*Assisted conception ladies due Jan/Feb/March 2017*

[froggyfrog]

Rebecca and other us ladies, what breast pump does your insurance give? I'm hoping to get mine next weekend at the baby palooza. It's actually being hosted by my insurance company, and they will have a booth there for breast pumps, I'm going to my OB on Thursday for my 16 week appointment so I'm going to go ahead and get the necessary forms so that I have them ahead of time. I probably will mostly be bfing, but dh has said he would like to feed him and help out in the night so I want a pump so he can make bottles.

 

[rebecca822]

Ok wow, lots of new posts to catch up on!
Pinkie- so glad that your results came out good. What a sigh of relief! We haven't bought anything yet and I don't plan to until babies are born. I'm too superstitious.
Beemeck- glad you're feeling more positive, I really hope you're baby will be alright.
Praying- that's a real bummer when people are less excited for you. That's really upsetting
Ellicain- darn people! I sort of want to tell people that I conceived through IVF so that they know what a huge miracle it is. But then again, I want my privacy.
I think you're definitely correct, those of us who struggle with getting pregnant don't take children for granted. They are a gift!
Rq- wow a move with new little twinnies, sounds stressful! Indiana is so close to us, we drive through Indiana almost every weekend on our way to Michigan.
I plan on only taking off 8 weeks because it's too expensive to take off more and my job really needs me. If I'm away there's no one to run payroll or do billing.
How does FMLA work? In Illinois there's no paid maternity coverage. Is FMLA for all states?
As far as shopping, we have a lot of baby gear from our 4 year old but will need more.
Need a second crib but my mom has 1 so we'll take it from her (of course only after she finds out its twins)
Need two car seats since my other one is already expired
Need a double stroller
New breast pump
1 highchair (I have 1 saved)
We have toys and a baby swing and I'm sure I'll get some stuff as gifts.

 

[Prayingforno1]

2have4kids-Yes, I don't understand why she's so sour but trying to ignore it just so puzzling

Rq120-Looking into classes is a good idea I Thought it was a bit early so never checked. I guess I better start looking!

I have been looking at co sleepers so we have easy access to baby at night for changing and nursing. I already found the stroller I want as well but I think I may go in shopping mode once I found out the sex of the baby (even though most of the items I like are unisex in colour).

My next scan is a full 2 weeks away and I'll be 16 weeks then. Time is just flying

 

[rebecca822]

Rebecca and other us ladies, what breast pump does your insurance give? I'm hoping to get mine next weekend at the baby palooza. It's actually being hosted by my insurance company, and they will have a booth there for breast pumps, I'm going to my OB on Thursday for my 16 week appointment so I'm going to go ahead and get the necessary forms so that I have them ahead of time. I probably will mostly be bfing, but dh has said he would like to feed him and help out in the night so I want a pump so he can make bottles.

My insurance covers any brand electric breast pump.
Hospital grade pumps can be rented up to $1000 per pregnancy with no copay or deductible.

I think it's super important for a baby to be able to take bottles so you can have someone else feed them. Also, if you need to be away from baby for more than a few hours. My friend exclusively nurses her 7 months old. While it's wonderful I think it's crazy that her baby doesn't take a bottle. im talking about breast milk bottle not even formula.

 

[Fern81]

I'm super jealous of all the insurance benefits you US ladies have. You are very fortunate.
I'm looking to get a second hand crib from family or friends. At the end of the year I'll be moving into the nursery downstairs, H can join me if he wants (double bed). I don't want to have to carry an infant up and down the stairs all the time; our upstairs bedroom also gets waayyyy hot in summer. I want a crib/cot next to my bed. It's also right next to the kitchen- convenient. We'll play it by ear to decide who sleeps where as baby gets older. I have a nice stroller, camping cot and carry cot already. (All from family).

 

[froggyfrog]

Fern I do feel lucky that we have a system in place to help make Heathcare more affordable, but sometimes I feel like we spend so much money still. Our premiums alone are almost 100.00 a week for heath, eyes, and dental. And then you have to reach deductibles before some of your benefits will even kick in. So sometimes it's worth it, and sometimes it's like why do I even have insurance.

 

[Fern81]

Beemeck- glad you're feeling a bit better. Hugs!

Praying- ugh I've also had a good friend (at least I thought she was a good friend?) Who has never even congratulated me or shown the slightest interest in the pregnancy. People are really strange sometimes!

Pinkie- oh shame hun. I can imagine it felt overwhelming. Xx by the way wanted to mention that I can feel my uterus much more easily when I'm lying in the bath for some reason. Maybe it's to do with the buoyancy. In any case it's as if it sticks out more and feels more defined maybe worth a try!

Rq- wow yes life will be very interesting! good to have the family's support. I'm definitely doing classes. And a hospital tour. Antenatal classes at my hospital can be scheduled for a series of weeknights or, thank heavens, all in one very long Saturday session (otherwise H wouldn't have been able to attend ). After 26 weeks. I still need to find out how much it costs though!!

 

[Fern81]

Froggy- yep... we can't afford that but it seems like many good RSA insurance packages. We pay about $230 a month for ONLY hospital coverage. That's what DH decided we could afford....

 

[rebecca822]

I'm super jealous of all the insurance benefits you US ladies have. You are very fortunate.

We do get free breast pumps but no paid maternity leave. The standard is to get off 6 weeks unpaid.
I'll trade my free breast pump for 9 months paid maternity leave

 

[Rq120]

Rebecca - "I'll trade my free breast pump for 9 months paid maternity leave"
Yup! LOL
FMLA is national. There are a few stipulations (must have worked there for a year, so many employees) but it basically guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid leave and your job is secured.


So I got the Materniti21 results back today and they were negative (screens for Downs and Trisomy 18/13.
Also there was a Y chromosome which means I'm having at least one boy.

 

[froggyfrog]

Awesome congrats rq!!! I bet the other is a girl!

 

[2have4kids]

Pinkie, I meant to respond and forgot, I guess I'll blame pregnancy brain. I've had that overwhelming feeling too where I start blubbering in stores, walking around hoping the tears don't fall out if my eyes, trying to blink them away. I'm not positive that it gets any better with time. I feel more emotional now that I've had MacKinley. Take your time and just realise thsat you will doon be a mother despite the personal hell you've been through, you deserve all of the joys motherhood and pregnancy has to offer. Take your time and when you're having a moment just breath. And remember we all send you xx
I think IF has left deep scars on me that will take more than a few years to recover from. I think if the trauma of not being able to concieve lasted 6 years, I might be feeling better in another 6 years once my children are happy & growing. It still makes me upset thinking about what we had to go through to get here.

Rq we're doing classes too. With DD we did an 8 week baby & birthing class and we still meet up with folks from that class all the time for fun stuff like baby & mom yoga and coffee dates. The next event is a group birthday party Oct 15, which I said I'd host (I'm the only one pregnant right now what was I thinking!) We're doing a twins birthing class and hope to meet up with lots of other twinnie parents to chat with. I'm also on a twin fb group with a few other B&B moms right now. If anyone is interested let me know and I can send along the name of the group. It's a closed group so photos are private but they discuss parenting problems that I'm sure will come in handy.

 

[rebecca822]

Rq congrats on the good tests!

Yay for 1 boy!

So I had some bleeding over the weekend and messaged my doctor. He said protocol would be to have me come in for an ltrasound so I'm going tomorrow. I was going to go Thursday anyways but now that the bleeding happened I'll go tomorrow.
Can't wait to see my little babies

 

[2have4kids]

Rebecca sorry to hear about the bleeding, yay for a scan!

RQ congrats on 1 boy!

 

[Rq120]

Rebecca - good luck tomorrow.

 

[Fern81]

Congrats rq!! Let me know when you want me to change the colour of the storks' bundles on the first page when is your gender ultrasound? Happy to hear the tests are normal!

Good luck tomorrow rebecca x.

22 more sleeps until my next ultrasound when we will find out if this LO is definitely a boy or a girl! Tomorrow in 3 weeks. So excited. My pregnancy apps say that baby can now start to hear us, so I've started talking out loud to him/her and really can't wait to call baby by its name etc. I think it will definitely help me bond. Also, my mom, sister and niece are all so convinced it's a girl that they will need time to get over their disappointment before baby arrives, if it turns out to be a boy. I'm a bit miffed that my mom was so disappointed when dr said it looked like a boy.

 

[elliecain]

Congratulations RQ. I'm guessing one of each

I had some really bad cramping yesterday evening. Sharp right hand side pains that took my breath away. I was considering going to hospital, but I decided to have some food and wait it out. The pains went, but I'm an anxious mess today. I think I might try to get seen at the EPAC, as they might do a reassurance scan. I've not had any bleeding or spotting, but then I'm still using cyclogest, so it probably wouldn't bleed anyway. I'm sure it's just round ligament pains or something totally normal, but I can't help worrying. I want to see my baby (my fetus as of today!) and know it's ok.

 

[Rq120]

Ellie - I had cramps like that earlier on. Sometimes they would double me over. I haven't had anything like that for a while. I'm trying to think of what weeks I experienced them.

Fern - I go to the OB on Aug 22nd and then I will schedule my anatomy scan. I'm thinking it will be mid Sept. I'm going to vacation on Sept 17-24 so I will try to schedule it at least the week before. You can change the colors if you want but one will have to be yellow and the other blue.

I'm voting for a boy and a girl, but I honestly don't really care. I just want healthy babies.

 

[rebecca822]

Elli- if you are ever worried you can get yourself checked out. It will calm your nerves if nothing else.

 

[Fern81]

Uh what a day! When I got to my classroom this morning (in the back of our garden) the doors were wide open & the place had been ransacked. Lots stolen. I'm still so upset I've been crying all day. We've been noticing that things are always going missing but the crime rate here is so high, we are used to getting robbed by garden workers etc. But to actually have your home broken into and ransacked is just horrible no matter how many times it happens. I'm a mess today. I keep worrying that someone attacks me & hurts baby. DH came home early from work and is rushing around trying to install additional security systems. I keep having cramps and feeling like I'm going to have a panic attack and faint. Hormones are making my response worse I guess. And tomorrow I have to sit in there and teach 8am-6pm .

Ellie- hope all is OK and that it's just rlp!