Due February 2016

@JLK, hope everything went well and can't wait to see a pic of your little bundle!!

@BabyT, Good Luck for tomorrow!! <3 Worried I won't get a chance to post this before you pop - my days blurr into each other at the moment, so here goes -

- Take your pump to hospital with you, and if you are struggling use it! I took mine, but felt like a wuss for struggling and didn't use it. The lady in the bed accross from me was pumping and encouraged me to try. I only tried once I got home, but it really helped things along. The physiotherapist who came to give me UV therapy on my nipples (DO IT it helps!) said I shouldn't use the pump because it's going to put strain on the nipples blah blah - meanwhile I'm being chewed by a hungry baby. I hardly had any colostrum coming out by the second day and after being sucked bloody and having 20+ people tug on my nipples I was very depressed. The pump just got things going and it was very encouraging to see something come out - even though it was only a few drops for the first few days!

- Take nipple shields. The sucking hurts either way, but a shield can be a lifesaver with flat/inverted nipples as it gives baby something to suck on and draws the nipple out - no need for a nipple extruder. The pump also helps a lot with drawing out the nipple.

- Leave nipple cream like lanolin for later, use Bepanthen - it' really works!

- If the pediatrician or nurses encourage you to top up with a bottle, don't beat yourself up about it. I did, but in the end it saved my sanity after she'd been crying for a whole day, and it helped me get out of the hospital - taking a screaming baby home would have been very stressful, and the car trip home was already pretty terrifying - they are so small in those car seats! The bottle before we left calmed her down long enough for us to get home peacefully and for me to just find myself a little.

- Whoever says breastfeeding doesn't hurt is lying. It does, but I promise it gets better. It gets a lot worse before then - when your milk comes in on day 2/3/4 your breasts become rock hard and this is where the pump was a saving grace cause I was in too much pain and they were too hard for her to latch properly. So I expressed and cup-fed her - though we also have the Avent Closer To Nature bottles and those haven't interfered with her latch at all. Get hubby to buy you some of those Cariwell gell pads to put in the fridge - cabbage leaves help, but those pads are heaven.

- If you're struggling with latching, I found lying on your side in bed with baby lying close alongside you to work really well - this also helped with the flat nipple problem. They make breastfeeding look easy, but it's actually quite challenging initially with a tiny floppy-necked baby. When baby becomes stronger and you become more confident it'll become much easier.

Hope I haven't scared you!! I just wished someone had told me some of these things, and I should have reached out more to my friends who have been through the same thing.

Here's wishing everyone an abundant colostrum and milk supply! and hopefully you won't need my tips, but if you do need help, shout out!

Awh BumbleBee, she is really and truly beautiful

I am very interested in you story....

Thanks gals, seeing doctor tomorrow and spoke to Sue King at Gnesis, and she is willing to assist me should tomorrow not work out....

Lotsa luv ladies!

Hello everyone! Sjoe, the past 6 days has gone by in an absolute blur. Parts of the hospital stay were quite traumatic, we had a few issues at home - including the builders STILL coming round to fix things . Breastfeeding has been a serious challenge, but the breast pump I bought has been an absolute life (and sanity) saver and I can finally say today that I feel like a successfully breastfeeding mommy Will share my experience on that whole journey if anyone is interested.
Till this morning I was still in serious pain down there as the stitches are quite tight, but it's suddenly getting much better and I can't wait to have them out on Friday. All this pain aside, I think I am still grateful that I got to birth naturally, though hubby says he's on the fence as I was millimeters away from needing major reconstructive surgery.

@BabyT, really holding thumbs for you!! My doc swears by prescribing 'doing the deed' as often as possible to get labour going. TBH we'd been holding off because I didn't want to go into labour before the builders were out of our lives, and now I've missed my chance for a long while - so go for it or you might regret it!!

@CarienM, my plug came out at 35.5 weeks and it was a large blob of slightly stringy mucus. I could sort of describe it as opaque, egg white. Apparently if it comes out later it could be more watery and you might miss it. For the next week little bits of the same kept coming out every time I went to the loo - basically a clear, slightly yellow mucous discharge. I didn't have any blood, but apparently that's common too.

Another pic of little miss We are absolutely smitten.

Yes, Dr. Google also showed me that its gooey...heard some people say it has some blood in it. Based on the information there, I still have mine (pretty sure at least).

I am not sure if my baby has engaged, seeing the doc again tomorrow so will get some more info then. I am really really hoping she will not want to do an internal exam b/c seriously that was really quite sore. Still hoping this baby decides to come on his own, my doc said if I go into labour then she will let me go and see if I progress, but if not then the csection is scheduled...pretty sure its too early for me to go into labour tho, so chances are slim to none

@BabyT - I was also going to suggest Genesis, they might have a midwife that would be able to help you.

Hope you come right

@BabyT, yes we are giving birth at Genesis we are with Gail de Vos, Here are her details as well as the details of all the private midwives practicing at Genesis -http://www.genesisclinic.co.za/private-midwives.html.

STK, are you giving birth at Genesis?

Dont you want to give me your mdwifes details please, maybe I can chat to her about a second opinion? My hubby was dead against Genesis but now he is willing to consider any option with me...

Thanks

@CarienM - I also don't know - but Google'd a couple pics...and lets say its ... uhm... gooey...lol

@BabyT - I really hope you are able to get a second opinion, my midwife told us a while back that she successfully delivered a 4.3Kg baby naturally... so I think it can be done... it just depends on the opinion of the doc/midwife,