So when I was pregnant there was the decision of how I was going to feed my baby. I had been adament from the start that I was going to breastfeed, however, Alot of family members and some friends tried to disuade me!
I stuck to my guns and decided I knew best! - Mum's do!
The first feed went brilliantly. He latched on straight away and was guzzling away within seconds. The second feed went just as well but then the paedatrician decided Little Man needed to spend the night in the special care baby unit as he was grunting and blue around the mouth. That first night was horrendous without my little boy. I had told the midwives I wanted to breastfeed and asked for a pump to use so my son wouldn't starve overnight. Nothing came out with the pump and I waited all night for someone to show me how to express with my hands so I could feed my son.
The next day, I went down to see my boy down in SCBU but he was asleep so I didn't get chance to feed him. I was worried he was hungry as I had specifically asked for them not to give him a bottle. The nurse in charge then came bragging that he had had a full bottle - I was gutted! And when he came back to be with me he wouldn't latch on. I sat and cried. I felt like everyone was against my decisions to feed my son how I wanted to. It wasnt until my mum came up and showed me different positions so he could latch on that he finally did (I was so grateful).
Everything was great until Little Man was around five weeks old. I was moody, upset, didn't want to cuddle the baby as he always wanted feeding! I had hot red patches on my boobs and they murdered!!!!
I got dragged down to the doctors where I was diagnosed with mastitis! The relief the antibiotics mixed with cabbage leaves and hot flannels brought was immense! Within a week I had got through it and was making up for being a moody cow with extra cuddles with my little man.
Apart from the mastitis, I didn't have any other problems with breastfeeding - other than the inlaws being dead against it. It was obvious from before Taylor was born that they wouldn't support me. It got so bad that i was called allsorts of vile and vicious names - which almost made me stop. And i'm so glad i didn't give up. Watching my Little baby thrive and grow on just what i was feeding him from my body was enough alone to outweigh all the negativity I was receiving.
I started uni when Taylor was exactly a year old. He self weaned at 13.5 months due to me not being there as much for him to feed, his milk was replaced with cows milk and it gradually came so he didn't ask for "booby" again. It was a sad time really. I felt my baby was all grown up. I was and still am so proud of myself for feeding for over a year. I urge anyone whose wanting to try it to give it a go. You will surprise yourself! It's one of the best things a mum can do for her child - I know I can do it, and will definately feed my future children myself.
Sunday 30 October 2011
The day my life changed forever...
On the 25th March 2010, I was admitted to the maternity ward to be induced. It was successful at first but once I reached 3cm the dilation stopped!
I was put on the drip and my contractions came on with a vengeance! There wasn't a break between them and this carried on until I was taken for a section the following afternoon. After 17.5 hours in labour my baby was showing signs of distress
The epidural went in fine but I had four contractions whilst it was being put in. I didn't feel the doctor cut into me, but when he put his hands in to pick up the baby I screamed and kicked! I was in agony! I was told it was just the pressure that I was feeling - but trust me, this was not "just pressure".
My blood pressure dropped and I was given oxygen for the rest of the procedure. at 14.49 my baby boy was delivered. I didn't get to see him as he was taken straight to the recovery room after having the cord wrapped round his neck twice, he needed to be checked over. When they brought him back in I could have cried (Andy did!).
He was adorable! He had a squished button nose and big dark eyes and loads of hair. I cuddled him on my chest and could do nothing for staring at him. I was in love!
I was put on the drip and my contractions came on with a vengeance! There wasn't a break between them and this carried on until I was taken for a section the following afternoon. After 17.5 hours in labour my baby was showing signs of distress
The epidural went in fine but I had four contractions whilst it was being put in. I didn't feel the doctor cut into me, but when he put his hands in to pick up the baby I screamed and kicked! I was in agony! I was told it was just the pressure that I was feeling - but trust me, this was not "just pressure".
My blood pressure dropped and I was given oxygen for the rest of the procedure. at 14.49 my baby boy was delivered. I didn't get to see him as he was taken straight to the recovery room after having the cord wrapped round his neck twice, he needed to be checked over. When they brought him back in I could have cried (Andy did!).
He was adorable! He had a squished button nose and big dark eyes and loads of hair. I cuddled him on my chest and could do nothing for staring at him. I was in love!
Oh look! You've eaten the baby!!
^
This was from the first time I saw my jelly bean. I named him bubs!
^
This is bubs looking more human like (with a touch of alien)
^^
These are some of the few pictures I have of my bump
(I miss it now)
Thursday 27 October 2011
Pregnancy... and what they dont tell you...
Pregnancy - nine months of blissful glowing radiance-ness, with one or two symptoms for a couple of weeks and strange cravings... As - If!!!
From being about a week pregnant I had the most terrible heartburn! It was a BITCH! It made me sick all the time. At first only certain things set it of... the smell of coffee, the smell of tea, the smell of food - I could cope with that (since all I wanted was chicken) - and then WHAM! at about six weeks it just never went.
Along with the heartburn I had all-day-every-day morning sickness. It was worse if I woke up early and didnt have any breakfast until later (usually when I was at Andy's, as he was a rather selfish so and so when it came to his breakfast, and would eat it all himself humfff!). Anyway, NOTHING at all in the world would get rid of the constant sicky feeling. I was promised by numerous health professionals that it would pass by around twelve weeks. What a bleeding lie! - It was 26 weeks and 4 days that it passed (just to be precise)...
I had a few scares when I was pregnant - I was constantly in and out of hospital for bleeding. Bleeding just happens sometimes in pregnancy, and although it is quite common and sometimes for no obvious reasons - its still so scary!!! I was 8-9 weeks when I saw my Little Man on screen for the first time. He was just a blob with little bobbly bits for arms and legs and a head. It was the cutest little "blob" i had ever seen - and I cried!! Mainly with relief that that particular bout of bleeding was nothing sinister, but also because it was MY baby, and I was seeing MY baby for the first ever time!!!
The twelve week scan went great! I did decide to transfer hospitals after that scan and booking in and this resulted in me ending up with a nutter of a midwife (she was a bloody fantastic nutter to be fair! I want to be just like her when I qualify). I thought everything was going swimmingly (minus the sickness/headaches/heartburn) until I hit 18 weeks! I woke up in the most agonising pain! I was bleeding and rushed up to the hospital. Inconsolable and fearing the worst, I was strapped up to a bed (not literally, I mean around my belly) and had various people prodding and poking at me, taking blood for tests for this, that and the other... it turned out I had quite a bad kidney infection - and I could barely walk!!!!
My walking didnt ever return to its full standard during the pregnancy. Once I'd got over the kidney infection my body decided to play new tricks on me and present me with SPD (symphisis pubis dysfunction) - it was a NIGHTMARE!!
At my 20 week scan I decided against finding out the sex of the baby. The sonographer was quite abrupt with me and made me feel as though I was an inconvenience by just being there. She didnt speak to me throughout the scan and when I asked for two pictures she wasnt impressed with me. I later read my scan notes and she had put down that there had been no fetal heartbeat (which i had seen that there was) and she had also written that there were some abnormal cranial structures! Well that was me in a state until I went back. This time I had a lovely sonographer who explained to me that the baby had been in an awkward position so it's head could not be checked properly (hence why I was back) but was very apologetic over the mistake about the heart beat!! - not that it was her fault or anything, but it was good to know theyre not all bad. On the upside, everything was spot on with the baby and I was free to enjoy my pregnancy.
I had started to feel kicks a couple of weeks before I went to my 20 week scan. I LOVED it!!! I wasn't overly keen on feeling the baby flip over inside of me, but I didnt mind. It was about 22 weeks that I started feeling the baby have hiccups - and it only ever happened when I was in the bath... It was TOO CUTE!
Things seemed to be progressing nicely and I was problem free up until 28 weeks... I went to the midwife appointment where a student was running the session. She did the measuring and I was measuring a cm out, so I got packed off to hospital for another scan, this time to check the baby's growth. Everything was fine but they decided to bring me back at 32 weeks to check again. When I went back at the 32 weeks check, they took blood and said they would be in touch. At 36 weeks I went back to have another growth scan, when I got there the doctor took me into the office to explain I wasnt supposed to be there as nothing was wrong. I must have looked disappointed but when he noticed my uniform and that I was a part of that hospital he offered to give me a final scan at 39 weeks...
From 38 weeks i felt I was constantly wetting myself. I was adament my waters were breaking slowly but the midwife "assured" me that I was just "wetting myself". I wasnt convinced but went along with it, at the scan it went from calm to pandemonium! There was hardly any fluid around baby, baby was too small and my blood pressure was through the roof! so baby needed out!! and I was sent to be induced! but thats a whole other story all together...
I would just like to point out that along with all the lows of pregnancy, there were more highs! Every day was magical and It was great to have a little person inside of me - magic!! I could go on and on (but I'm rather tired and have to be up for uni in a couple of hours) so will leave the birth story for another time.
Night
J
xx
From being about a week pregnant I had the most terrible heartburn! It was a BITCH! It made me sick all the time. At first only certain things set it of... the smell of coffee, the smell of tea, the smell of food - I could cope with that (since all I wanted was chicken) - and then WHAM! at about six weeks it just never went.
Along with the heartburn I had all-day-every-day morning sickness. It was worse if I woke up early and didnt have any breakfast until later (usually when I was at Andy's, as he was a rather selfish so and so when it came to his breakfast, and would eat it all himself humfff!). Anyway, NOTHING at all in the world would get rid of the constant sicky feeling. I was promised by numerous health professionals that it would pass by around twelve weeks. What a bleeding lie! - It was 26 weeks and 4 days that it passed (just to be precise)...
I had a few scares when I was pregnant - I was constantly in and out of hospital for bleeding. Bleeding just happens sometimes in pregnancy, and although it is quite common and sometimes for no obvious reasons - its still so scary!!! I was 8-9 weeks when I saw my Little Man on screen for the first time. He was just a blob with little bobbly bits for arms and legs and a head. It was the cutest little "blob" i had ever seen - and I cried!! Mainly with relief that that particular bout of bleeding was nothing sinister, but also because it was MY baby, and I was seeing MY baby for the first ever time!!!
The twelve week scan went great! I did decide to transfer hospitals after that scan and booking in and this resulted in me ending up with a nutter of a midwife (she was a bloody fantastic nutter to be fair! I want to be just like her when I qualify). I thought everything was going swimmingly (minus the sickness/headaches/heartburn) until I hit 18 weeks! I woke up in the most agonising pain! I was bleeding and rushed up to the hospital. Inconsolable and fearing the worst, I was strapped up to a bed (not literally, I mean around my belly) and had various people prodding and poking at me, taking blood for tests for this, that and the other... it turned out I had quite a bad kidney infection - and I could barely walk!!!!
My walking didnt ever return to its full standard during the pregnancy. Once I'd got over the kidney infection my body decided to play new tricks on me and present me with SPD (symphisis pubis dysfunction) - it was a NIGHTMARE!!
At my 20 week scan I decided against finding out the sex of the baby. The sonographer was quite abrupt with me and made me feel as though I was an inconvenience by just being there. She didnt speak to me throughout the scan and when I asked for two pictures she wasnt impressed with me. I later read my scan notes and she had put down that there had been no fetal heartbeat (which i had seen that there was) and she had also written that there were some abnormal cranial structures! Well that was me in a state until I went back. This time I had a lovely sonographer who explained to me that the baby had been in an awkward position so it's head could not be checked properly (hence why I was back) but was very apologetic over the mistake about the heart beat!! - not that it was her fault or anything, but it was good to know theyre not all bad. On the upside, everything was spot on with the baby and I was free to enjoy my pregnancy.
I had started to feel kicks a couple of weeks before I went to my 20 week scan. I LOVED it!!! I wasn't overly keen on feeling the baby flip over inside of me, but I didnt mind. It was about 22 weeks that I started feeling the baby have hiccups - and it only ever happened when I was in the bath... It was TOO CUTE!
Things seemed to be progressing nicely and I was problem free up until 28 weeks... I went to the midwife appointment where a student was running the session. She did the measuring and I was measuring a cm out, so I got packed off to hospital for another scan, this time to check the baby's growth. Everything was fine but they decided to bring me back at 32 weeks to check again. When I went back at the 32 weeks check, they took blood and said they would be in touch. At 36 weeks I went back to have another growth scan, when I got there the doctor took me into the office to explain I wasnt supposed to be there as nothing was wrong. I must have looked disappointed but when he noticed my uniform and that I was a part of that hospital he offered to give me a final scan at 39 weeks...
From 38 weeks i felt I was constantly wetting myself. I was adament my waters were breaking slowly but the midwife "assured" me that I was just "wetting myself". I wasnt convinced but went along with it, at the scan it went from calm to pandemonium! There was hardly any fluid around baby, baby was too small and my blood pressure was through the roof! so baby needed out!! and I was sent to be induced! but thats a whole other story all together...
I would just like to point out that along with all the lows of pregnancy, there were more highs! Every day was magical and It was great to have a little person inside of me - magic!! I could go on and on (but I'm rather tired and have to be up for uni in a couple of hours) so will leave the birth story for another time.
Night
J
xx
"Andy, I think I'm pregnant!?"
"Andy... I think I'm pregnant!?"
After about a minute (by the look on his face he was displaying signs of shock) he replied "don't be daft, you can't be!"
I've kinda forgotten what was said after this... to be fair it was almost midnight and I had just woken him up! - whatever was said resulted in trudging along to a 24 hour Tesco (in the rain) to purchase a variety of pregnancy tests. I was excited but nervous at the same time... What the hell would I do if I was having a baby???!!! I mean, at the time I was 18 years old and in college! AND my mum would KILL me!!!
That night I got a bit pee-on-a-stick happy! after the third negative test I thought I could see the faintest little second line, and after waking Andy up for the second time that night (he wasnt impressed about me waking him), I shoved the stick under his nose (he couldnt see the line) and had him look at it from all angles in the light, was rather disappointed when he said there was nothing there!!! - note to self, never ask Andy to look at anything! As much as I love him his eyesight is rather, erm... poor!!
I woke up the next morning with all intentions of finding out (morning wee being the strongest and all that), only to find that BOTH of the remaining tests were faulty!
A few days later, I dragged my best friend with me to find out for sure...
"Yes it's positive. But only very faint." I felt sick! I have never felt so many emotions all in one go. I was happy, ecstatic even, that I had been blessed with something so precious, but even worse was the fact I really was going to have to tell my mum...
Don't get me wrong. I love my mum to bits and wouldn't swap her for the world... but if she knew I was having a baby - my life would be over!!!!!!!!! At the time I had the typical mother/teenage daughter relationship; everything was a battle and there were constant arguements.
I kind of let her guess I was pregnant. I had been having some serious heartburn for about three weeks and she sent me off to the doctors half joking "you best not be pregnant" I nervously laughed but went off to the doctors to get signed up with a community midwife. When I came home she asked what the doctors had said... and I didnt reply... and she guessed!!! She told me she was disappointed in me and the fact I was giving up on going to college/university/becoming a nurse/midwife/buying a house/car/holidays etc etc... (not that she had asked what I intended to do in relation to college/university/becoming a nurse/midwife/buying a house/car/holidays etc etc). I felt gutted that she was disappointed but decided to let her stew it over whilst she went back to work for the afternoon. Needless to say, that evening she didnt speak to me!
Can I just add... the day after, she came home from work buzzing about some toy she had seen that she was going to buy the baby, after this conversation, all talk was "baby". I had my mum on my side - and I am so grateful for all her help and support. I love my mum more than anything and anyone (except maybe my Little Man). She's my best friend and always will be (and the arguements have stopped!). I'm so proud of her and so proud to call her my mum. And so proud my little boy has my mum as his Grandma. I LOVE YOU MUM!!
Jen xx
After about a minute (by the look on his face he was displaying signs of shock) he replied "don't be daft, you can't be!"
I've kinda forgotten what was said after this... to be fair it was almost midnight and I had just woken him up! - whatever was said resulted in trudging along to a 24 hour Tesco (in the rain) to purchase a variety of pregnancy tests. I was excited but nervous at the same time... What the hell would I do if I was having a baby???!!! I mean, at the time I was 18 years old and in college! AND my mum would KILL me!!!
That night I got a bit pee-on-a-stick happy! after the third negative test I thought I could see the faintest little second line, and after waking Andy up for the second time that night (he wasnt impressed about me waking him), I shoved the stick under his nose (he couldnt see the line) and had him look at it from all angles in the light, was rather disappointed when he said there was nothing there!!! - note to self, never ask Andy to look at anything! As much as I love him his eyesight is rather, erm... poor!!
I woke up the next morning with all intentions of finding out (morning wee being the strongest and all that), only to find that BOTH of the remaining tests were faulty!
A few days later, I dragged my best friend with me to find out for sure...
"Yes it's positive. But only very faint." I felt sick! I have never felt so many emotions all in one go. I was happy, ecstatic even, that I had been blessed with something so precious, but even worse was the fact I really was going to have to tell my mum...
Don't get me wrong. I love my mum to bits and wouldn't swap her for the world... but if she knew I was having a baby - my life would be over!!!!!!!!! At the time I had the typical mother/teenage daughter relationship; everything was a battle and there were constant arguements.
I kind of let her guess I was pregnant. I had been having some serious heartburn for about three weeks and she sent me off to the doctors half joking "you best not be pregnant" I nervously laughed but went off to the doctors to get signed up with a community midwife. When I came home she asked what the doctors had said... and I didnt reply... and she guessed!!! She told me she was disappointed in me and the fact I was giving up on going to college/university/becoming a nurse/midwife/buying a house/car/holidays etc etc... (not that she had asked what I intended to do in relation to college/university/becoming a nurse/midwife/buying a house/car/holidays etc etc). I felt gutted that she was disappointed but decided to let her stew it over whilst she went back to work for the afternoon. Needless to say, that evening she didnt speak to me!
Can I just add... the day after, she came home from work buzzing about some toy she had seen that she was going to buy the baby, after this conversation, all talk was "baby". I had my mum on my side - and I am so grateful for all her help and support. I love my mum more than anything and anyone (except maybe my Little Man). She's my best friend and always will be (and the arguements have stopped!). I'm so proud of her and so proud to call her my mum. And so proud my little boy has my mum as his Grandma. I LOVE YOU MUM!!
Jen xx
So here goes...
So I'm lay there in bed thinking up ways of getting my memories down for my son to read when he's older (baby brain has destroyed me!!). I've already tried keeping a diary... that kinda went out of the window - Then I read a friends blog and loved it! So it popped in my head to blog things and here I am.
I'm Jennifer (Jen). 20 years young. I'm engaged to Andy and we are proud parents to the most beautiful albeit cheeky Little Man. and we've got the dog - Belle (Can't forget my other baby!!), the cutest little cocker spaniel.
I'm a student nurse, intending to go on and train to be a midwife at a later date. I hate leaving Little Man but I know it will all be worth it in the end - plus he loves it at his childminders so that's all good.
In my spare time I love to spend time with my family and friends. Oh, and shop (obviously! I'm a girl!!). The rest of my time is spent finding ways to avoid writing my assignments.. which is VERY naughty of me!!
So there goes...
Jen xx
I'm Jennifer (Jen). 20 years young. I'm engaged to Andy and we are proud parents to the most beautiful albeit cheeky Little Man. and we've got the dog - Belle (Can't forget my other baby!!), the cutest little cocker spaniel.
I'm a student nurse, intending to go on and train to be a midwife at a later date. I hate leaving Little Man but I know it will all be worth it in the end - plus he loves it at his childminders so that's all good.
In my spare time I love to spend time with my family and friends. Oh, and shop (obviously! I'm a girl!!). The rest of my time is spent finding ways to avoid writing my assignments.. which is VERY naughty of me!!
So there goes...
Jen xx
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