Feb Mama's Weekly Chat 3-9 Jan

[milk_maker]

We're getting closer. One more month!

kavamamakava February home waterbirth
Kater07 February
Isabeau due early February
3 Little Birds due Feb 1
Chiku due Feb 1 birthing center
Parker'smommy (Heather) due Feb 1
Lisashepp (Lisa) due Feb 1 homebirth
Sadkitty. Due Feb 1st
Dandylion (Stephanie) due Feb 2
Truvie due Feb 2
Lasofia due Feb 2, homebirth
PeacefulVegan (who also answers to Tracie) due Feb 3
Lou due Feb 3
Orange due Feb 3 Birth Center with OB
Twin Mom (Deb) Due Feb 4, VBA2C homebirth
Free Thinker (Mandy) due Feb 5
Wtchyhlr (Joy) due Feb 5, homebirth
HelloKitty (Kitty) due Feb 6
Letabug (Arleta) due Feb 6
LianneM due Feb 7 homebirth
TexasSuz (Susan) due Feb 7
Happymamajenni (Jenni) due Feb 7 hospital/OBGYN
Lousli Baby Hazel born 12/21. CONGRATULATIONS LESLEY!!
Parthenia due Feb 7 home waterbirth
DeirdreAlison (Deirdre) due 1st week Feb homebirth, maybe waterbirth
New Life Due Feb 8
kimbalicious due Feb 9 - hospital birth with midwives
ElizaBird (Eliza) due Feb 9 - home waterbirth of twins
Shannon 0218- due Feb 11 hospital birth with great OB
ella-makes-3 (Jasmine) - due ~ Feb. 11 midwife/natural birth at birth center
Marcella due Feb 11 homebirth
HeleneP, due Feb 12
Tug (Terenia), baby #2 due Feb 12
Firefly due Feb 13
Christi due Feb 14 hospital birth with fab OB
Periwinkle due Feb 14
Fairymomma (Pamela) due Feb 14
Jorie (Margorie) due Feb 14
AmBam (Amber) due Feb 14 homebirth
rose angel (Karen) due Feb 16
mama2m&m (Denise) due Feb 16
HydeParkB due Feb 17
Karennnnn (Karen) due Feb 17
Coopsmama (Kristen) Due Feb 17
Bella'smamma (Cecily) due Feb 17
luvmytwo (Karen) due Feb 17
HydeParkB (Bridget) due Feb 17
Gretchen Due Feb 18
Zandersmom due Feb 18
weesej (Jen) Due Feb 19 homebirth
Ekblad7+ (Amy) due Feb 20 Homebirth
kinsey43 (Kinsey) due after Feb 20
heveasoul due Feb 21, h/b with m/w
veggiemommy (Holly), due Feb 21
Shyly (Monica) Due Feb 21 home water birth
mehndimama (Stell) due Feb 22 unassisted homebirth
Emmama due Feb 22, homebirth
Mainemon (Susan) due Feb 23 homebirth w/midwife
Mama2Chloe (Tricia) due 25 Feb #2
Threeforme2005 (Traci) due Feb 25
artgirl (Kelly) #2 Feb. 26
munki'sMom (Tammy), baby #2 due Feb 26
woolfairy (Elle) due Feb 27, baby #2 homebirth
Maprilynne (Aprilynne) due Feb 28, birth center
KateSt. Late Feb. Homebirth
4Given (Stacey) due end of Feb

[Mama2Chloe]

Hi all! We didn't sleep well last night due to our electricity going off at 2 am. Everyone in housing lost power until around 9 am. We are used to sleeping with the noise of the fan and it's amazing how loud the quiet was. Thankfully, our food was still good. I was worried. I just went big grocery shopping yesterday. I like to only go 2x a month except for quick trips to pick up milk or whatever.

I have tons of projects that I need to get done. DH thinks I'm going insane. He says that all of a sudden, I'm starting a million projects and not finishing them. I plan on finishing them of course, but Chloe is a huge distraction and I have to stop most of the time. Wish me luck that I get something done. We are in the home stretch and time is going by soooo fast!!! (for me - probably because I have so much on my to do list.... I'm a procrastinator.)

Better go for now.

Love, Tricia

[shannon0218]

Morning all,
Well, it's official, today is the official day of my beginning bedrest The goal is that I be off all pain meds without having my blood pressure shoot through the roof. It's all just so insane you know--I know an advil would actually work to kill the pain and swelling, but no, demerol is safer and doesn't work as well....
Lesley, how are you and Hazel doing???
Ok, law and order is on, so I'm heading back to my couch--we need a more comfy couch

[wtchyhlr]

good morning ladies....

I didn't sleep too well last night either... BUT... we got the bedroom done, HOORAY.... all painted and rearranged. pooped out before putting the new bedding on, but i figure i can do that any ole time. My hands are SOOOO swollen today.

Tricia, I also have a pile o projects to get done... finish my blankets, my the baby room drapes... oh, make my postpartum bath tea (i did get the crotchsicles done, tho, they're in the freezer), find and make a good baby wipe liquid... inventory my dipes, and baby clothes (that'll be done after the showers, so i can figure out whats left that i still need).. showers are this coming weekend...

ooh, did i tell you, some friends of ours months ago told us not to buy the amby baby hammock cuz they were going to get it for us... and then he got laid off a few weeks ago and i just assumed they wouldn't be able to afford it... he told Rod last night that Kelly would be bringing that to my shower Saturday. I'm so psyched... i was going to get it if we didn't get given it, but the price was making me twitch.

have a good monday everyone....

[kavamamakava]

Originally Posted by Mama2Chloe

Hi all! We didn't sleep well last night due to our electricity going off at 2 am. Everyone in housing lost power until around 9 am. We are used to sleeping with the noise of the fan and it's amazing how loud the quiet was. Thankfully, our food was still good. I was worried. I just went big grocery shopping yesterday. I like to only go 2x a month except for quick trips to pick up milk or whatever.

I have tons of projects that I need to get done. DH thinks I'm going insane. He says that all of a sudden, I'm starting a million projects and not finishing them. I plan on finishing them of course, but Chloe is a huge distraction and I have to stop most of the time. Wish me luck that I get something done. We are in the home stretch and time is going by soooo fast!!! (for me - probably because I have so much on my to do list.... I'm a procrastinator.)

Better go for now.

Love, Tricia

I have a million projects I want to do as well. But many involve his participation and, as usual, he's a stick in the mud when it comes to crunch time. I need him to get baby clothes out of storage for me. Install the toilet top bidet on the toilet and assorted other things. But he's gone with the car at work all day. I'm going to have to start dropping him off at work so I can have the car.

[kavamamakava]

Originally Posted by shannon0218

Morning all,
Well, it's official, today is the official day of my beginning bedrest The goal is that I be off all pain meds without having my blood pressure shoot through the roof. It's all just so insane you know--I know an advil would actually work to kill the pain and swelling, but no, demerol is safer and doesn't work as well....
Lesley, how are you and Hazel doing???
Ok, law and order is on, so I'm heading back to my couch--we need a more comfy couch

Good luck with bedrest.

[HelloKitty]

Shannon - sorry about the bed rest - yuck. Hope the time flies by for you

I totally want a baby hammock but I think the price is going to prohibit me from getting one... extremely, extremely, extremely jealous right now!!!

Just got back from my OB appointment - everything looks fine. I'm on to weekly appointments now - one minute I'm amazed at how quickly the time has flown and another I'm super anxious to hurry up and have my baby :LOL

Sent some labor vibes to my friend - embens - she is in the Jan DDC pregnant with number 4, her due date is January 8th, she's been 3 centimeters dilated for two weeks now and is getting very anxious to deliver!!

Kitty

[Pinoikoi]

I am doing lots of projects too. I donated BAGS of clothing that well, didn't fit BEFORE I was pg, so probably will never fit again, plus stuff that I just never wore. Reorganized the rest of it... packed away Angelo and Emilio's clothes that were getting too small and unpacked the next size up (I still have a box of 2T-4 stuff to go through, though) and put the box of newborn stuff in my room. I got a lot done this weekend for sure, though.

DH told me some really cute stories about midwives in the Philippines... he is getting excited about this baby alright... AND I started puking this morning. I still feel like puking so I am hoping I am not going into labor. I am a puker/pusher... :LOL

Now if I can just get with my friend Donna, and sell off those dipes I don't use, I might be able to really stock my paypal! I have a custom order in to righteous baby for some FLAMs... I am off to pick out fabric!

[milk_maker]

I"m so tired. I didn't sleep well last night either an I can't nap now because I have a demolition going on in the bathroom and two guys sanding with sanders in the basement. At least DH bought me taco bell for luch so I don't have to cook or get off my lazy duff.

I don't even want to THINK about how many projects I have lying around half-finished. I feel so guilty when I think about it and wonder if I'm going to be done in time for the baby. I really need to get in the bedroom and finish painting the closet, but I don't think I should be in that enclosed of a space with paint...the fumes would get pretty strong pretty quick, but DH isn't really in the mood to paint right now. I just want to get the closet finished so I can hang up stuff in there and also get the room set up.

We're starting to make headway...at least it feels that way. I'm a little upset because one of our trees died and it's leaning precariously towards our neighbor's house...so the tree service is coming out tomorrow morning to give us an estimate. We figure we'll see how much it will cost to take out all of our problem trees and then deem which ones we can afford to get rid of. All I can say is that the pine trees will be the first to go. I hate pines and I'm super allergic to them. I can't wait for spring when the rivers of yellow pollen abound.

Well I'm going to go and try to take a nap. Doubtful, but hey I can try right?

[Periwinkle]

34w + 0d

Hi ladies! I've been away a lot the last couple of weeks (one endless family visit and holdiay commitment after another). Hope everyone had a happy New Year's!

I have been in serious nesting mode since everyone left after Christmas. I have a To Do list a mile long and unbelievably dh and I (with "help" from our two toddlers LOL) have been knocking off item after item.

But.... dh and I have made zero progress on names. Not that we're arguing, we just have yet to really start discussions in earnest. I'm realizing we had better get cracking. Also, dh STILL has yet to read Goer's "Thinking Woman's Guide" (my choice for the one book dh will read before the birth) - he's been reading his usual fare (magazines and mystery novels) before bed but I think I have to crack down soon because I really want him on board with the choices I'm making during this birth. (He's pretty on board already, but I want him to know the reasoning behind it I guess and ensure he's as committed to it as I am.)

I had my 34 week checkup with the midwife this morning. I am measuring 2 weeks ahead (36 cm) which is pretty standard for me since the mid/late 20's weeks. Can I ask a dumb question.... does this mean I'm more likely to go early? My amniotic fluid is high normal (19 or so) but still normal and no one seems to pay much attention to this so I'm not going to sweat it.

She thinks the baby is starting to turn. Currently transverse (had been breech). I am trying to be better about my position. I'm starting to freak a little that all my VBAC hopes are going to go down the drain if I end up with a big baby who's breech no less.

I am also having trouble sleeping. I wake up 2-5 times a night to pee and to adjust my position because my hips kill me and my arms/hands are starting to fall alseep. I broke out the Snoogle pillow for the first time last night. Bliss!

*****

Mama2chloe - I hear you on the projects. I have added about 20 things to my list post-holidays. Little things, but they need to be done nonetheless. Good luck on yours!

Shannon - Bedrest is no fun, but you are so far along it must feel pretty darn good to know even if you did deliver now baby would be A-OK. The internet is your friend. Also, check out sidelines.com a support group for mamas on bedrest.

Joy - Ooooh. Baby hammock! These look so cool! I'll get in line behind HelloKitty on the envy train.

Kavamamakava - I have to ask this most embarassing stupid question. What is a toilet top bidet? Is it for peri care after the baby, rinsing off cloth diapers. Or something else? It sounds interesting!

HelloKitty - Wow, weekly appointments! I start those in 2 weeks and can't believe I'm almost to that point!

Alaskanteach - LOL re: "puker/pusher". Do you typically puke for a few days/weeks before labor? I've been feeling nauseous occasionally and wonder when I'll know if I cross into that "empty both ends at all costs" phase! Groan.

Shyly - Mmmm.... taco bell. I love beans and cheese now. Yum yum. Sorry to hear about your ill-timed pine tree allergy. Hopefully you can take something while BFing - choices better than while pg I guess?

Lousli - I'm thinking of you and Hazel every day. Call me anytime. I hope she comes home where she belongs soon.

Everyone else - : for a healthy happy restful-yet-productive week.

[KateSt.]

Hi mamas!

Peri -- did you know there are yoga inversions you can do to help turn a breech baby? Specifically half shoulder stand or even just legs against the wall. I'm sure Joy would probably have some ideas, too. Also, I'd gently suggest to baby that it's time to turn. I do hope you get the birth you want.

Isn't it funny how we all have projects? I still need to re-tile the bathroom and clean out some cabinets and closests. Not really motivated to do so, though -- just feeling guilty because I haven't yet.

Shannon -- so sorry you're on bedrest! When are you due for your Ceasarean birth? The end of Jan, right? I do hope it goes by quickly for you.

Alaskanteach -- a puker/pusher :LOL Hope baby stays put a little longer!

I hear you ladies on the sore hips while sleeping. I just read that it's because our babies are making their way lower in our pelvises now.

In a mediation last week I was able to "see" my baby's position as headdown and the next day at my mw appt she confirmed it. How cool! I guess I'm measuring right on, too. Which I don't know if it really makes a difference, but it's nice to know.
I'm now choosing to see my mw less. I feel so happy and content going through this pregnancy on my own, that I don't even know if I'll go back (remember I'm doing unassisted childbirth). I can't believe it's coming so close for us, mamas!

Lesley and Hazel -- I hope you're both continuing to do well. Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way....

[ekblad9]

I am SO tired! I can't sleep at night either. I was up eight times to go to the bathroom last night! It's insane! I'm so darn tired today that I can't accomplish a thing. I started about four different projects and all are left undone so far. I am so very swollen too! Dh is going to have to take over the kids when he gets home.

Hugs and healthiness to all!

[HelloKitty]

Originally Posted by KateSt.

I hear you ladies on the sore hips while sleeping. I just read that it's because our babies are making their way lower in our pelvises now.

I'm glad to hear there is a good reason for it. I don't remember ever having this problem with the other 3 - although to be fair with the first two I always slept on my back (no one ever knew it was an issue back then!) so maybe that's why. It does suck, especially getting up from bed to make my way to the bathroom those 40 times a night - I'm like a cripple.

[wtchyhlr]

my hips haven't been that bad, but i've been seeing a chiropractor weekly for oh, a good 27 weeks now... and he adjusts my hips every time. I can feel the baby low in my pelvis, right on my pubic bone. which is sort of painful, but not horribly so

My poor swollen hands, now, thats another story. HOLY cow they're huge today

i am honestly incredibly blessed to have friends who are getting us the baby hammock. i've wanted one since well before concieving... they just make sense. i will let you all know how it works out....

[Pinoikoi]

[QUOTE=Periwinkle]
Alaskanteach - LOL re: "puker/pusher". Do you typically puke for a few days/weeks before labor? I've been feeling nauseous occasionally and wonder when I'll know if I cross into that "empty both ends at all costs" phase! Groan.
QUOTE]

No... the vomitting usually doesn't start that early... it starts with contractions. Contract, puke, repeat. My first son I was puking for the majority of 20 hours. Which really sucks when you no longer have anything left in you and you just get dry heaves.

[kavamamakava]

toilet top bidet

I love mine! Many households have these in Japan.
Here's where I bought mine: http://www.hemorrhoidshomecare.com/
It's wondeful for use after you have the baby. Warm water always ready to wash you at the push of a button. And you don't have to keep filling the peri bottle.

[ekblad9]

Put your credit cards in the freezer and check out this site:

http://www.sckoon.com

TOO cute!!!

[Lousli]

We're doing okay, everyone, thanks for asking. Hazel has gained enough to be put into an open crib, and they're talking about nipple feeding every other time instead of every third time. She still is sleepy and has a hard time doing much at the breast (but she will latch and try off and on for 20-30 minutes, which is a good start). I'm feeling hopeful that she'll be home soon, but soon means probably within 2 weeks or so. I'm a little blue. It is really hard to get up every three hours and pump, and just miss my little girl and want her home with me.

And people are dorks. Do you know that I actually had a friend who asked me if I was glad that she was here early so I wouldn't have to have the last couple of months of pregnancy? Umm...no! Why would I be glad that my baby needed oxygen after she was born and had to have an IV and bili lights? that she is going to be in the hospital for a month instead of inside me or home with me? That she has to be fed through a tube? I know the last month of preganncy is supposed to suck, and I know I was uncomfortable before, but I'd give anything to be uncomfortable and know that my baby was okay, and growing.

Anyway. I'm sorry I haven't been around as much. It is hard for me, in a way, to read about your bellies and things. I wish I could explain.

Peri, I've been meaning to PM you, but it has just been busy around here. I'll be in touch soon.

Shannon, try to enjoy your bedrest, if you can. It isn't easy, I know, but it is worth it.

[wtchyhlr]

Lesley....

[KateSt.]

Yes, I second Joy's post... Lesley. I'm so sorry your friend was insensitive (that WAS a stupid question).