May Chat Thread - Week 3 - Page 2

[swimming-duck]

Originally Posted by MaryElizabeth 

And for me....Had my 36 week appointment today, Not GBS+ !, didn't really think that I would be, but still nice to know :)  

Apparently it's not uncommon for a pregnant mom to take Procardia and a narcotic pain medication EVERY day until their due date. Does that seem crazy to anyone else but me????

Hooray for no GBS! Why were you expecting to be GBS+? Were you with a prior pregnancy? I was with my son and am hoping that I won't be with this one - I don't know if I'm more likely to be GBS+ since I was last time? 

Originally Posted by BHappy 

i feel ready to bring this baby into the world!

oh, and we may have just agreed on a boy's name... whoa.

and the moon is full.

i'm so feelin it...

Well, I'm ready to read a birth story on our board, so that would be fantastic!

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Sigh. Just got back from my 37-weeks-tomorrow MW appointment. Freaking baby has gone transverse on me.

 Hopefully it's just a temporary thing and that baby will get that head down!

Originally Posted by Mamatoabunch 

I miss talking to you all! We are finishing up packing, getting the truck tomorrow and leaving Thursday. I am sitting here a minute. I cannot believe I will be 36 weeks on Thursday. Dh started his leave now, so I hope baby arrives soon after we arrive. 

Good luck with your move!

My mom is giving me a much needed break tonight. She's got my DS for the night. Hence I have time to read and respond right now! I'm thinking of a relaxing night involving a hot bath and some hypnobabies practice. If I get motivated I suppose I should put some laundry away!

[swimming-duck]

Oh...and my birth pool came in the mail today. Woo woo! I got excited just reading the instructions for it - how silly am I? I'm just so ready to hop in and birth my baby now - just gotta wait for baby to finish baking!

[MaryElizabeth]

No, Ive not been GBS+. I didn't think that I would be, I just always wonder.. what if? ya know? Not that it is a big deal anyway!

[Lidamama84]

Annabelle: you must be sooo motivated! I can't even fathom packing up my whole house and moving right now. Did you guys already have lots packed or are you just that quick?!?!?

I did my GBS swab today; I was positive last time around, but the midwife said it didn't affect whether or not I would be this time. I haven't actually done anything at home to reduce my chances, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed, because I had a bad reaction to the antibiotics last time :(

Thanks for all the advice re: EPO. Now I just need to find a store that sells smaller bottles of the stuff. I went to one natural food store today and their smallest container was 180 capsules!!!  Not planning on being pregnant that long!!!

[swimming-duck]

MaryE - just realized that I skipped a word when I read  your post and thought you said that you thought you would be, not that you didn't think you would be. Ah - preggo brain - gotta love it!

Out of curiosity, does anyone here know that they are GBS+ and what are you doing about it? Are you going with garlic, other natural supplements, hibiclens, taking the antibiotics, and/or not worrying about any kind of treatment unless the risk factors are present during labor? I'm going to be tested by my midwife in a little over two weeks and I have yet to decide what I'm going to do if I am GBS+. I know it's probably silly to be stressing about this, but I was GBS+ with my son and had a very medical birth then, so I did all of the antibiotics (even without risk factors present) and I really don't want this little one to have any medically unnecessary antibiotics on his/her birth day.

[JosieAK]

Phew, so much to catch up on!

MamatoaBunch, I cannot BELIEVE you are done packing already!  I think I want 10 kids or whatever amazing skills that can do all that while in your last month of pregnancy!  I hope the move keeps going smoothly!

Smokering, sorry about the transverse baby.  I am sure that it's very temporary.  My little person moves so much still too, right to left and back and forth.  I get kicks and punches everywhere.  But of course, it's only what has happened in the midwife's office that gets recorded.  Hope it resolves quickly!

Redeyedvireo, so that's YOUR town!  Sorry about that.  All the breast feeding groups on Facebook are having cows in righteous indignation right now.  I am so sorry you have to put up with that, but at the same time, I'm really glad that there are mamas like you in that town to show a little sense.  I have a feeling that it won't last long with all the uproar that I am seeing nation wide on your behalf.  Personally, it makes me so frustrated, that I would be looking FORWARD to my child being two so I could practice some civil disobedience!

Okay, cloth diaper stuff . . . I was using Rockin' Green Hard Rock formula with only a tablespoon and a half maybe per load.  I added a gallon of hot water to the cold rinse cycle and a gallon of hot to the hot wash cycle, then did an extra rinse/wash.  I have a mixture of organic cotton diapers and microfiber type things and they ALL started reeking of ammonia.  I researched like crazy to find out what to do about it.  I took all my diapers over to grandma's and did a bleach/dawn strip of the diapers and tried again adding a couple scoops of Funk Rock to the mix.  I was so sick of the stink, the rashes, and then we moved to a temporary place with a NEW washer and life got complicated, so I switched to 'sposies for a few months.  Now I am trying to go back, and the diapers (all washed before storage) still have residue!  Ugh!  I did an overnight soak with Rockin' Green, again, and they still smelled when I held them up to my nose (previously, they wouldn't smell like ANYTHING after a wash).  So I am doing a Dawn/Oxygen Bleach strip to see if I can get them to a neutral place.  I think Rockin' Green may just not work for me.  But I don't want to give up quite yet, since I have a new washer, different water, and I know I am dealing with old problems.  I am researching detergents and am considering using the All Free and Clear Military version with no optical brighteners.  According to the charts, the only issue with using All Free and Clear is the brighteners, and if I avoid that, I should be good to go.  I'll just have to use less. 

I am so glad people can love their front loaders.  I wonder if mine didn't have cloth diaper friendly features, because I sure did try!  I researched, watched youtube videos, asked experts, asked forums of experience moms, read articles.  I have been such a gung-ho CDing Mama until now, but giving your child a rash because of your diaper choices is a horrible feeling!   So I am REALLY hoping to get back to a better place!  I think using new prefolds with the baby will be nice because they are so uncomplicated and aren't already compromised.

[Max'sMama]

JosieAK -  sounds like you may benefit from a single application of a enzyme clean.  I would try a single sanitary cycle or white cycle wash with a prewash and split a tablespoon of detergent between the cycles.  Something like Tide free and clear or Tide Pure and Simple (whichever the name is now).  Sounds like you may have a bit of organic matter (skin cells and the like) in the fibers.  Make sure it's the powder kind though, the tide liquid (most liquids really) have oils that stick to the diapers.  An extra rinse at the end and a sun dry really should take care of the issue.  You could also try to jack up your water heater temporarily a couple hours before to make the water nice and toasty for them.

Good luck.  

Smokering- that sucks about the transverse, but with 3-5 weeks one would think that would be enough time and space to get turned right.  Mine flipped breach right at 34 weeks and the next day was in a much better position in the pelvis  and fully head down.

[Bald_Bull's_Mama]

Originally Posted by swimming-duck 

MaryE - just realized that I skipped a word when I read  your post and thought you said that you thought you would be, not that you didn't think you would be. Ah - preggo brain - gotta love it!

Out of curiosity, does anyone here know that they are GBS+ and what are you doing about it? Are you going with garlic, other natural supplements, hibiclens, taking the antibiotics, and/or not worrying about any kind of treatment unless the risk factors are present during labor? I'm going to be tested by my midwife in a little over two weeks and I have yet to decide what I'm going to do if I am GBS+. I know it's probably silly to be stressing about this, but I was GBS+ with my son and had a very medical birth then, so I did all of the antibiotics (even without risk factors present) and I really don't want this little one to have any medically unnecessary antibiotics on his/her birth day.

I'm taking GSE capsules for yeast and they're supposed to help with GBS as well. I'll dtd the night before my appointment, as semen is supposed to kill that stuff off, I hear. If I am positive, I'll do the garlic, maybe the hibiclens and retest. I may do a garlic before the test, too. Like, have sex, then insert a garlic overnight. Ugh, what a murky, funktastic vag I'll have for the day.

[swimming-duck]

Bald Bull's Mama - What are GSE capsules? It's probably something obvious, but I can't seem to think what that is right now. I had no idea semen is supposed to kill off GBS. Perhaps I'll have to let DH know that! It's weird. My pregnancy with DS I didn't have any desire for sex at all. This time around it's been completely opposite and actually I'm finding that the nights we dtd I have a much easier time falling asleep and sleep more soundly. Weird how it can be so totally different from one pregnancy to the next.

[MaryElizabeth]

Josie--- I tried to use RockinGreen detergent and could NOT get it to work for me. I had a terrible time with stink, repelling, you name it. I switched to Tide Free and Clear and it's AMAZING!!! Who knew all along that Tide would be the answers to my problems-- I was such a hater about any "mainstream" detergents!

[jshannyn519]

I'll have to try and catch up tonight!

This week is insanely busy for me, as I'm doing a certification course to re-get my certification as a Child Passenger Safety Technician so I can once again (legally) help parents install car seats and check their use and all that good stuff. It's a 32 hour course, 4 days 8-5, with lots of in and out of cars all day long plus the classroom stuff. I'm just glad that a lot of this is a review so I don't have to think too hard! lol

Plus, the kids each have an evening game this week that we have to drive far to. My son's was last night, DD's is Friday night, and thankfully we have no plans tonight after my class so I can actually DO something. Like clean the kitchen. lol

Have a good day all!

[swimming-duck]

Jenni - I swear my back started to hurt just thinking about climbing in and out of cars all day long! Good luck with your class. I hope the busyness passes quickly for you!

[JosieAK]

Good Morning! 

Ugh, I've been up since 2:30am.  Yesterday I had a massage, chiropractic adjustment, and went swimming---ALL for the health of my circulation, etc.  And I had the worst night EVER with my hands falling asleep.  My right hand is the worst and it throbs to the point of pain.  I cannot keep this up.  I have family coming over to help me sort and move things. I don't know how I am going to function on 3.5 hours of sleep!  Maybe I'll just have to excuse myself and take advantage of their presence with DD to take a nap.

I gave up after every possible position/pillow combination I could think of, even putting a rolled towel between my shoulders as the masseuse suggested.  I am now eating a bowl of comfort cinnamon cereal and an apple, while drinking my pregnancy herb infusion. I am wondering if I may be deficient in some mineral.  *sigh* I HATE taking vitamins, expensive ones too, just to throw them up again!  But I will try again tomorrow night to take my vitamins and minerals before bed and keep it up for as long as possible.

Thanks for the CD suggestions.  I am glad I am not crazy for thinking of going more mainstream with my detergent.  I am happy with the smell that they had when coming out of the Dawn/oxygen bleach strip (with 5 rinses) and they are in the dryer now.  I will have to see how that goes.  If I have more issues, I will try an enzyme cleanse.  I hate the beating these wonderful diapers are getting from all this STUFF, but hopefully I can get beyond this and go back to my normal gentle routine.

For what it's worth, I planned a home birth last time (yada, yada) and decided not to be tested for GBS because I knew I wouldn't go the antibiotic route.  I regretted this when I transferred to the hospital "GBS UNKNOWN" and automatically got the IV.  Ugh.  I am so thankful that we didn't struggle with months of thrush, yeast, etc. as many moms do.  I was sad that the months of taking probiotics to prepare the area down there for the grand entrance of my baby, was pretty much destroyed.   I have read studies that show that although the antibiotics can help with GBS, babies who receive the antibiotics are more susceptible to superbugs (in the hospital), almost to the point where there is no difference between mortality rates getting or not getting the antibiotics.  SO, THIS time, I am going to get the test.  I have a 3 in 4 chance of NOT having GBS and I will move on with life (in or out of the hospital).  If I DO have it, we will go from there.  I may try some herbal washes, garlic, maybe topical GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract), etc. and retest.  I will probably hold off on hibiclense as a last resort since I don't want to present my baby with an absolute sterile environment down there.  From all I understand, they NEED the good flora from their mama to begin propagating in their own gut for a healthy digestion.

Anyway.  Right now I am thankful to live in the land of the midnight sun.  At least it isn't totally depressing to be awake alone since it has been twilight this whole time, and the sun will be coming up soon. :)  There is also an awesome moon.  I am definitely going to have to count my blessings today!

[Snowflake777]

Hi ladies!

Just popping in to say I've been having pretty regular contractions all morning. Trying not to get too excited seeing as they're a full 20 minutes apart, but you never know.

I just called DH and told him to stay by his phone in case something is actually happening.

I'm so not ready! I haven't even packed my hospital bag!

[swimming-duck]

Josie - Good luck with the diapers. I had horrible ammonia build-up with some of my son's diapers once he got older, but I bought so many of them used that it was hard to know if it was something I was currently doing or if there was something from the way they were cared for by previous owners. This time around I'd like to sell off a lot of the used and buy as much new as possible so that if there's a smell I know that it's something specifically in my routine. I use Hard Rock and love it and I'm going to try their new Funk Rock, but I've definitely had to strip with Dawn before and hey, you gotta do what works. I hope your diapers are able to stay funk free!  Also, thanks for posting about the GBS. I've gone back and forth on getting tested and finally decided to have the test for the exact reasons that you mentioned. In the unlikely event of a transfer I want to have a piece of paper that says I'm GBS-. I've been taking probiotics off and on during this pregnancy, but that's all I've done to ward off GBS so far. I only have another week and a half before I test. Is there something more that I should do in the meantime? If I'm positive, I don't know how long I have to wait before I can retest. I imagine that I'd want to do some GBS clearing regime of sorts and retest. I really want that negative on a piece of paper somewhere just in case.

Snowflake - Get that bag packed and keep us posted. Maybe you'll be our first birth story!

[Mommy2Austin]

Originally Posted by JosieAK 

Okay, cloth diaper stuff . . . I was using Rockin' Green Hard Rock formula with only a tablespoon and a half maybe per load.  I added a gallon of hot water to the cold rinse cycle and a gallon of hot to the hot wash cycle, then did an extra rinse/wash.  I have a mixture of organic cotton diapers and microfiber type things and they ALL started reeking of ammonia.  I researched like crazy to find out what to do about it.  I took all my diapers over to grandma's and did a bleach/dawn strip of the diapers and tried again adding a couple scoops of Funk Rock to the mix.  I was so sick of the stink, the rashes, and then we moved to a temporary place with a NEW washer and life got complicated, so I switched to 'sposies for a few months.  Now I am trying to go back, and the diapers (all washed before storage) still have residue!  Ugh!  I did an overnight soak with Rockin' Green, again, and they still smelled when I held them up to my nose (previously, they wouldn't smell like ANYTHING after a wash).  So I am doing a Dawn/Oxygen Bleach strip to see if I can get them to a neutral place.  I think Rockin' Green may just not work for me.  But I don't want to give up quite yet, since I have a new washer, different water, and I know I am dealing with old problems.  I am researching detergents and am considering using the All Free and Clear Military version with no optical brighteners.  According to the charts, the only issue with using All Free and Clear is the brighteners, and if I avoid that, I should be good to go.  I'll just have to use less. 

I am so glad people can love their front loaders.  I wonder if mine didn't have cloth diaper friendly features, because I sure did try!  I researched, watched youtube videos, asked experts, asked forums of experience moms, read articles.  I have been such a gung-ho CDing Mama until now, but giving your child a rash because of your diaper choices is a horrible feeling!   So I am REALLY hoping to get back to a better place!  I think using new prefolds with the baby will be nice because they are so uncomplicated and aren't already compromised.

I'm gonna say if it's at all possible for you, to ditch the MF. I'm going to nearly guarentee that is where your issue is stemming from. I would also say ditch the Rockin' Green Detergent. I've heard nothing but issues about using that detergent on the diaper boards. I personally use the regular Sun (in the green bottle) detergent. I would use original Tide/ Tide Free and Clear if I had any issues. I had ammonia issues once upon a time, and literally as soon as I ditched the MF inserts/towels I never had an issue again. And I agree that prefolds are much less labor intensive :D I love my prefolds and flats!

Originally Posted by swimming-duck 

MaryE - just realized that I skipped a word when I read  your post and thought you said that you thought you would be, not that you didn't think you would be. Ah - preggo brain - gotta love it!

Out of curiosity, does anyone here know that they are GBS+ and what are you doing about it? Are you going with garlic, other natural supplements, hibiclens, taking the antibiotics, and/or not worrying about any kind of treatment unless the risk factors are present during labor? I'm going to be tested by my midwife in a little over two weeks and I have yet to decide what I'm going to do if I am GBS+. I know it's probably silly to be stressing about this, but I was GBS+ with my son and had a very medical birth then, so I did all of the antibiotics (even without risk factors present) and I really don't want this little one to have any medically unnecessary antibiotics on his/her birth day.

I was GBS- with my first and third children. I was GBS + with DS2. I just did my swab yesterday, so I don't know the results yet. When I had DS2, my MW tried to get the IV antibiotics going and just as she got the first bag set up to run I started to get pushy and my water broke. DS came less than 15 minutes later. If I'm GBS+ this time around I'm just going to skip the antibiotics unless for some weird reason my water breaks for an extended period of time (never has...it always breaks right as baby is coming out.)

[Mommy2Austin]

Had my appt. with MW yesterday at her house (she gave DH a big screen TV that wasn't working anymore and told him he could have it if he could fix it :) Kid in a candy store that one.) Hung out with MW and her family for the evening, it was really nice. Regaled her family with stories of all my minions and their hijinx and they all stared dumbfounded or laughing hysterically. Baby was head down yesterday and I was measuring right at 37 weeks. I also lost some weight yay me LOL. Ready for it to be over!!!

[Lidamama84]

JosieAK: I use Nellie's Laundry Powder and although I do sometimes notice a bit of an ammonia smell after the wash, I've heard adding a 1/4 cup of vinegar to the first rinse cycle can clear that up. Also, I dry my diapers in the sun all summer long (which is not very long where I live), and the sunlight just takes care of everything: smells, staining from iron supplements, you name it. I have bought all my diapers second-hand, but I've never done any stripping or anything. I also EC'd part time with DD1, so she was completely out of diapers by 22 mos, and now just wears them at nap/nighttime. I don't know how often you change your DD's diaper, but maybe more frequent changing might help?? I know for a while we had a lot of yeast infection issues with DD1, especially when she went to daycare at 16mos, because they only change them every 3 or 4 hours (yuck!)

I'm so glad that DTD is supposed to help with GBS. Lucky for me we did actually DTD the night before my test. I wish I'd know about the probiotics, though; I took them all winter long but stopped in February :(

I'm sooo looking forward to the long weekend!!!! A girlfriend of mine who lives 12 hours away is flying down, and we have a big girls' weekend planned. So I'm spending today getting the house all clean and tidy so I don't have to worry about it later. I guess I must be nesting a bit, because all I want to do is CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!!!

Oh, and I've been working on fixing my (second hand) BG diapers all week. I had to change all 3 elastics, plus the velcro tabs and laundry tabs in each diaper. And I have 11. But, tonight I am officially doing my last one   God, I hate sewing!!!

[tracymom1]

Wow, I totally can't keep up with the chat thread!!

So, on the cloth diaper thing, I just wanted to throw out my routine because I have NEVER had a problem with ammonia-smelly diapers so this may be of help. I have always used BioKleen's powdered laundry detergent, added a scoop of their oxygen (non-chlorine) bleach, a few drops (and only a few!!) of PURE tea tree oil. Wash on hot soak, cold rinse with an extra rinse. I also never, ever dry my diapers in the dryer. They have always been hung - either in the house on a rack or outside in the summer. They have lasted for almost 4 years and 2 kids, and will hopefully keep on going for this next little one! I hope that helps! ( I do a 5-rinse strip every 4 or 5 months - but it is a rinse only - I don't add any detergent or vinegar. Just lots of water!)

Things here are pretty much the daily grind. Nothing to really report. I think I am going to use my last remaining credit at the yoga place to take a few prenatal classes and am looking forward to that tomorrow.

Smokering, and those of you with non-vertex babes, I am 34 weeks and this little one keeps tossing and turning around like crazy in there. He is in a different position every single day. A good friend just had her baby flip breech at 38 weeks only to flip back to vertex as soon as labor started. Babies move around a lot - I think that most of us have several weeks left and a lot can happen in that time. Spend some time on your hands and knees and in the water - it can only help!

Snowflake - keep us updated!!! healthy baby labor vibes to you!!!

[painefaria]

Originally Posted by JosieAK 

Good Morning! 

Ugh, I've been up since 2:30am.  Yesterday I had a massage, chiropractic adjustment, and went swimming---ALL for the health of my circulation, etc.  And I had the worst night EVER with my hands falling asleep.  My right hand is the worst and it throbs to the point of pain.  I cannot keep this up.  I have family coming over to help me sort and move things. I don't know how I am going to function on 3.5 hours of sleep!  Maybe I'll just have to excuse myself and take advantage of their presence with DD to take a nap.

I had the same thing happen and my hands actually hurt worse then they did before . I have a few knitting projects that I wanted to finish and it hurts so much that I can only knit a few minutes at a time before I am in terrible pain Hopefully, you got your nap today.