week of October 25 - almost all done! - Page 9

[OakEmber]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for all the congrats, I just finally had time to sit down and read what I've missed. So it looks like Oakley was our only full moon/eclipes, Red Socks baby

Congratulations Thia, Letia, Katie and Nancy

Oakley is nursing pretty much every hour, sometimes two. It's most definately his favorite pastime My milk came in yesterday and so far I haven't had an engorgement and only a slight amount of peeling, all I have had to do is express some and let my nipples air dry. Sorry to hear some of you are having the pain and engorgement issues, I did too with Ember and for me it was very short so hopefully it won't last longer than a few days for you Can you believe I don't even have any leaking yet?? All that money spent on cloth nursing pads that have thus far gone unused...I guess it's still early in the game, maybe I will start leaking yet

Oh, I feel for all of you still waiting! And don't worry I haven't even had a chance to check out our new board yet, I won't leave you guys hanging!

I am gonna try to work on my birthstory today for you all, I really feel the need to tell it and I hate keeping you all in suspense. Unfortunately our digital camera decided to go hokey on us just days before we needed it, so it is currently being repaired...I won't have pics to post for awhile. :

[AnnR33]

Glad to hear all is well Amie! Now you have to change your sig line

Christine-those new pics are too cute!! I love those! I can't wait to have my own pics to post!!

I swear...all these cute baby pics should be kicking in some kind of hormonal labor trigger shouldn't they LOL

Went for a 35 min walk-man we have too miny hills around my house! Had 2 nice contrax about 30 min after I got back but nothing now...just kicked the in-laws and kids and DH out for a few hrs so we'll see if that helps things along....
Settling in for what may be my last few hrs alone for a very loooonnnggg time Got my chai, latest Mothering mag that came today and a book so we're set!
Thinking of you all!
Ann

[mtnjenny]

Congratulations Nancy and Amie! Welcome more babies! :

Still hanging in there...

Had my first internal since the verrrrry beginning. I'm 1-2 cm dilated, some effacement (can't remember %,) and the baby is fully engaged - not goin' anywhere but down. It's good to know that something's going on!

Doctor mentioned inducing, that we'd have to make some sort of decision for Thursday into Friday (Friday will be 42 weeks.) Do any of you have experience with induction? He knows I really don't want pitocin...he suggested a Foley balloon (a catheter-like balloon they insert and expand in the cervix to speed up dilation.) That could get put in, and then I'd be sent home to see what happens - ideally it works, falls out, and I go into labor. Sounds icky, but maybe better than pitocin? I just don't know! He doesn't like to strip membranes. In the meantime, I'm doing everything I can here - RRL tea, walking, "using" my dh, etc.

Sooo, I'm crossing my fingers we won't even get to that point, but in case we do, I would love hear any experience you guys have with any sort of induction methods. A lot can happen in five days, right?! I know the baby's just fine. I'm truly not freaking out about this yet, just going slightly crazy.

[Court]

Jenny - wow, I didn't realize you were that far along, you haven't been complaining nearly enough
I was induced with my first, for no good reason, with pitocin and it was awful. So, I think you're right to not want that.
I'm not sure I understand why he doesn't want to strip your membranes at this late date. My m/w swept mine a couple days before I went into labor. She did it really gently though, didn't go crazy in there ya know. To me, that seems like the best natural induction there is. I'd never heard of the foley thing, that's interesting.

Have you tried blue cohosh yet? My mw gave me some of that during early labor, not sure if it helped or not. Then there's always castor oil, but I hear that's pretty harsh.
p.s.- I loved your snow pictures!

Amie- can't wait to hear your birth story!

[flitters]

due today.

hi mamas!

brain is kind of furry...

congratulations to the new mamas!!!
i can't wait for more birth stories and i'm loving all the pictures!


gosh, speaking of other things i can't wait for...

i can't wait to go into labor! i'm only due today, so i feel a bit guilty to have this much impatience about the whole thing. i feel doubly guilty because physically i'm really just fine. minor complaints or aches or trouble sleeping, but for the most part i'm just a slightly more awkward, round and slow version of my normal self. i really thought i'd go early though... so much for that!


dh and i have tried several old wives tales for starting labor... indian food, chinese food, thai food, friggin hot ass pizza, papaya. i'm also still exercising and walking a lot. dh and i do it occassionally and i've made sure to have orgasms and play with my nipples. ah well, i'm happy to do all that cause i enjoy it (including the food) but i'm not nearly ready to try any more extreme measures of self induction and i'm giving up on seeking out special foods.

i still have loads of contractions. some are strong, some are weak, some i feel in front, some in back, some are close together, some are maybe an hour apart. i guess all prelabor though, i've never actually felt like it was anything more. i would LOVE to have my baby today, but it's not feeling particularly likely as of yet.

ah well,

labor wishes for those who are still waiting with me. especially those who are actually past their due dates!

[Lucysmama]

Originally Posted by Court

Have you tried blue cohosh yet? My mw gave me some of that during early labor, not sure if it helped or not. Then there's always castor oil, but I hear that's pretty harsh.

AVOID THE CASTOR OIL!!!!! Yes, it put me in active labor, but it was hellish. Really. I couldn't tell the difference between the pains of labor and the intestinal cramping, so I ran back and forth to the toilet for 12 hours at least. I HATED having contx on the toilet, they hurt soooo bad. But I had to stay there, pooping between and sometimes during contractions. NOT FUN! Plus, it really wore out my body which I'm sure contributed to my transfer, which was for fatigue.

The cohoshes worked pretty well for mr for about 4 hours or so, and then things would slow again. But it was MUCH gentler than the castor oil. I'd rather do Pit than oil again.

[AnnR33]

Jenny and Flitters, tell me about it-isn't it terrible to be at your due date and ....nothing! And Jenny has to be past due which is even more frustrating! The most "gentle" medical inducer I know of is the sweeping of membranes and have never heard of the balloon thing so can't help there-sorry.

I am so READY and tried some natural inducers too...but i think I pulled a pelvic muscle during "one of the inducers" and now I'm regretting that!! :LOL

Everyone keeps saying they think it's going to be another week and I say NOOOOO! After going on time with the first two it's so hard to accept that!
Off to pace some more
Ann

[True Blue]

Ann I feel your pain. I'm getting so frustrated. I've actually been having surges since about 2:30 this afternoon (after we tried an inducer ) but they aren't progressing. I'm so freaking aggravated. Can't we just have this baby already??? I think I'm gonna go watch tv and play with my nipples!!!!! (oh yeah after I get DS to sleep ) If I'm having surges what else can I do? I might have some old blue cohosh guess I could try that too if I'm daring. No idea how much though. That and it could be expired it's from DS LOL.

[Jillerina]

Originally Posted by Lucysmama

I HATED having contx on the toilet, they hurt soooo bad.

Just have to jump in here and root for my favorite laboring position...sitting on the tiolet!! I loved laboring on the toilet and only moved from there when I was getting the urge to push I used a birthing stool after that and I really liked it too but nothing beats the john as far as I'm concerned

Of course everyone is different but I had to share my experience.

[Lucysmama]

Labor vibes to Ann and Flitters and Amy and Ekatherina.

Oooh, I can't wait to hear from Letia!

I am working on my birth story, but I am having trouble remembering what happened on which day, so it may take me a while. I asked my midwife to send me her notes and chart, so hopefully that'll jog my memory. It is all kind of a blur.

I am feeling so bad today, mamas! I injured my incision last night while trying to get out of bed holding Levi (we have a mattress on the floor). I had to resort to taking a Percocet. The pain was really bad, I couldn't walk very well.

I really really wanted to do this WITHOUT drugs! Even the c-section recovery. So now I am feeling like a big failure, and my brain is a little foggy from the drugs. Dh keeps telling me it is ok to reevaluate everything now that I had surgery, but it's hard to give up on that wish I had.

[Ekatherina]

in the same shoes with Jenny (same due date) ......except that I don't have any doctor who talks about induction...my mw never talked about it (which made me happy) but she said two or even three weeks after due date is ok with her ...but i wonder...how long can I go?? if no baby then what??? i hardly understand my mw's japanese so I won't be able to know what kind of induction she is talking about...and I have no back-up OB....which is maybe for the best i don't know....but i'm feeling so stressed and depressed...my research isnt going anywhere and poor dh...ah well u know...
all night no contractions at all...but was waking up all the time with terrible back and hip joint pains...and i am just feeling that all this stress i am feeling is not helping my baby out in anyway...
sorry for the bad mood again...
much much birth vibes to all of us...

[OakEmber]

I just wanted to let you know that I posted Oakley's birthstory.

Oh Amy, Ann, Flitters, Ekatherina I know the waiting is soo frustrating, especially when you are having all the signs. It could and will be anytime now, I know I am a broken record of what's already going through your heads.

Katie, try not to be so hard on yourself...you had major surgery! I do believe in wholistic healing but I think it's rather hard for your body to heal in pain so don't feel so bad about taking drugs.

Thanks for the reminder Ann, I will have to change my sig line right now.

[Court]

OMG Katie - I HATED contracting on the toilet too, I totally forgot about that. As soon as I would sit down, the cntrx would start - one on top of the other. It hurt so much worse for me on the toilet. (((hugs))) sorry about your incision pain, I hope you heal very soon.

Um, I kinda jealous of all you mamas who still get to "do it" with your husbands. I don't know why, but I've really been lusting after dh lately. I can't believe I have to wait 5 more weeks. We had some nice "intimate" time together last night, but it's not quite the same.

Off to read the new birth story....still working on mine. It's hard to keep it succinct...I tend to ramble on and on.

[True Blue]

LOL Court...I'm only doing it to get the baby out...I have absolutely no desire to be intimate!!!! In fact, DH laughs bc I tell him "no foreplay, just stick it in there and get to it!!" I really can't stand to be touched right now!

[True Blue]

40 weeks 3 days no 4 now I guess

MY WATER JUST BROKE!!!!!!!!

Looks like I am having a Halloween baby!!!

Those surges I had pretty much died out. I went to bed a bit grumpy. Woke up 1/2hr ago feeling like something had come out of me, felt my underwear, didn't notice anything. A minute later another drop. I was like hmmm, but no way. Decided to go pee anyway. When I got up a small gush came out!!!! There's been more since. Gonna go make the birthing bed, pick up, and try to rest (is that possible????)!!!!!!!!!

[Ekatherina]

ok i am back to my research...don;t want to wait anymore...and actually in a better mood now keeping myself busy....
where is Momma2Liam...\
Christine the pictures of your baby are adorable....
oakember, thank you i hope it will be as soon as possible now for five of us left...(five??? )

[Ekatherina]

truebluexf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crossing fingers for you.....much much birth vibes to you......

[True Blue]

THank you!!! I'm so excited!!

Does anyone know how the heck I am supposed to walk around and stuff now? I stuffed a prefold in my panties (a premium one no less) and well just had a small surge and soaked the desk chair.....

[ryansmom02]

woohoo........ AMY........... I hope you have a great and fast labor. cant wait to read your story......

[Court]

Yay Amy! Hope your labor goes fast! keep us updated!


nak