Queer and Pregnant: July, August, and September - Page 9

[julietea8]

AmandaHope!!!! Yay! Sending you ELVs, mama. What a beautiful birth you're about to have. I can feel it. 

MizYellow.... beautiful, peaceful pictures full of happiness. So glad to see them. Wonderful that you are all home so soon! 

Escher... thanks for asking. I think I'm going to go ahead and do the 3-hour test in the morning. I don't think I can make it all day. I'm eating really consciously this weekend and trying to get exercise each day. So, hopefully I won't get the diagnosis... or be able to remember that things are just as they should be. 

Library.... hopefully you all get some heat relief soon. It's hard enough for me to get myself up and exercising (unless it's fun stuff like hiking, etc.) and in that temp I'm pretty sure all bets would be off.

Seref... enjoy your upcoming visitors and swimming! Thanks for the good wishes for DP. I think she'll make it through. My advice was to do what the yoga teachers tell you to do in a stretchy pose... don't collapse, hold your structure, but stay open (emotionally that is). 

AFM: Having one of the best "alone" weekends I've had in a long time. I'm not usually so great at structuring my time when DW is gone, but I think it's going well. One of my favorite friends is coming over to make dinner and spend the night, so that should be really nice.

[carmen358]

Cross posting my question here...hope you don't mind!

I have a question re: progesterone. For those of you who have used the suppositories...was it Prometrium you took? Is all Prometrium a vaginal suppository or do they make different kinds? I'm going to ask my doc for a prescription and because she's just a GP and not an RE I want to make sure I ask for exactly what I want. Thanks!! Oh and for those of you in Canada...are the suppositories I want actually Prometrium brand?

[LibraryLady]

MizYellow~ What wonderful photos!! Such a sweet set of kiddos you have. Lucky you, and I'm so glad you're home enjoying them already!

Carmen~ Prometrium vaginal suppositories is what I used. They're kinda icky but get the job done. 

AHope~ How's it going? 

[starling&diesel]

MizYellow ... Love the pictures!  They made me all teary eyed.  You have a beautiful family.

Carmen ... The progesterone suppositories that I got from Genesis are called Endometrin.  Prometrium is a registered trademarked name.  Endometrin is nicer (in my experience) because it's one tablet that comes with an applicator, rather than three round pills.  The round white pills get pretty oogy in your panties pretty fast.  Endometrin is an 'effervescent vaginal suppository,' which sounds more exciting than it is. 

If your GP gives you a script, you might have trouble finding them in pharmacies, because they're not that common and aren't kept in stock by many pharmacies.  My nearest Shoppers (Broadway and Commercial) brought them in (took a few days) but if you're ever in a pinch and need them asap, the pharmacy in the Safeway at Oak and 25th (King Edward) always has them in stock as they work closely with the fertility clinics. 

[AmandaHope]

Carmen: Exact ditto of Starling's comments re progesterone. I even have some sealed up extra Endometrin if you'd like me to mail it to you.

MizYellow: What incredibly beautiful photos!  They are giving me inspiration right now.  It feels so close...and yet so far away.

Julie: So glad you are enjoying your weekend on your own.  Sounds lovely.

AFM: No change, really.  Light, intermittent contractions with no pattern and no momentum.  Water definitely broken.  My mom gets here in a few hours, so I think we'll go to Costco, pick up a few things, and do some walking to see if that helps a bit (too hot to walk outside, sadly).  At this point, I'm thinking that we'll all try to get another night's sleep and step it up seriously in the morning (with castor oil, nipple stim, etc.) if need be.  The midwife that goes back on call at 9am tomorrow is more skittish, so I'm a bit worried about getting pressure from her to come into the hospital.  But I also think I can be assertive and firm with her, as long as I continue to have no signs of infection.  I'm not getting pushed into Pitocin when there is no evidence that anything is wrong.  I'm sure I'll have to go in for a non-stress test at the least tomorrow, but that's ok.  I think it might be time to download that "Baby Come Out!" hypnobirthing mp3....

[LibraryLady]

Starling~ I am cracking up about 'effervescent vaginal suppositories'.  Panties need effervescence, it's so very true.

AHope~ Sorry it's dragging on so very long.  Walking around sounds good, and I'd love to listen to an MP3 entitled Baby Come Out!  I hope things get moving soon. We need good news today!!

[carmen358]

Thanks to all who answered! I had no idea so many people took it! Amanda, that is very generous of you! PM me the details re: what you'd like for them and I'll send you my address :) (after you have that baby of course ;) )

[mami2mami]

Mizyellow-love the pics keep them coming.

Library lady-love the pic of Alice she is a cutie.

Ahope-any news?Can't wait to see pics.

Julietea8-Hope you are still enjoying the weekend .

[AmandaHope]

This is getting ridiculous.  Had enough contractions over night to keep me up (well, that and some of the loudest and most continuous thunder I've ever heard), but now I've got nothing.  I just drank a castor oil smoothie, but I'm starting to feel the same way that I did with DD's birth: water or no water, my body is not ready to labor.  Damn.  Anyway, I'm headed to the store with my mom to buy missing breast pump parts so that I can nipple stim, but I'm waiting for the call from the midwife.  She'll probably want me to come in to the hospital for a non-stress test, and getting out of there again isn't going to be easy.  I'm not sure I have the energy to keep this up, anyway.  Sigh.  I'm trying to stay positive, but as you can tell, it isn't working very well at the moment.  Ok, here's a positive: we got all of the baby gear set up (swing, co-sleeper, pack n play sleeping/changing area for downstairs).  Now I just need a baby!  Thanks for your support, everybody. 

Amy and Pigirl: Any news from you?!  SOMEONE around here ought to have a baby!

[pigirl]

We had the baby!

First of all, Ahope, I hope things are moving along for you.  The waiting for labor to start is SO so hard.  My thoughts will be with you.

Our son was born late Friday night, after about a day of contractions (they started after my Wed membrane sweep).  Our doula came over around 2am on Thursday night/early Friday morning when they started getting hard, and we labored at home until around noontime.  When we got to the hospital (I wanted to get into the birth tub here) I was 4cm, and was complete within about 2 hours.  Yowsa.  I pushed for about an hour in the tub, but the baby was posterior and had his chin up, and he just wasn't coming down.  So we threw out plan A, I got an epidural, and we labored down for a few hours.  Our favorite midwife (the one who did the IUI that got us pregnant) had come in to deliver with us even though she was on vacation, and the nurse we love was the one on duty, so we had our "dream team" helping us through-- I felt so incredibly supported.  After a few more hours of contractions I stared to push again and two VERY LONG hours later our son was born.  A couple times I thought they'd need to do at least a vacuum extraction if not a c-section, but I managed to work that little guy out.  In a different hospital, or with a different team, I am certain we would have had a very different outcome, and I feel very blessed.  He's 8 pounds 3 oz, born at 40 weeks and 3 days.  He's nursing well, and just waking up, so I need to get back to him.  I managed to get a spinal headache from the epidural-- just now starting to resolve-- so we're here for another night still tonight.  Home tomorrow!

Love to all.

[seraf]

AmandaHope, well, I guess a long labor is good for getting everything set up?  LOL.  Hoping the castor oil gets things moving as they should.

Escher, trying to stay hydrated is a full time job!  I was reading Penniless Parenting and I followed a link from her page to some other.  She doesn't live in the US, but I want to say she downsized her house right before she found out she was pregnant?

Library, new pics never hurt.  Not like I can say anything.

Yellow, beautiful.  

Julie, enjoy your weekend and friend, too.

Mami, I like the new pic.

Whole lot of nothing going on here.  It's hot.I don't usually have trouble with heat unless I'm pregnant but boy howdy.  Baby turned around yesterday and everyone got to feel the length of her from head to bum.  It was pretty fun, realizing how tiny she still is.  We usually only get to identify one body part at a time.  She also has a new pattern of kicking she is fond of, where I feel movement on both sides at the same time, like she's doing jumping jacks or something.  

ETA:Pigirl Yay!  That sounds like quiet a labor, I'm glad to hear you finally got him out!  Congratulations!

[AmandaHope]

Pigirl: congratulations!!!  So happy for you!  And so happy that you had your dream team.  I can't believe how important it is to have the right support team.  I'm also feeling very blessed to be working with the midwives that I am.  I'd absolutely have been induced by now otherwise. 

Update: Well, breast pumping is working!  Cx are picking up rapidly, so this will hopefully be my last update until I have actual news.  I want to meet my baby today!

[starling&diesel]

AmandaH ... We want to meet your baby today too!  Keep us posted! 

Pigirl ... Wonderful news, and congratulations to you and your family!  Pictures?

[Mizyellow]

Pigirl- Congrats!!!!!! Can't wait to see pics!!!! So exciting!!

Ahope- DO IT!!!! You got this!! I can't wait!

[indigoscot]

congrats pigirl and welcome to the world little one!!!  ahope, i have fx that you have delivered that sweet baby girl by now.  :) wow, it's raining babies here!

g

[gumshoegirl007]

Fly by post while Addi joins DW in the tub.

To all the preggo ladies - I tip my hat to you being pregnant in this heat.  Holy crap, you're all troopers.  I'm whiny and melty and I'm able to take my babe off my body to get some heat relief!

Pigirl - Congrats on the birth of your baby boy.  Hope that you're all nesting well and that the spinal headache has gone away.  Cannot wait to see pics!

AmandaHope - Here's to hoping that you're pushing that baby out RIGHT NOW!!!  I'm also glad to hear that you got that chapter out just in time!

MizYellow - Congrats on the birth of your handsome little man.  Love the pics, especially the one of you two sleeping together.  I hope you're resting well and that Lennon and Harrison are getting to brotherly bond.

Starling&Diesel - Great pics from the folk festival.  Your DD is adorable! It's hard to believe that you have such a little bump and you're only 5'2.  Being 5'8 with a long torso, I can't imagine being preggers without all of the extra space.  It's pretty impressive how bodies of all sizes can accommodate babies.  Oh, and like AmandaHope, I loved your response to the post about whether birth is harder for gold star lesbians.

Escher - Yay for being in the double digit countdown.  Fall is just around the corner and the baby will be here soon.

Qmama - Way to go on nearly being done the first trimester.  It's so nice when you finally get your energy back and you can enjoy the end of summer and fall.

Wehrli - I'm sorry to hear about the parts of life that aren't too hot right now.  I think all of the other ladies provided some good thoughts and insights that I hope will be of use to you.  I don't have any additional pearls of wisdom for you, unfortunately.  I wish I did, however, have a magic wand to make it a whole lot easier for you and DP. 

FWIW, I'd pump and leave the baby with her on the weekends or at least try it for a morning or day.  We're kind of in the reverse situation where I've wanted DW to get more involved with Addi's care (she'd been doing more stuff with the big kids and cooking and working) and last week had the audacity to tell me - when I asked her to hold the baby while she was working from home - that it was my job!  I made my point (grrr), and we laughed about it after, but she's been taking Addi for a few hours in the afternoon to give me a break.  I don't really need one, but it was under that ruse that I realized she was quite nervous being alone with the baby and had gotten quite concerned that she wouldn't be able to soothe or calm the baby (pretty much she does bath and playtime) or handle her for a few hours.  She was a rockstar and figured it out and now she wants to take the baby all of the time.  It's a bit hard for me to let her go.  But, I get her all week long, and the joy it brings to DW and watching the two of them together is totally priceless. 

Julietea8 - Good luck on the 3 hour GTT and I hope the rest of your alone weekend was thoroughly enjoyable.

Seraf and LibraryLady and anyone else I missed - Hi!!!

AFM (now back to finish this up 2.5 hours post bath and bedtime) - I miss all of you here and have been following along as much as I can.  I don't get much time to nurse at the keyboard these days since nursing is now taking up such little time!  What a transition from the 40-60 minute sessions in the earlier days.  If I get a 10 minute session these days, I'm golden.

Addi is eating and gaining well and turned 4 months old today.  She's developmentally exploding - she's cooing, laughing, and full of sound discovery.  The girl has discovered her voice this past week!  She's rolled over (only once), is doing somewhat of a tripod sit, is beginning to nap (and doing it sometimes on her own), she drools and chews on our/her fingers like mad (teething?), she can grab things and put them in her mouth.  Really, she's just a little joy.

For the first time ever I'm really busy doing pretty much nothing.  I have no major projects or obligations.  I'm filling each day slowly with life and fun.  No work at all.  It's friggin fantastic.  It's all leisure, all the time.  We get to do whatever we want, whenever we want.  The big kids have been at camp the past three weeks (DS just got home today and he now doesn't want a nightly tuck in, but did come in to ask where his blankie was, and DD comes home on Friday) and DW and I have had the most glorious time re-connecting as a couple.  I totally love summer and I'm trying to make the best of everything.  I think I'm going to try to take a photography class in the fall.  And, well, I'm rambling.  But, I'll leave you with a photo (cause that's usually my favourite part).

[AmandaHope]

Lilah Nyx was born at 8:59pm last night.  She was 7lb 7oz, 20 inches long, and she was a champion nurser from the start!

The story is nuts.  The short version is that I did castor oil yesterday morning and started an aggressive breast pumping protocol (most of 2 hours straight) around 11am.  Cx were stronger by early afternoon, but I wasn't feeling much movement, so we drove out to  the midwife's office (near the hospital) to do a non-stress test.  When I got there at about 3:15pm, I was about 2cm dilated.  We then did the NST (all good), and my cx petered out.  We decided not to force progress and to take it easy, but by then I was feeling sick to my stomach and did not want to do the drive home (45min).  So we rented a hotel room nearby (got there about 6:30pm), where my cx picked up fast. DP and I had some great bonding time there, listing to the playlist she'd made, and she read me a the beautiful affirmation she'd written and helped me stay focused.  But I was feeling downward pressure, so I decided I wanted to go to the hospital.  The doula was 15 minutes away, and the midwife wanted her to see how I was doing before we left for the hospital.  So we waited for the doula, who watched me for a few contractions, said I was doing great with what looked like active labor, and started encouraging me.  But then I had to pee, and on the toilet, everything changed.  She must have actually descended into the birth canal.  I got out of the bathroom, leaned over the bed, and felt the urgent need to push.  So DP and the doula grabbed stuff, called the midwife, and tried to get me to the car.  I had a few cx on the way to the car, so I entertained a group of teenagers in the parking lot as I blew with horse lips as hard as I could.  We got in the car, and I very nearly had the baby in the back seat.  I was blowing with all my might, but I felt crowning.  We made it to the ER, though I couldn't sit down in the wheelchair.  The doula went to park the car while DP went in with me.  The midwife was waiting for us upstairs in L&D (in one of those lovely ABC rooms that was all ready for me).  I pulled off my leggings, got on the gurney, fell backward, and pushed.  The ER staff gathered around me, all of them total strangers and apparently few with any experience delivering babies (at a small regional ER).  In one push, she was out.  They were a bit aggressive with the suctioning, clamped the cord right away (oops), and a were a touch slow giving her to me, but then they did, and she started nursing right away.  The midwife and doula ran in, shocked and flustered.  Amazingly, DP managed to snap a few pictures. 

Lilah was up most of the night nursing, burping, spitting up, and pooping, but she is sleeping now with DP.  I'm still sort of wired.  I got a few stitches, but I feel fine.  And Seraf: YES, the afterpains HURT when she nurses.  Wow.  I'm accepting all the Motrin they offer me. 

[MrsPP]

Thread crashing to say HOLY SHIT AMANDA! What a crazy story! So glad little Lilah is here and healthy. Wow. Can't wait to see the pictures :)

[justrose13]

AHOPE!!! CONGRATS!!! wow, what a story! I thought for a minute that you were going to say you had the babe in the hotel... lol. welcome Lilah! love, love, love her name... CUTE!

CANNOT WAIT to see pics!

xo

[seraf]

AmandaHope!!!! I'm so excited for you! That sounds crazy fast. I'm sorry your midwife didn't make it in, but glad you're all doing well, I didn't hear mention of your mom or dd, so I'm wondering if they stayed home? Is you dd thrilled? I was hoping against hope that a long gap would spare you some afterpains. Thanks for the heads up, tho.

Gumshoe, I love the pic, tell me more about the props? The diaper cover and the knit ball, they are beautiful, as is your daughter. She is at such a fun age now, are the big kids enjoying her, too? When they're not at camp, I mean. Are they worried about her getting into their stuff yet? I know with sitting we started to have grabby hands.

Library, if you skirts are merely tight at 3 months post partum, you're slimming down pretty quickly.