Getting to know our babies

[smokeylo]

Now that this kiddo is about 2 lbs and very wiggly, I feel like I'm getting to know his/her personality a little more and thought it might be fun to hear about other people's babies as well! Where does your baby like to hang out? When is he or she more active? What does she seem to like or dislike?

My baby tends to jam his/her body onto my right side and kick almost always in the same spot below my ribs on the right. Activity is a lot more frequent now but I almost always get a burst of activity around bedtime and mid-morning (after my am pee!). This kiddo likes school - I get lots of wiggles when I'm talking in class or during discussion.

The babe hates cold, and seems pretty sensitive to temp change. If Brian's hands are cold when he puts them on my belly, action stops. If I lift up my shirt to see what the heck is happening, action stops. But we love warm tea and cozy sweaters.

[mosesface]

my little one cracks me up because any time i (or dh) reaches down to feel it kicking, it freezes. same thing if i'm laying in bed at night and she's going to town kicking and doing flips -- i pull back the blankets and she stops cold! but when i put the blankets back on, she starts right up again.

happens EVERY SINGLE TIME.

[nolonger]

I don't really know him/her very well and yet I do....

Whenever I can't sleep or am sad or upset, s/he always seems to understand and wakes up to keep me company. S/he seems to understand which jobs I'm "out" at and which I am still hiding my pregnancy so I don't get fired; at the "out" jobs, s/he'll sometimes keep me company, but not really distract me. At the "not out" jobs, s/he's a little Anne Frank hiding from the Nazis and pretending s/he doesn't exist.

S/he's a night owl, but that's okay because that's when I need the attention the most.

Even before I could feel movement, s/he seemed to keep putting these comforting thoughts in my head and I remember an argument we had when s/he was about three inches tall (according to my ticker) where s/he kept "saying" not to worry, that ds would be home by the birth and I lost my temper and started internally screaming, "I don't care who or what you were in your past life! You're a BABY now, so get over it already! I'm supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way around!"

S/he is physically much stronger than I remember my other kids and always has been. It's not just physical, either. When I ran into an acquaintance I hadn't seen for awhile at the store and she said, "Oh, third babies are always easy." (not knowing about the two girls I lost) I almost burst out laughing because this kid is many things, but easy is not one of them! I expect to see a lot of fingers wagging and hear a lot of, "Can't you control that child!"s over the next eighteen years.

I can't control him/her and neither can anyone else. Not Adolf Hitler, not George Bush, not Jerry Falwell, not anybody.

This child is what the 21st century needs. I've even considered using "Revolution" as a middle name.

[Dea]

I don't think that I can say that my baby has a personality yet. She's too busy growing to achieve one I think.
I have noticed that she's a wiggler. She settled down for a while a couple weeks ago. I would feel her jab every couple hours, but now she's jabbing every couple minutes. She doesn't seem to have a real awake/sleep cycle, more responding to positions I'm in or what I'm doing.
I've noticed that she does respond to sounds, which is fun, but I'm careful to not overindulge in my new found hobby of making her wiggle. I figure babies need rest, especially when they're about to double in size and grow lots of brain.
My mom always told me I was a really quiet baby, I rarely moved and she'd give me a good poke every day to make sure I was still alive. After I was born apparently I was the easiest baby and I empowered her to have several more.
Then she got pregnant with my brother, who was a wiggler. He would keep my mom awake at night and wouldn't ever settle down. As a baby he was quite sickly and had a bad case of colic. She decided to not have more children at this time.
Growing up I was a quiet child, much happier to read books than do anything else, whereas my brother was always go go go. I was always the "smart" one in all of my classes at school, always at the top of the class, and my brother suffered with bad ADHD.
So my fear is that this baby might follow more in my brother's footsteps than I would like. Which is why I don't want to label her as having a personality yet. I really believe that nurture dominates nature and I think if my mom would have had better parenting skills my brother's ADHD wouldn't have been as horrible.
So my ramble comes to this. I think I will have a high spirited child, which I am okay with. I think I have the personality to help her direct her energy into better avenues than my brother did.
All in all I cannot wait to meet her.

[Writerbird]

He really, really does not like being restrained beyond what he absolutely has to put up with. If I wear anything with a band that digs in even the smallest amount, he swims up to that spot and kicks the hell out of it. When I loosen the band, or move it below my belly, he chills right out.

He does the same thing if my body pillow gets dislodged and I tilt too far from my side to my front - he just PUMMELS the part of my side/stomach that's in contact with the mattress.

The only downside is that if I overeat... you guessed it, he kicks the hell out of the lump of food. And as I've posted before... I'm starving hungry even after a big meal. So I have to be really careful about my intake lately.

He wriggles when my husband talks to my belly. It's hard to explain, but it's not the insistent kicking I get with the waistband. He just gets really active.

Two pounds of baby, sigh, how awesome.

[flapjack]

This one feels a lot more laid-back than the others- the movements have less strength behind them (not that he's weak, more that there's something more important to do than bash mummy's navel) and are generally more infrequent. I know the slightly anterior placenta has something to do with this as well, but I'm still hoping for the mythical "good" baby

[the elyse]

Originally Posted by Writerbird

He really, really does not like being restrained beyond what he absolutely has to put up with. If I wear anything with a band that digs in even the smallest amount, he swims up to that spot and kicks the hell out of it. When I loosen the band, or move it below my belly, he chills right out.

He does the same thing if my body pillow gets dislodged and I tilt too far from my side to my front - he just PUMMELS the part of my side/stomach that's in contact with the mattress.

The only downside is that if I overeat... you guessed it, he kicks the hell out of the lump of food. And as I've posted before... I'm starving hungry even after a big meal. So I have to be really careful about my intake lately.

He wriggles when my husband talks to my belly. It's hard to explain, but it's not the insistent kicking I get with the waistband. He just gets really active.

Two pounds of baby, sigh, how awesome.

i think we're carrying the same baby.

[Gracecody]

Lauren, It almost sounds like you could have been describing my baby when you described yours! The position of mine is the same as are the kicks you described. I have noticed that this one loves it when I read rhyming stories to my 2 yo, esp. "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed."

[LoveChild421]

Originally Posted by Writerbird

He really, really does not like being restrained beyond what he absolutely has to put up with. If I wear anything with a band that digs in even the smallest amount, he swims up to that spot and kicks the hell out of it. When I loosen the band, or move it below my belly, he chills right out.

same here! I pretty much exclusively wear dresses because he will arch his little back and push into the band of even fairly loose maternity pants.

He is shy, even if he's moving up a storm as soon as anyone's hands but mine go on my belly he freezes. He loves prenatal massage, gets really active while I'm having one. He is most active at night or when I really focus my attention on him and talk to him. Sometimes he doesn't move at all during the day other than to roll over or punch my bladder once or twice.

I feel like he's much more calm than ds1. ds1 was always kicking hard and fast and all over the place. ds1 is a very spirited on the go kid now. This one just chills most of the time until I get home from work and then just leisurely moves about, I'm hoping for the mythical "good" baby this time too.

Originally Posted by noordinaryspider

Even before I could feel movement, s/he seemed to keep putting these comforting thoughts in my head and I remember an argument we had when s/he was about three inches tall (according to my ticker) where s/he kept "saying" not to worry, that ds would be home by the birth and I lost my temper and started internally screaming, "I don't care who or what you were in your past life! You're a BABY now, so get over it already! I'm supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way around!"

S/he is physically much stronger than I remember my other kids and always has been. It's not just physical, either. When I ran into an acquaintance I hadn't seen for awhile at the store and she said, "Oh, third babies are always easy." (not knowing about the two girls I lost) I almost burst out laughing because this kid is many things, but easy is not one of them! I expect to see a lot of fingers wagging and hear a lot of, "Can't you control that child!"s over the next eighteen years.

makes me think of ds1 so much. He is still super-aware of energy and vibes people give off. He is a very sensitive and special child and there is absolutely no "controlling" him, not that I would want to, I guess that's one reason he decided to come to me instead of someone who would spend so much time trying to.

[smokeylo]

Originally Posted by Dea

I don't think that I can say that my baby has a personality yet. She's too busy growing to achieve one I think.
I have noticed that she's a wiggler. She settled down for a while a couple weeks ago. I would feel her jab every couple hours, but now she's jabbing every couple minutes. She doesn't seem to have a real awake/sleep cycle, more responding to positions I'm in or what I'm doing.
I've noticed that she does respond to sounds, which is fun, but I'm careful to not overindulge in my new found hobby of making her wiggle. I figure babies need rest, especially when they're about to double in size and grow lots of brain.

Dea,
I accidentally cut out the part of your post I was going to respond to! What I wanted to say was that my Mom experienced the flip of that. I was an extremely active baby in the womb, but super mellow out. My sis was pretty quiet inside, but once out, became a very wiggly, fussy baby. I don't think one predicates the other! I agree that it's good not to prejudge or assume much of anything at this stage... but it is exciting to think about our little people.

Lauren

[CalebsMama05]

Originally Posted by mosesface

my little one cracks me up because any time i (or dh) reaches down to feel it kicking, it freezes. same thing if i'm laying in bed at night and she's going to town kicking and doing flips -- i pull back the blankets and she stops cold! but when i put the blankets back on, she starts right up again.

happens EVERY SINGLE TIME.

same here!

she has her own favorite position...usually smack in the middle back to back with me...she loves to roll more than kick or punch although if she flips breech she also adores kicking my cervix. she's more active first thing in the morning and more sleepy in the middle of the day. she and I are a lot alike it's a bit scary! she loves hot cocoa with marshmallows and will roll lazily around when I'm curled up with a good book!

[mamatomax]

Well, I had been wondering why I was feeling so much pressure down low. This little guy already has himself in position to come out. His head is what has been hurting me and making me feel a huge amount of pain in my ligaments. I tried to get a 4D ultrasound last week, and it was impossible to get him to move from that position. The Sonographer said that he looked like he had been camped out there for a while. Yeah, about the whole painful last month!
Well, maybe it'll make things easier once it's "showtime".

Other than that, I feel little knees, elbows, feet, and fists nearly all day long. It this kid ever going to sleep? Scary!

[ksera05]

Originally Posted by flapjack

This one feels a lot more laid-back than the others- the movements have less strength behind them (not that he's weak, more that there's something more important to do than bash mummy's navel) and are generally more infrequent. I know the slightly anterior placenta has something to do with this as well, but I'm still hoping for the mythical "good" baby

Mine seems much more laid back than DD was, too. DD was a kicker. This one...well, DH has still only felt him twice! He moves but very rarely does he kick. Usually he just shifts position His favorite position is for me to lie on my back and then he pushes his back against the front of my stomach, to the right of my naval. I want to know what he's bracing himself on in there

I'm hoping for the mythical "good" baby too

[NamastePlatypus]

Originally Posted by flapjack

This one feels a lot more laid-back than the others- the movements have less strength behind them (not that he's weak, more that there's something more important to do than bash mummy's navel) and are generally more infrequent. I know the slightly anterior placenta has something to do with this as well, but I'm still hoping for the mythical "good" baby

You too!?
E was crazy from that first kick at 14 weeks to this day he has not stopped or e3ven tried to be contained. THis one is soooo much more chill. I feel them and talk but everything about there movement is different. I flet e EVERYWHERE, he like to have his butt under my left ribs, feet under right and head on my cervix, this one I feel about 80 percent of the movement under my belly where I can't see. I feel a nudge and kick here and there up by the belly button but it is night and day from before. They seem much more content to be where they are and what they are doing which is unheard of from what I am used too, I will have to wait and see how this pans out.

[ksera05]

Originally Posted by NamastePlatypus

this one I feel about 80 percent of the movement under my belly where I can't see. I feel a nudge and kick here and there up by the belly button but it is night and day from before. They seem much more content to be where they are and what they are doing which is unheard of from what I am used too, I will have to wait and see how this pans out.

Yeah, isn't it weird? :

[eilonwy]

This baby is so weird. Far more picky about food than the others... and that's saying something because I've had cravings and aversions with all of the pregnancies (well, no real aversions with BooBah). This is the first pregnancy where I haven't felt as if I'd sell my soul for sashimi, for example... and the first where I haven't thought that perhaps Cream of Wheat was the world's most perfect food. The kid is cold all the time, and *I* am cold... which is weird, because usually during pregnancy I'm boiling hot all the time, and weather like this would be comfortable with a sweater. I'm FREEZING this time, and he's happiest when I'm hiding in blankets.

As far as activity, he's pretty average for my babes. I hope he'll be a quieter one like BooBah, but all three kids are physically active and I think that's a good thing (even if they are active in very different ways). I'm having a hard time connecting to his personality... but I'm having a hard time connecting to anything right now. :

[firecat]

Oh what a great thread!!

My baby is pretty quiet at work, I think she just is busy growing or absorbing during that time because I am so busy, and there are so many random people around.

She is most active right now just when I wake up in the morning and if Iget up in the night to pee. Sometimes it is hard to get back to sleep! Also at night when I am sitting watching tv and stuff.

She goes through spurts too, like she will be super-active for a few days rolling around and kicking a lot and then she will be much quieter for a few days. I am sure she is just putting on extra weight/growing fast during those times!!

Whenever I feel her I try to talk to her a little even if it's just to say I love you. Lately I've felt her moving around after I've been thinking about her or the birth or what life will be like when she comes

[smokeylo]

Another thing I noticed about my baby this week is that he LOVES car rides. Gets all worked up! (or maybe that means he HATES them??)

[Theia]

My little one will move most when I am quiet I think. If I lift my shirt to watch my belly move, s/he will stop, so I have gotten into the habit of leaving my belly exposed sometimes to get a better view. But that doesn't always work cuz s/he is aware of when I look down to watch. It makes it hard to let DP feel or see the movements cuz as soon as I think to say something to DP, movement stops. Every once in a while s/he cooperates and lets DP get a look or feel. If I am out walking, baby seems quiet. I do feel movement through the day, but most regular is evening and when I go to bed at night. If I roll too far onto my front, then baby protests at being crowded. I also know if I get upset or emotional then the baby is really active, does not like me being upset. Fortunately that is a rare occurence.

Its so much fun to watch and feel.... what an amazing thing a womans body can do!

[birthmommom]

reviving this thread since I don't post much...

this baby seems to respond to me drinking really cold water, or soda (which I try to limit), and sometimes juice.
He is pretty quiet when I am busy at work, if I do slow down he will move sometimes. Mostly he moves when I am relaxing on the couch, or laying in bed.
I have not been woken up by him moving or had a hard time getting to sleep, he seems to chill out.
When I see my belly move, it is soo cool. I put dh's hand on my belly and the babe will usually stop moving. Sometimes he will start again, and dh gets a little weirded out.
He does go through days that he is really active and days he is kind of mellow.

I cannot wait to meet him