May mamas, it's MAY!!!! - Page 5

[PattyCakes]

Happy Mother's Day Mamas!
Have a wonderful day!

Hang in there Shalom.

Sarah - thank you for posting your addendum. I don't think any of us think less of your birth but appreciate you taking the time to post the rest of your story. It still sounds like it was still a good experience on the whole. (though I don't envy you 45 minutes of stitching or the catheter - ick).

I'm glad you're on the mend and that Lily is doing well. Rest up - take your time - there's no rush. Do you have enough help around the house??? (for food/cleaning/pampering for you/etc?)

[Jacqueline]

Welcome Katelyn! Congrats Sarah. Glad to hear the news.

Sherri-your whole birth story was amazing...and I thank you for sharing.

KK-hopefully some of your signs have turned into something more.

I'm feeling better after my mw visit on Friday. I think I had/have a bit of a bladder infection so Friday and yesterday were not so fun, especially since I have to pee so much! But, I think I'm on the mend and will find out the results of the culture next week. I guess I was so surprised to experience such pain with a simple swab, it just threw me for a loop. Better to know now, though, so we can get it cleared up before labor.

Good news, too. DH found out a couple weeks ago that he has a job, and it will only involve a 3-hour move! We are still disappointed we can't go back to Colorado, but this seems like a good choice for this busy, busy time in our lives. The position is for a minimum of 2 years, maybe more, so it's not like we HAVE to live in Texas forever. Yesterday, we drove to the town and looked at houses and made a bid on a house! It's very exciting, and now we're just waiting to hear. We hope it goes through.

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

[KKmama]

Sarah, I guess I didn't respond on the fall because it sounds like you are doing okay and because even with the fall, it *still* sounds like you had an awesome birth. I hope you're healing, getting rest, and snuggling a lot.

Fiddlefern, I have a feeling that if this is about being "burly", I'm gonna lose in the end.

Yeah, Shalom, I knew we'd gone past your due date. I've been thinking about you, wondering how you're doing. Thanks for checking in. I really hope you have your baby before tomorrow night! I'm also thinking about Morning Dove (which Rowan name will it be??) and Dawn... I hope you 2 are in labor or newborn land...

Jacqueline, I'm *so* glad your dh has a job. I know that had been something you'd been worrying about for some time. Now you can have that baby!

I seem to be firmly back on the prelabor/early labor train. I had a lot of contrax last night, ~7 min apart. Each time I get another round of these things, they're more intense. This time, it was like last time plus "Oh I shouldn't have eaten that tamale." (I guess I see further back and belly involvement as a good thing .) I know I had contrax while I was sleeping, but again, I was so zonked that I basically slept through them--I was so tired. They're back this morning (along with "OMG, I must have run a marathon last night, I'm starving, but let me hurl first.") I'm not sure when this baby is coming, but I guess I've recovered from my cold, and the baby and I seem to be gearing up again. Again, I find it all interesting and encouraging, and I'm trying to stay on top of taking care of myself and not getting too tired.

There is a Mother's Day fun run here today that I purposely didn't sign up for (because of my EDD) and a special program tonight/tomorrow that dh didn't sign up for (because of my EDD). It *would* make me feel nice and smug if I do go into active labor so that we know that we were justified in skipping these things. heh heh heh

[mittendrin]

can i just whine a bit? i think my hormones are going crazy today.
so this is mother's day, where i'm supposed to be pamperd and loved a bit, esp since i'm about to give birth to another baby?
haven't felt it today, sorry. o no, wait, dh let me sleep in this morning. but then i get up, and all he says: i forgot to get you a card.
no biggie, right? considering he didn't even spend a few bucks on some flowers, didn't even SAY "happy mother's day" and let me change a poopy diaper right after waking up. no hug, no kiss. when i said to ds (19 mos!): mommy is gonna have some of daddy's fruit loops, since you didn't make breakfast for me..., dh jumps up and makes me a couple of eggs. sits there and watches me eat them, it's not like i would want a nice breakfast with my dh, he's not in the mood, not hungry...i set my own table, made my tea myself and hung up the laundry. put the dishes away and remind dh to call his mom, cause:"...its' mother's day!"
i could kill the guy sometimes, he just doesn't get it. just because i told him a few days ago, he doesn't need to buy me a mother's day gift, we don't really have the money, doesn't mean, he should act like a brainless jerk and not even try to make me feel a bit special today.
sorry, had to whine a bit. hope it goes better for all the other moms today.

[pottermamma]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!

Welcome Katelyn!!!!!!

Sorry your day has been such a drag jakobsmami...hope it gets better as it goes on.

kkmamma, hope that baby comes soon

Jacquelin, congrats on your dh and his new job...very exciting!!!!!

Hope you are having a very special mother's day today as well shalom!!!!!

Just wanted to give you guys that are still preggers a bit of perspective as well.....maybe you will all think I am just CRAZY, but......I already miss being pregnant...not that I am not throoughly enjoying my little guy, and I am so glad he is out of my bellly and in my arms...and after his birth I told DH never again, but then I'm reading my new mothering and see a pregnant mamma and, I actually could do it all again (and soon)!!!!!!! So, enjoy these last few uncomfortable days and the miracle of birthing a baby and bringing a new spirit into this world....this journey only happens a very few times in our lives!!!!!! we gotta soak it all up!!!!!!!

[KKmama]

I'm still here... chugging along at a low level. Contemplating whether I want to do something to try to push things along (would be another acupuncture appt--last one seemed to help a lot--and/or having my membranes stripped this afternoon). I feel like I'm doing well mentally and physically, but the people around me I think are getting impatient, which I find *really* annoying (my due date was only last Friday, for Pete's sake!). It's all because of the VBAC and because ds was a big baby... sigh. I see the "good" ob this afternoon. I'm curious to see whether she's going to be impatient too...

I came here mainly to whine. Remember how I asked dh last week not to discuss my progress with his mother? Well he called her yesterday afternoon, and he basically gives her the update and tells her that we're going to have a baby in the next few days. (Well.... maybe, maybe not!) I made angry throat slashing motions while he was on the phone (in other words, please stop talking about that!)... he just doesn't seem to get it. I have a long and not great relationship with mil (remember, dh and I met when we were 15). She's a religious nut, and I feel like she very literally views me as a grandchild-carrying vessel. I do not want to have her expectations this week on top of everyone else's, and I *especially* don't want her to call in the next few days while dh is at work to "see how I'm doing". When I try to explain all this to dh, he gets pretty pouty. This part of his/our past is not especially easy for us to talk about (well, especially not easy for *him*).

*Anyway*...

I'm so looking forward to the next baby announcement. Of course, I really hope that I can be the one to make it , but I realize there are others out there "more ready" than I am. Any photos of the new babies? (We're definitely planning on sharing when we finally meet ours!)

[theelves]

JAKOBSMAMI..... I can totally relate! I had a kinda crappy mothers Day too! It started Saturday, my baby shower day. I heard DH on the phone that morning talking to his sister (my host), telling her that he probably won't make the shower, sorry, got work to do! WHAT??? He never told me that he planned on working instead of going to this special event! I thought he was going to get everything out of the way in the morning so he would be free??!!
I really got after him for that, he said he thought he told me he wasn't going to go. No. I think I would have remembered!! He said he would try to hurry and then come over there when done. He never made it. I was real upset. This was a special event for me and he was there last time. Why should this be any less special??? It was hard to get him to understand. Men.
Well, I had an "emotional outbreak" over the whole thing that night, let him have it. It became quite a bit more intense when he asked me if it would be OK if he did not go to lunch the next day (Mothers Day), with me and my family. He wanted to stay home and play in the yard, because he never has any time to himself to do things he enjoys. Well, I blew a gasket then!
Talk about feeling unloved/unsupported!! I started bawling and he wondered why. Then he claims he did not even know it was Mothers Day, he thought it was Monday! Yeah right! Then he proceeded to tell me how he has been working many weekends (true), and has not been able to "play" any, do anything fun for himself. I understand all that, truely. And I guess I am just being selfish....but darn it...it really hurt my feelings that he didn't want to participate in the shower, no card or gift for Mothers Day, and then did not want to go out to celebrate the fact that I am raising his 2 children!
Actually, there is another thing that has played into my emotions over this too. A little while back he mentioned that he didn't know how he would take a whole week off to be with me after the birth, he has too much going on at work!! I said, so you are going to leave me alone with a newborn and a 3 yr old???? I don't think so!! What is more important? Family or work?
All this was in the back of my mind when this more recent stuff came up, and it all just mounted up to a big old :

So, it was not a great day. He did go with me to the lunch (as long as we left by 2 pm), and I enjoyed the company of my family, they made me feel loved. But I am still a bit sore at DH. We worked things out, released feelings, made amends. So I am "OK" for now. Anyway, Jakobsmami....I know what you mean!!!
Elfmamma

ps..got my lab result back for the beta strep...NEGATIVE!!!! I am SO Happy about that! Last time I was positive, it sucked having an IV. So this time.....

[mittendrin]

yeah, that was quite some mother's day...i let dh know later in the pm how i felt and he apologized. got me dinner at burger king. no comment
i'm just waiting how he's gonna make me feel special on my b-day this sat, or on our anniversary the sat after. gee, i'm glad, i hopefully will have a doula at the birth!

need to give in to some more nesting urges now! any more babies yet?

[kids'ncows]

Welcome Katelyn!

KKmama, I'm glad you are feeling physically better. I hope you can find ways to avoid the stress of people watching you like a pot about to boil.

Actually that goes to all of you near or past your EDD's - I hope you have peace until you and the babe are ready to be done. I got really annoyed with people bugging me with my last two pg's. So far I've been able to keep a sense of humor this time, we'll see how it goes when we get closer to "the day".

Sorry to those of you with yucky Mother's Days. Mine was nothing to write home about, but the kids did tell me Happy Mother's Day and dh did a bunch of work in the garden and my hormones are on a mellow swing, so it was all good.

Had an app't today - up almost 4 lbs in a week, blood pressure is up, swelling some and my lovely male MD didn't even bat an eye! (BTW I really feel the baby and I are OK, this is similar to what happened at the end with ds.) Now we just wait for the results of the GBS test...

So after my app't what did I eat for lunch? Mint-chip ice cream and M&M's!!! Where are my healthy eating cravings???? (Oh, they must be out hanging with the nesting vibes that are missing, too. )

Hoping everybody continues to do well and enjoys there little ones whether they are still in utero or out!

[scbegonias]

Happy belated mother's day to all our mamas! (And special (((hugs))) to those who had a crappy day.) DH remembered and wished me well when I woke up...as did others. My MIL sent me some cheesy Mom 2B socks...only have a few more weeks to wear them (thankfully). I think I'll don them for jury duty (at 38 weeks) tomorrow. It'll be a nice touch.

Thanks to all the new moms who have shared their stories...very inspirational. I just can't wait.

I'm still plodding along...trying to take things easier. Limiting evening activities to things like the chiro or massage, limiting shopping to Saturday, and spending Sundays cooking and sewing. So far, so good.

I'm still a couple weeks away from my EDD...and symptoms are pretty normal. Mild cramping, and vomiting (yippee, not) that started on Saturday night (thought it was related to what I ate...but it reappeared last night...and now I'm constantly nauseaous). You'd think that feeling sick would limit my nasty food cravings...but, nope, I can still snack on the potato chips in the kitchen at work . Actually, all I want to eat are nasty, fatty, sugary things like sundays and cakes and chips and such. Oh, well.

Pleasant laboring vibes to all those approaching their births...

[emmalola]

hey! my due date is the 25th too. but I wish it were sooner.

Mother's day in my house apparently didn't count this year. My husband had two wrapped presents waiting for me when I got out of the shower yesterday morning, but apparently they were meant for my birthday (which is on the 26th) and not mother's day. In fact, he had done nothing for mother's day so I was first tormented by being embarrassed about getting all present excited and then I was sad/hurt that he didn't think the past nine months have counted toward motherhood. It wasn't pretty, especially when you factor in the hormone storm taking place in my body. He shaped up later on though and bought me some flowers. I think he just needs a little training is all. over all he's a good egg, just not very mommy aware (yet).

Today: more show and some diarrhea, but I don't think this means much because I may have given myself the diarrhea by eating too many cherries yesterday evening. Sigh. If there were anything I really believed would induce labor I would be all over it. I have to keep telling myself that the little boy knows when to come and I have trust him to do it only when he's ready.

I can't concentrate on anything but babies today. must. finish. papers.!!

[theelves]

Thanks for the (((hugs))) from everyone about yesterday. I am over it now! I did have a real good scare today! After I did my last post (earlier today), I went out to do an errand for DH that he needed urgently for the job he was on. As soon as I got in the van, I started having a bad cramp across my belly, like a menstral cramp i guess, very sharp. And it did not go away! It was wide spread across the belly. I also have one paticular spot that is sore to the touch, like as if I had run into something and it was bruised.
Now earlier this morning I had a loose bowel movement. I have read where some of you talk about that as an early sign.
I went ahead and drove and did the errand, took the thing I bought for DH to his job. But by the time I got there...I had to go lay on his clients couch and try to find my midwife's #! I was in A LOT of pain! By the time I was able to get in touch with her, this pain had been going on for an hour! She said it could be early labor, to call her if contractions started, and to time them. Somehow I managed to drive myself home. And after I got home and laid down a few minutes, it went away! But by now it had been 2 hours of this pain! I called her back and told her I was OK now. I still have the sore spot.
Has anything like this happened to any of you? What do you think it was?
Elfmamma

[KKmama]

Okay, the "good" ob should be sainted for how nice she was to me. She was so absolutely splendid. She told me there's no reason to get all worked up about *anything*, because I'm so healthy and we still have plenty of time. *And* it could happen anytime, so let's not talk about that other stuff till we need to, because right now, we don't. (And to tell anyone putting pressure on me to calm down--yea!)

Oh, Annika, I want to kick your dh (and the other dhs not being nice... what is up with them???).

Hey--pass the M&Ms. I could use some.

Elfmama--this isn't very glamorous, but do you think it could have been gas pain? Sometimes, it nearly kills me...

[TurboClaudia]

I'm sad to hear about some of your less-than-expected Mothers' Day celebrations...

But can I brag about my glorious Mothers' Day weekend? Saturday was my mother blessing that my dear friend Christine and I planned. Christine's house is teeny-tiny, so we decided to have it here at our house because my partner Bill wanted to be here to take pictures, videotape and serve food. So we got up early on Saturday morning to clean and vacuum and move furniture around. Christine was planning on getting here around noon, and the guests were due to arrive around two. Christine called a little after twelve to say she was running a little late -- not unusual -- but she would be here around twelve-thirty. When she arrived, we unpacked her car of food and such and started working on setting up. About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rings and Christine says that can't be someone arriving for the mother blessing already -- it's only one! So I go to answer the door, expecting it to be some neighboorhood kids doing fundraising for the elementary school or something. Our front door has a large oval window in it, and the doorbell ringer was apparently hiding just to the side out of view until I got right up to the door. It was my mom and my sister!!!!!!!!!!!! They flew all the way from Boston to Oregon so we could spend Mothers' Day together!!!!!!!! I started weeping in joy!!!!!! I did not expect them at all!!!!!!Christine had picked them up from the airport about an hour before, and then before she came to our house, dropped them off around the corner to walk down the house in a short while. It was the best surprise!!!!!!

My mother blessing was absolutely perfect, and I think Saturday was one of the best days of my whole life. I will always remember the love of my family and friends that surrounded me that day. Everyone brought flowers -- some of them picked right from their gardens -- and shared how they knew me and what they admired about me, and then we ate some food, and then we lit a candle and they shared their maternal lineage and read me their blessings or poems or cards or whatever and presented me with beads for a birthing necklace. Some people even brought meals for the freezer for after baby is born, and a few brought special gifts: a blanket and outfit, two outfits, a pouch sling, a mama and baby sand dollar set for my birth altar, a whole package of glass beads from the Czech Republic (my family is from Slovakia, right next door). Even my good friend who lives in Brooklyn sent along a bead and a blessing and Bill's mom and two sisters sent flowers, beads, a poem and a picture of themselves since they couldn't come out from the east coast. It was just perfect. I felt so calm. I will light the candle again when I am birthing my baby so I can remember their love and strength and support.

I couldn't fall asleep for a long time on Saturday night because I kept thinking about all my wonderful family and friends and how much love they will give to us and our new baby. When I finally did fall asleep, I slept better than I had in the past two weeks! I woke up on Sunday refreshed and ready to start my new life as a mother whenever our baby decides to be born.

Bill and my sister Nicki made Belgian waffles for brunch on Sunday, and we polished off the rest of the strawberries from the mother blessing. Then we lounged around for a while, I gave my mom her Mothers' Day card (which I forgot to mail on Friday! -- coincidence or just luck?), and Bill gave me a Mothers' Day picture of my belly and a heartfelt note written on the back. I read the first line of his note and started weeping again and he laughed and said you haven't even started reading it and you're crying! Then we hugged and I cried some more and finished reading the note and cried some more.

Later, Bill, my mom, sister and I went out to a gourmet deli to buy some fancy lunch and took it up to the Rose Garden in the city and sat on a bench and had a picnic. Then we walked around the garden smelling the roses in bloom and taking pictures. Then we came back home and relaxed for the rest of the day. My mom and I ended the day looking at pictures of her recent trip to the Bahamas for my dad's surprise 60th birthday present. My dad apparently can't wait to go back to the resort with the "little pumpernickel," i.e. our new baby!

Mom and Nicki had to fly back to Boston this afternoon -- their shortest trip out here ever! -- but Nicki comes back in two weeks to stay for almost three weeks, and then my mom comes back right before Nicki leaves and my dad comes at the end of June for a few days. Hopefully Nicki will be here for our baby's birth...

Thanks for reading this far and letting me revel in the thoughtfulness of my family and friends! I wish you all a happier Mothers' Day next year and every year after!

warmly,
claudia

[PattyCakes]

Claudia: I have tears in my eyes just reading about your wonderful, wonderful weekend!!! What a special time for you.

Elfmama - I've had this happen a few times - especially when I was upset/stressed/had done too much. It definitely was NOT a contraction (it was like a horrible huge cramp). I'd be really tender for quite a while afterwards. I talked to my midwife about it today and she said that it was probably just that - a cramp. A uterine muscle spasm. (I also do think that it can be related to gas or bm moving through).

She gave me some herbs/homeopathics to start toning my uterus (evening primrose oil, a set of prenatal herbs and caullophylum remedy). She said that this would more than likely help these cramps/spasms.

To all of you who said you only want to eat junk - I HEAR YA! Even though I have been at the borderline of GD and have done really well up to now, I just want to pig out on junk food - ice cream, soda, anything loaded with crap. I have to FORCE myself to eat properly.

Kkmama - I'm glad you found a voice of reason!

Anyone else wondering how their DH or DP will handle the labour? DH seems to be really, really nervous about it lately.

[sugarmoon]

Hi all.

I know that this is the opposite of what most of y'all are feeling right now, but can everyone please cross their fingers for me *NOT* to go into labor for a few more days, at least!

My dh is, as we speak, laying down the backer-board for the tile in our bathroom. The backer-board can't be walked until the tile has been laid. We have to wait 24 hours to lay the tile, to allow the mortar for the backer-board to set up. Did I mention that we have only one bathroom? Let alone the obvious problems with having no bathroom and being 9 months pregnant, we are having a homebirth....

I was 3 cm and 80% effaced last wednesday at my appointment. This whole tile project was supposed to get done over the w/e, but, the $%#$ tile didn't come in on friday like it was supposed to. So please, everybody, keep your labor vibes to yourselves

I'm sorry everyone (well, not everyone, many of you) had such crappy mothers days. Mine was nothing special, but neither dh or I get too worked up about most holidays. And, he did spend the weekend fencing off a big section of our yard so that I won't have to spend my summer chasing ds while holding a newborn. So, I consider that my m-day gift, and I am *very* happy about it.

Exciting to hear about the babies, I am surprised we only have 2?? Who else is missing, and might have a little one already...

We finally came up with a girls name, so, as soon as my bathroom is done, or even functional again, I think I'll really be ready. But I'm not due til the 19th, and am actually hoping to go a bit late this time, just to be sure things are all set

Claudia, I'm glad you had such a great blessing. My friends here gave me one, and my friend peg did a henna on my belly. We took some belly pics yesterday, with the henna, of course, and I'm hoping it lasts til the birth. It didnt' get as dark as it might have, b/c ds was freaked out by the paste, and picked it all off as soon as I got home!

[DawnaRose]

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to post a quick note to let you know that Elliana Rose was born yesterday morning at 9:56am!
She weighed in at 7 pounds 2 oz and was 19 inches long. After a 10 hour labor, what a wonderful way to spend Mother's Day.

She's nursing like a champ and we are so happy to be home a mere 24 hours later

[mittendrin]

ANOTHER BABY, aaawwwww!!! CONGRATS, dawnarose!!! what a wonderful mother's day present!

claudia, thanks for making me cry! seriously, what a wonderful weekend. i'm happy for you!

gus'smama, if you get unwanted labor vibes, send 'em my way, please... my sis is gonna be here for a week, she'd be the perfect babysitter for ds and i'm so uncomfy now, i just want the baby out!

elfmamma, i haven't had pains that lasted for quite that long, but when i get gassy, o boy, it hurts like a good size contraction.

i hear y'all on the diarrhea thing. first time in my life that i get all excited about lose stool : i also got my ms back, i had this with ds too towards the end. and i've just been having bigger than before nesting attacks, so maybe this baby will show some mercy and come out in a few days.

[Defenestrator]

Congratulations DawnaRose!

Gus'smama, I hear you on trying to hold off labor until the house projects are done. I stripped my kitchen floor last week and it would have been a disaster to have the baby in the middle of all that. I hope that yours can wait a few days until the bathroom is back in service.

I had a bit of a scare today when my midwife found hearttones way up high and was having trouble palpating the baby. I left the appointment intending to go in for an ultrasound to rule out breech. I called triage at our local hospital and got a total runaround (I live in an alegal state for homebirth midwives -- my midwives can't just send me in for an ultrasound) and was left with the suggestion that I show up to the hospital clinic essentially as a full-term mom who had no prenatal care and just sign up with one of the OBs. What a pain. So, I called my midwife and gave her the update, and she came over to my house and did a really thorough second exam, with a vaginal exam, lots and lots of palpating in different positions, listening with doppler and fetoscope, and a few other things. The ve was pretty conclusive -- baby is head down, but in a transverse to posterior position. I can live with that! It was such a relief, and now I don't have to get involved with the hospital system (no offence to mamas who are having hospital births -- it is just a different thing to try and go in and get one test and then get out of their claws again).

Now I have a new regimen of exercises to do to get babe to turn back around, but I feel pretty good.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Stacia

[KKmama]

Hey, I don't know if you guys know it, but Mere and Marbles had their babies, too (posted on the birth stories thread). Yea! Congrats to Mere, Marbles, and DawnaRose! It's awesome! Thanks for the stories and pics. I've really been enjoying it, now that the babies are coming! (Are we up to 6 now?)

There's a whole bunch of us now who are "in waiting"... I'm really hoping that in that silence, there's a lot of laboring going on!

Things are still slowly, slowly picking up. Contrax getting more painful, longer, closer together. I think I'm finally starting to get some dilation going. I may still keep my acupuncture appt. later today (Tues.), but I don't know if the car ride there (and esp. the car ride back, when presumably the contrax will be "worse") sounds appealing. I think I'm still in a very gentle ramp-up, which I can't complain about... this seems like a very kind, safe way for my scarred uterus to go. I'm up in the middle of the night, BTW, because I'm HUNGRY--yet nauseated. I'm really hoping this is the last post I make before I have the baby. But who knows. I might be back.

I'm thinking big pregnancy and labor vibes for all of you... especially those who are laboring or birthing (or waiting for it), and for Stacia--get your head down, baby! and Gus'smama--wait until the house is ready, baby! Elfmama, what was up with that pain??