Week of September 27-who's next?

[blessed2bamommie]

October Mamas Roll Call

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
MamaEmerald 10/08
nikwik 10/8 GIRL!
mayasmama 10/08 GIRL!
FutureMama 10/09 BOY! Miles Rocket
bluehalo 10/10 BOY! Noah Daniel
allformyboys 10/11
Lucysmama 10/12 *prediction: girl, Oct 8, 16 hrs labour*
bendmom 10/12
ashleepurdie 10/12 *prediction: boy, 12 hours easy labour*
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! Emma Grace *prediction: Oct 16th, 10 hours labour*
gmvh 10/16 TWINS! BOY! and GIRL!
Piglet68 10/18 BOY! Sasha Adam scheduled cesarian October 8
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
AngelBee 10/25 BOY! Angelo Richard
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


How do we want to do the roll call for births? :scratch I thought maybe a thread would be up; but, I don't know what CAN time is...I'm here back from cycling and online, so I thought I'd do it and hope Pig isn't doing it at the same time!

:nana: This weekend....IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII...had to reshedule pics b/c dh *does* make the money for us to eat and couldn't get away on Friday. We did them Saturday night. AFTER my hair appointment to make sure it was right at 8:30 am because my hairdressser had a family reunion and then came home and cleaned like a banchee and saw it fall and my doula came at 3:30 and I was running like a chicken with my head cut off and then my MWs and ILs at 4:30. The MWs were running late and didn't get there til about 45 minutes later from another appointment. It went well though. ILs asked a lot of questions to doula and MWs and they are at ease about it and are supportive. OK--I'm so sold on hb...they did my exam and my MW asked if I minded if she used the doppler so everyone could hear. I said no. Mil was soooooooooooo excited! I was laying on my *own* couch and my family was there (cept my mama and my little sister :() and they were listening to the baby. THIS is how birth is supposed to be! After my exam, I went right to call the photographer b/c we were running late and then we went to take pics. He'll mail the CD to us. This is different from when he took our wedding pics, can I show yall with that? :scratch It was nice b/c he could show us on his laptop and some of the belly shots where he had dhs head on my belly and I'm in an off white gown are beautiful....my photographer is *such* an artist and I :love him for it!

Sunday I had church and then off to pick up MIL who told us she wasn't going to our shower. She was tired....:shrug She sent along some *huge* baskets which included CDs. It was amazing! It was a long day yesterday and so today I cycled on fumes and now I'm here camped out on the couch. I guess I'll get on the floor in to tailor sit at some point. :eyesroll I'm taking today off...well, except for our last cb class tonight. And I'll be shopping I need to order a few things and I made a list of what else we need. I may go through all these gifts and sift out the gift cards and see what I'll be able to get.


UH oh....QOTW: I dunno? :confused: How about what's on your mind as birth gets close. Anything! What you have to do....(I need to post again! :LOL Any concerns. Any excitement...whatever. I guess we've been sharing all this time and I guess as we lead up to birth we can just share what's on our minds and we get ready to welcome our babies.

Me, all I have to do...:nut. I won't hash all that now especially if Pig is workin on the weekly thread! :bolt Including....and I don't feel so bad b/c Pig and I are in the same boat I think, finishing addressing the envelopes and stuffing them and sending them out to yall! btw, is there extra postage to CAN? And Katie, I haven't forgotten aboutcha! I'm wonderin about who I was working on your purchasing your gift from did though. :(

OK! Well, that's enough from me! If I hit submit and Pig has got the post up.....:duh!

Have a blessed week mamas! Its fair game for some of us about now! And Congrats Gretchen and Marnie (allformyboys)! :baby

[OakEmber]

Wow Letia, quite a busy weekend you had!! I can't believe that you are STILL cycling! I hope that you share your pictures with us when you get them...sounds like they will be awesome!

QOTW- Well I was gonna talk about this anyway, so I guess the QOTW is open ended enough to bring it up here. I guess what is on my mind is I am done with being pregnant...I spent a few days last week going through my maternity clothes and basically purging them....giving back stuff I had borrowed and anything I won't be wearing anymore (summer stuff) or that doesn't fit and making room in my drawers again for regular clothes. Even the stuff I have left I have been mentally thinking about who I will pass it off to when I am done with it. It was kinda just like a nesting urge, I didn't really think about it until I was done...but now I am thinking "actions speak louder than words" so I guess I really am ready for this to be over with! And I don't plan on having anymore after this, so I guess I really OK with that on a subconscious level too. Am I the only weirdo that's doing this? :LOL

And I am also feeling like a bad Momma these days...Ember has been having accidents again, and they are directly related to my mood and my tone with her :tsk She gets really sensitive and thinks I am mad at her, and when she pees her pants and I give a big sigh she just looks heartbroken. Why, why, why, must I do that :ignore

[Lucysmama]

Awwww, Amie - :hug I know how you feel. It is so hard to be the mama of a toddler right now. You are just totally hormonal. My dd had a tantrum yesterday and ripped out her ponytails that I had just spent 10 minutes putting in....and I caught myself giving her a dirty look when she was done screaming. :duh She looked so sad then, and whispered, "Sorry, mama." I felt terrible, of course - she's 2.

Amy, I just read in the other thread that you are losing your plug, too. Don't worry!!! It can be weeks before labor begins. You just have to make it till Wednesday, right?

Letia - glad your homevisit went well and that your family is on board with homebirth! I hope your pictures come out looking lovely, and don't forget to post one!

QOTW: I have a lot of loose ends to tie up, and I want them tied up TODAY. With the full moon on Wednesday and the amount of contractions I am having every day, I feel a pressing need to get this stuff done. It's all little stuff - get batteries/film for the camera, check out some books and videos for my toddler from the library, clean up her playroom and get it set up with the TV (she isn't normally allowed to watch videos, but we want it for the labor in case it gets long and we need her out of my hair) and make a couple of phone calls.

Also, what is on my mind is just Lucy. What to do with her in case of emergency transport, what to do with her if I have a cesarean and have to be gone a few days, and what if she doesn't tolerate labor well and dh has to miss the birth because he is dealing with her. Questions I don't have good answers for.

And a little part of me is worried about the baby now, since we didn't have any ultrasounds, I worry that the baby has some major problem that we will discover at birth. It feels good to purge all this!

Oh, and I guess I have my own lil question: What, if anything, are you planning to do with the placenta?

[MamaEmerald]

Lucysmama, Do you have anyone picked to just hang out with your daughter during the birth? I think that would be a really good thing to look into. Maybe grandma or a close friend or something. Someone who can be there to answer all her questions and take her out of the room if need be. You need your birth partner to be there for you. But she needs someone too! They shouldn't be the same person.

I'm also feeling a time crunch with the full moon on its way. It's so close. I've been dilating and effacing and having cramp like feelings in addition to my "normal" contractions. But I'm not sure if he's that low yet. I've been feeling more pressure, but not a ton. Either way, I think it will be soon.

And if it were, I would NOT be ready. We're going to the hospital, and I STILL have not pre-registered. Nor have I packed the baby bag. Or gotten diapers (I'm planning on using mostly 'sposies--the gel free kind, of course-- for the first week or two, maybe even the first month.). Nor have I gotten his clothes all washed. Still have to set up the carseat. Still need nursing bras. And some nightgowns and underwear for the hospital (I sleep nude and don't wear underwear often, but imagine that I'll need somewhere to put a wonderful bleeding pad).

Okay, and we've been up in the air about a lot of stuff, namely because my partner is pretty new to the idea of natural and mindful childbirth. When his daughter was born, natural childbirth was an accident--his ex wanted drugs the whole time, but progressed too fast and missed the opportunity. The idea of doulas, homebirth, etc... were completely foreign to him, and he's become more comfortable with them only recently. So we hadn't made any decisions. And now I need to find a doula!! eeek!

Where's that nesting bug when you need it?!

[momadance]

Oakember~ I'm in the process of doing the same clothing rotation :thumb

I can't beleive I didn't go into labor yesterday! LOL We spent all day pulling up about 300 sq feet of wild blueberries/strawberries, vines, root systems etc. Then tilled the soil, added some peet and composted steer manure, and started a compost pile!
wich leads me to an answer to Katies question, we will bury the placenta in our garden area. (I just need to make sure that's ok animal wise)

I feel so totally ready as far as having the babe goes.Knowing I have my amazing couple friends coming down to be with us just set everything in place for me. I still need to get some extra linens and an air mattress, but even if I don't I feel ok about it.

Katie, I think your concerns about Lucy at the birth are totally on. Is Dh ok with not being around for you if it turns out Lucy can't handle the birth? Mine wasn'. He said he felt he wouldn't be able to focus on Miles needs... Maybe you could have a back up person, someone who doesn't necessarily need to be involved in or at the birth?

[Lucysmama]

Momadance/mamaemerald - I don't have anyone lined up to come be with Lucy or take her away...but many people have offered. I am just taking a wait-and-see approach. The last thing I want is extra people there, and I don't have anyone I am comfortable about asking to attend. My FIL has offered to come pick Lucy up for a while if the labor gets too long, and so will my MIL when she gets back from Turkey on Friday (if I make it till then). But I don't wanna ask any of them to come until we really need them, if we do. Mamaemerald - I don't see my dh as my birth partner really, I see my MW in that role. :) I am ok with dh missing the birth if he is attending to Lu, though I would rather he be there of course.

[bluehalo]

38 weeks, 2 days.

I'm glad to get a chance to respond early on ... I get overwhelmed where there are so many messages and I catch myself just reading and not having the energy to respond. Sorry for being such a slacker!

I'm with you Piglet ... I've been going through maternity stuff, deciding what to give away and to whom, packing up the stuff that no longer covers my belly ;) I know that as this baby grows out of things, they'll be given away / donated. It makes me feel so good to know I won't be packing them up in the basement for another 4 years *lol* I am so not a packrat ...I feel so much free-er w/o so much *stuff*. There are actually some baby things that I'm using from Ethan for this new one ... but honestly maternity stuff has changed so much since my last pregnancy, I can only think of one or two things that I'm using this time around. Makes me feel better about letting go of everything this time. I'm pretty confident that we're done, and if not, it wouldn't be for another 4 years or so ... so ...

I'm glad I'm not the only one wondering about the full moon ... I think I'm actually ready. Or as ready as I'm ever gonna be *lol* I'm not having any serious signs ... but have been having steady and occasionally pretty intense BH contrax for about two weeks now, crampi-ness on and off, etc. I'm excited about the birth, I'm excited to see DS meet this baby, and I'm mostly just excited to meet this new little soul that I've been carrying around for what feels like forever now.

[Thia]

For a change, I had a nice comment instead of a stupid one come my way. Someone asked when I was due. When I said Oct. 8, they said "that's next week." For some reason, that thought had not occurred to me, the more I think of it, the happier I get. Light at the end of the tunnel.
I plan on leaving the placenta at the hospital.
What's left to do? Still need to wash baby clothes (unless dh did it today). Car seat still needs to be installed (waiting on dh for that...). I probably need some more diapers, but I don't know what to buy b/c I don't know how big this baby is going to be. We are going to use spoisies, yet another long story. My hospital bag is almost completely packed.
Oh, still missing the crib. My father and grandfather are making it. It was supposed to be done a few weeks ago, but the weather was so damp that the finishes were taking a long time to dry in between coats. So, my parents will bring it when I go into labor. They live about 4 hours away, so it will definitly be set up by the time we get home from the hospital.
Someone asked about what branch of the military dh is looking at...army.

Question: For those of you having a hospital birth, do you sign all their consent forms? I don't agree with the ones the hospital has, vague and intervention filled. I do have a birth plan, but if I sign the consent forms, can't they do what they want anyways?

[ameliabedelia]

35 weeks 3 days

Do you REALLY want to know all my worries and concerns??

I am worried that the baby will be born still or will die shortly after birth. I get super freaked out by reading that in people's sig's or hearing about it.

I am worried that I will need a c-section and die during it, leaving my children childless and my evil MIL will come and try to steal them away or convince dh to live with her. I made dh promise that if I die he will live with MY parents, not my MIL.

I am worried that I will need a c-section and having it will make all other births and pregnancies harder or we won't be able to have more kids or something from it.

I am worried that DD will freak when she sees the baby get her nursies and major rivarly will ensue.

I am worried about my ability to handle 2 kids and especially to leave the house with 2 kids myself. Oftentimes I need to pick DD up or carry her briefly and I can't do that with a baby as well.

I am worried about my dd's so much two-ness and that her behavior will worsen. Today during storytime at the libray she HAD to bring pooh, baby, bear and her UK baby blanket. Well a 13-month old started to take pooh and she didn't like that, although I wouldn't let him take it. So, after that whenever the little boy would walk by, she would push him away (consequently knocking him down, since he wasn't too steady walking yet). Then when we had to leave the library she didn't want to leave, wouldn't walk out. Finally I had to just carry her out amidst her loud protests. I am worried that those kinds of behavior will worsen and she will be very difficult.

I am worried about how we are going co-sleep with 4 people. The bed is crowded enought with just 3.

I am worried the baby will have to be in the NICU for awhile and we won't get to take her home right away.

I am worried the ultrasound was wrong, and it is a boy and we won't have ANY boy clothes, just a few gender neutral things but mostly girly stuff and he won't have name.

I am worried I will develop PPD or worse post-partum psycosis and try to hurt one of my children.

I am worried how dd will handle the separation from me in the hospital. The longest we have ever been apart is about 6 hours (although I do plan on having her and spend lots of time there after the birth)!!

Although I have called the insurance company twice to make sure we would be covered everything at 100% in the hospital, I am worried they will bill us for something anyway.

I am worried about the going past my due date and the baby being born on Halloween. Don't ask why, but that would just freak me out to have her born on Halloween.

I am worried about something happening to my dd while I am in the hospital and her having an accident and dying or dh and her getting in a car accident.

I am worried that we won't be able to reach my mom when I go into labor and she won't get here in time to stay with dd.

Whew!! That is a lot. They say most things we worry about don't happen. And some of them really aren't too likely. I probably won't die during a c-section if I need one or get post-partum psychosis, but of course I still worry about it.

Oh, and just so no one thinks I am crazy, I am not like insanely worried about all these things. They are just things which cross my mind and concern me, ya know.

[stanleymama]

36 weeks 2 days

QOTW: I don't know really where to begin. I think for me I hope that the baby does well and comes safely. Sometimes I worry about something going wrong. That is why I prefer them in my arms because then I KNOW that they are ok. I was feeling nervous about giving birth again, but not any longer. I am really looking forward to it now. God has given me this wonderful peace about it all.

There have been times during this pg that I have thought of this one as my last, but now I am open to having more. Not soon, but in a couple years. Dh and I also hope to adopt someday, so either way there will be more children in our home.

As for the placenta, we have no plans for it.

Letia...so neat that your il's are supporting your hb decision. And WOW you are one busy girl :D I hope you get a chance to rest before this little one decides to come out and say hi.

Truebluefx...glad to hear that all is well. I hope you find your home and personal belongings in good shape. And losing your plug, I will be praying for a safe birth for you and your little one:)

So this week is gonna be a busy one here as well. I will be taking care of some final sales order for my biz; MIL has a big porch party planned for Saturday for the family; and dh takes his lsat on Sat. as well so he will be busy studying and prepping for that. The porch party is going to be loads of fun. That night is a light parade that will go past our home so we will be putting up Christmas lights this week as the city wants the parade route to look nice, light and festive. We will have 35-50 family members here...should be a good time.

Chat later when I can :)

[gottaknit]

Hi everyone! Glad I'm getting in here early on in the thread - there's a lot posted I want to respond to already! :)

Thia - I'm still working, too. I plan to work "as long as I can", but really, I'm not getting anything done. I surf the internet, "supervise and train" my replacement, and wish I was at home getting the stuff I really want to do, done!

Letia - I want to see pictures! No excuses! ;) They sound beautiful. Glad to hear your hb plans are being well received.

Amelia - Your list of worries may look long, but it is so good to name them out loud like that. Keeping them in doesn't do any good. Do you feel better after typing them all out? Was it in BFW that I read, "Worry is the work of pregnancy"? So true.

Placenta - We were really torn about what to do with it at first. We're crunchy, but not terribly spiritual or emotionally attached to our body fluids/tissues. :LOL KWIM? But just throwing it away seemed wrong. So our midwife told us that she can take it and she donates them to a search dog training program. They bury them and use them to train dogs to search for bodies. Seems like a good cause to me!

Worries:

That the baby will be a boy and we haven't agreed on a boy name yet! The poor baby will be nameless for weeks, or one of us will "win" and the other be disappointed in the name.

That I'll go into labor next weekend, and my mom will have to cancel the baby shower (I don't care so much, but she's so excited for it!) and DH will miss out on running the Portland Marathon. He's been training all year! And I want to be there to see him cross the finish line!

That my water will break at work or on the way home on the bus, and I'll be stuck on public transportation with wet pants and leaking all over the place. It's a 45 minute commute by bus. DH works in another town an hour away, so I can't call for a ride home. Guess I could call a cab.... But they may think it's a little odd to pick up a leaky pregnant woman in labor at the hospital, and take her home! :LOL Can cabbies refuse to transport? That would suck.

OK so my worries sound pretty silly. I'm also scared about the usual things: long painful labor, being transferred to the hospital, having lots of interventions leading to a c-section...

Am I the only one who has contractions constantly? I am one big walking Braxton Hicks. It's been going on like this for over a week. Yesterday the mw assistant was trying to feel my belly to check the baby's position, and she had to keep stopping because I would have a contraction and she couldn't feel very well.

Last night we went to my mom's to watch some birth videos the midwife loaned us. They were pretty cool, and I'm so glad DH is getting to see all of these newborn babies so he won't be freaked out by the baby's coloring or the vernix or headmolding or whatever... But watching other women give birth gives me the most painful cramps! It was really weird. I had to pause it and get up and walk around a few times.

One more thing: I noticed in our roll call that almost everybody with a prediction predicts a short labor, and giving birth before their EDD. What a bunch of optimists we are, huh?! :D

[flitters]

hi mamas! happy monday!

big congratulations and best wishes to gretchen and the twins! yay!

trueblue, i'm also sending you dry, non-windy, make it throught the full moon thoughts.

everyone, thanks so much for the reassurance that my puffy nether region was not such an unusual or scary thing. i showed my dh a few of the posts - he chuckled at the "purple stuff" comment.

i'm continually impressed by the mamas who are helping ease their toddlers and other kids through the transition to having another baby. you guys often make comments about feeling guilty about a particular thing you said or look you gave to your child, but i think you all sound like wonderful, caring, nurturing parents.

it's so exciting reading about those of you who are getting close to having your babies now! mucus and contractions and full moons!!! i'm not due till the end of the month but i'm getting so excited. i think i'll probably go a bit before my due date (seems to be a family trend and i'm active which also tends to go with 38/9 week pregnancies) but i'm happy to have another few weeks.

i'm still at work but this is my last week. i will then be on maternity leave through the middle of february. i've never had that long a period of time without some sort of academic type responsibility (school or career type).

dh has finished our "baby room" (really a guest room where we will put baby stuff for a few years as we'll be cosleeping) and it is really cute. it's not a big room so the queen size bed takes up almost the whole thing but it will be good. i'm hoping to get a night stand and dresser before the baby arrives but i'm waiting for a good used set to come up on craigslist so it may take a while.

lucysmama, we ordered the aquadoula too. we were originally going to get a fishy pool until we visited our niece and realized just how quickly a dog claw could deflate the pool by accident, even from the outside. i think it will be great and dh is excited to give it a trial run (at least setting it up, maybe not filling it).

QOTW:

i don't know what i'm most worried about.

i really don't think there will be a problem with our labor or birth so i'm not too worried there. same with breast feeding, i think it will all go fine.

i think my three biggest concerns are:

my mom's visit after the baby arrives. i really don't know what to expect from her in terms of adding to stress or being an easy/helpful guest.

going back to work... it will be the right thing for us and we are very lucky to be in a position where dh will be a SAHD, but i think it will be hard at first even just part time, then hard again when i switch back to full time in may or june.

and getting back to a normal sex life post baby.


ok, i should get back to work. by the way, i brought in a little baggie of cookies today which were supposed to last me the week (or at least a couple days) but they are all gone and it isn't even lunch time on monday!

mmmmm... tasty.

:grouphug

[Piglet68]

I'm sooooooo sorry to let you guys down again with the weekly thread. Now that I'm not working, I'm completely losing track of what day of the week it is. Thank you, Letia, for taking over the reins! :hug

I haven't had time to read through this thread yet, so I'll be back later to post...just wanted to say I'm 37 weeks today (miscounted again last week, thought I was 38, lol). AND that I can so totally relate to being DONE with being pregnant. Used to hear this all the time from my not-a-first-time moms in my last PG group, when I was a first time mom...I was loving being PG and kinda felt sorry for those who were complaining their way through the last trimester. Well, let's just say that having a child around when you are PG is NOT fun and I am now joining the ranks of all those saying "I AM SOOO DONE!!". Mostly I'm sick of being so incredibly limited in what I can do and how far I can walk, etc. I want my body back!!!!!!!

love to all of you :grouphug

[Soogie]

36 weeks

QOTW: Not too much has been on my mind lately...darn preggo brain!!! I can't remember anything! And on top of that, I've become the world's biggest clutz. I've been dropping things, knocking things over, bumping into things/people with my big ole belly. I'm a mess! But seriously, I'm only worried about having everything ready for the birth. I feel a smidge more prepared...my birth kit has arrived and today the UPS man delivered my fishy pool, waterbed fill/drain kit, and an air compressor that I ordered. My Dad called today to let me know that he probably won't be able to make it here for the birth to watch the kids. I *should* be worried, but for some reason I'm not. I'm actually a little relieved. It will be nice for it to be just us as a family, and the midwives of course. I think my kids will do okay.

Letia - dang girl. I'm envious of you still cycling. I can barely walk up the stairs anymore. I hope you share some of the pics with us.

Amie - I'm with ya on feeling like a bad momma lately. But growing a baby and parenting little ones at the same time is hard work. I've said I'm sorry to my kids a lot lately, but I'm just trying to do the best I can do. Chin up.

Amelia - It's good that you've written out all your worries and concerns. It probably feels better to get them all out.

Nancy - We did the same thing with my placenta from ds. Our Bradley instructor's brother was the chief of the search and rescue team and used all the donated placentas to train the dogs. I felt really good about giving it to an agency that could really use. We did keep dd's and used it in the garden. I'm not sure what we'll do with this one. And I'm definitely not one predicting a short labor. My first was 96 hours and my second was 18 hrs. Not much hope for a quickie here.

I posted a new pic on the yahoo site of me at 36 weeks...getting bigger and bigger and bigger...

[krnflwr]

Okay, here's the scoop on Gretchen and the twins:

Friday they started the induction w/ the cervidil. Sat morn she was dilated to 4 and they started the pitocin. She labored all day and night, pain med free and w/ a doula, and got to about 8 cm when they discovered the twins were just too tangled up with each other to descend any further. As Baby Girl was trying to turn heads down, she got in the way of Baby Boy and they were both effectively stuck. They did a c-section at some point in the middle of the night, after it was clear there wasn't any way to untangle the two.
So, both of the babies were born Sat night and they are still unnamed. Baby Girl weighed in at 6 lbs exactly and Baby Boy was 6 lbs 2 oz. Great size for 37 wks twins!
Mama and babes are all doing well and healing/recovering well. Baby Girl is nursing like a champ, although Baby Boy seems to be a bit slow still at figuring things out. But nothing too worrisome. The babies are healthy, and as long as Gretchen continues to heal well, they will be released tomorrow.

[blessed2bamommie]

:irked: I try to post and Net crashes! Just peekin my head in to say :nono no apologies, Pig. It was no big deal! You've been doing it the whole time now. I was just glad we didn't x-post!

Now back to this list of still need and no nap today b/c I can't rest....:p

[gottaknit]

:carrot :banana :carrot :banana :carrot :banana
Woohoo for Gretchen and the twins!!! Those are some big healthy babies for twins born at 37 weeks! I'm so impressed that she labored so long with pitocin and no pain meds. That's awesome. Glad to hear everyone's doing well! :D

[Momma2LiamandTara]

Wow all I can say is piglet you read my mind 100%. I am feeling EXACTLY the same way. I was baffled when ohter moms would say uggh I'm so done. I would be like why thsi is easy and wonderful WELL... it sure is different when you have to chase a toddler all over the place. I agree I AM DONE!! :)

I'm excited to have #2 here but I don't want to go through this anymore. It's just way too hard. I know i've reached my limit. If I want another baby we can always adopt or maybe be foster parents.

My worreis are about how Liam will do without me around. How will this labor go. Will it be as wonderful and fufilling as it was with liam 9hours of labor and 45 mintues to push. Will I be able to focuse and not worry about how Liam is doing (epscially if it's late at night). I'm worried that the baby is breech (haven't checked lately so I have no idea if the baby is in the right spot) and I'll have to have a c-section and stay longer at the hospital than I want too. I'm worreid that I won't handle labor as well as last tiem and wind up getting an epidural. Just freaking out overall.

I am glad I got all the baby clothes washed an put away. I just have to wash the car seat and get DH to install it. I have to find all my baby gear and wash it.

I'm really excited I got my fleece hotlsings pouch today. What a beautiful job kristen does with them and she so nicely packcages it with a ribbion tied around it. No wonder people rave about her stuff. I can't wait to try it out.

Oh yeah I'm also worried about how Liam will do with less attention from me. He is super attached to me and a big snuggler and I think it will be hard on him if he wants to snuggle and I may not be able to at the moment.

Well I think that is it!

Carrie

[BeansMomma]

36 weeks; 6 days

Good gosh; we made it to 10 pages last week and at this pace we'll likely do it again. I must admit, I so enjoy reading everyone's posts and like many have confessed, it's hard to have the energy left to post and/or respond to others.

Let's see... Amy - good dry vibes for your photos and stickiness to your baby; Amelia, you crack me up in the best way - I could pretty much ditto those same concerns; Katie, good for you for staying home; Letia - for Heaven's sakes, woman, your exercise routine makes me tired just reading about it - I'm with Soogie, stairs are enough for me.

Thia - I'm still working as well and had planned to up to when I go into labor (for money reasons). However, I'm completely ineffective and have to confess that I have totally slacked off lately. In fact, I have a meeting with my Big Boss tomorrow to confess that I've made no progress on this strategic project she wants from me and I'm hoping she'll be so mad (or - dare I say, understanding) that she takes it off my plate completely. This whole conversation has me so scared that it's all I think about as I lay awake at night. ugh.

QOTW: I suppose my biggest concerns surround the fact that we dropped out of our birthing class at the hospital because they were so lame. Then we were going to have a Birthing From Within series, but the instructor flaked, so all in all I'm feeling a bit under-prepared with respect to pain management. We have the Hypnobabies program too, but I've been procrastinating and I'm afraid it may be too late. yikes. You can also do a cut and paste of Amelia's list for additional concerns... :innocent

[bluehalo]

oh wow, how exciting for Gretchen!! :) Those *are* good sized twins - wow!!

[OakEmber]

Yeah, we sure are getting chatty as our days count down aren't we?!

Hmmm, let me see what my pregnancy brain lets me recall as I try to comment on what I've read.

Amelia- :Hug that is quite some list you have there! I hope that you feel better now that you've gotten it off your chest.

About the "being done" thing...the weird part about it, for me anyway, is that I don't physically feel that uncomfortable (don't smack me)...I'm pretty lucky and haven't had more than just the usual discomforts, and I could easily go on for a few more weeks. I feel done mentally/emotionally I guess, and I am not sure why...:scratch, and certainly didn't expect to ever feel this way...maybe it has to do with my m/c. I am with you others, I don't forsee being pregnant again...if I want to add to our family it will be through foster parenting/adoption, or just a classic oops ;)

WTG Gretchen for growing such strong healthy babies and giving it all your best... :Bow Now I can't wait to hear thier names!!

Court- Got your bead safe and sound today, Thanks it is so beautiful! I really wish I had recieved some before sending out mine...now it seems so boring in comparison.

Thanks Soogie and Katie about the Bad Momma issue, we are having a much better day today. :love

Nancy, :LOL, I noticed that too, hehe! Oh well, I do believe there is something to seeing the cup as half full :thumb

Katie- I don't remember how long you labored with Lucy before having a c/s (just reread this and it could sound wrong so just to explain what I mean by it is that you might already know how you might act/feel in labor but it might be new to you) but I just wanted to let you know that I wouldn't let Dh leave the room....I just really didn't want him to miss the birth and thought it was gonna happen faster (so while I pushed for 4 hrs he wasn't even allowed to go and get something to eat :Sheepish: and he ended up with a migraine which probably could have been avoided). So hopefully you really will be Ok with Dh tending to Lucy and missing the birth if need be...but laboring woman can get some fanatical ideas in the moment ;) I know you really want privacy, I just know what I did :LOL we didn't even have our camera in the room with us b/c I wouldn't let Dh go to the car for it...so I have no pictures of Ember until the day after she was born.

As for the placenta...I was just gonna leave it in the hospital too. I do hope to hear more about it from my midwife, how it looks, is it mature that sort of thing, but that's about the extent of it.

[Jillerina]

39 weeks exactly!

Well, I've been ingnoring the pregnancy most of the weekend and today since DD has been quite sick. It started out as a feverish day that was quite enjoyable for me (we snuggled and hibernated) but it has turned into a nasty sickly toddler. Poor DD hardley has any voice, she has an awful wet cough and lots of trouble breathing. I took her to the clininc today because DH and I agreed that we really needed to know exactly what was going on with her. We ended up with antibiotics which normally I'd try to avoid but right now I am looking for a quick fix so that DD can be healthy and I won't worry about going into labor when she is so needy. Anyway, all this comotion got me though 3 days without thinking about labor signs!

I have nothing to report in terms of labor, just more of the same BH contractions. I'm losing hope of having this baby before the end of September (the cutoff for school in Quebec) but thats OK.

Piglet, don't worry about not starting the thread everyweek, Letia does a great job in your place. And with you over on the West coast, us Easterners are up and at 'em before you (or we should be!)

I'm with all you toddler mamas about this being hard work. Amerliabedelia, your description of leaving the library with DD is a well known routine for us too sadley :(

Truebluxf I'm thinking of ya!

Gotta go, dinner is ready.

[mandalamama]

38 weeks, 1 day

the placenta: we'll be keeping it, although i worry about that at the hospital. they're ok with my husband putting it in a cooler, IF he has time to do that. no one we asked at the hospital ever heard of someone saving the placenta (huh?!) so we decided if trying to save it would distract him from the baby, don't worry about it. if we do get it, we'll bury the placenta under a willow tree we're going to plant at his mom's house :D

qotw: i'm a bit worried, mostly peaceful. even the worry feels good, like right before getting on a giant rollercoaster :) mostly i keep visualizing every little thing, from changing diapers to putting her to breast, figuring out ways to make things easier on myself (hence lots of nesting and re-organizing). my biggest worry (besides all the normal "i hope she's okay!" stuff) is that labor won't start by 40 weeks and they'll pressure me to induce. my entire being screams at me that an induction won't work and i'll end up with a cesarean, so even thinking about induction is enough to freeze me up in terror. i just keep meditating and visualizing my body relaxing and opening. it's so damn hard to let go and trust my body to do something it's never done before!

last week i was having constant contractions, since the baby dropped i have not had on contraction since then! hardly any discharge as well. hence worrying i won't go into labor on my own.

congrats Gretchen!! :balloons i can't wait to read the birth story and learn their names :love

peace,
meli

[momadance]

:banana Ok! I've got all my birth linens washed and packed up! All we need to do is drain, sanitize and re-set the hot tub and we're good to go, which means I'll go way past my due date because I'm prepared :eyesroll ahh well

[mtnjenny]

Hi All,
My my, everyone's got a lot on their minds!

Thia, I'm still working (teaching.) I've said it before, but I swear it keeps my mind from obsessing about my pregnancy when I'm at school with those little munchers. I always forget about the rest of my life when they start coming in the classroom door...I plan on going back after three months, and again after the summer. I just don't feel ready to give it up yet. After nine years, it's truly a part of me and I still feel passionate about it. (I know, these feelings could ALL change as soon as I see that little baby face...)

Way to go Gretchen! :thumb

Piglet, me too on the purging of maternity clothes. It feels so good. I'm like bluehalo - the opposite of a pack rat. Can't stand the clutter!!

To all of you with little ones already, I just can't relate yet! I'm definitely one of those first-timers-loving-being-pregnant-feeling-so-good-don't-know-what-all-the-fuss-is-about. Ignorance is bliss! That must sound so annoying to you...sorry :innocent

I definitely want to check out the placenta, but after that, I don't need it...

Worries? Well, the same as all of you, truly. BUT, (get ready, here's optimistic Jenny coming through again, can't help it...) when it comes down to it, ladies, if you end up having a c-section, having the epidural, having the episiotomy, going way beyond your EDD, or just having a truly terrible birth experience - so what?! Am I crazy to think this way? Am I so ignorant? Tell me if I am. We are all being so careful, standing up for our wishes, making our intentions clear, covering all our bases, doing our research...at some point we have to trust our decisions (hospital, homebirth, whatever,) the people we have chosen to be with us, and the universe. As long as baby and mom come through healthy, we can deal with the memories of a traumatic experience - not that it would be easy, but we can deal with that, in lots of ways. I worry so much that people are going to see themselves as some sort of failure if something goes "wrong." And, believe me, I am bound and determined to have a natural childbirth, and have everything go JUST as I planned it... ;) Oooh, I'm SO tempted to go back and delete this whole paragraph, but I won't...Thanks for letting me share those feelings with you, mamas. We just need to be strong on both sides of the picture, or once again it's a way of women losing control and feeling defeated. OK really, I'm done now. Whew.

Soooo...On a MUCH lighter note, anyone out there drinking non-alcoholic beer? What's your fave? (Yes, I'm a Wisconsin girl at heart, it's in my blood.) My favorite is Haake Beck, made by Beck's. :W

Now that you all think I'm totally nuts, I'll sign off...

[gottaknit]

Jenny, I only think you're nuts cuz you like non-alcoholic beer! ;) I've tried every kind I can find and they all taste like I'm sucking on copper pennies. Yech!

I'll confess I sip wine with dinner on special occasions. But I can't wait to get my hands on a Real Beer again!!

[AnnR33]

Hi everyone! We're getting closer... :)
My main worries are that my kids will feel left out the first few weeks or that my in-laws won't get here in time to watch the kids and my DD will get freaked out by the experience. My DS is very excited about seeing the birth but my DD is only 3 and I think she'll be scared.
But mostly we're ready (famous last words) and I just need to get the last of the clothes washed and the rest of the things unpacked from our move!!! It's never ending!
Can't wait to hear about the next babe arrival!

Still thinking of you Amy-hope all is well!
Ann

[Thia]

Jenny I have never been a big drinker in my life, although I do enjoy a good glass of wine or an ammaretto sour if I am out. I have always thought beer tasted and smelled yucky. I was a month or two pg and dh opened up an O'douls (nabeer) and it smelled good! Since then, I always take a sip of his. He only drinks it a couple of times a week. It will be interesting to see if I still like it after the baby. I can't wait to have a good glass of wine!
Susan I too am a childbirth class drop out. We skipped the last class. I could have taught them for all I have read! My bibliography is quite long. A mix of Bradley stuff, Sears stuff, Henci Goer etc...so I feel pretty prepared on that end. As for all the breathing, I realized that my years as an athlete and singer have better prepared me than some class! We can do this!

Well, survived another day of work. Next time someone asks if I am "still here," I am going to say "no, I am not, you're dillusional!"

[Momma2LiamandTara]

Wow so many things I want to comment on.

If I go over my EDD. I'm doing the accupuncture and castor oil again. It worked for me before and avoid me being induced. The castor oil/OJ combo is the nastiest thing on earth but hey sure beats being induced. Who cares if ya poop when you are pushing that baby out they just rinse your behind off with a bit of water and your good to go. :D Plus the first poop after birth doesn't hurt because it's still working it's way out of your system. I'm not sure what effect this has on the baby but to me it seems better than pitocin. I'm not knocking anbody who chooses to be induced or has to be I'm just very into trying any other way than pitocin.

I remember the good old days of throughly loving being pregnant and what is the fuss all about. I know I really chwrished it becuase I had 2 m/c's before conceiving liam. It's just his time around when you're so tired from not enough sleep and chasing a toddler around, etc. You're just ready to be done and to start things with this lil baby. Thankfully I'm not having a lot of aches and pains but it's till not easy. :crap

Anybody reading the eating your placenta topic in this forum. (not our specific one but the general pregnant one.) If it's the one I read before it was pretty gross. At least to me. If anyone wants to go for it. It's not for me. :gross

BeansMomma-

My childbirth classes so sucked at the hospital (the ones I took while pregnant the first time) It was supposed to be a 2 day class to learn everything you wanted to know about childbirth. It wound up being about a hlf day about childbirth and a day and half about pain meds and the epidural. It was really awful!! I was the only one in my class to even ask if there was soemthing other than the dran epidural I could have. I was also the only one to mention using a doula or ask about the use of them. Man that class sucked. I basically just trusted my body and my doula to help me get through it the way I wanted which was drug free and medical intervention free. I was in the shower non-stop. The hospital I was at didn't have the birthing tubs. Water is such antural pain reliver. I would reccomend that and just trust and belive in yourself and GET A DOULA!! I'm using a doula again this time. Not to say my husband can't support me but it's nice having that extra support.

It's been intersting to see how we all are feeling a lot of similar things.

Okay we've shared a lot of personal stuff here..anyone here having really bad gas issues? :innocent

WEll that's about if for this post..the boys are home from their adventure out. So I should go.

Take Care all!
Carrie

[Lucysmama]

Anybody reading the eating your placenta topic in this forum. (not our specific one but the general pregnant one.) If it's the one I read before it was pretty gross. At least to me. If anyone wants to go for it. It's not for me.


:hide: I'm thinking about it....

[True Blue]

Was it Thia who asked about what to do about consent forms? In my Hynobabies workbook it addresses just this, and says that you should sign the papers only after adding "subject to my informed consent at the time". If the hospital requires you to sign them as-is, they say you should sign them, then as soon as you are admitted upstairs give them a new signed document stating "I hereby withdraw my consent to all non-emergency drugs or procedures for myself or my baby, unless you obtain my informed consent at the time."

Um, worries? I think you all know my biggies now LOL. Like, will I be able to birth at my own home? And last night I had some contractions on top of the plug loss, and all I could think was how I wasn't ready to give up DS's only-childness yet. I didn't feel like I had prepared him enough. That, and it would have been hard for DH to get here considering he was 4 hours away in Key West. :rolleyes I also haven't taken any nice belly pics yet, and I would be bummed if I had the baby before I had the chance.

Thanks for all your thoughts and well wishes everyone. :love Tomorrow afternoon DH will get to the house and we'll know the situation...I can't wait!!!!

Went out today and bought a couple shorter nightgowns that button down for nursing to have for labor, especially if I labor here at my parents'. I was able to et some that are gathered enough so I could buy them in my normal size so they'll still work after baby is born, yet be loose and comfy for now. :)

Need to call the mw and tell her what is up re:plug and find out what I absolutely need to have on hand here at my parents' if my birth kit doesn't get here for me (it was sent to our home, and I'm sure they aren't delivering anything right now, and if it does get there, then I also need it to be brought to me here.....)

Went out to dinner with my family for my bday tonight. :) It was nice. My mom took DS out to buy me a present while I was napping today and he came back so excited to give it and my "happy birthday mommy" balloon to me. :love

[sqoya]

Yay! :balloons Our remodeling efforts are officially done!!! We have everything put back together, aren't sleeping in the basement anymore, a beautiful kitchen - wow, I'd almost forgotten about what a normal life is like!!! Oh, and my first paper will be published about the time the baby is due! I've submitted it and am relaxing now!

QOTW: Honestly, I don't have any fears. (I used to be afraid the house wouldn't be done. But that's over!) It's not that I don't think something won't go wrong, but I just feel as though we've prepared as much as we possibly could, that it's out of our hands now. If I end up needing a cesarean or some other intervention, well I know that I tried everything possible to prevent it. I guess I feel somewhere along the line of Jenny.

I did ask my dh what we'd do if we had a baby with one leg - since we haven't had an u/s, we really don't know if everything's there. He said, "Well, that's better than 3 legs - could you imagine how hard it would be to shop for a 3 legged baby?" He made me laugh - I instantly forgot any worries.

Placenta - Thanks so much for the idea of donating it to a search and rescue team. I'll look into that!

All you Mamas with toddlers - I keep forgetting about how hard it must be for you to be pregnant. I kept thinking to myself, "Over? No, I'm not ready for this pregnancy to be over at all! I'm lovin' it!" Now, I realize there's no way I could take all my naps, organize the house, and just relax with a toddler to care for. You all amaze me. Really.

Oh, I'll post a picture of me tiling our kitchen floor (at 36 weeks - wow - don't tell my midwives, they'd kill me).

[MamaEmerald]

Mandi, that sounds like I question I'd ask my partner! hahah. I do think about that stuff sometimes. And both my uncle and my father had cleft palates, so I think about that too. I would be so sad! To have my poor little guy go through so much surgery would be awful. yuck.

and ameliabedelia, I really feel you on a lot of those. I am not sick with worry, but at different times I've thought all of those things.

Last weekend I got myself into a frenzy because when I met with my midwife on monday, she wanted to give me an ultrasound because she was surprised I was measuring smaller(I guess she didn't really think the baby had dropped much). She measured the fluid pockets and said everything was fine, but since then I've freaked out anytime I get particularly moist. Which has been frequently. If it's not a thick mucousy substance I get this sick feeling in my stomach like my baby is gonna run out of fluid before I go into labor or see my midwife again. But I know I'm just being crazy.

oh, and the placenta: if it's really healthy and stuff, we might take it home and make medicine out of it. boil it, grind it up, and put it in capsules. It's supposed to be awesome!

[Piglet68]

Hey, I notice that mirthfulmum hasn't chimed in yet...she's awfully close to her due date! I'll phone her tomorrow morning and check in on her!

re: Fears...well, my fears mostly centre on my daughter and how she is going to handle being away from me at night for the first time. The last two nights have actually been very good, she's only woken a couple of times to nurse (once last night) and the other times when she stirs she's gone right back to sleep with just a rub on her back. If this pattern holds it will make me feel alot better! I also know that I won't be seeing much of her in hospital, I mean how much fun will it be for her to hang around the hospital room? So I miss her already! Strangely, I'm not worried about the baby and then sometimes that worries me, lol. I just assume everything will go great as it did with DD and baby will nurse fine, etc.....I feel bad in a way that I'm more focussed on Emily but I suppose that is natural.

I finally sorted through the baby clothes and washed them all - they're hanging to dry and I'll put them away tomorrow. I found a cleaning lady (recommended by a friend) so as of Thursday my apartment will be cleaned once a week. Thank god...it was starting to look pretty bad (well, if you look up close - I've been totally anal about keeping everything tidy and neat!). I'm feeling alot less stressed out now that it seems I really will be ready for baby.

I've been retaining a whole lot of water these last few days. I've had to take my wedding ring off, and my ankles hurt last night so I had to prop them up (like I had room in my bed for any more pillows, lol). I spent an uncomfortable night trying to find a position where something didnt' ache! I'm trying to drink more water, but still feeling very swollen.

And finally, I just feel the need to reiterate what everyone else has said: I love reading each and every post here, but just don't seem to have it together enough to respond to all of them directly. :grouphug

Okay, time for bed!!

[mirthfulmum]

Don't anyone get there hopes up. Still pregnant, just getting to the boards late today.

Oh my gosh you all have been chatty today. Reading the thread I had so many comments but now that I've started writting I can't remember anything I wanted to say :eyesroll.

I have a midwife appointment tomorrow. I don't think this little guy is engaged or anything but I am hoping he's in a good birthing postion at least. I really think that there might be something funny about the way my hips are built that makes it hard for babies to engage. I often feel like Harrison is really low for a few days, even begin to feel increasing pressure in my pelvis and stretching of ligaments, and then I'll wake up the next morning and the low down pressure is just gone and I the baby dosen't feel low anymore. It's like he's just bobbing up and down. Oh well, I'm not too worried as Alias never engaged in my pelvis either so I know I can still birth an unengaged baby, I just don't want to have to push for 4 and a half hours again like I had to with Alias.

QOTW: I think it was amelia who pretty much covered all the nagging fears I wrestle with. I mostly worry that the baby will not be healthy. That there will be something wrong and he will die or be permanantly and severly disabled. I think that is truly my biggest fear. I agree with Jenny in that what ever my birth experience turns out to be, even if it ends up gong against any and all of my wishes and desires for a natural and calm birth, that as long as I have a strong, vibrant and healthy baby in my arms when it is all over I know that no matter what I had to go through to get him to that point will have been worth it.

As for the placenta... not really my thing to take it home. I can't even really muster up the appreciation to want to get a look at it before it is taken away. But I have heard that it wonderfully healthy and fantastic in warding of PPD and speeding up the post-delivery healing process. Good on all of you mommas who are of stronger constitutions than I :thumb.

[OakEmber]

Argh...I did it again :foot Just had to say that I am not feeling too uncomfortable earlier today...now here I am up at 4:30 AM because everytime I try to roll over in bed it's excrutiating :irked: My cervix is feeling really crampy, menstral like tonight...so much so that the thought of Tylenol has crept into my mind, so I got up to drink a RRL tea and sit here on my birthing ball. Still cannot reach my cervix...I think I will just have to give up on that idea. Hopefully this all means that Oakley's head is engaging. Anyone else planning on having a Chiropractic adjustment one more time before labour?? I have been trying to wait as long as possible with hopes that once I get adjusted I will stay that way up until labour, I will be sure to phone tomorrow so I can get in soon!

BeansMomma- To quote Ever After "breathe...just breathe"...I personally feel that you are just gonna do what comes to you naturally despite what you have learned...although others might not agree with me. I didn't take much from my birthclass last time (hospital run like yours too), I really just took it to please my Dr. I am sure that you have read enough on your own etc. to be prepared.

Mtjenny- I think your attitude is a healthy one. Also two woman can have similar experiences and one can view her l&d as positive and one as neg...it's good to have an open mind and not get too attached to trying to control that which is not controlable. I think all of us have done what we can to ensure we are birthing in a supportive atmosphere. :thumb

Amy :birthday: Geesh, talk about sneaking that in on us at the end of the day like that! I hope you had a nice day (sounds like you did!) How sweet of your Mom to take Mickade out shopping for you :) I really hope that you find everything the way you left it when you go home...today I guess as it is already 9 am on the east coast. I think I will go back to bed now, :LOL

[Momma2LiamandTara]

Just caught ont he posts this morning and wanted to say Happy Birthday!! :balloons :birthday: :banana

[True Blue]

Thanks Amie. :) Things had been so hectic actually that I kept forgetting it was my birthday!!! At least the baby wasn't born yesterday, I think that would suck, for a little kid to have share his/her birthday with mommy!

I'm getting on pins and needles now waiting the hours for DH to get to our house....

[momadance]

:bgbounce :jumpers: :sunshine :balloons :birthday:

truebluexf!!!!!

[Thia]

Well, I had at least two hours of cramping this morning. Hurray! I'll take what I can get. Now, the baby just keeps changing from my left to the right, back and forth...my stomach looks quite odd.

Reading about everyone's worries makes me think back to about week 18. I had the final us of this pregnancy. The tech was scaring me b/c she was taking so long and remeasuring things a zillion times and making faces. I had a dr appt across town right after, and dh, who came to the sono was going to go home instead of to the dr. I made him take me to the dr b/c I was so afraid there would be bad news. He did go with me and everything was just fine. Baby was very active and that made things difficult. You know what dh said to me, well, I can't directly quote, but here's teh general idea: that this was our baby no matter what. We would love it no matter what and take care of it no matter what. If there had been a problem, we'd deal with it and just love on the baby. b/c s/he was ours. Awwwwww....that was the most awesome thing he has said to me the entire pg.

Amy, thanks for passing on those consent form tips.

[MTBto5]

I am starting to get nervous but VERY excited. I go in on Monday monring for another amio to re~check the lungs and if all is well onto the induction Tuesday morning :thumb Feeling a bit sad also since this will be our last little one, hard to believe that I will never be pregnant again :crying
We spent the past w/e putting up all the Halloween/fall decorations so that will be done. This w/e just plan on doing last minute projects like installing car seat and all te shopping (grocery and household stuff) to get us through at least 2 weeks.
Now we are just counting down!!

[gottaknit]

Name That Sensation:
Ok, I thought I had experienced every weird pregnancy thing already (except labor and birth of course!), but here's a new one! Starting last night I've been getting this very light vibrating/humming/fluttering sensation very low in my pelvis, where the baby's head is. I can only feel it internally, not if I put my hand over it. It is a consistent vibration lasting about 5-10 seconds, and I'm having it randomly a couple times an hour. (It's not hiccups, I know what those feel like.) It's kind of like "butterfly kisses", but on the inside...

Any ideas? Is the baby doing big exhales of amniotic fluid? Giving me raspberries? Humming? (That would be impressive! :) )

I didn't realize that as a first time mom I'm supposed to :love being pregnant! I'm sick and tired of it too, and I'm not even chasing a toddler! I cannot imagine doing this with a little kid to take care of at the same time... Kudos to you amazing mommas who are!

Beansmomma - We took Birthing From Within, which was an awesome class IMO. But the funny thing is that one couple in the class had their baby the last week and brought him in to the last class and told their birth story. The mom said that all her preparations for pain control went out the window and she just moaned like a madwoman! She said everything else seemed too intellectual and she couldn't focus on how to do the exercises, but moaning was easy and an immense help to her. They did it all natural, no interventions (labored at home and didn't go to hospital until she was in transition), no tears, everything perfect. You'll do just fine! Do you have a doula, BTW?

This morning on the news I heard that Mt. St. Helens (an active volcano just north of Portland) was experiencing small earthquakes consistently every two minutes, and I thought, "She's in active labor!!" :LOL Must be the full moon!

[True Blue]

WOO-HOO!!!! :banana Our house is ok!!!! I'm SOOOO relieved. One less thing to worry about now. :) It has the same damage as last time, which is nothing major and no internal damage to the house. The neighborhood, however is a lake...the water came up almost to the door of our Jeep on our street...DH saw a turtle swim by as we were talking!! :jaw

Talked to the midwife, she is fine coming down here. She agrees that I could very easily have the baby by the end of the weekend :eek, though she would rather I actually make it to 37 weeks (Oct 6). She said if she delivered sooner and we had to transfer to the hospital for me or baby we would have to fudge the dates, which of course I have no problem with, to protect her. And I'm sure of my dates so there is no problem there either.

So I'm trying not to freak out here!!! Now that I don't have to worry about a home, I just have to worry about having another baby!!! DH packed up all the other stuff we would need in the event of baby's arrival (birthing ball, carseat, sling, etc....I have some clothes and dipes with me) in his car to have if he has to come down (he can't come down right now, has to be near his ship, it's their period to be on-call). So let's just hope baby hangs in there til at least the weekend!!!!!

Oh and please send some good vibes for this stubborn babe to be fully anterior!!!

[Lucysmama]

YAY AMY! :banana That is awesome about your house! And Happy Birthday!!! :D Anterior vibes to your little baby....maybe now that the stress of worrying about the storm and your baby is going away, your body will calm down. I know mine did once we got moved.

So....full moon tonight, anyone in early labor yet? :LOL I will be so surprised if we make it to the end of the week with no more babies.

This false labor thing is getting really old. I have hours of contractions that are pretty regular, and then.....nada. They always start around 6-7pm. They stop as soon as I go to bed. I know that one night, they WON'T stop when I go to bed, but it could be weeks, and all this contracting is making me tired and sore. OH, and I have a new pain! It's my tailbone/upper butt. Could that be from the baby being engaged so low? Or the contractions? I don't know, but it hurts to walk. All I wanna do is swim, swim, swim. I spend hours in the pool every day. Luckily my dd loves to swim, she is a fish like her mama, so she allows us to hang out there every day. I like the exercise too, it makes me feel better.

Good luck with your induction, Traci! :)

[Lucysmama]

Hmmmmm......where's FutureMama? Last I heard, she was having some bloody show...!

[Momma2LiamandTara]

Yeah your house is safe and everything inisde is safe as well! I'm am so glad to hear that Amy! What a big relief that must be! Sounds like baby will be here soon! Very Exciting!

MTBto5- good luck on your induction. I hope everything is a okay. You're very brave to do an amnio and then getting induced! Then on top of that to have this be your 5th child! I commend you I know I couldn't handle 5 kids. :twothumbs Sounds wonderful to have that many but I know when enough is enough. :)

Sounds like we might be having some babies soon! WOO HOO!

Carrie

[MamaEmerald]

I'm a little disapointed that today is the full moon and I'm not feeling anything yet! But I guess my due date is still 9 or 10 days away and this is my first one, so that was probably just wishful thinking anyway!

[mandalamama]

woohoo trueblue! :D happy birthday and happy-your-house-is-ok day! :D

yesterday at the NST the nurse tried for 40 minutes to monitor Willow with me in various positions ... no luck :( her heartbeat only shows up if i'm on my left side and nearly flat. at least that nurse loves a challenge! i'm glad we tried it when i'm not in labor, at least. i know my fears of labor are all about mobility ... that's because i know what it feels like to not be able to walk, to have to get stuck in bed, and how my body and mind reacts to that (pretty badly - Willow had 2 decels so they had to monitor me for an hour after that, she's doing well, i couldn't sit up after being stuck that long and my husband had to lift me). i keep thinking about epidurals - "some people WANT to lose the use of their legs?!" i know i sound so negative but it's looking like i won't be able to stay mobile during labor and i don't want to swing to the other extreme and end up staying home too long and risking either Willow's health or my health. any ideas?

[stanleymama]

Has anyone heard from 3boyz4us?

Trublue...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! And so glad to hear that your house is fine!!! :thumb

[blessed2bamommie]

nooooooooo...Kim! PM her! I can't remember her last post. :confused:

:wave I'm :irked: right now.

[OakEmber]

Hmmm...full moon nearby and missing Momma's? Wouldn't that be exciting if they were having thier babies?!! I had a dream about one of us having thier baby last night too but can't remember who it was!!

Amy- That's sooo awesome that your house is sound! I am keeping my fingers crossed for you that your little one finds that optimal position before you go into labor.

MTBof5- Glad you updated us, I was thinking that we'd already passed your induction date! Good luck with the amnio on Monday, I hope you are holding your little one soon!

MamaEmerald- yah never know....I didn't feel any different the day I was due with Dd, but was feeling the same as you...a little disapointment about it and my water broke an hour after I went to bed that night. :hugs

Nancy...sorry can't help you on that one, maybe someone else has experienced it :) I am however experiencing my own name that sensation game...I already grumbled last night (or rather this morning) about being sore...but I could barely get out of bed this morning! I am hobbling around like an old lady today. I never experienced this with Ember but I am hoping it means Oakley is engaged.

Meli- I'm sorry you are stressing. I hope that it all just works out for you, you usually just *know* when it is time to go to the hospital. :hug

[momadance]

Wow! I am feeling good these past few days! I have been going strong for the last 2 days! Feels good to actually be getting stuff done, and playing with my son not so half a#$ed!

Book club tonight! I so look forward to it everymonth. We just read the funniest book "Begginers Luck" it's great.

Full moon!? How many of us menstrated with the moon? I never noticed a corelation myself. I was past my due date with Miles and made it through a full moon, so I doubt it'll do anything for me 2 weeks pre due date :D I'm ok with holding out though. THere's a concert I want to go to on my due date, and I'd love to go on one last date with dh :eyesroll We've been on maybe 5 since having Miles...

Ok we've got our garden all set for next spring, and I hung a clothes line this morning :love Those where my 2 biggest things I looked forward to with home ownership. I'm hard to please huh?

Are braxton hix supposed to hurt? My uterus gets real tight like a basket ball, stays for a minute or so, then releases, then goes again a few minutes later. No pain though..

[Jillerina]

Oooo...unaccounted for mamas. I hope there are some baby announcements to read soon!

Amy, I'm so happy to hear the good news about your home...what a relief.

I just got back from my midwife appointment. Everything is great, baby is very low in the pelvis, back is to the left and s/he is growing beautifully. The midwife said she expects me to deliver this baby anytime. She just doesn't want me to go into labor this weekend - she's off and she hates to miss the delivery of one of her babies!

BTW regarding the QOTW - my fears are the same as all mama fears, how will Clara cope, how will I cope being the mother of 2, will the baby be healthy.

I'm off to take a nap, Clara is watching a Bugs Life (new favorite video) so I get some "quiet time" as we call it around here.

I'm thinkin' of all you mamas.

[OakEmber]

Mommadance- Those sound like BH to me...mine don't hurt either, but neither did my labor cntx.

Jillerina- Hope you get that much needed rest, and that baby comes before or after the weekend :thumb

[momadance]

Oakember :bigeyes Your labor cntx didn't hurt! Can you describe what they were like? I don't really have any fears about childbirth/labor other than not knowing I'm there :lol
What was your experience like?

[Thia]

What a busy day this has been. I wrote earlier that I woke with some cramping this morning. It came back for an hour or so earlier today and it is back again now! I am pretty spaced out between the cramping and the craziness of the day. Need to pull myself together so I can drive home. Dr. appt tomorrow morning.
Guess I had better get this work stuff put away, I want outta here! Maybe, if God is willing, I won't be coming back here tomorrow. But haven't I said that every day for a week?

[OakEmber]

Mommadance- Hmm lets see...it's funny, I have told my story before but now that I am asked I don't know what to say :LOL

I pretty much have to start at the begining so bear with me as I tell the whole story. My water broke at 12:30 am, and about 15 mins later I experience what I guess was my first contraction...it was just a tingling sensation across my back that felt like little stars (that's how I described it at the time, don't know if it will make sense to anyone :LOL, basically it felt like someone taking thier fingers and dancing them across my back in a straight line basically at the small of my back) then another 15 mins later. It wasn't until about 3 am that my contractions really started in the front and were about 7 mins apart from the getgo. About 5 am I had a shower, and then went to bed 6 am they were 2 or 3 mins apart, I was so relaxed inbetween them (it just came naturally, I really don't know why...sorry I have no secret to share besides not being fearful) and I actually thought I was dozing for an hour, I knew I had 5 contractions but it was Dh that was like "ummm...you've had 5 contractions in 15 mins (I was getting him to apply counter pressure to my back with them b/c it felt good) maybe we should go to the hospital" :LOL
On the way to the hospital I was chatty and laughingly telling DH and MIL that I hoped they didn't send us home, because I wasn't in pain. There were actually 2 nurses outside my door and one was saying I wasn't in labour, the other was saying "oh yes she is, just look at her printout". When I had my first internal at about 8 am, an hour after arriving at the hosptital I was 5 cm...and so I thought cool and asked the nurses "so if this is Ok, will I be able to do it all without drugs" and they were like "hell yeah, you'll be fine" Encouragement is nice :) I really don't know if I could describe my contx. I would stop talking while I had one, well actually first I'd announce that I was having one, then I'd breathe pretty much the same way I do when I have a BH, deep inhales, and go back to having my conversation. They were intense, if I tried to walk and one hit me I would be completely immobolized- but they were in no way painful, not so much as to even be something I'd reach for Tylenol for. While I was stuck against someone I'd laugh at the fact that I couldn't move. There was one point in my labor where I was told to lie on my left side to try to get Ember to turn and I didn't like that much, the contractions felt worse like that, gross is how I'd describe them...and I'd be like "argh, I don't like this". Even though I wasn't in pain I had the what I assume are normal thoughts going through my mind, especially during transition, such as " I don't know if I like this...not sure if I want to do this again someday", etc.Delivery wasn't so smooth as my labor had been, Ember was stuck high in my pelvis and it didn't feel like anything was happening, I felt like I was pushing against a brick wall and told the Dr. I thought she was stuck, she said we'll push for another hour and see what happens, then brought in an OB/GYN who got called away for an emergency c/s and took another hour to get back...so in the end I ended up pushing for 4 hrs. and they used the vacuum for 2 contractions to bring her down. The use of the vac, felt so gross and unnatural...well because it is, so I was uncomfortlbe during that. The most painful part of the experience was being stitched up, then I was complaining to my Dr. and she probably thought I was :nut because I hadn't complained during the labor and now I was telling her this hurt. Ember came out with her right arm across her chest and holding the umbilical cord over her right shoulder(which is why she took so long to decend)...and room gasped and I heard someone say "and she still didn't take any drugs!!". So now this is what I thought going into it, and there is really no way to know if I was just plain lucky or if this had something to do with it (other people have said they thought the same and it didn't work for them, but did they really believe it to thier core? I can't tell you)...but it can't hurt to share with you. When I would ask my mom about her labors and what contractions felt like as a teenager, I was always full of these questions...she said flex your arm...so I did...and she was like "did that hurt" of course I was like "No" :shrug, what's the big deal right? and she was like "well that's your muscle contracting"....so that's what I thought of it, muscles contract, that's their job but it doesn't have to hurt. I also spent time reading about labor being an autonomous process, just like digestion, breathing and your heart pumping...your body just digests your food without you getting involved and saying OK body, I just ate some corn, make sure you don't miss that kernel...and we all know if you eat something and then think that "maybe that's not going to agree with me" you can bung things up that probably wouldn't have bothered you otherwise, right? Like you eat some yogurt and feel fine, then you notice the best before date was a week ago and all of a sudden you don't feel so hot. So that's what I thought about labor...my mantra was basically my body knows what it needs to do, not my brain, so stay out of it :LOL The interesting thing is when I took my doula training course the instructor had had 4 painfree births and was telling us about crying in transition of her last and having the nurse try to comfort her thinking she was in pain to which she responded "no, I am crying because I am never going to do this again, it's my last baby" and made the nurse start crying. When I told her the story about my mom and the muscle thing she was floored because that was exactly what she thought too and in all her years of being a doula and childbirth educator I was the only one who had ever said the same thing (and here I was a 23 year-old). So who knows, maybe I'd have had the same experience anyway, it could just be in my genes...or maybe this time will be completely different, time will tell I guess ;) My sister wanted to go for coffee with me while she was having contractions at 10:30 in the morning and my niece was born at 11:44 :LOL I like to remind her being the big sister that I am that she had no right to complain as a) she wanted to go for coffee an hour before hand so she obviously wasn't suffering then and b) she only had to push 3 times!! I hope I have her luck this time. :thumb

Ok, this must be my longest post ever, too long for me to proof read, so if you've made it this far Thanks...and I hope that if you aren't interested you don't feel like I've hogged the whole thread:LOL

[Court]

Hi everyone, just checking in. I really liked reading your birth story Amie - I'll remember that contraction tid bit. I like reading stories like yours, my m/w has told me of some of her clients whose contractions didn't hurt either. For some reason I'm not worried about labor and delivery at all. I really feel like my body knows what to do. (My first delivery was with pitocin for convenience reasons only :eyesroll ) So this time I just think natural will feel much better.

I'm so glad you got my bead Amie! I felt like my beads weren't cool either when I started getting all these neat tribal beads. But I really like your bead, it's sweet - and I definitely think of you when I look at it. :love

Sorry to repeat, but Happy Birthday Amy and I'm so relieved to hear your house is okay! (I knew it would be ;) ) Sending anterior baby vibes as well! :)

Um, not much has been on my mind lately, just trying to savour these last few weeks of prenancy, since it will probably be my last. It's getting harder and harder to not think about the baby and pregancy, I feel obsessed. I still love feeling his little but and legs squirm around at the top of my abdomen. And I don't have plans for my placenta...too squeamish.

And Welcome Thia! Your dh sounds like a great guy for saying such reasuring things.

Well I guess I'll write more later if I can think of something to say. I'm thinkin about all you mamas a lot lately!

[nikwik]

I managed to scan over all of the posts, but I honestly wasn't able to remember most of it... I feel horrid about that, but I'm just so tired today :innocent

Last night was pretty tough... we actually thought I might be ending up in the hospital, but it didn't happen. At my dr appt today, they said that I'm right at 2cm now... at least she was actually doing something while hurting me last night. The odd part was that they said I'm 39 weeks today, and I don't see how that's possible if I'm due on the 8th... but whatever. I'll take all the help I can get for getting her out!

My mom being here has been a true blessing... she's done the cleaning and cooking that I hadn't managed to do. Also, the time without power (curses on hurricanes) wasn't as bad as it could have been, since she helped me get my son through it.

Now we're just hoping the full moon will knock this baby out... quickly. That's really what's on my mind right now... seeing a baby, not a mound that hides my feet. I'm just so ready.

I honestly don't know how much more I'll be able to read and post before the baby comes. I've been trying to lay down to get as much rest as possible before the baby finally decides to grace us with her presence.

Congratulations and warm wishes to our new mama and twins, and happy birthday (late) to truebluefx. I know I'm probably missing something, but I'm already yawning again.

Good luck to everyone, and I'll try to get back to read more in a few days or so... though I hope I'm busy with a newborn by then :love

[mirthfulmum]

Had a great midwife appointment. Babe's doing well, still hasn't engaged but he is nice and low. My midwife assured me that for second pregnancies it's not unsusal for the baby not to drop until the mom goes into labour. So I guess I'll just stop obsessing about it... maybe. She did a cervix check and it's nice and soft and I'm dialated 2 cm, although I know I can walk around for weeks like that. I also asked me midwife to do a stretch and sweep. For those who aren't sure what I'm talking about she essentially gave my cervix a bit of a stretch and then swept around the outside of my cervix. It's one way to encourage a bit of portoglandin to be naturally released. Not as dangerous or invasive as a membrane stripping. And the best part was that the baby actually dropped down a bit more while she was doing the procedure. So it seems to have stimulated something, but no contractions yet.

I can't wait to read who will be next to have thier babies. Reading one birth story and that we have some missing moms has gotten me all excited that any day now many of us will be holding new little babies. Hopefully sooner than later :D.

Amy - WOOHOO!! :twothumbs So happy to read that your home survived with minimal damage. What a relief that must be! And a big belated Happy Birthday!

Jillerina - Alias recently discovered "A Bug's Life" too. We rented it for him last weekend (movies are a necessity for me right now) and he got such a kick out of all the different bugs.

Amie - Your birth story was so cool to read. Thanks so much for the inspiration. I was feelings a bit nervous about giving birth again but your story reminded me that as long as I stay calm and in a positive space, like I did with Alias' birth, the discomfort and pain (I had a pain but it was totally managable pain and it wasn't the worst pain I'd ever had in my life either) is something I can totally handle. You reminded me that the best thing to do during labour is to just surrender yourself to the labour and allow your body to do what comes natural.

My mom arrived on Sunday and so far the visit's been going well. She's been spending the nights over at my grandfather's and her days here so it's been great having her play with Alias all day but we still get to have a quiet and calm house in the evening. My mom is by no means a quiet and calm person. Although every time I make any sort of face that shows I'm uncomfortable or I grunt and groan in discomfort she looks at me with this look on her face and asks "are you having a contraction?" :irked: I have so far been able to stay nice and simply answer no everytime, but it's starting to get on my nerves. She asks me 6 or 7 times a day, I swear. I feel like a watched pot! I just hope I don't snap at her 'cause the last thing we need to do now is get into one of our epic arguments.

:grouphug October's around the corner! It will all be happening so soon! Maybe one of us will succumb to the full moon :wink.

[Lucysmama]

Good luck Nikole!!! Sounds like you are very ready to go!

I too had hopes for the full moon, plus there is a low pressure front that moved in this evening, and maybe storms tonight. I was having a lot of contractions, but then my dd got sick (she just has a fever, crabbiness, aches) and something weird happened.....all my pregnancy discomforts and contractions totally vanished while I dealt with her, soothing her, holding her, putting her to sleep, etc. Or else I just didn't notice them! Hmmmmm.....my FIL suggested jokingly today that I go out and do a little moon-dancing to try to inspire labor. Sounds nice, though we live in an apartment now. Wonder what the neighbors would think of this huge woman dancing around their cars in the communal parking lot....?

[mirthfulmum]

Hmmmmm.....my FIL suggested jokingly today that I go out and do a little moon-dancing to try to inspire labor. Sounds nice, though we live in an apartment now. Wonder what the neighbors would think of this huge woman dancing around their cars in the communal parking lot....?

:rotflmao Love the image!

[mandalamama]

Lucysmama, something similar happened to me! i had a few big contractions at regular intervals, it was like deep, heavy, rolling menstrual cramps plus having to pee like crazy, also had some thickish pink discharge, the contractions felt powerful :D then i panicked at how much i need to do around the house tonight and it felt like my insides balled up in a bad way, no more contractions, discomfort or discharge. weird! now i'm thinking how great the big ol' full moon is and how i will work with it, not against it. moon dancing is a good idea ;)

[3bees~1flower]

hello....i'm still here...i've just been lurking, reading everyone's posts...i feel like i don't have much to offer as i don't really have a reason to look for labor signs, if a contract at all or my water breaks i'll do the c/s then...postion of baby doesn't really matter in my situation...i have never gone into labor and don't antisipate it this time...it's hard to know how to participate, so i'll just sit and watch all you guys births unfold...i wish you all the best in each of your labors and births! i'll let you know when the bean arrives.

[blessed2bamommie]

Well, don't :hide: Carrie! Pig is having a c/s and of course Gretchen and I *thought* someone was having an induction! You can still tell us what's on your mind as the baby's birth, however, it happens, draws near!

Ok...to my birth book and the stuff I need to have in the car since I guess I'll be handling my "responsibilities" until birth I supposed. :eyesroll

[momadance]

I added 2 more belly pics to my folder on our yahoo group... I'm feeling love and attachment to it today! I told Dh I'm not ready for it to go yet :love All that will change in a couple days though. Although this "second wind" feeling of energy is nice!

[Piglet68]

Sure, 3boyz....there is more to talk about than impending labour (although I am loving reading about everybody's progress!).

I spent a rare day at home today, though I did take DD out for a walk to run some errands. It was SUCH an amazingly beautiful day here today. Not a cloud in the sky, air cool but not at all chilly, the leaves were raining down on us as we walked...Sigh :love It's SO good to be back home!!

DH did some trimming on my diaper changing station (it was too high) and so I was able to set it all up just how I like it. Baby clothes are all washed and hanging on the laundry rack to dry. Hopefully they'll be dry tomorrow so I can put them away. Only a few little nagging things left to do before I feel "set". And...I hired a cleaning lady!! :banana She's coming on Thursday. I'm embarrassed at how gross my floors are, but hey, I am quite pregnant and she has a son in school so she knows the deal!

Dad and stepmum asked if I needed anything for the baby. I told them today I want a diaper bag. I had a Kenneth Cole Reaction one, backback style, but it's starting to get old. Plus, I don't want a backpack style this time. I got it b/c I was slinging DD everywhere, but now with two kids I'll always have a stroller (slinging baby of course) so I can get a funky tote bag or something. I've fallen in love with the ones from I'm Still Me (www.imstillme.com) but they are pretty pricey and I can't even pick a pattern, lol. Does anybody know of any similar type bags that are not so expensive?

Going to get my Britax tomorrow. A dream finally fulfilled. I'm going to give Mum DD's Cosco one for her car (she feels elevated to true grandmother status now, lol) and DD can use the Britax until Sasha outgrows our Peg Perego infant seat.

Only big thing left on my list is getting a king size bed. Right now we have a queen, with the mattress and boxspring side-by-side on the floor. But the boxspring has a wood frame and so where they join is really hard and uncomfortable. What was supposed to be a "bed for Four" has turned into DH having the whole boxspring to himself, and DD squishing me against the hard wooden edge. There's no room for baby unless somebody gets stuck sleeping on the joint. Plus, it's not easy getting up off a single mattress on the floor while pregnant. After a cesarian it's going to be darn near impossible. Sooooo, I decided to get us a king, and put the queen next to it (mattresses on boxsprings) so at least we're a bit higher up, and I'll have a king to share with DD and baby, AND hopefully the crack will be comfy enough that it won't matter if DD ends up across it. We're lucky that our room is rather rectangular and so we can fit these two beds in. The only thing I'm wondering about is that baby will be on the outside edge. Now DD never moved from me as a newborn so we never had a bedrail (we had a futon back then on a platform frame). Hopefully Sasha will be the same way. Then I thought of getting the snug tuck pillow, but....then how do I get out of bed?? The whole logistics of this is making my head spin. :nut

One thing I'm finding: I'm really eager to get into a daily routine with Emily, but I can't do much right now b/c of my extremely limited mobility. When the fall sessions start at the local community centre we're going to enroll in some fun classes together. I would like to settle into a routine with her b/c I find it helps her and it helps me....when I was SAHM with her before, as she got older, it was not uncommon for me to be in PJ's all day and I actually got mildly depressed. I'm so looking forward to strapping baby in the sling and taking off for walks around the seawall, etc...can't wait to have my mobility back!!!

So...there's the report for today. I'm so excited about our pending births....can't wait to start reading birth stories!! :love

oh, PS - got lovely beads today from kraftykathy and gottaknit. and I mailed mine out today!

[flitters]

hi mamas!

i don't even know where to begin the thread has been so busy this week!

i love reading about everyone's progress - it's so exciting!

and 3boyz, it's also just really nice to hear how everyone is doing, mentally and physically, regardless of how their babies will make their entrance!

i only have 3 days of work left. i'm really happy to be almost done but meanwhile i think i'm overworking a bit, but nothing too bad.

piglet reminded me of a diaper bag question. do i really need a bag specifically made for diaper carrying? i had just figured on using a backpack (i'm generally not a fan of shoulder bags) and putting all the essentials in there... bringing a couple ziplock containers i can reuse for wet ones, etc. are the backpacks that are especially made for diaper carrying that much better?

is anyone else, especially first time moms, amazed by how many pokey hard parts their baby has? i'm pretty sure my babe has stayed head down for the last 2 weeks now (thank goodness!) and i think it's actually pretty low as well. that means that all these hard bits are legs and butt and stuff. i'm surprised by just how hard they are. it feels like i have bones in my belly just under the skin - very weird!

i'm also getting a bunch of braxton hicks contractions. mine don't hurt, but sometimes do stop me from what i'm doing. dh is sweet, i think they worry him a bit. i don't think i'll go before i'm full term - just another week and a half, but i also suspect i might not go to 40 weeks either (my family tends to go a bit early and i'm active which also tends towards birthing a bit before 40 weeks). we'll see, maybe i'll still be waiting in november!

i hope everyone isn't too uncomfortable and finds good energy to get what they want to get done in these last few weeks (or days)!

big hugs. :grouphug

[True Blue]

Good morning!! Hope everyone is well today and we get to hear another birth story. ;)

Nancy, I had that funny vibrating thing with DS, and I've read about other mamas feeling it too. No explanations to be found though....maybe baby is raving in there or something? :thumb

Flitters, I use a regular backpack now with DS, and I've had diaper backpacks. There are some nice things with diaper ones, like compartments to keep things cold and sometimes more dividers for things, but a regular backpack would work just fine too.

Piglet, DH got me an I'm Still Me bag for my birthday. :love It just shipped, but I am sooo excited about it. I got the dragonfly print with a zipper top and the on the go bag. I've always had just a plain black backpack so I'm pretty excited for some style! I wish I knew of other bags....I know I saw others but I liked the pockets she puts inside these (so maybe I can at least attempt to be organized).

Carrie, of course we still want to hear about your preparations and such....it's not all about labor signs!! Do you have a date for your cbirth yet? I don't remember.

Thanks everyone for the shared excitement over my home being fine. It really is such a relief!! The power company says power will be back on by Oct 12...

[Soogie]

Had a midwife appt yesterday and not too much to report. Babe is still heads down but facing my right side so my mw wants me to up my pelvic rocks to get this kidlet to turn and face my back a bit. I have my home appt next week. I'll be 37 weeks. And I'm pretty confident that nothing will be happening here labor wise until way after then, though it was exciting to hear that I was safe to go into labor at anytime.

I did some maternity clothes purging yesterday myself and kept out only the things I wear regularly. The rest is just taking up space. And I washed all the itty bitty baby clothes and blankets and put them in my dresser drawers. And today I'm going shopping for the last few things on my homebirth supply list. And then I'll be ready to wait...and wait...and wait!

Pig, about the diaper bags. I love the ones from I'm Still me, but you can find similar ones by Sally Spicer. They retail for the same price but I see them on Ebay often for much less. just an idea. I'd love to get one myself, but I think I'm going to splurge on a Hug a Bub wrap instead.

ok, there was more that I wanted to comment on, but my preggo brain forgot.

[ameliabedelia]

Wow, I can't believe how close we are! I want to read some birth stories before the end of the week!!

Amie, thanks soooo much for posting your birth story. I loved reading it. It really helped me a lot. I love the comparasion with muscles contracting in your arm and that doesn't hurt. I think my plan for this labor is to just let my body do what it does and not worry about timing contractions or focusing on doing breathing exercises. After all, woman have been giving birth for thousands of years without knowing elaborate breathing exercises and timing contractions and all that junk. I am just going to let my body do what it does.


I have run the gamut with diaper bags. I have used ones specifically made for babies, big ones, small ones, I have used my old backpack from college and now I am using a bag which goes over your shoulder and has lots of pockets and compartments. It is made more for a student than a mom, but it works great. I think the best thing is to have lots of compartments so you have a place to put your wallet, keys, cell phone, toys, snacks, drinks, diapers, spare clothes and have it all be separarated so it is easy to find. There is nothing worse than trying to pay for something at the store and having to take everything out of your bag to find your wallet. I have had to do that soo many times. I also just keep one bag packed and always keep it stocked with toys, diapers, a wet bag, snacks (usually raisins or cheerios, something no perishable) and sippy cups (the only thing is I need to remember to clean out the sippy cups and refill them with fresh water each day. Of course for those having your first you won't need to have toys and snacks and drinks for quite some time. So, when I need to leave I just grab it and go. When I get home from someplace, I put the dirty diapers in the diaper pail and put clean diapers in the bag so it is ready for the next outing.

I have a question on washing clothes and diapers. Do you really wash them again, if they were clean the last time you put they away. It just seems silly to me to wash the clothes again, when they were washed before they were put away. Same thing with diapers. Obviously I wash any new diapers I get, but the used ones, which were already washed, why do you wash them again?? Is it just to get dust and stuff off of it. They really don't seem dusty or anything like that.

Amy, I am so glad your house is okay and the hurricane didn't do much damage. When does hurrican season end in Florida. Seems it must be almost over by now??

[3bees~1flower]

:innocent thanks, mamas! i was not in the best of moods yesterday when i wrote my previous post....so, forgive my pitty party.

i too had a checkup yesterday...everything looked good...had ketones in the pee, but that's just cuz i don't drink all night long and it's hard to get enough in before a 9:00 appt...my c-birth is all set up for the 22nd.

other than the stupid carpal tunnel, i feel basically fine...the aches, pains, and immobility i just take with a grain of salt as i know that is all part of it.

i haven't even found the tub with the baby clothes in it yet... :innocent i really need to do that...and get the boys' room cleaned out and ready to move into the our room and get our room ready to move downstairs...just don't that nesting urge yet...:scratch but i'm not too worried about it i guess, what gets done, gets done...what doesn't will get done when it gets done!

as far as how i feel about having #4...i guess im' not too worried about it...when Noah (#3) was born and came home, it was as if he'd always been around...so i'm not too concerned about bringing this babe home. just excited to!!

well, my hand is about to fall off from typing so i'll be done for now...sorry again about the pity party...please don't think that i'm upset about my c-birth...it's not that at all...i was just feeling a tad outta place at the time...talk with you all later!

Carrie

[ameliabedelia]

Oh and Katie, I wanted to ask you how you manage to swim with a toddler??? Our apt. has an indoor heated pool we can use, but the shallowest part is about 3-feet and I would need to hold DD and watch her very closely. I dont' see how I could manage to swim myself, although I would LOVE to. Swimming sounds so relaxing and nice now.

[True Blue]

Amelia -- I swim with DS all the time, though I have been teaching him to swim for months now. He has one of those float vests that you take floatation layers out of as they get better at it. So DS swims around himself while I can do my thing (staying nearby of course!).

Hurricane season is only a little more than halfway over...it runs from June 1 - Dec 1.

[OakEmber]

Thanks gals (Mirthfulmum, Amelia, Court). I am so glad that you liked reading my birthstory (I know we are all just itching to read a fresh one, :LOL). I truly hope it will help someone.

3boyz4us- Sorry you were feeling down, it's definately nice to hear from all perspectives! It's exciting that you have a birthdate already for your little one :love

OK, I have a new worry...as you know my plan was for Ember to be at the birth, but then she said she didn't want to come and now she says maybe so I kinda plan on just playing it by ear when the time comes, but they way she's being so sensitive lately I don't know anymore. Everytime I leave her with her daddy lately she cries and she is super clingy, always wanting to be touching me, so I worry that in labor I might have her stuck to my arm or on top of me (maybe she can help push Oakley out by applying pressure to the top of my stomach :LOL). I guess I just have to have faith that it will all work out. I have an appt. with my midwife today and am supposed to be having an internal this time, I might see how Ember reacts to it, do you think that's a good idea or no?

Amelia, about the baby clothes...if mine had been packed in say rubbermaid bins or something then I probably wouldn't feel the need to rewash them.

Piglet- That looks like a really nice, stylish diaper bag :thumb

I have a Baby Gap shoulder style that I actually bought before ever becoming pregnant because it was just the type of black bag I was after and everything else I found was more expensive. It's pretty basic. This summer I also found a little waterproof backpack that I liked so I bought it to use at the beach and now it will be my diaper bag for shorter outings. So Flitters, I think that you'll be just fine with a backpack.

I gotta admit, I look forward to having my first internal exam this afternoon :shy Even though I know it doesn't really mean anything in terms of how soon labor will start I still really want to know what's going on with cervix since I can't reach it myself!

[mandalamama]

3boyz4us, i'm looking forward to reading your birth story :) glad you're feeling better today!

re: diaper bags ... ours is a bit weird, it's a Jack Skellington messenger bag from Hot Topic :LOL it's the same size as a diaper bag, not as many compartments but i got smaller clear plastic zipper bags to put inside it.

i'm all packed for the hospital, trying to bring enough homey things. my fave crystal, a "pocket goddess" i made from clay. i have a ton of mandalas printed out, it's so relaxing to color the designs, also bringing colored pencils and crayons, and tape to hang them up! white noise machine so i don't hear anything from the halls. ratty old tshirts i don't mind being messed up or cut off. socks, socks, and socks! :D i'm also bringing prune juice, i've read enough hospital birth stories to be convinced they're obsessed with poop ;)

for those birthing at a hospital or birth center, are you packed? and what are you bringing?

p.s. - lots of great printable mandalas at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/rickylasouris/mandalas/mandacacilia/Page.html

[Thia]

Back from dr. I am 38w 4d. Everything seems to be fine except for the fact that I am not making much progress towards delivery! She asked how crampy/contracting I've been and when I told her, she was surprised and told me to get walking, she seemed disappointed.
I am so tired right now, I just want a nap, but here I am back at work. She said they would take me out any time I want. I am tempted, but that will give me less time after with the baby, which I don't want. I have also figured out that I have some allergies going on, and they just aren't helping anything including my attitude.
How am I supposed to stay positive? How am I supposed to stay strong and not give into all the "wonderful" medical technology? How am I supposed to be strong enough so that when at next weeks appt they talk inducement, I say "no"????
I know I need to get walking, but after working all day, it's sooo hard. She also mentioned sex, but to be honest, after the discomfort of the group b swap, I am scared to death of going that route.
Come on baby, mamma's tired.

[OakEmber]

Wow Meli...you really are artsy-fartsy ;) That's really cool! It sounds like you are very prepared. I have my bag packed but it's pretty much just a silk housecoat for comfort, extra clothes, for me, Oakley and Ember incase we stay overnight in Kelowna and a big sister gift for Ember. I will be wearing my bracelet of course and I need to pack some snacks. But last time, we made the mistake of not bringing the bag up with us right away and so all that we brought stayed in the car. I had a labor massage oil last time that I did use b/c it was in MIL's purse.

Anyone ever hear of squeezing a comb to bring on contractions? I read about that last time in a reflexology book, you hold the comb and squeeze into your palm, KWIM? Something to try for those of you who are having contractions that aren't going anywhere. It's something I tried and will probably do again.

[Thia]

Meli, thanks for posting that link to the mandalas. I checked it out, out of curiosity and was surprised. In high school, I used to draw my own and color them in! I never knew there was a name for such a creative venture. I am happy to rediscover this "pasttime."

[OakEmber]

Oh Thia :Hug don't despair...many, many, woman have been told that they are weeks away from delivery by their Dr. only to go into labor that night, and at the same time many have been told they are gonna go soon only to wait weeks! IMO it's one of those things that Dr.'s shouldn't speculate on at all! It drives me crazy that they even think to mention induction before at least 41 weeks! :irked: But since you are worried about it, maybe you should try the evening primrose oil capsules (inserted) so that you at least feel like you are doing something.

[MamaEmerald]

Piglet, I know exactly what you mean about needing a routine. Even though obligations can be stressfull, if I don't have a reason to get dressed and active, I can turn into sludge, which inevitably leads to depression. So I'm planning on signing up Violet for swimming lessons, maybe sign up for a dance class we can take together, and I wanna help in her kidnergarten class.

Does anyone have a gift planned to give their older child "from the baby" or anything? I think MIL and I might be getting dss (she's my partner's daughter) a little baby and a tiny training bra and making it into a little nursing bra so we can "nurse" our babies together. hahaha. I think she'd love it.

As for the hospital bag, mine is not packed. I got a nursing friendly nightgown, some other nursing accessories, and some underwear I don't mind bleeding all over, so I'm getting some things. I really don't know what I want to bring! I'd like to go to the art store and get a canvas and start painting my "labrynth of labor" to cover up the clock with, and maybe some other art work as well. I really want everyone coming to my birth to brink fragrant flowers to cover up that icky hospital smell. I think I'll also make a little spray blend of essential oils. I was also thinking about bringing like desk lamp to set one of those little clay rings on so I could put oils in it and smell up the room that way.

I really hate the way hospitals smell. It smells like sickness or death to me. I think that's because they smell so similar to nursing homes, which are often (though NOT always, I know) places where people get left to die. Woah, sorry, this is sounding depressing.

Ahem. anyway, I just don't know what else to bring! I'm bringing some of those touch-lights to stimulate a candle-lit enviroment so that we can turn off the lights and everything. This is gonna be so exciting.

Ooooooh! What music are you mamas gonna listen to??????

[stanleymama]

3boyz...so glad to see you around :)

So mil is not the most tactful when commenting about my pg. Lets see today she told my oldest that I am ripe; I look like I am about to pop; I am getting" big--big--big." Then when she arrived the other night she said, "By the way you look I expected to come home and you would be up at the hospital." :irked: :irked: :irked: Everyone else tells me how small I am. I have gained 28 lbs. and I started out at 112. I love her, but I almost want this baby to come just so she would leave sooner. How can I look at this from a comical point of view? I don't want to be negative, but the woman just needs to close her mouth at times, or say something complemetary. HELP!!!!

[gottaknit]

This is pretty neat. Do you think it would be helpful in labor? Does anyone know if these can be printed out and still "work"?

http://www.lessons4living.com/relax1.htm

[AnnR33]

3boyz4us-glad to see you back, I was wondering about you just last week...Hope you're well.
Thia-don't listen to your dr! I mean that only in a good way-that baby will make it's appearance when it's ready so don't fret. It could be a few days or a few wks but nature has a way of taking care of things for us!

Diaper bags...use whatever works for you! I've used just a Target brand backback that worked great and a Nine West shoulder bag I got on clearance-they were both easily cleaned and I still have both of them so will probably use one of them again. Though in a creative mood I bought a denim shoulder bag and some cool beaded trim that I keep meaning to sew on-we'll see if that gets done ;)

Still trying to decide on that going home outfit-I have a cute Halloween one if the babe comes on the 30th or 31st but want an alternative too but can't decide...Iknow it's silly but since I