Check in!

[anarchamama]

Hey,

It seems like it's been a while since we had a new check in thread so I thought I'de get one started.

I'm doing well here, a good friend of mine form the sept boards just had her baby which made me even more excited about mine.

DS has started taking an interest in the baby after our last midwife appt, we are going to trry to watch some birth videos together soon and get some books. Someone told him the baby was coming after the snow, so he keeps rubbing my belly and saying the snow is going to open it up and then he will carry the baby, then at the end he tacks on the word vagina casue he knows it is somehow connected but isn't sure how. He seems much more comfortable with this mysterious snow theory.

I am starting to get big, though my midwife still says I'm measuring right on track, which for a second baby she considers small. Trying not to be to bitchy but getting uncomfortable. I am also normally a very chatty person and so when I get quiet and more introspective people always think something is wrong or I am mad about something. Ah well three more months.

I thought I would really savor this pregnancy as it will probably be my last but instead I am just bored of it and want it to be over so we can have the baby and get on with it...... :) Oh wel I suppose it will be what it will be no matter what.

Dh finally felt the baby move the other day which was nice, it is hard for us to sit still so he can feel it with a maniac two year old always climbing all over us and yelling!

Anyway, Sorry this is such a novel. Can't wait to hear how others are doing.....

Cheers
Heather

[MamaTaraX]

Chugging along peacefully here. I have a friend who was due yesterday. I'm attending her birth and I am overjoyed at her little one'supcoming arrival. She's the wife of my DH's lifelong best friend. I'm so stoked that I get to be there to watch them be born parents, to watch him welcome his firstborn son into the world. She's been contracting for days, has an induction scheduledfor Friday (which breaks my heart!) so one way or another, her little boy will be here soon! Every birth I attend makes me so giddy for my ownbut this one will really make me excited, I know.

I still meausre about 2cms big, I checked myself a couple of days ago. No, last week, maybe I should check again just for fun since I'mthinking about it. I'm huge, everyone thinks I'm carrying twins. I think it's funny. I'm supposed to have an u/s on Friday, but if my friend doesn't pop before then, I'll be at her birth instead. I actually don't really want the ultrasound, I'm doing it for my husband. We won't be finding out the gender, he just wants to know if the baby is healthy. Seems healthy to me! Baby kicks, squirms, and dances all the time. It's wondeful!

Oh the most amazingthing happened the other day! I was with my friend for quite a few hours and she had contractions (that eventually took us to the hospital where she went right back home). All the time I was with her, our babies were communicating! Mine would flip or kick and hers would respond! It was the most awesome thing! When we needed hers to perk up at the hospital, I poked at mine. Mine started up and within moments, hers did too. It was soooo cool!

I still eat like it's going out of style. Current craves include apples and cheese and sugar. I pulled weeds today and was pleasantly surprised that I didn't pull anystomache muscles doing that :) I'm feeling good, just big, which is okay. It's getting hard to carry my toddler around though, which is kind of sad,though I truly believe he understands, much like nursing. He hasn't nursed in over a week except fora few suckles here and there and I think he knows and is okay with it and will pick it back up when baby is here. We're watching birth videos now and he loves tolove on his unborn sibling.

That's about it for us. We see our back-up OB next week and midwife comes the next week (we'll be at every 2 weeks after that! wow!). Life's good, autumn is here, my birthday was on Saturday whichwas nice...so yeah, life IS good:)

Namaste, Tara
mama to Doodle (7), Butterfly (2), and Rythm (due at home 1/06)

[Nature]

Things here are going well. I had my OB appointment yesterday and nothing too exciting there. Everything normal. They took my blood again to see if the Synthroid has helped my hypothyroidism or if it needs to be adjusted. My 2 year old dd was sitting on my lap when they stuck me, and she cringed. It was so cute, afterwards she asked me if I was okay and gave me a hug. She said she was sorry I got a boo boo. :throb

The doctor told me I've gained about 20 pounds. She asked how much I gained with my last two. I told her between 30 and 40 pounds usually, but this time I gained in the second trimester where you're supposed to.. as opposed to the last two times where I put on 20 pounds right after I pee'd on the stick. :LOL The look on her face told me that she thinks I am gaining too much, but she didn't say anything. I'm trying not to let it be a big deal, because I know in my heart its not. I'm not eating much more than I normally do, and for someone who can barely walk without pain (SI joint pain) I am excersizing a lot! I try to go for a walk at least every other day, with two kids in tow. I usually end up carrying one of them. So, I'm not sure what more I can do to "not gain quickly" or whatever... honestly I guess I'm feeling dissapointed. This place seemed so wonderful, and everyone has been very polite and dare I say... crunchy? in their thinking.. except for that one comment. I'm trying not to let one apple spoil the bunch, and just let it roll.

Dh is getting very excited about this baby. Periodically he'll smile at me and sometimes I catch him watching me. It's a nice feeling. :love To know that this isn't his first child, and he still find me beautiful.. and the whole process beautiful. In between the bitchness I go through, I try to tell him how much I love him. :wink

The kids are including the baby in their conversations more. My oldest always asks how much longer, and for some reason is very very interested in the pain aspect. She's always asking me HOW much it hurts. And what kind of pain it is. I find its hard to answer her. She seems to think it hurts more than anything else in this world.. and though for most of us, its painful.. I don't really feel that its *pain.* (does that make any sense?) How do you explain to a 7 year old that its not *that bad* because women do it all the time, and of course... I've done it twice before! I blame all the tv shows that her father and his new wife watch. It took a year before I could get it through her head that normal deliveries are vaginal and not c-section. She was convinced they all were born that way because of what she see's on TLC, or whatever channel the baby stories are on. LOL

Oh yes, back to the baby stuff.... started digging out the clothes. I found that our male cat peed on some of it. :Puke Now I have to try to find a way to get the smell (and nastiness) out of it. I really cannot afford to just throw the clothes out. (though I wish I could) I NEED those baby clothes. So that whole thing kinda put a damper on the happy "lets go through the baby clothes honey!" day that I had planned.

This baby has been kicking and moving around all the time. We haven't really had a chance to lay down and feel the baby together much, as my 2 year old always wants to pat, bang, kick, jump on... the belly. :nut every once in awhile Dh gets in a quick feel here and there though.

Heartburn today has been horrible. Absolutly horrible. I'm pretty big, and finding that I'm outgrowing all but the hugest of shirts. The others don't cover the panel on the pants.. omg I hate maternity pants. LOL

Alright, guess thats it for my book! Sorry ladies, just got to rambling I guess.

[Persephone]

Witchy, I've put about 20 lbs on too, and I was worried that I wasn't gaining ENOUGH! So, that should put things in perspective a bit. :) I'll write more later. My midwife apt is like, right now, so I'll update tomorrow sometime, most likely.

[MamaTaraX]

The weight gain thing is funky. 40 years ago doctors told women to NOT gain more that *20 lbs*...and they actually strived to do it! Water pills, and tiny meals, restricted diets and vitamins. it was crazy. So there's a real perspective fro you. Now women are told to gain between 25-35 lbs without worry and care providers don't bat an eye at 40 even these days. I'd be justas happy if no one weighed anyone. Whichreminds me, I have to deal with that b*tch nurse next week at the back-up OB's office that insisted on weighing me. I'll have my boxing gloves on ;)

Namaste, Tara
mama to Doodle (7), Butterfly (2), and Rythm (due at home 1/06)

[gsmom]

Just checking in too. Sounds like everyone is doing well! I have just started to feel big, as I am having more difficulty putting socks on and tying my shoes. I have old polish on my toes that I think I will have to go in and have someone else take off!! Perhaps I will splurge on a full foot treatment! I am really noticing more SI pain, but I just started two prenatal yoga classes (different nights of the week, one is a 6 week session and the other is ongoing) which has helped immensely even with only one week down. I am really trying to do a daily practice.

My 4 11/12 year old (his birthday is in 3 weeks and the 11/12 is very important) is very excited. He felt the baby move and tells everyone that the baby wakes up at 5 in the morning and does the cha cha (which is very true, although I can't seem to sleep past 4 am) which he overheard me saying to my mom. This baby moves all the time which is cool and now I can see it bumping around occasionally. I am tired from not sleeping much, but seem to make it through my days. Luckily we are busy at work and it is hard to get too tired when I am up and down on the floor with kids all day.

I told my husband this week that it won't be long before I just can't wash the dishes anymore! It is a back killer for me!

All in all I am feeling good, just bigger. This is my least favorite part of pregnancy mentally and emotionally. I work with former preemies as a part of my job and have seen all the difficulties that they can encounter. I am feeling like I need to be a little bit more careful. . . at least for the next 8 weeks or so.

I have not taken out any baby clothes yet. I am still trying to organize the last two years of clothes from my first. A friend is having a baby shower this weekend and I have a feeling I will feel more motivated after that. All that sweet baby stuff is so fun to go through. Most of my clothes are boy's and we don't know if this is a boy or a girl.

It is great to have a place to share stories and experiences. Thanks for listening!

[Persephone]

Well, I'm back and glowing from my midwife appt, so I thought I'd write about it now. I have not been feeling well emotionally for the past week or so, but I feel better after talking to my midwife. I was feeling rather ambivalent again about the baby, and his kicks weren't making me happy like they used to. The idea of giving birth was making me anxious too. All I can say is I'm so glad I did decide to have a midwife, because it's so nice to have someone around to listen to me chat about the baby, tell me I'm normal, and that she cares.

I'm measuring right on for my gestational age, and everything else looks normal. I've been having some pelvic pain both in my front and back, and she showed me some exercises to do to help it. I"m starting prenatal yoga this Friday, and I"m really excited about that, I'm hoping that will help too. All in all, I feel good about me, good about my baby, and good about birth. (I always feel really good after being at the midwife's, though. :))

Oh! And I told her about my fears of PPD, and she knows how to prepare placentas! So, she's gonna do that for me, and I'm so happy. I was afraid to mention placenta eating, though now that I think about it, I shouldn't have been with her. She's super crunchy. Her dd also makes placenta soap. The idea is that it's absorbed into the skin. I'm thinking about getting some soap made with my placenta too. Isn't that the coolest idea?? :)

[AAK]

Wow, never heard of placenta soap!

Well, I have been so busy lately and the next 2 weeks are worse. So I semi canceled my mw appt that I have next week. I told her I would drop by to pee but REALLY needed to just skip everything else until November. So that helps a lot, her office is really close to Kayla's gymnastics place, so I will just swing by.

Kayla turns 3 on the 4th. She stopped nursing...last nursing was on my birthday (8/22) and although I am glad (I was really ready) I am a little sad. She is so "grown up" now. I am happy about how it all happened. I was encouraging weaning by using distraction and not publicly nursing and sometimes offering a drink, snack, or cuddle instead; but if she really wanted to nurse, she got it. I never flat out refused (although I would have in certain public places). So, although not completely child-led I think it at least was child respected weaning. She choose her last nursing, not me. I am happy about that!

I know this is supposed to be pg update, but really I am not thinking about the pg much, just too busy. Here are the basics. I assume I am still measuring big, the baby is getting rather strong--everyone has felt her move, I hate vulvar varicosities YUCK!, and I am still kinda tired. I am not as interested in love making as I was in my previous pg and this bothers me a bit. At my last mw appt there was glucose in my urine so this time I will not have a sugary breakfast and we will see what happens. Wasn't planning on doing the GTT, but this may change my mind. Either way I won't be drinking that awful drink.

Well, I gotta go. I am lurking more than posting lately. Got a birthday party to plan!

Amy

[Willowrose]

Persephone, that is awesome about your midwife....can I borrow her?! I want that soap!
I have my first official midwife appointment next week(with my wonderful new midwives!).
I am feeling pretty good, aside from some AWFUL heartburn and insomnia most nights. However, I have a TON of energy and am nesting big time!
I am 27 weeks. Time is flying....probably more so with the impending holidays! We celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving as well, since my DH is Canadian....that is only a few weeks away!

[hottmama]

I'm 27w3d and doing great! I feel totally fine, I have some tailbone pain and back pain and need to go to the chiropractor, but aside from that, I don't feel huge or uncomfortable at all yet, even though I've gained 35 lbs (!!!) so far. Still nursing my 32 mo. old a billion times a day, which is going fine now, it still hurts a bit but much less than it did. I bought a bunch of clothes for the baby online at oldnavy.com yesterday because they are having a huge sale- I also got a jean skirt for myself, as I've been missing my 3 favorite jean skirts soooo much lately. Anyway, now I'm pretty much set on baby stuff, except for a convertible carseat- but we won't need that til s/he's a few months old. I'm still contemplating an U/S as I've been measuring big since 22 wks... I might never make up my mind!

[Persephone]

OMG, today I turned 24 weeks! That's 6 months pregnant! I had a freak out moment earlier today about giving birth. (I'm SO not ready!!!) I'm not ready to labor and birth a child, I'm not ready for the baby to be here for me to take care of, I'm so unprepared!! I really wish my shower would hurry up and get here so I can get everything in order for the baby. Tonight, dh and I went out with MIL and a friend of hers (whom I like very much) and her friend brought us a gift! She knows I like crunchy stuff, so she got us a couple of things from Under the Nile (a toy and a bib) soft soled shoes, and a tye dyed onesie. :) How sweet was that? :)

[ozzyemm]

Seph-- I know how you feel! I just got into my third trimester, and just got this feeling of "Whoa, we are headed into the final stretch now!!!" Month 6 was a stressful one for me, because my mom had a baby at 6 months gestation which didn't make it. Now, she had the IUD in place ( which I hate, and would NEVER use as a form of birth control for this reason!), and the baby was born 15 years ago, but still, it was stressful. now that I am in the third trimester (and one week away from 7 months) I feel this HUGE pressure off me. Soo nice :)

Speaking of pressure-- we went to the fair today (1.5 hour drive each way) because we got free tickets. Needless to say, we walked ALOT. I had been feeling "tight" all day in my lower stomach, and as we walked past the animal exhibits, I had to stop walking because the pain hurt too much. I don't know if it was sciatica, although it did kind of go to my legs. My stomach hurt too. Ech. Once we sat down to drive home, I felt lots better. I haven't gotten that pain since.

I am having restless legs again. And, in addition, restless hands! I had to get up, because that is the only thing I know that will stop the movement. Hopefully I will be able to sleep in a few minutes. I know calcium won't fix it, because I had a huge glass of milk on the drive home, and I got restless legs anyway. I think maybe all the walking did it this time. The first time in this preg. I got RL was after we traipsed all over San Francisco. The second time I really didn't do any walking at all that day.
My hands are going numb, too. I need to talk with my Dr. about that. It started out as just when I sleep. it got to where I would have to switch hands frequently to talk on the phone, and just tonight my left hand went numb just walking and holding onto a grocery bag. Not good.
DH put the first coat of lacquer on the dressers on Tuesday. Yay!!! One more coat, and then I can go back in the baby's room and get it all gussied up. I want to get it looking really nice, and then take a picture of it. Then, just before we go into town (we will be staying with relatives the month of December to have the baby) Dh and I will move the crib next to the bed, and make other adjustments. We also will have to pack a month of clothing for the baby, not to mention all of our diapers.

I like nesting and getting everything ready! Dh likes it too. The house is cleaner than it has been all pregnancy! :D

[Nature]

omg! One of my best friends who I know is having a baby shower for me, just emailed me last night asking for the names of everyone I want to attend. Yikes! Suddenly it dawned on me... we're almost done!! Its *that* close! :love

[SMR]

Hey everyone!
27 weeks yesterday for me! I feel wonderful!! I've gained 12-13 pounds so far, which seems on the low side.. but my belly is growing and growing anyway! I saw a few strech marks yesterday.. just little tiny ones - I sure hope they don't get HUGE!! YIKES! Since autumn has arrived I've been taking my usual walks most days. All summer I was pretty lazy because it was SOOOOOOOOOo hot.. but now that it's nice out, I enjoy spending time outside! I even told my dh that I'd help him mow the lawn tonight! We have an acre.. he's been doing it alone all summer because of the heat!
hmmm other than that.. the babe moves around a lot, I'm trying to do my hypnobabies cd's every day and my next midwife appt is Friday.. before the appt I have to drink the orange glucola drink and have blood drawn! :( I'm a little nervous about it.. I don't want it to be positive!
By the way, ozzyemm... the pain you are talking about in your lower belly.. I had that too... we went to massachusetts on vacation at the beginning of teh month, and walked around Boston all day - it felt like the baby was laying down low and putting all the weight in that area.. since then she's repositioned and it doesn't feel like that anymore! :)
Have a great weekend everyone!! I'm going to have a nice autumn bonfire tonight!! :)

[ozzyemm]

Shannon-- Just remember to walk after you take the Glucola test. "Forget" something in the car, go to the farthest bathroom you know of, etc. Also, don't eat high sugar/ carb foods that morning (like 2 bowls of raisin bran-- bad idea!). HTH!!!

And, thanks for the reassurance. Michael has been laying transverse forever. I don't know if he will ever go head down!! I know he is capable of it-- I feel his feet in my pelvis, or at the top of my uterus occasionally, but for the most part this babe is hanging out in my pelvis :D

[SMR]

Thanks for the tip! What's cool is that I have the orange beverage in my fridge since my last appointment... they just said to drink it an hour before I have blood taken.. so I can drink it, take a walk and then leave for the blood draw - which is also a bit of a walk from the parking lot!! :)
I told my DH that I should just eat some veggie sausages for breakfast with no biscuits or anything! haha I'm kind of wondering what the urine test that day will look like after drinking all that sugar! hehe

[k mama]

Oh yes, back to the baby stuff.... started digging out the clothes. I found that our male cat peed on some of it. :Puke Now I have to try to find a way to get the smell (and nastiness) out of it. I really cannot afford to just throw the clothes out. (though I wish I could) I NEED those baby clothes. So that whole thing kinda put a damper on the happy "lets go through the baby clothes honey!" day that I had planned.


Our male cat did the same thing :angry The clothes have been through the wash several times in hot water, used fabric softener, but they still smell! I'm going to try Oxi Clean...hopefully that works. Otherwise, I don't know what to do with them.

[Persephone]

Try borax. Mom says it really helps get the smell out of stuff. Or vinegar. My male cat decided to pee on my luggage last time I was at home. I took everything and washed it, and sprayed my bag with vinegar, and it seemed to do the trick. Of course, the pee didn't smell that strongly in the first place, and I caught it pretty soon after it happened.

[k mama]

Good to know. Thanks.

[ozzyemm]

Because you all are my friends--

I just have to share this BIG TMI!!!

My raspberry tea is sooo great! Why, you ask? Well, because it helps keep me regular! :p
I really had a problem with that this pregnancy, but whenever I drink the RRL tea I *go* 2-3 times a day. We go out of town on the weekends, so I don't drink it then, and I really notice the difference!

Sorry.... :D

[beachcomber]

Heartburn today has been horrible. Absolutly horrible.Hah! I'm SOOOO singing that tune today. My heartburn is so bad I can't believe it. I'm just glad it's not everyday.

I'm doing pretty good overall. Today marks 28 weeks for me. Started month 7 last week. Wow. Suddenly the time's getting short and I'm realizing I have a lot of things to do to get ready. Picking up the cloth diapers tomorrow. Have no idea where we're gonna put them!!

My pelvis has been giving me a lot of problems. S-I joint won't stay in alignment despite regular visits to physio and regular exercises to strengthen the muscles. I'm probably going to have to get a support belt. I just cannot tolerate the discomfort and weird grinding stabbing pain back there when I walk or sit or stand or roll over in bed or just about anything.

Had a cold last week and all I could do to cope was sleep. So I got a lot of sleep! It wasn't too bad and I got over it pretty quick. Relic has it now, though.

Carys has been kicking up a storm, which I'm just loving. She moves a lot right around bedtime so Relic gets to feel her wiggling in there. She's startled him a few times with how vigorous she is.

[zjandosmom]

I am 27wks and change! Almost to the 3rd trimester. Just can't believe how fast this is going. Baby is VERY active with lots of kicks and rolling around. My boys LOVE my belly! They still insist it is a girl and can't wait for "her" to get here. I have now had total strangers tell me it is a girl. We'll see. We are going camping in the NC mountains tomorrow and returning Tues!!! We go every year and also to an apple orchard to pick our own apples. I cannot wait as we really could use a reality break. My aunt has surgery today so please keep cancer-free thoughts for us there. I feel huge, but know it's only the beginning!
Kathy

[Persephone]

I'm 25 weeks today! A couple things I've noticed that I didn't expect. My skin has been getting worse the past few weeks. I was trying to wait it out, because I thought it would clear up on it's own, but it doesn't seem to be doing so. Perhaps I'll start back with the TTO. And, I realized that my eyesight is getting worse! I heard this can happen during pregnancy... I'd like it if it got better again after I have the baby though. Getting glasses is expensive. I've grown quite nearsighted.

[Wugmama]

Hello,

I am 25 weeks, 2 days today. I had a midwife appt today with my 2 midwifes during the day. My husband and I both left work and met for lunch then went which is really nice - he didn't go to the last few.

I am so blessed because I just love both of my midwives who work in a partnership. My mom has met them too and they all seem to like each other as well. My husband also feels comfortable with them. I am so happy!

I recently got my crib up, even though the baby will sleep with us a lot, I'm sure he or she will nap in the crib and eventually get some use out of it! Also, we bought a dresser from Ikea and I got that put together with just a little bit of help from my husband, so the baby's room is really coming together! It is just a little 8 X 8 room off of our room, but it has a nice big window and is plenty big enough for a couple of years at least. The door into it has glass panes and is extra large - you can fit the crib through it while it is put together.

I am feeling pretty good except for the heartburn, and some occasional mild nausea. I have gained 35 lbs. I don't think I'll hit the 60 lbs gain I had with my first, even though I am starting at the same pre-pg weight.

Take care mommies!
Tracy

[Willowrose]

I had my 28 week check w/my midwives yesterday and everything lookds good! I was measuring 32 weeks. Gained some weight. Baby's heartbeat sounded great. I go back in 3 weeks, since she wants to monitor my size since I was not 100% accurate on my dates due to nursing. She also wants to monitor baby since she appears to be laying transverse!
I can't believe my appointment in November will be our home visit....where our midwives come to us to get directions, find the fastest route to our house, and decide on the laboring plans. Where is time going?!!!