January Baby Bears 2017 ~ 48 Momma Bears: 21 Blue, 17 Pink

[Literati_Love]

Angel - oh wow, that's so brutal that they're making you start your leave early because of being written off by your dr! Makes no sense to me. Here you would 100% be able to take sick leave until your baby arrives if that happened! I feel very bad for you, considering how short your maternity leave already is! I hope for your sake that baby comes very very soon so you have as long as possible with her. They say if a membrane sweep is going to work, it will work within 48 hours...so hopefully things will kick in tonight or tomorrow morning for you! Will you do another sweep next week if this one doesn't work? Did she tell you how dilated or effaced you are?

Awful about those premiums. I guess it is a good thing your employer pays such a high percentage of them.

I agree that it will be nice to only be back at work for a week and then gone again. It will help make the transition a bit easier for you.

That's exciting about losing bits of your mucous plug. With dd1 I lost blood-tinged mucous after my first check and I do believe the blood-tinged part was just because of the check, as I didn't go into labour until a few weeks later (it wasn't a sweep - just a check). However, this time I didn't even have a spot of blood or mucous after she checked me! This baby is in it for the long haul. :/

Kksy - I hope your labour this time is only half that length, at most!

 

[kksy9b]

Angel- sorry your work is messing with FMLA...I had a similar situation happen when I went on leave with my first and it was really frustrating to find out things were different than you thought going in. That's really great though about only being back a week before getting a week off! After spring break, how long will you have in school before summer break?

 

[AliJo]

Here are some pictures of my little man! I can't get enough of him. He looks so much like his older brother! I had to upload a third to show just how red his hair really is. The second one doesn't do it justice! I'm pretty sure it's going to be curly as well. His hair starts to curl when it's wet and DS1's hair did the same. DS1 had a lot more hair than he does, though.

I'm still in awe and in shock that I can have redheaded children! DH of course is a redhead, but if I didn't have the recessive gene it was never going to happen. I have redheaded people in my family, but neither of my parents are redheads and not any of my siblings. I have at least 1 first cousin that has red hair that I can think of.

 

[Literati_Love]

Aww, he's really cute, Ali! That is exciting that you got a redhead.

 

[AliJo]

I'll try to catch up better later! DS1 just woke up and demands snuggles. Was starting to type up some responses and he woke up.

 

[vrogers]

Ali- oh he's precious!! That first one made me say "awww" out loud...and that red hair!

 

[slammerkin]

He's gorgeous Ali! I love redheads.

Angel, that BS with your FMLA is sooooo aggravating. In a similar vein I wanted to take my accrued two weeks of vacation on top of my 12 weeks FMLA and was quoted the employee handbook that I can't use vacation to extend my leave. Such utter crap! And yes, my premiums are outrageous. It's over $15k per year in premiums for the "family" option. I'm not sure if my employer just doesn't pay any of the premium, or if they pay a really small amount. I'm going to price out some other plans when baby comes since that puts me into a special enrollment period and I might find something better elsewhere and drop my employer's coverage.

No labor signs round here, but my poor belly is feeling so stretched and tender. I feel like my skin is paper thin and it just HURTS. God I want to be done with this!

Appointment was quick today. BP, urine, fetal HB, and fundal height all fine.

 

[Vankiwi]

Angel that is a pain about the sick leave! The maternity leave really is bad in the US, I feel sorry for you guys!

Ali he's cute! And the hair!

 

[kksy9b]

Oh Ali, he is just precious!!! My little guy is a redhead also (bleaches out blonde in the summer giving him these highlights I am so jealous of!) and they just make SUCH cute little babies!! Enjoy all those snuggles with both your little guys!

slammer- that is CRAZY that they have a policy that says when you can and cannot take vacation...what does it matter to them?! I hope you are able to find some better insurance options!

So baby has definitely dropped a little bit more or something tonight because I am in full on waddle mode. Feels like they are just laying on my pelvic bone all the time right now and it making it hard to move (especially stairs). Have been having some moderate BH but not very hopeful it will lead to anything at this point.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

My baby is here!

 

[Literati_Love]

Wow, congrats, midnight! That sure was fast! Looking forward to hearing more details when you're able! such an exciting thread these days!

Slammer - sorry your tummy skin is so stretched and sore. I'm wanting to be done with this as well.

I know this sounds whiny and melodramatic, but I cannot even describe how cranky and miserable I am this evening. I need to be done work SOOOOO desperately. I know I only have one more day, but I honestly don't know if I can make it. Wish I'd let my doctor write me off early after all.

 

[vrogers]

Kksy- I was just about to complain about the same thing! She's been super low for weeks now but holy cow the past couple days have been brutal on my pelvic area! It gets worse when I stand up or have to pee. Can't wait till we can walk like normal humans again haha

Midnight- yay congratulations!! More babies! Hope you are both doing well and you have a fast recovery

 

[greats]

Ali, sooo cute! I was born with red hair but it turned blonde after a couple years! Lol

Midnight, you had your baby??? Details when you get a chance! Lol

 

[slammerkin]

Congrats midnight! Can't wait to hear more!

 

[kksy9b]

midnight- congratulations!!! looking forward to hearing your story when you have time. enjoy all those newborn snuggles

lit- i hope tomorrow goes by quickly for you i remember that last week of work just dragging on and on before my DS was born. But in 24 hours you will be done and on leave!

vrogers- sorry you're going through the same thing...definitely looking forward to feeling back to normal again and able to walk without looking like a penguin lol

 

[Angel5000]

Ali - OMG HE'S ADORABLE!! I lOVE the red hair! I dye my hair auburn (to cover all my gray ) and most people think it's natural because of how pale and freckled I am (funny because I have fairly dark brown hair naturally) and they keep saying I'm going to have lovely redheaded babies....to which DH always replies "if we have a red headed baby I'm going to have to wonder where it came from" Your LO is very very cute! I'm dying here.


Midnight - CONGRATS!!!!!! That's awesome!!! And so fast!! Can't wait to hear your story!


Literati - yeah, it's ridiculous. Honestly I could have used my sick leave first simply by just "calling in sick" for the week and not telling them that my doctor had put me on leave and they couldn't have done anything about it. But because I was honest and told them my dr put me on leave that allowed them to force me to change my FMLA dates. I should have just not told them, but I didn't want to be dishonest.

I think she'll do another sweep next week if this one doesn't work. I'm not sure. We'll see. She said I am 50% effaced, and my cervix is very soft. She said that i was 3cm dilated on the outside bit of my cervix ut on the part of the cervix inside (closer to baby) it was 1.5cm. I didn't realize it could be two different amounts but when I think about it I guess it makes sense that given how thick/wide the cervix is that the outside and inside openings could dilate at different speeds at first. She was optimistic that baby was coming soon and told me to drink lots of red raspberry leaf tea, take walks and use nipple stimulation to keep things going.

Sorry that you have to make it through one more day. You can do it! Just a few more hours of work and then you're free!


kksy - This year we are in school until June 21st, and Spring Break is the first week of April. so I'll have about 10 weeks give or take left before I get summer break.

Slammer - Yeah, the system is screwy and F'd up. I got the same speech, that we cannot use vacation leave to extend FMLA. Buuuuut if I hadn't told them I was going to be out and I had just "been sick" this week and called in on a day-to-day basis they couldn't have stopped me (because sick leave cannot be denied while my "personal days" can, odd situation). But because I was honest up front they screwed with my leave. AND are forcing me to use all my sick leave overlapping with FMLA, which they are allowed to do. I'll go back to work with no sick leave at all. I can't wait until this school year ends so I can "reset" my leave.

I hope you can find some better insurance. that sounds insane! I know that there are better prices out there, it just depends on what each family qualifies for and whether the change in coverage is worth the change in price.

 

[chitown28]

Congrats midnight!!!! Can't wait to hear more!

Adorable pics Ali, LOVE the red hair!!

Angel - sounds like good progress!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Superfast but all ok....just got some messages to send then i can post xx

 

[Apple111]

Congrats midnight !!! Glad you are doing ok. Look forward to update ️xx

Ali.. Beautiful pictures, my ds is a redhead.. We are really hoping this little man has as well when he arrives .. That's def one of the first things I'll be looking for ha ️xx

No change here just uncomfortable.. Decided to chill a bit.. Taken ds out of nursery this week to have some time with me..Induction Tuesday so im enjoying time with ds, chilling having mummy time and watching films snuggled on couch if lo arrives before so be it ️xx

Thread very exciting at the min ️xx

 

[Ally2015]

ali- he is soooo cute!!! wow! thanks for sharing.

slammer- i feel for you, i was so fed up at 37 weeks i can't imagine how fed up you feel. Glad appt went well.

kksy- sounds promising, hope it is soon for you

midnight- wow congrats!!! cant wait to hear the birth story!

lit- last day of work now! hope you are feeling better.

apple- hope baby comes before induction.

It is an exciting thread- I cant wait till we have all had our babies and can make this a parenting thread!

afm- nothing to report except i am so tired, and i end up co-sleeping with isa every night as he does not settle in the crib. x