MAY we all be blessed with baby! May 2013 and beyond (BFFs Seeking BFPs)

[ClandestineTX]

38 weeks tomorrow morning! Doula and midwife have recommended EPO and red raspberry leaf tea to help things along, which we are trying, but no one thinks he's going to need the help! He's really quite low, I feel a few times a day like he could fall out by himself!

Midwife visit yesterday was great, got our negative GBS results, so that clears me to labor at home as long as I'm comfortable, even if my water breaks. That's a huge relief for me, as I don't want any more time in hospital than necessary! We ended up buying a crib and changing table fort now, both are set up and ready to go... So just waiting for him to decide it's his day!

 

[momwithbabies]

Sending my thoughts your way! Sounds like baby will be here soon!!!

 

[RaeChay]

newbie - no experience but sending good vibes for baby to stay put!!

 

[ALiKO]

I know I'm a bit late on the subject of baby showers but we don't do them here in Japan either, its usually after the baby arrives people come over to see the baby. In Japan they do not usually give you gifts but instead money in fancy envelopes, and a lot of it! That's what happened with Hana that for her first 2 years we barely had to spend any of our own money. Being American I'm used to baby showers but I guess I'm starting to feel more and more Japanese on the subject as I prefer the Japanese way.

Clande- So happy to here that everything is going well! Your literally at the finish line and will be holding your baby soon. So happy for you! I hope I can get a home birth myself for my next birth or like some type of midwife center.

Newbie- I will be praying that everything is ok for you. Since your doctor doesn't seem to concerned try not to stress yourself out. Relax and breathe mama you got this .

Afm, hubby and I are going into our 2nd month of TTCing next month and I am already feeling out. We've both been sick with colds and just haven't had the energy to BD so I'm thinking I may have already missed ovulation. Anywho guess I'll be looking forward to November .

 

[ClandestineTX]

ALiKO! Great to see you are TTC#2! I think the Japanese way sounds amazing - I would totally accept fancy envelopes full of money We are going to try not to TTC#2, by just NTNP after this guy is out in the world. I believe the thyroid stuff really was the culprit, but I also don't think I have anymore TTC left in me.

Speaking of being worn out! I feel huge. I am quite a bit swollen, though BP has been normal, it's still summer hot in Texas, and I'm just exhausted. I get like body-wide braxton hicks, that some days feel like I have one contraction the entire day! Baby boy is still super bouncy, definitely still way down low, and I'm just not sure how to go to work next week - like I feel like I am probably too uncomfortable to even try to go to the office and may just be working from home until delivery (but that concerns me, too, because what if it's four weeks from now???) Advice welcome!!!

 

[pathos]

According to the fb comments - you should stay away from wwtching bridget jones' baby, apparently it is very funny. My contractions started when i was really rofling over stupid pranks on youtube hehe.
Good luck, this is very exciting. I hope everything goes according to your wishes.

Aliko, German way is also money, but Greek and Turkish way is gold you cant spend that right away hehe. It is more like creating a first saving accounts for the baby. But you received gifts for 2 years long? I want the Japanese version!!! Speaking of Greece, now that we are all in child bearing age, when i visit Greece in summer, i am invited to naming day events by my schoold friends etc. Naming days are more important than birthdays. Oh pinterest shower ideas look like Adams Family occasions. Laces, satins, ribbons, everything at once... killer migraine.

I finally started to feel baby. Still team yellow

 

[melann13]

I like the idea of envelopes of money too! Not sure if we'll get many gifts this time as it is #2, but I did put a couple things on Amazon registry (like literally 6 things, some less than $10), just so that if anyone was so inclined, we might stand a chance at getting something we need/want.
Baby boy is moving SOOO much- sometimes it physically hurts. Last night I had a heart to heart with him about how my belly button is not an exit route. I had a LONG week and really look forward to Saturday mornings when DH has daddy time with our daughter and I can work/relax for a few hours and then I nap when she does on the weekends, which I feel is really becoming necessary for my sanity as the work week is pretty brutal. Yesterday we went to a neighbor's cabin instead and by 5pm I thought I was just going to cry... so tired and thinking of all the things that needed to get done.
We ended up coming home instead of staying over, got home at 9:45, and I went to bed shortly thereafter. This morning, DD slept til 7 (usually it's 6:30), and DH got her up and dressed and told me to sleep and they'd go to church without me.
It's a lovely 67 degrees F this morning, so I've got the window open, in my pajamas, drinking coffee (half-caf), writing tomorrow neurobiology lecture... I definitely needed this...

Clande... it IS really hard to work at the end. I will need to go in and lecture this time around until I'm literally in labor, but last time, as a grad student/dissertator, Christmas break fell around 37 weeks and I only went in for meetings after that. I was mostly writing at home with my feet up in front of the fireplace and it was lovely. Granted, I ended up not having her until almost 42 weeks, but for 3 of those 5 weeks, there wasn't really anyone in the lab anyway. Part of my absence was the WI winters and needing to take the bus to work (there's no parking there whatsoever) and climb a massive ice covered hill to get to my office... just wasn't worth it. Stay home if you can, but stay busy, otherwise you'll drive yourself nuts.
I took advantage of working while sitting at a coffee shop etc, things that I knew would be less frequent once baby was here...

 

[momwithbabies]

Clande: I say that if your work lets you work from home, do it! Take advantage of it, as long as it doesn't affect your time about baby arrives.

 

[ProfWife]

I second working from home if it's an option. While you're uncomfortable and exhausted (especially in this heat - "fall" ... not in FL either!), this is the time to try to rest as much as you can. You won't be able to for a long time. ;-)

I love seeing all the updates! I try to troll through when I get a chance.

We're still adjusting and hanging in. PPD is no joke...and when it's related to the hormones, it returns whenever I have to take my nuvaring out. I'm bottoming out today and tomorrow...just in time for her 4 month shots (today/Monday) and recovery...yaaay.. ;-)

Our little chunky girl is only in the 51st percentile for weight (14lbs 4oz) but the 92nd for height (25.75 inches). She's doing beautifully.

 

[melann13]

Great to hear from your profwife, you're right, PPD is not joke. Praying for you here.
We found that with shots, our DD was sensitive about her legs, even if she didn't get a fever, etc. and that a heating pad on low on and off her legs relaxed the muscles enough for her to sleep (not on her overnight of course, just long enough to help her fall asleep). After the four months shots she had built up enough padding that they didn't seem to bother her anymore.

 

[newbie2013]

PPD is very serious and shouldn't be underestimated. My mum suffered, unrecognised by health care providers, for many years, which resulted in severe depression. I wish she had received the help she needed years earlier. Thinking of you and wishing you well.

Afm, almost 25 weeks and exhausted! My colleague is currently in icu after a major heart attack, so we're trying to divide his responsibilities and I'm exhausted! I think my boss is freaking out a little at the prospect of us both being out of work at the same time and her running the school of 900 kids alone come January. I just hope my colleague recovers well and is for to come back - and that they don't pressure me into cutting short my maternity leave... 25 weeks tomorrow! Time is flying

 

[RaeChay]

newbie - sorry to hear about your coworker. 15 weeks should be *ample* time for recovery (barring complications in recovery or extenuating circumstances), and it's probably plenty of time for your employer to minimally train a replacement if need be. I would definitely not bend to any request to cut your leave short- but that is up to you of course.

How is baby doing? How about the situation with MIL and your husband?

 

[newbie2013]

Baby is doing great! Moving a lot which is lovely. Can't remember if I posted here or another thread but my cervix is measuring a little shorter than expected, but I'm back on progesterone to help support the pregnancy. Doc isn't too worried and I'm trying not to be!

MIL is the same but dh's tolerance levels are lowering. He went to see her tonight and she started to argue with him and instead of taking it, he left.

He's also already in love with his baby and totally protective of me - because I'm the vessel carrying his baby. I keep teasing him that after the kid Is born he won't care so much about me!

How's things with you?

 

[Lazydaisys]

Lovely to nip on hear to see the good news of pregnancy and babies. My baby girl is coming up to one. Time really is flying by.xx

 

[melann13]

31wks here and the pelvic pressure is building. Had some BH this week too. Something tells me I may not be induced at 41+ this time around... hoping for nothing before 38+6 though as there's not a great contingency plan at work.
I feel ready for him here at home since we moved DD out of the baby room in June and just left everything as it was, all set up, but I'm definitely not in a position to hand my classes over to someone. Heck, I'm not ready for Monday!

 

[newbie2013]

I'm wondering how clande is doing. She must be getting close! How exciting!

Melann, you're not too far away either. Hope you're doing well.

All good over here. I've had a really lazy weekend because dh is away. Caught up with friends but planning on spending today tidying up the house a bit. And napping - lol!

Lazy, good to hear from you!

 

[pathos]

I was hoping to find an update from clande. Sending positive vibes

 

[ClandestineTX]

Way overdue update!

My water broke the evening of 38w1d and the little master came into the world the morning of 38w3d on 26 Sept 2016. He was face up, instead of face down, so it took him a bit longer (and some pitocin, which I had hoped to avoid) to come on out. I did get him out with just some gas and air, which I don't judge myself for - his position alone is said to be one of the most painful for natural birth. My goal was really to get through it without an epidural or an unnecessary cesarean. I have been doing really well - no cuts or tears for me - and he only had a bout of jaundice, some UV treatment in the hospital and more (4 days) at home. That was incredibly stressful, physically, because one of us had to be monitoring him, so we've only just started catching up on sleep this week. The catch up is made much easier by the fact he sleeps over night 3.5-4 hours at a shot! We are waking him for feeding every two hours during the day right now, because he has stopped losing weight, but not yet started regaining. They are less concerned because he's exclusively breastfed and that usually causes a weight gain delay but also the stress of being treated for the jaundice was against us. I was exclusively pumping during his treatment and now almost 100% back to nursing and just pumping behind him to make sure we are emptying everything all the way.

Here's a picture of him on his first day out of the womb:


I am still almost back to earth. The reality that our infertility is really over, we really had a baby who is completely perfect that my body did not fail and is continuing to sustain through nursing has almost settled in. I am so in love with him, I almost can't believe how lucky we are to have this little guy in our life. Hubster is also adjusting - he really loved me before all this, but now sees me as some type of magical being that brought his baby into the world. The labor got pretty intense for me, but for him it was really the delivery that blew his mind. We have been hibernating at home as much as possible, just trying to let all this sink in and to enjoy as much of these early days as we can.

Hope you are all well and I promise to stop being so slack about updating!

 

[newbie2013]

Lovely story, clande. Brought tears to my eyes this morning. Your son is adorable! Congratulations!

 

[melann13]

Congrats Clande!! So happy for your new family! So glad that delivery went well! Sounds like you're doing great.
Congratulations!