Week of August 9th

[Piglet68]

October Mamas Roll Call :belly

momtol&a
Yoga mama
snugglebutter 10/01
mirthfulmum 10/03 BOY! Harrison Eliot Smith
*prediction: last week of Sept, 8 hrs labour*
TracyK 10/04
mhurst 10/04
kraftykathy 10/04 *prediction: Oct 4, short labour, girl*
Jillerina 10/04 *prediction: Oct 6, 6 hrs labour*
water 10/06
KateMary 10/06 GIRL!
Proudly AP 10/08
mayasmama 10/08 GIRL!
FutureMama 10/09 BOY!
bluehalo 10/10 BOY! Noah Daniel
allformyboys 10/11
Lucysmama 10/12 *prediction: girl, Oct 8, 16 hrs labour*
bendmom 10/12
momadance 10/13 BOY! Gabriel Reed...? or will it be Zappa? :)
*prediction: Oct 23rd*
Mandi 10/14
rhemp 10/14
wannabmommie 10/15
MTBto5 10/15
krnflwr 10/16 GIRL! *prediction: Oct 16th, 10 hours labour*
gmvh 10/16 TWINS! BOY! and GIRL!
Piglet68 10/18 BOY! Sasha Adam
MommyMuse 10/19
JenDoula 10/19
BeansMomma 10/20 GIRL!
Mom2Lily 10/20
CourtneyandLogan 10/21 BOY! Zander Julian
*prediction: Oct 18 or 28*
OakEmber 10/21 BOY! Oakley Kai
*prediction: Oct 6 - 10, 6 hours labour*
mtnjenny 10/22
Stanleymama 10/23 BOY! *prediction: Oct 18, short easy labour*
gottaknit 10/24 *prediction: Oct 31 - Nov 4, > 9 lbs*
3boyz4us 10/24 *expected Oct 22*
Ctmom70 10/24 BOY! Alex Richard
*prediction: Oct 14, 5 hrs labour*
Kim22 10/24 BOY!
aspiring mama 10/25
sunshinegal 10/25 Fiona
truebluexf 10/27 *prediction: Oct 11, 8 hrs labour, boy*
Soogie 10/27 *prediction: Oct 27 or 28*
ameliabedelia 10/29 GIRL! Greta Marie
*prediction: Oct 17, 10 hrs labour*
flitters 10/30
BeauGeek 10/30
AnnR33 10/31
guinnessinu 10/31 TWINS! BOY! and BOY!
BlueMoonTime 10/31 GIRL! Alexis

Mornin' everyone! Ooh, I did not sleep well last night. I'm VERY stiff from a lot of activity this weekend, and have decided from now on I'm taking it VERY easy. I feel like I'm 90 years old, so stiff and creaky when I move! And I swear, it feels like Sasha is trying to *hatch* out of my tummy! I keep saying to my DH "If I had any doubts that this is our last, they are now gone. I can't go through this again being another 2 years older than I am already!!". :D

I'm 30 weeks today! :banana It feels good to be in the home stretch!

gottaknit: I have to say that I totally LOVE the name Selah. I've never heard of it before, but I think it sounds so beautiful and unique. I give it two thumbs up, for sure!! You will, however, probably have a hard time with mispronunciations...is there another spelling that might make it easier for people to pronounce? Like Seylah for example? My name was always mispronounced as a child and it drove me crazy!

Okay, time for....(insert booming announcer's voice here):

The Question of the Week: Has your nesting instinct kicked in yet?

For the last 3 weeks or so I've noticed my tolerance for messiness getting lower and lower. Normally, I'm not much of a neat freak, but lately I find myself constantly picking things up. And when I walk into a clean kitchen or bathroom, I get this sense of happiness and peace that is....well, it's a bit scary actually, lol. I'm also SO happy to be moving into our new place ASAP (Sept 1), which will give me a chance to really make it a home before Sasha arrives. Mostly I can't wait to set up my changing station. I didn't have one with Emily, and I have the most adorable diapers!! :love

Today I started Day 1 of my three-day carb-overload diet in preparation for my GD test on Thursday. Um...it's a bit scary but I'm just eating my usual diet and already for breakfast and the lunch I've packed I'll have had 10 of my 15 servings. :blush Guess I'm just a carb-lover at heart. No Atkins for this mama!!! :eek

Lucysmama: thinking of you today, please let us know how the counselling goes. :hug And how is your precious Lucy doing? :hug :hug

[3bees~1flower]

Mornin'!

Actually, Piglet, Selah was my name choice...:LOL i'm glad you like it! did you get the pronunciation? Say-la...so youlike the spelling Seylah? i like that...

good luck with the GD test...hope it's neg!!

gotta go for now, have a dr appt...i'm going every two weeks now!!

talk to you all later!!

Katie, that great that you dh agreed to counceling...i hope it goes well! :hug

[True Blue]

The drama of this pregnancy!!! I had contractions again last night, a lot. Like every couple minutes. Finally realized what was going on, so I got into the tub. Luckily, they went away before I had to call the midwife, but I probably had them at least an hour or 2 (at first I thought the baby was just in a weird position, took me a little while to realize it was contractions). Had my regular midwife appt this morning, and wouldn't you know it I had leukocytes and probably have another UTI...so I'm pumping the cranberry again. I was really good about taking one or two a day regularly as a preventive for a while, but I got lazy as time went on. Geez. I have never had a uti before this pregnancy. But other than that, all is well. :)

Katie, I hope things went well this morning, whatever exactly "well" would be at a time like this.

QOTW: Yeah I've had nesting going on here!! Piglet, I'm like you, I've become more anal about things being neat and clean (though often I am too tired to do much about it LOL).

My predictions keep changing...with all this preterm labor, I'm thinking this baby should be early and the labor should be short since I'm already 1 cm and 50% effaced...so let's say Oct 11 (or better yet, let's just say 37-38 weeks), no more than 8 hours of labor from first twinge to birth (DS was 13 hours). Oh and as for gender....I thought boy, but lately I'm thinking girl....but still, I'm gonna say BOY. :thumb

[gottaknit]

I like the spelling Seylah, too. Then you won't have people like me butchering the pronunciation! ;)

Thanks everyone for the great descriptions of Braxton-Hicks contractions! I had one last night and realized I've been experiencing them for a couple of weeks now. I always assumed it was just the baby getting in some weird position or stretching out. It's pretty cool to be experiencing all these changes, and being able to recognize what's going on.

BH feel absolutely nothing like labor contractions, though, do they? :LOL If they do, then labor will be a cake-walk!

QOTW: Yes to the nesting. And I've been pretty snarky with DH whenever he's messy (not putting dishes straight in the dishwasher, not volunteering to sweep the floor). He keeps telling me I "live on a one-way street", and he's totally right. I'm actually the slob in this relationship! :shrug His mom told him yesterday to just do what I say, because I'm pregnant, and thus I am always right. :love I love my MIL!

Hope everyone's doing well. Good luck Katie with the therapy today.

I'm going in for my WinRho SDF shot today. (I'm Rh- and DH is Rh+) Not happy about it at all. :irked: But I made sure the shot is thimerosal free.

[Piglet68]

Well, I booked our flights today. We're heading home on the 25th! :banana

I had to totally lie to the booking agent. What is up with airlines these days? She wouldn't let me book a one-way ticket? You'd think using up half the resources would cost less? :scratch

So, I had to lie and say we were coming back. I don't know why, but I picked Sept 22. Now I realize that I'd be 36 weeks at that point, lol. I wonder if anybody will say anything. I want to get a note from my doctor just in case anyone asks. But then it will say that I'm due 4 weeks after the supposed return flight. Sigh! I hate lying, I'm really bad at it, and now I'm nervous about being "found out", lol.

I'm feeling very tired. I had alot of sciatic nerve pain last night, on both sides. I'm using a comforter as a body pillow, and find keeping my legs elevated helps, but sleeping on my back is not as comfy. Also, having a big wad of blanket between my knees helps, too. So, truebluexf, I'm feeling your pain with the sciatic nerve stuff you posted on your thread in I'm Pregnant.

3boyz: sorry about the name mixup! Yes, I just totally love the name Selah, it is really growing on me since you said it. I think I probably would spell it with a "y" though. My name is Mariah, but it was originally spelled "Maria" (that is actually the proper spelling, it's a very old name, and used to be a man's name). Of course everybody called me "ma-ree-a" and I hated it. A few years ago I had it legally changed to be spelled with an "H", so now people get it right! :)

I forgot that now I'm supposed to be seen every 2 weeks by my OB. Well, I go to see my guy here next week, then I have a doc appt with my new doc in Vancouver on the 31st, so that will be 2 weeks. Perfect! :thumb

I've been having fears of premature labour. With all the plans we've got coming up, I can NOT afford to have this baby come unexpectedly!!!

[momto l&a]

I am 30 weeks.

Had a mw appt. on Thursady and everything was perfect, my usual low bp, weight gain was normal for me, I as usual measured small by a couple of weeks. Everything was so good in fact that she said we could go another month before the next appt.

As long as I stay off the couch and dont sit funny my hips are causing me no problems. If I would have only known that laying on the couch which I did every day with my last 2 really makes my hips painful and un-useable I could have saved myself a lot of pain and being stoved up.

Nesting hasnt hit yet, which is really a good thing as we are still working on putting things where we want them in our new place plus painting plus my parents are selling their place so I have to get my stuff out of there plus whatever I can nab of stuff that been in the family for years. I have so much sorting and repacking to put stuff in our shed it isnt funny. I just want a nap :LOL

I am also canning and freezing a few thing a fruits or veggies come on. The baby will probaly come when the apples are ready :irked: which will not be good timing as we have loads of apples and I want to make apple pie filling and a few other things plus get some stored for winter munching.


This labor I imagine will be just as fast and easy as the others. I think its a boy kinda, but dh is sure its a girl to go along with our other 2 girls. Poor guy is really getting out numbered. :LOL All I know is this baby is very active, didnt like the mw touching, measuring or listing to the heartbeat. :LOL I spend my days and nights getting kicked, punch and whatever all else goes on there. :LOL


We are going camping towards the middle of this month so that will be a welcome stress reliever :thumb

i have had lots of contractions but I think they where just all bh thought very intense. With all some of the heat we have had along with the fact water gives my heartburn its no doubt dehydration.

Off to do some more laundry

[Lucysmama]

Hey everyone, happy Monday!

Our therapy went ok today....our therapist is a little blunt and to the point, not what I have experienced before. She basically told us we are really f*cked up. Which I know, but still....it was a little odd to have someone tell you an hour after you meet. Our therapy with her is contingent on dh also getting individual therapy and on some meds for his depression, which he has totally agreed to. We just gave her the history of our marriage and such today. She made one comment that really kinda pissed me off - she asked if we planned this pregnancy, and when I said yes, she was a little rude about it, I thought. I guess it isn't her job to be tactful. We are going to be going to her twice a week for 2 hours per session. Serious therapy work.

QOTW: I am having some nesting urges, but I have been ignoring them lately with all that is going on. My house is really dirty, which ordinarily bothers me a little, but now it makes me feel insane.

My MIL babysat my dd this morning. When she told me she gave dd a bath, I almost had a heart attack. It has been plaguing me for a week how gross my tub is - total ring around the tub yuckies! I couldn't believe she put my dd in there!!!! She calmly said, "Katie, I washed it out. It's ok." I didn't know whether to hug her and thank her or cry with embarassment at having someone see my dirty tub. I feel so hormonal! :nut

:hug Amy sorry about the UTI!!! Are you doing the unsweetened cranberry juice? I found that using a shotglass helped me get it down quickly and painlessly. Traditional Medicinals also makes a tea called Cran-Aid, I think...it has cranberry, uva ursi, and marshmallow in it. It tastes kinda funky, but it helped clear up my last one without antibiotics.

I've been having a real problem with eating lately. :( I guess it is the stress of everything, but I doubt I have been getting more than 1500 calories per day in the last week or so. I asked dh if he could please remind me to eat more. Sometimes I realize it is 5:00pm and I haven't eaten yet that day. I always thought you'd have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat, but I have so much on my mind it is hard to focus on the baby's needs right now!

[sunshinegal]

lucysmama-I am so sorry to hear about your situation- :hug :hug but it's great to hear that you guys have gone to see a therapist and he is willing to work on this. BTW- my friend also went through a similar situation and she said that her therapist reacted the same way- very blunt; almost bordering on rude. Maybe because they take it so very seriously??
Piglet68- congrats on getting that new place! and so quickly too. Also, good luck with that crazy test you have to take. Hopefully it won't be as bad as it sounds.
3boyz4us- love the name seylah- i also like the "y" in the spelling- where did you come up with that?? it's beautiful
QOTW- A definite NO to the nesting. This weekend we were so busy that we ended up letting the dishes just pile up. (YUCK) And when I woke up this morning, there were absolutely no clean dishes or utensils to be found :Sheepish:
My dd even said that the house was so disgusting that we just couldn't invite anyone over to play until we cleaned up!
But I do feel HUGE- I have already gained 25 lbs and my belly is just aching.
Anyone else having trouble shaving their legs? I remember that at about this time with my last pg I just altogether gave up and let the hair grow everywhere :gross --- My husband just LOVED that!! I try to get at least the bottom portion of my legs in the shower but it is getting so difficult to bend over.

[3bees~1flower]

well, i had a good appt, this am. only gained 1 lb in two weeks! maybe the wt gain is going to finally start slowing down. BP was good. he said i had, he called them, puss cells in my urine..i told him that i think i still have a yeast infection which had been going on since the beginning. so i got a script for the yeasties. hope it works. and he agreed to not do my c-section till 2 DAYS before my due date...he always wants them scheduled a week before your edd. so Piglet, you can add to the list that we get to meet our bean on Oct. 22nd!! :love

we are going camping, too! this thursday till sunday morning. we are going with my sister and her dh...since we have NO camping equipment...they have a 4 room tesnt and 3 air mattresses. our state fair starts thurs so we'll go to that on Fri. which is also ds #2's 5th BIRTHDAY!! can't believe he's going to be in kindergaten this year!! then Sat we'll just hang out and "camp". looking forward to it.

thanks for all the input on my name question. i didn't get much of a response from dh when i mentioned it, not like when i mentioned Trinity, anyway. i still like that name...:irked:

sunshinegal...actually Piglet suggested the "y" in the spelling so pronunciation wouldn't get butchered. and the name itself is from two different places...it's a word that is used in the Bible a lot in Psalms, it's actually a musical term to indicate a rest and music is big part of our life...but the actual definiton is "lift up, exalt". the other place is one our new favorite Christian music groups is called "Selah".

ETA: forgot to answer the QOTW (again!)....there are no nesting feelings here...i don't ususally get much nesting when i'm pregnant...nothing significant anyway.

[stanleymama]

Just got back form having lunch with a friend. It was so nice to get out of the house and have a bit of time to myself.

QOTW: I think I am starting to get the nesting urges. There is a bunch of stuff I want to just get out of the house. I am always diligent about keeping a clean house, not anal, but it is important to me. Helps me to feel like I am on top of things. My mother is a "clean freak" so i am sure I picked up some of this from her.

I am feeling better from last Friday. I still feel contractions every now and then but not the pressure. I am so thankful. I am taking it a bit more easy though. I am looking forward to seeing my dr and talking to him about it. He is an older dr. with lots of experience and he never overeacts. I just love him!

Lucysmama---hugs.

3boyz4us---I love the name. I think you done good :thumb :D

[Jillerina]

Hello All - it is Monday and Dh is off work so I just had another 2 hour nap! That is three days in a row now, what am I gonna do when DH goes to work tomorrow???

Piglet, awsome new on the apartment front. Sounds like a great place. Our condo is about the same size, maybe 100square feet bigger but only 1 bathroom. It is great for keeping "stuff" to a minimum. If I had a bigger place I'd have it just as full as this one so sometimes smaller is better in my opinion!

Lucysmama, I'm happy to hear that you and DH have acted so quickly in seeking counselling. You are one strong woman that is all I can say. And thank goodness for your MIL, she sounds just great... I wish someone would clean out our shower stall - it is just plain disgusting!

Truebluef, here's hoping that uti gets under control quickly. I'm in the same boat with yoghurt as you are with the cranberry juice. If I miss a day or two of yoghurt the yeasties start rearing their ugly head. So I make a point of having at least one serving per day and so far so good.

We are also heading camping next weekend although it will be more country living than camping. It is an organized weekend with my friend's church. They call it family camp and we stay in a big cabin instead of tents with kitchen and bathroom facilities. Sounds just about my speed these days. Oh yes, and we have bunk beds too!! Much better thsn air matresses on the floor as far as I am concerned :)

QOTW: Yes, my nesting instinct has kicked in. I wish I had as much energy as I need to follow through with all the plans I have. There are so many nooks and cranys around here that need decluttering. I did go through our bookshelf and weeded out lots of books that I know we won't read again. Now I just have to get rid of them!

Anyone drinking Red Rasberry Leaf Tea? I am trying to but don't rember to drink it every day. It is more likely that I drink 3 cups 2 or 3 times a week. Do you think that is worthwhile or do I really need to drink it everyday to see results?

[gottaknit]

I keep hearing about Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, but I have no idea what it is supposed to do.... Anyone care to enlighten me? I love tea in general, so if this is something I should be drinking I will! :)

[momto l&a]

I keep hearing about Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, but I have no idea what it is supposed to do.... Anyone care to enlighten me? I love tea in general, so if this is something I should be drinking I will!

RRL tones the uterus.

I take RRL in capsuls as I dont care the tatse of it in tea. I keep forgetting to be taking it :bag:

[Ctmom70]

29wks 1 day

Feeling sluggish myself here. I have had it great so far...so I'm not complaining too much. I had my 28 appointment on Friday and now I start going every 2 wks!! Woo Hoo!! So happy the end is insight!

QOTW: I have gone as far as all of Alex's clothes are washed and put in his drawers, diaper bag packed, coming home outfit picked out. I feel the need this time to be ready..especially with a 3 yo demanding little girl..lol

I'm saying I'm going one-two weeks early...wishful thinking on my part..lol How does Oct 14th sound? Hoping for a easy, natural VBAC...labor 5 hrs. I'm sure I'll change my mind. ;)

[sqoya]

Yeah, I'm drinking Red Rasberry Leaf tea!!! I had a horrible time remembering to drink it, too, until I made a weekly pot of iced tea. After reading about so many women who had minimal bleeding after birth and attributed it to the RRL tea, I'm drinking it in earnest! I remember reading somewhere that if you drink too much, it will REALLY tone the uterus and could cause early labor. By too much, I think it was around 8 or more cups a day??? So, I'm sticking to 2 cups.

QOTW: Nesting? Wanting a ceiling in my kitchen - is that nesting??? Oh, and cabinets to put dishes in? That would be nice! LOL! My dh and I are working so hard on renovating our house, I guess that could be considered nesting. After this weekend I'm really taking it easy. I was putting baseboards on the upstairs bedrooms, the final touch, and boy, am I ready for squatting during birth!!! :thumb

[krnflwr]

Amy (and everyone), I found this info on UTIs:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/1/T011500.asp#T011506

"COPING WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS (UTI'S)

A full bladder competes for pelvic space with a growing uterus. Urinary tract, bladder or kidney infections may result. Many women will have at least one episode at some time during their pregnancy. The symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder infection (cystitis) include: painful urination, burning on urination, increased urgency and frequency of urination, lower abdominal or pelvic pain, and possibly blood in the urine. Sometimes the infection can spread upward into the kidneys (called pyelonephritis), causing severe back pain, fever, chills, rapid heart rate, vomiting, and a generally very ill feeling. Urinary tract infections are treated with a combination of self-help and medicine prescribed by your doctor:

* To lessen your chances of getting UTI's, drink extra fluids. Cranberry juice in particular is thought to kill bacteria in the urine.
* Don't hold onto your urine; go as soon as you feel the urge.
* Empty your bladder thoroughly at each urination by triple voiding: urinate once, wait about ten seconds, urinate again, and then a third time.
* Empty your bladder before and after intercourse.
* Wear loose-fitting underwear, pantyhose, and slacks.
* Keep your regularly scheduled prenatal appointments in which your doctor will routinely check your urine for signs of infection.
* If you suspect you have a bladder or kidney infection, have your urine checked immediately. Oftentimes, your doctor can detect a UTI immediately with routine urinalysis; sometimes an overnight culture is needed. Some women will grow bacteria in their urine even without symptoms (called asymptomatic bacteriuria), and this condition increases the chances of getting UTI's. To screen for this, your doctor may perform frequent urine cultures as part of your prenatal care.
* If you have a urinary tract infection, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic that is safe for you to take while pregnant. The type and the duration of the antibiotic will depend upon the severity of your UTI and your stage of pregnancy. Improperly treated UTI's increase the risk of having a problem pregnancy or premature delivery. "

I have a friend who delivered 6 wks early (alone, in her bathroom) due to a severe UTI, of which she was unaware. I keep battling these infections, as well. After this situation w/ my friend, I have them check my urine at EVERY appt. Guess I'm paranoid, but I'd like Baby Cookie to bake comfortably to full term, yaknow?
Pig, great news on the apartment!
Katie, I'm go glad to hear things moving in a positive direction for you guys. Hugs to you! :hug
Nesting? Well, I guess if I had more energy, I'd be nesting. The clutter and mess of living w/ a toddler in a small house is starting to really bother me, but I just can't seem to do much about it. We need to get a bureau or dresser for Baby Cookie, so I have somewhere to put all her teeny tiny clothes. So far, I just keep stacking boxes in the corner. :irked:
Feeling like a furnace lately, really hot all the time. But otherwise pretty good. Hope you all are feeling round and sassy, too! :thumb

[Piglet68]

30 w, 1 day

Good morning, ladies!

3boyz: sounds like you are just going to have to inform your DH that *we* have decided the baby's name will be Seylah! :LOL (now watch it be another boy, lol).

trueblue: glad the contractions weren't anything more serious than a UTI, not that those are fun, but at least it isn't preterm labour! Keep chugging that cranberry, or you can buy capsules of powdered cranberry in health food stores. Also, always pee right after having sex. And drink lots of water so that you pee alot and keep that bladder flushing through.

gottaknit: I realized that I, too, have been having BH. I had a LOT of them yesterday. I agree, if that was labour it's a cinch, lol. Somehow I think labour is alot worse!!

I wonder how our TWIN mamas are doing: gmvh and guinessinu...?

momto l&a: my mother is also moving out of her house of 23 years and downsizing to a small condo. We are also getting lots of stuff from her, and sorting through stuff. We did alot when we were last in town, but I'll probably be doing more of it when we get there. Well, for the first time in ages we WANT some stuff (as opposed to always getting rid of stuff), so it will help to fill up our new space a bit.

Lucysmama: I'm so happy that you guys are going twice a week...it's really important and I'm sure you will benefit hugely. I guess it is harsh that she basically said you guys are messed up, but maybe she thought it would help motivate your DH a bit, or prepare you for the work ahead. DH and I did some couples therapy when we got engaged, on the advice of my stepmum who is a social worker/Imago therapist. She always says couples should work on their communication skills *before* things go awry. Our counsellor gave us exercises to do together and it helped us feel like partners on the same team, kwim? I hope you and your DH get that feeling, too. Like you are working together to solve a problem, not on opposite sides. :hug Oh, and I had to smile at your bathtub story. I'm afraid I don't get our tub clean as often as I would like to, it's a tough job when you are this PG! And DH, bless his heart, tries to help but the man has no concept of "clean" so I end up re-doing it anyways. When we have company coming over, the first thing I do is clean the tub b/c I'm embarrassed about the ring! (and the water here is so hard, I find it rings up really fast!). I also know what you mean about eating: when I'm going through a very stressful time I tend to not eat much. Just take a supplement or multivitamin to keep your mind at ease, and don't stress too much about it.

Happy camping to all you heading to the great outdoors! I'm jealous! DH bought a tent yesterday (only $17 at WalMart, lol) and set it up in the living room. Needless to say, DD is having a ball with it, and it's been a great plaything for her.

Okay, so on to my latest stupid PG hormones drama...

Yesterday the rental agent emailed us some photos of our new apartment. There is a gorgeous view from our balcony...but the apt faces North and there is no direct sunlight. Perhaps it was just the photos, but it looked dark. The decor is not the most aesthetically-pleasing either. I suppose we've been spoiled living in modern apartments, but I'm already decorating-challenged as it is, and the colours are stumping me. Last night I began to panic and thinking I should call the guy and cancel. I had visions of being cooped up with two kids in a dark apartment, suffereing from Seasonal Affective Disorder (I really need brightness in my life!), and being surrounded by ugly colours, mixed up furniture, etc. This morning I was tempted to call the whole thing off, but also knew in my heart I was being irrational. I told DH how I felt, and said "tell me if you think I'm being crazy". Well, he gently said "yes, you are being crazy", lol. So I thought about it some more and realized that there's no reason I can't make this place a nice home...I just need some decorating help! So I posted a thread in TAO asking for tips, and when we move in I'll spend some time at Home Depot looking for some colour schemes I can work with. Hopefully I can pick up some cheap lighting and stuff at Ikea and brighten the place up a bit.

My other drama is physical: I actually went home early from work yesterday for the first time in months. Being at home with DD is not a rest, but I just couldn't stay here yesterday. I was exhausted and felt drained of all energy/motivation. I hurt/ache all over it seems, and I was feeling very hot/flushed. My stamina is down to a bare minimum, thank goodness I only have two more weeks of work! The way I feel these days, there is no way I could have another baby in two more years. Which is fine b/c I always envisioned two. But DH and I had talked about "maybe 3". Well, there's no more "maybe" for me, lol.

[mtnjenny]

QOTW: Nesting? Yes! Trying to get everything "ready" (ha!) before school starts on August 23rd. So, it's probably coming from necessity more than instinct...I am with some of you, though, I'm fully annoyed with a dirty floor, or dirty dishes left on the counter. Not normal for me! I also started making some food to freeze - I feel a little crazy doing it so soon, but it makes me feel good!

No BH for me yet, but man this baby gets stronger every day. It's so amazing, I love it.

Thanks for the RRL tea advice, I'll have to pick some up today!

Lucysmama, hang in there. If you can, get with some girlfriends. These boards are great, but nothing builds up girlpower more than really being with some women!!

I finally had some physical drama! (I know I jinxed myself for feeling lucky about not having anything major going on...) I had mastitis!! I know, usually only happens in nursing women. But somehow, some bacteria got up in there and I had a swollen, red, hard, PAINFUL boob. YOWCH. Had to go to the emergency room and get put on antibiotics, which I hate. But, between this turning into a huge infection and being on antibiotics, I had to make a choice. Besides that, I've had some pubic pain (yowch, too!) But nothing too dreadful. Well, actually this bout with mastitis was pretty dreadful, I have to admit.

Mandi, good luck with the house repairs. Don't overdo! I know how fun it is, though...IMO.

Piglet, have fun choosing colors! From my experience, blues and greens are hard to "get right." I've had good luck with more earthy tones, plus they're cheery and soothing. I have a golden yellow kitchen which I LOVE. Our living room, bathroom, and "baby's" room are all log walls which makes things very dark, so we have light colored curtains, lots of lamps, and whitish ceilings which helps a lot!

Last night "my dogs were barkin'!" (read: my feet hurt bad) so I soaked them in an aromatherapy foot soak while I read a magazine, wrapped them up in a fluffy towel, slathered them with lotion, and slept in cotton socks. Ohhhhhh, are they happy and pretty this morning - run, don't walk, and get yourselves some foot-soak-stuff and do this!! All you mamas deserve it!

[momadance]

Hey mama's!
Checking in from the library! Our connection at our new place isn't up and running yet. Moving sucked on Sat. It was a nightmare for Miles and I. I had so much round ligament pain, it hurt to stand, and Miles wanted to help the "MEN" and was pretty freaked out. We both ended up having huge meltdowns balling and such. Absolute hell. Life is slowly coming back to normal. Off to NYC tomorow to be my sis maid of honor. We'll be back on Monday. NOt to excited about it, hopefully my attitude will change
3boys, I really dig the name

Lucysmama~ I haven't been checking in much, or following the boards, but I have been thinking about you sister, and devoting alot of energy and love your way! I'm so sorry!
You need to shimmy to your local regency theater on Sunday night to see phish broadcast their last night playing together!

THe skin on my lower abdomin is so tender right now. Really strange. I went to the Chiropractor yesterday, amazingly I have reamained balance.

love :love mama's

check in next week!

[stanleymama]

Hey mamas!

Our computer is needing some repairs or something--its pretty screwed up. So I won't be checking in for a bit till it gets fixed.

HOpe you all have a great week!

[gottaknit]

Hi Everyone. I'm having a tough week. We're considering firing our midwife and getting a new one. I posted a thread ("Frustrated with my Midwife") about it in the Homebirth forum. If any of you would like to read it and tell me if I'm just being a hormonal wreck or if my feelings are justified, I'd appreciate it. :innocent

I'd also just like to say that those maternity store sales people who say "our maternity clothes are designed to grow with you during pregnancy" are full of crap. Those tiny elastic low-rise panels that are supposed to slide under my belly and support it are cutting off my circulation! Apparently someone forgot to tell them that women's hips get bigger, too, not just their bellies! :LOL

Hope you're all doing well! :)

[Court]

Okay I finally have enough energy to post. Logan and I slept REALLY late today- after getting up at 5:30 to have some cereal. I have felt like I have no stamina as well lately - so I bought some of those Rainbow lite prenatals (cause I had stopped taking them after the 1st trimester) to build up my iron like Beansmomma suggested. So, I think they're kinda helping, I feel good today for a change, but I also had lots of sleep.

I hear ya Nancy on the maternity clothes issues. I outgrew my pricy Old Navy capris that were supposed to grow with me. I finally broke down and bought some panel jeans from the evil Motherhood store. I swore I wasn't going to buy anymore maternity clothes. But I can't wear jogging pants everywhere.

Okay, I have a TMI question: How much discharge is normal? I know it's been discussed, but I've forgotten what was said already. I'm starting to worry that maybe it's yeast, even though I don't have those classic symptoms. Well, I start to feel irritated from all the constant wiping. Someone help me!

QOTW: I don't think I have the nesting feeling quite yet. I still do normal cleaning stuff, like always. I scrubbed my bathtub yesterday :) Toys and things scattered everywhere don't really bother me so much though, cause I'm too tired to pick them up.

Piglet-congrats on the apartment, don't worry, it'll be fine. You can always move again later, if it doesn't work out. You can get that broad spectrum lighting or whatever it's called. That will be fun decorating a new place.

Momadance- sorry the moving sucked so much, at least it's over though. Have fun in NYC!

And :hug Lucysmama- I'm still thinking about you too! I'm so glad you guys are going to therapy already. I really hope things work out.

[krnflwr]

I had mastitis!! I know, usually only happens in nursing women. But somehow, some bacteria got up in there and I had a swollen, red, hard, PAINFUL boob. YOWCH. Had to go to the emergency room and get put on antibiotics, which I hate.

Jenny, how painful! And odd, if you don't mind me saying so, to have this happen before your milk "comes in". I'm wondering if you might be prone to plugged ducts, so wanted to share this info w/ you. Once the baby arrives and you start nursing (if that is the route you choose), you might want to keep this info in the back of your mind, so you know what to look for. It's rather common to get a plugged duct or two in the early days of nursing, but w/ proper care it doesn't have to turn into mastitis. Feel free to PM me if you would like more info or anything, I'm a LLL leader and happy to help. :D

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/mastitis.html
"Whether coping with a sore breast, a plugged duct or a breast infection, the initial care is similar. Nurse frequently, rest and apply heat to the tender area.

* Frequent nursings serve to provide comfort, reduce inflammation and encourage opening the blocked area. Mothers find that varying breastfeeding positions drains all areas of the breast more effectively. For example, if you most commonly use the cradle hold, try the clutch (“football”) hold or lying down to breastfeed. (Please note that it is a common myth that it is unhealthy for the baby to breastfeed when the mother has a breast infection. This is definitely not true. The antibacterial properties of human milk protect the baby from infection.)
* Rest is an important component in recovery from sore breasts, plugged ducts or breast infections. To do this, try resting in bed with baby cuddled next to you. This will also encourage frequent breastfeeding sessions to drain the breast. Keep supplies such as diapers, toys, books, the telephone, a glass and a pitcher of water nearby to minimize trips out of bed.
* Applying wet or dry heat with a heating pad or hot water bottle and gently massaging the sore area of the breast before breastfeeding can assist the breast in further emptying. Many mothers find that taking showers or baths and gently massaging with a warm cloth on the sore breast is a relaxing treatment during a stressful time. Another technique is to lean over a basin of warm water and soak the sore breast for about 10 minutes three times a day. This will also remove any dried milk secretions that may be blocking the flow of milk out of the nipple. Breastfeed immediately, while the breast is warm, to help unplug the blocked duct."

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/repeatmastitis.html

[3bees~1flower]

Just have a min to post, but CourtneyandLogan..i think i have had a yeast infection since day one!! i did do a 7 day treatment at around 16 wks and it helped, but then "things" felt sooo good that i gave itno dh's lovin' and 2-3 days later i started to get the same discharge as before i did the treatment...and i have never really had any classic symptoms of yeast either until the last couple weeks or more...things just feel irritated down there and sex is way painful, it burns! so i told him yesterday that i still think i have one and he gave me another script...hopefully it helps and that it won't come back right away after intercourse again...but to answer your question, i know that it is common to have an increase in discharge while pg...mine was *very* yellow and chunky or clumpy, no odor really, at least not offensive like a bacterial infection. i'd get it checked out, don't let it go on like it did. hope you get it figured out!

[mtnjenny]

Karin, thanks so much for the information. I'll definitely be more aware of any pain or funny twinges from now on. It started out as a very sore nipple, and then progressed. I know, very odd...I'm trying not to be too freaked out by it. Now that I know you're a LLL leader, I'll keep you in mind for advice! Thanks again,

CourtneyandLogan, can't help you with the yeast infection thing, but get it checked out before it becomes bad and you're miserable - like I did with my poor breast!

[Piglet68]

The discharge issue rings a bell here, too. I've been wearing pantiliners daily (cloth ones, no waterproofing). I seem to have a lot and it seems to be kinda sticky. It smells strange, but not too bad. And of course, like the rest of you, I have no other symptoms, no itchiness or irritation or anything. So I haven't done anything about it. I suppose I'll mention it to my doc, but then what can he do other than prescribe meds? Is there anything wrong with allowing it to run it's course or should I be more proactive on this?

gottaknit: I so hear you on the maternity clothes. I've "outgrown" two pairs of pants now. The ones I have on today are so comfy: they are from Mimi Maternity and instead of a front big panel they have two side panels in the same colour and you can barely notice them, so I don't have to wear huge moo-moo shirts. I've learned that you must definitely buy maternity pants in a stretchy material, b/c yes my hips HAVE grown alot!!

momadance I'm so sorry to hear the move went so badly for you and Miles! :hug I can't believe you have to haul off to a wedding now. That is so the LAST thing I would feel like doing. I'm a big slug now, and have been surfing most of the day instead of working. I have just lost all motivation for work. Thank goodness I only have 14 days left!! :banana

[Lucysmama]

I outgrew my clothes in my third trimester last pregnancy...it sucked. I remember those panels digging in to my pubic bone! Ouch! This time, I got a pair of blue yoga pants, and a pair of black ones. That's all I wear...but you can definitely dress the black ones up or down. They are SOOOOOOOOO comfy, and I know there is no way I will outgrow them!

[bluehalo]

31 weeks here...

re: yeast -- I've been feeling like I'm fighting the start of a yeast infection too ... I haven't actually had any discharge, but just a general irritible feeling down there. I use a witchhazel/EO blend (TTO, lavender and rose geranium) that I squirt on those little cotton pads that are usually used for makeup or whatever, and I wipe w/ that after each time I potty. Also taking Acidiphilous (sp?) ... if it doesn't get better, I'll be trying the Acidiphilous capsules internally, that can really help too. Just some ideas for non-invasive, non-antibiotic ways that might help for those of you that might not want to get a script. Yogurt (w/ live cultures) can help too.

Nesting -- well, maybe a bit ... but I'm *so* tired lately ... the smallest project seems to wear me out for the next day! I'm taking my prenatals, a B complex, and am about to start extra iron b/c I just can't figure out why I'm struggling so badly. We did finally buy the crib that we're going to side car, and I feel better knowing that we have that. Also a new dresser that will be our changing table. Can anyone say "Ikea"? ;) :LOL

Maternity Clothes -- they suck. You know, what are these people thinking??? Non-pregnant, I'm certainly not *skinny* ... but I'm no large / xlarge ... and I'm needing large and xlg shirts to cover my belly now. What do people that do usually wear larges do for maternity? It sucks! I hate having to buy new clothes when I know I'm only going to need a few more weeks wear out of them (esp. b/c we're not planning any more pregnancies...) My cami/shelf-bra/tank thingies I've had to replace w/ larges b/c my belly was poking out from underneath. Fortunately, I was able to find a few on Ebay for pretty cheap, so I'm not too bitter. But it's still a PITB.

ok, rant over. can you tell I'm slightly annoyed about all that? *lol*

[gottaknit]

Maternity clothes again: I bought some new stuff on gap.com last week on sale that is super cheap and actually long enough to cover my belly. (Must remember to wash on cold!)

Check it out:

http://www.gap.com/asp/Product.asp?wdid=9009035&wpid=240291

http://www.gap.com/asp/Product.asp?wdid=9009030&wpid=240268

http://www.gap.com/asp/Product.asp?wdid=9009035&wpid=231565

[sqoya]

I'm definitely having a lot of discharge, too. It smells a little funny, but not too strong. No other symptoms. Yeah, be sure to let me know if I should be more concerned!

So, I'm not the only one that is completely exhausted?!! I just can't figure out why - maybe the baby is going through growth spurts? Some days I'll wake up, make breakfast, shower, and then just fall back in bed. I don't know how you Mamas do it all with a toddler! You're amazing!

bluehalo - let me know if you have tips on setting up the crib as a side car when you come to it. We're going to try the same thing, but I've never done it before. Don't know if we'll use the crib exclusively or never, but at least we have the option. We're both a little hesitant about rolling over on the baby or just laying there, not falling asleep, because we'll be too nervous about the baby. We're just going to play it by ear.

[bluehalo]

Mandi ... that's exactly how I feel ... so tired, and really can't figure out why! DH spent the weekend doing all kind of physical labor around the house, and I sat around moaning and groaning about how tired I was. Bless his heart he didn't said a work ;) ... I certainly didn't feel like I should have been as tired as I was, sitting on my bottom all weekend long :LOL It's making me more cranky w/ DS than I would like too :( I'm trying hard to be as patient as possible, and am just taking it easy.

About the side car, well, I'll let you know for sure once it's all put together (DH is out of town 'till Saturday, so those projects are on hold) ... but I think our plan is to remove one side of the crib rails,and drill new holes in the crib to adjust the base height so the mattress in the crib will be the exact same height as our bed mattress. Our bed is kind of like a platform bed where the mattress sits *in* the frame (if that makes any sense) ... so we're going to bolt the bottom side rail of the crib to the side rail of the bed. I've seen other people just wedge the crib between the bed and the wall tighly enough that there's no room for seperation. Our room isn't set up for the arrangement, w/o some serious reconfiguration, which I just don't feel like doing. I also feel a bit better knowing there's hardware actually holding the bed and the crib together, yk? HTH some. We can take pics once we have it together if that would help :)

[Court]

Cute clothes Nancy! So, did you buy a Large or what? I especially like the camisole.

I was buying mediums around month 5, and now apparently I'm into XL in pants and at least a L in shirts to cover my belly. I wanted to kill the lady in the store who said, "whatever size you were pre-pregnancy, that's the size you'll need now." Um, not so much. We have to account for my ice cream and waffle weight that settled around my butt and thighs.

Well, I have my little check-up tomorrow so I'll ask about the discharge. But, you know, that's the time I least want someone checkin' me out down there. What Piglet described, sounds like what I've got going on, and I bought some pantyliners today, so today I've felt fine. Sex doesn't hurt which is usually a symptom for me (of yeast). We buy that cheap-o toilet paper, so too much of that always irritates me. Anyways,thanks for your responses :)

And on the co-sleeping thing, dh and I were pretty nervous to fall asleep with ds in bed with us at first, so we put him in a basinett next to the bed. Logan would never cry, but just grunt all night long - cause he wanted to nurse. So, it happened after a couple nights that I fell asleep nursing him in bed (in side laying position) and woke up with him next to me a few hours later and realized everything was fine. Thus began our cosleeping journey. I always like having him next to me so I could make sure he was breathing. You know I still do that to this day. I don't know why I went off on that tangent.

And Mandi, my toddler hasn't really been so rough on me all in all. He loves just snuggling and napping somedays (like today :) ), it's really weird. He also loves to play by himself for a while too. I think when it's your own toddler, it's really not that bad - but if I was watching someone elses - that'd be a different story. We're usually prettty in tune w/ each other.

[3bees~1flower]

i guess you'd say that i have been seeing if what i have will run it's course and it has only seemed to get worse. so if you want to do that that's up to you, but i wish i had been more persistent about it being checked out.

[bluehalo]

I'm resisting the urge to follow Nancy's link .... I'm saving my "play" money for yarn these days. Damn these obsessions ;)

Anyway, I'm about to post a belly shot at the yahoo group ... if it's too risque for *anyone* ... please let me know and I'll take it down, no offense taken, I promise!! But, I finally got around to taking a picture tonight, and I'm excited to share it. Don't worry, there's no real nudity ... but I do understand if it makes anyone uncomfortable. Ok, end of disclaimer :) *lol*

[Lucysmama]

Anyway, I'm about to post a belly shot at the yahoo group ... if it's too risque for *anyone* ... please let me know and I'll take it down, no offense taken, I promise!! But, I finally got around to taking a picture tonight, and I'm excited to share it. Don't worry, there's no real nudity ... but I do understand if it makes anyone uncomfortable. Ok, end of disclaimer :) *lol*

I think it is awesome....and I am sure you have heard this before, but you are BEAUTIFUL, mama!!!

[True Blue]

Jenny, wanted to add a little more to the mastitis info as a veteran of 4 or so infections. :eyesroll The first time I had one, I went on antibiotics. the second and 4th times, I was able to take care of ti myself. What you do is, at the first sign on symptoms, start taking echinacea and garlic, in addition to the nursing and warm compresses. Also, before and during nursing with the infection, massage in a downward motion (towards the nipple) in the area of the infection. And make sure the position you use to nurse your baby has the baby's chin towards the infected area as well, this helps drain that specific area most efficiently. If your fever doesn't spike too much, all of these things can help you avoid antibiotics. :) Also, be careful when you buy bras (actually what are you wearing now?). Avoid underwire nursing bras, and be SURE the bras you choose are not the slightest bit snug. If you buy a cotton bra, either make sure you you don't dry it or make sure you buy it with a little shrinking room. All lessons learned! I have one style bra that works for me and it is the only one I will buy.

Glad to hear I am not the only one moving on up a size in my maternity pants LOL!! One time when I went into Motherhood, the clerk said to me, "are you wearing a bra to bed?" and I said "no" (of course not, who the heck wants to do that?!) and she said "oh you should otherwise they'll sag" LOLOL I was like um "I've nursed for 2 years, I don't think a bra to sleep in will affect much" :lol Come ON people!!!

I'm doing fine, no more contractions (FYI: any contractions, even if they feel like b-h, that occur more than 4-5 times an hour are actually preterm labor...I had them every 2 minutes). Taking Cranactin, should have lab results tomorrow, though I imagine by the time I get the results the infection will be about gone anyhow.

Krnflwr, thanks for the UTI info!! :) Both of my pregnancies, the midwives have always checked for leukocytes (which indicate infection) at each and every visit....it's part of the number of things on the dipstick they stick in your urine each visit. The really annoying thing is I pretty much do everything on the list. I guess I just have to take cranberry twice a day for the rest of this pg!!

I really think increases in discharge as time goes on is normal. Sometimes my undies feel wet, it's so annoying. And since all smells annoy me, the smell of myself seems gross too...but I don't think anyone else can actually notice.

[krnflwr]

i think i have had a yeast infection since day one!! so i told him yesterday that i still think i have one and he gave me another script...hopefully it helps and that it won't come back right away after intercourse again...
re: yeasties
It is possible for your partner to harbor yeast, and for you two to keep passing it back and forth. It happens w/ DH and I often. Took us a couple of years to figure it out (yes, we're a bit slow sometimes!). Anyway, if you notice that you are often getting yeasties after sex, you might have DH check w/ a doc, or have him investigate his "little friend" thoroughly. DH notices that he gets red, itchy bumps on the tip, esp under his foreskin. He increases his yogurt and sometimes uses monistat creme topically. Works right away for him.
HTHs!

[sunshinegal]

let me just say all you mamas that are at home at this point in your PG are so lucky. I will probably be working until mid october and I just barely made it into work this morning. I am just sitting at my desk trying to keep my eyes from closing and not snapping at any of my coworkers :eyesroll - what I wouldn't give for a nice long nap!
re: yeasties- I agree with krnflwr about your partner harboring the yeast. It happened with me and my dh last pg.
also- about maternity bras- why is it that they sell maternity bras with underwire?? I get sore breasts once in a while wearing them without nursing, I can't imagine using one now. Of course the ones I am wearing now are huge and look old fashioned like something my grandmother would have worn.
:eyesroll

[gottaknit]

Wearing a bra to bed! :laugh: The general public is lucky if I wear a bra out in public these days! :Sheepish: I really hate wearing a bra lately - just another thing to squeeze and irritate my ribs. No thanks. I'm pretty much just wearing those built in shelf bras in my tank tops now. So, bring on the sag, I guess! :LOL

Courtney, I bought mediums and they fit just fine. I think Gap is slightly better quality/fit than Motherhood. (They must use the regulated sweatshops instead of the unregulated ones. :eyesroll ) I'm still close to "pre-pregnancy size" on top, but I think it's because I'm short-waisted and narrow shouldered. I'm a large on bottom now and I refuse to buy any more pants. The most comfortable thing I own happens to be a long stretchy Patagonia skirt (similar to the one in your photo), which is a size small and not maternity. Talk about stretchy! Hope I'm not ruining it. I wear it at least three times a week.

And can I just say thank God we're pregnant in the summer and can wear flip flops! I can't tie my shoes anymore without grunting and groaning. :rolleyes I'm getting some funny looks at work, but no one dares upset the preggo lady with "dress code" talk. heh heh heh

We started Birthing from Within last night. I'm so glad we're doing this, because it's been torture getting DH to read anything I give him. He'd rather just have me tell him everything I want him to know. And frankly, the educator role is getting old. But I think we'll cover enough in this class that it'll make up for him not reading the book. He was so proud of himself that he already knew what BH contractions are and what "doula" means. :love What a cutie.

There are five other couples in our class and we are the only ones planning a homebirth. We are also the only ones who plan to go entirely unmedicated. Everyone else seemed to be saying that they were taking the class to learn how to cope with the time leading up to when they decide to get the epidural. :scratch If someone wants an epidural that's just fine by me, but I don't think I'd waste $200 on natural birth classes if that's what I was planning... Anyway, they all seem really nice and it's great to get to know some pregnant people IRL.

Regarding yeast infections: When I had mine a couple months ago, my midwife didn't even give me an exam. She just prescribed something based on my symptoms and it was gone in seven days. So you won't necessarily need an exam. I'd advise just treating it and getting it over with. Over-the-counter stuff is the same as the prescription. Yeast infections suck! You'll feel so much better if you get rid of it. Good luck! :hug

[3bees~1flower]

thanks for the reminder about dh...i guess it hadn't *reallly* occurred to me to ask him if had any irritation...guess i figured he'd tell me if he was bothered by somethng...i'll ask him though. i have been helping my sister try and figure out what is wrong with her dh...without looking it's hard to tell her what to do for him...at first it sounded like eczema, but she said it getting way worse and is spreading. she said his entire groin area clear out to his thighs and up past his underwear is pure rash...the more we talked the more it sounded like yeast, so i told her about a couple EO's to try and then if that didn't work to try Lotrimin cream...he won't going to the dr. till Sept 1st b/c of insurance reasons. so i hope something helps him. and it would make sense that it be yeast, b/c she is *always* fighting yeast...they've been married for 3 yrs and it seems she has been fighting it most of the 3 years...and then she tells me he has had this for a year!!! :eyesroll that definitely makes sense as to why she is always fighting it. anyway, thanks for the reminder!

[Piglet68]

I am so glad to hear I'm not the only one saddled with extreme exhaustion. I'm refilling my prenatal's today (man, I have been eating so much CRAP lately...guilt, guilt, guilt!) so hopefully the extra vits will give me a boost.

And now that I think I know what BH feels like, I have them every time I walk anywhere! I hope that isn't a bad sign. It's kind of uncomfortable, but not at all painful. I have to walk really slowly now, and it's driving me nuts b/c I'm normally a very fast walker.

I just can't believe how much this PG is affecting me. I don't remember feeling this "disabled" last time. I feel guilty, too, b/c it feels like I'm always complaining to DH and I want to cherish this, my last pregnancy, and cherish the life I'm growing inside me. But it's hard when your crotch hurts, your sciatic nerves won't let you sleep, and every time you walk more than a block it feels like your baby is trying to hatch out of your tummy through your abdominal wall!!

Okay, here's some fun/good news: I expressed a drop of colostrum today!!!! I was never able to do that with DD, but then I really didn't know how to express anyways. My breasts have suddenly started to fill up. Finally, my saggy floppy boobies are getting a nice round shape to them again! :banana I really noticed it today in the shower, so gave it a try and...wow! Nature's Wonder Juice!

Well, it explains why DD is nursing more and sucking harder (and why my nipples are so sore!). She did sleep through the night last night, however, so hooray for small mercies. I am still nursing her to sleep. But I'm now trying to wean the morning wake-up milkies a bit. She loves to nurse after she wakes up, as she sort of "comes to" slowly, but I'm finding I can distract her more readily now and am hoping to get rid of that.

She does seem to understand that baby Sasha is going to have nothing but milkies, all the time, b/c he can't eat food. This was from one of the library books we got, and she keeps telling me that, lol.

Tomorrow is my 3 hour GD test. I may go home afterwards if I feel crappy, so if you don't hear from me, you'll know why, lol.

By the way, where is mirthfulmum??

[gottaknit]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one eating crappy food. I went to McDonalds last night at 9pm because I HAD to have a cheeseburger. :innocent

[Lucysmama]

I tried to upload a pic of dh and I to the yahoo group and it said our group is in violation of its quota.

Piglet- good luck on the GD test! I really know what you mean about BH every time you walk. I get them, too. I was at the mall yesterday bra shopping (ugh, you don't even wanna KNOW what size I am now!!!) and buying Lucy some socks. I was there maybe 45 minutes. I left feeling like I had just taken a beating in my belly and lower back. I was SO happy to get to my car and sit down! I can't believe I still have 8 weeks to go. I swear, I didn't feel this crappy until 37 weeks or so last time. Wonder what that means.....?

I have a prenatal tomorrow. Dh is coming with me - his first one. He is trying to take an active interest now in me and the baby, I guess. So, first we go to our therapy, and then to our prenatal....I am nervous about spending so much one on one time with him. I am alternating between wanting to punch him in the belly, cry, and hug him and say "We can get thru this." This is so hard! :( And I am SO hormonal.

We are moving into a new house (together) in a couple of weeks. We get the keys on the 23rd. I still feel very apprehensive about it, but if it doesn't work out, dd and I can always move back in with my MIL.

[krnflwr]

I tried to upload a pic of dh and I to the yahoo group and it said our group is in violation of its quota.

We might have exceeded our storage capacity on the Yahoo group. This is how I know to fix it (but if someone else knows better, please let us know!):
go to the yahoo group, go to the photos section, select your photo by clicking on it (to get the full sized version),
in the upper right hand corner of the photo box, click on "full size",
on top of the pic now, click on "delete full size only".
Then select "confirm delete".
If you do this for each pic you have uploaded, it will increase our storage capacity at the group site a lot.
The full size pics are only for ordering prints. The thumbnails will remain, so we can all marvel in each other's beauty.

:)

[kraftykathy]

Hey mamas!

Well, I've been meaning to post this week, but I just haven't felt up to it, though I've been checking everyday. I have an abcess tooth and it's just killing me! The dentist can't fit me in until Friday and I know I'm going to need antibiotics for this one! So my latest pregnancy complaint is the fact that there is almost no pain relief that I am allowed to take for this. I've been using tylenol (for the first time in any of my pregnancies) and although it worked for a couple of days, it barely touches the pain now and does nothing for the swelling. My right cheek is swollen like a chipmunk. Argh!!!!
My husband has had several abcess teeth and says nothing worked for him besides ibuprofen. Not even codiene. Unfortunately ibuprofen can be harmful in the third trimester. So none of that for me, unfortunately.
I am taking echinacea, garlic and vit C, to help boost my immune system in the hopes that my body will fight off the infection. Anyone have any other ideas? I barely slept a wink last night.

Katie, good luck with your big day tomorrow. I hope it all goes well.

Kathy

[gottaknit]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, Kathy! You could try gargling with diluted tea tree oil. It has anti-mircobial properties. The med school where I work has been doing some research on tto mouthwash to prevent and treat gum disease, and it seems to work. Good luck! :)

[Court]

I'm so sorry about your tooth Kathy, that sounds awful! I don't know of any remedies, hopefully Friday will get here soon. :hug

I deleted the full size versions of my pics too, so you should be able to post your picture now Katie!

Had my midwife appt. today and all is well, baby is still head down, bp is low. She also said my iron levels were really good from the bloodwork they did last time. I asked about discharge - thin and milky is okay and normal - that's just leukkoreah, which I don't know how to spell. If it gets thick and yellow-grey, then that indicates bacteria or vaginitis I guess. Cottage cheese and itchy is ofcourse our good friend yeast. Anywho, every since I mentioned it here, I haven't been having any problems with it, guess I scared it away. I told her how it was kinda yellow one day, but then it went away and she said that's fine, they sometimes come and go. Okay and that's the last I'll say about discharge I swear! ;)

And bluehalo - your picture is gorgeous! What a hot mama :love I don't think you need a disclaimer when the main page is a painting of a nudie mama and her baby, guess maybe I shoulda warned people too.

Congrats on the colostrum piglet, how exciting! And I get those BH while walking too, it's ridiculous, along with the sciatic nerve throbbing. After a 30 minute walk, I feel disabled as well. And none of my furniture feels comfortable. The only place that I really like is the driver's seat in my car. I have it reclined just so, and it gives just the right support.

Well, I'm gonna go try to find something to do besides eat :)

[3bees~1flower]

UGGGHHH! all after noon my stomach has felt like it's gona split in two...i don't think it's contractions b/c it's constant...hurts the worst when i'm standing up....i have had this feeling before but more of a dull ache, this today is more sharp. hope it gets better b/c we are going camping tomorrow night and will walking around the state fair all day on fri.

sorry 'bout the tooth, Kathy, OUCH! that's a pain you just can't get away from!

Katie, hope your big day goes well tomorrow...i understand how you feel with not knoweing whether to hit him, hug him, leave him...that's what my SIL has been wrestling with for a few months!! :hug

Courtney...glad you yeast scare wasn't anything! say, could you add me to the Yahoo group, i'd love to see what you all look like! :D i have no idea how to post a picture, but would still like to put faces with names. how do i go about getting onto it once you add me?

Piglet....sorry you're feeling so exhausted! hooray on the coloustrum...i have never been able to express anything while pregnant with any of my pregnancies. good luck with the morning weaning.

talk to you all later! :love

[mirthfulmum]

I'm still here. I have just been so swamped with school work and mommy work and general pregnancy tiredness that by the time I finish reading everyone's posts I am too brain dead to write up a response.

Just gotta get this last paper done and then I can participate in nomal life acitivities again!

[Lucysmama]

Letia, you have been so quiet lately....you ok, hon?

[bluehalo]

Anybody scored some good fluff lately? I got a "Little Gems" nursing necklace last week, and love it, am wearing it already :)

Anyone else making lists of what they need to do/buy before it gets to be time for these babies to come? I need to get some breastpads, have been looking at Lilypadz too, interesting concept. Oh, and I realized tonight that I hadn't even *though* about baby announcements. I want to find a very special gift to give to Ethan "from" the new baby. Not sure what though. We're very fortunate that there really isn't anything we really *need* ... just some misc. "wants" floating around my head (a lambie, a tiny bunting, etc. etc.)

[Lucysmama]

Hey.....I am having trouble uploading pics to the Yahoo group. I did it before, but now it doesn't work. :irked:

Can I email two pics to someone, and they can try???

[Court]

I'll pm you and you can e-mail me...maybe I can get it to work, since I'm the moderator.

[OakEmber]

Hello again everyone...glad to see that no one had there babies while I was gone (and there is a bit of seriousness to that b/c it's been on my mind now that I am 30 weeks that my great nephew was born at 30 weeks 2 days...such a weird thing to think about!! BTW- he is now 16 months and totally fine, right on "schedule" for 16 months)

Ahhh...what a relaxing time we had at the cabin. Can you believe that all of us slept in until 9 every morning?:exclaim

3boyz- I love the name Selah Grace...either spelling, I think it is one of those names that is starting to become known so I don't think the pronouciation thing will be a lifelong hinderance for her, even with the original spelling. I think that Lauryn Hill has a daughter named that, or maybe it's another celeb.

Kathy, yikes that tooth trouble doesn't sound like fun at all!

Piglet (or shall I say Mariah, I had no idea!) congrats on the apt! I wouldn't worry about it being dark in pictures, it might not be that bad in real life...I think that all our pictures of our house seem dark too really.

Lucysmama- that's great that you have already seen a therapist together and are working on things.

Hmm, what else can I think of. Oh yes, join me to the outgrowing clothes club...it's been so hot that I haven't been wearing my jeans in a long time and I was quite surprised when I discovered how tight they are while camping. Luckily they still fit :LOL but I can't seem them fitting for another 2 months!

I have been eating fairly poorly too, I just don't have the energy to prepare anything! I know that I am not getting enough calcium, I have even been getting the odd leg cramp and I never had them last time. And so I am trying to do better with the calcium and to remember my prenatals, especially for the iron.

About the BH someone was asking about how they compare to real labour cx and although it is different for everyone of course, for me they feel pretty much the same except during a BH only a certain spot is hard and during labour of course the whole uterus is...it wasn't more painful for me, just much more intense and it would be so strong I would be imobolized and have to hold on to something until it was over but otherwise the same, I was still able to talk through them...mainly just to marvel that I was stuck :LOL it was quite amuzing to me.

QOTW- I am nesting in splurges, I definately feel it more this time but I don't have the stamina to follow through on my urges all the time so I don't know if that is considered true nesting or not!

[blessed2bamommie]

:wave :LOL Yeah, Katie! After that BH marathon stopped! :p I felt like I had been in a fight on Tuesday at my appt! I looked at the beginning of the week. I've deserted yall to hang out at diapering! :bag: That was my original hangout and since I'm soooooo understocked....

let's see since I've been here I've gotten...
a noah's ark fmbg from her stocking a couple weeks ago
a VK farm print fitted from the tp (homage to my family's heritage)
a LC :banana wool cover with pastel serging from the tp
And I'm workin on customs with two wahms


I'm glad ur still around Katie. :hug I'da missed ya! Glad to know yall are getting some therapy! :thumb I seen ya :hyenain around....I been looking at any BBH that I come across...nothin so great tho that I've seen secondhand...

Let's see...what else at 5 am when I should be sleeping b/c I have LLL in a few hours...but good I was up checking my email for stockings...if I was knocked out cold like I was I wonder if I woulda heard my stomach rumble announcin I had the runs...:bag: Wonder if it was the frozen yogurt with my lactose intolerant self...:scratch :LOL Well, it was late and I knew it wouldn't set me on fire. :shrug Thought I would check yall out while I'm sittin here! :LOL Gotta love a laptop (and these long cords dh got which we will *have* to break down and do wireless b/c I have determined they are dangerous! )

QOTW: just the thought of what I have to do stresses me out! :yikes: Maybe later today...:D I *definately* need to get on the ball tomorrow! But, then again, I shopped all yesterday for dipes so I *did* get something accomplished; just not in the apt. :eyesroll:

Can't remember what else to reply to....


Hey! I woke up and thought I should check and see if Terri stocked (FMBG), who bought the nb turquoise cover! I *know* it was somebody....:nono

I keep thinking back over the thread and I can't remember if there was anything I wanted to reply to...:shake

Well, I guess I should go back to bed...yeah right....:eyesroll: I probably really should...


btw, make sure yall contractors are drinkin plenty of water! dehyration can make u contract! Oh! the doc said ur pee should be light yellow to clear. :D

OK....now that I'm tmied yall for the rest of the week! :LOL :bolt

OH! etaa: I'm measurin one week ahead....:scratch My friend said it had to do with the size of the baby...just a little big...the folks at church feel validated. They kept sayin it and twins. :shake Now the last one....:yikes: Not knowing sex, like dh said is ok...but....not knowing someone else is in there....:eek Dh swears one is hidin behind my kidney, ever since he say the multiples show and they found one, course there was bout a litter in there! He's done a 180 and is sayin girl, he says that maybe he's sayin girl b/c there's a boy *and* a girl...:eyesroll I can't commit to that...although I reaaaaaaaaaally want a healthy baby and after last year I am *surely* not just sayin that, I think his girl may have a wee wee. :LOL

Oh! Carrie!!!:idea I thought of the group Selah when you mentioned that name! :thumb I was wonderin!

So far our children have no middles...I guess at least they have firsts...Arrington (nick: Aaron) and I'm considering William b/c seems like dh *does* have a bit of an issue with naming after his bio dad. Williams is his step. Arrington is our family. And Mikayla (a bit popular apparently) but not in this area it seems.

I want a moon pie...:hide: :shrug I'm *not* going to discuss my hot dog cravings! :LOL The childbirth instructor gives out nutrition stars...:eyesroll that's pryin! :LOL

Ok, really leavin....*shake* dh...can you get me a moon pie? :LOL He's never had to make a trip out..so he better be happy...but he works hard and is tired so I'll leave him alone....need chocolate moon pie....:(

[ameliabedelia]

Finally getting a chance to check in here. I have been reading all week, but not really having the energy to post.

We are at my parent's house now, and have been busy. DH has been going on job interviews like crazy and applying a lot. We have 3 really good job possibilities in the works, should know by early next week (and they are all pretty much in our top living area choice, so that is good). I have been going on lots of these interviews with him, just taking dd and taking her to a park, so I can see the area and scope out housing possibilies while he is there. So, keeping my fingers crossed he gets one, we are able to find a good apt. and will have to move agian by Sept. 1st. So, things are kinda stessed now, but at least we are at my parents and they help a lot. Plus, there are lots of people around who entertain DD and I don't have to do hardly any cooking or cleaning here. So, no nesting for me yet. We don't even have a house yet.

I don't feel too uncomfortable yet. The hardest thing is I have NO patience for DD. NONE, Nursing drives me up a wall. I am seriously trying to cut her back, but she resists it sooo much. So, nursing is a serious trial, and so is being patient. Normally, I am a super patient mommy, but all my patience seems to have gone out the window. Plus, I don't know where you get these toddlers that just entertain themselves at home all the time. DD is not terribly good at entertaining herself. It is a good thing I am so committed to gentle discipline, becaues I am seriously tempted to slap her little hands every time she want to nurse and starts fiddling with my breast or slap her legs when she starts kicking me, or spank her when she won't go to bed. All totally bad things to do, which I am glad I am so against doing them, that I don't. I just grit my teeth and try really hard to find something else for her to do. and distract her. I would hate to think what I would do, if I wasn't so committed to gentle parenting. It is only my strong resolve to never hit or spank or slap or yell which keeps me from doing it.

I still have no clue about BH. Sometimes I get a feeling which kinda feels like a menstrual cramp, so maybe that is BH. Hard to tell. I also get the feeling of baby pushing against me, but I always thought it really was just the baby pushing against me and not BH. But, maybe it is BH. I have no idea. I never felt them at all with DD, but I must have had them since at my prenatal visit before I gave birth (5 days before DD was born) I was 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced, and I hadn't felt a thing. I just don't think I am very sensitive to those types of things.

I still walk for about an hour a day several days a week, but I have been going slower lately. I think that is why I am not too uncomfortable, I think it helps a lot. But, I am feeling HUGE, and also outgrowing my maternity clothes. I need new pants, my other ones are too small. Plus, I have also been eating lots of crap lately. My parents just have lots of chocolate and junk food around the house, which of course I HAVE to eat. :lol So, I feel guilty about that. I am also really bad about protein. What do you all do for protien. I just feel I have been cravinb carbs lately, and eating not enough protein. I try to eat a protein shake each day, but I don't really like them much.

Well, I am sorry to all those having problems. :hugs to everyone who needs them (which sounds like just about everyone). I hope we all feel better soon and things work out for all of us, and we have healthy babies, but not until we are full-term!

[Jillerina]

Just checking in really quick while I am procrastinating. Today is the day I'm supposed to get everything ready for our family camp weekend... blah! I don't feel like doing laundry, or baking, or shopping! I made a list at least :) thats a start right?

Went to my 2nd midwife appointment on Tuesday - I love this woman! She is so nice and friendly and funny and open. I got to feel my baby's head and bum... only problem is the head is UP and I'm 32 weeks! The midwife says not to worry about it yet because she could tell that there was still quite a bit of room for babe to move about in. I guess that explains the amazing acrobatics I've been feeling in my belly - sometimes I swear this baby is trying to get out through my bellybutton.

Another very cool thing that has started happening is DD is starting to show a lot of interest in the baby all of a sudden. This makes everything so much more exciting...every morning when she wakes up Clara turns over to me and lifts my shirt and kissses my belly and says "good morning baby!" It is the cutest thing EVER!!! Stuff like that makes the discomfort and fatigue all worth it while waiting for our baby to get here.

Piglet, I'm finally ready to make my birth prediction... I'm gonna say I've deliver my baby on October 6th after 6 hours of labor.

[ameliabedelia]

Oh and my birth prediction is Oct. 17th after 10 hours of labor.

[gottaknit]

Hi. Yesterday I was having lots of clusters of BH contractions. Like five within 30 minutes, then it would go away again and come back an hour or so later. Is this something to worry about? They don't hurt, it just feels weird.

I'm in the process of getting a new midwife. We decided our midwife is just too medical and way too busy. It is impossible to get ahold of her and she's really bad at returning phone calls (sometimes it takes two weeks!) I wouldn't mind if I were planning to give birth in the hospital and knew that whoever was on call was who I'd get, but for a homebirth I feel I need a bit more consistency and reliability.

Anyway, the midwife we're meeting next week is someone here on MDC and she seems so nice and gentle. And available. She only does homebirth, so I don't have to worry about her being on call at the hospital when I go into labor. It's quite a weight off my shoulders. :)

Well I decided to cave in and register for baby gifts. People keep asking what we want and where we're registered, and I think it annoys them when we say, "Uh... we don't need anything.." So I found this website www.findgift.com where you can create a registry of whatever you want from whatever stores you want. It just compiles it all in one place. You can be vague and list things without specifying a particular brand or store, or you can link to a specific website where the gift can be purchased. Very handy!

I'm off to my first LLL meeting! Exciting! :)

[blessed2bamommie]

Nancy, is your new mw Pam? :love

I've got a registry at findgift too. If you wanna see mine my last name is Johnson. I'm having...:bag: 3 showers so I'm registering there and at Target and I started one at Baby Depot. (Burlington Coat Factory). Target is on the south side of the city of one of my showers and BD is on the north.

Hope LLL is good! I just came back :nana.

[True Blue]

Nancy -- you should talk with your new mw if you have one chosen about your contractions. More than 4-5 "braxton-hicks" within an hour are preterm labor, not braxton hicks. Preterm labor does not have to hurt, nor does it have to feel like textbook labor contractions. I have learned this the hard way!! When this happens, you need to lie down right away, and drink a bunch of water in case you are dehydrated. Rest until the contractions go away. Call your care provider. If you are drinking RRL tea, STOP. My mw does not want me to have any until 35-36 weeks bc of my preterm labor. :hug please be careful!!

[Wabi Sabi]

I've been posting so infrequently that I'm afraid I'm becoming a lurker! I check this board daily since finding just a minute or two to quickly read new posts isn't all that difficult, but don't get around to posting all that often since I rarely have more than just a couple of minutes! I don't often find myself with the 15-30 minutes or so it will take me to actually compose my own post...

QOTW: I guess you could sort of say that nesting has begun. Our household has been somewhat disorganized since my husband and I first bought this house and moved in together. We've always made attempts at getting things more under control with varied degrees of success. Things finally seem to be falling into place- kitchen cabinets finally organized, gargage half-way cleaned out, etc- mainly because we now have something to motivate us! The house is also looking better everyday because I've finally given up on my idealistic hopes of DH and I splitting housework 50/50. It isn't that my husband is jerk- quite the opposite in fact- but I've finally realized that if I want the floors swept and mopped or the bathtubs scrubbed that it isn't going to happen if I wait around for him to do it. Those things just aren't on his priority list, KWIM?

Physically, I'm feeling great. I honestly don't feel hardly any different now than I did before I got pregnant. People tend to have a hard time believing that I'm actually 8 months pregnant since I'm really not all that big yet. I've only gained about 10-12 pounds so far and even though my midwife doesn't seem overly concerned, she still said that she'd like to see me try to gain at least another 10 pounds or so...

I'm also guilty of eating a bunch of crap lately! In addition to working full-time, I've also been taking classes three nights a week which makes it hard to make a decent dinner or get to the grocery store. Thankfully my classes ended yesterday so I hope to be able to spend more time making the type of things I OUGHT to be eating!

Also glad to hear that I'm not the only one who isn't so great about remembering to take her prenatals and other supplements...eases my guilt a bit...

I've also been curious as to what Braxton-Hicks feel like. So, I took Katie's advice from a couple of days ago and had an orgasm... :blush Afterwards, I didn't really feel any noticable tightening or anything, although my uterus felt pretty firm when I felt around on my belly...

Like AmeliaBedelia, I just don't think that I'm very sensitive to those things. I was worried for a while because I rarely felt the baby move but one night as my husband and I were laying on the couch he had his hands on my belly. After a couple of minutes he said, "Wow, are you making your stomach do that or is it the baby?" I didn't know what he meant so I put my hands on my stomach and sure enough, he was kicking up a storm but I couldn't feel a thing! Since then there have been several occasions where he's moving so much that my stomach is changing shapes, but I still barely feel it...

Yikes..this has already taken me about 40 minutes to write and someone is at the door! I need to learn to type faster!

Gotta run...

[Court]

Nancy, I'm so glad you're getting a new midwife. I'm sure you'll be much happier. I too was wondering if it would be Pam. I didn't know until recently that she delivered in Portland, or I probably would've called her too. I adore the midwife I have now though. So what were you doing when those contractions hit? Just curious if there is a correlation. I hope it's nothing.

Letia - you crack me up with all your diaper talk, I really don't know what half of the abbreviations stand for. And your moonpie request - you sound like my husband...he's got a soft spot for moonpies. Hope ya got one! Oh, and I'm measuring a week bigger also...and I don't have two in here. I think it's pretty normal to fall w/ in a range of 1-2 wks big or small, just cause every baby is different.

I also wanted to answer bluehalo's question about fluff- I don't know if it's considered fluff, but I just got my hotsling in the mail the other day and it's so beautiful. It's an oriental pattern, w/ cherry blossoms and chinese characters on a black background. I love it. I just hope it fits after I have this baby. It's sorta hard to tell now with this big ole belly. I did measure myself along time ago, so I *think* the size is right.
And I do have a short list of stuff I need for the baby (and for the homebirth), but I am putting off actually writing it down. Last pregnancy when I wrote out lists, it seemed to make time stand still. I want to wait till late Sept to buy all the little things I need like breastpads, etc. I really cant wait though! 10 wks feels like eternity right now.

We're off to the park!

[blessed2bamommie]

Sure you can call your sling flluff! :D Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh....I thought she was goin on babymooon soon! I wanna see a pic of that one! My friend sent me two of them.

I wasn't sure if the non Southerners had any idea about a moonpie. I haven't have one in a while...maybe first tri? Yep, I think or second...I can leave the RC cola...all make for a southern treat.

Dh came out before I headed back to bed and he killed a bug I was sprayin to death with our $$$ natural bug spray and I told him while he was up.....he didn't bite. :eyesroll He went back to bed....had to settle for bagels later at LLL and coffee cake.

They are trippin at church...I have twins...its a big baby.....even Pastor keeps talkin twins....:shake

I need a nap....I guess the adrenaline of a potential but lost score has worn off. :( :zzz

[bluehalo]

oooh, thanks for the "findgift" tip ... I'm having fun registering all over the internet ;) :)

Letia, you're making me hungry. I don't even know what a moonpie is, but I think I want one :LOL

[blessed2bamommie]

www.moonpie.com Speaking of more crap...:bag:

[gottaknit]

:LOL Letia, you crack me up. I was assuming a moonpie was some new hyena diaper I hadn't heard of! Be careful with that diaper forum - it'll suck the life (and money!) right out of you until you are nothing but a crazed, in-debt hyena! :LOL

I was at work yesterday when I was having all those BH. I was busy but not particularly stressed or tired. But when I got home I realized I was exhausted and just collapsed. I feel fine now. I talked to my mom and she said if I start having them again to just go home and go to bed.

We haven't actually hired the nameless new midwife ;) yet, we're just meeting her to see if it's a good fit. Of course, I know it is already, and she's available if we want her, so... I also haven't "fired" my old midwife yet. Wanted to wait until I have an official Plan B.

LLL was lots of fun. There was a new mother there with her 12 day old baby. She looked absolutely dazed but happy. I wasn't sure if she was still on some kind of endorphin high or if she was just completely sleep deprived.

[sqoya]

Alright, when you said you were 8 months pregnant, FutureMama, that made me think, "how far along AM I???" I'm always confused about how to respond to "how far along are you?"

The way I think about it is: I'm 31 weeks, leaving 9 weeks, right? So that's a little over 2 months left, so I'm almost 7 months pregnant??? Is that what all of you tell everyone? (7 months pregnant means I'm starting my 8 month, like my age?)

[Wabi Sabi]

Mandi,

I've just been going by the dates in my Dr. Sears "Baby Book..."

six months= 21-25 weeks
seven months= 26-29 weeks
eight months= 30-33 weeks
nine months= 34-40 weeks

Whew, that ninth month sure is a long one, isn't it? But anyhow, I also don't always know how far along to tell people that I am. Sometimes I say seven because I don't want to confuse folks, other times I say eight. It just kinda depends on who's asking!

Wow- two posts for me in one day! That's gotta be a record... ;)

[Jillerina]

I just say I have 8 weeks left to go. The months thing has always been too confusing for me!

[Piglet68]

Hey everyone!

My GD test was much better than I thought. I was very hungry when I arrived at 7:30 am, then was quite upset to discover I had to down the whole bottle of that yucky orange soda pop. But it did seem to quench the hunger pangs, and I made it through the whole 3 hours without much discomfort. I bought a banana-nut muffin and a chocolate croissant as soon as I left the lab, lol.

I got my last bit of fluff today: just some prefolds to use as backup. and a spare diaper pail liner. no more USA diapers for me, the cost of cross-border shipping is too much. i'm gonna go visit Jesse of Luxe Baby when i get home (she lives close by) and pick up some breast pads. maybe get a couple more diapers from her. otherwise i've really spent all i can justify!

amelia: I so feel your situation. we have the apartment, but no job yet. the company dh is interviewing with is very small and they aren't good on calling back, but they seem interested still. that's the last peice of our puzzle that needs to fit in place for me to relax. Dh did call his FIL though, and asked for a loan to tide us over. it was a big deal b/c in the past he and his dad have not had a close relationship. since i got PG, FIL has been much more involved. personally, i really like him, he's a sweetie. so DH was nervous about asking him for help, he never ever has before. Apparently FIL was super sweet about it. so that's a relief!

who asked about protein? I'm so bad with that. all i can say is THANK GOODNESS FOR PEANUT BUTTER. although DH read my mind last night and made a stir fry with lamb. we rarely eat meat but i was really craving it. i told him if he hadn't made a meat dinner I would have been 'forced' to go to McD for a hamburger, lol.

well, i really should get going home now. been away for a long time!! got here at 7:30 for my test and i'm still here at 6 pm!! i deserve to sleep in tomorrow i think, lol.

:grouphug

[3bees~1flower]

you know, people don't seem to ask me how far along i am, just when the baby is due...if they do ask how far along i am, i never say in months, i always tell them how many weeks i am...i guess, b/c of being an OB nurse, that is the only we refer to a pregnant woman, in terms of how many weeks she is, not months...plus i really don't get the whole months thing either...weeks is just way easier...:LOL

Piglet....hope your dh hears from the company soon...and glad FIL was nice about the loan thing.

well, i'll be MIA till sometime on Sunday...we are heading out to go camping tonight. looking forward to it...i just hope the boys are easy to get along with...as far as getting along with each other, listening to mommy and daddy...that sort of thing...sometimes (ok, a lot of the time...) it seems we are always having to get after them for one thing or another and it really puts a damper on things, ya know? anyway, hope you all have a great weekend!! :wave :love

[True Blue]

Resident preterm laborer here. How has everyone else's day been? :eyesroll

Just got back from the midwfe an hour or so ago. I had contractions again this evening, every 2-3 minutes for a couple hours overall. Luckily, no cervical changes. MW gave me some antibiotics for the uti (which is not officially diagnosed yet; the lab screwed up my last test so I have to go back tomorrow) to be safe, and some brethine in case I need it. Things slowed down luckily. This is just so aggravating, I am so ready for normal life again!!! I cannot wait for Oct 6, the day I turn 37 weeks, bc then it means I can start willing this baby out already, instead of trying to keep it in. I am 1cm, 50% effaced, and 0 station, which should at least speed things along when the time comes. Ok gonna go get DS to bed. Just wanted to share so some good vibes and prayers can be sent on over here!!! :love

[bluehalo]

((amy)) hope your uterus calms down! stay put baby!! Keep us posted, I'll be thinking of you!

[Lucysmama]

Hey everyone!!!

Amy - :hug So sorry you are going thru this again!!! That must be so frustrating for you! How is your ds doing with having you taking it so easy?

Piglet - glad the GD test went well! When do you get the results?

Letia - there you are!!! Were you abandoning us for the other hyenas??? :LOL I'm trying to stay outta Diapering Forum cause I have no money right now cause of all this with dh. I don't wanna be led into temptation!

Dh and I went to our therapist today. She's an Imago Therapist, so we are learning that method of communicating. Today went pretty well, I think. I like the doc a bit better.

I also had a prenatal...BP was 100/60, baby is still in the Optimal Fetal Position, heart was in the 150s, weight estimate around 3-4lbs. Everything going so well! I see my MW again in 3 weeks, and I get my tub soon too from her! This is going so fast!

My only issue is anemia. I told her about feeling constantly tired, and we decided to check my iron level. Turns out, I am a 9.5, which is considered "clinically anemic". :( No wonder I feel so run-down. (That, and stress.) So, I will be eating a lot more meat, and taking chlorophyll to try to get my numbers up. As it is, I feel like sleeping all day and all night.

[OakEmber]

Amy I am sending you lots of :sticky baby vibes!

Courtney that sling you bought sounds gorgeous! You should post a pic of it on the yahoo site, although I am sure that a pic wouldn't do it justice.

Jillerina :LOL when I read your birth prediction I was like...hey that's mine too! Only I wasn't as gutsy as you to just narrow it down to one day like that so I said the 6-10th...really makes me wonder about Oct. though, will we have clusters of births or some everyday...geez I have way to much time on my hands if this is the stuff I think about ;)

Dh has an interview tomorrow and so I could use some $$$ vibes...we are sure they are very interested in him, and it would be really nice for him to work where we live and not commute, but we really need to make more than what they are offering (we only know what they are offering during the training stage). Do you think that our minds put together could make it possible for them to be willing to pay at least $5.00 an hour more?:LOL Let's test the power of positive thoughts, hehe ;)

Oh I meant to say since I was one of the ones that mentioned the BH and feeling like it was the baby pressing against me...it does feel like that, but it's more the combination of that and the shortness of breath, hope that helps.

As to buying fluff...I am still waiting to make some purchases at least a little longer so the credit card bill will come after I have started to make a bit of money in Sept. There's still some diapers and accesories that I have on my mind :LOL

[kraftykathy]

Amy - hoping everything is going well for you tonight!

Katie - glad to hear that your therapist might be a good one after all.

Piglet - glad the GD test wasn't too uncomfortable for you!

Letia - LOL! I was wondering what moonpies were too!

My sweet hubby went out this morning and got me some orajel. We searched the net to make sure it was safe to use when pregnant and it seems that it is and now I feel soooooooooooooo much better! I felt bad taking so much tylenol, but it got to the point where I would take 2 extra strength tylenol and I would get almost no relief at all. I hadn't slept in 2 days. Today I napped for hours (and my kids watched way too much tv) Now I feel almost normal except for the swelling. Tomorrow I finally get to see the dentist. I'm a little annoyed that it took 3 days to get an appointment. Hopefully the antibiotics will start to work quickly since we are supposed to be going on a week long camping trip starting next wednesday!
I'm so looking forward to getting away for a few days. I don't think I'll be up for the longer hikes this year though. I'm also getting that rib and mid back pain, owie! So it will be some short hikes and a lot of playing beached whale for me this year, lol!

My prediction - My due date, October 4th (my midwife actually figured Oct.8, but I say the 4th therefore that is my due date, lol!) I see a very short labour, and I think it will be a girl.

I'm starting to think about putting together my homebirth box. My midwife gave us a list of thigs to have for the birth, ya know, old sheets, water proof cover for bed, extra garbage bags, old cloths and towels, etc. It's less than a month to go until we get a home visit from our midwife to go over our supplies and stuff. It's so exciting!!!

Kathy

[stanleymama]

Got our computer back today and all fixed and runnin' smooth. Nice to be back and keepin touch with you all:)

Amy..I will be praying for you. Hope things calm down at least for a few more weeks.

3boyz4us...Hope you have a fun time camping and at the fair. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.

Letia..the moonpies look yummy :thumb

Piglet...praying that you here soon on the job situation.

OakEmber...praying that all your needs get met so that dh can work close by.

Well it has been an alright week here, except for my sil who needs help. She gets mad and wacky if my world doesn't revolve around her. Don't know what to do but keep my distance, which is painful because I adore my brother and when she gets like this I have no contact with him.

Anyways I just wanted to touch base with everyone.

Tata for now:)

[Court]

Amy- sending good vibes your way, hope things stay calm in your uterus! :) I know what you mean about wanting to get back to normal again.

Also sending out good job vibes for all those dh's who need it. Hopefully everything will fall into place so you can relax and focus on the birth.

Oh, and I know what a moonpie is cause I was born and raised in the South. We've found 'em here in Oregon too though.

I put a picture of my sling on the yahoo group. The hotslings lady is indeed babymooning right now, but her instock is still open.

[BeansMomma]

30 Weeks!!!

Good morning, ladies - I hope all is going well. I'm sending good job / housing / relationship / tooth / energy vibes to everyone out there...

QOTW: Gosh - I wish I could find the time to fulfill my nesting instincts. I've actually gone the opposite direction of my normal tendencies - I'm normally very neat / clean (although not a freak) but lately it just hasn't seemed as important as - say - speding quality time with my DW. (Work has been particularly busy lately - I'm traveling to Seattle during the week, etc. so we're trying to put our bonding in the forefront.)

This week we had 4 houseguests arrive; our daughter (22) and her roommate, DW's twin sister and our neice. Today we're heading to the Oregon Coast and then to Seattle on Sunday. While the rest of the gang gets to play in Seattle, I'll have to work, but it will be wonderful having them there with me in the evenings. (Now if only I could get past the guilt of letting things slip through the cracks at work...)

OK - so Futuremomma - I am *SO* jealous. I am completely the opposite - I often feel incredibly uncomfortable. I have a relatively short torso, so my entire collection of organs that normally lives below my belly button are up around my rib cage. ugh. I have *got* to get back to prenatal yoga so I can start re-gaining some mobility! Enough complaining!!!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

[bluehalo]

Happy Friday everyone :)

I actually woke up with a bit of energy today ... got our bathroom thoroughly cleaned and am making a dent in the laundry. Finished up another soaker. After all the productivity, I'm ready to sit on my butt for the rest of the day *lol*.

I put the Kangaroo Korner fleece pouches that I want for myself and DH on our "findgift" list ... I guess there's a chance someone might buy them for us, right? They're kinda pricey, but what the heck. Can't hurt to put it up there.

Who has "winter baby" experience? Ethan was born in May, so I've never done this cold weather newborn thing before. Like, I'm wondering if we need a fleece bunting, a fleece car seat cover thingie, or both?? Anything else I need to know? Anyone else as clueless as I am? *lol* I just remember Ethan spending so much time as a newborn and tiny baby in nothing but a tshirt and diaper, and obviously that won't be the case with this new one. And socks/booties ... guess I need to find some that actually stay on, huh? *lol*

Oh well, just babbling... Hope everyone's having a great friday!

[blessed2bamommie]

I was wondering about that....well, right now if I wanted a hotsling, it would be based on the availablity of her instock...not sure how KK works..

Kristi offers gift certificates so I could put *those* online. For dipes, I put AMEX gift certificates that I could use at any WAHM store, since not all have gift certificates. That's the best solution I could think of. :shrug

K, bbl?

[OakEmber]

Bluehalo- this will be my second winter baby. We did have one of those carseat covers, not the fancy Kokoon type but just a quilted one with a peekabo window. I found that that, with just a blanket underneath was plenty warm enough...Ember was a really warm baby anyway, she couldn't even wear the cute polar fleece sleeper she had, she'd overheat in it (and she still refuses to sleep with covers, even while camping :LOL). Really, the cover was handy to just keep the blanket from falling off her as we walked to the car...I do like those Kokoons but fear that they'd be too warm, as it was we'd take off the cover once the vehicle was warmed up. So that's my $0.02 for what it's worth. I'd highly recommend a pair of Robeez to keep little feet warm.

[Soogie]

I just posted some pics on the yahoo site from our 4D u/s we had this morning. And just as our luck would have it, little boo wasn't the most cooperative baby. Baby was covering it's face with both arms most of the time, with its right leg up near it's head, and the umbilical cord floating in front of its mouth. The tech did a lot of poking, and I was flipping from side to side, even stood up and stretched, hoping to jostle babe into a better position, but no go. We did finally get a few of the face, clear of any arms, but they still are not the best. But even though they are not the best, they are still soooo cool. you can tell that the babe will have DH's/Aidan's nose.

Tiem to put the kids down for some quiet time. I'll come back and answer the qotw in a bit.

Susan

[gottaknit]

I put the Kangaroo Korner fleece pouch on our registry, too. Actually, it's the only thing on our registry so far. It took forever for me to decide what color to get. I'm worried about the fleece being a lint magnet, so I chose heathered grey. With two cats and two dogs, pet hair gets everywhere in our house, so it works out better to just match my wardrobe to the animals. :eyesroll There are so many prettier colors available for the pouch though, it sucks to have to be swaddled in grey.

I went home and fell asleep last night at 7:30! It was great except that I woke up wide awake at 4 am. I've been trying to drink tons of water to keep the BH at bay. Now I'm peeing about five times an hour. Doesn't make for the most productive day at work. ;)

Hope everyone has a good weekend and has something fun planned! We've got both John Kerry and George Bush in town today and the city is going to be a mess. Should be fun trying to get through downtown to get home.... (George Bush Sr. always referred to Portland as "Little Beruit" because of our love of protests) Wish I'd left town yesterday... I really don't need to get sprayed with pepper spray right now. :eyesroll

[gottaknit]

That sling is gorgeous!! OK, there's no way I'm getting a dark grey sling now. :)

Cute pictures, Soogie! The baby looks so squished in there. I wonder if it's cosy for them if they can't wait to get out and stretch?

So, Flitters, what's with the climbing picture? Please tell me that was before you were pregnant. Not that there's anything wrong with climbing, I'm just wondering, "Where's her belly?!?!" :)

[blessed2bamommie]

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :confused: Was I *emailed* the yahoo group link by Oak Ember? Its not in my pms...what am I lookin for?

[True Blue]

Just wanted to pop in and say hi. :) I'm about to take a nap before it's too late and DS is up. I'm on the opposite coast but closely watching Hurricane Charley, we are under a tropical storm warning, which means lots of rain, hail, high winds, and risk of tornados. And DH, being the military man he is, has to be at his ship (someone has to keep the boat safe, and be available to rescue the nitwits who no doubt will think they are smarter than the storm :rolleyes) so it will just be me and DS. It should be especially exciting if we lose power in the dark before bedtime!! At any rate, as long as these contractions stay spaced out I'll be content. I REALLY don't want to take any brethine, between the side effects for me of feeling anxious and heart palpitations and the possibility of cognitive issues for the baby (though that is from long-term use, from what I have read)....but I don't want the baby to come this weekend or anything either!! It's like I'm not too too concerned about the long-term well being of the baby physically if it were born soon, but I really want the baby to come home with me and not be in the hospital for 3 months, you know? I can live with giving up my homebirth and birthing in a hospital before 37 weeks as long as my baby gets to come home with me ASAP. But I'll stop complaining for now, overall I'm pretty positive about the whole thing, I swear. ;) Just some nagging thoughts. Since I've just had 3 contractions in 10 minutes. Sh*t. Ok time for that nap!!!

[krnflwr]

Hannah was born in Nov., so I have some winter baby experience. We had a kakoon (sp?) cover for the car seat, and I found that to be perfect for the transfer between car and store (or house or wherever) and then into the sling. The fleece buntings were too bulky and warm for us, but we didn't spend much time outdoors during the cold, snowy time. So it was mostly running to and from the car. The kakoon cover was easy to open up and fold back once it was warm in the car, btw. And I actually kept the bottom half of the fleece liner on the car seat through the spring and summer (until we outgrew that car seat), as it kept the seat cool and I could cover the metal buckles so they didn't get burning hot from the sun.
I pretty much used those baby bags (buntings?) and soft cotton pj's for the first few months. A few onsies and t-shirts underneath. Hannah's feet were unusually large, so we had a hard time w/ socks. Used booties and then discovered robeez (and the like). Hmmm...what else? Basically, we had WAY too many clothes for a newborn and never got to wear even a fraction of them all. Even in cold months, a layer or two was fine for us, as she was either being held, swaddled in a blanket or in the sling.

Our LLL group did a fundraising garage sale today, and I've been up since 5 am, sorting, folding, smiling, selling...and I am soooo pooped now. Hope everyone has some wonderfully relaxing plans for the weekend and all our "owies" (physical and spiritual) start feeling better!

[Piglet68]

Amy, I'll be thinking of you and sending you strong sticky vibes so that baby stays put!! You have every right to be concerned, don't think you are being negative! :hug

Katie: well, I'm glad you have an Imago Therapist. Honestly the stuff has worked wonders for me and DH. When we were first engaged, we realized our communication skills sucked. We argued about all the stupid little things, and worried what would we do when things really were serious? We had some familiarity with it b/c my stepmum is an Imago Therapist, too. I'd read the book, we did some of the exercises...but going to see the counsellor really helped too. She did some of the "dialogues" with us, which made them go smoothly, and we were able to see how well they worked. It's hard to stick to the rules sometimes, and it takes practice, but we got better and better at it. We rarely ever fight anymore, and have been able to face a few challenges over the last while and come through closer than ever. I rea