July Mammas- June 1- June 15 - Page 2

[Konur's Mom]

Still looking at early July for us! I have all my homebirthing supplies coming in now, just a few things to pick up like zip lock baggies for the maxi pads that I need to soak in witch hazel and freeze.


I am feeling so freaking huge right now! I was a little smaller than this at full term with Konur and cannot imagine getting any bigger but I have about 4 weeks left to get bigger. I think I just gained 4 pounds this month, after only gaining 2 every month of my second and third trimester before this. I dont get why this is happening. I have been going through h*ll with my apartment with flooding and black mold so I had to go to my parents house for almost 2 weeks. I had to cancel my midwife apt last week and see her again Tuesday and hope she can reassure me that everything is okay and that there is only one and its not "too" big. I know I have gained in fundal length significantly again and that really scares me. I saw myself in the mirror the other day and cried. I am so big, too big for one average sized baby. I hope I will feel better after talking to my MW.

(sorry this turned into a whine!)

[Snowbaby]

Hi everyone. Sounds like we're all getting very ready for these babies. In the past week or two, I feel like I've exploded. Though I lost a couple of pounds (anyone else lost rather than gained?), my tummy is HUGE and walking is becoming more of a chore. Baby's head is down, which I am so glad for since I was worried about breech, and it's very active. DH and I are both nesting like crazy b/c we have SO MUCH to do in the next weeks.

For those going to a birthing center or hospital, have you prepped your bag yet? I'm still confused about what my coming home outfit should be. I wanted to just do shorts and t-shirt (as it will be July) but am worried that anything around my waist might feel uncomfortable. But I hate wearing dresses. Any ideas?

Also, I really want to have some professional belly pics (OK, I'd settle for well-taken pics by DH since we're way too broke to pay) and to do a belly cast. How do I give DH some ideas as to what "professional-looking pics" look like (websites, etc?) AND how do I do a belly cast??

I'm just too full of questions today!!

BTW anyone else planning on watching "Unconventional Births" on the Discovery Channel on Monday at 8pm (U.S. eastern time). Curious what every thinks of it.

[majazama]

I want to watch "unconventional births". Thanks for telling me about it.

belly casting... I think you can do it yourself. Go to an art store and ask about it. I think you use plaster of paris? I want to do it too (at the very end of big bellyness.

[ChildoftheMoon]

Hello all! Been in lurk mode for a while. Feeling good. Allergies have finally past and the pain in my side has healed! I am 34 weeks and have been nesting like crazy. I even pulled out my tub of yarn that has not seen the light of day for ages and organized that. I still feel like my belly is small compared to with my girls. I am still hopping fences and even played basketball (well just the game horse) with my sister last weekend. Dh and my mom kept telling me to stop jumping, but it just felt so good to be so active. Been doing yard cleanup this weekend. I will be seeing my midwife this Monday, have only seen her a couple times so far. I have a feeling that this babe is currently breech, feels like a head up under my ribs, so want her to see if she can tell. I am getting so excited about birth. It is getting so close. We are having an unassisted. I am finally feeling like I am connecting with this baby. Just so happy and blissful. Hoping you are all too!

Brandi

[midwifer]

I can't wait to start hearing about people's births!!! We are so close now!!
I had a wonderful belly casting party last night. A great group of mama ladies, lots of good food and conversation. The belly cast is soooo beautiful! I included my breasts and hands in it and it turned out wonderful. One of the ladies brought some handmade paper for it, lovely flowers on the breasts and yellow and oranges radiating over the belly area. Maybe I will try to post a pic of it (can you tell I am excited about it?
Tomorrow we are spending the day washing and organizing for the birth and the baby. Whoever said they have very little room for baby stuff, I hear you, I managed to clean out one dresser drawer for some baby stuff. I am reminding myself I used to live in a 750sq ft house and we made it work with our first babe and I have more than double the room now.
Lots of low back pain, youch. Some trouble sleeping, but other than those complaints, feeling well

[williamsmommy2002]

I'm 35.5 weeks now. I been having a lot of cramping and pressure down low. I've also had some serious rounds of cntractions. This happened with my last pregnancy and didn't make a difference so i'm not puting too much stock into it.

We are really ready for this baby to come. Everything is just waiting for him. I still need to pack for the hospital. Last time I wore home some knit pants and a t-shirt so that's what i'm going to do again.

I can't believe how close we are. I can't wait to here about our babies coming into the world.

[butterflyma]

Lori Sorry you are getting so uncomfortable. re: big baby=big belly My mom was so huge with me that she could not fit into maternity clothes, she was bigger around her belly than she was tall. When she ate, she could fit her plate, cup and silverware on her belly :LOL The dr. tried, but he couldn't hear more than one heart beat. She was always dealing with comments about the humongous kid she was carrying. Then, in labor, her water broke naturally and she gave 1 (she says maybe 2) pushes and out I came in a gush of water. 5 and a half pounds! So, you never know....

BTW, what kind of maxi pads can you freeze with witch hazel and how would one go about doing that? I've packed the baby's bag, but I have no idea (okay some idea) what to pack what to pack for me. I need to make myself a checklist.

midwife~- that belly cast sounds beautiful I hope that you are able to post pics!

Brandi~ glad you're feeling better. So, will you still have an u/c hb if the babe is breech?

I'm 35 weeks and 1 day- other than the swelling in my feet and ankles, I feel pretty good. My belly is huge and I love it! I feel like a goddess statue- I envision a picture of the whole world fitting on my belly, or the pic on the cover of Conscious Conception.... I've been doing the nesting thing too. Last week I took the whole fridge apart and cleaned it. I've rewashed the baby's dipes and am trying to organize all of his blankies, clothes, stuffed animals. There is just so much stuff- I don't know where to put it all! I think I am going to have to put up some shelves. (sigh) Hopefully Home Depot will be having a good sale...

[ChildoftheMoon]

Originally Posted by butterflyma

Brandi~ glad you're feeling better. So, will you still have an u/c hb if the babe is breech?

Following my heart with this, I am confident that the baby will turn in time, if it is in fact breech. I would still go unassisted, but knowing that I could call my midwife at any point that I felt that I did need some assistance. I think the assistance needed would be mental more than anything, knowing already that my body is capable of birthing a baby. And sometimes babies just need to be in a different position. I don't believe that there is only one position the baby can be in for a successful vaginal birth. Thinking of the positive instead of the scary stuff. It really does work!

Brandi

[ebethmom]

Hi all! I'm 34 weeks today, and boy this baby grew last week!! I was getting around just fine until about 2 days ago. Moving is just not easy now. And turning over in bed. . . OUCH!

We were away for dh's Annual Conference last week. We stayed in a hotel with the hardest, most uncomfortable mattress I do believe I have ever felt! My hips still ache. I can't wait to sleep in my comfy bed tonight.

We had a good week, though. The Conference was held in the city that we moved from two years ago. I got to visit with friends, and we went to our favorite restaurants. And ds and I went to our zoo twice. We're back "home" in our house now, but I feel so homesick for the community that we left.

OK, I have to know. Is anyone else battling those dreaded hemherroids (sp?)?
I had them with ds, too. I was pretty sure they would come back with this pregnancy, and they did.

We have so much work to do before this baby comes. Cleaning and organizing. The birth kit did come while we were away! And I think I'm set on cloth pads now.

[Konur's Mom]

Brandi, thanks!

I am using the "overnight" ones with no wings. You can freeze them ahead of time and take them in a little cooler to your birth and use them after. I keep hearing how wonderful they are!

My MW is saying "big" too, but who knows.



I had my dh take some very tasteful nude pictures of my and all my pregnant glory and I am so surprised at how much I love them. We used a digital camera so only the people I wanted to see them would. I could also delete the ones I didnt like.

[Hera]

Hi Mamas,
I've been lurking too, but I was feeling so Pregnant today that I thought I would post here.

Baby is definately getting bigger, I can feel individual body parts. There's definately a foot that keeps sticking me in the diaphragm, sometimes it really hurts to breathe. Baby is getting lower, too, and I'm starting to feel strange in the hips and legs. If I sit for a while, my sacrum hurts when I get back up.

Happily, the baby seems to have turned around sideways where I hope s/he plans to stay, I was worried about a posterior position. The downside of that is that I now have some stretch marks under my belly button. I didn't get any with dd, but these are a good 5 inch long half-circle. Not painful, though.

It is allergy season for me, the grass is blooming. Being pregnant of course that means that every time I sneeze I pee my panties. It's encouraging me to do more Kegels, a big squeeze during the sneeze keeps my panties dry. Dd thinks it is hilariously funny, she can remember wetting her own panties...

Just a few more weeks to go, here! I'm so excited for all of us!

[Saralynn]

It is so wonderful to share in the excitement that everyone else is feeling too. My biggest challenge these days is living in the moment since I'm jumping up and down inside at the thought of meeting and holding our little girl.

Hera - I kwym about the little drops of urine - I've taken to wearing a panty liner everyday since I never know if a sneeze or laugh will squeeze out a drop... But it definitely reminds me to do my Kegels which I have recently relaxed on.

It's been high 80's/90's here so naturally I'm dying. I feel like a dog some days, as I have resorted to panting when it's really hot. I don't think this helps, but it feels like it might. Anyway, I get little belly rashes when it's this hot (97 today!)

My only unresolved issue before our birth is whether to hb, unassisted or to try to make it to the hospital. I keep feeling that I will want to stay home. DH isn't thrilled with this idea. We decided that a MW was too expensive for our area (>3K) and I'd rather keep the money for our house down payment. We do have a great clinician who is very relaxed, is fine in treating me on a risk-based strategy for group strep B (I wasn't cultured), and her only requirement is that I have a heparin lock in the hospital. But I still don't feel like I will want to go the hospital at all - it doesn't seem natural to me. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. It could be that I want to go it could be that everything happens so quickly there's not even time to go. Sigh. I'll just have to wait and see.

I was thrilled to see that the Health & Human Services agency announced on Friday their new campaign through 2010 to encourage US women to breastfeed through 6 months. "Babies were born to be breastfed" Unfortunately, this time they are focusing on the consequences of not breastfeeding, but still. It would be great to get more support from pediatricians, work places, etc. We have it so bad compared with other nations when it comes to support - financial, emotional, intellectual...

[Mamma2Addison]

Been feeling lousy the last couple of weeks and not online much...

I've had loads of braxton-hicks {a few so strong that I had to sit down and wait for them to pass} and the swelling in my feet is increasing. The baby's laying on my left side which is throwing my balance off and making it hard to walk for too long. But I got in to see the chiro yesterday and that's helped a lot with my mobility at least. After taking ds to playgroup today, I've pretty much decided we'll be sticking close to home for the next few weeks. I just can't keep up. Thankfully dh will take him to evening playgroups until I can get things, somewhat, back to normal.

I just had my 36 week appt on Friday and everything's fine. They aren't going to start weekly visits until 38 weeks which is fine by me. No plans for induction this time around so we're just waiting and wondering when everything is going to start. I don't want to rush it, but I also want my little girl home with her big brother.

[Foobar]

Hey!

I have a really small bag packed for the hospital. I like the freezer maxipad thing. Last time I got ice pack maxis at the hospital. You opened the maxi, snapped it and it became an ice pack, but still absorbed all of the blood. AHHH Nothing like ice after helping the little one out!

Tired here, but finally off bedrest and off the meds! Yippie.

Having more contractions, but unclear if they are doing anything....

I've been seeing my doc everyweek now since the visit to L&D. I go tomorrow.

mini heat wave here starting today. we'll see how hot it gets!

[Snowbaby]

Whaaaaa! I was very upset to realize the the Unconventional Birth show was on the Discovery Health Channel, rather than regular Discovery. We don't have it so I couldn't watch it. Bummer. Any see it? Was it about alternative birthing methods or just weird things like having your kid in a cab?

I'm feeling good but it's getting very hot now and am worried about suffering through all this heat ...... I'm walking very, very slowly .... feelign very heavy and cant' believe there are still almost 7 weeks to go. Yikes.

[majazama]

snowbaby~ apparently the "unconventional births" show was not very "empowering" to expectant moms. It was like they-gave-birth-in-a-cab-and-it's-a-good-thing-that-the-cabbie-delivered-the-baby-show. I didn't watch it, but I'm glad I didn't, I don't want to see all those shows portraying women giving birth in such a disempowering way (ie, birth and baby stories on TLC and discovery).

Power to the mothers! We need it.

[sweet tea]

I saw it... the unconventional births showed 3 planned birth center and one homebirth and 3 out of 4 were SCREAMING so loudly...the one gave birth on a birth stool in the center..and they showed a birth sling and 2 waterbirths.
But they were all choices the mommas had made..no meds, best for baby..nursing..supportive husbands, black cohosh, accupuncture...it was kind of empowering
they gave statistics on homebirths saying they were just as safe....all the babies were fine, one mom had her older dd catch the baby, and now my dd wants to catch mine!

however~
I caught Amazing births on DHC sunday night..they showed an incredible planned unassisted water birth on a remote island in the Pacific ocean!
This show was mostly about moms who had super quick labors and couldn't get to hospitals..they showed twins born BREECH at 28wks in the back of a car at 15 below 0 , a 26 weeker on an airplane...crazy stuff.

but the water birth was cool..it was her 3rd baby, they waited on the island 8 days, she labored and on her hands and knees gave birth in the ocean, the baby coming out was amazing...he kicked a lil like he was still in the womb, and then he flexed his legs for the first time with strong kicks underwater..it was beautiful! They then showed the kid like 8 yrs old, so I imagine this happened in the 90's..lol

[happay]

Ooooh, I want cable tv so bad!!!

[ChildoftheMoon]

Baby is not breech! Baby is in a good head down position. Very low, but not engaged. I actually measured four cm short, but neither midwife no I are worried. This baby just seems to be much smaller than my girls who were 9+ and 10+ babies. I also measured myself again later when baby had shifted and I only measured 2 cm short, so I will not let this turn into a worry thought! Everything else is great, bp nice and low, no swelling, feeling great, very strong heartbeat and baby moving and hiccuping quite a lot. If this kid is not a boy I will be so surprised! I just feel like everything is so different, it can't be a girl. Off to relax some, I have a super busy week!
Brandi

[pbjsmom]

I've made it through our big move. The house is a mess and I still need to pack that infamous "hospital bag". I'm hoping by the weekend to have the basics covered.

I had my midwife appt today. 36.5 weeks and counting. It's 90+ degrees here and I am rather uncomfortable. The midwife was concerned I'm showing signs of labor(rather crampy anda few contractions) and really wants the baby to "cook" another week or so. So it's lots of water and time on the couch for the next few days as prescribed. I really do need it though just wish the temp would cool down...we don't have A/C...