7/22 Weekly Thread - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[travelmumma]

Just wanted to quickly add something funny.
We went bra shopping today and I almost fainted at how much I have changed!!!
Since April I have gone from a 10A/32A to a 12DD/34DD!!!!!
I wet myself laughing and freaked the store keeper out lol!!!! My hubby said "oh my god!! Can I tell people?!?!?!?!!!!" haha no honey you can't! But I can lol

[GreenTeaGinger61]

 to all the mamas going through a hard time. Pregnancy is a rough time for emotional stuff.

LOL at Travelmama: that is a HUGE jump. I can't even imagine. I'm a DD but I was C at my smallest so not such a big leap.

Maternity clothes are a total PITA. I hit up cosignment stores but I'm usually too big for anything they have. Lately Old Navy has been my place to shop which is odd...I normally hate their clothes. However this time around for summer clothes, I've found decent stuff which is pricey but doesn't feel like crap. I don't work so I can keep things limited. I have all my winter maternity clothes from my last pregnancy which I should only need for the last couple of months. 

AFM: Trying hard to just enjoy this pregnancy. I was so worried about misscarriage in the beginning, and am still worried about it now (DS has a risk for loss and still born). I get all freaked out if I don't feel her move everyday which is crazy making since I'm not that far along and I'm large. But a friend reminded that me to practice accepting things I can't change and focusing on the positive. This is my goal.
 

[kel]

You are hilarious travelmumma - so are you enjoying your new size?  My best friend always loved her breasts getting bigger when she was nursing - oh, yes! - they'll get even bigger when the milk comes in!  But I was never so crazy about how busty I got.  My breasts haven't made such a huge leap this time around, but this is my fifth baby and they've never gone back to as small as they were after my fist bout of breastfeeding I don't think.  I started out non-pregnant life as a B cup and I don't think I ever went lower than C again.  This pregnancy I've gone up from 36C to 38D and may need to switch to DD - but I know that once the babe is born they'll get really enormous - so definitely have some good nursing bras on hand toward the end of your pregnancy.

GreenTea - I am by nature a worrier, but I have so much to worry about this pregnancy already, that have nothing to do with the pregnancy, that I've been making a real effort not to worry about it as well.  Worrying doesn't change anything.  I have to remind myself of that and remind myself to focus on all the positive things in my life and all of the positive things yet to come - of which there are many.  xox

[chicajones]

travelmumma, I just got a size "small" which made it pretty easy. I still don't know what I would get if I had to pick a cup size (maybe 34B? I started at 32A), but the stretchy ones are definitely more flexible. I know it probably won't fit immediately after birth when my boobs are super huge, but once they go back down I think it will be fine.

Another "baby stuff" question -- any thoughts on strollers? I want to add one to my registry but have no idea where to start. We plan on doing a lot of babywearing, but we won't have a car in the UK so I know a stroller will be good as well. Also, I'm pretty much limited to those that are available in the UK, some of which are totally different than over here. And apparently called "prams" or "pushcarts" lol!

[phatchristy]

Dee Gee--So sorry about your great aunt.  HUGS

Hope everyone is feeling pretty good.  Definitely happy not to have the nausea anymore!

I look 'thinner' somehow...my weight has pretty much stayed the same recently and I think my face and legs look thinner but my belly has been expanding LOL.  Since my nutrition has improved since the m/s stopped I was wondering if that was going to happen.  I was eating too many carbs before as that seemed to be the only way I could make it through the nausea.  Also, with a little bit more energy I've been doing my 'workout' more frequently.  My workout being Just Dance Wii games...pretty much the only thing I feel motivated to do these days and that the kids will do with me!

[kateadelle]

travelmumma that is a very impressive size increase! I thought I had gotten big, but I have nothing on you!

chicajones I have no advice for you, but want to say that I am looking forward to hearing some advice from the more experienced moms on here. I have been reading a lot of the reviews on babybargains.com as a starting place for things like strollers (if nothing else to know what to eliminate from the list), but would love to hear from more like-minded mamas about this stuff.

I have been reading a lot more than posting these days since work has been total chaos and I am too exhausted by the time I get home to do anything except feed myself. We had our mid-pregnancy ultrasound and in addition to finding out that we are having a girl (YAY!), we also found out that I currently have a marginal previa, which helps explain the onn-again off-again spotting I have been having the last two months. Though most previas diagnosed at this stage in pregnancy resolve on their own, it is still worrisome as I am really hoping for a home birth. I will have to go back for another ultrasound in 6 weeks to see if the placenta has moved away from my cervix and then again in another 6 weeks if it hasn't moved up. I am really not thrilled about the extra ultrasounds. Blech. Between this and the fact that my blood pressure is still high whenever my midwives take it (but not when I take it at home, or at the pharmacy), I am starting to have a mild worry that my plans for a home birth are not going to work out, which really breaks my heart.

[GreenTeaGinger61]

((((katedelle)))) That has to be so hard. A person on another DDC did just have a homebirth after discovering partial...it had moved by her 38 week ultrasound. I'll be sending "moving vibes" to yours:) 

phatchristy: Totally not looking thinner here:P So jealous! I've been eating away my stress/worry. not good. But I am going to the gym three days a week and hope to add two at home work outs soon. 

I'm a worrier too so this is really just another layer. Jude moved a whole bunch this morning though so I can stop worrying for today at least.

No idea on strollers. I'll ask some friends in England though what they'd recommend.

[travelmumma]

Chica- There is a difference between prams and strollers (Just to add some more confusion to the mix lol).. Prams are more solid and sturdy, they fold up into bigger "packages". These are generally the ones that can face you or away from you, they can be more like a basinette or a seat etc, so you can lay the bub down or sit him up depending on age etc.... But Strollers are generally more for older children once they can sit up and have more muscle control. They fold down into smaller "packages" (for want of a better word) but have less to them. They literally are just a seat, and are less solid and sturdy.

Hope that helps?? Shout out if you have any questions. I know Im not the the UK but Australia tends to use the same words/styles as in Britan.

We will be getting a pram and using that. The one we have our eye on can convert into a car seat too, so you just unlock the top "cradle" and lock it into the base in the car. Then when they get older you can do away wit the cradle and have them sit up in the seat part, they can face you or out and you can play with the levels of the seat so they can sit or lay down.

Ginger- I remember earlier this pregnancy when I was so afraid of miscarriage that one of the other Mummas said to me "This child deserves a proud and non worried mumma for its whole life, no matter how long that life may be." I know what you are going through is completely different to how i felt then, but that quote just came to mind :) Love everyone up right now because we never know what could happen to anyone at anytime xxxxx

Kate- Am definitely sending "moving" vibes your way!!!! Chances are it will move and you can have the birth of your dreams, but vibes coming your way :)

AFM- Yes, loving my new size lol!!! Loving it even more now that I know how big I actually am lol!!!

Great thing happened yesterday! My mother rang (that is NOT the great thing lol) and started on about how I am so selfish to be planning a home birth, how its not best for the baby, how I am just doing it for myself  and how having a baby has to be the most Unselfish thing you can do, how hospital is the place for babies to be born no matter what.

Normally I would just crumple under this, but yesterday this whole new power came over me and I turned into a Mumma Bear! I told her that not only do I have statistics and studies to prove that she is wrong (she said some very incorrect things) but I also have a community behind me as well as qualified midwives etc. 

Every argument she came up with I knocked down! It was HILARIOUS!!!!!! She has never heard/seen me like this and it totally shocked her!!! At the end of the phone call she said "Well we will have to agree to disagree" to which I answered "Just so you know, just because we disagree it does not mean you are right. You must learn that the word Traditional does not mean the same thing as the word Correct."

That shut her up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MWHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAA!  Win!!!

****This is by no means "picking on" those having a hospital birth. I fully feel that the best place for a woman to labour and birth is the place where she is going to feel most comfortable.*****

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by kateadelle 

I have been reading a lot more than posting these days since work has been total chaos and I am too exhausted by the time I get home to do anything except feed myself. We had our mid-pregnancy ultrasound and in addition to finding out that we are having a girl (YAY!), we also found out that I currently have a marginal previa, which helps explain the onn-again off-again spotting I have been having the last two months. Though most previas diagnosed at this stage in pregnancy resolve on their own, it is still worrisome as I am really hoping for a home birth. I will have to go back for another ultrasound in 6 weeks to see if the placenta has moved away from my cervix and then again in another 6 weeks if it hasn't moved up. I am really not thrilled about the extra ultrasounds. Blech. Between this and the fact that my blood pressure is still high whenever my midwives take it (but not when I take it at home, or at the pharmacy), I am starting to have a mild worry that my plans for a home birth are not going to work out, which really breaks my heart.

Hey, with my third I had a partial previa relatively early (around 12 weeks...had bleeding so wound up having the u/s).  I think you're still pretty darn early and since it's only marginal, with the fact that your uterus expanding greatly in the future it IS going to be moving up!  Don't worry and don't even let yourself think otherwise ;).  

How 'high' is the bp when the midwives take it?  Maybe you could talk to them about doing your readings at home?  I had this happen with my third, there was a lot of stress at that office and so if they took it at the beginning of the appointment it would wind up being like 135/85 or so....then if they took it again at the end it would usually be 120/80 or so!  Even visualization exercises would help.  However, we figured out quickly that I was stressed at the appointment and they said 'don't stress' we'll just use your home number.  I had bought a machine and was taking it regularly at home.  Here at home my readings are 115-123/75-82 in general.  So, they've been respectful of my quirks and they know that even though I *know* they're not doctors the mere fact that I'm being 'fooled around with' or am not in control makes mine be elevated a bit.  At home (where I birth as well) it's always best and has always been just fine during birth/labor.  Having 'white coat' issues is VERY common, and feel free to talk to them about it.  There's also things you can do to help reassure yourself that your bp will not be an issue.  I usually tell people who have been in our situation to read up on the midwifery archives at gentlebirth.org, there's a whole section on pih.  I still stress myself out about it a little at the end, and that website helps!  There's so much you can do proactively that I think is comforting!

Green Tea--Hey, you've got a lot going on.  Try not to get overwhelmed, and the exercise I'll bet is helping.  I've been doing just dance and I did it for about 45 minutes tonight...wondering how much I'm going to be able to keep this up!  I know the aches and pains are going to make things tougher near the end!

Travelmumma--You are so smart for doing a homebirth the first time around!  I've had all my babies this way too, and of course, in the beginning got all sorts of weird comments.  The key is, you've done the research and the research alone proves that for healthy low risk moms midwife attended homebirths have the best outcomes for moms and babies!  These other people are just ignorant about what's out there.  When it comes to birth there is definitely a strong cultural and media bias, and most people don't seem to be able to step out of that mold.  People knew I had a background in science, and they expected me to have some crazy high tech birth.  Well, that is just flat out not evidence based medicine!  I went into my research open-minded and not afraid to do what was best regardless of cultural norms.  So, a few people were surprised when I was exactly the opposite...low tech, all natural LOL.

[segolilymama]

So much happening with everyone! Love & hugs to those who need it, and congratulations to those who need that! (Sorry to be so generic, but I need to get out of the house soon lol!)

AFM, I am heading into town today for accupuncture appt (haven't had one in 3 weeks!), and am also going to my GF's prenatal massage clinic. I was lamenting the other day that we are so tight on $ right now, and I feel like I haven't been able to take care of myself in the ways I usually do (chiro & massage were my ONLY prenatal care with #3!). then I realized what everyone else was wasting $ on (I manage the finances), and had a good heart to heart with the family about needing to be taking care of myself & babe. We found some ways to cut some costs so that I don;t have to run around in pain or as exhausted. So I am off to the land of 'taking care of ME day.' I haven't had one of these in IDK how long!

[kateadelle]

Originally Posted by phatchristy 
How 'high' is the bp when the midwives take it?  Maybe you could talk to them about doing your readings at home?  I had this happen with my third, there was a lot of stress at that office and so if they took it at the beginning of the appointment it would wind up being like 135/85 or so....then if they took it again at the end it would usually be 120/80 or so!  Even visualization exercises would help.  However, we figured out quickly that I was stressed at the appointment and they said 'don't stress' we'll just use your home number.  I had bought a machine and was taking it regularly at home.  Here at home my readings are 115-123/75-82 in general.  So, they've been respectful of my quirks and they know that even though I *know* they're not doctors the mere fact that I'm being 'fooled around with' or am not in control makes mine be elevated a bit.  At home (where I birth as well) it's always best and has always been just fine during birth/labor.  Having 'white coat' issues is VERY common, and feel free to talk to them about it.  There's also things you can do to help reassure yourself that your bp will not be an issue.  I usually tell people who have been in our situation to read up on the midwifery archives at gentlebirth.org, there's a whole section on pih.  I still stress myself out about it a little at the end, and that website helps!  There's so much you can do proactively that I think is comforting!

My last appointment it was 130/88 and it is generally in that range in their office. It is more in the 120/80 range at home with the cuff I bought. I am going to have my next prenatal appointment at my home, to see if that helps. It's funny - I have never had any issue with my blood pressure while seeing any doctor - just my midwives. I do think I have a bit more anxiety around the pregnancy than any medical issue in the past, which I am sure does not help. 

segolilymama Good for you for taking care of your body and your baby! I know it is sometimes hard for me to put my needs above others and I applaud you for doing it!

[travelmumma]

WE HAVE FOUND A MIDWIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is even better than our last one, and refreshingly honest!!!!!
Yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We just interviewed her tonight and as soon as she entered I knew she was the one!! She is brilliant!!
Love love love love!
Now to scam our money back from the old one!! Hmmmm but yay!

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by kateadelle 

My last appointment it was 130/88 and it is generally in that range in their office. It is more in the 120/80 range at home with the cuff I bought. I am going to have my next prenatal appointment at my home, to see if that helps. It's funny - I have never had any issue with my blood pressure while seeing any doctor - just my midwives. I do think I have a bit more anxiety around the pregnancy than any medical issue in the past, which I am sure does not help. 

segolilymama Good for you for taking care of your body and your baby! I know it is sometimes hard for me to put my needs above others and I applaud you for doing it!

You sound like me LOL.  Mine was somewhere around 135/85 a few times in the office....they learned that if they waited until the end after I'd talked to the mw, heard the hb, etc. then it went down when they took it the second time!  We quickly realized that it was stressing me out MORE doing it twice like that so we switched to using my home measurements (bought a machine just for it).  I've had four homebirths so far and I'll say that they tell me that it's fairly normal for women to have some anxiety, etc. when going into the appointment....these 'white coat' issues are fairly normal.  They already have their share of patients who don't like the 'medical model of care' etc.  

Congrats travelmumma on the new mw!  She must be great as you're so enthusiastic!

Well, I was supposed to have a mw appointment yesterday, but they called and cancelled as they'd had a marathon birth and all involved were thoroughly exhausted!  So, looks like next week.  Though I have felt a bit of movement I think so I guess that's reassuring.  My fundus feels about where it should be as well.  Took my bp here and was 115/75.

I've been doing just dance as a workout...actually just dance 2.  I started with the third one, got 5 stars on all of those songs, then we got the second one, I just completed the last song at 5 stars yesterday....sigh.   Now what do I do?  LOL.  Try to get high scores or something?  Maybe get the first just dance?  Heh...  

DH is on board with me and my healthy endeavors finally...he weighed himself the other day on the wii balance board and nearly fell over.  I was surprised myself.  I guess you don't notice things when they slowly creep on!  It's just TOO unhealthy, so he's going to be workout out alongside me and at other times and he'd better lay off the sodas and the high fat meals he eats when he's out and travelling.  Sigh.

[segolilymama]

Travelmumma I am SO happy for you! There have been studies that say the #1 factor in predicting positive birth outcomes is relationship with the care-giver - so this is HUGE :))))

I feel SO good today after my massage & acupuncture yesterday! The massage therapist at the clinic is pregnant, too, so it was really fun talking to her (actually I lover everyone there, my GF who started the place has been a friend for almost 20 years, way before either of us was ready to be a mama). Being in a space designed to nurture mamas was wonderful!

Joe & I have the house to ourselves, too, which is blissful at the moment - Jordan & Craig took the kids camping yesterday, won't be back til tomorrow. I'm gonna get so much work done ;)

[chicajones]

travelmumma that's wonderful!! I'm so happy you found another midwife. :) How crazy about your giant ta-tas, I can't even imagine! It's weird enough going up just one cup size!

phatchristy, so fun to hear you got DH to go along with you in getting healthy--it's so nice to have a partner in crime! 

katedelle, will be sending you placenta-shifting vibes! Hopefully it will move with plenty of time for you not to even have to think about other options.

Our Bradley instructor sent us this video today and i ended up completely bawling at work. It's beautiful, but also the c-section parts just horrified me. I've seen videos of c-sections before but for some reason these were particularly disturbing. I don't know how anyone could ever electively choose one. Warning, there is definitely some surgery shots, so if you've got a weak stomach you may want to skip to the end (where she has her waterbirth):

http://vimeo.com/5648654

I think i finally had an idea for how we're going to find out whether we're having a boy or a girl! We're going to have them write it on a piece of paper, then go out to a field with my SIL, and have her hand each of us two cans of silly string, with no caps (I'll buy four pink and four blue ahead of time). Then, on the count of three, we'll spray each other! DH's family has a huge silly string tradition at all of their holidays, and I thought it'd be a fun alternative to the typical balloon reveal. :)

[edited to add video link]

Edited by chicajones - 7/27/12 at 11:30am

[darkblue0729]

Originally Posted by travelmumma 

WE HAVE FOUND A MIDWIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is even better than our last one, and refreshingly honest!!!!!
Yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We just interviewed her tonight and as soon as she entered I knew she was the one!! She is brilliant!!
Love love love love!
Now to scam our money back from the old one!! Hmmmm but yay!

YAY!!! I am SO incredibly happy for you mama!!!!!!!

[phatchristy]

OK, the heartburn....ugh.  I can't eat anything with tomato sauce/spicy/mexican.  I've nearly gone though one small bottle of papaya enzyme! 

[stegenrae]

After extensive allergy testing, I found I was severely intolerant to papaya...which explained why it *never* helped any sort of heartburn in the least for me. IDK if you are getting relief from it, phatchristy, but if not, that might explain why. As for the heartburn, I feel ya! YUCK. At least this time, I don't already have GERD (going off of all those intolerances cured that!), so hopefully it won't be tear-inducing this pregnancy. But it does mean I have to make sure if I eat yummy spicy food, I have to have it at lunch, then a boring-ass supper so I can sleep. boo.

[cieloazul]

chicajones, have you looked at strollers at "Mamas and Papas" or "Mothercare"? Those are two baby gear chain stores here. Without a car I'd take a careful look at how much storage space a stroller has underneath in the basket. You know what else you might think about, at the open air markets here they sell these big wheeled hand basket things (I call them old lady carts). You could easily wear a baby and pull one of those. It's funny, I don't see many babywearers here with the exception of the odd baby bjorn type carrier now and then. When I do see someone wearing a baby they often turn out to be American. Ditto for people with clunky travel systems, almost always American. Stroller culture is huge here and they're much sleeker designs. Another thing to think about is if you're going to use public transit with a pushchair (busses and trains are generally very puschchair firiendly from what I've obnserved) then you'll want something that folds up quickly and easily like one of those Maclaren unbrella strollers, which would be suitable for an older baby/toddler. The other stroller-related thing that I haven't quite sorted out is that it's cold and rainy here all.the.time. so you see babies bundled up in these fluffy buntings and then the whole stroller/bunting/baby package is covered with a clear plastic shell that fits over the stroller. That kind of freaks me out. I tend to think I'll be able to keep baby warmer and drier (and not covered in plastic!) by wearing her and putting some thought into our outerwear.

[kel]

Nice advice cieloazul!

chica - When my first was a babe, we lived in Seattle - similar climate;) and similar needs.   I lived in the city and didn't own a car, and either walked or took the bus.  A nice size stroller/pram with sturdy wheels and a strong basket/storage space for groceries or what have you is important - but isn't usually the same stroller you'd be able to fold up quickly or easily to get on the bus.  My excursions were generally one or the other.  I'd take the nice size carriage stroller (we had an old stroller from the 70's - pram style - where babe could be reclined completely - which they don't seem to care for at all - or at an angle - and when he got old enough to sit up I would recline the carriage fully and he would sit up in the back of it - playing with his toys.) for bouts of fresh air or to the library or grocery.  But if I took the bus I'd just wear him in a sling, or later on a baby backpack.  I think the only stroller that would work well on the bus would be an umbrella stroller.  Anyway - babies don't usually seem to enjoy being in strollers until they're old enough to be interested in the world around them - 4 months or so has been my experience.  As far as rain and wind - our carriage had a roof - and I'd just hang a thin blanket over that if sleeping, or turn the handlebars the other direction so that I was pushing him into the wind/rain and it didn't get on him.  Another fantastic feature of the perfect pram - being able to switch the handlebar to push from either direction!