Weekly chat thread Jan 18- Jan 24

[Snapdragon]

Another week!

[Ambystoma]

Uh-oh! Every new chat thread puts us one step closer!

I have SO much to do this week! I finally start classes, not to mention I have to go do fieldwork so I will have collected enough before the baby gets here. Hopefully the weather stays warmer this week. I also have to start teaching, but I actually wrote lesson plans for the entire semester! So, when I'm out, I'm good to go for the sub.

Is everyone at weekly appointments now? I go to the OB Wednesday (ugh). Next week is the home visit from my midwife.

Any suggestions for labor food for me and the birth attendants(more for them than me)? They say they don't care...yeah, so I need suggestions-especially stuff that will keep if I buy it at 37 weeks and have it ready for a couple of weeks. I'm thinking hummus and pita chips (along with the veggies we regularly keep).

[busymama77]

I have my last every two week appt on the 27th and then I go weekly. This week should be pretty low key. I'm taking the day off tomorrow to have a 'date' with my DS on his 4th birthday. Going to check out a Dinosaur exhibit at our science center, take him out to lunch and then DH and I are taking him to Chuck E Cheee's for dinner.
DH is taking a floating holiday on Friday to clean the house from top to bottom since we are having 15 or so people over on Saturday for DS's 4th birthday party. And then Sunday, I'm having my maternity photos done w/ DS - it's going to be a surprise for DH (possibly Valentine's Day gift).

God love my DH! He's been cooking amazing meals. Cleaning up after himself as well as the house w/ a 4yo DS and two dogs. Taking heavy loads of laundry up two flights of stairs, rubbing my back when I ask him, too. I'm beyond lucky.

[Snapdragon]

My mw's are coming for my home visit tomorrow. I am only at almost 35 weeks but they are doing it a bit early for the sake of their schedule.

Still trying to decide if I should get more prefold fitteds or more green mtn diaper infant fitteds which feel more flannely. I still haven't washed the prefolds to see how soft/absorbant they get once washed. I think the flannely ones might get less soft and the prefolds more soft. And need to get more diaper covers.

Starting to think about the birth more as it gets closer. My friends yesterday were talking about how much it can hurt, and I am not sure what to think about that right now!

[Mommy2Austin]

I'm tired, agitated, and in pain Nothing seems to help either.

I'm very ready not to be pregnant anymore.

[mtnmoonmama]

I can't believe I'm 38 weeks already!!! I am ready to have this baby so the aches will go away...never felt like this with my other 2 and it makes me feel bad that I've been so grouchy lately. This is my last pregnancy and I soooo enjoyed the last 2 that I couldn't imagine this would be any different! The mama guilt that I can't play with my kids like I want to is overwhelming - and I feel like dh gets to do all the fun stuff right now, boo hoo. Okay, enough whining...I know there will be plenty more opportunities to have fun and make good memories with my kids!

[biennourri]

How many diapers do you have so far? You might want to see what works for your baby before committing to anything more just yet. One type might suit you better than another. Just a thought. Mind you, I didn't do prefolds before and I got lucky with what I bought b/c they worked well for us.

I'm not on weekly appointments yet. The NHS MW was generous and gave me one last month on New Years Eve, but only b/c I'd had some issues last time. I will see someone on the 25th (I'll be hmm.. just about 37 weeks then). Seriously, I'm not as stressed this time. My BP has been low and I haven't had any problems, so I'd rather just keep gestating without worrying too much. I feel pretty well, so I'm going with that.

I held a newborn today! It was a friend's baby who is actually 4 weeks old, but still smaller than DD was at birth. She was a couple weeks early, and boy what a difference those couple of weeks seem to make. She is still so sleepy her mom has to wake her for feeds. She was so warm and floppy and beautiful. I can't wait! I didn't want to give her back!

[biennourri]

Originally Posted by mtnmoonmama

I can't believe I'm 38 weeks already!!! I am ready to have this baby so the aches will go away...never felt like this with my other 2 and it makes me feel bad that I've been so grouchy lately. This is my last pregnancy and I soooo enjoyed the last 2 that I couldn't imagine this would be any different! The mama guilt that I can't play with my kids like I want to is overwhelming - and I feel like dh gets to do all the fun stuff right now, boo hoo. Okay, enough whining...I know there will be plenty more opportunities to have fun and make good memories with my kids!

I totally get that guilt too. I'm only 36 weeks and I haven't been the greatest companion for my 2 y.o. for a while, either. DH is out of town and I'm just not about to run around playing cat-bus (don't ask!) or chasing her around corners. I don't like it when she runs at me either, I get freaked out she'll hit the bump.

[doulawoman]

Originally Posted by Ambystoma

I

Any suggestions for labor food for me and the birth attendants(more for them than me)? They say they don't care...yeah, so I need suggestions-especially stuff that will keep if I buy it at 37 weeks and have it ready for a couple of weeks. I'm thinking hummus and pita chips (along with the veggies we regularly keep).

I just wanted a quick reply to this because I was thinking the same thing and my friend said she did this and couldn't stand her husband's garlic breath the whole labour even with teeth brushing and gum! Try to get stuff that doesn't smell strong!

[doulawoman]

Well, I'm 37 w 3 days today...getting antsy. I had an amazing blessingway/shower last night... got henna on my hands and I'm wearing a beautiful necklace of beads given to me by each woman. someone made me special bath salts with essential oils and I got a foot bath and rub. Someone did a blessing for the baby and was speaking to it and it totally woke up and started moving! I really hope everyone can have as much love and support around them and hopefully a mother blessing as well -even if it's post-partum.

I also bought some stewing beef today...I've not eaten red meat in 14 years! But I am craving it and hopefully I can figure out how to cook it properly! Anyone else eating odd things now?

Baby was fully engaged at my homevisit on Thursday! like a lot of you I am super sore -especially my hips. Not sleeping great and kinda ready to be done.

DH and I also did a belly cast on the weekend to celebrate me being full-term...we followed directions in a book and let me say, you need more than a "thin layer" of vaseline! and anywhere you have visible hair, even if you aren't going down that far I would suggest slathering vaseline as the plaster dripped and we had to CUT parts of the cast off! And that was with some vaseline.

Anyway, cleaning away like many of you, mending, sorting, washing and slowly crossing things off my list. Need to meet with a lady I think will be our helper/doula and who will encapsulate our placenta for us afterwards! (yay!) anyone else planning to try this?

[Snapdragon]

I am looking for 3 or 4 more receiving blankets. All I seem to find are these packs from Gerber or Carters- all with prints and colors not at all to my liking. Would it be cheapest for me to just buy the pieces of flannel at a fabric store- which I probably wouldn't hem as I am not much of a seamstress. Or does anyone know somewhere online to get solid colored receiving blankets? Are receiving blankets simply a sheet of flannel anyway? I am stuck on this! I don't want to get things that I find ugly to look at.

[aramat]

May I please whine? Beginning to deal with some PPD over here! Everything p*sses me the frick off all of a sudden!

I could NOT stomach the placenta smoothie (do NOT taste it plain & raw ahead of time, b/c then you know the taste and CAN taste it in the smoothie). It's much easier for me to swallow tiny frozen pieces whole and follow them with juice. BUT, yesterday I spent some of my VERY LITTLE baby-free time chopping up a day's worth of little pieces (took some time b/c I didn't want to thaw the placenta a second time so was cutting it up while frozen)... And then last night, I found that my husband had removed the little container from the freezer and then accidentally left it sitting out on the counter. So those little frozen pieces I had ready for last night had thawed and were TRASH. ARRGGGHHHH, more anger!

Everything is stupid, stupid, stupid. Say the hormones!

But I've barely been eating (the kitchen is EMPTY) or exercising (no time!) -- so I've kind-of been asking for it. My plan for tomorrow: Some major grocery shopping, a walk with Julianna or some housework, some herbal tea, and more placenta-chopping.

Meanwhile, Juju is still awesome and blah blah blah.

CRANKY!

[NicoleS]

Put me in the so ready to have the baby club. I hardly slept last night for all the tossing and turning.

[Ambystoma]

aramat-that's a bummer about the placenta pieces.

Originally Posted by Katie34

I am looking for 3 or 4 more receiving blankets. All I seem to find are these packs from Gerber or Carters- all with prints and colors not at all to my liking. Would it be cheapest for me to just buy the pieces of flannel at a fabric store- which I probably wouldn't hem as I am not much of a seamstress. Or does anyone know somewhere online to get solid colored receiving blankets? Are receiving blankets simply a sheet of flannel anyway? I am stuck on this! I don't want to get things that I find ugly to look at.

Well, I bought a bunch of circo blankets at target for $3 per 4 pack on clearance. Normally they're still pretty cheap. I didn't really care about the patterns, though-they were pretty simple. Just basic stripes, polka dots, stars, etc-although a couple had animals so they were cute.

I wouldn't do flannel fabric unless you're going to hem the edge or serge or zigzag stitch around the edge because flannel frays pretty badly-especially if you pop it in the dryer. I wouldn't feel safe with all those little strings. If you could just run a zigzag around the edge, you'd be good to go. And, yeah, it's just 1 sheet of flannel for most, or at least the ones you usually buy.

Are these the type of Carter's blankets you don't like? If so, then, yeah, I see your issue because pretty much all receiving blankets are going to be in a similar style.

Originally Posted by NicoleS

Put me in the so ready to have the baby club. I hardly slept last night for all the tossing and turning.

I am not even full term and I am miserable. I can't sleep more than maybe an hour or 2 at a time at night. My hips are miserable, my back is achy, little sharp jabs to my pelvis, and I've been having stretches of period-like cramping for 10-30 ish minutes at a time every few hours. They're more annoying than the BH type ones I've had earlier. Just makes me feel achy.

[Snapdragon]

Ambystoma yeah . I guess I am picky- but I just like what I like, yknow?
For whatever reason I just like plain solid colors and get kind of irritated by patterns that look cutesy to me. Just my thing- I guess I tend to notice details. So I just feel that I prefer things that don't look unattractive to me if I can!

[Keeta]

What's up ladies. Yeah, I'll be eligible for my homebirth starting tomorrow, and I'm gradually becoming cool with the idea that the babe may show up at any point now. Sleeping is getting really difficult, what with the soreness, the peeing, the heartburn...ugh.

We had a fun morning Saturday doing our maternity photo shoot - our photographer put a few up on her flicker page - a few of them I look a little stoned in, but it's hard to smile for an hour and a half. It was really a lot of fun; I can't wait to see the whole set in a few weeks. She's also doing a newborn shoot for us a week or so after the dude arrives, and I'm really looking forward to that, too.

So glad to see that more of our babies are arriving safe and sound! I can't believe we're almost to the finish line!

[itsajenism]

Originally Posted by Mommy2Austin

I'm tired, agitated, and in pain Nothing seems to help either.

[marcib28]

I'm ready to be done with the pregnancy as well. I'm SUPER uncomfortable and constantly exhausted! I can barely move without either feeling like I have to pee really badly or am getting some type of contractions 3 and a half more weeks...I can do it...

So DH and I went shopping for baby clothes today. Old Navy is having a huge sale (50% off everything on clearance). We spent a ton of money, but are pretty much set on clothes until this little man's 2y! and we didn't spend more than $2.50 on ANYTHING! Most of the stuff we got was under $1 (some even $0.20)!! We got winter coats, pants...everything! It's all really cute! I'm really excited about it.

I finished my hospital bag today-finally! Got our car seat bases installed in our cars today. I'm getting through my to-do list! Yay!

Aramat-I'm sorry about the moody-ness. I've been experiencing a lot of that lately. EVERYTHING annoys me! I can usually at least fake being nice even when I'm angry. Lately though, I've been really rude to anyone and everyone that annoys me even a little!

Keeta-cute pics!

[JustSimplicity]

Katie, I just got some Circo receiving blankets at my shower that I like. They are pretty simple. Target has a bunch online that are just one color.

Aramat, sorry you're not feeling so hot. I bet you're exhausted feeding a preemie.

Keeta, your pics are beautiful!!! I keep wanting to do some pics but feeling kind of apathetic about it, like it would take so much effort to find someone and do them the way I want them.

I have been feeling exhausted lately but today had a bunch more energy so I got groceries and then spent the afternoon washing ALL of the baby clothes: newborn to 9 months, plus all his blankets and most of the cloth diapers. I still need to run all the diaper inserts through a hot cycle one more time but all the other wash is DONE! I think I'm set for diapers until the little guy is here and I see if I need to get more of a certain kind.

The baby has been moving a ton! He almost doesn't ever stop. Today he is totally up in my ribs, which has been difficult to deal with because I've been a bit hunched over writing thank you notes for my shower. Last night he was kicking so strongly and DH had his hand there and was just laughing and saying, "I can't believe you feel this all the time!" Usually when DH tries to feel the baby, he will stop moving. We think he's an introvert.

[rach&becks]

OKay I am going to whine---

I officially CANNOT go out in public anymore... I am so sick of the comments I get about how huge I am... I still have a month at least to go and probably more.. if I get 10+ comments everyday (like today) I am going to seriously get postal with some one...

okay thanks for letting me vent I feel a (teensy) bit better.