Pregnancy - April 2012

[missangie]

picking a pediatrician and figuring out daycare (and figuring out what my work schedule will be once I go back, or IF I go back)... so much I still need to do! I am starting to feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done and with my calendar quickly filling!

I think I mentioned on here that I went into labor and delivery last wednesday morning around 4am due to having some cramping, they monitored me and baby for a few hours and checked my cervix and everything was fine. I have since woke up two other nights with cramping as well. Only in the middle of the night and it feels exactly like period cramps. My mom said braxton hicks but my tummy doesnt get hard and its not like it comes and goes, it just is a lasting cramping pain that I notice for 20 or so minutes and usually fall asleep while its happening.... When I saw my midwife last friday she didnt seem worried about my hospital trip but Im wondering if I should call since it has happened two other times now??

 

[DJF]

missangie - I understand how you feel but you still have time. I was feeling really overwhelmed a couple weeks ago with figuring everything out with my job change (change in health insurance before delivery and time off when she is born) but it all got worked out. I am sure you will get everything done!

I think if you are worried about the cramps you should definitely call your midwife. Everything is probably fine but it will give you piece of mind to hear it from her. Most likely she will have you come in.

I get my gestational diabetes results tomorrow - hopefully they are normal!

 

[missangie]

hope you get the all clear for GD! I got my results back and I dont have it HOORAY!

Like you, Im dealing with a change in health insurance before Im due and that is what is stressing me out most. my insurance ends march 31 so trying to figure out what our options are and all the specifics...

 

[DJF]

I got the GD results yesterday and they were negative!! I am still a bit anemic but I usually am so I am not too worried about. My OB recommended that I try to eat more red meat so I see some cheeseburgers in my future

I completely understand the stress of the change of insurance. I was so overwhelmed by it I had a hard time sleeping. My current coverage ends Feb 29th and I could have either gone on my husbands insurance or the insurance at my new job. I thought I would go on my husbands insurance but it was fairly expensive for not so great maternity coverage. We would have to pay 10% of my hospitalization costs up to a max of $4000. We figured out is actually costs $5 less a month for me to take the insurance from my new job and it was better coverage. It took me like 3 phone calls to figure out what my coverage would be on the new plan then another 3 calls to make sure my OB and the hospital take the new insurance Luckily it all worked out. But I already registered at the hospital with the old insurance so I am going to have to re-register - hopefully that goes smoothly and it doesn't get messed up! Hope you guys are able to figure it out without too many headaches. Insurance is so confusing!

 

[missangie]

Im so glad to hear that you have it all worked out, gives me a bit of hope that we will figure things out in time too! It is very frusterating. I could be added to my husbands but that would mean a change in drs this late in my pregnancy and change in hospitals as well as a much much higher deductible then what I currently have. Since I work for a VERY small business, Im not covered under FMLA or PDA or anything that protects pregnant women basically but I did find out that I can do state continuation insurance (i just have to pay the full premium) so I think we will do that for the month of april that way I can stay with my current dr and plan and then be added to my husbands after that. (we just need to double check and make sure that will all work and that dropping state continuation is a qualifiying event to be added to his.) Woah sorry for the novel ;-)

Thats great that you dont have GD either and I have been thinking about a cheeseburger the whole time ive been typing since you mentioned that haha. I think Ill start with breakfast first though ;-)

 

[DJF]

I had a cheeseburger for lunch

One of my concerns also was having to change Dr's 4 weeks before delivery. Luckily it looks like I will be covered as long as everyone told me the right information. We also thought about doing COBRA to keep my current insurance. Even though I would have to pay 102% of the premium to keep it that still would of cost us less than the out of pocket expenses with my husbands insurance. Is COBRA the same as state continuation? If so, I was told that you can pay it month-to-month and drop it at any time. Than to be added to my husbands insurance I would of needed a letter saying when COBRA was ending and that counted as a qualifying event to add me to his insurance.

 

[missangie]

its similar to COBRA. Since ours is a small business, they dont have COBRA available but have state continuation instead. My husband was told that dropping cobra or state continuation isnt a qualifying event since you are choosing to drop it. However, he was now just told that the paperwork doesnt state whether it was dropped by choice or just as a loss of coverage and so it shouldnt be an issue. Meaning, I can be on my insurance until it ends March 31 and then do state continuation and still have my plan just pay the premium for the month of April and then be added onto my husbands May 1st.

I asked my employer for more info about state continuation and he told me to just look online (which I cant find much of anything) so Im annoyed with him and his lack of help. I am just wondering what needs to be done in order to get state continuation, do forms need to be filled out before my coverage ends and if so is there a time limit that it needs to be done by?

So frusterating. It definitely sounds like we are in similar insurance situations though!

 

[DJF]

That is frustrating! I don't really know anything about state continuation. But I was told that when my coverage ends I would be sent a letter stating my coverage has ended and information about COBRA. So pretty much I couldn't apply for COBRA until my coverage ended but the COBRA coverage would be retroactive to when my coverage ended.

 

[purpleish]

Hi All....

Glad to hear that you're all coping... despite all the challenges!.... I've had my own bunch of scares... fell into a snow drift (5hrs on a monitor at the hospital).... and have been diagnosed with Bronchitis!....... now on antibiotics and just very tired

Doctor is also concerned with low amniotic fluid... so due for another scan in 2 weeks time...... my thought is that if it was very serious.. then she would have ordered a scan like ASAP!

Did I also mention I'm anemic and now on iron pills..... lol

Braxton hicks are also kicking in - some of those are real doozies!.....

*hugs* to all keep in touch - anyone else want to deliver early (full term but early?)!

P
x

 

[missangie]

wow you are just having a heck of a time right now purpleish! Hope you feel better soon. I would love to have my baby in March rather then April. Im totally crossing my fingers for him to come a little early (but full term) however I highly doubt I will get what I want haha!!

 

[DJF]

Purpleish - sounds like you have been going through a lot. It's been an eventful pregnancy for you!! Hope you feel better soon.

I would like to have her right around my due date. I think I have it so much in my head that she will be here in April that it's hard to picture a March birthday for her But I will be happy when she comes regardless if it is April or March. I hope I don't go much past my due date.

 

[DJF]

How is everyone doing??

I am doing pretty good. As of today I am into the single digit weeks - only 9 more to go! I am so excited I have been feeling more tired but otherwise not doing to bad. I went and bought some nursing bras over the weekend and can't believe I am now a D-cup! I bought double D bras instead though because they still fit ok and give me some room in my breasts get even bigger when I start nursing.

So many little things left to do - install car seat, back bag for hospital, do a tour of the hospital, and finish her room after the shower. I am starting to think these next 9 weeks are going to fly by.

I can tell she is getting bigger. The movements are different. Instead of whacks I am experiencing her kinda moving around and pressing against my stomach so it looks like waves instead of little jumps if you are watching it. Also she seems to like to stick her little butt out on my right side so you can touch it. The one night my hubby and I were watching my belly and it was significantly lopsided from her sticking her but out

Hope everyone is doing well!! This is my last week at my current job. New job starts next week. So looking forward to only having to go in 3 days/week

 

[missangie]

I can tell she is getting bigger. The movements are different. Instead of whacks I am experiencing her kinda moving around and pressing against my stomach so it looks like waves instead of little jumps if you are watching it. Also she seems to like to stick her little butt out on my right side so you can touch it. The one night my hubby and I were watching my belly and it was significantly lopsided from her sticking her but out

This is EXACTLY almost word for word what I just said to someone. About the movements being different and then literally before I hopped online my right side was so lopsided and really hard, I think it had to have been is butt pressing right there!!! too funny!

Im excited for you to start your new job!!

 

[DJF]

LOL ... that is funny! She was doing it again last night. It's really funny to see. Glad I am not the only one who notices that the movements feel different. I can be kind of a worry wart so good to know other people feel the same thing.

How is everything going? Did you figure out your insurance situation?

Not to much longer left!!

 

[missangie]

havent figured it out 100%. he said he can keep me on as full time until april 2nd so then I would be covered for april as well as march. BUT there are still so many what ifs and uncertainity! Since he has people taking over my tasks and classes and what not starting MArch 5th he is going to have me take some unpaid vacation days during that time (which Im kinda looking forward to working less then I am now, Im scheduled 44 hours and this week and next Im working 48ish and I am needing a break big time!) So at this point, I am hoping that this baby decides to come at the end of March (but not tooooo close to the end cause that could screw up insurance haha) OR that he waits until after I have worked April 2nd so that I can have insurance! haha. If only there was a magic 8 ball!!!

For good news, Im leaving to go get a pregnancy massage (my second time EVER getting a massage in my life!) and I have a pedicure gift certificate I might go use after!

How are you feeling? Have you had a baby shower or are oyu going to??

 

[DJF]

Hope the insurance stuff gets worked out soon! It so complicated.

How was the pregnancy massage? I might need to get one at some point

I have been feeling pretty good so far. Hopefully, it stays that way! How about you? My mother-in-law is throwing me a shower but I don't know when it is. I am looking forward to it though. Are you having one? I had 3 mini-showers at work with different departments I have worked with - they all had a going away/baby shower party for me. Baby stuff is so freaking adorable!!

 

[missangie]

the massage was wonderful! I even decided to spoil myself and get a pedicure afterwards! (the best part is, the massage was free- she said it was a gift, she knows my husband and I had a gift card for the pedi!) SO nice to have a "me" day!

My hubbys work is throwing him and I and another couple a baby shower this Friday (their baby is due a week before ours) and then my cousin and sister are throwing one for me Saturday! Plus, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law cant make it to the one Sat. so they are throwing one for me the first saturday of March. I cant believe it!

 

[purpleish]

Hey Everyone

Reading everyone's posts - very jealous.. massage indeed! ... glad to hear that you are doing well - had my regular check up at the doctors... with yet another ultrasound - would you believe it that the baby has shot up and gone from the 65th percentile to the 95th percentile and is already over 6lb... no wonder I'm huge! lol..... oh and I'm already 2cm dialated.... oh the fun of it all

Hopefully she will know that she has to stay put for at least 2+ more weeks (ideally until 37 weeks)...

So are you all having any braxton hicks as well? lots of kicks waking you up at night? ....

Take care,

P
x

 

[missangie]

Im jealous you got a scan, I am SO curious how big this baby is right now! I get tons of braxton hicks on my work days. I have a dr's appointment wed. and am going to bring it up, I feel like Im doing WAY too much at work. I can believe you are starting to dialate already. although I do know you can stay at 2 or 3 or whatever for a long time but still, seems crazy that our bodies are getting ready! the time is coming, CANT WAIT!

 

[purpleish]

Hey MA....
Know what you mean about the braxton hicks... especially if I'm sitting up - so if I feel they are coming in waves... I go lie down on my left side... seems to do the trick!

For my first, I was 1cm from about 37 weeks onwards... but they never measured me with an ultrasound... they kept estimating around 7lb.. and he was a beautiful bouncing 8lb 4oz at 39 weeks... no figure!

Anyway - when are you looking to finish work? I'm hoping to work right until DD... (I work out of my home office so it's a little easier for me to manage).

All the best,

P
x

PS have you decided on any names yet?