weekly thread~ july 30th

[jee'smom]

so, there's still some mamas left... let's all get involved and try to make this fun to the end for them! how's everyone feeling/doing?

we're good here... kalia went from 7 lbs at birth to 8 lb 2 oz in 2 weeks! hey, mama don't make skim milk!!!

[bdavis337]

...Our Little Update...

Going for a weight check and maybe to the breastfeeding clinic visit today if everything works out, otherwise we'll go tomorrow. Crossing my fingers that he's at least maintained from last Thursday, and I'm trying to feed him every 2 hours, but he prefers every 3 most of the time, which I think is too far in between for my supply, so I'm "milking" myself halfway between each feeding. I'm still really tired, more tired this time than I was with either T or MT, but J slept 3 hours from feeding to feeding last night (probably b/c he was sleeping right up next to me!) so I got a bit more sleep than I had been.

I'm supposed to have a followup ob visit for my blood pressure mess today, but so far the nurse hasn't called me back. The backs of both my hands are all bruised and swollen from the er visit - my bp was so high that they couldn't get an iv put in, and i got all bruised up. It looks like I've been in a fight. Fortunately needles don't bother me, but when the nurse brought the "best needle guy in the er" and even he had trouble, I started to get a little nervous!!

[velcromom]

Still here, still pregnant.. it's nice to read about everyone's sweet brand new babes, though, I am so looking forward to having this baby in my arms.

Bethany, good to hear you have access to someone trained in lactation... seeing the IBCLC at our breastfeeding clinic was the best decision I ever made... her recommendations probably saved our nursing relationship! Even when an ENT was telling us we couldn't possibly be having the problems we actually were, she backed us up and we were able to get the help we needed. I hope your experience is as positive!!

[Lissybug]

Bethany- your bp ordeal just sounds scary.

Overall we're doing good around here. I am still amazed how much easier it is to have a newborn this time. Probably helps that he's been giving us some rather decent stretches of sleep. On one front I could use some help though: Ds1 has been challenging and I need to learn some other ways to deal with him when he gets in a whiny fake crying mode. Drives me up the wall, and what I want to do is scream at him (which I have some) I also want to slap him (which I have managed not to do, but have grabbed his arm or leg very hard ) Of course neither of those methods are AT ALL helpful. To prevent this stuff, I think he needs more special mama time, and more time outside. But do you all have any ideas for what to do when he gets into one of these meltdowns? He becomes loud, unintelligible, and works himself into a mess. I think dh and I don't help because we don't really know what to do with him. And of course this is usually at the end of the day when we're all tired, or when Leland needs me too.

[Lissybug]

Velcromom- The nurse here now link that is in your signature brings tears to my eyes- I've been meaning to tell you that for months now

[Panthira]

OK, my baby is officially 24 hours old and I'm exhausted! He insists on nursing literally all of the time, and if I pull him off the breast, he screams and screams. Nothing will console him except a nipple. His suck is so strong that DH said his finger might have a blister from when he tried to get him to suck something, anything else, other than my poor boobs. Baby's also had 3 HUGE poops (I have never seen this much meconium come out of a baby!) and several pee diapers.

I think I got 1 hour of sleep last night. I told DH that I was going mainstream and he needed to go buy formula, a binky, and a swing. He told me I just needed lanolin and when I brushed him away, he said we might as well do paper diapers then too. I told him that's just gross.

Seriously though, all of that nursing caused so really awful cramping. So bad I couldn't walk. Aren't babies supposed to sleep sometimes? Without a nipple in their mouth?? All of my other babies did...

[luckydog]

I'm starting to get pissed about still being pregnant.

[Dreamer]

Originally Posted by luckydog

I'm starting to get pissed about still being pregnant.

(((BEE)))

Yeah, you've reached the breaking point, hon...

Hey, I'm right there with ya though (ok, maybe not *right THERE* with you, but I'm still here and pregnant too!)
__________________________________________________ ___________

My edd is tomorrow, so I'm excited about that. Hoping this kid will surprise me and actually be PUNCTUAL.

I just told my boss that I'm cutting my hours this week so that I can leave at 2:30 each day, and I'm only working 1/2 day on Friday, if I'm still here.... I'm taking a week of vacation next week and am PRAYING for a baby between now and the time vacation is up. We shall see. Ya'll send some leftover (from Bee) labor vibes this way if you can!!

Alayna

[meagansroses]

talking and reading on this board is what has been keeping me sane the past few weeks. I am now 41w3d and I am with bee on this one (pissed). I have had it to my eyeballs with phone callers, edema, stretch marks, loose poops, hip pain, runny/smelly vagina....and if I think of anything else I will update it. My midwife appt is in a few minutes and even she is concerned why I haven't gone yet. My cervix is favorable and I am definetly ready. Dh and I have been joking that she will stay in there till college to make it easy on him-that way he doesn't have to deal with boys coming to call!! I think I will be asking her to strip my membranes today!! I have tried just about everything else I can think of that is non-invasive and NOTHING is working....so....here we go with the big guns. I will let you know if it works

[newmommaamy]

Panthira,
Your story sounds a lot like mine. Our little guy is three days old today but we were also nursing all the time. Last night after a solid hour of nursing we finger fed him two eye droppers full of formula and withing a minute he fell asleep and slept for 4 hours! He is pretty big baby and my milk hasn't come in- it turns out he was just hungry. I am hoping this will not impede my milk coming in- I don't think so since he is still nursing at least 20 minutes on each side every two hours.

All the mommies still waiting for their babies- we are here for you- it can't be too much longer now.

[~Demeter~]

Originally Posted by luckydog

I'm starting to get pissed about still being pregnant.

There's a reason I haven't been very talkative lately................

[Racecar]

I have until Friday before I have to transfer care to the back up ob-gyn/hospital. We are considering...mulling over...opting out of that, should it come down to that, and doing sorta UC/underground-ish midwife care at that point. We'll see. Our midwives are as supportive as can be, saying it's NOTHING having to do with my body and that my body is doing exactly what it should be...it's just the insurance/legal timelines that are mucking everything up. That, and the fact that I am a FREAKING VBAC that shortens my timeline from 42 to 41 weeks because that's what the backup doc is comfortable with.

So tomorrow is the castor oil/enema day. They seem pretty confident that everything is going to work out so that is good.

[meagansroses]

Sooooo, my midwife appt went well. I had my membranes stripped and got a lot of bloody show out of it. I am also at 5cm dialated (yeah for prodromal labor) and she gave me some black and blue cohosh to take when the contractions pick up. I am very happy and excited even though I am not having contractions yet---I know she will probably make her appearance within the next few days!!! And if not then I guess I will dialate to 10cm with no steady labor contractions and she will just fall out

[jee'smom]

Originally Posted by meagansroses

I know she will probably make her appearance within the next few days!!! And if not then I guess I will dialate to 10cm with no steady labor contractions and she will just fall out

panthira~ it'll get better, you'll see!

newmommyamy~ be careful... it's easy to fall into the 'give just a little formula, once in awile' trap... then you're giving it more and more, and making less and less milk.

[Shahbazin]

Originally Posted by Panthira

OK, my baby is officially 24 hours old and I'm exhausted! He insists on nursing literally all of the time, and if I pull him off the breast, he screams and screams. ....Seriously though, all of that nursing caused so really awful cramping. So bad I couldn't walk. Aren't babies supposed to sleep sometimes? Without a nipple in their mouth?? All of my other babies did...

Yeah, my 1st DD didn't do this...but DD #2, born on the 19th, spent the 1st 2-3 nights - attached to me all night. Until my milk came in. Seriously, I watched the hours crawl by all night long, couldn't even take her off the breast or set her down to pee & change pads unless DH held her (she'd cry, but not where DD #1 would be woken up). Alternating nursing positions saved my nipples (I usually use cradle, but was using clutch hold too), plus good old Lansinoh. Last night was the 1st time she actually slept any at night though (I've been getting 3hrs/night, plus some day naps- we slept 6 hours between 9pm-7 am!). So, there's hope soon!

[pilllowhead]

Amy: I agree, be careful giving formula. The more you nurse, the more milk you will make and you will be able to satisfy her needs but having said that, when I was 4 days in hospital last time with a breast abcess ds went on formula and i was able to continue breastfeeding afterwards due to sheer determination, so don't feel too bad if you really need relief.

Bee, Nic, Meganroses, all of you who haven't popped yet, you will get there, I'm sorry you feel like this, it must be partly the forum, as helpful as it is, when the rest of us are done I can imagine how you're feeling. I know I said this before but I do think it's better to be due and having prodromal labour that to have your waters break and be under intensive surveillance, feeling this horrible pressure and really feeling like there is something wrong with your body because nothing is happening for 3 days!

Panthira, I felt like you did until my milk came in.

I am dripping all the time right now but I have read plenty of books, just about to finish still life with woodpecker.

Um, my turn for a question... let me explain the background. Dh's family have asked him to go home to the farm to help make silage as it's been so rainy here and they've had to put it off. They love it when he isn't working as they always end up relying on him for something there (farming too intensively?) So I'm pretty sure he wants to go and we have had him all to ourselves for the last 3 weeks (he just finished his degree and won't start work until Sept) and it's not like he's being selfish, they are asking the favour. He has said he will take ds with him and make sure that we are taken care of for the next 3-4 days while he goes but I feel this sense of his family's needs being more important than mine. WWYD? Am I being stupid and selfish to think too hard about this? Oh, and we had planned to have a family over for a bbq on Wednesday, that would have to be cancelled and these sorts of things always are when he's needed at the farm : Sorry to rant a bit

[luckydog]

I had another NST this morning, which was again just perfect (a blessing - one thing less to worry about). I hate going to the hospital for any reason though. The nurses have been nice, but there is just this overall pall of how dysfunctional my body must be that it hasn't birthed this baby, and that is just SO frustrating to me.

Like, for example, like when they called my doc to discuss the results of the NST, I could overhear nurse's side of the conversation:

"No, nothing. She just had one [contraction] the whole time and she couldn't really even feel it"

The implication being well you haven't had the baby yet, but couldn't you at least be doing SOMETHING?

Also at one point I heard the nurse say, "Yeah, sigh, whatever." WHAT?? I don't know what the doctor said about this situation and/or me that inspired that reply, but it certainly dinged my I'm getting pissed off now radar.

Anyway, afterwards MIL and I got pedicures and Panda Express and that made for a nice, relaxing afternoon diversion.

Meagan, I have a MW appt on Wednesday (when I'll then also be 41w3d) and I am planning to have a cervix check at that point, and if my cervix is favorable doing some membrane stripping. I'm : with hope that this gets things going for you!!

I am really starting to feel the pressure to make this happen before I hit 42 weeks. At that point, the decisions get very difficult. And confrontations I just want to avoid.

I am off the books with my MWs. Technically they can't attend me after 42 weeks, but since I'm already off the books anyway, they have said they will. But that assumes that everything continues to be okay with the baby. And also that I can proceed past 42 weeks with nerves of steel. In THEORY I know that a normal gestation can of course go on past that point. In practice, I have a healthy dose of fears. Please come this week, Jakey. Pretty please??

[luckydog]

Oh, and my fortune cookie at Panda Express said "Look to the next month for some pleasant surprises."

Well, "the next month" is in just two days. So, my hands are out (and my cervix is ommmmmmm open ommmmmm open ommmmmmmmmmmm open), awaiting my surprise.

[Racecar]

I'm feeling somewhat comforted that my midwives asked me not to do the castor oil/enema combo until tomorrow morning. They had a birth finish up this afternoon and they want sleep before things surely kick into gear as a result of my prescribed activiites. I am worried because J. has to go to work tomorrow so I'm trying to imagine the logistics of an enema bag (+ the after effects) with being home alone with the boy.

I am trying to focus my energy on positive visualization of my labor starting up and a beautiful homebirth but I have to take a timeout to get more than a little PISSED OFF that my timeline (not that every timeline for a process that is healthy and normal and HAPPENING doesn't suck!) is a week earlier than a unscarred uterus's timeline because my midwife's backup doc isn't comfortable going beyond 41 weeks.

On the other hand, I'm SO GLAD I didn't know that bit of info. until today. I would have really been stressing out knowing I had a week less clock than I originally thought! Tick tick tick!

Arrgh. Time for more cohosh. :

[velcromom]

Lissy - thanks for the compliment on my site, it was my baby before this baby, lol, and has been neglected lately.

Racecar, I just had a conversation about the castor oil with my mw today! She said the worst thing about it most moms tell her is the burn... eech! She said have some aloe vera on hand. I hope not to get to the point where I have to consider that... I'm in week 41 and while my mw doesn't really want to see me go into week 42 she does say that it's my choice to refuse anything I don't want. She's just there to give me the knowledge to make an informed choice. I came home with some homeopathics & and herbal tincture to use if/when I feel like it...

I think she just wanted me to have it to tempt me, cuz she really would be happier seeing this baby born sooner, but I had to laugh when she said, "oh, but call me and let me know if you are going to use these cuz I have another mom who is going to do castor in the next couple of days..."

luckydog, my mw is hoping for me to go this week but get this she says HER babies were born in week 43 and that was just normal for her body... AND she was quoting research to me today that doesn't support intervening to start labor until week 42, I thought that was interesting.

That all said, I finally understand the way the waiting plays at your mind... I always thought I'd be so cool about it at this time...LOL but it's driving me crazy. Having caregivers also pick at your fears & having to stand up against that has got to be ten million times worse!