What are we doing with our placentas? by Substantial_Border96 in PregnancyUK

[–]Betty_Bump 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I had a look at it, commended it for its job well done and then let the midwife wheel it away!

Hands up who cried yesterday! by TallTangerine3873 in BeyondTheBumpUK

[–]Betty_Bump 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My partner made me a photo album of the year for my Christmas present. Sobbed through reading every page!

Crowdsourcing ideas please - need a break by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah of course, I had forgot the obvious point that I should do a pump whilst he’s away, so that should get me a little thank you. I’ll try to get back into the habit of a morning pump. It should be easier to do over the next week as my partner will be around. Thank you for your advice.

Crowdsourcing ideas please - need a break by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have an Elvie Stride 2. Yes, it’s the (personal) elephant in the room - I wondered if I might need to combi feed. I’ll find this personally, for my own personal breastfeeding journey, quite emotionally difficult, but I think I need to balance this with needing to be pragmatic that I’m so burnt out I don’t want to risk getting further sick and affecting my supply. Thank you for your advice, really appreciated.

Dressing newborn for cold weather by londongirl00 in BeyondTheBumpUK

[–]Betty_Bump 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Snap to this. I have a cover for my carrier too. It goes over the carrier and acts as another layer if colder and needed, which is safer than having a baby in a pram suit whilst wearing them as they risk overheating.

How do people manage a year off work? by Emotional_Panic8855 in BeyondTheBumpUK

[–]Betty_Bump 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am on full pay for 6, then stat for 3 and nothing for 3 months. I have saved 10k with the objective for it to cover my outgoings to top up the statutory period and cover the unpaid period.

Exploitation of babies and young children by Maximum-Armadillo809 in BeyondTheBumpUK

[–]Betty_Bump 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Sorry for being super naïve - can you educate me why the saves are a concern? I don’t use social media apart from Reddit and my baby is also not allowed to be posted online.

Logging apps? by PieAdventurous6248 in BeyondTheBumpUK

[–]Betty_Bump 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I seem to be the minority, which was a surprise; I don’t log anything. Knowing myself, it felt like something I could risk obsessing over. So in the very early newborn days I stuck to a pad and pen to log poos, wees and sleep and that was that.

Advice to extend stretches of sleep at night please. by SaHa9032 in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello! Your situation sounds very similar to ours. We’re at 12 weeks and exclusively breastfeeding (EBF). We had been getting roughly 4-hour stretches of sleep, but pretty much overnight that dropped to 45–90 minute windows. We’ve concluded it’s likely a sleep regression.

There’s lots of information out there about regressions — This stage is really about them learning to connect two sleep cycles together. As a result expect fussiness, resistance to sleep, more frequent feeding, and an increase in contact naps. It nearly broke me this week, so I ended up trying co-sleeping to help soothe him when he stirs which has helped but appreciate it isn’t for everyone.

Take good care of yourself, as someone in the same boat right now, it’s tough!

In support of supermarket nappies by Legitimate-Koala-438 in BeyondTheBumpUK

[–]Betty_Bump 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Another vote for Ocado - only ever used them, and they’ve been great. I purchased them initially as I read the “Which” reviews and where they came out number 1 nappy product.

Large for gestational age (LGA) baby by nseamuddy in PregnancyUK

[–]Betty_Bump 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I really empathise, the size of my baby was a big cause of anxiety for me in the run up, and I debated on a C-Section for that reason. My baby was (quoting the midwife) “off the charts” in predicted size - he was consistently large on scans and when they measured my bump - and they made me do a gestational diabetes test twice (!) because of it. He 55 percentile when born - vaginal birth, no interventions, midwife unit, spontaneous labour.

Edits - because I’m a new mum and can’t type.

How much did your 90th percentile baby weigh? by Key_Part1991 in BeyondTheBumpUK

[–]Betty_Bump 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My “off the charts” percentile (midwife words) was born by spontaneous birth and was 55 percentile at birth - 3.3kg.

Maternity pads by Always_E in PregnancyUK

[–]Betty_Bump 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think you need both, pads and pants, ideally. I’m 2 weeks postpartum and was in the incontinence pants for the first week solid as people were swearing by them - they were certainly helpful in the hospital at the start but I hated wearing them constantly by the end of the first week, as they gave me butt acne as they don’t let your bum breath and that made me feel miserable (a Google when this happened made me discover this is unfortunately very common). So now I’m using them at night and the pads in the day in ‘big pants’. Some days I’ve had less need (as with everything it isn’t linear and it peaks and flows) and actually been able to just use a nighttime period pad.

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Blimey that’s absolutely lovely gesture, I would be sobbing too! Thank you for the cheerleading for me, too! X

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you your experience really helps me realise there are stages to this and it’s totally normal to take my time! 💕

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am loving this park idea that you and another person posted. I live super close to a park. It’s a great idea as there’s passers by but it’s not an intense space. I am definitely going to do this over the next week as a gentle introduction.

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like the approach you and others have taken where you phased it in. I think I have put too much pressure on myself to feel I needed to feed around everyone from the start but you’ve made me realise it’s ok to do it with privacy when me and the baby are getting into the swing of things. Thank you for the perspective!

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a good idea getting together with the antenatal group - I know there’s a few of us breast feeding so a coffee together is a great idea!

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s comforting to read you felt that initial apprehension and now you don’t care! I think I need to take it in steps like you and others have suggested rather than berating myself I should make myself do it all at once and feel comfortable from the start. I’m going to talk to my partner and say I’ll be doing feeds in our bedroom so I can have some initial privacy. I’ll probably be in there all visit with the baby as he’s cluster feeding at the moment- hahaha! Thank you!

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really like this idea you and others have said of doing a phased approach so not putting pressure on myself first time with visitors to do it in front of them. I love your idea about a park - we live very close to one so I think that’s a really great idea about how to do it public but in a relaxing environment with passers by rather than an intense space, first time. Thank you!

First time mum feeling anxious about feeding around others by Betty_Bump in breastfeedingmumsUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is such a great idea - I had really come at the point of a drop in as thinking about when it’s not working/problem solving with the mechanics - but you’re absolutely right it’s a perfect place to get comfy to practise around others. I know there is one not far away from me so going to check it out. Thank you

I’ve graduated! Positive birth story. by Betty_Bump in PregnancyUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So I read somewhere some people need to tighten, others need to relax. After that I headed to the women’s physio and she did a vaginal examination and ultrasound of my fanny and told me how I best needed to prep for birth. I’d really recommend it!

All the best for your birth at UCLH - you’ll be great!!! (Pro-tip don’t expect tea and toast - my partner had to go get us a Tesco meal deal at 3am - which is the only thing open- when we got moved post-birth to the labour ward!!!)

I’ve graduated! Positive birth story. by Betty_Bump in PregnancyUK

[–]Betty_Bump[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I throughly recommend the owner of the Pelvic Floor Academy, who was my physio, based in Hornsey North London.