July mamas May 15th-30

[sweet tea]

WOW..we are all getting so close!

what..10 more weeks for me..less for a lot of you guys!

I'm so excited! Chloe and I use the newborn dipes on her babies and it is gonna be so wonderful to have a lil butt to cloth diaper again!!

I'm slowly getting ready..my mom and sister are planning my baby shower for the 19th of June! Can't wait!
is anyone else having a shower?
I registered here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/registry/UFOJOVXSETEY

I have to stop myself from buying those cute lil boy clothes..its just so exciting to go into Baby Gap or Gymboree and get to check out the boys section..its so foreign..you know...I've only shopped for a girl and now I get to venture onto the other side of the store! LOL

alright..back to work...happy day everyone!!

[Threefold]

10 more weeks for me too! Assuming, of course that this little one doesn't come early like her brother did.
I'm having my Baby Blessing on the 19th too! Not a shower, but a ritual with my mama friends. We'll make a belly cast and build a labor and birth altar together. I'm very excited! I'm contemplating throwing a Big Brother Party for ds, but so far that's no more than a thought.
Getting a set of diapers handed down to me on Thursday, along with a tutorial from the friend who used them (since I used Tushies with ds : ) I guess I'll need covers, but Grandma has asked about what she can get, so I'll be sending her some links as soon as I figure out what I need.
Still haven't figured out what it's going to be like to co-sleep with two, but ds is nowhere near ready to move out of the big bed, so we'll just roll with it.

[majazama]

You guys get baby showers and blessingways?(: poutsmiley) I'm so jealous.

I've only got 7 weeks till my due date!! I hope to give birth a little closer to my due date this time, not 9 days overdue, like last time. I hope nature co-operates with my wishes. I also think this baby will be a lot bigger than my first baby, so another reason not to go too late.

I wonder who will go first in our group? Anyone want to wager a bet? Just kidding. Sounds like foobar is feeling like she's getting close already, but hopefully she will go to 37 weeks at least. And eilonwy is due in june, actually, so hmmm...


I hope my recipe works for you, dalaimama.

sunfairy~ my DD loves to play with dolls, too. She is just 17 months, and she brings me her dollys to breastfeed! I think she will be a good big sister, sharing the "me-me's", and all.:

[Michelle Leigh]

cloth diapers

I'm feeling very overwhelmed by all the cloth diaper possiblities. We didn't cloth diaper dd until late--she was over a year old. I thought it would be hard, but it wasn't. People had told me not try it without a diaper service. But, I'm going to go for it from the beginning with this one.

I know it's been discussed a bizillion times, but can you tell me the simplest, fastest, easiest way to approach this? a web site that outlines it?

I really appreciate your input!!

[sweet tea]

Michelle, ITA about the endless possiblities of cloth diapering!
I think the easiest cheapest cloth diaper route is prefolds and prowraps

www.clothdiapersnmore.com has some great deals, and free shipping for orders over $50, i think the prefolds are $16/doz and covers are $6.50 each

how to fold~ no pins
http://webhome.idirect.com/~born2luv/FOLDING.HTML

lots of people like the fitted NB dipes like kissaluvs or www.loveybums.com
because those BF poops cause blowouts and the fitteds hold everything in better. As long as the entire diaper is fully tucked into the cover, the wetness won't leak...no promises about the poop..

to be honest, I started CD w/ chloe when she was 3-4m old, and never cd'd a NB, but my cousin had her baby in april and said its impossible to diaper a NB without covers that are notched out for the umbilical cord. She had to have her DH buy disposibles until the stump fell off. So I got about 5 NB prowraps that are notched.

HTH some, if you want to talk more, pm me!


mamajaza~ I'd throw you a shower if we lived close! Chloe loves her baby dolls, a mama is making us a new waldorf doll for a swap, so I thought I'd give it to her right after the baby is born, so we can both have new babies to diaper and nurse!

dalai_mama~ i never thought to have a party for chloe... *ponders*
a baby blessing sounds so cool, my family is very traditional with the shower...I'm sure they will still buy me disposable diapers and bottles... :

I was thinking of doing some maternity pictures..maybe have my friend do some out by the lake....that would be nice, since I only have a few shots of being preggy with chloe...

[kris1225]

As for diapers, I just got a box of 24 Kissaluvs size 0!! They are so cute! My DD pooped out of her disposie dipes several times a day and I have heard that these are great for preventing that. I got them from naturalbabies.com. I have a bunch of prorap and bummis covers. It's going to be so nice to get back into cloth since my DD refuses to wear CDs anymore.

I am excited too about reading the birth stories before mine since I am due later in the month.

I am off to Peoria, Illinois for a week's vacation. Hallelujah!!!!

[Threefold]

My friend is brining over the hand-me-down diapers this week. I'll have to see what the nb selection is like, and if there isn't much there, I think I'll order some Kissaluvs (or hint to Grandma!) size 0.
Anyone else have a change in movement lately? Baby's movements are slower and more like a whale slowly rolling that an active little monkey. When she seems to be head down I don't feel much movement at all (she must have her limbs towards my back), *just* enough to keep me from worrying.
I don't remember this with ds, but maybe I had so many preterm labor ctx with him that was what I focused on!

[wolfmom]

well, i am tired and uncomfortable tonight. we went to a friend's daughter's first bday party this afternoon and stayed too long! my ds had not napped and then when we got home he was way cranky and my dh left to have boys night out. (i'm really okay with that, i told him to go and being home by myself tonight has been nice)
but i ate too much and now i feel stuffed, huge, and uncomfortable. i want to get some sewing done but it is later than i thought so i better run.
peace,

[gigismom]

Wow...i just spent way too much time reading the posts on the previous thread and this one!! Nice to hear from you all

I am now 33 weeks and can not believe it. I have 2 1/2 weeks of work left and am still very focused on getting through this. I drive a lot for my job (between 50 and 100 miles per day) and find that my back is aching like crazy on the days I work. Luckily this is only 4 days per week but plenty to cause enough discomfort to make me impatient with dd and demanding of dh. This week we have closing on a refinance of our house on Monday night, Bradley class on Tues night and LLL on thurs night. The weeds in my front yard are threatening to overtake the house so I have to address this on Wed morning before the sun gets too hot. I HAVE to get my dd room finished soon as this was a redecorating project that I had aimed to be finished by April 30.... Anyway, as you can see I am nesting big time and aching to spend more time on these projects but have to work UGH!!! Oh yeah, and I have a baby to get ready for. My cds are sitting in the box they were shipped in and I have yet to figure out what to do with them (did not cd dd). This will have to wait until after work. I hope I have a nice relaxing (cool weather) June to spend with dd and get the baby this ready....

How exactly do you really know if baby has dropped? I have been peeing about 1x per hour this weekend... but still have killer heartburn. I also have intense aching in pelvis and lower back but really attribute this to sitting in the car too much...just curious how you can be sure that baby has dropped?

Cosleeping with two children? Our dd sleeps most of the night in her own room and maybe once or twice a week sleeps all night in her room. However, I do not want her to feel as if she is not welcome in our bed. I will miss her cuddles at night too.... Don't really know what will eventually happen. We will have a cosleeper for the very early weeks with new baby. DD suggested putting and extra twin mattress on the floor of our room. This is an option especially if it would make her feel included. Dh swears he will just go sleep in dd's room.... we'll see

Sorry so long but haven't checked in or vented lately.... have a great week everyone

jen

[majazama]

I cloth diapered my first baby from the time she was born.and I used..... get this..... flat flannel with pins and rubber pants.... It was rough, but I was (and am) determined to only use cloth. Obviously I didn't know what I was missing out on, because I didn't have the net then. I just wanted to say that none of those rubber pants had NB umbilical cutouts, and I just folded the top over, underneath her belly button.

But since I've joined MDC, I've caught the diaper bug, and now I'm hooked. I'm starting to buy fuzzibunz, prefolds, and all sorts of other things that I *have* to have. I think you just need something to catch the poo, really. :LOL

have to go, baby is :ZZZZZ

[kris1225]

Mamajaza! I just looked at your pics and your and my DH have the same 'look' as in full beard and long hair.

And I remember when DD was tiny and I started to research cloth, people talked about using towels and stuff. I had already bought all these fancy fitted dipes and thought to myself, DUH!! You just need something to absord the pee and 'catch the poop' - just like you said.

Driving off to Illinois today. Anyone live in Peoria? :LOL

[Mamma2Addison]

Geez, what a couple of weeks around here. I've had tons of braxton-hicks, baby turned {thankfully} and dropped, and I'm so tired I'm going to bed with DS at 7:30 every night. Seven weeks to go ~ optimally, anway. Thinking she may make her appearance a little bit early, but who knows?

My preps for the baby came to a screeching halt when we decided to buy our first house and are moving in early September {after the last damage from Hurricane Isabel is completed}. Calling it quits for now with a bassinet and 0-3 month clothes until I see how big she is, how fast she puts on weight, and the impact the still-unbought cloth diapers have.

DS has started acknowledging something is going on, though, which is adorable! He comes up to me, rubs my tummy and says, "Maia in there," leans over and gives "her" a kiss. I melt everytime.

[Foobar]

Oy! What a week and it's only TUESDAY!

I spent Sunday night in the hospital becuase my BH turned into very painful contractions. After 4 hours of these stupid things not stopping, we decided to call because I had JUST completed 33 weeks. We spent several hours there and eneded up having to get a shot of terbutaline to stop the contractions as they were getting regular at 5 minutes. Of course, we had to go right when there was a terrible incident in OR (my doc told us the details, poor woman nearly died in an emergency C-section, she would have needed surgery anyway because her placenta grew in the wrong place), so we waited a long time, but since we had heard some of the pages over the system (like "trauma team to OR B") we knew it was something big and that we should just not stress. Good news, the momma is out of ICU and on her way to a full recovery. Baby was fine and unaffected by the momma's condition.

Luckily, at the time they were not affecting the cervix (hence, not truely pre-term labor), but when we did a check today, the doc mentioned that the cervix is showing signs of getting ready and she feels some of these contractions are starting to change the cervix.

I am on terbutaline for the next 2.5 weeks. YUCK. The goal is to keep Moo in until I complete 36 weeks. My doc wants her to have well developed lungs. I tend to agree. I am also on bedrest now until 36 weeks. Again YUCK. But I want Moo healthy and that is what matters, right?

I am spending the day washing all of our little clothes from Goo. OMG these are so SMALL! How did she ever fit in them?
I am putting them away in drawers so if she does come early, we are ready!

If I DO go early (I may still not go until 40 weeks), I promise to post my birth story.

[Mamma2Addison]

Wow, that's quite a week so far, Foobar. Hope your little one stays put for at least a few more weeks!

Isn't it a trip washing all those newborn clothes? I held some up to DS {this one's going to wear a lot of blue in the early days, lol} and couldn't believe he ever fit into anything so darn tiny.

[midwifer]

I am sorry to hear about your early trip to the H, foobar. You sound like you are upbeat and handling it very well. If you are on bedrest (strict or modified?) do you have someone who can come and help you get baby stuff ready and provide some meals etc.?
Oh cloth diapies, the newborn ones are so sweet to look at. We cloth diapered our first with a variety of diapers and nicky covers. My daughter has very sensitive/excema skin and had trouble with plastic pants. Hopefully this babe will not be as sensitive. My favorite invention....the little squirt!! Attaches to your toilet and has a spray handle like a garden hose "gun" so you can just squirt poop off into the toilet!! This made clothing sooooo easy!
I am 33 weeks now!! My midwife was here for a visit today, all is well. Head down, very low baby ( I have a lot of rectal pressure. My hemoglobin and pee check out fine. Only four more weeks and I am safe for homebirth!!!
Mamajazza, I was so hungry for your chickpea curry dish that I whipped one up the other night, it tasted sooo good, BUT I indigestion the rest of the night I love to try new recipes so if anyone feels like posting what they had for dinner or a recipe they especially love, that would be really fun.

[Michelle Leigh]

Thanks for all the info. on cloth diapers. I'm feeling better about that now. I need to just go online & order some.

Mamajazza, we had a curry. Yummy. Dh made up his own recipe with chickpeas, garden peas, new potatoes, onion, garlic, curry, & olive oil. Very satisfying!

Jen, don't know if you've ever tried Nikken car seats (www.nikken.com), but I really love them. Have used mine since Sept. 2000. Comfy with far infrared & magnets. Might help. I know what you mean about weeds. We're pulling, pulling, pulling. We have one bed with such tall clover. It's pretty, but it's taking over our strawberry patch (edible landscape--pretty groundcover).

Wish all of you were here to eat fresh strawberries. We're picking baskets everyday.

Foobar, sending you hugs!!

I've almost finished Having a Baby Naturally by Peggy O'Mara! Love all the ideas for teas, herbs in the bath, aromatherapy.

My only complaint: heartburn from time to time. This is a new experience for me. I haven't looked it up in Radical Healing by Ruldolph Ballentine, but I looked it up in Louise L. Hay's book Heal Your Body. She says it's caused from
Fear. Fear. Fear. Clutching Fear.
The affirmation is:
I breathe freely & fully. I am safe. I trust the process of life.

Wishing all of you the best!

[Threefold]

Oh Foobar! I wish you were close by so I could help out!
What are you doing with Goo? How strict is the bedrest.
I was on oral terb with ds (from 31 weeks ) and it didn't help. Is it helping you? Can you sit up, or do you have to be flat? Is it easy for you to log on? I'll be thinking of you as I know what you are going through! Keep us updated as often as you like!
Had my appointment today, and the cervical checks have begun since I had preterm with ds. Cervix still long, hard, and closed and baby "somewhere in orbit" as our midwife put it. Ds came with me and "helped" measure the height of my fundus and heard the hb. he sat on the midwife's lap, it was very cute.
But then we came home late for nap and had an ugly power struggle . I am heavily self critisizing at the moment, but I just wish I was the mama I want to be all the time, KWIM ? He was exhausted, and fell asleep in about 2 seconds once he settled down, but it took him whacking his hand on the corner of a dresser for him to come to me for a hug before he could settle.

[ChildoftheMoon]

Foobar-thinking of you! Sending your little Goo stay put vibes!
Brandi

[majazama]

I'm glad some of you tried the chickpea curry. I almost feel like we live next door or something, and I shared the stuff with you.

Foobar~I realy wish you and your baby the best! Take this time on bedrest to be on MDC, that's what I'd do. Is it hard with your daughter, though?

I have another recipe for yall'...... homemade popsicles.:licklips: You can just freeze plain yogurt, assorted fruits, and OJ concentrate together, and you've got some yumminess to last a day and a half(that's me, anyways:LOL)

[Foobar]

Doing ok here. I actually can get some work done at home on the laptop.

I can also surf so I am visiting and reading alot here.

I am on a modified bedrest, so I can play with Goo and have some time on my feet, but I shouldn't be up on my normal routine.

I actually got "working mother" mag in the mail today. What a strange magazine, Someone gave it to me as a gift. I don't think it really fits me. I mean my job is cool and relaxed (except when things go wrong) and this seems oriented towards the high powered execs... strange...

I love all of the little clothes... They are so nice....

Gotta go to bed. Dh is giving me THE STARE....