May Chat Thread - Week 3 - Page 3

[Smokering]

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!

I know... I'm trying not to freak out about it. I'm failing, of course. :p I can't believe the stinker stayed in the perfect birth position for WEEKS and then did this to me just as I reached full term. Between that and the nuchal cord fiasco and the IUGR scare (which, OK, was just my MW being hysterical, but still), I think this baby's trying to kill me. Then again, his big sister did try to kill me... fulminating pre-eclampsia... so maybe I just have evil offspring.

I did some inversions yesterday (which were most unpleasant - heartburn and being upside-down are a bad combination!), and I think the baby did something... he felt kind of oblique this morning, but I couldn't tell whether it was his head or bottom at the top. I've been prodding him in a paranoid fashion every few minutes for the past twenty-four hours. I used to be an ABA instructor; maybe I can treat it as a behavioral modification exercise and keep poking him in the head until he gets it safely out of harm's way in my pelvis! :p

Unfortunately the handstands-in-the-swimming-pool thing isn't going to work for me. For one thing, I have no maternity swimwear; for another, it's (nearly) winter here and the pools will be COLD; and most importantly, I have water-related phobias and get panic attacks when I put my head underwater. Also, I'm not sure I could physically manage a headstand, underwater or no! I'll get the Swiss ball out and do some more crawling and inversions today though. I did some "hip-dancing" yesterday, you know, hula-hoopy movements - DD thought it was hilarious. She sat on the couch and watched and laughed and occasionally said "Turn around! I want to see the other side!". I guess that opens up pole-dancing as a viable future career opportunity...

[jshannyn519]

Wow... a girl goes to a car seat training for a few hours... lol!

I came home from the training, day 2 of 4 in which we spent at least 2 hours outside this afternoon messing around installing different kinds of seats in different kinds of cars, totally exhausted and overheated. I took a shower and I've been downing water all day long. But, my awesome BIL was here today and he set the crib up for me! I did have a pack'n'play set up next to my bed, but my sister and BIL are loaning me their crib. He brought it over and put it all together for me. It looks HUGE after having the pnp in that corner for the last several weeks. Now I just need to find a mattress, mattress pad, and get some of those waterproof sheet protecting things that are fuzzy.

I should probably also go through the other baby stuff that my sister has given me, since it's in about 8 different grocery sacks that are jammed into a box in my closet. There's a monitor in there, some bottles, and a bunch of other stuff. I really need a better organization system...

However, for now since I am tired and stuff, I'm going to go lie down in my bed and relax for a bit and eat some ice. :)

Oh, and here's some shameless self promotion... tomorrow is my 32nd birthday!

[BarefootScientist]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

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

Oh no! Here's hoping she turns back before labor!

Originally Posted by Bald_Bull's_Mama 

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.

Really? I guess my body's habit of kicking off contractions after sex may be beneficial then!

Originally Posted by 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!

Oooooo! Any updates??

Happy birthday Jenni!

[jshannyn519]

Smokering I hope he turns too! It's really stressful to have a baby not in the vertex position. Especially after my c/s for a breech baby. I was totally traumatized by that. I'd rather go into labor tonight than have to worry about a non vertex baby.

I'd also really like to be able to know if these random crampy feelings that I've been having for the last week actually mean anything, or if it's just my uterus being tired and achy and wanting to give up.

[Max'sMama]

Happy Birthday Jenni!

I agree about never wanting a c-sect.  Ugh. I can't imagine the healing, especially with older kids at home.  I had a friend have a section 4 months ago and it was miserable for her.  Healing was no fun.  I talked to my midwife right after Easter about breech birth.  She told me that if this babe turns breech I would be a good candidate for vag delivery.  Which made me so much more relaxed.  That added to the fact that she has attended breech deliveries  My grandma had my uncle by vag breech in 1953 and claimed it hurt but wasn't bad.   I am glad that mine was only breech for a day this late.  I hope everyone that is not vertex has the good fortune of baby turning before labor!

So I sit here at 1:30 in the morn, with HORRID heartburn.  So I am sipping on a carbonated Pepsi throwback (real sugar !!!)   It seems to help to have the bubbles give me a bit of burping opportunity.  EEEk.  At least I have knitting.    I just really want to sleep.  I was almost asleep and jr here did a jumpy thing that woke me up and started wicked heartburn, but the plus was the jump did release the bladder pressure so I could pee;)

[Smokering]

Yeah, I... well, to say that I don't want a C-section is an understatement. If someone had told me I'd have a C-section with the next baby, DD probably would have been an only child. My mental health has never been too robust at the best of times, and I think a C-section might pretty much break me. So, yeah.

Still no idea where this baby's head's at. He definitely isn't plain ol' side-to-side any more, but that doesn't mean he's in a (much) better position. I can't figure it out!

I had some vague stomach pains and ickiness this evening - I don't think it's pre-labour, but you never know. More likely I'm coming down with something. Things are Going Around. Having a baby in winter probably wasn't my best idea ever...

[Snowflake777]

Happy Birthday Jenni!! Are you planning to do anything special?
 

Originally Posted by BarefootScientist 

Oooooo! Any updates??
 

I'm still here! I have no idea what's going on.

Yesterday I had regular contractions from morning until afternoon. There were definitely a few moments where I was like "Oh yeah, this is the real deal!", but sure enough they fizzled out by early evening. I had a couple of random BH after that, but nothing exciting. Went to bed thinking that was the last of it.

Then I woke up several times in the night with bad cramps & needing to run to the bathroom to go #2. Around 4am the pain was too bad for me to sleep. Not regular contractions with a clear-cut start & finish, just constant pain like bad AF cramps. I got up and that went away after a while, and somehow I managed to get back to sleep. Woke up again at 7.20 with bad cramps & the runs. Now it's 7.40 and the pain has subsided again.

I don't know what to think! The pain is no joke while I have it, but then it disappears for a couple of hours. I wish my body would make up it's mind!

Anyway, I'm going to have a shower because I'm feeling crampy again, then give my MW a call to see what she makes of it.

[Smokering]

Jenni, I wouldn't be surprised if that's real labour! Your baby's spine doesn't happen to be lying along the right-hand front side of your tummy, does it? My MW said that if a baby's in that position, labour can sort of start and stop and pootle along for a while while the baby gets its position sorted out, and then bam. So maybe that's it?

Just did another inversion and crawled around on the floor for a bit. DD thought this was hysterically funny. "Come see what Mummy's doing, Daddy! She looks like a koalalalala!". (Sweet child: can't pronounce "koala", or indeed "banana" or "Joanna", without repeating the last syllable many times.)

I think this baby has suddenly discovered the delights of moving around again, after being so many weeks head-down. He's skittering about everywhere, bouncing off the walls...

[Snowflake777]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Jenni, I wouldn't be surprised if that's real labour! Your baby's spine doesn't happen to be lying along the right-hand front side of your tummy, does it? My MW said that if a baby's in that position, labour can sort of start and stop and pootle along for a while while the baby gets its position sorted out, and then bam. So maybe that's it?

Just did another inversion and crawled around on the floor for a bit. DD thought this was hysterically funny. "Come see what Mummy's doing, Daddy! She looks like a koalalalala!". (Sweet child: can't pronounce "koala", or indeed "banana" or "Joanna", without repeating the last syllable many times.)

I think this baby has suddenly discovered the delights of moving around again, after being so many weeks head-down. He's skittering about everywhere, bouncing off the walls...

Did you mean me? (I'm Sarah, btw.. ) Whoever you mean, yes, my baby is lying like that! Thanks so much for telling me! I had no idea position could effect labour in such specific ways.

Good luck turning your little boy! I hope he gets himself sorted out quickly.

[Smokering]

Oh, sorry. Sarah. Right. Me too, as it happens, although a surprising number of people in real life call me Smokering.

[swimming-duck]

Happy Birthday Jenni!

Sarah - I think we're going to be reading your birth story very soon! Maybe some time on the birth ball or pelvic tilts or something will help that baby get its position sorted out!

Is anyone NOT having BH? I feel like so many people are saying that they are. I'm not. I never did with my first pregnancy, which I know is not uncommon, but I figured that I would with this pregnancy. I'm 34 weeks, so maybe it'll be a bit before they start? I know it's weird, but I kind of want them. Because of the way I birthed my son, I didn't really get to feel much in the way of contractions and now that I'm having a natural home birth I guess I was hoping for some BH so that I could practice somewhat!

[BarefootScientist]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Jenni, I wouldn't be surprised if that's real labour! Your baby's spine doesn't happen to be lying along the right-hand front side of your tummy, does it? My MW said that if a baby's in that position, labour can sort of start and stop and pootle along for a while while the baby gets its position sorted out, and then bam. So maybe that's it?

Huh. That's how my baby is positioned too. Usually, anyway. Never heard that before.

[tracymom1]

Jenni!!! What are you doing today to celebrate?

Snowflake, I am thinking we will be hearing about your baby first! Got my fingers crossed for you!

Yeah, I just think that the babies are doing all this flipping and squirming around to remind us that they are really the ones in charge. I swear this little one I have is going to be the biggest stinkerpants ever. Every time he turns vertex, he flips back around. Every time someone puts their hand on my belly to feel him move, he completely stops. Whenever I want to get a good listen to his heartbeat, he scoots right behind the placenta so all I can her is the wooshing. Stinker, I say!

[heathenmom]

Happy birthday, Jenni!!

[Snowflake777]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Oh, sorry. Sarah. Right. Me too, as it happens, although a surprising number of people in real life call me Smokering.

So that makes at least three Sarahs in this thread. Typical.

Originally Posted by swimming-duck 

Happy Birthday Jenni!

Sarah - I think we're going to be reading your birth story very soon! Maybe some time on the birth ball or pelvic tilts or something will help that baby get its position sorted out!

Is anyone NOT having BH? I feel like so many people are saying that they are. I'm not. I never did with my first pregnancy, which I know is not uncommon, but I figured that I would with this pregnancy. I'm 34 weeks, so maybe it'll be a bit before they start? I know it's weird, but I kind of want them. Because of the way I birthed my son, I didn't really get to feel much in the way of contractions and now that I'm having a natural home birth I guess I was hoping for some BH so that I could practice somewhat!

We'll see. I think I'm going to take a little waddle around the block to see if that does anything.

I hope you get some BH!

Originally Posted by BarefootScientist 

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Jenni, I wouldn't be surprised if that's real labour! Your baby's spine doesn't happen to be lying along the right-hand front side of your tummy, does it? My MW said that if a baby's in that position, labour can sort of start and stop and pootle along for a while while the baby gets its position sorted out, and then bam. So maybe that's it?

Huh. That's how my baby is positioned too. Usually, anyway. Never heard that before.

http://spinningbabies.com/baby-positions/belly-mapping

http://spinningbabies.com/baby-positions/all-positions/right-occiput-anterior
 

Originally Posted by tracymom1 

Jenni!!! What are you doing today to celebrate?

Snowflake, I am thinking we will be hearing about your baby first! Got my fingers crossed for you!

Yeah, I just think that the babies are doing all this flipping and squirming around to remind us that they are really the ones in charge. I swear this little one I have is going to be the biggest stinkerpants ever. Every time he turns vertex, he flips back around. Every time someone puts their hand on my belly to feel him move, he completely stops. Whenever I want to get a good listen to his heartbeat, he scoots right behind the placenta so all I can her is the wooshing. Stinker, I say!
 

He's messing with you!

In other news, my midwife has me freaking out a little by telling me that she's sure I have a boy, based on the slow heartbeat. 1) I'm pretty sure the whole heartbeats in utero & gender thing is a myth, right?? Shouldn't a medical professional know better? 2) This better not be a boy, seeing as we have no boy clothes! 3) Now I'm slightly freaked out that there might be something wrong. Trying not to worry too much though. DD1's heartbeat was always around 130 too, and she was just fine (and a girl ).

Also, my fundal height has gone from measuring a few weeks ahead, to a few weeks behind. This is exactly what happened last pregnancy, and everything was totally fine, so I'm really not worried at all. Still, if it hasn't improved by next appt (if I make it that far!) then we'll be doing a growth ultrasound. Fine by me! I'd love to see my little one one more time before she's born.

[BHappy]

hey jenni! happy birthday! hope your day is off to a great start

[BHappy]

last night as i went to sleep, i started having rhythmical, wave-like cramping. it lasted about two hours. i tried to stay neutral, knowing it may or may not be time for labor. but of course i was so excited and couldn't sleep or even doze. well, after two hours, they just stopped! i am so happy about it, though. i feel like they did something, even if it wasn't the "kick-off." today feels different. i am of course tired because i didn't sleep well. but still, i'm feeling just different and wondering if anything will pick up again now that the new day has begun...

[painefaria]

Originally Posted by Snowflake777 


So that makes at least three Sarahs in this thread. Typical.

Me too, I am a Sarah :P

I would like to know what this baby's plan is because this prodromal labor is for the birds.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNI!

[Lidamama84]

Happy Birthday, Jenni! Thinking of you today!
 

Originally Posted by swimming-duck 

Is anyone NOT having BH? I feel like so many people are saying that they are. I'm not. I never did with my first pregnancy, which I know is not uncommon, but I figured that I would with this pregnancy. I'm 34 weeks, so maybe it'll be a bit before they start? I know it's weird, but I kind of want them. Because of the way I birthed my son, I didn't really get to feel much in the way of contractions and now that I'm having a natural home birth I guess I was hoping for some BH so that I could practice somewhat!

Me, me, me! I'm so NOT having any (consistent) BH/prodromal labour signs. Which I'm totally ok with, seeing as A) this babe is small, so I want her to bake a bit longer, and B) I still have 5 more days of work left, and I'd like a few days at home relaxing with DD before I go into labour.  I do have some slight crampiness after walking for a stretch, or if I'm not drinking enough, or if I'm a bit too active (like yesterday, when I, um, cleaned for 12 and a half hours ) And C) I'm thinking the later this girl comes, the warmer it will be for her birthdays to come, so maybe she can have pool parties

Slightly OT, but I'm SOOO tired of everyone hearing my EDD, and saying "really??? you're not big at all!!!" I mean, HONESTLY, WHAT am I supposed to say to that??? "Uh...thanks"? Or, "I know"? Or, "yes, and it really worries me"? WTH?!?!

Ok, done venting ... And overusing emoticons...
 

[Snowflake777]

Originally Posted by painefaria 

Originally Posted by Snowflake777 


So that makes at least three Sarahs in this thread. Typical.

Me too, I am a Sarah :P

Hehe...just like it was in school. Do we need to break out the last initials? Sarah D, Sarah M, Sarah B and Sarah P.

Originally Posted by Lidamama84 

Slightly OT, but I'm SOOO tired of everyone hearing my EDD, and saying "really??? you're not big at all!!!" I mean, HONESTLY, WHAT am I supposed to say to that??? "Uh...thanks"? Or, "I know"? Or, "yes, and it really worries me"? WTH?!?!

Ok, done venting ... And overusing emoticons...
 

Sorry to hear that. I got tons of those comments last time around and it drove me nuts, especially seeing as I was actually really worried about it and having growth ultrasounds every 2 weeks (everything turned out fine! ). I wish people would think before they spoke.