Weekly Chat Nov. 19-25 « Back to Group Discussions

[spughy]

I think I posted last in the last thread and nothing is new in my world - except DD has a cold, day before her birthday poor little bug... good thing her party (such as it is) isn't until next weekend.  I'm not sick yet though, yay!

Oh, and I bought a glucometer and started using it - my blood sugar was a bit high after dinner last night but I'm not sure exactly how long it was between eating and testing (I was just figuring out the monitor) and this morning my fasting blood sugar was 5.6 which is borderline high.  So I think I definitely have to watch what I eat and stop the bread.  (Yes, it's all white bread, my insides don't deal well with grain fibres.)  It's only one data point though - I'm going to take fasting measurements all week and see how consistent that is.  Dinner tonight will NOT be the potato-leek soup of last night followed by sugar in the form of a massive mango, it will be chicken wings and vegetables.  We'll see if that makes a difference.  (Ok, yes, I am a total nerd and the glucometer is a fun new toy.)

(Link to old thread)

[babytoes]

I have to get the glucose test done next time I see our midwives. I was NOT happy about it, I asked what my options were and she basically said I didn't have any, that they needed the data because a. my age b. I have had big babies (how that is relevant is beyond me, and my largest baby DS2 was 9.8... not exactly huge if you ask me! My sister had much larger 10.3 being her last and biggest) c. my grandfather had diabetes (again, I am baffled by that logic, since he was in his 50's when he got diabetes and had a horrendous diet his entire life, so obviously that was the culprit). I had the test with all three of my other pregnancies and always passed with flying colors, so I am not sure why we need to do it. But, she didn't feel like she would waver on it, so I am gritting my teeth and going along. She even tried to make me feel better by saying the drink was organic, and didn't have food coloring in it. Bah! Whatever... I have no doubts that I will pass it, so that's not my issue. I was trying to have a minimal intervention pregnancy, and opted out of all the other normal testings, and yet I have to do this one.  Sorry for being a little ranty.. It's been bugging me!

On to a much happier topic. My baby shower is this coming Sunday! Yay!! I am so excited, and MIL and I have been doing all kinds of stuff together. We painted birdhouses, made tissue paper pom poms, a banner, and got everything pretty much ready. I have to say, I am so glad to have a nice MIL that's easy to get along with, my last one was a mental institutions dream patient, so this has been fantastic! My dad is making the cake (he's a phenomenal baker), and I have a professional cake maker doing all the fondant accents, little baby bird and a mama bird, daises and polka dots. Should be pretty awesome! 

I do have to say... I am not really looking forward to December. It's going to be balls to the walls busy and I may just loose my cookies at some point! To save on money we decided (or I should say I volunteered) to make goodies (cookies, mint brownies, peanut butter balls, etc..) for all of our siblings instead of buying gifts, but obviously this means I will baking my brains out the week before Christmas, and unfortunately DP can't cook or bake so it will be in my hands to keep us fed on top of making all the goodies... Oh it's beginning to sound scarier and scarier!!

[spughy]

Babytoes, statistically those ARE risk factors for GD.  Statistically.  Statistics tell you NOTHING about your personal outcomes, but they're the only guidelines midwives really have to go on. GD sucks horribly, you DO want to know if you have it - an ex-boyfriend of mine had a niece die at 39 weeks in utero due to undiagnosed GD... it was her first baby and she was young, but one of her parents had Type 2 diabetes. (This was about 15 years ago, before GD screening was universal here - they missed her because she was under 25, and they didn't look at family history.)  It's one of those things that genetics can definitely play a role in, and having a grandfather whose body responded to stress (ie, poor diet) by developing diabetes shows that there is a chance that your body could react to stress (ie, metabolic stress of growing a baby) similarly.   And there's always a chance of developing it when you didn't for previous pregnancies - one of my recent clients had it with her 3rd baby while she hadn't with the previous 2.  She had no other risk factors except being a bit older - babies around 7 lbs, she was normal weight (maybe a touch on the thin side), no family history - but she felt much better when she started controlling her diet more and her baby was born healthy and happy with no interventions at all.    Now obviously 2 anecdotes from some random person on the internet shouldn't play too heavily in your decisions to rant or not but if you're looking for a way to be at peace with having to do something you don't really want to, there you go.

[babytoes]

Thanks Spughy, you help me to look at it differently. I never stopped to asks the questions from the midwives, just got annoyed immediately (blame it on the baby!). I know its silly to be bothered by it, and I totally agree it would be good to know if I did have it then I could control it with diet and we both, baby and I, will be healthier for it. I was just looking forward to a non intervention pregnancy and birth, although I have pretty much had that, other than the ultrasound (for DP's peace of mind and my insane need to know the sex) I haven't had any testing so I should feel really good about that. At this point in my last 3 pregnancies I had had the whole enchilada of tests done, so only having the us and GD test are pretty low interventions. Especially given I am 37 and most OB's would be having heart attacks over my lack of blood work! Thank god I have midwives...

[writermama12]

Well, I have just discovered that I also have risk factors for GD. I had never given it much thought before but now I am. Also, my body is doing the same damned things with my weight that it did last time I was pregnant. I am gaining more than double the recommended amount each month. Last month 9 lbs, this month 10. Ugh!! I am so frustrated about it. I am eating healthy, well-balanced, and low junk, meaning a treat on the weekends. I walk almost every day. I am not eating too many calories...I tracked my calories for two months. I don't anymore because I found that I naturally am eating a good amount of calories and don't need to waste my time worrying about it. But gaining 32 lbs at 23.5 weeks pisses me off!!!! What have I got to do to slow it down? I can't cut out the good stuff. Everything I read is conflicting. I don't agree that lean meat is best, so I eat fatty meat because the research I've read has convinced me that it is what the body needs. I can't cut out protein and replace it with veggies. I have read that I need 80-100 grams per day. I am trying to accept my process of pregnancy but gaining 70+ lbs will make life really really hard with a toddler. Maybe I need to cut calories anyway...

[Chapsie]

I've always been aware that I am at risk of GDM, because my mom had it with each of her pregnancies and my grandmother did as well.  I was 10 lb 8 oz at birth and my mom eventually developed type 2 DM in her mid 30s.  So far, I've tested negative with my first two kids, but they were both born "big" at 9 lb 6 and 9 lb 7 (and I am 5'6" 130 lbs pre pregnancy), so I'm sure there was a little bit of insulin resistance at play there.  

We'll see!   

[Melany]

Originally Posted by babytoes 

Thanks Spughy, you help me to look at it differently. I never stopped to asks the questions from the midwives, just got annoyed immediately (blame it on the baby!).

I can relate to that one. :)

babytoes: Yay on the shower! 

writermama: I'm also up A LOT. I gained 25lbs before the end of my 2nd trimester. I haven't weighed myself since my last appointment and I plan on not looking next time because it's really stressing me out.

AFM: I'm off this week and planning on sewing. I went to a last minute baby shower on Sunday and made some baby pants and onsies the night before. They were so easy, I'm going to make some for this baby. :)

[Chapsie]

I didn't gain a lot during the first trimester, but I've been packing on the pounds this last month.  My baby must have had a recent growth spurt, too, because in the last week, my belly has gotten so much bigger.  I didn't hide my pregnancy at all at work, but in the last 3 days, I've literally had a dozen people say "I didn't know you were pregnant!!!" I'm 23 weeks!  haha.  I'm really popping out now.  

I have a coworker who is 21 weeks and our bellies are so different-- her's is wider and taller and mine just sticks straight out.  So interesting.  :)  I'll see if I can post a belly pic on that thread later, I've been really bad with belly pics this time around!  

[writinglove]

My irritation quotient is increasing exponentially. Anyone else with me? And this is supposed to be the fun trimester. Ugh

(Cringing inwardly at anyone who whistles in the slightest proximity of me.)

[LightForest]

Oh boy am I with you on the irritability thing, writinglove. My IL's are in town for a few days, and I love them to pieces but so help me they are the most indecisive people on the face of the Earth. They have to consult with everyone else on EVERYTHING. is it ok if I use this coffee mug? (um, it's sitting in the cabinet so yeah, i don't think anyone will mind it being used.) which coffee beans are decaf? (the bag with "DECAF" written on it.) where are the coffee filters? (there are seriously 2 cabinets in the kitchen where a coffee filter might be. may i suggest that you just look around? maybe you'll find them by the coffee beans? i know that's a crazy idea but it's a place to start.)

I'm answering inane questions all day. About how I prefer that they tie DD's shoes (um, some way that keeps them from coming unlaced?), what type of cheese is this (it says right there on the wrapper!), are these socks ok to include in the light load of laundry or should i put them in with the darks (augh i don't care!!!).

I know they're just trying to be considerate, but it's all just so far away from my approach to dealing with basic life experiences... I'm much more of an "identify the problem, solve it, and move on" type of person.

Right now we're trying to figure out what to do for dinner tonight. We will go through every possible option, with all possible variable spinoff options, many times. And in the end no one will express a preference. Man, I think I want them all to just leave me out of it. But what will really end up happening is I will suggest something concrete just to have a decision made so that we can eat before 10pm.

Ug, sorry for the vent! I really needed to get that out of my system!

[writinglove]

lightforest, i love it! good luck with dinner.

[GranolaMama09]

GL Lightforest!  My irritability factor is way up.  I could just slap DP Scarlett O'Hara style atm!

[Chapsie]

oh, irritability here is through the roof.  Attempting to potty train.  It's not going well at all!  AHHHHHHH.  

[LightForest]

Originally Posted by Chapsie 

oh, irritability here is through the roof.  Attempting to potty train.  It's not going well at all!  AHHHHHHH.  

I'm right there with you on the potty adventures! After a record high of two pee incidents and one poop oopsie all in one day, I decided to put the "big girl Elmo underpants" on hiatus until our current visit from the grandparents ends (they are with us for a few days, visiting from out of state). They are just too much of a distraction!!!

[scruffy too]

Hugs to all the irritable mamas out there!  I feel like I should wear a sign warning people not to even look at me wrong.  I'm sure I'm not pleasant to live with right now, but I don't particularly care.

Sorry I don't have anything positive to add, just a teeny rant. 

[maydaymom10]

Originally Posted by LightForest 

Oh boy am I with you on the irritability thing, writinglove. My IL's are in town for a few days, and I love them to pieces but so help me they are the most indecisive people on the face of the Earth. They have to consult with everyone else on EVERYTHING. is it ok if I use this coffee mug? (um, it's sitting in the cabinet so yeah, i don't think anyone will mind it being used.) which coffee beans are decaf? (the bag with "DECAF" written on it.) where are the coffee filters? (there are seriously 2 cabinets in the kitchen where a coffee filter might be. may i suggest that you just look around? maybe you'll find them by the coffee beans? i know that's a crazy idea but it's a place to start.)

 Your IL's could be my parents! And that is just annoying whether you're pregnant or not. I hope it gets better for you. When my folks were here right after DS was born, they kept ringing the doorbell every time they got to the house. I finally just had to tell them to come in, make themselves at home, and that I would come down when I was good & ready. 

So far my irritability has been OK, although I did get snippy with the receptionist at the eye doctor's yesterday. I apologized before I left. We've also been working on the potty training, but I've decided to put it on hiatus until at least next week. We took last week off because we were traveling, and this week is just crazy with T-giving, so maybe next week. We'll see. It's suddenly becoming less of a priority for me.

We've managed to settle back in after our week away. I need to start cooking for tomorrow, but again it's just not a high priority right now. We're just having my FIL over, so it should be pretty laid back. Hope everyone else gets a chance to relax this weekend. 

[Melany]

Hello!

This week has been crazy, which you would think wouldn't be the case since I took it off from work. I realized at 1AM that I was supposed to bring cookies to my daughter's first grade class, so I am making those right now. My kitchen is still a disastor and I have the first couple guests coming tonight. A total of 17 tomorrow, which is actually a small crowd for us. My husband may not have taken the turkey out of the freezer soon enough. It was rock hard this morning. 

[spughy]

Melany if you need to thaw a turkey quick-like, a brine is the best way to do it!  Sanitize a big enough cooler and do it in there.   You get juicier turkey AND it thaws much faster.

I had a few days of hectic with DD's birthday and all.  I managed to make her a lovely little dress and while I still want to put some sort of embellishment on the collar and buttons down the front, it looks pretty good.  I was up until midnight last night making it.  Zzzzzz... it's naptime in a few minutes I think.

I'm not feeling particularly irritable.  Pretty mellow, actually.  But I have a lot of sympathy for all of you who are easily annoyed - it's not a good time of year for that!  And I'm sure my time will come.

[Melany]

I'd like to brine it, Pete doesn't want to because it doesn't fit in the cooler. We brined the big one last year and it was delicious. This one is 36lbs and a little wider. :)

spughy: You'll have to post a picture of the dress. :)

[writermama12]

Happy Thanksgiving American mamas!