Weekly thread Sept 26 - OCT(!!!!) 2

[meagen]

Hi everyone-

Thought I'd start a new thread for this week, since it's Tuesday already!

It sure sounds like some of us are getting close to delivering. How exciting!!! I hope those first babes are ready to be here - no NICU's, etc.

I had a weird dr. appt today. I saw a different ob than my normal, as he was out of town. My normal doc is very laid-back, with every appt. him telling me everything looks perfect, measures perfect, sounds perfect, etc. The ob today, however, um, takes a different approach. First, she insisted I do fetal counts nightly, even though I told her that he moves ALL THE TIME! Then, she thought he was breech, and started talking about how my ob won't turn a breech and scheduling a c/s... at that point, I'm starting to feel very nervous, saying I sure didn't feel him flip, and I'd be suprised due to lack of room if he did flip, etc. So, she does a quick ultrasound and sure enough, that's a butt she's feeling up top :LOL Turns out he's so chubby, she was just sure that couldn't be a butt. Then, since he's measuring between 6 1/2 to 7lbs. already (35 weeks, 1 day), she starts talking about inductions :

So, I'm in quite the tizzy by the time I leave, but have calmed down quite a lot! I'm 99.9% sure my doc next week will say everything is fine, looks perfect, etc. and I'll just have a little butter ball , but sent me into a whirlwind for a while.

So, that's my excitement for this week, oh and the b-day party on Sunday, we are quite excited!

[MelW]

Wow, almost October!!

Meagen, hope you'll get your regular OB next time (and when you're in labour)- the one you saw sounds like an incompetent . And thanks for starting this week's thread.

I spoke with the midwife on call over the weekend about my crummy appointment with the other midwife on Thursday. She spoke with her (with my permission) and yesterday she called me back. Things seem better- we've cleared up some of our communication difficulties and misconceptions, so we'll see how the next appointment goes. I see her again in two and a half weeks.

I've been thinking a lot recently about how different the midwife-client relationship is than most "professional" relationships. It seems much more personal and intimate that most (with the exeption of some counsellors and social workers), but also very time limited and defined. And deals with major life events. In the doctor's office, the rules and roles are generally pretty clear- but this is a totally different experience than I've had before. Of course, with two of our three midwives the relationship is totally easy and comfortable- and doesn't make me philosophize about professional boundaries and relationships, etc.

Baby is finally OA again, after a week of teasing me! Last Monday I went swimming, and the little rascal turned transverse/breech after weeks of being head down. Another swim on Wednesday had it head down again, but OP for the rest of the week. I was really good about my posture and did all of the optimal fetal positioning stuff Sunday and yesterday, but got a terrible mid/upper back ache from leaning forward so much. So today I went swimming again, and came out of the pool with a wonderful OA baby. Though I have to admit that I kind of liked how much I could feel all of the kicking all over when baby was OP. Now I just have to keep the baby in this position without destroying my back- sleeping on my stomach last night almost killed me!

In other getting ready for the baby news...we took a baby name book out from the library and now have some good contenders for both boy and girl names. And my husband has been reading about and starting giving me nightly perineal massage

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

[spughy]

I am feeling kind of down this week. DH has gone to France for a conference, and I miss him already (he's been gone less than a day). The dog sulked on our bed all yesterday evening which made me feel alternately sorry for her and kind of po'd that she doesn't find my company comforting. I went for an accupuncture treatment for my ribs today and I think it helped a bit but not completely. On the weekend I stuffed as much food in me as I possibly could in an attempt to see if I really could gain a bit more weight if I tried, but the net result is I had to poop more, my weight has actually gone down, and I have a hemmorrhoid starting up. Yay. So I will no longer try to force-feed myself, I don't care if I don't make it to 20 lbs weight gain.

Also, lunch today was Lindor chocolates. Normally I am so good about food, but today, I just do not care.

I also feel totally uninspired to do any sort of work, paid or otherwise. I have a pile of tomatoes sitting on my counter waiting to get turned into spaghetti sauce and I know I need to deal with them before they go bad but all I want to do is lie on the couch, watch Battlestar Galactica and feel sorry for myself. And the worst part is, I only have 3 episodes left on the DVD.

AND now I feel like crap because these are not really valid things to whine about. A minor hemmorrhoid, DH gone for a week, tomato sauce to make? How lame is that???? I suck.

[*Amy*]

No, you don't suck!! We you Spughy! It's OK to feel crappy. DH being gone would definitely be enough to do it for me.

I think it may be a hormonal thing, too. Last week was really rough for me, just feeling down for no particular reason. I'm feeling a lot better today, so at least I have hope that I can still have "normal" days.

Go eat some ice cream and watch America's Next Top Model and you'll feel better!

[AmyGirl28]

Meagen- I totally agree with MelW, that doctor is a joke. It seems like once you get close to term they can't wait to interviene. Good luck!

MelW- Glad to hear the baby is in position. I wish I knew what position mine was in. I can never tell.

Spughy- It's okay to get upset. Having your husband gone this close to term is very hard. Stuffing yourself silly is pretty normal too. Hopefully things will get better. I agree with *Amy*... we love you, and go have some ice cream!

Now for my update. Last week was rough with DD. I go back and forth considering putting her in day care a few days a week so I can get some rest. But then I have a good day and I change my mind and want to keep her home with me. It is so hard to keep up with her when I feel so drained of energy. It didn't help that DH was home late almost every day last week. I felt totally unsupported. But I understand he has a lot on his plate too. After all, he is the bread winner of the family. This week it looks like I am catching a cold, and DD is just getting over one. My throat is swollen, yada yada yada... poor me. I am not looking forward to all of the work involved in getting things ready for DD's B-day party this weekend. But, hey, it's only family, so who cares if the house is a mess right?

[BensMom]

Can I join the whine-fest, too? :LOL

Ben has had a cold for the past few days and I woke up with it yesterday. Misery = being alone with a 4yo when you are sick. He was fine yesterday. Back to normal. I had a terribel cough that hurt so bad. This morning he had a relapse and woke up miserable. I woke up miserable. DH woke up miserable and worked from home - which was great since I had help when DS puked all over me this morning (not a tummy virus, just from too much drainage). Ugh.

Trying to decide whether to send him to school tomorrow. He has been fine all afternoon again, but he was fine yesterday too. So chances are, he finally kicked it and will be ok at school. I did take him to the Dr and she said that he could go if he did not have a fever. So I am feeling like a crappy mom for considering sending my sick/recovering kid to school so I can get 6 hours of quiet and peace...ahhh...just the though has me smiling. :

I normally have a stellar immune system while pregnant, so this is my first pregnancy sickness in 16 months of pregnancy - and last time it was all through cold/flu season with everyone around me getting sick. My left rib hurts, even though I know I have not been coughing that much to really hurt it. I just want to crawl into bed but its not even 8p yet! (I'm trying not to take anything...if I had a fever, I would take Tylenol to keep the babe cool, but just aches and pains, I am trying to stcik it out...)

And being sick has made me miss a week (I dont see myself going tomorrow, maybe Thurs) of workouts and a week of productivity around the house. That has me a bit bummed.

Other than that, not much else to complain about. lol. Hope everyone has a better week!

October is right around the corner! Next Monday we can start saying "next month" when people ask when we are due. Woo hoo!

[RainCoastMama]

Hi everyone!

Wow...the hormones really are raging among us...so many tricky medical things popping up..(and Spughy - I also had a bag of Lindor for lunch the other day - great minds... :LOL Yesterday I stocked up on Purdy's...)

I hear y'all on the exhaustion. I'm beat. DD is fully into her terrible tantruming 2s and not letting up any time soon. I can bend over and chase her around, and I'm winded cuz my lungs are feeling compressed...

Our big excitement...my sister is working in Peru for 6 months close to where that HUGE earthquake just happened. I'm with my mom this week as Dh is out of town, and we spent a lot of yesterday contacting useless embassies and consulates to get info...most of the phone lines were down or busy. FINALLY my sis in NY emailed everyone on lil sis' contact list and a coworker of hers in Peru emailed back - they were together during the quake and she is ok, and went back to the village she was working in. But comm lines are still down. Figures...my sis was also in NY at the UN during 9/11.

In other news, my baby is measuring small My follow up u/s showed her to be in the 10th percentile, although she is proportional, with a tummy in the 30th. They checked me for IUGR, and decided things were ok, tho she is small. My OB went on to say that measurements are based on 'meaty Europeans' and I'm definately not that (not meaty or European), so she wouldn't expect me to give birth to anything bigger. I'm ok with it I guess...I dunno..my 2 PGs have been so different.

Just tired a lot. Mat leave just officialy started, as well as my life as a full time, forever SAHM....it's a little scary after being uni and professional bound for so long...

:LOL

dee

[flapjack]

Yep- the average birth weight for an American baby is at least half a pound lower than Brit babies- I reckon it's cos you don't have proper chocolate.
I'm over the exhaustion and I have more energy- I can stay awake until 10pm some nights!!! AND I don't always need a nap in the afternoon- it's wonderful.
Money's a bit tight here- I didn't get paid my maternity pay, so I'm kind of panicking a tad- but apart from that, everything's swimming along wonderfully. I picked up my copy of "Welcome with love" this morning, which I think is fantastic and can't wait to show the boys (they're at school atm), and at the weekend took my terrible twosome to a mind body and soul exhibition, where they did a relaxation class specially designed for children. It was wonderful watching the tension dissolve out of Alex, he'd had such an awful week.

[beachbaby]

checking in...I haven't posted on the weekly thread in a while: just felt more like lurking lately for some reason. I guess a lot things just seem surreal right now that I feel like an outsider looking in on other mamas getting ready to have November babies. Hard to believe that I'm one of them sometimes!

Friends came over last weekend to paint our guest room/baby HQ. And my mom bought our carseat and we'll get it installed soon. Getting some of the physical things ready is starting to make our little one's arrival seem more real.

Last MW appt. was great and DH and I got a tour of the birth center. Even though it's associated with the hospital, the staff seemed really laid back, open to our birth plan, etc. That, along with continuing the Hypnobabies course has me feeling positive about the birth.

Anyone else transitioning to a SAHM once this babe comes? Or maybe y'all more experienced SAH-mamas can give some insight. I've been thinking about it a lot and I guess just having a hard time letting go of the part of my identity that I associate with my job (which is a lot more than I ever realized, I'm finding). I really am committed to being a SAHM and have never been very ambitious as far as a career goes, but I like my job, am good at it, have lots of friends there, etc. I don't know. Mostly fear of the unknown, I think.

Happy rest of week, everyone!

[3for3hb]

chocolate... mmmmm. haven't really had any recently.... mmm.

So after my fiasco (I love that word) with my backup MD on Monday, I seem to have gotten all freaked out about getting all the stuff done that I've been putting off. But I have good reason to switch into high gear. I'm 36 weeks and my 36th week home visit with my midwives is on FRIDAY!!! So I have so much to do! I've been sort of putting it off because I really haven't felt that fire lit under my a** until Monday. :LOL And honestly, I could have the baby now and we'd be fine, but then I'd end up having to rely on someone else who won't do things exactly how I would have done them had I nested properly. I'm a maniac about it now .I washed a ton of baby clothes and blankets and diapers yesterday and am checking things off my list as I go. I wrote a list of things I need to get and plan on dropping ds off at MIL's this afternoon/evening so I can go shopping without having to deal with his impatience and belly kicking tantrums (he really is good for a 19 month old in the store, I'm just lacking creativity and patience and energy to deal with him and shop all by myself).

Speaking of bellies, is anyone's REALLY REALLY REALLY SORE???. I have given up on trying to find a comfortable position. It's really hard to breathe too. The mws said that the baby is very very low and already engaged in my pelvis (which is why I feel like my pelvis is going to fall apart) so I don't understand why the top of my belly is so uncomfortable too.

Dh is starting to realize how difficult it's going to be with 2 kiddos once the baby comes. He doesn't get home until 7:30pm and then by the time we have dinner it's time to go to bed. He's planning on taking a few days off (but can't take too many because we can't afford the cut in pay) postpartum for us to bond with the baby and then he's planning on taking willem to work with him. He started his chiro practice in July and it's still pretty slow (as far as chiro offices are concerned) but he's busy enough that it's going to be an interesting juggle for him taking care of patients and our toddler at the same time. At least his assistant really loves kids and seems to not mind it when willem is there. Hopefully she's a keeper and won't quit like the other two did. I keep reiterating to dh that he HAS to toddler-proof the office before willem can be in there for more than an hour. There are just too many wires and things behind the desk that willem really shouldn't get into. But I'm going to let him worry about that. My territory is the house.

Oy, and here is my rant for the day...
I've discovered a major character flaw in my personality. I tend to be overly giving and caring and nurturing to people who really seem they need it but then when they don't return on the same level when I need it, I get really pissed off about it. I'm talking about my SIL who complained the last two months of her pg that she had to walk around the house in her undies because she didn't have anything to wear that fit anymore and that she didn't have the $$ to go out and buy clothes she'd only wear a couple more weeks etc etc. so I lent my larger maternity clothes to her stating very clearly that as soon as she had her baby I'd need them back to carry me through the rest of MY pregnancy. Well she had her baby almost 3 weeks ago, and when we stopped by last week to drop off a couple of meals for them, she returned my clothes but then added that there were still a bunch in the laundry. Well the ones that are in the laundry are all my pants... so basically I don't have any pants that fit except the ones I wear to bed, which I can't wear out. And that just pisses me off because I thought we had an agreement. I probably won't get them back until like a day before I go into labor because I know how often they do laundry.
Okay, got it out.

[DreamsInDigital]

I saw my midwife yesterday and she checked my hemoglobin and hematocrit and determined I was anemic. My iron levels were good at the beginning so I didn't even think that would be why I've been so tired. Hopefully after taking an iron supplement for a while I'll start to have a little more energy (I can hope, right?)
I've gained 4 lbs. this last 2 weeks so I'm up to 29 lbs. total gain. Measuring at 32cm at 32w2d and for fun we checked my glucose and it was 88. Perfect. I knew I didn't have GD. She had a lot of fun feeling the baby, he was very active and responsive to touch. He's still ROA, which is good because I don't need another posterior babe.
Everything is normal and right on track. I just wish this next 8 weeks would go by a little faster. I'm so impatient to meet my babe.

[Gunter]

DID- Glad that you don't have GD!

willemsmama- I need to get some dipes back from a friend who had her babe Aug. 1st. Maybe if you went to "help" her do the laundry you could get it back sooner? I hate spending $$ on temporary clothes, too but the Goodwill has helped me out by being really inexpensive andhaving super nice maternity stuff. And I have just bought some things two sizes bigger.

I am bringing some whine to this party, too. Amazingly, it's about my MIL who I usually refer to with love and am very glad to have. This weekend is LLL Conference in the mountains about 4.5 hours from here. MIL's house is hlafway there so we planned to stay with her on Thurs. night before driving to the conference on Friday morning. It's our last vacation time before babe comes so we're staying at a super cool lodge B&B and planned to hike on Friday morning.

Talk with MIL on Monday and she says that she cannot watch our dog b/c her boyfriend is in town and they might want to do something!!! Like what, go out of town? She doesn't know but just wants to be there for him! So I have to scramble to find boarding for the dog, gets his shots up to date so he can stay at a kennel, be sad about him being at a kennel, have someone pick him up on Sunday since we won't be back in time and unexpectedly spend over $100 for the stay/shots!!! Argh. Then she asks, "You're not mad at me are you?" and then she wants to chat about the baby, the bassinet she found and how big I am!

DH doesn't even want to go to stay the night with her now. So, we are trying to figure out what to do with our sweetest dog in the world. He happens to be 115 lb. Rottie. My best friend may end up caring for him and she has a Rottie mix that is friends with our dog. I hate to burden her with this last minute though and she is about 25 minutes from our house so it's still going to take some organizing to drop him off and pick him up.

I can't help but wonder if MIL will do this with our babe...say the kid can come for a visit then drop plans b/c of her boyfriend. I could rant about him! It's kinda not like her to let us down like this but things do seem to revolve around him.

[*Amy*]

Gunter, I totally understand about your doggie situation. I would *totally* volunteer to watch him if we lived closer! I've only left my girl in the kennel once, and I will never do it again, so it isn't always easy for DH and I to travel because I simply have to have friends watch her or I can't go. Thankfully we have two great friends in our area who are always available and happy to keep her, but there was a time this past summer that I actually drove 3 hours each way to leave her with my only friend available for the week we were traveling.

I think it's really hard for people without pets to understand that they are *part of your family* as much as your child will be. My FIL is an absolute freak about our dog (thinks *all* dogs are dirty and carry disease and randomly attack small children), to the point that we just aren't going to be going to stay at his house anymore. It makes me sad, but what can you do? The funny thing is, FIL is coming to stay with us next month on his way down to Louisville for a dove show (yes, he breeds and sells doves) and I told DH, those stinky disease-carrying birds aren't coming into MY house! :LOL So this is a big long ramble just to let you know that I hope it all gets worked out for you and your doggie boy.

Today a new pregnant mama friend that I met this weekend is coming over to check out my diaper stash. She's 21 weeks and is just getting ready to order hers, so she wants to see a few in person. By the time she gets here, I should have all of the baby clothes organized and put away (finally!!) and all of the diapers washed and stacked on the changing table. Whenever I walk into Baby HQ, I can't help but feel like WE"RE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!

[meagen]

I totally understand the dog-sitter issues! We have a border collie from the humane society (6 years ago) and she still freaks when we get ready to leave. If I had to board her, I'm sure she'd lose it! Luckily, we just trade dog sitting with a few families and it seems to always work-out.

Thanks to those who responded about the dr. appt. Yes, I will have my reg. ob for the delivery (he delivers over 95% of his paients) and I'm sure he won't induce. Good thing was I got to sneek a peek at Liam! I can't believe it's almost Oct. I'm sooooo ready to meet him!

[samsmamma]

I just think I'm in a bit of a daze this week. Sam has been under the weather, so I didn't sleep well till last night. DH has turned back into a total night bird so he is up till all hours and I feel like we never see each other. I'm nesting big time but really need DH's help with stuff around the house (liek reorganzing all of the furniture) and I'm not quite sure what I need to do to kick start him into this.

Work is up and down - my concentration is not great half the time, and I'm insanely kicking butt the rest of the time, so I just feel pretty disassociated. I think that I sort of am prepping for labor in a way by detaching from a lot of what is around me. If my labor is anything like it was with Sam, it was very quiet and I was just sort of in a private special place, and I feel like I'm already going there, because I basically dont want to be around anyone. Is that weird? It's almost like a part of me wants to go off into the woods and literally build a nest and forage for some food and have this baby in total peace and quiet. It's an odd sensation for me, because I don't normally like to be totally alone at all.

And nothing appeals to me to eat anymore. At all. It's really hard to plan lunches (I'm trying to bring my lunch to work to save money) because I just find nothing at all appealing. Weird!

[spughy]

Awww, thanks guys!!!! I needed the (virtual) hugs. But ice cream makes me feel icky. I had a papaya instead. Is that ok?

I hear you all about the dog situation, too. I am working from home most of this week just to look after our little poppet. We are fortunate that we have a couple of friends who are willing to look after her when we go away - but now we have a slight dilemma because one of them - well, it's a young family we're friends with - they looked after Daisy before, and love her to bits, and actually adopted one of her full sisters when she was a year and a half old, but she sadly died six months later due to a horrible too-small-ball choking accident. The thing is, from what I understand it wasn't completely an accident, the dog was being encouraged to put more and more stuff in her mouth by the family's evil little cousin. This kid is only about 3 but I swear she's got psychopathic tendencies or something. I don't know if she doesn't understand that she can hurt other people or she just doesn't care but I've seen her almost experiment on other kids - like deliberately taking a deck of cards in a plastic box up a long flight of stairs, hanging over the bannister, and drop the cards onto another child's head. And then not showing any response when the "target" started crying. Plus, she kind of radiates evil, which is a horrible thing to say about a 3-year-old but I don't know how else to put it. Anyway, the point is, I don't like putting conditions on people if they're being generous enough to take care of our hound, but I would NOT feel comfortable leaving Daisy with them if this kid was going to be around at any time. (Oh, and Daisy doesn't like this child either, which is unusual because she normally looooves kids.) Unfortunately, we are going away for a weekend B&B visit for our anniversary soon and these people are located conveniently on the way to where we're going. Argh, what to do??? If you had a niece who was evil like that, would you be offended if people wouldn't let their dog stay there if she was going to be visiting?

[tryingitnatural]

Hi Ladies

Is it our turn yet?! :LOL I am so ready to post my birth story. Spughy I hope your DH is not gone for long! I'd go crazy without mine . Nothing new on my end expect that I am going to cut my hours back from 40 to 30 hours starting next month. I work at night and sit most of the time so needless to say at the end of the night I can hardly walk . But I hope that cutting back will help me get through the next 4 wks or so. I hope the week gets better for all of us

[MelW]

I logged on thinking that I might hear about the first November DDC baby being born... but Kristina's still pregnant. Then I thought- anyone heard from BodoGirl recently? I hope she and her twins are doing okay...is it possible that we've already had our first November due babies?

I worked again today for eight hours- so much for being on maternity leave! But the extra money should be nice (because I'm technically on vacation, I get paid overtime pay). It's been really busy at work lately, though, so I think that I'm really done now. Doing extra shifts was a little bit of denial- like if I'm still working some, I'm not on maternity leave yet, therefore not having a baby really soon! I'm excited, but happy to stay pregnant for several more weeks so I have more time to get ready.

[Feathere]

Hi Mamas,
I had a really nice post nearly finished yesterday when dd came up and touched a key on the keyboard and poof! it was gone... and I was too tired to try to paraphrase myself. Oh well. She's napping now, so maybe today I will have more luck.

Willemsmamma, thanks for your imput on the breech situation. Yes, my chiro is adjusting me manually and also doing some pressure point stuff on my round ligament, and we are doing the accupuncture. I am half heartedly doing inversion or crawling around in the hope that the baby moves. So far the baby seems to have a lot of room to move still; I can feel the head up and down at times too. I might try the swimming like MelW. I am starting to get concerned--ok, freaked out--about the prospect of having a breech birth. I want to have this baby at home and my mw has delivered plenty of breeches. That gives me some comfort as long as the baby is a frank breech not a footling. If it is a footling breech i know it would freak me out too much--but the alternative is a section, and I don't want that, either. I guess I have to exercise more patience with nature and confidence in the baby's ability to right herself at the right time.

Spughy, I would not let my dog near that unpredictable child! And it probably wouldn't go over for you to come out and ask your friends to keep the child away from the dog, right? Sorry I don't have any viable suggestion. Is there a professional dogsitter you could pay? Or ask the b&b if you can bring her?

My dh came up with another 'great idea' recently. I mentioned last week that we are moving--first to Austria for a short term work assignment for dh, and then to Wisconsin. I had pretty much accepted that we would keep our house here and sell it when we get back, before going to WI (we have to maintain a residence for legal reasons). Now he is talking about selling this house here and buying in WI--and moving all our stuff--before we go overseas. In some ways that makes more sense-having a place to come home to, etc. But that means more work now, and I can't see myself doing anything other than gestating, birthing, and nursing. And with this breech thing eating at me, I am feeling overwhelmed. He keeps saying it will all work out--and I know it will. But in the meantime, the unknown is wearing me out.

I'm getting a haircut this afternoon--maybe that will take my mind off all this stuff!!

[MamaFern]

Originally Posted by samsmamma

And nothing appeals to me to eat anymore. At all. It's really hard to plan lunches (I'm trying to bring my lunch to work to save money) because I just find nothing at all appealing. Weird!

im so with you.. i get shaky and feel like im going to throw up but then when i look around to eatsomething nothing looks good at all.. blah. its really frustrating. ive been drinking a lot of tea and eating a lot of elwynn's fishy crackers :LOL