Bi-Weekly Chat Thread (thru 9/30) « Back to Group Discussions

[Vegan Princess]

Welcome to another chat thread - expecting a few babies during this thread!!

Aurora: How are you doing? Are you still on bedrest?

AFM: We did it - we bit the bullett and bought a king sized bed today!!!!!! We've been pondering doing this forever!!! DD has not been staying in her toddler bed and DH or horrible at making her go back in it when she says she wants to snuggle him. But this morning he ended up getting up and going to sleep in her twin bed in her room (that she never ever sleeps in). It was kinda ridiculous. I'm so excited!! But it's not getting delivered for a month. Booo. That gives us time to figure out a new bed frame and all the other stuff we need to buy.

This morning we had breakfast at a restaurant I first ate at when I was 37 weeks and 4 days pregnant with my daughter (and I am 37 weeks 4 days pregnant today). :-) DH is convinced baby is going to come this week now bc we ate there. LOL.

I'm drawing a blank for a question right now. Anyone have any good ones???

Cindy

[zubeldia]

Thanks for the new thread, Cindy! And wow.. look at the date? We'll be on the cusp of October once this post ends.. so crazy that we're all so close.

Lovely news about the bed! Don't  know how you managed to cosleep with your DD in anything but a king :) DS is a horrible sprawler and, if it helps to know, we bought extremely expensive double/single bunk beds in an attempt to shift him out of our bed before the baby comes and, well, he's not even lain on the new bed in the evenings! He always says, 'no, sleep with mummy'! DH has taken to the spare room but I honestly have no idea what we'll do once this baby arrives. We have a Moses basket we're planning on using (which DS never slept in, of course) and it's likely that we'll be playing musical beds all night, but I hate to force DS out of the bed, especially when he is a major snuggler and loves physical contact.

Nice story about the restaurant, too!

Now I'm off of bed rest i think I'm going to be pregnant forever! I was up coughing all night but we went for a really nice walk on a trail near our house this morning and managed to walk over 2 miles. Seems so odd to think I was running 5-6 miles so regularly just a few weeks ago. Hopefully I'll build some strength and endurance quickly. Honestly my legs and arms look so skinny because of all the muscle atrophy. I am not a big weight gainer in pregnancy (prob because of HG and so many food aversions) and probably won't gain more than 15-18 pounds. However, as soon as this kid is out I know I'll get my appetite back and will likely be the only breastfeeding woman gaining weight! I was so excited to be able to eat properly last time.

Cindy, I've got nothing.. can't think of a question!!
 

[pregnova]

Cindy- I seriously have no idea how you coslept either without a king! Yay for biting that bullet ;-) We switched ds to his own space (really like a bunch of blankets laid out in a little alcove area of our room to make up a comfy mattress) about two...maybe three weeks ago, and it's worked like a charm. He hasn't spent a single minute in our bed ever since I gave him his own space...which is SOOOO nice because I am NOT into cuddling this pregnancy. lol He's sleeping so much better too...I guess he was really ready for his own space. 

Zub- I'm sure you're happy for your bedrest to be over! And some trail walking sounds wonderful!

I got my hair cut today! Which is just what I needed to stop feeling so frumpy! Just got a bit of a trim and some more layering added, but I swear it makes a HUGE difference to how I feel about myself. I'm so happy with this baby and the pregnancy etc..., but I AM super ready to have my body back to normal. Of course, there's not much to do about that, so a haircut was just the trick ;-)

[forumyonly1]

Hooray for king beds!!! We got outs shortly after our third was born and it's a night and day difference! I how it brings you the same joy!!

Zub- I gain more weight while breastfeeding than I do while I'm pregnant, so you're not alone there!! Thankfully it did seem to fall off when I'm done nursing though!!

Pregnova- we have a spot made out of blankets on the floor in our room that two of my kids sleep on every night! It's an awesome solution for us! Glad you guys tried it!!

My baby turned head down yesterday after a week of being breech! I'm so excited! I just Hope she stays that way!!!

[Aurora]

Vegan- Yay for king sized beds! I will be off of bedrest on Wednesday. Thanks for thinking of me. 

Zub- I am so happy you are up and about now! I am really looking forward to running again. 

Pregnova- Good for you for getting a haircut. A little self care can go a long ways. 

forumyonly1- That is great news! I really hope she stays in a good position for you! 

AFM: I am doing well. I cannot wait to be off of bedrest. I have been knitting lots and I will post some pictures to the crafting for baby thread sometime today. 

[Vegan Princess]

Aurora: Yay for almost being done w/bedrest! A friend on another board was on bedrest from 24 weeks on with twins. She got off bedrest last wed and had them sunday morning. But her 12 weeks of bedrest got her healthy babies that are small but don't need to be in the nicu!

Pregnova: Ahh the frump. LOL. I'm anticipating it. I like to straighten my hair and I know there just ins't going to be time with baby so I'm going to be wearing it in a bun or curly. I feel extra frumpy that way! Getting my hair colored last week was such a treat bc she staightened my hair for me! And I'm so impressed K took to his own sleeping space so well!

Zub: Yeah, we've been working on getting DD in her own space and she did petty well until recently and has been backsliding. But DH loves the snuggles and DD just is totally the kid that always wants to be snuggling us and right up next to us at night. I told my husband she'd still probably be touching one of us in a king bed. She's like a heat seeking missile. LOL. But who can reisst a little one going "oooo mama!" so sweetly.

Forumonly: Great news! Stay head down baby!!!!

AFM: I feel like crap today. My back hurt so bad all night. Plus I kept getting up feeling like I needed to go #2. I also got up for a snack last night bc I couldn't sleep. Thank goodness today is a preschool day! DH wanted to call into work and say I was getting contractions - gee thanks for using me as an excuse. But when I really do have them he still works late. LOL. This week though he is at least going from his client site that can take 2 hours to get home from in traffic back to his office in the early afternoon, before traffic starts. At least from his office he can jump on our version of the subway and be home in 30 minutes if I need him, even during peak commute times.

Cindy

[saraheli]

Hi, I'm new here. I'm due October 1st. Its my second baby and my first came 15 days before my due date. Now that it is only 14 days before my current due date, I'm feeling extra pregnant!

Vegan: I also feel like crap today. Don't really know why though except for being 1 day more pregnant.

I'm heading down for a walk on the treadmill. Or a waddle.
 

[springmum]

Aurora - I forgot you were on bedrest too - yay for making it! How much longer are you on bedrest for?

Zub - I bet the walking must feel great after all that resting :)

Pregnova - the haircut sounds great - I'm in desperate need right now, but am going to hold off b/c I like how my hair stays all up when I want it out of my face. I know I won't want any wispy bits in my face during labour.

Vegan - sorry you had such a crappy night! Hopefully you won't need DH while he's that far away this week!

forum - yay for head down, stay down baby!

more later.....

[hibiscus mum]

Vegan - congrats on the king-sized bed.  I don't know how I ever shared a double in the past!  I still can't believe my parents still sleep in a double.

I saw in the last thread a few people saying they've gained 45 lbs.  Must be the magic number - me too.  Sigh.  I gained 60 with my first, 50 with my 2nd, so was sort of hoping to continue the downward trend and only gain 40 this time.  No such luck - I'm pretty good at gaining weight.

Zub - must feel great to be off bedrest.  Whee!

Amanda - glad your bub turned the right way for you.  At my midwife appointment last week, she wasn't sure how this baby was presenting (wasn't sure if she was feeling a bum or a head at the top of my uterus...LOL) so she sent me for an ultrasound.  I've been pretty certain she's head down since I feel hiccups around my cervix once in awhile.  Anyway, she is indeed head down and the tech estimates her weight at 7 lbs, 14 oz.  She actually seemed sort of concerned about this but I'm not.  My other two were both over 9 lbs so I'd be shocked if this one weighed less.  Plus, I've yet to meet someone who got an accurate weight from an ultrasound so I'm not concerned.

Pregnova - I know what you mean about feeling better with a haircut.  I think I might get a pedicure soon just to feel purdy.  ;)

Welcome sarah!

My eyes are nearly swollen shut from bawling my head off today after work.  I take the city bus home and missed my usual bus, then somehow missed the next one too.  I called my husband to let him know and he said, "You suck."  :(  He was just being funny and he was kidding, but I sort of feel like I do suck lately.  I feel like a circus freak with people smiling at me on elevators and staring at me on the bus.  I'm an introvert and hate attention.  To add insult to injury, I have to do a presentation to a group of about 400 people tomorrow and I'm just dreading having all those eyes on me.  Ugh!  I'm only working 7 more days and can't wait to be done!

[sillymom44]

Hey everyone--

Welcome Saraheli!

I am so tired tonight..but I always have the energy for this group!  I find this is one of the few places that I feel so normal and so good!!  

Yesterday I baked and cleaned-- I was baking pumpkin muffins until 10 pm!!  I think DH thought I had lost my mind.  I felt so great, but today I am paying for it.  Plus, I went to work, so that probably exhausted me too.  My wonderful husband encourages me to come out, with him, for a short walk after dinner every night.  I was walking on my own, but I am too uncomfortable in my lower back and pelvis to walk for my normal 60 minutes.  It has made a big difference now that he is walking wiht me for about 20-30 min-- I feel somewhat human.  I just can't believe how uncomfortable I got so fast!

I am feeling more and more ready for baby to arrive, although still so focused on the mid-October due date.  I will be so shocked if he arrives earlier than that, although part of me thinks it is a real possibility.  I just need to get things ready for my replacement at work and I will feel more calm about leaving for my 3 months of maternity leave.  I am sure I will have everything ready at work by the time I am 37 weeks. 

I have started packing our hospital bags.  I guess this weekend we will get the house ready-- by putting the co-sleeper up in our room and getting everything else ready unpacked and in order.  We are having one last cookout with friends and family Saturday-- excited about that but know that I will wear myself out!! LOL

I feel like I am rambling and making no sense....  Maybe I should go to bed early tonight!!  :) 

[pregnova]

hibiscus mom- Ug, I know how you feel about missing a bus! I normally don't mind, but today ds and I were out piddling around and suddenly I was getting a TON of braxton hicks and just wanted to get home. Naturally, the bus passed by RIGHT as we got to the stop...which meant a 30 min. wait or walking down this (normally easy) bike path. Ds opted to walk, so walk we did, and it took like two hours of laying on my side to get the braxton hicks to stop. Ugg! I HATE missing a bus!

Cindy- lol, I feel like I need to do a #2 literally every time I use the toilet. I guess it's just all the pressure from baby, but it certainly is annoying! 

I have a totally irrational fear at the moment of my water breaking in public. Anyone else? Last time, my water broke after the first 24 hours of 'labor' and we were at home and it was all just so not an issue. This time, I'm completely petrified that I'll be out with ds someplace without dh and totally have my water break in front of everyone. And then, I guess I'd need to call a taxi for home, so I'd also have the awkward 'wait' for a taxi to get through. Last time it was a total gush that left a huge puddle on the floor, so I always sort of fear it'll be REALLY obvious to everyone what's going on instead of a more manageable leak...

[zubeldia]

Amanda, sooooo glad baby turned! I bet the LO is there to stay now... Such great news.

Aurora, I'm so sorry that I missed you're on bed rest, too. Do you have an end point in sight or is it until baby comes? Mine was just until 36 weeks, though I know for things like hypertension it can be until the kiddo puts in an appearance. Not much longer, either way.

Cindy, are you feeling any better this evening? Hope so!

Sarah, welcome!Hib

Hibiscus, oh, mama, I'm so sorry. What a crummy thing. Hope you're feeling much better, and good luck with the presentation. Can I ask what it's on? And 7 days will fly by!

Hiya spingmum!

Preg, you really are carrying low (though you look great in your photo, btw!). I actually had a vision of my waters breaking while I was pushing DS in the stroller for a nap with 2 maniacal westie dogs pulling me. I kept wondering what on earth I'd do. Eek. The good news, I suppose, is that it's highly unlikely... right?!

Silly, so funny as I have been baking up a storm this past few days. And I know what you mean about things suddenly aching. I suppose the little ones are gaining so much weight in these final weeks that the extra weight plus the positioning makes things super uncomfortable very fast.

AM: I took the dogs and DS out in the stroller for a 2 mile walk and I was having really, really painful contractions almost continually. Mind you there was no pattern but it's the most intense contractions I've had... and this evening loose stools. I so hope this little munchkin is not wanting to make an appearance any time soon. I know that a few weeks ago I'd have done anything to make it to 36/37 weeks but now I'm almost 37 weeks I really want him to hold off a couple more weeks at least. I can't wait to meet him but I also worry about having a little baby and, well, I'm just not ready!!!!!!!

[sillymom44]

Pregnova-- that is so weird that you mentioned your fear of your water breaking in public.  With my previous 2 births, my water didn't break until labor...so I have never had a fear of it- or even thought about it- until this afternoon at my 6 yr olds soccer practice.  For some reason I pictured my water breaking while I was sitting in my chair-- and then trying to figure out how I would get my son off of the field, get our things packed up, and then leave without any of the parents realizing what was going on.  For some reason, I was horrified at the thought that anyone would notice. I don't know why it bothers me-- I guess I really don't like being in the center of attention at all.   

Is anyone else scared of that??  LOL

[Vegan Princess]

I thought of a question! What is everyone managing as far as running their house? Are you still cooking dinner every night? Cleaning? Bathing kids? I feel like I'm way slacking. But I get so achey and tired by evening and the thought of giving DD a bath is not fun for me - so I have DH do it. He's also been doing more cooking. Not all of it, but a lot of it on the weekends. I'm still cleaning the house but at a much slower pace! I just can't bare the idea of it falling apart before baby even gets here. LOL.

My water didn't break until I was almost complete last time. I have to say it has crossed my mind here and there - mostly in the sense that I wonder if it will soak the couch or something. Didn't really occur to me that labor would start while out. Someone else mentioned something about that to me and I was like "oh I guess I could be out when it starts!" - but I just feel like it won't happen until I am home and ready for it. I'm sure I could be wrong though!

Zub: I hope baby hangs on! I got a burst of energy to do stuff around the house yesterday and wondering if that was a sign labor was coming.

Sillymom: That is so nice you get to walk w/your DH each evening! I feel like I stopped all activity bc I was afraid baby was going to come early - but now I really should be walking more. My DH usually gets home way too late usually to walk with me - though maybe he will start coming home earlier now that we are getting close.

Saraheli: Welcome! My DD was 14 days early - that will be Thursday for me. I'm hoping to go longer this time.

Hibiscus: Sorry about the bus! Good luck tomorrow! May the next week fly by for you!!

AFM: Forgot who asked but I have been feeling better today. A lot of the aches went away after a shower and just being up and moving. Plus I got a nap in while DD was at school. Now hopefully the back ache won't be as bad tonight! I guess I should go back to the chiro again soon - just dreading the extra achiness it brings for the day right after the adjustment!

So fun to have so much activity on here today!

Cindy

[pregnova]

ooo...good question cindy!

I'm still doing most things I normally did. Def. still all the cooking and cleaning although I noticed DH has been suddenly picking up on his own a bit more. But, I have passed a lot of the responsibility of ds off on DH...they do a lot together now because I just need more down time, and ds still needs so much attention from at least one of us. We're also getting together with a friend and her daughter a LOT, and she's always so sweet and helpful with ds that it basically feels like I don't have to do anything when I'm with her! I've also passed on a lot of the regular shopping to DH unless I really feel up to going down to the store. The house is def. a train wreck most days...and the dishes aren't always cleaned after every meal, lol, but we're making do ;-)

I guess I'm just nervous about the water breaking because Babe seems so low, that sometimes I'm worried my water would break pre-labor so I wouldn't have any indication that I should be sticking close to home! And, of course, I'm worried that I'd be chasing ds down while dripping! lol Hopefully this just won't even happen, but it is kind of a big concern for me now. DH says I'm ridiculous and that obviously everyone would be nice about it and help me, but you know, lol, it's just an awkward thing. 

[Angelorum]

Wow, so much activity here over the weekend!  We were visiting my family over the weekend, they are about a 3.5 hour drive away.  Definitely the last time we'll be taking that trip until after baby.  I was a little extra sore, and swelled a little more with all the sitting in the car, but aside from some abdominal soreness, I'm feeling okay physically today.  I was sort of bawling mess all morning though, and I'm not even sure why.  After lunch, I ate a big bowl of ice cream and took a 3 hour nap (after sleeping about 9 hours last night!) and feel a bit better.

Water Breaking- It's not a particular fear of mine, last time it broke about 12 hours before ds was born, but I had been in fairly active labor for at least an hour or two.  I was laying on my bed, and luckily we had just put the waterproof cover on the mattress that evening.  Early labor started at the movie theatre, and I was a little nervous that my water would break there (we stayed for the whole movie) but it didn't.

Chores- Sigh.  There's still so much to do.  I'm really trying to at least keep up on the dishes and laundry, but right now I have a ton of dirty dishes I need to go load up in the dish washer, and my kitchen needs a good wipe down.  I make dinner every night, but it's been mostly super easy things lately because I haven't sat down and planned out a menu and gone shopping for it.  I need to do this, and make double recipes of things so I can freeze half.  I also really need to get going on curtain making, since the hardware we ordered arrived, I have no more excuses for stalling!  Dh has been working hard, clearing the weeds out of the yard so we can plant grass ( I can't wait to have the backyard ready for ds to play in) and he finally figured out that hydrogen peroxide gets rid of the weird smell coming from our kitchen cabinets, so they will all be getting a good scrub down. 

Frump- I'm out growing all my clothes too.  Stuff I wore to the very end last time is now too short.  My fundus is measuring a little behind, like it did last time, so I don't think it's baby.  It's definitely partially boobs, and probably just more stretched out abs than last time.  I hate it, I don't mind the way my body looks until I put clothes that are too small on.  Remember how I didn't gain hardly anything during the first 2 trimesters?  Yeah, I'm now up almost 30 pounds.  Guess I had nothing to worry about.  I'm slightly freaked out at the weight gain, even though I know that's a very healthy number and it will likely all come off quickly like it did last time.  I'm guessing some of that weight is in my butt, because my jeans are just super uncomfortable now.  I  never want to put on real pants any more.  I did get a new maternity shirt over the weekend (there is no maternity clothing to be had in my town, aside from the paper thin ugly crap that walmart carries), and my sister gave me a dress that should last me until the end.  I have a couple of things I think I could alter to fit better, but then I'd feel guilty for sewing clothes instead of the curtains.  My hair is bugging me too.  I'm letting my bangs grow, because I know I will want them out of the way for labor, but they are just sort of an awkward length for now.  I'll get them trimmed after baby comes. 

[springmum]

Lot's of action indeed! Must be the pre-baby buzz we're all starting to feel :)

Water breaking - I didn't think of it much until now, and now I'm thinking about how awkward it would be.....hmmm. Maybe I will stay close to home in the last 2 weeks - I still feel like this one wants out early. I've been envisioning my bag of waters being really strong for a long time now (I don't want them to break early for some reason)

Chores - unfortunately it all falls on me. DH isn't so helpful around the house and doesn't cook at all and works long hours. I don't like to eat out so I do all the cooking - easier for being gluten free anyway. I'm making easy things though. Cleaning comes in spurts, and I definitely need to do one last deep clean before baby comes. Taking DS to all his playdates, appts and fun things is all on me too - so depending on how I"m feeling is what we do. Laundry seems to be the biggest annoyance right now - all the extra baby stuff I've been washing has delayed the regular laundry and I hate when it gets piled up.

Welcome Sarah!

I couldn't get to sleep for 2.5 hours last night (and had gone to bed at 10 tired I thought) and had to be up by 7 this morning - not fun :(  It's going to be a grumpy day. I can't nap b/c for some reason that is a guarantee that I won't be able to fall asleep at night, but boy would a nap feel great.

Starting to feel a little more pressure now, but nothing terrible. Does anyone else's baby get really irritated with even a slightly full bladder? This little guy has starting really pushing and grinding into my bladder when I have to pee and it's really annoying (particullarly when I wake up at night feeling it!) It's almost like he's annoyed that his space just got moved and he's trying to rearrange things again - ha ha!

Does anyone want to talk about poop and labour? I know our bodies usually clear out a little before and not everyone does it (and if you do no one makes a big deal), but for some reason I've been thinking about it and how much I just don't want to do it! I've been to a friends birth and saw her do it, she didn't notice at the time and no one made a big deal of course, but it was something she asked about after b/c she could smell it. Maybe I'll take some extra mag is that last couple of days to keep things moving....

[saraheli]

Wow, a lot of posts in one day! I'm definitely feeling the pre-baby buzz today. I woke up with what I think was a couple Braxton Hicks contractions. I've had so few with this pregnancy, compared to a ton with my first. But these felt rather, ahem, good... like I wish my husband hadn't have left for work already good... anyone had that? I hope it's a sign that I'll have one of those magical orgasmic births!!

Water breaking - I'm been thinking about that lately. With my first, my doctor broke my water in the hospital. But this time I'm doing a home birth. I think I'm more concerned about my water breaking when I'm sitting on my recliner than worried about being in public. I'd rather destroy public property than have to clean that up. I'm terrible.

Chores - I've been pretty much on the ball with it, but my husband helps too. I had a talk with him this weekend about helping more and he picked up the slack a bit. My 2 year old also likes to "help" which makes everything take longer, but slows the pace too, and makes it more fun.

Poop in labor! Yeah, not something fun to think about. Hopefully I'll be too distracted to care at the time.

Edit: Thanks for the welcome everyone! It's great to chat with women in my same condition right now.

[Vegan Princess]

Ah poop. LOL. I had a water birth last time and a little did come out in the tub. My midwife fished it out with a fish net. My body did clear itself out a bit before that (while I was able to use the toilet). Lately I've been feeling constipated, despite taking lots of mag. So hopefully my body still manages to clean itself out before it counts. But my midwife definitely included a fish net in the birth tub kit she brought over and no one else plans to get in the water with me (well my 3yr old is planning on it but I've telling her no). I recall knowing it happened last time but not caring so much and no one makde an issue of it. A dad telling a birth story to our birth class had referred to it as "shark infested waters". LOL. And that sealed my DH not wanting to be in with me. Ha. This time he plans to catch the baby so I think he wouldn't fit in the tub anyway to be at that angle.

I got a decent night's sleep. My back barely hurt last night. So odd. DH ended up in the kid's bed again and my DD got in a fight with me at 3 am bc she wanted my wedge pillow that I refused to give up. That woke me up for a while. But all in all, much better than the night before!

Cindy

[bostonmummy]

Hi everyone! It's been ages since I've been able to post or even read much here. I'm finally officially on maternity leave as of this past weekend. I'm SO relieved to be done with all of that teaching. It was getting harder and harder because I haven't been able to sit down for the past 6 weeks or so. Every time I do, my mid-back spasms, and I end up in so much discomfort. So I had to do all of my private teaching standing up, which was hard on my feet and back. Yeah for getting through the busiest time of teaching I've ever had to do, never mind being 8 months pregnant! 

Now I'm cooking up a storm, trying to get a bunch of veggies from the farmer's market into the freezer, as well as a bunch of meals that we can just pull out and pop in the oven. It's amazing how much work it is! I also prepped all of my diapers yesterday — boiled them on the stove in a slew of 15 minute batches. Of course, my back was screaming at me by the end of the day, even though I took two rests with the heating pad. Hopefully this will all just magically disappear after the baby is born. One can hope, right?

I just got my hair cut and highlighted today. When my hairdresser was done, I looked in the mirror and felt so pretty, for the first time in a long time! The other day my dentist said to me, "So when did you go from looking like you were putting on a few pounds to actually looking pregnant?" ?!!!!!! It's comments like these that make you wish to just hide until you have the baby and you've got your body back. But then again, a woman I passed as I was leaving the grocery store the other day called out, "Oh, you look so good!" I'd never seen her before, but she definitely made my day. :)

Household stuff: I'm cooking like crazy, so we're eating very well right now. I can't really reach the sink without my back spasming, so my husband has been taking over the dishes, which I so appreciate! We're really lucky to have cleaners, so I don't have to do the big stuff. I just focus on keeping things organized and neat. And I'm starting to really get into the baby's room, which was still the office until last Wednesday. It's so much fun! 

Oh, I should tell you about the nursery art my husband and I found on Etsy. We bought 5 prints to frame and are so in love with every one of the images this woman paints. And since she's making copies of her originals, it's so affordable! I was even thinking of getting two of the prints for our midwives since they both have daughters around a year old. I think I might just end up giving them copies of my favorite children's books instead, though. 

Anyway, have to go rest this back again, but so nice to be back and to see how everyone's doing. 3 weeks from tomorrow for me! Wow!