Looking for official TTC buddies!!

[lauraemily17]

I'm propoerly spamming today!!

Well afm had a busy couple of days. We had friends over for a BBQ yesterday. We wanted to do one before Beanie arrived. It was either this weekend or the beginning of June, so glad we decied on now as it was exhausting, don't think I'd have handled it in another month. Lots of our friends have kids now so it was quite a house full, all under the age of 4. I have even more respect for you Coiy & Steph being pregant with kids!!

We've had a Beanie day today and bought our pushchair back from Mums and put it together. I've also made a start at packing my hospital bag. We've used a medium sized suitcase and it's almost full already and there's still quite a lot to go in there!! There's enough though if we had to go to hospital soon, hopefully we won't though!!

 

[lauraemily17]

Pushcair part 1!

https://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa415/lauraemily17/f9c55d25.jpg

Part 2

https://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa415/lauraemily17/5ca49908.jpg

Part 3

https://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa415/lauraemily17/65e7a981.jpg

Scary elephant feet. Normal??!!

https://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa415/lauraemily17/fc7968cc.jpg

 

[lauraemily17]

Bump today

https://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa415/lauraemily17/06fbcc76.jpg

Bump at 30 weeks

https://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa415/lauraemily17/9e4aa2ad.jpg

Do you think it looks lower? I don't think it's much bigger either.

 

[Steph32]

Laura- Nice pics! And your pushchair (we call them strollers, I think it's the same right?) looks awfully comfy! I like how yours is more like a little buggy, looks very lightweight-- mine is kind of heavy duty. But I will be reusing it to save money. I think when Nicholas got older we got a more lightweight one because it was just more practical. BUT, he was never a stroller person anyway, he hated to be confined. So we'll see what this one is all about!

As far as the swelling, I have no idea what's normal looking. I don't really get the swelling of the feet. But show your midwife at your next appt, they should know what is beyond normal. When is your next appt anyway? Mine is tomorrow. I have mine every 2 weeks now!

Re: internal checks, yes, here they do them I think starting around 36 weeks (if you want them, you can always decline them). With my first I wasn't effaced or dilated until they checked about 4 days before giving birth. When they checked I was 3-4 cm and I think 50% effaced. But that was after 4 days of contractions. I think when they checked the week or 2 before that I was not at all dilated or effaced. I know what you mean about things feeling different though. Although I did not feel this with my first, I do with this one. I feel like my body is preparing for labor, I wouldn't be surprised if I am dilated any because of all the BH, the weight on my pelvis, and the feeling of things "opening" up. I feel like he is so low too with all the pressure on my bladder and pelvis. In both of our cases, I just think our babes are sitting low, they haven't "officially" dropped yet (I know it feels that way though!) That might happen at around 36-37 weeks.

FYI- about the "bowels" (lol) I get the loose stools/diarrhea off and on, kind of scares me when it happens because I wonder if it might be pre-term labor but I inevitably go back to being constipated. I just think it's weird things I might be eating occasionally.

And thank you so much for the tips on controlling the pains!! I've tried some of these, but there are some I haven't heard about. Definitely keeping the legs together is something I have to do or the pains really flare up again. Which is hard when getting dressed, getting out of bed, in and out of the car, etc... I feel so handicapped The walking stick sounds like a decent option... lol... I was actually joking with DH yesterday (well, half-joking) that I'm going to need crutches or better yet, a wheelchair to get around these days!

 

[Steph32]

Patrice- I wasn't thinking so much about you going on medication (although the dr can decide that) You know I'm not much of a medication person anyway and I really don't like the strong effects that Clomid has on one's body, although if the situation is extreme it is a plausible route to take. I recommend more of the herbals like Vitex (Chaste Tree Berry) which essentially works like Clomid without the side effects and harsh chemicals. Instead of forcing your body to ovulate, it does so gently and can take up to 3-6 months for it to really work. I used it to regulate my cycle and push up ovulation and my cycles regulated and shortened and I think it definitely helped me conceive. The other herb is False Unicorn Root which is also good to regulate cycle and balance your hormones. And either of these are good for anyone, you don't need a prescription or be diagnosed with any "condition" to take these herbs. I think many women can benefit from these herbs just to help get things back in balance.

 

[Grey Eyes]

Laura- yes I think your bump is def lower today than at 30 weeks...the bottom goes straight out and down rather than out and up as before. I would say baby has possibly "dropped" as they say. He's probably got his head squished into your pelvis in the engaged position by now--totally normal Probably makes your discomfort increase a bit, it did mine. Oh, and yes, the bowel changes, the different sensations, etc, those are all indications that labor is drawing near. Not here but near Don't worry though! We always see these stunned women on tv- you know, they are having a giddy lunch with friends and low and behold "Oh my! My water just broke! Oh, ouch!" ... Not for me anyway, and I think rarely for first time moms...I don't remember ever losing a mucous plug either but I have heard of it. In both of my deliveries my water never did break. The doc would wait until I was 10 cm dialated then reach in with a little crochet hook-looking-thingy and poke the bag, which is not painful at all and by then the baby slides right out

As for your feet- def swollen, not as bad as I had imagined but def swollen. I would contact your doc today anyway just to be sure- hey, these folks get paid, mak'em work for it!

And the push-chair is cute! I have a similar one that we used with both our babies (I am like Steph- I save all my stuff ) but it has the option of front facing or rear facing as they get older. I would love to find one with the big huge wheels as those roll better for taking fast walks, etc.

 

[SpudsMama]

Out of all of those posts the only thing I can think to reply to is the False Unicorn Root... that so sounds like something out of Harry Potter Can you tell my brain has well and truly shut itself down today? xx

 

[Steph32]

I was the same as Coy, my water didn't break and I got to 10cm before they had to break it. Once I did, WHOOSH! Urge to push and baby came right out.

I lost my mucous plug a few days before giving birth. But I've heard of women losing it weeks before. Labor is so different for everyone, some have symptoms for weeks and weeks before actualy active labor starts, and for some it happens all at the same time. Hard to say which it is, but for you it might be that things are happening early and will be drawn out until it's time. Like Coy said, doesn't mean that you will be going into labor anytime "soon."

 

[Steph32]

Out of all of those posts the only thing I can think to reply to is the False Unicorn Root... that so sounds like something out of Harry Potter Can you tell my brain has well and truly shut itself down today? xx

I know... when my doctor first told me about it I was like, are you just playing with me?? Haha... it does sound very "magical." But maybe they named it that because it really does work like magic?

 

[lauraemily17]

Out of all of those posts the only thing I can think to reply to is the False Unicorn Root... that so sounds like something out of Harry Potter Can you tell my brain has well and truly shut itself down today? xx

I know... when my doctor first told me about it I was like, are you just playing with me?? Haha... it does sound very "magical." But maybe they named it that because it really does work like magic?

How's about horny goat weed!! That was in some herbal tablets DH took when we were TTC along with Maca.

Your knowledge of the herbal stuff is brillian Steph. I only know a few bits but as you can probably tell I tend to go straight for chemicals! I may well be picking your brains more when Beanie arrives as ideally I'd like to try and keep things more natural for him.

 

[Steph32]

Horny goat weed! That's another good one, hahaha!!

And yes, if you have any questions let me know, I love to share everything I've learned over the years about herbs and natural supplements, it has always been so interesting to me. I've been seeing a Naturopathic Doctor for 7 years now and she's taught me so much! And I'm always up for trying new things and alternative therapies. Speaking of, I have my acupuncture session today, hopefully it will help with some of the pain I've been having! I usually have a lot more energy after seeing her.

 

[lauraemily17]

Thanks for the reasurance ladies.

I was starting to get a little worried yesterday that he was going to be very early but I think like you say it may just be a longh drawn out preparation to labour. We still think he may be early but only by a week or 2 hopefully which is actually only 6 weeks away now so not so cocnerning that things are starting to change and I'd much rather they happen gradually, gotta be less painful right??!!

Coy - my hands aren't too bad other than at night when I can't always clench my fists but they go down really well during the day. Think if thre was something scary they'd be bad as well. I don't really think my Dr would do a lot to be honest. But my midwife is seeing me fortnightly instead of the usual 3 weekly now to keep an eye on things after I showed her my feet last time.

The pushchair isn't as light as it looks unfortuneatly but as we have a car it's not too much of an issue, no buses to contend with. It's very similar to a stroller just a little more bulky which we like for a new born. The part like a stroller lies flat as well as upright so we don't need a pram. It's also forward and rear facing so as Beanie gets bigger he can face the front. ( we loved the big wheels as well, that's what swung us to this one over the one Emma got as we very nearly bought the same one!!) It's supposed to hold children up to 15kg which I think is around the age of 3 so we should get lots of use out of it, that's the plan anyway unless we decide on number 2 very soon after number !!

 

[lauraemily17]

Let me know how the accupunture goes, that somethings I've thought about as my yoga teacher recommends it.I'm holding off fir the miment though. A friend had it after suffering wiplash and it was the only thing to cure her!!

Definately get yourself a stick of some kind as well, honestly it's fab even though I feel like an old women I don't care if it means I can get more than an hours sleep at a time without almost crying with agony!!

 

[Steph32]

Yeah I was just looking on Amazon for a walking stick. Do you think crutches might be better so that my body would be more even? I do have a slightly worse side, my left, so maybe just the one would be fine?? I would only be using it around the house probably, so I don't really care how I would look.

Oh and excuse me for asking, I knew this at one point but what does fortnightly mean? Every 2 weeks or every
week?

 

[lauraemily17]

Fortnightly is every 2 weeks which doesn't usually start until 36 weeks in the uk. What do you have checked at your appointments.

Crutches would work just as well. My pain is completely concentrated on my left side I've just use the 1 stick on that side to take my weight off my hip. Works really well for me. If you've got pain on both then 2 would be even better.

 

[SLCMommy]

Well, you ladies talk a lot. I tried to go back and read some of the posts but theres so many of them. LOL

I think my AF has officially stopped... (I think..). After, we will be starting to TTC but I don't know where to start since I honestly don't know my cycle. Should I do those ovulation test kits? Any suggestions?

 

[Grey Eyes]

Hi Ashley!

Yep, I would defo start the opk test strips. I ovulated the first cycle after mc, so am thinking its a good guess you could too. I would start testing right away (got any IC's??) just to pinpoint your cycle from day one sort of as a heads-up. Are you going to temp?

I am excited that you are ttc again!

 

[Steph32]

Ashley- I'm glad the bleeding stopped. Will they check your uterus again just to make sure it's cleaned out? I would start doing opk's again too, so you know if you're going to ovulate again and when. What do you think about going on Vitex or False Unicorn?

Laura- I think here they usually do the appts at every 2 weeks starting at 34 weeks, but for me they started at 32 weeks because of the concerns I've had and my GD. This one tomorrow I don't think they will do anything different other than measure and listen with the doppler. And then maybe next time (36 weeks) I'll have them do a check internally to see if I am dilated/effaced. I'm kind of thinking I might be already because of all the strong BH I'm getting. I definitely think he'll be coming a few weeks early, although that's just the feeling. I also think they will test for Strep B at 36 weeks. Do they do that in the UK? Here, if you are Strep B positive they give you an IV of antibiotics when you check into labor and delivery.

 

[Grey Eyes]

AFM- K, well I finally planted our little garden today...why is that always more work than I think it'll be? Lol, anyway, just those silly onions and some flowers.

Had a bagel for breakfast...now for lunch I am eating watermelon 'cause I was starving... It won't do any long-term good but it's super fast and easy lol.

Laura- you asked about the schooling. I am enrolled full time which means I have assignments 6 out of the 7 days each week. My participation is only required 4 out of those 7 which means if I jam all my work into 4 days I'd get the 3 off But I am one of those people that seems to work better under pressure so am always saving my work for last minute. I am formatting my final test paper now....and thinking about going for a walk

Patrice, I sent your package -- have you gotten it yet? I used the alternative adress you gave, thanks!

 

[Grey Eyes]

My arms are now sore from lifting weights...this stage won't last too long, then I can either increase my reps or the weights. Dh says reps, but that takes so long Also he went and bought this awesome stretch machine, so that I can get back to the splits...doc says the stretching is good during pregnancy