Weekly Thread August 8-14

[Mama Coltrane]

Should we have another weekly thread ? I guess some of us might be waiting for baby for some time still. This includes me!
I am due in a little over a week and I am still feeling up and positive. Actually, a couple of times at night I hope that labor doesn't start because I want another good night of sleep before it does!!
I have been keeping busy- going to the movies, a Birthday party this week, and a wedding this weekend. They are all local, so I will probably go.
Lately, I want someone to cook for me, clean my house and my cars. I have the nesting drive emotionally, but not so much physically. I am pooped.
I am so overjoyed to read about all of the new babies coming in our August group. I feel connected to you all and it is so sweet to hear about the new little ones.
- Kerri

[nancy926]

Definitely need to keep up the weekly threads!

39 weeks tomorrow. Today was my first day off work...it was pretty nice, I have to say. DH let me sleep in and I decided at 9:30 am to weed the garden (??). Usually I have no interest in that stuff but hey, it was exercise...

Right now I'm ready for bed. Had a chiro appt today and acupuncture tomorrow...am hoping some combo of those will get things going a bit. It's actually not too bad...but I'm not trying to walk right now.

Baby is still squirming around in there....DD put her mouth near my belly this morning and said "Binky, you can come out now." Lol. She (DD) has been extra nurtury with her dolls lately, so maybe she's prepping herself....


Nancy

[QueenMommy]

Kerri-you actually get a good nights sleep? lol!

Had a dr appt today and I'm at about 4cm. Hoping something happens soon for various reasons, but not holding my breath! lol!

[mtnsunshinemama]

I'm in, MamaC! I could sure be waiting for awhile here. 38 weeks today and waiting for the midwives to come for my prenatal appt. I have been keeping very busy but I always run out of steam in the afternoons abd need a nice nap. I can never sleep well at night anymore, i've said goodbye to that for the next, oh 18 years or so.
DH and I crossed all the level one priority stuff off our loong to do list and are now moving into the level 2 and 3 stuff- See how wacky we are! it feels good to have all the essentials done, tested the birth pool today and got the car seat in. Now I can just spend time working on things i'd like to get done.

C'mon babies!

[Anguschick1]

I'm 38 weeks today too - settling in for the long haul!

Got all the baby dipes washed today, and started on the clothes. Have all the ingredients to make and freeze some meals, but have no energy to make them. Our Level 1's are almost done, then we'll move on to Level 2/3. It seems like dh only got motivated to actually do stuff these last two weeks. He did this w/ds's pregnancy too. I guess next pregnancy I'll have to tell him a due date a month early so I can relax these last few weeks and not worry.

I'm loving all these birth stories and baby photos, hard to believe in 4 weeks (or so) we'll have a new little around here to hold as well!

[nabigus]

I’m playing the waiting game—was “due” yesterday, but it’s a darn good thing he wasn't on time, since I’m just getting over a really nasty tummy bug. Now I just need a day or two to build up my fluids and feel a little better, THEN he can come. My plans for the week have been reduced to napping, watching movies, reading, and snacking. The illness certainly put things into perspective, though—I’m finding myself thinking, “okay, I could pregnant for another week or so; just don’t let me get sick again!.”

[chiro_kristin]

Yep, there are certainly plenty of us left. It's only the 8th afterall!

I've given up thinking this baby will come already. I keep guessing and second guessing myself. But it's not for me to know or understand.

A lady who works in an office down the strip mall from my practice was oohing and aahing over my belly today. I know she means well, but as I left her office and walked over to my car, she came out of her office to use her cell phone. And she called "Quack quack! Waddle Waddle!" to me.

Very nice.

[troymama]

Kristin, I hope you at least shot her a look that could pop her tires.
Seriously. I might have decked her for saying something like that.

My due date isn't actually until the 22nd, but i asked my dr to put me on disability this week cause I can't stand my flintstone feet anymore. The doctor says the baby's big enough, I can give birth anytime I want now. So I'm spending my days in the la-z-boy recliner, asking my son to fetch me water from the cooler, and taking the occasional walk after a spicy food dinner.

My son was 4 weeks early, so I was expecting this baby to be early too. Now I'm thinking he's just going to hang in there until the last minute cause he seems pretty comfortable, other than all the WIGGLING!

But here's my work stress... the company I've worked for for the last 6 years is being acquired, and I think they're going to take all my job responsibilities and transfer them to the acquirer's main office. which will leave me with nothing to do. which will mean that they will eliminate my position, and lay me off. And because they don't know my abilities, and seem to be a pretty young company, i feel like they don't have any respect for the fact that I was employee #3 and helped to build this company from nothing. Yup, have a good baby, here's 2 weeks severance, see ya, don't let the door smack you on the way out.

So right now, sitting home on disability, I don't even know if I will have a job to go back to. I wonder if the stress of not knowing is making me hold the baby in, or something like that. I don't know how to let the issue go. I haven't even looked for a job for like 10 years, just been offered new positions and drifted from one place to another. This is not a good time for me to be worrying about this. Crap. Didn't mean to vent ladies, I guess I'm just needing a bit of support. All my husband has to say is "Change happens." I realize that there's absolutely NOTHING I can do at this point, but it sure would be nice to know one way or the other. And be able to concentrate on good labor vibes.

Labor would be good. At least it would take my mind off the work situation.

[Yummymummy74]

Still hanging in here myself.. not really happy about it but this baby will come when hes ready apparently as they always do... :LOL

[chiro_kristin]

Ugh, Danielle! Talk about what you DON'T need on your plate right now! I am so sorry!

So my new coping mechanism for the waiting on the babe is to pamper my DH. This past weekend I took a day and made it "his." We did whatever he wanted to do, I made his favorite foods upon request, and I agreed to watch the really dumb movie he wanted to watch. Tonight I gave him a facial (he'd probably kill me if he knew I told you all that but he loved it) and I'm going to give him a foot scrub and massage. The way I figure it, our one-on-one time is coming to an end. Gladly, but I will never be able to totally 100% focus on him ever again. So I told him that I want him to know how special he is to me and how much I cherish him. I also appreciate how hard he works, especially now that he is carrying the load, physically and financially, for both of us. He is doing so well. He's so strong.

It really helps to focus on him and not myself, and I am reaping a lot of benefits from it as far as his attitude towards me, responding to my rollercoaster emotions this past week.

[mom_in_training]

Danielle: Blech! that is just info you don't need. Stick it out! To work or not should be a choice.

I have a friend where something similar happened. Since the laws in Germany are different, she is still in the middle of it: she told them that she wanted to come back to work part-time during her "parent time (the first 3 years)" and the first thing they offered her was a severence contract. She was like, "actually I want to work more after 6 months, not quit." ( to make this not sound so bad, most German women do actually quit after the second child, but still). The company is being aquired, so they are under pressure to reduce jobs and actually firing people is considered socially unacceptable. So this situation is not personal. She goes back to work in a few weeks and it is really aweful to know that the company you are working for will be looking for a way to get you to quit (and from what I have heard from other companies, there are some really nasty methods available, she has already been "moved" to another department).

Count on me for another week or 3.....

[EStreetMama]

I think we should have the weekly thread until every last one of us gives birth! Together to the end...

Nothing happening here. Due date is Wednesday...but not much going on except some occasional crampiness and a little head camped out on my pelvic bone.

I had accupuncture today and he gently squirmed the whole time the needles were in. It was interesting--definitely the longest solid period of movements during the whole pregnancy.

Midwife appointment tomorrow--I think I'm ready to ask for a cervix check. Curtiosity is killing me and there is no physical way I can check myself. I don't know how some people do it! I can barely reach wipe and wash in the shower.

I'm working 4 hour days for a few more days and then that's it. Sitting is killing me.

BUT...my big dilemma...should I go to the Bruce Springsteen concert on Wednesday???? If I feel as well as I do today, I would REALLY like to go. DH is not entirely thrilled with the idea--but it's an acoustic/solo show so there is no big loud band, and I can always just leave, right???? We'll be sitting, not standing the whole time. The baby's middle name is Asbury, which is a Springsteen reference, and he's playing in town on my due date, how can I not go, right????????????????

I'm grateful that this is my biggest problem today, and I hope you're all doing as well as can be expected in our last month, too!

Hang in there everybody!!!!!

[Mama Coltrane]

Go see Springstein!! Do it for all of us! Dance that baby right out!!
I agree- Weekly Threads until the very end- even if it is September!
- Kerri

[MamaRBH]

Yes, Mama.... go to that concert!! You can always leave... and you've been talking about it on here for months...so I know you really want to in your heart. Go, Mama... you deserve it!!

I agree - we need a weekly thread until we've ALL had our babes... I dunno about the rest of you... but even when I don't post in the thread, I always read it and find comfort in it. Keep em' coming!

I'm 38 weeks today....having quite a bit of cramping, but nothing that feels promising. I was 1 cm dialated for 2 weeks...will be checked again tomorrow... I'm carrying a 10+ pounder according to numerous ultrasounds and measurements. I'm so huge I can barely function... I'm sure it sounds like I'm exagerrating.... but trust me, Mamas...I'm not. I'm that huge. My Mom is here from VA helping me take care of my 3 year old and 1 year old daughters. Last night Mom and I ran to the store for more EPO and she looked at me and said, "People really stare at you!" I tried to convince myself they stare out of pity...not awe.

[henhao]

Originally Posted by Mama Coltrane

Actually, a couple of times at night I hope that labor doesn't start because I want another good night of sleep before it does!!

That is just how I feel! Sometimes I think "if I went into labor now, I have no idea how I'd get through it" because I'm SO tired. I do my best to stay as rested as possible and not to let the nesting urges wear me out too much. It's not as easy as it sounds though!

My mom wanted to know what they could give us. I was feeling stressed at people asking - we got so many free things from friends and freecycle that we needed very little for the baby -- so my mom got us a diaper service!! How cool is that?! The dipes arrived this past Monday. Now we just need DH to clear out space for the changing table in his study. I think he's in denial about it. I was stressing and then decided he's changing the girl on the floor if he hasn't cleared out the changing area by the time she's born. I mean, I am 39 wks; it would be nice to have this little thing completed.

I'm still feeling some major nesting and, like lots of you, have finished the level 1 tasks and am moving the down the list. I might go out and weed the garden today for exercise. I can work in my squats that way. hee hee

I've been working half days at home. Yesterday, I stayed at work a full day and was WIPED when I got home. I could barely keep my eyes open on the drive home, so I'm working the whole day from home today. I can shift positions much more here and take as many breaks as necessary.

deborah

[henhao]

Originally Posted by troymama

So I'm spending my days in the la-z-boy recliner, asking my son to fetch me water from the cooler, and taking the occasional walk after a spicy food dinner.

...I think they're going to take all my job responsibilities and transfer them to the acquirer's main office. which will leave me with nothing to do. which will mean that they will eliminate my position, and lay me off....

As a life coach, I work with a lot of people in career transition. Some have lost their jobs, some want to change careers, and some don't know what they want to do yet.

At any rate, I've noticed a trend that people are *happier* when they leave (or are let go) from the old position and move into the new. Sure, they go through the concern and worry you mentioned; that is completely normal to feel, of course. It's just in the end I hear so often, "Wow, I had no idea how unhappy I was at the old place," or "I'm making 10K more in my new job AND I love it."

So, this is just a friendly note to let you know that although the worry and concern really stinks right *now* that your situation could very well end up better than you imagined in the future. Perhaps the birth of this baby will be the start of a whole new and wonderful work situation for you.

[TCC's Mom]

As someone who is just 37.5 weeks I am feeling like I will be one of the last ones visiting these pages! I agree with a prev. poster who said that even when not posting in this thread it is comforting to have...

I'm happy to report that over the weekend we _finally_ got some organization done and stuff washed/sorted -- another half a day and I will feel ready enough (there's always more to do, though...). Part of the delay was that I was working all-out until last week, and still am working some.

Although things are washed and starting to be ready, we still have no hospital bag packed yet : (well, wait, the bag with the mints, Recharge, sparkling water and champagne for after is packed and at the front door, so that might count!!!)

To top it off, dp has thrown out his back and is having foot problems so is actually doing less than I am around the house -- I am SO glad we hired a doula because if we didn't have one lined up I would be freaking about labor support.

3.5 yo dd is so cute these days -- whenever she doesn't want to do something her new excuse is "I can't because the baby in my belly is kicking me right now..."

Best to all!

P.S. Hugs to troymama/danielle!

[Aeriane]

HI! Well I can usually tell how much I'm dilated but last night it was like, ummm??? it was just open feeling. Maybe all the pains etc have finally done something? It was just soft, stretchy, made me contract like nuts checking it out LOL It's tempting to check again just to keep the ball rolling! Nah...guess I'll be patient.. but it sure is hard (or soft..depending on what you're talking about :LOL ) Kitty

[rainbowmoon]

I'm still here!

I was officially due yesterday.. I go back and forth constantly feeling like I may be going into labor, or pg for another week. :LOL I still have a feeling baby will come on the 13th (Sat).so far everyone who's guessed has been wrong, so I guess we'll wait & see if a mama's intuition is right.

[ChildoftheMoon]

37 weeks here and feeling so ready, but babe is not so I wait
I have been getting a few good nights of sleep here and there, but I think it just might be because all my other nights are exhausting! Still nesting, but feeling too tired and lazy for the big jobs. I feel so cumbersome. Midwife is dropping off the fishy pool today, so I will be officially ready.
Glad to know I am not the only one left to the end of the month!
Brandi