Pregnant with #1 in our 30s August - Page 4

[PiePie]

i feel really overwhelmed with work this morning. i can't believe that i have only 5 more days left -- so much left to do -- plus opposing counsel has created this bull**** crisis for me: , which has pissed my boss off at me . the worst part is that i know she is partially right, and if i had more hours in the day i would tend to it. : i just hate screwing up. somedays i feel like i can't do this job part time (with a full-time caseload), but other days i realize that i felt like this when i was practicing full-time and it's just how litigation is. maybe i'm just not good enough. maybe i need to learn to breathe.

[Grace24]

Rebecca, I want to go to Ikea now! I would never, ever pay $900 for a changing table! Argh! Glad you got some stuff.

Pie, sorry you're having a rough day again. 5 days left! Hang in there! And yes, breathe! (Easier said than done.)

[Teenytoona]

Oh it was a shock! We quit using protection (a few years ago), so we figured we'd eventually get pregnant, but I've got such slow cycles (maybe have 3-4 a year, sometimes less) that we figured it would take a while. Well I didn't really notice any symptoms, but if I did know I was pregnant, I would have noticed that I had sore breasts, (but they sort of went away after a few weeks, so I figured I was just weird or something), and I attributed my stomach growling/feeling wierd/nausea to my efforts to lose weight, and just having a grouchy stomach because of it, ha!

And it was nice to see that indeed, I have no fibroids, endometriosis or PCOS, it's just that this time I didn't have a period for a new reason!

[Jujubie]

I love all the wedding stories and all the photos of beautiful brides with their handsome DH's!! Sharing is so much fun! I can't wait until we can all share our photos of our new babies!!

Pie, hang in the sweetie, you are almost there!

I'm hoping to make a trip to Ikea soon, there is one about 45 mins from us near Detroit. I want to get new dressers/chests or just some baskets to put in the walk in for that stuff, then i'm going to use our old dresser and chest for the baby. I'm not going to buy a changing table, i'm going to get one of those foam thingies and just put it on top of the dresser and it works just as well. Most of the time i'll probably be changing on the bed in the beginning anyway!

[PiePie]

Originally Posted by Jujubie

I'm hoping to make a trip to Ikea soon, there is one about 45 mins from us near Detroit. I want to get new dressers/chests or just some baskets to put in the walk in for that stuff, then i'm going to use our old dresser and chest for the baby. I'm not going to buy a changing table, i'm going to get one of those foam thingies and just put it on top of the dresser and it works just as well. Most of the time i'll probably be changing on the bed in the beginning anyway!

that's what we're doing. dh has yet to evacuate his stuff from the bureau, though.

i am somewhat calmer over the immediate crisis, but i have the feeling i am heading for a couple more! arg!

[Down_to_Earth]

Pie-- God did not give me the strength, intelligence or stamina to be a lawyer. I don't even have an undergrad degree yet. Yet, I've seen what my husband and our friends go through with school and I'm impressed. I happily dropped out of a two year program (that I was four years in) when we decided it was time for my husband to go to seminary. (With our church, seminary is a graduate program, so when my husband is done, he'll have his Master's of Divinity degree in addition to the certificate or degree that will allow him to start doctorate work when he wants.) I'm not saying I'm stupid, I just don't think I'm as scholastically inclined.
I'm not sure if I could even work at Wal-Mart this far along in my pregnancy, let alone do what you do. I'm quite thankful that we've been blessed to have me be at home this entire pregnancy and that I'll be able to stay home after. (After seminary we're hoping and praying that we get a chruch with a parsonage, housing allowance [similar to what military gets, at least with the whole IRS thing] and all or part utilities paid. That will also help with me being able to stay home.)

I think I might be making headway with the doctors. It's really kinda scary to think that I'm roughly 34 weeks and technically don't have a doctor yet. I just got off the insurance company and the person with whom I spoke is e-mailing me a list of family practictioners, Pediatricians, and something else. I pray that helps. Also, one of my husband's classmates might have some good information. Since starting almost four years ago, he and his wife have had two kids and they came with a baby.

I'm feeling better. I should get up now and do some more stuff.

We're not getting a changing table either. My sister just said that she used a pad, too. I have two diaper bags that came with pads and a diaper bag changing pad that I picked up at a yard sale for $.50. I figured it might come in handy. Although the bed sounds good, too.

Our furniture is ecclectic. When my husband moved back home from college, he bought a new dresser that he only used for a year. We're going to use it for the baby. We have a crib from a family at church whose son out grew it at the right time. It will transform into a daybed. We have a glider that we got from his mom, I think we were "borrowing" it, but I think it's ours now. She used it to rock my husband when he was a baby. Aaawww...

Our coolest piece of furniture is this: http://www.babeetenda.com/safetabl.htm

We went to a baby safety seminar they put on and a lot of the information seemed sound, like they did some good stuff on car seats. Andy wanted the crib too, but it just seemed to be too much money, especially when we already had the other one. I just liked the versatility of it and that it can fit in our trunks to go to grandparents'. I also liked, that even when she's little, I can leave her in it for a bit while I leave the room.

Anyway, I was going to say more, but I don't remember. My appointment this morning went well. The doctor seemed pleased that I was finally growing. (I'm tall and thinish, theres room for the baby to hide.) I all but finished the basement. What's left was stuff that I wanted to bring upstairs but since Andy was still in bed, decided not to. I also showered today and have clothes on and feel human again. Amazing.

Happy day, all,
Laura

[cornpicker]

Hi, all, thanks for keeping me on the list. It is strange to see that I'm 'next'! I can't hold out the denial much longer. At my appt this morning, my midwife was like, "Hello. It is August. This baby is coming!" ha ha ha

Everything looks good-- baby's position is good and now 'engaged'. I feel mostly good but get awfully tired. We're mostly set up with baby stuff but I'm still working through laundry. Our birth tub arrived and we've assembled the accoutrements (still need tarp and fish net, ew).

Only 1.5 more weeks of work and I'm counting the minutes. I'm working through my EDD of 8/15 unless of course baby comes early. My boss is apparently competing for biggest beotch of the year so I can't wait to be out of there. I'll probably work this weekend just to try and wrap things up earlier.

I will keep you posted, of course.

Sending good thoughts to all the wonderful 30-something mamas! ~*~*~*

[veganone]

Happy Friday mommas!

Pie, I'm sorry you're still dealing with so much stress at work, but at least you only have to deal with it for a bit longer - almost there!!!

I am having major MIL issues today - she's really getting to me. DH finally asked her to stay with her brother until she either sees a doctor or feels better. She's had a horrible cough for like 2 months, but still came to stay with us. I think it's asthma, but she refuses to go to the doctor so we don't know and I don't want whatever it is!!! So, now I feel guilty for kicking her out of our house... That is just the tip, though, it's just a constant string of things the last couple of days. Dh gets really moody when his family is around, which is stressful for me too. He doesn't so much take it out on me as it is just exhausting and stressful to be around someone who's in a bad mood all the time. I vented to THREE separate friends to decompress after some alone time with her this morning so that I didn't end up dumping on dh! She seems to feel like she can confide in my about her issues with dh (separate from her illness), and, um, hello -I'M ON HIS SIDE!!!

In happier stuff, I found out that my good friend, whom I want at the birth, sold her registration to the Chicago marathon since it's Oct. 7th and I'm due on the 2nd. She didn't even tell me! She just did it quietly so that she'd be here for me. I'm really touched, because she's never done that one and has wanted to for a long time. She's a very serious runner and she treasures the few big marathons she's done and the buddies she runs with. She's doing a small, local one instead on the same day. And, my long lost friend that I recently reconnected with is still keeping in touch. She has emailed or called at least twice a week since I first contacted her - I'm really happy that she's back in my life.

I'm also freaking out about how close I'm getting to the end of this! I mean, I'm excited about the baby getting here, but ovewhelmed by the amount of stuff left to do! I asked my OB about when the GBS test would be, and he said the appointment after my next, which will be 36 weeks. I mean, while I realize I probably have 9 weeks left, I will want to have everything ready by 37 just in case, and that's not even 6 weeks away!

[Dee-Groovy]

Emily and Julia, beautiful wedding pics! You both look so happy! We are going to have some gorgeous babies from this thread!

I'm jealous of those of you with Ikeas nearby. They don't even ship half the stuff you can see on the website. Just as well I guess, we only need a couple pieces and they'll come from thrift stores anyway. Judy I wanted to warn you that the foam diaper changing thing is a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I registered for it online but then saw it in Babies R Us and was astounded at its size. I guess it'll fit on my dresser (haven't measured) but now I'm looking for a changing table with drawers so I can store baby clothes and have enough room for the giant foam thingy.

Pie sorry you're having a rough time at work. It'll be over soon!

Laura it sounds like you're making good headway in baby prep. You've got the "stuff" now you just need a doc. Good job packing too, you're getting the job done.

Speaking of moving, Lane, how's your new place? Were you able to manage a crap-free nursery?

Cornpicker good to hear from you! Sorry work's crappy for you too. Glad to hear that baby's head down & ready to go! Definitely keep us posted.

Elizabeth, you're a month ahead of me and I'm freaking out about how little time we have left! I wanted to wait to buy stuff out of the irrational hope that someone would throw a shower for me, but now I think I'll be a lot more relaxed after I start accumulating baby stuff. Prepared is the way to go! Out of the blue a couple days ago I got the idea that my little one will arrive 3 weeks early and the feeling is still there. There's no way to explain the feeling (maybe it's wishful thinking!) but I need to start getting ready. Hooray for catching up with lost friends - I've been doing a little of that & it feels good.

[eri_flores]

Hi All!!

Nice to find this thread (through PiePie and the others in the Aug DDC). Also a NYCer having #1 in my 30's. I'm 31 now, yipee!

It's great to read about so many others at similar places, with school, MILs, work, all sorts of things going on. While having other children already seems like a whole other set of complicating factors, having our first now certainly has plenty of emotion and complication attached to it too!

Thanks for those wedding shots! My anniversary (2 years!) is coming up at the end of Aug and I *believe* we'll have baby here by then, though it does fall on 42 weeks for me, so no guarentees! I started thinking about how much fun our wedding was (once it actually got started, that is) and how much a family/homegrown affair it was. So much love and help by so many friends and family members allowed us to have such an amazing party for very much less than might be expected.

Here we are in the field his uncle owns, bales of hay in the background.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erianna/1000996575/

And the cake that the caterer "threw in" because she was a family friend and
was horrified that we weren't going to have one! (my aunt made the dress!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erianna...n/photostream/


I've been in school for the duration of my pregnancy, doing an accelerated nursing b.s. as a second degree. My last final to finish the program is Aug 24 and my "official" due date is Aug 13, so that's been causing me some consternation. I've really been wanting some time to just stop and think about the labor and birth and the baby but I have to put a certain focus on finishing up the work for my degree. I've worked out a deal to do some of the clinical visits ahead, so that I'll be finished with that by next week (39.5 weeks!) and the majority of the written/classroom work must be complete by about the same time. If I then have to miss a lecture or two because I'm laboring/birthing I'll just have to figure out a way to make it to the final and I should manage. But I feel for all those working all the way up to the end... It's hard not to have a break of some sort.

Lovely to meet you all! Keep it up! We can do it!

PS I'm one who has done no ultrasounds. I didn't check the link that a pp posted, but it might be one of the articles that convinced me. I've heard also of evidence that lots and lots of ultrasounds can contribute to colicky babies, though since most of the babies who have many ultrasounds were either high-risk and/or multiples, it may have to do with other factors. We decided that unless there seemed to be some indication that it was necessary, we wouldn't do it. (Homebirthing with a mw makes that easier, because there's no pushy OB to face up to and refuse them. We also didn't do a lot of the screening tests because we decided ahead we wouldn't choose amnio to confirm them, so I didn't want the stress of a possible "elevated risk" result. For me, not knowing that something might be wrong until baby is born is bliss. But this is very personal.) I haven't missed them. We listen to the hb with a doppler at our mw visits and that has been great.

Anyhow, hi all and thanks for having me!

[rock_dr]

welcome Mandy and Eri_flores!

I love all the wedding stories and pics. We got married in a yurt on the side of a mountain. I arrived by snowmobile. we're the weirdos with vodka and viking hat.

I agree, we are some hot mamas if I do say so myself!

and I've been waiting for so long to write this: NAK!!!

[dctexan]

eri_flores I love it when new #1 in 30s ladies join us (funny how many New Yorkers we have just in August...must have been something in the water last Nov/Dec )

Yay cornpicker! So happy you dropped by to hang with us

I have only done one u/s (I absolutely couldn't resist the "big" 20 week u/s) and I don't expect to have anymore. My midwife can feel the babe and says he is head down, ready to go. She doesn't think he will be moving anywhere but down and out Since my midwife HAS to work under the supervision of OBs, I am not sure what her policy is with "overdue" mommas...maybe you HAVE to have a u/s once you go past 40 weeks? I haven't really asked because I am so sure (yes, I am completely setting myself up here).

So some good news for me - I was GBS negative! I am very excited about that.

Oh! We got our changing pad thingie in the mail yesterday and is IS much bigger than I thought. It still fits on top of our dresser and everything, but it's big. I guess that makes sense if people are still going to be changing diapers on it when the kid is 2 or 3 or so (when DO kids stop using diapers?!).

Now that I am at 36 weeks I have TOTALLY given up on people get us the stuff we need. I ordered all of the things I felt like I needed off my amazon wishlist. DH and I are making a trip to BRU and Target tomorrow to get the rest of the stuff (Pack N Play, diapers, wipes, thermometer, waterproof pads, nursing pilllow, breast pads, diaper cream, etc.). I also order two baby carriers - a hotsling and a Gypsy Mama Bali baby Stretch. I am going to a babywearing meeting tomorrow to figure out how to use them both. I tried them out today with a sack of flour, the results were secure, but not very pretty and I want to be a cool looking babywearer, not a sloppy babywearer.

Finally, DH and I are still not getting anywhere with our circumcision decision. I had just been ignoring the whole thing, hoping DH would "forget" or something (foolish, I know), but he brought it up last night. I think I have decided that we can go ahead with it if DH does the following things...

1). He HAS to get in touch with our birthing class instructor and watch the circumcision video

2). He has to find a doctor who will use a local anesthetic (not just a paci dipped in sugar water)

3). The doctor has to agree to let DH stay with the baby at all times during the procedure (and DH has to agree to stay).

I haven't presented this yet to DH, because I just thought about it today and because I want to let it roll around in my mind and see how it feels before committing.

Other baby boy mommas (or those of you who don't know the gender), how are you dealing with the circ issue?

[Dee-Groovy]

Welcome Eri!

CJ I smiled so big when I saw your "NAK"! Your wedding looks really cool & you guys look like a fun couple!

Emily DON'T DO IT! I know I'm not a boy mama but DH and I had the circumcision talk before we even TTC. I approached it gently, mostly b/c I didn't want him to have to think about what was stolen from him. I've always had a gut feeling that there was something wrong with it, and it turns out my feeling is backed up by a lot of facts. There's no medical reason to do it, and even religious reasons aren't that great (there are several Jewish groups against circumcision). It's a LOT different today than it was in the Bible or even 100 years ago - they used to just nick the tip of the foreskin and now they take the whole dang thing. The big argument that baby is less likely to get infections is false - he's actually more likely to get an infection b/c he has an open wound. Being uncircumcised is much more common than it used to be so the "locker-room shame" thing doesn't work either. Sorry to come on so strongly here, but I really believe that circumcision is unnecessary, and it's something you can't undo. Penn & Teller have a TV show on Showtime called Bullsh!t and they did an episode on circumcision. Watch it with your DH - it's funny and informative and will make you think.

Hooray for being GBS- and good luck shopping tomorrow!

[dcgrl]

Emily, I am so sorry you're dealing with this. There wasn't much discussion in our house about this, because somehow my husband escaped getting cut (something of a miracle, seeing as he was born in the early 60s when about 85% or more of boys were getting it done routinely) Whenever I tell him people's reasons for circumcising (hygiene, locker room, etc), he basically rolls his eyes.

For what it's worth, I think your plan is a good one. Is he insisting on the circumcsion so your son will look like him? this always gets me. Tattooed dads don't insist on inking their sons so they look alike. How often will they be naked together anyway?

I wish you didn't have to deal with this stress..

[dctexan]

Originally Posted by MajorGroover

Being uncircumcised is much more common than it used to be so the "locker-room shame" thing doesn't work either.

Yeah, I keep trying to find some real evidence for this. Circ rates in the US (well the parts I grew up in anyway) were about 50%. However, I have never, ever seen an uncirc'd penis! How is that possible? Shouldn't 50% of the men I have seen have an intact penis? I also have asked around to see what my friends are doing (presumably their children will be my son's peers) and all of them who have had boys (ALL of them...and there are 3 MDs in that group of people, two of them pediatricians and 3 others with PhDs!) have had their sons circ'd. In fact, it wasn't even an issue that merited discussion/debate for most of them! I was SHOCKED to learn all of this ('cause I started asking around hoping to get some ammo to use with DH...you know, stuff like Dr. Allie didn't circ her boys because she thinks it is wrong). So seriously, who are these non-circers and WHY the #$%^ don't I know any of them!!! It is extremely annoying and I feel very alone here.

[Dee-Groovy]

Ugh that sucks! It really is shocking that they just went along with it with no debate. Just remember, lots of people do it because "everybody's doing it." That's not a good enough reason for your little boy's pee pee! Yes, your friends' kids will be your son's peers as of now, but change happens in 3-18 years and he may end up with different peers entirely. If he decides he wants to be circ'd when he's 13 or 16 or 18 or whatever, let him do it. That seems fair to me. It sounds like you already know the arguments against it and don't want it, so all you have to do is convince DH and feel comfortable defending your choice to your friends. I guess that sounds insurmountable now but you can do it. You need a new project now that the grant is turned in, right?

Seriously, the Penn & Teller vid is awesome. My DH came around 100% after the vid piqued his curiosity and he looked into it.

[PiePie]

Originally Posted by dctexan

Yeah, I keep trying to find some real evidence for this. Circ rates in the US (well the parts I grew up in anyway) were about 50%. However, I have never, ever seen an uncirc'd penis! How is that possible? Shouldn't 50% of the men I have seen have an intact penis? I also have asked around to see what my friends are doing (presumably their children will be my son's peers) and all of them who have had boys (ALL of them...and there are 3 MDs in that group of people, two of them pediatricians and 3 others with PhDs!) have had their sons circ'd. In fact, it wasn't even an issue that merited discussion/debate for most of them! I was SHOCKED to learn all of this ('cause I started asking around hoping to get some ammo to use with DH...you know, stuff like Dr. Allie didn't circ her boys because she thinks it is wrong). So seriously, who are these non-circers and WHY the #$%^ don't I know any of them!!! It is extremely annoying and I feel very alone here.

it is my understanding that a lot of the non-circ'ers are immigrants from latin america or asia. i too cannot think of a friend from our peer group who didn't circ (one contender -- haven't asked, though). the rates were much higher in the 70's, when i suspect most penises you have seen aside from friends' kids made their entrance. wait: i have one friend who adopted a boy from cambodia at 24 mos. -- maybe he wasn't circ'd? the orphanage catered primarily toward european (french) adoptive parents. again, never asked.

[PiePie]

Originally Posted by dctexan

because I am so sure (yes, I am completely setting myself up here).

ditto. the thought of going "overdue" is too horrible to contemplate. not only because i will get risked out of the birthing center at 41 w : and not only because dh is going out of town sept. 10th : but mostly just because i think i will lose it. but sufficient unto the day are the problems thereof, right?

[PiePie]

Originally Posted by dctexan

Oh! We got our changing pad thingie in the mail yesterday and is IS much bigger than I thought. It still fits on top of our dresser and everything, but it's big. I guess that makes sense if people are still going to be changing diapers on it when the kid is 2 or 3 or so (when DO kids stop using diapers?!).

ours is big too. girls day train on average at 2.5 yo but you my dear can expect an average boy to be in nappies until 3 y (36 mos. exactly).

[PiePie]

Originally Posted by dctexan

Now that I am at 36 weeks I have TOTALLY given up on people get us the stuff we need. I ordered all of the things I felt like I needed off my amazon wishlist. DH and I are making a trip to BRU and Target tomorrow to get the rest of the stuff (Pack N Play, diapers, wipes, thermometer, waterproof pads, nursing pilllow, breast pads, diaper cream, etc.). I also order two baby carriers - a hotsling and a Gypsy Mama Bali baby Stretch.

we just did the same thing. for things that charged shipping, i went to buy buy baby (got completely lost in there -- just like sucked in -- it was very disorienting... but at least i bought only what i intended to before going in) and i sent dh to bru to biuy the stuff not available at bbb (i made a whole list of what was cheaper where) but he misunderstood and just ordered the stuff with shipping... gee, i do the legwork and you do what?

oddly, i got 2 nursing pillows (can we say one dust collector??) and lots of breast pads as gifts. i guess i've been vocal about my intention of bf'ing! and we got 4 baby carriers (maya wrap, bjorn, ergo, and filly tough traveler backpack). none of these things have places but at that rate of excess you may begin to understand why our house is a hazard right now!