Weekly Thread - November 8-14

[Meli65]

Hey y'all,

Thought I'd start the new thread! I just met with my lay midwife today and I really enjoyed talking with her. It is always nice to talk birth with someone who doesn't buy into the whole medical mindset -- as she put it, she thinks that most people think prenatal care means testing, whereas she doesn't want to do a test unless there is a clear reason for doing it, plus something concrete to do with that information once you have it. It was very cool.

She also pointed out that my cheapie prenatals could be contributing to the terrible constipation I'm experiencing -- I can't believe I didn't think of that! Am hoping for a quick resolution to that little problem.

Still feeling good here -- tired and RAVENOUS. :)

[Pepper]

Your midwife sounds great, Melissa. I'm procrastinating finding another midwife/practice because of how terrible I've been feeling. It's all I can do just to get through the day with this nausea.

I have an appt next Wed. for a vaginal ultrasound so the mw can "find out how pregnant I am." Excuse me, but I was charting and know within a 12 hour period of exactly when I conceived! Embarrasingly, I couldn't turn it down because I really want to rule out twins. I am only 7 weeks along and today a friend at the park asked me if I was pregnant after looking surprised at my belly. I'm really big already. I was NOT this big at 7 weeks the last two times..and this nausea is much worse. Dh is pretty freaked out at this possibility. I just want to rule it out.....

I've found that non-stop eating helps to keep the nausea somewhat manageable so I try to do that. I'm an eating machine! And I can never really get a full, satisfied feeling after eating. weird.

How is everyone feeling?

[mclisa]

My sister has had 3 kids and said that she didn't show any earlier with the 3rd when compared to the 2nd. I just feel so much bigger this time around. DH wants 4 kids and I like the idea of 3 so in that way twins would be nice.

Pepper: can't wait to hear about your u/s results!

I felt so good at the end of last week and then the rolling stomach began again over the weekend. I feel it this morning too. Yuck-o. I had a cold on Sunday so that didn't help.

Wish my family luck as we are attempting family pictures for Christmas cards today! Hopefully I can get all 4 of us looking decent on one of the pictures.

[Meli65]

Can you detect twins this early in the game? Wow, can't wait to hear about that!

[SharonAnne]

Could be twins, but maybe not. My best friend was in maternity clothes almost immediately after her BFP, she started growing FAST and we were thinking she had twins, but there's only one baby in there. :)

Had my first appointment with my mw today. The blood draw was NOT fun. grrrr I'm not really good with blood draws to begin with, but, the mw in training pulled my blood, and after the second vial, the needle slipped out of my arm a bit. Blood POURED down my arm. I was NOT prepared for that, and immediately got nauseous and dizzy. I thought, "this is it, i'm passing out" :LOL But I didn't. She did only draw two vials though. We forgot about that third real quick :LOL

I was a little disappointed with the mw's reaction when I said I was considering eating my placenta. She said, "We have a strict policy about that. Don't talk to us about it." She said it laughingly, but still. I know my husband is gonna fight me on it, 'cause he thinks it's gross, and her reacting like that, I"m sure, didn't help my argument at all.

Still too early to really hear the heartbeat; but next time we'll definitely be able to hear it. :D

[Meli65]

Why do they care whether or not you eat the placenta? Grr, I hate that kind of attitude. It's your birth, and YOUR placenta, after all.

That blood draw sounds ghastly -- it is the worst to have inexperienced people doing that.

[twouglyducks]

Just got back from my MW appt. 144bpm this time. Mostly we just talked.
Still getting the overly full hungry feeling. Ick. Still very tired, but seems to be getting the tiniest bit better. Nausea is a little better, too, b/c I can knit in the round without feeling carsick.
Feeling fat and out of shape. I've GOT to do something about this and stay in shape if I'm serious about an HBAC. If I'm winded after jogging for 40 seconds I am going to have problems lasting through labor. It would help to have someone to hold me accountable, to workout with. But that isn't gonna happen.

[jerawo]

Had my first midwife appointment today, which was great :) I was hoping we could hear the heartbeat, but her doppler can't pick it up until 12 weeks so I'll have to wait until Dec now. We talked about nutrition, and after my appointment I went to the herb bar and got all my teas and calcium supplements. Other than that, not much is different. Still feel well with some slight nausea, haven't really gained any weight, and am not showing. My biggest dilemma right now is trying to get my dog to sleep down by my legs, instead of on top of my chest/stomach - he's starting to annoy me at night and wake me up which puts me in a pissy mood when I'm trying to sleep.

[mclisa]

Has anyone turned to Zofran yet for the nausea? My doc offered it last week and I turned her down thinking it was getting better. It's not. It's this feeling that keeps coming and going. I haven't vomited in awhile which makes me say I don't need it, but I'm tired and I'm tired of feeling an upset stomach. I just want to play with my girls after work and not have to feel my stomach roll.

[Stone Fence]

:wave

[punkprincessmama]

I haven't posted in awhile cause I feel so freakin' awful :( I am so nauseas and tired all of the time. I'm starving but can't think of ONE thing that I would actually want to eat. Just about any cooking makes me gag. I'm actually a little worried about this. I haven't gained any weight, but I sure am showing all of the sudden. It's weird. I just want to be able to enjoy my food again :(

nak~

im 8 wks and in maternity pants this is unbelievable to me. I think I was like almsot four months along last time!

on the good side, nursing is much less painful lately :)

pepper - oh wow twins ! would you mw still see you?

[twouglyducks]

I found some hyland's tablets for nausea and indigestion. They seemed to work yesterday when I was feeling icky. Granted, I'm not super sick like some here, but maybe it's worth a try??

[jerawo]

Have any of you tried B6 supplements for nausea? I believe you start at 100mg, then decrease your dose as you start to feel better.

[twouglyducks]

Yes. I take b6 and iron daily for nausea. This has helped tremendously and I only get a bit nauseous once in a while, as opposed to constantly before I started taking those.

[Pepper]

Oh, I was wondering if Hylands made anything for nausea. I'm going to try and find some and also start taking my b6. ANYTHING to help with this nausea. Well, anything natural, that is. I'm pretty strict about medicating for anything unless I'm about to die or something :)

Yesterday I began having dry heaves in the sink and my 4 year old was just staring at me asking, "Mommy, what are you doing? Are you ok?" After I was able to speak I just told him I had a tummy ache but he was really upset seeing me like this. Not sure how long I can hold out not telling him something is up.

I've been feeling so so so so bad lately that my mood is getting dark. Feelings of pity for myself and hopelessness....I'm monitoring it closely but it's getting tough. I'm just holding on to that 12 week mark where I hope this constant nausea goes away.

[twouglyducks]

I'm sorry to hear that some of you are feeling so sick. :( Makes me feel bad for being so whiny, when I'm not feeling TOO badly. I didn't know hyland's made so many different tablets. I also got some for gas :blush. That is not a fun thing to have.

[aja-belly]

i had an us yesterday and it was AWESOME! the baby was kinda moving his arms a little and it made me laugh, and when my uterus shook from me laughing the baby went WILD punching and kicking! it was so awesome to see! then he put his hand in his mouth (or so it looked like to me) and sat still. wow, it was just sooo cool. oh, and heartbeat was 160 bps.

there are some pictures here http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/aja_belly/my_photos in the folder marked "hogwart". i don't wanna have another us later on, but i really wanna find out if it's a boy or girl. we may just have to wait the full 9 months. lol. i can't believe i'm 10 weeks already (tomorrow 11). this seems to be going by so quickly.

oh, and almost no more nausea or heartburn either. still pretty exhausted. my sciatic nerve has recently been killing me! after lying on the table for the u/s yesterday when i got up i thought my legs were gonna give out! seriously, what can i do for this (other than lying on my side - it's not really helping!)?

aja

[fuzzypeach]

Glad you had fun at your u/s, ajabelly!! The pics are nice:)

I go for my first ultrasound tomorrow afternoon. I am sooooo excited and will definately post about it afterwards!

I'm feeling good, no troubles here. Approaching eleven weeks.. (or maybe twelve. the u/s will tell, hopefully)

[IntoTheRoseGarden]

Aja, Hogwart is beautiful!

I'm sorry to hear so many mamas are still feeling yucky! I'm finally coming out of the fog myself! I haven't posted in so long! I couldn't even get motivated to type!

I had my first appt with my midwife today; I am seeing an ob, but he shares his practice with a midwife and they alternate prenatal visits. It was wonderful! She actually listened to me, which I've NEVER experienced with a doctor! We talked about my first birth (c/s), and how I want this one to be different. I felt comfortable asking questions, which is also a new thing for me. The best part was that we got to hear the heartbeat! I am sooo relieved; I was very worried. I am also going for a u/s tomorrow; I told her I think I o'd late the cycle I got pg, and she immediately wrote out a script for a u/s. She didn't want me to end up with another c/s due to bad dates. I am so excited to see the baby, but even more excited to have a provider who truly has by best interests in mind.

[aja-belly]

i can't wait to hear about both of your u/s.

i feel kinda bad that i have no nausea and you ladies are still feeling so yucky (of course, not bad enough to trade places with you ;) )

aja

[monkey's mom]

I've been feeling so so so so bad lately that my mood is getting dark. Feelings of pity for myself and hopelessness....I'm monitoring it closely but it's getting tough. I'm just holding on to that 12 week mark where I hope this constant nausea goes away.
Oh me too, sweet pepper! (hee--sweet pepper--get it?)

Every morning I drink a regular Coke and that helps--but it's really bad at night for me. I throw up at least twice in the evening--so I've just stopped eating after 3 or 4 pm. So now I'm hungry and sorry for myself about that. LOL

God, I hope it gets better!

At least we found the DEAD SMELLY RAT that was polluting the house for days! Monkey's dad was forced to rip out walls, but whatever! Pregnant women can NOT live with that!

[Meli65]

All of a sudden I really feel pregnant. Whereas before I was tired, now I am EXHAUSTED. And although I still don't have proper m/s (thank goodness!) all the little smells in the house are starting to get to me.

Ugh. Off to drink some seltzer...

[paniscus]

We told family this past weekend and it is so cool to be able to talk about it to people. I am SUPER exhausted and pretty much feel like a useless slug. I'll type more when I get a second.

[punkprincessmama]

Oh My gosh Monkey's Mom, that is awful about the dead smelly rat!!!! Like you don't feel bad enough allready?? I can't stand any kind of smell right now except for a few sticks of incense that I love. Any kind of cooking, even if I'm not doing it, sends me gagging. I can't imgaine a freaking dead rat. Rip Out the Walls INDEED!!

i must admit i very very rarely indulge in caffinated beverages but a real Coke sounds so good to me lately. I really wanted one yesterday but was able to hold off... but for how much longer??? :LOL

We have only told a very few of our very close friends and I regretfully told my mom as well... there's like five people that know, which is nice because I'm enjoying having this lovely secret all to myself and not answering everyones ridiculous questions for a few more weeks. Thats why I said "regretfully" about my mom because she's allready making comments about my plans to homebirth....

Gotta go ladies, it's a beautiful day and DD and I are off to enjoy it while I'm feeling decent :)

[aja-belly]

ugh, my mom can't seem to keep her mouth shut about the homebirth either. i told her it was not open for discussion, but she still keeps making little comments. grr. she was so pro-homebirth until the day we found out i was pregnant. :eyesroll she wants to be at the birth, but i don't know if that's gonna happen. the only reason i have not told her flat out no is because my sister really wants to be there and i would love to have my sister there (we are really close, and i just think it would be so awesome to have her there) and i seriously doubt i can tell my mom that i want my sister there but not her.

aja

[SharonAnne]

Aja, my mom wants to be there too. I've told every single person at my mw's office that she is not allowed in the same zipcode. I was told they'll call out the national guard if they have to, but she won't be anywhere near me :LOL

It's not that I don't love my mom; it's that she's not 100% supportive of me having a home birth, and she tends to over exaggerate things, and get overly dramatic and overly anxious. Drama and anxiety are not going to help me push the baby out. I'm sure she'd be fine if it were just myself and my husband with the mw there, but I'm planning on asking my sister-in-law (who is super supportive, btw) to come assist; be my "secondary" support person. Also, because DH wants to catch the baby, and I'm gonna want someone up by my head with me, ya know? :LOL

Anyway, because I'm gonna have my sister-in-law there, I KNOW my mother is gonna pitch a bitch, and give me the whole guilt trip about being closer to my inlaws than I am to her. WHATEVER :LOL

Aja, as a dear friend of mine always counsels me, Just nod and say yes a lot, and then do what you want to do anyway. :LOL :hug

[paniscus]

Sharon-Anne - we must be sisters and I had no idea!! It sounds like we have the same mom!! My mom is SO dramatic and LOVES being the center of attention. She has such a stong personality and I tend shrink right back to being a 5 year old when I am around her. It had only been 10 min or so since I told her I was pregnant when she was asking if she could be there. I told her I thought I just wanted dh there but we hadn't really even thought of it yet. She has been super pouty about it. Then a few days later she starts complaining about how my brother's "girlfriend" wants only her family and not my mom in the room during her birth (long story short - brother got this girl preg, even though he wasn't really dating her he wants to have a family more than anything so he proposed and now they are going to live "happily ever after". Now she won't marry him and makes no effort to get to know my family. Basically, it is obvious to everyone EXCEPT my brother and mother that she is just after his money and will take the child and run-she has a history of this). My mom also wants to come to my prenatal group meetings (the centering thing I talked about earlier). Mind you - she lives 9.5 hours away!!!! She has already marked her calendar (even though no appt has been made!) for the 20 week u/s. I don't know how I feel about her coming to that but I have some time to decide. Aja, I am so glad you brought this up. I had no idea how much all this was bothering me until I started typing.

[aja-belly]

ugh! you girls' posts made me so angry! lol. this is really bothering me too. i think we may decide not to call anyone until too late. they live over an hour away, so we could call after the baby was born and say it will be soon, then when they get there be like - oops, too late. my only problem with that is, if we have people there while i'm in labor - it's a big house, i know i could make them stay away - and i don't really care. my problem is people i don't want there after the baby is born. i am thinking about not letting anyone hold the baby after he/she is born and telling them they can look but don't touch, and they can come back after a couple of days when we call them. would that be horrible? there was an incident after my aunt had a c-section where the nurse came in and handed my mom the baby and my aunt kept asking to hold him and my mom kept saying just a minute. it made me crazy.

my mom also made a comment recently about how peter is acting like this is all about me and him when he needs to realize it's about me and her and it's not a guy thing at all. wtf? she's always been kinda fake nicey to my husband, and that just annoyed the hell out of me! i said "say one more thing like that and we'll see if you get a calol at all" and she got all offended and said, of course you know i was just joking.

ugh. we should start a bitching about our mom's thread. i could go on and on!

i'm gonna go get a snack, because now i'm all worked up about this. grr.

aja

[Meli65]

I have been very gassy and am getting more so. The other day I was laying on the couch and a little "toot" escaped me. Dh came in and said, "Did you say something?" I started snickering and finally told him what had happened. He shook his head and walked out and I hollered after him, "What did you think I said?" He came back and said he thought he heard someone with a British accent say, "Hello there!" and that maybe I should go on Howard Stern or something :)

[aja-belly]

OMG! that's so funny! i have had the worst gas, and at first, we jokingly say "lucy!" like the dog had done it, but now when she hears it she hides her head. i think she is starting to beleive it is her. poor puppy. :love

[Pepper]

:twins: Melissa!

Oh, I can relate to the Mom stuff, too. When I announced my pregnancy to my Mom she went on and on about how many grandchildren she will now have and how she can't wait to tell so and so and yadayada yada. After about 10 minutes she got around to asking me how I felt :eyesroll

Ok, who is the genius who mentioned Peppermint Patties? I had dh pick me some up yesterday and they are really helping with my nausea. Last night I was running the kids' bath, picking up toys, and folding laundry (..she wants to lead the Glamorous Life...singing a little old school Sheila E. there..) and I realized I was humming and cheerfully going about my business. Well, that hasn't happened in weeks because I am usually living every second trying NOT to hurl. I actually felt decent. Now, I don't know if it was because of the Peppermint Patties or maybe the worst is over (please please please) but whatever, I'll take it!

Today is a bit better, too. I'm thinking of getting some peppermint tea to sip or some other peppermint type candies. I've never tried peppermint for morning sickness so maybe this is the trick for me?

To those of you suffering horribly, it's worth a try.

[Pepper]

ps, monkey's mom, that rat story was awful! That would have done me in. And I haven't had a cola beverage in years but the thought of a fountain coke right now sounds heavenly.

[Meli65]

Mmm... Peppermint Patties ... sounds wonderful!

I got some pickled ginger yesterday at the advice of a friend with three kids, and it's nice, too.

[Clarity]

homemade lemonade, fresh and frozen blueberries and coke have all been my friend this week. I've had a cold and been miserable with a terrible sore throat. So I figured I deserved a coke or two at that point. (Did you know target sells those little airplane-size half cans?) I drink tea anyway, so it was mostly the sugar I was guilty about.

[twouglyducks]

:laugh: Melissa, that is hilarious!! My dh passed gas one day and our 3yr old asked what the sound was. Dh told him it was a wookie. :LOL For the longest time ds would say, "There's the wookie." every time he heard any funny noise at all.

When I told my mom I was pg with #2 she said, "Oh." And that was it. Then this time, "Really? again... well... hmmm." Uh, love ya too, lady.

I'm thinking of calling when baby is about 3 days old. :LOL

[punkprincessmama]

I'm thinking of calling when baby is about 3 days old. :LOL

we debated this too!!! ugh, i dont even want to think about my mom today, im feeling too good :LOL she's a wonderful person and all and I talk to her pretty frequently but she leaves something to be desired in the support department :eyesroll

anyhow - peppermint patties - do you mean the hard candies or the chocolate covered ones?? i have been drinking peppermint tea and that is quite helpful at times.

[Pepper]

The chocolate covered ones.... :yum

So much for my short-lived feeling of decency. Last night I was on deaths door again. I am going to sleep around 9-10pm just to escape the horrid sickness. Damn, I am so ready to feel (somewhat) normal again!

On a brighter note, I swear I felt some flutters last night. I know, you're thinking it's way too early (I'm 7 wks, 5 days) But I felt my first dc at 10 weeks and my second at 8 weeks. I'm impossibly thin and tiny and I know what those flutters feel like. It lasted about 15 second as I was laying on my side/back. I was shocked! It wasn't food or gas either, I know what I felt. How amazing! I checked and the baby is about the size of a grape right now....

[Clarity]

here's my theory about those wacky little tickle/flutter feelings that come so early - for me, I have it for a day or two, stops then starts again later when it's clearly the baby. I think it's the placenta growing.

[dani76]

Well the nausea has set in. It started yesterday and hasn't stopped yet. Nothing sounds good to eat. My dh got Taco Bell for dinner and it smells so bad! And I'm working 6 days this week!! Ughhh. Think good thoughts for me!

[monkey's mom]

Yesterday was the first day that I actually felt human--I didn't even throw up once! I think it is the TV--last pregnancy, watching TV made me throw up, too. Yesterday I didn't watch any TV, so I'm thinking it might be the same. This will be a big drag for my movie-buff son. Or me.

I'm waiting for a neighbor to bring me some Gatorade--I'm really not doing well staying hydrated. Oy.

Have I mentioned that I hate being pregnant? :eyesroll

[mclisa]

Oh you guys make me feel so sorry for you and your moms!!! Do you need to send them over here and have my mom beat their heads in? She doesn't even want to be in the hospital while in labor. Why sit there with your ear up to the door just waiting and making the mom feel under pressure. She knew with #1 because we called to tell family we were being induced. She came over to watch #1 when we went to the hospital with #2. She's been wonderful.

I just couldn't eat peppermint patties. I just don't mix my chocolate with mint. Totally grosses me out. I have been taking a little bit of Zofran for the past few days and I finally feel alive. Tired, but alive. I'm back to working out and I can hang out with my kids in the evenings (at least until 9pm when I go to bed.) I'm going to give it a few more days and then try it without.

Michelle

[Awaken]

I haven't gotten to check in all week and it's Sun. already!

Aja- I am SO thrilled to hear about your u/s!!! The pictures are awesome. I had no idea you could see so much and see the baby moving around this early!

I have an rx for an u/s for my own peace of mind if I want to go, but I haven't yet...something about bringing a toddler along...I just don't have the energy to deal with it...I'll have to wait till my appointment in 1 1/2 weeks to hear the heartbeat.

Melissa, that 'toot' story is hilarious!! I can't wait to tell my dh! "hello there" indeed!

Have a good week everyone :)