~Weekly Thread April 30- MAY 6th!!!~

[wombatclay]

Ack!

Tomorrow is MAY!!!!!!!

Which makes me wonder...how many of the July DDC mamas are lurking our forum this month to see who "goes first"?

I'll put a finger on my nose and say "not me", though after the bodascious BH I was having at IKEA the other day I'm still thinking this babe is going to be early. We're back now, and we have enough flat pack furniture to fill the house, but after 7 hours in IKEA yesterday I though I was going to fall over.

And then this morning when I got ready for work I learned that Roro has dropped or wiggled or bunched up or done something different...none of my work shirts cover my belly today! The scale has the exact same weight it had before our weekend trip, my swelling is about the same too, but suddenly I've got a little gap between the bottom of my work shirts and my humpty dumpty pants. I tried THREE different tops today (as DH laughed) and finally had to go with one of my "after work casual tent" shirts. It's not totally unprofessional, but I'm hoping no one notices.

Guess I'll hit the maternity thrift store one more time this afternoon for a few more shirts. Bleh...I'd hoped I was done with the shopping!

PS- congrats Jilian! w00t!

[Shell_Ell]

I'm here. It's my birthday. Ho-hum. LOL

I'm amazed at how good I'm still feeling for how far along I am. I wonder if this is short lived or if I'll feel like this right up to the end. I have no swelling, very little aches and pains, I'm sleeping just fine... knock on wood.

I'm hoping that bout of contractions the other night is my last before baby. I can hope, right?

[minimoose]

Woohoo, congrats Shell Ell! : :

Question: is anyone else completely unable to make it through the day without a nap? Not the "I could use a nap"-thing, but the: if-I-don't-go-and-lay-down-I'm-going-to-either-puke-or-cry feeling?

It's been a rough week here. Ick!

[sylvi76]

I have to go and lay down every now and then, although it ends up being only for 5-a0 minutes before I have to make myself get up again. But still, it's nice to just relax a bit.

I was in major nesting mode this weekend, threw out 4 large bags of old clothes/trash/junk and it felt really good. Still more to do, but I am already glad for the extra space.

Had a dr appt last week, and my OB said, in another 3 weeks if you want me to strip your membranes, we can do that, you will be good to go!!! I don't know anything about it, I'm hoping I just go into labor on my own. Anyone here ever have their membranes stripped? Does it start labor? Does it hurt? I'll be 38 weeks in 3 weeks, but I think I just want it to happen on it's own.

[willoLevin]

Kitchen report: no contractors today. I think we are waiting for the plumber and the floor guy to fit is into their schedules. Oh well. We did finally get the old fridge out (given to friends who had to borrow a truck), and we got really lucky, because we put in a new back door when we moved in, and it is smaller than the old one was... The fridge had to go through the door from the kitchen to the dining room (with about 1/4" room to spare and moving half of the temporary kitchen to get clearance!), then through the door from the dining room to the foyer (requiring the door taken from its hinges), then out the front door and down the 8 steps to ground level. I'm glad I didn't have to carry it!

And now for some great news. My blood test results are back (from Saturday--four weeks after my first CBC), and my hemoglobin is up from 8.8 to 9.4, and my hematocrit is up from 27.6 to 28.8. We've got to get the hematocrit above 30 to resurrect my hope for a birth center birth. I'm going to give most of the credit for this to my acupuncturist. Hurrah! Let's see if we can do even more in the next four to eight weeks... If we can match what we've done the past four weeks, I could actually get those numbers up there... I'm actually afraid to start hoping in case I get disappointed.

We put our memory foam topper back on our bed last night, and it helped SOOOO much with my sleep. I'd been waking up with majorly sore hips before this.

--willo

[dara00]

Did someone already have a baby in our ddc? (Jillian?) I can't believe tomorrow is May. Being due mid June though makes me feel that it's still awhile away. I'm working till May 22. Can't wait to be home and just relax for a few weeks! Probably will take my dd some special fun places too, I hope! I am so tired lately, her tantrums really drain me!

[wombatclay]

sylvi76-

I had my mebranes stripped at 41 and then at 42 weeks last time...and didn't start labor till a few days after the second try. So it's not necessarily going to start labor (though it can certainly move things in that direction).

Although it didn't hurt when I had it done (though it wasn't comfy either), some women report that it hurts a lot. So it varies. It's similar to a regular vaginal exam, but it takes a bit longer and your care provider is really "pushing"/sweeping in order to lift the bag of waters off the cervix...so that might give you a frame of reference for the sensation. If you find VE or pap smears really really unpleasant, then membrane sweeping probably isn't something you'll want to do unless necessary!

Also, it's sort of at the "most intervention" end of the "natural" induction methods (there is some risk of rupturing the membranes), so you may want to try things like EPO, or walking, or sex, or nipple stim, or spicy foods, or pineapple, or RRL before going for the membrane sweep. That said, if you're ready to go a sweep can push you over the edge into active labor...so it can be worth the effort if for some reason you need the babe to be born a bit sooner. (I think sweeping at 38 weeks probably wouldn't do much...unlike the more medical induction techniques, if you're not ready to birth a sweep isn't going to "force" labor).

I'll consider sweeping myself this time as well since I know my chances for a positive VBAC are higher if I give birth before 40 weeks...and my care providers will not induce a VBAC mama unless there is a serious medical concern (the risk of UR is too high with an induction, and I agree 100%). So I might ask for a sweep at 38 or 39 weeks...but I'm not expecting much out of it!

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by dara00

Did someone already have a baby in our ddc? (Jillian?)

Not me! I think we're all still pregnant, none of us are "term" yet so I hope no one has given birth. In a few more days the June 1 mamas will be "term" (according to hospitals) I know a lot of HB MWs wait until 37 weeks to consider someone term.

I'm part of the "must nap every day" club. I have to let DS watch a TV show while I lay on the couch for 15 mins. I can't get through the day without at least two mini rests.

Willo: congrats on getting the hematocrit up a bit. I hope it continues and you get your birth center birth!

Sylvi: stripping your membranes is when someone puts their finger into your cervix and seperates the bag of water from the cervix. I wouldn't really advise it unless you NEED to go into labor for a health reason. It puts you at risk for breaking your water, and if your water breaks you are on a timeline to deliver. If you can't go into labor on your own you'll likely end up with a cesarean. I'm a big fan of leaving things alone unless there is a reason to intervene. There are less invasive ways to encourgae your body to go into labor, like sex and nipple stimulation. Stripping membranes rarely works anyway, unless you are already on the verge of going into labor. There are tons of threads about it in the main preg forum, with lots of great advice.

I can't believe our birth month is coming up. I wonder who will be first to deliver? I'm getting really excited for all of us!! My home visit is Thursday

[zion]

I had a midwife appt today!! It was my 35 week appt so they did my GBS. I wasn't going to let her check my cervix but I was really wondering if all the EPO/RRL was doing anything. Plus I felt like the baby had settled into my pelvis. I've been feeling a ton of pressure and pee every 3 minutes.

So she checked me and said my cervix is very soft and a fingertip dilated!!! I am so excited!! I was expecting her to tell me it was closed thick and hard as a rock. She said his head is engaged!! I couldn't be happier. My blood pressure has been a little high so I was fearing the induction talk. She wasn't concerned about the BP at all. I am so reassured!! I really hope this happens on it's own and I don't need to be induced.

WOOOO HOOOO!!!

[wombatclay]

Huzzah!

Not that I want ANYONE to have a wee little babe (meaning an "early babe"), but I'm just so curious to see who is going to go first. I know a lot of us have been having signs of getting ready.

Jilian- sort of on a related note...and another cool thing about the two OBs I see. Apparently the med school program they attended required a thesis defense/research project to complete the MD process (this isn't usually, generally once you've finished a residency you're set without a big "final project"). Anyway, Dr. Rudy's project was on premature rupture of membranes. So at our last appointment we were talking about PROM (since my water's broke ~12 hours before contractions began) and he said that as long as mama and babe were being observed and both seemed healthy/happy then he would be happy waiting up to 11 WEEKS before inducing after the water breaks!



How's that for a timeline!

It was just another sign to me that I'm with the "right" care providers. Actually he was telling me about on of the other VBAC mamas they're attending right now. She isn't due till May 18 but her water broke so she was staying at the hospital so that they could do hourly checks of the babe and two maternal blood draws each day (to catch any infection or distress early) but other than that they were just going to wait and see what her body decided to do. The mama was apparently really enjoying herself since her 3 year old could spend the day with her at the hospital but she didn't have to really "do" anything...so she was sort of looking at this as a chance to have a mini-vacation prior to the arrival of babe number two.

Not that I want PROM, but the enforced mini-vacation complete with room service (our hospital has a very nice kitchen, and is really attentive to the needs of people on the maternity ward) and daily massage sessions (also covered by insurance) sure sounded nice!

[txbikegrrl]

Where do you live? How did you find such great providers and wonderful hospital?

I'm happy for you but very envious for myself. I know you're not in TX and probably not in the south. I really wish we could move, for a variety of reasons, but my health provider experience really has not been good so that's foremost on my mind right now...

Anyway, I hope to be one of the first to deliver so I'll probably be one of the last. My "official" medical due date is like May 29th, but based on when I know ovulation occured FF says I'm really due around June 4th.

[Marvelleaux]

Happy birthday Shell!

Card-carrying member of the must-nap club!

My baby has dropped too! I'm very excited. When I stand up and walk it totally feels like there is a bowling ball positioned in my butt and pelvis (sorry if TMI). I have a TON of energy all of the sudden. Last week I could barely get out of bed and this week I can't seem to sit down. The pelvic pressure is pretty uncomfortable but I feel like being active and staying upright is giving this little one a good opportunity to position him/herself and to put the right kind of pressure on the cervix. I figure I'm still several weeks off but the sudden change is so exciting!

I'm gonna go garden!

[willoLevin]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

...the "natural" induction methods ...spicy foods, or pineapple, or RRL ...

Hold on! Pineapple!?! Please explain this one, Wombat, because I've been craving fruits, and ESPECIALLY pineapple, and eating kind of a lot of it this pg.

Txbikegrrl -- Wombat is in New York state, in a very crunchy college town with a small hospital. (I'm sure you've posted at LEAST that much, Wombat, and I'm not over-stepping here.)

I had a CAT scan at that hospital, but it sounds like a much nicer place to have a baby than get your brain checked out.

--willo

[momtokay]

oh another in the must-nap club. yawn!! i just can't make it through the day. it's hard to find time to rest with two kids too!!

and i can't wait to find out who is first do deliver in our group!! i've still got 7.5 weeks to go so my prediction is that it won't be me. i have a feeling this baby is going to come closer to my due date than i've ever made it before. i may even hit 39 weeks!! hopefully not late though as my mom is only going to be here from 38 to 41.5 weeks so if this one is late i won't have her around to help.

i can't believe tomorrow is may! here's hoping the nesting energy kicks in soon. i have so much i want to do, but exhaustion is making it hard to do much of anything.

[PatchChild]

Shell_Ell Happy b-day to you!! Brightest blessings to you today and for the year to come.

Wombat I know what you mean about the sudden baby shape transformation. Yesterday my shirts fit, today I pulled back out my belly bands to there was something to cover the gap. What did this little boy do last night?

Willo I'm so happy for you. Best wishes on the birth center. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I am very happy to join in the napping club. The complete exhaustion keeps sneaking up on me at unexpected moments. Sunday I was sitting and reading and apparently fell asleep. Ooops! I woke up 10 minutes before I was supposed to be a 10 minute drive away at my own shower. That was almost a big oops, not sure my mom would have forgiven me for that. The shwer was lots of fun though. I got to see all my aunts and lots of fun family friends. MIL went completely overboard with the gifts, no real surprise since she's one of those people who really likes to give gifts. Makes her happy. She apparently decided early on to get us both the SnugRide and Marathon carseats we had registered for. Overboard already as far as my thinking goes. But then, she went with 4 of my SIL's when they went shopping and she found at least one thing each trip that she just had to get as well. This was in addition to knitting the cutest sweater and 7, yes 7, pairs of booties. So sweet, but overwhelming. The only down side of the shower was that only my cousin got me anything for cloth diapering (size 0 Kissaluvs are adorable!!!!). Everyone else decided that I needed oodles and oodles of tiny clothing. There is NO way this boy is going to be able to wear it all before he outgrows it. So now DH and I are scrambling to see what we can best afford to CD this little baby.

[wombatclay]

Willo- I'd have to assume that having a baby to cuddle would beat out a brain scan just about anywhere!

I'm not sure what it is about pineapple...it just shows up on all the lists! Actually, a quick search suggests that the Bromelain in fresh (not heat processed) pineapple can help soften/ripen the cervix. But my guess would be that like any other "natural" induction technique it wont do much unless you're ready to go anyway!

So I'd imagine that if you've been eating it right along it's because it's tasty and yummy (I'm a big fan of pineapple myself) and not because your body want to start birthing! But if you suddenly have an ovewhelming urge to eat one, or two, or THREE whole fresh pineapples as week 40 approaches then you may want to pack your bag first!

Ooops! There's something I left off my list in KS Mama's thread! I haven't packed a bag for the hospital....

[Jilian]

I forgot, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELL ELL!!

I've heard the pineapple thing too, and that it only works with fresh (not canned) pineapple. I LOVE pineapple and cannot wait to start eating it. I usually eat it until my tongue stings.

I got a great idea today for labor - smoothie popsicles. DS and I made some today. I was planning on having smoothies on hand for labor but I'll make a few smoothie pops too, or maybe even smoothie ice cubes. Hmm, maybe gatorade ice chips would be nice too?

[firefly mama]

I don't think I've ever posted on this thread before, but I've often looked and lurked and feel I should just stick my neck out now...

...cause I feel like I might just have my baby soon...and I'm NOT ready!!! So I'm begging and pleading - someone please take this early-baby idea out of my head (and body) cause I refuse to be the first.

So hi...hello...I'm Christine. I've posted on a handful of our other June DDC threads for some time. I'm a second-time home-hypno-waterbirther (hopefully). I just had my MW homevisit this morning and all is ready! 35 weeks is fair game for a homebirth in my state (with parents' consent of course) so we are all set (I'm 35w 2d now). I'd prefer the bugger stay put another 2 weeks though...as my Blessing Way isn't until the 12th.

DD was 12 days early. This baby has been bigger and more active from the start. And though I can't give the u/s a lot of credit (at 29 wks), it did suggest my baby was due May 5-12 rather than June 2. Now my baby is dropped and engaged. My bowels are...uhm...mixing things up. Feels like I gotta poop 24-7. And today I've had the tiniest little drops of blood on my TP, on top of the constant BH ctx and real labor-like ctx I had yesterday. My MWs are normally quite conservative and prepare folks to go overdue, but today they gave me the full talk on how to call them when labor starts, when, what to do, etc. I really just want a little bit more time to be with my DH and DD...before our world turns upside-downs.

[Jilian]

Hi Christine! I'll send some stay put baby vibes your way. You might want to avoid lurking in the May DDC because there is a whole thread about the full moon on Wed and going into labor :

[wombatclay]

Okay...I need to confess that I am now officially a "cheap date".

I generally avoid alcohol while pregnant...a little glass here or there on a holiday or other celebration, but in general no alcohol. Not that I actually have a problem with moderate (by this I mean 3-4 drinks a week) alcohol consumption during pregnancy...I'm a big believer in moderation and common sense.

However, tomorrow is May Day (a holiday in my religion) and since a combo of illness and family emergency has managed to "prevent" our celebrating the last 3 major holidays as a family...well...DH decided to surprise me and have our celebration a day early (since I actually work tomorrow night, so it would be another holiday we "missed" this year!).

Anyway, he made dinner, we had a great evening with dd, AND he brought me some hard cider. Now...I drank ONE (12oz) BOTTLE over the course of about 3 hours WITH food and I swear I feel tipsy! Roro is fine..she is wiggling and squirming as usual, but I feel like I've been tippling all day.

Now, I know that I wont be finishing off this 6 pack of cider any time soon, but it sort of amuses me that I'm a bit blurred after a single bottle...I'm not a big drinker, but a glass of wine or bottle of craft brew with dinner was never a problem in the pre-pregnancy past. After all, DH is a homebrewer!

Ah well, secret shame shared or something like that. Next alcohol will be my celebratory glass of wine in early labor!