July mamas May 15th-30

[candleofthought]

WOW..we are all getting so close!

what..10 more weeks for me..less for a lot of you guys!

I'm so excited! Chloe and I use the newborn dipes on her babies and it is gonna be so wonderful to have a lil butt to cloth diaper again!!

I'm slowly getting ready..my mom and sister are planning my baby shower for the 19th of June! Can't wait!
is anyone else having a shower?
I registered here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/registry/UFOJOVXSETEY

I have to stop myself from buying those cute lil boy clothes..its just so exciting to go into Baby Gap or Gymboree and get to check out the boys section..its so foreign..you know...I've only shopped for a girl and now I get to venture onto the other side of the store! LOL

alright..back to work...happy day everyone!!

[Threefold]

10 more weeks for me too! Assuming, of course that this little one doesn't come early like her brother did.
I'm having my Baby Blessing on the 19th too! Not a shower, but a ritual with my mama friends. We'll make a belly cast and build a labor and birth altar together. I'm very excited! I'm contemplating throwing a Big Brother Party for ds, but so far that's no more than a thought.
Getting a set of diapers handed down to me on Thursday, along with a tutorial from the friend who used them (since I used Tushies with ds :hide: ) I guess I'll need covers, but Grandma has asked about what she can get, so I'll be sending her some links as soon as I figure out what I need.
Still haven't figured out what it's going to be like to co-sleep with two, but ds is nowhere near ready to move out of the big bed, so we'll just roll with it.

[majazama]

You guys get baby showers and blessingways?(: poutsmiley) I'm so jealous.

I've only got 7 weeks till my due date!!:banana I hope to give birth a little closer to my due date this time, not 9 days overdue, like last time. I hope nature co-operates with my wishes. I also think this baby will be a lot bigger than my first baby, so another reason not to go too late.

I wonder who will go first in our group? Anyone want to wager a bet? Just kidding. Sounds like foobar is feeling like she's getting close already, but hopefully she will go to 37 weeks at least. And eilonwy is due in june, actually, so hmmm...


I hope my recipe works for you, dalaimama. ;)

sunfairy~ my DD loves to play with dolls, too. She is just 17 months, and she brings me her dollys to breastfeed! I think she will be a good big sister, sharing the "me-me's", and all.:fingersx:

[Michelle Leigh]

I'm feeling very overwhelmed by all the cloth diaper possiblities. We didn't cloth diaper dd until late--she was over a year old. I thought it would be hard, but it wasn't. People had told me not try it without a diaper service. But, I'm going to go for it from the beginning with this one.

I know it's been discussed a bizillion times, but can you tell me the simplest, fastest, easiest way to approach this? a web site that outlines it?

I really appreciate your input!!

[candleofthought]

Michelle, ITA about the endless possiblities of cloth diapering!
I think the easiest cheapest cloth diaper route is prefolds and prowraps

www.clothdiapersnmore.com has some great deals, and free shipping for orders over $50, i think the prefolds are $16/doz and covers are $6.50 each

how to fold~ no pins
http://webhome.idirect.com/~born2luv/FOLDING.HTML

lots of people like the fitted NB dipes like kissaluvs or www.loveybums.com
because those BF poops cause blowouts and the fitteds hold everything in better. As long as the entire diaper is fully tucked into the cover, the wetness won't leak...no promises about the poop..

to be honest, I started CD w/ chloe when she was 3-4m old, and never cd'd a NB, but my cousin had her baby in april and said its impossible to diaper a NB without covers that are notched out for the umbilical cord. She had to have her DH buy disposibles until the stump fell off. So I got about 5 NB prowraps that are notched.

HTH some, if you want to talk more, pm me!


mamajaza~ I'd throw you a shower if we lived close! Chloe loves her baby dolls, a mama is making us a new waldorf doll for a swap, so I thought I'd give it to her right after the baby is born, so we can both have new babies to diaper and nurse!

dalai_mama~ i never thought to have a party for chloe... *ponders*
a baby blessing sounds so cool, my family is very traditional with the shower...I'm sure they will still buy me disposable diapers and bottles... :rolleyes:

I was thinking of doing some maternity pictures..maybe have my friend do some out by the lake....that would be nice, since I only have a few shots of being preggy with chloe...

[kris1225]

As for diapers, I just got a box of 24 Kissaluvs size 0!! They are so cute! My DD pooped out of her disposie dipes several times a day and I have heard that these are great for preventing that. I got them from naturalbabies.com. I have a bunch of prorap and bummis covers. It's going to be so nice to get back into cloth since my DD refuses to wear CDs anymore. :(

I am excited too about reading the birth stories before mine since I am due later in the month.

I am off to Peoria, Illinois for a week's vacation. Hallelujah!!!!

[Threefold]

My friend is brining over the hand-me-down diapers this week. I'll have to see what the nb selection is like, and if there isn't much there, I think I'll order some Kissaluvs (or hint to Grandma!) size 0.
Anyone else have a change in movement lately? Baby's movements are slower and more like a whale slowly rolling that an active little monkey. When she seems to be head down I don't feel much movement at all (she must have her limbs towards my back), *just* enough to keep me from worrying.
I don't remember this with ds, but maybe I had so many preterm labor ctx with him that was what I focused on!

[wolfmom]

well, i am tired and uncomfortable tonight. we went to a friend's daughter's first bday party this afternoon and stayed too long! my ds had not napped and then when we got home he was way cranky and my dh left to have boys night out. (i'm really okay with that, i told him to go and being home by myself tonight has been nice)
but i ate too much and now i feel stuffed, huge, and uncomfortable. i want to get some sewing done but it is later than i thought so i better run.
peace,

[gigismom]

Wow...i just spent way too much time reading the posts on the previous thread and this one!! Nice to hear from you all

I am now 33 weeks and can not believe it. I have 2 1/2 weeks of work left and am still very focused on getting through this. I drive a lot for my job (between 50 and 100 miles per day) and find that my back is aching like crazy on the days I work. Luckily this is only 4 days per week but plenty to cause enough discomfort to make me impatient with dd and demanding of dh. This week we have closing on a refinance of our house on Monday night, Bradley class on Tues night and LLL on thurs night. The weeds in my front yard are threatening to overtake the house so I have to address this on Wed morning before the sun gets too hot. I HAVE to get my dd room finished soon as this was a redecorating project that I had aimed to be finished by April 30.... Anyway, as you can see I am nesting big time and aching to spend more time on these projects but have to work UGH!!! Oh yeah, and I have a baby to get ready for. My cds are sitting in the box they were shipped in and I have yet to figure out what to do with them (did not cd dd). This will have to wait until after work. I hope I have a nice relaxing (cool weather) June to spend with dd and get the baby this ready....

How exactly do you really know if baby has dropped? I have been peeing about 1x per hour this weekend... but still have killer heartburn. I also have intense aching in pelvis and lower back but really attribute this to sitting in the car too much...just curious how you can be sure that baby has dropped?

Cosleeping with two children? Our dd sleeps most of the night in her own room and maybe once or twice a week sleeps all night in her room. However, I do not want her to feel as if she is not welcome in our bed. I will miss her cuddles at night too.... Don't really know what will eventually happen. We will have a cosleeper for the very early weeks with new baby. DD suggested putting and extra twin mattress on the floor of our room. This is an option especially if it would make her feel included. Dh swears he will just go sleep in dd's room.... we'll see

Sorry so long but haven't checked in or vented lately.... have a great week everyone

jen

[majazama]

I cloth diapered my first baby from the time she was born.and I used..... get this..... flat flannel with pins and rubber pants.... It was rough, but I was (and am) determined to only use cloth. Obviously I didn't know what I was missing out on, because I didn't have the net then. I just wanted to say that none of those rubber pants had NB umbilical cutouts, and I just folded the top over, underneath her belly button.

But since I've joined MDC, I've caught the diaper bug, and now I'm hooked. I'm starting to buy fuzzibunz, prefolds, and all sorts of other things that I *have* to have. I think you just need something to catch the poo, really. :LOL

have to go, baby is :ZZZZZ

[kris1225]

Mamajaza! I just looked at your pics and your and my DH have the same 'look' as in full beard and long hair. :thumb

And I remember when DD was tiny and I started to research cloth, people talked about using towels and stuff. I had already bought all these fancy fitted dipes and thought to myself, DUH!! :duh You just need something to absord the pee and 'catch the poop' - just like you said. :sunshine

Driving off to Illinois today. Anyone live in Peoria? :LOL

[Mamma2Addison]

Geez, what a couple of weeks around here. I've had tons of braxton-hicks, baby turned {thankfully} and dropped, and I'm so tired I'm going to bed with DS at 7:30 every night. Seven weeks to go ~ optimally, anway. Thinking she may make her appearance a little bit early, but who knows?

My preps for the baby came to a screeching halt when we decided to buy our first house and are moving in early September {after the last damage from Hurricane Isabel is completed}. Calling it quits for now with a bassinet and 0-3 month clothes until I see how big she is, how fast she puts on weight, and the impact the still-unbought cloth diapers have. ;)

DS has started acknowledging something is going on, though, which is adorable! He comes up to me, rubs my tummy and says, "Maia in there," leans over and gives "her" a kiss. I melt everytime. :love

[Foobar]

Oy! What a week and it's only TUESDAY!

I spent Sunday night in the hospital becuase my BH turned into very painful contractions. After 4 hours of these stupid things not stopping, we decided to call because I had JUST completed 33 weeks. We spent several hours there and eneded up having to get a shot of terbutaline to stop the contractions as they were getting regular at 5 minutes. Of course, we had to go right when there was a terrible incident in OR (my doc told us the details, poor woman nearly died in an emergency C-section, she would have needed surgery anyway because her placenta grew in the wrong place), so we waited a long time, but since we had heard some of the pages over the system (like "trauma team to OR B") we knew it was something big and that we should just not stress. Good news, the momma is out of ICU and on her way to a full recovery. Baby was fine and unaffected by the momma's condition.

Luckily, at the time they were not affecting the cervix (hence, not truely pre-term labor), but when we did a check today, the doc mentioned that the cervix is showing signs of getting ready and she feels some of these contractions are starting to change the cervix.

I am on terbutaline for the next 2.5 weeks. YUCK. The goal is to keep Moo in until I complete 36 weeks. My doc wants her to have well developed lungs. I tend to agree. I am also on bedrest now until 36 weeks. Again YUCK. But I want Moo healthy and that is what matters, right?

I am spending the day washing all of our little clothes from Goo. OMG these are so SMALL! How did she ever fit in them?
I am putting them away in drawers so if she does come early, we are ready!

If I DO go early (I may still not go until 40 weeks), I promise to post my birth story.

[Mamma2Addison]

Wow, that's quite a week so far, Foobar. Hope your little one stays put for at least a few more weeks!

Isn't it a trip washing all those newborn clothes? I held some up to DS {this one's going to wear a lot of blue in the early days, lol} and couldn't believe he ever fit into anything so darn tiny.

[midwifer]

I am sorry to hear about your early trip to the H, foobar. You sound like you are upbeat and handling it very well. If you are on bedrest (strict or modified?) do you have someone who can come and help you get baby stuff ready and provide some meals etc.?
Oh cloth diapies, the newborn ones are so sweet to look at. We cloth diapered our first with a variety of diapers and nicky covers. My daughter has very sensitive/excema skin and had trouble with plastic pants. Hopefully this babe will not be as sensitive. My favorite invention....the little squirt!! Attaches to your toilet and has a spray handle like a garden hose "gun" so you can just squirt poop off into the toilet!! This made clothing sooooo easy!
I am 33 weeks now!! My midwife was here for a visit today, all is well. Head down, very low baby ( I have a lot of rectal pressure:(. My hemoglobin and pee check out fine. Only four more weeks and I am safe for homebirth!!!
Mamajazza, I was so hungry for your chickpea curry dish that I whipped one up the other night, it tasted sooo good, BUT I indigestion the rest of the night:( I love to try new recipes so if anyone feels like posting what they had for dinner or a recipe they especially love, that would be really fun.

[Michelle Leigh]

:) Thanks for all the info. on cloth diapers. I'm feeling better about that now. I need to just go online & order some.

Mamajazza, we had a curry. Yummy. Dh made up his own recipe with chickpeas, garden peas, new potatoes, onion, garlic, curry, & olive oil. Very satisfying!

Jen, don't know if you've ever tried Nikken car seats (www.nikken.com), but I really love them. Have used mine since Sept. 2000. Comfy with far infrared & magnets. Might help. I know what you mean about weeds. We're pulling, pulling, pulling. We have one bed with such tall clover. It's pretty, but it's taking over our strawberry patch (edible landscape--pretty groundcover).

Wish all of you were here to eat fresh strawberries. We're picking baskets everyday.

Foobar, sending you hugs!!

I've almost finished Having a Baby Naturally by Peggy O'Mara! Love all the ideas for teas, herbs in the bath, aromatherapy.

My only complaint: heartburn from time to time. This is a new experience for me. I haven't looked it up in Radical Healing by Ruldolph Ballentine, but I looked it up in Louise L. Hay's book Heal Your Body. She says it's caused from
Fear. Fear. Fear. Clutching Fear.
The affirmation is:
I breathe freely & fully. I am safe. I trust the process of life.

Wishing all of you the best!

[Threefold]

Oh Foobar! I wish you were close by so I could help out!
What are you doing with Goo? How strict is the bedrest.
I was on oral terb with ds (from 31 weeks :( ) and it didn't help. Is it helping you? Can you sit up, or do you have to be flat? Is it easy for you to log on? I'll be thinking of you as I know what you are going through! Keep us updated as often as you like!
Had my appointment today, and the cervical checks have begun since I had preterm with ds. Cervix still long, hard, and closed and baby "somewhere in orbit" as our midwife put it. Ds came with me and "helped" measure the height of my fundus and heard the hb. he sat on the midwife's lap, it was very cute.
But then we came home late for nap and had an ugly power struggle :crying . I am heavily self critisizing at the moment, but I just wish I was the mama I want to be all the time, KWIM ? He was exhausted, and fell asleep in about 2 seconds once he settled down, but it took him whacking his hand on the corner of a dresser for him to come to me for a hug before he could settle. :(

[ChildoftheMoon]

Foobar-thinking of you! Sending your little Goo stay put vibes!
Brandi :love

[majazama]

I'm glad some of you tried the chickpea curry. I almost feel like we live next door or something, and I shared the stuff with you.

Foobar~I realy wish you and your baby the best! Take this time on bedrest to be on MDC, that's what I'd do. Is it hard with your daughter, though?

I have another recipe for yall'...... homemade popsicles.:licklips: You can just freeze plain yogurt, assorted fruits, and OJ concentrate together, and you've got some yumminess to last a day and a half(that's me, anyways:LOL)

[Foobar]

Doing ok here. I actually can get some work done at home on the laptop.

I can also surf so I am visiting and reading alot here.

I am on a modified bedrest, so I can play with Goo and have some time on my feet, but I shouldn't be up on my normal routine.

I actually got "working mother" mag in the mail today. What a strange magazine, Someone gave it to me as a gift. I don't think it really fits me. I mean my job is cool and relaxed (except when things go wrong) and this seems oriented towards the high powered execs... strange...

I love all of the little clothes... They are so nice....:)

Gotta go to bed. Dh is giving me THE STARE....

[Aura_Kitten]

7 weeks! :eek

i was trying to plan a blessingway and i wanted my closest friends to be here... but one just got in a motorcycle accident and fractured his collarbone :( and the other(s) live too far away.

:: sigh ::

and i feel like i have nothing ready!!!!! i mean... all the diapers are clean and ready to use... we have all the covers i think we'll need for at least a year, and they're all clean and ready too... and i have a whole willow basket filled with clean baby clothes and baby blankets and hooded towels all clean and ready...

but the hallway is still strewn with the Great And Intimidating Pile Of Laundry that needs to be washed... and we STILL need to get the rooms organized! we're in the middle of moving everything from the master bedroom -- which before served as a bedroom, catch-all/storage area, and office space for my SO's home business -- and distributing it between the living room (for living space / sleeping) and smaller bedroom (for an office). the smaller bedroom is currently my son's room, so we need to clean up the entire master bedroom and clean out the closet (we have a deep walk-in closet -- and it's packed w/ stuff in storage!) then move *all* of my son's stuff out of his room and into the master... AUGH! :bigeyes

so lately there's been a lot of :laundry and :hang and :rant: and :crying ... and then :book and :zzz

... ;)

[Snowbaby]

Mmmm that coconut curry recipe sounds yummy - gonna have to try it. Wondering if anyone has a recipe for Korma (vegetable or chicken). I've been craving indian food badly but all of the restaurants we usually like around here make it way too spicy and I don't think my tummy can handle it. I want it really, really mild.

Anyway, I'm feeling great but my insomnia is getting worse -- I just have soooo much restless energy at night that I can't lie still long enough to fall asleep ... and when I do ... I wake up an hour later to pee and have to start all over again. DH thinks I'm developing "restless leg syndrome" and he's right that I'm having this weird mild leg numbing thing that makes me want to keep moving all the time. Oh well. This too shall pass.

I'm starting to get excited about my upcoming baby shower (the date is a surprise) and about my due date approaching ... bit under 10 weeks to go. But I'm also getting anxious and sad that I think I probably won't be able to go natural like I wanted. My perinatologist may want to move on to insulin shots b/c my sugar levels have gone a little out of control in the past few days and i worry that they'll want to induce early......... hopefully my midwives will help me avoid that!!

Everyone sounds like they're doing great. Foobar - sorry about the H visit and bedrest, hang in there, only a bit longer to go.

[Mamma2Addison]

Snowbaby ~ :hug I was on insulin the last eight weeks of my first pregnancy.

[midwifer]

I am having a slow night at work, yeah:) I did a lot of walking today and had so much rectal type pressure, very uncomfortable and makes me sort of nervous. I think it is just because this baby is very low, but every now and then I get freaked out that all that pressure is going to turn into wild contractions or rupture. I started making a list for homebirth supplies, the first step:) now I just need some action.
Other folks having homebirths, what are your plans for your other children? My daughter is almost two and a half and I would like her to be involved as much as possible, but need to have someone there, besides my husband, who is just for her and can take her out and about if it is too much for her. The most likely candidate, my best friend and someone she has known since birth, we are planning to have help with the delivery(she is a midwife:), there will be another midwife there as well. Both grandparents are oot. The second most likely candidate spends a lot of time with Olive and is very attentive and loving with her, but can be a bit anxious at times so I am concerned about her energy at the birth. Anyone else have experience with a child that age being involved in their birth?
Someone said a while back they were thinking of having a big sibling party. What ideas do you have for it? I am thinking of wrapping Olive some special things from the baby and having her help me make a baby sling for her to carry her own baby in.
Hope all your lil babes inside are doing well ;)

[candleofthought]

yay! we are all getting so close! I really have to make a better effort to get exercise.. I wake up and its 90 degrees out..and moves on up from there over the 105 degree mark..its like we become hermits til september...
I could do laps around the mall...but then I just rack up credit card bills that way..lol
I got a prenatal yoga dvd for christmas thats still in the shrink wrap.. I am going to open it tomorrow!

so far I have all the lil clothes and diapers washed and put away...and everything is set...just waiting for my shower to see if I get the room decor I picked out!

the baby is so active....kicking all the time it seems like. I'm getting so excited to have a new baby to hold and love.

I am officially down to about 3 shirts that fit...it seems so wasteful to buy more....but whats a girl to do?

[Aura_Kitten]

what are your plans for your other children?

hmm, well you know, i was planning 100% on having my son there... but after i thought about it (a LOT) it occurred to me that the best thing i did for myself during my labor w/ him was to just be alone, and have quiet, and listen wholly to myself and what my body was telling me.

i'm really afraid that having my son at the birth will interfere with that...

BUT i don't think we'll have anyone else to watch him! :( it's been a minor source of stress lately, trying to figure out exactly what our plans our w/ regards to him at the birth...

hopefully we have awhile left to figure it out!! i'm sure he'd be able to handle it (he's seen numerous photos of birth and we've talked about it frequently)... but i'm more concerned about my own reactions and stress level. he is a very enthusiastic, energetic, talkative little guy... and i know what i need during labor (and delivery) is quiet, quiet, quiet.

[Aura_Kitten]

I am officially down to about 3 shirts that fit...it seems so wasteful to buy more....but whats a girl to do?

... delve into your partner's! ;) right now i'm wearing one of my SO's shirts.

i have all of 2 (?) shirts, 2 dresses, 2 skirts and 1 pair of maternity pants that fit still.

[candleofthought]

ooh I missed the other children question...
Chloe will be as present as she wants to be. She wants to cut the cord, with dads help...and we have a close friend who will be here to support her, in case she's rather play with legos or something...
I am the kinda mom that tells it like it is...sorto speak, and we've talked about contractions, labor, blood, purple baby, whitish covering....the umbilical cord and how it works...delivering the placenta
she's watched some births on the discovery channel and also gentle home births...

my midwife gave me a wonderful book..its kinda homegrown..just pages in a binder, but its called : Mom, Dad and I are having a Baby by Maryann P. Malecki

chloe just turned 4 the beginning of may.
HTH

[Aura_Kitten]

sunfairy ~ you made me curious...

are there any other mamas here who are planning a lotus birth?

[majazama]

About having my DD at the birth. I don't know what will happen. I guess I'll see. My mom will probably watch her while I'm labouring, and my partner will stay with me. I want her to see the baby born, so she knows where the baby comes from. She is just 17 months old, so I don't know how much of this she understands. She will rub my belly and blow raspberries on my belly, and points to it and asks "whatzat?" and I tell her, "the baby"....

lotus birth... I don't think I'll do that, because I want to use my placenta as medicine. I think I will burn the cord though, like I had initially planned with my DD, but the midwife was impatient... I'm having a UC, BTW, if anyone missed that.

[Aura_Kitten]

:thumb

[happay]

I wake up and its 90 degrees out..and moves on up from there over the 105 degree mark..its like we become hermits til september...
I could do laps around the mall...but then I just rack up credit card bills that way..lol
I got a prenatal yoga dvd for christmas thats still in the shrink wrap.. I am going to open it tomorrow!

Have you tried your yoga tape yet? Being in Tucson I know how you feel. A friend loaned me her yoga tape and I love it! I feel like I am accomplishing something but I get to do it inside and I don't get too hot!

[Snowbaby]

what's a lotus birth?

[Aura_Kitten]

Snowbaby ~ Lotus Birth refers to when the parents keep the cord + placenta attached until the cord naturally detaches on it's own.

for me, it's a physical expression of a gentle spiritual transition between the world within mama, and the world outside mama...

[midwifer]

Another great book for siblings, "Welcome with love" it is a story about a homebirth and the whole family is involved, very sweet.
Anyone know how to make a placenta print?

[midwifer]

A couple more thoughts...
I am gathering herbs for my healing baths/poultices after birth, last time I just used comfrey leaves, any other suggestions?
How about a good restorative mama tea, either one that I can make with proportions or a good premade one?

[Foobar]

no lotus birth for me! Although I assume you guys figured that out already. ;)

Goo is too small to go witness the birth. She gets upset when she sees me getting my blood pressure taken. I am afraid that a birth would traumatize her...

[Aura_Kitten]

:nod some kids can't handle it, no matter what age.

at the birth i recently attended (i was working as a doula), the mother wanted her 7 year old daughter to witness the birth, and instructed me that just before she started pushing, to wake up the girl so she could see it.

unfortunately she had not even shown the girl videos of birth, nor fully explained it to her (her excuse for it was that "that's not the kind of thing that we talk about.")... consequently the poor little girl wasn't just scared about her mom, but shocked and horrified at what was happening. she literally turned green, and looked like she was either going to faint or throw up (or do both) and by the time the baby was out she had tears in her eyes and was shaking, and had trouble speaking. (i was really mad about this afterward and asked the mom why she hadn't told her daughter more about birth... more "we just don't discuss things like that." :splat )

i'm all for sharing birth with other siblings, but i think they should be well prepared before hand (seeing birth videos, for example, and lots of lengthy discussions about the birth process). and i think that no matter how old (or young) a child is, ultimately it needs to be taken into consideration whether they're the type who can handle witnessing something like that or not.

[Foobar]

:
unfortunately she had not even shown the girl videos of birth, nor fully explained it to her (her excuse for it was that "that's not the kind of thing that we talk about.")... consequently the poor little girl wasn't just scared about her mom, but shocked and horrified at what was happening. she literally turned green, and looked like she was either going to faint or throw up (or do both) and by the time the baby was out she had tears in her eyes and was shaking, and had trouble speaking. (i was really mad about this afterward and asked the mom why she hadn't told her daughter more about birth... more "we just don't discuss things like that." :splat )


Are you serious? The don't discussing things like that, but it's ok to witness it?
OMG! :jaw

If Goo were older, I would ask her about it and then I would show herr photos and videos so she could understand. I would also have a backup person who could stay with her if she changed her mind.

I am not planning on other children, so I'll probably not have this opportunity.

[midwifer]

I have been so up and down lately. So much energy and organization one day and then the next I am exhausted. Today is an exhausted one. My husband has just started a new local/organic foods home delivery service and today was the first delivery, it seemed to go very smoothly, but there were many phone calls and folks in and out of the house all day so maybe that wore me out. Plus, I am a little stuffy again and PARANOID that my sinus infection is going to come back, eeek that would be awful, no more antibiotics please! I made it through this round with no yeast infection thanks to probiotics, but I probably would not be as lucky next time.
I picked some spinach to make gnu balls for dinner, but my husband went to the cities to hear a concert and my daughter fell asleep already(no nap today) so now I just want to order pizza and a root beer, naughty!!!, and veg out. I might even watch a movie, a very rare occurence for me (we keep our tv covered, no cable, etc.)

[majazama]

midwifer~I'm just wondering where you got your username from... are you very pro-midwife, or are you a midwife? I always think that you are, every time I see your name. And just want to say that if you feel a cold sneaking up on you *stay away from sugar*. My NP told me that sugar lowers your immune system *considerably* for hours after you eat just a teaspoon of sugar. I know this to be true for myself anyways, because I rarely eat "hard-core" sugar, but I couldn't help myself the other day and I bought a thing of chocolate ice cream. Now I'm paying for it.... my throat is raw, and I'm getting sick. So try not to drink root beer if you can, and hopefully you won't get sick.

[Konur's Mom]

New to this group, just found it!

I am planning a homebirth with a lay MW in early July, probably around the 1-4th, you know how they can come early or late so I dont worry about dates. I know my ovulation and implantation dates though.

My only thing is heartburn right now, hungry at night but no food for me! Weight gain has been goon, 12 pounds, which is still 8 pounds under where I started.

I have a 3 year old who is also excited about the baby "drinking milk, just like Konur." :D Gotta love 'em!

Not looking forward to it being over, its my last pg of this lifetime.

Well, HI!

[midwifer]

I have not had a sweet tooth at all in this pregnancy until very recently (all my illness has been very recently:(. I have also been into bread products which we usually do not eat a huge amount of as my husband has some allergic tendencies in that direction. So, I did not have a root beer, but I did munch some fresh, local toffee that was here, not worth a sinus infection, but really darn good!! Okay, trying to lay off the sweets from here on out. I think a lot of it is the season. I do not have any allergies that I am aware of, but this spring has been very stuffy etc. Lots of folks are saying the weather patterns around here this spring have been really hard on allergy sufferers. Tonight I am going to the YMCA and sitting in the steam room (not for very long:).
Mamajazza, I am an aspiring midwife with (formal) education indefinately on hold. I have a bachelors in nursing and have worked in labor and delivery since becoming a nurse, but have not felt ready to return to school for my CNM. First it was wanting to travel (and be free from school!), then I had my daughter (at home with a direct entry midwife) and had a resurgence of interest in becoming a traditional midwife, I'm conflicted:) Right now, I can make decent money as a nurse, work part time, be very hands on in births(except the actual delivery, although I have caught a few:) and, most importantly, have quite a lot of time to be with my family. My time will come. Midwifer has been my email name since the early days of college.
Busy baby inside tonight:)
Hope everyone has a relaxing evening.

[Foobar]

Welcome Lori!!!(Konur's Mom)

Still hangin around. Sigh. I am seriously hating this medicine, but I forgot the dose again last night and got some wicked contractions, so I know that it is working. I am having some serious conversations with Moo about coming out once I am off the meds.

How does every body's partner deal with your pregnancy? Mine is wonderful and he does everything he can to help me be comfortable. I am trying to help him feel better since he is doing everything since I've been on bedrest and he responds " What I do is nothing like you are going through. You are creating a new life and protecting it. I am just doing extra dishes" What a sweetie...
I love this man! :love He's been like this the whole pregnancy....

[Aura_Kitten]

my SO is fantastic. a lot of times i wish he'd do more laundry / dishes / etc but he's really supportive overall.

and i love that he loves my pregnant body as much as i do. :love

i think he'd want me to stay pregnant for years if it weren't for the fact that we'd end up having tons of kids running around as a result. :LOL

[Snowbaby]

DH is very sweet as well though he's had his moments of impatience due to my snoring. He apologized though and I know that he was just really, really tired from lack of good sleep. Otherwise, he does tons around the house and said to me "I never thought a pregnant woman could be sexy and beautiful until now" Awwwww.

BTW, wondering --- do you all have you babies names picked out? Let's hear it!! (DH and I are still struggling with boy names but have a girl name picked out ..... Agatina (Agatha in italian).

[Aura_Kitten]

not really "picked out" but we recently decided that we both agree Indira Dalenn is a good name.

seeing as that is the ONLY one so far he and i have agreed on 100%, that's probably the one we'll stick with. :LOL

[kris1225]

DH - not a good pregnant partner. He loses all interest in sex and doesn't help much more than usual. He was like this when I was preggo with DD too.

Name - Quinn William

Just got back from a working vacation. I sewed and sewed and sewed some more....

Am experiencing more indigestion, like with every food. And I have grown out of most of my pants!! I just won a lot of size large maternity pants from ebay - 3 for $16. They are awesome! I love ebay... :D

[Aura_Kitten]

:hugs Kristen.

i'm sorry to hear that about your partner. :(

[Foobar]

Kristen,

I'm sorry. Some men need a kick in the arse when the woman the love is pregnant.


Name: secret. We have both a girl and a boy name chosen, but we are not revieling either until the birth. Yes, we are 99% sure this is a girl, but just in case....

[ChildoftheMoon]

Dh is usually wonderful, but he is very stressed lately. He has an interview for a job that he wants so much, so it is understandable. He is not acting bad, just not helping much or in the mood for massages and such. Hopefully all this job stuff will be resolved before baby comes and we can go back to being a stress free family again!

We have names: Thorin William and Freya (no middle yet)

I feel like my hands are swollen today, I should run into town and check my blood pressure. My allergies have been bad, so maybe it is just that. I never thought I would wish for summer to come (our temps stay at and well above 100) but I am wishing it for the sake of allergy season ending! I am getting so anxious to meet this new baby, I am so happy that June is almost here. We are in the homestretch! I am 32w5d.
Brandi :love

[candleofthought]

my DH is just great...I baked him some homemade bread yesterday and he just loved me! :love
He has taken over feeding the hens and picking the veggies, he does all the dishes (no dishwasher here) and will do the laundry, vacuuming and the mopping if I'm tired or behind. He *even* cooks!
And he is great for giving me plenty of quiet time to get my homework done in the evenings. OH..I just love him, he's my best friend..we've been married for 5 yrs and it still feels like we're newlyweds!

names..well..I'm still so lost with this. I have a ton of girls names that I love, but boys names are so hard for us. SO far, the only one we can agree on is Logan. The only downside is that DH wants to use his middle name for the baby's middle name (after dh's grandfather) and Logan Owen just doesn't sound right...too many long o's I think..lol So..we are stuck.


I think I'm 31 wks now! or 30.5 :scratch oh..I'm getting so excited!

[wolfmom]

things are going as well as can be expected here in spite of all the frustrations that keep coming up. baby is healthy and active and i'm measuring a few days ahead but i don't care. now if i can just get my son's wound to heal! he has a scratch on the tip of his penis and it just won't finish healing!! of course that means that he doesn't want to pee and it is driving me crazy 'cause he will say he has to go and then refuse to go by the time we get to the potty. i am just too darn big and tired to be running to the potty every 2 min for these false alarms! *sigh* i think i might put some tea tree oil on it and see how that does.
my dh is sweet. busy, but sweet. he tries to do as much as he can to help out but he also doesn't care if i don't get things done. he keeps chastising me when i don't take a nap which is cute. (sometimes annoying, but cute). he would rather have a relaxed, well rested wife than a clean house anyday. unfortunately, i can only take so much mess before i HAVE to clean. oh well, i have to go do some painting while my son is actually napping.
peace, jenny

[Aura_Kitten]

i like Agatina. i can see that working well as like, Agatina Sadie, or Sadie Agatina. (i know you didn't mention the name Sadie, but... it popped into my head when i read that name. :) )...

i love the name Quinn.

i like Logan Owen ~ it sounds fine to me. :)

i ADORE Freya! but, have you considered if it will be a name that will work for her throughout her whole life?

[majazama]

I guess I will reveal my pick for a name (I thought about it for awhile before answering, because, well, I'm paranoid) ..... Nemaya Zion ..... :D boy or girl... though I'm *sure* I'm having a boy, I could be suprised. I tried to find a name that no one has used, and I think I've found it. Now, I don't want to hear more of em'! Actually if the baby is a girl, I'll consider Niobe (love that name).... but nothing is written in stone yet, baby has yet to be seen.

sunfairy~Maybe you could put another middle name in there between the two O names? Something like Logan David owen, or logan micheal owen, or logan darrius owen... etc.

[Michelle Leigh]

I've been thinking about names, checked out some books at the library a while back, and I've been waiting to see what the baby wants to be named.

I talked with a lady who channeled a few months ago. She said that the baby is of a joyous nature and something starting with a "J" would be a good beginning sound.

Isabella's name was easy because I love the name so much. With this baby, the only ones coming to me (even before I talked with the ladywho channeled) are:
Jean-Pierre
Jean-Claude
Jean-Luc
Dh doesn't like Jean-Pierre, but it's the one I like the best so far. Gosh, I don't have much time.

I'm hoping to get in touch with the name more & more. That's my intention anyway.

[Michelle Leigh]

Had a prenatal visit yesterday with a midwife.
Baby's Heart beat: 120
Does anybody have one this low?
DD was at 140 beats for many weeks up until birth.

Fundal measurement: 28
I was at 31 weeks 6 days.
Anybody else have a measurement a little bit low?
With DD I pretty much meausured wherever I was in weeks.

Hemaglobin: 9.8
She wants this to be at least 10 in 4 weeks...
So I'm taking more of my liquid iron herbal supplement & I'm going to focus on iron-rich foods.
Any suggestions for bringing this up?

Weight (I'm 5' 9"):
Normal: 140ish
Oct. 2003: 148
During Dec. I was ill & got down to about 131
2.25.04: 143
3.24.04: 150
5.25.04: 155
Anybody else gaining what seems like little weight?
I feel like I'm doing well, especially since coming up from 131 at my lowest. That would be a 24-pound gain so far.

[Michelle Leigh]

DD just turned 4 1/2 and wants to be at the birth. I've planned for my Aunt, who had a great birth in 1986, to be here to care for dd.

Isabella has said from the beginning that she wants to be here. We've talked about it. She asks lots of questions. I'm very blunt with her.

If she's a distraction, I'll have my aunt take her outside or to her house. We'll see.

This may seem really gross to you, but I've been planning for Isabella to be there ever since 2001, when an elderly guy said that her little strawberry (hemangeoma sp?) on her lip would go away if we'd put afterbirth on it. We'll see if she'll let us touch it to her lip... Maybe she'll kiss the baby & that'll work. I've never heard of such from anybody else, but why would that gentleman have made that up? It's worth a shot. We'll see.

[Aura_Kitten]

i'm measuring right on -- 34 weeks, measuring 34 cm. i'm not sure what a low measurement would mean -- maybe small baby?

i've only gained about 10 lbs the entire pregnancy. no matter what i do i can't seem to gain more than that. i actually lost a little bit of weight (after 2 weeks of eating a TON of high-calorie and high-fat food on purpose)... :p i'm 5'4"... right now i'm about 135 lbs. still. i haven't gained any significant amount of weight in the past month or so. :shrug

my little sprite's heartbeat has been ~150 the entire pregnancy. sometimes the heartbeat can slow if the baby is laying against the cord; they'll usually move after a minute or two and their heart rate will go back up. did you ask her to check it again after a few minutes, or was it like that the whole time?

i'm not too worried about anemia, although being anemic is a risk factor for hemmoraghing... i figure as long as i make sure to keep abreast of what's going on with my body after birth, and keep myself healthy until then, everything should be ok. if you're worried about your iron level, you might try my super remedy for anemia ~ spinach salad with orange wedges. :D it works like a charm (at least it did after i had my son). lots of iron, and the vitamin C will help your body absorb it.

i should start doing that again actually. spinach is in season here so.... yum. :)

[majazama]

michelleleigh~~ I never have "measured up" on the fundal height measurements, and my DD was a good size. Don't worry about it. I'm 5'10", so I know the baby doesn't stick out as much for us tall mammas. And I haven't gained much weight either, just like last time I was preggo, and again, my DD didn't suffer.:LOL I weigh about the same you do before (140) and right now (155).
I think I loose some weight from certain areas, and it goes into the baby. It's just how *my* body is, anyways. I'm not going to force feed myself, and I *never* say "hold the butter". It's just my metabolism, and I imagine you are similiar.
Another thing that caught my attention in your posts was that your DD has a hemangeoma on her lip..... so did I when I was a little one. It was surgicaly removed when I was 2, and before they removed it, I looked like I had a swollen lip all the time. And I drooled constantly because I couldn't close my mouth. Not only that, but I had another birthmark on the side of my face that looked like a bruise, all purple in the middle and yellowish on the outside. My poor mom got many people looking at her like she was abusing me. :rotflmao That was the farthest from the truth.

[Foobar]

Michelle-

When I was in the hospital 2 weeks ago, we had Moo on the monitors. Her heart rate would drop to the 120s when she was resting and then go up to the 140s when she was awake and to the 160s when she was moving. It was reeally neat to watch it jump around. Perhaps you caught your little one napping.
We were monitored for a couple of hours and no one thought the drops in the heartrate were a problem.

You are measuring a little behind, but not terrible. I wouldn't worry. I am always about 1/2 week behind what the dates say. You look to be about 3 weeks behind. The measurements are based on averages anyway....

I am anemic. It is affecting me, so I take iron suppliments. I am also not gaining as much as I did with Goo, and my doc thinks that is fine. Some people plateau.

[Snowbaby]

Baby's been measuring 2-3 weeks ahead for some time now although my fundal height has been measuring right on time. I wonder if that means it will arrive early.

What beautiful names everyone has chosen ... to the paranoid: don't worry - not threat here as DH and have finally settled on our names. So many people select really common names and, although there is nothing wrong with that, I just think it's awesome when someone has a unique (but pretty and respectable name).

On another note, I start my insulin shots tonite (diabetes) and am a bit anxious about it. Still have insomnia but have a lot of energy in the day time and am hoping to finally get lots of baby preparation done next week. My (surprise) baby shower is on Saturday so I'll be able to assess what I'm still missing!

Anyone else had their shower/ blessing yet? How'd it go?

[oceanbaby]

This baby's heartrate has ranged from 120-156, usually around 130-140. I am measuring 33cm at 33wks, so it sounds I'm right on schedule.

I was weighed when I preregistered at our backup hospital, and I was 190! I hit 200 with ds, but I also weighed more when I got pregnant with him. And I feel so much smaller this time, so it's weird to think that I've actually gained more weight than with ds. All my maternity clothes from last time are too big. I think maybe it's just because this baby is just so much lower and situated differently.

[Aura_Kitten]

Anyone else had their shower/ blessing yet?

no :(

i only really wanted two people to come ~ two really close friends i've known for a lot of years...

but one hasn't even acknowledged my invitation (i know he's busy but he could at least RSVP, kwim??) and the other is having life crises right now and can't make it down.

:(

i might pull together some family or something and just have a lemonade party.

i'm really sad the blessingway won't be happening the way i wanted though. this is the last time i'll ever get this chance and i was really hoping everything would be perfect.

** sitting on my pity pot for a few more minutes...






ok. done.

[Snowy Owl]

Hi Mommas!

I just caught up on this thread. klothos, sorry to hear about the shower thing not working out. I've just moved and don't really know anyone so probably won't have anything like that either.

I need a midwife! It's proving to be a bit of a challenge....as homebirth is not covered by the insurance policy (which we don't even have yet) and I just found out how expensive it is to pay for midwifery out of pocket (though still way less than doctors, of course). It's kind of been said before, but privatized health care SUCKS. :angry
They took a staggering amount off dh's first paycheck for health insurance...I thought it was a 'benefit'? And that was just for one person! How can people afford it??? So much for any advantage we thought we would have in earning 'American $$$'. It would be more affordable to rent a private helicopter to fly us to Canada if one of us needs medical treatment. Seriously.

Ranting and raving....it's really hot and I feel like a big ol' beached whale.

Baby has been really active and I keep feeling all little sharp pokie body parts but can't seem to figure out what they are.

I just added a new belly pic a couple days ago, too... I feel huge and don't know how two more months of this is going to work!

Take good care, mommas!


:)

[Aura_Kitten]

privatized health care SUCKS.

:nod :hugs i'm sorry you're going through that.

i might be losing my health insurance too ~ we have MediCal right now, but in order for us to keep getting it they want us to present proof that we don't have the insurance that we've never had. :scratch i told them, "we don't have that," and they said, "we need proof of that," and i said, "HOW? we've NEVER had it," and they told us that's *our* problem, not *theirs*.

and they lost a bunch of paperwork we already presented to them, so we don't have it, and they want it, and i don't know how we're going to get duplicates of all that crap... stuff like closed bank accounts (that were closed years ago) and termination papers from my SO's work (that he hasn't been working at for over a year)... it's so stupid and crappy.

[Threefold]

I know, Health Insurance sucks. We pay a staggering amount every month since my job has the bennies and I only work part time, so they only pay 50%. Still less than what we would pay if we didn't go through my employer. Another teacher used to tease me about "working for the benefits". And here we still spend a small fortune on all the alternative remedies that keep us from needing to use the HMO. . .
Snowy Owl~ what a beautiful belly! You still have a belly button! Mine is in the process of popping out and it is not comfortable!
Well, must run, dh will be slightly put out if he catches me here right now when I'm making dinner for a sick friend. :LOL

[Foobar]

Wow, I must have great insurance. I never see any bills for things. I know that when Goo was born we didn't see the bill at all. There's no co-pay for pre-natal visits.


I'm sorry, Klothos, about your shower/blessingway.
DH and the kids are Jewish, so no showers for me! We will do a Brit Bat for Moo once she is born...

[Threefold]

Our co-pays aren't bad (though they have gone up) and we paid nothing when ds was born, but I think we have a chunk as a co-pay if admitted to hospital, so but I am hoping I've misread. What we pay is to keep the Health insurance it comes out of my check before taxes, but it's a lot, though it wouldn't be if I were full time.
How is everyone?
I'm grouchy and irritated at dh for complaining about how tired HE is. . . puleeeze. . .