July Chat Thread! - Page 4

[squidink]

This morning we decided on a girl's name! We haven't decided on the spelling though.  It's a Nordic first name and if we use the traditional spelling, it might be confusing for Americans to pronounce.  I imagine it's a PITA to go through life correcting people on how your name is spelled and pronounced, so even though we'd like to acknowledge our Nordic heritage, we're considering a more Anglicized spelling.  

Also, I had my 14 week appt with the hospital midwives.  I'm getting shadow care in case I have to transfer during my pregnancy.  My appt this morning just underlined how much more I like the HB midwife's approach and style.  She and I actually talk, but I feel rushed through the system at the hospital midwives appointments.  I brought up my concern with my history of an eating disorder and my fear of gaining too much weight, and the nurse midwife was basically like "you're in the healthy range of weight gain."  Well, I know that.  Unfortunately, logic and rationality don't have a lot of bearing on how I deal with habitual ED stuff.

In any event, I heard the heartbeat with the doppler!  My smidge swam away from it after a few seconds, so I'm assuming it didn't appreciate it & I won't be using the doppler again, but it was so cool to hear it!

[mamasmoman]

Originally Posted by squidink 

This morning we decided on a girl's name! We haven't decided on the spelling though.  It's a Nordic first name and if we use the traditional spelling, it might be confusing for Americans to pronounce.  I imagine it's a PITA to go through life correcting people on how your name is spelled and pronounced, so even though we'd like to acknowledge our Nordic heritage, we're considering a more Anglicized spelling.  

Also, I had my 14 week appt with the hospital midwives.  I'm getting shadow care in case I have to transfer during my pregnancy.  My appt this morning just underlined how much more I like the HB midwife's approach and style.  She and I actually talk, but I feel rushed through the system at the hospital midwives appointments.  I brought up my concern with my history of an eating disorder and my fear of gaining too much weight, and the nurse midwife was basically like "you're in the healthy range of weight gain."  Well, I know that.  Unfortunately, logic and rationality don't have a lot of bearing on how I deal with habitual ED stuff.

In any event, I heard the heartbeat with the doppler!  My smidge swam away from it after a few seconds, so I'm assuming it didn't appreciate it & I won't be using the doppler again, but it was so cool to hear it!

Are you going to reveal the name? I think many Nordic girl-names sound sooo lyrical and feminine.

OAN: One of the midwives I don't normally see calls me on the phone a few minutes ago in regard to the "centering" style appointment I have tomorrow. I have been seeing another midwife one-on-one, but decided to give the group-style appointments a try. I think she called during a hormone surge, but...

1. Her voice had a decidedly GRUMPY tone.

2. She wanted to know if my regular midwife called to let me know that my mandatory(big baby) first trimester glucose test was high(cut-off is 135, mine was 140). I said no, and she got all huffy and told me I was in serious danger.

3. She then demands that I HAVE to take the three-hour test tomorrow before the centering appointment.

4. Her next demand is that I MUST bring hubby along to the appointment. Meaning an absolute rush to find a sitter/enroll him in daycare. DS doesn't do well in large groups, nor does he enjoy strangers in his home/going to a stranger's house. DH is a soldier and is already going to have to take the morning off ...it would frowned upon and HARD for him to take off most of the day.

5. DS was whining (hungry) and the midwife heard it over the phone, "Someone needs a nap." NO. He needs some grapes and an activity. You need a nap, grumpy lady.

So...I've had two one-on-one appointments with one midwife. She's been kind, responsive, and listens well. No, she didn't call to let me know my glucose was five points beyond the cut-off. Maybe it's not that big of a deal(?). The same midwife encouraged me to try the centering style appointments. She referred to it as "Pregnant Ladies Anonymous" and it'll be all women due in January. What she neglected to tell me was that it's with a different midwife and it will take the place of one-on-one visits. Do I tell the grumpy midwife to shove it? Or do I give it a go? I'm an LPN and have access to everything I need to do the three hour test in my own home, but then the midwives at the hospital won't have the results. Also, I'd have to change insurance to change hospitals and DH's insurance REFUSES to cover anything other than a hospital/hospital-affiliated birth center birth. And we don't have the $2500 -$3000 for a home birth. The other problem with home birth or even a UBAC is that I have no idea how my internal incision is positioned and that makes a difference for me and many health-care providers. I've requested a copy of my medical records from Germany, but they can take 90 days to get to me.

Rant over, thanks for listening :)

[montessorimama1]

Originally Posted by squidink 

This morning we decided on a girl's name! We haven't decided on the spelling though.  It's a Nordic first name and if we use the traditional spelling, it might be confusing for Americans to pronounce.  I imagine it's a PITA to go through life correcting people on how your name is spelled and pronounced, so even though we'd like to acknowledge our Nordic heritage, we're considering a more Anglicized spelling.  

If it's any consolation, I have one of those difficult to pronounce names (my parents never thought I'd grow up in the US), and while it WAS a PITA when I was a kid, I now find that I get a lot of compliments.  Look, kids are going to find a way to make fun of each other if that's their intention; if it's not a name, it's a feature or a personality trait.  Give your child an original name that will reflect her heritage and which she'll be proud of.  Just my ...
 

Originally Posted by mamasmoman 

OAN: One of the midwives I don't normally see calls me on the phone a few minutes ago in regard to the "centering" style appointment I have tomorrow. I have been seeing another midwife one-on-one, but decided to give the group-style appointments a try. I think she called during a hormone surge, but...

1. Her voice had a decidedly GRUMPY tone.

2. She wanted to know if my regular midwife called to let me know that my mandatory(big baby) first trimester glucose test was high(cut-off is 135, mine was 140). I said no, and she got all huffy and told me I was in serious danger.

3. She then demands that I HAVE to take the three-hour test tomorrow before the centering appointment.

4. Her next demand is that I MUST bring hubby along to the appointment. Meaning an absolute rush to find a sitter/enroll him in daycare. DS doesn't do well in large groups, nor does he enjoy strangers in his home/going to a stranger's house. DH is a soldier and is already going to have to take the morning off ...it would frowned upon and HARD for him to take off most of the day.

5. DS was whining (hungry) and the midwife heard it over the phone, "Someone needs a nap." NO. He needs some grapes and an activity. You need a nap, grumpy lady.

So...I've had two one-on-one appointments with one midwife. She's been kind, responsive, and listens well. No, she didn't call to let me know my glucose was five points beyond the cut-off. Maybe it's not that big of a deal(?). The same midwife encouraged me to try the centering style appointments. She referred to it as "Pregnant Ladies Anonymous" and it'll be all women due in January. What she neglected to tell me was that it's with a different midwife and it will take the place of one-on-one visits. Do I tell the grumpy midwife to shove it? Or do I give it a go? I'm an LPN and have access to everything I need to do the three hour test in my own home, but then the midwives at the hospital won't have the results. Also, I'd have to change insurance to change hospitals and DH's insurance REFUSES to cover anything other than a hospital/hospital-affiliated birth center birth. And we don't have the $2500 -$3000 for a home birth. The other problem with home birth or even a UBAC is that I have no idea how my internal incision is positioned and that makes a difference for me and many health-care providers. I've requested a copy of my medical records from Germany, but they can take 90 days to get to me.

Rant over, thanks for listening :)

Ooooh, wow, not a good situation to be in.  Maybe she was just in a foul mood?  I'd give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but also it's important to trust your gut... The last thing you need is to be dealing with someone who doesn't enjoy what she does.  Keep us posted on how things go!!  ((hugs))
 

[mamasmoman]

Originally Posted by montessorimama1 

If it's any consolation, I have one of those difficult to pronounce names (my parents never thought I'd grow up in the US), and while it WAS a PITA when I was a kid, I now find that I get a lot of compliments.  Look, kids are going to find a way to make fun of each other if that's their intention; if it's not a name, it's a feature or a personality trait.  Give your child an original name that will reflect her heritage and which she'll be proud of.  Just my ...
 

Ooooh, wow, not a good situation to be in.  Maybe she was just in a foul mood?  I'd give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but also it's important to trust your gut... The last thing you need is to be dealing with someone who doesn't enjoy what she does.  Keep us posted on how things go!!  ((hugs))
 

Thanks for the hug, Pilar! I am also hoping it was just a bad mood...I try not to go by first impressions, EVER. DH came home for lunch and he forged his way through the hormone swamp and helped me to realize that it very well may have been a temporary bad mood and I should take the silly test just to be on the safe side. He also said to not feel pressured into making any childcare decisions-he treasures his time with DS and feels that if the midwife can't accept our childcare decisions that we'll go back to one-on-one appointments. People mispronounce my name all the time, also. It's spelled Lara, but many people say Lora or Laira. It's Laura in English. My brothers are Torsten and Stefan and my sister is Ania(Anya). We've learned to deal with it. especially my brothers...their traditional nicknames are Tori and Stefi which sound like girl names to lots of Americans.

[diana_of_the_dunes]

Lara - Wow, what a crab!  Hopefully she was just having a moment, and she's not like that all the time.  If it makes you feel any better, my first impression of the nurse practitioner at my midwife practice was terrible... but I've found that she's really a wonderful, caring woman.  I still prefer my midwife, but I don't dread appointments with the NP anymore.  I'd also take the test, just to be sure. If you do have GD, that's something you should know about ASAP.  Also, I've never heard of group-style appointments.  How do they work?

Pilar - How nice of your hubby to surprise you!  And isn't it cool when people can tell you're pregnant instead of just fluffy?  I remember last time being so grateful that I looked like I had a baby inside instead of a beer gut.  

[danamichele]

Montisorrimama, I remember moments like that in Italy when I was pregnant with my daughter.  Italians LOVE pregnant ladies!  I went at five months and got so many happy looks and comments there, and came home and people looked at me like I was an alien when I referenced my pregnancy.  Did they just think I was fat?  I dont' know.  It's different here though.  I'm glad to hear you're having such a great trip!  It's fun living vicariously through you.  :)

[mamasmoman]

Originally Posted by diana_of_the_dunes 

Lara - Wow, what a crab!  Hopefully she was just having a moment, and she's not like that all the time.  If it makes you feel any better, my first impression of the nurse practitioner at my midwife practice was terrible... but I've found that she's really a wonderful, caring woman.  I still prefer my midwife, but I don't dread appointments with the NP anymore.  I'd also take the test, just to be sure. If you do have GD, that's something you should know about ASAP.  Also, I've never heard of group-style appointments.  How do they work?

Pilar - How nice of your hubby to surprise you!  And isn't it cool when people can tell you're pregnant instead of just fluffy?  I remember last time being so grateful that I looked like I had a baby inside instead of a beer gut.  

Thanks for the concern, ladies! The midwife was indeed just in a bad mood. I sucked it up and took the three-hour test. Turns out I actually have hypoglycemia(low blood sugar) just like I did with DS. So, not normal results, but not scary ones. 

Diana- This was my first group-style appointment and the first meeting of the ladies that will be in said group. I ended up really liking it. A nurse privately recorded our blood pressure and weight and then we sat in a circle and took turns seeing the midwife for fundal height and Doppler. After that we did intros(all military-affliated and due in Jan.) and talked with the midwife and each other about preggo stuff. It reminded me of an IRL DDC. I think I'll continue these :)

[diana_of_the_dunes]

Originally Posted by mamasmoman 

Diana- This was my first group-style appointment and the first meeting of the ladies that will be in said group. I ended up really liking it. A nurse privately recorded our blood pressure and weight and then we sat in a circle and took turns seeing the midwife for fundal height and Doppler. After that we did intros(all military-affliated and due in Jan.) and talked with the midwife and each other about preggo stuff. It reminded me of an IRL DDC. I think I'll continue these :)

That sounds like how my Bradley classes were (like a DDC, I mean).  Everyone was due within a few months of each other, and we've gotten together a few times since then for class "reunions".  After 2 years, we've all sort of lost touch, but it was fun while it lasted  :)

[Conchobhar]

Originally Posted by diana_of_the_dunes 

That sounds like how my Bradley classes were (like a DDC, I mean).  Everyone was due within a few months of each other, and we've gotten together a few times since then for class "reunions".  After 2 years, we've all sort of lost touch, but it was fun while it lasted  :)

Here too!  We've kept up with the reunions, having them about every 6 months.  We also keep in touch via Facebook.  We had our 2 year reunion in March and everyone talked about one in Aug/Sept, so we'll see.  It is really nice to be able to sit with people who have kids your age and talk about nothing but your kids (of course, there's always a comparing of notes)!!!!  The stuff that typically bores the rest of your friends...

[HardCoreMom]

Originally Posted by shockels 

You'd think that seeing images of this little baby would make me feel closer to it, but it's still hard for it to be real while I feel so pukey. I almost feel bad that I'm not more bonded. The pregnancy itself is very real, but the baby is still so far away. Hard to explain.

sandra, i've thought back to your description of this so many times in the last few days.  i totally get it.  it's impossible to deny that i feel pregnant, but it feels like more of a disease at this point, than actually carrying a baby.  i really look forward to being more connected to the baby, and i wish the constant sickness felt more purposeful.  it will, i am sure.

thinking of you, hoping you start to feel better soon!

[chilichiki]

Apparently I had a little too much yesterday.  I was running errands with my son (last minute stuff enrolling him in preschool for the fall), made a trip to the credit union to change some information on my savings account...was in there about ten minutes and I passed out cold!

Luckily, my son (who is 3 1/2) wasn't scared, merely thought mommy was playing a game.  The receptionist on the other hand, was ready to call an ambulance for me.  Since my husband was at work, i had to call my mother and father to drive across town and get us and the car.

What a crazy day! Hope everyone else is having better luck than me lately!

[writinglove]

chili, so sorry to hear you fainted. I hope you are feeling better and are taking it easy today. 

mamas, glad to hear you don't have GD. Take good care. The group treatment sounds cool. I'm looking forward to finding an in-person tribe of my own. I've been going to prenatal yoga, but all of the women are at such different phases. I imagine I'll bond with the people in my birthing class. I'm thinking of taking some hypnobirthing classes as well.

shockels, hardcore, it is hard to bond with anything when you feel pukey and tired. hugs to you both. 

afm, I was concerned that I would be one of those unlucky types who still feels icky in the second trimester. However, today I actually seem to have a bit of an appetite. I'm sure it will keep changing, but hallelujah for now!!! I'm also people outside of my inner circle, including at work, that I am pregnant. The results from the screen were all negative (phew), and I'm so psyched to have let the cat out of the bag. Whoop whoop 

Love and moonbeams to you all. Wishing you a great weekend. 

[diana_of_the_dunes]

Wow, ChiliChicki!  Hope you're feeling better today and that you got some rest.  I have a hard time adjusting my activity level to suit pregnancy...  It always seems so easy to over-do it.  Relax and take care of yourself!

[montessorimama1]

ChiliChicki - How scary!  Was it too warm out?  I have been getting dizzy/on the verge of fainting when it is too warm and I have to stand for more than 5 minutes.  I'm glad it turned out ok and your little boy wasn't scared!

Well, my Italy fling is over, and I couldn't be happier!   At immigration they let me go through the handicapped line because my blood pressure was dropping and I wasn't feeling too well, thank goodness I'm showing now!  :)  

DH surprised me when we got home... He's already started doing work on the nursery!  He put in gorgeous wood floors, bought shelving and blinds (exactly the kind I wanted, too!), and totally re-did the closet with cedar lining and baskets/hanging rack that are child-sized!  I bawled when I entered the room, it was the sweetest thing ever to know he'd been hard at work these past weeks while I barfed my way through final exams.  

We've been interviewing midwifes and I think I found the perfect one (she even uses a fetoscope!!).  I am thrilled, and can't wait to formalize everything with her.  What a relief!  Now on to the fun part of being pregnant!

Hope everyone's having a super weekend, we're working on the nursery and catching up on household chores.  DH has been a bachelor for the past 11 months, so you can imagine what the house looks like!  

[chilichiki]

montessori- that is so cute that the nursery is already being prepared :o)

And, it was an extremely hot day...i think about 98 F.  Not to mention I went from the extreme of hot, to the extreme of frigid cold air conditioning!!  And to be honest, I most likely wasn't drinking enough fluids so shame on me.

But I have been feeling pretty good lately.  Might be overly optimistic, but the nausea seems a little less severe these days.

Had a crazy craving for red meat, so I went out to the store and bought some steaks and cooked them while the hubby was at work.  I immediately set down and ate two of them...crazy!

Happy note- my friend let me know that she has her ultrasound machine at home this weekend so if I stop by I can get a peak of the baby...yay!

[AfricanQueen99]

Originally Posted by chilichiki 

Happy note- my friend let me know that she has her ultrasound machine at home this weekend so if I stop by I can get a peak of the baby...yay!

Is your friend Katie Holmes? *snicker* remember when the rumor was that TomKat did daily ultrasounds on Suri?

[chilichiki]

Originally Posted by AfricanQueen99 


Is your friend Katie Holmes? *snicker* remember when the rumor was that TomKat did daily ultrasounds on Suri?

haha, definately not!  She's an ultrasound tech...

[HardCoreMom]

tonight is the first night in 8 weeks that i've been not-pukey enough to try exercising in earnest.  i have missed it so much!  yeah, my endurance and strength are totally in the crapper right now, but hopefully i'll be able to keep it up.  too bad water still makes me sick.  i was really thirsty after the workout, and immediately found myself gagging again when i tried to drink. bah.  so i'm eating some juicy grapes instead.  alas.

anyway, progress, i think!

[softlysinging]

Originally Posted by AfricanQueen99 


Is your friend Katie Holmes? *snicker* remember when the rumor was that TomKat did daily ultrasounds on Suri?

I had a very early u/s done by a peri friend of mine.  When I told my OB "there's only one in there" he was like "WHO DID AN U/S ON YOU?!"

I was like "Tom Cruise, duh"

[AfricanQueen99]

Duh!

Hahaha.