Bellyful Mamas: Weekly Check-In Jan 15-21

[MamaTaraX]

Hey mamas full of baby! Share your late pregnancy with us. Ups, downs (can you still get down...and then back up? ), all of it welcome. PIctures welcome too

Namaste, Tara

[pinkmilk]

Am I the only one here???? And I haven't even really been here cuz our computer crashed last week...I feel so lost and out of touch! Yesterday I had false labor all day, contractions every ten minutes from morning until night. And we took the kids to a hotel for the night... a nice break for the whole family... waterslides, hottubs, room service; a well deserved treat...and me in false labor. I knew it wasn't the real thing but I worried it would turn into the real deal. So I spent a deal of time in the hottub which I do regularily but this time was different. Usually I love it and it totally relaxes me and helps my back and my contractions but this time it was aggravating and made them feel worse! I didn't stay in for that long and all night long I was so hot...I woke up sweating alot and was swelling up and everything. It's like my body couldn't regulate it's temp....I'm not worried though cuz baby has lots of movement. Just very wierd.
Tommorow I am 38 weeks . And my sister comes on Saturday so I really wouldn't mind waiting until then...but if baby wants to come then I guess I'm ready. All my bags have been packed and repacked a million times and the carseat is ready and my toddlers bag is packed and everyone is on alert! I'm exited. I'm tired though so I think listening to my body at this point is very important and I need to go to bed early tonight. I also need to revise my birthplan for tommorow, getting more extensive details about what I want and do not want in labor and having my husband sign it all with me and have my doctor sign it all too. We are also demanding the cord not be clamped or cut until after delivery of the placenta so we are signing a waiver with my doctor tomorrow! I have been listening to all her bullshit all these months trying to get her to understand me and my desires to have a completely natural third stage of labor and all I had to do was say that I want to sign a waiver so she doesn't get into any legal complications. Easy!!
So wish me luck for tommorrow!!
Over and Out. Angela

[MuhajibahMama]

I'm here, but I sorta went missing this past fall. I don't even know if anyone will remember me! I'm technically post-dates and have been irritable and a bit weepy the last couple days, so I think it might be soon. I traded my computer/online time this fall for time in my sewing room. It has been very therapuetic for me and has really helped me pass the time this pregnancy...but now I am ready to be done sewing and hold a baby! My next appt. with the midwife is Tuesday and I _SO_ do not want to have to go down there...but for some reason I am thinking Wednesday will be our day...of course that's the day our doula leaves for Mexico...that's okay, my back up doula is a good friend, and has done the bulk of my prenatal massage, so I don't mind too much...just hope her DH doesn't have to go out of town at the same time! Of course Wednesday would suck for DH since he's supposed to be at a very important symposioum all day long an hour away(like leaving at 7:30am and coming home at 10pm). We have a plan in place for help if we have a newborn, but we're sort of at a loss for what to do if we're still pg...midwives are an hour away, he'd be an hour away, 1 DD would be a school and the other at home with me...I just don't want to go there...I'd much rather be holding a baby by then...*sigh*

All in all we're doing quite well at the moment...hardly even feel pg if it weren't for the big belly and pain from my SI joint, but that's intermittent. I'm just so ready to be done...everyone we know that is pg has already had their baby...all my midwife's January clients delivered in December except me...it's all a little depressing right now (which again I think is a sign that I'm almost done!)

Anyway, I have been lurking a bit and reading everyone's stories...congrats to all the new mamas!

[cathynmatt]

I'm still here ~~ 38 wks and some odd days along. Just waiting! I have been trying to keep myself busy ~ coloring in my DD coloring books seems to keep my mind occupied for a little while!

[fireshifter]

Hmmm, due in 12 days. Thinking that I might start pushing to get this baby out in 7-9 days, probably not going to happen, still no contractions. Think I might be losing some of my mucous plug, but at a VERY SLOW RATE!!!. Otherwise, I don't know what those boogers coming out of me are.

Decided to start up horseback riding again. I've got a 20 yr old mustang mare that I've had for 19 years. Yesterday, we walked around the arena for an hour, she sleeps most of the time. I let my body sway/rock with her and it seems to help my back. She's fat too so it's opening up my pelvis and a heck of a lot more fun than sitting on a ball. I can actually get up on her by myself, doesn't affect the pregnant muscles, apparently. Maybe she's the ticket to getting baby out of me.

My doctor said she will let me go to 41 wks and that's it. My mom comes for 2 wks starting the 39th week and leaving just after 41 weeks so if we can get baby out early in her stay, I have time to adjust to things with a little help.

I have an appointment with my doula today. Haven't met her before (just decided last week to get one, luckily, I found one that would take me on). My mom thinks it'll be a waste of money b/c my brother and I were such simple births. I figure, I'll do anything to keep from ending up a c-section. ANYTHING AT ALL. Doulas here are less expensive. We are only paying $375 and that is the going rate for all of them, it sounds like.

Oh yeah, and to add to my list of "things you are not supposed to do while pregnant" that I am doing, I am finishing up painting furniture in the baby's room. Oh well, I love the smell of paint and it's got good ventilation.

That's all!

[kathik]

Jen, PLEASE be careful on that horse! I'm scared of them anyway, but still...
Kind of double-posting here, but I'll be 41 weeks on wed., hoping my patience/baby's health can hold out to 42 weeks if necessary before doing anything drastic. My failed induction w/ dd was awful.
Been having contrax FOREVER! And major pelvic pressure last night. Certainly feels like he wants to come out soon! Anybody else having painful twinges down there? Feels like he's trying to open me up w/ his little fingers!

[gsmom]

I am still here and due today, so as of tomorrow can officially join the overdue mamas thread. I have been having more intense contractions, but nothing that regulates, just enough to keep me up at night and be uncomfortable during the day. I have an appointment with my doctor on Friday and she said we will make a plan of what we want to do. I am worried about induction, but not too much yet. My son was 8 days overdue, so I am not stressing out too much, yet. I am going to the chiropractor tomorrow and will ask for a little starting labor help!!

Not much else to say, just waiting and ready to meet this little person that has been kicking the heck out of my ribcage.

[fireshifter]

Originally Posted by kathik

Jen, PLEASE be careful on that horse! I'm scared of them anyway, but still...

Don't worry, I'm neurotic careful on her. I stopped training a few other horses in October after a couple of overly sore days. It's a minor miracle to get my horse to go faster than a walk, she's very very lazy and very laid back...I figure, if something happens, it happens. I haven't come off that horse in over 12 years and if I do, it's my own fault. They are big and unpredictable, but so are cars, staircases and icy sidewalks.

Jen

[AAK]

I'm still here. We just finished Anna's party so I have told baby that she can come anytime now! It would be really cool if I went into labor tonight--like she waited for the party and then came. Last night I was having some decent ctx, I spoke to baby about it and they tapered off within the hour. But now, who knows, she will probably be late like my others. Feeling good though.

Amy

[day_sleeper]

Still here. I'm supposedly due the 19th, but that's after my mw moved the date up from the 24th. WTH? I don't want pressure to deliver sooner!! Not fair. I just now started feeling miserable this week, like there are 2 babies in there. I hope it happens anytime, but I'm just trying to stay relaxed so I don't send bad vibes to the baby. Laugh if you will, but I wish I could just have one real contraction so I have an idea of what it's like. I think that what I am imagining labor to be like has to be worse than reality.