June Mamas May 9 - May 15

[Smithie]

If somebody else has already started a thread for this week, I can't find it...

Anyhow:

"So they cultured the urine and it came back negative? Or they didn't test at all?"

They dipsticked the urine and saw nothing, so they sent it off to be cultured. That was FRiday afternoon. By 4:00 in the freaking morning on Sunday, the dipstick was positive. Normally, I know damned good and well when I have a UTI and bully the doctor into writing a prescription even if the dipstick is negative, but with the baby to consider, I was willing to wait. Bad plan.

In other news, the midwife on duty checked me and I am 1 cm dilated, 60% effaced and at -2 station. Yay for EPO!

[Greaseball]

I don't see another thread either...

You know what I don't understand? Lately, everyone has been bumping into my belly and not giving me the room I need to walk past them, like in the grocery store.

Can't they SEE how big I am?!

Does anyone know of a way to make sure the head engages? I don't think it has yet and I'm worried about the prolapse factor. With #1 it didn't engage until 38 weeks, and then I went into labor the next day. But my midwife said that the pubic bone pain I've been having might be from the baby's head being caught on it, so now I'm all worried that it won't engage.

I know people say that in subsequent pg's, often it won't engage until labor begins, but I know other people who are on their 2nd or later pg and they say they engaged at 28 weeks! :confused: So I don't know...

[3girlsmommy]

Greaseball- I'm experiencing the same thing. It's like HELLO I ave a big belly here! I had this lady almost plow me over today in the grocery store.

[ksjhwkr]

Greaseball-
I also am so sick of people not moving for me to pass!! I am HUGE, I guess they are just blind! :( With Emma I dropped at 33 weeks, I will be 34 weeks tomorrow and nothing is happening. I know that doing deep squats often will help baby to engage. But, my midwife told me that if #2 baby doesn't engage early, she doesn't worry about it.

Smithie - so what are you going to do for your UTI? That can be scary when you're pregnant...let me know what they decide. How many weeks are you now?

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day. We went to the cemetery and had a good cry. Then, I went to my brother and sil's and chatted with them and my 6 nephews and niece. That was nice. Then dh made a great dinner and we had lemon pie for dessert. All in all, not a terrible day. Not as bad as I thought it would be, sigh of relief.

Here's to another great week of being pregnant!!!! Our babies are almost here!!! :):):)

[Smithie]

Kim, they put me on a seven-day course of Macrobid. They are culturing the sample to make sure they've put me on the right drug.

The Tylenol they gave me at the hospital has worn off, and my bottle at home was expired. So I'm very hot and ouchy, but I'm gonna be ok. I took a homeopathic fever/ache reducer, and it might have helped a little bit.

I think I may have leaked some fluid onto the bed - it's impossible to tell if it is just a large-scale normal secretion resulting from my increased fluid intake, or something else. Bleagh. The hospital mw said I was intact this morning, but I've had a lot of fever and sitting on the toilet since then...

QoC, I'm sorry you did the rollercoaster thing today.

[rubelin]

(Queenie) Prodomal labor sucks cause it messes with your mind but it is a good thing, gets stuff going and can make for a much easier/faster labor. Heck, you're already halfway there :D

Smithie, sorry it really is a UTI, OWIE!! Keep drinking a lot, it can help with the pain and "rinses" you out :) I hope you feel better soon!!

I think pelvic rocks are the best for getting the head engaged, but everything I've read lately says that most 2nd (or more) babes don't engage until the very end. At my MW appt on Wed she said it seems the head might be inside the rim now and I haven't had quite the same pubic pain this week so it's possible. As much as I really am anxious to have this pregnancy over with and have my baby, I'm not in a huge rush to get things going, so I haven't been doing the rocks much. He's been ROA for a couple of weeks and hasn't been shifting much at all so I think this might end up being how he's gonna stay. It's not too bad of a position, though he sticks his tush out at the same spot all the time and I'm a bit sore right there.

Well my nesting is going along nicely :) I've got all my AIO dipes done, finished the dipe bag, changing pad, pail liners, and wipes. Just a few more dipes to sew, but they are the bigger size, so can wait until later, and I have to finish the wetbags and mattress covers. Next weekend, once DH's bonus check is deposited, we go on a mad shopping spree for all the stuff we've been waiting on; the new dresser, blind for the living room, shoes and clothes for DH and DS. I'm also taking the cats to the vet and the car in for service. With such a long list of things left to get done, perhaps I won't focus so much on being uncomfortable preggie lady, lol!

OOh, bedtime for DS, better go scrape my guys off the couch. Hope you all had a lovely Mother's Day!

[Queen of Cups]

Smithie - and everyone else - thanks for the support. This was sooo not how I envisioned my first Mother's Day. :crying

Its nice having m-i-l here, except all day every day I hear about how wonderful/sweet/smart/strong DH is - not that I disagree! But its a little intimidating to hear how perfect your mate is every waking hour. I will never live up to him in her and f-i-l's eyes - the best I can hope for is their approval on popping out a little clone of him (and I'm not doing a good job of that thus far, based on today).

My parents decided to drive out to visit (I told them not to yet, but they don't have to listen to me apparently), so they'll be getting in late tonight. I've cleaned house, so now I think I'll just do desk-work till they get here. It will be nice to have someone here who says nice things about _me_. Gosh, I sound like a spoiled brat - but its been a rough couple of weeks.

[Greaseball]

QOC, good job on going home instead of being induced!

I didn't really get or do anything for mother's day. I didn't realize it until later in the day. My mom canceled her plan to come here, which is fine since the last thing I want to do is entertain guests. But I just kind of laid around the house all day.

The first mother's day I had, when dd was 5 months, dh got me a huge card that was about 3 feet tall. The next mother's day, just a normal-sized card...and this one, nothing! Reminds me of when I worked in this office and for the first secretary's day, I got a miniature rose plant and a truffle, and the second one I got a "green plant" and a pencil. Then they laid me off.

[seedling]

Grease, that cracked me up. QoC, you sound very down...I hope having your parents there helps. Hugs. Smithie, good luck with the UTI...I hate those.

I had a very nice mother's day. I posted about it on last week's thread...somehow I never remember we're supposed to start a new one.

I had a moment in a grocery store this weekend too. Except for this time the person DID notice how big I was. The cashier asked me if I was expecting twins. And when I said "no". He said "triplets?". I wanted to knock him out. I mean, who the h*ll says that to a pregnant lady?

Well, I've got a full day...home visit happens today and while the house is fairly clean, I need to do some pick up and run the vacuum. I'm waiting to do the vacuumng until a little later after I banish the fur-ball makers to the yard for the day. They are both languishing on the carpet, enjoying the peace before DD gets up. Poor things.

[curlygrrl]

((hugs)) Greaseball, I know how you feel! Last year DH didn't even SAY happy mother's day and I was so sad/pissed. This year he was smart and got me the 3 foot card. ;)

I've always heard that it is common for the 2nd baby not to "drop" until during labor or right before.

I agree about people bumping into me, it just makes me *cringe.* Must be hormonal, I remember being this way with DS, I usually love crowds and stuff but these days I want everyone to stay as far away from me and my huge belly as possible.

Tamara

[crunchywannabe]

with my last 4 pregnancies, I have dropped right around 36-37 weeks which was nice in some ways but stunk in others! LOL....

Ouch on the UTI...but so glad you are getting treatment!

We did new belly shots last night....gotta love those stretch marks huh? I swear--this is my 8th pregnancy, 6th to make it full term and I stretch in different ways and get new marks every single time!! but heah, I finally talked dh into doing it bare belly--he thinks I am skinnier now than before I even got pregnant! but that is my size 18 body there in the photo if you are not too scared to check it out:
http://www.freewebs.com/jessicaandisabella/bellyshots.htm

I just can't believe how close it is all getting! this pregnancy has really flown by and I am trying to enjoy it as it will be my last one....but I am in so much pain from my SI joints popping out that I want it over too!

[Greaseball]

Well, later yesterday evening dh came home with flowers and a giant balloon, so it looks like he got it right after all. He also brought home some sparkling peach beverage, which unfortunately was gross, but at least he tried. :)

The balloon is HUGE! It's taller and wider than dd is. She loves playing with it.

[Doodlebugsmom]

Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I've been feeling pretty good except for the usual aches and pains. I had a nice Mother's Day. We visited my parents for the weekend. Saturday was mine and dh's anniversary, so we went out to eat while my parents entertained dd. It was nice. For Mother's Day I got a pair of Naot sandals that I have wanted for a year. Yay!

Smithie, sorry about your UTI. I used to get them frequently but I haven't had one for years, thankfully. I did have kidney stones with dd. Of course that sucked too. Hopefully that antibiotic will kick in quick and by the time you read this you'll be feeling much better. I hate taking antibiotics, but if I have a UTI I start them ASAP! I'm sure you know this, but you should also take a good probiotic. You don't want to also get a yeast infection too! It also may help to ward off thrush if the baby is born soon. Take care!

Jessica, your belly shot is beautiful. Nothing to be ashamed of there. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones to not get stretch marks. I credit it to having a little extra there to start with, so there's plenty of room for stretching!

[Smithie]

(pops probiotic capsule in mouth)

Thanks for the reminder! :)

[dharmama]

Anyone else feeling crampy?

For the last week I've been getting pretty crampy in the afternoon. Usually I just drink a big glass of water and lie down and I feel better. Today I'm at work and I'm drinking lots of water but I really can't lie down. :( I'll probably try to duck out of here a little early so I can rest before dinner.

I had an awesome Mother's Day. DH bought me a beautiful soapstone sculpture of a mother and child and was extra nice and pampering to me all day. My mom gave me a cute pair of nursing PJs. (MIL gave me a nursing nightgown for my b-day last week.) Both are really cute, but I'm not seeing a big need for nursing jammies (it's not like I'll need to be discreet around my DH :LOL ). But I guess the will be nice for the hospital and for when people visit and I don't feel like getting dressed!

Hope everyone is having a good Monday!

~Erin
:love

[Greaseball]

I get the cramps too. Just on one side, though.

Does anyone else have these weird visual sensations? I see these sparkling sliver lights. I know, it could be worse! ;) It usually happens when I suddenly stand up, but sometimes it seems to happen without reason. They don't come with any unpleasantness like nausea or dizziness. The midwife said it might be due to my low blood pressure, but the bp has only been low for a few weeks and these sparklies have been here for awhile. They are all over my field of vision, not just in the periphery.

???

[eilonwy]

Hello everyone :wave.

My mother's day was really really long... I taught Sunday school in the morning and then stalled on getting back into the car because I was feeling funny again. I've been having regular contractions for the past few days. They're not painful but they are distracting and sometimes they interfere with what I"m trying to do. I guess they're braxton hicks; I'm still early enough that if I went to the hospital with them they'd probably give me terbutaline. I don't want to do that, so I'm staying home. :nana: I don't think my cervix is changing.. although of course I can't reach it. :LOL And the contractions aren't real strong, like I said they don't hurt. They are fairly regular, and they increase with activity, but I was having regular contractions way earlier than this with Eli so I'm not worried. :shrug

NewBean hasn't come close to engaging; she's still turning somersaults. I'm a little worried that she'll have a true knot in her cord, the way she rolls. It's much much worse when I'm lying down (I guess without the gravity to fight it's easier for her to turn).

I had a lovely day last Saturday, though. Mike, Eli, MIL, FIL, SIL and I went to a state park and had a great time. Eli let go of his wagon and fell face-first onto some concrete, and he has a horrible looking bruise on his nose & a less horrible looking one on his forehead, but other than that we had a great time.

I got some alfalfa, and it really does seem to help with my exhaustion... plus, I'm no longer backed up! Thanks for that suggestion! (Seedling, maybe?)

About UTI's-- I find that mind go away if I drink a scary amount of cranberry juice. I also find that, while cranberry juice is generally completely unpalatable to me, it tastes really delicious if I do have a urinary tract infection. :shrug I guess my body knows what it needs! :LOL

[3girlsmommy]

Both are really cute, but I'm not seeing a big need for nursing jammies (it's not like I'll need to be discreet around my DH :LOL ). But I guess the will be nice for the hospital and for when people visit and I don't feel like getting dressed!
~Erin
:love
Erin- I thought the same thing when my mom bought me some when I was pregnant w/ my first but I have grown to LOVE them and I don't think I could do w/ out. For me nursing clothes aren't about being discreet but I hate having a cold belly esp. at night and nursing PJ's keep my belly nice and cozy! :)

[ksjhwkr]

Erin,

I'm feeling crampy too. I don't know if it's my uterus or the fact that I'm so stopped up (sorry, TMI!!). But, I'm pretty crampy myself. Ah the joys of late pregnancy huh?? ;)

[eilonwy]

I found that nursing pajamas were an absolute necessity for the first few months after Eli was born, but after that... well, just a waste of time. Eli was a twiddler, so I had to keep him from touching my other breast (still a huge struggle!) while he nursed. At night, in the early days, I had to sit up to nurse him (only the football hold works when your boobs are bigger than your baby! :LOL) and the nursing jammies made it much easier. He was about 4 months old before I could nurse him lying down (or in the cradle hold) and by then, he was reaching for the other breast. Well, nursing pajamas leave that other breast accessable, so I stopped wearing them around that time. (More for the morning and bedtime nursing than the middle of the night ones; he didn't/doesn't twiddle in his sleep. :LOL)

[Queen of Cups]

Well, I'm feeling MUCH better today. Its nice having my parents here (I'm one of the few lucky people who are actually really good friends with their parents).

The weekly appt with my midwife went great - she was super supportive and understanding about how frustrating the false labor was. She checked me and said that I was "a good 5 cm" dialated and 80% effaced, and that the baby had dropped quite a bit because I was measuring smaller than last week. She offered to strip my membranes and I accepted. A few weeks ago I wouldn't have believed that I would agree to that, but I'm ready for this baby! According to my LMP I'm now 37 weeks, family is here, and I've been running around in PTL for over 2 weeks now. It's time! This baby seems to be a a good size (she guessed if I went full term it would be 8 pounds, so its about 6.5 now hopefully) so I'm not worried about the baby not being ready... She was concerned about this slow progression of labor, too, and said it would worry her for me to be running around much more dialated than 5cm. But, she still is very supportive of me laboring at home as much as possible.

AND, it would be wonderful to have the baby tomorrow because its my Grandmother's 75th birthday! She has 7 kids, 17 grandkids, and this will be great-grandchild #12 - and not a single one ever born on her birthday! I'm really close to her and I would LOVE to cement my spot as the favorite grandchild by giving her a birthday baby! :love

Anyone have any suggestions for getting this going tonight? DH and I are planning on taking a little walk after dinner and then BDing...

[mattjule]

i don't have a problem with ppl not making room for my belly, I have a problem w/ppl not making room for my toddler! like, I am pg and holding the hand of a 2 yo, I think the 2 adults could walk one behind the other instead of giving me dirty looks. I don't think they have to worry about their significant other running off in a crowd/store.

My Mother's Day was really nice, maybe I'll post it tomorrow. Tain is being absolutely TWO today and not letting me do anything. I am really frustrated.

[seedling]

QoC, the things I've always heard for getting labor going are lots of sex to soften the cervix (one friend said her midwife said three times in one day was the trick though that might be hard with all the family in town and also, I'm not sure about this after your membranes have been stripped...anyone else know?), nipple stimulation, lots of walking, stairs, bumpy roads, etc. However, if you are already 5 cm dialated, you are already almost there! With my first I was in labor for 14 hours, 11 of which were at home. When I got to the hospital I was 5 cm dialated. So in three hours I had the baby. So..get familiar with transition stage signs so you know when to get over to the hospital. I mean, having the baby at home wouldn't be the end of the world but if that's not what you are planning it might be a bit scary. I can't imagine once your labor starts that it would take too much longer to fully dialate. Of course, it would be really frustrating to go to the hospital and get stalled. Just listen to your body.

Julie, I find myself getting really annoyed with lots of stuff that childless folks do out in public. It's like they don't consider kids people...I think I shared about that evil librarian a few weeks back who was indifferent to my dd (which then provoked a full flung tantrum and LOTS of evil looks from bystanders). I remember understanding exactly how DD felt and wishing that *I* could get away with laying down in the floor and kicking my flip flops off half way across the lobby while screaming bloody murder. I mean, so often it seems that folks forget that children ARE people with their own identities and a whole complicated set of emotions.

Well, my home-visit went well yesterday. My midwife is so laid back that I always feel kind of hyper around her. It's hard for me to get past the regular routine that you typically follow with a care-provider. It's like I have this little agenda that I need to tick off in my head of stuff to cover. Fortunately, I already know that I get very internal when I labor so the laid back approach of my midwife will work just great and my hyper/agenda toting self will receede. Anyway, I was glad that the appt was here because DH actually got to be here for it (this is only the second appt he has been able to attend). He was reassured again about how comfortable he felt with her. Anyway, I'm 36 weeks today. One more week and then I'm free and clear at any point. I really can't imagine going to my due date. For some reason I just feel like I'm going to have this baby a week or two early. I have to quit telling myself this so I won't be too disappointed if I go late. It would be ideal if I could wait for just a week before b/c then DH would be off work for a month. If I go before that, it will interfere with final exams.

Anyway, I'd better get to work. I've got a retirement luncheon to attend today so DH is just working half a day so I can go. After that I have what may be my last appt with my back up doctor.

Happy Tuesday all!

(Oh, and Rynna, glad that the alfafa is helping! My system has been amazingly clear this whole preg and I credit it to that supplement.)

[eilonwy]

Good morning. Eli informed me that today will be diaper free... thus far, he's peed on the potty once and sat down on it for a few minutes and farted but no poop. :LOL :laugh: We'll see how things go. He looks very tall today, and I can't decide if it's because he's growing or he's naked & his legs are closer together... I think it's a little bit of both. Woohoo! I was starting to wonder if NewBean was going to be bigger than Eli before she was 4 months old, but it seems like Eli's having a growth spurt right now. Maybe it's all the colostrum. :LOL I was actually leaking in the shower the other day. Nice!

Is it strange that I'm still totally impressed by my body's ability to feed my children? I still think it's just so cool that my body can continue to grow a baby after they're born, you know? I've been nursing for 18 months now, you'd think I'd have stopped getting excited about having milk.. :LOL

Next weekend, I am cutting off *all* of my hair, and the following weekend I'm having a yard sale. At the end of the yard sale, I plan to put everything that's left into a few boxes and auction them off on eBay if I can. "Huge lot of women's clothing, sizes 10-12, $1.00" :LOL It's really at the "get it the hell out of my house" stage. I can't wear some of my favorite t-shirts anymore, because they're just inappropriate. "Tell your boyfriend thanks" takes on entirely different nuances after you have children. :laugh: or "Just be happy i'm not your kid", which my own mother thinks is hilarious.. it's just wrong on a parent. :LOL I'll be keeping "keep staring! I might do a trick" and "don't let your mind wander-- it's too small to be out by itself" and probably "you suck and that's sad" which always makes me giggle when I wear it. :LOL

Last night, I tried to tape something and discovered that Eli has completely killed the VCR. I sincerly doubt that it would be worthwhile to repair it; I only paid about $50 for it, and that was... 8 years ago? :LOL I'm sure it'd cost more than it's worth to fix it, but it's just so irritating!! We were planning on buying two big bookshelves with the tax return, but now we're thinking we should buy an entertainment center to protect the dvd player (which is thus far undamaged as far as we can tell) and the new VCR (which I don't even want to buy until we can put it out of reach). :rolleyes: Hopefully, we'll be able to get something with shelves for books/tapes. :LOL

My belly is huge and achey. NewBean is still turning somersaults all the time.. my mother laughs and says "You did that! And you used to swing from my ribs, it drove me nuts!" :LOL I still think that she's got a really long cord and that's why she can do such things. I'm looking forward to finding out, but since I'm only 34 weeks I'm willing to put off getting really excited about the birth.

Speaking of putting it off... QoC, my mother was 6 cm dialated with my brother for nearly two months before he was born. Her doctor was convinced that she'd drop him on the sidewalk one afternoon. :LOL She ended up scheduling an induction on her due date, but the nurse waved the pitocin needle at her and suddenly she was pushing. :LOL

[Smithie]

Freakin' A.

After 48 hours on Macrobid for this stupid UTI, my fever has not gone down. If I try to stop my Tylenol regimen, I get body aches and not-insignificna pain in my sacrum and hips and the fever goes right up to where it started - 2 degrees above my normal temperature. My heart races, the baby's heart races... aaargh.

I had to call my doc's office THREE TIMES yesterday to get somebody to read my urine culture and tell me if I'm on the right drug (my doc himself went on vacation right after telling me I didn't have a UTI). five minutes before closing I finally got an answer - they told me the culture "grew multiple organisms" and that I should stay on the Macrobid. I have no way of knowing if a doc actually examined the test results or just yelled out "tell that bitch to keep taking macrobid!' as he waltzed out the door.

They open in nine minutes, and I'm going to call them and beg for an appointment, maybe with their ARNP. If I've dilated more, I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't have my fabulous hippie birth center birth if I go into labor with a fever - it'll be the hospital and IV antibiotics and continuous fetal monitoring etc etc ad fucking nauseum.

:splat

[Greaseball]

I had this problem too with #1. Every time I got an infection, they would say "Oh yeah, Macrobid is the right drug" and I'd take it and the infection would still be there. I told them, and they kept telling me "the culture" said it was the right drug, and we all know how test results never lie...:rolleyes:

Finally they agreed to try something different...but after a few weeks on it, I looked it up and saw it was the same drug! They had just given it to me under another name! Macrodanton. They did it again with Nitrofurantoin or something like that...same drug, new name. It's like it was against their religion to give me a decent drug.

When I ended up in the hospital at 16 weeks, they gave me a shot of Rosefin. It was an IM and really quick; didn't have to stay overnight. I continued getting infections until 30 weeks, when I was put on a Sulfa drug, and they never came back after that. They said Sulfa can't be taken except in the last trimester, so maybe that's something that would work for you.

Keep harrassing them...and learn all the different names for Macrobid!

[3girlsmommy]

Smithie :hug I'm sending you healing vibes!! I hope you are feeling better soon.


Ya know what I think is funny?? People either tell me I'm HUGE and look like I'm going to pop(gee thanks!) or else they tell me that I can't possibly be 6 weeks away from my guess date because I'm carrying so small. :confused: How can I be both???? The other thing that cracks me up is that on Saturday I was told that I had dropped w/in the last week and that my baby was low and then someone else told me I was carrying high. Oy!
People are strange!

[3girlsmommy]

Keep harrassing them...and learn all the different names for Macrobid!
HEre's a list from Dr. Hale w/ the different names of Marrobid:
Nitrofurantoin, Furadantin, Macrodantin, Furan.
There might be some new ones but I don't have my new copy of Meds & Mother's milk yet.

[eilonwy]

:hug I had a UTI that didn't respond to antibiotics, too. Turned out to be viral. :shrug Like I said, I drank a ridiculous amount of cranberry juice and felt better. Of course, I didn't have a fever... my blood pressure did go up (it does that when I'm in pain) but other than that, I didn't seem sick. I just couldn't urinate even though I felt like I had to all the time. :shrug

[Smithie]

Well, I am sick as a dog, no question about it.

I have an appt with their DO at 10:15 - the receptionist assures me that even though she is a DO, "she practices just like a regular physician." WTF does THAT mean?

Thanks for the list of drugs-that-are-really-Macrobid. :)

[Greaseball]

I remember Nitrofuron was another one...why so many?!

As soon as I got the positive HPT back with this one, I started taking cranberry capsules each day.

I wonder if the infections with #1 were caused by GBS? I was GBS+ with dd, with a very high colonization. With this one, I have had no infections and was GBS negative.

[Smithie]

Reposted from the thread I mistakenly started on this a few days ago:

Well, I saw their DO (osteopath), and it turns out that my urine culture from them was a complete wash - just some gram positive rods that were probably my own natural flora. Luckily, the practice is attached to the hospital I went to, so they are harassing them to get a copy of THAT urine culture. Meanwhile, I'm to keep taking Tylenol.

I see my mw tomorrow, hopefully she'll have some good ideas and maybe know a doctor who's not such an asshat and understands that I must kick this infection in order to birth with my care providers.

Thanks for all the good vibes. I got to enjoy a couple of contractions with back pain while lying on the tiny exam table, but that subsided when I rolled onto my side. They were just the normal Braxton-Hicks that I've had for ages, but it gave me a tiny glimpse of what it must be like to labor flat on your back in a hospital bed. I'd be screaming for my epidural in about 3 seconds.

[rubelin]

I met my back-up OB yesterday, the one from my HMO group. She was really cool, laid back, got a bit concerned that I wasn't doing the GBS culture and taking the 2% chance, but otherwise was totally cool. If I weren't so opposed to birthing in the hospital, I think I'd like having her be my OB. We (Ben & I) also went over to the hospital (next door) to preregister. It was so weird being up at L&D, I haven't been there since we had Ben almost 4 years ago. We even passed by my postpartum room, which was nice enough but I remembered again why I will not be doing that again.

DH got me some arnica for my pelvis last night. I think it's helping, but I'm also not doing much today so it's hard to tell. I'm trying to take it easy and rest a lot and stay off my puffy feet, but it is so hard to do! Dh has been cleared to work at pre-school for me, so I don't have to be on my feet for that anymore, but there's all these little things here that I keep finding to do, sewing projects, cleaning, etc. Plus I've scheduled a bunch of appts in the next couple of weeks for the Vet, the car, the DMV (my license expires next month and if I don't renew now I know I will forget!!); all those things that shouldn't wait until July or August. The good thing is that the more stuff I schedule and make plans for, the less I feel like I must have this baby now, so maybe I can make it to June without losing my mind, lol!

just realized Dan & Ben will be home soon, so I'd better finish up here. Hope you're all having a good week! Belly rubs to all!!

[crunchywannabe]

Today is not a good day for me.

I spent the morning doing well with dh and kids and having fun. Then I got on the computer just now to find out a friend online(from another board) had just lost her baby to SIDS. :bawl

Physically I am fine...I spent most of the day yesterday in bed thanks to my SI joint being out of place again.

I may just end up hugging my kids and turning the computer off today....I will also skip my LLL meeting tonight as I am too emotional.

Hope everyone else has a better day....

[ksjhwkr]

Rubelin - what is arnica? What are you using it for? Just curious! :)

Jessica - I am so sorry for your friend's loss. My daughter died of SIDS in August, it is the hardest thing in the world. If you need to talk, need ideas on how to help her, or need resources for her, please please please let me know. :hug

[Smithie]

Well, the culture from the sample in the ER showed a run-of-the-mill UTI causer that responds to Macrobid. It's been over tweleve hours since my last dose of Tylenol, and I have only the very slighest fever - nothing like as bad as last night. So I ams ticking with it, and the DO was at least responsible enough to have me schedule a follow-up in two days. I'm glad somebody has finally decided to "own" my case and make sure I recover.

I'm going to try my utmost not to dose on Tylenol again, so that my mw can assess me in my true state at our appt tomorrow.

ON ANOTHER TOPIC ENTIRELY: hey Julie, do you have any of that fabric left over from my crib set? Due to the corner posts of the crib we got being really fat, we need to lengthen the little velcro straps that hold the bumpers in place. Other than that, it looks great, and I'll post pics for everybody to see as soon as I can show off your bumpers to their best advantage!

[liz-hippymom]

so does anyone know how effective pumping to stimulate labor is? in "having a baby naturally" it says that it is just as quick as giving the mom ocitocin- but this statement confused me, because i thought ocitocin was produced naturally by your body and pictocin was what someone "gave" you.... anyhow..ive been doing the EPO and pumping and tonight im going to try sex again.... :::trying to get excited about the prospect:::: :LOL
i want this baby OUT OUT i say! i had some noticable BH, maybe early surges earlier, but not for about 30 min...oh well
dialate dialate
lol
i iwsh i could get on more often, i hate having to read 3 pages everytime i get to a computer..i want my computer back.
smithie- sorry about the UTI, those suck
jessica- that is a very hard situation to be in, be as supportive as you can.....

[crunchywannabe]

so does anyone know how effective pumping to stimulate labor is?...

I had a friend on another board that I had told to do the pumping since regular nipple stimulation was not working. her water broke a few minutes after she started it.

coincidence? who knows.

thanks for the support for my friend. I have been having a very tough day, but have helped to coordinate some memorial funds etc for her and that has helped me to grieve.

[seedling]

For whoever asked, Arnica is a plant extract that helps heal bruises and relieves aches and pains. I've been using an arnica oil on my lower back and it seems to really help.

For those of you using EPO, what brand are you using and are you taking oral supplements? I've heard of some folks putting it on their cervix but oral sounds easier to me. I'm not going to start trying any of the labor starters yet...I really should wait until June 1st. But my how long away that sounds! Anyway, I HAVE to wait until next Tuesday b/c I'll be 37 weeks at that point. Any earlier and I'd have to go to the hospital.

Today is just a regular day, thank goodness. No meetings, appts, etc. My neighbor (who is due on Friday) is coming over with her kids to play. I'm glad to not have to go anywhere today. Had my GBS screen yesterday and should get the results this afternoon. Also had my platlett levels checked again (I get a blood disorder when I'm preggo when the platlett levels drop but last time they never got dangerously low). I should find out about that test in a couple days. I'm a little concerned about the platlett levels but beyond that, I'm just waiting to have this baby. I don't have to go back to my backup doctor for the duration. She just told me to give her a call and let her know the baby was here.

Jessica, I'm so sad for your friend.

Smithie, glad the fever seems to be going away. Hope all your other symptoms go away too!

[Smithie]

Temp was 98.5 this morning, which is still a little high for me, but definitely on the right track. At least I could stay out of the hospital if I went into labor now, since I'm conforming to the mythical "normal." ;)

I feel like I've been run over by a truck, though, and my BH hurt and they are unremitting - but I sense that my mw will tell me they're not being productive. It's more just that EVERYTHING on my body hurts. I feel like a worn-out shell that's about to be discarded. Which is appropriate, I guess. :throb

[bandana]

Hey everybody! I've missed you all.

Seedling, I FEEL YOU, girl. The grocery store twins/triplets comment was TOTALLY uncalled for :angry !!! It's happened to me before too, not quite like that, but equally as irritating.

My Mother's Day was wonderful and totally unexpected...DH sent me out for a mani and a pedi, and I threw in a preggo massage and a haircut. OY VEY, was that nice. :love

I too have been very worried about position, engagement, etc...I'm almost 35 weeks, and I FEEL like the babe's sitting pretty low, but how do I know? Last mw's appt. I was posterior, so I've been doing cat pose and all of the exercises I'm supposed to do...we'll see. I just have a hard time telling where the little monkey is exactly.

I'm sorta hoping we can make it all the way to June 19th...our house is NOT ready and our home visit is LESS THAN ONE WEEK AWAY!

Have a beautiful day...
~Laura
:grouphug

[Doodlebugsmom]

Smithie, you poor thing! I really hope you're all better soon! I can't imagine being sick like that at this point. I really don't think I'd survive! I'm so dang tired that I can't anything done. I just want to sleep, but of course that's impossible with a 2 year old running around like a wild banshee!

Seedling, I will start using EPO at 36 weeks, as my mw reccommends. I did the same last time and dd was born at 37 1/2 weeks. I did puncture the capsules and insert them vaginally. It does require wearing a panty liner because it leaks out some. I always did it before bed so I'd be laying down and it would leak less. EPO isn't really a labor starter, it just gets the cervix ripened. It doesn't cause dilation or anything like that.

[ksjhwkr]

thanks for the support for my friend. I have been having a very tough day, but have helped to coordinate some memorial funds etc for her and that has helped me to grieve.

Jessica - you have no idea how much that will help. It is expensive to bury a child, and something that you NEVER think about having to do...especially when your baby is so healthy. That will help to take a load off of their shoulders. :hug sweetie.

[ksjhwkr]

Seedling - so with the Arnica do you have dh massage it into your sore areas? I am very curious because I have such back pain when I'm not pregnant, it just is terrible when I am! I will try anything!!! Also, what is EPO?

I am physically doing great...go to the midwife tomorrow. I am going weekly just for position checks. I need to be sure this kiddo stays vertex. Having had a breech baby before, I am a little paranoid. However, I do my affirmations every night, "Baby will stay head down" 50 times! I just hope baby is listening!! :)

I am having lots of conflicting emotions...I am excited, I can't wait to have this baby here, but I am terrified at the same time. I am not scared of giving birth at all. I am totally confident in that part. It's the actually having the baby here, that's what is hard for me. I can protect this baby while s/he is in the womb, but as soon as s/he is born, I feel like I can't. I know it's just because of what happened with Emma. But, man it is hard. I am just praying that lightning doesn't strike twice. I really can't wait to hold and nurse and sleep with this baby. I miss all those things so much!!!!

Can't believe we are all so close to having our babies here!!!! Not much longer! :) YIPEE!!!!

[Greaseball]

:OT
I thought funeral homes buried infants at no cost? Maybe there is more to a funeral than I realized.

[crunchywannabe]

:OT
I thought funeral homes buried infants at no cost? Maybe there is more to a funeral than I realized.
nope--they do charge, and it is quite spendy too....some funeral homes will offer a reduced rate for infants, but others charge the normal price.

It is sad that it costs so much to bury your child...like you aren't going through enough as it is already :angry

[Greaseball]

:OT
I wonder if the laws about not doing your own funeral are really about health and safety, or if they are more about not taking money away from funeral homes. :angry

I think Mothering had an article about funerals, and that's where I heard that some homes bury infants at no cost, and children at cost.

Back on topic...

I'm getting more work done on the birth announcements. I filled in all the information I already know...which is just the last name and year of birth! :D

[dharmama]

:OT
I'm getting more work done on the birth announcements. I filled in all the information I already know...which is just the last name and year of birth! :D

:LOL

[Greaseball]

The outside is going to have the full name, and the inside will say "Born at home on (date, time). ...lbs, ...oz, ...inches."

I'm hesitant to write the born at home part now, just in case we have to transfer, because then I'll have ruined 12 handmade announcements. Still afraid I could jinx everything...

[Smithie]

Saw my mw and had a normal-for-me temperature of 97 degrees. Still 1 cm and intact, with the baby around -1 station. I let the student midwife do an internal exam for practice. She is a big woman with big hands. :eek

It turns out I was actually counting a bit behind - using the June 1st due date, I completed my 37th week YESTERDAY and am now within my window for a birth center birth. Thanks to the conflicting June 8th estimate offered by one of the other doctors, I have a full month of being "in the zone" and given the dilation and how soft my cervix is, she doesn't think I'll go that long. She's hoping I'll hold off 5 more days until the GBS culture comes back, and then anytime is cool.

So, yay. Hopefully I'm done with my pregnancy hassle. And the DO had her nurse call today to check on me! What a difference from my regular doctor!

[3girlsmommy]

smithie_ I'm glad you are feeling better! :)

[mattjule]

I have missed a lot of stuff in the couple days I haven't had the time to read the thread. Plus it is hard to want to read it when it references infant death so much. Really no hurt intended, just, well, at this stage of pregnancy when I am so emotional already, I don't want to be thinking about my baby dying all the time. It isn't that I don't recognize the possibility or empathize with the loss of another, it's just that since I can't control it, I might as well try not to worry about it. Maybe we can start a loss support/fear of loss thread? I mean, we have a whole forum now, we don't have to be restricted to one thread anymore. I am just having trouble reading about it every day. This group used to be so hopeful and excited and good at commiserating about the little things that are hard in pregnancy. Now it is sad/upsetting so much of the time. Really don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, just want to share how I feel and I know in things like this I don't express myself well so I am sorry if I have offended anyone.

Grease-I am doing homemade announcements too and struggling with the same thing. I KNOW I am having a boy and we have already chosen a name, but I still can't bring myself to write it on the annoucements-what if I am wrong? Same thing about the born at home part...though I thought about just adding at the bottom "well, we tried to anyway" if I end up being transferred LOL

Smithie-I'll look at the scraps and pattern and make you some extensions. How short are they? Measure from the end of the short piece of velcro to about the middle of the long piece and let me know...

I am not scared of birthing or having the baby here, I AM scared of getting through another month and a half getting bigger and hotter! Already most of my clothes don't fit well anymore and I really don't want to/can't afford to buy new ones. I think I will try to make myself some skirts to get me through. My belly is starting to make me waddle/have trouble getting out of the car/bathtub/bed/chairs...LOL. I met another local MDC mama the other day and she has a 7 month old daughter. Made me want my baby to be born so badly! So cute with the chubby cheeks and the fat little breastfed legs and the beautiful baby smile...I just wanted to hug her and sling her and kiss her. Ds didn't know what to think of her, he seemed very confused. I think it will be easier when things progress from birth instead of an interactive baby taking attention all of the sudden. At least I am holding onto that hope...

Turned out he is sick-nasty cold and that is where most of his horrid behavior is stemming from. Makes it easier to have patience, but I'll be glad when he kicks it.

I am so excited for those of you that are close to birthing! Sending good birth vibes to those that are ready and lots of belly rubs to those that still need some time. Have a great evening!

[ksjhwkr]

Greaseball - some will, but some won't. It just depends. But, you still have to buy the plot and the headstone. Some funeral homes will embalm for nothing, but charge for the casket. Headstones and plots aren't cheap either. Just depends, like I said. We were lucky, the funeral home in Utah did everything for free, but the one in Shawnee didn't. So, we had to pay for the embalming, the transferring her to Utah, and the casket. There is also the obituary..those can get VERY pricey. We did a relatively short one for Emma and it was over $300. Get's expensive, that's for sure. :(

[ksjhwkr]

Maybe we can start a loss support/fear of loss thread? I mean, we have a whole forum now, we don't have to be restricted to one thread anymore. I am just having trouble reading about it every day.

I understand your fear and being uncomfortable. I am really sorry, I would never want to make anyone uncomfortable by sharing my loss. I think it is a wonderful idea to start a thread for loss support/fear. I will do that. Again, I am really sorry. I am sure that some of what you are talking about is from me. It is just my reality and I was sharing with you all. I am not by any means offended though, please don't think that. It's so hard to get true meaning across when it is in writing, know what I mean? Anyway, I will start the new thread...Thank you again for sharing your feelings, I appreciate it. :)

[Smithie]

Julie: that measurement is about 5.5 inches (from the end of the short velcro to the middle of the long velcro, when I wrap both ends around the corner post of the crib). Please let me know if I measured the wrong thing. Thanks so much!

[Smithie]

Julie: that measurement is about 5.5 inches (from the end of the short velcro to the middle of the long velcro, when I wrap both ends around the corner post of the crib). Please let me know if I measured the wrong thing. Thanks so much!

[Smithie]

Julie: that measurement is about 5.5 inches (from the end of the short velcro to the middle of the long velcro, when I wrap both ends around the corner post of the crib). Please let me know if I measured the wrong thing. Thanks so much!

[Smithie]

Julie: that measurement is about 5.5 inches (from the end of the short velcro to the middle of the long velcro, when I wrap both ends around the corner post of the crib). Please let me know if I measured the wrong thing. Thanks so much!

[Smithie]

Julie: that measurement is about 5.5 inches (from the end of the short velcro to the middle of the long velcro, when I wrap both ends around the corner post of the crib). Please let me know if I measured the wrong thing. Thanks so much!

[Smithie]

First it posts quintuply, then it crashes when I try to edit our the four redundant posts! Sorry, y'all... :blush

[eilonwy]

Good morning everyone!

Eli's feeling much better today; the rash is mostly gone. My sister looked at him yesterday and said "Yeah, it does look like roseola." She also told me that my niece only had the fever for 8 hours, so I feel better about the fact that Eli's only lasted for 20. :LOL She had it when she was 6 months old, so it was a huge run to the ER thing and run a bunch of tests deal. The next day she'd broken out in a rash, went for her follow-up and the doctor said "Oh, she's got roseola." and then all the stuff for viruses (rest, fluids, etc.) :LOL I'm kind of glad that Eli's ped is an hour and a half away, and that we have to pay to go, because I think about these things more, kwim? I'm not as certain that I'd think everything through so carefully if I could just walk him a few blocks every time he got sick. :LOL Well, I probably would at that. :LOL

When I told my brother's girlfriend that Eli had a fever and a rash, she flipped out and asked why he wasn't vaccinated. I was like "If it's rubella, he hasn't had the vaccine because he's already had the measles; the only reason there is a rubella vaccine is because it's dangerous to pregnant women in their first trimesters. If it's roseola, there's no vaccine for it because it doesn't do anything." :rolleyes: From her reaction, you'd have thought I said he had the plague. :LOL It was hard not to laugh. In fact, I may have laughed but because we were on IM she didn't hear it. :LOL :rotflmao She's totally paranoid about baby viruses, and that's sad because not only is she pregnant but she wants to be a doctor and is actually not terribly far from completing her undergraduate studies. :LOL She told me she was afraid of disease and I said "Maybe you should really consider a different career path, then." :LOL I'm working on her. :LOL

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. I've gained four pounds, and I think it's water I'm retaining because I don't eat or drink enough. :guilty In fact, I passed out at the office yesterday. It was horrible and I felt sick and miserable and was told to force myself to drink. I don't need to eat if I don't want to, but I have to force fluids down. That's soooo difficult for me! My stomach feels full all the time. I know I have to do it, because otherwise I'll end up in the hospital on an IV, but it's a real pain in the ass. :( They tried to make me eat a nutri-grain muffin thingy, and I got about half of it down before I felt sick again. I forced myself to drink some sprite before I drove to get Mike from work, so I wouldn't pass out on the road. *sigh* Blech.

[mattjule]

Thanks for understanding, Kim. I was really worried after I posted last night, but I still needed to say something, you know?

Smithie- 5.5 inches. Got it. LOL I'll go get more velcro (it is white, right?) in the next couple days...Good thing I haven't tossed your address yet!

[Queen of Cups]

Hello, everyone!

I'm still hanging in here... no huge changes since my last midwife appt, so as far as I know I'm still 5cm and 80% effaced. Since she stripped my membranes Monday afternoon I've had bleeding on and off all week and surges that vary from mild to quite intense, but they never seem to stay in a regular pattern for more than a few hours at most. Bleah!

My parents and M-I-L are in town, and we've been having a nice vacation week. I hope everyone else is doing well!

[eilonwy]

Hm. When I hit "reply to thread" I can see the message I typed as well as the ones afterwards, but when I open the thread I can't see anything past the quintuple post. :scratch At any rate: A whole new list! (http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=138678) I mailed all the bracelets on that list yesterday. I tried to get on last night, but the computer and my Mike were cranky so it didn't happen. :LOL At any rate, there it is! Please get back to me ASAP if your name isn't on the list, I want to make sure I have everything straight but I feel like my brain is leaking out of my ears. :nut

I also feel vaguely sick.. I guess it's time to eat something. :guilty I am having such a hard time with this business of eating and drinking when I'm not hungry/thirsty. It's totally antithetical to my thoughts on food! (only a few more weeks, only a few more weeks, only a few more weeks, only a few more weeks, only a few more weeks, only a few more weeks.....)

[dharmama]

Ok. Want to know something weird. My subscribed threads in my user CP says that Rynna replied this morning but the last post I can see is Smithie's. :scratch

[eilonwy]

Erin, I can only see posts after Smithie's when I hit the reply to thread button.. which is why I'm going over to questions and suggestions right now. This is getting strange.

[Greaseball]

About obits - Our newspaper does them free, but you don't get to write your own. You provide the info and they write it. My dad didn't want to go that way, so he wrote one for my brother. Just basic info - name, date of birth and death, place of birth, high school graduate, we'll miss him, names of other family members - and it cost $90 and got put in some general advertising section. And they spelled my name wrong.

Ok - end of death mention.

I had my 38-wk appt today (well, Saturday will be 38 weeks) and they are guessing in a week I could be all done! Not wanting to get my hopes up, but we'll see. They said the head is really low and more fixed than it was last week. I brought my iron up, it had been really low around 36 weeks. All seems to be well!

I bet QOC goes before me...but maybe I will be second??

[3girlsmommy]

UGH I'm tired! THe girls and I went on a tour of a fire house this mornin w/ out Mommy & Me group. I try to go to at least one or two a year so they can see what a firefighter looks like w/ all the stuff on and I tell them over and over again while the guy is standing there that if there is ever a fire fighter in our house RUN to him/her because they her there to HELP you. My oldest gets it, I think but poor Maddie was completly freaked out by the guy in all his stuff. I just pray they never have to come to our house! THen after the tour we met dh for lunch at the mall and the girls and I went shopping. We have a birthday party to go to this weekend and a new baby to meet plus my oldest have almost no summer clothes that fit her. She's growing like a weed!!!

Hope everyone is having a great day! The girls and I are heading out to the sprinkler!

[Smithie]

Well gee, I guess I screwed up our thread really well, huh?

I can see all the subesequent posts now, but I had the same issue earlier where I could only see my quintuple post even though I know that Rynna had posted after me. Strange. I hope it's been resolved.

Julie - yep, it's white. just let me know what you spend on velcro and shipping.

In other news, I was just embroiled in a dogfight. My 2 y.o. and 4 y.o. cousins wanted to go to the little park down the street, so I leashed up the dogs and off we went. The neighbor's dog decided to come down the street. He is a nice guy and hangs out in his own yard unleashed, but when he came into our yard and sniffed my terrier, all hell broke loose. I don't know why - maybe because the boys were there.

Anyhow, I'm having my (hopefully) last ultrasound today! Wish me luck!

[Doodlebugsmom]

Hi everyone! I find myself checking our thread more frequently to find out if any babies have been born yet! I've been having BH contractions very frequently for the last couple of days. Everytime I get up or bend over. Also when I pick dd up or do any type of physical activity. I've also been STARVING. I had lost my appetite all together, but two days ago it came back. I'm not really craving anything, I'm just hungry ALL THE TIME. I'm beginning to wonder if my body is trying to prepare for some work! I'm not quite 35 weeks yet, so I'd like to get a couple more weeks in. I've been so tired it's just ridiculous. I have trouble getting motivated to do anything. Especially in the afternoon. In the morning I feel really good and then when dh gets home I get a spurt of energy. Dd is really wearing me out. I've been trying to cuddle and play with her lots because she'll miss a little of that when the baby comes. I've been a little worried about her getting mad at me when the new baby is here.

Rynna, I wish I could share some of my appetite and thirst with you! I'm sorry you passed out at the dr. I'm quite an experienced fainter myself and I know how bad it sucks. Your blood sugar probably gets a little low since you can't eat or drink much.

[seedling]

Okay, I've spent all day doing fun kid stuff and am completely wiped PLUS I have to work now. So a quick post. Kim, yes, I get DH to rub my back with the arnica oil. Very nice. And EPO is Evening Primrose Oil. Just got some this afternoon from Whole Foods.

Well, got my d*^n test results back. Platelet count is at 102K. It's 170K when I'm not preggo. I'm not surprised really b/c this is the exact same thing that happened last pregnancy but it's frustrating b/c I've been taking alfafa for 8 mths now and trying to eat right. So I guess I truly do get thromobocytopenia (or however the heck you spell that) when I'm preggo. I'm going to increase my nettle tea consumption and pray. I have to get tested once a week now until I deliver. Cause if it goes too low it could be dangerous. AND, I'm GBS positive. Fortunately my midwife can adminster antibiotics and we've already discussed that I don't want them unless I show symptoms in labor (fever, waters broken for really long time, etc). So nothing catastrophic but jeez oh pete ain't it wonderful?

Alright, now it's time to get to work.

[crunchywannabe]

Julie-I am sorry if I upset you by mentioning my friends loss. I was just trying to post what I was going through this week, and did not think it would be so upsetting for anyone else.

Please accept my apologies.

Other than that, I am feeling better today. I have been painting some little shelves to hang on the wall to hold books and such...my tummy is really changing. I did a belly shot on Monday and it already looks way different today! I think I am dropping a little.

Baby is still posterior, and nothing is helping. I know that with an anterior placenta, I have a chance of her staying that way, but I figured because it was fundal...that it would be out of the way and she could move.

Any suggestions???

[dharmama]

Jessica ~ Do you see a chiropractor? If you have someone trained in the Webster Technique that's supposed to help w/ optimal fetal positioning. Most people mainly think of it for turning breech babies, but it helps with rotating posterior babies too.

I don't know what's going on with my appetite. I'm hungry all the time but NOTHING appeals to me. Very frustrating. Oooooo....except lemonade...I'm craving that big time. :yum

[mother4good]

I don't see another thread either...

Does anyone know of a way to make sure the head engages? I don't think it has yet and I'm worried about the prolapse factor. With #1 it didn't engage until 38 weeks, and then I went into labor the next day. But my midwife said that the pubic bone pain I've been having might be from the baby's head being caught on it, so now I'm all worried that it won't engage.

I know people say that in subsequent pg's, often it won't engage until labor begins, but I know other people who are on their 2nd or later pg and they say they engaged at 28 weeks! :confused: So I don't know...

I think prolapse is pretty rare, but my chiro showed me pictures of different pelvises and it is no wonder some kids have a hard time getting down there! After only 3 adjustments to my sacrum, my baby locked in so deep my MW could feel the sutures in her little head. (I was so jealous!) She hasn't moved at all. I go in once a week to keep my sacrum aligned. But then, i have had trouble with it before, so maybe it is just me. It was like he just opened me up and she dropped right in!

[crunchywannabe]

Jessica ~ Do you see a chiropractor? If you have someone trained in the Webster Technique that's supposed to help w/ optimal fetal positioning. Most people mainly think of it for turning breech babies, but it helps with rotating posterior babies too.



You know, in my doula training we talked a lot about this too...but it was only talked about for transverse and breech babies, I never heard it worked for posterior babies too! thank you.....I will have to check that out. :thumb

[irishgreengables]

Does anyone else have these weird visual sensations? I see these sparkling sliver lights. I know, it could be worse! ;)
???

I am a bit late in responding here -- but YES YES YES!!! My friend says that she got these a lot while pregnant and was anemic, so I am trying to get more iron in my diet.

Are your's still around?

Peace,

[Greaseball]

Mine come and go...I've been getting more iron too.

[eilonwy]

Last night, I asked Mike if he'd help me start using EPO at week 37 and he said "No." Just like that!! He's terrified of having another NICU baby, and I didn't realize how much so until last night. He said he'd consider changing his mind... at 41 weeks!! :dropjaw

I'm not ready for NewBean to come yet, but I'm totally ready to not be pregnant anymore. I hate not being able to finish things! Blah, blah, icky blah!

[3girlsmommy]

LAst night I was having surges every 10 to 15 minutes. It was weird every 10 - 15 minutes my stomach would become rock hard and I would feel so much pressure. They went away during the night but I have to say they kinda freaked me out a little. I'm only 34 weeks 4 days and I really need this baby to cook until 39 weeks. All this didn't start until 38 weeks w/ my second.

Hope everyone is doing well!

[Doodlebugsmom]

Sandi, I had the same thing going on last night! They weren't painful or anything, but I'm sure they were coming every 10-15 minutes. I was a little freaked because I'm also just 34 1/2 weeks. They stopped almost as soon as I laid down in bed. I think it happened because I didn't get enough rest yesterday and I tried to do much. I'm going to ask my mw about it today at my appt. I never felt anything like this with dd. In fact, I didn't feel a single contraction until I was in transition!

[mother4good]

You know, in my doula training we talked a lot about this too...but it was only talked about for transverse and breech babies, I never heard it worked for posterior babies too! thank you.....I will have to check that out. :thumb

Yes, I have heard of it too! I had it done with this babe for breech, but my chiro is a lecturer on the topic and gave me some info to read. It did mention posterior alot. Also, my MW said that it can help prevent all kinds of funny positions, such as a hand coming out with the head, which I guess can cause tearing. I have become a true believer. My little punkin was having quite a time tossing and turning in there but never in the right spot, then, after 3 visits, she is in exactly the right place. She seems quite content. Much calmer and hasn't moved except to stretch a little from time to time.

My insurance isn't covering it, but it is pretty cheap. Try this link to find a provider in your area. I will warn you, though, different docs use different styles. I would suggest reading up on the technique before you go, so you know what to expect. The first doc I went to said he was going to do the W.T., charged me $100 (2 visits) and never did the technique, as it should be done. This second guy is very by-the-book and it worked like a charm!

http://www.icpa4kids.com/webster_technique.htm

Good Luck!

[Queen of Cups]

Still no baby! So, I'm now to the point of trying pumping to get things going. I pumped for 1/2 hour on each side last night, and since I've been having minor contractions this morning I pumped for about 10 minutes on each side. Being a first-time mom its interesting to be given real-and-true proof that you really can provide milk! (or, in this case, colostrum) I got about 1.5 ounces last night and about .5 ounces this morning...

I hope everyone is doing well - its rainy and cold here, which doesn't help to cheer me up at all. My parents are going to leave tomorrow if there's no baby, and then come back when the baby's born. Its going to be sooo sad if they leave tomorrow. Please, everyone, send me birthing vibes today!

[mattjule]

Birthing vibes birthing vibes birthing vibes...

2girls-that is a good idea about the fireman-I'll have to start doing that when Tain can comprehend the rationale.

crunchy-I don't want anyone to feel they can't share what is going on with them, I just felt the topic as a whole was starting to dominate conversation on the thread. Don't apologize...

Well, we got a really cold snap the last couple days and being pg isn't near as irritating. So maybe we can have unusually cold weather until I give birth?

Has anyone thought about what they are going to do for Father's Day? I am getting dh a really nice fold up BBQ (ah, apt living) and LOTR Two Towers Platinum Edition (which he nags me about every time we are somewhere that sells it-last night we were in Target with a gift cert from his mom and I saw him stop and stare at it, but I had just bought it on Amazon before we left the house-thank God he didn't say anything and I didn't have to come up with a lame, transparent lie!). I know it is early, but Father's Day (June 20) is so close to my edd I worry a little about not having time/energy or birthing and totally spacing his gift. He was so wonderful to me on Mother's Day and I suspect the summer is going to be pretty hard for him-adjusting to 2 kids, a tired/exasperated wife, and working- I just want to make sure he knows how much we appreciate him. Anyone else thought about where this special day fits into their life with a new baby?

my birth announcements are not coming together and I am getting frustrated! I don't want something typically babyish. I fiddled around with a celtic tree of life symbol for the front and it is okay, but the pen I chose doesn't match the gold and black of the symbol and then I think, wow, it looks a little severe and not that happy blah blah blah. How hard should this be?! Maybe I'll go with a butterfly motif instead... The tree was going to be really cool, though, b/c Tain's name is a mythological forest god and Rowan's is a tree, plus the whole circle of life thing, it was just going to work out so nicely-until I couldn't find a tree I liked. Arg. I am making 50 (no one lives near us this time) so I hate to scrap what I have already done, but I think I am going to anyway. What a pain.

Anyone else have a project gone terribly wrong?

[Greaseball]

My announcements are coming along OK, but some don't look as good as others, so I'm sending those to the less important family members. :D I only had to make 12, though.

[seedling]

My announcements won't be nearly so personal. My sister is doing them for me on her computer after the baby is born. I just have to get all the envelopes addressed and it looks like we'll be sending out about 75 (yikes!). I do have to rough out an idea of what I want them to look like for her. I've already purchased the paper & envelopes.

So, I've done some searching and I think I'm going to try some diet/probiotic tricks for this GBS. My midwife is out of town but I have an appt with her next Friday and I'm going to ask her opionion about retesting. I'll have to go in to my backup doc anyway for bloodwork for the platelet thing. I mean, it doesn't mean automatic antibiotics for me since I'm doing it at home. But it would be nice to try to clear it up. Hmmm.

Well, DD is at her grandmom's this morning/early afternoon. Yay! I've been busting my butt with work for the past hour and am going to try to squeeze in two more before heading out for some gardening before she comes home. I hate that I feel like I'm sneaking to get any gardening in. I always feel like I have to use my time without DD to work. It sucks.

Oh well, back to it.

[mother4good]

Still no baby! So, I'm now to the point of trying pumping to get things going. I pumped for 1/2 hour on each side last night, and since I've been having minor contractions this morning I pumped for about 10 minutes on each side. Being a first-time mom its interesting to be given real-and-true proof that you really can provide milk! (or, in this case, colostrum) I got about 1.5 ounces last night and about .5 ounces this morning...

I hope everyone is doing well - its rainy and cold here, which doesn't help to cheer me up at all. My parents are going to leave tomorrow if there's no baby, and then come back when the baby's born. Its going to be sooo sad if they leave tomorrow. Please, everyone, send me birthing vibes today!

I'm new to this forum. How come you are trying to go early? Just curious.

[ksjhwkr]

Birth Announcements??? Hmm...probably not happening :shake I didn't do them with Emma. I actually saw one online that was so cool. It was pictures of the birth (no crotch shots though) and of the family all set to music. We may do something like that. That's something that dh can do while baby and I sleep. yeah, I will probably do that. We just don't have anything extra, so I wouldn't even be able to afford the stamps for all the announcements I would want to send out.
That takes me into Father's Day. I will make dh dinner, but since I am "due" on the 21st, I won't be doing too much. He already knows that he isn't going to get too much this year. If I'm still pregnant we may go and spend it with my brother and his family. His oldest boy will be turning 12 that day and my Folks will be out here at that time. So, I am guessing that we will be doing something with them. Gets me off the hook for making a big dinner! :LOL I will probably make him his favorite dessert though. He bought me a lemon drop pie for Mother's day..it was SO fabulous!!! We just do cheap stuff here.
I went and saw my midwife yesterday, just to check baby's position. Baby is still vertex!!!! ROA yesterday, I am SO happy!!!! :banana I'm telling you, I have one breech baby and now I am a FREAK SHOW about this baby being breech. But, I am doing my affirmations everynight - "Baby will stay head down". I say it 50 times before bed. Hopefully s/he is listening! ;)

[Smithie]

We had our fourth and (hopefully) last ultrasound today. James weighs about 6 lbs 9 ozs, head is down, placenta and cord nicely out of the way, and with the EDD confirmed we are cleared for takeoff at the birth center!

Now watch him settle in for another month. :baby

[Greaseball]

Seedling - to get a negative result on my test, I took grapefruit seed extract and garlic capsules. Also some echinacea, until I ran out, and cinnamon tea, extra vitamin c & e. I don't know if it made a difference (maybe I would have been negative anyway?) but GSE and garlic are supposed to be natural antibiotics that don't carry the risks of producing resistant strains.

My midwife recommends the use of raw garlic orally and/or vaginally for + women who don't want to use abx.

They said my baby's position was ROT. What does the T mean? Transverse?

[Smithie]

It seems to mean tranverse, but not the kind you should panic about:

http://www.iv-stock.com/ivstock/pic.asp?ID=130-07223&PageSize=15&PageNo=0&ImgNo=2&Range=Auto&Format=&Terms=Forces+in+Labor+-+Infant+position+at+Crowning&category=

The picture's tiny, sorry.

[Queen of Cups]

Mother4good - I'm currently 37+ weeks pregnant, but have been in pre-term labor for a few weeks now. At about 35 weeks I went in to see the midwife because I wasn't feeling "right" - I was 3cm dialated and 80% effaced. I was put on bedrest and procardia for a week. During the week I had one episode where I was having contractions every 5-7 minutes for a few hours and ended up with a couple shots of terb. By 36 weeks I was 4cm, 70% effaced and the baby was at a -1 station. Off the meds, off the bedrest. Last weekend - at 37 weeks - I had contractions every 2-4 minutes for 18 hours. After going to labor and delivery and finding that I hadn't progressed much, I decided to come home. At my appointment the next day, the midwife checked me and I was 5cm, 80% effaced, and the baby is engaged still.

After all this stress, dissapointment, and the exhaustion of having constant contractions for 3 weeks now, I'm ready to deliver. My midwife is quite surprized that I haven't dropped this baby yet, being a first-time mom this far dialated for so long.

I hope I'm not jumping the gun, but I REALLY don't need anything but positive support at the moment. I've had a very upsetting few weeks, with a lot of bad news today, and I do not want to justify my reasons for trying to help this baby and my body get into a functional birthing pattern...

[Greaseball]

I just got my bracelet in the mail - it's gorgeous! :hippie

[mother4good]

Queen of Cups,

I am sorry you feel the need to be defensive. I had read some of your posts and was just curious. I am sure you are very tired and stressed out by now, with everything going on. Good Luck.

[Smithie]

Queen of Cups,

I am sorry you feel the need to be defensive.

I realize this may have sounded much different in your head than it came out in print, but that is NOT an apology. It's passive-aggressive weirdness, and we try not to to that to each other here. An appropriate response would have been "I wasn't questioning your decision, I was just confused, sorry."

Whether because of discomfort, worries about baby's welfare, or a need to deal with stupid obstetric policies, probably most of us will reach a point where we are actively trying to get baby out. Let's just trust each other to know when the right moment is to try get the show on the road. ;)

[mother4good]

I realize this may have sounded much different in your head than it came out in print, but that is NOT an apology.

I am not sure what is going on here. The reason that didn't sound like an apology was because it wasn't one. I didn't realize I needed to apologize. My motivation for asking the question was sheer curiosity, not judgement. I was just curious what was going on, since many of us are around the same due dates and I am interested in what we are all going through. I have learned things with this pregnancy that I never knew existed with the first 2, so I am always reading to see what people are up to.

My second post was an attempt to respond to her reply by saying that I am sure it is a stressful situation and I can understand why she said she only needed support at this point. I remember feeling very anxious with my first, but for different reasons. I wasn't apologizing becasue I didn't feel I had used improper form or judgement in asking the question in the first place. Perhaps there was an implied tone in my post that was unintended, but I am not sure how my asking the question showed a lack of "trust" as you call it. Yesterday was my first trip to this forum. Maybe I misunderstood the nature of. If I did, I am sorry for that.

I just reread my post and I am sure it sounds snarky too. I do not mean it to be. I do not know how to convey intonation in type, I guess. I feel very much like the new kid at school who doesn't get what's going on. I have never been on a MDC forum that felt like that before. That is my fault for waiting so long to join the group. I apologize for upsetting both of you.

[crunchywannabe]

I am not sure what is going on here. The reason that didn't sound like an apology was because it wasn't one. I didn't realize I needed to apologize. My motivation for asking the question was sheer curiosity, not judgement. I was just curious what was going on, since many of us are around the same due dates and I am interested in what we are all going through. I have learned things with this pregnancy that I never knew existed with the first 2, so I am always reading to see what people are up to.

My second post was an attempt to respond to her reply by saying that I am sure it is a stressful situation and I can understand why she said she only needed support at this point. I remember feeling very anxious with my first, but for different reasons. I wasn't apologizing becasue I didn't feel I had used improper form or judgement in asking the question in the first place. Perhaps there was an implied tone in my post that was unintended, but I am not sure how my asking the question showed a lack of "trust" as you call it. Yesterday was my first trip to this forum. Maybe I misunderstood the nature of. If I did, I am sorry for that.

I just reread my post and I am sure it sounds snarky too. I do not mean it to be. I do not know how to convey intonation in type, I guess. I feel very much like the new kid at school who doesn't get what's going on. I have never been on a MDC forum that felt like that before. That is my fault for waiting so long to join the group. I apologize for upsetting both of you.

((hugs)) I can understand your asking as well...because I was going to do the same thing. I can certainly understand the OP's frustration though. My last 4 children have been induced because I was dilated to a 4 and 95% effaced for a month with regular contractions and would not go into labor :angry with my last one I was on bedrest from 26 weeks on with the same thing...and at 38 1/2 weeks was induced for signs of pre-eclampsia....but I would have never let them induce me sooner than term either. (luckily, my inductions were very positive experiences with my longest being 4 hours, and my last 2 being 1 hour and 45 min each--and those had epidurals even!!) We are starting to think my body just does not produce enough hormones to actually go into labor! :wink either that, or it knows that i like being pregnant so much that it want's me to be like a gestating elephant! :rotflmao

Its Friday. It has been a long week. And I know that I personally am OVERLY hormonal right now-so i hope my post is not taken as mean either.

I am pretty sure the baby dropped this week. I can finally eat more than 2 bites of food. I had my belly shot on Monday, and I look totally different! Maybe I will take another one and compare.


((hugs)) to all and I hope we all have good weekends!

[eilonwy]

Eli just walked up to me and told me it was naptime. "I want a nap. Nursie nursies, please." When I asked him to give me a minute, he said "Now, mamma!" :LOL It totally blows my mind to think that in a few weeks, I'll have a little tiny person who won't be able to ask for her nursies with words for at least a month! :eek Totally amazing. I just can't get over it!

It's taken all this time, but I really feel a strong connection with NewBean as my daughter now. I'm looking forward to seeing her and figuring out her name (we've got a very short list, but Mike & I have agreed that we can't name her until we see her), and learning who she is as a person. I no longer think of her as a small, intra-uterine, female version of Eli, and I think that's really contributed to the bonding process. She seems like more of a person to me than ever before and I'm getting to the "excited to meet the baby" phase of pregnancy. I'm definately at the point where I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore, but I am not yet screaming "Get it OUT!!!" like I was with Eli at 33 weeks. :LOL

Father's Day-- I'm hoping to have a baby around then! :LOL Seriously, if I haven't delivered NewBean, I have no idea. I'll ask Mike about it, I have no clue what he wants. He'll probably say that he wants it to be better than his birthday the year I was pregnant with Eli (just over a week before Eli was born) and I can't really blame him for that, as it ended with a lovely night in the ER and me unable to speak for several hours. :rolleyes: Maybe he'll want some lovin' :wink and, if I haven't delivered, I'll definately be keen on that! :LOL

I've discovered that I can get hungry if I spend the whole day chasing Eli inside; I stay active and relatively cool. If I step outdoors, I get warm and the appetite vanishes. Today I managed to drink a bit more and I even ate enough that Eli ate all of his lunch! Yay! :balloons

QoC-- I so know where you're coming from! Best wishes for a quick and safe delivery! :)

Greaseball--wow, that was fast! Very cool! I'm glad you like it, I hope everyone likes theirs. They're all similar, yet unique. In fact, if I'd been in my right mind I'd have taken pictures... but I'm kinda not with it. :LOL

[ksjhwkr]

I had my belly shot on Monday, and I look totally different! Maybe I will take another one and compare.

Ok, I wanna see!!!!

[Smithie]

It's cool, mother4good. Induction in general is really sensitive topic, but if you have no agenda there then you didn't say anything wrong. QoC and I are due around the same time and both showing signs of going early - so i just got a little momma tigerish. My bad. :blush

I'm glad you found us, and we'd love to hear all about your pregnancy!

[mattjule]

I started the Birth Blessing: www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=145491

[LizD]

I am trying to keep the baby in. I am 35 weeks and have high GBS colonization which increases the risk of PROM, and premature babies are at greater risk of GBS disease. My midwife prescribed douche with salt water 3x week and washing with hibiclens at every use of the toilet to reduce the colonization. I have no problem using the abx if she feels it is necessary because her decision on that depends on the person/labor/situation.

The head is so low it almost feels like it's falling out. So now I have to lie down in the middle of the day at least once. I have also always read this is unusual for subsequent babies but here we are. It has been very low for weeks now. Since I feel fine and can still bend/lift/mow the lawn it will be difficult to "take it easy" the next few weeks. I suppose I had better order my diapers soon.

My baby is posterior but my daughter was also born face-up. I had no "back labor" and was only in pain for maybe two hours so I don't worry about it. I really feel leaving well enough alone is the best course whether it is about position/induction/etc. Any time we take steps to interfere we increase risk of complications. But that is my birth philosophy; everyone has their own. I just wanted to point out having a posterior birth was no big deal to me; I wouldn't have ever thought of it except I remember my first was born face-up. She was not posterior before labor, btw, so she must have turned around to be born.

Amazing it is already close enough that some ladies here are ready to go any time! I can hardly believe it is the middle of May.

[eilonwy]

I am trying to keep the baby in. I am 35 weeks and have high GBS colonization which increases the risk of PROM, and premature babies are at greater risk of GBS disease. My midwife prescribed douche with salt water 3x week and washing with hibiclens at every use of the toilet to reduce the colonization. I have no problem using the abx if she feels it is necessary because her decision on that depends on the person/labor/situation.

I thought that any kind of douche was more likely to push the bacteria up past your cervix...:scratch I seem to remember being told not to put anything into my vagina because that might send the bacteria up and in.

It seems that if Eli did have a GBS infection at birth, I will automatically get antibiotics during labor. The problem is, I got two full rounds of penicillin before I developed a fever during labor, so the GBS I'm carrying is already known to be penicillin-resistant; that rules out an entire class of antibiotics. I can't take sulfa drugs because of Eli's metabolic disorder, and I can't take the 'ycin' drugs because they make me horrifically ill. So where does that leave me?! :eek :scared :yikes: :eek

[eilonwy]

Hm. I've been trying to figure out why on earth I'm still awake at 1:30 am when I finally realized... I've been having contractions since around 8:30 tonight. :rolleyes: Not labor, but enough to make me want to be up and bouncing on the ball. (I got a playball at K-mart on the suggestion of a friend who used one during her last homebirth... very big, very sturdy, very comfortable, and cheap too!) I'm going to pry myself away from the boards now and try to sleep. :LOL

[3girlsmommy]

The problem is, I got two full rounds of penicillin before I developed a fever during labor, so the GBS I'm carrying is already known to be penicillin-resistant; that rules out an entire class of antibiotics. I can't take sulfa drugs because of Eli's metabolic disorder, and I can't take the 'ycin' drugs because they make me horrifically ill. So where does that leave me?! :eek :scared :yikes: :eek

This has always been my worry too. I'm allergic to both pennicillian and sulfa drugs and I've wondered what they would give me if I was GBS +. It's always a pain when I'm really sick and need an antibiotic because the doctor has to match the drug w// the illness and then pick one that I can take and it's usually very expensive. Hopefully I will stay - as I was w/ the other two.

[eilonwy]

This has always been my worry too. I'm allergic to both pennicillian and sulfa drugs and I've wondered what they would give me if I was GBS +. It's always a pain when I'm really sick and need an antibiotic because the doctor has to match the drug w// the illness and then pick one that I can take and it's usually very expensive. Hopefully I will stay - as I was w/ the other two.

:nod Zithromax. It's like, $80 for a 5-day course. Plus, I don't even know if there *is* an IV version of it. :shrug

[mattjule]

I keep having dreams that the baby is malformed. Last night I dreamt that he had way too many fingers and the bones in his chest didn't match up (that part is a direct product of a movie I watched recently). All this figured out b/c of an in-utero x-ray (which I obviously never had). Weird dreams don't usually bother me, but during pregnancy I always wake up confused and have to lie there for an hour slowly telling myself all the reasons my dream isn't my reality. It gets a little old after a while. I look forward to going back to being a sceptic-even when I am dreaming!

What have the rest of you done about outgrowing your maternity clothes? I don't mind my belly sticking out of my shirts, but none of my pants fit anymore and I can't hardly walk around in my skivvies. I really don't want to buy anything I can't wear postpartum since I am so close to the end. Funny thing is, 2 out of the 4 pairs I have left that are comfortable aren't even maternity! They just fit under my belly comfortably. Okay, 4 sounds like a lot-it is definitely more than I had at the end last time, but when dh only does laundry every 2 wks and I am with a 2 yo 24 hours a day, 4 definitely doesn't last. Not to mention only one pair are really out of the house appropriate.

So what is the story on the blessings? I posted mine and no one has posted since. Is everyone waiting for something? Am I just impatient?

[Queen of Cups]

mattjule - I keep having weird dreams, too. The night before last I dreamt the baby was kicking me on the left side (as always) and kicked so hard that it ruptured through my skin! In the dream I thought, "Well, at least that broke my water! Maybe I should call the midwife..."

I haven't gotten my bracelet yet, but when I do, I'll add to the blessing!

[Greaseball]

38 weeks today! I guess this baby is going to hang around longer than #1. It's starting to get really low, though. It puts a lot of pressure on my bladder, and the mw said I have the faint beginnings of a UTI, so I'm trying to wipe it out so that I don't have to take abx.

Our chickens got attacked last night! :crying One of them has all her tail feathers pulled out, and the other has scratches on her legs. We've been getting lazy and not closing the coop at night. I figure it was either a cat or a raccoon. They're looking kind of stunned today, and Linda is upset because we won't let her go out and chase them like we do every morning. We told her they aren't feeling well and we have to be nice to them. I think chickens are smarter than people give them credit for. Every time a cat comes into the yard, they make this alarm sound and then come pecking at the door. They know we will come out and chase the cat away. I wish there were some law about cats. You can't let your dog roam free, but your cat is allowed to walk into anyone's yard. It's not like I let my chickens wander around, getting into everyone's gardens...oh well. It probably was a cat who attacked them; a raccoon probably would have killed them.

[dharmama]

Hello everyone!

I've had a very stressful week - DH has been working 12+ hour days all week so he's been very stressed and exhausted. He's missed two of my prenatal appointments in the last couple of weeks, we had to reschedule a meeting with our doula because something came up for him at work, and I have pregnancy photos scheduled for Monday night and he told me there's a good chance he won't be able to be there. :crying

We had a nice talk last night (in the middle of the night when I woke up for one of my many trips to the bathroom) and I told him my concerns about not being able to talk to him during the day (he's ALWAYS in meetings when I call) and how I'm scared about being home with the baby while he's working such long hours. I reminded him that a little goes a long way when it comes to communication and that he needs to call me at LEAST once a day just to say hello and drop me occasional e-mails to check in.

He had no idea that I was feeling all this and we were both relieved once we talked about it.

Other than that I am having a massive surge of energy (OR maybe I'm just motivated by the fact that I'm now just about 36 weeks and I feel the clock ticking!). I have been majorly nesting - working in the yard, reorganizing/cleaning my kitchen, doing lots of baby :laundry. Fun...fun!

My parents bought us a glider rocker (they wanted to buy us a crib but we said we'd prefer the rocker!) and it arrived today. It is SO comfy and relaxing to sit and rock. Can't believe I'll be holding and rocking my baby girl in just a few weeks.

Grease ~ :hug We've had many chicken attacks here...it's always SO upsetting. That's cool that your girls come and knock on your door. Our first chickens (long gone due to a fox :angry) used to do that. Our current batch don't tend to wander up to the house very much. We have a dozen chicks coming at the beginning of June (hopefully not the same week the baby comes). :LOL I can't wait!

We had an adventure this morning because our sheep figured out that they could jump out of their pen. We've been commenting for a while about the fact that they easily could but isn't it cool that they don't know it blah, blah, blah. This morning my DH looked out the window and was like...guess what? The sheep finally figured out that they can jump the fence. It was an adventure to round them up and get them secured again. Now I have to figure out what the heck I can build that will keep them in. :scratch

Anyway...

:blah

This is what happens when I don't get to post for a couple of days! :LOL

OHHHHHH...oh my gosh...how could I forget...Rynna...I got my bracelet last night. It is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!! Thank you SOOOO much! I have to think about my blessing a little bit and then I will be over to join you Julie!

Peaceful birthing vibes to those who need them and gentle belly rubs (or foot rubs - your choice) to everyone else!

~Erin
:love

[Smithie]

I'll post my blessing when I get my bracelet, too.

I had my baby shower today! Got some things I had registered for plus some nice surprises. One of my hippie friends knitted a balnket and also gave us soem Kushies, heh. She is hoping that I will decide to CD after the newborn period. ;)

Dh had to go into work after the shower and he will be working tomorrow, too. He just got told on Friday that on Monday he is giving a presentation to a Really Important Guy, not saying who, but his name sounds a lot like Gill Bates. :hide: If I were him, I would be having a panic attack. he is taking it very well though.

Greaseball, I'm so sorry about your poor bladder! Doesn't that suck? Keep drinking! Try cranberry capsules plus Emergen-C!

[3girlsmommy]

I'm so excited! My oldest dd's birthday party is in 3 weeks and I have been trying to figure out what craft(s) we were going to do. I had been looking on birthday express and they had so cute little fairy head pieces to make but it would cost me over $30 for the kits. Then I got my bracelet from Rynna and a HUGE light bulb went off! The wire that she used to put the beads on is the same stuff they used for the base of the head piece and then all they did was wrap some flowers and lace around it and voila fairy head piece! So I thought I can do these by myself without a kit. So off to the craft store I went and as luck would have it the flowers were on sale 4 bunches for a dollar and the lace and ribbon are on sale too! I also picked up some fabric paint and foam stamps so the girls can all make t-shirts too! So for less then $20 I have the supplies for 2 crafts! NOw I just need to go to Walmart and buy a couple of packs of boys undershirts and we're done. I get so excited planning the girls birthday parties!! :)

Now I just need to find some fairy plates, cups and napkins! It's so much FUN!!

On a more on topic note my surges have pretty much stopped. I think it was a combination of things. 1 I was running around like crazy the past couple of days and 2 we had a major thunder storm move through yesterday afternoon. By last night when the weather had calmed down so did my surges.

Also Julie- I'm trying to think of what I want to say in my blessing posting. I need to be able to sit and think about it in peace and quiet so hopefully tomorrow night.

Hope everyone is doing well!!!

[crunchywannabe]

Ok, I wanna see!!!!

LOL--dh will be home tomorrow and I will get it then and post a link to see it.

I definitely have that little space in between my belly and my breasts now...so I know there is some extra room! :innocent

[Doodlebugsmom]

Hi everyone! Julie, I just posted my blessing on the new thread. Jeesh, your post made me cry. You're a hard act to follow!

Liz and Rynna, I'm sure you both already know this, but you may want to start taking a good probiotic since you think you may have antibiotics during labor. I would hate for either of you or your babies to get the yeasties due to the medication!

Erin, if your dh is online most of the time at work, you should both get Instant Messanger, or a similar program. Dh and I are in constant contact throughout the day thanks to IM!

My BH contractions have slowed down some, but I still get several each day. I've still been very tired, but have actually been sleeping well at night.

QoC, I don't know what to tell you other than keep on doing what you're doing! I always say that if I get really desperate I'll try the castor oil thing. I think you can blend it into a nice smoothie to make it somewhat palatable. Good luck! I'm thinking about you all the time!

[Greaseball]

About castor oil...doesn't it just work by causing diarrhea? Wouldn't any sort of laxative work, or even large amounts of juice and dried fruit?

[LizD]

well it is not "douche" but "lavage" - not to flush it out or force any in but just to wash out and lower the colony count. of course she was quite clear on being really gentle, and it's only 3x week. this will lower the risk of PROM and if the water does not break before labor i won't need abx at all.

there is also a piece in this week's midwifery today about posterior births and how after getting one woman's baby to turn anterior she had a really hard time unsuccessfully pushing until the baby moved back to posterior and was then born. all her babies were born quickly posterior. might be interesting for anyone who is concerned about posterior position and "back labor."

everyone has to do as they feel best, but as a doula i caution everyone strongly about inducing labor with things like castor oil. i have seen women make themselves really sick, cause labor when the baby wasn't in a good position yet and end up with a cesarean, and badly dehydrate themselves from all the diarrhea it can cause. others swear it works wonders, but be as informed as possible.

[eilonwy]

Liz and Rynna, I'm sure you both already know this, but you may want to start taking a good probiotic since you think you may have antibiotics during labor. I would hate for either of you or your babies to get the yeasties due to the medication!

I did, but I'd totally forgotten! How, I don't know.. the thrush that Eli and I had... :shake Wow, that was painful. And it lasted for ages, mostly because I thought when it started to hurt that it was because I was trying different positions too soon for him, or because "it can hurt a little in the beginning"... one afternoon when Eli was 2 months old or so, my mom saw me getting ready to nurse, took one look at my nipple and said "OMG, you've got a raging case of thrush! Doesn't that hurt?!" I was like, yeah it hurts, but how do you know it's thrush? :rolleyes: Ages of anti-fungals later, I posted on breastfeeding.com and learned about gentian violet.. and two days later we were both thrush free. :eyes Amazing stuff, that. :LOL Meanwhile, I say "Hey mom, have you ever heard of gentian violet?" and she says "Of course, that's what they used for thrush back in the old days. I didn't know anyone still did that anymore." It may be old school, but it's the fastest, most effective remedy for thrush I've ever encountered, bar none.

Eli seems to sense when I'm starting a contraction, and he chooses those moments to do things like play with plugs. :rolleyes: Oh! MIL and FIL bought a camcorder ("Eli's only going to be this age once, you know!") and I set it up last week and did a test run with it then and this weekend. Tonight, we played the tape back.. It's hilarious. I've never held a camcorder in my life, so it starts out really jerky. I felt bad about it, until we got to the part when MIL was holding the camera; then it's so jerky it's impossible to watch. :LOL She said "I guess we know who the expert was!" :LOL I saw my giant belly on camera, and felt really fat looking at it. I mean, I know I'm a fat person but somehow seeing myself on the tv screen was like... whoa! Not only am I hugely pregnant, I'm a real fatass! :LOL You can hear me talking the whole time I'm holding the camera, and at one point I'm saying "I wonder if this is recording the sound?" :hide: :laugh: All in all, it was quite entertaining to watch.

Tomorrow is my last day of Sunday school; I told the director that I probably won't be able to teach this fall. I'll definately miss the kids, but I won't miss getting up that early on Sunday mornings. :LOL Of course, once I have my own vehicle I'll be getting up early on Saturdays to go to Torah study... and in another year or two, I'll be taking Eli to Sunday school, at the very least.

Speaking of which.. my mom is going to loan us the money to buy a minivan! :banana I'll be able to put both kids in rear-facing convertible seats; this is important, because for some reason I doubt that Eli will be 35 pounds by the time NewBean outgrows the infant seat. :LOL She's also paying off my evil credit card debt, so MBNA won't be taking their pound of flesh every month. Mike doesn't really have much debt; he's an old man, so his student loans are long since paid. Mom may help me pay of my student loans, if I can bother dealing with the bank people long enough to get it sorted out. I suck at dealing with those people, I'd so much rather pretend that I'm a little kid and my mom's not home. :hide:

[rubelin]

Man, preggo brain strikes hard, I had bunches to say and now can't remember a darn thing :rolleyes:

Lessee, I have my MW home visit on Thursday and all the stuff for my birth kit collected. A friend came over yesterday and cleaned the house :D Not everything, but did the vacumming, cleaned the Benny-crud off some walls and windows, washed the kitchen floor and counters, basically did the grunt work that I haven't had any energy for. I got the car serviced yesterday and am taking the cats to the vet on Tuesday for a checkup and dental work. I've ordered the last of the dipes I need, my Potty Pail and summer clothes for Ben and Dan. There's not much else that needs to be done so baby is free to arrive at any time now :)

I'm actually feeling a little less anxious about being so uncomfortably pregnant now, though I'd be happy if he came soon, the desperation to have it over with is lessening, for now anyway :) He is running out of room though, I can't imagine how he can get much bigger and still fit in there. He's curling way into a ball; his back is against the right side and his head is way down but his tush is moving farther towards the left and his knees get closer to his head all the time. It's so weird that I can tell what part is what so easily, I can seriously picture this newborn curled up in there, unlike with Ben when it was all just lumps, lol!

Julie, I am just dealing with the clothes situation as best I can. I fit 2 pairs of going-out shorts and have some for just around the house and have been wearing them all out. By this point (37.5 wks) it seems silly to buy anything new (and we don't really have the $$) so I'm just hoping these will work for a while longer and not bust a seam. I do still fit some of my stretchy knit pants and my one pair of maternity jeans sort of, but it's been too hot to wear them most of the time. Hey, I do have 2 pairs of JW knit pants that shrunk when I bought them that you are welcome to (I'm guessing you need some warm stuff since it's SNOWING in Colorado!!) They will probably be really loose in the legs (they're now about a large/XL) but the belly would probably fit well. Anyway, email me if you want them, I'm getting sick of seeing them and haven't had time to list them on Ebay.

Ok, I still can't remember everything so I guess I'll just post this. Hope you are all having a peaceful weekend and I send Queenie lots of labor vibes :D