Weekly Thread, April 11-April 18

[GreenTeaGinger61]

Congratulations to all the moms with new babies!

I had to break as it was getting so discouraging to read about babies coming. But I got over myself Actually dh was on his spring break so we spent lots of time cleaning, going to the park, etc. It was a nice relaxing week but I was bummed that no baby came. Plus the false alarms...argh.

So I think I have a very small leak. Don't know if this even possible but I had some liquid and wetness that didn't look or smell like pee last night. It's not a constant leak though and I didn't notice anything extra this morning. So who knows. I am still very crampy. My midwife is, I think, starting to freak a bit about the size of baby:P She did a very gentle membrane sweep and emailed me to suggest acupuncture. I'm going to hold off on that though as it's very expensive and since I'm not even at 40 weeks I'll wait for nature to kick in. So much for being worried about not making it to 36 weeks.

[sew_crafty_girl]

Water broke at 6am. It was yellow. Went back to bed thinking I had just peed. Woke at 8am to more fluid and it was green so I decided to head to hospital for abx for gbs. Contrax startEd 10 min apart or so. Not sure if Mec will risk me out of homebirth.

[Peace+Hope]

greentea, i know you are worried about PPROM - you mentioned it was a factor in your previous births. i hope if you do have a leak you figure it out soon and things move along for you really soon!

if you have help, like from your husband, you could try the two main (according to my mws) acupressure points that help labor along. they didn't launch me, but who knows, maybe later on it helped that we had used them. i don't remember the names, but one is in the meat of the palm at the base of the thumb, and one is on the inside of the shin above the ankle. maybe some googling would give you a better idea?

little charlie is great, he's gaining 2 oz a day! i'm very happy with that, but the marathon cluster feedings two days straight made me regret it, i can tell you!

struggling to manage what's happening with my body, charlie's body, and the now ingrained belief i MUST pump to maintain a milk supply for charlie. i'm having engorgement now, and thinking, ok, surely that's enough? my LLL leader was vague on the phone, and the lactation consultants at the hospital are booked through thursday. what should i do? for now i'm feeding on demand of course and pumping when he takes a 3-hr break, which has not been often. about to crack open womanly art of breastfeeding again and see if i can find anything to help. posted on the preemie subforum, about to check and see if i have any response... maybe i should post on the regular BF subforum?

[LenaC]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaGinger61

I'm going to hold off on that though as it's very expensive and since I'm not even at 40 weeks I'll wait for nature to kick in. So much for being worried about not making it to 36 weeks.

Ha ha, I know, it feels so silly to have been worried about early baby now. I have also been crampy for the last week or maybe two, I'm losing track now.

I'm 10 days over today and actually not wishing for a baby today because the whole family got a nasty cold. As soon as green stuff stops coming out of my nose, I think I'll be ready then, but DH just got sick this morning, so I need him to get better too. What's up with all these sicky stuff at the last minute? Last two weekends we were perfectly ready with a clean house and everything. Ah well, but now that it's getting so close to my two weeks over, I feel a little pressure to get this baby out. He has to be here this week! Otherwise, I'm risking induction drugs. Well, I shouldn't think about that just yet, as he should be here anytime now. Right? right?

[laughingfox]

Good luck and ELV, sew_crafty!

I had the TINIEST bits of mucous this morning. Like an ant had sneezed on the toilet paper. I think my cervix is just taunting me.

[loveneverfails]

Good luck, sew_crafty!!!!

[jsh7809]

Good morning! Can you believe it's the 11th already?! And how many babies there are already being born?!
I am totally lurking on the post partum mama thread, to get good birthing vibes and to see what's coming next. Sounds like more hard work, but tons of loving/ cuddling/ zone out/ baby kissing time... I feel so ready for that!
Still waiting (somewhat) patiently here... I've been feeling crampy all weekend since my membrane sweep, some mucous, but nothing amazing, and the mucous seems to have stopped. Last night I thought maybe I felt one or two contractions but then nothing. Since I don't really know what they feel like yet (these felt a little low, like maybe just intestinal cramping or regular menstrual stuff) I have to assume I WILL know once things get going. Not worried about that
Today seems like a good day to be born to me... I was hoping things would start overnight but woke up with even less signs than yesterday. I'm going to give myself another "break" day (and ignore people telling me "have sex" "Drink castor oil" "go for a walk" "do acupressure" "hop on one foot and recite the alphabet backwards" or whatever) and just try to focus on how close we are.

Hope everyone is doing great!

[GreenTeaGinger61]

Well since SCG is now in labor I better be close behind:P I keep joking I've been waiting for her to go. ELV

I should have been here last week when I was all depressed and crying. You guys make me LOL. And I need that right now

P+H: Missed you! And I'll look into the pressure points. I'm not sure if anything is going to work as I think little blueberry just isn't ready but who knows!? I keep joking that she/he is a trickster.

As for pumping, I was told with all three to not pump for a few weeks in order to prevent engorgement. My babes all went through times where they needed more and you know my breasts adjusted to meet their needs. It's exhausting to pump while trying to care for a new born. With my last daughter, I didn't start pumping until about a month before I knew I'd need a supply (had classes and she was going to be with dh). She was 3 months old when I started, and I was still able to build up a good pump supply. And then my son who was 5.5 when born..so tiny...had a hard time latching, and we went through a few weeks of literal hell but the lc told me to not pump. Once he got his latch on, he gained a ton of weight so anyway...I guess the advice to not pump was sound. Hope you get some more professional answers soon!

[jsh7809]

Originally Posted by laughingfox

Good luck and ELV, sew_crafty!

I had the TINIEST bits of mucous this morning. Like an ant had sneezed on the toilet paper. I think my cervix is just taunting me.

Isn't it funny?! I just went pee and was thinking, "never in my life have I studied TP so closely after wiping than now!"

Also, last night, after feeling so crampy for 24 hours + but without any progress towards real labor, I took a tylenol... and immediately had this slightly confused, "but, wait, I want a drug-free childbirth" thought.
Had to remind myself UM I'm pretty sure that 1 tylenol is not in the same category as a freakin' epidural

[Dena]

Hi to everyone!! We wecomed Maya and Hannah on Friday after an intense 2-hour labor and birth! I am about to post their birth story seperately, but they are beautiful and amazing and doing well. Pics to come soon.

We do have a minor jaundice issue - they have Tom's bloodtype and likely got some of my blood mixed up with theirs. Anyway, we are sitting by windows and nursing as much as possible today, and are going in for a blood draw at the peds office this afternoon. Fortunately I see a very laid-back peds practice, and I know they won't put us in the hospital for phototherapy unless absolutely necessary.

I still can't believe they are here. I bawled after they were born and kept looking at Tom and repeating "they're here. And they're both alive. Neither of them died." He just kept nodding and smiling. Oh! And I got to cut Maya's cord!! I never would have thought of it, but my OB suggested it - commenting that I would never have that opportunity again. Pretty darned cool!!

Ok, off to post their birth story.

Those of you trying to get labor started, I can say that crawling around the house and up and down stairs on my hands and knees seemed to bring on some nifty contrax for me. Stairs especially. Good luck to all of you - I have been thinking of you all and hoping you would all be holding babies soon! Can't wait to hear the rest of the brith stories from this ddc!!

[dogretro]

I totally pumped every single morning w/ dd. I would not have been able to function if I had not. Plus, for me, it did keep me from being engorged. I had a rockin freezer supply and took bottles w/ us everywhere (sometimes it was just easier/more comfortable for me than bfing). I figure I will need to do the same thing w/ this lo. DD was a champ nurser from the get go & loved to nurse

I'm feeling weird again today. Had some "cleaning out" all morning & then have been feeling restless ever since then. Maybe this is that burst of energy that They talk about before labor. Cramps & contrax & back aches have gotten steadily more often over the past couple of days. I keep wanting to go outside & walk but dh is out on an errand & dd is sleeping. I am going out for a walk by myself once he gets home. We shall see. I have felt weird like this & it has obviously not led to a baby, so I'll just enjoy it while it's here!!!

[dogretro]

Congratulations, Dena!!!!!

[loveneverfails]

CONGRATULATIONS, DENA!!!!!

[GreenTeaGinger61]

Dean

I was wondering if you had had the twins yet! Congratulations!

[loveneverfails]

My 3 year old daughter has been stealing Mercy's baby clothes to put them on her teddy bear. Well, we turned around and took the teddy bear in the baby clothes (size 3 months) and used it to approximate a newborn for carseat adjustment purposes. TURN ABOUT IS FAIR PLAY, LITTLE GIRL!

[boheime]

It's the 11th????!!!!!??? I need to get cleaning and painting and reorganizing and.....

[Carita]

congrats dena!

stilll very pregnant here. What's on the docket for next week? My mom takes DS Mon - Tuesday so I am hoping for a nice date night with DH Mondy night & to finish a lot of work I need to do before I am too sleep depreived to do it. Then Wed is the next MW appt/AFI check, and Thursday is chiro. Last time I was in at the chiro she asked if I was done being pregnant. We last week I was not even 39 weeks, but at this appt I'll be near 40, so I think it is okay to ask her to work her magic. It would be perfect because Thursday is also DHs last day of teaching. Wish me luck!

[bubbamummy]

SCG - thinking of you, hope you still get the home birth you want.

Dena congratulations again on the twins, I loved reading your birth story and it was great that you seemed to have such a wonderful team of nurses and a great OB.

AFM - well since I have my c-section date now - 9 DAYS AWAY eeeek!! Im kinda hoping I dont go into labor since the OB said id be 'rushed in for an emergency C-section' and that does NOT sound like fun especially since we have no one to take care of DS 'scheduling' my babies b-day sucked but at least we have a plan in place now and my mother-in-law will be here, she's a nurse and im hoping it might be my 'early release ticket' from the hospital if they know I have medical help at home. Ive never even had an IV before or stayed over night in a hospital-this will def. be an 'experience'

[smeisnotapirate]

Congrats, Dena! And dhinterlinder, too!

Still here - still nothing.

There is some hysterical footage of me dancing with my students at a bar mitzvah party last night. Stupid electric slide didn't bring on a single contraction, though. I have a feeling I'm a LONG way away from baby's birthday.

[rhiOrion]

my MIL must have run out of things to clean. I just noticed she cleaned the hair out of my hair brush.