Pregnant with #1 in our 30s August - Page 8

[PiePie]

[QUOTE=Down_to_Earth;8840481]. Plus, there is a lactation class at Babies R Us I want to go to. Andy said I should go, but he also wants to go to the Habitat work day on Saturday, assuming he has his stuff done.
/QUOTE]

DH came to our BFing class at www.realbirth.com It was an AWESOME, DO NOT MISS class, and almost everyone had a partner with them. The instructor would specifically address the non-pregnant partner: "this is where you can help by doing x." DH set up my nursing throne last night. He just needs to assemble the stool.

[dctexan]

Originally Posted by MajorGroover

Congrats Emily!

That is a huge deal & you must feel so relieved. Last time you turned in a huge grant application... you got pregnant! Funny how it's come full circle - I can't believe you're full-term already. That's sparkling grape juice up there w/ the balloons but you deserve real champagne!

Thanks Dee (and everyone else who gave me congrats and positive grant vibes). Ironically, this grant is a resubmission of the grant I put in when I got preggo! Here's hoping that the second time is charm :

Dare I even ask how the dissertation is going (or will it make you start avoiding me in the halls )?

Elizabeth - I just wanted to comment on the mom thing. Neither DH nor I feel comfortable leaving the babe with my mom either. It isn't that she is a completely irresponsible human being or anything - I let her take care of my dogs (so your situation sounds waaay worse than mine), but she is very distracted all the time and does a lot stuff without thinking. She also is almost completely deaf so she would not be able to respond to the child if he was out of her sight and crying. I think once the babe is more grown up and able to understand about how to get grandma to attend to him, we will relax a little. But until then, no undersupervised time with the baby.

Laura Sorry you are feeling so stressed out about the doctor situation. I really hope you find what you want/need. I agree that the area Find Your Tribe is a great resource!

Judy I don't have any really great insight into your dream - I have always felt that you need to know the dreamer really well to be able to interpret someone elses dream. But, I do believe that we can interpret our own dreams. If you think she was teasing you, she probably was

Aimee Can you go see a chiro about your back pain? I hate to say this to you, but left untreated, your pain will only get worse (much worse) during pregnancy. You need to be really careful with sciatic pain - sometimes stretching can feel good at the time, but end up making it worse. If you cannot get to a chiro, please try to enroll in a prenatal yoga class with an EXPERIENCED teacher. Pregnancy is really hard on our bodies and it is super important that you take good care of yourself!

Julia Sorry about your tummy sweetie I am right there with you. I was very vain about my stomach before getting preggo - it was very flat & toned. I actually do NOT think the ab separation happens because of "weak" stomach muscles. I suspect it is due to overuse of stomach muscles. The strongers your muscles were before pregnancy, the harder it may be to stop using them (to do "normal" things - like sit yourself up in bed...this is the biggest one for me, or lifting). My understanding is that the separation heals after the babe is born. Hang in there!!!

[Grace24]

Emily...that makes a lot of sense, I noticed today that I do still use my tummy muscles to sit up all the time, (like the 6 times a night I get up to pee) and I thought, "Maybe I shouldn't be doing that!" Thx I prefer to think it's because my abs are SO totally awesome that they're separating Whether it's true or not...

Just found out some good news and some bad news... my friend who was pregnant with twins is in fact only pregnant with one viable baby...the other just shows an empty sac She is mad at herself for being sad! That makes me even sadder... it's a loss, right, you can mourn! But then my other friend (the one I visited in MT in May) told me she's 11 weeks pregnant! Apparently they were TTC for a year and she had one m/c around the time I got pg so she didn't want to tell me she was going through that

Ah,the trials and tribulations we women go through... but the good news is that I have you guys, and also two of my best friends are pg with me now! How fun!

[dctexan]

Looks like we have another graduate!
nikkihoi had her baby (a boy!) on Aug 04. If you are interested in reading about it, she posted in the Sept. DDC HERE

[veganone]

Originally Posted by Grace24

Depressed. I think I have that muscle separation thing in my abs. I bought the "Mummy Tummy" book CJ recommended a month ago, loaned it to a coworker, never saw it again, and now it's too late. Except, the bulge is above my navel, not below. I'm so discouraged. Is my body ever going to be the same? I honestly thought my abs were stronger than that! They were one of my best feature...I had the definition line on either side of my abs, so not a six-pack but definitely defined. Now it's gonna be all loose and bulgy. And this is only my first kid.

I have it badly too - have for several weeks now. It's not your ab muscles, but the ligaments that hold them together, so the muscles' strength isn't really the issue. I have one really good friend that had it really badly. While she did get stretch marks, she also has a six-pack. So, you can get it back! I had a really toned stomach and small waist before pregnancy and I'm hoping that they come back! It was my favorite thing about my body! My primary care doctor also had it with both of her pregnancies and it went away by itself after the births... I've been told NOT to work out my abs at all for two weeks after the birth, and then to start with the Tupler technique again... We'll see!

[PiePie]

east coast storm

Grace, do you have power? thank god we do. however, my commute was so screwed up this morning that i jumped ship and came home after spending almost three hours and getting less than a third of the way there. i was supposed to work from home but have just slept. this cold is still kicking my ash.

[Grace24]

There's a power outage on the east coast? Ours is fine but MAN is it freakin' hot here! I've stayed inside all day. Sorry for the commute from he$$!! Glad you got to come home instead. Good plan.

Midwife visit today for the first time... it was funny, the doggies have never seen anything like it... the blood pressure cuff, the hand-held dopplar to check the hb... they were oh-so-curious and just licked her half to death. I really like her, and am really glad I'm doing it this way now. She suggested a maternity belt to help support the belly might help my back pain. Anyone try one of those yet?

[PiePie]

yeah, my friend in woodley park is out.

[Dee-Groovy]

Emily what's a dissertation? : I've mentally moved my date of graduation from December to May b/c there's no way I can finish everything in the next 12 weeks. Now I just need to talk to my advisor about that plan & funding it.

Julia I'm sorry you're dealing with ab muscle separation, ugh. I've never tried a maternity belt but it seems like a good idea, especially if your MW recommends it. Ever since Elizabeth mentioned it I've been paranoid and check for separation all the time. I try to use my arms to get myself out of bed and pull in my stomach (but not use it) when I get up or sneeze or do anything that could stress those muscles. Yay for having real live preggo buddies! I agree, it must be a weird mix of emotions to lose one twin but see that the other is thriving. Another downside of u/s I guess - back in the day they never would have known.

Natalia I was thinking about you this morning (as I was looking at my swollen fingers . How are you and those hands? Is your baby head down?

[dctexan]

Originally Posted by MajorGroover

Emily what's a dissertation? : I've mentally moved my date of graduation from December to May b/c there's no way I can finish everything in the next 12 weeks. Now I just need to talk to my advisor about that plan & funding it

I hear ya sweetie!
If it makes you feel any better, I moved my expected graduation date from May to August (and finally to Dec!). I figured what the heck, as long as it is still in the year 2005, nobody is any the wiser, right
Good luck with the funding conversation - I was very fortunate to have secured my own funding for my last two years, so staying a bit longer wasn't that big a deal.
Just remember to write at least one sentence a day. Not painful at all, just one measley sentence. You can totally do that. Then, hopefully, by the time you feel ready to really work on your diss again (I am going to guess some time after the the New Year) you will actually have accomplished quite a bit in a very easy manner.
BTW, if you ever need to "cheat" on your sentence a day thingie, do your Method section - I always find it to be the easiest section to write (especially if you already have a proposal and all you need to do is change from future to past tense)

[dctexan]

Okay for all of you ladies still using your tummy muscles to get out of bed, YOU MUST STOP! The "proper" preggo way to get out of bed is to roll over on your side, let your legs dangle over the edge (gotta love gravity), then use your arms to push yourself up into a sitting postion. I know it is hard to remember to do this, but seriously ladies, think of your poor over stretched ab muscles. Be kind to yourselves.

[Down_to_Earth]

Thanks for the class recommendations. I wouldn't mind going on Saturday, but it wouldn't be the end of the world, either. I would rather go to one with Andy, since we can both retain the information and it's info he should know, too. Plus, I have a feeling I won't be done with all of the major stuff by then. (That was my bargain with myself-- I could go to the class if I was done packing.) I know the one hospital where I'll likely end up has classes, so we can go there, too.

Friends are coming over this evening for a bit, or I think I would be packing now. I still have little stuff that I don't know what to do with and might just toss in a box and label. (I've done it with every other move, so why should this one be different?)

Oops. They're here. I'll come back later.

Laura

[Grace24]

Hey Elizabeth,
When did you have that ab muscle thing start? Is it what I'm going through now at 25 weeks? They feel so pulled and stretched and uncomfortable... I had my massage therapist work on the muscles that attach to my sternum cuz when those get scrunched (like now) it refers pain around my sides and my back. Plus I have this crampy feeling too in the top part of my ab muscles. Is this what you had? It sux!!!!

[hazieluna]

Hi everyone!

So much going on I'm having a hard time keeping up.

to all newbies!

Emily, congrats on handing in your grant, now all you have to do is give birth...

Btw I loved all the wedding pics! Nice to see some of you for the first time.

I've still got my sausage fingers and some fat feet, my birks are tight... so I'm down to this raggedy flip flops... I guess I don't need to impress anyone anyway, right?

I can't complain as this is really the only 'bad' pregnancy symptom I've had.

I don't know how you ladies are still using your abs to get out of bed, every time I make a weird move I get a terrible pain below my belly in my pelvis area. I thought it was those braxton-hicks contractions but someone here mentioned ligament pain... I don't think I've had any braxton-hicks. I have had a few pains that feel like I've been poisoned, like gut-twisting pain. I don't know if that is a contraction but geez... I sure hope not... otherwise I'm going to get scared.

Dee - thanks for asking, yep the baby is head down. I know someone was asking about the need for u/s and from all the info I've read, I say you don't need them really. But I think I mentioned before seeing the baby for me was just too special to pass up. That's the only testing we've done. No glucose test or what's this one everyone is now getting, GBS? I don't even know what that is...

Btw lethargy has set in... I'm no longer concerned about being productive, I'm happy - even proud - when I'm able to actually make dinner. And I keep wondering when my nesting urge is going to hit me... I'm looking around my quickly becoming the yuckiest place ever and dreaming of someone coming to clean and organize everything before I give birth.

Just a few weeks to go. Btw I now feel like I'm having a boy. All girl vibes have disappeared. AND we don't have a name for a boy. Suggestions please?

Oh Elizabeth your DH is Spanish? I'm so nosy, just wondering where from and all that. At least it's your MIL - for me it's my mother and there is no escaping her. My DH doesn't speak Spanish so he just does his own thing whenever my Mom's been here for a visit since she only speaks Spanish to me. I think he prefers it like that since it gets him off the hook.

Judy - your dream... I agree with Emily, you are the best interpretor... and be warned that pregnancy brings some funky dreams! Good and bad. I just had one where I meet up with someone to go sell meth for $3000 (this must be related to my money fears!!). Well I don't know anything about meth or how it's done or anything, so in my dream I ask the guy - you got the stuff? And he shows me a little cassette tape from an answering machine... okay even I know that's ridiculous. I guess I should stop watching these CSI shows.

On that drug dealing note I guess I'll stop now before you all get the wrong impression about me!

[PiePie]

Originally Posted by hazieluna

every time I make a weird move I get a terrible pain below my belly in my pelvis area. I thought it was those braxton-hicks contractions but someone here mentioned ligament pain... I don't think I've had any braxton-hicks. I have had a few pains that feel like I've been poisoned, like gut-twisting pain. I don't know if that is a contraction but geez... I sure hope not... otherwise I'm going to get scared.

i suffer from those too!! according to my midwife and the kitzinger book, they are not contractions. they are the pain from the pelvis opening. which is what we want, right? the kitzinger books shows an exercise to do with your partner to make it feel better. we haven't done it yet.

[Dee-Groovy]

Emily thanks for the encouragement and advice on dissertation writing. I'm still totally overwhelmed right now but I need to sit and start making sense out of all this data!

Natalia glad to hear you're doing well & the baby is head down. Sorry I don't have any boy name suggestions. You're right, they're much harder than girls.

Good news here! I passed my GTT! Woo hoo! Still a little anemic but it's better than it was. Also, I talked with my advisor and she agreed to sign my "petition to graduate" form for Spring '08. The details and dates are a little sketchy (she may try to get me out as early as January) but we finally talked about how (un)realistic my timing goals were, so I feel good about that. I also found out that the lab will give me a small shower! Hooray! She said they don't usually throw the shower "until you can barely waddle around," lol that may be sooner than they think!

[veganone]

Grace - I had a TON of stretchy feelings (exactly like a muscle being stretched) that sometimes were even painful. I have no idea if it was related to the diastatsis or not - my one friend who had it really badly had no stretchy pains and one friend that didn't have it did have the stretching. Who knows?! I did probably first notice the separation at around 25 weeks or so. I was leaning back on the couch and laughed really hard and noticed a definite bulge between my upper abs. I can't tell if it's any worse now or not, but I avoid doing anything that shows the separation since I guess that makes it worse. I find doing the tupler excercise when I need to like get up from sitting helps a lot. Otherwise, I'm just taking it as part of the pregnancy! Frankly, I'm happy I have this and not massive sciatic pain or bad hemorrhoids!!!

Natalia - Dh is Peruvian, so his whole family speaks Spanish. But Peruvian spanish, so it's impossible to understand if you're used to listening to Mexican spanish! It's a lovely accent, but I swear they just string all the vowels together and don't bother with consonants! Most of the time MIL speaks to me in Spanish and I answer her in English. I can understand pretty well, but I can never think of the words to say what I want to! Where are you/your mom from?

Dee - Congrats on passing the GTT! I wish they'd figure out a better "screening" - it's ridiculous that so many people fail the screenings and do fine on the GTT.

Had our 2nd to last Hypnobirthing class last night. I can't tell if dh is as engaged as he needs to be. I seem to be the one doing all of the research and planning and he's just going along with it, which makes me wonder how "in charge" he'll be when we are actually in the hospital. It doesn't help that we're both horrible at procrastinating, so we haven't been practicing nearly enough.

Has anyone picked out slings/carriers yet? I'm at a loss. There are so many resources, but there's no really clear favorite. I'm leaning toward the Kangaroo Korner or Bundle of Love adjustable pouch, but I'm not loving the fabric options with either. Too many decisions!!! Dh HATES the Ergo, too; it is pretty ugly. I know it's the most comfortable thing (or so it seems) for a carrier, but I don't think I could get DH to wear it! The wraps just look way too complicated for either of us.

[beckyphry]

Congrats, nikkihoi on the birth of your little boy!!

Dee, congrats on passing the GTT! WOoHoo!

Natalia, GBS = Group B Strep. It's standard to do it in the last month. If you test positive they'll want to give you some antiobiotics via IV when you go in to deliver to protect the baby against getting it. I'm GBS negative, woohoo!

Emily, congrats on hitting full term! I'm only a few days behind you!

It's getting hard for me to keep up with you guys! We're t-minus one week til our move into our new condo. Painting should be done tomorrow, then the carpets get cleaned and we're going to start bringing some things over during the week so that moving day goes a little quicker. I'm trying my best to take it easy, but it's hard because I'm so anxious to get everything packed. If I do too much, my hips and back end up sore, so I'm having to rely on my husband to do most of the packing, which is frustrating because he moves so slow sometimes!

[Grace24]

Ok Emily I stopped getting out of bed using my ab muscles. I feel like an invalid having to roll to my side and push myself up, but you're right, my ab muscles are lots happier.

Now I get to add vague internal organ ache to my uncomfortable stretching feelings. Ugh.

4 shows and counting! I'll be done Sunday night! Woohoo!

[hazieluna]

Okay this may be nothing but I've had a white tongue with it itching some for the last day or so. Of course now I want to call my midwife to make sure it isn't anything to worry about but I can't until Monday. Does anyone have a clue about what this could be about? I thought it was an allergic reaction to something I ate... I've never had anything like this.

Oh btw PiePie thanks for letting me know they are not contractions because I was starting to reconsider the whole natural birth thing... these pains are really breathtakingly awful. What's the exercise you can do with your partner? Just curious.

Anyway nice weekend everyone!

Julia - just 4 more shows!! Almost there!