Weekly, July 5-10th

[Pom]

Come on, babies! We need more birth stories!!!

Wish me luck today, ladies. My DD woke up with a half closed swollen eye which she claims does not hurt (looks like a bug bite!) and we're waiting on lab tests back from emergency cat doctor visit on Sunday...looks like we might be losing a cat just as babe comes (which, interestingly, happened last time. huh).

Happy Tuesday!

[NordicMamma]

I'm tired. I'm cranky. I am impatient with my ds. It is so hot and humid I could just scream. I have a sweat rash underneath my boobs.

I haven't had a chance to go shopping yet, and ds and 2 of his friends have just eaten the last of EVERYTHING. There is no way I am going out while it is still this humid out.

I am not having a good day! :

2 more hours before my dh comes home and I can go to bed!

[Pom]

I've got that rash, too! :

[ewe+lamb]

Oh Nordicmama you need a big . After Binah posted being without patience with her dc, I must admit I have been getting there myself - I feel like have been so selfish, the week before dd was marvellous and into all the cuddles and having time together last week I could quite happily have strangled her on several occassions, at the market on sunday she had a major meltdown and all these old interferring ladies were saying 'oh yes, that's one really angry child, I'd hate to have her, mine were never like that, I would just hit her really hard' etc, they didn't realise I was the mother standing out of the way while dh handled the situation - made me really and , nevermind - dh sorted them out for me too. Feeling lots of things down really low and having a few cx but nothing to note still got quite some time left am 38 weeks tomorrow - the french go to 41 weeks hence my due date is 27th, they just have to be so different - nevermind.

DH is nesting !!! Putting up cabinets and wardrobes that have been around for donkey's years and never been assembled - can't complain really.

Just waiting on the MW coming around to do her monitoring which has really annoyed dd as she wanted to stay in the park and play with the bubbles we had - poor thing - I'll see when MW comes along and hopefully take her out afterwards - or maybe just run a bath and let her play in that for ages!

Still struggling on a name for the babe - now that dh found out the sex - it's a boy: - goodness it's taken me a long time to say that one!! We really need to find a name we can't decide on anything - it's a nightmare. We only get 3 days to register here so have to be fairly sure from the word go!

38 weeks - still seems we have a while to go - just hope that we're able to go 'au naturel', keeping fingers crossed.

[soccerchic21]

POM- Ok very weird about the cat thing...especially if it happens again.

Nordic - it is not good to have a nesting pregnant woman and a house with no food! I have the largest breasts in the world and there is a different climate under my breasts right now :LOL

ewe - congrats on the boy! And piss on those nasty ladies at the market...geesh!

So about me! Here goes!

Well on sunday we took my mom to bradley class with us and my instructor made the mistake of telling my mom it would be a good idea for me to walk to get labor going...ohhh noooo! So now drill sargent Debbie wants me walking all the time. I try to explain to her that sure walks are good but constant walking isn't going to do anything but get me super swollen and tired. Then if I go into labor I am going to be exhausted. She had me on three walks yesterday! I finally had to go pregnant bitchy on her.

I did have a bunch of contractions yesterday. During our first very major and very long walk they were starting to get timable and harder but then when we came home and I took a shower because I was so sweaty and gross they of course went away. I try telling my mom that if they go away it isn't really the real thing...sure they help but don't get excited lady.

The rest of yesterday I had intense lower back pain...is that back labor? It freaking hurt! DH and I had sex last night and I had an orgasm. Not sure if that did anything either. I was uncomfortable all night and woke up moaning in pain a few times. Not sure if it was a contraction that woke me up or not.

So this morning I had a very nice bagel and cream cheese, cereal, OJ breakfast. I am just going to keep busy with DD and keep cleaning and see what happens I guess. Thursday is my "official" due date...:LOL although when I had my midway ultrasound the place insisted my due date was yesterday and kept ignoring me when I told them my cycle length and that I knew the conception date...they don't do due dates that way...huh?

[Max's Mami]

I am feeling pretty good - 37 weeks today - yay! I have my weekly appt. in a couple of hours.

We spent the long weekend in Tucson w/ DH - its HOT here. My feet and ankles are pretty swollen by the end of the day which is new for me - didnt have any swelling last time. My sciatic pain actually seems a bit better as does my pubic bone, no idea why. But breathing is not so easy anymore. My appetite comes and goes, sometimes starving, sometimes dont want to eat at all.

I have very short patience lately and feel like a horrible mother, just not able to give Max as much attention as he needs and get angry w/ him easily. Poor baby I am done being pregnant and hope this little one doesnt come as late as her brother did. I dont know if I will make it that far...

[jeanieloz]

It sounds like we are all nearing the end of our ropes! It is the Long haul right now.
I'm 38 weeks tomorrow, and I am so ready for baby... I think I said that last week too.
Yesterday I had irregular contractions, and back pain, Yes Soccerchic, that is back labor if the pain is in the small of your back, I had it with my first. OWCH! Anyway it all went away by the time the evening came, I also felt sick along with the contractions.
Today I had an appt, but my dr. was in L&D so I didn't see him, I saw his partner, and the guy was like totally freaked out at my condition, big baby, breech baby, how it's harder for them to turn at this size, etc... and started talking c-section with me.... grrrr...
So then my dr. called me once he got back to the office and said that he wanted to keep waiting, I am actually measuring pretty normal, and he asked if I thought this baby was smaller, and actually I do feel that he is smaller than the others, but I also still feel HUGE! This baby lays traverse, so he only has half a turn to do anyway... I think my Dr. has a lot of confidence in my ability to birth this baby, and hasn't even muttered c-section. "YEAH" Anyway he would be feet first and not butt first, so birthing would be easier anyway ... HOPES ....
So everyone chant "turn baby turn, turn baby turn" for me!!!
We have had so much rain and humidity I can't see out my windows from all the condensation on them! Our road is under construction, which was ok for a long time because we live at the begining of the road, and now they are working from our house to the corner, so I have to go all the way around on a dirt bumpy road, that just kills me because baby is sloshing around in there.

POM and NordicMama, I have to powder under my breasts every day!
Ewe--those women were being quite rude! and enjoy that boy!
Soccerchic, are you really walking or waddling? I was laughed at yesterday by a car that drove by me, as I waddled down the road. I almost wanted to cry, but flipped them off instead.
Morgan, glad you had a nice, but hot, visit with dh, much better than having to venture across the globe!

Donna

[soccerchic21]

Originally Posted by jeanieloz

Soccerchic, are you really walking or waddling?

Ok you got me! Waddling! I can't walk. I can't even push my DD in the stroller because it keeps my hips straight and throws off my waddle. :LOL

Originally Posted by jeanieloz

I was laughed at yesterday by a car that drove by me, as I waddled down the road. I almost wanted to cry, but flipped them off instead.

Ok I am sorry but that is freaking awesome! Serves them right and I am just loving the mental picture of you flipping them off. :LOL

[BinahYeteirah]

bs"d

Oh, jeanieloz, you flipped them off, huh? :LOL Oh, my... How annoying about your OB's partner. I'm glad your OB is more calm and confident.

soccerchic21 - No walking for me now. I am too tired. I washed all of dh's sheets and changed the duvet covers yesterday. That was a really workout. I like the idea of duvet covers, but are they just a PITA to change or what!?! Annoying even when I'm not pregnant. Sounds like your Mom is being a bit much, lol.

Yes, Ewe, Congrats on the boy! When did you find this out? Recently? They only give you 3 days to decide the name, huh? What do they do if your have religious reasons for not naming before that (Jews, for example, don't name a baby boy until after his bris)? Sounds too intense for me-- is it a French thing. I will consider you "due" on the 20th, if you like, but maybe that's too much pressure.

I have insomnia now. It's 5 am here and I've been up since about 3. Arg! Oh, well...

[Pom]

Originally Posted by BinahYeteirah

Yes, Ewe, Congrats on the boy! When did you find this out? Recently? They only give you 3 days to decide the name, huh? What do they do if your have religious reasons for not naming before that (Jews, for example, don't name a baby boy until after his bris)?

Jeanie - You'd think people would know not to mess with late term pg women! Good for you.

Binah - Is that an Orthodox thing? I'm Jewish and haven't heard of waiting for a naming...although I do know the Jewish name is presented at the Bris. (not that I'm the most informed Jew in the world...). For both babies we had boy names picked out ahead of time.

[Beverly]

Add me to the list of mamas at the end of their ropes!! It is so hot and yucky here and the 24-hour daylight is making me crazy ... I got up at 5:30 this morning because I had sweated so much that I had soaked my pillow clear through (nice, huh) and I couldn't stand it another minute. We did go to the store today and bought three more fans and a mosquito screen for the balcony door, so I'm hoping that will help. Nothing to do about the lack of darkness, though ... *sigh*

The first of my four due dates is on Friday, and I was so sure I wouldn't make it this far since I usually go early. I'm starting to feel a little disheartened, especially since I have a midwife appointment tomorrow that I was hoping not to have to go to (not so fond of my midwife, but at least she won't be at the birth).

I'm sorry to hear about everyone else's woes, but it does make me feel a bit better to know that I'm not going through this end-of-pregnancy misery on my own ... here's hoping we get some more birth announcements in the next few days and we can move on to the next stage of our lives with babes!

[BinahYeteirah]

Originally Posted by Pom

Binah - Is that an Orthodox thing? I'm Jewish and haven't heard of waiting for a naming...although I do know the Jewish name is presented at the Bris. (not that I'm the most informed Jew in the world...). For both babies we had boy names picked out ahead of time.

I don't think it's just an Orthodox thing, but I guess every person takes it as far as s/he wants to. Dh and I discussed names before dd was born, but we didn't decide on one specifically. We decided together the morning after she was born, because it was Shabbos and the first opportunity to name her was at the Torah reading was that morning. I didn't call her by her name until dh returned from the synagogue and I was sure she had been named at the Torah. It's considered better (by some ) to wait to see the baby to decide the name, because G-d gives the parents a special form of prophecy at that time that allows them to name the baby in a way that reveals the baby's purpose in life/the source of the baby's soul. In my community, no one calls a baby his or her name until she is officially named. For example, a boy would just be called "Baby" or "Sweetie" or whatever until after the name is announced at the bris. This could go on for a long time, if, G-d forbid, a baby is sick or premature and cannot have the bris until he is well. Even when the parents are discussing what to name a baby, many have the custom to avoid saying the name all together before the official naming. Like if the parents want to name a baby "Joseph David", they might write it out, or say one name (e.g. "Joseph" or "David") and point at the other, make a similar sound. With this baby, dh and I have not discussed names at all. Once or twice, we had short conversations about names, but we haven't made any lists or agreed on any we both like. I guess different people in different communities do different things.

[Pom]

Thanks for the explanation, Binah. Things definitely are different in different communities...but it all sounds good to me. I know although we have names picked out, I've been willing to change them at last minute, and actually, with DD I felt we'd made a mistake, and arranged to have an additional Jewish name added to her naming document - depsite my father disapproving of the act. I even wish we had made it her "regular" middle name b/c it suits her so well, Zipporah. I always think of her as my little song bird.

For all of you at your rope's end, I found some homeopathic remedies for antural induction...posted it on another thread, but sounds like some of you might like it...

For "Late Labour" or if you are anxiously awaiting a due date...("like pre-exam nerves")..these relax the body, enabling labor to start if ready

argentum nitricum
gelsemium
lycopodium

or

Caulophyllum 30 if over the course of a day you are late and not frightened. It can help to establish labour. Repeat does 2 days later.

I should be out at the park with DD but got really homebound, making banana bread and now I'm just lazy.

[Shanana]

Oh, Pom, so sorry to hear about your kitty ... I hope everything turns out okay. Hope DD's eye is okay too!

NordicMama, heat and humidity are a pg woman's enemy!! I hope you had a restful sleep.

Ewe, I would have wanted to SLAP those women. Grrrrr. Can your DH teach my DH how to nest, lol??

Soccerchic, my goodness, you've got to have that baby SOON! But don't let Drill Seargent Debbie wear you out :LOL .

Morgan, so glad you got to spend time with DH!! And yeah, I get that swelling too .

Jeanie, my goodness your OB's partner sounds like a dunce. Soooo glad your OB is much more understanding, and has faith in your abilities -- he sounds like a good man . I will be sending "turning thoughts" your way .

Binah, I get insomnia too. It's weird because I'll wake up at all hours (especially after 4 AM), and not feel tired at all. It's like it's my body preparing for getting up at all hours to breastfeed, lol.

Beverly that 24 hours daylight would drive me NUTS!! And hot and humid in Sweden, eh? I didn't know it got like that there :LOL . Sorry you have to deal with your disliked MW, and I hope that babe gets moving soon!

Things are okay here. Our BBQ was a resounding success -- we had beautiful weather, good friends and good food. It was a lot of fun, and worth all the work I had to do, lol. Plus, now my house is relatively clean and organized (I always say the best way to get a clean house is to throw a party!!).

No changes on my end, but I'm only 36 weeks and 4 days, soooo, still have a while to wait. I did make an appointment with a chiro tomorrow -- hoping that helps with my back / hip / pelvic pain. Also did some shopping at a consignment store and got some great deals!!!

Well, monitrice is here for our visit, so have to run.

Thinking of you all!!

Shana
EDD 7/29/05

[Pom]

Beverly - Hot and humid in Sweden is news for me too. And I totally forgot about the 24 hr light thing...how long does that last?

Shanana - glad the BBQ was a success!

Soccerchic your mom sounds hysterical.

Well, DD's eye is a mess and has started to itch. I also found 3 other bites on her -- one on her arm, one on each leg. Poor thing. I was about to break down and give her benadryl, but she fell asleep on the couch while I was icing her eye.

So now I have a passed out DD on the couch in a Disney Belle costume dress, no brushed teeth, jammies or bathroom business taken care of. Plus, I can't lift her to bed! She weighs 42lbs, and while I do sometimes carry her upstairs or elsewhere for a bit, it's ususally AWAKE weight, not "dead" weight and from a position where I don't wrench my back. She's just too low right now...and too asleep!

Meanwhile, I've got 2 loads of laundry in the dryers that close at 9 pm, but I can't leave her here to get them. And DH is off at a softball game until at least 9! My kitchen is a total MESS (I decided if I was gonna be lazy at home I'd make a double batch of banana bread and then made a double batch of dinner for tonight and freezer for post-babe). What was I thinking????

While I was cooking DD made a mess of her dress up clothes and other stuff's on the floor...

and I've got wet clothes in the bathroom sink that need to be hung up.

BUT MY FEET HURT!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! I'm TIRED!!!! I don't want to clean!!!! I want a NESTING DOULA!!! Do they have those?

Oh man. That's a maid, isn't it? Sigh.

Oh, and cat update. She's not sick, per se. Just old. Which is almost worse! I don't want a cat that pees on my bed! Or on the rugs, or poops in front of the TV!! But now I don't feel I have an "excuse" to put her down or give her away. I don't mean to sound horrid. I love this cat. But come on, peeing on the bed? I have to worry about that every night now? With a newborn? And my DH in grad school/working nights? "Find a happy place. Find a happy place. Find a happy place."

[jeanieloz]

I have insomnia too! It's aggrivating because I do get sleepy usually twice during the day. My neighbor is pregnant as well, and she too is up at 4:30-5am wide awake, like me, except this morning I actually slept till 7 am, I was shocked!

Beverly, I don't know if I could handle 24 hour sun! I used to spend my summers in Northern Montana as a kid, and midnight sunsets were bad enough! Really threw off your clock!

I also cursed the people in the car: any female would have to carry twins or gain 150 pounds when they get pregnant. Men, would be the partner of said female, or another female who would be in the same situation! hee hee hee.... :LOL

Binah, that is really neat about the naming tradition, I've always found Orthodox religions to be facinating, whether Jewish, Greek, or Catholic...

POM sorry about the cat, I know how that is, I had a cat that died about 2 months ago, he was pretty sick, had feline aids, and we contemplated putting him to sleep several times. He would puke all over the place, we even found cat puke on top of the fridge! He just couldn't keep anything down. But we didn't put him to sleep, I isolated him to our outdoor screened patio and basically watched him waste away. I went out and noticed he was definately dying and picked him up and wrapped him in a peice of cloth and he died in my arms. He was really my son's cat, and my son was torn about him being put to sleep, but in a way I felt this cat suffered so much, and he really stopped being a pet months before his death. He was so freaky about his sickness, he didn't act the same, he became a complete different cat. This was probably his signal to us, to help him end his life... I feel horrible about prolonging his death, but in a way, comforted about him dying in my arms... it's a hard thing to do!

Donna

[Shanana]

Pom, sounds like you have your hands full right now :LOL . Deep breaths, and focus on what's important (I know, easier said than done ). My feet were really hurting too ... with the ligaments all stretched, they've been growing (from an 8 1/2 to a 10!!!! ), and I think my arches are also collapsing. I went out and bought an expensive pair of sandals at REI yesterday. They have tons of support, and I've been wearing them constantly since about 1 PM yesterday (even around the house), and now my foot pain is almost completely gone! It feels soooo much better!!

Sorry about the cat ... that is such a tough position to be in. I've held two of my cats in my arms while they were put to sleep ... very difficult thing to go through.

Visit with the monitrice went well. Two weeks ago, there was blood, leukocytes and protein in my urine. But after a course of multidophilus, propolis, tons of cranberry juice, and a round of monistat, things seem to have cleared up -- today she said I had "perfect pee" :LOL. She said the baby is still posterior, and confirmed my suspicion that she's a little sideways (facing some to my right). We agreed that for right now trying to turn her won't do much good, since she always sits like this, it's clearly her preferred position, and she will probably just swing right back into it. After palpating, she said I have lots of fluid (in a good way), and there's still plenty of room for babe to move around. So we're going to wait a bit before taking serious measures to get her to turn. Other than that, we just enjoyed chatting for 2 hours, and had some cheese and crackers. I'm glad she's going to be at my birth.

I'm really looking forward to the chiro visit tomorrow ... my pain is not overwhlemingly bad, but it sure would be nice to get some relief. I hope he's able to help me out.

Well it's getting late, so I'm off to bed!

Shana
EDD 7/29/05

[Pom]

Shanana - "perfect pee" heeee! Congrats! and hooray for new shoes!

Montana has midnight sunsets? I need to learn more about other places, apparently. Jeanie, your curses are funny. Remind me not to get on your bad side, lol.

Yeah, our last cat that died took a bit of time. Lots of vet visits and overnights. Held him when we put him to sleep finally. Heartbreaking. Did I mention this one is the softest cat ever? Seriously. "99% velour" is how a friend of DH's descibes her. She's a short hair but has gorgeous, buttery fur and the loudest purr ever. I did find a no-kill farm just north of LA. A farm! But DH has to decide this.

Ok. Kitchen clean. Check!
Dress up clothes off floor. Check!
Wet clothes hung up. Check!

I think I can I think I can I think I can....

(so sorry if I'm boring you all to tears!)

[VioletMommy]

Wow, you can just feel the excitement and anticipation jumping off the screen in all of these posts. Why can't all of life's surprises and upsets just wait for awhile when we're at the end, trying to get in a good mental state for birthing our babies??? Couldn't the sick cats, bug-bitten children, nasty old ladies, etc..., wait a little while? And NordicMama, I would get quite upset at having no food in the house. I've had a few meltdowns during pgcy over that very thing. When pg mamas need food, we need it NOW!

So, I spent last night in awful pain, wide-awake, crying, pacing the floor, and yelling. The far back molar on the right side of my mouth needs to be pulled out because the nerve in it is dying. How great that this comes up at the beginning of my 38th week. I am praying that I don't go into labor in the next few days, and I think I'm getting the tooth out in two days. There is nothing much to do for the pain, since tylenol didn't do one bit of good, and I'm super limited as to what else I can try. I cannot touch the offending tooth without it exploding in pain, so chewing anything is out. I had mashed bananas with yogurt for dinner. I have come to accept the pain and just live with it, doing whatever I can to minimize it. This is most certainly not the type of pain I expected to be in right now.

The days preceeding the tooth incident were wonderful, though. I had my blessing way on saturday, and it was a beautiful, touching ceremony. I left feeling wonderfully centered and ready to go into labor. All that is over now, since I rarely think of preparing for labor or the baby. All I want is a big needle full of anesthetic shot into my mouth and my tooth yanked out.
OK, that's enough complaining for me...

[JeanetteL]

Ooh - tell us more about your blessingway! Mine is scheduled for the 16th, I'm so excited about it.