Pregnant w/ #1 in our 30s June Thread - Page 12

[PiePie]

Minnow, I would love to take your new class...

[beckyphry]

Welcome Judy! So glad you found your way to us, congrats!

Re: Bras... I've definitely gotten bigger by one cup size and 2 band sizes, ugh. My problem isn't really support, it's nipple coverage. My nips are out of control! And the soft nursing bras, and the shelf bra tanks, don't provide enough coverage. I have to do the two together if I don't want to be showing the world my nips. It's bad enough everyone can tell that my belly button has popped out.

Dee, I think it's normal to feel weird around 20 weeks. I grew a TON between 18 and 21 weeks, I think... like, all of a sudden, PREGNANT BELLY! I bet all that growth would make you feel weird.

Pie, oooh, a birth blessing, cool! Let us know how it goes.

Welcome, cicely_m! Congrats! Where in the NYC suburbs are you? I'm in northern Westchester.

Re: Braxton Hicks -- I haven't had any noticeable BH yet. I've read they can start at the end of the 7th month, which I'll be at, oh, the end of next week. (!! OMG!) Every once in a while I'll feel a very mild period-like cramp way down low in my belly... don't know if that's anything or not. They don't last long.

Jenn, we'll all be thinking of your mom in a few weeks for her surgery! And yay on a good 24-week appt.

Doing well over here. Been battling heartburn on and off for the last week or so. Blech. Does anyone know any natural remedies! I'm getting a little sick of Tums and Rolaids.

[PiePie]

Originally Posted by beckyphry

Doing well over here. Been battling heartburn on and off for the last week or so. Blech. Does anyone know any natural remedies! I'm getting a little sick of Tums and Rolaids.

my midwife recommends papaya enzymes 1/2 hr before you eat. i saw them for cheap in chewable form at gnc.

[beckyphry]

Thanks, Pie! I've actually heard of that before.. I'l have to pick some up.

[Dee-Groovy]

Hooray I have anemia! OK, I'm not actually excited that I'm anemic, I'm just happy to know that this tiredness and breathlessness isn't normal and isn't in my head. Now to figure out how to correct it, since I already get at least 435% the RDA (no kidding I'm a nerd and added up my prenatal vitamin, iron supplement and cereal).

Welcome Cicely!

Becky I know it's a couple weeks old but I love your 27 week belly pic - so cute and round! I've heard that papaya enzymes work well for heartburn too, or bananas.

Jenn I'll be thinking of you & your mom in the coming weeks. I'm sure you're all looking forward to her recovery and meeting her grandchild! It's wonderful that you and your sister can be there for her and prevent her from becoming more isolated and scared. On a different topic - how cool that you can feel the baby's head and feet and hiccups now! How did you decide on prefolds and covers for diapering? I'm leaning heavily toward pockets b/c they seem easy (prefolds & covers seem like diapering twice to me) but of course the price of prefolds is appealing.

Julia my hip pain was severe for one day, when I went from being sedentary (read: first tri couch potato) to walking 7 miles in one day. Who knew the Capitol was so far from the White House? It didn't look that far! My hips hurt for several days after that but I think I got all the spreading done at once. My body pillow has been great for hip pain too - I can't sleep without it. For some reason it's way better than a regular or king size pillow.

PiePie a blessing ritual sounds wonderful. Keep us posted on how it goes and how the belly casting comes out! Oh and I had to retire another pair of maternity pants today. I've heard women say that they have maternity clothes in all sizes and I'm starting to figure out why. "Buy your pre-pregnancy size" yeah right! I'll check out your book list tonight.

[hazieluna]

Hello hello!!!

I've got exciting news! My sister gave birth to a beautiful girl on 18 Jun. It was at home in a birth pool.... so my niece Zaia is here!!! It was really amazing! No matter how much we were prepared for a new person to arrive it is still quite difficult to wrap your mind around it. It is awe inspiring! And OMG newborns are so tiny and helpless! I'm use to being around my 2 yo nephew and I guess I'd forgotten how small he was when he was born.

Okay I'll hold back on the gushing!

CAN YOU BELIEVE WE ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!??? It's just crazy! I'm looking at my belly in a very different way now... I'm so excited although maybe I'd skip the birthing part - haha!

Just a few pointers my sister had for me - don't push until your body feels like pushing. When you feel the "ring of fire" slow down. Pressure on the lower back really helps and drinking RRL tea seems to have really made a difference in the bleeding afterwards.

new preggos!!!

[~minnow~]

Natalia, congrats to your sister! Zaia is a lovely name! How exciting! I know. I can't believe we're going to have babies either! It's like I knew, but then I sort of forgot. A little, tiny baby. On the outside.

Dee, I've read your body absorbs iron better if you have it with Vitamin C. (And maybe your body will absorb it better in food form than in supplement form.) I've been eating tons of eggs (with salsa for vitamin C) and some meat this pregnancy (was vegetarian) and I also like to put blackstrap molasses in a fruit and yogurt smoothie. I hope you get it worked out!

Welcome, Judy and Cicely! Congrats! What's up with you guys?

Piepie, I love your nickname and I would love it if you could come to my class. Any chance you'll post pictures (anonymous of course) from your Blessingway?

Becky, glad to hear you are (mostly) doing well. The nip issue is my biggest bra problem right now, actually.

My DH has become really attached to using "Pixel" as a mn. I was trying to be openminded (because, you know, the pregnancy has been "my" experience and I want him to feel involved blah blah) but really my reaction is, are you freaking kidding me? So I started putting my foot down yesterday so maybe he'll drop it but seriously, that's crazy, right? Of course, he got our (*cough* stoner *cough*) friends involved so they all think Pixel is great. "We'll call her Pixel!" they said last night. That is okay with me. It's a cute enough nickname. But I just don't think I can do it. Adelaide Pixel. I can't do it. I don't care if it's selfish of me.

Happy day to all.

[PiePie]

i love adelaide as a name! dh balked when i put it out there. on middle names we don't like...hmm...i think that if either partner hates it, it should go. but i am also way more flexible for middle names than for first. and i expect dh to be the same -- so far no evidence of that. middle names strike me as a good place to honor family members -- for example, both of dh's grandfathers had first names that are very common now (not in the top 10, but barely) -- i would never consent to using either as a first name, but as a middle i would be open to the one that i think has a prettier sound and better meaning. i feel that way about girl's middle names too. having said all that, i must admit that adelaide pixel does have a certain ring to it!

[Jujubie]

Just checking in, nothing new with me. No sickness, no nothing. Well, I get cramps from time to time, that are well kind of like AF cramps, but not as strong and they don't stay long, then pop up later in another area. Weird.

So, I told DH we have to totally clean the house this weekend to prepare for our guests for the 4th, since I will hit week 6 the weekend before they come, I don't want to be feeling crappy and having to clean for our guests! DH said, I guess I should be the one that does whats needed to be done with the chemicals. I said yea, I guess. (In my head i'm cheering thinking I won't have to clean the bathrooms!! Whoot!!)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

I'll check in later and let you know if or when I actually start to feel pregnant!

[Dee-Groovy]

Natalia congratulations on your niece! Thanks for passing on those tips. I have RRL tea but I don't really like it so I never drink it. Need to concentrate on the end goal! I know it's weird, seems like all I ever think about it being pregnant but every now and then I realize that I'm going to have a baby. :

Lane I love the name Adelaide also! Pixel is kinda cute but remind your DH that no one will remember what a pixel was by the time she's 30. OTOH, you could nickname her Pixie. Thanks for the iron advice - I found out that whole wheat and caffeine block iron absorption, so I'm gonna try taking my pills at night with OJ instead of in the morning after shredded wheat cereal and coffee! Gosh I hope it makes a difference.

Judy glad to hear you're still feeling good. I didn't have many symptoms except for mild cramping until about 7 weeks - hopefully you'll be fine (at least) until your company leaves. Hooray for getting out of bathroom duty!

Sarah how are you and all of our first tri preggos?

[veganone]

Natalia - congrats on your new niece! What a pretty name!

Dee - I felt good at 20 weeks, but I have to say it's all relative. At no point have I felt "normal" since the m/s kicked in at 5 weeks... I still get indigestion, I have to eat every few hours or I get nauseated (but not like with the m/s!), lightheaded at times, out of breath easily, etc. I think it comes and goes and is a little different for everyone.

Poor Pie Pie! I need bigger maternity pants and you're a lot bigger than me I'm sure, so don't feel bad. It's like where the band for the belly and the fabric of the pants is sewn together digs in whenever I sit down. It's awful. I guess I'm big way down low and my belly starts right at my pubic bone pretty much... I don't know what maternity designers are thinking!

Emily and Jenn - My BH started this week. They were pretty bad yesterday (several in the morning and uncomfortable). I didn't sleep well the night before and I was VERY stressed out about work stuff. Today I am better rested and a bit less stressed and they're much less now. Maybe only one all day? The baby doesn's seem to care for them - she KICKS after I have one. Poor thing's getting smushed!

Jenn - Prayers on the way for your mom... I'm sorry she's having to go through that, but it's wonderful she has family to take care of her.

Becky - I've heard the papaya enzymes too, and vinegar (apple cider - I have been just putting a ton on salad before dinner, since I get it in the evening) has helped me with indigestion - no heartburn though.

Judy - Good husband on the cleaning! Mine is all paranoid about cleaning chemicals too, and he won't let me pump gas for fear I'll inhale the smell. Of course, it doesn't mean he cleans much, just that he doesn't want me doing it!!! I hope yours actually cleans.

My tummy muscle is SLOWLY healing, but man it's taking it's time!!! Work stuff has gotten really, really stressful lately, so that's been a challenge. I'm actually thinking about applying for a position I know opened up where I used to work. How crazy would it be to get a new job when I'm over 25 weeks pregnant and would have to figure out new daycare, etc???!!! It's so strange, because I love what I do, but I'm not loving the conditions I'm working in, if that makes sense.

I'm still dreading my glucose screening, which I need to have in the next couple of weeks. I have a friend who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes with her first, and not with her 2nd, and now the doctor suspects she never had it in the first place... She had big babies, but she's not small and her husband is a very big, tall guy.

[cicely_m]

Hi, everyone. Thanks for the welcomes.
Minnow-- what's up with me right now is that I am unbelievably tired. I think I've gotten a total of 12 hours sleep this week. I keep waking up to check if I'm still pregnant!! I've actually been in a really great mood, but today I flagged-- I think the lack of sleep has caught up with me, combined with the realization that I am actually pregnant-- I've been worried about miscarriages all day, despite the fact that I have no outstanding reason to.... It's funny, because during my 2ww I was so *positive*, and now it's like it doesn't seem real-- like I imagined it because of all the hoping I was doing! Ah. I am now just trying to stay up til bedtime, and maybe I'll sleep through the night!!

(beckyphry, I'm actually south... west... of you... I just don't like to say I live in NJ.)

[SarahJen]

Originally Posted by MajorGroover

Sarah how are you and all of our first tri preggos?

I'm doing ok, just past 9 weeks now : Still feeling pretty tired and nauseous but I actually like those days better than the days I feel more "normal" because those are the days that I worry. I had to buy a pair of maternity pants for work because my regular work pants were just feeling too pinchy, they're much easier to sit in all day. I had given up trying to button the regular ones a couple of weeks ago already. I haven't gained any weight the last couple of weeks, I actually lost a couple this week, but I'm just really bloated around the middle. Still just taking it one day at a time, taking notes on all the things you ladies are going through for when I get there . My next appointment and screening tests are in three weeks :

Judy I didn't really start to feel sick until I was about 7 or 8 weeks, this week has been the worst so far, trying to hide random unexpected gags and puking from my co-workers has been tricky - I hope you don't get it too bad. And the best part of being pregnant for me has been not having to do the litter box anymore, yesssssssssssssss! I also had cramps like that on and off, I still have them every now and then, I just try to think it's because things are growing in there so that it doesn't worry me.

[beckyphry]

Dee, I'm on extra iron, actually. It was nice to know that my exhaustion a few weeks ago wasn't just because I'm super lazy. I could be wrong, but I think that even if you're getting "enough" iron, right now there's so much extra blood coursing around our bodies that we might actually need more. I didn't have a problem until a few weeks ago, when blood volume was at its greatest.

Natalia, congrats on your new niece!! What a beautiful name she has! And no, I absolutely cannot believe I'll have a real, live baby in just a few short months!

cicely_m, sorry you're so tired! And, hey neighbor! Jerzey isn't so bad, right?

Sarah, sorry you're feeling sick!

I've had a revival of the 1st trimester tiredness! Seems like after I get home from work all I want to do is sleep. Bah! Oh, in condo news, we still haven't closed on it -- we had to get the deck fixed because 2 owners ago they took out a permit to expand it and never closed the permit out. We got an inspector to go out and it failed... so the owner's bank had to pay for someone to go out and fix it. Blah. So that held things up. Our lawyer (my FIL) is fibbing and telling them I'm due in July to get things moving!! I REALLY want to be in there by August!

[hazieluna]

Thanks everyone for the congrats - Zaia is beautiful in an old Asian lady kind of way. I'll post pics when I get a bit better organized.

Dee - I'm also anemic. For me it's no surprise, I've always had problems with anemia since I was a teenager. Now I'm taking my prenatal and some iron supplements. Next week I get my iron checked again to see if the supplements have made a difference. On the bright side since taking the supplements I'm no longer constipated - go figure! In the past iron always made me constipated so obviously my body is functioning very differently these days.

SarahJen - ah the joys of ms.... I felt the same way, as awful as ms is at least you feel different from normal and they do say that ms is a sign of a healthy pregnancy... right? Hang in there! For me it was gone by 13 weeks!

Jenn - keeping your Mom and your family in my thoughts as you go through this. I'm hoping (praying) that the end result is super positive and then you get to introduce your Mom to her new grandchild!

Becky - the only negative pregnancy symptom I'm having right now is this hellish heartburn! And now I seem to be developing some indigestion too. If I have lemonade that seems to help, made with real lemons. It is especially ferocious in the evenings. I was told that heartburn means our baby will be hairy... now I'm afraid the baby may turn out to be a hairy monkey! I hadn't heard of papaya enzyme but I'm going to look into it too because 3 more months of this is just torture!

Well to all your working Moms - I'm officially unemployed. And I had such a dip yesterday. I know I have to go through this but it's hard.... I guess in a way it's better to work through my feelings of worth about work and such before having the baby since that may clouds things for me. It's just really hard to be at home. It's the opposite of how I felt when I was working and I'd see people at a cafe in the middle of the day just chillin and I would feel so jealous of that freedom. I don't know how to handle so much 'free' time! aaggghhh... DH is being really supportive so that's good, he's not passing judgment on the fact I'm not spending my days cleaning and cooking or somehow being productive. Yesterday he got home late from work and one of the first things he asked me was 'hey what did you do today' and well that sent me into a crying frenzy since all I'd done was do some grocery shopping and cooking. So I'm trying to go easy with myself with my internal dialogue - refuting my accursed critical voice whenever I catch it wagging it's nasty tongue at me.

Sorry for the rant... it's just a difficult lesson right now...!

Lane - I like Pixie as a middle name, maybe that is a nice compromise?

Hi to everyone I've missed!

Oh Elizabeth - what color is your new Bugaboo Cameleon? We are pretty sure we are going to buy one too now we are still arguing about which colors to get. Why does DH have to have an opinion about EVERYTHING???

Oh and we still don't have any names for our baby.... I'm starting to get really stressed since here in NL they require you register your baby within three days of the birth at city hall. Anyone have suggestions or names they like but will not be using? I want a name that is not super common and Jan likes names that aren't totally weird - he thinks that Zaia is too strange and doesn't like it at all.

Okay that's it... I can't seem to not write a massive post...

[PiePie]

natalia, HUGS on the unemployment front. i am going to go through the same thing, i'm sure. work has been very stressful for me -- yesterday i vomited my breakfast up violently and called in sick. i think that was my body saying no to this work situation. for $ reasons, i was planning on working up till my due date, and then quitting this job, because i am not interested in an hour and a half commute when i have a baby. last night dh was advising me to quit 2 weeks before my due date. however, i know i did not do well emotionally when i was pregnant and unemployed earlier in this pregnancy, and i am not looking forward to a recurrence of that depression... as someone who had always been so career-identified, i know that being "between jobs" while home with baby for the first 6 mos. is going to do a whopper on my stress levels and my self-esteem. otoh, even when my career was at its most demanding, what i really wanted was a baby, and i think that a shift of priorities after baby (toward both baby and work -- nobody is talking sah long-term here -- $) is healthy. but it's still weird. have you read misconceptions, by n. wolf? she talks about it in there.

[jpiper0430]

Dee - we decided on the prefolds mostly because of cost reasons. Plus, since we don't know what our baby's build is going to be like, we didn't want to invest in any fancier diapers (if we have a long skinny kid, we may want a different brand of CD than if we have a short round child). Assuming we stick to CD'ing, we do have some money set aside for some pocket diapers.

Natalia - Sorry about the unemployment. Take some time to work things out. Right now, you need to do what's best for you, even if it's sit outside and not do the cooking and cleaning. I must say, I'm somewhat concerned about what will happen come the end of the year. I'm technically going on maternity leave (we get 6 weeks paid, 12 weeks total). In order to get the paid maternity leave, we have to return to work for 1 day. So that's currently my plan. Right before Christmas, I'll go in and work my one day, and DH will get to spend a day with the baby. However, as the actual time draws near, I find myself looking at possibly continuing part time or doing some work from home. On the other hand, I also often find myself really looking forward to giving my notice (I don't really like my current job, and it's 26 miles from home - anywhere from 45-90 minute commute depending on traffic).

SarahJen - sorry you have m/s. I know what you mean about getting nervous/worried when you feel good though - I went through the same thing. It was particularly tough between weeks 14-17 when I was feeling okay, but couldn't yet feel the baby move.

Becky - good luck with the condo! I hope you get to close in it soon (and move in).

Thanks to everyone on the positive thoughts about my mom. It's been a tough year and she's been a real trooper. It will be so great when the surgery is over and she's home recovering!

[PiePie]

Natalia, When is your b-day? Mine is this Wednesday. (I'll be 36.) I am so focused on baby that when my mom asked me what I wanted for the birthday, I immediately started thinking of baby's first birthday, which with any luck won't be until August 2008!

[Grace24]

Ok I'm getting irritated...I'm 18 weeks, and to me it looks like my belly's totally sticking out, and lord knows none of my clothes fit (I just outgrew my men's boxers I sleep in!) and people keep saying, "Oh, are you pregnant?" with surprise! No, I'm normally the size of a freakin elephant with cellulite all over my body. Jeez. I'm starting to panic that I'm going to be this big forever. Man I HATE gaining weight. And it just hit me last night that I'm going to have to push this thing OUT of me! Don't get me started! So today I'm feeling a little freaked. It'll pass.

Cicely...I was touched by your post. I was so worried about m/c my first trimester, mosty cuz it seemed like every time I told someone I was pg they told me "good luck" or something like that, or told me all about their m/c's, even if they'd also had healthy pregnancies. It seems everywhere you look you can find things to make you worry. No advice really other than try not to worry... the only thing that helped me not to worry any more was the first time I heard the heartbeat at 12 weeks. The most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

Natalia...I was touched by your post too cuz I've got a weird work schedule where we work really hard sometimes, then not at all for a few months. So I've developed some tactics, because believe me I'd be going bonkers by the time the fall season rolled around (and broke!). People were so jealous of all the "vacation time" I had...but as time rolled on I got more and more depressed and couldn't take advantage of it! The number one thing I found helpful was having a routine...For example, I'd get up at 10 and eat breakfast, go to a meeting (12-step, long story), then go to the gym, come home, walk the dog and shower, eat, and practice in the evening. Then a little tv but not too much cuz too many hours of couch potato-ism drove me crazy. Or do a dance class a couple days a week. The schedule could change from day to day but as long as I started each day with some structure it seemed to pass faster. Now I don't know if that will apply in pregnancy because one gets tired some days, or feels sick, or whatever. But it really helps. (And of course, once baby comes, what schedule? ) I also knew I had to get out of the house at least once a day, even if it was just for an hour to exercise or something...some activity that involved talking to people was good. Or else I'd get that "I've been inside for too long" headache. Fortunately this summer I'll be playing a show up until three weeks before the fall season, so I'll be plenty busy but have my weekdays free. Good luck!

[cicely_m]

Grace-- Thank you; that's exactly what happened to me! I was purely excited when I first found out, and then the first two people I told said things like "well, let's give a cautious 'congratulations.'" Which then started my worry train, and then I called my sister and grilled her about her miscarriages, which didn't help... But I got almost a full night's sleep last night, so I'm feeling much better, and I just decided that I'm damn well going to make the healthiest baby that ever was! I even went out and bought some yogurt and cottage cheese, which goes against my normal dairy-less principles, to up my calcium intake.