May mamas roll call

[KKmama]

Okey dokey, here's a thread for a roll call... I've asked for it to be sticky, so it should be on top and always visible.

Everyone please reply to this thread *once* with whatever info about your pregnancy, your birth, your family, etc. you want. Whenever something changes, you can edit your message and update your info.

[KKmama]

Howdy, I'm Kristine, and I'm 34.
Dh is 33. We were hs sweeties and have known each other going on 20 yrs.
Ds will be 3 at the end of June.
The baby (AKA the Papaya) is due 5/7. Don't know the gender, have no names.
We have a 10 yr old standard poodle.
We live in a relatively crunchy place in CO.

We're planning a hospital VBAC with a fabulous doula (and an okay ob practice). Hoping to go no meds and as low intervention as possible.

[Mama Faery]

Hi hi, my name is Renae, I'm 28 years old. My husband's name is Joseph and he's 27. We've known each other for 9 years, been together for almost 6, married for 2 1/2.
This is our first little baby, it's a boy, we have a name but it's a secret for now. He's due 5/19!
We're hoping for a nonmedicated birth at a small hospital that is all about taking care of our needs, and we're in the care of a wonderful OB. I want as little intervention as possible but I am open to whatever needs to be done to have a healthy, happy baby and mommy, too!
I want to breastfeed. I'm looking forward to it! :bf
Our first "child" is our 6-month-old kitten, Julio.
We live in New England, but I'm a Californian, born and raised (don't ask how I got here! :LOL)
I think that's it! Hi!

[Marco Esquandolas]

I'm here!

I'm Julie, early 30's, living in Philaburbia with dh (Rick) who just turned 30 in March, Ricky who just turned 5 on 4-21-99 and Ian who is 2 (born 9-9-01), and our dog Kiley (9).

We weren't sure about my lmp or conception so we arbitrarily gave a date and my practice based my edd of 5/22 on that info, and with a longer cycle length than I have. B/c of this, dh thinks I'll go earlier than my due date but I like the time padded on there b/c I tend to cook 'em longer, lol.

If all goes well, I'll labor at home until it is time for a doctor to play catch and I plan on using my own hypnoscripts that I developed after extensive reading/researching hypno and realizing that my own meditations are actually about the same thing. We'll see how it goes! We'll bf, cd, co-sleep, blah blah, etc.

We don't find out the sex ahead of time so if this baby is a girl, we'll name her Sophia Kathleen and we're still undecided on a boy name.

[mcsarahb]

Sarah here, first time pregnant mama to a little girl (we think) due any day now...no, really, due April 29 (wishful thinking ).

I'm 27, have a wonderful DH - married 3 years, been together for 11 (hs sweethearts, too).

Student, yoga teacher and very part-time doula, and hoping to be a SAHM for at least 6 months.

Planning home, possibly water birth with two amazing midwives and their apprentice. Lucky to live in Portland, because of the great natural birth and homebirth community and the fantastic choices for care - tons of midwives, a couple different birth centers, even a major teaching hospital with great CNMs and a birthing tub that actually gets used.

So excited to breastfeed and sling my new babe!

Sarah

[PattyCakes]

I'm Tracey - 29 married to DH (Josh) for almost 10 years we're Canadian but live in Philly.

I'm a step-mama to my late step-daughter Megan (passed away May 31 last year). This is our first biological child together, who is expected to arrive around May 25.

We don't know if this babe is a boy or girl. Girl will be Allison boy will be either Oliver or Simon (still undecided for now).

We're planning a birth center birth (possibly water), labouring at home as long as possible. Have been doing hypnobabies - and hope that will give me some relief.

Breastfeeding - of course!

Looking forward to meeting my new little one.

[Jacqueline]

Hi everyone!
I'm Jacqueline, 32, married to dh Torey, 31. We've been married 11 years (college sweethearts). We're expecting our first child to arrive around the end of May, perhaps early June. We don't know the sex, but have a boy and girl name picked out. We live in Austin, Texas (the crunchiest part of Texas, thankfully) and are planning a home birth with a midwife and doula, and possibly a water tub (if we trust our 2nd floor apt. can handle it!)

I currently work in an office, but only have 3 weeks left! I'm also a certified doula and plan to continue that work as well as childbirth education when the baby and I are ready for me to do that! I luckily will be a SAHM for at least a couple years as DH is finally graduating and can get a real job!

We'll cloth diaper (after one month--we have to use a laundromat until then), bf, and co-sleep.

[Defenestrator]

Hi --

I'm Stacia. I live in beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am 33 years old and an apprentice midwife, childbirth educator, doula, freelance writer, student, wife to 41 year old Philip and mom to 4 year old ds, Neil. School is wrapping up next week and I am finishing up the last of my current writing projects, so I hope to soon be doing nothing but nesting until my new babe arrives!

I am planning my second homebirth, but the first in my own home (Neil was born at Grandma's). I have super-duper, excellent midwives who are also my teachers and friends.

I am really excited about this birth and about the new baby. We are totally striking out with names (suggestions welcome!) but I am sure we can come up with something before the county clerk starts drumming her fingers waiting for the birth certificate.

I want to wish all the mamas a good, safe birth. Hope you all have some great stories to tell in the next few weeks!

[mittendrin]

hi,
i'm annika, 28 ys old. i live in nh with dh marc, 29 and ds jakob, 19 mos. i met him while he was stationed in germany a few ys back. we've been married for 6 ys in may. may is a busy month for us. my b-day on the 15, our anniversary on the 22nd and little bean will make her appearance i'm currently a sahm, used to work as an optician and am hoping to move back to germany in a few years.
we didn't find out the sex of the baby, but i'm hoping it's a girl. it's gonna be "anneli marion" for a girl or "lukas josef" for a boy.
we're planning a hospital birth in an awesome hospital where they let you do anything you want. our mw's (a team of 4) are incredible , one of them is due 3 days before me. btw, i'm due may 28th, so i'm kinda at the end of our list.
i'll be breastfeeding this baby, which i look forward to and of course, cloth diapers.
i wish all of you a happy, healthy rest of the pregnancy and can't wait for the first birth-stories to pop up on our may-thread.

[scbegonias]

Hello!

I'm Stephanie, 29...soon to be 30. My DH is psyched for my bday as he's already in his 30s (will be 32 in June). Furmama to five kitty loves...Abu, Dylan, Jasper, Seneca, and Sinko...and a Betta fish that's way too old...Grover. We hope to get a dog sooner rather than later.

I work full-time at the state university here in southern Arizona. My job is flexible, and since DH is a high school social studies teacher on a short-term contract, that works out well. DH will either work another year if he gets a job, or take some classes and be a SAHD. My work will let me be flexible with my hours, work from home, and bring the babe to work.

The babe is our first. We don't know the gender, and we have (secret) names. We're planning on laboring at home and then birthing with a mw at the local birth center here in town...however I see fit at the time.

We'll cloth diaper, breastfeed, sling (even DH is excited for this), and love this little bunny (DH's nickname for the babe) very much!

Peaceful births to all!

[Sarah'sMama]

Hello all you May Mamas!

I'm Sherri (26), and I've been married to my wonderful dh for almost 5 years (as of 5.21) I am a SAHM to the love of my life, Sarah, who just turned two in March. Before she was born I worked in a hospital lab as a Medical Laboratory Technologist. I'm due with our second girl next week, April 27th. But we'll see when she decides to show up! My first was born right on her due date, what are the odds of that happening again? I was born and raised in Ohio, but we now live in Maine.

Can't wait to read all of our birth stories!

[Mere]

Hello fellow May mammas! I'm Meredith from Eugene, OR. Dh, 27 month old dd and I are all looking forward to the birth of #2, a boy! I do research on women's health at the U of Oregon, and I plan on returning half time (for a while) after a nice maternity leave. I'm technically due mid-May, but I'm really hoping this little guy appears before that...well, aren't we all hoping for that?

[Ahimsa]

Hello,
I am Ahimsa. I am new to this board. I am 23 and my fiance(Joshua) is 28. We've been together two years, but it feels like forever. We live in Pittsburgh, PA, but Joshua works as a professional diver out of New Orleans. He's been gone two months now, so that he could take the whole month of May off. He's coming home Tuesday 27th I've got two due dates the 6th and the 14th. I think it will be closer to the 6th, but maybe that's me hoping. We don't know the sex, but both of us feel like it's a boy. Maybe we'll be suprised. I am planning a home birth with a midwife. About ten years ago I actually attended three homebirths that she was the midwife for.

Ahimsa

[MorningDove]

Hi. My name really is Morning Dove and I'm married to dh Brome. We met freshman year of college and have been together 12 years. This is our first (and we've decided only biological child). We don't know boy or girl, but the names we have picked out are Rowan Skye (boy) and Aleena Rowan (girl). Our other family members include a guinea pig, goat, fish and two salamanders.

I was planning to work for another week and a half but have been on bed rest at home (bp) for the last 2 days and will be until the baby decides to come. Dh is out of town for 3 more days, so can't wait until he returns. My mom says she had a dream the baby comes early. That would make my doctor happy.

We will be giving birth at the local hospital with (hopefully) one of the two nurse-midwives we've been seeing in attendance. We have a wonderful doula scheduled to assist us.

Due date is May 4. I'm not in any hurry for the baby to come, but I'm being encouraged to encourage the baby to arrive a little sooner.

[Jacqulyn]

Hello ladies!
- Jacqulyn here... 25 yrs old, married to my dearest husband for almost two years. We live in NE. I work in an office and will be done in the middle of May!! I will be allowed to continue from home after maternity leave and work only 10 hrs a week.
-We are expecting our first babe near the end of May. After a VERY quick conception and a few early pregnancy complications we are excited to meet this new little one as we ponder how 'special' he/she is!
- Names... Jackson David or Annalee Elizabeth
- Plan to give birth at the hospital with a Midwife and a Doula. Brand new birthing facility with a two person jacuzzi tub in each room, oh yea!
- Super excited to share this experience with all of you!

[sugarmoon]

I'm Elsa. I'm too lazy to post very often, but I do read:

I'm mama to Gus, who will be 2 in August, and foster mom to Jason who will be 12 in June. I'm married to Mike, we're both 27 and we live in Vermont.

This baby will be born at home with the same midwife I used for Gus.

Gus has nursed through this entire pg, so I'm now preparing to tandem nurse. Not sure what I've gotten myself into, but I guess I'll find out soon!

I'll tell you the baby's name when s/he is born

Elsa

[berkeleyp]

Hi All,

I'm Berkeley, 23, Dh Jason soon to be 24. We've been together over 7 years (hs sweethearts) but just got married last August. Our first babe is due to arrive around May 10 (honeymoon conception) Gender unkown - a girl will be Julianna or Julienna and a boy maybe Jaydn but still undecided.
Currently teaching high school chorus and hoping babe will wait until after May 6 concert. Arrangements have already been made in case s/he doesn't.

Planning a hb with a rented pool from Waterbirth International (It just arrived!). Keeping it small - Dh, my mom, and two wonderful CNMs. Hoping to set up a birth room with tub and futon. Dh will have to find the time and the extra hands to bring the extra bed from my mom's to our apartment. He's also working full time, taking a Master's course and rushing to finish gutting/refinishing our newly purchased home by the end of June.

Planning to bf, cd (already developing a slight obsession), and co-sleep. Just a little nervous about becoming parents but more excited.

So glad to have found this forum and to share my experience with all of you.

Good Luck to all!

[karenpl]

I am Karen, due May 21st with kiddo #7. We had all the others at home, and thought this was one going to be born in the hospital because of a recent myomectomy. But lots of research and soul searching and reading has me convinced that home will be the perfect place for this one too, so now planning an unattended home birth. No idea about the gender, and no idea about names yet either. I had lots of miscarriages between this one and my last living baby, so I have to say that I am just thrilled that I am having a live baby again, I couldn't care less about which gender.

We are from the Netherlands, but have lived in the States for most of the last 10 years.

Karen

[marbles]

Hi mamas!

After many months off line, I am back on! I have missed posting!
I'm due for my third babe mid may, pregnancy has been awesome, still feeling good, nesting away, enjoying spring weather and every full nights sleep I can get! I have 2 girls, 3and 5 and we can't wait to meet Sprout. I'm a couple cm dilated, can feel baby's head way engaged, and am having a fishy pool homebirth with Dh, a traditional birth attendant, my kids and a bunch of doula's...life is good!

[theelves]

Ok, my turn I guess! I am Jennifer Hardy, 35, married to Wes, 39. We have been married 13 years (we met at Beltane, a spring gathering, in Austin). We live in Houston, TX (the wet, gumbo-y humid part of TX), but are planning on moving to Hawaii in a few years!

We have a son, 3, Samuel J. Landon Hardy(named after Wes's grandfather and my grandfather)who was born at a birthing center with a great midwife, and is such a joy in our lives! I breastfed him until just 3 months ago, and he was a sling baby and co-sleeper until recently. I loved going to our LLL and API meetings!

This new babe is going to be Kathryn Nadine Hardy,due May 23rd, named after my very dear grandmother (who is still alive, but failing mentally), and Wes's deceased mother. She will be born at home this time with a different midwife, who is my LLL leader from last time. Of course bf and slinging are all going to be a part of her world as well!

Other family members include 4 horses, 2 cats, a dog, and 3 rabbits, and MANY guinea pigs (I breed).

Good luck to everyone! I hope we all get the birth we dream on!
HUG! Elfmamma