~Weekly Thread *** May 21-27~

[vannienicole]

**

[wombatclay]

Congrats on the GPA and the dancing veggie grades! That's wonderful!

I've been having a lot more "cervical" contractions, and more BH, but nothing else. No banana slug (mucus plug), no show (bloody or otherwise), no pattern of contractions. I guess my constipation has gone away and I'm certainly getting more quesy more easily, and I haven't gained any weight in the last week...but those aren't the most reliable birth signs.

I'm also getting more ligament pain...mostly in the morning when I've been laying in the same position for a while and then start to move. I can tell exactly where Roro has been sleeping during the night since those muscles are really sore for the first 20-30 minutes of the day. And when she wiggles! Oy! She's got a set of muscles on her!

I have a doc appt on Thursday, but maybe I can put in an order for a Wednesday babe? Thursday morning might be nice too. It's funny, half of me really really wants Roro safe and sound on the outside and the other half wants a little more time!

ETA- has anyone heard from Marv? Anyone heard how she (and the brand new Ulysses) are doing?

[willoLevin]

Happily, I had a much less contraction-full night last night, so I'm feeling *MUCH* relieved.

I wonder how much of the issue is that I've cut back on my water consumption due to my heartburn? Normally, I'm kind of a camel and I probably drink a couple of gallons of water per day. I've been rationing myself to avoid taking Tums, but having a lot of ctx is worse than taking Tums every day for a few weeks, isn't it? Oh, I don't know, but I am tired of sitting around feeling thirsty all the time!

Wombat-- I wake up with a really irritating round ligament pain every day, too. Unfortunately, I get way more pain on the lower right side when I sleep on my left, so mostly I sleep on my RIGHT side. Oh well.

I need some shelves from Target, but am not sure I should be lifting them up today after my over-excited-cervix day yesterday... I don't think I can wait for DH to be home on the weekend, though, as my nesting urges are winning out. Well, if my MIL will watch DS, I guess I wouldn't have TOO much lifting to do...

--willo

[Jilian]

My appetite is going away too and the nausea has returned. It came back about a month ago. Last night I woke up frequently sweating and contracting. This morning the contractions have stopped but the pressure on my pubic bone is still there. I'm starting to want this pregnanct to be over now.

I can't believe the next weekly thread is going to bring us into June. Isn't that crazy? June is almost here! Some of us are almost "due". Wow.

[StephNelson]

Hi ALL!!!

Well I am also feeling less and less able to eat, is that normal? I have more contrax at night than during the day, the day time seems like mostly strong BHs.
My DH only has to teach 3 more days counting today and then I will have him all to myself to finish getting things ready **Grin**

On Friday I have my 36 week appointment at the birthing center and those ppl who are going to be at the birth are supposed to be there so we know everyone knows how to get there. I am excited about that...

I am getting more and more nervous about birth, but I am ready for this boy to be here...

Hope everyone is doing well... It is almost here for us some closer than others... **Hugs**

~Steph

[herbmama3-7]

Oh my, what will happen this week? Sounds like everyone is gearing up and really ready! I know I am anxious to hold my little baby and nurse and move on from this pregnancy. I am very large and my belly is round, it doesn't feel like there is much more stretching that can happen, when the baby moves it's almost like I know exactly what part, (foot, elbow etc..) is pushing out, the skin is very stretched.

So I had a couple "scares" lately I have been in limbo land, just waiting and wondering. Yesturday I was telling myself to not get excited because I most likely have two more weeks to go. Hope for sooner, expect it to be later I guess.

Lately everyone who is effected by the birth timing has "their own opinion" as to when it "should" happen. I am getting really tired of people around me telling me, don't have the baby now, or it would be really great timing if it happened at this time.....: Baby will come when baby is ready, I just have to convince myself of this.

Well I can't wait to see what this week brings for everyone, I have a feeling I am going to be hanging on a while, but who knows.

[laneysprout]

hey mamas,

i am 39 weeks 3 days today and feeling pretty crampy. i had ctx that were every five minutes that lasted for about an hour and half this morning, but when i got up and took a shower they stopped. now i'm back to the general crampiness. i am looking forward to meeting this baby and I'm ready when she is...i can't imagine going another week or two if i go post-date.

[NullSet]

This past weekend was fantastic! I went on a mini-vacation, road-trip to South Dakota with dh and dd. It was our last pre-baby vacation. I'm in my 36th week and lots of changes going on. Last week sometime the baby must have dropped because I went from being able to eat about two grapes for a meal to being able to eat more. I've also started getting the sore pelvis at the front, feels sort of loose and I'm popping joints left and right. My pelvis seems to be especially sore after orgasm. And strangely enough, all the walking this past weekend made my ankle swelling go down. They aren't very swollen at all (I'm probably the only one that would notice) but they look back to normal now! Does that make any sense at all?!!:

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by herbmama3-7

Lately everyone who is effected by the birth timing has "their own opinion" as to when it "should" happen. I am getting really tired of people around me telling me, don't have the baby now, or it would be really great timing if it happened at this time.....:

YES! My mother and sister are doing this and it is really stressing me out. My mom is going to watch DS for the birth but has certain days that she cannot watch DS for so she tells me not to go into labor on those days. Ummm, you cannot stop real labor! If it's meant to be then it will be. My sister also waitresses and wants to attend my birth to help but has certain days that don't work for her.

I'll pretty much take any day I can get at this point. When this baby is ready to come out I'm not gonna argue with him. He's welcome to come out ANY time now. Hear that baby? ANY TIME now I can't stop sweating, I'm soooo freakin HOT. The AC is cranking and the ceilling fan is on and I'm half naked. I've had a few very far apart strong contractions and I hope they're doing something. My cervix has completely gone into hiding, I cannot feel any of it anymore. I'm dying to know how it's doing but I guess I'll have to wait until Thurs at my next appt and ask for a check.

Did I mention that I want to have the baby now?

[jstar]

i feel ready but since baby is NOT i am using today to run as many errands as possible no signs really of anything. i feel like my choice to participate in the june ddc even though i am due in may was probably a good one!

our ds turns 3 on saturday so i'm going to buy birthday prezzies today. i can't believe it was 3 whole years ago i was in the same position living each day in anticipation!! i can't believe how much i love that kiddo i can't believe it will be possible to love another that much...but i'm sure it is

i have to move so slowly when i get up out of bed because my bladder feels like a knife is in it and i'm scared if i move to quickly i'll pee : our bathroom is downstairs and our bedroom is upstairs so i make this uncomfortable trek at like 1am, 4am, 6am. can't wait for *that* to be over. and our stairs are steep...i'm sure i'm going to fall because my ligaments are having a harder and harder time cooperating. (we have a funky ol farmhouse without the modern amenities of things like...more than one bathroom!).

i think i have pupps on my stomach. i'm getting stretchmarks above and below my belly button and they ITCH insanely. i looked up itchy stretchmarks and it says you can get pupps IN your stretchmarks and they can be red and raised and itchy. and they are and it is driving me : i'm going to ask my doc about it tomorrow. it is so irriating


congrats on the 4.0 vannienicole!

apecaut i think walking is really good to keep the swelling down. improved circulation and all that. probably electrolyte balance from moving. my ankles swell during the weekdays when i am at my desk job. and on weekends when i am doing things and moving around they don't.


ok eagerly awaiting whatever this week will bring for all of us........

[mataji4]

Congrats, Vannie, on the grades!

Been trying to figure out how I will ever have time to go into labor! My kids keep me really busy this time of year with all the end of the year stuff already starting.

My mom bought us a new mattress, and I brought it home last night only to find that the foundation does NOT fit through the stairs/doorways of our 114 year old house!!!!!!! So we're just going to put the mattress on plywood on our platform bed (the kind with wooden slats like a futon frame). So we had to sleep downstairs on the futon couch last night. grrrr....I do NOT like annoying things like this and am really excited to get to sleep on the new mattress!! My husband fought getting it, saying we didn't need it. But now after lying on the new one has proclaimed that our old mattress is "totally broken."

My boobs are suddenly SO sore. I don't remember this happening before. And last night my crampiness didn't go away while I was asleep. I couldn't tell if it was the crampiness or the baby moving like crazy that kept waking me up all night, but I didn't sleep well. And I had sulfur burps in the night! What's up with that?? I had a hard time getting up this morning, and felt generally wierd. I went to the bathroom (loosely) four times this morning. But once I was dressed and off to drive kids to school I was feeling more normal EXCEPT that my baby is even LOWER than before, which I didn't think was possible without it's head coming out. Now it feels like it's entire body is in my pelvis, it feels so heavy and low. Walking is a joke. That's all how I felt the morning I went into labor with my daughter.

I am remembering really well (too well) the sensations of labor and I would like to do it before I think about it any more!!!!!!

[wombatclay]

For the most part my appetite is shot...but then something will set me off and I eat a ton of something odd. It's not a craving, it's not like I all of sudden say "gee, I wish I had a X". But for example I just ate most of dd's corn puff cereal. She had a baggie of it to nibble on while playing on the back deck and I ate one puff...then another, and another and another and ANOTHER. And suddenly the bag was empty.

Mostly though I'm depending on my "popsicles"...every night I mix up some lowfat plain yogurt with a little water and fruit juice and pour it into popsicle molds. Then all day I munch my way through frozen yogurt pops. I figure it's pretty healthy, it soothes my throat, and it's a way to keep my blood sugar on an even keel even when I don't feel like eating.

[sally Z]

dd is sick and dh only gets back Wednesday and I need to get pool pipes still, birth supplies and cloths for this baby so he can not come yet. That said I hope once i have everything that it is not too much longer. ready not to be pregnant

[saratchka]

Originally Posted by vannienicole

So how's everybody else doing this week? It's the last *full* week of the month and next week starts June!

Gak! I realized today when someone asked that my due date is exactly two weeks from today. Holy cow! All the truly necessary stuff is done. I would like to get the house cleaner, I'm behind on some work projects, and there are a number of other tasks that I'm really hoping to finish before the babe makes an appearance, but if the kid were to show up tonight, we'd be okay. At least I think so.... :

I think I've been having some non-crampy BH's, my tummy's been a little wonky, and I'm waddling even more now than I was a week ago, but other than that, I've seen no sign that the baby is ready to come out. For now I'm thinking that I'll probably make it to at least 39 weeks, which would be good. The MW says that the baby feels like 5.5 - 6 lbs, and has tons of room to move around in my uterus. But I can't tell where the little sucker is most of the time. I felt really stupid about this, until my MW said she's not entirely sure, either. She's confident that the baby is head-down, but everything else is vague guesses because of all the extra room in my uterus. By now DD was wedged in tight and unable to move, so this feels weird to me.

Life in general is good. We're done with all our official social engagements for the time being, so now we can focus on the house and each other until babe arrives.

I'm getting more and more nervous about helping DD transition to life as a big sister. Having lots of guilt about taking away her place as the only focus of our lives. I know that in the long run she'll be better off for having a sibling, and possibly even for having one so close in age, but right now I'm not feeling that she's really ready for this change and that makes me feel like a super crappy mom. Sigh. This too shall pass, I know.

Hope everyone is feeling good this evening!

[jbobys]

Vanessa thats awesome about the 4.0!! good job!!! sorry youre feeling off, seems to be par for the course at this stage, huh?

wow, everyone seems to be gearing up! im in the same boat, but not getting too excited, seeing as i was like this last time, too, and they had to use NUMEROUS forms of induction to get Lexa out of me at 42 weeks... whats making it rough is that i dont know when im due...sometime between june 20 and july 2. im going with june 20ish (20-25), seeing as we are 99.9% sure when we conceived. plus, thatll get me off of bedrest sooner *I* need him in there for another week and 1/2-2 weeks to feel comfortable with him coming out at home.

i think hes still breach : although i cant really tell today...im afraid hes stuck diaganally (sp?). : saw my chiro again today and im finally able o sit pain free!!! shes a miracle worker at twisting my tailbone back to where its supposed to be~ we just try to ignore the fact she practically has her fingers up my butt still having lots of bh, but ot as bad as last week...

im having trouble eating too...except i just got hungry, which means i must eat immediatly, so id better run

cant wait to see what this week brings!! (actually, WHO it brings! )

[GenomicsGirl]

Well here I am typing one-handed, with a baby on the boob Glad to hear that so many of you are progressing nicely!!!

I'm more than a bit annoyed right now. I got a call from our nurse, who told me that Carys' bili #s were still up at 12.8 but that I could take her off of the bili blanket as of tonight. WHAT?!!??!! She hasn't been on the bili blanket since Saturday a.m.! The dumb nurse practitioner didn't consult with my ped when she told me to stop the bili blanket too early! I'm so annoyed! I go for Carys' 2-week appointment tomorrow morning, so I can talk to her ped ... but I'm putting her back on the bili blanket tonight. She's going to have to go for another foot stick to test her bili #s this week I'm frustrated.

[WhiteWax]

Shannonugh... that stinks.... it really stinks she has to have another foot stcik but since she's been off and doing ok, then she's probably fine. Couldn't hurt to put her on it a bit more though. And thanks for continuing to post!!!!!

VanessaCongrats on the 4.0!!!!!

jstarI'm not kidding when I tell you that there are many times I wake up in the middle of the night to pee... stumble to the bathroom and think... "I feel sooooo bad for who ever it was who has to go all the way down stairs!!!" I couldn't remember who it was... but, oh man, I feel soooo bad for you!

saratchka I know my DD is a bit older but she and I both really enjoy "I'm a big sister" by Joanna Cole. We bought our copy at the Motherhood store at Crossgates (not sure how close you and I are). Dont feel like a bad Momma... it's good for kids to learn to "share the spotlight" and I'm sure you will be able to make special time just for her when she doesn't have to share it at all. Dont worry! You'll do great!

Ok... as for me... I had the afternoon from hell because of my EX.... After nearly a week of telling me he wants to work things out with me, dumping his girlfriend and getting my hopes up, he stopped over today to tell me really doesnt think things can work and BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!! Let's see if I can find just the right smiley face for my reaction to this little "talk":

: :Puke :

Does that cover it. I went off a bit (DD was playing in the other room) and told him to not talk to me anymore. I dont want to hear it. Then I asked him to take DD for a 10 min drive so I could be alone for a bit. He did and I proceeded to have SEVERE breakdown. I popped a whole bunch of blood vessles in my face from crying and puking. All around my eyes and down my cheeks. It was really a lovely sight I'm sure.

I calmed down a bit and my friend took me out for ice cream.

Sometimes I just sit back and try to figure out just what it was that I did, that was sooooooooooo wrong, that Karma is kicking me over and over for.... I can't figure it out but what ever it was, I'm sure sorry I did it.

And on another topic entirely... what does your mucus plug look like? I dont remember seeing it with DD.

[GenomicsGirl]

Jamie - I'm so sad for you right now He strings you along and then drops the ball on the relationship. Of all times to deal with this ... the end of the pregnancy is not the time. I'm so sorry I hope you sleep well tonight. Hugs.

[willoLevin]

Insomnia? Now?!? Grr! Went to bed at 10 pm and woke up at 4 am--no getting back to sleep. : I know, it isn't a terribly short sleep, but I still remember months (MANY months) of painful exhaustion in DS's infancy, and I just want to rest as much as possible before this baby comes.

Tonight, our birth center has their 36 Week meeting and get together for people due around my time. I'm pleased to attend, but find the 7 pm start time offensively late. We are simply not night-time people around here since... well, parenthood.

Kitchen-wise, I like the paint color I chose. (They painted yesterday.) It is a little "minty" for me, and I almost wish it were a touch more yellow (green tea color vs. mint color), but I'm not sure that would've gone as well, so there it is. They didn't paint a weird, ugly place on the wooden side of one of the base cabinets, though, and it was the FIRST thing I said to the painter when he arrived! Now I think they have to come back, and I feel all guilty for not being satisfied, but how can I have that patch of hideous aqua reminding me of my kitchen's hated past?!? Maybe if we were doing it ourselves for a few grand, but not considering all the time, money and thought that's gone into the rest of it! (The general contractor was like, "Of course they will come back and fix it", but I am a guilt-queen.)

--willo

[Jilian]

Jamie: I think your ex just wants what he cannot have, and when you're available to him he's not interested. What he's doing is incredibly cruel, don't give him the power to hurt you anymore.

Vanessa: I forgot to say congrats on the 4.0!!

Shannon: Sorry that your babe is still having billi issues, I hope they end soon and she's off the blanket for good. Are you using sunlight in addition to the blanket? I hear it can help.

A whole lot of nothing going on over here. I'm thinking of going to the chiro today to make sure everything is lined up properly.