Forum home Pregnancy Pregnancy

Just one or two questions...various topics!

Ive saved up my questions so there are few...!!!

1) I have started my birth plan but also considered my 'after birth' plan and how I plan to control the number of visitors in the hospital. I have in my head who I want to visit and who I dont but how can I enforce this in my most likely hormonal and tired state? Can I ask the birth centre to ensure only my immediate family members (i.e our parents & siblings & grandparents but i dont feel its neccessary for my aunts, uncles & cousins to visit in hospital as that will double the number of visitors!!) are allowed to visit or is this something my hubby will have to manage?

2) How many items of clothing have people purchased? And in what sizes? I had a growth scan last week (at 27 weeks) and she is measuring bang on average for her gestation so they predict somewhere between a 7-8lb baby (which most of my family were). I have so far purchased a mixture of newborn and 0-3 months but how many of each item shall I get? I dont want to go to mad but at the same time dont want to end up washing every minute of every day!

3) At my 20 week scan I had a low placenta so im booked in next month at 32 weeks for another scan. Last week at my 4d Scan they checked it again for me and it was still low. It still has just over 3 weeks to move until my next scan but im worried it wont move and ill have to have a c section. Has anyone had a low placenta at 20 weeks, then again a few weeks later only to find it has moved by 32 weeks?

4) Im planning on breastfeeding intially but know that when the time comes I may not be able to so would like to have some formula in the house just incase. The only thing is ive no idea where to start! What makes, how much should I get etc etc. Most things im fairly clued up on but with formula im clueless - can someone help point me in the right direction!

I think thats it!!

Gemma 28+1 Weeks

Replies

  • Hi sorry dont have time to answer them all, will try and reply again later.

    visitors. i think siblings parents and grandparents are too many for hospital. most have strict visiting hours and no more that 2/3 at a time. also you might only be in for a short while so id say only parents and everyone else when you get home. the m/ws just tend to let ppl in at visiting time so it would be hard for them to control it. whilst your desperate to show bean off you will be knackered and getting to grips with everything and those first few days are so manic and precious

    formula is a minefield i b/fed but chose cow and gate as there ethical policy in devoloping countries is good.

    I know a few girls where placenta low at 20 weeks and its moved up by delivery time so good luck

    xxDBxx 7+4 with no4
  • Ill try but others may answer better!!!

    1) im not sure the hospital will vet your visitors. However, you dont spend very long in hospital if everything goes well so it might be worth mentioning this to them and saying that it might be easier for them to visit you at home. How is your mum at speaking to people? Im having ID twins so there is a good chance ill be in the hospital for a while. Im going to rely on my mum and dad (split family) to tell my aunts and uncles as I also dont want them at hospital if I can help it (and I know some of them will be there asap...I think not!).

    2) I plan on buying the 'boring' stuff, such as vests and sleepsuits in different sizes (my babies are likely to be small) but im not planning on buying lots of clothes as I know that this is what people tend to buy as presents. As long as I have enough for the first week or so, I plan on sending hubby out to buy anything we need that we dont get as presents. I wouldnt worry about trying to get too many clothes.

    3 and 4 I cant really help with as I have to have a c section anyway due to the nature of my twins and these are my first so breast feeding and formula feeding will be new to me too!!!

    Hope that helps a little, although this took ages so you may have other replies now!!!

    Gemma 13 + 6 with ID twins
  • My mum will actually be half of my problem! We dont really get on and she went mad when I didnt invite her new boyfriend to my wedding last year so I know she will insist he comes to the hospital too and she also wont agree on my auntie & uncle (her sister & brother) and their children not coming and leaving me alone to rest. My hubby's family consists of just his mum, his brother & his nan so they will all come which im fine with (and his aunts etc wouldnt even consider coming to the hospital) and I have both my parents plus a step mum, 3 grandparents and 2 sisters and thats where I want it to stop (11 visitors) but I know the family members who can control the rest wont agree with me and so therefore wont help!

    As far as clothes have gone I too have only bought boring clothes (with a couple of nice outfits ive just 'had' to buy) but how many of each do babies really go through each week? I would rather not have to send the hubby out because he doesnt know the difference between a vest & a sleepsuit and if im struggling with sizes he most certainly would! Im also enjoying shopping for her now and cant wait until she is born!! image

    [Modified by: winnie1981 on April 30, 2009 05:18 PM]

  • Honey
    It's all new to me so i'm not great at answering your questions but what I have found useful is Mothercare's buying guides. They answer everything on clothes to how to make up milk. I have attahced a link then down the left it says buying guides for each thing, click on clothing for clothes stuff and feeding for the bottle.
    Good luck
    http://www.mothercare.com/b/169892031?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=1V6SHBJHMKCX08J86854&pf_rd_p=222674291&pf_rd_i=170234031&pf_rd_s=left-nav-3&pf_rd_m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&pf_rd_t=101
    xxx
    Emma
    6+4
  • Hi! wow I'll have a go at answering them!

    1. When I had my son 7 years ago, my mum and dad had seperated, my brother went all 'weird and possesive of me' inviting himself to my birth. yuk! dont think so! we had also fallen out with my ex's mum (his Father was deceased), my ex also didn't see much of his sister nor did they get on! So basically my son was born at 8am and I hated Hospital so went home about 3-4 hours later!!! So no visitors at all! mainly because it was all so awkward what with family feuds etc. We only told my Mum that I'd had the baby later that Evening, it was a really tough time for me as I was piggy in the middle of my parents fighting.

    I will warn you though and feel its only fair to say this. I spent so much time worrying about too many people from the family visiting, to be honest in my personal situation ANYONE visiting! lol that I didn't even think about OTHER peoples visitors.

    After I had had my son, was stitched up, had a bath, baby cleaned and checked etc, I was put on a big bed and wheeled whilst holding my baby into a ward with four other women - they all had two visitors each (one had two little kids there as well). You know that scenario you get when you walk in a pub 'music stops and everybody stares at you'? well thats what its like! so there I was in complete shock, knackered, feeling terrible, completely socially shy and terrified. Hence why i couldn't flipping wait to get home. I dont deal with hospitals well at all. The sharing a room with complete strangers and their visitors nattering and gawping at you, the noises their machines make etc - how are you suppose to relax????!

    I too am dreading the onslaught of annoying in-laws, my dh's siblings, and even his estranged son! the grandparents, the neighbours etc etc. My DH's family are over bearing interferring and to be honest i wish we could emigrate lol! so does DH!!! Although the good news is that this time my parents are back together and my relationship with my mum is fantastic - so I have already told her that she will be my 'doorman/bouncer' and get rid of them when I've had enough and they've out stayed their welcome.

    Midwives do not vet your visitors, they don't have the time, you will have to entrust a family member to get the point across for you. Also you have to lay down the ground rules yourself and your DH has to back you up completely, or if they see a weakness in your other half they'll put pressure on him behind your back! I have even told my DH that after birth if I dont want any visitors until I want them, thats up to me, not him. and when I do allow any (but I'm not personally up to it), then he can take the baby out to meet them in the communal lounge or something! so I can rest and avoid them all asking personal questions abut my private parts and how the labour went and felt. They are't there for me anyway, any other time couldn't care less tbh. Its funny what babies do to people, they wouldn't care if you lying there naked with all your bits out, unconscious and covered in stitches - so long as they get to SEE THE BABY!. I mean you dont get all the family chomping at the bit to see you when you have the flu? or when you go into hopital to have a normal operation, or something serious like a hysterectomy do they? NO! but put a new baby in the mix and they think they OWN YOU! not in my house they dont!!

    SORRY RANT OVER!!

    2. clothes wise, last time I just bought 10 of everything lol! in newborn size, dont know why! sleepsuits, bodysuits and vests, a couple of hats, and four pairs of mittens (as they get grubby especially as they are white) although my son was born in May 2002 and it was really hot so he only wore bodysuits during the day and most nights. This time I may have more as this ones due in November so probably twice as many sleepsuits. Maybe a few gorgeous outfits. I'd prefer to ask people for vouchers so I can choose the clothes myself. Last time I was bought some AWFUL outfits, even my baby cried his heart out when wearing them!

    3. I never had this, but I had read up that it CAN move again so you may be able to birth naturally.

    4. I didn't breasteed, I used SMA formula from birth right through and I will be using it again this time, I never changed brand. My son was always healthy, never ill (still isn't!) very fit, always a healthy weight, and he LOVED the stuff lol!

    When you give birth, the midwives will ask you what you want to do, If you dont want to or cant breastfeed for what ever reason, they have loads of formula there anyway, so will do it all for you, and when you leave will tell you what they used and how much (if they forget to say then just ask)

    Phew hope that may be of any help?? sorry if I have rambled, I dont have many people to speak to all day, in fact most days nobody, so when I get on one I can go on forever I'm really sorry!

    Emma xxxx
    http://bd.lilypie.com/zjhYp1/.png

Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions