Queer & Pregnant: February & March - Page 25

[LibraryLady]

Good morning~  I have to say that one thing I'm currently enjoying are the nightly Krazy Hormone Dreams. Last night I had one where I and the other kids at the gymnastics camp I was attending (!?) was buying pot from Sarah Palin, and another where our oddball neighbor (not to be confused with our thieving white-trash neighbors) had brought us tons of baby furniture and put it in the yard and was refusing to take it back. This in itself wasn't so krazy, but the furniture was bizarre, including an antique wrought-iron crib with a special brazier attached to the side where you could build a fire to keep baby warm.  Yeah, no hazards there!   I've had a few nightmares, which are too horribly realistic, but mostly it's just kinda funny.     

Starling~  Excellent advice, and very true that this isn't the last time I'll have to deal with such things. Mom's been trying to talk us out of cloth diapering almost as long as we've been preggo, and continues to send me emails and call and tell me that Sophie is probably the best name for the baby.  So yes, being firm!!   I'm glad you have a sister who'll be such a good birth partner. I can see how the tennis ball massage would be good too.

Escher~ I did in fact notice our new moderator!  I hope I'll be able to behave myself in future....  SO GLAD for you  that you heard a strong heartbeat! It's the most reassuring sound.  Someone gave us one of those little Doppler thingies, but DP's never able to hear the baby's heart on her own. We just have to rely on the kicking to make sure all's still well.

Imogen~ Yikes about the PTL possibilities!  I'm glad you're prepared for everything and that you're taking it easy now.  32 weeks is early, but not TOO early, so I'm sure all will be well. Still, take care of yourself above all things!!!
 

Okay~ had a lazy day yesterday, must get tidying done today!!!  More later xoxoxoxoxo

[justrose13]

good morning all! i love how busy this board has gotten!!!

2ez, yay for your betas... seems to me that there is no reason to go in for a 4th... may it make everyone rest assured that you've got a sticky, sticky bean in there!!

crystal, stay good and rested! FX that that spotting stops (even though it doesn't mean anything) and you can just relax and enjoy early pregnancy!

starling, yep i totally got in the hot tub (for like 5 minutes) but you should have seen the looks on peoples faces! oh and i totally love the name solace! love it!

imogen, wow that is a spooky coincidence! stay in there and cook baby!!!

escher, i'm so glad your M/W appt went well! it's so awesome to be on the same page as your HCP! and hip hip hooray for heartbeats!!!! what was the BPM?

korey, your little girl is super adorable!!

library, i know those dreams! Krazy with a capitol K!

AFM, thanks for the reassurance on the bikini pic, everyone! i was unsure but it was the only suit i fit into and i needed to get in the water and float! it helped with my swelling so very much!! and DP says thanks for the compliments on her suit as well. still no baby, some ctx here and there... had a M/W appt yesterday and she says that she thinks my body is getting ready and it shouldn't be too much longer but then of course says don't count on it! i know, i know. lol. she says my swellings gone down and she often sees that just days before delivery... FX! i'm "due" on friday... i have another appt with m/w on next tues and she will do a sweep and stretch then (if i make it that far). she's guessing that this babe is in the 8+ lb range but with the disclaimer, nothing is acurate until the baby is born. i know, i know. i'm feeling really good and ready now... everything is set into place, like everything. i have gotten the car seat checked. i've got food in the freezer, pantry, cupboards and fridge. nursery is ready (oh yeah... pics...). co-sleeper in position. diapers washed and ready. transfer bag packed. all that we need is our baby! DP keeps telling me to stop hogging baby! we are so ready to find out what name belongs to this baby... tired of calling hir "baby" or "monkey" or ppl refering to baby as "it", not that they can really help it.

[AmandaHope]

Imogen: Glad you are resisting the urge to panic about an early labor/birth, and I'm thinking of you and hoping that your little one stays in there for a few more weeks at least.  I had DD at 35 weeks and she did fine; she had nasty jaundice but likely would have at full term, as well.  It sounds like some more opportunity to talk and learn with your DP about the birth process may not be a bad idea.  Could you watch some birth videos together and talk about them, perhaps? If you still have time for a class, that might help, too.

EZ: UGH to another hcg.  Even if the hcg is low (which it sounds like yours is not), there is absolutely nothing they can do about it, anyway!  But hopefully it will be reassuring.

Escher: Congratulations on a wonderful midwife appt and on hearing the heartbeat!   That is fantastic!  You must be so relieved.  I'm relieved for you!

Library: YAY for maternity leave and for handling the tension with your mom.  If possible, I think it is often better to try to address the issue rather than letting it slide, though trust me, I have done the latter many times. 

Wehrli: Love the pic! Sorry your BFF is leaving soon.  Come on, baby!

Crystal: Hang in there.The beginning of pg is so hard, but it really does get easier.

Julie: for round, preggo bellies.

AFM: Work has been insane the past few days, and I'm preparing for another trip next week to the West coast for a combination of work and family/friends/fun.  I'm looking forward to the trip but can't believe how much I have to get done before Sunday, and my parents are visiting, so I have no extra time.  Sigh.  My mom is obsessed with doing all of our window treatments and getting the baby's room started--which is lovely and wonderful, except that she was supposed to be here to spend time with DD while DD is on spring break, and instead, DD is watching movies while my mom sews and runs around.  

In pg news, I had the big anatomy scan yesterday. DP, DD, and my mom were there (!), but it went well.  Our LO is 1) still a girl and 2) is looking perfect and healthy in every way.    The doc also measured my cervix via internal u/s (back to the dildo cam) and said that there is no sign of it shortening, which means that (with the 17P shots I'm doing), he thinks I'm at very low risk for preterm membrane rupture or labor.  Amazing that they can say that at 21 weeks, but he was confident.  So that's great.  The only thing he noticed is that the blood flow in my right side abdominal/uterine (?) artery is a bit "sluggish."  The left one is normal.  He wants me to take a baby aspirin every day to help with it but said "not to lose any sleep over it."  So I'm trying not to worry about it.  Has anyone heard of this before?  I'll try to scan and post a pic later today. 

[justrose13]

this is me trying to be zen... come on baby...


Edited by justrose13 - 3/30/11 at 12:09pm

[imogenlily]

wehrli, I just noticed that the little heart is right at the end of your pregnancy ticker! It made me smile. Amazing, congratulations!

[LibraryLady]

Wehrli~ You are The Zen Mama!  I'm so excited to find out more about your li'l monkey!!  

AHope~ Yikes about your sluggish artery--that sounds terrible! I've never heard of it, but probably it'll just be a question of sleeping on one side rather than the other. Backache for you! Don't lose sleep indeed.

Having a Nest Fest today. Finally tidied/swept/dusted the living and dining rooms and put away the last of the baby gifts (and those millions of gift bags!!!) Found a box in the garage with a Walkman and some 15 year old mixtapes~ one from my first GF in High School! So I'm listening to that and having a Time Warp (indeed, that song is on one of the mix tapes...)

[2ezforyou]

Ugh! The net ate my post!

I'll return to redo personals later, but wanted to post that my fourth beta was 564 at 19dpo! I am doubling every 40 hours.

We'll go in on Monday to our RE's office for the first u/s and prenatal appt. DP doesn't actually go out of town until the following week, so we'll have two appts next week - 1 with our RE and 1 with our OB. I've been inspired by all of you and your midwives, and we're now considering a midwife....IF...we can find one that's family friendly in this town!

[justrose13]

2ez, we know a great midwife in milwaukee, wi...

[julietea8]

Wehrli, you're looking pretty zen to me. Sitting right on that lotus flower! Awesome pictures this week.

[julietea8]

Congratulations EZ. DW and I recently got clear and on the same page about homebirth and a midwife practice. For me, spending time with the midwives has been so much more than an appointment for an IUI ... we're really receiving care and nurturing from them and I soak it up. They are so full of knowledge too. We just had our first meeting with them for prenatal care and it was wonderful for both of us... so reassuring when they are able to say things like "in the last 15 years we've only tranferred one baby to the hospital after birth." Together over the years, this practice has delivered 4,000 babies. Makes me feel so good. Also, yay for doubling numbers!

[2ezforyou]

Wehrli - Save that number! We *might* be there faster than you think. (Or faster than I think for that matter. Ha!) And I LOVE the zen picture. You totally look relaxed and ready.

Julie - Thanks for the info on the midwives. I never, ever considered it before, and often wondered how/why women choose them over conventional hospital care. When I joined mothering last spring, I saw so many people on here who use them and so my curiosity has been peaked since.

Speaking of MW's, I have a few questions for anyone who cares to share their experiences. Are any MW services typically covered under health insurance? What does a MW ballpark range cost for the term of the pregnancy? What are some practices that your midwives do that make you desire their care verses a hospital? I am so nervous when I think of having the baby at home, but I am also very intrigued by the thought as well. (I worry too much!)

I can't thank you all enough for all the help! Some of you may know Miss Scarlett from the Queer TTC posts. She bought me a book on midwives that I've just started. I am so excited to learn more.

Signed,

Clueless

[CrystalPerez]

Please take me off the list.

Went to the hospital today and my beta was only 16, my urine test was negative. My cervix is closed but its only a matter of time.

[Cananny]

Crystal... ***big hugs**** .. I am so sorry for your loss!!!!

[2ezforyou]

Crystal - I am so sorry for your loss.

[smilingsara]

crystal: I'm so sorry for you and your DP. Big hugs for you! 

[qmama42]

Crystal--I am so very sorry to hear the news. Sending you both big hugs.

[starling&diesel]

Crystal ... I'm so sorry.  Please take good care of yourself. 

[starling&diesel]

ez ... With regards to midwives, it's covered under our health care benefits in Canada, so we don't pay, so I can't say anything about insurance or costs, but I can say that I would always choose a midwife over an OB.  Midwives take a much more holistic approach to what is (typically) a natural process that is too often seen as a medical problem by OBs.  (Yes, I'm generalizing here.)

I find midwives are quicker to work with you to solve any complications that might arise, using alternatives to standard and sometimes unnecessary medical or pharmaceutical interventions. 

For example, I developed pre-eclampsia quickly and drastically in my 37th week, and while an OB would've wanted to do a medical induction or c-section, my midwives prescribed me a herbal induction tonic and sent me home to do squats and make out with my partner.  And wouldn't you know it, it worked, and when I went in the next day, I was 8 cm dilated and 70% effaced.  My mw stripped my membranes and six hours later, we had a baby via a med-free labour.  This was at the hospital, attended by the midwives, where they have privileges. 

So even though we'd planned a homebirth, our midwives were in charge of my care, even when my pre-e necessitated a transfer to an OB overseer (that's the law here).  So, even though at the end I was officially under the care of an OB, my midwives were the ones who I dealt with, and the ones who caught dd.  I never actually saw an OB, ever.  My midwives kept the OB aware of any developments.   Also, dd needed resuscitating and I hemorrhaged, and had we been looked after by an OB team, dd would've been whisked away, but she and I stayed together in the same room, and even though a code was called, the midwives were in charge of the resuscitation, while the NICU team stood in the hallway, waiting to come in if needed.

I have a very romantic view of midwives (having wanted to be one since I was eight!).  They are masters of their profession, and depending on where you are and what the laws are, they are a very safe (safer, in my opinion!!!) alternative to standard medical care, which medicalizes and pathologizes what is a very natural and typically straight-forward process. 

Long winded, sorry! 

[imogenlily]

So sorry for your loss, Crystal. Be gentle with yourself.

[gumshoegirl007]

I'm so sorry Crystal.  Big hugs to you.