February Valentines 2012 - We have our first Valentines!

[Jokerette]

Thinking of you EngineerGirl! xoxoxooxox

 

[swanxxsong]

I'm so sorry EngineerGirl. thinking of you!

So... Nursery is still not done but more progress has been made. We had so many changes to make to it (replace ceiling light fixture, replace all electrical outlets, entirely redo closet, etc etc) before we could paint. I'm trying not to be anxious because it's looking beautiful but I'm tired of having crap scattered because we had to empty the room. Sigh. I got a lot of cleaning done myself though so yay. making progress slowly but surely!

 

[JohnsPrincess]

Just request to join its easy
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/138-ttc-pregnancy-and-post-partum-fitness

No too personal at all So i have what is called Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT) and Hypoplastic Breasts (HP). Basically with IGT you dont make near enough milk because there is a lack of milk glands and a lack of tissue to create it. So the easiest way to explain is that "the factory is missing some parts" and "there are not enough workers". If that makes any sense. When i was at the hospital they were a little concerned bc my breast are irregularly shaped and very far spaced. He never had wet diapers (he got dehydrated and everything). He only peed 1x in a 3 day period. and he lost 9% of his weight before he was even 24 hours old. I never had engorgement or anything So then i started meeting an LC, a home nurse, and my sons Ped, and worked really hard. I ate galactigo foods, drink lots of good fluids, cut out caffine and dietetics, I pumped religiously every 2 hours around the clock (that includes through the night!), i nursed around the clock. I took herbal suppliments that normally work- Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, and Mother's Milk Tea, I also use a Supplimental Nursing System (SNS- it has tubes and the baby nurses at the breast while the tube supplies formula/donor milk). You name it, i did it, but i never saw an increase I was even put on Domperidone which is a drug and a side effect is higher prolactin levels. I had my prolactin levels checked at 1 months PP and it was that of a NON lactating woman and a man...so it was pretty bad. My number was 27.5 and a BFing mom should be OVER 100 (more like 300)...so yeah, it was a pretty invovled thing...nothing i did increased my supply. I was LUCKY if i made 4oz every 24 hours. It was a night and day difference in ISaiah though, once he got some suppliments and stuff....took me a long time to cope with it, but this time around will be much better bc i can mentally prepare and physically prepare. I didn't know about donor milk last time, so its nice to have that this time. In a way, being able to have the donor milk is very healing for me. There is a chance i will make more milk with each pregnancy, but it will likely never be NEAR enough to EBF (last time i only supplied about 5-10% of his needs at my max output)...but i dont want to be a negative nancy, so im hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. Its important that i remain realistic about it, but also hopeful, so im trying to find a balance..

wow sorry for an epic post but thats my story and i dont mind sharing it

Oh wow, very interesting! I'm sorry you have to deal with that but you seem to have come to grips with it! And even 5-10% of his needs at least gave him some, so good job on that!

 

[JohnsPrincess]

Oh girls, I'm getting so tired of this darn bedrest. We got new living room couches after our move and relegated the hand-me-downs I've had since graduation to the basement. Our new couches came yesterday so I've moved from bed to the couch (lying down resting still counts, right?) to hopefully cheer me up. I've already had 3 contractions since getting up at 7:30 and it's only 11 - plus I napped for an hour in there. Everyone keeps telling me not to worry and I know worry 1) is not good and 2) doesn't actually do anything, but it is hard not to!

Big hugs, hon!!!

 

[Almost Mama]

wow, i've missed lots again!

Engineer girl; You've been in my thoughts, lovey! I'm sorry to hear the contractions are still at you, but i'm glad you're sticking to the bed rest... no matter how mundane! If you're a reader, have your OH pick you up "letters to a young poet" by Rainer Maria Rilke (he is my fave writer ever) it's a short read, but he will NOT let you down. i'm on the FB group, so feel free to msg me any time if you need a chat buddy! hopefully we can help to keep you a little distracted

congrats everyone on all of the 3rd tri starters, and double digit ladies as well!

we're done some more shopping. picked up some more clothes; 2 dresses and 2 pairs of jeans and some onesies and tops. God bless baby-gap lol. I'm getting so excited!

My GD test isn't until the 22nd of this month, but good luck to all the ladies with their dates closer approaching

I have a breast feeding question
I had my nipples peirced when i was 17, and just took them out about 2 months into the pregnancy, as they were getting uncomfy. Sorry for TMI!!! but will this impact my ability to BF??

 

[AmaryllisRed]

Oh my gosh, I've read that book!!
It's referenced in the movie Sister Act 2... one of my favorite movies in high school. (And maybe now. )
I'm such a nerd!

 

[TeQuiero]

Almost mama, everything that I have ever seen said that it should not affect BF at all. Only thing they say is if you plan on BF to remove jewelry, which you have already done.

 

[Almost Mama]

Oh my gosh, I've read that book!!
It's referenced in the movie Sister Act 2... one of my favorite movies in high school. (And maybe now. )
I'm such a nerd!

You've read letters to a young poet??
i have 3 copies!! hahahaha. i read it at least twice a year, and highlight or underline different parts that stand out to me, each time in a diff colour... when i flip back over it... it shows me where i was in my life when i was reading it based on what spoke to me.

I'm buying a 4th copy, this one for Scarlet, and it will be the first book I read to her. Letter #7 is my favourite!!

 

[Almost Mama]

Almost mama, everything that I have ever seen said that it should not affect BF at all. Only thing they say is if you plan on BF to remove jewelry, which you have already done.

I was worried, as i've heard mixed things about it! thanks so much for the advice

 

[Guppy051708]

Almost Mama, i have read the same. You should be fine

 

[Guppy051708]

Guppy, do you get WIC from your state? I know that with prescriptions they will cover the more expensive formulas... they give you like at least 9 cans (at least in my state)

I only qualified for half of my sons pregnancy, but then we relocated and DH got a job, so i didn't qualify after that. So,nope, no help from WIC My insurance refused to cover it...i was appauld... like really? I pay $12K per yr for it and they can't even cover somethign that a doctor PRESCRIBED?!? anywho, i wish i still qualified. we are right at the limit where we dont qualify but we also dont make enough to pay for it...boo...

 

[EngineerGirl]

Engineer girl; You've been in my thoughts, lovey! I'm sorry to hear the contractions are still at you, but i'm glad you're sticking to the bed rest... no matter how mundane! If you're a reader, have your OH pick you up "letters to a young poet" by Rainer Maria Rilke (he is my fave writer ever) it's a short read, but he will NOT let you down. i'm on the FB group, so feel free to msg me any time if you need a chat buddy! hopefully we can help to keep you a little distracted

I'm trying to remember if I still own Letters to a Young Poet. It was an assignment in my senior seminar for my English major. Rilke is a beautiful writer! His prose is so lyrical. I have to admit that I've been sticking to light stuff like Agatha Christie because literary fiction, non-fiction, and poetry leave my mind too much time to wander (although usually I love it!). I do need to send DH to the library, though. I've been pillaging my own shelves and am almost out of lighter fiction.

 

[Almost Mama]

engineergirl;

YES!! i am completely in love with his writing style...
on the flip side, im also a HUGE Bukowski fan (lmao... how opposite can u get, right?!)

I'm an Atwood fan as well...
if you arent feeling into poetry, try "the robber bride" by her

OH OH OH!!! OR READ "NEON ANGEL"
I'm a huge fan of the runaways, and its an EXTRAORDINARY memoir!!! I really didn't think it would be... but I couldn't put it down. I've also heard "hello kitty must die" is AMAZING... tho I can't say I'm sure what its even about? lol. a few of my bookish-friends have given it a good review... but i'm not convinced enough just yet to read a book about hello kitty. lol.

if you like controversial (im protestant, but im up for a good religious debate now and again) then try reading the final testament of the holy bible, by james frey... some parts i was less than enthusiastic to be reading, but i can honestly say i've never read anything else like it lol. just take it w/a grain of salt.. because it is a bit of a religious slap in the face!

if you'd like some other tips, let me know I've usually got my nose in a book! lol

 

[saphire76]

I'm totally out of this conversation. I read Nicholas sparks, the twilight saga and books on heaven lol.

 

[TeQuiero]

A good, funny series of books that my mom, grandma, our friends, and I have really gotten into are the Stephanie Plum series of books by Janet Evanovich. They are really funny, and you won't want to put them down!!

 

[TeQuiero]

Guppy, I hate that you are unable to get any kind of help!! It is really terrible! Maybe with adding another member into your family you might be able to qualify for some of the assistance programs.

 

[Almost Mama]

saphire; LOL. i dooo have one for you too!!! "heaven is for real"... SUPER short... but an adorableeeee true story about a 2 or 3 yr old boy w/an out of body experience. absolutely loved it!

 

[Guppy051708]

Guppy, I hate that you are unable to get any kind of help!! It is really terrible! Maybe with adding another member into your family you might be able to qualify for some of the assistance programs.

We already tried (as a family of 4, when you are pregnant they count the unborn baby). Still just missed the cut off....the increase with each kid is really low...which is crazy considering how much they can cost thanks for your kind words...but i guess at least i have donor milk so thats a God send. Ive been very careful about doing my own private screenings...and plus the big thing to remember is that these moms are BFing their own babies...and they arn't going to feed their own if its going to pose a risk, if that makes sense...doesn't mean i accept every donor offer, bc i do turn down if i dont like the circumstances (certain drugs, illnesses, etc), but it does help. I have about 3,500 ounces at this point...i need about 10,000 for one year, so i have a great deal already, I really think this baby wont go through the bad GERD so long as he doesn't have formula...Isaiah never had issues with the reflux until we started formula, so im pretty hopeful

 

[swanxxsong]

I love to read. Absolutely anything. Classics, popular tween novels, poetry, anything. Always open to suggestions!

My friend had her nipples done for years and had no issues BF. And she didn't take hers out until a few months in because of the irritation as her boobs changed size and such. So you should be a-ok!

 

[Almost Mama]

I love to read. Absolutely anything. Classics, popular tween novels, poetry, anything. Always open to suggestions!

My friend had her nipples done for years and had no issues BF. And she didn't take hers out until a few months in because of the irritation as her boobs changed size and such. So you should be a-ok!

Thanks ladybug!!
I will again recommend Rilke for the read.... everything he wrote was basicially the most beautiful thing i've ever read LOL. For a sample, try googling "fear of the inexplicable" by him... its a exerpt from one of the letters in 'letters to a young poet' that they turned into a poem. or even google some of his quotes. spectacular

hmm... for single poems; Electra on Azalea path by Sylvia Plath, or, The Gothic, by Margaret Atwood.