Weekly Chat: Nov. 14-21

[*Amy*]

Happy week #3 of our month. Who's it going to be this week with the Full Beaver Moon?

So last night before bed, DH told me that he dreamed a couple of nights ago that I'd had the baby, and it was a boy. So then of course last night I dreamt that I had the baby, and it was a boy! Of course what I really wanted to dream about was the darn due date, but nope...that information wasn't provided! : Oh in the dream I was also showing DH how cool it was that I could bend over and tie my shoes.

I read in the other thread about magical thinking; do you think if I Fandago some Harry Potter tickets for Friday, that will guarantee my babe is born this week? I am just getting SO excited to meet her, I can hardly stand it! These last few weeks really do crawl, don't they?

[nataliekat]

Sigh. I'm starting to get discouraged here. Today I'm 40 w, 4 d. I was induced 3 days overdue with Maisie and had her early on the 4th day, so this is the most pregnant I've ever been.

Saturday night I had five or six ctx that were very crampy down low and definitely different than I've had before. So I was looking forward to last night thinking I'd have more and I got NOTHIN'!! So disappointing! But, the good news is I slept well.

My mom came on Saturday and she's got this whole week off so it's GOT to be this week, and I don't mean Friday. I mean today or tomorrow. Checked cervix this morning and it's soft but thick as ever. I can't bring myself to actually put my fingers inside it, though. TMI? I was 2 cm. two weeks ago.

My own birthday is this Thursday. It's my 30th and I haven't even thought about it because I'm just hanging around waiting. I really didn't think my babe and I would have the same birthday, but now it looks SO possible!

Talk to me about castor oil, ladies. Does it work? How do you take it?

[samsmamma]

You know, almost all of my baby dreams were about a boy, so somehow finding out that it was a boy wasn't that much of a surprise. DH won't tell me what day he thinks the baby will come, though. Sam is still pulling for the 17th or 19th and I'm pulling for AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I'm done. I've had it. I'm scared ont he subway because it has been more crowded than ever and people dont pay attention and I'm getting hit in the belly with bags and elbows and I'm scared of being knocked down the stairs. Everything ends with me out of breath, because I just don't have the energy to do much of anything. It's like I know I'll have the energy for labor, and everything is getting stored up for that. I hate eating anymore because I just feel gross and fat. I've discovered stretch marks in places that I didn't even know I had. My bikini days are clearly over. Add all of the anxiety of not being sure what is up with Sam and this vague "asthma-y" diagnosis and I'm stressed too and it's just not a good way to be.

Now, my massage yesterday was lovely - super relaxing and just nice nice nice. I even dozed off for a while. But it did nothing to inspire Karl to make an appearance! (I harbored hopes that she'd hit some pressure point or something...no such luck) So I told DH that if no sign of Karl by this weekend, that I'd like to have a date with him so we can celebrate our anniversary, which is next Monday. Which is maybe my due date (either the 21 or the 23). I don't know what we'll do. Maybe a movie or something. Anything would be nice! Sam is freaking out that if we do something on our anniversary that we'll leave him home alone, and I have no idea where this is coming from. Sadly, I'm not doing the best job of managing his anxiety because I'm having a hard enough time keeping myself sane right now. All I want to do, honestly, is either read books or play computer games. I don't even really want to talk to anyone. I just want to be on my own. I think it is a way of my mind trying to grab a few last moments for itself before the whole world goes topsy turvy. I even took the bus home from my massage yesterday - which took 1.5 hours! - instead of the subway just so I could have a little more time to not have to be concerned with anyone but me and Karl.

It's kind of a joke to be at work because I have no focus on anything, especially now with researching asthma and humidifiers and all that stuff on my mind too.

Sorry for being such a downer! I clearly needed to get all that off my chest. It's not like Im feeling depressed or anything, I'm just honestly tired of this. But I believe that unless I can let that go and somehow relax and let things do what they will that I will be sitting here on Dec 7 going, um...now it's 42 weeks , what do I do now.

I never thought I'd see it to 39 weeks. neither have any of the MWs we've even spoken to during the course of this pregnancy. I hope we haven't jinxed me into a grueling long labor too, since everyone thinks it's going to be fast...

[3for3hb]

Welll, nataliekat, if you've got an iron stomach than castor oil is an option. For me the only thing it did was give me severe nausea, major abdominal/intestinal cramping, and diarrhea. Not even one contraction. And I tried it twice when I was pg with Willem...
Anyway, you take 2 oz either shaken up in juice (pulpy OJ hides it best but you have to chug fast), or in a couple of scrambled eggs... that's all I can write about it for now as just thinking about it is making me :gag.


Woke up at 3am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. I was pacing around looking for something to do that a) wouldn't be too noisy and b)that I could actually do. And I realized that all these last minute nesting projects include things I can't do without DH's help (otherwise I'll seriously hurt myself - lifting etc). So I'm trapped in this baby jail of a body and I'm driving myself crazy. In terms of weeks, who knows how pregnant I really am.. according to the u/s last week I'm 40-41 weeks so I'm mentally preparing to go through one more pregnant week. I'm hoping the full moon energy is what I need to push me over into laborland. I actually have been having lots of strong contractions they are just not regular.

Our weekend was totally unproductive. The house is a mess, laundry needs to be done and folded, floors vaccumed and mopped... basically everything needs to be cleaned. I just can't bring myself to do anything else. My body and belly are totally in the way of my motivation. I am so ready for this baby it isn't funny anymore. I'm honestly starting to think I'm never going into labor.

My midwife is coming to my house for a prenatal tomorrow. I am going to ask her to stretch me some more and maybe even do a little membrane work - not complete stripping - but some stimulation to help prostaglandin production. DH has been helpful in that arena with his own talents of course. But he's scared of breaking my water so he refuses to get anywhere near my cervix with his hands. I think I'm more effaced than last time I checked but who knows.

Well, here's to more babies this week!!!

[HoneyTree]

Hi there!

No, let me rephrase -- I am not that chipper this morning.

Morning.

Ahh. Better reflection of a night with no sleep, an upset tummy, and a horizon with nothing on it but cleaning and schoolwork. Last night was seriously my worse night of sleep yet. And it's this darn BIG BELLY. Turning over becomes a feat of upper-arm strength.

...Can she lift or prop herself the 2 feet necessary for her belly to actually clear the matress? Let's watch and find out! And NO -- again she uncomfortably squashes the frontal body mass, fully wakes up, and then awkwardly fumbles to get the body pillow aligned with her hips again! Looks like sleep is far far away, ladies and gents.

Needless to say I am sorely failing the acrobatics portion of this pregnancy. Amy, I, too, dream modestly of being able to tie my shoes. DH says I look twice as pregnant this month as I did last month, and I totally feel it.

And samsmamma, I have not been on the receiving end of the careful body contact that I thought I would be this pregnancy, either. I find myself walking around with my hands moving over my belly constantly as a kind of fend-off-anything shield. And I hate to be so emminently Southern about it, but on the bus, no one has ever offered me a seat. When I walk somewhere and arrive panting and breathless, no one offers me a glass of water. When I drop something, even on top of someone else's shoe, they don't pick it up for me. I swear this has made me promise to be extra extra kind to pregnant ladies -- not annoyingly or presumptively so, just nice.

Well, I've been posting nearly twice a day here lately, so I'm sure I'll be back soon. Hopefull a hot shower and a nice cup of non-pregnancy tea (I'm feeling rebellious here!) will get me off to a better start...

[samsmamma]

BTE, funny what you say about the bus. People have started giving me a seat on the subway, but you should see how angry other people look about it! It's not like you can't tell that I'm pregnant. And then if it's a tight fit, they get angry at me, too! It's like, I'm sorry my hips got so big. beleive me, it bums me out more than it does you. But back off! let me sit back! Give me a f***ing break!

[Queen of Cups]

Good morning all! I switched my appt from tomorrow morning to this afternoon, and I'm secretly hoping I won't make it till 2pm. I woke up several times last night with ctx, but was able to fall back asleep each time. This morning, they've been 3-5 minutes apart pretty regularly, but I'm not convinced this is "it" because they feel pretty good! They're pretty low and I can feel them in my cervix, so they're not just BH, but I think I'd be more uncomfortable if I was REALLY in early labor. The plan is to go shopping with DS and MIL this morning to pass the time till my appt. I'm really hoping that I've progressed a lot since last week, therefore I'll know I'll go soon, and I won't be conflicted about declining a sizing ultrasound. Wish me luck!

[Gunter]

Hey ladies,

I am saying hello to you as one frome "the other side" ha ha. I have missed chatting with you ladies and knowing what is going on with your lives and babies and bodies!

I totally had dreams that my babe was a girl... she was a girl in all the dreams I remember but I thought we were having a boy. I should have listened to my dreams, I guess!

Last night, I bent over and picked something up off the floor just to show everyone that I could do it with ease! Fun times.

Are we starting a life with babe forum for all our Nov. babes? I read about the yahoo group but would like something on MDC to stay connected with moms and babes of the same ages. And, of course just to stay in touch with each of you.

[SoulJourney]

Morning to all of you little rays of sunshine! I'm not feeling tooooooo bad this morning. Saturday was a REALLY bad one, though. I had contractions on a VERY irregular basis all day and just felt plain *ICKY*. No fun at all. Yesterday, though, my sister and I went for a pretty good hike. We did four miles in an hour (SO impressed with my pregnant self! ) It was the strangest thing because I had about a half hour or so where I almost didn't feel like I was 9 months pregnant!!! Of course my hips and upper thighs are paying me back for it today...OUCH. BTW *Amy*...nice pics from your hike! I like the one by the waterfall!
I'm now getting the daily phone calls and e-mails from EVERYONE wondering if I've had this baby yet...ARGH! Don't these people think they would KNOW BY NOW??? I mean OMG...my SIL just called ten minutes ago wondering "how I was feeling, etc. etc., b/c she's getting just *so anxious* that I'm going to have this baby any minute". First of all...how does she think *I* feel???And doesn't she remember from giving birth, herself, 18 months ago that it only makes you feel MORE anxious when people call you ten times a day??? Not to mention SHE WILL BE ON THE TOP FIVE LIST OF PEOPLE TO CALL WHEN I HEAD TO THE HOSPITAL!!!!!! *Sigh*...I should just be happy that people care.
Okie doke...I really am in a nice mood today so I should just stop! I've been such a b*tch lately...I feel sorry for anyone who crosses my path.

On a nicer note...who's gonna have a full moon baby? I vote Fern!!!

[AmyGirl28]

Howdy. Well, it is about 8:30am here and already the morning has gotten off to a glorious beginning. DD is playing the diaper game... how many times can I take it off before mommy's head explodes. I awoke this morning to an awful diaper full of diareah and had to promptly put DD in the bath while I was still half asleep. Once I got her all cleaned up and put on a video so I could get my bearings she started playing the put the cheerio in the vagina game. Where do these kids get these ideas? Strange little toddler I have.

This weekend was nice. We drove 2 hours to my mom's house on Friday to drop off DD so we could have the weekend alone. Not just because it was our anniversary, but because both DH and I have pink eye and colds. We then drove back to mom's house on Sunday night to pick up DD. Traffic sucked!

I am starting to get the feeling that this baby is quite comfy and will never come out. My prediction is that she will be late, so I'm not even getting my hopes up. Good luck to all of you mammas, I hope we have lots more babies this week!

[SoulJourney]

Originally Posted by AmyGirl28

...she started playing the put the cheerio in the vagina game.

OMG!!! ROFLMAO!!!

Where do kids come up with this stuff????? Thanks for the laugh!!!

[cjbeach]

From another who has crossed over to the "other side" (since Blake appeared on 10/28) ... I am so excited for you all still with your babies inside. The anticipation is so exciting!!! I think I spend my days now just soaking in Blake's new baby smell and enjoy just watching him. He's so beautiful. Gosh I wish I had taken more pics during the birth. I'm so mad at myself for not taking more pics of what will probably be our last birth! However... would you indulge and let me gush... here is my sweet/content little guy (who can nurse alllllllllllllllllllllll day and allllllllllllll night ::yawn:click on BLAKE Patrick

I keep popping in... this is so exciting!!! All of these beautiful new babies...

Someone earlier asked about Castor Oil... it worked for me with Blake (never had the cleaning out ..just contrax oddly enough) with my DD it did clean me out and did send me into every 2 min contrax but then the contrax petered out. The cohoshes didn't do much for me with DD. Caulophyllum (Matrigin) did help get some contrax going with DD.
GL mommies!!!

[spughy]

Possible TMI warning....

I haven't been posting much over the last couple days because I have been feeling profoundly depressed and very disappointed in myself. The reason is because I am experiencing a major, major hemorrhoid attack and I could have been more sensible and prevented it. The roids are external, large, and extremely painful. I am dreading my mw appointment tomorrow, never mind actually going into labour. I haven't left my house in 4 days.

I am doing everything I can to bring them down but to no avail. Now they are even bleeding a bit. Previously I was looking forward to labour and the physical challenge of it, but now there's a whole new kind of pain that will be added on to the experience and I just don't know if I will be able to deal with it. I am hoping that my midwife will be able to give me a local anaesthetic but I've never heard of that being done before - I don't know if there are reasons not to. I feel like I've let myself, my husband and my baby down

Has anyone here gone through labour with preexisting bad roids before? If so, what was it like? How did you cope? How bad was it afterwards? Does it increase your chance of tearing?

I just feel like crap. This is as painful psychologically as it is physically - I can't do anything except lie on the couch feeling useless and asking DH to do thing things that I am supposed to be doing - in addition to the work that he already has to do. Every time I ask him to do something like putting away baby clothes or moving the cat's scratching post or whatever I end up crying because I should be doing it. I don't want to go into labour. I don't want my baby to meet me like this. Also, I KNOW that I am overreacting and I should just get over myself, try to not feel bad and appreciate the rest I am getting or whatnot, but I can't. That may be hormonal but it doesn't make it any less real.

It's my due date today. Whooee.

[3for3hb]

Just wanted to add to the strange things that our toddlers come up with...

Willem discovered his nipples today and spent the morning shirtless running around the house pinching them and trying to suck on them (but of course he couldn't get his head down far enough). You really had to be there to fully appreciate how hilarious he was being...
I guess the universe wants me to lighten up from my sleep-deprived crabby mood.

[cjbeach]

Originally Posted by spughy

Possible TMI warning....

I haven't been posting much over the last couple days because I have been feeling profoundly depressed and very disappointed in myself. The reason is because I am experiencing a major, major hemorrhoid attack and I could have been more sensible and prevented it. The roids are external, large, and extremely painful. I am dreading my mw appointment tomorrow, never mind actually going into labour. I haven't left my house in 4 days.

I am doing everything I can to bring them down but to no avail. Now they are even bleeding a bit. Previously I was looking forward to labour and the physical challenge of it, but now there's a whole new kind of pain that will be added on to the experience and I just don't know if I will be able to deal with it. I am hoping that my midwife will be able to give me a local anaesthetic but I've never heard of that being done before - I don't know if there are reasons not to. I feel like I've let myself, my husband and my baby down

Has anyone here gone through labour with preexisting bad roids before? If so, what was it like? How did you cope? How bad was it afterwards? Does it increase your chance of tearing?

I just feel like crap. This is as painful psychologically as it is physically - I can't do anything except lie on the couch feeling useless and asking DH to do thing things that I am supposed to be doing - in addition to the work that he already has to do. Every time I ask him to do something like putting away baby clothes or moving the cat's scratching post or whatever I end up crying because I should be doing it. I don't want to go into labour. I don't want my baby to meet me like this. Also, I KNOW that I am overreacting and I should just get over myself, try to not feel bad and appreciate the rest I am getting or whatnot, but I can't. That may be hormonal but it doesn't make it any less real.

It's my due date today. Whooee.

Congrats on your EDD!!! yea! yOU MADE IT!
Ok, re: hemorrhoids. Come sit down with me. Got a ring to sit on?
Seriously I had the most trouble with them this pg. Low and behold I had a thrombosed one at 33-34 weeks. It took exactly 10 days for it to go away. A thrombosed hemorrhoid is large purplish painful as hell and you can usually see some darkening in it (a clot). You can have the clot removed or you can do like I did and just let it dissipate on its' own. I lived with Tucks and the only cream that worked for me was hydrocortisone (it suppressed the inflammation. Nothing OTC for hemorrhoids worked for me, I even tried potatoes but the Hydrocortisone seemed to work best. Also I used a lot of Tucks... whenever I went to the bathroom).
Prior to 36 weeks I had a long discussion about them with my MW... how to handle during labor. While I was in labor (I gave birth standing up this time -- I don't do well in bed and couldn't get comfy in the tub) the 2nd MW applied counterpressure to my hemorrhoids with hot washrags (I should've had my crockpot on low with the rags and water in them but I totally forgot so we just ran them under hot water a lot). Honestly, the hemorrhoids didn't even bother my during labor...LOL. I was too busy feeling a head between my legs..LOL.
HOWEVER, 4 days postpartum BAM! More hemorrhoids and they were worse than I ever had them. My fault.... felt too good, did way too much too soon. Anyhow, developed another thrombosed one...couldn't sit/stand/get comfy. It was horrendous. It took 10 days again. Lots and lots of warm baths, Tucks and hydrocortisone to it eventually helped the clot dissolve but I could Not sit for about 6 days.
HUGS!!!

[DreamsInDigital]

6 days until my EDD. This morning on the way home from dropping DP off at work I swear I thought my water had sprung a leak. I was wet through to my jeans. I was freaking out driving home but when I got home, nothing more came out so I can only assume it was just a whole lot of regular cervical mucous. Yuck. So then I showered again and changed my clothes and had a good bawl fest because now all I get to do is sit here and be more pregnant instead of preparing to be in labor.
Sigh.

[Awaken]

Happy Monday everyone

I am happy b/c ds and I had a nice morning. Even though he's been a demanding toddler lately, he was great today and I love spending time with him when he is so fun to be with

Wow, I am 38.5 weeks and not feeling like anything is imminent! Just a few non-painful and not too strong BH. I am in major TP-checking mode, always looking for the plug! Like Erica and some others, I have never been this pregnant and thought I'd have the baby long before now! And, since I had an early, fast birth with #1 I'm wondering if I'll be overdue with a huge baby and long labor this time!!! I'm just so curious to see how long this pg is going to last! My mw will be away for a few days after Thanksgiving, and I never thought that would even be an issue, but now I'm actually having to think about that! If it comes to that, we'll definitely be doing some natural induction methods before TG day!

Nice to hear from you new mommies! CJbeach - Blake is so sweet Look at all that gorgeous dark hair, and his little sweet baby body

Gunter- and anyone else- does MDC just automatically start a Life with Babe thread for each DDC after all the babes come? I'd still want to keep in touch thru MDC as well since we have that option. (That way other newcomers can continue to join!)

Spughy- So sorry about your hemmorhoids and what a toll it's taking on you I really hope you can find a solution or something that will help you get through this.

Off to lay down and watch all tv shows I taped last week and didn't get to watch. I have plenty to do, but ya know what?? I am just too darn tired to do more than lay around, and goodness knows, I barely get any time to do that- between taking care of a toddler, housework, 2 big dogs, raking the leaves, lifting my 30# stroller up and down stairs, making meals, I am constantly lifting and working- and I think at 9 mos. preg. it's ok to lay down for an hour or two- whaddya think????

[snugglebutter]

Hey everyone!

Had my midwife appt this morning and things are still looking good. She thinks the baby is a little lower now. I got a chance to run a few errands afterwards (and discover that the fabric store closest to our house is no longer there ) and pick up some yummy lunch on the way home. This afternoon I will be taking it easy because we have some friends coming over tonight. They moved over the summer and we are excited to see them. She is close to having midwife certification and a wool soaker enthusiast so I will get to pick her brain.

I should really go for a walk, but it doesn't sound like much fun. I'd rather wait for hubby so he can hold the dog's leash. I have all the stuff to make apple butter so maybe I will work on that instead.

I hope we get to meet lots of new babies this week!!!!!

[nataliekat]

Originally Posted by itsybitsy25

Gunter- and anyone else- does MDC just automatically start a Life with Babe thread for each DDC after all the babes come? I'd still want to keep in touch thru MDC as well since we have that option. (That way other newcomers can continue to join!)

I don't think anything is automatically started for us in LW Babe. We have to maintain a thread sort of like the weekly chat if we want to stay together. And it's such a big forum, it feels like kind of a pain. I think the Yahoo group will work better for me, but I'll be checking in to see if mamas have started a thread!

willemsmama and cjbeach - thanks for the castor oil advice. Saw MW this morning and we agreed if nothing happened before, I'd take it Wednesday morning. My cervix is thinner today and I'm up to 3 cm. so we're hopeful it will work.

I'M DEFINITELY PUTTING MYSELF IN THE RUNNING FOR FULL MOON BABY, THOUGH, SO DON'T COUNT ME OUT!

[*Amy*]

Jenn, how are you doing today?