Sticking Together Until We Are In Diapers Ourselves!

[melewen]

Chip looks awesome Laura!! Talk about a Christmas present, woo!!

Pam that's awesome how that worked out! We have a doula and using one decreases the odds of meds and interventions drastically (but it's more important for us because our hospital is not nearly as "emergency-only" as yours! Doctors get paid more for CS and interventions here) so we are really excited BUT we know our doula pretty well. We have been meeting with her since like 8 weeks. We actually have our last meeting with her today before our home visit which is the very very last one! So it's something to consider and she can help guide you with positions and whatnot and do counter pressure in exactly the right spots. My DH went through weeks and weeks of classes but I still don't think he will know just where to press hahaha. Our doula said she's there to support him basically, since he's my "birth partner" in our case. Like she can stand in for him if he has to do something or his arms get tired

 

[WunnaBubba2]

Yip, it really is nice having that option and knowing she won't charge me for it. That helps too as I really cannot afford those "luxuries". She sees it as her passion and will do it regardless of whether she gets paid for it or not.

Like you said our hospital is very baby friendly and interventions and inductions are low down on their list of priorities. I also found out from this lady this morning that part of the baby friendly status is that you birth naturally, you get immediate skin-to-skin (if no medical intervention is required), they let you tear and will only cut to avoid 3rd degree tears plus delayed cord clamping is now part of their policy too so they will wait for it to stop pulsing before clamping and cutting

I must just remember to tell them NO pethadine as I found out that they use that for pain sometimes and I react badly to it.

Anyway after all of this I feel ready (for now ) to get this show on the road! COME ON BABY please

 

[cutieq]

Pam, that's so awesome!! How sweet of her.

Laura, chip chip hooray! So glad baby is doing well and a Christmas baby. How special!

Thanks for the heartburn tips ladies!

 

[Twinsie]

That's awesome Pam!! Happy for you!!

I've been experiencing heartburn for the last two days too!! Never had it in my life so it took me by surprise. Def gonna try the ACV, thanks Cheryl!

Laura- congrats on a great scan! Baby is so cute

 

[Jrepp]

Pam that's so awesome that the lady was willing to meet with you and continue care even without getting paid. You can tell she really likes what she does! If she shared any other tips I know I (and probably everyone else) would like to know them. How are you feeling today?

 

[WunnaBubba2]

Thanks ladies

I think we mostly went over the basics like how to breast feed and nappy changes etc.

Here are some tips that I found very cool. Sorry if you know them already
She did say that you need to have baby's upper body lifted when sleeping so put a pillow under the top of the matrass (where you would have his head be) to elevate it. That way while baby is sleeping milk won't push up easily. If they lay flat flat it happens easier. I never thought of that so I elevated where Matthew would sleep.

Tips for sore boobs to put warm cabbage leaves on your breasts (not the nipple part) as this will help reduce pain. Many ladies in my family have sworn by this one as well.

She also said that if baby requires a diaper change to try and do it after you've fed him. Once he is fully fed and burped he is much calmer and less likely to be fussy while changing nappy. With boys as well she said that when you do nappy changes shift his penis down before closing the nappy so that if you take the nappy off and he starts to pee that he doesn't pee on himself or healing umbilical cord etc.

During labour when they tell you to push put your chin on your chest and try not to scream out loud as you should ultimately try to use your breath as "strength" for pushing. When you scream it is more like releasing all the energy from your mouth and then you don't really get good pushes out.

Umbilical cord care that they recommend is to take cotton wool and drench it in surgical spirits. The 1st day you wipe naval where cord is attached, the cord itself as well as the top part. She says the surgical spiritis should 'run' off of baby's tummy to make sure that you've got enough. She gave me a powder, Wecsin+ dry wound powder for wounds, grazes and naval care. So after you've done the surgical spirits you put the powder on. Do this with every nappy change. From day 2 you only clean the part where the cord is attached to baby's naval. She said that out of experience if you follow this routine the cord falls off quicker and chances of it becoming infected are really slim.

Nature's nipple cream is to squeese some milk after a feed and rub over your nipples and dry them as it will keep them moist as well if you don't want to use nipple cream.

After birth if they cut you to help yourself heal faster you can use a squirt bottle with strong salt water and squirt yourself after you've had a wee or soak your bits in salt water. I did this after I had a cyst cut out as well and the salt water really did wonders for healing

My head is really busy at the moment with lots of things so I might have missed a few cool tips. If there are more I'll post them for you ladies. Like I said the rest of the stuff we did seems to be pretty basic and standard things.

As for how I'm feeling: I'm doing okay. Lower back ache comes and goes still. I'm not as irritable today as I was the past 2 days. I don't see any other signs of labour approaching so trying to be patient. 39 weeks tomorrow and happy to have gotten this far but really wanting him to come already... I mean I've waited 39 weeks lol

 

[MamaBunny2]

Thanks Pam for those tips! I'm gonna be sure to point Mr. Cameron's winky downward before fastening his diaper to avoid surprise golden showers at his next change ...well, unless I know OH will be changing him next

 

[Kirsty3051]

Anybody else struggling to see their bits and pieces?! Told my husband he was on a promise tonight after the baby related dry spell and nearly killed myself trying to shave

 

[WunnaBubba2]

Yip! Kirsty I haven't been able to see down there in about 20 weeks lol...

I shaved the other night but I went on pure feeling because I cannot see and I do not have enought hands to shave, hold the mirror, hold the bump and move my boobs

If DH is hungry he should prepare the meal if you catch my drift bwahahahahahaa

 

[Kirsty3051]

We have a bath with a built in shower above. Put my foot up on the edge thinking it would make things easier and nearly lost my balance I've got backache from doing so too. Too sexy for my own good

Hahahaha! I had him help me shave towards the end with Luca. 'Awkward' doesn't cover it

 

[Michellebelle]

Back to TTC for me. Started heavy spotting today and they did an ultrasound and the sac is deflating. I could see it on the screen. so I'm having a d&c on Monday morning. Sad, but since we knew this was a likely possibility, I'm feeling okay. I'd rather it happen now than several weeks down the road. We will wait a cycle, then can try again and hopefully it happens quickly! I'll still follow along with you guys and post here and there, because I love reading about everyone's journeys!

 

[laurac1988]

I'm so sorry Michelle. I hope that it is at least over quickly for you xxx

 

[Kirsty3051]

Sorry for your loss Michelle

 

[Twinsie]

I'm so so sorry Michelle I hope you are ok, sending lots of hugs!!!

Pam- thanks for the tips! I did read about the cabbage helping engorged breasts, but the article warned not to do it too much cuz it will reduce your milk supply, just thought I'd mention that!

 

[froggyfrog]

Oh michelle, I'm so sorry!

 

[Michellebelle]

Thanks guys! Feeling okay and will have the weekend to relax before the surgery and get used to the idea. It's sad, but I feel confident we'll get pregnant again soon with a healthy baby this time.

 

[startd]

Michelle, I'm really sorry to hear your news. I'm glad it will be over soon for you, and you can work on growing your healthy, strong little one.

Good job Luke and Chip!

Pam, she sounds fantastic. Great for you to have someone you trust on call. 39 weeks! Your little one sounds like they're pretty happy snuggled in there. Maybe you need to poke your belly more!

 

[Wishing1010]

I am so sorry, Michelle...I hope your rainbow comes quickly! Rest up

 

[melewen]

Michelle so sorry. Glad you are feeling ok about everything though. Your forever baby is right around the corner!

Pam thanks for the tips! It's weird because I swear I heard *cold* cabbage leaves or that's what I remember from this picture Amanda peet posted

Meeting with the doula today went well! DH really likes her and I realized today that she could be our midwife for the next one! Once we get through a calm uneventful birth I think I can convince DH on a home birth and my doula is also a midwife she urged me to take a daily probiotic as that greatly decreases risk of strep b or whatever it's called, though I'd already probably know if we carried it from early tests. It's great for baby too since they're born with a sterile gut! So we got some tonight. I'm pretty good about eating real yogurt but definitely not everyday. She also measured my fundal height and it was 26.5.. Is that not weirdly accurate?! LO is head down and I think posterior which is great that he feels comfy that way! Stay that way little guy...!! Just saying

DH today said "I guess Sawyer is fine for the name" which is about as much enthusiasm as I'm going to get from him BUT we had been talking about the name Leo lately.. My grandpas name was Leonard and he died when my mom was very little. He was a photographer after flying fighter jets in the Air Force during WWII and had a camera shop here, so I think that's pretty awesome, especially being a photographer myself. Anyway I really like the idea of naming our son Leonard and calling him Leo, but DH doesn't like the name Leonard. I don't blame him honestly but he LOVES the name Leo! So I'm kinda like is it really that big of a deal? Anyway as soon as he agreed to Sawyer I started thinking I really love the name Leo! My grandma called my grandpa Len too which I like. Anyway, randomly my doula was talking about her kids and she has a Leo too! I thought that was a super weird coincidence. So not sure what we're doing now! Possibly trying to convince DH on Leonard

So I got a Snoogle a while back but wasn't wild about it since it was very itchy.. I didn't feel like buying a $40 cover for a $50 pillow so I just put it up. But lately I've been less comfortable in bed so I pulled it out and determined that the Snoogle can in fact wear men's fleece pj pants!!

Excuse my leg just like flopping about but I had to share!
https://s13.postimg.org/z2l17l6on/image.jpg

 

[WunnaBubba2]

Back to TTC for me. Started heavy spotting today and they did an ultrasound and the sac is deflating. I could see it on the screen. so I'm having a d&c on Monday morning. Sad, but since we knew this was a likely possibility, I'm feeling okay. I'd rather it happen now than several weeks down the road. We will wait a cycle, then can try again and hopefully it happens quickly! I'll still follow along with you guys and post here and there, because I love reading about everyone's journeys!

Oh no I'm so sorry Michelle!! I really had so much faith and hope for your bean and really wish things could have been different!!! I know we cannot say much but just know we are here for you throughout your journey and if you need to vent or cry I have huge virtual shoulders for you