Weekly Chat for June 4th... !! - Page 4 « Back to Group Discussions

[eleuthia]

Baby did great on the non-stress test and my cervix is closed. And the polyp has grown much larger since they last examined it - I think it's a couple inches long and according to the midwife it's "sticking out like a tongue" !!! So it's going to keep bleeding for the rest of the pregnancy (unless it detaches, which would be freaky). It won't cause any problems in & of itself, but without additional tests, there's no way to confirm my bleeding is only from the polyp, and since there's a very slight chance it could be an abruption, they're referring me for a perinatal consult & ultrasound as soon as possible. The midwife gave me the option of going to L&D but said she really thinks I'm fine (& I agree) so I'm back home and have instructions to go to the local ER if heavy bleeding returns, I have abdominal pain, or the baby stops moving. I'm also supposed to take it easy and minimize physical activity as much as I can. 

[Veritas Vitae]

Eleuthia, I'm glad that everything is looking like it is fine. 

LeAnn, we like working for the same company, we started together just over two years ago, but they put us both as team leads on a project together once, knowing we were together (which is against the specific policy they told us when we disclosed our relationship...I guess good help is hard to come by?), and that was awful.  We'd both prefer not to work closely with each other as we have very different styles.  Luckily for the three months we worked on the same project, we managed to leave work stuff at work....that's actually when we made Quinny , so I guess it didn't impair our relationship too much.

[LilyTiger]

eleuthia, great news! Hopefully minimizing activity doesn't drive you crazy.  And I'm glad it sounds like they can watch things closely without excessive interventions and constant monitoring.  Still must be scary though. 

[LilyTiger]

Originally Posted by sallyrae17 

You aren't supposed to drive for 2 weeks after a vaginal delivery! It has to do with your ability to quickly hit the brakes. Your lower abdominal muscles/pelvis are sore for a while (longer after a c/s), so it's a safety precaution. 

I was told at the hospital when my friend gave birth that the no driving rule was because if you're in an accident, the abdominal trauma of hitting the steering wheel can cause massive hemorrhage and in the case of a c-section, can rupture the uterus.  So it's a pretty big deal, from what I was told.   

[LeAnn A Doula]

Eleuthia - I'm glad that baby did well on the test. It sounds like you have a great MW! I'm sorry you have to deal w the stress of the bleeding (always scary) but it sounds like you have your bases covered. :)

VV - Sounds like you guys made that extra tension work for you. I think it would be a cool experience to have under your belt, it must give you someinsight into another side of your DH. I couldn't work w my DH, we did work together in college but that was your basic no responsibility college job. At this point I'd kill him, he's such a hardass and he likes to tease. I'm pretty sure I'd be guilty of insubordination. As it is, I have to remind him that home is a sensitive place. Lol. He's much more of a football coach-type than a cheerleader-type.

We've gone into serious research mode. Finding a house long-distance is interesting but there are quite a few people that are here for training who live in Norfolk, so we're geting some good local advice. I also tracked down a few MW's in the area that I'm going to contact to get the ball rolling so I'm not down there at 38 wks frantically searching for a MW!! All in all, it seems like it'll be a good move for us. Phew.

Otherwise, I'm definitely feeling the effects of the blood volume increase. I hope its something that my body will adjust to quickly because its not my favorite feeling. I've been getting light headed and so tired periodically and i'm back to feeling pretty floaty and out of it. Upside is that I'm sleeping pretty well again. Yay for 9hrs! I really really love sleep. 

[ithappened]

I'm alternating between a dead run right now and total hyperactive prep mode and total utter exhaustion... I am trying really hard to get things ready for the birth(s).. I've been cooking/freezing (bought a freezer), trying to declutter our apartment and storage area, finish up work for the summer, get finances lined up as much as I can.. etc.. by the end of the last few days I am just exhausted.

Officially switched to my new doctor but have found his prenatal care so far really frustraiting.. since he is at the main hospital all my appointments have to be made with the main reception so last week he told me to come in this week and to call on Thursday so I could come in Thursday afternoon-- I called Thursday and they said he wasn't there, to call Friday, so I call today and they won't make the appointment with him until the end of the month and said to call again Monday.. argh.

I'm sort of already regretting the switch.

Otherwise things are going well, beside my acid reflux and inability to eat anything I'm doing pretty well.

anyone have any fun plans for the weekend?
 

[Veritas Vitae]

I've been stalking the NASBA website all day waiting for my score to be released and it came out, it finally did: I got a 91!  I'm a CPA.  I cried for like 15 minutes when I saw it, then called my dad to tell him, and scared the crap out of him, he couldn't understand what I was saying through my tears for the first 30-40 seconds until he finally he understood, "I got a 91."  What a relief, this will make it so much easier to find a job after maternity leave, since mine will no longer be available. 

As for weekend plans: I'm going to have to make up some work...I've done nothing but stalk online forums about score releases all day....and now I can't focus.

[LilyTiger]

Veritas, congrats!  What a relief!

[NewMumJoy]

VV - That's awesome!!  Congrats!!!  

LeAnn - Hooray for Norfolk, VA!  Sounds like a nice place to relocate to (and not too far from your current location).  Great to hear things are moving along... I'm assuming that the Navy provides some assistance with the logistics (such as packing/moving?)

ItHappened - Good luck w/lining up some coverage for DS!  At least you'll know in a couple of weeks if it's a go/no-go on the c-section which will also give you a better idea of what your needs will be for DS on the Big Day.  And sorry to hear of your frustrations w/your new doctor, that really stinks....  Sounds like you're getting a ton of nesting/prepping done this week though, which is awesome...

Eleuthia - Glad to hear you and baby did well on the test and are fine, although I'm sure it's tough to not have a guarantee of what any future bleeding might mean.  Good luck w/the additional testing, and rest up!!

An uneventful weekend ahead for me (DH is away again)... It FINALLY feels like summer here, but unfortunately the heat has brought me swollen feet and very restless nights (we have no a/c in the house and bedroom's on the 3rd floor).  I kinda twisted my ankle this week when I wore 5" platform sandals to lunch one day (hey, I needed the extra height for my long maxi skirt, and had blisters from my flip flops!)....Thankfully the fall occurred after I got home, on the carpet, in slow motion - and not on the street in front of DH who would have surely scolded me for not dressing "intelligently"....but it did scare me enough to decide to put the shoes away for the duration.  So looks like I'll be spending my alone time in the cool tub, reading the "Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" with my feet up... 

[LilyTiger]

Hey everyone, I have a question on fetal positioning if anyone happens to know.  At my last appointment, baby was head down.  I did a workout yesterday where we did a modified bridge, and I felt some flipping around.  Now I'm convinced, hilariously, that I turned the baby breech.  I have no reason to actually think this, but the butt feels like it's in a different place.  Either way, I was looking through the spinning babies website and they recommend daily inversions.  My question is: should you do these even if the baby is head down already?  Will doing this stuff just encourage babies to move around to get comfortable (thus ending in the head down position) or could they inadvertantly flip a head down baby?  Looking at the whole thing it looks like most of the moves are to relax ligaments and allow for maximal space, thus allowing the baby to move itself.  In that case, I shouldn't worry about it "breechifying" a baby, right?  Sorry if this sounds like a hysterical newb question. 

And now I'm off to clean the whole house. 

[sallyrae17]

Originally Posted by LilyTiger 

Hey everyone, I have a question on fetal positioning if anyone happens to know.  At my last appointment, baby was head down.  I did a workout yesterday where we did a modified bridge, and I felt some flipping around.  Now I'm convinced, hilariously, that I turned the baby breech.  I have no reason to actually think this, but the butt feels like it's in a different place.  Either way, I was looking through the spinning babies website and they recommend daily inversions.  My question is: should you do these even if the baby is head down already?  Will doing this stuff just encourage babies to move around to get comfortable (thus ending in the head down position) or could they inadvertantly flip a head down baby?  Looking at the whole thing it looks like most of the moves are to relax ligaments and allow for maximal space, thus allowing the baby to move itself.  In that case, I shouldn't worry about it "breechifying" a baby, right?  Sorry if this sounds like a hysterical newb question. 

And now I'm off to clean the whole house. 

That's a totally good question! I wondered the same thing. When I went to the Spinning Babies thing, Gail swore that a head down baby would not turn breech from doing inversions. So, your babe might have just switched sides or is facing your back and now you feel a butt instead of knees or something. It can be kind of tricky to figure out what exactly you're feeling! I know I get super confused at times. :)

[sallyrae17]

Originally Posted by LilyTiger 

I was told at the hospital when my friend gave birth that the no driving rule was because if you're in an accident, the abdominal trauma of hitting the steering wheel can cause massive hemorrhage and in the case of a c-section, can rupture the uterus.  So it's a pretty big deal, from what I was told.   

Yes. This as well!

[pennywhistle]

Congratulations Veritas!!!  That's such fantastic news.  And what a great score!

Eleuthia, I'm so glad you got good news.  Stay in there, fetus!

I just got back from my midwife - did the glucose test and scored a 123.  Yay!  I was a little worried, since there's diabetes in my family and I tend to get really out-of-whack from low blood sugar, but she said I did great.  She also tested my iron, and I'm at 10.  She says I need to raise it - it needs to be 10 or higher to do an out-of-hospital birth, so she wants me farther from the cut-off.  For those of you struggling with iron, she mentioned that you shouldn't take it within 2 hours of taking calcium or consuming dairy, because both of those inhibit your absorption.  Wish I had known this sooner, since I've been taking mine along with my calcium/magnesium - oops!

[eleuthia]

Congrats VV!

I'm doing better today (very little bleeding) and I made an appointment for Tuesday for the perinatal consult & ultrasound. I did have to go downstairs to sit on the couch & drink a glass of cold water to get the baby to move when I woke up, but that's just because he's not a morning person (inherited from both sides).

I walked about 2.5 miles yesterday. I'm at about a mile so far today. That's all outside my house, just getting to work on public transit, getting lunch, going to the bathroom, etc., not trying to walk a bunch or anything; yesterday was extra because of going to the birth center. I'm not sure how I'm going to somehow walk less. Also i think it's kind of funny that I'm tracking this with a pedometer from work that's meant to motivate me to walk MORE.

[sallyrae17]

Penny- Really? Your iron needs to be above a 10 to birth out of a hospital? That sucks! I had to take an iron supplement after my son was born and it made me so sick that I had to stop taking it. :-/

[pennywhistle]

She said that if it's below a 10, then I would have to be in a hospital to be near blood supply.  If I give birth in the center and bleed a lot, if I'm 10 or higher then I'll have enough reserves on my own.  Not sure if that's just their own policy, though.  Luckily I haven't had any adverse reactions to the iron I've been taking the past few months, so I'm just going to take it three times a day instead of twice.

[sarahdb]

I was told something similar by my midwife. Maybe it's a California thing? That's why I was freaking out about my level being 9.6!

[Lizbiz]

Hey Everyone! 

Veritas - CONGRATS!!  That's got to feel so good and what great peace of mind going into this last part of your pregnancy.  BTW - My husband and I worked together for a few months when we were just married and temping to make ends meet - and it was actually pretty fun - we shared a cubicle :).  I do remember one morning when we were fighting though before work and that was a pretty quiet morning until we broke down and made up. 

Pennywhistle - Praying for your iron levels to go up!  I bet they will as the weeks go on.  If you're not a vegetarian, you've now got a great excuse to eat you some burgers! :)  Seriously though, I'm sure all will be well for the birth and it sounds like you've got a good plan.

LeAnn - Congrats on the Norfolk news... that sounds like a great place to have a baby!  We're still not quite sure where we'll be - China or the US, but should know soon enough.  Since this is my 3rd and we'll likely have an unassisted homebirth anyway, I'm less concerned about it - but still getting anxious to know!  One good thing, I'm so distracted by all the busy-ness at work and my kids and a few other things, that I haven't had much time to even think about the birth yet! 

NewMumJoy - I totally tried wearing platform sandals (which I don't even normally wear when not pregnant) about two weeks ago and I lasted less than an hour.  I'm returning them!  I thought I would try something new since I'm feeling sort of old and frumpy and prego :) - but clearly, that's not the thing.  I've shifted to makeup - much much safer option!  My husband's usual reaction: Muted laughter in my direction followed by, "I knew it!"  I held myself back and didn't throw the sandals at him. 

Ithappened - I'm sure all of your prep will pay off! But remember to rest too twinmama... and I hope things turn around with your new doctor - I HATE getting the run around like that - such a HUGE waste of time when you are already busy as it is.  

Eleuthia - Glad it looks like all is well - keep us posted! 

I am ok - just working working working - things will cool down a little less than two weeks from now, but for now - it's intense.  Still interviewing and no news on that front quite yet.  My kids got vaccines this past week and my older son has reacted more intensely than usual with 3 days of fever ;( - so he's been pretty under the weather and I'm hoping he turns around in the next day or so.  His sister got the same shots and her reaction was much less intense.  Wish we could do without some of these shots, but when in China... it's too scary not to do it.  It's getting freaking HOT and HUMID here - and I am not really enjoying it, but grateful for our air con.  

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

[ithappened]

Liz- yahhh for AC! I wish we had it.
Eleuthia- hope everything will be ok. keep us posted when you feel up to it

Newmum that weekend sounds amazing to me to be honest :) last night DH went out for his friends birthday party and I got a solid 3 hours where DS was asleep and DH was gone, it was heaven.

Anyone starting to have some/any/major anxiety about upcoming birth(s)? I have these moments I feel totally overwhelmed and horrified how I am going to manage having 3 kids under 3. Sometimes I am excited but I spend a lot of time afraid too, hoping I don't end up alone and wondering how I am going to 'have it all' without ending up on medication (again).. even after weaning myself from work for the summer-  I am scared. I had such bad PPD hit me with DS and I am afraid to have to survive it again..

Anyhow, trying to keep busy without overdoing it. I've been cooking a bunch for freezer meals (made a bunch of lasgana, veggie burgers, popsicles etc) and trying to declutter as much as I can, my goal is to get a few weeks off in July before the birth where I dont feel this need to do everything or feel behind.

[NewMumJoy]

Hmmm, all this talk about iron has me wondering if I should be taking some over the counter supplements proactively....I know so many people who've had to up their iron intake during pregnancy - and I know I'm hardly getting much through my diet.  I still have NO CLUE how my protein / iron / glucose levels are as they don't seem to worry about it here in Canada.  During my last checkup I asked specifically about my iron levels and they looked at me all puzzled and said "Why?  Your bloodwork came back fine last time we checked" ....that bloodwork was done back in FEBRUARY!!  I'm going to really drill them at next week's appt. about all this to make sure that they really "know" that I'm A-ok....

Originally Posted by ithappened 

..... last night DH went out for his friends birthday party and I got a solid 3 hours where DS was asleep and DH was gone, it was heaven.

I can imagine how blissful that must have been for you, ithappened!!  Did you enjoy some cake while you were at it, I hope?  I must admit that I don't miss DH too much through these nights alone.  I move into the guest bedroom - which has a smaller bed, but it's a nice firm memory foam mattress.  And I get the whooooole thing to myself, snuggling my dog and my 6 pillows!  I wake up in far less pain.....

Sounds like you are getting a TON done, that is awesome!!  I haven't started on any food prep yet, since fixing meals for myself in the present is such a daily hassle.  I totally get your anxiety about everything ahead, esp. in your situation with limited support and your previous difficulties.  You will have to stay in touch w/us and leverage your online support network here!  I'm not worried much about birth itself, but life afterwards does freak me out, esp. if DH is still traveling and I'm left alone recovering w/a brand new infant.  Right now the hard pain of labor seems much more manageable than weeks of sleep deprivation and being alone to figure out the challenges of nursing and caring for this LO, with nobody to help nearby...  I think I'll have to shell out more $$ to our doula for her postpartum services.  Would paid help (such as a nanny or housekeeper) be an option for you?