Weekly Thread 1/5-1-9

[Debstmomy]

Thought I would try to start this up again, now that the holidays are behind us!.
With us, my DH has his MRI today. He is in the process of diagnosing a brain tumor. I am going with him. From the research we have done, this is not a radioactive contract study, so we should be safe.
My kids are back in school. YEAH!!!! I just about went crazy with them home. They are at the arguing/fighting stage (with each other). I am glad to get back into some sort of routine.
Baby has really been moving. I love that. It feels so reassuring. I worry alot about my babies when they are gestating. Almost driving me crazy at times. I seem to think about & reasearch anything that can go wrong. I am pretty superstitious as well. I have yet to go & get any baby stuff. I always wait until at least 30 weeks. Anyone else do that? Zero spotting since xmas, but still lying low for the most part. Makes me feel better. My ultrasound is scheduled for thursday. I will feel better once I know where the placenta is implanted.
Thats about it for now. A very rainy day in So Ca today! Have a great day ladies.

[seren]

THings are going well here, for the most part. Ds (20 months) keeps hugging dd (3) and it's *hurting my neck*. She's whiny today. *sigh* It's going to be a long day.

I started my new cleaning system today and it's going really well. I so need to get my house in order before this baby comes.

So I have been feeling like this might be a special needs baby. I had an ultrasound at 17 weeks (we thought I was 21) and when I went to my midwife she went over the report with me. THey did NOT get a good look at the heart and other organs. I am deeply religious and yesterday had a very spiritual experience about this. I think I am going to request an additional u/s, but i know there are only so many things they can see on it. I don't know what to do. *sigh*

[Velvet005]

I am glad to have the holiday's out of the way too. It's nice to get things back to normal. I too have been feeling Peanut moving around and I could even see him doing so last night I really found that to be a neat experience.
I am working on getting my house in order as well. It takes me forever because I get something done then it has to be done again and again. We get messy when we are rushing around.

I haven't bought anything for baby but dh's family has. They bought us all kinds of newborn clothes for christmas. They must think Peanut is going to be a newborn for a long time because they got LOTS of newborn clothes :LOL I told my mil not to go do that because our friend is giving us all of his ds clothes. My mil got a car seat for christmas for our baby. hmmm seems like that's something we're going to need too and probably even more. I am telling you all .... she thinks she is going to raise this baby. I can tell by the way she is approaching this and how she is more concerned with making sure she has all she needs for him. She gave is this spongy thing that holds the baby in the bathtub (not sure about it though- it looks like a baby could roll right off of it into the water) and after we opened it she told us she was thinking of keeping it for herself Oh well, like I have said before I do like her I just want her to understand she is not raising this child she raised her 3 already. I am not a grumpy person.... really I am not.

seren- I really hope everything is okay with your baby. Maybe the baby just wasn't turned the right way on the ultrasound and that is why they couldn't see the organs. If s/he is special needs it doesn't necessarily mean it will be severe besides people with special needs can be some of the most loving people you will ever know.

So how is everyone doing?

[schatz]

21 wk 3 days

Hello mamas-to-be!

My dd turned 2 on Saturday. I spent the day thinking "two years ago at this time...." It was a wonderful but somewhat scary experience because she was only 34 wks but my water broke on New Year's Eve. I now joke that this new one had better not have any notions about being an April Fool's baby - that would be 6 wk early. :LOL

My parents came over for dd's b-day and ended up spending the night because of freezing rain - a passenger plane slid off the runway at the airport! It was a little weird having a sleep over with my parents at our house - we only live 25 min apart so they never stay over. Anyway, it was fun.

I reorganized my attic on Friday (we have a walk-in attic from our second floor). Dh says I'm nesting already. Well, I do have a lot of projects I want to get done this winter before the baby comes.

Our second ultrasound is Wed which is also my b-day. Kind of fun. The little bugger has been moving a lot lately which is reassuring. Today I've been tasting fish oil all morning - yuck! I started taking supplements a while ago and this is the first day they've been talking back. If it happens again, I may start taking them at night.

to Debstmommy and Seren -- I hope all is ok.

[CaliMommie]

We had SNOW for New Year's! We usually get snow a few times a year, but hadn't had any yet. The boys playing in it. I pulled out some hand-me-down snowsuits & their Christmas boots & we let them at it. Colby had a hard time walking in it at first, but he got used to it quickly. The bad news it that with the weather we've been having dh has been out of work for 2 weeks now. If he doesn't have work next week we won't be able to pay our mortgage (let alone groceries, etc).

I woke up sick this morning: coughing, scratchy throat, etc. I refuse to take any OTC meds, so I've just been drinking pg tea, nettle tea, alfalfa tea, etc. Hopefully it will pass quickly.

DebstMommy & Seren~ You will both be in my prayers.

I feel this bean move all the time now & dh can feel her kick good & storing. We thought we had a name picked out, but now I'm not sure. I just haven't found a name that I , you know?

AmiBeth

[CaliMommie]

Forgot to add~ I have been reorganizing too! :LOL Yesterday I cleaned out & rearranged half of the hall cupboards. Today I am going to do the other half. Could it be nesting already?

AmiBeth

[annakiss]

seren... I had a special needs baby, but he wasn't all that special needs. I'm afraid of the worse things that could happen. My new fear is Downs. I don't know why... Really I'm just wondering if having a normal baby is different or somehow easier than having one that requires extra care. I'd like the opportunity to have a normal baby. I see them everywhere I go, after all, it seems like a perfectly reasonable request.

I got out the newborn dipes & clothes. We will need more clothes for sure. I hope no one buys me anything besides clothes though. We're stocked up on everything else (and it's not like anyone's going to be getting me fancy pants diaper covers) since we don't really need anything else. I have a closet full of baby blankets, for instance.

I've been considering having a UC, but I don't think I'm quite radical enough for the other UCers around these parts. Definitely hoping my midwife doesn't have to be there for the birth, but feeling okay about utilizing the other services she provides and glad to have her on call for our birth if we need it... I don't think I'm going to tell her that I don't want her there though. I think I'll just continue the way I have been saying that I want her as hands off as humanly possible. That should suffice. Besides, what's more hands-off then not actually being there? lol

Jon felt the baby move for the first time last night, which was nice. I'm 19 weeks now. I need to take another picture... My blog's got the latest (link in my sig).

cheers

[Debstmomy]

Thanks for the load of prayers & support. I really appreciate it. This could be a really tough year for us, but I try to remain really positiive!
DH MRI went well yesterday. He was very thankful it was an open MRI. We got the prints to take to his Doc. While we are not radiologists we do have medical background & searched those MRI scans for hours last night. DH was able to fine an abnormality, we think that it is the tumor. Pretty small thus far. I do say he has a beautiful brain! LOL! Anyway, we now wait for the report to be sent to the doc & then seek our course of treatment. I am not to worried as 99.9% of these types of tumors are begnin. The size of them determines course of treatment.
I felt pretty good yesterday. Today I will lie low since yesterday was such a busy day.
Seren - I will keep you in my prayers. What cleaning system you using? Flylady?
Velvet - Sorry about your Mom, but you seem to handle it all very well. Not sure I would be that patient.
Callimom - Feel better soon. Colds suck.
Annakiss - I have read you babys story, and seen his pictures. He had great surgeons. I agree about the UC. I believe in it, but not sure it is for me. KWIM?


Everyone else have a great one & those that have not posted this week, I hope all is ok.

[annakiss]

Cristina - I hope your course of treatment is good news...

[seren]

Cristina, praying for oyu and your family.

THe cleaning system I use is what Flylady was based on. It's Sidetracked Home Executives or SHE. It's a card file system. I have my daily list, very small, then one day a week I focus on the big cleaning in specific room. Also, I have things that need to be done monthly and I only do them once a month. I have it all saved on my comp if you would like me to send it so it makes more sense. I love it. It works better for me than flylady does. I sent it to my sil, who uses flylady, and she's switching. And no millions of e-mails a day.

[valeria_vi]

19 weeks 4 days

my mind is just not at work. I am known to go through phases with this even when not pg, but now that I am pg it is worse. I hope I won't get fired All I keep thinking about is baby stuff, or I just can't concentrate, or I just feel tired. I have promiced my boss something is gonna be finished tomorrow, and it is not done yet. So I better get my ass away from MDC and go get some work done.
I have started feeling the baby move just a little over a week ago, but it is quite notisable. I wonder if I just wasn't paying enough attantion earlier. I don't really feel any flutters or butterflies. I feel someone rolling over inside of me, or gentle "kicks". Am I just preoccupied with other stuff and not notice the butteflies etc?
It was nice that on the morning of Dec 31st dh got himself a nice NY present - he had felt the baby move with his hand on my tummy! That was awesome. But for the most part I feel the movements myself, put a hand on my tummy and ... nothing. *lol* As if teh baby doesn't want to be kicking my hand. *lol*

We haven't bought any baby stuff yet. Heck. we haven't even strated thinking of what items we would and would not want/need for the baby (and this is our first). had a smal names chat last night. We both have no real favourites as far as names go and have no clue what we'd want the baby called. That is gonna be real hard.

I have stopped my search for a hb mw for a while, but I am back at it beginning today. It was a combination of the holidays as well as me just not feeling the reality of this pg. I am really hoping to make a decision soon. I'm almost half way there and I need to start seeing someone who will be there for the birth. It frustrated me that several midwives never returned my phone calls at all. Not even to say "unfortunately, I don't take any new clients right now" or anything to that extent. So I have left a couple more messages today, but how long should I wait for them to call me back? is a week enough?

Cristina, I hope everything works out with your dh and also that your problems don't come back.
Serenity, I am lost for words.
AmiBeth, get better soon!
Tish, hoping your MIL situation gets better.
annakiss, that must have been so exciting for your dh. it was for mine!
I also started taking pics every week, but all my 19 week pics suck. ;(

[dolfinluvr]

23 weeks, 2 days

Wow! Haven't posted in awhile but nice to see some familiar names/Mamas still posting here.

Not much new happening here I guess...just growing! My DD turns 1yr. old on Jan. 13! I can't stop thinking how this time last year I was just about to go in to L&D! And now here I am, doing it all over again! Funny!

I too am feeling a lot of movement. Baby doesn't seem to care for it when I put my hand on belly, seems to stop doing what she's doing at that time. DD was the same way!

Had OB appt. yesterday and I told Doc that I wanted to be tested for Strep B rather than her just administering antiobiotics at delivery. I had it with DD but from what I've read up that doesn't necessarily mean I will have or get it again. I want an IV-less delivery this time.

We are in a rut with names. I posted about one my husband suggested (and I modified) but got a lot of negative responses which has made me waiver from liking it. Wish I woulda not said anything to anyone now. Otherwise, DH and I are on totally different pages when it comes to alternatives. Go figure.

Cristina - thoughts and prayers are with you and DH for a benign result.
Velvet - My Mom is the SAME way! I still catch her calling herself "Mom" around my DD! hehe

[Velvet005]

Thanks for you all understanding what I am going through w/ my mil. I feel like a brat complaining about her. I know she is just excited and wants this baby to love her more than anything ("When you guys have a baby I will be the favorite grandmother" ).
My own mom has been great. She is pretty low key and minds her own business unless asked to do otherwise. She is also very excited but knows we are too. She only offers advice when I ask her for it. I love talking to her about the baby and hearing her pregnancy stories.
Has anyone had strangers ask them when they are due yet? I have had a few. I had one nice lady ask me today at the store and I told her. She said
" Oh how sweet and may you have a healthy and blessed baby" I thought she was really nice. The very first time someone asked me I was at school working ferociously on one of those crazy projects and this girl said "How far along are you?" I replied "Not very far. I am scared I won't be finished by the time it's due" : She said " No not your project, your baby" DUH - Tish where is you brain.?

Christina- I hope everything will be ok with your dh. I know it must be a difficult time for you. I am glad you are trying to have a positive outlook. Hopefully that will turn into positive news.

Kristy - by the way I love dolphins too. I hope you all have fun celebrating your dd's 1st birthday. I never thought how difficult picking out names could be until now ... and then you have one you like and mention it to others and BAM they make you change your mind with the comments.
We have decided to keep ours a secret til his birthday to avoid all the "ohh well you could..." or "that's a nice name but ..."


valeria_vi- I had a really hard time getting projects done for school this past semester. Most of them were late. I couldn't stay on task for anything. Luckily, my instructors were all female and a couple actually understood the difficulty I was having. I am glad I am not the only one who has been going through this. I never really felt what I call butterflies either. I just feel almost like a soft poking from the inside. I used to wonder if it were peanut but know I know for sure because I feel and SEE the poking. Watching my belly has now replaced watching t.v for dh and I.

seren- I'd like to hear more about the cleaning system. I really like to keep things clean but it seems so hard to keep up with everything. Also, for some strange reason people come visit the minute things are in a tizzy - but if everything is in order and looking nice them no one will visit.

anna- what does UC mean? I haven't caught all the lingo so I am still learning. Your belly is so nice and perfect. I love seeing your pics. We all need to update. I am still trying to figure out how to post mine.

[annakiss]

Valerie - I never felt butterflies either, but gentle rolling and pokes. Not with my first or this time either. Good luck with the m/ws - I saw you started another thread in Homebirth. If you need some assistance thinking about what you need/might want, feel free to ask! I'm hesitant to just start dispensing unwanted advice.

Tish - UC stands for Unassisted Chlidbirth. My crisis has gotten worse because now my mom and step-father are all freaked out about it (since when does my step-dad read my blog?!?!). I just don't know what I want to do. DH and I talked about it a bunch tonight, but I'm not feeling swayed either way. Part of me just isn't thrilled with my midwife and I'm wondering if I should find another. But that seems like such a hassle. Plus I'm renting the aqua doula and getting really good, cheap supplements through my current m/w. It's not that I don't like her, I just feel space between us that isn't what I'd like. Our relationship feels pretty cold and this was the more inviting of the two m/ws I'd met! There's another lady here, but I just don't know if I want to mess with it. Part of me wants to wait and see if this relationship warms up at all. Part of me wants no one at my birth at all and part of me thinks that a support team is a really great idea. There's a meeting across town that starts in five minutes about Choosing Your Birth Team that I sort of wish that I'd gone to, but I've been lazy all day and would need to eat again before leaving... Argh.

Today I bought 2 clearance-priced snappi fitteds, 2 more snappis, and more gorgeous hand-dyed prefolds in premium. Which Aleks will use, but are really replacements for the new baby. My small prefolds are still in great condition, and I want to dye them myself, but I don't think I should be messing with the dyes in "my condition". :LOL

[slightly crunchy]

22 weeks

Hello all,

Tonight I am sitting here and actually feeling movements over my whole abdomen all at once, some just above my belly button. I can't believe the baby is that big already! Maybe just moving a lot. This is one very very active babe either way.

I feel pretty good about my midwives now that I have finally met them all, and more at peace with having a hospital birth. I am loving practicing the hypnobabies as it is so relaxing. I feel quite positive about it. Actually my biggest worry for the birth now is where my son will be. I do have two neighbor mamas that we know that can stay with him. But I really really just want my mom to make it in time to stay with him. Even though ds is comfortable around other people, it is only when I am with him and he is still not really ready to be left with anyone for hours like that. Although mostly I worry that it will be at night. I guess I need to visualize a daytime birth, eh?

Having problems getting it together with this new insurance company, so who knows when I will be able to schedule an ultrasound. ****Question for those who have/are having one*****: Did you have it at your OB/MW's office, or at a hospital? My MW group has a tech come to their office to do them, but I am wondering if this will be as useful as going to a center where a doctor can be called on the spot to clarify or find something that is not clear. With ds I had a basic level I U/S, but the radiologist came in and made sure the tech had found everything before I went home. This office is resistant to having it done anywhere else. I guess because of wanting the fees?

Velvet, I don't think you are being a brat about your MIL. Sometimes we just need to complain a little, you know? I think my MIL would be much more like that, bless her, if she wasn't so far away. She definitely has that tendency anyway. I was LOL about her keeping the bath ring at her house, like she is going to be giving your baby baths on a regular basis! I remember when my son was smaller and MIL would visit and wanted to participate in bedtime and bathtime and it was sort of awkward--like, okay, if you want to lie next to us while I lay on the bed and nurse him, um.....

Christina, I am sorry you and your DH are going through this stressful time. I will say a prayer for your DH. I wish for you to get positive news about the MRI.

Seren, hope those are normal pregnancy worries, and that whatever happens, all is well. I hope you are able to get some peace either way from another ultrasound.

[valeria_vi]

Tish & Anna, so I guess I am not the only one who is not feeling the butterflies. That is how most people seem to be describing it and I was starting to wonder if I was missing out on something. *lol*

[robugmum]

20+ weeks

Kristi, I tested positive for GBS with #1 and negative with #2. GBS is a normal part of our bacterial flora and it naturally comes and goes all the time. Absolutely insist on being retested!
I'm feeling tons of movement these days, really my favourite part of being pregnant! Best of all, this baby is actually giving me a break. I was so sick all through both of my other pregnancies and I haven't been nauseated for at least 3 weeks now! Yippeeee! I would be concerned but since I was so totally sick for the first 17 weeks I'm not terribly worried.
I hope everyone is doing well, hugs to all of you who are dealing with difficult times.

[seren]

21 weeks

I am feeling so much movement. I told dh our baby is a gymnast. For 3 days every 10-30 minutes I felt so much movement. Tons of gentle *kicks*. It was so nice.

[Aaudreysmom]

Between 17 and 19 weeks I think ?? COULD I REALLY BE HALF WAY THROUGH ALREADY???

I am really feeling movement now too 20 min at a time 6 or 8 times a day. Is is all very gentle and cute except for when he is doing a jig on my bladder. then I usuall get on all fours to get him off.

I am a little concerned about testing for GBS, I feel like I should be cautious and treat myself for it naturally before I test so I will come out - . I have to start looking into that.

Anyone else having name issues? Nothing really seems to fit. I'm hoping it will just come to me like DDs did. I just have to be patient.

Slightly crunchy - with my u/s a tech came in to my M/W office and did it for us but M/W offered to send my to the hospital for a high tech u/s if I wanted insted. I did not feel like I needed it.

Velvet005 - My MIL was the same way and when she visited after the birth of DD. She wanted to do everything her way. We ended up in a bit of a fight which ended in me asking her to go home. I was so relieved a week later when my mother came to visit becasue she does not intrude or want to change what I am doing, she is just there to help with whatever I need. After much consideration I decided that with this baby I will have my mother over for a month or so to help out and then when the baby is 2 months I will have MIL over. I decided that this would be the least stressful for me. If MIL does stress you out then I would suggest you hold off on having her visit for at least 2 or 3 weeks and maybe try to inform her, if you have not already, of your choices (BFing, cloth, co-sleeping or whatever you choose) before the baby is born so that you don't have to try to explain it during the first visits. MIL is out of state so a visit with her has to be at least a week. It would be different if she was over for an afternoon of a few hours here and there.

Debstmomy - We are also in So Cal feling the rain. Good luck to you and your husband.

I too have been "nesting" this week. I have the house in order about 90%. I got out and organized all the baby clothes and diapers and I have a lot. I have been collocting clothes from garage sales and thrift stores for years now and that plus what dd had is snough to clothe several babies. Becasue I have never CDed a NB before I need to figure out if I have enough diapers and covers. Is anyone else besides Annakiss and I using cloth?

[annakiss]

Right after posting last night, I got up and went to the "Choosing your birth team" meeting. It didn't really clarify things for me, but one CNM there said that the choice to UC was really about whether or not I'd feel comfortable if something went wrong. : I didn't really think that that was my issue, but after yesterday, I am feeling a lot like I'm back to going unassisted, but not unattended. I have to just get more comfortable with this midwife lady. Maybe I'll see if she has some more time for me next week at my appt. to talk about things... blech.

Audreysmom - What do you have for the new babe in way of dipes? I felt that the package I got the first time around was suitable for doing laundry every day and a half. It was 8 covers and 3 dozen prefolds. So something resembling that would be good. Now I have like 16 covers and the 3 dozen prefolds, plus snap-ins to convert two of my covers to AIOs and my two snappi fitteds on the way. I think it's more than enough! Plus DH is all into the idea of using the snappi with no cover most of the time since we've been doing that with Aleks and it works so well and is so easy. I guess it's a cheaters version of EC, which I'm also interested in - may need to pick up Diaper Free.