week of July 26 - Page 3

[bluehalo]

Katie -- congrats on the quick house find ... hope it goes through smoothly for you!!

Re: weight gain ... I've only gained about 10 lbs so far, but I was probably 15-20 lbs over my ideal weight starting this pregnancy, so my doc isn't concerned. I'm measuring on track, and everything else seems fine. I feel like I look as pregnant as I am (does that make sense? *lol*). As soon as DH is back in town, I'm hoping to get him to take some belly shots, and I'll post them at the Yahoo Groups. I went through all our recent pictures trying to find one of myself and was so depressed to not find one! I'm always the one *taking* pictures! Maybe I'll go ahead and post an older one just for kicks.

[True Blue]

Just added my belly pic from last week.

And a pic of Mickade playing his new guitar!! His daddy has a few guitars, he plays a lot, and they are expensive. DH was getting sick of him dragging his $600 guitar around the house, so we found this at Toys R Us. It's awesome!! It's a real guitar, wooden neck and everything, with a built in amp. DS thinks he's super cool.

[momadance]

29 weeks

I'll post a belly pic! The one of me up there now is about 4-5 weeks old. SO me and my friend had our mw appt. together yesterday. It was so exciting to hear her little babe! She miscarried earlier in my preg. She had been due 2 weeks after me. Now she's do in Feb. I'm measuring 32. I keep measuring 3 ahead of schedule. I've gained 6lbs this time, and 8 last time! Making a grand total of 30. I gained 45 with Smiley Boy. THis time around I look better though. (OF course I'm biased)

I'm sorta stressing : befor we went to ontario, my mil stayed with us for a couple days to help with painting and stuff, then we went away for 1 week, bringing my 17 yo bro. home with us for a week, now mil's coming back to stay a couple days, while bro's here, and then my other mil wants to come the following weekend. NO WAY!!!!!! I'm so sick of the space invaders! I'm trying to stay positive, because everyone's just trying to help us get the house ready, but there's not much I can do, and I just want to devote ALL time and attention to Miles. Pretty soon our little unit's world is going to be rocked with a new babe. It's so bitter sweet. Anyone else going through this? I felt guilty getting pregnate early on, so we waited, and now Miles is 3, but I still have guilt issues.

On a sweet note, while putting MIles to sleep last night, he told me he had to hold his baby, and fell asleep holding my belly oh god I'm crying again...

oh and katie congrats on the house! The universe provides!

Piglet do you like those pads better then luna's? I have some glad rags (way overpriced) and a few wahm pads I like, but I plan on investing in some more someday. I used the keeper for a while uke What a messy little device!

[momadance]

Courtney that pic of you and your belly is so enearing! All I can handle wearing now are skirts and light dresses too!

Truebleux I have that same shirt! I'm wearing it in one of my yahoo pics!

Jillerina your belly is so cute! It's like it's really out there!

You mama's look awesome! Very thin as well, like your bellys were just kinda attached. Nutty prof. style or something!

[True Blue]

27 weeks

momadance that's so funny!! I didn't even realize it since your pic is in b&w.

You know Katie, I'm actually a bit jealous of you now and your potential new house....

I know what you mean momadance about feeling guilty, sometimes I feel really guilty about the whole thing too. Especially since I am trying to get DS to stay in his own bed now. It had to happen eventually, but I know it's mainly happening bc the new baby is coming, you know? And man we are not getting much sleep, he wakes up a lot and wants to come over to my bed. Luckily, we are finally getting to the point where he can fall asleep without touching me, so I can even just talk to him a little bit....huge improvements!!

[Piglet68]

Oh Katie, I hope the house deal goes through. Sounds wonderful!!

Momadance, I love the Ladyglow pads. As liners, I like them better than the Lunapads b/c Lunapads have a waterproof barrier and it's more protection than I need. Sorry if this is TMI but...if I wear them every day my skin doesn't breathe well and....things don't smell so fresh... BUT, I know the Lunapads lady (one of them) and they are currently working on a pattern for a "breathable" (ie. no waterproof layer) minipad. The Ladyglow lights are quite absorbant, since they are hemp, not too thick, and priced very reasonably! (I got a 6 pack for $22). Lunapads are alot more expensive, but they are very substantial, well-made, and would work great for menstrual use (I never got a chance to try them for that, lol). The organic cotton is really lovely, too. I think the Ladyglow lights I have would only work as a backup to a tampon/keeper or on very light flow days. But they are great for "pregnancy discharge" (what a lovely term! yuck).

I'd love to post a belly pic. I just realize we haven't taken any! We took lots with DD. I'll get DH to take one, and I'll post some photos from our recent trip to Peninsula (Lucymom Town, lol)...

The guilt thing: I don't feel guilty, but I am getting emotional about the short time we have left with just DD. I worry sometimes about how I'm going to meet her needs when I have a little baby around. I don't ever want her to feel she comes in second place, kwim? There's a great thread on the main I'm Pregnant board right now listing book recommendations for "soon to be siblings", so I'm going to get some from the library and start "prepping" Emily. She knows there's a baby in mama's tummy but she is clueless about what that is going to mean for her life. I'm really happy about the baby and think the timing was perfect for us, I'm just a bit nervous about the transition for DD, and how she will handle it.

Now I have my own long vent I need to get off my chest: maybe it's b/c Emily has been waking frequently these last few nights, but I have just suddenly become really negative about nursing. I can't stand it. It is uncomfortable, even painful a bit, and I feel like I just grit my teeth through it. She's sleeping through the night about 50% of the time, but it goes in spurts and right now we're in a "nightnursing" spurt. She wakes at night, stirs and roots for the breast. Sometimes I can get her back to sleep without it, but sometimes she just gets more and more agitated, starts crying and calling out for "milkies!" in this sad, desperate little voice. I so don't want to do it, but I feel like the worst mama in the world if I don't - I mean, denying a child the breast is just....it's like betraying a sacred trust, kwim? We've done some gentle nightweaning with success, but she just isn't ready for total withdrawal at night, while I'm wishing she was. And I feel like I've been such a wishy-washy bad parent b/c I keep saying "no, no milkies, milkies are sleeping" and then I give in b/c I can't stand her crying so desperately for it, it makes me feel like I'm just not being the kind of parent I want to be. Normally I try very hard to be consistent but with this issue...well, I've been just awful - no consistency at night (maybe b/c I'm half asleep)...my dear husband can see it but hasn't said anything, bless his heart. I think I'm being worse by randomly allowing it/not allowing it but my first instinct is always "oh noooooo, not again!!!". I love that nursing can help her calm down when she gets overemotional, and I love that it helps her feel better when she has a boo-boo, and I don't *really* mind nursing her to sleep (although lately even that is bothering me)....but these past few nights I swear I am thinking the "W word" alot more often than I ever thought I would. A part of me is envious of those of you with weaned ones....if I have to nurse two at night I think I'm gonna scream, although Emily IS making lots of progress towards consistently sleeping through the night. Then again, I am also quite sure that the main source of my discomfort/pain is that my breasts are totally empty and flaccid. No lovely pregnancy-bustline here! I'm hoping that when my milk comes in after the birth, that nursing Emily will be a joy again, and a pleasure rather than what seems like 2 minutes of torture.

Sigh. Thanks for listening, if you made it this far. I just really needed to get that off my chest (ha ha).

[gottaknit]

27 weeks 3 days!

Piglet that sounds really tough. I can't imagine what it must be like (since this is my first). I know that for myself, my body feels very "occupied" right now and I don't even let DH too close, if you know what I mean. It must be really difficult to have a little one who needs you after your breasts all the time. Sometimes it seems like being a mother will mean that my body is no longer my own, which is a hard concept to embrace...

I posted a picture from last week. My face is so red!

Everyone looks so cute with their bellies. I had to show DH the pictures, too. He said, "You have online pregnant friends...?" :LOL Guess I forgot to mention the whole MDC thing to him. He didn't quite get it, but seemed glad that I have other pregnant women to chat with.

Had a midwife appointment yesterday. Only gained 2.5 pounds last month! Midwife was impressed that I got the weight gain under control, since the month before I was up 13 pounds. (To be honest, I have nothing "under control", I think it's totally random. I haven't changed anything.) How much are we "supposed" to gain in the last trimester? I think I remember reading one pound a week is average...?

Baby is head down now. I asked about the pelvic pain, and she said there's not much I can do but endure it and look at the bright side (the pelvis is getting larger to make room for the baby). She also said I'm "short-waisted" (ie long legs and stubby torso), so the ribcage pain will probably continue to increase as the baby runs out of room vertically. Ah the joys of pregnancy...

[krnflwr]

Originally Posted by Piglet68

...but I have just suddenly become really negative about nursing. I can't stand it. It is uncomfortable, even painful a bit, and I feel like I just grit my teeth through it. She's sleeping through the night about 50% of the time, but it goes in spurts and right now we're in a "nightnursing" spurt. ...if I have to nurse two at night I think I'm gonna scream, although Emily IS making lots of progress towards consistently sleeping through the night.

Piglet, Your Emily and my Hannah are just two peas in a pod. It's scary, sometimes, reading your posts, how much alike our situations are. Hannah is doing this exact same thing right now, and I'm finding it irritating and painful to nurse (and then the guilt starts). Feels like someone ran a cheese grater over my nipples. :
I've been getting some good support from my local LLL buddies, and reading Adventures in Tandem Nursing. Hilary Flowers spends a lot of time talking about nursing while preg., and the stories from the other moms in there really help keep me sane and focused on what's important. Lots of deep breathing, too.

[ameliabedelia]

Piglet, I can soooo relate on the nursing thing. Fortantely DD is completely nightweaned now, but during the day it is a whole other story. Every time I sit down, she wants to nurse, especially when I am at the computer. And, it is very irritating and painful as well. I can relate to the grit your teeth feeling.

[Piglet68]

28 weeks, 2 days (i made a mistake and thought I was 29 weeks)

Thanks, ladies. Amelia, I guess I have an advantage then, being at work during the day five days a week. But I have found it pretty easy to distract her when she requests nursing during the day (like on weekends). At night there's nothing to distract her with (like colouring, or having a sandwich, or some soy shake, etc...).

Well, after writing this rant, I realized I had to make a decision: either I was going to try to do something about it, or not. I decided not to. I'm happy with the gentle nightweaning we have been working on, and the progress we are making. I just simply cannot bear the distress levels that arise in DD when I just refuse or become wishy/washy like I have been recently. It's not fair to her at all. So I made a decision to stick with things, and keep nightnursing when the patting/cuddling doesn't work, and hopefully when my milk comes in after the birth, nursing will be pleasant again. I actually feel better already just having come to a decision, and while it took DD about half an hour to nurse to sleep tonight (usually it's pretty quick), it actually wasn't that bad.

krnflwr: I've been dying to read that book, but no libraries in Cleveland carry it. Since we're moving so soon, I'll wait till I get home. If the city library doesn't have it, I think my LLL does.

Sasha has been giving me amazing kicks today! I swear it feels as though he is trying to hatch!! And I think I felt a bottom poking out today! I have an OB appt tomorrow, so I'll ask him to see if he can tell which way baby is oriented.

[Lucysmama]

Piglet - I don't have any personal experience, but that sounds really tough. I know I get touched-out from dd and we are not even nursing. I just feel so hot and pregnant and uncomfortable, I don't want anyone touching me. I can't imagine a toddler wanting to nurse all night. Kudos to you for sticking by your gentle weaning. I hope you start enjoying nursing more when your milk comes in!

My baby is so active too. But I have been noticing his/her kicks are turning into more like hard squirms now. Could it be they are running out of room already?!?!

Also, is anyone else hungry??? :LOL I mean like, ALWAYS hungry? I feel like I could always have a snack, if not a big meal! Maybe baby is getting ready for another growth spurt? I remember eating like a maniac during months 7 and 8 last time, and then slowing down at the end. Looks like I'll be doing that again....I have a snack before bed, and wake up famished. At least I haven't gotten to the point of actually having to ge up to eat during the night yet!

Letia - how ya doing, hon? You've been so quiet lately!

[momadance]

Hungry? yes! I'm eating a necterine as I type, and just finished off a banana
Piglet, I'm glad you feel better. The moment of clarity after feeling so frazzled about something is bliss!
We found a time capsule behind some base boards in the house tonight. It was so cool! It made me think of the movie Amelie. Also on the inside door to our closet is a height chart for about 5 diff. kids, all the way up to the teenage years. I look forward to adding MIles to the list!

[gottaknit]

"Letia - how ya doing, hon? You've been so quiet lately!"

I think she's busy being a diaper hyena. :LOL

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...36#post1817236

[Lucysmama]

Letia! You lil' !!!!!!

[Court]

I love seeing the belly pics (and the other new ones). Mickade is so cute with his guitar. Thanks for the compliment, Momadance - I do love that skirt, I wish I had more, it's so cozy. I'd walk around in a big sheet if it was fashionable.

My little man child has gotten a cold or something, so he's had a fever on and off since yesterday, poor thing. He's such a trooper though. He's just content to lay in our one air-conditioned room and watch movies together. Although, he was up most of the night like a newborn, whenever his fever would come back. He knows I'm worried about him when I keep checking his forehead, and he says, "I'm alright mama, I'm just sick. I just need medicine. I have an owie in my throat."

I can't remember who brought it up, but I have also been having those feelings of guilt, or just a bittersweetness about adding a baby to the mix. I've been getting pretty weepy about it too.

I'm so glad you found a house Katie (if you decide to take it). Things have a way of working out.

And Piglet, I'm glad you're feeling better. I went through what you're feeling about wanting to wean a couple months ago. Nursing was driving me crazy, still does occasionally. But, I've been lucky cause Logan stopped nursing at night and most days it's very minimal. I'm actually starting to miss it. I asked him earlier when he was really upset if he wanted to nurse, and he very insistantly said, "no, mommy no!" like how could I have even suggested such a thing. I really think he's starting to wean, which does make me a little sad. I'm curious to see what happens when there's an abundant milk supply again, though. I think I'll get "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" just in case.

Oh, and I'm not really hungry all the time, but I want to eat all the time, does that count?

[ameliabedelia]

Hungry? yes! I'm eating a necterine as I type

I just read this and then got up to go eat a peach!! LOL.

Courtney, I am sorry your little guy is sick. I hope Logan feels better soon!

Piglet, Congrats on the decision. I know what you mean about just making a decision makes you feel better.

Momadance, that is cool on the time capsule. I wonder if our house has any cool stuff, I doubt it, it is only 5 years old. Oh well.

Gottaknit, I feel the same way about my body. Poor DH doesn't understand it when I am just like "please do not touch me"

[True Blue]

27 weeks 1 day....89 days to go!!!!

Good morning! I've been busy nesting this week. Why is it that when we are at a point in our lives that we should be taking it easy, we are suddenly overcome with the desire to clean out an entire closet?? Well I put the dipes through a wash, sorted out all the newborn clothes for all the neutral stuff (can you believe that after being stored for 2 years in rubbermaid bins, they still smell fresh of Dreft? Those things work!!), cleared out a drawer in my room for baby clothes, cleaned out the closet in the guest room, and started painting the changing table. Whew, I'm tired just reading that. Oh yeah I cleaned the carpets too. Am I going into labor tomorrow? LOL DS was so cute, he "helped" me put on the primer coat (our changing table was a hand me down when we had DS, and I decided to spruce it up this time and paint it to match my room). It's globbed in some areas, but in the end I think it's a nice memory, and really cute that big brother helped paint it for the new baby.

I remember all those feelings during nursing. I am so glad I was able to cut DS back early on when I was having spotting issues, and that he took care of the rest. I miss our morning nursing cuddles, but overall it's ok. He still likes to come cuddle. And I just know I'm not cut out for tandem, I think I would have gotten so irritated by it that I might not be able to give this one it's 2 years or so. If the experience is becoming negative for you, it just might be time to push a little harder to stop (while still being gentle, I mean). Do what you all feel is best for you!!

So obviously I'm in planning mode. And I started thinking, what am I going to wear during labor? I'm birthing at home, and it will be DH, me, my sister, and possibly DS (but I think it will be too much for him). My mom has started hinting that she'd like to be there. I'm not sure how I feel about that (not because I have problems with my mom, but bc I have issues about being naked in front of the whole world LOL). I was looking through Ina May Gaskin's Guide to CHildbirth last night, and there is a woman in some type of wrap skirt having her baby....maybe that would be a good idea? I just don't have any desire to be naked walking around in front of my mom. I know, know she gave birth to me and all (actually she had a c-birth, so it would probably be cool for her to get to see a natural birth) but for some reason I feel weird about it. I guess we'll have to see. But I feel like if I could find the right clothing I might consider it, and I know it would mean a lot to her. Anyone have any ideas?

[krnflwr]

29 wks

Yes, I'm always feeling hungry, but can't fit that much in at one time. So, I feel like I'm constantly grazing.
The name game has started in earnest around here. DH and I are at an impasse. :
Opinions, anyone?? DH *really* likes one name, and I'm not so sure. I really like the other name, but DH isn't in love w/ it. And I worry about the name either being too "out there" or too trendy. Whattya think?
Arwen Grace or Morgan Grace
(we both like Grace, but not for a first name).
thanks, mamas!

[Lucysmama]

Karin - I LOVE Arwen Grace. I think it is so lovely!!!

Dh and I are having a really hard time with names, too. : He keeps offering joke suggestions while shooting down all my real suggestions....like I will say, "How about Helena?" and he will say, "Ugh, NO WAY! But, how about Poppy Honey Moonshine Windsong? Whattya think?" It's getting REALLY annoying.

Amy - I am feeling really nest-y too. I have so many projects I want to do!!! I have to pour all that energy into packing now thoug.! And once we move, we will have only 5 or so weeks till the baby is due! That freaks me out - when am I going to find time to do all these things I want to do for the baby?!

to those having toddler nursing-issues. Sounds very very tough!

[krnflwr]

Originally Posted by Lucysmama

But, how about Poppy Honey Moonshine Windsong? Whattya think?"

:LOL
Sounds like the level of our discussions around here lately, too. Esp if you change "poppy" to "poopy". DD and DH both have a 2 yr-old sense of (potty) humor.
Thanks for the input. I like the name Arwen, in the abstract. I just can't imagine shouting down the street, "Arwen, time for dinner!". Guess I'm going to have to ponder this some more.