2014 April Rainbows

[vietmamsie]

Kasey - I would agree! You look perfect! All that matters in the end is that the baby is growing on target, not how massive the mom gets. I get so many comments in the other direction... "sure it isn't twins?" "My got your massive, and you're just going to get bigger??" It hurts, but obviously my body grew different than others, but it is right for me and my baby.

AFM, We wrote our birth plan and talked it all over. Feeling good! Just have to type it up and send it to my doula tonight. Going to have a lot of questions for my doctor at our appointment on Tuesday so I can tweak the plan before I get it translated to Vietnamese for the hospital staff.

Can't wait to see how the babe is doing at my ultrasound!

 

[Lisa85]

Karina and Vietmamsie, you guys do exactly what you won't to do and don't listen to anyone else. These are our babies and therefore its our choice on how to raise them.

Kasey, good job and getting everything together! We are nearly there to... still have to pick up the car seat and breast pump and a few little items but all done apart from that. I even packed my hospital bag this week!!

Ice, my LO was head down but has now moved as well. Must still be plenty of room for them to move around. Glad your GTT was good.

Vietmamsie, Good job on getting your birth plan written. Are you a little worried about the language barrier or do you speak enough to understand whats going on?

AFM - Im starting to get to the point where I've had enough of the giant belly. Its grown heaps in the last week and I'm so uncomfortable ALL of the time. Everything is so hard now!! I wish the next few weeks will fly now... I'm ready for her!!!

 

[vietmamsie]

Lisa - Also at THAT POINT. I think while it was fun getting big early and really looking pregnant from about 4 months on, the down side is that I have just gotten over it all so much sooner. Having some hip pain and joint issues. Lots of tears. It is really hard now not working and feeling like I have so much I want to do around the house, but having to limp around to get it all done.

Yes, I am worried about the language barrier, but coving my bases by having everything translated.

Had my doctors appointment and the head is down! I am looking good with the exception of a positive test result for GBS. That means I will have to have an IV with antibiotics at some point in the labor. Hopefully I can get it cleared up naturally before, but even with a negative test later in the pregnancy, they said I will need the antibiotics. Boo! Oh well, could be worse news, I guess. Everything else looks good, and my doctor seemed to be very hopeful about my ability of having a natural birth despite the size of this little monster!

 

[Lisa85]

Glad im not the only one!! if i go to the shopping centre i can go to about 2 shops before i have to go home and thats usually after resting a few times in the old people chairs. Some days i even get sore feet just having a shower.
My feet are starting to swell a little also. I feel like an elephant! lol
Glad everything else is going well other than the GBS. Its getting so close now!!!!

 

[vietmamsie]

You're lucky you are just starting to swell now... I have been swollen for weeks now due to the heat! I can hardly get my feet into tennis shoes for the gym... its a struggle every time!

Headed back to acupuncture today. My leg and hip pain seems to have stopped, but my knee is still killing me. Hopefully she can work some magic!

 

[Kasey84]

I feel your pain ladies! Hip and pelvic pain is seriously bad now!

I drive about an hour to and from work 5 days a week and I'm on my feet quite a bit at work. It's really not manageable anymore. I'm hoping my OB will soon put me out of my misery and let me finish work! Fortunately for me, no swelling yet.

On a brighter note, the baby's room is coming together. Also have a bassinet, swing, and stoller/car seat all set up and ready to use

 

[Lisa85]

On the hip and pelvic pain ladies... you know i was REALLY REALLY and a few weeks ago and saw a physio... she was a miracle worker in just two sessions and now i don't have to go at all. I can manage it on my own.
She did an extremely painful massage on bottom and i have to stretch out my bottom every single day but its now a manageable pain. Its not gone and it still hurts in bed at night but i can get through my day without feeling like I'm going to die. My OH also massages me every other night.
So i would highly recommend seeing a physio just to get the initial massage for tightness that makes the pain worse out of the way and then just manage it at home.
I don't think i would be walking at all without doing this a few weeks ago. I cannot recommend it highly enough (after i protested to my OH that no one could help me for weeks!)

My hands have been a little swollen for weeks so I've been wearing my engagement ring on a necklace coz I'm scared i won't be able to get it off. I suppose the heat doesn't help that at the moment either. Its been very hot lately!
I only noticed my feet swelling yesterday though!

Kasey, so exciting to have everything coming together!! Im picking up my car seat on Saturday... i guess i should just get them to install it then!

 

[vietmamsie]

Sorry Kasey! I hope you get to stop working soon! I feel very lucky to have this time off before the birth. I have NO IDEA how I would still be on my feet teaching art each day! It was hard work! Not to mention that my classroom was on the third floor!

Lisa - I would second your physio idea!! I have been getting acupuncture (different, but also VERY helpful) a few times a week and it has been saving me. I have NO back pain any more, and now my doctor is working on my leg pain, and it is helping a lot.

I also have been dealing with swelling for most of this pregnancy... it is just too hot here in Vietnam! Rings are still on, as most of it is in my legs and feet. Can't imagine how my husband still finds me attractive!

 

[Lisa85]

haha!! i know what you mean... i feel like everything i do looks so unattractive and he has to help me do so much. I take full advantage when he's home and even get him to undress me, dry my legs after a shower and get up off the couch.

Been having some pains lately... Mostly up the top of my uterus in the middle. Whenever she moves over that area its soooo painful but it fells like its just my stomach muscles so I'm not to worried about that and then later in the day I've been getting an achy pain in the lower abdomen. I ended up calling the midwife the other night and she wasn't worried as long as i didn't have any bleeding and that LO was moving fine which she was. She said to take panadol and have a bath and that helped. Same thing happened last night but the panadol and shower did nothing. It last most of the night but is gone today.
Any ideas? My SIL thought maybe just growing pains. My belly has grown a lot lately.

 

[Kasey84]

Thanks ladies! I may have to look into physio or something.

Most days I feel like a disaster...oh often has to help me up off the couch! By some miracle though he still finds me attractive too! Thank god for him

Lisa- I've been having twinge like pains in my lower abdomen these past few days. I've been thinking it's just growing pains, but I'm going to mention it to my OB when I see him again next week.

Happy Valentines Day ladies

 

[Lisa85]

Sooooo had my OB appointment today about the ultrasound..... i knew someone wasn't doing their job properly. Apparently the OB i saw about my 20 week scan was a junior and didn't pick up that i actually have Vasa Previa.

My placenta has two lobes... one anterior (the main part) and one posterior with vessels going over my cervix. Very rare and very high risk apparently. Im lucky i live so close to the hospital or i would have been admitted today until she is born. He said if i get any bleeding at all or any contractions to call an ambulance immediately.

They are doing the c section on the 12th March at 37 weeks. It will be a bit more risky than a normal c section because the have to cut through my placenta to get to her. They can't risk me going into labour at all with those vessels over my cervix... if i do bleed then it could be potentially life threatening to me and the baby.

My OH is freaking out a bit... he doesn't like medical stuff and he's all worried for us. I'm hoping he can keep it together for the operation.

 

[Brieanna]

Oh wow lisa, how scary! I am very glad that they found it though. It sounds like now that they know everything will be well taken care of.


AFM-sorry I have been gone awhile and have missed so much, I have been house-hunting out-of-town for weeks and it has been crazy! We lost 2 houses we loved to higher offers (even though we offered more than asking! Austin is a crazy market apparently!) but finally just got news a few hours ago that the offer we made on the house we looked at on Valentines day was accepted, yay!

I love the house, even though in our price range we had to take some things off our must-have list, lol. I can't wait to move so I can finally get some baby stuff together!

It is also close to a hospital that will do vbacs, so hopefully we get there in time that I have that option. I want a second opinion because it turns out that my doctor doesn't do ANY vbacs anymore and no one anywhere close does them either. I want to see if it was me or the doctor that made the vbac not a good idea.

If I need a c-section, no big deal, but I would at least like to know it was because of me and not just the hospital/doctor policy iykwim.

Hopefully everyone is doing ok and dealing with this final stretch well. Not long until we have our babies in our arms!

 

[vietmamsie]

Scary stuff Lisa! Glad they caught it when they did. DH has reason to be worried, but hopefully you are in good hands. Did they say anything about this causing problems for future pregnancies, or is it a fluke thing?

Brieanna - good to see you back! I feel happy that we are still renting when I hear about house hunting craziness!

AFM, Baby shower was yesterday.. we made tie-dye clothes! So much fun! Really nice to just get to hang with all my girlfriends for the afternoon! You can see pictures on my tumblr - https://themouseletandme.tumblr.com

Last night I got a call from my brother - turns out my SIL is 7 weeks along with her first! Very excited for them, but can't help feeling like my thunder was stolen right out from under me. Looks like my parents won't be coming out in the fall because they will have to go to Turkey to see my brothers baby. I really wanted my mom to come out twice this year. Ok, maybe I am just being a braty little sister, but I feel a little disappointed.

 

[Kasey84]

Lisa- Glad they picked up on your condition. Hope they keep a close eye on you now! I can't blame your oh for being scared, but it sounds like your in good hands now!

Brieanna- Good to hear from you. Glad all is well and congrats in the house! Exciting times!

Vietmamsie- Glad you enjoyed your shower I can see why you'd be disappointed about your parents not being able to visit twice. I think I would be too!

 

[Karinama98]

Lisa - looks like you'll be the first of us to have their LO. Although the circumstances are very concerning, I'm sure the medical facility you'll be going to will take great care of you. Will be praying for a perfect c-section and no complications.

Vietmamsie - Yesterday my SIL and BIL announced that they're now expecting. She's 10 weeks along and is due in September. I partially feel like things for us won't be celebrated as much. Granted she's due 5 months later than us, but it's a slight jealousy thing of wanting the attention for a bit. We are excited for them though, especially since she has a history of epilepsy and had a seizure for the first time in over 10 years back in November.

AFM: I know I've been MIA for a while here. We had our baby shower on the 9th, which was amazing and overwhelming. We haven't even gone through everything thoroughly to see what we need/want/can return. I think there were about 35 women who were invited that showed up, one who had car trouble, one with a migraine and about 3-4 who forgot about it. Either way, we are truly blessed by everyone.

Then this last weekend I had my mother's memorial to help plan and attend. Since I'm the executive heir to the estate, I learned that just because I thought I did something right on a legal document about a month ago....doesn't mean it was and now we have to go to probate in relation to everything. On top of that, my one blacksheep of a sister who has been noted in the will that she is excluded from everything is trying to make things difficult with thing. I haven't been this stressed since before getting pregnant. Getting anxiety chest pains, my blood pressure is up, I can't sleep and I keep having bad dreams about everything.

Otherwise, Amber has been doing well in there. The heartburn isn't letting up at all though, and the rib pain comes and goes depending on where she decides she wants to lay inside. No hip pain, no real lower back pain, no swelling. I know I lost weight this last weekend with all the stress of everything, so I hope my OB won't get mad at me Wednesday at my appointment if the scale didn't go up in these last 3 weeks.

Hoping everyone is doing well. I wish there was a way for us here in the states to give you guys in the warm countries some snow. Help cool you down, and would help give us a break from it. I swear this winter is relentless.

 

[Lisa85]

Thank you for your kind thoughts ladies. Unfortunately i googled vasa previa... that was an extremely bad idea!! As soon as my OH left for work i lost it. I was so scared to be alone and just burst into tears. He came home and is working here at the moment.
Hoping we can make it through to 37 weeks without incident and then a smooth c section but its all very scary at this point.

Karina, sorry you are dealing with this extra stress. Glad that amber seems to be fine though.
It would be so amazing if could share your snow... Australia needs water!! The drought isn't as bad where i am but i saw something on the news about how farmers can't cope anymore coz it hasn't rained in years in some places.

Kasey, how are you going? whens your next appointment?

Vietmamsie, he said its just one of those things that happen. Apparently you are more like to have a previa if you have had one before but a vasa previa is just a random uncommon thing. Ive been wondering if there is more to it though because some of the risk factors for getting it are former surgeries and i had excess bleeding during my d&c anda lot of pain after which went unexplained after some investigation. I wonder if they caused some damage in there.
I think your allowed to be upset your mum won't be coming out. Is it possible for you to go to Turkey so you can all be together?

Brieanna, When do you get to move into your house? Make sure you don't do to much when the move happens!!
Why don't they like to do vbacs if there aren't any obvious conditions requiring it? i don't know much about it!

 

[vietmamsie]

Karina - Sorry you are having to deal with so much... having a baby is stressful enough. I can't imagine having even more on my plate right now.

I think you hit the nail on the head with the whole sol/bil pregnancy. As I am having the first grandchild for everyone, I was hoping the spotlight might stay on us for a while. But maybe I will be ready to move the focus away from us when their baby comes in October. I did talk to my mom today and she said that she will still come out to see me in October as well as the trip in May, then go to Turkey to see my brother in November. She knows that I'm out here all alone, and my sil has her family there to help, so I will need my mom a bit more! I feel bad for my parents having two international grandkids that live so far apart!

 

[Lindsay109]

I've been MIA for a while too - lots to catch up on!

Lisa, that's scary stuff! I would stay away from Dr. Google as much as you can, it sounds like you are in good hands and the doctors know what they are doing. That's good that you live close by to the hospital so you don't have to be admitted - I imagine they'll be keeping a close eye on you over the next few weeks? It looks like your little girl may be the first rainbow baby on this thread

Brieanna, congrats on the new house! It must be a relief to have that out of the way now When do you move?

Vietmamsie, it looks like your baby shower was a lot of fun!! We also decorated onsies at my shower, it was a great activity That's great that your parents will still be able to make two trips out to see you this year.

Karina, so sorry you're having to deal with all of that extra stress at this point in your pregnancy Hang in there! I'm glad to hear that Amber is doing well though

As for me, life has been crazy the last couple weeks. About a week and a half ago my DH got hit by a car (crossing the street in a crosswalk) and broke his leg - he's going to be out of commission (including no driving) for at least another 5 weeks which leaves me with a lot more of the household responsibilities, walking the dog, etc. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed taking on all of the things he was doing in addition to working full time. We're hoping to get some help from the auto insurance soon for the house cleaning and dog walking, and I'm hoping to cut back my hours at work to make life a bit easier. Hopefully baby will cooperate with his recovery timelines too!

 

[vietmamsie]

Lisa - Stay away from google! It is dangerous! I think you are in good hands. Maybe you can talk to your doctor about moving your c-section up to 36 weeks if it would make you feel better about everything.

Lindsay - Oh no! Too much stress for a pregnant gal! I feel so lucky that both DH and I have been healthy for the majority of the pregnancy.

Sort of feeling off today... Took two naps, slight headache. Think it might just be the HEAT. I can't handle it! My boobs are sweating and all my bras get stinky after just one wear. My sad little wardrobe just gets smaller and smaller as the days go by... pretty much just in a spots bra and unders around the house!

 

[hope4rainbow]

Lisa- That is scary, I'm so glad your doctors are close by and have a plan. Not too much longer now and if anything feels off, let them know. Our babies will have super close birthdays if we both go by our induction/c-section days! Is it an option to be admitted to the hospital around 36 weeks so they can keep a closer eye on you as you get closer to the end?

Vietmamsie- I understand why that's hard. My bil/sil have a 3 year old little boy already and 3 months after we announced we're pregnant, they did. Then we found out we're having a boy, they found they're having a girl (first granddaughter on my husband's side) and my mil has been beside herself excited about a girl. Oh well, on the bright side, close in age cousins will be wonderful for them!

DH and I took maternity pictures this last weekend! I'll share a few.