35+ TTC 1st Graduates!!! Come on Over!

[AustinGurrl]

Hi girls!
SO MUCH TO CATCH UP ON.....
Anna - Congrats on baby weight & hope your test results come back good! I am high risk for PreE and am being monitored closely... Fingers crossed for you!!!

MA - Glad you had a good weekend and are feeling well! Congrats on starting to set up the nursery!

Steph - Thanks for the book recs... I plan to get something this week to read up on! Really jealous of that upcoming Colorado trip!!!

Angela - What a cutie pie!!!! And sounds like you and I are on the same page re: vac schedules... deviating makes me nervous... I got a baby food maker from a friend and she said it was pretty time consuming to do & fell off pretty quickly... But best of luck to you & hope you find some good recipes!

Viv - Hi girl! Good luck on the new car & glad your reflux is easing up!!! Fingers crossed for normal delivery for you!!!! How much longer??????? Can't wait to see the nursery!

Lava - Glad the nausea is better! I can't imagine in the heat of the summer...

NMG - I concur with the ladies... sorry your Mom says such things! I've had issues with mine before and really just had to set boundaries... was much easier for me than confronting her, which didn't work anyway... Housework is definitely harder... try to not be bothered and good luck with getting help for the nausea!

Everyone else.... HELLO!!!!

AFM - Pretty eventful week... had peri & ob/gyn visits last week (am now weekly for both) and all looks good... as Anna says, BP & protein in the urine are the BIG issues now... Docs say that it is just "symptom spotting" time and that they will be looking for reasons to give me the steroid injex in the next few weeks, but just "keep doing what you're doing" is the plan....

Babies are good & big! At 28 week detailed scan....
Baby A = 2lbs, 14 oz
Baby B = 2lbs, 5 oz
Baby C = 2 lbs, 8 oz
All normal / avg size for a singleton... I, on the other hand, measure 41 weeks.. just a wee bit bigger than avg for 28 weeks..

Dh's parents came for the night on Sat.. and we just barely got the nursery finished before they came... It is quite a sight and I will try to take pics to post that aren't huge in size...

SO... nursery done = 85%, night nanny hired and just hoping that all this is prep done waaaay early & no babies for at least another 4 weeks (32 wks)!

Hoping that everyone has an uneventful & healthy, happy week!

 

[pablo797]

Hi All, we are a chatty bunch!

lava,yeh that you are feeing better!!

Skye, love the idea of making baby food! I have to say how hard can it be? I willl try and find out and get some ideas.

vivienne, how was the baby shower? So breach baby eh? I have heard acupuncture has good success with turning babies. Hope he turns. Mine is head down and they say will probably stay that way.

Austin, can't wait to see the nursery!! I bet it's a sight to behold. So glad all the babies are doing so well. Let's keep them cooking. But my heart goes out to you. How are you sleeping?

NMG, ignore your mum. I have "issues" with mine too and ignoring her seems to work best. Do what's right for you and your baby and you won't go wrong.

Steph, yeh colorado trip! Just warning you Denver is much hotter than we are up in the mountains, but hopefully it will be nice. Plus I know you miss your mom so I bet it will be a great visit.

AFM, had a good weekend camping. I think I am officially a red neck as I went ATVing all weekend. Don'tt worry I didn't roll any large piece of machinery down a hill like I did with the snowmobile. But I bet I was a sight to behold all pregnant and such. Got blood results back from doc and all was normal, so good sign. Turned in the pee this am,what a pain that test is. Hopefully it will come back normal too.

hi CJ, sunshine, codegirl,rottpaw-Ethan is soooo adorable!!

happy monday anna

 

[lavalux]

Austingurrl,
Wonderful news about those babies. I'm impressed that you have gained the appropriate amount of weight and kept them safe & growing in size. 28 weeks is awesome! My god, every week in the first trimester seems to drag so I can't even imagine getting to 28 weeks right now. It seems so far away. I'm sure they will be happy to hang out for the rest of Summer exactly where they are. Is the steroid injection for the babies' lungs or just to keep you from going into labor? Are you on any type of modified best rest? Hope you had a nice family visit. Congrats on getting the nursery done. When you get a chance, I'd love to see pics.

Congrats on hiring your night nurse. I'm looking into that as well during my maternity leave. How many nights a week are you doing? We are thinking either 5 nights for the first month and then tapering off to 3 nights/wk for the next two months or just doing 3 nights a week the entire time. It is $20/hour but I think it will be worth it especially if I'm recovering from a c-section or the babies come early. A friend with 10 month old twins gave me the name of the night nurse that she used whom she highly recommends. I talked with her today for about 30 minutes. She will have an opening at the beginning of the year and could do Jan/Feb. My EDD is 2/10/12, but I've heard the twins might come a few weeks early. I have an interview set up for my husband & I to meet with her at the end of July. After I go back to work in the Spring, her 26 year old daughter who is a RN, may be available to work during the day for us as a nanny, but it is also $20/hour and that seems a bit expensive to me. I've seen some listed on the Intown Atlanta Multiples board for $15/hour which would be comparable to the cost of daycare in our area. So many decisions. I know I should be focused on getting past the 1st trimester and the genetic screening/amnio, but I've also been cautioned to get things lined up for help after the baby comes and since we do not have any family help, it will be important for us. Also, I've already gotten on waiting lists at 4 daycares and when I called thinking that it was too early, they all said that the list is long and I called exactly on time (one place was really snotty and said I was late ... needless to say, I didn't get on the list there).

Pablo,
Glad you had a great camping trip! I really enjoy car camping, but I bet having the RV is nice. It's always relaxing to be outside in nature and just get out of town for a change of pace. So glad your blood test results came back normal. When do you get results from the pee test? What is that for?

Steph,
Have a nice visit with your mom in Colorado.

MA,
Glad you had a nice outing with Doug this weekend.

Skye,
Hope you're having an enjoyable visit with your mom as well and a great birthday. I hope your mom is feeling better.

Angela,
Thanks again for the Zofran recommendation. It has been great. As MA said, it definitely takes the edge off. It doesn't take away the nausea 100% - yesterday I overslept during my nap and waited too long to take it so I was feeling a little green - but today I have done well on it and was able to work without any discomfort.

NMG,
If it makes you feel any better, my mom has already started in with me about how I shouldn't gain too much weight during my pregnancy b/c I'll never get it off. I tried to explain it was different when carrying multiples, but she just started talking about a neighbor's daughter who never got the weight off b/c she let herself eat whatever she wanted while pg. I really just try to ignore her when she talks like that. I know she loves me, but sometimes she has a funny way of showing her concern. Sounds like that husband of yours is a winner and that's the most important thing.

Hi to everyone else. Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Hi ladies.

Nothing much going on here. No news is good news they say.

I have a sono on Friday and then an appointment with the Peri. Hoping all is well. Sometime this week I have an appointment with my Doulas too. Still looking for a minivan. I seem to be EXHAUSTED lately. I thought this was supposed to go away after 1st trimester but I'm thinking this is how I'll feel until we're empty nesters.

Question for you mommies. I know with the sids issues that you should think twice about the bumpers or at least have a breathable bumper. I know you should have a firm mattress and nothing soft for baby to sleep in because of Sids. What I AM wondering however is if you can put a blanket over baby. What about the cold winter months? Will that cause Sids?! I'm noticing more and more crib sets that come in three's with bed ruffle, fitted sheet and bumper but no blankets. Is the the newest outcome now or is it just they try to ala carte the bedding to get more money?!

 

[pablo797]

MA,

I'd be interested to know the answer to that question too. I have some sleep sacks to use for when she first comes home, but we do get cold here in the winter. Some of the sleep sacks are fleece and made for winter. I do have a friend that at four months she was still using just sleep sacks, no blankets. However, she lives in San Francisco. If I find any info I'll share.

Have a good night. Anna

 

[pablo797]

So this is what I found . . .

| More
Babies & Kids
Can you put a blanket in your baby’s crib?
Nov 15, 2007 1:52 PM

Crib_image At Consumer Reports, we’ve long been advocates of not putting a blanket or anything cushy, including stuffed animals, a sleep positioner, or crib bumpers or pillows, in a baby’s crib. Soft items in the crib are a suffocation hazard. It doesn’t sound cozy, but with cribs, “Bare is best.”

Still, I’ve gotten questions from some parents wondering about how long that advice applies. After your baby’s first birthday, for example, the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome drops. Can you put a blanket in the crib then?

The answer is still no. Here's what Laura Reno, vice president of public affairs for First Candle/SIDS Alliance said, when asked whether it was safe to put a blanket in a crib after a child turns a year old. "We would never recommend putting a blanket in a crib. Save the blankets for when a child moves into a toddler bed. Use wearable blankets, sleep sacks, sleepers, or anything along those lines just to keep them warm without having to put loose blankets in there."

Of course, your child can still have a traditional, fluffy “baby” blanket before he moves to a toddler bed. (That’s a move you’ll want to make as soon as he can climb out of the crib.) Just keep it out of the crib. A baby blanket makes a nice play mat or exercise pad for “tummy time” under your watchful supervision, and there’s nothing like it when you two want to curl up in the glider with a good baby book (or two or three) before nap and bedtime.

When shopping for a wearable blanket with lots of leg room for stretching and kicking--which goes over a regular sleeper and diaper--look for a flame-resistant fabric, such as polyester. You can buy as many as four, and buy more as needed. Wearable blankets also come in swaddle form for infants, as an alternative to receiving blankets. They retail for about $15 to $20.

See our reports on cribs, crib alternatives, and baby furniture for more information.


And . . .

CPSC Banner
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Crib Safety Tips
Use Your Crib Safely
Document# 5030

For infants under 12 months of age, follow these practices to reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and prevent suffocation:

Drawing of a Crib
Place baby on his/her back in a crib with a firm, tight-fitting mattress.

Do not put pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, pillow-like bumper pads or pillow-like stuffed toys in the crib.

Consider using a sleeper instead of a blanket.

If you do use a blanket, place baby with feet to foot of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib mattress, covering baby only as high as his/her chest.

Use only a fitted bottom sheet specifically made for crib use.


I think some of this is a little extreme, but the above articles came from consumer reports. If this helps. Anna

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Thanks Anna. Hm, I was looking at the sleep sacks and they look kinda dangerous to wear all night too. The ones where they're hands are tied or inside kinda makes me nervous to put her in.

I'm interested to hear what our mommies do. Oh PALEASE don't let me be a freak who always checks on her every second to make sure she's breathing. Any tips you mommies can give on this subject would be appreciated. I had NO CLUE about this until I started seeing the bedding without a blanket and feeling as though we were getting jipped. What else must I be concerned about if I didn't even have a clue about this issue?!

 

[lavalux]

What about the crib bumpers that come with the bedding sets? Are those okay?

 

[Mommy's Angel]

What about the crib bumpers that come with the bedding sets? Are those okay?

Some women use them, but many either don't use them at all or go to Babies R Us for the ugly breathable ones.

I think someone in here said she takes the nice bumper out during the night and puts it in during the day for decoration but it isn't in the bed when baby sleeps.

 

[rottpaw]

Reeeeaaaalllll quick and I promise to elaborate more on this when I can keep my eyes open lol but we used swaddles when Ethan was very little (up to about 8 weeks) and then have used sleepers (like what we used to call footie pajamas) since. NO blankets in crib but we do use the breathable bumper. Not the bumper at comes with the bedding set just yet. We liked the Aden and Anais swaddles from target as they were bigger and easier to get an effective swaddle. More info tomorrow! hugs all!

 

[Lucy1973]

Hi, I have Tilly in GROBAG....a sleeping bag she wears and that comes in different togs depending on season. She is just about to go into the cot, and will just have a fitted bottom sheet and the grobag. I have ordered some cot bumpers, but she isn't rolling around yet, so those will be safe for now. Once she is on the move I am not sure if I should take them out? Any mums have advice?

 

[pablo797]

morning all,

ma, I think the sleep sacks where the arms are in are for when their really little and like having their arms in. Most sleep sacks i've seen have an optionn either arms in or out.

Lucy,i will have to check on the grobag,thanks!

Rottpaw, looking foreward to your comments.

AFM, got lab results back and protein is still elevated, but all else looks good. Will just keep an eye on blood pressure and swelling for any signs of PC. Also found out local yoga studio offering pre natal yoga classes on monday nights starting next week! So excited.

quick question to austin. . . Got my belly support band, but it feels like it's putting a lot of pressure on my bladdeer, any thoughts? Did you have the same problem? Ok i'm out going to order "Happiest Baby on the Block" off amazon. I have to get prepared!!!

have a good day! Anna

 

[pablo797]

ooooohhhhh like the GROBAG,adding it to my registry on amazon. Babies Are Us dosen't carry them.

cj, hope you are well.

anna

 

[AustinGurrl]

On the bumper/sleep front....

I made our bumpers... really plush, stuffed ones, out of "minky" fabric on the inside of bed, tied with ridiculously girly satin bows...
I will not have them in the beds when the girls are little, but like the way they look. So I made them with full knowledge they will very likely be decoration only. But that kind of thing is important to me... I will try to get pics done this afternoon...

As our girls will be very small (likely), I have been told time and time again that tight swaddling is THE way to go... babies sleep better, as they are used to feeling secure. NICU nurses and our night nanny recommended "Miracle" blankets... they are at BRUS and run about $30 each. They do not have velcro, like "Swaddle Me". Nanny says those are not as comfortable and easy to use as the others...

I will check out Grobags, Lucy, thanks... only sleep sacks I have seen are Halos. Haven't hear much about them, though...

We have gotten all kinds of lovely, soft baby blankets, but I am not planning on using in the crib... Another tip from Nanny: its very common for small babies to sleep in the swing or bouncers at first anyway due to reflux issues...

In other words, sounds like you really cannot plan on anything until you get your babies here and home to know what they need/prefer! Quite maddening for "planners" like me!!!

 

[AustinGurrl]

morning all,

ma, I think the sleep sacks where the arms are in are for when their really little and like having their arms in. Most sleep sacks i've seen have an optionn either arms in or out.

Lucy,i will have to check on the grobag,thanks!

Rottpaw, looking foreward to your comments.

AFM, got lab results back and protein is still elevated, but all else looks good. Will just keep an eye on blood pressure and swelling for any signs of PC. Also found out local yoga studio offering pre natal yoga classes on monday nights starting next week! So excited.

quick question to austin. . . Got my belly support band, but it feels like it's putting a lot of pressure on my bladdeer, any thoughts? Did you have the same problem? Ok i'm out going to order "Happiest Baby on the Block" off amazon. I have to get prepared!!!

have a good day! Anna

Morning, Anna! Yay for your yoga classes! Have you had bad swelling? Mine is pretty awful, but BP has been low... Hope you're protein levels go down soon!!

On the band - I found that when I had the bottom part lower, it was more comfortable... looked ridiculous, but ... I would wear the back part kindof high (small of back) and then angled way down in the front... that is where I got the most support... maybe try out a bunch of different positions to see what feels best.. For a while, I know it felt different every time I put it on...

Thanks for the info on Grobags, will def check out on Amazon!

 

[AustinGurrl]

Austingurrl,
Wonderful news about those babies. I'm impressed that you have gained the appropriate amount of weight and kept them safe & growing in size. 28 weeks is awesome! My god, every week in the first trimester seems to drag so I can't even imagine getting to 28 weeks right now. It seems so far away. I'm sure they will be happy to hang out for the rest of Summer exactly where they are. Is the steroid injection for the babies' lungs or just to keep you from going into labor? Are you on any type of modified best rest? Hope you had a nice family visit. Congrats on getting the nursery done. When you get a chance, I'd love to see pics.

Congrats on hiring your night nurse. I'm looking into that as well during my maternity leave. How many nights a week are you doing? We are thinking either 5 nights for the first month and then tapering off to 3 nights/wk for the next two months or just doing 3 nights a week the entire time. It is $20/hour but I think it will be worth it especially if I'm recovering from a c-section or the babies come early. A friend with 10 month old twins gave me the name of the night nurse that she used whom she highly recommends. I talked with her today for about 30 minutes. She will have an opening at the beginning of the year and could do Jan/Feb. My EDD is 2/10/12, but I've heard the twins might come a few weeks early. I have an interview set up for my husband & I to meet with her at the end of July. After I go back to work in the Spring, her 26 year old daughter who is a RN, may be available to work during the day for us as a nanny, but it is also $20/hour and that seems a bit expensive to me. I've seen some listed on the Intown Atlanta Multiples board for $15/hour which would be comparable to the cost of daycare in our area. So many decisions. I know I should be focused on getting past the 1st trimester and the genetic screening/amnio, but I've also been cautioned to get things lined up for help after the baby comes and since we do not have any family help, it will be important for us. Also, I've already gotten on waiting lists at 4 daycares and when I called thinking that it was too early, they all said that the list is long and I called exactly on time (one place was really snotty and said I was late ... needless to say, I didn't get on the list there).

Hi Lava - Thank you... Hang in there, hon... I know, that first trimester was soooo LONG.... You will get there... I couldn't and wouldn't really let myself think past the next week. We tried to focus on the "next thing"... what ever that was... scan, appt, genetic screen, amnio.... You get the picture. Little goals seemed much more do-able!

Thank you for the comment on the weight gain... Ugh. It wasn't easy, but I was absolutely ravenous in the beginning, but didn't have MS to contend with... I gained A LOT of weight very early... then it kind of tapered off. Now I am putting on an avg of 5 lbs a week! LOL! My docs advice was just to eat what you want, when you want... and if it was too much or too little, they'd let me know. If you can stomach the protein shakes, stuff 'em in. Not sure if I told you, but I bought the choc ones at Costco and they really are not bad at all and each shake has 30g of protein!

Steroid injections are predominantly for lung development... Acc to peri, if timed right, they can advance development 2 wks in 48 hrs time, but if you give too early the effect is minimalized... I believe they are very common with multiples.

I feel that I have been very fortunate re: bedrest, as I have not been ordered. I began working from home at week 20. I had a doc who suggested it and I am very glad I took the advice. I believe it has made all the difference on why I am not on full bedrest now. My job is not really all that conducive to working from home, but I have a very sympathetic boss who is a mom & willing to bend the rules a bit. Litigation and working from home, as you probably know, doesn't really mesh. You will know when you just can't do it anymore... For me, it was more the 2 hours getting dressed, commuting, etc... not the actual "work". Everyone is different, though... I work for the state, and there is no "maternity leave", just FMLA.

Sounds like you are right on track on the nanny front... we are doing 5 nts/week (Sun-Thurs) for 2 months and then will see how it goes... To be honest, I don't know that I will be going back to work... never thought I would say that, but it just doesn't make a lot of sense... Cost around Austin is about the same as you mention for Atlanta (~$20/hour) for in home care, which is a lot less than day care for multiples... Isn't it frightening about the "waiting lists", etc?? Talked to a couple last weekend who just put their child on a waiting list for private elem school (and made a pretty sizeable donation) and the baby is 2!!!! CRAAAAZY!

 

[skye2010]

Angela Ethan looks os cute and funny hahahhaha He looks like a real happy go lucky boy. Hahahahahaha!!!

Ma, goood luck with all the car and nursery shopping )) Can't wait to see the nursery photos. The jazz fest sounded like fun but perhaps Doug was right. I went to a music festival in Hyde Park 2 weeks ago, which I usually enjoy. But this time as soon as I entered I started feeling very strong bass vibrations in my tummy and got sick so I had to leave after 20 mins. BB definitely wasn't happy about it. I don't have a clue hwta you girls were talking about untill I googled ) So why does a bumper need to be breathable, It's just on the side of the bed to stop the baby getting trapped in the slits no? In our time the SID guidelines was different and my mum laid us on our tummy. And most women used swaddles at the time. Although my mum says she didn't for us.

Viv, you are almost there, 3 weeks more and no more ms ) Good luck with the car.

Lava 28 weeks seems very far away to me too )) I'm surprised you are already on waiting list with day care. Here the nursery and elem school lists are crazy too. I had a friend who filed all the forms before birth and she had her husband deliver it while she was still in the hospital not to miss her chances (U can only register once the bb is born) Anyway now they decided to move to another area. Hahahahahaha.
I'm lucky I'm not your mum's daughter cause I keep eating all day cause I get hungry)) Although I dunno how I will end up.

Pablo looked at those sleeping slacks on the net. Do you know why don't they have any sleeves mostly? My house is really cold as well I wonder if a sleeping slack will be ok since I will have the bb in the winter.
By the way polyester does catch flame. Unnless it is a fabric that is developed flame proved. Better read the label I guess. Does the protein suggest high blood pressure? Perhaps yoga and breathing exercises might help no?

I wish I was camping now In fact I've never done it before ) I used to be fussy about where we slept untill we did this amazing but very rough trip in Chile. Now I really fancy a nature trip somewhere in the mountains amongst the thick of the forest. )) Don't think it will happen any soon though.

Lucy, Tilly looks so cute, and she's grown )))

Charmaine the baby development is great. Well done about being right on target, hope they keep snug inside untill they are fully developed. I can't wait to see your nursery Picts pls. Would be nice to see a cute girly bursery photo.

AFM I had my 12 week scans yesterday. All looked good. The Down's test came back as 1 in 3350 so I am not going for anything invasive. DH was there quite impressed with the baby sucking it's thumb. It was first sleeping than started kicking and moving. They gave me some photos but I guess it doesn't look like anything else but any other 12 week scan yet. Chubby cheeks and head, small nose, little fingers ) I will try to post a bump photo though since Nevernever asked for it. xxxx

 

[AustinGurrl]

Angela Ethan looks os cute and funny hahahhaha He looks like a real happy go lucky boy. Hahahahahaha!!!

Ma, goood luck with all the car and nursery shopping )) Can't wait to see the nursery photos. The jazz fest sounded like fun but perhaps Doug was right. I went to a music festival in Hyde Park 2 weeks ago, which I usually enjoy. But this time as soon as I entered I started feeling very strong bass vibrations in my tummy and got sick so I had to leave after 20 mins. BB definitely wasn't happy about it. I don't have a clue hwta you girls were talking about untill I googled ) So why does a bumper need to be breathable, It's just on the side of the bed to stop the baby getting trapped in the slits no? In our time the SID guidelines was different and my mum laid us on our tummy. And most women used swaddles at the time. Although my mum says she didn't for us.

Viv, you are almost there, 3 weeks more and no more ms ) Good luck with the car.

Lava 28 weeks seems very far away to me too )) I'm surprised you are already on waiting list with day care. Here the nursery and elem school lists are crazy too. I had a friend who filed all the forms before birth and she had her husband deliver it while she was still in the hospital not to miss her chances (U can only register once the bb is born) Anyway now they decided to move to another area. Hahahahahaha.
I'm lucky I'm not your mum's daughter cause I keep eating all day cause I get hungry)) Although I dunno how I will end up.

Pablo looked at those sleeping slacks on the net. Do you know why don't they have any sleeves mostly? My house is really cold as well I wonder if a sleeping slack will be ok since I will have the bb in the winter.
By the way polyester does catch flame. Unnless it is a fabric that is developed flame proved. Better read the label I guess. Does the protein suggest high blood pressure? Perhaps yoga and breathing exercises might help no?

I wish I was camping now In fact I've never done it before ) I used to be fussy about where we slept untill we did this amazing but very rough trip in Chile. Now I really fancy a nature trip somewhere in the mountains amongst the thick of the forest. )) Don't think it will happen any soon though.

Lucy, Tilly looks so cute, and she's grown )))

Charmaine the baby development is great. Well done about being right on target, hope they keep snug inside untill they are fully developed. I can't wait to see your nursery Picts pls. Would be nice to see a cute girly bursery photo.

AFM I had my 12 week scans yesterday. All looked good. The Down's test came back as 1 in 3350 so I am not going for anything invasive. DH was there quite impressed with the baby sucking it's thumb. It was first sleeping than started kicking and moving. They gave me some photos but I guess it doesn't look like anything else but any other 12 week scan yet. Chubby cheeks and head, small nose, little fingers ) I will try to post a bump photo though since Nevernever asked for it. xxxx

YAY!!! Congrats on your 12 week scan, Skye!!! That is such great news!!! Wonderful numbers on the down's!!!! Thanks for the comments....

 

[skye2010]

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[skye2010]

Can't do this What is URL. MA I read what u wrote for Pablo but I can't access photobucket from here. Dunno how to post these images? Any UK ladies know how to post jpeg images