April 20 - May Thread

[Velvet005]

Well, I forgot to start the second half of the month thread a couple of days ago but who's counting

I had my weekly appointment today. My b/p was up a little but not much. It was 108/7?. It has been in the 90's/50's or 60's most of the pregnancy and sometimes even lower than that. I have low b/p anyway so I don't worry about it too much.
I am still only a FT dialated. I am about 70% effaced and station -1 or -2, I am not sure which.
I am tired and swelling. My fingertips on my right hand are numb. I am a complaining mess right now. Everyone I have spoken with today says I sound different. I told them it's because I am tired, swollen, nauseaus, and crampy (on and off). School probably magnifies these things as well. I have soooo much on my mind that it is all overwhelming me right now.
DH and I both had birth dreams last night. I dreamed I went to wake him up because I could feel the baby's head and that it was time, but before he could get out of bed I had already given birth. In my dream, I told him we needed to make sure the baby was breathing before we worried about cutting the cord because in the last dream we forgot to see if he was breathing. I thought it was weird how I refered to a past dream in the dream I was having.
DH dreamed I gave birth and he caught the baby and he was slippery. I wish he would catch the baby but he doesn't want too... he's scared

[Mama Bee]

It sounds like you're getting closer, Tish!

I started my once a week visits this week. My MW is going out of town for a few days at the end of the week (during the full-moon, none the less!). She's nervous that I'm going to give birth while she's gone. I'd like to wait a couple of weeks, though.

I feel pretty good. I'm heavy, awkward, swelling, cranky and can't seem to stop this constant flow from my bladder.... but other than that.... :

I am anxious, excited and nervous all at the same time. This will be our first home birth and I am really looking forward to it without having to many preconceived notions about it either.

Anyway, I just wanted to say hello and offer to all the other May Mamas!

[slightly crunchy]

Almost May! Boy do I feel huge! I am mostly wearing DH's tshirts now (nothing else fits anymore) and looking pretty sloppy in the process.

Today I got one of those parking spaces at the grocery store for "expectant mothers" and was GLAD to use it! I had B-H surges for hours today, and uncomfortable ones at that. Feels like baby is trying to move on down.

Tish, I want DH to catch the baby, too, but he doesn't seem that interested. Actually I'd like to help catch him myself, if I am in a good position to reach.

[CaliMommie]

I have been having contractions on & off for 4 days now! : This happened with my boys too, so frustrating! I am hoping she sill hold off on coming until a week or so from now, as my mom has her masectomy on Friday. But I know she'll come when she's ready. I am feeling pretty good for being this pg, except for at night when it hurts SO bad just to switch which side I'm laying on.

Tish~ I remember the swelling! I had it BAD with my boys (I was pg all summer with both & I had cankles!). I feel for you! Massage is supposed to help the swelling go down (it helps release excess stored water)~ in fact my midwife recommended getting foot/leg massages as long as the masseuse was careful to avoid certain pressure points. Also, drinking lots & lots of water helps you to not retain water (sounds weird, but it's true!) Anyways, not trying to lecture you, I just remember how miserable the swelling made me. I hope you feel better soon! We are almost there!

[Len]

37w3d

No mayor changes here... went to the MW yesterday and baby still anterior head down, back on my left, and I'm hoping will stay that way (1st baby was posterior, ugh!)... Have everything ready at home now, and I'm feeling pretty good Had a mini baby shower yesterday and people brought food items for freezer, which I liked better than gifts for baby

The best news of all, I tested negative for GBS!!! as I've said before, if I were at hospital here they wouldn't care and just do the IV abx, because of my previous experience, but with my MW, we have decided to test again in 2 weeks (if baby still inside of course) just to make sure and then we'll skip the IV : this makes me really happy

So basically just waiting now!!!

Amibeth, best wishes for your mom's surgery

Tish, that's too crazy to have a dream within a dream!! :LOL

[annakiss]

34wk3d

I think I'm 34 weeks, anyway. Sounds about right. I knew the other day.

Anyhow, feeling achey today because I mopped last night (at 11 o'clock) and made my low back all crunchy and couldn't fix it. Will call the chiropractor today, though I doubt she'll be able to do anything. But at least I mopped! Been meaning to do that since October! :LOL Still can't seem to get rid of milk droplets though. stupid lactose. So I'm nesting. I'm almost through my to do list. Jon is almost through with the semester. The lawyer called and I'll be getting my money next week. Things are looking up. I'm sure the clouds will open up any second.

And that's it.

[nym]

Yesterday I did sooo much! Tons of walking, playing at the park, grocery shopping, wandering around stores with my preg friend..

Today, I hurt like I got run over 3 times!

I have been having really bad leg cramps at night. Calf cramps and thigh cramps, the other night my knee cramped up! My legs ache something fierce now becuase of it.

Today I am dying all the baby stuff I have, like prefolds and little white shirts. Then, I think I am done!

Oh, and I am moving sometime soon, middle of may? End of may.. some time.. So I gotta clean too! Good thing I did the oven the other day hehe

[Eaglevoice]

35 Weeks

I can't believe that I only have a week left until my midwife would be willing to do a homebirth!!! Not that I'm saying I want the baby to come that early, of course, but it's just such a trippy thought. I'm still feeling pretty good all in all, though I think my plane flight last weekend stirred something up. As soon as I got off the plane my feet were soooooo swollen and they've been that way pretty much ever since. But I checked my BP and everything is normal, so I've been drinking as much water as I can and it seems to be going down a little. I have these fat little sausage toes, it's kinda funny. Everyday, people at work are asking me how much longer, how much longer??? Aaaahhhh!!!!! Leave me alone! Luckily, this is my last two days at work, so I won't have to hear it from them everyday anymore. I've got my home visit next week, my midwife is dropping off the birthing tub and then it's once a week visits after that! I can't believe it's here already. Oh, and a really exciting thing happened... Most of you know that my family is in California and it's just us up here in Oregon, since this is my first baby, I want so badly for my mom to be here with me. We've been looking into plane fares to see how much it would cost for her to fly up here last minute, well it's over $500! And since my mom can only take a week off of work we didn't want to buy a ticket yet since we don't know when the baby is coming. My dad also wants to come up a few days after the baby is born and with the last minute ticket and then buying another ticket just a few days in advance, they were looking at around $850 for the two of them. I just can't ask them to shell out that kind of money after all they have given me lately. So, I was talking to one of my best girlfriends about it (she works for Southwest airlines), and she reached in her purse and handed me a roundtrip stand-by ticket that she had just been awarded for perfect attendence!!! I couldn't believe it, she just gave me a free round trip ticket, and since it's a stand-by ticket, all my mom has to do is show up at the airport and see if they have room on the next flight to Portland!! Doesn't that rock?! Okay, this post is getting way to long, sorry for the novel

[Marlet]

I'm 37 weeks or something like that. I think if we use our last EDD I'm 37 but if we use the first one I'm 38. I'll just go for the in between and say I'm 37.5. I still have things I need to do in regards to the baby room. I really only have to cover the chair and make some window thingies but my mom hit me up about her sewing machine so now I really have to get to it. Yesterday started the insane back cramps. I've had them all day yesterday and all day today (so far). They don't hurt really but it does feel like I have been doing desk work all day and continually arched my back to relive tension. Kind of uncomfortable. Last night when we went to bed they got worse and it radiated around to the front. Hopefully that means things will start going.

I had to walk to WIC this morning and that was a waste of time! I had to go for a breastfeeding class and I am guessing those who don't know anything about it don't know anything because they don't read ANYTHING EVER. I have heard and read all the stuff they told me since I was in about 8th or 9th grade. Anything woman related mentions it all. I guess some people just need to be reminded? There was a woman there sick as a dog and making disgusting noises. Who'd she sit by? ME!! She was constantly blowing her nose (which I have issues with....I don't blow my nose nor do I ever intend to.....I hate hearing other people do it) and coughing and gagging and generally sounding like she was going to die. I kept turning away from her but I couldn't move. I had picked the last seat in the row on purpose but she followed suit and got the only one next to me. I didn't want to be mean but I have been so sick this winter that I didn't want to get anything. I was sick for 2 or 3 months straight....I am not about to get sick again! The teacher at the end was handing out cards that said, "I'm a breastfeeding baby" to put in the "crib at the hospital" and when she got to me I passed and said, "No thanks, we're doing a homebirth." She looked at me like I was crazy and had somehow offended her. I didn't care though, this office is much more ok with things. The teacher is still nursing her baby (14 months) and they co-slept. She actually encouraged both of those things. I was shocked but happy because now maybe they won't give me so much grief about a homebirth.

[MamaFae]

Lets see I am 34 wks 1 d if you go by the ultrasound. I measured just shy of 35 cm at my appointment on the 19th, and I have been so consistantly measuring a week ahead it is hard for me to think I might actually go to my EDD. I hope not.

I am still a little worried about what to do with the boys when I go into labor. If it is during the day I think they will be ok at the birthcenter and my MW's assistant even said as long as I am not crowning she can help keep them entertained. And they just got a DVD player and said that we can bring movies for them to watch as well. If it is in the middle of the night I am worried about it. They may not go back to sleep once we get there, and I really feel like I need DH by my side as much as possible. I am really hoping labor and delivery will happen while my inlaws are here, but just in case got the number for the volunteer/student doula coordinater at Birthingway Midwifery College, so I can get set up to have a student doula for free. They can come in the middle of the night to the center and either be with me if DH is needed for the boys or be with the boys.

I have been nesting as much as my body will let me. I am so irritated with it. I guess being over 30 and this being my 3 pregnancy in 4 1/2 years will cause things to stop working like they did before, but still I would love to be able to marathon clean and get it all done NOW! : I have so much I want to do. Cleaning in general of course, but I want to rearrange our bedroom, get the blanket sewn for the baby, get some of the newborn onsies I have dyed, and finish the dress I am knitting. Along with that I want to get all of the baby announcements made before I go into labor and ready to fill in. If I have them all done, envelopes addressed, they will actually go into the mail this time!

We still need a dresser for the baby as right now I have much of my non-preggo clothes in box on the closet floor and her stuff in the drawers they used to occupy. I really want to find a sweet little four drawer chest that I can stain or paint. I did find a twin matteress, now just need the box springs and the boys will each have their own bed instead of sharing a very crappy uncomfortable queen. I think they will sleep better separated physically. They love sharing a room, but they are both active sleepers and well they just wake each other up, but moving so much.

I am enjoying the movements and playing with little girl as she poke her feet out of my sides. She is so big already! Her feet are in my ribs and her head is definitely down on my cervix. She is also anterior with her back on my left side. Although she tends to spin around on her head like a top during the day.

Well DH is gone until Friday night (day four of being on my own and counting!)and I feel like I am handling it pretty well. I miss him terribly of course, both for his own precious self, and for all he does for us when he is here.

Ok enough of the novel of my life!

Lizabethian~~ That sounds exactly like how both my labors started for real. The low back almost like your constipated ache. It started about 3 days before labor really kicked in for me.

Eaglesvoice~~ That is totally cool about your getting that ticket!!
That is exactly what we had to fly my mom down for our first. Southwest rocks.

Blessings,
N~

[Marlet]

Originally Posted by MamaFae

Lizabethian~~ That sounds exactly like how both my labors started for real. The low back almost like your constipated ache. It started about 3 days before labor really kicked in for me.

I'm hoping that's what it is. I never thought I'd be able to say I can sit on a pair of feet that aren't mine WHILE peeing. Very disturbing! :LOL I have actually had the urge to clean today which has been nice. My kitchen looks so nice! I think I figured out why women nest. It starts contractions. I was mopping when I decided that. :LOL I stood up straight to rinse out the mop and got a couple so that's when I decided my novel idea was the truth! :LOL I have a feeling the baby will be born the 22nd (orignially I thought it was going to be in May but who knows) and tomorrow is the 22nd. Wouldn't that be crazy if it happened? I'd put out a sign and charge people ten bucks to come listen to me tell them what I think will happen. :LOL I am dreading labor actually starting though. I had a dream it will happen at 3:18 in the morning. I am not a morning person and I have a very hard time actually getting to sleep. I don't want to go into labor a few hours after I get into deep sleep. I would be so pissed at that! I take so long to get an energy after I wake up that it would just exhuast me. Oh well, here's hoping it goes smooth!

[CalgonMoment]

I am at the whiny, gripy, can't wait to have this baby stage. I am almost 39 weeks, but I tend towards late babies. But I have been having noticeable achy contractions for over a week now. My whole body hurts, I wish I could get drugs for this stage of pregnancy. Labor is wonderful after hurting for weeks, at least you know that will end in a day or so. And to top it off, my MIL is coming on my due date to stay for ten days. I am thrilled that she is coming, she will be able to help take care of me and my girls, but I hate the time pressure. If baby goes late, she will be here to help me wait for a baby! Urgh! I am taking homeopathic cohoshes, hoping that they will kick start things, so far they are just coordinating contractions that don't do anything. I am only a stretchy 1 1/2 cm and not effaced and baby is head down but not engaged. I am so tired of this, if will power and whining would make baby come, I would be writing my birth story by now.

Thanks for listening, I know there are others who can sympathize.

[CaliMommie]

Well, today was a long day. Contractions on & off, very crampy, lower back ache, almost constipated feeling *sigh* I have been losing bits of my mucous plug, so maybe something is actually startiung to happen. I vacuumed last night & it was exhausting, my back was killing me! I'm going to mop the kitchen floor tomorrow. We went to Farmer's Market tonight, the weather was so nice. I saw my doula there so we chatted for a bit while our boys chased eachother around a large grassy area. It was nice to get out of the house for a while. We bought a bunch of strawberries & sweet peas. I am ready for this baby to come, but it would be cool if I had her on Mother's Day (except that it is 2 weeks away!) because I was born on Mother's Day! I packed my hospital bag last night (except for a nursing tank I wnat to get), so at least now I feel ready for her.

[Velvet005]

Amibeth- It sounds like you are getting close. I have been having that crampy lower backache for a few weeks now. I have kind of learned just to ignore it because so far it means nothing for me.

Yesterday, I had plans to eat dinner with a classmate. So we go to dinner and SURPRISE- there was a huge group of my classmates there!!! They threw me a surprise baby shower. I really was surprised!!! It was awesome. We had so much fun and I couldn't believe how many of them were there. It was people from all the classes I am in I wanted to cry :
They gave us a gift certificate to Target and me a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure for some pampering!!! Now, I really wish there was some way I could let them know just HOW much I appreciate them.

Lizabethian - It's the 22nd now. Wonder if you are having a baby? Hmmm.....

CalgonMoment- Hang in there. Not much longer to go

Jenn - that is awesome about the roundtrip plane ticket!!! Friends are amazingly awesome at just the most perfect times!!!!

[seren]

I'm so tired! I spent a good part of the day yesterday in the bathroom. Spent another good part of it cleaning. I have a list of things to do and did quite a bit of them. Last night I wanted to clean, but knew if I got out of bed and did it I would be too exhausted to take care of my kids today. WHy do I feel the need to clean at night instead of during the day? Then dh was doing my perineal massage last night and said I have discharge that looks like egg white cervical mucus with white stuff in it. Weird, I hope it means soemthing!!! I will be 37 weeks tomorrow.

[Marlet]

Originally Posted by seren

Last night I wanted to clean, but knew if I got out of bed and did it I would be too exhausted to take care of my kids today. WHy do I feel the need to clean at night instead of during the day?

Glad to know it's not just me! That seems to be the only time I have the energy to clean (pregnant or not) which would be fine if it was during the earlier night hours and not ten at night. I have tried to talk up the experience so I might be able to get it done during the day but it usually takes a week to get everything clean.......a room a day! :LOL

Velvet- No such luck! I was hoping that I would be in labor this morning. I even wished on a star last night and told the baby that her time has come cause I have no more room in there. Apparently she disagrees. I was really hoping it would happen so when we called DSS today we could tell him about it. :LOL Yes, I was being pushy in my mind over a phone call! :LOL

I have a few things I need to get done and then I bet everything will start up more than they are. I swear I was in the bathroom all day yesterday! I did check myself last night (by the way who can tell me how many fingers= how much dilated? ) and I seem to begetting more and moer open. That was nice to realize. I have been checking myself on and off for the past week or so and it was so dissapointing to know I was just sitting there and not going anywhere progression wise.

[annakiss]

So everyone's mopping then, I take it? Wednesday I went out to dinner for my birthday with a girlfriend, came home and vaccumed the whole house then mopped the whole house. Then, because I'd stupidly poured the mop water down the tub, I had to scrub the bathtub and then try to get the mildew off my sticky bathmat. I guess halibut will do that to you. :LOL I'd been meaning to mop since October. Mostly I've been scrubbing individual spots on the hardwood floor with a rag.

I did go to the chiropractor yesterday, but my back still hurts, though certainly not as bad. They iced me down for a while after the adjustment. Then last night when I went to bed I used a hot water bottle on it. I think it's just going to be sore. sigh. DH and I are starting to do the prenatal yoga tape together every day though. He hurt his back last weekend and needs something. He's out of shape though because he thinks the prenatal tape is hard! :LOL

Went to run errands yesterday as well. So I've finally got my hose, I've got some Amy's meals in the freezer, some granola bars for labor, some electrolyte replacement juice (Knudson's - I didn't even know they made it, I was so excited!!!), got a nursing pillow, got some surprise items for DS for while I'm in labor, typed up the emergency phone number list and put it on the fridge, typed up the homebirth prep list with the locations of all the items and put it on the fridge... My lists of things to get done before baby comes is getting shorter and shorter!!! I've been obsessed with the list making these days, so forgive me if I just come here and type up all the things I've got to do! I suppose that at this point, we'd be ready if she came, but there's still more to do. Not to mention the fact that it's not time and DH hasn't quite finished his semester - just one more week!!!

Jenn- congrats on the ticket

Sounds like everyone's anxious to not be pregnant any more - HANG IN THERE!!! Your baby will come on it's birthday!!!

[Debstmomy]

I woke up tired today. I hate that! I slept pretty good too, don't think I even go up to pee! Yesterday I woke up full of energy! Go figure, both nights I slept pretty good!

I am getting loads of BH contractions. They are so exciting. Mostly when I get up from sitting they hapen. I do not remember them from my DS, whom I had an induction.I do remember them from my DD, I did lose my mucus plug on my own with her!

Anyone else see the thread where they baby girls came out baby boys!! That is freaking me out a bit. EVERYTHING we have is PINK!! & it has all been given to us, gently used, so I can not take it back & get boy stuff! Even had me second guessing my feelings on those peek a boo ultrasounds (I hate the theory of them. Useless imho), to go check again. Oh well, if baby is a boy, he will look great in pink!!!!! (oh geez!)

Started to learn to knit. I am so excited! However, in what I have paid in start up costs (had to use a speciality store) I could have bought that wool soaker!!! Now if I can just get knit vs purl straight!

I have washed all my kids old baby blankets. They are sitting in a trash bag in the living room. I did wash the knit caps, t-shirts & booties for after the newborn exam & put them in my birth kit. Dh thinks we need to pack clothes for baby when we go the hotel. I feel wierd about that. I figure if she is born there, my mom can bring all that down with the car seat. Dh just wants to take it all. I feel wierd about that right now. We shall see when the time comes.

Ordered the carset online wenesday. It looks really cool! I can not wait to get it. Dh bought the wood for the baby bunk & spend $80 more than I budgeted for. He instisted it all be pine! Oh well no sense in crying over cut wood that can not be taken back. He will build it tomorrow.


Jenn you are so blessed! That is awesome. My sis lives in Seattle & wants to come in June but can not find a resaonable ticket. Driving down would be just as expensive. I am not sure what she will decide.

All you early May moms!! Wow! Some of you are showing real signs. That is so exciting!!!! I hope all of the uncomfortableness leaves soon!

Have a great FRIDAY!!!!!!!

[CaliMommie]

I am SO tired today! My sister called & we talked until after midnight! We haven't talked since our other sister passed away in October, just to hard & we never talked much before. Kind of an odd family situation on that side. Anyway, it was nice to talk to someone about Lisa & we have many of the same feelings about her death, etc. She is going to try to come up & see us soon, should be interesting. I have an OB appt today & I have to take both of the boys with me, as there is no-one to watch them. I hope they aren't too wild!

[Eaglevoice]

I oredered my birth kit yesterday and they said it will be ready to pick up today, it just makes it all so much more real. The girls at my work threw me a baby shower yesterday, I've pretty much gotten everything I need now. Today is my last day at work, it's bitter sweet. I'm so happy to not have to come back to work, but at the same time, I need the money. I also found out yesterday that I got into the labor doula class that I've been trying to get into : (just had to use that new icon!) I'm so excited to start the class! This is the first step in my journey to becoming a midwife, woo hoo!! It's only taken me 2 years to get here, but hey, I'm doing it, and that's what counts!

One question for all of you BTDT mamas, how many recieving blankets do you need? I got sooooo many and I'm thinking of taking some back because I don't think I'll need them all (I think I have like 15 or so). And then I got a TON of other blankets on top of that, like another 8. I think I just have too many blankets for the baby, it seems so extravagant. Should I bring some back and get something else that I might need instead, or do you think I will actually use all of these blankets? TIA

Well, I guess I better go and mop my floors, too, so I don't feel left out