Chat Thread: 10/9-10/15

[StephandOwen]

[Poodge]

40 weeks tomorrow - I really hope this is my week. Having trouble sleeping and I am ready. 

[livacreature]

Good luck and labor vibes to all of you still waiting.  Lots of snuggles and rest time for those who have already had their little ones!  Heading out shortly.  

[Mainebirdgirl]

I just wanted to stop in and say hi and hope things go well for those in waiting and those with little ones! 

I also wanted to say- HOLY SMOKES twins are a lot of work. I guess newborns usually are, but I feel like there is constantly a little one attached to my boob. wow. Thankfully they are both pretty good and I've been having luck synchronizing their feedings for the most part... but I keep thinking that it would be a whole lot easier if I wasn't trying to balance 2 newborn schedules. Thankfully, my Mom (who can drive me CRAZY normally) has been incredible and has totally kept me on solid footing along with my amazing DH. I feel like there's a whole 'team' of us working to get things done- and it's working out well. But still... wow.

MIL is coming in to town tomorrow and Mom is on her way out- let's hope MIL can hold her own... Let's also hope I don't have a total meltdown with super grandma on her way out.

Poodge- hope you go soon.

Liveacreature- you getting induced?

Good luck to everyone!

[yellowdart]

Originally Posted by livacreature 

Good luck and labor vibes to all of you still waiting.  Lots of snuggles and rest time for those who have already had their little ones!  Heading out shortly.  

Good luck tonight mama!  I'll be thinking about you.  I hope everything goes beautifully.  

AFM:  After a big BP spike last night and kinda high BP this morning, I called L&D and they said I should come in for PE labs, so DH and I drove over to the hospital.  They put me in a gown, took blood and urine, and did a couple hours of fetal and BP monitoring.  Of course my BPs looked just lovely the whole time I was there, so I got the impression they thought I was imagining the high numbers, or maybe using my cuff wrong or something.  The BP cuff I use at home usually gives readings pretty close to what I get at the clinic, and after I got home I found my BP reading at home was lower too, so I think it's fairly accurate.  Anyway, the labs are fine and the baby is fine.

Midwife suggested induction at 41 weeks due to borderline high BP, even with no PE, due to possibility that PE will develop after that and I'll need an emergency induction with magnesium, which would be a lot worse than a regular induction.  Not sure I buy it.  It's a gamble, I guess.  I don't know what we'll decide to do.  Hopefully this baby will get moving soon and we won't have to decide. 

[RosemaryS-F]

Mainebirdgirl, hang in there! Sounds like you have your hands and boobs full right now.

Yellowdart, you still have a week, right? Hopefully this is your week.

[kindyll]

Originally Posted by livacreature 

Good luck and labor vibes to all of you still waiting.  Lots of snuggles and rest time for those who have already had their little ones!  Heading out shortly.  

except I'm not heading out.  Good luck, livacreature!  Yellowdart- hopefully the baby makes the decision to come out before you have to make any induction calls. 

I will hit 40 weeks on Friday.  The house repairs still aren't done, but at least the workers finished the inside so I can nest in peace.  I'm a combo of excited and freaked out about labor starting soon- I am tired of being pregnant, but scared of the actual delivery.  I've spent so much time reading up on labor and birth so I can make informed decisions and have some idea of the 'what if' scenarios.  I am going to be completely at a loss as to what to do AFTER she is born, though!  Reality of having never changed a diaper before will kick in at some point, I'm sure.  Right now the fear of my water breaking and labor taking too long and ending up with pitocin and interventions seems a lot more real and scary than a bit of poop.

[Katico]

Karli : ohhh, bad kitty!  I have ZERO tolerance for the peeing thing.  It absolutely fills me with rage.  We had to just give away a cat because she had taken to peeing all over the basement....no reason that we could think of or fix, just constant peeing.  And the whole house STANK and I cannot stand it - it's doesn't matter how nice you keep your house if it stinks of cat piss.  A family member asked if they could have her and so far she has stopped peeing..but I warned them....not my problem if she starts again!!  I would have thrown out the seat also - the straps wouldn't have been washable and I don't think you can ever truly get rid of the smell.  That sucks, dude 

Rosemary:   "sanitizing spooge experience" = Also, the potato story is great!

Tongue Tie: the friend I mentioned had  her TT concerns dismissed by nurses and a LC and then had to really fight with her doctor to be referred to a specialist.  The specialist took one look at it and agreed that was the problem.  I think even a minor version can cause big issues but isn't always recognized as TT.  Good luck Lifeguard, insist until you get to see someone who can tell you for sure!  

As for your DS kicking you in your PP crotch.....  

Livacreature:  Can't wait for your update!!!!!!   Good luck! 

Mainebirdgirl:  "let's hope MIL can hold her own"  haha!!!!!  I am in awe of you, I can't imagine keeping up with TWO newborns...bravo to you!!  they are so sweet in the pictures you posted.

Yellowdart:  I was in the same sort of situation with DD - occasional spikes in BP but never consistent/lasting, and I really wanted to avoid an induction so I kept refusing.  At 41wk/4days I woke up with the worst headache of my life though and when we went in I had higher than normal BP and we decided to go ahead in case it was going to get worse.  It's hard - you don't want to ignore the serious risk of BP/PE but you don't want to be rushed into induction without solid cause either.  Hugs to you, I hope labour starts soon so it's a moot point!!

AFM:  Feeling pretty crappy.  Lots and lots of crampyness, major BH and stabbing cervical pain constantly.   I've been walking laps around the house, dtd, nipple stim, you name it...come on baby!!!!! The house is clean and Mama is tired out!  It's time to make your arrival!

[Izzybelly]

41 +1 here.  I am hoping that she comes tonight or tomorrow so that she can meet my dog before she departs this life on Tuesday.  :(  I am very very ready to have this baby.  My compressed disc is giving me a lot of trouble.  Of course, we still haven't installed the carseat (no kidding, we really haven't, b/c it's my husband's job so if I do it I'm stepping on very male territory.  translation:  it will be done in the hospital parking lot) so maybe she's waiting for that.  I'm having lots of contractions but they don't really hurt, just mild cramping, so I'm assuming they're BH.  My mom was 13 days late with her first and I'm only 8 so far.  All in all, I am sane today because I actually slept 4 hours in a row last night, so I'm focused on being grateful for that, since everything feels more manageable with a good night's sleep.

Mainebirdgirl, what region are you in?  I'm in the Portland area, though often in the MDI area as well.

[Leiahs]

Mainebirdgirl, glad you have a good support system!  I've never been one to grow up wishing for twins, or even as an adult... nope, I hear twins and all I can think about is twice as many kids needing the same work at the same time!  Moms of twins seem like superheroes, to me.  ;)

Yellowdart, here's to hoping this is your week!  I'm glad the labs and BP readings you got at L&D were a-okay... hoping it stays that way for you, no matter what you decide about induction!

kindyll, glad your workers are done inside your house.  That must be a huge relief!  And I bet you'll be surprised at how much can come instinctively with a newborn.  You'll be an old pro at diapering in no time, at least!  Hope you get your baby soon, now that you're within a week of 40weeks!  :)

ETA:

Katico, I'm sorry you're feeling so awful!  Hope your baby comes sooner rather than later.

Izzybelly,  I'm so sorry about your dog - I never said that in the last thread, but my heart breaks for you.  I also hope your baby comes soon, too!  41+1 would have me starting to go crazy.  Hope your DH will install that carseat ASAP and maybe get things going for you, hehe.  And yes!  Good sleep!!  Be grateful!!

AFM, I had my first completely awful night with Malcolm last night.  He kept me up from 3:30am until 7:30am - when it was now light outside AND my other kids were up.  Thankfully DH got them involved in video games so they would be QUIET and I slept until 10:30am, but ohmygosh.  I cried once it hit 7am.  Malcolm wasn't screaming his lungs out or anything, but he was doing that flail-y, grunt-y thing that they do when they need to burp, EVERY SINGLE TIME I laid him down for those 4 hours.  If I tried to ignore him (hoping all the wiggling would force out a burp without me doing anything), he eventually started crying.  And then I'd have to sit up again, prop him up, pat his back, squeeze his ribs, pry my eyes open or fall over from exhaustion... He'd let out a good burp, get all floppy like "Okay, mom, I'm good now!", and then nope, as soon as I set him back down, it was right back to the flail-y burp wiggles.  DH slept through it all until about 6:30am.  I didn't have the heart to wake him up - he'd just done 3 12-hour shifts at work, and he was soooo dead tired when we went to bed.  And I knew I'd have plenty of quiet time today while he and the kids were busy.  But oh my, after being denied sleep for 4 hours, I was DONE, and I cried.  So, so, so hoping he sleeps well tonight.  He's slept nicely every other night, which I think made last night even more frustrating that it otherwise would have been.

Also, I broke my midwife's rules and left the house today.  Took a 2-mile drive with my family over to the in-law's house for Sunday dinner.  I was starting to go stir-crazy and needed more adult contact, and I figured between the short drive and the plentiful sitting around I could at their house, it was almost as good as staying home.  It was nice to get out and enjoy a big dinner again (it's always our family, BIL/SIL, MIL/FIL, and unmarried SIL).  And show off the baby a little bit more, too.  Of course, after last night, he slept through the entire evening, the stinker.  ;)  But I got to put my Moby wrap to good use finally, and it was so comfy and nice to snuggle baby while having both hands completely free!

[emmaegbert]

remind her that she won't need the carseat until its time to go home anyway ;)

and you'll get used to putting them in and out...
 

Originally Posted by Izzybelly 

Of course, we still haven't installed the carseat (no kidding, we really haven't, b/c it's my husband's job so if I do it I'm stepping on very male territory.  translation:  it will be done in the hospital parking lot) so maybe she's waiting for that. 

[cbeclipse]

I will be 38 weeks tomorrow!!! 

I have a feeling this little guy isn't coming anytime soon though, no BH or anything. I'm going to start EPO vaginally tonight. I would love it if he came sometime soon 

I wish I was on maternity leave. I won't be going on it till I go into labor though. And, it will only be for 3-4 weeks. But, I keep reminding myself that I'm really lucky to be able to bring him with me to work after he is born. I just have no energy these days. Today is Columbus day, so no school here for the kids. I might try to take the kids (they are 2 and 6) to the park for a while this morning. I will just take a chair for myself to sit on (it's a great park, but there is no-where to sit, which I find so weird.) 

Midwife appointment went well. BP is fine, baby sounds good. He is still not in "position" though. He is head down, but with his back on my right side and arms/legs towards my left side. My weight wasn't so great......gained 3 lbs in a week!! I know that it's totally because I have been eating whatever I want. Which is carbs and sugar....... Today is the end of that though. Determined to get it under control. Weight has been an issue for me for as long as I can remember. I've only gained 17 lbs this whole pregnancy, but still, i started out overweight. 

Well, I suppose I should get going. I'm at work and the kids are done with breakfast. 

Hope everyone has a great day and feels great!! 

[not_telling]

Leiahs - Sorry to hear about the sleepless night.  Maybe having him lie on an incline (head higher than belly) would help...?

Yellowdart - Hoping baby decides to just come on her own.

And the rest of you who are claiming to "be ready" - Sending labor vibes to you all...but, Katico, you're still a couple weeks out from your due date, aren't you?  Do you really feel ready?

Mainebirdgirl - Can't imagine twin newborns....but I guess it's good you didn't have triplets...or sextuplets...

AFM - My parents had a party last night for my sister and her husband so that people who weren't able to attend the wedding in India could still celebrate their marriage.  2.5 hours of constant small talk about pregnancy/labor/babies realllllly wore thin.  I was exhausted by the time we left, and then I couldn't turn my brain off.  Had a lot of trouble sleeping cuz I kept having mental small talk with nobody.  Blah! 

But...DS did this really amazing, surprising thing at the party.  There were about 50 people there, most of whom DS had never met. Everybody, of course, wanted to talk to him, ask him about becoming a big brother, etc. and he was pretty shy with the folks he didn't know. One of my sister's friends from college is now a pastry chef and her gift was to make this gorgeous multi-tiered cake...so there had to be a cutting-the-cake moment. My sister and her DH took this opportunity to say some words to the many guests, thanking them for their love, support, etc. After her DH finished speaking, my sister said that he had pretty much said everything she wanted to say and so she didn't really have anything to add, but did anyone else have something they wanted to say or share. It was quiet and then....my little guy raised his hand. My sister asked him what he wanted to share and he said, "A song." She asked which song and he said, "Twinkle Twinkle." And then, in front of alllllll these people he started singing!  About halfway through people started to sing with him (somewhat to his surprise, I think) and then everyone clapped at the end. I was so amazed and proud that he did that (had the "chutzpah," as one cousin remarked)....and I think I have preschool to thank.

[yellowdart]

Haha, the carseat.  Ours will probably be a hospital parking ramp job too; it's currently loose in the back seat, full of shopping bags.  Eh.  We'll get to it when we need it.  Karli, so sorry you have to get an ugly replacement seat.  I picked ours out online too because I liked the color (Chicco Keyfit Midori!).  If we had to get a quick replacement I'd be SOL. 

Mainebirdgirl: I hope you have a good day with those babes!  Good luck with the grandma change.   

Kindyll:  I heard a rumor that breastmilk poo isn't smelly!  Something to look forward to if you're BFing, maybe.  

Cats:  I had a boy cat as a teenager who had pee issues.  I loved him dearly, and he tended to confine himself to things in the closet we weren't using, so while it was totally awful and gross, it wasn't that inconvenient.  I just have a dog now, and while she's had some potty problems in the past, she's been really great for many months.  I am so glad I don't have to deal with dog poop or especially cat pee right now!  I would shit a brick.  My sympathies to people with cat problems.  

Katico:  I hope you're feeling a little better today, either that or having a baby.  Good job having the house clean!  Mine has turned into a complete mess again - we were supposed to straighten up yesterday but the afternoon in L&D put a stop to that.  

Leiahs: I hope you had a better night too!  I'm glad you got out - it sounds like it was the right thing for you, probably.  I can't wait to use my Moby!!

cbeclipse:  My baby flops back and forth from my right side to my left side and still isn't engaged, and today is my due date.  The midwife I saw yesterday assured me that even with first time moms, the baby sometimes doesn't move down until after labor has started.  I hope it's true! 

AFM:  Thanks for all the good wishes regarding BP and induction.  I have ramped up the campaign to extract prostaglandins from DH, and will add EPO lube if I can find some not in capsules.  Operation babyout is in effect.  

ETA:  not telling:  GO DS!  What a great story.  I don't even know your kid and I'm so proud of him!  

Edited by yellowdart - 10/10/11 at 7:44am

[Trinket90]

Originally Posted by Izzybelly 

 Of course, we still haven't installed the carseat (no kidding, we really haven't, b/c it's my husband's job so if I do it I'm stepping on very male territory.  translation:  it will be done in the hospital parking lot) so maybe she's waiting for that.

Our carseat was installed.. but then I had to take it out to fit the new lizard tank in the back of my car, and it never got back in...it's in our bedroom. DH wasn't weird about me installing the carseat... but he wouldn't let me touch the stroller assembly. That was allllll him.

not_telling: Good for your DS! What a brave little guy. My sister is 6 and she just started kindergarten today after homeschooling for a year. I'm really nervous for her... she's super confident so I shouldn't be worried but ya know... I have more "putting the kid on the bus" jitters than my mom does. I hope she's as brave as your DS--what a sweetie!

cbeclipse: I was shocked to find out that the kids in our county and the surrounding counties don't get Columbus day off! Since when?! I got it off when I was in school! Also, what kind of park doesn't have seats for parents? Silly.

Being ready for labor: I'm 39+5 today. I'm ready for baby to come but not desperate yet. I was doing really well being patient until DH started getting really eager. Literally every morning he says "no labor?" and then tells me to have a baby today. Every time I have a BH he wants to know if it's the real thing. He's trying to get me to eat spicy food (which is normal for me so it won't be very effective) and pineapple, and wants to buy every herb in the known world that's ever been accused of starting labor. It's starting to make me antsy!

On the positive side, he works very hard to make DTD fun for me because he knows it's supposed to help. 

[lifeguard]

Just stopping in to say I'VE GOT MILK!!!!!

[emmaegbert]

IME, breastmilk poo really isn't too bad, kind of like strong cheese. (seriously. when DS was a week or two old, I dropped a whole container of grated fresh, pungent parm cheese on the carpet-- for some reason I was a MAJOR butterfingers the first few weeks after the birth-- anyway after crying over spilt cheese, I vacuumed it up. For months, every time we would run the vacuum, we would stop it and check DS's diaper, sure he had just pooed. It made us see/smell parm in a whole new way!)
 

position: mine is posterior right now. so was my second at this point. My first flopped and rolled all over, but I am pretty sure he started labor posterior. They both flipped in labor and were born anterior, and both of my labors were really pretty short and "easy" (lol, easy only by comparison). I am trusting that this one will rotate when its time. I know I had an anterior placenta w/ #2 and suspect it again this time (haven't had any sonos so I don't know for sure). one thing to know is to make sure you are spending some time on hands-and-knees, or sitting leaning forward in general, but really focus on it more when you are in labor try to keep moving, lie on your side, in a supported "childs pose", hands and knees, draped over a birth ball, whatever. But keep your pelvis moving and just try to let gravity help that baby do what it knows how to do (tuck its chin to present the crown of its head, and rotate into position). Sometimes when I start reading that spinning babies type stuff I find myself getting stressed that baby is in the "wrong" position but luckily I can calm myself down by remembering my previous two... my current midwives (partly b/c of my birth history I think, but also due to their wonderful relaxed attitudes) say their main concern is head down, and that we can work with presentation issues in labor.

[emmaegbert]

yay lifeguard! (we cross posted). Welcome to your newest superpower!

[Amy May]

Not-telling- I just got choked up reading about "twinkle twinkle!'  So sweet!

Yellowdart- I love it!  "Campaign to extract prostaglandins from DH."  I hope it is very successful, and your BP remains in check.

Izzybelly- I am so sorry to hear about your dog... Animals can be just as much a part of our family as people, and it it is "not just losing a pet."  I am thinking of you, and hoping that the sadness of this loss will soon be accompanied (and comforted) by the joy of a new baby.

Leiahs- I hope you're able to get a good sleep today, and that last night was just a fluke!!!

Mainebirdgirl- You can do it, and so glad you've been getting support!  In college, I was a nanny to a set of twin girls, and I definitely agree that they are more than just twice the work.  Good for you for breastfeeding, and keep your chin up because it will be easier.

Bathroom stalls- this bothered me before I was pregnant.  I always notice that in airports and travel centers (I'm thinking the bus and train station bathrooms at South Station in Boston), the stall doors all open IN.  That makes no sense.  People in a travel center have luggage.  And then, the bathrooms are all huge- do you really need enough common space between the stalls and the sink to be able to do cartwheels and have a campfire with chairs around it?  I've always thought this was one of the worst architectural blunders ever... some engineer who thought stall doors in travel hubs should open inwards instead of outwards should be fired. 

AFM- this week I'm 39 weeks, but I'm not quite ready for labor!  I'd like to go to 40 weeks + 1-4 days.  Wednesday is my last day of work in the office before working at home, and I actually want that time at home to get stuff done.  As in, non-work work.  Like sewing projects.

DH bought me a used sewing machine, an old Singer 457, for $40.  Anyway, the gear broke, and it got out of time, and the estimate to repair it ws $200.  But, my amazing DH did so much research and ordered the part, and fixed it himself.  So as of yesterday, our sewing machine is working again.  But it means I'm behind in sewing sheets for our co-sleeper, and receiving blankets.  Not super fancy things to sew- I'm very much a beginnner.

This weekend we went apple picking on Saturday.  We'd gone apple picking on our 3rd date, so the whole thing was super symbolic and romantic, and yes, I totally wanted to recreate certain aspects of it (mainly pictures and apple cider donuts, as well as the apples, of course.  No ladders this year though).  We baked 3 delicious apple-cranberry pies Saturday night, and I totally ate pie for breakfast yesterday.  They were so delicious. 

We also did a belly cast yesterday!  I still want to sand and paint it, but we'll see when that happens.  It could have been better, but the first half of it I did myself, which was kind of tricky, without a mirror.  So there are a few bumps.  Then DH got involved.  I'm glad we finally did it.  I had so much fun!

We've been practicing labor techniques and positions and breathing for our HB.  I think this is one of the reasons I'm not ready to go into labor yet- I don't feel like "we're ready."  I feel prepared on many levels (I'm training to be a midwive, and am a doula & childbirth educator), so intellectually, I feel comfortable.  I have no idea how it is acutally going to be though, so in other ways I know I don't have any of this down at all!  But, I got really hurt at DH last night when we were practicing, and I didn't like his tone of voice during his words of encouragement when we were "practicing" a contraction with counterpressure.  Also, I was practicing in the contraction with deep belly breathing, and he suddenly switched it to this shallow aaahhhh- heee, aaah- heee, ahhhh- heeee, aaaa- whoooo breathing.  I tried to nicely explain that he is to NEVER change something like that during a contraction, especially if I'm in a pattern/routine that is working for me!   He's really excited about the homebirth and being in labor together, but I got kind of upset that he wasn't taking enough initiative to educate himself about it.  We seriously have like 30 library books out right now on wood finishing and sewing machine repair, so in all other ways, he is extremely motivited to self-educate about things.  Anyway, we had a very good discussion about it, and I feel much better!

[AKChix0r]

Yellowdart: I installed DS's (wow, first time I got to use that!) car seat in the hospital parking lot, by myself, the day he was discharged. Luckily, when we threw it in the backseat when I was in labor, the instruction booklet was still laying in it.

However, on a separate note, don't believe that line about breastfed baby poo. With the quantity and odor of Corbin's output, I seriously considered switching to formula since I read formula fed babies poop less!