2015 MARCH-MALLOWS... Due in March 2015!! Come join us!

[DrMum]

Poor you momma I hear you with the hormones and the crying and the finding it all very exhausting at times. But look how much you've achieved and you are so near the end now.
I can empathize with the big babies and the shoulder dystocia, but I'm not diabetic so I'm sure that adds another layer of worry.
To the best of my knowledge it's not the being on insulin or not not which allows a vaginal delivery, it's size of baby and risk of dystocia. This baby of mine is scanning consistently between 94-96th centile so even if I hadn't had a previous c section they would not be delighted for me to have another vaginal delivery.
And, you're absolutely right about dystocia, it's not size of mom or necessarily size of baby dependent, a quick search will turn up loads of women with 7lb dystocias, so I think if you really really want a delivery your doctor will easily be able to support insulin requirements to cover labor and delivery.
Hang in there lovely, you can get through this. Pregnancy is long and hard and more of a mind game than anyone ever believes!!

 

[CoffeePuffin]

38 days til due date. As if.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'm so annoyed. I've been holding off on buying our stroller because babies are so expensive and we've been trying to get the super essential stuff first. Amazon has had it for $430 (I guess as they cleared out 2014 models), and I just looked and it's back up to $500. Wish I'd found a way to squeeze it into the budget earlier

 

[mommasquirrel]

MrsK: Sounds like you have your eye on a sports car version of the baby stroller. We got a graco stroller-car seat combo. The car seat snaps into the base and it costs us a little over 100. I figure baby can only fit into a stroller for so long and then we'll use an umbrella stroller once they hit 18 months. DH really wants a jogging stroller so he can go running with baby but none of them would last because my husband doesn't job or lightly run. He literally looks like he is sprinting the entire time. I would hate to be the one strapped into any stroller while that happened.
Have you looked on craigslist or ebay for the model you want? sometimes people will have older models that are really well kept and sell them for half the price.
I woke up this morning and it reminded me of when I was younger and participating in collegiate sports. My glutes, back and arms are all so sore. Feels good but at the same time makes it so hard to get up off the couch to do anything. So looks like we have another lady getting ready for their bundle. One of the girls posted on FB that she is already dilated 3 cm and her doc thinks it will be within the a week and a half. So excited for her. I think all the girls are showing up early in our group.
More than anything, I'm just looking forward to seeing the baby pics. I love babies they are soo cute and precious.
Hope everyone has a terrific weekend, it will be interesting for us since we need to drive out toward Orlando during the weekend to get the car checked. Maybe I'll put down towels in case I have any accidents in the car.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist, but so far the few times it's come up at a good price, it's been out in the far suburbs. Since DH is the only one who drives, and he works full time, it would really difficult to figure out pickup. We want a Baby Jogger City Select - it's more Subaru than sports car, I think, compared to some of the others I've seen It's a great stroller, though, very versatile, and since I don't drive, I expect I'll get a lot of use out of it. It converts to a double, too, so with the exception of maybe an umbrella stroller at some point, we'd only ever have to buy one stroller even when we have more kids. I know a lot of moms who've bought the $100 travel systems and hated them and ended up buying four strollers trying to find one they like. We had very few choices in car seats anyway, since our car is so small, so the odds of finding a travel system that we could use both pieces of were very low.

 

[Bookwrmgal]

MrsK That's a bummer the price went up! I have heard nothing but raves about that stroller. Do you have a fb local group that you belong to that might sell one? Or call local consignments? Oh I sent you a pm about the fb group for here btw.

Squirrel- hope your muscles are feeling better. I did a later snack and my levels were better this morning with the insulin so maybe that will work for you without it

Just back from my NST and follow up. Bp was high but baby is head down and low! Her heartbeat was almost groin level. My fluid levels dropped so it seems the insulin is working. My dr was super happy with me (except for my bp) and even happier with the babe. Got my shower tomorrow and my next u/s Monday but that might need to be rescheduled since we are expecting another foot of snow!

Hope you all have a great weekend with lots of rest and relaxation !

 

[MrsKChicago]

I've heard great things about the stroller, too. I know there's a lot of brand snobbery and such with baby gear, but I think that tends to set in more in the $700-$1000 range - if i'm spending a grand on a stroller, it better be able to take the kids out for a walk without me! And change their diapers I guess it just comes down to lifestyle, though. If the stroller only comes out for an occasional weekend at the zoo or grocery store trip, there's no reason to spend big money.

I didn't get notification for your PM, but I'll take a look and send you my name.

Glad things mostly looked good at your appointment, and I hope you enjoy your shower! Hopefully the BP was just a one off.

 

[twinkie2]

MrsK if you are a prime member and sign up for amazon mom, put the stroller on your registry. If i remember correctly anything you purchase off your registry within 30 days of your due date will have something like 15% off, might help! I'm doing that with my extra car seat base and our changing pad (it's a unique size :dohh)

 

[MrsKChicago]

Thanks. I get Prime shipping through DH's Prime, so I can't sign up for Amazon mom without taking myself off his Prime, which is a big complicated mess But the 10% completion discount for their registry does include the stroller, so that'll save us something. Thankfully, it's not something we need the day he's born or anything - I'm just annoyed that I waited too long.

We've been assigned a doula! I put in an application through Chicago Volunteer Doulas - we were able to mention what we're looking for in a doula, but there's no big interview process, unfortunately. But it's also so much more affordable than hiring a doula on our own, and the group has a good reputation and was highly recommended by my birth class instructor and my midwife, so it's worth the gamble when the alternative is no doula. I couldn't find much about her online, but she's supposed to email soon to set up a meeting. I hope we get along! I really just want DH to have some backup and to have an extra set of hands if it's a long or painful labor, so we don't really have to be besties like we would if I was planning to lean hard on the doula for support.

Is anyone thinking about Valentine's Day plans? I really want to get in one last date night, but so much stuff in Chicago is fancy prix fixe, pre-paid stuff, and with an early March due date, there's always that risk that we'll miss out on the date because the baby decided to show up. I think we'll have to find something a little less themey romantic, which is fine by me.

We were talking about hospital bags, and apparently DH is planning to use the biggest suitcase we own... I told him I didn't think we'd need that much stuff, and he just keeps saying he wants to be able to fit the baby's bag in it. The hospital told us they provide almost everything, I can fit everything he'll need in a standard grocery bag! I guess I'll just get my stack of stuff together, and if it doesn't come close to filling the suitcase, we'll use a smaller one. We're advised to bring our own comfy pillows, and drinks and snacks, so we may still have to go big, but I don't think we need to go that crazy.

 

[bucherwurm]

I'm awful for over-packing, so even though I want to bring my pillow, potentially my sleeping stuffed animal and snacks and stuff, I'm planning on using the smallest bag possible. Plus I don't want it to feel as if I'm moving in!

 

[MrsKChicago]

I overpack, too, but this is a big suitcase! He's gone on 2 week vacations with this thing! He could probably roll me and the baby home in it All for maybe 2 days in the hospital, which is a ten minute drive from our house if we discover that we desperately need something we left at home. I suggested my big suitcase, which is not as big as his big suitcase, and he thinks it's still too small. I can't wait to see how this turns out... I guess it'll be nice to bring the nursing pillow and bed pillows for both of us.

 

[mummy_smurf2b]

I can see me packing hospital bag at last minute lol almost 34weeks and not started lol

 

[MrsKChicago]

My midwife said we don't even talk about it til the 37 week appointment! Seems like cutting it close. I have an idea of where to start, though, from the hospital visit an birth class, so I figure I can start getting stuff together soon. My problem is that a lot of what I want to bring is in regular rotation - I only have so many comfy pajamas that fit right now, and obviously I'm not packing away the computer or Kindle for a month.

 

[Teilana]

I am planning on a home birth at this point, but I'll still probably pack a bag just incase of transfer. I'm 34 weeks today and we aren't as ready as I'd like to be.

 

[DrMum]

I'm having to think about some major packing as we have to move into the city where I will be delivered and have an apartment there for 2 weeks. So I'll need to pack for DH, DS and myself, then ship the cat off to our friends house, plus pack a hospital bag and stuff for the baby.

I'm getting more hung up about how long we will stay there after the birth as I'm trying to decide which bassinette to take, whether to pack the steriliser or not etc... I fear it's going to be like moving house!

So, on a side note this evening I've been thinking about what my weight loss plan after the birth will be. Ive gained 27lb so far, and with 24 days to go, I'm anticipating just over 30lbs as my total. From my last two deliveries both times I've come home between 15 and 20lbs lighter and then it still drops quite dramatically in those first few days - thanks post natal sweating and breastfeeding! - but even so I like to get going with some kind of plan. Stops me being weepy and feeling out of control if I think I'm already tackling it! OCD or what right?

Anyone else given any thoughts as to their post natal mission as yet?

 

[MrsKChicago]

We just touched on the weight thing over in the Facebook group.

I expect I'll probably break 40lbs by the end of this. I expect the initial adjustment to motherhood to kind of kick my ass, so I'm not going to stress about weight until I've kind of found my stride. I was doing Weight Watchers before the baby, so once I'm ready and have some way worked out to leave the baby for meetings, I'll start that again. That combined with walks and activities with the little guy should be effective, in a slow and steady kind of way.

 

[DrMum]

Has everyone deserted our thread for FB? I did think it's been kind of quiet!

Don't make me rejoin FB!.....I feel so liberated away from it

 

[MrsKChicago]

I don't know, it seems like a few people prefer it over there. I'll stick around in both places, at least! I think there are benefits and downsides to both formats.

 

[bucherwurm]

I have no idea on a weight loss plan for after baby. I'm planning to breastfeed and hopefully not eat too much junk. I've been trying to ride my stationary bike again this past week and did it twice, so hopefully I will have some time to do that, and take baby for walks when it's not so frigid. I've also been active getting the baby's room together, doing the painting and flooring, trim and putting together furniture.
As for how much I have gained, I have stopped looking. I know I was up 20lbs, and I haven't looked since that. I saw the alternate midwife this past week and told her I don't look, so she was trying to make me feel better about all the stuff I'm growing and the extra blood and stuff.
I think it's kind of weird because some people's doctors seem super concerned about them gaining just the right amount of weight, and not too much and not too fast, etc. I was overweight before I got pregnant, and I wasn't told anything about that. I don't know if it's just because I have been gaining weight ok and it hasn't gone on too fast, or just because I am healthy in general or because the doctor's and midwives I've seen aren't concerned about it unless one is really overweight.

 

[Teilana]

I'm not too worried about weight gain or loss after baby gets here. At my last appointment I weighed myself and I was only up 25lbs @ 32 weeks. As for losing it afterwards, I could probably stand to keep a few of them around permanently, but I'm planning on doing walks with the dogs, mall walks with my mom and gramma as well as continuing with yoga and then doing whatever other activities with baby.