May Chat Thread - Week 4 - Page 2

[MaryElizabeth]

Holy guacamole.. I can't keep up with all of you! I guess I AM getting some things done instead of staring at the computer all day..... or my naps are realllllly long 

Smokering-- YAY for the vertex babe!!!!! And glad that you are feeling better :)

Sharita- I used to work for a chiro--- and if you aren't under regular chiro care, an adjustment can DEFINITELY jump start labor. We saw it happen all the time. Releasing all of the nerve endings and allowing your body to get a surge of energy from breaking up all of the scar tissue can be just the thing your body needs to get the process going. It's kind of like an energy drink for your nervous system. I hope that at the very least, you get some relief from your pain. --- I have an appt. tomorrow and I am praying for a little relief too! 

Jenni--- You know, my friend's husband has the worst dental hygiene and she is always complaining how he doesn't ever have cavities and she always does. The dentist told her that some people brush too hard or too much and it can actually weaken their teeth. Also, he grew up primarily in Bolivia and had a good diet-- lots of fresh foods, veggies, mainly water to drink, etc. And apparently that makes a huge difference in your tooth health---- but still,why don't boys realize they need to at the very least be clean and hygienic??? IT TAKES 10 MINUTES TO SHOWER AND BRUSH! 

Anywho.... Have my 37 week appt tomorrow, going to refuse the cervical check--- not really ready for one of those again, ever! haha And I have to run errands. All of that together makes me feel exhausted already! I simply cleaned and organized a little today and my body is KILLING me. The ctx are in high gear, my legs are going crazy, my sciatic is off the charts, and the pelvic pain is crippling!

---- Not to mention this new thing I have going on.... Randomly I will be getting up from the bed, couch, etc and I have this excruciating tearing, ripping, burning feeling in my belly (twice on one side, once on the other). It literally feels like I am tearing a muscle or something in half. IT HURTS. But the pain will subside in about 2 minutes and only be "sore" for about a day after. I really hope that I am not actually tearing something bc it is ridiculously painful!!!!!!! 

[Snowflake777]

Phew, I can't keep up with you ladies either!

I hate to say it, but I have to nag DH to brush his teeth too. He just cannot get into a routine with it. It's so gross. Oddly enough, he puts a fair amount of effort into dressing well and looking good otherwise, but then he'll go days without brushing his teeth! It's the weirdest thing.

Someone mentioned crankiness up-thread...that's me too! Poor DD is bearing the brunt. Thankfully DH has been super-understanding and has taken over the Patient Parent role.

This prodromal labor stuff is really getting old! Last night I was having painful contractions 7 minutes apart for about 40 minutes or so, all intense enough that I really had to breathe through them. Again, I thought it might be the real thing, but sure enough they disappeared as quickly as they'd started. DH jokes that I'm like the boy who played wolf, and that by the time I really do go into labor he's not going to believe me. I don't think I'm even going to believe myself!

MW appt yesterday. Fundal height is still 34 (I'm 38 weeks) and has been forever, so she's sending me in for an ultrasound today. She wavered on it because we both think the baby feels really big inside my belly, but we agreed that it wouldn't hurt to check my fluid levels. I'm looking forward to it!

[Smokering]

Yeah, I suspect tooth strength is more about diet (and prenatal diet) than actual hygiene.... sadly. :p Or it could just be the luck of the draw - it certainly doesn't seem like the virtuous always get their reward though, does it?

Am currently sitting with a sarong tied around my tummy to keep the baby locked in a good position. My MW recommended it and I've seen a few posters on MDC swear by it too. I just have it tied firmly around the top of my bump, just above where I can feel the baby's bottom. Is that right? Or is there some fancy technique I should be doing? It keeps riding up... and I don't really want to wear it 24/7 for the next four weeks, I'll look silly!

Echhh, am supposed to be working on this homebirth article, but I don't wanna. The interview with my MW is kaput - she had an "unscheduled" birth and can't fit anything in until Friday, which is when the article's due. She suggested I ring my previous MW, and I might, but I might not need the interview anyway - had a good phone interview with someone from the NZ College of Midwives this afternoon. Lovely lady: we had a nice chat about breech birth.

[ryleeee]

zao aaven is here! birth story coming soon. 

9 lbs 3.5 oz
20.5 inches

5:32 am - 4 hour labour

she was born into my hands in the pool as the sun was rising and elliott smith was spinning on the record player.

[Snowflake777]

Wow, congrats Ryleeee! Love the pics, she's beautiful!! I hope you guys are all doing well!

[heathenmom]

Oh, Rylee, she's GORGEOUS!  Congratulations!

Quick update from me:  I had a long-overdue chiro appointment yesterday and will be seeing her probably daily until the little man turns ... he's been transverse for a couple weeks now, and although I've been here before and everything turned out (haha) okay, I'm still getting a little nervous.

I also had a BPP yesterday afternoon.  Baby did well (8 out of 10), but my fluid levels are high again.  I finally met the peri, who I think I have a little crush on.  LOL  He was pretty chill about the higher levels:  "you're having a big baby ... big babies pee more than little babies, so your levels will be higher."  I LOVE a doctor who understands logic!!    He's also ok catching a vaginal breech, which surprised the heck out of me.  Too bad he's going to be off-call for the next 10 days.  DEAR GODS, please don't let me still be pregnant in 10 days ...

Happy note:  I slept straight through the night last night, for the first time in weeks!  I'm hoping it was the chiro adjustment. 

[jshannyn519]

Ryleeee she is such a little doll! I love those chubby cheeks. I want to smoosh them!

Smokering, YAY for baby turning vertex! I would think that the sarong should be wrapped all the way around your whole belly, not just at the top. But I don't know anything so don't listen to me. lol

I have all kinds of energy today and I have NO idea why! I couldn't fall asleep last night so I was up reading until 12:30 am. I finally just decided to lay down with the lights off to see what would happen. I slept until 2 am when I woke up with this insane urge to go pull all the milk thistle out of our planting beds. I resisted and fell back to sleep and woke at 4 am with an insane urge to get the dogs and go for a walk around our neighborhood. But I wanted human company as well, so I resisted and went back to sleep. Only to wake up at 5 am with my heart racing and knowing that there was NO way that I would be able to get back to sleep. So I got up and started doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen up from dinner last night.

Now that the morning showers have been taken I'll start on the laundry and get ready for my niece's preschool graduation that is this morning. I'm going to try and squeeze some walking in today, but I may have to go to the mall. yuck. It's super humid here and it's supposed to pour down rain again today, with thunderstorms and possible hail & tornadoes. Not the best conditions for an outdoor walk.

[tracymom1]

Congrats Ryleee!! Welcome little one! She is beautiful.

heathenmom: so jealous of your sleep, but so happy for your rest!

Smokering: sending you lots of vertex vibes - will they make it all the way to NZ?!! I think so

Today will be a good day for me! I am getting my hair done for the first time in almost a year! Maybe I will do something crazy... but probably not!

[heathenmom]

Ah, tracymom, I'm jealous of your hair appointment!  I'm about as low-maintenance a woman as you'll find, but I was looking in the mirror this morning thinking .... yeah, I could use a little help with the hair.  :/

OK, I'd like some advice with the cradle.  I'm going to try to post some pictures of it, and I'm hoping that y'all could give me some suggestions as to what to PUT in it (besides the baby, of course LOL).  There's no cushion or anything, and it's kind of a random size:  16-3/4" x 34".  I apologize in advance for how BIG these pictures are (and for my half-nakie daughter ... I'm lucky she had panties on ); I have NO idea how to make them smaller.

[jshannyn519]

That cradle is gorgeous!! It's like a work of art! You can find high density foam at craft stores or fabric stores, like Joann's. The green kind that's still sort of squishy that they have for things like chair cushions and such should work great for the cradle. You'll probably have to buy a piece bigger than what you need and trim it down to size and then cover it with just some cotton. Cradle sheets should fit that and they're available at all major retailers, unless you want to make your own.

[calynde]

Congrats, Ryleeee!

Oh my goodness, seeing her makes me so excited to meet my little one!

Enjoy your babymoon!

[heathenmom]

Originally Posted by jshannyn519 

That cradle is gorgeous!! It's like a work of art! You can find high density foam at craft stores or fabric stores, like Joann's. The green kind that's still sort of squishy that they have for things like chair cushions and such should work great for the cradle. You'll probably have to buy a piece bigger than what you need and trim it down to size and then cover it with just some cotton. Cradle sheets should fit that and they're available at all major retailers, unless you want to make your own.

It is beautiful; his dad made it without a single screw or nail ... just wooden pegs ... and it's 24 years old and in pristine condition.  The height of it makes me a tiny bit nervous, though.  DH wanted to just stick it out in the middle of the floor but I worried about it tipping over and made him clear a space so we could put it against the wall.  :/

I did consider making a cushion for it.  Not sure if my rudimentary sewing skills are up for the task, but I guess it doesn't hurt to try, right?  Maybe if it turns out well, I can return the cradle to our friend with the cushion, as a thank you?  Hmm!

[tracymom1]

Wow. Gorgeous cradle!! I agree with Jenni - either the big pieces of foam cut to size with a beautiful sheet or zip up pillow case. I love how high it is - so many are so low to the ground.

[Snowflake777]

That's beautiful heathenmom!! We got a foam crib mattress from Ikea, very cheap. Just buy something like that and cut it to size.

[calynde]

Heathenmom-

What an amazing cradle! I'm swooning!

I would personally put something made of natural fiber in there. Are there pillows one can buy of a similar size? I would probably try to find a soft, flat pillow with a natural filling to use as the mattress, as baby won't be using it for long at all. I think it is also possible to order customized pieces of natural latex from some organic mattress stores online. Or what about some cleaned wool folded up into the right size and sewn into a pillow case or something?

It's beautiful...nice score!

[heathenmom]

Originally Posted by calynde 

Or what about some cleaned wool folded up into the right size and sewn into a pillow case or something?

It's beautiful...nice score!

Another thought I had was to just lay one of those infant sheepskin things in the bottom of the cradle.  A LOT easier than trying to sew something, but I have zero experience with them (except to fondle them in the store and drool over them LOL).

[BarefootScientist]

Wow, congratulations Ryleee!

The cradle is very nice, but I have no input.

[BHappy]

Originally Posted by heathenmom 

Another thought I had was to just lay one of those infant sheepskin things in the bottom of the cradle.  A LOT easier than trying to sew something, but I have zero experience with them (except to fondle them in the store and drool over them LOL).

i was thinking sheepskin, too. i bought a moses basket from a thrift store (no padding, no mattress, just the basket), and a super eco-sheepskin http://www.childorganics.com/Organic-Blankets-Bedding.htm that was tanned with plant matter and not chemicals (expensive, but for me, worth it). it is perfect in the bottom of the moses basket. might work for your cradle!

eta: the wool is shorn, so not too long. maybe i'll post a pic...

Edited by BHappy - 5/24/11 at 9:15am

[Bald_Bull's_Mama]

Congrats, Ryleee! That's crazy fast!

We inherited a handmade cradle with DS (not nearly as nice/safe looking as that one, it's staying in storage). I bought a mini crib mattress, based on measurements and cut part of it away. I wanted something that had a firm covering over the foam. I would not use a soft pillow. There are articles all the time of babies suffocating while sleeping on a pillow. Any sort of soft, smushy bedding makes me nervous.

[BHappy]

here's my basket with sheepskin. the basket is about 33 inches long and 10 inches deep.