April Mamas Chat Thread: Oct 13th - 20th

[ScooterMama1]

Hi everyone,

I figured that it was time to start another chat thread...

Question of the week: Have you had a chance to tell everyone that you are pregnant? Are you trying to wait?

I just told my older sister this weekend, and she is pregnant too! Today I let a number of people at work know. It is surprising how many people had no idea... and I think that I am really starting to show!

I am just starting to get some of my energy back. I still get sleepy, just not quite as sleepy as a week or so ago. I am soooo emotional though. I have been blowing everything out of proportion and crying at the drop of a hat. My dh actually finds it amusing.

Hope you are all having a great week!

Pamela

[liawbh]

i told my mom the minute I knew! Then gave her permission to tell everyone. My whole family knew by the 20th of Aug! But my mom got married 8/27, and I knew everyone would want to know what was up with the no drinking, etc, so I figured let 'em know over the family grapevine, easier than explaining one at a time!

[jessikate]

As far as I know, everyone's been informed. I think the last people we told were our neighbors. There may be some extended family that we haven't told yet, but they'll find out sooner or later.

Feeling better here, for the most part. I got a ton of energy back around 12 weeks, then promptly got a nasty long-lasting cold. I've still got the occasional cruddy cough (3 wks later), but I'm essentially over it. Still fighting headaches, too. Too much tension in my life (stress? What could be stressful about parenting a toddler during pregnancy?) and not enough money to visit the chiropractor weekly like I'd like.

On the bright side, I felt some kicking on Saturday! That would be 14 wks, 5 days. A bit earlier than with DD, but only by a week or so. Unlike her first kicks, which were fluttery and soft, these kicks were definite kicks! I wonder what would account for the stronger kicking... bigger baby? Multiples? (I hope not) Different location of placenta? Who's to know. It's so exciting to feel that kicking again! I really missed it after DD was born.

[aprildawn]

thanks for starting the thread this week, scootermama. i was just coming to check if anyone had yet.

so, a bit ago i was coming in from a walk. i needed to pee pretty bad. always do when i go on a walk -- guess it's all the pressure on my bladder from the boucing of the walking -- i walk pretty fast. anyway, as i was coming in i was also trying to suppress a sneeze. i was putting my cd player down and it was about to slip and fall on the floor which i didn't want because it might break. so i was delayed in getting to the bathroom as i caught the cd player, and then it happened. i sneezed!! and whoosh, i peed my pants. just a little bit. but, still, how awful. :

the lesson: kegel, kegel, kegel. hope it works.

in answer to this week's question -- everyone knows. the cat has been out of the bag for quite some time now.

[speedknitter]

Great topic, since we are all probably getting to that point where it is going to be difficult to hide soon! I'm fortunate that I work in an industry where it's acceptable to wear jeans and untucked t-shirts to work!!!

We've told family from day one, and have been gradually telling close friends, etc. We have not told anyone at work yet (except for one close female friend who guessed) and are going to wait another few weeks. We are in the middle of relocating our business to a new facility and I just don't want my being pregnant to be an issue with anyone. I'm being very careful about what and how much I lift, believe me there's plenty to do without me having to do any of the really heavy work. I think if everyone knew they would treat me differently and we just don't have time for that now...too much to get done in the next two weeks.

I am looking forward to letting everyone know - the folks we've told so far have been so very excited and supportive!

[seren]

I'm pretty sure everyone knows.

I felt a thump last Thursday. That would be 12 weeks 3 days. About the same time I felt it with ds. I don't know if it was an actual kick, but it was a thump.

[J-Max]

Hi everyone

Most people know about our baby. We told our families right away adn have been telling everyone else recently. It is getting really hard to hide, because I am HUGE. A couple people at dh's work know, but most of them don't.

I felt definate movement on Moday (15 weeks 1day)! I thought I had felt it before, but was not sure. THis was actual rolling and jumping. I have been fealing it on and off all week.

[danaalex]

we have told some friends that live in the area, but the only family member that knows is my SIL. we told her because she was planning a march/april wedding in 2005, and we wanted her to know that i wouldn't be there and that meant the girls wouldn't be there either. LOL.

we have been holding off telling until we were out of the first trimester, and we wanted to find out if we were having one or two. we are having ONE . and so we'll start notifying our family soon.

i am extremely emotional right now too. we live on the panhandle of Fl where hurricane ivan hit, and everytime i see the damage on the news or driving down the street i break into tears. i just cry and cry and cry. if i here about a babe that has a terminal illness, or they have died from one i cry and cry and cry. i'm a walking water fountain.

[natashaccat]

I'm feeling sick as a dog these days, I've had a migraine for almost a week now and I can't sleep even when I have the opprortunity.

Having a hard time not slipping into depression about this pg. BFing dd #1 took so much out of me, I'm feeling really stupid for wanting to get pg so quickly. I wish I'd given myself more time for my hormones to settle and for my body to recover from 2 yrs of chronic night waking. I feel so bad for dh and dd, I'm a walking zombie and dd is really missing her mama.

Sorry, feeling kinda sorry for myself these days...

[crat19]

Thanks for starting this thread!

to natashaccat. Hang in there and don't forget to ask for (or accept) help when you need it. I can't tell you how much it lifted my spirits once I had some time to reflect on my own.

We told my il about a month ago (see them every day), my dad (in CO) a couple weeks ago, and my coworkers just today. News travels fast here in the office, so I figured that once the cat was out of the bag with my boss, I gotta start telling other people. I hate being pushed into telling people when I don't want to, or am hedged into by suggestive motions etc. I'm 15 weeks along now, and people at work are surprised b/c I've lost so much weight (15 lbs) recently. That happens with me in the first trimester as a result of the m/s.

I told my 12 yo brother last night while using the webcam. I held up a t-shirt for my ds that says: "I have some big news!! I'm going to be a BIG BROTHER!!" My db's face was just like this: I was laughing for ages at his reaction! He's super excited to be a "double uncle"

[sunbaby]

hi everyone. hey, um, arent we all in, or very soon to be in, the SECOND TRIMESTER ? huh, are we? well, holy cow, i for one find that tremendously exciting! i am going to be 13 weeks on saturday, and i am feeling so much better that i could just flip.

(a moment of silence for those who did not make it to the second trimester this time. )

i was just starting to feel better when dd and i came down with an awful flu. headaches and respiratory congestion, morphing into vomiting for a few days. ugh. lost all the weight i had begun to gain back. and if one more person comments on how thin i look i am going to :Puke right then and there. yes, i know thankyou very much. i am plenty aware of it. please oh please let it be smoother sailing from here. today was so good, i took a walk, visited a friend and got some housework done, all with only the most fleeting nausea.

i am so excited to hear about some folks feeling movement. wow. are we there already? i cannot wait.

natashacat, hugs to you. migraines are the worst. i have been getting some, only so small that as long as i act quickly, tylenol can squelch em. i do feel guilty about all th etylenol for the babe, but i have to do everything i can to avoid a migraine. i wish i could do something for yours, too.

oh yeah, and we have told everyone. i pretty much spread the word around 7 weeks when my bloodwork came back looking promising. for us, we figure, yep, it was hard to tell folks when we miscarried, but nicer for us to have them know whats going on rather than keep it secret.

[ctdoula]

Thanks for starting this thread!

Everyone knows & has for along time, LOL. I told my mom & she can't keep a secret at all. I'm not showing at all yet, so I still don't look preg.

I'm feeling better... yeah!! No more nausea. I'm also getting more energy, yippee.

I also think I've felt a little movement over the weekend. Very cool, I can't wait to feel more!

[proudmamanow]

Hi everyone!
Thanks for starting this thread Pamela, between Cdn. Thanksgiving and being on strike for 3 days this week things have been a bit CRAZY!
Happily I'm not out spending 4 hours/day on the picket line anymore. And I am very happy to say that I am now officially 14w1d and very pleased to be out of the first trimester!! What a relief. I celebrated last night by going to my first prenatal yoga class-a very intense Kundalini class, during which the instructor kinda freaked me out by saying only 1 minute left of a difficult exercise! The length of a contraction! whoa! I realized I haven't really started to think about that thing called labour that comes at the end of all this ! Well, okay, I had thought about it, but not really in a 'I'm going to have to do this, really!' way, kwim?

I'm so happy for all of you who are feeling the baby move...I've been feeling some possible flutters and would really love to feel something more definite as I'm a bit nervous..we didn't hear the hb at the midwife's 2wks ago and I think it's bothering me more than I thought. But I do think I might be feeling some flutters, and then I think, but they're in the wrong place! They're probably digestive. Sigh!

Oh, and I told my entire office last week, and lots more colleagues on the picket line this week, so that takes care of everyone...close family and friends have known for a while, and I've been telling more & more folks after our 2nd good u/s at 11wks. Today I wore a maternity shirt for the first time! Fun, but I've been kinda chickening out and wearing a shawl over it all day.

In other news, my wonderful stepmom came to visit for tksgiving this weekend and brought me about 6-7 beautiful maternity outfits. A combo of new and from consignment stores, including a very nice tailored suit which will be fabulous for work and a very funky jean jacket, and lots of other cool stuff. I'm so pleased! I can spend the money I was planning on spending on that on underwear & bras, which are becoming an urgent need!

Personals:
ctdoula--yay that you feel better and think you felt movement! Isn't it great to be feeling more energetic?

sunbaby--I hear you on being excited about 2nd tri (and sad for those who didn't make it this time). so sorry you've been sick!! How awful! I hope you gain weight soon!

crat19--how fun about your bro's reaction
I've gotten some surprised reactions, but they're usually people thinking, how could YOU possibly be pg, so not so fun!

natashaccat--
so sorry you're having such a rough go, sweetie!

danaalex-- on the walking water fountain... I do find that lots of things that wouldn't normally make me tear up do, like the newspaper, but so far I'm ok

Jessmcg--how cool on the movement!! that's awesome!! I can't wait...

speedknitter--good luck with the move & with telling folks at work. I know what you mean about not wanting to be treated differently (I've got a long story about that!) hope everyone is supportive but doesn't walk on eggshells.

aprildawn-- sorry about the accident! no fun at all. I have had minor leaks, but nothing major, but I'm sure it's coming! and I have to say I find kegels kind of a pain, but I'll keep trying!

jessikate--glad you are feeling better generally, but sorry about the crappy cold! I hope you can get more chiro in!!
kicking sounds wonderful...

lia-glad your family knows, hope they are excited!

Pamela-thanks again for starting this thread and how fun that your sis is pg too! Great that your dh is so easygoing!

Well I'd better get back to work, lots to do after the strike, and I need to leave on time today to celebrate Beth's 30th birthday (the big day was Tuesday, but tonight is the party).

hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

[danaalex]

Originally Posted by wan2bemama

..we didn't hear the hb at the midwife's 2wks ago and I think it's bothering me more than I thought. But I do think I might be feeling some flutters, and then I think, but they're in the wrong place! They're probably digestive. Sigh!

. Today I wore a maternity shirt for the first time! Fun, but I've been kinda chickening out and wearing a shawl over it all day.

i'm curious as to what MWs do when they don't hear a heartbeat with the doppler. do they just listen for a long time and then assume the babe won't sit still for long enough? i'm not an overly worried person and i have gone months without hearing a heartbeat, but i was just curious as to what a MW would do. i know an OB would probably order an US LOL.

also, you are SOOO lucky that you haven't had to wear maternity shirts so far. i have been in maternity pants and shorts for 8 weeks now, and of course all of my regular tshirts are too short so i have to wear maternity tops too. uggh. i finally went out and bought some super cute fitted types of maternity shirts cause i hate the big baggy, " i look fat" maternity tops and that was all that i had in tshirts. uggh uggh uggh.

sorry you had to strike and picket. that doesn't sound like any fun at all.

[Jes'sBeth]

Hi all!
I've been super busy at teacher's college and haven't felt much like writing, but I read the thread consistently! I'm so excited that everyone's feeling movement! Can't wait for Jes to feel our little one move (I mean for sure know it's the little one!)

I was visiting a good friend of mine today and got to see the 4 1/2 month old baby (who's huge! she's 20 pounds!) they just moved to Ottawa this week from Nunavut (way up in the arctic... they had already built snow forts in the yard before they moved!) As I was holding Isa I could hardly believe that Jes and I are going to have a little one to look after soon too.

Congrats to everyone for making it into the second trimester! I'm glad to read that many of you are feeling better. I found it so hard to watch Jes feel icky...

Danaalex,they listened for a fairly long time at our mw appt for our wee one's heartbeat but it was the student who was searching and at 12 weeks she warned us that it was very likely that she wouldn't be able to find it before she started looking because the baby might be in a poor location for her to find, because her clinical skills might not yet be sufficient or if the baby was moving around lots. I'm guessing it was probably a combination of all three. When we had our ultrasound the baby moved around like crazy. I don't think that s/he likes ultrasound very much. I think if we hadn't just seen the heartbeat she could have followed up with more options but we had just seen the baby and she told us that we'd for sure hear it next time (2 more weeks!) so, we have to wait it out this time. I'm pretty sure that different midwives have different protocols and at that point neither of us were too anxious so they didn't offer us any follow up and we didn't ask. at the time, it was disappointing but we weren't too anxious... we're probably more anxious now since we're still waiting and after 2 miscarriages, everything makes us anxious

okay, this is getting to be the length of my last assignment
lots of love to you all and may you all have good sleep, lots of energy and be able to eat lots of good food!

[danaalex]

yesterday we went for family pics and then to vicky's secret so i could get some new undies and bras. i had bought some maternity underwear for the very first time ever, and i hated the way they fit. so i got some cute bikini style VS. the ladies in there all asked when i was due, UGGH.

then i went to my friends baby shower and stayed for 5 HRS!!!!! we had SOOO much fun. it was nice to have a night out without the kids and spouse LOL. we ate, gabbed, and watched the mama of honour open her gifts. she is having her first DD, after two DSs. she is SUPER excited!!!

it was a great day unfortunately, my DH left at 4am this morning for a 4 day biz trip, uggh. so i'm alone until late wed or thurs. he is going away next sun- thurs too. so, i'm glad i was able to have a DH and babe free night before he left LOL.

what's everyone else up to?

[seren]

danaalex we didn't hear the heartbeat at my midwife appointment either. I was almost 12 weeks. My midwife told me we might not. I'm quite heavy, so that makes it harder. My appointment was on the first, I go again tomorrow, only 2 weeks later, to try again. I don't know what she will do if she can't hear it this time, maybe order an u's, but am not sure.

I've been trying to drink my water. Is anyone else really bad about it? I have put it off until today, really seriously drinking. And I am so mad at myself. Last appointment I was too dehydrated to get any blood for my blood work, so if I'm not hydrated enough to get some tomorrow I have to go to the hospital to get it drawn. I HATE needles and hate to have to go to the hospital. ANd if I do I know it's all my fault because I didn't drink my stupid water. Why is something so simple so hard to do?

[danaalex]

i drink a ton when i am pg. i have this constant state of thirst. i remember when i was PG with my DD#2 and i had just found out, but we weren't telling our family yet. my mom was helping me drive from MD to FL with my other DD, and i couldn't stop drinking, and therefore peeing. my mom kept asking me if i had been tested for diabetes recently. she was soooooo concerned. for me, it's just a symptom of being pg LOL.

[proudmamanow]

Hi seren! Hope you are well after all your hard family stuff
Thanks for passing on your hb experience, I do find it reassuring , but I really hope you hear it soon, kwim? I think I may ask my mw tomorrow night when I see her (we sing in the same choir) if she thinks it's a big deal, and if I can come in early and try and hear it (our next appt is 2 wks today, and I do get a bit stressed given our history). on the water drinking, I hear you, I do normally have to work pretty hard at it (although having a water cooler at work helps a lot!) Beth did just install a new water filter at our house though, which is very exciting and will definitely encourage me to drink more at home. (it has to be well timed though...too much at night and I have to pee ALL NIGHT LONG).

Danaalex--fun on the undies! I went undie shopping yesterday too and got a new bra (how heavenly). A good friend of ours who used to own a mat/baby clothing store just moved to our town and gave me 3 bras including 2 bravado ones! WOW! I have more bras and prs of jeans for maternity now than I do for my regular life Glad you enjoyed the shower--and good that you're thirsty.

Anyone else been having a sore throat? I've had one on & off for a while, never leads to anything, might be related to my worsening allergies, but hopefully not. I'm now taking a daily vit C. and calcium plus my regular supplement so hopefully that will help the throat and allergies.

back to work for me....I hope everyone is well!

[natashaccat]

Re: water
Spending the $ on filtered water has really helped me up my water intake. It tastes lots better. My local water is so gross and I'm just not up to dealing with filters etc, they get soo dirty soo fast here that it's almost cheaper for me to just buy the filtered stuff.