October 14th Weekly Chat Thread « Back to Group Discussions

[segolilymama]

Jumping in to get our weekly thread started - darkblue, hope all is well with you, I noticed you had an edited post, and you are usually on early Sunday to get us started!

Travelmumma - Most important, I am so glad that you are OK, and that your house is OK too!!!! Second, there was NO offense taken, or meant, in my part of the 'absolutes' conversation. We all have our own standards/values/etc, as several pointed out - and then life hits, and we see where we really stand on certain issues. My kids don't eat crap, for example - and yet, sometimes, they do - like when we are at the soccer field, and my 6yo has been given a snack that i would NEVER buy, but he's starving & he's about to run off all the junk anyway.... Oh, and Halloween. Ugh....

So whats' up, mamas?

[purplemamaturtle5]

I know I don't post nearly as much as I had planned in this group, but oh well.  I'm 32 weeks today! I can't believe I (we) only have just a few more weeks to go! My husband and I have been enjoying our birth class lately, which is actually being taught by a good friend of mine and the person who I plan on having as my doula! Even though this is my third child, this is the first time I've ever attended a birth class or planned on having a doula present at my birth. I'm very excited! I'm feeling pretty good these days, with only the usual back aches and frequent urination...ugh, but other than that, pretty darn good! I hope all you mamas are doing great!

[jakesmama]

I feel the same way...I meant to post and be involved so much more and this pregnancy is flying by! I'll be 30 weeks on Tuesday. Where does the time go?

I love reading everyone's posts and updates but I usually read on my tablet and replying is such a pain/nearly impossible on that thing. Last week we had a little preterm labor scare (at 28 weeks 3 days) and ended up in the hospital for a little while for monitoring and some meds. Um, those meds are sort of scary! The staff was very nice and said that my midwfie was really good (she called and faxed over my records which apparently impressed them). This hospital doesn't have any cnm's with privileges so they are not used to dealing with them at all. I got the impression that they felt like mw's were sort of hippy voodoo and were surprised by someone who was a professional. lol

I'm still feeling pretty comfortable and, knowing that this is our last, I'm trying to really savor this pregnancy.

Travelmumma, so sorry to hear about your fireplace explosion. How scary!

[Harmony96]

Hello, all. Things are going fine here. I'm trying to get motivated to do some sewing between now and the 26th (when a Halloween party is happening) but I've made very little progress. I need to get a move on but the kids are into stuff during the day, and then in the evening, I'm exhausted, lol. But the costumes will be super cute if I can ever get them done.

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by travelmumma 

Was not meaning to be "absolute"! Just meant that I have a preference, and that DH and I aren't comfortable with some things.
Thus bub already has plastic toys, and will of course watch tv on occasion. What I meant is I would rather bub not be a TV addict and I will not encourage that behavior in anyone! Etc etc. :/. ?? Urgh :/
Crap day here! Long story short midnight saw me home alone, fire place exploded, glass/fire/ash/wood went every where, burnt left side of my face and my eye. Called ambulance, got taken to hospital with burns and a bleeding left eye....... Feeling like crap.
Re absolutes- I did not mean to judge anyone and hope no one has judged me. I believe there is nothing wrong with having preferences, even if they may change!
Maybe am just silly first timer but I was not making absolutes 

OMG...hey, and I think it's definitely fine having ideals and plans for what you want to do.  When the kiddo arrives if there are some things that need adjusting you'll adjust.  All of us likely did that.  I tried the no TV thing here, it was fine EXCEPT DH drove me insane because he likes to watch sporting events.  So the constant complaining, etc. I just told him to get the darn thing back on (this was when I was like 8 months preggo with #2 and couldn't take it).  Even funnier, he won a contest for a large HDTV...which at the time was very expensive (worth like $3,000 or so).  He thought it was his 'gift from the universe' LOL.  It definitely did make TV more exciting and for a while there we marveled at the few HD channels there were.  

Thank God that you're OK!  Wow, I hope you heal up and get better!  I feel ridiculous whining about my sickness here.

Today feels like the first day I have some level of confidence in my body's ability to get out of this viral mess I'm in.  This thing started like 3 weeks ago, though initially it seems like I got better, the last 5 days or so got progressively worse.  I was reading up online two days ago about a preggo mom with a similar virus and she wound up with pneumonia in the hospital....so that woke me up and I have been doing the vitamin C, zinc lozenges and now a plethora of garlic.

I think it's the garlic that's doing it.  Of course, now everything I smell is like garlic, even the phelem (TMI, sorry).  I have been taking a couple of pills 2x a day and also two large cloves a day for the past two days.  A HUGE difference in my eyes today!  I'm thrilled to say that.  The mucus was also not as thick and impossible today.  The sinus pain went down on the right side of my face as well.  Since the coughing improved slightly the muscle I pulled on my left side seems better as well.  I got the largest chunk of sleep I've gotten in like 5 days....I had four straight hours last night!  Woo Hoo!  :)  Before I was getting like 1/5 to 2 hours at a time.  Which I'm certain was NOT helping me get better.  DH let me take a nap this morning as well, which added another hour and a half.  

I feel crappy though that I've definitely lost weight from this.  To the point that I can see it.  I was already fluffy as it was so I know I have some excess stored, just *not* ideal though to do this.  

Hopefully I'll be able to keep up better with everyone!

[lulubikes]

Hey everyone - I somehow missed the last part of last week's thread... just caught up!

Travelmumma - so glad things weren't worse, I'm sending you lots of healing energy!

Oh the CDing dilemmas - I went through my stash yesterday and figured out what I have. I had been given a bunch of random diapers from friends, I bought some... I think we're set for the NB phase - except need about a dozen more prefolds. I just hope the baby is not too big and we can use these nice NB diaper covers for at least a few weeks! We do have some one size diapers so that will get us started for the next phase. I think we need some more of the small sizes and some small prefolds...

We had a bit of a scare this morning. I woke up to some brown mucous discharge. I know it can be totally normal - but I've had no spotting or anything this whole pregnancy so it was a bit of a surprise. We hadn't had sex, the likely offender... wasn't having any contractions so that is good. Today I've taken it easy and haven't had any more spotting. Baby is moving fine. Have had contractions on and off today, but I think not more than usual. I really wish I were just past 35 weeks, when I would not worry so much. I can HB at that point and I'd feel comfortable if I went into labor at that point too. I'm probably going to go to 43 weeks after all this worrying!

Take care everyone - have a great week!

[stegenrae]

Oy, I see my response addressed to mamabeakley was supposed to have been for you, christy. (see what chaos ensues when I post from my phone?) I'm glad you're finally feeling on the upswing!!

Do you all remember me talking about how my dh was going to be out of town so much and this month was going to make me crazy? Yeah, so that happened.

 Commence Rant:

He was gone last week for a couple days, got back at 10pm Wednesday, we had to leave at 10am Thursday for a wedding he was in (4 hrs away). We ended up  leaving late, but got there in time okay. He went out after the rehearsal stuff with the groom, which was fine. We had to go to the mall Friday (day of wedding) in the morning for some things, then he had to pick up groom, drive him to chapel, and *I though* was coming back to the hotel right away, but didn't. So I got my preggo self and the boys ready by myself and he raced back to the hotel to pick us up and rush to the chapel to do his groomsman duties before the wedding actually started. (I didn't mention that he'd forgotten the invitation at home, so we didn't have any of these addresses/times with us and needed to text the groom for details. classy.) After that, he was doing photos/limo stuff with the wedding party, so I had the boys by myself again. He texted me the reception address, so I thought I had to be there immediately following the ceremony, so drove 40 min into downtown St Louis (in rush hour traffic), only to get a call from him *as I pull up to the reception hall* that it only started in an hour and a half. ARGH! I don't have my wallet with me because we left in such a rush, so I decide to have the boys take a nap on our way BACK to the hotel, where we go to the bathroom again, grab some cheese sticks for quick protein, and turn right the hell around to get to the reception, where we arrived at the exact time it was scheduled to begin. But it didn't. There were delays. I had the boys by myself during these delays; the only other people I know are the groom's parents, and well, they were busy, yk?! An hour later, the coordinator staff person graciously brings us our special (gluten-free) meals, I cut the boys', they eat, I still haven't; they whine about a drink, I get a wine, they get shirley temples, I still haven't eaten. DH comes up, all oblivious and whatnot, and I.LOSE.MY.SHIT. Thank goodness the lights were dim and I was near the exit by the restrooms! I had an ugly cry...3 times over. I go back to the table, can barely eat without crying again (but am shaky and swelling, so I know I need to eat the damned chicken, yk?)...rinse and repeat 2 more times. I finally sucked it up when the music was going, and got the boys interested in dancing. (Did I mention that, during this whole time, not only was I swollen, but my back, hips, and pelvis were screaming in pain?) So I didn't get on the dance floor, which makes me sad, but I did get some cute pics of my 7yo shaking his groove thing without any semblance of rhythm whatsoever. He kept trying, though, as he was completely taken with another biracial boy of about 11yo who actually could dance, and tried to show him some moves (unsuccessfully). When we all left, we then got stuck in stand-still construction traffic for 45 minutes. It was a cluster of a day, to say the least. Saturday (yesterday), we packed up and went to my mom's an hour away from our hotel, so I got to relax while there--even finally got a nice, long, deep HOT epsom salts bath that really helped my pelvis and hips feel better. We all got to hang out with my brother and nephew and niece all day, and it was a wonderful day. Left today, got back home around 3pm, barely unpacked before bed, and DH leaves again tomorrow morning before sunrise. He gets back after midnight Thursday night. I just don't WANT to do this week.  I am just done with solo parenting. :sigh:

sorry for the longest rant ever. I just needed to get it off my chest without crying all over again. 

[stegenrae]

lulubikes, I had some brown CM this past week, too. It was the day after I'd probably overexerted myself on Tuesday (but it didn't feel particularly like exertion at the time). My mw just told me to do kick counts for a while and drink extra water/stay hydrated and protein it up. I couldn't take it easy, as that was one of my days of solo parenting and a million things to get done, but it was apparently nothing to be concerned about, as it hasn't happened again since then. (But I have to say that, despite my "knowing" it was nothing, it does make me feel better to read that you had the same thing. I hope that's not too crazy to say, lol.)

[cieloazul]

Sego - Thanks for starting this week's thread. I'll echo what you said about there being no offense taken or meant in my part of the 'absolutes' conversation.

Travelmumma - Spilling over from last week's thread, I literally gasped when I read your account of the fireplace incident. That must have been terrifying. How is your face feeling today?

Purple - Glad you're enjoying your birth class. That's really neat that your instructor is your doula and your friend.

Jakesmama - Scary about the preterm labor. It's a relief to know we've cooked these babes this far, but they're still a little underdone. I LOLed at "hippie voodoo" MWs.

Harmony - What kind of costumes are you making? I may have missed that in another thread.

Phatchristy - Sending you loads of healthy, mucus-free vibes. Hope you kick this thing.

Lulubikes - Ditto what I said above to Jakesmama. Really hope you don't end up going to 43 weeks if that's not what you want!

stegenrae - You have all my sympathies when it comes to solo parenting. Not easy. Going to a wedding basically on your own, our of town, with two LOs sounds like more than I could have bore this week. For me at least, the spiral is already turning inward, towards the nest and away from all the noise outside of my little world, KWIM? Hope you get a chance to recoup some of your energy this week.

AFM, there's nothing really major to report, which I suppose is a luxury. I think baby has flipped head down, hopefully for good. Compared to last week my belly looks different and the hicups and big kicks are all in different places. I would have a MW appointment this week but we kind of messed up our visit schedule and doubled up last month so I don't see her again until the first week of November (which not that far away, actually...eek!) and I'm curious to hear her assessment of baby's position.

[Harmony96]

cieloazul, I don't know if I mentioned it in another thread, but DH and DD and DS and I are going to be Goldilocks and the Three Bears. DD is the perfect age to be Goldilocks, and she's blond. Her hair is normally straight, but I rolled it up while wet one day and it got REALLY fluffy, lol. And DS, at 3, is going to be such a cute little Baby Bear.

[purplemamaturtle5]

Travelmumma - I must have missed the post where you explained your scary situation! Oh my word! I am so sorry that happened to you! How incredibly scary! I'm glad you're okay.

[tropicana74]

Rae, Oh man, what a day!! I am so sorry the day was such a disaster.  My DH works afternoons/nights and Saturdays so it seems like I am always wrangling my three alone to do that kind of stuff. I find it more and more exhausting to do the further along this pregnancy goes. I do not remember this being so hard last time when he worked a regular m-f, 8-6 kind of job! Dinners, bedtime routine, homework, after school activities and weekend activities I "get to" do the single parent thing...if nothing else it makes the days go fast! ((And you home school on top of it...super woman!! ))

Travelmumma, how is your recovery going? Feeling any better?

Phatchristy, so glad you are on your way to feeling better!

Segolily, thanks for starting our weekly thread.

Darkblue, things have been quiet from you....hope you are doing OK?

Today I am going to start going through baby clothes to see what I need to buy. We have two cousins here in town that just had baby boys in the last year and they are both done with kids so I get to go through all their loot....clothes, swings, co-sleepers, infant car seat.  I can't wait to go through the itty-bitty clothes! I think I will still need to buy a sling, diapers and a diaper bag and hopefully that will be it. (Still kicking myself that I got rid of everything after DS)!

Do all you home birthers have all your supplies already? I have my list of what I want to order from In His Hands but I have been dragging my feet....not sure why. But usually when that little voice in me says not to do something yet and I do it anyway I end up regretting it. Not sure it I am just being paranoid or something...or just think I still have lots of time???

[kel]

I don't have any supplies yet, not even a list - as we just switched to our homebirth midwife about a week ago - but then I've got 3 months to go considering I always go past due, and am in no way scurrying yet.  As I've basically been on my own for the past 3 1/2 months of this pregnancy - I'm so so happy to still have this chunk of time ahead of me to be pregnant and at home with my DP.  5 more days to go.

When I had a bit of red spotting a couple weeks ago, for the first time ever I think (and it was after sex) - I was a little freaked out, even though I knew it was probably just from my tender cervix.  I think it's hard not to be.  But the small amount of brown spotting I'm sure is also innocuous, seems like brown usually is, even if you don't know the reason for it.   

And Rae, I've had some bad moments pregnant and pretty much on my own with the kids at weddings - I feel for you. 

Goals for the day - drink plenty of water and get some sewing done.

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by stegenrae 

Oy, I see my response addressed to mamabeakley was supposed to have been for you, christy. (see what chaos ensues when I post from my phone?) I'm glad you're finally feeling on the upswing!!

Do you all remember me talking about how my dh was going to be out of town so much and this month was going to make me crazy? Yeah, so that happened.

Hey, I'm pretty much right with you there, out of the last month and a half DH has been gone like 60% of the time travelling for work (that is of course after already working like 80 hours a week normally).  He was worried enough that he asked me to have family come stay with me.  I will say I think the stress from all that situation did not help in my physical situation right now.  When he's gone like this there's no 'consistency' it feels like in the household.  When I take things over completely (in a non-sick state unlike now heh) things actually run smoothly.  BUT, then he gets back and things get shaken up a bit.  

I feel like I jinxed things a bit.  Last night I had massive problems sleeping again!  UGH.  I guess it just goes with the flow.  I also learned NOT to take zinc on an empty stomach.  I took the zinc, then did my cayenne/honey home remedy for a bad sore throat and promptly threw everything up.  YUCK!

Originally Posted by lulubikes 

We had a bit of a scare this morning. I woke up to some brown mucous discharge. I know it can be totally normal - but I've had no spotting or anything this whole pregnancy so it was a bit of a surprise. We hadn't had sex, the likely offender... wasn't having any contractions so that is good. Today I've taken it easy and haven't had any more spotting. Baby is moving fine. Have had contractions on and off today, but I think not more than usual. I really wish I were just past 35 weeks, when I would not worry so much. I can HB at that point and I'd feel comfortable if I went into labor at that point too. I'm probably going to go to 43 weeks after all this worrying!

Take care everyone - have a great week!

Maybe you overdid it.  I overdid it yesterday and feel worse today physically.  Sometimes I think the nesting kicks in and when we find some energy we want to run with it.  That's what I did...after being so sick and tired for a while I had a glimpse of normal energy and I did a ton of laundry, dishes and helped DH clean out her room.  I way overdid it.  Sigh.

Originally Posted by cieloazul 

SAFM, there's nothing really major to report, which I suppose is a luxury. I think baby has flipped head down, hopefully for good. Compared to last week my belly looks different and the hicups and big kicks are all in different places. I would have a MW appointment this week but we kind of messed up our visit schedule and doubled up last month so I don't see her again until the first week of November (which not that far away, actually...eek!) and I'm curious to hear her assessment of baby's position.

A boring pregnancy and prenatal period is a good thing LOL.  Enjoy the baby and enjoy the pregnancy!  I think the LO is now head down here too!  I'm 29 weeks here.

Originally Posted by tropicana74 

Do all you home birthers have all your supplies already? I have my list of what I want to order from In His Hands but I have been dragging my feet....not sure why. But usually when that little voice in me says not to do something yet and I do it anyway I end up regretting it. Not sure it I am just being paranoid or something...or just think I still have lots of time???

I think they'll give me a list in another 5 weeks or so.  As long as you have it ready for the earliest possible date you can birth I think you're fine! :)  

[segolilymama]

OK - Christy - GET BETTER. That is an order ;)

Stegan - Yikes. I would have cried, too. Of course, I cry constantly, lol. But it sounds like a tough day! I can just imagine that the 'normal' routine of solo parenting for you is MUCH easier than doing crazy travel & special events.

lulu & jakesmama- I know it is totally scary when stuff like that happens - it doesn't matter how much you know about how 'normal' it can be, it's scary!!! I had some REALLY bad localized cramping a couple weeks ago - right where my placenta is - and I just KNEW that I was going to bleed to death & lose the baby.... and obviously everything was totally fine, as it has been for both of you.

No birth supplies here yet - it's one of the things I will be asking my MW about next week - I think she brings everything over about 3 weeks before, so we will have it all on hand. But i can't remember...

[zebrachick83]

Hey ladies!  This week is going okay, but I am so, so tired. I had planned to make this my last full working month, but now I'm thinking that I might have to cut it to part-time starting immediately. I can't sleep worth a penny and my legs are super heavy, because of how low little miss is sitting. I'm in no hurry for her to get here, though...lol. 

Sorry, I've been MIA but I'll be hanging around more often now that I'll be working less. Hugs to everyone who's been struggling lately! 

[purplemamaturtle5]

Thought I would share this bit of loveliness () with you all..... This took place yesterday.

Yeah...this was NOT fun at all. I'm fine though. (oh...that little brown dot is just a mole. lol)

[tropicana74]

Zebrachick, so happy to see you here with an update! Hope you can cut back those hours soon and relax!

Purplemama, I did this SAME thing!! It is such sensitive skin on the belly! I was afraid mine was going to scar but it is finally blended in now. I am much more careful when I cook now. I hope it heals up quickly for you. 

[stegenrae]

Purplemama--ouch! I burned mine similarly, but it wasn't hot enough apparently to do anything but hurt for the rest of that night. 

If anyone does burn themselves again, a quick home remedy that speeds healing and relieves pain is using lavender essential oil (neat) directly on the burned skin. It takes the burn out and is antiseptic, as well. (I also use it on sunburn, but it doesn't have to be neat to do so. The pain diminishes like magic.)

Also, a handy tip: wear thick shoes while cooking/chopping/using a knife in general. Because when you drop that damn thing, you at least have a little bit of extra protection. ;)

[esp831]

*Subbing*

Sick toddler.  I am stuck in a rocker or on the couch immobile under a fussy, burning up child. Typing one handed. Will check back in ASAP.  Travelmumma...how scary!  So, so sorry.