June Mamas May 16-22

[mattjule]

Is the date really that far into May already?!

Didn't mean to sound rude to anyone about the blessing thing-just really excited about it-dh says I have a serious problem with waiting for things :

Erin-make sure you get a footstool. I wanted the ottoman for mine, but they are almost the cost of the chair! I ended up getting a footstool at a consignment store and wished I had it from day one. It makes a BIG difference.

Rynna-how cool about your mom coming through for you! Matt and I tell each other we just need some rich relative we don't actually have to die and leave us a fortune. Or we'll win the lottery. Both are equally likely to happen!

I always grew up with chickens, raised sheep and goats for 4-H-you guys really make me yearn for the country! I told Matt if we ever get a house that isn't in town, we are SO having chickens. He doesn't seem very enthused.

Maybe you could ask your neighbors to put bells on their cats? Cats are not the same as dogs (mind you, I am not a cat person, but I have owned my share). They are a lot less tame, IMO. Every cat I have ever owned has literally gone crazy if forced to stay in the house and de-clawing them is just cruel. But bells are surprisingly effective. Pisses them off, but keeps them from killing things and after a while, they stop trying so much. I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask your neighbors to do this, if only for a limited time (i.e. long enough for you to hear the bell and figure out who the culprit is!).

Things are uneventful here. I am 34 weeks today! I just keep counting down to 37 b/c this end part seems to be taking forever. It isn't that I feel bad, just that everyone I know is farther along and I am excited and don't want to wait anymore to meet this little guy (see comment at beginning of post about waiting :LOL). So I figure I will focus on getting to 37, then I will focus on getting through each week after from there.

I found a sheepskin on the TP-I am so excited! I really want one but couldn't afford the price of a new one so this is just PERFECT. Especially finding it at this point in my pregnancy, right after dh got paid. Sometimes things work out so well...

Smithie-I haven't even started those extensions, as in, haven't gone to get the velcro even. Hopefully I will feel more like getting my act together next week and make myself do them. Sorry!

Sundays in this town make me wish I was religious. Nothing is open and there is nothing to do. Hands down, Sunday is my most boring day of the week.

Well, I should get going. Have a great day and belly rubs to everyone!

[LizD]

I don't know how much longer I can go on without adequate sleep. That's the one thing that makes me anxious to give birth; I know I'll be able to sleep again. Otherwise even with the heartburn and all I could stay pregnant forever and feel sad I can't look forward to the next time.

the angled medela nursing stool is just great. I have found ordinary footstools still don't hold your feet up well for nursing unless it's a big poofy ottoman.

[irishgreengables]

okay -- so contractions last night -- new kinds -- clearly not BH -- for about 1.5 hours, about 4-7 minutes apart. Also, diarrhea, mentrual-like cramping, some nausea. Hmmm. Early stages of labor? Also have had some today. But today is dd's birthday party and, since she came home to us last July through adoption, it is her first ever birthday celebration (she is 4) -- so I just kept talking myselk out of labor -- if that is possible. Atending the party this afternoon will be our doula, the kids' caregivers for our delivery, the back up caregivers, and the third back ups, so I am thinking that labor anytime after the party gets underway is fine.

We got dd a bike and you should have seen her face. Oh she was soooo excited and spent an hour outside with pappa learning to ride it. She was determined and so proud of herself when he could let go of the handlebars (I never realized how hard it was to figure a bike out even with training wheels).

Her party is a tea party -- at her request. Every Sunday afternoon, instead of dinner, we have a tea party -- because then we can focus on manners only one meal per week, plus her pappa grew up in Canada and had daily tea. So that was her request. We are decorating straw hats for a craft and that will also be the "goodie". Turning out rather cheap actually and dh went with kids yesterday to pick out all the stuff -- and I am impressed with how he did. The party will be simple and small -- setting a simple precident for future birthdays.

And then...if necessary... we can go into labor -- at 36 weeks today. Though I would rather she cook a bit longer.

Peace,

[Smithie]

Oooooh Paula, exciting! Since you haven't been doing anything to induce, I wouldn't worry if this is really "it." After all, your baby may be a fast cooker!

After my mw visit and the Big Important Meeting on Monday, we are going to take a long walk, make some some love, etc. I got a tincture of black cohosh that I may or may not use, depending on what the mw thinks. I am ready for this to be over.

I used an enema bag occasionally before pregnancy when I had hemmorhoid flare-ups, so I'm comfortable with that and I might try it. If nothing else, having more room in there would be nice!

[mattjule]

I thought enemas were totally humiliating when I was pregnant with Tain. That is, until I had diarrhea while pushing him out. Now I think anything that will prevent that from happening will be less embarrassing. Although, I'm not sure it would have worked. I think he was blocking my bowels b/c I tried repeatedly to go while in labor and couldn't and obviously it wasn't the size of the stool that was the issue. A little TMI!

Paula, how wonderful that party sounds! And I think once the party was underway, if you did go into labor, your dd could be excited instead of a little bummed about her party.

Why does heat make me infinitely more uncomfortable than I normally am? Going to the park is starting to be a chore instead of a joy.

[Queen of Cups]

So, after much internal debate, I decided I would go to church this morning. It might sound silly, but I really didn't want to face a crowd of people all saying, "Oh! You didn't have your baby this week! I was hoping to see a baby!" I decided that I'd just respond with, "Yes, as dissapointing as it is for you, this week was even harder for me." and just leave it at that. (My sister suggested that I tell them that I did have the baby and watch them be confused...) I did say it to a couple of people and they immediately apologized. A couple of ladies let me know that they _hadn't_ called this week because they figured I didn't want a million nosy calls - I told them that I was to the point of running the other direction when the phone rang and thanked them.

Its a beautiful day here, and I've spent all afternoon napping. I think DH and I are going to grill out tonight so we can enjoy the weather a little bit... For once, I don't really feel like walking. The baby is just soooo low that its quite uncomfortable. I walked a ton this week and it felt great, but now I just don't want to. My ankles also swelled up yesterday. The whole pregnancy I've had no swelling in my feet and got compliments on my ankles BUT now they're gross and fat. My mother-in-law told me that they're not too bad - she says they still look better than hers!

[Modesto Doula]

Hello all!

I've been SO BUSY the last week. I haven't been able to post, but I've been trying to read a bit here and there when I have time.
Queenie- Im glad you are doing well. The end of pregnancy is always tough, and tougher still because of all the pre/ prodromal labor, but it will work out for you in the end. It seems like the few clients I've had with lots of workup into labor have had pretty darn easy labors. The last one with prodromal labor was only in the hosp an hour or so before baby was born, she went in at nine and smiling, making jokes, the labor nurse didnt believe she was in labor until she checked her! The long drawn out labor should make it easier for both you and baby, so just think of it as part of your birth story.
It is pretty rare for a first time mom to walk around at 5 cm this long, so just congratulate yourself that you are halfway there!

I've grown out of a lot of clothes too... I had to go buy new pants a couple weeks ago cause everything was getting damn snug. I bought a couple new tee shirts last week because I didnt have anything that would work for 90 degree days that fit still. I didnt want to spend the money, especially this late in the game, and I hope to never have to buy in the sizes I bought again, BUT I feel so much better with clothes that fit and are semi-comfy, and I look better too. (Much better than the stuffed sausage look I was starting to get from my ex-favorite pants, LOL.)

We've had home visits with both midwives in the last couple weeks. The first came and was surprised that I didnt have all my birth stuff in order yet... LOL. I'm like, yeah... I just ordered my birth kit and I havent even gotten the baby's clothes outta the garage yet, but Im not worried. I just let her know that this baby ISNT coming early! LOL. A few days later I had an energy spurt so I went searching through boxes in the garage for the baby stuff and got some of it washed... It was in the dryer when my primary midwife did her visit. I think she was a bit dismayed that I didnt have my birth stuff ready to go, LOL. Im so not worried. I know exactly where everything is, I just need to get it together in one place, I figure if I go early it will be a good labor project. "Quick honey, get some towels and the clean sheets into a bag before the midwife gets here!!" LOL...

My birth group put on a childbirth educators conference last week, then the next day my mom and I left with the kiddos camping for a couple days. We had lots of fun, but it was a lot of work. No men, just a 37 week preggo, a woman with a herniated disk and a bad leg, and two children who dont listen and LOVE dirt. We didnt have a chainsaw so we had to collect firewood. That, and walking uphill with a gallon of river water for dishes was the crappiest part. I almost did a very bad out there, though. Its tough to remember to drink water when you arent very thirsty, and I got myself a little dehydrated. I woke up at 5 am with crampy contractions and my back hurting thinking if I didnt get a half gallon of water in me I was going to end up in labor in a tent : The funny part is that I was only worried that my DH wouldnt be there, LOL!! I found my water bottle and finished it and drank until I was water logged the rest of the day. I've been fine since, but it was definatly a reminder I should not have needed.

OK... Im going to shut up for now... If I didnt go so damn long without posting I wouldnt have so much to say...

wishing belly rubs to everyone... and some fantastic, productive sex for those of you wanting things to get along a little bit faster!

[seedling]

Well, I'm 37 weeks on Tuesday. So tomorrow I'm going to the plants my MIL gave me in the ground come h*ll or high water. I just gave them a little drink of water tonight and it looks like I've about scorched one of them. It's just so hard to find time to garden when I'm this darn big, this darn engery-less, and my DD is so full of energy. It takes three times a long to plant as it normaly does.

My friends put together a really nice birth blessing for me this afternoon. It was SO lovely. I'd never been to one so I didn't really know fully what to expect. I was just so pleased with the blessings shared. I went away with a beautiful bracelet (my DH told me I was looking particularily hippy dippy with all these bracelets!), candles for during labor, and some beautiful prayers/poems. They also made me a bowel painted with the tree of life to put the placenta in. Is that cool or what? I just felt so special and so supported. PLUS, I got my toenails painted! Yay! (I've got really ugly toes and have a THING about keeping my toenails painted in the summer...kind of offsets the ugly toe thing in my mind...plus I'm always barefoot or in sandals in the summer and just hate not having polish on...)

My clothes are starting not to fit also. I've got three tank tops I'm living in and four pairs of shorts. Two pairs are not decent for out of house wear and two are. I've also got some capris but I've been too hot to wear them much. My tanks are not covering the belly panel on my shorts anymore but I just don't care. I've taken to walking around the house in just a shirt b/c it's so hot. I think I'm going to have to break down and turn on the air soon. I love having the windows open in the morning though and dread living with everything closed up again. It's just so nice to migrate from outside to inside without worrying about letting in hot air. I just wish it would go back to low 80's and stay there for another couple weeks.

Well, hope everyone has a lovely week. Just think, there could be some babies born this week!

[LizD]

Being forced to have an enema must be awful, and it's good that is mostly a thing of the past, but I sure would have appreciated the offer when I was in labor the first time. You can get a fleet enema and throw the solution away and just use warm water if you want one when the time comes. Easier than the whole bag set-up and a bit easier to control. That would only help constipation, though. I don't know if there's anything to do for diarrhea late in labor other than ignore it. The midwife/doctor/nurses/doulas don't care. We've seen it all hundreds of times.

I love hospitals/obs who say they are all progressive about this sort of thing and then ask the woman to shave before she comes to the hospital. Like they're being so liberal in allowing her to do it herself. Blech.

My ankles are a bit swollen this evening- for me, which is not very swollen as I have bony ankles and feet- but I think that is just not lying down during the day and doing a lot of work around the house. We were all three busy in the house and it was a nice clearing-up kind of day, though my daughter said, "are we going away or something?" because that's usually the only other time we clean up like that. when we won't be here.

[Queen of Cups]

Queenie's Belly

Baby or Basketball - you be the judge! (My youth group at church told me that it looked like I had a basketball under my shirt and joked that I just left the baby at home!)

Well, even after 8 hours of sleep last night and a 2 hour nap this afternoon, I'm exhausted. I think I'll practice my Hypnobabies and go right to bed. I have NO IDEA what to expect at the midwife appointment tomorrow. It seems almost impossible to me that I won't have progressed in the past week, I've been active and on my feet a ton plus I've been dialating about a 1cm/week for the past three weeks. But, I also can't imagine being further than 5cm! I keep joking now that I'm going to make it to 10 before I go into active labor - I'm going for the shortest labor in history! (By the way, Modesto Doula, thanks for the encouragement!)

[ksjhwkr]

QoC - I love your belly!! It looks great! I have a friend who went to her OB appt. and was dilated to 7 cm and had NO idea!!! She hadn't been having many contractions at all and was really shocked. It made for an easy labor for her though!

I've been having lots of contractions. I will be 35 weeks tomorrow, I can't believe it. Emma was born at 37 1/2 weeks, so this kiddo could be coming in a couple weeks! I just can't imagine it. My midwife is going to Ethiopia to adopt 4 children. She leaves on Wednesday and will be back on June 14...my due time is the 21st. But, if she's not back, I'll be just as happy with the other midwife she works with. They are both awesome ladies.

My sil and good friend are planning a blessing way for me. I am really excited about it. After reading about Seedlings, I am even more excited!!! I haven't gotten my bracelet yet, it should be here on Monday. I am very excited to get that too.

I'm not cleaning much yet...I want to, but just don't have the energy! ARGH! Oh well, hopefully my back will stop hurting for long enough and I will get enough energy to clean my house good before baby comes.

Lots of labor vibes to those who want/need them, lots of belly, leg and foot rubs to everyone else!!!

[Greaseball]

Here is my list of reasons why I think it would be good to have the baby now:

My feet are swelling so much my shoes don't fit.

I ruined my broomstick skirt in the dryer - I bought one off the TP, and had to shorten it about 8 inches, and the part where I cut came out all raggedy when I dried it. Also, the broomstick folds got flattened, so now it looks like a shapeless blob. I was wearing it under my belly and it was so comfortable; now all I have to wear are 3 dresses and one more under-belly skirt.

My hands are swelling so much, my wedding ring won't even fit on my pinky.

The graph I was keeping track of my weight on only went to 45 lbs. I've gained 48 lbs. I have to write it on the graph and break up the line.

I can't lift dd. She's becoming increasingly difficult; it's even more difficult to discipline a child whom you cannot lift. She knows that if she's getting into things or trashing things or whatever, there's not much I can do with her.

Sleeping...sitting...walking...cleaning...sex...al l difficult!

I want to hurry up and finish the birth announcements; I need to know the baby's name, weight, etc. to do so!

I want to start biking and lifting weights again. I'm too sore, exhausted and lazy to do it now.

I want to see if my old clothes are going to fit anytime soon, or if I will need an emergency fat wardrobe.

I want to try out the cute diapers I've been buying.

[crunchywannabe]

Still haven't gotten my updated belly shot since she dropped....but I am working on it.

Paula--I had diarrhea all morning and regular contractions today too....but then they went away and I took an almost 3 hour nap! and I felt so good afterwards!

Do they really still do enemas and shave preps in the hospital? I have given birth 5 times now and never once had it even suggested..not even before I came in! :nana:

I am sure that what happened this last week is that Bella finally turned from being posterior..and when she did, she dropped further down into my pelvis. I have an appointment tomorrow (monday) morning, so I will find out then! I have had more contractions and more mucus globs since then, so I am thinking I am right. YEAH!

All my clothes are still on me...in fact, I still have some that are too big! which actually really stinks because they are my normal size, and I hate that I have to keep pulling them up and pulling them tighter around my belly!

We will see tomorrow if I have finally gained any weight...I am kind of sick of my OB's lectures over my "0 pounds gained" like I can do SOO much about that!

[ksjhwkr]

Originally Posted by crunchywannabe

I am kind of sick of my OB's lectures over my "0 pounds gained" like I can do SOO much about that!

I'll give you some of the weight I have gained! heehee, I am sure ALL of us would do that for you Jessica! Just tell your OB that I've gained enough for both of us! teehee!

[crunchywannabe]

Originally Posted by ksjhwkr

I'll give you some of the weight I have gained! heehee, I am sure ALL of us would do that for you Jessica! Just tell your OB that I've gained enough for both of us! teehee!

do you think it would work!!!

i tell you, I was honestly surprised when the lecture started! and of course it worried me because he had just measured me and made me wonder if I was measuring small or something! (I did have a small for gestational age baby..almost IUGR)

I plan on finding out for sure where I am at tomorrow.

[LizD]

Queenie- Please don't get discouraged if you haven't made "progress"- dilation can be a funny thing and for that very reason some midwives don't do vaginal exams at all unless necessary. Try to keep in mind if the dilation is the same or smaller that you *are* making progress and labor will start when all is ready. There are hormonal signals from the baby that help start labor and that happens when it happens. Some women go well past their due dates, even with all kinds of on-again off-again early labor. As I said a few days ago, I have gone to births and unpacked and been all ready and then after a few hours we go home and don't go back for another two, even three weeks. Also, I have had clients go from 2-10 cms in less than forty minutes. So just because it's taken x amount of time to get to 5 doesn't mean it will take that much more to get to 10, and this is very, very hard for many women to remember. It is easy to let exhaustion lead to discouragement but your most important task in waiting for labor really to get going is to keep your sense of humor and spirits up. It is a great sign that you are so dilated already; remember this means all is going well and there is no need to interfere. The baby will be born!

[crunchywannabe]

Originally Posted by LizD

Queenie- Please don't get discouraged if you haven't made "progress"- dilation can be a funny thing and for that very reason some midwives don't do vaginal exams at all unless necessary. Try to keep in mind if the dilation is the same or smaller that you *are* making progress and labor will start when all is ready. There are hormonal signals from the baby that help start labor and that happens when it happens. Some women go well past their due dates, even with all kinds of on-again off-again early labor. As I said a few days ago, I have gone to births and unpacked and been all ready and then after a few hours we go home and don't go back for another two, even three weeks. Also, I have had clients go from 2-10 cms in less than forty minutes. So just because it's taken x amount of time to get to 5 doesn't mean it will take that much more to get to 10, and this is very, very hard for many women to remember. It is easy to let exhaustion lead to discouragement but your most important task in waiting for labor really to get going is to keep your sense of humor and spirits up. It is a great sign that you are so dilated already; remember this means all is going well and there is no need to interfere. The baby will be born!

yup! With my first child, I was not dilated at all the day before I had him...I had gone in for a NST and was at 0. I did not have any contractions that whole day or night....and at 3:45 am, I woke up with contractions 3 minutes apart. Got to the hospital at 5:30 and was already at a 6! I had him at 8:45 am after 10 minutes of pushing....so 5 hours from first contraction to delivery!
(and yes, my labors have gotten progressively shorter each time)

[wildthing]

Hi ladies! Did anyone miss me....or does anyopne remember me????

Dh and I have been swamped with conference work. I am totaly exhausted, but I love the conference. I can't wait till it gets here. It's gonna be fun!

I also have very few clothes that fit anymore that aren't stained. I feel like a big, huge, awkward, clumsy oaf! I keep bumping into things, knocking things over, dropping things and tripping over little kids. I am walking super slow, and usually tell dh to go on ahead, I'll catch up! :LOL Bless his heart though, he spoils me.

I am big and often uncomfortable now...but I really want baby to stay put until the middle of June. I want to get through the conference, have the kids out of school, and have dh's work finished (he's an accountant and has to do month end close the begninning of the following month) before baby comes. If baby comes after June 12th or so, everything will be settled down and we can just relax and not worry about much else.

Queenie, I agree with LizD. I was anxious to have my last baby, #7, a few days or weeks early (you would think I deserved to have at least *1* baby early! ). He was born 5 days after my due date, and the night before, I was not dilated at all, nor was I effaced. I had been having lots of B-H contractions. I was worn out. Ds was born after 6 hours of labor. Where ever your dilation is at now, or even the night before your labor starts, means very little.

Greaseball, ds is doing the same thing your dd is doing. He knows he can run faster than me, and that I often do NOT want to get up 2 seconds after sitting down. No way can I lift him either. Have you seen this one? : That's how I feel!

I have been having a lot of pubic pain this past week. It is the only really significant complaint I have though. Like I said, I walk very slowly, and getting up and sitting down is a challenge. Fortunately, the chiropractor has kept my back, neck and shoulders feeling very good.

My baby finally settled head-down last week, at 36 weeks. S/he had been flipping around almost daily, but has been head-down since at least Wednesday. Himmer was posterior then, which doesn't bother me, I have had a posterior baby, but I am pretty sure baby has turned more anterior now.

I have just about everything ready to go. A good diaper stash, although I keep buying more just because they're cute! Some nice soft t-shirts and kimonos...I still haven't made any myself. : A friend is making me a hand-made baby quilt with embroidered blocks and a sling to match. I have chosen a celestial theme for this baby, and the quilt is going to be so nice!

Oh, we did a belly cast last weekend too. As soon as I find the perfect artist, I am going to have it painted. It will be blue, like the night sky, with the baby's zodiac sign over my heart, and the zodiac constellation over my belly. Just gotta find the right person to do it.

Okay, I'll stop now. I am hoping to have more time to write in the weeks to come. I really miss talking with you all.

[rubelin]

Hey mommas, I'm just popping in for a quick note. I think I'm in labor!!!! Been having regular contrax for several hours, though they aren't getting any closer together. It could be nothing, but I'm all a twitter! I did a lot of cleaning/preparing today and felt kinda yucky, and then in the early evening started getting really crampy, which turned into the contrax. I am hoping he waits until morning as one of my MW's just got back from India TODAY and I'd like her to be able to get some rest, lol!

Hugs to you all, please send lots of good labor vibes!! I will be so pissy tomorrow if this isn't it, lol!!

[LizD]

I have to make an appointment for my belly cast! I must remember to call tomorrow. I was putting it off because it seemed so early but now I am past the 35 week mark and think I had better get it done if it's getting done at all. My midwife says the group B strep can break the water early so I am now concerned about staying pregnant a few more weeks. I am looking forward to painting it though it will probably take years to get around to that! Or maybe it will give me something to do while "taking it easy" these last few weeks.

Re:douching -Elizabeth Davis says in Heart and Hands that while douching isn't normally recommended during pregnancy, very gentle douching with natural solutions is ok especially with the hand-held squeeze kind. She has a recipe for an herbal douche for vaginal infections in there too.

I sometimes feel the baby scrabbling at the cervix and that is more disconcerting than ever. I will be glad to be past the 36 1/2 week mark when I will feel more comfortable knowing I can just let it out when it's ready.