12/2 Weekly Thread - Page 3 « Back to Group Discussions

[segolilymama]

kel - I am with you on the zero tolerance. between the hormones & the lack of sleep, I have absolutely no patience, and ANY noise, problem, etc, just drives me up a wall!

Glad to hear about all of the negative GBS tests! Sunseeker, sorry you are having to deal with it, hopefully it will be a painless process for you, I know you will make the decisions that are right for you and your baby.

jakesmama - I agree with mamaH - no reason to 'treat' anything unless it is really happening. IN the meantime, I recomend taking some extra iron - Floradix, organ meats, leafy greens, etc - to help prevent possible problems.

annaka - labor stim massage is essentially a wonderful, relaxing massage, combined with annoying, intense acupressure, lol. My place here in SLC also uses a 'secret' essential oil blend of labor stimulating oils. Both the owner & I (she's a long time 15+ years friend) sell doTerra oils, I spent half the massage trying to figure out which oils are in her secret blend, lol. The massage was great, had some VERY strong contrax on the table, and they continued through most of the day (though not as intense), until about 3am. Sigh. I have been using the pressure points some myself, and they definitely pick things up every time. However, since they wane after that, I know baby just isn't quite ready.

MW was here this morning - it was SO tempting to have her check my cervix, in the hopes that would DO something. I didn't though - I'm glad DP has really listened to my desire to not interfere with the process, he is reminding me to be patient (which I need since I currently have no patience of my own lol). I figure if I am still pregnant by next week's appt (40+2), I may look into some other more invasive (but of course totally natural) tactics. Unless I start actually getting some sleep, in which case I will just let everything play out as needed. I am really starting to worry about being too exhausted for labor!

[annaka]

Sunseeker- the fact that you're GBS+ definately isn't something to stress about. For both my other births, I had an IV and was still able to be quite mobile throughout. The reason I was so pumped, is because I've never had the complete guilt-free labor at home, which I will be doing this time if all continues to go well.

And I think some hospitals may have more lenient policies about babies born in GBS+ situations. I was able to check out after a little over 24 hours of having my son, even though we didn't know my GBS status. I'd had an IV for a little over 5 hours with the antibiotics during the labor, though, and never had an issue with leaving... didn't have to sign any papers, etc.

Jakesmama- I understand where you're coming from on the anemia issue, and for myself have decided to go the pitocin route for stage 3. I'm hoping between that and drinking a huge amount of coconut milk during labor that my bleeding will be less than my previous births. For my daughter I bled for 10 weeks straight and had major hemmoraging after. For my son, things went better, but I definately bled more than most. The women in my family all have a poor ability to clot correctly, and I'd rather not risk it. A good friend recently recommended the coconut milk and she says her MW couldn't believe what a big difference it was between her first and second births. I figure its got other great qualities, that how can I not drink that instead of just plain water!

Yesterday was a good day for me, but man am I paying for it today! All I could do was lay on the couch all morning, and now finally got up and had some lunch and am feeling a bit better. I'm having a few more symptoms of early labor, but this could probably go on for weeks. :P Guess I'll just listen to my body and catch up on my tv episodes in between hopping up to rescue the kids from their not very smart selves. Boy do they come up with some doozies of ideas! I'm so glad we didn't put up the Christmas tree yet!

Hoping all you moms out there have a great day!

[themothership]

GBS neg here too :) still getting things ready (need to clean the diaper pail, clear space for midwife's birth supplies, put sheets on the crib) but if the baby comes we are ready! Been having an hour or so of painful cramping every night (it woke me up last night) but I don't call them contractions because I have this idea in my head that contractions involve the whole uterus, not just the down low menstrual cramp feeling..i honestly don't remember what contractions felt like with my dd, i know they seemed crampy, but i didn't have contractions at all until after my water broke, so I feel like i have nothing to compare them to this time.

[esp831]

Sunseeker- I hospital VBACd and was GBS+.  We did have to set boundaries with the OB and  staff but once we communicated our intent, we got the support we needed without the BS.  Since my water broke first, we went in for abx and took our rolling IV to the stairs and lunged and side stepped no problemo.  It took about 40 min and they did make me feel a little nauseous but eating helped.  No biggie at all.  We did advocate for ourselves and having a doula helped if that's an option for you.  If not, you can still do it!!  You decide how this will go and you respectfully tell your provider how they can/can't help.  We basically said, "we know you're busy, don't worry about us, we'll ring you when we we're ready to push."  If you don't get the meds, they will ask you to stay for 48 hours after birth so they can keep an eye on the babe.  We personally didn't like that option since we knew we wanted to babymoon at home.  You can do this!!  I trust my body, I trust my mind, I will push my baby out...

[newCTmama]

esp - Inspiring words!! I'm a hopeful, comitted VBAC'er who's awaiting GBS results, so this rang true for me  : )

sego - Hope you can get some sleep tonight! It is tough that now, when we "can" get sleep, we sometimes can't!! DS woke up every 39 minutes (I doubt I'll ever forget that number) & it took months before I could comfortably side-nurse. I am so hoping to log in at least a few good nights before labor & this baby arrives!!

Coconut water - how interesting!! Off to research  - sounds like it can't hurt!!

Thank you everyone for the advice on my recent drippiness (again, insert blushing emoticon)! Within the next day or so, I had great reduced mositure issues and even had dry underwear overnight, so I'm going with side effects from intercourse (eee gads, the things that happen during late pregnancy)! I feel as if there was a leak (or at leats one that did not quickly seal), the flow would have increased.

In othe rnews, I'm deeling very glad that we have moved a dresser into the bedroom and filled it with DS's baby clothes and our nb/small diaper stash. I also splurged and got a new set of pajamas from Polaryn O Pyret - they snap all the way up, perfect for nursing!

[zebrachick83]

Baby Sofia was born late last night in a completely unmedicated birth. And face up to boot! Going home from the hospital tomorrow.

Congratulations, travelmumma!

[tropicana74]

Awesome! Congrats Zebrachick!!!

  Sophia!

[darkblue0729]

Congratulations zebrachick!!! Welcome sweet Sophia!

[stegenrae]

Fantastic, zebrachick! Welcome Sophia <3

[mamaharrison]

Esp--what wonderful advice for any hospital birthing mama! I want to add that I birthed DD in a hospital and was GBS+ and declined ABX and we were released within 12 hours because we insisted. So, that can also be something negotiated often times. We made them call the pediatrician in for the visit and when  we told him we had a pediatrician who would be seeing DD the following day at home he was willing to release us--he could tell we were informed and felt comfortable aabout our plans ; ) 

Zebra--CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!! can't wait to see pics and hear your story!

[kateadelle]

Hi ladies,

Just checking in. My first week of maternity leave is almost over and I am happy to report that I was extremely productive, have checked almost everything off my list and feeling more and more ready for this baby to arrive. Not that I think it is going to happen any time soon! I am 38 weeks 5 days.  Not really having any signs of imminent labor, which is fine. I am not feeling too anxious about it at this point. I really want her to come before Christmas, so that might start changing after next week, but we will see. 

After my blood pressure was so high last week my midwives had be do some blood work and a 24-hour urine test, which was not the most awesome experience of my life! No one actually thinks that I have pre-eclampsia (no symptoms at all, plus my bp was the best it has been this entire pregnancy after starting my maternity leave. hmmmm) , but we all agree that we would like to have that knowledge before I go into labor in case my bp gets high then. I have not officially received my GBS results yet, but they usually call with positive results and I haven't gotten a phone call. I will find out officially on Monday, but I am crossing my fingers that it is negative. 

Not to be outdone by Mamaharrison's birth tub drama, I had my own birth tub drama this week! My midwives don't provide tubs, so I am renting one from a third party. It is a small business run by a mom with young kids out of her home, which I was really happy to be able to support. I am feeling totally calm about it, but the experience has been less that stellar. She was supposed to email me last week to set up a time to deliver the tub this week. I never heard from her, so I finally emailed her on Friday and she agreed to come by sometime between 10 and 11 on Monday morning. Monday rolls around and she never shows up. So, I emailed her and rescheduled for Wednesday at 10. She was late getting here, but it really wasn't a big deal since she called to let me know that she was running late and there really was a lot of traffic due to rainy weather. She arrived and then called me from my front gate and asked me to meet her out there since she didn't want to unload her kids from the car. This wasn't the biggest deal in the world, but part of why I chose to rent from her was because she was supposed to deliver and help set up. Plus the suitcase with the tub in it was pretty heavy and there are several stairs I had to carry it up to get into my front door. I was still only mildly irritated, though. Before leaving she told me that the instructions are inside the suitcase and that she has emailed my paypal invoice that morning. I got inside and checked the suitcase - no instructions anywhere and also no liner for the tub! I also had not received the invoice, but I was feeling pretty happy about that since I would be extra pissed off if I had already paid her! So, I sent her a very nice email again, but didn't hear back from her all day and was starting to panic about the liner. I can definitely figure out the instructions, but it's not like I can just run to target and get a birth tub liner - it would have to be ordered on line and would take a few days to get here. Ugh. Finally, she emailed me back late Wednesday night and attached the instructions. She brought the liner over yesterday afternoon, so all is well. The thing that baffles me the most here is curiosity about how you can run a birth related business and not realize that pregnant women do not enjoy disorder and uncertainty! Thank god that little episode is over. 

I am thinking of all of you a lot even if I am not the best about checking in on here. I love checking first thing in the morning to see  if any new babies are here. 

[kel]

Congratulations zebrachick! 

[Mamabeakley]

Soooo, interesting afternoon.  My mom does various complementary healing techniques, and also considers herself a spiritual healer/medium.  I don't share most of her spiritual beliefs, but I don't exactly discount her perceptions - I just think the belief 'filter' she expresses them through doesn't make sense to me.  She called me up and announced that she needed to do a session with me before the baby was born because she needed to convince the extra spirit attached to the baby to let go and go on into some other form of existence.  Also that the baby's spirit is that of my great-great-aunt, the extra spirit was her brother who died as a young child.  Anyway, I decided I didn't see how what she wanted to do could be harmful at all, so I let her do a session and now she says the extra spirit is gone (to heaven, wrapped in a beautiful blanket and carried by a big, beautiful angel) and the baby in my belly is excited and ready to be born.  So, we'll see.  *I'm* ready for the baby to be born!  She also said that I was initially carrying twins, but that the other twin wasn't meant to be there.  I have wondered if I lost a twin - I had such a huge appetite through about 15 or 16 weeks, which then fell off sharply, and I also got really big, really early and then didn't get bigger at all for a long while.  But the idea doesn't really bother me - it would have been very difficult for me/my family to expand by twins instead of one (although of course we would have done it if that's what had happened.)

Congrats to the new mamas!

[segolilymama]

Congratulations, zebrachick! Welcome to your new little one!

Kate - that's the kind of thing that would send me completely over the edge these days. Kuddos to you for handling it with patience!

MamaB - interesting session. I guess we shall see if it has any effect on baby coming!

I've been cleaning all day. My bathroom is scrubbed (which is where baby will likely be born, so it was top of my list!) the kitchen has been detailed, I just need to go finish the floors. Laundry is running, think I'm on the 3rd or 4th load. I am so tired, but felt like I HAD to get some of this done. Which I am taking as a good sign ;)

[stegenrae]

Jen, I was a laundering, tidying fool yesterday. Enough out of character for my lazy ass that DH was really worried he wouldn't get some critical stuff done at work today if babe came, lol. (but not a single prodromal ANYthing yesterday/last night, so he needn't have worried!) So now that the day is done, DH has a big night of sexytime planned, lol. This weekend is his ideal time for babe to arrive, and I've got to say I agree. Right at 39w, so it's not out of the question for me--it would only be 2 days gestationally earlier than DS2 when I use the same method for calculating EDD. So you and I can agree on the 8th, then, right?!

Kate, I would have gone nuts with that birth pool situation, too. I admire your patience!

mamaB, that is interesting about your mom's feelings--it'll be more interesting if labor-y things start picking up... ;)

...and I'm at the top of this page for my browser and too lazy to go back a page for persies. 

AFM, Babe had decided to flip sides on me yesterday, so I was glad today was our scheduled field trip to a community center pool for a homeschool meetup. I hung out in the hot lukewarm tub for about an hour, and she went back to LOA. Apparently the lifeguards were worried I was going to drop the baby any second or something, lol, but only a couple of BH and baby stretching while we were there. As soon as we got home, I made some RRL tea and started chugging that, and have been having lots of BH and can feel babe way lower this evening. 

I thought about walking on our elliptical for a bit while I read some more birth stories in a little while, but all of a sudden I'm super-sleepy. Way out of character for me, as I generally have terrible insomnia. ...

[kel]

36 weeks today and my really good news is that someone (I'm assuming my mom) bought us the car seat and cover off of the baby registry!  So that is one huge and necessary purchase that we don't have to worry about anymore.

In other interesting news, I re-read the account of my last birth, and what I thought had been 4 hrs of active labor was only 2 1/2 hours! of back to back intense contractions and then uncontrollable pushing.  Crazy how we remember things sometimes.  It's good that I found that out though, because now I'll be sure to have the midwife come as soon as active labor kicks in - just in case it's as fast or faster this time.  

Well, I think I'm going to go sew a sling and/or some nursing pads and maybe another stretchy baby hat.

xox

[chicajones]

So, since yesterday morning I've cooked/assembled and frozen the following:

Milk Maker Cookies

2 Loaves Pumpkin Bread

2 Loaves Banana Bread

BBQ Chicken

Cilantro Lime Chicken w/ Corn and Black Beans

Pot Roast

Make-Ahead Meatballs

Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos

Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce (just add to pasta)

I currently have a chicken roasting that I'm going to add to this tomatillo soup: http://www.fresh365online.com/recipes/2009/9/13/tomatillo-soup.html

Nesting much? Lol. I also did two loads of laundry and started re-watching The Business of Being Born. It's a gray, dreary day and DH is at work. I woke up feeling super sore and uncomfortable, and I swear I had a major cramp when I got up in the middle of the night to pee. The Wee Baby Jones seems to be moving around all over the place, and I keep feeling his feet in my right ribs. I seriously don't feel like doing anything but putzing around the house...I think I'll go knit for a bit. :)

kel, that's crazy about how fast your last labor was! I can't even imagine--sounds like you'll have to be ready to kick into high gear at any moment!

stegenrae, sounds like you're getting closer and closer...maybe you'll be the next one!

segolily, you're doing your own fair share of nesting! I'm hoping it means we are wrapping everything up so we can greet someone new very soon. ;)

[segolilymama]

It's starting to snow :) I have dreamed all along that baby would show up on a snowy night....

Stegan - I'm up for the 8th, but that only gives me about 11 more hours... and there is nothing going on right now, except the snow. And the pelvic pain. And the nesting urges...

kel, that IS fast! I should only be so lucky! I think my shortest 'active' labor was 8 hours. Though with all the prodromal this time, for SO long, I still worry that I will have three contractions and a baby.

chica - jealous of your cooking! I made cookies yesterday, that was about it lol. Although I have been freezing things here & there for months, and we have a whole freezer full of meat (we get a delivery every 6 months), so I'm not really worried too much about food (plus having three other adults here, and my mom for awhile, it's really just not a stress). But I'm still jealous, because I LOVE having ready made meals, and even though Jordan, Craig & Joe all can cook, there are those times when you want those specific flavors.

I'm hoping for baby on 12/9, 12/12, or 12/13. Please, universe!

[kel]

It's finally snowing here, too, and completely lovely now.  Snow globe snow. 

[Lilac11]

Snow! How pretty!

Thinking of all the dec mamas!

Not so good over here. I am so done being pregnant. 40+6. I have slept less in the last 10 days than probably in my whole life and the exhaustion is really affecting me.
Experienced mamas, how much longer can this go on for? Is my body just too tired for labor? I have no signs....
What's the longest any of you have been? I have rock solid dates, too. My next appt is weds (41+2)...
Ds was born at 39w and these last 2 extremely-pregnant weeks have been new to me....