# 30 Something and Expecting



## DHime

I wanted to open this thread for the 30 something expecting Moms.
It can be very hard to find a place after getting your BFP. 
I hope this thread will give us all a home.
:hugs:


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## Marie000

Hi!

I'm 33 years old and pregnant with my first. I will be 34 by the time baby is born. 
I'm feeling a bit old sometimes, but I'm really happy to finally become a mommy. I've wanted that for a long time but was never in a good position to do so.


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## NellieRae

:thumbup: I found you! Good idea. 

(The link you sent didn't bring me here, though, I had to dig.)


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## bunda

Found it!

Hi Marie

Don't feel old. We're part of a growing demographic. Where I live it's actually quite common to be beyond thirty and expecting. It's a relatively affluent part of the UK and people have put careers before kids and are now catching up with starting families. 

I'm 35 and am expecting my first. I don't feel old though. I've just been 'gaining experience in other industries'. Being a mother is hard no matter what your age, but at least being past thirty I'm not experiencing the drama the teens are having to go through (especially the drama around the immature child-that-thinks-he's-a-man that got them pregnant) and life generally is more settled and secure. I feel very ready now.


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## DHime

Hi Marie!
Welcome ladies!

Don't feel weird about your age at all. I am totally unprepared and I did it on purpose. lol
I am scared but I can approach it with less fear since I am older.

Bunda & Nellie - Can you believe you are already at orange? Are you showing yet?
This prego thing goes by so fast...


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## DHime

30 is only 20 + 10 anyway. Who's counting?
Besides, 30 is not as old as it used to be.... (If I say it enough it will feel true)
Many of us in our 30's are healthier than our younger counterparts.

Oh yeah - still sick. Can't breathe thru my nose. wahhhh I want nyquil!
My boss said to drink some whiskey and some asprin. I just laughed. I really wanted to kill him tho


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## NellieRae

lol, I hope you feel better DHime. :hugs: I was at a wedding this weekend with half of DH's family recovering from or fighting through the flu. The thought of getting sick terrified me (how do you survive without NyQuil?!) So I waved from afar or walked around with food, preventing hugging. 

And yes, it really is starting to go by fast! I do have a small bump now, so that if I'm not wearing loose clothes, its pretty obvious. Are you starting to pop out yet?


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## Lisa40

Hi girls :hi: I found you :yipee:

it's funny that you think it's going so fast, it seems to be dragging for me lol, maybe after I've had a midwife appt and a scan things will pick up a bit :shrug: I dint want to wish it away or anything but I just want to know that everything is progressing as it should & all I know at the moment is that I feel :sick: lol!

Ah well glad to have found you here, will be nice to have a place to chat :thumbup:
xx


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## DHime

Still stuffy today. I have been plain miserable without cold meds. wahhh.
The only advice I can offer is avoid sick people. Don't worry about apearing rude. just run!
Yep. I am totally showing even after only gaining 3.5 lbs. I am trying to hide it but it is getting obvious. Gonna take a pic soon so put on here as my new avatar.
I still want maternity pants but can't find any that I like yet. It's all dresses for now.
No constipation here, IN FACT, I have the opposite problem. Oh and the cramping from it is way worse that pre prego tummy issues. Maybe cause organs have moved... At least this means I shouldn't have hemeriod problems. lol

Lisa - :hugs: Glad you found us! Is it morning sickness? If so, hang in there a bit longer. In whole foods stores, they have MS lolly pops that help alot. I found that ice pops helped me allot.


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## Lisa40

It's more evening sickness Dhime lol, but it's copeable... just!

I had an appt today with the surgeon who did my surgery in January & I was soooo looking forward to telling him that he'd worked a miracle & we were pg... but, before I had chance he basically said that when he was operating to remove the cyst he had found that I had severe endometriosis, so bad that it had stuck my ovaries to my pelvic wall :shock: & that although they had initially thought it was my OH :spermy: issues causing our problem, that he thought even without that I would have real trouble conceiving naturally...

At that point I said... but I'm 8 weeks today :yipee: but he just looked shocked & kept saying "but I don't think that's possible" I had to get my scan out to show him.

He was really pleased for us in the end but had to get another consultant in to check that they had the right patient as he said it was less than a 0.5% chance that this could happen given both of our problems!!

However, after leaving the office and going back to work, I told my workmates what had happened & they asked if it would cause any problems with the pregnancy, I hadn't even asked that & now I'm googling & it seems to just be a minefield of different information :wacko:

Basically it looks at though there is an increased chance of miscarriage, high blood pressure, pre eclampsia and pre term birth! It's just very weird as I have had very light, very regular periods and no period pain ever, whereas a friend of mine in work has endo & has really bad problems every month!

Ah well nothing I can do about it now, what will be will be, I just pray my little flump hangs on.

Wish me luck girls :thumbup:


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## DHime

LISA - Endometiriosis is touchy and depends on the individual. My mom had it and out of 6 pregnancies, only had 1 mc. Hers was really bad too. I also have it and my AF was always very light and short as well.
The good thing is that pregnancy and childbirth often help the problem by expelling everything. You may one day have to get laser surgery to remove buildup on the organs but that would be much later. 65% of women with it don't have any problem after childbirth. Don't let it worry you. Just be as healthy as you can be and don't stress. (STRESS has a higher chance of causing these things) With Endo, it's harder to get PG to begin with. You have the same risk factors as anyone else with staying PG. 
Also, you will find things start speeding up in the nest 2 weeks or so when you suddenly realize that you moved up a fruit and didn't notice... lol Of course it is supposed to slow down again in the 3rd trimester.

NELLIE - Yesterday I felt as though someone had blown up a balloon in my tummy. I wonder if it stays this way... I started doing stretches for my back yesterday and cleaned out all my too small clothes. Not gonna depress myself by looking at what I can't wear. lol


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## Lisa40

Thanks Dhime - I think it was just the shock at first, I've calmed down a lot now lol

They removed all of the build up when I had my cyst removed in January so I'm all clear in there at the moment. Feeling much better about things today, feeling ill again haha, never thought I'd be so happy to feel :sick: :wacko:

Aww are these things that you wont wear again even after :baby: is here? maybe just binbag them & put them in the loft until next year?? 

xx


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## lilosmom

Hi ladies, just read through your posts and didn't want to read and run. I'm 31 and pregnant with #2 after a bit of a struggle to get there. My daughter is now 2 1/2 and we were hoping to have them closer in age but at least she'll have a sibling. I can relate to feeling "old". I struggle with the youthfulness of some moms out there so it's nice to see I'm not alone. Hope to get to know you all a little better throughout this experience.


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## NellieRae

:hi: lilosmom. How cute is the tiny foot in your avatar pic?

Dhime, I don't _think_ it stays that way. I interpreted it a various levels of bloat. Some days its worse than others. Or maybe I've just gotten used to a belly in a constant state of stretching? :shrug: Most of my pants have been collecting dust for a little bit, but sometimes I'm caught off guard by a fitted hoodie or jacket that I find too tight to wear now.


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## sunshine1217

Hi Dhime, I found you guys! Your msg had a link but it didn't take me anywhere. Anyways, glad I found it. 

:hi: ladies! Congrats. You guys are all further along than me. I have a scan tomorrow morning. My nausea isn't as bad this week, it was really bad end of last week then it seemed to have gotten better. I feel a little lost without it and hope its not a bad sign.

Lisa40, I think the surgeon is awful, it does him no good to keep saying its impossible when you've obviously proven him wrong. Even if there is a chance of mc, he's doing no good by harping on that. Don't let him stress you out, some doctors are idiots.


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## Lisa40

Thanks sunshine :hugs:

my nausea has died down too, only a little queasyness here & there now. Good luck at your scan, let us know how you get on :thumbup:

xx


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## DHime

Lilosmom - Welcome! 

Nellie - I know what you mean. My fat clothes don't fit anymore. My yoga pants are getting tight so I am glad I went out and got maternity pants. The only issue I have with them is that they fall down alot. lol For once my big butt is too small to hold up pants? lol

Sunshine - Glad you made it!!! Sorry, it was first time inviting anyone to a page. In my experience, most doctors are idiots. Every now and then you find a good one. It hasn't been long since I was in your shoes at 8 weeks. Time crawls by at that point. Don't worry about ms fading, it will go up and down till you hit that famed 12 week point. As your body gets used to the hormone levels, the nausea wanes. Hopefully you will stay used ot it since the hormones keep increasing till at least 10 weeks. FX for you that it doesn't come back.
Totally let us know about the scan!


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## DHime

Oh yeah! Posted my new scan this am. But it doesn't seem to be showing.


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## sunshine1217

Hi girls, I was scared shitless last night. I started bleeding around 8, bright red blood. Today 8 am was my scan so I opted to just go to bed when I saw the blood. I was still bleeding this morning This morning we rushed to the FS's office and of all the luck, he was in surgery so it was the nurse scanning me. I think I was so freaked out even when she told me "oh there's the heartbeat", I was like, "where where?" Thankfully, it was okay, HB was 136 bpm and measured 7w2d. We even saw where the bleeding originated from, right next to the placenta. I was so relieved I started crying. 

They are going to order some labs for me and are putting me on a new prenatal. Other than that, bed rest for the next week....that means lots of bnb.


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## NellieRae

sunshine, how terrifying, but I'm so glad your little bean is doing ok! Hopefully this will pass for you soon. :hugs:

Dhime, your LO is growing fast! I can't wait for my first (and only) scan next month. I want to see & find out what colors I should be buying. 

My stomach has become a black hole recently & I can't stop eating (though still not huge portions at one sitting) for the first time in this pregnancy. The grocery budget is about to get out of control.


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## sunshine1217

NellieRae, did you have food aversions in your 1st Tri? Did you put on weight? I craved spicy and salty foods at first, then nothing, now am going through not wanting to eat phase. Do the cravings come back? What are you craving these days?


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## NellieRae

I had lots of food aversions and terrible all day sickness in my first trimester. Honestly, I still have a few random aversions now (red pasta sauce, sauteed onions?) that I didn't have in the beginning. Some I still have (chicken breast - though wings I love!) It was all very random seeming to me, though. :haha: Not wanting to eat is normal, though I did lose a few pounds thanks to the vomiting and lack of appetite. Even now when I'm always hungry, I feel like I have to be careful. The puke engine is still warm & primed and it only takes a small nudge to get it into gear, even if I don't feel sick. 

As for cravings - they change all the time - I've had nothing consistent (except for maybe hot peppers......mmmmm :wacko:)


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## DHime

I am still getting cravings. Today I got a hankering for Mcdonalds cheeseburger and fries. I gave in. Bad I know but 1 time won't hurt and I am eating very healthy otherwise.

Going thru a phase of not hungry at all is normal too.

I keep getting monster acid reflux every time I eat anything made from tomato. Starts to get really painful after a while


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## bunda

I've not had strong cravings although I did go through a phase of really liking the idea of any food that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. This seemed to include pastries (like fresh croissants) but also fish fingers and fried chicken.

Since I won't set foot in KFC we made our own fried chicken at home. It's something we just never cook and it was perfection. Weirdly, I haven't craved it since.

I don't seem to have much of an appetite lately. I eat lunch because I should not because I really want it. In a way that makes choosing what to eat a little easier. I go by how healthy it is, rather than having hunger make bad decisions for me. 

Even at dinner I'm eating smaller portions than I used to, but I'm gaining weight so it's obviously not a problem. I'm half a kilo (1lb) shy of my starting weight and have been gaining about 1lb a week since my all-day sickness eased, so things are looking good.

Earlier this week I began feeling the kicks and flutters. It's so weird but I love it. It's just tiny pops and taps. Sometimes even straight downwards, so not just outwards, like I thought it would be. And occasionally it's like a swish as I assume LO is doing a big cross-uterine manoeuvre. I notice it mostly first thing in the morning but also during the afternoon at my desk (like I can concentrate on my work when I have an inner world taking up all my attention!).

Is anyone else feeling these early movements? I wasn't expecting to feel anything this early.


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## bunda

DHime said:


> I am still getting cravings. Today I got a hankering for Mcdonalds cheeseburger and fries. I gave in. Bad I know but 1 time won't hurt and I am eating very healthy otherwise.
> 
> Going thru a phase of not hungry at all is normal too.
> 
> I keep getting monster acid reflux every time I eat anything made from tomato. Starts to get really painful after a while

Just like one salad won't make you a healthy eater, one cheeseburger and fries will do you no harm at all. 

It sounds like you're suffering heartburn. A lot of women get that during pregnancy. My mum had it throughout hers, so I think you'd better stock up on the antacids.


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## lilosmom

Sunshine, sounds like you had quite a scare. I'm so glad you already had a scan booked and could see that baby was okay right away. I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well.

AFM, I'm craving mexican food - tacos, natchos anything with salsa and guacamole. I really can't get enough. Thankfully it's all things I can make at home and do them in a relatively healthy way. Well, other than the cheese portion :blush:. I'm exactly on track for weight gain as I was with my first pregnancy and haven't suffered from MS at all. The only thing I occasionally feel is a bout of a hangover feeling but it's gone almost as soon as it comes. 

I'm trying not to wish away the time getting to the next stage of pregnancy (like when I start to show, when I'll feel the baby, when we'll hear the heartbeat), because I know this will be our last baby so I'm trying to enjoy each and every day. It's a bit easier living through all you ladies who are so much farther ahead. Thanks for sharing all the details with me. I love to hear about it all.


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## sunshine1217

*NellieRae*, I have nausea but only vomited once. I actually felt better after I did though. The all day nausea is awful and it's not even anything in particular that causes it. Do you get motion sickness? I've heard that people who do are more prone to MS.

*DHime*, I agree with *Bunda*, apply the 80/20 rule or even 90/10 if you will and you're fine with a cheeseburger. Now THAT's something I don't crave. 

*Lilosmom*, Yes, it was very scary because you always hear about brown blood being okay and since mine was bright red, I totally freaked out. I wonder if it's going to come back in a week...really hope not!:shrug: How many babies do you have? I love your attitude of enjoying the pregnancy, I just feel like every time I do, I get really stressed about something. Maybe it's because this is my first.

*AFM,* still on my 1 week bed rest. Have to go get labs done today, nurse told me to Eat and Drink a lot because there will be a lot of bloods drawn for this. I'm still not quite sure what they're testing for but I will ask the lab technician when I get there. I'm also starting an extra set of supplements today.


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## NellieRae

Sunshine, before pregnancy, I hardly ever got motion sickness - car, plane, boat didn't matter. None of it bothered me. Now, after a quick trip to the east coast for a wedding, I find I'm very susceptible to motion sickness these days. :shrug: 

Bunda, I envy you those flutters! That's so wonderful! I'm still waiting. There have been nights I thought I felt something, with my hand resting on my belly ( a gentle pop or tap) that _might_ have been the baby, but I'm not sure it wasn't gas, so I'm still waiting.


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## DHime

I don't know if you would feel it on the outside yet. But some women can feel it a bit earlier than others. It also depends on your sensitivity level. You will anytime Nellie.

Sunshine - I like the 80/20 rule. Good luck on the tests. Let us know what they test for, okay?

LilosMom - I am happy to keep it up. Enjoy every good part of this. I am enjoying it more these days but I am also trying to take each day for the wonders it has.

AFM - Next appt they do the blood tests for developmental problems, etc... Not looking forward to it.


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## sunshine1217

So I went in for my blood tests today. Weird how they would not tell you what you're testing for. I heard some other girl ask and the test center woman said she had to ask her doctor. I didn't even bother to ask but instead emailed my nurse. 

She told me I was tested MTHFR today and some other blood clotting disorders. Apparently it can cause miscarriages, MTHFR that is (sounds like a bad word I know :haha)

I was put on a high dose of folic acid for treatment as if I had MTHFR until my blood results come back. It takes like a week for that so we shall see. Good news is after some googling, it sounds like even if I do have MTHFR, I just need to treat it properly and the pregnancy will still be okay. I feel like I've earned another degree after TTC'ing.

Happy Friday ladies!


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## bunda

MTHFR :rofl: 

The first blood draw they did with me (in the UK) is to test for
your blood group, rhesus negative or not, iron levels, syphilis, HIV, immunity to Rubella, basically anything that might become a complication later down the line.

Urine test are to measure sugars and proteins in the urine and to test for a UTI so it can be treated.

It's all pretty routine stuff and will go in your notes. 

For you ladies carrying blueberries and olives, I bet the time is draaaaaggin by. It did for me but suddenly (I think it was around the 10 week mark) things have really speeded up and it's flying by. That's a shame because like lilosmom, I want to enjoy every moment of this and not wish the time away.

The flutters I feel can't be felt on the outside. It's just like a small spasm here and there. It's not like having gas (or if baby's movements ARE like gas, then those I'm just assuming are gas) it's more like someone jabbing you with a pencil, very suddenly and sometimes quite rapidly (but not painfully - at least not yet). 

The biggest change is that I really feel baby is here with me now, safe and sound and in my care. Pregnancy has become a lot less abstract now that I have direct contact with that little being. I've become very protective and caring of the individual rather than just indefinably excited about the prospect of motherhood. And I've begun talking to baby, too. Baby has become a 'you' and not just an abstract 'it'. "Good morning Pudd'n. Awake already? Let's go get some breakfast."

I tell OH whenever I feel the kicks and it's made him more connected to our pudd'n. I can't wait for him to feel the kicks on the outside. It's a real watershed moment.

I think how early you feel also has a lot to do with where the placenta is. If it happens to be at the front then you'll not feel as early, as it's in the way. Judging by the locations of the kicks, I'm guessing my placenta is either at the top or top back of the uterus. I feel kicks to the front both left and right sides, straight downwards and sometimes towards my butt but never upwards. 

I wish that pregnancy glow and super luscious hair would show up. My skin is blotchy with past breakouts and my hair has become dry and brittle. Bad hair days are the norm now and so I just always plait it into submission at work trying to ignore the frizzies creating a halo effect around the rest of my head. 
*sigh* I want my glow. I want people to tell me how I'm blooming and looking wonderful. Instead they look at my skin and think: hormones! and my hair and think: hairdresser! but I know nothing will help. 

But overall I'm loving the second trimester.


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## DHime

Wow bunda. That's a great way to discribe how the flutters feel.
I seem to have the glow but I have also been getting lots of zits.
Since I spent last week sick, I now have cold sores all over my entire mouth making me run another fever. I am so ready to be well again. If any of you don't get fever blisters, you are so very lucky. I was cursed with them from childhood. Normally I only get 1 or 2 but this time (thanks to hormones and a lowered immune system) I have 6. :-( 
I have been sleeping all day so sorry for the radio silence
How are you ladies doing today??


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## bunda

6?!?! OH my you poor thing! That must be the diminished immune system but man, I hate those. They make you self conscious and they can be really tender. I usually get two at a time and they make me feel run down (or being run down gives me them, on or the other). Aciclovir creams don't seem to work for me, though if you can find them, there ar these transparent stick on pads. They seems to make them heal quite quickly because it prevents them drying out and cracking open again. I don't know if you can get them in the USA but a brand called Compeed make them. They work better than the creams, I've found.

Careful if you have active cold sores after baby is born, too. You can pass them to a baby easily and they can get them inside their mouths, even. Plus their little bodies don't cope well with the virus and can make them very unwell.

We spent the weekend with friends of our who now have four children. The wife was super excited for us and overjoyed but the husband kept going on about what a shock it was going to be, how we were going to suffer and boy, we had no idea.... etc etc. It got very boring to hear. I already KNOW all this! I kept thinking. I'm not expecting to take home an apple cheeked cherub, something straight from the baby oil ads. It's hard, it's excausting, and relentless and the baby's expectations of you are completely unrealistically hard, I GET IT. But I can't bank sleep, I can't borrow someone else's newborn to get a taste and most importantly, I can't avoid the hard work that's to come. I'm just going to have to deal with it when it happens. I'm going to have develop coping strategies as I go and I'm going to just get on with it as best I can. 

The wife was far more practical in her advice. She said things like: "it's going to be really intense. You won't believe how tired you can get. No matter what, it's going to be a shock, but you don't begrudge the baby anything. It's hard but you'll do it anyway. You just manage. And you'll look at other people's babies and marvel at how they can love their ugly little thing, and then gaze with love and relief at your little beauty. Only years later, looking at the baby photos of their first-born do they realise: oh yeah, she WAS an ugly baby. Couldn't see it at the time!



At last! A bit more positivity! Just as well it was her who went through pregnancy and labour and not him, or we'd still never hear the end of it.


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## NellieRae

Bunda, wow, so the advice and horror stories begin, don't they? I got a fair dose from my MIL last weekend. :dohh: My guess is that the husband didn't have a clue what was going to hit them (like a lot of men) when they started a family or what it would take, so the hard parts are what stand out most to him. People seem so eager to share their own stories & emotions about parenthood that they lose sight of the fact that they're talking to a pregnant woman and perhaps should edit a little more. :coffee: 

Dhime, I'm so, so sorry to hear about your cold sores. Feeling horrible and not wanting to eat, probably, at the moment sounds dreadful. I've never gotten cold sores, but my mom did and I have always had a tendency to get canker sores inside my mouth. They would get get so big sometimes I didn't want to talk, eat, or do anything. In college, though, I discovered L-Lysine. Have you ever tried this? As soon as I feel one starting, I take 2 a day and they don't get as big, hurt anywhere near as bad, and go away faster if I keep it up til its almost healed. I actually never travel without my Lysine anymore. Anyway, it also had a similar effect for my mom with her cold sores. Maybe it would help? :hugs:


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## DHime

OMG BUNDA! 
I feel your pain. People are happy for you but they keep coming from every direction to tell you how hard it will be. How tired you will be. It makes you want to shake them and say, I really need encouragement, not a doomsday prediction!
I am glad the wife had more encouragement for you. I am sure that's why women go through this instead of the men. They really couldn't handle it. No offense to any of the guys..

Oh and the creams don't work on me either. Normally one or 2 will make me feel run down but this many is making me downright sick all over again. The only thing that worked on the was taken off the market. Don't know why but if I had known in advance, I would taken out a loan to stock up in advance. lol


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## DHime

Nellie - 
Hmm I may try that. gotta check on adverse side effects to baby but I am up for anything at this point.


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## Lisa40

Hey guys :hi:

I've already had terrible birth stories & I'm like really?? You're telling me this now because?? Do you want me to stress for the next 7 months... Really? Thanks! :brat:
I know it's not going to be like a nice relaxing spa day but the individual horror stories I can do with out... And they aren't even mums themselves, they're just telling me second hand stories (I'm sure they're making some up) :shock:
I'll get the last laugh when I make them pay for an elective c section :rofl:

xx


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## sunshine1217

Hi ladies, happy monday! 

DHime, sorry for all your skin mishaps! What are you using to wash your face with these days? I hear we can't use anything for acne. My skin is under control in terms of breakouts but where the heck is my pregnancy glow??
NellieRae is so right, I use to always pop L-lysine when I'm breaking out. It takes a few days to kick it but is awesome.

Bunda, I love your words of wisdom. Sounds like you're enjoying your pregnancy, I can't wait to get there.

Lisa, have you had a c section before? I think I'd like that but don't know if I can bare the thought of being awake while my guts are exposed. Not sure if my DH can stand to be looking into my stomach, either. :haha:

AFM, Just want to share a how my MIL is the sweetest lady. We were suppose to go to her house for DH's bday this weekend but because I'm on bedrest she proposed to make the food and bring it up. Then she came down with a little cold (which is not a big deal normally) and said she didn't want to spread her germs to me so she opted to make the food and have my FIL bring it up. It was so much food we can probably eat it for a week. She spent all day cooking and didn't even come eat with us. It made me feel so bad. My bleeding has pretty much stopped completely but I do wonder when and if it will come back because I haven't bled much since my scan on Thursday and the scan definitely showed blood patches. I wonder if that blood gets reabsorbed or waht. I guess only my scan on Wednesday will tell.


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## DHime

Sunshine - Hang in there! Bleeding is pretty common but it's good that you are on bed rest. Glad to hear it stopped. Let us know how everything turns out on Wednesday.

Lisa - LOL Problem with that is the csection recovery is so painful and for weeks. I get it though. It's like they are purposely trying to scare you. Really, they need to just go away until they have something encouraging to say. My MIL says that her migraines are worse than childbirth. (not sure if that really painfull headaches or just easy labor) lol

AFM - Still sick. Coughing alot now. Cold sores are begining to heal. Still feel extremely worn down. I have put a sign on my office door that says: "Quaranteen - Do not enter this office if your are sick or have a fever. " The sick people still come in though. argh!
Now the flu is spreading all over the building. 10% of the staff here is sick. I almost want to ask if I can go home early to get away from them. lol
Yesterday DH had to force me to eat a full meal as I didn't want to eat. Not hungry when sick. Felt better after a small salad and a slice of pizza.


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## lilosmom

Hi ladies, hope everyone had a relaxing weekend. Sorry to hear some of you aren't fairing very well. I hope things turn around for you ladies soon! Just a little bit of inspiration for you first time moms, labour with my daughter was 2 hours. My water broke at 5pm and active labour started at 10, baby arrived just after midnight. Super easy and no drugs. Everyone's different of course but there are some positive stories out there too so try not to worry too much. Once that baby is placed in your arm, no matter how it arrives, you forget about the pain, exhaustion and almost everything else in the room. It's amazing and I can't wait for you all to experience it. 

AFM, family finally found out this weekend. My daughter spilled the beans by saying out of no where "mommy's got a baby in her tummy." I was speachless and so they all know now. Everyone's very happy for us and although it was nice to have "our little secret" it's also nice to share the news. I've been lucky enough to have a lot of sleep this weekend with OH picking up much of the slack over the last two days. Hormones are setting in so I'm sure he's just letting me have some rest so he doesn't have to walk on eggshells around me but I'll take what I can get. :winkwink: Back to a hectic week for us tomorrow but it sure does seem like the days are flying by... almost 10 weeks!!! A quarter of the way through already, that's crazy. Okay, better get off this computer, my LO is needing some mom time. Keep trying to enjoy the journey ladies, it goes by faster than you'll realize.


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## DHime

Lilosmom - Thanks. Needed a good story for once. lol 
AFM - I am still sick. CAN YOU BELEIVE IT?! I haven't had something last this long since I had the flu as a kid. I was up at 6 am coughing.
Gonna go to the doctor today to be safe. The good news is that my cold sores are getting better. I am at the stage where they bleed so it looks to other people like my DH ahs been beating me. 1 person asked me what happened and I said I was part of a fight club. lol This was quickly followed by "should you be doing that in your condition?" 
Someone else did that when they saw me taking the stairs... "shouldn't you be taking the elevator?" I responded with a quick, "I am not disabled, just pg." 
I am having fun teasing them bout thier comments. You just gotta laugh it off.


----------



## NellieRae

DHime said:


> 1 person asked me what happened and I said I was part of a fight club. lol This was quickly followed by "should you be doing that in your condition?" You just gotta laugh it off.

Really people? :rofl: 

Dhime, I surehope you feel better soon. :hugs: 

Thanks, lilosmom, for an encouraging story.


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## sunshine1217

DHime, that's hilarious. Fight club :rofl: It's funny how people look at you like a senior citizen when you tell them you're pregnant.

Lilosmom, that's so precious...and what a perfect way to tell people. 

When did you ladies tell everyone?


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## NellieRae

I told people at 9.5 weeks - but only b/c DH wanted to tell his parents in person while he was home (on the other side of the country) visiting them them. Once they knew, I needed to tell my family just in case - MIL loves to talk! It was hearing the heartbeat first, though, that I really needed before I felt ok telling.


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## DHime

With my family I just said guess what?!
With work, I told my boss in a greeting card. He showed it to everyone.... Of course he is staying out of the office right now because he has the flu and since we share an office, I am good with that. Now I have people coming up to tell me they are angry that I didn't tell them first. (really) The last person to say it go a nasty comment right back. At least I can blame it on hormones. ;-) 

Starting to feel a little better. Took 1/2 day off today to get some rest. Spent the day watching bad daytime tv. I ended up watching sesame street. lol
I am starting to wonder if I caught 2 colds in a row. I am scared to go back to work with the flu everywhere.


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## sunshine1217

We told our parents right away and also my sister and his brother. My sister's been a bridezilla and I sort of needed her to chill out a little. I haven't figured out when I'm going to tell everyone else, probably not till I can't hide it anymore....who knows when that will be, I don't have a bump yet.

So ladies, I had my scan today and the subchorionic hematoma has almost halved in size. The dr said my body should reabsorb it eventually. Last week, when I went in for the bleeding, it was the size of my baby, at around 1.1 cm, this week, it's much smaller relative to the baby. The baby has grown to 1.85 cm and I'm measuring 8w2d so right on time. The HB was 168 which eases my mind a bit since it was only at 137 last time, though I was told that was normal, too. My blood results for MTHFR isn't back yet and I'm still hoping that's a negative. Now I won't have another scan for 2 weeks :coffee:

Did you guys all do the first trimester testing? The doctor told me to make an appointment for that now for 11 weeks. What do they do?


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## NellieRae

Phew, sunshine - so glad the news is good! :happydance:

They test for a whole bunch of stuff routinely from a simple blood draw. Your blood type, anemia, STD's incl. Hep B, Rubella immunity, some glucose level indicator in your blood, possibly. Genetic testing at this point is all optional. They want to make sure you don't have anything that will require a vaccine or find out if you'll special care early on to protect the baby. A quick pee & a poke and they'll get back to you. :thumbup:


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## sunshine1217

There's an ultrasound, too.

Weird, I've already done all the blood tests that you've listed, I thought this would be different.:shrug:


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## DHime

YAY for onion!

Sunshine - I am very happy everything is looking better. I am not sure what elese they are testing for... My next one is the big test for abnormalities. You are still early for that.
But I do know my doc did 2 rounds of blood tests during 1st tri also so don't worry. They are likely checking everything out to be sure you are hanging in there. Awesome heartbeat there too btw. (maybe a girl?)

AFM - Still sick but a little better after my doc said I could have tylonol cold. gladly took it and passed out for 4 hours yesterday. There has to be an end to this.... somewhere....


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## NellieRae

The onion makes me laugh for some reason. I have gone off eating them, too. :haha: Now an avocado sounds delicious. I think an egg, cheese, avocado & tomato quesadilla for lunch is called for. 

Dhime, do you have your anatomy scan scheduled yet? I think I may have to wait an extra week or even two because DH will be traveling when I hit 20 weeks and I'm not going to our only ultrasound without him. :nope: I hope you are done being sick soon, sweetie. Its hard enough being pregnant sometimes without added misery. Your poor immune system. At least your body's doing a great job of protecting that little avocado of yours. :hugs2:

Sunshine, I'm not sure what else they're testing for, but it may be some additional things after the hematoma, or repetitive tests? I've been seeing a midwife rather than an OB so I've just had the one draw.


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## sunshine1217

Its not hematoma related, its a standard 1st trimester screening and I go to a prenatalogist (sp?)for the tests.

Dhime, id love a girl but I always had a feeling it'd be a boy. My husbands side are notorious for having boys.


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## DHime

Well, I would like a girl but I usually get the opposite of what I want so most likely a boy here. lol
My anatomy scan is in 2 weeks I think. They will do all the blood work looking for downs and stuff too. I already decided though that if the protein for downs shows up, I don't want to be told. It would just drive me nuts for the next 6 months and I am not about to do amnio.


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## NellieRae

DH & I want a boy, so I'm sure I'm carrying your girl, Dhime. :winkwink:

I agree. I don't really want to know so far in advance if the baby has Downs. I'm not going to end the pregnancy or do amnio, either. But since I'm going to be at a birthing center rather than the hospital, I feel like I should really find out because it would be better for the baby to just go to the hospital to deliver if he/she has a condition. We'd have to transfer anyway and that just gets expensive fast. 

As I was falling asleep last night, I thought I felt a baby poke & flutter. I was too close to sleep to tell DH or analyze and now I honestly don't know if I really felt anything at all. :dohh:


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## bunda

DHime: it's not just Downs they test for. Down's is the least worst outcome for chromosomal testing. Edwards syndrome, for example and the other one (I can't remember) you are often looking at a still birth. 
LIke you I also decided that a diagnosis of Down Syndrome wouldn't prompt me to have a termination, but the other two chromosomal abnormalities, I'd probably consider it, because they do not have such a good outcome. 

Nellie: I'm pretty sure what you felt is the real deal. I've been feeling pudd'n for almost two weeks and I still doubt that it was anything and then "!" there it goes again! It's a shame you can't 'make it happen again' when you want to, you just have to wait until you get another one. Lately I've also been getting the 'stomach doing somersaults' sensation, which keeps making me think I'm nervous, but it's just a certain someone swimming about while the pool is roomy (enjoy it while it lasts, Pud. You'll be flying economy soon).
It's an amazing feeling and now I can't wait for OH to feel it, too. I still can't get my head around that that sensation is _someone else._


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## NellieRae

I hope so, bunda. I can't wait to feel something more definitive & more often (at least in the flutter stage, before my organs start getting used a punching bags!) 

I had a moment today as I was getting ready to go to brunch - no matter what I tried on I looked pregnant. Not bloated or just heavier. The tops all clung to my stomach & hung normally down the back. I guess a more concerted effort at maternity shopping is coming up for me. I get a lot more looks/attention from strangers now when out & about and that feels a little strange. This week we'll have our 18 week appt - nearly halfway through the pregnancy already! Where has the time gone?


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## Jazavac

I guess I can join you now? Or for now, at least. 

Even though it's very very very very early, I guess I shouldn't be in denial. I really am officially pregnant. Even the doctors said so!


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## DHime

Holy Crap! JAZ!!!! OMG!
Told you you wouldn't last! :hugs:


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## Jazavac

Hey now, I WANT to last. :rofl:

:hugs:


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## DHime

That should say be last. lol oops
Well, I gave away my bird today. DH said we had to get rid of him since we wont have time for him once lo gets here. I cried all afternoon.


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## NellieRae

Oh, Dhime, I'm so sorry hun. That's really, really awful. I don't really know what it takes to care for a bird, but I'm sure his intentions were right. I hope your bird went to a good home. It really is best if there won't be enough time to give your beloved bird what he needs. :hugs2:

There was an incident with our baby kitty today that, for a second, made me think of her as just a cat (that would _not_ be allowed to threaten my human baby!) I need to slowly starting giving her less attention so she doesn't meltdown when she isn't our #1 baby anymore, either. :nope:


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## Jazavac

Aww, I'm so sorry about the bird, DHime. I agree with Nellie, though. I never had a bird of any sort I had to care for, even though we did have some small parrot, or something, when I was really fairly little. I barely remember it.


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## DHime

Thanks ladies. I was still tearing up today. I didn't realize I was so attached to him. I made my dh text the daughter of the lady I gave him to yesterday. I just worry about him and want to know he is being treated well. I get unaturally attached to animals for some reason. Misplaced maternal insticts I guess.
On a brighter note, I got my appetite back! Tonight I ate 5 tacos and a whole cucumber plus a half gallon of ruby red grapefruit juice. 

Jaz - How are you feeling today? Any symptoms?


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## Jazavac

I understand how you feel because I get insanely attached to my animals.

As for the symptoms, I can't really tell, kind of. I think I'm a bit more tired than I normally get in the luteal phase and I keep getting this weird pinched nerve-like feeling in the crotch area, on the left side. It comes and goes, but it seems to be caused by walking (walking for a half hour, an hour, or something like that). 

And I hate food. I'm not sick, nothing really smells or anything, I just kind of don't care.

(Longer versions of my daily ramblings are in my journal. :haha:)


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## DHime

It's understandable to hate food right now. It will get worse before it gets better so brace yourself. Then again, you may be perfectly fine. I have learned that no 2 weeks in pg land are ever the same. Just when you think you got the hang of it, it changes again. 
By all means feel free to rant. 
I discovered something funny this weekend... If you sneeze while standing, you accidentally pee. This happened to me Friday and I thought it was just a 1 time thing. Nope. Happened again Sunday. I thought that was supposed to happen after giving birth. No one told me it would start now... apprently it is VERY important to start kegals asap.


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## NellieRae

Jaz, not caring about food is great place to be - much better than nausea. But Dhime is right, get ready to give up control with this new body-sharing going on. :baby:

Sneeze peeing already? :shock: It does seem common, and I thought you only get it in 3rd Tri, too. I will count myself lucky then, that when I sneeze hard I only get some stretchy, pokey uterus pains for a second. 

This weekend I started cleaning out the room that will need to be our guest room, and I had to remind myself to move slowly. Bending over doesn't feel great already and I just can't move like I used to. No quick dropping to the knees to grab something that fell behind a shelf & popping back up anymore.


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## DHime

NELLIE - That made me laugh. Apparently it can happen early depending on your body. 
I am having the same problem with movement. I finally have enrgy only to find that I can't move as well. lol figures. You will be very good at squating for now. Then later, if it falls, just leave it there and let the DH get it later. Just try not to trip on it before then. I am gonna get one of those long arm thingys from the toy store. You can use it grab things out of your reach. lol I am brainstorming here. Can u tell?
Oh and the bump is now showing even with super baggy clothes.


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## Marie000

Hi again :flower:

For those of you who might remember, I posted early on and then disappeared. Sorry about that. I have been on and off on this forum for the last few weeks. I had been reading too much about what could go wrong, and it was making me paranoid, so I decided to ease off until I had some confirmation that baby was doing well. 

So now... I'm back. I finally had my first midwife appointment yesterday, at 12+1 weeks. We finally heard the baby's heartbeat! :cloud9: It took some time to find it, and I got really terrified, but then there it was. We even heard baby moving (I would not have noticed, but that's what the midwife said)

I will go for a scan on Friday and hopefully they can confirm that things are going well. 

I have not read the whole thread, but I hope you all are going well. Congrats Jazavac on your pregnancy! 
And I had no idea that bladder problem normally only start in the third trimester. I have been leaking urine since I was 5 weeks along. :shrug:


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## DHime

Marie - Thanks. I am glad I am not alone on that one. Better start those kegals too.
Glad you are hanging in there. Best not to read all the stuff that can go wrong. I have avoided that entire section of the WTE book. There are just too many things that can happen and if you look it all up, you will be way stressed which increases the likelyhood that something really will go wrong.

Congrats on the heartbeat! That's awesome!

AFM - Anatomy scan is next month. I have all the blood protein testing this week though. Testing for downs etc...


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## sunshine1217

Hi ladies, sorry I've been utterly exhausted and haven't been on much. Hope you are all having a great week. * Nellie,* do you find out the gender soon? * DHime*, sorry about your bird. Do you have other pets? That's hilarious about peeing, but I'm sure it's not when it actually happens. Does kegels help with that?

*Jaz,* welcome! *Marie *congratulations on your 12 week healthy scan! I can't wait till mine but until then I've got a 10 week and 11 week first.

A couple of questions for the further along ladies, did you guys gain much weight, or any, the 1st trimester? I've been up and down but overall at most 2 lbs. Also, where the heck do you guys get maternity underwear? I know nothing about that!

:hugs:


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## Jazavac

There's maternity underwear?

I mean, one _needs_ it? 


Congrats on the heartbeat, Marie!


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## Marie000

not sure about maternity underwear. I've just been buying a larger size.

I did gain weight already, but I'm not sure how much. I hadn't been weighing myself before the pregnancy, but I'm sure I did not weight 160 lbs then (which I do now). I feel big. I kind of look pregnant already, depending on the clothes I wear, but I'm sure it's all bloat and fat. My bump is higher than where the baby is :shrug:


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## DHime

Sunshine - YES! there is maternity underwear. I got some at motherhood. 3 pair for $12. It sits very low in the front while giving coverage in the back. Very stretchy. The bras are great too but don't buy more than 2. 1 to wear and 1 to wash. The reason is the the girls are grow alot more as time goes on and your size will change alot. Sleep in them and you will find the bb's are less sore also.
I gained 3 lbs in the first tri but normal is 1 to 4 if at all. Gaining becomes more important after 12 the week mark. 1 lb a week I think. 

Marie - I was showing some in week 10 so I understand. Beleive it or not, it has nothing to do with fat. It has to do with the strength of your abs. If your muscles were strong, it takes longer to show. If they are not or if you have had kids before, you will show sooner. By week 17 we all show anyway so embrace it. I am starting to need a do not touch sign on my tummy.
I also wanna kill the people who say, "wow you're starting to show!". Die! Just Die! As you can see I am having a hard time embracing weight gain. lol


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## Marie000

DHime said:


> Marie - I was showing some in week 10 so I understand. Beleive it or not, it has nothing to do with fat. It has to do with the strength of your abs. If your muscles were strong, it takes longer to show. If they are not or if you have had kids before, you will show sooner. By week 17 we all show anyway so embrace it. I am starting to need a do not touch sign on my tummy.
> I also wanna kill the people who say, "wow you're starting to show!". Die! Just Die! As you can see I am having a hard time embracing weight gain. lol

That's odd, when I went to my midwife appointment, she said I had super strong abs. It surprised me because I have not be that active in the last few months. I did yoga before, but not for a few months. 
Ah well, maybe my bump is just even stronger than my abs. 

And I understand what you mean about embracing the weight gain. I think I will accept it well later when it's actually from the size of the baby, but right now I know that's not it, so I just feel bloated an fat.


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## NellieRae

:hi: sunshine! My 20 week scan should only be two weeks away, but DH will be out of town and I want him to be there, so it will likely be a 22 week scan for me. I lost weight in the first trimester, and have only put on about 3 or 4 lbs I think in the 2nd. I'm going to check with my midwife about the weight gain at our appt on Fri. I'm petite and never been able to gain weight easily (except maybe in my bottom!) 

Jaz, there is maternity underwear, but not everyone needs them. I happened to have enough old, stretched out undies that have been working just fine. :blush: And they all are the type with full butt coverage anyway. :haha: I'm with Dhime on the bras, though. I already need to replace my two "new" ones. My rib cage expanded, I think before anything else. 

Dhime & Marie hang in there. :) A belly that looks pregnant is a good thing for you and there is a wonderful reason for it. We all have to put on weight. The period before you have a clear bump and just look fatter for a bit does not last long. :hugs2:


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## Jazavac

Last week, I was going to dump some bras that were way oversized (33 lbs weightloss over the course of four months). Well, good thing I am a procrastinator, huh? They fit me perfectly because even now, my boobs walk a few steps ahead of me, I am sure. You could use them as a table, really. :blush: :lol:

I have to talk to someone about weight gain, too. I don't really want to gain what I don't need to. Like, any of it.


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## Marie000

NellieRae - did your rib cage really expand? I thought only the breasts got bigger. I am really hoping my rib cage can expand too because even pre-pregnancy it was kind of hard to find bras. I'm normally a 34DD and finding larger sizes in 34 is really hard (and not cheap!)


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## NellieRae

Yup, your ribcage can expand for a couple of reasons - to increase your lung capacity accommodate the pregnancy's need for more oxygen, and later, to help make room for everything your baby is smushing out of the way in order to grow. I don't think it happens right away for most, but it sure did for me. Maybe it has something to do with my living at high altitude and lower oxygen to begin with. :shrug:

I had always been a 34 band and now need _at least_ a 36, probably 38 soon.


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## Marie000

Excellent. 
So far, the only cheap way I had to get a larger cup on my bra was to go from 34DD to 36DD since the DD in 36 is larger. With some chance, I might be able to avoid super expensive bras if I can keep getting larger numbers. 

Actually, I changed my bra when I was 6 weeks along and so far I don't need to change it again.


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## NellieRae

I actually really hate that about bras. I've always been small, and only needed a B cup, but the 36 "B's" were really closer to C's and too big for me. If I wanted the bigger band size, the cups wouldn't fit because they "grow" with the band size for some reason. Grrrr. 

But I'm glad it works out better for you.


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## Jazavac

And I have a different issue, hahaha.

I need a 38 or 40 band, but my European cup size is C. Here, that's kind close to a D, but the Ds in my band size I can often sit in. Etc. Confusion all over the place!


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## bunda

If a 34D normally fits, then you can try a 36C which is the same size in the actual cup.My band size has definitely changed I'm now a 36D- or DD (which is a lot easier to find than a 34E) so I'm quite glad about that.


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## DHime

Jaz - Like it or not, weight gain is unavoidable. If you are a bit heavy like me (size 12/14 or larger) the docs say that an average gain of 20 to 25 lbs. 30 lbs or more if you are slender to start with.

I wish there was a way to do it without gaining but it's just impossible. I am doing low carb eating with my docs ok mainly due to the healthier overall dietary habits it encourages. I am still eating a balanced diet with enough calories and nutrition though. It is hard to watch your waistline expand after fight so hard to get smaller. 
Just think though. None of us are fat, were pregnant! Your body is already burning an additionall 300 calories a day while sitting. That's like 2.5 hours on the treadmill. I am a recovered anorexic so I know how hard it is. I have already blacked out my mirrors from the soulders down. lol


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## Jazavac

Uh, your treadmill would be _feeding_ you, instead of burning extra calories if 2.5 hours on it would be worth only 300 calories.

I'm size 14 in my butt, M-L tops (unless it's a button up, in which case the boobs don't fit), with an occasional trip into 16s (now rarely ever, after the 33lbs loss), but my BMI is horrible, due to the muscle mass, on top of the fat, that I carry. With my BMI, I technically could/should gain nothing but the weight of the baby and the water.


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## NellieRae

In this case Jaz, the bmi charts & recommendations (which are pretty generalized) fail your particular body type. Your doc will have to tell you what weight gain would be ideal for you. Can you imagine gaining pregnancy weight if you _hadn't_ lost your 33 lbs? You probably just saved yourself a ton of money on clothes. :) And if you lost it once, you can lose it again after baby badger is born. Price of being a mom. :flower:


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## lilosmom

Hi ladies. I see no one's obsessing over weight gain yet so I thought I'd jump in because I'm only 11 weeks and my hubby commented last night that we should start taking belly photos because of my already noticeable "bump". I was devastated. I do realize this is baby #2 and you're supposed to show sooner but REALLY, 11 WEEKS! Yikes. I didn't start showing with my daughter until late in the 4th month and gained 35lbs total (I was not big to start so it was an okay amount) but with the way I want to eat and then immediately fall asleep, I'm going to be a whale by the time this kid shows.:cry: I've had to start unbuttoning pants or wearing sweats around the house and even some shirts are not long enough anymore to hide the protruding belly below. :dohh: I do have maternity underwear from my last pregnancy and found they helped as I hate to have anything tight fitting on while I sleep and the waistbands were low and wide so they were very comfortable. As far as bras go I went from a C cup before getting pregnant the first time to a AA after I finished nursing so I have a wide range of bras already on hand for this time. I hope you are all feeling better than I am at the moment. At least I have a doctors appointment late next week to look forward to - hopefully we'll get to hear a nice strong heartbeat finally.


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## sunshine1217

DHime thanks for the underwear tip! I just need something else to wear to bed. I usually wear these underwear called Commandos which are soft and can probably be good to wear through the pregnancy but at night I like granny underwear.:haha: My grannies are way tight right now, as funny as that sounds.

NellieRae, so did you gain 3/4 lbs on top of your pre pregnancy weight or is it a wash with the weight you lost in your 1st trimester? Like you, I've always been very thin so I'm worried the weight gain is too fast. It's not like I can control whether it goes to the baby or elsewhere. My boobs have already gone from a B to a DD. 

I pretty much always wear leggings and a dress, generally one without a waist these days, the most comfy option. 

So I had my scan today. I saw the little one waving arms and legs! It was so cute! CRL measured 9w2d and HB was at 180bpm. Bad news though, I have a mutant copy of MTHFR! When I had my bleed they put me on a mega dose of folic acid in case I had it and I went and got labs that just came back today. I guess 1 copy of the mutation is better than 2 but I really don't know much about it so now will be relying on dr google to find out more.


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## DHime

i found this:
https://www.stephenwellsmd.com/mthfr.htm


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## DHime

Ok, the funniest thing ever. As of this last week little button can hear. That being said, I am trying to find ways to prevent him/her from hearing the rap music blaring at my work all day. So just now, I took my Ipod earbud and stuck it in my bellybutton so Button would hear starwars and superman theme songs instead. (All instrumental though) Oh and some japanese anime songs too. lol
Do you guys think it's gonna work?


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## sunshine1217

:haha: DHime, that's hilarious about your LO. Classical music is very good I hear. Where do you work that you play rap music at work? That's very cool. Earphones may be a little small though but I think that could work, you can't play your music outloud? 

Thanks for the info, I've been doing a lot of research and am getting more and more scared about it. You know 30-50% of the population has it? Apparently it's very controversial whether doctors should test for it or not. That's probably the reason some women have multiple mc's. DH has been digging up stuff from his med school days but he said they definitely did not study much of that when HE was in med school. I guess it's a very recent discovery.


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## DHime

Well, The rap gets old after 2 years of the same top 20. Most of it is very angry music with bad vibes overall. I work in a call center and although I am in an office the music is still loud. I just don't want my LO to hear angry music all day. (we are talking EMINEM here and skeet skeet songs - skeeting is slang for ejaculation on a womans face) Not the kind of things you want a baby hearing. Not to mention I hate having to listen to it. I like old rap fine (from the 80's) but I dislike the current stuff because of the messages and lifestyles they encourage. It stresses me out.
I don't have speakers unfortunately but I did turn the volume all the way up. (I hope it works)

I also felt scared for you when I read that site. My genetic testing is tomorrow. I am only hoping all is well. I haven't felt button moving like I was before. Probably since I have been sick. Can't help but worry.
Try not to worry too much about the genetic thing. It's only a statistic and that means everything is just as likely to be just fine.


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## sunshine1217

DHime said:


> Well, The rap gets old after 2 years of the same top 20. Most of it is very angry music with bad vibes overall. I work in a call center and although I am in an office the music is still loud. I just don't want my LO to hear angry music all day. (we are talking EMINEM here and skeet skeet songs - skeeting is slang for ejaculation on a womans face) Not the kind of things you want a baby hearing. Not to mention I hate having to listen to it. I like old rap fine (from the 80's) but I dislike the current stuff because of the messages and lifestyles they encourage. It stresses me out.
> I don't have speakers unfortunately but I did turn the volume all the way up. (I hope it works)
> 
> I also felt scared for you when I read that site. My genetic testing is tomorrow. I am only hoping all is well. I haven't felt button moving like I was before. Probably since I have been sick. Can't help but worry.
> Try not to worry too much about the genetic thing. It's only a statistic and that means everything is just as likely to be just fine.

Angry music :rofl: Defo not good for your LO. need to listen to more Raffi, less Eminem.

Yeah MTHFR is scary, thankfully I'm only a compound hetero, I think the homozygotes are worse. Eitherway, I just wish the Dr was treating it properly like put me on lovenox or Heparin. I'm not even on baby aspirin. I'm going to make an appointment for another generalist to assess my situation. 

What does your genetic testing involve? Is this where they test for DS? I will be praying for you!:hugs:


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## NellieRae

Dhime, at my appt tomorrow we'll do the blood draw for the triple test (incl. for Downs) But my midwife said that even if its positive we shouldn't worry - because when this test comes back positive, _70% of the time_ its a false positive. That's pretty crappy. I'm just hoping to see it come back negative, as I'm not going to have an amnio or add'l tests if I can help it.

I completely understand your aversion to that kind of music for a little one, but your button doesn't comprehend any of it. He/she is more likely to pick up on your vibe or reaction to what you're hearing. If its calming for you to play your own music to your belly, go right ahead. :flower:

Sunshine, I've gained 3/4 (I think) over my pregregnancy weight. We'll see tomorrow!


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## DHime

Yes. The tripple test. I am going to tell them I don't want to know about the DS or Edwards Synd. results. 
I think I gained a lb this week. I feel like I did.
Nellie - You are right about the music. My vibe is more important. I am getting a whole new set of songs on my ipod for good moods. lol


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## DHime

Ok so I gained 4.... oh well

Rant alert (sorry in advance)
So no everything I say and do at work, the managers and director are blaming on my being prego. First, I pointed out a new employee for wearing a see thru shirt when it is againt company dress code. (this is something I have always had to do because many of our phone agents are ex-cons and do not know how to behave around women) Anyway... It was said by a group to my face that I was just being insecure because of being prego and that I need not worry since I am still pretty. (I almost quit right then and there) WHY does everything I do and say seem to come back to bbeing knocked up?! I am still me for crap sake! Then they went on to have a 10 minute discussion on how much cleavage I had showing and how my boobs have gotten giant. (This was said to my face btw) They got a nice laugh when I turned red from embaressment.

Am I just being hormonal? Or should I be this angry? 
What do you ladies think?


----------



## sunshine1217

DHime said:


> Ok so I gained 4.... oh well
> 
> Rant alert (sorry in advance)
> So no everything I say and do at work, the managers and director are blaming on my being prego. First, I pointed out a new employee for wearing a see thru shirt when it is againt company dress code. (this is something I have always had to do because many of our phone agents are ex-cons and do not know how to behave around women) Anyway... It was said by a group to my face that I was just being insecure because of being prego and that I need not worry since I am still pretty. (I almost quit right then and there) WHY does everything I do and say seem to come back to bbeing knocked up?! I am still me for crap sake! Then they went on to have a 10 minute discussion on how much cleavage I had showing and how my boobs have gotten giant. (This was said to my face btw) They got a nice laugh when I turned red from embaressment.
> 
> Am I just being hormonal? Or should I be this angry?
> What do you ladies think?

That is so not right! two comments on that, one, I hate it when ppl chalk everything up to pregnancy or PMS. That is the reason I don't tell my husband when I'm pms'ing. My sister has become a total bridezilla but she blames my pregnancy on why we're having so many fights. Secondly, a see through shirt is inappropriate unless you work at a night club, end of story. Don't let them bully you like that. I get comments about my cleavage, too. I'm wearing the same clothes, just my boobs come out more now...okay why don't they chalk THAT up to pregnancy?!


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## DHime

I am thinking that they are in a load of trouble. Not only am I protected under the ADA but also this was harassment and bullying.
I will be having a discussion with HR.
One of the ones doing this was also my boss btw.


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## NellieRae

All completely inappropriate comments directed at you, Dhime. No one should be blaming your decisions (that are in line with company policy!) on your pregnancy and certainly not talking about your breasts at work. I don't blame you for going to HR. I hope you don't need a lawyer before this kid is born! And I wish you didn't have to work there. :sad1:


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## sunshine1217

DHime, I'd sue them. That is so inappropriate.

Nellie, Good luck in your screening today. Why do they do it if it's 70% false positive? What happens if you're positive, do they have other tests?


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## Jazavac

I'd absolutely go to HR, DHime. That's all just plain horrible, ugh.


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## NellieRae

I'm back from our appt. Its just a blood draw, so we'll have the results in a week or two. If it comes back positive, we will have to cancel our anatomy scan and go see a perinatologist for a special ultrasound to look for whatever the test indicates. I sure hope not, though.


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## DHime

Nellie - we had the same test today. FX for you to get a negative return. (negative being good) :hugs:
Even though it is a 70% error rate. They always catch that percentage that really has a problem. Personally I feel that it is an excuse to milk us and/or our insurance companies for more money. 
My vein didn't close after the blood test though. While waiting for the doc, I looked down and had a ton of blood all over my arm. First time for that one.

My HR director wasn't here today so I have to wait for Monday to go see her about this. I never knew there was this type of prejudice and bias where PG women are concerned. This is worse than being branded the office crier. I can't wait till August... This is the only blight on my whole PG experience. Other stiuff I can laugh and be sarcastic about it but this had me up at 6 am just steaming mad.


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## Jazavac

I hope you get all that figured out with your nasty co-workers, DHime!

In Croatia, the double/triple/PAPPA (or whatever it's called) tests are done two ways. First you get your blood drawn, but you need to have your ultrasound the same day. Then they compare the blood levels with what the baby measures in certain areas, etc. 

Because of our genetic issues, we'll likey be tested for a ton of stuff, but I probably won't go as far as amnio, though.


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## Marie000

DHime- Wow! I really hope you get things straightened up with HR. Some people need to learn about the proper way to treat employees. 

Nellie- Good luck on the tests. :thumbup:

I just came back form the hospital. I went there this morning for blood tests and a scan. I waited an hour and a half for blood tests, then they asked me if I had eaten since midnight. I said yes, that my midwife said I could. They said they didn't think that was right. The person they needed to ask about this was out sick for the day, so they'd have to call me at home to let me know. So now I'll have to go back next week, which probably means my OH will need to take another half day off work to drive me (I don't drive). They just called me 15 minutes ago and told me I was right. I could have done the blood tests. 

Well, on to the scan. That went really quick. It was without appointment, and I barely had the time to change into my hospital gown that they were calling me. So we got to see Baby! He was not moving much, the we saw the heart beat and he measured at 13w4d (about 4-7 days ahead of schedule depending on whose calculation you rely on). Everything seemed normal. :happydance:
Here's Baby from the back (yes, he is mooning you :haha: )
https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/bb-13semaines-1.jpg


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## sunshine1217

Marie, that's wonderful! Congratulations! Was he measuring ahead last time, too or did he suddenly have a growth spurt?


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## Marie000

sunshine1217 said:


> Marie, that's wonderful! Congratulations! Was he measuring ahead last time, too or did he suddenly have a growth spurt?

That's the first scan we had. They don't do earlier scans here, unless you pay for them privately.


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## Jazavac

Congrats! That's a nice picture of the baby. :)


I'm really, really happy I'll get an early scan (5w5d, according to Fertility Friend, which I trust), but that's only because of the trip. My local hospital said something along the lines of - oh, nice you got a positive HPT, grrr because your other clinic is making us do your betas and progesterone, bye now, see you at 8/9 weeks for your first appointment. Since I'll be out of country for three weeks and the doctor will be gone, too, they'll finally give me a scan when I'm 10 weeks some days, or whatever it was last time I checked.

Luckily, back home in Croatia I still have my dearest health insurance, as well as access to whichever private practices I want, so I'll get my scans there.


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## lilosmom

DHime - sorry you have to put up with such crap at work. No one should be talked to like that regardless of whether or not they're pregnant. I hope you get some results from speaking with HR on Monday.

Marie - that's one cute tushie!

Nellie - hopefully tests all come back negative. Good luck.

AFM, was supposed to have my doctor's appointment for Monday but they've pushed it back to Friday :cry: and I'm really sad about it. We still haven't heard a heartbeat and although I've started sprouting a bump it would sure be reassuring to hear that baby in there. One more week to go. Have a great weekend everyone!


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## DHime

Jaz - I hope you your scan soon dear. nothing worse than the wait.

Marie - what a beautiful little bottom that is! Sorry about blood test issues. Man I would have been fuming...

Lilo'smom - Do they make you wait that long in Canada to hear the HB? I am sure since you are growing that he/she is doing just fine though.

AFM - Going to tour a birthing center today. Gonna take notes. I 'll let you ladies know how it goes.
:hugs: everyone!


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## DHime

ok so the birthing center was great. I learned allot and I loved the midwife that I met. Shes been in practice for 27 yrs and never lost anyone. In fact she trained most of the area midwives.
it was really nice. DH and I both got a really good vibe in there.


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## lilosmom

Glad to hear your tour went well. It's so reassuring to be comfortable with someone who's going to have such an important roll in the life you're creating.

I think my appointments were just off and so at my last appointment it was too early to try to hear a heartbeat and then they postponed my next appointment for a week so it's been a long go. With my first pregnancy I think we heard a heartbeat around 8-10 weeks which the doctor said was early... I guess I was just hoping to have that same experience. My last appointment was at 7 weeks and then I won't be back until 12 1/2 weeks. The waiting is killing me but like you said, I've got these expanding gut and hips to remind me there's something going on in there.


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## DHime

That wait would drive me up a wall. I go every 3 weeks and I get to hear the HB and sometimes I get a sonogram. You are doing well to hang in there.


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## Jazavac

I hope we get to see the heartbeat on Wednesday. It will be way too early to hear it, but hopefully the doctor will see it or otherwise I'll be worrying too much.


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## Marie000

DHime - It's great news about the birthing center. It's reassuring to know you're in good hands.
I'm also going to a birthing center, though I'm not sure if it works the same here. The ones here are only midwives (no doctors at all) and we're only allowed to go there if we're judged to be low risk. But I really love the place. I got to see the birthing rooms, and they look like rooms in a bed and breakfast, except for the crib and the bathtub in the bedroom. It certainly doesn't feel like a hospital. 

lilosmom - sorry to hear your appointment was pushed back. Same thing happened to me, they pushed back my first appointment from 11w1d to 12w1d. After they called me to push it back, I spent the rest of the day crying. But things turned out great, and I'm sure it will be the same for you. :hugs:


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## NellieRae

:yipee: for birth centers! I'm glad you had a good tour, Dhime. Like Marie, I've got my fingers crossed and praying that I remain low risk so that I can continue care at our birth center & eventually be able to have my baby there. 

Don't you all wish there was some kind of uterine monitoring device we could all have to tell us that the baby's ok in there? Last night while watching a movie with DH, I felt some flutters & pokes that, for the first time, I was sure wasn't gas. At last! :cloud9: The first thing DH said was, "This is great - now you don't have to worry so much." Yes.......lol

I had my first prenatal yoga class yesterday & I loved it! But oh, I'm sore today. I have a long way to go to build up my flexibility & strength. :blush:


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## DHime

nellie - congrats on the yoga! And awesome about the quickening!
Marie - this one is run by only midwives too. I currently have an ob but planning to change that.

YAY for birthing centers!

I won't be getting so many appts once I make the switch from doc to midwife though.
Not sure how they feel about my risk factors though. after 5 d&c's it may make me high risk but Im not sure.


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## Jazavac

I wish I had access to a birthing center. :/ There are now two approximately close to where I live, but it takes an hour and a half to one, and nearly two hours to the other one. Scary.


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## DHime

Jaz - Well, labor does last a LONG time. I wouldn't worry to much about the distance as long as there is a hops near the facility in case of an emergency.
Oh, I wouldn't get too excited over hearing the heartbeat at 6 weeks. The heart usually begins beating in the 7th week. Just a heads up in case you don't hear anything. That way it won't scare you.


How is everyone today? Doing well, I hope!

AFM - DH has me looking for a cheaper house/apt with additional rooms. At this point button is gonna live in the closet. It's hard to find a home in south fl for $650 or less that's not in the ghetto. I already live in a totally poor area that is a bad area but not as bad as others. Wish me luck on that.


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## Jazavac

I won't hear anything at all, but they could actually _see_ it at 5w5d, so that's what I'm hoping for, on top of everything else being in the right place, etc.

As far as labor goes, it may or may not take a long time, but at the end of November, in Minnesota... I don't think so. If it snows, I could be giving birth in a ditch at some nice below freezing temperature. There are hospitals by the birthing centers, but it doesn't really matter. It'll just be a dream-not-come-true. I just need to make sure the people at the hospital understand that I am there simply because I am not comfortable enough to give birth in my own living room, not because I want their medical services that are usually absolutely unnecessary.

For $650/month, you could pretty much live in a castle in our town, DHime. Ghetto neighbourhoods here cost probably like $200-300/month.


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## DHime

Wanna trade towns? I have drug dealers and strippers for neighbors here. 
But with the beach comes a higher cost of living.
I am giving my car back to the finance company at the end of March so I can save up and have a way to pay rent while I am out of work. Once DH gets his teaching job, I am quiting all together. (can't wait to get out of this negative place) lol


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## Jazavac

And I put our little appleseed's name (well, okay, ours for now) on the waiting list at a local daycare today. It's pretty much the only place we'll want our child to go to and the waiting list is huge, so.... it had to be done this early, actually. It won't go until it's at least 6 months old, more likely 12.


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## DHime

Wow. I am not palnning daycare at all. I don't care how poor I get. But that's just my own viewpoint. 
Had dreams about baby last night. People kept asking what it was and I kept saying I don't know. DH had a dream that we had twins and I named them some weird names that he had never heard of. Then he had another that our baby was black. lol Funny.


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## NellieRae

:rofl:


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## Marie000

:haha:

I like pregnancy dreams. Last night I dreamed that I was gone to give birth and I already knew what I was having... a kitten and a puppy. The kitten was due earlier though and I wasn't sure if I had already given birth to it.


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## DHime

I don't remember most of mine. It's that stupid prego brain. I have been stricken with the worst memory ever. DH has to remind me to brush my teeth and put on doedorant every day. These are basic daily things that I should know to do! 4 times I have gone to work without brushing my teeth... eww all day. Did I say ew? well, ewwwww.

I had 1 baby dream at the begining and it was a boy. Since I dislike the boy name my DH has his heart set on, it probably will be a boy. I don't want a comic book character as a child. lol Regardless, I know it will grow on me.
One of my coworkers is feeding us baby names constantly. I didn't want to say that actually liked any of them but he gave a couple to think about....
Madeline, and Madison. I kinda like Madison. Reminds me of the movie Splash with Daryl Hannah.


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## Lisa40

Marie000 said:


> :haha:
> 
> I like pregnancy dreams. Last night I dreamed that I was gone to give birth and I already knew what I was having... a kitten and a puppy. The kitten was due earlier though and I wasn't sure if I had already given birth to it.

OMG I had almost the exact same dream... dreamt that I went into premature labour & gave birth to a kitten!!!It survived though which was nice :rofl:

xx


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## DHime

Wishing I had better dreams. I know I have planty of time for it tho


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## Jazavac

One of my creepiest baby-related dreams was a thing from years ago. Must've been like 10, or so. I was not pregnant at the time.

So in the dream, I had twins. Right after delivery, some doctor and his nurse came in and took their time to tell me that one of the two babies had passed away. I looked at them, shrugged and said something along the lines of - oh, well, what a bummer, but I still have the other one, so who cares.

Then I woke up, very very very confused.




Right now, I am getting very anxious, nervous and overall stressed over my tomorrow's scan. Even though I've been really positive all this time, I guess I all of a sudden feel like they won't see anything at all in there tomorrow. Ugh.


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## bunda

But Lisa, you ARE having a kitten - wait, is that not you in your avatar?

I haven't had a single pregnancy dream, which is weird considering how much I think about pregnancy and baby these days. Normally my preoccupations crop up in dreams easily.

Nellie, I am so glad you felt little bubs kick. A lovely milestone, huh? I feel pudd'n every day now, although occasionally a day goes by with no kicks and then I worry a little. But so far I always then got another little poke the next day, so now I worry less.

You'll not stop worrying, but you will become more aware of having a passenger, a person with you always. I've started to feel that maternal bond developing now. Baby is a lot less abstract. 

$650 for a place to live? Where I live you couldn't eve get a bedsit (a single room 'studio apartment' with a bathroom, shared or otherwise) for that. Here, for a one bedroom apartment, you're looking at an average of $1150. Add on council tax (about $150 per month) on top of that and then water gas and electric bills.... although you can find a 1 bedroom place for $880 or so in a dodgey area.

https://www.findaproperty.com/to-rent/brighton.east-sussex (it's $1.58 to the pound). It's madness.


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## Jazavac

In the American village, property is really cheap, as well as everything else (other than healthcare). As a reference, in Zagreb, where I used to live (that's the capital of Croatia), a 60m2 (645 sq. ft.) apartment, which is usually a one-bedroom-thing, with no particular furniture would cost around 400 euros ($530 or more). Most Americans I know wouldn't live in anything as small, to begin with.


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## Lisa40

:rofl: Bunda, that's my kitty muppet, I might change my avatar to my scan pic if all goes well on Monday :thumbup:


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## sunshine1217

:hi: ladies! sorry I haven't been on much. I thought I was done with nausea and it came back to haunt me. I've been busy planning my sister's bachelorette party as well and she's driving me up the walls. total bridezilla. 

Dhime and Jaz, your conversation about neighborhoods totally cracked me up. Los angeles neighborhoods are weird. We live in santa monica but if you walk a little too south, then the sketchiness may start though where we live is totally safe. Real estate here is ridiculously expensive, too. I think back in the day, ppl can actually afford a house that is a decent size but now, we just try to fit too much into too little. I'd like to think we make a decent living, so why is it that I never feel like we have enough space? The house I grew up in is twice the size of our house now and my dad probably made half the salary of my husband. :haha:


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## Marie000

Good morning ladies!
I hope all is well today.

My energy is finally starting to come back. Part of it might be the nice weather, or the fact that I finally have fun things to do (started my seedlings for this year's garden). But it's nice to feel like a useful person again. :thumbup:
Now if the nausea could go away too...

Finally did my blood tests yesterday, and when I came back home the hospital called me to tell me they had forgotten to give me back my papers. The hospital is a good half hour away and I had to have a friend take a half day to drive me there. Stupid hospitals! I'm glad I'm not giving birth there... they might forget my baby somewhere if I don't watch them. 

When I was in bed last night, I had a sudden realization which has been haunting me since. Whenever I tell people I'm pregnant, the first thing they ask is if I'm hoping for a boy or a girl. I always answer that I don't mind, as long as baby is healthy. Then last night I finally accepted something... I want a girl. I feel kind of bad about it. What if it's a boy? I would feel like such a bad mom for being disappointed. 
It's even harder since I know baby will most likely be an only child. OH is dead set on stopping after this one. He has a son from a previous relationship, and he says he couldn't afford to send three kids to university (and that's really important to him since he never finished university because of financial problems). 
I just had to confess this to someone. Thanks for reading.


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## Jazavac

I don't think you'll be really truly _disappointed_. It will be your baby and you'll love it. 

It's normal to have a preference, not so much because you _need to want_ one or the other, but because the little being you start imagining needs to have a face, or a story behind it and it's hard to do any of that if you don't attribute a sex to it.

I believe (if believe is the right word here) that our baby is a boy. It's probably because we both really hope that it is, mostly because of genetics. A boy wouldn't guarantee anything, but apparently there are some theories that the chances for it to be affected by the bad gene(s) are lower.

I'm getting ready for my ultrasound, if one can at all get ready for it. I'll pull all of my hair in the next few hours, ugh. I don't even know how I feel anymore. I've been very positive all of these days, but right now, I think I'm leaving any and all options open.


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## DHime

Hi ladies!

Bunda - wow. Cost of living sure is high there

Jaz - Try to stay Positive. Pregnancy is a life lesson on letting go of your control. (not that any of us have a whole lot of that) I am suprised some have a hard time with small spaces. My apt is 475 sq ft and it's great. No rats either. My old place had rats and giant flying roaches. (shiver) 
GL today! I will be thingking of you!

Nellie - What is your cats name? Oh and GL on Monday!

Sunshine - Missed ya! Sorry the ms is still plagueing you. It's a horrible curse but for a good cause.

Marie - Don't feel bad about wanting a girl over a boy. I feel the same but I also know that once we have our LO's in our arms, we will love them the same regardless of how we may feel right now.


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## NellieRae

Marie, its completely normal to have a gender preference & it will only make you a bad mom if you choose not to love your baby because of it - ridiculous, right? My sister wanted a girl but found out she was having a boy. Today, she is in love with her little son and wants her next to be a boy, too. I go back and forth, but DH desperately wants a son, so I will have to be patient while he accepts it if we find out its a girl. :flower:

Sunshine, I hope you feel better soon. It took til about week 16 for my nausea to completely go away, but it did get better slowly. When is your sister's wedding? 

I also look at the house DH's parents have that they purchased around our age and know that we could never afford its equivalent now. Our dollars buy us much less than they used to, even in America. Brighton looks really nice, Bunda, but my is it expensive. Though living near a beach will always be pricier. Dhime, you are made for city living if you're happy with a small apt! Is amazing how quickly a bigger place fills up with more stuff. :wacko:

My cat's name is Seneca, but she might think its also Princess Kitty, Baby Cat, etc. :blush: Wait, what's happening Monday?


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## sunshine1217

Thanks ladies. Wow, Nellie, really, 16 weeks? I was looking forward to 12 week mark. :haha: Wedding's in July but I'm planning her bridal shower/bachelorette party, picking out stuff for her. She threw me this over the top bachelorette party (totally not my idea at all) and now sort of expects me to do the same for her. I felt like my bachelorette party was more of an excuse for my girls to get crazy so I was okay to do whatever, I barely made it till 1 am. I just refuse to be doing that for hers unless she doesn't want me to be there.


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## sunshine1217

Jazavac said:


> I don't think you'll be really truly _disappointed_. It will be your baby and you'll love it.
> 
> It's normal to have a preference, not so much because you _need to want_ one or the other, but because the little being you start imagining needs to have a face, or a story behind it and it's hard to do any of that if you don't attribute a sex to it.
> 
> I believe (if believe is the right word here) that our baby is a boy. It's probably because we both really hope that it is, mostly because of genetics. A boy wouldn't guarantee anything, but apparently there are some theories that the chances for it to be affected by the bad gene(s) are lower.
> 
> I'm getting ready for my ultrasound, if one can at all get ready for it. I'll pull all of my hair in the next few hours, ugh. I don't even know how I feel anymore. I've been very positive all of these days, but right now, I think I'm leaving any and all options open.

good luck today! I still get scared before my ultrasounds now. I'll be thinking of you.


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## DHime

Nellie - don't you have a scan comming up? I suppose I like city living. I prefer something bigger but so far the country wasn't in the cards. I had a talk with DH and I think he is comming around to living away from the beach to get a bigger place. I love open spaces. Plenty of room to work out or play in. I hate being confined with only 2 windows. I have grown used to it after traveling for 2 years and living in hotel rooms. 

I don't want a toddler sleeping in the living room where he/she could walk out of the apt after I fall asleep. OMG! I am so gonna be one of those parents that paints the windows shut... yep!

Nervous for JAZ! Where are ya? Want pics here!


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## DHime

Lisa - what's your cats' name too?


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## Lisa40

Hey guys :hi:

my cats name is muppet, also have 2 others Mo and Hobo (so called because she just wandered in one day & never left). We also have 2-3 more that turn up at feeding time, 1 called moo (has colouring of a cow haha), fluffy (for obvious reasons) and loopy (bit of a crazy one). I'm sure the last 3 all have homes but I couldn't turn them away just in case.

I've had a good day today sickness wise, not too bad at all :yipee: can't wait for my scan on Monday though, will be 11+6.

Hope everyone else is doing well :thumbup:
xx


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## Jazavac

All was good today, no pics, though. He said I'd get them next time around. Gestational sack and yolk were there and he calculated 5+3 based on my cycle/FF chart. That's probably right, but for now I'm not changing my ticker.

The whole long story is in my journal.


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## DHime

It appears I had my monday scans mixed up. lol pg brain strikes again!

Jaz - that's awesome! I read your journal too. Don't worry about your calories.Just eat what you can while you can. The next week or to are gonna get you into the ms range. Don't obscess about weight right now. Time to start loving your curves. They are gonna get bigger no matter what and if you starve yourself, you starve your baby. That will just tax your system even more cause baby's gonna get his vits from you. Just a thought but not to be bossy. You will get enough of that from strangers soon. lol


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> All was good today, no pics, though. He said I'd get them next time around. Gestational sack and yolk were there and he calculated 5+3 based on my cycle/FF chart. That's probably right, but for now I'm not changing my ticker.
> 
> The whole long story is in my journal.

congrats on your scan! Too bad they didn't give you a picture. When's the next one?


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## Jazavac

This doctor wants to see a scan from about two weeks from yesterday, so I'll get him one and fax it over. I will probably be way too impatient to wait that long, so I'm likely to go get another right after I land in Croatia.

Yay for my dearest, free and/or cheap healthcare and doctors of all kinds that are available to you when you need them, not when they feel the need to see you!


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## DHime

Amen to that Jaz! Sounds like much better heathcare back home.
Here if they wanna see you, you better be there. If you need to see them, they can squeeze you in after a week or so.


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## lubuto

Marie000 said:


> Hi!
> 
> I'm 33 years old and pregnant with my first. I will be 34 by the time baby is born.
> I'm feeling a bit old sometimes, but I'm really happy to finally become a mommy. I've wanted that for a long time but was never in a good position to do so.




Lisa40 said:


> It's more evening sickness Dhime lol, but it's copeable... just!
> 
> I had an appt today with the surgeon who did my surgery in January & I was soooo looking forward to telling him that he'd worked a miracle & we were pg... but, before I had chance he basically said that when he was operating to remove the cyst he had found that I had severe endometriosis, so bad that it had stuck my ovaries to my pelvic wall :shock: & that although they had initially thought it was my OH :spermy: issues causing our problem, that he thought even without that I would have real trouble conceiving naturally...
> 
> At that point I said... but I'm 8 weeks today :yipee: but he just looked shocked & kept saying "but I don't think that's possible" I had to get my scan out to show him.
> 
> He was really pleased for us in the end but had to get another consultant in to check that they had the right patient as he said it was less than a 0.5% chance that this could happen given both of our problems!!
> 
> However, after leaving the office and going back to work, I told my workmates what had happened & they asked if it would cause any problems with the pregnancy, I hadn't even asked that & now I'm googling & it seems to just be a minefield of different information :wacko:
> 
> Basically it looks at though there is an increased chance of miscarriage, high blood pressure, pre eclampsia and pre term birth! It's just very weird as I have had very light, very regular periods and no period pain ever, whereas a friend of mine in work has endo & has really bad problems every month!
> 
> Ah well nothing I can do about it now, what will be will be, I just pray my little flump hangs on.
> 
> Wish me luck girls :thumbup:

Age to em is just but a number. I have been so keen on working my career and never felt ready to have a baby until last year. Now just turned 32 and expecting my first....I have no qualms about my age at all. You are more grown and will handle motherhood better than when you are younger i believe


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## sunshine1217

DHime, that is so true. I couldn't go to the only time slot my doctor had next and now have to wait till April 18th! I haven't see my baby for 2 weeks already, now 4 weeks? Thankfully I have a scan with the genetic neonatal specialist in 2 weeks and I'm assuming I will get a good glance at the LO then.

Jaz, congrats! Hope all's well in 2 weeks. I don't think I breathed a sigh of relief till I saw the HB. Part of the reason I only measured HCG levels until 6w3d. Dr said I probably won't see the HB if I went before.

I'm so bloated ladies, it's ridiculous. Does this die down? I'm outgrowing my 32DD bra, and I was a 32B before. How many more bra sizes do I need to buy?


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## Jazavac

The main reason I went in this early is the trip. The doctor knew there was going to be barely nothing to look at, but we wanted to make sure that the little bean is inside my uterus, at least. 

Now I can't wait to get more scans. I'll probably squeeze one in on Tuesday or Wednesday, just to look for some heartbeat, and then another one the week after that, when my RE wants a follow up (faxed to him).


----------



## DHime

Sunshine - No the bloating is there to stay for the most part. You do get used to it though. Then you eat and there it is again. lol
The BB are gonna keep growing throughout pregnancy. I wish mine would stop. I am a DD now. It will be interesting to see just how big the puppies can get...

Jaz - Patience is key. You can't rush development. The heart doesn't begin to beat until week 7 at least. Too many scans does carry a small risk (according to some experts). I don't know how many facts there are to back it up but it's just a thought. Just enjoy the bun baking ride because this part will be over all too soon and before we know it they will be graduating and moving out. I am very glad the tests have all been good thus far. I hope all stays well.


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## Jazavac

I don't think ultrasounds really affect anything at all. But we'll see. I know it's impossible to actually relax and get whatever reassurance that all is going to be good, butbutbut!


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## DHime

just in case, I wanted everyone to see what scared me and now I don't want that machine near me unless absolutely nessacary.
This is why I was concerned.
https://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/ultrasoundrodgers.asp

I dunno how much of this is fact but I can't help but try to be safe just in case. I worry because my doc did alot of US's on me supposedly due to my age


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## sunshine1217

DHime said:


> Sunshine - No the bloating is there to stay for the most part. You do get used to it though. Then you eat and there it is again. lol
> The BB are gonna keep growing throughout pregnancy. I wish mine would stop. I am a DD now. It will be interesting to see just how big the puppies can get...

What size were you before? Bras aren't cheap, I wish I can just buy one that grows with me. too bad for the bloating, but at some point, you get a real bump to replace the bump right? or are you still bloated then. do you guys have bumps yet?


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## Jazavac

If ultrasound affected the rate of autism in kids, all of Croatia (and other countries where healthcare is not only for the chosen or rich) would be autistic. People get scans when they want them, if they're willing to pay, or if the doctors decide they're needed. We also get a PAP smear at least once a year, followed by an ultrasound. Again, no effect on our health, other than the benefits that come with early scans.


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## bunda

Funny how people are linking everything with autism. Some people (who take part in medical research) have far above the average number of ultrasound scans. An elevated rate of autism? Nope. 

I also took issue with the phrase in the article "[brain] damage consistent with that found in people with autism". Autism is brain damage now? That sentence alone shows me the author knows very little about autism. 


A foremost researcher in autism (Dr. Simon Baron Cohen - brother of the rather anarchic Sacha Baron-Cohen) has a strong theory that suggests that autism is at least a little bit genetic. For example, parent combinations from certain professions seem to have higher instances of children with autism. When mathematicians marry engineers, it's as if the methodical, mathematical brain genes they probably have come together, you get maths brain squared - the brain type that tends toward being on the autistic spectrum. Hence a rise in silicon valley of instances of autism (although higher rates of diagnosis could also be the reason for this - similarly in other, less affluent societies, autism seems less but that may simply be under-diagnosis).

Anyone worried about autism I would recommend they read the actual literature out there, rather than alarmist articles (MMR vaccine hysteria, for example) because it will show you the reason why you get a millionty one theories on what causes autism is because there more than likely is no one cause you can point the finger to.

I also would like to add that many people (particularly those who have or have children with autism) are beginning to push the idea that perhaps autism is not a 'disorder' but simply a brain type (like someone who is just artistic, musical, extrovert, empathic or whatever - autistic people have a different way of experiencing the world that is actually just an extreme version of normal (some say, an extreme version of the male brain - or what the male brain WOULD be like if we hadn't bred empathy and caring into them, generation by generation through sexual selection).


It's a fascinating subject. If I have a child with autism (and I do lean towards the idea that it's a genetic trait, much like intraversion or artistic talent) then I have a high likelihood of having an autistic child (my dad is a photochemistry scientist, my mum has a maths degree, my partner's dad is a physicist, both his brothers teach maths at a high level, one has a first class maths degree) and my family (as anyone who reads my journal will know) don't exactly score highly on empathy (I must be adopted). 

I think my family, more than most, are about ripe for an autistic child and it might be mine. I'm ok with that. The child I do NOT want is a dishonest sociopath or who has a personality disorder. Anything else I can live with. 

OH and I recently had the discussion: what if we have a son and he one day introduces us to his boyfriend. My partner and I both feel strongly about this: We'd both be totally cool with it. Ditto if we have a daughter who prefers women.

As someone who has had two previous relationships and both of whom were homophobes I was very relieved to hear he's got a good attitude to this.


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## DHime

That's cool I'm not taking things as fact. Just bearing any studies in mind. There is just too much info out there. 

Yep, got bump here. I am still in that phase where people can't tell if I got fat or I am PG. They tend to ask so I know it's getting obvious. 
Oh and I got my first case of swollen legs and feet. Actually got kankles last night.


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## NellieRae

No, not cankles! Oh, the lovely & sexy side to pregnancy. I'm considering seeing a chiropractor for some crazy back pain that seems outside a standard achy back. 

Sunshine, Dhime is correct - you get a bump, but that doesn't mean you're bloat free. For me, the bloat is a little less now than it was in first tri, but never goes away for too long. 

People are linking everything with autism because we don't know exactly what causes it. I agree there must be some genetic factor, otherwise whatever environmental factor triggered it would more consistently result in autism. I'm not an autism expert, but I understand there are many different types of it - from mild to more severe. One of my greatest fears is discovering that my child has a condition that will prevent him/her from living an independent, productive life, or otherwise being able to survive on his or her own as an adult. I have an older friend who has an adult autistic child and he is a pretty constant source of stress for her. He lives on his own, but doesn't always function in society well and ends up in all kinds of trouble. It just depends on the severity. 

Bunda, that's awesome that your DH is so open minded about not judging the person your child becomes, and I had to laugh, because at the moment I'm just hoping I can help my DH cope if we find out we're having a girl! :haha:


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## Jazavac

Both my husband and I are open towards anything when it comes to our children. It really doesn't matter what they are, sexually or otherwise, as long as they are not, as bunda nicely put it, dishonest.

We do have some pretty valid concerns regarding the baby's health, but for now, we're trying to ignore them all. We'll start thinking about it when the time comes. The biggest hurdle was making this decision, to have a baby, in the first place.

As far as autism go, I'll have to agree with bunda again. People attribude anything and everything to autism, and the other way around. I think it's genetic, just like pretty much anything else. Different patterns, different combinations... and there you have it, whatever it is.


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## DHime

Discovered a new thing today. Heat. I was outside most the day yesterday. (vaca day from work) Down here in the southern tip of Florida it was already 85 degrees. I was out in it about an hour before I started feeling like I had run a marathon. It's gonna be a long summer. I think I will at the beach allot...


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## Marie000

Hi everyone. Been away for a few days for a fun weekend in town, now back home. And guess what today is... the first day where I can say without any doubt that I am in my second trimester. :happydance: Some say it's 13, others 14 weeks, and there are also differing opinions about how far along I am, but today even by the most conservative calculations, I'm there. Woo!

Yesterday I went shopping and bought some maternity clothes. I had a little I bought at a thrift store, but it wasn't that nice. Good enough to work in the garden, but not to go out. So now I have nicer clothes. The maternity store provided some fake bellies in the change rooms to see how clothes will fit later. I must say, it looked pretty cute. Now I can't wait to have a more visible belly. I just hope the rest of me does not swell up too much. 



DHime said:


> Discovered a new thing today. Heat. I was outside most the day yesterday. (vaca day from work) Down here in the southern tip of Florida it was already 85 degrees. I was out in it about an hour before I started feeling like I had run a marathon. It's gonna be a long summer. I think I will at the beach allot...

ouch, that is pretty hot. 
It's been warm here for a few weeks, but now it's back to normal, near-freezing temperatures. But I am really not looking forward to the heat of the summer. Lots of heat and humidity always makes me cranky. Can't imagine what this summer will bring. My poor OH will live in constant fear.


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## DHime

lol. It's gonna get a lot hotter here. normal is 90 - 100 degrees in the summer.
ew
Of course too much of a rise in body temp can hurt baby so I have to be careful. Can't do my normal outdoor activities. At least I can go to the beach and get in the water. 
By the way, materinity baithing suits suck. all black! where is the cute stuff?!


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm just jealous of your being near a beach! I'm stuck in the desert where it'll be 90 - 100 most days in the summer, but no water in sight. :( Its public pools (icky) or nothing. Enjoy your ocean no matter what color you have to wear. Btw, even at maternity clothing websites its all black?! Crazy. 

Marie, welcome to your 2nd Tri! :flower: I'm exactly like you were with maternity clothes at the moment, but I'm trying to hold out for shorts & dresses. I have a few pairs of pants I can still wear with a belly band if I need to. In a couple of weeks we have a big Mother Load sale here, so hopefully I can find some cuter stuff for cheap.


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## Marie000

This summer, I want to buy a kiddie pool. We can't afford a regular pool, and there are no beaches or public pools nearby, so I'll just sit n the kiddie pool. I know one of my dogs will love the pool too (the second dog hates water though). 
Having never been pregnant before, I was wondering something, and I find it kind of embarrassing to ask family. Is it true that it's hard to shave your legs once you have a big belly? I am cursed with very light skin and thick dark hair, so that kind of worries me. I don't think OH would be thrilled to have to do it for me. :haha:


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## NellieRae

You know, I'm pretty fair, too and worried about the same thing. It does get hard to shave your legs, I've heard. Bending over at the moment isn't really comfortable now, but at least I have no problem reaching them. Hmmmm, maybe long sundresses then! :haha: It also becomes impossible to shave your bikini area once you can't see it anymore. :blush:


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## DHime

Ha!
I know what you mean. I keep cutting my hooha accidentally cause I can't see it to well anymore. My DH is happy to do all my shaving for me. we both hate body hair so I need not worry. He knows if he cuts me, no boomboom. So he won't cut me. lol

Then again, there is always the waxing palces... (shiver)

I found some great suits and all were at least $175 dollars. I guess I am just gonna have to make one. Almost done making my first maternity dress. I will post a pick once it is finished. (all pink sundress with plenty of growing room)

Oh! I got my test results today from the tripple test! All is well in the genetics dept! That was a big sigh of relief especially given the statistics of 1 in 400.


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## lilosmom

I was curious about the shaving thing too. By the time I got big with my first it was too cold to be shaving so I lucked out there, this time around I think I'll be huge in the heat so I'm not sure how that's going to work out. We'll be getting a kiddie pool too for the little kiddie, hopefully it'll be big enough for the both of us!

Glad to hear the testing went well DHime. I know I saw some maternity swim suits somewhere online but can't remember where now... I think I'll be able to just wear a bikini I already have and let it all hang out if I choose to frighten people at the water. 

AFM, I had my 12 week appointment at the doctor last week and got to hear a heartbeat which was so reassuring. However, they don't want to see me again until after my 18-20 week ultrasound which won't be for another 7 weeks. I'm so bummed out as it seems so far away. I'm not sure what I'm going to find to do to keep myself occupied so the time goes faster. This pregnancy sure is different with my doctors than my first. I had an appointment every 4 weeks or sooner. This time around I'm hitting week 13 and have only had 2 appointments!


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## Jazavac

On the contrary, I've had two appointments so far, with a third one (and a fourth as well) already lined up when I get back to the States. I'm 6w4d today and I'm spoiled. Or, well, I paid $17 today to get a scan here in Croatia.


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## DHime

just $17 - wow!
how did it turn out? see any progress?


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## Jazavac

Everything was fine for 6w4d. Still no HB, but they didn't expect to see/hear any, anyway. I uploaded a scan to my journal yesterday. :)


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> Everything was fine for 6w4d. Still no HB, but they didn't expect to see/hear any, anyway. I uploaded a scan to my journal yesterday. :)

congrats! :happydance:

and congrats to lilosmom too for the heartbeat. 

I've had a couple of crappy days here. Nothing related to the baby, I just caught a nasty cold. It's been a long time since I had to fight a cold without medication. Plus today and tomorrow my OH is working really late, so there's no one around to take care of me, or pity me.


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## lilosmom

Marie000 said:


> Jazavac said:
> 
> 
> Everything was fine for 6w4d. Still no HB, but they didn't expect to see/hear any, anyway. I uploaded a scan to my journal yesterday. :)
> 
> congrats! :happydance:
> 
> and congrats to lilosmom too for the heartbeat.
> 
> I've had a couple of crappy days here. Nothing related to the baby, I just caught a nasty cold. It's been a long time since I had to fight a cold without medication. Plus today and tomorrow my OH is working really late, so there's no one around to take care of me, or pity me.Click to expand...

Sorry to hear you're sick. Both myself and my LO were sick when I was about 6 weeks and it lasted 3 WEEKS! Worst ever because you really can't take anything. Try to get lots of rest and drink lots of fluids.


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## DHime

Marie - Oh honey... feel better soon. I sure hope it doesn't last forever like mine did.
Lilosmom - Mine lasted 3 weeks too. Maybe it's the low immune system

AFM - I think I will write a book about the place where I work. Today a she/male started working for us. Of course she lives as a man so you can imagine the suprise that all the women had when he/she/it decided to use the ladies room.. I think I will be using a different restroom now. It leaves me feeling usafe since we don't really know if it is a female or not. Appreantly there is no law that protcects women from men using the ladies room. Is it any wonder that 75% of rapes happen in restrooms?


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## Marie000

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm already feeling a bit better than yesterday. I usually have a good immune system and don't stay sick for long. Hopefully it will be the case again this time. I don't cough as much, but boy, does it ever hurt when I do. My muscles are getting so sore from all the coughing.


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## Jazavac

I have to admit that I couldn't care less about who I shared my restroom with, as long as I don't have to swim in someone's bodily fluids. If would make me feel really unsafe if someone around me cared about my sexual preference.


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## DHime

For me it's not anyones sexual preference that's the issue. That's their private business. I just don't go for peeing in the same room with a man. I don't even let my dh hear me pee. I am a very private person and the horn-dogs I work with are the type to take pics. About 50% are convicted felons who are still in prison and allowed to leave to come to work. Not exactly the trustworthy type.

As far a the shemale is concerned, I have no worries there. The straight women carry more deseaes than the gay ones. 
Once the word got out that guys can use the ladies room it was like a free for all with lots of curious eyes. Like the poop smeared on the wall is something fascinating or something...


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## Jazavac

I suppose it's still hard for me to imagine how I would care, as long as I didn't have to go about doing my business in the same room as another person, that being pretty much the same stall. :shrug:

Poorly-designed stalls that make restrooms as private as open stadiums are another story, though. I've not seen them anywhere but in the US. Other places in the world I've been to actually provide you with some privacy. It's just in the US where you're peeing in your stall and your boss is enjoying their diarrhea in the other, as you listen to each and every sound of their bowel movement. Gross. Not even embarassing, just gross.


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## DHime

JAZ - LOL you are so right about that! There really is no real privacy in american restrooms. Now a days, everyone is talking to god knows who while going diareah.


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## 1eighty

Just a quick "Hi" between the transsexuals and bowel movements:

30 (be 31 by the time I pop), 5 weeks and a bit, first time, nervous as hell and sick as a dog.

Catch you later!


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## miracle35

DHime said:


> JAZ - LOL you are so right about that! There really is no real privacy in american restrooms. Now a days, everyone is talking to god knows who while going diareah.

Hiya, is it really like that?! I am sooo private as well and here in the UK it isn't as open and relaxed as it sounds like it is over there! Don't think I could handle that.
x


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm now convinced you work in the office full of monkeys that inspired that super bowl commercial. :wacko: 

For you ladies in the UK & elsewhere, most office bathrooms aren't a circus. :haha: I find most women go in for a quick pee & maybe chat with a friend who's in there, but most avoid anything more than that unless the bathroom is deserted. There will always be the older lady who doesn't care though, and lets it all out. I've never been to a bathroom in Europe, but my favorite ones here have actual floor to ceiling doors that completely close you off. They're extremely rare, though. 

:hi: 1eighty. I also conceived at 30, but am now 31 with my first. I had awful ms in first tri, so I truly hope you feel better soon...or at least get an occasional good day in. :flower:


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## Marie000

1eighty said:


> Just a quick "Hi" between the transsexuals and bowel movements:
> 
> 30 (be 31 by the time I pop), 5 weeks and a bit, first time, nervous as hell and sick as a dog.
> 
> Catch you later!

Welcome! :flower:

congrats on your pregnancy. I hope you feel better soon. The first few months can be pretty rough. Hang in there. :hugs:


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## bunda

I'm not sure about the statistics about rapes in public bathrooms, but I think if someone is choosing to live as a woman, (even if with all the male equipment intact) I think I'd sympathise with their preferring to use the ladies bathroom over the men's. I'm sure any transgender (pre or post op) would feel decidedly unsafe in a men's bathroom alone, compared to a ladies one and they, of course, know they aren't a threat to anyone. - I really don't think transgender people using the ladies bathrooms are likely to be raping anyone anytime soon. 


DHime, your office sounds like a hoot. See-through shirts, x-rated rap music, toxic co-workers, bathroom gossip surrounding the transgender employee. You don't actually work in a circus, do you? I don't know how you stick it out.

Jazavac: a blueberry now! That little badgerbean is growing and growing.

Asto public bathrooms, I found American ones ok, but only ok. European ones vary in their standards, although you'd be lucky to find public toilets in England. Councils are closing them, because they cost money to keep open. 

The worst loos I've used were in my office building about four jobs ago. The office building was swanky and the bathrooms too - but the VERY SHINY floor in each stall gave you absolutely no privacy from whoever was just outside or just next to your stall. I mean, I got to see _myself_ from angles I'm still trying to forget. As to co-workers, I generally chose to go at quiet times. *shudder*


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## DHime

180 - love your pick! And congrats! Sorry about the ms. Aren't you excited though to finally be in this step?!

Nellie - OMG you are a melon! Yes I agree with the monkey theory. And yes, it would not surprise me at all if that was the inspiration. did you find out what team you are playing for?

Bunda - I work in the call center (and corp office) of a cruiseline. I am thinking I will write a book about this place. Might actually make some money. lol
Mirrored floors in the bathroom. Scary.

Miracle - Yep. unfortunately it is exactly like that. lol

AFM - Got a free health screening today. I lost a lb but got bigger. My blood pressure was extremely low. They said it would not be safe for it to drop any further. I ask you.... how the hell do you raise your blood pressure? They asked if I was doing something to not stress. I just laughed and said it's easy to not stress when I understand my coworkers are idiots and I don't expect anything of them. lol 
He didn't realize I was serious.
Next month I have to testify in a sexual harassment case against my boss. Good thing I was not part of it in any way. That should raise my pressure a bit. Good news is my boss is dangling another promotion under my nose. I wonder if the 2 are connected?


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## bunda

hmm, I think you're right to be suspicious, DHime. I would mention that way your boss has dangled the promotion when you testify. It should be in the written notes about the incident.

Ugh, I hate office politics. I don't envy you one bit. How on earth you keep your blood pressure so low is a miracle. The rap music alone would have be going all hormonal on them.


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## NellieRae

Dhime, my scan is scheduled for April 10, so another 1.5weeks to go. What about you? I know its crazy - and I certainly look like I swallowed a melon (which I did- a few of them. I can't get enough fruit!) :haha: I love to watch my belly button when I cough or laugh, because it goes up & down. Its nearly flat now. 

Good luck testifying - I'm sure that it will adequately raise your blood pressure. At least this case is not about you........yet. I hope he does give you that promotion while you're waiting, though. 

Bunda - whoever thought reflective floors in the bathroom is a good idea is probably a total perv. **shudders**


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## sunshine1217

:hi: How are you all? I haven't been sleeping as much these days but work has me pretty tired still. 

Looks like I missed a lot of fun talk around here. 

Welcome *1eighty*, where are you from?

*DHime*, you're a mango now, I just ate one! :haha: What kind of cruise line do you work for? I've never taken one and am thinking about doing that with DH. We'd like to do one in Europe. Sorry your boss is such a pervert. Are you testifying against him? or are you totally neutral? That's a tough one. Although I have to say, his motive is quite transparent. 

*Nellie*, the wait sucks, i haven't had a scan in 3 weeks and have one on Monday. I bought a doppler that just arrived - I was hoping for earlier. DH was able to find the HB right away but i just couldn't do it myself.


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## Marie000

Good morning everyone! 

How are you all? 

I'm starting to get over my cold. Sort of. I'm not quite there, but at least I almost had a full night's sleep last night, for the first time in almost a week. 

While I've been sick I was able to continue my latest knitting project. But now I'm getting tired of knitting. I have some embroidery projects I want to do, but I don't have the material. My plan is to buy plain baby shirts and do some embroidery on them. I found some nice, geeky patterns, including a 'ninja in training' and 'mad scientist in training' :haha: I love making baby things. 

In the last few days I've started wondering if those strange sensations in my abdomen could be the baby moving. :shrug: It's hard to tell since I've been having a pretty upset digestive system (apparently mucus is hard to digest) but it didn't really feel like that. 

So that's all. Not much baby news. Two more weeks until my next appointment, and about one more month until my next scan.


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## sunshine1217

NT screening today, i have to say I'm a little nervous. I haven't had a scan in just about 3 weeks..sheesh.


----------



## DHime

Sunshine - good luck today. 

Marie - Glad you are feeling better. I bought a baby shirt pattern over the weekend. I am learning cross-stitch so hats off to you. I can't knit but I can crochet. Been working on 1 blanket for 6 months. Never gonna finish... I also made a maternity sundress. Pink and utterly adorable. Can't wait to wear it.

Nellie - OMG you made me look at my own bellybutton. Still a deep inny but getting all stretched out. I looked at it and said "oh gross!" My DH thinks it's a toy now. 

AFM - Unfortunately I have to testify on the side of the company. My job hangs in the balance. If I go against them, they will find a way to fire me. I have watched it happen to others before. Once my boss hates them, he makes it impossible for them to stay. It's tough since I plan to be honest once I am up there. I won't let my company alter my integrity. 
Anatomy scan is 1 week from today.


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## NellieRae

Sunshine, can't wait to hear how it went!

Marie, thank goodness you're getting over your nasty cold. Not being able to sleep is pretty awful. My back pain is slowly diminishing as days go by & I've been getting decent sleep again, too. At last! :wine: Cheers to feeling better! (of course that is organic grape juice....)

Dhime, your DH will always make me laugh. :rofl: And your boss sounds like such a stand-up guy! :wacko: Good for you for holding on to your values - but if you can't financially survive being fired, that's also understandable. What a choice! :hugs2: At least you have the scan to look forward to. 

This week I've been struck with pregnancy brain. :dohh: I'm finding that I somehow tend to dribble food down my shirt these days, and yesterday, a few hours after I got out of the shower, I realized that I had completely forgotten to wash my hair....oops.


----------



## bunda

The stretched-out inny - yes I have this too. My belly button used to be quite a tidy little thing and now it's cavernous. OH says eventually it's going to 'pop' and there'll be a huge shower of things we've lost - that set of keys, the spare a battery from the camera, his scarf, that sort of thing.


I too have a cold and it's gone to my chest, so lots of coughing. This isnot only turbulence for my passenger, but also can be quite painful for me. It's like pulling a muscle each time. Because the fluid settling on my chest when I lay down at night, I'm propped upright at night with a spare duvet, but it's not very comfortable so I've average about 2 hours sleep each these past three nights (last night I was awake from 1am until 7 am when OH got up for work, dozed off for an hour, then woke and rang in sick at work. The previous two nights have been much like this, too).

Also, last night I had quite a lot of abdominal pain. As in, I was actually quite concerned. I started to think: This is what early labour must feel like. It's not very pleasant. What can I do to make this pain go away?

Lying on my back (well, upright in a reclined seating position) was the most painful, and the only thing that eased the pain slightly was to sit cross-legged and lean forwards. At one point I was under the covers on all fours, as if ready for doggy style! The only position where it didn't hurt. I'm not sure whether it's trapped wind or pain due to all my coughing or something I should be worried about. I've not had any bleeding or diarrhoea, but even during the day I can feel an almost constant ache there, especially if I'm hunched. It does feel very much like the way trapped gas can feel, when it gets very bad, but I've not eaten windy food nor noticed any, uh, emissions.

Fortunately I know pudd' is alright in there though - kicks are getting more and more noticeable. 

Oh and yesterday I could feel how stretched and distended my belly is. It really felt like, my belly was straining to keep everything in, so I measured it. It's grown an inch in two days. An INCH TWO DAYS!! -wait, unless that IS just gas and I'm becoming a blimp.

So is anyone else getting abdominal aches?


----------



## DHime

Yes - I get the sharp pain every time I sneeze or cough. Feels like a torn muscle. My belly has gone to 40 inches. I nearly screamed. To make worse... My ass is getting bigger too.


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## sunshine1217

So I had my screening today. 4 vials of blood and a beautiful movie of my LO. I didn't expect the 3D and 4D u/s but those were a nice surprise. Although I have to say, they look a little weird. I definitely enjoyed viewing the baby on the big screen. Oh and the funniest part of it is that I saw that girl from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This was a neonatologist office so she was defo preggers and by the look of her "bump", she was defo NOT 20 weeks so probably just after her 1st trimester.


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## DHime

wow! wich chick from Buffy? the redhead? or the brunette?

I am so happy your scan went well. It must have been way cool to see everything in 3D. I hope I get the chance to do that.
I completed my firist maternity skirt last night. I have to say that I impressed myself. Did the fold-over top and everything.


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## bunda

that sharp pain is round ligament pain. This pain is different.

Trouble with googling "abdominal pain pregnancy" is it'll set your hair standing on end, the things that could be wrong. But after some level headed symptom checking, my hunch is that it's an abdominal muscle (can't remember which. the one that runs down the front) is stretched and can become tender at its anchor points - either up by the diaphragm or down by the pubic bone (never both, for some reason - just the way it is stretched). I reckon with all that coughing and sitting upright, I've strained that area of the muscle. Lying down stretched it out further and hence it hurt more. It was less stretched when I leaned forward. It seems to be a lot less painful now and walking about seems to help a lot.

DHime - pics of that skirt. I am envious of your sewing skills. I can manage a button or a patch but anything requiring a sewing machine and I'm nervous. My mum's an accomplished seamstress, so I may ask to spend an afternoon with her to learn some of those skills (making butt cloths for baby, for example - simple rectangular things).


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## sunshine1217

DHime said:


> wow! wich chick from Buffy? the redhead? or the brunette?
> 
> I am so happy your scan went well. It must have been way cool to see everything in 3D. I hope I get the chance to do that.
> I completed my firist maternity skirt last night. I have to say that I impressed myself. Did the fold-over top and everything.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, she's very pretty. I was the only one in there without a bump other than her. She must be around the same time.

I have to say, 3d must be better later on, right now, it looks a little alienist. I'll post a pic when i'm on the upstairs computer later tonight.


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## NellieRae

:happydance: sunshine! Its always wonderful to be reassured that LO is doing OK in there.

Dhime, I'm with Bunda - pictures, please! I'm going to sew some things for the baby, but I'm not up to clothing yet. I need to be, though, and have to figure out how to follow a pattern and put a dress together. Wish me luck! :haha: Btw, what stitch do you use with your clothes to finish seams?

Bunda, I agree that it must be strained muscles from all that coughing. I'm learning things can get out of whack pretty quickly with a pregnant body. Hope you're back to sleeping soon.


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## DHime

Bunda - I agree it's the muscle. Coughing can stretch things alot making them sore. I will post some picks. Got to put it with the right shirt to show it right. Almost done with a sundress too. (7 yards of fabric on this sucker) It will give me plenty of growing room though. (Gonna be cute as hell with all pink!)

Nellie - I don't have a surger so I just use a basic stitch. I normally use fabrics that don't show a hemline so I don't have to do a hem at all. I am about to face my fear of elastic though. I am terrified to learn this. I hate waste and I waste allot when learning a new technique. I am self taught so I don't know the names of the stuff I do. Can't use patterns. They just confuse me with all those tabs and stuff. I just look at shirt and eyeball it. I have done model costumes and swimwear for music videos in the past but never professionally. Who knows. May try to make some petite designs and sell them to motherhood.

Sunshine - OMG! She is my total fav! I would have been so starstruck! (bowing) I'm not worthy!

AFM - Really sore in my bladder area. Weird but also getting cloudy urine. Will ask the ob on Monday about this. Fighting a migraine and having to drink 4 oz of caffine with a tylonol.
6 days till scan
Anyone else always feel as though you just ate the biggest meal ever (and you tummy is gonna bust) but you are always hungry?


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## NellieRae

DHime said:


> Anyone else always feel as though you just ate the biggest meal ever (and you tummy is gonna bust) but you are always hungry?

Yes, frequently. 

I don't have a serger either, so I was just curious. I'm going to have to go old school with hems, I guess b/c my machine is from the 50's/60's.


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## Jazavac

Oh, yes, sewing, that's something I've been planning to learn. I can design and cut fabric and all that, even though nobody ever taught me. I suppose it has to do with the fact that I can draw and have a very good sense of perspective, overall. Sewing machines are, however, an enemy and I should really fix that. I made some Halloween costumes for my brother some years ago (which included shirts and bottoms), all from scratch, with no schemes of any sort, but it was all hand made. Literally! I hand-stitched my curtains last year, too. I'm such a weirdo. :shrug:

bunda, the muscle pain sounds just like that. It really makes sense. And even my own muscles (or the weirdness often referred to as trapped wind :lol:) respond poorly to couhging or laughing - something somewhere in there stabs me pretty hard every once in a while.

I had a crappy dream last night. It ended without a clear outcome, but I do remember starting to bleed. I don't recall waking up and missing out on an ending of some sort, but there was definitely no verdict that I remember.

I might schedule a scan today, just so I don't have two this Friday.


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## DHime

Jaz - don't worry. It's just a dream. Normally the manifestation of your fears working out in your mind. For years I did only hand stitching. I only use a maching for long straight stitches. Otherwise I prefer hand stiching since it does not come undone easily and is just way sturdy. I have co workers bringing me clothing and money to alter and repair. Made $10 today for fixing a torn seam. it's only gonna take 10 min to do it too. ha! 

Nellie - Mine is super old too. Only does 4 stitches. I use 2 of them. It was always a hobby for me since I grew up poor. If I wanted a new outfit, I had to "pretty in pink" it. Hard but it taught me to use what I have and never waste anything. I have bins of button, zippers, you name it. I made a pair of pajama pants out of old sheets once. so comfy!


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## NellieRae

Yay for old sheets! You get them at a thrift store & its some of the cheapest cotton yardage you can buy. :) I inherited someone's stash of zippers, buttons, binding, etc when I bought my old sewing machine (only does 2 stitches!) Nice work with your little alterations shop at the office. 

Jaz, prepare for some weird, sometimes unhappy or just scary dreams. And try not to read into them. Early on I had a dream, I think, where I had the baby in the hospital & it got taken away by someone because I made some mothering mistake. :haha:


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## Jazavac

No scan for me today because the doctor said it was pretty pointless (I had one last Tuesday). He wants to see me next week, probably Tuesday again, but I also have a scan scheduled for this Friday at a high end lab. 

I'm anxious because too many internet places say that at 6w4d hearbeat should be visible. Ours wasn't, and the little bean measured exactly 6w4d. Ugh.


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## Marie000

I really should start sewing again. I used to, but I found it frustrating to try to make clothes for myself. I'd always make a big mistake or stop understanding the pattern, and I'd have yards of fabric wasted. 
I made a few baby clothes that turned out ok. That was fun too because it didn't require much fabric. I'm just not sure I would remember how to do it all. 
I'm also not sure I would remember how to put the thread in my machine. It's an old machine and there are about 12 loops to go through. 

I found too that pregnancy gives you strange dreams. So far I haven't had very bad ones, but mostly confusing. Last night I dreamed that we found out we were having a girl, and OH was really mad. I kept apologizing, but he said he wasn't mad at me.


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## Marie000

Oh, I just remembered. I found something I want to sew by hand: a quiet book. 
I found this blog with lots of patterns for quiet book pages. Some are more suitable for slightly older kids (with detachable parts) but others would be fine for a baby. 
https://www.imagineourlife.com/quiet-book-patterns/


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## sunshine1217

Oh I've had all kinds of weird dreams. bad ones, too. and sex ones. and just really weird ones. I even woke up having an orgasm onces (sorry tmi).

You guys are so cute, I have no idea how to sew. 

Awwww, Marie, do you have many girls already? I'm having a girl, we're thrilled!


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## DHime

Sunshine - How do you know already? Or is that a guess?

Jaz - Nellie is right. Totally weird dreams. Hang in there in the hearbeat thing. It is still very early and the heart doesn't start beating till at least week 7. It could even be bad equipment. That's what happened to me when they couldn't find button or his/her heartbeat and it all turned out fine. After they made me freak out of course. Don't panic yet, okay? It's bad for baby. Adrenaline surges in pregnancy causes agreesive offspring. This has been proven in more than 40 different mammal species. No body human wants to sign up for that one.... lol For obvious reasons of course.

Marie - OMG - I want those! The things you can do with felt! 


AFM - I was up half the night arguing with my twin sis who decided to act like she is 12 yrs old. She disowned my mother on facebook over a stupid arguement over the title she gave our stepmother online. REALLY Now she is mad at me for sending an online response calling her out for being a petty child. Besides... My mother is Bipolar and has already tried to kill herself 4 times in the last 10 years. I could strangle my sis right now but more importantly I was worried that my mom may have seen it and become upset. If she finally does it, I will personally drive the 18 hours just to kick my sisters butt.


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## Marie000

sunshine1217 said:


> Oh I've had all kinds of weird dreams. bad ones, too. and sex ones. and just really weird ones. I even woke up having an orgasm onces (sorry tmi).
> 
> You guys are so cute, I have no idea how to sew.
> 
> Awwww, Marie, do you have many girls already? I'm having a girl, we're thrilled!

No, no girls yet. My OH has a son from a previous relationship.
We still don't know if it's a girl yet. That was just a dream. It was also the first time I dreamed of baby as a girl. It's usually a boy in my dreams.


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## sunshine1217

Marie, I knew it was a dream but you said you DH was mad, i guess that part was fictional too.:haha:

DHime, when I did the NT scan it was pretty obvious as she zoomed in on the region. DH then paused it for me at the exact moment on the DVD and we both agreed it's 99% a girl. yes you never know, but the labia was pretty apparent on there. :winkwink: When will you know?


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## Marie000

sunshine1217 said:


> Marie, I knew it was a dream but you said you DH was mad, i guess that part was fictional too.:haha:

Ok, I thought you thought that only the 'OH being mad' part was a dream. It was all a dream. When I told OH about it yesterday, he said of course he'd be happy if we had a girl. Certainly not mad. (though I know he hopes for a boy) He says he'll be fine with a girl, as long as he can teach her to play with legos (fine by me, they were my favorite toy when I was growing up too)


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## sunshine1217

Marie000 said:


> Ok, I thought you thought that only the 'OH being mad' part was a dream. It was all a dream. When I told OH about it yesterday, he said of course he'd be happy if we had a girl. Certainly not mad. (though I know he hopes for a boy) He says he'll be fine with a girl, as long as he can teach her to play with legos (fine by me, they were my favorite toy when I was growing up too)

I think guys think they want a boy to throw the ball around with but dads LOVE their girls. I've been so excited since I found out, it's all becoming more real now and I'm dying to buy her some cute shoes (but of course I'll wait on that one :rofl:)


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## DHime

Sunshine - If baby cooperates, Monday. I am kinda nervous though.
The thing that many Dads forget is that you can throw a football with a girl too. My dad did and I am grateful because I was the only girl that knew how. Still am. Thanks Dad!


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## sunshine1217

DHime, me too! I was a total tomboy growing up! I want my girl to be one, too. I can't wait for your scan! Do you feel a girl or boy? The thing that I noticed is I can only think of girl names.


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## DHime

Well, I can't think of boy names. I would love a girl. I did have a dream at the very begining about the baby and it was a boy. So I don't have my hopes up. It will probably be a boy because I dislike the name my DH chosen. Barry. Sounds like an old bald guy. lol


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## Marie000

DHime said:


> Well, I can't think of boy names. I would love a girl. I did have a dream at the very begining about the baby and it was a boy. So I don't have my hopes up. It will probably be a boy because I dislike the name my DH chosen. Barry. Sounds like an old bald guy. lol

Not crazy about Barry either.
I'll also have a hard time with names if I have a boy. My OH has suggested lots, but the only decent name he had was Maxime. Which is ok, but I'm afraid people would start calling him Max. Besides that, OH suggested Tiberius, Octavius and Conan. 
I kind of like Theo (but not crazy about Theodore) and Nicolas (but I don't like Nick).


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## NellieRae

I think its harder to find a good boy's name than it is for a girl. 

Dhime, I'm not crazy for Barry, either. DH and I have yet to talk about any names at all, but I guess we'll begin the battle after we find out what we're having. Soon....


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## Jazavac

It's a lot easier, for me at least, to find a boy name. But it's overall horrible because just about any and all names I like would be pronounced absolutely wrong in English, while they are, for the most part, spelled the same. So that's a big fat no because I don't like the sound of any of those names. Bad.

As for the girls, it's even worse. The only one I like, Emma, gets a huge no from my husband. Everything else, again, either wouldn't work in English, or I hate it. 

So we're gonna have a boy. It's just as simple as that.

I also can't stand girls' clothes, at least those from stores such as Target, Walmart, this, that, whatnot... where everything has a little piece of some ribbon, and/or an ugly cupcake saying Mommy's Little Princess. Puke.


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## sunshine1217

Nellie, you're a banana!!! Congrats! Are you going to find out the gender or do you already know?

DHime, I am with everyone else, not a least bit crazy about Barry. Sounds so...barry old. :winkwink:


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## n_q

Hi ladies, new to the forum. I am 8w3d today and am 31. This is my first!


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## DHime

Hi NQ! Good to meet ya! Welcome! How are you feeling at 8 wks? 

Jaz - I also hate the overly girlie stuff. No need to go there to shop. I go for the thrift stores anyway. Han-me-downs are just fine since the kid isn't gonna wear it long anyhow.
If I do have a girl, I will do my best to see that she is balanced. You can be girlie without vomiting pink everywhere. How are you feeling btw? Starting to feel bigger yet?

Nellie - A banana sounds so much better than a small melon! I was reading and your lo should be abput 11 inches in total length now. After 20 or so they start measuring head to toe instead of heat to rump. Came as a shock to me when the kid suddenly goes from 6 inches to 10 at 20 weeks! I nearly gagged on my milk! I can't do much with Barry though. DH is set. I will try to show how much he will be made fun of though. Probably nickname him Raspbarry. lol

Marie - Ooooo Conan... I like. Makes me think stud though. I keep trying for Sebastian Thorfin. Weird but it's better than Barry


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## NellieRae

Welcome, nq! :hi:

Dhime, its funny to go from a small melon to banana! Its crazier to think that soon our babies will weigh lbs, not ounces. I thought of Dingle-barry first, btw. :wacko: Good luck. You may have to trick him somehow, if LO turns out to be a boy. 

Sunshine - thanks! And we will find out if baby cooperates at our scan on Tues.


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## n_q

Thanks for the warm welcome! Feeling different everyday. Definitely bloated!!!! I need a Bella band or something, ASAP! :)


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## Jazavac

Hello, n_q!

I feel like a beached whale right now. What's really horrible is that my clothes don't really fit anymore. Nothing shows and it's not about the size - everything just feels wrong. My pants cut into things they normally don't and I can even feel my underwear.

We had our 8w0d scan today and there was a strong heart beat. I got to see it, but the doctor turned on the doppler, too, so even my mom in the waiting room could _hear_ it. It was pretty amazing because our little hamster/shark is only 1.54 cm.


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## DHime

NQ - Bella band? Get used to the bloating girls. it gets worse

Jaz - So glad you finally got to hear the hb! Pretty cool sound huh? My yoga pants have become my best friend.


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## Jazavac

Yup, I got to hear and see the HB. Actually, I even have a video of it, along with some pictures.

As for pants, I can't wear yoga pants to work, not even close. No jeans either, so I have to go buy a ton of stuff, actually.


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## NellieRae

Jaz, congrats on a healthy heartbeat! I feel like I missed something with the hamster/shark reference.....? Anyway, its a shame you can't wear yoga pants to work. Belly bands really work wonders as long as you can pull your pants up and lay both sides of the zipper flat comfortably. Hope you are feeling ok & loving being in your happy place. :)


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## DHime

Oh! I have one of those! It rolls up all the time though. I can't figure out which way is up on that thing. lol

I am not allowed to wear yoga pants either but I wear them with short dresses so it just looks I have an unusual sense of style while lstill ooking professional. They come in wide leg so they look more like dress pants these days. (Just a thought) It has saved me so money so far anyway. Just make sure your butt and waiste are covered up so no one can tell. I used a black sharpie to conceal the rebok logo on the leg of mine. Doing a bu,p pic tomorrow. I am backing out all my mirrors that show anything below the waist. I don'tmind the bump in the front so much now. I mind the growing bump on my butt. Why do I have to get a badonk-a-donk butt with this? I wanna be one of those that looks the same just with a front bump. lol 
Excersice regimine begining tomorrow.


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## Jazavac

I still couldn't do that. On top of everything, there are no shoes other than sneakers to wear with that type of pant, and sneakers are a no as well. I'll just have to figure out some other outfits and hopefully I'll find those bottoms over here. It's more expensive than in the US, but I've not even seen anything there, other than jeans, that I want to pay for. 

As for the belly bands, I'm not sure how those would work, at least according to the majority of things I've heard about them. Per other girl's experiences, they seem to hold nothing in place at all. 

Hamster/shark reference is coming from our baby's newest u/s picture. I'll have to put it in my journal.


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## LovesProphecy

Hi all 32 and expecting. I've noticed that when I was preg with my 14 year old.. ( I was 17 then) I didn't worry about all the possibilities.. Like do I need the test for downs? What other test are available that I may want to think about.. I dont really remember ever thinking of that stuff before.. Has anyone else noticed this?


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## Jazavac

Welcome, LovesProphecy!

I could tell you about the tests available in my home country, where I won't be during this pregnancy. As for the US, that's something I'm trying to find out myself, too. I'm 34.5 and I pretty much want any and all available tests that are, for now, non-invasive. Should something go bad, we'd reconsider the invasiveness criteria, too.


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## DHime

Jaz - WOW it does look like a hamster. Such a cute little hammie! 
I wear a simple pair of maryjane shoes with my yoga pants. Never cared much about the strict shoe policy. As long as everything blends (mainly being all black), not one person has ever noticed and I was doing that a year ago just because it was comfy. 
To each his own though. You heed to do what you are comfy with and it's just that simple. It does get harder with time and size though.
I like how the band works with skirts. It just likes to roll up when I sit. Irritating to readjust all the time but not as bad as my skirt hanging below my belly and tripping me because it is too long int he front.

Loves - Welcome! I know what you mean. so many tests and many not accurate either. The tripple test (done in the 2nd tri) has an error rate of 70%. Pretty steep right? With only a 30% accuracy it's hard to convince someone to get amnio based on such a low rate. (Considering that amnio can cause a whole plethera of side effects upto and including fetal death) Weigh your options with the risks you are willing to take for you and your baby.

AFM - I personally don't care about the test results except that I wanted the tripple test (simple blood test) to ensure that I am low risk and good to go at a birthing center. If there is a problem, I will go with a hosp. Either way I will not terminate no matter if my kid has 2 heads,a cleft lip, or has the mental capacity of a carrot. But that is my personal choice and not all would agree with me. 
Less than 24 hours to anatomy scan! So excited and nervous!
You know, When I was at 6/8 weeks, I remember seeing a coworker who was 20 weeks and thinking gosh, I am never gonna get that far. It seems like just a couple of weeks and I am still surprised. Just a thought.

So how are my lovely mommies to be today?


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## lilosmom

Welcome to the new mommies out there and glad to hear everyone seems to be doing well. I'm one of those bella band advocates (I'm stubbornly still wearing my regular pants with button and zipper undone so the band keeps pants up) and will wear it for the next month or so until it gets too small and I absolutely have to wear maternity clothes. Bump is starting to appear but just slightly. With the way my hips have expanded I'm sure there's lots of room for baby to hide on the inside. I think I may have started to feel baby moving but when I stop and try to really concentrate it's gone. Oh well, it's a start. I've still got another 5 weeks until my next ultrasound and doctors appointment so not much to report on that front. I still have a tendency to forget sometimes that I'm even pregnant - the benefits of having a busy toddler already I guess. Anyway, hope you are all doing well.


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## DHime

Hey Lilo'smom! Good to see you again!

I am doing okay. Went in today for my 20 week scan and they forgot to book me........
I could have hit someone!
Then I met a lady in the waiting room who is having a 7lb baby and because she is 1 week overdue they are inducing. Then I overheard the nurse booking her induction over the phone and said they would be pushing for a csection becaus e the baby is a whopping 7lbs! AS IF! This will be my last appt with these people. I did get squeezed in for the anatomy scan and a consult with a genetics expert. (not sure why I need that) I just wanna know what I've got in there.
On a good note I did get to hear the little bugger kicking at the doppler. It was funny cause I didn't feel a thing.
So they got me in for 1 pm tomorrow. Nellie, it looks like we r both going on the same day. FX for us both!


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## NellieRae

Oh, how horrible to suggest a C for a 7lb baby! Its normal to induce so that you don't go past 42 weeks, but still........ 

Yes, FX for both of us. I haven't had any scan yet, so I'm hoping that we find a perfectly healthy, normal little one in there. Lets hope we can both continue with our birth centers after tomorrow.


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## DHime

to make things even better the lady (whom I have never even met) tried to say I have a big baby too. She didn't even look at my chart before saying I was a week ahead based on my LMP. Huh? The first doc based my due date on the LMP and said I was right where I am and I was dated correctly at 7 weeks and 5 days to back it up. When I tried to correct her she said she knew what she was talking about. Seems to me they are trying to set me up for the same route of induction. Not gonna fall for the "your baby is too big to deliver" crap. When she asked if I had questions, I asked about being drug free and she went straight to giving me the benifits of C-sections and how they are only done for safety. (I didn't even bring up that topic) Something tells me that many women do not do thier research on thos whole process. I smell poo. 
I am so glad that I am switching to a midwife after this. I don't think I could deal with condecending doctors who lie to you just to make thier job easier. Before, I was going natural because of safety. I am begining to want to do it this way just to spite those trying to make me do something I don't want to do. (I am begining to sound like a total hippie - Mom would be proud)

Going for scan in a few hours.


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## sunshine1217

good luck Dhime and Nellie! I can't wait to hear the gender verdicts. :happydance:


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## DHime

Getting edgy - apt in 1.5 hrs.
I am so glad this is nearly done so I can move on. YAY!


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## NellieRae

:pink: Its A Girl !!!  :pink:

I have to wait til Friday now to find out if everything is ok/normal or not. The techs aren't allowed to tell you anything, so.......glad my appt is just a few days away. Poor DH had his heart set on a boy. I'm glad we found out b/c he'll need some time to "figure out how to be a father to a girl," as he says. :haha:


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## Marie000

Nellie - congrats on the little girl! :pink:

DHime - wow, those are some strange doctors. I hope you have a better experience with the midwife. :thumbup:
I certainly hope 7 lbs isn't too big to have naturally because no baby in my family or in OH's family has ever been under 8 lbs. In my family, going 2 weeks overdue is not unusual either (my grandma was once pregnant for 10 months). Still I really hope I can avoid being induced or having to go to the hospital. 

Not much news on my end. I had a very slight bleeding yesterday (2-3 drops - if I had gone to the bathroom an hour later I would have missed it completely) but nothing more since. I had also had some small nose bleeds twice that day, so I guess it's just increased circulation. :shrug: 
I've started doing some prenatal yoga (with a DVD. There are no classes around here) and it went well. I just have to stay motivated to do it. I have already been having problems with my back, so I'll try to get in better shape before it gets worst.


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## DHime

Well, Nellie, wanna trade?
I got your :blue: right here...

Looks like I got a boy with large teepee. They also brought me to the back to discuss some problems. My placenta is still covering the cervix and the umbilical cord has only 1 artery. This may take my no hospital plan out of the loop.
I am doing some research on it. Seems it is not common but not rare either. Some issues that come with are low birth weight, kidney, and heart problems. We shall see since they want me to come back next week and again in two weeks to track growth. 
Cross your fingers.


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## lilosmom

congrats on the gender discoveries ladies, I'm yellow all the way again. I'd say as long as there are no foreseen complications try the natural approach to delivery. Not many people I know do that anymore and I strongly feel it's best for both mom and baby if it can be done. I'd flat out refuse C section if it was pushed on me unless there was some emergency reason. I delivered my little Olivia with no drugs and luckily had only a 7 hour labour from water breaking to actual delivery of baby (maybe 3 hours of that was active labour too) so I'm holding out for the same this time around. Mind you, she was early and weighed just 6 lbs so I guess that helped. Oh, and there's nothing sweeter than seeing a daddy with his little girl. Not only can he teach her all the same things as a boy but those little darlings find a way to wrap themselves tightly around daddy's finger. I wouldn't change having a girl for anything (granted, she's only two and by the time she hits 7 or 8 I'm sure I'll be in for it!). Take care ladies. By the way, does anyone feel like the clock is speeding up lately? I can't believe 15 weeks has gone by already!


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## NellieRae

Thanks, lilosmom. Yes, the clock is flying by! 

Dhime, FX are crossed for you! A little boy will be so much fun. If no health issues are found b/c of the cord issue & that placenta moves out of the way, you might be still be able to use the birth center. I would call & get the opinion of the midwives there, since it sounds like your medical staff so far want to push all kinds of interventions regardless of the situation. :wacko:


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## DHime

Lilosmom - Thanks. I am going for natural but if the placenta doesn't move, I will have no choice. I have to go back in a week to have a closer look at his heart and then again in 2 wks to check that he is growing. Funny thing is that I wanted a small baby. Be careful what you wish for right?

Congrats Nellie. I am very happy for you and totally jello. It does seem like everyone wants to push me in the direction that is good for them and not me. I am still going to the midwives after this mainly since they do have an on-staff ob who clears everyone for delivery at the center. I am not out yet!
I guess it is fitting that I have a boy. Im not a fan of pink

The placenta does explain why I haven't been feeling anything. Oddly I can feel him right now kicking away


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## sunshine1217

Congrats ladies!!!! Dhime, I feel so ignorant but how many arteries is the umbilical cord suppose to have?

I can't wait to find out for sure the gender because I've gotten both guesses so far on ultrasounds so back to 50/50.


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## DHime

Sunshine - It is still very early so the accuracy is not so good. Gets better later. 

AFM - I did alot of research last night and I didn't like the info I found. I have to call my doc to see what level of previa I have. If it is complete, I am stuck with a c section and a very high risk to baby with the risk of the placenta tearing and bleeding to death during the 3rd trimester. Normally the women with it (complete) end up on bed rest for the last 3 months. I am not going to worry till I know what I am facing though. we will see when the doc office opens up


----------



## sunshine1217

OMG DHime, I'm so sorry to hear that. Let's hope for the best and expect and pray for the worst. I'm going to do some research on your condition today during work.


----------



## DHime

Good news. Spoke to the doc from yesterday. It is only a prosterior partial so there is a very good chance it will move. I was so scared that it was complete. My DH and I both freaked out last night. I really wish they had a 24 hour hotline at the ob office. You know?

I just changed my avatar to show little Barry's latest pick.


----------



## sunshine1217

:happydance: 

Love the new avatar! Time to start buying stuff!


----------



## Marie000

DHime said:


> Good news. Spoke to the doc from yesterday. It is only a prosterior partial so there is a very good chance it will move. I was so scared that it was complete. My DH and I both freaked out last night. I really wish they had a 24 hour hotline at the ob office. You know?
> 
> I just changed my avatar to show little Barry's latest pick.

That's great news! :happydance:

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will get even better.


----------



## DHime

OMG - I may have talked my DH out of the name Barry! I started calling the little guy a ninja cause he hasn't stopped kicking me all morning. Like Samuri Jack. (It's another cartoon) All of a sudden his face lit up. "Jack Barry!" I looked at him a moment and thought. This could work. I like Jack. Still hate Barry but this could be workable. I will give up Bastian for Jack. FX That he he goes for it. Little ninja is kicking me now, lol


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## lilosmom

DHime said:


> OMG - I may have talked my DH out of the name Barry! I started calling the little guy a ninja cause he hasn't stopped kicking me all morning. Like Samuri Jack. (It's another cartoon) All of a sudden his face lit up. "Jack Barry!" I looked at him a moment and thought. This could work. I like Jack. Still hate Barry but this could be workable. I will give up Bastian for Jack. FX That he he goes for it. Little ninja is kicking me now, lol

That's great news all around! I love Jack for a name (have a nephew with that name and it totally suits him). Can't wait til I feel those certain kicks with this one.:happydance:


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## Jazavac

Congrats on the little girl and boy, girls!

DHime, I wouldn't worry about placenta previa at 20 weeks. You're only halfway through, things can change a few million times.


----------



## DHime

Thanks Jaz - They said it has 9 weeks to move. Labor isn't the deadline unfortunately. I wish it was. When the 3rd tri starts, the uterus begins to stretch at the base. If the placenta is still positioned there and hasn't moved enough, it will tear. That is really my only worry since women going thru that commonly get at least 1 blood transfusion. I don't beleive in taking blood transfusions so other alternatives have to be prepared. I am already meeting with docs in 2 weeks to discuss alternatives just in case. I am not being negative though, jI ust better being safe in doing this now rather than rushing around if things take an ugly turn. Better to have the back up plan right? Especially when a life is in the balance. Most likely I will not need all the precautions but I can't help being prudent. 

A wise man always brings an umbrella with him. Even when it is sunny. He may not need it, but if it rains, he will be glad he did.

How are my other mommies to be today?


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## Marie000

DHime - I'm glad you are preparing without being too pessimistic. 

I'm so jealous of all of you who already know the sex of the baby. I know I said I was wishing for a girl, but now I just want to know. I want to give that baby a name and start imagining him/her. 

Things are ok here. I am starting to feel heavy. I can feel that my center of gravity is not where it used to be, and it feels weird to get out of bed in the morning. Also I get some mild cramps in my right leg whenever I stretch. No full on cramp yet, but I guess that's coming. 

I've also been having terrible mood swings. When I have a bad day, I spend most of the day bored and by the evening, I'm crying uncontrollably. I do find it hard being alone most of the time (we live in the country, and I work at home on our farm, so I don't go out much). And whenever I start feeling down, it just escalates because I start to worry that if I get those terrible mood swings after the baby is born, I'll just be a terrible mother. 

It should get better. At least today I'm feeling fine. I just need to keep myself busy.


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## NellieRae

:hugs: Marie. Its normal to have crazy mood swings after delivery, but it doesn't make you a bad mother. And being alone can give you too much time to stew/obsess. Will you have family around to help once your LO arrives?

Dhime, that's wonderful news on the name front. Jack is great & sounds like a nice compromise. :happydance: 

I'm anxious for tomorrow's appt with my midwife so I can finally find out the results of the anatomy scan.....


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## sunshine1217

Dhime it is absolutely better to be prepared. I hope you will not need to do much but it's a relief to know that you are set to go if you do.

Nellie, what type of results do they give you at the anatomy scan other than the gender?

Ladies, I have a question, I was only told all my blood work came back normal or negative for my nt scan. the scan was fine, too. I always thought they would give you a probability, is that not until later?


----------



## NellieRae

I'm not sure - I got the same results as you - negative/normal. 

The anatomy scan is really all about checking in on baby and seeing how she is growing in there. They take a lot of measurements & pictures of specific body parts/organs to check for abnormalities (spending a lot of time with the heart.) The look at how many blood vessels the cord has, where the placenta is, and if baby has enough amniotic fluid. Finding out the gender is just a nice bonus. If baby's legs are crossed the whole time, you might have to go back for another scan if you really want to know the sex....and insurance won't likely cover it unless its for medical reasons.


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## DHime

Sunshine - The anatomy scan shows all the stuff. They look at all the major organs, placenta, cleft anything, skull development, cord... everything. like 40 pictures. Be prepared to be on your back for a while. 

Marie - yes. mood swings are totally normal. It's okay.


----------



## Lisa40

Hi Everyone

Congrats on the girl & boy Nellie & Dhime :baby: 

I'm having a bit of a bad day today.. well a bad week really, not pregnancy wise but our boiler broke a week ago & because it was Easter they couldn't get anyone to fix it until Tuesday, so no hot water / heating for 4 days. Then they come out & say they need another part so it'll be another day, then today they say that the part they need is no longer made & we need a new boiler!!! £2000 of savings just gone like that... poof :sad2:

I know it's only money but I was doing so well saving up so I could take more time off work with the LO when he/she arrives & I just couldn't stop crying today, that money means 2 months of my LO's life I'll miss.... so gutted :sad2:

Hope eveyone else is doing well :thumbup:

xx


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## lilosmom

Hi ladies, sounds like an up and down day for everyone. First I wanted to mention I had placenta previa with my daughter and by week 30 it had corrected itself. The doctor explained that as the uterus grows things move and shift and that is what happened in my case, the placenta moved up and to my back so all was well and I had a natural delivery at 37 weeks. Second, mood swings would be putting it mildly in my case. I feel like I'm literally falling apart some days. It's nothing I can even help and my poor little girl usually gets the worst of it because I stay at home with her all day. I'm trying different things and so far a nap is the only thing keeping me sane. There are just some days that are more difficult than others. Lastly, I'm feeling the growing and stretching so much now it's almost painful sometimes. I don't remember all of that with my first but I actually had to stop on my walk today as the pain was so bad. I got a quick rest, felt better and was back on my way quickly but still, a bit alarming. I'm guessing at this point things will start to pick up as there's really no more room in there for baby so my body has to start expanding... I thought for sure baby was going to spend most of it's time in my behind as there seems to be much more room there lately. Oh well, bring on the bump! Still can't believe how the time is flying, Friday already tomorrow. We've got a busy few weeks ahead of us here: home renos continue, daughter starts soccer and hubby starts his sports too and I want to get my garden planted. Just typing that list makes me tired! Might be time for my afternoon nap!


----------



## Jazavac

And we're slowly packing to go back to the US. I'm both looking forward to it and hating the whole idea at the same time. It's going to be a long trip, but I've been feeling pretty decent lately (apart from being horribly tired) so that's good. I'm anxious to get home and step on our scale. I don't think I've gained more than a pound, but we'll see. I'm nowhere near showing, which is fine, dandy and understandable, but some of my clothes just feel slightly wrong.

I had one more scan the other day, but with a different doctor and the measurements came back all weird. I can't say I'm not worried, but there's nothing I can do, anyway. The doctor was happy with what he saw, but I never told him I had seen a better doctor, too, and that their stories don't quite match (the whole story is in my journal). Either way, I probably shouldn't have gone to two different people within the course of like 4 days! Ohwell. Next scan is April 23rd, in the US, at our RE's office.

I can't wait to find out what I'm carrying. I'd prefer a boy.


----------



## DHime

Lisa - Hang in there. I was supposed to have my short term disability insurance to cover me but some idiot at the company didn't file my paperwork so I have 2 weeks worth of money to last my whole leave. I understand how it feel to think you are set 1 minute and the next, you are in trouble. Try having a yard sale or something and se if you can make a little back. I am looking into working online while on leave to help things along. Regardless, just try to relax and know that everything is gonna be alright. Eventually you start to beleive it.

Lilos Mom - Thanks. That makes me feel better. When did they find yours? I like hearing the sucess stories rather than the horror stories. Seems that is normally all anyone ever wants to tell. Afternoon naps rock! And they seem to be growing in importance as time goes on for me too. I agree the stretching is sometimes a bit painful. I guess it is the body's way of getting us all used to pain in small doses. 

Jaz - put the scale down sweetie. I know it's hard but just leave it to the doc to weigh you. Beleive me I know how hard it is. I have faught with my weight since I was 10 years old. I now close my eyes when they put me on the scale when I have my appointments. I tell them to only say how much I gained between visits but not the total! I will start to cry if they do. There was something very liberating about beating my scale with a bat. It made me feel free. I know you are concerned about gaining weight but try to be healthy about it. It can be hard to enjoy the wonders of pregnancy when you step on a scale and get depressed all the time. (not to say you are like that - I am) I am more concerned with how I feel and how baby is feeling. We never know the effect we have on our LO's health even now. It is about the right time for clothes to stop fitting right.Funny how quick you can feel the difference. Just wait till you can't even wear you old stuff that you had once thought you would never wear again since you lost weight. That was a bad day for me. I don't recognise myself so it's really weird. You will get used to it though. :hug:


----------



## lilosmom

DHime - the doctor told me at my 18 week ultrasound that there may be an issue. I've heard that some people have to go on bed rest, etc. and it's quite dramatic however I had no restrictions and the doctors reassured me that most diagnosis' correct themselves on their own. I had a follow up ultrasound at 30 weeks and everything was fine. Hoping it goes the same for you too!

By the way on the topic of weight, I gained 5lbs in the last 3 weeks - what a wake up call. No more evening munchies for me or baby! or at least they'll be healthy ones. I love ice cream and since being pregnant this time crave chips or anything salty so it's going to be a battle but worth it in the end. Last time all I wanted was watermelon so it wasn't that bad... I guess my will power will have to kick in pretty quick. :dohh:


----------



## DHime

Lilosmom - I know right. At first I wanted all things spicy. Once the heartburn kicked in I had to change that. Now I want fries all the time. Or salt and vinegar chips. My biggest thing has been cheese.

AFM - Now that DH read the 2nd tri info in the wte book, he is gonna make me eat healthier so I baby will like the right foods. Apparently baby will taste all the things I eat and develope a taste for that. (no fair) DH even mentioned brocoli. (shudder) I like salad but I really hate veggies for the most part. I am gonna have to find ways of mixing things I hate into the things I like. Time to get creative. Oh! I slept thru the night last night. Felt so good!


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## lilosmom

Yum, cheese. Maybe you can sprinkle some onto the broccoli? Super jealous of the fact that you got to sleep through the night. I'm still getting up like 3 or 4 times to pee.


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## Marie000

I've never been one to weigh myself very often, but when I do, I do get depressed. I just remember how much I used to weigh (from high school to my late 20s, my figure did not change much... then it did.) 
Early in my pregnancy, I was annoyed at how big I was getting. I knew baby wasn't that big and it was all bloat/fat so I hated it. Now, I got quite attached to my little bump and I'm glad I'm showing. 
In fact, there's me and my bump now, at 17-18 weeks:
https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/IMG_5098.jpg

Now I just hope I don't gain too much weight in my butt and thighs. 


lilosmom - hang in there, you might be able to sleep through the night soon. It's around 15 weeks or so that I started doing that. My bump moved a bit higher, and baby is not sitting on my bladder anymore. I know it's temporary, but I quite enjoy it. I always had a hard time getting back to sleep after getting up.


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## DHime

Marie - What a cute bump!!!! (gonna have to do my own soon)

Lilosmom - I don't get to very often. Last night I was up 4times. Only once to pee though. most of the time I am trying to get comfy. The bigger the belly gets, the harder it is to sleep in 1 position all night. Even DH keeps waking me to get me to rool onto my side. since his blood supply is better on the side anyway.

AFM - Going back to the specialist on Wednesday. I am nervous about it but then I'm not. I just hope everything is okay. Have to hemoglobin tests also for blood issues. They need to know my volume limit to see how much blood I can safely loose. (scary thought)

How is everyone doing?


----------



## NellieRae

Dhime, I hope you have a super high volume limit, but that you never need to use it - FX for you. I have a low placenta, too. Its not over my cervix, but its sitting a little close. I'll have to go back for an ultrasound again at about 30 weeks to make sure its moved more out of the way. My midwife is not worried about it & said in the majority of pregnancies, they do. 

Ok, I've read the book & I have to say I just don't buy the part about the baby "tasting" our food. I can't see how nutrition in our bloodstream that gets transferred through the placenta, after our own bodies have digested it, has any taste left. Perhaps the amniotic fluid has a different flavor when we eat different foods, but I don't believe that the broccoli you ate ends up making for broccoli flavored amniotic fluid! That doesn't get you out of eating your veggies, but still.......:winkwink: Anyone can feel free to disagree, but it sounds like bs to me.

ps - Marie your bump is adorable!


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## DHime

Nellie - I totally agree. But DH is seems to think otherwise. They wrote the book so they must know what they are talking about. lol I will keep eating what I feel like.


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## Jazavac

Marie, that's one very cute bump you've got there!

I'm back to work as of today and I hate it! I think I need another week of vacation to come back to life. Jet lag and first trimester just seem to be a bad combo. :lol:

Our next scan is on Monday and I can't wait. That should be my last appointment with our RE (it's kind of funny we're still there, to begin with, as he never really had anything to do with this pregnancy). I hope everything's still fine with our little beanie. I talked to the RE's nurse today and she said I should stop using progesterone suppositories today. Last one goes in before bed and that should be it. Uhoh. I mean, I'm okay with that, just a little bit worried for some unknown reason.


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## Marie000

I got my second midwife appointment yesterday and it went well. We mostly talked and she answered some of my questions and worries. She got the results from my blood tests back and all was good. I tested for proteins and glucose in my urine, and both were negative. 

We also listened again for baby's hearbeat. Once again, baby was hiding and it took some time to find the heart. (OH says we have a little ninja in the making) But we did find it and it was loud and clear. 
I wasn't too worried when we were taking time to find the heart, because for the whole second half of our appointment, I could feel baby wiggling in there. I was never too sure before that it was him, but then it seemed pretty clear.

So it was a good day. Then last night I had another breakdown, I yelled at the cats and ran to bed in tears. It was unusually hot and humid yesterday and it made me really cranky. Luckily OH was really nice and made me feel much better. 
This morning I woke up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. I went downstairs and decided to open both the front and back doors to get some fresh air in the house. It was super windy. To make a long story short, the front door blew itself closed, twice. The second time, the window in the door shattered. So now I have a broken window, I did not get enough sleep, I get really jumpy for no reason, and one of my dogs is traumatized. She was already scared of the wind (never thought a big dog like her could be scared of wind, but she is) I can hardly leave her alone. She's alone downstairs now and she's barking, panting and whining. I better get back to her.


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## Marie000

Oh, and I go for my next scan on May 2nd. I can't wait!! :happydance:


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## Lisa40

Awww :hugs: Marie, so sorry you've had a bad night & DHime I can't believe that about your insurance :shock: I'd be having kittens!! :hugs:

Well we still have no hot water or heating... It's been almost 2 weeks now. Our insurance company quoted us £3000 of which they would pay £450 so we got a few other quotes & can have the same boiler fitted for £1200... how can they get away with charging so much... its ridiculous, they do this so they don't have to fork out the £450 so the insurance we bought is pretty much useless, I know I probably wont get anywhere but will make a complaint anyway! Grrrr :brat:

At least on the plus side we only have to find £1200 instead od £2500.

Anyway, on the baby side I thought I mught have felt some movement the other night while I was lying in bed, was just like a little popping in the same place on the right hand side... but I guess it could have been digestion :rofl:

I have a midwife appt a week on Thurs so hopefully will get to hear the heartbeat then & my scan on 21st May to find out what we have in there :yipee:

Hope everyone else is doing well :thumbup: :hugs:

xxx


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## DHime

Marie - so sorry you sound like it was just awful. Poor doggy.

Lisa - I started feeling that around the same time at 15 weeks. Now I feel it alot more often.

Scan tomorrow


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## DHime

Okay so the the doc appt went well so far. Baby was not being cooperative so they couldn't check everything. His heart looks good and that was the biggest worry for the doc. Going back next week to finish.

How is everyone doing? Been quiet....


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## NellieRae

Phew, glad the heart looks good! And you get to see your little boy again next week. :happydance: 

It has been quiet. Its been really nice here & lots of spring projects keep me away from the computer. I can't believe this pregnancy is half over - there is still so much to get done!


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## Marie000

DHime said:


> Okay so the the doc appt went well so far. Baby was not being cooperative so they couldn't check everything. His heart looks good and that was the biggest worry for the doc. Going back next week to finish.
> 
> How is everyone doing? Been quiet....

Glad to hear the heart is ok. I'm sure the rest will be too, but it's always reassuring to have it confirmed.

I'm doing good. I've started working more now. I work at home on our farm, on my own schedule. But now it's time to prepare the garden and start planting a few things, so that's what I'm doing. Playing in dirt. It's really tiring, but I feel useful again, and that helps my mood. I still have regular breakdowns, but they're not as bad.

Baby is doing fine still, I guess. Not much new on that side. I can still feel him/her once in a while, but not as much as a few days ago. Maybe baby has changed position.


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## DHime

Changing positition would make it seem like the lo isn't kicking. 
I am okay with going back to the doc next week but it's getting too $$$ I mean, the specialist is charging $50 a visit. This is delving into the rent fund for during mat leave.
I am begining to wonder if the baby is aware that the machine is being used on him since he would just would not keep still for even a moment. They even put me in funny positions and even shook my tummy to try and get him to move around where they needed him to be. Stuborn little guy he is. He hates getting his pic took. he was so quiet before but the minute that machine went on, he was pissed. DH was with me and getting all teary eyed getting to watch him on tv for 2 hours straight.


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## Jazavac

I'm so glad everything's okay with the boy's heart, DHime!

I wouldn't worry about the machine, though. It's normal for anyone to refuse to cooperate, let alone tiny little baby. Hopefully it all won't get too expensive.

My prenatal visits should all be covered by insurance in full, but... well, I don't trust insurance. I'm sure I'll be looking into a lot of yelling and screaming, as usual.


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## lilosmom

Glad to hear the doctor's went well. Hoping for the best with your next appointment. 

Digging in the dirt sure is theraputic (sorry for misspelling), I've been doing the same here and I love it. Getting the garden ready for planting and doing a ton of outside work lately so have been trying to stay off the computer in my downtime and get some rest. Still can't fight the fatigue but chasing after a 2 1/2 year old can be tiring to say the least. Not sure how I'll manage with a newborn but I guess it'll just come when the time arrives. Still nothing new to report with baby at my end. Had felt a few movements earlier this week but it's been a few days now with nothing. Looking forward to my appointment in three weeks to see baby for the first time!

Keep well everyone.


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## DHime

Goes by so fast doesn't it. 1 minute you are finding out. Then time stops for a while.
When you hit the 13th week, it speeds up.
What's with that?

JAZ - You are a PRUNE!!!! YAY
Marie - Avacado already?


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## Jazavac

A prune that looks like a rock!

Myself... I am more like a swallowedwatermelonoops. :blush: (Hint: picture in my journal).

Getting soooooooo impatient. Scan on Monday.


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## Marie000

I'm almost a sweet potato. They grow up so fast. Next thing I'll know baby will be gone to college. 

Baby was moving lots this morning. I think I felt very clear kicks last night too, but I'm still not sure if it was real or a dream. Usually the movements are not well defined (I think I feel when the baby turns around or has big movements. Kicks might not be strong enough yet).

Quiet day today. It's raining so I can't work outside and I'm a bit bored. But in two hours OH will pick me up and we're going to the sugar shack :happydance:
Looking forward to the extreme sugar rush brought on by a meal where everything is smothered in maple syrup. Followed by a desert or two.


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## Marie000

I've noticed something lately and I was wondering if it was the same for all pregnant women. 
As far as pregnancy discomforts go, I have on and off days. For a few days in a row, I would feel fine, then one day everything hits me at once. This week I was fine most days, but then yesterday I felt discomfort in my abdomen (which I assume is the uterus stretching), stretching pain in my belly button, I was really, really tired and in the evening I had a sharp pain in a ligament in my lower abdomen (I've had that pain before, it's nothing serious).

So I assume that baby was lazy for a few days and then suddenly had a growth spurt. In fact, that baby always seems to grow in spurts like that. 
Do you get that too?
I wonder if baby will be like that after birth too. 

So how's everyone doing this weekend?
I do hope you have nicer weather than here. It's been raining for two days and today we have snow. So today will be a nice quiet day inside. :coffee:


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## NellieRae

Marie, I have very different days, too. Most days I feel fine, but then once in a while I'll feel extra tired, achy, emotional....and very pregnant. I hope the growth spurt thing is normal - my little monkey has been kinda quiet for the past couple of days (and I've been a little busier - probably part of it.) So I hope she's growing peacefully in there. After my horrible all day nausea during first tri, I'm just grateful for any good days I get. I did have a lot more RL pain around 18 weeks than I've been having now. 

Jaz, can't wait to see the latest photo of your cute little edible rock! 

I've had a lot of bursts of energy lately & feel a sudden need to finish every project I ever started and get all the baby stuff done all at once. More than halfway done with this pregnancy and it seems like time is running out fast. :shock: for the first time, I'm not in a hurry for the next milestone, month, etc.


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## Lisa40

I've been a bit like that Marie, fine most of the time but then today I walked into town, only abut half an hour away & I had pains all the way, not cramps at all but remonded me of growing pains when I was younger & then on the way back I had to stop a few times & I'm now sat on the couch exhausted.. weird because most days I walk more than this to work & back :shrug:

going to go for a nap & then hopefully will perk up for work tomorrow :thumbup:

xx


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## Jazavac

Even as early as I am, I do feel similar things. The past week, especially the first three or four days, were very weird. Lots of tiredness (okay, jet lag happened around the same time, too), followed by insane hunger, like, really insane. The result? I have a huge visible bump at 10 weeks. So I assume the little being in there had a huge growth spurt. Or my placenta decided to take over, which made me feel different. Who knows.

Scan tomorrow!


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## DHime

Finally did a bump pic. Not sure if it will show on the avatar or not so here is the test :wacko:
I got rid of all my full length mirrors a long time ago so I had to get a chair to get high enough in my bathroom. I just wish the bump didn't jiggle sometimes.
Sorry you ladies are feeling low on energy. I feel fine but only if I get a nap in.


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## sunshine1217

DHime, love your avatar! I think I got that same shirt in orange, is it from Pea in a Pod? 

Ladies, it's funny you're talking about being tired. I've been back to sleeping 8 to 9 hours a day and still exhausted, and a little nauseous here and there! It's frustrating, I was wondering if something was wrong. I'm just always tired. Isn't this suppose to be the best trimester?


----------



## NellieRae

Dhime, you look wonderful!

Sunshine, my midwife said its common for the first tri sleepiness & nausea to sometimes haunt you til about 16 weeks. I feel really great now at 23 weeks, but still have a tired day here & there. Hang in there. As much energy as I have now, normal activities still tire me out much faster & its easy to overdo things. :flower:


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## Marie000

DHime - you look great! I love your bump. So cute!

I do also get tired, but most of the time, I'd say I'm more winded than tired. Last night I was lying in bed and trying to talk to OH and I couldn't. It took me forever to catch my breath. And all I had done was walk up the stairs. :dohh:


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## DHime

Sunshine - Target
I get out of breath just walking and talking at the same time.
Every woman and experience is decidedly different


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## Jazavac

You look great, DHime!


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## DHime

Next scan tomorrow. I am so hoping all goes well. They are finishing the cardiothingy on the heart. We shall see.


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## Lisa40

Good luck dhime :hugs: hope all goes well :flower:

xx


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## Jazavac

Good luck, DHime!


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## sunshine1217

Good luck Dhime!


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## Marie000

Good luck DHime!

My next scan is at this time in exactly one week. I can't wait. :happydance:


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## lilosmom

So nice to see these fruit babies growing so well. Hope you are all doing okay and looking forward to hearing about your scan Dhime (by the way, avatar pic looks awesome!). Love the new scan photo Marie! Nothing new here other than feeling baby moving a lot. Enjoying that sensation but trying not to let it keep me up at night too much.


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## Jazavac

DHime, any news? I hope all is good!


----------



## DHime

Hey! All is good. Heart was perfect so I am in the clear for now. I go back in a week for a growth check. They want to be sure that he is growing properly. And of course to charge me another $50 as often as possible. lol
How are you lovely ladies?
Lilo - you made onion! sweet


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## lilosmom

Good news! And yeah, I'm hoping it goes from onion to watermelon because if not I've got some explaining to do about this giant belly - yikes!


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## Lisa40

DHime said:


> Hey! All is good. Heart was perfect so I am in the clear for now. I go back in a week for a growth check. They want to be sure that he is growing properly. And of course to charge me another $50 as often as possible. lol
> How are you lovely ladies?
> Lilo - you made onion! sweet

Ah that's great news dhime :yipee: I made onion too lol :happydance:

I have a midwife appt today too, I really hope she listens to the hearbeat, I'm a nervous wreck here! I seem to do ok but then a week or so before any appts my nerves start kicking in :shrug:

xx


----------



## Jazavac

Yay for good news, DHime!

We're turning into a lime tomorrow and going in for an appointment on Monday, for the first time with a regular, local ob/gyn. I don't know what I'll be getting. A scan is likely due under their standards, but I just got one last Monday (elsewhere), so I don't know. I have to talk to them about the tests, too. There are things I want done, which nobody so far has mentioned at all.


----------



## NellieRae

:happydance: Dhime, so wonderful that the baby's heart is perfect! I'm sure he'll be just fine. 

You're a papaya! And I'm.....still a papaya! I guess the baby likes that fruit for a few weeks. 

My next appt is still nearly 2 weeks away, but we'll have to schedule the 1 hr glucose test. After talking to a bunch of friends about it, it seems that many, many women fail the one hour, but pass the 3 hrs & really don't have GD. Since the 3hr is a nightmare, I'm throwing the 1 hr test by not eating or just having a boiled egg for breakfast. If the failure rate of the 1 hr is that high, its too inaccurate for me to respect it as an indication of GD. :coffee:

Lisa, I'm the same as you about appts! I'm fine for 3 weeks leading up to it, then suddenly I need reassurance. That need has diminished since I started feeling her move everyday, though.


----------



## Jazavac

Hm. Don't all the glucose tests come with mandatory *fasting*? They do in Croatia. You have to come in after at least 8 hours of not eating a thing. 

I did a three hour test about 10 years ago, regardless of TTC. I passed (my blood sugars are often too low, actually), but it was nasty. I don't recall ever drinking anything nastier than that cup of goo.


----------



## sunshine1217

Great news DHime! Glad things are looking well. Pregnancy loves to throw you curve balls once in a while.

My probability from the NT screen/blood test was 1:162 for ds and 1:1000 for trisomy 18. Dr thought 1:162 was a little higher than she'd like to see it so I had my quad done early. Either way I don't think I want to do an amnio.

My structural is in less than 2 weeks though, I can't wait! I have officially gained 10 lbs since I was pregnant, I really need to slow this down.


----------



## Jazavac

sunshine, when did they do your NT/blood?


----------



## Lisa40

Hi guys. Hope everyone is feeling well today. I know it'll probably be different in the us but I had my nt scan and bloods done at 12 weeks jaz.

Saw the midwife today & heard little flumps heartbeat, phew! Although some of the other noises I heard had me in fits of giggles so we only got a few seconds of heartbeat as I was so uncontrolable. I really don't know what came over me I was like a child :blush:

ah well, at least everything is on track, & 3 weeks on Monday for pink or blue scan :yipee:

xx


----------



## Jazavac

I am secretly, or ok, _openly_ hoping they'll have me come in once a month for a checkup/scan. But we'll see Monday, when I finally start things with a regular ob/gyn.


----------



## DHime

Lisa - congrats on the onion!


----------



## sunshine1217

Jazavac said:


> sunshine, when did they do your NT/blood?

I did nt 11w6d. I did quad yesterday at 15w2d.


----------



## Marie000

That's great news DHime! 

I just adjusted my ticker to reflect my dating scan. So it moved me forward by 4 days. Woohoo!
I'm now a mango. 

Can't wait to see baby in the scan next week. I haven't felt him/her move much lately. 
And now my insomnia is back. I barely slept last night and I'm feeling a bit like a zombie today. If OH says 'this is good practice for when the baby is here' one more time, I think I will have to banish him from the bedroom.


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## sunshine1217

when did you guys feel the baby move?

i felt flutters (like pins and needles) for about 20 seconds yesterday, wasn't sure if that was anything but it was different from anything else i've felt.


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## Jazavac

It could be something like that, or so they say. It's like bubbles, a many women describe it. A girl from work felt hers around 14 weeks and that's when she was pregnant with her first.

I'll be 11+3 on Monday so I hope they'll do NT and bloods. Or, well, there will be some arguing again.


----------



## bunda

I first felt baby at 14 weeks, and by 21 weeks you could see my belly move with each kick. I think a lot depends on how slack your abdominals are (mine have become very slack from all that 8+ hour cycling per day for 16 months I did last year) and where the placenta is (mine is just left of the belly button, according to the 20 week scan).


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## Jazavac

I have no clue where my placenta is. They never said anything, hm. The part of my belly that's sticking out, though, is around the belly button. The bump starts a few centimeters above it and extends a bit below.


----------



## DHime

I felt movements around 14 weeks. Just like bubbles kinda like a tiny version like you are gonna go diarea but with no cramps. Now it's like a thump. The other day I felt him roll. It was so weird. 
Jaz - I wouldn't worry about placenta placement just yet. It moves allot in the first 20 weeks. They will look at placement with your 20 week scan. You can ask at you next apt and they will likely tell you. In many women over 30 it will positioned low. (just a statistic tho) Though it will move.
Lisa - love the giggle fits!
AFM - The belly is beginning to become prominent. (getting in the way) I have to make people move cause I can't squeeze by and I now use the handicapped stall since the others are getting smaller by the minute. lol


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## Jazavac

I use the handicapped stall whenever one is available because other ones usually have a door that opens inwards and then you have to wiggle around, making sure you don't wipe the toilet bowl with your clothes or a body part. Ick.


----------



## sunshine1217

Jaz, 11w3d is when they recommend doing it but I couldn't that day b/c the doctor was out so I had to wait over the weekend. Also, I had to go to a perinatologist to do that, not done by my OB. It was a fun movie!


Oh wow, I can't wait for more of the flutters, it's a new feeling.


----------



## Jazavac

The appointment on Monday will be my first prenatal checkup with a regular ob/gyn who, at this point, doesn't even know if I'm still pregnant, pretty much, let alone how far along I am. So I just hope they'll be willing to do things I find important, as well as not do things I already have done at another clinic. They may or may not get my medical history delivered to their address by Monday. :shrug:


----------



## starxdreamer

i'm 31 and expecting my first biological child. i have 3 children from my husband's first marriage, who's mother passed away from cancer.

the little kids, mainly my daughter who is 6, are really excited. i'm excited. but i'm also nervous. i'm a plus size mama as well. 

i'll be 32 when this little one arrives, and i can't wait. i've already had 4 MC.

here's to good energy!


----------



## DHime

fx for a stick lo this time star. at 8 weeks your getting there.
sorry about your 4 angels. Makes this one so much more precious tho doesn't it.
How are you feeling tho?


Holy crap - I just realized I hit the 6 month mark. wow....


----------



## DHime

Marie - I have to stifle the same response ever time someone else says that. DH knows better cause he's gonna be up with me. lol

Sunshine - The flutters are cool. Don't mistake them for gas. It's not, well at least not always. My lo like to roll over now and it is so freaky feeling. Kinda like the feeling your tummy gets on a roller coaster but totally out of the blue. lol (at least that how I would describe it anyway.)


----------



## Marie000

Hi StarxDreamer, welcome aboard! 

And congrats DHime on hitting the 6 month mark! You're 2/3 of the way there!

Still two more days to wait for my scan! 
I was out with family this weekend and my SIL's mother actually asked me, 'so, baby is due in July, huh?'
Huh... no September. Do I really look that big? :wacko:
She was also convinced I am having a boy. So is my SIL. My nephew said he'd be really disappointed if it was a girl. 
So now I feel all pressured. And it's not like I can do anything about it.

On the bright side, baby's been tap-dancing all weekend. I loved it! Such cute little kicks! I might find it less cute in a few weeks when he's playing football with my bladder, but for now, it's just cute.


----------



## Jazavac

Our scan is today. I'm looking forward to it, but of course I'm somewhat worried, too. I hope all's good and I hope they'll agree to do NT+bloodwork as well. If they won't, well, I won't leave until they do, pretty much. :shrug:

DHime, aren't 23.4 weeks only like 5 and a half months, maybe a bit more?


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## DHime

6 months. I was shocked to see time had gone by so fast.

They do play kickball with your bladder too. Mine is now kicking when hungry.


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## Marie000

baby usually moves after dinner, or when I'm lying down or sitting. Moving seems to put him back to sleep.


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## Jazavac

I'm still stuck on the math there, DHime. The ticker says 23 weeks, 4 days, with 115 days to go. So that's three more months and 23 days, plus-minus a couple. 


We had a scan today and it went fine. All's good with the baby, as well as me.


----------



## starxdreamer

DHime said:


> fx for a stick lo this time star. at 8 weeks your getting there.
> sorry about your 4 angels. Makes this one so much more precious tho doesn't it.
> How are you feeling tho?
> 
> 
> Holy crap - I just realized I hit the 6 month mark. wow....

thanks! for the first time, i feel that i'm emotionally ready to have a baby. and i'm scared to death actually...that i could lose this one.

last month i bled a little. kind of like a period, but not dark and very light.

this month is the same thing. same type of pressure in my uterus. so...i'm thinking i might be farther than i though...

i did have a bit of a meltdown today though. with my stomach hurting and be being on bed rest for basically the past week, i had a bit of a panic attack and ended up crying in my bed for my mom. sad i know. i felt like a huge baby. but sometimes...you just need your mama. at least my baby girl ally (kitty, who is also pregnant) came up to console me. 

other than that, i'm well. i just want the confirmation that i'm still pregnant. my first appointment is tomorrow. hopefully there will be a heartbeat and they can tell me how far along i am :) 

if i'm a month farther along, the baby will be due around mine and my youngest daughter's birthdays :)


----------



## DHime

Wow Starx! Hang in there. It is considered normal for some bleeding. I did and everything has turned oot fine so far. Just have faith and try not to stress. Stress has adverse effects on pregnancy, miscarriage, and your childs development emotionally. (Just finished listening to a radio show about this and DH is all over me to stop stressing) It is easier said than done though.
:hugs:

JAZ - Even though 23 weeks is technically 5 months and 3 weeks, docs consider week 23 to be tha start of the 6th month. I had to check cause I was confused as well. Some months have more or less than 4 weeks to them. Kinda confusing when you think about it. I guess that's why everyone just goes by weeks instead. lol
Oh and congrats on the scan. Any pics?


----------



## DHime

OMG! I have to share this.
The little guy has been moving allot but until just now it was always way down low. A min ago I felt something near my rib and put my hand there. He totally kicked me thru my tummy! I was astounded and grossed out at the same time. It was so surreal.
Anyway just wanted to share.


----------



## Jazavac

Haha, yay for the kicks!

I have a ton of pics, especially since yesterday was our 6th scan in less than two months since we found out we had a baby on board. :lol:

Another scan is scheduled for the 10th, when I get NT/bloods done and then I have a follow up with my regular ob/gyn, which may or may not include another scan (on May 21). 

I'll have to sit down and scan those pics. I've been kind of lazy... oops.


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm there with you on the bladder kicks - what's one more trip to the bathroom? :wacko: But a new kick up by your rib is pretty exciting! I'm carrying low & she likes to hang out breech, so I only get thumped down low so far. I'm waiting for the day my whole belly ripples with her moving or I can tell which body parts are where. :)

Starx, good luck tomorrow!

Anyone getting braxton hicks yet? I think I'm getting them from time to time, but its hard to be sure.


----------



## DHime

Nellie - I know what you mean. Till today I only got them around my bladder. I have never been so mesmerized by my own stomach before. I have noticed the need to pee allot is returning. I feel like I gotta pee all the time. even when I don't. weird

Jaz - fx for you on the 10th

AFM - My next appt is friday morning. Wonder if the ob will try to tell me that the baby is big again. It will be interesting in that case since the specialist says he is small.


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## starxdreamer

update :

they did a hcg test today and will do one on thursday to test my levels. also, they say i am more like 5 weeks than 7 weeks.

either i messed up the date, or the pregnancy isn't progressing.


----------



## Jazavac

They can't really tell anything, realiably, at least, from the hCG levels. They'll know better on Thursday, because they'll be able to say if it's doubling. There are some guidelines for bHCG per week, but they're mostly pointless. According to those, I was pretty much pregnant with 23403456895468546854 babies on 11DPO. There was really only one.

Good luck!


----------



## DHime

Jaz is right. They really can't tell anything from HCG levels. The thing to look for is that it is increasing. Doesn't really matter the number.
Plenty of women have very low levels but have perfectly healthy babies.


----------



## sunshine1217

starxdreamer said:


> update :
> 
> they did a hcg test today and will do one on thursday to test my levels. also, they say i am more like 5 weeks than 7 weeks.
> 
> either i messed up the date, or the pregnancy isn't progressing.

could you have ovulated late?


----------



## NellieRae

Starx, hang in there! :hugs2: Everyone is right - it matters far more that your hcg is increasing at a certain rate & much less important what the number actually is. Every woman is different & maybe your doc is just stuck on a certain range for 7 weeks - but one number by itself can't tell you how the bean is doing. Just one more day til that second draw.

Dhime, yes - some earlier symptoms are starting to return, like having to pee all the time (even if its a tiny pee) & needing a power nap during the day or feeling ready for bed at 930p if I don't get one. Mix in a little heartburn at night, too. I really don't mind any of it, though - especially when she squirms around in there and I know she's alright. :kiss:


----------



## DHime

Nellie - Yes. I keep the heartburn all day though. I am still trying to figure out how to sleep on my side while propping my top half up. The challenge lies in not throwing your back out in the meantime. Oddly, I am not haveing back pain. (thankyou God!) The belly button feels stretched out now and is kinda sore. DH keeps trying to stick his finger in it and I keep smacking him for it. It grosses me out for some reason. 
Baby movements give me chills since I am still getting used to it.
The nap need hits me around 2pm and it takes so much to stay awake. I think I will start going to my car for a nap and then work while eating.

Next doc appt is friday - OB this time. I have no clue how much weight I have gained but it can't be small. lol I feel like a balloon. lol


----------



## Marie000

Wow, sorry for all you with symptoms coming back. I think mine might also be slowly creeping in, but they're different from early on. I have very sore ribs, some back/neck pains and bad digestion. 

But today all is well! I finally had my 20 week scan (at exactly 20 weeks too) and baby seems to be super healthy. We were able to see the heart, spine, stomach, bladder, arms, legs (OH even says he counted the toes and fingers) and all seems to be developing just fine. We even saw baby moving and swallowing. So cute!

And the big news... we're having....... A GIRL! 
I would have been happy either way, but I'm excited for a girl. I know OH would have preferred a boy, but he's happy. 
We bought her some clothes on the way home, and I bought wool to knit her a little dress (right after I finish knitting that bunting bag that's taking forever!)


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## Marie000

Here are some of the new scan pictures:

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/bb-20semaines-1.jpg
(rock on! :haha:)

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/bb-20semaines-2.jpg


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## Jazavac

Congrats on the healthy girl, Marie! 

I wish someone could finally somehow see what I'm carrying. They'll be poking around next week, at 12+6, then again, at 14+3. I'm impatient!


----------



## bunda

:rofl: You ARE impatient, Jaz! You seem to have had more scans than anyone I know and it's STILL not enough! Relax and enjoy this time.

No more scans for me, but I had a midwife appointment yesterday and as she got the doppler out I noticed: "oh my goodness, midwife. Is that a baby bump?"

and yes, sure enough, my midwife is pregnant with her first. That makes me smile, somehow. She is handing me over to a different midwife, so we can get to know each other better before I reach the end of my pregnancy (the midwife will be having her baby about when I start maternity leave). 


Also, I now have my fifth bout of cold since becoming pregnant (I typically average one sick day a year) and this one comes with a very violent cough. I've never experienced a cough like this! - and it's definitely NOT anything a pregnant woman's pelvic floor can handle. I am sad to say, I've wet myself at least three times so far today. This is very depressing. I do about a hundred kegels a day and I still can't stop the dam bursting when a particularly violent fit takes hold. :sad1: The sneezes seem to still be ok (so maybe those kegels are doing something) but the coughs spell doom for me.


I'm going to have to bite the bullet and buy something a bit more absorbant than pantyliners if this cough lasts much longer.


----------



## Marie000

Jaz - Too bad they don't make home ultrasound machines. You could stay hooked up 24h a day. 
Good luck with your next scan(s).

Bunda - sorry you're sick again. I hope you feel better soon (and that you stay that way for a while). 
My OH has been sick for a little over a week, but so far I'm fine. In his case, I think it's stress. He needed a few days off work and wouldn't take them, so his body forced him to. 

OH and I now finally started talking seriously about names. We talked for about an hour throwing ideas, then OH found one I suggested really nice and for him discussion seemed to be over. I'm still not 100% though. For me, I need to spend some time thinking of a name before I decide if I really like it or not.
So, so far, baby would be named Cassandre (it's a French name, pronounced like Cassandra, but without the 'a' sound at the end). I'd just call her Cassie. 
Still no idea for a middle name. I'm thinking that maybe we should let the godparents choose the middle name (but we'd keep a right to veto of course). But we haven't chosen godparents yet... That's another decision to make.


----------



## sunshine1217

Marie! That's wonderful, I saw your baby's photos before I saw that it's a girl and I thought it'd be a boy. The skull theory would have said boy. :haha: Congratulations!!! I can't wait for my scan on Tuesday.

Bunda, so sorry you're not feeling well, I'm already a little leaky. You're almost in your 3rd trimester, how time flies. 

Jaz, I think you have had more scans than me now. your baby sounds safe in there. You should start to rest assured, you're almost at your 2nd trimester. I loved going into the 2nd. So much to look forward to. Do you have a bump yet?


----------



## lilosmom

Marie - beautiful scan pics and congratulations on the girl! My cousin named her little girl just Cassie and she is french canadian. It is such a nice name, not too girly. Good luck with your decision, it's a big one.

Bunda - sorry to hear you're sick... again. No fun at all. I'd make a suggestion of getting the super absorbent maxi pads for the leaking, you'll need them after delivery anyway (my own experience anyway) and it may give you some freedom from the washroom and laundry? I hope you're feeling better soon and good for you for keeping up with your kegels. I totally forget about them, let's hope I don't end up with a cold!

AFM, finally hear baby's heartbeat with my stethascope last night. Baby has been moving like crazy as soon as I lay down or sit to eat which has been so fun but there's just some reassurance about hearing that little "lub-lub" and with having so few doctor's appointments this time around I'm glad I can get that from home now. Another week and a half before we have our ultrasound then we're on the downward slide to the finish line. :happydance:


----------



## DHime

Hey Marie - Congrats on a beautiful little girl! The pics didn't show tho. But awesome team pink! The name thing is harder than you would think isn't it... We ended up picking 3 names we like and we will wait until we see him to decide which one he gets. That way I little of my own family tradition in the process. 

Jaz - I think you have formed a us addiction. lol

Sunshine - You gonna send in a pic of your 20 week bump when you get there?

Bunda - get well soon sweetie. I am sorry you have to be so sick right now of all times. Hang in there. :hug:


----------



## NellieRae

Marie, congrats on your little girl! So exciting to see her & know she's healthy. :thumbup: I love the name Cassandre. I'm with you, though - I've got a list of names and feel like I need to "try them on" for a little while before committing. I really think we've got to chose 2 or 3 like Dhime & just go with the one that fits when she's here.

Bunda, oh, it seems a little cruel to need depends right now. :hugs: I'm sorry to hear you've been sick. I'm the opposite - no coughing but thanks to allergies I'm sneezing violently. No peeing - but my poor abdominal muscles. Ouch. Neither works well with a pregnant body. :nope:

I just realized I'm an eggplant & that Nelliebean is due in 15 weeks! That's all? Time is _flying_ by these days. There's still so much to get done!


----------



## Lisa40

Congrats Marie on your little girl & sorry you are sick bunda :hugs:

I'm off to have my cervix checked in about an hour. I've been a bit paranoid for a while as I had part of my cervix removed a few years ago & I found out the other day that my mum had complications with me and they had to give her drugs to stop her contractions. She can't remember what drugs however there were some given years ago that caused an incompetant cervix in the baby. They don't give them anymore thankfully. But because of these 2 things I could be at higher risk of an IC. My midwife doesn't seem concerned, apparently they don't check you here until you have had a 2nd tri loss so I'm going private!

On the upside we get to hopefully find out what flump is aswell if they co-oparate.

I'll update you all later :flower:
xxx


----------



## Marie000

Lisa40 said:


> Congrats Marie on your little girl & sorry you are sick bunda :hugs:
> 
> I'm off to have my cervix checked in about an hour. I've been a bit paranoid for a while as I had part of my cervix removed a few years ago & I found out the other day that my mum had complications with me and they had to give her drugs to stop her contractions. She can't remember what drugs however there were some given years ago that caused an incompetant cervix in the baby. They don't give them anymore thankfully. But because of these 2 things I could be at higher risk of an IC. My midwife doesn't seem concerned, apparently they don't check you here until you have had a 2nd tri loss so I'm going private!
> 
> On the upside we get to hopefully find out what flump is aswell if they co-oparate.
> 
> I'll update you all later :flower:
> xxx

How do they check for incompetent cervix?
When I had my 20 week scan yesterday, they checked the cervix and said it was thick and well closed. Would that basically be it?


----------



## Lisa40

Yep they can do it that way, it's not as accurate as an internal scan, but they generally only do an internal if you've had a previous loss or other complications. I think if it looked short on the normal scan they would have done an internal. The thing is though at 20 weeks it would a lot of the time be too late to do anything about it which is why I wanted to get checked a bit sooner in case I needed a stitch. It's very uncommon, about 1 in 100 but higher risk if you've had surgery like me.

Anyway Well I got to the scanning centre with my full bladder but when I spoke to the sonographer (and not the receptionist) she immediately told me to empty my bladder and said that she'd do an internal. She said she couldn't believe we hadn't been referred for one given my history. But anyway she was lovely, explained everything & made me feel so relaxed. My cervix is 3.5cm so she said that was fine & we have a pink one on board... So excited.
Hope everyone else is good

team pink :yipee:

xx


----------



## Marie000

Congrats Lisa on the little girl!

When I went for my scan, I was also over-zealous about the full bladder thing. I had to wait an extra half an hour because they were running late and my bladder was so full that I was in agony. 
As soon as the lady started the ultrasound, she told me my bladder was way too full. So I had to go empty it halfway (also painful).


----------



## Jazavac

Another girl!

Does that mean that the gods of statistics will give me a boy?! :lol:

As far as the scans go, I'll likely get even more as the baby grows and they actually become able to _see_ things in there, including all the organs. We still have a big huge unknown dragging above us, with my husband's genetic problems, so they're doing what they can to figure things out (which they likely won't, but it doesn't hurt to try). I am, definitely, getting more relaxed regarding pregnancy itself, but as that stress subsides, there's more and more to think about regarding the baby's health. But we've known that from the beginning, pretty much. It's just that we never got to wait as long as we wanted to due to all those (in)fertility related issues.

So, long story short, if I could get an ultrasound machine with a corresponding FS/RE/sonographer, as well as team of geneticists to live in my basement, I really gladly would. :/

bunda, I hope that cold goes away, along with the need for liners and similar things!

I do have a bump. It's nothing major (I put a picture up a week or so ago in my journal), but it can be seen, at least compared to what I had at 4 or 5 weeks, or whenever it was. The doctor explained that it was progesterone-related, especially because of the supplements they put me on - otherwise, it would make no sense, as I've gained barely a pound.


----------



## DHime

LISA - Congrats on team pinK! I am so Jello!

MARIE - Halfway empty? Don't they know we pregos don't have as much control down there anymore???

JAZ - Just picktured you holding a medical team hostage in your basement. lol

AFM - Just got back from the OB and I have been put on pelvic rest due to the previa... DH is upset but since I have no sex drive it won't be as hard on me. I was looking forward to increased sex drive while pg but it just disappeared entirely. :-( 
So far I have only gained 12lbs so they said I am doing great. They also took excercise other than walking off my list of things I can do. 
Anyway, all is going well otherwise. I will know more soon at my next preinatalist appt in 1 week. Then my glucose test in 3 weeks.
Oh and last night I went to see avengers and couldn't sit still cause the little guy was kicking so much. I kept laughing. The movie was wonderful though.


----------



## Jazavac

I hope placenta previa goes away on its own for you, DHime!


----------



## DHime

Thanks JAZ. I hope so too. At least they cleared me to take zantac. This constant heartburn is killing me.
mmm plums


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## Jazavac

Plums taste like metal.

Actually, anything dark red does. :scary:


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## lilosmom

Congratulations on team pink Lisa!


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## Lisa40

lilosmom said:


> Congratulations on team pink Lisa!

Thanks guys,

Dhime - I'm sure you won't be Jello when you're holding your beautiful baby boy :yipee: I was hoping for a boy myself as I thought that OH would be disappointed with a girl as he's a proper mans man IKYWIM. Plays rugby, has 2 brothers, PE teacher lol, but he's absolutely delighted so I'm really chuffed too. I was secretly wanting a girl for me but would rather he be happy so all is good. Bought 2 little babygros that said daddy rocks, and daddys little princess on them & he cried.... :hugs: I love my OH

x


----------



## bunda

haha at the mental of image of the sonography team and equipment kept captive in Jaz's basement.

My midwife is pregnant and I do wonder whether she is able to resist the urge to check everything about ten times a day, since she has access to the equipment. 

A 12lbs weight gain sounds great, DHime. I've gained 13lbs and that seems to be within the normal range of 12-19lbs for this stage. So you're nicely on track of gaining but not overgaining.

Marie: empty the bladder halfway? How is that even possible? Fortunately I was only asked to drink water (about two cups) for my first scan. They said it wasn't necessary for the 20 week scan. But for me a full bladder means niagara falls until empty. I just can't do halfway, not while pregnant.

Next milestone: glucose tolerance test in 3 weeks' time. I've been peeing on glucose sticks every midwife visit (that and ketone ones) and so far all have been negative so I'm not worried. Interestingly, they don't require me to fast beforehand, I just can't have anything in the 45 minutes wait until the test, after drinking 275ml of lucozade (a sweet fizzy drink sold here in UK aimed at people who like to pretend they're sporty and need energy, when 9 times out of 10 they're sedentary and would do better having some water instead).


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## DHime

I am not unhappy with team blue. It works out since I already know how to handle baby boys. I raised both my brothers so I had practice.
DH is already feeling the pinch of my pelvic rest. He is finding it hard to even touch me. :-(

GL of the glucose test Bunda. I will be there with you in 3 weeks. I love that we are at the same point for our appts. Just glad you are complication free so far.

OMG - just saw a comercial for breast implants. Never thought I would see that. lol


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## sunshine1217

You guys seem to all have such healthy weight gains. I've gained 10 lbs as of this morning! I am worried that not enough weight gain has gone to my belly. I defo have a belly but feel like it can be bigger. 

dHime, I hope your previa goes away. So you are off of all exercise?

Jaz, did you ever do your NT screen and bloodwork?


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## bunda

that 10lb weight gain must be water. There's no way YOU gained 10lbs of extra you. I weight daily (and chart it, yup - still a chart addict) and I am used to seeing a huge jump if I've had a very salty meal (pizza is a classic for that) but then it zig zags back down or plateaus. 

Some people might find daily weigh-ins stressful but I've found it's the opposite. I get used to dismissing a very sharp rise as I can see it's an anomaly among all the others. If I were to weigh only once a week (and that day happened to be a spike) I'd think I actually weighed that much, if that makes sense. I have drawn up a weight chart that very much resembles a fertility chart - little boxes of various symptoms, I can see exactly when I first felt baby kick, when I first felt kicks on the outside, when I was ill, had sleepless nights, wacko dreams


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## Jazavac

I weigh daily, but I don't chart it. No need, as I always know where I'm at (yes, an addict...). Sitting at 200g gain right now (about half a pound). From the beginning, I've been up to a pound and a half, and right now this is my lowest point since 4w0d, when I found out I was pregnant. I mean, lowest point with still at least _some_ gain. I still have the (progesterone) bump but I assume the actual gain is - poop. :lol: Well, the majority of it, at least. It depends on my bathroom visits and these days, those happen as they please. I'm most definitely not my old self. 

I'm kind of hoping I can limit the weight gain to 9-11lbs. It could work. :shrug:

sunshine, I have my NT/bloodwork scheduled for this upcoming Thursday. I'll be 12w6d at the time and I have to travel to the Mayo clinic to Rochester to get it done, as it appears nobody at our local Mayo is certified to do it. Ohwell. A paid day off work will feel good regardless.


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## sunshine1217

Jaz,good luck. Have them take guess at the gender. They guessed a girl at my nt screen. We will see at the anatomy one this week.

Bunda, I meant I gained 10 lbs since prepregnancy. It was 9 lbs until yesterday when I hit the big 10. If I gain 1 lb each week for the rest of the pg, inwill have gained 33 lb in the end. I feel like that's a lot for my petite frame. Did your guys weight gain slow down at any point?


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## bunda

sunshine, 33lb total gain sounds well within the 25-35lb gain that is recommended. Remember that most of that is baby and baby accessories (by that I mean placenta, amniotic fluid, extra blood capacity, bigger uterus). Of course it's not ALL baby and accessories, some of it is going to be body fat, but remember your body really really wants to have that _new fat_, to feed the baby once breastfeeding. It will contain fewer toxins (compared to your long-standing, always been there body fat) and your body will be putting it in the right places for easy access (so near the liver, around the thighs/buttocks, bit on the boobs, but generally not within muscles or around the abdomen). It is there for a reason and most women I've spoken to say it DOES come off. 

As to the pattern of gaining, yes. Sometime I gain a lot, then it flattens out for a while. It's definitely not very steady. I go through phases of being like the very hungry caterpillar to barely being able to touch a crumb. And similarly my belly grows in fits and starts. Yesterday I experienced another growth spurt (gained another inch in a day). 

I knew something was up because I tried to get out of bed and did the "upturned turtle" for a while, legs flailing a little ineffectually, before I was able to heave myself out of bed. 

Then I wandered down the landing to the bathroom and thought: "I am carrying a baby hippo!" my belly seemed HUGE. It felt so stretched and distended. "Full bladder, that''ll be why I feel so stretched" but even later in the day the areas to the right and left of the bump, about level with the belly button, about the width of a hand, I could feel the skin stretching. Almost like a chinese burn. That feeling has gone now but bump is bigger. 

I expect I'll be this size and then in a few weeks get another growth spurt.


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## Marie000

Hi!

I've been away for a few days and I need to catch up on reading this thread. But for now, I'm a nervous wreck. I got a call this morning saying that my midwife wants to see me this afternoon. They wouldn't tell me why. 
Whatever is going on apparently couldn't wait two weeks to my next appointment. That can't be good. :cry:


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## lilosmom

Marie, try not to worry too much. You'll know either way this afternoon. I'll be thinking of you.

Thank you to all the ladies talking about weight gain. I've been feeling a bit uneasy about my total so far (13lbs). I'm right on track with my first pregnancy and as someone who is smaller to start it's a bit alarming to start packing on the pounds. Glad to get some reassurance and Bunda thanks for all the info on pregnancy weight, you've done your research there! I found with my last LO all the weight (and then some) came off quickly and I attribute it all to breastfeeding which I plan to do again.


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## DHime

Bunda - I know what ou mean. I can feel the stretching too. My poor belly button is begining to gross me out. It is now a huge cave that can be seen thru my clothes.
My abdomen is really sore too but that's just growing pains again. I gained 6.5 lbs in the last 3 weeks so I know where the stretching came from. lol ooooooooo you hit eggplant!!


Sunshine - Even with the averages, women who are very small tend to gain more. Your ave weight gain will be higher than if you already had some meat on you. My doc says I shouldn't gain more than 20.

Marie - Maybe she is going on vacation and wants to see you before she goes. Or just lost the last notes she took. Could be many things. My FX for you just in case.


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## sunshine1217

Bunda, you're too funny, the upturned turtle? :rofl:

Lilosmom, Like you, I am pretty thin to start so I guess it's even more alarming how much weight I've put on. I feel like my bones can't handle it and my legs are getting swollen all the time. 

Dhime, when did your belly button pop? I'm so dreading that, it's the one thing that really creeps me out. Did it happen all of a sudden?


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## Jazavac

Ick, belly button. I mean, I just don't like that part of my body. :shudder: Mine's of course not done anything yet and I hope it stays that way for a while. It should.

Marie, I also say, don't worry too much. It can be a ton of things and you'll find out soon, too.

They took a bunch of my blood last Monday and I forgot to ask what all it was about. There was a urine test, too, but I overall assume all's good since nobody's calling me back or anything. I did sign a release, so I expect to get all that paperwork mailed to me sometime this week, too. I normally ask and know each and every thing they do, but during the 2-hour appointment, I decided to eventually just drift away, instead of paying attention to details. :lol:


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## NellieRae

Marie, I'll be thinking of you, too. :hugs2:

Bunda, I know exactly what you mean - some days I'm extra ravenous or feel extra stretched out. Some days little Nelliebean is super kicky and others very quiet. You never know what kind of day it will be. 
:rofl: at the upended turtle! That's me trying to get out of DH's car on our steep driveway. 

Sunshine, I started out tiny and petite too - so carrying all this extra weight feels strange. But the weight gain has been very uneven - last month I gained 7 lbs! I'm only supposed to gain 2 lbs this one, so we'll see at my appt Thurs. I'm kinda nervous about it, as I feel huge. Everyone is so different. 

My belly button has been popped for a few weeks now, with the skin around it looking stretched out. I'm thinking it'll look a little off when it tries to go back to normal. :dohh: Ladies- its happened. I was out walking this week when I realized I now have a bit of a waddle! :shock:


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## Jazavac

Hm. Whoa. I'm just looking at your sticker, Nellie, and it's kind of amazing that your little girl is due in only 14 weeks, 3 days. And I've been pregnant for only 12w3d. I guess time flies really fast!


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## DHime

Bunda - love the turtle visual. That's me trying to get out bed every morning! lol Makes you feel so utterly helpless. I can't touch my feet anymore. too uncomfortable! 

Sunshine - It actually hasn't popped yet but I can feel it stretching. It went from a nice inny to a deep cavernous inny. It is so weird. Grosses me out to look at it. I am gonna find my keys from 1996 in there I think. You will get used to the leg and ankle swelling. Mine are now doing it most of the time now.

Nellie - Oh no! Not the waddle! I always thought it was funny looking to watch pg people try to walk. I am not far behind you I think. 

Marie - Any news?

AFM - Doc appt wednesday at 9 am to see about baby growth and placental placement. FX that the damn thing has moved.


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## Marie000

I am back.

My midwife had received the results from my down syndrome screening test, which in itself was surprising. I had only done the first blood test, so I assume they wouldn't give me any results. They did. 
They say the chances are 1/10 of trisomy 21 :cry:
However, since I had only done one blood test instead of two, they also said in that case they have more false positives. Also, they seemed to be confused with my dates (they seemed to have assumed the ultrasound was done the same day as the blood test, which it wasn't). Plus they had to play with the dates because there was only one blood test. It's all very confusing.

My midwife wanted to see me now because if I wanted to do an amniotic test, it would have to be pretty soon. 
I'll think about it some more before contacting my midwife with my decision, but I think we're pretty certain that we wont do it. I can't risk loosing that baby. And I would keep her even if she had trisomy. She's my daughter and I'll love her no matter what. 
We also decided not to talk about any of this with our family. We don't want her to become the 'possibly trisomic' niece/granddaughter/etc. 

We're having a campfire in the backyard tonight. I'm tempted to throw the test results in the fire. :haha:

On the bright side, I got to hear her heart again (we didn't have a regular exam, but I said it would make me happy, so my midwife took the time). 
Also, I love my midwife. She's been so supportive and sweet.


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## Jazavac

Marie, if you're pretty sure, or even certain, that you don't wish to proceed with any tests, just burn the results. It doesn't matter, then, what the odds were.

The first screening (we're talking about the one that's done around 12 weeks, right?), consists of a scan where they take NT and nasal bone measurements and a bloodtest, PAPP-A and free bHCG. The scan and bloodwork need to be done the same day, and I think the cutoff is actually the 12 hours mark. If you didn't do all that at the right date, then they're really probably off with the numbers there, too.

Unless you think you'd find some support and comfort from the rest of the family, there's really no reason to share the news with them. 

Either way, try not to worry too much, even more since/if you know how and where to go from here.

:hugs:


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> Marie, if you're pretty sure, or even certain, that you don't wish to proceed with any tests, just burn the results. It doesn't matter, then, what the odds were.
> 
> The first screening (we're talking about the one that's done around 12 weeks, right?), consists of a scan where they take NT and nasal bone measurements and a bloodtest, PAPP-A and free bHCG. The scan and bloodwork need to be done the same day, and I think the cutoff is actually the 12 hours mark. If you didn't do all that at the right date, then they're really probably off with the numbers there, too.
> 
> Unless you think you'd find some support and comfort from the rest of the family, there's really no reason to share the news with them.
> 
> Either way, try not to worry too much, even more since/if you know how and where to go from here.
> 
> :hugs:

The scan they did at 12 or so weeks was only for datation. They didn't do the NT tests. 
Still, maybe they did need to be on the same day. :shrug:


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## Jazavac

Which bloodwork did you do, then? Triple or quad? I don't know as much about those tests, I have to admit, as they are a lot less reliable that the NT/bloodwork at around 12 weeks.


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> Which bloodwork did you do, then? Triple or quad? I don't know as much about those tests, I have to admit, as they are a lot less reliable that the NT/bloodwork at around 12 weeks.

not sure at all. 
I was supposed to do two blood tests, one around 12 weeks and one around 16, I think. They used a dating scan to get the exact dates.


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## NellieRae

Marie, I know it might be impossible, but try not to stew & let this drive you crazy. If its the triple or quad test that Jaz mentioned, its the one that my midwife told me, if positive, was a false positive 70% of the time. We almost decided not to even bother with it! Medical mistakes are made all the time & I don't blame you for being skeptical about the date confusion. Even if it turns out to be correct, your little girl could easily be perfectly normal. And any of us with normal results could still be faced with these things at birth. Remember, that test is about odds, not certainty. Only your baby's dna could confirm. But I'm with Jaz - if you are not considering terminating the pregnancy for trisomy 18, burn it! 

:hug:


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## lilosmom

Marie, sorry to hear you got upsetting news. We opted not to do any screening tests as it wouldn't change the fact that we would continue with the pregnancy. I'd say go ahead with the bonfire and enjoy the fact that you have life in your belly and you'll soon be a mommy to a beautiful little girl. :hugs:

Dhime, my belly button never went back to normal after Liv was born and it's already stretched like you mention... no bikini for me this summer (ewww).

One more week until my ultrasound. I'm nervous but excited at the same time. Looking forward to seeing an actual baby in there, not just the bean he/she was at 6 weeks.


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## Marie000

Thanks ladies. 

I'm still feeling a big numb this morning. I think our decision is made not to go ahead with further tests. Still, it's hard to shake that feeling that suddenly, not everything is going great. I just noticed I'll be 21 weeks tomorrow, but I find it hard to be excited for anything. I used to be excited to show off my perfect little girl, and I know that if she is trisomic, she will not be perfect in other people's eyes, and that hurts. 

I'll get over that with time. I also need to remind myself that even if the test is correct, I have a 9/10 chance of having a normal baby (normal in terms of not having trisomy, I mean. She will be taking after me and OH, so she will probably be anything but normal :haha:)

The test results we had said nothing about the chances of other trisomy, it only mentioned trisomy 21. But I'm not too worried because other kinds of trisomy are very rare. 

In brighter news, I was gone to town this weekend and came back with baby stuff! I bought a souvenir album for baby's first year. I also bought more wool to knit her a little dress. It's super cute, but the colors are really spring/summer colors and baby is due in the Fall. But I don't care. 
I also bought a bunch of used cloth diapers. They're hemp diapers, with hemp inserts and diaper covers. They're in newborn/small sizes. I got a good number of them for a really good price. Plus the diaper covers are sooooo cute! Now we're set for the first few months of life. 
I bought more maternity clothes (shorts mostly). The lady at the store was surprised when I told her I was only 20 weeks. She asked me if it was twins. Apparently I have a good belly for 20 weeks. I like to think baby is making herself really comfortable.

I still haven't caught up with all the other threads, but I'm glad to see things seem to be going well. I'm glad I'm not the only one endlessly fascinated by her growing belly and changing bellybutton :haha: So far my bellybutton is all stretched out, but still leaning towards the inside. I'm also starting to have a slightly dark line in the middle of my belly.


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## Jazavac

The baby will still be perfect in your eyes, Marie, and that's the only thing that counts. I mean, even babies with no health issues are not perfect to other people. I admit that I don't see perfection, whatever that actually is, in other people's children. Some are prettier than others, some are nicer, some are just more appealing to me and some are, after all, not even remotely close to beautiful, or perfect at all. And that's just how it is.

I assume it will take a while to feel better about it all, but the important thing is that you both know what you want and how to go about it. Everything else falls more or less within the (more or less) normal range of pregnancy related worries.

Most of the time, I try to be positive, or at least I try not to think about all the possible bad outcomes. But then again, the fact that we have an unknown threat, or a semi-known threat that comes with absolutely unknown probabilities, just can't make me relax completely. Then again, is there anyone who can just not worry at all? I don't think so!


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## DHime

Marie - cool! you got the line! Bunda is right though. that test has a horribly high error rate. only 30% of the positives are actually possitive. That is still way in your favor. I know your LO will be just fine and love you as much as you love her. I know what you mean about the sudden feeling of dispair that there are problems. It's as if all happiness is suddenly replaced by dread. I went through the same thing when the docs hit me with my issues. Every pregnancy has a roadbump. I hope this is you only one. The excitement will come back though. Just hang in there in the meantime. 
I won't say not to worry cause let's face it, asking a pg woman not to worry is like asking a fish not to swim. It kinda comes with the territory.


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## sunshine1217

Marie, I'm glad you made the choice to not torture yourself more, especially when the odds are really in your favor. I know someone who decided to have the baby with a 1/5 chance of having DS, the baby came out perfectly healthy.

I found out today we're having a baby boy! However, the anatomy scan showed that the umbilical cord only has 2 vessels. Given that my test results are good and there are no other markers, the perinatologist said he was not too concerned. He sees it more as a concern for placental issues, which he said we will keep a closer eye on and schedule a 3rd trimester scan as well (he is not my regular ob, he specializes in these NT/level 2 scans). Either way, I'm not having an amnio.


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## DHime

sunshine - so we have the same problems? How about that.
Going to the doc to check placental placement now


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## Marie000

DHime - Good luck! I hope everything is in place now. 

Sunshine - sorry to hear about the problems with you scan. I'm sure baby will be fine, but it's hard not to wish everything was perfect, isn't it?


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## NellieRae

Sunshine, congrats on your little boy! :blue: :happydance:

_Perfect_ is a word or idea its too easy to get caught up in - nothing is. During a chiropractor's visit this pregnancy I discovered that I have a congenital chest deformity - pectus excavenum (basically there is an over development of connective tissue holding the sternum together that makes the center of the chest cave in.) I always knew that I had a weird little depression there, but never thought much of it. Its very mild in my case and never caused symptoms (except poor posture). I always thought I was perfectly healthy! Now I know there is a chance our daughter will inherit it, too. :( DH and I are not perfect, and neither will our baby be. I try not to think of it because its completely out of my hands and I will love her to pieces anyway. 

Dhime, can't wait to hear about that placenta!


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## Jazavac

Good luck with the appointment, DHime! Hope everything's good.

Congrats on the little boy, sunshine! 

Our scan is tomorrow, with the NT/whatever specialists, too. So I hope their machine, as well as their skills, are so awesome that they'll be able to tell the sex at 12w6d. :lol:


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## sunshine1217

Thanks ladies! The stuff I read online was all very encouraging. Dhime, I wasn't sure if it was the same problem but I guess it is, are you missing an artery too? The perinatologist was not worried about previa though, I should ask my regular OB. I want to know everything about it. Good luck at the apptmt!

Funny thing, all my friends having babies this year are boys, except 1. I'm talking 9 to 1 boy:girl ratio!

Nellie, how did you find out about the congenital chest deformity from a chiro, do they do X-rays?


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## NellieRae

Sunshine, I have the same ratio -but 9 girls to 1 boy - among 2012 pregnancies/births among people I know IRL! Everyone's having girls! Lol.

It wasn't an actual diagnosis. The chiro brought it up b/c she has a couple other patients with the condition and my chest looks/feels similar. No X rays on this mama! Just a lot of research & looking at pictures and I kinda diagnosed myself. Its the only explanation that makes sense for why my chest has always looked a little different. Apparently mild cases are not rare. :shrug: 

Jaz, I wouldn't even ask about the sex that early - too easy to get it wrong & for you to become attached to whatever the "educated guess" is.


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## Jazavac

I don't think they'd really tell me if they couldn't see. But apparently you can tell from reading the PAPP-A levels, so I'll go from there. I mean, I'll see what they have to say about it!


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## DHime

SUNSHINE - Single umbilical artery. Not much to worry about unless it comes with other issues. Your doc will probably do a special series of scans to check for other problems. Mainly looking at the heart to be sure there are no defects. 

AFM - went to the doc today. Little guy is weighing in at 1 lb 3 oz. Got an awesome pic on the 3d image. I am putting it up now. All organs for him are totally ok. They found a large cyst on my ovary but said it should not cause any problems. My placenta moved 3 centimeters but still has a ways to go before I am clear of previa.


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## lilosmom

DHime said:


> SUNSHINE - Single umbilical artery. Not much to worry about unless it comes with other issues. Your doc will probably do a special series of scans to check for other problems. Mainly looking at the heart to be sure there are no defects.
> 
> AFM - went to the doc today. Little guy is weighing in at 1 lb 3 oz. Got an awesome pic on the 3d image. I am putting it up now. All organs for him are totally ok. They found a large cyst on my ovary but said it should not cause any problems. My placenta moved 3 centimeters but still has a ways to go before I am clear of previa.

Amazing photo! Good news about his organs and at least the placenta is on it's way to where it needs to be for your birth plan. Hope it keeps shifting.


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## DHime

My big question is whether or not to go ahead with birthing classes etc as though I was going for the birthing center or do I just wait and see.

Also trying to get the DH to clean out the closets and storage bins to make room for baby is becoming a real chore. He keeps finding other things to do. I am ready to knock him in the head and remind him we don't have alot of time left.


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## Jazavac

Really cute photo, DHime!


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## DHime

Jaz - can't wait to see yours soon. 

AFM - Great thing is no appointments for 2 weeks! Yay! Going to the movies this weekend with MIL. I think I am just concerned about birthing stuff cause I hate wasting time and money on something if I am not gonna use it. I feel like a spinning top that could land anywhere. 
DH and I had an argument because he keeps promising to go thru all our storage. At this time we have no place to even put a baby or the all the stuff with him. Needless to say he keeps finding reasons not to get this done. I hate relying on other people to get things done. I just want to say grow up and get it done already! But I tried a mild version of this and DH got so upset and hurt. ........... I give. The baby will sleep in the dresser.


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## Jazavac

I go through storage for both of us, when I see that nothing gets done on the other end. Then I present him with boxes and... he can either go through it, or it's gone forever!

I should really scan all of our pictures and put it in the journal. No good ones yet, though, just the typical early stuff. In the last one, from yesterday, there's a long skinny leg stretched upwards. :)


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## mamidoll

hi ladies!! :wave: im so surprised how hard it is to find buddies on here..you think it would be easy :shrug: CAN I PLEASE JOIN YOU?? I'm 31 pregnant w/#2..i will be 32 by the time he/she is born. I had my first when i was 28..he will be 3 in july. I would love to have some buddies to share my 2nd and final pregnancy with! :hug:


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## DHime

welcome mami!
Great to have you with us!
What's your story?


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## mamidoll

thanks!!! im a 31 and i'm pregnant w/#2!! I will be 32 by the time he/she is born. I have a DS that will be 3 in july. I have a wonderful DH (34). We were trying since Oct to get preg naturally but due to a medical condition i developed after having DS BDing is VERY painful so we werent able to :sex: enough times to catch the eggy. In january of this year i was about to give up all hope..we knew we couldnt afford fertility treatments but i started exploring options and i stumbled across an at home insemination website...for the next 2months i researched n researched, talked to ladies who tried at home AI in forums, kept an extra close watch on my cycles n stocked up on opks n 10cc syringes n got DH on board. at the end of march we did our first round of AI we kinda used it as a practice round...AF showed right on time 2 weeks later in the beginning of april. :nope: We werent too discouraged since it was our first time. So at the end of april we tried again..cycle #2 and to our complete n utter surprise..BAM a :bfp: on May 4th!!!! so excited!! :happydance:


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## DHime

wow Mami! The at home turkey baster really works?! I often wondered if there was something like that on the market. what is good website for this? some of my ttc friends could definitely use it.
congrats on finally getting to this point. Sounds like it has been a very hard road for you.
If you don't mind my asking, what is your medical condition that causes sex to be so painful?


BTW - how's everyone doing on this mothers day? I hope all is well.

AFM - DH and I accidentally ignored the pelvic rest thing and were just very gentle. The specialist seemed very surprised that the OB told us to do that. We aren't even in the danger zone yet. so we decided we can do it once a week and gently. For us, that's rest. We used to go at least twice day for crying out loud. lol


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## mamidoll

DHime- YES the turkey baster method really works!!!! :bfp: 2nd try!! :rofl: but you dont actually use a turkey baster obviously..you use a 10cc medicine syringe (needle-less of course). the best website that i found was https://www.insemination-help.com/ but if you google it TONS of things come up. :coffee: You can also order the kits online as well but to save $$ all you really need are a few 10cc medicine syringes and specimen cups which are super cheap at any drugstore. You can reuse them by boiling them after each use.There are also a few forums/threads on here that i found extremely helpful and supportive! As for my medical condition its called vaginismus, its a condition that causes the muscles on the pelvic floor to involuntarily contract making it nearly impossible to get a penis in there and if it does go in it feels like im being ripped apart w/a carving knife!!! its strange cuz most women that have this cannot get ANYTHING in there, surprisingly i have no trouble getting in tampons, (hubby's fingers TMI sorry) or the syringe for insem. Apparently the traumatic labor n delivery of DS played a part in it. It has gotten progressively worse over the past 2 1/2yrs. There are some treatments for it and we are working on that but in order to get preggo we couldnt :sex: nearly enough and not being able to afford IVF or IUI at home AI was our only hope!!

congrats on your boy bean!!
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL MOMS, MOMS TO BE and TRYING TO BE MOMS :cake:


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## DHime

wow I had heard of that once before but never really thought about that problem. I put the site on the thread I used to be on for ttcr's. I hope they get something from it.


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## Marie000

Welcome aboard mamidoll! 

Congrats on the pregnancy. 
Sorry to hear about your condition. Is it likely to get better with time?
I also have a problem with sex, but it's just pregnancy hormones. Nothing is working for me down there. :blush: Last time I tried, I was really trying to get OH as close as possible. I wanted to feel his skin against mine. But down there... it was dry as a bone. :shrug: I think my libido has been replaced with mothering instincts. 
I feel kind of broken. I'm starting to feel like I'm not the same person I used to be, and it scares me. Hopefully it's temporary. 

But I did have a pretty nice mother's day. OH made a card for me, and we went out for breakfast before heading to his mother's place. Nothing super exciting, but it was nice.


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## DHime

Marie - I get that too! Of course not so much now that we can only do it 1 time a week. Against doc orders too. I am not sure the change goes away but you do learn to balance it out with time. That's what I have heard anyway.


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## Jazavac

Welcome, mamidoll! 

We went to my husband's aunt's farm for Mothers day. There's always some huge picnic there. The weather was enjoyable, foods were edible and that's about it. The holiday itself means nothing to me, so I wasn't paying attention to that at all. 

6 days until I get to see the little wild being again. I hope it shows its crotch. :lol:


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## lilosmom

Happy belated mother's day to everyone. We had an absolutely lovely day - hubby to us to brunch with both mine and his mother, my sister, her son and our little girl. Food was amazing, company was fantastic and the weather was gorgeous. My baby girl made me a sweet card and she was so excited about it, it was such a treat.

Today I had my routine 20 week ultrasound and we got to see our little "bean" (now baby) for the first time since 6 weeks. I was so nervous that something may be wrong but the tech said everything was measuring correctly and we could make out 2 eyes, a nose and mouth, 2 arms, hands and legs so all in all baby looks good. Will have photos to share after the doctor's appointment tomorrow. We didn't find out the sex of baby, we'll wait until he or she makes the official arrival.


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## Marie000

congrats on the great ultrasound lilosmom. :thumbup:
You are very brave (and patient) to be willing to wait until baby is born to find out the sex.


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## Jazavac

That's how I feel about it, too. I can't imagine not knowing! Congrats on the healthy baby, lilosmom!

We got our NT scan/bloodwork results today. Based on my age, it was going to be, they said, 1:240 (I suppose they added 6 months to the mix and considered me a 35 year old, hmph!). With the measurements and hormones thrown into the picture, the probability dropped down to 1:7400, which is really good. Whew.


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## mamidoll

lilosmom- congrats on the healthy bean! you are sooo patient!! im only 5 1/2wks and i already figured out that i will be able to find out what it is in august! i can't imagine not being able to prepare and having to buy all neutral things..but its a personal choice that we all make! hope whatever it is continues to stay healthy for you!!

to everyone else..glad you all had a nice mothers day. hows everyone feeling? im SUPER irritated these past few days. i dont remember being this irritated THIS early w/DS!!


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## DHime

Lilosmom - I admire your decision. I was too curious and so many people said they would buy anything unless they knew the sex. I finally said screw it and wanted the free stuff. Greed won. lol
Odd thing. The last 2 days there has been very little baby movement. Starting to scare me.


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## bunda

hey Lilosmom, fellow team yellow here. I love not knowing, really. I love the mystery and surprise of it.

Marie, for the record, I have the very same problem. Stuff just seem to be broken down there. None of the usual tricks work. It's been over 6 months *sigh*. OH still gets his portion but he feels increasingly bad that I'm not. He does know it's not him though. I think I'm just... impotent, or something.

It's hard to explain to a man though, that even without a big O, sex can be fun and enjoyable. For men, that's what it's all about, what it's for. Not getting that would make sex a complete waste of time. I think women manage to make more from less (well, maybe not more from less, but something out of less, anyway). 

One thing this phenomenon does do is make me a whoooooole lot less sympathetic to men who are impotent who think that means the end of any kind of sex life. Uh, your wife doesn't have to go without. You can do other stuff if the hydraulics fail. Women do. In fact have done since time immemorial, for the sake of their relationships.

(Not that I'm making sacrifices. Like I said I enjoy what I get it's just a whole lot less climactic than it once was. I'm very much hoping it's temporary. [-o&lt;


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## Jazavac

I've never been calmer in my life, ever. 

My husband keeps saying he'll make sure I'm pregnant forever and ever and ever. :lol:


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## Jazavac

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, bunda, that you chose to not know, as well! I, too, admire the decision. There is just NO way I could do that. 

As for broken/nonbroken, I'm doing pretty fine. It's actually kind of funny how I seem to want sex more often than I normally would. Maybe my husband really will decide to mysteriously keep me pregnant forever and ever.


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## DHime

lol Jaz - :hug: Just thought of the prospect pof being pg forever.


Bunda - I get that. Even before, i hardly ever got the big O so for me it's more about closeness. Now I am so worried of causing a problem with the previa that I won't let myself have one. Something about not being allowed makes it seem acheivable somehow. For me it's a mental thing tho


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## lilosmom

Would love to delve into this sex talk however even the thought of it does nothing for me anymore... it did come back after my first was born however so I'm hopeful it's just a temporary pregnant thing again (and so is DH!). All I want and long for at night is a good foot or back rub and sleep - oh precious sleep that is so illusive. That's one thing I know doesn't get any better after baby's on the outside. (big sigh and pout inserted here)

I have to say, I know no other way than to not know the gender of baby. There's not much to prepare for really other than clothes and if baby ends up blue rather than pink we'll just have to pop on a neutral outfit and do some shopping in the first few weeks. Nursery is painted a green color that both DH and I love. It's in our daughter's room too. As far as crib bedding and such we found that the set we got for Olivia wasn't used as we worried about having too many blankets and the bumper pads and she slept in the playpen the first 4 weeks anyway so we would have had time to get the proper color. I like green and most of our baby items we purchased pending baby's arrival were green. (carseat, stroller, diaper bag) I'll reuse most of it for the new baby however am on the fence about a new stroller. The one I had was well used and it would be nice to have the option to fit 2 children in a buggy and go for a good brisk walk. Anyway, I have some pics to share from my ultrasound so thought I'd pop them on.
 



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## Jazavac

Those are some really cute pictures!

I keep wanting to scan all our new ones... but I've just been too lazy to do so. :lol:


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## mamidoll

lilosmom- i love the baby pics!! they are great!!

DHime- dont worry... remember as the baby gets bigger there is less room for him to move around so its perfectly normal to notice a decrease in movement, as long as you feel SOMETHING its fine, if you feel absolutely nothing for 24hrs i would give the dr a call...im sure he's just a sleepy bean..mine son was!

as we all know i'm probably the MOST "broken" one on here! LOL..working on it though, but now im hesitant to continue using the dialators..now that im preggo i'm wary about "putting things up there". i dont know..i know w/my son there was a few months there where i couldnt get enough!!! i was like a horny toad! LOL..hubbys anxiously waiting those months again!


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## DHime

I had high hopes for my second tri but alas, no horny toad here. I also just want a back rub and a foot massage. lol
Man I want a libido. Good thing that hubby is off the charts with his.

Great pics by the way. So cute!!!!


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## Jazavac

I still haven't scanned the baby's pictures, but I left one of my horrendously huge self in my journal tonight. The whole deal is, actually, very scary. :shock:


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## Marie000

lilosmom - great scan pictures!
jazavac - love the bump. So cute!

Not much new here. In just over a week, I'm going shopping for baby stuff (at garage sales). That'll be fun.
So far all I have are a few clothes and a set of cloth diapers. 

I'm kind of bored these days. We have a guest staying with us, and it's starting to annoy me. I want my personal space back! But he's leaving Friday morning.


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## Marie000

Oh, and I'm a papaya today! Woo! 
I barely saw that banana go by.


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## DHime

Very nice bump Jaz! 

Congrats on going papaya! It starts to go faster the further you get right now. Starting to scare me in a way that it is all comming to a head faster than I thought. 9 mo used to seem a long time. Not anymore!

Anyone else starting to feel a bit panicked at not having anything ready?


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm often feeling panicked about not having things ready. Its a good motivator, though. Must be patient & wait for the shower & rearrange what furniture I can for now. Wait, since when did I have less than 100 days to go?!

Keep an eye on your little guy's movement, but its a bit early still to rely on it like we will soon. If it helps, I had 4 days last week during which I felt much less movement & smaller movements than usual. I really started getting worried. I also had less energy and the appetite of a teenage boy during football season. I'm thinking growth spurt? :shrug: She's back to squirming & kicking up a storm during the day. 

DH was also hoping that I'd develop some crazy porn star libido during pregnancy - but that is far from what happened. :nope: I have nearly no sex drive, but when I give in for his sake, getting aroused happens much faster than before & it feels amazing! You'd think it'd help libido, but it doesn't. Pregnant bodies can be very strange.

lilosmom - great photos & congrats on a healthy little one! I think going team yellow would be easier for me the second time around.


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## mamidoll

hi girls..not really gonna say much today..not feeling well thanks to hubby..sore throat n the whole 9..i could just kill him..LOL..hope everyone is well.


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## Marie000

mamidoll said:


> hi girls..not really gonna say much today..not feeling well thanks to hubby..sore throat n the whole 9..i could just kill him..LOL..hope everyone is well.

sorry about that. 
I had that early on too and it was such a pain. Did you ask your pharmacist if there was anything you could take? Mine was able to find a cough syrup and nose spray I could take while I was sick with the cold. 
Or there's always hot water with honey.

Get well soon.


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## bunda

Those scan pics are adorable. Love the little baby feet. aaaw.

NellieRae, your problem is the complete reverse of mine. I'm in the mood, I want it and nothing works. My bits are broken. 

Jaz, your bump looks amazing for just a half kilo weight gain. My weight has done a huge leap upwards (17lbs. It had been 13lbs and I'm sure only some of that is bump - all because of a very salty chinese meal with family).

I'm coming to the end of my second trimester and the discomforts are starting. Reflux, rib flare, the feeling I have a gastric band. I think my stomach has been squashed to the size of a walnut, because I am never hungry (I thought I'd be ravenous by now). I eat because I know I should and not because I'm hungry. 

Once this baby is born, am I going to suddenly feel very empty? Like a hollow Easter egg?


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## Jazavac

I've heard that you do feel kind of.. empty. Many women actually miss being pregnant all over. I guess I'll have to see for myself!

mamidoll, get well soon!

My weight fluctuates depending on the bathroom trips, but it's still a steady pound there. We'll see what the doctor says on Monday, but I kind of disregard their weigh-ins because they have you step on the scale wearing all of your clothes and sometimes even holding your bag AND paperwork. So whatever! I do it at home, same time of day, wearing nothing. :weird_addict:

Sex... was good last night. :lol: I guess the baby really did break me the other way around. Things that never worked or were just awkward now feel just awesome. Neat, at least as long as it sticks around. 

As for getting ready, hm. I guess I'm a control freak sometimes, so I've been hoarding things we'll need. Okay, it all started at least AFTER the BFP? :lol: My nine months seem like forever, but we'll see if it will change as I get further along.


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## DHime

Jaz - I am so jealous of the ability with sex. I have never o'd unless it was with battery unduced help even though I never say no to my DH. (Have come close a few times tho) Maybe my issue is mental. I do have lots of sex dreams about DH though.

It does feel like a serios 100 days and counting thing. Where oh where did the time go??? 

AFM - The stomach ISSUES make things interesting. I feel like I ate too much and I'm gonna explode. But I am also hungry. 24/7 reflux puts a damper on the hunger though. At least I haven't been constipated. My tummy is so sore though. It's practically painful to bend over. I feel like I did 100 sit ups. lol


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## Jazavac

It really depends, the big O. Sometimes it works on its own, I mean, without any special assistance, sometimes either of us has to add some help, but I've actually never tried any of the toys. I guess I'm okay with things as they are now, that's for sure, and I hope it won't get worse than it was before pregnancy.


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## mamidoll

thanks ladies for the well wishes..im feeling slightly better but not much..they say i can take tylenol but it doesnt do much. i dont know whats going on w/me..im SOOOO MEAN..:devil: i snap at DH for the smallest things n i say mean things to him..i just can't help it..i feel irritated n cranky ALL the time :hissy: i dont remember being like this w/DS i was REALLY pleasant w/my last pregnancy..really happy n pleasant :angel: now i have NO patience n im ready to take someone's head off..even DS gets on my nerves..poor lil man. i feel like i wanna be left alone 24/7..is this normal?? :shrug:

as far as the big "o" n so forth..before i was "broken" i never had a problem in that area..that's why this condition makes it that much harder to deal with..DH n i were like rabbits!! :rofl: i had my first pregnancy "o" dream the other night though..i dont know what i was dreaming about but when i woke up i was having an "o" REALLY grossed me out for some reason.

Hope you all are well!


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## lilosmom

mamidoll said:


> thanks ladies for the well wishes..im feeling slightly better but not much..they say i can take tylenol but it doesnt do much. i dont know whats going on w/me..im SOOOO MEAN..:devil: i snap at DH for the smallest things n i say mean things to him..i just can't help it..i feel irritated n cranky ALL the time :hissy: i dont remember being like this w/DS i was REALLY pleasant w/my last pregnancy..really happy n pleasant :angel: now i have NO patience n im ready to take someone's head off..even DS gets on my nerves..poor lil man. i feel like i wanna be left alone 24/7..is this normal?? :shrug:
> 
> as far as the big "o" n so forth..before i was "broken" i never had a problem in that area..that's why this condition makes it that much harder to deal with..DH n i were like rabbits!! :rofl: i had my first pregnancy "o" dream the other night though..i dont know what i was dreaming about but when i woke up i was having an "o" REALLY grossed me out for some reason.
> 
> Hope you all are well!

Just so you know, I wanted to be all by myself from about week 8 on and it's just starting to ease up now. I was mean and grouchy and just plain not nice to be around. Felt bad for LO and DH as they got the brunt of it. I was never (or at least I don't remember) like that with the first pregnancy. Just super tired and irritable this time around. Could be the fact that I'm chasing a 2 1/2 year old, going through potty training, molars and the terrible two's as well as being pregnant this time??? At least things are starting to feel better now. There's hope ahead. Hope you feel better soon.


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## Marie000

I was really cranky early on too. I have gotten angry with OH, yelled at the dogs and thrown slippers at the cats. It was like PMS, but lots worst. 
Now I'm feeling much better. 

I'm starting to get a bit worried now. I haven't felt baby move much in the last few days. Sometimes I think I feel her, but I'm never sure. I guess she must have changed position and the sensation is different. I'll go eat something cold, maybe that will do it. 
I'm seeing my midwife on Monday. Can't wait to hear baby's heartbeat again. 
At least my midwife called yesterday to let me know that she had received the results for my scan and everything looked perfectly normal. She knew I was a bit uneasy after the trisomy probability results, so it's nice to know she didn't see anything bad in the measurements they took in the scan.


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## mamidoll

lilosmom- thanks for making me feel better! im doing the same thing, chasing a 2 1/2 yo, potty training etc n hubbys at work from the early afternoons till 10pm so i do it basically all by myself! i'm sure it'll pass! glad you are feeling better now!!

marie- you hit the nail on the head..PMS but much worse!! glad to hear everything looked perfect w/your scan..dont get too panicked about not feeling her move..remember the bigger they get the less room they have to move around in there AND you could be right, if she changed position she could be further back in your uterus so you arent feeling it as strong. the books say as long as you feel SOMETHING then you are ok. if you dont feel ANYTHING for 24hrs def notify your dr or midwife. im sure she's fine..just sleepy!


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## Marie000

I was starting to feel a bit upset last night over the lack of movement. Sometimes I thought I felt something after dinner, but I wasn't sure. 

Then when I went to bed, I got an entire tap dancing recital in my belly. :happydance: It felt a bit different than before, but that was definitely her. 
I think she may have moved towards the back. My bump is feeling softer now, as if it was a bit more empty. :shrug:


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## DHime

MARIE - That's fabulous! Everything is gonna be okay. Babies have quiet days. I hardly felt my little guy for 3 days this week but now he's running full force again. They say movements don't become regular till after week 28 so try not worry too much. Apparently they have growth periods whent they don't move much. Plus they can turn towards your back and you will feel very few movements because of it. I did allot of research when this happened to me a few days ago when I petrified that something was wrong.

JAZ - Happy Lemonaide day!


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## Marie000

Baby was kicking again this morning. :thumbup:

I was working in the garden but I stopped for today. I'm paranoid about hurting the baby by straining too much. I'm mostly pulling weed right now, and some of it is pretty large weed. I'm sitting down, but not always facing the weed, so I might be twisting my stomach too much.


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## DHime

Hey! Just saw the what to expect movie! loved it!


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## Marie000

Hey people,
I have a question for you... are Braxton Hicks necessarily painful? 
I was lying in bed yesterday, unable to sleep because baby was moving around so much, and I felt my abdomen tightening for a second. I wasn't painful at all, just weird. Could that have been a Braxton Hick?
Or maybe it was just a weird baby movement. 

So how's everyone feeling this weekend? :flower:


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## Jazavac

As much as I know, they don't need to be painful at all. Just awkward.


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## DHime

Just heard the best song from the life of brian.
Always look on the bright side of life. If you ever get to really listen to the words it is amazingly written and makes you laugh at how life is a joke and it all on you. lol
Gotta love monty python!


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## NellieRae

Marie, its hard to say b/c I think I've only had a handful of BH so far, but they're not painful at all so far - just a little strange, maybe uncomfortable for a minute at best. I've heard they can be painful, but not always. They never last long. I don't know if any of this helps! 

This weekend is feels good so far. :) I managed to have a giant plate of mexican for (a late) dinner last night without the tiniest bit of heartburn. :happydance: I don't know why, but I'll take it! I also discovered that being on hands & knees & doing some pelvic tilts can make stubborn RL go away, and that when my lower back is getting tired and cranky near the end of the day, a modified yoga stretch with my forehead & arms on the back of a recliner helps calm it down.


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## DHime

I am not sure, have had a bh yet. Or at least if I did, I didn't know it. They aren't supposed to be painful from what I have read though. Sorry - didn't see the post this am. guess I was half asleep.

Started studying the Bradly birthing method. Very interesting reading


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## Jazavac

I just googled the Bradley thing. I guess it's just natural, unmedicated birth? I never knew it actually had a name, or that anyone referred to it as Bradley. Or perhaps I missed something in the Wiki article?

I have an appointment with my regular ob/gyn tomorrow morning. I hope he'll figure out the baby's gender and we might even have a chat regarding birth and all that jazz. I suppose it's never too late to let them know what all I don't want. :lol:


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## Marie000

I have an appointment with my midwife today, I'll ask her about the Braxton Hicks. 

I had a pretty rough weekend. We did 5 hours of driving on Saturday to go pick up some trees. Then Saturday we drove into town, had brunch with my family in what turned out to be the worst restaurant experience ever. Then went with my boyfriend's ex's family in a much nicer restaurant for lunch, then off to my step-son's first communion, which lasted over two hours (I couldn't even understand what was being said because there was way too much echo. And as OH pointed out to me after, most of the service was in Creole, not in French. Could be why I had a hard time understanding :dohh: ) 
Worst thing with the first restaurant and the church was the lack of air conditioning. It's super hot around here since Saturday, and likely to stay that way all week. That will make it really hard to work in the garden. 
I hate the heat. It makes me super cranky.


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## DHime

The heat is bad here too. I can handle about 1 hour in the shade then I am done.
Bradley is more than just natural. It's husband coached natural cb. Teaching deep relaxation instead of panting and altering focus. They have a 98% sucess rate of women who do it without changing thier mind for drugs. Lamaz only has 40 % sucess rate


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## Jazavac

I kind of thing it has nothing to do with the technique or the name itself, but the actual woman, as well as whoever comes (or doesn't come) with her. And the environment she is in. Many hospitals will just mess it all up for you from the beginning, so at that point, you're better off having a C-section, instead of trying to deliver with all the medications they've drugged you with. If you know what you want from the beginning and have someone to support your decision (from the doctor or midwife to the person you bring with, or even just a birthing plan), you're likely to get things your way. Unless, of course, something comes up that's actually a real medical concern.

I think next time we'll have a chat with the doctor regarding the actual birth. I have to figure out when to schedule the hospital tour and our birthing classes. When does one even do that? The hospital said we could do it any time.

It still makes me a bit mad I have no option other than the hospital here (and home birth, which I don't think is a really good idea, considering our possible genetic issues), but at least I really like my ob/gyn and, so far at least, I don't think he'd do anything I wouldn't approve of when it comes to childbirth.


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## DHime

Jaz - there are occations when the hosp will accomodate certain things for you though. Lowered lighting etc.

When touring the hospitals in my area, none wanted to accomodate a natural birth. They said they still offer the drugs and have them readily available. In a moment of weakness, most women would say yes to the drugs thus increasing the likelyhood of a csection. I know I would if I was in the hosp for this.

We will all go with which suits us best. For me, I am choosing the bradley method (named for the doctor who who developed it). It is a 12 week course and I missed the classes so I am doing the home taught version. Crash course! lol I am doing the book and video (not normally recomended but I waited too long to join)
I have researched 4 different methods, each distictly different, but the naturalness is the commonality. We all go with what is best for each of us. After taking with women who have done this method before, they all seemed to love it and recomend it. Not 1 mentioned pain. (very important to me since I am a total wuss)


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## Marie000

I haven't heard of the Bradley method before, I'll have to look into it. 
I really want a natural birth (and thus avoid going to the hospital). My midwife says I'll be offered some prenatal classes at around 30 weeks and they'll go over birthing positions and so on. 

I asked my midwife about the squeezing feeling I had in my abdomen and she said it did sound like Braxton Hicks. She explained the difference between BH and labor contractions (basically, BH squeezes horizontally and labor contractions push down). 
Nothing else new from today's appointment. Baby's heartbeat is strong (and the rhythm changes when the baby moves, which is a good thing). My blood pressure is normal, no glucose and only trace amounts of proteins in my urine.

Me and OH talked about names some more this weekend. We're starting to lean towards Ariane (basically a French version of Ariana). It's fairly popular, but not overly so. And OH likes names that have to do with Roman/Greek history or mythology. 
If we want to make it more unusual, I also like Arya (or Aria)


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## Jazavac

I have to admit they're bullshitting you, then. There's pain. If it's painless, you're likely drugged up the arse. :/ 

A decent number of my friends, as well as some posters on another forum I go to, have given birth (or several) at home, 100% natural, and they all say it hurts like a million hells, but you can deal with it, because you know what's happening, why and when and how to breathe through it. And, well, because you're not strapped to a table, but instead can move and go wherever you want. The girls I know who ended up giving birth at a hospital, but weren't medicated or messed with in any way said pretty much the same. 

I don't know yet what the hospital I go to will accomodate for, but I have absolutely no other options so I'll deal with it. The good thing is that the doctor I see is all for natural birth, no induction, no meds. Unless necessary for strictly medical reasons or, under some circumstances, requested.


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## mamidoll

hi ladies..sorry i been out for awhile! not been feeling well..very queasy n dizzy n have LOTS of trapped gas! (tmi) this pregnancy is kicking me in my butt!! i just skimmed through the posts as its hard to concentrate when you are nauseous n dizzy but as far as the natural birth thing..MORE POWER TO YOU!! it hurts like hell n epidurals are heaven! i however will be having a csection again..scheduled this time so no labor at all..YAY!!

Hope everyone n their beans are well!


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm curious about the bradley method, too. We start our childbirth classes there next month - I wonder if they'll talk about it at all. I had no idea it required such a long period of training before, though. 

I think if you're at a hospital, how your experience goes depends totally on the people working there when you're in labor. Unless you are seeing a doctor who has a private practice, you can't be sure you doc will even be the one on call when your time comes. Even then, it seems that through most of your labor, you receive care from the nurses, with doc only popping in here and there or only showing up for the moment of delivery. So the nurses are just as important in supporting you & hopefully will honor your wishes. But some will just keep offering drugs anyway and try to make you fit into their "routine." Make sure your DH or someone can fight for you if you want to go natural in a hospital. 

mamidoll, you sound like my sister. She loved her epidural! I've never done this before, so I hope I can cope with the pain without one. :coffee:

Marie, Ariane is really pretty. :flower:


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## DHime

Marie - I love Arya (Aria) and wanted that had this one been a girl. Alyia is a good too that means light.

Jaz - They don't say painless, no such thing there and you are right about that. They do say that any pain is trumped but I haven't heard any horror stories about it being excruciatingly painful as with some methods. I have more research to do though.

Miamidoll - Lucky you no labor. I am dreading it. I hope everything foes ok. This is your second right? I sure do hope you feel better soon. Sometimes we get a good pregnancy and others it kick your butt. (you should totally go see the what to expect movie)

Nellie - so true. hospitals here are known for practically forcing it down your throat. They have a stirrup only policy. (horrid) Nearest hosp set up for natural birthing is in south Miami and you can't pay me to go there. Stolen babies are common there. I am just crossing my fingers that I get to be at the birthing center.


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## mamidoll

DHime-I totally want to see that movie! yes this is my second n it feels like the first time!!

NellieRae- YES my epidural was a godsend!!

I give you all credit for wanting to do the natural birth thing..but when it's your first n you've never experienced it before you are under the "false" impression thats its "easy" to work through it if you put your mind to it..HA..i KNEW i wasn't gonna be able to so i never questioned having n epidural. I dont want to discourage anybody but IT HURTS!!! worst pain you will ever feel in your life..im just being honest here. some can do it, but i can't. Best of luck to you n if you do do it natural you are stonger than me! LOL. it was ugly! LOL

love u all!!


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## Jazavac

I think anyone can do it, unless there is a medical reason why you shouldn't. But many simply choose not to, or end up being screwed by the system.


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## DHime

Jaz - so true. 

I think the hardest part is just sifting thru all the info to find what is right for you. It's not easy. Confusing in fact. It's worse than the tampon isle at the grocery store... And so much more at stake. lol
For every advocate there is a protestor (so to speak) so it is hard to know whatrto listen to. Especially since the whole thing is a set up to make money in the us health system. Then, I can't complain too much. I can't up and move to Sweden even tho I would love to. 

AFM - Got my glucose test tomorrow. FX for that. Otherwise I had to go shopping for a dress yesterday for a wedding and I just couldn't beleive how pregnant I look. Almost didn't recognise myself. DH saw me changing and said "holy cow! what happened? you got huge!" of course I somehow controled my punch that wanted his face at that moment but he was right after all. I dread the scale tomorrow. I feel like I gained 10 lbs this time. Funny thing is allot of people are telling me that I look cute this big. I figured maybe I will paint a watermellon on my shirt to make light of it. (or a basketball) hmmmm


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## DHime

OMG! Just got a great idea!
What if we had T-Shirts showing the fruits. One for each week.... I wonder if anyone has thought of this yet? I smell marketing.


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## Marie000

DHime said:


> OMG! Just got a great idea!
> What if we had T-Shirts showing the fruits. One for each week.... I wonder if anyone has thought of this yet? I smell marketing.

That's a good idea.
One thing I wonder is why the fruits on the ticker are different from the ones on thebump.com website. On the website, there's a new one every week. This week I should be a grapefruit but instead my ticker still says papaya. :shrug:

Having a hard day today. I woke up in a really bad mood and it's not getting any better. 
I'm constantly tired, and there's so much work to do in the garden! Plus I have a strained muscle that keeps getting worst every time I try to work. 
On top of that, OH still wont do any house work. Since I've known him, he has never cleaned a bathroom, only vacuumed a couple of times, does the dishes maybe once a week, etc. He says he doesn't care at all about what goes on in the house. So having a messy house doesn't bother him at all, as long as he has food to eat and clothes to wear (which I have to take care of too). 
I was just clearing the floor in the bedroom and I put all his dirty clothes on his side of the bed instead of in the hamper. I feel really bitchy for that, but I'm tired of picking up after him.


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## lilosmom

Well, I'll throw my two cents in the mix: I delivered my first naturally, no drugs, no gas, no nothing. Yup, hurt like you're being ripped in half and set on fire (not to scare anyone too much) but luckily for me it was over quickly and the pain was forgotten immediately after realizing that tiny squirmy being that was on the inside for so long was now out and ready to meet me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be just as fortunate this time around to have a smooth and quick delivery. As long as there are no complications forcing me to have interventions of some kind I'll be going the same route this time. We don't have birthing centres and home births aren't common in my location so it'll be a hospital trip again which is fine. I have open communication with my gps and they are aware my preferred method for birth. The only preparation I had done last time around was to read a book on yoga for birth and a book about breathing methods for birth. Not sure if either helped really. I'm hopeful each one of you get to experience the birth of your child the way you are hoping but it doesn't always turn out that way. End result no matter how they get here it's a miracle and you'll love that baby regardless.


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## DHime

Marie - Can't blame you there. Get your doc on your side. Mess makes for stress and stress makes for complications... Just a thought that it might help. goodluck in the meantime


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## mamidoll

like i said before its a personal choice..everyone has to do what is best for them n what makes them most comfortable..that's the main goal...me personally i choose to be in a hospital where there can be emergency intervention immediately if need be..n thank god that's what i chose the first time cuz DS got stuck in the birth canal n was in distress..i was RUSHED to have a csection where he was delivered safely..i cant imagine what would have happened if i was at home or in a birthing center..tragic.

hope you first timers have success with the methods you choose..i just want everybody to have a happy n healthy experience!! in the end..its amazing!!

How's everyone feeling?? im still feeling like the pits..last night i was so VIOLENTLY ill i thought i was dying..literally..LOL..i broke down n called the OB today n got some prescription Zofran..the nausea n vomiting is so bad i can't take care of DS!! he says if i dont' keep liquids or down for 24hrs i have to be admitted for IV fluids..i DO NOT want this..DH cant afford to miss work to be home w/DS! since taking the Zofran this morning i have been able to eat some n drink n take my pretnatal n keep it down..starting to feel queasy again but its time for another dose.


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## DHime

Feel better mami


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## lilosmom

mamidoll said:


> like i said before its a personal choice..everyone has to do what is best for them n what makes them most comfortable..that's the main goal...me personally i choose to be in a hospital where there can be emergency intervention immediately if need be..n thank god that's what i chose the first time cuz DS got stuck in the birth canal n was in distress..i was RUSHED to have a csection where he was delivered safely..i cant imagine what would have happened if i was at home or in a birthing center..tragic.
> 
> hope you first timers have success with the methods you choose..i just want everybody to have a happy n healthy experience!! in the end..its amazing!!
> 
> How's everyone feeling?? im still feeling like the pits..last night i was so VIOLENTLY ill i thought i was dying..literally..LOL..i broke down n called the OB today n got some prescription Zofran..the nausea n vomiting is so bad i can't take care of DS!! he says if i dont' keep liquids or down for 24hrs i have to be admitted for IV fluids..i DO NOT want this..DH cant afford to miss work to be home w/DS! since taking the Zofran this morning i have been able to eat some n drink n take my pretnatal n keep it down..starting to feel queasy again but its time for another dose.

That sounds like a pretty traumatic birth. Sorry it had to go that way for you. Hope you feel better soon also. It's hard enough looking after a little one being pregnant but being that sick on top I'd imagine it's impossible. Hope the medication helps with that.


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## bunda

to jump in on the birth plans, I'm hoping for a home birth with a pool (watch water births on youtube - the women look a lot more in control than those giving birth on dry land).

We had out first antenatal class last week and it was really good. I've done a ton of research but there were plenty of nuggets i didn't know about.

FOr example, the facilitator gave us a model pelvis to hold. She explained how certain postures open up the pelvis, giving the baby's head as much as an extra 1.5 cm of room to manoeuvre. 

She showed how when you lie on your back, the sacrum (the bit of spine at your butt, leading to the coccyx) is pushed forwards, into the birth canal, making it smaller. Which is why women who labour and birth on their backs have longer, more painful labours. 
Better birth positions are squatting or on all fours. After all, we ARE mammals and throughout 99.9% of our evolutionary development, mammal-kind has been on all fours so it's not surprising that the birthing process still favours this design. The human back and pelvis is well adapted to walking upright, but better at birthing leaning forwards. (I'll leave creationists to their assumption that birth _should_ be painful as punishment for Eve's misdeed in the G of E.

Also, she talked about the various stages of labour. She remarked that contractions initially pull on the cervix to open it. Then comes transition when the contractions to open your cervix have reached their peak of pain. Transition is a ten minute window where the uterus changes its procedure from a cervix-pulling to a baby pushing contraction. The muscles bunch up at the top. This stage of transition is when women get disorientated, cranky, panic can set in (Oh my God, I can't do this anymore. I'm dying etc) but it only lasts ten minutes.

She pointed out that TV shows (like One Born Every Minute) ALWAYS show transition because it makes such good TV, but thereby give the false impression that this is what labour is like. It is actually just a ten minute window. 

So I have told OH that if I start to get agitated and panicky, to tell me: Transition! 10 minutes! 

Another nice bit of info: don't be afraid of tearing. Most women do not feel the tear. Sure that's because the ring of fire supercedes the tearing, but also because the skin is stretched so it is very very thin. Better to hope that your baby is born slowly. Babies are born by coming out, going back in, coming out going back in. Women can get frustrated they are not making progress but often don't realise their baby is actually massaging the perineum this way, making it less likely you tear. 

I feel very positive about the upcoming childbirth. I don't know how I'll handle it but I have done very difficult things in the past. I've cycled over the Andes for goodness' sake. And I know when things get very tough, I can get into the zone. So long as I don't lose sight of the reason behind the pain, I think I'll cope. If my stress hormones get out of control and I panic, I hope OH will be able to pull me back. 

Also, I notice that women who have had children very frequently go on to have more. The epidural alumni do not have more babies than the pain-med-free alumni, so I'm guessing there is such a thing as life after birth, even with all that pain. My biggest fear is that I'll have complications that mean being taken off to the hospital.


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## Jazavac

I consider home birth basically on a daily basis, but I'm too scared, given the possible complications with the baby itself. They can't forsee any of those, but with my husband's history being known (which we shared with our ob/gyn), it could be anything, once the baby is out, or when it starts coming out. Adding a ride to the hospital to the mix might be some additional stress we could avoid in advance by just being there in the first place. Birthing centers are already a no because there are none in the area and a 1 hour 45 minute ride to the first one, in November, in Minnesota, is out of question.

So more than likely, Mayo Health Systems it is. However, I need to go over things with the ob/gyn before I make the final decision, or one that's at least remotely close to one of those. 

For now, I know he's absolutely against induction, elective C-sections and any and all other things that would make me not do any business with him. He supports natural birth and, above all, supports the woman's decisions, as long as they are not what I just mention (so it looks like you actually can't just go to him and go with a scheduled, elective C-section or induction). So yay for that.

What I want is a fully unmedicated labor without limiting my range of motion at all. I want access to a ball (have my own, can bring it, in case they don't have one) and I want to be allowed to give birth in whichever position I want, which I assume likely be on all fours. I've only heard good things about that one, from random literature and videos, to first-hand experinces. I also need to check if my doctor can come when I'm in labour, for a price or not. Lots of things to talk about, especially since I kind of want home birth, without being at home. Oh well.


Then there are other things, such as not cutting the cord or taking the baby away to be assessed by anyone. 

Unless there are medical reasons. But, REAL ones.

So we'll see. One of our next visits we'll go over all of the details.


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## mamidoll

wishing all of you luck on your birthing journeys..sounds like you have got it all figured out..but dont be discouraged or upset if it doesnt turn out the way you plan..things happen..for example..i never expected to have to be rushed for a csection because my perfectly healthy term baby boy was stuck in the birth canal. then ending up w/ an infection that almost cost me my uterus. they left me in labor too long after my water broke!!

so needless to say i will be more than happy this time to check into the hospital, have my epidural n have my csection on a scheduled day. NO 21 hours of labor that ends traumatically n lands me in the hospital for 10days w/an infection. yay! not being a debbie downer here..LOL..just being honest!! LOL

thanks for the well wishes everyone..love the support i get from you all! im so happy to have found this lovely group! i like hearing about everyones journeys!


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## Marie000

I do not yet have a clear birth plan, but I've been reading up on birth and I like knowing what will go on in my body during birth. As scary as it all is, I think not knowing will make things much scarier. 

Yesterday, I spent the day at my parents going from one garage sale to the next. I spent nearly $300, but for that I got cloth diapers (23 of them, great quality, for $120 :thumbup:), a baby carrier, a playpen, a basket, a bath, a bouncing chair, two snowsuits, three sleeping bags, a stroller, a nursing pillow, a baby monitor, a high chair, a kit of safety things (for electrical outlets, door handles, etc), a few blankets and tons of clothes (at anywhere from $.25 to $1 a piece). Most of what I bought is in near-new condition.
Plus I got a gas-powered weed-eater for OH. 
My mom bought a really nice exerciser for the baby. It will be her Christmas present.
I was pretty tired by the end of the day, but now most of our baby-related shopping is done!


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## lilosmom

Marie000 said:


> I do not yet have a clear birth plan, but I've been reading up on birth and I like knowing what will go on in my body during birth. As scary as it all is, I think not knowing will make things much scarier.
> 
> Yesterday, I spent the day at my parents going from one garage sale to the next. I spent nearly $300, but for that I got cloth diapers (23 of them, great quality, for $120 :thumbup:), a baby carrier, a playpen, a basket, a bath, a bouncing chair, two snowsuits, three sleeping bags, a stroller, a nursing pillow, a baby monitor, a high chair, a kit of safety things (for electrical outlets, door handles, etc), a few blankets and tons of clothes (at anywhere from $.25 to $1 a piece). Most of what I bought is in near-new condition.
> Plus I got a gas-powered weed-eater for OH.
> My mom bought a really nice exerciser for the baby. It will be her Christmas present.
> I was pretty tired by the end of the day, but now most of our baby-related shopping is done!

That's amazing! You two must be great shoppers. Good for you for re-using previously loved baby items.


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## Jazavac

All those things sound like a really good deal!

I've been to some garage sales in our area, but I have to admit that most of the baby items looked horrible. I've been buying used clothes left and right for the baby, as well as just about all of the maternity stuff for me, but with the items... ugh. I guess it varies from area to area, or even second hand stores. Our local Once Upon a Child has good clothes, but all of the items, from strollers to beds and whatnot, are so filthy I can't even imagine how I'd clean them. So we bought a new crib, pack'n'play bed thing, stroller and carseat. I went to Ikea yesterday and grabbed a few more items for the upstairs, including the baby's room. Now we need to start working on all the renovations.


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## DHime

mami - I definitely respect your baby journey. I really hope everyone's birth plans work out for them.

Marie - thank goodness for garage sales

Bunda - I love your plan and the research you have done. I agree about it being silly that women have all this pain as a punishment. Anyone who has actually read the bible knows that labor was always painful. No punishment there since imperfection and death was enough. According to the stories the pain increased with inherent imperfection. Nowhere does it say it was a punishment. I love to help people learn the truth of it when I can though I hope I don't offend anyone by saying it.
Besides, all we can really do is deal with it and soldier on thru it as best we each can. Very good info about the pelvis positioning.

AFM - I now have a cold and cannot breath thru my nose. Not a fun one this time as everything is already turning green. (don't wanna go to the doc here) One cool thing I learned is that I can squeeze my nipple and get a drop of colostrum. Cool huh?! I also learned that cold meds dry it out. Funny that it can't clear my nose but it can clear my tits. go figure!


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## DHime

ok so i just got back from the hosp. 
Apparently my cold made me all dehydrated and I started having contractions. Who knew that could happen right?!
Anyway the nurse was a student apparently and blew 3 of my veins (ouch btw)
Finally they just let me drink a bunch of fluids. (um could have done that without sticking me like pin cushion!)


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## Marie000

DHime - That's scary! Glad to hear everything is okay. 
At my first appointment with my midwife, I mentioned to her that I had a tendency towards dehydration (thirst doesn't bother me that much, so I rarely drink water) and she told me it could cause contractions. I've been drinking much more since. I think it's because when you have less water, your blood has a higher concentration of some hormone that causes contractions (I can't remember the name). By drinking more, you water it down. 
I hope you feel better soon.


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## Jazavac

That's what they say about the BH contractions, too. They tend to go away if you're hydrated.

Glad that's already fixed for you, DHime!


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## NellieRae

Marie, congrats on your thrifty baby haul! :thumbup: Its awesome to get stuff for a price that doesn't hurt. I'll end up having a healthy mixed of new & used in the end, too. 

Bunda, I too am afraid of a genuine complication that will require a rush to the hospital. I can get over my birth center/waterbirth not going to plan as long as nelliebean is ok after it all. Its a small chance, as long as we're both healthy going in, but I need to not stress about it. Its been hard b/c we have two friends now with dead full term babies over the past year. One was born in a birth center and rushed to hospital, the other was born in a hospital. 

Dhime, sorry to hear you're sick - but glad some water can make your BH go away. Feel better soon. 

I can't believe I've entered 3rd trimester! I feel like my belly grew 5 inches overnight and a faint line has appeared on my belly. The heat is going to be very, very hard as time goes on. Just a little too warm and my appetite & energy go away.......til my blood sugar unexpectedly crashes from not eating and I turn into a mess in a parking lot running errands. Oops. :dohh:


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## DHime

Would have been nice if these were BH Contractions but the were legit according to the doc. Weird thing is they are back today. A fish would be happy with water I have drank today so I just don't get it. They took a look at my cervix yesterday and said it was completely closed (which is good) and even better - the previa is cleared up! So a little good news in all this

Found a childbirthing class that starts tonight. I hope I make it instead of having to go back to the hosp.


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## Jazavac

Yay for the previa, DHime! 

I hope your contractions will be done and over with for the time being.


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## NellieRae

Dhime, how did things go last night? The thing with the contractions is strange - another thing that can cause them is infection - and not just a uti. This happened to a woman in my yoga class. It was some random infection that landed her in the hosp. contracting at 27 weeks. Maybe there's more to your cold? 

Anyway, so glad the previa cleared up! :happydance:


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## DHime

nellie - that's possible. of course I should have probably stayed home an rested instead of going to work. I got home and tried a hot bath to relax the muscles. It helped a little but it continued just with much longer intervals. seems to be doing better today but I am staying home to get well. Staying in bed all day.
The cold has turned to a respitory infection but I am allergic to most antibiotics so I am trying to get better without it because the only ones I can take are very dangerous for baby. rest and fluids are best according to the doc. 

The class went very well. I learned exercises to do. lots of those that I will start incorporating into everyday actions. Also have to start a diet diary. and they said I should be eating more. and lots more protein. Got a whole workbook and textbook. doing this with 7 couples. costed me $195


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## Jazavac

Who are _they_? It's just the suspicious part of me, wondering about all the diet tips which in most cases prove to be hopelessly wrong. _More_ usually needs to mean _better_, as in healthier. If I would have listened to my RE regarding the diet, I probably would have already been at what's supposed to be the full term weight. For no reason, other than his nose being stuck into nutrition, instead of reproductive endocrinology, where be belongs. :shrug:


I've been thinking about perhaps maybe getting a doula. Hm hm. But what bothers me the most is the fact that I'm not sure I want to share a moment that private with someone who just can't become a close enough person in a few months, basically. I know nobody in the area who could go with me as one, though, so I'd have to go with the women from the 'offical' list. My husband will be there, but you can't always rely on them, when it comes to things that, in fact, can freak them out, this or that way. Regardless of their background knowledge and preparedness.


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## DHime

I think any doula is just there to support you and your decision. Regardless of whether she agrees with it. From what everyone is telling me, once in labor, not 1 of us will care if they are close to us or not when the time comes. 
After getting a taste I have to say they are right too. My bare butt and vejajay was out for the entire hallway to see on Monday (at the hosp) and I didn't care till later.


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## Jazavac

I don't care about showing my bare butt at all. Once you've been through all the infertility exams, you really couldn't care less. So it's not about that type of privacy, it's about adding yet-another-person to the whole mix, who won't even be a close family member, or a friend. I mean, seeing what the procedure is, I'll probably have a closer relationship with my ob/gyn, than this woman. 

Yet I keep thinking about it because it could be helpful. I mean, a certified doula knows birth physiology and has given birth herself and all that funky stuff.


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## Marie000

I too like the idea of a doula, but with my midwife, that would seem redundant. I actually cannot wait to give birth, just as long as it's at the birthing center, with my midwife. In other circumstances, I'd be scared.

DHime - I hope things have gotten better with your contractions? 

I got more bargain baby stuff yesterday. There's a big department store nearby that's closing in a few days, and most of their stuff was now 70% off. So I got some cheap clothes, a car seat for $33 and a bedding set for just over $20. I plan on using the blanket for when I'm nursing (I prefer the sleeping bags for actual sleeping) and the bumper pad I'll use either to make small pillows or to decorate the wall. The blanket has cute farm animals on it. OH really hopes our daughter will take over the farm when we retire, so we're brainwashing her already. :haha: 
So we're almost done our baby shopping. I'll probably get bored for the next few months then. :shrug:


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## NellieRae

Jaz, its more important that you trust the person to help you and defend your wishes during labor. You might be closer to your ob, but he/she won't necessarily be there for most of your labor - or any of it if someone else is on rotation when the time comes. If you're giving birth in a hospital, you're going to be taken care of by a lot of people who don't know you at all. If you want someone you trust nearby (doesn't have to be your bff) for the whole thing to make sure you're getting what you need/want, then a doula might be a good call.

I'm with Marie- love the idea of a doula, but with my midwives at the birthing center it seems redundant. FX I can stay there. I have the 1 hr glucose test today. :(


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## Jazavac

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I'm considering a doula. I have no option, pretty much, other than the hospital, but I don't know all the details yet. The ob/gyn (who I really love) said we'd go over that a bit later in pregnancy. I mean, I know what was really important to me - he doesn't induce, do C-sections, break waters, etc, etc etc unless it's for a real medical reason, and his real medical reason is something I consider to be real, too (not one of those 'oh, it had to be done' kind of things). 

I need to find out if he can be there when the time comes. My little pregnancy booklet I'm supposed to carry around actually has his name on it, under the 'call for delivery' column. I don't care if I have to pay extra for this, but if he can be there, yup, I want it. 

As far as the doula services go, my husband is pretty set on believing that he can handle it and that we don't need a third person standing up for my rights. We'll see, though. There are quite a few months ahead before my due date. 

I've been looking at doula information for my area, at least those who can be found online, and so far I'm not really thrilled. It's just that there's no connection, at all, when I look at the photo or read what they have to say about them. Too many of them mention god and religion in their posts, too, and that just isn't something I want. 

I don't know. There's still time, I guess!


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## DHime

Marie - Thanks. They came back on tuesday but eased off after a couple of hours and a gallon of water. Am I growing a fish or what?! I love that you got all that discounted stuff. My MIL is taking me crib shopping Sat. Should be fun.

Nellie - How did the test go? Were they able to do it? I am still waiting for my results from last week.

Jaz - true, you still have lots of time. Keep in mind that when when your DH sees you in pain, things are gonna look very different to him. He may very well be able to handle it alone but will be grateful for the help of another advocate for your wishes since it can be scary once you are in there. 

I have a doula set as my backup in case I can't deliver at the birthing center. I am still waiting for my perinatalist to get my files together for the midwives to look over before they will even take me. If I am too high risk, then a hospital is my only option. Touring 2 of them next week.

Also, the excercises they gave me in the birthing class? OMG my legs are so sore from doing 25 squats twice a day. Not to mention 200 kegals. (I am lucky to remember to do it 10 times a day) lol


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## Jazavac

Yeh, did you get your glucose test results, Nellie?


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## NellieRae

Not yet - I had just the one hour test today & I might have to wait til early next week for results. I thought it was going to be worse, but the drink didn't make me nauseous at all. The hardest part was the fasting & not eating breakfast in the morning. I get CRANKY these days when I have to wait for food! :blush: 

Dhime, I hope you get the all clear for your birth center. 50 squats a day!! :shock: They are slave drivers over there! I haven't started classes yet, but still......


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## Jazavac

So you had to do the test _the right way_? That's how I had it years ago, non-pregnancy related. You had to fast and then come in the morning hours to drink your cup of glucoze (unflavoured, too). I did a three-hour test back then, so I had to lay down in a hospital room with a few more women and get my blood drawn every 30 minutes, etc.

Looks like here I'll get the cup of glucoze in the middle of the day, and I can eat or drink whatever I want before the test. Confusing... 

I've never had my blood sugars tested in my life without the fasting part. :? :? :?


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## NellieRae

Can you schedule your appt first thing in the morning? That's what I did. Mine could've been in the afternoon, too, but I still wouldn't have been allowed to eat for at least 2 hours before the test.


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## DHime

Nellie is right. Best to do it in the morning so you only skip breakfast. My doc wouln't let me eat after midnight the night before and my apt was at 9 am. Of course I went a gorged after that. lol
Are they already doing your Jaz? It is normally not done until after week 20 since that is when GD would normally develope. Unless you have had blood sugar problems in the past, then it would surely be different.


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## Marie000

Are those glucose tests done in every pregnancy? I haven't heard about it yet, and I'm wondering if they will have me do it. 
Every time I see my midwife I do the urine test for glucose, so maybe that will be enough? I'll ask my midwife next time I see her. 

One problem I've had lately that I'm starting to wonder if it's normal. Often, I feel like I need to urinate just after going to the bathroom. Usually, the sensation goes away after a few minutes. Other times, I really need to go again. Does anyone else get that?


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## Jazavac

It could be a mild UTI, or possibly even nothing. I complained about the same thing to my ob/gyn during the last visit and he said it is considered pretty normal. They check my urine every time for protein and bacteria, so they found nothing in it that time, either.

As for the glucose test, they won't do it yet, it's around 24 weeks at our clinic. The one I've done before was not pregnancy-related, it was just part of a bigger checkup with an endocrinologist. I never had any sugar issues, so I don't expect problems, but you never know. As much as I know, midwives usually just do the urine glucose tests and then refer you further if they notice any abnormalities.


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## NellieRae

The glucose test is standard in prenatal care for everyone in the US. I'm sure you'll have yours a little later, Jaz. They typically do it at 24-28 weeks. If you fail the 1 hr, you have to do the 3 hr. 

Marie, I get the same thing sometimes. I discovered when I had my 21 wk ultrasound that my bladder was in fact still pretty full after I went to empty it. Felt like I was done to me! And then I had to go urgently 15 minutes later, so it seems bladder pressure can cause some symptoms that seem like a UTI. I'd check with your doc if you have other symptoms or if you're really worried. So far it hasn't been the case for me, though. The sensations are more unpredictable after nelliebean has been boxing on my bladder for a few days.....


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## Jazavac

Marie is in Canada, and she was wondering about the OGTT. Our clinic does it around 24 weeks, unless you opt out.


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## lilosmom

Hey Marie. The glucose test is standard in Canada I believe but not done in our area until around 25 weeks or so. The urine thing is common for me also. I can pee 5 times in the course of an hour sometimes! I have a small bladder to start with and depending where baby is the pressure can make me feel like I have to go right after emptying my bladder. Ah, the joys of pregnancy!


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## Marie000

Ok, I'll be seeing my midwife at 27 weeks next, so I guess if we do the glucose test, she'll tell me then.

So far the bladder thing hasn't happened in a few days. However, I have discovered the joy of leg cramps. I keep getting them early in the morning, mostly, when I stretch. Last night, I got woken up at around 3am by the worst leg cramp I ever had. I was nearly crying from the pain. Now my leg still hurts from it. 

The next three and a half month are going to be really long. 
On the bright side, baby's been dancing and kicking pretty much all day yesterday. But not at night.


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## Jazavac

I still haven't felt mine, or I don't know if it's doing something. I suppose, for now at least, it's still pretty early to be feeling anything.

Magnesium should help with leg cramps. Check your prenatals, you might not be getting enough. It's important to stretch your leg when it cramps, despite the horrible pain.


----------



## Marie000

I have been stretching my legs when the cramps come, and usually it goes away right away. This last cramp took much longer to go away and stretching was super painful. But now the pain is almost gone. I just hope I don't get another one like that tonight.

16 weeks is still pretty early, but hopefully you'll feel baby soon. Even now at 24 weeks, I find the sensation really strange. I thought it would feel like well-defined pokes, but usually it feels more like bubbles. 
Depending on where baby is kicking, I can also see the kicks. 

I've been really bored today. OH is away all day and it wasn't nice outside, so I stayed inside most of the day. I feel like I'm in a bit of a rut. 
I started feeling a bit anxious again about the high risk of Down Syndrome for my baby. I keep reading from people who are super worried because they have a 'high risk' at 1:100 or 1:200 and I just keep being jealous of them. 
But after reading from some parents of DS children, I feel less worried about the prospect of having a special baby. Plus I found some articles saying that in at least half of the cases of DS, the nose bone was either missing from fetal ultrasounds, or very short. It seemed clear to me from our 20 week scan pictures that my little girl has a big nose bone. :happydance: 

I need to stop obsessing. I tend to do that when I'm bored, and it just makes me waste my time. At least I need to find a less stressful obsession. Maybe I'll go play in my big pile of baby clothes and toys. :haha:


----------



## DHime

I can say for sure the bladder thing is totally normal. I kept wondering if I had a uti also. I would have to pee and it would actually hurt. Then within a min after peeing, gotta go again. To make it worse, 4 drops. lol

Legs cramps are perfectly normal also. I recently got one that left my leg sore for 3 days. Part of hormones.

going back to the specialist Wed. I am hoping to be taken out of the upper high risk tier. fx that they see the previa has cleared. some good growth would also be nice too.
i look like i swallowed a basketball now. it's so weird....


----------



## Marie000

DHime - good luck with the specialist. I hope for you that the previa has cleared for good.

Not much new here. Baby is kicking like crazy and I'm feeling tired.


----------



## Marie000

DHime - any news from your appointment?

Woohoo! I'm an eggplant today. Just two more weeks until the third trimester. That's scary!
I need to keep bugging OH to start building the nursery and do a few other home renovations.


----------



## Jazavac

I think I'm turning into an onion next?

I might've felt the baby last night, but again, how do I know? No kicks yet, but there was something different going on most of the night, while I also couldn't sleep because everything felt horribly uncomfortable.

I have no idea what those flutters and bubbles and whatnot would feel like, I have to admit. What I felt was something like a heartbeat, a pulse on its own, that kept coming and going somewhere a little bit to the right of my belly button. And then there were some muffled burp-like things. 

Hm.


----------



## DHime

jaz - sounds like it to me

AFM - Still low lying but previa is gone. Replaced by a new issue. too much amniotic fluid. my glucose is normal tho and my bp low. I just don't get it.

Hpw is everyone?


----------



## Marie000

DHime - any idea of what could have caused the increased fluid? Anything you can do to reduce it?

I'm doing okay. I had a rough day today as I was barely able to walk starting this afternoon, but it's better now. I'm having a hard time with my back, the front of my legs and my lower belly. I think in addition to the extra weight and bad posture, some of the pain might be due to constipation. Fun.

I took a new picture of my belly tonight. 
Here's what I looked like at 17-18 weeks:

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/IMG_5098.jpg

And now:

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/IMG_5101.jpg

I look so big. Hard to believe I still have another 3 1/2 months of growing to do. :wacko:


----------



## NellieRae

Dhime, sorry to hear about the extra fluid......what risks does that carry? Does this mean you're not going to be allowed to use the birth center? :(


----------



## Jazavac

Bah, DHime. I, too, am sorry to hear about even more trouble. I repeat Nellie's questions.

Marie, it's great to see someone else with a big bump as early as 17-18 weeks. Mine's getting there and I'm turning 17 tomorrow.


----------



## DHime

Nellie - love the bump! I am measuring big so I completely understand.

Not much I can do about the fluid. Looked it all up. Asked the doc if I could take a water pill or something. He laughed and said, yeah... if want to go back to the hosp for dehydration again. 
Then I went to see my ob yesterday. She said that it just happens sometimes. Usually caused by Gest. Diabetes or high bp and I have nether. Go figure :shrug: 
Anyway it does come with some issues that we may or may not face. Placental abruption etc... Why is it never good news??? 

Gonna put up new pics of the little guy and my latest belly pic so you ladies won't feel bad anymore. Suffice it to say that I have hidden my full lenth mirror. lol


----------



## Jazavac

DHime, there's always a good chance it's for no reason at all! And that everything is going to be okay, too.

I posted a picture of my 16w6d bump yesterday in my journal. I look freaking huge, but at the same time, I measured my fundal height the best I could and it measured 17, which is exactly where it was supposed to be. So I guess I'm good.

Here's the link to the picture, for those who don't follow my journal.


----------



## DHime

JAZ - Sweet bump! got a nice shape too. Love that outfit, especially the cute skirt.

Oh yeah. The ob says I am anemic now also. Gonna start iron pills and eating more greens. apparently it is somewhat normal in the 3rd trimester.

Hows everyone else?


----------



## Marie000

I wonder if they'll have me do any more blood tests. I wasn't anemic at the beginning of my pregnancy, but that could have changed?

It seems like they don't do that many tests here. I keep expecting to be tested for tons of things at every appointment, but all they do is test my urine for proteins and glucose. Then they measure my belly and listen to baby's heart. 
I'm not really complaining though. At least the midwife really listens to my questions and concerns. 

Things are good here. Baby is getting stronger every day and she can kick pretty hard.
I'm finding the belly is getting heavy and my mood swings can get pretty bad. Also, I keep pulling something in my groin. It often gets to the point where I can't walk for a little while. 
But I am forcing myself to do at least the first part of my yoga DVD every morning. It's hard to find the time and energy to do the whole 50 minutes, but the first 15 minutes seems the most beneficial anyways. Even when I pull my groin, I can still do the yoga routine, including the deep squats. 

That is all for me. Just over one week left until the 3rd trimester (scary!!)
Now I should go back to gardening before it gets unbearably hot.


----------



## Jazavac

I am stuck with a boob issue, I think. 

Here's the whole story, so I don't have to re-type it: https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/p...adger-badger-badger-baby-19.html#post18776735

Hm. No idea what's up with that.


----------



## lilosmom

Hi ladies, just catching up as we've been super busy last week and I didn't get a chance to get on the computer. Sorry to hear you're dealing with more issues Dhime. Jazavac, I haven't kept up on your journal, sorry but I hope the "boob" issue isn't too terrible. Marie, I had bad pain in my groin with my daughter and the dr. said it was just due to where she liked to sit in my tummy. Nice pics too!

AFM we just got rid of company and am starting to clean house as both kids visiting were sick and now LO and DH have the sniffles. Just waiting for my turn :growlmad: Had a dr appointment yesterday and baby is measuring right on track. Asked about fetal movement as this baby is constantly kicking and rolling and pushing and dr said studies have shown a corrollation (sorry spelling?) between in utero movement and movement outside the womb. His recommendation is to get lots of rest now. Great. I have put on a few extra lbs and I'm hoping now that company is gone and I'm no longer child minding I can get out and get some exercise to get back into better shape before baby arrives. The weather has been cool and rainy here which has been nice as I'm so hot all the time I'm not sure how I'll manage to get through a hot summer in this condition. I was hoping to get the nursery set up in the next few weeks but just realized we'll be getting more company in August so will need the baby's room for guests. It'll be cutting it close to have it set up in time. Oh, and we also found the stroller that we'll be purchasing so that's one more thing off my list. That's it for now. Hope you all have a great week and that you find some time to put your feet up!


----------



## DHime

Jaz - that is weird. Let me know what you find out. I developed brown blotches on mine so I guess everyone is different.

Lilo'sMom - I know what you mean about the groin pain. I feel like someone kicked me in the vagina but it comes and goes. Mostly hits right when I stand up. Ouch!

AFM - I am trying to do the chidbirth excercises but Out of 25 squats a day I am only managing 5. I suck at working out. DH is turning out to be a bad coach in that area. He doesn't understand we r to practice this daily and he has to motivate me. Main;ly since all I want to do is lay down once I am home.
I am a little concerned since the LO hardly moved at all yesterday and only a very little early this am. weird.... Maybe I was so busy at work I just didn't notice.


----------



## Marie000

lilosmom said:


> Asked about fetal movement as this baby is constantly kicking and rolling and pushing and dr said studies have shown a corrollation (sorry spelling?) between in utero movement and movement outside the womb. His recommendation is to get lots of rest now. Great.

Oh great! I got a little wiggler too. I can now see her when she kicks or when she moves around. It's like something out of Alien. 
At least I already know how to make her sleep. I just have to get up and walk. I think that baby carrier I bought will come in really handy.


----------



## Jazavac

No news in the boob department. They're still the same, no worse, no better. I decided to keep waiting, basically. It's just too much effort to go get it checked out, really. If it gets worse, I'll call back, if it stays the same, or whatever, I'll wait for the appointment we have next Wednesday. I bought a bra without the underwire thing last night and now I'm trying to get used to that. It's okay, even though it looks weird. Luckily, it magically supports the watermelons.


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## DHime

My quiet guy decided to become a gynist during my CB class last night. I was doing the relaxation excercises and he was all over the place.

How's the tits Jaz? Any better yet?

Aren't they fun when they wiggle. For those early on, it is so neat. I was grossed out at first but I am used to it now.

Holy crap, I am almost 30 weeks???? wow, when did that happen?


----------



## NellieRae

I hear you ladies - belly watching is a new favorite activity of mine. :) Its a little strange, but also fascinating! She's gotten so much stronger in the last couple of days that all her punching and kicking can get pretty uncomfortable, but her movements are reassuring. If she has the same level of energy when she's out, I might get lucky! She is pretty laid back most of the time, with the odd crazy squirmy day in there.

Dhime, your last post at first glance made me think you were commenting on how fun the tits are when they wiggle. :haha:


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## Jazavac

I think my boobs are getting somewhat better. I'm a lot less worried now, so unless something really weird happens, or it all gets worse (if I get a fever, for instance), I'll just wait for my appointment next week.

I still don't know about kicks/flutter/anything. I may or may not be feeling things. It's nothing really easy to figure out, or insanely noticeable, but there might be some ticking-nerve-like thing that comes and goes at random times. Sometimes a few times a day, sometimes there's nothing for a day or two. :shrug:

The appointment is next week on Wednesday and I can't wait. It's been so long. I need some reassurance that all is good.


----------



## Premomt

Hi ladies~ :wave:

I just celebrated my big 3-0 this April, and got pg in May. Who knew turning 30 would be the key for me?:haha:

Anyways- I've had a bit of a time with ttc, and so I'm glad to be here now. Although the all day nausea can stop ANYTIME.:sick:

So nice to meet you! congrats to all!


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## Jazavac

Hello, Premomt!


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## Marie000

Welcome aboard Premont!

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Hopefully your nausea will ease up in a few weeks. Mine did when I hit the second trimester. Before that, I was always feeling sea sick. 

NellieRae - glad to know I'm not the only one who spends lots of time just watching my belly. I'm trying to imagine how big she is in there, and if I'm feeling her feet or her hands. I can't really tell the difference, but sometimes I feel 'kicks' at two different ends of my belly. 

Not much new for me still. We're in the middle of a heat wave right now, but luckily the humidity has died down a bit and it usually cools off at night. Still, makes gardening really hard. Two nights ago I ended up sleeping on couch cushions on the floor in the living room right by the screen door. Anywhere else in the house was too warm and I felt like I was running out of air. 
I need to keep bugging OH to install the air conditioning in the bedroom.


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## Kitty_love

Hi ladies - hoping to join your group. I'm 35 and recently found out I'm expecting our first. Edd feb 8th. Little nervous, feeling tired and nauseous. First appt with np went well and bloodwork normal. On Monday meeting with gyn dr. Best wishes to all!


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## Jazavac

Hello, Kitty_love!


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## Lisa40

Hi Kitty :hi:

This is our first too... Scary isn't it. You'll have to get yourself a little ticker so we can keep up on where you are up to. Nice to have you with us & congratulations :yipee:

Hi Premont too :hi: we had issues TTC too, it's such a relief when you finally get there isn't it. Hopefully the nausea will go away soon, I found the sickness bands helped a bit & making sure I was never hungry seemed to make things better :hugs:


xxx


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## Marie000

Welcome Kitty_Love,

Congratulations on your pregnancy. :flower:
It's my first too. I'll be 34 by the time my little girl is born.


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## Jazavac

I'll be 35. And it's our first, too.


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## DHime

Welcome ladies!

Glad you could all join us! :hugs: Congrats!

Nothing much here. Actually slept for 4 hours straight last night. It was wonderful!


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## bunda

welcome to the new faces :hi: nice to have you on board.

Jaz, don't worry about not knowing what kicks feel like. If you happen to have ananterior placenta, it can take a bit longer for those kicks to be felt. You WILL feel them eventually, no doubt about it - and that will happen when it happens.

Mine has a crazy hour at 11am and then a really mad hour at about 4pm. It's like baby is playing a round of squash in there. None of the kicks have ever been painful - in fact they're delightful and I will miss this time - feeling your baby, knowing baby is close by but is absolutely NO trouble - no feeding, no crying, no changing nappies. Easy, yet close by.

At antenatal classes last week we had the first of two sessions on breastfeeding. We were shown a video of a newborn during the first hour or two of life (edited down to about 10 minutes). The mother was lying flat on her back and hte baby was tummy down, skin to skin and the video showed how t he baby was able to crawl and squirm toward the breast. She started making little squawking and snuffling noises and grabbed around with her hand until she found a nipple.
More snuffling and squeaking and she turned her head, still snuffling toward the nipple.

the video was essentially about our new understanding that human infants are just as good as any other mammal at finding its OWN way to the nipple. They have a number of reflexes that, when on their bellies, propel them towards their first meal. The step reflex gets their legs moving the right way, they graps and feel their way and they follow their noses to the nipple (the aureola produce oils that attract a newborn to them).

When we sit upright and support the baby, a lot of these natural reflexes and instincts are not triggered (hence our assumption that newborns are helpless), so now women are encouraged to lie back for that first feed and (with some gentle guidance) get baby into the right place to find its own to way the nipple. 

Anyway, I found this little video absolutely fascinating and found the sounds of that squeaking, snuffling little baby absolutely irresistible! The HORMONES ARE WORKING! 

I've never been a baby-loving person but this newborn was the most beautiful little thing making adorable sounds. Even OH says he found the noises endearing. I can't believe I have mine right here, closer to me than I am myself. 

Goodness, these hormones have turned me to mush!


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## Jazavac

I can't wait for our prenatal classes. We've decided to go with an independent class, as opposed to whatever is offered at the hospital. 

I've known about the reflex and seen it in some of my friends' videos. Adorable!


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## NellieRae

I've been wondering exactly what that "chest crawl" thing is. It does sound adorable. We start our classes at the end of this month, so we'll see how it goes. 

Glad the hormones are working for you, bunda! :haha: They've made me a lot mushier than I'm used to being too, more of a worrier, and clingier with DH......basically turning me into a girl! Poor guy..... :)

And while I love feeling my baby girl squirm & roll b/c I know she's ok in there when she does, there have been some punches to organs & things that do not feel good! I sometimes have to stop what I'm doing to get on all fours or some other misc position to try to get her to move when it hurts. I do love that I can feel solid baby parts through my belly now, though. That I can press gently and find the hard lumps that are her little body. :kiss: I am always torn these days between feeling impatient to hold her in my arms & being grateful that I still have my independence for a little while longer.

Premont & Kittylove - welcome! :flower: I had all day nausea, too and it made me a zombie for most of the first trimester. In the beginning, being pregnant sucked! Hang in there, though. It gets better & is easier if you eat little things that your stomach can handle all day, even if you don't want to.


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## Marie000

I have prenatal classes coming too. They're given by the birth center, in three sessions of two hours. That's not very long, but it's free. I'll see after that if I need more information. (the birth center also has plenty of books I can borrow)

I now believe that my intestines are being squished by baby. Nothing will get through that without a lot of pain and discomfort. :wacko: 
I also hate doing groceries now. That's way too much walking around and standing (especially when there's long lines at the cash).

I'm still not sure about the baby's name. I feel like I should hurry and find one. I still like Ariane, but I'm not 100%. I'd like to find other options too. I'd like to start calling her by her name.


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## Jazavac

We're set on one single name, for a girl. No middle name yet. And nothing we can agree on when it comes to boys.


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> We're set on one single name, for a girl. No middle name yet. And nothing we can agree on when it comes to boys.

we were in the same boat with boys names. OH was really stubborn about the names he liked for a boy, and I didn't like them at all. Good thing we're having a girl.


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## Jazavac

I would still prefer a boy, I think, even though it matters less and less (it never _really_ did, actually, but it started out that way, mainly for genetical reasons). 

Nothing works for us because we're searching for a name (names) that are spelled the same way in both English and Croatian, and that are, hopefully, pronounced the same as well. There are next to none, it seems. :shrug:

I'm getting impatient. Since I can't feel any kicks or anything yet, waiting a whole month without any reassurance that the baby is still there and doing fine is pretty darn long and kind of scary. Three more nights to go. I'll probably be green in the face, waiting for the scan part of the appointment.


----------



## DHime

Names are so tough to decide on. We like 3 and not picking which 1 till we see him.

Not feeling allot of movement still. Perhaps due to the afluid overage. not sure but it really does freak me out when he doesn't move all day


----------



## Lisa40

I know what you mean DHime. I normally feel her most of tha day and she was very active yesterday but i've been up an hour now & felt nothing, I do have an anterior placenta though so trying not to worry too much! x


----------



## Marie000

I was also starting to worry yesterday as I could barely feel baby at all. She had been super active lately and then yesterday, nothing. When OH got home, I told him about it and as soon as I did, baby started dancing. She then proceeded to keep me awake by kicking as hard as she could. 
At least she seems ok.


----------



## Jazavac

So when should I actually expect to feel a kick, or anything else that is pretty much impossible to mistake for some other random pregnancy sensation?


----------



## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> So when should I actually expect to feel a kick, or anything else that is pretty much impossible to mistake for some other random pregnancy sensation?

I think I was about 17 weeks the first time I was sure I was being kicked. So hopefully you'll feel it soon.
Chances are, if you feel something that could be a kick, it probably is. 

I think being pregnant has made me extra sensitive to heat. I always had a hard time in the summer, but this is getting ridiculous. I was out this morning in the garden until shortly after 8am, then I went in for a glass of water and nearly fainted from heat exhaustion. It wasn't even that hot yet. 
I think today will get close to 90F (with the humidity). Wednesday they predict 113F. Guess who will be staying in her room most of the week. (It's the only room in the house with air conditioning)


----------



## Jazavac

Ugh, 113F.

I hate the summers in Minnesota. It gets hot back home in Croatia, but this humidity here is just plain nasty. The first summer was pretty fine (I did arrive here in August, though, so that might've helped), but the other ones were outright nasty. I suppose everyone just lied to me when they said the weather would be pleasant and whatnot. Blech. 

I am fairly sure I felt nothing even remotely similar to kicks. This morning, actually, I've been getting a lot of vibration-like things, so I guess I either swallowed a cellphone at some point, or the little one is having some weird party.


----------



## Premomt

:rofl: swallowed a cell phone... Haha!


----------



## DHime

Marie - I had no idea it got so hot in Canada. I thought summer was about 80 degrees F.

It's in the high 90's here and I am only out long enough to get to an ac. lol 5 min in the heat is all I can take. 
I am having trouble convincing DH that we need a new bedroom positions. The belly is getting in way. He keeps wanting to be on top and I spend the entire time pushing him off my belly. I know this is TMI but I am wondering if anyone has any tips on this.
Also been getting allot of sensitivity in the lower pelvic region. Just going over a bump in the car hurts. Anyone else feeling this?


----------



## Premomt

DHime said:


> Marie - I had no idea it got so hot in Canada. I thought summer was about 80 degrees F.
> 
> It's in the high 90's here and I am only out long enough to get to an ac. lol 5 min in the heat is all I can take.
> I am having trouble convincing DH that we need a new bedroom positions. The belly is getting in way. He keeps wanting to be on top and I spend the entire time pushing him off my belly. I know this is TMI but I am wondering if anyone has any tips on this.
> Also been getting allot of sensitivity in the lower pelvic region. Just going over a bump in the car hurts. Anyone else feeling this?

Sounds like some ligament stretching...or pelvic dislocating (I am no doctor so tale my words with a grain of salt!!!) Do you wear a support at all? Might help...
Have you tried lying on your side with your top leg bent? He can still be in the
same position he likes this way.


----------



## Jazavac

On the side... yup. Best thing ever.


----------



## Kitty_love

Hi ladies

Feeling a little down after dr appt this morning and first u/s. Thought I should be about 6 1/2 weeks, but dr couldn't find a heartbeat. Also said what he saw looked too small, said perhaps development had stopped. Asked me to come back in a week and have another one done - said time will tell. He said in his years of experience, he's seen it go both ways (next week he'll find growth or that it just wasn't viable to begin with). But he looked kind of sorry for me, so obviously I'm worried.

Any similar experiences out there?


----------



## Jazavac

At 6w4d, all we had was a fetal pole, gestational sack and a yolk. No HB was heard or seen. This was with one doctor, with a regular u/s machine (not the world's highest end, or anything). At 8w0d, everything was doing fine, and I went to a different doctor at this point. The third checkup, at around 8.5 weeks, the first doctor from this story ran another u/s. The baby was fine, heartbeat-wise, but it mysteriously measured a week smaller than it was at 8w at another office.

Lesson learned: they can all make mistakes when they measure. One tiny movement and they lose a milimeter or two, which means a lot this early.

I wouldn't be worried about the heartbeat, but I have to admit I would have demanded more explanations about the rest. I likely would have asked to have my betas drawn, right away today and then on Wednesday again.

I hope all is good.


----------



## Kitty_love

Thanks Jazavac,
I really appreciate your note!


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## Lisa40

I know it's hard not to worry but at 6 1/2 weeks the chances of a heartbeat are about 50/50. If you ovulated slightly later than you thought or implanted later then this can all affect the stage the baby is at. I thought we were 6 weeks 3 days when we went for a scan & they put us back to 5 weeks 6 days, the next scan at 8 weeks also measured 4 days behind but by the 12 week they moved us forward by 8 days!! The huge difference in measuring equipment and people means that very early scans can be quite inacurate, I even know some ladies who have had ivf so were sure of their dates that were put back more than a week. Sometimes the eggy just takes a little longer to get started. I hope everything will be good at your next appt :thumbup:
xxx


----------



## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> Ugh, 113F.
> 
> I hate the summers in Minnesota. It gets hot back home in Croatia, but this humidity here is just plain nasty. The first summer was pretty fine (I did arrive here in August, though, so that might've helped), but the other ones were outright nasty. I suppose everyone just lied to me when they said the weather would be pleasant and whatnot. Blech.
> 
> I am fairly sure I felt nothing even remotely similar to kicks. This morning, actually, I've been getting a lot of vibration-like things, so I guess I either swallowed a cellphone at some point, or the little one is having some weird party.

That does sound like baby. At first for me it felt more like little bubbles bursting. I don't think we can feel simple kicks early on, it's mostly when baby moves his/her whole body. 



DHime said:


> Marie - I had no idea it got so hot in Canada. I thought summer was about 80 degrees F.
> 
> It's in the high 90's here and I am only out long enough to get to an ac. lol 5 min in the heat is all I can take.
> I am having trouble convincing DH that we need a new bedroom positions. The belly is getting in way. He keeps wanting to be on top and I spend the entire time pushing him off my belly. I know this is TMI but I am wondering if anyone has any tips on this.
> Also been getting allot of sensitivity in the lower pelvic region. Just going over a bump in the car hurts. Anyone else feeling this?

It's not usually that hot, but we get 1-2 big heat waves every year. 
And 113 is with the humidity factored in. Without counting the humidity, it will be in the low 90s (yeah, just that)

Sorry, I can't be of any help with your sex problem. I haven't had any in months. :cry:



Kitty_love said:


> Hi ladies
> 
> Feeling a little down after dr appt this morning and first u/s. Thought I should be about 6 1/2 weeks, but dr couldn't find a heartbeat. Also said what he saw looked too small, said perhaps development had stopped. Asked me to come back in a week and have another one done - said time will tell. He said in his years of experience, he's seen it go both ways (next week he'll find growth or that it just wasn't viable to begin with). But he looked kind of sorry for me, so obviously I'm worried.
> 
> Any similar experiences out there?

:hugs:
I didn't have an ultrasound that early (I didn't even see anyone until 12 weeks... which was also pretty stressful) 
But from what I hear it's quite common not to find the heartbeat that early. The age of your baby might be off by just a few days. Hopefully all will be well at your next appointment.


----------



## DHime

KITTY - I can identify with that entirely. I went to a hosp for the internal and it was all fine. I was only 7 weeks.
Most of the time, they are off on the dating. Others are due to crappy equipment.
Just try to hang in there till they can see. Most likely he/she is just too small to find. Ninja baby!

AFM - Went to the ob today. Gain 4 lbs this time for a grand total of 20. another 7 to 10 lbs to go. Not sure where it is gonna go tho. lol
Also found out that the baby is very long. I am short waisted so the kid is actually bruising my bladder. (didn't know that could happen but okay)
It explains allot of the sharp pain I have been feeling.


----------



## sunshine1217

Hi ladies, thought I'd drop it. It's been so crazy in my life right now I haven't had good moments to post. I hope you guys are all well. I am dealing with a lot of work issues and I'm not sure they will resolve before I go on maternity leave.

Dhime, your weight gain is great! I have gained 15 pounds already. I really need to slow it down but last couple weeks have been 2 lbs each. I am just craving carbs! I know you also have only 2 vessels in the umbilical cord, has your doctor been monitoring you closely? 

Kitty - Good luck, I'll be thinking of your beanie. I've heard many success stories of ladies who couldn't see the hb until much later in their pregnancies.


----------



## lilosmom

Good luck Kitty. We had our first dating scan at 6 weeks 4 days and all that I could see from the picture was a bean seed shape in my uterus. Try to stay positive.

Marie, that temperature sounds unbearable. We don't have much humidity to factor in when it gets hot as we're in a desert type climate. I'm worrying about how I'm going to hand the near 40 degree temps come summer (that would be around 100 or so fahrenheit?) so I can't imagine what you're going through. Stay inside!

Jazavac, everyone is different as far as when they feel baby moving for the first time. It'll come and when it does there will be no mistaking it. 

I've never heard of having a bruised bladder Dhime. That sounds super painful. As far as the weight goes, I'm hovering around the 20 lbs mark myself and I still have a long time to go. Getting a bit worried as I'd really like to keep a leash on how much I gain but all I want to do is eat and sleep still. No second tri energy boost for this mamma!

AMF, I got a great deal on on a stroller over the weekend and just want to see if I can find the second seat attachment for our little girl second hand before baby arrives. The weather has been rainy so we're spending a lot of time inside but it gives me a chance to get some organizing done while I've got the time. Hope everyone has a relaxing week!


----------



## Jazavac

Anxiety here! Or, more like impatience. Or whatever it is. The appointment is tomorrow morning. 

My total weight gain should be between 2000 and 2200 grams (4.4 - 4.8 lbs). I guess I'm okay with that, even though I hate seeing any weight gain on the scale. Blech. They hospital scale will likely read a bit more tomorrow morning, but I can't really help it - no stripping to get weighed there, of course, and there are times when they have me step on the scale even in my shoes. :rolleyes: 

I hope all is good with the baby. It's been a month and all.


----------



## Kitty_love

Best wishes on your appt tomorrow Jazavac!


----------



## DHime

Sunshine - Yes my perenatalist is. My OB could care less. This is yet another reason why I am about to switch to a midwife.

Lilosmom - I totally get that. I didn't get the energy boost or the sex drive. Only want to eat and sleep. Now I can't sleep much but ust want to lay down. I can see why many women take the last month or 2 off from work. lol


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm at more or less 20 lbs, too and am kinda worried about what's still left to gain. I don't know where its going to go, either, if not all to her. My butt & my belly feel like they're already at capacity! Btw, sex is a workout for very unsexy reasons & it doesn't happen often around here anymore. :( But my being on top or doggie are the least......complicated. :haha:

I completely identify with you ladies just wanting to eat & sleep. Sleeping through the night is tricky, though, because every time I need to switch sides its such a production of heaving & pillows that I wake up. I suppose I should just get used to it. Third tri is definitely getting more achy and exhausting these days.

Sunshine, sorry you've been stressed at work. When will you be able to go on leave? 

Jaz, good luck tomorrow!


----------



## Premomt

Good luck jaz!
Dhime a bruised bladder eh? That sounds terrible... And mor days to go.. :nope: no fun!


----------



## sunshine1217

Nellie, I'm going end of august. How about you?


----------



## Marie000

I am still a prisoner in my own bedroom because of the heat wave. At least until tomorrow. So I am really bored.

But today I am in my third trimester! Woohoo!!! 
Time is going by so fast. I still don't have a nursery set up for baby. And there is still more shopping to do.


----------



## DHime

Marie - congrats! welcome to the third tri!!!!


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## Premomt

Congrats on third tri!


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## Jazavac

All done with the scan.

75% boy... :lol: I swear we saw more on the screen than what's visible in the photo the doctor printed out for us.

Here's the whole story, I'm mildly lazy to repeat it all. :lol:


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## Marie000

Jazavac - Congrats on the good scan, and on the probably-boy. :thumbup:


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## Jazavac

Thanks!

Out of curiosity, have you ladies had any vaginal/pelvic exams so far, at all? (Not counting the early transvaginal scans.)


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Out of curiosity, have you ladies had any vaginal/pelvic exams so far, at all? (Not counting the early transvaginal scans.)

Nope, none for me.
I was wondering about that too. Will they check things down there? If so, what are they looking at?
I'm assuming that near the end they might look to see if the cervix is still closed or not. Anything else?


----------



## Jazavac

It depends on the doctors, pretty much. I've not had any at all. I know that later on they like to check the cervix, but apparently even that can be seen decently on the screen.


----------



## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> It depends on the doctors, pretty much. I've not had any at all. I know that later on they like to check the cervix, but apparently even that can be seen decently on the screen.

Makes sense. But in my case I think that unless there is a problem, I will not be getting any more scans. I think they'll go the low-tech route and do a pelvic exam.


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## Jazavac

Not planning to do any even before delivery? (Or close to the DD)


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> Not planning to do any even before delivery? (Or close to the DD)

no, around here, only the 20 scan is standard. I had one at 12 weeks also because I was doing the trisomy screening test. As far as I know, there are not other scans if all goes on normally. I'm seeing my midwife on Monday, I'll ask to be sure.


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## NellieRae

I'm having another scan at 33 weeks just to make sure my low lying placenta has moved safely out of the way, but if I didn't have that issue, there would've only been the 20 week scan. As far as pelvic exams, I haven't had one since my first visit at 10 weeks, but I'm guessing they'll begin checking the cervix after 37 weeks or so for dilation, etc. :shrug:


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## Premomt

I am nervous! I have my second scan today to give me an edd. First was to confirm pregnancy was in the right place, today is for confirmation and dating purposes.
dh couldn't be here today, so mom will be with me. 
I have butterflies!


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## Jazavac

Good luck, Premomt!

I'm kind of hoping they'll be able to/want to monitor dilation and similar things via u/s too. It's a lot less painful, for sure.


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## Premomt

All is well! :cloud9: the scan put me at 7w5d today. Yippie!


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## Jazavac

Yay for the good news!


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## Lisa40

:yipee: Premomt

so pleased for you, it's so nice to see the little bean on the screen and the heartbeat isn't it :hugs:

& No more scans for me either Jaz, had one at 20 weeks & no issues so thats it. I had surgery on my cervix a few years ago which can cause an increase in risk for an incompetant cervix but they don't even monitor that. I just have to tell them if I have any pain, reduced movements or leaking fluid & then they'll decide what to do if necessary.

I suppose you could have a scan 1 week & all be fine & have another due in 3-4 weeks & within that time something could happen anyway so I guess they are just saving their resources. Who knows :shrug: but the midwife didn't seem concerned so I'm just going to be relaxed about it all.

Finally starting to enjoy this pregnancy now that I've stopped worrying so much though, guess it also helps that I can feel her every day :happydance:

xx


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## Premomt

https://animoto.com/play/WZPOzJhfsxy4IugzXs6TFA

This is how I'm telling everyone I haven't told already


----------



## Marie000

Congrats Premont!
I love your announcement. So cute and well done. :thumbup:

Nothing new here still. Baby had a very quiet day yesterday, but I did feel a kick or two when I paid close attention. I think she changed position. It feels like she's kicking my back. 
I hope she gets more active today. I hate those quiet days.


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## Jazavac

And I can't wait to finally feel some real stuff. The doctor agreed the other day that my swallowed cellphone and other weird sensations are more than likely the baby's doing, but I still want to get past that and get a kick, or ten.


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## lilosmom

No more scans for me, just a dating one and then at 20 weeks. I believe internal exams start at 37 weeks but I'm not sure what they do as I never made it that long in my first pregnancy. Just had the glucose test today. After the initial disgusting drink it was sort of nice to have two hours to myself to actually read a book! I can even get over the fact that I had my blood drawn three times - it was a pretty nice break from my busy little girl.

Enjoy the weekend ladies!


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## Premomt

Anyone here spt after internal scans and exams? Second scan, and second round of spotting... :-(


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## Kitty_love

Kitty_love said:


> Hi ladies
> 
> Feeling a little down after dr appt this morning and first u/s. Thought I should be about 6 1/2 weeks, but dr couldn't find a heartbeat. Also said what he saw looked too small, said perhaps development had stopped. Asked me to come back in a week and have another one done - said time will tell. He said in his years of experience, he's seen it go both ways (next week he'll find growth or that it just wasn't viable to begin with). But he looked kind of sorry for me, so obviously I'm worried.
> 
> Any similar experiences out there?

Update after my second scan this morning-

Saw heartbeat! Dr said it looked strong, everything looked great! He thinks now I'm at 6 weeks 5 days, said what a difference a week makes. So glad it was such good news! Thanks so much to everyone for posting comments and helping me stay positive!


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## Jazavac

Great news, Kitty!


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## Lisa40

:yipee: so pleased for you kitty.
& I've not had any internals premomt so I don't really know. I'm sure if it's just a bit of spotting then it's probably just an irritated cervix but if you're worried give your midwife a call :thumbup:
xxx


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## Marie000

Congrats Kitty_Love! That is such great news! :happydance:

I just came back from another midwife appointment. Things are still going great, and baby's heartbeat is normal. 
My blood pressure is still a little low, but not enough to be a problem. The top of my uterus measured at 30cm, so a little higher than it should have been. My midwife was not too concerned, she said it's probably just a bit more fluid than normal. Hopefully it doesn't start increasing too much or I might need to be monitored more closely. I also did a urine test to check for UTI. Aside from feeling like I need to pee right after getting up from the toilet, I've also started peeing more often. I peed at the birthing place before my appointment, then after, then once again half an hour later when we stopped for ice cream. :blush:
Sometimes I feel like I will be spending the next three months just peeing and sleeping.


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## Jazavac

Yay for all the good news, Marie. Nobody here measures the fundal height (for real, at least) and I'm okay with that, since it can pretty much depend on a million things. The majority of sources online kind of say that it's not a reliable method (anyway). So I wouldn't worry about it too much.


----------



## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> Yay for all the good news, Marie. Nobody here measures the fundal height (for real, at least) and I'm okay with that, since it can pretty much depend on a million things. The majority of sources online kind of say that it's not a reliable method (anyway). So I wouldn't worry about it too much.

That's interesting. I didn't know that.
They use it here because it's easier than doing a scan and gives a rough idea of how much the baby is growing. If things continue to measure higher than normal, I'll ask for a scan before they start assuming that I am in any danger. 
Now that I think about it, I'm not sure why my midwife said it was the fluid. Couldn't it also mean that baby is bigger than average? 

I am continuing to read up on the birth and I find it quite interesting. I like knowing what will happen, as scary as it is. Being in pain will be hard, but if I know why there is pain, it will be much easier to endure. Now I just wish I could get OH to see the birth in a more positive way. He was there for the birth of my stepson and it was a pretty traumatic experience for him. Now he assumes that that's how it will be. And he can be pretty stubborn when he thinks he knows something. 

And it seems like we have settled on a name now. She will be Ariane. And she will have daddy's last name (I thought about using both our names, but they're both pretty long) We don't have a middle name yet. I was thinking of asking her future godparents to choose one. 

And last news of the day... today is my birthday! :cake: I am now 34.
OH is making me some fondue tonight and on Thursday, he's taking me to get a one-hour massage and then taking me to lunch. :happydance:


----------



## Premomt

Kitty I am so glad you got to see the hb! Thats just fabulous news!


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## Kitty_love

Happy Birthday! Hope you have a great day! Sounds like you're getting some special treatment - applause for hubby. Mmmm fondue sounds so yummy - we were actually thinking the same for dinner sometime this week to celebrate the positive scan. I called our local Melting Pot, and they said they could make their cheese fondue with veg broth instead of the beer. Glad to know that's an option as that's always our celebration restaurant.

Ariane - what a pretty name! Enjoy your big day!


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## Jazavac

Happy birthday, Marie!

Ariane is a very pretty name. We're slowly working on figuring out boys names, but it's not really working out. We're settled on Greta for girl, though, and have no clue what anyone's middle name would be. I dropped my maiden name when I got married (didn't want a weird last name, on top of my unusal first name), so that'll be easy for the kid, at least.

I already asked the question in my journal, but I'll look for input here, too. Would you go to the pool in pregnancy? I would like to go back to water aerobics and I know that the water itself is very good (exercise and whatnot), but what about the bacteria and possible infections? My doctor is okay with it, he said I could go whenever I wanted. My girlfriends, especially those from back home in Croatia, are mostly freaking out at the mention of it.


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## NellieRae

Great news, Kitty love! :yipee: 

:cake: Happy Birthday Marie! !!

Ariane is such a sweet name! It feels pretty good when you cross one more thing off the giant to-do-before-baby-is-born list. :flower:

Jaz - please see journal.


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## Marie000

Jazavac - I would go to the pool. I don't think infection is that likely, most public pools are well chlorinated. If you want to be extra safe, take a shower right after getting out of the pool.


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## Jazavac

The Y, apparently, uses some algae or whatnot, not sure about the chlorine.

I guess I'll think about it a bit more. I'd rather not get an infection of any sort, of course. I do shower immediately, but I don't think it really matters.


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## lilosmom

Congratulations Kitty on the scan - how reassuring to hear/see a heartbeat. So very happy for you.

Happy belated Birthday Marie!

Jaz - I took my daughter to her swim lessons when I was first pregnant at a public pool. It never even crossed my mind to worry of infection. There is so much clorine/chemicals in the pool water that the only worry I had was if it would irritate LO's skin.

AFM, nothing new going on here. Having trouble sleeping due to hip and pelvic pain but I guess it's just par for the course. I'm hoping to set up the nursery this weekend as we start our kitchen reno beginning of the month and I'm sure it'll take a bit of time to complete.

Oh, and one of the ladies in another thread I'm in just had her baby... it's getting closer!!!


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## Jazavac

Yup, some of the girls here are getting pretty close!


DHime, where are you? I hope everything's okay!


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## Lisa40

Happy birthday Marie :yipee:

I'm so very tired today, not sure why, I've been fine throughout this pregnancy so far, maybe things are just catching up with me. I'm in bed at the moment watching a bit of tv at 7.45pm lol. Good job my OH likes cooking & will clean & tidy the house... He's so fab.

xxx


----------



## Jazavac

Marie000 said:


> Jazavac said:
> 
> 
> Yay for all the good news, Marie. Nobody here measures the fundal height (for real, at least) and I'm okay with that, since it can pretty much depend on a million things. The majority of sources online kind of say that it's not a reliable method (anyway). So I wouldn't worry about it too much.
> 
> That's interesting. I didn't know that.
> They use it here because it's easier than doing a scan and gives a rough idea of how much the baby is growing. If things continue to measure higher than normal, I'll ask for a scan before they start assuming that I am in any danger.
> Now that I think about it, I'm not sure why my midwife said it was the fluid. Couldn't it also mean that baby is bigger than average?Click to expand...

Oops, I forgot to reply to this.

Fundal height measurements used to be pretty much the only thing midwives/doctors could rely on before ultrasound and it's still good enough to get some idea. But it doesn't really need to mean much of anything, as the position of one's uterus can depend on a whole lot of different things, including your body shape, etc. 

I'd do what you just said - ask for a scan if it constantly measures wrong or odd, just to be on the safe side. My little pregnancy tracker booklet the doctor gave me during my first appointment does have a column for fundal height, but they've actually been putting the baby's CRL measurements from the u/s in it.


----------



## Marie000

Thanks all for the birthday wishes. I had a nice quiet evening at home with OH. I even had a small glass of wine with dinner (bad me! :blush: First drink in 6 months) and OH had bought some citrus and tea cake. 



Jazavac said:


> DHime, where are you? I hope everything's okay!

I was wondering the same thing. :shrug: I hope she and baby are okay.


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## Jazavac

What is citrus and tea cake? It sounds pretty good!


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## sunshine1217

happy birthday Marie!!!

Kitty, wonderful to hear that your scan went well. :thumbup:

my stomach is having mild pains, feels like it's stretching. Sometimes, my stomach also feels super hard, it's like the baby's in a position that is awkward or something. do you guys ever feel that?


----------



## Jazavac

If it gets hard out of the blue, isn't really painful and goes away when you shift positions or drink something, etc, it's probably a BH (Braxton-Hicks) contraction. I've had one of them so far, pretty early. Came and went within minutes.

My belly button's been awkwardly hurting for the past few days, but only in the morning, when I first come to work.


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## NellieRae

Sunshine, it does sound like Braxton Hicks. Although I still have days that I call "stretchy" days where my whole abdomen just feels stretched out & uncomfortable for most of the day. I figure that these might be growth spurts? :shrug:

I'm getting worried about Dhime, too........:sad1: Hope everything's ok. She wasn't in the path of the hurricane was she? Maybe its a network issue b/c of the storm. Parts of Florida are a mess right now...

I just got back from my last ultrasound & she's breech. Which I kinda expected, considering how I've been feeling a lot of bladder pressure and getting kicked in the crotch all the time (ouch!). Tomorrow we can find out about the placenta & if it moved away far enough. Time to turn your little butt over baby girl! This mama does not want a c-section!


----------



## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> What is citrus and tea cake? It sounds pretty good!

I'm not too sure how they make it. I think they put tea in the cake itself, and the frosting has lemon and orange in it. And the cake is decorated with white chocolate shavings.


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## Jazavac

I'm going to have to google that one. Sounds very interesting. 

Our little coffee shop in town makes good lemon bars with lavender in them (for whatever reason, tea cake reminded me of that!).

I still haven't decided if I want to go back to water aerobics. Classes are Mon/Wed so I could go today (I'll have school Monday evenings for a month). The chlorine kind of makes me wonder, hm. I'm not all that scared of bacteria, people tend to overinflate that issue.


----------



## sunshine1217

I keep hearing about Braxton hicks, does everyone get those? Jaz, did yours hurt a lot or just a little bit?

Nellie, do you have a birthing plan? I'm learning about that, as well as doulas, in my class right now. Doulas are suppose to reduce a lot of complications apparently.

DHime, where are you? are you ok?


----------



## Jazavac

Oh, Nellie, I somehow skipped your post. It's still early, so she'll probably turn the right way! Either way, breech doesn't necessarily mean C-section, of course!

With us, it's really early, but the bubs's been all over the place. Last time it was head-down, the scan prior to that - breech. 


Sunshine, BH shouldn't really hurt, but of course it can get tense (which is actually exactly what happens). I've only had that one, though, so I don't know much about it first hand.


----------



## NellieRae

Sunshine - I don't have a birth plan and the reason is that I'm using a birth center with midwives. They will be with me during labor (so no doula needed) and don't offer interventions (like suction, vbac, epidurals, etc.) If complications come up & I have to transfer to a hospital, they will come with me. Unless of course she doesn't turn and is still breech when I go into labor. And then, Jaz it will mean a c-section unless I get lucky and get the _one_ doctor available who will actually do a breech vaginal delivery. Most either aren't trained in it or simply won't do it. :( She does still have time to turn, so hopefully she will. FX!


----------



## Jazavac

The midwives wouldn't go ahead with breech? The one I met here would, unless there are other issues that would prevent her from pretty much being able to give safe prenatal care in the first place. And then if everything goes downhill, you get a transfer.


Either way, there's plenty of time for a big turn!


----------



## NellieRae

The midwives technically could, and would handle a breech delivery if it happened fast, caught us by surprise and she was close to coming out. But they had to make some policy compromises in order to earn accreditation for their birth center and get contracts with most insurance companies here. So if we know she's breech and have time, they are obligated to transfer. 

There is still time, but not a huge amount. I may have my first visit to an acupuncturist before this is over. :shock:


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## Jazavac

Uh. Hm. Convince them that she's not breech? 

Apparently there are many techniques that may or may not work (some of which include a bright light aimed at the vagina... which I do consider a little bit funny, I have to admit).


----------



## Premomt

Jazavac said:


> Uh. Hm. Convince them that she's not breech?
> 
> Apparently there are many techniques that may or may not work (some of which include a bright light aimed at the vagina... which I do consider a little bit funny, I have to admit).

:haha: :rofl:

Isn't there a way to manually turn the baby in utero? I feel like I've seen it done... Probablly not exactly the 'safest' thing I would guess though. But maybe you could google it.
And I saw a woman get accupuncture with moxibustion and her baby did turn :thumbup:


----------



## NellieRae

A lot of the things you can try do seem ridiculous, but if it prevents a section, I'll try! My DH wants to strap me to an ironing board this weekend, turn me upside down in the dark and shine lasers over my belly. Now there's an image! :wacko: :haha: :rofl:

Premomt, what your are referring to is a ECV, and I may consider it - but there are risks. It will have to be done at the hospital and might break my water or put me into labor, so they don't do it before 36 weeks. Also, there is a lower success rate with a first time baby, so we'll see. I'm calling the acupuncturist today, though!


----------



## sunshine1217

Don't want to scare you guys but when DH was in med school he had a professor that's done a natural breech and it was BAD. I don't even think I should tell the story on here. You can PM me if you really wanna know. My thought is, I won't fight nature, if baby doesn't turn, I will be c sectioning. That said, Nellie, you still have a little time, they say lots of babies turn last minute.

happy friday everyone!


----------



## Jazavac

And on the other hand, I could go with a long list of women who I know, whose babies were breech and there were no issues. One of them gave birth at home a few months back and, because it all happened to fast, it was unassisted, too.

And then there would be a shorter list, but still one that exists, of women I know, whose babies were not breech, but things took a bad turn, with all kind of outcomes, from just minor annoyances, to C-sections and even stillborns.

I think doctors in the US panic way too much than anywhere else because of all the possible lawsuits. I mean, in the town I live in, there is no single doctor that will assist with a VBAC. It's just against the hospital's policies. Ridiculous, if you ask me, and pretty sad that women who want it have to either deliver at home, or go on a field trip, pretty much.

It's all a matter of choice. Well, educated choice. The outcome is usually really positive, but nothing is ever certain.


----------



## DHime

Hey ladies! Sorry I have been away! My water broke on June 21st after I got home from work. 12 Hours later I gave birth to a beautiful 3lb 7oz boy. 
I hemorrhaged and almost died and little Tristan had to have surgery to be able to eat. His esophagus was not attached to his stomach. I just got out of ICU yesterday and my DH brought me a laptop
I hope everyone is well. I just wanted to let you guys know I hadn't forgoten any of you.


----------



## Lisa40

Omg DHime are you ok? How's little Tristan doing now? Hope you are both doing well. Sending lots of positive vibes your way :hugs:
xxxx


----------



## lilosmom

DHime said:


> Hey ladies! Sorry I have been away! My water broke on June 21st after I got home from work. 12 Hours later I gave birth to a beautiful 3lb 7oz boy.
> I hemorrhaged and almost died and little Tristan had to have surgery to be able to eat. His esophagus was not attached to his stomach. I just got out of ICU yesterday and my DH brought me a laptop
> I hope everyone is well. I just wanted to let you guys know I hadn't forgoten any of you.

Oh my! I hope you are all doing well - how scary. I was worried about you but mostly due to the weather you've been having there, I never thought you were absent because of having baby Tristan (such a great name btw). Sending our congratulations on your little tiny bundle and hoping you won't have to spend long at the hospital.

:crib:


----------



## Premomt

Wow dhime! Sending healing thoughts your way for a speedy recovery for both of you!


----------



## NellieRae

Dhime, holy s%*#@! I though it might have been the hurricane, too...

I'm sooooooooo glad you're all ok now, but it sounds like a VERY rough week for your family! Your poor DH! I can understand if you can only pop in now and then to say hi, but can't wait to see pictures of your precious little boy when you're feeling up to it and hear how you're doing. :kiss: Poor little guy must have needed to come out. So if he was unable to swallow in the womb, does that explain the excess of amniotic fluid? Will be sending prayers to both of you for a while. I'm sure he's got a bit of NICU time ahead of him. For what its worth, my midwife had to have an emergency c-section to deliver her son at 32 weeks, and today he is a happy, healthy & adorable 3 yr old. :hugs2: 

Oh, and I know circumstances were far from ideal, but still.......

*Congratulations!!!!!*

You're a mama now! :happydance:


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## Jazavac

*Congratulations, DHime!*

And, wow, I second Nellie. Whoa, whoa. I also thought it was the bad weather, or busy work week, or something. Wow. I'm so glad you're both okay now. I can't wait for some pictures, too. I'll be thinking about you all.

A co-worker had her son at 35 weeks, it was an emergency C-section because of preeclampsia and IUGR. He was only 3lb 4.5oz. This was at the very beginning of March and he's been doing great since. He's healthy, and so is his mom.

Congrats again! I hope we get to hear from you soon.


----------



## Marie000

Congrats DHime,

I'm glad you're okay. I was starting to worry about you. 
I hope little Tristan is doing well after his surgery. I can't wait for pictures!


----------



## DHime

Lisa- thanks he is still sedated in the nicu and will be for a while. I am having to rebuild all the blood I lost. I lost my hearing for a while but it is slowly comming back.


----------



## Lisa40

Sounds like you've been through a very tough time of it. Really hope you both continue to make good progress. Will be thinking of you :hugs:
Hope your OH is doing ok, must be tough on him too.
:hugs: :hugs:
xx


----------



## DHime

here is a video my dh took if you ladies want to see...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2809984029162&notif_t=video_comment


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## Jazavac

Looks like we can't see it. I suppose it's the Facebook friends/privacy issue?

Hope you get better soon, both of you!


----------



## sunshine1217

DHime said:


> Hey ladies! Sorry I have been away! My water broke on June 21st after I got home from work. 12 Hours later I gave birth to a beautiful 3lb 7oz boy.
> I hemorrhaged and almost died and little Tristan had to have surgery to be able to eat. His esophagus was not attached to his stomach. I just got out of ICU yesterday and my DH brought me a laptop
> I hope everyone is well. I just wanted to let you guys know I hadn't forgoten any of you.

OMG DHime, so glad you're ok. Congratulations!!! Did you guys know his esophagus was not attached to his stomach beforehand or did you find out after? I'm so glad you're ok. Do you think this has to do with him having 2 blood vessels in the umbilical cord? I'm getting very nervous about it all but am a bit happier with every day that go by.


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## Marie000

I wasn't able to see the video either. 
But DHime, I hope you are feeling better. 

How is everyone doing? Any news?
I'm doing ok, except for a mild UTI. I might also be anemic, so I am starting to watch my iron intake. I normally don't eat meat, but now I do a little. OH is going to buy me some elk meat from a nearby farm (where I know the animals were raised in a pasture and treated well). It's really hard to get enough iron for me and baby without meat.


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## lilosmom

Thanks for the update DHime, have been thinking of you often. I hope little Tristan is on the mend and it sounds like you're recovering although I'm sure it'll take a long time still. Wishing you all well.

Marie - hope you start to feel better soon.

I'm finding that I'm so much more tired lately and have been getting pain in my pelvic area for the last week or so. I had it with my daughter and the dr said it was due to how she was situated (low lying). Not looking forward to another three months of this. Not to mention the heat is starting to really get to me. At least we got baby's room set up on the weekend and I'll start getting a hospital bag ready over the next few weeks (better to be safe than unprepared - learned that lesson the last time). Other than that I've just got to wash some newborn clothes that have been packed away for the last three years and then wait for baby. I know there's still 13 weeks according to my ticker but I anticipate this baby will arrive early just like the last and if I'm wrong at least I'll have a few weeks to do nothing but wait. Hoping everyone is doing well.


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## Premomt

Well my spotting hasn't subsided, so I went to the Drs today. All is well, no cervix issues. She wanted to do another u/s but I told her I was not willing to fork out another 130$ because I felt like there was no real issue at hand as I am not cramping or having bright blood. We talked about it and she told me the blood may be from subchoreonic bleeding or a low placenta. I was firm about not getting another u/s. (not only because of monetary reasons, but because I really don't want to subject the baby to multiple u/s because they don't know long term effects they can have on babies)
In return she said we could try to hear the fetal hb with the Doppler, and I didn't have enough time to object before she was gone to get it. 
I wanted to object because my husband has been away for the past month and only got to be with me for my first u/s where we saw only a dot. The second my mom came with me, and I really wanted him to be there with me to hear the hb. 
At the same time, I wanted the reassurance of hearing it today, but felt very selfish about it.
So she did the Doppler, and very easily found the hb. I was happy/ relieved to hear it (she would have wanted me to go for an us if not.) but felt so selfish 
I called dh afterwords, and bawled to him about it. He was very understanding, but how foolish am I!? 
Just over emotional :-/


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## Jazavac

I'm not scared of u/s at all and I would never refuse to get it done. It's a great diagnostic tool. But I'm glad the h/b was there. 

I've been horribly tired, too, but that's mostly because I can't sleep at night. Bathroom breaks are just messing me up. On top of that, the heat has been nasty, too, so I'm overall a bit annoyed and jumpy. I hate this Midwestern weather. :/


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## DHime

Just got home from the hospital - have been there since the 22nd. Little tristan is still there and will be for at least a month. I hope no one else has to go thru this.
I saw his surgery site today. They practically cut him in half to do it. Poor baby. Learned today that he has a heart murmur and 1 kidney.
To top it off, my dad had a heart attack and is now in icu and my mil just attacked my fil with a broken bottle. FIL on the way to the hosp and mil on the way to jail.
Really?!!!!
Anything else gonna happen?


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## NellieRae

:hugs: Dhime. That is all so incredible & unfair to you with what you're already dealing with! Waaay too many family members in the hospital. I hope your dad is out of ICU soon. Geez. Its good to hear that _you're_ recovered enough to go home, though. I'm so sorry that this post partum time for you is nothing like you hoped for or needed. One day at a time (or maybe just one hour) is all you can try for. 

Poor little Tristan will have to be a fighter. Heart murmurs can be grown out of and people can live with one kidney, right? Will you be able to go back to visit him every day? Do you get to hold him yet? 

Lots more :hug: to you!


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## Jazavac

Ugh, DHime, that's more than just a whole lot going on for you these days!

I hope everyone gets better and, like Nellie said, it's very good to hear that you're doing fine. Little Tristan will be a fighter indeed!

:hugs:


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## lilosmom

Dhime, where to start? I'm glad you're well enough to go home from the hospital and am sorry you had to leave your little man behind but at least he's getting good care and you can get some needed rest and recovery time also. I'm sorry to hear your dad is in the hospital and that you've been given more to deal with with your in-laws too. My thoughts are with you.


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## Marie000

DHime - so sorry you have to go through such a hard time. :hugs: My thoughts are with you and your family... especially little Tristan.


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## DHime

Thanks ladies. I went to see him today and he stopped breathing twice. Apparently it happens allot. I had to leave. Could stay and watch him like that. 
He did give me a smile though. melted my heart.


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## Jazavac

:hugs:

I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this, all three of you. Little Tristan is a fighter, though, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that he gets over all these early obstacles. 

How is he doing otherwise?


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## DHime

thanks.
i put his pic up as my new avatar but it didnt take. on my profile tho.


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## Jazavac

He is such a beautiful baby, DHime!


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## Marie000

wow DHime, Tristan is beautiful!
I'm sorry to hear things are so difficult at the moment. I hope and pray things will get better soon.


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## Premomt

Wow dhime, as others have said- one day, one our, one minute at a time. Thats the way to move forward. :hugs:


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## Kitty_love

DHime-
Sending positive thoughts and strength to you and your family. :hugs:


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## DHime

Thanks ladies. It helps while we are in limbo here.
He got his feeding tube yesterday and got his first breast milk. Took me 2 days to pump 3 tablespoons of the stuff. They said I will have to force it after my own ordeal.
The good part is we are both alive though. Every day is a day closer to him coming home. Then I will feel like a mom. Right now I just don't. I have never even held him so I guess that is to be expected.


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## Jazavac

You're definitely a mom, DHime, even though you really might not feel that way. I'm so glad you're both doing fine and yes, just like you said, every day is just another step for him to get closer to going home and for your life to get back to normal. 

As for the breastfeeding, it takes a lot of work to get the production going with premature birth or emeregency C-sections, simply because the woman's body, at the time, just doesn't even know what's going on and the right hormones don't automatically kick in. And then, of course, with preemies, there usually is no baby to try to get things going, but instead it's all up to the mom.

A co-worker had her son at 35 weeks, and he spent nearly a month in NICU because of his IUGR (he was smaller than Tristan and it was a preeclampsia-induced emergency C-section), but they got the breastfeeding part established. She just had to pump, pump and pump. He's now nearly 12 lbs, four months old and is exclusively breastfed.

What she said helped a lot was a good lactation consultant and, for other things, online communities where she could talk with other preemie mothers.

Hang in there. I'm thinking about you both.


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## NellieRae

:hug: Dhime. That's great news that he can take breast milk now! He might still have a ways to go, but its a step in the right direction. Your heart must be breaking that you can't even hold him yet, but every day he gets stronger brings you closer to having him in your arms & taking him home, as you said. Even women who have full term, uncomplicated deliveries say it can take a little while to start really feeling like a mom, so I hope you're being gentle with yourself. Besides, a woman recovering from near death herself - who pumps away for days just to give her baby boy a little of the best nutrition he can get, is a loving mom for sure. :flower: We are all pulling for you guys. Can't wait to hear more good news.


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## wookie130

Okay, after stalking where you've been on here, DHime, I'm finally up to snuff with what's happening with you, your family, and little Tristan...dear Lord, you have a lot on your plate. 

He's such a beautiful baby, and does not look so tiny in your avatar picture, although in real life, I'm sure he's a little man. It must be so difficult to watch him struggle like this. And I agree with everyone else that once you get the ball rolling on breast feeding him, and are able to hold him, you'll definitely feel more like a mother. It's just so hard when everything right now is so "hands-off." But, you're both going to pull through this, and I feel that Tristan will be a healthy, strong little boy here down the road. I have strong faith in that for you!


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## DHime

thanks ladies.
cant wait to see all you join me on the mommy end. then we can talk about labor. btw - not the nightmare ppl say it is. i was still cracking jokes with the nurses come pushing time. the deep breathing definitely helped me


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## wookie130

That's reassuring, DHime! LOL!!! I stress more about blood tests than labor and delivery any day!


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## bunda

crumbs DHime! I had no idea (I still don't know what happened, I'm about to go and read the history). 

Huge admiration for you in persevering with the milk pumping. It's definitely worth keeping at it, I have also heard good things about pumping leading to, eventually, once your little boy is big enough, exclusive breast feeding. You're giving him liquid gold and even mere drops are precious. You're a top-notch mama. 

I hope Tristan goes from strength to strength and it sounds like he's in good hands. Eventually he'll be in your arms and you'll have quite a story to tell him.


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## sunshine1217

DHime, you are defo a mom. I can't wait to join you on that side. Tristan will be home crying your ears out before you know it.

:hugs:


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## Marie000

DHime,
I'm sure it must be hard to feel like a mom after all this ordeal, but it sounds like you're doing a great job so far. I hope you get to hold your little one soon. 

I'm glad to hear labor wasn't too bad. I am starting to get nervous for it. Plus I don't feel ready yet.

How's everyone doing these days?
Jazavac, I might have missed if you told us already, but has your little one started kicking yet?


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## Jazavac

It has!

About a week ago, I actually got to see it move, too. Something popped out of my belly and went back in. :lol: It's been kicking on a regular basis for a bit over a week, I think, maybe two weeks at the most. Before that, it was some weird popping feeling. Now it's beating in there all day long. I wonder if they ever sleep!


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## Marie000

excellent!

I love those visible kicks. Makes everything seem more real.


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## DHime

i miss the kicks. aren't they great!
oh i got to hold my man today. see pic!


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## Jazavac

Awesome, DHime!


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## sunshine1217

love the new picture!


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## Lisa40

Oh that's brilliant DHime. Must be such a wonderful feeling after waiting so long. Big :hugs: to you and your family.

xxx


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## wookie130

DHime, what a perfect picture...it actually choked me up a bit!!! The more you get to do that, the faster he'll recover and get some strength...a mother's physical connection and touch has great healing powers with infants, I believe.

He's really a gorgeous little man...you can really see how little he is when you're holding him! And you look great, in light of all you've been through recently yourself! 

Has he put on any weight recently? How's the BFing going?


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## NellieRae

:yipee: Dhime! Holding him must be wonderful for both of you! Can't wait to hear when he's strong enough to breastfeed. 

So I was watching a movie with DH last night and when there was some bare breasted sex going on, the first thing that came to my mind was "wow, her nipples are tiny and so pale!" I completely forgot what pre/non pregnant breasts look like. :haha:


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## Lisa40

Haha that's hilarious nellie... Your OH sounds funny!
& Wookie... I must have completely missed your :bfp: post. Massive congratulations, it's great to see you here, h&h 9 months to you and your little bean :yipee:
I had my 28 week appt today & they think she's around the 75th percentile so is packing on the pounds, which is a bit worrying for the birth lol, but I think I'd rather she be a fatty at the moment.
Hope everyone else is good
xxx


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## Marie000

DHime - congrats on being finally able to hold your little man. One more step in the right direction. :thumbup:

Nellie - I know what you mean about the breasts. Mine have not grown much overall, but the nipples are huge and almost black. It looks monstrous (and so not sexy :wacko:)

Lisa - congrats on the big baby. I'm really hoping I can get an idea of the size of my baby before birth. Something tells me she'll be pretty big (runs in both mine and OH's family)

I am typing with one hand now and it's taking forever. I hurt my left thumb and the only way to make it better is to immobilize it. So with that, the growing belly and the anemia, I feel pretty disabled right now.


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## Jazavac

So when do nipples get darker? I know it doesn't happen to every single woman in the world, but mine are not at all changing their color. Shape, size, sure... all of that is completely different (and my breasts have grown seventy seven sizes and are a hundred pounds heavier), but the color of my nipples is as pale as it was. They have some freckle-looking things on the areolas, though. :shrug:


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## NellieRae

Lisa, that's great news on a healthy baby! Its still a little early to say how big she'll be, since every baby grows & spurts at their own rate. But if you & DH were bigger babies, there's a good chance that you'll have one too. 

Jaz - I honestly don't remember when the nipples started changing, but it was sometime in the first trimester and they have been slowly getting darker & coming up with new colors as time goes on. :wacko: You've got lots of time to grow a couple of bull's eyes!

I just got back from our appt today, where we found out baby girl got a road map and found the pelvis! She's head down at last! :happydance: :happydance: :happydance:


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## wookie130

That's great, Nellie!


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## Jazavac

YAYYYYYYY, Nellie! Great news!


I just woke the baby up by dropping an item onto a veryhardmetal surface. Wiggly banana is panicking. Oops.


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## Kitty_love

Nellie- Hooray! That's wonderful news!!!

So funny Jazavac!


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## DHime

Jaz - Every one is different. Your may darken later.

Wookie - You know, I don't know if I said congrats or not so CONGRATS!!!! :hug: I have a great feeling about this one for you.

Neliie - good! needs to turn! yay

AFM & THE LITTLE GUY - his blood gasses were not good today so it was a step backward this time. They told me there would be bad days as well as good so I hope this is as bad as it gets. Blood gases measure how well his lungs and kidneys are working. But i did get to hold him again. He cried and broke my heart when it was time to go.

On another note, I was back in the hosp today as I have an infection now in my bladder from the cathider. They are worried that I may also have an infection in my uterus but they aren't sure about that part since everything is still very swollen. I am on antibiotics again. Good thingy is my hemoglobin level is up to 8.6 so the anemia is slowly getting better.


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## sunshine1217

DHime, so sorry to hear about the infection, isn't it ironic, I was just telling you about someone who had an infection from the catheter. Sometimes, I feel like the hospital does things to keep you coming back. So glad you were able to hold your baby though. I've been reading that it really helps to be able to hold the baby as much as you can in the beginning when he is first out of the womb.

Jaz, my nipples have really been darkening last few weeks. They darkened in the first trimester also but have really kicked it up a notch last month or so. They're also a lot bigger.

Nellie, that's fantastic! Here's to you having a healthy delivery.:wine: Haha, and here's to wishing I can have some.


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## wookie130

DHime, so sorry to hear about Tristan's blood gasses! That really sucks...but I suppose in this instance, it's perfectly normal to have rough patches and bad days. Poor little lamb crying!!! That would rip my heart out!!! And as for you, how frustrating! I sincerely hope the antibiotics kick whatever infection(s) may be sneaking in...take care. It sounds like it's going to be an uphill battle, but both you and baby will come out on top eventually!!! Thanks for the congrats, dear!


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## lilosmom

DHime - what a beautiful avatar - I'm so happy for you to be able to hold your little man! What an absolutely amazing feeling. I'm sorry you're still dealing with setbacks. I think of you both often and am sending hugs your way.

Nellie - congratulations on baby's new position. One more sign that things are getting closer!

Marie - sorry to hear about your ailments. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Jaz - I have no idea about nipples? Everything about my breasts is foreign to me now, it's like looking at a stranger topless when I see myself these days and I have no idea when this all happened. Everyone is different and the saying every pregnancy is different is so true in my case! Congrats on the kicks too!

Lisa - here's hoping baby isn't too big come delivery!

Hi to the rest of the ladies, hope you're doing well. AFM I'm struggling in the heat we've been having lately. All I want to do is stay in bed with the air conditioner on but my little girl wants nothing more than to play outside in the pool or water parks. I feel terrible not wanting to go outside with her and am hoping the heat subsides soon or it's going to be a very, very long and miserable summer.


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## Marie000

DHime - sorry about the setback. I hope you and little Tristan get better soon. It's great that you could hold him again. I'm sure that is a great comfort to him (and you)

As for me, I had a moment of pure panic last night. I realized that in just a few weeks I'd be a mom and it was just too much. I cried for hours. OH was sweet and tried to reassure me, but as usual, he didn't really understand. He thought I was worried about something going wrong, that wasn't it. He told me that it was ok, that I would figure out how to take care of a baby. That wasn't my worry either. I can't really explain what was wrong. It was just an irrational burst of emotions (something my OH apparently doesn't get :shrug:)
I felt I had no one to talk to about it. I now hate talking about these things with people I know who have kids, because I have developed a fear of being judged for my parenting decisions (I am feeling insecure about my parenting skill to begin with, I don't need people telling me I don't really know how it is)


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## wookie130

Marie, I suspect that you had one of those rather frightening moments when you realize that EVERYTHING is about to change in your life...it can be overwhelming. And of course men do NOT understand the magnitude of it, until they're knee-deep in diapers, baby spit-up, and unable to sleep at night! LOL!


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## lilosmom

Marie - don't worry, blame hormones! I have a child already and am panicking about having another. It's the hardest thing I've ever done but each challenge brings an equally great experience. You'll do just fine! :hugs:


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## Jazavac

Marie, I think it's all pretty normal. And I am fairly sure men can't really get it mainly because their own fears are not as hormone fueled as ours are, at least. 

I'm mainly scared of delivery (on top of the whole deal of not knowing if the baby is okay, or if we're dealing with the genetic issue(s)). It's not that I think or fear that I won't be able to do it - I'm female, I have all the body parts and therefore, sure, I am able to give birth - it's just that I'm not sure I'll end up being in a position/situation where they'll simply let me do it, as opposed to prying the baby out of me this, or that way. 

Other than that, I don't know why I'm not so scared about our new life with a new baby, or even a little kid. It just crosses my mind every once in a while that the new deal is _for life_ and that the little kid will grow up. And that scares me.


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## wookie130

Life is about to change drastically, without a doubt...and change is kind of scary. Fear of the unknown, if you will.


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## Marie000

thanks girls. I'm glad someone understands what I'm going through. 
OH already has a child from a previous relationship, so he seems to think he knows how it will go. But with his son, he never lived with his ex, so he was only a part-time dad. It wasn't his fault and he would have loved to be there full time, but I still think this time will be much different for him. I don't think he fully realizes that.

I think part of my stress comes from frustrated nesting instincts. There's not much I can do to get the house ready until we build the nursery and OH seems to be in no hurry. Right now I don't feel this is a house suitable for a baby.


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## Marie000

well, some good news at least. my mw just called and it turns out I don't have a UTI. :happydance:
I am slightly anemic due to increased blood volume, but it's nothing alarming. My hemoglobin is 110, normal is between 120-160. I'll take some natural supplements and we'll test again in a few weeks.


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## NellieRae

:hugs2: Marie. As silly as it sounds, having the baby stuff standing by and finally creating the spaces in our home that she will need helps to understand how she'll fit into our lives - which makes it all a little less scary. I hope your DH gets going on the nursery for you ASAP. It is important to make physical & mental space for your new person. Interestingly, my making these spaces (like a drawer in the kitchen for little spoons & forks) helps the reality of it all sink in for my DH. This is going to happen - and soon! :shock: 

And I'm with Jaz - the idea of having a little baby is nowhere near as terrifying or bewildering as the thought of an older kid or a teenager. I don't feel at all prepared for that yet. Good thing we've got a little time...;)


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## wookie130

And that time will FLY, Nellie! Or so I've been told!


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## Marie000

NellieRae said:


> :hugs2: Marie. As silly as it sounds, having the baby stuff standing by and finally creating the spaces in our home that she will need helps to understand how she'll fit into our lives - which makes it all a little less scary. I hope your DH gets going on the nursery for you ASAP. It is important to make physical & mental space for your new person. Interestingly, my making these spaces (like a drawer in the kitchen for little spoons & forks) helps the reality of it all sink in for my DH. This is going to happen - and soon! :shock:

I think you are absolutely right. I need to see that there is space in our home for the little one. 
OH will be gone today, so I think I'll set up a few things that go outside the bedroom, and I'll start planning the set up of the bedroom.


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## wookie130

Sounds like a great way to spend a Sunday, Marie! It'll be a relief to feel like you've started on something!


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## sunshine1217

I am having so much trouble sleeping these days! I end up being tired all day during the day because I can't sleep much during the night. Does anyone else have this problem?

Also do you third trimester find that your weight gain slowed down or sped up? I've gained 18 lbs now but 2 was just from this past week.


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## bunda

I have found my weight gain has slowed right up in the third trimester. I think that's because my stomach is so squashed that I just don't feel hungry anymore - and reflux stops me being able to eat too much in one sitting, so I end up just eating less.

My weight gain was the sharpest rise in the middle of my second trimester and has eased right off since then. I'm now about 17lbs heavier than my starting weight, at 35 weeks - but I've had none of the swelling that is so common during pregnancy, so I'm not carrying as much water weight as others at my stage.


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## Marie000

not sure about the weight gain... I rarely ever weigh myself. But I do have more and more trouble sleeping. I have a hard time getting comfortable or changing position. And baby's kicks have gotten much stronger. There's no way I can sleep until she does.


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## sunshine1217

Yea I am not sure what's keeping me up at night (aside from the bathroom trips) but I wake up before 7 no matter how late I get to bed. I know I'm not comfortable but it could also be the baby kicking. I was 118 when i got pregnant and now am 136. I just feel very cramped in the midsection and feel like my weight is not as steady as I'd like. I only gained a lb in 3 weeks prior to last week then it's bam, 2 lb weight gain.


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## Jazavac

They do say that the majority of weight gain should happen in the 2nd tri and then again slow down in the third. I would assume a whole lot of the weight gain in the 3rd tri comes from water retention, as so many women end up holding onto it as if there's no tomorrow.

I've gained 8 lbs and a couple ounces since the beginning and I hope I won't gain a lot more (no idea what to expect, though). All of it seems to be in the belly and breast, as I've not noticed any other changes at all. My chest width is till the same, and so are my thighs, etc. No water retention at all, for now at least. The biggest gain seems to have happened this past month - I get officially weighed on Wednesday at the Dr's office and I expect a gain of about three pounds. 

As for the sleeping... ugh. It comes and goes. I am at the point where I get tired doing the day even doing nothing in particular. If I crash and get a nap, even just a short one, I'm done for the night, unfortunately. Last night I squeezed in maybe three hours of sleep, while everything else was a bunch of tossing and turning. 

Overall, I am not particularly enjoying my 2nd tri; I seem to have had it a lot better during the first months, even with slight nausea here and there (I get that every once in a while now, too, but still without puking). For the past few days, my abdomen is sore, but I assume it's the muscles, stretching and moving away to make rooom for the growing badgerbean. My bump seems to have grown a few sizes just overnight. Yesterday I had a normal bump, today I'm dealing with a pointy watermelon. And then something gets pinched in the area between my bellybutton and pelvis as I walk.

I feel like an old lady, ugh. And I'm actually pretty damn fit, too. Urgh. (I suppose it can get only worse, huh? :lol:)


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## lilosmom

I'm exhausted. I really should just go to bed now but it seems nothing allows me to be comfortable and so it's only an hour here, 20 minutes there all night long. I'm not sure how the weight gain will go as I have put on 18 lbs so far and depending on how much baby's going to gain over the next few weeks it could go up drastically. With my first I think I gained almost 30 lbs (not exactly sure as I never made it to my last appointment before birth and so wasn't sure what I put on during the week up to delivery). I'd like to keep this one closer to 25 lbs but to be completely honest it doesn't worry me much. I lost so much weight after I had my daughter that I actually had to put weight on to get pregnant again (only my theory though). I'm certainly feeling large and uncomfortable already so I can only imagine how unpleasant the rest of the summer is going to be. By the way, can someone turn the heat down!


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## bunda

The sleep disturbances seem pretty normal. I often wake at about 3 or 4am and I assume it's my body getting ready for a night-feed schedule. I have no reason to be so awake and it's completely normal for me to wake up like I'm supposed to get up at this time.

I don't usually need to get up to pee in the night, although these last few nights I have - not from an urge to go but because I've been getting some pretty painful cramping where my bladder is, usually when I lie on my right side. It's painful in the way food poisoning is painful - cramping and a strong urge to just get things out from there - gas or solid. Very much like food poisoning. I'm assuming it's the combination of braxton hicks and a full bladder pushing down on my pelvic floor, triggering that feeling. Taking the pressure off out of the bladder seems to help and I can go back to sleep again.

Your pains, Jaz, sound very much like round ligament pain and it can be pretty sharp. I used to get it if I moved and triggered a spasm, especially when getting up from lying down. It's such a sharp, sudden pain and can last a few seconds (even minutes) until it subsides. I get these much less now in the third trimester. (but of course, all sorts of other pains to make up for that).

The worst is the pain right at the top of my bump at my sternum. It's like someone is jabbing a pen into my breastbone and seems to be caused by the bump pushing in when I sit down. Standing up is the only thing that helps.

The other is the rib flare I get from lying down. I think it's a certain person's bottom digging into my ribs, pushing them outwards. I can't believe this little melon still has a full month of growing left to do! I'm not a short person by any means (I'm 5'7) so lord knows how those who are only 5' or so cope with having a whole extra person in there.


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## wookie130

This sounds all very fun, ladies! :pizza:

(I actually can't WAIT to be all large and uncomfortable and sleep deprived!)

LOL!


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## Jazavac

Yeah, I'm thinking it's the round ligament thing, too. Now it's at its worst when I am lying flat on my back and move my legs. Like, whoa, ouch. But oh well. 

My new five-week session of prenatal yoga starts tomorrow, I'm excited. And then in two weeks, Saturday mornings yoga will be a norm, as well. I should also go back to the pool, too, because exercise actually does wonders for me. It just sucks I can't do any of it outside.

We have an appointment tomorrow morning. I'm excited, but soon enough I'll start pulling my hair, too.


----------



## NellieRae

Sunshine, we started out the same weight - I was 118, too when I got pregnant. Now, I'm at around 140 and I've never been so heavy in my life! I lost weight in the first trimester with the nausea & vomiting, so in the beginning of my 2nd I gained 7 lbs in one month! But then it evened out and has been pretty steady ever since. I gain a little at every weigh in now, but less than in the 2nd trimester - or even the beginning of 3rd tri. DH bringing home buckets of ice cream that was on sale doesn't help, though.. :icecream: At least I can only fit small amts into my super cramped stomach now! 

Sleeping isn't terrible, though getting comfy enough to fall asleep is hard. Once I succeed, I'm ok. I just wake up every time I need to switch sides all night long & must be pretty used to it. Is anyone else in the 3rd tri snoring like their DH's college roommate these days? :blush: He's never woken me up for it, though. :kiss:

I'm getting to be a whiney pregnant lady now. Some days breathing normally is so hard that I don't have energy to do the million things I want to. And its HOT! I'm on the shorter side, Bunda, and there's your answer - we don't breathe.


----------



## Jazavac

I took a picture of my bump today and, again, got surprised. I wonder how I'll walk by the end of this game... :lol:

(The pic is in my journal.)


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## sunshine1217

Jaz, I had that, too. I felt bruised around my stomach. Now a little bit less so but definitely a few weeks ago.

Nellie, yes we are the same in weight gain, haha, I hope I can slow down like you. I'm not short but not tall (about 5'6") but I think I have a fairly small frame for my height so everything is scrunched up. You're allowed to be whiney b/c you're pregnant, when else are we going to be, certainly not when the baby comes out. :haha: are you exercising? I think that's my problem, I need more exercise!

Wookie, that's what I thought, too, now it's super uncomfortable. I didn't have much of a bump for the longest time and then bam, it's here. :dohh:


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## Marie000

Jaz - cute bump! :thumbup:

I'm feeling pretty weak today. It's still really hot today and I think my anemia is affecting me again. I sent OH buy a few things yesterday, including my iron supplement. I told him to go to the natural health store, gave him the name of the supplement and told him it was a liquid supplement. Well, he went to the pharmacy and bought me a different supplement, in pill form. I asked him to return it but he left it at home this morning. :dohh:
So I'll go pick up the supplement tomorrow after my mw appointment.


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## DHime

Marie - look into floradix. It is all natural and is a known iron builder. I have been on it for a while now and my anemia is getting better every day. My HGB level is up to 10 now. since it was 3.2 only a few weeks ago I would say I am a beleiver.

Jaz - soreness in the abdomen is normal. if you feel else that is painful tho, don't wait. go straight to the doctor and demand testing. better safe than sorry.

PG women have more right to whine than anyone else in my book.

AFM - I have a strep infection in my bladder and mild pneumonia now. i cant seem to catch a break


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## wookie130

Awww, DHime, it sounds like you really do need to catch a break. It's like one thing after another, isn't it? How's Tristan coming along?

Praying you both have a speed(ier) recovery!


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm sorry to hear that its still rocky over there for you. You guys have really been through a lot. Please keep us posted - can't wait to hear some better news for either of you! :hugs2: 

Sunshine, I was doing yoga once a week and walking (waddling) a lot, but I have not been able to keep up with it recently. My yoga package ended & I can't afford to do another. :( I do try to do some at home, but I just don't have the discipline to make myself do a 90 minute session. :dohh: I need to exercise more at the moment...... labor is going to be a lot of work, so I feel like I should just suck it up now to keep in somewhat decent shape for it.

Marie, your DH makes me laugh. :) Typical, isn't it?


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## sunshine1217

I can't wait to stop working in a couple weeks so I can do yoga. I've been having debilitating back pains. Nellie, why don't you do a video? I guess it's harder to motivate yourself with that but better than not. I do have a video but have not been doing it. I think I will start again this week, my back is killing me!

Dhime, hang in there. Things are looking up! My friend who delivered early I told you about got to bring her baby home! Your time is near too. Sorry about your strep, I hope the worst is over for you.:hugs:


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## Marie000

I've done yoga too, but not in a few weeks. It's hard to stay disciplined, isn't it?
I have a video because classes are not available around here. I usually do only the first part of the video (around 15 minutes of stretching/squats/kegels). That way I do it more often than if I forced myself to do the whole 50 minutes.

DHime- Sorry to hear of more trouble for you. Take good care of yourself :hugs:
How's Tristan?
I actually just bought some floradix. I'll start taking it today.

I'm just back from meeting with my mw and all still looks good. My fundal height (is that what it's called?) is normal. Just 1cm over average. We're not too sure of baby's position. The midwife said she had never seen a baby hide so well (she's been doing that from day one. I think I'm having a ninja). She's probably head down, with her back towards my back. 
We talked about my worry about the short stay after birth, and she explained to me that if I do give birth at the birthing center, that means that all went well, I had no epidural and I'll probably be walking around soon after birth. The midwife will come visit me at home on days 1, 3 and 5.
If there is a problem with establishing breastfeeding though, they'll help me every way they can and I could even come back for a second stay if necessary. 
I feel better now. All that's needed now is to figure out what to do about visitors...


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## DHime

tristan is doing ok. he has good days and bad ones. The other day he had a bad day and I had a nervous breakdown. went to my car and cried for an hour. you know the kind of crying that gives you the hickups... I think I needed to do it too cause since then I feel better.
Had to stop pumping too since I need all my strength and rest that I can get. sucks


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## bunda

You're going through a lot. Although I am very much pro-breastfeeding and pumping to keep supply up yada yada , I think breastfeeding is not something that _must happen at any cost_. It's not always manageable. Your wellbeing counts, too. 

I don't think you had a nervous breakdown - you had the most rational, normal response to an extremely difficult and strenuous situation. That cry in the car - heck I'd be doing that every day. How is DH taking all this?


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## Marie000

DHime - I think it's quite normal to have such a strong emotional reaction. Don't hesitate to let yourself cry. 
It's quite understandable about the pumping. More than breastmilk, Tristan needs his mom. You are doing him a favor by taking care of yourself.


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## Jazavac

I agree with bunda, DHime. 
I hope things get better for both of you soon. Hang in there.


We had our appointment today and all's good. It's a boy for real. Whee! Now we need a name. Ugh!

Here's the rest of the story.


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## DHime

Jaz - I just knew you had a boy.

Thank ladies for the kind words. I was feeling so guilty for not pumping. Self preservation is more important. I will try to start up again after I get better. I surely can't pump if Im dead. 

Tristan is doing much better today again. Oddly he is doing better w/o the breast milk. I am wondering if the antibiotics I was taking were getting to him. most of my family are alergic to it and they get sick if they take it. I am starting to wonder if he is also. Odd the things you think of when have nothing to do but think and type.

DH is doing ok. he has been holding it together very well. he stayed home from work today since he feeling over-run and needed rest. fortunately he has sick time at work. 
He stayed with me yesterday too since I couldn't keep my fever down. Today It seems to be staying down but I am still sweating like jessica simpson at the SATs. lol


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## wookie130

I'm glad today is a better day, DHime. You know, your theory about the antibiotics and the BFing sounds very valid. It wouldn't be shocking at ALL if you hit the nail on the head with it...see? You're a momma who always knows BEST!!! :hugs:

Glad your fever is more at bay today. Praying it continues to stay that way.


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## Marie000

Jaz - congrats on the little boy! And good luck with names. I'd help you but I am useless with boy names. 

DHime - glad to hear Tristan is getting better and that you are taking care of yourself. :thumbup: Hopefully things will continue to look up.


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## sunshine1217

Another Boy! Jaz, congrats, I know you wanted a little baby boy. :thumb up:

DHime, glad it's getting better. I hope this is the upward road to recovery.:hugs:


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## Jazavac

Thanks, ladies!

DHime, yay for Tristan getting better! I'm glad. Hopefully you'll get over your troubles soon, too. As for the pumping, do you have a medical-grade pump to use? Apparently those do all the work for you (a friend recently had a preemie, so I'm decently-informed in that department). You could just dump the milk, too, to be sure Tristan doesn't get any of your antibiotics now. And of course, breastfeeding is a lot less important than your wellbeing, so if you're not up for it at all these days, that's just fine.


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## NellieRae

Awww, Dhime, I'm glad to hear about little T having a better day. The breastfeeding situation sucks, but your situation is _exactly_ why its great that formula is out there and available to babies. I know its not what you want, but having a healthy momma is even more important for him than mother's milk. I hope you're feeling better soon, too. :flower: I also hope that its possible for you build up your milk again after you're stronger and off the antibiotics. One day at a time. 

Jaz, :yipee: for seeing your boy parts! :blue: No need to be cross-dressing babies in badgerland for now! :haha:


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## bunda

So glad to hear Tristan is on the upswing again. 

Don't feel guilty for not pumping. Formula is pretty good nourishment and will make him good and healthy. He had the colostrum from you which is the most important part, anyway. It is situations like yours that is the very reason no one would ever advocate outlawing infant formula. Even UNICEF, so pro-breastfeeding know that formula serves an important role, precisely for people like you. 


Oh and you know what I was fed on? Home-made formula. Lord knows what my mother was thinking, but I was fed on cow's milk, glucose and oats. This was because way back in 1976 nobody my mother any tips about what to do if your baby just won't feed (I used to prefer sleep over food - still do!) so her milk stopped.

Rather than buy formula she used an old 18th Century recipe (seriously, what was she thinking?!) but you know what, I have absolutely no allergies, no chronic health complaints, no digestive problems, no obesity issues and pretty much thrived on it (although I was always small for my age through childhood before suddenly getting to 5'7 mid-puberty) and I bet you the formula you're giving T is superior to what I had. So don't think you aren't giving him an excellent start in life or anything like that. He's doing all right as he is.


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## Jazavac

Holy wow, Nellie and bunda. I mean, it's not that I have no clue and whatnot, but everytime I actuall _do_ see your tickers, I can't believe that you're so close to your due dates. I mean, I can't believe that I have about 120 days left, either.

I suppose the majority of this journey is still kind of foggy and surreal to me.


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## DHime

Jaz - the journey goes by faster that you ever thought. lol It was that for me after all


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## Marie000

Things do go by fast! I can't believe I'm less than 2 months from my due date! Just 6 weeks until full term. Yikes!! 
I can't wait to see all our little babies.

I do hope the next two months go by fast. I am still discovering new pregnancy symptoms all the time. My latest? Hot flashes. When OH came home yesterday, I was in the bedroom, in front of the air conditioner with barely any clothes on complaining that I was boiling. And it was 20C outside (that's around 67F). :shrug: 
I've also realized that I might be getting Braxton hicks. I thought it was baby stretching my belly, but now I realize it's probably my uterus squeezing in. It's not painful, but really not comfortable either. Same goes for baby's movements. 
Ah well, can't complain too much. Lots of movements mean a healthy baby. So I hope she keeps it up. :thumbup:


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## NellieRae

I'm in full time nesting mode right now! I can't believe that next week I'll officially be considered term. :shock: It does go by super fast - no more putting things off for this mama. Jaz, its good you're well into your baby prep at this point!

Marie, I hear you. Third tri brings all sorts of new *fun* pregnancy sensations. For me, it was around 33/34 weeks that I started to get really uncomfortable. Achy feet & back, hard to breathe, stomach squished & easily upset, heartburn every night. I love that activity means a healthy baby, too - but it sure gets uncomfortable on my cervix/bladder/organs when she is. I often wish that I could take her out and hold her in my arms (much more comfortable!), but I will soon enough. Nature is pretty good at making women welcome labor. :)


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## lilosmom

Wow, gotta keep up on this thread more often. 

Jaz - congrats on the boy! Good luck with name picks. I'm struggling here big time but we've got to come up with a girl and boy so at least you've got it narrowed a bit.

Dhime - sorry to hear about the strep and breastfeeding. Like everyone has said already, your health is so important and once you're better you can see what options are available to you for nursing if that's how you want to go. I hope Tristan's good days are outweighing the bad ones. I can't believe he's already a month old!

AFM, I'm trying to keep up on the exercising also but went for a bike ride today and I almost fainted. I'm sure it didn't help I was pulling LO in her bike trailer with a load of groceries up a hill but honestly I didn't realize I was THAT out of shape! Best to stick with the walking I guess. We're on the home stretch for our house renos too so I'll be so happy to have that done and my house clean for a change. I already told DH that we're not taking on any more projects around the house until next year. I need a break from all this and just try to enjoy the impending arrival of our newest addition. 

Wishing you all well!


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## lilosmom

Oh my God - baby is a squash! I haven't been on here in a while and I can't believe baby's that big already. No wonder I have trouble eating, sleeping, breathing... :wacko:


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## sunshine1217

Aside from 1st trimester, everything does go by fast! I can't believe I'm in my third trimester. Nellie you're almost full term!! We're all going to join DHime soon. I just hope that once the baby comes out, time goes by a wee bit slower. :haha:

I have another paranatologist appointment next week to monitor placental growth due to the single umbilical artery.

Happy Friday everyone! It's another beautiful day in southern california, I hope it's nice where you guys are, too.:hugs:


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## DHime

sunshine - good luck. I hope you have no sua complications. I had 3 with Tristan but that is very uncommon.

He had a bad day today. stopped breathing throughout the day. I am getting increasingly nervous about my infections. I know I am just scared. I have never been this sick in my life and I am worried about things turning bad. I know I am just being paranoid. I never thought having a baby could do this to me. You ladies are safe tho since I am a walking statistic. lol So don't let me scare you.


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## sunshine1217

Dhime, I keep reading that the malformations are uncommon when it's a girl but more common when it's a boy. As for Tristan, think of it as you're getting the worst out of the way. :winkwink:


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## wookie130

The bright side to all of this DHime, is everything after these initial hurdles and set-backs will look like CAKE!!! Flu? Bring it on!!! Chickenpox! No biggie!!! Broken arm? Big whoop! Do you know what I mean? 

I'm sure every day is like walking on eggshells between your health, and baby Tristan's delicate state. He's gonna make it, and so are you. You'll both be a couple of tough cookies in a few months! :hugs:


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## Jazavac

wookie130 said:


> The bright side to all of this DHime, is everything after these initial hurdles and set-backs will look like CAKE!!! Flu? Bring it on!!! Chickenpox! No biggie!!! Broken arm? Big whoop! Do you know what I mean?
> 
> I'm sure every day is like walking on eggshells between your health, and baby Tristan's delicate state. He's gonna make it, and so are you. You'll both be a couple of tough cookies in a few months! :hugs:

I agree with wooks here.

My husband went through all kinds of thick and thin during his childhood, and all the way to like 12, 13 years of age. His parents probably got to say goodbye a dozen or more times (they basically say that what got them through was the fact that, at some point, they became able to start living literally day by day, instead of having any plans for any time in the future). And as a result of this, today, there's pretty much nothing he considers to be really alarming, when it comes to health-related issues. He just whatevers at all of it. 

I can't even imagine how hard it is for you right now, though, but I'm sure you'll make it. I hope today is already a waaaaaay better day for Tristan, too! :hugs:


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## DHime

how is everyone today?
you ladies hanging in there?


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## Jazavac

How are you two doing, DHime?

I'm tired today, due to too much homework and too little sleep last weekend. The bubs also seems a bit less active today and that always gets me worried. (I know, I know, he's still small and I'm not close to the 28 week mark when I'm supposed to be counting, but it's still different when he's quiet because, those days when he's not, he's an active little bee...)


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## Marie000

I'm doing ok. 
my mood goes up and down these days, but today seems to be a good day. That is surprising since it is incredibly hot and humid today, and my neck and shoulders are sore. 
At least I got a few things done today. And it should rain tonight. :thumbup:
And I have convinced OH that building the nursery is getting urgent. I'm not sure he really agrees with me, but he seems willing to go along in order to keep me from getting upset. That's good enough for me. 
Baby is doing fine. Very active. She had the hiccups again this morning, and I always find that so cute! :kiss:


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## Kitty_love

Hi ladies

Had an appt today after scan 4 weeks ago. Didn't have another scan, since I'm not having any issues, but I did get to hear the little heartbeat! They found it quickly, and it was about 170. Was told that was good. Wow, still hard to believe there's really somebody in there! :haha:

Also gained about 4-5 pounds over the last 4 weeks (I already knew that as my jeans no longer button), but dr was pleased as I was a bit underweight. Next appt in 5 weeks.

Keeping you in my thoughts DHime, hope you and your boy are having a good day today!

Hey Jaz-sounds like he's getting some rest like you need after your busy weekend! Try not to worry.

Nellie-so funny and clever-"nature is pretty good at making women welcome labor" :haha:


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## Kitty_love

Glad you're feeling well, Marie! It's really humid here today, too. I'm ready for fall and some cooler temperatures!


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## lilosmom

Glad to hear everyone's doing relatively well. I'm trying to stay upbeat but I've been getting no sleep and the hot weather here has taken it's toll. That combined with raging hormones and I'm pretty much a mess. I keep reminding myself that I tried so very hard to conceive this baby and it will be our last so I should try to enjoy every minute but to be honest some days there's really not much to enjoy... maybe just having a bad spell here. Let's hope things turn around quickly as I've still got more than a few weeks of this ahead.

Dhime, hope today things are looking up for you and baby.


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## sunshine1217

Hi ladies! happy monday. i'm so tired! I don't sleep enough at night and I'm really dozing during the day. can't wait for my scan this week. I know I'm being paranoid but in my dreams for the past few months, I've always been pregnant and last night, I had some dream (can't remember the actual dream) but I don't think I was pregnant in that dream because I was like running and doing backflips and stuff. :growlmad:


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## Marie000

lilosmom said:


> Glad to hear everyone's doing relatively well. I'm trying to stay upbeat but I've been getting no sleep and the hot weather here has taken it's toll. That combined with raging hormones and I'm pretty much a mess. I keep reminding myself that I tried so very hard to conceive this baby and it will be our last so I should try to enjoy every minute but to be honest some days there's really not much to enjoy... maybe just having a bad spell here. Let's hope things turn around quickly as I've still got more than a few weeks of this ahead.

I get that too. That's why having a good day yesterday was so unusual.

As much as I want this baby and I've been hoping for a baby for many years, I find that I do not particularly enjoy being pregnant. Being physically uncomfortable makes me cranky. Hormones make me cranky. So it's hard for me to enjoy myself these days.

I feel really useless too. I'm trying to work outside today, but it's still too damn hot and humid. I am soaking wet from head to toe from the sweat and the humidity, and it's only 9am. And it should be like that for another week still. This summer heat wave seems to have no end :cry:


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## NellieRae

Feeling uncomfortable and cranky when you're 8 or 9 months pregnant in the middle of the summer doesn't mean any of us appreciate the blessing of our babies growing in there less somehow. I do sometimes feel the pressure to *love* being pregnant (where does that come from?!) but honestly, I can't wait to have my body back and to feel comfortable in it again! Pregnancy is wonderful and exciting......but its also hot, exhausting, & painful. Of course its worth it, but I'm _way_ beyond smiling with glee when my ankles swell or lightning crotch strikes! :wacko:

Let yourself smile and feel happy in the moments when you have a squirming or hiccuping baby in there that melts your heart........then feel free to moan and long for a fast fwd button again.


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## Jazavac

So far, I've liked being pregnant because of all the calmness this pregnancy actually somehow comes with.

Yes, there's some nervousness and even anxiety, but under whichever hormones I'm high on, I am barely even being myself. I'm a pretty explosive person, but for the past months, I've been pretty mellow and overall relaxed. Neat. I even get emotional here and there, which is, uhm, a rather new thing. 

The physical side of pregnancy, hm, I guess I don't have any major complaints, other than weight gain. I know I've not gained a ton and it's nothing alarming, but I don't enjoy it, especially since I worked so hard right before I got pregnant to shed some of the extras. But oh well, I suppose?


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## lilosmom

Thanks for the support ladies. I guess we all go through a bad day here and there. The weather has cooled a bit the last day or so bringing rain and thunder storms. I'll take any sort of reprieve from the heat. I'm certainly a girl who needs her beauty sleep so the restless nights are draining but I guess that's just part of the package - it's not going to get any easier here on out for at least the next few months... here's to hoping baby is a good sleeper! Thanks again. Hope you are all doing well.


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## Marie000

How's everyone doing?
DHime - How's Tristan? And how are you? Feeling better?

As for me, I've had a pretty good week. No super-cranky days and no nervous breakdowns yet. I've even been doing things. I make myself a to-do list every morning and do one thing at a time. I get exhausted by the end of the day but at least I'm getting some work done in the garden, and the house is clean. :happydance:

Baby is fine. I've noticed that she gets the hiccup often, almost every day (and those are the times I notice). It doesn't sound like something to worry about, but I wonder if it's normal for her to have it that often.

edit to add: I just turned 32 weeks. I was hoping to get to honeydew melon, but I'm still a squash. Ah well... next week I guess.


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## sunshine1217

Hi ladies! I noticed that I was the same vegetable last couple weeks, is that a bug?

I have my paranatologist appointment today. Haven't seen baby for a while so am pretty eager to see if he is growing well. I have actually not gained any weight in the last 2 weeks, I hope all's well in there.


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## Jazavac

Nope, I suppose they assume babies don't really morph much during certain weeks. :lol: I've been this papaya for a while, then the next one, I think, is the aubergine for some weeks, then some pumpkin-looking thing, etc.

I might've gained another half a pound since last Wednesday and that's making me slightly mad. At the same time, I've not been best friends with the bathroom since, so perhaps that's the problem. Hm.


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## Jazavac

Good luck at the appointment, sunshine!


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## sunshine1217

you haven't gained much overall though, I've gained 18 lbs with still about 11 weeks left.


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## DHime

Glad to hear you ladies are hanging in there.

AFM - Sorry I've been so quiet. 
Been recovering from pneumonia so I have been sleeping allot. Finished antibiotics today. So far doc says there are no traces of bacteria in my urine. So hopefully that means the bladder infection is gone finally. FX Won't know about my lungs till next week when I get a follow up xray to re-check my lungs. Neat thing is I have lost 20 lbs.
I started pumping again and have to start over getting the girls working.

As for my little prince - He is doing great. He is 5lbs now. The other day he ripped out his feeding tube. Now he has to wear socks on his hands to keep him from doing it again. He is getting cuter every day. Next week they are gonna do a test run without the breathing tube and see how he handles it. I am praying he takes it in stride. He started physical therapy today to get his muscles working properly. Apparently premees don't have the ability to handle the effects of gravity when born early. (never even thought about that aspect of it) He got an eye infection but is recovering from it quickly.


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## wookie130

DHime, glad to hear you're getting some much-needed rest, and seem to be on the road to recovery! Not sure that I love that you've lost 20 lbs this quickly, but I suppose it goes with the territory...

And I'm also to happy to hear that Tristan is now 5lbs, and getting stronger! Things are progressing nicely, and before you know it, you'll both be home!


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## Jazavac

Awesome news, DHime!


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## DHime

I am not happy about it either. I only lost it from being sick. So of course none of it was in the right places. lol
I seem to be on the mend now though. I hope

how r u ladies?


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## Marie000

DHime - glad to hear you're feeling better. 
And that's good news about Tristan. 5 lbs is a pretty respectable size. Do you have any new pictures of him?

As for me, nothing new. Today is my self-declared day off, so I'm resting and taking pictures of the garden and of our new chicken. 
I even convinced OH to take a pic of me (he rarely takes pictures). So here's me at just over 32 weeks

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/IMG_5212.jpg


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## lilosmom

DHime - glad to hear Tristan is doing better but wish you were also on the mend quicker. 20 lbs is a lot of weight, you poor thing. :hugs: Here's hoping Tristan does well with the breathing tube removed, my fingers will be crossed.

Marie - great photo! It's nice to have a few during this phase of life to show LO when she arrives. Don't over do it in the garden today - it is a "day off"!


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## Jazavac

Nice bump, Marie!


And yes, DHime, do you have any new pics?


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## wookie130

Looking great, Marie! Your garden/property looks quite peaceful...I would love that!


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## Marie000

thanks ladies!



lilosmom said:


> Marie - great photo! It's nice to have a few during this phase of life to show LO when she arrives. Don't over do it in the garden today - it is a "day off"!

actually, I was up at 4:30 this morning trying to get a skunk out of our live trap without getting sprayed (we meant to catch the raccoon :dohh:) But after that it was a day off. I promise.


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## Jazavac

I feed raccoons. >_>

In town.

We have a mother with a litter of five and then two orphans, which are now on their own and are smaller than the first five. They had a mother and two more siblings, too, but those have been gone for a while.

Yes, I am that horrible. I have a pool for them and I give them all kinds of yummy foods.


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## Marie000

Jazavac said:


> I feed raccoons. >_>
> 
> In town.
> 
> We have a mother with a litter of five and then two orphans, which are now on their own and are smaller than the first five. They had a mother and two more siblings, too, but those have been gone for a while.
> 
> Yes, I am that horrible. I have a pool for them and I give them all kinds of yummy foods.

that's ok. I usually don't mind raccoons. They're really cute! Especially the babies :kiss:
But this particular raccoon got into my ducks' house one night, killed 6 ducks and injured two more. He also keeps coming back and trying to get into the chicken feed, chicken coop, etc. 
We wont be hurting the raccoon, we'll just relocate him (unless he looks sick or rabid)


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## wookie130

Yeah, raccoons can do a number on your fowl population...they can be fairly aggressive toward people too, if startled. We had one that kept trying to sneak into our garage at night...now we just close the door every night.


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## Jazavac

Oof, poor ducks.

My baby ones are cute, but getting a bit too pushy, too. Now I can't really get out on my deck at night, at all, because they're dying to get in every time I even think about approaching the door. :rolleyes:


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## Premomt

Hi ladies! Glad to see you all are doing so well 
not much new here, had a dr appt thursday and had to wait for over 30 min to be seen :roll: and it wasn't even that they had a delivery or something. She blamed the air conditioner being out and it being so hot. :-/
Then when she was using the doppler, the baby moved and she said "that was the baby moving, but you didn't feel that. you wont until at least 18 weeks." and I cut her off and said " I didn't feel that but I do feel the baby often and have since about week 10" and she looked at me like I was dumb. :smh: 
Did I mention I want to look for a new office? I really wish DH was more open to me finding a new doctor. 
These are just some of the most recent reasons I want to switch. There are others as well.

Other than that- it was DH's birthday on wed, and thurs was our anniversary.:cloud9: 4 years :happydance:


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## Jazavac

So what did you feel as early as 10 weeks?


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## Marie000

that is pretty cool that you can feel something at 10 weeks. I think I was around 14 weeks when I started to feel anything. And I thought that was pretty early. 

and happy anniversary! I hope you had a great time.

As for me, I have been really achy lately. I feel like my ribs are bruised, baby keeps kicking me in very sensitive places and my back hurts. Sometimes I fear that I might feel 'period-like pains' like all those ladies talk about in relation to labor, but I'm pretty sure it's just normal back pains and/or constipation.

But I can't complain too much. One of my best friends came to visit and that was so much fun. She gave me two cardigans and one blanket that she knitted for the baby. And they are adorable!! I especially love the blanket. She chose such nice soft yarn in really gorgeous colors.
She also revealed that our old friends from the university have gotten together to buy the baby a gift. I don't know what it is, but just the fact that they still care nearly made me cry of happiness. I haven't seen them in ages and I thought they must have forgotten me. 
I'm glad I'm not the only one looking forward to meeting this little girl.


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## Premomt

Little flutters. Like butterflies... not all the time but consistanly in the same spot, and not gas related. And it was where she found the babys heartbeat that I feel the most movement.


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## NellieRae

Dhime, congrats on little T getting to 5lbs! I'm glad you're done with your infection & hopefully your lungs are clear, too. Lets hope the worst is behind you now & things will only keep getting better. :flower: I never thought about the need for physical therapy, either.....

Marie, what a lovely farm & bump you have! I'm sorry to hear about your discomforts - I wish I could tell you that they'd get better, but probably not. I get daily head butts to the cervix & the idea of comfort has long disappeared. :wacko: These last weeks are not the easiest. 

Premomt, its important to have a trusting relationship with your doctor. Why wouldn't your DH want you to switch? 

I'm busy sewing, shopping, cleaning, and organizing like a madwoman lately. It felt so strange and crazy to be packing my daughter's diaper bag for the birth center this weekend. I had an overwhelming moment staring in wonder at the teeney tiny little diapers I was stashing in there and at the changing table in her nursery. Gotta love the hormones......


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## Marie000

Oh wow NellieRae, you are full term now! How exciting!! :happydance: 

I think I need to accept that I will be uncomfortable most of the time from now on, and I just can't do as much as before. 
OH will be off work starting in 3 weeks, so hopefully he can take over some of the housework, weeding the garden, harvesting, etc. Until then I just need to keep bugging him about the nursery (it's still not started!! :wacko: I need to get decorating and organizing some day!).


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## Premomt

Nellie- I can't describe it. He just feels that since I've been with the practice from the time I moved down here and started seeing an OB that I should just stick with them. 
He and I don't yet see eye to eye on quite a few things about how I want labor and delivery to go... It's very frustrating. 
He puts full faith into the US medical system doctors and drugs. i do not. i have always been a drifter away from mainstream. I prefer to do things differently than the "norm" or "usual" for many reasons- one may be stubborness. :shy:
For example- I don't want to go to a traditional hospital. I would prefer a birth center or even my own home. I do not wish to have an epidural, and if at all possible no episiotimy. I would like for my husband and a select few friends to be active participants in my labor process, and have the MD or Midwife in the far background. I would like to be able to labor in my home for as long as possible, and how I feel necissary at the time (vocalizations, meditation, laughter, screaming, eating etc...) 
He on the other hand *from what I have gathered in our limited conversations so far* would rather go to the hospital as soon as I have regular contractions, and watch me labor in bed until birth. He is all for pain medication ( he currently asks me every day I complain about a headache if I've taken anything for it.) and he is all for medical intervention.
Now don't get me wrong- of course if down the line I have complications I am open to Medical intervention if necissary, but as of now I am a healthy woman with no previous medical conditions that would prevent me from delivering naturally.

Ugh, I feel a rant coming out... I'm gonna go post in my journal and get it all out! LOL~


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## Jazavac

Ugh, that's not a fun place to be at, Premomt. I hope you'll find a way to figure it out. 

When it comes to parenting and pretty much any and all decision-making processes, my husband and I sure do work together. But I have to admit that I was going to have the final say for any and all things relating to labour and delivery, since it's, after all, my body we're playing with. The baby's well-being is of course the most important thing, but I need to get out of the deal alive, too, and as un-damaged as possible, too. So I had my own set of rules and, well, luckily - he agreed with me. I get to choose and decide on any and all of those things and he's there to just support my ideas. 

I'd probably insist on having things done my way, in your case, or at least find the best possible compromise.


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## wookie130

Premomt...he'll go with what you need to do labor/delivery-wise in the end. What other choice does he have? I mean, unless of course he sprouts a vagina and a uterus in the interim, gets pregnant with YOUR baby, and wants to have HIS baby in the hospital bed with pain meds. LOL!!! You see where I'm going with this...

Perhaps he's just underexposed to what natural childbirth/home birth entails...perhaps it is up to you to get your hands on some videos, and have a little family movie night with DH. You never know...he could start to warm up to the plan!


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## Premomt

Its mostly about cost. he just assumes that since a birth center or a midwife is not the norm that it will be the more costly route. 
I'm hoping that wednesday will open his eyes to the fact that it may not be. He told me I've been closed minded about it as well. 
IDK. 
He seems to think we have more time that we do to make decisions... :-/


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## Jazavac

You really do have time, though. But as far as cost goes, homebirth is going to be a lot cheaper than hospital birth. Unless you have some kickass insurance that covers everything 100%. There's always a chance you could get at least some of the homebirth (or birthing center) services covered by your insurance as well. If it's really about cost, perhaps you should contact some midwives, a birthing center or two, and your local hospital and get their pricelists.


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## wookie130

I agree with Jaz...at this point, you still have a ton of time left to reach some sort of peace treaty with DH over the birthing plan, seriously.

And ditto on the insurance stuff too!


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## NellieRae

Premont, I'm so sorry he's got such strong feelings about it. It sounds like he's a bit uninformed and afraid. I'm sure he just wants to protect you. :flower: But I completely agree with everyone - your body, your labor. End of arguement. Wookie is right and maybe you can get him to watch some documentaries with you and help him understand the benefits & _actual _risks of an alternative setting. 

The cost just totally depends on your insurance policy. For us, the birth center is actually going to be a little more expensive than an uncomplicated vaginal birth in hospital b/c our insurer doesn't cover their facility fees. growlmad:) But the benefits to us are worth having to pay a little more, so we will.


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## bunda

I haven't seen it, but many women have said getting OH to watch The Business of Being Born has helped to get them thinking that maybe hospital policies are not entirely in the interest of the mother's (or baby's) wellbeing. I'm none to keen on propaganda movies, but I've a feeling something needs to be done (and said) before the medical model _totally _takes over childbirth.


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## DHime

Also have him watch "pregnant in america" another good one. the business of being born is the best one though.


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## Jazavac

I think the Business of being born is slightly meh, but I could easily attribute that to the annoying guy in it. I guess we just didn't really click right, or whatever. But it's a decent thing to watch. I've seen just about all of those movies.


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## Marie000

I just finished watching The Business of Being born. I liked it. It makes me feel even better about the birthing center. But now I'm really scared of ending up in a hospital for some reason. It also got me scared of cesareans. :wacko:

DHime - I love your new avatar. Tristan is so cute! And he looks much bigger now. I hope he is still doing well. :flower:

As for me, I had a hard day yesterday. We drove to visit a research center. We ended up leaving early because I couldn't tolerate the heat and all the walking. We then visited my parents and I fell asleep for a good part of the afternoon. On the drive back, my back was so painful, and my legs were really twitchy. 
This morning I kept being woken up by leg cramps from 5:30 on. By 6:30, my right leg got really bad and as soon as I managed to get rid of the cramp, it would start again. By the end I was just sobbing :cry:
Now I feel all I do these days is complain. I feel so pathetic. :nope:


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## sunshine1217

I gotta say, we didn't like the Business of being born. The whole thing seemed like such a big propaganda. It really trivialized the doctors' role in labor and delivery. 

Bunda, you're full term!!! How exciting!

Ladies, any of you losing your appetites? I have none after breakfast. Lunch i have to force and dinner, I really just don't want to eat anything. The only thing I don't mind eating are fruits and ice cream, those I can always eat.:haha:


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## Jazavac

My appetite comes and goes, but at least my mood's being pretty steady. I'm like... still not quite being myself. My husband keeps saying he'll make sure I'm pregnant forever. :lol:

I felt pretty similar, sunshine, while I watched the movie. I am not a fan of doctors and hospitals per se, but they overdid it a lot there.

We started our childbirth education this week and, for now, all I want to do is run away and deliver on my own, in the back yard. I'll have to have a chat with my doctor to see how much he can really deviate from the hospital procedures. It's beyond scary, the whole deal. If anyone wants to hear more, there's a post on the blog, and the link is in my signature. Brr.


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## Premomt

NellieRae said:


> Premont, I'm so sorry he's got such strong feelings about it. It sounds like he's a bit uninformed and afraid. I'm sure he just wants to protect you. :flower: But I completely agree with everyone - your body, your labor. End of arguement. Wookie is right and maybe you can get him to watch some documentaries with you and help him understand the benefits & _actual _risks of an alternative setting.
> 
> The cost just totally depends on your insurance policy. For us, the birth center is actually going to be a little more expensive than an uncomplicated vaginal birth in hospital b/c our insurer doesn't cover their facility fees. growlmad:) But the benefits to us are worth having to pay a little more, so we will.

How did you figure out the birth center would be a bit more costly? I am just getting into researching costs and weighing the options.

We were hoping to go to the birth center wednesday, however I got a call from the center saying they would not be doing another open house until september :growlmad: I was so dissapointed! so I ended up getting on the list for that one, but I was frustrated that they wouldn't give me any cost info over the phone stating it would be explained in the info session. :dohh:

So I in my frustration did some research and found out that the center and its providers are considered "in network" in our insurance. this just means that our insurance will cover 80% of our total costs. Which is great! :happydance: I would assume that the facility will cost more than an uncomplicated vaginal delivery at a hospital, but I hope I will be wrong.

I brought this news to DH that night, and we had an actual conversation about it. I still can't get him to really understand what benefits a class series will give us, but I think we have come to an agreement that no matter what type of class, we will be taking some. Especially if we determine a home birth will be the most cost effective and comfortable option for us. (I will not birth at home alone, there will be a midwife/doula present)

now I know I can get these videos through Netflix, but I don't have an account with them. I wonder where else I could "rent" them from... I doubt the library will have them to lend, but maybe they will...


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## bunda

Tristan looks adorable in your pic, DHime. Made me smile to see him getting bigger. 

I definitely lost my appetite. It became even more noticeable as I started the third trimester. I only ever felt hungry if I had gone the whole day without food (this only happened twice. We had some super busy days at work, and I can handle fasting pretty well - my dad and three sisters are all alike in that respect)

I have been trying to eat more these days and I never skip a meal for any reason, as I seem to be losing weight (although the bump is growing and pudd'n is active) I'm just not capable of gaining very much. I gained a pound last week and lost it this week, meaning I'm still only 17lbs above my starting weight. I ate a huge pizza and the next morning I stepped on the scales and my weight had dropped. I mean, that's just not normal (the salt alone should have sent my weight up).

Is this baby expensive to make, or what? How many extra calories are you costing, little one? Did you eat my pizza?


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## Marie000

Premomt said:


> now I know I can get these videos through Netflix, but I don't have an account with them. I wonder where else I could "rent" them from... I doubt the library will have them to lend, but maybe they will...

I know you can watch "The Business of Being Born" on YouTube. 

And so far I haven't really lost my appetite. I'm not super hungry, but I need to eat often. I can't eat big meals anymore though. It doesn't fit into my stomach anymore. 

Oh, baby is now the size of a honeydew melon. Go baby! :happydance:
It's getting close. We should be building the nursery this weekend (finally). Then we have a few small purchases left to do. After that, all baby will need is a middle name. OH has now decided that her middle name either has to be something awesome and geeky, or some sort of joke. :dohh:


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## sunshine1217

bunda said:


> Is this baby expensive to make, or what? How many extra calories are you costing, little one? Did you eat my pizza?

:rofl: you ate an entire pizza??? that's hilarious. 

I can't fit much in these days and meat is not very appetizing to me. Especially when I took iron pills for my anemia, I was not pooing as much.:growlmad:


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## Jazavac

One single night's sleep does wonders for me, though. Regardless of what I eat and how heavy I might be in the evening, I am usually back down to something absolutely normal, or lower than normal, when I wake up the next day.


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## sunshine1217

Sleep is anohter problem area these days though, I haven't been able to sleep more than 7 hours.


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## Jazavac

I'd consider myself extremely lucky if I slept more than 5. Then either a bathroom break interrupts the whole deal, or my cat, or some combination of the two. Sometimes I squeeze another hour in and that's about it. Then I have to get up for work.


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## bunda

I don't know how I manage it, but I am eight and a half months pregnant and don't need to get up in the night to pee at all. I can even get up and have breakfast before needing to go. I think my bladder should be studied, you know, for the advancement of medical science. 

As to eating an entire pizza, I should add these were homemade thin-crust pizzas. I never had pizza in America so I can't be sure how big/filling they are, but if portion sizes in general are anything to go by, I'm assuming one pizza in America would feed an average southeast asian village - especially as I have seen what passes for a pizza crust over there

However, even if I had eaten an entire American sized and topping-ed pizza, I am sure I would still have seen a dip in weight. Baby is very greedy at the moment.


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## Jazavac

From my experience, there is nothing similar between an American pizza, and one served in Europe, at least places I've been to. In Croatia, even pizza-restuarant bought ones, are very thin and don't have more than, maybe, 1/10 of cheese you find on a pizza in the US. So it's often a common thing for a person to go through the whole Croatian serving, whereas in the US, my husband and I eat one single pizza for two days. We still rarely ever do it because I just can't find some I really like.

(If anyone has a good dough recipe, I'll gladly try it out, btw.)


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## DHime

Premont - The out of pocket cost will depend very much on your insurance. Mine covered hospital and birthing center. In Florida it is a requirement of all insurance companies. You may have to inquire about it but talk to a supervisor, not a standard phone agent. (they will only have to go get a supervisor anyway)

Bunda - Don't worry about your weight. It is normal to lose a little right now. not allot of room for your stomach and being uncomfortable in the 3rd tri is an appetite killer. MMMM pizza.... I can believe you ate it. Especially if it a thin crust. And yes, your bladder should be studied.

Marie - GL on th names and the nursery. Take pictures!

Sunshine - I know what you mean. I am on 640 mil of iron a day. On top of my prenatal. Good thingy is that all the antibiotics from being sick has given me long term diarea so it helps me. I don't want to know what it would be like without that

AFM - They got the pathology back from my placenta. The official cause of my early delivery, hemoraging, and pain prior to labor was an acute placental infection. It is normally caused by to multiple internal exams but I only had 2 internal ultrasounds. (who knows) Anyway my body basically kicked the baby out before the infection could spread to him.
Oh and Tristan is up to 5lbs 11 oz!


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## Jazavac

Yay for little Tristan! He looks great in this photo, too.


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## Marie000

Wow! Tristan is growing up fast! :thumbup:

We're working on the nursery today, building the structure for one wall. Too bad it's also one of the hottest day of the summer. Normally I would say let's wait for a cooler day, but I've waited too long already. 
This week I'll call a friend who's a professional decorator and ask her to help me choose paint colors, fabrics and find some cheap decorating ideas. I can't wait :happydance:


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## bunda

Tristan is doing so well! The first in our antenatal group to have hers was just about full term (37 weeks) and he was 5lbs 10oz at birth, so Tristan has officially caught up with that full term little guy. He'll be breaking the 6lb mark soon. I can't wait for the day you tell us he's coming home. 

I was reading up on birthweight and did you know the highest birth weight ever recorded was a boy weighing 23lbs, born in America in 1897. By my reckoning, that is long before McDonald's ever came on the scene. 

Gestational diabetes and/or gaining more than 40lbs seem to be risk factors and also genetics. 

Genetics.... my MIL had a ten pounder (that was OH) and a ten pound tenner (his younger brother), so I'm hoping the fact that I've gained less than 10kg (a risk factor for producing _under_weight babies) is going to cancel out those genes and I'll have a normal-sized, normal weight baby. I do not fancy trying to push something resembling a toddler out of my body. I'm thinking a nice 6-7lbs would be just about right.


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## sunshine1217

DHime, Tristan's adorable! I'm so happy to see that he's grown. I just stopped with the iron pills, can't deal with not going to the bathroom, it makes me crabby. :haha:

Bunda, your doctor is okay with you only gaining 20 lbs? I can't believe you can wipe out a pizza (even thin crust assuming the the regular diameter I am thinking of :haha:) and not gain an ounce, that's a talent. I get the thin crust from Trader Joe's here and I can only eat a third. I think I am just out of room or something. Maybe I've maxed out my weight gain. :shrug:


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## NellieRae

Dhime, look at little Tristan getting so big! I love your new pic. How are things going trying to get your milk production up and running again? I'm glad things are going well again, otherwise. :thumbup: 

Premomt, the birth center here works with us and looks your insurance policy -then lets you know what will be covered and what won't. But not all costs are equal, apparently. There are two types - services & facility. The midwives' care is in-network with our plan, but our insurers are refusing the facilities coverage on some stupid technicality. So, the care & treatment we receive costs the same as any in-network provider, but the facilities fee will be treated as out of network, so we'll have to pay 40% of that, which wouldn't happen in a hospital. 

Bunda, maybe you simply have a little boy in there - don't they burn more calories in utero? Hmmmm........ But I've read genetics plays a role, too. Were you also a 10 lb baby? 

For most of the 3rd trimester my stomach was too squished to be able to eat much, too. And the heat zapped my appetite - I haven't lost weight, but didn't gain any at my last appointment. But baby must have "dropped" because I can eat like a pig again (and do! :blush:) and I'm getting more pelvic pain and less heartburn.


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## sunshine1217

Nellie, that means your time is near! Are you clear of heartburn, too? I'm so excited for you!


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## NellieRae

Thanks! I hope she doesn't go to far past her due date, but we'll see. I'm not heartburn free, unfortunately, but I have much less than I had been dealing with (tums every night.)


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## Lisa40

Dhime that's brilliant that Tristan is doing so well, thinking about you all every day :hugs:
well my appetite is still as huge as ever, but no heartburn here as yet, when does it normally kick in? 
I'm just starting to feel a bit tired again these days, walked into town & back yesterday which is about 3 miles & I have to admit I was a bit puffed by the time I got home. It's hard not being able to do everything you're used to!
Ah well, not too long to go now, it has all gone rather fast when I look back now, very scary!! :shock:

Hope everyone is well
xxx


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## Premomt

What a productive weekend~

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We had such a wonderfully productive weekend! not really overall but more in the baby category lol!
overall- we didn't get anything we had planned acomplished such as getting the oil changed in our cars or cleaning the house. But DH and I had (last week) a great conversation about birth centers, classes, and home birth options. Although I still believe he is a bit delusional about how prepared he thinks he may be without classes, I put his mind at ease by letting him know that our insurance will cover a birth center and their midwives, and he and i are still interested in finding out more about what a home birth will cost us. So we plan on setting up a meeting with a midwife/doula to find out more about cost.
The other part of the weekend that was so successful was that I think DH is on board with cloth diapering!!!
We went to Baby's R Us yesterday and walked the asiles just looking at stuff and compairing ideas about what we liked. We got to the diaper asile and walked through looking at prices and brands, then turned the corner and lo and behold they have a cloth (well hybrid really) diaper section! So he got to see some styles up close and personal 
When he picked up this package 
https://www.toysrus.com/product/index...uctId=12378500
I thought he may be coming over to the dark side... 
Isn't it cute?!? Little denim booty cover! I said to him "wouldn't this be so cute on a little booty?" and he pointed to the large box of 96 disposable denim fashion diapers and said "yes they would be" 
I tried not to get aggrivated, and said "yes 96 diapers at 17.99 (I think the in store price was more like $20+) does seem cheaper than a set of 2 gpants for 29.99 plus the required inserts for them at another 13$, BUT how many uses can you get out of THESE versus Those?" 
I think he got the point there.

Then when we got home before dinner I started watching a series of 7 videos on youtube called "cloth diapering 101" and he asked "what are you watching?" I said "some info about cloth diapering, do you wanna watch?" he said "no." I asked "why not?" he said "because it's about cloth diapering." I was in the kitchen and rolled my eyes. 
After I finishe dinner I continued watching the set of videos, and he said from the kitchen "if you wait, Ill watch them too."
So we sat and watched the set of videos through and he made me stop a few times and replay the video at certian spots like when she talked about how a cloth diapered baby potty trains by age 14-18 months versus a disposable diapered baby 3-4 years. or when she talked about how a stash of prefolds and covers should only cost about $150. And I learned along with him that wool covers contain lanolin which when mixed with urine create a soap! So wool covers don't need to be washed but only every 3 weeks or so! And that When you throw a poopy diaper in the trash without shaking out the poop into the toilet you are actually violating World Health Orginazation and CDC laws, and that this is the reason why irradicated diseases have been reintroduced to our water systems.

Disposable Diaper Companies do NOT tell us these things!

He even at the point when she was talking about diaper sprayers said "we will need to get one of those." (after repeatedly telling me we could never get one as he knows of people who had them and they were faulty and caused major flooding) 
So I *think* he may be on board! :woohoo:

Now I must go, I have alot to do today!


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## Marie000

That does sound like a great weekend premomt. I'm glad your OH is warming up to the birthing center option. :thumbup:

It's also great that you had him reading up on cloth diapers. I was sold on cloth diapers from the start (and OH pretty much follows along on my decisions regarding the baby). I ended up buying two sets of used diapers, and it only cost me $220 in total. For that, I got 24 fitted hemp diapers for newborn/small, with diaper covers (and those diaper covers are sooooo cute!) and inserts. And I also got some great quality one-size diapers (about two dozens of those too) with inserts. Those should fit from 8lbs to potty training (or pretty close to it). So I think I'm pretty covered for diapers. :happydance:

I'm surprised you saw anything at Babies R Us regarding cloth diapers. When I went, I had to ask in order to find them, and they only had one kind, tucked away at the top of a shelf where you could barely see it. And it was a pretty large store too.


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## sunshine1217

Do you guys have diaper services? Those sound great, you pay something like 50-80 a week and they will take care of all your diapers and deliver them all cleaned.

Speaking of videos, anyone seen the laugh and learn series? my friend recommended them. I netflixed them but haven't had a chance to watch them yet.


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## bunda

We have an enormous stash of cloth diapers and the whole lot has cost us less then £150 and should see us through until toddlerhood.

Youtube is a great resource for info on which ones to buy, how to care for them and different types. We've even got a stash of muslin and terry squares in case our newborn is too small for the pocket diapers we have. And there are so many enthusiasts in cloth diaper forums who are a mine of information.

The diaper sprayers for the toilet - we got ours via ebay. Search for shattaf and you should see all sorts of price ranges. We got one with a lever that turns it off at source (As well as a lever on the head itself) so there is no chance of any flooding. You can switch it off at the wall (and it's great for cleaning your butt, too - that is, after all, what most shattafs are used for in the East).


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## Jazavac

I have a decent number of cloth diapers, but I'm not yet done buying. I will probably wait until the baby is born, just to make sure that the styles and brands I have will actually really work for us. I bought about 20 diapers from a Chinese company (have a bunch of friends/acquaintances use them, and they love them), each with one insert, one-size (they should fit from small newborn to toddler, pretty much), for about $100. I forgot the total price. Then I also have a few other ones from elsewhere, a few covers, etc. I'll stuff them with prefolds if/when I'll need more inserts, or order inserts from the same place. The company in China sews diapers for all the big-name brands and there's no difference between their own and those they make for others, as they use the same fabric, etc.

We do have cloth diapering services, but I won't use them. Not sure about the toilet sprayer yet either, at least in the beginning, since breastfed baby's poop is water soluble and can just be dumped in the washer, pretty much. But we'll see about that; there's still time. 

The bad thing is that our daycare won't do cloth, but we're not doing daycare immediately (6 or 12 months at the earliest), so we'll see - I might go with some hybrid thing for them. Disposable inserts, perhaps, and my covers. :shrug:

One of my co-workers uses cloth, as well as a whole group of parents from the area that I'm in contact with (on top of my Croatian friends, too), so I'm sure I'll find my way out of the paper bag, should we get stuck.


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## Marie000

Glad to hear others are going with cloth. Whenever I mention it to people I know, they look at me like I come from another planet. 
I heard of diapering services, but I live in the country, so there's nothing like that available here. Out of curiosity, I checked the prices of services in nearby cities, and they were really expensive! You have to buy the diapers first, then you pay every week to have them picked up and washed. 
Crazy thing is, I like doing laundry. I'm not a very good housekeeper, and I particularly hate doing the dishes (even with a dishwasher) but the laundry I like. So washing the diapers shouldn't be a problem.

Baby is a bit quiet today. She's usually such a wiggler that if I lie down for a few minutes and don't feel her move, I start to worry. She did get the hiccups about an hour ago, so she must be fine. I guess she has to sleep some time.


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## Premomt

Marie- I've been sold on cloth for a few years now as well. I helped a friend try to cloth her baby from newborn on and learned A LOT at that point, but I am still learning more and more about it every time I search.
My friend started with a too small stash of pre loved G-diapers, and some WHAM Fitteds/ covers. 
Her baby pooed through Everything. Even disposables. She was also a screamer when wet, and would wet right after a change:nope: So I believe her mama got discouraged with cloth from the start. She ended up going with disposables, and selling her stash to my brother and SIL.
They have been CD from about week 2 or so I believe. They also got some Pre loved prefolds and covers from some other friends and have been going strong since day one. So it's encouraging to hear from them.
I asked DH which style he would be most interested in trying, and he said the prefolds or contoured type with covers. :happydance: 
I, a long time ago thought I would like the AIO style the best, as it is most like a disposable diaper, but after reading and hearing about washing issues and drying times, I think I may like prefolds and fitteds better.
Sunshine- we do have a new local cloth diaper store/service in our area and are planning on visiting there soon to inquire about prices for the service. I got some info a while ago from them and from what I can remember, they had some packages so you could try a few different styles out to figure what you like best. Their cleaning/pickup/drop off service included a set amt of diapers, and if I remember correctly costs about as much as disposables.
saving money, or saving time... I think my dh would vote $. :lol:
Bunda- thanks for the info about the shattaf sprayers! I will definitly look for one that has a source shut off, that is brilliant!
Jazzavac- what was the company you bought from? I'm interested in looking at them :flower:


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## Jazavac

I'll do my best to try to spell it out here - last time I tried, my post wouldn't go through. I don't know why or how mentioning that particular name would be bad/illegal advertisement, since just about anything else can be mentioned and linked to. Confusing.

The company name is A-l-v-a b-a-b-y. Just google it and remove the hyphens.


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## Premomt

Thanks! They came through for you in good quality? I have fears of ordering abroad- Ordered my wedding dress from china, and it was HIDEOUS.


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## Jazavac

Perfect quality. Free shipping, too, as long as you order 20 items. Any 20 items. They said delivery would take 4-6 weeks, but I got the package in something like 6 days. All items in perfect condition, individually wrapped. They only gave me one wrong diaper, not the size or shape, just wrong design. Which is fine, really. I had like 23 different items in the package. 

And people who have been using them are thrilled. They say it's great quality for, well, ridiculous money.


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## sunshine1217

I haven't done a calculation of the pricing but I think they must make it pretty competitive either way. 

Premomt, I know what you mean about not knowing what you're ordering, that can be scary and in the end it's like throwing money away if it's not what you want.

The thought of lunch is making me queasy, wondering if I should force myself to eat something.


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## wookie130

I plan on cloth diapering also. There's a local place (well, sort of...it's about 45 minutes away) around here that sells a variety of cloth diapers, and you can see different brands in person. I've heard great things about Fuzzibunz and gDiapers (when used with Chinese pre-folds), and you can actually get good bundle deals online. Charlie Bananas get good reviews too, generally. I'll have to check out Jaz's company...


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## DHime

Hope everyone is hanging int here.
Loving the diaper topic. I had no idea. Everyone leaves the poop in the disposable diapers. Even the hospitals.
I am collecting diaper cloths. No pins yet though.


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## NellieRae

I'm definitely starting out with disposables, til we have some kind of routine and I can make up my mind about which kind of cloth system would work best. One thing I'm really concerned about is the amount of extra/high maintenance laundry required. Separate diaper loads, with 2 extra rinses and two dry cycles for many styles?! That might not so green after all, or easy on our utility bills. I'm thinking maybe prefolds & covers to make drying more manageable....but we'll see. Jaz, I'll have to check out that company when we're ready.


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## Jazavac

Fitted ones dry reasonably fast, because you take the liner out and dry the parts separately. You can air-dry, too, as long as you have enough diapers to do that. I think the ones we have require nothing but one washing cycle, with or without presoaking.


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## Premomt

wookie130 said:


> I plan on cloth diapering also. There's a local place (well, sort of...it's about 45 minutes away) around here that sells a variety of cloth diapers, and you can see different brands in person. I've heard great things about Fuzzibunz and gDiapers (when used with Chinese pre-folds), and you can actually get good bundle deals online. Charlie Bananas get good reviews too, generally. I'll have to check out Jaz's company...

I would vote a big no with the Gdiapers. At least not for newborn-3months or so. They with the prefolds are too bulky for a little baby, and the way you put the insert into the PUL liner made for a lot of gap round the legs which in turn leads to lots of changes of clothing.
Now maybe for a chunkier thighed baby it would be better?:shrug: or specifically using the Gdiaper inserts maybe... Just didn't work well for the one I babysat.
Nellie- The laundering thing is so user specific. Some don't do extra rinses some do. some spray off the diapers, some soak them in a wet pail until wash day. It really depends on the style of diaper, how often you want to wash, and what type of detergent you use. Also if you have to use creams etc... 
It can be daunting I suppose (I don't know how I will fare- right now I have LOADS of laundry sitting waiting to be washed :blush:) But managable if you keep on top of it.

Anyone go through a point where they weren't feeling very pregnant around the second tri? That's where I am at currently... got my energy back, sleeping well, not running to the bathroom constantly, eating ok... and my normal pants fit OK. :shrug: Im just waiting for the other shoe to drop lol!


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## wookie130

Thanks for the info on the gDiapers...I've read as much from other reviews online, and others really like them.

I did check out the diapers on the site that Jaz recommended, and they look great! They are the least expensive I've found so far, also!


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## Jazavac

They are by far the least expensive, the designs are super adorable and the actual diapers are made from the same fabric as most other big names. Even the designs are theirs, too, for the most part. Apparently, this company will even stitch your own tag to the diapers you order. :lol:

I've not heard of people having issues with prefolds and/or inserts from the earliest age, unless we're talking 3lbs preemies. With them, people eihter had to do prefolds specifically folded for that small of a size, or just disposables. Most good quality diapers have adjustable leg openings, too. And you still need to know how to button them up and wrap them, on top of that, too.

We might to gDiapers for daycare, but the kiddo will be older by then, anyway. At least 6-7 months, hopefully a year.


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## bunda

I have a few ebay cheapies from China and they look pretty good to me - although the inserts are microfibre, which I have read is not as absorbant as hemp or bamboo - and not so skin friendly if used directly against baby's skin (it wicks all moisture from the skin so can dry it out - fleece liners prevent that) - so I bought hemp boosters and bamboo ones to increase absorbancy and a fleece blanket to cut up into liner-sized strips. 

I don't think absorbancy is such an issue with a newborn though, as their output is frequent but small, so we'd change baby often and wouldn't need a lot of absorbancy (in fact, too much absorbancy could be bad - one of the criticism of my brother in law had about disposables was that they were TOO absorbant and people are then tempted to leave their kiddies in them for too long. They hated the plastickiness of the disposies and how heavy and full they became as the gel beads soaked up the urine - they preferred the cloth by FAR for that reason) - and he wasn't originally all into cloth nappies. His wife insisted and he became a total convert.

We have bought a lot of muslin squares and looked up folding techniques on youtube (jo fold and batwing fold seem to be most appropriate for a newborn), as advice seems to be muslin is all you need for a newborn, especially if they are very small. We have some small wraps (ebay again) for waterproofing, but we may not need even this. Then, once baby gets a little bigger we can progress to the pocket nappies. 

I don't plan to use any disposies, just in case they're convenient and I'm tempted away from cloth - but hearing my sister and brother in law talk about their perception of them (and wrinkling their noses at how overfull and under-changed these plasticky things become) reassures me that cloth is not second best.

Fortunately I live in a very crunchy city, so I am sure nurseries will not be the slightest bit surprised if I insist on cloth for my baby's bum - in fact, I am sure I could turn up with woven hemp leaves in an alpaca wool wrap with organic seagrass boosters and they'd not bat an eyelid. 

My complete stash (so far) is:
18 pocket diapers (different brands)
20 or so microfibre inserts
24 unbleached cotton prefolds (very cheap but bulky - they do fit in the pocket diapers though)
5 hemp boosters (absorbant but slow drying)
16 bamboo boosters (lightweight and quicker to dry)
20 muslin squares (for the newborn stage)
20 terry towelling squares (might fit a newborn but we'll see)
10 waterproof wraps (to be used with the prefolds or around the two above)
5 nappy nippas (snappies)
fleece liners ('flushable' ones are not actually flushable - just ask the water companies)
about 30 washable wipes - some bamboo, some fleece - to test which I prefer)

For diapering, I feel very ready. I just think I could do with a few more wipes (I have disposable ones for when the washables run out) and muslin squares, but I don't plan to buy any more until I know they work well enough - then it's a ten minute walk to Babies R Us to pick up another pack.

We have bought no disposies. We have two free samples that I've got in my nappy bag, either as emergencies when out and about or for other people to use (my mother, for example - who doesn't seem too enthralled with the idea of cloth). 

Oops, didn't intend to write so much - especially since I'm no expert on cloth nappies (yet!) and think I'm going to be learning a lot once I have my own little pooper.


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## Marie000

I talked to my midwife about the diaper thing, and she recommended I look into using disposables for the first few days, because baby's first few poops will be very sticky. I might look into some natural disposables, and buy just one package. 
I'm not sure. I keep going back and forth about the newborn diapers. 

The rest of my midwife appointment went pretty well. We talked about the birth, what I was worried about, etc. It is starting to get more real now, but not entirely. I still can't believe I'll be full term in just 3 weeks. :wacko:
The midwife now seemed pretty sure that baby is head down. She has her back on my right side, so that's why she keeps kicking my left side. 
Bad news is, I now have glucose in my urine. I never had it at previous appointments. We made an appointment for a little under 2 weeks from now and we'll see then if the glucose is still there.
Until then, I'll try to cut down on the sugar. I have been eating a lot of it lately. So I guess that means I have to greatly reduce my daily intake of Nutella :cry:

Premomt - you're in the second trimester already? Wow... I didn't even notice. Where does the time go? That is great news. 
And yes, the second trimester was much easier for me, at least the beginning of it. I got my energy back, the nausea went away and I didn't have to pee all the time (I miss those days!). I never really lost the bloating though. I hear some people do, but my belly transitioned smoothly from bloating to bump.


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## Jazavac

That's quite a stash there, bunda!

I think we have about 20 Chinese one-size fitted pocket diapers. 
Then about 4-5 all-in-ones.
Then a few newborn ones.
3 - 5 covers.

No prefolds yet, or regular square ones. I need to order these and eventually stitch them together into inserts for the pockets. The Chinese ones are microfibre and I've heard mostly good things about those. At the same time, the girls who tried bamboo said their kids couldn't take it. So for now, I allow a lot of trial and error there, too. If the kiddo takes after me, he might be allergic to all kinds of things, unfortunately. I hope he'll skip that issue because, amongst other things, I loooooooooove wollen covers and leggings on babies. So far I've bought none, though, because they're expensive and I don't know what to expect.

We have enough time, though, to complete the stash. For now I'm waiting to hear more about the possible baby weight and size, before I make my final decision on newborn sized diapers. Some people say they're not necessary, some can't live without them. If the baby is more Croatian than American, in size, we're in for a little giant (for this part of the world). If he's more like my husband, he might be smaller.

Hm hm.


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## Premomt

It's really exciting to talk with like minded people regarding the cloth :thumbup: I asked my husband again today if he was really into trying the CD thing and he said " well I really don't have a choice do i?":dohh: but really :nope: he doesn't... LOL 
Next I need to get his OK to start BUYING a few here and there when I see some good sales so we have a "bunda" stash before baby gets here :haha: OK maybe not that many right off, but at least a few of each of the styles we were interested in trying to really feel them out.

Marie- your MW is right about the meconium poo being sticky, but in the videos we watched (cloth diapering 101 on youtube) she suggested using the disposable liners on top of your cloth to prevent staining. She also at the very very end of vid 6 mentions two different types of natural non bleached non gel filled disposable brand diapes. Might be worth a watch as I can't remember the names right off.
And I am also raising an eyebrow at how fast i've moved along so far... crazy to think it!


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## NellieRae

Bunda, since you'll be the first to begin your cloth diapering adventure (and have quite the practical stash), I can't wait to hear how it goes for you & what works for you guys :winkwink:

Marie, sorry about the glucose in your urine. :-( Not much longer now, though. I feel like the closer I get, the more "over it" I am and tempted to cheat with stuff. No alcohol here, but I have given in to a turkey sandwich and an occasional morning half cup of coffee. Mostly, though, more dessert is what happens.....:coffee:


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## Jazavac

What's up with the turkey sandwiches and similar things? 

I mean, I know, I think, that they're on the list of forbidden things in the US, along with soft cheeses, but I seriously don't understand why. All of those foods are so processed that it's really highly unlikely that they contain the bacteria everyone is scared of. I understand the whole deal when it comes to cured, homemade meats from unknown sources, but those can't even be gotten in the US. Same with cheeses, but they really only pose a threat if the milk they're made of is unpasterized. And I've yet to see _any_ dairy product in the US that's not undergone the process. 

So I've not been avoiding any cheeses. Blue, gorgonzola, brie... I eat them all the time. :shrug: All pasteurized. Deli meats are not my favourite thing, but if I run into something decent, I eat it. I have a huge chunk of real, uncooked but cured prosciutto we smuggled from home and I eat that, too, since I know where it's from and that it's not contagious. Etc. I'm more scared of dirty hands at restaurants, really, especially since staff here doesn't seem to be required to pass any medical tests prior to being hired by business that handles food. 

The only food I really avoid is fresh fish (sushi :( ), but that's mainly because I don't trust the freshness of fish this far into the mainland.


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## bunda

Europe has no restrictions on cold meats at all, so I don't think the risks can be all that significant. Especially when you consider how popular cold meats are in many parts of Europe and would be eaten in great quantities. I think the danger comes more from how these meats are handled (moving from uncooked to cooked meats while serving customers) and you'd be better off buying meats from the whole sausage, rather than already sliced, where cross-contamination is more likely.

You can't be 100% safe anyway, though, when you think that the likes of e coli are just as easily found on fruits and vegetables as they are in meats.

With cheeses, the bacterium that cause listeriosis are found in the soft cheeses (even if pasteurised) as it also lives in the mold on the outside. (This is why goat's cheese is fine so long as it's not the mold-ripened ones). Keep in mind that you are more likely to develop listeriosis from eating these than a non-pregnant person, so you can't really judge the degree of risk by whether you have ever been sick from it before.

My GP mentioned that the risk of listerios IS very small. There are very very few cases reported in UK, but they do see it a fair bit in France, where more women still eat brie and camembert etc because, well, culture is a very powerful thing. 

I have followed the advice and avoided mold ripened cheeses and soft cheeses (I can live without) and I do eat cold meats (no restrictions on that in UK). Sushi is fine so long as the fish has been frozen (the risks are not in bacteria but in parasites).

The one thing I miss, that which is in order from OH once I'm free to eat whatever I want, is a rare rib eye steak from a good butcher's we know. I hope it'll be my first main meal as a new mother (I am NOT eating the placenta!) :haha:


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## Marie000

Luckily for me, I'm mostly vegetarian, so most food restrictions don't apply to me. I have been careful not to eat undercooked eggs, and I'm not a big fan of soft cheeses, so that's not a problem. 
I have however been eating fruits and veggies directly from the garden without washing (we don't use any chemicals, but I guess there could be some dirt on them) and generally eating too much sugar. Most sugar I eat out of boredom, and I get bored a lot these days. I am trying to cut back now. I find that I can't eliminate sugary treats completely, but at least I take smaller portions. 

Today I'm hoping to go over the list of what I have left to buy for baby. I have a feeling I'll be forgetting lots, but hopefully nothing too important. I might go shopping with my mom on Sunday. 
Too bad there is no tradition of baby showers around here. I'm sure my parents and in-laws will give the baby some gifts, but I get the feeling that will be once baby is born, which is not much help for me right now. They haven't asked me what I need either.


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## bunda

You should definitely wash what you collect from the garden. Toxoplasmosis comes from feces, including that of wild animals who may have pooped on or near your veggies. Cats are the most common, but not the only, carrier of toxoplasmosis.

Having said that, it's only a danger if you've never had it before. If you've had toxo once then you're immune (and many people have had it without even knowing it, as the symptoms are just the usual flu like ones). There is a blood test you can have to test, but I'd suggest washing the veggies anyway - I mean, who wants to eat poop, right?

I'm with you on the sugar. I have always had a sweet tooth. It's my vice - but I do keep remembering: excess sugar in the blood makes BIG BABIES (cue mental image of giving birth to a mini michelin man) so I try to stay away - heh, easier said than done!


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## Jazavac

I asked to be tested for toxo last year in June or July and, unfortunately, my test came back negative for any and all antibodies. So I've been careful with what I pick in my garden (don't have that much to pick, anyway), as well as with other produce I put my grubby paws on. At the same time, since I already had my cat at that point, they figured she didn't have toxo either, so I'm good poking around her litterboxes (she doesn't go out, so she's not had a chance to contract the diseases since). 

I don't like rare steak, but there's one thing I'd love to have at some point again: Tatár beefsteak. No clue where I'd get the meat for it here, as I trust/know nobody. :shrug:

I like my sweets to. I try to eat homemade, at least (yeah, I know, sugar is sugar, but at least I get to avoid the preservatives and who knows what else).

My OGTT is on Wednesday, but I have to admit I'm not really scared of GD; I really doubt I have it. I'm just scared of getting sick once they have me drink the poison. :/


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## bunda

I haven't heard of anyone actually throwing up from the sweet drink, it just makes you a bit nauseous. I think you'll be fine.


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## NellieRae

Jaz, I'm sorry to say I have heard of someone throwing up from the sweet drink - my sister. The worst part is that it negates the test and you have to start all over. But really, I think it gets a worse reputation that is necessary (the one hour test anyway!) It didn't make me sick at all, it was just hard to fast for. I doubt you'll throw up. 

So at my appt yesterday, I was measuring small without any growth in my fundal height, though the baby seemed fine. Now I have to have a growth ultrasound next week and I'm going to be paranoid for a few days. :sad1: I went home and looked at my belly and wondered how it could get any bigger than it is! DH keeps saying that it looks like I have a giant watermelon in there (and he's never seen or heard of a pregnancy ticker! :haha:) LO better be ok in there. I'm getting antsy for her to come out now so I can check on her without medical assistance. 

Bunda, I can't wait to have a juicy rare steak, a beer, and some runny eggs before the summer's over!


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## Jazavac

I wouldn't worry much about fundal height, Nellie. It's a pretty unreliable measurement, as it strongly depends on the midwife/doctor's... well.. randomness. 

I had a three hour test 12 years ago and I was fine. But back then I wasn't nearly as freaked out when it came to puking either. My one hour thing doesn't come with fasting, which is awkward. Oh well. I'll live.


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## Marie000

Good news... work is finally moving forward on the nursery! The structure for the wall is done (crooked, but done) and I am in the process of painting the boards before we put them up. I still have lots of painting left to do, and cutting the boards (unfortunately our ceilings are not 8ft high, more like 7ft, so everything needs to be cut). But it will be pretty. Most of the walls will be off-white, with some light green. One wall will be stripped off-white, light green, bright red and dark brown. The crib will be bright red, and the wall shelves light green. We chose the colors to match the bed linens, which are "farm friends" themed. 
But one thing I feared... doing home renovations when you are nearly 8 months pregnant is not a good idea. It's really hard :nope:

More good news... my old friends from university sent me a gift through the mail. It's a $200 gift certificate for a photography studio. I cannot wait to use it! (but I will wait until baby is here... I prefer to use it for baby pictures rather than for maternity photos)

Jazavac - good luck with the glucose test. 
I really hope I don't have to do one. Here the midwives don't have it done for everyone, but I think if I keep having glucose in my urine, they will suggest I have it done.


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## DHime

glad you ladies are doing well

JAZ - FX for you

AFM = my LO graduated level 2 of the NICU since he now takes bottles. one step closer to home. we bought a stroller and car seat yesterday and realized they sold us the wrong bar to attach the car seat to the stroller. no biggy except it is a 2 hr trip to this stroe. lol


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## wookie130

Jaz- Good luck on with the glucose test. I'm sending you mucho anti-nausea/puking vibes.

Marie- Glad to hear progress on the nursery is being made!

DHime- Way to go, Tristan! It is another step toward coming home!!!


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## Jazavac

Awesome, Tristan!


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## Kitty_love

Oh, DHime, so glad to hear the good news on how great Tristan is doing!!!


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## Kitty_love

Getting caught up on the posts...

Marie - sounds like the nursery is coming along well...I find light green such a nice soothing color and pairs well with off-white. What a thoughtful gift from your college buddies! Thats a great idea, especially if they weren't sure exactly what you needed/had already. And all about making memories...so thoughtful!

Jaz - good luck on your glucose test.

Nellie - am I counting correctly from your ticker? Is today the big day you're at 40 weeks?!? WOW!!! Hope you're feeling well. I know you can't wait to meet your LO!

Hope everyone's having a nice weekend. Weather here cooler (finally, for a change!) so Hubby and I went for a walk in a local park, did a little over 3 miles. Pretty tired afterwards this afternoon, but want to be ready for our upcoming trip to London. We always do so much walking when we're there. I know I'll be a bit slower this time, but still want to see all our fav stuff.


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## Marie000

Oh, wow. I didn't even notice Nellie was almost at her due date. So exciting. I can't wait to see the little one.

DHime - It's great to hear about Tristan's progress. I'm sure he'll continue to get stronger and he'll be home before you know it. 

I was talking to my mom yesterday and I explained to her what my midwife had told me about the baby's position. I mentioned, among other things, that she said the baby's head was lying pretty low. To which my mom answered "oh, that's a good sign." I got kind of freaked out. I never thought it could mean that the baby might come soon, and that scares me. 
My midwife didn't seem concerned at all, and I never thought to ask her what it meant for baby to have her head so low. 
I just hope baby stays put for at least a couple more weeks.


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## sunshine1217

Nellie, how are you doing?

Congrats DHime, or Tristan I suppose for graduating!:thumbup:


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## NellieRae

:yipee: for little Tristan making good progress. I can't wait til you get to take your little man home, Dhime. He'll be one month old pretty soon! 

The big day is Thursday....and we'll see if she's ready to come out. I need her to wait til after tomorrow, though, because my city has decided that THIS WEEK would be the prefect time to resurface all the streets in our neighborhood! :growlmad: So tomorrow we won't have access by car to our house. There is no way I'm hauling her and our stuff several blocks through toxic, loud construction to get home. Its going to be a mess here for a while....But I am still comforted to know my body's getting ready - I had bloody show on and off all day yesterday and last night lost my plug! :happydance: 

Marie, its totally normal for the baby to "drop" very early in a first pregnancy. It doesn't mean labor is around the corner at all...but you might have to pee even more and start getting lightning crotch soon. :thumbup: So exciting to move forward on that nursery - things just get harder the bigger you get.


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## Jazavac

Ooo, Nellie, so things are happening slowly for you! Well, I hope they'll be slow enough so you stay 2-in-1 during the construction.


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## Marie000

Nellie - so excited to hear that you are getting near. But I do hope that construction will be over soon. 

I really don't know if I've really dropped, and if so, when. Last week was the first time my midwife was able to find out the baby's position. I haven't noticed any change in my bump.
I do pee very often. That has been going on for quite a while, but I think it got worst lately. I had never heard of lightening crotch, but I just googled it and I've been having that too. Glad to hear it's normal.


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## sunshine1217

Nellie, that's so exciting. Can't believe the timing of the street resurfacing though! Good luck with baby girl. Keep us posted!


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## Premomt

Who in here has taken birthing classes and what can you tell me about them? Cost and how many hours /weeks long they were? Dh and I are battling about it currently and I would really like to get it underway already. I'm really interested in taking a Bradley course which is 12 weeks long and starts mid sept. but he is stuck on the cost of it as well as 'why is Bradley better than Lamaze?' I'm so frustrated right now with him I went to bed early! :cry:


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## Jazavac

We're in the middle of our hospital-organized childbirth education right now. Tomorrow is our third class, out of five, and all I can say is - yuck. It's free, it's not really educational (unless you have no clue what stages of labour were or where in your abdomen the baby actually sits, etc.) and all I want out of it is the hospital tour, that's happening tomorrow. If you go along with the class, it's detailed and takes a while, if you tour it on your own, they just basically tell you where to show up when you're ready and that's about it. The details are on my blog (link in signature). 

I'll take an independent class, too, in about a month or so, with or without my husband, depending on his schedule. This one consists of three classes, a couple hours or so at a time, and is $30. It's organized by an independent group of doulas and other birth professionals. I'm looking forward to this one.

There were no Bradley classes in our area (or probably anywhere in the world) that would have worked for both our schedules over the course of 12 weeks, unfortunately.


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## bunda

NellieRae: *gasp* how exciting. Things are happening!

Jaz: Wow $30? my antenatal course cost £120! 

The Bradley and Lamaze methods have different ways of dealing with the pain. Here is what I found: https://www.parenting-journals.com/21/the-101-on-the-bradley-vs-lamaze-childbirth-techniques/

It seems the BRadley method is much more partner centred (he is the coach) so how much do you think you can rely on him?

Also, which type of pain management works better for you? To try it out, grasp an ice cube and use different methods for managing the pain and see whether one works better for you than another. My natural tendency is to focus closely ON the pain and explore its sensations in acute detail (Bradley method) even using the awareness of the sensation to relax (the more it hurts, the more you relax. Relax the jaw, the shoulders). Distraction never really works very well for me (Lamaze method).


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## Marie000

I have only taken the free birthing classes at the birthing center. It was interesting, but not very detailed. It was just 3 evenings of 2 hours each. 
I have not researched techniques on how to deal with pain, or positions to give birth. For the positions, especially, I trust that the midwife will be there when the time comes and will be able to suggest positions. I should have plenty of time to try different positions. I have been doing some prenatal yoga (not often enough) so hopefully that will help too. 
As for pain, I used to do some meditation, and I have been meaning to start again. I'm pretty sure that's the main thing that could help me deal with the pain, aside from means to actually reduce the pain (like hot compress, water, etc).


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## Jazavac

bunda said:


> Jaz: Wow $30? my antenatal course cost £120!
> 
> Also, which type of pain management works better for you? To try it out, grasp an ice cube and use different methods for managing the pain and see whether one works better for you than another. My natural tendency is to focus closely ON the pain and explore its sensations in acute detail (Bradley method) even using the awareness of the sensation to relax (the more it hurts, the more you relax. Relax the jaw, the shoulders). Distraction never really works very well for me (Lamaze method).

The $30 course is ran by our local enthusiasts, basically, so they are trying to make sure they barely charge you anything for it. The Deep Valley Birth Collective is brand new, so they're making sure to get some audience. Either way, I applaud the price, that's for sure.

We were given a frozen balloon each in this hospital-organized class and she wanted us to focus on our breathing to see if it'd be any different that way. It wasn't for me, not at least the way she was suggesting. The breathing the class suggests is more Lamaze-style, with the weird hohos and huhus and whatnots, whereas I prefer what I've learned from my years of yoga experience: there's no reason for noise or articulated anything; you basically need to figure out your own breath rhythm and get it to work with your movements, whatever they are. And yup, your jaw muscles are directly connected with those of your perineum. So it's very, very very very important to be able to relax the jaw during labour.


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## DHime

Nellie - my thoughts and prayers are with you dear!

On the birthing classes: I used bradley but since we only got to attend 3 classes, poor dh wasnt a good coach. The deep breathing worked great for me. everyone has different way of approaching pain though. I can say the the sucess rates for staying meds-free is better with Bradley (87%) than with lamaz (40%).
It is a long course but you get allot of info and the coach can work with you if you have less time. it cost me about $200 total and totally worth every penny.

AFM -My LO is doing well. They removed the iv in his heart yesterday. He has moved up to 4 bottles a day but is having bad reflux. (very common with his condition) hopefully coming home in the next or so! yay!


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## bunda

oh my! home soon! How exciting.

But how are YOU doing? You've been through a lot, too.


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## wookie130

I think I'm going to host a Lamaze class of my own, and title it "Hohos and Huhus", based on Jaz's description above. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nellie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She's a'comin!!!!!!!!!! Don't forget to PUSH!!!! LOL!!!! Best of luck!


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## Jazavac

I should scan a page of the workbook they gave us in this class, really. :lol:


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## Jazavac

DHime, wow, that's awesome! I hope he goes home really soon. And I, too, am wondering if you're doing well.


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## Marie000

DHime - glad to hear Tristan continues to improve. Such a strong little man. 

As for me, not much new. On Monday night, I had Braxton hicks stronger than usual, but not much since. I continue to work on the nursery. For such a small room, painting is taking forever! (that's what happens when you have 4 different colors)
But OH should leave work any day now. He was supposed to leave on Friday, but with some luck, today might be his last day. So he'll be able to help more, and once the nursery is done, I will slow down. I feel exhausted.


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## DHime

I am doing well. Still working hard to get the bb's working. Gonna attempt a breastfeeding session today to see if he will latch on.
I do have moments when I feel a little angry especially when I certain things.
Like my coworker who smoked and ate all junk food (and he baby was perfectly normal)
Or when I see moms taking thier babies home. I just turn green and want to tell them how lucky they are. (a healthy baby is such a blessing that people take for granted)
I love my son and wouldn't change him for the world. I don't look forward to the hard road ahead for me and him alike. It just makes my chest hurt sometime to think about it. I think it makes me even more protective though. I will be so scared to sleep for fear he may stop breathing. I know that he will be okay because he won't be going thru anything alone. 
I
will however hit the next person who says "lucky you having a premie. He was smaller so you had an easier labor." First, labor is labor despite the size of the child. I would not wish premie issues and birth defects on anyone. For someone to say I am lucky he was early is just the most insesnitive crap I have ever heard. Can you guys tell I am about to pop?


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## sunshine1217

Awww Dhime, my heart goes out to you. I can't believe anyone would tell you it's lucky to have a premie! Babies are not just about labor. Who would ask for a premie. I'm just so glad Tristan is doing well, I hope with each day that passes, you are more relaxed about him.:hugs:


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## DHime

thanks. me too. I know I will be.


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## wookie130

Oh, I'll be rooting you both on DHime, that he gets to come home with you very soon. And you're right to be offended by preemie comments like the ones you mentioned. You may recall that I teach children with moderate/severe/profound disabilities, and a few years ago, I had a student who was the son of an NFL football player. This little boy was born at 24 weeks gestation, and was obviously a micro-preemie when he was born. Apparently, his mother could fit him in the palm of her hand. Well, miraculously, he lived, and while he had a significant intellectual disability and profound ADD (with hyperactivity), he was strong, healthy, social, and devastatingly handsome. I think a lot of people feel that once the preemie is born and thriving, and they get to come home, that the challenges for the family of the preemie are over...well, what they don't understand, is the medical baggage these children carry (sometimes for life, or at least for several years), or the disabilities that it can leave as well. There are also those preemies that begin life being medically fragile, and end up with no serious ongoing health issues or disabilities, and they thrive in every way. But people need to really watch what they say to mothers of newborn preemies, because it is a tremendous challenge to deal with, in so many ways.


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## DHime

That's true. My LO is going to have some problems eating at the very least. His reflux is pretty bad and causes him allot of pain. Plus he just won't burp. He farts instead.
The trials begin anew when they come home and suddenly there is no nurse to ask for help. lol 

Oh! he was able to latch on! Gonna do another session tomorrow. Also, it looks like he will come home Wednesday!!!!!


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## Jazavac

Wow, Wednesday is so soon! I'll keep my fingers crossed that it happens then.

I'm really glad you're both doing fine and, like wooks said, you have all the right to be angry at people who make stupid comments. A preemie mom I work with has had pretty much the same experience. Now that the boy is five months old and doing pretty fine, whenever she puts up a picture of him from the early days, people come up with things like: "Oh. He didn't even look real/human!" Like, seriously?! 

Are you a member of some preemie mom groups, or similar things? She said that helps a lot.


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## Lisa40

Oh Dhime that's wonderful news about wednesday, I'm sure it will be scary having no nurses there but im pretty sure they'll visit & you can call if you need anything :hugs:
As for the no burping thing, I've only burped about 4 times in my life lol, I have an issue with that little flap on top of the windpipe so I'm very rarely sick either.
I do feel a bit windy sometimes :blush: but I've learnt just to avoid things that build up gas & to be honest it really hasn't affected me at all. So if he does still have problems later in life with it it's really not too bad... He just might not be able to join in the burping contests that boys seem to have :haha:
xxx


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## bunda

DHime, I am shocked by how insensitive people can be. What kind of a moron tells someone they're lucky to have a preemie? Have they no idea how much the parents go through the wringer with worry?! I'm astounded. That's like telling someone "you're so lucky you had cancer. I can never lose weight..."

Oh my, Wednesday. I bet you're nervous, but I'm sure he'll be fine. They will have been keeping a close eye on his ability to thrive away from the tubes and whatnot and wouldn't send him him unless they're sure he's ready. 

Sending booby-dust your way, to get those mammaries into full gear. Great that he's able to latch.


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## Jazavac

Nellieeeeeeee? :impatient:


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## sunshine1217

Dhime, wednesday!!! How exciting!!! I am thrilled for your family to unite.

Bunda, you are so close woman! Are you feeling contractions? 

Nellie, are you in labor? Pls update when you have a chance....we're all thinking of you.

I am getting these sharp pains in my vagina, it's weird. Do any of you have that?


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## Marie000

DHime - I can't believe how stupid some people are. Hopefully you have some more supportive people around you. 
I can understand your worry about having Tristan at home without medical professionals. But I'm sure they wouldn't let him to home if he was in danger. 
Do you have a movement monitor (Angelcare or similar)? I personally wouldn't use one with a healthy baby, but in your case, maybe it would help you sleep better?


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## Jazavac

We'll go with the movement monitor regardless of the baby's health. They're not that expensive and I think it'd let us relax more. I think we're buying an AngelCare of some sort, but that's one of the things my husband is responsible for - he's researching them all. 

I'm not sure anymore what I posted, and where. We had a very good dr. appointment yesterday. The little guy's estimated weight was 1044 grams (about 2.3 lbs), all measurements match the gestational age and he's overall looking very good and healthy. Heartbeat at 146. 

I'm doing fine, too. My blood pressure is still low, ankles/fingers thinner than ever and I had my glucose test (as well as the results). I lived through it, even though it made me hyper for a while. :lol: The one-hour levels were 102 (5.7 on the other scale), which is within the realm of acceptable for _fasting_ levels. So I'm good; nowhere near any gestational diabetes threats, even. I gained exactly 2 lbs this past month (and more than half of it is the baby's weight, woohoo), so everything looks really good. We're now oficially labeled low risk.

I also had a chat with the doctor about labour and delivery and now I'm a lot calmer and happier about the whole deal. Even though the labour nurse from our Childbirth Education class comes from the same hospital he works for, he said she was, basically, bullshitting us. He won't do any of those things to me, or anyone else. A good deal of them they're not even allowed to do just like that.

(Lame. They should consider switching the instructors, really.)


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## NellieRae

I have so little time for posting, but I just wanted to pop in and say that I did go into labor on Tuesday and our our little Rayna Marie was born Weds morning at 6 lbs 5 oz (so little) 20.5 inches long. We're both doing well & I'll catch up with you guys as soon as I can. :cloud9: Thanks for all your wishes. :flower:


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## Jazavac

*CONGRATS, NELLIE! * :flower:

I'm glad you're both doing well. 2800+ grams is not _that_ small, though!

Waiting for pictures now. :lol:


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## Marie000

Congratulations Nellie! :happydance:
I can't wait for more news and pictures!


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## Lisa40

:yipee: congratulations Nellie, sooooo pleased for you :hugs:

xx


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## bunda

:happydance::happydance:YAY! NELLIE Congratulations:happydance::happydance: and thank you for letting us know.

We have another one of our group graduate :crib: Of course we all can't wait to hear how it all went but just update us when you have the time. 

6lbs 5 isn't all that small, that sounds like a really good, healthy weight to me. I'm hoping for about the same.

Well done NellieRae and enjoy the snuggles as you get to know your lovely daughter. :flower:


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## wookie130

Nellie, huge congrats!!!!!! I can't wait to see pictures!

Rayna is a beautiful name, btw, and I agree that a baby born at 6lbs5oz is well within normal range!


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## sunshine1217

Congratulations Nellie!!!!


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## Smanderson

Hi all :wave:, 

Can i join? Im 30 and DH is 33 and this is our first :baby:, very exciting as this is all so new, im only 5 weeks along so very early days and we are both still so excited :cloud9:

I spent my 20's studying and building on my career and generally not being ready, im still not entirely convinced we are ready hehe but its such an exciting time

We have been TTC for 8 months and got our first BFP on August 9th so i think im due 19th April and now waiting for a dating scan :thumbup:

Does the time really go fast? feels like its going so so slow right now, maybe its waiting for the scan / first 12 weeks to pass thats making it feel so slow but im also trying to enjoy :happydance:


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## Marie000

Hi Smanderson!

Welcome aboard! And congrats on your BFP!

I also found the wait to 12 week was long. I am a natural worrier and I didn't see my midwife until 12 weeks, so until then I worried a lot. 
After that, once I heard the heartbeat and saw baby on the dating scan, I felt much better and time just flew by. Now I'm just really impatient to get baby out of there. :haha:


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## Premomt

Smanderson~ :wave: Welcome!
I'm also just thirty with my frist on the way! And my Birthday is the 18 of april so that would be a great due date for you :winkwink:
I feel like at 16 weeks time has flown by so far! mostly because I've just gotten a little baby bump this week or so to show for it. I suppose as my belly grows and people start asking "how are you feeling?" every day it will probablly start to drag on... but I could be wrong.
congrats to you!
I think I felt the baby kick on the outside of my belly about a week ago, but haven't felt it since so maybe it was gas... :blush: I know I felt it on the inside and the baby was moving all about that night, I could feel it "rolling" when I took my palm and pushed in on my belly a bit.
Other than that I've been feeling really good! I got DH on board with doing the Bradley classes (after a meltdown of a night and him talking to his friend who went through them). I plan on sending our deposit in monday. :happydance: Is it odd that I am just excited to get into a set "learning" enviornment and more so spend a good quality 2 hours every week with my husband? I feel like these classes will strengthen our relationship... I hope he doesn't do what he did when we went through the Dave Ramsey 12 week course and groan about it after every class..


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## Premomt

oh and Nellie~ :woohoo: congrats to your family!!!! :cloud9:


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## Jazavac

Welcome, Smanderson!

It goes pretty fast, yes. Perhaps not during those first very few weeks, between the early scans and all the symptom spotting.


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## Smanderson

Thanks Marie000, Premomt and Jazavac :wave: 

Its good to know im in good company :hugs: 

Marie, I think your right, once i have seen MW and had a scan it will feel more real and i can relax a bit more and enjoy :thumbup:. Gosh you really dont have long to go, are you getting excited to meet the baby? :happydance:

Premomt congrats on your baby bump appearing :baby: it must be lovely to see the evidence of the bubs growing happily away :flower: im not sure what the classes are you mentioned? They sound good though, would love to hear more about them x

Jazavac, i hope your right and things speed up am so so excited about bubs its driving me potty not being able to prepare....2ww has nothing on this 12 ww :coffee:


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## Jazavac

I had our first scan at 5w5d, and then many more until 12 weeks, when we started our once-a-month session. It was a bit easier when we got to see everything in its place, then the heartbeat, then the growth... but I worried all the same, all along.

I still do, but it's a lot easier now, when there's a lot of movement to reassure me on a daily basis. And things do get moving faster eventually, that's for sure.


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## Smanderson

Jazavac said:


> I had our first scan at 5w5d, and then many more until 12 weeks, when we started our once-a-month session. It was a bit easier when we got to see everything in its place, then the heartbeat, then the growth... but I worried all the same, all along.
> 
> I still do, but it's a lot easier now, when there's a lot of movement to reassure me on a daily basis. And things do get moving faster eventually, that's for sure.



Wow, once a month?? I think the NHS would have a breakdown if they even attempted such a good service :haha:

i will be lucky to get a scan before 12 weeks, doc said they were sending off for a dating scan but im not hopeful as its been over a week and i havent heard anything as yet

my mum said "welcome to motherhood" and reassured me i would be forever worrying now LOL thanks mum :thumbup:


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## Marie000

I am getting pretty excited to meet my little girl. At around 30 weeks or so, I was near panic thinking about becoming a mom, but now I'm moving more and more towards 'excited' and 'I'm tired, someone get that baby out of there' kind of feelings. 

We are supposed to (mostly) finish the nursery today, but we were delayed already. My dogs ran away this morning. Both of them, together. OH went after them but they were too excited about running around everywhere and would not listen. All we can do now is wait for them to come back. I'm so worried. They've never been gone that long :cry: 
I feel so guilty because I know I haven't spent much time with them lately. What little energy I have goes into cleaning the house, preparing the nursery and working in the garden. Not much energy left to play with the dogs. Now they have too much energy to spend and it's my fault.


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## pbl_ge

Hi All!

Can I join? I just got my BFP yesterday, so I have no idea if it'll stick. Very VERY nervous about it! I appreciated the recent comments above from folks who feel the same. This is our first, and I'm 35 next month and OH is 40 in January. We're just shy of our 2 yr wedding anniversary. 

FX to all of us for health and happiness and a LO!


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## pbl_ge

And I hope your dogs come back, Marie!!!


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## Jazavac

Welcome, pbl_ge! And congrats on your BFP.

Marie, I hope the dogs come back soon.


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## wookie130

pbl_ge said:


> Hi All!
> 
> Can I join? I just got my BFP yesterday, so I have no idea if it'll stick. Very VERY nervous about it! I appreciated the recent comments above from folks who feel the same. This is our first, and I'm 35 next month and OH is 40 in January. We're just shy of our 2 yr wedding anniversary.
> 
> FX to all of us for health and happiness and a LO!

Congrats! I'll be praying you have a sticky one there!


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## Premomt

welcome Pbl :wave:
Marie- it is NOT your fault they ran away, and they WILL come back! :hugs:


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## Lisa40

Hi to the new girls :hi: great to have you with us :yipee:

Took me & my OH 2 1/2 years to concieve this little one & it's been a very anxious journey ever since. These ladies are great to talk to for whatever you need. A wealth of information and sensible advice when you need it :thumbup:

H&H 9 months to you both :hugs:

Awww Marie it's so hard when our pets run off, I'm absolutely sure it won't be anything you've done, really hope they come back soon :hugs:

xxx


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## Smanderson

Marie000 said:


> I am getting pretty excited to meet my little girl. At around 30 weeks or so, I was near panic thinking about becoming a mom, but now I'm moving more and more towards 'excited' and 'I'm tired, someone get that baby out of there' kind of feelings.
> 
> We are supposed to (mostly) finish the nursery today, but we were delayed already. My dogs ran away this morning. Both of them, together. OH went after them but they were too excited about running around everywhere and would not listen. All we can do now is wait for them to come back. I'm so worried. They've never been gone that long :cry:
> I feel so guilty because I know I haven't spent much time with them lately. What little energy I have goes into cleaning the house, preparing the nursery and working in the garden. Not much energy left to play with the dogs. Now they have too much energy to spend and it's my fault.




Marie i hope your dogs come home soon, pls dont blame yourself, dogs do this kind of thing all the time and it cant be helped. On the bright side, im sure they are having a lovely adventure :hugs:

How have you been getting on with the nursery? Have you nearly finished? :thumbup:

I can only imagine how excited you are to meet bubs :baby: have you got long left at work before you start your maternity leave? :flower:


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## Marie000

The dogs are back :happydance:
They came back together, both exhausted and more dirty than ever, but they're fine. 
We spent part of the afternoon at a local art exhibition, so we didn't finish the nursery. My parents are coming to visit tomorrow, plus I have an appointment with my midwife in the morning. So we'll probably finish Tuesday. 



I can only imagine how excited you are to meet bubs :baby: have you got long left at work before you start your maternity leave? :flower:

[/QUOTE]

I work from home. We have a little farm, and that's what I work on. But I haven't done much lately. 
Now that OH is off work, he's able to take over the farm work. So as soon as the nursery is finished, I will consider myself on vacation. I'm tired. 
Fun thing is, here, in addition to paid maternity leave, there is a paid parental leave, which can be taken by either parent. Since I don't officially work, OH will be taking 6 months off.


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## wookie130

Marie, so glad the dogs came back!!! What a relief!


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## Jazavac

Yay for the dogs!

(Also, what Canada has for healthcare reminds me of all the good stuff I left behind in Croatia, too. Argh, stupid US!)


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## sunshine1217

Smanderson said:


> Hi all :wave:,
> 
> Can i join? Im 30 and DH is 33 and this is our first :baby:, very exciting as this is all so new, im only 5 weeks along so very early days and we are both still so excited :cloud9:
> 
> I spent my 20's studying and building on my career and generally not being ready, im still not entirely convinced we are ready hehe but its such an exciting time
> 
> We have been TTC for 8 months and got our first BFP on August 9th so i think im due 19th April and now waiting for a dating scan :thumbup:
> 
> Does the time really go fast? feels like its going so so slow right now, maybe its waiting for the scan / first 12 weeks to pass thats making it feel so slow but im also trying to enjoy :happydance:




pbl_ge said:


> Hi All!
> 
> Can I join? I just got my BFP yesterday, so I have no idea if it'll stick. Very VERY nervous about it! I appreciated the recent comments above from folks who feel the same. This is our first, and I'm 35 next month and OH is 40 in January. We're just shy of our 2 yr wedding anniversary.
> 
> FX to all of us for health and happiness and a LO!

Smanderson and pbl_ge, congratulations!

I think first trimester dragged on forever but after my NT scan, it seemed to have flown by. I also did a lot during this pregnancy. 

pbl_ge, when is your birthday? mine is also coming up!

where are you guys from? 

Marie, glad the dogs are back!:happydance:


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## Smanderson

Marie000 said:


> The dogs are back :happydance:
> They came back together, both exhausted and more dirty than ever, but they're fine.
> We spent part of the afternoon at a local art exhibition, so we didn't finish the nursery. My parents are coming to visit tomorrow, plus I have an appointment with my midwife in the morning. So we'll probably finish Tuesday.
> 
> I work from home. We have a little farm, and that's what I work on. But I haven't done much lately.
> Now that OH is off work, he's able to take over the farm work. So as soon as the nursery is finished, I will consider myself on vacation. I'm tired.
> Fun thing is, here, in addition to paid maternity leave, there is a paid parental leave, which can be taken by either parent. Since I don't officially work, OH will be taking 6 months off.


Yay, im so glad doggies came home! Bless em all dirty and tired :haha:

How lovely to spend time at an art exhibition, sounds like you have a busy week ahead, don't forget to get some rest :hugs:

Thats amazing your OH can take 6 months off :happydance: very cool you can transfer the time :thumbup: my DH will get 2 weeks off and i will have 6 months (ooohhh 6 months off :headspin:)


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## Lisa40

:yipee: Marie, so glad you have your doggies back :hugs:
I'll be taking 11 months off, I guess the only good thing about taking over 2 years to concieve is lots of time to save up lol! My OH is a teacher so although he can only initially take 2 weeks paternity, he will also have a further 13 weeks throughout the time I'm off to spend with us :happydance: x


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## Smanderson

sunshine1217 said:


> Smanderson and pbl_ge, congratulations!
> 
> I think first trimester dragged on forever but after my NT scan, it seemed to have flown by. I also did a lot during this pregnancy.
> 
> pbl_ge, when is your birthday? mine is also coming up!
> 
> where are you guys from?
> 
> Marie, glad the dogs are back!:happydance:


Thanks Sunshine, 

Im from Kent in the UK, how about you? 

I hope your right and time moves a bit quicker after the first scan...this is driving me nuts hehe am so eager to get past the 12 weeks every day seems like a week at the mo....:dohh:

I know i should try and busy myself with other things but its too exciting hehe :happydance:


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## lilosmom

Hi everyone and welcome to the new mommies-to-be! Those first few weeks did seem to drag on for myself but since hitting the 16 week mark life picked up the pace and now I can't seem to slow it down! Enjoy the newness of being pregnant, sending wishes for a healthy 9 months to you all!

Took a bit to catch up as we've been away camping and having a big family celebration at our home this past week... I'm exhausted but baby isn't so it's 4am here and I'm up having a snack and waiting until baby is back asleep before I attempt to return to bed. Company all left yesterday so I've got my work cut out for me with house cleaning and then I can officially begin baby preparations - I'll be so glad when I can put my feet up and am hoping it'll be with baby still on the inside as at my last doctor's appointment the doctor said chances are baby will arrive early. Better get myself organized!

CONGRATULATIONS NELLIE on your little girl! Can't wait to hear about the details and see some pics and that name is beautiful!


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## sunshine1217

Smanderson, I'm in Los Angeles, California. Part of what made 1st trimester so slow is that I avoided going out. It was so hard to keep hush about the pregnancy being nauseous and excited about it. I opted to just stay in most of the days so that of course made it snail paced.

Lilosmom, WOW, you went camping????? That's brave. I can barely sleep with my 50 pillows.


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## Smanderson

sunshine1217 said:


> Smanderson, I'm in Los Angeles, California. Part of what made 1st trimester so slow is that I avoided going out. It was so hard to keep hush about the pregnancy being nauseous and excited about it. I opted to just stay in most of the days so that of course made it snail paced.
> 
> Lilosmom, WOW, you went camping????? That's brave. I can barely sleep with my 50 pillows.


Sunshine, i know what you mean it is super difficult not to tell....i just wanna shout it out :haha: but i know i have to wait....am thinking your hibernation method is a good plan....am already booking up with friends for October when i hit the 12 weeks so i can spread the news :happydance::happydance::happydance:


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## Marie000

lilosmom said:


> Took a bit to catch up as we've been away camping and having a big family celebration at our home this past week... I'm exhausted but baby isn't so it's 4am here and I'm up having a snack and waiting until baby is back asleep before I attempt to return to bed. Company all left yesterday so I've got my work cut out for me with house cleaning and then I can officially begin baby preparations - I'll be so glad when I can put my feet up and am hoping it'll be with baby still on the inside as at my last doctor's appointment the doctor said chances are baby will arrive early. Better get myself organized!

What made the doctor say that the baby would probably be early?

Still not much new on my side. Had another midwife appointment, and baby seems to be doing great. Her head is really low, so she's slowly getting ready to be born.
I'm doing well too. I had no glucose in my urine this time, so it's really doubtful that I would have gestational diabetes. Still, it couldn't hurt for me to cut back on sugar. Except I did have some bread pudding with chocolate chips tonight. :blush:


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## bunda

welcome to the new faces here and congratulations on your BFPs! The time won't always drag like this. I think at 6 weeks it seemed the slowest. Felt like I was stuck there for months! 

I did a lot of calendar staring then - what am I saying? I do a lot of calendar staring NOW! 

I marked all my weeks on the wallplanner on our kitchen wall and any event could only be seen in the context of: well, I'll be 28 weeks then, 33 weeks for that event, ooh and nearly 40 weeks then. Now that I'm past due (and we deliberately cleared our calendar of any social engagements) it all looks so blank - so time has slowed again. ugh!


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## lilosmom

Sunshine - Not my idea but it was the only week my hubby could take for holidays and we do a week of camping with his brother and their family every year so off we went. The good thing about it was that the temperature cooled off enough at night to be comfortable and that my daughter got to play with her cousins which wore her right out so we had a few days of sleeping in. That will probably be the last time we go camping this year (I hope) but if baby is still inside mid-september we'll probably try for one more trip. 

Marie - My daughter was born 3 weeks early and, although I wasn't given any medical reason for it, chances are this baby will come early too. The position of baby was the only real reason he gave me. They didn't want to do an internal exam to see if I was dilating as it was still pretty early but I may have that at my next appointment next week just to check. I feel huge and uncomfortable and once I get baby's clothes and blankets washed and my hospital bag packed he or she can make their appearance any time.

Bunda - I can't believe it's just a matter of minutes/days/hours now for you! I hope you have a smooth delivery and can't wait to hear all about your experience. Good luck! (oh, and try to enjoy the stopped clock thing because once that baby comes out it's like someone hit the fast forward button and it won't ever be slow again! easier said than done though)


----------



## Marie000

Bunda - overdue already? That's exciting. It can't be more than a couple of days now. 
But I can imagine how long time must seem by then. Heck, one of your tickers now says that your due date is in over 11 months :haha:


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## bunda

Marie000 said:


> Bunda - overdue already? That's exciting. It can't be more than a couple of days now.
> But I can imagine how long time must seem by then. Heck, one of your tickers now says that your due date is in over 11 months :haha:

:dohh: At this rate my baby will come out ready for school!

I'm now 6 days past due by scan date (but only two days over by lmp) I'm starting to get antsy about nearing induction deadlines. I have a week left before the NHS start bugging me about pessaries and whatnot. I can refuse but I worry it'd put my chance of a homebirth at risk if I go post-term.

I do notice that taking a walk gives me pretty powerful braxton hicks (I could hardly breathe yesterday. You could have bounced pennies off my belly it was so taut) and we'll be having a super-hot curry later this week. OH is also going to be providing his own prostaglandins (might as well - there's going to be a 6 week dry-spell once pudd'n arrives) so we've got a few things to try. And I might ask for a membrane sweep if nothing happens this weekend. 

For now though, I'm just boooooooooooooored at home. I have less energy than usual and this late-stage pregnancy is getting less and less comfortable (comfortable. I can barely remember what that was like). Still, if this one needs to cook a little longer, so be it. My older sister was two weeks late.


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## NellieRae

:hi: ladies! A quick drop in to say I've missed you all and feel out of the loop. I'm attempting my journal again, so I posted some more birth details there. Trying to catch up when I can.

Dhime, I'm soooo excited that you'll be bringing Tristan home today! :hugs2: A little scary, maybe, but much better than NICU - Congrats mama! 

Bunda - any day now you'll stop posting for a while and we'll know you've crossed over and I can't wait to hear about it. :flower: Its hard to believe, but you might actually miss it a little. 

I know I had more to say, but its time to try for a nap. The brain is so fuzzy these days. :wacko:


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## bunda

I keep thinking of DHime - what a lot she has had to go through and finally today she gets to bring her little boy home. I'll never take for granted the blessing of being able to just instantly pick up and take home your new little bundle. In many ways, her wait has been far harder than mine. -especially as our due dates were so close.


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## DHime

Thanks.
It has been hard to wait but in a way, he needed to also keep cooking.

Try not to worry about being overdue. Most 1st time moms go about 2 weeks past the due date. (something I learned in the very few cb classes I was able to attend)

AFM - They are keeping him for 1 more day. He took the feeding tube out on his own so they didn't have to do it. Stubborn little guy... He still has a long road to go but everything will turn out okay. As always, ttc, motherhood and pregnancy are all experiences that remind us that we do not have as much control as we think we do.

I am off to go buy formula and get vaccinations. yay... more shots.

Have a fabulous day everyone! and hang in there Bunda!


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## Jazavac

So it's tomorrow, DHime! I am so happy, as well as excited for you!


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## sunshine1217

Lilosmom, you're a tough cookie or your hubby's convincing one. :haha: Did you guys pitch a tent and everything? And why did dr say the baby's coming early?

Nellie, she's so so adorable, I wish I can hold her! Are you back home now? Tells us more about the birth, did everything go smoothly?

Bunda, does your dr have a plan for the baby being over? 

DHime, one more day! He must be growing very well, can't wait to see more piccies.

AFM, I seemed to have had a growth spurt last week. My stomach is getting super duper heavy all of a sudden. Funny, and my ticker has been a squash for the last 3 weeks. :rofl: We finally got the nursery ready, except for the changing table and dresser.


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## Marie000

Nellie - Rayna is so cute! I love her picture. 

DHime - That is exciting about Tristan coming home tomorrow. He must be such a big boy now. 

As for me, the nursery is almost done. There's one more wall to finish and some shelves to put up. My mom is making cushions for my rocking chair and curtains. But it is finally starting to look like a baby's room. It's tiny, but I like it.


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## lilosmom

DHime - yeah! Tristan finally gets to come home! I'm so excited for you and hope everything goes well with this next phase of parenthood.

Nellie - what a beautiful photo. Congrats again on your daughter!

Bunda - looking forward to hearing about your birth experience, hoping you don't go too far over due!

Sunshine - we have a camping trailer but it was still difficult. 

AFM, I have been feeling uncomfortable lately and have been having irregular braxton hicks. I went shopping today and picked up the last necessities for bringing home baby and now all that's left is laundering my LO'd newborn clothes to pack in my hospital bag. I'm hoping to have time to get some meals prepared and frozen for when baby is first born but we'll see if time allows. It would be nice to have at least two or three more weeks to prepare but the way I'm feeling lately that may be wishful thinking. Oh well. Off to do another load of laundry then it's bed for me. Need to get some sleep while I can!


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## Lisa40

I don't think I've had any Braxton Hicks :shrug: although I'm not entirely sure what they are supposed to feel like!
I was shopping yesterday though and my thigh went numb for about half an hour. I could feel below it, just above my knee though, but I also had a pain like a pulled muscles on the left side of my groin. It made it a bit painful to lift / move my left leg.

Has anyone else had this? Might ask midwife at my appt this morning as I still have twinges, it does seem to ease up after I've moved around for a minute or so though... Weird!

Hope everyone else is doing well, yeay for little Tristan going home today :yipee: waiting with baited breath for news of Bunda & Ferens... So excited for you :happydance:

xx


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## bunda

For me, braxton hicks feel like the bump is inflating and the skin is taut as a result. Going for a walk sets them off. After about half and hour of walking (especially uphill) if I then stop I can really tell how tight my abdomen has become.

Only resting seems to settle them down again.

Many women never feel any during their pregnancy though, so don't worry if you don't feel any.


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## wookie130

Bunda, so much for my prediction of you having the baby by Tuesday or Wednesday!!! Hopefully he/she'll arrive by the end of this upcoming weekend. Fingers crossed!


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## Jazavac

I'm positive about one single BH, pretty early in pregnancy. Ever since, I think they're related only to sex. Post-coital minutes are... ugh. I actually have to immediately get up and start moving, or the entire abdomen feels like it's about to explode. Brr.


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## DHime

GOOD NEWS! Tristan came home yesterday! My first night was rough (it takes allot to feed him with the esophagus thing) but I know tonight will be worse. He is asleep now so I am gonna go rest while I can!

Hang in there girls!
Especially you bunda!


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## sunshine1217

Great news DHime!!

Awww, he looks so adorable in your avatar. Get some rest mama!


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## Marie000

Welcome home Tristan! :flower:


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## Jazavac

Yay for Tristan! 

Good luck, DHime. And yes, absolutely, get some rest whenever you can. :hugs:


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## bunda

:happydance::happydance: Yay for Tristan:happydance::happydance::happydance:


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## lilosmom

DHIME - That's such great news! Congratulations and good luck!


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## wookie130

DHime said:


> GOOD NEWS! Tristan came home yesterday! My first night was rough (it takes allot to feed him with the esophagus thing) but I know tonight will be worse. He is asleep now so I am gonna go rest while I can!
> 
> Hang in there girls!
> Especially you bunda!

:yipee::yipee::wohoo::wohoo::wohoo:

Wonderful news! Now rest up!!!


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## cre8ing

Newbie here and think it's pretty cool to have a BG for the 30+. I am 37 and DH is 43 and we just got our 1st BFP and are super excited. I have a history of IF with a previous partner and so am even more excited I was able to get PG! Aside from sore bbs, which started with ovulation, I have been a bit more tired and have a very very mild nausea. I am trying to eat regularly to keep that at bay. And I have generally been a bit more tired. But Wed. was pretty exhausted.

I really want to exercise more regularly (I have been saying this for years actually) but can tell I have to put in a different effort to make it happen. I know in the long run I will be better off if I am exercising just to be able to move, but I am tired after work.


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## lilosmom

Welcome and congratulations on your BFP! Here's hoping you avoid most of the unpleasantries surrounding early pregnancy - Good Luck!


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## bunda

Congratulations on your BFP! Let's hope you miss being hit by the nausea stick. 

As to exercise, the secret is to find something you really love doing. Not everyone is a gym bunny, or a runner. Some people need the social aspect of a team sport, others need something solitary, others need something that has a skill element to it. Have a go at different ones to see which suits you - but it has to have a hook for you or you'll give it up.

For example, mine are salsa dancing (social and skill-based) cycle touring (can do it with OH, takes me outdoors, I get to go places) and walking (if the countryside is nice, and I can combine it with a nice picnic and conversation) but I'm not cut out to go to gyms and things. Too boring for me. Even running has its limited appeal to me, though I never regret going out.

However, be prepared for some pretty strong bouts of fatigue in this trimester. I don't think the first trimester is the time to take up new activities, because relaxin makes your body more susceptible to damage and if it's a new activity or intensity level you won't know whether you've damaged your joints/ligaments. 

Whenever you embark on new forms of exercise, the first thing your body does is start to lay down the infrastructure for that activity - start running and before you can get 'fit' your body has to first start strengthening tendons and ligaments, it increases the number and capacity of blood vessels to the necessary muscles, improves its ability to store sugars there and generally gets the body ready for the physical rigours of that activity (this can take up to 3 months) which is why people often get disheartened at not seeing results - the results of their efforts are invisible on the outside and don't show up on the scales. Even though the body IS getting fitter.

So with all that going on (behind the scenes) I don't think pregnancy is the time to be doing that sort of thing - your body has enough on its plate right now without having to reconfigure the infrastructure in other areas.

But that doesn't mean become a couch potato. Swimming is excellent for not putting strain on joints but still getting you out of breath. Walking is gentle (but won't be by third trimester) and an exercise bike supports your weight (I've been riding my bike for the entire duration of my pregnancy - all 9 months of it, but I should add I'm used to it). Just don't expect what you do to make any difference to the scales or in inches. You're still making headway in getting a body into good shape, which you'll be glad of as you get heavier and heavier and heavier. With any luck your body won't feel so broken as a result of the extra strain. 

ooh, that turned into rather a long reply.


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## sunshine1217

Welcome cre8ing! Hope 1st trimester goes fast and smoothly for you.

Do any of you ladies do perennial messages? When did you guys start?


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## NellieRae

Congrats on Tristan coming home, Dhime!! :thumbup: I can understand that its might be pretty rough - hope you get enough rest to be strong as you need to. :flower:


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## Jazavac

I have to admit I don't know what perennial messages are... hm.

Congrats, cre8ing, and welcome!


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## Jazavac

Oh, I somehow forgot to share one of many pictures we got yesterday. We went for an elective 3D/4D package, outside of a healthcare facility (I guess that's the way these things are done here... it sure did confuse me a great deal, haha).

Here's our little guy. Breech again, but I hope he's got enough time to turn the right way, again, and then just _stay_ that way, too.



The rest of the pictures are in my journal (or, well, a link to those). Yup, I'm just showing off these days, haha. :D


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## bunda

well, a perennial massage would be one that occurs every year, which is about the average in our house :haha:

Perineal massage is using a base oil and streeeeeeetching the skin at the perineum. Two thumbs inside and then stretching the skin outwards until it stings a little is supposed to prevent tearing or at least reduce its severity.

I spoke to my midwife about it and she said, it might work but there is little evidence of it. A waterbirth is more effective at preventing tearing than the massage but if you're up for it, it won't do any harm (though it does sting if you're doing it right). 

Ideally you want crowning to happen slowly and a good midwife will do this stretching of the perineum as baby comes through during the 2nd stage, to prevent tearing.

I'm not sure youtube would have clips of this as it would be rather, uh, pronographic but I'm sure there are some crappy line-drawings somewhere (I was given a leaflet on it with indecipherable line drawings at my 36 week appointment).


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## wookie130

Jazavac said:


> I have to admit I don't know what perennial messages are... hm.
> 
> Congrats, cre8ing, and welcome!

PERINEAL MASSAGE. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :happydance::happydance::happydance:

Ringing a bell now, Jaz? LOLOL!!!!!!!!!! You grease a finger up with a bit of lube, and you work the perineal area to help stretch it for the baby. Fun times, fun times.


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## Jazavac

I know about perineal, damnit. But _perennial message_ really got me thinking.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

(sorry, sunshine! :) )


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## cre8ing

bunda - thanks for the info. on exercise. I advise ppl similarly in finding activities they really like and feel motivated to do. When I said I don't exercise regularly I just mean regularly, not not at all. It's just sporadic, maybe 0-3 times a week. I just got back from a 2 hour hike with a friend. And I will probably hit the gym once this week and maybe a yoga class. I was playing softball earlier in the summer but that's not really much exercise. I just know that I will feel better overall and having stronger muscles (not looking to build up but just to help my kneecap track properly) and stretching more will help me carry the extra weight and go through labor and carry a baby around.


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## Premomt

Here is a good link with a pamphlet with info about it:

https://www.midwife.org/ACNM/files/...00000000656/Perineal Massage in Pregnancy.pdf

Dhime! Congrats on having your LO home and in your care :cloud9:


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## pbl_ge

Regarding exercise, I just did this for the first time and really liked it, although I've obviously only looked at the ones for 1st trimester. 
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Sande...=1346005576&sr=1-1&keywords=pregnancy+workout

I really liked this reviewer's comment: "This is the ONLY prenatal video you should even consider buying. Trust me, I have them all. I went through so many videos in my first trimester and finished them saying 'I'm not dying, I'm just pregnant!'" 

It actually made my backache feel a lot better! Only catch is that you have to have a resistance band. 

Before my BFP I was running occasionally and very poorly, and I'm not sure I want to keep that up while pregnant. Thus, I'm seeking new options.


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## Marie000

For exercise, I have mostly done Shiva Rea's prenatal yoga. It isn't hard but makes me feel so much better. 
I've also been working in the garden. 
But now, just getting out of bed is a challenge (really. I feel like a turtle stuck on its back)

Now, I think I got to the point in my pregnancy where all that's left to do is wait. I just hope it's not too much longer, because I'm bored already. 
I think I've been having lots of braxton hicks. My stomach often gets really hard, but I rarely have any other symptoms. Once in a while it will make it harder to breathe for a few seconds. And last night I woke up in the middle of the night with a really painful contraction (I think). Then it went away and nothing since. 

I also had a dream last night about giving birth. I had given birth just before Christmas (Dec 23), and it went surprisingly easily. On the down side, I was disappointed to find out I had given birth to a cat. I already have two cats... I would have much preferred a human baby.


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## Jazavac

I'm unsure about Braxton-Hicks, except for one that happened around 15 weeks, in bed. The bump becomes insanely tight after orgasm, for sure, but other than that, I really don't know. Sometimes when I stand for a while (like, not when I walk intensely, but more like... really stand, such as cooking for instance, which doesn't include insane amounts of movement), the belly tightens and feels weird. It usually goes away in a few minutes. During the tightness, it just gets very heavy and I'm not sure if I want to poke it with my hands, or sit down, or... whatever. It's not painful, but it is unpleasant.


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## sunshine1217

:rofl:

That was my autocorrect, I guess the Perineal massage won't be on there. The thought of tearing terrifies me so I may give it a go....or have DH give it a go. :haha:

I have both the Shiva Rea video and the Summer Sanders one. I have to say, the Summer Sanders is a much better workout.


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## sunshine1217

oh and Bunda, how are you feeling??????


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## bunda

I love autocorrect. It has injected so much potential for humour into our lives, far more than its inventors could ever have foreskin.

*foreseen*


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## Kitty_love

Hi everyone!

Sorry I haven't been posting lately, I've been feeling a bit down with a sinus infection. Originally thought I had a cavity, as one of my upper teeth was really hurting. Went to the dentist to get it checked out, nope, bad sinus infection. Hoped it would pass on its own, but it continued to get worse, so I ended up taking the meds. My ob-gyn said definitely take them, better to kick the infection, so hopefully I'll be feeling better soon!

Had an appt today and got to hear LO heartbeat! Nurse said the sounded good at 161. Dr gave the final OK for our trip to London! So excited!!!

Nellie- Congratulations!!! Your little girl is so cute!!! I'm so glad you're both feeling well!

DHime- Best news that Tristan is now home!!! So happy to hear his wonderful progress! Welcome home, Tristan! Hope you're continuing to feel better also, DHime.

Bunda-sounds like any day now...best wishes to you!

Welcome to the new ladies, too!


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## wookie130

bunda said:


> I love autocorrect. It has injected so much potential for humour into our lives, far more than its inventors could ever have foreskin.
> 
> *foreseen*

:thumbup::haha::haha::haha:


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## DHime

good one Bunda! glad everyone is doing ok.

Well, Tristan's homecoming was short lived. To make a long story short, he choked on spit up and stopped breathing entirely. It was only seconds but we had to shake him and massage him to get him breathing again. That was one of the most terrifying moments I have ever had. (worse than the tower of terror at disney & I had a panic attack on that thing) Anyway they are now doing tests upon test that involve tubes, iv's and lots of needles. There is nothing worse than your own baby looking into your eyes as they cry from such pain. It really broke my heart till I yelled at the docs to please stop. I was crying as bad as he was. today was better but still hard especially since we finally got good bonding time over the 3 days he was home. I just hope more surgery isn't need. he has been thru so much already. i am choosing to look at the bright side and get some sleep and go buy things I didn't realize I really did needed. Needless to say my belated baby shower was canceled for the 3rd time by a hurricane which I had to take Tristan out in to get to the hospital. Did someone jinx my family or what?!


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## Jazavac

Uh, DHime, I am so sorry you all have to go through this. I'm glad, at the same time, it all had a happy end to it, or as happy as it can be, for now. I hope they get the tests done as soon as possible and get all the answers they need, too. Without surgeries or any other painful procedures. :hugs:


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## bunda

Oh DHime, I'm so sorry to hear that Tristan's move home wasn't as smooth as we'd hoped. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you, to be on such an emotional rollercoaster. You will never take that boy for granted, that's for sure.

And how hard for the little guy to endure so much when still so little. Glad to hear you were able to get him breathing again. I really hope things settle down soon for you. How long can anyone take this sort of up and down? 

Thinking of you and T:kiss: Let's hope this was just a little wobble in his transition to home.


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## wookie130

DHime, I am so sorry to hear this. It breaks my heart for you and little T. I'm sure it's torture having to sit through tests for him...as if he hasn't endured enough.


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## sunshine1217

:hugs::hugs::hugs:

DHime, so sorry for all this! I wish things went smoother for you.


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## Lisa40

Oh poor little Tristan & poor you & OH. What a frightening thing to happen. Wishing for a very speedy recovery :hugs:

I got my first case of swollen calves today, scared me a bit to be honest as I'd been wearing trousers all day & my legs just felt a bit tight, anyway came home & went to get changed & just saw these 2 balloons in the mirror :shock: . Been relaxing on the couch for an hour or so now though & they've started to go down...thankfully, just freaked me out a bit as I hadn't really done anything too energetic today :shrug:

has this happened to anyone else yet? 
x


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## Marie000

DHime - so sorry Tristan had a setback. How frightening. I hope he gets better soon. :hugs:


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## cre8ing

pbl_ge said:


> Regarding exercise, I just did this for the first time and really liked it, although I've obviously only looked at the ones for 1st trimester.
> https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Sande...=1346005576&sr=1-1&keywords=pregnancy+workout
> 
> I really liked this reviewer's comment: "This is the ONLY prenatal video you should even consider buying. Trust me, I have them all. I went through so many videos in my first trimester and finished them saying 'I'm not dying, I'm just pregnant!'"
> 
> It actually made my backache feel a lot better! Only catch is that you have to have a resistance band.
> 
> Before my BFP I was running occasionally and very poorly, and I'm not sure I want to keep that up while pregnant. Thus, I'm seeking new options.

A friend of mine from another board also recommended that video!


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## cre8ing

DHime - so sorry about Tristan having to go to the hospital and I hope he does well quickly.


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## DHime

Thanks ladies. I am trying to find the positives in the roller coaster. I am hoping to bring him back home on thursday. I have been keeping myself busy. If I stop for too long I start crying. I can't beleive how attached I am to this little guy. There really is nothing like that bond. (even without breastfeeding)
Tomorrow I am gonna get a massage.

Bunda - How are you? Hanging in there?
Lisa - I got that too and it scared me since I was not expecting it.


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## bunda

I'm still hanging in there, or should say my baby is still hanging out in here. 

By scan I'm a day away from 42 weeks which is normally the induction deadline, but I managed to negotiate a monitoring scan for tomorrow to check all is well and then I'm booked for an induction on Saturday (term+16) if nothing progresses.

Dishearteningly, the cervix wasn't very ripe for the sweep (although it was half a cm dilated and enough for the midwife to move it from posterior to a more anterior position). This morning I had some very mild (but regular) contractions but these seem to have stopped now that I'm out of bed. Booo! Makes me want to go back to bed to get them to come back again! 

I don't understand why this is taking so long! I'm 13 days overdue. Even the more conservative LMP date puts me 9 days overdue. 

This isn't just an impatience to have my baby. I just can't quite shake the fear that this means something is wrong - that there is going to be a problem with labour/delivery/baby. A crystal ball to tell me it will all be fine and nothing will go wrong would help. I know it's not rational but I can't help but worry this is the beginning of other things going wrong.


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## wookie130

I think the worry is so natural in your position, Bunda. You really are quite overdue...and I'd start trying to come to terms with the fact that you may get the type of labor and delivery you didn't want...the induction/bedridden variety. I'm sorry to say that, but I have a feeling that's where this is headed. I also would try to begin wrapping your head around the possibility of needing a C-section...I know you REALLY don't want that, but there comes a point when the baby's safety (and yours) becomes the primary deciding factor in these matters. :hugs: 

I'm sure all is well with the baby. He/she is going to come out "well-cooked"...and look like a beautiful 2-week old! LOL!!!


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## Marie000

Bunda - Hang in there, I'm sure things are fine. I have known a lot of people who have gone 2 weeks overdue (unfortunately, all of them are blood relatives. I hope it doesn't run in the family too much) and all babies were healthy. But I can understand you're getting impatient. 

As for me, I'm 37 weeks today. :happydance:
The nursery is almost done and the baby seat is set up in the car. My bags are packed (aside from one or two missing items). Now all that's left to do is wait.


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## sunshine1217

Marie, you're full term!

Bunda, can you still feel the baby much at this point? You must be very uncomfortable. Are you doing anything to naturally induce the baby like sex and walking?


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## Jazavac

Yay for full term, Marie!

bunda, that should totally be it for you today. I say so. ;)


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## bunda

yay! I have contractions that are about 7-13 minutes apart, lasting about 50 seconds and they're not too bad. Not enough to scare me yet, anyway. Totally managable at this intensity.

Early labour is probably the best part: not very painful, just exciting.

The weird thing is, after each contraction I feel so normal it's like it never happened - and I start to doubt I'll get another because I feel so normal - but then another turns up. 

I am still at the stage where I am pleased with each one, because they're not all that painful yet. I want another one more than I want the pain to stop. I'm more interested to get them to take me into established labour, so we can get this show on the road!

Bring it on! 

(I'll be changing my tune later on, for sure but won't be capable of typing then)


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## Jazavac

You never know, bunda!

We might get some sort of live broadcast here. Perhaps you could just randomly mash something into the keyboard when the crowning part comes? We'll know what

fmmsd;gjs 24^&9sdgv gkv 


means, at that point. Ok?


:happydance: :flower:


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## Lisa40

:rofl: Jaz :haha:

good luck Bunda :happydance:
xx


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## NellieRae

If baby's crowning, she's more likely to destroy the keyboard than type or post. :haha: 

:yipee: Bunda! Your little one will be in your arms tonight or tomorrow!


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## Marie000

Good luck Bunda! :yipee:


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## bunda

We just had a neighbour drop by and my contractions stopped. Baaaah!!! :cry: but they're picking up again now. Somewhat further apart than before, but nevertheless. Just goes to show how your hormones are affected by your environment. 

One thing I've noticed, going to the loo is almost too scary. Whenever I go I get cramps so bad they take my breath away - and no light build up, just straight into a hefty wall of pain as soon as I empty my bladder - the under-bump area goes solid as a rock. Standing up afterwards is almost too much. I can't find any information on this on the net.


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## Jazavac

What kind of cramps are you getting? #2-like, or contraction like? Because pooping-related sensations might be part of the whole deal. Often really are.


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## lilosmom

Bunda- how exciting! It's finally happening! As far as the more intense contractions after going to the washroom it's quite normal from what I've read. Also they say to make sure to drink lots of fluids at this stage and remember to use the loo as a full bladder can hamper with contractions and cause them to be less intense. Good luck! Can't wait to hear all about the delivery of your little one!

DHime - I'm so sorry to hear Tristan's homecoming wasn't what anyone was hoping for. I hope the tests come back with some positive news and that he doesn't have to endure more surgeries anytime soon. Good for you for going out and getting a massage - you surely deserve some pampering yourself. And yes, the bond between a mother and her child is like no other I've ever experienced. The saying "it's like taking your heart out of your body and letting it walk around" is the only thing I can compare it to.

Marie - congratulations on reaching full term!

I know I've missed things in my post but I'll try to catch up again in a bit... gotta go!


----------



## sunshine1217

Good luck Bunda. I heard that if you start contractions early on, it will most likely mean you have an easy labor. It makes sense b/c a lot of women who are in labor for a short period of time (whether they realized it or not), have been in labor for a while, just with contractions that are not painful.


----------



## Premomt

fingers crossed Bunda!


----------



## DHime

BUNDA - FX for you babe! I am sending many happy thoughts your way!

Lilo's Mom - I thought you might like this quote:
&#8220;Through the blur, I wondered if I was alone or if other parents felt the same way I did - that everything involving our children was painful in some way. The emotions, whether they were joy, sorrow, love or pride, were so deep and sharp that in the end they left you raw, exposed and yes, in pain. The human heart was not designed to beat outside the human body and yet, each child represented just that - a parent's heart bared, beating forever outside its chest.&#8221;
&#8213; Debra Ginsberg

AFM - Still no baby at home. They are starting him on a special medication for his reflux. It is really bad as he refluxes every few minutes. Pretty nasty stuff with a black box warning from the FDA. HYad to go buy a bunch of special wedges he has to use since he must be elevated at all times.
My apt is spotless, the pets are all clean, laundry is done, shopping is done.... running out of things to do. Also I have a 7 ft hole in my bathroom wall. I pipe burst and caused a bunch of damage.
I am begining to wonder if the motherhood experience is just completely abnormal for me. lol I want 1 part of this to be normal so I can say I didn't miss out on everything. I guess I will just get to be a different kind of mommy. No less special though. 

I hope you are all doing well.


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## wookie130

DHime, I would say that your experience has been atypical in many ways so far, and yet so typical also. By that, I mean that you've had so many of the atypical experiences that come with being a mom to a delicate preemie, and all of the stuff surrounding your own health after delivery, and yet, I feel that you've been the typical new mommy, and you just want your child to THRIVE and be OKAY. You were made to be Tristan's mommy, and that's why God chose you for this challenging job. No one else cuts the mustard. Please try to believe that.

Oh, and I'm sort of worried about Bunda...has anyone heard anything yet about her or from her? Bunda, if you're able to read this, or if someone is aware of her status, please give us a sign. Unless of course, Bunda, you're physically incapacitated, or something of that nature...I'm just anxious, that's all.


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## lilosmom

DHime said:


> BUNDA - FX for you babe! I am sending many happy thoughts your way!
> 
> Lilo's Mom - I thought you might like this quote:
> Through the blur, I wondered if I was alone or if other parents felt the same way I did - that everything involving our children was painful in some way. The emotions, whether they were joy, sorrow, love or pride, were so deep and sharp that in the end they left you raw, exposed and yes, in pain. The human heart was not designed to beat outside the human body and yet, each child represented just that - a parent's heart bared, beating forever outside its chest.
> &#8213; Debra Ginsberg
> 
> AFM - Still no baby at home. They are starting him on a special medication for his reflux. It is really bad as he refluxes every few minutes. Pretty nasty stuff with a black box warning from the FDA. HYad to go buy a bunch of special wedges he has to use since he must be elevated at all times.
> My apt is spotless, the pets are all clean, laundry is done, shopping is done.... running out of things to do. Also I have a 7 ft hole in my bathroom wall. I pipe burst and caused a bunch of damage.
> I am begining to wonder if the motherhood experience is just completely abnormal for me. lol I want 1 part of this to be normal so I can say I didn't miss out on everything. I guess I will just get to be a different kind of mommy. No less special though.
> 
> I hope you are all doing well.

I love, love, love that quote! Thank you so much for sharing it. I have done nothing in my life that compares to the challenges I've faced being a parent and I've not been through anything like you. Motherhood doesn't come naturally for most people, you've had a rough start (to put it mildly) but like Wookie said: you're dealt in life what you can handle and although you and Tristan have been dealt a lot, you are made to be his mom and you have your entire life to figure it all out. You're in my thoughts often and I'm wishing Tristan a speedy return home and some much needed bonding for you and your family. Good luck!


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## NellieRae

Dhime, I'm so sorry to hear about Tristan's setback. :( I can't imagine how hard it must be for you guys. :hugs: He's lucky at least to have such a strong, patient mama to help him through his ordeal. Your poor heart has been through a lot lately and I really hope you guys get a break soon. All you can do is try to take one day at a time. He is such a special little guy!


I have a feeling Bunda is busy being a new mom, and hopefully we'll get a happy update soon...


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## wookie130

And she is! Yay!!!!!


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## Jazavac

Yup! :)


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## sunshine1217

Oh I can't wait, please update us when you guys (or bunda) can.


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## Marie000

:happydance: Hurray for Bunda! I can't wait to have more updates (with pictures... I like pictures!)

DHime - I hope the medication will help little Tristan. And I hope things get easier for you too. 

As for me, I'm starting to have Braxton Hicks many, many times a day. I can't count anymore. A few of them are painful and/or leave me feeling breathless. I'm also having lower back cramps. No other signs yet, but things seem to be moving forward. 
I have also been moody lately, but in large part because I'm having a lot of stress related to money and life in general. This baby was supposed to arrive in a time when we were finally 'stable' and in the last months, much of that stability has gone out the window.


----------



## DHime

hang in there marie. no such thing as truly stable anymore. everything will work out. if the jobless bum down the street can do it, i know you can do better. (and he has 4 kids)

fx for you bunda!!!!


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## sunshine1217

Marie, I agree with DHime, there's no such thing as totally and truly stable. Hang in there, your little one will be you so much joy you will forget about the other issues. Someone once told me you're never "ready" for a child or know 100% that your spouse is "the one" when you marry him/her. That is so true, but we all manage somehow and life goes on. 

Anyone have updates on bunda?

Hope you guys are all having a great weekend!


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## Jazavac

There's an update in bunda's journal. There should be a link in her signature. They're doing fine, but they're still at the hospital.


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## Marie000

Thanks. I still find it unsettling to think that both OH and me are still trying to figure out what we're doing with our lives. But I don't regret having a baby now. I wouldn't have wanted to wait much longer. But emotionally, I feel fragile now, and I am really scared of postpartum depression. 
As far as baby goes, not much new. Still getting contractions once in a while, but nothing regular. Some are painful and so far it doesn't bother me. I like the painful ones... they make me feel like things are progressing. But I'm sure I will regret those words some day soon :haha: OH keeps asking me how much time between contractions, and how long do they last. I keep telling him I don't know and it's not important. I can't believe I'm more relaxed than him about it (he's usually the mellow one, and I'm the worrier). 

I hope Bunda comes back home soon. I can't wait to have more news from her and her big boy.


----------



## cre8ing

Yay bunda!

Work was busy today and I am tired. Guess that goes with the territory. I gotta go do some food shopping and get dinner or would spend more time here. I hope everyone is ok.


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## Marie000

Where is everyone? 
I hope everything is going well... 

I just saw Bunda's new avatar. So cute! I love the hair on little Douglas :flower:

As for me, things are progressing nicely. A few days ago I started getting the occasional period-like cramp. Today they have been almost constant. Last night I think I lost part of my mucus plug. And baby keeps burrowing deeper and deeper. Hopefully it wont be long now. :happydance:
Now I just wish this super hot and humid summer would end. When you feel like you weight a ton, and you have cramps almost all day, being hot and sticky on top of that doesn't help. :wacko:


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## Jazavac

Oo, things are moving the right direction, Marie!

I'm here, just working, both at my job and at home. Cleaning up, organizing baby things and trying to figure out the whole maternity leave deal and my work policies regarding that. 

Also being kind of angry because it looks like I gained about 4.4 pounds in 3 weeks while doing _nothing_ out of the ordinary. :/


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## JenFM

Im new to all this. Im 35 and expecting my first. Ill be 36 when the baby is born. My dr told me I am AMA (advanced maternal age) I just hope for a healthy baby. Im a little nervous about everything but im sure all will be well.


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## Lisa40

Hi Jen :hi: welcome to the thread, hope you are well, how far along are you?

Hey Jaz. 4.4 pounds is not bad to gain in 3 weeks, the average is a pound a week in 2nd tri, so it's only just slightly over that, from 30 weeks bubs is supposed to put on about half a pound a week themselves so I'm sure everything is great. Try not to let it get to you, it'll come off quickly after birth (so my midwife tells me)

:hugs: Marie, looks like things are starting to get moving for you :yipee: I'm 36 weeks today & starting to get a bit worried about post partum depression myself. Just because I've always been a very logical person & could always decipher when my feelings were irrational (ie hormonal) and deal with them that way, but the last couple of weeks I've had really down days even though I have absolutely nothing to be down about :shrug: I know this and yet I've still cried... For no reason, it's new territory for me and OH. Luckily I am still able to tell it's just irrational hormones but I can't 'snap out of it' anymore like I used to.

Will just have to make sure we keep talking to our OH's if things start getting on top of us :hugs:

I also had a bit of a scare last night, tripped over the cat and tried to stop myself falling by grabbing the nearest thing I could... A pan stand!!! So I ended up on the floor anyway but covered in pans! Didn't think I'd landed on my bump but cut my hand, twisted my knee & ankle and the little madam didn't move for over an hour.

Was almost off to l&d when she started wriggling again :cloud9: I have a midwife appt today so I'll mention it to her when she does my checks.
Bunda, hope you & Douglas get to go home today & all is well :thumbup:

DHime - how's little Tristan & yourself?

Nellie & Ferens hope you are settling in to new parenthood well.
:hugs: to everyone else
xx


----------



## Marie000

Jaz - I don't think your weight gain is really out of the ordinary. Then again, I didn't follow mine very closely. 
However, I now have the opposite worry. I haven't gained an ounce in the last 3 weeks :shrug: My bump even looks smaller (probably because baby has dropped). But my midwife says things are fine, so I'll believe her.

JenFM - welcome aboard, and congratulations! 
I wouldn't worry too much about that 'advanced maternal age' stuff. I think that only even starts at 35, and your odds of a healthy baby are still excellent. They will probably suggest to you that you do the trisomy screening test. My advice for that would be to think carefully. The results can be very reassuring, or very stressful. In my case, they have been extremely stressful (still are, since I was uncomfortable with the amnio). 

Lisa40 - Glad to hear your little one is moving well after that fall. I think those babies are built more solid than we give them credit for. 
And I understand what you mean with the hormones. In my case, I've always been very emotional, but in the last years I have been able to keep most of the extremes under control. Being pregnant has made it much more difficult though. And I fear the crash of hormones after birth. Especially since I suffer from seasonal affective disorder and the winter can be very hard for me. 

As for me, nothing new today. Yesterday was cramps most of the day, then nonstop baby movement all evening. This morning is quiet on both fronts. 
I'm not really hoping for baby to show up today. I have more things I want to do before baby arrives. Plus, I hope to wait until my favorite midwife is the one on call.


----------



## maybesoon

Hi everyone! I'm 36 expecting my 1st right around my 37th birthday give or take a few days! lol 

I have a previous miscarriage from several years ago (twins at 7weeks) so I'm pretty nervous/scared. I go to my obgyn next Thursday for my first scan & hopefully we get to hear our little bean's heartbeat!!!

Hope everyone is doing well....


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## Lisa40

Hi maybe :hi:

so sorry to hear of your previous loss, hope all goes well next week at your scan :thumbup: I'm sure you'll get to hear a strong little heartbeat :cloud9:

xxx


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## maybesoon

Thank you Lisa! I'm sure trying to stay positive....


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## Jazavac

Welcome, ladies!


As for the weight gain, yeah, I know I'm not doing horrible, or even bad. My total gain is actually still kind of below average. But it's still annoying! :/


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## lilosmom

Hi and welcome to the new ladies - good luck with your initial appointments. 

AFM, I think I've reached my point of being done with this pregnancy. I'm so tired, can't sleep. I'm so moody but can't control my emotions. I'm uncomfortable and would really like my body back... I hate to even write all this down as I know this will be the last time I'm pregnant but it's just not enjoyable at this point. I'm ready to meet this baby. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday so I'll wait and see what he has to say before posting the eviction notice on my uterus. I hope the rest of you are fairing better than I am.


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## Marie000

Maybesoon - welcome aboard, and congrats! Sorry about your previous loss. First trimester was nerve wracking for me, even without any previous losses. But the great majority of pregnancies end up going well. 
How far along are you? 

lilosmom - I think I know how you feel. I am really tired of being pregnant. Makes me feel ungrateful, but with the back aches, the constant weight on my bladder and cervix (ouch!) and general discomfort... I've had enough! 
To make things worst, I think my little girl is kind of a tease. I had period-like cramps all day Wednesday and then... nothing since. No cramps at all yesterday. A few BH contractions, but that was all. So far today, nothing. :shrug: I was really hoping I was getting close, but now I'm bracing myself for a long wait.


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## maybesoon

Thanks Marie.... I'm 6weeks.... I'm only just beginning....


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## Jazavac

I'm not tired of being pregnant, yet, at least, and I hope I'll make it to 40 weeks and all. But I'm tired of working, that's for sure. I'm getting to the point where I have no patience to sit at my desk for 9 hours a day and concentrate on something I never even cared for in the first place. I still have no major physical issues, but I do need a bit more sleep than what I can get at night (it's not the most comfortable thing to do and I guess I hear noises and whatever a lot more than before, so the cat and/or my husband wake me up thousands of times). It all just feels like I'm wasting my life away at work, which I really am, anyway, but it's hitting me now almost more than ever.

I wish there was some reasonable system here in the US, really. The rest of the world is doing just fine and they do allow mothers and mothers-to-be to exists outside of their workplaces, too. Ugh. 

My mom keeps saying I should pack my bags and come over before it's too late, to give birth for free and stay away from my job, but of course it's not really all that possible. On top of that, of course I wouldn't just leave my husband behind and either notify him of his son's birth over Skype, or rely on due dates and plane tickets to allign properly.

Bah.

I guess this is my rant for the day.


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## sunshine1217

Welcome, new ladies!!

Jaz, how much weight did you gain? I must have missed that post. I'm set to gain 30 for this pregnancy, I have about 5 more to go for that. As long as the weight is going to the baby, I've come to peace with it. People say I look pretty much the same unless they look at my belly so I don't mind that. Our babies gotta grow!

I did a perineal massage last night, not sure I enjoyed that but maybe I was too tense. Then DH tried to feel my cervix, which he said was way up there and shut closed. Makes me think it'll be a while before the baby is ready to come out.


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## Jazavac

I've gained 16 lbs (about 7.5 kg) up to date. I know it's not all that much, but I have 10 more weeks to go, bleh. It's all in the belly and boobs, too. I can still fit into my smallest pre-pregnancy pants just fine, except for the front, which I can't button up.


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## sunshine1217

I think I was something similar at your point, maybe 18 lbs? third tri is when I gained a lot. Last 3 weeks, I think I put on a good 6 or 7 lbs! My dr seems to think it's a good weight gain. Are you exercising and eating well? Do you feel like your belly's growing? I think those are the important things.


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## Jazavac

It's only my belly that's growing now, for a while the boobs did, too, but now they seem to be behaving. No water retention, no diabetes, no swelling of any sort, low blood pressure, all is good. I packed about 5 pounds in the past three weeks, but I did nothing out of the ordinary. If I were to go by whatever available guidelines, I'd be in the group of overweight/obese people who shouldn't even gain at all. But since I don't go by my BMI (heavy, yet very muscular, per various tests I've done), it's really okay where I'm at. 

It's just my own stupid problem, in my own head. I've been working on shedding my extra weight for years now and was getting close to hit my goal right before I got pregnant. So it just hurts to see anything go up, even though I know it's okay and that I'll lose it once the little guy is here. 

I'm eating healthy foods, I exercise.


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## sunshine1217

I can't wait to lose the pregnancy weight either. I have my workout plan all carved out and already got a few pairs of new sneakers to motivate myself. I want to be in better shape than before. I know it'll be hard to carve out that time but I'm going to do my best to.


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## cre8ing

Jazavac, no it's not a great system. I am somewhat amused by the advice when tired to cut back at work. I would love to but: would have to tell my boss why (and it's only the 1st trimester), would have to use my vacation time (which I need for maternity leave), and my work schedule is already booked far in advance so appointments would have to be canceled. It's just not that easy.

sunshine - an exercise plan sounds great! I am trying to get out there now to exercise.

Nothing new with me. I like that this group has a bunch of women in different stages of pregnancy. Welcome to the newbies!


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## Jazavac

I'm all out of vacation time for this year (I got lucky when I planned it, not knowing I was pregnant), but they'll make me use it after the 1st of next year, when I get my new batch. 

Oh well.


----------



## JenFM

Lisa40 said:


> Hi Jen :hi: welcome to the thread, hope you are well, how far along are you?
> 
> xx

Hi there, thanks for the welcome  I'm actually 11 weeks 4 days. All is well here. I consider myself lucky I never got morning sickness. Hope you are well too.


----------



## JenFM

Marie000 said:


> JenFM - welcome aboard, and congratulations!
> I wouldn't worry too much about that 'advanced maternal age' stuff. I think that only even starts at 35, and your odds of a healthy baby are still excellent. They will probably suggest to you that you do the trisomy screening test. My advice for that would be to think carefully. The results can be very reassuring, or very stressful. In my case, they have been extremely stressful (still are, since I was uncomfortable with the amnio).
> 
> .

I try not to worry too much. Wednesday coming up the dr is having me do that trisomy screening test. I'm sure hope everything will be fine. I definitely don't want to do the amnio.


----------



## Lisa40

Ohhhh lucky you Jen not getting the sickness, I didn't actually vomit but I did feel very poorly a lot, more so in the evenings though lol. At least I knew that by the time I woke up in the mornings I'd feel better, I had a lot of early nights in first tri I can tell you :haha:
hope all goes well on Wednesday for you :thumbup: keep us posted.

:hugs:
xx


----------



## DHime

Hey! Welcome to the newbies!
Sorry I have been out of touch. My DS is back in ICU for the second time since his release from NICU. They think he may be having seizures. So I have had my hands full trying to keep up with him due to his eating issues causing me to feed him every 1.5 hrs. talk about no sleep! DH is sick and never home due to school and work. I get to bathe about every 3 days or so. yuck.


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## Jazavac

Ugh, DHime, I'm so sorry you're still going through a lot there. I really hope things will get better for you all. Is the hospital close to where you live, or do you get to stay with Tristan? I really hope you don't have to travel back and forth all day long, pretty much.


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## wookie130

Oh, I hope it's not seizures, dear. I really hope you can catch a break soon. :hugs:


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## lilosmom

Not sure when I last posted but "Welcome to the new ladies" :hi:

Dhime - sorry to hear about another setback. :nope:

Jaz - I just noticed your ticker was past 30 weeks! Guess it's not just my pregnancy that seems to be flying by.

AFM we just got home from our last camping excursion for the season and I'm thinking I'm pretty lucky we got through the weekend with no birth. Been having some early labour symptoms and because both my mom and my MIL are away this week I have a feeling something may happen sooner than later. Just not quite feeling myself tonight either. Hmmmmm.... maybe I should just chalk it up to camp food? Have a doctor's appointment in the morning so should have a better idea if I'm progressing or not then. Alright, off to bed for me. I'm exhausted and can't wait to sleep in my own bed.


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## Marie000

DHime - so sorry Tristan isn't feeling better. That poor little guy has been through so much already. I things get easier for both of you very soon. :hugs:

Lilosmom - You are almost full term now! Congrats! I'm sure whether or not your little one decides to wait, things will go just fine for you. 

As for me, the contractions seem to have picked up again. They are nowhere near regular or strong enough, but now the period-like cramps are happening at the same time as my belly getting tighter. 
I also get BH contractions from doing just about anything. I feel like my baby belly has been replaced by a giant rock. It makes it really painful to walk around with even an ounce of liquid in my bladder.


----------



## DHime

Lilosmom - Glad you made it thru the trip. FX for you at the appt.
Lisa - Wow you are getting up there.
Jaz - Unfortunately I am driving back and forth. It is worth it though. His roomate's family is a pain though. Yesterday they had 9 visitors at once. I kept having to shushhh them and remind them that my baby was trying to sleep. Really annoying.

Good news. no seizures! they do think he may be allergic to milk though. (I have been trying to get someone to test this theory for a while now but no one ever wanted to listen) The spasms he was having were apparently linked to the meds he was on. So good news there. Still working with the GI doc to figure out why all the vomiting. They also put him on breathing treatments.
I now have a cold (thanks to DH who wouldn't go stay at his mom's house because he would lose sleep) Would love to smack him. Most like the little guy has it too.


----------



## Jazavac

Yay for no seizures! I'm so glad to hear that. Hopefully they'll pin down all the issues that can be fixed, or simply avoided. I'm sorry the roomates are so bad, but if driving back and forth actually gives you some time to rest, as opposed to arguing with those people at all times, it sure is worth it.

Marie, you're really getting there!


----------



## Premomt

Wow Dhime..... all I can say is you are doing so excellent coping as best you can with what's happening! Thank you so much for showing us how strong you are :hugs:

Hello to all the newly prego mamas! :wave:

Nothing major to report here... feeling good. yesterday am I woke to breakfast in bed :cloud9: and when I rolled over the baby was in a new position which felt like either it's butt or head was at the top of my uterus on the right. It was like a little softball under my skin haha! I made DH feel it, and he was hoping for movement... Still can't get the lo to respond to our touch just yet.
All day yesterday the baby was in an odd position, very stretchy and mildly uncomfortable for me.
Overall I've been feeling less movement than before. But larger ones when I do feel it.
And I've been having this weird sensation in my lower left groin from time to time. Mostly when I sit to pee... I can only describe it as a wooshing sensation, Like I am feeling my blood rushing through my vein/ artery in my groin. Anyone else feel this?


----------



## Jazavac

I've been having issues with the right side of my crotch, but I would describe it as horrible burning sensation, probably comparable to open flames touching your skin, or a deep, sharp cut. It's been getting worse and worse. It starts when I stand for longer than a few minutes at a time, so cooking, laundry folding/hanging, etc. are a big no-no. I mean, sure, I still do all those things, but I need to take breaks and start walkins, or I need to sit down for a little while. 

At the same time, any and all activities are still perfectly fine. It doesn't happen if I walk, do yoga, etc. Being in bed is fine, too, as well as sitting. 

I have an appointment next Tuesday, so I'll make sure to ask about it. It's so bad that every once in a while I really go take a look at the spot, to make sure I don't have an open wound, or something.


----------



## Premomt

jaz could it be a varicosity in your vagina I wonder? I'm so worried about getting varicose veins there... But I would think it would feel more like hemrohids... Definitly ask about it... and let us know!


----------



## Jazavac

I have no idea what it is, it's the weird pain/sensation that makes me wonder.


----------



## sunshine1217

ouch Jaz! I think i remember Coco saying she has a friend who had hemorrhoids on her hooha. weird that it's only on one side.

DHime, did you cut your hair? It looks fab! Sorry Tristan has food allergies, hopefully GI doc can shed some light on things. Glad to hear that he didn't have any seizures though!

Premomt, there is a big blood vessel on your groin though I can't say I've had that feelings.

AFM, I am starting to get a lot of pain on the bone in my vagina, does that even make sense? I guess it would be the pubic bone. My bones in general are hurting a lot. My appetite seems to be picking up though, not sure if that's good or bad. I don't want to put on 10 lbs in the last few weeks of pregnancy!


----------



## lilosmom

Well doctor's appointment was fairly uneventful. Baby is not engaged and is what they refer to as "sunny side up" so he's hoping baby will turn before things get rolling. No internal exam was done as I'm still not at 37 weeks so I'm not sure how things are progressing there but I do know I've started losing my mucus plug so we'll see if we make it to next weeks appointment for the internal exam and possible sweep of membranes. I'm not too sure what to expect as I didn't make it that far along with my first pregnancy. Oh well, one more week can't be too bad. :shrug:


----------



## Marie000

DHime - glad to hear it wasn't seizures. Hopefully the other problems will get sorted quickly. 
And your new pic looks beautiful. Tristan is so cute! (and that little outfit is adorable!)

Jaz - Were you able to figure out what was causing that pain?

As for me, I think things are progressing. Last night I woke up 3 times with painful contractions. Today, I have the urge to keep walking, squatting, leaning forward, etc. My belly gets really tight often. That's not new, but what is new is that I now have the sensation of someone pulling down on my belly while it's getting tight. Enough to make my knees buckle. Those contractions are not very painful though. Sometimes I have period-like cramps, but usually not.


----------



## cre8ing

Dhime - I am so sorry Tristan is back in NICU but glad they have that for him.


----------



## DHime

Wow Marie - FX for you. 
Lilosmom - Hang in there.
Jaz - Please don't wait and make your doc test you for ANY infections asap. Any infections can cause premature labor. (look at me for case and point) If you feel something isn't right then you are probably right. Either way, don't risk it. :hug:

AFM - I went to an itallian guy to ask for a trim and he cut it all off. He didn't understand much english. But it turned out to be a great cut. DH is doing well and taking things in stride. He goes to school in the day time and work at night so I am on my own when it comes to baby care unless it is a weekend day.

They have changed DS meds and his formula. Turns out he is allergic to milk too. :cry: Man that new stuff smells bad! It's like a dogs ass. 
Hopefully the little guy will come home tomorrow. I told them not to even think about releasing him until they are sure he will be okay and not wind up right back in a few days.
Also, I know it may be repeatative but I can say I have never been so tired in my whole life but I love every minute of it. It is amazing how fast you fall in love with them once you get to really bond. I love to burp him on my shoulder so I can feel his breath in my ear and he likes to give me slobber kisses on my cheek while rooting. I love to hold him on my chest so I can smell him. I just hate putting him down. There is that wonderful 10 minutes of absolute cuteness between the time he wakes up and the time he gets demanding from hunger. I still won't let anyone else hold him unless they are a nurse or my DH. :haha:

you girls hanging on?


----------



## Jazavac

It's really getting there for some of you girls, whoa! I mean, I sound surprised, while I'm actually slowly getting there myself, too, and it feels like I found out I was pregnant just a few days ago. Scary, I say!

DHime, I hope Tristan finally gets home, but I do agree with you when you said you wouldn't want him released before they were sure he was fine. I also really like your haircut, too!

As for me, I don't think it's an infection, it's really something related to a ligament/muscle/nerve, or something of the sort. I've not felt it at all today, and I did stand a little bit (not as much as I normally would, though). The little guy might've shifted inside, too, so maybe the pressure will now be gone? We'll see. There was a lot of movement inside this afternoon, to the point where he was pushing out underneath my boobs, on my left side (normally he keeps more to the right) and now the right side of my belly feels almost empty compared to the left one. He's still jumping around inside, but less than he did earlier today and I have to admit I appreciate that. During the wild hours, I had to quit working for a little while and take a short walk around the office. 

We have an appointment on Tuesday, so we'll see how we're doing. I hope all is still good. I also hope he's no longer breech and that I'll finally find a doula. I've contacted two so far, and both are fully booked in November. Sigh.


----------



## Marie000

Time can really fly sometimes. At least, the second trimester just flew by for me, and pretty much up until I got to full term and started the waiting phase. 

I saw my midwife this morning and she said what happened to me yesterday was typical "false" labour (they don't like to use the term false, because these contractions really do make things move along). Today is quieter, but I still get the occasional cramp, contraction or sharp cervix pain. 
At least baby is now much lower than she was 2 weeks ago (how much lower can she get before she just falls out of there?). Both my midwives are pretty convinced that I wont make it to my due date. But it seems like she is now back to back. She had her back perfectly placed in the front for weeks, and now she changed her mind. My midwife didn't seem concerned. Baby will probably turn during labor or even before. 

DHime - glad to hear you are able to enjoy those little moments with Tristan. Enjoy it before he grows into a teenager and then he might not want cuddles anymore.


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## DHime

I am enjoying all the cuddles I can get.
Got news today. He needs surgery. Here is a link to the procedure. Basically he is having episodes where he turns blue and his heart rate drops dramatically. I cried for about an hour after meeting with the surgeon.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/serv...ic_fundoplication_procedure_for_children.aspx


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## wookie130

I just read the info, DHime. I hope and pray that this really resolves a lot of little T's issues right now. And I hope and pray for you too. As a mother, I'm sure all of these issues with your son are really taking a toll on you emotionally and otherwise.


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## Jazavac

:hugs: DHime. I'm sure little Tristan is in good hands and that the surgery will take care of things that are really bothering him.


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## lilosmom

DHime - that sounds so horrible for such a little guy to have to go through. I hope the surgery works and you can finally put this all behind you and move ahead with your baby. When do they think the surgery will be scheduled for? Hopefully you both won't have to suffer through this much longer. Thinking of you both. :hugs:


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## DHime

Monday I think.
FX that everything is okay


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## Lisa40

Keeping everything crossed for you & Tristan, I'm sure everything will go fine. Lots of :hugs:
xx


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## Marie000

I will keep you and Tristan in my thoughts. Hopefully the surgery will help him.


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## sunshine1217

Dhime, I am so sorry Tristan has to go through that. I hope it will be quick and painless and resolve his digestive issues. I will be thinking of you and your family this coming week.:hugs:


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## Premomt

Where is everybody? it's usually so active on this page and its been QUIET for two days now... did everyone go into labor????


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## Marie000

Premomt said:


> Where is everybody? it's usually so active on this page and its been QUIET for two days now... did everyone go into labor????

I wish! 

No labor here. Well, today seems to be a day of false labor. I am hoping it turns into real labor this time. 
Any time something new happens (stronger contractions, bad nausea, etc) OH keeps telling me it's "a good sign!" If I hear that one more time, I think I'm gonna hit him. Things are progressing really slowly and I am getting impatient.

How's everyone else doing?


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## Jazavac

Hopefully this is it for you, Marie!


I'm doing fine, for the most part. Panicking here and there because I'm getting close to the 60-days-to-DD mark and it's slightly freaking me out. Other than that, I still feel reasonably okay, except for the parts where the kiddo decides to mistake my stomach for a football. Ugh.


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## Lisa40

I'm still here :hi: no labour yet, think I'm going to go way past my due date, absolutely no signs at all.
Starting to feel a bit more uncomfortable now but nothing too bad, less than 2 weeks left in work now :happydance:
I've got that funny taste back in my mouth though like I used to have in 1st tri, the only way to combat it is to eat... Well that's my excuse anyway :haha:

xx


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## wookie130

DHime, praying for little Tristan, and for you. Hoping that the surgery was today, and went smoothly, without any further incident. I pray he's in recovery, and doing well, and that things begin to look up from here.


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## lilosmom

DHime - thinking of you today and hoping surgery was successful. Will be keeping an eye on this thread for news from you.

AFM I have been doing everything in my power to get this baby motivated to get out and after my doctor's appointment this morning it seems to be working. He figures baby will be here within the week so I've got my list of last minute things to do and will see how far I get before D-day. Good luck to the rest of the ladies nearing the end... won't be long now!


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## Premomt

well it's good to know some of ya are still hangin in there... I hope for your sake Marie that your husband lays off the comments for a bit. They can be just as annoying as the "relax and it'll happen" Comments while TTC.
And Dhime- been thinking about you all day. Hope things went well...

not much going on here. Feeling some stronger kicks and rolls. Some that make me jump a bit which is cute -now. ROTFL. Feeling good otherwise.


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## Marie000

DHime - I hope things went well with Tristan's operation. I am keeping you both in my thoughts.

lilosmom - so exciting! I hope your doctor is right and your little one shows up soon. 

As for me, I'm still waiting. This is really driving me nuts. I've been having signs that things would happen soon for 3 weeks now. My midwives didn't think I'd make it to my due date, but I guess they were wrong on that. 
Last night I woke up at 2:30am with what felt like real contractions. They were not super strong, but they were painful, and came in waves. First they were around 5-10 minutes apart, then 20, then 30, then they stopped. They have yet to start again. I am getting almost constant BH contractions though. Not that it's doing me any good. 
I have another mw appointment tomorrow, and I am not looking forward to being told again that I should give birth any day now. Unless there's a little head poking out of me, I don't believe it anymore.


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## NellieRae

Hang in there Marie - if they came in waves and were painful, they were probably real. It sucks that the early labor contractions can come and go for some women for days - but not forever, right? The thing is, you WILL give birth any day now, though no one can tell you what day. You'll probably have your little one in your arms by the end of the week. I can't wait to check bnb soon and see your announcement!

For now try to enjoy sleeping more than 2.5 hours at a time, showering, running your errands whenever you need to, and freedom to get done even half of what you need to! :flower:


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## Premomt

Keep your head up Marie (hugs) it's all happening for a reason. Keep positive tho!


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## Jazavac

Hang in there, Marie! Things _are_ happening!


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## lilosmom

Good luck Marie - here's hoping one of us will be holding our baby soon!


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## Marie000

Thanks ladies! 
I just woke up from another uneventful night. Well, I had one real contraction last night. Maybe two, but the second was pretty weak. Then nothing else. I slept all night, which I guess I should be thankful for. 
Cramps again this morning, and some BH contractions, as usual. 
I'm off to see the midwife this morning.


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## wookie130

Good luck, Marie!

DHime - Still praying!


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## Lisa40

Hey DHime. Hope everything is ok & little Tristan is doing well after surgery :thumbup:

how did the midwife go Marie? I'm seeing mine tomorrow but I'm expecting the same 'baby is still head down' (has been every appt apparently since 25 weeks) 'but not engaged yet' sigh.

Although I have 10 days left until I finish work so probably a good thing she isn't engaged yet lol.
x


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## Marie000

My appointment went well. Baby is no longer back to back. 
I opted to have my cervix checked (they don't automatically do it) and the cervix is very ripe. Even my midwife was happily surprised. I am 80-85% effaced and 3cm dilated, and the position of the head is at -2. My midwife explained that especially for first babies, the latency stage can be a very long process just to get you at 4cm dilated. And I'm almost there already. :happydance:
We also discussed the procedure for going past 41 weeks and she booked me for monitoring at 41+2, but I hope I wont make it until then. At 41 weeks, they would probably do a membrane sweep. If I get to 42 weeks, I would no longer be allowed to give birth at the birthing center and I'd have to be induced at the hospital.


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## Jazavac

That sounds pretty good, Marie!

Now go wash some windows, or something, because they say it helps. ;)


DHime, keeping my fingers crossed for your little guy, and you. Let us know how it all went as soon as you can.


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## DHime

fx for you Marie!
well his surgery was today. he is resting now with tylenol and morphine at intervals. I am happy he came thru. now is the part where he recovers and we find out if it was worth all this. Oh God please let it have worked..... I can't bear much more of this. he is 3 months old now and I have had him at home for only 6 days total. I broke down multiple times the last 48 hours. Starting to wish I still smoked. or that the hospital had a bar. lol


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## Jazavac

I'm glad the surgery is done and over with, DHime. Hopefully they got everything fixed for little Tristan.

It's time for you to take him home. :hugs:


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## Lisa40

Yep you definately deserve to take him home very soon. Hope all went well :hugs:
x


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## wookie130

DHime, I'd like to have a smoke for you, just reading about all you and your little family have been through. Glad to hear he made it through okay...and I now pray that the surgery did it's job.


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## Marie000

DHime - glad to hear Tristan pulled through. I really hope this will solve much of his health issues and you can put that stress behind you. 
I can understand you breaking down many times over. I'm not sure how I would find the strength to go through what your family has been through in the last weeks. :hugs:

As for me, things are quiet this morning. Again. :nope:


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## DHime

wow Marie. come on labor! let's get this show on the road!!!!

As for my LO - so far so good. recovery is as needed. Might be 3 days and might be longer. He will have the tube for at least a year. right now he just writhes in pain here and there. even on morphine. Started the continuous feeding this morning so hopefully he will tollerate it with no vomiting.


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## Jazavac

I'm glad the recovery is going as planned or expected. Will he need a tube that goes through his mouth, or directly to his belly?


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## bunda

I hope it all went well. I can't imagine how anyone would not break down with what you've been going through and for so long. It just seems so relentless.


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## lilosmom

Dhime - so glad to hear surgery went well and Tristan is recovering. I hope and pray it was worth while and will actually solve the issues. 

Marie - I can totally relate to your frustrations. I have had every sign and symptom now but each time I get thinking "this is it!" it stops. I guess I'm not as patient a person as I though I was.


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## DHime

thanks ladies
It is thru the stomach.


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## Premomt

Marie~ I think about you daily... You too Dhime! I am very glad little Tristan was such a champ through surgery, and I am sending positive healing thoughts your way.
And Marie I'm sending Labor thoughts to you!

News with me- Yesterday was the first time I felt baby kick on the outside! :happydance: We had gone downtown into Charleston and walked around for 5+hours and when we came home I needed to lie down. I went in to the bedroom and did so, and was lying on my right side with my left hip hitched up a bit watching TV with my left arm resting over my abdomen.
I felt baby move on the inside (which is nothing new...) and- though at the moment it was disconnected (I though I had a arm spazam lol!) my hand jumped at the same time! I thought a second about it, and realized that it could have been movement felt on the outside- so I waited and it happened again!
I called for DH to come quickly, and he did (not knowing what was wrong lol...) and I had him lie down and place his hand where I had felt the kick- but he got nothing :nope: He said the baby probablly quieted down cause I yelled LOL...

So neat to make the connection of feeling inside and outside at the same time!


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## Marie000

Premomt - that is so exciting about kicks. Too bad your OH did not feel it, but soon enough they'll be coming nonstop. 

DHime - great to hear the recovery is going well so far. I hope he is doing well with the feeding.

As for me, still not much new. I can't believe how long this is taking. I keep hearing people say that they just woke up one morning with pains, and they had the baby that day. Am I doing something wrong here? (resting too much maybe?) :shrug:
Yesterday I was feeling really off in the morning. I was dizzy, weak, etc. Then I had really strong BH contractions all afternoon. I have also been loosing my plug (probably because of my internal exam on Wednesday). This morning is quiet again. I am tempted to start scrubbing floors.


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## Lisa40

Awww Marie, :hugs: I'm sure you're not doing anything wrong. The average birth date for a first time mum is 41+3 so don't worry too much.
I think they got my dates wrong by about 5 days too so I'm pretty sure nothing is going to happen for me until the 10-12 October (if I'm lucky) I'll probably have to be induced due to their dating lol.
You'll have your LO soon I'm sure and at least within 2 weeks :thumbup: although I hope it's sooner for you xx


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## Marie000

I'm not too concerned about going overdue - I kind of expected that from the start. But I have now been having early labor / false labor symptoms on and off for 2-3 weeks. 

Nothing is happening today and I am so cranky I just want to yell at everyone and/or cry.


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## Lisa40

:hugs: :hugs:


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## Marie000

Lisa40 said:


> :hugs: :hugs:

Thanks. 
I am feeling better now, but still exasperated. 
I feel guilty because my first thought when I get impatient is not "I want to have my baby in my arms" but "I just want this discomfort to be over with already!" Makes me feel like a bad, ungrateful mom. I just hope that changes once baby is here.


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## Lisa40

That's only because the discomfort is always there & it's hard to ignore.
I'm sure you'll make a brilliant mum & once the discomfort is over you'll be able to concentrate completely on your LO :happydance:

it's just a shame that women have to get to a point of sheer exhaustion & pain before baby arrives. Surely mother nature would have made more sense to make sure the mum was well rested & relaxed before birth & have factored some way of doing that into natural selection & survival of the fittest lol!
x


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## Jazavac

According to some of the newer studies, they are beginning to think that the beginning of labour actually lies in the mother's inability to carry the baby any further. Basically, they think that the baby starts coming out when the mother's bad can no longer deal with the effort required to keep it in: when the amount of calories burned, amongst other things, exceeds what she can put in through food, etc.

It kind of makes sense, too.


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## Premomt

it will, don't worry. And of course you arent a bad/ungreatful mom! It is exasperating with all the action/non action you've been having lately!


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## Marie000

So how's everyone today? 

I'm still waiting. Last night I woke up again with painful contractions, and after 4-5, they stopped. I've been having a few during the day too. 
So things are evolving, but still slowly. 
To make things worst, we just got bad news regarding our finances. I really didn't need that stress.


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## Premomt

Hi Marie~

I'm doing good. DH got to feel baby kick twice last night for the first time :cloud9: Other than that I'm feeling a lot more breathless lately. Especially laying down. So I'm doing some more pelvic rocking exercises to let my belly hang out a bit more and get some deeper breaths.

I'm sorry your finances are stressful to add to the stress you are feeling about not going into labor yet. :nope: It will all be worth it when your LO is in your arms looking at you and studying your face, and you hers. All the waiting, and impatience, and discomfort will fade with time after she comes... It just sucks right now because you're in the present moment, and ready.
Just keep as positive as you can dear. Every day she's still in there- she's safe, and well taken care of. She's baking away and just not ready yet to meet the rest of the world! Once she's here, you'll wonder where the time goes... 

and PLEASE when I am in your shoes- show me this post and encourage me too!


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## Lisa40

Sounds like things are progressing for you though Marie, hope it carries on today :thumbup:
sorry to hear about the added stress, it's not good when things don't go to plan. 

I'm still trying to get to the end of this month before mat leave as it means I can be off until 1st sept next year & have the whole summer with my OH who's a teacher. Thought it was a good idea at the time but when I had to do a 9 hour shift yesterday and I'm facing an 11 hour one today it's not feeling like my best decision ever! 
I mean 1 extra week unpaid wasn't going to do us much damage but noooooo I decided I'm able to still work! What was I thinking!! :brat:
x


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## bunda

you'll appreciate it this time next year. Hang in there, not much longer.


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## Lisa40

Thanks Bunda... 11 hour shift over :yipee: 
couldn't get my shoes back on though at the end of the day so had to drive home in my flip flops :blush:
got a leg rub of my OH when I got home which was nice, hopefully my ankles will reappear at some point tomorrow :haha:

how are you & Douglas doing?
xx


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## sunshine1217

Interestingly, there's a famous salad here that's suppose to induce labor, not sure if your area has something similar. I actually know a couple of women who went into labor a day after the salad. You guys can google that.


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## Marie000

Hi everyone,

It's 3:30am here and I am up because contractions were keeping me awake (yay! :happydance:). It started last evening. It's not regular yet, but I feel like it will get there. 

Yesterday afternoon I was talking to a friend who has a 4 year old boy. The boy was born 2 weeks early and his mom told me that the night before he was born was when she decided she was ready, and she truly meant it. Of course my reaction was to tell myself that I've been ready for weeks! Not fair!! But then I got to thinking about all the stress I've had, and all the negative feelings and I realized that there was still a part of me that was holding me back. So when I got home I lied down, talked to OH about the baby and started to think about holding my little girl, having her tiny hand wrapped around my finger, etc. I felt I was ready, and I was smiling about it. The contractions started about an hour later. 
Well, I had also been having cramps all day. So I guess my body was ready too. But at least I'm not afraid (yet!)

So hopefully I'll be too busy to update in the morning. I'll try to catch a bit more sleep for now. I'll keep my fingers crossed that this is really it this time. 

Lisa - I'm glad you survived your 11h shift. I would probably have a hard time doing that even if I wasn't pregnant. Enjoy your time off now.

Premomt - that's great news about the kicks. I'd like to tell you that the breathlessness will pass, but unfortunately that's an annoyance I've had to put up with for most of my pregnancy. In my prenatal yoga, they suggested lots of side angle stretches to open the rib cage. You might also want to make sure you're not anemic. That can make you feel more breathless (as well as dizzy and tired, and give you heart palpitations).


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## Lisa40

Oohhhh exciting Marie, good luck, hope this is it for you & all goes well (and quickish)
I'm having a well deserved duvet day today, not going to move from the couch except to eat & pee & maybe take a trip back to bed later for a little nap :happydance:
x


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## Jazavac

Good luck, Marie! Looks like you're really there now. 

I suppose, for once, I'm glad I have these short legs and a huge torso, and that on top of that I'm carrying low, too? :lol: Have I already said this? Either way, I feel no baby-impact on my lugs or ribcage, luckily. On the other hand, he's messing with my crotch a lot.


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## Premomt

I too have a long torso... But baby really hasn't moved "out" yet. mostly up. so I'm thinking that has something to do with the breathlessness. 
And now that you mention the anemia, I am going to have to have that checked... I have always been borderline, and I do get heart palps and dizzy when standing ocasionally...
I really need to be diligent about taking my prenatals... I've been lax about it lately, and I think they are more helpful in the anemia area than i thought originally. (amongst other things of course)

Marie- it's amazing what can happen when you put the right energy out into the world... That makes me smile! 
For the longest time DH and I said we were ready for baby, but nothing happened! I even went as far as to get little socks and put them in the "baby's" room (which was at that point my husband's closet room) 
But it didn't happen. a few years passed, we were always trying in some way or another (ntnp, activley trying etc) but in the same span of time DH went overseas for a year, we paid off all our debt, and grew together as well as seperatly. When he came back for good (he was home then away, home then away...) I had moved all his clothes from the baby room into our room and really just wanted to relearn who my husband now was and have fun with him. wouldn't you know what happened next?

Off that rant now lol... So FX for you that this is it!!!!

New things with me- nothing much. Been actively seeking out baby gear  got a stroller/ carseat combo unit from a friend yesterday for less than half of what it would normally cost. 
Have a lady I'm going to go get a crib from today, and another with cloth diapers tomorrow. The baby room now not only has little socks in it but tonns of clothes, toys, and after tomorrow those other items as well! 
It's exciting! 
Now if I can just get my best friend to get the invites going for the shower....


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## Jazavac

Prenatals do nothing at all if you have anemia. All of them, or actually any over-the-counter iron supplements are a joke compared to prescription drugs you need to take if your levels are low. Last time I had to take iron, the daily dose (and I only got a tiny bit of supplementation, pretty much) was over 35 times higher than an average serving from a bottle of vitamins would have given me.


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## Lisa40

I agree that if you have low iron levels then you will need more of a boost than the prenatals, but I have taken a daily spatone sachets with OJ every morning and my prenatal every evening & so far my iron has only dropped from 13.5 at 9weeks to 12.9 at the last appt.
Obviously I try & eat a lot of leafy green veg & I do also like red meat so it all helps, but I think what I'm saying is that the prenatal can't hurt.
Sometimes it won't be enough but if you would have only been borderline anyway then it might be enough to keep things level? Who knows lol :shrug:


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## Marie000

Baby Ariane is here. She arrived safely (and quickly) yesterday afternoon, at 8lb3oz. She's doing great and I'm well too, aside from the exhaustion.

More details later.


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## Jazavac

*Congratulations, Marie*! 


So it was the real thing, huh? :happydance:


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## Jazavac

(P.S. Picture!!)


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## Lisa40

:yipee: go Marie, well done & congratulations :happydance:
xx


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## wookie130

Whoohoooooo, Marie! HUGE CONGRATS!!! What a lovely name, also!


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## Marie000

Thanks!

I'll tell you all about the birth later, but for now here are some pictures of my perfect little girl. 

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/IMG_5280.jpg

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/mariepelletier/IMG_5263.jpg


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## sunshine1217

Congratulations Marie!!!


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## Jazavac

Awww, she's beautiful!

Congratulations one more time!



(Very cute Ikea changing pad. I just washed ours the other day and it's all ready in the closet now. :lol:)


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## Smanderson

Marie, Congratulations what a beautiful little girl xxx


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## wookie130

What a pretty, pretty baby, Marie!!! Look at that dark hair!


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## bunda

Congratulations Marie! And enjoy those newborn snuggles. You're her everything now.


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## Premomt

Congrats Marie! she's adorrable!


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## Premomt

So I know it is completley normal for baby to be in all sorts of weird positions at this early point, but ouch! It's not comfortable!! For the past 2-3 days now the baby has been sitting on my right side and kicking or punching downwards. I don't feel anything on the top near my belly button, but LOTs down near my pubic bone and further down. Currently, however this child is sitting it is giving me a stabbing pain in my low right hip.
I just want it to move into a different position already. It's making me cranky! Isn't too bad while laying down, but sitting is ouchy, as is walking or going from sitting to standing.
I guess tomorrow I will know for sure (if it is still sitting that way) if it is breech and the reason why it is so uncomfortable...
Tomorrow is our anatomy scan! Though we won't be finding out... it will be so neat to find out the length of the baby's bones and CRL and all that fun stuff... if it's sucking its thumb... if it is active or sleeping... Can't wait!


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## Kitty_love

Congrats Marie!!! Wonderful news, and such cute pictures!

DHime, Glad Tristan is now recovering from his surgery. I'm so sorry you've had to go through all this. As others have said, your strength is amazing, and I'm sure your strength is helping and benefitting your little boy as well. 

AFM, just catching up after getting back from our vacation to London. Hubby and I had a wonderful time! So much fun! I was surprised how much walking I was able to do, thought I'd be slower, needing more rest at the hotel or cabs, but we were walking loads every day. Even able to go to top of St Paul's (528 steps)! Went to museums, parks, shopping, all our fav places, lots of good food (including some really yummy cupcakes, and I never really liked cupcakes before?!?) Good weather, too, except for the last day or so. But what's a trip to London without a few days of rain? Made that raincoat I bought in the next size worthwhile!

Traveling while pregnant was easier than I thought, except for the very frequent bathroom breaks! lol!

Back home now, and unfortunately caught a bug. Went from just an annoying head cold now into bronchitis, dr not available until Monday, so lots of rest and water for now. hoping whatever meds he suggests will be ok for little one!


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## cre8ing

Marie - congrats! She is beautiful.

Dhime - I hope Tristan is recovering well.

Kitty - take care of yourself.

AFM - doing ok and the nausea has lessened. Saw my NP yesterday and got to see the baby and hear the hb. I just love that.

Question for those over 35 with high risk screening - what kind of tests did you do and why? We have an u/s at 12.5 weeks to check for Downs and Trisomy 21 (or something like that) and I am not sure what after that.


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## wookie130

I am 34, and NOT doing the high-risk screening. I am waiting for my 20 week ultrasound to indicate to me whether things look "normal" or not. Trisomy 21 IS Down's Syndrome, but my guess is that they'll look for Trisomy 18 (Edward's Syndrome) along with Down's. I chose not to do the screening because it's costly, only about 70% accurate, and you find most of this stuff out anyway at your 20 week ultrasound. A lot women do the screening, because if they do find something wrong, they choose to terminate the pregnancy. For me, that's not an option, so that's another reason why I decided against it.


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## Premomt

I agree with wookie- I'm not high risk in age or family history, so IMO any of the screaning was just not worth it. All the early screening does is give you an indication if you are a CARRIER for certian things or if there is a possibilty that the baby may have downs... So it's like--- Whats the point in worrying? If you want the baby, then what would it matter if the baby has downs or another issue? 
I could see if you had a family history and wanted to know to prepare yourself for something like it... 
I personally just dont see the point.


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## NellieRae

Its been hard for me to get on here much these days (and type, at least!) but I have to say

:happydance: Congrats Marie!!! :happydance:

She is beautiful & I'm so glad everything went ok for you guys. These first days might be a little hazy with a lot of ups & downs, but cherish them as much as you can. Before you know it you'll be looking at pictures of her when she was brand new like this and wondering how time could by so fast!


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## Jazavac

We did the combined test at 12 weeks (NT scan plus bloodwork), as I'll be 35 when I deliver. Out of all of the non-invasive tests, this one is the most accurate. It was covered by my insurance policy in full. The result was something along the lines of 1:7600, so there was no reason for us to go any further (just by my age, the numbers are something like 1:215 or whatever it was).


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## wookie130

I wonder why my insurance wasn't going to cover it? Hmmm...


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## Jazavac

Hm. I don't know. :/

Mine covers anything and everything included in prenatal care (while it plain sucks when it comes to most other things).


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## Kitty_love

We opted against the Downs/Trisomy testing as well. I'll be 36 at delivery, so my dr presented it as an option, but after discussing we decided not to. It was quite expensive, but the main reason we decided not to was because we would not have terminated no matter the results.

As Wookie mentioned, I'll find out more info at the 20 week scan, which is coming up soon for me. Mine is actually at 22 weeks (next Monday the 8th!) as first I was on vacation, then my dr is on vacation. getting so impatient now thats it's close. Hoping LO is healthy!!! So curious about boy/girl, too!


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## Jazavac

I honestly can't say what we would have done in case of bad results. Definitely gone further with testing, in case of some really crappy numbers.

We would have done the 12 week screening regardless of insurance, since there are/were so many unknowns about this pregnancy that we just had to have all the possible _knowns_ covered, at least.


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## Marie000

Thanks again everyone.
Sorry I haven't updated much. I rarely sit in front of a computer without a baby in my arms, and I don't type well with one hand. Now, Ariane is sleeping under daddy's supervision. 

My birth story:
So on Monday I woke up and shortly after started having regular contractions. I stayed home for a while, had a quiet lunch with OH and then headed to the birthing center. When I got there I was 5-6cm dilated and baby was positioned perfectly. The contractions were getting painful, but I was still handling it well. I was still able to close my eyes, breathe and stay pretty zen. Gradually, the pain became stronger and my midwife suggested I get in the bath. The warm water helped but eventually the pain was getting really bad. It felt like I barely had a few seconds between contractions and I started getting really whiny. I just wanted it to stop. Eventually the contractions turned into pushing sensations and my water broke. I pushed in the bath for a while, but when the baby's heartbeat began to drop, my midwife asked me to get out and I continued to push kneeling on the floor with my arms on the side of the bed. I was screaming with every push. It wasn't as painful as the contractions, but it was really intense. I felt like I had no control over it. 
After a total of 35 minutes of pushing, little Ariane was born with one big push. OH was supposed to be the one to catch her, but between the time when her head started to be visible and when she was born, there was no time. 
After that, things are a little blurry. I remember the midwife having to help her start breathing (getting mucus out and giving her a little bit of oxygen). I also remember OH cutting the cord and holding her in my arms. The midwives left us alone for an hour or two to have some skin to skin contact before examining the baby. Then I had to have some stitches (6-7 I think). That wasn't that painful, but I was so tired I whined the whole time.
After all that, we were able to have dinner, call our parents and get a bit of sleep. Luckily the birthing center has someone to help with nursing 24h a day. I was able to get some help getting baby to latch on. 
We came back home Tuesday afternoon, had a visit from my midwife shortly after and started our new life as a family. Ariane is nursing like a pro now, and doing so very often. I had a rough night Wednesday night when she decided all she wanted to do was nurse... from 10pm (when I was hoping to start sleeping) until 4am (when OH found me on the couch downstairs crying from exhaustion). OH ordered me to leave the baby with him, go to bed and start a noisy fan just to make sure I didn't hear her cry. She slept in daddy's arms for a few hours. Last night was better as I decided to co-sleep with her on the futon while OH slept on the bed. Now she is starting to get used to the moses basket so hopefully soon she'll be able to sleep without being in someone's arms. 
But I feel lucky. She's such a quiet, sweet little girl. She is starting to be curious about her surroundings and it is so heartwarming to see her look up at me and at her daddy. :cloud9:


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## Marie000

cre8ing - I did the trisomy screening because it was free and I figured if something was wrong, I would rather know about it in advance. Normally they do a nuchal transparency scan and two blood tests. My hospital couldn't do the nt scan, and I missed my second blood test. Still, they analyzed the one blood test and gave me a result: I had a 1 in 10 chance of having a baby with trisomy 21 :cry: I decided not to do the amnio because I did not want to risk a miscarriage (not that likely, but I still couldn't do it) so all I could do was wait until my daughter was born to know. Luckily, she was born perfectly healthy and shows no signs of trisomy. 
So I would say that the trisomy test can be very useful if you are willing to do the amnio should the result give you a high risk. Otherwise, you will still not know anything for sure, and it can add a lot of stress.


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## Premomt

what a great story Marie! you were such a trooper! I hope I can be as zen as you were... just beautiful your little girl is!


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## lilosmom

Hi everyone, been a while but have been a bit busy taking care of our new little man - Nathan James was born on monday afternoon at 4pm. We had a very fast delivery and although the delivery resulted in a broken arm for the little guy we are all doing well. Nathan's shoulders got stuck on the way out and because the doctor was unable to break his collar bone he had to pull his arm to get him out and it ended up breaking. He had to be on a respirator for 4 minutes as he wasn't breathing on his own and that was so scary. He ended up staying in the neo-natal ward overnight so we didn't get that initial bonding time but we are starting to make up for it now. Hoping to get a picture on here soon... once I figure out how to do it?

Congratulations Marie on the birth of your daughter! She's beautiful! 

I can't believe our children ended up sharing a birthday!


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## Jazavac

Congrats, lilosmom!

I hope your little guy recovers really, really fast!


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## Premomt

congrats Lilosmom!


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## Lisa40

:yipee: lilosmom congratulations, how mad that yours & Maries LO share a birthday.
:happydance:
xx


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## DHime

Congrats Marie and Lilo'smom!
I am glad that despite tests and challenges, your LO's are doing alright.

AFM - Little Tristan is home for 3rd time. (lets hope it is the last time) He is recovering. He now feeds through a gtube in his stomach. I was very depressed at first. Here was yet another thing I would miss out on. no more feed bonding. but On the bright side, don't need any bottles. just bags, beeping equipment, breathing machines for nebulizer treatments, apnea equip and seringes. I may as well go to nursing school. lol


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## wookie130

Lilo, congrats on little Nathan! That's a shame about his arm...but fortunately, the bones of newborns knit quickly.

DHime, I'm glad to hear baby T is home again with you. It does suck about the g-tube feeding. Would you be able to pump breast milk, and freeze your supply? That way, down the road if he can resume oral-motor feeding, you can give him the good stuff? Have they given you any idea how long he'll have his g-tube portal and the tube feedings?

Still praying for you. You two have both been run through the ringer, I swear. I promise that there will be hidden blessings in all of these struggles...they may not be apparent NOW, but down the road, that silver lining exists.


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## Kitty_love

Congratulations, Lilosmom!!! Hope Nathan's arm heals quickly! :hugs:


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## cre8ing

Congrats lilosmom!

Thanks for sharing your story Marie.

DHime - I am glad Tristan is home and hope that things go well and he stays out of the hospital.

AFM - ok, time to do some reading on these tests. My NP just presented it as if this is what is done (b/w with u/s for screening) and not as an option. She did say doing an amnio after depending on the results would be an option and I already knew I did not want that. So I need to read and talk to OH and figure this out. I would love another u/s to see that everything is ok at 12 weeks, but I'm not sure about getting some results that aren't that accurate.


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## Jazavac

I consider them to be more than enough accurate for me to be able to decide where/what to go next. That was the reason we went. They can't give a yes or no type of answer, but ratios were just fine.


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## sunshine1217

lilosmom said:


> Hi everyone, been a while but have been a bit busy taking care of our new little man - Nathan James was born on monday afternoon at 4pm. We had a very fast delivery and although the delivery resulted in a broken arm for the little guy we are all doing well. Nathan's shoulders got stuck on the way out and because the doctor was unable to break his collar bone he had to pull his arm to get him out and it ended up breaking. He had to be on a respirator for 4 minutes as he wasn't breathing on his own and that was so scary. He ended up staying in the neo-natal ward overnight so we didn't get that initial bonding time but we are starting to make up for it now. Hoping to get a picture on here soon... once I figure out how to do it?
> 
> Congratulations Marie on the birth of your daughter! She's beautiful!
> 
> I can't believe our children ended up sharing a birthday!

Congratulations Lilosmom!!!! Sorry he's had trouble but it sounds like he's recovering well.


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## Lisa40

Yeay Dhime, so glad that Tristan is home with you, sorry to hear that he still has a way to go to recover but I'm sure the best place for him is at home in your arms. Give him a big hug from me :hugs:

AFM - first day of maternity leave today :yipee: and the best night sleep I've had in ages, still hot up the usual amount of times to pee/turnover etc but it was amazing how easy it was to go back to sleep, normally I lie there thinking about some problem or issue in work & it takes me ages to get back to sleep, by which point I've got heartburn or achy hips... But not last night, I feel refreshed for the first time in a few weeks & actually feel like I have the energy to push this baby out... :yipee: come on flump, if you don't arrive today I'll have to pray the sleeping wasn't a fluke :haha:

hope everyone else is well :happydance:
xx


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## DHime

Hang in there Lisa!
Lilo'smom - were they able to reset the arm?
Jaz - Unfortunately I just don't have the stamina to do all that I am doing plus pumping. The girls just slowly dried up anyway. Never did work right this time around. Hopefully my next one will be definition of normal. lol


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## lilosmom

Thanks for the congrats everyone. We are doing just fine here and gave an xray later this week to see how Nate's arm is healing. Big sister is adjusting well and besides lack of sleep I'm completely in love with our new addition.

Glad to hear the rest of you are doing well and super happy to hear Tristan is home (not under the most ideal conditions but it's a step in the right direction).

Here is a photo of our little man at the hospital (it's an old one as he's already a week old!!) but I just haven't managed to put other pics on the computer yet...
 



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## Premomt

so adorable!


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## Jazavac

Adorable little boy, lilosmom!

DHime, I'm so glad Tristan is home. I hope his recovery will be very speedy and that, of course, you won't need to take him back in. Hang in there! :hugs:


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## wookie130

Nathan is lovely! Congrats!


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## NellieRae

Wow, I've missed a lot. 

Congrats, Lilosmom!! He's perfect- hopefully that arm is healed quickly and doesn't bother him too much right now. 

Dhime, its go good to hear that little Tristan is finally home with you! How is having the home nurse going? How is the little guy growing? 
ps - I hope your next pregnancy and newborn experience is the definition of normal, too. You are doing so well despite everything. I don't know if I would be able say the same for myself if I was in your shoes. :flower:

Lisa, you're next! I can't believe you're about to pop already, too. :baby: Its amazing how much a work obsession can interfere, isn't it? :yippee: for maternity leave and hopefully some rest for you before you're on a short naps-only schedule.


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## Kitty_love

Hi ladies!

DHime-hope you and Tristan are having a good day today. How's he doing?

Lilosmom-hope Nate's arm is healing well quickly. Glad you're both home and doing well.

Congrats to the other brand new moms - wow, we've had a bunch of births lately! So exciting, especially two sharing a birthday!

Lisa-that's so awesome you can relax and get one good sleep now on maternity leave! How are you feeling? Has your LO arrived yet?

AFM-starting to feel better after getting meds from dr, but one ear still plugged (minor, but getting really annoying). Think it's from the sinus infection and pressure changes from the plane, and hoping it will improve once i finish the meds or maybe just more time, but I've been reading online that some preg women have had clogged ears throughout preg, and then it suddenly clears up after giving birth? Anybody experience this?

My big scan is coming up on Monday -to check for problems/issues with development and hopefully to find out boy or girl. I'm starting to get a little nervous, just hoping LO is healthy!!!


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## Premomt

Yay for gender scan kittylove! fx your LO decides to not play hide and seek ;-) I'm excited for you to find out!


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## Lisa40

Hey girls,
just a quick stop by at the moment to let you all know that our little baby girl Isla Summer was born at 7.31am on 4th October.

It didn't all go entirely to plan, I went to hospital on Wed night feeling generally unwell and was diagnosed with pre eclampsia. As I was almost 40 weeks they decided to induce me... I hadn't even taken my bag, I only had a headache & just wanted to check all was ok.

Anyway the actual labour part was going well, put me on a drip & I dilated to 5cm in 6 hours and to 10cm in 9 hours total.

So now it was time to push and they decided that my BP was too high and had to give me medication to bring it down, OMG this medication made you feel like you were actually burning from the inside out & caused me to vomit for more than half an hour... It was the worst bit about the whole labour lol.

Anyway as I was pushing, it was working & baby was coming but not fast enough for my BP issues, so out came the forceps and within 2 big pushes she was born,

unfortunately it resulted in a 4th degree tear... I'd only ever heard or 3rd degrees lol & I had to have surgery for it to be repaired.

During the surgery they couldn't stop the bleeding & I lost 3 litres & had to have 2 transfusions!!

It was all very scary at the time but I'm through it now. To be honest the recovery has been the worst bit, I didn't even feel the tear but I had to be hooked up to antibiotics & other medication all of yesterday which was really hard.

Having said that, breastfeeding is going well, she's a little natural, and she sleeps a lot which is great for my recovery at the moment.

Obviously my experience isn't normal however it goes to show that it can be even worse that you thought it might be but actually be better than expected if that makes any sense.

Anyway, hope everyone is well, I'll post some piccies when they let me out of the hospital.
:hugs:
xx


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## sunshine1217

Lisa, that's great news! I was wondering if you had popped yet. Glad the preeclampsia didn't cause any problems. Sometimes you just gotta have the medical intervention. Post pictures when you have a chance! How much did she weigh?


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## Jazavac

*Congratulations, Lisa! *

I'm there's a happy end to the whole story, of course! I'm still sorry you had to go through more than what you originally planned for. 

Waiting to see some pics, too!


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## lilosmom

Congratulations on the arrival of your little princess Lisa - I'm sure she's just perfect! Sorry your birth did not go as planned, I'm wondering if any ever do? I hope your recovery is fast and you're not in too much pain. Both nurses told me after my delivery that "the vagina heals remarkably well, it's so elastic". I was glad they mentioned it while my DH was not in the room :blush: and I hope it's true for your sake.

Kitty Love - I did want to let you know that I experienced the ear thing during my entire pregnancy and although it was very annoying it has since gone away completely. I didn't end up taking anything for it as I had heard it can be a side effect of pregnancy.

Hope the rest of you ladies are doing well. We are still on the mend and it should be another few weeks before the cast can come off Nathan's arm. It'll be so nice to give him a proper bath and have a good snuggle when he's all healed. He's a super champ and doesn't complain about it and his sister is so very gentle with him it almost brings tears to my eyes to watch her with him as I honestly thought she would be a terror. We still have our days and nights mixed up so I'm not getting much sleep and my house is a disaster but I'm so happy our family is complete and I feel lucky that the doctor's anticipate no lasting effects from the delivery that we need to be concerned about.


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## Marie000

Congrats Lilosmom and Lisa. 

Lilosmom - Ariane is honoured to be sharing a birthday with such a handsome little boy. :kiss:

Lisa - sorry the birth didn't go as planned. I hope you recover quickly. I'd never heard of a 4th degree tear either. Ouch! 
I can't wait to see your little girl.

As for me, things are going well. I still don't sleep more than 3 hours in a row, ever. But Ariane is doing great and I am so thankful for that. She nurses like a pro, and very often (too often! :wacko:). I rarely ever have a minute to myself, and that's really hard. Sometimes when I hear her wake up for her feed, I just want to run away screaming. I can't wait until I can do other things with her, like playing, reading stories, etc. Right now, I feel like I've been reduced to a pair of boobs.


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## Premomt

Oh the mamma moo cow syndrome... So not looking forward to that :-/ but very glad she is nursing so wonderfully! That's brilliant!


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## bunda

oh my goodness, what an ordeal! and 3 litres of blood (that's about ten times what you're expected to lose during delivery). Glad to hear you're doing well and breastfeeding is working out. Once those stitches heal you'll forget that 4th degree tear (oh my, I bet that smarts now, though.

Take it easy for the next few weeks. It took me about five weeks to recover from the birth and with a post-partum haemorrhage of 3 litres, it will probably take you a bit longer, so do take things slowly. 

Now enjoy those baby snuggle. You're going to be spending a lot of time just staring at that little miracle of yours. And please do indulge us with pictures.


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## Lisa40

Thanks Bunda, I'm doing ok to be honest, been out & about a bit, been to register the birth & 2 pub lunches haha, she sleeps very well at the moment so I am getting a good rest & OH has been brilliant.

I'm trying to post some pics or at least update my avatar with one, but I'm such a technotard I'm having real trouble. It says my pics are too large for the avatar & I've no idea how to post one here as it's asking for a URL when I click insert image but the pics are just on my computer so I'm not sure what to do. If anyone can help I'll post a few pics, she pulls some really funny faces haha!

xx


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## Jazavac

There is an option to upload pictures directly from your computer, too. When you go to Advanced under the posting box, then choose 'Manage Attachments' and 'upload files from your computer'. That way you can use the big ones, too, and the forum will compress them to whatever acceptable size it wants to go with!


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## Lisa40

Thanks Jaz, it still keeps telling me the file is too large though :shrug:

I clicked browse & then upload, it had a lot of options for different file types and their max sizes but I couldn't do anything with them if you know what I mean.

x


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## Lisa40

https://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg127/lisam119/133_zps76b171c3.jpg

I might have done it through photobucket, fingers crossed


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## Lisa40

Cool - it worked, sorry about the size but here are a few more lol

https://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg127/lisam119/157_zps06954ab3.jpg

https://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg127/lisam119/167_zps32c52ae5.jpg

https://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg127/lisam119/153_zpsb604d32e.jpg


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## bunda

Marie000 said:


> As for me, things are going well. I still don't sleep more than 3 hours in a row, ever. But Ariane is doing great and I am so thankful for that. She nurses like a pro, and very often (too often! :wacko:). I rarely ever have a minute to myself, and that's really hard. Sometimes when I hear her wake up for her feed, I just want to run away screaming. I can't wait until I can do other things with her, like playing, reading stories, etc. Right now, I feel like I've been reduced to a pair of boobs.

Do you have a breastpump? My sister in law suggested I pump enough for a few feeds. The occasional evening I go to bed early and OH stays up to do a feed. This means I get up to SIX HOURS of rest in one block. It's been a lifesaver. We've done it about once a week . Sometimes I don't sleep but it feels good to be 'off duty' for a few hours. It means I can go to bed at 9pm, OH feeds Doug at midnight and comes to bed and then I don't need to feed again until 3am. That feels like such a luxury, knowing that after that feed it's be light again before I need to get my boobs out. I do look forward to knowing the next feed will be at a 'reasonable hour'. 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy breastfeeding but I also do know what you mean about wanting to run away when you hear that hunger cry. I found some moments were my heart sank at the sound of Douglas smacking his lips. When that happens, OH offers to do a feed. He's also done a few early mornings so I get a lie-in.


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## Jazavac

Beautiful baby, Lisa!


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## cre8ing

Lisa your baby is so cute!


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## Marie000

bunda said:


> Marie000 said:
> 
> 
> As for me, things are going well. I still don't sleep more than 3 hours in a row, ever. But Ariane is doing great and I am so thankful for that. She nurses like a pro, and very often (too often! :wacko:). I rarely ever have a minute to myself, and that's really hard. Sometimes when I hear her wake up for her feed, I just want to run away screaming. I can't wait until I can do other things with her, like playing, reading stories, etc. Right now, I feel like I've been reduced to a pair of boobs.
> 
> Do you have a breastpump? My sister in law suggested I pump enough for a few feeds. The occasional evening I go to bed early and OH stays up to do a feed. This means I get up to SIX HOURS of rest in one block. It's been a lifesaver. We've done it about once a week . Sometimes I don't sleep but it feels good to be 'off duty' for a few hours. It means I can go to bed at 9pm, OH feeds Doug at midnight and comes to bed and then I don't need to feed again until 3am. That feels like such a luxury, knowing that after that feed it's be light again before I need to get my boobs out. I do look forward to knowing the next feed will be at a 'reasonable hour'.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I enjoy breastfeeding but I also do know what you mean about wanting to run away when you hear that hunger cry. I found some moments were my heart sank at the sound of Douglas smacking his lips. When that happens, OH offers to do a feed. He's also done a few early mornings so I get a lie-in.Click to expand...

Not yet. The advice we keep getting is to wait until 4-6 weeks to avoid nipple confusion, but I think we will cheat and buy one next week. 
I'm thinking of getting a good manual pump. I guess that should be enough since I will only pump occasionally. We might try to introduce a pacifier as well, but I might wait a week or two to make sure I don't confuse her with too many new things at once. 

Lately her feeding schedule has gotten more hectic. She just decided she likes to cluster feed in the middle of the night now. :dohh:


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## bunda

I thought this too but I think nipple confusion is actually very rare.

We were told to give Douglas expressed breast milk with a bottle while we were in the hospital, because by day 5 he had lost 14% of his body weight and showed signs of being dehydrated. We were not happy giving him a bottle and, to be honest, he hated the teats. 

I was worried about nipple confusion,too, but he still prefers boobies over bottles. No contest (he'll take a bottle only with a bit of bullying). He gets ebm about once a week, versus breastmilk direct from the supplier (me) about 8 times a day.

Having researched nipple confusion further, it's not that common a problem. In fact, if you leave a bottle too late, she may refuse that.

I was especially worried about nipple confusion in Douglas's case, as he had nursed so unsuccessfully from me and was being given a bottle JUST as my milk came in, so I was afraid he might associate the bottle with milk and my breasts with no-milk - but as it happened he still preferred me over plastic (phew!) and still does.

So if Ariane has got the hang of getting milk from a nipple, I'm sure she'd not unlearn that now.

Clusterfeeding. Oh I feel your pain. It's hard but it doesn't last long. I found with Doug it'd be one or two nights like that and then a night where he sleeps far longer between feeds (bigger stomach, maybe?) so instead of every 45 minutes, he'd go 5 hours between a feed. Using a breastpump to build your stash should also keep your milk supply good and generous so when she does up her demand, it's there and you don't have a screaming, frustrated baby. So far, Doug's clusterfeeds have been quite easy.


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## wookie130

Lisa, your baby is gorgeous!

All of the BF talk is very interesting...I learn a lot from you seasoned moms!


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## Premomt

indeed I am learning quite a bit as well! Two things I have learned from my Bradley method teacher who is also a Le Leche consultant is that 1- if you plan to use BF as birth control- don't plan on bottle feeing EBM. Aparently the infant sucking and saliva transfusion on the nipple is the only thing that will keep your hormones regular enough to use that as a reliable method. They say that not BF at least every 6 hrs will cause your body to change hormonally. 
She told us a story of a mom who had to leave for a conference for a 2 day period of time. This mom had bf and expressed up until the day she left and had enough saved for the time she needed to be gone. She even pumped while away from baby too. When she got home, her hubby got too frisky and 9 months later they had their "irish twin".

So although it is great to have the break for sure!! just beware that this can happen.
With that being said- I plan on pumping shortly after birth so that DH can take over a feed a week or so. :winkwink:


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## Jazavac

I have to admit that I'd never rely on BF as birth control. Nothing reliably prevents you from ovulating or getting back to your regular cycles while breastfeeding, or, to put it another way, your body won't give you a notice in advance, so you just simply won't know when your time has run out. 

Personally, I plan to not pump at all and neither my husband, nor I, think that he needs to take over any of the feeds. Of course I'm not so stuck on it to the point where I won't change my mind if I'll have to, but for now, we'll just go without bottles, pumps, or my husband in the baby kitchen assembly line. The first thing that will need to cooperate (barring some more or less horrible events, of course) is my work.


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## lilosmom

Beautiful little lady Lisa! You must be so happy that she's here!

Glad to hear I'm not alone on the feeding topic. I had to express in the hospital as Nate was too sleepy to nurse and when my milk came in there was so much I had to pump just to make the pain bearable. i now have a stockpile of EBM in my freezer and DH has taken a feed using EBM and a bottle a few times over the past few weeks, it really made a difference with keeping my sanity on such a small amount of sleep. Because I still have a large supply of milk and Nathan's feeding is quite erratic (sometimes every hour up to 4 hours in between) I have continued to pump on occasion and plan on using that milk down the road. The only thing I can say for those of you struggling is that it should tapper off and become more routine soon. Keep up the good work though knowing not everyone is lucky enough to be able to nurse their newborn.


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## Kitty_love

Great pics, Lisa. So cute! Thanks for posting them.


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## Kitty_love

We got good news at my scan last week. Dr said baby looked healthy, and that we are 100% having a boy! He especially said his heart looked great and healthy, which is great news as I was born with a heart condition that could have been hereditary. We're so relieved!


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## Jazavac

Yay for the boy and no heart problems!

We had an appointment today, too. Hippo measured 2666 grams (5lb 14oz) and is still head down, pretty much ready to come out whenever he decides so. Everything else was good, too.


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## wookie130

Oh, I need to pop in your journal, Jaz! I have the feeling that your little hippo may not be a fun labor and delivery experience...he's going to be a big one!


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## Steffaroo1982

I'm 30, expecting my third child. Currently 7 weeks along. I have a son of 14 and a daughter of 3 already.


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## Kitty_love

Welcome Steffaroo!

How is everyone doing?

We had a busy weekend cleaning out what will become baby room. Got some old furniture out to be donated and going thru boxes of stuff and clothes we haven't looked at in years - got a lot thrown away or ready to be donated which is great as I'm a bit of a packrat I'm afraid :wacko:!


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## Jazavac

Welcome, Steffaroo!


I've been... well, getting to the point where I'm kind of just waiting, even though I'm pretty damn set on NOT letting the little guy out before his due date. :lol:


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## Marie000

Welcome Steffaroo! Congrats!!

I'm doing ok. Some days are really hard though. I have breakdowns once in a while where I just want to run away screaming rather than feed baby one more time. But most of the time, things are going great. Ariane is growing up so fast, and she is starting to be interested in her surroundings. She loves to stare out the window, or stare at people and yesterday she even reached for some toys on a play mat. 
I started using the breastpump, so OH can take over a feeding at night once in a while. I'm still really sleep-deprived and constantly on the edge of a nervous breakdown. 

Jazavac - Oh, wow! You're almost there! 
The waiting sucks, doesn't it? Those last weeks seemed to take forever. But hang in there, and keep busy. Believe me, when the baby arrives, you wont have time to get anything done, so enjoy it while you can.


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## Jazavac

I wish I could get things done, but I can't, pretty much, because I'm still working full time and probably won't stop before the baby is here. Once I'm home, after a 9-hour shift, there's not much I can do, unfortunately. It gets even worse because I can't sleep at night, and haven't been able to in weeks, simply because I'm uncomfortable. 

Oh well.


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## NellieRae

Well, Jaz, if you're already used to not getting anything done and being sleep deprived, you're well prepared for life with a newborn! :thumbup: I hope you can get a decent night here and there, though. 

Marie, its hard to hold onto sanity when you're hardly sleeping. How often is she waking you up at night? It does get better.....I remember my first 4 or 5 hour stretch of sleep. I felt SO good the next day - almost like a normal person again. :flower:

Welcome, Steffaroo! Its gotten pretty quiet over her lately with a lot of us having our little ones keeping us busy. How are you feeling?


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## Premomt

Welcome Steffaroo! Happy you could join in 
You ladies who have had your little ones- it's nice to hear the raw truth of how it is with a newborn. Thank you for being honest! 
It does make me worry about how I will be when our LO get's here... I'm not a very nice person when I don't get enough sleep. and I worry about breast feeding... But hearing from you lovely ladies that as much as it sucks, you keep on trucking along with it is very reassuring.

Has anyone had a breakdown yet? Anyone feel incompetent or inadequate with regards to BF or keeping baby happy? I worry about those types of things...

I'm feeling pretty good right now. 25 weeks and the only things I could complain about are sore feet and hips, and not being able to breathe occasionally. 
And the baby shower is in 18 days! I am stoked about that!


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## Marie000

Jaz- Actually, to be honest, I wasn't getting much done in the last few weeks of pregnancy. And I wasn't working either, so I don't even have that excuse. But now I do get moments where I tell myself that if only baby was back in my belly, I could get things done. Ha! I must have been delirious from lack of sleep. 

Nellie - She usually wakes me up 2-3 times at night, every 2.5-3 hours or so. 
Last night, I went to bed around 9:30pm and OH stayed up and gave her a feeding around midnight or 1am. So I slept until around 4am... for 6.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I woke up with a really bad neck pain, but I don't care. 

Premomt - I have had a few breakdowns, but they didn't last. I think it's normal given all the hormones, stress and lack of sleep. I think it's important to remember that it's all normal, and having a supportive OH helps a lot.
Breastfeeding is hard for the first few weeks. At 4 weeks, I'm starting to find it a bit easier (LO latches on well and she feeds fairly quickly now) but it still feels like I'm stuck with baby all the time. On Sunday, OH had a whole afternoon and evening visiting his friends, and I was really jealous. I can't do that. It's pretty much impossible for me to get away from baby at all. 
But I think more than the breastfeeding, it's being a mom that I find difficult at times. Even if I fed baby formula, I would still have to feed her, and I would still have to tend to her when she cries, even if I have other things I'd rather be doing sometimes. Still, it's amazing how little it takes sometimes to make you realize that it's all worth it. Seeing how comfortable she is sleeping in my arms, those first smiles and her growing curiosity just melt my heart.


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## bunda

to be honest, Jaz I found the last few weeks of pregnancy harder in many ways than having a newborn. Waking up in the middle of night and having a newborn to feed and cuddle is a lot better than waking up in the middle of night with nothing to do and no reason for being awake and just lying there feeling grumpy. With a newborn you get the occasional really hard night where baby won't let you sleep even though you're tired but MOST nights are actually ok (for me, at least) even with all the waking.

I remember I always hated the "well, get your sleep now while you can" comments from people as I neared (and passed) my due date. It made me want to swing for them, as I knew I was averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night, often in only single hourly bursts. Now people seem to _over_estimate how sleep deprived I must be. 

As to hippo - I hope he comes out a little above average. Big babies tend to sleep through the night earlier, I'm told. Douglas went 6 hours between feeds last night. Technically that counts as sleeping through the night, but because we went to bed at 7pm, that meant he woke at 1am and then again at 5am, so it didn't _feel _like a sleep through the night. But it's a good sign for longer sleeps in the future.

Premomt - I think you WILL have feelings of being overwhelmed because, as Nellie says, your hormones crash about a day before your milk comes in. I cried and cried and found the sound of Douglas's cries stressful. My palms would sweat and I'd burst into tears even if I had been fine before then. BUT it doesn't last all that long and I got into the swing of parenting pretty much as soon as I got home, which was about a week after he was born. Definitely keep visitors to a minimum during the first week (or more!) because it's hard to explain how you feel. 

It's hard to know how much of my falling apart was hormones, how much was baby and how much was the stress from being in the hospital for so long with all the problems Douglas and I had post-delivery. I couldn't restrict visitors because in my case they were consultants, registrars, doctors, physiotherapists, midwives, paediatricians, gynaecologists, nurses etc etc like a conveyor belt about either me or Douglas, one after the other throughout the day, day after day. It took a long time for me to have the courage to say: "I'm not really able to see anyone right now". I wish I had spoken up sooner. The midwives eventually had the good sense to stop all visits for me for a day so I could rest and sleep between feeding and changing and cuddling my baby and after that. They realised all that activity and interruption was putting establishing breastfeeding at risk.


So keep that first week free of anything that you might feel obligated to do and give your OH a code word so he can eject visitors who are overstaying their welcome. People really don't mean to, but can end up staying too long and not realising they are doing it. My mother overstayed her welcome a few times and it even took a midwife to throw her out (uh, politely, of course) because she wouldn't leave (she loitered outside my room, hoping to come back in later).

OH didn't always know when I was needing people to go, so I wish I'd had a codeword. Eventually we decided an hour was the absolute maximum amount of time and if Douglas started to cry for milk, guests would have to leave. (I was still trying to establish breastfeeding). 

Once you feel you have feeding under some sort of control (at LEAST a week) you'll feel a whole lot better. 

And instruct friends to show up with food. One friend arrived to visit with a whole roast chicken and it meant I could sleep rather than make dinner that evening. It was the best gift she could have brought.


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## Jazavac

I keep hearing about the food gifts and it really does make sense. 

We'll have my mom and stepfather stay with us for a (little?) while and I hope the whole deal will actually be helpful. He can be here for five weeks and then needs to go back to work, while my mom can stay longer and likely will, unless we figure out that we need to, uh, break up. :lol: Either way, the house is big enough that we don't really have to hang out together at all times, but she could still help out with cooking and cleaning and some general baby care. I'm looking forward, since what my husband can do for the household is very, very limited. 

We're going in to see the hippo tomorrow, again. Or at least we're seeing the doctor and getting my strep B test done finally. Hippo is quiet(er) today, so he might be considering his ways out. Slowly, I would hope, as I'm not ready yet, despite all the discomfort.

And yes, people who keep telling me to sleep while I can, or to enjoy life and whatnot while, also, I can... I suppose they've never been pregnant, or they must've forgotten what the final weeks were like. 

Mind you, I'm in a pretty damn good condition, still ( :lol: ). I walk, clean, do yoga, whatever... but I can't sleep and laying down is the worst thing I can imagine at the moment. So, overall, yup, I tend to get a bit grumpy.


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## Jazavac

Oh, as for the visits... meh. I sense trouble, because everyone here seems to be used to pestering the new mom and baby within moments of birth, pretty much. So I guess I'll have to hire some bodyguards with baseball bats, or something. 

I don't really want people crawling all over our house when we get home either. There's time.


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## Premomt

quick~ Someone tell me how your day is going? I need something to read! :coffee::sleep:


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## Marie000

Premomt said:


> quick~ Someone tell me how your day is going? I need something to read! :coffee::sleep:

:haha:

How about the ramblings of someone who only slept 3 hours last night?

Ariane has been having trouble sleeping the last few nights. She gets really tired and restless in the evening. She's hungry but too restless to take the breast. She opens her mouth but pushes me away when I try to put her on the breast. I never thought I'd be fighting with my own baby like that. :wacko:
And she wakes up constantly. I think she has gas. Poor thing. 
On the bright side, I'm really getting my money's worth with my subscription to Netflix. What else would I do when I'm up at 3am? 

Right now the baby is sleeping in the baby carrier. That seems to be the only way to make her sleep, she needs to be in our arms somehow. I'm hoping she'll be fine with sleeping on the bed for a little while. I need to take a nap too.

So how's your day going?


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## Premomt

oh wow. sorry you're dealing with a baby who doesn't know what she wants! If you could only tell her what she wants... ha like that will ever happen! 
My day was just weird. 
Had a client in the AM then not another till 5pm. :dohh: Just one of those days. Called the mortgage co to get info on refinancing and was told we were inelegible. Lovely... 

Other than that I think the baby is breech again... kickin my vag. So fun! NOT! Hopefully the LO will change positions and STAY THAT WAY soon! ( I say this now...) I'd much rather be kicked in the ribs than the vagina! :gun:


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## Lisa40

Awww that sucks premomt, did they say why you were ineligable?

Isla has gas too marie, I think most babies suffer at some point. I found keeping her upright for 30 mins after a feed and tilting the Moses basket really helped. Also infacol before each feed although this takes a few days to start to take effect.

Good luck though, it's so hard when they are windy & in pain :sad2:
xx


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## wookie130

I've been wondering if anyone has heard from DHime on how she and baby T are doing...


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## Premomt

ladies don't forget about infant massage to help with gas also. The "I Love You" move on the abdomen is great for constipation and gas. and bicycles with the legs is also great for moving gas.


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## lilosmom

I was quite surprised to see you all dealing with the gas issue. We're right in the middle of that right now with Nathan and he's so unhappy it's heartbreaking. He doesn't burp well and so that with the fact that my milk is so plentiful means he's taking in a lot of air when feeding and having trouble getting it out. We've tried it all and the doctor said it'll take some time for his little digestive tract to get into working order... I hope that's all it is and we're not dealing with a colicky baby. He's almost 5 weeks now and I can't believe it's been that long! Feels like yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital... time sure does fly.

As for feelings surrounding being a new mom again, I do feel overwhelmed sometimes but it's mostly due to lack of sleep. I know I require a good amount to function at my best and I find I'm shorter with my daughter, less amused by my hubby and generally just want to go back to bed most days. I'm hoping as Nathan gets bigger and sleeps for longer durations I'll get back to my old self. 

Hang in there ladies! We can all make it through this!


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## Premomt

I don't like additive type things, but Mylacon worked wonders for the little one I babysat. They would use the drops at each feeding and it would help break up gas bubbles in her tummy. that and gripe water I've heard lots about.


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## NellieRae

Gripe water helped here. :thumbup: We'd give it to her when she seemed to be having gas pains or trouble pooping. More often than not, she pooped within 15 mins and felt better.

Wooks, I've been wondering the same thing. I hope they're doing ok & just really busy.


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## Marie000

So how's everyone doing?

Still no news of DHime and little Tristan? I hope that means they're having too much fun to go online.

As for me, I had the strangest day/night yesterday. All day, Ariane was really fussy. She nursed often, but not a lot each time. Between feeds, she still wanted to be in our arms and spent a lot of time suckling on my breast for comfort. When she was off the breast for a minute, she would start to scream. It was horrible. I was really getting to the end of my rope but I braced myself for a long night up with the baby. 
At around 10pm, she had fallen asleep at my breast so I went to bed and left her with daddy. I didn't expect she'd sleep for long, but I was gonna take every precious minute of quiet I could. Well, OH tried to give her a bottle of expressed milk at midnight but she refused it. She was too sleepy. At 2am, OH came to bed and LO was still sleeping in her basket. 3am, LO wakes up, makes some noise but she doesn't cry. Eventually she falls back to sleep. 
She finally woke up and cried for a feed at... 6am! That's a whole 8 hour without me having to get up to feed her. :happydance:
She usually wakes up once or twice during the night, and rarely wakes before 4-5am. I'm not sure what went on last night, but I wont complain. It felt sooooo good.


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## bunda

I am worried about DHime, not having heard for so long. Hopefully she's just being a busy momma to Tristan.

Wow, an 8 hour stretch. Although it sounds like you were still 'on standby' and didn't get to make quite the most of that large block of time. Still, it's a good sign :thumbup:


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## wookie130

bunda said:


> I am worried about DHime, not having heard for so long. Hopefully she's just being a busy momma to Tristan.

Same here. I check in here every day, just for this reason. I really hope they're both doing alright.


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## NellieRae

I hope so too, but I'm starting to believe otherwise. Last time she fell off the grid was when she went into labor too early. :sad1:


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## Jazavac

I, too, hope all is good. I keep trying to think that it's just very overwhelming to take care of a child with special needs and that she simply doesn't have time to stop by.

I assume nobody has her contacts outside of the forum, though, even though I kind of think that, way back when, she might've exchanged something with Coconuts.


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## Kitty_love

I'm getting worried about DHime, too. 

How is everyone else doing? How are all our newborns and new mommies?

Just back from glucose test, got the flu shot too while I was there. Orange drink was ok, and I kept it down. Really Reminded me of that orange drink McDonalds used to serve at their kids birthday parties when I was a little girl. Lol!

What a shock on my weight gain, though! I'm up 30 pounds from pre-pregnancy!!! Dr said it was good since I was underweight before (I'm 5'8" and started at 120 pounds), and he's pleased with the gain and the now 150, but I feel huge and a little depressed/embarrassed about it to be honest. How much more will I gain?!? :nope: I guess the treadmill is going to get lots of use once LO arrives!


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## Premomt

Hi Ladies! :wave: just checkin in with ya'll! Hope everyone is doing good!


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## Lisa40

Hey premomt :hi:

I'm still about although my bnb hours are severely reduced with looking after Isla.

Wow... When did you get to third tri :shock: & when did my baby get to over 6 weeks old! I remember hitting double digits & now she's 45 days old... Crazy!

Hope you are well, not long to go now :yipee:

xx


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## Jazavac

Ugh, still no news from DHime. :(

I'm also still around, mostly just visiting journals and waiting for the little guy to make an appearance.


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## Kitty_love

Morning ladies! Time sure is flying for me, too. Starting to think about getting our hospital bag together and getting the baby room ready. Thanksgiving weekend will be nice, so hubby can have a few days off to help! Also REALLY looking forward to decorating for Christmas!!! Passed my glucose test, so cookie baking is a go, too!

Wow, Jaz, it's any day now for you!


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## Jazavac

Yup, the due date is actually today (ticker went nuts at some point), but nothing's going on, at least to my knowledge.

My hospital bag still isn't ready, it's just only somehow laid out on a spare bed in our house. I just don't care to organize it in full before I actually know I need it.


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## lilosmom

Hi ladies, sorry to be scarce as of late, been a very busy household as of late, not much time for the computer. I think we've made it through the worst and little Nathan is now sleeping between 5 and 8 hours at night so I'm hoping not to be a zombie by christmas. His vaccinations are tomorrow however so we'll see if that changes his routine, it did with DD.

Jaz - hoping delivery is soon for you and that it goes as you hope. Wishing you a speedy birth and healthy baby.

Marie - hope your little lady gives you a few more of those restful nights.

Hope the rest of you still pregnant ladies are enjoying this time. It all goes by so quickly!


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## Jazavac

Thanks, lilosmom!


(Still no signs of anything on my end...)


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## Premomt

wow jaz i'm hoping your lo will make its debut soon!

I'm starting to put more thought into my delivery bag too Kitty. yeserday I had an episode of about 2 hrs in length of regular contractions. They were about 4-6 min apart and about a min long then petered off to only be about 30-40 sec long. a tad concerning... but I didn't call the dr or anything. Just kept an eye on it, and made sure they didn't get stronger or closer together.
but it made me think about getting some stuff together for sure! so we now have the diaper bag partially packed with some diapers, outfits hats and blankets. i'm thinking after thanksgiving i'll have dh pull the carseat down from the attic at least if not put it in the car. 
And I'll also probablly put a few items in a suitcase for the birth center. or at least make a list so that dh can go through and grab stuff easily.

I had my shower on the 10th and although it was a fun time and I got a bunch of stuff- I still feel like we are missing SO much!!! I've really got to go through my registry and purchase the essentials soon. wipes, a moniter... andother stuff.

And I can tell I'm now in third tri... every time I go to do something I either get winded or have a BH! time to slow down even more ( is that possible?!?!) :rofl:


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## Marie000

Good morning ladies,

Jaz - any news? 

Premomt - wow! you're almost there already!

This is so exciting. I can't wait to get more new baby pictures on here. 

As for me, my little Ariane is 2 months old today. She's been sleeping through the night most nights for a few weeks now. She had a few days when she woke up at 4-5am but now she's back to sleeping from 10-11pm to 6-8am. I find the evenings really hard (she wants to nurse constantly, she is really tired and wiggles like a worm. Plus I get sleepy really early) but the days have gotten better now. 
Overall she's such a good baby. She had some colics but normally she rarely cries. She smiles more and more. She is growing up so fast. She's already outgrown her 0-3 size clothes :cry:
I'm still struggling emotionally with the adjustment to motherhood, and with my life in general but I am getting better.


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## Premomt

ah the goodness of breast feeding... Making babies grow out of their clothing faster than the speed of light! LOL!
I'm very glad she's sleeping better for you Marie! and thanks for being honest about the fact that it's not all roses after birth. I feel like many moms glaze over the hard times when telling their stories sometimes...

I can't believe I'm 30 weeks!!! (where did the time go?) I know I still have 10 weeks left, and baby grows a lot in the last tri... but I don't feel like a house! I was expecting to feel massive and uncomfortable by now... I guess i still have quite a bit of time to feel this way though, but other than having a head cold, and terrible reflux at night, I feel really good.
The reflux is really bad... We have propped the bed up on blocks, and I sleep elevated on 2 pillows, but i still get reflux nightly and have to eat tums like they are going out of style. I hate to do that too... I'm gonna address it with my midwife tuesday when I go in.

Hope you are all doing well!!
And has ANYone heard from Dhime??


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## Jazavac

No word from DHime, but I have no contact other than here on the forums.

No news from me either. Still in one piece.


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## Marie000

Premomt said:


> ah the goodness of breast feeding... Making babies grow out of their clothing faster than the speed of light! LOL!
> I'm very glad she's sleeping better for you Marie! and thanks for being honest about the fact that it's not all roses after birth. I feel like many moms glaze over the hard times when telling their stories sometimes...
> 
> I can't believe I'm 30 weeks!!! (where did the time go?) I know I still have 10 weeks left, and baby grows a lot in the last tri... but I don't feel like a house! I was expecting to feel massive and uncomfortable by now... I guess i still have quite a bit of time to feel this way though, but other than having a head cold, and terrible reflux at night, I feel really good.
> The reflux is really bad... We have propped the bed up on blocks, and I sleep elevated on 2 pillows, but i still get reflux nightly and have to eat tums like they are going out of style. I hate to do that too... I'm gonna address it with my midwife tuesday when I go in.
> 
> Hope you are all doing well!!
> And has ANYone heard from Dhime??

About the reflux. I had some early on (and then again in the last few weeks) and my midwife told me to take gaviscon instead of tums. She said tums will reduce the acidity in your stomach temporarily but then your stomach will try to compensate by producing more acid. Same thing happens when you drink lots of milk.


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## Premomt

This is true Marie~ I did know about the tums. I've been living off of them for too long now and need to switch it up. I don't know anything about gaviscon... Ill have to figure out where to get that from.
I don't want to take a daily pill, because 9 times out of 10 I don't have reflux during the day. Just at night when I lie down.

So we had the shower a few weeks ago, and although I got a lot of great things- there were not alot that were purchased from our registry. 
Now I am having THE hardest time trying to decipher between what I WANT and what I NEED, and the best way to spend the gift certificates we got. Its so tough!!!


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## Marie000

So... is little Jaz jr. here yet?

How is everyone else?


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## bunda

Jaz jnr will be here soon. Jaz is at the hospital, at 6cm for now, but has been through a true marathon of a labour already. Hippo will be making his debut soon.


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## Premomt

Marie000 said:


> About the reflux. I had some early on (and then again in the last few weeks) and my midwife told me to take gaviscon instead of tums. She said tums will reduce the acidity in your stomach temporarily but then your stomach will try to compensate by producing more acid. Same thing happens when you drink lots of milk.

I spoke with the Pharmacy at target about gaviscon and the pharmacist said she did not recomend gaviscon due to the magnisium content. So I've stuck with Tums. And just not eating late at night (which is really hard as it seems to be one of the only times I'm "hungry")

So Jaz Jr is here or almost here? Cant wait to hear from her 
And no word from Dhime? Worrysome... Though many new moms kinda dissapear after birth for a while. Just hope all is OK...

Not much going on here. I worry daily if my LO is in the right position...
OH and last night I had a dream that we came home from the birth center and were so tired from giving birth that we forgot the baby in the car in the driveway overnight! WTH is that!?!? I woke up in my dream the next day to check the baby and wondered why I had slept all night with no peep from the babe in the bassinette next to the bed. I reached over and felt a cold hard plastic face. It was a BABY DOLL! I yelled for DH and asked if he had the babe, and he said no and i FREAKED OUT
I went out in the car and found the baby screaming its head off. I felt SO awful!!!:cry:
Awesome way to wake up... :dohh:

Like that will ever happen irl. But still made me feel AWFUL. :cry:


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## wookie130

Go check out Jaz's journal. I'm not going to be responsible for stealing her thunder!!! LOL!


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## NellieRae

:hugs: premont. That's a horrible dream! I never had one quite that bad, but I had something similar with making a mistake with the baby and then having her taken away because I was a bad mom. Crazy hormones! 

I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mom!


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## Marie000

premomt - that does sound like a horrible dream. But it's quite normal for our new mom anxieties to be reflected in our dreams. 
A few nights ago I dreamt that my baby was drowning in her tub and I was panicking, screaming to OH to come help but he was too busy.


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## Premomt

yes it was horrible, but I know that it would never be the case. My dreams can be so vivid though! 
I told my DH about it and he said he was going to prank me later on down the line by taking the baby out of the basinette and replacing it with a doll :gun: What an ass!

Well we are officially on our own now. We finished our Bradley classes this week :thumbup: they were so helpful! I hope I don't forget it all now!!
I plan on getting back into reading regularly again. I have a few books and a lending library at the birth center to read from so I'll be a happy clam i'm sure :thumbup:


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## Kitty_love

I've waited a bit before posting as this has been quite a week for us. Earlier this week, I very unexpectedly gave birth to our little boy at 31 weeks. He's doing well in the NICU, already off the IV and breathing on his own. He is so cute and so strong. We are very hopeful for the future.


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## wookie130

Congrats, Kitty! I'm sure that was an alarming experience, seeing as he was premature, but I'm happy to hear that all is going well!

Still wondering about DHime...I'm really worried about her and Tristan.


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## Jazavac

Congratulations, Kitty! I'm glad to hear that things are looking good for you both!


I, too, am worried about DHime and Tristan. I am not sure, but Coco might've had some other contact? 


As for our news, which are now quite old - Markus Francis was born on December 4th, 15 days overdue, after 66 hours of labour (yes, 66, it's not a typo). He was 3980 grams at birth, which equals 8lb 12.4oz, and 57cm long (22.5"). Everything went the way we planned, which is quite amazing to think about. I'll have a birth story and a parenting journal ready at some point, too. I've been working on it, but... well, things just _don't_ go as planned once babies are around. :)


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## Marie000

Congrats Kitty. I am glad to hear your little one is doing well despite the early arrival. 

And congrats Jaz. And 66 hours of labour? Wow. I didn't know this was possible. I guess little Markus was quite comfy inside of mommy.


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## NellieRae

Congrats, Kittylove! It sounds scary, but I'm glad he's doing well so far. I know a little energetic, precocious 3 yr old boy that was born at 32 weeks - and all he has to show for it is a touch of asthma. Super healthy kid. I hope ........wait, what's his name?.......is the same. You're on the road to be one strong mama. :thumbup:

Guys, I have a really bad feeling things are not OK with DHime & little T. For her to drop off all of a sudden....... :(


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## DHime

Hey ladies! I am so sorry to have worried you all. We were going thru allot of issues with the little guy.
First - Congrats to all! I am so happy for each of you! 
Jaz - 66hrs!!!?? OMG!
Kitty - I speak from experience when I say that NICU is tough but the best place for your LO right now. I am happy that everything is going well.

AFM - Tristan has been in and out of ICU's and has now had 5 surgeries to allow him to thrive. I won't lie so I will tell you it has been a new level of hell sometimes but I have kept my chin up and done my best to stay positive. It has paid off as he is now home again. Each time he came home I got so little sleep that I couldn't even read. He is now feed via feeding tube (gtube) and I have to feed him with a serynge every hour. (I don't have a nurse so guess who is up every hour...) DH is finally graduating this week and I finally have time get back to you ladies again. They diagnosed my LO with VATER Syndrome which is a series of birth defects that typically come together. As he gets older, more things will pop up but hopefully they won't be as severe as what we have had so far. He is very cute tho. I am putting his pic up. 

ok, so save me hours of back reading.... Who has had what and when? Updates!


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## Lisa40

Oh thank goodness DHime :yipee: so glad to hear he is home safe & well & congrats to your DH for graduating :happydance:

Afm - I was induced due to pre eclampsia & so had a quick labour & delivery of 12 hours start to finish. It did result in forceps, a 4th degree tear and 2 blood transfusions but I don't complain as we are both healthy now although it was scary for a few hours.

Isla is doing well & is now 2 1/2 months, it's crazy how the time flies.

Hope things continue to improve for you :thumbup:

congrats Kitty - it must be very scary to give birth so early, really hope you & your LO are doing well :hugs:

xx


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## DHime

wow lisa! I am just glad u 2 are okay.
You are right that time flies. Little T is 5 months already.Though he only spent 2 total at home. being at the hospital made it seem like 1 long day. 
Wait, 12 hours is fast? Mine was 12 hrs too...


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## Lisa40

Haha it felt fast, with it being my first I was expecting a day or more at least lol. 

I've just seen your medical costs :shock: do you have insurance for that?? I really hope you do :thumbup:

xx


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## Marie000

Welcome back DHime!
I am so happy little Tristan is home again. And he is such a cutie!

As for me, I think you were still around when my little girl was born on Sept 24. She has been doing great ever since. She is just over 2.5 months old now and 13lbs. Yesterday, I took out some new clothes for her... size 9m. 
She is a very good baby too. She is not very demanding and she rarely cries unless she is hungry. She usually sleeps through the night. I have been having a difficult time adjusting to motherhood due to my own psychological issues, but it's getting better. Now I have also had to deal with a rat infestation in the house, so that brought the level of anxiety up some more. Hopefully they're nearly gone now.


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## wookie130

Oh my goodness, Marie!!! I'd probably move out! Glad to hear it's getting under control, though.

DHime...you're the person I've been anxious to see on here! I'm glad you and baby T are plodding through his health issues and diagnoses. What a rough few months you've both had. I'm just so happy that he's home again, and that you're both okay! I was seriously worried about you both!!!! T is absolutely adorable in your profile picture!

Me, I'm 27 weeks along with a little girl...we're naming her Hannah Elizabeth. I have a marginal placenta previa, that doesn't seem to want to move, so there is a possibility that I'll need a C-section if it doesn't move up by 32 weeks. That's all I've got for you! LOL!


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## Premomt

oh finally Dhime~ It's so good to hear just a bit from you! Thank you for coming back to us! It's good to hear that little tristan is home with you now in your care. However hard it may be, at least he's home...
Kitty~ I can't believe you had your little one! It's crazy to me because we were right on the same track time wise! But I'm glad your lo is doing so well :thumbup:

I'm still pregnant and comfortable for the most part. Third tri is rearing its head and I tire a lot easier... I'm usually up by 7:30am and by 10 need a nap. That's without doing much of anything too lol. Also~ Reflux reflux reflux... I got a prescription for a zantac a few months ago but refused to take it until now. I'm still not happy about taking it but at least I can now sleep a bit more comfortably. And my midwife reminded me that what i am taking affects my baby, so to try and wean myself off before baby's due so as not to have a reflux prone newborn. Besides that- I am not hungry as much anymore.
I have to force myself to eat... well lunch and dinner anyways. Breakfast- Ill usually get reflux if I don't eat. But after that it'll be 2 pm before I think to myself "when did I last eat?" Kinda concerning...

But overall I feel good still. I have my moments where I feel huge- mostly at the end of a long day... lol!
It's so good to hear from all of you!!!


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## Jazavac

I''m so glad everything is okay, DHime! I know you''re going through a lot, but I see you've been doing great. Update us when you can, even thoguh we'll understand when you can't.


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## DHime

the babies are so cute..... 
hurray for medicaid is all i can say about the bills. some collectors are still calling me and i can only laugh. "take a number"
i lost my job since no daycare will touch my lo. but he at least gets ssi benefits for his disabilities. next month i apply for unemployment. lol


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## wookie130

Oh, DHime. What a rough time of it you're having...

I did some reading up on VADAR earlier today, and it's something I've never encountered yet in my profession...and I've had many a medically fragile student. It does sound like baby T's issues will be ongoing, and pervasive, and I'm sure you're well-read on the possibilities. I did read repeatedly that many children with VADAR have normal cognitive abilities, and most have a normal life expectancy. T will have a bright future, but will definitely have his ongoing health issues and surgeries, as you know. 

I am refreshed by the fact that you can plug a smiley icon into your posts while discussing the job loss and financial toll this is taking...I'm sure if you don't smile through it (even with gritted teeth), you could lose your mind. Smiling is definitely the better option, DHime...

Your job is now your son...having a child with disabilities shapes and redefines you. I mean, we all have to sacrifice things for our kids, but when you have a child with special needs, the financial and time sacrifices are far greater. Your child is now your calling in life, as I'm sure you know. Thank goodness for Medicaid, but seriously, I can't fathom how much out-of-pocket expenses you have...ugh. Bless your heart. 

Tristan is a challenge, but he'll bring to you many, many rewards and gifts to your life. I'm preaching to the choir here, I'm sure. You already know all of this. :hugs:


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## bunda

DHime!!!! I am so happy to are you on here. I confess I feared the worst when you dropped of the radar.

I'm so glad to hear Tristan is doing so well, although I can't even imagine what you've been through, physically, emotionally, financially, personally, parentally. 

He looks absolutely beautiful in your pictures. I can see his mother in his face. 
I don't even know what else to say. I'm speechless, so happy am I to see you back and in good spirits.


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## DHime

thanks ladies!
I won't lie. It has had many ups and downs. Every time they had to do put in new IV's I had to leave altogether. (he is too much of a fighter and I couldn't watch without attacking the nurse) I had days when I could only hold him and cry before each surgery. (trying to get as much time as I could with him) Always praying he would just come out alive. Knowing each time he would be in so much pain. The poor kid has really bad luck... He even got 2 bleeding ulcers from the feeding tube. I wanted more than anything to take his place. The hard part was keeping up a game face for everyone else. My MIL would show up and just cry as soon as she would look at him. I kept thinking, if I pretend to handle it all, eventually I will. And I did and still am. I now know as much as many nurses.
I will say that this certainly isolates you where you aren't a normal parent and don't have allot in common with the ones who have normal kids. (unless we were already close) I found out who my real friends were. Everyone wants to help and babysit till they see the IV pole and feeding machines. I didn't have the strength to keep positive in public much more so I kinda just dug in and didn't speak to people for a while. Not from being sad, just that I was gonna punch the next person to say "I don't know how you do it." I wanted to scream "Duh! I have no choice! Was I supposed to desert the little guy?" I did keep positive though because each time he has a surgery, good things eventually would come to pass. (this part comes with practice) Even though it involves pain and struggle, he will make it and be stronger for it. Besides, he won't remember this part. (BIG comfort there)
I do get stuck with about 1/3 of billing but that is why the government invented bankruptcy! LOL I am not worried about the money part or my old job. Motherhood is the hardest and most rewarding job ever. Just when I think I am my wits end, he gives me a smile and I melt. I love it. 
Good news is that at 6 months old now he has reached 10 lbs and is 24 inches long. Everyone who sees him thinks he is a newborn. I rather enjoy watching the surprise when they find how old he is. It's kinda funny. I also designed a special belt for children with GTubes to keep it out of harms way. Darn thing gets caught on everything! Great part is that I showed it to a doctor and she told me to get it patented and she will recommend it for all their kids who get a GTube. There are many possibilities here! 
I really love that he is very cute and not just from a mommy perspective. nurses like caring for cute babies more than non cute ones. (even they admit it)
Anyway, sorry for the rant and talking way too much. It does feel good to get that out though. Please don't let my challenges get you guys down though. Those challenges will all be worth it to get him thru the toughest part of this. Thanks for listening and being there, all of you. 
I will be around and won't disappear again. Promise! Besides, we are going for number 2 soon enough!

Oh and great name wookie!!!! Thanks for looking up the syndrome. Not a fun one but at least his brain is fine. lol


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## NellieRae

Dhime is back! :yipee:

Thank goodness you & Tristan are hanging in there! Luck may have passed him by when it comes to his health, but he got an extra dose when it comes to his loving mom to make up for it. And how wonderful that he will most likely grow up to be sound of mind and able to have a full life, despite his physical challenges. 

He is adorable! Baby smiles do make some of the hard parts so much easier. :) Six months already?!


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## DHime

according to docs, 6 months based on the number of weeks divided by 4.


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## wookie130

You hang in there, DHime. He's a lovely boy, and you're doing a fine job with him!


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## shradha

Hi friendz:flower: I am Shradha, 30 yrs from India. This is my first baby. I am due in last week of Feb 2013. I am 29weeks pregnant but my scan shows 30 weeks. How are you all doing?


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## DHime

Shradha - Welcome!!!! How is your prego journey going so far? Have you picked a birthing method?


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## shradha

Dhime - hi...... I m going 4 the normal labour way..... We dont have much of a choice here in india......What are you opting?


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## DHime

what would be the normal way in Inida? I am not very well versed on that...
I already had my son but I went completely natural. (no meds and v-birth) But that experience is a very long story. See my signature for his details in a nutshell.


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## shradha

oh.....how is he doing?
Here we either have a C section or a natural labour. No meds.


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## wookie130

Shradha, by normal, I assumed you meant vaginally or by c-section. Those are really the two options available to everyone!!!! LOL! Sounds like you're getting closer to your due date!


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## DHime

wookie - btw.... he likes star wars and nemo

shra - he is okay for now. making strides that will hopefully allow him to eat by mouth for good. we shall see.


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## wookie130

Oh, I little boy after my own heart! Another Star Wars geek is born! LOL!


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## DHime

wookie!
Found the cutest onsie for your LO.....
Star Wars Mini Wookiee Chewbacca Mini Fine Movie Baby Creeper Romper Snapsuit

https://www.amazon.com/Mini-Wookiee...qid=1356062341&sr=1-34&keywords=baby+clothing


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## wookie130

Awwww! Thanks, DHime! It's as good as ordered! LOL!


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## DHime

I totally knew it was for your little girl. They had a ton of star wars stuff but I needed front button down stuff due to T's feeding tube.


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## Premomt

That's adorable!!


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## Jazavac

Hahaha, awesome onesie!


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## Premomt

So in Jaz's journal we started talking a bit about how her kitty is reacting to the baby, and it got me thinking about how my animals are going to react to our newborn in a few weeks... 
I have 2 dogs and a cat. I've had children around them from time to time, but never a newborn so I can't say for sure. But in the times I've had toddlers or kindergarteners around my female dog has not been trustworthy.
She's nipped at each child actually, and got one on the face. (no broken skin, but hurt feelings for sure...) 
It sucks because she is the "cuter" one and for some reason kids are just drawn to her! 
Of the two dogs, she'll be the one to ignore the baby more I think. Cooper will be intrigued, want to sniff, want to play with the baby etc... He has been so much better with kids. He'd let a child lie with him when he was a puppy in his bed... He's played with a toddler and knowingly would not take his own toy from the baby when she had it. He's the more rambunctious of the two also... LOVES to play and play HARD. 
But~ He seemingly is more jealous lately. After the baby shower we had baby items in the nursery on the floor and he went in there one day and tore items up, at passifiers, and peed on things. :shrug: Which in turn caused me to have a major melt down.
So the dogs... I'm just not sure about... It could go one way or the other. 
We wont be in a hospital (we don't plan to be anyways.) so we won't be staying overnight. So I can't have hubby bring a baby blanket home prior to the baby for them to smell etc... 
maybe after we put away the christmas stuff I'll have dh bring down the carseat from the attic and bring out the swing from the nursery so they can acclimate to baby items being around...
As far as the cat goes~ She's a social cat most of the time. She doesn't run away and hide when friends come over or anything like that. She's run away from a toddler, but will play with a toddler and her kitty toys. She has never gotten upset with us and peed in defiance. Only if her litter needs to be changed has she peed on a dog bed. She's been in and out of the nursery, and I've not found her anywhere she shouldnt be like the crib. 
I think she'll be just fine.
But ya just never know...
How have you all started to prepare your animals for baby's arrival?


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## Marie000

Premomt said:


> So in Jaz's journal we started talking a bit about how her kitty is reacting to the baby, and it got me thinking about how my animals are going to react to our newborn in a few weeks...
> I have 2 dogs and a cat. I've had children around them from time to time, but never a newborn so I can't say for sure. But in the times I've had toddlers or kindergarteners around my female dog has not been trustworthy.
> She's nipped at each child actually, and got one on the face. (no broken skin, but hurt feelings for sure...)
> It sucks because she is the "cuter" one and for some reason kids are just drawn to her!
> Of the two dogs, she'll be the one to ignore the baby more I think. Cooper will be intrigued, want to sniff, want to play with the baby etc... He has been so much better with kids. He'd let a child lie with him when he was a puppy in his bed... He's played with a toddler and knowingly would not take his own toy from the baby when she had it. He's the more rambunctious of the two also... LOVES to play and play HARD.
> But~ He seemingly is more jealous lately. After the baby shower we had baby items in the nursery on the floor and he went in there one day and tore items up, at passifiers, and peed on things. :shrug: Which in turn caused me to have a major melt down.
> So the dogs... I'm just not sure about... It could go one way or the other.
> We wont be in a hospital (we don't plan to be anyways.) so we won't be staying overnight. So I can't have hubby bring a baby blanket home prior to the baby for them to smell etc...
> maybe after we put away the christmas stuff I'll have dh bring down the carseat from the attic and bring out the swing from the nursery so they can acclimate to baby items being around...
> As far as the cat goes~ She's a social cat most of the time. She doesn't run away and hide when friends come over or anything like that. She's run away from a toddler, but will play with a toddler and her kitty toys. She has never gotten upset with us and peed in defiance. Only if her litter needs to be changed has she peed on a dog bed. She's been in and out of the nursery, and I've not found her anywhere she shouldnt be like the crib.
> I think she'll be just fine.
> But ya just never know...
> How have you all started to prepare your animals for baby's arrival?

I did not do much to prepare the animals, but I wish I had prepared one of my dogs. I have two dogs and two cats. 
The cats have mostly ignored the baby, except for sometimes hiding from her. 
One of my dogs has been very curious about the baby. She's a very active and excitable dog, but around the baby she is calm. She has been around kids before, but we always had to be careful because she tends to want to play or jump on them. (she's a golden / husky mix, so she's big enough to knock over a kid). But so far no problem with the baby. When she hears the baby crying she comes and see, or lies nearby. I think it might be maternal instinct. I know she's had puppies before (when with her previous owner) so maybe she understands. :shrug:
My other dog is more skittish. She gets scared of loud noises. We never had a problem with her and kids though. She is scared of some people (tall people mostly) but she always had infinite patience with kids. She never got excitable around them. But she gets scared when she hears the baby crying. I wish I had gotten her used to the sound before we brought the baby home. 

So I think animals react differently to babies than to older children.

We also didn't do the trick with bringing a blanket over. We just let the dogs sniff the baby and we continue to let them sniff her (under very close supervision). Both dogs are very sweet and never aggressive, but I still don't leave the baby with them unsupervised.


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## bunda

Animals never pee on things in protest or out of defiance. Cats and dogs simply do not behave that way. 

peeing on things is because of stress toward the unfamiliar, or in the case of dog out can be extreme submissiveness (very nervous dogs can sometimes pee at the sight of people or animals they perceive as too dominant).

I would work on getting your dog accustomed to baby objects by having them scattered around the house now (remember that your dog and cat have NO CLUE that a baby carrier is for a baby. To them it has no meaning other than 'strange shaped new object' and might as well be some random piece of art for all they know. Any odd behaviour toward it has nothing to do with how they feel about a future baby. They don't feel anything about the baby yet.

Once baby arrives take things slowly. Don't force your pets to interact with the new creature, just let them aproach under supervision. Newbirns are easier than introducing a reaching, grabbing, eye contact making older baby.

As long s you never let your dogs around baby unsupervised and take things slowly, things should go fine.



.


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## DHime

bunda has it there. dogs and cats will approach when they are ready. My dog still doesn't even aknowledge my DS but the kitty likes to swat his feet at night when he kicks.


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## DHime

see attachment - cute pic
 



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## shradha

Dhime- he is so cute....:kiss: merry christmas to you all:xmas16:


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## wookie130

Awww, DHime. The only thing that is sweeter than a sleeping baby is a giggling baby! He's so handsome!


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## Jazavac

Beautiful boy, DHime!

As for the animals... hm. I guess are cat is, overall, a difficult one, so this was kind of expexted. We brought a blanket and a hat Markus wore at the hospital and tried to introduce her to his smell before we made it home, but it didn't do much of anything, other than stressing her out and hating any and all places those items even touched. The first few days, then, she'd run and hide from him, as well as us. She also puked several times and it had nothing to do with digestive issues of any sort. She still sometimes vomits if M cries a lot, or is very loud. She has been showing some interest in him, though, and that's pretty new. Hissing has stopped as well. She hates his room and doesn't want to be i n it, despite the Felliway difuser and the fact that he wanted to be in there all the time before he was born. Hopefully she'll get over it. Considering the fact she can jump anywhere, it is a slight hassle to keep an eye on her at all times and to sleep behind a closed door with the baby for now, but we knew what we were getting into. It'll be better later, when M is a bit bigger and not so helpless. At the same time, she's not been trying to hurt him, at all.


(Typing from my phone, ug. Sorry about an icky looking post)


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## Marie000

DHime - Tristan is so cute! He does look younger than 6 months (I think. I'm no expert on 6 month olds) but how is he doing with his development? Is he playing with his toys?

As for me, my little girl is turning 3 months tomorrow (so she was born exactly 9 months after Christmas :haha:). She's still unable to hold her toys but she is so interested in the world around her. She just started to be able to fold her legs correctly to get in a sitting position. She can't sit on her own of course but it's a good step in the right direction.


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## DHime

well if you adjust for being 3 months early, he is about 3 mo old developementaly.
he does play with is toys some when chewing them. he also likes mirrors now.
 



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## Premomt

so cute Dhime! I'm so glad you're back!

Bunda~ Hmm... I don't think "defiance" either with what cooper did. More of a "I'm unsure of this stuff and the way it smells" or a "this is mine" kind of thing. Jealous was maybe a bad word to use.

It happened after the shower when all the new items were in the baby room which had come from houses with different smells, and other animals etc. My MIL was staying with us in the spare room that weekend too. She's stayed with us before, and he knows her smell, but that same day (she had left by then) he went in and pee'd on the corner of the bed where her items had been.

I wish I could hear their thoughts sometimes... When DH was getting ready to leave to go to afghanistan cooper marked his boots, and his ruk sac. at that point though he was not neutered, and getting to the point where he was starting to lift his leg quite a bit. After the neutering we had no problems.. till now.

I told DH about my thoughts and he agreed that it would be a good idea to start bringing things out of the room soon to have the animals become more accustomed to them. He just worries they will think the items are play toys and will get distroyed. I told him the distroyer dog will have to be crated more frequently than we do now.

Another thing I was thinking about at the same time is~ having baby toys/ items in the main living area. It's where we will spend 90% of our time, and where I plan to have tummy time etc. our living room is not really set up so we have a space for a child's toys to be stored. I know that's a few months off, but something I was thinking about none the less. DH said "we can bring the items in and out of the baby room, it's only a few feet down the hall" to witch I scoffed at because we can't keep our kitchen table clean half the time with things that should belong elsewhere. Yea, like we are going to all of the sudden become neat freaks and actually put stuff in its proper place. :roflmao:


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## DHime

good to be back


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## DHime

good one for ya... my cat just started peeing on my DS diapers. The clean ones too! :cry:
and on his bathtub. and on his stroller. Starting to wonder here... :shrug:


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## Premomt

Rut rho... That's no good! 
if you can find some urine remover make sure to use it. no matter how "clean" you think you get things some how some way cat pee has an attractant in it and they will just keep coming back again and again to the same spots... I have one I can recomend but I can't think of the name of it right now.

I also have a client who's cat does pee on her things in what seems like defiance. bed quilt when she goes away on vacation, clothing when she brought a new cat into the house, couch just because... Cats are cats...


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## Marie000

Premomt said:


> Rut rho... That's no good!
> if you can find some urine remover make sure to use it. no matter how "clean" you think you get things some how some way cat pee has an attractant in it and they will just keep coming back again and again to the same spots... I have one I can recomend but I can't think of the name of it right now.

Could that be Nature's Miracle? 
That's the one I used to use until the local store changed to a different brand. Any enzyme cleaner will do. You can find that at a pet store.


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## wookie130

Nature's Miracle is awesome! I've needed it on occassion, and it works great! You may need to treat things a couple of times with it, but it's one of the better urine removers out there. It's available at Petco & Petsmart.

For a cheapo option, the Arm & Hammer pet stain remover works well, too, along with this other brand called "Out!" or something, both sold at our local Wal-Mart.


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## Jazavac

Our cat has peed on things only once - it was some toy my mother in law gave her. The toy originally belonged to her cats so I'm sure it stills smelled of someone/something else. I stepped outside to feed the raccoons that day and the cat got really upset. Out of all the things she could have picked to pee on, she went with the 'foreign' object...


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## wantingagirl

Hiya, 

can I join. Im 31 and expecting my third altho will have 4 at home by July as have a SS. This will be my last x


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## bunda

Welcome, wanting. Oog, you'll have FOUR little kiddlywinks to run after. Tell me, is having the second much harder than the first? I do find myself wondering how people manage two little ones - and you went on to do it again and then again! brave woman.


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## Premomt

I second bunda's thoughts... how difficult is it from one to two? and Hi! Congrats on your most recent pregnancy :thumbup:


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## DHime

wow - im with bunda too


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## DHime

oh, I was just starting to relax when I noticed a 4th hemangioma on my DS. He has to go in on Friday for a complete abdominal ultrasound. A hemangioma is usually benign but multiples can be a sign of internal growths. If he does have them the outlook isn't good. Please everyone, keep your FX for him.

And people wonder why I am so darn vigilant. Every time I turn around another shoe drops. I am beginning to look for the Caterpillar with bare feet.


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## Jazavac

Keeping my fingers crossed, DHime. I hope it's nothing!


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## Lisa40

Oh nooooo, poor little guy has been through enough :sad2:
really hope he's ok :hugs:

xx


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## bunda

More procedures. Poor little chappie. keeping you guys in my thoughts.


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## wookie130

Ugh, how awful, DHime. From what I've read, the procedures seem never-ending with children diagnosed with VATER. Praying for you both, that this surgery will put T on the road to a healthier future, and that it doesn't cause a new set of complications. He's going to be such a fighter, DHime. Just like his momma!


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## Premomt

I just googled some pics. (which is always lovely...) are they big? poor guy... Fingers crossed they're nothing serious...


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## DHime

The one on his side is about the size of a quarter but the rest are smaller. 
They did the ultrasound today of his entire abdomen. 
It was really hard to tell what I was looking at. His non functioning kidney had completely disappeared. My heart sank into my gut when I saw that there were several black spots in his liver. I am praying that it is nothing but everything I have read points to visceral Hemangiomas. If it is, he has an 80% chance of survival with surgery and/or liver transplant. most do not respond to the non invasive treatment with steroids.
This is so not fair..........
So right now I am holding it together till Monday when I can call his doc to get results after he has had a chance to look at it.


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## shradha

I always pray for your DS. Don't worry. Everything will be fine. You are a strong lady. Today I will offer special prayers for you.


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## bunda

I'm so sorry you have to go through this DHime. it's just not fair that you have to br on high alert all the time. I worry about mine not sleeping enough which is just ludicrously trivial compared to your constant worry.

Tristan got lucky to get you as his mother. I'm crossing everything that if surgery becomes necessary he shows you what a little trooper he can be, too.


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## Jazavac

I hope everything will be okay, DHime! I'm thinking about you and little Tristan.


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## Premomt

Tristian sure did choose a great mom. He's in good hands and I will also be thinking about you guys in the next coming days till you hear from the dr. :hugs:


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## wookie130

I just can't imagine, DHime. I'm not sure if you're a religious/spiritual person, but I have faith that the Lord will deliver you and Tristan safely through this.


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## lilosmom

DHime - you are always in my thoughts - you are a strong woman and your little man is such a survivor. I can't imagine what it's like when I read about what you've already been through and what lies ahead for you both. I've always believed that the hand you're dealt with in life is the one only you are able to handle but at some point you'd think life would deal you a break. I hope that break comes soon and in the form of some good news for a change. Your little man is a fighter - you can see it in his eyes. Good luck for Monday! :hugs:

Welcome to the new moms! Wishing you happy and healthy pregnancies.

As for the ladies wondering about going from one to two kiddies, it's been great for me. The age gap between my daughter and son is 3 years and I feel like it's perfect. My daughter just loves the "new baby" and his smile can't get any bigger when he hears and sees his big sister. It has been such a great experience and I feel so lucky. As much as I'd love to have more babies I know we're finished growing our family. Two seems to be the right number for us.


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## NellieRae

If there is anything positive or good news to be heard when you talk to his doc tomorrow, Dhime, I hope you hear it. It really isn't fair that you and your little guy have to go through all this. It does make me appreciate how lucky I am to have a healthy child. 

I hope someday you can sit down with Tristan and read the saga in his baby book and he'll be amazed at how he _used to be_ so sick. :hugs:


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## Premomt

Thinking about you and Tristan Dhime... :hugs:


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## DHime

Well the doc didn't get the results in time so Must wait till tomorrow. I am hopeful though. I even came up with a plan in the event of worst case scenario. There is a bloodless hospital in Arizona that does transplants where all the blood cells have been removed from the organ. (This also causes a 0 % rejection rate) Great since it falls within our religious beliefs.
Anyway, biding my time till tomorrow.

For the lucky Knocked up Ladies - what birthing plans are you going with?


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## lilosmom

Hope no news is good news DHime... it's always good to have a back up plan too although I hope you don't need to use it. Fingers crossed for you and Tristan.


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## Marie000

DHime - I hope the news was good with Tristan's test results?

Premomt - you are full term now! That is so exciting!! Any news? How are you feeling?

As for me, I just won another epic "get Ariane to sleep" battle. She doesn't like to go to sleep but once she does, she's such a good baby. She's been sleeping 10-11hrs in a row for about a week now. :thumbup:


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## Premomt

I feel good mostly. I have 2 mire days of work then im putting myself on maternity leave :) 
Yesterday I had a weird feeling day. Just felt different. Idk. Nothing out of the ordinary happened... today I've been having lots of bh contractions. 
I started epo 2 days ago orally and vaginally. And today I got my "dr christophers labor prep" supplements and started them.
I have a feeling ill go a bit earlier than due day but I dont want to get too excited... so we shall see!


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## lilosmom

Good luck Premomt! Can't wait to hear all about the new addition to your family. Sounds like it could be sooner than you think - there's something about a mom's intuition - don't ignore it! :hugs:


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## Loukachu

Hi ladies,
Am 31 and expecting my first. EDD is 20th September. I would love to join, if you will have a newbie!


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## Premomt

welcome Lou~ 
it's been kinda quiet round here lately! lots of mama's have had their lo's and check back but rarely have time to post.
good to have a newbie!


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## Marie000

welcome loukachu,

congrats! :flower:
how are you feeling so far?

you post made me realize it was just over a year ago that I found out I was pregnant. My little girl was due sept 23 and she was born sept 24. So nearly 4 months old now.

Premomt- any new signs? 

things are still going well on my side, aside from the fact that Ariane now flat out refuses to sleep during the day. That makes for one very cranky baby!


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## Loukachu

Premomt said:


> welcome Lou~
> it's been kinda quiet round here lately! lots of mama's have had their lo's and check back but rarely have time to post.
> good to have a newbie!

Thanks Premomt


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## Loukachu

Marie000 said:


> welcome loukachu,
> 
> congrats! :flower:
> how are you feeling so far?
> 
> you post made me realize it was just over a year ago that I found out I was pregnant. My little girl was due sept 23 and she was born sept 24. So nearly 4 months old now.
> 
> Premomt- any new signs?
> 
> things are still going well on my side, aside from the fact that Ariane now flat out refuses to sleep during the day. That makes for one very cranky baby!

It still feels very surreal. Am queasy and gassy at the moment!


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## Lisa40

Hey louk :hi: welcome to the thread, I hope the queasyness goes away for you soon. :hugs: & congratulations.

Ooohhh premomt not long now, how exciting for you.

Hey Marie, Isla still has about 4 naps a day but I can't get them to go past half an hour no matter how tired she seems. I've even kept her awake for a few hours extra in the hope she'll nap longer but all I get is a cranky baby for the extra few hours. Half an hour isn't long enough to do anything at all lol :brat:

xx


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## bunda

half an hour? The other day I got no naps longer than 12 minutes out of Douglas. He was awake from 6am unti l 10.30 pm having had four naps totalling 30 minutes. 

Everything I've read suggests less sleep in the day means worse sleep at night, so keeping a baby awake is a recipe for disaster. I know that is mostly true for Douglas. 

Mind you, yesterday he napped for 2 hours, 40 minutes and 15 minutes and he didn't sleep well last night. He woke up 6 times in the night, sleeping between 40 minutes and 2 hours each time. So :shrug: I really don't know anymore. My baby is broken. 

What 4 month old stays awake 16 hours with only 30 minutes sleep in the day?! Last time that happened we took him out in the ergo carrier, hoping a walk would get him to sleep, but he took 'glazed expression' to new heights. He's glazed over before, but not like this. He looked like he was in a trance , not able to look at anything or anyone - yet still not able to sleep. Poor little guy.


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## Lisa40

Awww bless him. I hope he sorts his naps out soon.

Isla is pretty good at night & generally sleeps 12 hours, I wake up due to her noises lol but she is always fast asleep. Can't wait to get her in her own room so hopefully I'll sleep through her grunts & trumps :haha:

x


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## bunda

Twelve hours??!!! Oh my. Douglas doesn't sleep that much in a whole day. We've been averaging around 10 hours per day.


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## Lisa40

I know.... we are extremely lucky, although I know it can change at anytime, we are making the most of it while its happening, she's been sleeping from at least 9-7 for a month now though, but usually 12 hours! I'm just praying she stays that way lol 

as a newborn she was pretty good too apart from the first few nights at home, after that it was 1 waking after 3-4 hour hours at night for about 2 weeks & then 4-5 hours & gradually the waking got later & later from 2am - 3am - 4am etc until one day I woke up & it was 7am.

:yipee:


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## Jazavac

We average 10 hours a day, too, which Markus's pediatrician says is pretty much the bare minimum (ok, so, if we drop lower, what do you do, knock them out?!). Night time brings in 8 - 9 hours of sleep, broken up in about three stretches. Daytime consists of no naps, usually, unless he crashes for a few minutes at a time. And we're talking about a 7 week baby here...


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## Marie000

Ariane was sleeping though the night at 5 weeks (7-8hours) but stopped just before 3 months. We had a few nights where she barely slept at all. Then she would wake up twice, then once, and now she usually sleeps from 8-9pm to around 6am. I find the 6am pretty early, but I can't complain too much. Honestly I never thought I'd sleep that much with a baby around.

I find the hardest thing is her craving attention all day long. There are times when nothing will do except being in our arms, preferably while we walk around (no sitting allowed!). Luckily both me and OH are home, so at least one of us can get something done during the day. 

But I am happy to say she is finally starting to accept the pacifier. I mostly use it when she gets cranky and starts biting my nipple instead of nursing. It gives us a little break before trying nursing again.


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## NellieRae

Speaking of knocking them out.........it won't kill them if you have a a glass or wine or a beer after a particularly tough day/night and let them nurse afterward. Beer is good for milk production, too. ;) I wouldn't do it every night, but occasionally the extra sleep it induces is like a miracle tonic for mama.


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## wookie130

Good to know, Nellie, as beer was sort of my miracle tonic anyway, pre-pregnancy. LOL!!!


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## Premomt

Its amazing how different babies can be! I just finished sitting two toddlers with two completley different sleeping patterns... one is excellent at self soothing and has napped SO well from when I started sitting her at 3 months old. The other has a very co-dependent relationship with her momma, and couldn't be put down for a nap without being rocked to a sound sleep first. At 18 months old. She just started to learn to self soothe within the past month or so. And her momma started putting her to bed in her own crib within the past two weeks or so- telling me that she's now sleeping 7 hrs straight at night.
It really makes me wonder how my child will be...


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## lilosmom

Welcome LouK! Congratulations! Glad to have you on board.

Nate is a champ and usually sleeps through the night going down between 7:30 and 8:30 and waking around 5:30 to eat only to fall back asleep until around 9:30 or 10am. He does nap during the day but we're not in any routine yet so it can be anywhere from hours to 15 minutes. He is a happy baby for the most part and I really enjoy getting a giggle out of him now. We go for his 4 month doctor's appointment this week and I'm sure I'll hear how big he is (last time I weighed him he was 16.5 lbs and has been filling out his 6 month size sleepers for months now)... it's such a change from how small his sister was at this stage. He still loves seeing his sister and she absolutely adores him. The most challenging thing so far I've had to deal with is just how physical she is with him - she just needs to be touching him or hugging him or talking/singing/shouting right in his face. I'm sure it's been said millions of times in our house now "Olivia! Leave your brother alone!" and yet, she can't help herself. It's hard to split my time between the two but at least with my daughter still napping if Nate isn't during that time we get some alone time together and then with Nate sleeping so late in the morning I get some quality time with Olivia then. The only thing I'm lacking at the moment is some "mom" time for myself. Looking forward to booking a spa afternoon for me in the next few weeks... ahhhh :yipee:


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## Loukachu

My doc app is this morning. My first app just to confirm. Feel a bit apprehensive not sure why!


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## bunda

It feels kinda wonderful when someone else can objectively tell you: yup. Pregnant. It's like it makes it official. 

Good luck for your appointment. :thumbup:


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## Loukachu

Had my appointment. Blood pressure quite low as my blood pressure was quite low before pregnancy so now lower. Just means potential of more dizziness. Won't have another appointment now until 10+ weeks so a fair wait...


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## Premomt

congrats on the confirmation Lou  it's a great feeling! Next comes morning sickness... Not such a great feeling LOL! hopefully youll fair well!~


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## Loukachu

Premomt said:


> congrats on the confirmation Lou  it's a great feeling! Next comes morning sickness... Not such a great feeling LOL! hopefully youll fair well!~

Thanks! Have a very flushed and slightly itchy face today and my eczema seems to have come back on my neck...


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## DHime

Prego hormones create all kinds issues. Alergies and skin issues being huge on that list.

AFM - Little man is having surgery again on Monday. Ripped out his own feeding tube if you ca believe it...


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## wookie130

DHime, I can believe that baby T ripped his feeding tube out. I used to have a student that had a g-tube, and when he was really mad at me, he'd puff his tummy out as forcefully as possible, grunt, and expel that turkey button halfway across my classroom! LOL! Let's hope T doesn't figure anything like this out from a behavioral standpoint...lol. 

Praying so very hard that tomorrow goes well for T, and for you. I can't imagine how strong you both must be at this point...and your DH too. You mothers of children with special needs are a tough breed, I tell you. It takes so much courage to watch your child go through procedure after procedure, and surgery after surgery, and then recovery, rinse, wipe, repeat, again and again. Best of luck to you both, and :hugs:!!!


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## shradha

DHime said:


> Prego hormones create all kinds issues. Alergies and skin issues being huge on that list.
> 
> AFM - Little man is having surgery again on Monday. Ripped out his own feeding tube if you ca believe it...

Praying that everything will go fine.....You have been so strong all these days... your little guy will be be fine soon. Dont worry.


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## Jazavac

DHime said:


> Prego hormones create all kinds issues. Alergies and skin issues being huge on that list.
> 
> AFM - Little man is having surgery again on Monday. Ripped out his own feeding tube if you ca believe it...

I hope everything's done and over with. Wishing all the best to your little Tristan!


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## Kitty_love

We got to bring Blake home on Sunday after 7 weeks in the NICU!!! We were so excited and a little surprised, too. We went to visit him on Sunday morning and the dr said no reason to keep him here any longer, you can take him home today! Good thing we had everything ready for him. He's doing great at home, so cute, and such a good little baby. I'm exhausted, but so thrilled he's home! He's up to 7 pounds yesterday at his check-up - much bigger than his birth weight of 3 pounds 12 ounces. 

How is everyone else doing? Premomt? How are you feeling?


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## DHime

kitty - CONGRATS! ENJOY!


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## Lisa40

Ahhhh :yipee: kitty. How's things going at home?

x


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## Kitty_love

It's great having him home. He's sleeping in my arms right now, so cute! :cloud9: he's so funny when i give him tummy time, too! I'm pretty exhausted, though, he seems to sleep better during the day. :dohh: not sure if he gets lonely at night, after always having people around at the NICU, or if it's just a bit colder in his room at night? We tried turning up the heat last night, maybe that will help. 

How did your little ones start sleeping more at night and being up more in the day? Is it age, or something we should be doing to help him understand day/night? I know it's still pretty early, he's 8 weeks (even though still a week from due date), just curious about your experiences.


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## Lisa40

I think it's mainly age to be honest kitty, our LO started differentiating at about 8 or 9 weeks if I remember rightly, your LO may take a bit longer i guess with them being early?

I was told to take LO out as often as possible in the daylight as that would stimulate chemicals that let them know it's daytime :shrug:
enjoy those little cuddles though, Isla is well over 17lb now the little chunk! :blush:
xx


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## Jazavac

For us, everything started working out when I decided to co-sleep, which I think was about three weeks into his life, or so. I don't remember anymore, to be honest. In the beginning, due to all the crap from the hospital and my insanely long labour, I was too tired and, therefore, too scared to lay by the baby. 

From the first night of co-sleeping, I got him to sleep all night, pretty much. We go upstairs to his room (we share the bed there) at midnight and don't come back before 8-10 in the morning. I'm breastfeeding, so we do wake at night, but it's easy, since he's right there by me.


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## DHime

I love cosleeping.
How is everyone doing?
so I was out for a while. Little man pulled out his tube and then caught a cold which earned him another week in PICU. Yay


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## Jazavac

Aww, poor little guy.

I said it already in Coco's journal, but I'll say it here, too - he's sooo adorable!


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## Premomt

I have been using cotton flats and the other night I put a home made insert in and OMG it smelled horrible! I am not sure why... IDK what it is made of I think either hemp, bamboo or cotton. It smelled like weed though! Skunky and nasty! :sick: I'm not sure if it needed stripping or is just nasty smelling overall. :shrug:

ha just posted this and realized I was meaning to post it in Jaz' parenting journal lol!

So I'll continue here and say that:

Isabella Claire is now two weeks old tomorrow! She was born underwater Jan 26 at 6:56am and weighed 7lb 5oz and was 20.5 inches long.
I've not been able to update anywhere on here but I've been reading journals and lurking 

I'm gonna try and get a parenting journal started ASAP and post our birth story!


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## lilosmom

CONGRATS KITTY AND PREMOMT! Hope you're both enjoying being moms. We've been struggling the last few weeks with colds and flus and just last night had our first trip to emergency to confirm our little lady has an ear infection. Puts into perspective what you moms with premature babies are dealing with and my heart goes out to you even more. Three hours at the hospital last night was more than enough for me and I got to just take her home, fill a prescription and spend a few days at home now cuddling back to health my poor baby. You moms going back and forth must be exhausted. Sending hugs to all of you, hoping to update some pics soon. Would love to see some more on here as I can't seem to find the time to read everyone's journals. Take care ladies!


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## Premomt

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/parenting-journals/1724971-our-little-water-baby.html#post25337691

here's my birth story and parenting journal!


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## Jazavac

Off to check your journal, Premomt! Huge congrats!

lilosmom, I hope everyone gets better soon.


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## bunda

premomt: re the stinky inserts, I do remember reading that this can be a sign that you may be using too much detergent. Try running them through a wash with no detergent. Or stripping them with dish soap. And maybe halve the amount of detergent at the next few washes to see if that helps.


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## Jazavac

I've noticed that pretty much any and all natural inserts and liners (cotton, bamboo, hemp) stink, whereas the MF/pull items just don't. I use barely any detergent and I've even washed the cotton things with none at all. No change in the stinker department.


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## bunda

hmm weird. Mine don't stink at all. Neither the bamboo nor the hemp. 

I have a front loader and use a non-biological washing powder for sensitive skin and give an extra rinse before the wash cycle, halving the amount of detergent recommended on the box. And we live in a hard-water area (could it be that?).

The inserts are air dried (indoors, usually). This makes my hemp inserts very crispy (like floorboards, if anything) but no stinkiness.


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## Premomt

I use a CD safe detergent (rockin green) and use their formulation for treated water (classic rock) 
so far my 100% cotton flats have been fine. I stripped them all before bebe was born, and have since been doing the following:
rinsing with a sprayer, spraying with Bac-Out, washing with just a hot wash and extended rinse.
I have been seeing some stains remaining so I asked the gal I bought them from how she avoided the stains and she said a warm rinse before the wash. So I have changed to loading the washer (front loader) starting the cycle, and pausing it for a bit once its agitated. then finishing it off with an extended rinse and spin.
So far so good, but I've not used that insert since the one time. but my diapes are doing ok otherwise.
:shrug:


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## wookie130

I say a cold pre-soak BEFORE your warm wash...warm/hot water tends to lock in stains, rather than remove them.


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## Kitty_love

Congratulations, Premomt! :hugs: Glad you were able to have the birthing options you wanted. Thanks for posting your story.


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## Jazavac

bunda said:


> hmm weird. Mine don't stink at all. Neither the bamboo nor the hemp.
> 
> I have a front loader and use a non-biological washing powder for sensitive skin and give an extra rinse before the wash cycle, halving the amount of detergent recommended on the box. And we live in a hard-water area (could it be that?).
> 
> The inserts are air dried (indoors, usually). This makes my hemp inserts very crispy (like floorboards, if anything) but no stinkiness.

Front loader here, as well. Hard water, non-biological washing powder, CD safe. Using probably 1/14354353 of the recommended amount. 

I've tried both air drying, as well as the dryer. I think I forgot to mention in my original post - nothing stinks when it's dry, it stinks when soiled. Bamboo, cotton or hemp plus urine... headexplode. Ick. 

Our cotton diapers all have stains from the breastmilk poo. I'll throw them out in the sun as soon as the weather takes a turn for something less wintery, pretty much. Pocket diapers are mostly stainless. They get pooed on, of course, but I guess the non-natural fabrics simply don't stain as much.


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## bunda

Oh the stinkiness when soiled. Yeah, there is a waft of ammonia when I take the lid off the nappy bin. Luckily I only get a whiff of it when removing the nappy and when getting them into the machine. I am dreading the full-on human faeces we'll get once he starts taking on more solids. BF poop is so benign.


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## Jazavac

Yeah, I only get to sniff them only at those times, but they're still icky. Ok, with my funky nose and all, I actually smell them on Markus, too, when they're really wet and I get close to his crotch.


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## wantingagirl

hmmm..... we already had my SS with us all the time so when I had my first we already had 2 and Ive had my SS since he was 3.5 I tell you he has been the toughest to bring up than the others if we can do that this is simple I hope! lol....... It was easy with Cody and my SS but you are only really looking after one NB since the age gap is so big (7 years). Josh used to play with him alot when younger but hes not v interested any more and with Olivia Cody gets frustrated as he cant really play with her much yet as shes only 7 months and have to be v careful not to leave them together for even a min and the problem with that is when his dad is at home and I still leave the room cody has the habit of following me lol....... its not too hard since Ii have my hubbys help he promised not to go on pc til kids are in bed and we agreed 3 nights a week he is off PC completely so its 'our time' and I think just being in a routine is the key but its all v time consuming hence why I dont get on here too often and when I do have time I just want to lay down lol...... as Im having another bad pregnancy with constant chronic migraines and sickness so will see what happens once this one comes along. Once Im back to work from maternity leave Cody will be in school so will have 2 at home. It would have been nice then to just enjoy Olivia on her own for a while, the idea was to start trying when Cody started school but someone has given us a different path :haha: and once Ive had this baby hubby is going in for the snip! xxx


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## shradha

Hi frdz .....I am back from the hospital. Had a c section and gave birth 2 a baby boy....how are u all premont..mrs...vonamausi?


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## Premomt

S~ congrats on your little blue bundle!! I hope you recover smoothly from your c-section  Make sure to take it ease as you can!


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