Valentines Babies, 2013!

[Jo_Bean]

Hi all :wave:
Sorry to hear about your grandfather Kellen but as someone else said, it's very magical that the circle of life happens right before your eyes and I'm sure if he knew that he had nothing to do with your baby getting to v day, he would have chosen to play that part anyway xxxx

I'm ok wamommy, thanks xx just had a hard week emotionally. We went to see the specialist for an in depth scan this week to see what the outlook of baby's feet is. They confirmed that there is a problem. Although it's positive news in that the other tests don't seem to point to any of the serious disabilities or brain related conditions, so he thinks that it could just mean that she requires a bit of physio or maybe a small operation straight after birth. He seems to think the outlook is very good and that although she might not be an Olympic athlete, she should be able to run around in the playground
We will have a few more follow up scans, a physio appointment and some counselling sessions to help us deal with any emotions.

It's all fine and we are fine and dealing with it quite well, it's just emotionally draining. We've not told people in real life yet, apart from close family as it's just easier to not have to update about 50 people every time we have an appointment. Also, I feel very pressured about other people's expectations, so we are being a bit selfish and keeping it to ourselves at the moment.

I'm still here and still checking in just haven't had lots to say as I've been quite tired.

We are going to decorate the nursery next week! Very excited xx

 

[wamommy]

I completely understand, Jo, and I'm glad you're doing well! I'm sorry your week was tough emotionally It sounds like the prognosis is good, though, and the doctors are being very thorough. I hope the coming weeks get easier.

 

[Jo_Bean]

I really am ok too xx the news was so much better than we feared, so it's just getting used to what happens next really

 

[helena]

((((Jo))))
There is no need to tell anyone else other than family. She is perfect. Just needs help with her feet. Plenty of people won't make the 100m women's finals...So glad all looks ok brain wise. Really that is great, you must have been so relieved.
It must be draining though. And no doubt an op post birth will be more so. But you will handle it..we have already all signed up for a lifetime of child induced stresses. Your little monkey is just getting hers in early. Maybe you will have it easy in her teens xxx

 

[Jo_Bean]

Haha! Yes maybe she will be a well behaved teenager! Here's hoping

Thanks girls xx

 

[SierraJourney]

Jo. I'm sorry it's been such a tough week! I'm SO glad to hear that everything else looks good. I have heard so many GOOD stories about children born with club feet, then having the surgery and their lives are completely normal after that! I'm sure your daughter will do wonderfully!

 

[helena]

24 wk check up today. ALl good, baby moving, placenta still anterior but her kicks are getting through. I gained 4 kilos In the last month. Whopper! that's what, 8.8 pounds? Doc said it was a bit high but didnt seem to bothered. 10 kilo in total so far. Seemed ok with that.

Must watch what I eat....(oh dear,pizza in for lunch....).

Doc didn't want to do anything about ovary removal regarding breastcancer if I do have the gene, not yet anyway, said something about increased risk during c section and secondary hemorraging. Which I didn't fancy! Will come back to the test and all the stuff in a year maybe. Happy to ignore for now.

I discussed the whooping cough vaccine but he didn't want to do it. There is no outbreak here so he hadn't much info and got his book out..(bet that will be on the bill Dragon! Lol). He said they aren't 100% sure of the safety in pregnancy, and booster should be given only when the risk of infection outweighs the unknown risk or something, which I guess is the case in the uk at the moment. But maybe for us it will be best if we just get the grandparents boostered before they come to visit our newborn. And we don't go to the uk until after the 2 month jab that baby has.

So that's us. All good, not much being done. Glucose test in 2 weeks, yuk.

Hope your day is going well xxx

 

[DragonflyWing]

I've gained about 15 pounds so far, which my doctor seems to think is fine. I guess right now, 3 of that is baby, and about 5 is fluid and larger uterus. I wonder if the remaining 7 is fat! I don't seem to have gotten bigger anywhere but in the belly and a little in the boobs, so that's good. Haha I was actually just telling DH the other day that I think my behind is flatter...I don't have as much cushion, and it hurts to sit on hard surfaces. That may also be because my pelvis is starting to separate, ouch!

Jo, sorry you've had an emotionally stressful week

Glad everything went well at your 24 week check, helena!

 

[wamommy]

Helena, I'm glad your appointment went well, and that you don't have to make that difficult decision for a year! Whooping cough is pretty rampant where I live, so I'll be curious what my OB recommends as far as vaccinations. I've already had my step daughter get a booster, since she goes to school every day and has the largest chance of contracting it. I don't know what the policy is for pregnant women here though? Thank you for reminding me to ask!

Ah, weight gain... I've been really struggling with that. Sometimes I want to slap myself and say, "stop obsessing about it!! You're supposed to gain weight!! GEEZ!" I eat a healthy diet and always put the baby's needs above my own weight issues, but that doesn't stop the number on the scale from sending shivers of panic up my spine. Hopefully I can just get over it, already.

I went to the pumpkin patch with my girls yesterday to pick out pumpkins to carve! It was a muddy, rainy mess, but it's supposed to rain all the way until Halloween so we just toughed it out. The kids didn't mind at all, and had a blast. Near the end, after we'd all picked one, my 2-year-old ran up carrying a very small pumpkin in her arms, ready to throw it in the wheelbarrow. "That's much too small to carve, honey... besides you already have one," I said. She laughed and said, "silly, Mommy... This one's for the baby. It's tiny like he is!" My heart melted, and of course we bought the tiny pumpkin!

I hope you are all doing well and have a great weekend

 

[helena]

Oh LOVE the tiny pumpkin incident! What a cutie!!!! Moments like those are so so fantastic aren't they. Such a warm fuzzy feeling! I love being a mummy..when they aren't fighting! Lol. Bless your adorable two year old!! Xxxxx

 

[Jo_Bean]

That is so cute about the pumpkin!!!

I have my next appointment in 2 weeks with the MW and I'm expecting her to discuss the whooping cough jab with me then. I wasn't ever vaccinated as a child as it was right when they were going through one of their "it's bad to vaccinate" moments. Apparently they have them a lot! Which apparently means I am more in need of it now
As they say it's from 28-36 weeks here, I think I will wait til the new year and see if the fuss has died down. If enough people get it, it's likely one of those things that we don't have to have but I'll see. I don't like the thought of a relatively un tested drug being injected into me when they don't really know the risks to baby at this stage.

Glad everyone seems to be doing ok. I've not weighed myself, we need a new battery in our scales and I haven't got round to getting one I think I look like my only weight gain is baby weight but we'll see!

 

[helena]

Oh but Jo doesnt the fact that 10 babies already died in the uk scare you? I would definitely have it if I was in the uk. My famly are in suffolk and the number of cases ther are really up. Its those first 2 months before baby has their lwn vaccine that scare me. I will be making my parents have a booster so they don't bring any germs with them when they visit.

 

[Jo_Bean]

It does definitely, but then when I live there have been no reported deaths at all to my knowledge.

I'm just really confused about it. I will probably end up having it, but as they say you have to be over 28 weeks here, I was just going to wait 'til the later part of that to suss it out and do as much research as possible. I have read so many things about why we shouldn't have it, I need to balance it all out in my mind and then make a decision.

I have at least a month before they will even give it to me, so at least I have time to decide.

 

[SierraJourney]

Whooping cough? I haven't even heard of that being a problem here in the US. Does anyone know? I was vaccinated as a child, but I didn't know we needed a booster now? Or is this just a UK thing?

 

[Jo_Bean]

Sierra, it's just that there has been a slight increase in cases of whooping cough and whooping cough related deaths in the UK. We've all been advised from 28 weeks to get a jab for it and in most cases for the flu jab too (according to the news reports)

 

[DragonflyWing]

I had whooping cough in 1995, and so did my (then) 2 month old sister. It's REALLY bad for infants to get that...she was in the hospital. I think you're immune if you've had it, right? I haven't heard any recommendations in the US for pregnant women to get the vaccine.

 

[Kellen]

Whooping cough? I haven't even heard of that being a problem here in the US. Does anyone know? I was vaccinated as a child, but I didn't know we needed a booster now? Or is this just a UK thing?

There is actually a huge Whooping Cough outbreak in the US. In 2012 there have been over 18,000 reported cases of Whooping Cough in the US, which is the largest outbreak since the 1950s. New information has recently been released by the CDC advising pregnant women to speak with their medical providers about getting the shot before birth. It has been deemed safe and could potentially give your LO partial immunity once born. Otherwise your baby has to wait 2 months before they can get the shot. My parents already got their boosters and DH is getting his next month. Next week when I have my midwife appointment I am going to ask her if she advises it now because I will go get it. https://latino.foxnews.com/latino/h...en-should-get-whooping-cough-shot-panel-says/

In other news things are going pretty good around here. Still sad (for me) that my grandpa is gone, but it is slowly sinking in. My grandma decided to go out and buy a new car LOL... and apparently it will be mine once she is gone. I am excited about November because my parents will be visiting for nearly two weeks. So yesterday I unpacked two boxes in the office (which we are converting into a spare bedroom - yes, we've lived in this house since last December and still aren't fully unpacked).

 

[SierraJourney]

Oh wow. . . I'll ask my midwife about it! Thanks ladies!!

 

[wamommy]

Ah, Kellen, I'm sorry it's hard for you dealing with your Grandpa's passing It's too funny about your Grandma's new car, though! My Grandma did the same thing when my grandpa passed years ago. She went out and bought a red sports car...lol. I thought she was the coolest "old lady" EVER when I was younger.

How was everyone's weekend? What are everyone's plans for Halloween? It's not a big deal in the UK is it? I relish Halloween, because as soon as it's over we start getting pummeled with Christmas commercials on tv, music in stores, etc. I LOVE christmas, but it's like they DRAG it out to make more money, lol.

 

[helena]

We were ging to just have a Halloween themed family dinner. I bought plates and balloons all ready. But then my two year old got scared of some pumpkins on a DVD my 4 year old was watching and he keeps freaking out saying he is scared of everything. Even the sofa earlier!? At bedtime he is saying he is scared, refusing to sleep. And he has always been a great sleeper. So it looks like my Halloween plates will need to wait until next year to save any further trauma!..

Am hoping it's not the pumpkins, but in fact just his latest word...he may realize it affects me and I come running!? But we wll see. A toddler who has always slept brilliantly, who wont go to bed all of a sudden is not needed at this stage in the game, with just over 3 months to go!....