March Monkeys 2016: 21 boys and 15 girls born

[stuckinoki]

Started my epo and rrlt last night. Hoping to soften my cervix and they say it helps with stretching during labor.

I hope so because I have a feeling this baby is going to be on the large side lmao

Hope everyone is feeling well, or at least as well as can be expected at this point.

I can't believe how close we all are...I'm starting to really fear labor :/ and if I'm completely honest with myself in really scared I won't bond with the baby once she's here. I'm having a hard time feeling close to her now, mostly I just feel like her hiccups at 1am are a nuisance. Sorry, I know how bad that must sound and I feel terribly guilty for feeling that way, I just don't know how to change it.

I had all of these plans for a natural birth and now as I get closer I am starting to backslide on my wants a little bit more. I'm just not sure I can do it.

 

[keepinitreal1]

Thanks for the responses, everyone! Keepinitreal, wow! That's amazing! Wish we had something like that here. I only get 6 weeks paid after birth.... luckily DH has agreed with me that it'll be okay to take off the rest of the school year (unpaid) in addition to summer vacation, so I don't have to go back until August 30th.

allforthegirl, I hope your tailbone feels better! Sounds painful

Yeah, basically I get 365 days - 180 paid in full and the rest 80 %. If I add another 30 days of annual leave on that I will be going back in march 2017. So yes, very lucky.

I think you have it alright compared to some other moms here - you're lucky not to have to worry about money for those additional months. I know I certainly wouldn't be able to afford it

 

[keepinitreal1]

My maternity leave is a gift from my country - 30 days all paid before due date. I don't think I could work even if I wanted to, which I don't by the way.

Been feeling quite crappy for the last few days - baby dropped (I think) but still hasn't turned (quite sure) so I'm not only getting punched into new random parts of my insides, but also worrying a lot since I have a feeling I'll be going early and he really doesn't have that much time to turn now.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend ahead!

Well there is still time for your baby to turn yet.... i also thought for the longest time mine didn't turn either but I know feel his head low. I know that having his head down is more uncomfortable than in breech, so maybe just maybe you baby turned and that is why you may be a bit more uncomfortable.

I hope your baby holds out a bit longer for you.

Thanks It's my first so I am not exactly sure what's going on in my belly but I have a scan scheduled a week from today and if he's still breech then we'll probably start discussing options.

For once, I really hope I'm wrong (just don't tell my OH I said that)

Stuckinoki I don't think the way you're feeling right now has anything to do with how you'll feel once the baby arrives. Based on other posts in this thread I can assume that we are at this point all a bit sick of our bumps and finally want to meet the babies. I remember watching a girl bend down in a supermarket a couple of days ago and feeling both jelaous snd angry at my bump because I cannot do that. But that doesn't mean I don't love the baby inside Hold in there!

And also I see no problem if you want to change your birth plan - it's your baby, your body, your choice. I wanted a natural birth at first as well but I think I will go for some pain meds, like Ultiva. We are allowed to change our mind

 

[allforthegirl]

Started my epo and rrlt last night. Hoping to soften my cervix and they say it helps with stretching during labor.

I hope so because I have a feeling this baby is going to be on the large side lmao

Hope everyone is feeling well, or at least as well as can be expected at this point.

I can't believe how close we all are...I'm starting to really fear labor :/ and if I'm completely honest with myself in really scared I won't bond with the baby once she's here. I'm having a hard time feeling close to her now, mostly I just feel like her hiccups at 1am are a nuisance. Sorry, I know how bad that must sound and I feel terribly guilty for feeling that way, I just don't know how to change it.

I had all of these plans for a natural birth and now as I get closer I am starting to backslide on my wants a little bit more. I'm just not sure I can do it.

Awe lovely I am sure you will bond with her just fine. It is just in our DNA so we don't eat our babies Sorry for the joke but once those babies come out the love for them is crazy. You are not bad for having worries, our worries for these babies just don't ever stop. I am sure you will be an awesome mom!!

 

[Fezzle]

bigbelly- good luck! I hope that baby stays in as long as they can!

I am finished with work and it's a really weird feeling! I don't feel like it's real, like people are still going to be calling me next week to ask me things or there's something major I've forgotten to do. Also, now that work is over I feel like I'm just waiting for labour to start, which is scary! I've put on my out of office reply that I'll be back in Spring 2017 though I'm staying open regarding when I'll actually go back.

Stuck- I am keeping open with my birth plan. I have been leaning toward trying it with just gas and air, and also declining the induction they want me to have at 40 weeks, but I'm keeping an open mind about the induction and also a possible epidural. It's just so hard to know when you haven't been through it before how you're going to handle the pain!

 

[BellaRosa8302]

Thanks for the responses, everyone! Keepinitreal, wow! That's amazing! Wish we had something like that here. I only get 6 weeks paid after birth.... luckily DH has agreed with me that it'll be okay to take off the rest of the school year (unpaid) in addition to summer vacation, so I don't have to go back until August 30th.

allforthegirl, I hope your tailbone feels better! Sounds painful

Yeah, basically I get 365 days - 180 paid in full and the rest 80 %. If I add another 30 days of annual leave on that I will be going back in march 2017. So yes, very lucky.

I think you have it alright compared to some other moms here - you're lucky not to have to worry about money for those additional months. I know I certainly wouldn't be able to afford it

That def IS very lucky! And yes, comparatively speaking, I was able to take a bit of time off... But, did I say I'm not worrying about money? We are def REALLY worried about money! Missing just 3 of my paychecks in order to take off the rest of the year is really going to be a struggle. Plus, I usually get paid throughout the summer (a result of them taking extra money out of my paychecks during the school year) and I won't have that... they will give me a lump sum of what they owe me, minus insurance money. Again, it could be worse, but it's definitely not ideal.

We had hoped to keep DD in preschool at least part time, but we're not going to be able to afford it unfortunately. We usually just making ends meet with both our paychecks... not to mention once I go back to work in August, I'm going to need both kiddos to be in daycare. I really have no idea how we're going to afford that. It's really going to be tough. Lots of sacrifices...

That's why DH is really on my butt about NOT being able to take any time off (even a sick day) unless absolutely necessary before the baby. Every day I take off now is another day I don't get paid for later (since my 6 weeks paid maternity leave comes out of my sick time, & I only have about 6 weeks of sick time saved up).

I'm just crossing my fingers that I have a teeny break between work and the baby, because with my DD I didn't... I worked a full day on my due date, went into labor after work, and pushed her out that same evening. I just can't do that again this time around...

 

[BellaRosa8302]

Started my epo and rrlt last night. Hoping to soften my cervix and they say it helps with stretching during labor.

I hope so because I have a feeling this baby is going to be on the large side lmao

Hope everyone is feeling well, or at least as well as can be expected at this point.

I can't believe how close we all are...I'm starting to really fear labor :/ and if I'm completely honest with myself in really scared I won't bond with the baby once she's here. I'm having a hard time feeling close to her now, mostly I just feel like her hiccups at 1am are a nuisance. Sorry, I know how bad that must sound and I feel terribly guilty for feeling that way, I just don't know how to change it.

I had all of these plans for a natural birth and now as I get closer I am starting to backslide on my wants a little bit more. I'm just not sure I can do it.

I was really scared my first time around too. I really wanted a natural birth, but I was open to an epidural if I felt like I needed it. My midwife actually scolded me for that (which I had a really hard time with, because I had been comfortable with my birth plan). She said "those that have epidural in the back of their mind will resort to an epidural. If you want to go natural/unmedicated, make up your mind now, and that's what you'll do."

I did a lot of thinking over that & being mad at her about it, because I started to feel unsettled with my plan. And, she was right... ultimately, I stuck with the original plan, and when I was in labor, I wanted an epidural. I was so scared, and afraid the pain would get worse & worse... but, I didn't have time for an epidural (and I'm thankful for that now) and pushing was actually a relief - the pain did NOT get worse & worse, as I had expected. This time around, epidural is completely out of my head & I plan to have an unmedicated birth again.

Also, if you have any interest in reading a book about natural childbirth, I just finished (most of) Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, & it was wonderful! (I say "most of" because I read the second part, and then went back to part one - which is empowering birth stories). She gives a lot of great tips on how to deal with the pain of childbirth, & it's a pretty easy read.

PS - It really does change after they're born... I didn't feel terribly attached to DD until after she was born. (I was also team yellow, so I don't know, maybe that had something to do with it? Not knowing "who" was in there?) I really don't think you'll have trouble, but if you're still having bonding issues with baby after a few days, speak with your doctor about it (to rule out PPD). As for the hiccups, I find them annoying too So, you're not alone there!

 

[AMP1117]

By choice. Im extremely uncomfortable plus I want the time to spend with dd before this one arrives,

For all of you who have started maternity leave, do you mind me asking - is it your choice, or are your doctors/midwives telling you that you need to stop? Just curious...

 

[littlelily]

I'm enjoying my maternity leave. Was too tired and uncomfortable to still be teaching and had so much to do at home. Now I feel a lot more ready and better prepared, both with baby stuff and mentally.

Hope you are all ok in your own way. We will all be mothers soon, whether for the first time or not and I'm sure everyone feels daunted by the process and the responsibility of it all. But we will all find our own way, what works for us. We will all get things wrong, but life will go on xx

 

[bigbelly2]

Iv been allowed home temporarily armed with the knowledge the pre eclampsia is back and a bag of bloomin insulin!

My protein is plus 1 the plus 2 Bp only slightly higher but u rates (Uric acid) is425 and should be 345
Iv got to go back for blood work tomorrow and Bp checks etc I'm ok ish in my self (started maternity leave today lol) my hands and feet are hurting and swelling is getting a bit worse so I know i won't be able to hold off for too long (from my last pre term pregnancy) I desperately want to hold off til next sun a because il b 36 weeks and b my baby shower is sat lol
Good luck to everyone else
H xx

 

[NDH]

I had my maternity photo shoot today. I cant wait to get them back! I know there are at least a few amazing shots cause she showed me a couple of them just on her camera display.
It was forecasted to be a thunder storm all afternoon, but thankfully it held off until right at the end . we've got the lovely stormy sky but there wasn't any rain until the last 10-15 minutes so it worked out well.

My 4 year old was totally uncooperative with photos unfortunately . I think there should have been a couple decent ones with the three of us, but none that I had envisioned. But oh well thats kids for you lol. My 2 1/2 year old was so cooperative at least.

I was a little self conscious though, cause our secluded beach turned into a pretty crowded gathering by the end lol. And if course it was when I was having my photos in a normal dress that we had the beach to ourselves, and when I was stripping down ton change into my sheer, bump exposing gown that we got company and they watched the whole shoot. At least until the wedding party showed up for photos too and their attention was divided. Lol oh dear.

I have to wait 3 weeks for the photos though and I'm already impatient! Haha. Hoping she will have a couple sneak peeks next week to tide me over...

 

[allforthegirl]

So exciting. Glad the weather held off for you Ugh 4 yr olds, I am sure got something. That sucks though about the beach, I would be just as uncomfortable with spectators.

WHA? three weeks? Gross I would be so impatient for them to come back. That seems like so long!

 

[SophBabes]

I Was due 6th March but my baby girl made an early appearance on the 9th Febuary !! xx

Her Name is Alison Rose Potts

 

[DaisyDreamer]

congrats, I hope you are enjoying that new bundle. Beautiful name

 

[allforthegirl]

Congrats Soph

 

[CurlyRose]

Congratulations soph! Hope you've been able to make the most of the extra time she's given you by being early!

I was thinking earlier - have we really not had any early full term babies yet? We've had a few proper preemies, bit we should have two weeks worth of full term preggos by now if I've mathsed correctly, how have none of them had a baby yet?

 

[CurlyRose]

Double post.

 

[Buttercup84]

Congrats Soph on the birth of baby Alison, our first girl born!
Curly, I know what you mean I reckon there have been a few born that haven't posted BAs. Pretty sure Ostara must have had her twinnies or have a date to go in shortly

I had some awful news today. A lady at DD1's dance class who was due a similar time to me, her baby boy died at 5 days old She had a planned caesarian for the 15th but went into labour a few days before and progressed quickly so ended up having him naturally but she said he never seemed 'right' as he was always quite cold and not a great feeder but medical professionals kept fobbing her off. He lost consciousness on 17th and though her DH managed to resuscitate him they had to make the decision to switch off life support in hospital. Postmortem is soon so they'll hopefully get some answers but she said she wants to try again asap. I just feel absolutely devastated for her and really hope she's able to fall pregnant again as soon as she's ready.

 

[allforthegirl]

So very sad....

 

[Left wonderin]

Gosh how awful for that family .