes the rings. 

Chloe, I hope Gabby's cold goes away fast! 

AFM, the midwife said I may bleed some more, but not to worry. I honestly wasn't as worried this time as I was the first because the blood seemed similar. It was light and watery and didn't have any clots. It also only happened a couple times. It was kind of like watery blood just leaked out of me. I was working with another rep in another state when it happened. We had appts. lined up for the rest of the day. I had to continue working for five more hours. The first time it happened overnight.


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## MrsPTTC

Ha ha thank you ladies! :flower: 

x


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## Jellycat

Good luck mrs pttc - can't believe you are full term almost!

Chloe - how devastating for your friends I think is any parents worse nightmare to lose a child. I couldn't settle for about the first 6 months with JJ for the fear of him being ill or worse.

Sbmack - my friend had an u/s this week and just found she has a clot/bleed. But no actual bleeding yet she's hoping it will just be absorbed back. Hope it sorts itself out soon.

Ladies breastfeeding would you recommend buying an electric pump before baby arrives or to wait and see if I'm able to feed this time. My concern is I had a lack of supply last time and pumped to try and increase supply


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## daydream

I bought one before, didn't even think thati wouldn't be able to tbh. I hope you can this time! Had you tried power pumping?


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## Jellycat

What's power pumping ?

With JJ I had little colostrum and hospital told me after 36hrs that some people can't breastfeed and to stop trying.... I refused and asked for their electric pump. Problem was hospital told me to substitute with formula so to try and build supply I pumped. For first 2 1/2 weeks I gave skin on skin , used nipple shields to help him latch on, then have bottle, then pumped for 20-30 minutes. By the time I cleaned and sterilised everything JJ needed his next skin on skin session.

When I pumped I only managed to produce enough for about 4-5 oz a day so he had one ebm bottle per day. Once dh went back to work I couldn't maintain the routine on my own.

Key points I've learnt from last time and asking others:
Skin on skin for at least an hour a time including trying to feed
To feed ASAP once born and for first week put to me every couple of hours to try and build supply
Fenugreek is good to help supply
Also getting support numbers now so if I need additional help I won't need to start worrying and searching
My priority this time is feeding not visitors coming to see baby for hours and hours so I postpone feeding as didn't want to make a fuss
Also to stick with newbirn tears if do use a bottle as last time hospital told us to use the next size up but that meant he got his milk alot easier via bottle so weakened his suckling

Sorry for long post :blush:

I just want to give feeding my best shot this time with minimal mistakes


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## MrsPTTC

Jellycat it's great you're thinking so much about the bf'ing. I hope to bf but my attitude is if it works it works if it doesn't then... :shrug: as long as I can say I tried. I have an electric tommee tippee closer to nature pump my friend gave me. I wouldn't have bought one I would've seen how the bf'ing went first as its like £100! Sooo expensive but have heard good reports & it's got great reviews. 

I can't believe I've only for 4 days left til due date! Had my hospital tour visit today with dh & I think reality is setting in for dh now!

x


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## daydream

Jellycat - it's basically when you do a period of increased pumping frequency, like once a hour for a few hours. Even if nothing comes out, it will put in the demand for that extra milk. I also eat a lot of oatmeal which helps supply. You sound super informed, so I'm sure you will do great this time!

MrsP - yay! I cannot wait to hear your birth story


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## MrsPTTC

Happy Mother's Day UK ladies! :flower: x


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## Chloe597

Jelly, are u in US or elsewhere? In US electric pumps are covered by insurance so I would definitely get one. I waited 2 weeks after gabby was born, but had a hand pump to help relieve enforcement when my milk came in and wish I had one sooner. I have also heard that drinking dark beer at night helps with supply. And to give the boob every couple hours all day/night until your milk comes in. I was convinced I had no colostrum but I must have had something because I woke up one morning with giant engorged boobs. Gabby was constantly on the boob for those first couple weeks. So exhausting, but it did let up a bit after.

MrsP, so close!!!

Happy mother's day, UK girls! Not til May for the US ladies.


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## MrsPTTC

I think she's in the UK Chloe, but I might be wrong. 

Thanks Hun I know so close, every bloody little twinge & I'm thinking is this it?! :rofl:

x


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## MrsPTTC

2 days!! (In fact 26hrs as its 10.35pm here now!) :coffee: x


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## Chloe597

Have u been feeling any contractions, mrsP? Braxton hicks or anything? I was contracting and couldn't even feel it when I was 37 weeks. Only know that cuz I was hooked to a monitor.


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## MrsPTTC

Well funny you should ask that as I think I maybe having braxtons tonight, tummy definitely tightening but no pain. Interesting you couldn't feel yours chloe! Got told by a shop assistant today I shouldnt be out by myself!! :haha: x


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## Jellycat

Chloe I'm uk . Hubby has told me to get a pump if it helps me to relax and less to think about once baby arrives so just trying to find a good deal now 

MrsP - I too didn't know I was contracting , had a sweep and mw said of you've just had a contraction did you feel that, I was oblivious, it's only looking back now I realise I must of been contracting all day as felt uncomfortable all day just thought it was general pregnancy aches and pains. Would explain my contractions starting up as soon as my waters went.

Hope it happens for you soon mrsP


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks Jellycat! Funny you not feeling the contractions too! :) 

I'm sure mothercare had the electric tommy tippee closer to nature pump I've got on special at the min x


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## daydream

How exciting mrsp, is today your due date? Are you starting to feel impatient? 

Things here are good. I started filling out my daycare paperwork. I don't go back to work for over a month, but I want to start him going once a week to get used to it. I need to call but think ill do one day next week. We also switched H over to his crib in his nursery and he's been doing great! Up once or twice at night to eat but goes right back to sleep. I'm an over cautious momma probably with the motion monitor and a video monitor but it makes me feel better about having him away from me


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## MrsPTTC

Daydream we have a movement & video monitor as well! :thumbup:. I think putting Harrison into nursery a day a week to prepare is a great idea :) 

Yep due date today! :happydance: I think I'll be impatient by the weekend but still lots to do in the house so no major hurry til then!

x


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## KatieTTC

MrsP, I haven't been here in a while, but I'm thinking about you every day, saying to myself: MrsP could easily be in labor right now (not that there's anything easy about it). Hope everything goes well, can't wait to hear your birth story and see the pictures! 

Chloe, I sometimes feel kind of sad too that I didn't get to experience my labor to the end. I almost feel like I cheated by not going through all the pains of labor... so silly :haha: There's plenty of pain associated with c section, and one side of my incision hasn't been healing very well, so that's a pain too. Your story about a baby passing away made me so sad. I react to such news with much stronger sorrow and sympathy now that I'm a mommy. 

Daydream, good luck with teething. Sounds like he's sleeping well though, right? Anne's gassiness has improved and she sleeps better. So far she's managed to stay asleep for 4,5-5 hours between the night feedings, unless there's some major drama, like a poopy diaper or a major spit up. I'm not looking forward to teething. 

Sb, hope the bleeding improves and is nothing to worry about. I spotted through 2nd and 3rd trimester and it worried me at first, but everything looked good on us and tests, so I eventually learned to ignore it. 

Jellycat, I hope your milk supply is better this time around. I only bought a manual pump, because I wasn't planning on pumping that much and didn't want to spend that much money on an electric one. Lately I've been pumping every day though. In the shower I noticed that one of my breasts was bumpy and realized I'm having plugged ducts. Fortunately hot compresses, massaging and extra feeding and pumping helped. Now I try to pump every day (which is a pain with a manual pump), because it looks like I'm producing more than she's taking in.

All is well here. Anne is 1 month, 1 week and 1 day old today :) Feels like she's been here all my life.


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## Chloe597

Happy due date, mrsP! when do you get your sweep if you aren't in labor?

Sorry to make you sad, Katie. Its really a reminder to be greatful for what we have, and that no matter what may be going on that is frustrating us all, it could be worse. I look at Gabby a little differently now and am so thankful that she is a happy, healthy baby. I am way more emotional over anything child related now as well. 

How is BFing going, Katie? Were you one of the ones who was uncertain if you would continue long term? Still feeling that way? I had to pump before bed for the first 3 months, but lately i have been ok going to bed without pumping. I woke up with the right side of me wet from milk this morning tho. nursing pad had dislodged and i must have leaked :haha: Ah the joys of being a milk machine.

Picked Gabby up from daycare for the first time yesterday (DH usually does this) and she was the only baby there not crying! Such a good little girl, hanging out in her bouncy chair waiting for mommy. Gave me a big smile when i went to say hi to her. Totally melted me.

I use the medela advanced pump and find it to be pretty good. 

My baby is 15 weeks old now! And i weighed her at 15.6 lbs last night. I will have to upload a new pic. she has the biggest chubby cheeks ever, love em! Would love to see an updated pic of Anne! Harrison's Feb pictures were super cute. Love the one of him in the little hat. Can't wait to see the ones from March!


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies. Katie it's lovely that you think of me. I sometimes talk about my BnB friends to my IRL friends & often wonder if they think I'm mad! But you can still have friendships even if they are virtual! Chloe my sweep will be next tues if no baby by then. The mw said its optional & I'm wondering why you wouldn't want one?! x


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## daydream

Some people don't want ANY intervention. I had a sweep and that's what got things going for me. They say it can also cause premature rupturing of membranes... which I guess you could say happened to me because I needed pitocin to get contractions going, but I wouldn't have changed my birth at all. 

Harrison has really found his voice today! I posted a video of him talking away. SO CUTE


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## expatttc

Hiiiiiiiiii ladies, 
So happy to be on this thread - thanks MrsP, you're a star!!!
Looking forward to reading back over the next few days xx


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## MrsPTTC

Welcome expat! My pleasure! I missed all the spotting mummies/mommies & didn't want to put too much pregnancy & baby talk on the other thread as it'd be hard on the other girls, though I still keep check of how they're doing.

Yeah daydream, I don't see much wrong with a sweep, sometimes they don't even work! I want a water birth so don't want an induction so was quite happy to go for a sweep next week! Will have to check out your journal.

x


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## KatieTTC

daydream, Harrison is very cute!

chloe, I wasn't the one who considered short term bf. I think Mrs P said she won't do it for more than 4 months. I don't have a set bf plan, I would like to keep feeding her for at least 6 month, but I'll play it by ear. Bf has been going well. At first I thought she wasn't getting enough from me, but judging by the number of poopy diapers, I think she's getting plenty. I can't believe your bbs leak so much. The only time I'm wet from my milk is when she spits it up (the image would've grossed me out months ago, but my take on things has changed so much after becoming a mother). Looking forward to an updated picture of Gabby. I'll post something too.

expat, you're back! I kept wondering how you were doing. Looking forward to an update from you.


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## MrsPTTC

Yep it was me who said I'm not planning on doing bf long, 6 months max to when it starts weaning but I'd be happy with 4 months really. I'm not doing it cos I want to (sorry if that sounds bad) more because I think I should give it a go, but if I enjoy it then bonus! :) x


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## almosthere

Hi ladies! Just popping in from the old spotting thread-I hope you are all doing fantastic with your little ones-I know more babies are about to meet the world for some of us still-so excited!!! I did not spot when I finally got my BFP but it was not a natural bfp-I had to have IVF with ICSI so not sure if all the meds prevented my spotting or if it was just because I finally got my BFP!


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## Chloe597

hiya, almost! how have you been feeling? You're getting close too! I can't wait for all of the spotters to have their babies! It's so amazing and you will never be able to picture your life without your LO!

Here is a semi recent pic of Gabby..her 3 month pic. Shows off her rolls of fat nicely :) I actually think she has gotten less chubby since then, but who knows, it was only a week and a half ago. I have a heck of a time capturing her smiling on camera. she smiles all the time, but as soon as i take that camera out she is like 'nope, not anymore!'

MrsP, its great that you are going to try out BFing for the sake of your LO. I think you will like it. maybe not so much at 1,3,5am in those first few weeks, but overall, its such a great bonding experience. Pumping, on the other hand....

Hi, expattc! nice to see you over here too!
 



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## daydream

Hi almost!! You're getting closer now too. How are you feeling? Have you taken any recent bump pics?

Chloe - gabby is just adorable! I find that some days I feel Harrison is so tiny and other days I'm like woah what a chunk! 

My two friends IRL just had babies so we're going to visit in a couple weeks, I'm sure after that I'll be reminded of how huge H is comparatively.


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## MrsPTTC

Hi almost! :wave: hope everything good with you & LO!

Thanks Chloe. Gabby is adorable! Sooo chubby, I could cuddle her!

So ladies, not sure what's going on with me. It's 5.15 am here, hardly slept, had mild AF cramps & some weird leg pain & been up & down to the loo, went to the loo at 4.30, I wiped then as I stood up there was a trickle, it was thicker than water but thinner than cm/a plug should be (I've googled) I wiped it up & it had a pinkish tinge though ever so slight. I've rang the hospital & am monitoring it with a pad for an hour & calling them back. So watch this space! x


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## daydream

ohh good luck!


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## MrsPTTC

They said they don't think it's waters ore likely plug. Sent dh to work. Will see how things go today! x


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## Chloe597

Good luck, P! I hope its the start! Even if it's plug, labor could be right around the corner!


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## almosthere

Hi ladies thanks!!! 

Oh my, Gabby is adorable!!! <3

MrsP-eeek how exciting that you are getting that much closer-hope meeting your LO is right around the corner!

Yes ladies-I am getting VERY close and still in the process of needing to pack and then move...eeek! 29 weeks today...will post a bump pic next thursday for you all for 30 weeks! =)


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## MrsPTTC

I've been having contractions all morning ladies! :) x


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## CaT1285

MrsP - It sounds like the start!!! Good luck to you! How exciting.

Chloe - Gabby is adorbs. Chubby babies are SO CUTE.


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## KatieTTC

MrsP, this is so exciting :happydance: Good luck! Wishing you a safe and healthy delivery. We'll be waiting for an update.

:hi: almost, good to see you! How have you been?


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## KatieTTC

Chloe, Gabby is soo cute! Love the cheeks :)


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## almosthere

Mrsp sooo excited hope you have your bundle of joy by tomorrow yay!

Katie I am doing well although super overwhelmed with things to do and I have had butter fingers like crazy and habe been wobbly bumping into things...anyone else have this symptom? Lol I think its from loosening ligaments making my body stretch and relax


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## daydream

Yay mrsP! I'll be checking for updates!

Almost - gosh yes to the butterfingers. I would drop anything and everything. I still do, but not as much. 

I posted another video of H talking away. He found his voice and hasn't stopped since!


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## Chloe597

Yay, MrsP!! Can't wait to hear your birth story! I hope this is it for you!


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## Sbmack

Hi Ladies! Just checking in as I'm on vacation right now. Glad to see everyone is well. 

Mrs.P, I hope everything went (or will go) as smooth as possible with your birth!! 

Chloe, Gabby is so cute. So squeezeable!!


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## daydream

Can't wait to hear if baby P is here, and if its a he or she! I hope all is well!

H is doing currently sleeping on me. I started reading the no cry sleep solution book. He actually gets plenty of hours, but I reaaaaally want to get him down earlier. Stupid USA and our daylight savings time. He was going down between 9 and 10 but now it's closer to 11 after the time change. Much too late for this mama! I want to get it earlier before I go back to work (4/24 so still have some time)


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## almosthere

daydream said:


> Yay mrsP! I'll be checking for updates!
> 
> Almost - gosh yes to the butterfingers. I would drop anything and everything. I still do, but not as much.
> 
> I posted another video of H talking away. He found his voice and hasn't stopped since!

Glad I'm not the only one!


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## almosthere

Yes I can't wait to meet baby p on here!!!


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## Jellycat

Oh mrs p hope all is going well and baby is in your arms already.

Daydream - I remember having the same problem with daylight saving and getting lo to bed earlier. Found putting JJ in his own room in his crib he soon settled earlier


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## Chloe597

Hope all is well with you and your LO, P!

Daydream, sorry Harrison didn't get the memo on daylight savings :) gabby has been unaffected, so I don't have any advice for u except maybe trying to gradually move his bedtime forward by 15 min every night.


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## KatieTTC

I keep checking back to see if there's an update on BabyP. Hope all is well! Can't wait to hear about it.


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## daydream

I definitely try to get him down earlier but he fusses in the evenings still. I have to feed feed feed him before he'll go down well. Last night was better, around 10. He went down at 9 but I knew he'd wake up before his long sleep. I was able to feed him and get him back down pretty quickly though


And yes can't wait to hear about baby P!


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## MrsPTTC

Just a quick one cos I'm 1 handed! Yes our baby girl was born 15th at 7.10am weighing 6lbs 5ozs, will update a birth story ASAP & pics though actually we've not taken a lot yet haha! But both are well. We think we've decided on her name but just taking today to get used to it before we announce.

x


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## Jellycat

Oh congrats mrs P, baby girl - glad all is well


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## daydream

Congratulations on your baby girl!! Enjoy the early days, they go by so quickly <3


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## KatieTTC

Congratulations, MrsP! :flower: Can't wait to hear the story and see the pictures. Enjoy your little girl!


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## almosthere

Yay congrats mrsp! Can't wait to hear more!!! <3


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## Chloe597

Congrats on your girl, mrsP! Can't wait to hear name/birth story! Enjoy her when she is so tiny, they get big so quickly! Hope u have been able to get some sleep! And u will get very used to doing everything one handed!


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## Sbmack

What a peanut princess. Can't wait to hear all abut it. Congrats!!


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## CaT1285

Yay, MrsP! Congrats on your little girl! Can't wait to hear more about the birth story and first days!


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## _Nell

Congrats mrs p! Can't wait to hear details :)


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## expatttc

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy congratulations Mrs P!!! xx


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## CaT1285

How are you feeling, sbmack? 10 weeks ago my hormones were going crazy and I was STARVING all the time. I hope you're doing well!


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## Sbmack

CaT1285 said:


> How are you feeling, sbmack? 10 weeks ago my hormones were going crazy and I was STARVING all the time. I hope you're doing well!

I am hungry a lot and tired all the time. I've been very lucky though and haven't had morning sickness at all. I feel like I'm showing a bit, but that could just be my belly fat and bloating. When did you start getting a bump?


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## CaT1285

I bet you are starting to see a little bump. I started seeing mine around 10 weeks too! I thought it might have been bloating, but it didn't go away and just kept getting bigger.

We had our 20-week ultrasound yesterday, and everything looks good! Ten fingers, ten toes and all that. The placenta was a little close to my cervix, but hopefully that will change later on. We're going for another ultrasound in a month, because they couldn't get one of the pictures they needed.


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## Chloe597

yay, Cat, great to hear! And you'll get another chance to see your LO in a month! Did you find out the gender?

I think my bloat was replaced by a real bump around 14 weeks. I would often wake up with a relatively flat stomach and by the end of the day i felt 5 months pregnant, and then the cycle would repeat the next day, until around 14 weeks, when i wasn't so flat in the morning. Glad you haven't had any mornings sickness, SB! 

P, hope you're getting on well with baby girl P. Can't wait to hear her name!


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## CaT1285

Yes, we are excited to see the baby again in a month :) We are not finding out the gender.


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## almosthere

I started getting my real bump at around 14/16 weeks then really popped at about week 20!


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## expatttc

We didn't find out the gender either :) Was great for us! My bump showed up around 5 months...


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## CaT1285

Wow, haha. Sounds like my bump showed up really early. Mine has been noticeable to me as a for sure baby bump for about 2 months, and noticeable to strangers for at least a month. I think the baby is a normal size though.... I hope so!


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies, just a quickie before LO wakes up! She's called Penny Elizabeth, so is baby P after all!:winkwink: only just named her on Sunday & announced to everyone Monday as it took some time deciding on her middle name, it's a family name we've gone for. She's doing well, feeding well now though I found bf'ing difficult at first & my nips are a bit cracked & bbs feel like rocks :haha: but I'm persevering with it. The mw & bf support are happy with everything though. I'll post some pics & birth story soon. Hope you are all well x


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## daydream

Such a precious name!! Love it!

Push through with the bf, your supply will figure itself out in a couple days. Ice after your feedings, it will help with that engorgement. Glad you have bf support helping, that helped me so much!


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## Sbmack

Love the name Penny!! I hope the BF gets easier. Congrats again. Can't wait to see a pic.


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## _Nell

I love the name Penny! Congrats again :)


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## daydream

First day of daycare over here while I go to my dentist and eye dr appts. I love the ladies there already, I have a feeling he's going to have a great day there. At least I keep telling myself that to make me feel better about leaving him.


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## CaT1285

MrsP, I love the name! Can't wait to hear your birth story :)

daydream - I hope Harrison has a great day at daycare! I'm sure they will take good care of him and he will be a happy little boy at the end of the day.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies! The bbs no longer feel like rocks, she's been feeding well today, & nips are less sore, yay! x


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## almosthere

wonderful update mrsp


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## expatttc

Mrs P, so happy to hear! Penny was my grandmother's nickname, and we almost chose it for Rosa...love the name Penny Elizabeth, it's graceful and classic.
I found the first week of bf that lanolin really helped...haven't had to use it since.


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## daydream

So happy for your bbs mrsp :haha:

Daycare went great! So good to see all of H's buddies there too. 3 friends' babies go to the same place :) I'm so happy and it was nice to have time to myself


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## Jellycat

Glad to hear you are settling in to mummy hood mrs P and bf is going well. Lovely name

Daydream - great news your first daycare session went well


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## KatieTTC

I also love the name, MrsP! Congeats again! My nipples were also hard and sore at first, but lanolin helped and I didn't need to use it for too long, bbs got used to it.

Daydream, glad daycare went well, it's great you know other moms there and H gets to socialize with their kids. 

AFM, excited to have my family visiting. I feel like I'm on vacation. Things get done before I even think about it, mom will do laundry, dad will cook and brother mop the floor. They all also want to get some time with the baby and holding her is now a privilege. I'm a bit bummed about breastfeeding. I've been having some issues and was prescribed steroids for 20 days, which means I have to pump and dump and feed her formula. We got an electric pump, but to be honest I expected a better performace. I have some questions for the girls who also pump. What kind of pump do you use? How long is each session and how much milk do you get during that time? Also, how many times a day do you do it? I would just like some reference because so far it seems like my manual pump has more suction and collects milk faster than the electric one on full speed and suction.


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## CaT1285

Daydream - So glad daycare is going well, and you're so lucky to have friends with kids around the same age in your area.

Katie - That's great that your family is so helpful! I worry that some people in our families will get in the way more than be helpful when they're around. Others I know would be super helpful!

Sorry to hear you're having to pump and dump. I'm interested in what others say about their pumps as well. I just got a Dr. Brown's double electric pump, and I'm curious how well it will perform (obviously I'll have to wait awhile to find out).


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## expatttc

I get about 4 oz in ten minutes using my medela manual pump...


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## daydream

I have medela pump in style advanced. I only pump in the mornings right now, I get between 8-10 oz total in 15-20 minutes (usually watching TV so not paying attention). Yesterday while he was in daycare I did pump in the afternoon, got 5.5 oz total in 15 mins. From what I've heard from my friends this is abnormally a lot


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## almosthere

Do you ladies the the medela? I think my insurance covers that pump 100% any advice is helpful as I am still in the decision making process as to which brand to use!


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## Chloe597

Beautiful name, penny Elizabeth! Little baby P :). And hang in there with the bf! Lanolin is great. As are the gel soothies.

Glad Harrison enjoyed daycare! I hope u avoid illness better than we have!

I use medela advanced double electric. My insurance chose it for me since it was covered. I had a choice between that and an ameda, but the lactation consultants recommended the medela. 

I get way more milk in the am right after waking. About 5 oz from right and 3.5 from left. Then when I get to work I pump once in am and once in pm. Get 4 from right and 2 from left each session pretty much, maybe an ounce total less in pm session. I pump way more than gabby can drink tho. This is in about 10 min of pumping. A friend also pumps 10 min and gets 2.5 oz from each bb.


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## daydream

Almost - yes I love my medela. I use all medela accessories except I use the lansinoh freezer bags, they're much better

Chloe - gosh I know I'm just waiting for all the illnesses to start. They just had to revise their sick policy bc I guess everyone kept getting sick so now no sick kids allowed there but even then I'm sure things will spread


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## daydream

I was just reading back in our old spotting thread around pages 190, so happy to see so many either pregnant now or with our babies. It all seems so long ago now. I must say I'm sad we had to go through TTC for that long but really happy to have gone through it. I appreciate this so much more, understand my body better and am really so happy in my skin knowing I had such a beautiful and successful pregnancy. Plus if we had gotten pregnant earlier then it wouldn't have been with THIS Harrison. He was worth the wait :)

(Feeling a bit nostalgic and sappy this morning as I cuddle my LO)


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## daydream

Also I'm coming up on my anniversary of conception. March 28th :). Technically one year ago today I was 5 days pregnant :haha:


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## MrsPTTC

Aww daydream, how lovely! I know it's nice looking back over the thread, especially to your own BFP announcement, sooo special. And yes your Harrison wouldn't be the same if it was any different place or time or sperm! :winkwink: x


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## Sbmack

Daydream, so glad daycare was a success and how great to have friends with babies around the same age. Also, I understand what you mean by it being worth the wait and because of it you have the Harrison! It 'only' took me 10 months to concieve, but I was starting to get really depressed. I talked to my aunt about it because it took her two years to concieve and she said what you did. It was hard at the time, but she wouldn't have it any other way know because she has the perfect son. He's 22 now. 

Katie, I hope you enjoy your family time! My mother and her husband are still living here. It's great to have our laundry and the dishes done (it would be nice if she cooked dinner too), but I am ready for them to get out of here. We have some renovating (removing wall paper and painting etc) to do before the baby comes and we need them gone to do it. We might need to tell them they need to leave soon. Not looking forward to that conversation. 

Just wanted to say thanks again to all of you. This is such a great thread for me to learn about what I'll really need when the baby gets here. I love hearing all the day to day stuff...


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## Chloe597

MrsP, still waiting for a picture/birth story! I do know how hard it i to get on the computer in those ealy weeks, tho. Hope all is going well for you and that you are getting some sleep!

Hope you are all progressing well with the pregnancies and feeling geat! Anyone plannng a babymoon? If not, you should! :) I went to Costa Rica for mine, and it was great!

Happy Conception day, daydream! I don't know when mine was, but my bfp was 4/10, so I will celebrate that :)

Gabby is 4 months today. 1/3 of a year! Man does time fly. She is getting strong ab muscles and wants to lean forward all the time. And she is getting close to rolling over from back to front. And she is finally starting to grab toys, look at them, and put them in her mouth. She is still a good sleeper but is waking up a tad earlier now, about 430-500 am to eat then goes back to sleep. She has had a few nights of waking at 1030 & 230, but luckily they are just to eat or be cuddled, and then she falls back asleep. As much as I love to cuddle her, i prefer to do it during the daylight! 

Happy Easter to all!


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## daydream

Chloe - yay for four months! I'm glad she's still sleeping well. H gave us a few ten hour days, we were shocked! Last night though he woke up twice and I think it was because we put him down around 7:30 when normally he gets to sleep around 9. We talked to his dr today and he said anywhere between 7-9 is normal so I'm going to stop stressing about trying to get him down earlier and let him do what is coming naturally. He also got his second round of vax today. He cried but then I nursed him and now he's been napping ever since. He's 14 lbs 3 ounces, 60 percentile. His height he's in the 40 percentile. 

And yes one year ago today we had our IUI and made this little guy! Amazing how far away it feels.


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## almosthere

happy 4 months to gabby-she is a beauty!! look at that pic ahhh it makes me melt!!! =)

afm 31 weeks today-getting very antsy to meet my son.....roll on April, then roll on due date in may hehe!


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies how are we all? Sorry I've not been on much, Penny takes up far too much of my time now. I go on facebook & the news sites in middle of the night when feeding but avoid bnb as i hate reading & running. I'm almost finished my birth story which has ended up almost an A4 page long! :wacko: You might want to grab a cuppa when I get round to posting it! :coffee: Penny is doing well, she's 6lb4, thankfully put on 3ozs since last weigh in as prior to that she'd lost an oz over 6 days so they were a little worried when she wasn't gaining. They've suggested I express to top her up. I've got an electric pump I just need to figure out how to use it :winkwink: x


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## daydream

Glad penny is doing well! We are great over here. H is just surprising us everyday with his new skills, babbling away, rolling over. We have been reading books to him every night and he is just so alert watching the pages and looking at all the pictures. 

We have had a bit of a regression with the easy bedtimes. I knew it wouldn't last. Sigh. He's still sleeping well once he finally goes down, it's just rough when it went from 8pm back to midnight ..


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## Jellycat

MrsP can't wait to read your birth story - what pump did you go for?

Daydream I found as soon as I thought JJ and I had a routine it would all change again.

I'm feeling rubbish at the moment, JJ has been ill for a week with high temps that been back to doctors for more antibiotics. We've both been up during the night etc. I've now hit bad upset stomach past two days from eating poorly lack of sleep and sore throat and thoroughly hormonal


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## daydream

Jellycat - I hope both you and JJ feel better soon :hugs:


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## MrsPTTC

Hope you're feeling better soon jellycat. I'm using the tommy tippee closer to nature electric pump my BFF gave me but I'm not impressed so far! I assume I'm doing it wrong as I've sat for over 2hrs & only got 2ozs! :dohh: better than nothing I guess! 

Aw daydream it must be so nice he'll be a real little character. Sorry he's being a tinker with his bed times

X


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## MrsPTTC

Btw ladies have you found you've been constipated when bf'ing? I am & I'm sure I heard bf can cause it :shrug: x


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## daydream

I haven't but I have oatmeal every morning.. Gets things going. Also my dr prescribed me an enormous amount of stool softeners because she said nooo straining after childbirth. Not good for your pelvic floor. Any time I feel remotely backed up I take them.

Mrsp - hmm yeah 2 oz doesn't seem right. Put warm compresses on when pumping, that should help you let down


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## Jellycat

It could be the pump mrs P, I had TT electric last time and struggled to get anything with it. Borrowed friends medela swing and would get the same amount in half the time (however I did have big issues with supply so probably not best person to ask. Another reason maybe lo is eating anything you are producing do even though pumping doesn't produce much you are stimulating in future for more milk?

With bf are you drinking enough fluid as I know you should drink more maybe this is causing your constipation


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks for the tip daydream :thumbup:

Interesting jellycat, I'm sure it's the pump after reading the reviews, though could be a mixture... yeah I've read the reviews for the medela swing & they're excellent, but it's so expensive :( they do a mini one too which is cheaper. Or even the avent manual pump has good reviews & is only £20. Not sure what to do really...

x


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## Chloe597

Daydream, I hope bedtime gets earlier for you! Gabby had a few nights of waking up a lot but she seems back into her normal 8:00-6:00 sleeping cycle now.

P, I hope u have better luck with another pump. My medela advanced works very well. Are you taking iron supplements? After giving birth I was given that and pain meds and told those may make me constipated, so I was also given stool softeners. No one ever said bf would cause that. 

Jelly, I hope you are feeling better! 

Gabby had her 4 month vaccines today. She was a trooper! Only cried for a couple seconds, and only.after the second shot. She is such a great baby. The doctor recommended she get checked out hubs cardiologist for a 'normal sounding' heart murmur just to be safe, and a Neuro surgeon for a slightly oblong head, again just to be safe. She didn't seem concerned but in the off chance that something is wrong its better to catch it early. Makes me a little worried but since the doctor wasn't concerned.I'm.trying not to be too worried. Don't know what I would do if anything was wrong with her...


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## MrsPTTC

No Chloe no iron tablets, I'm just continuing to take my pre natal. I've remembered where I heard it from now,I saw a consultant about (tmi) some bleeding from the bottom a year or so ago, turned out it was just a tear & he mentioned when we have children if I breastfeed it could keep reoccurring I'm sure he said due to hard stools & I've got this mixed up with constipation. I'll have a word with the health visitor this week x


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## Jellycat

MrsP - have you thought about hiring a pump for a month if you don't want the outlay if it's to do with supply instead of the pump? Nct organise rentals as does Mothercare I think . However it's about £40 a month.

I bought my medela last week on amazon for £90 so £30 off. I had a manual TT but I had weak wrist that needed Physio for so didn't use for long.

Maybe the small medela electric would be good as a middle ground one to use at a more affordable price.

Have you spoken to your mw about the feeding could just be your not expressing much because your baby is taking all your milk at the moment? Eat oats (flapjack?) and fenugreek is a good herb that people use to improve supply.


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## _Nell

Very out of date in here sorry ladies, just seeing pumps mentioned though and as i exclusively pumped for a few months thought i'd speak up - i really liked the medela mini electric. You can hire pumps direct from medela by the month, i hired the symphony hospital grade one but tbh i found the single mini pump just as effective and oddly worked out about the same time to pump each boob in turn as it did to use the hospital grade double pump ( and i felt less like a cow being milked with the mini!)


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## daydream

Chloe - I'm sure all is fine, but seems like you have a great ped watching out for Gabby. :hugs:

H's bedtimes have gotten a bit better. We're slowly getting back on track, thankfully he's not fussing at night anymore, just wakes up a couple times before he's down for the night.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks for the advice ladies. 

Jellycat £40 a month doesn't seem worth it, I'd be better off just buying one & if I don't like it sell it on eBay as the medela ones seem to hold their value quite well. Did you buy the swing? Think I've seen it down to £80. Still seems a lot to pay though when I have a pump in the house :dohh:

Nell, I've looked at the mini but read they're for occasional use only & they don't last long when used more than once a week :shrug: was yours ok pumping every day?? They're £50 at the minute. 

I might just get a second hand one from eBay, there's quite a few hardly used ones where bf hasn't been for them...

x


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## daydream

I have a medela (PIS advanced) and I love it. All my coworkers also have them since our work covers them and we've all been very pleased with how well they work and they hold up well.


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## _Nell

Mrspttc- i paid about £30 for mine from amazon and used it every 2-3 hours day and night for 3 months....if it burnt out i figured i'd return it! It stayed good though!


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks daydream :thumbup:

Ooh Nell £30 is cheap, I can't find it that cheap. There's one on eBay BIN £20 + £5 delivery, it is used but just a few times. Can't be bothered with bidding so might just get that :shrug: interesting you used it so much without a problem! I read a review on amazon where it broke, she contacted medela & they said tough she'd used it too much haha!

x


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## MrsPTTC

How many ozs did you get in what timeframe Nell? x


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## _Nell

I used to get 5-6oz total in about 15 minutes, i never had the parience to sit for much longer tbh, i found with the mini electric it would literally pour out and then slow to a drip drip, whereas with the hospital grade one it only ever started at the drip drip - it didn't seem as productive.


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## MrsPTTC

That's brilliant Nell! I've bid on one on eBay, if I don't win it I'll get the BIN one if its still not sold x


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## daydream

Today is my anniversary of my BFP! What a difference a year makes.
 



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## Chloe597

daydream, isn't it amazing what 12 months can bring!?! 

How have you and Layla (leila?) been, Nell? What milestones has she hit? Gabby is laughing and chewing her hands, has a very strong stomach and keeps trying to sit up, but has no interest in trying to roll over or grab things on her own. 

Gabby is still 95% for height and weight..16 lb 5oz and 25.5" long! she is outgrowing her 9 month sleepers, and i'm finding it next to impossible to find 12 month sleepers. apparently when they hit 12 months the sleepers are all skin tight, probably because babies are walking/crawling by then and have thinned out. They even say on the tags that they should fit snugly. Poor gabby will be like a little sausage stuffed into those things! 

Cardiologist appt on April 19, and haven't been able to make neurosurgeon appt yet. Ugh I just want to get these overwith so I can stop worrying that something is wrong!


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## MrsPTTC

Aww lovely pic daydream, happy anniversary!

Chloe I hope gabby is ok, I can't remember what the problem is with her? Wow she's a big girl haha, any more pics?

Hey have I not posted pics of penny yet?!

x


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## Chloe597

We are still waiting for a pic of baby P!

Gabby has a heart murmur and the doc wants to make sure her skull isn't a funny shape, so we have to see a neurosurgeon. I'm hoping its just my doc being overly cautious. She didn't seem worried about either but said it would be best to get it checked out sooner rather than latyer just t be safe. So now I get to spend the next two weeks worrying...


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## _Nell

Daydream - belated happy bfp anniversary :)

Mrsp - piccies please!

Chloe - i hope gabbys appointment goes well, i know how hard it is to not worry there's something wrong.

Everyone else- hi :)

Afm: sorry i've not been around, i have been reading but things have been a bit tough and i now feel at least i have some positive things to share too. I'll try to be brief, but will likely fail!
Firstly, after just mentioning our lovely doggies on this thread we found out my beloved lab boy has cancer. He's only 6 :( it's in his chest cavity on the ribs and is inoperable, we were given an estimate of 2, maybe 4 months left with him. I think that was 6 weeks ago now. He has a pain relief patch now after a bit of trial and error with meds and is now back to normal walks for now so still has a great quality of life. Dreading that we'll likely have to make *that* decision to free him from pain. We couldn't leave him to suffer in pain if or when his breathing and mobility is affected.
Leila, yes leila now not layla, is currently good :) after christmas she developed some haemangioma, one in the middle of her forehead. That one has now grown to 5p sized and is raised, i hope it will go at toddler age and she won't be too taunted for it. 
Then a couple of weeks ago leila was suddenly lazy with her head. It was tilted to her left shoulder, she could turn her head but only with her chin down. She then started being off her food so i though teething, but then was gesturing to one side of her head crying in pain so i though maybe ear infection. She ended up in a&e and had a brain mri. She cried and wriggled through it so the images were very blurred, the dr had some neuro concerns because of her multiple haemangioma and her excess crying since birth but feels he can see that enough on the mri looks normal (v's blurred) to not repeat the mri with sedation.

So, onto the good, the head tilt disappeared as suddenly as it arrived and leila then cut her first two bottom teeth together a week later ( so last week). She is laughing, grabbing at toys, often has her fist in her mouth to munch on and then yesterday rolled front to back a couple of times, but then not today. She is much better at tummy time now and pushes herself up on her arms, she used to hate it with a passion. 
She is still such a little grumbleweed during the day and cries at the slightest thing but her excessive wind and gut pain is much improved and her crying is better than it was. At nights she is a dream and has been sttn 7.30pm until 7.30/8am every night for just over a month now :)


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## Sbmack

What a great year, Daydream! 

Yes, Mrs. P....pics please. 

Chloe, I hope everything goes well at Gabby's appt. 

Nell, so glad Leila is alright!! You must've been so stressed out thinking something may be wrong and having to watch her in an MRI machine. Also, how lucky are you that she's such a good sleeper!


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## Chloe597

Aww,Nell, i'm sorry about your dog! Pets are part of the family and I know it must be rough. Enjoy the time you have with him while he is feeling ok and take pictures of Leila with him so you can show her when she is older :hugs: Would love to see an updated picture of her! How was teething? did she get fussy when they cut through? I am dreading that, but so far aside from drooling and chewing on fists, no signs of teething. How does it work with BF? has she bit you yet? :haha: I laugh but i'm sure its not so funny when it happens! Glad her health is no longer a concern! These babies sure do know how to give us a scare, don't they!

Sb, how have you been feeling? 12 weeks now, you're right at the fun trimester with no sickness, eating whatever you want, and not waddling around with a giant belly :) Enjoy it! 

Stupid neurosurgery office was closed at 2:30 when i called them yesterday, and are still closed now at 9:00..seriously, how much more narrow can their office hours get?!? I'm also convinced that gabby is too fat to roll over and will probably crawl before she rolls. Had her on her tummy last night and was just watching her flailing around. I need to record her amazing laugh one of these days. nothing is sweeter than the sound of a baby laughing. :cloud9:


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## CaT1285

Nell, thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm so sorry to here about your dog. I had a lab growing up and they are the sweetest dogs. It must be very tough to see this happen. On the positive side, I'm glad Leila is doing well, and that you went with your preferred spelling!

Chloe, I hope everything is fine with Gabby. She is such an adorable little (big) thing!

Mrs P, still looking forward to your long birth story!

AFM, everything is going smoothly here. I'm getting bigger by the minute and finally got some maternity clothes from my sister. Unfortunately, they're almost all too big for me, but I'm going to wear them anyway because I don't want to spend money! I'm now feeling the baby move and my OH has felt some little kicks as well, though he says he can barely feel it.

We have an ultrasound next week to get one picture they weren't able to get last time and also to check the location of the placenta to make sure it is out of the way. The last time my platelet count was checked, it was back in the normal range. I have to go back every month to keep an eye on it.

My only complaint is posterior pelvic pain, but I've stopped wearing any kind of heel and have been working on keeping good posture and such, which has made a big difference. I'm also trying to strengthen my leg and ab muscles to improve it as well. Did anyone else have this? It's a pain in your lower back or butt, where the pelvic bone attaches to your sacrum (tail bone). Apparently it happens because the ligaments are relaxing, muscles are stretched and weakened, you're carrying additional weight, etc.


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## Chloe597

Cat, so exciting to feel baby kick regularly, isn't it!! One day you'll get annoyed by it, and then when you don't feel it, you'll want it back asap as reassurance :) I did not get that type of back pain, although i have heard the same thing about loosening ligaments. I had lower back pain, but it wasn't by the tail bone. I found relief by doing a deniese austin pregnancy dvd and also got a lumbar support pad for my office chair at work. doing just 10-20 minutes of stretching and light weight training (3 lb weights) really helped my pain even tho it felt wimpy when I was actually doing it. I did prenatal yoga a couple times too, and told the instructor what kind of pain i had so she could help tailor some stretches to that. I would highly recommend finding something like that. I wish i would have done more, but i got so busy i just couldn't find the time to fit it in.


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## Sbmack

Cat, I had never heard of posterior pelvic pain, but I sometimes get shooting pain in my butt. It's usually only on one side. Had no idea what it was. Mine isn't that bad though. Hope yours goes away!

Chloe, sorry about your dog. I was so relieved to read Gabby was fine that I forgot to send hugs about the dog. 

I've been feeling great. I'm afraid I'm going to have a screamer because I've been so lucky and haven't been sick at all.


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## daydream

Nell - sorry about your dog :(. Very happy to hear Leila is doing so well! These babies sure keep us on our toes

Cat - enjoy feeling baby move! I miss it so much! I didn't have the tailbone pain, I just had pain in one of my hips. Swimming helped me.

Sb - you are so lucky you didn't get sick. That was the hardest part of my pregnancy

MrsP - pictures pleeeeeease!

Chloe - hehe re gabby not rolling, that could definitely be true! H used to roll so easy when he was just a few weeks old because he had no weight to him. Now it's a real chore and he only does it every once in a while


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## CaT1285

Chloe - I think I might get some sort of support pillow for work. I have been doing stretching and light weight-training and prenatal yoga once a week when I can make it. Those have really helped!

sbmack - A shooting pain in my butt is how I would describe it, but I hope you don't have posterior pelvic pain. I think it doesn't normally rear its ugly head until a little later in the pregnancy. I don't remember when I first felt it. Mine has been off and on and has happened on both sides, but not both at the same time. I'm glad you're feeling fine and haven't had sickness!


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## MrsPTTC

Aww Nell I'm so sorry about your dog, As a fellow lab owner im so sad for you :sad1: the next few weeks will be difficult enough without having a baby to contend with, my heart goes out to you :hugs:. With regards to Leila's birth mark, some friends of ours baby who's now 2 had one which started off as a little red dot, got bigger, though perhaps not more than half a 5p piece, it was on her forehead too, then gradually stretched & disappeared, I'm sure it was gone by her first bday. I'm pleased she's ok with the worry you had over her! :thumbup:

Cat we need an updated bump pic! :) I had back pain in pregnancy, in 2 different places, one lower right back, the other upper back which only occurred at work as I have a desk job. However, since birth I've had horrible lower back pain on and off through the night & when I get up, obviously sleeping is aggravating it, it's very annoying :growlmad:

Having a bit of a difficult time here, Penny not settling very well, a bit whingy, possible colic so I've just started her on infacol tonight. It's supposed to take 3 days to see any difference but already she's been farting like a trouper :haha: so it seems to be doing something! :thumbup: gosh newborns are so hard, it's really tiring, I think especially when bf'ing!

Hi to everyone :wave: and yes I know pics needed ASAP! x


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## daydream

Mrsp - sorry you are having a rough time. You're right in growth spurt territory as well. I hope the meds help little P. farts are always good!! And yes bfing is definitely hard, but will get much easier very soon.


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## CaT1285

I'm putting in an updated bump pic, Mrs P! It's from about 4 weeks ago, so it's not really up-to-date, but I haven't taken a picture since. So in this picture, I was about 19 + 3.

Sorry to hear that Penny is having a hard time. I hope things are improving!
 



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## daydream

Cat such a perfect neat bump!


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## yum

hello ladies,

glad could join u all here ! thanks 4r all the wishes..i'm scaring myself with somethin or the other almost every other day..i'll b 16 weeks tmrw but not showing :( last week my doc dint seem to worry at all but i'm a constant worrier...i'm feelin better 4rm past 3 weeks,no nausea(touchwoo) & good energy,not being hingry every 30 min 

sorry if i miss somethin..still trying to catch up with the thread here..

nell- sorry abt ur dog :hugs: i understand how u feel..mine passed away last yr(my parents place) but she was almost 18..hope u enjoy ur time with her!
glad to know leila is good !

chloe- did u happen to get that appnmt ? i can almost hear gabby's laugh :)

hi daydream !

mrsp- sorry little p is giving u a hard time..hope things get better soon !

cat- thats such a cute bump !

sbmck-glad to know u rnot feelin sick..i had that when i was 7/8/9/10 weeks..dint feel like waking up 4rm bed,dint feel like cookin,eating..i have those sudden sharp cramp like things in my pelvic area going down to my butt..doc said its just the pelvis expanding..

i'm having pain in my left ear,teeth & going up to my left forehead..i cant c my pcp now & hoping its just sinus & not my wisdom tooth..my dentist is off till mon..my obyn said its ok to pull my tooth out but i cant really c it so, they may have to cut open in which case the anesthesia & not sure if they can do that now..pain is not bad but definately disrupting..i'm beating myself up missing my regular dental in jan :grr:

have a gud weekend !


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## Chloe597

sorry baby P is being fussy! I hope the meds work and she gives you a rest. And don't worry, BF gets easier! The first month was the worst, second month got better, and then I felt like an old pro by the 3rd month! 

Hi yum! I am sorry you were feeling sick for your first trimester. 16 weeks in already! That is great! You must have some good abs if you aren't showing yet! Have you gained much weight? Sorry to hear about your tooth. I hope it isn't anything serious.

Cute bump, cat! Take more pics, you will look back at them and never believe it was you! I see pictures of me when i was 36 weeks preggo and I can't even remember being that big anymore. Its wild seeing those pictures now!

Gabby was and still is a huge farter! Her farts smell soooooo bad now! Its crazy how I didn't change her or my diet, yet when she was 0-3 months, her poop pretty much didnt smell like much, and now it can really clear a room!! and she is still EBF, not on solids or anything. 

I have a neurosurgery appt on Tuesday and a Cardiology appt on Friday to get Gabby checked out. Trying not to spend all of my time worrying that they will have bad news. When i see her smile and laugh, its hard to imagine that anything could possibly be wrong with her. I can at least take comfort in knowing that my pediatrician didnt seem worried, sounded like she was just trying to cover all bases to be extra cautious.


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## daydream

Yum - so glad to have you here! 16 weeks! So exciting! Are you going to find out the sex?

Chloe - lol regarding her farts! H actually only farts when he's pooping, and with the cloth diapers I have a hard time smelling if he has pooped and needs to be changed. I'm sure that will all change once he's eating solids. Honestly half of my reason on wanting to wait til as close to 6 months as I can is because of how we would have to start spraying his cloth diapers to get the poop out before dumping them in the washer. Thank goodness for breastmilk poops for now.

Right now he's taking a heavenly little nap on me. I start back at work on the 24th, so I'm trying to enjoy this last bit of my leave. I think I posted another video on my journal. We've been practicing sitting unassisted. He can only do it for a few seconds but keeps getting better and better at it.


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## Chloe597

aww, daydream, the sitting video is so cute! Its hilarious watching them fall over, and so great watching them use those ab muscles! I need to get more videos of gabby actually doing stuff. Every time i break out the camera she stops what she is doing and just stares at the camera, so its often pointless trying to video anything! I have many videos of a silent contemplative baby, as a result :) Enjoy your last week at home with him! I hope you enjoy work so that it's not too painful to go back.

And we are on day 8 of no poop. I am dreading what G's diaper will look like when she does decide to poop :haha: We are also battling colds over here, Gabby and I, and I am sucking snot like its my job! Poor little thing is happy as can be, except when i put that snot sucker up her nose! But then she realizes she can breathe after and becomes happy again. I still hate to see her struggle to breathe, even tho her demeanor seems unchanged by it.

We have her neuro appt tomorrow morning, wish us luck! 

Hope all the pregnant ladies are feeling well, and the mommies are enjoying their LO's!


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## yum

chloe- haha, no abs but i'm petite to start with..i put on may b just 6lbs..docs never said said anythin abt it so i guess its fyne..i have a tiny bump,visible only wen u look 4r it..

hope all goes well with appnmt tmrw ! fx ! 

daydream-i'm not sure abt sex..doc said i could find out at my next appnmt but i preponed it by a week so not sure if i can..my dh doesn't want to know till 8 mnth..still debating..

i just saw ur videos..so cute..already 4 mnths,kids grow so fast ! njoy ur little vac time..

can any of u guys tell me if this next scan to chek for the growth is gonna b tvs or abdominal in usa ? i had a tvs to confirm preg & was painful but later the nt was abdominal..TIA

need ur suggestions,ladies-

what kind of stretch mark creams,oils did u ladies use ? i already have bad marks on my hips & back of knees from puberty so, i'm hoping for a miracle :haha:

good place for maternity clothes?? i was searching pea in pod but 60$ for a pair of jeans.. if i buy them now, how long can i use those ? my belly is small but can't fit into my jeans or pants..


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## Chloe597

Well i got a call from the neurosurgeon's office asking why i made an appointment with a surgeon if Gabby has not had any 'real' diagnosis that would require surgery. So i switched her appt to a neurologist for next week. One more week of having to worry! The woman was not very nice, and was like 'well, the surgeon would sedate her to get images, but he wont be able to help you if you come in tomorrow since she hasn't been checked out by a neurologist'. Yikes! I don't think gabby's head looks bad at all, she is not exibiting any symptoms of distress, and I don't want her needlessly sedated! The neurologist will at most monitor her brain waves and order labs if she thinks anything might be wrong. Still not sure why the doctor suggested a surgeon instead of a neurologist to begin with. And of course when i called the pediatrician, she was gone for the day and won't be back until Thursday.

Yum, I bought a lot of my maternity clothes at Kohls, old navy, and the thrift store. goodwill had a ton of pants for $1 each! And they were all in good shape since no one wears maternity clothes for long. check craigslist.org too! And garage sale season is starting up, so check there!

As far as stretch marks, I didn't see any appear until after G was born, then these white marks on my stomach just magically appeared. I don't use anything fancy, just a lotion with shea and coco butter. I think it is St Ives brand. I have heard all those fancy expensive stretch mark lotions don't help during pregnancy, only after, so who knows. I too ended up with stretch marks from puberty on my hips, and those are way worse than the ones i got during pregnancy. Still, i did massage my stomach with the st ives lotion during pregnancy, so maybe it helped a little? Also, gaining weight steadily is supposed to help prevent them too. I've also heard it is in part genetic. I sometimes wonder if i had carried G to term, would I have ended up with the red marks that so many have? 

All scans from here on out should be abdominal! And I never even had to have a full bladder, which is one thing i remember my mom needing back in the day when she was pregnant with my brother.


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## daydream

Chloe - GL with the videos. H will freeze up every now and then but I have the camera on him so much I think he's getting used to it. Also that's a bummer about the appointment. It will be so nice once you have them all behind you

Yum - for clothes, I signed up for the gap newsletters and would order a bunch whenever they would have a sale. There was also a destination maternity store near us where I would scour the sales racks. For stretch marks I used the Burt's bees oil. I also had plenty from puberty, but just got a handful on my hips and they didn't show up until the last week of pregnancy/right after he was born. They are still red, and I'm guessing won't really heal until I'm done breastfeeding because those hormones make your skin dry. I'm not too concerned because they're not visible and I'm not exactly in a state to be showing off my body anyway, still have a few lbs to lose


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## CaT1285

Welcome yum! It's good to see you in here. I have a few pea in the pod pants that I got from my sister. They are way too big for me, so I'm sure they will last me through the pregnancy. Even if I had a size smaller, they would be fine. But I wouldn't pay $60 for them, and I hope not to pay full price for any maternity clothes. Most of my sister's stuff is too big for me and it's mostly fall/winter clothes, so I may check out the thrift store for some other clothes if I can't find anything in my size from neighbors. I was able to go without maternity clothes until last weekend when I was 22 weeks-ish. Before that, I just wore dresses, leggings and yoga pants. I could continue to do that now, but now that I have the maternity clothes I wear them sometimes. It is pretty nice to be able to put on a pair of jeans again.

I haven't gotten stretch marks yet, but I do rub some Badger Balm on my belly when I can remember to do it, just to keep the skin moisturized.


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## yum

thanks 4r the input ladies :flower:

chlo- thats a bummer abt the appnmt, hope its nothin ! 
i'll try kohls & good to know abt ur no stretc...i hope my scan is gonna b abdominal..the thought of tvs is freakin me out ! 

day-i'll try gap..i'm guessing maternity gap is only online,right ? i woudn't mind if i get strectch marks just on my a** as they r already covered with tiger stripes :) they r more visible bcuz of my brown skin..just started with palmers...

cat- thanks 4r the welcome ! i like leggings but till 2 weeks ago, i needed jeans now & then bcuz of the temps & i couldn't zip them but luckily the winter wear covered it...i know right, 60$ & i was like :saywhat: i'll try the motherhood outlet store..

i tried the underbelly pants in a store & the elastic band was very snug,tight feeling..is that how its supposed to be ? i went a size up but they were too long..do u ladies prefer underbelly or overbelly ?


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## daydream

I loved the over belly, esp when I got bigger. I did have several underbelly as well and those were fine, just less supportive


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## Chloe597

I liked over belly. Under belly were always too tight on me. I actually found underbelly to be the most comfortable when I had a huge belly. Although even then I preferred over.


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## yum

thanks ladies, 

will the overbelly b useful with my little bump too ? i mean is it for big bellies in the later stages ? would it just fall off bcuz my bump is still tiny ?


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## daydream

They should be stretchy enough for the little belly, I just found it was too long at first, so I folded it down until my belly got bigger


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## Chloe597

I did the same as daydream. folded it down until I was bigger. Still way more comfortable than under belly.


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## yum

i've something to share with -

i just got a offer letter for a job & i've accepted it..its not a very well paid but pretty decent & its just 1mile away 4rm home..

i'm very excited but i dint tell them that i'm pregs ! my hubs dint wanted me to tell @ my intrvw...its my first job in usa & for them its a new position they created..its a small co..the manager(woman) whom i'll report to & the owner sounded very nice & emphasized the fact that family comes first..i still have to go thru drug test/background but if all goes well i'll have to start in 10 days..
i feel so guilty..what do i do #-o
i dont feel its appropriate to tell her thru email or phone..

any suggestions pls ! this job would be very helpful financially so dont want to loose it but i feel like i'm betraying them !

sorry about these selfish posts 4rm y'day..dont know wat to do ??


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## Chloe597

Oh congrats, Yum! My friend went through the same thing, getting a new job when she was pregnant and then not telling until after she was hired and had been working there for a couple weeks. I think legally they can't discriminate against you because you are pregnant, but I would still hold off on telling her until you sign those papers and start. The only down side is that there is probably a good chance you wont get any paid maternity leave. I know a lot of places require you to work there for a year before paying for maternity leave, but if your new boss said family is important, she probably wont mind once you start and tell her you are pregnant!


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## yum

thanks chlo,

thats wat my dh said that they cant discri ...my letter says disability benefits after 90 days ..i dunno abt mat leave..even if they dont, thats fine too ! 
my hubs think i shud tell her after 4/5 days of starting work but i feel like telling her on day1..wen i went to intrvw last week, my bump was not visible..another 10 days it might b & moreover intrvw was just 4r an hour so..

if u dont mind me askin,wen did ur frnd tell them ? i'll b 18 wen i start work !

i dont want to start on wrong foot..i'm hoping she'll understand ! fx !


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## Chloe597

I think she told them when she was 20 weeks. Good luck! I think whether you tell her on day 1 or 5, as long as you have started, you're good!


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## Sbmack

Congratulations on the new job, Yum! That's a tricky situation. I have a friend that was in a similar situation and wound up getting let go. She ended up suing for discrimination and I believe she got a settlement. I wouldn't be too concerned because it sounds like your boss values family. 

Chloe, sorry you're getting the run around. Sounds like it could be positive though. Hopefully the nuerosurgeon will have some answers and everything will be ok. 

I just started to have a bump in the morning instead of just the bloat bump in the afternoon/evening. I bought a belly band a couple of days ago....haven't worn it yet. I also caved and bought a new pair of pants, which seems silly since I'm just going to get bigger. I bought them a size up though and hope to wear them with the belly band for a while. 

Good to know that Gap has maternity clothes. Ann Taylor also does online. I'm going to try and hold off as long as possible before I buy anything. I think I'm lucky in the clothing department since it will be warm soon. I plan on wearing a lot of dresses. 

Daydream, I hope the transition back to work goes well for you!!


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## CaT1285

Congratulations on your new job, yum! I have no experience in that department, but it seems other have given good advice.

We were just talking about TV vs. abdominal ultrasounds a few days ago, and I had another ultrasound yesterday. I definitely thought there was no danger of a TV scan this late, and we did start out with abdominal. But they needed to measure the distance between the placenta and the cervix again, and since the baby was already head down, they said it was too hard to see with the abdominal u/s. So yeah... but that was a special case. 

Anyway, the placenta is further away this time. They said just under 2cm this time, where it had been 1.7cm 4 weeks ago. They said they wanted me to come back again in 6 weeks. I was a little disappointed about having to come in again, since it's very borderline now with a lot of uterine growth to go, so it really shouldn't be a concern at this point. I brought it up with my midwife at today's appointment, and she said that the report they got from the ultrasound was that everything is fine and placenta previa was not seen. They didn't even say anything about me having to go in again! Don't know why the discrepancy, but my midwife said I can cancel the appointment if I don't want to go. I think I might.


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## Chloe597

oh wow, Cat, that is crazy that they would tell you one thing, but put another in the report. I think I would keep the appointment, just to be safe. It will probably turn into nothing to worry about, but assuming you have insurance, why not go again? But obviously, its up to you :) I have a friend who had placenta previa up until 20 some weeks, and then everything shifted and went where it was supposed to be, so there was no more concern. 

We see the cardiologist this afternoon for gabby's heart murmur, send us happy thoughts!


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## CaT1285

In something like 1 in 10 pregnancies, the placenta will be too close to the cervix at 20 wks. But it only ends up being an issue by the time the baby is full term in 1 in 100 or 200 pregnancies. So this isn't really something to worry about at all at this stage. The vast majority of the time, it resolves itself.

Good luck with your appointment!


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## Sbmack

Good luck, Chloe!! Hoping Gabby is a rock star!


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## yum

thanks for the suggestions ladies ,

cat - i had no idea of placenta priv?? until u mentioned it..sometimes these docs seem to say anything ( not thinking abt how it wud drive us crazy )..have u decided abt the scan yet ? sure hope it'll resolve, like u said ! 

chloe- gl with appnmt ! fx ! 

sb- ur frnd who was let go, did she happen to tell them after she started at the new job ?


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## Chloe597

Gabbys appointment went well! She has a bent artery that she will grow out of, so no worries! Thanks for your good vibes!


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## Sbmack

yum said:


> sb- ur frnd who was let go, did she happen to tell them after she started at the new job ?

They fired her the day after she told them she was pregnant. She lawyered up, but the company was based in another state so there was too much red tape. 

It sounds like the company you'll be working for is much more understanding and family oriented.


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## Jellycat

Chloe great results what a relief!


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## Sbmack

Chloe597 said:


> Gabbys appointment went well! She has a bent artery that she will grow out of, so no worries! Thanks for your good vibes!

That's great news!!!!!


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## almosthere

great news chloe!

been super busy with packing moving work and prenatal appts-will be showing more activity on this thread once I move in next weekend! =) Hope all are well!


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## MrsPTTC

Brilliant news Chloe! :happydance: 

Yum I used maternity bands over my regular bottoms for ages, then got under bump jeans which go too uncomfortable later on so I bought overbump. They would've been massive if I'd bought them earlier. Mostly though I wore leggings. Sorry I have no idea what you should do about the job, well done though! I hope they're understanding, if not you can sue their asses haha! 

Cat sorry to hear of the bother you're having with the placenta.

Penny has a cold/blocked nose, think we're in for a hell of a night :( 

X


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## yum

chlo- thats great news ! such a relief ! 

mrsp- thanks 4r the info ! ohhh,hope little p gets better soon ! 

sb- thanks !


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## daydream

Mrsp - sorry penny is sick, when H had a cold we steamed up the bathroom and had him in there a few minutes, used saline spray and then sucked his nose with the nosefrida. Good luck tonight!


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## Chloe597

Hope everyone is well! Still waiting on pics, P!! 

Gabby has her Neurologist appt today. I think I am more nervous for this than i was for the Cardiologist. 

I had to go to work at 4am today, so DH got to wake up and feed Gabby when she got hungry. She was up for 40 minutes with him starting at 4:30. It is nice having a magic sleep inducing boob for those 4am feedings. Poor DH (although I'm glad he got a taste of what I have to deal with :haha:)


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## yum

chlo- i hope everything went welll with the appnmt & all is normal with gabby ! fx ! 
mgic boob, lol ! sorry u had to wake up @ 4..i dunno how u ladies do it :thumbup:


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## Sbmack

I hope everything goes well with the neurologist, Chloe! 

Mrs.P, I hope Penny is feeling better. 

Yum, how are you feeling? How far along are you?


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## yum

sb- i'm gud ! thanks ! hw r u ? i'm 17 weeks ! still waiting for my belly to get obvious !

mrsp- hope little p better by now !

ladies, i've a quest 4r u ? i have a scan tmrw & nurse just called & said its 1hr scan to chek the growth of the baby..i askd her & she said its TVS & i askd her if i can get abdominal as i'm more comfy with that & she put me on hold & said they dont need to measure the length of my cervix so, it'll b abdominal...

i told my dh & he's like "u shud have told them u'll get whatever is best 4r baby" now, i'm confused #-o dont get me wrong,i sure want what's best for the baby but my last tvs was dredful & the thought of it is freezing me up...

what shuld i do ? shud i ask for tvs wen i go tmrw ?


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## daydream

Hi ladies, well I'm back to work and have had quite possibly the worst week possible. My grandma had open heart surgery on Monday (all went well thankfully), H went through a nasty growth spurt/sleep regression and was up every 1-2 hours on Monday night, Tuesday evening my husband gets home from work with a 101 fever and is sick as a dog and can't help with the baby, and yesterday after my first day of work, I get to H's daycare and the lady is so rude complaining that he didn't nap all day, after I already told them he was having sleep issues! 

And that morning I had to tell them that we do not want them propping his bottle for feedings, because I happened to see that the last time I dropped him off and about died. That is so dangerous and the baby can choke and die! So they are annoyed that I asked them to hand feed him his bottle. Who knew that was so much to ask? I feel so upset by the whole thing and am scrambling trying to find a new daycare for him because I just don't feel comfortable with this place at all anymore. I wish I did because my friends' babies are there too, but I have to go with my gut feeling.


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## daydream

yum - I did not have any TVS after 10 weeks. I think abdominal should be just fine.


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## yum

daydream - oh my, looks like u had very stressful week ! hope ur grandma recovers soon ! thats very rude of the daycare center :growlmad: 
i think u should find some place else where they'll listen,understand & cater to ur needs !

thanks 4r info !


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## CaT1285

Wow daydream. Your week sounds like total crap. Next week has got to be better! I'm so sorry your daycare situation isn't going well. I hope you find a place that is more attentive to Harrison. How did your friends feel about the fact that you saw them doing that?

yum - I don't think you need to worry since they said it will be abdominal. However, if they end up saying you need a TV scan (because it did happen to me but for a very specific reason), either tomorrow or in the future, you can discuss your concerns with them before the scan. Ask them why they need to do a TV scan so you can decide how important it is. You can refuse the TV scan if you want to.


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## yum

cat- thanks ! i dont want to say no to a tvs if i need one..she said something abt me not needeing to measure somethin ( i'm guessing they want to chek placenta position ) 

i remember u talking about placenta preva( spl ?? ) i just have a vague idea abt this..can they see this in abdominal..i'm just worried that they woudnt do what they need to bcuz i asked for abdominal over tvs..


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## Chloe597

Yum, I dont see why a TVS would be best for baby, and I can't imagine they would not do one if they thought it was best. I wouldn't want one either unless it was absolutely necessary! its not standard for normal pregnancies to have one at this gestation, so I wouldn't worry.

Daydream, sorry you had such a rough week! I don't blame you for looking for a new daycare. They have no right to complain about that. Seems like laziness on their part. or else they have a bad caregiver:baby ratio. Do you know what that is? My daycare is 1:6, which I am not a fan of, but its in a good area and its a well known daycare around here, so I'm hoping its ok. It probably helps that I don't ever go to daycare (DH drops and picks up) so I can't be too picky about what I can't see!

We went to the Neurologist and I'm happy to report that Gabby has a perfectly moldable head and the Dr was not concerned with any premature skull fusing. She said if that was happening I would notice lots of vomiting, favoring one side of the body, baby not being able to look up, extreme fussiness. She did say she appeared to be developing a slight flattening of one side of her head, but did not think it necessary to wear a helmet, just to try to get her to look to her left more often. I'm to follow up in 2 months if I have any concerns, otherwise I can just enjoy my happy healthy baby! Yay!!


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## daydream

Chloe - yay for a healthy baby!!

I haven't told my friends yet, going walking with my closest on Saturday so will ask if they know and just don't care? And ratio is 1:4 for the infant area but owner just started a preschool area a few months ago and I think this is proof she's overextending herself


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## KatieTTC

Hi ladies, I haven't been posting for a while cause I had some health issues and a lot of company staying with us and helping. I will have to catch up on posts. Would love to see some more pictures of your little ones. Hope pregnant ladies are feeling well.


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## yum

chlo- thanks 4r the info..they dint say anythin else, just that i'll b gettin a tvs & wen i askd , she said i can get abdo as i dont need to b measured..its my dh that thought i should have said whatever is good bcuz he's worried they wudnt do whatever is necessary just bcuz i refused..wen i get there, i'll talk to them first & tell them to do watever is necessary ! 

gud to know abt gabby :) must b such a relief..i dunno abt day care but is 1:6 a normal ratio..isn't it high ? 


katie- gud to see u ! hope its nothin too bad..get better soon & hope to c more of u !


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## CaT1285

Chloe - so glad to hear that Gabby is doing fine :) That ratio does seem pretty high. In Maryland, you have to maintain a 1:3 ratio and group sizes no larger than 6 as a licensing requirement, which is what is recommended. I know Maryland is ahead of the curve as compared to other states though.

Katie - sorry to hear you've been having some issues. I hope you're doing OK!


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## daydream

Cat - those ratios seem much more manageable! I'm specifically looking now for in home daycares that stay at the low end of the ratios. It's just way too chaotic with what California says are "large family home daycares", infant ratios are still 1:4, but max kids total can be 14. It's a madhouse.

Katie - So sorry to hear about your health issues. I work from home today so I will try to get on our home computer and post some more of H to my journal. 

I will share my favorite ones I've taken recently :)




him goofing around with my water bottle

And did I post this one of him rolling already?


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## Chloe597

yeah, 1:6 is high, but thats how most of them around me are. Ohio has a pretty high limit, I think it can go up to 1:8 for infants, but i'm not positive. Unfortunately I don't have many good options around. The daycare i wanted is still booked, and its looking like we wont ever get in, and even if we do, DH said its too inconvenient for him. Its so hard to work around mine and DH's schedules, we just kinda make this one work. I don't work in the best neighborhood so i dont trust daycares near my work, and we live in an area surrounded by very rich people who can probably afford to just not work or hire a nanny, and I don't quite fall into that category either. So not many good options, unfortunately.

How is everything going with your LO, katie?? Would love to see an updated pic! I hope your health is improving!

This is Gabby last week.
 



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## MrsPTTC

Chloe that is marvellous news!!!!! :wohoo: Gabby is beautiful!

Hi Katie, hope youre ok hun :hugs: 

Daydream sorry youre having bother with your daycare. Im sure in the UK its currently 1:3 under 1 but I might be wrong. I know they were looking to increase it though.. Your pics of Harrison are gorgeous, what a cutie!

Yum I hope your scan went well!

Eventually my birth story!! :coffee:

So on my due date 13/03/13 DH and I went out for a meal with his family to celebrate his brother and girlfriends unexpected pregnancy, and also the imminent arrival of Baby P. DH had a drink that night and I drove us, getting into the car I had a couple of twinges but nothing to think labour was starting. I woke up during the night with AF type dull cramps and at 4.30am on 14/03/13 went to the loo and as I wiped some stuff fell out of me! It was just a trickle and was more watery than CM or what I expected a show to be, but not quite water IYKWIM, and it had a pinky tinge to it. I rang the hospital and she told me to put on a pad which Id already done and call back after an hour with an update of what was on the pad. I had nothing more after that, rang the hospital back who said it sounded like a show rather than my water. They told me what my contractions needed to be in order to call them again, but if I bled or my waters went to call them back. So I got on with my day as best as I could, I sent DH off to work as he had to sort out his workload so he could start paternity as soon as, and my mam came round about 10:30am. I wasnt sure what contractions really felt like and was getting twinges all morning, then just before my mam came I decided I was getting them, they werent just cramps - yikes things were happening! My mam did some ironing for me whilst I closed up my hospital bag, packed DHs bag and sorted the car seat and nursery, no rest for the wicked! :winkwink: I downloaded an app on the ipad to time my contractions, they were all over the place, sometimes 3 minutes apart, sometimes 15 and they subsided and were less painful (thought TBH they were hardly that painful compared to the real contractions hours later!) when I bounced on my gym ball :thumbup:. I remember sitting down with my mam at lunchtime eating and the contractions were getting stronger, she said Id better warn DH hell need to come home very soon! He came home about 3pm-ish and DHs parents popped over to see how I was doing, it was funny being in labour and having a house full :haha: They also took the dog away with them to look after. So I rang the hospital to see where I stood and they said the contractions werent enough to go in yet, to take paracetamol and if the pain went away then it wasnt proper labour they really need to take my breath away. The pain didnt go with the paracetamol so I just kept on monitoring the contractions. My mam left at 6:50pm whilst I was in the middle of my tea (McDonalds!) as the hospital said I had to eat so DH got a drive through, then at 7pm I was eating my mcflurry (funny the things you remember) when I felt a gush and ran to the loo. There was liquid everywhere and a few bits of brown  uh oh!! I rang the hospital who said I had to go in though they might send me away again depending on how dilated I was. DH was great, was on autopilot and got everything together, rushed me into the car and off we went. My waters went again with each contraction in the car and boy were they bloody painful!! Water everywhere :wacko: though luckily I had a pad on, a maternity mat on the seat and also a bath towel  my jogging bottoms were soaked through though I looked a right mess :dohh:. I was assessed at 8pm at the hospital and was 4cm dilated  no going home for me, this was it! It was very likely the way I was going I would give birth in the early hoursI went into the birthing centre, a pink room (omen?!) with a birthing pool, flat screen TV and en suite shower room, great! The midwife looked very young, probably about 25 if that, but was so nice! She said I could use the pool straight away but would advise against it until I was further gone, so I lay down on the couch thing  no beds in there as is supposed to be home from home  expecting to get changed into my tankini later on. The rest of the night was a blur, the pain was pretty bad but I was sleeping and watching tv inbetween contractions, the same for DH who was on the sofa. The mw keep on disappearing for an hour at a time when she was coming back in to monitor me and the baby, but no internal as it has to be every 4 hours :shrug: DH kept giving me water and helping me to the toilet. She asked if I wanted to go in the pool later on, but I was so exhausted I just wanted to lie there, and as the pain was pretty bad I opted for diamorphine which meant no water birth, but could still stay in the nice room. The diamorphine was a dream! I only had a half a dose with the option of having the other half later on, but wow I would recommend it! However it started to wear off after a few hours and the pain was getting pretty bad. I decided against having the other half dose as the first lot had already slowed my contractions down and I was worried about it affecting the baby. I eventually got the pushing stage at about 6:30am (what a long night!) but needed a pee and I couldnt go! I had to have a catheter and boy I filled the pot! :rofl: 25 minutes roughly (so DH recalls) of pushing and she was here, our baby girl! At 7:10am. It bloody hurt Ill not lie, but I honestly think my birth was pretty good  perhaps its how fit I kept myself during pregnancy, all the walking the dog, and basically just carrying on with life, housework etc.. I didnt put my feet up. Or maybe it was the raspberry leaf capsules or gym ball actionOr maybe I was just lucky! Baby P was TINY! So much smaller than expected as the growth scan showed she was 5lb 9 at 35 weeks. We knew before she was weighed she was just a little un :) She was 6lb 5 and was perfect. DH despite saying no throughout pregnancy cut the cord. He was shocked she was a girl, all our friends had girls so he was sure a boy had to come sooner or later! I had to have some stitches though no idea how many, oh how dignified I felt with my legs up in stirrups! :blush: We did skin to skin though the bf didnt happen straight away. After a few hours I showered then we moved rooms so someone could have the birthing pool and both dh and I napped in the sofa bed theyd made up for us. Penny who was un-named for 3 days was in the plastic cot thing next to us. I tried feeding again and after some help from the midwife she latched on which went we could go home that night! :yipee: Our parents and my brother in law and his girlfriend came to visit around 6pm with balloons and presents for little miss. Luckily my mam had bought some tiny baby clothes as only one of the newborn outfits I took to the hospital fit her! We all left together at 8pm when I was discharged. When we got home MIL had decorated the house with banners and balloons and shed bought a beautiful flower arrangement :) . And so our life as a family begins.

Pics to follow!

x


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## MrsPTTC

pics x
 



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## yum

day - i luv the first pic ! lolz ! wonder wat he's thinking ?

chlo - gabby is such a sweetheart !

mrsp - wow! thtas a great story & little p is such a cutie pie ! does she have golden locks, so cuuuute!


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## yum

thanks 4r all the info ladies..i had an abdo u/s 
i have gud & sum disappointing news !
the baby is right on with the gestation age..
v dint wanted to know the gender..she couldn't get all the pics so, scheduled for another after 4 weeks..

on the downside, i've comple placenta previa :( 
it was such a bummer..she said its early & hopefully move but i did sum research & complete previa dont move..she adviced no sex, nothin in & not to do stuff which would put pressure on the pelvis & she said i could b put on bed rest later....i dont mind the c-section but with my itp condition of low platelets & reading all the bleeding horror stories, i'm disappointed & scared ! 

i'm to start my new job on monday..now, i dont know if its a gud decision..my dh says i shud b glad all looked gud & hope 4r the best...

sorry abt the long post & rant !


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## daydream

mrsp - yay look at little Penny! She's beautiful and such gorgeous light hair!

yum - so sorry to hear about that. There have been plenty of ladies here with c sections so they can talk about that. Don't be too scared, the doctors know what they are doing. :hugs:


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## Chloe597

P, adorable little penny! How big was she when she was born? I already forgot how tiny they are! What type of drug is that diamorphine? Is that just morphine? Or is it a sleep aid? Did u have a natural birth then, since the drugs had worn off?

Yum, what is itp? I had a c section with no complications, and I really didn't want one. I hope the placenta moves for you! Is your new job going to require you to be on your feet much?


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## Sbmack

Penny is so cute!!! Thanks for sharing your birth story. Glad you are doing well. I'm hoping for a water birth. Who knows what will happen though. 

Sorry about the placenta previa, yum! 

I may hire a doula. I'm meeting with her on Tuesday. 

Daydream, have you talked to your friends about the daycare....is it common to feed the, that way? Good luck.


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## yum

hi ladies - thanks 4r the support !

chlo- i dont mind the c-section but its the bed rest & bleeding (which could start anytime from the end of second tri & may need imm delivery if they cant stop the bleed ) that scares me.. itp is an auto immune condition where my platelets are low & may go lower to a scary level which might cause internal bleeding & this can b controlled with steroids(with many side effects but wont pass thru placenta)..so far,my numbers r lurking close to lower end of normal so fx !

my job is desk job(computers,acounting) but its on first floor with stairs & have stairs at my home too..

y'day wen she said i may bleed, i was disappointed & frankly mad..as if the spotting 4rm past 7yrs was not enough ..i'm trying to b positive though !


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies. Yes Yum she's a blondie like her parents, though DH is darker but was white blonde when he was little. She's lost her hair at the top front now but it seems to be coming in even lighter, but I think she'll be almost bald for a while (I was practically bald til 2!) Hmm Chloe that's an interesting question on the diamorphine, i assume you don't have it in the US?! It's a pain relief given by injection. No idea on thfe difference between it & plain morphine! So yes you could say it was natural on gas an air as it had pretty.much worn off...

Oh yum sorry to hear about your placenta hun :hugs: 

x


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## CaT1285

yum - I'm so sorry to hear about placenta previa and low platelets :( I'm sure you're in good hands with your doctors and they will take care of you. Make sure they keep you informed of what's going on.

sbmack - I'm thinking of hiring a doula too. We're interviewing 4 doulas in the next week or so! The doulas in this area are pretty expensive, but I think it will be worth it.


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## Chloe597

Cat, can i ask how much a doula charges? I briefly considered that, but didn't have enough time to really research and then it turns out she wouldn't have done me any good anyway with my EmCS! 

P, yeah, i think that is a UK thing. I had a friend get offered something that was a combo sleep/pain reliever and she said she barely remembers her birth as a result. I would have hated that (not that i remember mine anyway, as i was out cold!), but if i was awake and still couldn't remember it, that would not be good at all! I got lots of morphine when I woke up from my C section, and it was great. They let you push the little button to get as much as you need, within reason. I don't know if they do gas in the US either. I've only ever heard of it on the BNB forums. crazy the differences in medical practices between the two places!

Yum, I hope you have a great first day of work! Do take it easy tho, and even if you can only work for a couple months, that should still be good. Will you need regular blood work to monitor your platelets?

gabby is 5 months now! She's so close to rolling over (although she is behind the curve on that milestone already), and I think she is also pretty close to crawling. Here is her 5 month picture
 



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## Sbmack

CaT1285 said:


> sbmack - I'm thinking of hiring a doula too. We're interviewing 4 doulas in the next week or so! The doulas in this area are pretty expensive, but I think it will be worth it.

I hope I like the one I'm seeing next week because I haven't really thought of anyone else or researched it. She was recommended by a friend. It was my friend's third birth and she said it was her best to date. I've spoken to her on the phone a few times and she seems great. My husband isn't really convinced, but he will go along with it if that's what I want. 

Wow, Chloe....Gabby is already 5 months!

Yum, good luck at the new job today! Hope everything goes smoothly.


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## Jellycat

Mrs P - gorgeous pics, glad you had a good birth

Chloe glad all was well at your appointment

Yum - sorry it was the news you were hoping for but hopefully the placenta will move for you xx


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## CaT1285

Chloe - The doulas around here are generally $700-1000 depending on level of experience. It includes usually 1-3 prenatal visits, phone/email contact throughout pregnancy, and then they're on call the 4 weeks around your due date and will provide continuous labor support throughout your labor. It also includes a postpartum visit 1-2 weeks after the birth.

sbmack - I'm glad you like the doula you're interviewing! I hope the meeting goes well today. Hopefully I'll like one of our options as well. 

I always hear about G&A and TENS machines on here from UK ladies. Wish we had that in the US! Oh well.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies. Chloe gabby is just gorgeous! Love her 5month pic! Funny how the US &
UK are so different! So what do they offer you in the US for pain relief? Nothing?? Do you have epidurals over there? 

Doulas aren't very common over here, they're like birthing partners am I right? 

x


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## daydream

We have epidurals and those are the most common. Some do IV narcotics, but usually they would rather you do an epidural in the case that you need a c section they can just up the dose on the epidural instead of doing a spinal. Then we have plenty of people who try to go natural who do hypnobirthing, lamaze breathing or waterbirths. 

Yep doulas cannot do anything medical, they are just there as support. 

Today is our last day at our first daycare, actually going to pick H up now and will formally "fire" them. We found a new much smaller one that I LOVE. It's an older mother and her daughter who is in her late twenties. The mother is so very loving and I called a bunch of other parents that go there and they just had wonderful things to say. Here's hoping this goes much better!


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## Chloe597

Yep, as daydream said, narcotics or complete numbing for us wimpy Americans :). I do know a lot who have gone natural tho. It's the way I was planning. I bet gas would be a nice compromise between the two extremes, tho.


Good luck at the new daycare, daydream! I hope u have better luck and H enjoys it :)


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## yum

thanks 4r all the wishes ladies..

i'm feeling better after takin to my cousins( physicians) & they said it wud most probably move upin coming weeks & even if it dont,everyone dont bleed..so, keeping my fx crossed & praying all goes well..

chlo- s, they will monitor myplatelets all thru & also my placenta..gabby luks great !

my new job is gud so far..knok on woo ! its tiring bcuz i'm not used to wakin @ 6.30(i used to wake @ 9) & feelin sleepy but hope i'll get used to it..on my 4rst day, my manger tuk me 4r lunch & topic of kids came up so i told her & she dinnt mind..she congratulated me.. i told her that i hadnt told my othr frns yet( which is true)so, she thanked me 4r sharing..ppl r very nice there..lets c wer it goes..

not supposed to chek intetnrt 4r personal use @ wrk so, couldn't chek u guys..i was so exhaused by the time i get home..

hope all r doin great ! i'm 19 weeks today !


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## Jellycat

Daydream hope the new daycare goes well always good with other parents happy


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## Sbmack

I'm glad you found a new daycare, Daydream! Sounds like a better fit. I really need to start looking at options. I wish I could cut back to part time when the baby comes. My boss would not be happy about that though and I'm not sure if it would even be allowed. 

Yum, I'm glad the new job is going well. 

Jelly, your getting so close! How are you feeling?


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## Jellycat

I've been getting alot more frequent bh this pregnancy and had a growth scan Friday showing baby is head down but is back to back at the moment, but also a pound less than JJ at this time. Finishing work this week so can finally Find time to get organised.


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## MrsPTTC

Lol it's funny how things are different over there, especially when it comes to pain relief! :)

Daydream I hope the new day care goes well.

Jellycat, how lovely you're starting your maternity leave. I would say pur your feet up but I had the busiest maternity leave ever & didn't really get time to enjoy it, then Miss P came along reasonably quick after EDD! 

x


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## Jellycat

I went 12 days overdue with JJ so keep thinking I'll be the smart this pregnancy but dh says if I think like that baby will come early. I'm hoping to be busy first couple of weeks so can then just take each day as it comes and relax whenever needed 

How are you getting on now mrsP with feeding are you still breastfeeding?


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## MrsPTTC

Yep I'm still bf'ing though I think next weekend I'm going to introduce formula so I can start having a social life, a break & some alcohol. Wow that sounds selfish! I'm pumping but nowhere near enough for over night. I feel guilty, like I'm poisoning my child giving formula which is bloody ridiculous, it's perfectly safe & the only alternative! You know I never thought I would feel like this, I thought I'd be happy to start formula! I'm not sure how often to give it to her yet, do I give her a bottle a night so that when she's babysat it's not strange to her :shrug: It's my birthday on 18th & I'm really looking forward to a nice meal & drinks, perhaps some :sex: too haha! 

x


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## MrsPTTC

Oh & because of her colic I've invested in some dr browns bottles x


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## Jellycat

I think moving from breastfeeding was one of the hardest things I had to do with JJ it broke my heart. Good idea on dr browns that is what I used last ime when JJ had terrible reflux


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## MrsPTTC

How long did you bf JJ for? x


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## Chloe597

Isn't it funny, MrsP, how protective we feel about bf? I also feel like formula would be letting her down, even tho that is super silly and is not the case. Dr Brown's seem to work really well for Gabby, she hardly burps when she uses them. They are a pain to clean tho. I broke down and bought a special basket that you can put all the parts into and then load the whole thing in the dishwasher. I got sooo sick of washing bottles by hand every day! Have you ever given her a bottle? I would suggest starting with one a day at least a couple times a week. I was lucky in the Gabby took to the bottle quite easily and I didn't really have to work her up to it. Every so often she has picky days at daycare where she only takes 2 bottles all day, but other days she takes all 4 that i pack for her. 

I can't believe gabby is approaching her half year mark! its still 21 days away, but man does time fly! We have been having lots of fun going on walks with the nicer weather, and we keep practicing sitting up, standing and rolling over. DH is going to Las Vegas for a work trip for a whole week in early june. That will be interesting, being alone with her, seeing if i can get anything done. My mom may come stay with me for a day, and I may stay at my parents house for a night as well. 

Jelly, I hope baby does not stay back to back...I think i have heard unpleasant things about labor that way. I can't imagine having gone 12 days overdue! I was happy to have her out 2.5 weeks early!


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## Sbmack

Mrs. P, that is not selfish to want to be social and have a drink. My friends joke that they will bring me Champagne in the delivery room! 

Do any of you ladies 'pump and dump' if you are imbibing? I have so much to learn. Also, what are Dr. Brown's bottles?

Chloe, I can't believe Gabby is almost six months either. Time does fly!

Jelly, I hope the LO moves for you!


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## Chloe597

I have pumped and dumped! It helps when you have a giant freezer stash. At first i was so protective of my milk and I didn't want to waste any. Then i realized i had a huge supply and could afford to dump a few. It still makes me a little sad to do, but I get over it!

Dr Brown is a brand of bottle that is supposed to be really good at eliminating air which is good for gassy and colicy babies.  https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Browns-Polypropylene-Natural-Bottle/dp/B001LENCUE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1367947234&sr=8-4&keywords=dr+brown+bottles For what its worth, I would recommend the wide neck over the standard neck as I've heard its more like the boob and some babies choke on the standard neck nipple


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## daydream

Jelly - so close! That's good baby is head down, but yes we hope you don't have to go through back to back labor!

MrsP - Yay for a birthday coming up! You deserve a night of fun, bd-ing included ;) I hope the transition to part formula goes well. My friend with twins did part time formula because she couldn't keep up with both babies (obviously! lol!) All went well, they maybe had a little bit more upset tummy with the formula and she said she could always tell the formula poops from the breastmilk poop lol! But really wasn't too hard on them. I agree with Chloe though, keep practicing with the bottle, we did with H and now he's a pro! I can even feed him a bottle and he'll take it.

We had our first day at the new daycare yesterday and WOW what a difference! There were three kids with 2 adults. H took two naps and his afternoon nap was almost two hours, much better than at the previous daycare. She sends us home with a list of everything: naps, bottles, diapers, mood. He was in such a good mood last night. Last week he was just so overtired by the time I got home we could barely make it though bedtime routine before he passed out. Last night we even got to do a little playtime. I'm sooooooooo happy with our new caregivers. 

Speaking of breastmilk, I signed up yesterday to get started on donating milk. I'm running at at least a 4 oz. a day surplus above what he eats at daycare and my freezer is at capacity (when I started work, I was at over 400 oz and now I've just been adding more.. we haven't used any of it). So I'm going to start donating. I'm pretty excited about it, little preemie babies will get milk because of me! I never would have thought I'd have a "problem" with too much milk lol. 

Oh and with pumping and dumping, I have a couple times. Same as Chloe, it's not too heartbreaking when I have a ton of it to begin with.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks for being supportive on the formula ladies & thanks for not thinking bad of me! :friends: 

Yes we give Penny a bottle of expressed every now & then, she's fine & even took it off me no problem! We had tommee tippee bottles, now I'm so pleased I've got the dr brown :thumbup: 

I'm sure I've asked this before, but how much did you ladies manage to express when you first started? At most I've got 3.5 - 4 ozs, but now I'm only managing 2.5 as I'm expressing less on advice of the health visitor. I need to add this is with the medela mini electric pump, I had a TT electric one previously which was USELESS! 

Daydream I'm so pleased you are happy with Harrison's daycare! :happydance: it's great that you've got so much milk you're going to start donating!

Sbmack, I thought you had to pump & dump after drinking alcohol, however I was reading the kellymom website yesterday & it said you don't have to unless you're uncomfortable! I find this rather odd! :shrug: 

Sorry to hear you'll be on your own Chloe! :( I'm sure you'll be fine though! :)

x


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## daydream

In the morning I get between 8-14 ounces depending on how much H eats. Then I get around 4-6 ounces each time after that. 

As for pumping and dumping I've only done so if I've been out long enough to need to pump. The alcohol in your milk is the same as your blood alcohol and dissipates as your blood alcohol level goes down.


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## MrsPTTC

8-14 ozs OMFG!! Think that's more than 'usual' though isn't it? No wonder you're donating daydream! :haha: x


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## MrsPTTC

I just thought, is that how much milk you had when you started pumping or did it take a while to get to that point!

Ladies do you bath your LO's every day as part of their sleep routine? I'm worried about drying Penny's skin out x


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## Chloe597

I didn't start regularly pumping until Gabby was 3 months old, so I don't quite remember what I would get from pumping. I think it was pretty much me just pumping one boob in the morning or late at night to relieve pressure, and it was probably about 5 oz. now its more since i do it regularly during the day when she isn't actually drinking directly from me (I get 20 oz per day pumped).

Daydream, how did you locate a donation place? I may start to look into that as well. 

P - we are reallly bad at giving gabby a bath. I think we do it ~2 times a week. But really, until they start actually getting dirty/sweaty, i have read there is no need for more than once a week. I was worried about drying her out too, so early on when she would poop all the time, i would just wash her little butt with a cloth and soap, and then put her in the bath with just water. Now that she poops once a week, bath time tends to correspond with that :haha: plus another one later in the week thrown in for good measure. And we use this:https://www.amazon.com/The-Original-Tummy-Baby-Bath/dp/B000ORXGFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368015878&sr=8-1&keywords=tummy+tub which is now a pain as she is too big. I don't know how this thing can be good for up to 35 lbs!! If we had a regular tub to use I think i would enjoy bath time more, but DH was insistant on the Tummy Tub. Just give her nice lotion massages after bath time to help keep her skin from drying out if you want to establish the routine, and only use soap maybe once a week. 

Anyone's babies experiencing cradle cap yet? gabby did very mildly early on, but lately it has come back. what a pain!!


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## Chloe597

oh, and I wanted to share a picture of Gabby's latest favorite activity...toe eating!
 



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## Sbmack

So cute, Chloe! 

That's great your donating some milk, Daydream! 

I hope that I can produce extra so if I want to have a couple drinks, I have some in reserve. Sorry if that makes me seem selfish, but it's sort of part of my job :)


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## daydream

MrsP - Yes it has gradually increased, and I think maybe because as H has dropped night feedings, I still pump to empty in the morning, so my body still though there was that demand for milk. For example, H didn't wake up for his 3am feeding, so this morning I pumped 17 ounces. Ouch. haha

Chloe - Gabby is adorable! H hasn't quite gotten there, he does hold his feet during diaper changes though, so nice of him ;) As for finding a donation site, I actually heard about our San Jose milk bank on a podcast, which is right by my work, though I know there are places you can mail in your milk. I am donating on a go forward basis because you cannot take medication when donating, and I can't remember quite when I had colds and took medicine for it. So I'll keep my current freezer stash for H and donating extra milk going forward.


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## Jellycat

Mrs p I only managed to feed JJ for 3 weeks but the skin in skin then bottle then pump was too much to cope with on my own. I just didn't have the supply to feed him. Also with JJ even now he only has two baths a weeks as his skin dries out and is very sensitive

Daydream that's a fantastic amount


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## daydream

Oh yes the bath discussion, I forgot to respond. Initially I was only bathing H twice a week, as I knew it dried out their skin. But around two months we started a bedtime routine and we do baths as part of it. So we do bathe him everyday, but only every other day do we use soap on his body. Otherwise we only do face and hair. We also started using lotion after the bath as well, mainly because of the yummy smell, which is TOTALLY NOT what I said I would do before. I used to say oh babies don't need lotion until they are one. Bah oh how quickly we start doing things we said we would NEVER do. We also incorporate the baby massage when doing the lotion, so it makes for a great bedtime routine.

For cradle cap, I have noticed a couple scaly parts on H's head so we started using the mustela shampoo and I put coconut oil on his scalp ten minutes before his bath. We just did it two days so far, so I'll let you know how it goes. Thankfully it's not flaking yet, I just don't like seeing the little scales, I'm sure it must itch him!


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## Jellycat

I only learnt yesterday coconut oil is good for cradle cap JJ had loads of it


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies. Omg Chloe that's also a ridiculous amount of milk, I'm so jealous! :haha: I've seen those bath tubs & was shocked at first as they're so unusual, but as long as the babies like them, shame she doesn't fit hers anymore. She looks so cute on that photo :)

Daydream that's what I was wanting to do, bath her every day but only put bubble bath in every other night & was going to put a few drops of olive oil in in between. But DH insists not, I might have a word with the health visitor & if they say its fine I'll try & convince him. He's happy with every other day though. 

Jellycat, that's a shame, hope your bf'ing is more successful this time around :thumbup:

Wow penny is 8 weeks today how time flies. I've decided to try her on formula tomorrow night...perhaps one bottle a night so she gets used to it for when she's babysat 

X


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies. Omg Chloe that's also a ridiculous amount of milk, I'm so jealous! :haha: I've seen those bath tubs & was shocked at first as they're so unusual, but as long as the babies like them, shame gabby doesn't fit hers anymore. She looks so cute on that photo :)

Daydream that's what I was wanting to do, bath her every day but only put bubble bath in every other night & was going to put a few drops of olive oil in in between. But DH insists not, I might have a word with the health visitor & if they say its fine I'll try & convince him. He's happy with every other day though. 

Jellycat, that's a shame, hope your bf'ing is more successful this time around :thumbup:

Wow penny is 8 weeks today how time flies. I've decided to try her on formula tomorrow night...perhaps one bottle a night so she gets used to it for when she's babysat. I'm also hoping it might make her sleep a little longer :winkwink:

X


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## KatieTTC

Happy mother's day, dear mothers and mothers-to-be! I'm so happy we can celebrate it now. A hard path to motherhood makes it even more special :flower:


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## daydream

So true Katie. Happy Mother's Day to you ladies!!


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## Sbmack

Happy Mother's Day to all you lovely ladies!


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## Chloe597

Happy mother's day to you all!


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## Greenleaf

Sorry to butt in here but I have some questions that's driving me crazy. :(

Is it true that if you don't have any preg symptoms that you have a higher chance of m/c?? And have any of you ladies spotted since getting your BFPs? 

I'm still spotting since 9dpo (now at 43dpo ~6 weeks preg according to FF) and sometimes it turns rather heavy with dark brown debris or rusty colored watery CM. It's freaking me out! I went for a scan last week at 5 weeks and they saw an empty sac that puts me at 4 weeks. They won't do another scan until 6th of June. I've been stressed to the max for the past 1 week wondering if my baby is actually developing since I don't have any symptoms aside from a little sore bbs and occasional fatigue. Sometimes I'm energetic all day but sometimes (like today) I feel really tired all morning and afternoon. How am I going to get through another 3 weeks?? :(


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## Sbmack

I really wish they wouldn't make you wait for so long for another scan! 

I had zero symptoms other than sore bb's and fatigue the whole first trimester. It worried me too...I kind of wanted to be nauseous. There are lots of women that don't get many symptoms. I was happy to see many threads in the first trimester section here started by women with similar concern. I can't believe your dr. told you that lack of symptoms means increase risk of MC. Not cool.


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## Chloe597

green, some people are lucky and don't have symptoms. Definietly never heard that lack of symptoms puts you at a greater risk for MC. I started feeling symptoms around 5.5-6 weeks. I had some light brownish spotting throughout my first tri, here and there. If it wasn't red, and didn't have cramping, I didn't worry (well, I did, but i was told to not worry :) ) If you have sore bbs, then that is a symptom. I had days where I felt completely fine and i freaked out thinking something must be wrong, and of course, nothing was. Its natural to worry. I hope you can get through the next 3 weeks without driving yourself completely insane :hugs: Is there any way you can call to get a scan earlier? Tell them you are going on vacation that week and would like to move it up or something :)


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## KatieTTC

Greenleaf, I had zero symptoms except for sore boobs, spotted throughout pregnancy and have a healthy baby girl. Don't freak out!


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## MrsPTTC

I had no symptoms til about 8 weeks (I think) & even then they weren't much x


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## _Nell

Greenleaf- i had no symptoms at all, my belly didn't even look pg at 20 weeks and i could count on one hand the number of times i felt baby kick.
I spotted brown, sometimes watery, sometimes thick gunky stuff until around 9 weeks. I had a day or two of red spotting around 6 weeks pg too. I did get some cramping, mainly on my left side, for the first couple of weeks of pg. it occurred always in the late afternoons and i'd then just rest up. Twinges could be from your corpus luteum cyst? 
Fingers crossed all is ok, the wait is torture i know xx


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## Greenleaf

Thank you ladies for sharing your experience. :hugs: At least I'm not alone with all the weird spotting and little to no preg symptoms. Every time i spotted gunky stuff I thought that it might have been my baby. :p It's darn stressful!


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## jodspods

Hi ladies, thought I'd pop over and say hello! I need to get a ticker up but can't seem to do it on my iphone! Might have to get the laptop out! 

I'm 7+1 today and off for my booking appointment this pm!

Here's bubs at 6+6!
 



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## Sbmack

Welcome to the other side, Jods!!! So happy for you.


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## Chloe597

great scan, jods! Welcome, and huge congrats to you!!


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## daydream

beautiful jods!!


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## MrsPTTC

How cute jods! Welcome! x


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## KatieTTC

Congratulations, jods! Very happy for you!


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## yum

hello ladies,

hope u all r doing good along with ur little one's ..

chlo- I like gabby's little act in the pic..so cute !

green- I dint have any symps till 8/9 weeks except 4r cramps..its not true that if u don't have symps ur chances r high of mc ! try not to worry ( I know easier said than done)..that wait is a killer..r there any chances of getting a private scan instead of waiting ? fx !

jods- that's an amazing pic..it was so funny that I couldn't c a thing @ my first scan !


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## almosthere

congrats jods!!!


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## Jellycat

Congrats Jools

Green leaf - seems like there are alot of us with few symptoms in first tri :hugs: hope the next couple of weeks pass quickly so you can have your next scan


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## Sbmack

Wow, getting close Almost. Hope you're feeling ok!


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## almosthere

thanks sbmack-I have had 3 bloody noses in the past 3 days...one a day! congestion from allergies, always either stuffy or runny, and lots of soft stools, cramping, and even BH's started back up 2 days ago along with lightening pains in the hoo-haw-I think it is safe to say my body is gearing up for labor soon!!!!


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## Chloe597

Wow, almost, i can't believe you are so close! You and Jelly will have your LO's any day now!! can't wait to hear birth stories and see pics!!

I think Gabby is either teething or has an ear infection. She was rubbing both ears last night, and she was extra cranky. It was also really hot here, and we don't have air conditioning, so that made it unpleasant to be in the house. I didn't know how to dress her as it cools off at night, but I didn't want to roast her initially. She only woke up once at 430 to eat, so I guess i did an ok job with her pajamas, but putting her to bed last night was not fun!


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## MrsPTTC

Poor Gabby :( hope she feels better soon...
Almost & jellycat, wow yes you are close! We need bump pics before its too late! Almost it sounds like it could be any time with you getting lightening pains!

Penny had the best night last night :) formula at bedtime really seems to make a difference, and with the colic :thumbup: 

x


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## MrsPTTC

Yum you need ticker chick! x


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## almosthere

Me at 36 weeks! I pretty much look the same now =)

Cramps today like stomach achey again....but still no contractions!....waiting waiting waiting....
 



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## Jellycat

I've been getting lots of cramping too. Last night I had a continuous tight bump for over three hours with on and off cramping and back ache. We were going to text our babysitter for JJ as thought it was the start but decided to wait a little longer and they faded away. Still don't remember them that strong with JJ during the build up to the big day.

This is me at 34 weeks (ish)

https://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h377/EmmeraldJelly/43CAD53C-1939-418D-874F-5C36D0A61380-8992-00000F631673E066.jpg


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## Ella86

Hi! First post. I'm looking for info to do with spotting and found some threads here that I'll pick my way through... but I have a question for you ladies that were 'chronic spotters' and ended up conceiving. Could you tell me what day you normally would start spotting on, what day you started spotting on during the month you conceived (if you did spot that month), how long spotting lasted, etc.? Basically a bit of a run down of your dpo experience the month you conceived. We're not actively trying, but I want to know what to look out for. And, I'm a little worried of course that I may have problems conceiving due to this :( (I spot for about 2 weeks each month (sometimes more, sometimes a little less, period is included in these days and lasts about 3-4 days), hormones normal, although estrogen a bit on the high side)... I also cramp the entire time I'm spotting, as well as around the time of ovulation. Is that anybody else's experience as well?? 

Thanks in advance! :)


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## daydream

almosthere and jellycat - you both look so great! Enjoy the last few bits of your pregnancy, it'll be over before you know it! For me it seems like it was SO LONG ago. I miss it... :blush:

Ella - The TTC thread we all come from was a great resource for me: https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/ttc-groups/503880-spotting-week-before-af-every-month-anyone-else.html

My conception month was AC via IUI and I was on progesterone, so didn't spot.


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## Chloe597

Love the bumps, jelly and almost!!! I miss having a cute baby bump, although I don't miss the back aches and inability to stand for more than a few minutes at a time without getting tired..

Hi Ella - I spotted from about 2 DPO until AF, so about 12 days, and then AF lasted 7 days. That left me with like 1-2 weeks of not bleeding until the next time of spotting. I ended up with my BFP after 10 months of TTC (although only about 5-6 cycles of actively trying) and i spotted as normal the month i got my BFP. My hormones were supposedly normal, although my progesterone was on the lower side of normal. Never found a cause for the spotting, all i know is that BCP fix it, and since having DD, I haven't had a period or spotting yet! woo hoo! I am hoping that my spotting magically goes away once my period returns. We shall see,

Katie/Nell, would love to see an updated Pic of your LOs! and of anyone else's LOs! baby pictures are just too precious!

Yum, any bump yet? Post a pic! how is the job going?


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## daydream

Here's a recent picture of our little guy. I can't believe he's already five months old! 

Chloe - How is Gabby doing? Have you started solids yet?


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## KatieTTC

Hi Ella, welcome to the thread. I hope you'll get your BFP soon. My spotting would usually start right after ovulation, so I would spot for about 10 days, then have a week of my period and only about a week with no spotting or bleeding at all. This cycle repeated itself every month. I only felt cramps during the actual period, never during the spotting stage. My hormones were fine and my OB didn't find anything out of order. The month I got pregnant I had the same spotting pattern and then it suddenly got worse - I started bleeding and passing large clots. I even thought I had miscarried. Fortunately, bleeding stopped and my pregnancy was fine. I like to think it was some sort of 'spring cleaning' - the body was prepping for the baby and getting ready of all the extra mess that was in the way. We didn't do anything different the month we conceived. Hope you'll get your very own BFP soon.


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## Jellycat

I would spot for about a week before AF , however 2 months before my BFP that just stopped. I hadn't done anything differently or started taking anything new. I only had the issue after having my first child and hot diagnosed with PCOS do I think mine was hormone related in some way. Hope you get your BFP soon.

Daydream can't believe it's 5 months already I remember you getting your BFP


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## KatieTTC

Almost, Jellycat, LOVE your bump pictures. I kind of miss mine. I couldn't wait to be done with the bump stage and was eager to meet my girl, but now I sort of miss it all. I almost feel like trying for another baby right away. Though I think we'll wait a bit longer before trying to make a buddy for our little one.
Sorry for not posting much, life has been crazy busy and now I found out that we'll be moving AGAIN, so it's only gonna get worse. Fortunately my in-laws will be coming to help. Our little Anne is doing great, she's already 15 weeks old! She started sleeping through the night about 2 weeks ago and it's been heaven. No more middle-of-the-night feedings. She's very chatty, always smiling and only crying when she really needs something. I love her to death! I'm a bit bummed cause I no longer produce enough breast milk and she only gets about 12 oz of my milk a day, the rest is formula. I'm jealous of you, girls, who have freezers filled with your breast milk. I don't know why it matters so much to me, plenty of kids were brought up on formula and are doing just fine.


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## KatieTTC

Here's an updated photo of Anne
 



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## Chloe597

Daydream, love his dimples!! Have you noticed if his eye color has changed since birth? Gabby's have a little bit of brown in them now, so i'm wondering if they will continue to turn all the way brown like DH or if they will be hazel like mine. Not sure when they are supposed to stop changing colors.

Gabby is doing well and gave me a nice 12 hour uninterrupted sleep last night! She isn't on solids yet. She hasn't shown too much interest and I'm in no rush before the 6 month mark. I give her 2" pieces of fruits and veggies to hold, but she will grab them wrong. She will grab say, a green bean, so that it is sticking out of the bottom of her hand, by her pinky, but then she will try to shove the top of her fist in her mouth, by her thumb, so she wont actually get any food. I hold stuff up to her lips to lick, just so she can taste stuff, but thats as far as we have gotten. one more week and she will be 6 months. holy crap!! I guess I can't put this whole solids thing off for very much longer. I'm going to do BLW, just got the book, although it seems pretty straight forward. 

katie, glad you and anne are well and sleeping through the night! Don't feel bad about the milk supply. You have given her what you have, and she will appreciate that forever! Why are you moving? Military family?


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## Chloe597

Katie, just saw the pic. Love it! her eyes are so wide and cute :) She looks like she should be well on her way to a full head of hair soon!


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## KatieTTC

Thank you Chloe, for your kind words. Any new pix of Gabby? Anne was born with a head full of hair and then went almost bold. The hair is back now, except for a bald spot on the back of her head where it meets the mattress. I'm kind of curious what her hair will eventually look like, my hair is blond, my husband's hair is pitch black and hers looks brown right now. I'm pretty sure her eyes are going to stay blue. The shape and the color looks just like mine. Yes, we move a lot because my husband is a Marine. I don't mind as long as he's homebound.


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## daydream

Katie- Anne is so ADORABLE! Just absolutely precious and I'm so happy that she's sleeping well for you. I'm sorry about your supply, but I understand your feelings. It's something so personal, but you have to know that Anne is 1) so happy to get the 12 ounces you can give her (which is a great amount btw) and 2) will be perfectly healthy with the formula. 

Jellycat - Gosh I know, it feels like just yesterday, but then so far away at the same time. haha. Life has changed SO MUCH in these past five months.

Chloe - H's eyes are getting lighter. Mine are very light blue and DH's are a steely blue/green. So H will be our blue eyed boy so it appears thus far. 

We are going to do purees for solids, but I want to give him the opportunity to feed himself. I have the BLW book, but I just don't feel comfortable with some of it, but I love the thought that babies should feel, smell, experience their food instead of just having a spoon shoved in their mouth. I'm going to make my own purees so I can control the thickness and hope I can get a consistency that he can mush around in his hands and eventually feed himself. He's not interested at all, which is good because I too want to wait until six months since allergies run in DH's family like crazy, so anything I can do to help protect from that I want to.

For our sleep situation, H managed to roll over in his swaddle yesterday morning while I was watching him on the monitor, so we've gone cold turkey from the swaddle. I was dreading last night, but he did great! He did sleep on his back for a while, but then rolled to his belly and slept like a baby like that. He's a pro at rolling, so I'm not worried about him being on his belly, plus we have the angelcare movement monitor as a backup protection just in case. He went down at 8pm, woke up at 2am to eat and then at 6am. After the 6am feeding he still does another hour or so of sleep, which is nice so I can get ready for work in peace.


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## _Nell

Hi all, just popping in to update, i do read but life is still chaotic with a crying baby (still :() and very sick dog.
Adorable photos of Anne and Harrison - i'll add a leila one soon when i'm on my laptop rather than ipad.

Leila is 6 months today and we reluctantly started weaning. Leila has cmpi so no dairy for her until over 1 year. It was a non event, we're trying BLW and leila touched none of her foods at all today. This isn't really a surprise, i've been sitting her in the high chair for a few weeks and she won't even touch a toy on the tray. The tray is clearly 'dangerous' in her eyes!
She still isn't rolling, she did front to back well over a month ago a few times in a row and then never again since. No sitting either. She has great eye hand co-ordination through, grabs and passes items from one hand to the other already. Sleep wise she's been doing 7-7 since around 3 months, she fights daytime naps now though as she'd rather be up and awake but grumpy!
She still cries a lot but laughs a lot too, she's really one extreme or the other and the other babies we see seem more middle of the road.


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## daydream

Nell - from what I read some babies are motivated by different things (I think this is in the Wonder Weeks book), so H is definitely more physically motivated, whereas he doesn't laugh out loud too often, nor "talking". He does sometimes, but that's not really what he likes to do. And I am so not thrilled with the other boy at daycare who taught H how to scream when he's happy. :trouble:


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## Chloe597

Katie - my hair is also blond (and straight) and DH's is black (and curly!) so i am very curious what gabby will end up with. Right now its looking possibly like a light brown or dirty blonde.

Daydream, good luck with the purees! I will probably end up doing some of that too because i want gabby to actually be able to eat some of her food rather than only play with it. we'll see tho. 

Nell, wow, 6 months!! Glad mine isn't the only one completely uninterested in rolling. I'm glad she is letting you sleep at night, even if she cries some during the day. Looking forward to seeing a picture. And i hope your dog gets better soon!

Daydream, LOL about the screaming. I dread what bad habits other babies will teach Gabby. So far she hasn't picked anything up (other than illness, that is)

I dont have any 'good' pictures at the moment, but I did make this collage the other day of her progression in her tummy tub. The one on the far right was taken about a week ago. I love that her feet are coming out the top :)
 



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## daydream

That progression is amazing! She looks so tiny in that first picture. Isn't it hard to believe they were ever that small? My niece was born last weekend, and I was just in awe of how tiny she was!


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## almosthere

daydream, katie and chloe-your lo's are just too cute!!!

thanks on the bump compliments ladies! I do have stretch marks on my love handel on the left side-weird!! Then only a little bit where my belly button piercing was-hoping they will face and shrink-my stretch marks on my side are quite deep and itchy lately...no fun =(


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## daydream

Almosthere - That's where I got mine, none on my belly but got them on both sides. And I didn't even get them until like the very last week. Mine are still pink but they are fading.


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## Sbmack

I love hearing all the updates about all your LO's!! I'm learning so much. I just goggled 'BLW' :) 

Harrison looks so cuddly! What a happy baby. 

I also want to squeeze Gabby. So cute. Love the progression picture. 

Anne is so precious...so pretty. How lucky that she's already sleeping like a champ. 

Looking forward to an updated picture of Leila! 

Almost and Jelly, what lovely bumps. I'm looking forward to showing more. I'm almost to the point where I'm noticeably pregnant as opposed to people wondering if I've just been drinking too many beers. 

Question for you all...did any of you buy a pregnancy pillow? I'm starting to have a tough time sleeping.


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## Sbmack

Ella86 said:


> Hi! First post. I'm looking for info to do with spotting and found some threads here that I'll pick my way through... but I have a question for you ladies that were 'chronic spotters' and ended up conceiving. Could you tell me what day you normally would start spotting on, what day you started spotting on during the month you conceived (if you did spot that month), how long spotting lasted, etc.? Basically a bit of a run down of your dpo experience the month you conceived. We're not actively trying, but I want to know what to look out for. And, I'm a little worried of course that I may have problems conceiving due to this :( (I spot for about 2 weeks each month (sometimes more, sometimes a little less, period is included in these days and lasts about 3-4 days), hormones normal, although estrogen a bit on the high side)... I also cramp the entire time I'm spotting, as well as around the time of ovulation. Is that anybody else's experience as well??
> 
> Thanks in advance! :)

I normally started spotting a week after I O'd. The last few months before I got my BFP it started later. I was taking B vitamins and going to accupunture. I got pregnant my 10th cycle ttc. The month I got my BFP I didn't spot. 

Good luck, Ella!


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## almosthere

sbmack-i did not buy one but my mom had one of those long soft ones that doesnt need a cover over it-it was weird using it at first but it became a sleep saver for me!! I highliy reccomend a body pillow!!


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## Chloe597

SB, i used a pregnancy pillow. https://www.amazon.com/Leachco-Snoogle-Total-Body-Pillow/dp/B0000635WI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369226086&sr=8-1&keywords=pregnancy+pillow is the one i got. It became quite a life saver for me, supporting my stomach and helping with hip pain. DH wasn't a fan of it, as it took up like half the bed :haha:

I never got the red stretch marks while pregnant, but about 2 weeks after giving birth, i noticed my stomach has quite a few white lines below my belly button, to my pelvis. So I somehow skipped the red mark stage and went right to the faded stretch mark stage. I think I may retire my bikini this summer in favor of a tankini that covers my stomach.


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## KatieTTC

Sb, I just bought a regular extra long pillow and that helped me get comfortable at night.

I don't have any stretch marks either, but I had my C-section at 37 weeks, so maybe my belly would've looked different had I gone full term. I used Bio Oil twice a day; actually I still do since my belly looks somewhat like a deflated balloon. 

Chloe, love your progression. I was just looking at the pictures and videos from when Anne was born and couldn't believe her size. Like Gabby, she's not really interested in rolling over, but she's mastered the skill of spinning. Every morning her head is where her feet were last night - somehow she manages to turn 180 degrees. I wish I could have a time lapse video of how she does it. This also causes her to kick and turn on her mobile. Imagine our surprise the first time we heard the music coming out of her room in the middle of the night. Gosh, she just woke up from her nap and turned the music on again :baby: It's time to eat.

Here's Anne's progression
 



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## almosthere

Hi ladies-I just realized I forgot to update on here-yesterday i was told my blood pressure was really high and that my amniotic fluid dropped from a 9 last week to a 6 this week-quite low. I was told no more work which is bittersweet-but also that I need to go back for an US and non-stress test at the hospital tomorrow and there is a chance of induction if it worsens. I hope I do not have to get induced due to pregnancy complications but we will see-had a hard time sleeping last night due to this and assuming the same will happen tonight as well....


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## almosthere

Oh and katie-annes progression is amazing-she is such a cutie!


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## Sbmack

Thanks for the rec. Chloe. Ordering the same pillow today!

Katie, Anne's progression is adorable. Hope I remember to take monthly pictures. I've been trying to take a bump pic every week to see how I'm growing. I'm pretty lousy about taking pictures in general...that will surely change once the LO is here though.

Almost, I hope they don't have to induce you, but they will do what's best I'm sure. Just hoping you're not too uncomfortable these next few days. Good luck!


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## Chloe597

Katie, Anne's progression is great! its amazing how much they change so quickly!

SB, hope you like the pillow!

Almost, I hope you don't have to get induced, but if you do, I'm sure you're in good hands! I'll be watching this site for an update. Just think, you could be holding your LO tomorrow!! 

Gabby sat up for quite a while unassisted yesterday! I was so excited. Its only a matter of time before she can prevent herself from falling backwards. She is pretty good at not falling forwards now, but once she starts going backwards, there is no stopping her, lol!


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## KatieTTC

Almost, don't stress out if you have to be induced, once you see your little treasure, everything will be forgotten. Crossing my fingers everything goes well. I can't believe how close you are. Hope you can get some rest before the big days arrives. Or has it already arrived? 

Today is a mini anniversary for me - one year since that smiley face showed up on my OPK and Anne's journey started :)


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## almosthere

No, no baby yet! Unless he comes naturally before my appointment tomorrow morning, I may be continuing my wait! We will see tomorrow morning!

Chloe-exciting about gabby-go gabby go! =)

Happy mini anniversary katie! time sure does fly doesnt it!

yay for ordering your pillow sbmack! the order I am waiting for in the mail is my insurance covered breast pump....it won't be here until 2 or 3 weeks after babys arrival-hope it comes sooner than that!


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## MrsPTTC

Wow I've missed so much in a few days, hope I remember to reply to everyone!

Ella I was spotting anywhere from 6 dpo to 10 dpo but no spotting bfp month.

Lovely bump pics jelly & almost! Almost if you didnt already know you were having a boy I'd say from your bump you were team pink :rofl: 

Katie Anne is just adorable, love your onesie stickers, you can't get them in the uk so I got some shipped from etsy but unfortunately missed month 1 ha!! 

Harrison is adorable daydream, & funny how he's happy screaming I bet it's annoying!

Sb I had a pillow I used between my legs & it really helped my back.

Gabby is so cute Chloe, she looks a lil chunky monkey in that last tub pic, so cute!

Almost I hope you don't have to be induced Hun but what will be will be :hugs:

Ooh jelly it sounds promising hope things start happening soon! 

Nell sorry you're having a rough time of it Hun, I have a very cryie baby too, she screamed all yesterday afternoon. 

I spoke to soon when I said she had a good night, we've had a rough week. Looks like she'll be going over to formula full time soon, she's just so unhappy on the Breast & so much more whingey, I just don't think I satisfy her, same as Katie I don't think I have enough milk :( I feel awful about it, like I'm poisoning her giving her formula which is bloody ridiculous! I think if I get to 3 months bf then it's still an achievement & more than most in the uk. 

I'll see if I can upload a pic on my new iPhone, if not I'll have to try from the laptop x


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## MrsPTTC

Penny at 2 months x
 



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## MrsPTTC

And again x
 



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## almosthere

hi there cute little penny!!! =) MrsP-sorry to hear you think you may be drying out.

afm no induction yesterday-baby and I passed all our tests with flying colors and have an appt. monday for a nonstress test again, then ultrasound and followup tuesday....busy busy at the dr's.......come out little boy mama is ready for you!!! =)


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## Sbmack

Penny is so precious!!! Try not to feel bad bout the formula. You've done what you could and if she feels better, than its what's best. 

Yay for no induction, almost.


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## Chloe597

Glad to hear no induction, almost! Hope all continues to go your way and you get the birth you want.

Penny is such a cutie! Looks like such a happy baby. Don't feel bad about the milk. Have u been EBF or do you give her bottles too? If you give bottles you may want to try a few days of just bf and see if that takes your supply up if you want to try to continue bf. Otherwise enjoy the freedom of not having a baby dependent on your boob all the time! That is what gets the most tiring for me. That and going 13 hours at night without bf and waking up to painful boobs...

G is still asleep. It's 930 and she fell asleep at 8 last night! Woke at 430 but she was just talking to herselfand eventually fell back asleep around 5 with no help from me. Yay!


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## MrsPTTC

Pleased to hear no induction almost! :thumbup: long walks, ball bouncing, raspberry leaf capsules & orgasms seemed to get penny out near enough her due date! :blush:

Thanks ladies, I cried talking to my mum about it before though she agrees its for the best. It's not really me not producing lots milk that's the issue, the health visitor says its a vicious circle as she has colic, feeds frequently to get rid of it but in turn then gets more wind. She's had bottles on & off since around 3 weeks of expressed milk, then introduced formula at 8 weeks on an evening in a bid to settle her through the night which to be fair worked. We use dr browns bottles now & she doesn't get colicky after :) but still does after the breast! :( despite gripe water which helps a bit. I do want her to take bottles so I can have a social life & for daddy to be involved, but hoped I could combine feed. I think it's in penny's best interests & my sanity to stop so we can get rid of the colic & make us both a lot happier, boy is it hard with her high pitched screaming!

X


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## almosthere

I wish I could take a nice long few walks but it has been stormy for the past 3 days here!! Hoping tomorrow and monday will allow me some nice walking time in the sun!


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## daydream

Penny is such a sweet little girl!!

I saw this on Fb and thought it was so perfect:

https://www.facebook.com/TeamToddlerUncensored/posts/461177403965900


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## almosthere

I LOVE it daydream! Thanks for sharing :)


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## Jellycat

Lovely pics of penny Mrs P


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## AlicesHatter

Hi everyone! I'm glad to see all your success stories from the spotters thread! Such cute babies everyone has too!

One day I'll see if I can figure out how to make a ticker in my sig. I'm just 5 weeks along so still holding my breath for a sticky bean.

DH & I agreed not to tell anyone until my 6 week confirmation appt on the 3rd, but we had some close friends & his mom & sis in town this weekend and he blurted it out when we were toasting to celebrate other things, because he was about to have an anxiety attack. Lol!

Now I feel bad I haven't told my siblings (my sister is 20 weeks pregnant too!) or parents, but I'm trying to plan a special way to tell them. 

So far my only symptom is sore bbs since CD21. I have little twinges of what I call "uterine awareness". Not quite cramps, just little waves of sensation. I'm assuming that's normal from things I've googled. Anyone else know what I mean?


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## almosthere

Congrats alice!! I pray it is a sticky bean for you too!!! How exciting you and your sister will have babies so close together that is fantastic! I am not sure about the "uterine awreness" I had no such thing-but all women have different symptoms!


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## KatieTTC

Almost, I keep thinking about you checking to see if there's any news on the baby. Glad you didn't have to be induced. Happy and healthy delivery to you! Looking forward to hearing your birth story. 

MrP, thank you for the pictures, Penny is precious, such a happy face. I know how you feel about bfing. For some reason it makes me sad she doesn't get much of my milk anymore. I feel like I'm cheating her giving her formula. I share it with other girlfriends who have kids and that's when I find out that many of them only used formula because they just didn't produce any milk. Their kids are just fine and that's what I keep telling myself. I still feel guilty when daddy gets up at 7am on Saturday to feed his baby formula and mommy stays in bed until 8:30am (ok, I'll admit it, I feel guilty and super awesome at the same time because I get to sleep in). 

Daydream, loved the link, thank you for sharing!

Nell, looking forward to seeing another picture of Leila. Hope she now sees her tray as a friend not an enemy! I laughed when I read "The tray is clearly 'dangerous' in her eyes!"

Chloe, glad little Gabby sleeps so well, oh and I'm jealous of your sore boobs ;)

:hi: Alice! Congratulations! Happy and healthy 9 months. I wish I had a sister who had a baby so close to mine. You can share those precious moments together and 'compare notes' on poop, spit and burp.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks for the link daydream!

Alice all I had was a few stabbing pains. Congrats again on your bfp!

Thanks jellycat!

Katie, glad it's not just me feeling guilty, but we really shouldn't. Some of my friends didnt even attempt bf'ing & others stopped because of the pain in day 3 when the milk comes in &/or latching on problems. I'm proud I've lasted to almost 3 months, at least I can feel good that penny's had the best start in life :thumbup: She's started sleeping much better on formula & we've had a pretty delightful day today with hardly any crying & lots of smiles :) 

X


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## almosthere

Just popping in to say no baby yet!


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## MrsPTTC

Not long now almost! x


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## Sbmack

almosthere said:


> Just popping in to say no baby yet!

Maybe you'll be one of the few who actually have their baby on their due date. Best wishes for a great delivery!


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## almosthere

That would be amazzeee if he came by tomorrow!! =) My guess at my baby shower was June 2nd so we will see if mommy's intuition is right or not! haha

sbmack-happy 20 weeks-1/2 way there, woohoo!! how are you feeling?!

hope you and penny are doing fantastic mrs.p!


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## Chloe597

oh wow, one more day, Almost! How are you feeling? I know a lot of very pregnant women DTD to try to get things moving. That was the LAST thing on my mind as i was waddling around and got winded just walking upstairs! Have you been doing anything to try to bring on labor?

Alice, I never really had any of the uterine pains I read about, but i know plenty who have. Welcome to the success stories!

P, so is Penny completely weaned from breast milk? I always wonder how hard on my body stopping BF will be. Did you experience any pain or anything? 

G was 6 months yesterday! DH and I really need to commit to a solids feeding plan now. We wanted to do BLW but we have been not as dilligent as we should be with it. I would like to do a mix of purees and BLW so that I know she is actually eating some food. I just took infant and child CPR/choking class so I'm all prepared just in case! I feel a lot better having taken the class and practiced on dummies.


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## MrsPTTC

Wow on the first aid course, what a good idea! Happy 1/2 year to gabby! :) 

No she's been having a feed off me on a morning but tomorrow's the last, so sad :cry: this mornings bf was crap though, she just wasn't happy. I've still got some frozen breast milk so will use that once a day til it's gone. As long as you don't go cold turkey it's ok, I've had to express a little bit on a night to make it more comfortable but my BBS are a lot less full as each day goes on. Penny will be 11 weeks on fri & no more bf from then :( x 

N


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## almosthere

I DTD last night-I heard the sperm helps to soften the cervix! I also walked around today and days before as well but nada. I am actually constipated now which stinks....the cramps make me think labor then nope I feel a poo needs to come on out but cant, haaha ughh

chloe-wow 6 months-yippee!! I bet it flew by fast!


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## daydream

Chloe - Wow six months! We're coming up on that soon. We've been getting ready for solids, finally bought our high chair so that will arrive next week. H still just watches us eat, isn't too crazy interested, so we'll keep waiting. We did infant cpr as well (I was a lifeguard growing up too so I know it, but DH didn't). I just hope I never have to use it!

MrsP - Good to know it isn't too uncomfortable. I also wondered about that. You did great going for as long as you did. I too had a friend who just opted not to BF, some tried to keep up but couldn't, and others fed until over 2 yrs old! It's all so different and you just have to do what works for you.

Almost- Wow you're so close! And lol regarding DTD, we were doing that very frequently towards the end.. and then childbirth happens and BAM stop. At least DH got a little enjoyment from that. I don't know about the other mamas, but we're lucky if we DTD once a week now... and I'm sure it stretches out to almost a month. It's definitely hard when you have to choose between getting sleep and DTD... for me sleep usually wins.


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## KatieTTC

You're almost there, almosthere! Crossing my fingers!

Chloe, I think if you do weaning gradually it won't be as bad. I used to wake up with sore breasts and couldn't wait to feed or pump, but it's not the case anymore :( I pump less frequently and each time there's less and less milk. Happy 6 months, Gabby!

MrsP, :hugs: I know how you feel :cry: But hey, your baby is happy, you're happy, right? That's what I keep telling myself. Formula will do just fine.

Anne is such a joy, slept 12 hours yesterday. She sleeps less and less during the day, so I have to come up with more activities for her, I don't want her to be laying in bed or in her swing staring at mobiles all day long.


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## Chloe597

I'm jealous of all u who are able to dtd even once a month! I have gone longer than that since gabby was born. Waiting too long makes it painful every time tho. And I don't think breast feeding hormones are doing anything good for my desire to dtd! But sleep is so nice. I get so worn out that once gabby goes down I just want to chill.

Solids were messy today. Tried to give her zucchini and cauliflower but she wasn't a fan. It just ended up getting stuck between her neck and chin and cleaning it out is hard because as soon as I try to wipe there she puts her head down and licks me. Oh, babies! I look forward to hearing about Dh's adventures in solids, daydream!


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## almosthere

yes chloe he is due tomorrow. i usually am too tired to dtd but was motivated to try to soften up that cervix! hahaha. super stressed as I just found under my hair on my scalp a huge growth and it looks like possible skin cancer-the last thing i need to worry about before giving birth-scheduling an appt asap tomorrow-i really hope they can get me in tomorrow


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## Jellycat

Almost happy due date, hope the growth is normal.

With solids for JJ I started with things like sweet potato and butternut squash JJ loved them as they are sweeter than some vegetables.

Went to mw Tuesday who says baby is measuring big based on fundal measurement and says I will likely be started on sweeps next Tuesday at 38+2 to avoid needing assistance with baby in labour as I did with JJ. I'm going to refuse Tuesday treatment as its my dads funeral two days later so want to postpone for 3 days. I really want this baby to stay put for 7 more days so I can get to go. But what will be will be.


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## MrsPTTC

Oh almost how horrid! Try not to panic though, you can get dodgy moles/growths & not cancerous just look nasty. You're full term now here in uk! :happydance: 

Katie :hugs: yep you're right! She's just had last bf this morning...still sad but I'll be able to put those horrible nursing bras away lol! :) 

X


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## MrsPTTC

Oh and Chloe dh & I have not long started DTD again, but we didn't have a great sex life before TTC so I'm determined to do it more regularly, hard though when you're so tired. And yes the longer you leave it the worse the pain will be so you really need to force yourself to do it! I used to have pain during bd cos it was so few & far between & I'm determined it not to happen again this time, especially since I'm loosened up :haha: x


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## MrsPTTC

Oh no jellycat I'm so so sorry to hear about your father passing :hugs: how hard, but especially when pregnant, hope LO can stay put. How big was JJ? x


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## Jellycat

Thank you , hasn't been easy since this weekend. JJ was 12 days overdue and 8lb 13oz but he had a big head, so I had to have a vontouse delivery and was in the 2nd stage for almost 6 hours. I've booked myself a private growth scan for tomorrow afternoon for reassurance that this baby isn't going to be big. My sisters first was 8lb 5oz her second was 9lb 10oz :-0. Really don't want to follow my sisters footsteps.


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## Sbmack

:hugs: So sorry about your father Jelly! I hope the little one isn't too big and your labor goes more smoothly this time. 

I hope the baby comes for you today, Almost!

I'm off to the dr's this morning....going to find out what kind of baby I'm getting!


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## almosthere

Again, sorry for your loss jelly. <3

sbmack-soooo exciting!!

calling the dermatologist in a few minutes-I hope they open at 8 and not 8:30-I really just want to get in and out of there asap


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## Chloe597

oh Jelly, I am so sorry for your loss :hugs: I hope baby isn't that big and stays put for you as long as you need.

ALmost, I hope its nothing. Pregnancy hormones can do all sorts of strange things to the body, so hopefully its just a result of that. 

P, good luck keeping up the sex life! I need to get better at that. 

SB, enjoy your gender scan! Its so exciting finding out! I hope baby is in a good position to show you his/her bits! :haha:


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## daydream

Jelly - So sorry to hear about your dad. I hope LO stays put long enough so that you can grieve properly with your family. And yes, no 10 lb babies! I hope the growth scan puts your mind at ease.

SB - YAY! Can't wait to hear what you've been cooking!

Almost- Yes pregnancy hormones can darken up spots on our skin, so I'll keep my fingers crossed you can get into the dr soon and get an all clear

Chloe - Whew I'm glad I'm not the only one not interested in DTD, and yes the bfing hormones do not help that one bit. I know what you mean about it hurting after taking a break for a while, it's like starting over again every time. -_-

MrsP - Yay for regular bras again! I'm jealous!


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## KatieTTC

Oh Jellycat, I am so sorry about your loss :hugs: I hope the baby stays put a little longer for you. 

Almosthere, hope your dermatology appointment shows there's nothing to worry about. I went to a dermatology clinic yesterday to get a biopsy done and it wasn't the most pleasant experience, people come with all sorts of stuff on their skin. Waiting for the baby news, so happy for you :happydance: 

MrsP, yay for the regular bras! My nursing bras look hideous, especially now that the breasts aren't as full as they used to be.

Sb, excited to find out the gender, hope the baby was turned the right way and you could see his hotdog/her hamburger.

Girls, you make me feel so much better about DTD. It hasn't been that great either. It feels tight and painful, hormones take the desire away, and sleep wins over DTD most of the time. DH has been great about it, very understanding and doesn't push me or make me feel guilty. I still feel bad though. We'll have to take it one step at a time.


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## AlicesHatter

So sorry for your loss, Jelly. I hope baby stays put a little longer for you.

Sbmack- what's the verdict? Pink or blue?

Almost - let us know how the dermatologist turned out. I hope it was no biggie!


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## Sbmack

I hope the dermatologist was able to put your mind at ease Almost!

I've been cooking a girl! Love the hot dog/hamburger line Katie! She wasn't cooperating at first. Some was curled up I'm a ball and flipping around, but not in the right direction. The tech had me moving around to try and change her position. Eventually she was able to tell.


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## Jellycat

Thanks ladies 

Katie - things will get better and easier to almost being like 'old times', glad you are both giving each other time


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## almosthere

thanks ladies! turns out it grew due to pregnancy but the dr. reccomends I remove it in a couple months after labor...eeeek no fun!

could not sleep woke up with an itchier belly than the past few days and found hives all over my stomach....must be PUPPS-bleh!


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## daydream

Yay a girl! Congrats!!

Almost - oh no! Hope baby comes soon to give you some relief from the pupps :(


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## almosthere

eeek sbmack i just noticed your message-congrats on your girly!!!


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## Chloe597

Welcome to the pink team, SB! I love having a girl (although i'm sure I would also love having a boy)

Jelly, i forget, do you know the gender?

Almost, glad its nothing serious! Hope that baby makes an appearance ASAP now so you can have some relief! 

Here is G sitting up. She is so good at sitting now! Still can't roll to save her life, but loves to stand and sit.
 



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## jodspods

Hi ladies,

sorry I've been awol! Been panicking but everything is just fine! Been for a reassurance scan today (private) and saw the baby move for the first time and heard its heartbeat (171 bpm)! It was amazing! I was worried as my breast tenderness had eased and my sickness a little but I guess that kinda happens at this stage for some! 2 weeks and 2 days til my 12 week scan now! 

Sbmack - congrats on finding out you're having a girl!

Almost - hope to hear your baby is here soon! 

Jelly - sorry for your loss and hope that baby will bring some comfort at such a difficult time! :hugs:

Hope everyone else is doing well! Great to see the progress of the babies! Too cute!!


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## almosthere

cute cute cute cute cute!

is that a jellycat stuffed bunny? i have a super cute tiny one-so soft i love ittt! and i love that chair-=)


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## MrsPTTC

Congrats on team :pink: SB!

So relieved its nothing to worry about almost! What's PUPPS though?

Lush pic of gabby Chloe! :)

Brilliant you've had another scan Jods!

Jellycat, wow 6 hours 2nd stage labour?? :shock: that's pushing right? Mine was only 25 mins I couldn't even imagine! :wacko: 

Penny slept 9.15pm til 8.10am last night woop woop! :happydance:

x


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## almosthere

PUPPS is a pregnancy rash-usually found in mothers to be expecting multiples or boys: https://dermatology.about.com/cs/pregnancy/a/puppp.htm


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## Chloe597

Yep, the bunny is jellycat. No baby yet, almost?? Come on little man! 

Jelly, I just realized you share a name with my bunny! Are you a fan of the jellycat animals or is there some other significance?

Jods, glad you saw your little bean move! Isn't it amazing what it does inside you and you can't feel any of it? Glad your symptoms are subsiding! 

P, yay for 11 hours of sleep!!

Gabby is starting to be suuuper fidgety on the boob right before bed now. she kicks, punches, turns her head often (with my nip still in her mouth!). bed time is no longer a calm happy time. I can only imagine what must be going through her tiny little mind, all the new thoughts and developments trying to manifest themselves. I am guessing this is why she is so animated. She also finds my glasses every time i pick her up, so I guess i'll be switching back to contacts pretty soon! And I fear i'm going to lose an earlobe too, so the earings may be coming out very soon as well.


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## almosthere

running late so will do personals later but NO baby yet eeeesh!


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## MrsPTTC

:rofl: Chloe! The little tinker! x


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## almosthere

oh goodness chloe-out with the earings! she sounds feisty! LOL I think i was like that when I was a baby breastfeeding-full of energy and BITE..my poor mom!

afm still no signs I am really getting frustrated, I want to hold my son soooo badly and never thought I would actually even make it to my due date let alone, passed it!


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## daydream

Just checking in but Chloe, I think you're right in the middle of a stormy period in the wonder weeks, that may be why. And almost - thinking of you! Hope it comes soon. Have they checked you? Any mention of doing a sweep?


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## almosthere

Hi daydream-I read that sweeps are only possible if you are dilated and I have not been dilating yet. However, I go in for an ultrasound and cervical check tomorrow so FX I have something going on so we can do sweep and then possible induction if need be by Thursday, we will see-I cant wait for tomorrow hehe


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## daydream

Good luck! I hope the dr appt has good news for you!


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## almosthere

thank you! it went well although my urine test was a tad bit abnormal. my dr is on call and gave me the option of having her induce me tonight or for a random dr wed or thurs-I am still not dilated but he did drop and my cervix is soft-i even bled after the cervical check-so I am going in tonight at 5!!!....if it does not work then i will go back home to avoid c-section and go back wed for a check up and then get induced again.


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## Chloe597

Good luck, almost!


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## daydream

Oh how exciting, good luck!


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## Jellycat

Ahhh love the PIC of Gabriella in the chair

Almost - good luck with the induction !

We don't know what we are having we managed to stay team yellow - I thought girl at first as pregnancy was so different to JJ however as I've progressed I'm now thinking its a boy. I didn't know jelly cat existed when I joined bnb - its similar to my surname which is why I chose it 

Consultant tomorrow to see what they want to do with this big baby I'm carrying, whether sweeps will be possible or set a date for induction - either way I'm feeling really nervous for tomorrow. Got to go to the same hospital that I said goodbye to dad which I think is going to be emotionally tough tomorrow, hoping a friend can come with me for support.


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## KatieTTC

Good luck with the induction, almost! 

Gabby is adorable, Chloe! So big already! Anne hasn't discovered my earrings yet, but she still manages to knock me out with her head once in a while. 

MrsP, glad Penny is sleeping well! Isn't it heavenly? 

Jellycat, thinking of you, sorry again about your loss. Hope you're getting lots of support from your friends and family. 

Daydream, you haven't updated your blog in a while. Any new cute photos or videos of Harrison?


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## Sbmack

Jelly, that's too bad you'll be at the same hospital where there's such a reminder of your dad. Hope the appt. goes well. Good job staying team yellow! I wish I could've, but I'm too impatient. 

I hope the induction worked for you Almost. Can't wait to see pics of your little boy! 

Chloe, Gabby is so scrumptious. 

Hope everyone else is doing well.


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## daydream

Katie - you have perfect timing, last night I was finally able to get some computer time to edit some photos, I'll post some over there :)


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## daydream

Okay I posted a lot.. haha. I backdated some, so they go back to March.


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## Jellycat

Daydream gorgeous photos. I did the same thing with JJ and his bumbo used his playmat singe could still have fun playing with them all. He has a lovely smile


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## Sbmack

aahh...I just love those serious faces he makes. So cute!


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## KatieTTC

Daydream, absolutely adorable! Thank you for sharing! What app do you use to create your collages? I've tried a couple, but I'm not too impressed.


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## daydream

KatieTTC said:


> Daydream, absolutely adorable! Thank you for sharing! What app do you use to create your collages? I've tried a couple, but I'm not too impressed.

I use diptic (collages) and snapseed (basic photo editing) for my iphone pictures.. well and instagram of course.


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## daydream

Tonight we did our first food: avocado! H seemed to dig it, but then spent a good ten minutes finger painting on his high chair. I gave him a few bites and then pretty much just gave him a preloaded spoon with avocado mush and let him try it. Overall a positive experience for him, but didn't do much actual eating.


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## Chloe597

Great pics, daydream! In your journal, and of avocado :) I tried to give G avocado a couple weeks ago and she didnt do much with it. I have another one lurking in the fridge, and if its still good I may try again tonight. Gave her yogurt yesterday and she seemed to like it. 

I had the flu on Monday and Tuesday, and DH is out of town, so it was a bit of an adventure for us over here. Had my parents over to help out. I would not have survived without them! I think I managed to keep it from spreading to G, thankfully! I dread the day she has a fever. I will probably freak out.

Almost, hope everything went well with the induction!


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## daydream

Chloe - I know you were looking to BLW, are you spoon feeding her the bites, or are you encouraging her to try herself? Last night we just fed him a couple bites but didn't want to force it on him. He ate the bites we gave him but wasn't dying for us to keep giving them to him. So not sure how to approach it. I think the next week or so I'll just do the same and see if he picks up on what this eating thing is about. I'm going to do avocado tonight and if we have some left again tomorrow maybe mixed with some rice cereal. Then I think this weekend I'm going to make a couple purees to freeze and get ready for the next few weeks.. maybe sweet potato and banana.. ohhh or pear! (just googled and found this site https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/babyfirstfoods.htm )


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## MrsPTTC

Good luck almost! Funny they do sweeps in UK no matter whether you're dilated or not.

:hugs: Jellycat, can DH not go with you?

Daydream how cute harrison is! I've just discovered Instagram & LOVE IT! I'll have to try some different apps too. I'll post a recent instagram pic of Penny x


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## MrsPTTC

Penny x
 



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## daydream

Look at her! Little hippie throwing up the peace sign :)


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## Sbmack

Penny is so cute. Nice dress, how could you not love her!


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## Chloe597

Aww, little P making the peace sign. how cute! I put gabby in an outfit yesterday (27 weeks!) that would have benefited from her ability to make a peace sign :)

We are kinda sorta trying BLW. I decided to do a mix of purees and solid pieces for her to explore. I still get quite nervous seeing her with solid pieces, fearing she will choke. We tried avocado last night, but this time i both gave her a piece to hold and i mashed some up and spoon fed it to her. she loves to grab the spoon from me and chew on it. but when i would give her a fresh spoonful of food, she would eagerly grab the spoon and then make a face when she realized it had food on it. She repeated this quite a few times until she no longer wanted to eat the spoon and instead threw it on the just mopped floor :dohh: here is a pic of her eating yogurt. Took just one day of spoon feeding for me to realize the bib should go on top of the straps, not under them. That was a fun mess to clean...

That is a good website, daydream, I think i may use that to make up some purees. Perhaps we will venture into sweet potatoes tonight. she also likes to chew on cold baby carrots. Probably feels good on her gums.
 



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## daydream

Sounds very similar to our experience. H loves to grab the spoon and he will stick it in his mouth with the food on it. Sometimes he acts very unpleasantly surprised by the fact that the food is there, but then I spoon fed him a couple bites and then he was opening his mouth for more.. but then once the food got there, again, surprised face. He did seem to chew/swallow several bites last night though. He's not pushing it back out, so that's good. Of course we're only on day two, so I'm taking our time and still just want this to be a positive thing for him. I think tonight we are going to try just plain organic brown rice cereal to see what he thinks. Then tomorrow start with maybe bananas.


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## daydream

Also I LOVE Gabby's outfit in the first picture!


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## AlicesHatter

Oh how cute are Harrison, Penny, & Gabby?! Adorable!

AFM - still working on adding a ticker. I think I'll need to try on the PC as I have been unsuccessful on this iPad. Ha!


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## Jellycat

Oh so many gorgeous babies ! 

Chloe with JJ I too worried about choking and even now at 2 1/2 I cur up grapes and am reluctant to give them to him but it does get easier. I would give him things like cucumber sticks or breadsticks for him to Jane at and puréed foods try to give one or two veg then a fruit mixed with a little natural yogurt (at about 7 months) - constantly remind yourself that until one it's all about fun and getting used to various tastes. The one thing I found not good to purée was melon as was just far too watery but cubed was perfect for him to suck and chew on as just melted away easily in his mouth (watermelon) is a good one at first.

Went to consultant baby now measuring 9lb 4oz do start sweeps this Tuesday and will be induced at 41 weeks if not in labour naturally before. 

Had dads funeral today was a beautiful day with sun shining and a lovely cooling breeze, service was perfectly delivered and was lovely to see so many faces from
his youth and present friends. We got my nieces and JJ to send off balloons into the sky for grandad this evening. I'm still grieving (I expected alot of this to dissapear today but hasn't) however realise nowhere it's a new stage of our family trying to find our way with dad not being there. Talked to dh how having baby will be difficult at first seeing family knowing dad won't be there, but hoping the in laws will respect this and give us some private time before bombarding us with visits. Most difficult thing has been when people at times think having a baby makes the fact of losing my dad easier or the baby will erase the grief - and that's not how I feel at all. I feel both 'events' deserve their own recognition And neither takes away from the other. I think with jelly2 I maybe a possessive mother not wanting others to hold them etc as their life is so precious.


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## daydream

Jelly :hugs: I can completely understand all the feelings you're having. I couldn't imagine losing someone so dear right around the birth of my child. You are right that they are separate events. I hope you get some time to grieve and process each one. So much change at once can't be easy. :hugs:


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## Chloe597

:hugs: Jelly. I hope you get your feelings and privacy respected. My Grandpa (mom's dad) had a heart attack right when I found out I was pregnant. He lived for about 5 more months on a ventilator, not being able to speak or breathe on his own, and I was quite pregnant when he passed. I am sad that they never got to meet but having Gabby really gave my mom and her mom something joyful at an otherwise very sad time. It was almost a blessing the baby came when she did. It certainly did not erase any grief, but provided a distraction at times, which I think was a good thing. I hope things get easier for you soon.

I gave G sweet potatoes yesterday, mashed up, and she seemed to enjoy them. It was really funny watching her eat because she would stick her tongue way out to just dip it in the spoon as opposed to opening her mouth to let me put the spoon in. She has also started making new noises, and is making raspberry noises with her spit. DH is going to be so impressed with her new skills when he gets home tonight, and I am going to take a much needed break! Still feeling under the weather after catching the flu on monday. Can't wait for the weekend!


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## MrsPTTC

:hugs2: jelly, I can't begin to imagine how you must be feeling & how hard it is, condolences Hun :flow: 

Funny how you ladies think of Penny as giving the peace sign, in the UK the fingers the other way round is swearing & that's what my Facebook friends have thought she was doing! :haha: 

Lovely pics Chloe, suck a cutie. And daydream your blog pics are fab, I've downloaded those apps you mentioned & I'll give them a go!

X


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## daydream

Thanks! And enjoy the apps! I hope you like them! I've also recently downloaded the app a Beautiful Mess which has some text features.


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## MrsPTTC

I love diptic, here's what I did playing around x


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## MrsPTTC

Here you go
 



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## KatieTTC

Gabby, Penny and Harrison look adorable! :flower:

Jelly, thinking of you :hugs: Hope the in-laws will give you some time to grieve. You are getting so close to your due date! I look forward to seeing pictures of your little one. 

I hope the lack of updates from almost means she's too busy feeding and changing diapers.


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## Sbmack

Jelly, I hope you're hanging in there. I'm glad the funeral went well and you had the support of family and friends. Looking forward to seeing pics of your LO soon!

Loving all the pictures. They're all so precious! Lots of good looking babies!!


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## Sbmack

I got nervous tonight because I got very dizzy and felt faint. I think it was because I didn't drink enough water today. I was out in a boat for a bit and went on a tube. It was a two person that you sit up on. I wouldn't have gone on it if it was the kind that you lay on your belly. I'm worrying that I should not have gone though. We weren't going super fast, but it was a little bumpy at times. I should stop thinking that I can do everything I did before I was pregnant.


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## Chloe597

SB, you are probably fine. Baby is in a nice protective watery bubble :) I went to Costa Rica when I was 21 weeks pregnant, went zip lining, and went on some seriously bumpy hours long van rides through the back country. It was so bumpy i found myself holding on to my stomach to try to keep it from bouncing, which was pointless. Everything turned out fine, but I did spend some time worrying after, thinking I shouldn't have been so adventurous. 

P, nice pic! isn't it great what some of these apps can do? I put together a collage of gabby's many milk coma faces from when she was a teeny baby, and i just love looking at it. already it seems so long ago that she was hardly ever awake, and would pass out every time she ate. Now i don't have to burp her and she only falls asleep when nursing if its bed time.


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## Jellycat

I can't wait to use some nice pics in a collage of jelly2. I've never been very good at technical stuff and don't need to be as dh is a techie do just left it upto him over the years.

Sbmack - I'm sure everything is fine it's surprising how resilient these little babies are, I find even bumpy car journeys make me uncomfortable now adays!


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## Chloe597

Almost, i saw your updated avatar pic...he is gorgeous! 42 hours of labor!?! can't wait to hear the story! Hope you are adjusting well at home :hugs:

Jelly, not long now! any signs yet? Are doctors still predicting a big baby?


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## KatieTTC

Congratulations, Almost! I found your birth story on a different thread. I hope you're recovering well and will heal soon. Liam is beautiful!


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## Sbmack

Congratulations, Almost!


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## daydream

almosthere said:


> thank you! it went well although my urine test was a tad bit abnormal. my dr is on call and gave me the option of having her induce me tonight or for a random dr wed or thurs-I am still not dilated but he did drop and my cervix is soft-i even bled after the cervical check-so I am going in tonight at 5!!!....if it does not work then i will go back home to avoid c-section and go back wed for a check up and then get induced again.

ohh yay I just snooped at your other posts and read your birth story! Congrats! I'm sorry to hear about your tearing, but glad to know you're home and recovering well with your handsome little man!


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## Jellycat

Chloe they are predicting 10lb + at due date...... I've had quite a few days especially after my sweep Monday of pains and some loss of plug ....... Then yesterday absolutely nothing. I'm hoping to finish off the housework today and that should hopefully get baby moving downwards. Another sweep booked in for monday


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## Chloe597

oh wow, Jelly, if LO is that big, will you try vaginally or go for a C section? G was 6 lbs 13 oz and i looked at her and wondered how in the world a baby like that can fit out of a vagina! I hope the cleaning jumpstarts things for you!


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## KatieTTC

yeah, Jelly, I was wondering the same. Are you going to try to deliver naturally or go for Csec instead knowing Jelly2 will be so large?


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## Jellycat

Im going to try VB - I dilated quite easily with JJ but am nervous about needing an assisted delivery again. My sister had 9lb 10oz by VB so hoping things will be ok


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## MrsPTTC

Aww congrats Almost!! :happydance: I've checked back at your avatar & Liam is adorable, can't wait to hear all about it!

Not long now Jelly! So exciting! 

x


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## Sbmack

Good luck, Jelly!!!!


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## almosthere

oh boy i forgot to update on this thread so busy!!!

I went in on a Monday to be induced 4 days after my DD. I did not have Liam Michael until Wednesday June 5th at 2:01 pm after 42 hours of labor! No epidural until 8cm dilated! So glad I got it since I had internal and external tearing in vaginal and rectal areas. I needed an episiotomy and assisted birth-vacum as his head was comming out crooked and he was too big for tiny little me and his heart rate was plummeting very fast-it was only in the 70s and 60's =(! He weighed a good 7lbs9oz although he pooped TWICE immediately after birth, so he actually weighed more when I was pushing and we was 21in long! I got grade 4 tear as they called it at the hospital-the worst you can get and went home with a catheter. Catheter was removed monday and I got a uti. I am now on meds to grid of that and am feeling better each day. Liam Michael is the love of my life aside from DH and we couldnt be happier!!


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## almosthere

jelly you are brave trying a vb good luck!


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## Sbmack

Wow, Almost. What an ordeal. So glad you and Liam are doing well. Hope you're healing quickly!!


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## Chloe597

Hope everything is going well, Jelly! Hope you had your LO instead of having to get a sweep today!

Almost, that was quite a story. I'm glad you are healing from your tears. Sounds so painful! Do you know how long his heart rate was low? Doctor's can move so quickly, i know Gabby's heart rate dropped, but they never told me how low, or if it ever came back up prior to getting her out of me. I hope you enjoyed your first fathers day! Are you BFing? Did your UTI meds affect that at all? What a lot of stuff to be thrown at you right after birth! infections, catheters, tears. I'll bet looking at little Liam makes it all seem so insignificant :)

How is everyone else? Haven't heard from Yum in a while on her pregnancy. 

G had her 6 month checkup this past weekend (although she was 6 months 2.5 weeks). She was 18.5 lbs and 27" long, so dropping to around 75-80 centiles (from the 95% she was at 4 months). She does appear to be thinning out a bit, but certainly is no skinny baby! She had a cough going into the appt and i think that made the vaccines affect her more, because she ended up with a fever of 100.8 by saturday night, and all day yesterday it was around 100. This morning it was down to 99, so we sent her to daycare. Poor thing slept most of the day yesterday, although when she was awake she was perfectly happy and you wouldn't really know anything was wrong, except she was slightly less smily. Have any of the new mom's experienced sickness and/or fever with your LO yet? It is so nerve wracking! I don't know what I will do when anything serious comes up.


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## daydream

Almost - I'm so sorry to hear about your tears, it does not sound fun at all. I'm glad things are healing and moving in the right direction. Soon it will all be behind you and be such a distant memory.

Jelly - GL my dear, I hope your LO is on the way, or will be soon!

Chloe - oh poor little gabby! H has his this Friday. We haven't had it too bad with previous vax, and I can't remember are the 6 mo ones boosters of what he's gotten before? Or were some new? We went on vacation this weekend for Father's Day. H is such a good little traveler, which is good because we're going to be traveling next month (his first plane ride!) for my work. DH is coming along and bringing H so I can still nurse at night with him. It's only for four days, but so glad I don't have to leave my son while I have to travel. 

SB - how is the second trimester treating you? Right where you are was probably my favorite part of pregnancy. From there to about 30 weeks is the best.


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## Chloe597

Daydream, the 6 month vaccines are the same as the 2 and 4 month (or at least there were no new vaccines that she has never had before). She has never reacted poorly to vaccines before, so I think maybe it was because she was already sick when given the shots? She had a cough, but no fever. Now she still has a cough, a fever, and her nose is runny. When I had my fever of 100.4 I was miserable. G can clearly handle these things better than I! I hope she keeps that attitude up :) That is great that H is a good traveller! Good luck on the plane. I wonder if flying gets easier or harder as they are older. Seems like when they are newborns, they could just nurse and sleep. Now they are larger and more active, but still not mobile, so it will be interesting to see how that goes :) I'm planning a cruise around her 1st birthday, so that could be an interesting time. That is nice that DH will travel with him for your work trip. I will have a work trip in November for a week that I am dreading because I don't want to leave her. That will probably mark the end of my nursing, too, or at least the end of regular nursing. Not sure when I want to give up the bedtime feed. I know some moms who keep just that one feeding up for quite a while. 

SB, this is a great time in the pregnancy. Hope you are enjoying it!


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## Sbmack

Chloe, I hope Gabby feels better soon!!

Daydream, good luck this Friday. I'm sure Harrison will do great!

I've been very lucky and have had a pretty easy pregnancy so far. I started to get some bad back pain last week. It's probably from all the time I spend driving. I have to drive a lot for work though so there's not much I can do about that. I'm now using some type of lumbar support on my car seat though...seems to be helping. I was doing really well with weight gain the first 18 weeks. It seems like the pounds are adding up fast now though. Need to stay on track and keep exercising when I can. I feel a lot better and have more energy when I do. I'm going to try the recumbent bike at the gym today. I was still running last week, but it's starting to get a little uncomfortable.

I hope everything is going well for you Jelly!


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## Chloe597

SB, try prenatal yoga! It felt so good on my back whenever I did it, and just very light weight lifting also helped my back a lot (like 3 lb weights, used a denise austin pregnancy workout DVD). Can't believe you are still running! I turned into a lazy blob, which is probably why 3lb weight lifting helped me. How much weight have you gained?


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## daydream

Chloe - I'm planning to fly during his normal happy times, in the morning and early afternoon. He's pretty happy normally, so I'm not too worried. Watch I'll eat my words next month lol.

And I'm planning to do the same regarding nursing, around 1 year I want to stop pumping but keep the morning and bedtime nursing sessions until he decides he's ready to be done.


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## Buninmyoven

Hi ladies, I'm gate crashing from the spotters thread, hope you don't mind ;)

I've recently been given Clomid to try. Did any of you find this helped with your spotting and do you think it helped you get your BFP? So far I've got no answer as to what's causing this and I feel like I've been TTC for ages now

Thanks


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## KatieTTC

Hi Bun, I used Clomid during one of my cycles when TTC. My OB assumed I wasn't ovulating and prescribed Clomid, but a minimum dose caused too many eggs to mature and we skipped TTC that month. We eventually conceived on our own without any meds. I never found out what caused my spotting. Good luck! 

Almost, hope you are recovering well!

Chloe, daydream, we just had our 4month vaccines and Anne was so lethargic after them. I had to force her to eat, she wouldn't smile at all and was a bit like a zombie. Fortunately she was back to normal two days later. Hope Gabby feels better already! I'm also curious what kind of a traveler Anne's going to be. We're planning to take a continental flight in September and a flight overseas this Christmas and I'm hoping for the best. 

Jelly, thinking of you!

Sb, glad pregnancy is going well! Enjoy it, I kind of miss it now. 

Has any of you experienced any spotting since giving birth? I'm curious if it'll eventually return.


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## daydream

I still haven't had AF since giving birth. *knock on wood* :)


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## Chloe597

I haven't had AF or any spotting since giving birth either! its been great!! Sounds like Anne wasn't a fan of her vaccines either. I'm glad the ill effects don't last long. Gabby slept what seemed like most of the day yesterday. 

Hi Bun! I tried clomid for 2 rounds I think, and it made my spotting worse. it turned brighter read and heavier than normal, but still started at the same time. I was totally expecting the opposite and was very disappointed. I ended up conceiving without the help of Clomid a month or two after my last clomid cycle, and while spotting just like when I was on clomid.


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## Sbmack

Chloe597 said:


> SB, try prenatal yoga! It felt so good on my back whenever I did it, and just very light weight lifting also helped my back a lot (like 3 lb weights, used a denise austin pregnancy workout DVD). Can't believe you are still running! I turned into a lazy blob, which is probably why 3lb weight lifting helped me. How much weight have you gained?

I'm still doing yoga (ashtanga) once a week. I may start pre-natal soon. I practiced for a few years prior to getting pregnant so I was worried that the pre-natal yoga would be too easy, but now I'm getting a little too big for a lot of poses. My teachers are great though and tell me ways to modify that's best for me and the baby. I've gained almost 10 lbs so far. I don't think that's a ton, but I've heard it comes on fast more towards the end. 

Thanks for the weight lifting tip. I'll look into a pregnancy work out dvd. As for running..I'm only doing 2 miles and I stop every half mile or so. I only do that once a week if that. I did go to the gym yesterday and did the bike, some machines for my arms and ran a mile. I need to remember my tight sports bras from now on. I'm so not used to these bb's and they were in the way.

Bun, I've never used Clomid. Hope it works for you!


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## jodspods

Hi ladies,

Hope all is well with everyone! Had our 12 wk today and everything is good! Measuring 12+1 so due date is 30 December! Just so happy that baby was there and looking good! Got a couple pics which ill post. Any gender thoughts? Xx
 



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## Chloe597

oh lovely, jods! How are you feeling?? 12 weeks is close to the time you should start feeling better, if you are ill at all, that is. I think i started feeling better around 13 weeks. I looked back at my 12 week scan and looks pretty much like yours, so I'll guess girl :) I think some people think the forehead is supposed to be able to help predict, but how is beyond me :) 

SB, lol about big bb's! I never really got that way when pregnant, unfortunately, but once my milk came in, BAM, there they were! I hope you find a nice supportive bra! And the weight lifting exercises that helped me most were the rowing and lifting type that were designed to strenthen the back. 3lbs on biceps was a joke, but it was surprisingly helpful for the back exercises. 

Gave G green beans last night and she loved them! I think I am going to start teaching her baby sign language for the basics. I found a great website and it seems like it may pay off in the long run if it can reduce frustration for her in communication. She has been a little crab the past couple nights, not wanting to go back to sleep after waking in the middle of the night. Every time we put her back in the crib she would wake up and cry.


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## Jellycat

Chloe - is gabby feeling all better now after her jabs ?

Jodspods - I'm thinking girl based on skull theory but am pretty rubbish at these kind of things


In regards to just keeping a particular time for feeding this is exactly what my soil did when she went back to work kept the bedtime nursing until her daughter decided she no longer wanted feeding. Worked well for them

Had sweep yesterday and was contracting all day between 4-6 mins apart but then tailed off and nothing today ..... Another sweep booked friday


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## daydream

jods - I'm going to guess boy, but I'm not too sure if I'm seeing a nub or not. Sometimes it's hard to tell. 

Chloe - oh how fun! I think I'm going to do carrots in the next batch of food I make. Reading Tyler Florence's Fresh Start cookbook has me so inspired! Lately we've just been doing sweet potatoes and pears.


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## jodspods

Thanks ladies! I'm still feeling sick but hope that passes soon! I've got a bum picture they gave us but it won't post on my iPhone so I will try to post later then you can see what you think! I think she gave us the photo cos we thought it was funny! X


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## jodspods

Finally I managed to crop the picture to be able to post it! I'm thinking possibly girl with this but that could be beginnings of a boy....
 



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## MrsPTTC

Oh almost that sounds like an awful birth, my tear was only 2nd degree, & for you to be cut as well as tear Urgh :( Hope you are on the mend soon. 

Jodspods great scan pics, I'm thinking :pink: 

Bun I got pregnant on clomid, I was on it 8 rounds, last couple I didn't spot much but previous rounds it didnt make any difference to my spotting. 

Jellycat good luck Hun hope the 2nd sweep works! 

x


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## MrsPTTC

Katie, penny had her 3 month injections on Monday, she screamed so bad compared to the 2 month ones & she held her breath :sad1: took her to baby massage yesterday & couldn't join in, she was fine all day then screamed when we got there!

My AF not returned yet but I got EWCM yesterday so pretty sure she'll be here in 10-14 days. I text DH & said I'm ovulating if you fancy another one :haha:

SB I put about 10lbs on early on, by the time she came I'd put on just over 2 stone which is apparently normal! 

My BBS went up 2 cupsizes & a week after I stopped bf'ing were straight back down & are so soft & droopy, boo! :cry:

x


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## Sbmack

Cute little bum, Jods!! I'm not good at gender guesses, but I say boy. I hope your sickness goes away soon!

Mrs. P, I hope Penny is felling better today!

Good luck with the baby sign language, Chloe. I know a lot of daycares teach that and it definitely helps with early communication. Yay for G liking green beans. I hope my little girl isn't a picky water. I've heard it sometimes takes 7 times for them to like something if they don't right away...I hope I have the stamina to keep trying. 

Daydream, how is H doing with solid foods this week?


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## Chloe597

oh poor Penny! have you had to give any pain or fever relief? I managed to keep tylenol out of Gabby's system until her most recent round of shots. And LOL about droopy bb's! Mine look like deflated balloons by the end of the day, and then in the morning they are huge and perky. Gotta love BFing! 

I too put on around 2 stone - I think closer to 32 lbs (thanks to google for converting it for me!). I always forget how much I actually weighed since I gave birth so quickly and wasn't prepared with my final measurements

Jods, after seeing that, i'm thinking boy now. Girls have 3 lines from that angle, but i see no lines. its also quite early, so who knows!


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## daydream

Harrison has been eating great this week. We're doing sweet potatoes and pears, he LOVES the pears. I want to make carrots and a few other veggies whenever I get a chance so that we can try something new soon :) Maybe tonight I'll stop by the store so he can do bananas again tonight.

I gained 30 pounds total from prepregnancy weight, but if you count my lowest weight during the first tri, it's more like forty because I lost more than ten pounds in the beginning. I'm at prepregnancy now, but that's not where I want to be, I'd actually like to lose 30 more because I'm overweight. I want to start exercising but I literally have no idea where I would fit it in during my day unless it's right before bed. My 1.5 hours of commute everyday is really impacting my day now that H is here and also uses a lot of my time.


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## KatieTTC

Lovely scan, jods! I'm gonna guess a girl :) Hope your sickness passes soon!

Sb, funny about the big boobs:) I look at my nursing bras in disbelief now, I can't believe my bbs were THAT big when I was nursing... 

MrsP, hope Penny is back to normal. Ovulating already? Are you ready to give it another try? ;) How's formula feeding going? I'm still very sad bf is over :( I wanted to give Anne the best for as along as I could. I really hoped to bf for at least 6 months. On the other hand, it's nice to feed her at 7pm and not have to do another feeding till 7am. She definitely sleeps longer at night after formula and I feel well rested now. 

I had something that resembled AF two months ago. The flow was as heavy as during normal AF and lasted for about four days, but the color and consistency was much lighter than usual and there was zero cramping, which has never happened before. Not sure what it was. No spotting otherwise, hope it stays that way once regular AF returns. 

Chloe, baby sign language? I've never heard of that. 

Hope Jelly is doing well! Thinking of you!

Here're some photos of Anne from our latest photo shoot. Would love to see more pictures of your los.
 



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## Jellycat

Katie loving the middle picture of her smiling very cute.

I'm OK had another false alarm last night so spent most of day on my ball, 3 rd sweep tomorrow morning hoping that will trigger me into labour


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## daydream

Katie - Oh wow Anne is SO CUTE! I'm jealous of your good sleep! H still wakes up at least once a night. But it's not too horrible, but I would definitely would love to get more! 

Jelly - GL dearie! Come on baby!!


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## KatieTTC

Thank you, girls! Good luck, Jellycat!


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## Sbmack

Anne is adorable!!! Glad she's sleeping well for you. 

Good luck tomorrow, Jelly!


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## MrsPTTC

Come on Jellybaby come out come out!!

I gave her calpol Chloe, not sure if you have it over there but is just a baby paracetamol type medicine. We have baby sign language over here too, think it's called makaton?

Aww Katie Anne is adorable! The formula feeding is going fine though I don't like her poops now ha ha! She's sleeping usually 11 hours a night but this morning has been going over 8 and is still asleep! :wacko: In some ways I find it more convenient but in others less. And yes I'm still gutted too I'm not bf'ing :sad1: Why did you stop again?

Daydream I'm with you on the finding time to excercise. I've got a spare tyre/muffin top, whatever you want to call it lol and dieting won't help, I need to do excercise but when would I fit that in?! Every nap she has during the day I'm doing housework or out and about with the pram. I walk the dog a few times a week (DH or his dog walker the rest obviously ha ha) which helps but need to do more....

Penny is fine now thanks everyone :)

x


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## Jellycat

With JJ I'd give him his bottle then put in his bouncer facing me whilst I do an exercise video then jump in the shower, afternoon I'd go for a quick 30min hill walk that I gradually built up the distance each day. Found it the easiest way to workout. Walking is great calorie burner and pushing buggy too


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## Chloe597

I have no time to work out either. DH keeps getting on me to work out, but honestly, i spend my 2 hours with gabby every evening, then i want an hour to myself, and then its bedtime. And on the weekends, my priority is spending time with Gabby, not trying to get a 6 pack. I should just start working out during lunch at work. we have a gym, and a shower if i am so inclined. would certainly be a time saver. If only i didnt also spend 40 min a day pumping and need that extra lunch hour to catch up on that days work. 

Baby sign language is supposed to help them communicate the basic needs with you before they are able to speak. so you have signs for things like mommy, daddy, milk, food, done, more, happy, and diaper (probably more, but those are the basic ones), and you are supposed to make those signs when you say the words, and baby will be able to communicate with you via hand gestures for a while, which is supposed to help alleviate some frustration down the road. 

Come on baby Jelly!

Took G out to a restaurant crawl yesterday. she tried hummus for the first time and LOVED it. here is a pic of her enjoying it :) Gave her some canteloupe and mango which she also enjoyed, but which freaked me out because she was biting them (more BLW stuff, which continues to give me heart attacks). I am a much bigger fan of purees!
 



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## Jellycat

I was the same with JJ would panic with any blow food still don't like to give him grapes uncut or cherry tomatoes and he's almost 3!

No signs of labour so off to hospital today to discuss and possibly have induction as its already booked for today


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## Sbmack

Jelly, I saw that you posted and thought maybe you had your jellybean. Good luck today!!!

Chloe, I love that Gabby loves hummus! 

I had an early small shower yesterday. A couple of regulars from a wine shop that I sell to and do classes at hosted a party for me....customers of customers if you will. They were very sweet to do so. The couple that hosted have a daughter my age and she hasn't had any children yet so I think they're getting antsy for grandchildren. Anyway, I got a baby food maker that steams and purees. It also reheats straight from the freezer. It seems like a great device. I'm excited to use it.


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## daydream

GL Jellycat! 

Sbmack - How fun! Which one did you get? I have the cuisinart baby and I love it. Just made some green beans last night. :)


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## daydream

I think we are in the thick of the 6 month growth spurt. Last night at bedtime we had quite a fit, very reminiscent of the previous growth spurts we've had. Since he's at daycare today, I guess I'll just pump every two hours to try to keep up with the growth spurt. Hopefully that will do it, otherwise I may add a pumping session before bed.


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## Chloe597

how much milk do you think H is drinking daily, Daydream? My ped said often times milk consumption doesnt go up because of solids introduction. I haven't noticed any 6 month growth spurts yet, but G is definitely enjoying her purees and now i think more end up in her tummy than on her face/hands/feet/chest/hair/highchair :) Her drinking frequency has neither increased nor decreased, and the amount i pump has remained constant too. 

GL Jelly!! Saw on your journal that you are having contractions 6 min apart. hope this is it and your LO is on its way!


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## daydream

I've been reading the same today, but then I also read that for some people it's horrible! So I guess it just depends on the baby and how much solids they start eating. He upped his eating a lot yesterday and then ate last night at 11:30, 3 and 5:30 when normally it's just one of those. When I woke up this morning I was definitely not as full as I normally am. I sent him today with 3 6 oz bottles and 1 5oz bottle, along with a small jar of carrots to have around lunchtime. I'm hoping I can get him to eat enough during the day that he won't wake up as much at nighttime.


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## Sbmack

daydream said:


> GL Jellycat!
> 
> Sbmack - How fun! Which one did you get? I have the cuisinart baby and I love it. Just made some green beans last night. :)

It's the baby breeza.

I registered today...what a process. It was very overwhelming. I'm glad I can go online and make adjustments.

Sorry if I've asked this already, but what kind of pumps do you all have. I've heard good things about medela's. I need to look into whether or not my insurance covers one.


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## daydream

Chloe - Well I found out why H was crabby last night.. when I picked him up from daycare I got to feel a nice sharp little tooth bud that cut through his gums, haha! I've been trying to get a picture but it's still too teeny.

SB - I use the medela pump in style advanced, I like it but I hear the freestyle is better from my coworkers, and I believe insurance should cover them now


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## Chloe597

yay for a teething baby, daydream! That is exciting! So do you think maybe all the nursing was just for comfort rather than actual hunger/growth spurt? 

SB, i used insurance to get mine, and ended up with the Medela Advanced. I didn't really have a choice, the lactation consultant just chose either Medela or Ameda for me, based on what was good at the time. They said production seems to vary so they go back and forth as to which ones are best. I know a lot of people with the pump in style. I think they are the same basic pump, just the bag is designed differently. Mine has the milk storage + pump in one bag, whereas the other one has a separate bag for milk storage, I believe. and the pump in style is nicer looking. 

So gabby hit a milestone that many babies have hit months ago...but thats ok, I"m still super proud. She can now roll front to back, and I caught it on video :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZUH3TtexqQ


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## Sbmack

Go, Gabby go!


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## daydream

Yay go Gabby!!

I'm still stumped on these extra feedings, he did it again last night: 11pm, 2:30am, 4:30am. I'm dying over here. I'm trying to get him to suck on my finger and go back to sleep but nope, he's hungry. This of course hits during my busiest week at work I've had since I've been back. -_-


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## KatieTTC

Congratulations Jelly! Love your little girl's name. Can't wait to hear your story and see pictures! Hope you and Florence are doing well :flower:

My goodness, daydream, that's a lot of feeding! Hang in there! Congratulations on the first tooth!

Congrats on turning, Gabby! It's a great video, Chloe, thanks for sharing! Anne's not into turning much, she did roll front to back once, but that's about it. She still prefers spinning clockwise in her bed. We're starting to see some attempts at crawling during tummy time, but she still has ways to go. 

Sb, I used Ameda Purely Yours Ultra and Lansinoh manual breast pump. Honestly, I found the manual pump to be more powerful than the electric one, but I had to do all the work. 

MrsP, hope all is well. I had to stop breast-feeding for a while because a couple of months after delivery I experienced severe joint pain and discovered some rash on my body. The doc suspected lupus, put me on meds and told me not to breastfeed. Although I pumped like crazy to maintain the supply, it was dropping each day while Anne's demand was increasing. Eventually I dried out. I'm still sad :cry: but I do enjoy my freedom and night sleep (still would've given it up for the chance to go back to bf).

AF returned in all its glory, with cramping and all that fun stuff. No spotting though, hope pregnancy took care of whatever was causing it. Anne's been doing great, sleeping and eating well. She chews on anything that gets near her mouth (especially enjoys my shoulder) and laughs like crazy when I tickle her. She's also guiding our feeding sessions now, holding onto the bottle and pulling or pushing it depending on whether she wants to eat, burp, fart or just say something important to me.


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## MrsPTTC

SB I used a medela mini electric, far better than the tommee tippee one I had which was useless! 

Aww Chloe how cute is that video of gabby!!!

Daydream, yay for Harrison's first tooth!!

Katie, penny is also holding the bottle now, well putting a hand on it at least! These milestones are great but scary, they grow up so fast!

Just checked out Jelly's journal, huge congrats Hun, another :pink: for the thread! Fab name, can't wait to hear more & see a pic! 

x


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## Chloe597

How is everyone? Gabby is officially 7 months now. My how time flies! She is only 5 months away from the 1 year mark! I really have to start babyproofing soon. Its only a matter of time before she is mobile. 

Has anyone taken their LO swimming yet? I keep wanting to take G, but I haven't found a proper swim suit. I want one with sleeve to help prevent burning, even tho the other ones that look like normal adult suits are soooo much cuter. But i may end up getting one of those and just putting lots and lots of sunscreen on her instead. 

Katie, happy to hear anne is a good sleeper! And glad the spotting seems to have gone! I am hoping once my AF returns, I too have no more spotting. I am debating what to do about birth control. I am on the mini pill now but apparently that isn't recommended for normal birth control, only when breast feeding? I'm not sure why, except maybe the effectiveness level. 

Anyone else get AF yet?

Haven't heard from Nell or Almost in a while. Hope all is well with your LO's, girls!


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## daydream

Chloe we had H's first swim lesson today! We got his swim diaper at Target and then got him a rash guard for on top. He had a blast! 

I got a diaphragm for bc because I didn't want hormones. 

H's new favorite thing is playing peekaboo, it's adorable!


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## daydream

Oh! And we officially have two teeth now!


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## _Nell

Hi ladies :)

I have to confess i manage to read this thread a few times a week and there's so much in posts i want to respond too and say 'yeah me too' but it moves so fast and i'm so darn slow at typing on the ipad!

So update on me and Leila...
Leila is 7 months now, she has 4 teeth and sits unaided. BLW is going well. She still sleeps through, 7pm - 8am. She loves shaking anything and everything to see if it makes a noise. We've got a little wave of a hand now for 'hello' too :)
My AF came back in the new year while i was still BF and 6 or 7 cycles later now still no spotting....hoping typing this doesn't jinx me!
Swimming, i take leila twice a week and indoors i just use a swim nappy - i've bought a sleeved swimsuit for swimming in the sun.

To those now expressing BM how many ounces a day does your LO drink? When Leila was poorly eith her reflux she was having 5x7oz bottles - the same ahe does now but at only 8 weeks old! I ended up topping up with formula which then revealed the dairy problem and led to full time formula feeding. I'm curious to know what other babies feed BM wise, i really think if she'd nit had reflux i'd have had enough to not need to formula top up.


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## MrsPTTC

Yay for Harrison's 2 teeth daydream! 

Chloe we took Penny swimming a week ago, just indoors though too cold in uk for outdoor swimming! She had a swimming costume on. My AF came early hours of sun, 3 weeks after stopping BF'ing & 2 weeks 2 days after my first sign of EWCM (which lasted DAYS!) Only got bit of pinky red spotting sat evening so fingers crossed I'm fixed! Like nell hope I've not jinxed it! 

Hi nell! Great to hear Leila doing so well! 

x


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## daydream

Nell - glad to hear from you! And I agree, replying from the ipad is much less convenient. Usually when I post it's from my computer, but I'm guilty of just reading and running when I'm on my phone or ipad. I'm glad all is going so well! That's awesome she's waving! We are working on that one still. 

As for expressed BM, I send him to daycare (8am - 5pm) with 4 bottles, usually two with 6 ounces and two with 5 ounces. Sometimes he eats it all, sometimes he comes home with like 2-3 ounces left. He also eats a puree at around noon. 

MrsP - funny how spot on your LP was for your first AF! I thought MAYBE I might have seen some EWCM this weekend, so I guess in two weeks we will see. 

I woke up at 4am with a horrible breast infection, but I have no fever so it's not mastitis yet. It just huuuuuuurts and I feel achy. I'm going to do the best I can with pumping it empty today. I wish I didn't have meetings today otherwise I would stay home :( I thought I was out of the woods with those, but I think with how engorged I've been getting in the mornings now that H is sleeping better it caught up to me.


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## Chloe597

oh no, daydream! I hope you get the clog out before it turns into mastitis! I have had a couple times of being really sore to the touch, so i will put a heating pad on it, and do lots of massaging while pumping, and then I run to Gabby and get her to nurse extra on the sore side. That usually makes it feel better within a day. Good luck! and yay for 2 teeth!!

Glad to hear the update on you and Leila, Nell! She sounds like quite a clever one, already waving! My mom says Gabby waves, but I don't see it. Sometimes she will wiggle some fingers if i wave hi, but it could be coincidence. 

Like daydream, I send G to daycare from 8am - 5pm with 4 bottles. I send 3 with 4.5-5 oz and 1 with 4 oz, plus we do 1 oz of purees and I let daycare do some instant oatmeal baby cereal with some of the milk from one bottle (thanks for that cereal recommendation, Daydream). G usually drinks all 4 bottles, plus she probably gets a good 6 oz from me in the morning and another 6 in the evening. her intake really hasn't changed much from when she was 8 weeks either. Just now she has some solids. We also give her a rice cracker and some more puree in the evening about an hour before bedtime. 

I thought I may have seen some EWCM the other day too, but I hope AF is not 2 weeks away! she can stay away for the next 5 months of BF if she wants :)

I hope to take G swimming soon. Seems like other babies love it. Do you use floatation devices or do you just hold them? Or do they swim on their own? My friends LO is 9 months and he can swim on his own! it was so scary to watch the video of him in the water. I kept waiting for him to sink, but he was great.

Gabby has decided that sticking her tongue out is her new favorite thing. This picture cracks me up every time i look at it
 



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## _Nell

Chloe that picture us just brilliant! What a cutie :)
For swimming i tend to hold leila, she likes floating on her back with me holding under her head and she likes kicking her legs with me holding under her arms.

Daydream- youch! I had that once or twice and the area was so red and inflammed, blocked duct for me. Lots of really firm massage as you empty helps.

Mrspttc- hi! I find even the indoor pools can be cold here :) leila and me only manage half an hour even though we're well wrapped.


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## Sbmack

I love reading all the updates! Lots of useful info to remember. 

That picture of Gabby is the best! 

I hope you get that duct unclogged, Daydream! 

Glad to here you and Leila are doing well, Nell.


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## daydream

Chloe - Glad you like that oatmeal! We like it over here. As for swimming, I just hold H. I'll have to upload some pictures this week from his first lesson :) 

Nell - Thanks I got it unclogged thankfully! It was like a lime sized lump deep in the middle of the breast, so lots and lots of firm massage and then cabbage leaves after pumping did the trick. I still have major red splotches leftover and it's still sore, but not lumpy and I don't feel achy anymore. Whew!


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## MrsPTTC

Thank goodness you got it sorted daydream sounds painful! Yeah though I think due to how long I had EWCM for my LP might have been on the short side I've got no idea when I ovulated. I'm just so pleased only 1 day of spotting! :happydance:

Ahh Chloe gabby is soo cute on that! Her tongue is very long he he! 

Nell I agree our pools are pretty cold too! We managed 25 mins but it was her first time. Chloe we're going to buy a float ring thing but just held her first time.

x


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## Jellycat

Hi ladies sorry it's taken me so long to update but these first 9 days have been pretty tough.

Florence was born after a 4hr labour weighing 9lb 10oz, only pain relief was gas and air & paracetamol, best part was when we cancelled the induction we were already in labour.

I've managed to bf this time which has been a learning curve but also had major issues with feeding and sleeping at night to the point of almost constant feeding for 11hours being unable to put her back down in her crib

Daydream glad you managed to clear the blocked duct

Sbmack I have the medela swing and finding it great at the moment, easy to clean and put together etc and is efficient at pumping


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## Sbmack

Wow, Jelly!! So glad you didn't have to be induced. You're a champ delivering a 9lb 10 oz baby naturally!! Good luck with the breast feeding. Love the name Florence!


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## MrsPTTC

Wow jellycat that's amazing you did it all naturally & only a 4 hour labour! Even more amazing when she was so big! Glad to hear you're managing the breast feeding. Penny clusterfed but it was from around 5 til 11 rather than overnight. Hugs Hun, she'll hopefully slow down soon x


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## yum

hello ladies,
sorry I haven't been here since ages..so swamped with work..i managed to read some of the pages. Apologize if I missed on someone.


jelly- congrats on :pink: glad u dint have to be induced..Florence is such a cute name..i'm so very sorry about ur father ! takecare hun!

almost- congrats ! love the name liam & he's such a cutie ! sorry abt ur rough labor..hope u r feeling better !

chloe- I cant belive the kiddos r are growing so fast..i love the video of gabby ! 

daydream- glad u got the clog out..ouch,it sounds painful..

nell- good to c u & Leila doing good !

mrsp- hi , hope ur little b undle is doing great ! look at all of u, swimming already :thumbup:

Katie- such adorable pics :) sorry abt ur BF issues ?? did u get ur report for lupus back ? hope it's nothing..

jods- that's a cute scan..i'm terrible at guessing but I thinks its a girl ! how have u been ?

sbm- how have u been ? did u find out the gender ?( sorry if u mentioned this already ) did u start with the nursery yet ?

afm, I still have complete placneta previa..I have another scan fri.i'll b almost 29 weeks..doc said if it don't move by 32 weeks, the chances of it moving later are slim & hence c-sec around 36 weeks..scary :(
on the bright side, no issues so far but on pelvic rest & was told to take it easy with anything that would put pressure/weight on lower abdomen..so, my work was so understand that they let me work from home from this week( to avoid stairs)..my ankles r swollen badly..
I failed my 1hr glucose test so, 3hr test is ordered..i'll get that on sat probably..

glad to see all ur lo's !
takecare ladies !


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## daydream

yum - glad to hear from you and that all is well thus far (minus the bedrest). I hope the placenta moves for you, but glad that they are watching you so closely. Good luck with the three hour!!


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## Jellycat

Yum hope your placenta moves up and you start to feel better :hugs:, drink lots of water and keep your feet elevated it will help to reduce the swelling


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## Sbmack

Hi Yum! Glad to hear everything is going well for the most part. It's great that your job has been so understanding. I hope the placenta moves for you!! I'm having a girl. Did you find out the sex? We haven't started the nursery yet. My DH has a project that keeps him busy right now. He should be done in a few weeks and will have time then to do some renovations. We have wallpaper to remove....not fun.


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## Chloe597

Good to hear from you, Yum! I hope your placenta moves, but if not, plenty have gotten through placenta previa with beautiful healthy babies and no complications. And you won't have to worry about going into labor. I failed my 1 hr glucose test too. I heard those results can be very misleading. I passed my 3 hr. Hope you pass yours! Its such a boring test, sitting there for 3 hours. Bring a good book! And its great your work is so understanding. Can't believe you are 29 weeks already! you could have your LO in less than 2 months! how exciting!

Hope everything is going well with Florence, Jelly! BF going ok? 

SB, you're in the double digits now! <100 days to go!! Woo hoo!

We are doing well over here. G now likes to scoot backwards, pushing off with her feet while laying on her back. makes for fun times when i put her on the changing table! She had a bout of vomiting and a night where she was probably not feeling well and had trouble going to sleep, but seems to be ok now. She sits completely unassisted now, and i dont have to worry about her flopping backwards. She likes to sit outside with some toys and watch me and DH garden. We are still mostly feeding purees, with the occasinal finger food. Made her scrambled eggs that she took tiny bites of. Still no teeth tho!


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## yum

thanks for the good luck wishes ladies :) i'm not worried abt csection but she said I could have complications of spotting/bleeding episodes which would put me in hosp & complete BR & if it happens they wouldn't have a choice but to go 4r emergency c..hope it wont come to that..knock on woo ! I have my everythin crossed..


sb- yay on :pink: my dh wants it to be a surprise.. wallpaper- that's a tough one ! 

chloe- I cant believe how times fly ! waiting 4r gab's teeth already ! 
I kinda like being pregs..I think i'll miss my bump after baby..lol on not going into labor..looking on the bright side :) that makes me feel better abt the glucose test ! thanks 4r sharing !


I never 4r once thought I would fail my glucose test :dohh: I booked the 3hr 4r Monday..ladies,any tips to help me pass ?


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## Jellycat

Chloe I loved it once JJ could sit up as he had more fun playing and being silly.

Bf is a real struggle she seems to want to feed every 30-45 minutes from early evening to 5 in the morning I'm so exhausted. I'm loving feeding her but am seriously thinking of moving to bottle. Her poop has changed to green these past couple of days too which could be too much foremilk.


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## Jellycat

Yum I think the best thing to do is eat as you have been and hope you pass. I know for my gtt my fast levels were really high and midwife warned me I was likely to fail, actually my results were bang on average and alot lower than with JJ. Good luck


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## jodspods

Hi ladies!

Hope you're all well! I've been a bit AWOL busy at work but do check in now and again! 

Thanks Yum! I'm thinking girl too but my mum thinks boy! Hope you're feeling ok and that things go well over the next few weeks! 

I'm 15+3 today and beginning to feel better! The sickness is beginning to go so I'm feeling good about that! Off work on hols for the next 2 weeks and I really need it! I'm shattered! We are getting a new bathroom though so that won't be relaxing to start with until its done! Better now before baby comes though!

I've booked a private scan again this wkend cos I'm neurotic! Someone said tonight the ultrasound heats up the amniotic fluid so now I'm worried! It should be ok though yeah? The appointments are only 20 mins! 

Not sure if I'm getting some feeling of movement yet but can't wait to finally feel my baby!

Love reading all the mamas experiences! Some great hints and tips!

Xxx


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## Sbmack

Hi Jods! Glad you're starting to feel better. I wouldn't worry about having an ultrasound. If they weren't safe, they wouldn't be so popular. Good luck with the renovations. We just bit off a huge project and are totally stressing about it. Hopefully we can get it done quickly... Have fun on Holiday!

Have a great weekend, Ladies!


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## Chloe597

Hi Jods! Glad you are starting to feel better! Why did you book another scan? Just so you can see your LO, or are you worried something is wrong? I know a lot of people who bought home dopplers so they could hear the heart beat whenever they wanted. I haven't heard anything about about ultrasounds being harmful. Maybe if you got them weekly but throwing in an extra one doesn't seem like it would be bad at all. I had a total of 3 during my pregnancy, and I know people who have had much more. 

Jelly, Gabby's poos used to change colors. i asked the doctor once and she said as long as it wasn't red, the color didnt matter. said it could be purple and she wouldn't be worried! I often thought i may have too much foremilk as G was pretty gassy and i would get very engorged. I used to wait until let down and i would catch the forceful letdown in a tissue, or i would pump a little before feeding when i know i was especially engorged to try to limit the excess foremilk. I can't recall if you BF JJ, but I"m thinking you didn't. It gets easier after the first month, month and a half, so if you can power through this tough part, I think you'll be much happier!

I had my 4 year anniversary with DH last night. It was very low key, just made him dinner and bought him some clothes. and he bought me flowers and a toaster, lol. such a romantic ;) 

Have a great weekend, all!


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## jodspods

Chloe I'm just eager to see he or she is doing ok! I think I'm worried after last time but circumstances were totally different! I'm finding the wait til the 20 wk scan a lot harder so hoping this puts my mind at ease! It'll be nice to see how he or she is growing and how they look now! 

Will let you all know how it goes! 

Now on holiday from work for 2 wks and sitting in the garden with a BBQ in Scotland! Who would've thought haha


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## jodspods

Good evening!! Had scan today and all was perfect with our baby! He or she was very wriggly and did some amazing moves! Their mouth was opening and closing quite a bit...must take after me haha! 4 wks til 20 wk scan then one more private at 25 wks!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend!!
 



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## Sbmack

Glad the scan went well, Jods! Great shot.


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## Jellycat

Jods congrats beautiful scan 

Thanks Chloe that's really helped me xx


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## Chloe597

Great scan, jods!


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## yum

jods- that's such a precious pic ! he/she is gonna start moving soon :)

ladies, can someone tell me how much would a private scan cost( regular & 3d ) in usa & where can I get it ?


afm, my previa is still complete :cry: she said its probably not gonna move now..so, they r goin ahead with scheduling a C-section @ 36/37 weeks depending on everythin else..i'm just hoping not to start bleeding till then..fingers crossed ! 

my 1hr glucose number was high @ 172 but i'm hoping to pass the 3hr one tmrw..fx ! I don't need any more complications :nope:

takecare ladies !


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## Chloe597

Good luck tomorrow, Yum! Make sure you fast for 8-12 hours before going in otherwise your results could be abnormally high. Bring a good book! I've never had a private scan but I've seen offices around town...they aren't really doctor's offices either, it doesn't seem. I actally saw a groupon for one not that long ago for a place that specializes in '4D' ultrasonds (still not sure what that 4th dimension is....) I would just google it. And think, you'll be holding your LO in about 6 weeks!!


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## daydream

Hi everyone! We are back from our trip. Harrison was SO GOOD. He slept most of the flight there and back, and when he was awake he was just smiling away. He even went to visit the lady in the row next to us because he kept smiling and reaching out to her. When everyone got off the plane, they were smiling and waving at him, always a good sign! lol!

We went to our first zoo while we were there too. He just was looking around, taking it all in. He also seemed to make some strides in sleep habits while we were there, he got much better at self-settling to sleep. He even didn't want the swaddle (yes we STILL can't break him of it, he's be in it one-armed for like three months now). But now that we're back he's back to wanting the swaddle. Sigh.

Chloe- That's excellent she's sitting so well, H is doing that as well. So nice not to have to worry about a faceplant. 

Jelly - maybe try pumping before you feed because if she's just getting foremilk, that may also be why she's hungry all night, needs that nice fatty milk to fill her up :)

yum - sorry about the previa :( Good luck with your glucose test! There are several private scan clinics (Baby Sightings is a name I can think of). Ours was $130 for the 4D (I think fourth dimension is movement in the 3D camera view)

Jods - Gorgeous scan!! Are you going to find out the sex?


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## jodspods

Daydream glad to hear you had a great holiday! 

We're not going to find out baby's sex! Happy with a surprise!! Had been thinking they're a girl then switched to boy but back to girl again! Not knowing will help me through labour I hope!


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## MrsPTTC

Yay for team :yellow: sbmack!

Jods, beautiful scan pic Hun!

Jelly sorry BF'ing isn't going to plan :hugs:

Yum, nice to hear from you! Sorry to hear about the c-section but it'll be fine I'm sure :hugs:

Pleased you had a lovely holiday daydream!

Hi to everyone else :hi:

Penny's had a few 'firsts' this week, Monday she rolled from front to back (the easy way lol) & yesterday started making this really loud shouting, screeching noise! She's definitely found her voice! :thumbup:

x


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## Jellycat

Oh sounds like Harrison was a dream whilst on holiday 

Congrats penny on your firsts 

Jodspod - even though hard at times I loved being team yellow and after all the hardwork it's lovely to be told boy-girl

Well we've introduced infacol for wind and colic before each feed since yesterday and she's like a changed baby. Happily sleeping during the day and then taking longer feeds but less frequent when awake. Past two nights she's sleeping 3-4 hours which is great. Been drinking my tiger milk since Friday too so will be interested this morning to find out if Flo has gained.


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## Chloe597

Jelly, glad to hear things are improving with Flo's mood. Is infacol like a natural colic water? I had given Gabby something called Gripe Water a few times when she was extra gassy and it seemed to take her hiccups away and she would stop crying long enough to drink it. Never really noticed much improvement in gas, but she did love the taste of it. She was never a colicy baby tho, and gas didn't seem to make her uncomfortable, even tho she had it ALL THE TIME, so it is hard to gauge how much it helped really. I think getting older is what helped her gas the most. Now when she farts I know poop is soon to follow, and man does it stink!! :haha:

Yay for rolling Penny! Although once they learn that trick, keeping them on their tummies is tricky! We are trying to teach G to crawl, but every time we put her on her tummy she just looks at us and rolls over. Wouldn't be surprised if she skips crawling and goes straight to walking, as she loves being upright, but lacks stability right now. She will go from seated to faceplants tho, trying to reach too far forward to get things. but she hasn't been able to get up from faceplant position yet.

Jods, enjoy your team yellow status. I admire you ladies who have been able to hold out. It would have been a fun surprise, but no way could i have held out. Maybe for #2 (ha, probably not...)

Yum, how was your 3 hr glucose test? If you didn't pass, at least you only have a few more weeks of pregnancy!

Daydream, wow, Harrison is still in the swaddle? what happens when you take him out of it? does he just wake up more often? I would keep in him the swaddle too if it means sleeping through the night! I assume one or both arms is out now, tho? Do you think he enjoyed the zoo? I keep wondering if i should take G to the zoo, or if she is too young. she loves watching our cats walk around, but i feel like she would probably get bored, or just fall asleep. She loves to sleep in the stroller. I just found out my work gives free admission to our local natural history museum, so I will probably take G there one weekend, and if she acts up, no money wasted! Did that with our local art museum not that long ago too. 

We have been going back and forth with BLW, and last night tried to give her some super soft broccoli. She took a giant bite and gagged several times, then spit up a little bit...about gave me a heart attack. Still don't think I have the nerves for BLW. But she has started turning her nose up at purees, and gets so excited to grab food and shove it in her mouth. not sure what to do now...I wish i knew when this magical transition between purees and actual solids was supposed to happen. And she still has no teeth...


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## yum

hi,
quick update..

I failed my 3hr glucose by 1&4 points.fasting was good !

I went to meet with a dietician & got a meter to chek my glucose 4 times a day..i just checked my BS, 1hr after dinner & its high :cry: 

I was hoping it would remain within limits so I don't have to get insulin shots but now i'm scared ...

sorry 4r lack of personals..


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## Sbmack

Glad to hear Flo is sleeping better, Jelly. 

Daydream, That's awesome that Harrison is such a good traveler!! 

Yay for rolling over Mrs.P. I hope Penny isn't too loud now that she's found her voice. 

Good luck with the BLW, Chloe. 

Jods, that's great you're team yellow...I'm too impatient to wait. 

Yum, I hope the three hour test went well!

Nothing new to report here. My back has been bothering me a bit, but that's about it. Also, starting to feel very large.


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## Sbmack

Looks like we posted at the same time, Yum. Sorry about the test! So many women get GD though. You'll make it through!!


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## Chloe597

Yum, sorry to hear that. Can you just control it through diet since your levels were right on the limits? Or do you really need shots? I have heard of a lot of people changing their diet to control it and that working very well. only 6 more weeks??

We hit a new milestone...Gabby can roll back to front (finally!) so now she spends all of her time rolling back and forth. its very cute. Although I walked in on her this morning in her crib and she was on her stomach. I am not going to like this one bit! Time to lower her crib in preparation for her pulling herself up to a standing position!

Jelly, would love to see a pic! Flo must be a month now??


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## daydream

Chloe - Yes he would wake up at least two extra times, and he would just be awful to try to get down in the first place. It was with one arm, but ever since our trip we are officially swaddle free, naps and bedtime! Such a relief to have that behind us because I constantly felt like it was this big battle we would have to do at some point. He just looked around at the zoo, didn't seem too excited. We will probably wait until next summer to go again. That's great Gabby is rolling! And yes the sleeping on the belly is scary at first, it made me even more glad to have the motion monitor. Now he is so good at rolling and crawling I don't worry about it too much.

Yum - Sorry to hear about the test. Both of my good friends ended up with GD and managed it with their diet, but still had to test multiple times a day.

SB - how exciting, can't believe it's already third tri for you! 

We are having a good few weeks over here. We are teaching H to wave Hi and trying so hard to get him to say Hi. It sounds like he says it sometimes but then again he makes H sounds often so it's hard to tell if it's on purpose. He is also playing on standup activity tables often. As for feeding, he's still enjoying his purees, eating twice a day. We've been out of town for the past few weekends, so I'm hoping sometime this week I'll have time to make him some new foods. I want to start doing some combination recipes from the Start Fresh cookbook they all sound so yummy!


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## Jellycat

Chloe - it's similar to gripe water but more medicinal I think just needs a droplet begore each feed, definitely loosens her trapped wind

Yum - :hugs: I think you just need to try and test different foods to see which can keep your sugars under control then hopefully you won't need the insulin . Have they given you a list of foods that are low gi. Eggs are a good thing with granary bread or unsweetened museli for brekkie?


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## daydream

We have some real crawling going on in our house! He finally figured it out last night and hasn't stopped since :) I posted a video in my journal


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## Gobolino

Hi ladies.....just poking my head in....I'm 7weeks, and I'm a bit scared of it being too early! So will lurk for a while :haha:


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## Sbmack

Gobolino said:


> Hi ladies.....just poking my head in....I'm 7weeks, and I'm a bit scared of it being too early! So will lurk for a while :haha:

Yay. So happy you're here!


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## daydream

Congrats Gobolino! I haven't checked in on the spotting thread in a while, can you tell us about your BFP??


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## Gobolino

Thank you! It's still soon, only 7weeks, so very cautious.

I'm sure the reasons for the BFP where that I "relaxed" thinking that I had already ovulated, I wasn't with hubby, so when I got back to him after 3 weeks, well, I guess we just plainly made lurve and didn't baby-make. :haha:

All well, I spotted last week, saw Dr, and he said not to worry, but to take rest and be careful. I've hardly spotted again since, only a teeny bit and it's old blood. 

No spotting up to my BFP. :happydance:


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## Chloe597

yay, gob! That relaxed approach is easier said than done, but i really do think it has truth to it! Feeling any symptoms yet?

How is everyone's LO? Gabby and I are on our own for the next week as DH is in Germany. She discovered this high pitched banshee like scream yesterday and did it ALL DAY LONG! i do hope she has forgotten it by today :) She wasn't unhappy, just discovered a new sound. oh my ears! She is 8 months now, and loves to stand, assisted so far, and hasn't gotten the hang of crawling yet. She is still enjoying pureed foods and pizza crust, and I hope to introduce a couple new veggies this week. She decided plain sweet potatoes are no longer any good, so i have to mix with applesauce, and she will eat them then. She no longer goes to bed asleep, but will eat, and then i put her in the crib and she usualy will just talk herself to sleep. occasionally she will cry a bit, but never too bad or unmanageable. 

Hope all is well with everyone!


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## Jellycat

Congrats Goblino that's fantastic news wishing you a happy and healthy 9months

Chloe - gabby sounds like my niece by about 9 months she would high pitch squeal think its where they are finding there voice and trying to communicate ....... 10 years on she's still loud! Sounds like she's really developing her taste buds with her food

Afm - having issues with Flo crying and trapped wind that I've been using infacol past couple of weeks then at the weekend she was unsettled the whole time. Started using colief with her feeds last night and was alot better to the point I could put her in her crib just hoping this works and wasn't coincidence she slept from 2-5 which was good and her last feed was at 10-30 so if she can settle easier she could sleep for 5ish hours


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## MrsPTTC

Sorry I haven't updated a while ladies, feel like I'm reading a running alot these days!! I did do a long post in reply to peoples updates about a week ago but lost it all when Miss P tried to grab my phone off me! :rolleyes:

Hi Gobolino, congrats again! :happydance: 

I would love to be preggo again, I miss it :dohh: Maybe in a year we'll TTC #2... but take the relaxed approach as I think that worked for me too! My SIL to be is due in October and I love her bump!

Yay for the colief Jelly! That's what I used on Penny and worked a treat, now weaned her off it & onto comfort milk and she's fine, I found the colief a pain when making up the bottles! :growlmad: A friend of DH's had terrible time with her LO who's roughly 2 months, she was BF'ing constantly & really colicky, couldn't go anywhere, I told her about what we did with Penny and she tried colief, ended up knocking BF'ing on the head completely & she's like a different baby! I think a lot of babies probably have this slight lactose intolerance that the parent doesn't know about...

Chloe hope everything goes well when DH away, Gabby sounds like she's coming on a treat!

How is everyone?

Penny getting better at rolling, she's big enough for her jumperoo now, I tried her in it a while ago but one of her arms kept getting stuck and she wasn't keen, but enjoyed herself the last few days I've tried her. We think she's a little livewire, might have to be extra vigilant once she's properly on the move!

:hugs: to all

x


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## Gobolino

I do have symptoms, the usual I guess. Bb's a LOT bigger and tender, bloating, constipation, need to pee at night (I never get up at night), and for the past week, nausea with an empty stomach, all day. I wake up around 6:30 to pee, and then my stomach feels empty and I get this sick feeling. I eat a handful of cherries and try and get back to sleep. It's bad when I wake up later on. It also happens during the day, like before dinner. I feel sick (but haven't been yet thank god!) and it's really hard to make myself a meal as I'm just not hungry, and extremely picky at the moment. 
Any tips?? :wacko: Oh, and what did you do about bra size? Mine don't fit, only one or two. But I don't want to buy more because I don't know how much bigger I'm going to get. 
I'm now going to start reading the thread from the beggining :winkwink:


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## daydream

Chloe - H has been screaming too. UGH. It's awful. There is a 2 year old at his daycare that does it, so I think we are fighting an uphill battle trying to get him to stop. He recently started with his Gagaga's which is so fun though. He's got a bit of a cold right now, but seems to be doing okay with it. Yesterday tooth #4 broke through. 

Jellycat - Glad things seem to be going well!

MrsP - oh yes the jumperoo's are so fun. A great way to have them play in a contained space ;) 

Gobolino - I used the nursing sleep bras at Target. They have more give and can accommodate fluctuation in size.. they're only going to keep getting bigger!


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## Chloe597

Gob, my bb's didnt get much bigger, just a cup, so i bought some non wired stretchy bras that I knew could give me room to grow. Also, the flimsy nursing bras have lots of room to grow too. super thin and stretchy. I used to be an underwire/pushup bra person (tiny A cup bbs), and now i just wear lightly lined, no wire, B cup bras, so sadly i never had the wild bb increase. in the mornings they are bigger than B's, but i nurse/pump and they go down and dont get that big again until the next morning. Also, with food, i too pretty much wanted nothing. I found starchy foods were best, so mac and cheese, soft pretzels, pancakes, french fries. I hated smelling anything, and had to force myself to eat, but when i did that, it did seem to help my stomach. and lemonade, i drank a lot of that, too. Hopefully it wont last much past week 12/13 for you (thats around when mine subsided). Power through! it sucks, but it will be over soon! Also, don't be afraid to ask your Dr for Zofran. I took it even tho i wasn't physically getting sick in order to take the edge off of my misery, and it helped a lot. I tried B6, seasickness bands, and ginger pills and they all did nothing. 

P, the jumparoo is great! G had the same issue with her hand getting stuck, then she filled it out very nicely, and now she isn't as big of a fan of it, probably because she doesnt move anywhere in it. 

Daydream, wow, 4 teeth!? Any biting yet? I am way more worried for top teeth than bottom teeth, as when G nurses, her tongue covers her bottom gums. 

Jelly, i hope Flo's tummy is feeling better. How old is she now? I read your journal, but haven't kept up with commenting. 

Lets see some updated pictures! Here is G
 



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## jodspods

Hey ladies,

Hope everyone is well! Lovely to hear how everyone's LOs are and I'm definitely picking up some hints and tips from you all!

Welcome Gobolino! So excited you're here! Sorry you're feeling sick! Little and often was the trick for me. I had to eat a lot of bland food from wks 7-14 or so when my appetite came back although spicy food can still upset my stomach and I used to love curry and chilli! With regards bras, I'm on the small side (A cup) and have got a little bigger but went and got properly fitted. My one maternity bra is a 34c while another place I got my usual bras and was measured as 38a when I was wearing 34a! Both bra sizes fit great and I was fitted for both. I went at 11 weeks to buy some but not sure ill need more as I've not grown much more for a bit!!

I'm 19+1 today and have my 20 wk next Tuesday!! Hoping all will be well and still going to stay team yellow! Started feeling baby moving for sure at 17+4 and its such a great feeling although I do panic when I've not felt them for a while! Had a bout of sickness again last wk and heartburn has kicked in but other than that I'm feeling quite good!!


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## Jellycat

Jods good kick for your scan Tuesday

Chloe loving gabbys hat

Daydream teething is a nightmare with JJ he'd get flaming high temps 

Mrs p - I'm tempted to get a jumperoo this time kind of regretted not getting JJ one 

Well Flo is 6 1/2 weeks now and combi feeding seems to be working really well for us and the fact she's gaining weight now makes me think it's the best of both worlds situation


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## yum

hello ladies,

good to know that u & ur lil cutie's r all doin gud ! screaming, rolling,toothing :thumbup:

sorry I was MIA. so bzy with wrk & testing my sugars was hectic..on the plus side, my parents came 4rm india to be here with me 4r few months so, I've been relaxing since 10 days..

my previa is still comple so, c-sec scheduled for sep 9 ( 36/37 weeks ) no complications so far so, have my everythin crossed that it'll stay that way..
my sugar levels r ok mostly but sometimes really high. I convinced my doc into checkin them only twice a day now.hopefully I can control with diet & exercise( only 20 min walk 4r me bcuz of previa). baby's growth is on par with the average so far.

the thought of csec & preemie is scary but trying to b positive..

gobo- big congratssss :happydance: wish u H&H 9 months ! i'm still an b cup( 4rm A) so, cant help u there..hopefully ur sick feeling will go away @ 14 weeks( mine did)& bananas saved me when I was crazy hungry..

have a good weekend ladies !


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## MrsPTTC

Gobolino my bbs went from B to D & since stopping bf'ing back to small B I'm gutted! :( I just got a D cup when preggo when couldn't manage any more but when started bf'ing I have to admit my D's were a little tight when my bbs were full & with pads in! 

Jods, yay for team yellow & feeling baby move! My heartburn started around 20 weeks too!


Daydream, 4 teeth! Ouch! 

Chloe what gorgeous pics of gabby! 

Yum glad everything going ok & your parents over must be lovely. Is that where you're originally from, India? 

Jelly glad to hear combined feeding is working for you both! Yes you must get a jumperoo, brilliant! She's fine in it now & jumps so hard lol. 

Here is Penny taken last week. We started solids yesterday, going down well so far. She's had pear the last 2 days x
 



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## Sbmack

Glad to hear everyone's LO's are doing well. Great pics of Gabby and Penny!!

Jelly, glad the combi feeding is working well for you. 

Yum, I hope everything stays well up to your C section! Good luck with keeping your sugars in check!

Jods, isn't it great to feel movement. I worry too much if I don't feel her as frequently as I suspect I should. I think she really is moving though, but if I'm busy I just don't notice it as much. 

Gobs, hope the MS goes away soon! I was lucky and didn't really get any....maybe it's because I ate small meals all day. I've had to get bigger bras...haven't gotten any nursing ones yet as I'm not sure how big they'll get after the milk comes in. I got new bras pretty early on....I think I'm in need of some bigger ones now. I think I'll get a nursing one now. 

Nothing new to report here....just feeling really big. I have about 9 weeks to go. I'm scared to think how large my belly will get. Luckily, the rest of me hasn't ballooned up....yet. I've been having some pretty bad back pain lately. It goes away if I lie down though, but I drive around a lot for work so that's when it get's bad.


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## yum

thanks 4r all the wishes ladies !

gabby & penny are such cute munchkins..

jods- I agree I was going crazy till 17 weeks.then I started feeling the little movements which made my life much stressfree..there r a few fav foods,fav chairs where the baby would move..i tried those if I felt like it dint move a lot that day..silly me !

sb- u r right behind me.sorry abt the back pain..may b u can try a cold/hot pack but be sure to ask ur doc before u try..for me, its the other way around-i'm worried that my belly is little & not showing 4r 33 weeks..

mrsp- yep, i'm from india..

afm, i'm goin to get steroid shots this eve to help the baby's lungs mature just incase it decides to arrive early.my ob said I wudn't need it if its after 35/36 weeks but I cant shrug off the feeling- what if I bleed & need emergency c earlier..so, as suggested by my cousin(cardiologist) I've decided to go ahead with the shots..i'm scared- i'm told they r very painful & it'll skyrocket my sugars but its for the LO so :)


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## Chloe597

Good luck with everything, Yum! I have heard that about steroids and premies, although not about the pain. I hope its not too bad for you. Its amazing what we will put ourselves through for our LO's, isn't it? Less than a month to go for you! I hope everything goes your way and you can make it to your scheduled date. 

P, adorable pic of penny! She is getting so big and expressive. Looking more like a baby instead of a newborn. 

SB, wow, only 9 weeks left? Time is flying! Sorry about the back pain. Have you bought a body pillow? I had back pain until the end too, and found that helped ease it while i was sleeping, and light exercise (rowing with 3 lb weights) and yoga helped too. Are you the runner of the group? Someone on here was really active still during pregnancy.


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## Sbmack

Chloe597 said:


> SB, wow, only 9 weeks left? Time is flying! Sorry about the back pain. Have you bought a body pillow? I had back pain until the end too, and found that helped ease it while i was sleeping, and light exercise (rowing with 3 lb weights) and yoga helped too. Are you the runner of the group? Someone on here was really active still during pregnancy.

I have a body pillow...love it. If I have a lot of back pain the only thing that helps is to get into my cacoon as I call it :) 

I was pretty active up to 25 weeks or so. It's one of the busiest times of the year for me at work so I haven't had much time to continue excersizing. That's probably why I'm getting the back pain. I stopped running about a month ago as it was just too uncomfortable. I also haven't been to yoga in a long time. I'm going to go tomorrow to my normal class. If its too much I'll start a prenatal one next week. 

I'm going to take your advice and use some weights. My mother in law just gave me a kettle bell. I'll do some light lifting with it.


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## jodspods

Baby today at 20+1. All well and looking good! Wee mite didnt cooperate for head measurements though!

Had a student so everything was double checked by another sonographer. The student said "you'll be glad to know they don't want to know babys sex" to which the reply was "oh I know what baby is!"! I was so tempted to ask but hubby said no!!! Glad we didn't find out though!
 



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## yum

jods- that's such a precious pic..yay for team yellow !

chloe- thanks ! it wasn't that bad actually. they stung quiet an amount for almost 3hrs & with cold pack, it was better.after first round, I slept like a baby but after my second y'day-i coudnt sleep & my sugars spiked & feelin cold but all in all not too bad..

ladies, at times,I've been feeling pressure,crampy down in my pelvic area going down to my vagina.its painful wen the LO is moving in there.i was so scared y'day thinkin I was havin contractions but it subsided after a while.i'm using cold compress with some relief but scared bcuz of my previa.. any tips much appreciated..


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## Chloe597

Sorry Yum, I don't have any tips. I had times where i would be walking and i swear it felt like baby was going to fall out of me, tons of pressure down there, and i just had to sit down and stop moving. I had contractions, as i was hooked up to a monitor when i had my version, but i never actually felt them, or if i did, they were so mild i didnt realize that was a contraction. my stomach used to get tight randomly too, but that wasn't happening when the monitor said i was having contractions. I would just take it easy and stay seated as much as you can so as to not disturb anything. Glad the shots aren't too bad. How many more do you need?

Jods, wow, such willpower! Good work for staying team yellow! How are you going to do up your nursery? in yellows, or other neutral color, or just wait until LO arrives?


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## jodspods

Yum sorry to hear you're going through all this discomfort! Hope you can get enough time to rest which will hopefully help!

Chloe - we have bought cream and brown neutral baby bedding from next which is in a cute teddy bear design and we have kept the same wallpaper we already had which is neutral and a similar brown colour to the bears (not dark quite light!).

Finding getting neutral clothes to be more of a problem as I would prefer cream but a lot of shops are white/grey/yellow. Not looking to buy much, just a cute coming home outfit. 

Our cot and dresser arrive next weekend and I don't know if I mentioned we got the oyster pram/pushchair with maxi cosi cabriofix. We don't actually have much more to buy - just some odds and ends and optional stuff like a baby sling! Bought quite a bit of stuff when offers were on at the time the royal baby was born and our parent have helped buy the big things!


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies, she's adorable but being a little so and so at the minute with screaming/shrieking, she's been terrible today! 

SB hope your back pain goes, I've got it worse now Penny is here and have been referred for physio. I had a bit pain before I got preggo though and think labour has made it worse. I used a V shape pillow which helped a lot.

Aww gorgeous scan pic jods! Yay for team yellow. I'm think if they said that without having to have a good look perhaps a boy?! 

Ah Yum you'll have a beautiful baby, where's DH from and what brought you to the US? How far along are you now yum? I used to have shooting pains every time I walked the dog and got crampy in the days leading up to labour. 

x


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## jodspods

Does anyone else see the wee face in my scan just above babys nose/eyes?

My fil thought it was babys head when I sent picture after the scan and its not until I've looked again I can see why!! I'm thinking baby number 1 is looking after this baby!
 



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## Jellycat

Congrats jods lovely scan pic, I like the thought of someone watching over you baby

MrsP gorgeous pic can't believe your already weaning!

Yum good luck for the next few weeks - exciting you meeting baby soon

Afm - Flo has been struggling with weight still snd when went to her 6 week check shed stayed the same so we've made deciding to formula feed :-(. Feel gutted but know its the right decision .


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## MrsPTTC

Haha jods yes I see it! :wacko:

Aw jelly don't worry about it, best decision I made for Penny's colic, as sad as I was, you'll be fine in a week, she'll put on great weight with formula. It's scary where the time goes, I've introduced a sippy cup too & give her water during her solid feed & she feeds herself! :shock: 

x


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## yum

hi,

chloe - thanks 4r the advice.. i'm using cold packs when its too bad & trying to take it easy. I had 2 shots 24 hrs apart.i was told to check my sugars 4 times again just to c how it would react to steroid.

jods- ooooo, I see the face..

mrsp- I turned 34 weeks today. 3 more weeks..fx ! my dh is indian too.he moved to us for his work & stayed here since 15 yrs now.u might find it funny but our's is an arranged marriage.met my DH once & talked a couple of times & decided to get married .most marriages are still arranged in india..
sippy cup already 

jelly- sorry u had to make that decision..whatever is best for little flo..hope she gains ample weight soon..

have a good weekend ladies !


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## yum

hello ladies,

a quick question. i'm thinking about a 3d/4d scan. I dunno know if i'll have this experience again( I hope to) so,want to cherish this one..

my dh read somewere that what we have @ regular chekups is 2d & a 3d/4d r not safe. pls help me here ladies !

bcuz of previa, I already had 5 scans so far.

TIA !


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## jodspods

yum said:


> hello ladies,
> 
> a quick question. i'm thinking about a 3d/4d scan. I dunno know if i'll have this experience again( I hope to) so,want to cherish this one..
> 
> my dh read somewere that what we have @ regular chekups is 2d & a 3d/4d r not safe. pls help me here ladies !
> 
> bcuz of previa, I already had 5 scans so far.
> 
> TIA !

My best friend (a midwife) doesn't recommend them as she says scans heat up amniotic fluid but her friend (also a midwife had one). I will have had 3 plus 4 on nhs but the private scans are short so I don't think they can be that bad. I guess you will only have one before lo arrives so I say go for it! Plenty of people do!!


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## daydream

Hi everyone! I've been reading lately but haven't had time for a proper post. Work is so crazy busy right now, which makes me so unhappy. I just want to soak up all my time with my baby boy. :cry:

Yum - I had a 3D scan at 31 weeks and I was SO happy I did. It really is amazing once he was here how much he really looked like the scan. It was just so nice to see him on the scan especially because we hadn't had one since the 20 week. A nice little perk to the second half of the pregnancy.



Jellycat - Good for you for doing what is best for little Flo. 

Jods - beautiful scan! I am thinking :blue: from the skull shape, but we will see whenever he/she arrives!

Chloe - Gabby is looking so grown up! Where did our little babies go?

Penny - I can't believe how quickly time has flown. How has weaning gone? Harrison loooooves pears. Great thing to start with.

AFM: Harrison is doing so great. His sixth tooth recently broke through. Thankfully still no bites *knock on wood* Pretty soon he's going to have a big toothy grin :) He is cruising on our furniture like crazy and our daycare provider sent us a video of him trying to stand on his own. I uploaded a few videos to my journal. It's amazing how fast time has flown. I can't believe my little guy is so close to walking. I think it will happen within the next few weeks. He loves food and we've started with some small finger foods (puffs, very cooked small macaroni noodles, bananas, avocados). He has it down pretty well, but I'm still doing the purees. He's on three meals a day with oatmeal in the morning. Still wakes up 1-2 times a night though. We are trying Wake to Sleep to try to break him of his early waking at midnight. It's made some progress, so we're going to keep it up for a week consistently and see how it goes. 

Here are some pics: 


https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/9550381017_2055cc123c_o.jpg


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## Sbmack

So cute, daydream. Love, love that onesie!! Also, what a cool comparison Witt he 3d scans and photos! 

It's crazy how big all of your babies are. Pretty soon Yum will be a mom too, then me and Jods. Eeek. So exciting!


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## Gobolino

Loving the pics Daydream!!!!!

I'm off to see my dr today :happydance: hopefully all's still ok! I should think so, as my nausea is still as bad, and I'm burping like a man!:blush:

So many soon to be Mums!!!! :baby:

Jods, aren't you lucky to have a midwife so close!!!


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## Chloe597

Yum, I wouldn't be too worried. And the scan machine is the same for the 2D as it is for 3D, at least at my dr's office. All they had to do was flip a switch and the 3D image magically appeared. When we had our scan done, Gabby was behind her feet and cord (frank breech position) so we couldn't get a good look at her face. I didn't actually want a 3D scan tho cuz I wanted to wait to see her for real in real life. If its what you want, I say go for it!

Daydream, wow, those comparison pictures are amazing! So cute. And I can't believe he is working on his 6th tooth! G still has a big fat 0. Furniture cruising is scary...these babies are getting so big and mobile. I heard a newborn crying the other day and it was so different from how gabby sounds now. Made me wish I had a tiny one still...for a brief moment, at least :)

Gob, GL at the Dr today!

Jelly, I hope Flo gets back on track with her weight gain for you. You are doing whats best for her, and she got a good 6 weeks of your milk which is awesome! So many beneifts still, even in such a short time. 

Hope all is well with everyone else! Haven't heard from Katie in a while. Hope Anne is good :)


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## jodspods

Gobolino said:


> Loving the pics Daydream!!!!!
> 
> I'm off to see my dr today :happydance: hopefully all's still ok! I should think so, as my nausea is still as bad, and I'm burping like a man!:blush:
> 
> So many soon to be Mums!!!! :baby:
> 
> Jods, aren't you lucky to have a midwife so close!!!

Good luck with the appointment! Isn't it great what our bodies do when we're pregnant!

You would think having a midwife friend would be good but it is difficult! As I said, criticised my scan and also moaned I bought angelcare monitor! Rar!


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## daydream

jods - I adore our angelcare monitor. We still use it because H likes to sleep on his belly now.


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## jodspods

Ladies,

I need some advice please! 

Firstly, what kind of cot bed mattress should I be getting? Foam, sprung, pocket sprung? I'm so confused!!!

Also, I have a £75 John Lewis voucher coming my way for recommending my brother to Sky! Thought I'd use it to get my changing bag! Everyone says that the changing bag is for you to use as a handbag as opposed to for the baby so I was wondering your opinions on the two I've selected below - are they gender neutral? I thought the colours would go with most outfits but need some yummy mummy opinions!

Thanks so much!! 

https://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.john..._v_pdp=yes&un_jtt_v_from_product=un_product_1

https://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.john..._v_pdp=yes&un_jtt_v_from_product=un_product_3


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## yum

Hello ladies, 
Popping in 4r a quick reply here.. Thanks 4r all the replies..decided to go ahead with 3d scan..
Day- Harrison pics r adorableeee !

Have. Gud weekend


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks daydream, weaning was going great, she'd had porridge, pear, carrot (terrible at staining!!) & apple & pear together which was her fave - however she's had a sickness bug which started wed night so will be off food for another few days I think, just giving her 4oz bottles of milk. It seems to be doing the rounds in my area at the moment, her little friend was sick the week before. Loving your pics of Harrison! We think penny might be an early walker too, she's ALWAYS on her feet, they s been so strong since she was only a couple of months old. 

Yum, I don't think 3D is any worse than 2D but I know my brother did some research & reckoned too many scans was bad - cant remember who for, mum or baby. I don't believe it though. Penny had 6 in total & was fine! I've got friends who had 3/4D scans. 

Jods I also love my angelcare monitor, great for peace of mind. I live those bags! Particularly the first, navy one, gorgeous! What I will say though is I've got 2 bags, a leatherette mothercare bag which looks like just a normal handbag & my free boots parenting change bag, & to be honest I prefer my free one! Lighter & easier to carry...

Hi to everyone else :wave:

x


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## Sbmack

Yum, that's great you'll get such a clear view of the baby. 

Jods, I like them both...I'm partial to the gray. 

I'm glad the weaning is going well for you all. I think I remember reading many of you are doing BLW. Are you combining with any purées too? I've read mixed reviews on whether or not you should do both. I got a great little baby food maker and I'm not sure if I should just return it if we decide to exclusively do BLW.


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## Chloe597

jods, the bags are great! I went through a few different styles to try to match what suited mine and DH's lifestyles. I bought a large purse to hold things when i'm just on the run, and i also had a large diaper bag that DH wouldn't stop complaining was too big, so i traded that in for a backpack style bag. I still always carry a purse even with the diaper bag, although sometimes i'll just throw my wallet and phone in the diaper bag to avoid carrying around too many bags. Its all a matter of personal preference. I like the first link you posted :) And I know nothing of cot mattresses. I got a crib mattress from a cousin of a friend, and its got 2 sides, a harder infant side and a softer toddler side. 

yum, I hope you post scan pics! enjoy the look at your LO

P, i hope Penny gets better soon!

SB, I was trying to do BLW, but I didn't have the courage to watch her gag and fight through it, and neither did DH so we were not very good support systems. I have a friend who did it and she said there were times that her LO would gag so much that she had to go into the other room and cry while her DH stayed with her son. Kinda scary! We give her rice cakes, puffs, avocado sticks, scrambled eggs and pieces of pancakes to eat on her own tho (tiny pieces, dont trust her to bite off pieces herself yet), and I make my own purees. I've started trying to combine flavors, so i'll mix up cubes of apple and sweet potato, beet, onion and applesauce, and am looking to try other recipes for puree combinations. I'm about to buy some lentils and star pastas for her to start eating on her own too.


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## MrsPTTC

Oh yes jods I forgot to answer your question re the mattress, mine is pocket sprung, just asked my friends what they had/have & they all had sprung rather than foam mattresses. 

Sb, don't think I'm going to do BLW... 

Thanks Chloe, she's much better today though I now feel like crap :dohh: 

x


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## Gobolino

Jods....hahahaha you made me laugh! I suppose you just can't win!!! 

Re the bags.....I'm not much help! I love both! ;-)


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## MrsPTTC

I caught penny's bug!! :dohh: Was up every half hour with sickness & diarrhoea on sat night, felt like I was dying!! :sick: but it only lasted 24hours & I'm fine now. Think it was the norovirus that seems to be doing the rounds in the UK, I know of lots of people that's had it, some of which we've had no contact with... x


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## Sbmack

That's crappy, Mrs. P. glad you're both feeling better!


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## daydream

Sorry you're sick MrsP - I hope you feel better soon!!


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## MrsPTTC

Right as rain now thanks girls :thumbup: Penny enjoyed pear & apple today so she's defo better. DH took her to her swimming class for the first time today as I was worried about spreading my bug, my goodness we have a little water baby! I was watching from the side & she lies on top of the water & kicks her legs like crazy! So cute! You don't realise how good she is until you see it from a distance! x


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## yum

Hello ladies, 

I liked the 3d scan xperience..glad I had one..I'll post pics wen I get home..

Mrsp- sorry u were sick..hope u get completely better soon.. That's so cute - water baby ! 

ladies, pls Help me chusr between Huggins / pampers ? 

Gavin hard time typing on phnr - sorry , will post agin ltr!


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## yum

Jods - bit luk gud but like 2ns better

Thanks 4r purée ideas


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## yum

scan attachment of myLO
 



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## Chloe597

Yum, such a cute scan! Is that a foot by his/her face? If so, good thing you are already scheduled for c-section. Gabby's feet were by her face when she was born (frank breech), so when she would lay down, her feet would fly up to her face for quite a while after birth. It was funny. Everyone could always tell she was a breech baby.

P, that's great about swimming! We are supposed to start lessons either early sept or early Nov, depending on DH's schedule. He plays on a frisbee team, so when we scheduled her lessons for sept, we didnt know he would miss every lesson due to frisbee. but i'm leaving it up to him to reschedule, so if he doesn't, it will just be me and G swimming in sept. Glad you are feeling better! 

oh, and when i've tried huggies and pampers, i've always liked pampers swaddlers best. I use a chlorine free diaper now tho, called nurtured by nature. I used to have issues with diaper blow outs, but i don't know if any diaper could have contained her explosive watery poos, so I find it hard to blame the diaper. Still would like to try cloth, but just don't know how i would find the time to put all those diapers together for daycare and wash them so often.


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## daydream

Great scan pic!

Glad you're feeling better MrsP, caring for baby while sick is definitely one of the hardest jobs.

Chloe - We still are using our cloth dipes, we love them. No blowouts! It does get a little tedious having to do the wash. We have pocket diapers, so we have to stuff them with the inserts. I think I'm going to gradually buy some of the bumgenius elementals since those are all in ones and hopefully by the time we're at baby #2 we will have a full stash of all in ones so we can skip the stuffing diapers step.


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## Chloe597

Daydream, where do you store your soiled diapers? DH is under the impression they have to be stored in a pail of water until they get washed, is this true? What brand do you use now?


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## MrsPTTC

Yum that's a great pic! Amazing! My friends and I are pampers all the way... In fact they're stopping selling huggies nappies (but not pull ups & swim pants) in the uk shortly. Assume they're not doing so well so bowed out. Penny's had a few leaks with huggies though pampers aren't perfect. Think we have different types in uk as not heard of swaddlers, we have baby dry, active fit & simply dry, my friend says simply dry are rubbish... I do however love huggies pure wipes if you have them there! Take my hat off to you ladies who use reusable nappies, can't imagine how much hassle it is & where you get the time to wash them! 

x


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## yum

hello ladies,

thanks 4r all the help with diapers.

hats off from my side too, for those cloth diaper users..

chlo- its his/her arm.. at the beginning of scan , lo had foot in front of the face & wouldn't move it. LO always sticks out something on one side of belly..now, I know what she/he is upto..
at my last scan, I was told LO is in perfect position, not that it matters in my situation :)

I attended a C-section class today & honestly i'm freaking out big time..it may sound silly but she showed the Foley catheter & I cant get it out of my mind. I know labor is not easy but i'm such a sissy wen it comes to any pain..


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## Sbmack

Cute scan, Yum!

We will be using cloth. There's a diaper service in my area where they pick up dirty ones and drop off clean ones once a week. We will use it in the beginning while we get used to being parents. They only do pre-folds though. We will be supplementing with some pockets and all-in-ones and I'm sure some disposables too. I'm really hoping we get the hang of cloth. 

Daydream, have you used any other types besides pockets. I'm not sure what I'm gong to like. From what I've read I should buy a few different kinds to see what world best.


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## daydream

We use bumgenius 4.0s and also have the flip system, both with snap closures. Our everyday use is the 4.0s (pocket style) and we really like them. I've used the flips with disposable inserts when travelling, and that is nice so we don't have to bring back a ton of laundry. We have 1 bumgenius elemental (all in one) that we have in rotation that I do like, so I think I will start buying more of those.

When they are dirty, we store in a dry pail (actually a trashcan with a liner (similar to this https://www.simplehuman.com/30-litre-round-step-can-fingerprint-proof-brushed-stainless-steel but we got at Home Goods on sale for like $30) and liner is this https://www.planetbambini.com/planet-wise-pail-liners/ that we just throw into the laundry when we do the wash, we have two so we always have 1 clean). For poop, now that he's on solids we spray into the toilet with our diaper sprayer. (though half the time we can just turn it upside down and.. plop!)

For wash, we do it every three days because we have enough in our stash to go that long. we have a really good new washer/dryer, so it's easy from that sense. Just put in washer, do 1 wash cycle on cold, no spin, extra rinse. then 1 cycle hot, extra high spin, extra rinse. Then inserts go into the dryer and we line dry the shells. With the all in one, we put the whole thing in the dryer and it does great. Really the hardest part is just stuffing the diapers, so that's why I think I want to gradually move to all in ones and just keep some pocket diapers for our extra stuffed nighttime diapers.


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## yum

Hello ladies,
Hope all r doin good !

My csection is on Monday @ 8am..I'm Xcited & freaking a bit at the same time..
Any last minute suggestions would b of great help..
Have a gud weekend !


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## daydream

Good luck yum!! I don't have c section advice, but for hospital advice: bring slippers, take lots of pictures (yes even of yourself, no matter how bad you think you look). It goes by fast and you'll want to remember those early moments/hours/days.


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## Chloe597

Goo luck, yum! Definitely bring slippers. And I brought a pillow too cuz the hospital ones sucked. And they didn't provide soap or shampoo for the shower either. As for c section, as much as it will hurt to move, definitely get up and walk around as soon as they let you. Will make for a much better recovery. And when they offer pain meds, especially before the first time u walk, take them. I tried to be all strong and only take half the dose. They convinced me otherwise and I'm glad. Pain meds didn't affect the baby at all, she still.latched well and wasn't lethargic or anything. Walk around as often as u can to help with healing.. And just know that it gets way less painful after that initial time u have to walk. And enjoy the excuse that u can't walk so DH can change all the diapers at the hospital. Those first few poops are quite interesting. Can't wait to hear how it goes and what u had! Do u have names picked out?

All has been relatively quiet over here lately. Swim lessons were pushed back a week so.they start next weekend. Gabby gets up on all 4s and rocks and pushes herself backwards, or else pivots around, but still no forward movement. Still no teeth, but we are starting to give her small chunks of frits and soft foods like cheese and pasta. At her 9 month appt we found out she weighed 19 lb 15oz and was 28.75" long, which put her above 75% for.both, but she has a tiny head, only 32%. 

Hope everyone is well!


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## Sbmack

Good luck tomorrow, Yum!!! You must be so excited to meet your LO. 

Thanks for all the diaper tips, Daydream!! I got my first shipment of fitteds, pre folds and covers this week. They are so cute!


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## yum

Thanks 4r all the wishes & advice ladies !
Will post again wen possible! 
Tc!


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## MrsPTTC

Aww good luck yum! Can't believe the time has come already, seems like yesterday you were announcing your BFP! So exciting! Can't wait to hear news :hugs:

Ah Chloe gabby still no teeth bless her. My mum said all 3 of her kids were late teethers, not sure how late though! I think up to 1 year is normal? :shrug: Sounds like she'll be crawling soon! Hope she enjoys swimming. 

Penny has a bit of a cold at the minute & a cough but I'm sure the cough is sometimes put on, it's funny lol. She's started reaching out for us now to be picked up which is lovely. Think that's about it developmental wise that's new... Oh & she laughs at the dog now!! So cute! She's showing interest in the cats now too & holds a hand out to stroke them. Just got to be careful with one of the cats though he can bite if he's in a bad mood! :wacko: but can be a lovely friendly cat, like Jekyll & Hyde ha ha. 

x


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## Gobolino

Just a quick hi to all you ladies!!! No internet for the past two weeks....so lots of catching up to do!


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## Sbmack

Yum, I hope everything went well for you and that you and you're LO are doing great!

Hi Gobs!!

Daydream, Chloe and Mrs. P, we need some updated pics of those cute babies!!


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## daydream

I hope Penny is getting over her cough. Harrison fake coughs a lot to be funny. And yay for reaching out to you! That is a pretty fun milestone. 

Harrison has been laughing more lately. He's always so smiley, but never really has been much of a laugh out loud baby. But he'll laugh if we do a big fake laugh. He's still all about the "ga"s but you can tell he's reaching to say some other consonants. We are still working to night wean him. We have been holding him and having him cry for a hour (he generally doesn't cry the whole time, just fusses and won't go back down) before we feed him. Torture, but it's worked! Instead of waking at 11pm, he's holding out until 1am. So we're just going to keep it up until I can get him to sleep until 5am. Slowly but surely. He's also getting so close to standing unassisted. For food he's doing a few more finger foods, but I still cut them up into small bite sizes. I generally just do a mix of various purees. I've also added quinoa mixed in for a grain with some texture. 

Monday was a big milestone, outside of the belly for exactly as long as he was in my belly :) Oh the joys of having a IUI, I know the exact date.


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## Sbmack

Wow, H is getting so big! Such a cute little man. Love the last one of him with that big smile!!

I've been lucky and have had a great pregnancy so far. Now I'm getting to that point where it's getting uncomfortable. The day time is ok, but once I eat dinner I feel like a house. I probably eat to much :) but I swear I can feel my belly growing and stretching at that point. 

My company hired a full time employee to take my position while I'm on leave and she started this week. I am psyched to have someone else to do the heavy lifting for me. This week has been exhausting though as we have events every night this week! I even have to work this Sat. I'm making her help though I'll set her up and she can finish the event :) I plan on working right until the end. I don't want to stop a week early and go two weeks late. Because I'm only taking three months off, I want all the time to be with my little girl!


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## daydream

That's so exciting, you're getting so close!! And yes from 35 weeks on I felt very very big. It'll go quickly though!


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## Chloe597

What a sweet little man you have, daydream! Love that last pic, too! Wanted to ask you how BF is giong, and if you've noticed any supply changes with pumping now that H is on solids too? I asked this question on our snowflakes thread too. My pumping supply is tanking :( I think once a week i have to use some of my freezer stash, so what I built up for DH to use while I'm out of town in Nov will be gone by then at this rate! 

SB, can't believe you are so close! Just about a month left, give or take. I remember that last month to me seemed like an eternity. I just wanted to meet her, already! and to stop carrying around an extra 30 lbs. 

Hope the C section went well, Yum, and that you are recovering nicely! Looking forward to stories/pictures!

Here are a few updated Gabby pics.

Katie, Nell, Cat, Gob, MrsP, Jods, hope you are all well!
 



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## jodspods

Hi all - just catching up!! Loving the pics of your LOs - too cute!

Sbmack - not long to go now!! 

Yum - hope everything went well! 

Afm I've had my 24 wk checkup, booked antenatal classes and submitted my maternity leave request today!! 12 working weeks left!!! Aiming to work until 13 December then mat leave commences 20 dec as I've got some holiday leave. Going to take the whole of 2014 off and aim to go back 2 January 2015! Odd date I know but sounds ok at the moment and if need be I might extend another week or so. I hope baby arrives 30, 31 or 1 because my job doesn't allow hols at the start of a month as this is our busiest time! 

Also, tonight our girl cat was poorly and DH dealt with her but I had to hold her at one point and noticed I got a little poop on my hand. I washed thoroughly straight away!! Our cats are predominantly indoor and don't eat raw milk so I think toxoplasmosis risk is low but I'm still a little worried - any thoughts?


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## Sbmack

Gabby's getting so big! Is that a cheerleader outfit in the last pic?? :)

Jods, how amazing that you get to take a year off!! I don't know much about toxoplasmosis, but I would think you're fine since you washed right away.


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## jodspods

I called triage and they said not to worry! I read up and risks are probably higher from undercooked food!!

I forget where you are Sbmack. I could take 52 weeks mat leave with 26 weeks full pay (my company mat pay is amazing) then 13 weeks statutory then 13 unpaid but I will have about 7 weeks unpaid and then will take my annual leave entitlement for the rest of the year. It's going to be strange having to manage our pay early on when baby first arrives so that we have enough aside for when I'm on statutory and unpaid but we are determined to make it work! 

Hoping the next 15 weeks go quickly now!


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## Sbmack

I'm in the US (New Hampshire). I'm getting my full salary while on leave, which is somewhat rare here so I'm pretty happy with that. I'm even getting my car allowance every month, which is a sweet bonus since I won't be driving for work. It's rare here for women to take more than three months off....wish I could though. I will be going back four days a week instead of five though and still get to keep my insurance. My husband is on my insurance since he works for a small company so we really need mine.


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## jodspods

Wow I guess it really is a lot different in the states! It's good you get some of your benefits while on maternity too! At least you are working up til the end and have someone to help you!


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## MrsPTTC

Wow jods that must feel great saying you're not back til 2015!! I know I was over the moon in feb to say see you next year! I'm back on 6th jan. We have same maternity pay as you but no way we could manage no pay, I'm taking 11 weeks smp after my 6 months full pay which started on 11th sept, then it's holidays til jan. SB I couldn't imagine going back after 3 months like you US ladies, we are sooo lucky over here! I wouldn't worry about the cat poop, people will come across it regularly in their garden & it does no harm. I know they say not to clean litter trays out as a precaution though. 

Wow daydream & Chloe, Harrison & gabby are just adorable! Not be long before they are one! :wacko: Penny is 26 weeks today though we're not classing her as 6 months until Sunday, the 15th (day she was born) which will match my ticker. Here is an updated pic. 

Yum hope you & baby are doing well

x


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## MrsPTTC

Aw it won't upload pic I'll try again tomorrow x


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## MrsPTTC

Penny, 6 months x
 



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## MrsPTTC

And another
 



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## MrsPTTC

Ooh cat will have had her baby by now she's 45 weeks preggo lol! x


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## Sbmack

Great shots of Penny!! I especially love the one in the rain slicker. 

Yes, the US is horrible for maternity care (and a lot of healthcare in general). At least I'll be getting a free breast pump now that Obamacare has gone into effect!!


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## daydream

Penny and Gabby are so adorable!! I can't believe our babies are already getting so big! 

Chloe - Harrison hasn't decreased his milk intake much since starting solids. Maybe dropped one feeding during the day? I did drop 1 pump session during the day, so we're ending up exactly even with milk now, whereas I was running extra 4-5 oz a day. Have you tried doing a power pumping day? They talk about it on kelly mom: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/pumping_decrease/

SB - glad you are able to get a paid maternity leave. Mine was fully paid and I was so grateful. The US is just awful, I don't know how some women do it. My best friend went back to work at 6 weeks because she couldn't afford more time off. She also had awful PPD, which I think was exacerbated by her short leave.


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## Gobolino

jodspods said:


> Hi all - just catching up!! Loving the pics of your LOs - too cute!
> 
> Sbmack - not long to go now!!
> 
> Yum - hope everything went well!
> 
> Afm I've had my 24 wk checkup, booked antenatal classes and submitted my maternity leave request today!! 12 working weeks left!!! Aiming to work until 13 December then mat leave commences 20 dec as I've got some holiday leave. Going to take the whole of 2014 off and aim to go back 2 January 2015! Odd date I know but sounds ok at the moment and if need be I might extend another week or so. I hope baby arrives 30, 31 or 1 because my job doesn't allow hols at the start of a month as this is our busiest time!
> 
> Also, tonight our girl cat was poorly and DH dealt with her but I had to hold her at one point and noticed I got a little poop on my hand. I washed thoroughly straight away!! Our cats are predominantly indoor and don't eat raw milk so I think toxoplasmosis risk is low but I'm still a little worried - any thoughts?

Jods! I'm sure it's fine! Funny...I was brought up in the country, cats in and out...and I haven't had toxoplasmosis. Annoying, since I looove cuddling them!


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## Gobolino

Loving the pics!!! :baby:

The states have awful maternity leave! I'm lucky...jobless, so lazing around :winkwink:
I'm now 13 weeks. I've been taking nausea pills for the past 10 days. I stopped yesterday, to see if I was getting better....:nope::sick: So will wait at least another week to try again. My 12 week screen was fine. Next one we will know sex!!! I've just been through my clothes, to put away those that don't fit anymore, and see what jeans/trousers I can take to a visit to the UK in a couple of weeks. Result: NIL! Nothing fits!!!! Help!!!!! I guess I'm not going to be one of those mums who just grow a bump and carry on wearing their jeans!


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## Chloe597

Thanks for the advice daydream! I have started taking supplements and adding a pumping session (which is the last thing i want to do!) but luckily only 2 more months of this! I do worry that I wont have any stash for DH/Daycare when I have to go out of town for work in early november. G turns 1 on Nov 28, and my trip out is on Nov 10. I'm hoping to start the transition to whole milk at that time, so maybe what little frozen I have left will get stretched out. I will be gone monday evening - friday afternoon, and I don't think there is any way I will have enough pumped milk to feed her during that time. I hope something changes with my supply by then! ugh. 

SB, that's good that you get your full salary. I know a lot of mom's aren't that lucky. I was one of the lucky ones, for 6 weeks, at least. 

P, love the Penny pics! She is a cutie!

Gob, sorry you are still feeling sick. Soon! I think i felt better somewhere in the 13-14 week time frame. 

Jods, a little late, but i wouldn't worry, as long as you washed your hands. I think toxoplasmosis is more common in outdoor cats, too. And think of how your cat uses the litter box, and then its feet to cover over the poo, and then how it walks EVERYWHERE, so i'm sure you have the same, if not more, exposure to their poo that way than by accidentally and knowingly getting a little poo on you. Oh, and I'm a cat lover and have 2 cats myself, so i'm not trying to be insulting when i say they are everywhere. They just are, as that is the life of a cat :) But I do look at them sometimes and think of all the things those little paws have touched, and then they walk on my counters/kitchen table/bed...

We had our first swimming class on Saturday! G enjoyed it, although I think she was stil a bit apprehensive, and it was kinda chilly in the pool. Her lips turned blue, poor little thing, and I was shivering too. She was super cranky all weekend, and for the first time in months she woke up at 1130 pm and wouldn't go back to bed until 150 am..that was a rough nite. I wonder if she is FINALLY teething?? Haven't seen any teeth yet, but man is the crankiness there, and she was grabbing at her ears a little, and has become super clingy to mommy. For the first time this morning i heard a 'mamama' when she wasn't crying! She only ever would say it when crying before, so that was pretty exciting :)


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## Sbmack

I hope you feel better soon, Gobs!! Have you looked into getting a belly band? Its an elastic band that you can out around your regular pants while leaving them unbuttoned. I wore one for a while. It was good for the stage where our noticeably bigger, but don't really need maternity pants yet. I'm at the stage where even my maternity pants aren't fitting anymore. Yikes! Everyone tells me I'm all belly, but I think they are just being nice. I could barely zip up a pair of boots yesterday! 

For the moms out there...did your feet grow? If so, did they satay that way or go back after? Forgive me if I've already asked this. Feeling pretty forgetful lately! 

Chloe, I can't believe Gabby will be one in a couple months!!! I hope she's enjoying swim lessons even though it's chilly. Yay for her calling to you!!


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## daydream

How exciting you got a mama!! I've been trying to get Harrison to say that for the longest time, but he just says gagagaga. 

Too bad the water was so cold! We do indoor lessons for that reason. I took H swimming in my mom's pool this summer when she hadn't heated it and he was MAD. Screamed so loud I felt awful, and this is california! It wasn't even very cold!


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## Chloe597

DH said she called out for mama again in the car this morning while she was happy...melts my heart! 

My feet didn't grow any shoe sizes. My whole body got a little swollen and I had to stop wearing my wedding rings, but everything went back to normal after the first month or two. I took my work badge picture while 8 months pregnant and now i look at that and think my face looked so fat! I didn't even notice it as it was happening, however. 

Gob, I would recommend the belly band, or just using a rubber band on your regular jeans. I used a rubber band or a hair band, and just wore long shirts to cover over the waist.


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## yum

Hello ladies,
Hi everyone,
Poppin in real quick to let u all know that I have a baby girl weighing 5.10 on mon.. V both r doin good.. I still have long recovery but not bad at all.. We were discharged fri..
I'm already struggling with low milk supply:cry:


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## jodspods

yum said:


> Hello ladies,
> Hi everyone,
> Poppin in real quick to let u all know that I have a baby girl weighing 5.10 on mon.. V both r doin good.. I still have long recovery but not bad at all.. We were discharged fri..
> I'm already struggling with low milk supply:cry:

Congratulations Yum! Glad to hear you're both well! Hope your milk supply will improve (maybe the other mummies have some tips)! Look after yourself x


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## Chloe597

Congrats on your little girl, Yum! what is her name? I think sometimes it can take a week or so for the milk to really come in. Did you talk to any lactation consultants? each hospital should have several available to contact even when you aren't in the hospital. Make sure you are drinking tons of water and not skipping meals. You need extra calories and hydration to make milk. I hope it improves for you!


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## daydream

I echo what Chloe said. Find a good lactation consultant and call her often with any questions, they will have solutions.


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## Sbmack

Congrats Yum! We would love to see a picture of our little princess when you get a chance. I hope you get some help with your milk supply!


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## Gobolino

Sbmack said:


> I hope you feel better soon, Gobs!! Have you looked into getting a belly band? Its an elastic band that you can out around your regular pants while leaving them unbuttoned. I wore one for a while. It was good for the stage where our noticeably bigger, but don't really need maternity pants yet. I'm at the stage where even my maternity pants aren't fitting anymore. Yikes! Everyone tells me I'm all belly, but I think they are just being nice. I could barely zip up a pair of boots yesterday!
> 
> For the moms out there...did your feet grow? If so, did they satay that way or go back after? Forgive me if I've already asked this. Feeling pretty forgetful lately!
> 
> Chloe, I can't believe Gabby will be one in a couple months!!! I hope she's enjoying swim lessons even though it's chilly. Yay for her calling to you!!

Thanks, feeling 80% good whilst I take my nausea pills, so ok! Will have a look at a belly band. Though some jeans won't rise past my thighs HORROR!
I have put on 4 kg in 3 months....way too much since internet says 1 to 1 and half in the first trimester. I'm not indulging...it must be the excess of carbs while I had the bad nausea! :nope:
I went shopping yesterday, it's a bit daunting, as I've no idea how big I will get! :shrug:


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## Chloe597

Don't worry, Gob, those maternity pants can expand and contract to fit a huge range of sizes. if you are concerned, get lots of stretchy yoga type pants. I got several of the under belly pants and hated them. It will all depend on how you carry your LO. And bloating made me huge before I even gained any weight. You are not alone in feeling overwhelmed by all of the unknown!


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## jodspods

Oh Gobolino try not to worry about your weight. I've not weighed myself since about 15 weeks and at that stage I'd put on just under 20 lbs or so! I don't even want to know what I weigh now! It's all the carbs for me too but I'm just embracing it although had a wobbly a fe weeks ago when i couldn't find anything "dressy" for a party I was going to and now I live in flats when I always wore heels! It's all gonna be worth it though!


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## yum

Hi ladies,
Hope all r doin gud..sorry haven't gone thru all posts..

Thank u 4r all ur support in everything..
V named her roshni ( brightness )..I added a pic..i'll remove the pic after a while..me&dh decided not to post any pics on websites( sorry abt that )..
I did meet with LC @ hospital & was very helpful but I'm still struggling with low milk..can pump only 2oz wen lo hasn't ate any :(
Trying not to stress but its getting hard..

More later.


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## Sbmack

She's beautiful, Yum!! You are too (I'm assuming that's you in the background). From what I've read about breastfeeding the first couple weeks are the hardest so hang in there!

Gobs, it's so hard not to stress about weight but do try not to. I can't fit into some if the maternity clothes I bought in the beggining!! I was told to just buy my regular size, but I've definitely gone up one.


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## daydream

yum, she's beautiful!! I love her name. Keep up with pumping and just be consistent. Don't be hard on yourself either. Just think lots of positive thoughts. She's happy to get as much as you can provide. Early motherhood is hard enough, you are doing so great!


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## Chloe597

She is gorgeous, yum! I like that her name means brightness. What is the origin? Am I remembering correctly that you are from India? Hope your milk supply improves. Sometimes it is the pump. I've also read that listening to relaxing music and looking at pics of your LO has shown to improve pumping output (so no stressful situations). Hope you are getting some sleep!


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## jodspods

Congrats Yum! She is beautiful! Good luck with bfing


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## jodspods

We had our final scan at the weekend! Baby measuring on dates but didn't wanna pose for pics! Here's a couple....one with ankles crossed at right side and knees to the left, any idea of gender?
 



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## jodspods

A little yawn!
 



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## Gobolino

Yum she's gorgeous!!!! Well done!
I've heard bfeeding is hard...but don't give up! I've read that sometimes it takes ages!
Thanks Sbmack. I've bought some clothes at H&M and Primark...but guessing they won't last till the end! I'll try not to stress ;-)

Great pics Jods!! No idea of gender yet?? Opps, looked again at pic...yes, I think I get the idea haha


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## jodspods

After our scan DH said he thought he saw boy bits but who knows! My midwife friend guesses boy but on here I've only had guesses of girl! Either way, they looked very like their daddy!


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## Chloe597

wow, Jods, great scan! I can see both potential for boy and girl parts, so i dont know! I see what looks like a nub for a boy, but maybe that is just some sort of weird shado? I see 3 lines that is supposed to mean girl too (I saw them on Gabby's scan). I'm going to go with girl and say the nub is actually a weird shadow. can't wait to find out!

And here is a video of G walking in her walker. She mastered walker walking and crawling in the same weekend! Love this little girl!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJSy5o5qWig


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## Sbmack

So freaking cute, Chloe! Love the little grunting. I just want to hug her! 

Nice scans Jods. I'm guessing girl because of the lines. I really have no clue how to tell though. 

Gobs, I didn't know H&M had maternity! We don't have any around here anyway, but I may have taken a drive to do some shopping. 

I'm not a huge shopper overall, but not being able to buy clothes or shoes for the last nine months has really made me want to go on a shopping spree. It will probably be quite a few months until I'm ready for that though as I want to make sure I will get back to my pre-baby size before I go and spend a bunch of money.


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## daydream

Good morning all! After the worst week ever, I'm very glad to be starting a new one. H got a high fever early last week, so between DH and I we had to alternate staying home from work since he couldn't go to daycare, which for me was awful because it's one of our busiest times. This meant I ended up having to work up into the middle of the night to make up for being gone. H also would not sleep without someone sleeping with him, so we ended up taking turns sleeping with him on the daybed we have in his room. On Thursday his fever went down so I was so excited to get to send him to daycare.. but then when he came home at 5 I noticed a little rash around his hairline.. I took off his shirt and he was covered. Roseola. BAH. As of this morning though his rash is gone, so looks like we might have a normal week ahead of us.

SB - You're so close! How are you feeling? 

How's everyone else doing?


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## Chloe597

oh no, daydream! That sounds awful. Does H normally sleep in the daybed or is that just there for when he gets older? I have only had one experience sharing a bed with G and i am not looking forward to doing it again, with the way she tosses and turns! I am glad to hear your week is off to a good start! Was roseola going around daycare? 

SB, any baby yet??? So close!!

We have been busy with Gabby crawling all over the place, getting into everything. She is especially interested in cords and the buttons on our receiver. Chasing her around is giving us a workout, that's for sure! She is also more and more interested in feeding herself (with her fingers) and less and less purees with spoons, so I have to get clever again with food. It's a challenge!

How is everyone else doing?? Little P should be eating solids now, right? Hope you are enjoying your LO, Yum!


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## daydream

The daybed is in his room for my mom when she comes to stay and it will be his big boy bed in a few years. He actually sleeps pretty calmly, so it's not too bad, other than trying to share a twin bed with an infant. I sleep on my side and that bed is firmer than our pillowtop, so it's just a little more uncomfortable.

And no, we're not sure where he got it! Maybe swim lessons? Who knows.

How are the finger foods going? I really am having a hard time figuring out things to make for H. He'll have avocado, banana, organic string cheese, scrambled eggs, etc. all chopped up small. and the little star pastas.. but I really need to branch out and figure out new things to feed him. I did buy some zucchini and carrot this weekend, so maybe if I steam it and then can chop it up he can munch on those too.


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## Sbmack

Sorry you had such a rough week, dream!! Glad H is feeling better!

It must be tiring chasing Gabby around. Just wait until she starts Running around. 

I'm getting excited...hopefully she comes sooner than later! I am still working and it's exhausting because I'm getting to the really uncomfortable stage. Being on my feet all day is too much, but I don't want to stop work early because I only have three months leave and I want to spend it all with my little girl. That still sounds strange to me...my little girl. I don't think it will really set in that I'm going to be someone's mother until she's here!


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## Chloe597

I remember that feeling well, SB! Both the uncomfortableness and the feeling that i would actually be a mom. I still can't believe it sometimes. But it's a great feeling! I hope she comes soon!

Daydream, for finger foods, we are pretty much doing the same. scrambled eggs, steamed carrots and broccoli, pieces of cheese, banana, avocado, toast, puffs, mum mums. I just made her some lentil casserole which I still spoon feed, but it was a great recipe i found on this site:https://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/index.html It has helped me come up with some fun combinations of foods to make, although I tried one of the Beet recipes and she was not a fan. But she enjoyed the lentils (as did I!)

Edit: she also loves to eat kiwi, strawberries, plain yogurt, French toast and pancakes. Breakfast is the easiest meal of the day and works out great when we go out to a restaurant for brunch. Dinner is still difficult.


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## Gobolino

Sorry H had a bad week, Daydream. Hope you all have recovered!

It must be tiring running around after Gabby, I just hope it will be one way of getting rid of all this weight I'm putting on!
I've just got back fron th UK....and OMG, I have eaten SO much :nope: My hubbie's gonna freak when he sees me!!! 

SB, I have the same feeling! I just can't see myself as a Mum!


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## Sbmack

I hope you enjoyed your trip, Gobs! don't worry about eating so much. You're growing a human...it's allowed :)


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## Sbmack

I had my little girl today via water birth. 

7.4lbs. Still need to choose a name!


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## daydream

Congratulations SB! Can't wait to hear more! Good luck with choosing the name and I hope you are able to recover and get some good rest :)


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## Gobolino

Congrats Sbmack!!!!!! Get some rest and enjoy!!!:baby:


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## Chloe597

Congrats, SB! i hope you can tell us more about the water birth when you feel up to it! Enjoy your little girl, and as others have said, get some rest!


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## jodspods

Congratulations Sbmack! Can't wait to hear what you've decided to call your little girl! Hope all went well and look forward to hearing more about the birth! X


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## MrsPTTC

Just calling by to say congrats SB! I'll try & read back on the thread soon & reply properly, just find it so hard on iPhone! x


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## Sbmack

So we are 90% sure we will call our little girl Stella Grace after both of my grandmothers! Here's a brief write up on how she came into this world: 

Last Saturday (10/12/13) we were finishing up some shopping for the baby. We wanted to exchange the crib mattress and then planned on going to one last nice dinner out before the LO made an appearance. We were planning on going to a great restaurant that was about 20 mins. from the store we were at. Since we were done so early we decided to stop at another restaurant for an appetizer on the way. We had one small app and paid the tab. As I got up to leave I felt a gush and ran to the bathroom! I was definitely leaking, but it wasn't buckets like I've heard can happen. I callled my practice and the midwife on call told me to go to the birthing center at the hospital to get checked. I sat on a piece of cardboard and newspapers on the way in case there was another gush. We had to swing by our house (which wasn't really on the way) to throw some things together. I still had not packed a hospital bag even though my husband had been bugging me to do so. 

We got to the hospital around 7:30. They checked me out and confirmed it was amniotic fluid and that I'd ruptured my waters. Because I wasn't contracting (they hooked me up to the monitors) the midwife from my practice said I could go home if I wanted. She said to go back or call first thing in the morning. My dh and I agreed I'd get more sleep at home so we left the hospital. We stopped to get a pizza on the way home since we didn't get to eat. Contractions started then in the car. They got pretty intense once home and for an hour and were 5 minutes apart. I thought we were going to have to head back to the hospital, but they tapered off. 

I was up all night with contractions about 10 minutes apart. I was frustrated because I wasn't sleeping, but they weren't too painful. They ramped up in the morning so we took a shower, ate some breakfast and headed to the hospital. We got there around 8:30 and I delivered at 1:49. They monitored me for a bit once we got checked in. Then they unhooked me to labor as I please. I was in the room for a bit and labored in the shower. My doula was amazing. She knew just where to apply counter pressure to minimize the pain. When the contractions got closer together and the pain really increased we moved to the jacuzzi tub. It was relief for a while, but then I went into transition. I stayed in the tub but shut the jets off. I was probably in there for an hour. My water really broke in there. I fet a pop. Not too long after my body started telling me to push. The nurse got a little scared and said not in here. I was in the tub for another 15 minutes or so with super intense contractions and trying not to push since I wasn't completely dialated. Once I was, they wheeled me to the room with the birthing tub. Once there I pushed for 20-25 minutes. The most effective and comfortable (not really comfortable of course, but the least excruciating) position was leaning against the tub on all fours. I pushed her head out and most of her body in that position and turned at the end to get her all out without wrapping the cord around me. 

It was intense as I'm sure all births are, but I was very happy in the end. I hope to have my second the same way!


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## jodspods

Congrats again Sbmack!

Lovely name for your little girl! 

Thank you for sharing your birth story! Sounds like things went straight forward and smoothly! How funny to have planned a nice meal and baby decided to crash that. I'm really hoping for spontaneous labour and water birth so it was nice to read your story! 

Hope you're resting up and enjoying your new addition to your family! X


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## Gobolino

Wow Sbmack! What a story! Thanks for sharing!!! Glad all went ok, and love the name.
Take care!


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## daydream

That is a beautiful name! And what a great story! I'm glad that things went so well for you. How has the first week or so been going?


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## daydream

Harrison is now 10 months old, I cannot believe it. He's such a great kid. Still no walking, but he does walk with his little push toy. Just a matter of time I'm sure. He also jabbers a lot, but we still haven't attributed his first word yet. There are lots of close ones.. book, dog, dada, mama, but he doesn't say it consistently. Like he'll say dog and then gah. So I can't tell if he really knows what he's saying. Today we got really close with Go. He says it when he starts to push his toy, but he says a lot of sounds that start with g, so I'm not convinced yet.

Also on his 10 month birthday I got my own gift.. AF started.. a whole 555 days after my last one. Sigh. Something about it makes me sad, it's like it's back to business as usual. Not pregnant anymore, don't have a newborn anymore. Just back to normal life where I get my monthly visitor. It IS nice to have the confirmation that I'm not pregnant and that they really are phantom kicks I'd been feeling.

How are everyone else's babies doing?


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## Chloe597

SB, great story! sounds like it couldn't have gone better. love the name, too!

Gabby is sick with a 103 fever now. she is so miserable. Breaks my heart! And she is getting her first tooth! And she has been coming up to me, hugging me and saying mamama, so maybe she actually knows who i am now???

Daydream, i feel the same way about gabby and her language. she sometimes seems to get it, and sometimes not. Sorry AF is back..was it horrible? I dread how awful it will be after not having it for almost 2 years. I'm picturing cramping that will require time off work. but maybe it will just be like any other AF...And good that you are just having phantom kicks! do you want a second child? I still go back and forth on that one.


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## daydream

Sorry to hear Gabby isn't feeling well! When H's fever was that high, we had to get ibuprofen because it was the only thing that would help him feel better. Hope it gets better soon! I hope she cuts the tooth quickly and relatively painfree. We were pretty lucky, H's teeth didn't both him too badly.

AF wasn't too bad actually, no cramping. According to DH thought I was pretty bitchy.. Lots of bleeding the first two days and then medium the third and all done yesterday. Not as bad as I expected! And thankfully I was home when it started so I was able to avoid any embarrassment or mess.

I do want a second, we will NTNP when H turns 1.5, actively TTC when he turns 2 and then call up our RE when he turns 2.5 if we haven't conceived by then. I want at least three, plus I soooo loved being pregnant so I'm ready for that again.


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## jodspods

Hello

Hope all you lovely ladies are well!

Just off the phone to a journalist who wants to run our story for infertility awareness week!! So glad to be able to talk out and help others who might be scared to ask for help! Always said I wanted to give something back to help people so hope this does!!

30+4 today and only 28 working days to go at work now! Can't wait!

Hope you're all well!!

X


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## MrsPTTC

Aw SB your birth story is fab & what a lovely name! Your water birth is just what I wanted but didn't get! Hope you're enjoying the first days/weeks of motherhood. 

Sorry to hear gabby not been well Chloe hope she's better now. 

Daydream I'm same as you loved being pregnant so much I'd love to do it a all over again! We'll defo have 2, maybe 3 if I can persuade DH! I thought I was preggo this month as had whopping 16-18 day LP. I'm pleased I'm not but perhaps a little bit disappointed ha ha. I think some anti inflammatories I've been taking for my back has mucked my cycles up as my last cycle was super short & tiny LP. 

Jods that's great a journalist wants to speak to you! :thumbup: 

Hope everyone else is well. I've just become an auntie & penny a big cousin for the first time :happydance: Uts a girl, 8lb 8, ouch! No name yet... 

x


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## Sbmack

Daydream, can't believe H is 10 months already!! Glad AF wasn't too bad. 

I hope Gabby is feeling better, I hope the teething is going well! 

Jods, how cool that a journalist wants to write about your experience for a story. That's great! 

Congrats on your niece, Mrs. P! 

Things are going well with Stella. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect baby. Well, I guess she could sleep for longer stretches through the night... :) She had a clogged tear duct, but we put warm compresses on it and massaged it regularly and it seems to have corrected itself. 

Anyone have any advice about reflux and gas? I'm not really sure what's wrong, but after most feelings S gets upset and arches her back, makes garling noises and just seems fussy. We've tried burping her for longer, but she doesnt usually burp. Maybe I'm not patting her hard enough. She also gets the hiccups after most feedings. I'm pretty sure she's eating way too fast and gulping air. I'm worried she has GERD... My DH has been making fun of me because usually I'm super laid back and I don't really worry abiut much, but now with her I've become a baby hypochondriac. 

Yum, how's everything going with your LO?


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## Sbmack

Oh and as for another...we definitely want one more. DH is already pushing for two. Haha. I didn't mind being pregnant as I had a fairly easy pregnancy, but I didn't love it. Mostly because I couldn't drink. I know that sounds awful, but being in the wine business was a little tough while preggers. 

I'm not sure when we'll start trying again. I used to say we would NTNP after only 6 months because it took a while to concieve. I have a feeling I may have an easier time with the second though so we will probably wait until Stella is a year old.


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## daydream

MrsP congrats in being an auntie! I became one in May, it's really wonderful, plus great to have cousins close in age

Sb - is Stella around 2-3 weeks? That's a rough fussy time in general. If you're concerned, ask the dr, but H was very fussy around that time, I thought we had all kinds of illnesses but nope, just regular baby stuff and he was better in a week or so. 

We had some really rough nights of sleep last week, so I downloaded the audiobook for Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby and quickly realized we were keeping H up too late at night. I really liked the book, informed me, and made me feel empowered. Two nights ago H slept from 7:30 to 7am, amazing compared with the previous 12a, and 3-4am wake ups. Last night he did 8am to 5am, I think he early wake up was because I was out and DH put him down a little too late. I think were on the road to some better nights.


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## Chloe597

daydream, what time were you putting H to bed before? Gabby has been protesting her 8pm bedtime and now goes to bed closer to 845. I am not a fan.

Mrs P, congrats on being an auntie! I don't have much hope of becoming an auntie any time soon. Mine and DH's siblings are much younger and all are not in a place to have children yet, sadly, so Gabby wont have any cousins close in age.

SB, if you are worried about reflux, try keeping S upright or 20 min after feeding. I went through some periods of major gas, scary spitups, and I think it was pretty much just normal baby development. Their digestive system is still figuring itself out, but if she screams in pain after eating, or when spitting up, you may want to call your dr. One thing they told me for reflux was to put a towel or book under the mattress to help elevate the head. and they also told me to keep her upright for 20 minutes after each feeding. I did all this, and I don't even think gabby really had reflux. It was more my paranoia after some scary spitup incidents.

Jods, that's great news about being asked to share your story! When will it happen?

Gabby has 2 teeth coming through now! both bottom teeth. She is also getting bolder with her walking, as she will let go of the furniture and try to lunge to other pieces of furniture. She has been sleeping better lately, so hopefully it was just her illness that was keeping her up. She is a little crankier than normal probably from the teething, but nothing too bad.


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## jodspods

https://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/scotland/new-baby-joy-for-heartbreak-couple-1.146061

They didn't take the slant we thought they would! Expected more about the charity and our story to be a side story just to encourage people to find out more during infertility awareness week!!


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## Sbmack

What a great article, jods! You guys are too cute!

Daydream I hope you're right and Stella is just fussy!

Chloe, I've been holding her up for 20 mins after feedings and it has helped. It's so hard at night though. We will try the mattress under the bassinet too.


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## daydream

Chloe - he had been going to bed between 8:15-9pm because I get home from work kind of later. But now I'll just make sure to leave at 5 so I can get home to do bedtime and then work after he's in bed.


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## Sbmack

When did you all start bedtime routines? We haven't been on a regular schedule yet...we are going to bed too late. She's still sleeping most of the day though so I'm not sure when a routine starts to make a difference.


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## daydream

I started around 2.5-3 months I think. Up until I don't think babies are expected to consolidate their sleep cycles. It's crazy but it seems so long ago I hardly remember when H was that little! I would highly suggest getting the audiobook for Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. It was very informative and he has a chapter on 0-4 months to help you know what exactly you can do to help your baby at that time, knowing their age and development by that time.


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## Chloe597

My baby is 11 months today! Can't believe she will be a year in only a month's time. Gosh how time flies!

Jods, great article! I never knew the backstory about your loss. That is terrible that the very thing that was supposed to help you explain some infertility caused a miscarriage! :hugs:

daydream, that is earlier than I was expecting, although I guess if H had been waking up in the middle of the night, something wasn't quite right. I have that book, but haven't really had the need to read it since 95% of the time gabby sleeps great. I wish she went to bed at 8 still, but her later bedtime doesn't seem to be affecting her nights any. I see tooth # 2 peeking through right next to her bottom tooth that has broken the surface. She never did get any other symptoms other than the fever. I wonder if a 103 fever really could be caused by teething?

SB, we still don't truely have a bedtime routine. I only bathe gabby 2-3 times a week still. Our 'routine' if you can call it that, started pretty much right away, with me putting her in her pjs, swaddle, and then feeding her until she fell asleep. Now its more PJs, play on the floor for a bit with the lights dimmed, put her in her sleep sack, say good night to daddy, then go upstairs for nursing and then i put her in her crib. sometimes we read books before bed, sometimes we take a bath and then put on the PJs. It all depends on what else is going on. Sometimes she eats dinner at 6, other times not until 730. We are really bad with routine, and luckily it hasn't negatively affected gabby. One thing i did was let her choose her bedtime. I would watch for sleepy queues, and would start my routine when i saw those things..yawning, eye rubbing, etc so i could learn when she wanted to go to sleep rather than me having to force her to go to bed based on my schedule.


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## Sbmack

Thanks, ladies! I will get that book. I didn't think there was a need for a routine yet, but I don't really know what I'm doing. 

Stella has been really fussy today and crying a lot. This is the most I've heard out of her...granted she's only been around for two weeks :) she's easy to calm and doesn't cry for too long, but she just seems to start for no reason. I'm glad we have our two week check up tomorrow as I've got lots of questions for the doctor. 

Time does fly! Can't believe Gabby is almost a year. 

I want to see more pictures!!


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## Sbmack

James and Stella! 

James is my good friend's little boy that was born two days after Stella.
 



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## jodspods

Aww Sbmack adorable!!! I'm sure that photo will go down well when they're older!!


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## daydream

Aww that photo is so sweet! 

Chloe - I'm glad Gabby seems to be very adaptable for sleep. H is definitely high maintenance for sleep and has never been one to just fall asleep whenever/wherever. At least we've found what works. Last night he did 7:30 to 7 again. I'm so glad we've resolved the issues. And yay for teeth! I didn't think teething could cause that high of a fever, maybe it was just coincidence? Is she all better now? And 11 months?! Woo!! Are you ready for her birthday? I've started getting some birthday party supplies and it's making me very excited.

Here are some recent photos: 


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/10484136615_ce43153137_o.jpg
(trying on his birthday hat and showing off his other new trick he learned this past week... picking his nose)


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## Sbmack

So cute, Daydream! I love the outfits. The birthday hat is great too!


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## Gobolino

jodspods said:


> Hello
> 
> Hope all you lovely ladies are well!
> 
> Just off the phone to a journalist who wants to run our story for infertility awareness week!! So glad to be able to talk out and help others who might be scared to ask for help! Always said I wanted to give something back to help people so hope this does!!
> 
> 30+4 today and only 28 working days to go at work now! Can't wait!
> 
> Hope you're all well!!
> 
> X

Good for you Jods!!!


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## Gobolino

Loving the pics!!! And I can't belive how time flies....:shrug:


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## Sbmack

Gobolino said:


> Loving the pics!!! And I can't belive how time flies....:shrug:

How are you feeling, Gobs?? Starting to show yet?


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## Chloe597

Lol, daydream, at H picking his nose! Cute pics!

Stella is adorable! Love me some tiny babies!

I am not at all ready for Gabby's birthday. I need to find a menu to feed 25-30 people! And space in my house. and figure out good presents. so overwhelming!!! I at least have a date for the party, Nov 24. She woke up last night at midnight crying, but fell asleep as soon as DH picked her up. I really don't know what is up with her sleep. She was asleep til 7 after that. It has to be the teeth. She has no fever or any other cold symptoms anymore. 

Here is a pic of her in her halloween costume.
 



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## Sbmack

Gabby is so big and gorgeous! Love, love your costumes!!


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## daydream

Chloe - Those costumes are so perfect! How fun! Hopefully when the teeth come through her sleep will get better, but maybe it is that later bedtime catching up to her, because midnight was exactly when H was waking up for us.


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## Gobolino

Chloe! Great costumes!!!!! 
I'm def showing...I've got a pretty big belly for the 20 weeks I'm (nearly) at. Finally stopped my nausea pills...and feeling so good! Whoopeee!!!! Oh! And it's a boy! Was very upset because we had a huge fight over the name....DH has always wanted to name after his grandfather, and I was so upset that I had no say in it. We'd talked about it before pregnancy...I just hoped I could change his mind. Anyway, I guess I will come up with a nice nickname.


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## Chloe597

Gob, congrats on the boy, and for the end of the nausea! What is DH's grandfathers name? You should definitely have a say. my DH wanted to name Gabby after his great grandmother but I said no, but I let him give her that name as her middle name. Maybe you can do a similar compromise? Or a modern twist on the name? 

Anyone dressing their LO up for halloween? Would love to see pics of babies in costume! Hope everyone is well!


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## jodspods

Gobolino said:


> Chloe! Great costumes!!!!!
> I'm def showing...I've got a pretty big belly for the 20 weeks I'm (nearly) at. Finally stopped my nausea pills...and feeling so good! Whoopeee!!!! Oh! And it's a boy! Was very upset because we had a huge fight over the name....DH has always wanted to name after his grandfather, and I was so upset that I had no say in it. We'd talked about it before pregnancy...I just hoped I could change his mind. Anyway, I guess I will come up with a nice nickname.

Congrats on a boy Gob! Maybe when he arrives your husband might think he doesn't suit the name and you can get in there with your choice! I was showin at 20 weeks too and people keep comparing me to my colleague who is 4 weeks ahead of me with her second and saying I'm bigger! I'm blooming pregnant what do they expect!


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## Sbmack

Congrats on the boy, Gobs! I het after your dh sees you give birth he'll let you name your son whatever you want :)

Jods, people can be so dumb and insensitive when it comes to pregnant women. People I know from work kept saying 'any day now'. 'Actually I've got two months left, but thanks for that' i'd tell them and that'd shut them up! 

I have a cute Halloween outfit and pumpkin hat I'm putting Stella in today. We live too far in the country to really get any trick or treaters. Today we are going for our first lunch date. I'm meeting my friend and her LO. I'm super nervous as Stella's been fussy the last few days. I've also never used the stroller! Yikes.


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## Chloe597

SB, it will get easier taking her out as you get more comfortable. I remember getting so nervous when I took gabby out to the mall for the first time, worrying about what if she is crying, what if she gets hungry, etc etc, but she loved the stroller and either just hung out or slept. She is still that way when we go out. I would recommend an Ergo baby carrier too, which is great when they do start to cry and you need to just hold them. really takes the strain off the back putting her in one of those. Good luck!

And Jods, people really can be so insensitive! I found myself before i was pregnant making comments like 'oh you must be due soon' just because i would feel awkward and like i needed to make small talk with people but didnt know what to say, and then after i was pregnant i realized how awful that was and will never say that again! Its hard until you have been in the situation, so whoever is saying stuff like that probably doesn't realize how they are coming across. Until you put them in their place, that is :)


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## daydream

We had a great first Halloween! We did trick or treating at my work and then did a few houses near us before calling it a night.

Here we are in our costumes: 


Harrison had fun playing with the packets of candy. Next year maybe you can have some kid ;)


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## Chloe597

How was your outing, SB? Was Stella a good baby? Hope everyone is well!
First birthday party in 2.5 weeks! And my first trip alone without DH or gabby next week. I'll be in Texas for business from Mon-fri. I'm so sad to leave gabby, and DH hasn't been alone with her for more than a few hours ever. Wish us both luck, lol!


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## daydream

Good luck Chloe! I did two days a month ago, and it actually really helped DH feel more confident in being home with him. All was well, and the cuddles when I got home made it all worth it. I hope yours goes just as well.

I've been ready WTT and NTNP threads lately torturing myself. I've got a bad case of baby fever now that my cycle is back. We are trying our best to wait until June to NTNP because we want to be close to buying a house before baby #2. So I'll just have to motivate myself by saving money like crazy to get a down payment together.


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## Gobolino

Good luck Chloe!!! I'm sure your hubbie will enjoy bonding...

Questions (embarrasing...if there's still such thing on here!)
1. Did you have lots of cm? I have loads. Dr says it's normal. It's just so much more...especially when I go for my walk. 
2. Did your hubby want/not want sex? Mine, since I've got bigger, and you can actually see it's a babe on the ultrasound, says not really. We've talked about it, as he's usually quite sexual. But he says that he doesn't really feel like it, and he doesn't like the idea of rocking the baby! I guess this is normal?


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## Sbmack

Stella has been great on outings. She was fab on our first one together. We went to lunch and then visited some of my favorite accounts (I'm in sales) that wanted to see the baby. I had to nurse and change her in a wine shop :)

Good luck with the birthday party Chloe and have fun on your trip! I'm sure leaving will be hard, but like Daydream said the cuddles when you get back will be so great. 

Daydream, good luck with WTT. I can see how baby fever would strike once they're past the squishy stage. I can't imagine having a toddler and a newborn at the same time though. I'll have to figure it out though because we hope to have another too. 

Gobolino, my DH was weird about sex once I started showing. It didn't stop him though, it just took a little getting used too. I really liked it it first, but as I got farther along I had trouble finishing and then it was just too uncomfortable because of my size. I also had loads of CM ...nothing to worry about. I had to wear a panty liner every day.


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## daydream

1) Yes lots, totally normal as long as it doesn't seem like water, then maybe ask if your water is leaking (I only mention that because my best friend had pprom recently
2) My hubby wanted MORE, but I've heard both scenarios. Both of which are completely normal


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## jodspods

Great to hear how everyone's LOs are doing!! Scary how time is flying and they're getting so big!!

Gobolino - I too have had a lot of excess discharge throughout! It's not too bad just needs a panty liner every day! Also, we've had sex a few times since finding out but not so much recently - I feel big and he thinks baby will be aware! Last time we had sex baby moved transverse so we might need to try again to see if we can shift it into the right position haha

All well here. Had anaesthetic review and now know a spinal is an option but not epidural due to previous back surgery but really want natural birth if possible as long as baby moves into head down. We will be given to around 36 weeks for that to happen!! Going to try a hypnosis track I've found and moxibustion!

My friend just had a second baby boy on Wednesday and wasn't due til 2 dec! Her waters broke exact same time as with baby 1 but no progression into labour! Made me realise I'm next eek!!


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## Chloe597

Gob, I recall using panty liners during pregnancy. I have always had more discharge than normal due to using the nuva ring for birth control, so it was about similar to that. I'm just kinda used to wearing panty liners daily, although once G was born, i really dried up down there! Still am...

About the sex, we definitely had less, although DH didnt really talk about why he seemed less interested. I didn't have a whole lot of interest, and then i was told to not BD until after baby was born due to spotting. So that ended that. And then once she was born, sex has become quite a rarity around my house. I'm really hoping that once i get my cycle back and stop breast feeding my hormones will realign and i'll have my sex drive back....

SB, thats great that stella is a good little traveler! 

Daydream, I feel you with the baby fever. I see new babies and it just makes me want to cuddle them, but I can't imagine splitting my time between 2 babies and a husband. Maybe it will be easier when Gabby is older...

Jods, you could really go any day, although hopefully your LO will stay inside until at least 37 weeks! You have plenty of time for baby to flip. If you want to get a head start in trying, I would also look into chiropracters. I have heard the stuff they do to get baby to flip is pretty mild and very helpful, and wish i would have given that a shot. Good luck with the moxibustion. I looked into that as well, but by the time i was thinking about it, it was too late and i didnt have enough time to try that before making the call about trying a version. For some reason every time i went to the Dr until 36 weeks they thought they felt the head at my cervix, but then the student who examined me then was not quite sure and wanted to do an ultrasound, and thats when they saw her little butt down by my cervix. its funny, she is almost a year now, and she still will fold herself into the frank breech position she was born in. I don't know if this is normal for all babies, or just because that feels comfortable still since she was like that in my belly. But she will lay in the crib and bring both feet to her chest and hug them, and sometimes she will sit up, and then just fall forward and sleep like that. 

Thanks for the well wishes during my time away! I will probably do a lot of research for gabby's party while gone so i still feel like i'm with her. And totally can't wait for the cuddles when i get back!


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## Sbmack

The end is near, Jods! Good luck. I found the last two weeks to be the worst. I read a book and listened to the hypno natal therapy cd's by Maggie Howell. On my chart it said I was doing British hypnobirthing and every nurse asked what that was. Haha. I only said that I was using a British version because I wasn't sure if it was the same thing as some they have in the states...I didn't take a class or anything. I loved her accent, but I don't suppose it will do the same thing for you :) What is moxibustion?

For those of you pumping??? How much milk should you get on average? I just pumped for the first time today. I still have a couple months before I go back to work, but I want to get a freezer stash going. I also have a couple of events to go to next month and my mother will be watching Stella. We will be gone for more than a couple of hours so I'd like my mother to be able to feed her.


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## jodspods

Thanks Sbmack! All being well I'm working up to 2 weeks before due date so will see how I'm going. I sit at a desk all day but it's getting wintery so a bit worried about getting to work if we get snow!

I'm using Maggie Howell CD too! Now I've got that, the one to make baby turn and yoga to enjoy!!

Moxibustion is a Chinese medicine technique. You burn Moxa sticks over your little toes for 15 days, 10 minutes a day and it's meant to move baby......

....however, I participated in a psychology study at the uni today about maternal stimuli while babys in the womb and babys head is low down in my left hip!! Maybe he or she is making their way head down and I won't need to try anything!! 

Just bought a manual pump today to take to hospital just incase so interested to hear what you ladies have to say!!


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## daydream

I started pumping at around 4 weeks old. At first got maybe 4 oz total each morning after he went down for his first nap. It slowly increased because I would let the pump run a few minutes after dry. Now I pump around 13 oz with my morning pump (I stop when the bottle reaches the top on my fuller side, so that's around 7 from one side) and then each subsequent pump is around 6 oz total. I am just now dropping to only my morning pump before work and then 1 pumping session at work. When I first went back to work I pumped every three hours. 

Keep in mind, I have a freezer stash of about 400 ounces now and have donated 500 ounces total.. so I have a bit of an oversupply.


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## Chloe597

When I started I would get about 2-3 oz from each boob each time I pumped. It increased to 5 oz on the right and lefty stayed at 2-3, except in the morning when I could get more. Now my supply is dropping again. I remember gabby drinking 6 oz of Bm in bottles pretty early on and it surprised me how much could fit in her. Have you thought about how much Stella will drink?

Great news, jods! I have heard baby can flip all the way up through 37 weeks, but after that it's much less likely.


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## Sbmack

Thanks, ladies! I've only pumped yesterday and today so far. I did it after the first morning feeding and got around two ounces on each side. I have no idea how much Stella will eat. She feeds pretty quickly, but she's gaining a lot of weight so who knows. My dh has tried twice to give her a bottle and she hasn't taken it yet. She wasn't really hungry at the time so I'm hoping she will take one soon. I really hope she's not one of those babies that won't take a bottle!! Not sure how that will pan out when I go back to work. 

Yay for your LO moving Jods!! Stella was transverse until 30 something week too!


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## MrsPTTC

Im back ladies, so sorry Ive not replied in a few weeks! I usually manage to read up once or twice a week but the thread moves so fast I forget what everyone had said so dont reply until Ive got plenty of time and the laptop is easier. I type into a word document and then paste it onto the site! 

Sb sorry to hear youre having a hard time with reflux and gas, Penny had colic it was awful. We used gripewater then something called colief which you either give them before bfing or put in their formula to help break down the lactose, it worked a treat for Penny. As for when we started her in a routine think it was around 7 or 8 weeks we started putting her upstairs to sleep in her moses, read her a story, feed then bed. We didnt bath her every night at first, just every other. Also put on her Ewan the dream sheep which has white noise and heartbeat, womb noises and red glowing tummy, and put the blackout blind up. She started sleeping through around 10.5 weeksBut bearing in mind I was mixed feeding til 11 weeks then went onto formula only, Im positive that helped too. Stella is gorgeous! My milk supply was crap, I only got 3-4 ozs out of each boob and only managed to pump around once or twice a day. My new niece wouldnt take the bottle and they changed the type of bottle/teat and she took it no problem! 

Chloe my brothers are the same Ive no chance of being an auntie through blood anytime soon! I dont think my older brother wants kids and my younger brother just likes to play the field! He works away Mon-Fri so would find a relationship very hard anyway. Hes talking about emigrating to Australia too, boo!! :sad1: Yay for Gabbys teeth! Penny has one at the bottom now and think the other one is coming through. Its a bad time though, very miserable and crabby! Ha your photos are fab Chloe! Sorry to hear youve got to go away by yourself hun:hugs2: 

Yay Jods good article! I didnt remember that you found out you were preggo on your other babies due date, thats lovely :)

Daydream Harrison is just adorable! :cloud9: 

Hi Gobolino :wave: Congrats on having a baby boy! :happydance: We never DTD once since I found out I was pregnant!! He wouldnt go near me! :dohh: but of course he wanted me to do him ahem, favours.Yeah I had more cm, think it started end 2nd tri, early 3rd tri.


Here is Pennys halloween pic x
 



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## daydream

Baby P is so adorable! Glad things are going well. I hope those teeth pop through soon so that you can get on to happier times.

H had croup this week, this kid.. with his hernia at 5 weeks, roseola and now croup that sent us to the ER he really is giving us a run for our money.


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## Gobolino

Agree!!!! Baby P is really sweet!!!! Beautiful pic! And had a good laugh about your DH's petition for, ahem...favours!! Hahaha Cheeky sods! Not a bad idea though...


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies :D

Daydream remind me again what was his hernia? Penny has an umbilical hernia, only recently diagnosed though I knew something wasn't right with her tummy button early on. Going back to drs in a few weeks to make sure not getting bigger (as I thought it was but now not so sure) but if no change he said we'll just keep an eye on it & it should go away on its own :thumbup: 

x


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## Sbmack

Hi Mrs. P! Penny is getting so big. She's gorgeous!! I hope everything is ok with the umbilical hernia. 

Sorry H had the croup this week, Daydream! 

A friend just gave us a sleepy bear that plays white noise. It sounds like when we listened to the heartbeat at the dr's. it shuts off on its own and then come on again if there's a cry! It has helped a bit, but she's still only really sleeping for two hours at a time. We got a four hour stretch two nights ago...I'm hoping she'll do it again soon.


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## daydream

MrsP - His was inguinal, it's where there's a hole into the groin area, those require surgery. He had a small umbilical one, but that's healed itself, which I think most do. The doctor said they don't do surgery on those until the kids are like 2 or 3 or later. Most go away on their own, I hope P's does as well!

Sb- Sorry the sleep is hard to come by right now :( That bear sounds really neat! I hope she works her sleep out soon. I think within the next few weeks things will naturally change on their own. Just remember, don't just up right when she cries, we did that at the beginning so he got used to needing us to sleep


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## Sbmack

Thanks, Daydream. I think we have been jumping up too soon. I've noticed that she will often whimper sometimes without it leading to full on crying. The bear is great because it calms her sometimes without waking us :) I wouldn't mind waking up so often if she went right back to sleep, but she often takes a while to settle down. Not to mention that we are supposed to keep her upright for 20 mins after each feeding, which is pretty difficult at night.


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## Chloe597

Girls, I am a horrible mom. Gabby fell out of my arms today as i was standing up from our rocker/recliner and fell right on her forehead and shoulder. Luckily it was carpeted. DH made me feel even worse by yelling at me, as if i had done something negligent or did this on purpose. I wasn't distracted by anything, nor did i have anything else it my arms. She just slipped right out. I cried more than her, she cried for maybe a minute. I was off and on for about an hour. She gave me lots of hugs tho so she must not hold it against me.

I survived my time away, as did DH. I'm super glad to be home now tho. 

Penny is adorable! She looks so much older than the last picture! Sorry you are having a rough time with the teeth. Did Penny get a fever with them? Gabby just had a fever so i'm wondering if more teeth will be popping through. She had a high fever last time she was teething, and I haven't figured out if it was a coincidence or not

Daydream, sorry to hear about the croup! what were they able to do for him in the ER? I hope he is better! Poor thing has been through a lot!

SB, its still early for sleeping more than a couple hours at a time. I found that Gabby would sleep 4-5 hour stretches if she was laying on me or DH at night. ALso swaddling and playing the white noise i think helped a lot. I swear by the white noise machine, even tho DH hates it.


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## Sbmack

Oh Chloe, so sorry that happened. You are not a bad mom because of it though!!! I'm sure you were hurting more than her.


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## daydream

Chloe - You are not a horrible mom! It happens, and Gabby is just fine! I'm sorry DH reacted that way. 

They gave Harrison steroids in the hospital to help his airway and a concentrated cool mist vaporizer treatment. 

And yes! swaddling and white noise got us through those early months.

We had our family pictures done today and Harrison was in SUCH a good mood. I can't wait to get them back.


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## daydream

Oh and added a WTT ticker. I'm just DYING wanting another so badly, but trying to be patient..


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## jodspods

Chloe you're not the first and won't be the last! Don't worry about it! Your DH was wrong to have made you feel worse but as long as Gabby is ok (and you as you will have got a fright) that's the main thing!! 

Oh daydream WTT...do you think you will manage to wait that long? I've always been sure id like a big gap between (there's 5 yrs between me and my little brother and we get on great) but who knows how ill feel after this one arrives!!

34 weeks today and off work on a weeks holiday! Off to celebrate our 7 year wedding anniversary today and hopefully purchase a changing bag!!!


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## Gobolino

Chloe597 said:


> Girls, I am a horrible mom. Gabby fell out of my arms today as i was standing up from our rocker/recliner and fell right on her forehead and shoulder. Luckily it was carpeted. DH made me feel even worse by yelling at me, as if i had done something negligent or did this on purpose. I wasn't distracted by anything, nor did i have anything else it my arms. She just slipped right out. I cried more than her, she cried for maybe a minute. I was off and on for about an hour. She gave me lots of hugs tho so she must not hold it against me.
> 
> I survived my time away, as did DH. I'm super glad to be home now tho.
> 
> Penny is adorable! She looks so much older than the last picture! Sorry you are having a rough time with the teeth. Did Penny get a fever with them? Gabby just had a fever so i'm wondering if more teeth will be popping through. She had a high fever last time she was teething, and I haven't figured out if it was a coincidence or not
> 
> Daydream, sorry to hear about the croup! what were they able to do for him in the ER? I hope he is better! Poor thing has been through a lot!
> 
> SB, its still early for sleeping more than a couple hours at a time. I found that Gabby would sleep 4-5 hour stretches if she was laying on me or DH at night. ALso swaddling and playing the white noise i think helped a lot. I swear by the white noise machine, even tho DH hates it.

Hun....you're not a horrible mom....most likely you're a great one. I can't imagine the feeling, but I do know that MY mom dropped me on my head when I was a baby, sometimes it just happens. (my elder sis always said that that was the reason I was stupid....don't u just love elder sisters????!!!!)


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## Gobolino

daydream said:


> Chloe - You are not a horrible mom! It happens, and Gabby is just fine! I'm sorry DH reacted that way.
> 
> They gave Harrison steroids in the hospital to help his airway and a concentrated cool mist vaporizer treatment.
> 
> And yes! swaddling and white noise got us through those early months.
> 
> We had our family pictures done today and Harrison was in SUCH a good mood. I can't wait to get them back.

I hope H is feeling better!!! Sorry u had to go through that!


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## Chloe597

Thanks, girls, you all made me feel so much better, although i still feel like crap. I don't want to talk to DH at all because he made zero attempt to make me feel better. I can understand Gabby being priority #1, but to then just ignore me and my feelings after just seems bad. We have not had a great month in general, no BD, lots of stress and just general life stuff getting in the way. Its sad when I would rather sleep than BD. Now that I am stopping pumping, I am hoping my hormones go back to normal and I get back some of my desire to BD. Started my first day of not pumping in the morning, and only going to pump once during work. Next week I move to *hopefully* no pumping at all! 

P, i forgot to send my best to Penny for her umbilical hernia. I'm not sure what that is, but I hope it goes away on its own!

Jods, enjoy your holiday!

Daydream, can't wait to see your pictures! I got family portraits a few weeks back. We don't have the copies yet. Gabby didnt smile in any of them except the ones where she is only with either me or DH, because the other one of us was making her smile. She does not smile for strangers. I need to go buy an outfit for christmas pictures, and get those scheduled.

1 year birthday party in less than a week! I'm taking 3 days off of work to prepare!


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## daydream

Chloe - Wow I can't believe how soon Gabby will be 1! I can't wait to hear all about the party! Have fun! I'm sorry to hear about you and DH. We all go through those periods of time, I know we've had several over the course of this past year. It's such a big life change becoming parents. I hope no more pumping does help your hormones a bit. How exciting that you will be done soon! I'm down to 1 in the morning and 1 during work. 

Jods - I hope I can wait that long! It really is hard to feel that desire constantly, but I ideally wanted three years between my kids so I have to keep reminding myself of the pros for waiting.


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## Sbmack

Hi Ladies! Hope all is well with you all and your LO's!!

I Have a question for all the moms that have pumped. I'm wondering how much to store in each bag for the freezer. I know all babies are different, but I'm not sure what size bottles she'll be drinking. Also, when you went back to work were you using milk you pumped the previous day or using up freezer stash or some of both? I've been pumping for a few weeks. I feel like I will have more than I'll ever need. Do you keep it for when they ween and then put it in sippy cups? Sorry about all the newb questions...just trying to figure out a good routine.

Daydream, I know you were donating milk...can you donate it frozen?

Also, did any of you have trouble introducing a bottle? Stella wouldn't take one the first four or five times we've tried. I've stayed out if the room and my DH tried to feed her. She finally took one earlier this week when I was out of the house for a coup,e of hours because of a dentist appt. I was so happy she finally took it. I was so worried she was going to be one of those babies that won't take a bottle. Not sure what i would've done when I go back to work. She drank 1.5 ounces. She's 6 weeks today.


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## daydream

Sbmack - Sounds like things are going well! About taking the bottle, I had to use a nipple shield for the first few weeks, so I think that helped H be adaptable. Just make sure you're using a low flow nipple because that best mimics the breast. She'll get the hang of it! Don't worry, she won't starve, just may be a bit cranky. :)

For pumping for work, I gave the fresh milk and just ordered the freezer milk in the freezer by date. Then when I started getting close to that milk being 3 months old, I started cycling it out to make sure it didn't go bad. That's also when I would donate milk just to clear out the milk before it was bad. 

For donating, you donate frozen milk, you have to be screened, which is just filling out forms about your health and medications you take. Then you get a blood test the milk bank pays for. After that you are free to donate, just need to make sure you only donate when: 1) you are not taking restriction medications (you can call and ask the milk bank and they will check them out for you) 2) you did not drink alcohol within 12 hours and 3) no one is sick in your household. What I would do is put a star on milk bags that I knew were good to donate and kept them in the freezer, that way if I ended up with too much milk, I could pick out the "good" bags to send to the donation site. I drove mine since it was near my work, but they will also ship a cooler to you so that you can have UPS pick it up.

It was a very rewarding experience for me. I donated 500 oz total, which per their newsletter equates to 2,000 meals for a preemie.


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## Chloe597

SB, depends when you wean how long you keep the milk. If its in a deep freezer, its good for up to a year, but if its in your regular freezer, i have read 3-6 months is the shelf life. So i would keep about 5oz per bag and lay them flat to freeze, then after about 3 months of giving her fresh milk, I would spend the next week just freezing my fresh milk and using all of my frozen stash. Milk does lose some of its antibody properties after it is frozen (I think about 30%), so i wanted to keep her getting the fresh stuff, to help ward off colds and keep it as in tact nutritionally as possible. Gabby luckily never had trouble with the bottle. She did get gassy when I used phillips avent brand, so i switched to the pain in the ass to clean Dr Brown's bottles. I have also heard that all wide mouth bottles are better because they are more like the boob. Not sure how true that is. I pretty much have given daycare 5oz per bottle from day 1. now gabby is drinking much less milk so i only give them 2.5 oz per bottle. but that is because she is eating tons of solids. I hope Stella continues to take her bottle well! Happy 6 weeks!

Well, we survived gabby's first birthday party! I was worried about not having enough food. I pretty much have enough food to feed 2 families from now until thanksgiving. And possibly beyond. We somehow managed to fit 25 people comfortably, and gabby was happy the entire time. She enjoyed her food and especially the cake. We didn't give her a smash cake because i didnt think she needed to get super messy and ingest all that sugar. I gave her a small slice of cake and let her enjoy that. It was adorable to watch! Here are some pictures from her big day :) only 4 more days until she is really 1!

Hope everyone is well!
 



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## jodspods

Beautiful pics Chloe!!

Hope you're all well!!

I've had an eventful few days - reduction in number and strength of movements so was monitored last night and had emergency scan this am. Babys doing fine growth wise and fluid looks ok but they want further monitoring so I've decided to bring forward my maternity leave and am coming off this Friday instead of 2 weeks from now!!! Eek!!


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## daydream

Chloe - Gabby looks so happy at her party! Her outfit is adorable. I'm so glad it went well. I just dropped the invites for ours in the mail. It'll be here before we know it.

Jods - I hope all goes well! I'm glad you went in though. Better safe than sorry.

<3


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## Sbmack

Great photos, Chloe! Gabby is so happy!

Glad everything is ok, jods! Yay for mat leave. 

Thanks for pumping input! I do have a deep freezer where I'm storing the milk. From now on I'll be putting more into each bag! 

Do you have to throw away milk if it's been warmed in a bottle and the bottle doesn't get finished?


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## Chloe597

I hope everything stays on track for you, jods! That's nice that you start maternity early! 

Daydream, when is H's party? Do you have a theme? I can't remember.

SB, if it was fresh milk, I would reuse it same day only if it had been warmed. Daycare policy was to throw it away after 1 hour. I would toss it if it wasn't drank by the end of the day. Not sure what the right answer is tho.


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## Gobolino

Chloe, Gabby's gorgeous!!! Love the pics!!

Jods! Hope all goes well, glad you've got m leave, relax and enjoy!


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## daydream

I agree with Chloe regarding warmed milk

Oh and I realized I never answered regarding the size of bags, I used to do between 3-4 oz per bag up until about 4 months, then I've always done 5 oz per bottle, part because that's how much I send in a bottle and other because it's easier for me to track the # of oz I donate and have in my freezer.

Chloe - I can't believe Gabby is eating enough to cut back that much! H is such a grazer when he eats solids, he's only cut down a little bit. I worry a little that we'll end up with issues when he's one. I'm with him this week for the holiday so I'm really trying to get him to eat solids before I feed him. He'll suck a pouch of food down like it's nothing, but for finger foods and other fresh foods, he's too busy to sit down and eat. I may have to start with the snacking tray like they suggest for toddlers.

His birthday party is the 14th and it's a sailboat/anchor theme. I got him this birthday hat: https://www.etsy.com/transaction/155322697?ref=fb2_tnx_title
and have a few other touches. I also want to do the newspaper sailboats and crepe paper waves for the tables: https://diaperstylememoirs.com/2011/06/sail-away-with-me/


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## Chloe597

Daydream, the little sailor theme is so cute! it suits his cute little face so well! Isn't it wild how babies are so different? I have only given gabby a pouch to suck on her own once, and she wolfed it down. She is constantly pointing to my plates and wanting to eat anything that I am eating. And she has learned to recognize cheese of all forms and wont stop pointing and grunting when she sees it! I'm not sure what the snacking tray you are referring to is? Is that just giving them a variety of things to pick out? I find Gabby's interest in food is not consistent from day to day, meal to meal. Some days she eats a crazy amount of dinner, and other days she will eat the equivalent of a couple pasta noodles. I have not gotten worried yet because she is still so chubby if she eats less, it will hardly be noticeable. But now that we are just about at the 1 year mark, i really have to pay attention to make sure she is getting a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, grains and protein, which is sometimes hard when DH and I just want to order a pizza for dinner. 

Gob, can't believe you are almost at 24 weeks! That was an exciting milestone for me since it meant baby could be delivered and survive. Not that I wanted a baby that early, but in the off chance it happened, all hope was not lost. 

I just ate a giant grilled cheese sandwich that is making my stomach move and look like i am about 24 weeks pregnant :blush: Kinda making me broody, lol!


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## Gobolino

Chloe597 said:


> Daydream, the little sailor theme is so cute! it suits his cute little face so well! Isn't it wild how babies are so different? I have only given gabby a pouch to suck on her own once, and she wolfed it down. She is constantly pointing to my plates and wanting to eat anything that I am eating. And she has learned to recognize cheese of all forms and wont stop pointing and grunting when she sees it! I'm not sure what the snacking tray you are referring to is? Is that just giving them a variety of things to pick out? I find Gabby's interest in food is not consistent from day to day, meal to meal. Some days she eats a crazy amount of dinner, and other days she will eat the equivalent of a couple pasta noodles. I have not gotten worried yet because she is still so chubby if she eats less, it will hardly be noticeable. But now that we are just about at the 1 year mark, i really have to pay attention to make sure she is getting a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, grains and protein, which is sometimes hard when DH and I just want to order a pizza for dinner.
> 
> Gob, can't believe you are almost at 24 weeks! That was an exciting milestone for me since it meant baby could be delivered and survive. Not that I wanted a baby that early, but in the off chance it happened, all hope was not lost.
> 
> I just ate a giant grilled cheese sandwich that is making my stomach move and look like i am about 24 weeks pregnant :blush: Kinda making me broody, lol!

LOL! Sounds yummy!
Yep, nearly 24 weeks....time flies! I saw a video on FB yesterday of (I think) a 6 1/2 month old baby....sooooo small, tiny, full of tubes. Very moving. I can now feel him every day, and when I don't feel him...I get paranoid The worry never ends, does it?!!!!


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## Chloe597

Good luck with H's party, daydream! Hope all the other ladies are well! 

Jods, any sign of baby yet??


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## daydream

Thanks! How have things been going for you lately?

H is coming up on one year and had another fever virus thing going, so we're really up in the air if we can do his party. I hope the rest of the day is still good because we've had no fever yet today. 

We've had a few steps here, but H still isn't really confident on his feet. He babbles and "talks" all day long. Really quite fun :)


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## Gobolino

Hi all!

Jods must be due!!! Or nearly!!! How exciting! Hope all goes well.
Happy Birthday H!


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## jodspods

Hi ladies!!
Was just about to check in and ask if you could suggest anything get this baby out?? Haha

I'm 38 weeks on Monday and have been taking RLT capsules and bouncing on a gym ball!! We've even dtd to see if that helps things!!

Getting a lot of pain and shooting sharp pains in my cervix but i don't know if that means anything! 

I've now been off work for 2 weeks and just want baby here! I can't remember if I said I came off early as baby wasn't moving as much although drs were happy with everything! I feel more relaxed being away from work though!

Attached a wee pic of me at 36+5 going to a birthday party! I also managed my work Xmas party last night but didn't stay late!

Hope you're all well and happy birthday H!
 



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## daydream

Aw good luck Jods! I did evening primrose oil, RLT, bouncing on the ball, lots of sex, walking, but really it took going to the doctor and getting a sweep for things to get moving for me. I was 2 cm dilated for three weeks at least. Enjoy this time though! (I know everyone says that) Things will change so quickly once baby is here


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## daydream

You look gorgeous though! That dress is so perfect!


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## Gobolino

You look lovely!!!!!
I've heard dtd, sipping bubbly champagne, stairs, bouncing ball.....I guess it's when baby decides, in the end!!!


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## Sbmack

You look fab, Jods!! I dtd and did lots of walking. I went antiquing the morning my water broke. I also planned a fancy dinner hoping that she would make her appearance early to ruin it and if not we get a nice dinner. She decided to come then! 

Happy birthday Harrison!! I hope he's feeling better and you were able to have the party! It must seem crazy that he's already a year. I can't believe Stella is two months.

She's taking a bottle now...I'm so happy about that. Mostly because she will be able to eat from my mother when I go back to work and also so I can have some wine here and there :)
 



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## jodspods

Thanks ladies! I definitely felt good in the dress despite feeling huge!

Yesterday I had a dull ache in my lower tummy and my boobs were leaking! This morning i feel sick as a dog and one of my cats won't leave my side!!! Probably reading too much into this but who knows! I hope if he or she is on the way it happens by Friday or they wait til after Christmas lol I just want to meet them now!


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## Chloe597

Jods, you look great! You should do what SB suggested and plan a nice meal...babies love to ruin those ;) Wow, leaky boobs?? that seems like it could be a sign, but I never went through labor so i dont know...

Daydream, I hope H is feeling better! Did you have his party?

SB, super cute picture! I think we have the same bunny :) I have a small, med and large one, and we took gabby's weekly pic with the large one. So glad Stella has taken to the bottle! Its such a relief knowing you don't necessarily have to be attached at the boob.

Gob, how have you been feeling? almost in that 3rd trimester! 

We had an awful night last night. Gabby woke up around midnight crying, so DH brought her in bed with us, and she was happy as can be, and not at all tired, for the next 3 hours...ugh. Eventually she fell asleep around 3am, and so I was able to fall asleep then too, and she stayed that way until around 630 when she decided to use my head as a pillow. not comfortable! but so adorable at the same time. Gabby has been fighting Pink eye, and RSV is going around daycare, but i think she has escaped that. She still has a little cough, and I am still getting over whatever it was that she had that she gave me. She is officially a walking baby now. She will walk from one end of the room to the other on her own. She is still not very stable, and if she gets distracted she tends to fall. She also says 'uh oh' whenever she drops things, and has become very good at saying 'no' and pushing away whatever it is that she doesn't want. we watch little kids songs on you tube at night, and we have a playlist of the same few videos, but now she is getting bored with them and will push the phone away when one comes on that she doesnt want to watch. She is asserting herself very well now! That's about all that's going on here. 

Hope some of the quieter members are doing well! Yum, Mrs P, Nell :)


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## daydream

Oh Jods! I hope this is a good sign! Good luck!! 

SB: Oh my such a darling little one!! I'm so glad she's taking the bottle, I know that can be so nerve-wracking to get that process down. We're now working on sippy cups and making sure he eats enough real food. The worrying just never ends!

Chloe: That is so exciting how much she's taking on! H will just take a couple steps, but I think he's scared of it. He always would rather plop down and crawl. But when he's cruising and walking with us, he puts barely any pressure on us for stability. He could do it if he really wanted to. I'm sorry she's got pink eye! That's awful, what do you do to help that? 

Gobs - Hi!! You're getting into my favorite part of pregnancy. How is everything going?

Well we postponed H's party until this next weekend. He had another high temp (105) on Thursday night, so we took him to the dr Friday morning, of course his temp was back down. They said it was just a virus and it could be contagious. So I decided not to risk it, plus we were having the party in my hometown 4 hours away, so I didn't want to travel and risk him getting another high fever when we got there. Of course after I made the call to change the party, he didn't get another fever and we probably could have had the party and been fine, but oh well. His actual birthday is Wednesday, so I'm going to pick up a cupcake for him on my way home from work and have him open his presents from us and a couple of our friends that we've gotten. Then we'll do the big shindig on Sunday. 

And yes, like Chloe said, I hope all is well with the rest of our group! I don't post often in bnb anymore now that we're not ttc and life is so busy, but I love to follow along with you guys.


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## Chloe597

Isn't that always the case, daydream? They are fine and you plan for the worst, but if you plan for them to be fine, all hell would have broken loose! I hope the party goes well next weekend! And enjoy the cupcake on wednesday :) Post pics please :)

I wanted to share a couple pics of gabby's photo session. They didn't turn out great, but there were a couple cute ones. She is not a fan of smiling in the presence of strangers...
 



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## daydream

Those pics are precious! The ONE spelled out is adorable. I may have to steal that idea :)


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## jodspods

Poor H!! Hope you enjoy your cupcake on Wednesday! 

Lovely pics of Gabby! We've booked a photographer for a slot in the first 2 weeks once baby is here! Looking forward to that! 

I've got a work Christmas lunch this Wednesday so perhaps if this is the start of something I won't be making that! In more pain tonight but it could be nothin again!


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## Sbmack

Chloe, those pictures are adorable. Gabby is getting so big! That's great she's walking and talking so much! I may have gotten the idea to do my monthly pictures from your picture :) The bunny is called snuggle bunny and came with a personalized story book for Stella from my Dh's aunt. We love it. 

Daydream, glad H is feeling better. Hope your party is a smashing success this weekend! Can't wait to see pictures! 

Jods, sounds like your LO may arrive any day now. Interesting about your cat! 

I hope everything is well with everyone else!


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## Gobolino

Chloe, loving the pics! She is gorgeous!!

Daydream, hope H is better. I'm doing fine thanks! And yes, it does seem the best time, as I'm active, feeling good, not uncomfortable yet...so enjoying! Nearly into the third trimester...GULP!

Jods...your cat MUST know something!!!! Any moment now!!!


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## daydream

That's great Gobolino! 

We gave H a mini cupcake for his actual birthday last night. He loved it! I'm so excited for his party :)


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## Sbmack

He's such a little man. So so cute!


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## Chloe597

Daydream, great pic! I hope your party went well! Is it you who has the toddler cookbook? I'm wondering if its worth getting that now, or if its overkill since gabby pretty much eats whatever i eat anyway. But on days i feel lazy and dont want to cook for myself, i need to have something quick and easy that i can feed to her that isn't crap like pizza or chicken wings... If you think that book would be worth while for a situation like this, let me know! Poor thing gets a lot of those gross mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn), bread and cheese on days i dont feel like cooking. All organic tho, so that has to count for something, right??? :) 

any baby yet, jods??


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## jodspods

Great pic of H Daydream!

No sign of baby yet!! I've had a lot of back pain and I am very uncomfortable! My best friend recommended using my breast pump this wk to see if that helps and since using it the back pain started and I think I've had some tightenings! We've also tried dtd, curry and me bouncing on a gym ball! Hoping he or she doesn't appear on Xmas day though!


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## Gobolino

jodspods said:


> Great pic of H Daydream!
> 
> No sign of baby yet!! I've had a lot of back pain and I am very uncomfortable! My best friend recommended using my breast pump this wk to see if that helps and since using it the back pain started and I think I've had some tightenings! We've also tried dtd, curry and me bouncing on a gym ball! Hoping he or she doesn't appear on Xmas day though!

Jods!!! Wait until Boxing Day!! :thumbup: Good luck!!!

And Merry Christmas to you all!!!:xmas6:


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## daydream

Thanks everyone! The party turned out great, but wow I'm glad it's done with! It was so much work and so many people it was a madhouse! DH's aunt showed up early while I was still trying to finish cooking, so that pushed me late with getting ready. I hate being frantic! I made clam chowder to go with our theme and everyone loved it! So that's good at least. 

H was so overwhelmed as well and barely smiled until the end when a lot of people had left. As soon as we walked into the room to go for his nap, he kept saying "Bye Bye!" It was adorable. He ate a few bites of the cake but then got mad when I tried to put his hands in it, lol. 

I haven't DLed all the pictures from my camera but here are a few.


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## daydream

Good luck Jods!!


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## daydream

Chloe - Yes I have the toddler cookbook, it does have a few recipes, but really it is meant to be a whole family cookbook, so it gives you ideas for dinner and then you can pulse it in the processor to break it up, or just cut bite sized pieces. I completely understand you on the dinner thing, sometimes it's so hard! H has had his fair share of cheese and banana dinners lol. Especially when we have fish for dinner, it's hard to throw something together for him. If we're really desperate, I'll just give him a Sprout pouch that we usually only use when we are out and about.


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## Sbmack

Wow Daydream, you throw quite the party!! Well done. 

Good luck Jods! I hope your LO comes soon. 

How are you feeling Gobolino?

Happy holidays!!


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies I'm aware I've not been on in a while AGAIN!!! sorry I'm so bad at this! But I wanted to say hope you all have a Merry Christmas! I'll be back on soon to catch up Xx
 



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## jodspods

Merry Christmas ladies! 

Have a great day and hopefully I will have baby news soon xx


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## daydream

Merry Christmas! 

MrsP - Baby P is so adorable!

Good luck Jods!!


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## Sbmack

What a great picture of Penny! She's so cute and big :)

Can't wait to hear all about your birth Jods. Any day now!!
 



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## daydream

oh my word sb, she's SO CUTE!


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## MrsPTTC

Aww SB so cute! What's her name again Hun? So sorry to ask but been see long since I've been on & you've no ticker lol! I have such bad baby brain :doh: 

Happy new year everyone! Here's to perhaps some more 2014 babies eh ladies :winkwink: 

x


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## Sbmack

Her name is Stella Grace after both of my grandmothers. She went 9 days without a name! We were deciding between Stella and Evelyn. We would call her one name for a day and the other name the next day haha. We're crazy. We liked them both equally so we went with Stella since it's a family name.


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## Sbmack

I forgot to say Happy New Year! 

Mrs. P, Are you trying to tell us something with the 2014 babies comment?? :) 

I'm thinking we will NTNP when Stella is around 6 months. It seems crazy, but we don't really dtd that much right now anyway and it took close to a year of trying before.


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## Chloe597

Merry Christmas and Happy New year, ladies! P and SB, such cute little girls!! I love seeing updated pics of them :)

I think we will NTNP in the summer, when G is around 18 months. I actually feared I might be pregnant about a week ago because i had sore nipples and cramping, and the sore nipples was something i had when preggo with G, but never as a PMS sign. But then I sorta had a period...some brownish bleeding for about 2-3 days, and then it went away, as did the sore nipples. But I'm on the mini pill, so I don't know how that affects AF. If that was AF, this was my first one since Feb 2012!


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## daydream

We are NTNP in June (setting "the date" as 6/18, his 1.5 birthday), because it took us 16 cycles to conceive. We will TTC when H turns 2 and then call up our RE if nothing by 6/18/15. I don't want them to be too far apart, but we're enjoying our time with just H for now. 

Chloe - Lucky you going this long after weaning! Are you still doing nighttime and morning feeds? I've just finished my third cycle postpartum, I always get super sore nipples when nursing a day or two before AF starts. This time though, my flow was SO HEAVY. I use the divacup, which usually I just have to empty once a day during my cycle, I was having to empty every hour, still leaking through, leaked all over at night, it was awful. Hopefully it's just a one time thing now that we've pretty much completely daytime weaned. I don't want to have to deal with it like that every month!


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## jodspods

Happy new year! 3 days passed her due date we welcomed baby Grace on 2nd January at 19:21 weighing 7lb 9oz and 50cm long. We are smitten!

Labour pain started at midnight on 2nd and I went into maternity unit to be assessed at 11am when I was 2cm. Went home to progress and had to call just before 3 as I was contracting every 3 minutes and in a lot of discomfort. The midwife went to do an internal and as I was contacting before it my water popped! She checked me and I was 10!!'

Went to pool and laboured on mattress until pool filled. Began pushing to get head down about 3 and she was born at 19:21. Had to come out of pool as my contractions slowed for getting her out. I was threatened with an episiotomy but didn't need it. I laboured in the beginning with tens machine and had no other pain relief!!! I wasn't going to have the injection to deliver placenta but it was advised as my contractions slowed. I'm so proud of myself and my DH for helping me through. We stayed one night in midwife unit and got home today! We're so in love with her! 

Will post a pic soon xx


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## daydream

Wonderful birth story Jods! Congratulations and what a beautiful name! I wish you the best over these next few weeks as you settle in with your new family.


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## Gobolino

Congrats Jods!!!!! Well done!!!! Love the name, so happy for you ;-)


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## MrsPTTC

Grrrrrr just typed long message & lost it all!!!! Wish bnb would do a good app, I find it so hard to reply on this stupid mobile version & never go on the laptop! Will re type later but just wanted to say huge congrats to jods on the birth of baby grace! :happydance: x


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## Chloe597

Congrats, jods! Sounds like a great birth. Love the name! Can't wait to see a pic :)

Yep, I am still doing night and morning bf. She will bite now tho sometimes if she loses her grip to prevent it from slipping out, or at initial latch because she is so ravenous. That is no fun. 

Have a great weekend!


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## _Nell

Jodspods - congratulations :) Beautiful name - it's my Leilas middle name and I wish we had saved it for baby 2!

Hi all, long time no post - sorry. I read most days but you guys move too fast and i'm terrible at typing on my ipad. Like mrs pttc i just never get near the laptop anymore.

Leila and i are good. She is bum shuffling and crawling but no interest in standing/ walking so i suspect she might run close to the 18month milestone cut off. She has 16 of 20 teeth now ( hoorah the end is nigh), has 3 meals eating pretty much as we do and 1 bottle just before bed because she will not have milk in a cup. 
I am pregnant with number 2 and due in April. We had 15 frozen embryos on ice, my cycles returned only 5 weeks after Leilas birth while BF, were regular and spot free so in July we decided to just go for it. This time it took 1 cycle not 5, which was a real surprise.

Pregnancy has been really hard v's Leilas, counting the weeks down already tbh.


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## Sbmack

Yay! So much good news. Jods, Congrats on the birth of Grace. Love the name and can't wait to see pics! It sounds like you had a lovely birth. 

Nell, congratulations on your second!!! I hope you've had a great pregnancy thus far. Eeeks. April is right around the corner. .


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## Chloe597

Wow, Nell, congrats! Sorry it has been harder this time. I can't imagine being pregnant and taking care of gabby at this age! You are strong! :)


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## daydream

Nell - That's amazing! Congratulations!! I'm sorry this pregnancy has been rough. How has it been being pregnant with a little one?


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## Gobolino

Wow congrats Nell!!! Wonderful news!!! And very brave, but worth it! I can't imagine caring for a little one at the moment...I guess you just get superhuman strength when you're a Mum!
I'm quite big now. LO is one and a half kilos already, and a week and a half "ahead". Big boy. Hope he doesn't get too big!
I've been told off for putting on too much weight. I've put on 15kg (sorry, no idea pounds). And still at 29 weeks. But I've been eating so well. I only indulge maybe on a couple of bikkies a day, nothing else. (Bar Xmas... :-/) But I also have water retention, so that could be part of the extra weight (so DH says). So careful with food (but I already do!) and no milk (oat milk is better). Acid reflux is very bad some nights, but learning to deal with it. Just dead tired at the mo as have a cold....I'd love a nap, but acid reflux won't allow it after lunch, and not sleeping well at night. So, I just can't imagine all this with a lil one around!!! Yikes!
Hope Jods and lil Grace are doing well. Nice to hear from you MrsPTTC!


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## _Nell

Thanks all, yes it is pretty tough pregnant with a little one, especially as until 12 months she was super clingy and didn't even crawl - lifting has been tough as i've been hit with round ligament pain this pregnancy. I don't know if it would have been magically easier if i waited until she was 2 or 3 though, i imagine physically easier but perhaps tough on Leila then getting to grips with sharing Mummy maybe.

Unfortunately it's been extra hard because this pregnancy started as a multiple, which was immensely stressful. My clinic had no twin pregnancies from double frozen embryo transfers in the last 3 years. As it took 7 embryos and 4 transfers to get Leila i felt comfortable with transferring two, not least because two good embryos survived the thaw and i just couldn't throw one away. Despite the odds i was pregnant with triplets and it was terrifying, sadly i lost the identical twins a few days apart at 12 weeks. Due to starting out as triplets and the loss this LO has been at high risk too so we were very late to announce. I'm 27 weeks now though and things look pretty good.

gobolino, i hadn't realised we were due so close :) i had acid reflux with my first pg, towards the end i found the only real help was sleeping ( or rather not, as i get pg insomnia!) propped up on 3 pillows and only having a very light evening meal.


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## daydream

Oh Nell, wow what a journey. I'm very sorry to hear about the identical twins. I'm glad things are better now, and I hope the rest of this pregnancy is easier on you.


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## Gobolino

Sorry to hear Nell....what a journey. I'm glad all is ok now. I can't believe we're so close!!


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## Chloe597

oh wow, so sorry to hear that, Nell :hugs: I forget, did you have a c section with Leila? I thought you might have, so i'm wondering how it felt being pregnant so soon after a c section. If not, feel free to ignore me :) Are you symptoms pretty similar to the last pregnancy (aside from the round ligament pain), with morning sickness, sore body parts, food aversions, etc? 

Gob, sorry to hear about the reflux. i had it mildly when i was pregnant, and i would prop myself up on pillows but that was never a comfortable position to sleep in. I am a side sleeper so i would try to mound up pillows and then curl up on my side with my big pregnancy pillow. i would always wake several times with hip pain tho. ah the joys of pregnancy! So worth it tho.


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## KatieTTC

Hi ladies, I haven't been on here for ages, life got hectic and I couldn't keep up with the posts. I had free time to read through some recents posts and wanted to say hi.
Sb, I know it's past due, but still, congrats on your baby! Stella is a cutie! 
Jodi, I loved the article about you. You and your husband look beautiful and so happy. Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl, Grace is such a beautiful name! 
Hi, MrsP! Penny looks adorable!
Nell, congratulations on number two! What a story about the multiples. Sorry about your loss. I hope the rest of the pregnancy is easier on you and goes smoothly. 
Gobolino, glad your pregnancy is going well, you're so close!
Holy moly, daydream, 500 oz of donated breast milk??? You are my hero!
Happy belated birthday to Gabby and Harrison! Chloe, daydream, your birthday parties looked great! 
I loved all the pictures of your little ones, wow, time flies, everyone looks so big! It sounds like many of you are thinking about having another baby. I am DYING to have another one. My first pregnancy was easy and Anne's been such a great baby I feel like I'm ready for number two.
Happy New Year everybody!


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## daydream

So good to hear from you Katie! And yes, I loved pregnancy and H is a dream, so it's hard not to start trying right away. But I'm trying to enjoy all I can out of having my first born before we jump on the ttc wagon


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## _Nell

Chloe - yes i did have a c section with Leila. I had a pretty easy pg no real aches and pains - still walking my dogs 2 hours a day until d day when with no bp warning i got eclampsia, lost my vision and had seizures all within an hour or so.
In the UK the only guidance is to wait 6 months, i now gather the important marker for a vbac with no increased risks is 18 months between deliveries.

This pg has been totally different, i had awful MS and took meds ( likely due to triplets though) . My c section scar was itchy and sore in the first tri which was a bit un-nerving. The round ligament pain started from around my NT scan and it feels like my insides are being twisted, sometimes so sharp i feel nauseous. I had no idea it's common in 2nd or more pg tbh. Other than that just physical tiredness and struggling to sleep which i think i was lucky to do so good with first time around! Oh and i'm bigger, i looked very heavily pg in first tri when it was triplets but even now i'm 27 weeks and about the size i was at 38weeks with Leila.


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## _Nell

Katie - good to hear from you, how is Anne doing?

Btw - has anyone heard from yum or mrsHy? They must be Mummies too now :)


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## jodspods

Wow Nell congratulations. You really have been through it with this pregnancy, I hope you enjoy your time with Leila before baby arrives! 

Hi everyone else! Here's some pictures of Grace!!

She's doing well! I've just got 4 and a 1/2 hours solid sleep!! She fed lots before bed though! We're getting there with the breast feeding although my nipples are beat up! We're going to go to a support class today for some guidance! Although she only lost 5oz in 5 days so I'm very chuffed.
 



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## jodspods

5 days old sitting on daddy's knee!
 



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## jodspods

Oh and I meant to say we decided to go for Grace Minnie as her name. Minnie is after my great gran who will be 94 next week and my DH has always had a soft spot for her as has she for him so it was his suggestion!!


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## _Nell

Oh Jods she's beautiful, her eyes are so bright and alert and her skin so good for a newborn :)

4.5 hours sleep is fab too :)


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## Chloe597

Jods, she is gorgeous! She looks so alert on daddy's knee! Love it! 

Katie, great to hear from you! I'm glad Anne is well. Please share a pic as she is almost 1?!?! Can't believe where the time has gone!

Nell, would love to see a 1 year pic of little leila too! I love to see how much hair babies have at 1 year. some have a full head and others, like mine, have very little. I am dying to be able to put clips in gabbys hair! So are you going to try for a VBAC or just go straight to C section? I believe in US they recommend 1 year before getting pregnant again after C section. Does Leila sleep well for you? I can't recall if she was a good sleeper or not. I had never heard about the round ligament pain being worse in 2nd pregnancies. I don't believe i had any with G. 

Haven't heard from Yum since her LO one was born. Hope she and MrsHY are well!

The cat ladies on here may enjoy this...Gabby playing with my cat Chloe (Now you know where I got my username :) ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJYARW0Q21Q


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## daydream

Grace looks so beautiful and wide-eyed for only five days old! 

Chloe - Look at Gabby go!! It's so crazy to see how well she is walking! Harrison still only has taken a few steps, will stand on his own all the time, but once he decides he wants to go somewhere, he drops and crawls. Who knows when this kid will decide that walking is better than crawling.


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## Sbmack

Hi Katie!! Would love to see a current pic of Anne. 

Nell, so sorry for your loss and that you've had a rough pregnancy thus far :hugs:

Jods, Grace is gorgeous and so alert! Love Minnie as a middle name!!

Look at Gabby go!! Chloe , she's such a cutie patutie!!


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## Sbmack

When did your babies start rolling over? Stella doesn't really seem interested, but her friend James (born 2 days after her) already is. She will be 3 months on Monday, which is also when I go back to work :cry:

Pumping should be interesting. I'm going to have to do it in my car a lot since I am in outside sales and don't work in an office. I am lucky though because I'm going back 4 days a week and will have Wednesdays off. My mom will watch her 3 days and DH and I will switch off and work weird hours that day. I get to keep my insurance and didn't take a big pay cut so I'm pretty happy. Also, my friend (James' mother) has the same day off so we can do mommy things together!


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## Gobolino

Jods! She is soooo lovely! Huge congrats!!!!

Chloe.....LOVE!


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## Chloe597

SB, sorry you have to go back to work already...but look forward to the sanity break of being able to talk to adults :) Gabby was a very late roller, sometime around 6-7 months for front to bad, and then back to front followed a couple weeks later. Good luck pumping! If you haven't already, you should get a car adapter, hands free bra, and double electric pump. I have at times pumped in the car under a hooter hider. Its not the most pleasant, but as long as i could watch videos of G on my phone, i was able to get through it. I hope the 4 days a week thing works out for you. I"m considering doing the same thing, and i would get to keep all of my benefits too if i worked 32.5 hrs. Let us know how you like the reduced schedule and extra baby time!


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## _Nell

Sb - sorry you have to go back to work so soon. Leila rolled front to back at 3 months but didn't do back to front until 10 months!

Chloe - that video is brilliant :) i will try sort a photo for you, i use my ipad and there are no photos on here, will crank up my laptop - Leila has a whopping head of hair, i have to trim her fringe as i'm too worried about choking to put clips in. Her hair is all over the place - think lego man hairstyle! She sleeps 7-7 and has just moved to one nap a day which is usually around 1 1/2 hours :)


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## KatieTTC

Jods, she's beautiful, she looks so alert and seems much older than 5 days.

Chloe, great video, love Gabby's giggles. She can walk so well, when did she start walking? Anne's only cruising the furniture and doesn't stand on her own for more than a couple of seconds. 

Sb, Annie started rolling over on her stomach around month 4 and it took her almost a month to learn how to get back on her stomach. Sorry you have to go back to work already.

Nell, sounds like you are having a very different experience with your second pregnancy. The first pregnancy was so uneventful for me I'm afraid I might be fooling myself thinking the second one would go just as smoothly. Hope the rest of your pregnancy and baby's birth goes smoothly. 

Anne's been doing very well; she won't stop talking, climbing everywhere, going after cords and outlets, chewing on dirty shoelaces, picking up every little speck she sees on the floor and putting it in her mouth. She's a very giggly and smiley girl and overall a very pleasant baby, she even survived two transatlantic flights with us this Christmas without major drama. She's eating all sorts of solids, but she's still crazy about her bottle and wants it every time she eats. It's almost comical how fidgety, impatient and fussy she is between the last spoon of solid food and first sip from her bottle. Like we haven't given her a sip of liquid for an entire week. We've been introducing her to regular cups, but that's still a very messy business. 

Here are some photos I took of her every month.
 



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## KatieTTC

And some more
 



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## Chloe597

Katie, too cute! She looks like a different baby at 4 months! Her expression in the 10 month pic is the best! and I love the giant stuffed veggies :) Gabby started furniture cruising and taking one or two steps around 11 months but didn't walk well on her own until 12.5 months.. now she is an old pro! 

Nell, I know how hard it is to make it to a computer! Hope to see Leila and all her hair soon!


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## daydream

Katie - She's such a doll! It looks like she already has quite a fun personality. I love the monthly pictures to see how fast their hair grows out! I need to edit H's 11 and 12 month ones still :x


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## Sbmack

Katie, Annie is so freakin cute! I esp love the 8 and 11 month pics!!

Work has been good so far. Tomorrow is my day off during the week. I love only having to work for two days and then get to be home with Stella. Pumping has been interesting. I do have a battery pack and I had a hands free bra, but I broke the zipper off of it today. Hopefully I can fix it. Yesterday, I thought I was facing empty work trailers, but I saw a guy go in one while I was pumping. Then, when I was leaving, I saw someone looking through the blinds!! Today was also interesting. I was working with a co-worker and we were pressed for time so I pumped in the back of her car on the way to our next appointment. What a sight. I have a shawl that I use but I'm sure I had some nip slip getting set up. Haha. I really don't care at this point though.


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## Gobolino

You go girl Sbmack!!!! Glad you're seeing the bright side of life!

Katie.....loving the pics....wonderful idea! Did you buy the tshirts?


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## Sbmack

I took the three month pics today. 

Gobs, I have stickers I bought off Amazon.
 



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## KatieTTC

Thank you, girls, for the kind words :flower:

Daydream, would love to see some recent photos of Harrison!

Sb, sounds like you're determined to pump no matter what stands in your way or who stares in your direction, you go girl! Stella is precious!

Gobolino, I got the onesies as a gift from a friend. I think she bought regular white onesies and then used iron on prints to make the shirts. I absolutely loved it! I hope one day I will get a chance to reuse them with a second baby. 

Chloe, Gabby does walk like a pro, I can't even imagine Anne running around the house... although I could never imagine her crawling around either :)

I mentioned that Anne is super anxious to get her bottle after each solid meal. Here's a little progression of what she looks like after she has her last spoon.

Daydream, Chloe, do you still give your little ones a bottle with breast milk/formula? How often?
 



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## daydream

Gob - Stella is growing so wonderfully! Love the photo!

Katie - We are transitioning H to whole milk. He bfs in the morning and at bedtime, and this week he's actually on 100% regular milk during the day because we are in SLC for my work. DH and he tagged along for 5 of the 7 days. so we don't have access to my freezer stash. He has 2-4 4 oz bottles (some with sippy lids) during the day. At home we still have about 100 oz in the freezer, so we'll keep doing a bit of bm in the bottles until my stash has been all used up. 

Here's a few I had handy :) 

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3732/11702824144_06153e1299_o.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7398/11702648323_6b6c9306e5_o.jpg


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## Gobolino

Beautiful pics ladies!!!!!! Beautiful babies!!!! Anne is so funny!!!!!


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## KatieTTC

Daydream, love H's photos, especially the middle one! Just chilling there with a bottle with no pants on :) Love the little piano


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## _Nell

Katie - anne is just adorable, she has such cute expressions :) i love those month stickers, such a great idea!

Daydream - i can't believe gow grown up Harrison looks, i love that middle photo of him relaxing :)

Sorry ladies i will post pics soon, my parent in law have just arrived for a 6 week stay and dh is working from home from the laptop so just me one finger typing on the ipad again :)


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## daydream

Thanks! Yes that picture cracks me up, my little man.

Katie - I can't believe how much beautiful hair Anne has!


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## Chloe597

awww, SB,what a cute little peanut she is!

Katie, that last pic is too funny! she wants that bottle! And look at all that hair! have you given her a haircut yet? We stopped daytime bottles last week. She gets a sippy of milk with breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack, and water with dinner. I still BF morning and night, but we switched to 100% cows milk right after she turned 1.We spent a month giving her mixtures of cows and BM starting at 11 months to get her body used to cows milk. She hasn't had any reactions, although for the past couple weeks she has been farting A LOT and has had boughts of a pretty red diaper area. But she doesnt seem to be bothered by it. 

Daydream, love that middle pic too! From the pics i've seen on your blog, i think he looks like you. What do you think?

All your monthly pictures have made me jealous, so I made a collage last night. Its not very good reslution, an I wish I had better templates with m android app, but its the best I could do in my limited time.
 



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## MrsPTTC

Jods grace is just adorable! So cute!

SB, penny rolled around 12 weeks - I think, though would need to check diary! You forget these major events so quickly! :shock: Stella is so cute SB! We have onesie/bodysuit stickers too, I had to order them from etsy from the US as couldn't get them from the UK. I feel for you going back to work so quickly, I've just gone back on 9th Jan when penny was almost 10 months & that seemed too soon! I've never had such a quick year EVER! I've kept myself really busy going to classes & swimming etc... so it's gone in the blink of an eye...

Nell!!! Wow oh wow! See I said baby #2's would not be long! 6th sense ha ha! So sorry to hear about your twins though, hope you're ok Hun :hugs:
Gobs, glad things going well, looks like they've changed the fruit on the tickers since I was preggo! Sorry you & Nell have had it hard so far though... 

Katie, lovely to hear from you, Anne is adorable love her pics! Amazed how well she's sitting for the later pics, penny's 9 month pic was a nightmare she wouldn't sit still! Penny was 10 months on wed but forgot to take 10 month sticker pic so must do it in next few days!

Gorgeous photos daydream & Chloe! Daydream good luck with the cows milk! Penny will be getting it in 2 months, I think she'll like it! Chloe it won't let me view video boo! :sad1: 

Gobs, & nell! We need bump pics!!! 

I also hope everything well with yum & mrshy! 

AFM, as above I went back to work this week, though not so bad, only 25hrs thurs, fri, sat so no childcare needed as grandparents helping out, & sat is daddy daughter day! :cloud9: so far so good.... penny has taken an odd step a couple of times but now whenever you try & get her to stand up which she is usually excellent at she just flops! :growl mad: defo think she'll be walking before her 1st birthday though... 

x


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## daydream

Chloe - I love Gabby's monthly pictures! I need to wrap mine up whenever I have time later this week. I actually think he looks more like DH, but has some of my features. He's a pretty good mix of us both.

MrsP - Sorry you are already back to work, no matter how long the time off it goes by far too fast. I'm glad it's only a few days and daddy daughter day is priceless!

H has been expanding his vocabulary, this week working on Water, Bath, Bite (of banana) and I think we even got grandma! Still no walking, my stubborn little bit. A lot more independent standing though.


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## Sbmack

Mrs. P, that's great your DH gets a day with Penny and that the grandparents are helping now that your back to work. 

Chloe, love that collage!! I especially like month 8. I think she's going to be a yogi :)

Good job on the vocab Harrison! 

Stella almost rolled over a few times today, but didn't quite make it. I wonder if her giant fluffy bum (we cloth diaper) is slowing her down. I've read that it's good to put them down naked sometimes as they'll feel less restricted. I did this for a few minutes this morning. I'm not concerned I just love seeing her learn new things.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks, I know DH said he really looks forward to Saturday's now for his day with her bless. It's amazing what a few months do daydream, can't quite picture Penny talking haha! SB yes I guess it could be her fluffy bum lol, nappy free time is great for them as long as you put towels down for wees! Penny would wee a lot when she was naked! x


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## Chloe597

I was always too scared to let gabby just let her little bare butt hang out for the very reason that Mrs P experienced! I used to blame gabby's excessive chubbyness on her inability to roll over. I have a friend whos LO was in cloth diapers and didnt roll untl 6 months, so it could be a cause. It will come in due time, I wouldn't be worried until at least 9 months with the rolling thing. 

MrsP, sounds like you have a great system going with working/childcare! I often wonder if my DH would survive a regular daddy daughter day. He doesn't like to be alone with her for long, mostly because I think he is afraid something is going to go wrong.

Well, AF FINALLY showed up for REAL 2 weeks ago, ended on Friday, and now I've been spotting since then. I was hoping pregnancy was going to be the end of my spotting. This isn't even spotting after Ovulation tho, so I have no idea what to think. I am travelling this weekend with just DH (gabby staying with my parents for 4 days!) and i dont want the stupid witch to ruin our evenings!:hissy:


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## Gobolino

Chloe597 said:


> I was always too scared to let gabby just let her little bare butt hang out for the very reason that Mrs P experienced! I used to blame gabby's excessive chubbyness on her inability to roll over. I have a friend whos LO was in cloth diapers and didnt roll untl 6 months, so it could be a cause. It will come in due time, I wouldn't be worried until at least 9 months with the rolling thing.
> 
> MrsP, sounds like you have a great system going with working/childcare! I often wonder if my DH would survive a regular daddy daughter day. He doesn't like to be alone with her for long, mostly because I think he is afraid something is going to go wrong.
> 
> Well, AF FINALLY showed up for REAL 2 weeks ago, ended on Friday, and now I've been spotting since then. I was hoping pregnancy was going to be the end of my spotting. This isn't even spotting after Ovulation tho, so I have no idea what to think. I am travelling this weekend with just DH (gabby staying with my parents for 4 days!) and i dont want the stupid witch to ruin our evenings!:hissy:

Sorry about AF. Try not to worry, maybe your body just needs to readapt itself after giving birth, and will return to "normal" soon (i.e. No spotting!!)


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## KatieTTC

Daydream, I also think that Harrison looks like you, but I might be wrong cause I've never seen you in real life. In any case I think he's got your eyes.

MrsP, it's great when dads enjoy their alone time with little ones. I absolutely love it when my husband gets up early during the weekend to feed her and lets me sleep in. He says it's his alone time with the girl. I'm all for it ;)

Nell, looking forward to see the pictures, no rush though, you must be busy. Hope in-laws are helping!

Chloe, love your collage! It is interesting how differently kids develop in their first year, some have a ton of hair, some don't, some have a row of teeth already and others are still waiting. We haven't given Anne a haircut, I think I'll just let it grow for now and when it gets too messy and hard to maintain we'll trim it. I'm curious to see what her hair looks like when it gets longer. Right now it looks just like mine except for the curls. She might've gotten it from DH. I wonder if it will stay wavy when it gets longer or will be straight like mine. Sorry about the spotting, it must be getting on your nerves. I hope your evenings alone with DH are wonderful no matter what the witch decides to do.

How about the rest of you, girls? Did spotting return after you gave birth? Mine is back to "normal" meaning I start spotting about a week after ovulation and continue spotting until AF arrives. So annoying, I really hoped pregnancy'd take care of it.


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## daydream

Chloe - Oh no I'm sorry about the spotting, but rest assured, I'm going on my fourth cycle pp and they've all been different. Last month was AWFUL, I bled so heavy for 3-4 days, heavier than I've ever had. This month I really had serious EWCM around ovulation, and I'm now 12dpo without AF or spotting (I know I'm not pg, no worries there). So I'm sure it will be a few months before your cycle ends up being "normal"

Anne - See above, I'm not sure my cycle is normal yet, but no spotting (which can be good or scary after that heavy flow I had.. I don't know when I'll start!)
I do see a lot of me in H's pictures every once and a while, it's funny most people do think he looks like me in the eyes and smile. I guess I just see a lot of DH because of his brow and his expressions. And he does resemble DH's childhood pictures a lot more than mine. I'll have to dig those out again because I haven't looked in a while.

An update from my end: We just got back from my work trip in Salt Lake, my boys joined me for the first half and it would have been great except we ALL got sick. It was an awful cold/sinus infection/laryngitis (for me). DH and I are still trying to get over it. But it was great traveling with H, he's such a good flier. H turned 13 months while we were there and STILL no walking. He'll stand by himself for 30-1 min but then if he wants to go anywhere he drops and crawls. He's pretty frustrated at our efforts to get him to walk so we've given it a rest for a while. 
He's also been playing through one of his naps a day lately. Today it was his afternoon nap, so he went to bed around 5:45 tonight. The 2-1 nap transition does not seem like it will be fun at all with the earlier bedtime we'll have to institute. 
He eats anything and everything lately. Today I picked up a ready made falafel and hummus meal from Whole Foods and he ate each thing from it (even the tabbouleh!). Well that's all I can think of right now, things are really fun at this age though. I'm loving it!


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## daydream

Finally! I finished editing the monthly photos, so I now present: H's first year!


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## MrsPTTC

Ah daydream gorgeous pics! I still need to do Penny's 10 month sticker pic if she'll let me! Before it's too late... 

Chloe sorry about your cycles Hun but give it time... 

Katie sorry to hear your spotting is back to normal Hun, how long did it take for you to conceive Anne again? 

As for my cycles when I first stopped bf I got a few beautiful 28day cycles, then a muddle of shorter ones & longer ones, one was 37 days & I was thinking I was preggo...I've had no brown spotting at all which is fabulous but for some reason this cycle is crazy, think it was annovulatory. I spotted pink around my fertile time but I think a little before it rather than after, then about 10 days later more spotting, red bloody, though AF was coming super early around day 24, then it stopped... Was thinking am I pregnant & IB?! But I knew deep down I wouldn't be as didn't DTD during fertile time & he didn't release anything lol. Yesterday on day 35 I get bloody spotting again & think AF on way now... So another long cycle but with spotting this time! At least not brown though! :happydance: x


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## _Nell

Oh wow those pictures of Harrison are wonderful - it's so cool to see his little face mature from birth :thumbup:

Hopefully I have finally managed to add a couple of pics of Leila, one on her birthday and one just after Christmas (dairy allergy = boring old dairy and egg free brownies instead of birthday cake!)
 



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## daydream

Oh Nell those eyes and smile! She just brightens up a room doesn't she?! I love her haircut!

My cycle FINALLY started this morning, after saying I wasn't really getting spotted, I then spotted for four days, I sure ate my words! I've never been so glad to have AF finally start.


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## _Nell

Daydream - i only trim her fringe/bangs the rest is au naturel. The overall look is rather 70's but she has a birthmark on her forehead i have to protect from the sun, so she sort of has to have a fringe for now. 

I forgot to add to the spotting discussion - my AF started when Leila was only 5 weeks old while i was still EBF. I went straight to textbook regular 28 day cycles with no spotting....i wonder if i'll be so lucky again with the spotting after this bub.


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## Chloe597

Daydream, love the pics! Its so fun to look at their evolution :) Funny that our AF's started right around the same time. Glad you are happy it is back, and hope your spotting is cured! Sorry you guys got sick on your trip. That is great that H is a happy flyer! And don't worry about the walking..it will come in due time. He is clearly happy just being a cruiser :) 

Nell, wow, so many teeth and so much hair! She is a doll!! THanks for sharing the pics :)

Katie, sorry your spotting is back to the way it was before Anne.

Mrs P, sounds like you've got some wacky cycles going on now too. Are you TTC now? 

Well, my trip away from Gabby was good, and the spotting stopped just in time! I read somewhere that ibuprofin is sometimes used for 'dysfunctional uterine bleeding' which i thought maybe i had since it wasnt spotting after O, and that seems to have done the trick. spotting was gone about 2 days after i started taking it. Now i have the stomach flu...norovirus perhaps? Whatever it is, it has given me quite a fever and has kept me on the toilet for much longer than i ever care to be. thankfully DH has been great and has let me wallow in my misery.


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## daydream

Chloe - So sorry to hear you are sick! That is the worst. I'm glad the ibuprofen seems to have done the trick for you. I have been using Naproxen Sodium during my flow because it's supposed to work in similar ways and help slow heavy flow. It is much better than it was last month, though still pretty heavy. I woke up in the middle of the night in pain last night and had to empty my diva cup, but felt very very light headed. I looked in the mirror and my face was stark white. Very scary. Today is better though.


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## Gobolino

Uuhhh daydream....hope you're allright!!!! Is that normal do you know??? Sounds scary. 

Chloe....sorry to hear...must be hard being ill and being a Mum. I keep on wondering about that! Glad that DH is so supportive, it helps so much.
Nell! She is lovely! Hope you're doing well.


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## daydream

Gob - I don't think it's normal, but thankfully hasn't happened again and I'm doing better. I'm also taking iron since I'm sure that's probably pretty low while I'm in my heavy flow. My annual appt is in May I think, I'm going to see if I can hold out to go to the dr until then because I really don't want to go on hormonal bc and I'm not sure there's anything else they can do for heavy flow.


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## Gobolino

daydream said:


> Gob - I don't think it's normal, but thankfully hasn't happened again and I'm doing better. I'm also taking iron since I'm sure that's probably pretty low while I'm in my heavy flow. My annual appt is in May I think, I'm going to see if I can hold out to go to the dr until then because I really don't want to go on hormonal bc and I'm not sure there's anything else they can do for heavy flow.

Sorry to hear. Hope it doesn't repeat and you get back to a normal flow.:hugs:


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## daydream

Gob - Your ticker says baby is as big as a durian fruit, they must have changed that from when I was pregnant, I never saw that one before!


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## Gobolino

daydream said:


> Gob - Your ticker says baby is as big as a durian fruit, they must have changed that from when I was pregnant, I never saw that one before!

Haha, yes...strange stinky fruit! DH's in Vietnam at the moment...where there's plenty...so he's busy comparing size, hehe!
PANIC! Only 47 days to go....OMG


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## Chloe597

yikes, daydream, that is scary! Glad it was a one-off! I hope that you can stay off of hormonal bcp! The mini pill doesn't seem too bad, as they are progestin only, so they dont necessarily prevent ovulation. Its an option if you can't get anything else to work. I"m really hoping its easier to come off of once we start TTC. 

Gob, wow, 33 weeks and a durian fruit already!?! That is one stinky asian fruit, lol. My ticker never said that either. The science of baby size vs fruit must be evolving ;) Do you have your nursery all set up yet? By 33 weeks i was still so lost and had nothing prepared. I can't remember, did you find out the gender or no? I'm thinking boy, but I'm not sure.


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## daydream

We officially have a walker now! I just posted it to my journal. So proud of my little guy!


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## Gobolino

Chloe597 said:


> yikes, daydream, that is scary! Glad it was a one-off! I hope that you can stay off of hormonal bcp! The mini pill doesn't seem too bad, as they are progestin only, so they dont necessarily prevent ovulation. Its an option if you can't get anything else to work. I"m really hoping its easier to come off of once we start TTC.
> 
> Gob, wow, 33 weeks and a durian fruit already!?! That is one stinky asian fruit, lol. My ticker never said that either. The science of baby size vs fruit must be evolving ;) Do you have your nursery all set up yet? By 33 weeks i was still so lost and had nothing prepared. I can't remember, did you find out the gender or no? I'm thinking boy, but I'm not sure.

Haha yes I have a stinky fruit/boy:haha:
I have NOTHING prepared....and just starting to freak out a bit, lol. Next week I guess it will happen. The thing is...I'm in Spain (hometown), will give birth here, and then back to Hong Kong after. So not really preparing nursery here. A friend is going to lend me nearly everything (!!!) which is great, as when I get to Hong Kong, we will have to buy everything (no point in buying double!!). Here I just need bits and bobs. My friend will come by next week and set me up :flower: It's finally starting to feel real, and I'm starting to panic! Haha


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## Sbmack

Nell, how exciting to be near the end! We didn't have our nursery ready until she was a month old. Haha. She's still sleeping in our room so there wasn't a huge rush. 

Sorry to hear about all the spotting!! 

Daydream that collage is awesome! H has the best expressions. That's great he's walking. Watch out now :) when did he roll over?

Nell, Leila is super cute!

How has being back to work going, Mrs.P? Last week was tough for me as I had back to back events and got home at 10:00 one night and 12:00 the next! 

Nothing new to report here. Stella still hasn't rolled over. We are doing diaper free time, but she also likes to pee in the open. 

Here's a picture from a walk a couple of weeks ago.
 



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## Chloe597

Daydream, congrats! get ready to chase him even more now :) Did he go straight from furniture cruising to taking so many steps on his own, or did he take 1-2 steps on his own and then fall for a while? I think gabby spent a good 2 weeks (at least) taking 1-5 steps on her own and then falling before she took as many steps as H did in that video! Such a proud parenting moment!

Gob - thats great that you can borrow stuff for the time you are in Spain! and pretty low stress too. You can figure out what you like and dont like, so you dont over buy. Are you returning to your same home in hong kong after your extended stay in spain? 

Sb, cute pic! Is that a moby? I borrowed one from a friend when G was about 2.5 months and i wondered how i had existed without it! It was so comfortable, she fit in it so well, she slept in it, and i was able to get stuff done with her in it. I previously tried a bjorn which hurt my back after 30 min of wear, and i always felt like G was not comfortable in it. every time i used to put her in that she would spit up, so it was clearly compressing her tummy. Later i started to use an Ergo and loved that too. now we dont use anything, although I'm thinking of trying out the ergo in back mode. how anyone puts a baby on their back without dropping it, I have no idea!


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## daydream

SB - H rolled over early, like less than a month old. But here he is walking "late" (not really late, but later than a lot of the other babies born in Dec). I wouldn't worry too much about it though, H is cloth diapered and it didn't impede him in those areas. Babies just have their own timing for things.

I love that picture! She looks so cozy and secure in that wrap! I was never that good at the wrap, we used (and still use) our ergo. Chloe - I haven't used it on my back yet just because it seems so hard to get on myself. I would need DH to help. 

Chloe - He has taking a couple steps between myself and the table, etc. And I had been working to set him down standing so that he would try to take steps and go down himself to crawling. This is definitely the first time he has taken the initiative to walk away from the table out into the great unknown ;) Funny that I think he was just being cautious and now that he knows it's not scary there's no stopping him!


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## Sbmack

Thanks, ladies. The wrap is a woven wrap by a brand called Pavo. I'm learning back carries with it too! I have a few different wovens. This is my favorite because it has just the right amount of stretch and is very sturdy. People use them with 25lb toddlers! I also have a boba, but I haven't used it yet because I love the wraps. I've become a little obsessed. Haha


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## Gobolino

Loving the pics!!!! I've been lent a wrap.....but my friend will have to teach me to use it! I'm also looking to buy a Manduca (I don't know if they exist outside of Spain) baby carrier Ergo type. Much easier for walking arround crazy Hong Kong I'm sure!!!

Chloe, yes, we will be returning to the same home. We have re-rented it out to a friend (half price), so we could keep it on. We had no idea that I'd be here for so long!!...(DH's coming and going from Vietnam at the mo...). But quite happy to be surrounded by family and friends!


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## AMV

Your experience gives me hope. In the meantime,perhaps you can hear my story and offer me some feedback that helped you. 

I've always spotted before my period. Years ago, I actually had two uterine fibroid/polyps removed. I've been off the pill for three or four months now, and I continue to spot about 5-7 days before my period. I'm fairly new to ttc, but I've done enough homework to know that my spotting can be normal or it can point to a luetal cycle defect or more. I just ordered fertilitea to balance it out and I'm due to see my ob/gyn in a couple of weeks. I'm going for my annual, but I plan on talking to her about my concerns. I just hope she doesnt suggest be to wait it out a few more months bc I've only been ttc for a few months. I'd like to think that she'll take into consideration my age (33) and my history with spotting and fibroids/polyps. 

Here's my last month just so you get an idea of what's going on:
January 12-starting spotting
January 17-spotting got heavy enough to call it my period for a few days
January 27-according to OPK, I was low fertility. We tried anyway.
January 28-according to OPK, I was at my peak. What happened to the inbetween stage?! Anyway, we tried again
January 29-tried again
February 5-started spotting
Today (February 8)-still spotting..got heavier and I expect my period in a couple of days. 

Can anyone help?!


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## daydream

Hi AMV, Sorry for your spotting, we all know how frustrating that can be. 
There are hundreds of pages in our TTC spotting thread: https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/t...g-week-before-af-every-month-anyone-else.html

There are several ladies still trying there, so would be great company (it was for us). 

What worked for me was gonal f, IUI, and progesterone suppositories. Something we've all discovered is that it seems to be caused by different things and different plans work for each of us, most still don't know the true cause of the spotting.


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## Gobolino

Hi AMV, will answer you on the other thread.


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## Chloe597

Just wanted to share that Gabby has 4 molars coming in! All at once, all just poking through. I was so shocked looking at her the other day, thinking i maybe saw a hint of white in the back of her mouth, i put my fingers in and felt sharpness in each quadrant of her mouth! yet she still doesn't have her top front right tooth! The order of these teeth coming in is so baffling. 

Cute story: She got into my purse the other day, pulled out my chapstick and put it right up to her lips and started moving it back and forth, like she was putting it on. I'm secretly waiting for the day she gets into my makeup and applies it. it was too cute! 

How is everyone doing? How are your LOs? Gob, so close now!


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## daydream

Chloe - all four! Wow! I run my fingers through H's mouth every once and a while because he really doesn't react much when he has teeth coming in, I feel like every time one pops out I just happen to find it by surprise. No molars over here yet (that I know of, I haven't checked in a week or so). 

The chapstick story is so darling! H loves watching me put on makeup, so I'll hand him a powder brush every once and a while and he'll pat it on his face. So cute. He also loves to brush his hair. He is so impatient while I brush it, ready to be able to get the brush and do it himself. 

He has taken off with his walking, he walks all over the house now. He's also added a few words "Harrison" (which kind of sounds like he's saying asshole, I'll post the video on my journal, it's pretty funny), "crackers" "banana" "thank you" "please" It seems like every day he's learning something new!


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## Gobolino

Not long at all!!!! My friends have lent me loads of stuff...so now just to go shopping for basics (bedding, nail clippers, brush...bits and bobs) and thing for me post partum. Exiting and scary at the same time!!! Just wishing DH was here...not long to go now....18 more days. I can't believe it's going to be soon!!!


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## Chloe597

Daydream, i watched your video. It does sound like he is saying asshole. Too funny! They are like little sponges now, learning so many words. Love it!

oh wow, Gob, thats sooner than your ticker says! are you having a scheduled induction or is your ticker wrong? How long until your DH is with you?


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## Gobolino

Chloe597 said:


> Daydream, i watched your video. It does sound like he is saying asshole. Too funny! They are like little sponges now, learning so many words. Love it!
> 
> oh wow, Gob, thats sooner than your ticker says! are you having a scheduled induction or is your ticker wrong? How long until your DH is with you?

Sorry no....ticker's correct. It's DH that's back in 18 days... :haha: It's my one track mind I'm afraid!!!!


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## daydream

That's so wonderful, not too long to wait!


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies sorry I've been AWOL again! Wish bnb had an app still... 

Nell Leila is adorable! All that hair! 

SB work is fine thank you, definitely bearable working only 3 days now & a Saturday which is our quietest day.. 

Chloe, no not TTC yet, we said probs April after her first birthday, but will be a very relaxed approach! Started taking my folic acid though.., feels odd ha! 
Sorry to hear you had possible norovirus, this is what penny & I had last August, horrendous! Penny was just sick but I had sickness & diarrhoea every 30 mins for about 5 hours then felt like death the next 2 days...

Daydream great to hear Harrison is walking! Penny has been taking the odd step since 9th Jan & took 7 steps 2 weeks ago, the odd time since but still not walking! If I try put her down to walk she just slumps & does it when she doesn't think we're looking..

Gobolino not long at all! Cherish your pregnancy time remaining & even labour to a certain extent. I loved it all! I worthy about it being the Same with baby#2 & whether it's as special though I'm sure it will be! 

Sorry if I've missed anyone xx


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## daydream

MrsP - How exciting to get 7 steps! H used to slump all the time! I think he didn't like us pressuring him. Now he's walking all over the place. It's like he had to decide he was ready for it


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## MrsPTTC

Think that's the same with penny, she never does it when we want her to... 

Girls I'm feeling emotional I went back on the spotting thread & realised it's 3yrs since I joined, the thread seems to have tailed off somewhat :sad1: & there are people on there that still 2/3 years later haven't got their BFP's! It just makes me feel so lucky but look back & want to cry :cry: Why are things so hard for some people & so easy for others? Not fair... I really hope it doesn't take the same time for baby #2. I have a feeling it will be quicker as my spotting better/different but who knows. At least I've got penny I know that but the thought of going through that stress for almost 2 years makes me feel ergh! But I know I can have kids & already have my princess so it defo takes the edge of it. I've had some wine & it makes me weepy these days so excuse me lol :rofl: x


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## KatieTTC

MrsP, I know how you feel :hugs: It hurts seeing people try for months and years with no success. It took us only 4 months to conceive, but each month taught me the pain of not being able to achieve the dream of having a child. I'm much more sensitive to this topic now and really feel for those who are having troubles to conceive. I have a couple of really good friends who have been trying for years with no success and all I can really do is offer my support and hope for a miracle. 

Daydream, congrats on your walker! Annie is totally uninterested in walking or standing on her own, but I think once it comes, she'll be unstoppable. Love the walking video and YES it does sound like he's saying 'asshole' :haha:

Nell, what an adorable little kid, I love Leila's bangs! A's hair is a mess, maybe I should consider bangs as well. 

Gobolino, I hope last month goes smoothly. Are you planning on flying back right after the little one is born?

Sb, love the photo, you two look beautiful! We have a similar winter outfit for Annie with pink ears on the hood and bear face on her butt :)

Chloe, what a cute story, she's a genius :) I'm amused each time I see Annie pick up an object and actually use it the intended way instead of just putting it in her mouth and chewing on it. 

AMV, I'd say all of us on this thread have different reasons for spotting and most don't even know exactly what causes it. I spot like crazy bleeding for almost half of my cycle, but managed to conceive without any additional medication, it just happened. I hope it doesn't take you much longer to conceive. Your OB might think it's too early to worry, but I hope she takes your concerns seriously and gets to the bottom of the issue.


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## Sbmack

Mrs. P, I know what you mean. I feel awful for everyone that's still trying...especially those that finally get pregnant only to miscarry. That just happened to my friend and my heart broke for her. She's been trying for almost a year with irregular cycles. 

I'm also worried about it taking a while for us to concieve our second, but like you said we are so grateful for the princess we already have. It's nice to know we can do it. I'm not getting any younger though so we aren't going to wait too much longer. 

I hope everyone had a great valentines day with their beautiful babies!


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## Gobolino

Mrs P, I know what you mean. I really feel for some of them, those that have accompanied me during this past year. It's so sad, I wish it would happen soon. 

KatieTTC, yes, I will fly back as soon as I (we) feel up to it. I'm guessing a month? Just take it as it comes.

I'm starting to have dreams/nightmares about LO. I guess I'm reading too much about BF and sleeping and so on. I feel I'm more scared of doing that, than of delivery!!! I suppose it comes naturally in the end?? I don't have room for a chair in my bedroom, do I sit up in bed at night? Do I take him to another room? Do I change him before or after feeding? Lights on or off?? OMG!!!!!!!


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## daydream

Gobs - Oh yes I remember having SO MANY questions about what to do, but amazingly you'll find your own groove. Some people swear by feeding while in bed, but it would give me nightmares that I fell asleep with the baby, so I would take the baby into the living room and feed in our rocker. And definitely change before feeding, so that hopefully you can feed him back to sleep. And dim lights. I used to watch TV while feeding, but books I've read say that can stimulate them at night, so I think next time around I'm just going to have one dim nightlight and listen to podcasts or something with an earbud in or something, or just maybe watch something on my ipad. I'm trying to find little tips to help for the next time because now having H sleeping so well, I want to get there quicker next time! :)


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## KatieTTC

Gobolino, I felt the same way and the baby arrived earlier than expected so I was somewhat unprepared. Looking back though everything just kind of fell into place. I just followed my baby's lead. I'd change her diapers before the feeding, like daydream, because in many cases baby would fall back asleep during the feeding time. At night I'd have a small nightlight on, just enough to see what I'm doing. If you're planning on BF, definitely get some lanolin. Sounds like you do a lot of reading, so you probably bought it already, but it's just something I didn't even think about. BF was really painful the first couple of days without lanolin. Is your hospital bag packed? I kept telling myself it's time to pack it and ended up asking my husband to go home and pack it for me after the baby was born :) 

It's interesting to see a common theme on this thread - many of us are already thinking about trying to have another child. I personally feel ready and would love to start trying again. It would be considered a high risk pregnancy this time though, because I had preeclamsia with Annie and they also diagnosed me with lupus after her birth. In any case we feel blessed to have our little precious girl and we're thankful for having her. To us she is a true miracle!


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## daydream

I second the lanolin!

Katie - I'm also very ready for another baby, except for the future cost of two daycares. Ouch, that will be tough. I've started temping again (when I can remember) as I'm trying to figure out what my new cycles are now. We won't start NTNP until June, but they have had me pretty confused lately, and I really want to have some idea of what my body is doing. Do you have a thought of when you might start trying again? Is DH on board?


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## Chloe597

I too feel for those who have been trying for so long and still aren't pregnant. I have a good friend who tried for 3+ years and is finally pregnant. I am so happy for her! It took me about 10 months, and even if i don't get pregnant again, I am so thankful for Gabby. Part of me wants to have a baby sooner rather than later so that i can be at my youngest with best chances for success, and the other part of me wants to selfishly enjoy watching gabby grow without having to share my attention. I think once she is 3 I will be more than ready to share, but since it took 10 months to get pregnant last time, I can't exactly plan to get pregnant in 1 year. If it takes me 10 months and i want a baby when sheis 3, i have to start trying like now. It makes my head spin every time i think of it!

Mrs P, that is great that Penny is taking steps! I was so excited when gabby could truely walk on her own, but then I got so much more exhausted! now she runs. oof!

Katie, can't believe Annie is 1 year already! Time flies! Happy belated birthday to her!

Gob, i know what you mean. I had similar fears. I kept a recliner in my room when gabby was sleeping in my room and i used to feed her in that, but there were also days where I was exhausted and would have DH bring her to me in bed, and I would do the side feed, where you both lay on your sides. Or sometimes I would just prop myself up with lots of pillows in bed. You will figure out what works for you. I used to have DH change her and then bring her to me for feeding, or i would change her before feeding for the same reasons already stated - boobs put babies to bed. who wants to mess with that!?! And yes, invest in lanolin. I also got some mother love organic nipple cream that was pretty nice. I also tried to either have it be pitch black or a dim light off in the distance. I woudl turn a hall light on when changing her so i could still see what i was doing but didnt make it really bright. I would invest in a small nightlight if I were to do it again. 

Anyone thinking about potty training yet? I need a good resource to read. i bought gabby a potty a while ago and I take her in the bathroom with me somtimes and just sit her on the potty with her clothes on while I am on the toilet, just to get her familiar with it. but I have no idea how to take that next step. We had baby naked time for about 5 minutes the other day because i just had too much to do before i could get her dressed, and this was right after a bath, where she always pees, and she walked over by her crib and peed right on the floor. sigh....this is why I don't have naked baby time in my house, lol.


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## KatieTTC

daydream said:


> I second the lanolin!
> 
> Katie - I'm also very ready for another baby, except for the future cost of two daycares. Ouch, that will be tough. I've started temping again (when I can remember) as I'm trying to figure out what my new cycles are now. We won't start NTNP until June, but they have had me pretty confused lately, and I really want to have some idea of what my body is doing. Do you have a thought of when you might start trying again? Is DH on board?

Daydream, if everything goes well we'd like to start trying in April or May. I had to stop taking certain meds that are unsafe for pregnancy and I'm now waiting to see what effect it will have on my body. If it doesn't cause any complications, the medication should be out of my system in another 1,5 months and we can start trying. I'm also keeping track of my cycles and started taking prenatals again. I'm hoping for the best. DH is definitely on board. How about yours? Does he feel ready?


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## Sbmack

Gobs, like daydream said it will all fall into place. It it is scary though. I also changed the baby (actually DH did and handed her off to me) before feeding her. I feed her right in my bed. I keep an extra pillow on the floor next to my bed to use to sit up. I suppose I will be feeding her in her room once we move her to the crib.


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## daydream

Katie - DH is not ready to go through the newborn phase again, but he is on board with my timeline. I think he thinks we will have trouble TTC again so he thinks it will be a long time before we have a baby around. So he'll be in for a surprise if it happens quickly. He also did a sneaky oopsy last week when DTD, I thought it was around ov, but my chart is looking annovulatory, but then again I haven't been consistent with temping this month since I'm just starting.


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## Chloe597

Daydream, my DH is the same, not ready for a newborn. I think its more for selfish reasons tho because he said he misses not being able to spontaneously go out for drinks. I don't know how having another baby would make that any less possible than our current situation tho. I think he is also scared that we will end up with a baby that is much more difficult than Gabby, who has been a near perfect sleeper. He also doesn't want a boy as he thinks they would be too rambunctious, so I think he has a lot of mental hurdles to get over. I hope we can have another one, but if we just have Gabby I will be happy too. I can't imagine sharing my love with another baby right now. I hardly have any time at home with G, so when we are together she pretty much gets all of my attention. Its hard to have 2 full time working parents and 1 kid. can't imagine how much harder it woudl be with 2! 

Wanted to share what is hopefully going to become a project for me in the next month: https://blogs.babycenter.com/life_and_home/before-and-after-diy-play-kithcen/ it wont be exact, as i'm not working with the same kind of night stand, but I hope to use it as inspiration :) I will probably have to take a day off work to properly do it. but before then i hope to gather my supplies in the next few weeks at thrift and craft stores. 

Hope everyone is well. Any baby yet, Gob??


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## Gobolino

Chloe...good luck! Post pics!!!!
37 weeks tomorow...so 3 more weeks to go. DH gets back (after 5 weeks away) on tues.....it will be SO nice to have him home, someone to do chores and shopping and so on! I'm pretty active and do everything myself...but starting to get tired. Not sleeping well at all. I awake around 5-5.30 and can't get back to sleep. When I do, I sleep for one hour more and that's it. I go to bed around 11-11.30...so not much sleep. Also I get really hungry!!!! I refuse to give in....except last night I was so hungry I was feeling sick, so I had some cereal. Acid reflux has got a lot worse.
BUT apart from that, I'm really doing well!!!! Feeling good, and active! So not bad in all!!! Let me try and post a pic....never done it


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## daydream

Chloe - I completely understand. I feel the same way about sharing love between two kids. A lot of my friends are on baby #2 but their first are around 3-4 years old and I'm feeling like having an older toddler for baby 2 will be nice. I'd love for H to be able to understand the whole new baby thing. So if it takes us a while, I won't be upset about it. My ideal spacing would be 3 years. 

I also love that little kitchen set! You'll have to post pictures after it's done.

Gobs - you look great! I can't believe how close you are already. I'm so glad your DH will be back soon. It will be nice to have some alone time together before baby arrives. I forget, did you pick any names yet?


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## Gobolino

daydream said:


> Chloe - I completely understand. I feel the same way about sharing love between two kids. A lot of my friends are on baby #2 but their first are around 3-4 years old and I'm feeling like having an older toddler for baby 2 will be nice. I'd love for H to be able to understand the whole new baby thing. So if it takes us a while, I won't be upset about it. My ideal spacing would be 3 years.
> 
> I also love that little kitchen set! You'll have to post pictures after it's done.
> 
> Gobs - you look great! I can't believe how close you are already. I'm so glad your DH will be back soon. It will be nice to have some alone time together before baby arrives. I forget, did you pick any names yet?

Thank you! I have put on 20kg....waaaaay over the top....but what can you do?!:shrug:
The name was chosen....yes...after a huge row. Anyway, his name will be Juan, very typical old spanish name. But it means a huge deal to DH...it was his grandfather's name....someone very very special to him.
I'm looking to put "my part" into it (I'm british born-spanish upbrought) and was looking at second names that are english, but go with Juan. Not easy, as most sound very mexican in the end (you know....spanish-american mixed names). I've nearly decided on Lucan. Juan Lucan. My sister also likes it. So maybe maybe....


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## happyshopper

Hello ladies, hopefully some can remember me from the spotters ttc thread. Its taken 4 long, long years to get here but I am currently 5 weeks 2 days pregnant. Just to give you a quick update, last year the spotting got so bad; it was happening all the time and especially during BDing. I felt so disheartened and was giving up hope. I had a lap in November and the first thing the doctor asked was had I had an operation or appendicitis at some point because my insides were a bit of a mess; my tubes were blocked by adhesions although he managed to push some dye through and my ovary was stuck to my bowel. It was a bit of a shock to be told that we probably won't be able to have children naturally and ivf was our best chance. 
After the lap, my spotting got so much better and I felt like a new woman, now it started at 11dpo rather than the usual 7dpo and much less red. 
We started to progress down the ivf route at the beginning of February and were due to see the specialist this month
Luckily, I got my first ever bfp this month after 4 years of trying. As usual, my brown spotting started at 10dpo and thought straight away I was out and forgot about it. It never progressed though as it usually did but stupidly still didn't think more about it even when the spotting tailed off and my period was 2 days late. It was only when I woke up in the middle of the night and thought how unusual it was that I hadn't come on my period and maybe it was because I was pregnant. I couldn't sleep and decided to do a test just so I can prove to myself it was negative so I could stop thinking about it and go to sleep. I couldn't believe it when I saw a faint line and I still can't. 
I'm very nervous and trying hard to not get too excited. There is a chance it could be ectopic so I will be getting a scan next week and miscarriage is also my other concern. Also did any ladies get some light brown discharge in early pregnancy? It doesn't feel very sinister but I am going to mention it to the doctor tomorrow. 
Sorry for the long post. I hope you are all well and sending lots of baby dust our way xxx


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## daydream

happyshopper - CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy to hear of a bfp from one of the "originals" from our spotting thread. I'm happy to follow along and I wish you the best during your scan next week.

Gobs - What a wonderful name!


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## happyshopper

daydream said:


> happyshopper - CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy to hear of a bfp from one of the "originals" from our spotting thread. I'm happy to follow along and I wish you the best during your scan next week.

Thanks I really thought I would never get here. Congratulations on the birth of your little boy xxx


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## Gobolino

Happyshopper!!!! I will very quietly say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! OMG!!!!! I have often thought of you. I'm on the spotters thread because of you....as you found me posting somewhere else, completly lost  
Please keep us updated. I really hope all goes well.


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## happyshopper

Gobolino said:


> Happyshopper!!!! I will very quietly say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! OMG!!!!! I have often thought of you. I'm on the spotters thread because of you....as you found me posting somewhere else, completly lost
> Please keep us updated. I really hope all goes well.

Thank you Gobolino, and bless you for thinking about me. I'm sorry I should have been in touch more often. It's a great group of gals and I'm glad to be back. I love the mix of the two cultures in your baby's name, it sounds very grand. 
5+3 today and dont have many symptoms to report except very sore boobs, lots of twinges and maybe feeling a little sick when I get hungry. I want some really good ms so it feels real, although I think the novelty will quickly wear off.
Speak to you all soon xxx


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## _Nell

Happyshopper - huge congratulations!!!

I am so happy for you :)

I had brown (and occasionally red) spotting on and off up to around 8 weeks in both pregnancies. I also had cramping and twinging and sharp jabs around the ovaries. If you have any of those then i hope i can reassure you a little :)


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## Sbmack

Yay, what wonderful news!!! Congrats, happy! I spotted early in my pregnancy too. 

Gobs, you look amazing!! Glad your DH will be home soon. Lovely name by the way.


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## Chloe597

Happyshopper, congrats! I do remember you from the other thread and i'm thrilled for you! I too spotted brown off and on in the beginning, and later too. My Dr ended up telling me i had a sensitive cervix and said no more DTD until i was 35 weeks. Please keep us updated!

Gob, that is a great name! It is so nice that you could both put your own little flare on it :) Hope it didn't cause too much fighting.


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## happyshopper

You have all reassured my massively, thanks ladies. It was there again today and I felt quite sad about it but you have made me feel better. I hope it is cervical erosion but thats a long time to not DTD, I hope your doctor was just being extra cautious. I stupidly forgot to mention it to my doctor this morning, it must be the baby brain kicking in already :) xxx


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## Chloe597

my dr only said to not DTD from about week 25-35. she wasn't concerned with spotting early on and DTD. She was just being cautious i think in case it could have caused early labor. When do you get your first scan, happy?


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## happyshopper

Chloe597 said:


> my dr only said to not DTD from about week 25-35. she wasn't concerned with spotting early on and DTD. She was just being cautious i think in case it could have caused early labor. When do you get your first scan, happy?

Next Tuesday. I'm cautiously hopeful xxx


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## daydream

I used to ALWAYS forget to ask my doctor things (I also still do this when we go to the pediatrician). Now I keep a note in my phone with an ongoing list of questions for them


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## Gobolino

Yep...I write everything down...otherwise I never remember to ask!!! Too much going on, I guess


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## happyshopper

That's a good tip, I thought about it but then I forgot but that is usual for me. I've got the dreaded cramps again, I keep on expecting the nasty witch any minute. I'm starting to worry about ghe lack of traditional pregnancy symptoms. The few symptoms I had are lessening. I hope I'm just being paranoid x


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## Gobolino

happyshopper said:


> That's a good tip, I thought about it but then I forgot but that is usual for me. I've got the dreaded cramps again, I keep on expecting the nasty witch any minute. I'm starting to worry about ghe lack of traditional pregnancy symptoms. The few symptoms I had are lessening. I hope I'm just being paranoid x

I had cramps...but later on. No symptoms otherwise.....try and relax:hugs:


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## happyshopper

Thanks Gobolino, I am beginning to relax a bit more. I'm getting the beginnings of ms I think and I was dog tired today. Another week done today, 6 weeks tomorrow xxx
How r u doing, you're so close to d day? Are you looking forward to the birth?


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## daydream

Congrats on 6 weeks! What day is your scan?

Harrison got his first haircut today. He did SO great! I'm glad to be rid of the baby mullet, but I did get choked up a bit thinking that he won't have that baby long hair anymore.


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## Chloe597

So cute, daydream! And he looks amazingly content. I am impressed! Gabby has a baby mullet (well, more like a rat tail)...she has no hair to even cut off on top, but i worry about making her look more like a boy if i cut any off the back. So i'm just gonna let it grow and see if it fills in. She needs some bangs like Nell's little Leila!

Oh MS is no fun, happy! But it was always a comfort to me because it reassured me that stuff was happening. I used to freak out on days i felt fine. even for periods of 1-2 hours where i felt fine. its amazing how paranoid first time moms are about everything, from pregnancy through oh, probably high school :) 

For those with babies who drink regular milk now, how soon after your LO wakes up do you feed milk/breakfast? I am going to stop BF in the morning tomorrow and i dont know if i need to immediately give gabby a cup of milk, or if we can hang out for a while without that. She is giong to be so confused with her new routine, and then daylight savings will come in and totally screw up her sleep!


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## daydream

Yes I can understand not knowing what to do with girl hair. I was still torn in cutting his hair because ultimately I do want his hair to be a little longer and shaggier, but it was just so stringy. Now it looks so much fuller in cutting off those uneven baby hairs. So even if you just trim a teeny bit off it may help with the mullet-ness :)

I forgot about daylight savings! Argh! At least this way we are springing forward, so we don't have to worry about 5am wakeups :)


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## daydream

Regarding milk/breakfast, I still bf in the morning, but even after that he's pretty ready for breakfast within 30 mins of waking up. So we usually give a banana before taking him to daycare.


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## happyshopper

Harrison is such a cutie and his new haircut looks fab. He looks a little worried on the first one, bless him x
Ms wasn't too bad today, by the afternoon it had gone. I think cold things trigger it so I've had an icelolly and ice cream today (I work at an ice cream factory) but it still didn't work lol x
Tuesday is the day of the scan, I'm both nervous and excited. I hope everything is progressing how it should and in the correct place xxx


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## Sbmack

Happyshopper, don't worry about lack of symptoms. If I didn't take a test, I wouldn't have known I was pregnant until I started showing. Besides being a bit more tired and sore bb's, I had zero symptoms. 

How did the scan go?? Also, working with ice cream...that's a dream for most pregnant ladies! 

Daydream, H looks great!!

I also use my phone to write down questions as they pop up or I would forget everything. 

I think Stella is teething. it looks like there's a couple of slits on her lower gums. She's also super drooly, more fussy and chews everything in sight. Is there an average time it takes for a tooth to pop up?


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## happyshopper

Thanks, I feel much more relaxed now probably because i'm so shattered all the time, nauseous on-and-off and I feel like I've done 1000 sit ups. The scan is this Tuesday so not long to go now xxx


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## daydream

With H's teething, it seemed like the first ones were right there for the longest time, but then once it broke through, it was quick. I hope the teething goes well for Stella. H is pretty easygoing when he's having teeth come in. We've got 1 molar in and 3 more on the way. Not too bad other than a bit of drooling and rash on his chin from the wetness.


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## happyshopper

Hi everyone, 
The scan went really well this morning. The little bean took some finding, but it was in the right place and I could even see its little heartbeat. It was so exciting! Roll on the next 5 weeks so I can see it again. I have posted the picture in my signature but it doesn't look like anything yet xxx


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## daydream

Happyshopper - Congrats!! I'm so happy for you. What a relief, right?! The picture isn't showing up for me though, but I'm sure your little bean is just adorable. :)


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## Gobolino

Congrats Happy!!! What a relief!!!! Now take it easy and look after that little bean!!!!


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## happyshopper

I can't get it to work right now but will post as soon as I can. Thanks Daydream, I feel so much better for seeing the little bean xxx


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## happyshopper

Thanks Gobolino, I will try xxx


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## Chloe597

Congrats, Happy! So happy everything is where it should be and that you saw the HB :) 

Gob, how are you feeling? baby dropped yet?

SB, when G got her first teeth, i saw them under the skin for maybe a 1-2 weeks before they popped through. once they broke through, they came in pretty fast. She already has 2 molars fully in, and the third is well on its way. the fourth is stil hiding, but she has been chewing on her hands a lot, so i imagine more teeth are lurking.

Our morning routine has gone to hell since i stopped BF in the morning. I wake her up to get her ready for daycare, and i have to distract her for a bit because she cries if i put her right on the changing table. she isn't digging at my shirt to try to get to boobs tho, so i guess that is a plus. she has no interest in a sippy of milk either. i just have to spend time distracting her with cats and other things before convincing her that changing her clothes isn't going to be the worst thing ever. and it took a few days to get adjusted to daylight savings. but bedtime was back to 8:00 yesterday. 

Hope everyone is well!


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## daydream

Chloe - I'm sorry mornings aren't going as well. I'm wondering when H will ever be ready to drop the morning feed. He wants it as soon as he's awake.. so that will be interesting in our house when the time comes, but I'm fine keeping it for as long as he wants it.


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## Gobolino

Chloe597 said:


> Congrats, Happy! So happy everything is where it should be and that you saw the HB :)
> 
> Gob, how are you feeling? baby dropped yet?
> 
> SB, when G got her first teeth, i saw them under the skin for maybe a 1-2 weeks before they popped through. once they broke through, they came in pretty fast. She already has 2 molars fully in, and the third is well on its way. the fourth is stil hiding, but she has been chewing on her hands a lot, so i imagine more teeth are lurking.
> 
> Our morning routine has gone to hell since i stopped BF in the morning. I wake her up to get her ready for daycare, and i have to distract her for a bit because she cries if i put her right on the changing table. she isn't digging at my shirt to try to get to boobs tho, so i guess that is a plus. she has no interest in a sippy of milk either. i just have to spend time distracting her with cats and other things before convincing her that changing her clothes isn't going to be the worst thing ever. and it took a few days to get adjusted to daylight savings. but bedtime was back to 8:00 yesterday.
> 
> Hope everyone is well!

Nope...still squishing my lungs :haha:
Feeling good...but getting heavier and slower each day...
Hope you get back into your morning routine soon!!! Patience! Lucky you have cats!


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## Sbmack

So glad the scan went well, Happy. Hearing that heartbeat for the first time is amazing. I'm pretty sure I cried. :)

Thanks, for the teething info. I'm not so sure that's even what's going on now. Her gums aren't red and where I thought I saw slits aren't where most babies get their first teeth. 

I'm having supply issues and am so upset about it. I've had to give her a bottle of pumped milk the last two nights before bed because I didn't have enough. I usually pump every three hours while at work, but I'm not on a schedule. I wake up when Stella does and feed her when she's ready. I will try and feed her when she wakes up, but often she won't eat first thing. Over the weekend she was real fussy and wouldn't eat much during the day. I wonder if that affected my supply. I should've been pumping more. Since going back to work my supply has seemed to decrease so I've been trying to work on keeping it up. I made lactation cookies, started taking fenugreek and have been drinking mothers milk tea. I've only been doing this for a weeks so I'm hoping I'll see some results soon.


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## Sbmack

Yikes, Gob! Only five days from your due date!!!


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## Gobolino

Sbmack said:


> Yikes, Gob! Only five days from your due date!!!

And no sign of wanting to come out...[-X
Yesterday was the first day I felt that I can't take it anymore! I can't sit, lie down, walk....sleep.....He's so high up he squishes me. I need him out now!!!! Poor thing, he must have no room...as he's always pushing hard against my belly.


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## Chloe597

oof, Gob, I hope he comes out ASAP! I remember being uncomfortable but i never got past 37.5 weeks, so I can only imagine what an extra 2+ weeks would do! are you trying to do anything to bring on labor? Jogging, bouncing on a ball, nipple stimulation, etc? No idea if any of that works, but I know some people swear by it!

SB, sorry you are having supply issues. I started to have issues around the 9 month mark i think it was and I had to add an extra pumping session in at work in order to have enough milk for daycare. I tried oatmeal and an herbal supplement called more milk plus. also drank more water. it seemed to help a little but my supply never realy recovered. I actually resorted to watering my milk down (by 0.5-1.0 oz each) so she would still have 4.5 oz in each bottle. Maybe AF is going to show up soon? I have heard that will affect supply temporarily. or perhaps her needs are just changing. how do you know she doesnt have enough at night? just keep up the pumping, and maybe try pumping after you BF her to help your body know it needs to make more. Sometimes this isn't always practical tho. I never did that but heard from others that it worked. Good luck!


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## Sbmack

I hope he comes soon, Gob. The last week was the worst for me. I went walking around a bunch of yard sales a few days before my due date in hopes of moving things along. My water broke that night. 

Thanks, Chloe. I know she didn't get enough because my bb's feel completely empty and she just cries when she tries to eat and there's nothing left. I did try pumping after to make sure that was really the case and I literally just got a couple drops from each breast. It's so disheartening. I have heard that there are supply issues when AF returns. As much as I want the witch to stay away, I'm hoping that's what's going on. Hadn't thought of that. I'm going to call the lactation consultant at my Peds office today. She's always very reassuring and helpful. I've heard that some babies will bulk up at night and eat less during the day. She's been eating two or three times at night and it seems like a lot per sitting. More than I can pump or more than she eats during a day feed.


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## daydream

Gob - Good luck!! I hope baby comes soon. 

SB - I'm sorry about the supply issues, I know that can be stressful. I agree it might be AF gearing up. If she's eating a lot at night, maybe she's not eating enough during the day. Also I just saw this link this morning, not sure if it's helpful to you at all but thought it was interesting regarding nighttime bfing https://breastfeedchicago.wordpress...-ever-told-you-about-nighttime-breastfeeding/


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## happyshopper

Thanks ladies. I'm spotting again which is slightly worrying but no pain. I think I might book a private scan at 9 weeks just to put my mind at rest xxx
I hope your baby comes soon Gobolino xxx
Sb, I don't know much about breastfeeding but I just wanted to send :hugs: xxx


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## Sbmack

Happyshopper, I spotted twice in the first trimester. I think it was around 5 weeks and 7.5. I had an ultrasound both times and they found a subchorionic hematoma during the second one, which can be pretty common. It's just a little sac of blood attached to the placenta I think. 

Thanks for the article Daydream! She has been feeding more at night and I'm totally I'm with that because I figured its good for my supply. I talked to the lactation consultant at her Peds office today and we're going in to have her weighed tomorrow. I also took Thursday off and plan on doing lots of skin to skin. It's probably a bit overboard but it will make me feel better.


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## daydream

sb - I don't think that sounds overboard at all! Sometimes us moms need some special baby time, and I think the skin to skin sounds like exactly what you (and baby) need right now. I'm glad you're able to take the time off!


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## Gobolino

happyshopper said:


> Thanks ladies. I'm spotting again which is slightly worrying but no pain. I think I might book a private scan at 9 weeks just to put my mind at rest xxx
> I hope your baby comes soon Gobolino xxx
> Sb, I don't know much about breastfeeding but I just wanted to send :hugs: xxx

Happy....sorry about the spotting. I think I would book a private also! Just for peace of mind....:hugs:


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## daydream

hs - sorry I didn't see your post regarding the spotting. A private scan should definitely ease your mind. Would your dr see you at all for the spotting? I did have some spotting with DS around 9 weeks after DTD. My dr had me in the next day to have a quick scan to make sure all was okay (it was) just irritation from my cervix. We did pelvic rest and didn't DTD for a few weeks. Didn't have any problems after that.


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## Chloe597

Happy, i'm sure its nothing. spotting is pretty common at this point. I think the important thing is that its not bright red blood, and even then that doesn't always mean anything bad. But i know how reassuring scans are, so I would call your Dr just to be safe.

SB, sounds like a great plan! skin to skin is so wonderful. G has been sleeping in my bed the past few nights because she has been sick, although this morning she was in her crib until 5am. but when i brought her into my bed, she put her head down over my heart (and a little on my collar bone..ouch!) and fell fast asleep so quickly. Cherish those moments of baby sleeping on you! They get much more fleeting as they grow.


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## daydream

How are people getting on with WTT, those who are? I was pretty frustrated with my last cycle, fairly certain I didn't ovulate. While we're not ttc, I didn't like knowing that my cycle wasn't working properly.. so crazy as I am, I started taking Vitex. This cycle I'm fairly certain I ovulated yesterday. Tons of CM, and ovulation pains. My temp went up slightly today, hoping tomorrow is a good rise.

I feel so crazy getting this into my cycle when not ttc, but I just want to know things are working right. We still won't NTNP until June, and actually I'm starting to think I'd rather have a three year gap, but I feel like with how long it took to conceive with H, I have to start earlier. We're really trying to save up for a house, so throwing another kid (and another daycare bill) into the mix isn't ideal right now. 

Am I the only one thinking about this so much??! I feel nuts! :dohh::haha:


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## daydream

oh and we had an oops on st patricks day, but that was four days before ovulation, so maybe it's all out of my control anyway! Wouldn't that be funny, take 16 cycles to make baby 1, and 1 festive holiday to make baby 2. I told DH we should have to name the baby Patrick if we did haha!


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## Chloe597

lol, daydream! Patrick would be appropriate! Or Patricia :) I don't know where I stand on baby #2. I change my mind CONSTANTLY. And either DH or I have been sick since January. Its really not making us want another little germ ball getting us all sick for months on end. Not to mention the added cost of daycare for #2. and the fact that I would probably reduce my hours at work, so there's another financial blow. I am on the mini pill, which is progestin only, and it prevents ovulation in 50% of people. I got my period on it once, back in early january, and that is the only time i have seen my period since before i was pregnant. I have no idea what my cycles are doing. I know my face is breaking out like i'm a teenager again, which is great.... So in short, I am very confused about everything regarding a second baby!

Gob, any baby yet? 

Nell, when are you due? I can't recall...Hope you are well!

Hope everyone else is well!


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## daydream

that's nice that the mini pill can stop your AF. I had a period of breaking out a ton as well! That was not fun at all. It was all over my chest, which is worse because you don't put makeup there! I opted not to do anything hormonal postpartum, so I just have a diaphragm that I use when we feel like it. At least this cycle it's pretty clear I already ovulated, so we can do a little natural family planning and go without and feel pretty confident we won't get pregnant.


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## KatieTTC

I wasn't on for a while and missed a major event! Congratulations happyshopper!!!! Very happy for you, wishing you happy and healthy 9 months! I understand your concerns about spotting, but wanted you to know that I spotted a lot during the first semester and it was nothing. 

Thinking of you Gob!


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## happyshopper

Thanks Katie, its still hard to believe but all those years waiting seem like nothing now. I hope you are well and your little family xxx
Thanks everyone for your advice about the spotting, its seems very common among us spotters which I suppose shouldn't be a surprise. 
Had my first midwife appointment today and a date for the 12 week scan; the 23rd April which is my OH's mums 70th birthday and St Georges Day which I'm hoping is a good omen xxx
Hope everything is ok Gobolino xxx


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## MrsPTTC

Im back ladies sorry!

First of all. Congrats again Happyshopper!!! :happydance: Chuffed to bits for you! So pleased your scan went well. The 9/10 week scan is so cute, Penny looked like a little tadpole on hers, which was way better than the little line at 7 weeks! The jump from 9 weeks to 12/14 is just amazing, cant believe by 12 weeks she was a properly formed baby! (I know foetus technically) I had no symptoms either! No MS, just tiny bit of nausea from time to time in the 1st tri but never sick.

Gob awesome bump pic! You look fab! And great name, I agree with Happyshopper very grand! Any news??

Daydream that chair H is getting his haircut in is just brilliant! Bless him! Ooh an oopsie! When would you test or your AF be due?? It is weird WTT, seems like such a waste of EWCM! (& :spermy: lol)

Chloe, Penny has her milk when she first gets up, I then leave her about 15 mins whilst I take the dog out for a pee in the garden and feed the cats. Then she gets breakfast straight away. It takes so long that if I left her longer the morning would be over, plus shed get sick of sitting in her high chair

SB, I think teeth are generally 6months to a year. Penny was 8 months when she got hers, shes now getting her 6th tooth in at 1.

Chloe our clocks go forward here on Sunday :wacko: 

Nell how many weeks are you now? Still cant believe youre cooking a baby #2 after all you went through for Layla!

Penny is 1 now! Had a fab birthday weekend and she started walking properly a week or 2 before it. Grandma came with us and bought her first pair of shoes last week, theyre super cute! I dont know where this past year gone?! :wacko: Were TTC next cycle. Sounds like a few will be TTC#2 soon, how exciting! I am soooo taking the relaxed approach this time, no temping OPKs, timing BD etc.. we do it when we want to do it, or at least that is the plan for at least the first 4 months or so. Im sure thats why it took so long to get Penny, too much stress! My spotting is virtually non existent now, at least before AF. I had a bit last cycle mid way, when I was fertile but it lasted a few days so I know it wasnt ovulation spotting. It was just pink CM really, very odd as I never had that last time I think it may have been an anovulatory cycle as it was long and not much EWCM. Im hopeful it wont take as long this time, though preparing ourselves for the worst, hence why were TTC so soon again.

xx


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## daydream

mrsP - How exciting to be TTC again! I think it's great you are going the relaxed approach. I wish I could... and I really plan on it when we do.. but for some reason my last cycle being anovulatory with lots of spotting really worried me, so here I am temping again. And the comfort of temping actually has made me feel much better. I think for me the known is better than the unknown.

Good luck to you!! I hope TTC#2 goes quicker than before!


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## Chloe597

Lovely to hear from you again, MrsP. We miss you! Post pics of penny with her birthday cake! Happy birthday to her :) And good luck with TTC! I hope the relaxed approach is what does the trick for you! 

Daydream, i am like you in that i feel less stress knowing rather than not knowing. Although no way will we be trying until we have a good couple months of being healthy and forgetting how awful it is to be sick all the time!

Daydream, does H call you or DH out by name yet? i figure he can say mama and dada but does he direct it at you when he wants your attention? I am probably being paranoid but it worries me that gabby has no problem saying these words, and knows that its us, but doesnt ever call me for me or DH by name.


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## daydream

Chloe - He does call out for me with mama. But for DH, he knows he is dada if we say Where is dada? But he doesn't call him dada. Sometimes he will call him Mama actually. But we've really been saying Dada a lot to try to counteract that, so he will only do that now if he is "teasing"

We did have our 15 month checkup this morning though and the dr said he is super advanced with language. Right now it's totally normal to only have 3-6 words, he says about 20-30. So don't fret about it, probably in a month she'll start to pick it up. They all have different things they are better with. H was "slow"ish to start walking (almost 14 months).


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## happyshopper

Hi everyone, 
Thanks Mrs P, it's so lovely to hear from you again. Happy 1st Birthday to Penny, I bet she got loads of lovely presents xxxx
for the past couple of weeks now, I have had MS and tiredness which reassures me a bit now even if I do feel yucky all the time. My doctor phoned me today and said that my urine test showed that I had a uti and I need a dose of antibiotics. Hopefully, it clears up quickly without causing too many issues. The doctors are really on the ball when it comes to pregnant ladies xxx
I hope your cycle starts to settle down soon Daydream. I couldn't take to taking my temperature, I felt more stressed making sure I took it at the same time everyday. I wish there was an easier way to confirm ovulation xxx


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## daydream

HS - Sorry about the UTI :( Those are the worst! I'm glad you got medicine and hope to be all better soon


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## daydream

Oh and I didn't see this bc it was the bottom of the previous page, but hello Katie! I hope all is well!


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## Gobolino

Ladies!!!!!!! So sorry as to no news.....but I haven't opened my computer in the past week!!!! I am now the happy mum of Juan, totally in love :baby::cloud9:
Born last Sunday morning (23rd). All went well, will let you know more soon.
:hi: to all!!!!!


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## Sbmack

Wahoo, Gobs!! Welcome to the world Juan! Can't wait to see pictures. 

Hi Katie!! How exciting that you're ttc again. Good luck! I'm sure being relaxed will help. That's great that Penny is on the move. We'd love to see some birthday pictures! 

Sorry you're getting ms Happy. I hope the antibiotics do the trick right quick. 

Chloe, is that a new profile pic? Gabby seems so tall :)

Daydream, I hope your periods straighten out for you. I'm glad temping helps you. I am too forgetful. 

So Stella was cutting teeth. She got two in one day last week. I went to work and when I came home she had two bottom teeth! My supply has slowly been increasing, but it's not where I'd like it to be. I haven't had to supplement with bottles of pumped milk in a while though so that's good. Stella's sitting up for a bit on her own now so I think we're ready to start introducing some foods. I want to do BLW, but my husband isn't 100% on board.


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## jodspods

Hi ladies,

Sorry I've been quiet for a while now!! Grace is now 12 weeks and keeping me very busy!!

She was diagnosed with reflux at 4 weeks and has been on meds since. She's still quite sicky which is tough. Also we haven't really got a bedtime routine but sleep was getting better until I was hit with a cold this past weekend! Hoping we get back to what we had been getting which was about 6 hours before she got up to feed! She's still very much fed on demand and doesn't always go long between feeds but I'm persevering as I hope it will calm as she gets older! Anyone remember it being like this? Everyone has such different experiences and advice that I feel I'm just sometimes better off going with how Grace is and let her call the shots! 

Just got the copper coil fitted to avoid use of hormones and see what happens with my cycle when it returns! 

Hope you're all well! Will try to catch up on what's been going on!


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## jodspods

Gobolino said:


> Ladies!!!!!!! So sorry as to no news.....but I haven't opened my computer in the past week!!!! I am now the happy mum of Juan, totally in love :baby::cloud9:
> Born last Sunday morning (23rd). All went well, will let you know more soon.
> :hi: to all!!!!!

Congrats Gob!! So happy to hear your little boy is safely here x


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## jodspods

happyshopper said:


> Hi everyone,
> Thanks Mrs P, it's so lovely to hear from you again. Happy 1st Birthday to Penny, I bet she got loads of lovely presents xxxx
> for the past couple of weeks now, I have had MS and tiredness which reassures me a bit now even if I do feel yucky all the time. My doctor phoned me today and said that my urine test showed that I had a uti and I need a dose of antibiotics. Hopefully, it clears up quickly without causing too many issues. The doctors are really on the ball when it comes to pregnant ladies xxx
> I hope your cycle starts to settle down soon Daydream. I couldn't take to taking my temperature, I felt more stressed making sure I took it at the same time everyday. I wish there was an easier way to confirm ovulation xxx

Hope you're doing well and big congrats to you x


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## Chloe597

Congrats on the healthy baby boy, Gob! Looking forward to pics/birth story :) 

SB, good luck with BLW! I would recommend getting DH on board before trying. It was very stressful for me because it tends to cause the baby to gag, and if both of you are not ready to see that and support each other, it won't work as well as it should. DH and I were both on board, but skeptical at the same time, so we quickly fell away from BLW. We ended up doing a sort of hybrid BLW, where we gave her some rice crackers to hold and chew on to get used to having to chew food, and feed herself, but we also did spoon fed purees. I also found mango slices with the skin left on were great for her to hold and eat as well. skin was too tough to break off, but helped keep it from slipping out of her hands. I hope it works well for you!

Jods, good to hear from you!! I recall Grace had issues gaining weight early on, right? Is that all sorted out? I did exactly what you did, just let gabby call the shots when it came to eating and sleeping, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I think that really helped out both of our sleep schedules. I think around 12 weeks she was sleeping 8 hours before her morning feed (so from 8pm -4am) then she would wake for feed and diaper change, then fall back asleep until around 7 or 8. I just fed her when she wanted to eat, and put her to bed when she looked tired. For a very long time, during the day she would nurse every 2-3 hours. I don't think this ended until she started regularly eating solids, so maybe around 7 months or so. but i think that frequent of eating during the day might have helped her sleep longer at night, because by 4 months she was sleeping 12 hours uninterrupted. So if you keep going the way you are, you may be on a similar path :) Are you BF or formula feeding? I hope the coil works well for you!

oh, and hi Katie! I missed your post at the end of the page the other day too!


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## jodspods

Thanks Chloe! Still bfing and intending to do so for as long as possible!! Weight gain issues we think were due to reflux and Grace was 11lb 5oz a week past Friday and just moving above the 25th centile on the charts! She's 75th for height and head circumference so she's perhaps going to be tall and slim! I'm glad to hear others just went with baby for feeding too! She's not too bad at night but has recently worked out how to spin around in the crib using the bars as a ladder despite being in a sleep sac so that's frustrating!! Naps during the day seem easier if we are out and about walking or in the car but in a couple more months I intend to try to get her to nap in her own room to get her used to it before we put her in there when she's around 6 months! Hoping the reflux improves soon as it's hard giving a breastfed baby the meds required but she's really good at taking them from a syringe!


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## daydream

Gob - Congratulations!! I hope all is going well for you and your new family! Can't wait to hear more!

SB - That is so great to hear your supply is doing better! What a relief, I'm sure! Have fun with feeding solids! It's pretty exciting to start. We didn't do BLW, we did homemade purees and H eats like a champ. So maybe if DH is hesitant you can compromise with some BLW and some purees?


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## daydream

Jods - I'm glad to hear you have a diagnosis and things were better (until that cold! I hope you get better soon, that's so hard to be sick when you have a baby to take care of). I did follow H's lead for day feedings, he was definitely more of a snacker. Once he went to daycare was when he would take fuller bottles and spaced out his feedings. It also gets much easier when they are older and get more efficient. Those quick feedings are much better than the long 20 min sessions.


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## Chloe597

oh, and yes, SB, that profile pic is gabby a couple months ago. That is her future kindergarden classroom! She is a tall one, 32.5", 88% in height! 

Jods, she sounds like a clever little one, already using her feet to turn around! Any pics to post?


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## jodspods

Grace as Minnie!
 



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## jodspods

Am I able to post more than one photo in each post from an iPhone? 

Here she is filling her Moses basket which we have downstairs
 



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## jodspods

Cheeky wee smile!
 



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## daydream

Oh she is just a little charmer!! Look at her! Her eyes are so pretty!


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## daydream

Here's Harrison "trying out" his new potty. We aren't potty training but want him to be familiar with it so that when the time comes he isn't scared of it. 

He had his 15 month appt on Friday, my little guy, still just 19.5 lbs, 9th percentile, height he's in the 22nd percentile and head is 80th percentile, lol. DH was very small until he hit about 18, so we're definitely expecting the same for H.


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## Sbmack

Grace is so cute!! 

I fed on demand and still do. I'd really like to get on a schedule, but Stella doesn't always eat first thing in the morning. I'm not sure if it's becaus she's still teething or not. Stella also had reflux. It got better around 3 months. She still spit up, but it didn't bother her anymore. She stopped spitting up so much for a while, but now it's back. 

Harrison is so grown up on his potty :) 

I gave Stella a bit of avacado today. She made a funny face but ate a couple bites. I think we'll probably do a combo of homemade purées and BLW. 

Daydream, what do you use for night time diapers? We use to change her diaper once at night, but she's hard to get back to sleep if she wakes up. It's not every night but she leaks a little sometimes. We use Bum genius pockets or AIO's with an extra insert.


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## daydream

We started having lots of leaks with the bg 4.0s at night I think because the pocket insert prevents a good point of contact and allows the pee to roll out. We now use the following for nighttime: 
https://www.kellyscloset.com/Sustainablebabyish-NEW-OVERNIGHT-Bamboo-Fleece-Fitteds_p_4961.html fitted inserts (H wears a medium) 
and this wool cover: https://www.gro-via.com/kiwi-pietm-wool-cover.html
we also have this one: https://babeegreens.com/p/wool-diaper-covers/

Getting into wool is a whole new ballgame, but it's not too bad! You only wash it every couple of weeks when it starts to smell like pee, and when you do you handwash and then lanolize it. It sounds complicated but is SO EASY! 
https://www.sloomb.com/tutorials/how-to-lanolize-sustainablebabyish-wool/

We've also had good luck at night with a Flip cover and the overnight insert https://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?products_id=4363

during the day we still use the 4.0s with an occasional bumgenius freetime. The freetime I've also used overnight occasionally, and that's better than the 4.0


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## daydream

good info on wool: https://soeasybeinggreen-blog.com/cloth-diapering-with-wool-faqs/


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## Chloe597

Grace is so cute! She has such pretty eyes! Love the pics :)

haha, H on the potty is cute! We do the same with gabby, fully clothed, just sitting on the potty to get used to it. The first time she sat on it she stood right back up, but was too short to properly get off it so she fell head first into our ceramic floor. Not a good first potty experience! Luckily it doesn't seem to have scarred her. And if your DH was the same with growth, I'm sure H will be too.

I think I discovered G is allergic to lanolin. I use A&D ointment whenever i can't find our diaper cream, and i used to be convinced it made her butt red, but i never gave it to her that often, so i didnt think much of it. I gave the tube to daycare yesterday, they used it 4 times, and she came home with a fire engine red butt! So i put vaseline on it overnight and it was not red anymore. I have a wool allergy, so I am thinking gabby may have the same. Although lanolin on my nipples never bothered me, granted i didnt use it very often.


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## Sbmack

daydream said:


> We started having lots of leaks with the bg 4.0s at night I think because the pocket insert prevents a good point of contact and allows the pee to roll out. We now use the following for nighttime:
> https://www.kellyscloset.com/Sustainablebabyish-NEW-OVERNIGHT-Bamboo-Fleece-Fitteds_p_4961.html fitted inserts (H wears a medium)
> and this wool cover: https://www.gro-via.com/kiwi-pietm-wool-cover.html
> we also have this one: https://babeegreens.com/p/wool-diaper-covers/
> 
> Getting into wool is a whole new ballgame, but it's not too bad! You only wash it every couple of weeks when it starts to smell like pee, and when you do you handwash and then lanolize it. It sounds complicated but is SO EASY!
> https://www.sloomb.com/tutorials/how-to-lanolize-sustainablebabyish-wool/
> 
> We've also had good luck at night with a Flip cover and the overnight insert https://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?products_id=4363
> 
> during the day we still use the 4.0s with an occasional bumgenius freetime. The freetime I've also used overnight occasionally, and that's better than the 4.0

Thanks so much Daydream! I'll look into those diapers and a wool cover. I've heard so many good things about wool, but it seems so scary. Good to know it's not that bad!

Chloe, I hope it was the Lanolin and Gabby is all clear now!


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks Daydream! I like HS couldn&#8217;t take to temping either. Plus the beeps of the thermometer use to pee DH off ha ha! Eee that photo of Harrison had me chuckling! He looks less than impressed with his potty! Aww he&#8217;s a little un isn&#8217;t he! Penny was born on the 9th but is now 25th-50th. Haven&#8217;t had her weighed for a little while but she should be around 19lb mark.

Miss you all too Chloe :hugs: I know Gabby is a few months older than Penny but we&#8217;re in the same boat, she&#8217;s not speaking at all really, other than babble. I do hear mamamma and daddad but I&#8217;m sure she doesn&#8217;t know it means us! It&#8217;s still early days but one of Penny&#8217;s friends is 3 weeks younger than her and is saying a few words now. I&#8217;m trying not to get too concerned just yet&#8230;

Happyshopper I had the same, think I had 3 or 4 UTI&#8217;s picked up by monthly pee samples but I had NO symptoms with any of them! Weird&#8230;

Think I must have missed a post from Katie! She&#8217;s TTC#2 too? Yay!

Gobs, congratulations on the birth of Juan! Can&#8217;t wait to hear more details/see pics.

SB great that Stella has some teeth! She&#8217;s quite early, especially to have two. Teething is a nightmare though and seems to go on for ages! Argh! My niece is a week or so younger than Stella and has started weaning, though it&#8217;s purees and not BLW.

Jods, wow can&#8217;t believe Grace is 12 weeks! We were very lucky with Penny. I think we started a bed time routine around 7 weeks, at 10.5/11 weeks she started STTN, 11 weeks I stopped BF&#8217;ing and 12 weeks went in her own room. I don&#8217;t think she needed a feed through the night once on formula, but my niece is 5 months, on formula and still feeds once or twice through the night! They have a terrible time with her sleep, I feel really sorry for them&#8230; I would&#8217; ve had the copper coil too if we didn&#8217;t want to TTC again so quick :thumbup: The photos are so cute!

Penny actually did a cake smash a few days after her birthday, I&#8217;ll have to see if I can upload the pics somehow. I haven&#8217;t transferred any of her birthday photos to my phone yet. Gutted we didn&#8217;t get any photos of DH and I with her :(

So many LO&#8217;s on the thread now! I was wondering if I should update the first post with the list of babies and DOB&#8217;s against our names, what do you think?

x


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## daydream

Chloe - Oh no! Poor Gabby hitting her head while on the potty! H did that this evening while brushing his teeth, those bathroom practices are so dangerous! :haha:

Sb - Let me know if you do end up trying it! I'm very pleased with it so far.

MrsP - Thanks, he's such a character. His face reads all his emotions (mine does the same.. it's great.. until I ever try to mask an emotion, it doesn't work!) I hope you can upload those cake smash photos! Those are so fun. We just took pictures during his party, but he wasn't interested in the cake much at all. I think it would be great to update the first page for that info, I'm on board!


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## jodspods

We have second set of immunisations today so tonight could be interesting!! Grace slept better last night but evening before she screamed for 4 hours! Didn't want to feed, and even when I held her she sobbed! Ended up with a few really green poos yesterday so that confirmed that I knew she wasn't feeding properly! Hoping these imms don't set her back! We got a few nights of 9-3 sleep which were great so hoping she's back doing that soon!


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## Chloe597

aww jods, i hope she feels better! Those vaccines can be so hit or miss with making the poor babys feel bad. Sometimes gabby was unaffected, other times she got a fever and wasn't well at all.

MrsP - i think that is a great idea! Gabby was born 11-28-12

G is on her second round of meds for an ear infection now. standard amoxacillin didn't get rid of it, so she is on something else now that makes her poop more and is giving her horrible diaper rash. I thought it might have been a lanolin allergy from her new diaper cream but she didn't use that yesterday and still came home with a super red butt. Poor thing! I am still only using vaseline for her butt, and i have now given some to daycare, so i hope that can control it. 

Here is G at the playground yesterday. It was FINALLY nice outside!
 



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## daydream

jods - I hope she starts feeling better soon! H has been the same as Gabby, in that most immunizations don't faze him, but we've had a couple where he doesn't feel well. He had the chicken pox and MMR last week and has been a little rashy since. But acting fine. Sometimes you never know. 

Chloe - I hope the new meds work quick so that G can be back to normal! Those diaper rashes are so sad, I hate when H gets them. He has such sensitive skin it's hard to stay on top of it sometimes. Right now he has a patch of eczema on his face I've been battling.


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## daydream

Oh yes and MrsP - Harrison was 12/18/12


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## Sbmack

That would be great to update with babies names! 

Mrs. P, that's great that Penny has STTN for so long. Stella was doing good (5-7) hours for the first stretch, but she hasn't been for the last month. She's up every 2.5/3 hours. 

I thought my supply was getting a little better, but sadly it's not most nights I have to give her a 3 oz bottle of pumped milk. Also, when I pump at work I'll only get 1/1.5 oz out of each the second time. I wonder if my daytime supply is down because she's feeding a little more at night. My freezer stash is dwindling :(


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## Chloe597

SB, that is frustrating, isn't it? The pump just isn't the same (way less efficient!) as having a baby on you. Have you tried watching videos of stella while pumping? I have heard that this alone can stimulate more milk production. I always did that when i was pumping. I have also heard that you can rent pumps from the hospital that will do a better job than the at home pumps. It is a frustrating experience when you look at ounces and watch them go down, and then the stress of worrying about that probably negatively affects supply too. I wish i had some magic advice for you! Just know that you aren't alone in your struggle to keep up with baby's demand, and if you have to supplement a feed or two with formula, it doesn't make you a bad mom! :hugs:


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## Sbmack

Chloe, I somehow missed your post with the picture of Gabby. She's getting so big. Super cute! I hope the rash goes away soon. 

Jods, I hope Grace is feeling better. Do you ever call her Gracie? Stella's middle name is Grace and sometimes we call her Gracie Bell. 

Thanks for the video tip. I will try that the next time I pump. I've been looking at pictures, but a video will be better! I've decided to not stress about it. I just got some new supplements and I'm going to acupuncture on Tuesday. I got pregnant after I started Acu last time so I'm hoping it will help with supply. Even if it's only a placebo effect. Haha. 

Daydream, I hope the eczema goes away soon. My friends ped told her her son had it, but it went away when she switched laundry detergent. 

Stella is sitting on her own now. :)


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## jodspods

Sbmack said:


> Chloe, I somehow missed your post with the picture of Gabby. She's getting so big. Super cute! I hope the rash goes away soon.
> 
> Jods, I hope Grace is feeling better. Do you ever call her Gracie? Stella's middle name is Grace and sometimes we call her Gracie Bell.
> 
> Thanks for the video tip. I will try that the next time I pump. I've been looking at pictures, but a video will be better! I've decided to not stress about it. I just got some new supplements and I'm going to acupuncture on Tuesday. I got pregnant after I started Acu last time so I'm hoping it will help with supply. Even if it's only a placebo effect. Haha.
> 
> Daydream, I hope the eczema goes away soon. My friends ped told her her son had it, but it went away when she switched laundry detergent.
> 
> Stella is sitting on her own now. :)

We do!!! Our cats are Daisy and Niall and we started calling Niall Nially so Grace has become Gracie!

I don't know if anyone knows the Ben Folds song Grace but my DH got lyrics from that tattooed just after Grace was born "you will always have a part of me, nobody else is ever gonna see, Gracie girl"!

We seem to be feeding more efficiently all of a sudden and going a lot longer between feeds! Now to work on sleep!! 

Easter baby sensory yesterday was great here's a wee pic! 

Well done Stella sitting on her own!!
 



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## Sbmack

Omg! That outfit :) what a sweet baby. Love the tattoo!


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## Chloe597

Yay Stella! Its fun when they start sitting up :) So many milestones in that first year. I hope the acupuncture helps! and there is much to be said about the placebo effect! If you feel it will/should help, it often does. Nothing wrong with that!

Jods, that outfit...too cute!! And that is so sweet about the tattoo. I wanted to get something for gabby, but I couldn't figure anything out, so i gave up on that idea. Maybe something will come to me in the future.

Daydream, hope H's eczema is healed! Poor baby. G's diaper rash looks much better, and today is our last day of meds. I think daycare just stinks at applying cream correctly. They probably don't dry her butt like they are supposed to. very frustrating.

We have had a HORRIBLE week of sleeping. Gabby used to go to bed at 8, but for all of last week, she would cry and cry after i put her in her crib, which is so unlike her. it would take me or DH going in there for a good 30 min to soothe/rock her before she would fall back asleep, which happened around 930. Last night we made some progress and she cried for 10 min and then put herself to sleep. Hopefully we are back on the path to self soothing. Nap times were equally painful over the weekend too...


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## daydream

SB - I hope the acupuncture works! Let us know how it goes!

Jods - That outfit is SO CUTE! I'm so glad the feeding has gotten better for you guys.

Chloe - Oh no I'm so sorry about the sleeping. Isn't it funny how things come and go in waves. We've had that happen every once and a while, and it just takes a few days to get back in the normal routine. Hopefully it gets better for you guys soon!

The eczema is MUCH better. I've been very good at getting the hydro-cortisone on a regular basis. Should be completely gone in a few more.


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## Sbmack

Stella is 6 months today!
 



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## daydream

Such a sweet darling! Look how big she's gotten compared to that bunny! Happy six months Stella!


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## Chloe597

SB, love her smile! She is so much bigger than the bunny now! And the month sticker, lol. It filled out her entire front in that early picture!


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## Gobolino

OMG How do you ladies ever find the time to write/read!!!!! Juan lets me have no time at all!!!! I can't leave him for a minute...unless he is really really fast asleep. He's always got one eye open just in case I get up and leave him haha.
I'm on my own these weeks...it's been hard. But getting into the rythm now. DH's back on Sat yey!!!!!! Thank goodness for all those frozen meals I prepared, and my dear friends who bring round cooked meals too!!!!
Promise to give you more news soon....sorry haven't been able to read your news!!!


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## Chloe597

hi Gob! Glad you are doing well. Yes, it is quite time consuming, especially in the beginning when you are getting into the flow. After Gabby was about a month old, I got a Moby wrap and was able to wear her and had my hands free to do stuff while she napped on me. It was a life saver! even if it just meant i played around on my computer or phone, i still was able to have my hands free. So i would highly recommend baby wearing if you aren't already! enjoy the freezer meals and those from your friends. I didn't realize how much of a help they were until i actually had a baby of my own.

Hope those who celebrated had a good easter! Gabby did 2 egg hunts and had a blast both times! It was so fun!
 



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## Sbmack

Glad things are going well, Gobs!!! How long has your DH been gone. That must be so difficult. I was so so happy to have all the frozen meals I made before I had Stella. I went to a baby shower last weekend and brought a frozen dish along with my present. 

So I got my period back yesterday. At first I was bummed about it, but now that I think about it I'm kind of happy. We want to start trying again in September so it will be good to have a few cycles pass already. I'm not sure if it has affected my supply. I think it's been getting a little better...not sure if it's the acupuncture, Chinese herbs or all the darn supplements I've been taking. I'm wondering if the acupuncture jump started my period though. 

Hope everyone had a good Easter! 

Chloe, What a cute picture of Gabby! I can't wait until Stella can participate in egg hunts.


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## daydream

Gob - Things will get easier, just relax and be easy on yourself. Those early days are rough! We'll be here when you come out of the newborn fog :)

Chloe - We celebrated and H really had fun hunting eggs. I was working a ton the week before and got a horrible cold, so I was just hanging on. I did get some cute pictures at least.

SB - So glad your supply is better! I felt the same whenever my cycle returned. It's sad, but then again it's nice to see your cycles normalize. 

Here's some pictures from our easter:


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## Sbmack

H is so stinking cute!

Here's Stella in her Easter dress :)
 



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## Chloe597

Daydream, such cute pictures! I love his smile in the second one.

SB, stella is such a tiny cutie! She looks like she probably had a lot of fun playing with her dress :)

Gabby is sick...again. Fever, super runny/boogery nose, cough. i'm so ready for this to end! This probably also means its only a matter of time before me and/or DH get this. I never know how often i should be taking her to the dr to check for an ear infection. every time except this last time she has had perfectly clear ears. then she got a stubborn ear infection that wouldn't go away with amoxacillin. 

Hope everyone is well!


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## daydream

SB - That dress is just darling! Stella is just a little beauty!

Chloe - Oh no! We're just getting over another cold here as well. H was quick to get through it, but I'm now at a week. I think mine may have turned into a sinus infection. I'll go to the dr Monday if it's still around. I hope this cold goes away quick for you guys. We only take H to the dr if he's still really sick after 24 hours. Usually if he still plays and doesn't act too sick, we just ride it out.


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## Sbmack

Chloe597 said:


> She looks like she probably had a lot of fun playing with her dress :)
> 
> !

She had a lot of fun eating it :)

I hope Gabby gets well soon! And you too Daydream!


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## Sbmack

Happy Mother's Day!!!


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## Chloe597

Happy Mother's day to you all as well! at least in the US...i think UK has a different day for mother's day. How did everyone celebrate? We went to brunch with my mom and my mother in law, and of course Gabby, then to the zoo. Now I am exhausted! Mother's day was anything but relaxing, but that is ok, I'm used to the chaos by now :)


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## Gobolino

Happy Mother's Day! It was last Sun here in Spain.:winkwink:
I'm finally relaxing on the sofa for a while (minus baby!). Yesterday we had a horrific day of crying. My close friends seem to think it was wind. So will do everything to burp him from now on. I feel so bad.:sad2: He cried and cried from 2pm until 11pm....I'm alone again, so it's hard. But today he's great, so feeling better.
He's now 7 weks old!!! Time flies! Sorry I don't get to be around here much. I have so much to do, and he wants to be with me 24/7. It's hard to get anything done...but I'm getting good at it! And I notice as he's getting older he can tolerate spending more time looking around rather than clinging to me.:haha:
I'm going to try and add a photo or two. 
Hope you all are ok. I will try and keep up, now all seems more settled. I'm BF, and happy now about it. I had mastitis and fungal infection on nipples. Not a good start. Hurt like crazy every time he latched on. Now getting a lot better!
:wave:
 



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## Chloe597

aww, gob, he has such a cute smile! Sorry about the crying. Sounds like it was a one off thing, so that is good! It can really test your sanity, however, when a baby cries like that. Gabby had a couple days where she would cry for 1-2 hours and DH had to leave the room so he didn't lose it. Glad BF is getting easier! Whenever you have a bad day, just remember all the good days you have had and will still have. That is how I got through the crazy times :)


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## daydream

Yes happy belated mothers day to you all (whenever you celebrate :) ) We walked to get coffee and a muffin in the morning and then had my niece's first birthday party in the afternoon.

Things here are going well. H has definitely learned No and uses it a lot. He's really so fun though. He adores "bubbles" and "painting" Still bfing in the morning and at night, happy with our current situation, so no thoughts on weaning. 

Gob - What a handsome boy!! I'm so sorry you've had such bfing troubles. It does get better, so just try as much as your sanity will allow to stick with it. I'm sorry the crying has been bad for you, we've all been there. It's so hard but it will get better very very soon. :hugs:


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## MrsPTTC

Aww gob juan is so cute! 

Sorry i've been MIA again & haven't had the chance to go back on earlier posts. As well as being 25hrs a week back in my day job i have some self employment doing crafts & have been really busy with Penny obviously! :wacko: No time for much except facebook these days..

Speaking of facebook I've been chatting to happyshopper on there & it's not really my place to give details but things aren't well with her after her 12 week scan, she's going through a really hard time right now. Im sure she'll be back on at some point to update you but I'm not sure when :sad1: just thought you should know..

Hope all you ladies are well. We're away on holiday at the minute about 2.5 hours down the coast. Penny is loving it though a handful in the caravan & eating out! TTC#2 cycle 1 was a bust but no surprise there ha ha! Hope i don't O early this cycle as were away with friends, walls paper thin & cant BD :winkwink: should be fertile in the few days after we're back! 

x

Oh & happy mothers day to you US ladies, it was ours in march :thumbup:


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## daydream

MrsP - Thanks for letting us know about happyshopper. I'll be thinking lots of positive thoughts for her. How exciting that you are TTC again! You'll have to keep us in the loop! DH and I are kind of NTNP, but nothing yet. Actually I wouldn't mind not conceiving until December or later just because we are trying to save up a down payment for a house, but would be happy whenever it does happen.


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## Chloe597

good to hear from you, P! I hope everything works out with happyshopper, thanks for keeping us updated. I will be thinking about her. 

I am still undecided about #2. I am going on a cruise in november, so i definitely don't want to be pregnant before then. DH keep saying he doesn't want another one because then we would have to put our lives on hold for a few more years before we could really take both kids out to enjoy the world, but I think that is selfish and a stupid reason to not want another kid. I have also heard that once you have a second one, you do a lot more with that kid than #1 just because you pretty much have to in order to keep #1 happy. So who knows. Millions manage, i'm sure I could manage too! I think my ideal spacing would be 3 years. But I may just end up with only gabby, which would be great too. I am having so much fun giving her all of my attention anyway :) 

Daydream, thats great that you are keeping up with the morning and night BF. I am about to give up my night BF in a couple weeks. I set 18 months as my mental cutoff date. I am probably going to feel horribly guilty when she will point to our BF chair and I won't give her a boob. I wouldnt' be surprised if i cave in and don't actually quit, even tho i really want my body back to myself now. its just so hard to say no to her!


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## daydream

Chloe - I'm sure whichever you guys decide to do about #2 will be fine, especially since you seem to be okay either way. Thankfully, we have plenty of time before the 3 year spacing hits. That's kind of my goal as well, 3 or 3.5. 

Good luck with weaning! I hope it goes well for you! You'll have to let us know. Honestly I think H would be okay dropping the morning feed. He doesn't seem to ask for it, but nighttime he does. Morning though is the time I'm most consistently home, so that one is more convenient to me. I really don't have the desire to stop, but maybe this July when I'm out of state for work we can see if he asks for it when we get back at all.


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## Gobolino

My thoughts with Happyshopper....I really hope it goes well for her.


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## MrsPTTC

Wow daydream & Chloe you're still bf'ing? Must be so hard even they have all those teeth ha ha! 

Hmm yeah Chloe I wouldn't be impressed if my dh said that! We're actually considering 3 but will see how 2 goes first haha! Looks like cycle #2 might be a bust as had some EWCM last night & not back home til tomorrow lol

x


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## daydream

MrsP - sorry about this cycle, maybe it's just rogue EWCM, I seem to get days of it sometimes.
And thankfully, H keeps his teeth out of the way, never really been a problem for us


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## Chloe597

oh hopefully it's just rogue EWCM, MrsP! How long are you going to TTC without trying clomid first? 

BF with teeth isn't so bad. there were a couple days of biting, but it wasn't malicious or anything, i think she was just not very interested in milk so she was playing around. There is a slight scraping from her teeth while she drinks, but its not too bad. I love our bonding time and i hope she still lets me rock her for a bit before she goes in the crib when I do officially stop BF. I also would really like my hormones to straighten out so i can see if my spotting has stopped. This last cycle I spotted for about 5 days before AF showed up. I have noticed that my pre-AF symptoms are very much like my pregnancy symptoms, whereas before my only symptoms were cramping and headaches. Now i get nauseous and sore bbs, and some cramps, but not nearly as bad as they used to be. then once AF shows up i get the headaches. Anyone else notice that type of change?


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## Sbmack

Gob, what a cutie Juan is!! Sorry you got mastitis and BF was painful. It does get much easier. And I totally feel for you with a crying fussy baby. Stella was pretty bad at times. 

Daydream, it must be so fun watching H learn to talk. That's great you're still doing morning and night feeds. I hope we can do that. I'm worried I will have to start supplementing a little when I'm at work. I usually pump about three ounces less than she eats while I'm gone. Sometimes more depending on when I leave the house. 

Chloe, you are doing a great job with Chloe so I'm certain you can manage with two if that's what you decide. I am an only child and had a very happy childhood so don't feel bad if you don't want another one either. 

Mrs. P, thanks for the update on Happy. She will be in my thoughts. How exciting you are trying again. I hope that what they say is true and it's easier to concieve after you've already had a baby. What kind of crafts are you doing? Sounds fun. 

Things are pretty good here. Stella is not a great sleeper though. We got 'The No Cry Sleep Sollution' but haven't really started following it to a t yet. Thanks, Daydream (I think it was you) for reccomending. I can get her to sleep no problem, but she wakes up as soon as I try and put her in the crib. Then once she's down she often wakes up a half hour later and a half hour after that. Then she may sleep two or three hours and wake for a feed. Then it's even harder to get her back in the crib so I often give up and bring her to bed. She's also not a good napper. She fights sleep like it's her job during the day and rarely naps for more than 40 mins. Luckily she's really cute and usually a very happy baby.


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## happyshopper

Hi everyone, 
Thank you everyone for all your well wishes and I wish I had better news. Our baby had a lethal form of skeletal dysplasia which is incompatible with life. Sadly, earlier this week we found out the baby died. We named the baby Hope and the hospital are holding a funeral for him (we don't know if it was a boy or a girl yet) and his ashes will be scattered with my Dad's ashes. We are both devastated but we can get through this. Hopefully, it won't be long before I am back and announcing happier news.
Sending hugs and kisses to you all xxx


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## Sbmack

:hugs: :hugs: So sorry to hear that, Happyshopper. Massive hugs. You and your husband are in my thoughts. You will get through this and I look forward to seeing you back here when you do.


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## daydream

Sb - I'm sorry about your sleep woes, I did read NCSS and used some tips there and mostly followed Weissbluth's Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Stick with whatever you choose and things will get better!

Happyshopper - I am so sorry to hear what you've had to go through. So tragic and I really wish all the best to you and your family. Hope is very lucky to have been with you for that short time. When my friend lost her baby at 24 weeks, I got her this kit https://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/baby-loss-comfort/healing-hearts-comfort-kit.html The seeds seem to be perfect for baby hope. Not sure they sell in the UK, but look for ways to pamper yourself and give yourself time to heal. :hugs:


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## jodspods

Woah I've missed so much!

Happyshopper I'm so sorry to hear about baby Hope. Thinking of you all at this time. I hope you will be blessed with happy news soon!

Sbmack - im with you on the not so great sleeper! Grace can be up in excess of 4/5 times on an average night! Feeds to sleep which doesn't help! I've not read any more of that book as I felt I was getting too bogged down and am just going with the flow now! Was kinda hoping when Grace is on solids things might improve...naive?!

Gob - juan is gorgeous! With all our feeding issues it took til Grace was 7 weeks for me to start enjoying bfing! Hang in there - you're doing great! Have you tried gripe water or cooled fennel tea for wind?

MrsP - good luck ttc number 2! We've been discussing another and I've changed my mind from previously wanting a big gap to thinking of ttc end of 2015/start of 2016! 

Daydream -lovely that H has started speaking!! 

Chloe - glad to hear bf isn't too bad with teeth! Interested to hear how you and others have found your cycles to be! I've got the copper coil but haven't had AF yet! 

Grace is doing fantastically! She's now 19 weeks and has come on great given the weight issues early on! She's now sitting between 50 and 75 percentile after being 25! The weights piling on her (now over 14lbs) and luckily falling off me - I've lost 20lbs in 7 weeks! Doing slimming worlds plan again but for breast feeding!

She's not great at napping unless in the buggy or car! I'm coping well with her sleep pattern though and hoping it improves over time! 

She rolled over a week ago and is just so much fun! It's definitely made me want another sooner!! 

Looking to start weaning closer to 6 months unless she shows signs of needing more before then! She started fussing over her reflux meds a couple wks ago so we stopped giving her them and she's been great!! Been replaced with teething symptoms though!! 

Hopefully I've not missed anyone and caught up on how you all are!! X

Pic of Grace trying out a high chair in a cafe the other day!
 



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## Gobolino

Happyshopper...I'm so sorry, I hope you and your husband get through this tragic time as soon as possible and we hear some good news very soon. Will be thinking of you. Lots of hugs.

Thank you ladies for your support. He's a lot better now thank goodness. Just the usual fussiness in the evenings. Sleeping pretty well at night (don't want to jinx it)
I'm now BF nearly all the time without the nipple shields. So, Jods...around 7 weeks also!


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## jodspods

That's great you're feeding without the shields Gob! We used them too for a while but i managed to get rid of them quickly on one side which wasn't so bad and then weaned off the other as i healed! No idea how I got in such a mess but I think they'd put in my head "nose to nipple, tummy to mummy" that i must have been forcing Grace into an unnatural position!

We've had the fussiness in evenings too! I was just saying today how i used to blame myself saying it must be my milk etc but I've not said that for a long time now...I do think you start to relax more and you quickly forget the early stresses! You're doing great though, Juan looks perfect  x


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## Chloe597

Happyshopper, so sorry to hear about your loss :hugs: I hope you get the healthy baby you want soon. Take time out for yourself of course, to heal. Hope is a beautiful name and that is nice think you are doing with the ashes. 

Jods, grace is a cutie! I can't believe how old everyone's babies are getting!

I have a wonky cycle again. This happened last time i had my period too. maybe a weekish of spotting, then AF for a week, a 3-4 day break, and then some weird post AF spotting. I expect this to last for about a week as well, since thats what happened with my first cycle since pregnancy. This is only my second cycle since pregnancy, but ugghh! So much stupid bleeding.... Spotting before AND after AF. boo! Sorry, rant over! 

Daydream, thanks for that link. That site has other very nice supplements and oils i think i might get for a friend!


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## daydream

Jods - that's wonderful she's gaining so well and you are losing so quickly! I really need to get into an exercise routine, but I work so much it's really hard to find the time. Plus when work gets stressful as it is right now, my eating goes to crap. Not a good combo for momma :(

As for my pp cycles, I still have spotting a few days before AF. A few were very painful and very heavy, but now they've seemed to be more manageable. Each one has been different, so I haven't yet figured out what my new normal will be. I'm getting the sense too that every other one has been annovulatory from the last few that I've had. I'm stopping temping though, I can tell that I did have one good cycle with the temps, and now that we're not in a hurry to conceive, I'm just going to let things be for a while. I'll probably take up temping again once H turns 2.


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## Sbmack

Jods, Grace is beautiful! Yay for rolling. Stella's done it a bunch of times but hasn't in a couple months. She hates lying down since she's been able to sit. I'm glad Grace is moving up the %. Stella has been stuck in the 30's for height and weight. I'm surprised about the weight since she's such a chunker. She is in the 90's for head circumference though. Haha. 

Last month was my first AF (I spotted for three days prior) and this month I'm a few days late right now. I'm not too worried since I've heard they can come back and disappear when they first return. I may POAS in the morning anyway. I found out someone in my Oct. babies group (we have a private FB page) is pregnant today. She was not trying so that has me a bit on edge. Not to mention there are already two other girls from that group also expecting. The group only has like 10 members active still too!! 

Stella is eating solids like a champ. We are doing BLW. I think I heard of this here first so thanks ladies! She's had a lot of foods and has only been unsure of a couple (watermelon and bananna). She even loves salmon! It's messy but so fun.


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## Sbmack

Oh yeah and Gobs...yay for no nipple shields!! Glad Juan is sleeping well for you. I have a night monster on my hands. The only way she sleeps good is in our bed.


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## KatieTTC

I'm sorry ladies I've been missing in action, I'm having a hard time keeping up with everybody and writing personal messages. I really wanted to express my support to you, happyshopper. I am very sorry about your loss and I am very saddened by the news. My heart goes out to you. All of us on this site are thinking of you and sending you lots of love and care :hugs:


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## happyshopper

Thank you for all your kind words ladies. I'm back at work and feeling much better. We found out the baby was a boy. 
That is a lovely suggestion Daydream. We received a memory box donated from a couple who also suffered a pre term loss. Even when you are at rock bottom, a kind gesture makes you realise you are not alone. I hope you don't mind if I pop back now and again just to see how everyone is doing xxx


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## Gobolino

Sbmack said:


> Oh yeah and Gobs...yay for no nipple shields!! Glad Juan is sleeping well for you. I have a night monster on my hands. The only way she sleeps good is in our bed.

Well.....he sleeps in my bed whilst hubby is away..:haha: the night before he slept nearly 5hrs in a row! Last night was back to basic though....


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## Gobolino

Happyshopper pleaaase pop by!!!!!! We would miss you if you didn't

Sorry about the spotting ladies...you would have thought it would have changed with the pregnancy.

>Sorry got to run.....bye for now


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## Chloe597

Happyshopper, please pop by whenever you want! Love to hear from all our fellow spotters! Was just thinking about Yum the other day. I hope she is getting on well. 

Well girls, I am officially done BF! I thought I would be more sad about it, but Gabby doesn't seem to care, and now I don't have to share my boobs! I stopped on Saturday, and DH has been putting her to bed since then. She has no interest in rocking with him in our rocking chair, he just goes in, turns on her music and projector, and puts her in the crib, where she stays and talks to herself for a good 20 min and then fall asleep. Also big news in daycare is that she has moved to a toddler room! This means napping in COTS and no more high chairs! My baby is growing up! She has napped beautifully in the cots this week, and eats from a bowl with a spoon and fork (although not well, and still uses her hands a lot), but sits at the kids table instead of in a high chair. So many changes. Makes me very sad to see her grow up so fast, but also so happy to see her learning and catching on to things. So many mixed emotions! I think DH and i have decided to TTC starting in November when we go on our cruise. I don't want gabby to be an only child if i can help it, even if it means my life may be a bit more hectic for a few years. I'm sure we can work it out. That thought is both scary and exciting at the same time. 

Hope all is well!


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## daydream

Congrats Chloe! Glad to hear it went smoothly. And I can't wait to hear how sleeping in a cot goes! 

For us, H has been going through his last wonder week, so he has been crying a bit more when we put him down at night, and waking once at night crying but he goes back to sleep pretty soon by himself. It's just sad for me to hear that because he had been doing so great at just laying down and going right to sleep. It'll improve though, so I'm not worried. 

He has his first dentist appt tomorrow morning, we picked a very kid friendly pediatric dentist. I actually noticed this past weekend that he chipped his front tooth at some point. Very very minor, I'm sure I'm the only person to notice, so I'm hoping they will file it down to be even. 

His favorite word lately is No. Even when he means yes. So we've had lots of discussions of "Did you mean to say yes?" "Yesh" "Okay, good"


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## Gobolino

Your babies are growing up so fast!!!!!


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## Chloe597

haha, daydream, that is funny about the no meaning yes thing. Gabby has a similar confusion where she thinks 'poo poo' means both pee and poop, and 'mommy' means both me and 'i want that!' She will point to something and just yell 'mommy mommy mommy!!!' 

And you will have to let us know how the dentist goes! I should probably bring gabby in, although i didn't put her on my dental plan yet, since she only had 1 tooth as of sign up time last year, so we thought we could put it off until she turned 2. So we will probably be going to the dentist in early january. Still haven't decided on a dentist, as DH and i go to different ones. Mine doesn't have a specific kid friendly office. Not sure about DH's dentist office tho.

Gob, they do grow so fast! Its scary! Can't believe yours is 2 months already! Just wait for the rolling over, laughing, grabbing at toys, it all comes so quickly you wonder where your tiny little helpless baby is! but its great fun to watch them grow :)


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## daydream

We just got back and the dentist went great! They just looked at his teeth and soft palate, all are good. He was such a little charmer. It was great because the dentist was sooo good with kids and he was happy the whole time. Now we just have to start flossing.


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## Sbmack

Ahhh, all the babies are getting so big! 

Glad the dentist went well for H! Also, I noticed your signature says NTNP. Yay! I hope things go smoothly. 

Chloe, I'm glad you have your boobs back. Haha. Also, that's exciting that Gabby is moving to the new daycare room. 

Nothing to report here really. Stella isn't crawling yet. We spent the weekend away at a wedding with another couple and their baby (born two days after S). He's crawling around like mad so it was funny to see her watch him. I want her to learn how but I'm not exactly stoked at the prospect of chasing her around :)


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## daydream

SB - Oh yes crawling definitely is a game changer, enjoy the immobility while it lasts!

And yes, we are officially NTNP, though really have been very lax about protection for the last few months. It actually would be best for our family to not conceive until Sept-Dec, but since I think I'm having the same fertility issues, we are just being very casual about it and whatever happens happens. I had six days of spotting last month, so that's kind of depressing. I'm also really putting in the effort to start watching what I eat and exercising, so I hope that a few months of that will put me in a good spot for whenever we actually are TTC.

It's strange to me, but I actually really would rather that we not have to TTC and I can actually be somewhat surprised when we finally do get a BFP. It would be such a nice change after our last pregnancy where we ended up needing three IUIs to get there.


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## Sbmack

That would be great if you got a nice surprise daydream!! We are sort of NTNP. I am trying to not dtd when I could be O'ing. After we did on Sunday though I realized I should Ov on Wednesday. The OPK showed a faint line today but I'm not too worried. 


Chloe, I forgot to say congrats on making the decision to have a second. It's exciting to have a date in mind to start trying.


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## Buninmyoven

Hi ladies,

I've been posting on the spotting thread on and off. Unfortunately there haven't been any BFPs on that thread for absolutely ages. I checked again today after not posting on there for a while and there still haven't been any :( I have had the pre-AF spotting ever since coming off the pill. I still haven't managed to conceive again and although it looks like I might have a problem with one of my tubes (the information I have been given has been a bit vague) I still have no answer as to whats wrong. The spotting has got a lot better but I still get it and still no BFP! I am booked in for IVF (privately funded as we are at the end of our tether and our CCG want us to wait another year before they agree funding - as if - I would be 35 by then!). I have my consultation in the next couple of weeks. Did anyone on this thread get their BFP after having IVF? If you did then did you still get the spotting? I am so worried that its not going to work.


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## Gobolino

Ok....my message has been erased twice ( a long one grrrrr) so:
-Bun, I'm sorry, I often visit the other page hoping to see a BFP. I wish you the best. Keep us posted.
-Me: mad at UK passport office. Delays of more than 8 weeks for baby J's passport. I have to stay in Spain for at least another month, whilst DH is in Vietnam missing us both.
-Baby J: absolute darling. Sleeping this last week at night only waking once! Yay! But daytime naps can be very hard sometimes....
That's about it! lol


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## daydream

Hi ladies, just checking in to see how everyone is doing! I hope well.

For us, H has really picked up his language, and now tends to repeat everything we say. It's really fun to hear him interacting with us. We also got one peepee on the potty that seemed to be intentional, so that was pretty cool, but we're just informally doing the potty so that he's not scared of it when the time comes. We are also dropping the morning bf. He has seemed less interested in feeding from both breasts, and I honestly have no intention of being lopsided. So this morning he just got milk from the fridge. He seemed fine but did have a moment of panic and ran towards the bed wanting my milk. So I just cuddled with him on the floor while he drank his bottle. He's a busybody, so that was shortlived and then he was on to playing with his toys. I hope it continues to be easy to drop this feed. Then I'll only have nighttime feeds. I suspect H will want to keep that for a while longer, which I'm fine with as well. I'll be out of town for work for two separate weeks over this summer, so I am curious to see if that impacts the night feedings too. 

As for NTNP, I've noticed that every other cycle has been around 33 days and I'm suspecting those are anovulatory. This is one of those cycles. I'm taking OPKs just to see what is going on with my cycles but no fertile signs at the moment. We'll see I guess.


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## Gobolino

Hi all!

Daydream...I had a good chuckle about you not being lopsided!:haha: 
:thumbup: To H for using the potty!!! They must be soooo cute when they start to talk. J babbles on a lot, even to strangers!! So funny.

Question: he's 11 weeks, and I'm EBF (or BFE hehe). Anyway. Dear AF popped by yesterday with no warning (=spotting). And is in full flow today. :cry: Too early?? Is this normal?????


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## daydream

Gob - awwww those early babbles are so much fun! J must seem like a totally different baby now, do you feel like he's losing his newborn-ness?

And I'm sorry about AF! That doesn't seem fair at all! It seems like the timing of AF can differ between everyone. Still definitely within the range of normal though. Did you have any cramping? I think my first AF wasn't too bad, but my second was a doozy: very heavy and bad cramping. It's gotten much better now though. 

AFM - After whining yesterday about not ovulating this cycle, I got an almost positive OPK last night, so I expect todays will be positive. Also finally getting some fertile signs, so that makes me feel better. I just hate thinking that my body isn't working right. Not that I'm set on TTC right now, I just want some reassurance that I'll be fertile whenever we are ready.


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## Chloe597

I hope dropping the feed goes smoothly, daydream! Do you find when you pump, that you are getting a lot less than when you were EBF? When i went on vacation and was still doing morning and night feeds, i think i only got about 1 oz pumped total, once a day. It was crazy! I stopped BF on May 25, and sometimes i squeeze my boobs just to see if i still make milk, and it is still there! I can't believe after this much time not BF I can still produce milk. probably not much, but the pipes have not dried up either!

I hope your cycles return to fertility! I too am watching mine. I think I will go off the minipill around october. But the hormones in that don't see nearly as strong as the hormones in regular bcp. And congrats on the potty! We have gotten gabby on it many times, but she just sits there and then says 'no no no' sigh....

Gob, not sure what is normal, but I think not everyone is lucky enough to have AF stay away when EBF, so i wouldn't be worried. But yay for no spotting before AF! Enjoy your babbling baby :) I miss the gummy grin that gabby used to give, and how tiny she was. She is a giant now! just had our 18 month checkup (2 weeks late), and she was 32.5" tall and 26 lbs. Hard to believe she was once 19" and 6lbs!


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## daydream

Chloe - Yes the last time I went out of town, some nights I would only get 1-1.5 oz. So I have no clue how much H is drinking at night, seems like it can't be that much. I wonder how long it will be before your milk dries up, so interesting that after a month you can still produce some!


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## Gobolino

Glad to hear daydream! Yes...he's changing so quickly (too quickly!) but he is sooo much fun at the moment...I'm so in love!
Af ok, no cramping, no spotting. Just very black (sorry)
And Chloe....yes the gummy grin is the best!!!!! Soooo cute!
Funny about Gabby on the potty. A mind of her own!!!


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## Sbmack

Glad to hear everyone is good! 

Yay, H for going on the potty and talking more! I pee in front of Stella all the time because I'm wearing her. Also my mom watches her when I'm at work and she cries if she leaves the room so she brings her and sits her on the floor while she pees. She keeps saying how S is going to potty train earlier because she's already teaching her what it's for. Ok, Mom. We'll see :)

About pumping.... I am going on a work trip for 5 nights in August. We will still be breastfeeding. Daydream, I think I remember you going on a business trip and pumping. How did you transport? Did you keep it in a fridge and freeze when you got home? I'm afraid we will have to supplement while I'm gone since I don't have a stash anymore. I've used all but maybe 6 bags because I'm not producing as much as she's eating when I'm working :( I've been pumping at night after she goes to bed but I'll get 2-3 ounces then...

Gobs, sorry AF returned. Some get it once and it goes away again. Maybe that will happen. We need to see more pictures of little J! 

I can't believe Gabby is 18 months! They really do grow so fast. I hope coming off the mini pill goes smoothly. Yay for more babies :)

I've had two AF's so far. I spotted the first time but not the second. The second was longer than they used to be too. I did opk's to see if I was working like I used to and it seemed like I was. Maybe my LP is longer now which would be great. We aren't trying, but didn't use a condiment the last couple times we dtd. So I guess we're NTNP.


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## Chloe597

There must be good potty vibes in the air, because i put Gabby on the potty this morning (she went to sit on her baby potty on her own, so i asked her if she had to go poo poo, and she didn't say no, so i took that as a yes, and i moved her to the seat i bought to put on the real toilet). She sat there for a bit, and i told her if she had to go pee pee or poo poo she could go now on the big girl potty, and she just started to pee! Usually she wakes up with a pretty dry diaper, and then as soon as i change it, she pees in it, so she pretty much always goes in the morning. She was so happy when she got praised for peeing, it was too cute. I hope she wants to use it more in the future. We are definitely not starting hard core potty training, but i quite often take her into the bathroom with me when i pee, in hopes of making her comfortable with the purpose of the potty which would then make potty training easier. So proud of her! I will have to try to make this a morning routine now.

SB, good luck with your business trip! I had a week long business trip as well, but that was around the time gabby was 11.5 months, so I had DH mix in regular milk with my milk because i too didnt have enough of a stash by then to hold her over for 5 days. You might want to mix some formula in with the breast milk so that it doesn't taste too different for her? I did a lot of pumping and dumping because i didnt bring a giant cooler, but my hotel had a fridge, so for my last 2 days, i saved 24 oz (all that would fit in my bag with ice packs) and then brought that home and froze it. Good luck with your NTNP! those condiment's really get in the way of that ;) Autocorrect i assume :) That gave me a good chuckle :haha:


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## daydream

Chloe - Yay for peepee on the potty! H hasn't done it since, but we still sit him down on it before his bath. That would be a good idea for us to do it after we change his nighttime diaper. It's a good sign she wakes up dry! Should make things easier whenever the nighttime training comes.

SB - Yes I did a business trip while pumping. My first trip I brought H, so that was different. My second I had enough of a stash to donate whatever I pumped while I was out of state at their local milk bank. So I haven't actually transported with a ton of milk. I did end up with some that I put in a lunch bag sized insulated cooler with ice packs. They will let you fly with it, they just run the liquid through a tester machine. Otherwise, you can ship it home, which will probably be easier. Get a cooler and buy some dry ice in the location you are at. Then you can just ship via UPS or USPS I think. My work would have paid for the breastmilk shipping, so you can always ask to see if your work would too.


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## Sbmack

Thanks for the tips, ladies! I wondered about the dry ice. 

Yay Gabby!


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## Sbmack

I haven't posted any pics in a while and Stella is getting so big so...
 



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## Sbmack

Sorry for the Stella spam. I can't figure out how to load more than one.
 



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## Sbmack

Last one :)
 



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## daydream

Stella is such a doll!! She is so adorable and she's getting so big and looks like a ton of fun :)


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## Chloe597

oh wow, SB, 8 months old already?? She is getting big! And still so happy :) Has she shown any interest in crawling yet?

Not a lot going on here. I haven't been able to get gabby to pee on the potty since that 1 time. She will sit on it, and try to flush it, but that's pretty much it. But I'm ok with that. We might also switch her daycare, so i'm not really looking forward to that transition. She is pretty apprehensive already at her current daycare, because she recently switched rooms and i dont think she likes the teachers in that room as much. She used to love going to daycare, and now she is not too happy about it. Here are a few newer pics of gabby. Her hair is getting curly and wild. I have to figure out how to control it so she doesn't look like she was raised in the wild :) So far my best option has been to just wet it and brush it in the mornings before we go out.
 



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## Sbmack

Thanks, ladies!

Chloe, it looks like Gabby loves the water. That water toy thing looks cool. It must be tough to switch rooms. I bet they get attached to the teachers.

Stella still isn't crawling. She will lunge forward when seated and be on all fours momentarily. She loved standing and can stand on her own next to furniture. She pulls herself up to kneel and sometimes crawl when I sit her in her crib. 

Hope everyone is well!


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## Gobolino

Loving the pics!!!! Stella is sooo cute!!! And Gabby is gorgeous...so grown up! No longer a baby!!!


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## Gobolino

My turn now....Juan is 3 months old. Time flies! We went through a rough spot a few days back, but these last two days he's been behaving like a champ! No complaints...he's so good, really.


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## Gobolino

Last one....he's getting too big for this!!! When did you change to the more "sitting" chair?


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## jodspods

Hello!!

Loving the recent photos!! Hope everyone is well!

We've started weaning and it seems to be going ok. Grace is more blw inclined than purées! Last night she was in her cot in her own room for the first time, tonight, she's still awake and won't go down! Very happy and smiley though so I'm sure she knows what she's up to. We're trying to sell our house and get somewhere bigger so wanted to wait til we moved but she's been really unsettled at night and I think the crib was too small! Last night was a success so hoping tonight is ok when she finally goes down. 

Gob - we had Grace in her big buggy at just over 3 months as she was too nosey for lying down and growing too big! 

Here's a couple photos too! X
 



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## jodspods

Tonight's butternut squash and sweet potato
 



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## jodspods

Last one x


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## jodspods

jodspods said:


> Last one x

Oops last one! X
 



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## Sbmack

Juan is so so cute!! Three months already!

And Grace is getting big too. She's beautiful! We are doing BLW also. Stella won't really let us spoon feed her. What's Grace's favorite food so far?


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## jodspods

Sbmack said:


> Juan is so so cute!! Three months already!
> 
> And Grace is getting big too. She's beautiful! We are doing BLW also. Stella won't really let us spoon feed her. What's Grace's favorite food so far?

We're still early days but butternut squash and sweet potato have gone down really well and although she's not quite 6 months I've given her yogurt which she loved! She let me feed her weetabix for the first time this morning so it's blw when suits lol 

What kinds of foods does Stella have?


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## Gobolino

Jods....she is gorgeous!!!!


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## Chloe597

Juan and Grace are sooo cute! Juan looks so big in his buggy! I never had one, so gabby was always in her car seat/baby carrier combo that i would just snap in and out of the stroller until she was old enough to sit up on her own, at which time i just put her in a standard stroller. Probably around 6 months. She was also a tiny baby in the winter, so we didn't do much traveling by stroller. I would just wear her if we went to the store.

Glad you ladies are having good luck with BLW! I used to give gabby some rice crackers called baby mum mums so she could hold and bite something without me worrying that she would choke, but also to build her confidence with food. I also liked to give her mango slices with the skin on. She had no teeth, so no fear of biting the skin, plus the skin made it easier to grip, and prevented her from taking too big of pieces. full blown BLW was just too stressful for me, as much as i wanted it to work. I think the modified approach of just giving her a few finger foods early on still worked well. I still cut her food up now tho, because she shovels food in her mouth like none other, and i'm probably overly cautious about her ability to chew and swallow in the correct order :) 

So happy to see so many baby picture and to hear about your adventures as they grow!


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## daydream

Look at all these sweet babies! I can't believe how big Juan is already! Wasn't he just born yesterday! :haha:

Grace has such a wonderful and sweet smile. I'm glad your little ones are doing well with weaning. We did purees but H liked to self feed with the spoon. He's really great with utensils now, so it paid off for us. Last night he was eating yellow bell pepper slices, but like Chloe said too, he'll stuff his face if we let him, so we still cut up as well. Even with his molars he'll forget to chew all the way. 

Gabby looks like she is so much fun now! It's it crazy to see the pictures of the little ones and feel like it was just yesterday?

Here's a few of H recently. His 18 mo appt is Thursday, so I have no clue where he stands for height and weight.
From dinner last night on our patio:

Reading with daddy:

Eating "Susi"


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## Sbmack

H is such a little man. Love it. 

Stella's doing great with BLW. She loves sweet potatoes, avocado, pear, salmon, chicken, pork, braised beef and more. She's not sure about strawberries as she eats them and then makes a face and shivers. It's so cute. I think kiwi might be her favorite, which is great because I swear it keeps her regular. Before we started solids she'd go almost a week without a poo. She also loves mangoes but they are hard to eat because they're so slippery. Hadnt thought of leaving the skins on. Stella would probably just eat that too. She's kind of a tank and will just keep eating and eating. I can't put a lot on the tray at once or she will shovel it all in her mouth. She's ok with a spoon and can feed herself if I hand it to her loaded but then she just chews on it and doesn't want to give it back. I wanted to give her smoothies but it's very messy so we just started freezing drops onto wax paper. They're perfect little yogurt melts that she can pick up. Well sort of, it gets slippery and messy once they stay melting.


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## Sbmack

Oh and Chloe, we give S those baby Mum mums. She goes mad for them. I use them to keep her calm if I really need to do something and she's being fussy. I love them...and puffs of course. A bnb friend calls them 'distraction puffs'. Haha

We've been bringing Stella to the lake. She loves going in the water! Keeping the sand out of her mouth is tricky though.


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## daydream

We do smoothies in the food pouches that you can load. We use the little green pouch https://www.littlegreenpouch.co.uk/ It can be frozen or go in the dishwasher, we're big fans of it!


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## Sbmack

Thanks, Daydream. Those look great!! I haven't seen them yet. I will pick a few up for sure. 

Daydream I have a diaper question. What do you use for your inserts? We have microfiber that came with the Bum genius and the Charlie bananas (I hate the diapers but have been using the mf inserts to double stuff at night). They are starting to get build up though (ammonia smell sometimes). I will strip them, but am wondering if you've had good luck with hemp or bamboo. I have one of each,but they seem so thin. I may also just start stuffing with a cotton prefold. We use them during the day, but use pockets or AIO's (with an extra liner) at night. Sorry, I know you've told me what you use for night time diapers, but I forget...


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## Chloe597

oh that is a good idea for smoothies, daydream! I need to find a way for gabby to eat her veggies (she used to love them, but now, not so much :( ), so i try to make smoothies, but she doesn't really like to drink them from a cup. and she is horribly messy with normal cups too, and inevitably spills the contents. We have also started having the problem of gabby's poop being very squishy and messy. I think it's due to her increased fruit intake and decreased vegetable intake. Picky toddlers! She also is now the squirmiest thing ever during diaper changes, which makes it horrible when she has pooped.


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## daydream

Sb - During the day we use the same MF insert that came with the bg 4.0s. For nighttime we do bamboo cotton fitteds with a wool cover. The nighttime we use is https://www.planetbambini.com/peacoat-overnight-bamboo-fitted-obf-medium/ You can also use a flip cover with the fitted if you won't want to start using wool, but I personally love the wool. we have a babee greens cover in large and it fits over the overnight fitted: https://www.planetbambini.com/babee-greens-wool-diaper-covers-1/

Occasionally we'll use a flip cover with the flip overnight insert: https://www.planetbambini.com/flip-organic-night-inserts-2-pack/ In general it works better than the pocket diaper because the absorbent insert is right against the skin whereas the pocket diapers can allow pooling and leakage.


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## daydream

Chloe - Yes we have squirmy diaper changes sometimes too. It's like a big bargaining event to try to get H in the mood. I usually can win with EIEIO or pattycake :) 

We had quite a Sunday in terms of H saying Potty and going pee on the potty THREE times in one day. I'm not at all ready to potty train, but he seems to be understanding the concept really well. Maybe over the Christmas holidays when I'm home we might be able to do it, assuming he's still in the mood for it then.


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## Sbmack

Wool!! That's right. I keep wanting to bite the bullet and get a wool cover but dh is hesitant with the heat. I told him its temp regulating though.


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## daydream

Yes the wool actually breathes much better than the plastic during the heat. I like it a lot!


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies I'm back again! :wave: Honestly I'm so crap at replying. I need to subscribe to email notifications I think! I don't know if I got round to suggesting it but I know I was going to - I find I lose track of names and ages of our LO's so I was going to update the first page with the names and DOB's, and maybe just a quick refresh of how long it took you to conceive and whether it was assisted or not? What do you think? 

Well Juan and Grace are gorgeous! :flower: And Harrison is so grown up now :) I must post some pics of Penny from my phone. She's a little madam now! Hard work, temper tantrums, hyper, loud, probs typical toddler lol! She gave me a fright yesterday, she's still in her baby rear facing car seat and managed to get out of her straps, I was driving along the motorway and she's standing up in her sear! :shock: Little horror but I love her to bits :cloud9:

Just on CD1 of month 4 TTC#2. Going to take my left over clomid cycles 5-8 as I have 4 months left and it's use by December... I'm not in a real hurry for anything but don't want to waste the clomid. I emailed my FS last month to ask how long we'd need to try this time and he said a year unless my AF's were irregular then it would be 6 months. My spotting is still brilliant but I have had the odd bit pinky spotting at strange times in my cycle a couple of times..Does anyone have or had small cysts on their cervix? I got a shock when I started checking CP again, thought I was dying or something lol, but when I googled it it seems to be nothing to worry about but I haven't spoken to my Dr yet. It just said if you are worried to call your dr but I guess I'm not. I only had my smear a couple of months ago...

I've been having a browse on my friends list and it appears Nell had another baby girl back in April! I've told her to come on and update us... Still no sign of MrsHY who hasn't been on for about a year, Yum not been on since Sept... Has anyone heard from Katie? Have I missed anyone? It actually makes me sad coming on BnB, it's kind of a blast from the past but then sad as people are no longer using it and have moved on...That's motherhood for you lol. I still maintain that this site would be much more popular if they had an app! Come on BnB get with the times! 

Are you all on FB? I'm tempted to set up a group (secret of course so no-one can see your posts) for us, but I don't want people to stop using this page either... I'm on a couple of BnB groups on fb and I have to admit it's much easier to keep track of...I have Happyshopper on my fb, we were actually going to meet up IRL the other weekend as we don't live that far from each other but her dog was unwell so we're going to re-schedule.

xx


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## MrsPTTC

Daydream that food pouch thing is a fab idea! :) And UK based too he he x


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## Sbmack

Hi Mrs. P!!! Glad to hear Penny is doing well. What a scare when she got out of her car seat. Clever girl. 

I'm also on a FB page with anther BnB group. I agree it's much easier to keep in touch. I would definitely join if someone started one!


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## daydream

MrsP - welcome back :) I agree regarding the first page, I think most of that info is in my signature, but let me know if you need more. I'd also be on board with a fb group as well. I just tend to check this thread when I log in, haven't really been able to make an effort and connect with any other NTNPs/TTCs this time around.
Good luck with the clomid! I had spotting again last cycle :/ But I'm glad it was a pretty normal length LP.


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## jodspods

Hey MrsP! Hoping you won't get to the cycle you need to use the clomid!! It's good to know when you'd be seen if things aren't great with your cycle though too! I've got 5 cycles of clomid in the cupboard too and it expires in summer 2016 which works in great if all goes to plan with when we hope to ttc again! 

Came away from blw a little but it seems to be working out ok! Made some Annabel Karmel recipes and homemade soup for Grace and they're going down well. Need to get some fruit ideas on the go and some easy on the go foods. She's loving Ella's Kitchen or Plum fruit pouches when we're out and about. What do you guys give your los when you're on the go? I've got a pasta sauce I was going to make which could be eaten cold. 

I'm on Facebook too so let me know if you're setting up a closed group. Agree it'd be easier for keeping up with everyone and showing pics etc!! Hope those we've not heard from in a while are well but know that it's easy to forget bnb if you don't have notifications set up!


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## Chloe597

Hi Mrs P! I'd be on board with the fb group as well! I'm on there more often than I'd like to admit! Took me about 10 months to conceive Gabby, unassisted, all while spotting. I hope you don't need to use the clomid! I will probably start NTNP in November, and hope to have another sometime around Gabby's 3 year mark. 

Jods, when i would travel and G was starting off on solids, i used to bring the organic food pouches, some puffs, baby mum mums, and yogurt drops. Now that G is older, I bring some organic veggie puffs that are harder than the dissolvable baby puffs, some fruit and yogurt bites, crackers, cheese sticks, bananas...things that aren't messy that can easily be eaten on the go. But mostly snack foods still. I can buy her meals pretty much wherever we go, and she can use normal utensils now. She is old enough to eat peanutbutter, so making a PB sandwich on whole wheat is also a good option (although daycare is nut free, so no PB sandwiches there :( ) 

We have decided to switch Gabby's Daycare to one closer to home, although more expensive. I feel good about it now, and she will start end of august. I think this will really help with mine and DH's flexibility too. he can stay home sick if he has to, or work from home, and I can take gabby to daycare, or pick her up. plus she will spend less time in the car, and more time playing at daycare. and the facility is just nicer. plus healthier snacks. the only thing i dont like is that they start giving the kids skim milk at age 2. I would much prefer her to have 2%, or even whole, at that point. I have read a lot about the benefits of milk fat, and have become anti skim milk since then. Perhaps i will have to talk to daycare about that.


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## daydream

We usually just have our snack cup with crackers and just get food for H to eat while we're out and about since he can eat what we eat. Also we'll do pouches and I keep a few in my bag in case he gets hungry where we don't have food around. He really sticks to three meals and two snacks a day, so we don't usually run into hunger issues unless we haven't planned accordingly.

Chloe - skim milk that young? I'm surprised. We're a whole milk family after I've read how important it is and how bad skim milk is. I'm sure you can ask them to give her whole milk only... would seem weird if they didn't allow it.


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## daydream

also just thinking about it, I bet if you have her dr sign something that says she needs whole milk they would have to oblige..


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## jodspods

Thanks for the food tips for Grace. She's come on great in the last week! She's had chilli and I've made an Annabel Karmel pasta sauce and she's had cous cous and spaghetti in that. She's had chicken so I'm going to try her on fish this week. Tonight I'm going to make cauliflower cheese! Finding it's getting easier when we're out and about!

I've decided to try weaning her onto bottles too. I've got 10 days I can go into work and would like to do it but worry how she'll be. She's always fed to sleep and it's getting harder as she's wakening after an hour at night and only I can settle her. Last night though she went back down 830-3 so that was good for her.

I'm going to try it gradual dropping a feed at a time but I've no idea how many days to do it for. She's only feeding on wakening, around 11, 3 and then just before bed now so I'm dropping the 1030/11 feed first. I've been quite torn about it but there's a few factors coming into it - work, she's getting easily distracted when feeding, I'm so tired with having to be up and down to her room to settle her and I really want to feel confident about leaving her with others such as grandparents to be looked after. Hubby had her on Saturday so I could get my hair done and he said he really enjoyed his time with her and it made me realise how much he misses out on with her being breastfed. 

Hope you don't mind the rambling, I guess I'm still a little emotional about transitioning Grace to the bottle! 

Hope everyone is well x


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## Sbmack

I'm wondering about dropping a feed too. She used to eat around every three hours, but now she doesn't want to eat for like 5 hours after her wake up feeding. My mom has been having a hard time getting her to eat her afternoon bottle too. She's doing well with solids but we aren't religious about three meals a day. She almost always has breakfast though.


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## Fellowes79

Hi everyone!
I have yet to get my bfp but like success stories with spotting, so here I am!
I was regular my whole life until i started TTC. A few months ago I started spotting... It's usually a week before AF and varies from brown to a light bleed. This month it's barely there, I can hardly notice it when I wipe (ew sorry) I want to be hopeful but I feel like it will start up soon. I'm 8dpo. My BBs also feel like they are going to fall off. Any experiences or thoughts?
Thanks for listening


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## KatieTTC

Hi girls, hope everyone is well. I just looked at all your photos and, oh my, your kids are beautiful! Aren't they growing so fast! Gabby is so big and Harrison looks like a little man now! Love the 'reading with daddy' photo. Stella is absolutely adorable sitting in that tub (we used that exact same tub for Anne:)) Gracie looks like a little angel and Juan is a beautiful boy! We're so blessed to have these children in our lives!
Everything is well with us, Annie is growing big and strong - running, speaking, laughing and being sneaky. She's turing 1,5 on August 5th, but it feels like she's been with us much longer. We're currently TTC#2. The first 3 months were unsuccessful, but dealing with BFNs is easier this time around. I know we can do it and if it's meant to be, it will happen. It also gives me a greater appreciation for having Annie, she truly is a blessing. MrsP, looks like you're also TTCing again, good luck! 
I'm having a hard time keeping up with the posts, but I try my best. By the time Annie goes down for the night, I'm ready to crash myself. It's 10pm right now and I feel like it's way past midnight. I never thought I'd ever wake up and say 'wow, it's already 8am, I got to sleep in today!' As MrsP said, that's motherhood for you. Please, keep posting those photos of your little ones! They're precious.


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## MrsPTTC

Hi ladies! Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you but I've had a hectic few weeks & sad few weeks. The day after I last posted my oldest school friends 6 week old baby died :cry: it's been pretty horrendous, set was a full term baby & caught a lung disease from the home birthing pool. I saw her twice in hospital & it was the most horrendous experience of my life. I'm blessed to have got to meet her though :) then DH & were off for a week but he damaged his ligaments in his ankle so I had to run around after penny all week when I had loads to do! Then my laptop broke & that's how I usually come on bnb! 

I've set up a secret group but means I need to invite you so can you all send me a private message with your fb email address or link to your profile & I'll add you as a personal friend so I can add you to the group? If you want to join the group that is :winkwink: I'll get round to updating the first page at some point lol! 

Yes Katie TTC #2 sooo much easier! We're on cycle 4 now, don't think I've ovulated & am gonna need that clomid next month he he. Wishing you lots of :dust:

Fellowes79 welcome to the group Hun. If you go on the first post there is a link to our previous thread you might get more support on that one as thers lots still TTC but of course you're welcome here too. Your spotting sounds very similar to mine & mine cleared up on it's own a couple of months before conceiving but I was on clomid. Since having my daughter I'm not spotting much at all :thumbup: good luck!

x


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## KatieTTC

Thanks, MrsP! Loads of baby dust to you too! 

:dust::dust::dust:

TTCing#2 has been a very humbling experience.


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## daydream

i echo your sentiments regarding TTC#2. We are technically NTNP, but I'm tracking ovulation, so basically, TTC without the expectation that comes with it. I actually had a dream where I was pregnant and anxious about it the night before AF came this most recent time. So that helps make AF coming not be a disappointment. I have decided though to really concentrate on losing more weight over the next few months because I'm still about 10 pounds above my pre pregnancy weight and about 25 pounds above where I'd realistically like to be (in actuality, would like to lost 40 pounts to hit my ideal).


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## Chloe597

wow, baby dust to all you ladies trying to TTC #2! or even NTNP. I'm not quite there yet. I was at a party the other day and a friend brought her 4 year old girl and twin 2.5 year old boys. oh wow, what a handful! The boys were into EVERYTHING, and the parents were hardly watching them. They tried to drink margaritas, eat booze infused watermelon, push around the lawnmower and fertilizer spreader, run into the street many times, and wouldn't stop squeezing gabbys cheeks and trying to kiss her/lift up her shirt to (hopefully) see her bellybutton. Poor gabby was so confused. If i found out i was pregnant today with twin boys i think i would cry!

Good luck with the weight loss, Daydream!

Katie, glad anne is making you so happy! This age is so fun. Definitely my favorite age so far. they are so interactive. Gabby loves playing ring around the rosey with me and DH, and is equally happy coloring by herself at her kids table.

And MrsP, that is so hard to even witness. I can't imagine the pain your friend is going through. All because she was doing something that was supposed to be so nice and natural instead of in a hospital. how devastating. I had a friend lose her 1.5 year old to unexplained causes and that was just heartbreaking. And i had never met her son, and we don't even live in the same state. These children will cause us a lifetime of joy and worry all at the same time! makes me want to hug gabby extra tight tonight.

Mrs P, sent you a PM with my facebook info. Hope everyone can join! I realized its been 5 days since i last logged on to BNB. time really can get away from me. 

Nothing new over here, except we have a crazy drooling toddler still. I thought by this age they started to swallow their drool. I'm starting to get a little worried. she still needs to get 8 more teeth, which i know can bring drooling, but she will soak the front of her shirts. Daydream, does H drool like this? gabby managed to set the alarm on the clock in her room last night to go off at midnight. That was great fun, as it made her cry and then i had to go get her, and she wouldn't go back to sleep, so we brought her in bed where she stayed awake for the next 2.5 hours, bouncing around. today is a 3 cups of tea (don't drink coffee) kinda day....:coffee: oh and we had a chipmunk on the loose in our basement yesterday. the cat had fun chasing it, but i eventually trapped it in a box and let it outside.


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## daydream

H has also been drooling a bit more this week and chewing his hands. It's because his canines are coming through, he has 1 that broke through and the other three are close behind. I'm sure Gabby is probably working on a slew of teeth that will pop up soon. 

I'm sorry about the alarm clock! Yikes that must not have been a pleasant surprise to wake up to.


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## MrsPTTC

OMG!!! :shock: how the heck did this happen I didn't think I ovulated!!! :happydance: xx
 



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## Chloe597

Congrats!!! Hope this one is sticky and you can toss that clomid! :)


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## KatieTTC

Congratulations, MrsP! Happy and healthy 9 months! I'm so happy for you! It looked like you were a bit surprised. What made you think you didn't ovulate?


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## jodspods

That's amazing news!!! Huge congratulations!! X


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks ladies! Katie I didn't get any positive OPK's... they were all very faint except one but it was no way a positive. I either had a short surge and missed it or my pee prob too dilute and/or not held in long enough. Katie do you not fancy joining our facebook group? Sorry if you're not on it x


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## Sbmack

Gah!! Congrats, Mrs. P!! 

So sorry to hear about your friend's baby. I've never heard of babies getting a lung disease from a birthing pool. I had S in one at the hospital. Scary. 

It's exciting that so many are ttc again! Chloe, I can see why a day with those twins would make you want to wait a bit longer :). We are going to start next month. I've bought more opk's and have been meaning to use them just to see if my cycle is like if was pre-pregnancy but I keep forgetting. I'm going to be a lot more relaxed this time. 

Stella has 8 teeth now. She'll be 10 months next week. She still isn't crawling (she can scoot around though), but she can pull herself up to stand and loves to walk around with us. We are still breast feeding and she is still not a good sleeper. 

Thanks for mankind the Facebook group Mrs. P. ...sending you a pm.


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## MrsPTTC

Wow you're starting on #2 soon SB! :D good luck, I loved being back to my POAS-ing ways hehe! I was only going to do it a few months tho just so I knew that my OPK's were matching my other fertile signs :thumbup: No sadly my friends baby has been very unlucky only a few cases in the world :sad1: I'm not sure how I feel about a water birth this time around even though they say there is no worry about hospital pools as they're filled on arrival my dh doesn't want me to have one. I'm thinking I might use it for pain relief but labour outside it. After seeing what my friends went through & how poorly she was in ICU (I saw her twice) I just don't think I could do it even if it's the tiniest of risks.. I didn't get the pm Hun :thumbup: x


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## Gobolino

Hi all! Been crazy busy...now relocated to Vietnam! And I wasn't receiving any emails of new posts....

MRS P!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What lovely news!!!!!!! I can't believe it!!!!! Ohh hugs hugs hugs!!!!!

Happy happy with baby J, he's such fun. He's been through some sleeping issues, then a week with grandparents sent all my hard work to ****....then back home one night...then long haul to Vietnam...one night at hotel, next night at serviced apartment (for a month).Poor little fella. He's finally getting back on track. It's just the waking up at night that kills me!!

Must read you all to catch up! But bedtime for me now!!!


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## daydream

Gobs - Glad to know your travels are over! MrsP set up a facebook group, if you want to join PM MrsP! It's been great (and easier) to communicate over there as well


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## MrsPTTC

Hi gobs! Thank you Hun! Welcome back & wow big move to Vietnam! Hope Juan settles back into his routine soon :thumbup: Yes I've set up a Facebook group & it is much easier, I don't want the thread to stop completely though. I like coming back on here at the minute to check out my ticker haha! 

I'm still shell shocked, defo having a wobble thinking I won't be able to spend time at baby classes with the new one like I did with penny as I'll have Penny too & I'll prob have to stop Penny's swimming lessons she's been going to since 5 months old :sad1: As DH said though that is life, to be expected when you have a small age gap. Penny's such a noisy handful I'm praying she'll have calmed by then... 

I posted on our old spotting thread the other week. Disappointed not to get a reply so looks like it's stale x


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## Gobolino

We will be starting to NTNP....due to my age. It terrifies me lol, but loving the idea! So happy for you Mrs P!
AF came today, third after birth, and (dare I say it?)......no spotting (hope I don't jinx it!)
How do I join you on Facebook?


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## KatieTTC

Hi Gobolino, just send MrsP a private message with your Facebook info and she'll add you to the group. I have a feeling this thread will quickly die after we all join the group.


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## MrsPTTC

Thanks gobs! Wow that's great you're NTNP :) quick too haha! Fingers crossed pregnancy has sorted your spotting out! :thumbup: x


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## MrsPTTC

Ps shame not more of the ex spotting thread ladies haven't come over, hopefully they will soon when they've got time x


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## jodspods

Wow Gobolino, NTNP that's great!! Brilliant you're not experiencing spotting. I've just had my first AF and spotted a day or two either side but I'm going to give it a few cycles to see what happens!! Hope to see you over on the Facebook chat soon! Hope Juan is doing well!! X


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## Sbmack

Hi Gobs! Glad to hear little Juan is doing well. You've been busy moving huh. Thaw great. 

Mrs.P, I sent a private message but never received a friend request. I'll send again. 

I just got back from a five day work trip. It was great but I missed Stella so much. Pumping the whole time was also annoying. It also did a number to my supply. It's barely there. :(


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## daydream

Those work trips are rough. Hopefully you can up the frequency of nursing sessions now that you're back home and recover. That usually did the trick for me, took a few days but got back


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## Chloe597

SB, i know the feeling. my supply just tanked around the 10 month mark i think it was, and i had to increase the frequency of pumping and nursing on the weekends to try to keep it up enough to fill bottles for daycare. good luck!


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## MrsPTTC

Oh SB I didn't see your first message sorry just the one today? How strange. Anyway I couldn't find you on fb so have sent you my email address so you can find me :thumbup: X


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## Gobolino

SB...good for you. It must be hard pumping all that time.


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## jodspods

Sb hope your supply is increasing now you're home with Stella! I admire you keeping going despite the work trip!!

I'm cd24 today and started spotting. I've had a few odd days of spotting but will see how the next few cycles to. I've decided to get the coil removed next April then have a cycle in May and start ttc #2! I say I've decided but DH is on board with it too!! It'll give me time to see how my cycles are and I'm going back to work in January so I'll be back 6 months at least before I could fall pregnant again! 

Hope everyone is well and we see some more of you over on Facebook to chat there too!


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## MrsPTTC

Fingers crossed your spotting improves soon jods! That sounds like a good plan for #2. I told my employer I was pregnant again yesterday & I felt bad it feel like I've not long come back but it has been 8 months. She was happy for me though & as I work for the government they're fine with the maternity leave thing x


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## jodspods

There's never a "right" time for getting pregnant when it comes to work! I have a colleague who joined the company 6 months after me and in the last nearly 5 years she's only worked 27 months and is pregnant with #3!! Work can't say anything about it as it'd be seen as discrimination! 

I'm moody as hell so assume my period is on it's way! I'm just assuming based on my cycles being 26 days before having Grace but I guess that can change!


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## Gobolino

Sorry about the spotting jods.....hope it settles. Good plan for ttc #2!!

Mrs P..glad your employer was ok! That's always a relief!!


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## Sbmack

MrsP, I'm pretty sure I just friend requested you on FB. I think your profile is a cute pic of Penny. If not someone in the UK with your name and a cute little girl is going to be confused :)

My supply is still low. I just got my period yesterday so that probably has something to do with it. Good news is I only spotted for a day. Sorry your spotting is still bad, Jods. We decided to start trying next month....I should start O'in the first week of Sept. Eek. I'm a little hesitant though because one of my best friends just had her second miscarriage in over a year of trying :(

Hope all is well! Looking forward to keeping in touch on the FB group!


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## Jellycat

MrsP - Congrats on the Bfp perfect that it happened to quickly! I'm so sorry to hear of your friends loss - can't imagine what the family have been going through

Jolspod - how are you now have you stopped bf? Biug hugs I think its a really emotional time moving over to bottle 

Hope everyone is doing ok

My flo is a demanding livewire at the moment not sleeping through, into everything possible climbing into the most awkward places


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## Gobolino

Jellycat said:


> MrsP - Congrats on the Bfp perfect that it happened to quickly! I'm so sorry to hear of your friends loss - can't imagine what the family have been going through
> 
> Jolspod - how are you now have you stopped bf? Biug hugs I think its a really emotional time moving over to bottle
> 
> Hope everyone is doing ok
> 
> My flo is a demanding livewire at the moment not sleeping through, into everything possible climbing into the most awkward places

Hi Jellycat! Join us on Facebook! Send a private message to Mrs P

Good to hear from you


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## jodspods

Hi Jellycat! Hope you're well! I'm doing well now on bottles. First week was the hardest but Grace was amazing and transitioned very well! She's into everything at the moment too!!

Hope to see you on Facebook!! 




Jellycat said:


> MrsP - Congrats on the Bfp perfect that it happened to quickly! I'm so sorry to hear of your friends loss - can't imagine what the family have been going through
> 
> Jolspod - how are you now have you stopped bf? Biug hugs I think its a really emotional time moving over to bottle
> 
> Hope everyone is doing ok
> 
> My flo is a demanding livewire at the moment not sleeping through, into everything possible climbing into the most awkward places


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## MrsPTTC

Welcome back jellycat! Are you on facebook? Will you stop at 2 or try did #3 at some point? 

SB great to hear only 1 day spotting! GL with the TTC again! So exciting!


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## Chloe597

Hi jelly! Yes, please join us on Facebook :) would love to hear how it has been with 2 around 3 years apart. that is my ultimate goal. Sounds like a busy time in your house! Hope Flo starts sleeping better for you!


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## Ella86

Hi ladies, new here but longtime lurker :winkwink:

Ttc number one, first month, in tww. Chronic chroooonic spotter! Could you direct me to the thread this started from (ttc spotters)?

Also, would love to hear about your experiences with spotting, ttc, and the cycles you got your bfp's :flower:

TMI to follow... For me, my 'spotting' can be from 5 days before my period to 2 weeks before my period (from ov straight on through) and varies from brown discharge that increases to period amounts and turns super dark in colour before my period - to full on sporadic gushes of bleeding (new blood but not my period) in between the brown... Etc. Nothing is 'weird' for me! Specialists highly suspect endo, also have a friable cervix. My progesterone levels are fine, I ovulate consistently, estrogen levels are a bit high. 

This has been going on for many many years. Few health things to mention - I've always been a chronic insomniac - pretty darn severe. Always wondered how much impact this has. In my mind, there is no question that this would have an affect on all of this... Few abnormalities with my immune system, and horrendously chronic migraines. I eat as clean as clean can be and have for years, no gluten and dairy, no migraine triggers (even the seemingly innocent/obscure ones), I go to the gym... 

Tried it all, from acupuncture to supplements to meds to etc etc. Just can't seem to get my system under control, and I'm sure many of you can/could relate! Really curious to see if I will conceive this month, if I will have trouble conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy, etc. 

Would love to hear any thoughts/experiences!

Edit: Just realized this thread is dead! Feel free to direct me elsewhere! Thanks!


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## Chloe597

Hi Ella,
The thread this started from is even more dead it seems.. https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/t...ek-before-af-every-month-anyone-else-531.html 

I can share my experiences. I am a chronic spotter as well. went to the Dr, got my hormones checked, and it showed my progesterone was a little low, but nothing out of the range of normal. I would tend to spot 7-10 days before AF, and my cycles were very irregular. anywhere from 35-60 days. I tried clomid, which just made my spotting worse (used to be brownish, then on clomid was dark pink or red). It made me very nervous. Clomid didnt work for the 2 cycles i tried it, so i went to an RE. That really eased my stress level, and the month i was waiting to try another medicine, i conceived naturally. I spotted the entire TWW, however, pretty badly. Until one day the spotting stopped, and AF never showed up, so i took a test and was pregnant! After i had my DD, and once i stopped breastfeeding, AF came back and i was back to spotting as usual, unfortunately. But at least i felt better about TTC #2, and once i had discovered the signs of Ovulation (EWCM!), i got pregnant pretty much right away. I also spotted with this pregnancy throughout the TWW. I am due in April with #2. Good luck to you!


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