Weekly Thread 12/25 - 1/1

[ekblad9]

Well - it's almost 2007! I can't wait to say "I'm due next month!". I'm so done. I feel like I've been pregnant forever. Part of me feels like it went really fast but when I have insomnia and leg cramps I feel like it can't go fast enough!

[jilly]

Merry Christmas, all!

Well, I am due mid-Jan, and I swear this baby is just one big elbow and knee these days. I am definitely running out of room, and feeling it much more than I did with ds, who was 8lbs 13 oz and 21 in. So I'm wondering how big this baby is going to be. Maybe s/he will come early and just be long and skinny. Its partially because the baby's head is engaged, and the elbows are right in my pelvis, whereas ds was higher up, so a bit more comfy, although I couldn't really breathe at this point. I guess there is no "comfortable" when you are this pregnant.

We had a fun time yesterday afternoon -- there are a bunch of South African doctors in town and none of them have family here either, so they all had a traditional Christmas meal and invited us to come. We had fried potatos and delicious lamb and roasted root vegetables, and pumpkin fritters, then we sang Christmas carols in Afrikaans and they had a gift exchange -- they invited us late, so we didn't get to participate, and they all know each other a bit better anyway. Then we had trifle and Christmas cake and ice cream for dessert. It was really fun. What a warm and robust culture. And they were kind enough to speak English most of the time, even though they were among countrymen and didn't have to, which I thought was really generous.

Today we lay low (dh is a minster, so he's exhausted this time of year) and just had a Christmas brunch and opened presents. My parents got this cool big wheels style trike for Andrew, which is plastic, I know, but will be a lot of fun, and we got him a big Tonka front end loader which he napped with and which watched him in the bath tonight. Oh, and I hooked our web cam up so that I could video phone my parents for Christmas, which they loved. My family is the kind that has to have every new technological thing as soon as it comes out. My dad had a modem and internet connection in 1989. So even though the sound is really bad and cuts in and out, they were all excited to see my son and talk online. IT was really funny.

Hope you all have a merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate. Jill

[lanielayne]

I am ready too! I am so glad to be able to say I can safely deliver at home anytime now though I am always late! I have been having PTL off and on still. I really want to have a Feb baby though just maybe an early Feb baby!

I did get a gift on Christmas Eve though. I was in so much pain that I was laying on my bed crying because I just couldn't get into position that didn't hurt. So I got into the head/knees postion, like you would if you had cord prolapse, and rested there for a few minutes. I was just hoping to ease some of my back and leg pain. Well it did. I still feel better form it. I still have it but it is not the excrutiating pain I have had!! I was so happy and looking forward to telling everyone! It was just such a relief. Maybe baby was just wedged really wrong and I was able to change that around a bit. I am kinda afraid of doing it too much and altering baby in a way that is not normal but this time I had to do something!

We had a great weekend and hope everyone else enjoyed their time with their families!

[Adensmommy]

I get on all fours put my tush way up in the air and lean forward on my elbows. Not sure if thats the same thing you do but it makes me feel so much better it seems to relieve all kinds of pregnancy aches and pains and it also seems to take a ton of preasure of my cervix.

I ended up with terrible gastroentrites and have felt like total caca for the past 24hours. I am starting to recover I am just suffering from some muscle and joint pain but thank goodness the vomiting and diareah have subsided. I am such a misserable, winey sick person. I am really proud of myself for staying hydrated, and absoluately no contractions

I have pretty much written off this holiday. I made sure to tell everyone to not visit me today, I would hate to pass this bug around.

The baby is doing good. I was a bit concerned today when I had my daily nst
Landons heart rate was a little hight for him in the 160s and 170s But mine was a high too in the 90s. They did the nst at about the peak of my sickness. They checked his heart rate a couple of hours later and he had gone back down to the 140s and 150s. He seemed to be so active today, normally I relish his busy days, but today he kept pushing on my stomach and intestines and really agrivating my allready sick tummy.

Oh yeah and my foolish MIL, who knows we are cding got us a diaper genie for christmas. She is determined to do things her way, but so am I

[yonit]

Good Morning!

Yes, I also find all 4's to be very comfortable. Unfortunately I have bad knees so can't stay on it for too long, and as soon as I get off the pain returns. Warm rice socks on my pelvis/hips also helps a lot. Since I don't celebrate C-mas I have had the past few days off to just relax, and that has also made a huge difference! Did lots of laying around with my feet up, since they also started swelling up last week... Oh joy

Well, my girls are spending the week at Winter Vacation Camp, so I have a week off from homeschooling - but DH is off yesterday and today for the holiday. I also am hoping to get a bunch of grading done of doula student papers since I have been falling behind on them lately, and also have a bunch of schoolwork of my own to do.....

I am also very excited because I am also going to learn Reiki this week! There is a Jewish woman here who is a Master Reiki Practitioner. She learned Reiki than sat down with our Rabbi and took out all of the Buddhist stuff and replaced it with Jewish prayers, blessings, etc. So she has been fully sanctioned by my Rabbi to practice this. I have used her a number of times and love it. I have been trying to get her to teach me for a year, and she has kept putting me off for various reasons. She finally agreed about a month ago and when I realized that my kids were going to camp this week we arranged to work together this week. So T/W/Th afternoon I will be learning with her and can't wait.

So that's it from here. Hope everyone has a nice quiet day!

[swtmama2be]

Good Morning!
I can't believe I'm 33 weeks today. Physically, in terms of baby I'm pretty comfy...the only problem is I've been sick for about 10 days now:sore throat, low energy and non-stop coughing that keeps me up all night. Last night was my first good sleep in what felt like ages. I think Im starting to finally get better.
Christmas was emotional for me....at times I felt so happy and content and at other times I felt hollow and cried a bit. Partly because dh's parents live next door and all the family (25 of them) were there and I couldn't go after sil arrived because she has shingles and her 3 kids may have been incubating chickenpox. Jury is out on whether its contagious to baby but i didn't want to risk it. My dad & stepmom got me a tripp trapp highchair (I really wanted this) for xmas with really cute bibs and feeding dishes and healthy baby food cookbook. I won't be using it for a while but it was really exciting and cute and my MIL got me the cutest, softest organic teddy bear. She was so excited it was organic (totally not her thing) I was really touched because I know she looked for organic specifically for me and that meant alot.
I'm emotionally preparing for an inevitable c-section around feb 6. That's a little scary. About 10 years ago I had major abdominal surgery where all my organs had to be taken out and cleaned along with my whole abdominal cavity rinsed out. I had peritonitis due to a misdiagnosed burst appendix. They said I had irritable bowel syndrome and sent me home for 6 weeks with a leaking appendix. Anyway, when I think of a c-section I think of that.....recovery took over a year, and honestly I've never felt the same since energy wise. So....I have trauma in that region and am praying for a much less invasive & debilitating experience. BTW, thank-you so much all you mamas who responded to my thread on making plans for a positive c-section. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the support.
Asides from all that, I'm really excited to be a mommy. I can't even imagine holding my own little baby in my arms. I never thought it would be possible...and now in just 6 weeks....is it really going to happen? I can't even believe it and I am so completely elated. It feels like a miracle.

[p1gg1e]

Well we have had allot of family drama (on both sides) this last month and a half : .

DD got allot of home made/ free gifts from us. DH and I went crazy and I bought a a sling for baby( and DD), diaper bag, and then we got home from visiting and bought a digi camera because we miss the one the broke. We told ourselves we will pay CC back after we get our taxes back

This next week we have allot of birth kit stuff to gather, I did get new wash cloths from my mom and dad so I can take those off the list I'm not sure though if I should go shopping today with all the returns that people will have

Oh and I got a new sling from my parents its a Didymo.. its our big gift for the baby

The baby is not a really active baby. its head down and ready to go. Its low just like DD was. I'm knitting lots of longies and sweaters for it. I wasn't that skilled with DD and knit her a blanket. I wont have a blanket for this baby but lots of little clothes to pass down LOL..thats all I'm feeling good but tired.

[MaricopaMom]

I will be 33 weeks tomorrow. Last week's doctor's appointment they started me on Labetelol for my BP and put me on a 2000 calorie diabetic diet because I complained about my blood sugars being high (despite passing the 3 hour GTT). I periodically check my sugars at work, so I know they're high. Christmas time is not an easy time to stick to a diet! So I cheated yesterday.... and felt like crap! On top of it, I have a cold and can't take anything. :

But I have my parents and youngest sister here visiting me... so it's been an awesome Christmas. This was our first Christmas in our new home (we've been here 11 months now).

My parents took my daughter out shopping because she really wanted to get me something for Christmas... she got me a huge body pillow! I slept soooo good last night!! So much better than a regualr pillow between my legs.

My SIL is being induced today (she's 37.5 weeks and "uncomfortable" so her doctor agreed to induce her : ) so I will be an auntie later today!

[mom2mimi]

Is it over yet??? That's what I keep asking myself and by it I mean the holidays. I had such a wonderful Christmas with my family but I am so sick of being sociable and having company. I just want to veg out with my dh and kids and enjoy them instead of having to clean up after extended family and help dh cook for everyone and talk talk talk to everyone. Wow did that sound grinchy! It feels better to get it out, though! We have had company every single day since Thursday and are expecting more this afternoon and I am just sick of it!

Okay on a positive note...hubby completely surprised me on Christmas eve during a rare moment alone with a new wedding ring!!!! We have been married 7 years now and my ring was really a last minute choice (much like our marriage at the time) from a pawn shop. So he went out and bought me the most beautiful diamond solitaire. This was a huge thing for him because he's not much for surprises or gifts really! He told me he would marry me all over again while giving it to me, it was amazing!

[raeinparis]

hiya everyone

to those mamas who are in pain! i'm uncomfortable and had seriously nasty heartburn last night but it's not so bad (touch wood!).

quiet days here -- dh is off work for the week but it's just us here. we might go home for xmas next year but no firm plans yet. ds enjoyed his tricycle and dh enjoyed his pressies. he got me a pair of maternity cargo pants. sigh. i can't use all these pockets! the trousers are falling down already without weighing them down! it's the thought that counts.

31 weeks and i've been telling this sprog that he can arrive any day after 10 feb, when my mom arrives! it's also ds1 2nd birthday.

right, i should run around and tidy whilst i have the chance!

[Gray's Mommy]

I'm 34 weeks as of Christmas and still feeling pretty good overall. I have only gained 25 pounds...way less than my first pregnancy I woke up this morning to feeling the baby with hiccups for 20 minutes. It really was pretty funny. Well, for me at least

Christmas was delightful for us. We hung out at our home for awhile & then went to my Mom's for more celebration. We went to church Christmas Eve, an early Mass, and then it kind of set the tone for me.

My DH's dad is coming up from Houston tomorrow...that should be interesting. Thank goodness I will have a break & head to the dentist's office for a check up

My SIL is being induced today (she's 37.5 weeks and "uncomfortable" so her doctor agreed to induce her ) so I will be an auntie later today!
Congratulations MaricopaMom on becoming an auntie today!!

[DreamsInDigital]

34w1d here and I'm ready to go on maternity leave. I'm in process of either convincing my work to let me off now or quitting. I'll know by Friday.
What a relief!

[lanielayne]

to you Adenmommy! You sure have had a hard time! I hope you have your sweet healthy baby at just the right time and you can resume normal life!

I was up and down this holiday too. It is the first one away from my family and I was hormonal as well! Thank goodness dh knows how to put up with me during these times and just avoids me and goes on like everything is normal! My kids kept talking about their cousins back home and how much they miss them and that was really hard. It makes me question whether or not our move was the right thing for them. It is hard to not have any family around.

The kids enjoyed their very meager Xmas this year. I am so glad we were able to pull it off. Luckily they just aren't into the expensive gifts yet so we can get away with alot of inexpensive craft stuff!

[timneh_mom]

I can't believe I'm 34 weeks tomorrow already! This pregnancy seems to be flying by. I was thinking yesterday that maybe I should wash baby clothes and diapers, just to make sure they are ready! And watch, I won't have the baby for another 8 weeks! It just seems weird that my due date is only 6 weeks away now. Really, in a few weeks, the baby could be born anytime!

Christmas was ok. My son got totally overstimulated at the IL's house Christmas Eve, with all the present opening and everything, and he slept like crap and kept DH up all night. By the next morning he opened a few things here and then just quit, he just did not want to open any more!! I thought it was way too much anyway, even I am exhausted after Christmas Eve at the IL's. And my SIL's boyfriend who just moved here got totally plastered, I think he is the first one to get wasted at my IL's Christmas Eve!! (He has a drinking problem anyway but man!)

I am glad Christmas is over, my DH's family does things so differently from my family, his has all these rules (his mother distributes gifts, then tells everyone who can open something next, she is in charge!) and mine was not nearly as crazy (not NEARLY as many gifts) and people just enjoyed each other and food and it was good! It never took hours to open gifts! Anyway, I digress, because next year we are spending it with my family... so some of the pressure will be off!!

Otherwise I feel OK, got the usual pain in my hips and pressure in my pelvis, and it's hard to stand/sit for too long, walking really makes my cervix hurt. This little one is very calm though, she sleeps a lot more than DS ever did so maybe that's a good sign... DS still doesn't sleep well!!

It's good to hear from everyone, especially you Brandi... I hope you are feeling better! We had the stomach ick here too along with several colds that have all kind of run together and it is NO fun being sick when you are pregnant!!!

[phillychiquita]

I am doing good, moving along here -- we're in now in week 33, and I am starting to assemble things for the birth. The baby is riding really low in my belly, so I am not huge, but my joints and uterus are definitely feeling the stress. The baby is very very active, and I am extremely gassy and getting up every two hours at night to pee, but it still doesnt bother me all that much...I seem to be able to go back to sleep right away. Like others, I am wondering if I might go early. We have an appt. with the midwives tomorrow.

In other news, I am sick of seeing family and being holiday-cheery and will be glad to get on with life after Christmas. Also, my MIL is planning a second baby shower for January 27 which will give us something to look forward to in late January when I will probably be bored and feeling really gross...

As for exercise, I have fallen off the wagon and have been less active than i wanted to at this point. I need to get back into yoga and swimming.

[Jude Rose]

It's great to hear what's up with all you hot mamas! I wish noone were feeling sick, though. It's enough to be this pregnant.

I'm at 31 weeks now and feel like I could go a looooooooonnnng time more. That's good, cuz I'm just nowhere near ready, although I have been able to get a good chunk of our taxes dealt with which is making me somehow feel lighter and lighter. LOL, that's a miracle at this stage, huh?

Christmas has been cool cuz people are coming to visit US and we really kept gift giving to a minimum. I was having too many contractions at the stores and mandatory shopping online isn;t much fun to me.

The best gift I think I got so far are actually books on loan. I have a much younger sister who's 17 and she reads like crazy. She brought over a load of all the hottest books right now and early last week my energy was low so I read 3 500 page books 3 days in a row. I have many more for the next time the boys go through a growth spurt.

Now I'm happy that we're entering into Jan and I can really get my mind focused on the babys' room and all the other baby stuff. Praying we all have lots of time to get all our stuff accomplished.

[Jude Rose]

I would also like to add one thing, cuz I don't want to sound so free of problems : .

You know some people get sick and stuff when they're pregnant? Well, I'm that way when I'm not pregnant. My mom is the same exacrt way. The hormones seem to be better balanced now than in my regular way. I have to work SO HARD to have a kind of balance when not PG-and have had surgeries to deal with the hormomal messes before I started learning about herbal remedies.

My mom says she wishes she could be pregnant her whole life without all the kids (she has 3). I guess at my age I wonder if I shouldn;t have started this pregnancy thing sooner.

[FireflyFan]

My Christmas went a lot better than I thought it would....my in-laws & I got along, my SIL surprised me with a maternity sweater that she knitted, and there was only one tense moment when there was a disagreement about baby names, but anyway! It was good for the most part!

I came down with the cough, sore throat, and stuffed nose that has been plaguing everyone else around me for the past month. But I made sure to get lots of sleep over the weekend, and that helped.

I had some scary BH Christmas night when DH & I were driving back home. I felt three BH's 10 minutes apart, and that seemed too regular to me and kinda scary, but fortunately after that they stopped. I had two today that were irregular. I'd like the baby to wait until I finish buying all of the STUFF!!

[jilly]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is totally done with people. It seems like every time I go out somewhere lately, someone says something that upsets me. On Christmas eve at chruch this woman I barely know kept asking me when my family was coming to help with / see the baby "Well, SURELY they're going to want to see the new baby. Aren't they coming to visit in January? Who is going to HELP you if no one in your family comes to visit?" Seriously, is it not bad enough that I don't have anyone in my family who could come who would actually be helpful, and then someone has to REMIND me of this fact?

Then today, at a Boxing Day dinner we got invited to, our hostess (who was a nurse and her husband was a doctor in town for a long time) said, "Well, I was a bit scared you were going to go into labour over Chrsitmas. Of course, if you go into labour now they will send you directly to Prince Albert in case they need to do a c-section, because there is no way they will find enough doctors who are not out of town this week to do a c-section." Prince Albert is an hour away, and dh doesn't have a licence right now, so if I ended up there I would have a) no way of gettting home and b) would be away from my toddler for at least two or three days.

So I have decided that I am going to be a hermit for the next month. Nothing but grocery shopping and getting the mail. People are just too upsetting. I'm done with them all.