Queer & Pregnant & Parenting - July, August, September, and now October! - Page 16

[wishin'&hopin']

Hey Lise, keep taking the progesterone until/unless the doc says otherwise (DW has to stay on it through week 13, I was on it through week 13 as well w/ DS)

[prettyisa]

hi everyone! Congrats on all these awesome betas and exciting multiple pregnancies!

I'm in DC while DP is at a conference. Due to some strange circumstances my mom ended up being in town, too (and my sister might show up at some point before we leave, also), so I get to have the little tour of her childhood haunts that I've been begging for for years now. My 90 year old great uncle is out at babiesrus buying EJ a present as I type (you can't convince him not to. We tried). and we get to go and see all the other aunties and cousins later today. I wish I had some reason (and job!) to live out here--this city has always felt like home somehow.

Anyway, I've been thinking of all of you! I'm hoping for healthy, happy embryos and too-good-to-be-true deals on non-lemon minivans all over the country!

[starling&diesel]

lisedea!  So exciting!  And yes, I'd keep taking the progesterone.  I was on it for both pregancies until the LMP 12 week date (10 pregnant weeks).  I'm thrilled for you!

[nosreves]

knitting -- i don't think i ever welcomed you over to this side of MDC Queerdom .  congrats on the twins, btw.  i hope you're getting over the initial shock and starting to envisage a future filled with three LOs.  is the m/s still really bad?  and have you managed to avoid the temptation of the insidious waffle fries?  let me know what your EDD is so i can add your name to the front page!

wishin -- welcome to you, as well!  how's your DW feeling?  i know you're due in May, but do you have an EDD that i can put up for you?

lisedea -- WOOOHOOOO!!! it's great to see you over here!  btw, those three bouncy things are just about expressing my joy at your joining the room (and not about jumping to any conclusions about those betas .)  my betas were similar to yours (453 at 13dpo and 1754 at 16dpo), and i was initially pregnant with twins, so maybe you're going to join the current multiple streak.  then again, Cananny's trio weren't evident from her hcgs and plenty of others have had high betas with singletons ....so you never know.  whatever the case, here's to a happy and healthy 9 months! and, oh yeah, i stayed on the progesterone until i was at 12 weeks.  

cananny --  i was happy to hear that all three LOs are doing well.  how cool that it's only three more weeks til you're in the 2nd trimester! are you having any morning sickness or other symptoms besides the fatigue?  how long are you going to be able to keep working?  and what happened with the duplex you were hoping to get?

seraf -- i had yet another dream about you and your brood last night...it involved trying to fold massive sheets that belonged to you guys all by myself.  i have no clue what it all means except that maybe you need help with laundry??  

isa -- where in DC are you?  i spent the last two years of high school and a couple years of my adult life in that area.  i always loved going down to the District to hang out (especially to Adams Morgan for Ethiopian food...om nom).  

if anyone else needs to be added to the list on the first page, please let me know!

afm...  i'm readjusting to the cold, rainy Parisian weather after our six-day trip to sunny Spain.  we were in a little town on the Mediterranean coast very close to my old, beloved home of Barcelona (where DP and i met!)  i am having huge problems with what i think is SPD, and that coupled with the ankle and calf swelling i get every time i walk for more than 15 minutes made the trip a lot more "restful" than i'm used to.  i had been hoping to drive to explore some little villages and go into BCN to visit friends and walk around a bit in my old stomping ground.  instead, we swam in the sea and the pool, rented a car and drove to a Buddhist monastery up in the hills and ate lots and lots of good food.  DP didn't mind at all that we didn't do much, and she promised me we'd go back to Barcelona after the LO's born.  she considers it a hardship that we didn't have our yearly month-long vacation abroad (i know, cry me a river...), but she's happily saving her leave for when the baby comes, and she's also appeased by the fact that we're going to spend next summer's vacation in the very child/baby-friendly Tuscan village where we rented a cottage last year.  

tomorrow i reach 26 weeks, and i also have to go to my GP and ask him to give me an arrêt de travail (a paper putting me on long-term sick leave).  my midwife told me last month that she doesn't want me teaching when i'm having this much trouble with pain and mobility.  at this point, i can't even imagine dealing with the métro (where no one seems to let pregnant women sit down) and all the stairs and walking followed by hours of standing i'd have to do for the job.  DP seems to think it's perfectly normal for me not to have to work when i'm having such a hard time, but i can't help but feel guilty about it.  i wouldn't even have this option back home, so it feels like cheating somehow.  the evils of socialized medicine are finally getting to me...

the little viking is living up to his nickname these days.  he's kicking and moving like crazy, and it's fun to watch my stomach shimming along with him.  the midwives seem to think it's a good sign that he's this active.... i  can't help but wonder if this is a sign of things to come once he's on the outside.  does anyone know how to tell which way the baby is positioned at any given time?  i often get what feels like a little head (or bum?) pressed up hard against the top of my belly and then little twinkly sensations at the same time low in my pelvis (fingers? toesies? other?) and then at times he just seems to be stepping or lying on my bladder. at what point are they supposed to turn head down (or do they just keep flipping around for a while?)  

my photographer friend still hasn't come to do belly shots of me, so here are a couple of non-artistic ones that DP took while we were on vacation:

25 weeks                  

[KnittingTigers]

Thanks, Nos! My EDD is May 4. Yikes! Yes, we are getting really excited about the idea of twins. I think I'll actually be quite sad if we only see one on our next ultrasound. I'm sorry that you are in so much pain. For goodness sake, take the medical leave!

Lise, those are some exciting numbers! Woohoo!

AFM, insanely sick. I just feel horrible. Work has been really tough, particularly since I haven't told anyone except my one colleague in my office. Teaching is a particular challenge. I'm worried I'm going to yak in front of my students! Also, I'm just shy of seven weeks, and my clothes are all getting too tight! Last time I didn't show until I was 6 or 7 months pregnant. I think we'll have a different experience this time around!

Isa, enjoy DC! We lived there for a year, when DD was 2. I find that I enjoy it much more as a tourist than I did a resident, as we were priced out of many of the neighborhoods that we like to now go back and visit. Now though we have great fun being tourists! Enjoy.

Hi to everyone else!

[seraf]

Nos, we could use a hand with the laundry, thanks for asking. The diapers never end but they don't need much in the way of folding. Sara is sick and I can keep up with the boys and the laundry or the boys and the kitchen. Not both! We have to eat, so we have mountains of clean laundry. When will you arrive? I'm sorry you feel guilty taking time off but it's good that you can. What does maternity leave look like over there? I read that French women do physical therapy after birth so they don't pee when they sneeze, can we hear more about that when the time comes?

Tigers, it's crazy how much sooner you show with #2, so I bet it's even scarier with #2&3. Protein and sour candy! And apples.

A cold is making its way through our house so everyone is sneezy, achy and short tempered. Shay is walking up to 20 steps at a time. Soren rolls over and smiles constantly. He is super skinny still, so I made him a little wool sleeper already because the rest of us are still comfortable with the windows open at night but he turns all blue about the arms and legs. He loves to stand and he sits with minimal assistance now. He recently started pulling off the nipple with clamped jaws, so I think he may be working on teeth.

[planet]

Hey everybody! Surprise! Our tiny snuggler decided to join us 3 weeks early, the very first day he was officially full term. He was born right into the water in our apartment on Sunday at noon after 32 hours of labor. 5lbs 15oz, 19in long. We are in love!

[NZmumof2]

Congratulations Planet!

Enjoy that tiny one - I love that little newborn stage.  Gorgeous photo

Anna

[CascadiaMama]

Welcome Baby Planet! He's beautiful! You both look incredibly happy

[carmen358]

Congratulations, planet!!! Welcome to the world, little one

[DesertSunsets]

Oh my gosh you guys, this thread is EXPLODING! 

Tigers - congratulations on two!  I am glad you guys are taking the time to really process two new additions to your family - I hope your pregnancy is kind and the babies are healthy! 

Lise - HOORAY!!!  Congratulations, Mama!  We are SO FLIPPIN EXCITED for you over here!   

nosreves - your belly is so lovely!  Can't wait to see more photos.  Congrats on 26 weeks!  That's fantastic.  We took to calling Ever our viking, too, how funny. My mom bought her a crocheted Viking "helmet", with yarn braids and horns and everything. 

Isa - hope your trip is awesome!  All the family coincidentally being in the same place is too funny.  Pictures of Edie? 

Seraf - things at your house sound crazy!  I hope Sara's feeling better soon.  Can't believe how big your boys are already! 

Not much time to keep up with everybody, but here are a few more photos of Everleigh! 

Okay, wow.  I said a few, and then I gave you 11 photos.  Can you tell this girl is pretty special?  LOL.  Sorry for thread-clogging. 

[starling&diesel]

Planet!  Congratulations to you and your partner!  What exciting news!  Welcome to the world, little one!

Dear Everleigh ... Any time that you'd like to come up and lend me your gorgeous squishy newborn self for a prolonged cuddle, you let your mamas know.  And tell them to start mass producing those yummy wee slippers.  I think they should call them Broody Boots, because just looking at them makes me feel broody.   You are beautiful, child.  

xo

Your Canadian Fairy Godmother,

 

Starling

[seraf]

Yay Planet!!! He's beautiful.

Desert, she's beautiful. How are you settling in?

[wishin'&hopin']

Congrat's Planet!!!  He's a gorgeous kiddo!!!   And, Desert, way to up the ante on home knits and beautiful babes!  

AFM, just waiting for our first US...and DW's mom is coming to visit for 5 days, and I'm hoping DW opts NOT to tell her yet.  Just not ready for the possibility that she'll be more excited about this babe than the 2 y/o.  

[lisedea]

Wishin--When is your first u/s? How far along will you be?

Planet--He is so beautiful! Congrats!

Desert--And SHE is beautiful as well! Looks like a good snuggler!

Ugg...today is not good. I haven't been able to sleep for days so I am exhausted and have had a continuous nauseated feeling.I hope this gets better because it is difficult to stay focused on teaching and almost impossible to keep up with the young kids.

[wishin'&hopin']

Our first ultrasound is next Thursday (so in 8 days...not that we're counting (that would make us 6 weeks and 2 days) and our due date is May 15th.  

Lise, I'm sorry you feel like crap...I hope tonight brings some rest for you!

[KnittingTigers]

Planet, congrats! What a beautiful family!

Desert, I seriously want to nibble her cheeks off. And all that hair! My DD was bald for her first year. Everleigh is just beautiful.

Seraf, we have perpetual "laundry monsters" around here (ie. the pile of clean laundry that never gets folded). I cannot express how much I wish that someone would invent a dryer that folded your clothing for you when it was done. I cannot even imagine what our laundry situation will look like 9 months from now.

Lise, I'm sorry you're feeling so badly. I've felt like crap on a stick for the past few weeks. Not to plant any more seeds of multiples, but my doctor did say that morning sickness comes early and hard with twins...
 

Wishin, good luck making it through the next 8 days. I was SO RELIEVED to see that first ultrasound. Also, good luck negotiating mother-in-law stuff. As I am the designated womb in our family, it's not a dynamic we've had to deal with in the same way, but I do think there were tensions with both of our families about how "real" DP was as a parent at first.

AFM, here is a list of things I ate today: toast with butter, bagel with avocado, pirate's booty, watermelon, cottage cheese. I left work right after teaching today, ran through Whole Foods to grab lime popsicles and the aforementioned watermelon, and have been eating it ever since. I feel pretty wretched still. Hoping that my "morning" sickness is over by 12 or 14 weeks. We go to Puerto Rico at 16 weeks (mid-November), and it will not be a fun vacation if I am still this nauseous.

[NZmumof2]

Hey Wishin, we had parents in law issues too, my in laws saw the bio child of my partner as a true grandchild and not my bio kids.  When we just had the two boys (had carried one each) we wrote them a letter the Christmas the eldest was four and could therefore read the cards on the presents that said their names on his present and "Granny and Granddad" on the other.  We said it was their choice to be involved in the kids lives but they were either names only to both or Granny and Granddad to both, or if they persisted with the difference we would not see them.  They've been Granny and Granddad since even though they never acknowledged receiving the letter.  These are the people who offered DP $60000 to go to Europe and forget me when she came out to them though...

Lise, I feel revolting too, I'm nearly 12 weeks so really hoping it gets better soon.  Usually from lunch time on I am a wreck, which is very challenging between about 4 and 7pm when the kids are pretty needy too.  My betas were really high too, above the 95th centile (more or less the same as yours) and there was just one bubba on my 7 week scan.  We only put one embryo in there so I wasn't too surprised, although the fertility clinic thought maybe there were identical twins.  Would have been more than a little interesting to have kid 4 turn into kid 4 and 5!

I've been waiting for a sunny day to dry our washing for over a week, finally got 5 loads washed and dry yesterday and we even manged to fold them, helped by the incentive to be able to find clean underwear this morning!

Anna, in NZ, partner to Leah, mums to B 12, E 8, F 4

[nosreves]

planet -- i already said something over on FB, but i wanted to reiterate how gorgeous your family is and to say Felicitations and Congratulations again on the birth of your little boy.

desert -- i'm getting cuteness overload here!  how funny that you call her your little viking, too.  we started doing it because his donor is Danish, so we figured he's got some real viking blood in there somewhere.  if he comes out with long shaggy hair and a huge beard, our suspicions will be confirmed.

so i went to the doc today and told him about all my pain, and i also mentioned a couple of other problems i've been having lately:  swollen ankles, a weird vision disturbance (that happened once in Spain) and some recent headaches.  he immediately took my BP and it was higher than it's ever been (140/80 and then 135/80 the second time he took it).  he said i should keep an eye on it and  get it checked later in the day.  in the afternoon, i had this relaxation session with a "liberal midwife" (not the one i see at the hospital), and afterwards i asked her if she'd recheck my BP.  this time i was at 155/90.  she seemed worried, especially after i mentioned the eye thing and the headaches and swelling.  she wrote me prescriptions for blood tests and a 24-hour urine test.  i know where all this is leading, and i'm trying sooo hard not to freak out.  when i left her office, i walked a bit and then took the tram back home, and on the way, i stopped at the pharmacy and had them recheck my BP.  this time i was at 122/75.  i don't know what to think.  i know i could be in the early stages of preeclampsia, but since we got back from Spain, my ankle/calf swelling is pretty much gone.  the midwife and doctor both said i need to rest rest rest, so i'll be doing that.  is there anything else i can do?  does this mean i'm going to have to deliver soon???  

[starling&diesel]

nos ... If you are pre-eclamptic then they will likely monitor you and continue labs and bp checks until the benefits of delivering outweigh the risks of staying pregnant. Pre-e usually resolves with having your baby, so that will get you back on track health wise and baby will be safe from pre-e complications.. I had pre-e with my first and was induced at 37+ weeks, and was on pre-e watch with my second but managed to avoid developing.
It's scary to think about induction, especially when you're not near due yet, but if you do develop genuine pre-e, then the very best thing is to not be pregnant anymore. Safest for you and baby, even if baby is early.
Do you have Rescue Remedy there? If so, take some for the anxiety. Get lots of rest!
Sorry that you are dealing with this ... Hugs to you!