Due Nov/Dec 2002 (part 4) - Page 2

[Cygnet09]

DD2 is due 12/8 and I am very sick of the "Oh, you still have a loong way to go!" comments. And said so cheerily, too.

It's definitely harder with a toddler in tow! I miss my baths! Sciatica is here in full force and I'm tired of having to hoist myself up off the ground all the time. I didn't realize just how often I would either be on the floor or picking stuff up off the floor with a two-year old.

Hey smaug, I saw that, too. I don't remember being too pissed off by what I read in that mag when PG with #1, but this time I haven't been too pleased. I was mad about the "kindest cut" snippet, too. Especially since a good friend of mine is also PG and gets the mag - not sure how she feels on the circ issue, but this isn't helping.

As for the gaining weight and breast cancer link, all I can do is nurse nurse nurse. I have been nursing steadily since DD was born over two years ago and will continue for another 3+ years, at least. I gained 60+ with my first and will probably be between 45 and 55 this time around, too. And while DD was big (9#), she was big everywhere, not just short and chunky! (Like me) So I don't feel like she gained more than she should have in utero while I chowed down. IA, it's just an average. I just wish I was more average sometimes!

[XmasEve]

Well, babe showed me. "If you don't like my kicking, then I'll just stop!" After a morning of going without (very unusual), I broke down in tears and the baby took pity on me and is back to kicking up a storm, here, there, and everywhere! And I love it! Okay, sometimes I have to remind myself that I love it, but then I try to communicate that loving feeling to my belly.

Circumcision scares me, just the idea. But maybe I'm just lucky to have grown up in a family that doesn't do that. DH is circed, but he's totally happy to leave any sons we have intact.

My three biggest concerns at this point:
1.) GBS
2.) Vitamin K
(still can't make up my mind on these)
3.) Who's going to take care of me and my house, etc. when I'm taking care of the baby? I'm very much a control freak in that regard.

[smaug]

greenfaeriedog, are you going to have any help when your baby is born? Luckily, I am a slob so I don't worry so much about the house. I did find, though, that I had a hard time eating right because of fatigue and incredible sugar cravings! And it was Christmas time and my dh kept bringing home goodies that his students made for him!! If you can, just camp out on your bed/couch wherever you will be comfortable , stay in your p.j.'s and have lots of water and good food on hand. It may have been b/c of my bad tear, but my midwives told me NOT to vacuum for several weeks. That was hard because I really like to vacuum, seriously. Don't expect to get anything "superfluous" done the first couple of months. All you need to do is keep you and your baby fed and in clean undies!!!! If you manage to do anything else, don't wear yourself out. Nursing takes a lot of energy.

I am not very knowledgable about vit. k. Why might one avoid it? I am going to decline the eye stuff b/c I am quite positive I have never had gonorrhea. I am having pain in my groin. Sometimes I can hardly roll myself over in bed!! Maybe it is the loosening of the joints? I haven't done enough squatting? Anyone know? Is anyone here birthing in a hospital? If so, have you done a tour, and if so, any concerns???

[Chloe]

Smaug- Green faeriedog- Vita K is for blood clotting- and if you are not planning to circumcise it's really not necessary. There is a rare disease that babies can get- something to do with blood not clotting... It's best to research, then you can make the decision. I am still undecided about the K even though I am not having this baby circumcised. There have been some claims that the K shot can lead to childhood leukemia. I just went on www.google.com and did a search for Vitamin K. The eye ointment is unnecessary if you don't have gonorhea or chlamydia, or Group B strep. Sounds like you've done some homework!!!
Also, taking alfafa helps supplement you with vitamin K and iron!

I don't know if you are planning on breastfeeding, but there are claims that it does decrease your chances of breast cancer. I don't know if it's true, but hopefully it is! Again, if you take alfafa and breastfeed, you are giving the baby vita k and all the other nutrients and immunities!

And yes- the claim that the magazine you quoted about circumcision was ridiculous!!! Go for it- write em a letter! Have someone proofread it if you think you're grammar's bad- but it didn't sound horrible to me!

Francine

[Chloe]

I am almost 33 weeks, and I can't wait to have this baby, though I am nervous about #2! Not the labor, just the extra care, and plus having a toddler- he'll be 21 months when the baby is born.

I can't wait to nurse again!!!

I feel pretty good, except for the occasional sciatic nerve pain, and tiredness. Getting up to pee 2-4 times a night...I am still convinced it's not just the baby and evrything pressing on your bladder- it's preparation for when the baby comes, and you have to get up in the night for the baby! :LOL
I forgot how tiring it is!!!!

For those 1st timers- enjoy this time to yourself now! Actually, when you have that baby, you won't mind getting up....it doesn't last forever...I just enjoyed the times of nursing in the night, because I knew it wouldn't last forever, and it was so sweet to watch my baby drift back to sleep as he nursed! And it was our special time...I felt so tired, yet wonderful at the same time.

And it did come to an end...he sleeps through the night, and he stopped nursing at 16 months. And he is an on-the-go kid!!!! So ENJOY every second you can hold your newborn. It goes by sooooooo quickly.

Getting in and out of the car can be hard too!

[XmasEve]

Smaug, I also have a fondness for vacumming. Maybe it's because I've always had lots of pets and seem to spend so much time on the floor with them... But dusting never even occurs to me!

I'm teaching DH about laundry now, and involving him more in food prep. But I can't be the only one with a DH who tries hard to help but you always end up cleaning up after them? The worst case was in my first trimester when he had to wash the dog for me. He didn't even use soap! I have no proof, but sometimes I think he makes the same mistake when doing the dishes.

[tea olive]

if i remember correctly the vernix that will be on the baby when born is full of vitamin k and if you rub it in you will have satisfied the vitamin k issue. of course this is easier said than done, the hospital had a burning desire to bathe my 1st ds before i could work it in or complain that they were taking him out of the room (i had no idea i needed to request no bath). for 2nd ds he was late and had no coating, in fact he seemed ridiculously clean plus i didn't bathe him till much later, i assume he absorbed it already.

i just finished baby catcher by peggy vincent, everyone should read it, it is chock full of birth stories, i couldn't put it down, a vibrant, loving account.

i just went through a bunch of babyclothes given to us and i have no affinity with the boy clothing whatsoever so i guess this is another sign i am carrying a girl. ruby mae or stella mae, my dss are named reed and clay. for a boy i'm thinking griffin or willow, dh likes moss. i just realized why willow always gets booted, our last name is williams!

my main problem when 2nd was born and 1st was 2.5 was safety, it was weird to leave the baby unattended to help 1st. and 1st learned quickly that acting menacingly towards the baby earned lots of attention, or could get away with destruction because i was stuck on the couch nursing. this is why i learned to nurse with the baby in a sling and go about my business with 1st. i was able to do some dishes and cook with baby, 1st felt much less jealous cos i wasn't focusing all my attention on baby physically and mentally, and 2nd has really benefited.....i could go on forever about the sling.

my dh is big help but he does not always wash the outside of a pot and i have given up on making it clear it is necessary since he is great with so many other things. meg, i'm still learning to give up control, it is a hard lesson for me i have been taught by a master control freak.....at my mom's house we still throw away the trash wrong, according to her. i have to say to myself over and over, if you want help, it will be their way of help. you must relinquish control. and you must believe that others are trying to do their best or they wouldn't be helping. i've learned this the hard way which means my husband talking about going on strike! postpartum my mom will give gobs of annoying unsolicited advice and half the food she brings will be inedible and give us more work. but some of the things she does we will be grateful for, though i am already dreading the potions.....

[lilyka]

Hey how is everyone doing? I am OK. I didn't gain more than a pund or two in the first 2 trimesters of this preg. Now in the last 7 weeks I have gained darn near 20. Is this normal? My midwife is so sweet and all she says is "well total it is not so much at all. You really right on track". Which is all well and good, but come on we are talking a rate of 2 1/2 pounds per week. I am feeling yucky because my skin just can't expand that fast. Also I am a little worried about suddenly gaining so much so fast. I mean if I had been going this strong from the start it wouldn't even phase me but to just suddenly start packing on the pounds is a little concerning. Is this a sign that something might be wrong?

On the up side my baby turned from transverse (being a woman of width this seems to be the prefered position for my youngins in the womb) to an up and down position. Be it head or butt down I am not sure. DD was finally able to feel either the head or butt (which ever is up) and was totally amazed. she fell on the floor in a fit of laughter. Very cute bonding moment.

[tea olive]

a few weeks ago i realized i had gained 17 pounds in two months, i'm fairly sure i will beat my other two total pregnancy weights though i look better, less giant this time. this happenned my last pregnancy as well, partially cos i lost weight and hardly gained the first trimester cos my milk production was shutting down. for me it is nursing that keeps me fat, not pregnancy. hope this makes you feel better, i guess since this has happenned to me before i am not worried.

i am nesting like crazy, doing home repair and such, buying supplies, trying to get anything done that i'd want done within the year
i have a bad tooth i've been ignoring, hoping i could wait till after pg but it looks like i'm going to do something about it, the pain made me useless for a day already....

i can't seem to talk this baby into being anterior. so stubborn!

[bluevervain]

Can I just say how much I love you all?

I've been involved in midwifery for several years and people think that I must have it all under control...let me tell you that I'm experiencing stuff that no mama had ever mentioned to me and now my mom is saying "oh, yeah, that happened to me, too".

I can empathize with greenfaeriedog about the baby not moving...the peanut decided that s/he wasn't going to wake at the usual time and s/he scared the hell out of me. I've been off sweets but after poking on my belly and talking to her/him, I ate a chocolate donut to get some serious sugar in my system...it worked...then it took a long while to calm down.

On vitamin K...I believe that nature wouldn't make all newborns low in K without a reason. To that end, the only time I'd actually recommend it to a client is when the birth was traumatic and/or the baby had a lot of bruising/swelling/caput. There is a theory (unproven) that deliberately adding K might cause small strokes in newborns. I don't think circumcision is okay (for me it's a human rights issue...they wouldn't circ an adult male without permission, so why on earth is it okay to do a baby...it's his body, right?) but if you choose to do so, I'd really consider vit k (as it's surgury/trauma).

I've gained about 15 lbs total and people are just starting to really notice that I'm pregnant (I guess they just thought I was fat before!) and now I'm starting to get the "wow, have you gotten big!" comments. People just don't think about what they say to pg ladies!

I always tell my clients to set visiting hours for people who want to come over after the birth. I also suggest that they leave a message on the answering maching and hang a note on the door letting people know when visiting hours are and what the current stats are (mom and babe are fine, and resting). I encourage new mom's to really use that baby lure to get people to bring meals or do dishes or laundry...people want to help, please let them!

Personally, I feel good, but I'm not getting enough sleep...up too often to pee and my brain won't shut off sometimes. I still have a bit of ligament pain, but my chiropractor has helped a lot. I swear by the pillow between the knees trick...my husband sez that I'm crowding him out of the bed.

Thank you so much, all of you, for all of your posts: you're the best!

love,
Christina

PS anyone else emotionally mushy????

[XmasEve]

I'm doing pelvic tilts like crazy to keep baby vertex, and it seems to be doing the trick. I'm not as concerned about anterior postioning- yet. Of course this baby just likes to move move move. I can only wear overalls now because otherwise the baby spends all day kicking at the waist band on my pants. This baby must have inherited its father's size and mother's activity level.

And I guess I really am big. We went to our first childbirth class and I'm the last to be due and the biggest-bellied one there. We're not sure we're going to continue with the class. I never wanted to, but went for DH, and DH was surprised that they just went over all the things I've been teaching him for months. And it doesn't fit our schedules. And we're don't like the other couples. Well, that's not really fair, but it's our first impression of them. There are two other couples: one woman does nothing but talk about how much it's going to hurt, and the other keeps popping in with questions like "will the dr. let me, will the dr. make me." Definitely not attitudes we want to surround ourselves with.

Oh, but I wish I could get more sleep as well!! Exhausted all day, but as soon as my head hits the pillow it's insomnia time.

[spyiispy]

Baby #2 due 12/08/02

Hey guys.....I'm Lisa, age 27, living in Seattle with a 20 month old little boy (Indiana James). Chloe...he'll be 23 months when our little girl is born and I'm feeling as nervous as you sound. I also can't wait to nurse again. Indy self-weaned around 17-18 months and it was harder on me than it was on him! He made a funny face a couple of times when he nursed and then didn't seem very interested after that. It seems like the taste of my milk changed or something. I was hoping to tandem nurse, but he had other ideas. Christina...this is your first baby?? How very exciting? Are you planning a home birth? Birth center? Hospital? Indy was born with a CNM attending at a hospital. Unfortunately, in Pennsylvania, my options on where he was to be delivered were limited. To use my insurance, I had to use a CNM. The only ones around delivered in hospitals. Now I live in Seattle and am planning a waterbirth at a freestanding birth center. I'd deliver at home in a second, but we don't have one of those fantastic jacuzzi tubs. When I was having Indy...I was fortunate enough to have one in my room and almost had him in the tub.

We're planning on naming her Esme Anna-Rose. I worry about giving her the same amount of love and attention that we give Indiana. That's silly, isn't it?? I have no idea how much weight I've gained. My midwives don't routinely weigh people...and with Indy I only gained 10 pounds (well, 13, but lost 3 in the last month). My CNM was initially concerned about the low weight gain, but he was 7 pounds, 9 ounces. This pregnancy, the weight gain is much the same (I'm assuming)......but, I feel like she's already bigger than Indy cuz I'm having trouble breathing when sitting. Alrighty.....hope everyone is having a great weekend. We're headed up to a coast town to check out a local artist tomorrow....road trip!!!!

Take care all.....Lisa

[tea olive]

yes, i am mushy! i finally got all the baby clothes out and was petting them.

lisa, are you worried that esme won't get enough attention because you've been focused on indiana? i dunno about the rest of y'all, but i worried about that and the opposite happenned, mother nature made sure i fell in love with 2nd ds, and only now am i feeling like my body is comfortable with 1st ds. ahh, having a second will enhance your knowledge of the first, it is hard to imagine that genetics can produce a different child altogether.

i am poking out alot, third baby is making new stretch marks of course, the twin comments are getting stale, i've run out of things to wear and wish i could just run around in my underwear, the weather is still too hot for me here and i am mostly ok with the air conditioning but i wish i could turn it colder but everyone else starts to freeze, and complain.

greenfaeriedog, you've articulated it perfectly how the days are for me, exhausted..... then insomnia time.

i have another baby riding low, my legs go numb if i stand still for more than a few minutes. bleah. i keep telling myself, it's easier to take care of the baby inside its easier to take care of the baby inside.

i'm trying to round up a crew to help me do my first belly cast, i'm starting to wonder if i should cross my breasts with my arms.... my husband doesn't seem too keen on displaying a life size mold with droopy giant breasts on the wall to see all the time, i don't think he minds the belly part. i guess i would choose some modesty in order to be able to hang the thing up. i've seen some pictures of casts that seem clothed, but that's not for me. i'm not sure what the problem is, sometimes it feels like everyone has seen my breasts for the past four years already with nursing!

i am nesting like crazy, home improvements have skyrocketed.

[XmasEve]

That's it, I'm going on maternity leave! Crazy me, I had entertained notions of continuing my pre-pregnancy activity level right up until the end, but I have to concede. I'm working as the housekeeper of a bed and breakfast. Today I made all the beds in the house, went to check the laundry, and realized that I'd made every single bed WITHOUT a fitted sheet.

Does anyone else have an infamous pregnancy brain moment?

[lilyka]

Woo-hoo, I can't believe how much better I feel now that this baby has turned (from transverse to up and down). I can sit and then stand back up, my hips don't hurt at all and before they hurt so bad I could not walk. I can sleep (of course now I am up every two hours to pee but that is oK because I can walk again ). The kicking doesn't bother me much anymore. Just so much better. I might actually make it 11 more weeks without a breakdown .

i suppose I should sign up for abirth class. i don't need to learn how to do all the silly breathing stuff again but since i will be delivering in the hospital it would be worth the $20 to find out what the atmosphere is like. Everyone I have talked to said my MW does an excellent job of buffering me from the environment though. Even the oB nurse who gave me the tour said "Oh, well if you are using Lisa you'll get whatever you want" That was reassuring. I am feeling better about going to the hospital. it is only for a few hours, it is only for a few hours, Dang!! I still haven't found a ped with privledges at my hospital. What a pain. It took till dd was 12 months old before I finally found a ped I liked and now he is perfect and doesn't have privledges at my hospital. I can't believe I spaced that. I have the diapers in the wash as we speak, the babies room (space) is set up for some comfy little-sisiter-in-my-face-free time. That is my biggest worry this time around. That lily (2 1/2 years old) won't give this poor child a momet of peace. Madeline will do fine. She has done this before and is 6 so she will actually be quite helpful but Lily can spot a baby a mile away and makes sure to get in his face if it is at all possible. : It is all very loving and sweet but enough already.

[spyiispy]

Thanks, casina....it helps to hear that my silly worries are unfounded. I have an idea for your belly cast. Why don't you put your hands over your breast...ya know, give the ole girls a little "help" If your hubby or friends use a little smaller strips when going over this area....they can get a decent semblence of your hands. I've seen this pose done in belly cast and it looks great. Greenfaeriedog.....how awful....you had to redo ALL the beds?? I feel bad writing this...but I don't really have any complaints (as of yet). I signed up for a free pregnancy massage at one of the schools here in Seattle. It was incredible. My midwife suggested I call my insurance company and see if they will pay for prenatal massage. If they do....she'll write me a script in a heartbeat. I recommend it to y'all very highly. Anyway....I should run......

What are the names you guys are considering?? Where is everyone giving birth? Lilyka......I hope you find a good ped. I know how difficult that can be. I take Indy to a naturopath who practices in the same birth center where I will be delivering. She's also a licensed midwife. I had a friend who had a VERY tough time finding a pediatrician, once she would tell the dr. that her children are not (and would not be) vaxed. One lady doc actually told her that she was not comfortable even having her in her office. Can you believe that!!

gotta run.....get my munchkin to bed!

Lisa

[tea olive]

i'm having my first homebirth and thrilled to be making decisions about what i want, not what i don't want. i have to take the baby to the pediatrician within a few days of birth, lilyka maybe you can have someone on staff clear you to leave, you shouldnt have to be committed to that doctor.

my brain has been long gone.....

[lilyka]

The thing that irritates me is that we have a great ped. We love him. He is a nice guy, tolerant of my "wierd" descissions, respects my chidren and thier bodies, uses the least invasive route. He is great. Only problem, he doesn't have privledges at hospital A which usually is fine because we hate hospital A as much as he does. If our children were laying boody and lifeless on the doorstep of hospital A we would scoop them and crawl on our hands and knees to hospital S. The only thing is our midwife only has prvledges at hospital A. SUCKY! And she is absolutely the only person I would dare walk through the doors of any hospital with. So I dopn't need a great ped. Just one to give her the once over and say "you free to go" The thing is we want to go really quickly while avoiding unessecary stuff like eye goo and vit. K so we have to find one who will sign us out quickly without that stuff. After that we will never see them again. My ped would do that. My back up ped would do that. But he doesn't have privledges at hospital A eiter. Hospital A really sucks. I should just send my girls to grandmas house one day and make phone calls all day. i hate being on the phone. That is the delima and it is nearly impoossible to do with the girlies around but I am running out of time.

[tea olive]

your situation does suck, does your ped or backup ped know have anyone they know, other peds with privileges? maybe if you have a good talk with your ped like making an appointment he would have some ideas, if he could see you face to face he's understand how important this is amd maybe could pull a favor somewhere.

i had a root canal today.

[crzymommy]

Well,

>>>>What are the names you guys are considering?? Where is everyone giving birth? <<<<<

Names? You mean I have to pick a name? Ahhhhhhh! We are having a boy this time, and we have no boy name picked out. I have a list but now I don't like any of the names on it. Anyone have any ideas for boy names? Not too common. Kind of manly.

Last time I was pg we didn't have a boy's name either. Good thing we had a girl. (We didn't know, we jus could not decide on a boy's name)

I am having a hospital birth with an OB attending. BUT I have a doula this time around YAHOO!

Amy