April 14 to April 21 WEEKLY UPdate

[mkmama]

Man i have missed my MDC! Actually...my mom got here from the US on Tuesday last week, and we have been busy and having so much fun while she enjoys her grandson. He is obsessed with her and its been wonderful help having her here. I am THRILLED. She wants to learn how we do everything and stick to our routine and way of doing things so she makes it really easy to have as a guest in our tiny london flat.

Pregnancy...doing great...my guess date is April 20...I sure hope so. DS' birthday is April 22. We're having a lot of fun but now that my mom has been here a week (also my doula) we're ready to meet our Nora! My DH and i went on one of our all time favorite dates last night to a french restaurant and then DTD and other than some contractions...nada. I see the midwife Wed. They don't check the cervix here or anything so i really don't know where i'm at. Very dropped and feeling stetchy pains. Ready ready ready!

How is all the other mamas that are left? So many babies!

[pixiepunk]

i'm still here and hanging in there. i've been getting some subtle signs that my body is gearing up, like occasionally some crampiness with my BH, and i am having a *ton* of BH. plus i lost a bit of mucous plug in the shower on friday night but nothing has come out since.

my due date is the 20th, and i'm feeling it's likely that we'll make it till then. this is the first time i've ever been pregnant when i've been so relaxed and non-chalant about when the baby comes. i'm feeling pretty good, so i'm not desperate for the baby to come out, but at the same time would be totally happy if the baby did decide to make an earlier appearance. i'm very much in the "whenever s/he wants to show up is fine with me" camp. of course, i might change my opinion if i make it to 41 weeks

the phone calls and emails from friends and relatives "wondering if i've had that baby yet" have started i could live without those. i know they mean well, but it is slightly insulting that they are insinuating that i wouldn't call and tell them i had the baby. especially like my MIL who called and left a mesage last night (we let the machine talk to her as we were eating dinner). like i wouldn't call MIL to tell her the baby was already here?!?! just silly. and of course everytime i walk into the wellness center where i work someone has to say "haven't had that baby yet?" - so i've decided that this week i'm going to start telling people that i in fact did have the baby earlier that day, i just didn't want to miss my yoga class

i have been really fascinated lately by how different pregnancy can be from baby to baby with the same woman. people keep asking me if this is like my pregnancy with my daughter or with my son.... and it's not like either! it's been its own unique experience from the beginning. i mean, of course there have been similarities, but really more has been different than the same. it's truly amazing, and kind of humbling, how different the experience can be. i'm finding it incredibly interesting, like a science project of something

also, we picked out our candles for our cord ritual, so i'm really stoked about that!

i still need to put together an emergency birth plan/baby plan in case we should for some reason end up at the hospital. i'm hoping i can find the one i made for my last birth and just use it. none of my preferences have really changed since then as far as that goes.

[mkmama]

pixie: i know what you mean about the phone calls starting. Like i wouldn't call? gee whiz. But ahh, whatever.

I too have been having more BH and started using some herbal drops in my RRL tea which i'm still faithfully drinking 3x a day.

I wouldn't be as anxious for the baby to come (i'm enjoying my DS SOOOO MUCH) but with family here from across the ocean its time to get this party started!

[ChristyH]

I'm so ready to have this baby! I'm still just under a week from my due date but I've finally gotten to the uncomfortable stage of this pregnancy and I pretty much just want her to come out now. I'm sure she'll keep my waiting though, I can already tell she's going to be my drama queen! lol
I have an appt with my OB on Wednesday but no more cervix checks although I did lose a big chunk of my mucus plug on Friday or Saturday and I've been having more BH so I know something is going on. It's just not happening fast enough!

[carriebft]

I am 38 weeks and making a prediction!! I will give birth on April 22nd. (or 24th )

And I will go to the polls in PA in labor. And Obama better appreciate it!


Been self checking my cervix and I'm definitely progressing along in the effacement department. Still getting practice contractions for hours, usually after I walk on the treadmill.

Here's to a wonderful week everyone!

[Goddess3_2005]

Well I'm "due" today. Showing zero signs of labor. My husband did tell me when I woke up this morning he dreamt I went into labor, maybe a premonition? I hope. I meet with my midwife tomorrow, to see what the verdict is. Probably another induction attempt for health reasons.

[amaayeh]

I'm due Thursday and I really think I'm going to go over. I had previous dd on her due date and I just don't think this one is going to show up by then. There will officially be NO ONE in town if she does decide to wait, but I guess that is her perogative.

I had some good contractions yesterday after DTD, I drank RRLT, I pumped for 30 minutes, and took EPO. Nothing that went anywhere, though. Maybe I made some progress, though.

[NaturallyPeachey]

38 weeks and NADA a thing! I'm trying to enjoy my last few weeks but man, I'm sore and tired and irritated at everything. DH is being a trooper and really stepped up this past weekend - he cooked dinner both nights and ran errands. A big shout out to you mama's who have other kids at home. I can't imagine having to chase after kids right now!!

I am a little bummed because my parents don't think they're going to come so they can see the baby at the hospital. It's been an issue since day one. Originally they wanted to come two weeks b/4 my due date and I said no - I didn't (and still don't) want them sitting on my couch while I'm waiting to have a baby. Then of course it's a sibling thing. They lived near by when my older sister had her babies and made mad dashes to the hospital then but now I feel like I got the short straw. I don't care much for my MIL or any of my IL's and they are the only ones who live close by. Blah!

On the bright side of things our nursery furniture is FINALLY being delivered today after 4 months of waiting and this is my last week of work. Whooo hoooo!

[Grivas]

I'm still here. Due date is 4/28. I feel a little uncomfortable, but, since this is my first time, I'm just waiting and watching and assuming all is normal. My midwife won't do a cervical check just to see, and probably won't do that many during labor, either. I'm just telling myself that I don't want the baby to come until it's all done being built! I'm really glad that I don't need to spend all day on my feet, though! Periodic rest makes the weirdness of being pregnant much more bearable.

[xekomaya]

Do you think we should switch to a daily update thread?

I officially quit work as of Friday. I actually stopped 2 weeks earlier than planned but it worked out really well because I found out claiming disability due to pregnancy complications is a different claim than the 6 weeks after the birth which is to care for a newborn, so I'm actually just getting bonus paid time off that I wouldn't have gotten had I kept working.

Even though I still tried to finish up (work) projects this weekend, I'm starting to feel more and more sane not having to struggle to keep up at work and home and so despite being very uncomfortable, I have no problem with the baby staying in a while longer so I can appreciate my "free" time off. Plus, I have TONS of knitting to finish.

And, I really can't wait to get in the birth pool - I'm so excited for that!

We're actually going to meet the prospective pediatrician today. I really hope it works out. I don't want to keep looking but obviously I'll have to if we don't click. His office motto is "Sometimes less medicine is the best medicine" though so I'm feelin good.

[counterGOPI]

getting real impatient and frustrated wit hthis little sprout. ill be 40 weeks on thursday have my appt that day too.

[~ATenthMuse~]

Well... He's considered to be due between today and Thursday. I really don't how far away we are at this point. Not even a guess. Last Friday, I saw my midwife and was near 4 and 75%. Nothing yet. Lots of ctx, but they mostly disappear as the day wears on. I'm tired and I've been fighting a cold. I'm ready, whenever he is. Soon, I hope. And hopefully, before my Mil has to go back to Cleveland!

On a brighter note, at this rate, the last bit of labor should be fast and easy!

[kjoy2]

Still here, too! At 38 weeks now and just wondering when they are going to make their appearance. I think this coming weekend would be good! Had a fun weekend with friends and now, nothing new, just cleaning the house...

[limabean]

I'm 39 weeks now, and woke up DH 2 nights ago because I thought I was in labor, but it turned out to not be the real thing. :

I got up to pee and lost some of my mucus plug, then got back in bed and started having BH-type cx, but super strong and pretty uncomfortable down by my cervix. I was watching the clock and they came regularly at 6 minutes apart for over half an hour, so I finally woke up DH, but then I just had one more contraction and they stopped -- I was so disappointed! I had gotten myself all excited -- what a let-down. Hopefully in the next few days we'll get to do it for real! And these cx do feel pretty different -- I haven't had that cervical discomfort with BH cx before -- so hopefully they're helping my cervix to dilate/efface more.

[swiesz]

nothing going on here, i am 39 weeks today my mom got in on friday and we were hoping on something this weekend but not. Now i don't want to go until this weekend. My DS #1's 5th birthday is tomorrow so i don't want to fall on that. we have tickets to a minor league baseball game and they are going to put his name on the scoreboard wishing him a happy birthday so i really don't want to miss that, also we are self employed and don't work fridays so if we can hold out until then that would be great. Also have DS #2's birthday next wednesday so i would love to fall in betweeen the 2.
i have a mw appt tomorrow and they say they will check me then for the first time
we shall see i know it means nothing as i was i think 2cm and 50% effaced with DS #2 two weeks before birth and at the same place after labor had started about 4 hours before he was born

[mkmama]

Originally Posted by swiesz

nothing going on here, i am 39 weeks today my mom got in on friday and we were hoping on something this weekend but not. Now i don't want to go until this weekend. My DS #1's 5th birthday is tomorrow so i don't want to fall on that. we have tickets to a minor league baseball game and they are going to put his name on the scoreboard wishing him a happy birthday so i really don't want to miss that, also we are self employed and don't work fridays so if we can hold out until then that would be great. Also have DS #2's birthday next wednesday so i would love to fall in betweeen the 2.
i have a mw appt tomorrow and they say they will check me then for the first time
we shall see i know it means nothing as i was i think 2cm and 50% effaced with DS #2 two weeks before birth and at the same place after labor had started about 4 hours before he was born

And I thought I was crazy for having another in April (DS bday is 22nd...and that's my "due date")

[porenn]

well- i went to my midwife today and earned myself a three hour stay in L&D..
My BP is wonky again, and they wanted to rule out pre-e.... tests came back fine, baby seems to be doing ok, and I'm now on bed rest... no work, no cooking no cleaning, can't let the dog out... etc. Thought I was going to get induced today, but got sent home. Have to be back on thursday to be checked again, if things are ok, then back on monday. i think that i would have been induced today if the midwife had realized that I'm 38 week stomorrow since she mentioned that she wanted to wait until next week so that the babe was 38 weeks...

any way- I'm home and bored and my house is a pigsty.


oh well.

-porenn

[GardenStream]

I was really hoping for a VBAC, but it's not likely at this point. I got scheduled for a c-section on Wednesday. I'll be 40w + 5d. The doctor offered to let me go the extra 2 days to make it to a full 41w, but I decided to get it over with. She couldn't even get a finger inside and she said I was so posterier that she couldn't break my water even if she wanted to.

I'm pretty bummed about it, but I honestly knew going in today that I was going to have to accept reality and deal with it. I'm going to be holding my baby in less than 48 hours, and I'm not even excited. This sucks!

[ZoshaMosha]

I'm still waiting over here. I'm 38 weeks now. I'm getting a little edgy because I'm starting to think that anything that happens is now the start of labor--was that a contractions? Did my water just break? It's getting very unnerving. And no labor in sight.

Last week I was feeling very crampy and nauseous, but this week I'm actually feeling totally fine. I have lots of energy, surprisingly. I'm trying to spend lots of quality time with DD (2.5), taking her on outings and playdates before I'm hung up with the new babe for a little while.

My mom came into town on friday, which is a total relief. She will watch DD while I go to the hospital, and though I've been getting so many wonderful offers of support from friends, for some reason I feel totally stressed out about putting one of my friends out if I left DD with them for a couple days.

I have my next MW appointment on Wed, so maybe I'll have something to report then.

[upnorthmama]

Still here...38 weeks

Went to see the MW today (actually my backup) I don't like her nearly as much a my main MW. Everything looks good-we aren't doing "checks" so I have no idea about that. I feel huge and uncomfortable. That means it is coming soon right??

Best wishes to all the other waiting mama's and those who have their darlings in their arms already!