Week of May 31 (June!)

[Piglet68]

October Mamas Roll Call

momtol&a
snugglebutter 10/01
mirthfulmum 10/03 BOY! Harrison Eliot Smith
TracyK 10/04
mhurst 10/04
kraftykathy 10/04
Jillerina 10/04
water 10/06
Proudly AP 10/08
mayasmama 10/08 GIRL!
FutureMama 10/09 BOY!
bluehalo 10/10 BOY!
allformyboys 10/11
Lucysmama 10/12
bendmom 10/12
momadance 10/13
Mandi 10/14
rhemp 10/14
wannabmommie 10/15
krnflwr 10/16
gmvh 10/16 TWINS! BOY! and GIRL!
Piglet68 10/18 BOY! Sasha Adam
MommyMuse 10/19
BeansMomma 10/20 GIRL!
CourtneyandLogan 10/21 BOY!
EmbersMOM 10/21 BOY! Oakley
Stanleymama 10/23 BOY!
gottaknit 10/24
3boyz4us 10/24
Ctmom70 10/24
Kim22 10/24 BOY!
aspiring mama 10/25
truebluexf 10/27
Soogie 10/27
ameliabedelia 10/29
flitters 10/30
BeauGeek 10/30
AnnR33 10/31
guinnessinu 10/31 TWINS! BOY! and BOY!

Hello everyone! Starting this a bit late today, but we have been enjoying our day off!

Well, we are officially at the halfway point for our pregnancies (for the month of October, on average). Isn't that amazing? It's going by so fast!

I've been enjoying a mellow long weekend. I've been feeling rather low in stamina these days, not sure if it's pregnancy or the lack of exercise. I used to walk several times a week, but since I've been back at work, it's not happening (and 7 months of winter didn't help, either). I've also been experiencing some skipping heart beats. While this is not uncommon during pregnancy, since I work with a bunch of cardiologists, I'm going to run it by them. It's been happening alot in the last few days, which is sort of concerning me.

Question of the Week: what are you doing (if anything) for exercise? and how regularly?

Sad to say, I'm doing nothing. And at this point, I'm not sure it would be even prudent to try to start. I just keep promising myself that after baby is born and I'm SAHM again, I will be taking the kids out for regular walks (we will also be living back in Vancouver where the winters are short and mild!).

[gottaknit]

19 weeks

What I'm doing for exercise: not enough! I'm in prenatal yoga 3x week (which isn't exactly exercise), but other than that, I'm just getting as much "default exercise" as possible (I don't drive, so walking to the bus stop or half-way to work; taking the stairs instead of the elevator; gardening and home-improvements, etc)

I used to be a crazy everyday walker/runner, but morning sickness put a stop to all that, and now it's hard to get back on track again.

[Court]

19 wks 4 days

Hey everybody! I'm so excited to be almost halfway through! Um, I've been thinking about getting more exercise, and I try to go on walks w/ ds as much as possible. I feel like I move around a lot doing daily stuff, but I don't have a specific exercise routine. When it warms up more, ds and I plan on doing a lot of swimming this summer.

I just went to Old Navy today and finally bought some maternity clothes, yay. I love them, I'm so happy. My belly can breathe. I also got a swim suit there, which is really cute, but doesn't seem to have a lot of boob support. Anyone else get an O.N. swimsuit too?

We've had such a nice long weekend here too. We did some home-improvement type projects and just enjoyed getting to be together. Oh and dh made the mistake of telling MIL our current name choice (Zander Julian) and she flat out told him she didn't like it. To me that's rude, but hey. Logan has been talking to the baby a lot more and he's calling him baby Zander, and he sounds so cute.

He's been cutting way back on nursing too- The other night he was having trouble falling asleep and I said "Do you want some more mimi's?(our term for nursing)" and he said, "no, just want hug mommy, just want snuggle with mommy." Awww, and he fell asleep cuddling w/ me. Well, that's all for now

[Lucysmama]

Exercise??? What's that? :LOL
Seriously, I have been really slacking off lately, and my body is starting to notice. The last time I went out for a walk (a few days ago) I got cramps in my uterus (contractions?) and got winded. I had to slow down a lot. I am feeling really sluggish and outta shape. I have NO excuse, as I live right on the Towpath, which offers miles of beautiful trails to hike. It's right in my backyard. Ugh. Typing this makes me wanna go for a walk!!!

Tomorrow's my birthday! Dd and I are going to go do something fun together. She keeps giving me little presents, like pennies and rocks she found. She says, "Here you go, Sweetie Mommy. A nice birthday present for you!"

[momto l&a]

This is week 20 for me.

Worked more on unpacking and organizing the house this weekend. I am so tired most of the time it makes it hard to get anything extra done.

Today was dd#2 birthday.

As for the QOTW, my only excercise is taking care of 2 very lively girls and living in the country which requires a fair amount of activity at times. Oh does :Puke ing count as excercise? :LOL

If this baby comes on time, I am halfway there!

[OakEmber]

Yes, it's super exciting to be nearing the halfway mark...really only 4 more months to get through and then baby is welcome anytime :LOL I don't know if it is wishful thinking or intuition but I have a feeling that this baby will be a Libra and therefore come before my due date. With Ember that is the one thing I was right about, I had no intuition as to her gender but I know she'd arrive around her due date...she was born the next day.

Exercise, sigh....not my stong point. I do walk quite a bit, being that we only have one vehicle that Dh takes to work. I have a brand new yoga kit in the closet that I had good intentions on using. Exercise is a bad word for me, really I just want to rebel against it :LOL so I am just trying to be more active...and get lots of fresh air in general. I plan on spending time walking upstream in the river this summer, to stay cool and tone my legs...and just swimming in general. Today I put on some music and danced with DD, not enought to work up a sweat or anything but better than just sitting on the couch watching TV. So for me my focus is just on activity in general, gardening, cleaning the house...all the stuff that my has kept my 84 year old Grandma in great shape, I really dislike my tendancy to be sedintary.

[blessed2bamommie]

21 wks--baby can hear!

Well, the weekend was pretty good; but, dh messed up yesterday and I was ! Now, he's don caught a cold from the apt () so I'm now a nurse. : Forgive and get him some throat coat.

Exercise....well, Letia ain't no skinny girl, so YEAH! Stationary cycle class, which is getting waaaaaaay uncomfortable now. My buddy teaches sometimes and he asked me if I was ok. :LOL I said well, for lifting a 19 wk uterus off the seat! Needless to say he was speechless. That's 2/wk, yogalates, or if psycho chick is doing the heavy pilates class, kickboxing. I liked to kicked my hip across the room, so now I have to favor it and be careful and squat when they're doing those squat kicks after a while. 1/wk I need to get going to cycle challenge which is an hour. ugh....after all natural labor is a *serious* workout. My uterus. I'll have to get moving there....bodyflex, which is the ball, bands, free weights and fitness yoga after that. So far so good 8lbs gained total! Like I said...I don't come from small stock so I don't *need* to gain no weight and I am afraid of blowing up and becoming a full fledged Arrington. I already got their boobs!

No ON suit for me! Their xl is 16. I'm eyein a Motherhood one which their 1x is 18/20. Not sure about getting much use. Depends if cousin Bobby's new house is *on* Smith Mtn Lake and if it really is as clean as it says on the site. I'll be having a family reunion on July 31. I'm gon *need* to be cool!

Can't *believe* I'm halfway! : Woooooooooooow...I'm thankful. My baby is alive and healthy. \o/

Yall's kids are *so* sweet! How sweet they can be!

: to Erin's dd and Katie tomorrow! I've *got* to mail this card for a friend'd bday June 3.

Well, I'm spose to be making dh tea and oatmeal.

[gmvh]

20w 4d

Good morning everyone! We had our level 2 u/s and visited some friends in Wisconsin. I had to laugh because they kept talking about bringing a pickup with a trailer FULL of baby stuff for us - they've had two and his sister has one and I think they're all so excited about our twins that we're going to get every single thing they've ever purchased to have on hand for these two. This could get out of control quickly! I am very grateful to know folks who are so willing to share their things with us, it will be nice.

The u/s was great, especially since the peri said everything looks wonderful! I couldn't believe how sore I was by the time the tech and then the doc were done mashing on my belly. It was truly amazing to see how much movement there was. Baby a (towards the bottom of my uterus) was vertex which I was really excited about but by the end of the scan, they were both breech. It was kind of creepy though, because I didn't feel any of the movement happening but we could see it on the screen.

It looks like we may have our third girl for the list and the gazillionth boy! There was no question about the boy and the tech was pretty certain about the girl. My husband is convinced they are b/g and he predicted the twins before we officially found out so I'm somewhat inclined to trust his feeling on the matter!

Exercise? What's that? I, too, have been trying to stay as active around the house as possible. My m/w was super hesitant about giving me a note to participate in prenatal water classes - then all the classes got cancelled. The twin pregnancy/nutrition book I've read is from the Multiples Clinic at the University of Michigan and the author takes a very conservative approach to exercise with twins. I started out too worried about losing this pregnancy that I kept pretty mellow and now my uterus is in the way and I get so tired so easily! I have already gained 25 pounds which just floors me. I'm going to have a lot of walking to do this fall once they arrive!

Happy birthday Lucysmama! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hooray for being halfway done

[OakEmber]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCYSMA

Courtneyand Logan- I forgot to comment one your name yesterday...I love it! Logan and Zander sound really great together too. Sorry your MIL was so rude about it, like it's said...she already had her chance to name her children. Remind her of that if she says anything again! And Congrats to Logan for starting to self wean

GMVH- Congrats! Wow, a and how perfect! Super cool that your DH predicted them. Now you get to play around with names...can't wait to hear what you are thinking. That's awesome that your friends are helping you out with all their babystuff.

[Piglet68]

20wk1day

CourtneyandLogan: I love the name Zander Julian. It's fabulous! Doesn't that suck about your MIL? My mother sent me an email yesterday saying "What about the name Max?", when I told her we'd decided on Sasha. Do you want me to add it to the list, or are you not completely decided yet? You're only just NOW in maternity clothes? OMG, girl, I've been in them forever already it seems, lol.

Happy Birthday momtol&a's DD!!

Letia, holy crow you are super-exercising mama! That's amazing, all you are doing! And only 8 lbs? That's fabulous! Btw, I have the Motherhood bathing suit and I love it. Mind you, I rarely wear swimsuits, but when I do it's very comfy and it is really easy to nurse in. It's also very flattering (which is not an adjective I usually use in combination with "me" and "bathing suit", lol).

Lucy'smama: happy Birthday tomorrow! that is so sweet that lucy is already giving you presents!

gmvh: congrats on the wonderful u/s! now, time to think of some names, huh?

[mirthfulmum]

23w 2d

: Lucysmama Have a wonderful day. And your daughter is so sweet. It's wonderful you two have such a great relationship.

CourtneyandLogan - Zander was on our short list for boy names. And I really like how it sounds with Julian. But I have always thought you had good taste in names (Logan is my husband's name). I have ranted before about rude relatives offering unsolicited name advice so I'm not going down that road again. Like Amie said, your MIL already got to name her children. Now it's your guys' turn.

gmvh - Hooray! A boy and a girl. That's so exciting!

QOTW: Excercise? : If you count chasing after a 2 year old and continuoulsy picking up toys/food/clothes/whatever off the floor excercise then Yes! I'm excercising up a storm.

[flitters]

18 weeks 3 days

hi everyone!!!

you guys sound wonderful this week!

i had a few exciting milestones over the weekend. after our 18 week appointment on friday i got my first kick. i'd been feeling the baby move and tap fairly regularly, but this was a KICK. very exciting!!! no major kicks since then, but the thumps this morning are definitely bigger than last week.

then after my shower on saturday i was hanging around naked and got curious about my nipples. so i gave each areola a squeeze and a drop of mostly clear fluid came out of each one! i was amazed and almost started crying i was so excited! i called over dh and he was pretty impressed too!

finally on saturday or sunday night i was listening to things with the fetoscope. the dogs and dh all sound good, but not nearly as exciting as inside of me! i was just listening to the whooshing of my own pulse and for any thumps the baby might make and i actually got to hear the baby's heartbeat through the fetoscope!!! it was really exciting! it stayed audible for about 2 minutes so dh got to listen too! that was quite a surprise!!!

QOTW: letia, i can't believe you can cycle!!! seriously, i'm impressed. i do exercise regularly and i sat on a bicycle one day when all the elliptical riders were full and it was SOOO uncomfortable!!! as for the exercise i do enjoy, i ride an elliptical machine 2 - 3 times a week (i stopped jogging around 12 weeks when it became uncomfy). i do yoga about once a week and rock climbing at an indoor gym about twice a week. me and the baby feel great and for me i think that is in a large part because i'm able to be active still. it's funny though, i run out of breath more walking up the stairs to the third floor when i work than i do with any of my exercise!

[AnnR33]

If you count cleaning and packing as exercise then I'm getting a lot lately, but other than that-nada! I had the best intentions when this preg started but then I was spotting so much for the first 11 wks by dr said not to so now i'm up 13lbs so far-yikes! let's hope that only doubles and does not triple!! I gained 50lbs with my last 2

My nipples are killing me-they are so sore and seem to always get pinched when the kids want picked up-OW!

Have an U/S today. It was optional for my "advanced maternal age" but since we're moving and I don't know when I'll get hooked up with a midwife I thought it might put my mind at ease (or not?) We'll see...hopefully all will be well!

FYI-I read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth last week and found it a good read. Has lots of birth stories that are fun to read but lots of practical advice too. Reading "Active Birth" now.
What's everyone else reading?

Take care everyone
Ann

[krnflwr]

21 wks

Originally Posted by mirthfulmum

QOTW: Excercise? If you count chasing after a 2 year old and continuoulsy picking up toys/food/clothes/whatever off the floor excercise then Yes! I'm excercising up a storm.

I feel the same way. I feel like I'm always on the go, but not doing anything structured in an exercise sense. I love being in the water, but every prenatal water class I find has been cancelled. : I'm hoping to find another water class, perhaps one for arthritis or post-surgery, that will let me in. So, other than toddler-chasing and walking to the park and through the grocery, no particular exercise for me.

Been feeling Baby Cookie move around a lot the past few days. Rolling, twisting, kicking...really being active. It's rather exciting, and kind of a relief, since I hadn't been feeling much before this.
Suffering through my 3rd sinus infection this pregnancy. Ugh. I just can't seem to get my head clear, between allergies and preg induced stuffiness, I just keep getting "ickies in my nose", as Hannah says. This time the infection absessed into my jaw, and let me tell you that it is no fun. The antibiotics are finally kicking in and I feel somewhat human today, thank goodness.
I've been reading "Adventures in Tandem Nursing", Mothering's "Having Your Baby Naturally" and "Birthing From Within". I've been meaning to pick up Ina Mae's new book, glad to hear a positive review of it. I love to read, and usually have 4-5 books going at once. But it's hard to find the time lately to actually finish all the ones I start. Anyone else reading any good preg books they want to recommend?

[ameliabedelia]

18 weeks 4 days.

It sucks being at the end of the this due date club. Everyone else gets to reach all the milestones first (although DD was 10 days early and every women in my family was early, so I am thinking middle of Oct. for b-day). Ok, there is my whine for the day.

QOTW: I briskly walk for a hour a day (4 miles) 5 days a week or so. I also do all the chasing after toddler and housecleaning things around here (although DD is pretty laid-back and doesn't need too much chasing after). Today I mowed the lawn (riding lawn mower) and weed-whacked the yard. I need to start doing my pregnancy exercises and kegels. I have to drudge up my old papers on those exercises to help with birth and get started. I keep meaning to, but I forget or get caught up in something else.

I had my first pregnancy/baby dream last night. I dreamt that I could see baby through my skin. At first he was really high up (like right under my breasts) and his skin was reddish. He was about 4 inches long and I could see him moving all over. Then he moved down low and I could see my tummy move (but not see him anymore) in the area of where my uterus actually is. LOL. Then he crawled out of my vagina (no contractions or labor or anything), just crawled out, but when he got out he was much larger, almost the size of a real newborn. He was very healthy looking, great skin color, really cute . Breathing fine and everything However, in my dream I was only 20 weeks so we took him to the NICU and they said he only had a .1% chance of surviving because he was born so early (so then DH and I started crying). Then I woke up, so I don't know what happened.

I am reading the Birth Book (from LLL library) and the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth (from public library). It is kinda hard for me, since I don't have any money to spend on books, so I am limited to what the library has and it's availability. Not to mention that you can only check books out for 2 weeks (and renew once). I have read Ina Mae's book (Birth Your Way) and I really liked it.

Happy Birthday Lucymama and and Erin's DD :ballons

[Lucysmama]

I just read THE AMERICAN WAY OF BIRTH and I am reading OPEN SEASON right now. Hard reads, cause I have some emotional baggage about my unnecessary c/section, but I highly recommend both to everyone!

I am having a nice birthday so far.....dh let me sleep in till 11, and he swept and mopped the downstairs. Then he and dd gave me a new camera! I have a darkroom but haven't had a camera in a long time. (I can't use my darkroom right now cause of the chemicals, though) I already took a roll of dd. I will try to post a few later! Then they took me to lunch. Then dh had to go to work, so dd and I are going to the park now! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

[krnflwr]

Originally Posted by gmvh

It looks like we may have our third girl for the list and the gazillionth boy!

Yippee, Gretchen! Glad to know everything looks good and your two little ones are healthy. Guess this means they're not identical, huh?

Happy Birthday, LucysMom!!

[Piglet68]

I'm not reading any birthing books, but just checked a bunch of parenting-type books out from the library.

Started reading "becoming the parent you want to be" but I was so on board with everythign they were saying that it started to bore me.

I'm reading right now: "The Nurture Assumption". It's a fascinating book, but also rather thought-provoking. Talks about how peers have more influence on a child than any kind of parent (AP, strict, you name it). It's a very academically based book, super well written. Fascinating look at child development, behavioural genetics, and socialization studies.

I also have Mother Nature, by Sarah Hrdy which I'll pick up next. And....I think one more but I forget now, lol.

[OakEmber]

I just finished reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth about a month ago, and I agree it was really good. Then I read her Spiritual Midwifery but I don't know if it was just that I'd read enough of the birth stories in the other or what but I didn't find it nearly as interesting?? Maybe it's just me...I definately recommend her Guide though, I'd like my mom to read it since she will be at the birth.

Right now I'm not reading any books, just Mothering and my Fit Pregnancy magazines when they come.

Wow, Ameliabedelia I'd say you take the cake, or rather can get away with eating the largest piece :LOL Walking 5 nights a week for an hour?!! WTG!

Lucysmama, glad you are enjoying your day, sounds like your family is spoiling you.

[blessed2bamommie]

: Gretchen I'm a bit jealous, as i thought I'd have twins. Congrats. Fraternal...so are you done? I told dh we would be! :LOL I guess I never thought about the special considerations on activity and all. Well, the Lord knew what He was doin b/c I woulda been a serious haus!

I tell ya Pig, I ain't no small girl! One of my fears was being like some women who got pg, blew up and were never the same. I might get one...I know that if I swim at mamas I can skinny dip, which would be good about now. It just depends on if I'll be able to swim at the family reunion.

Flit, I discovered my colostrum last week! I was *so* excited! I showed dh too! :LOL I think I kept lookin and tapped out one so I had to try the other one. :LOL Its amazing isn't it! I don't understand why more women don't marvel at the miracle of motherhood.

I read somewhere that you can hear on stethoscope. OK, I forgot how to spell it! My pastor's wife is a nurse and I wonder if she could give it a whirl next Sunday. Our prenatal turns to classes this month and I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to hear now that it the window for the fetoscope.


My doc tried at 18 wks and we couldn't hear. You must be a skinny, Flit. Yeah girl....well, the am schedule cycling is the best class. Lo is boring. Its getting uncomfortable. I'm wondering how long I'll do it. But, that would take out two days of workouts. I need structure. I don't like to go and do the elliptical by myself when all my buddies are in class. And, I hear ya. I got so winded after goin out today and coming up the stairs at my apartment than working out. I used to find relief coming out of the saddle; but, now I feel the weight of my uterus in a standing posture.


I need to take back Having a Baby Naturally to the library all late. I've been reading mags too. I got Every Baby in my prenatal package and I started the recent Mothering; but, after I finished Every Baby, I went to the Lamaze mag, since I'd like to know more about it. I am leaning towards Bradley tho. How's the Bradley book? We have 3 wks here and a renewal, I think. I don't buy the books, I just check em out.

Karin, I have bouts with the pregnancy snots too. Woooooooow, never knew I could have so much mucus! :

Glad your birthday is good Katie. The American Way of Birth...seems like I heard about that one...is that the one about the shift from hb to hospital?

I *so* need to focus on the parenting stuff. I gave dh Dr. Kevin Lehman's What a difference a daddy makes. Having grown up fatherless...and have *really* suffered as a result. I have so much I'm reading now though. I say I'd look at Christian Parenting online; but, I don't. I might need to pick one up. I'm reading the Bible, during my devotionals; but, I realize it will help me to parent too, so. I'm doing the best I could do.

Baby's awake! Little bugger was while mama was tryin to nap! I was shakin him, I don't know why that would help him to go to sleep. He can hear. I shoulda just told him. :LOL Some good moves! This is *so* awesome! I thought they were hard enough for dh to feel. He put his hand on my belly at mamas Sunday and he'd move to another part of my belly. :LOL We were chasin him. Mama said he's not gon kick where his hand was b/c of the pressure. It was funny. I was laughin.

See yall! I'm supposed to be thinkin about food. My chicken breast I knew I probably shoulda put in water is still frozen.