March 20 - 26 Update Thread! :) - Page 2

[Citykid]

Hi everyone,

So glad to hear it sounds like people's spirits have picked up this week! And it's exciting to hear from all you term mamas! Way to go and good luck!

We went to FIL's for the weekend to escape the paint fumes and when we got back the painters were done. I've never had any kind of contractor that was so good - showed up on time, finished on time, did a great job. We're so excited and our apt look so much better!

My mom gave me her ancient baby book that she used with me. I figure it'll be good for laughs. Does she seriously think the research has not advanced in 30 years?

My baby is oblique, that means diagonal, and the part that's up is probably the head. DH and MW keep telling me not to worry, that I'm only 34 weeks and there's plenty of time for DB to move. I keep thinking about getting a sono in a few weeks so I can be sure whether I should worry or not. Then I worry that maybe it's because I'm short and tend to slouch at my desk, so maybe there isn't enough room for DB to go vertex? So I've been trying to remember to sit up straight more - although leaning forward, because we don't want DB going posterior...ugh. Sometimes I'm too hardcore. Other pg moms are leaning back all day, eating their 'cravings' instead of forcing protein and greens, and never think about exercising or even doing their kegels. If I end up with a c/s after all this....

Have a good week, everyone!

[boovert]

Well, I'm still feeling crappy. I'm so lazy- I refuse to do the dishes and laundry at my house. My husband and brother have been using plastic plates. Why can't men help around the house?

I got really nervous last night about this whole baby thing. I hate being a first time mom. I'm having horrible thoughts about not being able to make it through. (I'm not going to have my baby at the hospital; I'm doing a homewater birth- now I'm wondering if this is a correct choice for me. I'm so scared.) Took my blood pressure and it was 130/86 with a pulse rate of 96- and this was at 7:30 a.m. this morning.

Oh well, I'm also debating about forcing myself to have this baby early, so I can get him OUT! My Mw has given me the go ahead to deliver whenever I want to. I'm thinking about going for a long walk and maybe finish taking some prenatal vitamins- which already has made me become 1 1/2 cm dial. and the baby'd head is already down and wanting to come out.

I just don't know, I'm NOT in a good mood.: boovert

[2+twins]

Well last night we thought might have been the night, but alas I'm still pregnant with no labor in sight. This is fine - I'd really prefer to hold out until April anyway. So last night just was an extreme case of diahrea for no apparent reason (fun fun). I've always begun labor that way so we thought that maybe that was the beginning. No contractions though except the occassional painless BH.

Got the 1/2 bath painted. I ended up doing most of the work after all (turns out dh is not exactly that great at painting - especially dark colors that show lots of mistakes). Maybe it was the fumes that got to me. Oh well, at least it's done. Of course he still has to remove the tape and who knows what kind of touch-ups will be required after that.

That's about it for me. 37 weeks tomorrow so I'm happy for that. And my Blessingway is this Saturday. I'm looking forward to that. Oh, and we did my belly cast this past weekend. Am I the only one doing one? I haven't heard anyone else here mention it. It's super easy to do (my dh managed ).

[aweynsayl]

hey me too last night! i got kinda excited.... sigh. nothing though!

ok--confession.... i'm watching Baby Story on TLC.... DH hates it when I watch, because I get mad and yell at the TV... "hey, get these lights outta my face! Hey, mom! Try TOUCHING my skin, hello!" "um, ya think ya might wanna try laboring in some position other than FLAT ON YOUR BACK???"

shhhh, don't tell DH.

i'm sooooo not focusing any more. work is impossible... and only partly cause I cant get anyone to write back to me to give me what i need to DO my job....

i wanna play. i want it to be summer. i want to sit outside. all i do is sit on the sofa. all i;ve done for MONTHS is sit on the sofa. and that's not gonna change! ack! :

and....... yeah, the stress of the move... DH did find out yesterday that he has his job for one more month, so that helps calm things a bit, but still. i'm in no state to be figuring out selling the house and all that.... nope.

Oh, well! Really? I just wanna meet this sweet thing!

[newbie_mary]

I had my GBS test today, so we'll see how that comes out. She said that baby is head down (yay), but hasn't dropped at all and my cervix is sewn up tight. I'll be 36 weeks tomorrow. I'm definitely ready to meet this babe, but it looks like it will be a while!! I just REALLY REALLY don't want to be induced -- I so much want a natural birth, but family history shows late (like, really late) babies. I'm trying not to worry too much. What will be, will be. It will come out somehow, right?

A bit of exciting news, though -- DH and I finally (after 10 years of marriage) decided where we want to live when we grow up , and today he got a call from the hospital there (he's a speech therapist in rehab) that they have a full time opening, the job he wants!!!!! BUT...here's the kicker...my due date is April 19, and THE JOB STARTS APRIL 21!!! Yikes. Not sure how we would swing that one...and he was planning on taking 3 mos. of leave when the baby is born, which can't happen if he gets a new job. So, if he gets the job, somehow we're going to have to deal with a new baby (our first) and a move at the same time. This is very scary to me. Luckily, we have been sort of packing up stuff since last fall when we finally decided where to move, so a lot of stuff is in boxes already, but I just can't bear the thought of packing up while 9 mos. pregnant. Ugh. Yet another reason that I would love this baby to come sooner than it's supposed to. Not that it would be any easier to pack up with a newborn, but at least I could get some recovery time here before moving!!

I've been a horrible grumpy teacher at work. I really shouldn't be working anymore. Only 2 1/2 more weeks, thank goodness.

Wonder if next week's update will contain news of someone's birth? We're really coming around the bend here, ladies!!!

Mary

[nighten]

Well I'm just dead cranky right now. And surely going to hell (or some version of long-term purgatory), because I actually got MAD at the bean last night when she wouldn't stop moving.

I hollared YOU CAN WRIGGLE ALL YOU WANT ONCE YOU'RE OUT BUT PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF PETE GIVE ME FIVE FREAKING MINUTES OF PEACE!

I hollared at a fetus.

I'm so going to hell.

(It was nearly four in the morning, if that is any defense at all.)

I'm having one of those so incredibly unbelievably tired of being pregnant days. I've never been a big girl -- I'm 5'2" and used to weigh 98lbs. I've had issues with being underweight nearly my whole life, matter of fact, and had to gain weight on purpose to ttc, but I'm sick of being so freaking HUGE and not being able to bend over or see my feet or shave my legs decently. And I'm sick of my back hurting.

And I'm tired of not being on my medication (I have BPD) and the thought of remaining off it for another year while BFing is incredibly depressing. (And kind of scary.)

My wedding band is too tight so I had to stick it on a chain and that depresses me because now my Mary medal hangs sideways from the ring smooshing her. Stupid but it bothers me.

My head hurts and I wrenched (or whatever) that ligament in my abdomen again so not only is my sacrum still hurting but I've got a sharp stabbing pain in front everytime I move or walk. Lovely.

And I really want an Arby's Roast Beef but the closest one is way across town.

Wow I need to NOT BE PREGNANT ANYMORE PLEASE.

Week 38 starts tomorrow. I looked at DH when he got home from work, burst into tears and was like, "I really don't know how much longer I can take this misery."

And I'm serious. I really don't.

[BetsyPage]

I really enjoyed reading everyone's updates!!! We're getting close!

Carley- you know Penny Simkins? That is so cool- I love her pregnancy book! (been reading it a lot lately trying to figure out what the heck is going on!)

I had a bit of a surprise on Saturday night because there was a "gush" of amniotic fluid... it was definitely fluid, but not like my water "broke", kwim? So my MW basically said it could be, or it might not be when I called her. I didn't have any additional gushes at all, though. She did come by on Sunday to examine me and check things out. B/c she was sure that my entire bag had not *broken* but we were still unsure about a high leak/other leak kind of thing my MW attempted to do a sterile exam to test for fluid... however she backed out when there was a gush of blood, and just said it was best to leave it. I went ahead and tried a homeopathic remedy to see if my BH would get regular or anything (some homepathics called CA/CI that is supposed to be equivalent to Blue & Black Cohosh she said) just IN CASE my waters had actually broken to see if we could get the show on the road. Basically, my BH got a little more intense, but nothing really happened, so that was more confirmation for the "it was just a leak" or maybe even some other fluid theory. I figured that if labor was ready to start, they would help, but if not, my muscles would get a bit more of a workout.

On Monday we went to my MW's lovely home and my doula came too, and they got to meet each other. Everyone liked each other, so that is great, no interpersonal tensions at birth or anything.

All along my MW has said there was a possibility that I would need to come to her home for the birth, b/c she has 3 kids including a 1.5 year old, and there was the possibility of gaps in her childcare. One concern that DH has had with homebirth is just that our home is very small and cramped, and he had concerns about how good it would be for a birth. (Small bathroom, birthing tub would have to be on different floor than the bed, etc.) I had sort of "come to terms" with this and was OK with it, but it seems he still had some hesitation. So we walk into the master bath at my MW's house and see the large jacuzzi tub and huge walk-in shower, and the king-sized bed in her bedroom and he basically says, "Why don't we just do it here?"

So we talk about it for a while, and how it would affect her family in terms of their routines if we were here, etc. and I finally decide that I would be comfortable just doing the birth there. If I was leaving a home that we thought was awesome for giving birth or had more than one child, that would be different, but I think this will work out great. As I told my dh and MW, I wanted to have a homebirth but it didn't necessarily have to be *my* home. So now it is nice that we can just *plan* to be there, and I won't have to have anxiety if my labor takes a long time about my MW being away from her young child, and I know that will be easier on both of them too. My MW was saying how we would stay a few hours or until I was stablized and that she would feed us before we left, etc. and dh joked she should open a "Homebirth and breakfast."

Something not so great though, is that the baby is posterior... AGAIN! I just knew she moved yesterday while I was holding dd during her nap. (my dd has a cold now, very clingy.) I just felt these big movements and all of the sudden OWIE b/c I'm feeling all the feet and hands in the front. So now I'm trying to get her to turn again, I really don't want to start labor with her posterior!

[eilonwy]

Got a call from the insurance company; apparently the body shop got the wrong seat in *again*. Thursday, at the earliest. :snicker As if.

Tired of being pregnant. Yeah, I'm so there. On one level, though, I can believe that it will eventually end. I mean, I've already got two kids, and they both came out. I think that makes it easier to cope with somehow... it will eventually end, I've got proof.

[JenniferC]

Well, I was 37 weeks on Thursday, and our home visit is this Friday...taptaptap. I'm getting so impatient for baby to arrive, but I still have 2.5 weeks to go until due date, sigh, I was hoping this baby would come a bit early. I've been sO tired the past 3 - 4 days and haven't felt like doing anything , but I have been gathering birth supplies, doing baby laundry etc. And hopefully we'll have the last of everything rounded up in a few days! Not feeling like labour is ANYWHERE near the horizon...sigh. Baby baby, we want to play with you! (Not that I'm entirely ready of course, in terms of material prep!)

[burke-a-bee]

38 weeks and a few days..
tired..cranky..irritable..uncomfortable..overwhelm ed...nervous...don't have energy for more words...hope everyone else is doing well.

[Mel38]

boovert - I'm sorry to read how worried you are about the upcoming birth. I guess my only advice (if you could call it that, since I've never done a hb myself just an unmed. one) is that being in the hospital doesn't make it any *easier* for you in lots of ways. I hope I'm saying this in the right way - but no matter where or how you have the baby, it is still you doing the work. Even the hospital or doctor or midwife or dh can't do that for you. Being at home just means that you are accepting that fact of birth before starting the process. I'll be thinking of you and sending you good vibes! I hope everything goes beautifully and that you have lots of loving support through the process. One thing I can promise is that it will be awe-inspiring. All births are awe-inspiring.

As for my update this week - I'm totally relating to those of you who are expressing your end-of-pregnancy frustration. I'm feeling that too now at 38 weeks. I sometimes don't know what to do with myself, both physically and emotionally. On one hand, I want it to be over, but on the other hand, if I did go into labor right now, I would probably freak out because I still don't feel ready! Crazy.

I got a little bit of painting done on the baby furniture - just a changing table and a shelf for clothes. Other than that, we're not setting anything up until later. We'll have a carpenter doing work in our bedroom and an a/c company putting in a new unit this week and next. ARG! I don't know if I can handle the dirt and mess, but it's better to get it out of the way now and be able to relax once the baby arrives. I was planning on starting to wash the baby clothes today, but the dryer broke down.

I'm struggling to get exercise every day. I just don't feel like it but I know it will make me feel better. I should be doing tons of pelvic rocks and all that, but again - somehow I just don't make time for that. On a good note, I've been drinking tons of water and getting plenty of veggies in my diet. Hopefully that cancels out some of the chocolate? I've also started alfalfa supplements, has anyone else taken that during pregnancy? I keep hearing good things about it, so I decided to try it, too.

OK - hang in there everyone! Pretty soon, we'll start going into labor and having our beautiful babies and reading all kinds of fascinating and wonderful birth stories. It's just a matter of days now!

[eilonwy]

Well, I had contractions all night last night-- painful ones that kept waking me up (and Mike as well). He wanted to know if I was in labor, and I told him no, I was too tired for it to be labor. And I was; if I was really in labor, I wouldn't have been able to sleep so deeply between contractions. I'm still having them, and they hurt... and I would swear that I feel pain very low in my pelvis (that is, that the baby is at 0 or +1 "station," as it were). It sucks, but I'm going to do some walking today. I asked BeanBean what he thought about running some errands today and he said, "Great, let's go! Yeah!" Poor kid, he's desperate to get out of the house. He's right, we should.

[kyle98sean02]

I am so ready for this little guy to be out in my arms. I cant sleep, everything I eat hurts me by either causing more heartburn or setting off my galbladder and my hips and pelvis are killing me and I am only 36.5 weeks along. Heck, with Kyle I was still pregnant for over 5 weeks past this point. I have a 10 mile long list and none of its getting done because I feel so crappy all the time. I spent half of yesteday puking my guts out because I broke down and ate a few taquitos at dinner time. If I eat fruits veggies and grain and thats it I'm usually OK, but then I am hungry every 5 minutes. Now I am so light headed and dizzy all the time. I have come very close to passing out twice, one of the times everything got black but luckily I didnt fall to the ground. I am soooooooooo ready to be done. Everyone always tries to tell me that its so much easier when they are inside, but at least once he is here I can be tired and overwhelmed looking at his cute little face and not be in pain at the same time...............

[2+twins]

Originally Posted by kyle98sean02

Everyone always tries to tell me that its so much easier when they are inside, but at least once he is here I can be tired and overwhelmed looking at his cute little face and not be in pain at the same time...............

:

[AdinaL]

Everyone keeps telling me the same thing...I keep telling them that I LOVE being pregnant...but I would like to be able to hand the baby to DH for 5 minutes.

The other people are asking me if I am just readyto be done being pregnant. This is only funny because of how long I tried to get here... I tried for three years to get pregnant, gave myself two weeks of three shots a day, had 18 eggs retrieved through my vaginal wall with a 17 inch long needle, then continued to give myself intramuscular shots for 12 weeks...I am pretty okay enjoying the last month or so of pregnancy. I remind myself every day that I may never get to do this part again, and I smile and enjoy it, even when my pubic bone hurts, even when my ribs go out, even when she seems like she is trying to get out through my belly button!

I will miss being pregnant...I would have made a great symbiote (a la Jadzia Dax on Star Trek, or Tealc on SG-1)

I keep waiting to see who goes into labor first...we are so close, someone should be almost there!

[aweynsayl]

Originally Posted by love_homebirthing

:

Ok, so.... we met with the realtor last night (ok, great, we need to do this, but from 7-9, omg, I am pregnant. Can I please go to bed now? ) ... and we have kind of a timeline now.... and it's really getting to the-- "Baby, it really will be easier on mommy and daddy if you are born SOONER than april 4th, because Daddy only has his job til the middle of april, and we dont want to start showing the house til after you're more than three weeks old, because Mommy refuses to have her in bed nursing be part of the "show"... but once Daddy's job is over, we will be reallllly eating into savings-- which, really, is your loss, so if you really do want to go to college, you'll be born sooner, ok?"

Think that will work??? I'm having some pineapple now.... brb.

[nighten]

Originally Posted by AdinaL

I will miss being pregnant...I would have made a great symbiote (a la Jadzia Dax on Star Trek, or Tealc on SG-1)

You're crackin me up!!!

I would make the WORST symbiote. The longer she's in there, the harder it's getting to share my body. THERE'S NO MORE ROOM!

I talk to her and play music for her and rub my tummy and all that good mama lovin stuff but really, it's time. It's definitely time. I WANT MY BODY BACK!

It's like going from owning a spacious home to renting a one bedroom aprtment. Okay, you know it's for a limited time -- not even a year -- so it's doable, but the months drag on and things get more and more crowded and uncomfortable and you do it as long as you have to but there comes a time after NINE LONG MONTHS when it's just too crowded and it's TIME TO MOVE, BABY!

I'm so glad (and truthfully in awe) that you're enjoying being pregnant, because if I had twins in here I'd be crying all the time. I'm that sick of being this huge. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have two in there. I'd die. You should get lots of presents for what you're doing.

[AdinaL]

Fotunately - I am not having twins!

I guess I am just pretty philosophical about the whole thing. The fact that I may never ever get to do this again weighs pretty heavily on me sometimes. So while I complain to my DH, I tend to really temper it because I am aware that this may be it. Infertility does quite a number on you, and this is just part of it. My mom and I were talking about this last night...she got pregnant with me the first month she was off the pill, no hitches. But when I decided to come out, shehad complete previa, and I was breech, and two weeks early. She had a full classic c/s. My experience is the exact opposite so far. She is very worried about the birth, which I am not, partially because my conception was so tough. It never really hit her to be worried about that - even when I explained to her a year ago - that there may NEVER be grandkids...she just couldn't wrap her head around it. But she worries that something horrible is going to happen while I am birthing this girl. It is interesting the perspective we gain via our own experiences.

The funniest question I get..."What are you doing for birth control after the baby is here?"

:

[nighten]

Originally Posted by AdinaL

Fotunately - I am not having twins!

DOH! I'm sorry, *big blush* I got you and love_HBing mixed up.
Well, then, still, you're better than I am because right this minute I'm utterly sick of being pregnant and want the bean OUT. I understand where you're coming from and I think it's awesome that you're savoring it all, but I can't get past how miserable I am right this second. Earlier today I was feeling better and was okay about it all and was like, "Take your time, baby" and that's how it is the majority of the time for me, but then I have moments (like right now) that just totally overshadow the patience I'd built up.

And I just want her to be out and this to all be done with. (Not enough to request an induction though -- I'm not that insane -- I just wish it would get over, you know?)

[2+twins]

Well, despite there being twins I still being pregnant. Does it suck sometimes (a lot of the time)? Yes. But I do love it. But I have kind of the Adina experience in struggling with infertility with my first, followed by 2 miscarriages, only successfully carry a pregnancy with medical help, and now I KNOW I won't ever be pregnant again (dh just got clipped), so I'm working on savoring every last moment. But then, I thrive on pregnancy & childbirth - a huge motivating factor in even having this (these) child in the first place! I'm a bit nuts like that.

p.s. What's a symbiote? :