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Feb Mamas Jan 31 - Feb 6

8K views 204 replies 30 participants last post by  Periwinkle 
#1 ·
OK, many have had babies, many will this week, I never will :LOL Anyway, you're all my support! Had to start the thread!

kavamamakava February home waterbirth
Kater07 Lorelei Michelle Born 1/30/05
Isabeau due early February
3 Little Birds due Feb 1
Chiku due Feb 1 birthing center
Parker'smommy (Heather) due Feb 1
Lisashepp (Lisa) due Feb 1 homebirth
Sadkitty. Due Feb 1st
Dandylion (Stephanie) due Feb 2
Truvie due Feb 2
Lasofia Baby Boy born January 27
PeacefulVegan, due Feb 3 home waterbirth
Lou due Feb 3
Orange due Feb 3 Birth Center with OB
Twin Mom (Deb) VBA2C homebirth Joe born 1/23
Free Thinker (Mandy) due Feb 5
Wtchyhlr (Joy) due Feb 5, homebirth
HelloKitty (Kitty) due Feb 6
Letabug (Arleta) Kane Aubrey born 1/25
LianneM due Feb 7 homebirth
TexasSuz (Susan) - Leah Sheryl born 1/24
Happymamajenni (Jenni) due Feb 7 hospital/OBGYN
Lousli - Hazel born 12/21
Parthenia due Feb 7 home waterbirth
DeirdreAlison (Deirdre) due 1st week Feb homebirth, maybe waterbirth
New Life Due Feb 8
kimbalicious due Feb 9 - hospital birth with midwives
ElizaBird (Eliza) due Feb 9 - home waterbirth of twins
Shannon0218 - Molly Joan born 1/24
ella-makes-3 (Jasmine) - due ~ Feb. 11 midwife/natural birth at birth center
Marcella due Feb 11 homebirth
HeleneP, due Feb 12
Tug (Terenia) - Mia born 1/29
lisabc311, baby#2, due Feb 13
Firefly due Feb 13
Christi due Feb 14 hospital birth with fab OB
Periwinkle due Feb 14
Fairymomma (Pamela) due Feb 14
Jorie (Margorie) due Feb 14
AmBam (Amber) due Feb 14 homebirth
carrie24 (Carrie) due Feb 15
rose angel (Karen) due Feb 16
mama2m&m (Denise) due Feb 16
HydeParkB due Feb 17
Karennnnn (Karen) due Feb 17
Coopsmama (Kristen) Due Feb 17
Bella'smamma (Cecily) due Feb 17
luvmytwo (Karen) due Feb 17
HydeParkB (Bridget) due Feb 17
Gretchen Due Feb 18
Zandersmom due Feb 18
weesej (Jen) Due Feb 19 - Emmanuel Colin born 1/13
Ekblad7+ (Amy) due Feb 20 Homebirth
kinsey43 (Kinsey) due after Feb 20
heveasoul due Feb 21, h/b with m/w
veggiemommy (Holly), due Feb 21
shyly (Monica) due Feb 21 home waterbirth
mehndimama (Stell) due Feb 22 unassisted homebirth
Emmama due Feb 22, homebirth
Mainemon (Susan) due Feb 23 homebirth w/midwife
earthmama007 due 25 Feb 3rd homebirth
Mama2Chloe (Tricia) due 25 Feb #2
Threeforme2005 (Traci) due Feb 25
artgirl (Kelly) #2 Feb. 26
munki'sMom (Tammy), baby #2 due Feb 26
woolfairy (Elle) due Feb 27, baby #2 homebirth
Maprilynne (Aprilynne) due Feb 28, birth center
KateSt. Late Feb. Homebirth
4Given (Stacey) due end of Feb
 
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#52 ·
Hey mamas, happy February.
Well I have treid to post a couple of times , not quite sure what has happened, but they got lost! Maybe dd pounding on the keyboard had something to do with it?

So I went to see my mw today. She wanted me to come in as I felt so bad this weekend, swelling, bad, bad headache, vomitting, but she said all is ok. Bp is awesome and urine is good, so nothing to worry about.
She checked me for the first time, I am 39 wks Friday, and I am 1 1/2 cm dialated, soft cervix that is kind of funneled and the baby's head is way up, so she is saying that this baby is not ready to come, anytime soon.
I keep messing with my husband that I will go into labour on Sunday afternoon, right before the Patriots and Eagles Superbowl.
My EDD is 11th, so we have loads of time anyway, but you know it is always the people that "can't believe you are still pregnant", 2 weeks before your EDD that kind of get you all anxious.
So to all those anxious mothers, avoid them all like the plague!!!

Ok, better go as dd is waking up from her nap.
Hope you are all ok, and getting lots of rest.

XXX Jasmine
 
#53 ·
e-m-3 - just wanted to let you know that mia was at -2 just a few days before her birth and still "free floating," so you never know.

jenni - sorry, i cross posted and didn't see your post 'til later. what shannon said about judging (wow, shannon, so young yet so wise!). i got pitocin with my first (water bag broke so they induced) but no other meds. you can pm me if you have any questions about it.

leta - what's a bili blanket and how did you know when/if kane needed it? mia is kind of yellowy today but not to a point where i'd call the doc. am wishing we weren't having days and days of pouring rain though.

terenia
 
#57 ·
Hey everyone. I'm 38w2d today. I had my weekly ultrasound last night and the baby is still looking great.
I have my 38-week appointment tonight.

Hang in there everyone with the aches and pains. I'm actually doing really well. I was achy this weekend but have been fine the past few days.


Jenni- No judgment at all! It's YOUR body and YOUR birth...so YOUR decision!
I bet everything will go smoothly since you are already dilating. That's a great sign! I can't wait to hear about it all.
 
#59 ·
Elaina, glad you know for sure what it is. I bet you can still have a VB because this isn't the first outbreak and it isn't type II, right? All they have to do is cover any sores that may be present at birth with a washcloth.

lisabc311, Just curious, how come you need a weekly US. I may have missed that part.
: Glad things look great!

ekblad7+, Hope that babe turns for you. I bet it will during labor or before.


A bili blanket is used when the baby has pretty bad jaundice. A little sunlight usually does the trick for most babes!
 
#61 ·
Tug, that's what my mw said, you just never know. I feel the same as I did with dd when I had an exam, and after I felt all achy and twingy and really tired. That night my water broke I went into labour and she was born 7.17pm the next evening.
So... I take it all with a grain of salt. They'll come when they are ready!!

Jenni, sorry I didn't acknowledge your induction post. I do know how it is to post a question or opinion and be judged badly for it, so kudos to you for doing what you think. As Lisa said, it's your body and your birth, so go for it.

Eliana, glad you finally found out the test results, and hope that the outcome is good.

Ok it's feeding time at the zoo here. BFN Jasmine
 
#62 ·
Jenni - I kept trying to post and kept getting interupted by the little ones. Anyway, no flames here. I was induced from nothing last pregnancy, four days early. I had my reasons as you have yours. I had to do what was best for me and the baby. It's just not a pleasant experience so I would avoid it in the future but if I needed to do it I would!
 
#63 ·
earthmama and Zandersmom,
Actually, it doesn't matter which type of herpes you have, type I or II, and in fact, most docs don't even differentiate between the two anymore. Either type can be oral or genital. Either type can be quite harmful to a newborn, and nearly all midwives or docs will tell you that active sores=c section. It isn't safe just to cover the sores with a washcloth. Fortunately, as luck would have it, most women do not have an outbreak at the time of delivery and outbreaks can be further prevented by the use of antiviral medication. C-sections for herpes are pretty unusual now.

Okay, I wanted to do personals, but the water is boiling for my spaghetti! It is hard to find time to sit down.

Happy February, Feb. Mamas!!!
 
#64 ·
Hi gals. Wanted to check in and say a few things.

Shannon - we used aloe vera juice for ds constipation when he was a baby. I just don't remember when and how we used it but you might want to run that by a herbalist or some other natural health person.

Life here with 2 kids is pretty hard. Every time I get a minute ds wants something and then the baby needs me. Even with Dh's help I am worn out and worried about how I am going to handle this all alone. Dh is going to drill this weekend and I don't think I can handle everything alone. I am mad because I thought he was not going to have to go. My mom could come help but she starts radiation tomorrow and I am unsure how it will affect her - she might not have the energy to deal with us.

So, Mom's with more than one kid - how do you do it????? Recovering from a c-section, dealing with 2 kids, and feeling a bit depressed - it is a lot to deal with right now..

Plus, my feet keep swelling up really bad - what is the deal with that? Anyone have swelling AFTER giving birth? It keep me from doing all that I need/want to do.
 
#65 ·
Jenni:
I know it's hard to talk about certain things on MDC because of fear of being judged. Induction is a sensitive subject, but there are times when an induction becomes necessary. I was induced with my son 3 days after my due date because he was absolutely huge and I was scared at how large he could get if I let him cook any longer. This time there is a pretty big possibility I could be induced a few days before my DD because of the same thing. This baby is definitely as big if not bigger than my son was last time (11 lbs & 22.5") and I'm measuring 4 weeks ahead in fundal height. Every day looks more and more like I'll have to have interventions unless a miracle occurs (which I pray for daily) You are not alone hon.


Suz:
looks like you need a hug too. I'm sorry you feel overwhelmed right now. Sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now and the CS recovery is just one part of it.


I can't seem to get pre-registered at my hospital. I've left 5 messages in the last 4 weeks and NO one will call me back
I didn't have this much trouble talking to a live person when I pre-registered with my son. Sheesh! I'm getting pretty PO'd over it actually. It's just rude to not return 5 messages. I'm seeing my OB tomorrow and I am hoping she can give me the number to a live person at the hospital so I can breathe easy and not worry about having to establish a birth plan when I actually arrive at the darn hospital. Grrrr. Ok done venting about that.

I did not sleep worth a crapola last night either. I woke at 3am and got up at 4am and went back to bed around 6am and then had to get up at 7:30 and take my DD to school. I feel awful.

I swear this baby grew 2 inches last night. I was ok yesterday morning but today...OMG I can barely move because this baby is everywhere! The feet are in my ribs way up by my breastbone and the hands are pushing way down in my groin. This kid is HUGE! I'm very very scared
 
#66 ·
I had my 38-week midwife appointment tonight. It went great. Nothing to really report, though. Just waiting for baby to arrive!


earthmama007- I am having weekly ultrasounds now because I had Fifth Disease in the first trimester and it can cause complications to the baby. But so far everything looks great!

Traci- I feel that way too! One day I am sore and achy and the baby is bouncing off my cervix.....and the next day I feel fine! Strange?!

Elaina- Keep us updated on your situation. I hope the sores can be treated and you can avoid the c/s.
 
#68 ·
Anyone else awake?
It's 1:30am here. I woke up at 12:15 w/ a weird pain in lower belly. Barely peed (have peed a couple of times since and pain went away). Loose poops twice (don't you love this TMI stage?!). Went back to bed and woke up 2 more times with same discomfort. Now I'm downstairs trying to type quietly and drinking some tea... waiting to see what's going on.

Suz -
The first couple of weeks are going to be really hard as your body heals, your toddler adjusts, and you/baby get in a groove. It'll happen. Also, spring will be here faster than we know it and it's amazing what a little fresh air and sunshine will do.
My short-time advice though is go into survival mode... don't sweat the "AP/NFL must-do list"
-- if a DumDum lollipop and a Dora video will keep ds content for 30 min. while you nurse the baby, go for it, especially if you've never let ds do either before now LOL!! You can work on your skill slinging the baby while making homemade play-dough with ds another day.
Also, re: ankle swelling... this is extremely common post-c-sec complaint -- I had swelling in legs/ankles really bad after my c-sec. It's just your body working off the drugs/trauma and you'll be ok w/in a week at most. Hang in there!
 
#70 ·
Lousli-Yes, I am fully aware of the virus. I too have it. As long as Elaina has no symptoms at the time of birth it won't be an issue and if it is then that is because the doctor is just being cautious. There is no need for a section and it is highly unlikely that her baby would have any problems due to the herpes. I did a TON of research on this before. You are correct when you say it doesn't matter what type she has. I said that because type II is usually genital but I am also aware that she could have gotten type I down there from oral or however. I have never been told that VB would be an issue with an outbreak. She has been taking aclovir or valtrex and her own body has given the baby antibodies so she should be good. I am not debating just stating what I have lived and researched before.
 
#71 ·
Suz, the swelling is normal, did it only come up now??? Mine was bad the next morning and kept gettting worse for 3 days then gradually came down over the next few, I can now wear shoes again--yep, looked damn funny leaving the hospital with 2 feet of snow wearing my slippers!!
:
We found a local source of expressed breast milk, at least for a couple weeks!! an MDC mama who has even so generously offered to deliver it to us as she remembers "those first few weeks" I couldn't be more happy
Up right now with a grunting, angry looking baby (it kills me how totally PO'd she can look at times) she just ate but is trying to poop, so I figure I should stay up for a bit in case she actually can, so I can change her before we both go down again.

On the TMI front......can someone tell me how normal lochia is supposed to smell??? For days I had almost no discharge at all, now I have copious amounts of yellowish egg white that has a definite odor to it. Because I had an infection after a d&c, I just want to be extra careful. I have no pain, other than muscle pain at the site, so who can define "foul smelling lochia"????
I will await your answers.......
:
 
#72 ·
Okay...as far as I know this is at least my second outbreak...and yes I have been taking valtrex...and yes I have Type I "down there"...how it got there I'm not sure
: ...Brian has Type I and this was something I was aware of before we became serious...after all he was my best friend for awhile before we started "dating"...we only "dated" for two months before we decided to make a baby
.

Anyway...I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon and if the sores are gone...
: (I don't feel them anymore...and try as I might
there is just no good angle to try and see them with a hand held mirror...Brian needs new glasses or something all he will ever say is there isn't enough light in this room, you just look red to me)...or if they think they will be gone in the next 1-2 weeks...then a VB is possible...all this is stuff to discuss with my CNM or WHNP and some nurse named "Jane" who is responsible for my "case" or something
.

So no arguing
: over me!!!
 
#73 ·
Texas Suz, my heart goes out to you. I remember those overwhelming feelings oh so well but it will get easier. Would it be an option to hire a postpartum doula?
I would let your OB know of you swelling and your mood too.

Shannon, wish I could help you out on the lochia problem, but I have no idea. Sorry

Peri, I hear you on the PayPal!! It is just way too tempting!!

Ok, will check back later BFN Jasmine
 
#74 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasSuz
So, Mom's with more than one kid - how do you do it????? Recovering from a c-section, dealing with 2 kids, and feeling a bit depressed - it is a lot to deal with right now..

.
I personally find the first few months of adding a new member to the family very stressful. It's hard to get back into that newborn groove even if it hasn't been that long (it's usually only about two years for me). I have found these things helpful : Take it easy on yourself. Don't expect the dishes to be done, laundry to be done, meals to be cooked by you. The last couple of times I've been really lucky with a food train from our homeschool group but before then I just threw my organic lifestyle out the window for a few weeks and went for all froze, convenience foods. Cereal for dinner too. It's much like I have to live the first few months of pregnancy because I'm so darn sick. Make sure you have a container with coloring books, crayons, picture books, etc that you can keep by you on the couch or in your bed where you will be sitting with your new baby and can entertain your older child. I'm generally against the TV at all but I usually use it as a "treat" when I first give birth. I'll rent a couple of movies I think the older kids would like and let them watch them with some popcorn or something (I usually make homemade but this would be a time for microwave or Jiffy Pop
).

That said, last birth (baby five) I did not take my own advice and just did too much right away. He was born around the holidays so that made it hard, I guess. Anyway, I got horrible PPD. That will not be happening this time! So be selfish and "lazy" and let yourself heal for as long as you can before you jump back into reality.

HTH
and yes, I've had horrible swelling after birth. No fun!
 
#75 ·
I actually slept last night!! From 11:30 til 6:30!! Yahhhh!!!! And I didn't even get up to pee! I thougth I would pop when I woke up but that's okay. The weird thing is, I feel worse this morning than most other. More tired I mean!
Just can't win huh? I better go. I have to get ds on the bus but I will check back later. Take care. have a good day all!
 
#76 ·
So yesterday I felt crappy all day. Lots of cramping... like dull, achey menstrual cramps. Didn't have much of an appetite, and even with the magnesium i'm taking, was mildly constipated. Called Laura lastw night before i went to bed to just let her know things were different, even tho I didn't think they were "in labor" different. Found out that in the 4 days after the full moon, she had 6 babies arrive. HOLY crap. She actually missed one birth because from the time the mom realized she was in labor to the time she gave birth was a whole hour - dad caught baby and baby was breech.

Anyway, I see her at 9 this morning, hopefully i'll be more effaced and more dilated than last week.

I will attempt personals later.....
 
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