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TF Pregnancy Club - December Thread

5K views 135 replies 30 participants last post by  pampered_mom 
#1 ·
Can it really be December? Did the year really go by that fast?

Just thought I'd start the new thread (and link to the old thread)

New? Welcome! - we'd love to hear more, introduce yourself.

Other items of interest
Egg Nog Recipe

I thought it might also be nice to have an at a glance list of EDDs. I've read through the previous threads to compile the list. Please let me know if there are any corrections or if I missed someone! (I linked the names back to the intro made in the first thread as an fyi)

Pregnant TFers

December
wagamama - 12/17/07

January
pampered_mom - end of December, early January
roseoffred - end of December, early January
Pilgrim - 1/3/08
HollyWhittemore - 1/13/08

February
jessicaSAR - late Feb
newcastlemama - 2/11/08
nicolena - 2/18/08
steph117 - 2/29/07

March
suzukiaustin - end of March, early April
Leilalu - 3/10/08
Pinky Tuscadero - 3/20/08

April
celestialdreamer
EENS
elleystar - 4/21/08
lolaroo - 4/28/08
thomlynn - 4/28/08

May
CholoMama - mid May
Ally'smom - late May
Taedareth - 5/15/08
smeisnotapirate - 5/29/08

July
tabitha - 7/25/08
FiberLover - 7/31/08

August
treehugginhippie - Late August/Early September
Bella Catalina - 8/16/08
CountrylivinmomtoB
saving_grace

September
MamaTessa - beginning of the month
brookescott88 - middle of the month

Due Date Unknown
HerthElde
homewithtwinsmama - Spring 2008
desertpenguin
zoebird

TTCers

Lindsay13
moneca
Attached Mama
Skrimpy
ccasanova

: Bouncing Babies
:
MCsMom - 9/07
KLK7 - 12/5/07
Sihaya - 12/22/07

caedmyn

Junegoddess


Beloved Lurkers

Thystle
 
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12
#2 ·
Hi All...

I'm due January 13th.

This may be a bit off topic here, but has anyone ever used
a traditional "faja" after birth to bind their abdomen and cause
the waist to return to normal more quickly? I have a friend from
Columbia who swears by them. They are sort of like a girdle.

Hope someone out there has an opinion to share!

Blessings,
Holly
 
#4 ·
Whew! I *think* I got everybody. I've never done the belly binding thing post pregnancy, but in hindsight really wish I would have been able to do something like that after my c/s with ds. I believe it might have made things easier for me since I have a vertical skin incision, but not sure that I would have liked the pressure.

I do know there are moms who use a rebozo in labor to help with babe's alignment.
 
#6 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by pampered_mom View Post
I do know there are moms who use a rebozo in labor to help with babe's alignment.
Happy December y'all! Any links for how to do this rebozo thing? My LO is such a squirrely one - all over the place still! At least I think he/she stays mainly head down. Thanks Pampered_Mom for putting the list together!
 
#7 ·
pampered mom, thanks for getting the december thread started! i am due the end of march/beginning of april...but that little info is not important!

i am realllllllllllllly interested in the faja. i have the biggest diastasis from my first pregnancy and i wonder if that would help with abdominal repair this time around. i don't want it to get any bigger. i was told by a physical therapist that i needed to have plastic surgery and have my abdominal muscles sewn back together! aaack!

have a nice day everyone.
 
#8 ·
Thank you pampered mom for starting this thread, I loved seeing the list of all of us.

I've never heard of a faja but would love to hear more about it. My mom, and a whole bunch of other random women, suggested that I try a girdle after dd was born. I was hanging out all over the place, and it much have looked as uncomfortable as it was! I'm pretty worried about going through that again this time, because I can't imagine what it will be if it's worse!
 
#9 ·
Oh, that's too funny. I wore one after the birth of my kids at my mexican mother in laws insistence (she even bought them after a hemmorhage). She says it helps squeeze the blood out of the uterus so that a woman can heal. But its really a folk remedy. I would guess that its probably better for putting the uterus back in place. There is a lot of folk wisdom in the culture that is not in the North american culture,especially medicinally, but some is not as smart. I wear them bc it feels better to have it all together but I wear mine with a panty on it for my pad too. It makes me feel more "together" . Interesting question.
 
#12 ·
pampered_mom - thanks for putting that together! I thought about it two days ago and just thought, "uuuugh, I'm tired, maybe tomorrow..."
So I'm glad you got us started. It's great to see everyone laid out like that - it'll be so much fun to hear about these births as they happen! I hope people will share pictures, too!

The whole diastasis thing scares me...suzukiaustin, aagh! I always thought they could heal themselves!
Doesn't everyone get a little bit of diastasis at least? What makes it worse? I hope you find a solution for you...that does not involve surgery...

I've never heard of a faja. I have to look them up! I know I'm planning to go back to my Maya abdominal/uterine massage therapist a couple of times after the birth (when, I don't know) but I know that's supposed to be wonderful for getting everything into place & happy & healthy. I did it for a couple of years monthly and it completely regularized my menstrual cycle as well as preparing my uterus for this whole experience. I'm sure a faja is much more affordable though, and easier to fit into the schedule


Are y'all waking up at night to eat? 5am is my new preferred snack-time. I used to fight it, but that proved fruitless, so now it's just, "Ok. I'll go get you a snack."
 
#13 ·
A new question. i do - I know a lot of people do - but there was an article in the WAP magazine (I think two issues ago) about milk & the author was quite adamant that fruit & dairy don't mix well. but I do it anyway. I think it's an Ayurvedic thing? (That article was what first gave me the idea to drink warmed milk with spices & a bit of ghee melted into it...mmmm) Anyway, just wondering. My stomach doesn't seem to mind, but a little voice always wonders if I should quit.
 
#14 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by steph117 View Post
Are y'all waking up at night to eat? 5am is my new preferred snack-time. I used to fight it, but that proved fruitless, so now it's just, "Ok. I'll go get you a snack."
Some nights I do. I'll lay there and think to myself, it's the middle of the night, just go back to sleep. That is fruitless. So I bring a little something to bed with me, just in case. Dried fruit, a banana, last night it was leftover roasted sweet potato cubes. (I often bring homemade almond milk or a little leftover breakfast sausage, but I eat those things first thing in the am to ward of the queasies.) That way, when I wake up, I just roll over, grab a snack, and head back to sleep.

I find that if I eat enough protein during the day, including a snack at bedtime (lately my favorite is deviled eggs), I'm much less likely to wake up needing to eat in the middle of the night.
 
#15 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim View Post
Any links for how to do this rebozo thing? My LO is such a squirrely one - all over the place still!
If you go to http://www.birthingnaturally.net/cn/tool/rebozo.html it talks about using a rebozo in labor w/another person helping.

Spinning Babies talks about using a Rebozo in pregnancy.

If you go to gentlebirth.org's page on positioning and scroll down to "Helping Baby Descend" it actually refers to a rebozo in labor w/out actually calling it that.

Putting the list together was actually kind of fun. It was nice to go back through the pages of the old threads and get everyone together in one list. It's hard to believe there are so many! :0)

I don't really have an early morning snack, although it is getting more difficult for me to sleep lately. I wake up with my hands numb and have to change positions. The numbness goes away and thankfully it's the only time I get that, but it is quite annoying! I'm trying to tell myself that this is just practice for after the baby comes. A long night's worth of sleep is highly overrated anyway!


About the only thing that wakes me up at night is having to get up to go to the bathroom. Sometimes, though, I find that if I change position slightly I can put it off. Probably not the best idea, but it's hard to get out of my warm bed!

steph117 - I do add fruit to dairy based smoothies...all the time actually. I'm afraid it just isn't a smoothie here w/out it!

thomlynn -
I understand being hormonal. I watched the Hallmark movie on Sunday and found myself tearing up at some of the commercials for their cards...and a great many other things for that matter. I usually get pretty sentimental when pregnant.

I'm a little frazzled today - we had our 36 week home visit with the midwife and her assistant today. I can't believe it's already here and gone!! I can remember starting with a different midwife in a different state at the beginning of my pregnancy and thinking that this day was such a LOOOOOONG way off! It really hit me today that there are still SO many things to do yet. My dh was
at me during lunch today because he figures I'll want to get it all done today. I let him know he was off the hook b/c it's Twofer Tuesday at Cold Stone and there was NO WAY I was going to miss that! This weekend, though, watch out!

Babe is still head down and apparently has really gotten him/herself firmly in there. My mw doesn't think it's like he/she will be able to move up from there. That explains the pressure I've been feeling when I stand up/walk at times. Babe is ROA which I think it hereditary since that's the way all three of us girls were positioned w/my mom and also the way ds was positioned as well. Mw isn't concerned b/c she thinks there's too much emphasis on positioning. In her words "they come out".

Anyways...probably not making much sense today. I'm just feeling a little
: that my EDD is getting so close!
 
#16 ·
Ok...so here's my question for today. I know there's been much talk of Vit K (especially by Masterjohn) in the WAPF and I've seen a list of dietary sources, but I can't seem to locate them at this point. Anyone have the info handy? I want to up my intake of Vit K, but want to do so through food sources if possible.
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by steph117 View Post
The whole diastasis thing scares me...suzukiaustin, aagh! I always thought they could heal themselves!
Doesn't everyone get a little bit of diastasis at least? What makes it worse? I hope you find a solution for you...that does not involve surgery...
"
I think something like a faja could have helped if I used it early on. I had no idea my abdominal muscles had separated that badly and I think I made things worse by the way I was lifting my baby, getting out of bed, bending over, etc. You have to be really careful and pay attention to your posture postpartum. But it may be a genetic thing too...my mom had the same problem and she had to have surgery to have hers repaired. Once the fascia stretches, it can't go back. It's a tendon, not a muscle, so there's only so much you can do. If your mother didn't have this happen to her, you should be ok!

As for midnight snacks, I try to eat something right before bed and that helps me get through the night. I'm starving in the morning, though!

Restful sleep to everyone.
 
#18 ·
I've been lurking, but I am joining in now that I have my
after 12 mths of
!

I'm due 08-16-08
:

This is #2, and we're new to WAPF/TF since June. I still haven't got DH on board with the CLO/BO supplements because of the cost, but with the GP sale I will be able to get some next week. We're about to move and after 3mths in Canada, I have fallen off the wagon. I am on raw dairy and pastured meats and eggs but that is all so far. I want to soak my grains and make my own bread etc once we move.
 
#19 ·
Hi all!
Totally missed out on most of last month, hope everyone is doing well!

We found out yesterday , well 99% sure, that I am having a girl! I find out again in 2 weeks for sure. Darn breech babe wouldn't cooperate. But no balls where balls should have been, so......

I am so super over the moon excited. Little Olivia Lynn will be here soon.
I had to find out, for my sake, because I am sewing like 90% of the diapers. SO now I can sew some girly colors.

I ate a lot of sugar this week and feel like crap, and I got a bump on my cheek- from detoxing from it. Totally sucks. Don't know why I did that to myself. My body has had not much sugar these past months so it was literally like"what the freak are you trying to pull??!!!" I guess I couldn't handle it .... I had a mild cold over the weekend, then after I ate a whole candy bar, the next day had a sinus headache. I should know better. I NEVER eat a whole candy bar! I like hardly eat chocolate anymore.

I did get some vit d, and made killer pate a few weeks ago. I am wodnerign about folic acid though. My new doctor( a lady until I can get an appt with my old ob in Jan(he was booked), was concerned about folic acid since I don't take prenatals. So I told her I do green foods supplements, but she sounded concerned. Anyway- my question, if anyone knows- is would there be research on how raw milk/organic/grassfed diets would naturally be better as far as folic acid intake or reserve- without supplementing with a certain amount? Does that make any sense?
 
#20 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by pampered_mom View Post
Ok...so here's my question for today. I know there's been much talk of Vit K (especially by Masterjohn) in the WAPF and I've seen a list of dietary sources, but I can't seem to locate them at this point. Anyone have the info handy? I want to up my intake of Vit K, but want to do so through food sources if possible.
Alfalfa infusions are supposed to be really rich in K, right? Susun Weed suggests a few infusions for K but I have no idea about other dietary sources. I'd be interested in that too!

Bellacatalina - CONGRATS!
: and welcome! Being on raw dairy & pastured meats/eggs doesn't sound like falling off the wagon too much...it's great! I hope the pregnancy treats you really, really well and that you feel wonderful throughout. We'll look forward to getting to know you!

Leilalu- congrats on your little girl!
& bleah on sugar. hope that clears out of your system soon - sometimes it's helpful to have a little of whatever we're avoiding to remind ourselves how much we don't miss it, you know?

Quote:

Originally Posted by leilalu View Post
My new doctor( a lady until I can get an appt with my old ob in Jan(he was booked), was concerned about folic acid since I don't take prenatals. So I told her I do green foods supplements, but she sounded concerned. Anyway- my question, if anyone knows- is would there be research on how raw milk/organic/grassfed diets would naturally be better as far as folic acid intake or reserve- without supplementing with a certain amount? Does that make any sense?
I'd be interested in knowing that too! I would like to have known that beforehand, also. I don't think your dr should be concerned or giving you grief about it at this point, since you're well past the first trimester. What green supplement do you take, btw? I've been taking New Chapter's greens/fruits stuff for a week or so.

suzukiaustin - EEEK! Thanks for writing about this. I will be extra-careful! I hope it's not causing you any pain...
 
#21 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by steph117 View Post
What green supplement do you take, btw? I've been taking New Chapter's greens/fruits stuff for a week or so.

I take Amazing Grass- the cocoa flavored one, actually- stirred into raw milk. We used to take the green one(just green foods, same brand) and mixed it with a tiny bit of juice concentrate to sweeten,and added water. My kids called in green juice. Now that we make the brown one they call it brown juice
I do NOT get them the one for kids, which has added soy
I just give them half a scoop. Don't know if it is the best brand, but we like it, and it is always on sale
 
#22 ·
Bella Catalina and congrats!!

Leilalu - I too wonder why your doc is so concerned given the fact that you are out of your first trimester when folate/folic acid is most important. I haven't read anything about folate/folic acid when it comes to raw milk/grass fed or pastured animals. I would think it might have some impact since from what I understand folate is found most abundantly in whole, raw vegetables. If the veggies are grown by a farmer that is careful with their soil fertility I would think that would certainly help boost levels as well. If I have some time I'll see if I can find out more.

steph117 - Alfalfa infusions! I had forgotten about that one. Sheesh - I only read Susun's book a few months ago. Here's what I found yesterday from www.gentlebirth.org/archives/vitkpro.html:

Quote:
Vitamin K is fat soluble. It comes from plants & vegetable oils (Type K-1) and is also synthesized by bacteria in the gut (Type K-2), but K-2 is not a major sources in the 1st 4-6 months of life. Food sources of K are leafy greens (spinach, kale, turnip, etc), cabbage, cauliflower, peas, kelp, alfalfa, nettles, green tea, chlorophyll, dairy products, egg yolks, safflower & other polyunsaturated oils, and fish liver oils. Vit. K is destroyed by freezing & radiation.
I also located my Fall 2007 issue of Wise Traditions and there was a follow up by Masterjohn in there on his Spring 2007 Activator X article. I have no idea where my Spring 2007 issue went (after our move back here this summer nothing is organized anymore), but I'll have to see if I can dig that up.

Anyway, the suggestions for supplementation there are to eat foods richest in Vit K2 - natto, cheese or goose liver and then those that are relatively rich like grass-fed butter, animal fats, and fermented foods.

Part of my research yesterday also suggested that there are some things that interfere with Vit K like antibiotic use in both mom and baby - definitely makes me even more leery of using antibiotics for my GBS.
:

Egg Nog - I had been pondering the whole egg nog recipe. I like the recipe that was posted, but had been wondering how one made traditional egg nog - you know, the one everyone had before the dairy processors started creating the one in the dairy case. Anyway, I found a recipe in my Joy of Cooking and tried it the other day. It was pretty good and definitely thick. The recipe was as follows:

1 egg yolk, 1T of maple syrup, a few grains of salt, 1/4 c of cream - whisk the egg yolk until the color lightens and then whisk in the other ingredients.

1 egg white - beat until stiff and then fold in the first mixture.

I'd actually probably add nutmeg to the first mixture as well to give it even better flavor. It wasn't all that bad, but was a bit foamy. I think I'm going to try the recipe again, but this time skip the egg white and whip the cream instead.

Another option if you're so inclined! :0)
 
#23 ·
I love the idea of a faja!!! I have a diastasis, too, although I don't know how "bad" it is, officially. I could barely walk after my third birth... just felt like my middle was jelly. Like there was no muscle or spine or anything, had to stoop over and basically just felt SO tired. It was a real shock. I bounced back fast after my first two births. This time I swear I'll do my best to STAY IN BED. Really. We need our rest after our little ones are born, but I never let myself do it.

Some sort of binding sounds great. My dh bought me a weird sports-related girdle thingy last time. It was very uncomfortable, so I didn't use it. I would need something that doesn't bunch up when I sit and is really easy to put on/take off.

I guess I'll go google fajas!

Oh, and my due date is right... I don't go by dates much, though.
 
#24 ·
Hi all! Congrats Bella Catalina!

I've been realizing that I have really slipped on sugary stuff since Halloween. Overall I've been eating okay, but then having way too many treats with it. I'm feeling kinda crappy from it, so I'm now on day 4 of no-sugar again. I had gone completely sugar free, very low-grain back in the spring and lost 20lbs and felt amazing. I'm gaining pregnancy weight a little faster than I would like and my energy levels are still really low. On the other hand I'm finding that if I eat too much protein, I get ketones in my urine and don't have room for much else. So I'm trying to find a balance between lots of produce and a little protein/fat/good carbs at each meal. I already feel better from the lack of sugar, but the afternoons have been rough as I keep craving chocolate.

Also, I'm dealing with a little bit of issues with my 19 month old. He's always been super healthy and seemed fine with whatever we fed him if we avoided dairy, soy and gluten. Well suddenly he has dark circles under his eyes, very dry skin and is having tons of poops with undigested food (sorry TMI). I know from my previous issue with my dd's numerous food allergies (which I thought were triggered from celiac gut damage) that we need to figure out whatever he is not tolerating ASAP and start trying to heal it back up before it gets worse. So he's no longer eating eggs, rice, corn or citrus right now as a trial elimination. That takes out most of his current favs so its been a challenge to prepare meals. He was doing awesome the last few days after removing those until yesterday afternoon. My FIL gave him some tangerine without me realizing until he was in the process of swallowing it. He had horrible diarrhea last night so I'm thinking maybe it is citrus that is the problem. Really I'm hoping that is the only one because the other eliminated items are frequently eaten here. I'm going to try giving him some chewable enzymes and probiotics at meals today and see if he seems better. I thought since we dealt with dd's severe gut/allergy issues that we were done with this. Guess not! I know this is completely OT to this thread, sorry for venting.
 
#25 ·
. I know. I think I may have to state again that I really meant it when I said I try to get my nutrition from diet. In my next appt in 2 weeks,I will really tell her specifically why I am not concerned.

Like, we do CSA, so I am sure the soil is super rich. The reason she was concerned was because it was my third baby...so she says. Which I could sort of understand- but I seriously don't think that with all the raw milk I drink, and eating organic CSA, that I run any risk whatsoever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pampered_mom View Post
Bella Catalina and congrats!!

Leilalu - I too wonder why your doc is so concerned given the fact that you are out of your first trimester when folate/folic acid is most important. I haven't read anything about folate/folic acid when it comes to raw milk/grass fed or pastured animals. I would think it might have some impact since from what I understand folate is found most abundantly in whole, raw vegetables. If the veggies are grown by a farmer that is careful with their soil fertility I would think that would certainly help boost levels as well. If I have some time I'll see if I can find out more.

steph117 - Alfalfa infusions! I had forgotten about that one. Sheesh - I only read Susun's book a few months ago. Here's what I found yesterday from www.gentlebirth.org/archives/vitkpro.html:

I also located my Fall 2007 issue of Wise Traditions and there was a follow up by Masterjohn in there on his Spring 2007 Activator X article. I have no idea where my Spring 2007 issue went (after our move back here this summer nothing is organized anymore), but I'll have to see if I can dig that up.

Anyway, the suggestions for supplementation there are to eat foods richest in Vit K2 - natto, cheese or goose liver and then those that are relatively rich like grass-fed butter, animal fats, and fermented foods.

Part of my research yesterday also suggested that there are some things that interfere with Vit K like antibiotic use in both mom and baby - definitely makes me even more leery of using antibiotics for my GBS.
:

Egg Nog - I had been pondering the whole egg nog recipe. I like the recipe that was posted, but had been wondering how one made traditional egg nog - you know, the one everyone had before the dairy processors started creating the one in the dairy case. Anyway, I found a recipe in my Joy of Cooking and tried it the other day. It was pretty good and definitely thick. The recipe was as follows:

1 egg yolk, 1T of maple syrup, a few grains of salt, 1/4 c of cream - whisk the egg yolk until the color lightens and then whisk in the other ingredients.

1 egg white - beat until stiff and then fold in the first mixture.

I'd actually probably add nutmeg to the first mixture as well to give it even better flavor. It wasn't all that bad, but was a bit foamy. I think I'm going to try the recipe again, but this time skip the egg white and whip the cream instead.

Another option if you're so inclined! :0)
 
#26 ·
Egg nog lattes anyone?



FTR, this is storebought Organic Valley, on sale
:

I tried the recipe from Grassfed gourmet for egg nog and it was yummy
It is a cooked milk recipe made with raw- ?!
: But I think I cooked it a little long, as it chunked up when I cooled it. You drink it right away I guess for the goodness.
 
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