Mid June and July Firecrackers Group Due June/July 2017!

[DobbyForever]

Marie sorry about the contractions. Hf on the tour!

AFM the upcoming events are GD test friday, 4d scan saturday, 28 w appointment a week from Friday. So far my younger brother, mom, and SO are going to the scan with me. I'm more excited now because my WTE app said that the babies face resembles the features he will be born with just less chubby. So I'm stoked to get an idea of what he will look like. His 16w scan screamed his dad.

 

[lesondemavie]

Second I think also setting up a little date with one parent so the older sibling can still get a little 1:1 time. I remember my daddy daughter dates after my younger siblings came fondly.

Dobby - I'm lucky that DH typically does more of the housework than me and has no problem picking up the slack while I'm not feeling well.

 

[second.time]

These are all good ideas about the sibling situation! I can't imagine just springing a baby on someone as a surprise. That must have felt kind of crazy.

Since my DH teaches, summers are free for him, so I'm hoping he can spend some good time with our older son and I can get a little time to bond with the baby.

We had a sibling class for him at the hospital last night and it went pretty well. I got to see the birthing suites and the recovery rooms. Smaller than the last hospital I delivered at, but that's probably to be expected if you go from a city to a smaller town. And the recovery rooms are private, which is nice.

I also noticed a tub room as we were walking down the hall so I wonder if they do offer some water birth or at least laboring options? It wasn't in one of the suites though. I'm thinking not too many babies are born in the average day in a small college town so hopefully it will be free when I go there!

Dobby, I hope your 4D scan is wonderful! That will be so fun to get to see his little face.

 

[bbygurl719]

Haven't posted in awhile but my little guy will be born on June 19th by scheduled c section. So excited

 

[Weebles]

Dobby- same thing happened to me with the date. I spent so long trying to pick the "right" one and it's too late to choose a "better" one. Have fun at your 4d scan! I can't wait to see the pics.

Maries- I hope your contractions settle down!

Second- my mother swore she told me about having a baby brother on the way and she really may have.. I just don't remember and it's a pretty foreign concept to someone who is barely a toddler anyway. We were in another country and probably didn't have access to storybooks that might have helped to explain the concept. I think just helping them to understand what it means before hand is super important but it all worked out in the end anyway. A sibling class sounds amazing!

Bbygurl- how exciting!! We are all getting so so close, I wonder who will have the first birth announcement!

Afm, I'm just about 32 weeks and im dreading hitting 35 when cervical checks start.. I might decline them. I don't see enough benefit to them to put myself through that kind of stress. Going to take to my Dr about it tomorrow during my appt.

 

[Girly922]

I haven't been on much recently, I'm struggling with my emotions a lot at the moment which makes me want a shower even less now. I just want to be left alone! Lol.

Good luck for all the tours and prenatal classes! I hope they all go well!

Dobby, good luck with your appointments! We're not getting a 4d scan this time but had one with DD around this gestation and it was a really good time to have it. She came out looking almost exactly as the 4d scan looked.

Second, I'm guessing the hospitals are set up quite differently to what they are here. But what's the recovery room? Is that like a postnatal ward if you have to stay in? Here you go in, get assigned to a private room and rarely move from that room until you're discharged unless you move to a birthing pool room.

Bbygurl, that's exciting!! Congrats on having a date!

Weebles, why do cervical checks start at 35 weeks? Is there much point in doing them before labour starts? Here we don't get any until we're in labour, or we can have a membrane sweep once we've reached 41 weeks. I'm thinking of declining all vaginal exams, including in labour this time. I only had 1 last time around and I was already pushing DD out at the time so it wasn't really necessary anyway. But from as much as I can gather, they don't actually tell you anything until you're in established labour anyway.

I've got my first growth scan on Monday. It'll be nice to see baby again but we've got to take DD with us so I'm a little worried she'll be a pain in the arse again getting bored.

I'm also getting my fair share of braxton hicks now which aren't much fun. It's normally when I'm stressed or have walked too much/overdone it.

 

[second.time]

Second, I'm guessing the hospitals are set up quite differently to what they are here. But what's the recovery room? Is that like a postnatal ward if you have to stay in? Here you go in, get assigned to a private room and rarely move from that room until you're discharged unless you move to a birthing pool room.

I might be totally using the wrong term! Postnatal ward sounds close to what it is. With my first son, we were at a large hospital in St. Louis. I actually went THREE places: there was a small pregnancy center where they saw you when you first came in. Once I was dilated enough, they sent me to a private suite where I gave birth. Then they moved DH and me up to a higher floor. There was less equipment here, mostly just beds, a shower, etc., and we stayed for a few days.

I'm not sure if they kept me longer because of my birth injuries or if it's standard. I gave birth at 4 a.m. on Sunday and left mid-morning Tuesday.

At this hospital, the birthing suites and private rooms are on the same floor and the private rooms for afterwards are pretty small. I guess you can stay there for a few days if you need to recover, or have guests visit, etc. I'm not sure why they have separate rooms for birth and for recovery! Maybe so they have less equipment in the recovery rooms? It's interesting that you get to stay in one room the whole time. That seems like it would be easier.

I'm getting a lot of BH too! They definitely happen more when I'm dehydrated, stressed, or hungry. I had them pretty badly on a flight and just ignored them -- thankfully they went away once I'd had some water.

 

[Girly922]

Second, I'm guessing the hospitals are set up quite differently to what they are here. But what's the recovery room? Is that like a postnatal ward if you have to stay in? Here you go in, get assigned to a private room and rarely move from that room until you're discharged unless you move to a birthing pool room.

I might be totally using the wrong term! Postnatal ward sounds close to what it is. With my first son, we were at a large hospital in St. Louis. I actually went THREE places: there was a small pregnancy center where they saw you when you first came in. Once I was dilated enough, they sent me to a private suite where I gave birth. Then they moved DH and me up to a higher floor. There was less equipment here, mostly just beds, a shower, etc., and we stayed for a few days.

I'm not sure if they kept me longer because of my birth injuries or if it's standard. I gave birth at 4 a.m. on Sunday and left mid-morning Tuesday.

At this hospital, the birthing suites and private rooms are on the same floor and the private rooms for afterwards are pretty small. I guess you can stay there for a few days if you need to recover, or have guests visit, etc. I'm not sure why they have separate rooms for birth and for recovery! Maybe so they have less equipment in the recovery rooms? It's interesting that you get to stay in one room the whole time. That seems like it would be easier.

I'm getting a lot of BH too! They definitely happen more when I'm dehydrated, stressed, or hungry. I had them pretty badly on a flight and just ignored them -- thankfully they went away once I'd had some water.

That's really interesting. I've been fortunate to never need to attend a hospital in another country, but I work in healthcare in the UK so always find the differences interesting.

I'm glad your BH have eased easily enough. Mine have tended to calm once I rest too, it's just had to slow down sometimes. Lol.

 

[TTCfirstovr30]

Same here on the west coast. They take you to room #1 where you will give birth, after you give birth you move to room #2 which is a recovery room and is much bigger for you and baby. Baby stays with you entire time, which I am excited about.

What do Braxton Hicks feel like? Is it like AF pains in your pelvis area? Or like you have a stitch in your side?

 

[Girly922]

It seems strange that there are still places where baby doesn't stay with mum after birth. It'd be unthinkable here for baby to be anywhere else unless they need SCBU or NICU.

BH feel like my bump getting tight and slightly uncomfortable more than anything else. I'm not sure if they feel the same for everyone? The discomfort isn't a pain but more like my belly is stretched further than it is able to stretch if that makes any sense at all?
Saying that, when I had DD, labour pains were nothing like AF pains for me so I guess it's all just personal differences?

 

[second.time]

I actually let my son go to the nursery a few times while I was recovering. I'd been in labor for 28 hours and hadn't slept for at least 40 hours (because my labor started at midnight). I felt guilty about it, but the nurses would always bring him back to me the moment I buzzed and he spent most of his time with me or DH (he slept overnight in our room, for example). It didn't seem to affect nursing or bonding. He was a wonderful nurser from the start.

It ended up being good because I was able to get some sleep. I was still tired, of course, and soon I had to get used to working around his sleep schedule, but it was nice to briefly catch up on that lost sleep so I wasn't just straight-out hallucinating from tiredness.

For me, BH aren't painful. They do take my breath away a little. My whole stomach gets tight and hard and then releases. For some women they feel like AF cramps, I think.

 

[DobbyForever]

Second glad the sibling class went well! And hoping the tub is free for you!

Bby yay for a csection date!!! How exciting!

Weebles wait why lol what’s wrong with the cervical check? Does it hurt?! AHHHH what is it? Lol

Girly sorry about the emotions. We’re here when you need us if you want to vent/ play the misery loves company game. Hopefully DD won’t get bored and won’t bug ya during the appointment. Sorry about the bh

Hospital tours: I am jealous that you ladies get such detail. Apparently Kaiser has too many births at this hospital that they don’t offer tours anymore. Just an online video. And everyone at work is terrifying me with “oh the hospital was so busy I gave birth in the hallway!” This is my one and only baby and I do not want it to be a f*ing hallway.

BH: I'm a few weeks behind, but I'm not getting them. Gyn says I shouldn't worry too much but idk. Hoping it's not a sign he'll be late.

 

[lesondemavie]

Long work day and not much time right now but just had to drop in and say...I absolutely LOVED eating today . This is the first time eating has been something more than a chore for me since the nausea first hit at 5 weeks. I'm seriously so happy I could cry 😂. I even ate chicken today! Bring it on third tri! Most people say that third tri is the hardest, but for me no matter how uncomfortable I get it's the best yet. Guess that's the bright side of awful morning sickness well into second tri ?

 

[DobbyForever]

Oh btw my students, STUDENTS who are 9!, planned and executed a surprise baby shower for me today it was the cutest

 

[Girly922]

Second, I hope I didn't come across judgey or anything. I'm glad you got some rest by utilising the nursery last time. The idea is a bit alien to me as the option just isn't available here. I know the midwives here will happily watch baby for an hour or so at the nurses station to allow you to rest if you need it.

Dobby, don't worry about not feeling BH, some people don't feel them at all. First time around I didn't feel them until I got a stomach bug at 34 weeks. They were quite strong, but I had gotten a bit dehydrated with the virus so I may not have felt any had I not got that. They're definitely more noticeable with subsequent babies though.
That's really cute about your students planning a baby shower for you!!
And thank you, I don't think I'm really ready to talk through my feelings and things yet but I really appreciate the support in here.

Leson, congrats on being able to eat!! I hope it lasts!!

My heartburn is in full force on a daily basis now but I've had to stop taking my antacids as they make me awfully constipated so now I'm relying on milkshakes to calm it a little.

 

[second.time]

No, girly, it didn't come across as judgmental! I know everyone has different opinions on having the baby stay in a nursery. Plenty of hospitals in the U.S. don't even offer well nurseries, just the NICU. I didn't see one in this hospital, probably because it's smaller. Before I had my son I never thought I'd let him out of my sight after he was born, I was pretty judgmental about the idea myself. But I was so tired after the birth that I changed my plans. We didn't have any family with us and it was overwhelming to get used to everything on our own, so I'm grateful for the nurses and other carers who helped us out during those first two days.

Lesonde, that's amazing about your appetite returning! It must feel nice after so long.

Dobby, your students sound incredibly sweet.

 

[Weebles]

Doby, cervical checks are an exam where they use their fingers to check and see how dilated your cervix is. How ever many centimeters they can spread them. Some women say they hurt, some don't.

I just don't want to have it done until I'm actually in labor. It really depends on where you are and who you're seeing if it's even done at all but my Dr does them starting at 37 weeks.. later than I thought but I talked to him about it and he was totally fine with not doing it. His words were that I will go into labor either way. The only thing he didn't want me to turn down was the group b strep test and there's no way I would so we are on the same page, I'm so happy!

Lesonde, glad you can eat! I can't believe it took this long, that must have been straight up awful!

 

[808malia]

Ok, so I went to my OB appointment yesterday and found out that my insurance will pay for a nice double electric breast pump!!! So now I just need some advice from you ladies... I have 4 to choose from, the ameda, spectra s2, or the medela pump in style advanced backpack or tote? Does anyone have any experience with any of these?

 

[lesondemavie]

Oh nice that they give you a choice! They just sent me a cheap one in the mail without even asking. I saw what the claim is on my account even though I don't pay it and it's ridiculous! I've been looking into the medela since I'll be back at work in October and they seem to have a nice travel set up, but the spectra s2 seems to be the best quality from reviews/my research. No idea from personal experience

 

[DobbyForever]

Yeah I remember back in the day babies didn't stay with moms. I'm glad they do because I'm hyper paranoid and want my eyes, SO's eyes, or my mom's eyes on baby at all times. I'm glad it was on the birth plan to choose what you wanted and that if you choose to room with baby who would accompany the baby.

Malia that's exciting! No advice here though.

Um forgetting people. Coming down from my glucose test sugar rush lol