New weekly chat thread

[allgirls]

Well it's a sad day on this board...Patty Ann I am thinking of you and your family at this time :candle

Bookworm...we are looking forward to your update!

Anyone have any labour signs happening? Some of us are due very soon...Saturday is October 1!

I am 37wks 1day and all clear for my homebirth. Hubby and I talked about not calling the mw until the absolute last minute which means a chance of it just being home...he says we will deal with that if it happens...and I am delighted. He says he sees no reason why this iron thing should change things...that it's perfectly normal and that they wouldn't have even known if I hadn't had the test for something else.

I think I will go to my due date at least...I was panicked about baby coming early until yesterday and now I figure we will go the full 40wks plus and that's ok!

I hope all of you are peaceful and happily gestating!

[eroslovesagape]

I've got a few more days until I hit the 37 week mark and then our homebirth is a go anytime- and I also think I'll go to close to my due date 10/20, though there is a full moon in Aries -my sign- on the 17th...and then MIL could make the birth....

I had a babyshower & blessingway on Saturday and feel so incredibly lucky to have such a supportive family, network of women friends and DH. This time around is a far cry from my chaotic experience of birthing my first at 19. What a difference maturity and a loving family makes! Though I hope she stays in a couple more weeks, I can't wait to meet my baby girl!

I'm also luck in that I feel physically fantastic! I do nap everyday and I'm sure that helps, but this has been the easiest pregnancy, possibly because I'm so happy and feel so supported? I hope everyone else is feeling good and peacefully awaiting the births of their babies. I hope we'll get to read some good birth stories soon!

:love

[lovnbnhome]

We're all getting close! I am 36w5d and I can't wait to get over the 37w hump. It seems like a safe zone for me, for some reason. I have been nesting and trying to clear out all of these overhanging projects so that I won't have to think of them any more.

I also want to wait until the very last minute. Secretively I want to have the baby at home without any help but I have a fear of something going wrong. We wouldn't be prepared for that (I would but DH not) He's into having a homebirth but I don't think for this one. Maybe next time...yes there will be another after this one...God willing! :D Last time I was only in the bc for 6 hours before she was born...then we had to wait there to get dismissed...I hated that, I wanted to go home right away! So I'm hoping to go in have the baby soon after we get there and then say we want to leave. That way they have a few hours to get the papers together. I don't want to be there for 24 hours....a hospital is not a place to rest!!

Happy, peaceful birthing vibes sent to all having babies right now!

My prayers are with Patti Ann and her family.

[Worldshakerz]

No labor stuff happening over here for now. But that's okay. I had the tub taken out of the house yesterday, it was very irritating looking at it every day. :LOL

I have a cold and I feel tired. But otherwise fine. Jamie is taking time off today to just help me. In addition to the cold I have this pain in my side that can hurt quite bad depending on what position I'm in. I'm having trouble discerning if it's a muscular thing...or maybe the baby changed position and is pressing on some organs that it wasn't before. If I'm very careful and slow and deliberate in my movements its not to bad....which is why I'm glad DH decided to stay home today so he can help with the 2 yr old and also baby me a bit :)

Not much else to say but that I'm just staying home a lot, relaxing, trying to get over this cold. :thumb

[aishy]

I'm ready like, now. I had the boys by 37 weeks and my mindset is that I wont/shouldn't go past that. I am having to constantly remind myself it might not be this week, it could be next. or even the next. or november. Yikes. Basically I just have to not obsess over it!

At least i'm ready. i've been cleaning like crazy, I scrubbed the kitchen floor on hands & knees at midnight because I didn't feel like messing with the mop last night and I needed it done, oh, then. I also cleaned the dining table chairs, spot cleaned the dining room a bit (also with the sponge on hands/knees) and did the dishes. My husband just laughs when he sees me on one of these sprees but I need it to all be READY! All the time! I cleaned the bathrooms yesterday morning before church. Every little spot of dirt has me wanting to run and get a rag & get to it. It's crazy because I am not generally like this, just at the ends of pregnancies!!!!

I have a midwife appointment this afternoon, I'll update this evening.

[allgirls]

Aishy...you are a nestaholic! Let us know how that appt goes.

I really want to be like that but I can't seem to find the energy...plus I am trying to conserve what I do have.

I slept well last night and was really ticked when the alarm went off at 7am to get my older dd up for school..then she was sick and didn't end up going...I could have had an extra hour. Now I am tired.

I just had a nice pregnancy snack of Chocolate milk and apple pie and icecream. My appetite is back gangbusters! Here I was trying to avoid calcium so my iron would get absorbed better and then the icecream talks to me and the chocolate milk calls my name...and I couldn't be rude and ignore them :LOL

[phnx0221]

Man, we are soooo ready to meet our little girl! We have a hospital tour set for today, as well as the final hospital class that we are still debating on whether or not we will attend. We were told that we wouldn't even make it to today, so we have been going through the stupid emotional roller coaster for the last few weeks, anticipating labor at any second.

However, I have fully resigned myself to waiting for the due date, and it has made me feel much better about waiting. :) I'm realizing more and more that no one can really predict when it's going to happen, the only person who knows that is baby. It's kind of sweet that this will remain her little secret. :heartbeat

Sleeping has been a bit interesting these days, as I've been getting up every two hours, and am now on a regular schedule of this, or rather I should say that my bladder is anyway. :LOL It's been getting more and more difficult to get out of bed though, especially since ours is very low to the ground. Alas, it won't be too much longer though! Yay!

It's definately a countdown now though ladies! We are all very close to our due dates, and boy is the anticipation ever prevelant! :D Good luck to all of you, I hope it comes soon for you, and of course, for me. :LOL

Just think, soon we'll get to meet our little bundles of joy! Yay!

[phnx0221]

...the icecream talks to me and the chocolate milk calls my name...and I couldn't be rude and ignore them :LOL


Here here sister! I lost an argument to chocolate truffle ice cream last night. :LOL

cheers!

:champagne

[movingon]

Hello everyone. It's hard to believe there are birth stories, already.

I'm so sorry about those who have made it so far only to lose the baby. :candle

My baby is still incredibly active, turning front to back, front to back. I remember my first was this active at about 38 weeks, too. He was two weeks late. He didn't seem to quit moving so much until I was well overdue, but I could still gather the 10 movements an hour. I was using some anti-yeast medicine, per my midwife's instructions, and I had to run it past a round, hard spot, and his knees and feet are always under my ribs. So, he's not breech or transverse anymore. Now, I'm just talking to him about turning around to make the birth more comfortable for us both.

I'm losing my midwife, though. I don't even have money for more care from anyone, and since we have (*really crappy*) insurance, I don't qualify for assistance.

So, I'm a little sad that I won't have someone there like my midwife for support, but she's made it clear she has money issues. I have money issues. If I haven't paid the full amount of what I owe (and she even discounted us a lot - but it might as well be a million dollars, right now) it will be a big black cloud for both of us. And I don't want that at my birth.

This will be a UC. I didn't REALLY think about it for real, because part of me is still skittish from our first birth experience. But now, I'm accepting that I can do this at home anyway - after all, we have biology and our body's ability on our side. I don't have to drop in on the emergency room unless there's really an emergency. But he's active, all the tests I did consent to were normal. No need to worry about those emergencies, really. Not unless my body tells me differently in labor.

There was so much turmoil in the last two months. As soon as I decided I could do it on my own, and was no longer worried about money or emergency rooms, everything started to work itself out. Like the Universe is pushing me toward this ultra-natural path.

I've got my husband on board, and he watched all the videos from my midwife, which showed woman after woman giving birth without anyone telling her how or what to do. I told him to act like the midwife just couldn't make it. I told a friend of mine, who is still very worried since she thinks having someone else come and cut the baby out is preferred. However, I couldn't lie to her, as she's more like a sister to me. She's not pouring negativity on me, though I know she is still worried.

Wow, this got long.

I hope everyone has a wonderful end of pregnancy.

:)

[phnx0221]

:candle

I could not even begin to imagine what Patty Ann and her family must be going through. My heart and thoughts go out to all of them. That is just so, so very sad.

:hug

[allgirls]

Here here sister! I lost an argument to chocolate truffle ice cream last night. :LOL

cheers!

:champagne


Yeah...and what's the point of arguing with something so articulate!

[Aka mommy]

Well i am 36 weeks and a day or two. Always get confused on that one since my due date makes this pregnancy in all actuality a 41 week pregnancy. Just too much for this brain to figure out i guess lol.

Well,i have been sick with sadness at the recent losses on other boards. And poor DH has had a job of consoling and reassuring me things will be ok. My biggest fear has been (with both pregnancies) stillbirth or losing them shortly after birth. Sigh, its in someone elses hands, and i must learn to trust i suppose.

Not much going on here, nookie only seems to stop braxton hicks and waves (contractions) and besides her head being lodged in my birth canal (yes i know she's really not there just feels like it) nothing else seems to be happening. Every few days i lose a bit of mucous plug, but its obviously regrowing itself just to tease me. I had a huge cleaning, decorating, company over for dinner on friday, so im worn out from that. But glad to have a clean home. And i ordered the last of my newborn CD stash last night, they will arrive by friday!

Since all of my problems at 20 weeks (leaking amniotic fluid, loss of mucous plug, contractions) my midwives have deemed it safe for me to deliver as of 36 weeks. And now that im here im very disappointed in myself for thinking i would actually go early! ITs such a mind game and i should be content and happy that she is in there cooking away getting healthier and bigger by the day! But alas, i cannot wait to hold her in my arms and know that she is safe. But i keep telling myself, i will be happy to go over 3 weeks as long as she's healthy and no pitocen is involved lol!

CAnt wait to hear everyones birth stories!

[Rach]

Yesterday, I had surges, a few minutes apart, but VERY mild. I was still walking around, talking, cleaning and cooking through them. They lasted over an hour. Then they stopped. And I had painless braxton hicks for just over another hour. Then, I had nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing.
When I went to bed, I was sooooo achey. I hurt all over! Then I had more surges, but only a few and they stopped.
What trickery!

My sciatic nerve pain is back on my left.
My pelvic bone is killing me.
I don't think this is happening anytime soon. :(

I haven't been sleeping well at all lately. Baby has been moving, but not as much, and not so gently either!
And just blah.
Today, it is a blah day!

Midwife appointment on Friday.
My sister is coming today. My mom is coming early next week.
Where's the baby!? LOL :LOL

[RachelGS]

I'll be 36 weeks tomorrow and am SO miserable. The baby has dropped and the pressure on my sacrum and hips is just crazy. I'm having some strong contractions and guessing I've got a week or two to go. My daughter was born at 38 weeks, and I don't think I'll go longer than that this time. I rather hope not-- I feel awful.

And I'm reeling from Patty Ann's horrible news. I'm SO sad that this is happening and frightened about my own baby's safety in these final weeks.

[allgirls]

RachelGS...that's exactly how I feel...the pain is unbearable at times. I hope you are right...w weeks is long enough to be in agony

I am tired today...so tired.

I hope to sleep well tonight and am aiming for a 9pm bedtime

[dylan27]

I'm nervous, since the baby isn't a big mover (which is to be anticipated since the baby has spina bifida/hydrocephalus/chiari), I feel him everyonce in a while, but not on a regular basis. I've been dealing with the thought of maybe losing him for the last couple months though. I went through some retail therapy a few weeks ago and went crazy buying baby clothes. I needed to feel like he was real and would need them.
However, the hydrocephalus hasn't progressed at all this month and the spina bifida seems to be low. The chiari is the most scary right now. Since that affects the cerebellum, there is a chance that he might need resusitated when he is born. It is supposedly a low chance, but we have to be prepared for the possibility.
We have our appt with the surgeon on Friday to schedule the c/s and ds' surgery. In a strange way, it will be a relief to have a day set, so a goal to work towards. There is so much we can't know until he is here.

ANYWAY- it is silly, but I bought one of those bebe sounds heartbeat monitors on ebay. I just needed the reassurance that he is still there. I listen once a day at least. I let my son listen too.

[aishy]

I haven't been able to figure out what it is that causes the pain I get. One week I had it every single day,then it eased up awhile, now it's back again tonight. I hate it. At least heat and/or a bath helps somewhat. My son was so sweet today, as we were leaving the birthing center I said ughh it hurts so much. and he said "Don't worry mommy, the pain will be gone soon" aww

My appointment went well today. My midwife asked "Should we even bother to schedule you an appointment for next week" haha. We went ahead and did same day/time so I don't have to try to remember something else ;) Babys heartrate was 136, I measured at 31 cm (1 less than last week, so maybe shes down lower? or it could be the different midwives measuring), and they checked my iron levels again, she said "it needs to be at least 11" and it was 12.5. Urine was fine, weight was up a bit, not sure how much.

I realized today everything i've been craving recently has had protein, so my body must have needed it. Bean & Cheese quesadillas, eggs, taco soup.

aisling

[allgirls]

Aishy...what does the pain feel like...do you think it's round ligament pain?


I have that if I move too much one way or another...lately I have had it on the lower right side of my belly...I think the ligaments just can't hold out much longer!

I didn't sleep well again last night...woke at 4am and couldn't get into a good sleep after. I got my older kids off to school and was going back to bed but decided to stay up now and nap when Sophia goes to preschool at 2pm. I should get a good couple hours then.

I have my mw appt tomorrow!

Baby is kicking and moving well. I actually had a period of no contractions, cramps etc. this morning...very unnusual...it seems to me they have been steady lately.

TMI here but I seem to be fighting off the constipation issue from taking too much iron. I can tell it's different but not too bad at this point. In fact I am going more frequently as well. wierd uh?

Baby must have moved up a tad...I wasn't dying to pee this morning like I usually am.

I woke up extremely emotional from a dream I had that the baby had to be in the hospital and we were staying in a hotel room and when I came to the room after going to see the baby hubby was playing cards in our hotel room with another woman and I was furious :LOL Now it's funny but in the dream it was horrible...I am off visiting our sick baby and he's playing cards..with another woman!!! At least in the dream the baby was ok and was getting out. I think all my deepest fears are playing out in my dreams now.

Well my due date is 19 days away..not that far.

I am not ready so baby can't come. LOL...that's my logic while hubby is away. I guess he will be back on the weekend again. I am not sure what the plan is actually. He is working on shorter trips so we will see..he is only a day away in Quebec right now. Sometimes I can't believe how resigned I am to delivering this baby alone.

Cheers
Carolyn

[operamommy]

I'm truly ready for this to be over. I sincerely hope that I don't ever experience pre-term labor again, as I feel like the last month has been nothing like a big old mind game! 37 weeks 3 days today, and here I was told at 33 weeks that I probably wouldn't make it another 12 days...what do doctors know? :LOL

Baby feels like he's literally trying to claw his way out. Lots of painful twinges on my cervix and even over my rear end. I feel incredibly inward-focused now, to the point of not being able to concentrate on other things. I'm looking forward to meeting this little guy!

On Friday I was 2 cm and 70 percent. My sis suggested that if I've gone to 4 cm by this Friday that I might go ahead and ask the dr. to strip my membranes, which I think might be a good idea. Not a choice some would make, but I labored and delivered my dd in less than 4 hours - if dh is at work when I go into labor, it will take me at least 80 minutes to get to the hospital, which makes me pretty nervous. We'll see what happens!

[allgirls]

well someone else on this board has had her baby...but I am keeping it a secret...I am a member of another board she's on so she will probably announce it here in a few days...

It's 11:25pm and Sophia is playing away...why won't that child sleep...well she sleeps...til noon but Ihave to get up at 7 so it doesn't help me at all.

I really want to get my last bit of preparation ready but I am to tired from lack of sleep to get at it.

Oh well...baby won't come out until Iam ready...I am not ready...I haven't had time to get ready. And hubby is heading out to Wisconsin. Won't be back for about another 5 days....and my friend who was the back up can't come during work hours because her boss won't let her go...she's Union Stewart and manager is mad ather.

But I do have another friend I am going to call on. I may need her if both hubby and friend can't make it.

Or I may have a solo birth..oh well...baby will end up outside rather than inside eventually.

[lovnbnhome]

I am ready for baby too, but I think I want to wait until after the 8th of October. Then things seem to quiet down around here and I think that I'll be able to relax. I haven't been having any new pains...sciatica is back from being gone for a few months, my fingers and legs are swollen and from that my fingers and toes are always numb. The mw said that it is fine though...nothing to worry about. I have been really trying to drink LOTS of water but it's hard to have to go all the time.

I have my baby shower on Sat and I'm kind of excited about it. The gift is money for us to buy diapers. We are going to use disposables until the belly button falls off and then we should have our cloth by then.

Oooh! My Mom gave me a gift card for a prenatal massage (2.5 years ago for when I was pg with dd!!) and I think I am going to try to go in and have that done on Saturday morning~before the shower! I think I deserve some pampering :D ! Should be fun!

[*green*faery*]

I can't sleep...
I was tired all day, I even laid in bed for 4 hours while dh slept, but then he left for work and I got up. It's almost 5am! And I'm hungry, so I ate an apple and now some cheese... I'm just bord & don't want to go clean, which is what I should be doing...

[mamas2atti]

I can't sleep...
I was tired all day, I even laid in bed for 4 hours while dh slept, but then he left for work and I got up. It's almost 5am! And I'm hungry, so I ate an apple and now some cheese... I'm just bord & don't want to go clean, which is what I should be doing...

Ditto on that *green*faery. I woke up at 4 and now it's 5:30 and I can't get back to sleep. I was also stark raving hungry so I came downstairs to eat. I guess I should head back up though b/c dh will be getting up soon for work and ds will most likely wake up early too--even though he didn't fall asleep until almost 11. Ugh, only a few more weeks to go.

[allgirls]

Good morning ladies.

Better night's sleep for me anyways....went at 11:30 and fell asleep immediately...might have woken slightly but didn't have to pee until 8am...yay!

I have a midwife appt today...looking forward to that...only Sophia to go with me so that's good.

Hubby is off to Wisconsin so will be gone another 5 or 6 days most likely...so nervous...

Then he will take some time off so baby hang in there for a little bit longer...but not too long...yeah, like I have a say.

I am thinking I may get a check today of my cervix...generally I wouldn't but maybe it would give me a better idea of where I am at. With all the contractions I have been having I think something is going on. It makes me nervous with hubby gone.

With Sophia I was at 3 on a Wednesday and almost fully effaced and then had her the following Wednesday.

I also think I will go fast this time...as long as I don't have the position thing going on like I did with Sophia...I had first contraction around 4am and was complete at 9am...it took 3 hours to get her out after that but if she had been in position would have taken less than that. Once she got in position she took 5 mins. And even the first stage might have been shorter with a head down on my cervix properly.

My second daughter was from first contraction at 4:15pm and was born at 7pm. I think that might be the way this time..we will see.

It's fun to picture what it will be like. I am having girl baby dreams now...another sweet little girl would be nice. :heartbeat

Well..better go get my shower before my little girl wakes up.

Cheers and have a great day everybody.

[Worldshakerz]

I've just been hanging around the house lately, cleaning a bit and resting. I've had a cold for about 4 days now. It's getting better, just making me feel extra tired. I'm not waking up with sore throat any more so that's good. Just a little scratchy and still a bit congested.

Yesterday I was dreaming about buying cute pink frilly things for the baby...so maybe a girl? We shall see...it was the first dream I've had with any real connotation as to boy or girl.

So does anyone else have people calling them every single day now? "Did you pop out that baby yet?" "Anything happening?" "Are you still pregnant?" Lol, I know they are just curious, but I find it slightly annoying at this point. It's just so redundant.

Besides the cold, I've been feeling pretty good. The aches and pains aren't seeming as bad lately. I did some prenatal yoga the other day after not doing it for way too long. And I've been walking a whole lot...leaving the 2 yr old at home with DH and taking 1 or 2 hour walks at grocery stores/walmart etc. I think today I will take a swim, that should be relaxing.

You have a good day too allgirls, hope your appointment goes well.

Well, I better get to doing a few dishes and cook some breakfast for DH. Food is the best alarm clock for him :LOL

[allgirls]

no one is calling me yet but I am not sure anyone even knows I am pregnant this time.

It's kind of sad...nobody is excited about baby #4 :(

I am very excited...but everybody was so thrilled about Sophia and it just doesn't seem fair that this babe seems to be ignored...I wonder if anyone will even come to see it.

Plus I am the only one I know who is pregnant this time...if I didn't have this site I'd be all alone really.

Well...my girls and DH are excited. My oldest saw the diapers the other day and they are so teeny and she got so excited :bouncy ...she's almost 15 and hasn't shown much interest but suddenly I think the reality hit her...she said I wish the baby would just get here!

[Serenity]

well, i'm having a lot of pain in my lower right side which i think is ligament pain from the baby sitting on that side. It mostly only hurts when i move.

I've got lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, some of them painful. So tired of that.

I'm 5 days away from my due date and its hard to be patient and wait. Although I know its easier to take care of baby on the inside rather than on the outside!

take care everyone!

[RyvreWillow]

Noone's too excited about my baby either; the first, of course, was a big deal, and the second was too, cause she was a girl, but yeah, it has to be "news" for anyone to care i guess :P Oh well! i guess that just means more private family time for us :)

[allgirls]

well...my MIL called to see how I am doing..she's excited about her new grandchild...she has 2 older grandchildren, 18 and 15 and now a 2 yr old plus the baby...plus my older girls are her step grandchildren and she dotes...so it's not everybody who isn't excited.

But I do feel isolated.

I used to be so social and had so many friends...I swear I have lived in this town and not one friend..it's not a friendly place really...this has never happened to me before.

I guess I am a bit wierd for these people... :LOL