*~ Weekly Thread April 9-15 ~* - Page 3

[wombatclay]

Yeah...anything before May 1st is a NICU ticket I'm afraid. Ack! And even after the 1st it's still probably a NICU stop for a week or three.

[Jilian]

I need to make it to at least May 7 to still be able to have a homebirth. Wow, now that I put that in writing it is scary. May 7 is less than a month away. At 36 weeks I'm going to stop taking the Omegas and cramp bark, and on days I skip my omegas I have contractions.

I hope everyone in our DDC makes it to at least term. No NICU babies please! My sister's baby was in the NICU for a week and it was really hard, but he was a week overdue.

Shannon: A garden sounds like a nice idea. I've been wanting to start a small vegetable garden but haven't found the motivation. Maybe I'll get around to it this week with DS.

[willoLevin]

Today I dragged an acquaintance (with a nice-looking home) with me to the kitchen store, and I picked out my countertops. Amazingly enough, I got what I really wanted in the first place (shades of green) but hadn't found a "perfect" color in my other several visits to look at counters. Even better, this one will cost me $3000 where my previous favorite was $4500!

My choice, if you're curious:
http://www.silestoneusa.com/nonflash...s.cfm?pid=1303

I love it when a plan comes together.

All that's left to choose are my floors, and the marmoleum guy comes to me with his samples, I believe.

(Just in case I go early, I just need to have all these things picked out! I can't imagine what would happen if DH had to make an aesthetic decision about... well... ANYTHING! )

Now I've just got to finish emptying the kitchen cabinets since DH leaves for a conference in Utah tomorrow, and I don't want to be the one carrying boxes of pots and pans down to the basement.

I know, kitchens aren't really pregnancy and birth related, but, well, I'm so excited, and you guys are such good listeners.

--willo

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by willoLevin

My choice, if you're curious:
http://www.silestoneusa.com/nonflash...s.cfm?pid=1303

Ohhhh, I really like that. Green is my favorite color and I've never seen it in a kitchen. I'll bet that is gonna look really good. Post pictures when your remodel is all done!

Originally Posted by willoLevin

I know, kitchens aren't really pregnancy and birth related, but, well, I'm so excited, and you guys are such good listeners.

I don't mind listening. DS has gotten really good at playing alone in these past few weeks so I'm a little bored. He doesn't like playing with me as much as he used to. So instead I just post on mothering a million times a day.

[jstar]

nooooo april 14th. i'm only 33 weeks

we're doing a small remodel too. well lots of small projects. i think it is my dh's male nesting. he tore into all this stuff at once....as if it is all going to get done before baby arrives. we don't exactly have the budget. he is finishing off our back porch (which was more like a walk-through between the bathroom and breakfast nook) to be a laundry room. it has so far involved asbestos tile removal and a lot of dust and a lot of us arguing about flooring, doors, countertops and sinks. he's also removed all the concrete around our house (various hodgepodgy patched pathways and stuff). it all needed to go and needs to be redone ....but that is going to be at least $5000 i'm sure : dh also is trenching out the whole foundation to try and install a waterproof barrier so our basement will stop leaking. and we are getting a new roof with my bonus. hopefully that will be in the next couple of weeks. we just got the bid update yesterday.

we bought a 1908 farmhouse that needs a boatload of work. can you tell?


i'm not ready for baby in terms of 'prep' but i feel ready in terms of looking forward to tiny toes and getting this show on the road. mostly ready for the warm days of summer and this new phase in life with a 'baby brother'

[54mama]

I haven't been around much but thought I'd give a quick update.

My news is:
* we found out gender... had to go in for an ultrasound to check on marginal previa and decided I just wanted to know this time around... it is another girl which is fun.
* I still have a marginal previa... not giving up hope of it moving, doing lots of visualizing, but also feeling anxious that it won't... at this point I can try for a vaginal birth but in the hospital not the birth center which is still okay but I'm hardly thrilled.
* we decided to re-do our kitchen in the next two months : very exciting but slightly overwhelming.
* I have a big belly
* I hate heartburn
* I love chocolate
* My heartburn hates chocolate
* If spring doesn't come soon I might jump off a bridge.

I'll be trying to catch up here in the next few weeks!

[GenomicsGirl]

Originally Posted by willoLevin

Okay, guys, last night, I dreamt that someone had their baby on April 14th.

Holy cow - that better not be me! I'm leaving for Vegas on the 16th and I need this last romp in the sun!

I had my 32-week appointment this afternoon and I'm measuring at 28 weeks - that the closest I've ever measured to my # of weeks for all three pregnancies! I'm actually somewhat big this time around! WooHoo!

I'd love for this baby to come at 36 weeks. No sooner. But I'm getting anxious to meet her!

Jilian - try to plant something, if you can. It's so satisfying and my kids have loved helping out in the yard. Of course, the neighbour gave dh crap for "making" do me yard work and mowing while pregnant :

[Charity]

So, this is turning out to be a really, really bad week. DH's grandfather died last night, and although we knew it was coming soon it's still hard. Today I found out that my cousin's boyfriend was killed in a motorcycle accident. And all week a dear friend has been in the hospital, not doing well at all.

I have to keep hoping and trying to stay positive. DH is flying to Canada tomorrow for the funeral and we decided that I won't go. Which is probably best for baby but it means I'll be lonely. What a week.... I need spring and hopefulness very very soon.: I just hope our baby girl won't feel too much of the sadness and pain and fear.

[vannienicole]

**

[willoLevin]

Originally Posted by Charity

...What a week.... I need spring and hopefulness very very soon.: I just hope our baby girl won't feel too much of the sadness and pain and fear.

Charity-- so sorry you are having such a miserable week. My condolences to your family.

I am also so very ready for it to REALLY be spring. We had a winter weather advisory for today, but, happily, it was downgraded from snow to rain expected. I can handle a little wet stuff.

DH left for a conference in Utah today, so DS and I will have to go it alone for a few days, too. The older DS gets, the more he really, REALLY needs time with his dad, so I hope he handles it okay. I don't know if all boys show this so readily, but it is 100% obvious how important that male role model is when you look at my kid.

I think I am fighting off another cold. DH tried to be quiet, but honestly made such a ruckus getting himself out the door to the airport this morning at 4 am. : I got back to sleep once, but he woke me again, and I was out of bed for the day at 5 am on one of my rare working days and while my nose is stuffing and my throat is soring. Excellent timing, huh? So I'm going to see when my acupuncturist can fit me in, though I may have to bring DS with me (since DH is gone!) Oh yeah--that'll be a relaxing time, full of needles, with DS running loose in the office. Yikes!

--willo

[Jilian]

Charity: I am so sorry to hear about your losses I'll be keeping you and your family in my thoughts.

[Charity]

Thanks so much, everyone, for your kindness and sympathy. We did hear today that our friend in hospital has taken a slight turn for the better. He's still in the ICU and is likely to be there for some time, but at least there are some positive signs.

I hope DH's grandmother will be okay after the loss of her husband. They were married 65 years and they really did everything together, so this will be rough. But at least they were blessed with a long and happy marriage. I'm glad DH is able to be there with her this weekend. And I guess the best thing I can do is try to stay calm for the baby's sake.

vannienicole--I hope you don't catch a cold, and good luck with your OB.
willo, I hope your cold symptoms disappear quickly too. Like you, I'm glad that the Boston weather is turning out to be damp instead of snowy--and like your DH, mine also left for the airport at 4 this morning. Not much fun for him or me. Good luck with your acupuncture appt.

[wombatclay]

Charity- I'm so sorry (but glad there is even a hint of good news...).

For me things are going as the go, but the swelling really picked up last night. My ankles and hands were stiff when I went to bed and now...well...let's just say it didn't go away overnight. I stepped on the scale and I've gained 4 pounds in the past week (I check once a week) and while I know it's all water it still bummed me out. I gained SO MUCH water weight last pregnancy and I HATE looking at pictures at the end of that pregnancy because of it. I had really hoped to make it through this pregnancy with little swelling...

So I'll be increasing my banana intake, uping my Calcium/Mag supplements, drinking lots and lots of water with lemon, going out to buy cucumbers tonight (and counting the days till watermelons arrive), elevating my feet (without leaning back! Ack! Conflict between OFP and edema!), increasing the acupressure and self massage treatments for swelling, and perhaps getting a pair of those oh so sexy maternity support stockings. I'm already eating a combo GD/Brewer's diet so I'm not sure it's humanly possible to get more protein in my diet, but I'll see...a few more days and I might need to move my ring and watch to a necklace for the next two months. Bleh.

Anyone have any good ideas about decreasing swelling? Any homeopathic or herbal treatments? A Bach flower essence for swelling? I'll toss in a few affirmations with my regular hypnobabies sessions, but I'm not sure how well that will work!

[minimoose]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

Anyone have any good ideas about decreasing swelling? Any homeopathic or herbal treatments? A Bach flower essence for swelling? I'll toss in a few affirmations with my regular hypnobabies sessions, but I'm not sure how well that will work!

Celery. They feed it to rabbits with "waterdisease" (I have no clue about the english word for it) and they pee like a racehorse. Nettle tea can help too.

Good luck!

[minimoose]

Charity, I'm so sorry. Be good to yourself the coming time. You'll be in my thoughts.

[brookibabe]

Lastnight I felt the baby's head. It was so awesome. I could feel it moving around so I put my hand on my belly and then the baby just stuck it's head way out. I could feel the roundness and size - so tiny. I've never felt anything like that before. Good news though - head down!
I am just getting more and more excited to have this baby. I am so ready - mentally. I literally can't stop thinking baby thoughts and I can't stop talking about babies. I have to try really hard to carry on a conversation that doesn't end up talking about babies.

[wombatclay]

I can't tell anterior or posterior yet, but Roro is usually head down...or at least, she likes to get the hiccups with her head againt my pelvis!

I think it was knee, or maybe a shoulder, but yesterday I had a very distinct "point" poking out of my belly for about ten minutes.

[GenomicsGirl]

Charity: I'm so sorry for your loss and your friend's accident I hope that your friend can recover fully and quickly.

Wombat: I love watermelon as a diuretic - it kept me swelling-free for the whole long hot southern-USA summer with my August baby a few years ago! You'll pee a lot, but it really flushed out my system beautifully. Good luck! I've already removed my engagement ring and only have my very thin wedding band on now (way cheaper to cut it off than my engagement ring )

I'm going out for a moms-night-out with a bunch of girlfriends tonight. I'm tired, but it's better than staying at home with my MIL and her sister for dinner. I'm so tired of them being here and they've only been here since Sunday : I've got to keep reminding myself that they're here to do us a favour - they're watching the boys while we go to Vegas ... so I have to be grateful, not spiteful!

[sylvi76]

I've got a cold over here too and sniffling and being pregnant is NO FUN. Started drinking RR tea with a few cumin seeds thrown in, I like the combined flavor better that way.

Lots of BH contrax too, I wonder if the babe will come a little early? I'd be happy with a week or so early, but that's about it!

Still struggling with names. DD #1 was much easier to name, this time around, I feel like it's so much harder.

How I feel during the day completely depends on how much sleep I got the night before. Some nights, I'm up for hours, laying there, tossing, turning, although it is getting harder to turn! And then the next day I feel like cr*p. Last night was a good night though, got at least 5 hours, and what a difference today. I actually felt like making dinner.

Company coming tomorrow and Sat evening as well. While I love having company, I just hope I am rested enough.

Totally different topic - how would you feel about having a student doula attend your birth? DH will be there, as will my regular ob, and I'll at the hospital. Any thoughts on whether it would be a good idea to go with a student doula or should I go with someone with more experience?

[willoLevin]

Originally Posted by sylvi76

... how would you feel about having a student doula attend your birth? DH will be there, as will my regular ob, and I'll at the hospital. Any thoughts on whether it would be a good idea to go with a student doula or should I go with someone with more experience?

The women I know who've had student doulas were mostly people who got volunteers on site at the hospital (trying to get their required number of births in.) In spite of this total lack of prior contact, and the "student" status, all three of the women I know who had this situation were really grateful and happy with having those doula students with them!

Hope that helps.

--willo