July 23rd...wooohoo weekly chat thread! - Page 3 « Back to Group Discussions

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

Originally Posted by FeralFox 

Leann - supposedly the garlic kills the GBS long enough to get a negative test result.  I'm not sure how well it actually works, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try.  I'm glad to hear your move went well, and that you're settling in with no problems!

LilyTiger - I'm glad to hear your news!

I had my 36 week appointment today, and the size estimate is 7 1/2 pounds, already.  This baby needs to vacate asap!  I'm starting to worry about her size.

I debated how to handle the GBS test, and ended up opting to just do nothing and see what happens.  I didn't want to "trick" the test - after all, if I really am GBS+ I am willing to take the abx and just have probiotics for me and baby ready to go.  If there was a way to cure it, I would do that, but apparently there is no sure fire way to cure it and know that it's gone when I go into labor.  

And baby is measuring around 7-7 1/2 at 36 weeks for me too.  DD1 was 8lbs when she was born at 42 weeks, so I'm not sure I believe that I'm going to have a 9lb baby at 40, but whatever. I can handle 9 or 10.  14 (so sorry Ninetales) and I'd be begging for a scheduled section. 

Originally Posted by justchanti 

Hey everyone.  It seems like I might be next!  I'm fighting a little cold so I took a nap earlier today and I woke up to my water breaking!!  It's been gushing pretty consistently ever since.  The midwife came over and listened to the LO's heart beat and everything sounds good, so now it's just a  waiting game.  I'm having light contractions, but nothing worth calling home about.  Hopefully things will begin to pick up soon!  Keep us in your thoughts tonight! 

Woohooo!!! OMG so exciting!!!!  Here's my advice for what it's worth: Get as much sleep as you can while you are in early labor.  Until your contractions are less than 4 minutes apart, you are in early labor and need to conserve your energy to the extent it is possible. Go about your normal life and try to ignore the fact that baby is coming soon until you are in active labor.  I was in early labor for 16 hours the first time and I was certain that it would turn into active labor any minute so I ignored everything else - I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, I just concentrated on laboring.  By the time I FINALLY went into active labor, I was physically and emotionally exhausted already.  

It'll happen very soon though!!! 

I am feeling more and more ready to meet this baby.  Now we just have to come up with a name....

[andaluza]

How exciting Justchianti! Hope things progress quickly and healthfully. 

Lizbiz, that sounds like a hard trip without any bathroom breaks. Hope the family issues get better soon.

Great news, Lily! I have been wondering about size. I read recently that babies could be the average of parents, which seems to maybe be your case. That would be a good thing since apparently dh and his siblings were all over 5 kilos, but my brother and I were around 7 lbs. 

So nice to hear from you, ithappened! I wish the sitter could have worked out. Does she have any suggestions for anyone to cover, even occasionally? I'm expecting something similar with my parents' visit; we'll see. They'll come a little later, though.

LeAnn, great to hear that you are settled! Your place sounds great!

1stimemama, I like your advice to justchianti about laboring. I'm going to try to remember it. I am sure I'll get caught up in the excitement of being close, though.

No one has told me to take it easy...although dh won't let me vacuum, but he's not interested in doing it as much as I would. 

[NewMumJoy]

Ah!!!  JustChianti - so exciting!!!  Good luck, I'll be thinking of you tonight/tomorrow, hoping everything goes well.  Looking forward to your updates!  Woohooo!!  

[poppylove]

Omg! Chanti! Prayers mama! Hoping for a smooth and easy delivery for you! Come on babykins!!!

[eleuthia]

thinking about you, justchanti! i hope labor goes well and you'll be introducing us to your baby soon! 

[rebecca10]

JustChianti-- How exciting!! I'll be thinking of you and sending along hopes for an easy delivery and healthy baby. 

[iixivboots]

JustChianti, how exciting! Wishing all the good vibes in the world I am so glad someone listened and we're having another baby, hehe!

Leann, Liz, and everyone else who has been moving/traveling, you guys are heroes! I am glad you are through the worst of it and I hope you get a chance to relax in your new locales.

Thanks everyone for the advice on dealing with the heat! Isn't it funny I've been through the hottest summer of any of us and I don't know how to deal with it because it's just been so bad I've been avoiding it all-together?! Actually the forecast for the next week or so doesn't look too bad, no 115 degree days predicted, maybe even a few clouds and thunderstorms and highs around 102/103. I know that seems crazy to the rest of you but here in AZ I'll take it! I am going to also try suggestions of umbrellas and if I have to, asking someone else to start my car for me at the end of the day. If only my students were there I would not feel weird about asking them (not all of them I would trust with my keys, obviously, but some! I know you all think I'm crazy) , but when it's adults, I don't know. Weird teacher independence thing.

So tomorrow and Friday is the conference, then next week should be pretty low key, I hope, even though I will have to walk outside to get to the bathroom every time I have to pee. Hopefully nobody will expect too much, I can just make a few meetings, maybe meet with my sub and make some copies and make sure stuff is ready for school to start the following week WITHOUT ME, woohoo!

As of my appointment today I am 1 cm dilated, up from a fingertip last Friday. Still not effaced much if at all, and I've started 1000 mg of EPO orally and 1000 mg vaginally.

Hope everyone else is doing well winding down their weeks, whether at work or home...

[LeAnn A Doula]

Good luck JustChanti! Thinking of you and your family.

[Lizbiz]

Wow Justchanti!  So exciting!  Thinking of you today... sending lots of wonderful baby birthing blessings your way!

[sarahdb]

Justchanti--so excited to hear your news! I hope that everything goes smoothly and it ends up being a wonderful experience. Can't wait to see a picture of that sweet baby!

I've been thinking a lot about those of you who are going through various struggles this week. It makes me realize once again how nothing should be taken for granted in this journey of growing and birthing a baby. Even though I'm a big advocate of natural childbirth too, the fact is that there are no absolutes or guarantees. And we all need to make choices that we feel are safest and healthiest for us and our babies. I wish the larger world was not so hard and judgmental of pregnant women. Wishing everyone peace of mind as our due dates are coming ever nearer!

I am doing well. Had my 36-week appointment on Monday and everything still looks great--my midwife estimates the baby is about 5 1/2 lbs right now. Like I said, I feel immense gratitude for a good report, as I know/see how easily that could be a different story. We went over all the details about what to do if my water breaks, I start getting contractions, etc. It all felt so much more real! Next Monday, at 37 weeks, I'll be clear for having this baby at home, so that feels like a big date in my mind. Overall, I feel like things are ready physically since we have the birth kit and pool all ready to go (even though I still have a to-do list that is not close to being finished!). But I've been struggling a little more mentally and emotionally with some anxiety and nervousness about labor itself. I'm trying to take time in the next while to just relax and read positive stories, etc.

I'm so excited to meet our baby though! And to hear everyone else's stories too!

[lakeruby]

sarahdb-- yay for doing and feeling well!  I have my eye on my cleared-for-homebirth date too :)  I am wishing that I planned maternity leave to start sooner than baby's arrival, because I sure could use some time to focus on what's ahead.  I have been reading my Birthing From Within and Ina May each night, but only for a few minutes before I fall asleep!

JustChanti-- thinking of you today!

Boots-- how exciting that you're full term, looking at maternity leave starting soon, and ready for EPO!  Hopefully you can take it easy at work until maternity leave starts-- I'm sure no one will expect you to do too much :)

LeAnn-- your house sounds lovely.  Hope you can get all settled in quickly and get to work on that baby's room!  Our nursery is also not at all ready yet.

[sallyrae17]

Thinking about you, JustChianti! I hope your birth is fast and smooth! I can't wait to hear the details!

[LilyTiger]

Good luck, JustChanti!  So exciting that we're getting some new babies to welcome!  Hoping you have a peaceful labor!!!

LeAnn, ditto the comments on the house.  It sounds great.  I hope you have enough energy to do all the nesting you desire.  I loved setting up our nursery.  Hopefully you'll get some of your projects finished before the LO arrives.

Boots, I'm debating the primrose oil starting next week (I'll be 39 weeks and the manuscript will be out the door).  Let me know if you feel anything exciting! 

sarahdb and lakeruby so exciting on being so close to home birth clearance!  My 37 week milestone was sort of blah since it doesn't change anything for me.  Are you both all set in terms of supplies and planning?

AFM, plugging away on the book.  I told the editors I would have the complete manuscript to them Monday, so that gives me a nice, hard deadline.  And this baby cannot come before then.  Fortunately, there isn't much sign it's coming any time soon.  I had some cramping this morning after a short walk, but that's about it.  And now back to work.  Hopefully the next time I check in we'll have a new babe to welcome!

[pennywhistle]

I can't believe one of our babies could be being born right now!  So exciting!

I had my second non-stress test yesterday, and the baby is still sailing through with flying colors.  They put me on blood pressure meds, and my BP was down this morning to 123/89.  And only trace protein in my urine.  I'm working from home now, and am trying to stay calm & happy.  I know I most likely will give birth in the hospital, so I'm just focusing on accepting that and staying positive.  There's a chance that I can go back to the birth center if my BP stays low and there's no more protein in my urine (I'm still seeing them for pre-natal care, and my midwife will attend my birth where ever it happens), so a little part of me is hoping that everything turns around, but I'm trying not to focus on that too much so that I don't get disappointed again.

Can't believe the heat some of you are dealing with!  Hope everyone stays well-hydrated.  I've been squeezing lemons & limes into all my water, which helps me drink more of it.

I want baby updates!!!

[lakeruby]

Originally Posted by LilyTiger 

sarahdb and lakeruby so exciting on being so close to home birth clearance!  My 37 week milestone was sort of blah since it doesn't change anything for me.  Are you both all set in terms of supplies and planning?

I have gathered the supplies that I already had (towels, garbage bags, bendable straws, etc) but I'm kind of superstitious (or at least weary) and so I'm waiting until 37 weeks before I purchase anything else I need for the birth (thermometer, chux pads, ky jelly, etc).  We are planning to set up the bed and birth tub in the baby's room, so that is something that I need to keep focusing on, so it's all ready at 37 weeks.  I can't believe it's almost August!!!!

[sarahdb]

Yep, we're getting close. Our midwife wants us all ready to go by 37 weeks, so that's why we're mostly set to go. We had to order a birth kit online that has most of the supplies we need--nice that we didn't have to go out and get everything separately. Then we bought a bunch of towels and receiving blankets and an extra set of sheets from a thrift store (will probably just go in the trash once we're done since we don't have washer/dryer in our apartment building). We just need to wash all of the linens and seal them up in bags. DH is in charge of getting the birth tub ready to go (tarp, water thermometer, potable hose, and figuring out how to fill and drain it). That will all be done over the weekend. Then baby can arrive!

[NewMumJoy]

Boots - good luck today/tomorrow returning to work - hope it all goes well and that you're not melting away!!

Penny - so glad to hear that baby is doing just fine, it sounds like everything is going to work out ok - just keep staying positive!

I can't wait to hear more about JustChianti !!

ALL I can think about now is "is it time yet????" with every little twinge that I feel!!  Since DH has returned home a couple days ago, I think baby's got the message that we're ready for him and all the pressure, contractions and cramping have returned full force!  At the same time, I've been SOOOO tired these last couple of days - sleeping in very very late and/or taking 3 hr naps in the afternoon.  It worries me about going into labor w/o enough rest and losing steam too early.  We're 4 days from EDD now and I'd really like baby to come this weekend - otherwise I will go nuts with these aches, pains and stiffness if I wait into next week (my feet, knees, legs, bladder and back are my biggest problem right now - they are so sore, I can barely walk!!).

I have my weekly appt. in w/doctor tomorrow afternoon and am contemplating whether to have him do another internal check.  I know we'll then have to discuss next week's options if baby doesn't arrive soon.  Unfortunately he only keeps office appointments on Fridays which means I wouldn't see him again until 4 days past EDD - which really doesn't sit well w/me.....  

[FeralFox]

JustChanti, sending ELV your way!  I can't wait to "meet" the little one!

[Ninetales]

It's really funny.  When I thought the baby could come any moment, I was very Zen and at peace with everything.  Now that I know what day it will be (most likely anyway), I'm running around like crazy and feeling like there is so much to do.  And before, I was prepared to go the whole distance and was determined to keep my strength up, but now?  I'm so done and just want to lay around.

A friend of my in-laws from our church dropped off a chicken and rice casserole to freeze, but I have nothing else prepared.  I don't even really have room for anything in the freezer but I'm still looking for recipes.  Nothing sounds appealing, and everything seems like so much work.  I really don't like cooking as it is, and I certainly don't feel like it now.

[LilyTiger]

So, I can put this here because no one will judge me for being a totally over-anxious first time mom basketcase....  I've been having serious digestive issues all day today, accompanied by menstrual cramps.  They got bad enough that I had to leave the coffee shop where I was doing work and immediately go home and take off my underwear because I couldn't bear having anything touching my abdomen.  I then had a bowel movement and the cramps pretty much went away.  In the afternoon I started feeling a lot heavier with more pelvic pain and totally crazy digestive issues (more BMs... sorry, guys).  DH and I went for a short walk and by the time I got home it felt like the baby was falling out of me and I had to go to the bathroom AGAIN.   So of course I freaked out with excitement and opened the stupid copy of "What to Expect" that someone gave me and I have every sign of early labor.  Of course, now that I'm sitting here typing this, they've all gone away.  Moral of the story?  Never open "What to Expect" ever.

I now know why people get so exhausted and emotional in the last two weeks of pregnancy -- analyzing my bowel movements and associated cramping every other hour will certainly be totally exhausting.  I'm pretty sure what happened is probably just that the baby dropped (again) and squished all my intestines.  But it was kind of exciting there for a little while when I thought this might actually be it.  Sigh.  I keep hoping something I read on the internet will say "This is it!" while at the same time being perfectly aware that no list of symptoms will be "it" unless it actually is "it".  I should go read a novel or something.

Still waiting on JustChanti!  Can't wait to hear about someone's real labor story as opposed to my own insane pretend-labor.