October Mamas: week of March 29 - Page 3

[Lucysmama]

Just wanted to throw this in:

My 26 month old totally and completely understands this whole pregnancy and baby thing. She is telling EVERYONE that "Mommy has a baby in her tummy, and then Mommy will push the baby out through a hole in her yoni!" She pats my tummy and says, "Hi baby in the tummy."

We have been reading "Welcome with Love", "A Child is Born" and a few others...and we watched a few homebirth videos.

Give your toddlers a few months, they may be able to grasp it better!

[OakEmber]

Hey Mirthfulmom and Piglet68...I just realized that you two are also BCer's (at least at heart right Piglet?). I am in the Okanagan.

Piglet68, you mentioned that you might move back here before you have the baby, did you know that Midwifery is covered in BC by medical now? Not sure how long you have been gone for. Just thought it might be something that interests you. I am seeing a midwife in Kelowna...not sure how easy it is to find one in Van but here although they are very busy (there are only two currently) I haven't had a problem getting into see each of them.

Amie mommy to Ember (3) and EDD Oct.21

[mirthfulmum]

EmbersMOM - hello fellow BCer! It's always nice to have a few of us around.

Piglet - If you are hoping to have the baby in Vancouver call the midwives here right away! I can PM you the numbers for the clinics in town. Midwives fill up so fast and it would really suck if you had to settle for whatever OB was on duty the day you went into labour.

Funny you should ask about the location of the birth. Alias was born at BC Women's (also with a midwife) and we had a great experience there. I was 100% convinced that I was going to have this little one at BC Women's as well. Well the thing is that my midwife (or should I say midwives as they work in teams of two) are telling me that I am the perfect candidate for a home birth and am I sure that I want a hospital birth? You see my labour with my son was pretty fast. Hard labour to complete dialation was only 4 hours. And typically you cut that time in half with your second birth. So my midwives are kind of hinting that we might not even make it the hospital anyway. They've told us that we should buy a few home birth supplies just in case. I am nervous about the idea of birthing at home. I tend to be one of those people how imagines the worst case scenario, and also the idea makes my husband nervous. He just wants there to be immediate medical care available if necessary. We needed it with Alias as he was born blue so his nervousness is not totally unwarranted. So to answer your question Piglet... I don't know :.

And lastly, thanks for the book suggestions. I'll start shopping around soon.

[blessed2bamommie]

Originally posted by Lucysmama
"Mommy has a baby in her tummy, and then Mommy will push the baby out through a hole in her yoni!"

: She *definately does* understand doesn't she! And if anyone else doesn't she can set em straight!

[ameliabedelia]

I think I need to try that staying up late thing. Lately I have been having the same middle of the night insomnia.

Lucysmom, I can't believe how verbal your dd is. My dd is just 2 weeks younger, and she is no where near that verbal. We try to tell her there is a baby in mommy's tummy, but I don't think she understands quiet yet. I am really hoping she gains some understanding before the baby is born, and that we can also help her understand that the baby is going to get nursies too. She is very possessive of her nursies (if DH goes anywhere near them, she flips out), so we really need to talk to her about it and help her understand.

We need to get some books too, although we have been reading "Author's Baby" a lot lately. That has been her favorite book recently, so maybe she does understand more than we give her credit for.

Glad all you ladies are starting to feel better, that is wonderful.

[Piglet68]

truebluexf: the website is www.attachmentscatalog.com and check out their board books section. They have some lovely AP-type books for big-siblings-to-be

Mirthful: that is really exciting that you are a good candidate for a home birth!!!! Wow...you should go for it.

I'm a repeat C/S so I'm heading for hospital and an OB. I hear BC Women's is one of the best, but from all acounts most of the hospitals in Vancouver are very BFing friendly and up with the times. I gave birth to DD in Boston, MA and the hospital was fabulous: I got to be with her right after they sewed me up (during which time she was in DH's arms) and able to BF right away, etc. Rooming-in was the encouraged standard and nobody gave me flack for her sleeping in my bed, c-section drugs and all, lol. All the nurses were well-trained in BFing and very supportive. My friend gave birth at Lions Gate (on the North Shore) via C/S and had the very same wonderful experience. I believe Vancouver hospitals have excellent BFing rates, so I'm staying positive!

[Piglet68]

I just had to add this positive post that's been in my head all day...

Something I am just LOVING about being PG right now, and nursing is that I can EAT AND EAT AND EAT AND EAT....lol

I am addicted to our cafeteria's chicken fingers. I eat peanut butter on rice cakes, huge bowls of organic cheerios (great source of folic acid!), DH cooks a wonderful whole-foods homemade meal for dinner every night. I snack constantly. I am just non-stop eating and have only gained 2.5 lbs (normal PG gain).

I was loving it with nursing but now it's like a license to eat all the time, LOL. I am trying to enjoy this stage of my life to it's fullest b/c I just know when the nursing and babymaking is over, I'll be back to watching my sweets intake, but for now it's

HELLO CALORIES!!

[mirthfulmum]

Piglet - FYI St. Paul's does not allow rooming in for C-section births. BC Women's does.

[kama'aina mama]

I haven't told Bonnie yet (she is 3 1/2) but we got a book at the library last week called " When you were inside Mommy" by Joanna Cole. I liked it because it is a good introduction to the idea of where babies come from, has some great drawings, but focuses on her for now. So when I tell her there is a baby in me I think it will make sense to her.

Oh... and she did recently learn that babies come out of mommy's yoni, not her mouth as she suspected.

[Lucysmama]

Originally posted by kama'aina mama

Oh... and she did recently learn that babies come out of mommy's yoni, not her mouth as she suspected.

:LOL :LOL :LOL
That is so funny!!! It's so interesting to hear what kids' perceptions are.

T Amelia- my dd talks non-stop, all day. She is the biggest jabbermouth I have ever met. She is really really obsessed with books, and I think that is why she is so verbal. We read about 5-6 hours a day, and she would like to do much more!!! As a result, her motor skills aren't all that great - she can't take an article of clothing on or off, and she's kind of a little klutz. She may fall down a lot, but she'll get right up and tell me how it happened, why it happened, and how it felt. My mom says I was the same way...

She informed me today that the baby will have a yoni, and NOT a lingham (penis), and that she wants a baby sister named Clementine. : I said, "Ummmm...we'll see." She said, "Yeah, cause it's really a surprise."

So, is not knowing the gender killing anyone else?!?!? We don't plan to find out, as we are not having any u/s, but not knowing is sooooo rough for us! I don't care too much either way, but it's driving me nuts already.

[blessed2bamommie]

a lingham? Never heard that one!

Yeah...I really want to know...I have been praying and I believe its a boy; but, what if I'm surprised? Sooooooo....resisting buying boy stuff. I have sent dh the Mothering.com article on ultrasound. He's still holding onto the cultural expectation of the womb peek. And...of course, IRL folks are asking about u/s. : Gender neutral shopping is not as fun.

I've got a hair appointment too; by the grace of God, b/c she has a full afternoon. I should scrape myself off this couch and go take back my book that I had before I got pg. and get Peggy's Having a Baby Naturally that's on hold for me so I can read it!

Yall reading anything good about birth and pregnancy?

[AnnR33]

I'll be 10 wks tomorrow and the m/s is not getting better yet-aarrgg! I'm so sick of wretching and I hate looking at the toilet now-LOL Even with all this barfing I know I've gained weight and have not stepped on the scale-I'm afraid

My 5 yr old got a hold of my Sheila Kitzinger complete bk of childbirth and he is fascinated with the childbirth pics. We've talked about how the baby comes out of the mommy's vagina and he said "yuck, that looks pretty ugly" He he
After a few days of discussion he went to preschool and told the kids where the baby comes out and a few more details he saw in the book (not sure what?) I guess there was quite a heated discussion between some of the kids-LOL I bet the teacher was loving me that day! Luckily it's a Montessori so she has to talk about "real" things and said my DS was right and they could talk to their parents about it later.
He really loves talking to my belly and comes up with new names each week-we've had Charlie, tiko, moola, and yuni.....He's very creative....
My 2 yr old just says the baby is coming out when she's Cinderella at Halloween!

Wanted to let those of you that have options for childbirth that you are very lucky!! Here in hobunk Iowa homebirth is technically illegal though it certainly happens. But midwives cannot be licensed or anything. I've 2 friends that had homebirths in the last yr but their midwife was from almost an hr away and they had a heck of time getting a birth cert. There are only 2 hospital midwives in my area but they are at a university learning hosp about 30 min away and no way am I going there-everyone's a science experiment for the med students!
The closest birthing ctr is 1.5 hrs away so we just have 2 hospitals here. Though they do have very nice birthing one rm suites with whirlpools and the babyies are encouraged to room in.
Luckily I have a great family dr so don't have to mess with OB practices with a zillion drs and you never know who you'll get. Mine is pretty progessive compared to others and never argues with me when I throw her an alternative treatment or method so that's good.

Enough rambling....
Have a great weekend
Ann

[Piglet68]

Originally posted by mirthfulmum
Piglet - FYI St. Paul's does not allow rooming in for C-section births. BC Women's does.

Wow. I'm shocked. Definitely good to know, thanks!

Btw, having not birthed in BC yet, do you get to choose your hospital (based on your choice of OB I would assume) or do you have to birth closest to where you live?

Man, in the US it is soooo sweet. They actively try to recruit your business. The hospital in Boston where I birthed DD had ONLY private rooms, we had little fridges in our rooms so DH could bring me lots of fresh fruit, juice, etc. They had a snack bar room with toast and all sorts of munchies...that's what a consumer-driven health care system does, lol.

I don't know how you women do it, not knowing the sex, lol. I can't wait to find out. I'd go crazy not knowing!

[flitters]

choo choo choo choo choo

"like a very small train"

our wonderful midwife estimated the heart to be going strong around 150 - 160 beats per minute.

dh and i are just SO excited. he even said he was surprised at how excited he was to hear the heart and he hadn't expected to get all fluttery. i almost burst into tears. it was incredible.

our appointment was great. besides listening to the heartbeat, our midwife answered lots of questions, took some blood and gave us loads of info. i really adore her and am extremely confident in her care. she is so informed and just radiates kindness, wisdom and experience.

choo choo choo choo choo

[OakEmber]

Had an u/s today!

My midwife wanted me to have a dating u/s because I only had two periods after my m/c. The u/s jumped my due date up to Oct.15 from Oct.21, although I haven't talked to her to see if she will change it now but I assume she will since she did want one for that purpose. Makes sense in a lot of ways too as I thought the sperm would have had to have hung around for quite a few days because we BD long before I *thought* I O'd (and only twice so I didn't even think we hit it at all, LOL). I guess there is still a margin of error of 4 days I've read , but between 8-12 weeks or so is most accurate for dating, right? The whole purpose is really because I want a homebirth and it has to happen in a certain window so she wanted an exact date. So I went in thinking I was 11w1d and they said 12w0d. It's nice feeling like I've instantly graduated out of my first trimester!

Makes sense too that I have been feeling a little less tired, I even cooked and actual meal last night...not a cheater meal, LOL. And I have kicked over from queasy to hungry. And I don't feel so bad about wearing maternity pants, LOL.

It was really great to see the baby and the heartbeat (which was 146). It makes it seem real now, having had a m/c I am a bit more leary this time. Dh was there and Dd too, Dd was thrilled! I don't know if I will go back for the 18 week one, once seems like enough to me unless a true need arises.

It'll be nice if I have the baby around early to middle of Oct. Ember's birthday is Nov.6 and initially I was worried they'd be really close, it'd be nice to have a couple weeks between them (of course it's not the end of the world if that happens though). My EDD with Ember was Nov.5/00 and I had my m/c Nov.5/03 so I'd really like the baby to be born before then!

Amie Mommy to Ember(3) m/c Nov.5/03 and EDD Oct.15 with Oakley

Piglet- so maybe when you add me to the list you can put Oct.15 instead of the 21st...Thanks!

[Proudly AP]

hi, all

i'm happy to be joining you.

i am due with our second child around october 8th or so.

have really been feeling pretty good all along (don't throw anything at me, i can't help it )

i am nearly 13.5 weeks. this pg was planned.

i am 35, dh 36. dd 2, still nursing.

i declined all the tests, am planning a home birth and have a fabulous midwife and doula!



tickled to be here

[kama'aina mama]

No need to apologize for NOT feeling sick. Good for you!

You know what's weird? I have lost weight. I'm not sure how much since I don't own a scale... but I have. Probably about ten pounds. I know it's not great to be losing weight while pregnant. But people keep telling me how great I look. And when I look in a mirror I agree. : Our culture of thin-worship is so messed up!

[kama'aina mama]

It's 2:30 am. I should not be here. This sucks. That is all.

[water]

Kama, you are a dork! that said I am glad you are on our preggo thread, I always like reading your posts....even the infinitely long private thread!! (yes, I went there )