[mommytoallh]

<p>Since it's almost December I thought get this started!</p>
<p>Got back from FL late Sunday. We had a good time, but I'm happy to be home. I can't believe it's December! I can't believe we will be having our babies so soon!</p>
<p>Thanksgiving was a little bitter sweet for me, I had my last m/c just before our Tgiving trip last year. I felt especially grateful this year. It took almost 3 years to get pregnant again after my first m/c.</p>
<p>I am having a serious hard time with my lower back and hips. I have not been sleeping much. My MW suggested going to a chiropractor. So I did and now I am going to be seeing him 2x a week along with a physical therapist. My body is apparently shot from having so many kids! I am hoping to get some relief and for it not to get worse. She told me there is no stability back there and I could also separate my pelvis in the front too, that does not sound fun.</p>
<p>I am planning on starting my baby laundry next week. That makes me pretty excited.</p>
<p>I hope everyone is doing well and holding up OK. I know some of you are going through some very difficult times and I sympathize and offer my support Lets keep cooking these babies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh and I wanted to tell all the first time mamas that you might be wondering if your body will EVER be the same again. And the answer is yes - almost. Things will shift a little but at some point you will feel normal again. I say this because in all my swollen glory I have to remind myself I have btdt and it will happen.</p>

 

[cactuspear]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>mommytoallh</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1282622/december-chat-vents-encouragements-shameless-plugs-for-support#post_16082760"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>Oh and I wanted to tell all the first time mamas that you might be wondering if your body will EVER be the same again. And the answer is yes - almost. Things will shift a little but at some point you will feel normal again. I say this because in all my swollen glory I have to remind myself I have btdt and it will happen.</p>
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</div>
<p><br>
Here's what I want to know about body changes - will my boobs ever shrink down again?  I was already a D-cup by high school and now they feel like they're growing out of control!  Do they get a little smaller again when you're done nursing?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just had my baby shower and now we're trying to rearrange the house to accommodate all the baby stuff.  Only two more weeks of classes and grading and I'm done teaching for the year!  Whew.  I've been wanting to nest, but not having much time.  So much to do!  I love building things, so I can't wait to put together the changing table and co-sleeper bassinet.  In my other life, I'm one of those people employed by Ikea to visit people's homes and construct their furniture for them.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>DP seems extra nervous, like it's all becoming more real for him.  He's worried about doing a good job, which I think is endearing.  His family used to call him the Pied Piper because his nieces and nephew lovingly followed him everywhere, so I'm sure he'll do just fine.  We plan to do the pain coping exercises from Birthing From Within over the Christmas break.  Anybody find these helpful?  Does a Bradley book include stuff like this?</p>

 

[baggybears]

<p>For me, it took a while once I stopped nursing but my boobs did get smaller. And smaller. And smaller. Ended up smaller than before I got pregnant.</p>

 

[nosce]

<p>After two years of nursing, when I weaned, I was smaller than I was before I got pregnant. Of course I weaned in the first trimester of this pregnancy so they're already exploding out of my shirt again.</p>

 

[nia82]

<p>Same. Smaller than before pregnancy, now growing back. I have had some crazy changes (started 32C, went to 36D, back down to 32B, now getting big again).</p>

 

[sweeteleanor]

<p>Oh so small and sad and flappy.  Like a hound dogs ears.  BUT I am sure yours will remain perky and full.  <span><img alt="Sheepish.gif" height="19" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/Sheepish.gif" width="19"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am getting a tad worried about this upsidown baby.  Need to do more spinning baby research.</p>

 

[mommytoallh]

<p>After baby is born my boobs do get bigger, then they eventually get a little smaller, then about the same size as pre-pregnancy before my first and then sadly they disappear into almost nothing but an empty change purse...</p>

 

[nia82]

<p>Arrhh I'm freaking out today. I am toxoplasmosis negative. So I avoided the litterbox, all raw meats and such so far. Yesterday I cooked flat iron steak for 20 minutes in the pan, the inside was still medium, so I cut thin strips (1cm, maybe 8mm) and microwaved it for a minute on high. It was still red, so I did another minute. I ate it and at the end some of it looked still medium. I freaked out and induced vomiting about 1 hour after eating, yikes, I am so worried about toxo. It is the worst case to contract it in the third trimester, now I have to wait before I can take a blood test. It's like sitting on hot coal. My midwives said to relax and that we can test the blood during the next appointment but that the risk is very low and more a risk with pork than beef and that many pregnant women still eat raw meats and don't wash their veggies right and stuff. I feel so silly. And scared!</p>

 

[baby3in2011]

<p>I had a pretty exhausting Thanksgiving. Drove 7 hours each way, but at least there were 2 full days in between. Everyone there ended up sick, and we are kind of feeling it now. My body tends to be in better shape after I have a baby, due to nursing I'm sure...I lose the baby weight within 2 weeks or so and then it just keeps coming off after that over the next few months. I'm hoping that will coast me towards a good weight, and once I am able, exercise and eat better than I used to. I've always had big boobs, and I've been either pregnant or nursing (or both) for the past 4 or 5 years so they haven't gotten any smaller, I'm currently a 38G/F. I'm hoping after I'm done nursing this one they will shrink away to nothing so I can wear shirts with built in bras and stuff. <span><img alt="hopmad.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/hopmad.gif"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thanksgiving was a little bitter sweet for me too, last year at Tgiving I was pretty sure I was pg, but we weren't ready to tell anyone yet. The day wore me out and my back hurt for weeks afterwards, thought it was pg related and when all was said and done it turned out to be the partial molar pregnancy...Christmas will be the same way,  we had already told people about it. Tgivng was hard because it was the day we got the faint lines...It's easier now though to think/talk about the pmp. It doesn't haunt me like it used to. Just think about this new baby girl and how much I can't wait to meet her </p>
<p> </p>

 

[aidenn]

<p>Thanksgiving was fine over here.  Same old deal.  I don't "get/understand" Thanksgiving at my in-laws because my MIL always insists on making the whole spread and then complains when my DH and I leave later because she didn't get to spend any time with my daughter since she was in the kitchen all day, and couldn't we spend the night?  We live 20 minutes away and she watches my daughter while I am at work 5 full days a week, I don't think she's really going to forget her.  Also, if its that important, get the hell out of the kitchen and let's do that take-away stuff from the grocery store.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am having KILLER round ligament pain all of a sudden.  As in, it's hard to walk.  The midwife thinks I may have strained those muscles because of all the junk I have to push around at work (I work at a library and I push a lot of book carts) and from walking the dog a little overzealously.  I greatly look forward to this part being over, but I attempted to console myself by eating 9 Danish butter cookies in a sitting, 'cause I'm classy like that!  FYI, the butter cookies</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Weighing in on the breast size issue:  mine went down but they altered in shape.  I went up to a 42H from a 40DD in my first pregnancy and had just gotten used to my now angled normal-sized breasts when I got pregnant again.  My older is still nursing, but I don't think she's getting much, but my breasts are back up in size, though not that gigantor 42H that they were.  I don't wear bras anymore so it's hard to gauge exactly how much, but it's not as much.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After all of my negativity, I want to say we're all doing a great job and a big shout-out of love and encouragement to everyone!  We are ALMOST there!  Right after Christmas and then ~poof!~ we'll all have happy birthing stories!!</p>

 

[grassisgreener1334]

<p>My boobs also got smaller when I was done nursing my first.  Not considerably smaller, though, but they also weren't as perky which made them seem smaller. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm doing alright these days, but I've been noticing my uterus sometimes feels sore at the top right side (right under my rib cage)...not sure why.  Anyone else ever experience this?</p>

 

[debra_lea]

<p>Things are good here, other than seasonal sicknesses we all keep passing around.  I just started an antibiotic for a sinus infection today.  Hopefully I will be back on my feet soon.  I sent the past 2 days washing baby laundry - which was wonderfully sweet.  Love folding all those little clothes, and remembering son my other babies wore.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I just had mini breakdown.  I walked into the bathroom and lifted my shirt to see my belly.  I started crying.  Crying that this is it.  This is my last pregnancy.  I want to slow down time to enjoy every stage, knowing they go by so quickly.  With the holidays and all their hoopla, it just feels like it is all going to go by in the snap of a finger and I will never have this again.  Ugh, crying with a cold, is adding fuel to the fire....</p>
<p> </p>

 

[meg007]

<p>As a first time mom, I'm relieved to hear our bodies go mostly back to normal, and definitely relieved to hear about the boobs shrinking too.  I was already like, "woah these are big" when I finally got into a D cup, pre-preg.  Now I'm up from 38D to 40E.  And I use one of those bra-extenders, too.  I had to measure my bust (a friend is making me something), and it was 44.  JEEZ!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">
<div>DP seems extra nervous, like it's all becoming more real for him.  He's worried about doing a good job, which I think is endearing.  His family used to call him the Pied Piper because his nieces and nephew lovingly followed him everywhere, so I'm sure he'll do just fine.  We plan to do the pain coping exercises from Birthing From Within over the Christmas break.  Anybody find these helpful?  Does a Bradley book include stuff like this?</div>
</div>
</div>
<p> </p>
<p>Cactuspear, my husband is doing the same thing, and I think it's really sweet too.  He doesn't have any Pied Piper experience, but I'm betting my guy will do great all the same.  I need to get reading on Birthing From Within, haven't gotten very far yet.  But I'm taking a Bradley class, and we did the squeezing ice cubes to simulate a contraction thing.  It was kind of crazy!  I'm glad we did it.  I felt some fear right before we did it, and I was pretty good at staying relaxed, and hubby did great at reminding me, and rubbing me too.  It was very interesting!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, and our Thanksgiving went well too.  This year it was just the two of us, thank goodness.  We haven't had that in years, because his family always comes to town and we always go to Disneyland.  Which should be great, except his sister and her husband indulge their daughter in everything she could ever want and there are screaming tantrums (and this kid is 9 years old), and it exhausts me.  So I was quite pleased to skip that this year!  We both had colds so we stayed in and ate some easy to prepare turkey, green beans, etc, and watched The Walking Dead, the zombie series on AMC.  It was a lot of fun!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">
<div>My midwives said to relax and that we can test the blood during the next appointment but that the risk is very low and more a risk with pork than beef and that many pregnant women still eat raw meats and don't wash their veggies right and stuff. I feel so silly. And scared!</div>
</div>
</div>
<p> </p>
<p>Aw that is scary, nia82!!  I hope everything comes back totally fine and very quickly.  I'd be freaked too, but the good news is you're probably totally fine!  <span><img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/smile.gif"></span></p>

 

[nosce]

<p>All these descriptions of post-pregnant/breastfeeding breasts are cracking me up. Hound dog ears? Empty coin purses? You ladies are <em>awesome.</em> I'll add my tea cups to the club. Because that's about all I'd fill up before I got pregnant again, Granny's teacups!</p>

 

[Mrs.Music]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>nosce</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1282622/december-chat-vents-encouragements-shameless-plugs-for-support#post_16086723"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>All these descriptions of post-pregnant/breastfeeding breasts are cracking me up. Hound dog ears? Empty coin purses? You ladies are <em>awesome.</em> I'll add my tea cups to the club. Because that's about all I'd fill up before I got pregnant again, Granny's teacups!</p>
</div>
</div>
<br><br><p> They are unfortunately all perfectly accurate descriptions... Haha. I was an A cup before babies... C cup while nursing, a floppy A after weaning... And now I am a C again. So I don't know what this means for how big my nursing boobies will be. I'd be happy with a D, but I'm petite so I think a DD would KILL me. haha.</p>

 

[OkiMom]

<p>Ok, today is seriously making me rethink the whole "I love kids" thing.. so far Ive been hit, kicked and bite. had to deal with a good 40 tantrums, my oldest got into sharpies and "colored" herself and her sister. My youngest got into my sewing supplies and cut her hair, they also cut a hole in the bodice of the dress Im wearing for pictures. Oh yea, we are suppose to take pictures this weekend so somehow I have to fix sharpie, hair and the dress by Saturday.. I really just want to curl up and cry, specially since morning sickness has been horrible today.</p>

 

[Twinklefae]

<p>:hugs Okimom.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My breasts got smaller, but were still bigger and longer than pre=pregnancy, once I weaned DS.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've got HUGE pelvic pain all of a sudden, and since everything says to baby it as much as possible, I'm feeling unusually useless. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Had a midwife appt. yesterday and it went really really well.  My GTT was fine, my Iron was a bit low so I'm upping the amount of Floradix I'm taking.  *sigh* I've been dealing with constipation this week so now I"m feeling like I'm never going to GO again.  TMI?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Other than that things are good - I really like the two midwives left at the practice, and they seem to like me, and I got to talk about my issues with the midwife who 'left' and that felt good.  I'm really beginning to feel like I can trust them again, which is huge. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My ultrasound is coming up, and I'm both excited and terrified.  I've never had one, and I DON"T want to know gender under any circumstances.  They aren't supposed to tell, and the midwife is going to stress it on the paperwork, but it's still making me a little bit anxious.</p>

 

[nia82]

<p>@ Twinkle: No worries they ask right away if you want to know and would never say a word. But maybe ask them to tell you when they look at the gender area, cause you can totally tell a boy, seriously. You would know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>@ Okimom: I know how you feel... Though I just have one at home who didn't even wreak half as much havoc, he decided to start his "terrible twos" and just really is pushing is boundaries. I know it is normal, but frigging exhausting, considering DH is never ever home. Btw I colored myself with Sharpies when I was 3.... took 2 days of scrubbing, and they resorted to vinegar... my mom wasn't pleased... cough cough)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>@ Meg: I have to wait til December 17th for the blood draw and then the results, and if it's there one can take antibiotics. I called the base doctor (my primary care guy) and he thought it is next to impossible to get it from the meat that was cooked and microwaved but still red, he was s o confident that he didn't even think a test is worth it. My midwives think it is rare too, but to appease me will do the test. Basically I could have gotten it from poorly washed salad at a restaurant, I mean the small chance for all of us is out there, which is why in Germany they test twice for it in pregnancy to detect an infection (it is symptomless to mom). But even if it is there, antibiotics can help, and only a small chance of kids have a bad case, so I feel a tad better right now. But here and there I get panic attacks, then I feel fine for a couple hours. Baeh I want 2 weeks to pass really quickly.</p>

 

[Twinklefae]

<p>Thanks Nia.  They technically aren't allowed to tell you at all, so it shouldn't be an issue, but apparently sometimes it slips.  And I don't want to look at all <span style="font-size:8px;">I kinda think ultrasounds are creepy-looking.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><img alt="hug.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/hug.gif"> to you too.  It's not something I personally would worry about - I had no idea you weren't supposed to eat regular steak (ie. cooked medium-rare for me) while pregnant til you posted that.  I've done it during both pregnancies since I crave steak - low iron levels much?</span> <span><img alt="lol.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/lol.gif"> - and never had a problem. </span></p>

 

[OkiMom]

<p>Twinkle, just make sure that you tell the tech when you walk in that you DON"T want to know the gender.. Also tell them your husband/partner doesn't want to know (sometimes Ive heard of them "oopsing when one wanted to know but the other didn't).. The tech I had this time asked twice before she said anything but it was so obvious I would have guessed it even if she didn't say anything!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>nia- I might end up resorting to something today. We are suppose to be taking pictures tomorrow and right now they look like they have some sort of terrible disease.. Ughs! Why do they always do things right when its the worst time for them too????</p>
<p> </p>
<p>DH's co-workers aren't the brightest they called twice last night.. once at midnight and once at 1am.. who calls a pregnant womans phone in the middle of the night?? Usually I wouldn't care but the reason was stupid. If it isn't something that an emergency enough to call him to work or it isn't something he can do about it at home then don't call.. Wait until the next morning! I did keep my cool though, luckily for that guy.. DH is going to have a talk with them today about the proper reasons to call someone in the middle of the night.</p>