February Mamas~ Week of Jan. 17-23 - Page 3

[threeforme2005]

Morning all! Wow we are very chatty again this morning! I've read everything, but can't remember much (good ol' pregnancy brain :LOL)

Shannon, you are definitely in my thoughts today. I hope Molly stays put for a little while and your BP starts to go down. I'm glad you brought your laptop to the hospital so we can get real time updates from you. I'll be checking in a few times today to see how you and your daughter are doing

This is so exciting! I can feel another baby being born this week. Something is in the air with us ladies. I have no clue which one of you ladies will go next though. I love a good surprise

I had my 34.5 week appt this morning. Everything looks great. BP is fine. Urine was fine. However my fundal height is measuring 38 weeks. BUT...the baby is head down! YAY!!! I had no clue because this baby punches as hard as he/she kicks. I just hope this baby stays that way I go back in 2 weeks and she'll do the swab test then. I don't think she is going to do an internal for at least 3 more weeks. That's fine with me It's coming down to the wire!

Everyone have a grand day

[shannon0218]

Hi all, well my NST was very good, Molly is quite happy and her heart rate is completely back to normal. However, I'm having contractions about every 8-9 minutes, I couldn't really feel them while laying down but before the NST dh and I went for a walk around the hospital (tiny hospital--really not exciting at all!) I had a huge one while we were walking that I had to stop and double up for. Who knows, Molly may have other ideas on when she'd like to be born--the good news is that if she comes on her own, my doctor feels at this point that means she's ready--she just doesnt' want to force her to come this early
I miss my Havoc, very, very much and it's so cold here today that I can't even meet Steve outside to play with him for a bit--I'm in a private room, he's very quiet, I need a way to sneek him in and keep him with me--funny, I'm alright without dh--but my dog--I really really miss him :

[letabug]

Shannon----so glad little molly is doing good in there and maybe she is ready to come!!!

Well I had my dr apt today and in the middle of checking me he said ok I just stretched you membranes...what does that mean?? Now I am crampy but ok. I am 1.5 - 2 cm dilated no big deal my bp was up again so I had to go to the lab and I also have ANOTHER 24 hour urine catch. Last week I measured 38 and this week I measured 36. That is about it!

Oh yeah I haven't gained any weight since Jan 4. Whatever that means.

[threeforme2005]

Shannon! Wow! Maybe Molly is ready to meet her mommy This is exciting...like a nice soap opera. haha. I'm sorry you miss your dog. I wish they would allow your pup to come in and keep you company for a while.

Letabug...did he strip your membranes? Some docs do that to try to get you to go into labor sooner rather than later. It can speed things up sometimes. My doc did that to me twice last time and both times it didn't work at all. But then again I'm closed up like Ft. Knox. LOL Maybe it will kick you into labor soon

[letabug]

See I don't know if he stripped them b/c he said stretch. If he would've said I stripped you membranes I know what that means I have never heard of stretch your membranes. I should've asked but I was rolling it over in my head and he was telling me about my bp and telling me to go ahead and book another 3 apts. I can't find any info on stretching your membranes. So who knows!

[Pinoikoi]

Shouldn't someone add little Sara to our list of babies? (can't remember who started this thread)..

[threeforme2005]

Leta, I would imagine they are one and the same. I've never heard the term stretched used before so I would assume he stripped them. But then again...I'm just guessing here. Anyone else know?

[lisabc311]

Leta, I bet he meant the same thing as "stripped". Because when they strip your membranes they take their fingers and sort of stretch things apart a bit. So sounds like it's one and the same.

Zandersmom, I would be a bit hesitant about an early induction for all of the reasons the others have given. So I won't reiterate all of that. You don't know if you inherited the same "small" pelvis that your Mom or Grandmother had. And one thing to keep in mind is that over the years stories do tend to get distorted as well as doctors used to use odd terms to describe things to women....thus giving them the wrong impression about a situation at times. Does that make sense? What I'm trying to say is that it's impossible to really know what caused your Grandmother's and Mother's births to end up the way they did since it was so long ago....AND there is no way to tell if you inherited the same pelvic shape even if it was true.

I know you are feeling overwhelmed at this time and I don't want to add to that, but personally I would rather wait until your body/baby was ready to go rather than forcing an induction. Inductions do NOT mean quicker labors for most women- especially when they are given so early! They almost always cause longer, more painful labors and they don't always work. So you sort of have to balance out whether you want an early induction that may not work or whether you want to let your body go when it's ready and see if that works. Either way there are no guarantees, but I tend to believe that letting nature take it's course will probably give you a higher probability of a vaginal birth. Just something to think about!

Shannon- I'm glad to hear that your bp is finally under control and that little Molly is doing so well! Hang in there! We're all thinking of you.

I have my 36.5 week appt. tomorrow. I am going to discuss my birth plan with the doc (not sure which one I will be seeing), discuss cord blood banking (we banked DS's blood), and get my GBS test. I tested + last time so I am going to opt for the antibiotics again this time just to be on the safe side. It didn't hinder my movement or anything last time.

Oh! And I am meeting with my 2 doulas tomorrow night too! One of the doulas (the one with more experience) has a birth booked with a due date of Feb. 15 (my due date is Feb. 13). So if I should go into labor at the same time as her other client (who booked her first) then I would just have the back-up doula. But if we don't go into labor at the same time then I will have BOTH- and that will be really cool!

[shannon0218]

Well CRAP!!!!! My headache started to come back and when I went to the bathroom I noticed my cheeks were once again rather rosy, called the nurse to check my BP early and sure enough 148/99. They gave me my next dose an hour early and I am to STAY IN BED (allowed to get up to pee only) They did a quick NST to check Molly and she is still fine but I am to keep doing kick counts. Dh is on the way and Heve will be here in an hour or so, I think having some company to chat with will reduce my stress levels a bit (I'm not good at being alone and still)
For those on the family thing, I will tell you this, a baby was just born about 1/2 hour ago here and their extended family has been in the lounge and the hall for 3 hours now--how freaking obnoxious!!!!!! 3 kids who keep running up and down the hall making noise and opening patients doors--I had to kick them out cause they came in my room and asked to see my laptop--like hello--where are the bloody parents??? this IS a hospital afterall!!! A sister or something like that who when the baby was born was running through the halls yelling "it's a boy!!!" Ok lady, I have headphones on and a closed door--but you are overpowering all of it!!
The nurses are just frazzled as they won't listen to any instructions. The nurse that just took my blood pressure just yelled at them and used me as the excuse--she walked out of my room and into the lounge and said "Look it, this is a hospital and I have a pregnant lady in the next room who is here because she is SICK and she needs her rest! Her blood pressure was normal 2 hours ago and now it's through the roof. Either sit quietly and wait and then follow the 2 visitor/patient rule or I'm calling secruity to escort you from the building!"
When she came back in my room she told me that they are seldom strict about visiting hours or the number of people unless the actual patient wants them to be. After all, this is a happy place, happy times etc. Then she said something very sweet to me, I told her it would just be me, dh, my friend who will act as doula and perhaps my mother in the waiting room, I said we want to be able to enjoy the baby--she said, "oh and you will, I want to be on that day cause I just can't wait to see you with her, you guys have worked so hard and you'll be just so happy" then she said "a bunch of us have already put in to work that day cause all of us can't wait to see you with your baby"

[woolfairy]

Shannon: that is so sweet about the nurses putting in to be on the day you have Molly. It made me all teary-eyed. Quick questoin about the headaches. I have started having occasional mild ones behind my eyes. My midwife told me today at my appointment to have some caffeine when they occur to see if it helps because they may be vascular. I don't have any swelling (knock wood) and my sugars and proteins today were fine, although apparently I have a UTI which I am now on garlic and cranberry and echinacea for. Anyway, just wondering what yours feel like so I can kind of compare. I'm not a headache kind of person normally.

And more from the midwife appointment today: My midwife, who pats herself on the back about rarely in 18 years being off very much on baby size, is currently estimating the weight of this baby at 8lbs. (based on feeling him through my belly. Apparently he has a big butt. : ) I am 34 weeks 2 days!!!!! I get palpitations just thinking about what I might be looking at weight wise. Now DS was 9lb 8oz and came out with his hands on either side of his head, so I know I can birth a big baby at home, but that doesn't mean I am looking forward to a 10+lb baby. :gulp:

[milk_maker]

Hi all. I got a nesting bug up my butt today and just finished scrubbing the kitchen and dining room floors on my hands and knees. I haven't done it in so long and they were just looking so dirty. I had to. I also bought a new rug for the kitchen and moved the kitchen one into the dining room. I have got to clean the carpets soon, but I'm waiting for the contractor to finish my other bathroom because the plumbers tracked all sorts of mud and dirt into my house when they were working. The tilers were great, they put down paper every day and rolled it back up at the end of the day, but the plumbers were a bunch of inconsiderate barbarians and they'll be here at 8:30 am tomorrow morning. Sigh. I just hope they finish their end of the job quickly and get it over with. I'm ready to have my bathrooms done and people out of my house.

Anyways, I think I overdid it a little with the cleaning. I feel kind of dizzy so I'm drinking water and I'm going to go lay down in a minute. I worked my butt off...and the sad thing is...the floor will be filthy after I let the dog in and out a few times.

[3 little birds]

Shannon-I am so sorry your blood pressure is giving you a hard time. I am glad that the nurse gave those people what for-how inconsiderate of them.

Jasmine-I can identify with your nervousness about the labor and delivery. My last pregnancy was HBAC, I had previously not experienced labor. After making the decision to homebirth for the VBAC, I read everything I could get my hands on that was positive about birth. Books written by midwives were really helpful because they dispelled my fears relating to all the horror stories I had heard-even those with "good" outcomes. I gained alot of confidence in my body's ability to give birth without intervention.

When I did go into labor I was in awe of the power in my body. It was initially scary to experience something that I didn't have control of. Sort of like being on a treadmill that goes faster and faster. The back labor was no fun but I was able to do whatever I wanted, which was mostly get on my hands and knees in the shower. The only time I really thought that I couldn't go on was when I layed on my back for a check. Thankfully, I didn't have to get in that position again. I was also surprised at what a relief the pushing stage was. It was like nothing I had heard about. It was intense, but didn't hurt as much as it felt like alot of pressure. Baby did get stuck for a second with his hand beside his head, the mw removed it and then he was out. The best part was feeling immediately normal afterwards, not like the feeling after a physically traumatic experience. When people ask me how I could have a baby without medication I mention that I knew that the pain was transitional, it wouldn't last forever, and that I put myself in circumstances that enabled my to cope.

Woops, didn't mean to go on like that. HTH. I really can't recommend reading positive birth stories enough.

[mainemom]

Hi everyone,
Shannon, hope you're feeling better--sending good thoughts your way--and to everyone who is feeling anxious or unwell, belly rubs and good thoughts.

My sister was told that her third baby was over 8lbs. Imagine everyone's surprise when he was barely 6lbs at birth (C-section). Her other children had both been 8lbs +. She said the only difference was that the little one didn't eat as much in one sitting, so she nursed more frequently and had to pump after. She was a milk making machine and wore bath towels around her boobs for quite a while. Otherwise, she said having a little baby wasn't much different from having a bigger one. By the way, he's still a compact kid--very healthy, just compact! (He's four now)

Remember, our bodies are designed for birth. It is when our brains get in the way that we can get into trouble! Try to breathe, relax, gain trust in your body's innate knowledge and affirm yourself however you can. I think fear can be such an inhibitor and can actually make things slower and more painful. I agree that one great way to prepare is to read as many positive birth stories as possible. Also, get familiar with what is actually going on with your body so that when it happens to you, you can visualize it and can also understand that it is "normal"...and that the pain won't last forever--breathe!

On another note, question, especially for Tricia and anyone else with an umbilical hernia: If I suspect I have one, should I call my midwife right away or is it something that can wait a week for our next appt? My belly button has one spot that is puffy and squishy and I've got a lot of pressure in that area. I feel like the baby has grown/shifted over the last few days, but also feel like my belly button has changed considerably. Any thoughts?

Have to run to put ds to bed. Good luck everyone. Hope you have a good night. susan

[mum5]

THanks for the words of support Tug and 3little birds. It feels better to be able to know that I am not alone in feeling this way.
I just am remebering the kind of pain that I was in, and for so long, and feeling so terrible. I just kind of resisted all the contractions, and didn't let my body do the work properly. I ended up with broken blood vessels in both eyes from pushing, oh I looked so cute. This time I will try to be more vocal like Tug!! and think about what my body is doing more.
I have just read "Having a baby naturally" which was great and "The Immaculate Deception II" and am about to start "Spritual Midwifery" which I read at the beginning of my pregnancy and is so empowering.
So I am trying to surround myself with positve thoughts, but still got a little freaked out about the whole situation!!

Shannon, glad to hear that your hospital is keeping you occupied!! Hope you get to smuggle in your dog. Animals are awesome aren't they?
Hope that your fears of doom are disolving. It must be so hard for you , but hang in there, we are nearly at the end of our crazy journey.
Ok, got to go, dinner and a movie are calling

XXX Jasmine

[lisabc311]

Shannon- How nuts that the parents were allowing their children to run into other patients' rooms! But how cool that the nurse was there for you and said all those sweet things too! Sounds like you're getting great care.

I agree with the positive birth images/stories. That is really important. I am currently trying hard to visualize NOT tearing this time. With DS #1 I had an episiotomy and tore into a 4th degree tear. It just ocurred to me that I am REALLY nervous about tearing again. Anyone else? I am planning on talking to the doulas about how I can deal with this when they come over tomorrow night.

[coopsmama]

Hello all,

I am thinking of all of you and hoping for the best. As for me, more bh, more crampy, same stuff as all of you. I am not looking to see this baby any time soon though. (like not in the next two weeks)

As to birthing big babies. If you are really worried, DON'T birth on your back. Your tail bone is made to move out of the way when the baby comes through, and if you aren't sitting on it, then you should have no troubles. Anyway, just my .02 on the subject. I also agree with everyone else that your body can birth your baby.

Think calm peaceful thoughts, Shannon, and keep us posted. We are all thinking of you.

[Mama2Chloe]

Originally Posted by mainemom

On another note, question, especially for Tricia and anyone else with an umbilical hernia: If I suspect I have one, should I call my midwife right away or is it something that can wait a week for our next appt? My belly button has one spot that is puffy and squishy and I've got a lot of pressure in that area. I feel like the baby has grown/shifted over the last few days, but also feel like my belly button has changed considerably. Any thoughts?

I know with my umbilical hernia, the OB said that it was nothing to worry about. They aren't going to do anything about it until after Sofia is born. I've even heard from other doctors that you can even wait until you are totally finished having children to get it fixed. (I feel like I'm done with this one. Having 2 little ones has always been my plan although we will keep the options open for a year or two to make sure ) The only thing my OB said was that if it begins to hurt REALLY BAD (like sharp sharp pain that doesn't go away right at the site) to go to the ER to make sure that it isn't strangled for blood flow, they would then have to do an emergency hernia repair. It has been sore but never like that. So, if you do have a hernia, it's not a big deal. Mine just looks bad. Actually, being this far along, it looks a little more normal. It was when I was in the beginning of PG and my belly button was sticking out sooo much that it looked aweful and embarassing. I do look forward to getting mine repaired. Don't know when that will be. I guess the first chance I get around to it. Hope that helped.

I'll check back in the morning! : hoping that I actually sleep through the night and not get up at 3 am like I did last night.

Take care!
Love, Tricia

[ZandersMom]

Shannon- I'll be : for your BP and for Molly...I'm sure everything will go just great...you have a very supportive nursing staff by your side so that should help a lot.

Brian had duty(for those women who aren't military wives he had to serve a 24 hour "shift" that ended up being more than 36 hours) on Monday and I didn't sleep well then because I'm used to him being there...and then he came home yesterday afternoon and we watched a couple of movies together and ate dinner and he rubbed my belly and we went to sleep...then around 1130 or midnight I awoke with BH contractions... and I tried to resist waking up Brian...but they were coming every 4-5 minutes for like an hour...so I woke him up...and he put his hand on my belly and the contractions slowed to 5-8 minutes apart for the next hour...and then slowed again to 8+ minutes apart and then finally I fell asleep around 3 am or so...Should I worry about stuff like what happend last night?

Oh, well I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon and I will address all of my concerns(problems) with her then.

[lisabc311]

Elaina- BH contractions like that are pretty par for the course at this stage of the game. What you are looking for (to indicate labor) would be contractions that are getting stronger, longer, and closer together over several hours. It is a nice sign that your uterus is exercising and getting ready for the big day, though!

[tug]

Morning everybody -

Shannon - I hope you got some sleep and the bp came down (and the noisy family left or stayed in their room).

monica - hope the plumbers didn't make too much of a mess. what is it with that? ours always leave dirty footprints and handprints everywhere...argh. i hear you on the supernesting - i've been having the same thing. i've been filing and organizing.

elaina - hope things aren't moving too fast. hope the doc appt brings good, calming news.

susan - hope you don't have a hernia. my outie is very very out and kind of sensitive, but it sounds like yours is something a little different maybe.

tricia - i hope the fact that you haven't posted this a.m. means that you slept last night!

my ob appt went well. 60 % effaced, 1 cm dilated, and it looks like the mucous plug did go/is going (which makes sense given the other two things). now i am pointlessly worrying about whether all of this (and my burst of nesting and organizing at home and work) makes me closer to delivery. in my head, i know that it doesn't necessarily mean a thing and my contractions remain totally random so that would suggest no, but, of course, i am glued to the internet searching for more info anyway because i'm compulsive. we are really trying to hang on because mil is not scheduled to come (and watch ds) until feb 8. argh.

terenia