November 2012 Due Dates

[MommaBarry]

Wow, this has been a slow day on this thread. Normally I have pages to catch up on hehe.

So heres a discussion topic for us. Breastfeed or Bottlefeed? I don't think any of us should judge or start an argument here either. There are plenty of women who have there own reasons for doing either and no one person is right or wrong here as long as there are happy healthy babies in the end thats all that matters. I bottle fed my first son. I had no interest in trying to breastfeed but this time around I would LOVE to breastfeed. Im just scared that I wont be able to, or make enough milk. I have been trying to read up on it but I think its probably one of those things that you wont understand until your try it since every women/baby is different.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Krippy]

I would like to breastfeed bc of the cost and bc of the convenience. But I know a lot of ladies that have tried and not succeeded or tried and didn't like it! I am hoping that I succeed and that I like it!

 

[bexxc]

i'd like to try breastfeeding. obviously i'll have to pump though once my maternity leave is over. we'll see how it goes. this is my first so i don't really know what to expect yet.

 

[MommaBarry]

I agree. Cost is a HUGE factor for me as my plan is to (fx'd) not go back to work once baby is here. My first goal is 6 months. If we can make it to there im shooting for 8 months.

 

[mammytoerin]

I breastfed my daughter until she was 5 months, and plan to breastfeed this one also.

I will learn from my experiences with Erin, though, and will be giving this baby a bottle a day also. This is because Erin was so hungry. She was hungry to the point that I often had no more left to give! Between 3 and 4 weeks old she put on 20oz! I would find myself glued to the couch for hours unable to get anything done! She would scream and scream, even when I was trying to feed her!! At this point, she refused bottles, so this next baby will get a bottle a day (of my milk) and I will express when they get the bottle.

Also, it took me a long time to encourage Erin to take a bottle so start your LO on this a while before you go back to work!! Although, some babies do take to it right away.

How much maternity leave is everyone entitled to?

 

[MommyH]

Yay congrats mommabarry for making it to 9 weeks!, I'm super jealous they bumped you up lol!! 9 weeks on Monday for me

Welcome to all the newbies

I will be breast feeding this little love bug I breast fed my daughter for 2 full years, no I'm not a advocate for breast feeding lol, it was just what was right for us She never had a bottle ever and she was such an easy baby, I never lost sleep since I could feed her in bed and rest between breast/burping and I saved so much money which was important for us I love love love the bond that we built during those special moments! Don't get me wrong in the beginning I cried a few times from cracked and chapped nipples but that phase didn't last long! I was able to stay home with Mia for the first 2 years which I sadly will not this time hubby works evenings/nights so it will be easy for him to help with lo and bottle feed what i pump once I go back to work after 6 weeks and I am also blessed enough to be able to set up a nursery in our back office at the salon where lo can come to work with me whenever!!!

 

[mammytoerin]

Aww MommyH you're lucky you're able to set up a nursery at your work!! I have said in the staff room that the school I teach at should set up a creche ... our department alone would keep them in business

Erin was not an easy baby to begin with, and did not sleep through the night until she was 10 months old. However, once she was fully established on solids, and was taking a bottle at night, she changed into a different child. I went back to work at 7 months (planning to take a year this time, though, so will feed for longer). She can still eat for Britain, and we know if Erin doesn't eat ... she's ill!! She is big - she's 19 months old, weighs around 32lbs and is 91cm tall - takes after me!!

I did love the bond the breastfeeding created too I cried when I fed her myself for the last time, so I'm really looking forward to starting this again ... and I will know how to manage things a little better this time!!

Welcome to all the new Mammys to be xx

 

[chary]

Had a mammoth sleeping session last night, 9pm until 8 this morning. All I wanted to do was stay in bed all day today. Breast feel very tender and swollen. No MS though. So weird that I'm hoping for the MS to start...feeling so anxious that it hasn’t. It helps so much reading all the posts, I'm definitely not alone in this!

Happy Friday everyone. Sending lots of sticky bean dust to all of you!

I have nt had any MS either but hve nausea and my mouth is always bitter.my boobs are also tender although tenderness has reduced. Wish all of us a stress free pregnancy

 

[chary]

I will breast feed. This is my first, so i guess i need the experience. Heard it is nt easy bt am looking forward to it

 

[chary]

I will breast feed. This is my first, so i guess i need the experience. Heard it is nt easy bt am looking forward to it.

 

[Bookity]

I really really want to breastfeed this next one. When my daughter was born I discovered I have a flat/slightly inverted nipple problem. I tried using shields at first, but going back to the pediatrician over and over and seeing her weight go down and down was stressing me out big time and I was so worried that she wasn't getting enough. After a couple of weeks I started pumping exclusively. It was such a huge relief to me and I was glad that she was getting breastmilk, even if it wasn't the way I would prefer her to get it. She improved massively.

Everything turned into a huge hassle though, considering how often I had to pump in the beginning. It irritated me that I couldn't just go out and about and whip out a boob when DD was hungry. I felt rather chained to the house. When I went back to work my supply went very low and she ended up getting half her feedings from formula. By 6 months, she was totally formula fed. Now since I'm not working I'm hoping that if I don't get to breastfeed (though I will take measures to try and make it easier, using shells in the last month or two to try and draw out my nips, lol), at least I won't have to cut back on pumping since I won't be going back to work after 3 months.

 

[Gwenylovey]

This will be my first so I'm not quite sure what to expect! At this point though I would love to breastfeed. I feel like it will be part of the bonding experience. With that said, I have been surprised by how difficult and stressful it is for some women to breast feed and the issues that come up including milk production, latching, etc.! I'm hoping that it won't be difficult for me but one thing I've learned with the ttc process is that you can never know how things are going to turn out.

 

[Viking15]

I plan on BFing as well. It will definitely be a challenge for me considering my job. I just finished reading a book recommended to me by a friend, and learned a lot. This is my first baby and I am pretty clueless. Most of my friends have BF, but the only friend I have at work who has also had a baby says it is very hard to juggle it with work.
Breastfeeding Made Simple by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett is the book I read. It was enlightening, especially the information about the first couple of weeks. I hope that I can get a good lactation specialist to help me out in the hospital. My friend that lent me the book can probably give me some tips too. She's still Bfing her little boy and he's 18 months. I don't think I want to go that long, but I think going as long as I can is important. I think 6 months is a good goal to have.

 

[mellllly]

5 weeks pic and 9 weeks pic (3rd baby) OMG!!! I didnt even show this early with Leo!!

 

[Krippy]

You look super cute Mel! I am thinking that I will show early too as I had a 10 pound baby only 6 months ago! Worrying about how I will keep it a secret...Are you keeping it on the dl or have people started to comment?

 

[Gwenylovey]

Wow Mellly, you are really showing!! I'm also a little over 9 weeks but only have bloat to show for it. It is my first though and I hear that you show earlier with each pregnancy.

 

[HalfThyme007]

This is my first and I want to BF for as long as possible, but I know realistically that may not be very long. I believe the max amount of time we can take off on FMLA is 3 months (US ladies correct me if I'm wrong?), and I can't even begin to imagine how on earth I would pump at work. Really wish I didn't have to go back to work.....can't wait for DH to graduate. I've heard in the UK they get up to a year -- is that right? If so, kudos to your government for making family a priority!

BFing also kinda freaks me out....I saw my sister stress over her milk production and it makes me nervous. I'm definitely going to check out that book that Viking15 mentioned...it seems like so much of the time breastfeeding isn't taught/learned about until the baby gets here....which kinda makes sense, but I don't see anything wrong with learning as much as you can beforehand. Are there any other books/learning tools out there that you guys recommend?

Just a quick reminder --- our super secret facebook group for November due dates is up and running. Posts are "secret"/only seen by other members of the group and are NOT visible to your friends. If you'd like an invite, just shoot me your email address in a PM.

 

[Bookity]

Where I was working I could take up to 12 weeks (yeah 3 months) and keep my current job position. I was allowed, however, to take up to a year and just come back wherever they wanted to stick me (I was not comfortable with that!). Of course now I'm just home, so I don't have to worry about it this time around.

I wouldn't worry that much about supply. Just try try try not to supplement with formula. My supply really started to tank when I did that. I think if you can just keep feeding baby on demand (while you're home) and maybe try to pump after feedings when feasible so you can start to store up some milk for when you go back to work. The longer you can keep from using formula the better. And every time you feed baby you should drink something to keep your fluids up.

 

[mammytoerin]

Yes, you're right halfthyme ... in the UK we get up to a year. As a teacher, I get the first 3 months on full pay, followed by 6 months Statutory Maternity Pay (around £150 a week), followed by 3 months no pay. In this time, I will also accrue holidays, which I can take at the end of my year's maternity. Then, I will go back into the job I am in currently. We are also given 10 'back to work' days. These are days we pre-arrange with our employer, where we are paid to go back into work to catch up on what's been happening, have meetings with our manager / team, generally do paper work, or just to meet our new class.

 

[MommaBarry]

The UK really knows how to treat mommas

I get my 3 months off, with no pay. In fact I have to pay them every two weeks for my health insurance to ensure they pay there part of my bills from having lo. What they dont know is after they pay there part and my time is up I will be resigning from my job. OH agrees that daycare is to expensive, so I wilk be home with the baby focusing on finishing school for the next year.

Thanks ladies for all the bf talk. It really has me excited. I say after all the babies come we start another thread. We can encourage each other as it sounds like from you experienced mom, bf can be a challenge but accomplished with good support.