Signs and symptoms - Page 35 « Back to Group Discussions

[LilyTiger]

I've loved straight up coconut oil.  I didn't know about the antibacterial properties, NewMumJoy, but I can say that my (minor) preggo acne has cleared up since I've only been using coconut oil as a moisturizer.  I had suuuuuuuper dry skin and then random pimples on my cheeks (and eyebrows!) before starting it, and now both the dry skin and the zits are totally clear.  I'm not sure how much is the oil and how much is the balancing out of these crazy hormones after the first trimester, but I'll give the oil credit.  I love it!

[LeAnn A Doula]

Hi all! I think I am pretty fortunate in the symptoms department. I've been geting the random acne along my cheek bones, and over all just dull dry complexion. Aside from that, my only complaint is emotions. Out of control! It's hard to fall asleep, hard to get back to sleep, my mind just won't stop. It makes me crazy. I get so upset about little things, when I don't hear from my sis or friends. There must have been some big shift in there because I am a mess and I'm usually pretty up beat. I keep reminding myself it's ok, it's the hormones. But it kind of has me worried about post partum. I think I'm going to get my Hypnobabies tracks early. It's time for some affirmations!

[NewMumJoy]

andaluza - this is the first time I've tried any oil on my face.  In past I had always resorted to the pharmacy/health & beauty counter for my skincare needs and avoided any oils or heavy moisturizers like the plague.  But lately I've been looking in my pantry for natural ingredients to do the job and am pretty happy that I'm able to avoid the chemicals, pthalates, etc. that are in "mainstream" products (although I still go out wearing makeup - haven't been able to drop that yet!)

LeAnn - during my last 2 pregnancies I had craaazy wild & unexpected emotions.  The "usual annoyances" would send me into hysterics and I would get frequent panic attacks.  I was a mess!  This time around, I'm waaaay more even keeled and have hardly shed a tear (except for when I watch any birth videos!!).  I attribute this to my life/work situation having drastically improved - I wonder how I would fare if those "external" factors had not changed.... But yes!  It's those hormones making you crazy!

To help me sleep, I've been using this great app called SleepStream2 which has a collection of white noise, waves, rain, drones, etc - very helpful to clear my head!  The app works on iPhone/iPod/iPad and was designed for headphones (although I often play through our dock speakers since I lose the buds halfway through the night).  It's free!  It was a godsend when we lived on the 3rd floor above a very busy street in the city (and across from a nightclub):  http://sleepstream.explosiveapps.com/ 

[andaluza]

Thanks, Newmumjoy! I've been using organic virgin coconut oil on my "bump" and thighs for several weeks and even longer as part of a natural deodorant, but I am very wary of putting any oil on my face. It's good to know it didn't cause any adverse effects. I may cautiously try a patch on my face to see what happens.

[intime0]

LeAnn, ME TOO.  and I usually only have to deal with some real crankiness early in pregnancy and late in pregnancy.  The rest of the time I'm fine.  NOT this time around.  I'm crying all the time....okay, 2 days ago, i watched that episode of Ellen (Who else just LOVES Ellen???) where the dad and his 2 kids and a friend, slid into a lake/pond upside down in their car.  and eight people rescued them. I was bawling my eyes out.  STUPID.  LOL

For the mood swings and feeling angry and upset all the time, I've been using a high dosage of essential oils from YL...progesterone plus.  It seems to be helping, WHEN i remember to put the oil on.  You might consider trying it.  a bottle is $30.  It seems to be lasting a long time and I'm taking 60 drops a day. Small drops, but still.

Newmom, I always cry when the baby takes it's first gurgling cry.  I dont care how bad the birth was and how much I'm saying to the computer, STOP TOUCHING THAT BABY and Mom, when that baby squeezes out the first cry, I cannot help myself. 

[LeAnn A Doula]

Thank you for the support and advice! It helps to hear that it's normal.

Newmumjoy - This is my first and it really is different to experience it yourself. I have told my doula clients these exact things but when it's you, it's easy to forget. I'll check out that app. I plan to use the Hypnobabies home study course for childbirth prep. It includes some great sleep tracks from what I have heard, so I may look into getting those a head of time, too. Birth videos are amazing! Love them. I cry reading the birth stories in Ina Mae's Childbirth book. Amazing!

Intime0 - I have been thinking about getting some essential oils, too.I hadn't thought of the high dosage treatment you mentioned though. I'll have to look into that. I have noticed that it helps when I can get outside and when I can just chat about it. Oh, and Ellen! The Nikki Minaj girls...omg! lol!

The work/life circumstances are definitely a factor. My husband and I moved right before getting pregnant. He recently joined the Navy and this is our first move as a military family. So clearly everything is a bit crazy right now. I'm not working since we are only here through June, friends and family are all far away, etc. Just all of my normal routines are non-existent, makes it hard to feel like myself. It's a lot to adjust to but I'm working on it.

Andaluza - I have also used oils in the past. I really liked Argon oil for moisture. How do you like the coconut? I was planning to get Shea butter for my belly but organic is a bit expensive!

[intime0]

LeAnn, yes, it's totally hard to be in a new place with new routines.  Basically, I have about one friend here...and some people I've talked to a few times.  And that's it. It can be really hard.

Ellen makes my day better!  LOL.  I"m about 2 months behind America, but I DONT CARE. I get ELLEN.  And tonight Survivor.

[NewMumJoy]

LeAnn & intime - I'm in a similar boat!  We moved from Michigan to Winnipeg in Oct (for DH's job/assignment) and planned to stay here through late summer (haa - just when baby is due!).  I decided to take time off from the "rat race" while we're here temporarily (and hoped to get pregnant during this period of unemployment, since I had all this "free time" on my hands).  Both of our families are quite far away (in 2 separate states) and I have exactly 1 friend here so far!  Thank goodness for the interwebs!!  I often think of military wives/families as we relocate approx. every 12 months.  My DH also returns to Michigan every other week for another work project, so I'm on my own for a good amount of time.  Still, this current life is an improvement from my past year or two where I had a lot of job related and step-parenting stress.  Right now, my only stress is finding my way through a foreign healthcare system to get the prenatal care that I had always expected -  a challenge that I was definitely not prepared for!

[ithappened]

Im in a similar situation as a lot of you it sounds like, since we're living in a non-english speaking country which is very closed to outsiders its been hard to meet anyone. .. it might as well be we just moved here, even though we have lived here almost 5 yrs now..

I have one real friend here but I have a lot of, I guess you would call, acquaintance friends- people who I would say hi to walking down the street but we never really hang out unless our DHs are around (since its mostly their wives). I have tried going to a lot of expat groups but haven't really clicked with anyone there enough to hang out outside of meetings--  its hard because even though I am pretty fluent in the language, most people are very set here and have had the same friends since they were little so its hard to go into their circles.. and my job is all single child-free unmarried men.. so work also is hard to make female friends- there are none! Most of my friends are in other places- nyc, london, paris etc. Whats funny is I see more friends when I travel for work/conferences then when I am at home.. backwards really!

[dovemama]

I thought the same thing after giving birth. I  had horrible hemorrhoids from pushing out DS..  and on top of that, every time I sneezed I would pee (for about 3-4 weeks). At some point I said 'why did nobody tell me this?!'  I felt like I was 99 not 29.

LOL! Me too! I felt betrayed!!!!

[dovemama]

I am sorry for everyone who is struggling with being far away from family.

I was like this with my first, and I psychotically uprooted us and moved us across country to be near my mum.

Thinking of you all

[NewMumJoy]

Thank you, dovemama!

[ithappened]

dovemama its funny. I found even when I talk to women in my family they never admit to anything but bliss. .. after a while it gets sort of.. annoying :)

[Veritas Vitae]

It's interesting to hear from everyone who is away from family and friends. We had planned a move prior to finding out we were pregnant and we figured we'd meet people at work or the gym. Nowise won't be working in an office right away and then I'll be going on maternity leave, so it will be interesting to see how meeting people goes. I am glad that I know about mothering. I've already put a few feelers out for LLL meetings and the like. I know DP will have to work a lot and possibly travel quite a bit to.

[ithappened]

Veritas I think it depends a lot on the area- how urban etc. I found moving to NYC I meet a ton of people right away, it was very easy to meet people because no one was from there, lots of groups to join, etc... when I moved to Austria, we live in this small town- its been 5 yrs there and I have met maybe 1-2 people.. there is just no LLL groups or infrastructure really set up to meet like minded people for much of anything.. the groups there are there are mostly much older people who I havent managed to click with.. but being in Basel just 4 weeks now I have met many more people then I have in Austria.. Switzerland is much much more international and not so much of a closed country to outsiders which makes it easier..

have you looked into LLL groups, play groups, exercise or groups who are interested in things you are? if the town is anything over 200k, Id imagine it to be easier to find friends/community.

[Veritas Vitae]

I did, I went to the area thread on Mothering and got some information from people, so I will probably follow up before we move.  

[NewMumJoy]

ithappened - I totally agree!  Chicago, NYC - would be no problem.  I miss having a subway stop outside my door.....would make it easier for me to explore what we do have available in the area (I hate driving in the city)....

[intime0]

I shouldnt be having such a hard time because there are so many expats here...but I am.

[ithappened]

I know what you mean intime0 I really totally understand.. even when I have tried to go to the little expat meetings for our area I end up sitting there feeling like Im in a room of people who I just don't click with. If anything I've learned from living abroad- just because we are all moms and we all are from America, does not mean we will like or get along with each other- the same is true for english speaking people.. I dont know what its so hard for me to find friends here.. I think having DS makes it impossible to get out and so I end up spending most of my time alone with him.. oh man, thank you for the internet.

[LeAnn A Doula]

I agree location makes all the difference. I am used to living in a busy urban area, walking everywhere. Here we are on an Army base in the middle of nowhere suburbia, no metro stop, not even a city bus. I was relying on local yoga studios to supply some like-minded people. No yoga studios within 30 mins! I'm going to look into local LLL group meetings. Hopefully I will have some luck there. :)