Bi-Weekly Chat Thread (thru 9/30) - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[pregnova]

lol...a fight over a pillow! That sounds like me and dh when he comes to bed and tries to take the pillows I have wedged under the belly! lol I don't know when he'll learn that I will NEVER share them! lol

poop- I totally never had the clearing out thing before labor started...weirdly I guess. And so there was a tiny bit when ds crowned. The midwife wiped it away and it was honestly no big deal although now that we'll be at home in our own space, I'd REALLY rather skip that part!

Ug, last night I had another one of those killer leg cramps where I thought my leg was being sawed off. I think it was due to all the walking yesterday though, so hopefully it won't turn into a regular thing!

Sarah- My braxton hicks mostly feel AWESOME. lol I guess it's the low pressure, but while I know when they start coming regularly that I want them to go away for a few more weeks...and occasionally they are indeed uncomfortable, mostly they're really rather pleasant. It'd be nice if that carries over into labor! I'd say yesterday was my first bout of really uncomfortable braxton hicks...but once I stopped walking and laid down for a bit, they went back to their relatively pleasant feeling. Oh, and if I have a full bladder, and get contractions from it, they just plain hurt.

Springmum- I know how you feel about napping! I just can't nap without sacrificing a full night's sleep! Sometimes it's a pain because everyone just tells me to nap when I say I'm tired, but I know if I do, then I'll be worse for it!

[OkiMom]

I think someone has abducted my inlaws.. My husband's grandparents (who have been very outspoken about not liking our family size) have offered to come down and help with the biggers while I have the baby.. Has someone given my inlaws something?

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

Wow! You ladies have been busy on here!  I'm trying to catch up now!  I can't believe how fast time is going and how we are so close to October and meeting our sweet babes now!

Cindy- I'm glad you had a better night last night and are feeling better!

Springmum-I have had similar sleep issues.  I find if I go to sleep after 11, I tend to sleep well through the night (more or less), but if I go to bed earlier than that, either I can't fall asleep or I'm up at three AM for hours.  It's especially tough when you have to be up early the next morning isn't it?

Water breaking:  last time they broke it when I was induced....but I'm wondering if I should put some towels, chux pads and maybe a change of pants for me in the car this week, just in case something happens while I'm out and about.  Staying super close to home isn't really an option for me since I have to drive my son to and from school (and it's quite a ways from where we live), as are my chiropractic appointments and other commitments, but we are sort of on the outer edge of our metro area so, significant car rides are just the norm for us these days.  I guess given the circumstances it wouldn't hurt to be prepared.

Poop-I think I pooped a little last time but I'm not sure.  It wasn't a big deal and honestly, this time I'm not too worried about it.  I will say I've been feeling the need to go constantly recently....especially after chiro appointments...my midwife says that's a good thing....but sometimes it feels a bit extreme.

Chores-I've had so many back issues recently and days where I was stuck in bed unable to move, that DH has had to pick up some more of the slack in that area.  Luckily he does bath time with DS too, since I'm expressly forbidden by my chiropractor to do anything that involves bending over the bath tub (that's part of what set my back off in the first place).  On days I'm feeling better and able to move I've been really trying to make up for the days where I'm not been able to do so much.  DH tries, but his lack of attention to detail around the house drives me a little batty.

Frump-For the most part my clothes still fit, though a few shirts are getting a little short.  I'm a big girl to begin with and I haven't really gained more than a couple pounds total with this pregnancy.  I haven't tried to not gain weight per say, but I've had to make some significant diet changes due to the potential for GD and my thyroid issues (now non-issues).  Anyways,  I got some leggings to wear under my dresses on cooler days and with those and some cardigan sweaters I think that will hold me through to the end of this pregnancy.  I hadn't had a haircut for  a year and spent all summer with my hair just pulled back.  It's really been getting to me though, so today I went got a short bob.  It feels good to have my hair shorter again and it feels so much less frumpy than it did.  I've not dyed my hair since DS was born, but I also ordered some henna today.  I'm looking forward to that.  It's time for a bit of a change!

I made it to a La Leche League meeting this morning  which was good.  Nice to meet some other local moms and get some support as I prepare for breastfeeding this baby!  I also got to see lots of teeny tiny babies which was very exciting!!!!

Also, it seems that everyone at our house  suddenly has a case of the back to school sniffles.  I'm trying to up our vitamins C and D and I'm going to get some echinacia this afternoon and get us started on that asap.  Any other ideas for safe ways to fight this right now?  I'm not sure if I'm getting sick or if it's allergies or just that lovely late pregnancy stuffiness that I seem to be prone to.

[hibiscus mum]

Originally Posted by zubeldia 

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!

My presentation was pretty job-specific.  I'm a misconduct analyst in the military and my presentation was about alcohol misconduct.  I made a joke - introduced myself in an alcoholics anonymous-esque way and said, "It's been 9 months since my last drink."  The crowd thought it was funny.  I have to do the same presentation for a different group on Thursday so I might just reuse the same joke.  ;)

Like others, I do have some fear of my water randomly breaking in public - like on the bus.  That would be brutal.  With my first pregnancy, my water broke at home.  I rolled over in bed one morning - day before my due date and felt a *pop*.  Stood up quickly and managed to not get any fluid on the bed.  Waddled to the bathroom and had a bunch of gushes.  I was shocked at the volume!  Sat there for awhile and nothing else came out so I went downstairs and farted around on the computer for awhile.  That was stupid.  I destroyed our computer chair after quite a few more massive gushes.  Then I just chilled on the couch for about 8 hours before going to the hospital (contractions didn't start until about 4 hours after my water broke).  With my second, i was induced and they broke my water, then made me walk and walk and walk around the hospital.  I found it really annoying because of the constant fluid trickle.

As for chores, I'm embarrassed to admit that I've been pretty useless.  I'll get random bursts of energy and tackle things that annoy me, but my husband has been picking up all the slack.  In my defence, I work full-time and he stays at home with our 3.5 year old son, so he has time to do some chores during the day.  Mind you, he doesn't do much.  The house hasn't been vacuumed in weeks and he never cleans bathrooms.  He also refuses to do laundry during the day because he says it's cheaper to do it after 7 (off-peak hours), same with dishes.  He does do all of the cooking which I appreciate a lot.  He even makes my lunch for work which I find very sweet.  I did a major clean-up/purge on the weekend in the kids' rooms and playroom in the basement.  They just have way too much stuff - toys especially.  Things are much more manageable around here now.  I find bending over to tidy up to be the worst these days.  Add in the pelvic girdle pain and it makes for a pretty useless person.

Frumpiness - yeah, I've been feeling insecure these days.  Like I said earlier, I feel like a bit of a circus freak, especially in my maternity uniform.  It's comfortable, at least, but the giant belly sticking out draws a lot of attention that I'd prefer not to get.  I will say that I find people are nicer to me while pregnant.  I have a long torso to begin with so my belly does seem very...long, i guess?  I have a lot of maternity shirts that don't fit right any more and that's depressing.  I don't want to buy anything else at this point.  My feet are also swollen to the point that putting on shoes is near impossible.  I wear Birkenstocks as often as possible.

I'm working from home today since I have a midwife appointment at 11:00.  My work and my midwife are on opposite ends of town so it makes sense for me to be at home.  I have to bring my son to the appointment with me and I'm dreading it.  They have a great train table so getting him to leave is one of those embarrassing battles.  I've talked to him about it a few times to prepare him and said we'll go out for lunch together after, so hopefully that will ease the transition.  

[hibiscus mum]

Oh yeah - I forgot about poop-talk.  I'm sure I did it during both my labours but it was dealt with discretely and quickly.  It's one of those things I know a lot of women get worked up about but in the moment, it's no big deal.  You're just happy to be pushing the baby out.

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

Originally Posted by pregnova 

lol...a fight over a pillow! That sounds like me and dh when he comes to bed and tries to take the pillows I have wedged under the belly! lol I don't know when he'll learn that I will NEVER share them! lol

This made me laugh!!  Every time I get up in the night to go pee, DH steals at least on of my pillows (usually in his sleep) and then I have to wake him up to get them back.  Sometimes it feels like we play tug or war with pillows all night!

[Aurora]

I am still here. I am officially off of bedrest today! Yay for me. I have been sitting on the couch knitting and I am tired out. I cannot believe how much sitting up is wearing on me after being flat in bed for a month. It can only get better though, right?

Dandy- I have been checking in on your blog and was so very happy to see an update this morning! Adair is just darling! He is getting so big. I am so very happy for your family. My oldest was born at 32 weeks because he contracted GBS in the womb. It was a scary ride and I remember the hellish NICU days still. He is a healthy and happy 14 year old now. I am sending much love to you and yours. 

Chrisa- I have been thinking of you and your Daniel. I hope you are well.

I hope everyone else is doing well too!

[micromama]

Hi ladies! Wow I can barely keep up with this thread-- so much exciting stuff happening! I love that we're all getting so close. I am getting *that feeling* that labor is coming very soon for me-- I am 37 weeks today but my contractions have been frequent and sometimes painful, my plug is gone and I am starting to get back cramps/ menstrual pain. UNCOMFORTABLE but I'll tell you, I'd rather the baby wait another week or two (yeah, like baby is going to listen to me)!

Things I'm nervous about: I get my GBS results tomorrow. I was positive last time and ended up getting megadoses of antibiotics since my labor was so long and since my water broke days before I gave birth. Ugh. I sincerely hope to avoid this scenario now!

Re: poop, I didn't poop last time but thought I did. I honestly don't care if I poop or not. When trying to push the baby out, I was definitely focused on other things!

Re: chores: I am in nesting mode to the extreme. Cleaning and straightening nearly every day, making lists, running errands. I get tired and sore at night but other than that it feels good psychologically to get prepared.

Oh and I am in major frump mode... sweats every day, since I recently stopped going into the office (WFH instead). I got my hair done to feel a little better. Unfortunately a couple days ago, I got burned by an aggressive piece of ravioli which squirted massively hot filling onto my chin and burned a big stripe down it. Now it's bright red and looks awful. Ironically, I had a huge cystic pimple on my chin last time I gave birth-- it seems that the universe is determined to make my chin as unattractive as possible during labor, haha.

[Vegan Princess]

Micromama: I had to LOL about the aggressive ravioli! I hope it heals quickly. And hopefully baby stays put. I was feeling like labor was imminent a week o so ago but now I feel like maybe she will stay put for a while.

Aurora: Yay for being off bedrest! Glad you are still taking it easy. I hadn't realized you were lying down that entire time! Knitting on your side doesn't sound so great.

AFM: Had a midwife appt yesterday. Nothing exciting. My midwife is throwing this huge surprise party/dinner for her husband on sunday so I'd say it's pretty likely that's when my baby will come. LOL. Actually I sort of feel like I could keep on being pregnant for a while longer. A lot less contractions and cramps these days. I'm feeling like this whole situation is a bit surreal - still not grasping meeting my baby soon! Or that I could be going through labor tonight. But def getting excited and feeling more ok about her coming as each day passes (I'll be 38 weeks tomorrow).

My 3 yr old woke up coughing - I think maybe with a bit of croup. So we are hanging at home today. I've been pretty into learning to crochet in the past few weeks. My friend taught me some basics and since she and her daughter caught chicken pox and have been out of commission, I've been watching youtube and bought a book to continue learning stitches. So I guess today I'm going to move on to working in the round. I really want to crochet some wool longies so I need to learn to crochet in the round first for the pattern I found.

Cindy

[OkiMom]

Chore.. yea.. I need to get on those. The house is a disaster!

[pregnova]

So exciting to see so much activity over here! And so glad to hear you're still doing well Aurora!

A day ago, I was back to being resigned that Babe might not come for a while yet...and then I started contracting again last night...and it's stayed off and on all day so far, so now I'm wondering again if I'll go early. lol Such a game this baby plays with my head! I still don't have an urge to clean though...and I think that'll be my best indication of labor starting if last time is any indication of how I act in labor. 

[Vegan Princess]

Pregnova: Is there any pattern to it? Exciting!!!! I had no urge to clean before or during labor last time. I don't think I really nested at all last time, save for setting up the baby things.

Cindy

[pregnova]

Bah! I ended up taking a nap and sure enough they went away late this afternoon. Seriously, I'm just too excited for labor to start...I actually get disappointed when the labor-type sensations go away...it's a total mind game over here. lol

In other news, a neighbor of ours gave ds a HUGE pumpkin. lol. Most random gift ever! But ds LOVES it and we've been spending the day taping different faces (cut from colored paper) onto it. We have like, rabid squirrels here, so I'm pretty sure the pumpkin will get eaten the moment it's put outside, so for now, it's a beloved indoor toy. 

[sillymom44]

I get so excited to get on here and see if anyone is in labor or has had their baby!!! 

Micro-- I was definitly laughing at the violent ravioli situation.  Your chin is destined to be in danger during pregnancy.

Aurora-- I am so happy for you that you are off of bedrest-- and that you are not going to have a premature baby!

Pregnova-- how exciting!!  Can't wait to hear more news!

Oki mom-- so happy to hear that things are looking up for the inlaw/grandparent situation!!  Hope the good news continues.

Vegan-- so cool that you are 38 weeks.  It feels so far from where I am now at almost 36 weeks.  Hope the croup goes away.  Both my boys had croup from seasonal allergies on and off until they were about 4 or 5.  It always scared the crap out of me. I feel the same way about labor and having a baby being surreal.  I am glad that a stay at home mom feels the same way I do.  I assumed it was b/c I was in "work mode", d/t the beginning of the school year being so busy.  I keep worrying that I won't be able to get my mind off of work- I know that is irrational.  I just keep feeling guilty that I am not focusing on labor and baby like I was this summer when I wasn't working.

Hibiscus--Capitalize on the niceness coming your way!!  I hate being the center of attention too-- most of my shirts are form fitting and now that my belly is huge people gawk at me.  Several students have asked if I'm having TWINS!!

I think it's hysterical that most of us keep saying that would be fine with waiting until 40 weeks.  I think so many moms are ready to give birth anytime... An interesting group of ladies.. we are . (I sound like Yoda...)  We'll probably all have babies before 40 weeks since we aren't in any hurry.

Poop-- had another MW appt today and she said that not all of the midwives make you get out of the tub if you poop.  She didn't think I should do the enema b/c it would give me diarrhea and I have a 45 min drive to the hospital.  I think there is one midwife that follows the hospital rules no matter what-- the midwifery center is attached to a hospital-- I hope I don't get her b/c I have always pooped while pushing.  :/

Frump-- I have started feeling a little better b/c I have taken out all of the clothes that make me feel like crap and then alternating the few shirts that do fit with fitted jackets/cardigans at work, now that it's a little cooler.  I almost always end up stripping the jackets at work...

Chores-- I am doing a little less (a LOT less on some days), but DH works full-time, but almost always works 50+ hours per week, so I hate for him to do too much b/c he will do too much and then feel grumpy. I only work 3/4 time from 930-3.  I feel better if I cook and clean as much as possible b/c it makes me feel human.  Yesterday though, I had horrible SI joint pain and couldn't do anything.  At 4am I remembered to use the tennis ball against the wall to apply pressure to the spasm and it helped a ton.  So, I carried the ball around all day today and used it constantly.

I will be 36 weeks Friday!  This weekend we are packing the bags and putting the carseat in the car.  I do not think I will have the baby anytime soon, I just know that if I don't do it now, we will forget!!  I guess with baby #3 things don't feel as frantic this time.  I serisously cannot believe how non-stressed we are about getting things ready.  It's hysterical! 

DH's firm is throwing him a baby shower next week!!  I think that is hysterical and I am so excited for him!  With our 1st baby, our shower was girls only and I love that he is getting his own shower! 

I am so excited to see pictures of everyone's babies!!!  I CANNOT believe I can say that now and know that it could happen anytime!

[Angelorum]

My nesting urges all come in the form of making cute baby things instead of cleaning the house.  I'm trying to balance both things out a little better.

I pooped in the pool last time.  It was just a little bit, as my body did a good job of cleaning itself out earlier in labor.  It's a little embarrassing to think back on, but at the time, I so did not care!  I even announced it, so that dh could scoop it out for me.  I'm not giving it much thought this time.  If it happens, it happens. 

Anyone else have really sore abs?  The last couple days mine have been really strained feeling, especially if I'm trying to bend or twist.  I feel like I want to hold my stomach all the time.  I've been wearing a little under belly support band that seems to help somewhat.  I need to take a belly picture and see if I really am bigger than I was last time.  My fundal height isn't, but my clothes indicate that maybe the belly as a whole is. 

Also, I wanted to post my favorite anti-frump hair trick, in case it works for anyone else.  You need to have longish hair to make it work, but it takes me like 2 minutes before bed, is comfortable to sleep in, isn't a total turn-off at night, and gives me big curls in the morning!

Sock Bun Curls!

[springmum]

Angel - that soc bun curl thing is great - I've never seen anything like that! Isn't it great that someone looked at a sock one day and thought "how can I put this in my hair"... ha ha!

Pregnova - the mind games are more exhausting than anything some days! Maybe all this pre labour stuff will make lot's of progress for you anyway and the actual labour will be easier:)

Micro - you sound like you're getting really close too - exciting!! Good luck on your GBS - mine is next week.

Hibiscus - I hope your appt went well and the exit was smooth

Under - I hope all the sniffles pass soon. It seems like everywhere we go people are sniffling and coughing, and DS is just getting his first back to school cold too. I've cut him off of sugar while upping the vitamins to help.

Aurora - yay for no more bedrest! Hopefully your body regains some strength and balance after all the lying down - that must have been so hard, but look how far you got :)

Dandy - If you still read this - I'm so happy to see Adair's progress too - he's an amazing little guy!

Oki - Hopefully the inlaw situation works out well for you. It would be nice if they could just come and enjoy the kids instead of sharing their "views" and making you feel awful.

Vegan - hope you little girl gets better quickly. I'm sure the sleepless nights listening to her cough won't feel great this late in the game.

Silly- hope the SI joint pain goes away for you. I'm almost 36 weeks too and planning to do the carseat this weekend. My bag is slowly getting packed, I feel like I need to put the list in though, so I don't forget those last minute things - like the camera!

I'm sorry if I've forgotten anyone!!

Question - What pads are you all using for PP? My midwife reminded me not to get the dry weave kind b/c they're irritating. I usually use the non-bleach natural brand, but even their super's look they won't stand a chance. I was willing to get the more generic ones for the first few days since I'll be going through so many, but they all seem to be dry-weave. 

Also, what brand of witch hazel without alcohol did everyone find. I found one with Aloe, but didn't know if the aloe would be okay for the lady bits

[zubeldia]

Geesh, I can barely keep up!

Vegan, wow, 38 weeks! Woo hoo... And I feel the exact same way. I cannot grasp meeting this little guy so soon. I'm very ready to be pregnant for a few more weeks at least and, yet, also at the same time I am definitely ready! (But mostly not... how's that for ambivalence!?)

Aurora, I feel your pain. I was on bed rest for 6 weeks and I feel really tired a lot of the time. I have been recovering from a cold, which makes it worse, and I have spent quite a bit of time lying back down this week! At the same time I really want to build back some strength so I am trying to get some walking in and I mat even try and do some yoga this evening.

Preg, any updates on the contractions?

Silly, yay,, 36 weeks! That felt like a really great milestone when I reached it last week.

Hi to everyone else.

Frumpiness: Don't feel too frumpy, honestly, but I'm feeling fairly lucky that weight gain hasn't been too much, and I really am only carrying in my tummy and boobs. My rings are actually too big for me, and so I know I've lost weight elsewhere. 8 months of daily vomiting has some upside (Just kidding!). I also tend to carry in a very compact way. I'm actually not looking forward to my postpartum body, especially the ever expanding breasts, which look mildly ridiculous on my frame.

Poop: I didn't poop last time but I was induced after being in the hospital for several days as they tried to get a kidney problem under control and I was in so much pain I just hadn't eaten in a couple of days... I think things may be different this time, not least because I am constipated now and dread to think what might happen during the birth!!!!!!

Today I reached the big milestone of 37 weeks! I risked IN for a water-birth - woo hoo! I have been contracting and cramping so much and so I asked my midwife to check me and, well, clearly these contractions are not productive. I was 50 percent effaced at 30 weeks (before bed rest) and now I am.... yes, 50 percent effaced. I know it means very little but part of me wanted the being up all night to be worth something! I was also dilated a little but, just under 2cm which, again, tells us very little. I'm having weekly NST and biophysical u/s so at least I am getting some reassurance that things are going well. My tummy measured only 34 cm yesterday but last week the little guy was guesstimated to be in the 50th percentile during the most recent growth scan so it may be that he's just dropped a little more.

I have a question for people... I know some of us work, some work part time, some are sahm, etc., and I'm wondering how you think having kids has affected your professional life and whether that's important to you or not. I'm struggling a bit with this, right now. I'm not super ambitious but I did think I'd have a different career trajectory, and since my pregnancy with DS things have really changed for me. I really feel acutely the effects, I think, of a society not set up so that working women can really flourish. I was lucky to get tenure (i'm a professor) before I had kids, but mostly my colleagues have to go through tenure while having and raising kids, and I see my female faculty, especially, suffering... and usually not the male faculty.

[pregnova]

Sillymom- How cute that your dh is having a baby shower!! lol

So, I guess this is this birth's version of prodromal labor...maybe I'm just doomed to always experience that. Sigh. Once again, contracting all night...about 15 min. apart and they were sort of doozies...about 45 min. in length. I'm in SUCH a good mental place though and I seem to be able to sleep in between really well, so I'm actually doing fine for it all...more just annoyed that even with a baby this low I STILL seem to want to contract for days...weeks? before I actually go into labor. Sigh. I did give in yesterday though and do a quick check and I'd say these are pretty productive contractions...I *think* I'm about 2cm dilated and very very soft. 

Micromama- You sound so close to labor! How exciting! I hope babe listens to you though if you need more prep time!!

[zubeldia]

Preg, I drank some wine and had a bath last night - per my midwife's suggestion - and it really helped with the prodromal stuff... I didn't have this with my son and I'm definitely not loving it!

[pregnova]

I should try a bath...I normally avoid them in pregnancy, but that actually sounds LOVELY right now. lol