11/18 Weekly Chat Thread - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[travelmumma]

Originally Posted by esp831 

Happy new week all! 
TM-Those comments are the worst!  With my first I finally stopped talking to people.  Stopped answering the phone etc, it was just miserable to hear everyone's input and to have them downplay on my excitement because I was a new mama.  It was very difficult, I feel your pain.  You have every right to be excited, because your body is definitely revving up!  Regardless of when the baby comes, you can be excited knowing that your body and the baby getting prepared, that's wonderful! 
We also finally found a doula!  I made a connection with a new friend who knows basically the whole natural birth community in Seattle, and she connected us with a no fee doula.  We met her yesterday and she is wonderful.  DH, DD1, and DD2 loved her as well, so I took that as a sign that she is the one for us. 

Yup, esp, I have my phone on silent, have changed my voicemail to "hi this is travelmumma, DH and I are getting prepared to meet our baby, so feel free to leave your name and number but know that it could be a whole before we get back to you." And I have also taken a leave of absence from Facebook too (except for our group on there).
So now I'm just listening to baby and body and that is ALL.

As far as killing own meat- I totally understand that. I feel that if I was going to eat meat again I would have to kill it... I did kill a pig when I was 13 or so and I haven't eaten pork since then HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Not long til Thanksgiving all! Are you excited?? I so wish I could pop over and eat food with you all!!

Like I mentioned above, I'm not answering my phone, not looking at clocks, and not really leaving the house. Yesterday I woke up, listened to my body- decided to stay in bed for another hour just chilling, got up, ate a freakish amount of fruit and hot chocolate, laid in the hammock and read Birthing From Within, then slept on the couch for 3 hours then did some gardening as the sun went down... Sooo nice! I didn't do anything at a certain time (eg oh it's 1 I better eat some lunch) I just listened to my body!!!
so if I have another month of this I'm gonna be pretty darn happy!!!!! It's like a holiday, from life!!!! Lol I didn't even nest!!!

Also after I had my rant I went and lit candles in baby's room/birth space and spoke to bub and ???someone/something??? And told bub that I trust that he knows when to come. That I trust him and I trust myself and I trust us together as a team feeling much better

[phatchristy]

Sego--painting!  Wow, that is a bunch of nesting for sure!

Here today was the supposed official start to cleaning out the spare room (joke, cough).  Yeah, DH is gone with my oldest DD and won't be back until late tonight so it was me and three kids the last few days.  We worked a bit last night, then this morning it was like the three year old UN-DID everything we did.  Gah!  I think I'm going to have to move all the toys to an 'under lock and key' situation as I can't take cleaning up or even 'helping him clean up' his stuff off the floor or wasting time getting the older kids to do it.  

He needs to be kept occupied all the time though, so that is where I have 'workforce issues.  Because frankly speaking the older kids do NOT do a good job watching him.  Even though I'm like feet away from them in the room next to them. They'll watch him until he plugs up the toilet or flushes legos.  Seriously my three year old is a really sneaky kid.  He messes and tinkers with stuff.  He'll pop off the baby locks in the kitchen and get into the cat treats and feed a whole bag to them (yep, this happened today too).  Now I'm on cat diarrhea alert.  So, in the afternoon I pretty much just gave up. We had just cleaned the bathroom and I swear some kid smeared poop on the wall, there's a pile of wet toilet paper behind the toilet and the three year old smooshed up all the soap.  Some adult needs to watch him at all times.  The other kids weren't super helpful today either because when I started cleaning I found some toys, and of course, DD decides that those small beanies she hadn't played with in a year were 'oh so interesting' she had to stop doing everything else and play with them.  This, of course, is exactly the kind of stuff I need to get rid of.  I probably need to donate when they're asleep. If we don't have the space for the stuff there's really no choice.

So, I'm uber frustrated.  That's all.  DH thinks somehow we're going to get everything done in two days.  There's no frickin way.  I don't swear either, but if I could I would use the alternate adult word for it because frankly that's the truth and frickin isn't strong enough.  Between laundry, dishes, household meals that stuff alone takes hours a day!

On another more positive note, I got word that my mom will be coming down this weekend....so I will finally be able to have her watch DS and I will be able to finish stuff next week.  That's the only positive.

Right now I am so frustrated and fed up I just took some cal/mag for the heartburn and am going to try to exercise in an effort to make me a little less pissed off at the situation.  The chili I made is super tasty and very nutrient dense, but heartburn galore.  Sigh.

[segolilymama]

esp - I did find a good stevia based pie recipe - don't know if I mentioned by my dad & grandma are both diabetic, so they will be happy to get some dessert this year, too :) And yes, I do mostly GF, but I have a great crust recipe, so I was only worried about filling. My blood sugar has been good, mostly because I am managing it very well. The worst thing I have had, cheat wise, was the glass of wine last night, hoping it would stop the contractions.... it helped me sleep but definitely did not make them stop. Also VERY cool to hear you found a doula! Wohoo!

kate - I love what you wrote about tapping into that mama space to take care of baby. Very primal, very cool :)

Christy - Ugh. Sounds lie my #3 when he was younger. Combined with Jordan's #3 who is a year older - OMG they could destroy SO MUCH in SO SHORT of a time! Thankful that your mom can give you a little relief!

TM - that sounds like a blissful day :)

Still contracting away over here... gave the MW & birth photographer a thumbs up just in case. Also let them know this could very well go on for days or weeks, lol. But, we shall see....

[mamaharrison]

Originally Posted by segolilymama 

It's funny, I am feeling in THAT space as well. What a shift for so many of us, all at once! Realizing there were less than 48 hours until my 37 week/legal homebirth date today was good - as I mentioned above, contractions all day long, and I do NOT want to have to go to a hospital just because baby was a couple of days shorter than that. I actually decided today that if I did really end up in labor, I would UC at home and call the MW after. I am totally comfortable with the idea, DP is nervous about it but gets my logic. The contrax still haven't stopped, even after a nice warm soak in the hot tub. So, a little glass of wine, and bed for this mama!

Oh, and TM, stick your fingers in your ears, go 'lalalalalalala' and ignore everyone ;)

I accidentally made the mistake of telling my MW at appt today that if I did go into labor in the next 3 days I would NOT go to the hospital :/ She didn't seem happy to hear that. I don't care for her too much--kinda meh about her--but my dear friend is a student MW with her and so that is why I am with her. She was even more unimpressed when I told her I didn't want pitocin as a first line of action if I were hemoraghing. Her jaw dropped actually. 

[stegenrae]

ugh, Christy--my now-7yo was exactly the same as your 3yo. My only advantage was that he was my first, and we didn't have many of the most destructive toys. Yet he found a way--and still does--to wreak havoc. (He is why I can't nap. I may have mentioned that before.) Also, BOO for the heartburn-inducing chili. I love chili, and am thankful I may get to eat some again someday after babe's arrival. It has been a really weird fall without it!

esp--awesome about the doula! what a fantastic turn of events for you. I hear you on the completely unrealistic time management expectations of spouses. ARGH! Thanks for the link to your friend's GF blog--I "liked" on fb and subscribed to her emails. Maybe something will inspire me to move beyond my smoothie-or-chicken rut. 

mamabeakley--I'm with you on the damned if you do, damned if you don't eat thing. I am SO tired of my go-to protein foods, too. And all of a sudden, any fish smell makes me nauseous, so my choices are narrowed even further. 

AFM--It's crazy how similar so many of our current attitudes/situations are right now! Only a week and a half ago, I was worried I'd go too early, but now that my green light date is within a couple days, I am suddenly worried I may go late. "Worried" because I'm among those who are THERE and having some occasional physically miserable moments. **is anyone else weirded out about making appointments that you may or may not be able to make? On the one hand, I don't feel prepared enough to be that close, and otoh, holy crap--I'm making appointments I may not be able to attend!!**

I had my 36w home visit this evening--measuring 37.5, so the two people in two days who told me I don't look "big enough" to be close can suck it (I certainly FEEL huge enough these days!). I had a chiro appt a couple hours before the home visit, and she said that babe still had room to engage, but then my mw confirmed that babe's head is definitely past my pubic bone again. I had suspected as much, since all of a sudden last night, my pubic bone was killing me as soon as my sacrum popped all wacky and pinched some nerve, and continued to make me miserable all friggin night (when I got up every hour to pee). Then after my excruciating adjustments, my pubic bone pain was greatly diminished...so I think babe moved back down. My chiro was almost begging me to get a prenatal massage--my back muscles are sooo tight, which explains why the adjustment was so painful--and why I feel like crap, lol. I'm checking with the only LMT I know/like/trust to see if she has a table with a cutout, since that's what I REALLY need; she happens to live a block away from me, too, so that'd be pretty awesome if she does have one! My original 37w date was Saturday, but as am a little concerned about the stress of Thanksgiving pushing me into labor or something, I asked her how she felt about using my LMP date instead of my O date (I O'd on CD17) in my chart to move it up 3 days, JIC...and she did it without blinking, thankfully. I had also asked her what she would prefer I do if I went into labor tonight, for example, and she would also be fine with me still hb'ing, and would gladly attend, but then we discussed the various different hospitals we have options for neonate transfer if breathing were an issue (thought it would be very unlikely to be at this point for me). I heart her.  (also: YAY for having every.single.item on my birth supply list plus a few extra she doesn't include yet, like a mirror!)

I'm also super-bitchy today, but at least I have some outside confirmation that it also seems that my kids are being super-irritating, too. :P Though I can't blame dh's irritating behavior on them--He actually ate one of the last sugar cookies from my mom (who mailed them since she's 5 hours away, and they are a unique, amazing, cookie, damnit) that I was saving for myself. Without asking. Just popped the whole thing in his freaking mouth...and then I told him he needed to get the eff away from me for a while because that was not for him. (WHY are my household members stealing this pregnant woman's freaking food?! First my dog, now my DH!) 

[mamaharrison]

stegan--I am a licensed massage therapist and I am certified in prenatal massage--Not to be a debbie downer, but--Can I just say that massage tables with cut outs are not good for prenatal massage and you really should avoid them. The physiological way to massage a pregnant woman is the side lie her and then 'flip' her to the other side as needed and or to use a body cushion system like this: http://bodysupport.com/
The tables with holes put a lot of strain on your ligaments and abdominal muscles and can cause some serious issues there and in your back, too. They usually are not comfy either :/ DEfinitely not at this stage of pregnancy--maybe in early pregnancy or second trimester, but not once there is truly any weight to your uterus.

[lulubikes]

Hello everyone! Today is the first official day of my maternity leave - I mean last Thursday was my last day at work, but I work Tues-Thurs - so today is the first day I would have been at work!

So much has been happening. I'm going to attempt some personals - hopefully I don't forget anyone...

TM - glad you're taking care of yourself and ignoring all the "outsiders". Sounds like a wonderful relaxing day you had the other day!

Kate - wow on the turkey! I'm super impressed. I hope your visit with your FIL went well - or at least wasn't as stressful as it could have been.

To all of you having claustrophobia - I hope you can get some space when you need it. I am not having any claustrophobia issues at all... but I don't have other kids at home and I'm still loving cuddling with hubs at night. 

Sego - Can't wait to see what happens. Today is Tuesday! Sounds like you made it to your date, which is great. I'm thinking of you!

Rae - sorry you're feeling so bitchy - I hate it when I feel that way. I hope you find some peace today. I hope you can find someone to give you a massage, sounds like you really need it.

Christy - I hope you can find some time to get some things done. Your 3 year old sounds like a super challenging kiddo! Especially when you just want to get some things done!

Dana - Sorry things haven't clicked with your midwife. I know you weren't excited about having a midwife to begin with though... It is interesting what you said about the pregnant table with the cutout... My acupuncturist has one and I love laying on it. I've been going in almost weekly now. She does some massage to release the knots and then acupuncture. I find it super comfortable!

I know there were more, but I can't remember them now...

So I'm super ready to have this baby - 38 weeks now. But not having all the birthy or nesting that you all are. I do periodically have these annoying contractions that last for while then stop. They are like menstrual cramps but encompass my whole belly. My acupuncturist has been doing the labor prep/induction points, so that is exciting! I'm pretty uncomfortable much of the time, as it sounds like many of you are too. I have all the things done that I felt "needed" to be done before the baby comes, now I'm just ticking off the things that would be nice. I just wish I could let go and relax...

Ok, I'm going to go make some breakfast burritos to freeze. 

[kel]

I've also read negative things about the cut-out massage tables - most practitioners do recommend side lying pregnancy massage these days...

http://www.mkmassage.com/MKmassage/Article-Pregnancy_Massage.html

I don't think it's because it's not comfortable, just because laying on a table like that is an added strain on your ligaments.  For myself, I never used one of those table again after I received a pregnancy massage on one a few days before labor with my first and he managed to get himself turned posterior while he was hanging out down there;)  Maybe just a coincidence, but...

Kinda shitty morning here.  Had a big emotional fight with DP this morning over how I feel like he's harder on my littlest than any of the other kids (we've been together two years now and this is not a new topic) - also when we have an argument, how he insists on yelling everything loud enough for every kid in the house to hear it (in my opinion, leading them to either feel justified or guilty or hurt or whatever - depending on how they fit in to the situation).  He grew up in a family where there was a lot of yelling and that is how he deals with his emotions.  I also grew up in a family where there was a lot of yelling, but I had the opposite reaction to it, and it really hurts me and makes me feel terrible every time it happens.  To DP it's just venting, and to me it's this heartbreaking event where I'm frantically re-evaluating our relationship and freaking out that I'm about to have a baby in this hopeless situation kind of thing.  And it's not just my hormones - that's always my response to big fights. 

Anyone, sego?, have advice on dealing with a blended family situation (mine are 7, 12, 13, 17 and his is 13) and feeling that a certain child is being singled out as spoiled or bratty, or that your parenting methods are being undermined or devalued by the other person?  

Anyway, of course we have a midwife appt and birth class tonight, not exactly ideal after spending the day crying and depressed.     

[stegenrae]

oooh, DH is currently grooming the dog. (brushed and is now bathing, will do nails afterward, then brush again tomorrow when it's warmer) 

I only told him yesterday that it was on the "MUST DO" list (and I can't do it--he's a big shepherd mix, so it's all super intensive work). And he came right home from work and got to it today. (Okay, it *may* have helped that I saw a Groupon this morning for a neighborhood dog groomer who would do large dogs for only $28, but DH didn't want to spend the money)

But I'm thinking I need more "Honey Do" kinds of things to add to my list of demands, so to speak. 

What kinds of things are on your "honey do" lists before babe comes??

...I wonder  if I can manage to get him to finish the dang floor trim in a few places. It's only been 6 years since he left it undone... ;)

[chicajones]

Don't have time for hitting everyone in personals, but here are a few...

segolilly, how are you feeling? I can't believe you're having contractions and that baby might be here soon! Keep us updated!

Mamaharrison, I just noticed you said Florida -- have we talked about this already? I'm blaming my preggo brain if we did, but I'm in Florida too and have been telling this little guy to hold on until 37 weeks and then he's welcome at any time! 

travelmumma, it's so funny to hear you talk about gardening! We've had a bit of a cold spell here (granted, cold in these parts means I have to wear a sweater and not flip flops), so it feels very fallish. I hope you are enjoying being a bit "unplugged", it sounds like you are! I agree that you just have to ignore the comments and not pay attention. Everyone thinks they have the best advice...my husband's second-aunt was asking what my due date was, then said, "Oh, you'd better let your doctor induce you -- you definitely don't want to go past your due date!" I hardly even knew what to say, so many things wrong with that!

phatchristy, hee! I have to apologize, your post made me laugh. I know exactly what you mean about wanting to use "the adult word" -- I don't swear either (just didn't grow up doing it) and once in a while DH will laugh when I say something about wanting to use a "real" swear word, but I still feel so silly/strange if I were to do it! I hope the older kids will step it up for you a little bit. Hopefully also Mr. Sneaky Three Year Old will grow up just a smidge after new baby arrives and you'll not have to watch him quite as much. Four is just around the corner!

lulubikes, yay for being almost done with work! Also, breakfast burritos? Yum. Definitely need to make some of those for the freezer stocking.

AFM, had my 35 week appointment today. I love that we'll be going every week from here on out! I don't get to do my "home walkthrough" visit until 37 weeks, because we won't be in our vaca rental until a few days before that, but I'm super excited about it. I'm measuring right on, although she did say that the babe is pretty little (in a good way, since I'm little). He's still nice and head down, and everything else is looking good. I also got my pediatrician lined up -- one of the only more "natural" practitioners in our area, AND they take Medicaid!!! Yay! So excited about that. The only "big" thing left for us is to get a car seat (borrowed, probably) and have it installed. I still have two more weeks until my "okay to birth at home" date, but I know they will go by quickly. I have a lot of little things to do, but I feel like I've been pretty productive lately. 

I have definitely started feeling like my stomach is no longer part of me, but rather some sort of attachment that's been hooked on to my body! I feel like this child is getting so big, and he has been moving around a bunch. The other night I could NOT get comfortable (and it was early in the evening), no matter what I did. Lots of sleeping in this morning, and then a pretty low key day. 

I'm starting my Red Raspberry Leaf capsules tomorrow, which really signifies the "end period" to me! I thought about trying one of those 5 week formulas but decided not to spend the money (or be taking that many herbs). I think I am going to do Evening Primrose Oil as an insert nightly once I hit 37 weeks. I know the reactions from different people tend to be mixed, but I haven't heard anything distinctly negative, so I'm hoping the oil at least gets my cervix a bit softened.

[travelmumma]

Hey mummas,

My brain is fried over here. Personal may be a bit hard but...

Chica- so exciting! It sounds like things are getting all organized for your go date !! Not long left!! I don't know a lot about EPO, can you explain more about it?

Sego and Natalie- how are the birthing feelings going?

Kel and Rae- sounds like you both need some chill time xxxx

Things here are going preggy slowly. Got down to one min apart contrax last night.. They were like BH ones but within an edge to them if that makes sense.. Really don't know what to make of it?? Thoughts???
All animals that I encounter have become freakishly affectionate which a few of my friends thinks means it will be soon lol.
As far as nesting goes- I'm going nutso here! Scrubbed bath, done 7 loads of laundry (thank goodness or hot windy weather), vacuumed, sewed up a bit more of the ring sling...
Also DH seems to have cottoned onto the nesting energy. When I told him that, he denied it and said "no! The house it just messy... And it can't be cos, you know". Lol I'm taking that as "the house is messy and needs to be cleaned before baby arrives!" Haha

Send "legs crossed" vibes this way mummas. My midwife leave for a retreat tomorrow morning and doesn't get back til Monday..... So anything after next Tuesday is go..... As I type this babe is trying to make an escape. Think midwife is a bit worried that babe will come when she's away. She even gave me extra herbs to take in case things kick off this weekend..... Glad it's not all in my head that I could go early.... Mind you I could have 6 ish weeks of this too... Who knows

[Mamabeakley]

So, I had my first round of actually timeable contractions last night.  15 minutes apart, mind you, and only one REALLY uncomfortable one, and only for an hour.  Which is FINE since my 'go' date is Sunday and DH is out of town until tonight!  Lay there in the dark talking to Universe/baby about how baby is really not to come out for another 4 days.  Still, I really wish DH were here :-(

Travelmumma, does your midwife have a backup in case something happens between now and when she gets back?

Chica, so glad you're getting things like peds lined up.  That's a good feeling!

Stegenrae, sounds like your DH reacts well to you getting a little pissy ;-)  I wish mine did - he just withdraws into himself when I get mad and then I have to wait for him to come back out of his shell which is even more maddening!  I can insist some things get done, but it works better when I can do it nicely and then stay the heck out of his way while he's doing it - cause he's gotta do it HIS way.  Good news:  I managed to do this about upgrading our shower and now we have a shower that drains!  Woo hoo!

Kel, that's really hard.  No specific advice, but (((hugs))).  And just, it helps me, when situations like that arise, to work on separating out my 'stuff' from my DH's 'stuff' - first well after the fact, then shortly after the fact, and eventually I'm able to start doing it in the moment and change how I'm acting in the middle of the argument.  Which is really all I can change - but if you change the A part of A + B = C, eventually either B or C changes as well, often in positive ways you couldn't have predicted.

[travelmumma]

Midwife just left for 4 day retreat. I just lost some bloody tinged mucus plug.
Lol the universe is funny.
Called the two back ups and gave em a heads up. DH is running around like he has lost his head... Lol! And I'm sitting calmly on couch!
I have a feeling we are still a few days or weeks away from any action tho!

[tropicana74]

Travelmumma, keep us updated!

Rae, I don't have much on my "honey-do" list. Let's see, he needs to replace a few light bulbs this weekend, bring the glider up to our bedroom on the 3rd floor (so that I have someplace comfy to nurse when I am up there), and I am going to have him mop the kitchen floor. He has done the floor the last couple times...it just makes me so uncomfortable and causes BH etc so he has been great about taking care of the floors in there. I think that is about all he has on his list right now. 

Can I just say how excited I am about Thanksgiving this year? So, so excited to have our little family of 5 by ourselves this year! This may be the most excited I have ever been. We went to Whole Foods today and bought everything for dinner tomorrow. It was so fun to plan a meal that is completely organic/natural/preservative-free/from scratch etc.! I had so much fun hand picking exactly what would be on our table. No hormones, no MSG, no HFCS etc. I did buy 2 things that were pre-made...pumpkin pie that they made there in their bakery (because honestly my pie crusts are just too hit and miss) and cranberry sauce, again made there at WF. I do not like cranberry sauce and was in no mood to make it but dd likes it so we bought a small container for her.

While I have hosted Thanksgiving before this is different because a) I have complete control over the menu and no one is bringing anything that I don't want! b) I don't have to worry about having my house or myself looking fancy because no one is coming over! c) I can have dinner ready whenever *I* want and don't have to work around everyone else!  So I structured everything so that we can go see a movie late morning, come home to put the turkey in and then take a nap with DS (like I do almost everyday). I have almost all the sides made up and in the fridge tonight so tomorrow is just popping stuff in the oven! This has been so much fun. We spent a fortune at Whole Foods but this is so worth it! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! (Wondering if this holiday weekend is going to bring us more new babies)!!!!

[stegenrae]

...and here I am, wishing tomorrow were any other day, lol! We do have a turkey, though, and errands tonight ran so late we did pizza tonight instead of tomorrow. So DH is starting the turkey when he gets up in the morning so we don't have to wait on it. I'm going to roast some broccoli, make a pear crisp and maybe a pumpkin pie (bought the GF crust for it today), and we have sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes which stayed in the ground a bit too long, so they're probably a bit stringy, but oh, well. (they're from my garden; I only harvested half of what we had...it will be gross to dig up/turn over that bed in the spring!) I'd like mashed (white) potatoes, but that's a whole lotta carbs/starches that I don't think I need. I thought about making a pear-cranberry sauce, but didn't get to Trader Joe's to get the cranberries and NO WAY IN HELL am I going there in the morning tomorrow! Maybe next week or something. BUT no one's coming over--not even my MIL--so the house can be semi-trashed, and meals are whenever the heck food is all done. We do have (storebought) GF cookies to bring with us to go visit a couple of DH's relatives if we're feeling up to it (I'm big and uncomfortable; my 4yo has a pretty bad cough leftover from a cold). One of his grandmothers is in town from Detroit, and he hasn't seen her in a couple years, so we may have to put in an appearance. 

I just don't want people I don't particularly *like* to touch my belly. And they will. It's one thing if it's aunts/cousins I actually like, but grating when it's just anyone, of course. 

OH!--I did get a call from one of my good friends tonight, just telling me flat out that I need to go to our mutual friend's house at 2 on Saturday so I "can open baby stuff," lol. She said they tried to make it a surprise, but they obviously failed, and would that time work for me. :P She's also making GF pumpkin cheesecake for it (her kids are dairy-free, so she can't eat any at home and is therefore equally stoked about it). Anyway. That sounds like fun!

BH have been kicking my butt, but they're not too bad tonight. Had some cervical twinges pretty much every day, though, so things are a-working! I got my swaddling blankets and two awesome newborn diaper covers today, too. (the covers I have are adjustable, but tend to be pretty big for NBs).

OH! And we got our birth pool yesterday and inflated it to check for air leaks--there's some air loss, but my labors tend to go so fast, it will be unlikely to even be noticeable by the time I'm finished. (my mw is convinced this birth will be about as fast as my previous ones--5hrs w/ intact membranes, 2hrs w/o...I've officially requested a 4hr labor with intact membranes, for the record.) I finally started watching a couple birth videos yesterday, and that plus the pool are what have finally pushed me towards excited. Well, that and being 37w as of Saturday (by O date; today by LMP date). :D

One of my local AP group mamas had her baby yesterday (was scheduled to be induced Friday)...I can't wait to read more birth stories here, too!! :D

[jakesmama]

Tropicana - That sounds awesome! That's how we did Thanksgiving last year and it really was bliss.

TM- Yay! I'll send some "waiting" vibes your way, though so that your mw can be there! Still, it's so exciting to hear about mamas starting to have their babes. I still have awhile here!

Mamabeakley- Draining showers are so underrated! Glad your hubby got that done before baby. My dp is much the same way - I typically have to ask for things to get done and then let him get to it on his timeline, in his own way. I've gotten a lot better about asking (instead of waiting for him to see that it needed to be done) and he's started taking some initiative with things too.

Kel- sometimes I feel this way about our oldest and dp's reaction to him and my advice would be the same as above - you can only change your own reaction to the situation and move forward hoping that your change is enough to change the outcome. I'm not saying don't address it but I do try to think of my relationship with ds being just about me and him and his relationship with dp is between him and dp. Obviously, if things were terrible or abusive I wouldn't ignore or let that happen but that isn't our situation at all. *hugs* I HATE fighting and the totally drained feeling that comes with it.

I'm feeling really blessed in the physical dept these days. I have no chronic aches or pains to report and my emotions have been pretty well in check for the last 4 days (lol...funny how 4 days can seem like a lifetime when you are not crying your eyes out!). I AM so dizzy though! Trying to eat plenty and get my iron up in hopes that will help. My blood pressure isn't super low (I've run as low as 80/48 before, when not pg) at 100/60 but it's enough to make me pass out about once a week!

I'm adding things to my (already long) to do list...sigh. Hair cut before baby comes (getting bangs to hide the pp hair loss around the hairline), purging clothes (maternity and otherwise) to give to GW, and rearranging things around the house. Gotta stop!

[Eandko]

Hi mamas! I'm back. I dropped out for a while, and by "a while" I guess I mean most of the pregnancy! I was feeling overwhelmed with the various groups/forums that I'm involved in and decided to cut back. Now I'm finally feeling like this baby is coming soon and I'm starting to get excited. It sounds weird, but since the first trimester this pregnancy has been kind of on the back burner for me. It like "oh yeah, there's a baby coming but x, y, and z are happening now."

I'm feeling pretty good for the most part. Baby is still really high and squeezing my lungs and that triggers my asthma. I'm hoping s/he drops soon because I'm having a really hard time breathing. Other than that, I'm growing on pace and feeling lots of movement. No real contractions or even BH to speak of yet. As of Saturday I'll be within the window where my midwives will support a homebirth (37-42 weeks) and I need to get going on getting my supplies together! Saturday is also my son's birthday party, even though his birthday isn't until Dec 19th. We wanted to make sure he had his party early enough that it doesn't get interrupted or cancelled or happen when I'm going through all the postpartum hormonal stuff. The following weekend I'm having a blessingway. My mom is hosting it for me, but neither she nor I have ever been to one. We are a little bit lost on what to do, but I'm sure it will come together.

Anyway, that's about it for me. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with you all and sharing our birthing journeys together!

[cieloazul]

Hi ladies. Matilda is sleeping here next to me as I read your updates from this week and last. Thank you all for holding us in your hearts, didn't mean to worry anyone. I'm feeling a bit wistful about not being pregnant anymore so I may be a little MIA on these threads for the next few weeks. As much as I love being able to wear my wedding ring and sleep on my tummy, I'd rather be hugely pregnant. That seems to be where the postpartum emotions are manifesting for me, just feeling achey about the way things worked out. Matilda is well, gaining weight, jaundice resolved, alert, and just a real sweetheart of a baby. We'll see if she wakes up a bit as the weeks go by, but for now she's just a little kitten who loves to snuggle and mews softly when she needs something. Anyway, emotions...I feel really good about the birth experience, less upset about how our BFing plans have changed than I though I would, and overwhelmed with joy every time I see her. The ache is...ugh, it's not feeling like I failed, I don't feel that way at all. Spirit has been very clear that this is how it was to be and that her early arrival is not my fault. It just hurts not to finish what I started, and I'm faced with all these changes and departures from what I'd envisioned. That's what's hard, the adapting. My mom's here, which has been a logistical blessing and also another layer of relationship dynamics in the house. DH and I have had moments of hot/cold. Everyone's in survival mode and we're making it work, I however need a little more intimacy and tenderness. Like a few weeks ago I posted that I was concerned about who would be there with me in labor and I half joked that I'd be fine to just do it myself. Well, she came so fast that I ended up Iaboring completely on my own. DH got there about a half hour before she was born. That was perfect. I didn't feel at the time that he was missing or had abandoned me or anything, but now I feel really alone even with all these people in the house. I figured having baby #2 I'd be a lot more chill than I was as a FTM, but in reality this is a whole different baby experience and I'm very aware of how much my emotions are being stretched right now. So that's where I'm at, the pretty and the painful of it. And it's Thanksgiving for us Americans. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you celebrating, and to everyone else as you are no doubt also thankful for many things today. This is about the best Thanksgiving I can imagine. So much to be thankful for, even if we are having leftover chicken for dinner, lol.

[Mamabeakley]

Did everybody see there's a baby on the FB page?  I'm not sure who the mama is and if she's on this group too?

Happy Thanksgiving!  We had a really pretty nice day all by our selvens.  I cooked the full traditional meal, pretty much, which I've never done as an adult, but I really didn't do ANYTHING else so I'm feeling okay.  And I have leftovers!  For the first time in my adult life!

Cielo, what is happening wrt breastfeeding?  If you feel up to sharing, that is.  I think it sounds like you are doing a great job of honoring your feelings and moving through them at your own pace.

Welcome back, Eandko!

Oi, Jakesmama!  How do you handle the passing out?

[darkblue0729]

I *really* want to do personals, but I feel crazy far behind! I have been reading along all week and you ladies are constantly in my thoughts!! 

AFM-My mom's house SOLD which is amazing, and I was able to transfer money to her relatives in Jamaica on Wednesday so I am officially d-o-n-e with that part of my life and that makes me feel so incredibly blessed. Natalie I sent out your package Wednesday mama, I loved the one you sent and the dolls are on my tree  the lady @ the post office said you might get the package Saturday :)

I have been having some pretty intense "false labor" and lost some plug Sunday...but every time I think that maybe something is happening it backs off-so I think I may still get my dream of an overdue Christmas Eve baby! We have a low key but delicious holiday here, and I will definitely hop on and do personals-hopefully tomorrow. Sending you all lots of love and peace!!

Edited by darkblue0729 - 11/23/12 at 8:03am