Week of September 27-who's next? - Page 2

[OakEmber]

36.5 weeks

Yeah, we sure are getting chatty as our days count down aren't we?!

Hmmm, let me see what my pregnancy brain lets me recall as I try to comment on what I've read.

Amelia- that is quite some list you have there! I hope that you feel better now that you've gotten it off your chest.

About the "being done" thing...the weird part about it, for me anyway, is that I don't physically feel that uncomfortable (don't smack me)...I'm pretty lucky and haven't had more than just the usual discomforts, and I could easily go on for a few more weeks. I feel done mentally/emotionally I guess, and I am not sure why..., and certainly didn't expect to ever feel this way...maybe it has to do with my m/c. I am with you others, I don't forsee being pregnant again...if I want to add to our family it will be through foster parenting/adoption, or just a classic oops

WTG Gretchen for growing such strong healthy babies and giving it all your best... Now I can't wait to hear thier names!!

Court- Got your bead safe and sound today, Thanks it is so beautiful! I really wish I had recieved some before sending out mine...now it seems so boring in comparison.

Thanks Soogie and Katie about the Bad Momma issue, we are having a much better day today.

Nancy, :LOL, I noticed that too, hehe! Oh well, I do believe there is something to seeing the cup as half full

Katie- I don't remember how long you labored with Lucy before having a c/s (just reread this and it could sound wrong so just to explain what I mean by it is that you might already know how you might act/feel in labor but it might be new to you) but I just wanted to let you know that I wouldn't let Dh leave the room....I just really didn't want him to miss the birth and thought it was gonna happen faster (so while I pushed for 4 hrs he wasn't even allowed to go and get something to eat : and he ended up with a migraine which probably could have been avoided). So hopefully you really will be Ok with Dh tending to Lucy and missing the birth if need be...but laboring woman can get some fanatical ideas in the moment I know you really want privacy, I just know what I did :LOL we didn't even have our camera in the room with us b/c I wouldn't let Dh go to the car for it...so I have no pictures of Ember until the day after she was born.

As for the placenta...I was just gonna leave it in the hospital too. I do hope to hear more about it from my midwife, how it looks, is it mature that sort of thing, but that's about the extent of it.

[Jillerina]

39 weeks exactly!

Well, I've been ingnoring the pregnancy most of the weekend and today since DD has been quite sick. It started out as a feverish day that was quite enjoyable for me (we snuggled and hibernated) but it has turned into a nasty sickly toddler. Poor DD hardley has any voice, she has an awful wet cough and lots of trouble breathing. I took her to the clininc today because DH and I agreed that we really needed to know exactly what was going on with her. We ended up with antibiotics which normally I'd try to avoid but right now I am looking for a quick fix so that DD can be healthy and I won't worry about going into labor when she is so needy. Anyway, all this comotion got me though 3 days without thinking about labor signs!

I have nothing to report in terms of labor, just more of the same BH contractions. I'm losing hope of having this baby before the end of September (the cutoff for school in Quebec) but thats OK.

Piglet, don't worry about not starting the thread everyweek, Letia does a great job in your place. And with you over on the West coast, us Easterners are up and at 'em before you (or we should be!)

I'm with all you toddler mamas about this being hard work. Amerliabedelia, your description of leaving the library with DD is a well known routine for us too sadley

Truebluxf I'm thinking of ya!

Gotta go, dinner is ready.

[mandalamama]

38 weeks, 1 day

the placenta: we'll be keeping it, although i worry about that at the hospital. they're ok with my husband putting it in a cooler, IF he has time to do that. no one we asked at the hospital ever heard of someone saving the placenta (huh?!) so we decided if trying to save it would distract him from the baby, don't worry about it. if we do get it, we'll bury the placenta under a willow tree we're going to plant at his mom's house

qotw: i'm a bit worried, mostly peaceful. even the worry feels good, like right before getting on a giant rollercoaster mostly i keep visualizing every little thing, from changing diapers to putting her to breast, figuring out ways to make things easier on myself (hence lots of nesting and re-organizing). my biggest worry (besides all the normal "i hope she's okay!" stuff) is that labor won't start by 40 weeks and they'll pressure me to induce. my entire being screams at me that an induction won't work and i'll end up with a cesarean, so even thinking about induction is enough to freeze me up in terror. i just keep meditating and visualizing my body relaxing and opening. it's so damn hard to let go and trust my body to do something it's never done before!

last week i was having constant contractions, since the baby dropped i have not had on contraction since then! hardly any discharge as well. hence worrying i won't go into labor on my own.

congrats Gretchen!! i can't wait to read the birth story and learn their names

peace,
meli

[momadance]

Ok! I've got all my birth linens washed and packed up! All we need to do is drain, sanitize and re-set the hot tub and we're good to go, which means I'll go way past my due date because I'm prepared ahh well

[mtnjenny]

Hi All,
My my, everyone's got a lot on their minds!

Thia, I'm still working (teaching.) I've said it before, but I swear it keeps my mind from obsessing about my pregnancy when I'm at school with those little munchers. I always forget about the rest of my life when they start coming in the classroom door...I plan on going back after three months, and again after the summer. I just don't feel ready to give it up yet. After nine years, it's truly a part of me and I still feel passionate about it. (I know, these feelings could ALL change as soon as I see that little baby face...)

Way to go Gretchen!

Piglet, me too on the purging of maternity clothes. It feels so good. I'm like bluehalo - the opposite of a pack rat. Can't stand the clutter!!

To all of you with little ones already, I just can't relate yet! I'm definitely one of those first-timers-loving-being-pregnant-feeling-so-good-don't-know-what-all-the-fuss-is-about. Ignorance is bliss! That must sound so annoying to you...sorry

I definitely want to check out the placenta, but after that, I don't need it...

Worries? Well, the same as all of you, truly. BUT, (get ready, here's optimistic Jenny coming through again, can't help it...) when it comes down to it, ladies, if you end up having a c-section, having the epidural, having the episiotomy, going way beyond your EDD, or just having a truly terrible birth experience - so what?! Am I crazy to think this way? Am I so ignorant? Tell me if I am. We are all being so careful, standing up for our wishes, making our intentions clear, covering all our bases, doing our research...at some point we have to trust our decisions (hospital, homebirth, whatever,) the people we have chosen to be with us, and the universe. As long as baby and mom come through healthy, we can deal with the memories of a traumatic experience - not that it would be easy, but we can deal with that, in lots of ways. I worry so much that people are going to see themselves as some sort of failure if something goes "wrong." And, believe me, I am bound and determined to have a natural childbirth, and have everything go JUST as I planned it... Oooh, I'm SO tempted to go back and delete this whole paragraph, but I won't...Thanks for letting me share those feelings with you, mamas. We just need to be strong on both sides of the picture, or once again it's a way of women losing control and feeling defeated. OK really, I'm done now. Whew.

Soooo...On a MUCH lighter note, anyone out there drinking non-alcoholic beer? What's your fave? (Yes, I'm a Wisconsin girl at heart, it's in my blood.) My favorite is Haake Beck, made by Beck's.

Now that you all think I'm totally nuts, I'll sign off...

[gottaknit]

Jenny, I only think you're nuts cuz you like non-alcoholic beer! I've tried every kind I can find and they all taste like I'm sucking on copper pennies. Yech!

I'll confess I sip wine with dinner on special occasions. But I can't wait to get my hands on a Real Beer again!!

[AnnR33]

Hi everyone! We're getting closer...
My main worries are that my kids will feel left out the first few weeks or that my in-laws won't get here in time to watch the kids and my DD will get freaked out by the experience. My DS is very excited about seeing the birth but my DD is only 3 and I think she'll be scared.
But mostly we're ready (famous last words) and I just need to get the last of the clothes washed and the rest of the things unpacked from our move!!! It's never ending!
Can't wait to hear about the next babe arrival!

Still thinking of you Amy-hope all is well!
Ann

[Thia]

Jenny I have never been a big drinker in my life, although I do enjoy a good glass of wine or an ammaretto sour if I am out. I have always thought beer tasted and smelled yucky. I was a month or two pg and dh opened up an O'douls (nabeer) and it smelled good! Since then, I always take a sip of his. He only drinks it a couple of times a week. It will be interesting to see if I still like it after the baby. I can't wait to have a good glass of wine!
Susan I too am a childbirth class drop out. We skipped the last class. I could have taught them for all I have read! My bibliography is quite long. A mix of Bradley stuff, Sears stuff, Henci Goer etc...so I feel pretty prepared on that end. As for all the breathing, I realized that my years as an athlete and singer have better prepared me than some class! We can do this!

Well, survived another day of work. Next time someone asks if I am "still here," I am going to say "no, I am not, you're dillusional!"

[Momma2LiamandTara]

Wow so many things I want to comment on.

If I go over my EDD. I'm doing the accupuncture and castor oil again. It worked for me before and avoid me being induced. The castor oil/OJ combo is the nastiest thing on earth but hey sure beats being induced. Who cares if ya poop when you are pushing that baby out they just rinse your behind off with a bit of water and your good to go. Plus the first poop after birth doesn't hurt because it's still working it's way out of your system. I'm not sure what effect this has on the baby but to me it seems better than pitocin. I'm not knocking anbody who chooses to be induced or has to be I'm just very into trying any other way than pitocin.

I remember the good old days of throughly loving being pregnant and what is the fuss all about. I know I really chwrished it becuase I had 2 m/c's before conceiving liam. It's just his time around when you're so tired from not enough sleep and chasing a toddler around, etc. You're just ready to be done and to start things with this lil baby. Thankfully I'm not having a lot of aches and pains but it's till not easy.

Anybody reading the eating your placenta topic in this forum. (not our specific one but the general pregnant one.) If it's the one I read before it was pretty gross. At least to me. If anyone wants to go for it. It's not for me.

BeansMomma-

My childbirth classes so sucked at the hospital (the ones I took while pregnant the first time) It was supposed to be a 2 day class to learn everything you wanted to know about childbirth. It wound up being about a hlf day about childbirth and a day and half about pain meds and the epidural. It was really awful!! I was the only one in my class to even ask if there was soemthing other than the dran epidural I could have. I was also the only one to mention using a doula or ask about the use of them. Man that class sucked. I basically just trusted my body and my doula to help me get through it the way I wanted which was drug free and medical intervention free. I was in the shower non-stop. The hospital I was at didn't have the birthing tubs. Water is such antural pain reliver. I would reccomend that and just trust and belive in yourself and GET A DOULA!! I'm using a doula again this time. Not to say my husband can't support me but it's nice having that extra support.

It's been intersting to see how we all are feeling a lot of similar things.

Okay we've shared a lot of personal stuff here..anyone here having really bad gas issues?

WEll that's about if for this post..the boys are home from their adventure out. So I should go.

Take Care all!
Carrie

[Lucysmama]

Originally Posted by Momma2Liam

Anybody reading the eating your placenta topic in this forum. (not our specific one but the general pregnant one.) If it's the one I read before it was pretty gross. At least to me. If anyone wants to go for it. It's not for me.

: I'm thinking about it....

[True Blue]

Was it Thia who asked about what to do about consent forms? In my Hynobabies workbook it addresses just this, and says that you should sign the papers only after adding "subject to my informed consent at the time". If the hospital requires you to sign them as-is, they say you should sign them, then as soon as you are admitted upstairs give them a new signed document stating "I hereby withdraw my consent to all non-emergency drugs or procedures for myself or my baby, unless you obtain my informed consent at the time."

Um, worries? I think you all know my biggies now LOL. Like, will I be able to birth at my own home? And last night I had some contractions on top of the plug loss, and all I could think was how I wasn't ready to give up DS's only-childness yet. I didn't feel like I had prepared him enough. That, and it would have been hard for DH to get here considering he was 4 hours away in Key West. I also haven't taken any nice belly pics yet, and I would be bummed if I had the baby before I had the chance.

Thanks for all your thoughts and well wishes everyone. Tomorrow afternoon DH will get to the house and we'll know the situation...I can't wait!!!!

Went out today and bought a couple shorter nightgowns that button down for nursing to have for labor, especially if I labor here at my parents'. I was able to et some that are gathered enough so I could buy them in my normal size so they'll still work after baby is born, yet be loose and comfy for now.

Need to call the mw and tell her what is up relug and find out what I absolutely need to have on hand here at my parents' if my birth kit doesn't get here for me (it was sent to our home, and I'm sure they aren't delivering anything right now, and if it does get there, then I also need it to be brought to me here.....)

Went out to dinner with my family for my bday tonight. It was nice. My mom took DS out to buy me a present while I was napping today and he came back so excited to give it and my "happy birthday mommy" balloon to me.

[sqoya]

The house is done - I have a life again!!! 37 1/2 weeks

Yay! Our remodeling efforts are officially done!!! We have everything put back together, aren't sleeping in the basement anymore, a beautiful kitchen - wow, I'd almost forgotten about what a normal life is like!!! Oh, and my first paper will be published about the time the baby is due! I've submitted it and am relaxing now!

QOTW: Honestly, I don't have any fears. (I used to be afraid the house wouldn't be done. But that's over!) It's not that I don't think something won't go wrong, but I just feel as though we've prepared as much as we possibly could, that it's out of our hands now. If I end up needing a cesarean or some other intervention, well I know that I tried everything possible to prevent it. I guess I feel somewhere along the line of Jenny.

I did ask my dh what we'd do if we had a baby with one leg - since we haven't had an u/s, we really don't know if everything's there. He said, "Well, that's better than 3 legs - could you imagine how hard it would be to shop for a 3 legged baby?" He made me laugh - I instantly forgot any worries.

Placenta - Thanks so much for the idea of donating it to a search and rescue team. I'll look into that!

All you Mamas with toddlers - I keep forgetting about how hard it must be for you to be pregnant. I kept thinking to myself, "Over? No, I'm not ready for this pregnancy to be over at all! I'm lovin' it!" Now, I realize there's no way I could take all my naps, organize the house, and just relax with a toddler to care for. You all amaze me. Really.

Oh, I'll post a picture of me tiling our kitchen floor (at 36 weeks - wow - don't tell my midwives, they'd kill me).

[MamaEmerald]

Mandi, that sounds like I question I'd ask my partner! hahah. I do think about that stuff sometimes. And both my uncle and my father had cleft palates, so I think about that too. I would be so sad! To have my poor little guy go through so much surgery would be awful. yuck.

and ameliabedelia, I really feel you on a lot of those. I am not sick with worry, but at different times I've thought all of those things.

Last weekend I got myself into a frenzy because when I met with my midwife on monday, she wanted to give me an ultrasound because she was surprised I was measuring smaller(I guess she didn't really think the baby had dropped much). She measured the fluid pockets and said everything was fine, but since then I've freaked out anytime I get particularly moist. Which has been frequently. If it's not a thick mucousy substance I get this sick feeling in my stomach like my baby is gonna run out of fluid before I go into labor or see my midwife again. But I know I'm just being crazy.

oh, and the placenta: if it's really healthy and stuff, we might take it home and make medicine out of it. boil it, grind it up, and put it in capsules. It's supposed to be awesome!

[Piglet68]

Hey, I notice that mirthfulmum hasn't chimed in yet...she's awfully close to her due date! I'll phone her tomorrow morning and check in on her!

re: Fears...well, my fears mostly centre on my daughter and how she is going to handle being away from me at night for the first time. The last two nights have actually been very good, she's only woken a couple of times to nurse (once last night) and the other times when she stirs she's gone right back to sleep with just a rub on her back. If this pattern holds it will make me feel alot better! I also know that I won't be seeing much of her in hospital, I mean how much fun will it be for her to hang around the hospital room? So I miss her already! Strangely, I'm not worried about the baby and then sometimes that worries me, lol. I just assume everything will go great as it did with DD and baby will nurse fine, etc.....I feel bad in a way that I'm more focussed on Emily but I suppose that is natural.

I finally sorted through the baby clothes and washed them all - they're hanging to dry and I'll put them away tomorrow. I found a cleaning lady (recommended by a friend) so as of Thursday my apartment will be cleaned once a week. Thank god...it was starting to look pretty bad (well, if you look up close - I've been totally anal about keeping everything tidy and neat!). I'm feeling alot less stressed out now that it seems I really will be ready for baby.

I've been retaining a whole lot of water these last few days. I've had to take my wedding ring off, and my ankles hurt last night so I had to prop them up (like I had room in my bed for any more pillows, lol). I spent an uncomfortable night trying to find a position where something didnt' ache! I'm trying to drink more water, but still feeling very swollen.

And finally, I just feel the need to reiterate what everyone else has said: I love reading each and every post here, but just don't seem to have it together enough to respond to all of them directly.

Okay, time for bed!!

[mirthfulmum]

39w 1d

Don't anyone get there hopes up. Still pregnant, just getting to the boards late today.

Oh my gosh you all have been chatty today. Reading the thread I had so many comments but now that I've started writting I can't remember anything I wanted to say .

I have a midwife appointment tomorrow. I don't think this little guy is engaged or anything but I am hoping he's in a good birthing postion at least. I really think that there might be something funny about the way my hips are built that makes it hard for babies to engage. I often feel like Harrison is really low for a few days, even begin to feel increasing pressure in my pelvis and stretching of ligaments, and then I'll wake up the next morning and the low down pressure is just gone and I the baby dosen't feel low anymore. It's like he's just bobbing up and down. Oh well, I'm not too worried as Alias never engaged in my pelvis either so I know I can still birth an unengaged baby, I just don't want to have to push for 4 and a half hours again like I had to with Alias.

QOTW: I think it was amelia who pretty much covered all the nagging fears I wrestle with. I mostly worry that the baby will not be healthy. That there will be something wrong and he will die or be permanantly and severly disabled. I think that is truly my biggest fear. I agree with Jenny in that what ever my birth experience turns out to be, even if it ends up gong against any and all of my wishes and desires for a natural and calm birth, that as long as I have a strong, vibrant and healthy baby in my arms when it is all over I know that no matter what I had to go through to get him to that point will have been worth it.

As for the placenta... not really my thing to take it home. I can't even really muster up the appreciation to want to get a look at it before it is taken away. But I have heard that it wonderfully healthy and fantastic in warding of PPD and speeding up the post-delivery healing process. Good on all of you mommas who are of stronger constitutions than I .

[OakEmber]

Argh...I did it again Just had to say that I am not feeling too uncomfortable earlier today...now here I am up at 4:30 AM because everytime I try to roll over in bed it's excrutiating : My cervix is feeling really crampy, menstral like tonight...so much so that the thought of Tylenol has crept into my mind, so I got up to drink a RRL tea and sit here on my birthing ball. Still cannot reach my cervix...I think I will just have to give up on that idea. Hopefully this all means that Oakley's head is engaging. Anyone else planning on having a Chiropractic adjustment one more time before labour?? I have been trying to wait as long as possible with hopes that once I get adjusted I will stay that way up until labour, I will be sure to phone tomorrow so I can get in soon!

BeansMomma- To quote Ever After "breathe...just breathe"...I personally feel that you are just gonna do what comes to you naturally despite what you have learned...although others might not agree with me. I didn't take much from my birthclass last time (hospital run like yours too), I really just took it to please my Dr. I am sure that you have read enough on your own etc. to be prepared.

Mtjenny- I think your attitude is a healthy one. Also two woman can have similar experiences and one can view her l&d as positive and one as neg...it's good to have an open mind and not get too attached to trying to control that which is not controlable. I think all of us have done what we can to ensure we are birthing in a supportive atmosphere.

Amy : Geesh, talk about sneaking that in on us at the end of the day like that! I hope you had a nice day (sounds like you did!) How sweet of your Mom to take Mickade out shopping for you I really hope that you find everything the way you left it when you go home...today I guess as it is already 9 am on the east coast. I think I will go back to bed now, :LOL

[Momma2LiamandTara]

Happy Belated Birthday Amy!

Just caught ont he posts this morning and wanted to say Happy Birthday!! :

[True Blue]

Thanks Amie. Things had been so hectic actually that I kept forgetting it was my birthday!!! At least the baby wasn't born yesterday, I think that would suck, for a little kid to have share his/her birthday with mommy!

I'm getting on pins and needles now waiting the hours for DH to get to our house....

[momadance]

: :

truebluexf!!!!!

[Thia]

Well, I had at least two hours of cramping this morning. Hurray! I'll take what I can get. Now, the baby just keeps changing from my left to the right, back and forth...my stomach looks quite odd.

Reading about everyone's worries makes me think back to about week 18. I had the final us of this pregnancy. The tech was scaring me b/c she was taking so long and remeasuring things a zillion times and making faces. I had a dr appt across town right after, and dh, who came to the sono was going to go home instead of to the dr. I made him take me to the dr b/c I was so afraid there would be bad news. He did go with me and everything was just fine. Baby was very active and that made things difficult. You know what dh said to me, well, I can't directly quote, but here's teh general idea: that this was our baby no matter what. We would love it no matter what and take care of it no matter what. If there had been a problem, we'd deal with it and just love on the baby. b/c s/he was ours. Awwwwww....that was the most awesome thing he has said to me the entire pg.

Amy, thanks for passing on those consent form tips.