April Thread - 4/5 - 4/18

[Velvet005]

Thought I'd start a thread for this month - but I decided to break it up into 2 weeks because the other one got so long and I am sure we will have lots to talk about this month!!!!

The weather here has be great. Everything is blooming- the redbuds, dogwoods, bradford pears, and cherry trees. It's a haven for allergies, but so beautiful too!! My dh has been happy since the time change and the weather being in the upper 60's and 70's. He is glad to have the extra hour of daylight for "playing" outside!!! I have been slacking on my housework and not getting the things done I need to be doing. I have felt really crappy for the last week and spent a few days in the bed. I can handle being pregnant and I can handle sinuses being haywire, but I can not handle both very well.
I do feel better today than I have been feeling so that is great. Maybe I'll get caught up on everything. How is everyone else doing? Time is passing ever so quickly. The baby has been wiggling around this morning. I still love feeling him move and try to savor every bit of it that I can

[annakiss]

Things are going all right here. Babe is moving around lots. Sometimes doing weird things. Nothing of concern, however. There was snow on the ground when we got back yesterday from a weekend south of here, but it's supposed to be in the 60s today. Hopefully it stays this way! I neeeeed the warmth. I hate the cold. I'm too skinny for it to be cold.

I'm all ready for the babe now. Have everything I need except that dresser of my sister's, which I think my dad is going to bring up to me sometime before the end of May. I need to paint it & replace the knobs though. I'd say that would be a nice weekend project for DH, but he doesn't get weekends off since he's a PhD student. I'll have him help me with it anyhow. I washed the diapers and I think I have plenty of them.

My WAHM friend finished my sling, but I think I'll need to get a different one for everyday use because it's too billowy and too thick for summer. She's altering it for me a bit to make it less billowy, but there's no getting over the thickness. So it will be a special occasions sling, I guess. Gotta figure something out for everyday. Now I feel though like I should have just gotten a Zolo sling to begin with since I have to buy 2 slings and will be spending though not as much as a Zolo, close enough. So that's one thing to figure out yet. Better go do some research...

[dolfinluvr]

36wks. 3days...

I am SO ready to have this baby I could scream!!! I love being pg but I have been pg for 3years straigh! I have just hit the totally uncomfortable stage: can't sleep, can't walk up stairs w/out a near heart attack feeling, can't bend over (or even sit up if baby doesn't want me too). I've had some pretty serious, harsh BHX but nothing regular or constant enough. I selfishly had my OB check me last week since I forced her to do a GBS test on me too and I wasn't dilated yet. Not that I expected to be but...you know.

Weather is starting to warm up and the daylight has gotten longer. I am freakin' out about leaving work once again yet I can't wait to get out the door.

I'm curious about what labor will be like this time and all that comes with it. With Ava I was induced at 38wks. due to preeclampsia so I thought nothing much of contractions, etc. since I was already where I needed to be.

Here's to the home stretch...

[Eaglevoice]

ACK! I hate being sick! I got the flu and now I have a sinus infection. I have never had such a terrible sinus headache in my life and the stupid flourescent lights in my office building just make everything seem worse! Sleep is pretty much hard to come by and I'm sooooooooo exhausted. Kristy-I so hear you about feeling like I'm going to have a heart attack when I get to the top of the stairs! :LOL I was getting so used to going into my prenatal appts and having my midwife tell me that everything was perfect, but then last week, I find out that not only has the baby decided to turn breech, but I'm also anemic So I've been reading all I can about getting this baby turned. And I've been taking Yellow Dock Root for the anemia (doesn't taste so nice...). Geez, I just realized how negative I'm sounding right now! I am still enjoying being pregnant. I love day dreaming about the baby and feeling the baby roll around in there. DH is getting more and more excited and he's being as sweet as can be. I have my baby shower in CA on 4/16 and I get to see my daddy!!! I haven't seen him since August, he couldn't come to visit when my mom and sis did in Jan and Feb! He's in for a huge shock when he sees my belly for the first time (it's his first grandbaby!). I just have to remember to dwell more on the positive things in my life and less on the annoyances! That's my goal for the week!!

[LinzluvsGJ]

I'm also at the very uncomfortable stage finally. Having braxton hicks frequently. Depending on the day w/ how the baby is sitting my legs get painful numb and it hurts to walk stand or sit all day long (two days ago I had this.... hated it!), Heartburn is back, can't get comfortable at night because my hips hurt, constantly HOT.... always feel like I'm gonna have a heat stroke 'cause of how sweaty I get even when it's not that hot out. I can't even accurately tell how to dress my daughter lately 'cause I'm hot even if it's around 30 degrees out! On top of it all, while visiting my mom, I so wonderfully caught another cold. After getting over one only two weeks prior with an ear infection, I'm not happy. I'm coughing up junk and generally just feel nasty. I'm hoping it doesn't persist-- with Grace I had a sinus infection that developed this time of year and lasted the entire last two months of my pregnancy and didn't go away until I delivered. I don't want another sinus infection. bleh.

I did get switched all over to a midwife in Dayton (had to switch my insurance so now I have copays) and will be delivering at the hospital I wanted now in their birthing center. I'm very excited to get to be having a water birth this time. I hope it's everything I've been wanting since I'll be paying copays for a year to have this birth instead of having delivered on base lol. I have my first appointment w/ the midwife on Wednesday morning and am annoyed w/ my DH that he won't be going w/ me to the appointment considering all the changes that are getting made but that's life I guess. I want him to meet the midwife and understand how this delivery will really be different from my last delivery (which had a lot of interventions, even ones I didn't want).

[annakiss]

Oh Linz, please tell me you're not going to MVH? That's not a birthing center. In fact, the only real birth center in Ohio is in Cincinatti. Hospitals just call them that and put pretty stuff up to attract people. MVH is a factory! Who's your midwife?

[LinzluvsGJ]

I am delivering at the Family Beginnings center at MVH yes...the birthing center there is seperate from the regular maternity ward. My midwife is Debbie Newton... she was referred to me by a girl I'm in MOPs with who had her first daughter by water birth at FB and is due again same time as me and has had a really good experience with them. It's in network with my insurance and that was very important too for it all because we don't have a very big income and I really don't want a home birth... I want a water birth. I've heard a lot of good things about delivering there so at this point I'm happy about the change. Delivering on base was sounding more and more as something I didn't want to do since they make you have an IV as soon as you go in, don't always approve you to do things like walk around even, make you sign a paper allowing med students, sign a paper allowing an episiotomy... etc.

[annakiss]

I know and like Debbie. Certainly better than delivering on base. Good luck to you! I hope you get the birth experience you deserve!

[mightymoo]

Well, I for one am just totally exhausted. I have been spending the morning just passing time waiting for my daughter to nap so I can lay down (if I lay down while she is awake she jumps on me and throws things and hits me and I have zero energy to stop her)

Seems like this pregnancy is just total stress. We have so much we need and want to get done before the baby comes but I have zero energy to do it and DH is really stressed by work as well. Having a toddler running around doesn't make things any easier. Sigh

Sorry to be such a downer, I'm just in a blue mood today.

[valeria_vi]

I have actually felt more energetic the last week then I have felt for a while. Go figure, I'm 32 weeks now. I washed the windows and did alot of cleaning this Sunday after our remodeling is finally complete. And I didn't even fall off my feet after that which is totally surprising to me.
The baby is kicking around like crazy. Sometimes I jump in my chair from the strength of the kicks, but I still enjoy feeling that so much.
My tummy is growing at a much faster pace, but I haven't gotten to that "feeling like a total whale" stage, although rolling around in bed is less comfortable. I guess you can really say that I am doing quite good physically for being 32 weeks. But I can see how that can change so very soon.

We gotta really start thinking about all the stuff we'll need for the baby. I hope this baby is late (time is flying by so fast and nothing had been really done so far), but you never know... My co-worker who was due on April 15th is having a baby today. This had made me think about the possibility of the baby beinbg earlie then I am hoping for and how soon that might happen. I feel so not ready. I mentally understand that I am having a baby very soon, but yet it feels like it's not happening to me. A totally surreal thing.

[Debstmomy]

Things are going great over here! Other than the nails on chalkboard thread. But I am much MUCH better today. It is amazing what sleep, TLC from Dh & some Ben & Jerrys can do for you!!!

I am 33 wks 1 day today. Went to the midwife with my 2 support people today. I was having many fear issues due to a bad outcome I had read. I felt I really needed to deal with it in order to prepare for this birth. I felt I needed my birth attendants to know where I was coming from. Overall my visit was great. Baby is moving & growing. I am measuring right on target.

I am still working on getting things together for this baby. DH has drawn up plans for the side car he is making. We need to go & purchase the wood soon. All the other stuff will eventually come.

We are seriously looking into buying a home. We have 3 or 4 we plan to walk through this week. I am excitied about that. So we will either be moving before or right after this babe is born. My older 2 are excited as well. Only thing that make me nervous is changing school districts. But I will cross that bridge when I come to it!

Have a great day ladies!!!

[CaliMommie]

I am to the uncomfortable, sore hips, can't sleep stage. *sigh* Things have been really stressful lately, too, as my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. We are waiting to find out what stage it is (they thiunk she caught it early) so we can know what her treatment will be. She is supposed to be there when Myla is born (she really wants to be) so we are hoping it will all work out. Prayers, etc are much appreciated.

We moved Colby's crib into Brayden's room so they can get used to sleeping in the same room before Myla arrives (even though we plan to use a co-sleeper with her for awhile). DH is painting her room so we can move the dresser in, and we finally have enough 0-3 month clothes for her (still need some 3-6 month stuff though). I bought some Seventh Gen sposies for the first few weeks, and ordered a dozen more FuzziBunz w/inserts so our diaper stash is now complete. I am so relieved to be almost done with my to-do list.

Glad to hear from everyone else, and I hope all those who are sick feel better soon!

[coleslaw]

Add me to the exhausted, hip-hurting, non-sleeping, Braxton Hicks way of life. I don't remember pg being this hard with dd. I guess 5 years and 20 extra pounds will do that to you. :LOL

I also just got over a nasty stomach bug, which put a damper on getting thigns ready. I have no energy otherwise. I figure that except for clothes, I can make due if I have to. I know I'll figure it all out.

Anyway, I should go to bed. Night all!

[Velvet005]

It seems like many of us are going through the same things. It really helps me to know I am not the only one. We are STILL sinusy (I know that's not a word) here. Even my DH feels yucky. All we do is constantly blow our noses.
The pollen is super high right now because of everything being in bloom.
I have my weekly check up today. I will write more after I go.

[dolfinluvr]

OUCH! The stabbing pain! Yesterday all day I had on/off stabbing pain all along the right side of my belly. If I was sitting I'd try standing, if I was standing I'd try walking...all while drinking lots of water. It hurt to get into the sitting position or even stand up! There was a moment where I thought about calling my OB and/or just going into L&D but I didn't...I so afraid to go in and have them tell me I'm nuts and it's just the long haul stretch of uncomfortableness... Which is pretty much what it is, but I have yet to go through a "normal" natural delivery so it's almost like the first pg for me in a way. But it is reassuring (all be it painful at times) that baby is still kicking and squirming around in there so that's a good sign.

Linz - I so know what you mean about the sweating and the hot feeling. I sit doing nothing and some how manage to sweat like a pig! Yuck!

But through it all I must remind myself that all in all I've only got another month (or less God willing) before I'm done! And that even though these BHX are horrible and sometime painful they ARE serving a purpose...

[Velvet005]

I am back from the DR. They checked it and said it was a fingertip dialated. So, what does that mean? Last week I was 50% effaced and closed. She didn't say anything about the effacement this time so I do not know if it were the same or if it had thined out some more. Anyway, the baby is definately head down!!! That is so great to me. I was a little worried about it being breech, but I think at this point he probably will remain in his position because he has no room to flip around.
I am getting more excited now. I mean I have been excited but now I am really getting excited. :LOL

[annakiss]

Fingertip dilated means that you're not quite one centimeter dilated. You can stay that way for weeks. I went from 1-3 in the last weeks of my first pregnancy (we're talking a period of 3-4 weeks). On the other hand, if you're anxious, it's certainly good news. Something is happening, though it will most likely happen quite slowly. Point is, I wouldn't count on it to mean much at this juncture. Most first-timers go past their edd. But good luck!

[Velvet005]

I was thinking it could stay that way for a while. OTOH, I was expecting her to say it was still closed. I am glad things are making some progress. At least I know my body is doing as it should be I also know I could very well go past the edd, but I am hoping if I do that it will only be by a couple of days and not weeks.

[dolfinluvr]

Tish - Either way you look at it, don't get discouraged...you should be excited! This process is finally moving for you! YEAH! Even if it is only a little bit and you could stay there for weeks...every pg is as different as the next so one never knows how fast or slow it could, first-timer or not. I'm due a day before you and as of last week I was securely closed.

Some days, just by the way I'm feeling, I think this kid could come early but then I say "no, that's not my luck...I'll go to 42wks. or something"

Congrats anyway and I hope things keep progressing for you!!

[crysmomofthree]

hello this week,
Today I went to the midwife I am 33 weeks, I had my gbs screen done today and while she was down there checked out my cervix, baby is head down and low (duh I already knew that I have to pee 40 times a day lol) but I am about 2-3 cm dilated, which sucks, its funny everyone else is excited about their cervical changes and I am super bummed out. My last two pregnancies ended early, and had to be hospital births and I was/am really hoping to make it to term (37 weeks may 4th) this time so I can have a home birth. But the good news is baby is growing well and my fundal height has caught up to where it is supposed to be and baby moves a lot and my bp has stayed down yeah.
My hips are super sore too, and for some reason I can't sleep between 2 and 3 am.
hope everyones week goes well,
crystal