June Mamas May 16-22 - Page 2

[seedling]

Hey Wildthing! I've been wondering where you were. So glad you are doing well and have just been really busy.

Rubelin, don't leave us hanging! If we don't hear from you by the end of the day I'm assuming this was it. How exciting!

I broke down and turned on the air at 11:00 last night. Still got up 6 times to pee thru the night! No wonder I'm so tired all day. May turn the air off today and open the windows back up. I miss hearing the birds.

Well, I've got so much to do for work today that I'd better get to it.

[Doodlebugsmom]

Donna, I've been wondering about you! It's good to hear from you. Sounds like all is well.

I agree that the amount or lack of dilation is pretty much meaningless. My mw doesn't do any checks to find out, and that is fine with me. She was out of town for my appt last week and I saw her backup mw. She offered to check my cervix, and of course I declined. I could be 3 or more cms dilated and it would mean nothing. I'd be all paranoid, expecting labor to start at any time. If I wasn't dilated, I'd be convinced that I'm going past due. No need to worry myself in any way.

Robin, I can't wait to hear what is going on! How exciting!

Liz, I'll be doing my belly cast soon, too. I'm going to do it right around 36-37 weeks. With dd, I waited and ended up doing it after my water broke! She was born at 37 1/2 weeks, and since it was my first pregnancy I was surprised by it. Oh yeah, that was over two years ago and it still isn't painted!

I really hope I make it to 37 weeks this time, because a professional photographer who works for dh is coming in from LA at that time. I really want to get some nice pregnancy pics done, especially for free!
I've been having lots of pressure down below, especially in my bladder/urethra. Whew! It's intense sometimes. I cleaned and worked outside all weekend, and boy, it wore me out. I'm sore all over.

Have a great day everyone!

[mattjule]

Yeah Robin! That is exactly how I went into labor with Tain. Sending you good birthing vibes...

I still have so much to do-I'm glad I am due later than most of you. Tain's Waldorf doll still doesn't have any hair or clothes. He keeps finding it and playing with it, which is sweet, but it's really weird to see a funky, creepy face on the back of the head where I tied the threads from the eyes and mouth. I am going to revamp the announcements and go with a different theme-the one I thought of is definitely not working. But I have to get to the craft store and find a stamp and a new pen (not to mention yarn for aforementioned doll). I'd like to get a couple more dolls made, for my nieces and Rowan (I'll save it for his 2nd birthday).

On the shaving topic, and maybe this is TMI, but I used to shave before I got pg. Once you have a belly, you have to get a helper b/c putting a razor on such loose skin without being able to see is really dangerous! I don't even shave my legs while pg b/c it is too hard. So asking women to shave before coming to the hospital is not any better than doing it there (though I don't approve of it in any form). Weird that they still do it.

I was thinking the other day how, if everything goes well, I will never know what it is like to birth in a hospital. I think that's kind of cool.

I guess I should stop throwing away apple cores and banana peels in the trash can by the computer. Man, it stinks. I was sitting here thinking, how can I smell like rotten fruit? And I finally realized it wasn't me, it was the trash!

Well, I need to get going...

Have a great day everyone!

[Greaseball]

Do they really still do enemas and shave preps in the hospital?

Long ago, I posted a poll in the pregnancy forum (pretty sure that's where it was) titled "Which interventions did you have?" and listing about 10 of them, such as EFM, IFM, shave, drugs, etc. and several people responded they had been shaved.

I have a homebirth book from the 70s and it mentions clipping pubic hair as if it is normal; no big deal. Also says that one should have an enema at a homebirth.

[rubelin]

false alarm

well, after about 10 hours of regular contrax (albeit pretty far apart) they all petered out around 3 am. So now I am just tired and achey and cranky as hell : I'm still having random contrax, or maybe not so random, I'm not sure as I am ignoring them until they decide to get serious and get my attention The good part is that I got most of the last minute stuff ready, blankets sterilized, pads soaked in comfrey and stuck in the freezer and now I can finish the grocery shopping and get some laundry done. And I don't really want a Taurus baby anyway

Better go and get dressed. I think it's going to be a busy day!

[ksjhwkr]

Robin - Sending you LOTS and LOTS of peaceful, wonderful labor vibes Mama!!! Ok, when I originally wrote this, I didn't see your most recent post. Sorry! I hope you get some rest today Mama!!!

Donna - Good to hear from you again. Glad to know all is going well in your part of the world. My chiropractor is actually adjusting my pubic bone and that helps with the pain so much. You might want to ask yours about that for you!

[dharmama]

Originally Posted by rubelin

And I don't really want a Taurus baby anyway

Yup...I'm a Taurus and I don't know how my parents survived raising me! :LOL Hang in there mama....we're almost there!

I'm doing my preggo pictures tonight and DH is pretty sure he's going to be there (he's really trying to get coverage for work) -- YAY!

I feel like a super-model wanna-be...the back seat of my car is LOADED with various outfits, sarongs, nighties etc. I'm sure I won't end up wearing half of the things but I would rather have too much than too little.

Of course....wouldn't you know...I woke up with a nice big shiner on my chin this morning. Honestly, I have not had a single zit this whole pregnancy. Figures. :

Oh and I fell this weekend (trying to catch the sheep during the escape) so I have cuts on my leg and arm and a band-aid on my finger. At first I was feeling disappointed that all this evidence of my clumsiness will be captured on film but the more I thought about, the more perfect it seems.

I just wish I could fit my wedding/engagement rings on for the pictures. I tried this morning....no go. I did mangage to get my wedding ring only on, so that's what I'm wearing....but the two rings together....no way.

And speaking of things not fitting...

I'm mostly wearing DH's clothes these days (at home at least). He's a big guy so his t-shirts are just PERFECT for me. For work (where tie-dyes and boxers are not quite appropriate :LOL ) I'm wearing lots of broomstick skirts w/ peasant shirts (free size) and a couple of maternity sun dresses that are nice and big.

~Erin


PS ~ Greaseball...How are your chickens??

[Greaseball]

The chickens are doing well. Alice's tail feathers will probably take awhile to grow back, so she will be funny-shaped for awhile, and we're keeping an eye on Fluffy's feet to make sure they don't swell. She has one scratch on a toe and one down the back of the other leg, and it looks like the toe is really bothering her. She stands on one leg a lot, and kind of hops around instead of running. We put hydrogen peroxide on the scratches. I don't think they need a bandage.

Linda is still upset at not being able to go out and chase them, but I think we'll let them have as much stress-free time as they can. There is this neighborhood cat that comes over a lot and is friendly, but since we're not sure whose cat did it I've been chasing it away when I see it.

I think urban chickens are easier, because you don't have to worry about foxes and hawks. Just make sure to close the coop and they'll be fine!

[Queen of Cups]

So I had my appt with the midwife this afternoon, and everyone at the office was shocked to see me! No one expected me to last this long...

Anyway, I'm still at "a good 5cm," even more thinned out, the baby is lower, and the midwife said that my bag of waters was not quite bulging, but that she didn't expect it to last more than a couple of days. Woohoo! I'm ready for this baby! She offered to strip my membranes again and I said yes, and I've been very crampy since then. We went on and made an appointment for next Monday, but she and the nurses all said that they really didn't think I'd make it that long.

Speaking of Taurus babies - how am I going to deal? I'm a Scorpio and DH is an Aries, and my sister who lives with us is a Leo! Sounds like a house very full of egos and strong wills to me...

[Smithie]

My mw said that I was 2 centimeters and at zero station, and when I said this was a good week to have the baby she went ahead and stripped my membranes. She frobid me, however, to jog around the neighborhood as I had planned to do.

Dh is in his Big Meeting right now, so I'm going to have some RRL tea and some black cohosh tincture and take a walk and maybe do a plain water enema. But no castor oil!

[rubelin]

Well, still having irregular stuff going on, but I am ignoring it all I got the shopping done (even though Ben was a monster at the store!!) and am doing laundry. I just might end up finishing all my sewing projects if he doesn't come soon cause I've got nothing left to do now but wait around for labor.

I hope my Taurus baby comment wasn't taken wrong by anyone. My dad is a Taurus and I love him to death, but he is the most hard headed human being I know Ben & I are both Gemini and Dan is a Libra, so another Gemini fits in perfectly. I was just looking forward to a home full of air signs and I'm frightened at the possibility of something else. Ben is very spirited and I'm scared to get another spirited kid and if he's a Taurus on top of that it might send me to the looney bin, lol! Well, if he can't wait until Thursday, perhaps he'll at least be Gemini rising Actually Thursday would be good, since our MWs are already coming for a home visit!

OK, gotta finish up here, I'm supposed to be limiting my 'puter time 'cause my feet swell up something awful sitting here

Hope you're all having a peaceful Monday afternoon!

[Smithie]

Ouch. Walking hurt, probably because I was so full of RRL tea.

The Big Presentation went well, and now dh is coming home for some energetic sex. Yeehah!

[LizD]

People seem pretty appalled to hear my due date is still a month away, my belly pokes out so enormously. It's fun. I really am craving sweets at this point and feel nervous about it because I don't want to gain too much weight, especially at the height of growing season, here.

My belly cast appointment is for ten days from now, the day I will be 37 weeks. I am beginning to hope I make it until then, also for the homebirth consideration. If I had not heard I have such a high GBS colonization I wouldn't worry about it and would assume I had at least until the 37 week mark but now I am concerned about the water breaking early and the increased risk of GBS disease. So every day I feel accomplished in hanging onto the baby a little longer, though I have no signs of preterm labor and if I hadn't heard this it wouldn't be a concern at all. And of course there's no real reason to believe this baby will be as early as my last- it could just as easily be 2 weeks late. I think I am also a bit worried about being early because the mw said we'd culture for GBS again at our next appointment, in nine days, "if we get that far." So I am not happy to have this to worry about and also worry that if I go much past that I am going to start wondering just when I'm going to have this baby. No one seems to think it at all likely I will even make it to my due date!

I also will breathe easy once the baby will safely be a gemini, like me. My daughter is an aquarius so both my children will be the signs I get along best with. My example of living with a taurus has been my mother, and that does not bode well.

[Greaseball]

Liz - I had a high colonization of GBS with #1 and though I went into labor at 38 weeks, my water did not break early. I was in labor for nearly 24 hours before the doctor broke it.

[Smithie]

Well, the sex was fun. Now we'll have to wait and see if it works. I think I'll cease my efforts now, except for the RRL tea, and get a good night's sleep.

I forgot to mention, my GBS came back negative today. That is a weight off my mind.

[wildthing]

Robin,
I was certainly not offended by your desire to not have a Taurus. I have two, both girls (actually, one is born on the cusp), and they can be stubborn. Of course, my little Capricorn can be just as hard-headed! lol
My oldest ds is a Gemini, and I have every expectation that this one will be too.

I really, truly, with all my heart, do not want to have this baby early! :LOL For literally the first time in any of my pregnancies, I want to actually go a few days beyond my due date. Things will just be so much more settled then, and we can relax and just enjoy the birth and our babymoon.

Anyone else have "feminine itching" after sex? It isn't just that uncomfy feeling, it is a slight itch that lasts a day or 2 before going away. Kind of annoying.

Erin, tell us how the pictures go! I am getting mine done at the conference...I will be about 38 weeks then.

[liz-hippymom]

ok so.... i had bloody show (blood streaked mucus) yesterday and today..does this mean im gunna have this baby? please say yes...lol :LOL
i am sooooo ready!

[eilonwy]

Hello.

I'm still feeling pretty decent, most of the time... but I can't get into a comfortable position to sleep. Saturday night, I had some contractions that were painful enough that not only did I wake up but I woke up Mike with my miseries. It was a bummer, because I was working extra hard not to make a lot of noise (we were at the IL's house). He was very sweet and did a massage.. I really needed the counter-pressure on my lower back. I think NewBean has settled head down, but she's definately OP. My tailbone *kills* whenever I have a contraction. :

Lots of contractions here, definately not doing anything though. No, I can't feel my cervix, I just have a feeling that NewBean is nowhere near to coming out. Like I mentioned on last week's thread, Mike is totally against doing anything that might precipitate an early birth. On one hand, I totally know where he's coming from but on the other, I think "easy for you to say, you can sleep at night/don't have heartburn/aren't in pain/don't have sciatica/etc, etc and so forth." :LOL I told him that his refusal could definately been seen as somewhat selfish, and he said "Don't worry, I know I'll feel the pain too." Hell yes he will! :LOL

Insomnia. Gotta love it. : I'm only in a few states these days: asleep, wanting to sleep, unable to sleep. It seems like that's about it.

LizD: I can totally relate to your concern about the GBS. I don't know what my colonization level was like with Eli, though I figure it was fairly high because a)my water did break early and b)he actually got sick. I worry about the same thing happening to NewBean, and it's totally freaky to me. I don't even know what to think about it. From what I understand, I probably won't even be tested this time, just treated. Hopefully NewBean is healthy and strong.

Hm. It's late, I'm exhausted and unable to sleep, and contracting.. I guess I should take a shower and go to bed. :LOL I love taking showers at night, because I don't have to take them with Eli. :LOL

T: Did everyone notice that the old rolleyes smiley is back? Hooray for Cynthia! I didn't much care for the new one.

[LizD]

My midwife even says it's not anything to worry about, just to do what she advised and culture again at 37 weeks. Based on that and on whatever the situation is in labor, she'll offer abx or not. Though my daughter was "early" the water didn't break until after complete dilation so there is no history of that.

It is interesting in a way because there are all these new things to worry about and be tested for that weren't commonplace ten years ago when I had her. AFP testing was far less common, and the info on folic acid had not yet been released, not as many people found out the gender ahead of time, no one mentioned the catbox or toxoplasmosis, no GBS screening, at least not at the birth center I used, and they were pretty med-minded. More to worry about even though not knowing about them the first time I had a fine healthy daughter and hopefully will have a fine healthy baby, knock wood.

It is also a lot more fun this time not to have names picked out or feel we need to have them picked out. The last few weeks before our daughter was born we were trying to find things we agreed on. This time we mention a name here and there but it seems more relaxed in a way. I have begun addressing the envelopes for our announcements (printing our own on postcard stock) and also wondered just how long it might take to name this baby since we haven't narrowed it down or anything. You spend the first months calling it "the baby" anyway even if it has a name in utero, so I hope he or she makes themself apparent soon after birth.

From what I have read and my mw has said itching or mild discomfort after sex, pregnant or not, could also be high GBS colonization. Since the culture can vary from day to day, a negative screen doesn't mean you don't have it. Anyway a friend of mine who isn't pg has had some itching/discomfort after intercourse and has tested negative for every test there is, and is trying the saltwater wash 3 x per week. It is actually quite soothing.

Bloody show is always a good sign but I tell my clients, and it's true, you can have the baby tomorrow or you can be walking around for two weeks yet. But at least it shows things are moving in the right direction! I am looking forward to the excitement and fun of having the baby. I am a bit nervous I think because of all the cascade-of-intervention births I have been to professionally. I have been trying to fill up again with all the images I had the first time, which were mostly based on Spiritual Midwifery and Hygeiea and other obscure natural birth books.

[dharmama]

Originally Posted by wildthing

Erin, tell us how the pictures go! I am getting mine done at the conference...I will be about 38 weeks then.

It was AMAZING! I felt like a godess. The photographer LOVES working with pregnant women and she knew all the right things to say to make me feel SOOOO comfortable.

I got there about 40 min. before DH so I did some topless shots with a sarong tied around my waist, some with the sarong tied around my breasts and my belly exposed, and some nudes sitting/laying on a sheepskin rug.

I want to surprise DH with the nudes for Father's Day...he knows that I did them but has no idea all the sexy poses we came up with....which is why we hurried and did them before he arrived.

Then once DH was there we did some casual shots...both of us topless...me in jeans and DH in kahkis...a couple with me in a tank top pulled up to show off my belly. DH kissing and snuggling my belly (I can't wait to see those ) and a couple of us just snuggling/smooching.

It was SO fun...I can't wait to see the proofs.

WOW....I can't believe so many of us are having contrax, show etc. EEEEK....this is getting SOOOOOO exciting. I find my self logging on like 10 times a day to see what's happening! Wait who am I kidding...I always log on to MDC like 10 times a day! (WAIT! OH NO...where did the good "rolleyes guy" go??? He was here yesterday!!! :LOL )

Okay...off to work. 1/2 day today and then I go to see my MW. I'm having the GBS test today. Can anyone tell me how it is administered? I was assuming it's an internal swabbing but a couple of my friends said they didn't have anything done internally until they were in labor.

~Erin