December 12-19 Updates!

[mirandahope]

I noticed we could use a new thread, so I thought I'd start it. Hope this is a good week for everyone! Four months left until April!!

[mirandahope]

I thought I'd post how I am doing in another place than the thread starter.

I have bursts of energy sometimes, but also still quite tired.

I am excited that my loathing of onions and garlic and rice have disappeared, making it possible again to go to restaurants! I have felt like a weirdo because that has not been possible-every place around has at least one of those three items!

I am still nauseous though, and still reliant on my anti-nausea pills, and am prepared to be until the end of the pregnancy, because I need to know I can handle it. As I told a friend this morning, I would rather have morning sickness for another 17 weeks and have a healthy baby than be fine and not. I know it will end one day. And with my coping strategies, I haven't thrown up in about 3 weeks now! Although I still get nauseous daily.

DH felt the baby tap his hand yesterday morning. I love that they are interacting now a bit. The feeling of baby has gone from a butterfly in hands to a tickle to now it feels like someone stroking the head of a dog kindly. I wonder what it will feel like next!

[lmonter]

Ds and I have a head cold. I've got drainage that's making my throat really raw, ds is sneezing out snot through his mouth and nose, and has watery eyes. At least we're boosting his immune system.

Saw last night on the news that a gal I went to school with and worked with for a while was murdered last weekend. I'm wondering how her kids are doing, they're still pretty young.

I'm feeling the occasional kicks/thumps. Like the baby's poking me. Dh has felt it a few times which has been fun. Ds likes giving my belly (the baby) kisses, which is adorable.

Now I'm just working on gearing up for the holidays and getting all our ducks in a row. And dh and I have his company Christmas party on Friday, which will be fun. Shirley Temples all night for me, adult conversation, and lots of fancy yummy food that we don't have to pay for.

Lanna

[AllisonK]

Well I am just having a day. I am so grumpy! All started when I realized that I had no clean maternity shirts. It has been a while since I did laundry. So I tried on every shirt I own and finally am wearing one of DH t-shirts today. All of the shirts in my drawer go to maybe my belly button. So I realized I HAD to do laundry today. I hate going down to the laundry it is so cold outside. And I had to grocery shop, its been about 2 weeks and we have run out of everything! So my AM has not been fun, I have a midwife appt today and we are taking DD so she is all excited. I have to make the christmas cards and the newsletter we do every year. My DD 5th bday is this weekend so I still need to figure out what I am doing for her party. And I don't want to do any of it!!! Well enough whining from me!
My last doula client had her baby on Friday AM so I am still recuperating from being up from 4 am until 11pm on only 3 hours of sleep. It was a great birth and I was so excited to have a non hopsital birth to attend! It was great.

Well no more rambling from me.
Allison

[AdinaL]

Sounds like we could all use a maid for a day, and a good spa day!

Doing okay here - tree is in the house, though not decorated. House is a giant mess. And I am super stuffy snotty. Don't know if it is allergies or a cold...blah.

off to clean and do laundry.....Blah.

[newbelly2006]

I'll join the sick crowd.

A nasty cold last week took a turn into nasty bronchitis this week. The really fun part is that I'm allergic to both Penicillian and erhthymycin so finding a pregnant friendly antibiotic is quite a challenge. I've been a mess, nothing for Christmas is done, and our living room has a half built cabinet waiting for the television (6 months without it) to hide within it so DS will stop begging day and night for "just one video, mama" (The scholastic stories. He doesn't even realize that the televisoin has anything but videos available).

It's been a rough month but at least the babies seem to be holding their own. THe massive growth spurt from last month appears to have abated which means I'm a little more comfortable.

And in good news, I had maternity photos taken for the first time ever. Wow. It's amazing what a good photographer can do!!

Hope everyone is remembering to take some time to enjoy the lights and snow and new growing babes in the midst of the holiday rush and stress.

Paula

[BetsyPage]

I think my hormones have made me both really sensitive and somehow insensitive to others. Blah. Other than that I'm doing OK, but I shouldn't be let out in public.

[eilonwy]

I'm depressed.

I'm cold.

I'm absolutely miserable and itchy.

It's getting to the point where I'm not sure that it's hormones anymore... but whatever it is, it sucks.

[hairpin]

Sorry everyone is feeling so utterly crappy this week.

I have just one question... How much is my baby supposed to be moving? Cause somedays he moves in the morning, lunch, and evening. And today and yesterday I haven't felt much of anything. I did feel something last night.

Could it be he just moves at night when my mind is on other things?

I've heard too that other people will be able to feel the baby move soon, but he's not that regular to warn people about him.

Is it just that maybe he's not as active as other kids? Maybe I should be thankful... and he's going to be a calm kid?

Also, I think I'm starting to get used to the movements and am just ignoring it?

Woah, I'm kinda of slightly freaking out.

[eilonwy]

I think it's too early to be freaking out about irregular movement yet, but if you've got a funny feeling, give your care provider a call. That's what they're there for! Remember always that you're paying them, even if you're not paying out of pocket, and you're entitled to peace of mind or else why bother with them, right?

[AdinaL]

I feel things pretty regularly - as in daily. But when during the day is entirely up to the little girl! Yesterday it felt like sychornized swimming moves in there, today she has been prety quiet.

DH has been able to feel her, but he was very patient and I caught her during an active spurt.

Tomorrow she might be more active...or she could be chill today cause I don't feel so good. Who knows?

You sound about the same as me, and I am just happy if I feel her every day.

[nighten]

Allison, go to Target or Old Navy (I'm sure other stores have them too) and buy some of the ultra long ribbed tank tops. They have them in loads of different colors and they go GREAT under normal tops that are now way the heck too short to consider wearing, and ta-dah! Instant maternity okayness Plus they act as an added layer which is nice in winter.

I love my tanks -- I wear them under everything because I'm so blindingly white I think I'd scare people if they saw my tummy.

And they are cheaper than buying more maternity tops....

--------------

I'm feeling good right now. Started the Buspar this week and am pretending it's working already.

Work SUCKS a load but it's only because my boss is a horrid greedy monster.

My co-workers are precious. I'll miss them.

I can barely read magazines right now I get all choked up over nothing! Forget Christmas movies. I'm a wreck. I watched Finding Neverland and nearly hyperventilated I was crying so hard. That was a mistake. My pg books are getting me misty-eyed even, from the little quotes at the bottom of the page. It's almost embarrassing. I read the Dr Seuss In Utero book last night to the bean and got choked up at the end.

Sinuses are horribly dry especially at night (yaya for saline nose spray) and no cold in da head but need a new humidifier badly -- any recommendations? My sex dreams have turned into water-gulping-my-mouth's-so-dry dreams. I wake up and chug water like mad then pee every ten minutes for an hour and it starts all over.

Speaking of, still not sleeping well though, and waking up earlier -- baby poking has awakened me a few times actually. Am starting to pay more attention to when she's awake -- since I've heard it's an indicator of when she'll be awake once she's born. So far it looks scary: average every two hours she's up and poking. She seems to like Christmas music in the car though, despite her mama's bad singing voice.

I love my new maternity belt: Here's where i got it. They have it in all diff sizes -- it has seriously helped with the sciatica pain. I recommend it lots You don't have to wear the top band part btw.

And I'm >this< close to being finished with Christmas shopping. Now if I can get my cards addressed and actually mail them I'll be really on the ball....

Sorry some of you had a bad day today Am sending out a big hug and happy thoughts to everyone. Four more months, yes? Is it me or doesn't it seem like we've been pg a lot longer than 5 months?

[FarmerCathy]

Wow, I hope everyone feels better soon that is feeling blah and sicky. That sucks.
I'm feeling better today. My dh felt the baby kick this morning and was really excited that he felt like it was real this time. I guess he wasn't sure if it was really a kick or not last time. It's definately a stronger kick now. Then I guess I talked him into (tmi) sex. So, I guess it's not as bad as I thought. He is really good at giving me affection and stuff like that, I think having the baby there made him nervous. Maybe this means it's feeling real to him now that were going to have a baby.

Anyway, now he's being a pain in the butt again. Oh well.

Feel better soon ladies that are sick and those who just have the yucky blahs.

Cathy

[PheobNFam]

Well... I'm hurty. My lower back is REALLY hurting. I've been trying to soak in warm baths, or do warm compresses for a bit of time here and there. Then I try to massage my own back as best I can (not easy). But I still limb when I walk because of hip pain. It makes doing ANYTHING really tough. I have some MAJOR projects that need to be done by Christmas. Wish me luck.

We've been having some issues with DD and behavior. We cut out all candy (with the occassional tiny treat), and it seems to have really helps. Seems the issue was a lot nuturicional. No more chocolate milk for this kid! It got to the point when I was so stressed about her, and I didn't even like being around her! I just needed some relaxing alone time, and then a determination when I was around her.

Life can be tough at times. Endurance can be wearing. I'm just sticking with everything, and only thinking about positive things -- for example, DH is in the kitchen doing dishes for me! How nice is that!?

[hairpin]

Not too much time to post...

Good news is that I do feel the baby kicking and punching, just most of it happens at night. So I'm not worried anymore. And when I went to bed at 3 AM last night baby was moving a lot, so my hubby got to feel the kicking for the first time.

Hope all of you survive today pretty well intact. Gotta run.

[wencit]

Joining all you mamas with the "blahs." I have been sooooo unmotivated lately. I'm usually a clean freak, but my house has been a perpetual mess this past month or so. I can't seem to get my butt off the couch or the bed to clean up, do dishes, go grocery shopping, anything! And to top it off, I'm starting to freak out about all the things I still need to do to prepare for the baby's arrival -- yet I feel too unmotivated to do anything about it! Argh, what is wrong with me?! In particular, I'm stressing about being able to handle labor, but have I picked up any of my birthing books? Nope.

Hugs to all of you sick mamas! It sucks being sick, but it sucks much worse to be sick AND pregnant. I wish pregnant women got a "freebie" from catching colds and flus during pregnancy, kind of like a "get out of jail free" card. Hope y'all can take it easy!

[mirandahope]

Sorry to hear that so many of you are battling bugs. I've been lucky so far, no viruses yet, touch wood!

Just still managing morning sickness for the 16th week and counting....

Went to the midwife today and felt very reassured that things ARE going well, and the time from now until birth will be good as well. She did a pin-prick glucose test: I was so worried I would have to drink the infamous sugary liquid, but she just whipped out her trusty hand held tester and I hardly felt a thing, and she declared me fine! Phew, that was easy!!

My tastes are changing, and so I am needing to get curious again when I go to the grocery about what I might want to eat. I invited DH to make food for both of us last night (before I was pregnant, he was the chef at home, and I've been doing my own thing since I got pregnant because it is too hard to explain what I want), now that my food tolerances have changed, widened!! It was a pretty good stir-fry. NIce to eat with my DH again!!

[BetsyPage]

The movement issue... I have noticed lots of variations in terms of how much movement I feel... The week of Thanksgiving, I was feeling SO MUCH movement, like pointy bones and such. Not so much anymore. My *theory* is that my uterus goes through growth spurts, and that sometimes the baby is more crowded, then she has a bit more room. Because I can always sit still for a while and then start feeling some things. Or the other possibility is that maybe my baby is just in a position where I'm not feeling as much?

It's weird... sometimes I don't even feel that pregnant at 24 weeks! A stranger seeing me would not really be sure I'm pregnant.

[AdinaL]

I don't think that anyone notices that I am pregnant, unless I am wearing the right clothes.

Anyone's tummy seem to change size and shape? Sometimes I look bigger than others....

[Wittyone]

Originally Posted by AdinaL

Anyone's tummy seem to change size and shape? Sometimes I look bigger than others....

Definitely! I seem to look and feel the biggest in the evenings after dinner

And on the movement variation...it varies a lot! Some days are just more active than others. I do have an absolute regular active time from 8 to 10 pm though. This has been predictable for a couple of weeks now. Last night baby was really bouncing around and I commented it must be around 8:00 - when I looked up at the clock it was 8:08 Wonder if this will be baby's active time out of utero as well?