Queer and Pregnant: October, November and December - Page 8

[starling&diesel]

Easy labour vibes, Julie!  So exciting! 

[smilingsara]

woo julie! congrats Hope your labor was quick and just how you wanted it to be! 

[seraf]

Julie, what wonderful news to wake up to! Hopefully you're holding your baby right now. Otherwise wishing you an easy and efficient labor.

KS, I'm glad you got a good supply built up for the freezer. What will you do after you give birth? Will you take back up nursing your dd? Or will you donate?

Starling, how are your hands doing? Did all the pain and swelling go away?

[KSDoulaMama]

Julie, so exciting. Can't wait to hear about your labor and birth and baby!!!

Seraf, after the birth I will be pumping for the surrogate baby. However, I hope to nurse my DD again also if she'll go for it. I have a feeling she'll still be nursing strong from DW at that point, so she might be thrilled that I have so much milk again. If not... oh well, I guess. She'll be two then and I will be okay with that. As long as I have a great milk supply like I did last time, I'll probably be able to pump some extra milk for her to drink in a cup at the very least.

Question: Anyone else have dreams about being in labor and birth? I did when I was pregnant with my DD and I've already had two labor dreams this pregnancy- one was even before my positive test, but it was one of the clues to me that I was pregnant. Really interesting!!!

[AmandaHope]

Julie: Thinking of you and hoping that you are resting peacefully with your new little love.  Can't wait to hear about the birth!

KS: I read your blog before you password protected it (but thanks for the password so I can keep up) and found it engaging and insightful.  Thanks for sharing your journey so far.  I've already learned quite a bit about the surrogacy process.  Congrats again on the pregnancy!

AFM: Tomorrow is the big day.  I have to be at work the WHOLE day.  It is my own fault--I am bringing a speaker (one of the most important people in my field who could have significant influence over my career) to campus to give two talks for History and Women's Studies.  (For those who know/care, it is J. Meyerowitz.) I'm having breakfast with her to talk about my own book project at 9:30am, which means that I have to leave home at 8:30am, and I won't get back until around 9pm.  I'm both excited and completely dreading it.  I'm afraid that I'll be spacey and scattered in my conversations with her, especially one-on-one.  And I'm worried about Lilah, who still isn't really taking a bottle.  We've tried everything, including a very strange Adiri breast-shaped bottle that a friend gave us.  She just chews on the nipple and tries to jut it out of her mouth, making her mouth fill up with milk, which she spits out or chokes on.  She seems genuinely not to know how to suck on artificial nipples, and she can't swallow if she won't suck.  My mom arrives tonight, and she and DP will do the best they can tomorrow with the massive collection of bottles/nipples/sippy cups and medicine droppers.  If I must, I could drive home, nurse her, and drive back in the late afternoon.  DP and I have been struggling over this.  I've been worried and wanting her to try all kinds of bottles and nipples to ease my own anxiety, while she feels that she will do her best on Monday and that Lilah will ultimately be fine, even if she has a really rough day.  But I'm going to have to be on campus at least one day/week from now on, so this isn't a one-time problem.  We'll see how it goes--will let you know! 

[starling&diesel]

AmandaH ... Sounds like a monumental day on several fronts!  Good luck to all involved.

I do think it's harder on the parents than the babe when baby is left with someone she's also attached to.

My money is on the sippy cup or open cup or your dp finger feeding (tried that?). 

I'll be thinking of you!

[AmandaHope]

Starling: By finger feeding, you mean putting your finger in the milk and letting her suck on it? Thanks for the hugs and support.  How are you today?  How is your pain?

[qmama42]

Julie--ELV for you and I hope that things are going well! Can't wait to hear how things went!

Starling--Thanks so much for the advice on bringing a second child home. I read DP everything you wrote and we will be mindful about the language we use when negotiating life with a newborn and a 4yo.

Ahope--I'll be thinking about you tomorrow and hoping that Lilah does well with her feeding! Sounds like it's going to be an amazing day for you (and challenging). My best to your DP and Mom.

KS--Thank you for sharing the blog and your story. What a truly amazing gift! I will be sure to follow along with your blog! No pregnancy dreams for me yet and here I am 22 weeks already. I do remember a bizarre dream I had when I was pg with DD--I gave birth to her and she was a bear cub with bright blue doll's eyes. Creepy.

[seraf]

Julie, how is life with your sweet new baby?  Do we get to know the name now?

AmandaHope, finger feeding involves a tube to get the milk from a container into the baby while the baby is sucking on a clean finger.  Here's a page on alternate feedings.  They have several articles about fingerfeeding.  Good luck.  Perhaps she'll take the same nipple she took last time.

KS, I think a 2 year old who still nurses would be thrilled to take back up with a very milky mom.  O would nurse from either mom (tho only I had milk) and he went nuts after A was born.  He was 29 months?  He was down to nursing about once a week before her birth and after my milk came in he was asking to nurse more than she was.

Qmama, hi, how are things in your part of the world?

The kids had a great time at the waterpark.  I got some heating ducts repaired under the house in Columbus.  Nothing like being really uncomfortable to help me forget the discomforts of pregnancy. I felt kind of wimpy because my hands are so swollen and sore I can't grip anything tightly.  Including the wire cutters I needed to squeeze hard enough to cut (this stinks at work, too, because I really struggle to open medicine bottles lately, I'm glad I only have 9 more days until I'm off).  Oh well, I got it done.  

As of this morning I've gained 34 pounds.  I guess I'm still right on target, but I plan to gain more than one more pound in the next 3 weeks!

Today I'm taking a pattern and supplies to try the crochet booties with the leather soles.  I finally finished the knit booties but I think I left my camera with my brain, so I will post a picture when I find them both.  They are both so differently shaped that it cracks me up.  I only managed to follow the directions for the second one, but I like the shape of the messed up one more.

[LibraryLady]

Hello everyone~  Busy Friday turned into the usual busy weekend so I've missed you all, and exciting news as well ELV Julie!!! Give us the update soon and I hope it went perfectly every step of the way!!!

Thanks to everyone for your good thoughts about Alice and her sleeping.  It was an up and down weekend for sure. Friday night I had my Writer's Group and she and DP were snoozing when I got home, no problems. Saturday night we went to a wedding and my mom came to look after her. Mom came at 5:30 and we left for the wedding. 7:15-ish (I'd just gotten my food from the reception buffet) my phone rings and it's my mom and I can hear Alice shrieking. Mom said she started screaming (not just crying but screaming and gulping for air) the moment I left and had not stopped and it was worrying mom that it'd be bad for her to just scream and scream and scream for hours, so I left the wedding and took a cab home. The moment I picked Alice up out of mom's lap she stopped crying and just went limp from exhaustion in my arms. I lay down with her and she slept pretty soon after that. Last night I lay down with her at 7 and she still wasn't asleep by 8, which is when I fell asleep and we both slept the rest of the night (so I'm well rested today...)  I guess it's just small steps, but it does seem to get better, unless my mom's sitting with her. Poor Grandma Sandy thinks the baby hates her...     You're all right, though~ she's just stubborn and strong willed and independent which is really what I want from my young woman, even if it is driving me nuts right now. 

I'm rushed again today and haven't time for personals until later, but I do have to echo the ASTONISHMENT and ADMIRATION for Miz Yellow and her bounteous milk. Jealous! Good job!!!

More soon~ love to all xoxoxo

[TineyDreams]

Meant to post this here! Still trying to figure out the site! 

Hi everyone! My DP and I are new to the site and are very excited that we have found this resource! We are at the VERY beginning stages of TTC and are getting very overwhelmed with trying to detect ovulation. We would love to hear some of your experiences on this--whether you simply used BSL temperature, cervical mucus, etc. Congratulations to all the new mamas! DP and I are hoping to be celebrating conception sometime in the nearby future. Right now we are just overwhelmed b/c we want to make sure we are increasing our chances to the MAX of getting pregnant (like everyone else). But it gets us down sometimes....Have a great day everyone! 

[smilingsara]

AmandaHope: any word on how lilah's day is going?! 

Library: Sorry about Alice's rough night with your mom. 

escher: how's the back?! baby time yet?!

qmama: great belly picture (yes, I know that was a while ago). 

starling: how's things?!

Julie: How's the babe?! Cannot wait to see pictures and hear all about it! 

nothing new to report. I'm feeling like cleaning but also feeling crummy. I'm going to pick up some unisom to try tonight. 10 weeks tomorrow. I had a dream the other night that the doctors told me I was actually having twins. I was a lot less pregnant than I actually am though (like 5 weeks instead of 10). 

I found out today I have two more weeks of work taking school pictures and then I'm done for the season! I'm going to talk to chipotle tonight to see about having approximately a month off before I go back there a few days a week. 

[julietea8]

Rowan Kathryn is here, beautiful, and healthy. Born at home yesterday morning after 11 hours of active labor. If I've got supply, she'll eat... she latches like a pro. Oddly, I burst every blood vessel in the right side of my face pushing her out, which is just fine by me because she's perfect. 7.5 lbs, 20 inches of happiness, long eye lashes, dark hair. We're all healthy, in love and learning a ton.

Sending good wishes to everyone and the new babes coming along soon!

[KSDoulaMama]

Julie- She is absolutely beautiful!!! Congratulations to you! You all are looking great, and so happy to have your little one. :)

Seraf- That gives me hope. I really want to continue nursing her after my pregnancy, but I've been trying not to get my hopes up too much... It's good to hear that a bountiful milk supply enticed your two year old to nurse more often. :)

[onemommyonemama]

Julietea -  CONGRATULATIONS!!!

beautiful beautiful pic! You two look so happy and entranced by your little one. Rowan is just an awesome name.

Way to go 11 hrs of labour and some intense pushing! Enjoy your babymoon and we can't wait to hear updates on how things are going! So glad to hear that Rowan is eating well. I hope all continues smoothly and you both get to soak newborn love up for days and days.

[LibraryLady]

Juliet~ CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She's so beautiful and you all look SO happy! Rowan's a wonderful, lovely name. Well done!!  I also burst a million blood vessels pushing out Alice and had the Terminator Eye for a while, but it was so worth it.  YAY!!!!  Good luck with nursing. Keep us posted xoxoxoxo

[Mizyellow]

Julie: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is lovely, enjoying being mamas!

[qmama42]

Julietea--Congratulations! I lovre the picture and Rowan is just gorgeous. Enjoy these first days with your beautiful little one and wife!

[smilingsara]

oh julie! congrats to you and DP! She is beautiful, as I'm sure you know! 

[prettyisa]

Julietea--congratulations! She’s gorgeous, her name is beautiful, and you all make the most lovely family! Can’t wait to hear more about her as you all get to know each other!

Escher--you’re up! How are you feeling?

Mami—wowza on the belly! You look great! How did your stress test go?

KS—so glad to have you over here! I need to go and catch up on the blog—it wouldn’t add to my reader last time, so I’m going to try again.

Seraf—thanks! I got home from work on Thursday and when I gave DP a hug she was like, ‘wow! It’s really a belly, isn’t it?’ I guess it feels differently to hug me now. I told her we could get a basketball to stuff under my shirt so she can get some practice in for later, but I think we’ll just wait it out. The leather I was using was thin enough that a normal needle worked just fine—you can also get denim or specialty needles that are thicker. If you’re dealing with really thick leather, though, I don’t know. I’d be afraid to mess up my machine…

Ahope—she’s so cute in her mamaroo—even if she hates it. I hope everything goes well for you today—at home and at work!

Mizyellow—I have no frame of reference, but I will go ahead and be impressed anyway. That sounds like a ton of milk!

Library—I’m sorry she’s still having such a rough time of it. We were babysitting for a friend on Saturday and he clearly was not thrilled to be left alone with ‘strangers’ (we’ve met him at least four times now, but over four months, so not often enough to make us familiar) and cried and cried and cried. His parents were mortified (well, one of them was), but we figured it will just take lots more time before he feels comfortable with us.

Tiney—hello and welcome! You might find more help over at Queer Conceptions—over here we’re all just comparing pregnancy symptoms and talking about babies. A lot of the people on QC have had babies already and are back to try for siblings, so they’re definitely knowledgeable. Good luck!

Sara—I hated that part! I was SO tired, but all I wanted to do was clean things! Then I got sick and it was still bad—now I just get frustrated that I don’t have the stamina I used to—I can work on things for a couple hours, but then I really need to lie down. It’s annoying.

AFM—not too much going on. Once the baby we were watching fell asleep on DP’s shoulder she started crying because she just thought it was so nice and I went and ruined things by getting up to hug her. I forget that she wouldn’t hold babies for years after being an au pair because she got too attached to them. We finally (after only three months) managed to get our downstairs unit together and are looking for renters again. Gotten some bites specifically acknowledging the ‘queer friendly’ part of the ad, so we’re hoping to have some family move into our chummy little commune of a building!