Valentine's BfP ladies

[SashaJoy13]

Emma I hope your delivery is everything you want it to be and goes of without a hitch

Mammy- your labor is still your own labor. Talk about the other options. Maybe you can do the doula thing or have your hubby hypnotize you. Don't do anything you aren't comfy with.

Missus- I gave up dtd because of the cramping in my legs/abdomen. I am kinda jealous of you for that. Iwas just talking about hospital bags yesterday... we have our diaper bag complete bit I have no idea what to take for me and hubby.

Also I am working on my labor playlist! It is more fun than I thought

 

[jbell157]

Wow Sasha you are on top of it girl! I'm not even sure where our diaper bag is

I hope everyone is doing well. I've been reading your posts but I haven't had much to say. I just eat, sleep, and work lol. There is not much I can do right now as our house is still being remodeled. Hopefully it will be done by the end of this week.

We are currently going to birthing classes and are considering hiring a doula. I just think she is extremely knowledgeable and it would be wonderful to have her experience to guide us.

And ladies they can't force you to be induced! What are they going to do put you in pregnancy jail?

 

[emmalg]

Mammy, I don't know if you have to have the epidural before the pic(whatever it is) here as compulsory, but my waters broke early last time, though it caused contractions, they weren't strong and at times went away and the pessary didn't do anything to ripen my cervix either. Once your waters break you can be in danger of infection and after about 36 hours, my temp was creeping up so intervention was inevitable. I am of course hoping it is completely different this time. I feel like I missed out a bit - on the plus side... with the epi, it was really easy! I want to experience full labour this time, but I am worried now I know how easy it was last time I will just be a big chicken!

Anyway, as Sasha says, it IS your labour and having a plan is a great starting place but be aware, all of you, things don't always go according to plan, so if they don't, it is worth considering in advance what you might do. If you HAVE to be induced, do you want an epidural? If you have to have a c-s, do you insist on DH having skin-to-skin with baby? etc. I didn't discuss any of this last time, just assumed that everything would go according to a text book!

I did find this book wonderful preparation last time, it made me feel so much more comfortable and confident in the last few weeks. The Good Birth Companion: A Practical Guide to Having the Best Labour and Birth by Nicole Croft

I'm getting my last bits together now and I have to get nappies before I forget!!

 

[Bambola]

Hi ladies
So sorry I have been absent for so long. A lot has been happening the last 6 weeks or so.. Have been frantically trying to stay ontop of your posts but its hard!!

Firstly - I hope everyone is doing well.

Secondly - Sasha please keep us updated on the preeclempsia - I hope you are ok! You have had a rough trot you poor thing!

Third - I hope everyone is feeling ok about birthing plans and labour etc - I see that some of you girls are scared of being induced - SO AM I!! hehe Hopefully we will all have the perfect labour.. From day one I have pretty much decided that (if it is safe to do so) I am pretty much going to get the epidural straight up... lol I think that is the best option for me.

Can everyone tell me how their baby showers went? And post photos?? of anything!? bumps, nurseries, purchases etc

I will post some soon if anyone is interested... We had some more 3D scans done last week! little man has his face still firmly planted in my placenta and hence getting photos was very difficult!!

Bubby is on track and doing well - he is head down and hopefully will stay that way. When does everyone finish work? I finish this week for some much needed rest and recooperation.

Sorry again for being so out of the loop. Glad everyone is progressing nicely though!

Love Marie
xox

 

[Bambola]

Here is one of the clearer shots - the blurred bits are because the ultrasound is being taken through the placenta! Pretty amazing what they can do. I also got the cutest pic of his little boy bits... for some reason that made me really proud! hehe

 

[emmalg]

He's so sweet! The placenta obviously offers him some comfort! Maybe he can hear the sound of the blood beating through it. I bought a Ewan Dream Sheep - need another one now, but my friend swears by it and has one for each child, it has the sound of the mother's heartbeat and pink noise as one sound, a harp and heart for another, rain and heart and something else I have forgotten. DD has pinched it!

I've signed up for my classes I am doing:

Movement in labour 1 & 2
Pain Management
Breathing

DH is going to try and come and we're hoping a friend will babysit on the three days - they've offered often enough. I hope DH's Spanish is up to it - he's better than me in many ways but I lived here as a kid too and I do better with the rapid fire, Madrid, lisping!

 

[Bambola]

That Ewan dream sheep sounds amazing Emma! I have not ever heard of it - what a beautiful idea! I am going to look into it!

I think you are right about little man getting comfort from being close to the placenta - that is what the OB and Sonographer both said. He will most likely want to be closely cuddled a lot! hehe - I am def not complaining about that!!

The classes you signed up for sound great too - Hopefully you will get some value out of them? Especially the breathing techniques! SHould be wonderful

 

[jbell157]

How cute Bam. I will try to post since bump pictures and whenever the nursery gets done I'll post pictures of that too. I would love to see pictures of everyone and their stuff.

Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[emmalg]

I have a cold. It's horrible in the heat, it got hotter again but is due to cool this week. I'm very glad, I keep getting BH contractions when it's hot each time I try to do anything. I feel like bump is enormous, I got asked if I was going for a world record. I'll have to update my photos too.

I finally managed to dtd without ending up in agony the next day. In fact DH was crippled by leg cramps afterwards which made me giggle, it's about time our OHs experienced this sorry of thing. It was all thanks to a dream I had which inspired the position idea; so much more comfy!

Oh, and we might have a name at last! I probably won't share it now though, I like to see the baby first!

 

[Bambola]

I know what u mean about not sharing the name yet Emma- we are tempted but thought we will wait in case we change our minds! Lol

 

[emmalg]

My silly husband told his mum last night despite or agreement both before and after the last time he did that (and with DD). Mummy's boy! At least we've had no negative feedback from her as it was her Dad's name which I didn't know when I suggested it.

 

[missusgee]

That's the one thing driving me mad at the moment, first question people ask is how long I've got left, second is always 'have you thought of names yet?' Yes I have but I'm not telling you is what I want to say. Instead I politely say we haven't decided yet. Argghh it's at least 3 times a day I have that conversation!

Got my antenatal classes later, I'm nervous!

 

[emmalg]

The first I don't mind too much. Spanish pregnancy culture is so very different from what I have experienced in Britain, because people are always so interested in children and pregnancy and are generally nice to pregnant ladies. With DD I used to commute by train and underground and people couldn't do enough for you.

The first question here from people I know probably translates as "How are you carrying it?", so how am I feeling, then the observation "You can't have long left" if they don't already know. But I am asked constantly if it is a boy or girl and if we have a name to which when I reply "I think so" people aren't rude enough to ask some just say "Ah you want to see the if it fits the face".

People are more likely to touch though. It is considered lucky (I'm not sure if for me or them) and they'll tap the bump and ask after it. One lady even put her ear to my bump whilst discussing it with DD - that was a bit far for my comfort though rather than be angry I was almost reduced to crying with laughter at the ridiculousness of it!

It's funny, in Britain I would want people to mind their own business as that is how we are. Over here, I sometimes feel let down if people don't express enough interest!

Raising children here is so vastly different anyway. Teachers are all known on a first name basis (I went to school here and in Italy as well), the nursery staff kiss DD goodbye, she has a male swimming teacher who will give her a hug if she's almost drowned herself or a kiss for doing really well. In the UK we'd be calling the police! As a 10 year old, my teacher in Italy sat me on her knee to explain the headaches I was getting might be due to me approaching puberty. And the best thing is we absolutely loved the teachers and wanted to please them!

I can't imagine similar scenarios in the UK where I did live from 0-4, 8-9 and 11 onwards! We're so formal!

 

[makemeamammy]

I'm a teacher in the uk and I hug my kids! Big and small, male and female. Not been arrested yet

I'm not really sharing our names with many before baby comes although I've mentioned it in passing to some people. Emma, I love it when people ask after baby as I take it as a free pass to bore them silly talking about bubs

Didn't appreciate getting told today that I was so big I may as well skip straight to 3-6 month clothes! Most people say I'm neat so it was a bit of a strange comment! xx

 

[emmalg]

Lol! I don't really think size has much bearing on baby size. I was enormous last time but DD was only 7lb. The newborn clothes or 0-1 month usually go to 10lb or so don't they so you'd have an almost 1st baby by that point! :-D People say silly things, I think they're often influenced more by what clichés they think they should say than actually thinking about what they are going to say for themselves!

I'm glad you hug your kids! Scotland it is then when we move back for a bit of fresh air and drizzle! ;-)

 

[jbell157]

Emma I'm glad you didn't get negative feedback! Why [eople act like we want their opinions anyway is beyond me That's also so interesting how different the two cultures our. How did your DH hang in with the Spanish at your birth class?

Miss - How did your class go?

Mamms I bet you're not that big at all. People are so silly sometimes. I really don't think they realize just how big you have to become to grow a baby full term. I know I have probably never seen a pregnant woman full term.

AFM, I've gone completely mental. I had a psychotic episode with my DH last night...yelled at him threatened to leave, etc. Just over something small. I called my mom and she said I had a right to be upset but basically I handled it the wrong way. The really wrong way. Well I woke up this morning and tried to apologize to my husband before work and broke down again! crying and saying he was going to leave me because I'm going crazy. He did say he knew it was hormones and that he is just glad its happening now and hasn't happened throughout the entire pregnancy. But I felt like such a nutcase I was afraid to go to work as I'm a teacher and I didn't want to break down in front of my students or flip out on one and get fired. I called my mentor teacher and she told me to stay home so I am just resting and trying to stay very calm. I have a feeling my hormones might be quite imbalanced. Has this happened to anyone else? I feel like a mental person.

On a lighter note the painting in Sam's room will be done in just a few hours (hurray) and we have all the furniture...sort of. The glider is in the mail, the dresser is good to go, the bookcase and nightstand are sitting in front of me in pieces unassembled his other dresser is at a lady's house being painted and his crib is in the shipping box in the hall. :SMH: We have a lot of work left. We also found our doula so that is a relief too.

I hope everyone is doing well and no scary hospital trips. Does 30 weeks to 36 weeks feel like an eternity to anyone else?

 

[missusgee]

Haha bless you jbell! I've had my moments but maybe not that bad :-D the problem is that when DH annoys me or is being insensitive I feel I can't say what I really think as he'll just blame it on hormones rather than understand what I'm saying. I'm in a lose/lose situation whatever!

Hmm class was disappointing tbh. Didn't really tell me anything I hadn't learned in books or on this forum. Plus the teacher was reeeeeally boring and read from notes despite having been a midwife since the 80's and having 3 kids. My problem is that I'm really impatient and her slow pace made me super fidgety that I just wanted to get out. Oh well.

Yep I think this last few weeks is really dragging, mad to think I have only 6 weeks left but I've had enough already, I want to cuddle my little man!

 

[makemeamammy]

Emma, if by 'fresh air and drizzle' you mean you're looking for hurricane force winds and torrential rain then Scotland's the place for you no, we've actually had very mild weather since about May which is good!

JBell I definitely have been losing my cool more with DH over little things and silly things people say have been annoying me more than usual but have been fine with the kids luckily. Would gladly just stay with them all day and not bother with adults at the moment

I was at hospital from 1pm-6pm last Friday and back again tomorrow for the afternoon but its practically routine for me now! Plus my weekly acupuncture. My physio is really starting to push me to give up work now but will see what consultant says tomorrow as I'm worried about being home alone all day in pain. Kind of feel I'm better off at work because day passes quicker so not as much time to think about how sore I am. but I'm at the stage now where I get home, drug myself up for the night and go to bed which isn't too good.

Glad everyone else is well xx

 

[jbell157]

Miss I'm sorry your birth class was so disappointing. I would have been bored out of my mind too.

Mams I think you should do what you think is best. You know your body and self better than any doctors. I'm sorry you're having such a rough time.

 

[SashaJoy13]

Soooo much happening I had to take notes!

Emma- ss you don't get to surprise MIL but luckily the name wasn't judged harshly by her you get to surprise everyone else though and they dont get to be critics because you already decided! Also I can't stand people getting into my space to touch my belly. Luckily Anjelica doesn't like it either so she will freeze the second anyone besides Hubby or I touch my belly

Missus- I am sorry you didn't like your class. I actually did a lot of research with friends, family and online and found out that if you are truely involved in your pregnancy(ask questions, research birth, take hospital tours, etc.) That classes are more of a hinder than a help. Hubby and I decided not to take our class and insted set aside time each day to discuss scenarios of what could happen and how we would handle it! It is very helpful and sometimes funny not to mention it brings up questions and helps build a mutual understanding and trust for the labor! Just an exercise to try.

Mammy- I know how you feel with the whole "big" comments. MIL keeps telling me if she didn't know me she would think I was just fat! She has good intentions though. In the small towns in Mexico it is considered very good to be big especially while pregnant. If you gave birth to a baby that went straight to 3-6 women would seek out your advice so that their babies could be healthy too! Different cultures different perspectives! Also I agree with Jbell... don't take time off until you are ready to! If you feel like it is helping keep you sane then continue doing it!

JBell- I love your crazy story as I have a million of them. DH decided last week that he wanted to go out with his friends and I said okay then I called him and told him that he was a jerk for not thinking about me and for flaunting his ability to go out and have fun while I'm miserable! It was epic! I have been kinda nuts the whole pregnancy though so he brought me food when he came home and I was happy again! Oh and yes these weeks are dragging like crazy but on the bright side you have nursery stuff to do so that is exciting!

AFM- My tests came back normal but blood pressure remains on the high side, I am not off of bed rest though because my swelling has increased and I have daily dizzy spells so I am confined to my bed laying only on my left side and eating protein 6 times a day! It is aweful. Furthermore I have decided that if Anjelica hasn't made her appearance into the world by October 24 I will be induced. I wanted to wait and do it all the "normal" way but I am exhausted(sleep 13+ hrs a day) which dr says is normal and dizzy (from slight wobble to "oh crap how did I get on the ceiling") which is also normal and I think 39 weeks is a good time to throw in the towel and say no more! I don't care if it seems wimpy and whatnot I am just very sick of leaning forward to take a bite of food and feeling like I am going to sink into the floor!

Other than that I am so greatful that MIL is helping with Anjelicas space as I can't do much anymore and I am super excited to see it all come together. My momms and I are booking her a flight and hotel so she can come out here and I'm super excited (even though we butt heads I still love her). Oh also I get to go tour my hospital tomorrow which will be interesting if I'm dizzy but I'm excited anyhow!