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Jan/Feb mamas (Feb 1-15) The Age of Aquarius!

4K views 117 replies 23 participants last post by  DarkHorseMama 
#1 ·
Previous thread link here

Current graduates:

Megs Mom: Twins Boy/Girl Patrick and Catherine born Christmas Eve!
Milkfacemama: Twin Girls! Sadie and Ella born on Jan. 5!
carrots: Boy! Elias Aaron on Jan 8th; homebirth
Mothra: Girl! Vivian Kate on Jan 10th; 4 hour labor!
mherle: Girl! Katja Juliana on Jan 10th; homebirth
MomInFlux: Girl! Audrey on Jan 15th; UC at home
Jen PN: Girl! Camilla Frances on Jan 15th; homebirth
Mothernature: Boy! Xander Scott on Jan 16th; UC, waterbirth
Imonion2: Boy! Dominic Walter on Jan 19th; 3 hour labor!
saintmom: Girl! Joy Rose on Jan 22nd; "rebozo" birth

jess7396: Boy! Sean on Jan 23rd; C-sxn birth
EmmaJean: Girl! on Jan 24th; homebirth, 3½ hr labor!
2much2luv: Girl! Eden Elizabeth on Jan 26th; UC homebirth
USAmma: Girl! Nitara on Jan 27th
its_our_family: Boy! Bryce Jeremy on Jan 29th; C-sxn birth
SBFmommy/Devrock: Boy! Alexander Philip on Feb 2nd; Groundhog Day baby!
MamaOui: Girl! Elsa Shea on Feb 3rd; VBAC birth
Karry: Boy! Nikolas William on Feb 3rd; 2 hour labor

February EDDs:

chie96: 2/2/04

ChasingPeace: EDD is 2/6/04.

DarkHorseMama: 2/8/04 Gender surprise!

mom2anna: I am due 2/8, sex of baby unknown but I think it is a boy

Mamajamz: EDD 2/9/04...unknown gender

milkymama: any day now!

Mountainmommy: baby Rhiannon due Feb 2004

Joannect: EDD 2/13

pollyanna: EDD 2/14

tanjarine: mama to Raven 11, Jakob 4, Benjamin 2, and due February 16~

Alstrameria: due February 20 (that's what I say)...taking a month off work to not relax with my sunny toddler

PM me for changes, please!
 
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#2 ·
Hey ladies!!

Our first night at home went well. I got puked on....my milk is definetely in! I was getting ready to burp him and whammo!! All over me! Luckily it wasn't all over him so I didn't have to change his clothes too!! He was up quite a bit to eat. Basically we are just trying to figure each other out! O sat in the sun for about 2 hours trying to help with his jaundice. He is Coombs + so his jaundice has a good chance of being "severe".

Tracy is doing sooo good! I expected an ok time with him but not this easy! I hope it just stays that way. My mom said that some kids just adjust really well and have no real "issues". I'm hoping that is how it is here.

I also cannot believe how easily I am recovering! My bleeding has virtually stopped. I can get up and down and I'm only taking pain killer about every 7 hours. I'm trying to not over due it. I know I feel good but I don't want to do too much.

gottas go....sometimes Tracy is a little TOO helpful with Bryce!
 
#5 ·
Congrats to all the new mommies!! :) I just wanted to pop in and say hi. I'm lurking but it's hard to type with baby in one arm.

I have recovered so much faster with this birth, since I didn't have any stitches. Went to Goodwilll yesterday (they were having a 50% off sale and who can miss that?) and was looking for some elastic banded pants to tide me over. Now granted, I do have a belly still but this woman came up to me and told me they had some great maternity clothes over in that section. I was like, great, thanks. lol! I found some pants that are 6 sizes bigger than my pre pg size but very comfy.

Milk has come in, and that's an understatement. I'm pumping milk exclusively (just like with dd) and everything's working out great. It just turned white today from the yellow colostrum before that, and I'm getting 4 oz. every 3 hours. That's enough to feed baby and give some left over to dd. I have to be careful not to pump more than that though, or I'll end up with oversupply issues again. NOT fun. I'm already massaging a plugged duct.

Nitara is a really easy baby so far compared to big sister. I read The Happiest Baby on the Block right before Nitara was born and those methods totally work!! I thought it sounded too good to be true but Nitara goes from an all-out scream to asleep in 15 seconds flat. Last night she was fussing in the co-sleeper. She has her days and nights mixed up but we are fixing that by trying to wake her every hour or so for a diaper change. Anyway, I swaddled her, flipped her from back to side, and said SHHH in her ear and she was asleep in less than a minute! Stayed that way for 3 hours! I highly recommend that book. It's very AP friendly too, other than some strange bfing advice in one section. He says you can't spoil a baby by holding them too much, and is totally against CIO.

Darshani
 
#6 ·
Congrats to everyone I missed.


IOF, sounds like things are going really wonderfully for you.
I am so happy for you.

USAmma, sounds like you are having lots of fun with that baby. What a beautiful name she has!


We are doing really well here. I am feeling about 100% back to normal which is good. She will be a week old in about 12 hours. She is a sweet doll face that greets me each morning with a smile. We are so pleased.

Beth
 
#7 ·
When would you start timing ctrx? Once again I am having ctrx and I know I have had 3 fairly close together (like w/in 20 min or so)...but they are not any more painful than the B/H I have been having since Wed. I keep thinking I should wait until they are really painful to start timing, but am not sure.

I guess I am once again looking for a "sign", lol, as my EDD is tomorrow. It's my brother's
: and I would love to deliver on the 2nd! Today has been one of the best days I have had in a long, long time. I feel well-rested and very content - I should probably just be happy that I have had a good day at almost 40 weeks, but am reading into that as well!

I guess I am a bit confused
: b/c last time my water broke and then labor started, so I'm not sure what to look for. TIA for any insight!
 
#8 ·
oh chie I know how you feel! So many "signs" to look for here as well! I called my doula at 7:30 the other morning because I was sure that after 13 hours of a constant "cramp" something must have been up, but nope. She gave me some really good advice, though...she said to try not to focus too much on contractions until you hAVE to...you will end up emotionally exhausted by the time you need energy reserves and calmess, otherwise. So her advice was to hold off on thinking I was in labor until they got both more intense and closer together. She said that with first births virtually any progression (time oR intensity) is usually the sign that "this is it" but with seconds and thirds our bodies just seem to need more warmup time!

In my opinion though, judging by the fact that second labors seem to be shorter on average, I bet all those contractions are definitely "doing" something!

I hope your contractions continue to progress for you....all that stopping and starting is so frustrating!

IOF....WOW that Tracy is doing so well!!! Congrats!! What is coombes? i know I should know that but I don't.

I went to a birth art get together this afternoon...a bunch of women, including my doula, her trainee, and my prenatal yoga teacher, plus a few other pregnant folks like myself, sitting around doing fun stuff with crayons, markers, pastels, clay and stuff....it was so fun! I made a little clay "baby" in purple swirls to take into birth with me...last time I had a really hard time remembering that all the pain was going to get me a baby! So this time I'll have a reminder!

I'm debating whether or not to have my ob check my cervix at timorrow's appointment since I have had so many cramps and contrcations this week....it would be so diappointing if nothing was really progressing, but kind of encouraging if I was a little dilated....but then again, dilation doesn't necessarily mean much at all, so then I think what's the point?!!
:

I'm just READY is what it boils down to!
 
#9 ·
I'm not sure but think this might be it. I got up at 3:18am and they were coming irregularly(sp?). finelly fell back to sleep only to wake up again at 5:18am with contraxtions. they seem to be coming every 5-6mins apart, but now I'm timing them to make sure they keep coming. They just feel like sever cramps right now. I thought I lose my plug on sat but I didn't have any bloody show so wasn't too sure. I really don't wan't to call my Sister this early in the morning. (She's the one taking me to the birthcenter)

Excuse my spelling I just can't spell


Pollyanna
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally posted by mountainmommy
...my doula...gave me some really good advice, though...she said to try not to focus too much on contractions until you hAVE to...you will end up emotionally exhausted by the time you need energy reserves and calmess, otherwise. So her advice was to hold off on thinking I was in labor until they got both more intense and closer together.
I e-mailed an old friend last night (who happens to also be a Doula) and she said almost the same thing! So - I am going to try and focus my energies elsewhere. Thanks for posting - and let us know if you get checked. I have an app't. Wed. and am wondering of I will get checked as well
:
 
#14 ·
Good Luck to Pollyanna too! Glad all the new mommies are enjoying their babies. I can't wait. I too am having irregular contraxs, cramps and loss my mucus plug. It helps a lot to read your posts because the more I ignore the whole thing the better I feel. Plus DH gets all worked up when ever I start teeling him I am contracting. he can't wait to start filling up the tub. I am going to the midwives tomorrow and may have them sweep my membranes..... anyone have this done?
 
#15 ·
Announcing the birth of

Alexander Philip

to Alice (SBFmommy/Devrock) and Jeremy

at 12:41 AM on Monday, February 2

Weighing 8lbs. 1 oz. and measuring 20"

(posted by Jeremy
)
 
#16 ·
Oh Alice - CONGRATULATIONS and
: to Alexander Philip!!! I was thinking of you today and wondering if you would deliver on your due date. I can't wait to read all about his birth - I hope all went well and that you are resting comfortably. Enjoy your babymoon
 
#17 ·
Alice, congratulations!!! So glad you have a baby boy to add to your family! and what a great name. I assume everything went well, since you're up and typing an update already. Thanks for the info about the comfrey. It was in my herbal baths I did for 5 days postpartum, but your idea sounds nice. Anyway, we're all so happy for you! I was thinking it was a while since we had a birth around here. Maybe pollyanna will have an announcement soon!!

Darshani, I watched the video to the book you mentioned, and it is awesome!! I don't have a fussy baby (yet), but I know how to trigger her calming reflex when she is upset. Well, that and nursing! When I try to nurse her and that's not what she wants, we start with the 5 Ss. Anyway, totally recommend the video!!! We watched it w/ my mom, and she wished she had known this info when she had babies. My bro was very fussy and never slept.

About sweeping membranes, I didn't have it done, but the last few people I know who did went into labor the next or same day! It does have its drawbacks though--bad back pain and higher risk of infection are associated with it. So don't take the decision lightly. If your body is ready, it'll help push things along. Sometimes, docs and MWs do it during vag. checks w/o the mother's knowledge or consent, so be sure your CP knows if you don't want it done.

Just wanted to say that my "baby blues" haven't kicked in yet, and I'm associating it with taking my placenta caps (dehydrated, ground, and encapsulated). I mean, I got major hormone shifts w/ James, and it hasn't happened yet here. I hope to keep taking them and ward off some ppd issues I had before. Anyway, it seems so weird, I'm not telling anyone but my mw and here, but if it works then why not do it?!
Just thought I'd share. :LOL

And the placenta print turned out SO cool. It was kind of gross to handle it and clean it, but so cool in the end. If you're in for an adventure, do it!

OK, better go. Just had to share my weirdness with someone!!

Hang in there mamas-in-waiting! So what are you doing to keep your minds off the contrx you're feeling? Any fun nesting projects?
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally posted by EmmaJean
Hang in there mamas-in-waiting! So what are you doing to keep your minds off the contrx you're feeling? Any fun nesting projects?
No real nesting but spending time on the computer (as you can tell!) and today I have been getting DD's preschool lessons together for the next two weeks. Each one usually takes an hour or so (for the entire week) to put together. I thought we'd skip the hs for a while but we only do 20-30 min / day, if that, since she's only 2. She loves it so much - I figure I should continue after DD#2 arrives which should be easy if I have several weeks' worth ready.
 
#19 ·
Congrats on your son, Alice!! How cool to have delivered on your due date.
I can't wait to read your birth story.

Emma--that is wonderful that you've been feeling so great. Let's hope things stay that way.


Darshani, my mom was telling me about that author, but she didn't have specifics--I'll have to check out that book, even though my guy is very laid back so far. He does love swaddling, though, it helps at night to keep him cosy and sleep better.
 
#20 ·
First of all, congrats to all who have already had your babies!! I've been following posts sporadically, as I was nesting like crazy, and then mothering a newborn, so I'm sorry I haven't really been around.
Katja Juliana was born at home on January 10th, 9 days "early" , after 3 hours of labour (and 3 weeks of periodic pre-labour), and 1.5 hours of pushing. She was 6lb. 13oz., and 19" long at birth. She has a full head of dark hair, and big cobalt blue eyes, and the most perfect smile.

Just wanted to let you all know!

Mandy
 
#22 ·
congratulations, SBF mommy! ah, little boys...I'm getting wierd in my late pregnancy weeks...I'm totally psyched about having a girl, one of each, etc etc...but every time I see little boy clothes I get the cluckiest! I just loved everything to do with little boys...(and of course i still have many more years of enjoyment ahead of me...I mean he's not even three, for heavens sakes!)...girls will be fun and I've had my moments of getting all excited about little girl stuff, but every time I see an outfit with choo choos or little blue ducks or whatever I get a serious pang of "oh...that was such a wonderful babyhood with my son, and its gone gone gone!"

chie..that's cool that you were basically told the same thing by your doula friend! I think staying calm will be my major challenge during labor...I get so jittery and excited every time I think that "this is it"...it would be very exhausting for me.

I did try to get checked today...not for the knowledge of when labor will happen (because that's a virtually impossible prediction to make!) but just to know that all my cramps, contrax etc had actually done something...to give me a sense of accomplishment or something...anyway, turns out that my cervix was too far back to do a complete check without making me very uncomfortable, so we gave up on dilation checking, but my ob said that I was definitely significantly thinned, and Rhiannon is so low that she was "bulging" down there!! pretty cool! I got home and immediately got in to see my chiro, who adjusted my pelvis and said that that should fix the cervix positioning (my ob said the cervix would need to come forward before I woul go into labor) and my chiro said that Rhiannon was perfectly positioned! AND very low indeed! I think she technically dropped last night because I just could not get comfortable in bed. Interestingly, i read about dropping in "what to expect" and it said that 1st time mommies can drop more than a month before giving birth but second time mommies usually don't until they are in labor

well, I definitely wouldn't say that i'm in labor, but there's exceptions to every rule I suppose!

hang in there, Feb Mamas!
 
#23 ·
Congrats to all the new mommies and babies!

I'm still pregnant. After 10 weeks of bedrest for preterm labor I am now almost 39 weeks! I thought for sure I wouldn't have gotten this far, but I guess I was wrong.

I have been 2 cm and 60% effaced for almost 2 weeks now. The baby is engaged and at 0 station. I have been having lots of prodromal labor. I'll have some regular strong contractions for a couple of hours and then they'll just pitter out. Last night was the worst. Those contractions hurt, and I could feel them down into my thighs. I thought for sure this could be it, but by midnight I was able to go to sleep and by morning they seemed to be gone. I have had some strong contractions today though, but they are not close together or very regular. I have an appointment tomorrow so I can see if there has been any progress.

I am so ready to have this baby! Wishing all the other Feb. mommies good labor vibes!
 
#24 ·
wow..I guess most everybody who used to post here is now over on the life with a babe forums!

Karry..aren't the contractions that "dont mean anything" awful?!! I'm starting to get a bit paraniod that my body just doesn't remember how to keep labor going...I know that's really silly, but I can't help it with all these false alarms! Last night was much the same...from 3 til 6 I couldn't sleep because of the contractions but then at 6 they died down and I crashed until 9. almost no contractions today at all! ARGHH!!!

We have about half a foot of snow in our driveway...it snowed all day today. It's supposed to keep up tomorrow too which is great because we needed the precipitation but I'm worried that grandma won't be able to make it up the 2000 ft ascent to Flagstaff from Sedona to watch our son when I need to go to the hospital. Geez, never a dull moment, eh?!!
:

hang in there, all that are left here!!
 
#25 ·
Mandy, congrats on your baby girl! She sounds beautiful--so does her name.
Hope you're resting up and enjoying your babymoon time.

Mountain, I'M HERE!!!
I think other moms are too, we just don't have much time or energy to post. Um, and computer chairs aren't the most comfy....
: I'm sorry for all your prodomal labor. sounds exhausting! Even though your body is doing something, it's hard to believe it'll make a different during birth, but I'm sure it will. The snow sounds beautiful. I'm glad you're here to remind me that AZ isn't 100 degrees all year! There are parts that get winter and snow. I'm jealous! My dh wants it to snow so bad so he can miss school. Keep dreaming! Anyway, glad you got adjusted and all. Isn't that so nice??
I know your baby loved it too. and don't worry about your grandma. Everything will work out perfectly!


Karry, congrats on making it this far and coming off bedrest! Enjoy your freedom!

chie that's awesome that you have lesson plans for your 2yo. What kind of stuff do you do? I'm starting to notice that James is bored, and I am too. I need ideas of stuff to do w/ him! It's hard w/ a nursling, but I want to make his life exciting too. Any ideas to share??

 
#26 ·
Still here, but at least with a bit of progress.
Things "changed" last night and I started feeling lots of cervical pressure and the sensations have moved downward more into my vagina....hopefully that means I'm not as posterior (cervically speaking) as I was last week. I am continually passing mucous and I think it is because I'm "too" dilated to hold a regenerated plug. Finally have the pubic pain indicating a dropped baby. So, it may not happen tonight, but things are still moving along.

Midwife appt is tomorrow and we will likely have a membrane sweep at that time. Not that it worked with the last pregnancy, but I'm willing to give it a go again.
:

OT: I like the new smilies! This one is my fave so far
: Maybe that says something about my attitude?
:
 
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