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September chat thread!!!

5K views 54 replies 26 participants last post by  Calycanth 
#1 ·
Cannot believe it's September. Betting a bunch of us will deliver THIS month. Whoa. I'm not due til Oct 22 but being twins and having pre-eclampsia and other issues, I'm doubting (and OB is too) I'll make it into October. Getting so excited!

So, how are you feeling? Feeling ready for baby's arrival? What's new?
 
#2 ·
Uncomfortable. Baby has been nice to me today up until the last 2 hours. Now he's doing his fetus aerobics or whatever it is they do. Lots of stretching, its a bit painful. I actually got sleep without taking a sleep aid the last two nights. In two days we have an appointment to sign DS up for head start and then he's spending a few days with grandma so I don't have to take him to my early as heck appointment on Friday.
I don't think baby is coming any time soon. DS went to 40+1, I'm predicting pretty similar timing again.
 
#3 ·
DD was born at 40w6d, so I'm not counting on an early arrival, either (my due date isn't until 10/28, anyway - he could very well be a November baby). I feel ENORMOUS. I'm bigger now than I was when DD was born, and I'm tired all the time. I'm glad I have a coupld of months left, because I am NOT ready!

I need to figure out a sleeping arrangement of some sort. We're cosleeping with DD at the moment, and I don't see her moving back into her own room anytime soon. I'm not sure if we should all attempt to sleep in the same room, or if the baby and I should set up shop somewhere else. I also need to clear out some drawers in DD's dresser for the LO, get our cloth diapers organized, get some nursing supplies, etc. We're going to be moving when the baby is about six weeks old, so we need to start planning for that, too. It seems like so much at once. I'm also feeling nervous about breastfeeding again. It was fine once we got the hang of it, but there was a lot of pain and stress and bleeding nipples during the first month.

I'm a bit overwhelmed, can you tell??? Ack!
 
#4 ·
I am 34 weeks today, and starting to feel a little pressured by time, for sure! Between a full time job, a graduate Ph.D. program, and trying to get our place ready for a baby, I am tired and exhausted most of the time. But also getting really excited. We are starting our prenatal classes for natural childbirth preparation, and we have one more meeting with our doula in 2 weeks. This coming weekend will also be our co-ed casual baby BBQ shower :) Things are really starting to pick up in speed!
 
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#5 ·
I'm feeling pretty good, minus being more moody these days... and the baby moves CONSTANTLY. And his/her feet are pretty much continuously lodged in my right rib cage. I just wish I could see in there and know exactly what position s/he is in because I swear this child has 2 butts and 6 limbs!

This is my first so there is some anxiety, but I feel like I have planned what I can plan. I'm rounding out my registries for an October 5 shower, collecting items for the homebirth, and spending too much time on my local cloth diapering group on Facebook (I'm getting an awesome deal on a bunch of gently used GMD workhorse newborn organic fitteds that I'm picking up today!! :-D) Otherwise, I'm attempting to stay calm despite being busy at work, and getting in plenty of yoga and movement to get my body ready for the marathon of labor. Mostly, trying to prepare my type A self for the type of surrender that will be necessary to successfully give birth at home. *deep breaths* *living in the moment* *letting go* ... but yeah I cry on a daily basis. *HORMONES!*
 
#9 ·
I just wish I could see in there and know exactly what position s/he is in because I swear this child has 2 butts and 6 limbs!
LOL! I also feel like my baby has multiple butts sometimes. I'm a music therapist, and for a while part of the baby would protrude while I was playing guitar, and actually TOUCH the guitar. I thought it was his little head, and that he liked the music, but then I realized it's his BUTT.
 
#7 ·
I am addicted to searching out and finding cheap cloth diapers. I feel like I need to slow down or I am going to end up with a room full of just diapers :)

But, other than that, I have nothing done! :grin: The "baby room" (as in the room baby stuff will go in and with the extra bed in case sleeping all three of us in our bed is too much) is full of boxes from getting my stuff out of storage (which over half of my stuff is still in storage). No homebirth supplies yet. Still tons of cleaning. Maybe when the weather cools down I will get it all done...
 
#8 ·
My baby is wiggly and head down. He moves A LOT. He's awake almost all day . . .

So, at exactly 33 weeks pregnant, I was offered a full-time job. A really, really good job with amazing benefits. Which is great. But they want me to start either Sept 15 or Sept 29, and I have to decide which TODAY. If I start on the 29th, which I would prefer, I would have a lot more time to get my disgusting house cleaned and make some food to freeze or can and emotionally prepare, but then I'll only have 3 weeks until my due date. I'm also worried that starting before the baby will mess up my health insurance because I have a marketplace plan and you have to report changes to income, and I am just about to finally reach my deductible and start having things ACTUALLY COVERED, but I won't have any benefits while I'm out on leave because I won't have worked there long enough. Additionally, I would have to take an ESPF leave (emergency sick parental family) and they would need a Dr.'s note (I'm not seeing a doctor, I'm seeing an out-of-hospital non-nurse midwife), so how long would a Dr.'s note cover me for? If it's only 6 weeks, I absolutely can't take this job. Breastfeeding is so important to me, and I want to establish a good breastfeeding with the baby and establish a good bond with him. Anyways, babies are neurologically incomplete for the first few months of life outside the womb, so how could I leave him so soon? This is so intense!!! There is so much to figure out, and I really want to offer this job the greatness they're offering me, but honestly, at this point in my pregnancy, I don't have a whole lot to offer

Does anyone know anything about starting a job while pregnant and taking leave, or getting a Dr.'s note to stay out of work after baby is born? This is fucking ridiculous. It should be common sense that babies need their mommies for more than a couple weeks.
 
#11 ·
My baby is wiggly and head down. He moves A LOT. He's awake almost all day . . .

This is fucking ridiculous. It should be common sense that babies need their mommies for more than a couple weeks.
I agree, I was just thinking this the other day. That's great that you got offered a job! Especially at 33wks!

I also feel like baby is everywhere at once sometimes, and sometimes I feel nothing except a hard back.

I'm feeling slow. I walk slow, I do everything slow. I'm ready to not be pregnant, and meet my baby, but there are so many 'undesirable' birthdays of other people I know in Sept, that I feel pressure to hurry up and make it to Oct. I'm almost 36wks. I was just (took the test late) diagnosed with gest. diabetes, so now I have to deal with that.

Also I'm dealing with my niece 6yr & nephew 9yr, fighting over basically everything. I feel my blood pressure rise every time, it's stressing me out so much. I'm trying to squash it with very little luck. Anyone want to share some advice? They fight over chairs, pencils, keys, who turns a light on/off, it feels like they're trying to make everything a competition. They fight over such little things. I tell them it's not worth it, and tonight I told them just to not talk to each other if they couldn't speak nicely.

Looking forward to my next doctors app, to make sure she's healthy, and so they can tell me what they guess her weight will be.
 
#13 ·
This is my last pregnancy and i hate to say it but i hope the next 6-7 weeks go by fast. I've been dealing with gestational diabetes since 7 weeks but was able to control with with just diet until about a month ago. I've gained about 8lbs the whole pregnancy and am eating healthier than i ever have but i'm tired of the finger pricks and insulin needles. I have to go to the doctor 2x a week now for nst and bpp's to keep a check on his growth...i'm wore out but i want him to stay put til he's ready. The plus side to weekly visits is lots of ultrasound pics :)
 
#14 ·
Congratulations on the job but that timing is less than stellar to start. Keep us posted on what you end up deciding to do...

Gestational diabetes dx- sorry. I've been on glyburide twice a day and it's made all the difference to control my blood sugar levels. Higher likelihood with multiples so I wasn't surprised but diet alone wasn't near cutting it. Now, the numbers are pretty much well within normal ranges.
 
#15 ·
I'm glad the glyburide is working for you :) I took it for a little while and it seemed like they increased my dose every time i went in for a visit. They started me out at 2.5mg in the morning, then it was 2.5 in the am and pm. They had me up to 10 mg 2x a day and i told them i'd rather just switch to insulin at that point. Most of my numbers are pretty good but my fasting just keeps going up. I'm seriously tired of all the protein...i'm sick of eggs mostly lol I told dh he had better bring me a piece of cheesecake to the hospital after the baby gets here :p
 
#16 ·
ADSC that is great news for your job offer but yes stinks that we need a doctors note to take time off for a baby's birth. I hope that works out well for you.

I am plugging along over here and wondering when this baby will make her entrance. DS was born at 38 weeks so I have a feeling it will be early this time also. Plus baby is measuring ahead, in 80th percentile.

If one more person asks me if I'm having more than one baby I'm going to scream.
 
#17 ·
I also have gestational diabetes. I had it with last pregnancy and when I had my A1C checked it was normal, so I haven't been as good about checking my sugar this time because I feel like it's like last time. I see my OB on Monday so I will see then what my A1C is. I have been watching my carbs and sugars but definitely could be better about checking my sugar and measuring my carbs.

This is also my last pregnancy. I am trying to enjoy these last weeks of feeling a baby move inside but I'm feeling so rotten that it's hard not to wish it all away!
 
#18 ·
The more I read on Elimination Communication the more I want to try it, but I don't even know where I'd start or how I'd continue when I go back to work. It would just be neat to be that in tune with your baby. But the thought of just everything is overwhelming- breastfeeding, sleeping, crying, going places... how do you add another element like that and not implode?
 
#19 ·
I recommend the book The Diaper-Free Baby by Christine Gross-Loh for info on EC - it has great info on part-time EC. It is also very big on the idea that EC is not an all-or-nothing proposition, and that it looks different for every family. We ended up doing a combination of cloth, disposables, and occasional EC. And "early" potty training (which I actually think of as quite normal, but it depends who you ask).

Anyway, I DID find it too overwhelming to do as a new mom. But I already told myself beforehand that if it didn't work out, it was okay. But with some more experience under my belt, I'm looking forward to trying again with this baby. I may or may not be more successful, we'll see!
 
#20 ·
Hi, mamas. I haven't been around much in recent weeks (months??) but I'm still here chugging along. It's good to read all your updates.
@adsc, that sounds like such an intense situation! I hope you can work something out with your potential employers... damn our country's crappy maternity leave!
@wengrin, @Tabitha83, and @1blueridgemama, I'm sorry about the GD and associated stress. I don't have GD, but I had to do a month of finger sticks to prove it, and even with normal numbers I found it all very stressful. Not long now until you can put away the glucometer and have a cupcake once in a while. ;)

Things here are going pretty well. I finally feel like we're moving in the right direction getting the house and family ready for the baby. We just finished moving our 3yo into his own room (so far so good!) and last night we reassembled the sidecar crib in our bedroom. We've toured the hospital with our midwives and I'm starting to fill the freezer with meals for after baby arrives.

I'm more sore at this gestation (35 weeks) than I was during my first pregnancy, which is what everybody says. But I don't like it. I'm very anxious about delivering early, and even though I'm hoping to make it to 39 weeks at least, I'm currently counting down the days until my baby will be "at term". (12 days! I can do this!) My son was born at 38w3d, and I'd have to go past that to have an October baby. So, maybe a September baby for me?
 
#21 ·
As of today I'm officially able to do a homebirth. I'm really counting on the baby waiting until the first week of October though.

Right now DH and I both have colds and I sprained my ankle on the weekend and I've been trying to stay off of it as much as possible to let it heal. I was hoping to pick up the last few items that we'd like to have on hand for the birth but I haven't been able to go shopping. Thankfully my mom lives close to us and she's been able to take my younger kids to school.

The good news is that my SIL took some pregnancy/family photos on the weekend. I'm really excited to have some nice photos of what will very likely be my last pregnancy. I still haven't done henna or a belly cast though. I'm planning on doing those this coming weekend.

I don't have any real pregnancy-related complaints except for heartburn. I can generally manage it through avoiding certain foods and not eating too much or too late at night. I'm wondering where all the time went, it passed so quickly.
 
#22 ·
The more I read on Elimination Communication the more I want to try it, but I don't even know where I'd start or how I'd continue when I go back to work. It would just be neat to be that in tune with your baby. But the thought of just everything is overwhelming- breastfeeding, sleeping, crying, going places... how do you add another element like that and not implode?
I recommend the book The Diaper-Free Baby by Christine Gross-Loh for info on EC - it has great info on part-time EC. It is also very big on the idea that EC is not an all-or-nothing proposition, and that it looks different for every family. We ended up doing a combination of cloth, disposables, and occasional EC. And "early" potty training (which I actually think of as quite normal, but it depends who you ask).

Anyway, I DID find it too overwhelming to do as a new mom. But I already told myself beforehand that if it didn't work out, it was okay. But with some more experience under my belt, I'm looking forward to trying again with this baby. I may or may not be more successful, we'll see!
I started EC at 8 weeks. Very very part time. By the time my son was 10 months, in full time daycare, we basically stopped it all together except on weekends. We did a lot of different things in there. Prefolds and changed them immediately when they got wet was a big one for us. When my son was 18 ish months I was home for the summer and I had potties all over and he was naked all the time and outside a lot. He learned to use the potty by 19 mo! Even with breaks and very part time EC. I thought that was good for me!

I recommend that same book. That was the only one I read. It seemed really overwhelming in theory but it wasn't too bad especially since I wasn't crazy about it and just went with the flow. Lol. Give it a try. Do it at your own pace. Take breaks when it gets overwhelming.
 
#23 ·
Thanks everyone, I post in here a lot and I always find the responses to be helpful.

In other news, I got really annoyed with my midwife today. She just said we'd like you to start using primrose oil at 36 weeks, until your due date, to ensure you have the baby on the due date. She made it sort of sound like it was a "thing". Like she expected me to and it was just something I should do. Well, I am all for everyone doing what they want- but my feelings really are that if I've had no complications this far, and everything is going along how it is supposed to- why wouldn't I just let my body do its thing? I've read that there is no real evidence that it helps with dilation and labor, either. I am one of those believers that my body will know when it is time and it will kick it all in- I told my mom and she was like... I don't get people these days, when I had babies I just had babies lol. I do feel like my labor will go a lot like all of hers, as we are pretty similar. She didn't have any problems with us being late or long, hard labors. I understand interventions when they are needed, but I don't like being told what to do when I feel like it isn't really necessary when my body is going to do it when it wants to, anyway. Then she said that if I wasn't ok with her checking the baby's heart every 15 minutes with a doppler to hire somoene else. I don't even know where her tone or anything came from. At the very beginning I had said I wanted it as natural and unassisted as it could be- I don't want vaginal exams at every turn, I said I'd request them when I wanted to know how far along I was, I don't like feeling pressured to have people in my vagina- never have. I am paying her to make calls for mine and my baby's safety- but I feel like she sort of threatened me there. I was shocked. I said well, can we check on the baby's heart periodically and be ok with that? it seems like a lot, every 15 minutes. It seems disruptive. Maybe I am being too radical, who knows.
 
#34 ·
Thanks everyone, I post in here a lot and I always find the responses to be helpful.

In other news, I got really annoyed with my midwife today. She just said we'd like you to start using primrose oil at 36 weeks, until your due date, to ensure you have the baby on the due date. She made it sort of sound like it was a "thing". Like she expected me to and it was just something I should do. Well, I am all for everyone doing what they want- but my feelings really are that if I've had no complications this far, and everything is going along how it is supposed to- why wouldn't I just let my body do its thing? I've read that there is no real evidence that it helps with dilation and labor, either. I am one of those believers that my body will know when it is time and it will kick it all in- I told my mom and she was like... I don't get people these days, when I had babies I just had babies lol. I do feel like my labor will go a lot like all of hers, as we are pretty similar. She didn't have any problems with us being late or long, hard labors. I understand interventions when they are needed, but I don't like being told what to do when I feel like it isn't really necessary when my body is going to do it when it wants to, anyway. Then she said that if I wasn't ok with her checking the baby's heart every 15 minutes with a doppler to hire somoene else. I don't even know where her tone or anything came from. At the very beginning I had said I wanted it as natural and unassisted as it could be- I don't want vaginal exams at every turn, I said I'd request them when I wanted to know how far along I was, I don't like feeling pressured to have people in my vagina- never have. I am paying her to make calls for mine and my baby's safety- but I feel like she sort of threatened me there. I was shocked. I said well, can we check on the baby's heart periodically and be ok with that? it seems like a lot, every 15 minutes. It seems disruptive. Maybe I am being too radical, who knows.
During labour we are told it's every 15 mins and then every 5 MINS or between every contraction (surge) during the later stage which could be even closer than 5! Is this what they told you as well? I do find this to be intrusive and over the top. Might as well strap us up to continual fetal monitoring! But when I mentioned it to the midwives they seemed pretty immovable on it. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Are my midwives over the top here or is this common?
 
#24 ·
I am 35 w, 1 day and left my hubby and children on Monday early in the morning to come to South Africa and wait for baby to come. I had so much anxiety and sadness for several weeks leading up to leaving them. We spent 6 weeks in the U.S. this summer, returned to Zambia August 2nd and I've been trying to get them settled in a school routine (K, 2nd, 11th grades), go through all the clothes I found at the thrift store this summer, organize as much as possible since I won't return to my home until 45 days after baby is born, and mentally prepare for being away from my young children. I love my teenager but he is not always the most pleasant to be around so a short break from him is not going to kill me!

Since I work for the federal government and we don't have generous leave plans like my Zambian colleagues (mandatory 4 months paid leave) or even short-term disability like they have in the private sector in the U.S., I am working in the South African office of my organization until delivery. Due date is 10/16, hubby and children join 10/17 and stay until 11/2. Mom was going to come for the whole time to help but my 93 y.o. grandfather is very ill and got worse this summer so she told me she can't leave him and that made me sad but I understand priorities. I hope baby doesn't come until between 10/17 - 10/20 but no later than 10/20 so I can go back home no later than the first week of December. The RULES are what stress me. 45 days after baby comes - so the sooner baby comes, the sooner I will rejoin my family and settle into my own surroundings again. Sometimes I wish baby would come a little earlier just so I can return home earlier, but the first 3 came at 41 weeks and after and I do want my hubby to be with me through the process - he is a great labor partner and an excellent cook!

I was supposed to be in a 3BR cottage and the guesthouse folks did not inform me until I arrived that I'll have to stay in a hotel room for a few weeks - that did NOT make me happy. I can walk to 3 great grocery stores and a mall with nice restaurants but first, I want to cook at home and 2ndly Pretoria is not exactly the place to walk at dusk/dark when I get home from work! So I've been eating lots of fruit in the morning, one egg and one slice of toast too. Salads at night and twice had fish to go with the salad.

And Skype has not been our friend either - so talking to my children every day like I wanted has not happened which is even more heart-wrenching. That said, I hope that I can settle down soon and got a pedi/mani today, then walked in the heat for 20 minutes back "home" which was a struggle b/c I haven't been exercising for about a month, and I brought home lots of reading for work to keep me occupied and hopefully keep me from getting too sad.

On a positive note, because I should try and end positively, my lodging and meals and incidentals are paid for by my employer and a handful of colleagues threw me a beautiful wonderful baby shower the weekend before I left (1st one since my first child), and I can think a little straighter and get some more online shopping done since I don't have as many distractions from home and am alone.
 
#25 ·
Hello all! I’ve been away from the site for a while. When the format changed and the posts slowed down I got out the habit of checking. Happy to see updates from so many of you. Can’t believe we’re almost there!
I am 35.5 weeks and feeling huge! Bigger than end of term with either of my previous pregnancies.
We found out the sex this time for a different experience, we’re having a third girl!! I am thrilled and so are my girls. I have had a busy September as there has been a teachers stroke on since mid june. So it looks like school & preschool will start next week and THANK GOD. The kids are sick of each other and I need some kid free time.
All is well for me, baby is healthy. I have the occasional SI pain or pubic symphysis pain. But eating, sleeping, working okay. My brain is gone though! We are still planning a 3rd homebirth if all is well.
I finish work sept 26th and so am counting the days! I only work 3 days a week. in october i need to clean my whole house and get the baby's room organized, so i'll need a couple weeks to prep. can't wait to dig out all the clothes etc from storage.
I found a fabulous locum naturopathic doctor to cover me for at least 7 months, hopefully 11. I don’t get the Canadian maternity leave as I’m self employed, but at least my practice will be covered as long as I need. My husband will be claiming the leave and his employer has generously offered to ‘top up’ his wage to full amount for 4 months. Awesome! We’ll have lots of time home together. Sorry to hear about work/leave struggles for some of you. I am very thankful to have these type of benefits here, also midwifery care fully covered by the medical system. Hooray!

I am doing a few new things this time around: diaper service, doula, placenta encapsulation, awesome newborn photography, have a nursery/baby's room!
This is my last pregnancy so I am trying to savour it, but really I’m just tired and grumpy a lot. Wish I could be a better mom at night but my husband is having to do bedtime with the kids.

Wengrin, people keep commenting on my belly too. I think it’s funny to tell them I’m not due until late October. It seems surprising.

Kaliakra, high five!!! So thrilling to be close to meeting this new person, finally! It is great to see successful pregnancies from others previously on the loss boards. Hooray for us!

Aywilkes, it is amazing what you have had to do for the birth. It would be hard to be away from the kids, for sure. Hopefully you enjoy all the bonding time with this new one while you are still together.

Best wishes everyone! Warrior mamas! can't wait to see all the baby pics!
 
#26 ·
I have been off line most of the summer. Just checking up on posts.
Bio Farmer congrats! Beautiful names and so happy everyone is doing well.
Aywilkes: that is an unbelievably tough situation, you are very brave to take it all on. It is never easy to be away from your family. Glad you are taking advantage of your "me" time though....since you don't have a choice anyway.

We have been living on our sailboat since June. We will move back into our winter house in October. I had a great summer, but now that we are back in school working at the school house and it has really cooled off here, it will be nice to move on land soon. The one benefit to the boat is my berth has magical powers and I have not had the horrible night hip pain I had with my other two pregnancies. Maybe because it is a pull out settee and keeps me at an angle? Whatever it is I have appreciated it. And the head is only a step away for my 16 zillion trips to the potty each night.
I am almost 35 weeks and look and feel ready to burst. I hate going in public because people stare or make stupid comments about me popping etc.
the few baby stuff I do have is still shoved into storage. I plan on doing a newborn cloth diaper rental this time around, although I still need to decide who to rent from. I am also interested in Part time EC and I saw the suggestion for the book diaper Free baby, which I will look into. My two boys named the baby Fang from the start and we have been calling him that all along, but we really need to figure out a real name. We are sorta stuck as everything we come up with we just don't LOVE. I really want a boy name that means island, but haven't found any we like yet. Has everyone else settled on a name already or at least have a solid list?
 
#27 ·
Sunfish, we're still stuck on names, too! DH vetoed the only one I really loved (Nathaniel). Fair enough - I vetoed a couple of his top picks, too. I like the names on our short list (Zane and Lionel are both up for consideration), but I don't love them. I think we're just going to have to pick one we can both live with and learn to love it.
 
#29 ·
Had another CNM visit today and everything continues to go great! She brought up my back problems and wanted to talk about what we could do differently in labor to protect my back from more injury. She was very "you can totally do this! We'll support you the whole time!" about going the unmedicated route and said lovely things like "we'll help you stay off your back, even if you're exhausted" and it was great. Also GBS negative. I continue to feel ridiculously grateful for a completely uneventful pregnancy :)
Today I bought a bunch of little things left on our registries with gift cards we've luckily amassed- dragon-shaped humidifier! Little diaper covers! Changing pad! Nipple butter! Monster puppet for nibbling chubby thighs! Manatee stuffed animal!
All making it start to seem very real.
36w3d today, sore, slow, and very very happy.
As for names, we are thinking Louise, which we both have loved all along. I think I'm going to surprise my husband after she arrives with requesting Margaret for her middle name, which is the name of his grandma who he loved very much. I'd rather use Lena from my side, but he just can't get into it, and that's okay.
It's so fun to hear about everyone getting close!
 
#30 ·
Sunfish, I like Zephyr! I saw it on a list of Z names and thought it was cool and totally doable as a name. I like what it means.

Katiepants, glad you are feeling so positive about your upcoming labor! Sounds like you're getting great care. I'm also looking forward to spending my gift cards in the next few weeks. :)
 
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