Aug 1 - Aug 7

[Celtain]

I just went to the Dr. Weighed in at 106.5 up a pound and a half from last week. Heard the heart beat, 150 a minute. I'm really thinking boy here. I refused the AFP test. Is anyone else here going to do it? I had a bad experience with my ds pregnancy, and I don't want to repeat it.

Feeling good. Last night the baby seemed to be kicking straight down. IT HURT. I told my dh I expected to look down and see a very little foot!!!!! LOL Other than that no food cravings or aversions. Just wiped out at the end of the day so I try to get stuff done early in the day.

School starts here in one week!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo, it will be just me and dd2. I can spend some "just us" time with her before the baby is born.

Still job hunting, cross your fingers for me!!!

[Malama]

Originally Posted by embens

I refused the AFP test. Is anyone else here going to do it? I had a bad experience with my ds pregnancy, and I don't want to repeat it.

I'm not getting it either. I did take it with my sons, and it was fine. Since then I have had so many friends/ clients take the test and get false positives adn then go on to have TONS of stress and more testing. One friend last year was told she had a high probability of having a Trisomy 18 baby (incompatible with life) so she went ahead and had an amnio. Baby was perfectly fine abd born at home this April. But she was a basket case.
It's a personal choice though. If your dates are absolutely right on, there is less chance for the test to be off.

I've been feeling pretty good too. I'm also wiped at the end of the day, but not drop dead exhausted anymore. My mood is also slightly improving, though not too much, unfortunately!

I think I'm starting to actually LOOK pregnant too! People who know me can tell, but the others just think i'm a little chubby around the middle, LOL!

Hope everyone's feeling good and staying cool- I'm trying hard!

[Marysmama]

Edd Jan. 21 15w3d

Hi everyone! Feeling pretty good.

As I posted last week my 19mo dd has been sleeping through the night. I'm so happy for that. She is nursing about 2 times per day. And my nipples are starting to feel better. They aren't hurting so much anymore. I guess it's because she's not nursing so much.

I'm hoping to feel movement soon. I know it's still really early though. Oh well, I guess I just have to wait.


Embens, I did not do the AFP with either pregnancy. Just isn't worth the worry IMHO. And glad to see that you're gaining. I wish you could take some of my extra weight! LOL

Dh and I are so stuck on names. We are in trouble. I guess we've got some time to think on it.

Happy Gestating everyone!

[Chiromom]

I'm baaack!

So, I have been completely out of the loop for the past 6 weeks. When pregnancy sickness hits me, it smacks me hard! So, I loaded up the kids (4 yo and 18 mos) and drove across the country to Montana to stay with my mom until I could function again. DH was pretty lonely but supportive since he knew I just couldn't handle things alone. I don't know how I made the drive (2 1/2 days) but we did. Then I just layed on my mom's sofa for three weeks and only got up to puke or to crawl back in bed.

My food aversions were so severe that I could only eat my mom's pot roast with organic beef, potatoes and carrots for about two weeks. (My mom says we should name this baby Angus! Ha!)

Anyway...After I started feeling a little more functional we drove back to my in-laws for a week and then finally came home. I am happy not only to be home again but to be finally turning the corner from "functioning...kinda" to feeling semi-human and having a little energy to like clean and stuff! Hooray! I am even back on the computer again!

So....Otherwise all is well. This new little "Rutabaga" is still kinda sureal to me since I don't have much to show for it..i mean I do have a little bump but its all soft and minor. But I can't wear my clothes anymore because things that push accross my abdomen make me nuts! But...maternity clothes is just rediculously too large...so I am living in my umbro soccer shorts from my sporty days. It seems like...I'm well into the "second trimester" now...shouldn't I feel more preggo?

[rubysmomjess]

Hi y'all!
Well I've made into the 2nd trimester. Still really tired but stomach seems to have settled enought that I can pretty much each whatever. Although I still have an aversion to tomatoes....I'm so grouchy and moody.

On the testing...last time I only let the OBs do the initial blood work and test for anemia (and the pee test). I declined everything else because I didn't want to know and be stressed...and for me it really wouldn't change much. I would still keep the baby. We did (and will) do the 20 week ultrasound. Mostly 'cause dh loves the geeky technology stuff. Although, we still won't find out the sex...much to everyone's dismay. I like the surprise/mystery.

Hope everyone has a good week.

[pixiexto]

Hi All

I'm still feeling good here, and surprised myself last night by going for a 5km run! I couldn't run at all with my last pregnancy (always felt like baby was going to fall out), but not so this time. I'm still mainly walking a lot, but I might throw in a few jogs here and there.

Ooooh, early this morning I felt the baby move!! I thought that I felt something two nights ago, but wasn't sure. Today's the very first time that I'm really confident that those flutters are our baby! It is just such a wonderful feeling.

We'll be taking off for stage 2 of our move (the BIG move) in just over a week now. I am so eager to get going, and can't wait to become acquainted with a whole new World. It's going to be such a big change! And I'm also really looking forward to having our own space again (right now we're living in part of a big house, but "sharing" kitchen/bathroom space.... challenging at times!)

Anyway, I'm rambling... hope everyone else is feeling good & enjoying some sunshine

[Pam_and_Abigail]

I felt the baby move too! A few times over the weekend!
What is AFP? I don't think I had one before...

I feel really bad for dd, now that there's pretty much no milk, and it hurts to nurse her. I hate saying no to her! She gets really upset about it sometimes, and I just feel so mean! Even if I had planned on actively weaning her, I would hope it would be tearless! I can tell she's not latching right, because of the way my nipple looks when she's done. There's a ring around the base of the nipple, a little way into the aereola. She's not even two yet! It seems so unfair for her.

I think I'll be meeting with a midwife soon! I'm still nervous about the cost, but I can't imagine birthing in the hospital.
I'm trying to stick to the hypnobabies program, but I find it so hard to get time every day. I think it must be easier with a first baby!

[Celtain]

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got my first leg cramp early this morning. I swear that has to be one of the worst ways to wake up!!!!

But on a better note, I have gone clean crazy. My dh is the happiest guy in the world. He comes home from work and something else is spotless!!!! He can't wait to come home tonight to see what I have done. I have big plans for the family room, (and what a scary place that is).

[Malama]

I think I posted last week that I had felt some flutters. Well last night I am positive that my baby kicked my hand. Oh joy! I can feel it when it's near the surface and I had my hand on there, and pop. Things are starting to seem more real!

I told my dh that I had a dream that the baby was a boy. He said that he'd rather it be a boy (we have 2 boys) or be 2 girls! crazy!

embens, you might wanna try Cal/Mag supplements for the leg cramps. That usually helps.

[sme]

Hi...I'm new here. And I'm new to pregnancy...this is my first. I think I've been feeling some flutters...well, I'm almost certain I am now, but I wish I could tell for sure! I suppose in a couple of months I might not be wishing that
So far, I've had a very easy pregnancy...no nausea, and the extreme exhaustion lasted only a couple of weeks. I've been running, biking (less now), and swimming, and I think that's helped a lot.
Great to meet everyone.

[sweetpeasmom]

Welcome and congrats sme!!
I also refused the AFP test. I had it last time and regretted it. I forgot what exactly happened but the results came back and ob was concerned, so therefore I was concerned but everything was fine in the end so that all that matters. If there's anything wrong w/the baby then I will deal w/it when the time comes, I just could never bring myself to a possible abortion.

Well I'm doing ok. Still doesn't seem like I'm pregnant at times. Starting to get a belly and my clothes getting ever so tighter.

[Killick]

Hi All,

I am now 18 weeks 2 days. We did the AFP and got the results back that everything was normal. Twins were also ruled out! I was never so relieved in my life. One was enough, we were a bit overwhelmed at the thought of 2. HB is a steady 144. My OB said he wouldn't be surprised if it was a boy! Think blue thoughts. I already have a daughter, so most likely if this is a boy, we are done.

Hope everyone has a great week.

Nicole

[rubysmomjess]

Embens-my last pg I had really terrible legs cramps, too. The best thing for me was to drink a glass of milk or calcium fortified juice before I went to bed. Pretty much cured the night time leg cramps. That and farther along it meant I was less likely to wake at 2am starving

[Azreial]

I am also refusing the APF. My OB said he "would like to talk me into it" but didn't even attempt when he could see that he wasn't going to get anymore. The midwife even sent me home with the pamplet, well she gave it dh. He'll go along with just about every thing I want (except homebirth) so that was a waste of her time.

I gained 2 pounds, so I'm only down 13 pounds now. I'm actually wearing pants that were pretty tight before. I haven't been sick almost at all. I couldn't figure out why I'm losing wieght until DH pointed out that I'm really not eating. I didn't beleive him, but he's right. I hadn't really been hungry. I'm eating more now but its still less than pre-pg. I don't know why I don't want to eat, I feel like I am starving my baby but I just can't eat anymore than I am. I've tried but then I just feel sick

[3_opihi]

Hi everybody,

I've been out of the loop for sooo long! I thought that I had miscarried at 10 weeks, but then come to find out at 15 weeks that I was still pregnant!!! It's a long story but basically my midwife totally dropped the ball and flaked out on me, and then we went on a trip to the mainland for a month. So now we are just seeing a regular OB until we figure out whats going on. Basically, I have been bleeding since about 6 weeks pregnant. Suppossedly there is some sort of blood clot between the placenta and the sack that surrounds the baby. I don't know if this is necessarily a super bad thing, or nothing to worry about, but I'm going in for an ultrasound on Sat. Then we'll know more about what exactly is going on.

Other than that I'm doing really well. I've felt the baby move like, twice. I'm also starting to show a little bit. I'm going to go get some of those "transitional" maternity shorts this weekend. I think my milk has turned into colostrum, which my 17 month old is not too happy about. But he's hangin' in there.

Glad to be back chatting with you all!

[Malama]

Aloha mamamaya,
I was wondering what happened to you! I'm sorry to hear things have been stressful with the babe/ pregnancy. I hope saturday's u/s is filled with good news.

And what's up with your mw? dropping the ball and flaking on you? ugh.... very UNcool.

Glad to hear that everything else is going well... keep us informed!

Karen

[ParkersMama]

Went to midwife this week (at 14-1/2 weeks) and saw baby ... doing well. My BP was good - 116/80, and no signs of again being wrongly diagnosed with "chronic hypertension" like last time (thank goodness!!). I've lost 5 pounds though -- even though I'm really not throwing up that much. I still have bad nausea, though, so that has a lot to do with it.

I'm feeling unsure about my midwife, but feel like I have few options because I'm going for a VBAC. I am heavy, and she keeps talking about a "negative weight gain" -- which to me just sounds unhealthy during pregnancy!! Last time I gained I think a net amount of 20 pounds, and in the first interview she and her backing OB said that seemed fine, but my son was 9-lbs, 4-oz, and they want to avoid a large baby again, as it would affect their willingness to support my VBAC "attempt". Is it just me, or is trying to make a small baby by not gaining weight ASKING for an unhealthy baby??

[sme]

Kristin--
Everything I've read says never to lose weight while you're pregnant--no matter what! I'm surprised your midwife seemed to be suggesting that.
Is there someone you can ask for a second opinion or something?

We had our u/s today and found out we're having a boy

Sheila

[3_opihi]

I think it's ok if you gain little to no weight as long as you are eating extremely healthy and taking good supplements. But I have never heard of it being a good thing to restrict your weight gain. What worries me is that your midwife seems to be going back on her word. At first she said 20 lbs was fine, now it isn't. What if she says a VBAC is fine now, but goes back on it later? Also, the fact that she thinks of it as an "attempted" VBAC. These would be big red flags to me. Are there any other midwives in your area that you could at least start talking to?

Sheila--- I don't know you, but congrats on the boy! Hopefully we will find out tomorrow what we're having.

[Elisabet]

feeling so much better

Hi, all. I just love reading posts that I could have written. (Love reading all the posts, actually.) I too am feeling much better. The nausea has all but passed. It only comes on if I smell a really strong smell or go too long without eating. And because I'm not wholly preoccupied with the nausea, I am more of a person again -- more playful with dd, attentive to dh. I'm even doing housework again -- cleaned the fridge yesterday, no problem. Dh was so pleased b/c he's been under a lot of work stress and had been struggling to do all of the housework, too.

I'm not sure how much I've gained, but I have quite a belly already. It's definitely a baby bump. I'm down to just a handful of elastic or drawstring waist pants and skirts. I am going to have to do some shopping soon. But since I've announced to my colleagues, I don't really mind b/c I'm not trying to conceal anymore. The best moment was when I spoke to the higher-up in charge of maternity leaves -- luckily guaranteed (and paid!) -- and she was so pleased for me. She was laughing b/c she'd been trying to reach me to tell me that I no longer had to do a particular task. Someone else had been assigned before they even knew about the coming baby. That means I get back a few hours a week, with which I can do other work and maybe cut down on time I sneak off from dh and dd to work on Sunday afternoons.

I know most folks who post here are not much into prenatal testing - and I totally understand why -- but we decided to do an ultrascreen (b/c of my age, ethnic background, some admittedly irrational anxiety on my part plus two sets of very medically-minded parents who worry more than is good for their health), and the results were very reassuring. And now I can skip the amnio, hurray!

Be well!