# July 2003 Mamas-to-be Roll Call



## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey mamas-to-be!

Who else is just finding out they are pregnant and due around July?

I'm 6 weeks pregnant today, and think the EDD is around the beginning of July.

Anyone else?

madison


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## naotalba (May 29, 2002)

Madison, I am sooooooo glad to see you starting this thread, and even happier to be joining it.







I started ttcing in July of 2001, and reading your posts on this board was a big part of what started my babylust.
I found out I'm pregnant 25 minutes ago, so forgive me if I'm rambling. I obvulated oct 22, so I am due July 15, but I think I will lie and tell the doctor my lmp was oct 11 so they will give me a July 18 due date (midwife is not an option due to insurance/financial reasons, and I DO NOT want to be induced)

Where are all the other July mamas hiding? Come out, come out, whereever you are!


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

HEY NAOTALBA!

CONGRATULATIONS! 25 minutes ago, huh?







That's great!

I'm glad you're here, too!

Isn't this both exciting and rather unbelievable still? I admit I still go look at the positive test, lol - but now morning sickness has kicked in and I don't doubt it anymore, LOL, as he/she makes him/herself known!

Welcome!


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## Cygnet09 (Jan 17, 2002)

MADISON!! This is such excellent, exciting news! I am so happy for you! I know this has been such a long time coming - congratulations! Something just made me look over to see who had started this thread and my eyes popped when I saw your name!









Just had to jump in - and I'll be checking back to see how you are doing!

Congrats again!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Me! Me! I'm due on 7/10, but thinking more like 7/15 (I dreamt months ago that I was due on 7/15 and I did o a little late this month, just not sure how late).

I'm on pins and needles and will be until 12/26 (12 weeks). I've got problems with early miscarriages (like 4 and 5 weeks), but with every day that passes, I'm more and more excited. I carry the + test around in my purse and look at it every once in a while. This was a total shock since we were about to give up and choose to have an only child.

Side note: Alis, if you're reading this, I SWEAR I am going to measure that fabric and mail the swatches I cut months ago!! Really, I am!!


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Hi ALL!!!!!!!!

AF wouldn't have been due till next week, but I already know because I'm one of those women with very short stretches between af and ovulation









I'm going to be due half July ~ around the 15th if the math works this time. We're going to do home VBAC!!


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## naotalba (May 29, 2002)

Congradulations, Simonee and Charmie981!
Yesterday I went out and bought a pair of little yellow booties, so I don't have to carry the urine-soaked test around anymore.








I have the "confirming" doctor's apt a week from monday- what do they do at the first apt?
How is everyone feeling?


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Hi fellow July Mamas!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

The first appointment with an OB is usually pretty invasive, including the whole gamut of STD cultures, a bi-manual exam to gague the size of your uterus, and a pap. If you've had a pap recently, there's not much reason for one now, especially since they often come back abnormal in early pregnancy. The STD cultures really aren't necessary if you're in a manogamous relationship, but most OBs won't let you get out of them, and the bimanual exam...well, I won't be having that done either. My goal with this pregnancy is fewer than 5 vaginal exams total







. I'm also using a mw, so this isn't unreasonable.

I'm still totally stressed about every little twinge. The prenatals are starting to constipate me (thinking about just taking a folic acid supplement and some yellow dock and ditching the prenates all together), I'm sick sometimes, but not enough to reassure me yet. I'm cramping a lot, which is totally nerve wracking. My boobs hurt but I can't tell if it's b/c of the pregnancy or b/c of Samuel's sudden (involuntary) weaning due to the pregnancy (nursing was causing cramps). I'm really testy, but that could be the stress too. In short, I'm not sure if I have *any* pregnancy symtoms yet!!

I see the mw on Tuesday (as a doula for a friend though) so I'm going to find out if weaning is really necessary and if I can have sex. I sure would help a lot with the stress if I could keep the men in my life happy







!!

I'm really looking forward to my stay on this board!!


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## its_our_family (Sep 8, 2002)

Hey ladies.....I may be joining you soon.....who knows though!! My current drama is laid out in the TTC board cause I did't think they would think I was nuts!!! I still have some time before I can test....I have no idea when I would be due if I am pg.....since Tracy is 6.5 months old and I'm not ovulating on a set or even closely repeating schedule!!!

Even if I do not join you.......CONGRATS!!!







and I hope you have wonderful pregnancies!!!

Edited to add: I've been constantly nauseous for the last 9 or 10 days and I hope it sure pays off to be something!!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Well I was so eager I jumped on the June thread, but I think the due date is July 1st. Maybe I'll just hover between the two. Morning sickness is pretty miserable now, plus I've had a cold for awhile. I dread having to find something to eat each time the wave of nausea hits. I feel like I'm just forcing food down.

Cindi


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## Sofiamomma (Jan 4, 2002)

MADISON!!! That's great!! I'm so excited for you. I've been wondering what you've been up to! Congratulations!!


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

congratulations everyone!!

I just found out I am pregnant this morning! I'm very excited, and according to my calculations, I'm due arounds the middle of July (15-17). Dh is shocked, we just started trying in October, and he figured it would take a little longer than this! I keep staring at the test -- in case it changes ?? I'm soooo happy!


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Welcome and congrats, Erikanorth!
















But dang! you're confirming a prejudice here: THere really IS nothing else to do in Nunavut between September and May, is there?


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Yeah, I knew there were more mamas-to-be in July here! Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Congratulations to those of you who JUST found out (as opposed to those of us who found out last week, lol!)!!!

I think a summer baby sounds so wonderful - getting to watch those skinny naked newborn legs & arms grow chunky and fat in the warm weather of summer









Unfortunately for me, I think I'll have to miss the Gay Pride Parade in July this summer - I was kinda looking forward to going and painting "Mommy Queerest" on my great big huge pregnant belly and wearing a bikini top (NOT BOTTOM, LOL), but my due date is near the parade date, and I won't be up to taking a newborn at a week or two or three old out amongst all those fun, crazy people! Oh, well - I'll have someone pick me up a t-shirt for next year when I'll be taking a 12-month old!







How fun planning all this stuff!

And a summer birthday will be nice - I'll have Christmas paid off by the time I have to start paying off birthday expenses, LOL!


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## JayGee (Oct 5, 2002)

Me too!!!! And totally unexpected. I've been feeling crappy and tired for about a week so I tested yesterday. Lo and behold, a +! I have no idea when I'm due (assuming it's July), because my cycles still hadn't resumed. I'm still breastfeeding my 12-month-old son, including 2-3 times at night, so I never expected to get pregnant. What a thrill!

Now that the shock has worn off, I'm so happy to be joining the July 2003 Mommies!

Kristina
Mama to Jacob 10/30/01


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## naotalba (May 29, 2002)

Madison, I'm sorry you'll be missing all the fun. If it makes you feel any better, I will be missing a very un-fun bar exam, for the same reason.







Plus, isn't the Long Beach or Irvine Pride later in the year? Much smaller, I know, but still better than waiting all year.

Welcome to all the newly pregnant women! Congratulations! We're going to have babies!









For me, I'm having to get used to a July baby- I think the baby chose the one month I would have to rearrange my whole schedule for the future, to test my priorities. I like the idea of nudie baby in a cloth diaper taking walks in the sun. But I am worried about money, since our "plan" was for me to be a well-paid attorney while dh was a sahd. New plan- two parents both working part-time at low paying jobs for a year. I guess the baby won't mind unless she needs legal advice.









Erikanorth- take my advice- buy something small for the baby, so when you want something to reassure yourself, you won't have to pull out something you've peed on.









Charmie: Thanks for the info- I'm really wishing the apt was coming sooner, as unpleasant as it sounds, just because I would like to have the "official" confirmation.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Madison; haaahaaaaahaaaaaaa!

Don't even think your babe with arrive on due date! You're gonna be the best mama queerest LA has ever seen!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Due July 18th!!!! I'm so excited to be here with all of you July mamas!

Tested positive yesterday morning...I wanted to see that line so badly that I didn't believe it when I actually saw it! I took another test just to make sure. I'm five weeks pregnant---wow!!!

I am soooo thrilled!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rose


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## its_our_family (Sep 8, 2002)

Well....I'm officially joining!!!! I'll post more later but Tracy is clingy today!!!

I'll be due sometime around july......not sure when though!


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Congratulations, Rose & its_our_family!


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## naotalba (May 29, 2002)

If I have this right, the firstborn babies to be here are:
Madison
Erikanorth
Rose
Me
Is that right? (Not to exclude the mamas on this thread, just to reassure myself I'm not the only one who spends all her time at MDC even though I'm not actually a mother)

It's_our_family- my cat wanted to let you know that he knew I was pregnant before dh and I did. Dh thought he had managed to horribly offend the cat, since the switch in loyalties was obvious. As of yet, it is my most noticeable preg symptom- the cat now likes me best.


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Welcome, JayGee and its_our_family!!!

Naotalba, this is our first, too (added signature below). Talk about uncharted territory!

I've been compulsively checking my pregnancy tests to make sure the lines haven't disappeared for some bizarre and unexplainable reason.







I'm soooo excited, but nervous at the same time....

Rose


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I'm glad to see so many first time mamas here! Would that I knew about MDC with my first pregnancy. Maybe I wouldn't have felt like such a crazy when we didn't buy a crib and I was stocking up on cloth diapers!!!


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## naotalba (May 29, 2002)

Rose: I just doublechecked, you were on the list already, just above me. I'm glad to see you that you and Erikanorth and I are all graduates of the same 2ww thread. By the way, we have the same edd- I'm predicting my baby will be born about 7/23 though.

Charmie- You made a mistake. You admitted to having used cloth diapers before. Now, you will be forced to share your knowledge with the novices <<evil cackle>> I'm thinking of chinese prefolds for day, and fuzzibunz for night, as the cheapest possible route. What do you think?


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Yes, this is my first baby, though I feel like less of a novice cause I've spent a ton of time around babies! I was a preschool teacher (infants 6 weeks - 12 months & 12 - 24 months) and preschool Director for 7 years, and a live-in nanny for a year to a toddler & preschooler - so I've put in some time already (the nanny job was 24/6)! I've already done the "drag butt out of bed in middle of night" routine, lol! Much happier to be doing it soon for my OWN kid, woo hoo!

I've also cloth diapered twins in my preschool for 2 years, so I've changed thousands of cloth diapers and look forward to cloth diapering my own babe. The twins folks used prefolds and simple wraps, so that's what I'm familiar with and what I'll use. I admit though, that I have a full prefold diapering package, two dozen Mother-Ease dipes for a future wiggly toddler, and a few nice fitted dipes for nighttime diapering. I also may use some biodegradable disposables when I'm out and about and cloth might be difficult (if I'm working again as a nanny). If I do use disposables on occassion, I will use fleece inserts with them so that only cloth of some sort touches my baby's butt. I think the Wal-mart brand diaper has no gel in it, so I may use those a bit during the day. But they don't call me "Diaper Addict" for nothing. I have about a dozen different kinds of diapers and wraps - I can tell you what I think will work nicely if anyone wants to talk about it in the diapering forum.

And I've been here at Mothering for about 2 1/2 years???? I think?? Maybe longer, LOL. I don't consider it odd that I hang out here without having children of my own yet, I consider it a sort of preconception/prenatal training and information gathering to best make informed decisions. I wish more people thought about their impending parenthood before they actually found out they were with child!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Oh man, what kind of cloth diapers you use is such a personal decision. I really can't help there! My suggestion is to buy a couple of everything that looks interesting (and that you can afford) and see what you like with a newborn. With Samuel I started with homemade flannel pinnable fitted dipes. Never pinned them though b/c I was scared too. We used those with bummis velcro wraps and it was a nightmare. Poo on the wrap at every change, wraps wicking everywhere...AWFUL. At 8 weeks I bought 18 size 1 Kissaluvs and was hooked on them. But it took me another 8 months to figure out what wraps I liked. The key is SNAPS, not velcro. The velcro always seemed to wick for us.

With this baby, I'm planning to use Kissaluvs when (s)he's big enough to fit into the size 1s, but will use prefold-to-fitted diapers during the newborn stage. Since Samuel was so big and wore the 1s at 8 weeks, I just can't see spending $150+ on the Kissaluv size 0 diapers. I make prefolds into fitteds for about $3 per diaper and they will work with a newborn when you're constantly changing them. Plus I can probably recoup all of my cost when I sell them later!

But what works for me doesn't work for others and what works for other definitely doesn't work for me. I HATE Fuzzi Bunz with a passion. They're too expensive and they just didn't work for us at all. At nighttime we use a Kissaluv with a fleece-topped doubler inside of it. To each her own...


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Naotalba--I don't have an exact ovulation day, so I might be due later than the 18th as well. I had a yeast infection that clouded cm signs. I think I o'd on cd14, but it was hard to tell b/c I had a slow rise temp.

I'm glad the subject of cloth diapers came up. We are considering using them, too..

DH and I are planning for a homebirth. Anyone else?


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

hi everyone









I've been waiting to join in as I'm a bit shy of early announcements - but as I've now hit 8 weeks I feel a bit more confident of saying I'm due on July 4

this pregnancy is a bit of a surprise as dh and I are very slow breeders and have had a number of losses, plus we are in the over-40 crowd

we do have 2 boys already, aged 11 and 5, who haven't learned the big secret yet but I'll have to spill the beans soon or they're going to wonder why I keep turning green and sprinting for the bathroom







, well ds1 will wonder if not ds2

re cloth nappies : I used them for both my boys but the "diaper systems" I've read about here bear no resemblance to the flannellette squares I folded and pinned, it all seems terribly complicated and expensive - anyway I still have some good quality nappies packed away, though I had given away almost everything else

I hope I'll be continuing to post in this forum and meeting more July mamas

e


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

ME TOO ME TOO ME TOO!!!!

We found out on Tuesday... And i found a edd calculator somewhere on the internet and it says i'm due July 22, which we figuired... My 1st ob appt is on Dec !7th...

Warm Squishy Feelings for everyone....

Dyan


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## Dmitrizmom (Nov 11, 2002)

I'm here too!







Due 7/20 with our second. My first appointment is Monday!


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey Emmaline, we're due the same day, July 4th!









Diapers are as simple or complicated as you make em. At least now there is a lot to choose from!

I'll be using prefolds with velcro wraps (ProWraps & Bummis) from www.katieskisses.com (very nice quality diapers, really happy with them) when the baby is an infant.

I'll be using fitted diapers (Mother-Ease) in snap wraps (same as above) for when he/she is a toddler. I figure by the time my kid is a toddler, it'll be harder for him/her to wiggle out of a fitted diaper with snap wraps, lol, and go running naked down the hallway!









What country are you in???


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

Madison I'm in Melbourne Australia









re nappies there sure is a lot to choose from! I've been looking at some of the sites devoted to various styles - does prefold mean "you fold them" or "they come prefolded"??

never underestimate the power of a toddler to disrobe! ds2 is over it now but at 2 and 3 his greatest joy was to "get nuked" (pronounced noo-kid) and tear around the house, I loved seeing his skinny self being so gleeful

probably we will have a cloth nappy service for a few weeks (I've had 2 c-births and most likely will need to again so we need to keep the home workload down) and cover them with fleece wraps of some kind

I only know one mum here who has used fitted nappies - people seem to go for the old cloth squares or "single-use"

I have a supply of ancient ultrasoft cloth squares which will do duty this time (after some serious soaking and washing and sun drying) being chopped up for breast pads and possibly some postpartum mum pads

gotta go build some lego with ds2 (knights on horseback are being fitted out with light-sabres and playing with harry potter?)


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Yep, we're planning one as well, if not at home then at a freestanding birth center. Home is our first choice but our MW is 1.5 hours away and in another state. If she can get licensed in our state by July, she'll offer us a homebirth. If not, we'll do it at her birth center, which is just a converted house. Her tub has jets and mine doesn't, so I'm torn anyway!!

Emmaline...that's a great name! We chose that for our girl's name with my first pregnancy, but decided against it recently. Every time we say it to someone, they say "Oh, Emily's a beautiful name." I don't want my daughter to deal with that, so we chose a different one. Anyway, yes, the new cloth might be more expensive than folding and pinning flannelette squares, but it's also much easier and still by FAR cheaper than disposables. I know if I had to fold and pin and dunk and bleach, there's no way I'd have made it 20 whole months in cloth!!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

thanks charlotte! emmaline is not my name but I have grown very fond of it too! but I sympathise with going for a name that most people will pronounce easily ( I have an unusual name IRL and I got a LOT of grief over it as a kid)

I like the sound of your MW's birth centre - free standing birth centres are a rarity here, most are within a conventional maternity hospital or unit, set up by the hospitals because the "powers" were terrified people would birth at home







if the birth centre option was not there!!

will yr MW have to go thru hoops to get licenced in yr state?


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## mama2alex (Sep 13, 2002)

Hi Everyone!

I feel a bit sheepish chiming in here b/c the rabbit JUST died, but what the heck! We are expecting #2 in late July, I believe. I took the pregnancy test on my son's second birthday last week, so it was a wonderful gift for us. Hopefully he'll agree with us someday!

Congrats to everyone! I'm looking forward to reading about everyone's experiences and joys over the next several months!


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## its_our_family (Sep 8, 2002)

Well...I'm leaving the roll-call......I m/c last tuesday.....


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## JayGee (Oct 5, 2002)

I'm leaving as well. I am in the process of miscarrying. Best wishes to you all and I'll be thinking of you as July approaches.

Kristina
Mama to Jacob 10/30/02


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Megan & Kristina....

I'm soo sorry for your loss.. I'm sending you both lots of warm healing feelings... I hope you both have healing days....

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan
:better


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Oh, ladies, I'm so sorry for your losses. I've been there and I know how hard it is







. Please take the time you need to greive and heal!

Em, I hope my MW won't have too many hoops to jump. I'm really interested to see how her licensure process goes b/c in a year or two she's also going to be my teaching MW and I'll have to go through to licensing process as well. I've read the requirements and looked at the application and they are written so that the licensure process can be as easy or as hard as the State Board of Medical Examiners wants to make it. She and I are both praying for an EASY process. The need for a legal and competent midwife in this area is great.

My first prenatal with her is on 12-10. Though we have had a long professional relationship, this will be my first meeting with her as a client. I'll be ten weeks and I'll get to hear the heartbeat, I hope! This will also be the first time DH will meet her and he'll get to see the birth center and everything. I hope it all goes well!!


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

{{{Megan}}}

{{{Kristina}}}

I am so sorry to hear of your losses. Much love and healing to you both!!!

That's the problem with announcing so soon, isn't it? I m/c my first last year, so I empathize. I grieve with you.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

Dear Megan and Kristina - I'm so sorry you both lost your babies, please take extra care of yourselves, plenty of rest and time to heal
















charlotte - does this mean you are a MW or in training? I dreamed of training as a midwife but it would mean a few years at university plus postgrad training, so I stick to women's health work in my own field of physiotherapy, but maybe when my kids are older... and I'm ready to retire lol - anyway good luck to you and your MW


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Megan and Kristina----I am so very sorry!!!! My heart goes out to both of you...lots of love and healing vibes coming your way...


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Em...nope, not a MW yet and this pgy is a little bit of a setback in the schedule, although a welcome one. DH and my dad are going to go in together and pay my application fee for the coursework for Christmas so I can start that in January. It takes at least a year to complete and then there's a year long apprenticeship, for which I will have to be willing to leave both of my children for unknown amounts of time *and* will have to be able to afford childcare for. We'll just have to see when those two things happen...


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

dear megean and kristina, so sad to hear of your losses, be sure to take care of yourselves and take time for you







.....

Well, i thought i';d give a quick update. Last monday, i started with lots of nausea, but i had 'windows' in the day when i felt better, so i woul d eat then, it wasn't great, but i thought i could get through it, then on friday, the vommting started, only a few times on friday, but by saturday, i couldn't even keep down water. i was getting worse and worse, and trying everything i read to try to help. monday I headed to the health centre, where they put me on diclectin (a medication for women who are pregnant w/ extreme nausea) i trust the nurse who talked to me and she let me know that being so dehydrated and getting up every hour of the night to have a sip of water was more of a risk to me and my baby....... so i go home, take one, vomit one more time, then sleep......after a few hours a was able to eat!!! and drink!!!! i felt much better. I continued eating small meals and yesterday decided i was well enough to walk to the store (big mistake).. ... We live in a VERY small town in the arctic of canada, where news gets exaggerated and spreads quickly --- so i'm in the line to the checkout and i start feeling light headed, then, to shorten this long story, i pass out, twice! the manager drove me to the health centre, where the story was already that a lady seizured in the store (ahhh, wrong info







) well, they watched my blood pressure, i passed out again, and then they filled me with fluids and said it was just the weekend catching up with me and to eat lots, drink lots, and take it easy! this certainly hasn't been the blissful pregnancy i imagined! oh well, i guess its a lesson on flexibility....... this has got to rank up there with one of the most embarrasing moments of my life









wishing you all health and energy!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Erika...

How awful.. I usually have over the top nausea and all day sickness, but ginger capsules have been working well for me....

Here's to hoping you're feelings better...
















Warm Squishy feelings...

Dyan


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

wow erika, what a dramatic time for you, I hope the rest of your pregnancy is totally blissfully boring and ordinary in comparison


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## Dmitrizmom (Nov 11, 2002)

I started with the nausea and yuckies yesterday... we picked up some ginger capsules last night and today was ever so much better!







Thanks for the info Dyan!

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone is having a great day!


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## its_our_family (Sep 8, 2002)

It sounds like some of you are having puking fun!!!







I hope everyone starts to feel better....and to say that some of you are lucky that it has waited so long to start!! I had severe nausea before I even tested positive. And even though I m/c last week I'm still ready to VOMIT!!!









I wanted to give you nausea hint.....one word....TICTACS!!!

edited to tell you: the white tictacs work the best!!!


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## jannan (Oct 30, 2002)

I just found out yesterday, dh and i were trying to concieve for 5 months. Everyone is really excited! especially us . My names are maya janan(after Hanan ashawari) and Eli (after eli wiesel) Im really excited to be a part of this.....Im worried though. dd #1 was an emergencyC-section because of toximia.......Im about 70lbs overweight. tell me what you think of the names


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Well, I know that November 6th was the magic date, so that puts me due around July 30th! Ds is two - I tested on his birthday (11/21)! This one was deliberate - ds was somewhat of a surprise. So far I feel great, though my boobs are sore, but not as much as w/ds. As far as I can tell, ds has pretty much weaned himself, though I wouldn't mind (at this point) having him start up again. With ds, I was severely green for weeks 4-12, though I only threw up once. I'm hoping it isn't so bad this time, but we'll see.

My next project is to figure out a caregiver. We just moved to the Chicago area and, as many of you know, IL is very hostile to homebirth midwives. Ds was born in a hospital w/ midwives and it went quite well, but there were interventions that I'd like to avoid this time.

I know of the two Dr.'s practices that do homebirths, but the one profiled recently in Mothering seems too medically oriented for me. I don't know much about the other (Dr. Elvove), but I did see pics on his website that show the birth attendees in hospital gowns in the home, which makes me think they are too medically oriented for me as well.

I'm not sure if I have the guts to have an illegal midwife-attended homebirth, expecially since dh's folks are only 40 min. from our house and they would have a fit if they knew anything about it. They know of one person who attempted a homebirth (don't think it was in IL) and ended up transferring. Dh probably cannot be trusted to give them as little info (some misleading) as possible.

One option I've thought about is to find a midwife in WI - we are about 1 hour away from the border - and go to her when the time comes.

Well, I have plenty of time to do the search. Wish me luck!

Pam


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well everyone...

The ginger capsules seem to be working on and off for me... I had to take some phenergan i had from the bad flu last year and that helped when the ginger wasn't... Perhaps i am going to have to attack this nausea with a dual pronged assult...

Hope everyone had a super thanksgiving....

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Pam, it sounds like you and I are in similar situations. I'm in Louisiana and my MW is 1.5 hours away in Texas. It looks like I'll probably drive that 1.5 hours to the birth center when the time comes. That's kinda nerve-wracking to think about, but much better than the hospital route, which would be my only other choice. Well, there's always unassisted, which I really just don't feel right about, so I don't really conisider it a choice. I worry about how my labor will start with this one. With DS, it was with a gush of water and no contractions until they started pit. 9 hours later. That wouldn't be any problem in the car, but what if it doesn't start that way this time?? AHHH! Too much to think about...


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## modmom (Nov 22, 2001)

HI Everyone I am due to have my third on July 1st. I also live in the Chicago Area (Western Subs) My fist two birth experiences were wonderful midwife attended homebirths and I am so glad to get to experience this all again


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

I'm expecting Baby #4 around 7/3/03. It's not great timing because that is our busy month around here with the older kids taking hogs and poultry etc. to the county fair. I'll just have to deal with it! This pregancy comes on the heels of 3 miscarriages, so I'll be glad to get to 10 week mark this Thursday. Have felt quite sick this time, which I did not with the miscarriages. Have an appt with the mw to hear heartbeat next week. My tummy is starting to show this past week : 0

Mossback
mother of 3 born at home beauties


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## mama2alex (Sep 13, 2002)

PJLioness,

Hi there! We are in very similar situations!!! My son's b'day is also 11/21, just turned 2, and I tested positive on his b'day too! Congrats to you! Wanted to tell you that I live in WI and know of some midwife services here, but my darlin just awoke from his nap, so I must go. Let me know if you want to hear more.


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by mama2alex_
*PJLioness,

Hi there! We are in very similar situations!!! My son's b'day is also 11/21, just turned 2, and I tested positive on his b'day too! Congrats to you! Wanted to tell you that I live in WI and know of some midwife services here, but my darlin just awoke from his nap, so I must go. Let me know if you want to hear more.*
My ds' name is Alex, too. Now, if you tell me you think you conceived on Nov. 6th, I'm gonna think we're twins or something.

Pam


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Wow, Erika, I hope you feel better. My nausea has been nothing like that, but it has been increasing every day. It went from just in the morning before breakfast---to all throughout the day and sometimes pretty severe. If I don't eat something healthy with some protein every couple of hours, then I get really ill.

Otherwise, I've been feeling pretty good. My clothes are a bit tighter. Not too uncomfortable, yet, but my midsection has thickened a bit.

Hope everyone is doing well!


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## mama2alex (Sep 13, 2002)

Hi Pam,

I don't think I conceived on 11/6, but pretty darn close. We have a lot in common! I'm shocked that your son is named Alex also!!! You have great taste in names! I'm curious to ask you other questions, but I don't know if everyone else would like to be a part of this. Would you mind if I sent you a private message (if I know how to do that)?

Thanks, Teresa


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

how are all the July mamas??

I feel awful most of the time, I know I'll feel a lot better by Christmas but... just having a whinge here









AND my trousers don't fit and I've been scouting for maternity clothes but the choices are very very poor - pastels, spots, checks or clingy synthetics YUK and assistants in shops that "don't carry maternity clothes any more" tell me "most women just wear big sizes" - I don't think so! real trousers designed for a pregnant belly (not to sit underneath ) are different from big sizes

I'll be getting out my sewing machine - if i can find a decent pattern!!

rant over


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Em, do you have the same patterns in Australia that we have here? If so, Simplicity has a really AWESOME and hip maternity pattern out full of fun peasant tops and cool flared pants. I'm going to make a couple of the tops at the very least. Funny, I posted a thread about this at another board I frequent just tonight. I didn't realize that with this pregnancy, I'll be due in the summer and I can make some really fun sundresses to wear







. With Samuel, I was due in spring, but "big pregnant" in the winter months so all of my stuff is long sleeves and jeans. There weren't ANY winter patterns I liked two years ago. It's nice to see how far the maternity patterns have come. OH! Did you know you can buy a maternity panel for a couple of bucks and convert regular pants into maternity with just a few cuts and one seam? I'm not too hot at sewing pants, but converting...that I can do!

I'm feeling more and more sick as the days go on. I'm just about out of peppermint tea. I've been drinking a ton of it b/c I found with Samuel it was the only thing that helped my nausea.

Samuel has weaned. Actually, I've just stopped nursing him. He used to nurse in the morning every morning, but now I get up and get dressed before he wakes and we eat breakfast as soon as he wakes up b/c I can't manage to wait for him to nurse, I'm too sick. I don't remember the last time he nursed







. I'm thinking of offering again just so I can say "I remember that last time and it was so perfect..." I know that the time has come b/c tandem nursing isn't for me, but I feel so torn about weaning him. I feel torn a lot lately. I'm an only child and I really don't know what it'll be like for him to have a sibling.
DH doesn't have a great relationship with his brother and was very pro-only child for quite some time. I was really the one who wanted this baby and now I feel bad a lot of the time that Samuel won't get to be an only like I was.

And I'm super sensitive to caffiene lately. Hence the 12:30am post. No more hot tea for me at 10pm, unless it's decaf!! It's so bad I have the shakes. Normally I don't react this way *ever* but when I'm pregnant I just can't handle the stuff. Guess that's good since I'm supposed to avoid it anyway, right







:.

I'm 9w3d today and decided to break out the maternity stuff for good. I've been in them off and on, but now it's just time to admit that my pre-preg. jeans just don't fit! On Tuesday I have a MW appointment to hear the heartbeat. I need to go get my pregnancy bloodwork and my recent pap results copied from my on-base medical records (they'll do the blood workup for free, so why not?!) tomorrow. If I don't get to hear the HB on Tuesday, I'm hoping my MW will do a "quick scan" on her sono machine so that I'll know all is well. Fortunately her office has a sonographer on staff and they do all of the sonos for the homebirth community at her office every Tuesday evening. My appt. is at 4:30, so maybe he'll be there. If he's not, I'm contemplating calling the military OB clinic and saying that I'm spotting or cramping so I can have a quick sono just to see the HB. I'm totally stressed that something has gone wrong and my body just doesn't know it yet and it's hindering my ability to bond with this baby and be excited about being pregnant







.

Anyway, I'm off to try to sleep and hopefully not have baby nightmares like the one last night where she came a month early and weighed 6lb 13oz!! I don't want a preemie!!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

charmie I hear you with wanting to know all is well after losses, I had a quick scan at 8 weeks for that reason, to know there was a beating heart - I hope you will have the relief of this too - and no more nightmares

we do have Simplicity here, I'll check it out asap

e


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## modmom (Nov 22, 2001)

I just purchased the simplicity pattern today it is really cute. I was planning on making a whole new maternity wardrobe but I have been given so many great hand me downs it would be a waste of time but I am going to make a couple peasant tops. I am, however, very excited about makeing some nursing dresses for this summer. Healthy pregnancy vibes to all


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey there July mamas,

Well, I went for my first prenatal appointment yesterday with my newly hired midwife. I was kinda nervous but it was great. A LONG appointment... it was 1 1/2 hours and I had to finally leave because I had another appointment, so I'll have to finish my paperwork at home and bring it in next time!

And I got to hear the baby's heartbeat!!! It was so cool. She tried for about a minute to find it and nothing, but then she found the placenta (you could hear the difference suddenly) and then Ba-BUMP Ba-BUMP Ba-BUMP rapidly - the baby swooshed by. So we "chased" him/her with the doppler and found him/her for about a minute holding still, then s/he was off! It was a great relief to hear that beating heart! There's actually someone in there! It's definately feeling more "real" now.

And in other good news, I haven't barfed in 3 1/2 days! I made it all weekend, Monday and so far today (12:40pm) without being sick, though I have felt a twinge of nausea a couple of times. Yippee! How wonderful!

It's a good week. I'm 11 weeks tomorrow!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Madison, isn't that just the greatest feeling ever??

All of my news is in my siggy. I'm so relieved as of yesterday and feeling a TON better. I don't think I realized that I've spent the last 6 weeks or so waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Hi Beauties,
This is my last day in the 11th week - woohoo! Tomorrow afternoon we go to the mw to try to hear a heartbeat.

Last night I went to the fabric store - I thought the maternity patterns were just awful - everything looked like a tent. Ending up leaving empty handed and going over to the Motherhood Maternity shop. I think they have the hippest clothes. I've had such a long gap since last baby, I gave everything away and am determined to be stylish this time! Found a couple things on the clearance rack.

I too am sleeping better at night, not so sleepy in the daytimes, and feeling better. My tummy is now undeniable. My 12yo son was looking at my belly this am and said, "Mom, are we going to have a baby brother or sister or something?" So, the cat is out of the bag as far as the bigger kids are concerned. They are just beaming, but don't want the long wait.

Eat well, all.
Mossy


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

it's so good to hear everyone's good news























mossy I'm glad your kids are happily in the know









maternity clothes SUCK I can't find anything I like, they're cutesy (I'm not) or clingy or show off belly button or synthetic fabrics

patterns I should be able to check out tomorrow

e


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I just want to share with you all that I felt the baby at eleven weeks! I was quite sure about it. Lying in bed in stillness I could feel that there was occasional gas and my own blood moving...but then deep inside felt the gentle undulations of my baby. Wow, this was neat. I couldn't feel it yesterday or yet tonight (yes I am up in the middle of the night.) But I am sure I felt the babe. I read that it is not normal to feel the baby until 14 weeks or later...and I am at eleven weeks. But then I also read that the baby makes sponataneous movements from seven weeks on.

My morning sickness has been really awful and I'm counting the days to that magical twelve weeks I hear about. But I did find a homeopathic remedy that has been helpful...called "Nux Vomica." In case anyone wanted to try. I'd talk to your midwife first though.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Cindi - I do not think you are crazy. While I didn't feel movement till much later, like 16 weeks, with my 1st and 2nd, I have felt babies 3 and 4 very early. It's hard to distinguish from my digestive system, but I have recently felt what felt like a goldfish blipping around, once or twice each day when i am sitting quietly.
Isn't it cool?

Emmaline - you're right, maternity clothes do suck. Is there anything worse than a stretch panel that shows under your shorter shirt? ugh.

Starting week 12 today. Have gained 3 lbs.

Snowy love from,
Me.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

last night was a pretty poor sleep and I had plenty of time to be aware of those little golfish flips! I thought I was hallucinating but seems it's not so extraordinary at 11 weeks - wow!

week 12 for me too today - still 2 kg lighter than pre-preg, maybe 5 lb?


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Heard a little heartbeat in my tummy today. Instant tears!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)




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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

{{{moss}}}

I kinda got teary eyed, too, but I was grinning too much like a fool to care









Maternity clothes suck mud. I'm just rolling down my pants top now and folding under the buttons (which I can't do up anymore). Motherhood stuff is cute, but I hate the panel pants! I want the ones with the big wide band of belly elastic that goes under your stomach instead of over it. They are hard to find, but SO much more comfortable!

Wow, you guys are feeling movement at 11 or 12 weeks? I'll have to pay more quiet attention. Maybe I'll keep a shot of sweet juice by my bed for that middle of the night pee session, and slug one back and then wait and see if the sugar gives the babe a jolt


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Yes Madison - I think I am going to like the underbelly pants too, although my belly button does go inside-out in a big way by 9 mos! IT might need some cover.
I'm gettting by with a pair of stretchy black pants from Old Navy, not maternity. They have a wide band, low rise and are kind of flared. I got Larges so they would fit my butt, but as a result I've got a lot of room in the waist -- I think I'll be able to wear these for a while.

Mossback Meadow, posessor of the original Bubble Butt


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

those underbelly pants are just about all you can get here and I find them very uncomfortable - lots of pressure - but also they're made to be very close fitting (or they'd fall off I guess) and I hate close fitting clothes anytime - maybe I'll go to the stores that sell to the Muslim ladies in my neighbourhood - voluminous long dresses?? no, I want pants and have found a floppy pants pattern - the first pair will be up and running soon (lovely lavender peached cotton drill)

e


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## KFH (Nov 30, 2001)

I LOVE those pants!!! Like the ones Japanese Weekend makes. I had a pair (hand-me-down) last time, and gave them to someone else (we weren't planning on doing this again! I LIVED in those. They're crazy expensive--$50 and up. I can't bring myself to buy them new. Does anyone know any one else that makes them cheaper?


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

My dh and I were talking about the string of holiday parties we have this month. He asked me what I was going to wear. I said, "These pants of course!" pointing to the infamous black pants.
"Uh, I think a dress would be more flattering, don't you," He said. "I think you should wear a dress."
So Emma, maybe I'll go to the voluminous dress store with you.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

HI everyone it's me... Still around and alive... For the most part anyway... The nausea is still driving me crazy though.. (sigh) I guess i will just have to deal with it.. We are 8 weeks and i swear i felt the baby move Friday nite.. I swear.. It felt like little hiccups in my midsection, only from the inside.. KWIM?? This is our third so maybe I guess.. Most be one strong kid to be so little still and to have me feel it now at 8 weeks.. I go in for my 1st ob appt on Wednesday.. Then the gp are taking the 2 boys for christmas on Sat or Sunday and we come down for Chritsmas eve..

Ya know.. I 'm just rambling now so i will sign off.. Calm stomachs to everyone!!!

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I kept thinking maybe I was feeling movement too but then I had a reality check at the MW's office. My uterus is only about 1cm above my pubic bone and the flutters I'm feeling are more near my waist. I think it's just my increased blood supply to that section of my body. Only when I'm pregnant can I SEE my pulse in my abdomen!!

I have a pair of low waisted pants that I got at Motherhood for $35. I hate them b/c I can't keep them up AT ALL. I don't see how they're supposed to stay up! They are the right size b/c they fit really tight in the legs and hips (which means they won't fit for the whole pregnancy *sigh*), but they fall down at the waist. I thought they'd be better than the belly panel pants for now b/c they wouldn't fall down. WRONG. Maybe if they still fit after I've outgrown my panels I'll wear them (yes, my belly really does outgrow the panels and yours probably will too :tongue), but I'm really thinking I'm going to rely mostly on dresses, which will, of course, make me look as big as a house come July. I wish I had a scanner; I'd scan a belly pic of me the day before I went into labor with Samuel. I cannot believe how BIG I was.

Anyway, so my conclusion is that I like the belly panels better, even though I do eventually outgrow them and the drawstring in the Motherhood ones is pretty uncomfortable in early pregnancy when you have to cinch it down on your ribcage. Still, I think when I'm so big that the bottom of my belly isn't covered by my shirt, I'll want it covered by a panel, just so I don't feel over-exposed. If anyone wants to buy a pair of size L flare leg low-rise maternity pants from me, feel free to PM. I'd love to have enough cash to make my first maternity dress.

I bought the baby's first diapers the other day: two NB sized flag diapers from www.cutest-cloth-diapers.com. I also bought what I thought would be enough fabric to make 25 NB fuzzibunz. Turns out I miscalculated (sheesh! I can't even use a calculator!!) and bought enough fleece to make 15 diapers and little strips of PUL that are so little I can't make any diaper out of them *sigh*. I'll have to see if I can't sell the PUL on a fabric trade list I'm on.

Just waiting to feel those first little flutters (the baby ones, not the nausea ones!!),


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Having some pink mucous this morning - and I just heard the heartbeat a few days ago. I'm frightened!
This pregnancy has felt so real - tummy growing, little blips of beginning movement, nausea.
I never had any spotting in my full term pregnancies -- has anyone here?
I read on another thread that with successive babies it's more common, because your cervix is a little inside out and bleeds easier -- hope that's the case. I'll update later.

Mossback
Mom to Caleb, 12, Lydia, 10, Zane 6, 3 miscarriages and this little growing life, EDD July 1.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

oh dear - mossy I'm sending loads of healthy baby and healthy mama vibes - hoping everything will be fine and you can settle back into a beautiful pregnancy - take care


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

mossback - how are you???


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Well, everything appears to be ok so far. The little bit of spotting stopped after a few hours, had no cramping or pain. It was not real bleeding - just pink/brown on the toilet paper - sorry to be graphic. Hope today goes better. Something similar happened one day last week, though it was only once during that day.
Talked to several friends who said don't worry.
Midwife suggests progesterone cream, that maybe my placenta isn't making enough, hence my history of 3 mcs. I don't know about that - anybody have any info? Are there side effects? How long would I use it? Dh wondered if I wanted to go to the doctor, but I'm afriad get caught in the medical whirlpool. I've had 3 beautiful homebirths and would like that again.
I don't think I could handle a miscarriage after 12 weeks and hearing the heartbeat, but I guess we don't have a choice. I'm just thankful for every day that this little one is clinging to me. Just taking it one day at a time.
How are you doing Emma? What happened to OceanMamma? Oh, I guess she'd be on the June list.
Love from
MM


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

thank heavens you and baby are OK!









there have been several mentions of prog. cream use - maybe do a search for them?

I feel the same about the very idea of loss after hearing the heartbeat, it makes me tremble









OM is still posting on P&BL, not sure if she's on the June list

I'm feeling less crook, and fretting about it of course, but a whiff of garlic reassures me I'm still on track

hope today is calm and peaceful for you
e


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Incase anyone is wondering.. I'm still here, but nausea is making everything impossible... I go to the ob today, so maybe she will be able to give me something for it since the phenergan is just making me throw up more... (Isn't that a lovely thought!!!)

Warm Squishy Feelings to everyone!!

Dyan


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## naotalba (May 29, 2002)

My baby has passed away. I am waiting to miscarry her naturally.

I hope everyone else is doing well and heading happily into the second trimester "safe zone".


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I am very sorry naotalba. And I believe this is your first child, which I am sure makes it especially hard. Blessings and health to you. I hope the birthing of your child is smooth and cleansing for you.

Peace.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Went to a Christmas party last night, wearing some low cut black knit pants and a cotton ( not maternity) blouse. The way that blouse lays over my tummy, folks thought I was 6 mos along! Frightening that I have to tell them. " not till around the first of july!"

Naoltaba -- I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you head over to the Pregnancy loss board where I started. I know you're in pain -- I've had 3 miscarriages, the most recent in Sept. Take care of yourself and know that there is hope.

Warmly,
Mossback


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

dear naotalba - I'm so sorry





















losing a baby is so tough, emotionally and physically

as mossback says, Pregnancy and Birth Loss has several threads about natural m/c you might find helpful


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well ladies..

My dr has figuired out why it takes so long for me to show at all.. (you usually can't even tell i'm pg until about 5 1/2-6 month) It's because my uterus is tipped so friggin' far back.. You know.. I thought child birth was supposed to fiix that.. Admittedly my 1st was a c-sec, but my 2nd was an even bigger baby and we had him vaginally... SHEESH!!! I guess there are some things childbirth can't fix!!!!

I hope everyone is feeling better and moving out of their morning sicknes.. (GOD ALMIGHTY!!!! I CAN"T WAIT UNTIL I DO!!!)

Naoltaba,

I am soo sorry to hear about your loss.. There aren't even words to express how deeply i feel for you.. Know that you are in my thoughts...

Have a super Christmas everyone!!!

Warm Squishies....

Dyan









______________________________

If i were a fish, would you be my sea?


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

naotabla, i'm soooo sad to hear of your loss. be sure to take time for yourself over the busy holiday season.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Hey everone....

IS everyone still getting ready for the july babies???? I haven't "seen" anyone around here for a while so i was just wondering....

We are 11 weeks on Friday, so the baby looks like a baby now... Albeit a very small baby....

My all day sickness is sticking with a fierceness... Hope you are all doing ;better,,,

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Yeah, still here, and still sick, even now at 14 weeks. (My due date is July 1st so I assumed I'd be the first here to get over the morning-night sickness.) Still throwing up, and now I think I'm fighting a cold which has made it feel worse. This struggle to find pallatable food is like torture. Constantly starving at the same time as rejecting food. I don't get it.

On top of this, we are up to our eyeballs in moving boxes, planning the big move for Sunday. I expected to be over the morning sickness by this time, but no. Anyway, I am excited to be moving. It is just hard. There is so uch to do, and I keep needing breaks. (Which I give myself, I just hope I don't get too slammed in the end.) My husband is great, but not very organized, so I can't really just let him do it all and feel secure about it. kwim?

Anyway, blessings to you all.

Cindi


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Hi ladies, i'm still around.....

I'm starting to feel a bit better, but the nausea is still around. I haven't thrown up since boxing day, i think thats a record! I have my first pre-natal appt. on tuesday, the 7th. (they don't do them until at least 12 weeks here......). I'm in a bit of a weird situation, since i will deliver in aanother city (1800 km away). The community i live in is in the arctic of canada, and they send you out at 36 weeks to make sure you don't deliver here. There is no hospital here, just a health centre. So i'll do most of my prenatal stuff here, but then head to calgary where i plan to deliver in a birth centre with a midwife.

other than that, its been pretty much ho-hum.....i haven't gained any weight yet, if fact, i think i lots a few pounds, but i'm sure i'll make up for it in later months.....

hope you all feel better soon,

happy new year,

Erika


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Erika,
I would love to hear more about your life in the far north. Are you a native, or what took you there? How do you make a living? ARe you in a town? Does anyone birth at home unattended?
My grandpa worked on the railroad in Anchorage when it was just a tent city, around the turn of the century. I hvae never been farther north than Michigan's UP but I love winter and I love roughing it. However, I think the short growing season would annoy the gardener in me!

I've made it to my 15th week - very happy. Waiting to feel regular movement. Tummy is growing.

MM


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well i know i am losing weight..

I always lose weight... The problem with this pg is that i started a bit underweight at 113.8lbs.. My gp wants to put me in the hospital if i fall below 110, and i know after having the stomach flu this week i have so i am avoiding the drs...

And to top it all off i am anemic.. Not a big suprise.. I am always anemic... I am full of health issues... I have seem more ologist this year than god.. And they are all useless... One would think with all that school they could come up with even an educated gues.. Nope...







: Sorry for the rant... I am a bit fed up with most of my dr's...

Glad to hear some of us are feeling sbetter... Can't wait until its me!!









Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

I'm still here, too!
















Baby was conceived Oct 23 or 24, so we're past 12 weeks when you count from last af. But in reality, we're barely 2 months of course. Still, I consider myself 2nd trimester now, 'cause since New year's eve I haven't felt sick at all!!!!

So sorry for your loss neotalba... It must be so awful, esp when you're just crossing into "safe" 2nd tri territory....

Dyan, I hope you're better soon. Would it be preposterous of me to ask why they want to hospitalize you if you lose a couple more pounds?


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Simonee...

I have been losing weight all year.. I lost 30 lbs with out even doing anything (all this before i got pg) They are running all kinds of test and figuire i have a connective tissue disease, but since i noticed something was wrong so early they don't know which one it is.. So i was underweight to start this pg at 113.8 lbs.. My internist told me before i got pg that if i got below 110 she would put me in the hospital to help put the weight back on for a while... So i am VERY leeary of losing weight, even though i do do it the 1st tri and part of the 2nd of every pg i've had... So that's why they worry.. Because my body has a way of making weight go when i don't neccesarily want it to...

To top it all off (as if you all really care to know.. Stop reading here to avoid the gross parts... )

I woke up last night/this morning with sharp stabbing ab pain.. I thought i was miscarrying it hurt SOOOO bad.. Nope.. Just some terrible gas and explosive diahrea... There goes some more weight for ya....

Hope you are all doing better than I am..

Warm Squishy Feeligns....

Dyan








:


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Dyan, do you think it might be a good idea to check into the hospital? Are you afraid of the cost? Or the disruption in your life...or just plain too much medical intervention when you feel things are fine by nature's course? To me it actually sounds nice to be taken care of, sittin' back with the remote control, and getting flowers. You sounds like you need to "fill up" and a hospital stay might give you some opportunity for that. Are you in "output" mode a lot? Really pay attention to what you can give yourself, and what you can ask for from others. A good starting place is to just feel your body and "fill up" with feeling, especially in your pelvis and trunk.

Good luck to you and your baby.

Cindi


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Dyan, is the diahrea a common thing? Are they sure it's a connective tissue disorder or is it resembling crohn's disease?

I ask because a common reason for unexplained malnutrition is celiac disease. You can read more at www.celiac.org but it's basically a digestive disorder caused by an inability to digest wheat gluten. I have a friend whose family is plagued with this disease. The numbers are now 1 out of 60 Americans have it, making it as common as diabetes.

The biggest reason I ask is b/c of the weight loss. If it sounds like something you might be dealing with, be sure to ask your dr. about it.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Another anecdotal story of weight loss and tummy trouble Diane --- I had diarrhea for several yrs -- food went right thru me -- I had every test in the book. It wasn't till I had weakness, heart palpations and lost 30 lbs in a matter of weeks that someone tested my thyroid. I had hyperthyroidism due to Grave's Disease.

Hope you get your problem solved!

MM


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Thanks for the thoughts guys....

Actually i had a colonoscopy this year to check to see if maybe it was celiac's and intestinal biopsies at the same time, and an upper endoscopy, and everything was fine.. Looked completely normal... So the gastro said it probably went with the connective tissue disease... Also, i know it's not my thyroid i had them check it 1st, and then they (the dr's ) checked it another 6 times during the next 18 months... (sigh) Definately NOT my thyroid...

I could actually use the time in the hospital probably, but i have 2 little ones at home and my dh is definately NOT primacry caregiver material... The thought frightens me into staying home... I mean i love him dearly, and i know he loves the boys, but he has no idea on basic child care for some reason.. Good thing that's not why i married him....

I'm sure they will figuire out what is going on eventually.. It just takes time.. It's the nature of the illnes.. (which ever on that maybe..)

Sorry don't mean to ramble.. THis is SOOO not pg related stuff...

Thank you all for the concern... If we hadn't checked those things already, i would definately be having them checked out now....

Warm Squishy Feelings....
Dyan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Wow! I'm glad your internist is so thorough, but it sucks that after all those tests they still didnt' find the problem. I'm encouraged that they even thought to test for celiac disease. Most of my friend's family has been diagnosed simply b/c they decided to "try" the gluten free diet and it fixed their problems. Hey, when you're wasting away and no one wants to figure out why (which was the case with all of her family, including a nephew who was below his birth weight at 12 months!), I guess you'll try anything.

I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this, in addition to the constant m/s, which CAN'T be helping with the weight loss issue







.

Don't feel bad for talking about things non-pregnancy related...that's how our little Due in July group will get to be a close-knit one







.

I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers and send some NO MORNING SICKNESS VIBES!!!

Charlotte


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Hi all--it's been at least a month since I checked the boards, but...I'm back!

I really didn't think the nausea could get so bad. It did...and worse. It was sheer misery. I got depressed and DH started to get concerned. Now, I'm feeling a thousand percent better!!! There are still moments when nausea or exhaustion overtakes me, but it no even close to what I was going through a few weeks ago. My sincere empathies with all of you dealing with nausea and other issues...

I'm in my 14th week and now that I'm feeling so much better, I'm getting excited again about this baby coming! Half of my pre-preg clothes don't fit, but I'm not nearly large enough to fit into the maternity clothes yet. I've been lucky enough to get a few hand-me-downs to start. I bought a couple of maternity pieces, but they just hang temptingly in my closet....they are way to big right now. I agree that Motherhood Maternity has some very cute clothes. I'm going to look for some summer dress patterns to sew, too.

Naotalba---I am so deeply sorry to hear about your loss...my thoughts are with you.

Rose


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## modmom (Nov 22, 2001)

Wow it has been quiet. I hope everyone is doing well. I did go ahead and make a simplicity peasant top and it turned out really cute now if it would only get warm enough to wear it!!

Also I had my first pre natal yoga class last night and it felt great. I anyone else doing yoga or exercise classes?


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

I am normally a runner, but have dropped down to walking 4 miles a day 3 days a week. On other days I swim, do my own yoga stuff or a belly dancing video which is lots of fun.

I am also finishing up the first sewing project of this pregnancy - it's a nursing./maternity jumper from an Elizabeth Lee pattern that I had saved.

I'm off to the midwife today.
MM


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

normally I'm a walker but I'm still feeling so exhausted I'm hardly doing anything







very small amounts of activity send my heart rate way up and I'm quite short of breath. Teaching a class last week I was constantly stopping talking to catch my breath. I'm hoping to feel up to prenatal yoga soon, there's also a belly dancing class I'll check out after the boys go back to school in a couple of weeks

back to maternity clothes : I made some trousers, just what I wanted, and have found a few secondhand things, then a friend turned up with two pairs of pants I'd lent her 5 years ago!! so I think that will have to do for now (except for two formal events coming up in Feb and March...)

I'm also about to search for nursing bras as all my bras have already become most uncomfortable, I'm not just bursting out of the cups but feeling pressure around my ribs

and looking for a pattern to make a sling!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I made my sling, but i didn't use a pattern, except for an older sling that i had.. I just measured how wide the sling was, and added for padding on the rails and seam allowance, and then how long i needed it to be.. Went to Ben Franklins and bought some 2 1/2 in (i think) brass rings and sewed it all together.. Took a couple of hours tops...

On a more personal note, i will be 13 weeks on friday, and i can not WAIT for this nausea and throwing up to stop... I go to my OB tomorrow, and maybe she will be helpful, although i doubt it since the phenergan they gave me just made me throw up more... (sigh) I know it stops.. I t has with the other 2 pg's, but this is getting ridiculous...

Thanks for listening to me whine.. I hope everyone is feeling better than I am...

Warm Squishy Feelings ....

Dyan


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

dyan I got some patterns from the "life with a babe" forum" but cannot find rings yet... but found some gorgeous purple and blue batik cotton to make the sling when I do find rings

hope you feel better soon


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

for metal rings, check your local hardware store for the 1/4" thick rings.

for plastic rings: www.slingrings.com


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

thanks charlotte, I've tried a couple of local hardwares and will have to go further afield to a huge one ASAP


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Heard the heart beat today.. HURAY!!! it's one thing to see it on an ultrasound at 9 weeks, and another to hear it!!!
















Still nauseous.. Hopefully it will subside here shortly.. I'll be 14 weeeks on Friday...

Warm Squishies for everyone...

DYan


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Thank you for all the info on making slings! A friend has offered to lend me hers to try out, but I plan on buying or making one (whichever is cheaper).

Hope you are all feeling well, mommies!!!


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## Kanga (Nov 26, 2001)

I've been trying to catch up with this thread for weeks! I still haven't had a chance to read everyone's posts, but I wanted to sign on before ds wakes up from his nap. I'm pg with #2 and just heard the heartbeat a week ago. MW thinks we're due around July 17th... this is a very rough guess as I've had only one wimpy period that I didn't make a note of... DS is still nursing 5+ times a day.

I'm curious if anyone else's sex drive is going out of control! I guess this is what they call the honeymoon trimester? I guess it was like this when I was pg with ds, but dh and I were in different states then.

All else is fine... happy to be showing quite a bit for only 15 weeks. Told everyone at work last week and they responded with "well, YEA" Too funny.... I wasn't trying to hide anything, mostly just waiting to here that strong little heartbeat to solidify it for me. After that I wanted to were a "Baby on Board" T-shirt.

We're planing a homebirth this time, mostly to avoid the hassels at the hospital afterwards and to not be separated from ds and dh.

Is anyone else here nursing a little one? DS will be 2 in March and I'm wondering (hoping) if he'll wean during the next few months. I don't want to push him, but if he's ready, I think it might be easier on me after #2 is born. I guess that may or may not be true. I have a friend who will be having a C-section on Thrusday with a 2 year-old and she didn't let up with the nursing a bit. They're also co-sleeping, so we're pretty excited to have some "in-person" support for our decisions. I value everyone here so much, but sometimes it gets a little lonely in out in the world.

Love and blessings to you all,
Kanga


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey all, Happy New Year!









Naotalba, I am so sorry to hear about your loss.







Peace to you.

Mossback, I also started spotting last week - apparently I did too much the week leading up to it, so now I'm taking it easy (and not moving furniture for the plumbers who re-piped my apartment). Whoops. Scared the heck out of me!!!! But I went to my midwife right away and heard the heartbeat, strong and steady. Whew... Not doing that again!!!

I'll be 17 weeks tomarrow and weigh 3 lbs less than when I GOT pregnant - but the naseau has subsided and hopefully I'll start gaining appropriately. Don't worry, I'm not starving the baby, I eat lots of good food and weighed 170 to start with, LOL. Baby's got lots of "maternal stores" to rely on, hehehe....

Anyway, just wanted to check in and say hello to everyone! Happy baby growing, all!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Kanga, my DS will also be 2 in March and I'm due July 10 (although that's not a rough estimate for us







). He was nursing up until about 10 weeks or so (I think I posted about it on here?) when I got too sick to nurse him in the mornings and threw the routine off. He had weaned from everything except for the very first of the morning nursing, which he held on to for 7 months or so.

I'm about 16 weeks and still not really showing. It's actually really bothering me b/c with DS at this stage, I was definitely showing. I haven't gained any weight with this one either, which is different too.

We're starting to think about UC instead of the birth center w/ midwife birth that we had originally planned. A midwife assisted homebirth isn't an option here and I'm thinking that the homebirth part is what I want more than the midwife assisted part. I dunno...we'll see how it pans out. I have a little while to decide.

I'm off to take advantage of our 70* sunshine weather to get some yardwork done before it freezes tomorrow.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

heyya gals,

It's me again.. I got a question for you.. Anyone else having unusually LOW BP.. I know the OB's get antsy about HIGH BP, but mine is usually low to begin with t about 110/70, and at my last appointment it was 92/58.. (Sheesh.. maybe that's why i'm having all the dizzy spells, of course it could be because i am soo friggin nauseaus all the [email protected] time still!!!)

Anyway.. Just thought i'd see if anyone else was having low to lower bp too...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

DYan


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

A very quick one here:

I'm due July 17 or thereabouts. I CAN FEEL MY BABY!!!!!






















I felt dd1 at 15 weeks (very early for a first) and it seems we're even a bit quicker this time.

But I also feel uncomfy most of the time...


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Hi everyone..... I'm now 15 weeks, and I can't believe it. I'm not really showing yet, but my jeans are starting to get tight. I was hoping they would fit for another four weeks (when i'm going to yellowknife for a few days and could buy some Mat. clothes.) There are no clothing stores where I live, but it looks like i'll be phoning the sears catalogue number to order a few things.

welcome to those of you just recently joining the july 2003 roll call.....can you believe its only a short 6 months away!

MossBack -- my husband and I moved to the arctic for a job opportunity and some adventure. I am not native, but about 85% or our community is (pop. 1500). Dh is an engineer with the territorial gov. and I'm a teacher (although i'm just subbing this year.) We lived here for about 1.5 years, then left for a year so that dh could do his mba. When he finished we returned - it came down to here or Toronto, and we chose here. There are some unassisted home births here, but it is rare. I think its because of the small risk that something could go wrong. There isn't always a doctor here, no hospital, and no roads out. If something happened you would have to be medivac-ed on a lear jet to yellowknife (900km - or 450 miles away). They are building a new health centre here over the next 3 years and are planning to have it staffed with a doctor and midwives so that people can give birth here -- it will be for the region of nunavut we are from. Its quite sad, really, since they will pay for me to leave for the birth, but not for my dh. Obviously, we will pay for him to come, but not everyone is in our financial situation, so a lot of parnters miss the first 2 weeks of their child's life.

Charmie - i'm very jealous of your beautiful weather - its been 50 degrees below zero here the last couple of days!

Pynki - i too had very low bp. at one point it was down to 90/65.... but it has gone back up. I think its because i can eat again. Last check I was up to 117/78. They told me here not to worry when it was low. once the nausea goes away it should get better. (I too still get nauseas, although not all the time, i'm still taking medication for it - diclectin - but i think its only available in canada).

Health and happiness to everyone,
Erika


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi all....(this may be long....lol....)

Looks like I was on the wrong board...lol....thought I was due in Aug, not really based on anything since my lmp was Sept 8th...dd is still nursing and at that time was nursing like a newborn







....
I took a test around Nov 11 that came back neg...then another one Dec 13 that came back positive....I was sooooo sick from the end of Nov till I took 2nd test that I figured the end of Nov we conceived....Also I had went for my yearly checkup Nov 23rd, and thought I was close to having my period, not that I was pg....
I went for my dr's appt Jan 8th and she was unsure how far I was because my uterus felt like it was only 8-10weeks, but she did the dobbler thing just to see and there they heartbeat was...she didn't even have to look, put it down and it was there loud and strong







...so cool!!!! So then she was like you have to be atleast 13 weeks..so we scheduled an u/s to date my pg.

By the time of my dr's appt, my nausea was pretty much gone (thank goodness....I didn't gain any weight from Nov 23-Jan 8th appt), so that was nice....

At the u/s yesterday, I found out I'm 15 weeks along, due July 17th!!







...I can't believe it...I lost a month somewhere...lol...but that's ok! I didn't want my kids too close (atleast different pay weeks was dh's request...







)

I'm glad to be joining all of you....
I've been wearing mat clothes for a couple weeks now....some of my stuff is too big still, but I don't venture out too much and it's comfortable...my pre-pg clothes definately dont fit.








I'm glad to see all you seamstresses on here too....I am just about finished my first attempted nightgown for dd.....it's not too bad...mil is an excellent seamstress and is making a new sling for us. I have a link to the pattern with the padded sides if anyone wants it.

DD is still nursing although in the last 2 weeks has cut down dramatically....we co-sleep and she was getting up twice...now we're down to once around 630am...and then not again until before her afternoon nap (unless we are in town then it is not until evening)....so she's really cut back...but seems to be fine with it, which is great! She'll be 2 in Aug and on one hand I wanted her weaned and the other I don't....actually what I'd really like is for her to be night weaned....

Are others co-sleeping now??? What are your plans when baby comes...I've been wondering about that....we have a Queen and Double on the floor together right now and there is lots of room for dh, me, dd and our 2 dogs (whippets







)...and will be room for baby...dd slept on my chest for the first 3 months...if not longer







...

I had a c-sec with dd#1, so I'm planning on VBAC this time...my dr was a VBAC, so it's nice to have someone who understands, although it is her hubby that delivers the babies....I go to her until about my 7-8th month, then go to him...he's great though, he delivered #1...gave me all the time in the world to deliver naturally....then I started to get sick, so we decided on section...turned out that dd had a knot in her cord that would not have been good if she was delivered naturally....so no regrets







....I'm there first returning patient...lol...they just moved here when I was pg with dd#1....

Anyways, this is long, but I wanted to intro myself....
Looking forward to getting to know you all better...
Jen


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Welcome Jen!

I felt my baby move last night, from the outside, and shared with dh. He put his hand on me and felt it too! It was really neat. I think dh felt much closer to the baby with that experience.

I am still suffering from morning sickness, at 16.5 weeks. I've started acupuncture treatments out of desperation (cannot afford it at all, but don't know what else to do.) My first treatment--I came home and felt worse than I had in weeks, vomitted twice that evening, and felt sick into the next day. I'm hoping that is some sort of purging that is on course for healing. I am planning a homebirth but also see a nurse midwife with my HMO (Kaiser), and she had me get started on Kaiser's hyperemesis program where a nurse calls you every night at first, then less if they feel you are doing okay.) I found it incredibly annoying to have to be prepared for that 7pm call, and the have them run through a checklist that was off the mark for how I'm doing. They would say "good, good!" as if there were improvement, when what they really meant was that I'm not as bad as the others they talk to, but that didn't help me at all with the fact that I even though my baby is not at great risk because I can keep enough food down, I feel miserable all the time. So I ended that pretty quickly, and ventured outside the system with acupuncture. I'll let you know how it works out over some more time.

Hope you all are over the morning sickness.

Pynki, by the way, I have very low blood pressure too. I can never remember what my "normal" is because I didn't understand the numbers until just recently, and I also don't know if it drops during pregnancy for me. I will ask my midwife at my next checkup if she knows about that. In any case all I ever here is that low is not a problem (just annoying for me in that I get light-headed just from moving too quickly.) With pregnancy I have been incredibly light-headed and feel so incapable of getting anything done. We moved into a new house and I wonder if I we will even get the basic set-up of the rooms accomplished before the baby is born! I unpack a half of a box and have to lie down because I feel so faint. Do you think that is because of low blood pressure? I also can't go for a walk without feeling weak, and beginning to lose my hearing (gets all muffled and echo-y in my head.) Speaking of which...I feel that now and really need to eat.

I really haven't been enjoying pregnancy this time around. The first was so much more inspiring for me. Part of wanting to do the acupuncture was wanting to access a feeling of inspiration. I hope I can find happiness and enjoyment in this pregnancy and not just endure it all the way through, as I have been so far.

Anyone else? I've heard similar stories from friends on their second pregnancy.

Cindi


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks Cindi,

I feel for you....I hope that you find relief soon from the morning sickness! I wish I could offer some advice....

This is my second as well, and the main difference I feel so far is that I'm tired...m/s left around new years for good...still get the occasional wiff of something that sends my tummy spinning, but other then that, not too bad.
The tiredness gets to me though...and I'll wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get to sleep for a couple hours, that is weird for me, I can sleep through anything and never have a problem going to sleep.

With my first pg, I was working and that kept me very busy, I don't really remember much of that first pg...seemed like time flew....so with this one, I am trying to enjoy and remember more.

That is sooooo cool you felt the baby! I can't wait for that, I didn't feel Evelyn until later (from the outside)

Best of luck to you and I hope one day you wake up and the m/s is gone!!!!

Jen


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## Kanga (Nov 26, 2001)

My hips keep going numb when I sleep! I'm showing just a bit, and I can't believe I'm already dealing with circulation issues. I'm very tall and very low BP... any suggestions about what to do? I was thinking to start some yoga/stretching excercises... the poses in the recent mothering looked interesting. I need to start taking some time to pay attention to my body. I think it will be good for DS to start getting used to not having immediate access to me.

Other exciting news is that I met with the NP at my work to talk with her about a workplace pregnancy program she has organized. She was very excited to hear about the midwives and the home birth we're planning. She also told me that I'm entitled to leave with full pay one month prior to my due date! I can work 0-8 hours a day during this time. Also, my job is secure for up to a year after the baby is born. Apparently many managers try to keep all this a secret...

Hope everyone is getting over m/s... I've quit my prenatal vitamins...just cant stomache them any more. I found some liquid calcium and iron supplements that don't bother me at all.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

HEy Kanga i too am having incredibly low BP here.. And things are falling asleep before me some nights!!! (LOL)

I wish my m/s was way now.. I remain ever hopeful however that it will stop in the next 2 weeks or so.. 1st trimester my @ss... THis has gone on quite long enough...

I too am thinking of some prenatal yoga.. Not that i've ever done yoga before, but with all the other problems i was having before yoga really can't hurt anything...

I still am not really showing and don't expect to for another month or 2.. THats when i've started with the other 2 pg', so i'm betting this one will be the same...

Hope everyone is feeling better than I am...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Kanga (Nov 26, 2001)

Dyan, Sorry to hear that I'm not the only one whose limbs fall asleep before I do







I guess it's just the first of the many symptoms to come! I should get serious about that Yoga and see if it helps. I'm starting with continually reminding myself to carry myself properly (good posture) ... especially when sitting. Normally my boobs just about rest in my lap. I feel much better and stronger when I open up my chest and abdominals... I'm sure the baby feels better too!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Last night was my first night of tingly limbs...I never had that before....I hope it doesn't continue....lol....

Yoga sounds cool...I've never done it before, I've always been a walker....it actually warmed up to -12C today, so I may just venture out for a nice walk...dh is home today too, so he can watch dd, she doesn't like the cold at all.

Yesterday we went to town (dd and I) for some groceries....had to actually plug the car in before we could go it was -40C in the morning....anyways, we ran into a friend of mine that I haven't seen for a month or so (told her over the phone after christmas about #2)...and she was like oh my god you are showing that much already







: ...lol....guess it's not just me that thinks my belly has decided to protrude faster! Lol....then she commented that I wouldn't be able to put dd in her sling much longer it wouldn't fit around me...lol....I said the way my belly's growing she can sit on it....









I had a bout of nausea last night...dh was watching Fear Factor....I had to leave the room when they were doing the second stunt! Grossss!!!! I won't go into detail, as I know you guys have the quezy stomachs too, but man!









I hope that the weather starts getting nicer, although then the black flies come







....but I want to go outside!!!

Take care ladies,
Talk soon!
Jen


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi everyone...
How are you all doing???









The weather finally warmed up a bit....Evelyn and I took the dogs for a nice walk. It was about -1C the last couple days, looks like today will be the same, so we'll venture out again.
It feels good to be doing something outside!!

I've gotten the cleaning bug! I started ripping apart closets and cleaning them out. We have a second bedroom that I was moving furniture around in. It was suppose to Evelyn's room







: , that is now the guest room and where the computer is....even though it's still decorated for kids...
I was cleaning up clutter too, dh helped a bit and we bagged up some stuffed animals (dd has wayyyyy to many







) to take to the Salvation Army. And two bags of clothes too.

I feel pretty good....my back is a little sore, but if I remember to stand up straight it seems ok, and not carry Evy around as much, which is hard.

She's really cut down on nursing, I'm wondering if she's going to wean or start up again when baby comes. She even went for a nap the other day without nursing...that's a first!







....I'm glad, but sad too....she's down to maybe twice a day...usually once before bed and once before a nap...sometimes once more in the evening. Wow....seems like only last week it was 15 times a day!!

I go to the dr's again on the 10th....my first appt since the u/s...so I hope everything was ok...
How is the morning sickness Pynki?? I hope that it is better!

Talk to you all soon!
Jen


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Jen...

The morning sickness is abating.. ( i think.. quick knock on wood!!!!) However i think i have a bladder infection.. I am prone to them when not pg, so i wouldn't be suprised if i was now.. I got some cranberry juice and am trying to drink it to see if it will clear up just with this.. Otherwise my Ob appt is on the 12th, so if not i'll tell her then...

I had some really odd symptoms earlier this week.. Like sharp stabbing pains in my uterus.. Like someone stabbed a very sharp knitting needle up in there and it hurt hurt hurt... dr said it was probably ligaments stretching.. Well that is all well and good, but this is my 3rd pg, and the other 2 did not have stabbing pains like that.. IT woke me from a sound sleep...







And i don't think it's because i am older.. I'm not even 29 yet.. I won't be 29 when the baby arrives!!!! SHEESH!!!! IT IS NOT BECAUSE I AM GETTING OLDER!!!! MOst women don't even START having kids until now.. (GRRRR!!!) Sorry.. Just venting about not being old for heaven sake...

I hope everyone else is doing well...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan...

P.S.

If anyone else needs to repear after me... "i am not old... i am not old... i am not even that much older... " now deep cleansing breath.. See doesn't that feel better!!

Warm Squishies again...

Dyan


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Whoops I wrote a long post and erased it by mistake.

Take two:

I have been feeling the baby move a lot, and have also started having Braxton-Hicks. Seems really early, and I only feel them when I'm lying on my back--what do you think about this? Maybe one per day.

Tomorrow I have an ultrasound and if babe obliges us, we may learn the sex. I'll let you know.

I've started acupuncture for my nausea and fatigue, and we'll see how that goes. So far I've not felt much of a shift but I'll give it more time. I just wish it wasn't so expensive.

My poor boy (2.5) is really sick right now. He was coughing so hard last night he threw up several times, and has had a fever all this time too. He's in and out of naps this afternoon, between coughing fits and whimpering. I hope he is up for the u/s appt tomorrow because I really want dh there, and I was hoping ds would get something out of it too.

Anyway, I'll let you all know we find out tomorrow.

Cindi


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Dyan,
Just wanted to let you know that I"ve had the same sorts of pains, and they have woken me up from a sound sleep as well. I'm chalking it up to all the growing and stretching that's going on in there. It's a busy place.










Mossback,
Who isn't old either, and today's my 37th birthday!


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## bradleybrat (Feb 3, 2003)

Hi! Our first baby is due July 27. We are planning a home birth with a CPM.

Robin


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Welcome Bradleybrat!

How did your appt go Cindi?? Hope that baby was able to show all so you could find out what you are having








How are you doing Dyan?? Still having the pains??

I go to the dr's on Monday...I actually can't wait to go again....Still feeling good, except I almost passed out the other morning. I think I was just doing too much....
After dd and I got out of bed, we had a bath, then we got dressed et al, then I started to do the dishes....it was when I was 1/2 way through the dishes that I just felt like I had to sit or I was going to pass out. I felt 100% better after I sat for a bit. I figure I must have raised my blood pressure in the hot water..I'm not sure though, so I 'm going to ask my dr about it.

I haven't had too many pains yet...just lig. stretching at night...but alot more disch. then last preg







:

DD is completely weaned at night now....it's been 2 weeks and she hasn't asked for nums at night, and she's teething right now, so I know she is done at night! Yeah...it's kind of bittersweet, but it was too uncomfortable to continue at night.

I was thinking of going to the pool with dd a couple times a week. Town is 45 min away, so that sucks, but since it is still pretty cold out, I thought it would be good exercise until it gets warmer. Don't know though. I need to find a bathing suit first...lol...

Talk to you later,
Jen


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Hello July Mamas!

I have been lurking here for a few months, and now I want to join in the fun.

My name is Jen too. (There seem to be tons of Jens around here!) I am 26, married to my high school sweetheart for 3 years, and expecting our first baby on July 23. I have been feeling great lately - was sick for the first three months and now trying to make up for lost time!

I am going to be giving birth at a freestanding birth center. It is a fabulous place; the only downside is that it is 45 mins. away. I have my first appointment with one of the midwives there tomorrow! My mom gave birth to me and my three younger siblings at home. I got to see both of my sisters being born! It was a beautiful experience and what I have always imagined for myself, but my husband feels much more comfortable with the birth center for our first baby. (And I guess actually I do too! I like to use him as an excuse!)

Jen - I have been experiencing bouts of dizziness too, usually when I have been standing for a while, like in line or in the shower. My nurse practitioner said that it is normal throughout pregnancy and especially so if you have low blood pressure.

Well, thanks for letting me join in. I am excited to share about my pregnancy with a group of women going through the same things!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Welcome to our thread Jen....

That does seem to be a popular name in these here parts!!









For me.. I think my morning sickness is finally gone.. HURRAY!!!! about time too.. Especially considering i am 16 weeks now!!









However, now i have a cold.. I never leave the house it seems, and somehow i managed to pick up a cold.. So, i'm not throwing up anymore, but now i am sneezy, and can't breathe.. (sigh







) It never rains, but it pours it would seem...

Hope everyone is feeling better than me.. I go to the OB again on Wednesday... I think i had a bladder infection, but got rid of it with cranberry juice.. (HURRAY FOR THE CRANBERRY!!! ) But i'll tell her about it anyway... Other than that, and the cold.. THe pains HAVE stopped, but i had a BUNCH of contractions today... Pretty sure they are B/H, but I was counting how many there were in an hour because we did have pre-term labor with our 1st ds starting at about this time.. (sigh) I am a tremendous worrier it seems when i am pg.. I'm not much of a worrier any other time, and i'm way more worried with this one, because i KNOW this is our last pg... Period.. END OF STORY!!! they are WAY too hard on my poor over worked system...

SO it would appear i am full of the ramble tonite on the key board, so i will stop.. Just thought i would keep everyone abreast of my pg situation.. I know you were all waiting with bated breath.. :LOL

Warm Squishies...

Dyan


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

It looks like I am having a girl! I am so excited. The ultrasound was fun, ds really watching, and the baby was sucking her toes. We rescheduled it for this week (from last) because of ds' illness. It really gave me a boost of excitement about this pregnancy, which had been lacking earlier. I feel so much amazement.

One neat surprise at the ultrasound, was that the technician shared with me that she had a homebirth, before I even mentioned my plan for one. This was at Kaiser (my HMO), and I often feel wary of sharing my homebirth plans--for fear of judgement. The next day I had another Kaiser appointment, with my nurse-midwife there, and she's been supportive all along of me planning a homebirth...and when I told her how happy I was to learn about the u/s tech's homebirth, and my wariness, she said the hospoital staff seems pretty neutral to her, about homebirth and she doesn't worry about me getting disrespectful treatment from them, should I end up at the hospital afterall. And actually, my (homebirth) midwife said she thinks Kaiser is a good backup. Now if only the insurance covered homebirth!

Welcome Jen (maudlin)! Where in the Bay Area are you? I'm glad you decided to join in.

Dyan, as my nausea lessens, I've come down with a cold too, and as several of you have mentioned, I have low blood pressure and a lot of faintness, all the time. It's so hard for me to give ds what he needs. I swear I've missed brushing his teeth a few nights last week, and I just need so much time lying down. My uterus has been aching with stretching (I don't remember this from last time) and then ds jumps all over me and has a knack for elbows and feet digging into my belly. Hmmm, maybe that's why the ache? I know he needs moreinteraction than he's getting. I'll turn on PBS cartoons and take the chance to rest and nap while he watches from our bed, but he gets bored and when he sees I'm drifting off he starts jumping by my face on the bed and startles me. But it was actually so nice when he was sick because he wanted to sleep a lot and curl up much more gently with me and we could rest together. I think I need to start making a bigger effort to find playmates for him, since I am so lacking in energy.

My birthday is coming up this month, and all I want is a date with dh. I really would love an overnight getaway but think I'll probably settle for an evening out. I am so lucky to have my parents nearby.









Cindi


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Thanks for the welcome!

Pynki - So glad that your morning sickness is finally gone.

Cindi - I live in San Rafael. I lived in Petaluma for two years, and I was just there yesterday visiting a friend! Small world. One of my favorite comfort food restaurants is in Petaluma (La Famiglia), and when I was suffering from morning sickness, my sweet husband drove me up there once a week so I could have their chicken picatta (the only protein I could keep down). Also, I am delivering my baby at the birth center in Santa Rosa. (It's going to be a long drive!) That's great that you are having a home birth and that Kaiser is being so supportive. Oh, and congratulations on your baby girl!

I am dying to find out what sex our baby is, but we decided not to have any more ultrasounds (we had one in the first trimester), unless it is medically necessary. I feel good about this decision, but it is such a long wait.

Did any of you experienced mamas just "know" what sex your baby was? I think that we are having a boy, but several of my friends told me that they were "postitive" about the sex only to find out later that they were wrong.

Also, when did you start showing with your first pregnancy? I am "barely" starting to show. I can still fit into all of my clothes fine. I am getting so impatient to have a lovely pregnant belly, but I'm sure it will come soon enough.

I hope everyone stays healthy!

maudlin


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Hi Maudlin..

I am still in my "regular" clothes, and this is my 3RD pg!!!







IT takes me forever to show though..

We are cancelling our u/s appointment for next month becuase we are insurance free, and cannot afford the added expense... I am a bit worried.. We had 3 u/s after my 2nd trimester with ds2.. His kidneys were enlarged 1st (well he was a big baby- at least for my body anyway) and then my anmio fluid levels were low, and they wanted to keep an eye on them.. They eventually went up on their own, but now i am worried because we AREN"T going to have one..

I know that u/s are sort of a bone of contention on this board, so i don't want an arguement arre to why they are bad, but will someone PLEASE!!!! reassure me that everything will be ok.. I am not usually a worrier, but pg makes me NUTS!!! i am usually (when not pg) one of the most laid back people ever seen, but those hormones really whip me into a frenzy!!!!









OK.. Enough about that..

I too am SOOOO glad the m/s is done!!! UNfortunately my cold turned into a sinus infection, and i am now on antibio's.. Which is fine with me.. I am prone to sinus problems anyway.. Well those mucus membranes, and add a cold on top of it, and you are just BEGGING for a sinus infections.. (sigh) At least it will go away now.. (for awhile anyway!!







)

Anyway.. this is enough of a book.. So i'll be off..

Hope everyone has a super day, and a super V day..

Warm Squishies...

Dyan


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi all....
I feel like it's been forever since I've been on....









Went for my 2nd appt on the 10th...dh didnt' come as he just got off nights that morning, so just me and dd....it went good though.
Evy was good and cute....we had a med student working with our dr, so they asked if we would mind if she came in too....I said sure...well she came in only....lol...I was like ok...my dr came in later to go over anything, but it was still kind of weird.







:
She took a LONG time to find the heartbeat, but did eventually, it was 144 this time...I gained 9 lbs....not too bad considering it's the only weight gain so far!!

I've got a cold right now too....dd had it a couple days ago, now it's my turn...I hate colds....my head is stuffed and if I don't blow my nose then I gag....yuck! All I want to do is sleep, but of course dd is feeling better...and dh is working nights so he's sleeping....







...poor me...lol...

Maudlin....I started showing a couple months ago, and have been in prego clothes since after new years....seems my belly is popping out this time! I wasn't sure what we were having when pg with #1...and this time either...although it does look like there is a penis in the u/s pic....they won't tell you here, even if you want to know so that sucks cause I would like to know this time...
My sil is a labour/delivery nurse in Mich, so I'm going to get her to take the u/s pic to the hospital and ask the dr's if they can tell....we did that last time, but they couldn't tell for sure...I know cheating and we could be wrong









Congrats on the girl Cindi!!! I hope you get to go out for dinner with dh...I've been thinking that dh and I should go out too one of these days....we haven't been out just the two of us since I was pg with dd! We have no family nearby, and my girlfriend was weary of watching Evy when she was still nursing so much...now that she is down to two times (if that)...she said she'd be more than happy to watch her for a couple hours. The other down fall for us, is we are atleast 30-45 min from any town with a restaurant...an hour if you want to go someplace good...lol...so that sucks! Next time we go home to visit we'll hopefully be able to go out and leave Evy with Grandma....we were suppose to go out when home for Christmas, but Evy and I got the stomach flu, so that killed that plan!









Dyan...Everything will be great!!!







...I don't have any stats, but so many people don't have any u/s and have no problems...
Like you, I will end my book







...and wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!

Talk soon!
Jen


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey everyone, long time no talk!

I've just been swamped and tired lately, and therefor not here.

I'm 20 weeks pregnant as of yesterday and the morning sickness finally started to go away 2 weeks ago! So, for the last 2 weeks I've finally felt human again, LOL. What a great feeling to go a whole day without being ill! Whew! I was beginning to be afraid I'd be one of those poor women who are ill their entire pregnancy <knocks on wood>.

I've started to feel the baby move now







On occassion! I'm so busy at work (and I work between 50 and 60 hours per week) that I drop into bed at night and hardly have time to notice whether or not the baby is wiggling around or not throughout the day







I only notice if I wake up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and it's quiet. And sometimes right before I go home at 6:30pm, I notice s/he is more active ~ s/he seems to like the motion of the car and my loudish classical music ~ or maybe it is annoying, who knows?

I'm completely in maternity clothes now and I don't care what they look like as long as they fit comfortably and are cool. I'm so hot already! Ugh.

I just bought 2 dozen regular 4x6x4 chinese prefolds, so now I think my diaper package is complete ~ until I find some adorable fitted somewhere, LOL. But I have 2 dozen infant 4x8x4, 2 dozen regular 4x6x4 and 2 dozen premium 4x8x4 and 28 Mother-Ease fitteds and appropriate wraps. I can't wait to use them on a little bum!









Anyway, just wanted to check in with you all.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well I called about the u/s and we are going to have one because they aren't as much as i thought...

I had a hystosonogram in July of last year and it was over $700, so i thought the u/s would cost about the same.. I called and it isn't.. It's $275. so we are going to go ahead and get one.. Just for my peace of mind.. (whew!!)

I made home-made onion rings last night, and boy did they taste good, but boy and i paying for it today...

I hope everyone is doing well...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan

P.s.

I am having some bh contracts, and some real contractions already.. We did have preterm labor with ds 1, but none with ds2.. Anyone else have any kind of contractions either way yet??? Or am i the only lucky one???

Warm Squishies again...

Dyan


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Pynki, I have daily braxton-hicks. I still get sick from time to time, including this morning (I think in response to prenatal vitamins which I had stopped and then just tried out again.) Good luck with the u/s. Will you find out your baby's sex?

Maudlin, I was barely showing at five months of pregnancy the first time, and I think it was right after that (my wedding was at that time) that I began to pop out. But overall I stayed small. Where others say they are about to burst the last month, I still felt small by comparison. In fact, the day before my due date a friend dh and I had just met asked, "What are you doing Friday?" (wanting to get together for dinner)...and we laughed saying, "Having a baby!" He said, "Oh, no, you're not ready yet, when are you due?" and we said "Tommorow!" Which he couldn't believe. It's fun to hear you live so nearby. If you want to get together sometime pm me. I also am teaching a sling class to new and expecting parents if you have any interest. (Hope that doesn't go against board rules to mention that.) I went down to San Rafael the other night to see a movie at the Rafael: Rabbit-Proof Fence. Very good movie, and emotional, especially for us hormonal mothers. I also lived in San Rafael for a bit, and grew up in San Geronimo.

Hope all your pregnancies are going well. I, for one, don't want to ever go through this again.

Cindi


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

We're having a boy! We already knew, but wanted to make sure so dd didn't get too excited about a sister, so the u/s was very clear. I feel him allt he time. He's adorable...









I'm still very tired, and wearing sweatpants now for what looks like a beer belly. With dd1, I wore normal clothes for almost 6 months and then just a larger size, but it looks like this time I'll be popping out. Dang, so I'll get stretchmarks too...


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Simonee...

you might not get stretch marks.. I don't start showing until about 20-24 weeks, but by 32 weeks i start getting very big.. Like right now i weigh 111lbs, but i expect to weigh about 160 when this baby is born if i follow the previous 2 pg.. I don't have any stretch marks on my tummy, but i do have a few on my upper thighs.. I mean literally i have less than a dozen i bet... SO you might not get any, or alot.. Of course my boobies are one giant stretch mark, but it's hard to go from a barely b cup to a d with no tissue changes.. I figuire who sees em beside dh and the babe anyway...

I was soo sure we were having a girl, but then last week i had a dream and we had a boy and we named him Liam Connor, and he was 7lbs 9 oz, and he was early.. So who knows.. We'll see at the u/s next month, but with the 1st 2 pgs i only had dreams the boys were boys and they are, so now i am pretty sure we are having another boy..

I am actually having some mixed feelings about it.. I really wanted a girl this time.. (i didn't with the 1st 2 because of issue i have with my own mother, but i'm over those now) This is our last pg, so i'm a little sad i won't be getting that girl... Listen to me.. We don't even know for sure.. Maybe it is a girl, and she's just being sneaky... Hopefuly we will be able to tell with the u/s.

Best of Health and Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

It's great to hear from everyone! I have been feeling good but still taking lots of naps. I sleep sooo much. I sleep about 10 hours a night (I don't have kids yet!) and then take a 2 hour nap every day. Is this normal?

Pynki - I'm glad that you get to have your ultrasound so that you can get some peace of mind. Maybe that baby will surprise you and turn out to be a girl!

madison - I've been feeling my baby move too! I started feeling it a couple of weeks ago but wasn't postive because I have nothing to compare it to. Now I am sure, and last night I was resting with my hands pressed lightly on my uterus, and I felt a bump on the outside. I called my husband in, and he felt it too - 3 more times! I am at 18 weeks - all of the books say this is too soon to feel the baby from the outside, but honestly, it couldn't have been anything else.

Cindi - I will pm you. I need to go see Rabbit-Proof Fence. Several people have recommended it to me and the Rafael is only a couple of blocks from where I live.

simonee - Congratulations on your boy! I have a "feeling" that we are having a boy too, but I won't know for sure until the birth. It is so hard to wait! (My stomach looks kind of like a beer belly right now too - definitely not what I had imagined!)

Is anyone else besides madison planning on cloth diapering? I have been spending tons of time lurking in the diapering forum trying to figure it all out. I have been learning so much, but I am still confused. I will have to start posting my questions. Part of the problem is my own indecision. We live in an apartment and it costs $2 per wash and $2 per dry. I think a diaper service is probably the way to go, but I really want to do it myself, and of course I am in love with fancy diapers!

Hope you all have a good week.

maudlin


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Hi all!! I see new faces here. It took me a week or two to realize I've accidentally unsubbed from this thread. But this post will remedy that







.

I'm still here and plugging along at almost 20 weeks. Still not really showing, not feeling a ton of movement, and still in awe of how different this pg is. At the MW this month, I was measuring 14cm and was almost 18 weeks along, so I'm much smaller with this baby than I was with Samuel. Weird. DH thinks it'll be a petite little girl. I know it'll be a girl, but hesitate to comment on the petite part! We have a sono on March 11, so I'm hoping to find out we're right. Otherwise we'll have to deprogram Samuel b/c he already points to my belly and says "sister."

As far as cloth goes, yep! I'm doing it. Samuel just potty trained himself today, insisting on no more diapers, so I'm packing his size 2 kissaluvs away. There are quite a few posts on the diapering forum right now about diapering a newborn, and I've posted my stash on most of them







. The one I'm most excited about is having my prefolds tie dyed: pictures. I don't physically have them in my house yet, but I can't wait to see them IRL and snappied on an itty bitty little baby. I'm also buying some fitteds.

Maudlin, I know some of the mainstay posters at the diapering forum use public laundry facilities, so if I were you, I'd hop over there and post a question about it. You'll get lots of input, I'm sure!! The only thing I'd warn you about is the drying time of all those cute fitteds you're no doubt admiring. A good option might be pocket diapers like the ones from www.happyheinys.com or www.apronstringsbabythings.com You could machine wash them once (and maybe only machine wash the poopy ones...pee diapers can be washed in warm water in tbe sink if you want) and then air dry them over your shower curtain rod in a matter of hours. Stuff them with a microfiber insert or a couple of gerber flatfolds (the big gauze squares you find at places like babies r us...not the "burp cloth" diapers, but the others) and you'd have a REALLY fast drying system on your hands, and it would be cheaper than a diaper service when you figure in resale value.

I also like the quick dry AIOs from little lambs. Her soakers wouldn't dry as fast as the flatfolds, but the shell of the diaper would dry SUPER fast.

Anyway, there are definitely cute options out there. Like I said, I'd post at the diapering forum asking specifically about using public washing machines/dryers. Ohh...and an added benefit of line drying your stuff in the house would be that you don't have to worry about fabric softener residue in the dryers, which can make your diapers waterproof.

Or...you could consider elimination communication. A search at the diapering forum will turn up a ton on that. Talk about a money/energy saver. I wanted to try with Samuel, but just never did. Now that I've been through the potty training ordeal, I DEFINITELY plan on trying it with this baby.

I hope that helps a little bit!!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Good morning all....

I don't know if I started having contractions or if baby is just stretching out and stretching my ligaments, but every night when I go to bed, I've got pains for about 10 minutes on and off.....

If baby is stretching, he's going to have me stretched out sooooo far! Lol....I have stretch marks from last time, the worse ones are on my legs, but I didn't move around too much the first couple months after dd was born. I was in too much pain from the c-sec. This time we'll be doing vbac, so I'll be up right after I hope!

I too am cloth diapering. This will be my first new baby to cloth diaper though. I didn't start with dd until she was 6 months (and after being on the boards for awhile and thinking hey that's a good idea







)....thankfully the first diapers I bought go down to newborn size. They still fit dd too, but I have other ones for her that can be training diapers if I put them on loose enough. Although anytime she has a diaper on, she just goes in them...lol...

I can't believe how many are having (or think







) they are having boys! I too am starting to think it's a boy. I'm actually thinking that if I have to go for another u/s then I'll go to a town where they'll tell me the sex. I took the pic's from the first u/s to a friends last night and they all agreed that it looked like a penis between those knees....







....and all hands and feet were accounted for in other spots.....I use to think that I only wanted girls (I have 3 younger brothers!) but a boy would be cute and great....and hey I'd have the first girl and first boy grandkids...







I know that's mean, but my bil is an ass about these things...and thinks that we're trash cause we don't have new this and new that and spend money or great jobs and I stay home and you know his life is planned out and he has this and that and lalallalalal

Sorry...little rant there!









Take it easy ladies and talk soon!
Jen


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

hi july mamas! every time I think I've got time to reply something happens but I'm reading and enjoying the conversation anyway

not a lot is going on re this baby now, it's the "easy" bit for me, less nausea and fatigue and not yet hugely big or full of indigestion - but I get gentle movements often and feel most reassured

so much has been happening with my older kids that baby has been in the background and I wonder how everyone's needs will be attended to with a new baby as well, it's quite a daunting prospect

cloth nappies for us too, both my boys had cloth from birth though we did use single-use for overnights as they got older. I have a big stack of cotton flannel squares to fold and pin and use a no-name brand of covers, also washable liners. At first we will have a nappy wash service to ease the load a little, they never have as good quality as our own but it is convenient esp as it will be midwinter here when the baby arrives and we don't have a clothes dryer

re sleep - I have no trouble getting to sleep, but staying asleep is difficult, I wish I could sleep 10 hours a night but am often awake for the day at 4:30 am, or up from 2 am- 5 am, then fall asleep too early so it continues

stretchmarks - well I was so thoroughly stretched by a big first baby many years ago that I ceased to care about such issues, I carry my stretchmarks with pride









duty calls - ds2 has a tummy bug and needs his little feet rubbed


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

I'm a rabid cloth diaperer. Our favoriate system is the diaper-service quality prefolds, with pins and a nylon cover.

My vent topic today is _underwear_. I was getting by with bikinis, but they are starting to get uncomfortable. I'm looking RATHER pregnant at this point. I want something that doesn't cut my waist or lower belly and creep up my backside. The only comfy thing is - - don't laugh - - my homemade bloomers that I wear under dresses. Can't wait for spring till I can wear dresses with bare legs!

I'm declaring today my anti-procrastination day - got to finish up some maternity jumpers that are cut out and piled on the sewing machine.

It is so amazing to lay in bed and feel my stomach - we can actually feel the little person in there. Just 6 weeks ago there wasn't anything to feel. What a miracle!

MM - 20 weeks 5 days - time is flying!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

underwear..... most of my prepreg undies still fit but I get so big they won't fit forever

so I went hunting for maternity undies - hardly anyone sells them, and I gave up







looks like I'll be pulling my usual knickers down under my belly and constantly wondering if they'll stay up

homemade bloomers!! I'm trying to picture this.. or maybe I shouldn't


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Go ahead Emmaline - make fun of me.










My bloomers are made from a shorts pattern, only with 1/4 elastic, and some elastic and a ruffle at the bottom of the leg. They are roomy, airy , and just the thing under a dress if your thighs rub together in the summer.
You can make yourself a pair while you're having insomnia!

You see, I was born in the wrong century. I have a fondness for things old fashioned, including underwear.









Hope the tummy bug has left your house and didn't affect you. Are you stilll teaching your exercise class?

Wishing you love and comfy knickers!

MM


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

actually mossy I also have a lovely pair of purple hemp bloomers with cotton lace ruffle!! but tend to wear them as trousers, now I'l have to rethink.. and set up the sewing machine for nighttime endeavours

under a dress in summer I like the no-knickers approach but it's cooling down here now

yes I'm still teaching but it's more demonstrating a few postural exercises and stretches so I'm now a good model for practicing what I preach, as well as discussion of general care of oneself in pregnancy. I just tend to run out of breath when I talk too fast - this happens often as I have a lot to say in a short time!

tummy bug staying just with ds2 at the moment - ds1 is wishing he'd get it to stay home and have his feet rubbed too!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Hi everyone---it's been a while since I've had a chance to read through all the postings.

I've just started week 20 and I'm feeling things that are definitely NOT gas. I'm still wearing some of my larger, more comfy regular clothes, but also wearing some maternity clothes. It seems as though over the past couple of weeks, my tummy just popped out!

Time seemed to move so slowly during the first trimester. Every miserably ill second dragged by... Now I can't believe I'm about halfway through this pregnancy. I feel as though I am hurtling toward July at a faster and faster pace. It's going to be here so soon it seems! I feel like I have so much to do before this little one arrives. Is this the nesting instinct kicking in already?

I'm thinking good thoughts about all you July mamas!

Rose


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hi Rose, sounds like you are doing well! I also feel like this pregnancy is whipping along! I keep forgetting what week I am and then am shocked at how far I've gotten along. I'm currently trying out some of my maternity clothes (17 weeks) but they seem to make me look a lot bigger than I actually am! Almost feel like I'm faking it! I'm waiting for that first movement, I know its soon but it will make everything feel so much more real and it would be great for my husband to share in that.
Shelby


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Holy molly....this little monkey was moving around tonnes last night when I went to bed....(mind you the brownie probably helped...lol)

I hear you guys on the undie problem too!! After my first pg, we were not planning anymore so I got rid of my "big" undies....now I wish I had them back...

I haven't been eating like I was either, I mean I get hungry and eat but not like I was in Jan....that month it seemed I couldn't eat enough. I hadn't gained any weight prior to that though, so I guess that is why...

The weather has been in the plus the last two days, so we've been getting outside to walk...it feels sooo nice to get out and do something for a change! What are you all doing for exercise?? I thought of getting a tape of some sort, but I didn't know what to get...and I really love walking...I'm just praying for spring, so we can get outside everyday!!

Dd seems to have weaned...it's now been two days since she last nursed....














...mixed feelings about that, but she is doing great, so she must have been ready.

Anyways...sending Spring vibes everyones way!!!!!
Take care and welcome to the thread ndmom!!!

Jen


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hi and thanks! I've been exercising a bit but it was so hard in the first trimester- 1/2 hour doing anything resulted in at least a two hour nap! I just started prenatal yoga which I love and swimming too but the best exercise is just getting outside. I try to walk every day with our dog in the foothills, seeing spring popping out everywhere! I would definitely recommend it, better than any gym!
Shelby


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Hi Everyone! I just thought I'd un-bury this thread!!

I found out today that our local hospital (which I DO NOT intend to deliver at) has prenatal yoga and water aerobics. I tried calling to see if I'm allowed to attend (it's not free, so if I'm willing to pay for it, I don't see why not?!), but no answer. I was bummed, but I'll keep trying to find out. That's exciting b/c I feel soooo flabby and out of shape with this kiddo!!

I bought some new maternity clothes today (for super cheap...YEA!!), and I'm waiting on what my mother-in-law calls "half a ton" of clothes from one of her friends who had twins in November. It's going to start warming up here soon and I need some shorts/capris/short sleeves. All my maternity stuff from Samuel is long sleeved since he was due at the end of the winter. Not going to work in a southern summer!!

We're anxiously awaiting the sonogram on March 11 (two weeks is NOT SOON ENOUGH!), but I'm still pretty sure this child is a girl. I bought a couple of girley sleepers on sale yesterday b/c I figure if I find out I'm wrong at the sono, the store has a 30 day return policy. If I find out I'm wrong at the birth, well...BABY GIFTS! I just don't think I'm wrong, though. Wasn't with Samuel, don't think I am with this one.

Anyway...that's my life lately. Not much going on...


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Thanks for finding our lost thread Charmie! Honestly, I have just been too lazy to post lately. I've been reading lots, but not posting at all - how selfish of me.

I had a cold last week, but I'm feeling better now. Stuffy head seems to persist, but I wonder if it is just pregnancy "rhinitis." I had an appointment at my birth center today, and all is well. They are trying to get me to eat more carbs because I haven't been gaining weight. I'm not worried because I am very healthy, and I eat well - I am trying to add more whole grains to my diet though.

I really want to take a prenatal yoga and water aerobics class! Unfortunately, the two prenatal yoga classes I've heard of around here are offered when I am working. I'm still looking. I just really want to be around other pregnant women. Speaking of which, I get to meet Cindi for lunch tomorrow. I am excited. (Hi Cindi







)

Hope everyone is doing well. I will try to be better about posting to this thread because I love hearing what everyone has to say. This is the first thread I look for every day!

Oh yeah, thanks for the cloth diapering advice. I will definitely post my questions to the diapering forum soon.

maudlin


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Morning All!

I was glad to see this thread bumped up!
Not too much happening here....feeling the baby tonnes though....last night he/she woke me up kicking me...it was cool! Feels more real, not that my protruding tummy doesn't feel real, but you know.









I wish we had some kind of exercise to go to here...I don't feel too bad, just out of shape...the weather has been cold again, so we've been cooped up again







: , today is suppose to be a little nicer though, and hey March starts tomorrow, it can't stay winter forever right!







:

I got the new Ina May book the other day and am reading the birth stories over and over, trying to relax while I read them...sometimes I'll be half way through then I will notice I'm all tense...lol...better work on that!

Anyways, I hope you are all feeling good and "growing" ...I had to make my maternity pants bigger yesterday (ahhhhh).....
Talk to you all soon,
Jen


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well i know you are all gonna hate me, but i am STILL not showing...







: I know there's a baby in there because i can feel it moving.. And the truth is that i AM showing, but i'd have to show you my underwear for you to be able to see it at all...









I go in for my u/s on the 12th, and i am VERY excited.. I keep having dreams that we have a boy, and he is a c/s and he is born REALLY EARLY like at 24 weeks... However he weighs 7lbs 9 oz.. So who knows...

Hope everyone is feeling good.. Hopefully i will have started gaining some weight here shortly.. I don't think that 111 lbs is really appropriate for a woman who is 19 weeks pg... I can't wait for people to be able to tell just by looking at me that i am pg.. As it stands i get dirty looks when i don't give other women my seat when we are waiting at the restaurant when we go out.. I ust want to stand up and scream.. LOOK I"M PG TOO< ANND JUST AS MISERABLE!!!

Sorry. mini rant!!









Hope everyone has a super day...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

LoL Dyan,
I appreciated your post because I have a superskinny friend who is about 3 weeks behind me. I look at her and think " she can't possibly feel as pregnant as I do."

We'll have to keep posting to see how these baby dreams turn out. I had my first one last night - a little boy with a big shock of carrot red hair, who was teeny tiny, as if I took him out right now. He looked up and said "Mom," and was breathing just fine. Super easy birth - he came out while I was renovating a house, lol. We named him Luther.

With my daughter, my dream was prophetic - she was a girl.

We are off to an overnite swim meet this weekend. My oldest ds is 1 sec from qualifying for the midwest US zone meet. Three kids with 21 events to swim - it's going to be a long day on the bleachers.

Take care all,
MM
mom to 3 with #4 due 7/1/03 - wife to the incredible Brad.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

MM

Remember a pillow for those bleachers.. Good luck to your son!!!

Let me assure you DO I FEEL PG>. The problem for me is I have a really long butt.. Betwee my hips and my waist is LOOOONNGGG so I have a lot of room there before i start showing, and my uterus is tipped backwards, so i have a long way to go before you can even see it..

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

I have a post on the 1st page of this bad boy, and nothing else since now!

But today I have some nice chatter to share:

I am planning a homebirth and am seeing a midwife. At 10 weeks, I went to the clinic and saw a CNM, to get my bloodwork done, see what her (and the local hospital's) birth philosophy is, and all that noise.

Today I went in to ask if this CNM would be my 'back-up', and be nice to me should I need to go to the hospital to birth (whether that choice is made in week 34 or during labor, y'know?!) She was totally cool, and has done this kinda thing before!

She let me know that should I need to come to the hospital, my midwife would be warmly welcomed! YEAY.

She also listened to baby w/ the Doppler (my homebirth midwife prefers the ol' fetoscope, naturally) which is fun to hear. She also listened to the placenta wooshing away...

The cool thing is, I have always thought a valuable element to the ol' 'routine ultrasound @ 20 weeks' was to see where the placenta is (yes, even though it can move up and away from the cervix). But my CNM was listening to it nice and far away from my cervix, and since I have felt movement in the front of my belly, it's pretty 'cased close' that I have a nice posterior placenta, out of the way of the cervix.

I thought that was cool! We only needed a few ultrasonic waves to determine that one!

underwear--yeah, what is up....my 'pregnancy' bikinis that I used LAST time 'till the end are TOO SMALL now! Whatever! And my weight gain is the same (I like to do it at LEAST a pound a week, apparently!







)

cloth dipes--yeah, the crazy ladies over in the diapering forum converted me NOW, w/ my 20 month old, and for this utero babe.

Well, just checkin' in, gals, nice to have this lil' community.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Pynki_
*I keep having dreams that we have a boy, and he is a c/s and he is born REALLY EARLY like at 24 weeks... However he weighs 7lbs 9 oz.. So who knows...*
Oh, that's kinda weird. I had a similar dream EARLY in my pregnancy. It was a vaginal birth with my MW, though, at 36 weeks (just under the cutoff for preterm labor in her practice) and it was a girl weighing 6lb 13oz. I never dreamt anything that clearly with Samuel, even though I just "knew" he was a boy. No dreams or anything...

Speaking of Samuel, he has chicken pox. Poor baby. Times like this I feel so guilty for not vaxing, but I KNOW it was the right decision for us. I'm still trying to get ahold of a friend of mine with three unvaxed kids that we exposed on Tuesday night (he broke out Wed, meaning they were exposed when he was MOST contagious). I'm glad I've had it. I know it's not good for pg women who haven't had it to be exposed, but ya know...I'm not sure I know why







:.

Anyway, this is bound to be a yucky week. I have DH out renting kids movies b/c the only one we have is a Clifford one that DS would watch _all day long_ if I let him. I know he won't be up to much this week (he's feeling sooooo yucky), so I asked DH to find some veggie tales or something like that, just for VARIETY!! I also have to reschedule his birthday party, which is supposed to be the 8th. He'll probably still be contagious. Oh, such fun...


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

OH i hated the chicken pox.. I got them over christmas break when i was in kindergarten or 1st grade.. I had them pretty bad.. In my mouth.. OUCH!!!! Especially since my mother made me drink OJ so i would get better faster..

My sympathies to your ds!!!

Women who havent' have chic pox are supposed to stay away because the virus can cause birth defects and miscarraige if you get the virus...

Warm Squishy Feelings all...

Dyan


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi all,

I have been having the worst back pain the last couple days....last night it was so bad I had to brace myself when I moved and move very slowly! Anyone have any suggestions?? It seems to be worse on my right side, like my whole hip bone etc...

Yesterday we did have a busy day....first off when in the shower dd wanted to join me, well she won't stand in the shower, so I had to hold her. Then we went out walking for a couple hours (in town, then again when we got home)...then we made supper and cookies, so I was on my feet almost all day....my back didn;t hurt until I sat for awhile and then went to get up.







:

I don't ever remember having back pain like this with dd.....
Oh and it seems like my belly popped more last night....maybe it was just bones stretching?? Any ideas?

I don't go to the dr's again until the 14th....

Oh off topic, but I have to tell someone....dh has a couple great leads in our home town for jobs!







.....We've been thinking and trying to get home for a couple months now...we miss everyone and they are missing so much of dd and now with #2 coming. One lead is a guy his sister knows, it would be 3.00 less an hour, but they would train him to be a welder if he wanted, so he's be making great money eventually. The other is through a friend of her's, it would only be until this coming winter, but atleast we'd be down there so he could look for something else. It seems like everytime he sends his resume to jobs on the Canada job bank we hear nothing back!







...We kind of figure it's cause we're 500km away and they probably have 10 people with the same qualifications in Sarnia to hire kwim?? So these two are the first ones that seem like we're in!








The downside....well possibly a downside...we'd have to live with his parents for a few months till we could afford to find a place. I don't think this would be too bad, but they aren't exactly use to having 2 more dogs, and 3 1/2 more people. They said we could stay as long as we need too....so that is good....but still....







: Other downside...I love my Dr! They are great!! But who knows what Sarnia has, maybe they have a birthing center??

Anyways, keep your fingers crossed for us! We so want to move home...and I'd rather move sooner then later with baby coming.
Talk soon and take care,
Jen

p.s. dh asked me last night, "how can those underware fit you??"








..dd was wearing a pair on her head (yes she's silly







)
I told him that they stay under my belly! But I'm thinking I may need to get some new ones or something....they are starting to dig into my sides!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Dear Whippet,
I have bouts with horrible hip and sciatic nerve pain, but the chiropractor makes me feel so much better. I am walking 4 m briskly 3 x a week, and haven't had nearly the pelvic discomfort that I normally have. Something about the walking must keep things balanced. I bought myself a fitness ball to use instead of a chair at the computer and sewing machine - pretty comfy.

We had the pox a few years ago. Our family doctor doesn't even vax for it Charmie, cause he doesn't think it's safe. Maybe that will make you feel better. My nursing toddler only got a few spots and the older kids had it mildly, probably because they have awesome immune systems.

Went in search of some maternity dresses today - there is nothing. It's either flimsy short and tight stuff, or long and straight with big horizontal stripes - YUK. Nothing pretty or feminine.

Weighed myself yesterday - was very scared and have been avoiding that. Surprise! I've gained 15 lbs, not as bad as I thought. I started out about 20 lbs over what I should be so definately don't want to gain 60 lbs this time.
Snowing again here today -- ugh.

MM
mom to Caleb, 12, Lydia 10, Zane 6, and baby blessing due 7/1.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks mossback...I will keep walking...I actually read something today about sleeping on your back being bad for lower back pain...I knew I wasn't _suppose_ to sleep on my back, but it's still comfy for me.







...Looks like I better stop though.

Did you try Ebay for dresses?? I got a nice one from there a couple months back.

Also just wanted to add that my dr didn't recommend the chicken pox vac...she told us about it, then when I asked her what she did with her kids, she said she wouldn't even try it. I remember my brothers and I all had them at the same time...my poor mom....4 kids all at once, and my youngest brother was only like 2! Two youngest had it the worse, mom took pictures too....dbro3 had one on the end of his penis! Poor kid!









Take care all,
Jen


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## Carla (Feb 5, 2003)

T
Hate to hijack ladies! I lurk here often as I'm due July 2nd. Just wanted to share the good news that we are found out we're having a baby girl







. I looooove my 2 boys but nonetheless am so unexpectedly emotional about having a daughter!! Didn't think it would ever happen. DH had a vacestomy in November but much to our surprise I was already pregnant. Thought I was forever a mom to 2 boys and now a little girl to make it complete








Thanks for listening to me geek out for a minute


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Hi Carla...

That's wonderful news.. Don't worry.. It's not hijacking.. you're a momma, and you are due in July... (although i have to say, i'd almost bet you go the end of June!!!








)

I am a momma to 2 boys, and i didn't think i would, but i REALLY want a girl this time.. I won't be devestated if it's a boy or anything, but i'll be a bit disappointed for a bit i think... We have our U/S on the 12th...

Hope everyone is doing well today...

Warm Squishies...

Dyan


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

That's great Carla, and like Dyan said, your not hi-jacking....lol....














! It must be soo exciting for you to be having a little girl! I've got one girl and am hoping for a boy....just cause it would be so cute to have a little "man" in the house....little boys are soo cute....of course so are little girls!








Guess that boils down to I also wouldn't be upset to have either, but a boy would be cool!

I got my Raspberry leaf tea finally yesterday. Ended up that I couldnt' find it in town anywhere, so I had to order it online. Any one know if I should ease into drinking it....I mean, I seen somewhere else that "they" recommend that you drink one cup for each trimester your in...so one cup in first, two in second, etc....but I don't know if I should jump right into drinking two cups a day, or wait and see to make sure I'm ok drinking it?







:

Anyways, hope everyone is doing good and talk soon!
Take care,
Jen


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

Hi All, Have not checked in with you for awhile. Glad to read that everyone seems to be chugging along well. I've been fluish sick the past few days and can't seem to shake this sore throat and conjestion. DS turned two yesterday and is getting so big. Really expanding is vocab and insisting on sleeping in his own bed. I'm happy about the bed (more space and my nipples get a rest), dh is sad.

We had an ultra sound yesterday day and they are pretty sure that it's a girl! Way cool. DS came with but was more facinated by the copious amounts of gel the technician was squiriting all over me. This may sound nuts, but the baby really looks alot like our DS... the profile is identical. We are wondering all the time about what this little one will look like... now we really think she will look more like her big brother than anyone else. We shall see...

Just a quick question since my midwives have been very busy lately... has anyone tried an herbal deconjestant during pregnancy? I know licorice root is good for this... maybe I can get a piece and soak it in hot water? Is it safe for preggos?

Happy tuesday!


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Welcome Carla! You should join us! It's fun to be a part of what everyone else is experiencing.

Pynki, your ultrasound is coming up soon - how exciting!

wwhippet, I have been drinking Raspberry leaf tea, and I love it! I was a little bit concerned at first too, so I just started drinking one cup a day. After a few days, I just started craving more. I talked to my Certified Nurse Midwives about it, and they said it was completely safe to drink any amount at any time during pregnancy. (I trust them because they are pretty conservative.) If it makes you feel better, start by drinking one cup a day; you'll probably want more soon!









Kanga, I haven't tried any herbal decongestants. I have just been steaming my face and using a humidifier - that helps a lot. You could also add some Eucalyptus leaves to the hot water. I don't know much about licorice, but I think I heard you aren't supposed to drink it during pregnancy. Good luck - hope you feel better soon.

Great to hear from everyone!

maudlin


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## Carla (Feb 5, 2003)

Thanks for the welcome everyone!

Dyan, I pray everyday I'll go before the end of June!! ds #2 was 2 weeks early ~ it was wonderful missing half of that awful last month!! ds#1 was 10 days late, don't ever want that again.....Having 2 little ones, being pregnant and due in the dead of summer, I'm hoping for as early as healthily possible.

Good luck on your ultrasound!!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well everyone.. My tummy popped out last night.. (bout time 2 at 20weeks..







: ) Of course i'm still too big for my maternity pants and too small now for my reg. pants.. (sigh) whatsa pregger mom to do??!!

Hope everyone is feeling great.. ANd Kanga, i hope you are feeling better...

Warm Squishy Feelings..

Dyan


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

Hee hee... Pynki... I think you mean your maternity pants are too big for you and reg pants are too small.....

Feeling better. I did a nice walk today. Now back to work!!!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

DOH!!!

That is of course exactly what i meant..

Pregnancy brain strikes again!!!

Warm Squishies...

Dyan


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

Yes of course... I'm sure we can all relate. It gave me a chuckle though.

My trick for the pants dilema is to pin the maternity pants in front, making the stretchy pannel a little tighter. Although at the rate this baby is growing, it won't be for much longer.

Any second timers find differences in the way they are carrying this one? My son was high and gave me heartburn for 6 months. This time around it appears to be a girl and she is laying VERY low and more side to side. Almost feels like my cervix is already thinned out there is so much pressure there!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks maudlin....the first night after I drank it, I had indigestion huge, and of course blamed the tea, not my dinner...







: ...needless to say, I've felt good since then.

I feel like this baby is carrying lower then dd did, seems like he/she is always kicking me really low! Not to mention there is definately a Plateau on my belly when I sit down...you know like a little shelf....lol....I didn't have that with dd...which makes me think we're having a boy....









Did or is anyone reading Ina May's new book?? I got it last week and have been reading it when I get a chance....I am soo inspired! I'll admit, I am/was a little afraid that I couldn't do this labour thing....but now, I feel so much better! I still get a little nervous, as I never made it past 5-6cm last time, but I don't know how to decribe it....I just feel well inspired!









We got more snow yesterday/last night! I want Spring to come!! Hopefully soon!
Take care all and talk soon!
Jen


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

Oh, I just saw that book on Amazon yesterday and was thinking of getting it. Does it have alot of positive birth stories? I'm obsessed with reading about birth and would love some more stories.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Yah...Kanga, the whole first part of the book is birth stories. The second part (what I'm reading now) is the mechanic's (for lack of a better word) of birth...what role your mind/emotions play etc....
There are probably atleast 20 stories, if not more!









I'm going to have to go to the library one of these days and see if they have her first book...









Jen


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

this baby #3 is so low and the movements feel much gentler because there's so much room to swim around, I reckon

still I'm getting a little indigestion already (23 weeks) but it came with a vengeance right on the heels of "morning sickness" with ds1

I saw Ina May had a new edition out - or is it a whole new book? I just love reading Spiritual Midwifery, so positive and uplifting, my old copy is dogeared and probably mildewy with all the tears it has inspired!


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey all,

Wow, I can't believe we are on page 10!









I can't believe how good I feel lately! I'm really digging this second trimester phase! I have a ton of energy (as long as I nap and sleep reasonably). Too bad my industry doesn't extend to my job or doing the dishes







I'm really liking this whole pregnancy thing. Oh, the babe is wiggling around right now as I type - I love that feeling, it's kinda creepy nice if that makes sense! I'm 23 weeks today and have another prenatal appt with my midwives tomorrow. I love hearing the heartbeat ~ but last time s/he kept kicking the doppler so we'll see how it goes.

Cindi, I'm also having Braxton-Hicks contractions, a couple times a day. I know I just read somewhere ("The Thinking Woman's Guide to Birth"???) that BH are common starting at 20-24 weeks. I was glad to read that, cause I was a bit worried! That total clamped down feeling kinda freaked me out the first time, it was so strong









Hey morning sick women, I had morning sickness until 18 weeks - I empathize!!! Thank goodness it finally just disappeared all on it's own. One day I noticed that I hadn't barfed all day, or even felt like it, and it was 6pm! May you have relief soon!! The only thing that really "worked" was (ahem) "making" myself heave and get it over with, and then eating. And the new super smooth Tums are yummy, by the way!

Your underwear conversation cracked me up, LOL. I hate that "pinched in half" feeling, and I think the babe kicks more when I'm in pinching underwear, haha. I've found a great pair of undies at JCPenny's - their feather lites, I'll see if I can remember to check them at home tonight and tell you all tomorrow (no memory whatsoever anymore) if that is the official name. They are super comfy and have a broad waist band, and are very stretchy and light. I'm so happy to have found them! Seems funny to be gushing about underwear. What a strange world pregnancy is, huh?

Anyone suffering from pregnancy related Carpal Tunnel Syndrome??? I think I'm starting to get this and it sucks bigtime. I try to sleep on my left side, so I could understand if my *left* arm were asleap & tingly, but it's my RIGHT arm that hurts, tingles and goes numb, no matter how I sleep. My two middle fingers go completely numb and tingly (weird combination), and pain just radiates from my shoulder, along the inner arm, all the way to the ends of my fingers. It wakes me up two or three times each night now, and usually by 5am I'm in so much pain that I have to get up and take a walk around my apartment just to get the blood flowing again and bring enough relief to my fingers/hand that I could possibly sleep again. Not to mention, I'm still up peeing twice a night. It wears off by the time I am fully awake for the day, and I'm having no problems at work typing so far, but wow! It hurts! Gee, I didn't think sleep deprivation and pain would start much BEFORE the 9th month/babe's birth! There is still 3 1/2 months to go!









At lunch today I was napping on my boss' couch and woke myself up because I was SNORING TOO LOUD!!!









Anyway, nice to see you all here







Happy pregnancy vibes to you all!


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

As I was shaving my legs today, in the tub, it felt like there was a lil' pillow in front of my stomach as I bent forward.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

It IS getting harder to shave, LOL, I feel the same thing. It's like leaning over a cantalope! Geez, at this rate, I'm gonna need help shaving my legs in another month or two, LOL!


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Oh, and the super comfortable underwear I found at JCPenny's are by Jockey, something like Whisper Lites


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I was thinking as I read your post about the undies being "feather lites" that you must've been lurking on the diaper board too much since that's also the name of a wrap. Of couse, whisper lite isn't much better...bummis makes "whisper pants."

Hmm...maybe it's me that's on the diapering forum too much :LOL! I keep waiting for some of the DIJ mamas to head that way, but haven't seen anyone except dyan there!!


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

what's DIJ?


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## bradleybrat (Feb 3, 2003)

Hi! I have a suggestion for the Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). I seem to have developed it also (I actually injured my wrists last year -- torn ligaments -- and had to have surgery to repair the right one, so the joints are just screwy now).

Anyway, I've found that it really helps the CTS to put my hands palm-down flat on the floor and put some of my weight on them (either hands-and-knees or a kind-of "down-ward facing dog" yoga position). This seems to help drain some fluid out of the joint.

Hope it helps!

Robin
baby #1 due 7-28-03


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

DIJ means due in July. (I think!)

Charmie, I lurk in the diaper forum constantly. Right now I am just taking in information and trying to process it. I am still pretty confused at this point, but once I have some things sorted in my head I will start asking questions and participating. I guess since I don't have a babe yet, all I can do is ask questions! Anyway, I love the diapering forum; it is such a supportive community.

Nothing really eventful has been happening around here - that's why I haven't been posting much. I've been feeling the baby move a lot, and my impatience just keeps growing. I am trying to enjoy the stages I am in and not get ahead of myself. It is so hard - I just want my baby! I have actually stopped reading so many baby and birth books because I was obsessing way too much. Maybe we should do some sort of fluffy July mamas questionnaire to get to know each other better. I will try to come up with something.










maudlin


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Just thought I'd add that I lurk in teh diapering forum, but haven't posted there in awhile....don't lurk too often either, I have my cd already from dd that will work for #2. Lurking there makes me want to try all the cool and cute diapers that everyone talks about, and I can't afford that....lol....







:

Also, unable to shave here too.....lol....oh well, it's still cold outside, so I'm good for awhile....only ones to see my legs are dh, dd and d-dr....and I don't think she cares...









I think I'm going to start going commando...the last two days my undies have just dug into my sides....







...very uncomfy! We don't go out too much, I mean to town or anything, so who would know??? We only have like 10 people living in our town this time of year!

Take care all,
Jen


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

I say amen to commando! I've always hated underwear and now it is even more uncomfortable, I actually think twice about going to the store if it means taking off my sweats and getting decent! I took a break from all the forums for awhile but glad to be back. I actually was dreaming about ebay diaper sales and was obviously getting a bit obsessed!
I think doing a July mommas questionnaire would be fun! I've had the hardest time meeting moms here, even in yoga class. Everyone seems so busy, rushing to and from class...sigh. We are starting our birthing class in April with at least four other couples (Bradley Method) so I'm hoping we'll get a community going soon.
LOL


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

I just bought some comfy undies... they are from Target ... these are a trendy "low rider" style that all the kids are wearing.







They look like boy briefs. My dh is really turned off by them, but they are very comfy since they end before my belly starts.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Dr. Bradley hypothesized that not wearing undies could possible "toughen up" the perineal skin and help avoid an episitomy. I read about this during my pg with Samuel and since I only had two pair of maternity undies, I saved them for use under the clothes that mattered (skirts, khakis, etc) and didn't wear anything under my jeans about 90% of the time. Did it contribute to my pushing out a 9#4oz baby over an intact perineium? I don't know, but you'd better beleive I plan to do it again when I outgrow my pre pregnancy undies. Plus it's cheaper than buying all new underwear!!


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Okay, commando mamas, don't ya get all goopy? I could use a fresh pair of undies halfway thru the day sometimes, if you know what I mean!

Do share.

And I, too, read Dr. Bradly's advice that pg mamas should be panty-free. He was all concerned about 'panty rash,' too--feeling that fresh air is the cure...but he was also talking about women whose only wardrobe choice was dresses/skirts that hit at the knee (archaic book.)

An occasional poster in the Diapering forum here, BTW...not too often, 'cause I'm still a newbie and am not getting into this sugarpeas SOS nonsense!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I find that I'm in the bathroom often enough that I wipe away most of the goop before it goes anywhere. I don't know, though, I've been more goopy with this pregnancy so maybe going w/o undies won't work this time. Course, it's not like it doesn't occasionally soak through my undies to my jeans anyhow, and that doesn't bother me. As long as there's not stuff running down my leg, I don't think I'd care







.

Yeah, most of bradley's stuff is outdated, but IMO the "toughen up" thing works even better with pants that have a seam in the crotch area than with dresses. I don't think I'd ever be able to wear *nothing* under dresses, although it does get pretty hot around here, so maybe I'll change my mind. I know DH would find that immensly appealing







:...men!!

for what it's worth, I do have a sugar peas that I got in a trade, just to see what was going on and I have an SOS that I bought ages ago when you could still get them (GRRR!). I like them both okay (haven't used the sugarpeas yet), but can't really see why they're the be-all-end-all in the diapering world right now. I've found that the fad diapers aren't always what they're cracked up to be, ya know? 'Course, I find that's the case with most fads...


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Robin, I'll try the hand thing. Thanks and I hope you feel better, too!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I'm up int he middle of the night with a little insomnia, but hope to fall back to sleep after this. (I was lying there thinking about getting bills paid







: )

My grandmother died on Thursday, at 91 years. She was the only grandparent in my life, my mom's mom. I got to see her less than 24 hours before she passed away, and she was sleeping fairly peacefully, finally off all medication and with only oxygen around her nose. I wanted to share with all of you how amazing it was to have my baby moving inside while watching and touching my grandma and seeing the way she shifted around under the covers like a baby in utero. She was all skin and bone, and when I touched her head I could feel that her skull was just underneath very thin skin. It was amazing how like the start of life the end of life is, but in the opposite direction. And when she breathed a little harder I could feel it was so much like giving birth, working on the passage of death. I really don't feel that sad. Death is a little scary to me, but I'm learning to trust it more, and the similarity to birth is a helpful way for me to see it. I feel like she died in the nicest way possible, in old age, and fairly gently.

(I get agitated when people say "I'm sorry about your grandma" because I'm not sure there is reason to be sorry, but I also understand that when you don't know what to say, that comes out.)

That night, and then yesterday, for some reason we all had hiccups. First I felt the baby had hiccups (for the first time) and then I had hiccups, then yesterday morning dh and ds also started hiccupping. hmmm? (Probably more related to the pizza we had for dinner than my grandma, but it was interesting.)

Now I'll think about incorporating my grandma's name, in this baby girl's name. She was Anna Emily (but went by "Emily.") The name we have been thinking about mostly was Claire, my mom's middle name after grandma's sister Clara (and maybe her brother Clarence...I wonder if it goes back farther as a family name?) I haven't even mentioned this to dh, but it's been something I'm exploring. Emily Claire is pretty, but I like the name Claire better and Claire Emily isn't as nice. It could also be spelled Emilie or émilie to go with the ridiculously long French last name she will have. (Does anyone know how to get that é capitalized? It is alt 0233 that gives the lower case, but even with "caps lock" on I can't get it capitalized--been doing the lower case for awhile for my husband André!)

Anyway, I've been meaning to check in for awhile now. Ah life!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi,

I just registered, and thought that I would let all know that I am a mami who is due in July. The EDD is the 10th, but if I get any say in this ( which I'm sure I don't, lol ) I'm shooting for the 14th. My b-day is the 15th and my dh's is the 13th. Also I have a niece born on the first, a SIL on the 8th, my MIL on the 9th, and a nephew on the 12th.

Miranda


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:

I find that I'm in the bathroom often enough that I wipe away most of the goop before it goes anywhere. I don't know, though, I've been more goopy with this pregnancy so maybe going w/o undies won't work this time. Course, it's not like it doesn't occasionally soak through my undies to my jeans anyhow, and that doesn't bother me. As long as there's not stuff running down my leg, I don't think I'd care .
:LOL ...I agree with that one! Seems I'm more goopy this time too, but haven't really noticed when going commando....I do like the idea that it "may" help with delivery....that would be nice.









Welcome Miranda....looks like July is a "party" month for your family!!!









Cindi....thanks for sharing that....it's amazing how the connection between birth and death is so similar....very cool!









I've got to get a preg. yoga tape....we dont live to close to town, so going to a class would be expensive in gas....although it would be nice to meet some other preggo momma's in real life...Thank goodness for you guys, or I'd think I was all alone in this









We're getting more snow today....yuck! I want spring to come soon.....but I guess it will be here before we know it since we only have like 3 1/2-4 months till babies come! Holy....doesn't seem too far away when it's in that context!

Take care!
Jen


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

cindi I'm up at night quite a bit too. I think I understand what you are saying about your grandmother - a gentle death for someone who's ready doesn't seem to go with "sorry", I felt the same when my grandaunt died last year. She was well ready and had made her wishes known and her wishes were respected. She died peacefully and I was sad she was gone but it was a right and fitting passage. I'm also thinking about incorporating her name into our dc's name somehow. Emily Claire sounds lovley, however it's spelt.

since the discussion is still hovering around the nether regions I must say that knickers or not wouldn't toughen up my peri! pregnancy seems to have quite a stimulating effect on hair growth so there is an abundance of peri-padding


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Cindi, thanks for sharing that about your grandmother. I love those moments when you sense the miracle and mystery of life. It feels like you are being let in on some amazing secret.









Interesting underwear discussion!









I think I have been having round ligament pain again. I had it for a couple of nights around 16 weeks, and then today I started feeling sharp stabbing pain in my side. It didn't feel like indigestion. It took my breath away and seemed to get better when I kind of stretched it out. Anyone else experiencing this? My husband freaked out and wanted me to call the midwife. I was in a lot of pain, but I do think it is completely normal.

I am starting to get my appetite back in a BIG way!

It's good to hear from everyone.









maudlin


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Just had to tell all my DIJ (Due in July) friends here that I'm officially showing now! For me to consider myself "showing," my belly has to stick out at least as far as my boobs. That's no small thing since I think my boobs are now a 36H or a 38G (I'm not sure b/c it's time to buy a new bra since the 36G isn't fitting in the cups







).

On the downside: our sonogram which was shceduled for tomorrow evening has been rescheduled for next Tuesday. DH and I were both kinda disappointed, but it wasn't something we had control over: the tech who works with my MW is having to take care of some personal business b/c his wife had a stroke last week







. It's actually better timing b/c it will give us another week to come up with the $150 for the sono, to find a vehicle to drive the 1.5 hours to the birth center (our car was totalled last week and DH's truck is hardly reliable enough), and it'll give baby another week to grow, which means things will be more certainly visible. I'm really hoping to get to find out the sex, even though I'm SURE it's a girl (we've already bought girl clothes, even!).

Not much else to announce here...just trudging along and enjoying this pregnancy so much that 1/2 the time I forget I'm even pregnant (with DS that was NOT possible 23 weeks into the pregnancy!!).


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Charlotte, it's great to hear you are enjoying pregnancy so much. I wish it were the same for me. I enjoyed it much more the first time around. I didn't get any stretch marks last pregnancy and I pretty much expect it this time because my resistance feels so much greater. I'm really trying to work on that though.

I witnessed my grandma's cremation yesterday (Sunday) and that was intense. (Mostly it is hidden from view but at one point they opened the chamber to move the embers around for better burning and I saw her skull and spine among them.) The man there was freaked out that I was pregnant and kept focussing on me (rather than my mom who really was having a much harder time) as if I were crazy to invite trauma to my pregnancy by witnessing this. (I think he was most fearful that should I miscarry I would sue him.) I'm really trying to do my best to face the pain of it and work through it so I don't harbor anything longer than necessary. Different feelings are surfacing now than when I first wrote about it.

Emmaline, after I posted about Emily Claire as a name choice, I was laying in bed thinking we could call her by her middle name (Like my grandma who was A. Emily) but suddenly realized that would be E. Claire and I don't think I want to name her after a pastry!

Maudlin, Pynki and probably many of you in the same boat, I've been also having occassional pains that have only recently started. The bath is wonderful. At one point I had what felt like back to back contractions, or one long contraction, while I was in a bodywork therapy session.

A nurse friend of mine mentioned that dehydration will cause an increased level of hormones in your blood and when I had said I was having lots of B-H contractions she responded with "drink more water." That would make sense for me because I have a hard time keeping up with what I should be drinking.

Blessing to you all!

Cindi


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Hi all,
Madison - I've had trouble with Carpel tunnel crap with each pregnancy. I guess that chiropractic adjustments can help and b12 supplements. I'm trying both, and it's not too bad yet. I love being pregnant and feeling movement. I'm really enjoying it this time around.

Cindi - I wasn't aware that witnessing a creamation was possible. Hmm. I'm glad you went, because I don't believe in avoiding these life events that make us human. I just read a book called "Caring For The Dead," regarding the funeral home industry and how to handle arrangements yourself if you prefer. Very interesting reading.

Ahh - underwear. I think emmaline and I had this discussion a while back - she was making fun of my homemade bloomers that I like to wear under dresses. I don't know what the answer is.

It is finally starting to warm up here - we may hit 60F this weekend. yea!

MM - 23 weeks, 4 days, and my pubic bone is killing me!
Mom to 3 and 3 mcs.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by MossbackMeadow_
*
Ahh - underwear. I think emmaline and I had this discussion a while back - she was making fun of my homemade bloomers that I like to wear under dresses. I don't know what the answer is.

*
making fun? never!
and I've taken to trying dh's boxers but not with trousers


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Hi Everyone!

I haven't checked in in a while -- I guess not much has been happening ~ but when I think about it lots IS happening









We had a second ultrasound (placenta previa with the first one), and the placenta has moved, although it was still only 2 cm from the cervix, but the tech said it is in a place that it will likely keep moving up. We also found out we're having a boy







Dh was soooo sure it was a boy, I had no clue either way. We're both very excited about a son (I have only sisters and neices, so the first boy in my family in a while.)

The nausea is finally letting up, but like lots of you I'm starting to have ligament and back pain. I taught kindergarten the last two days, and all the bending over has added to soreness. I'm also definately showing now! I can't believe how much my belly has grown in the last month. The kids at school are so cute, touching my belling and asking "is there a baby in there?" I'm really feeling pregnant now (and baby is kicking all the time ~ I think I'm in for a very spirited boy







)

I'm jealous of those of you getting nice weather ~ it was -49 Celcius with the windchill today! and that's up 15 degrees from two weeks ago!

Good health to you all!
Erika


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Cindi_
*
Emmaline, after I posted about Emily Claire as a name choice, I was laying in bed thinking we could call her by her middle name (Like my grandma who was A. Emily) but suddenly realized that would be E. Claire and I don't think I want to name her after a pastry!
*
you have to be carefulf these things! though it makes her name extra sweet


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I've also been experiencing a lot of ligament pain, mostly after taking walks with my dd. I've been showing for what, seems like to me, to be an eternity. I am very petite and when I was pregnant with my dd nobody beleived I was pregnant until I was at 6 months, so this time around, I feel huge! My new baby is very, and I mean VERY robust. I can SEE the baby kicking.

Miranda


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Hi everyone - just checking in. My round ligament pain has gotten better, but it was debilitating for about 3 days. I just started a prenatal yoga class today. I love it! It is so great to be around other pregnant women and to talk about what is going on with us. It was such a connecting experience. I actually feel really emotional now - that might also just be because I didn't sleep last night. I think it is time for a nap! Hope everyone is well.

maudlin


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

it seem my dh has no x spermies.. We are having another boy.. So that makes a grand total of 3...

He is VERY low in my uterus.. THe entire u/s took place between my bikini cut c/s scar from our 1st and about 1 in below my belly button.. His but is craddled down there at the bottom..

With my uterus being heart shaped i hope he moves in the next month or so, otherwise he is gonna get stuck like ds 1 did, and not be able to turn...

That's all my new..

oh and we are naming him..

Liam Lloyd..

Warm Squishies..

Dyan


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I also gained *8 lbs* this month so i am at a whooping.. 121!! LOL.. skimpy i know.. My friend JBCJMOM here laughs at me because her tummy looks like mine after she eats..

So where as I think i am showing .. No one else seems to...

Warm Squishies again..

Dyan


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I love your name choice Dyan....








Hope that little guy turns for you!

I gained 9lbs last month and go to the dr's today...so I'll let you all know how it goes. Dd goes for her checkup today too, same time...so that is cool....unfortunately dh isn't going again!







: He did just get off nights, but geez, the appt isn't until 2...so he'd get to sleep till 1! I'll a little upset by this...he hasn't come to an appt yet!







:

Oh well....dd and I will have fun in town!

maudlin...I wish there were yoga classes here...I tried to find a video so I could do some at home, as I'm feeling like I'm not getting out much (darn snow/cold winter!)...but couldn't find anything! I may have to order it online....glad to here that you are connecting with ladies irl too









This weekend is suppose to be +6 tomorrow and +9 Sunday! Can't wait!!!!! Spring may just be here! Thank you mother nature!









Talk later, and take care!
Jen

p.s. I think I should just start all my posts with this smiley







cause even when I think, I'll just type a bit for now....I go on and on and on....


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

+6 and +9 and you're excited







?!?!

Let's see..right now my desktop weather says it's 64*, supposed to be 75* tomorrow and the lowest high in the next 10 days is supposed to be about 60*. Oh, what I'm in for come July...







. Right now it's positively wonderful, though. We did tons of yard work last weekend, are doing more this weekend, and I've officially retired the long sleeved shirts, boots and jeans in favor of sandals, capris and t-shirts







. I just







summer clothes!!! Today I'm going to the fabric store to find some lightweight cotton to make sleeveless sundresses, my favorite spring attire







.

Okay, so feel free when I'm whining about the 103* weather and my swollen feet and sausage fingers, to throw this back at me and tell me how nice it is up in the arctic :LOL.

Another boy







!! Is Dyan the only one of us who knows what she's having so far? I can't wait to find out!! It seems like there are lots of boys on the other July lists I'm on, but I'm still hoping to be the odd one out and get my girley girl







.

I don't know how much I've gained (been 6 weeks since my last appointment!), but I'm thinking I'm really going to tip the scales this month. Last month was my first gain, only 4lbs. I'm feeling MUCH bigger than that now. Plus, with all the warming up around here, I'm already start swelling, so I'm expecting to see some water weight showing up on the scales too. I keep meaning to get a belly pic and post the link, but haven't gotten to it just yet!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I'm having a girl! I said so earlier after the ultrasound, but since you asked about anyone else...and she's a kicker.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Wow everybody. We've passed the halfway mark ~ a few more weeks and our babies will be technically viable!

I've gained 20 lbs!!!!! I look the way I did when I was 8 months with dd, but it's not all that obvious because I'm very tall.

And to set the record straight: I'm having a boy. We'll name him Willem Tyrone. He really seems to like his sister, who will be almost 4 when he's born; everytime she talks to him through my belly button he swims right up









Dyan, I'm very happy you're gaining weight! Those little guys get their moms big!








Charmie, I'll remember about the weather thing







We'll move from SoCal to Holland in 2 months, which will mean we'll keep the same San Diego "winter weather" through August and then it'll get chilly chilly chilly

Is anybody else having the sort of pg dreams that we can't discuss on a child-accessible moderated board?


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Charmie981







...I know...does'nt seem that warm, but hey...we've been like -30 to -5 for like 4-5 months now...so any warm up is nice! Except now they are talking about Spring Thaw, and with 2-3 feet of snow that's been here for like 4 months, it may be messy!







: That's ok though...I would love to put away the winter crap and get out side for a few hours instead of 20 minutes before dd and I and the dogs are freezing....









Went for my appt yesterday....all went good...dd had her checkup too, so we got the dr for like 40 minutes. Babe's hr was 150...staying with the girls rate....dd did the whole time too. Gained 8 1/2 lbs....so that's 17 1/2 lbs total so far....not too bad for being over 1/2 way there.








Go for another u/s at the end of the month....last one was for dating, so I'll be glad to go in and make sure all is well.
The bummer is that next month my dr and her hubby (he delivers babe) are going on vacation, so there will be another hubby wife team there that I have to go to. But the good thing is that the same team will cover them in July....they start a 2 week vacation the 22nd of July, so if I go over, I go to these people. I hope he's nice and supportive.







:

That's one girl and two boys so far??? I love your name too Simonee!







...we don't get to find out...but I'll get more u/s pic's and see if we can figure it out









Haven't had any umm...:mischeif censored dreams for awhile....but having lots of positive birth dreams...so that's cool!

Anyways, I better motor here....again I will add the







since I have rambled....
Take care and talk soon!
Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

See, I knew more than one person knew what they're having, but I couldn't remember who knew. Ohhh...only three more days and we'll get to know too, assuming baby cooperates!

I never did get in touch with the yoga people at the local hospital. I'll have to try again. For the time being, I'm doing Crunch's "Yoga Mama" video. Good, but really cheezy. Cheezy on a Kathy Ireland and her stupid high fives scale. Probably what I find cheezy mostly is the emphasis on the baby (in an odd way) and the stupid comments about how "we all know how hard it can be when you're pregnant". Oh, and if you get it to try, be warned that at one point, she asks you to *stand up and look at your feet* . I couldn't help it; I had to yell at her b/c I can't SEE MY FEET!!! I think it's designed to be super easy b/c you're pregnant, though. I always think "how could this possibly be challenging for anyone?" when I'm doing yoga like this, but then I watch DH try to simply sit cross-legged and I realize not everyone is as flexible as I am. It's 100% true that you don't lose flexibility once you have it. My mom was really into yoga when I was born and she would help me stretch even as an infant, according to my dad. Then the 8 years of gymnastics just guaranteed flexibility for me, I guess.

Anyway, I think a live and in person yoga class might provide more challenge (although maybe they're all toned down when you're pregnant?), so I'm going to try to call again. Still, I'm feeling much looser and finding it easier to relax completely (practice for labor) just from doing the video for a few days. It doesn't have to be "challenging" to reap the benefits of less muscle pain, I'm finding!!

Now I'm off to shower and sleep before I get all tight and tense again from sitting at the computer all night!


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## Ava (Mar 18, 2003)

Hi. I am due July 9, 2003. I am very excited and have always wanted this, but sometimes I feel like I am learning how to be pregnant. Not how to be a brand new mom. I mean, I know this is what will fit me, I was meant to be a mom. I just mean, with all my research and lurking on the boards, it's like math class...how much of this will I really use? Anyone else in this situation? Feeling like they are learning how to be a great pregnant woman, but kind of in the dark about the first few months?


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Welcome Ava!







I think I know what you mean, since I am also expecting my first baby. There is so much time during pregnancy to "prepare," which I have been doing to an extreme, but one can only prepare so much. There is no way that we are going to know what it is going to be like until our babies are actually here. That's why MDC is so great; as soon as my newborn is in my arms and problems arise, I will jump right online to ask all of the experienced mamas my specific questions. (Thanks mamas!)

This weekend, my husband and I went to a sling class taught by Cindi. It was great! I learned so much. The best part about it though, was that my husband got so involved and excited. He was very supportive of the whole sling thing, but I think he thought it was something I would do. At the class, he got to try on slings, which helped it become more real for him. He fell in love with the Didymos (he calls it the "ninja sling"), so now I don't have to convince him to buy it! I loved being able to try on all of the different kinds of slings. Actually trying them on made me completely change my mind about what I want. Thanks for the class Cindi!

Hope everyone is well.









maudlin


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

well...the sono says it's a boy. I'm disappointed, to be perfectly honest. This is our last baby and it means I'm never going to get to be a mother to a girl







. I was so sure it was a girl. SO SURE. I think I need a few days to figure it out and stop feeling guilty for being disappointed.


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

(((Charmie))) It's perfectly normal to be disappointed. You have lots of time to work through your feelings, and I know that once you see your baby boy you will fall completely in love with him. Be gentle with yourself.









maudlin


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## roarzilla (Feb 1, 2003)

Charmie-Oh hon! HUGS! I'm sorry your gut feeling wasn't right, but now your little guy will have a little brother! How exciting! And when you hold your new guy in your arms you'll love him as much as anyone could! I too think it's normal to be a bit disappointed, just pamper yourself right now.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Charmie...

I totally sympathize...

We are having our 3rd boy according to the u/s, and i too SOOOO wanted a girl this time....I was soo sure it was a girl, except i was having baby boy dreams like i did with our 1st 2, so i was confused.. I think i just wanted a girl so bad, i was ignoring them..

I have come to accept that i am just not bound to have a girl... This is our last as well.. 3 kids is enough, and 3 boys is DEFINATELY enough!!
















Give it some time...

Warm Squishy Feelings....

Dyan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Pynki_
*3 boys is DEFINATELY enough!!














*
:LOL Last night I had a few seconds when I thought "maybe I do want another one b/c I REALLY want a girl" and then I decided that I DEFINITELY don't want three boys, and really, I don't want three kids. What I *wanted* I'm not getting, so I'll figure it out, KWIM? It's still sinking in and I'm still disappointed. At least DH will admit that he feels the same way. I looked through Samuel's baby clothes and I'm going to need summer little clothes and winter 6-9 month clothes, so I think I'll go shopping and see if that makes me feel better. Of course, it's so hard to find cute boy clothes that it might just frustrate the heck out of me again...

Thanks so much for the support, ladies.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

{{{Charmie}}}

Just as an aside, I find Target actually has some really cute boy clothing! Especially their polar fleece stuff.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Following the tangent...I find it very annoying that aside from newborn clothing, baby and kids clothing is either for boys or girls and never both. When I've looked for more color selection (beyond navy blue, olive green and orange) for my boy in the girls' section of stores there is always lace or ruffles or something that insists it should be worn by a girl.

There sure seem to be a lot of boys expected in July.

Thank you maudlin for the compliments on my class. I love doing it. And it's fun to get to know you off the message board.

I received very sad news about a friend's pregnancy this morning, that at four months she saw in her ultrasound that the baby has severe problems, including missing a kidney, his hands not developing, and some spinal deficiencies, and there's only one artery in the umbilical cord. It was unlikely he would survive to term, and most definite he could not survive the birth or life afterwards. Originally planning a homebirth, she was admitted to a hospital and induced this morning to terminate the pregnancy. I'm really saddened by it.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Cindi..

That is soo awful.. I had a friend whose baby was born with Trisomy 18 just after we got pg.. I hadn't told her yet, and when i called her to tell her, he had alread died.. He was on ly 1 month old.. I really wanted to be there for her, but i felt so add beingn preg with this baby when she has just lost hers.. KWIM??!!! Not saying you feel this way, just that was how i felt..

On another tangent here...









I've noticed that boys and girls go in cycles.. (this is our 3rd experience with it!!!) All the girls get born together and all the boys get born together.. For like 6 months you have boys boys boys boys boys.. Then girls girls girls girls girls... Funny how that seems to work.. Maybe it's just he mom's i know around here though...

I always seem to catch the "boy wave"!!! Hope eveyone is feeling well..

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Cindi,
So Sorry about your friend - what a horrible situation to be in. I think if it were me I would wait and see what happened, just hoping for a miracle. But who knows what any of us would do when faced with that news.

Yes, I echo your feeling about how hard it is to find unisex clothes. I really seek them out. Who wants to buy pink and fluffy jackets and boots that are going to be passed down to the whole gang? While I don't spend much on clothes, I usually will order boots and jackets from Lands End or Hannah Anderson - they come in red and blue and green and have lots of life left in them. Several times I've bought winter coats at Wal Mart only to have the zipper break in the first week. Frustrating!

Polly


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Oh, Cindi, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's baby







That is so sad!

As far as gender-neutral clothing goes, I'm relying on a lot of denim







You can use it for either gender (as long as it's pretty plain), girlie it up or make it boyish with what you put under it (ala overalls). I have to admit I'm buying mostly gender neutral or boy's clothing - if I have a girl, it's easier to dress her in boys clothing than vice versa. Tye die is another good one for either gender.

Such a silly thing, all this "gender appropriate" coloring hogwash!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hi everyone, just checking in! I just found out you had to have at least 25 posts to buy anything on the trading post and I'm not up there yet







I really want this breast pump too! Hope everyone is doing well! Our baby is busy kicking my bladder right now, must run







:
Shelby


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Cindi, so sorry to hear about your friend.... Friends of ours here got pregnant around the same time as us, but then miscarried at 10 weeks....she avoided me for about a month and a half -- understandably....so don't feel bad if you don't hear from her for a while.

Is anyone else getting a bit overwhelmed with the amount of baby stuff available? I'm trying to only buy what I really think we'll need/use, but there is soooo much stuff out there. I know lots of it is useless plastic....but some of it is so cute -- if useless! I've been doing well (living somewhere with two SMALL stores helps!), but we're going on a mini-vacation in may, and i'm afraid i'm going to go overboard! I'll have to make a list of stuff I REALLY want, so that I don't do the impulse shopping thing!

The health centre here changed my due date by a week to July 8.... but I think its still more toward the middle of the month, and this boy is just a bit bigger than average (dh was over 9 lbs). I'm trying not to get stuck on a day ~ baby is coming in july... beginning, middle, or end....

I'm starting to feel huge







I took out my belly button ring this weekend... it was starting to look weird, but i've had it soooo long (6 1/2 years), that my belly feels strange without it!

Hope your all feeling great!
Erika


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hey all,

Sorry about your friend Cindi....









Thought I would check in as well......feeling pretty big here too!
Can rest my tea cup on my belly now while sitting down....








Guess that's a good thing though!

Babe woke me up last night at 3am, moving all over....lol....
Dd felt the babe move yesterday, but I think she thought it was me, cause she just laughed and said Mommy.....









The weather's been great and we're actually getting rid of the snow (some of it anyways...I can see parts of my lawnmover







)
So we've been getting out for walks...it feels great to get out and do stuff again!

Dh meet the dr that will be covering for my dr if I go over my due date (dr on vacation starting the 20th of July for 2 weeks!)....Dh had to go to the emergency room from work yesterday, got a 10lb piece of pipe in the face.....







...he's ok....got the day off and was told to be watched by an adult for the day....but still drove the 45 minutes home by himself







: ....
Anyways, he said the the dr is young....like fresh out of school young....I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing....







: I meet him next month as my dr is on vacation this month too...so we'll see what he's like.

Mil came to visit and brought all kinds of cool stuff for dd and new babe and me....two maternity bathing suits (cost her $15 for two and they look brand new!







)....and lots of "blue" baby clothes for new babe...I think she's hoping....









I hear you about the cool stuff out there.....right now I want to get home to visit so I can check out the second hand/consignment store that mil gets all her bargains from....like I need anything, but it's cool! Especially the clothes....
I'm also making alot of clothes right now, for dd and diapers for dd and new babe....so I keep looking at fabric everywhere!!
Mil also painted a dresser for me for dd, since the one we had only had 3 drawers it will go to new babe, and a friend gave us a 6 drawer dresser....it's amazing what a coat of paint will do....Yesterday I painted stencils of animals onto each drawer...it was fun!

Anyways, that is my update for now.....hope you are all feeling good!

Jen

p.s. I'm really starting to waddle too







:


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Cindi














to you and your friend. That's just inconceivable till it happens...









On a different note: Ladies with boys inside, disappointed or not







, by the end of may we'll be living in Holland where baby clothes are wonderful and pretty much unisex. If you want, I can ship like a selection of some stuff to some of you for cost price. I have also found that fancy "yuppie" resale stores in ritzy parts of town often sell cool unisex stuff, because rich ppl like to buy Euro stuff







:









But anyhoo, if anyone is interested, I'll start looking around there in late May, and let you know what I find. Generally, the prices are a bit better for the quality you get there ~ and most is made in countries where the laborers are paid decent wages


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

HEllo all...

I am still barely showing.. AT 23 weeks i have a buddha belly and that is about it.. I STILL haven't taken out my belly ring...

THis boy is so low when he kids it isn't my bladder, but my butt it feels like... I SWEAR TO GOD, one of these days he's gonna kick, and i am gonna have a foot sticking out of my crotch!!! I don't think he has turned, and he is still ultra low... (probably explains all the constipations eh//) Sorry TMI i suppose....

I was a little depressed about a boy, since we already have 2, but i guess we already have 2 so i already have most of the stuff and know how to be a mom to a boy, so that's all good....

Hope everyone is doing well...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I just wanted to let you all know that I, too, am really beginning to walk like a penguin







Everything is going well. I have been able to resist most of the temptations of baby stuff. The only things I have on my list for the baby shower is a sling. We have plenty of toys, and since we don't know the sex we have a minimal amount of clothing, 'cuz I know when we find out we're going to go crazy with clothes. My bestfriend is going to lend us her infant carseat, and a bunch of cool things that she has from her baby, so we really don't need that much. My weakness is clothes.

Anyway just wanted to check in.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

ndmom
My DH and I sized the soft carrier to fit him and I used the sling mostly. He liked the Oshkosh Snuggly carrier because of the strap around the waist... he didn't like the Bjorn. He's a pretty big guy. I also used the carrier occasionally but found the sling much more convienent (baby was in and out of it all day). After two years of using it though I'm bored of the color and thinking of treating myself to a new one. Maybe making one from some fabric from Mexico.

Is anyone else reading Ina May's new book? I love it more than Spiritual Midwifery and can't put it down. Wonderful birth stories.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

ndmom
My DH and I sized the soft carrier to fit him and I used the sling mostly. He liked the Oshkosh Snuggly carrier because of the strap around the waist... he didn't like the Bjorn. He's a pretty big guy. I also used the carrier occasionally but found the sling much more convienent (baby was in and out of it all day). After two years of using it though I'm bored of the color and thinking of treating myself to a new one. Maybe making one from some fabric from Mexico.

Is anyone else reading Ina May's new book? I love it more than Spiritual Midwifery and can't put it down. Wonderful birth stories.


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## bradleybrat (Feb 3, 2003)

I'm also reading Ina May's new book and I agree that it's great. I just finished the birth stories and am into the 2nd section.

Robin
EDD baby #1 7/28/03


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I've been reading Ina May's book as well, my mom works at a library and brought it to me before I even knew aout it. I love it, but find that every time I get a chance to settle down and read I fall asleep! lol.

As slings go, there are a lot of great ones, and I have many many many. I've been teaching classes in using slings, and collecting them. I know what I choose for myself but don't want to make a claim that one is better than another, but if any of you want to pm me I'd be glad to help you get ideas about what might work best for you.

I'm fearing a breech baby. I know there is time for turning, but it is a fear I have. A good friend delivered a breech baby at home in September--same midwife I have. The baby has been hanging out breech, and I continue to feel kicks at my cervix. My midwife mentioned that she'd like to see the baby turned by 28 weeks (two weeks from tomorrow) for me because I am small and she doesn't think there will be a lot of opportunity for turning after that time. (Unlike my friend whose baby was still turning up until her due date.)


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Thanks for all the sling advice mommas. Cindi, we chatted a few weeks ago about slings, I'm just jealous that I don't have a class and don't have enough slinging friends to try on the different styles. I'm getting a Maya from a friend who didn't like it and we will get a Baby Bjorn soon but I guess it will just be a trial by fire!








Ina May's new book is great! I really love the second part of it, so empowering! Watched this NOVA program the other week and they discussed how in evolutionary terms women shouldn't be able to give birth without surgery or unbelievable pain due to changes in our pelvic cavity since the monkey days! What a load!
Cindi, have you considered chiropractic or chinese medicine to help turn the babe? Moxa (the smelly stuff they burn) is very effective and I know lots of moms who turned the baby with adjustments instead of going in to be manually turned which is supposed to be painful


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hey BradleyBrat! We have the same due date and its our first too!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I loved Ina May's new book!!! I finished it a couple weeks ago and was so empowered that I can do this! Yeah!!!








I'll probably start reading it again in an couple months....can't be too prepared! Lol...









I hope the babe turns for you Cindi....I'm still getting kicks in the crotch and butt too, but some in the ribs as well....

My mil is making me a new sling this time, and I'm going to try to make just a regular one, a tube one like, with no padding....
I have the Heart 2 Heart for dd....and liked the padding, but I didnt' start using it until dd was 6 months, so I don't know how I'll like the padding with a new babe....

I found a pre-natal yoga video today!!!! I was so excited! I watched 1/2 of it and it looked relaxing, so I hope to start tomorrow....and we've been walking lots....my back is still sore though....especially after I get up...like in the morning and if I'm laying on the couch with dd in the evening.....I hope it isn't an idication of back labour







:

Glad to know I'm not the only waddler out there too....:LOL ...sometimes I feel bigger then I was at the end of the my pg with dd....







:

Anyways, hope you are all feeling good!
Talk to you soon!
Jen


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

just dropping in quickly to shout I FINALLY FINISHED MY SLING!!!

it really took some doing to find rings so I put my brother (who had sourced rings for his wife many years ago) on the case and he found them! in a marine supplies shop!

now if only I could find a new baby to try it out on!! it's gorgeous purple batik cotton









oh and babe is being very active these days, I can see the movements rippling over my belly









26 weeks on Friday

e


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Question for mommas with kids
Question for mommas with kids
Anyone have a post-partum doula? I'm trying to figure out if having someone come in would be helpful after the birth or can you just rely on friends and family? I think my parents are coming after the birth but I don't want them working the whole time. What will a doula do? Mow my lawn or let me shower?


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I dont' know about the post-partum doula...we're having my mil come up when babe #2 comes...and I know that the neighbourhood will be a great help too....my girlfriend is great at making meals etc...and I've already requested pizzas







...
My mom is coming up after that....not sure exactly when after, but soon after mil leaves.

I can see what you mean about not wanting them to work while they are there though....my mil has always done my dishes etc for me while here visiting....she still does it now, until I tell her I'll do that and you play with Evy....









Congrats on getting the sling done! My mil is making me one with padding, and I might be adventuresome and make one myself...just a tube type one...we'll see....I'm making a spring dress for Evy right now...and working on diapers too....









Went for my last u/s last night....since the last one was for dating and the babe was too small for fetal assessment....little monkey was tired....when she first started, babe let out a big yawn....so I can already see babe takes after me with a "big" mouth....







....Babe also waved at one point in time....sooo cute!
The tech was nice, but I kind of hinted that I'd like to know the sex of the babe (even though they don't tell, a friend told me that she's heard that some of the techs will)...but we just talked about how hard it is to tell sometimes, and that she doesn't like to say it's a girl or boy unless she's 110% sure...and there is no guessing....
She also asked if I've had a problem with my ovaries before....







: ...when I said not that I know of, of course she can't tell me anything, she just said that she wondered if I've had cysts in the past...but geez....now I'm wondering what she's talking about...I have to wait until Apr 16 to see my dr again....my mom said I could call there in a week and find out from my dr's office what was up....so maybe I will....not something I was expecting to hear though...







:

I didn't get pics this time...I did last time, but it was probaby a good thing....babe was all folded up...lol....

Anyways, that's my news for today...hope you are all doing well....
Talk soon!
Jen


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I don't know from experience about post-partum doulas, but I do know I would have loved to have had the support--from help with breastfeeding and using a sling to giving my arms a rest from holding the baby. You all are so nice. I'm more than happy to let my mom do the dishes when she visits, even now when she is babysitting my 2.5 year old! lol!

Jen, that u/s sounds frustrating, and I wish you luck with the results. I didn't realize we even looked at my ovaries in mine, but I'm sure the tech had her eye on things I wasn't aware of. I had to ask about my results, and my hospital midwife (not the homebirth one--I'm getting double care this pregnancy) had to look it up on the computer. I guess the radiologist only alerts the OB dr or midwife if something is wrong. I wanted to know where the placenta was located. The information I get from my homebirth midwife is so much more thorough, with less intervention. Amazes me.

Pregnant moms of toddlers...how is it going for you with your toddler? I am having a hard time playing with my 2.5 year old son, all of a sudden, or giving him the stimulation he needs. Well I guess he finds ways to stimulate himself, but he clearly wants more contact and will latch onto my leg and ask me to follow him all day. I really want space to do nothing in particular, and to sleep. I am so tempted to suggest TV--and all the while feeling guilty. When he doesn't get what he needs from me, he'll settle for TV, but lose interest quickly and come find me again. When he is watching it feels like such a compromise to what would really make him happy. I do get some breaks from parenting, and today (Thursday) is the day my mom comes over. But even with what was enough breaks in the past I now feel like I want longer stretches to myself--but that is a luxury (preschool, childcare) I can't afford. I'm also really testy at the end of the day and want dh to offer more of what I lack for ds. (Typically I am the rough-houser and active playmate for ds while dh is a quieter companion. Actually I am quiet too, but just seem to play at dad-type play more than dh.) I'm feeling too much guilt, which then switches into blame all too easily. Just curious what others are experiencing.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks Cindi....it was frustrating in that they don't tell you anything...I mean they will show you stuff...like where babe's heart is etc...but when I asked her about the placenta, if it was low or not, she said she couldn't tell me that....and the thing about the ovaries is what really has me thinking....the kicker is that I see a different dr on my next appt...my dr is on vacation, but I will ask anyways....







:

As for the toddler...well lets just say, I know what you mean! Dd is 19 months and while she is content to read her books or play on her own, the last week or so, she's gone into cuddle and climb mode and I just find it frustrating at times that she won't sit still..







: I know that she's not suppose to sit still but I'm just needing a break from her and some time to myself to re-group so to speak....







.....I feel guilty when I get upset that she won't sit down and get impatient with her, but I really do think that if I got a few moments to myself, I'd feel better....maybe it's our bodies way of saying to us, "know what; in 3-3 1/2 months your going to have to be there 24/7 with your new babe, have time to yourself now....."







...
Mind you that's just my guess....and I know what you mean about dh....I wish mine would take the incentive to take dd or "play" with her on his own without me saying "I need a break...I'm going here..." or whatever....but that's me wanting him to read my mind I guess....although he did have the balls to say to me the other day that "you don't need a break".....








I just about decked him.....we did talk about it though, and I know that he gets worried when he's with Evy on his own...but I just keep saying, she won't break.....:LOL ...it's hard for him too, he works 12 hour shifts, 14 hours by the time you add the drive and the shift is 8-8 (7-9 with drive)...so he doens't get the time to spend with her....








He's off this weekend though, so I'm going to do something by myself....what I don't know...but even if it's just a walk for an hour or two....peace would be nice...















....I'm done now....I hope trust that things will get better....for all of us! Enjoy your break while you have it!!
Talk soon and Take care all,
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I, too, am feeling the guilt that comes with being a pregnant mommie to a toddler. Some days are just fine, I seem to be able to find the energy to be a good playmate, but other days I seem to be in a funk. We've been lucky in that the weather here has been pretty good, so we've been able to go to the park and for walks. I just find that if I'm really tired, the first thing that gets cut back on is real playtime with my dd. It seems that even if I'm exhausted I still clean and cook and go to work. I guess I should try harder to get my priorities straight.







: I totally here you gals about the dh's.







: Yesterday mine came home from work and lay down on the couch where he lay until dinner, he then returned to the couch after eating where he fell asleep while I supervised my dd taking a bath and cleaned bath toys. I had been planning to take a shower but wasn't going to leave her alone in the living room while I was in the shower. Anyway....it's not always like that, my dh does work very hard and I know he was tired, but I guess I just want a little acknowledgment that maybe I'm tired too.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I'm so glad I'm not the only mom to a toddler who's having problems being pregnant and staying a good, involved mama. Samuel and I watch more TV these days than I ever, ever imagined we would. Stuff like Sesame Street (on right now, as a matter of fact) and other PBS, but still...he's too young to watch as much TV as he is and I hate it. Tuesday we had a picnic at the park and it felt so good to get out of the house and do something *JUST FOR HIM* that I decided we'd do that once a week.

At a church function the other day I had a meltdown because I am just so overwhelmed by our house and the chores involved in that, our family chores, mothering, wifing (is that a word?), etc that I feel like there's no time for me. I told my friend (and pastor's wife) that if this were a job, I'd walk out and not look back. It's soooo exhausting. A good by-product of the meltdown (I hate displays of emotion in public, especially when they're mine







), however, was that another friend told me about the lady who does mother's day out for her kiddos. She does it out of her home and charges $2 an hour. How she does that, I don't know, but I'm going to meet her. I'd be wary except that my friend and I have very similar parenting philosophies. So if I decide to do that, for $50 a month I could get six hours a week "off." And Samuel would probably LOVE it, especially if he went at the same time as my friend's daughter.

Our finances are a huge source of stress for me right now. We totalled our car last month, which wasn't a good thing, but we did take advantage of the opportunity to be a little smarter when we bought the replacement. The payment is $100 less than the old one and the loan term is 1/3 as long. And yet we are still totally strapped for any sort of money. At some point I'm going to have to start paying my midwife at least $700 (and that's assuming the insuarance will pick up the $1100 they said they would, which I seriously doubt), and I don't know where the money will come from. I just got finished paying bills and I'm confounded by where it all goes. This is something DH and I are working on because in three years he's going to get out of the Air Force and start his own business. We're seeing a financial counselor in order to be prepared for that massive lifestyle change. I'm hoping it'll help now as well as later b/c I feel like I'm losing my mind







:.

Yesterday I strained my back somehow (I bent over; I guess I should've known better







), so I've had two totally unproductive days and feel like a have quite a few more ahead of me. Oh, how I wish TriCare would pay for chiropractic care! How out of alignment must my spine be that the simple act of bending over can cause me to be immobile for days on end?







I'm praying that I'll be back to normal soon, but so far today's not just a whole lot better than yesterday. Poor Samuel's going to get sick of having a mama who does nothing but lie on the couch all day!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

:LOL Wifing should be a word, if it isn't already! Of course at my house sometimes my wifing feels a lot like parenting a toddler. I really should give my dh more credit, he really seems to have been paying attention when I told him that I need more help. In a few weeks he will be staying home in the evenings with dd while I'm working for a few hours a few evenings a week. I think that it will give the two of them a good chance to establish a relationship based on more than rough housing and ice cream,









Has anyone else's expected one become so strong that they're keeping you up at night?

Miranda


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I am gettinng really tired of dreaming this boy is coming out early!! Again last night i had the dream... Next week is 24 weeks here, and that's the week he comes early in all my dreams, so i am a bit of a nut job until next week is over.. I never had dreams of the boys coming early when i was pg with them.. Just that they were boys.... So GRRRR!!! Maybe it's because this is our last one, but i don't feel more uptight bout it or anything...

This boy has woken me up at night.. Last night actually. He is a big kickerr..

Hope everyone is feelings well..

Warm Squishy Feelings..

DYan


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Yesterday was a pretty good day for us!
The weather was amazing....about +13-15, but so sunny and nice! Dd and the dogs and I went for a nice walk....down to the meadow which is a lake right now from the melting snow etc....and we sat on the trail and threw rocks in the water....then went walking for an hour.....
After that, we got some chairs out of the basement and sat outside and cleaned up dog poop....







...doesn't that sound fun! Lol....Actually dd helped me clean it up too, so that was nice!
We spent 3 1/2 hours outside! I feel rejuvinated....







...I even suntanned the new babe for awhile...mind you a got a few kicks for that, it was probaby bright in there....







....

I started my yoga tape yesterday too....I loved that!
Tomorrow I'll probably go to town by myself! Dh is having some friends over tonight, so if he wants to live to see next week he better give me no lip about it....







...I'm glad he's off for a few days now...maybe I can get back on track with dd.....
Sunday we're going to check out the pool in town....so I hope dd likes that...it's suppose to get cold again Sun/Mon, so that will have to be out outting.

Our growing babe is getting pretty strong...there have been a couple nights he/she's woken me up....







..

I hope your back is feeling better today Charmie981....mine was pretty sore for a few days a couple weeks ago....so dd wasn't too impressed when she's want up and I'd go sit with her instead....but you do what you can eh? I hear you about the finances too....we thought we were getting like 1400 back in taxes for dh's taxes, and he ended up owing like 2.64....pissed me off....we were planning on fixing our muffler that has been loud for almost 2 years now! Looks like we won't be getting to do that, as we are trying not to use our credit cards so we can get out of that cycle....too many years of stupidity....esp. considering we both worked and made good money before kids....why we used the credit cards and never paid them off, I don't know...









Dyan...Maybe it's just babes way of saying....hey remember me...I'm coming soon...like times flying and 40 weeks will be here before you know it type thinking....I know I sometimes I almost forget that I'm pg....(hard to believe, but its' true....







) and that time is just flying by....I can't believe it....I'm at 24 weeks now....and the fact that July is only 3 months away is mind boggling to me







: ...

Take care all and talk to you soon!
Jen


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I just saw a picture that I submitted in a catalog for Exposures (really nice photo frames and albums) which means I should get a $50 credit there. It's a picture of my son as an infant (with a friend of mine.) What has me so thrilled is that when I opened the catalog (for the fourth time--hadn't noticed it earlier) it was after dh asked "Anything nice in Exposures?" and I was saying how depressed I was looking through it because we can't afford anything, and I wanted to get the same baby album, but different color, that we got for ds. I just couldn't justify the $60, plus pages, plus shipping cost. Ah ha! There's my photo in there! And the promise of $50 store credit!

We are also struggling financially here. Owning our own business (mostly my husband's but technically I'm co-owner) we have such an inconsistent income that it is so hard to budget around, and so many expenses, and a lot of debt. As I've heard several of you talk about buying clothes and things for your baby I've been feeling like I have to rely on ds' hand-me-downs and gifts (which I expect as everyone loves to buy "girl" clothes and we've only had boys in the family thus far) and then use the credit card when it comes to necessities like childproofing items for our new place, etc. But I've wanted to be able to get something for the baby, chosen by me, and what had my eye on mostly is this photo album, in yellow.

If you want to see the picture, it's here: http://www.exposuresonline.com/Detai...0452&EDP=58040 (the picture on the right, baby on the sheepskin.)


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

What a nice picture Cindi!!!!









I love taking pics too...did you take a class or do you just play around on your own???
My mom got us a digital camera for Christmas, but I still like my camera better, although the digital comes in handy to send pics to the relatives online, since I can't always afford to develope my pics.







: Just took 3 rolls in the other day...one roll is from Christmas time!!

Someday maybe I'll take a photography class....









I hear you on buying stuff too....we're really relying on the inlaws...and that would be one reason I'm hoping for another girl....we already have tonnes of girls stuff.









Dh finally told me his choice for a girls name.....Colleen....
I like it more today then I did yesterday...now to come up with a middle name....any suggestions??
Evelyn's is Rose....
If we have a boy it will be Yanic Ryan....

Take care all,
Jen


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Cool picture, Cindi! I know I always drool at the freakishly overpriced stuff (well--I do agree that it's quality and that has a cost) in there...that's very cool you can get the baby book you've been lusting after.

It's been so fun to be pregnant these past few weeks! My little fetus is tumbling around like CRAZY...it's almost 'annoying' (it's not, but I can't think of another word to convey how often & almost uncomfortable it is.)

I LOVE to feel that baby move! And sometimes the way the baby moves _tickles!_ So wonderful...

My midwife says 2nd time moms _feel_ more of both the pregnancy and the birth. I wonder if that's why I'm feeling more baby action, or if it's a more active baby this time 'round....


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Glad you like the photo. I was just so excited to see it in there. Jen, I actually was working as a photographer (and managing a big-time photographer's studio, doing albums, etc.) when I got pregnant with ds in the beginning of 2000. Then quit because I could smell the darkroom and some of the other chemicals, and just felt I shouldn't be there. I still photograph the occassional wedding, and friends' kids, etc, or when I get a call through word of mouth. I also taught photography at a kids' summer program several years, again until I got pregnant and couldn't be in the darkroom. I'm not convinced I really want to make photography my career, but I love taking photographs and love to put together albums. Tinyshoes, I enjoyed looking through your pictures of Mimi--a very beautiful girl, and you are a very good photographer.

I've actually been really enjoying being pregnant all of a sudden, and I mean the emotional breakdown stuff too, Charmie! As I read Ina May's book I've been really appreciating how these surfacing emotions offer such an opportunity for growth, unlike any other time in life. I love the stories about couples finding a deeper connection and it relating to a literal opening for birth. I went to my first yoga class this morning and during the meditation at the end, I was overcome with emotions, deep sadness mixed with euphoria. And I began to relish this experience of being pregnant. I came home and had so much to say to dh, and asked for so much from him in terms of meeting me in this deep place I'm finding. He was quiet with recognition, but then got really antsy and flighty. I really need a lot from him, and he has a lot of intense trauma in his past, so it's not easy for him to stick with it.


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

*blush*!!!

aw Cindi! Thank you.

My Ina Mae book is in a UPS truck somewhere, on its way to my greedy little paws...I am so looking forward to reading it!

And that emotional stuff you mamas are talking about...it always amazes me! High school-aged war protesters promt a 20-minute weeping jag!


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey everyone,

Just popping in to say hello! I'm almost 27 weeks, and am getting big! I was in Rite Aid yesterday and another pregnant woman was standing in the line parallel to my line. So I ask, "When are you due?" And she says, "Oh, in 2 weeks, and you?" I said, "Oh, 2 months" (fudging a bit - we were the SAME SIZE!!!). Ugh. One of those moments, I guess! I did try to suck in my stomach but it didn't work, and then the baby started kicking me, LOL.

Pynki, I hope your little guy doesn't come early! I was actually worrying about just that very thing this weekend! I was born at 30 weeks, so if I can make it past that point, I will stop worrying







I keep looking at all my books and seeing estimates on how much s/he weighs and worrying about odds should s/he be born early







Not that I've had so much as a strange twinge <knocks on wood>. I guess it's probobly normal to worry, eh?

Cindi, I know what you mean by work related stress re: owning your own business. I will most likely be leaving my corporate job and starting my own businesses (2) ~ returning to the child care field AND starting up a soap/crafting business. I'm already worried. But I can't imagine putting my baby into daycare for up to 11 hours a day (I work 10 - 11 hours per day, plus an hour commute)! I just can't do that, you know? I hope your business picks up, whatever it is! Money worries suck big time.

I guess I'd rather worry about how the bills will get paid, than how my child is doing being raised in daycare without me!!!

I love hearing about how all your babies are moving all the time. Mine seems pretty mellow (unless I wear pants that are too tight, then I get more motion, lol). I did feel him/her move *all the way around* yesterday. How freakin' bizarre it felt! Now the bumps and wiggles are on the other side of my stomach, and even lower, hahahaha. I guess s/he was tired of laying that way, eh? Very funny feeling.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I was watching Maternity Ward the other night on TLC ( I know, I know, bad idea when you're pregnant ) and there was a baby girl born at 25 weeks. Right now I am nearly 26 weeks and although the baby looked terrifyingly small to be outside the womb, it struck me that it seemed really big to be inside me, KWIM. The baby did survive, she was 3 months old at the time they did the follow up and she weighed 3 pounds.

Anyway, all is going well here, unless you count the endless tantrums that my 2 yo, dd has been throwing, over things like chocolate milk and building blocks,


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Hi Everyone,

I've been here, reading; I just haven't felt like posting for a while. It's good to hear how you are all doing - now I'll share a little bit about me.

I fell on our stairs on Saturday night. It gave me a huge scare, and my husband was really freaked out, but the baby is okay. I have a big bruise on the back of my hip, and I am just generally sore all over. I know that my body is designed to protect my baby and most falls only hurt the mother, but it is still such a scary thing. I think I have reached the point where my body has changed enough that I need to modify my activites and frame of mind, but it is hard to remember. Has anyone else taken a fall during this pregnancy? I am such a klutz.

I have been having doubts and second guessing myself about the birth center where I am giving birth. I think that it may just be a personality issue with one of the midwives, but I really need to deal with it because I am unhappy. I kind of feel like they spout the philosophy of "we are your partner, we are low intervention, you can trust your body, etc." but often I feel like I am back at Kaiser with a doctor just telling me what to do. I don't want to be unreasonable, and I know that nothing is perfect, but I am just not happy. For example, on Friday my midwife told me that I need to take the gestational diabetes screening test. She didn't give me any option, and she didn't explain it to me at all. I don't think she expected me to question it. Now I have done some reading about it, and I don't feel entirely comfortable doing it. Maybe if she had explained to me WHY I should do it, or even acted like I am an educated person who is in charge of my own body, I would be willing to do it. I explained my hesitation and asked her for alternatives to drinking the glucose soda. She acted like it was a huge annoyance, and finally agreed to let me drink an Odwalla lemonade instead. She even admitted that I am extremely low risk for GD, but acted like I had to take the test. I finally agreed because I didn't want to keep talking about it. I think the biggest problem is that I want to be treated as an individual, not as "a pregnant woman" who must do all of these generic tests. I also feel that if there is a good reason for me to take this test, it should be explained to me. I'm willing to present the research I have read that says otherwise. Am I overreacting? I have been very emotional about this - sorry to write so much.

Thanks for your input. I hope you are all doing well.









maudlin


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## Ava (Mar 18, 2003)

You sound just like Naomi Wolf in her book, Misconceptions that I jsut finished reading. She asked point blank why? Why me? And where are the studies? What are the stastistics? The doctors and nurses were very cold and annoyed with her for even asking. Needless to say, she couldn't get much feed back. And this is Naomi Wolf! My hospital sucks. I don't like my doctor who can't remember me from week to week. I feel so vunerable right now instead of feeling powerful. I feel like I would be able to take better care of my child outside of my body rather than in, does that make sense? I am just so damn sad all the time, for no reason and sometimes I wonder if that will somehow affect my baby's personality! I read somewhere that your emotions play a part in the development of personality. I don't know if I believe it, but it scares me into thinking I should be happy 24/7. stupid. Again, I feel like I am preparing for something that I know I won't be prepared for once it's here. I;m not making sense, gotta take a nap.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi everyone!

I watched Maternity ward last night, I've never watched it before but Third Watch was getting boring...but anyways, last nights show they talked at the end about how one of the dr's was killed last year....it was sooo sad....







...didn't really care for the show though....although the dr that died seemed nice.

I don't think you are overreacting Maudlin....it's your body! You're right though, a lot of dr's tend to treat pregnancy as an illness almost....like it's something that needs to be controlled and that everyone who is pg has to do this and that.....I mean, we are all different! I can see having "averages" and stuff, but what's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander kwim??
My dr is pretty good about explaining why she wants me to do different things, but if I don't want to, she's fine with that too....our big thing is my weight gain...not that it's been that much as of yet, but everytime I go I get a "that was a big month"....and we have to go into how much I gained last time etc....annoying....







: I'm glad that your ok from your fall...









Ava







...I think your feelings are very normal....it is overwhelming to be a mom, in charge of the care of this little babe....and even worse when you feel like you are being treated like "another" pg women....kwim?? I hope you are feeling better after your nap...and we're all here to talk to anytime....My mom always told me there is a reason that babes develope they way they do...it's so you as a mom can adapt and get use to the changes in your life slowly....it maked sense to me and helped me deal with alot of stuff in the beginning after I had dd....
I was thinking of reading Misconceptions....was it good?? I've never read anything by Namoi Wolf before...actually never heard of her until I seen her on Oprah talking about women in Africa and the civil war there.....

Hope you are all doing well!
Talk soon,
Jen


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## bradleybrat (Feb 3, 2003)

Hi! I totally support you in not having the GTT test. If you don't feel right having it, and you've done the research, don't do it! My understanding is that there are a lot of "false positives" with that test which just lead to more anxiety, needless dietary restrictions, etc.

Regarding the Naomi Wolf book Misconceptions, I would recommend it. (Naomi Wolf is a pretty prominent feminist, she wrote The Beauty Myth, etc.) Anyway, I thought that HER inability to stand up to the medical establishment was one of the strongest arguments I've seen for having your baby in a place where YOU feel safe and comfortable (and with attendants with whom you feel safe and comfortable). If Naomi Wolf, seemingly a very confident, self-assured woman can end up with all the interventions she did, it's no wonder that happens to the majority of women!

I believe that receiving care from a doctor or midwife who seems to just be waiting for things to go wrong is a good way to make sure that something does!

Robin
baby #1 due 7-28-03


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## bradleybrat (Feb 3, 2003)

maudlin -- i have a couple of quotes that i thought you might find interesting regarding your decision about the GTT:

from Sheila Kitzinger's book "Birth Your Way"
"There is no point in having tests unless their results are going to affect care. Useless information provided by routine tests is often employed as a charm against a perilous passage, in the same way that talismans have been used traditionally by pregnant women to guard against evil. . . . The results of most tests have a margin of error that is often wide and can lead to false negative and false positive diagnoses. Both are dangerous. The first gives rise to complacency in the face of special risk. The second causes needless anxiety, and may lead to unnecessary interventions, such as induction of labor or cesarean section."

from Elizabeth Davis' book "Heart & Hands: A Midwife's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth"
"Many midwives find glucose screening unreliable for their clients, most of whom eat very little sugar and are thus less tolerant to the dosage used in testing. Beyond this controversy rages as to whether or not gestational diabetes poses a significant risk for women with neither historical nor clinical signs. . . . The data do show a correlation between elevated blood glucose levels in pregnancy and a tendency to develop diabetes later in life, but NO CORRELATION to increased risk to the fetus or to other prenatal/intrapartal complications."

is changing midwives or having a home birth a viable option for you? I don't speak from much experience since this is my first pregnancy, but I have been very happy with the non-interventionist, personalized care I am getting from my home-birth midwife (she's a document midwife and a CPM).

(by the way, I fortunately haven't had any falls yet, but if it helps you feel better, I remember my mom fell down a tall flight of concrete stairs to our backyard patio during both of her pregnancies with my younger brothers, and they were born perfectly healthy)


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I feel like I'm in a total slump. I've been on the verge of tears for no apparent reason for the last 2 days







. I'm sure that hormones are to blame, but that really doesn't make me feel much better. My work environment seems to be becoming more and more stressful and I don't know if that is what is really happening or just my view through the hormone goggles.







:

My dd is having a rough go of things too and I'm sure it's because she is perceiving how I feel. It makes me so worried that she's going to have a really hard time adjusting to the new arrival.









My dh is helping a little bit more than usual but I still feel overwhelmed...









Anyway, thanks for reading...


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Oh Miranda, don't dismiss your feelings as "just" hormones. Thankfully we have hormones! And as a part of you, they assist in what you need to process on your path to birth and parenthood of this baby. Your emotions are not just side effects of some other purpose of hormones. Nature doesn't work like that (that's more like man-made drugs.)

What you feel at work comes from a place of great sensitivity, and you bring a valuable perspective, like a canary in a coal mine, as the one who will first feel the imbalances. Kids are like that too, showing the strain before you even realize it is building up.

With your dd, you may find it's better that she is working through some stuff now, and not totally shocked, come the baby. But this I have no experience with...and wonder a lot about how ds will cope.

And yes I sympathize, or rather empathize. I've felt both wonderful hormonal euphoria, as well as big sadnesses lately. I'm enjoying the ride.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I think it is needed!

Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

i just wanted to let you know that i seem to have escaped from that funk that i was in...


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

So Miranda...
Will your new baby have an "M" name too?


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Cindi...The names that we have picked out so far aren't actually M names. Our dd ended up with an M name because we named her after one of my SILs who passed away. Her full name is Maria Esther. As it stands now, if we have a girl her name will be Lourdes, we're still not agreed on a middle name. If it's a boy his name will be Guadalupe David. These, of course, are subject to change


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by maudlin_
*July is starting to seem like it is not so far away. I can't wait for us to start having our babies!*
Oh boy, can I ever relate, except I can totally wait to have our babies!! Lots of things have made me do a double take lately when thinking of how close July is:

1) DH made me a three month dry-erase calendar in the end of March. When I filled it all in, my due date was *ON THE CALENDAR*!









2) We were talking about a month-long school DH has to go to and I asked if he could see about getting in before the baby is born, like in May. He said "uhh...that's too close. May's next month." Double









3) I'm trying to get things together so I can paint the nursery and set it up (which means DS will have to get a twin bed so the new baby can have the crib) and I realized that I only have two and a half months to get it painted, get DS his bed, and put everything we have for this baby into that tiny little room in some sort of organized fashion







!! Can you tell I'm nesting majorly? I just want the nursery to be done...yesterday!!

We named our kiddo finally (see my siggy) and I'm feeling a lot better about that. Next Monday I have an appointment with the MW and I'm hoping to hear that he's turned head-down. He was breech at the u/s, but the MW wasn't worried about it b/c it was only about 24 weeks. Having a breech baby scares me to death, though. At least my MW will deliver him vaginally instead of referring me out, but still...I'd rather not have to deal with the breech issue at all.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I hear you! July is coming soooo FAST!!!!!

Where did the time go???
I'm definately in the I've got too much to do still mode also, and the dd is not ready for this mode! She's been sick the last two days...and yesterday she wouldn't sleep unless I laid with her....how am I suppose to do that when we have another babe??







:

I love your boys name Charmian! I knew a girl growing up and her brothers name was Atley, her name was Landa....









I've got to sign off quick here....dd woke up and is cranky!
Talk soon!
Jen


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey Charmie,

I guess I"m a bit slow, but I didn't realize we have the same due date! Mine is either 7/3 or 7/4 - though I usually count 7/4 and the MW counts 7/3









I also cannot believe how quickly July is coming up. I was just saying last night, "Gee, I'd like to get up to San Francisco for a visit before the babe is born" and my mom was like, uh, then you'd better go in the next 3 weeks cause you shouldn't really travel too much after that!" Oh, duh.

My friends thru me a Blessingway and a Baby Shower this weekend ~ both were fantastic and so much fun







Now I have SOME time to get organized and start purchasing things I didn't get, lol ~ and start putting things together! Like pulling the diapers down from their box in the closet, buying a changing table, washing those dipes 6 times to fluff, etc!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Whew, you guys are all exhausting me! I just started a new job today














and I can't believe I'm going to take time off for the babe in THREE MONTHS! Seems sort of silly to get going and then drop off but c'est la vie! I've been haunting the trading post, accumulating diapers and confusing dh...we haven't decided on AIO, CPF's etc...I also wanted to do a San Fran trip and then looked at the calendar and was oops, guess not!
Shelby


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Yep it is close.

We're moving internationally on May 17, and we're due July 20 or so







We'll have to find medical care and everything ~ luckily we're going to holland, where HBAC is kinda the expected course of action







Still, all the packing is getting to me a bit... I feel like such a big klutz... I sometimes wish we had a crane just to lift me off my chair









I love all the names.
Isn't it exciting???









Hey July 3 mamas, my dh is born that day (in '56, the doctor wanted the holiday off so scheduled the c/s in the safe frame







: ). Baby would never be a Yankee doodle dandee (or whatever they're called)


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Okay, after my post earlier today I got really freaked out and started going through stuff in the "nursery" (aka junk room). Discovered two things: the boxes that are still in that closet from when we moved here in 10-01 could probably just go to Goodwill w/o even being sorted (!) and second, I don't have nearly enough storage for this kid! I did manage to sort through things a little bit and get the entire diaper stash into the diaper changer (aka student desk from my childhood, but it matches the crib okay so I think we'll keep it unless someone gives us a better one...). That's no small feat considering I'm working on having an entire newborn to toddler stash (except I have no covers yet







) and there are only three drawers in that desk. I want to hang some baskets on the wall over the changer so they can hold things I don't want Samuel getting into (ointments, snappis and pins, for example).

I also decided that until Samuel has a big boy bed, there's not really a whole lot I can do to make this room a "nursery" (umm...w/o a crib what is it, after all?), so DH and I went and bought him a twin sized bed and bedding tonight. We used the credit cards I've sworn off, but I've listed the equilivent $$ amount of diapers for sale, so I'm *hoping* that I'll end up with enough to pay off the mattress purchase. I just have no patience to wait for the stuff to sell...

So for the rest of this month, I'll be sorting and storing and donating stuff from that room. At mid-month I'm going to put some rubbermaid-style drawers and an over-the-door shoe rack (for all Samuel's outgrown shoes) on layaway (those drawers get expensive!!) and then at the first of May I'm hoping to paint the walls LIME GREEN! At that point maybe I'll post pictures







.

Then I'll have to work on DS1s room, which currently has a flowery wool rug on the wood floors, no moulding on the walls (from where we put the floors in), two full sized mirrors on one wall (there when we moved in







: ) and now a mattress on box springs on the floor. I know what I want for his room, but it's going to require some work. Hopefully just work and not too much money, though...

Is anyone else majorly nesting yet? I'm just really wanting to get this stuff out of the way before June/July roll around and it's 100* every day. Today it was 77* and I just about melted! I don't know what I'm going to do in a few weeks when it really starts to heat up...

Oh, and Madison, you're not slow! I'm technically "due" on 7/10/03, but I never tell anyone my due date (because I know I ovulated late, so I really don't expect to have baby by that day and I don't want people telling me I'm "late." Even the MW has 7/15 in her records for me b/c I told her I'd probably go late.) So my siggy says 7/03 as in July of 2003. I'd personally love to have a July 4 baby. Who could beat fireworks on your birthday every year? I have a good friend whose bday is 7/04 and she loved it when she was a kid, so I think it'd be nice







. But like I said, I expect to go late...


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Yeah, I'm feeling the nesting urges all of a sudden too. But the urges don't necessarily manifest in talent for organization...and we're still trying to figure out how to set up this house we moved into in January. We still have boxes in the hallway and living room...but we've been tackling them bit by bit every weekend. I feel like I need to do it with dh for the most part though because so much of what is left to sort is his junk that was stashed in the garage of the last house, and now we have no garage, but we do have an attic. (I can't take things up there by myself while pregnant.) And dh is swamped with work--he's troubleshooting computer hacker jobs at a radio station, and is totally overwhelmed.

The big thing is trying to clean cat pee from the leather couch. I've said I don't care about preserving the leather any more, I just don't want to smell cat pee when I sit to nurse my baby. (We've cleaned it and cleaned it, and it just won't go away completely.) The three cats are driving me crazy--just all the cat hair and maintenance, and that awful litter box (that as soon as dh has scooped and left for the day, someone poops in.) I love them, but I feel like the house is theirs, and I want a clean clean place now. Thankfully the weather is nice from here on through the baby's earliest infancy...and I don't feel as guilty kicking them out for long periods of time when it's nice outside. But one of them really gets distressed when I insist that she be outside--she hardly ever goes out on her own.

Anyway, I feel the nesting urges, but pressure and I am overwhelmed too. I do feel excited about giving birth, and I never thought I would say that again. Thank you Ina May!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

I'm also "technically" due on July 4 but will probably have to have c-birth the week before. This is where I start wishing I lived near Tennessee so I could just pop over to see Ina May and her ladies and have a spectacular VBA2C but it's not going to happen. I have just read IM's new book and feel a bit sorry for myself that I couldn't have that experience.

Why can't homebirth be the norm everywhere? why is our society so weird? I read in the book about an Australian homebirth doctor who was deregistered years ago ( I remember support rallies for him in the late 80s) and the doc who was at my nephew's homebirth has been hounded for years and most independent midwives here lost their professional insurance last year - things are getting worse not better. It's very sad.

Nesting is on for me too, but not painting. Over the weekend I pulled out all the baby clothes I'd kept - mostly special handknits from my MIL who died 10 yrs ago, but also the singlets ds1 wore 12 yrs ago (sniff, was he ever so little?), plus some sheepskin bootees...

Still deciding where everyone will sleep... ds2 who is 5 sleeps with me and I very much doubt he will want to change that anytime soon. He thinks there'll be plenty of room for the baby in our bed though I have said babies can make disturbances at night time and he might sleep better iin his dad's room... and his tendency to end up with feet on my chest!! won't be good for a little baby!

Is anyone using papaya enzymes for heartburn? I presume they are safe to use?


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

I am nesting right along with the rest of you! We live in a one bedroom apartment, so we don't have tons of space. Luckily, I am a minimalist and pretty organized, so we are making it work. Still, I have been feeling the need to get rid of STUFF, so we have been slowly going through our closets - cleaning, organizing, and purging every weekend. It is such a great feeling. We are making room for the baby! We also just bought a rocking chair that should be here next week, and we found a great dresser at Ikea that we are going to buy next month. I have been trying to space out the purchases so that it doesn't seem like a huge chunk of money all at once. I have also been slowly buying diapers even though I still don't have my system all figured out yet. It feels so good to start getting things ready.

Emmaline - I have been taking papaya enzymes too. As far as I know, they are perfectly safe during pregnancy.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

thanks maudlin - i also checked with the manufacturers who agreed with you. Do you find it necessary to take them with every meal?


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I think heartburn is killing me slowly (that and insomnia!







). I used papaya enzyme when I was pregnant with Samuel and found it didn't really work for me, but it is supposed to be safe. I ended up using Pepcid after I switched docs at 32 weeks and my new doc told me it's "safe" (as if anything's truly safe). I'm using that with this pregnancy as well, but I bought tons of the generic stuff from Eckerd and it doesn't work as well (if at all...). So I tend to wake up in the middle of the night thinking I might breathe fire. I keep meaning to get some Tums or something to go beside the bed, but then Samuel will eat them during the day.

The other day I told DH in a very whiney voice "I just want to not have heartburn at all" and he said "you're gonna have to wait to July." GRRR! Why's he always so right?!?


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

You all are making me tired with all the nesting.

I'm homeschooling my older kids, ages 13, 10 and 7, trying to keep the house free of clutter, and I'm just so tired. I can't sleep at night cause I feel like I can't breathe.

We have numerous home improvement projects we want to finish before baby comes. We built this log house 9 yrs ago, and are still putting up lightswitches and doorknobs. We recently mounted a full length mirror that has been leaning against the wall since 1986, LOL!

I got rid of every baby item that we owned, thinking I wouldn't have anymore. Now I need to restock on diapers, onsies and some gowns. Hoping to keep it simple. We did keep our potty chair, playpen and baby sling.

Does anyone know where I can look for a sassy seat in the Midwest US - one of those little chairs with no legs that hooks onto the edge of a table?

My due date is also July 3. My first baby was a week late, others were a week early. I am wondering when this little one will make it's appearance. I'm hoping for one of those 45 minutes labors!







:


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Holy...you guys are really keeping busy!
No nesting here....but dd and dh were sick this past weekend, and so far all I've gotten from them is a pounding headache every morning!







:

Today is sunny out, but cool still, but we are going outside cause if dd asks me one more time "outside mommy" I just may put her out there by herself!







...Just kidding, but I was trying to get things cleaned up a bit...you know the dishes and the laundry that is piled up from the throw up towels!









I want to wash up all the clothes that mil bought for the new one, and I have a few 0-3m stuff from dd that is gender neutral that I have to dig out (I gave most of it away...we were only having one







)

I've been pretty lucky with the heartburn the last few months, but I was eating Tums like they were out of style in Jan.

I've been having so many positive birth dreams lately, that I am feeling better about birth, but sometimes I still get a little nervous....normal I guess







: , but the dreams are so real.
I'm really liking the yoga video too....especially the meditation part at the end.....very empowering!

Take care all and Happy nesting!








Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Mossback, I bought a sassy seat for Samuel at Toys R Us for something like $30. Chicco makes one now that's all soft. I've seen it at burlington coat factory for about the same price. I loved it, but think I want a high chair with a 5pt harness b/c Samuel was a climber and the sassy seat made me really nervous when he decided to stand up in it!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

So i went to the OB today.. Did you ladies know you are supposed to call your OB when you have 4 contractions in an hour at this point.. I thought it was 6.. Silly me.. I brought it up with Dr. P today, and she about dropped her jaw to the floor.. I said.. So do i need to worry about these contractions i've been having for the last 2 months or just ignore them as long as i don't have more than six in an hour..

Dr. P did this...
She said ... You're supposed to call us when you have 4 in an hour.. I said.. OOPS.. So she had to check, and everything is all nice and snug up there still, but she did emphasize before i left to call them if it is more than 4.. She said i was doing all the right stuff to get them to stop though.. Drink a big glass of water.. Make sure my bladder is empty.. Take a warm bath.. I do all that and if they keep up ... I would call.. They just usually stop, and really.. I haven't had more than 6 in one hour.. They usually start to peter out after that... Soo OOPS!!!

Remember all pg ladies, and ladies who want to be pg.. 4 in an hour.. Not 6!!!

Also the baby's heart rate is still up there at 159-162 bpm.. Dr P says, You sure it's a boy??!! I said if it's a girl i will be pleasantly suprised!!! Next month i go in for the YUCKY GD screen.. Can't they at least make that stuff taste better than licking a sugar cubes ass??!!

I gained 4 more lbs.. So i am now at a whopping 124...I can't believe i'm not bigger yet.. My OB came in and i was laying on my tummy and she laughed.. 25 weeks and you can still lay flat on your belly.. I said.. Well i do have a little bit of tummy now.. I'm measuring at 24 weeks so i'm not that far off from the 25 weeks that i am...

I hope everyone is doing well..

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Dyan, I weighed in at 124.5 this morning. I don't remember your starting weight, but mine was 108. (I'm 5'3") I weighed this much, without being pregnant, in college. I think I've put on more weight this pregnancy than last, but I don't know at what stage the pounds came. I just know I may have not even passed 20 lbs by the time ds was born. But before all of the others start feeling jealous, I really REALLY think putting on weight is essential. I mean the fat reserves, that stay on your body for awhile after the birth. Being pregnant helps keep us grounded, but after the birth, I believe weight helps maintain that. I remember my hospital roommate's MIL saying "You don't _look_ like you've just had a baby." And I lost the little weight quickly, dropped below my pre-pregnancy weight, and felt really ungrounded and weak. I also had an over-abundant milk supply which drained me. I had a HUGE appetite (post partum.) I could not believe how much I could eat, and how I never was satiated. So during pregnancy I have been really trying to eat eat eat, and put on weight. I drink whole milk and load butter on my bread, etc. Milkshakes, whatever. But my appetite is so poor, and it feels sometimes like a chore.

I was also going to share my discovery about laying on my tummy, but I don't know what a bigger belly feels like with this: I put a pillow under my pelvis, and another (small & bunched) between my belly and breasts, and then one for my head to rest on. (I think one at the top of my chest/shoulders might also feel good.) And I was able to relax and feel so much relief in that position. Anyone else tried to lay on their tummy?


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Cindi, that sounds like a great idea, I'm going to try it tonight, I really miss sleeping in that position. Somehow I do end up on my belly in the morning but I must be squishing the baby! My belly is really big and I've been loading on the pounds but don't feel too big yet. All the moms keep telling me the "worst" of the weight is coming but right now I feel fine.
As for the GD test, ask if you can do something diet related instead of the disgusting drink. Most doctors will let you go for pancakes/syrup/juice to get your glucose spiking...worth asking at least
Shelby


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I started at 114lbs. 2 weeks before we found out i was pg.. I am about 5ft 5. Then i lost 3.. Gained 8 last month, and am at 124 now.. So i have only gained 10 lbs total.. I know from previous pgs that i will get BIG!!! I started out this small with both my boys and weighed 170 with my 1st and just over 160 with my last.. Who just turned 3 on Weds.. I almost cried.. I told dh that my baby was 3.. He said he's not the baby anymore, and you do have another one on the way.. I guess he just doesn't get it...

It really doesn't bother me to lay on my tummy.. I actually lay more on the side of my tummy with a body pillow just under me and between my legs..

Warm Squishies...

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Wow!









Now I really feel humungous!!!







but seriously, I'm glad to hear that everybody is doing so great. I haven't been able to lie on my tummy in ages. I'm 27 weeks now, and I go in next Friday for my GD test,









Hey, I'm looking for some commiseration...When I'm not prgnent I have a pretty clear complextion, when I am pregnant, however, I feel like a 13 year old with the amount of zits I have, anyboby else in the same boat? Misery loves company


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Miranda,
I'm going to sit in the "humungus" boat with you.







Hey, I'll even loan you my 13-yo's stridex pads and clearasil, lol!

I haven't been able to lie on my tummy for quite a while - might as well lie on a basketball. I guess I weigh about 170 now. I haven't weighed 110 since junior high.

Unfortunately, my skin is at it's best when pregnant, so I can't offer you company, but you have my sincere sympathy.









Sewing up a few flannel prefold diapers today. Not really motivated to do much of anything more ambitious this week.

MM


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I'll join you Miranda and MossBack on the weight and if you could bring some extra zit stuff for me too







:









I've gained quite a bit....I'm at 168lbs now, prepreg weight was 148....so 20 lbs...the kicker is that I didn't gain anything the first 3-4 months...so it's all been the last two month mostly...I gained about 40lbs with dd though, so I'm figuring I'll gain around the same amount....although I feel alot bigger at this point then I did with dd.

I had some pretty heavy bh contractions yesterday....although they could have been stomach cramps too, as dd is just getting over the stomach flu....







: .....Never 4 in an hour though....just throughout the day....I'll remember that though, I actually never heard of that before....









I woke up with a burst of energy today though....the weather is so nice today! Suppose to get up to +17C by Tues!!! Oh my!!! DD and I put some clothes out on the line....and I got my painting stuff out...cleaned the house...going to make potato salad (craving







), go to the dump, go for a nice long walk (after dd nap-which is is drifting off to now







) and I would like to tackle the new babes clothes this weekend....getting them washed and seeing what we have etc....

We decided to go home to visit family on the 24th...and dd and the dogs and I are going to stay an extra week....dh has to be back to work after the weekend....so he'll come back down and pick us up on the 6th of May.....I can't wait! We always have a great time when we go home...and the inlaws spoil us! Actually they got a line of credit loan for us this week so we could consolidate all our debts and have a lower payment!!! Yeah!!! Things are definately looking up!
I have no idea how to thank them for this! We were getting in pretty bad.....and there was no end in sight....stopped using the cards for stupid stuff last year....but ended up having to get groceries and a couple major car repairs done, so that put our payments way over what we could afford! So the cycle began







: .....but thanks to my inlaws







...we'll be able to pay our bills, have money for groceries and maybe even save some money!!!

So this week has been getting better and better!

Dyan....I'm suppose to get my GD done next week...but she's just doing the blood test and then if needed, then I have to drink that crap! I hope it's not needed.....I don't know why I always end up having to have this test done around Easter!!!







...I love Chocolate too much to pass on it....but what can you do??

I never did sleep on my tummy much, but I do miss sleeping on my back, but you know what.....these last couple months are going to fly!!!!

Take care all and talk to you soon!
Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Regarding contractions - if I ran to the doctor every time I had 4 bh contractions within an hour, I might as well take a sleeping bag. I've had them early and often in all my pregnancies. I love that tightening feeling, and look at it as work my uterus is getting out of the way early.

Jen, glad your life is looking up!
Sounds like we are about the same size - I didn't gain any weight at first either. I think I'm doing good - I"ve gained 50 some with the other kids, and I'm aiming for 35 this time.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I'm hoping to not gain more than 40....thank goodness for breastfeeding! I did manage to lose all of it and some more while nursing Evy









I'm also glad to hear that I'm not the only one having contractions already...I don't remember having any this early with Evy (no I don't remember much of that pg...I was working at the time







: )....and was kind of worried about it....
Can we actually start to dilate already with the contractions??
Oh and for those of you drinking the rasp tea....this is going to sound stupid....but how do you make it for cold tea...I mean how many tea bags would you use and how much water and how long to steep??? And is it ok for dd to drink it?? I ask cause I know if I make "iced-tea" she'll want it....

Thanks all,
DD is up now...so off to complete my list!
Take care,
Jen


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I had alot of pre term labor with ds 1.. We were in and out of the hospital 4 times to get them stopped.. I'm sure that's why my OB is concerned.. I still didn't dilate or efface early, but they do sort of frown on early contractions.. MIne are not bh conntractionns.. I can tell when i have those.. They don't hurt.. With these contractions.. THey hurt and everything gets hard, and then 10 to 15 minutes later the same thing.. I usually end up rolling on the bed waitig for the tub to fill up with warm water or rollingn on the bed waiting for them to stop.. .I am no good at pregnancy... We should really stop having kids.. !!!
















Like i said ladies.. DOn't worry.. I will get big.. I gained 60 and 50 lbs with my 1st 2 pgs, so i imagine this one will be the same....

Hope all is well with everryone..

DYan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I'll join the humongus crowd as well. I've only gained 14 lbs, but started out at 160 anyway. I gained 45 with DS, which put me just over 200lbs







when he was born. Don't really want to do that again, and I'm much smaller with this baby than I was with him. Still, even gaining that much, I lost it all and then some in the first six weeks. I think about 6-8 weeks after this kiddo's born (depending on how long nursing takes to get established really well), I'm going to start following weight watchers. I was following it when I got pregnant and had lost 11lbs in three weeks. I'd really like to get back down to the 130-135 that I weighed when we got married 4.5 years ago. Although that might not happen until I can manage to have a breast reduction...

I got a whole bunch of little boy clothes from the trading post here because all of DSs 0-3 month clothes were wintery and then he grew so fast that all of his summer stuff is 6-9 month size. They came in two days ago via UPS and I cannot believe how great they are! I spent $90 all together (with shipping and ins.) and I'm so thrilled with the results. I don't think my kiddo will be able to wear all of these; there are so many and they're all so cute! I went through all the clothes today and on Tuesday (payday...I'm so sick of living like this) I'm going to buy a ton of baby hangers and get everything hung up. The nursery is now 100% baby stuff w/ no junk in there anymore. I don't know how I did it, but hey! It's done and I'm super excited. Maybe I'll paint it come the first of May







.

I've had lots of BH contractions earlier with this pregnancy than I did with Samuel, and thought the other night that I was going to have to call the MW because I had a fair number of "real" contractions. This was when my back was spazzing out on me, which I'm sure had something to do with the contractions. Now I know what everyone talks about when they say the ctx start in the back and wrap around the front and then up. I never had that with Samuel b/c I was induced so I just got all of a sudden eye-popping painful all-over contractions. I'm hoping this labor will be more bearable since it'll begin naturally.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

I've also been having really strong BH contractions, every 15 minutes or so for the last couple of hours.... more than 6! They don't hurt, just are annoying. Maybe my pants are too tight, lol? I'm also really tired - could that effect them? Do yuou just wait them out and hope they go away??? Any suggestions?


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## Ava (Mar 18, 2003)

Please read this book, if you haven't already. I feel so much more empowered and knowledgable from reading this one book than any of the countless others I have read. I promise that you will gain knowledge you didn't have before. Misconceptions by Naomi Wolf


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Drink water! Hydration helps slow down the B-Hs.

I saw my midwife today, and the baby is head down. Woo Hoo! DH is very relieved.

She also said that the latest she has heard about acid reflux is to eat almonds, or eat oats (uncooked.) I think she said the Amish do this. Not something she has tested, but just heard recently. Can't hurt to try.

I haven't been sleeping very well, waking up quite uncomfortable and always having to pee. And I always feel like I can't stand up when I first put weight on my legs out of bed (like my pelvis/sacrum gives out.) I'm not getting terrible acne, but freckles! I never had freckles in childhood, not until first pregnancy, and now they are doubling! So strange.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Madison - enjoy your BH contractions - they are getting your uterus in shape for the big day! Use them to practice relaxing.

Cindy - I can barely move when I stand up after sitting or lying still - I maybe seriously crippled by the time July rolls around, lol.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

Quote:

I can barely move when I stand up after sitting or lying still -
me too

I have to wriggle a bit and pull my lower abs in firmly then stand up slowly and i always get a strong BH when I do, it makes changes of position quite a performance


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I remembered something else my midwife said about BHs. After you have had a series of several contractions, check if you have excess mucous discharge. That would be a sign that you cervix is thinning--okay when further along, but not desirable at this point in pregnancy.


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

hi mamas. I haven't read all the posts here, because my kids aren't going to let me sit here and read 11 pages







but I wanted to join you! I'm due July 23 with #3. We're planning a homebirth, the other two were born in the hospital. My husband is military and gone at school until Thursday and then within a week he'll leave on his deployment. (his unit is already over there, he just has to join them) so he won't be here for the birth









Look forward to sharing the rest of the pg with you guys!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Welcome Shannon!!







It is alot of pages!

Thanks for the info on the Bh Cindi.....

My back has been killing me that last two days!! Actually I shouldn't say my back cause it's more like my lower left side/back area! Man! It feels fine if I put weight on it, but if I shift weight while standing to the other side it kills!!
And getting up off the floor is a real challenge for me too!
I don't think I'll be able to move in 3 months!!







:

I've been walking lots more now though, and doing the yoga a couple times a week....dd has wanted to be carried more this past week, since she's been sick...so maybe it's just too much going, not enough relaxing...but geez, I feel like I've spent my whole pg relaxing since it was so cold for so long!!! Now I want to get out and do stuff!!!
In fact, we're off to the pool today, so I better sign off for now!
Talk soon and take care all!
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, I sure am happy to hear that I'm not the only heavy weight with zits around









We went shopping out of town yesterday and got a couple more baby things, but I think that we're pretty much set. I will be having a baby shower so I know we'll get some more things then.

I've been having a ton of BH contractions too, I've actually had a couple that were borderline painful, but then they subside, I hope that that means everything is fine.







:

Tomorrow we start interviewing applicants for MY job at work. I will be stopping working in the days in the middle of May. My schedule will change so that I will work a few hours an evening about 3 evenings a week. That will be my new permanent schedule, that way my dh will be with our dd and I can take the new one with me to work in the beginning. Anyway, I'm very happy about the change.


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2003)

Happy to be entering the 3rd Trimester! The first part of this pregnancy went SO FAST... but now that I've been looking 8 months pregnant for about 2 months already, it's starting to really drag. I can't believe how big I am and still have three months to go!!! Tons of BH here too... usually about 5 a day. I haven't been sleeping much due to DS health, so that's probably contributing. Plus my right leg goes numb when I walk.

I'm so much looking forward to the birth!!! I can't wait to get into that zone and be overwhelmed and consumed by the power of my body. I can't wait until my midwife plops this little bundle on my chest, all heavy, wet, and warm. DH and I are more excited everyday that we're planning a homebirth this time. Since it's going to be seamy here, I'm thinking about putting a tub on the porch outside for labor/delivery... we'll see.

Take care!!!!!!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Ok, so now that we are in the 3rd trimester ( although some of us having looked it for a while LOL!) I am wondering where everyone is as far as being mentally ready for birth.

I have had 3 homebirths, all different. The first was a bit scary and painful, because it was the first time. The second was quick and easy, the third was long and drawn out without much progression over a couple of days.

So I find myself excited to meet this new person, wanting to get the show on the road some days, and yet a little frightened too, just wondering what this labor will be like. My friend says it's a lot like death - there's no way out except thorugh it!

During those nights when I'm lying awake unable to get comfortable, sometimes anxious thoughts take over about the health of the baby. There are just no guarantees, no matter where we're giving birth, that we're going to have a good outcome. And I think we all hate that, but don't voice it. It's one time when we're not in control.

Just wondering what others are thinking . . . . . .


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

well, now that I can stop worrying that baby is breech (he's head down now!!), I guess I might start thinking about the birth in terms of normal births. All I could think about was "how will it be different to birth a breech baby vaginally?" And all sorts of horrible things were jumping to mind...

Had a MW appointment today and took a friend who is 15 weeks pregnant and (was) planning a hospital birth. She just wanted to know that she had truly explored all of her options. Well, before we left, she made a follow up with my (wonderful!) MW. That's exciting to me b/c my friend was hoping I'd doula for her at her hospital birth. I would have, but really don't know how much help I'd be in the face of all the medical pressure. I had a really good doctor and nurse and birth team with Samuel and it still ended up a lot like a hospital birth. I didn't feel as confident in her birth team as I did with mine and didn't want to let her down when things didn't go as planned. So I'm thrilled to death that she's decided to go with the midwife, who I think is a far superior choice, even though her birth center is over 1.5 hours away and we'll have to drive that far to birth there b/c of legality/state line issues...

the real fun was the drive back from the MW, which like I said is supposed to be ony 1.5 hours. Yeah, well, the car decided to act up and my accelorator wasn't working (or we hope something like that rather than the transmission going bad...DH is working on it now), so I couldn't drive more than about 45 mph, best case scenario. It was like riding a bike: we'd hit a hill and I'd think "this is it; we're going to have to push it over this one..." because we would lose SO MUCH momentum. It was exhausting. DH met us along the way and we drove home in the car he was driving, so we did get home, but it still took 3 hours to get here!! I'm so glad I wasn't in labor...







.

Anyway...that's been my day. I'm still processing the head-down proclamation so I guess I haven't had time to panic about the fact that this kid has to come out at some point. I don't know if I'll ever panic, though, because I'm just so comfortable with my birth team this time around that I know I won't have to worry about anything but birthing. There won't be any "are they going to make me...." floating around in the back of my mind, which I think really interfered with my body's natural processes with Samuel







.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Mossback, good question about prepping for labor.

I've obviously never done this before, since this is my first. So far I've kinda avoided thinking about it seriousl, really pondering. I've just been enjoying watching my belly grow and the kicks and rolls ~ without thinking that what goes IN must come OUT,









Maybe I should be more worried than I am. I just feel kinda prepared already - I'm a doula & my training was excellent (we watched at least a dozen births on tape, and I have a good intellectual understanding of birth), I trust my birth team completely, and I was privledged to attend my first birth, which was a wonderful waterbirth with midwives ~ exactly what I hope to do. I feel prepared as much as you CAN prepare, I guess. I'm comfortable with my decisions thus far, and confident that I and my birth team can make good decisions once I'm in labor. I feel absolutely comfortable at the birth center, it's heavenly. And while I'm fat & out of shape currently, in the past I've done some very athletic things ~ played Varsity sports, volleyball & softball, and done some gnarly volleyball matches lasting 5 hours that pushed me to lengths I didn't know I could go to. So I know what it is to sweat and stretch beyond what I think I can do, and work hard and not try to look in control or "pretty" ~ I'm gonna show up ready to WORK at squeezing a watermelon out a hole the size of a orange, lol, not listen to flowery New Age music and light candles and puff & blow while I "glow".

My two fears are of transporting out of this comfortable atmosphere and of there being something wrong with the baby. I guess I have to reach some point of letting go, where I say "OK, enough and pull the plug" on my natural birth plans for the sake of the babe's safety. I do have a high pain tolerance level and I'm hoping that will be augmented by the natural hormones; I am sure I can survive labor without transporting for drugs if it's just me involved. I guess I also have to reach a point of letting go of my expectations for the babe ~ if something is wrong, then something is wrong, you know? I've done my best and the rest is in the hands of God. I DO like to control things, so letting go of these last two issues is tough.

In a way, it's like being prepared for an earthquake. You make sure you have all the things you need for survival (food, water, shelter), and a good mental attitude ~ and then you just have to trust that things will work out the way they are supposed to.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Holy....3rd trimester! Wow!!! Where did the time go??







:

As for birth, I haven't really thought about it in awhile....and when I do I'm thinking positive thoughts....atleast trying to.
I do have the worry of what if something happens with babe....I really want a VBAC...but it is scary that dd's cord would have killed her before she emerged if my labour progressed. But my body wouldn't continue to labour even with pitocin....so obviously my body knows better...and dd knew better then to come out that way....








I've had a few dreams of birth....but the one I had last week (the first one to say it was a girl) was so real....almost like it was really happening...and it was a fast birth and I survived and babe was fine too....
I hope I can manage without drugs....as I have not looked into drugs at all.....I'm not one for pain, but I keep telling myself that it will get worse before it gets better, but I can do it.....







and it's worth it...cause the more I go with the flow, the fast babe will come out and be here!

My biggest fear is dealing with two babes.....dd is my baby....how can I have another babe and still love dd as much as I do. I don't want to make her grow up too fast, I don't want to expect her to understand everything just cause a new baby is here....I don't want her to be upset...I don't want her to feel replaced, but I don't want to hold her back either kwim???









My back is really sore since I started going to the pool....so I don't think we will go there for awhile....it's just in the lower left side, and usually if I turn my hip area quickly, or stick my tummy out







I hope this doesn't mean back labour! I've been trying to walk lots and that helps....so I'll keep up with that....although it suppose to rain for the next 3 days....







:

I go to the dr's tomorrow.....so I'll talk to you all later!
Take care!!!
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I am starting to get a bit nervous about this birth. I am more worried about the fact that I have a 2 year old to keep up with until my dh or my mom arrive to help ( if dh is working when I go into labor ). I will be birthing in the same hospital where my dd was born and I feel that I had a fairly good experience there, with minimal intervention. The other thing that is bugging me is I keep hearing about people who are pregnant and their births keep going totally medical. My upstairs neighbor is going to a scheduled C-Section tomorrow because her baby is breach. I don't know her well enough to ask her if she's explored the option of accupuncture to turn the baby or anything else. I guess that I feel that I wouldn't have done my job if I didn't explore every alternative to C-section for a breach birth. Of course, there is no reason for me to be worrying about it, as I have no idea whether my baby is in the right position.

Anyway...sorry I rambled on so much


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

I've been having some rogue thoughts about what if the baby isn't OK. I know the odds eg for Downs increase with age and I'm about to turn 42 so I feel some need to prepare myself.

Then I think -well I already know that very challenging stuff can happen with kids regardless of how perfect and beautiful they are at birth, there's a long road ahead and we have to expect the unexpected, without being pessimistic or morbid.

And end that series of thoughts with ... preparing to accept whatever shows up.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

I'm kinda coming to the conclusion that I might as well just learn to go with the flow, because if I'm worried NOW (and the babe isn't even here yet), it's gonna be a long rest of my life to be worrying about everything that could go wrong! I guess it's a good lesson to learn ~ trust, knowing things will work out the way they are supposed to, whether or not I can see the reasoning behind it.

I'm such a strong believer in karma, and positive thought, and reincarnation ~ I have had alot of lives to get to this point, I must have done just about everything by this time, and here I am again... I find myself wondering about my baby'd past lives and why s/he chose me this time around. And being honored to be a mother. I do remember one past life being pregnant (and a midwife) in England/Ireland around 1400AD, so I KNOW I've done this before, lol! And yeah, it felt just the same in my regression as it does NOW. It was like a preview of what it feels like to be pregnant, lol.

Oh, and I've got to share! I don't know how many of you believe in pre-birth existance (souls waiting to be born) but at my Blessingway, it does appear that my babe's soul was present! If you do any online search for "ghosts" you will find that the most common photographs of ghosts (or disembodied spirits/spirits waiting for bodies aka baby spirits) is that of globes of light. Well, in my shower picture I had taken of the group of us, there is a bright globe of light right on my belly - exactly where the babe lies within me, slightly on my left side. I can't explain it away as dust or light reflections, it's not in any other photographs, the light is wrong ~ and what are the odds of the globe being EXACTLY where my babe is? So, I'm so happy that the baby decided to get in the group shot picture









I called my mom after I'd uploaded the Blessingway pictures, and she was confused, "You weren't having an US, right? So how can you have a photo?" and then I explained the globe to her, she was all excited too! This is definately one for the baby book!!!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Hi July Mamas!

It has been ages since I have been on the forums, but I finally have a chance to check in. I haven't been able to read all the pages since my last post, but it sounds like everyone is doing well and getting ready for the big day.

The time is passing so quickly for me! I can't believe that I will be a mother in only three months...I have so much left to do!

We purchased our first baby item today---the car seat. For some reason, that made this pregnancy seem very real all of a sudden. I keep running out to the garage to look at the box.

I'm feeling really good physically. I feel positive about the labor and birth, and I feel confident that my body will know what to do when the time comes. On the other hand, I'm a bit nervous about what comes AFTER the birth. I'm concerned about my ability to balance a new infant and getting enough sleep for myself, I'm concerned about not feeling overwhelmed, etc. Instead of spending all my energy worrying, I've been soliciting family and friends for constructive suggestions for coping and managing. That is helping me a lot. Other than that, I'm very excited!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Afternoon all!

Glad to see you are doing good Rose! I got out alot of the baby stuff that mil brought up with her last trip, to wash it and get it into the dresser all ready to go!!!

Madison! What an awesome feeling!! I definately believe in all those things too!! What an awesome pic to have to the baby book!!!







I wish I remembered more of my past lives...I do sometimes, and lately I remember more of the good things, as oppose to the bad things!! So that's a step in the right direction!!

Went for my appt yesterday.....my dr is on vacation, so I got to go to a new dr, that coincidentally will be covering my dr's vacation in July....so if I go over my due date (after the 20th), then he'll be the delivering dr! He was young!!!! Very young!!!! But very nice and very gun hoe and excited when I asked how he felt about VBAC's.....said that everywhere (except here) that he has worked he's been involved with VBAC's and said good for you for going that route!! It's a much better way to give birth!







Needless to say Mega points for him!!! I'm lucky with my regular dr too.....he's totally fine with VBAC's....I guess alot of dr's here aren't though.....but then again, most of them around here are older....my dr, her hubby (who delivers) and now this guy and his wife who are covering my dr and her hubby are the newest and youngest dr's in our town!!!
I felt very comfortable with him too....he actually read my last u/s report to me....(my dr just gives me the highlights...) although he tried to be funny and said there were "3 viable fetus' present"....dh and I were like what???







....Obviously joking....and went on to tell me that the placenta was in great position, babe was in good position, no "noticable" abnormalities on fetus or me (which was a relief to hear after the u/s tech asked if I had cysts before







: )....
So all is good there.....
My b/p was good, babes 150 and he could move the baby in my belly that was cool....head was down, but like he said they can still move lots, but it was down in u/s too....so that's a good sign!
I really like him....and as much as I don't want to go over my date, I won't be too upset if I do.....
Oh the kicker of my appt....I gained 12 lbs this month!!!







: Wow!! So 178.....that's only 30 lbs so far, but still! However, this last week, I haven't really had an appetite...(anyone else???)...so maybe I've plateaued....I hope so!! 40 was my "goal" as that's what I gained with dd.....and I didn't gain any the first 3 months....Oh and even though I'm 27 weeks...I'm measuring at 28 weeks....so does that mean a bigger babe???

Yesterday we got our cheque from dh's parents too....so we went to the bank and paid off all our loans and cc....now we just have to pay inlaws 450 a month....beats the 900+ a month we were paying!!! YEAH!!!! And the best part is, as far as our creditors and the bank are concerned we're debt free!!!! YEAH!!!!! Dh's parents rock!







What a great feeling!

Anyways, I hope all is well for everyone! Take care and keep in touch!
Jen


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Hey everyone....

THings are good here.. I am a bit concerned that this baby is going to be breech.. Our 1st was breech, and we had a c/s, and our 2nd was vbac abeit a forcept delivery.. Now this one.. I am worried that if he doesn't turn soon he will be stuck head up (heart shaped uterus here.. Kids have to turn early, or they won't be able to) and i'll have to have another c/s... (sigh) I know.. Don't worry about things you have no control over...

I also have thrush on my nipples.. Who know that could happen before the baby gets here.. Although i am leaking a goodly amount of colustrum already.. I look like a shower in the shower.. Well not quite, but i do drip quite a bit.. So i am putting TTO on my nipples 3 times a day.. Taking acidopholus capsules, and putting acid(whaterver) paste on nipples 2ce a day as well.. I started this yesterday, and the nipples are feeling A LOT better today....

Hope everyone is doing well..

Warm Squishy Feelings...

DYan


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Whippet, what a nice thing for your in-laws to do!









Pynki, wow, you have colostrum already? Not having done this before, I WISHED I had colostrum cause I'm so nervous that my boobs will be of the non-working variety that have problems nursing. Believe it or not, that's my greatest worry about the whole thing!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Madison...

I didn't have this with the 1st 2 pgs..It's striking me as a bit early for this sort of thing. but i know our due date is right because i got my period on my bday, and not the next month in November... And the u/s we had said the same thing, so I guess i should just be happy that things are going to work when the babe gets here.. I do have a feeling that he is going to make an early appearance however...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Madison, I didn't leak a drop of *anything* when I was pregnant with Samuel, but nursed successfully (despite a really rocky start) for 20 months. I haven't leaked with this one either, but I'm sure I'll be able to nurse him too.

Not being able to nurse b/c of psyiological reasons is *really* unusual, so worrying about it beforehand is probaby just borrowing trouble







.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

DS has weaned, but shows so much interests in my nreasts that I let him "take a sip" even though there has been nothing coming for a few months now. (He likes to sniff my nipples, which always makes me laugh.) But the other day he made a face and said, "mmm" and I asked if he got something out? I checked by pinching at my areola and sure enough a drop of colostrum came out! But it has't leaked yet, just showed up when tested.

But my bigger worry is about too much milk again. I sure had no problems with my milk coming in, but the over abundance (and intense feeling, energy drain and mess that comes with it) was really hard on me and ds. Ds couldn't lattch on very well because I was so slippery with spraying milk, and he would choke on the spray. I could squirt milk clear across the room.

Dinner is ready, but I'll check in again soon. It's nice to hear from all of you in the same time frame, and I got to have tea with maudlin this morning. It's great to share.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

With my first pregnancy I started leaking colostrum at about 7 months, this time it's been present since conception and leaking for about a month ( I'm 27 weeks ). It's kind of a bummer to have to be wearing nursing pads already, although it is nice to know that everything is still functioning as it should be.

I go in for my GD test today







they will also be testing for anemia and that stuff. I think that I might be anemic, because I have just been inexplicably wiped out this week.

Anyway, aside from being tired, everything is going great. I will be a daytime SAHM in 3 weeks







I will only work about 6 hours a week in the evenings when dh can be home with dd.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi all,

Thanks madison!!

So when is early not a bad thing anymore with delivering?? I always forget that...I'm thinking I'll be a little early...like a week maybe....

No major leaking here, just a bit....
Having problems with bf is one of my biggest worries too. It took dd and I about 6 weeks to get it down pat....but my supply was ample, just too amply like someone else mentioned.









I have to go for my GD test within the next week.....yuck!! Actually the only days I can go are Tues (cause it's close Monday) or Thursday morning after I drop dh at work, but then I'll have dd with me







: ....Dh thinks I should just go Thurs cause I'll already be in town...so we'll see....

We leave to go home for a visit on Thurs night....that's why we're driving dh to work, then we can pack up the car and pick him up from work and leave from there....won't get home until after midnight...but it will be so nice to see everyone!! Can't wait to hear the comments on my belly







...I haven't seen anyone buy mil/fil since Dec....and mil/fil since March....
Dh can only stay for two days though...so that sucks! But dd, the dogs and I are staying for 11 days!!

Thank goodness inlaws have internet, don't want to miss you guys!!!
Talk soon!
Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Jen...most providers won't try to stop your labor after 36 weeks. I dreamt early in this pregnancy that the baby was born at 36w2d, which I *JUST* realized today is June 14th, which will be the 7th anniversary of my mother's death. It'd be nice to have a happy significance on that day, but I'm not so sure I want a 36 weeker, either. They tend to be just small enough to have nursing problems...

I just realized today that if I go a week early with this one like I did with Samuel, that means that 11 weeks from TODAY, I would have another baby at hom with me







. If the baby were born on June 14th, that means I have EIGHT WEEKS! OMG! It's getting soooooo cloooooseeee!!! I'm sure the next 8-12 weeks will drag on and on, but for now I'm pretty freaked out by the closeness of it!

I also had the overabundant milk issues. Once I got Samuel to latch on for the first time (a week after his birth), my boobs kicked into overdrive and caused all sorts of fun problems for him, like gas and bloating and green poops (too much foremilk coming too fast). We did eventually get it all figured out, but even when he was 18-20 months and nursing only in the morning, he still had the gulp, gulp, gasp pattern of nursing going. I'm hoping we'll have fewer issues with that this time, but don't know what to excpect because I've never known anyone IRL who had overactive letdown.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

I know everyone is always bragging about AP families not needing a bunch of STUFF for the babies (just loving arms, boobs, diapers and a brain) but I have to admit I'm having so much fun shopping for the little things you DO need, and getting gifts of neat stuff.

I am going to Target this weekend to do some damage - buying a changing table pad, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, syrup of ipecac - you know, all the boring stuff no one else buys you, LOL. And I'm so excited about it!

A friend sent me a beautiful quilt, so now I get to go buy the hanger-upper thingees that you clip it to on the wall. I'll probobly go to my great 2nd hand store and undoubtedly come home with some clothes too.

I will be making an additional trip to the laundrymat to wash new receiving blankets, lap pads and a few outfits I received as gifts. And while I"m there I'll probobly wash my cloth diapers yet again. Yeah, can't wait to do laundry! (and how many times do you hear someone say THAT???).

I put together my baby swing last night (I admit I like them). I had so much fun putting it all together, all the parts spread out on the floor!

And I'm breaking in the wool crib cover my Mom bought me, by sleeping on it on my own bed. Oh, wow, it's so heavenly! I might have to get one for myself, LOL.

Anyone else having so much fun shopping and nesting and getting things ready for the babe???


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks Charmie.....36 weeks eh?? Well I don't want babe to come that early...cause like you, I'm getting a little freaked out about how much longer it really is.....how much time I have left with just dd and dh and I....







...but then I think how nice it will be to have a little baby again.....

Last night when giving dd a bath, I realized how big she looks....she's 20 months now, but she is going to be having a growth spurt again soon, I can tell cause she's looked so long and skinny a couple weeks ago, now she looks taller, but chunky again...so an upward burst is coming soon







...my baby is growing up....









I also had a "this 13 weeks better fly" last night while trying to get comfy in bed last night, which is getting harder and harder to do.....







I'm sure you all relate....

Madison...I love to shop for babe too!! Actually the last two days I vac the house so I could get the clothes I had in the closet out (dd's old stuff) and go through it. Clothes is my weakness.....I love the stuff they have for little ones....Zellar's (one of our stores) has some really cute babe stuff, but man it's pretty expensive....I can't wait to get home this week and go to the second hand shop my mil frequents...(she's there so much they gave her a bunch of stuff that wasn't selling







)
We sent all our big babe stuff home with the inlaws for my sil cause they were suppose to have the next babe...(jinxed ourselves....







) so she cleaned it all up for us, dh is going to bring it home with him cause the car will be empty.

I'm sure in some ways the next few weeks will drag on....but this pg sure seems to have flown by! And now that the weather is finally getting nicer....it will be nice to get outside and relax!

Take care all....talk soon!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I am totally weak for baby clothes too! I've been able to stay under control by not knowing the sex of babe and knowing that when it arrives we'll go shopping. We get to buy a bunch of stuff wheter it's a boy or girl because I sent all my dd's clothes from her first year to Peru when a friend of mine's dh went on a mission there.


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## Mommy960003 (Apr 21, 2003)

I consider myself a July Momma due just over the line! LOL By my LMP I am due 7/31 and by my last U/S it said 8/1. But I am hoping to deliver 7/18....LOL

Anyway - I join both months when I find groups. Just incase, to connect with mom's in both months!










Melinda


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Well, I've started spotting again, drat! Not much, just a dime size spot, not red/fresh; plus a larger spot of fluid, not much like the plug or anything drastic like that. I'm 30 weeks tomorrow, and this is the third time.

My prenatal appointment is tomorrow, so we'll do a vag exam to see if there is an observable reason for the bleeding (such as a cyst on my cervix etc) and if not, then my midwife would like me to have an ultrasound to check and see where the placenta is lying. Please think good thoughts for me! I do NOT want to hear the placenta is low or covering the cervix or something horrible like that







I wanna hear it's positioned just fine and the spotting is just a weird thing that's a non-issue.

Now, the question is.... if I'm having an ultrasound anyway, do I want to LOOK and see if we can determine the sex? So far I haven't been in favor of having an US unless there is a medical reason.... but now that there is, I can't decide if I'd like to know or not! A part of me, of course, would like to know, but another part likes the surprise!

So who can describe what they do during an ultrasound to me, since I've never done one before? I get nervous in hospitals, so any advance warning will be helpful so my blood pressure isn't sky high while I'm there, LOL!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Madison, a prenatal u/s is very similar to when your MW listens to baby with the doppler, only it lasts a LOT longer. Some people say they feel warmth where the wand touches your belly, some (like me) don't. The'll smear a gel on you and then put the wand to your belly and you'll see baby parts. 30 weeks is a really fun time for a sono because you get to see all sorts of activity, everything is still un-squished enough to make out baby parts (including gender if you want to know), yet the baby is big enough to look like a baby. The tech will first look to see where the placenta is and try to find any other reason for the bleeding (hoping they find none and it's a fluke thing!!), then they'll go on and check out everything with the baby. They'll measure bones like the femur, the..uhh...radius (armbone), and the cranium. Then they'll measure the heart and you'll get to see all four chambers. They'll record the baby's heartrate, check out the kidneys, stomach, and everything else. If you want, they might take pictures and give you a few, and again if you want, they'll try to determine the sex.

I personally think the only way I'd be able to avoid knowing the sex during a sonogram is if it was too early to tell or too late to tell (I have a friend who had a sono at 41 weeks and nothing was distinguishable). I like suprises, but I feel like it's just as much a suprise at the sono as it is after the birth. I have a friend (mentioned above) who didn't find out with her first, but found out with her second. She was really torn up about "giving in" and having a sono to find out what the baby was, but her dad was dying and she wanted him to know. Anyway, she was worried about ruining the suprise, etc and found that after the sono she didn't feel like she'd ruined anything. She just felt more bonded with her baby earlier than with her first, and prepared to meet her (which made the end of her pregnancy really long). So I think either way is a happy situation for everyone involved.

I hope everything goes well!!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

sorry to hear you are spotting madison









my experience of ultrasound is that you lie on a couch while a doc gently passes a sound head over your belly, oh first they put on some conductive gel (warmed if they are very woman-friendly), and the image shows up on a screen. They usually talk a lot to describe what you are looking at as it can be very hard to know what you are seeing. Lights are dim. You might get a picture if the babe is small enough to fit on the screen all at once (probably not at your stage? not sure about that)

I find ultrasounds very stressful even though they are not invasive or painful but have always found the docs to be calm and helpful

they might give results on the spot or leave that up to your referring midwife

I hope it all goes well for you


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Ooh do I have insomnia tonight. Trying to catch up on all my posts though







I just got back from a wonderful week up in Canada with my family, they spoilt me with some super cute diapers and outfits. Frustrating visit in other ways, the first time I've heard the "you are so big" bull from relatives. I was really tiny before the baby and I don't feel like I'm gaining excessively but those comments hurt! I read about other moms dealing with it but thought I'd "rise above it". Not when you are in the buffet line and your cousin mentions your girth! My 89 year old grandmother asked him when he was due though








Good to hear how everyone is doing and some of the anxieties. I feel like I'm dealing with most of mine but BFing is a big one. I just hope I can get the hang of it, thinking about checking out LLL to get some idea of how to do it.
Shelby


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Shelby,
I was a LLL Leader for 10 years - I encourage you to go to a meeting. I thought I didn't need it when I was pregnant and was finally dragged by a friend when my oldest was about 2 mos old - I became addicted! All group and LEaders have different personalities, so if you don't like one, try another.

If you read one book between now and when your baby comes, make it "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding."


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Madison~~~sending positive vibes your way!!!







As for finding out the sex....our hospital (and alot around here) won't tell you the sex even if you want to know....so I'm not much help there, but I agree that whenever you find out is a surprise! One thing about your u/s at this stage in the game....is that you may want to lay on your side....when I went for my 2nd u/s with dd (placenta was low in first, but moved.....) I was on my back and started to black out cause of the pressure on my spine and nerves....thankfully the tech noticed and had me shift to my side....so if you get feeling weird let the tech know.
The worst part of the u/s for me is always drinking that much water before going in.....







:

ndmom~~glad to see you had a good time in Canada! Visiting relatives is always fun and trying at the same time!!

We leave tomorrow for a couple weeks....so I'll try to check in, but don't know if I'll have time to post!! I hope that you will all have a great week...I'll be back home around the 6th of May or so....








I better get moving now though....got to start packing things up and getting all the wash done....dh is going to be a bachlor for a week so I want to make him some cookies and leave some notes around the house for him....









Oh yeah, and I have to do my GD test tomorrow after I drop him off at work.....yuck!! I thought I only had to do the blood test and drink the crap if the test came back bad, but nope got to drink the shit!! Yuck!!! The best part is that I'll have my dd with me....that should be fun!







:

Anyways, Take care,
Talk soon,
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Madison...I'm sorry to hear about your spotting but I bet you'll go to your u/s and be told that everything is great. I've never had an u/s, I, like you, figure only if it's medically needed. I like to think that I'd be able to resist the temptation to find out the sex, and, truly, I think I would. I just remember how great a moment it was after my dd was born and they said, " it's a girl!"

So, who else here has been having those infuriating comments from people. You know, when they say, " haven't you had that baby yet " or " you're STILL pregnant " ? Hello!







I still have 11 weeks +/- to go!!!!! I know that I'm bigger with this pregnancy but I really don't think that I am that HUGE!

Sorry....That happened to me 3 times yesterday, so I'm still a bit touchy about it.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

No comments yet...but I'm sure I'll get some when we get home....over the phone I get the "so are you huge yet??".....from all the family (dh and mine)







: ....what are you suppose to say to that???







:

Although today, for some reason I don't feel as big....maybe I'm just use to it now though.....









I got alot done this morning....surprisingly, and dd wouldn't nap, so I thought I'd get back on line (that sometimes knocks her out)...my landlady came over and cut my hair for me....







, nice and short...I have not had it cut in 2+years!!!







!

I was talking to my sil last night, she's a L&D nurse in Michigan....it's pretty scary how much people don't know when they are going to give birth....she was saying that they have a couple c-sec happy dr's that are transfering to her hospital (the other one is closing it's maturnity ward)....anyways, she was saying how they expect mom's to deliver in 8-12 hours and if they don't they say "well we better do a section"....







! That sucks!!
She had someone come in the other night that was progressing fine, was 8-9 when she checked her, then when the dr came in he said she was only 6 and the babes heartrate dipped when he checked the lady....so he checked her again, and it dipped again, so he ordered a section!! Sil was saying that it only dipped when the dr was checking and went right back to ok.....she didn't know what he was doing to make it dip!!

And she was also saying that the number of people that come in to be induced is crazy (which of course usually leads to sections)...the worst part is that she'll ask them why they are getting induced (chit-chat) and they have no idea why, they just say that their dr told them too.....







....She said they must use Pitocin and other inducing drugs with almost EVERY patient!!!

I was telling her about Ina May's new book, so she wants to borrow it.....her and bil are planning on starting a family soon, I"m glad that she is able to see what goes on and how to avoid it for herself! And she's planning on coming up to our delivery...I'll be glad to have her here!!















I guess I've gone on long enough, but thought I would share....not to scare, just to chit chat about it....makes me sad!!

Anyways, talk soon,
Jen


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Well I'm guilty of being the one to say "Wow, you're huge!" but I say it in amazement and as a compliment. I think it's a great achievement, full of mother power. I guess I better be more cautious of hurt feelings. I love to hear it myself, but not if I sense judgement or critique in the person's voice.

Madison, I wish you good results from that ultrasound. I've always had very comfortable experiences with my ultrasounds, and if anything a very warm and loving feeling inside watching my baby. And your baby will not be scarred for life by the experience. Your peace of mind will offer far more benefit to your baby than being worried but without the u/s.

Anyone have a blessingway or shower planned? Or have you had yours yet? A friend offered to throw a blessingway for me mid-May and I am really looking forward to it. I didn't enjoy my shower with my first pregnancy very much, and I look forward to a more spiritual and supportive event.

Also, has anyone seen any good movies? I know I don't want to feel my adrenaline rushing while pregnant (Harry Potter and the vomitting scenes was a BIG mistake during my morning sickness!) I loved the emotional movie Rabbit Proof Fence. Any recommendations for a hormonal pregnant woman? (Unfortunately dh has a very different taste for movies...but my dad is a good companion for those type.)


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I posted. I went to Los Angeles for 4 days to visit some friends. I had a great time, but it took me almost a week to recuperate. I'm not used to doing so much, and I feel like my body is starting to slow down again. Also, last weekend I got horrible round ligament pains again. It was so bad on Friday that I got down on the floor to feel better and then couldn't get up. My husband came home from work early to take care of me. I was in a lot of pain on Saturday too, but then Sunday I started to feel better. My midwives say that it's normal, and that I should just rest until it feels better. Has anyone else experienced this? I don't think it is completely normal, and I am looking into seeing a chiropracter because I think my hips are out of alignment - it could be from the fall I had on the stairs about a month ago. I just don't know of any good chiropractors, so I am asking around.

I finally resolved my glucose tolerance test/midwife issues. I had an appointment yesterday, and I went in with notes/research all ready to argue my case. I met with the head midwife who I had not met before. She was so wonderful! I immediately felt at ease with her and explained why I didn't want to take the test. She was completely fine with it and agreed with everything I had to say. (I didn't even really go into my spiel because I didn't have to.) I also told her my feelings about not being listened to, and she explained that the midwife I had been seeing was new and so she played a little bit more "by the rules." She told me that she would talk to the other midwife. I feel so much better now, and I feel really good about having my baby at the birth center. Yay! I was avoiding the whole situation for nothing.

I'm sorry you are having some spotting Madison. I hope everything is okay. (I'm sure it is.) If I was having an u/s, I would definitely find out the sex of the baby, but you just have to do what feels right to you.

Cindi, I don't know what kind of movie you are looking for, but I just saw A Mighty Wind, and it was really good. (If you liked Best in Show, then you will like it - it has all the same cast and is very similar.) I still haven't seen Rabbit Proof Fence; I think I'm worried it will be a little bit too emotional for me.


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## bradleybrat (Feb 3, 2003)

Shelby,

I would second the encouragement to go to an LLL meeting before your baby is born.

I am a first-time mom-to-be, and I felt a little funny going to an LLL meeting -- afraid I'd be the only one there without a nursing baby. But I went in January and it was great and everyone really welcomed me; anyway I've been to four monthly meetings in a row now and really look forward to them.

I loved "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" and would also recommend another book, "The New Bestfeeding: Getting Breastfeeding Right for You" by Mary Renfrew, Chloe Fisher and Suzanne Arms. It gives very good, specific, "how-to" type instructions with lots of photographs and drawings.

Robin


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Thanks everyone for your support re: the potential US. I just am so not into going to the doctor unless I've got broken bones or something, LOL. I think the last time I went to a doctor was 12 years ago or so, and only because I HAD to (I go to midwives for any well-woman care and generally avoid that as long as I can between visits).

I guess it'll be a good time to practice relaxation techniques, breathing and all that!!







I'll let you know what I find out tonight at my prenatal appointment, and when the US will be.

Good luck, whippet, with your GD test!

And Cindi - yes, I had a Blessingway AND a traditional baby shower 2 weeks ago. I'll tell you all about it later ~ I've gotta run to my appointment ~ but it was GREAT!!! I really enjoyed it.

Hasta la manana, ladies!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Okay, I'm starting to have those moments of panic that I had all through my first pregnancy: "







at some point this child has to come OUT of my body!" It's taken longer to set in with this one than with Samuel (I freaked out about birth with the + test with him and continued to freak off and on through the whole pregnancy), but I think with this one, I'm more stressed because I know more what to expect...I think. With Samuel there was always that off thought in the back of my mind to save me: "maybe I'm one of the 10% of women who will have a painless childbirth" :LOL Then I ended up with a 27 hour labor, pitocin induced and epidural failed, no less. So now I guess I've been getting through it by thinking "if I can handle 12 hours of pitocin induced labor w/o meds and then another 4 hours of pitocin induced labor with an epidural that paralyzed me but didn't numb the pain, then I can handle a natural childbirth at a birth center with a midwife who will let me do whatever I need to cope." And that's been working...until now. I doula'ed for a friend of mine who had her baby in early March and she was with my MW at the birth center I'll probably be birthing at (unless by some miracle my MW gets the new building she's been trying to move into since November), and you know what??? My friend was still in a LOT OF PAIN and working really, really hard! That scares me!! :LOL









Is anyone else getting to this point? I'm just totally freaked out and have been since DH said at dinner yesterday that he can't wait to "meet the new kiddo." It's like his saying that just made me realize that birth is imminent. I'm not even thinking about what two kids will be like right now b/c I can't get past the birth thing!

Anyway....just had to share. I'm hoping someone here will understand. Do you go through this with every pregnancy? I mean, if I have 6 kids, will I still be thinking halfway through the 6th pregnancy "uh-oh; I'm going to have to birth this kid and it's going to be a lot of work."


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

re movies - I wouldn't recommend Rabbitproof Fence during pregnancy, I just







through it, but it is good

i've decided to go see Punch Drunk Love, it has had excellent reviews and doesn't seem like it would get the stress levels up

I had a very productive interview with the hospital MW today, made sure all my requests about "nothing touches my baby unless I say so" were documented

the hospital has a very beautiful quilt hanging in the lobby : embroidered squares by staff and mothers who have birthed there - lots of lovely mother-and-bf-baby pairs, plus stars and poems and branching trees and angels and whole embroidered families, nice to see in a hospital









I feel like I might be missing out somehow - I've never had a baby shower or any kind of pre-birth celebration... gets me thinking I might need to organise something with all my favourite women...

bye now, nap time for me


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

charmie my mum had 7 kids and said she never thought about it much until she went into labour and then the thought "oh boy this baby is coming now and it's going to be hard work" would kick in

it's different for me, other issues crowd in, but it sounds like after your previous experience you can handle anything


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Charmie,
I know how you feel - I've been having the same thoughts this week, and I'm having #4. We are due the same week!

Like Emma said, if you survivied last time, you can do anything. It sounds like it was rather rough! My last baby was a 36 hour labor at home. Try not to focus on the length of time. Maybe baby needs that time to turn or something. I was not miserable for 36 hours, just frustrated wondering "when is it coming?" When I got to the pushing stage it was just one or two pushes. The pitocin that you had gives you artificially hard contractions and on top of that you said you were paralyzed. No wonder you're frightened! Tell yourself that your body knows how to get this baby out. All babies come out at the end. Try to relax and go with it. Ignore your labor as long as possible. Don't call the midwife at the first twinge. Think of all the women who have done this over thousands of years.

FWIW, my second baby was a breeze. I had mild on and off contractions all day. We relaxed around the house, I fixed dinner and did the dishes. Laid over an ottoman watching "Dr Quinn,Medicine Woman " ( LOL) and at 8:30 pm had a baby just as the midwife was coming in the door. It was great!

MM


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Being called huge isn't so much of my issue. If people would just say " wow you're really big " that would be one thing but when they say things that make me feel like I should be in imminent delivery it really bugs the hell out of me.

I, too, have had feelings of worry and nervousness about the labor and delivery of this babe. I don't think that I'm as nervous with this one as I was with dd, but I expect that that will change in the next ten weeks. I think that it's normal to be apprehensive about something so big, even if you know that one way or another you will be able to handle it. My biggest concern now is about being a mother to TWO children, especially since one of them will be 2 1/2 years old when her younger sibling arrives









Ohhh....well...I guess that I'll figure that out too, just like I figured out how to be a mom to one.










A friend of mine will be throwing me a baby shower in June, I expect that it will be nice, and hopefully I wont get a bunch of junk I don't need/want.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey all,

I was actually reassured at my childbirth class last night, as the first thoughts started in MY head, too (gee, what comes in must come OUT) about labor. We did six different visualizations for one minute each while holding two handfuls of ice for a minute apiece. Then we practiced submerging our hands in the ice for 2 minutes while using the visualization that had worked best. I think it really gave us all some tools to use in labor, and I'll have to tell my doula which ones worked best for me. I learned also, that I do NOT like to be touched while in a "contraction". It's like a boxer in the ring - water me, massage me and pump me up between rounds, but DON'T touch me when I'm in the fight! I found touch very distracting, until afterwards. Good to know! So now I'm feeling more prepared for labor. Sure, it's my first kid, but it's nice to have a handful of things that will help! Do your childbirth classes help you with visualizations or self-hypnosis or other techniques? Will you hire a doula?

Charmie, it sounds like your last labor was tough! And you survived it! You can certainly do it at a more relaxed pace with midwives to support you. You are strong! You can do this!

Regarding the spotting & placenta location I've been worried about. Well, we did an exam lat night at the prenatal visit, and the good thing is that I have some sort of little cyst or bundle of blood vessels on my cervix that bleed occassionally. Whew! Who knew a cyst would be a GOOD thing, hahaha. So, no big worries there, with the occassionally spotting.









In regards to the location of the placenta - it IS low. We're just not sure how low.







We can hear it swooshing away between my bellybutton and left thigh. We're hoping that as my uterus grows, it'll porportionately move "up" with the expansion, away from the low position. If we are still hearing it low in another 4 weeks or so, then I'll go for an ultrasound then and get a visual. So... for the next 4 weeks, I'll be praying it moves UP! We spent a good 10 minutes with the doppler listening to everything - the placenta, the cord, the baby (numerous times as s/he moved around, lol) and just no-sound uterus walls to get a good idea of where things were. It was really interresting. Another friend told me the placenta cannot move DOWN, so I think it'll be OK. I'm gonna think positive and not borrow trouble!!!

BTW, the midwife thinks my babe is "on the big side" at 3 1/2 lbs estimated already! Yikes! I guess that's what I get for having a sperm donor who is 6'6"!!!! I'm only 5'3"!!! And then she said, "But hey, don't worry, you HAVE A ROOMY PELVIS." Yeah, THAT's the type of compliment a girl cherishes, LOL!







I had to laugh at that one!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Thanks Robin for the book suggestions..I actually called the local LLL today and hope to hear something this week about upcoming meetings, I think I just missed one though.
Hmm, movies, my favorite thing in the world. The Quiet American was good, a bit violent with the Vietnam war scenes but was some great acting. Loved Rabbit Proof Fence but it was a sad one, especially being pregnant.
We are having a baby shower up in Oregon in two weeks so I can visit with all those friends, unfortunately I've been to a zillion Blessingways and they have become "traditional" now and very unexciting. We are doing a BBQ so the Dads can come and participate so hopefully that will be as nice.
As for freaking out about the baby coming, I think I'm still in denial







: I intellectually know I'm having a baby but it hasn't fully kicked in that its coming OUT! Our baby classes got postponed so now we'll be in class up until our EDD so hopefully we'll have enough time to figure it all out. Thinking about getting a doula just for the support? Any advice out there?
Shelby


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Madison, I'm glad to hear that you had such a reassuring pre-natal appointment.









My dh and I attended birthing classes when I was pregnant with my dd, and altough I'm glad I went, I wouldn't say that I was able to utilise much of what I learned there. I'm one of those people who find it staggeringly difficult to just " be still " or to do visualisations. I would say that the reason I got through labor without freaking out was the support of my dh and my mom, and just surrenderring to my body.


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

man....we're in the home stretch!

Charmie, I can totally sympathize with you--I too, had a magical Pitocin & crapola epidural birth experience.

It has made me very cocky and ballsy and all 'hell, I can do ANYTHING if I did that! Sign me up for the home-birth!!!!!"

And then....reality settles in. A giant head, growing bigger and bigger, will need to exit thru my cervix. AND then travel a few MORE inches. This is a totally scary concept.

Yesterday I was a guest speaker in a high school 'home ec/family development' class, talking about pregnancy and birth. The way those kids treated me was as if I had been to the moon and back!

They were cringing as I explianed the epidural, they were amazed that I wanted MORE kids, and could go thru labor and birth.

I was thinking how 'cute' that was, but then I was thinking, dang, it IS an amazing feat, and we women DO deserve our props for doin' it!

And LLL......Go, go, go!!!! Our group ALWAYS loves when pg women come to the meetings!!!! honestly....I've been going for over a year, yeah it's great, but we always like to have some new blood!







Plus, pg mamas are so cute. You don't have to be lactating to attend meetings!

The baby clothes bug is potent and evil. I cannot justify ONE more purchase (and I've gotten, like, 2 things for #2--everything we have is unisex and awesome and for the same season.)

THANKFULLY we are going to cloth diaper this new little bundle, which we did not do w/ dd #1....this means I am spending lots of time festering about the Ultimate Newborn Diaper Stash

(and hey, Charmie, YOUR opinons on the matter keep coming up when I do a search, and I like your pro-kissaluv/pro-preemie diaper stance! liked your website w/ the 10 # modeling preemie vs. infant cpf! ITA--I don't want to be using giagantic stuff on a tiny baby...and it's still financially 'cool' to buy the stuff that will fit, like preemie cpf's!)


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well all...

I am miserable miserable meserable and crabby.. Hows that..

Dh goes on a trip to TX in 2 weeks (we are in Iowa) and i am going to stay with his parents.. Now don't get me wrong.. I love his parents and all, but they drive me batty sometimes, and we have switched over to cloth for our 3 yr old.. And i just don't know what i am going to do.. So i buy sposies for the 3-4 days we are there, or just bring our prefolds and covers... (sigh) What a friggin' mess.. I don't feel comfy at home, because our vehicles are running badlyl, and the part probably won't be here before he has to go to fix our car... And i've been having alll those contractions, so off for a 2 hr drive to be babysat...

Also.. I took out my belly ring last night because it was starting to bug me, and that always craps me off because i like my belly ring... So i know i am getting bigger now.. And did i mention i'm constipated, and hungry for sugar constantly... Ok.. Probably TMI...

I hope everyone is doing better than i am because i feel like a giant crabby @ss...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan







:


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by tinyshoes_
*hey, Charmie, YOUR opinons on the matter keep coming up when I do a search, and I like your pro-kissaluv/pro-preemie diaper stance! liked your website w/ the 10 # modeling preemie vs. infant cpf! ITA--I don't want to be using giagantic stuff on a tiny baby...and it's still financially 'cool' to buy the stuff that will fit, like preemie cpf's!)*
:LOL Yeah, I've really hashed out my stash over the past few months in that forum. I started out thinking 100% kissaluvs and bummis wraps, but have come full circle to some fitteds, mostly prefolds (and







I did buy preemies :LOL) and all wool wraps. I think my "some fitteds" thing is going to change now that I've finally been able to make some fitted diapers that I really like and believe are truly as high quality as the WAHM stuff I can buy, though. I keep seeing fabric and thinking "ohhh, that would make a nice diaper." I'll probably have like 4 dozen fitteds by the time this is over







!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Dyan,

I totally feel you on the hungry for sugar. At the beginning of my pregnancy all I wanted for sweets was fruit. Now when I think sweet I'm thinking donuts, ice cream, etc. I'm doing everything in my power to resist the urges and substitute fruit or a sugar free 100% fruit juice popsicle to try to kill the urge.








:


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

In searching around I found this brief thing about cravings, as they might indicate a nutritional imbalance. I wonder if it rings true for you guys.

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/pregnancya...163670,00.html

I just looked it up because I remember a friend mentioning her cravings for sweets in pregnancy and the resulting problems that her child has with sugar.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Cindi,
Thanks for posting the link, good info, certainly food for thought







. I tried to do a better job at the grocery store in finding healthier alternatives and foods that provide more of the nutrients so as to help lessen the cravings. We'll see how it goes.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Just to be clear, I definitely support the eat, drink and be merry philosophy, and that listening to your cravings/aversions will give you information about you need. But I do know sometimes I can get into a bad cycle with cravings that never make me feel well fed afterwards.

Thought I'd add my midwife's wisdom on various things, since I'm learning so much more from her than I ever got from an OB...

She mentioned that if you get bloody gums or nose easily it may be sign you need more Vit. C, and that this will help with tissue elasticity--preventing tearing at birth, and stretch marks.

For indigestion I've been trying uncooked oats, just chewing up a handful, and it has worked very well. (Another midwife recommendation.)

My guilty confession: I haven't been taking prenatals. I feel slightly ill after taking them, and got out of the routine during morning sickness when they made me gag. I noticed that they contain both iron and calcium (which blocks iron absorption) and figure a good diet is probably better...but I hope I am not missing something. I have been taking iron, and took folic acid and Vit B6 during the first trimester.

As for getting better sleep...haven't figured that one out yet!


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Cool link , Cindi. And as for prenatal vites, I've always heard that the vitamin is more 'for mom' than for baby--baby's 1st in line for nutrients available in the body, and the vite is sort of 'insurance' for mom. After the 1st tri this pg, I've been TOTALLY slack about taking my prenatal vites.

FWIW, my MW said that sugar cravings are a manifestation of protien cravings. I was having some serious Sweet Tart and Pixie Stix needs a few months ago (totally wierd and unlike me.)

Yeah, my MW says to get lots of vit C for a stretchy perineum, too. Pass the oj!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

HOnestly people.. For me it really is the sugar.. The thought of eating anything with protien in it when i have a sugar craving makes me feel unwell.. I've tried it.. No good.. I know that serious sugar cravings usually mean a protien craving, but what do you do when the thought of protien makes you unwell???!!!







: Lately it's been confined to chocolate & peanut butter chip cookies and milk.. I eat like a dz of them a day.. That is only a minor exaggeration... It's amazing i am not larger....

Well Just thought i would chime in.. I am not craving any of the foods on the list.. I wish i was.. At least then i'd know why...

Warm Squishies Everyone!!

Dyan


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

That's funny that you are all craving sweets - I can barely stand them, and the only sweet thing I really like is frozen yogurt or a cold milkshake (it's obviously got something to do with the cold chill factor)! I crave MEAT, red meat especially.... and I was a semi-veg pre-pregnancy! Pass the steak sauce, please...







I think I'll BBQ tonight! Steak fajitas sound good, with lots of grilled peppers & onions and MEAT. Oh yeah, baby!

I had so much fun this weekend. I bought a 2nd hand changing table - with slightly flaking paint, but sturdy. I took it home, turned on some music, opened all the windows and doors and got settled with a snack. Then I sanded it off and spent all afternoon repainting it in bright colors to match a Pottery Barn Kids quilt I received as a baby gift (that'll go on the wall in my bedroom next to the crib). Viola! My baby decorating is finished! I had so much fun! It looks pretty darn good, too. Then I put out all my diapers and wraps and stuff. Woo hoo! Now's all I need is a little baby butt to diaper.

And on Sunday, I did 3 loads of baby laundry in addition to my regular laundry - I washed all the 0 - 3 month baby clothing I've received or bought, all the bassinett sheets, all the crib sheets and all the receiving blankets. Might as well do it now when I'm not COMPLETELY ungainly. Then I folded them all and put them away in the "baby's" dresser - serious nesting, eh? All those cute little outfits, ahhhh.

Anyone else having nesting urges lately?


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, I'm happy to report that my pre-natal yesterday went great. I only gained 2 1/2 lbs. in the last 3 weeks as opposed to the horrifying 9 lbs.







that I gained the month before. My MW was very impressed







. The results of my GD test and blood work were all totally normal and the baby's heartbeat sounds great. It's head was down at the appointment but after all the moving it did last night I wouldn't be surprised if it did a 180







At theis stage in the game it doesn't really concern me though. There's still a fair amount of room for movement in there.

Madison, I'm doing a lot of mental nesting as we are really hoping to get a house that we've applied to rent. It was a friend of mine's old house so I know what it's like and I have all these ideas about how I would set everything up. I am really trying not to get my hopes up because although we have exellent references and a great rental history and make plenty of money we've been told " no " more than once.


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

So, I just had my MW appt and I need some reassurance! I'm currently at 27 wks (late July momma) and am measuring at 32 wks. So, the reassurance part is that we don't know if we are having twins or not







and I'm a bit freaked out by the idea!
We haven't had any US done and there is no history of twins on either side so we don't know if this just a big placenta or two babes! Very exciting but whoa!!!

The funny thing is that my Mom, who is a bit witchy anyhow, keeps asking me if I've having twins! I think she is just hoping for a two-for-one deal for Grandma land but maybe she is right?? I also consider myself pretty intuitive and I can't figure out what the sex of this baby is, sometimes a boy, other days a girl. My MW suggests a US next visit if I'm still measuring big but I just wanted to know if anyone has any experience with "surprise" twins!! It would be amazing and great but a big ole shock to a first time momma!!

Thanks!
Shelby















:


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey there Shelby,

Can I ask, are you and DH large people? If so, then it stands to reason your baby might be large too.

Yes, I have still heard surprise stories in this day and age, amongst people who don't have routine ultrasounds.

I think I'd probobly check via US next appointment. If you have two in there, there's alot more planning involved - I think I'd want to know. So I could at least start some double shopping - you MUST at least have two carseats to come home from the birth center or hospital









Hang in there, and let us know how it's going!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Madison, that was a very PC way of asking!








I'm 5'4" and my hubbie is 6"1 so its a Mutt and Jeff sort of love! He was a big baby, almost 10lbs (oy) so that has been a fear all along but we are getting a US on Tuesday to help ease my mind. It'll be my first but I want to know what is going on in there! If its a party, I need to know how many guests








I'll keep everyone updated, hopefully I just have a huge placenta or somehow we messed up our EDD but that is unlikely.
Shelby


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Shelby







(Which is my neice's name BTW)

I ask because my mom is petite, 5'4" and had 3/3 twins (me), 7 and 8 lb. babies.

Her sister is much larger - taller, bigger boned and just larger - and she had 9, 10, 10.5 and 12 lb babies!

Both dads were in the 6' range. Go figure!

Good luck finding out! I like the "how many are at the party" comment, LOL! EXACTLY! My mom had no idea she was having twins until a week before we were born. Talk about shocking!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I just met a mom who delivered a 13+ pound baby, her first baby, who was a month past the due date. (That's exactly twice the weight of my firstborn, and she is shorter than me--I'm 5' 2.5") And she did it vaginally. Her son is now six years old, and I was amazed to learn this was a hospital birth where they actually let her go that far beyond the due date, and I don't get the feeling she would have protested if they declared it was time to induce, or too big and required a c-section. You gotta feel powerful after an accomplishment like that! Another benefit of big babies, according to my midwife, is that they sleep better. She said once a baby reaches 10 pounds they usually begin to sleep for longer stretches.

As far as twins go, it could be pretty wonderful. But definitely have help lined up, whether it's a post-partum doula, or dedicated friends and family.

Also...my understanding is that the father's genetic influence has little to do with the baby's full-term size. That the mom's ability to birth a certain size baby is the determining factor, and only after birth does the father's size (if big) begin to show in the baby's development. So chances are you've got the perfect size baby for your body to deliver (or two!) And it always seems that the babies will grow to as big as they can before being born, so the ones with moms who can give them that pre-brith size are very likely getting a good deal. And a testament to your capacity as mother.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I was the smallest baby in my family at 7 lbs. 6 oz. I have a brother who was 10 1/2 lbs., a brother who was 8 lbs. 9 oz. and a sister who was 9 lbs. 10 oz. I was the first born. All of us were born at home with no complications. My dd weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. I don't know if any of this tells me anything about what to expect with this one, but I try to remind myself that if I did it once I can do it again.


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hey, where is everyone? I had to find our thread on page 3!
So, NO TWINS!
I was getting over the anxiety of having two and actually getting excited but I'm definitely relieved anyhow







Our baby is a normal size, the EDD seems right on (maybe a 3-4 day difference) and only one babe in there! Maybe I'm just short waisted or something but nobody knows why I'm big for my dates but I'm not going to worry about it. The baby's head is a great size, right on track so I'm not worried about the cranium child!! Pheww.
Thanks for all the big baby stories, I've been telling "well meaning" friends and family your stories and its helped with the "advice"







:
Shelby


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Hiya Ladies!! Once again, I managed to unsubscribe from this thread, so I had a little catching up to do







.

Shelby, I'm glad the sono results eased your mind. FWIW, when I was 32 weeks with Samuel I was measuring "big" and since I wanted a sono anyway, so my dr. ordered one at 34 weeks. Samuel was estimated to weigh a whopping SEVEN POUNDS and measured anywhere from 38-40 weeks depending on which part you were looking at. He was born at 39 weeks weighing 9lb 4oz, so yeah, he was big (bigger than any baby on my side of the family, and bigger than half the babies on DHs side of the family), but I managed just fine. I'm a believer in the theory that your body, when you feed it right and take care of it, will not grow a baby bigger than you are able to deliver. Just tell your well meaning relatives that your body knows what it's doing and they can kindly SHUT UP!

Madison, yes, I'm nesting too. I painted the nursery this weekend (lime green walls!!), set up the crib, bought some organization stuff for the diaper changer, and hunted up some fabric and ribbon to make a crib skirt and window treatments. I know that baby probably won't even be in that room (except maybe for naps) for the first 6-12 months of his life, but I'm really enjoying decorating a nursery, which I didn't get to do with DS. I'll try to post some pictures when I'm done with the windows and such.

Re: sugar cravings. With Samuel I always wanted sweets, but I was also very careful about my protein intake, counting grams every day, etc. With this one I'm not nearly as anal about the protien, but I'm not craving the sweets either. The most sugary craving I've had for the past three weeks has been SNOW CONES! One day I ate THREE LARGE SNOW CONES!! :LOL Oh, and lemon slushes from Sonic will do when I don't have the cash for a snow cone. Their lemon slush is *anything* but sweet. The other day I got one so tart that it made my jaw ache and I thought I wasn't going to be able to eat it.

Last week at the MWs office, I passed the GTT (jellybean style) with flying colors, which wasn't the case with Samuel (I had to do the three hour one with him and then I was still borderline, but it was the unrealistic one where they make you drink the sugary soda drink stuff). I was also SEVERELY anemic. The MW actually tested me again because she didn't think her apprentice had gotten an accurate result ("nope, that can't be right...see her eyes and her nailbeds? They have color in them. If her iron were that low, she'd be totally washed out." and then a few minutes later "Oh, I guess you really *ARE* that anemic!" I suspected that was the case because I was having a hard time getting going during the day, even moreso than in the sleepy stage of the first trimester. I was anemic with Samuel at this point in my pregnancy too. I don't take prenatals (for all the same reasons everyone else listed earlier), so she put me on alfalfa, chlorophyl and yellow dock. I'm feeling better, but still not 100%. She'll test me again next week and see if it's back up to where it belongs or not. If it's not, I guess I'll have to work really hard on dietary iron and maybe take my prenatals for the rest of the pregnancy so I don't bleed too much during the birth *sigh*.

I hope everyone else is doing well!! We're in the home stretch now!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

ndmom, glad to hear that you're expecting ONE healthy baby







!

I am getting really exited







! I can't beleive how close we're getting. I am nervous about the labor, mostly about how my dd will fit into it, but I'm just really looking forward to meeting this baby. I'm pretty sure that my dd will be hanging out with my mom and siblings while I am actually delivering. I really need to check with the midwife and find out what the hospital's policy is. I want dd to be handy so that as soon as they give me the baby and leave me alone for a while she can come and be introduced, then when they take the baby to bathe it maybe I'll have a chance to snuggle with her.

So...as of this coming Friday I will be a SAHM mom during the days!!! I'm sooooo happy! Starting next week I'll only be working about 6 hours a week spread out over three evenings, just enough to keep up with my files at the office. WAHOO!!! I can't wait!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hey all,
Back from vacation and catching up on it all!
I did have time to check in while at the in-laws, but no time to post








It was a great vacation...but I really missed dh, it was the first time in 11yrs we'd been away from each other for that long, but it was great to see him and dd was so happy to see daddy!!









I can't believe it's only 10 weeks away!! Holy crap!







Where'd the time go?? It can't possibly be that close already. I'm excited though, and nervous...mostly about how Evy will handle it all....my little angel won't be my baby anymore









Sounds like you are all doing well.....








I go to the dr's on the 14th...but didn't get any phone calls while away, so the GD test must have been good.
I've felt really good this last week....baby seems to be slowly dropping....atleast that was the opinion while we were home, as they all thought I looked different and carried different from when I got there and when I went home.
I haven't really been craving anything....which is good I guess







, I only had chocolate yesterday (no chocolate for almost 2 weeks!) and that was cause my mom made homemade brownies, and I kind of pigged out on them...but hey, I won't see my mom again for a couple months...









I kind of feel like I have tonnes to catch up on around here though (the house)...the day we left, dd decided to take all the clothes that I had piled in sizes and throw them on the floor in a big pile







: , so I have to go through them again and get them washed and ready to go.

I did some shopping at the awesome second hand stores and mostly bought stuff for dd.....I didn't buy anything for the new babe. Kind of bummed about that, but they didn't seem to have any neutral stuff...so guess that just means a trip back when we find out what we're having









Anyways, this is getting hard to type...dd is sleepin on my arm so I better sign off for now and just lurk around!
Take care all.....
Jen


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

hi july mamas!

I'm 32 weeks tomorrow and counting down 7 weeks to go - I'm not really a july mama any more because my c-birth has been booked for june 25 (exactly one week after I turn 42







) but , well, here I am

we've been having sunny dry weather (still in a major drought) so I have been washing all my stack of tiny woollies and woollen blankets and bunny rugs etc, I love the smell of washing wool. Also gathering together some little gro-suits and tiny singlets and covers for the nappies. It's all happening and SOON.

And I feel great! the herbal supplements to help me sleep are making a big difference, my BP is NORMAL and with minimal sugar and heaps of protein I have more energy and generally feel upbeat.

We're having fun experimenting with names and I like lots of girl names but boy names all seem very blah, usually it's the opposite for me. So maybe??? well I can wait....

good to hear how everyone is doing


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse and I'd done everything imaginable, I go and do it again. Yesterday I did *way* too much for someone who is trying to recover from anemia. I have GOT to start limiting my activity a little more. The weird thing is that my body isn't warning me that I need to stop/slow down until it's too late and I feel like if I have to stand up for more than 30 seconds I'm going to pass out. Let's see...got up yesterday and mowed the entire back lawn (pretty large), then weed-eated it, then went out front and raked the mulch back into the beds (Friday I spent all day raking the mulch out of the beds and putting weed block down so the grass would stop growing in them), then went out back and spread some weed killer/fertilizer (okay, chemical laden, I know, but I've tried everything else in the past two years and I'm sick of it). In the midst of all of this, I also did 6 loads of laundry and hung them all on the line and dealt with a DS who was running a 102.5 degree fever for most of the day. Now, let's see if I get anything else done for the rest of the week...

Oh, and speaking of nesting, here are the long-awaited (by me, anyway) nursery pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/72757652TdvaBW

There's still more to be done, but I'm really thrilled to have a room in our house that is as close to complete as this one is. Every other room in our house lacks something major, like baseboards, flooring, etc... We have wood flooring to put down in the nursery (already did the rest of the house, for the most part), but I'm not sure it'll get done before the baby's here, since the fumes from the glue are strong enough that I can't help with it while I'm pregnant.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Charmie - your post makes me tired just reading it! But as we say here in farm country, ya gotta make hay while the sun shines.

Me, I just can't keep my eyes open. I get up and go walk for an hour, come home and fall asleep again. Do a little housework, and fall asleep again. And then at night, I can't sleep cause I'm getting up to potty 7 times a night - go figure.

I've been reading "Pleasurable Husband and Wife Childbirth" by Marilyn Moran this week. Makes me look at birth in a whole new way. Anyone else ever read this book?

I'm alternating between "let's have this baby today" and "I want to hold onto being pregnant!"

MM
mom to Caleb, 12, Lydia, 10, Zane, 7 and baby due July 3.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

charmie ditto to what MM said - just reading that list makes me want to curl up for a nap!! I think you have done enough for at least the next month

MM it figures you need to catch up on sleep if your bladder is getting you up often, snooze away









my upbeatness caught up with me over the weekend when I had three sickies to look after - dh and both dss have a horrible chest bug and ds1 also lost his voice, ds2 had high fevers, we had to cancel all plans for dh's birthday and it was hot tea and honey, throat lozenges, ventolin pumps and eucalyptus chest rub all round. I lost the plot a bit and wished for someone to take care of me







but at least I don't have the bug. Since we were housebound I did get a lot of knitting done, on a positive note..


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Emmaline - can't remember if I asked you this before or not: what pattern are you using for your knitted soakers? Have you seen the Down Under Diaper Cover - it's a free pattern on the web? Basically a big ribbed triangle then sewn together. I think the leg openings would be too big but one could pick up stitches and add leg cuffs.
I made 1 soaker out of a shrunken wool sweater - not sure if it will work or not. Got the pattern off "the butt sweater page" on the net.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

MM not knitting soakers at present - just finished a tiny jacket and workinh on some leggings


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi all~
Happy Mother's Day!!!

Wow, you're all keeping busy!!

Since we've been home from visiting family, I've been having the nesting urges too!

Our first day back we got all the clothes organized (Evy's old stuff) bagged up and sorted through. Washed the ones that will fit babe (0-6) soon (well still have some of that down in the laundry room)







. Cleaned our bedroom and tidied up the house. Oh and went grocery shopping for the first time in 3 weeks! Needless to say, we bought alot....(and caramel cookies that I ate in one sitting







: , it was a small box really!).

Yesterday, we made pancakes for breakfast and started cleaning out the cupboards and organizing them. I think the last time I did that was when I was pg with Evy lol....then we washed down all the cupboards, made lasagna for supper and made a cherry dessert. I must have been making dh feel guilty cause he started cleaning up stuff too....so we really got alot done! Now if it just stays neat and tidy!









It rained yesterday and is suppose to rain all week, so I'll probably get everything done (I hope)....although today I'm feeling a little lazy! So maybe we'll just veg today!
The black flies are coming out too







: , so far our Burt's Bee stuff seems to be working good, but they are just swarming now, not biting yet...so we'll see. Dd doesn't like bugs though, so atleast if she insists on going out, we won't be out for long!

I think babe is moving down, yesterday while squating at the cupboard to get the stuff out, it felt really weird down there, almost like a buring sensation. It actually feels like that most times when I squat down?? It went away when I stood up again, but I'm definately waddling a little more....anyone else?? And I hope this isn't too much info, but it felt like I was "bigger" when dh and I had sex the other night...does that make sense?? I guess I'll find out more at the dr's on Wed.....

I'm getting anxious to have the babe too....although other times I really want it to be just dd and dh and I for longer....(not going to happen though)

I haven't read the book your reading MM....sounds good though. I wanted to re-read Ina May's book, but I better get started soon! Lol....I had to start re-reading How to Talk....dd has started to get more of a mind of her own....which is what I want, but it can be frustrating at times....mostly when I'm tired. Yesterday I feel asleep with her while putting her down for a nap...I haven't done that in ages! It was nice though!









So what does everyone *think* they are having??? Boy/Girl?? Do you all have names picked out??
I'm thinking it's a girl again.....although sometimes I think hoping is a better word.....not that I wouldn't want a boy either, but I have 3 younger brothers, so I'm liking the girl thing







.
Our names our Yanic Ryan for a boy and Colleen Rae for a girl (I'm not too big on the middle name but couldnt' think of anything that flowed with Colleen~~ any suggestions??).

I ended up making only one diaper...but in washing our stash of stuff I think I have enough diapers....lol.....so I'm not too worried...I want to make some more liners though. And I got a cool pattern for new babe stuff that I want to start on, we'll see. I wish I could knit! I bought myself a book to learn, but I just don't seem to have the time to get learning it.

Charmie the nursery looks great!!








Emmaline I hope everyone is feeling better!
I hope everyone else is doing good!

I'll end this book now!
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well...we're all doing fine here. Although I have to say I'm feeling rather tired. Today is my first day as an all day SAHM. It's so great! Although looking at my schedule for today it seems like I'll be way busier than when I was working, lol. I've got a MW appointment this afternoon. I think that my baby has dropped down a bit too. I feel like I'm carrying differently this week than last.

I really have no idea what this baby is. Some days I think it's a girl others I think a boy.







: I think that we've finally settled on names, if it's a girl Araceli Jane for a boy Martin David. My dh's name is Martin but since he doesn't have a middle name and our son will the babe wont be a junior. Jane is my grandmother's name and David was my dad's middle name. We just both really like the name Araceli.

Anyway, I hate my apartment so I find it impossible to nest. Now...if we could ever find another place to live that I actually liked I'm sure I'd really be into nesting. I am knitting an afghan for the babe.

Well, all this sitting in front of the computer is making me sleepy and I'm sure that I've got a bunch of things to do. Hope everybody else is well.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Is anyone else experiencing that "generally pissed off at the world" thing that pregnant women have become so infamous for? I honestly don't remember feeling this way when I was pregnant with Samuel, but there have been a few days in this pregnancy (and today's one of them) where I think the world would be better off if I isolated myself in a grass hut until after this kid is born. Poor Samuel; he's stuck here with me all day and at my hormonal mercy







. Then I feel so badly about how I'm acting and so frustrated at the fact that I seem to have ZERO CONTROL over myself that I want to cry. Then I get pissed off because I'm tired of being pregnant and feeling like this and the whole cycle starts over again...

I can't wait till DH gets home so he can give Samuel a break from me







.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey everyone!

Jen - I'm thinking of Ian Andrew if it's a boy and Aerin Elizabeth if it's a girl. Second choices are Sean Daniel & Tara Christine







I really have no idea what I'm having.... early on in the pregnancy I dreampt I was having a boy and now I dream I'm having a girl. Guess it'll be a big surprise! I alternate days calling my little babylove a girl or boy "she kicked me" or "he wiggled around" on alternate days. It drives my friends nuts - they all had numerous ultrasounds and knew before their births.

I did have my belly painted yesterday at a Mother's Day Festival. And the painter is also does psychic readings - she thought it was a girl. (It was such a lovely sunny day - the event was partially sponsored by my birth center, so I just hung out in the sunshine and enjoyed it). At my Blessingway, we did the ring test - holding a ring on a string over my belly - and that also said girl. All the midwives & apprentice midwives think boy, except for one! So, who knows? Everyone says I LOOK like I'm carrying a boy - straight out in front!

Charmie, your nursery is so cute! I'm sure your babe will love it eventually!

I'm starting to feel a bit guilty about living in an apartment and the fact that the baby is going to make so much noise for my neighbors. It is such a quiet apartment, and I'm very quiet myself when I'm home. The girl who lives upstairs wakes up NOW each time I use the bathroom in the middle of the night - hahaha, cause she usually uses the bathroom after I do, LOL. Poor girl is waking as much as I am! Actually she's a b*tch, and flushes the toilet when I'm in the shower (we share a hot water tank) but I do feel bad anyway for the rest of my neighbors. Maybe baby will be quiet??? Oh, well. Babe comes first. Not like I'm gonna let him/her CIO anyway, you know? And I"m pretty good at "reading" babies, anyway, so it shouldn't take me long to figure out what his/her cries mean.

I'm doing a cloth diapering presentation to my childbirth class on our last meeting this Wednesday! I'm such a diaper addict - I'm bringing one of everything and showing the others how to diaper with cloth and samples of what is available out there.

Charmie, are you cloth diapering? I noticed your diaper pail - the nice metal one with the step-open lid.... if you're cloth diapering, what size waterproof tote bag are you using? Does the lid seal shut enough with the bag in it vs a garbage bag? I'd like to get that kind of pail, they look so great and sturdy. Whatcha think?


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I hear you Charmie!!
I think that is why I'm finding Evelyn's independant/yet still wanting to be clingy streak so annoying right now. I just want her to listen to me!!!
I guess it has alot to do with the fact that my mind knows that soon I'll be needed 110% of the time by the new babe and that I want some time for me before that happens....but how do you do that when you have another one that needs you too??? Does that make sense??







:
I hope that it is just a phase! And I hope your hubby gives Samuel a break (and you in the process!!)

I was looking over the calender today, marking dh's schedule on June....and man, we don't have much time left! I've been lurking on the May momma's getting ready thread....and it's getting me kindof excited! Did the same with the April Momma's too....







It will be us soon!!
Wow!!

Take care....I need to get off now....My darling is awake!!
Talk soon,
Jen

p.s. I love everyone's name choices!! miranda how do you pronounce your girl's name choice??


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by madison_
*Charmie, are you cloth diapering? I noticed your diaper pail - the nice metal one with the step-open lid.... if you're cloth diapering, what size waterproof tote bag are you using? Does the lid seal shut enough with the bag in it vs a garbage bag? I'd like to get that kind of pail, they look so great and sturdy. Whatcha think?*
Yes, it's my diaper pail. A splurge when I thought I might end up with two in diapers (sure beats the 5 gallon paint bucket that wouldn't seal and only held about 1/2 of Samuel's diapers!!). Samuel started to potty shorty afterwards, but has now reverted and I think I'll be glad I have a big enough pail for two kiddos worth of diapers. It's a step-can brand and I got it at Target. I don't have a liner for it because inside of the stainless steel outer, there's a hard plastic bucket that lifts out. I just take that to the wash and dump the dipes in and then rinse the liner out in the shower, if it needs it. Without a pail liner, there is a good-sized gap between the overhang of the lid and the hard plastic liner, so I don't think there'd be a problem with a pail liner breaking the seal. Even with the gap, though, no smell escapes from the pail because of the design. It's hard to explain :LOL, but I love it. It was $60







, but IMO worth every penny, and I haven't even used it that much yet. When its diapering days are done, it'll make a wonderful kitchen trash can







. I love things that can do double duty







.


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

oy, someone please help me with these hormonal moods! I've never been a moody person so I'm so unsure of how to deal with these crazy swings. I'm happy and laughing one moment and grrr the next. My poor husband, I had to get out of bed so that I wouldn't kick him for sleeping peacefully! I actually saw red today when a contractor lied to me on the phone and my receptionist piled some junk on my desk! I'm OUT OF CONTROL! My sympathies to everyone who has little people running around the house, I can barely put up with my dog! Oh, and my inlaws come on Wednesday







They better watch their Ps and Qs








Whew, thanks for the vent!
Had a great baby shower on the weekend, lots of nice recycled gifts like baby outfits and some great books etc. Was nice to have such an amazing group of women together.
Shelby


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

ndmom,
I wish I had an answer for you.

I have a son who is almost 13. He's about 5'8" and too big for me to manhandle anymore. He is driving me up a wall with his snotty attitude. Yesterday I saw him with my good Reebok running pants on, and I said, "Why are you wearing my pants?" and he said, "Why do you care, they don't fit you anymore - nothing does!"
( I am 8 mos pregnant).









We have livestock chores to do, and homeschooling to complete, and he's content to lay his lazy butt in bed till 11 am while I carry buckets of water 100 yds out to the barn. I'm just pissed!!!!!









And last night when I took the kids to a 4H meeting, this mother who has said nasty things about me, came up and rubbed my belly and said , real fakey, "Oh you look so adorable." I wanted to slap her hand.

I think a week alone on a white sandy beach would do me, and everyone else, a lot of good!

Hang in there.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

This baby is really poking and elbowing me a lot, and it is starting to even be a bit painful, but wonderful. I keep getting a poke out the middle of my belly near my belly button. I can now recognize the baby's butt and back and foot and head, etc. And when I've been in bed awhile, as I get up I can feel the baby getting low and I'm beginning to feel engorged from the pressure. That really makes the reality of birth feel closer.

I'm 33 weeks today.

I've actually been feeling great. Emotionally I feel I have a sensitive barometer for pressure, but can recognize it earlier because of the sensitivity...so a few tears with deep pain, a little laughter with levity and I can work through it. (Not always so simple, but generally I can work through it pretty easily, as long as I express what I need to.) I actually really like the emotional sensitivity, seeing it as perceptivity. I also just did a bodywork/psychomotor workshop this weekend that gave me a lot of space and support as I met some of the struggles that are up for me. (Not to mention the distance from home responsibilities for the weekend. A very nice way to spend Mother's Day!)

I feel overwhelmed and disorganized as July 1st (or I guess I should be counting to 38 weeks to be really prepared - June 17th) is really approaching fast. What I have to do in the mean time comes to me in flashes of panic, but I have trouble scheduling my time well. I am good at resting when I need rest, as ds allows.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

<<I also just did a bodywork/psychomotor workshop this weekend that<<

Cindi - this must be a California phenomenon.







Whatever it is, it sounds wonderful!

Here in Ohio, my body work and finding space involves pulling weeds in my garden, LOL! When I really need space, I can throw some stuff around the house and then go cry in the hayloft.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by MossbackMeadow_
*
Cindi - this must be a California phenomenon.







*
Oh no, I've been exposed. (The work originated in the Netherlands though, but that's almost California.)


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

It's still rainy here....yuck...

But we just got back from the Ladies Luncheon that the local church puts on...it was nice to be in the company of so many women.








They all ohhed and ahhed at dd and how well she sat and listened to the readings and songs, and she really was "good"...and then the questions about when we were due, (but in a nice way). It was just really nice to connect with so many women, and get out of the house for a couple hours.









Dd keeps saying "baby soon"...lol...its pretty cute....I hope she adjusts ok! I think she will though, she loved the other babies at the luncheon, although her favorite were the "boys"....I think I'm going to be in trouble when she gets older..







...she even went up to one boy and gave him a big hug! It was cute though...he just looked at her and smiled at his mom. Another mom asked me if she was flirting with her son, as she went over and sat by him and kept handing him stuff.....lol....

Maybe that means that this babe is a boy?? We'll find out soon enough I guess!

Geez, I always think, I'll just type a bit, then I get blabbing, you guys must think I never shut up lol....
Talk to you all soon,
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, I went to my prenatal appointment yesterday and aal is well, although the baby is sort of diagonal with it's head up. The MW said that if it hasn't turned on its own at 35 weeks ( I'll be 32 weeks on Thursday ) that it will be time to explore the options including accupuncture, massage, and the infamous last resort of manually turning the baby.








Have any of you ever seen that proceedure on TV, it looks really painful and stressful! Other than the baby's position it's great. The MW asked if I was having a girl after listening to the heartbeat, so I guess it sounded like a girl yesterday. Anyway, I continue to gain weight at totally uncalled for rate, even though I have really worked on improving my diet and getting more walking in.







: I told my friend yesterday, " if I'm going to gain like this even without eating Ben & Jerry's, I say the hell with it, I'm going to eat the Ben & Jerry's!"







ag

I can totally relate to the mood swings that everybody seems to be experiencing, although I have to say that I'm so happy to be home with my dd that it seems to be helping keep me on an even keel. ( until tommorrow







: )


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Hope you all had a great Mother's Day!

Almost 31 weeks...where has the time gone?

Some days I am carrying high and people tell me I look HUGE. Those are the days I can't breathe as deeply, but at least I don't have to pee every two minutes. Other days I am carrying low and people tell me I don't look big enough to be due in July. Those are the days when I can breathe, but I have to pee CONSTANTLY. It's pretty comical!

I am having a very tough time with first names (the middle name will be a family name). Nothing has made me think, "That's it!" We don't know if we are having a boy or a girl, but we would like to have a couple of names for each. Any suggestions on good name websites?

I'm very impressed with those of you who are sewing diapers! We are hoping to use cloth and I plan to prowl the diapering forum later on...

We are planning a homebirth and I have almost all of my supplies organized in a box. I'm starting to get really excited about the birth!

Hope you are all doing well and I hope to check back in soon!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

HEllo all..

I am incredibly crabby, and short.. I have no energy.. I am wondering when the nesting is going to kick in .. Maybe the house will get straigtened then.. Or maybe not..

I have some prefold diapers done that i sewed earlier.. They are all flannel, so our new babe will have lumberjack butt.. Meaning covered in flannel.. Hopeful not the buttcrack showing type...

Hope everyone is doing well..

Warm Squishies...

Dyan


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

:LOL Dyan.....you made me picture baby plumbers butt! Lol....that is sooo cute....dd still does that every now and then.

Went for my appt yesterday. I feel good about. Gained 5 lbs...so total of 46 so far, I gained around 45-48 with dd, so I'm okay with that...and the fact that my dr said she'd never guess by looking that I gained that much...it's all baby








Babe's heartrate is staying high....160.....I'm really thinking girl now....dd was always high too. Babe's also nice and low, head down...not that I needed her to tell me that, I can feel it whenever I get up







: especially in bed at night.

My GD test was borderline







: , but I was last time too, I told dr that and mentioned that they picked my finger ever visit last time and that wasn't much fun. So she said that she didn't want to go overboard, but didn't want to ignore it completely. So I have to get my blood tested again before my next appt in June. I have to eat my lunch and then wait 2 hours and then get the blood done and then see her. So that's good. I'm not too worried.
She also is going to check my iron levels....they were suppose to do that last test, but the covering dr didnt order that







: . I told her that I had to take iron the last month or two last time, and she asked if they bothered me at all, which they didn't (it's a pretty low dose, over the counter thing) so she said if I wanted to start taking them again before bed, it doesn't hurt to get your iron levels up before having babe. What do you all think?? I think I will start taking them....is there any reason I shouldn't??

Dd was running a fever yesterday....it was weird...no other symptoms of anything, just a fever....she is working on another molar though....do you think that's it?? Her temp in the am was 101....so I gave her some tylonel before we left for town....and she slept a bit in the car, then when we got home it was 103, almost 104







....gave her somemore tylonel (this was like 8 hours from the first dose. She wasn't really eating either...but drinking still....and just wanted to cuddle the rest of the night....she is fine this morning, no fever, appetite back....it's just really weird?? I know they can get fevers when teething, but she's never had one that high. Any idea?? I guess I don't need to worry about it now that she's feeling better though.

My mil got me a sling from the second hand store....a polliwog...it's sooo small compaired to my Heart2Heart, but she thought I could use it when the babe is new. She's making me a Heart2Heart type one and a Mayawrap type in mesh for the water....Dd likes to use the polliwog for her "babies"....it's so cute...she really seems to be getting into the baby thing....so I'm starting to relax a bit about her being upset.

There is suppose to be a Folk Festival in Orilla this month sometime with Gord Downie (from the Hip), so I'm trying to find the info, I hope we can go!! We'll see. I also wanted to go camping before babe came, but I don't see that happening now...we're getting too close and I'm having a hard enough time sleeping...so we'll wait until after babe comes and the "help" leave....lol....Anyone have any plans for the summer?? I know babes are coming in the middle, but I still want to do stuff and that's the best part about breastfeeding and slinging....you can pretty much go anywhere without worry.







Now saying that and actually doing stuff...we'll see what happens









Well as usual I've blabbed on forever!
Hope everyone's mood swings are getting better and all is well!!
Talk to you all later,
Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Holy Cow - I just realized I'm about 6 weeks or so from having this baby. Ai yi yi.
Started rounding up supplies this afternoon - old sheets, dental floss tape for the cord, etc. How exciting!

Jen - My kids have run unexplained fevers many times in the past 13 years. There are many viruses floating around. Roseola is very common in toddlers that age too, and a 104 fever with that wouldn't be unusual. Then the fever breaks and the rash appears. I quit giving anti-fever meds after I read Dr. Mendelson's books, unless someone is really feeling miserable and can't sleep. I look at a fever as part of the immune response - a good thing.

I don't see any reason why you shouldn't take iron if it doesn't affect your tummy in a bad way. Other things you could try to bring your iron up are using a cast iron skillet, eat a couple Tablespoons of blackstrap molasses daily, eat lots of spinach.

Summer plans - well, I told dh I wasn't tent camping while pregnant either. Last fall we stayed in a very remote area of the Adirondacks in a tent and were bothered by bears so much that it ruined the trip for me. Of course I was miscarrying that week too, so it was just bad all around!

My baby is due around July 3 or so. The others were all born at 39 weeks exactly, so maybe . . . . . The week of July 11-18, my kids will be showing hogs and poultry at our county fair. We live in a rural area so this is the big deal of the year. We rent or borrow a camper and stay there all week - there are lots of shows and contests. I always enter a couple dozen eggs and some canned and baked goods. This is not my idea of a vacation, but staying there makes it easier to shampoo animals at midnight or have a cool place to go lay down for a while and eat lunch. So, I'm wondering what this will be like with a newborn, or else very pregnant and overdue. I would like to have the baby in June so dh and I can enjoy a few quiet days together with new little one.

Other than that, the summer is pretty low key. In June the kids have summer swim team, with about 2 meets per week. I have to help my daughter sew a jumper before the fair. August is wide open except for chicken butchering - fun fun, and lots of canning.

Went to library and checked out my favorite CD , by a Scottish grooup called Old Blind Dogs - this is what I want to listen to during labor -- the 2 hr painless labor that I'm planning!

OK, now it's my turn to use the blabbing on icon!

mom to Caleb, 1990 hb/mw
Lydia, 1993, hb/mw
Zane, 1996, hb/mw
3 miscarriages
little one due June/July -planning a DIY birth


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks MBM!!

I never knew they could get a fever with no other things wrong!!No rash so far, and she's back to normal....so that's good. I keep saying to dh that she's been sick lots since she stopped nursing in Feb....and she has been sick 3 times since then....only once before that!
I really hate giving her tylonal (sp?), but she was pretty miserable. Dh is always saying I wait till she's dying to give her anything







: ....not true, I just don't like taking meds...I don't take them either unless absolutally necessary....dh on the other hand....well that's a different story!









I forgot to take my iron pill last night....lol....I should be eating more iron rich food though, I just don't have an appetite that much anymore







: ...oh....I have a cast iron pan and it started getting rusty looking in the inside, so I washed it with SOS and it all came out looked brand new, until it dried, now it's got the rusty looking marks again....can I still use it?? We usually use it for camping.

Sounds like you have some plans this summer. I love going to fairs.....our livestock/country fair isn't until Sept....but I can't wait. Not that we take anything....maybe someday though!

We decided to go to the Folk Festival in Orillia!! Yeah! Now I'm just wondering about where we are going to stay. It will be easier to stay there for the weekend, rather then driving the 1 1/2 back and forth each day! I found this really nice hotel with Suites that have little kitchenettes for 139/ night....we should just splurge and do it, since we won't get away like that again for awhile...but it is a lot of money.....oh well...I'm not going to stress about it, we'll figure something out...and if we end up having to camp....well....maybe it will be good to sleep on the ground for a bit??







And I know dd will love it either way.

6 weeks!!! Oh my.....that is sooo cool! I remember with Evy it seemed like my last month dragged on, but I had just finished working, so I was basically sitting around waiting







: , this time it seems like it's flying by....I think cause we have stuff we want to do kwim?? Wow!!

I'm going to sign off now and check out some other threads! Hope your all well!!
Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Jen - your cast iron skillet will never wear out! Sounds like it needs re-seasoned. Wash it out, rub it with shortening or vegetable oil, and pop it empty into the oven about 350 for 15 minutes or so.
Then every time you use it, wash by hand and rub with a paper towel and some vegetable oil before storing.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Well, I am having a sad day.

My grandmother was hospitalized last night, and her pancrease, kidneys & liver are almost shut down. The doctors are giving her two weeks to a month at most to live.









I am telling her tomorrow morning that I'm pregnant. (We've waited because she is very conservative and will likely be upset that her eldest granddaughter is pregnant and single). And now I'm so sad that she won't get to meet her soon-to-be great-grandchild of mine







(and my cousins babe due in October).

She is more than ready to go, but we are not ready to let her go! At least I can help my mom feel better when my baby is born. I know gaining a grandchild doesn't make up for losing your mother, but it's something. I just hope my Gramma & I can talk and part on good terms, and that she goes quietly in her sleep instead of in pain all part of a medical drama.

Life sucks today.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Madison~~~














~~~I hope that things went well this morning!

MBM ~~ Thanks! I was thinking I'd have to throw it out!

Jen

p.s. Holy....for once, I'm short on words


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

(((Madison))) I'm sorry you are so sad. I hope you and your family are able to feel some peace.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

madison







sorry to hear about your grandma, I hope all goes well telling her about her g-grandchild


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well... My GD test is fine.. Duh.. I already knew that.. I mean come on people.. I only weigh 136 now, and my lowest with morning sickness was 112.. So anyway... But my "blood count" was low at 46%.. Ok.. Now what the hell does that mean... OTher than i am still and forever anemic, and it seems i am overly anemic now.. Which would explain why i am sooo [email protected] tired all the time these days..

I know about being anemic ... I have bene my whole life, but what hte hell does 46% mean.. I know how hemoglobin is supposed to be at 12 at the lowest end of normal.. Does that mean i'm at like less than 6??!!! My OB suggests taking an iron supplement during the day at different time from my vit so the calcium doesn't interfere.. WELL DUH!!! I"ve been doing that for the last year and a 1/2 because of anemia... (sigh)

Ok.. So any of you have any ideas?? I am calling the OB on Monday to talk with her ( or her nurse because you KNOW you never get to talk to the dr..) to see what is going on here...

Thanks for listening to me whine.. It seems i am perpetually grumpy on here, and i swear to god ladies, i am usually a happy camper...

Warm Squishy Feelings to everyone, and Madison.. I hope things are going better for your grandmother... Here are some hugs just for you.. With some warm squishy Feelings dust too..























Dyan


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Dyan,
If I were you, I would cook spinach in cast iron daily, and also take alfalfa and Vit. C along with my iron.
Let us know what happens.


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Madison, I'm sorry to hear about your grandma...

I don't seem to be able to focus and work on getting the baby's room ready. We plan on co-sleeping, but we have a small house (I like to think of it as "cozy") and we need a place to store the ever-accumulating baby items. Also, our living room is quite small and the baby's room will mostly serve as a play area. In fact, I'm going to have to retain a corner of the room for my home office also. At this point, I have no idea where I am going to fit everything. Our garage is already overflowing. I really want to have a big yard sale over the next few weeks. Gee, I wonder why I'm feeling claustrophobic lately?!

I've had vicious heartburn a few nights, but overall I still seem to be sleeping fairly well. I'm having the most VIVID dreams, though! Some are good dreams, and some are clearly manifestations of new-mommy anxieties.

I'd love to take a vacation with DH before the baby comes---I'm really craving time alone with him. I think it's a reaction to my realization that this baby is coming SOON. Plus, I'm dying to wear my new maternity bathing suit!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Today's been a pretty bitchy day for me too....well dd was pretty cranky anyways!









The bugs are bad and it was a beautiful day outside, so we didn't get hardly anytime outside before we all had to retreat!







.

We went swimming at the pool today and dd seemed to think she could swim by herself!!!







She'd be fine for awhile then all of a sudden start freaking out saying "no mommy baby swimmy" and push me away!







What the heck are you suppose to do then?? She has no idea how to swim and couldn't touch the bottom where we were....geez! She'd calm down after a bit but man! Try and have some fun and lets just say it wasn't any fun!!!









Thankfully right now she's resting on the couch, not sleeping, but resting and relaxing! I hate it when dh works 3 shifts in a row! She's always pissy then!









I'm pretty tired today too....I hope tomorrow is a better day...
Hope you are all hanging in there and having GREAT days!!
Talk soon,
Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Just thought I'd post a little good news:

After feeling crippled by my sacrum and pubic bones for some time, I got adjusted at the chiropractor on Friday - I'm a new woman. I can walk pain free!








Had wonderful "marital relations" last night with dh! (still smiling)








The rain finally stopped!








My daughter had a piano recital today and she received the "Award of Excellence" for being "student of the year!"









Today I feel so ready to have this baby . . . . . . . . I think . . . . and yet I want to hold onto being pregnant. Why am I vacillating so much?
I have diapers and diaper bag, 3 onesies, 1 sleeper - no place to store baby clothes. It's been 7 yrs since we had a baby so everything is gone.
I held onto my sling but found it has dry rot, so I cut off the rings and am making another - hope it's as nice.
End of ramble.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Is anyone else at the trouble sleeping stage of the third trimester?







I just cannot get comfortable







I always start out on my left side but wake up on my back, so I turn back to my side and the same thing. Plus my heartburn is killing me, I try to sleep propped up a bit but that hurts my back. I try not to go right to bed after eating something, but then I wake up in the middle of the night hungry







:







: It's making me crazy. Then when I get up in the morning my whole body aches.

Although I'm having all the sleeping problems, my days are still going pretty well. Even with the lack of sleep I have a good energy level and am really enjoying the time that I'm spending with dd.









I got a Britax Roundabout on ebay the other day for under $150.00 with shipping, I'm really pleased, it should be arriving today. I'm happy with my decision to go with the Britax.









Anyway, that's all for now.


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## its_our_family (Sep 8, 2002)

Hi Ladies...remember me??

You are all getting sooo close! I can't believe how fast the time has gone! I still get an email when this thread is posted on but I normally don't check it because it jsut rips me up... but today I'm feeling good so i thought I'd say hey and let you know how excited I am for you!

I would have been due July 16 or 17..maybe the 18th...hehe...well it was that week anyway!!

I hope you all have absolutely wonderful deliveries!!!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I had a prenatal visit at Kaiser yesterday, and they want me to get weekly Non Stress Tests, along with an ultrasound to check the fluid levels because of last pregnancy's last-minute "scare." (I wasn't scared, but fluid was low on my due date.) I am planning a homebirth, but have been fulfilling the routine prenatal care through my HMO since it is covered. Also, my CNM there once had her own homebirth practice so she is fully supportive of my choice for homebirth.

I am struggling with how to approach this now. I did have the 20 minute monitoring and ultrasound yesterday, and even scheduled weekly NSTs for the rest of my pregnancy, but I feel irritated. It feels unnecessary. Yesterday the results were stellar, with plenty of fluid to show. I asked what the print-out on the monitor showed, and the nurse explained that she was looking for shifts in the heart rate to demonstrate vitality. In other words, she wanted to see that the baby was moving, where fluctuations are typical. The heart rate stays more constant if the baby needs to conserve energy because she is distressed. But this makes me laugh. If you wanted to know that she was moving, just look at my belly, as the monitors were about jumping off my tummy! The ultrasound, I have to admit, was reassuring, because I really didn't know I was doing so well for fluid-my only information was from last pregnancy when it was low. But every week?!

The one bright part of the tests is that I really liked the nurse. And she said she'll be there on Wednesdays when I have scheduled all my tests. The monitoring wasn't bad, just watched cartoons with ds for 20 minutes and Connie had brought us juice and graham crackers, but Julien flipped out when she rolled the ultrasound machine over to the bedside at the end of the NST. I mean REALLY flipped out. He was hysterical. I was totally secure, so his fear came from somewhere else and I am so curious what sparked it. It may have been intensified by his tiredness (he fell asleep as soon as we drove away) but there was more there than tiredness. It was also our first time back to the ward where Julien was born in 2000.

So I have to decide whether to put up resistance to the outlined program or just go with it and maintain a good relationship with the hospital (as I can't be positive I won't birth there.) It will make it hard if as the end nears they see a drop in fluid and pressure me to induce when I have my homebirth planned. I can still say no though.

*To address everyone who has posted earlier:*

It is really great to hear from you its_our_family. I'm sure your nearing would-be-due date is difficult. Please hang around and share your process too. I love hearing your story, however painful.

Madison, if you remember earlier this year I posted about losing my grandma. I was really looking forward to four generations of women with the birth of her first great-granddaughter (she had four great-grandsons.) But I really felt an amazing connection with her as she passed into death, as it felt very connected to conception and birth passages. As I laid by her bed I felt my baby moving inside and watched how she shifted unconsciously under her sheets and they felt connected in an ethereal place. Let us know how she is doing and how she receives the news.

Miranda, I've had trouble sleeping for awhile but it actually has improved a little for me lately. Not without a lot of aches though, just more hours of the needed sleep.

Mossback:









rose: I keep uncooked oatmeal by my bed for the acid reflux (is it like a bad taste in your mouth?) and it works great to just chew up a handful and keep the indigestion down. There is also supposed to be something in raw almonds that helps.

Okay, this post is a killer I know, waaaayy too long. Congratulations if you made it this far.


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Cindi, thank you for your kind words regarding my/your gramma's. Unfortunately, I can't fly to see her, so I'll likely never see her again







I'll be telling her about the babe THIS weekend, now, so I'll let you all know how ot goes (finally). And your Kaiser stuff sounds crazy! I might agree to compromise and say monthly US to check - and then drink, drink, drink up! Then you can still keep the number of US down AND they get to see what's up. Good luck!

I had my own prenatal yesterday. The midwives say my babe is now between 5 and 5 1/2 lbs at 34 weeks! They say that's still "on the large side" and that I'm very efficient at growing babies, LOL. I am also measuring a bit large at 35 1/2 weeks, so we're keeping our eyes on that. I keep telling them my babe is just tall and running out of room already, since my donor was so tall (6'6")! They are kinda very subtly hinting that I might not make it to term, and might be a bit early - hey, I'm liking 37 or 38 weeks just fine!!!

The babe is still really mellow, and lets me sleep lots at night, whew! S/he still moves around to fit under my hand when I absently rub my belly, so that it turns into a back massage for him/her







It is getting hot here in LA and is still warm at night now, I'm having to sleep with the fan on.

I'm looking for a pediatrician to do the first exam 24 - 48 hours after the babe is born. Looks like my options cost $175 and $350, because neither of the super excellent Pediatricians (Fleiss & Gordon) take my insurance! Ugh. So many other pediatricians might freak out that I'm having a waterbirth at a birth center, will be passing on eye drops and will only have oral vitamin K. But I'm still looking. There's one about an hour south of me that I might go to who is actually on my insurance that I heard about thru a friend of a friend. But the idea of driving for an hour a day or two after giving birth gives me the heebie-jeebies, even if I'm NOT the one driving, LOL. I think I'll call her office tomorrow and see what's up with her office.

And I think I have the jaw problem TMJ - I have a weird clicking in my ear/jaw area. Oye. When it rains it pours!

I'm also broke


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Once again I managed to unsub from this thread. I didn't realize it and kept thinking "man, the July mamas sure are quiet lately." I should've known better :LOL!

Cyndi, I wanted to address your NST situation. You said at one point in your post that you're concerned about keeping a good relationship with the hospital because you can't be positive you won't birth there. Going into a homebirth with the attitude that it might not work out is setting yourself up. I know that you have to realize there is the possibility of a transport, BUT you also have to know that it's a very, very low possibility. Plus, if you come to the hospital after having attempted a homebirth, chances are your relationship with the staff will be strained anyway. In your situation, I would discontinue care with Kaiser (who obviously sees you as a ticking time bomb of complications) and just go with your homebirth midwives. They are trained to recognize any complications that threaten your ability to birth at home safely, so trust your care to them.









Madison, I'm sorry about your grandma too







. Stuff like that is so hard. On the big baby note: my DS supposedly weighed in at 7lbs at his sonogram at 34 weeks. Scared me to death! I just knew I was going to have an 11lb baby, but he was 9lb 4oz. Still big, but not as large as I was afraid of. I'm sure you're growing a healthy kiddo in there.

My MW ended up with all of her late-May clients going 3-4 weeks early, so her calendar has been clear for two weeks or more now. I hit 36 weeks on June 12, so that's when I can safely deliver at the birth center. I secretly dream of having the baby on June 14, which is the 7 year anniversary of the day my mom died. I'd love for something happy to happen on that day, for me and my dad's sake. Plus that's Father's Day weekend (it sucked to lose my mom on the Friday before Father's Day







), so it'd be a cool dad's day gift for Jason, too. But I really don't have much hope of going that early because my dates are right, and actually I Oed a little late, so I think this baby is more than likely due around July 15, not July 10.







: I know once the 14th comes and goes w/ no baby, I'll just let my body do what it needs to do and have this baby when it's ready, but for now I'm still clingning to the hope of an early baby.

I have a baby shower coming up on June 7th, I think. I'm not sure if the invitations have gone out or not, so I don't know what to expect. I'm hoping to have a big turnout from our church because I would really like to celebrate this baby with everyone there. My baby showers with Samuel were not a lot of fun (ILs kinda ruined them), so I'm hoping for a more healing experience. And I didn't invite any of the family :LOL.
I can't wait to read everyone's birth stories and see pictures and KNOW our little ones.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Charmie, I've got a baby shower coming up on the 14th of June ( hopefully you'll be in labor







). My best friend is throwing it and my IL's are invited but, I've explained to my friend not to worry about trying to entertain them, as they never like ANYTHING! She and I had the greatest idea yesterday for the shower. She was lamenting the fact that we don't know the sex of the baby, so how was she going to do this....I said that at my shower for my dd ( also didn't know the sex with her ) I got some really cute tie-died onsies and tee's and stuff. She took the idea and ran with it! So it looks like the " theme " of the party will be tie-die. She's going to get a bunch of white onsies and tees and tie-die stuff and we'll all tie-die baby stuff there! It sounds like a lot of fun to me, way better than all those silly games we played at my first shower







.

I'm hoping that my baby has decided to turn, it has been lying transverse. It certainly feels like it's turned but I have a hard time telling the difference between rump and head:LOL

Anyway...hope everyone else is doing great!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Cindi,
With my first baby, I went to a big group practice. I read many hb books and when it came time for the hospital tour, I knew there was NO way I could have my baby in that place. "Army Sargent Type Nurse" told me no rooming in until after 12 hours, no exceptions.

So, off we went to the midwife. I saw her a couple times and then just accidently failed to show up at the hospital for the birth. I was just a number there. I called afterwards to make a 6 week appt - no questions were asked. We decided paying cash to the lay midwife ( about $500 around here) was well worth the experience.

Second baby - saw a doc and former classmate for prenatals, this time up front about our planned homebirth. He tried to scare me towards the end, things got tense. Once again, had baby at home and called him afterwards - things got nasty from there.

Third baby -saw a doc. once for consult, asking if he's see me if I showed up in a transport situation. He said fine, end of conversation. Birthed at home.

Fourth baby - saw a lay midwife 3 times so far, now at 34 weeks, hoping for a UC. No doc in the picture. I'll take my chances.

So you can see I'm evolving.







:

_________
Ok ladies, I'm ready to have this baby. I've had several days of lovely "pre-labor" and hope it's helping my cervix. ONe day it was every 9 minutes for about 18 hours. Felt good! Would like baby to arrive in several weeks. I'm 34 weeks now.

Found a little dresser at a junk store - am going to pick it up today and paint it white for baby things. Bought a new sling as my old one was dry rotted. Getting excited!


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Hi Ladies,

wow, i haven't posted in a while! but I have been checking in regularly and reading how you're all doing







I can't believe how fast the time is passing. I am leaving for calgary in just over 3 weeks (I have to leave the north at 36 weeks....) I am getting excited about meeting my midwife in person. So far we've only chatted on the phone and emailed each other. I hope she's as great in person. I am also starting to reread my birth books (that i read cover to cover before we even started trying!) I am feeling empowered, and confident that I will be able to have a natural childbirth.

I've been stressing a little about breastfeeding. For some reason, people find it necessary to tell me about anyone they know who has had problems with it. I started stressing that I would never produce milk (wow -- pregnancy is making me paraniod!), Well, after a day of really thinking about this, I was laying in bed reading (dh was out) and my arm brushed against my nipple as I reached to turn the page, and colostrum was leaking out! Just a little, and since then just a little now and then, but I really think my body was reassuring me that I am going to be able to breastfeed my baby. (sorry if TMI







)

Dh and I went to edmonton and jasper (in the rockies) a couple of weeks ago. It was great to have some time away and shop! I bought some really cute baby clothes and picked out some things we're going to buy once we're in calgary (stuff we'll want for babies first couple of weeks).

Well, I hope everyone is doing well. Madison, I wish you well this weekend as you talk with your Grandma.

Have a great weekend everyone!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hi everyone! Just checking in, good to hear how all the early July mommas are getting ready. I feel like I could have this baby in June and be very happy with that but I guess I should wait until at least July. I just feel like this baby will be early but that may just be hopeful thinking in 90 degree heat today







Had my 30th birthday yesterday and I'm at 30 weeks, dh pointed that out yesterday. Cool! Just had the ILs here for a week and I think it was the best visit ever. Baby stuff headlined discussions and my FIL spent the week building a co-sleeper and changing table with dh instead of grilling me about our finances and my "plans" for the future. My MIL also knitted some amazing outfits and is so excited about the first grandbaby! Was nice to have a stress-free visit though I'm wondering how I'm going to deal with all the visits we are expecting post baby! Everyone wants to come and I keep telling them that it will be work for them, laundry, cooking etc but everyone just chuckles and assumes I'm joking







Do people really expect you to entertain after a baby??
Shelby


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

shelby don't worry about their expectations - take to your bed with babe when people arrive and give directions from there!! no way should you look after them!

I've been keeping up with the thread and love reading what everyone's up to.. but feeling a bit down and not wanting to post much. I decided I needed to do a bit of "sorting" with a therapist before the birth, clearing the decks a bit? anyway, it will help to be clear about some things before my parents hit town (much as I love them etc etc etc)

On Thursday I had an ultrasound to check size and also kidney development as ds1 has a kidney problem and any kid I have has a 50% chance of the same thing - baby is ~ 2.5 kg (>6 lb) and all his/her bits are operating normally and growing well!

I have switched beds to move from my much loved but rock hard futon to a sprung mattress, but it's a single so I sleep alone and I miss ds2







so am not sleeping as well as I'd hoped, but it sure is easier on my sacro-iliac joints







ds2 and dh are now bunking in together which is nice for them

we're getting closer to having some names in mind but I can't divulge







I thought dh might like to have his name in the mix but it turns out he has always hated it!!! and his middle name too!! I never knew









sweet dreams to you all


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

It's sooo great to hear from Everyone!!! I can't believe that we are all getting so close!

I need to start re-reading my birth books...I'm starting to get a tad freaked out that I won't be able to handle the pain, even though I got to 6 cm last time and handled it ok...I know that's not the big work!

Dd is sick again







....We ended up taking her to emerg. Fri. night, her eyes were sooo goopy and she was conjested and started pulling on her ears...of course after the dr's office closed! Thankfully we were in and out of there....ears were perfectly fine (thank you Breastmilk!) but she does have an eye infection...so we've been having to put drops in her eyes 4 times a day....not too fun, but she's slowly getting better...
She decided to share the cold with me....but after a day of feeling crappy, I feel better today....atleast I can breath and I don't have to have a box of Kleenex attached to me!









For some reason, I was stuck in the mindset that I was at 31 weeks....but I'll be 33 weeks on Thurs....when did that happen???

My sil that we've asked to come up when baby comes, came for a visit this weekend. It was a nice visit, despite being ill and dd being cranky. We talked alot about how labour works at the hospital she works at, and what I wanted to happen at our delivery....I'm glad that she's going to be there....







.

I'm excited about our camping trip coming up in July. Sleeping a bit better the last two nights, probably from the cold though. Well that and I had a glass of Bailey's on ice last night.....yummy!

I don't go for my next appt until June 11...I'll be 35 weeks then....after 36 weeks, they will deliver at our hospital, before that we have to go to one that is 1hr 45min away....but I'm hoping babe will wait until after our camp trip....

I hope those of you having baby showers have fun!!!
I also hope everyone is getting everything they want done!
Take care all!!

Jen


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Wow, you are brave to go camping so late in pregnancy - I spent the night at a friends' house, on a fold-out bed even, and I was so uncomfortable!

I'm telling my Gramma about the baby on Saturday. For real this time! My mom is up there with her, so she'll back me up. Oye. I would really like her to hang on until the baby is born and we can fly up there to see her!

I had a prenatal last night, and my midwife guestimates the babe is about 6 lbs (I'm 35 weeks). She said if I went into labor, they wouldn't stop it, they'd just catch









I'm kinda hoping the babe is early, healthy and at least 6 lbs AND that my Gramma hangs on long enough for us to fly up there and see her.

How soon can you fly with a newborn/being newly delivered?

madison


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## nightowl1234 (May 12, 2003)

:
Check this site out all you June-July Mommas

www.stopcirc.com

And the best of Luck to all of you!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by nightowl1234_
*Check this site out all you June-July Mommas

www.stopcirc.com*










GRRR!! I really hate when people's agendas cause them to jump in somewhere they don't belong. And this is coming from someone who plans to have two intact sons...







.

Madison, your peditrician is probably the one who will decide how soon is too soon to fly with a newborn. I don't think the airlines have any policies against newborns on planes. With pg women, the airlines have some say because of the concern that the pressure change will cause the membranes to rupture/labor to start and they don't want to get sued. As far as I know, there's not a concern of anything going medically wrong with a newborn on a plane. The question might more appropriately be "how soon will _I_ be comfortable enough to fly after delivery?" With Samuel we went to BILs wedding three weeks PP (three hour drive) and I was still pretty uncomfortable with that drive. I had a kinda traumatic birth, too, but no tears or episitomy or anything. It was mostly just soreness from having pushed out a 9lb kid :LOL.

I hope that your gramma gets to see her new great-grandchild







.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, I went to my pre-natal on Tuesday and got great news! The little one decided to turn around and is now in the proper position, head down









I was told by my CNM that if I go into labor at 37 weeks that they'll let me go ahead and have the baby. I asked her what they do if it's at 36 weeks and she said that they would recommend that I take it easy but probably wouldn't administer any drugs to stop it. I'm 35 weeks now! I can't beleive how close we're getting









I am starting to get really nervous about labor and delivery now. Intellectually I know that I've done this before and that my body can do it, but I'm still really apprehensive.









On a different topic, I found out yesterday that everybody at the law firm I work for is getting a bonus with today's paycheck EXCEPT me. This is a bonus that is being given because of several large cases that were settled. I was working at the firm during all of these cases, and if my employers are to be beleived they say that I am a great asset to their company. I imagine that this has something to do with the fact that I am not there in their faces everyday to remind them what a " great asset " I am. Needless to say I will be taking this up with the senior partner on Monday when he returns to the office. This situation is completely unacceptable









Anyhow, I hope that everybody else is chugging along.

Madison, I really hope that you get a chance to introduce your baby to your grandma


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Madison~~the plan is to go camping....I've alway slept great while camping....so I'm hoping I will this time too! Although I've never been that pg while camping!







Thankfully we're only an extra 45 minutes from the hospital...so if babe decides to come then we'll make it.
I hope things go well with your Gramma~







...My guess is the same as Charmie's...it's probably how comfy YOU'LL be after.

Charmie~~I agree!

Miranda~~WOOHOO!! Glad to hear that your little one is head down!! 35 weeks!! Wow!! We are getting close!!! I hope that things get staightened out at work too!!! Sometimes companies can be a pain in the ass!!

So I'm 33 weeks now.....and getting a little freaked out again....lol....I'm sooo worried about Evy...I know I shouldn't, I know she'll adjust, but the fact that in 3 short weeks (if we get to 36 here, they let us go







) she won't be my only baby anymore....she won't get my undivided attention anymore, she won't be my baby anymore







....

Also, it looks like dh won't be able to take too much time off when babe comes....well....he wants to, but financially it would be crazy! His parents loaned us the money to consolidate, so that helped tremendously, but to go from his earnings to 55% of his earnings, when we are just getting to manage our money better would be really dumb.....It sucks though!! I wanted him to be able to be home after mil left! I want him to see and bond with the babe too! I want, I want, I want







: The one good thing is that he can take time off anytime in the babe's first year of life....so if we can save some money, we could swing it....of course Hydro would love to get there money!
That's what has ended up screwing us! We pay a set amount each month and then at the end of a year (which happened to be May...I thought it was June!!) we have to pay the difference....well that's like 500!! And they are increasing our monthly amount from 76 to 114!! Needless to say, we weren't ready for that!







: But what can you do....we'll pay what we can slowly to pay it off, and have the plan to do so, but we won't have it paid off until July and then babe comes....so no time to save money!!

Ok...I'm done bitchin!









So how much longer does everyone have??
I'm 33 weeks (this past Thurs)....
Is everyone ready??

We added another event to our summer plans...well we hope we have....they are having a Concert for Toronto June 21st....and tickets are only 19-27....The Hip, Barenaked Ladies, OUr Lady Peace, Sum 41, Sarah M (I can never spell that name!), Avril and a bunch more....are playing....My sil is suppose to be able to get us tickets (they sold out in 3 hours yesterday!!)....so we're hoping to go to that.....but man.....that really makes the summer seem to fly! The only weekend that we won't have something planned when dh is off is next weekend....then it will be this Toronto concert, then the Folk Festival, then Due date weekend....Holy crap!!
And here I am sitting on the computer Lol....

Take care and look forward to hearing from you all!!
Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Jen: CAMPING! Wow...do you tent camp or RV "camp"? We camp a little bit (DHs family is big into RVs, which I hate), but I don't think I'd be into it right now. Maybe if we lived in Canada and it weren't so stinkin' hot. We have a pretty large tent and a really comfortable air mattress, but I'm not sure I'd be able to get UP from the air mattress on the ground at this point :LOL. I hope you have FUN







.

Miranda: YEA! I'm so glad baby turned for you! Oh, and definitely complain about the whole bonus situation. That would irk me no end. I guess they think since you no longer work in the office during regular office hours, you don't deserve it? Hmmm....

Posted by Jen:
"So how much longer does everyone have??
Is everyone ready??"

I'm 34 weeks this week. Am I ready. Boy that's a loaded question!!! My answer is..uhh...yes, I think. I'm ready to meet the baby, ready to not be pregnant anymore, ready to nurse a new kiddo, ready to be able to sleep comfortably again (when I do get to sleep







), etc.

When I think about the birth, I'm not just itching to go into labor, but I'm not really DREADING it, either. Yeah, it's going to hurt and I'm not looking forward to the hard work involved, but I no longer panic when I think about labor/birth.

As far as plans go, I'm not ready. I don't know what we're going to do with Samuel while I birth. I'd like for him to come with, I think, but then again, I'm not sure I can see giving birth and devoting my entire self to the task while he's there. Plus that would mean that someone would have to be there just for him and I don't want any "extra" people there. Then there's the issue of the INLs. I don't want them to come to see this new baby (period). But I know that's not really an option, so DH and I are trying to figure something out. DH brought two little kitties home this week (my kitty died a few months ago







). MIL is very allergic to cats (how much of it is mental, I don't know) and I think the kitties will work well as a deterrent, so maybe they'll solve our INL problem for us. Gee, that's a huge burden to put on a couple of 8 week old kittens, isn't it?!? I was cleaning out stuff the other day and found a gripe letter that I wrote to DH shortly after Samuel was born. Apparantly he had passed on some of their complaints to me about me sleeping too much (too late), not letting MIL hold Samuel enough, not letting them help with things, and not saying thank you for the (few) things they did do. So the letter was me railing at Jason b/c I'd had a baby A WEEK AGO and he should have said that to them and never allowed thier petty concerns to get as far as my ears. Oh yeah, reading that made me really want to invite them to see their new grandson...

I'm also in the middle of a ped. crisis. Ours is leaving town and I need to find a new one who will be willing to see the new baby for his 24 hour checkup (since the MW will be 1.5 hours away and I don't feel like driving back there for her to do it). This is an issue b/c I don't circ, EBF, EN, co-sleep, don't vax, etc, etc. I don't want a doctor who will say "oh, vaccinations are from the devil; I totally agree with you," but I do want a doctor who won't make every visit about trying to persuade me to vaccinate my child when that's something that just isn't going to happen. The nursing, co-sleeping, etc., it would just be nice for someone to say "hey, you're the parent and that's your area, not mine." I have a couple of appointments next week to talk with people, so we'll see if I find a match or not *sigh*.

And then there's the "stuff" factor. I think I have pretty much everything I *need* for the new baby, but there are still some organization things I'd like to get done before he comes. I have a shower on the 7th, too, so I'll probably have a ton of stuff to organize after that as well.

All in all, I guess I'm not ready, but would like to be. I'd love to have an early baby and I think by the time 36 or 37 weeks rolls around I'll be ready. And I'll probably go overdue by two weeks.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

It's fun to read how everyone is doing as we get into this final month.
I'm at 35 weeks, 2 days - really getting uncomfortable, yet loving it and being excited too. Today I have killer hemmoroids from being on my feet too much yesterday.
I'm not sure what position my babe is in. I feel hiccups down low usually, but last night I felt them way over on my right side in the middle. Most movement is in the area of my belly button. My 12yo ds had his hand on my tummy last night and he said he felt a hand with fingers.

Better get up and get crackin here. I've got a group of 7 yos coming for a birthday party today. My last baby is turning 7! His was a 3 day labor so I'm really thinking about that this weekend.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Charmie~~Yup....tent camping....sometimes I think, what am I thinking! Cause you're right, I probably won't be able to get up off the air mattress too easy







....but I really love camping! And it will be dd first time too!
It's not usually too hot up here...it's the bugs that are really bad, but by the first weekend in July, I'm hoping they are gone!!

That sucks about the inlaws!! I hope the cats work!!
I've been wondering lately about Evelyn....our plan is to have mil come up and stay with her at the house (cause we're 45 min to hospital) and then stay for a month or so to help out, mostly with Evy. Sometimes I think I would like for her to be at the hospital, so she can see the babe right away....but then I think, she's not even 2! So I guess what we'll do is just have Mil bring her up after we have the babe.
Now with all the SARS crap too, the hospitals are really limiting visitors and the time....you can only have one visitor a day! From like 2-8pm and that's it!! Dad's of newborns are exempt from it...but it just makes me hope to be in and out of the hospital fast!

I've had a couple empowering birth dreams the last couple nights...You know in that hour of sleep between waking







: so I'm not too scared about it. I do worry that because I never got past 6 cm the first time and never actual delivered that labour won't be as "easy the second time" as it's suppose to be. BUt hey, I'm just going to go with the flow!









I hope you have luck finding a Ped too!

I feel like I'm really in isolation mode right now....like I just want to sit and veg and wait...no real desire to "nest"....I hope that changes soon! I think being sick this last week and dd still being sick and dh working nights...that's not helping much...but still it's kind of annoying, cause I'm thinking of the stuff that I won't be able to do soon, like sewing and painting and crafty stuff....

I wouldn't mind an early babe....do you think you can take 2 week old camping....Lol....actually, I would be very happy if after a weekend on my feet walking around hanging out that babe will come when we get home! But I doubt that.....I went into labour on dd due date at like 1150pm...but didnt' have her until almost 2 days later....so that's kind of what I'm thinking is going to happen.
It also seems weird that I don't go to the dr's again until the 11th and then start going weekly...I hate the weekly appts....just cause it's a pain to go to town once a week! But what do you do!

Hope the party goes good MBM!! 7! Wow!! Happy Birthday to him!!
Talk to you all soon!
Take care,
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

So...I'm having a bizarre day. When I woke up this morning to go to the bathroom I just about toppled over on my way there. After I was done I got up to go back to the bed to snuggle and had to sit down on the floor due to the extreme dizziness. My dh helped me back to the bed where I lay down and felt even more dizzy. I fugured my blood sugar must be low or something like that so I had dh preapre me a bagel and some juice. He brought them to the bed and when I sat up I had to run to the bathroom to throw up! After I threw up I was still dizzy so I went back to the bed and ate my bagel and drank my juice. I waited a while but was still dizzy, so I called the OB nurse at the hospital to ask her opinion. She said it sounded like low blood sugar and that I should lie down for an hour and drink lots of water and call her back to tell her how I was doing. I did as prescribed and was feeling better when I called her, so I got up and we had breakfast. My dh stayed home from work to be with me and dd. So now I feel better than I did this morning but I am still pretty light headed even though I know my blood sugar couldn't possibly be low at this point. All of this is affecting my dd in such a strange way, she wants to be with my dh. A few minutes ago he asked how I was feeling and I said okay so he was going to go to the store, when he went to give her a kiss goodbye she started crying and said she wanted to go with papi, so he took her with him ( bless his heart ).

I have to say that it's all just very strange.







:


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

MIranda...

Maybe you are anemic... I am the queen of anemia, so i know plenty about it.. You could also have low blood pressure which and cause dizziness and nausea.. So can anemia as i said...

I am anemic, and getting worse not better than it was earlier in the pg.. I went to our Natural foods Co-Op and got some floradiz iron, and some new prenates from them.. I think they are working because i am feeling MUCH better.. I am not sleeping 16 hours a day anymore.. You might want to have your MW or OB or who ever you are seeing do some blood work to check it out...

Now about me.=!!









I went to the OB on friday, and had gained *6* lbs since my last visit.. 2 WEEKS EARLIER!!! So I am at 142... Which isn't bad, but i am 3 3 weeks today, so with 7 weeks until due at 6 lbs a week i will be right about at that 160 i usually end up at when pg.. That's a lotta weight for a girl who doesn't even start gaining until her 5 th month!! LOL!!

Things are going well here other than the weight.. I am starting to retain fluid.. ( YUCKY!!!) I can't wear my wedding ring anymore (well not on my fingers) so i have it around my neck... (ON a necklace!! ) and my hands and feet feel like little sausages....

We picked a school for ds 1 to go to this August, so that stress is all gone now...

Now if i could only get the house cleaned up BEFORE we go into labor... SHEESH!!!

Hope everyone is doing well...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

DYan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Dyan, thanks for the advice. When they did my blood work at the same time as my GD test they said it looked great, but I know things can change. I am feeling quite a bit better today.

I totally feel you on the edema thing, my feet get it really bad. I have only experienced it mildly in my hands. I never really expereinced it with my first pregnancy.

Anyway, off to the grocery store, then I think that I'll take dd to a soccer game.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I am officially starting my last month of pregnancy, now one month away from my July 1st due date. The countdown begins...

I just started a thread in Good Eating asking for recipes for freezable meals to prepare ahead for post partum...so if you want to look there or have any suggestions to add, it's there.

I've set a goal for myself to get through a month (at least) after the baby's birth of not feeling guilty--meaning I give myself permission to lay in bed with my baby all day and not get anything done, and to go ahead and call on friends and family with requests for help. (It was tough for me last time to not play host to visitors, and I could not be honest to myself about my fatigue and fragile state in the presence of others.) So my goal is to let go and ask for help where needed.

Okay, I locked ds out of the room so I could finish this post (dh is home but ds wants me) so I think I'll return to him now. Wow two kids is going to be exhausting!

...Oh, I wanted to add that I attended a small festival here on Thursday called The Nature of Birth: How Birth Shapes our Earth with some really wonderful speakers: Suzanne Arms, Rahima Baldwin, Jeanine Pavarti Baker and Marilyn Milos (NoCirc.) It was fun to be so pregnant there because everyone was oohing and ahhing at the miracle of it, and giving special reverence to the pregnant mamas and newborn babies there. There was one video clip shown of a baby who climbs up his mother's tummy and finds the nipple to nurse all on his own--part of a study that showed this was an innate ability of infants whose mothers did not receive drugs in labor and were not separated from their infants at the time of birth. The others were more helpless about finding the breast. I could go on and on about how much I learned there--it was really moving, and timely!

Blessings to you all!

Cindi


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Cindi,
I have seen the same video you mentioned - it is truly amazing.
What is Jeanine Parvati Baker like as a speaker? I've read several of her books and they're so good and yet so . . . psychadelic or something. Wouldn't it be cool to go to her house for a cup of tea and a visit?
I have heard Rahima speak at a LLLI conferences, and to me she came across as so guarded, so afraid to really come out on a limb in favor of homebirths.

I am rather uncomfortable today - feel like my stomach muscles are splitting, but forging ahead with nesting. I have the whole bedroom emptied out and just shampooed the carpet. Want to murphy's oil soap all the furniture, move in baby's new dresser and make new curtains.

July 3 here I come.
Last 2 babies were born at 39 weeks, so maybe I'll be a June mama after all.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Wow...I didnt' realized that you were due July 1st Cindi! Cool!!
So unless MBM or the rest of us are early....you'll be the first!









My blah mood has changed today.....and I too started nesting (finally!) The sun is out, and dh is sleeping for his last (of 3) night shifts then he's off for a couple days, and my girlfriends daughter came and got Evy around 1 and played with her for 2 1/2 hours!! What a nice break!!








So rather then relax and veg out, I cleaned out the basement and took a bunch of stuff to the dump!! I got all the stuff together that I want to sell when we have a garage sale...maybe next weekend....All I have left to go through is our bedroom closet (dh is sleeping in there) and the bag of clothes that I don't want...just put them in sizes and box em.

Glad you are feeling better Miranda.....








I'm heading over to good eating to check out that thread Cindi...I was thinking of getting some stuff ready too. Made angel food cake yesterday and froze one (like that is really good lol....) and will probably make cookies...but should look at making some other real food!

Take care all! The countdown is on!!!








Jen


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

in great haste but soemone mentioned swelling - I usually swell up plenty but this preg I am drinking dandelion leaf tea and it's not nearly so bad - might be worth trying tho tastes foul so mix in some mint

MM those H things sound Horrible does ice help?

and I am a june mama now - c-birth is planned for june 25 - 3.5 weeks away........................


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

I haven't checked in in awhile..so I will









due July 23(so I'm 32.5 weeks) 3rd baby, 1st homebirth. I've felt fabulous for the entire pregnancy, but now back pain and blahness is setting in. Today I just wanted to lay on the couch all day and I didn't eat much because I was feeling sick to my stomach. luckily it's a sunday, so dh was here to take care of things while I rested. At this point in my other pg, I was having lots of BH, but so far I've only had a few. (I was on bedrest and terb. with #1 because I was dialating at 32 weeks) Overall, I'm feeling pretty good, though and getting more and more anxious about the homebirth. I've got a copy of Birthing from Within on it's way to me in the mail, so I'm looking forward to getting some insperation there! I know things will go smoothly...but I've been thinking of the pain lately!!







LOL


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Shannon, I don't think I remember seeing you here before. My apologies if it's my pregnant brain...or maybe you've changed your siggy recently?? Anyway, I'm hoping your DH won't be deployed before the birth







.

I'm also a military wife, planning to birth with a MW at a freestanding birth center. TriCare is actually going to pay $1050 of our fee, so we'll only owe something like $600 after that. Still a lot of money, and it makes me mad that they'll pay 100% of a hospital birth w/o batting an eye, but I'm taking what I can get!!

BFW is a pretty good book. Something else that you'll find empowering is watching other homebirths on video. Does your MW have a library of videos or books? I doula'ed for a friend in Feb. and at first thinking about her birth made me really nervous. It wasn't a "dreamy" as I think I'd been thinking birth would be when it happens in a more natural setting. But the more I think about it, the more empowering I find the experience. My friend was working really hard. REALLY HARD. But she had two midwives, a DH and a doula to help support her and she got to do pretty much whatever she needed to do to cope, which I think helps a lot.

Miranda, I sometimes get that dizzy feeling too. There have been times in the middle of the night when I thought I was going to pass out on the floor only for DH to find me when he gets up for work in the morning. I wonder if it doesn't have to do with the position in which I've been sleeping before I get up? Of course, I'm also very anemic (and that doesn't seem to be getting better, either *sigh*) and in the middle of the night my blood sugar might be really low. I hope it was just a freak thing (baby lying on a major blood vessel or something) and you don't develop any complications.

Emmaline...3.5 weeks.







You're no longer allowed to bring up how close your impending birth is. It makes me realize how close mine is, which in turn scares me to death







. Kidding, of course! Actually, you know that as soon as you're up to it, you'll have to post and let us know what the baby is and how everything is going!!

Jen, I think I'm done with the nesting. I started early anticipating the horrendous Southern heat, and boy am I glad I did!! The last few days have left me wanting to do nothing but hang out around the house wearing nothing but a light cotton housedress. Unfortunatley I don't have such a thing, so I'm thinking I'll get one soon. All of my maternity stuff is knit and it just gets soooo hot and sticky. Blech.

Cyndi, a few months ago I did a "once a month cooking" day with a friend. It was great and I loved having the stuff in the freezer, but none of the recipes were too healthy. Maybe I'll check out that thread and see if anything on there appeals to me more. I'd like to have a month of meals stashed in the freezer before baby comes because I remember how hard it was to do ANYTHING when Samuel was itty bitty. I found a bunch of foil pans on clearance at Wal-Mart a couple of weeks ago and bought something like 30 of them, so I guess I need to use them!!

I'm hurting a lot lately. I guess the relaxin is kicking in and my pelvis is shifting or something. And although the BH haven't really kicked in yet, when they do some, baby makes them very painful by trying to fight to move during them







. Not a good feeling. Still, I'm so much more mobile, painfree, comfortable, smaller, etc. with this pregnancy than I was with Samuel. And I'm not swelling NEARLY as much as last time (which was a winter pregnancy...weird), although I did stop wearing my wedding ring a month or two ago b/c it got uncomfortable. But I find myself doing that every summer, pregnant or not. I've been wearing sandals and just now found that there's one pair that isn't as comfortable as the others b/c of the foot swelling thing. The other day I wore tennis shoes and socks and realized that I'm swelling more than I thought b/c the sock left a huge indention in my leg and the tennis shoes were super uncomfortable. I wrote them off for those reasons and because it's just too darn hard to tie them!!

I'm hoping tonight I can sleep. Last night was not the best as far as sleeping goes, to put it mildly. I'm considering a light sedative like benadryl just so I can rest WELL for one night. I guess we'll see how I feel come midnight...


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

oops! I guess I should change my sig line! About a month ago, dh's orders got canceled, so he'll be here for the birth







yay for getting most of your birth covered by tricare! in our region, they won't cover midwife care. period. even if she practices in rotation with OB's. it's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of







: I'm using a lay midwife anyway, which is not legal in our state, so I don't expect them to pay anything LOL I paid her in full out of our tax refund in the spring, so at least it's taken care of and done with. (and it wasn't that much---$1500 total)

anyone have any advice for heartburn/reflux?? It's keeping me up at night and making me miserable. Tums always knocks it out, which is good..but any way I can prevent it? or use something else to get rid of it?

I haven't thought about watching videos of other homebirths, but I've doula'd for 2 mama friends (who both birthed in hospitals and had drugs, but...) and it was completely different from that end! I also think back to dd's birth who was born in a hospital, but with no interventions, no iv, no drugs,no moniters, etc and while it was very intense and hard work, I still look back on it as a very empowering experience and could never go back to using drugs, moniters, etc. I chose to have this one at home, simply because I know that the birth should happen naturally and according to my instincts and I had to fight for that every minute that I spent in that hospital!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by tandemmama_
*I chose to have this one at home, simply because I know that the birth should happen naturally and according to my instincts and I had to fight for that every minute that I spent in that hospital!*
From what I saw at my friend's birth, this fact alone..that you won't have to fight *at all* will make a huge difference in your birth. At first I was really hung up on the similarities. I mean, birth is still birth and it's still painful and it's still hard work and I think seeing her birth at the birth center made me have to face that fact. But then after I got over that, I managed to see the huge advantage she had in her birth experience that I didn't have with Samuel: what she was doing was perceived as *normal*. I'm so glad I'll have that with this baby too.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

ok...

I am SERIOUSLY freaking out now... I am having a *3RD* BABY!!! WHAT WAS I THINKING????

How could Jake have let me talk him into this one.. AAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!!!

Sorry.. I told you I am SERIOUSLY FREAKING OUT!!!!!!

Warm Squishy Freaking Feelings

Dyan


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Quote:

I am SERIOUSLY freaking out now... I am having a 3RD BABY!!! WHAT WAS I THINKING????
I remember that panic when I was close to having #2...you mean it's going to happen to me again?!?

oh gosh..now I'm panicing in anticipation of the panic


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

The heartburn has been killing me at night too. And, alas, the only thing that touches mine is Tums







. I am soooo sick of eating Tums, I can't stand the taste of them any more!

Well...this baby has dropped significantly. Everytime that I stand up, I have unbeleivable pressure on my pubic area







: It is really quite painful. Also, everytime I have a BH contraction the baby starts wiggling around and makes it even more uncomfortable ( I think someone else mentioned experiencing this ).

Oh, an update on my bonus situation: The bookkeeper brought the missing bonus to the bosses' attnetion and they ended up giving me $250.00 which is standard, so I didn't have to bring it up myself









Talk to you all later!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Breathe deeply!!









I can hardly imagine that I'm having another baby either (mind you it's only 2...not 3







).....but tonight I was reading my Breastfeeding book again, just the stuff on the first few months and I got all sentimental about dd and how wonderful it was to nurse her and have that special bond! And I'm going to get to have that again with the babe growing inside waiting to come out







......
Babe's had the hiccups all night it seems....poor little bum.....it feels sooo cool too!
These last few days I've gotten pretty sentimental about things like that....cause this will be the last time I'm pregnant (well the plan is anyways).....so I want to remember all the feelings, the kicks, the movement, the look on dd face when all of a sudden my belly moves, dd falling asleep on my belly rubbing the "baby"....I look forward to seeing them grow up together, even though I am sometimes totally scared of what having another baby will do to my dd







:

I'm just a sap....yesterday I was bawling while watching Ever After







:

Jen


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Miranda~~That's great on the bonus!!!








We must have been typing at the same time









I've got the pressure on the pubic bone too.....really felt it last night after a few BH on and off yesterday....

I've been trying to remember to squat lots in the last couple days.....when watching tv, reading, playin on the floor with dd....must be helping.

Jen


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hi all! Don't get me freaking out, it's just my first and I'm already a bit aprehensive about being a mom. Do you ever get to read a book again







??? I've been dealing with the sausage feet, being walking, drinking H2O, soaking, massaging etc but nothing lasts. Sigh, only a few months of the dreaded "cankles"-calves and ankles merging







:
Heartburn? The best thing for it is liquid Ca/Mg- helps immediately. I've also been getting adjusted regularly and that seems to help a lot. Not drinking during meals is also really helpful since that only dilutes your stomach acid and then the food lingers around because it isn't getting digested properly and causes the reflux...
Any experiences with birth balls for the July mommas? I'm getting mine blown up tomorrow, I can't sit on the couch anymore comfortably and the floor isn't too hot!
Shelby


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Gee Thanks Pynki! Here I am about to deliver #4! Who's idea was this anyway????????????????
I just go back and forth between dying to meet this little one and be relieved of the pressure, and fear about how that head is going to feel as it approaches the perinium.









I've had such a wonderful discomfort free pregnancy. All of a sudden this last week all the symptoms have set in -- carpel tunnel syndrome, hemmorhoids , maternity clothes that no longer fit, sore bones, and my feet just hurt from supporting all this weight. My family is not slowing down so I don't get a lot of rest time. I hope I'm not totally worn out the day I go into labor.

And what really gets me is the not knowing. Not knowing when labor will start or how long it will last. Drives me nuts!

Very glad for this forum,

MM
Mom to Caleb, almost 13








Lydia, 10.5








Zane, 7


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Sorry MBM...

DIdn't mean to freak anyon out with me.... I jusst feel like I am emotionally hyprventillating.. KWIM??







: It's hard to explain... Maybe it's b/c dh didn't reeeaallly want anymore, but he agreed after about a year of me talking about it... I know this will b our last one b/c 3 boys is enough for any mamma!!!









We are going to the mall to play today with some of our mom friends... Some of them are even MDC [email protected]!!!







I'm soo lucky....

HOpe everyone has a great day...

Warm Ssquishy Feelings..

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I just wanted to speak up and say how much I enjoy this thread too!!







It's so great to come here and see how everybody else is handling many of the same things that I'm dealing with.

Man, am I tired today







I had a headache all last night and heartburn that wouldn't quit. I finally broke down and took some Tylenol at 5 am this morning and, of course, when I was really feeling comfortable and able to sleep it was time to get up and get the day going







:

Anyway, I think that I'll try to do as little as possible today


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Aaah! The panic is spreading! You all are cracking me up, but I am feeling the exact same way. I broke down crying last night because I finally feel really "pregnant." I too have been breezing through this pregnancy with very little discomfort. Just in the past couple of weeks I feel HUGE. It seriously feels like the baby is trying to explode out of my stomach. It has also been really hot here, which hasn't been helping. I'm ready to be done now, but I still have 7 more weeks of this. I'm not even close like some of you are!

ndmom - I love my birthball.







I use it every day. I just sit on it, bounce on it, roll my hips around, etc. It's fun and it feels so good. Enjoy yours!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

I bought myself a cool comfy birth ball. My kids had a hole in it by the end of the week.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Maudlin, I think every baby is shown the Alien Trilogy in utero, which then gives them the wrong idea about how they're supposed to come out. The other day Atley landed either a knee or an elbow just to the left of my belly button and I thought he was going to leave a bruise on me, I hurt so badly. At that point I also had 7 more weeks and I cried that night because I "just couldn't do it."

I had a prenatal today and found out that I'm not too far off with how much weight I've gained with this pregnancy. I was thinking I was at 15-20 and I'm actually right at 25. With Samuel I gained 45, delivered him at 39 weeks, and lost 55 before my 6 week postpartum check. So I'm hoping I'll come in under that 45 this time and maybe still lose 55 or so :LOL. Seriously, my pre-pg weight with this one was 163 (with Samuel it was 165) and I'd much rather be somewhere down around 135-140. As soon as baby's born and my milk is in, I'm going to start the Weight Watchers thing again. Was doing it when I got pregnant and had lost 11lbs in 3 weeks. So here's hoping I can do it w/o hurting my milk supply...

I'm off to ask DH to blow up my birth ball (aka exercise ball that I deflated b/c it's huge and I wasn't using it to do any crunches on :LOL).

Oh, hey...is anyone else contemplating refusing the GBS testing? I'm going to post a separate post about this, but I'm still undecided on it. Should have had it done today, but I didn't feel like baring my butt today. Really, I'd like to not have to bare anything until I'm in labor, but if for some reason someone has a compelling reason for GBS testing, I guess I'll do it. LMK your opinions on it, if you have them!!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I refused a lot of testing...actually most, but my midwaife would like me to get the Strep B test because she said it is present in about 20% of pregnant mothers. She's really not big on testing, and is very confident and comfortable with pregnancy and birth as a natural process, but feels Strep B is something that can be eliminated before the birth (I think she mentioned herbs and homeopathy) and save a lot of problems. I wish I could remember better what she told me about it, but I was convinced to get tested...haven't yet but plan to.

ndmom ~ Reading was one thing I did a lot of with a first newborn, since they spend so much time eating and sleeping and I felt too worn out to move around a lot. So I read and read and read. It was a friend pregnant with her second while chasing her toddler who said to me, "I remember when I used to get to read."

I got a massage yesterday on a table for pregnancy (face down with my belly in a comfy net.) It was really nice. Also wanted to mention that I learned that around the ankle are pressure point for stimulating labor...so she wanted to stay away from there at this point. Shesaid when she doula-ed for a friend and her friend was failing to progress, she started massaging around her ankles and it clearly got things started (and the woman commented that she could feel the touch on the ankles go straight to her uterus.) ndmom got me thinking to mention this because you mentioned massaging your swollen ankles.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

I love my ball too! it's about the only thing I can sit on comfortably and be able to get up without feeling crippled

the first one I got, ds1 appropriated for his room and sits on it at his desk - I'm not complaining , it's great for his posture - so I got myself another one which is just for me. I would be seriously unhappy if someone got a hole in it









all my pelvic joints feel much better for getting off my hard old futon onto a sprung mattress but it's lonely in a single bed - I haven't slept on my own for ... a very long time. I especially miss a sleepy little hand from ds2 patting my back as he falls asleep saying "I love you"









yesterday we took delivery of a ... dishwasher! at dh's insistence... I have always resisted the idea, now I feel like I've gone over to the Dark Side, but I guess it will free up hands at crucial times. I may be nuts but I kind of like getting my hands in warm water and daydreaming while I do dishes and I LOVE watching ds1 doing them, such a good skill for a male... (sorry about the sexism)

don't know about the GBS testing.. must be time for some research


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Got the ball blown up today and it sure is comfy







I used to exercise on mine too and do physio on it so this is a lot more fun! Thanks for the ankle advice Cindi, I forgot that there are a ton of acupuncture points down there to stimulate labour. I had a pedicure







the other day and the woman mentioned not rubbing my ankles then too.

I have refused pretty much every test so far with my MW's blessing. I haven't discussed the strep one yet but I'm not really sure what the point will be if I do have it. Its a very common thing to have, especially vaginally, and I don't want to be taking antibiotics and then setting myself and the baby up for thrush and candida infections. Something for me to think about though...


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

GBS is a toughie. When I had my other babies, it wasn't an issue cause we didn't know about it! Life just gets more and more complicated. I just hate the whole mentality that birth is a medical emergency.

I have not had the test. I've decided that since I've had no urinary tract infections, which seem to be a common link, and I'll be having no internal exams during this pregnancy or birth, I'm limiting my chance of having it introduced.

I have collected a list of "home remedy" ways of controlling GBS if anyone is interested.

Of course, if you find out you're positive and you have the antibiotics, there are worse things than thrush. The thrush can be easily dealt with later - the priority is getting the baby here safely! I think it's one of the more benign tests.

____
Dh is contemplating business trips in this final month. I'm begging him not to go!

Wishing everyone restful sleep and plentiful naps. Drink that raspberry tea!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Regarding the GBS test, I'm planning on going ahead and getting it. My CNM told me that if it comes back negative then even if my water breaks early in labor I'll be able to stay home until I feel like I need to go to the hospital, which I would prefer. That's why I'm doing it.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I don't have a birthing ball...but my mom bought dd one of those balls with the handles so you can bounce around....it works pretty good....lol.....I've been using it when watching tv...but really I've been trying to squat and stuff when watching tv and playing with dd on the floor.

I didn't do much research into the GBS test....I go to the dr's on the 11th so I'll have to ask about it.

I can't believe how fast this month is flying by!! I mean I know it's just started, but it seems to be almost over too....does that make any sense??







:

The weather hasn't been too hot here yet.....thank goodness!! But every morning when I wake up, I feel like I'm waddling just a little bit more....and the pressure on my pubic bone is getting stronger and stronger.....

6 weeks to go!!!







....Give or take a few







:
Jen


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Just wanted to add....that you guys are the best!!!
It's been soooo awesome to have this thread and people that understand exactly what I'm going through


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by wwhippetcrazy_
*But every morning when I wake up, I feel like I'm waddling just a little bit more....and the pressure on my pubic bone is getting stronger and stronger.....*
:LOL I forgot to mention (I think) that at my prenatal yesterday the MW did the standard palpating of my belly and looking for baby parts...she couldn't feel head, only SHOULDERS.







I thought this baby had dropped, and I've been feeling that feeling you get like they're trying to turn their head inside of your pelvis (can you say OUCH?), but I was SHOCKED that he's so low she can only feel shoulders. If he stays that way, maybe I won't have the three hour pushing stage I had last time







.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Charmie,

That is wild! I know mine feels really low, but at my last appointment she showed me where the head is, and I know it's not that far down! That is soooo cool!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Had my 5th and final mw visit. I've gained about 25-30 lbs, much less than with my other three. No protein, no sugar, blood pressure 90/50. Measuring 38 cm. Baby head down but riding high. Pretty watery in there too.

Sigh. Now just sit and wait.







:

Just for the record, my fantasy birth is about 3 hrs start to finish, just me and dh alone in the middle of the night, kids wake up to new sibling.









I'll be sure and let you know if it turns out to be 56 hours of frustration (my last birth!).









Waiting to read the birth stories. . . Emmaline, are you first?


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by MossbackMeadow_
*Cindi,
I have seen the same video you mentioned - it is truly amazing.
What is Jeanine Parvati Baker like as a speaker? I've read several of her books and they're so good and yet so . . . psychadelic or something. Wouldn't it be cool to go to her house for a cup of tea and a visit?
I have heard Rahima speak at a LLLI conferences, and to me she came across as so guarded, so afraid to really come out on a limb in favor of homebirths.
*
I forgot to respond to you earlier Mossback. Of all the speakers there, Suzanne Arms was the most eloquent and full of information, knowing the sources of her quotes and studies to back up absolutely everything...all supporting homebirth and birth as so natural. I got tears in my eyes may times during her talk and watching the video clips.

Jeanine P-B was very interesting--looked like she was part angel or something unearthly. She had very spiritual insights into birth, and a big trust in its place in the universe...but I would have a hard time choosing her as a midwife because she seemed a little bit off this earth. I liked her sense of humor though, in the face of critics.

I actually really liked Rahima's perspective, as she gave descriptions of what the baby experiences in birth. It seemed right on to me. But I don't remember what she may have said or avoided saying about homebirth. But I feel secure in going that route myself, so it didn't occur to me.

I was thinking about skipping out on Marilyn Milos' talk on circumciscion because I don't need to persuaded and didn't feel like hearing horror stories...but she was much more lighthearted than I feared, and was easy to listen to. I'm impressed with how she's lead the movement.

To update everyone on my NST sitution. I cancelled all but the last two I had scheduled...which includes one past my due date. DH, homebirth MW and I all were in agreement that this weekly thing seemed excessive. So I will check in closer to my due date, but if I'm really lucky I'll have had the baby anyway and it will be a non-issue!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Good question MBM! Who is the first one who's due to have their baby? I guess I can reveal that I am due on the 10th!!! Whoa! Having just typed that and then looking at the little date thingy on my screen just totally freaked me out!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Damn, I bet I'm the last in line! Our due date is July 28th but I have a sneaky suspicion that this babe in on an earlier flight...that might just be wishful thinking after reading all the late April and May baby stories on other links! I'm at 32 weeks and the babe is head down already which is great but still measuring big. I've gained 30 lbs so far so I hope I don't have much more to go...








Shelby


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

5 am here, I've given up on sleep, there's a very unsettling gale blowing outside

MM yeah I think I'm first, unless someone goes pretty early. madison is due early in July

it feels so weird to me to "know" what day and even time my baby is coming, all wrong, that sense of " maybe" is lost

Quote:

my fantasy birth is about 3 hrs start to finish, just me and dh alone in the middle of the night, kids wake up to new sibling.
sounds good to me!

I have a fantasy about actually experiencing going into labour and kind of not making it too quickly to the hospital







I so wish my first labour had gone differently, and that I'd been in better shape with ds2.... but I can't undo history

yawn, off for a cup of tea and a bowl of porridge


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Charmie~~ That is soo cool that babe is that low.....you may be right and it will be fast!!

MBM~~I'd love a 3hr start to finish too!! 25-30lbs...I've gained 40 and still have 6 weeks to go! Lol.....

We're not "due" till the middle of July ~~17th.
I'm looking forward to birth stories too!! It seems like everyone is having boys right now (May and June Mama's threads).....so will the trend continue or will we start the girl trend??









I cut the grass today and dd and I went to town and walked around lots, so babe is really feeling low now.....had some fun bh last night too.....My mom keeps telling me that a June babe would be nice!







: ....I'll stick to July thanks.....it just works out better that way!

Take care all!!
Talk soon,
Jen

edited cause I'm losing it


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## lunarmomma (Nov 18, 2001)

Hi July mamas!!
Announcing that madison had her baby!!! I will post a new thread also on the I'm Pregnant forum. Mama and baby are fine. He came 5 weeks early, came home today and she had a vaginal birth...at a hospital with a 60% C-sec rate!!! Bravo madison!!! Labor was around 24 hours....
Stats are: born Monday June 2nd... 4lbs, 15 oz... 18 inches long...
A blond baby boy. Milk came in today. and they are doing fine!
Congratulations madison and welcome Ian Andrew!!!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Wow! The first baby is here. Congratulations Madison and little Ian. This really makes it feel close for me. Can't wait to hear your story.

I've been having contractions, very mild, all day today--about five during the course of a movie (dh and I had maybe our last date before the birth, and saw Finding Nemo.) I am suspicious that this baby is coming early, but just hoping not too early. July 1st is the due date.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Holy cow Madison!!!!!! Welcome Ian!!! Hope that you're feeling well and getting lots of snuggle time!!

Isn't Madison the one who started the JULY mama thread, kind of ironic. I guess that their are grander forces at work, deciding the whens and hows.

Can't wait to hear your birth story Madison. Now it does feel REALLY close!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

WooHoo!! Yeah Madison! Welcome Ian!!









Yeah it was Madison that started this thread...>I thought she'd been awfully quite lately!!









It does bring it all home though doesn't it! Wow!!!

How was Finding Nemo?? I've been debating whether to take dd or not, it would be her first movie out.....she gets excited when she sees commercials for it though









Alright....who's next??

Jen


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Congratulations Madison!







Can't wait to see pictures of your beautiful baby boy and hear how your labor went.

Wow! A July mama had her baby. Whoa, I'm scared now. I think Cindi and Emmaline are next, but we will see!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

EEk! I'm supposed to have a couple of months left, OK, just weeks! I want this baby to come sooner than later but am I really ready? Started the BH and those have been interesting, was commenting on how easy they were to DH and then bam, thank you! Ommph...Congrats Madison! Fill us in soon















Shelby


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Congrats Madison!!! I'm looking forward to hearing about the birth of your new precious son! It certainly puts things into perspective for the rest of us....you never know when baby will decide the time is right!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by wwhippetcrazy_
*How was Finding Nemo?? I've been debating whether to take dd or not, it would be her first movie out.....she gets excited when she sees commercials for it though







*
I wouldn't recommend it for your dd...maybe on video when it is a smaller and quieter (and fast-forwardable) version. DH and I enjoyed it but thought some of the kids there were too young for it. Heard some scared crying at times. We thought our ds (who is a year older than your dd) would have been too young too. I'm still waiting for the perfect first movie for ds...and I think Piglet would have been good, but I don't see it in theaters anymore. Or maybe we can just wait. (We went without ds, after all the cartoons we see, this is what dh wanted to see.)


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

wonderful fantastic news madison! big







for you and ian









(where's the green with envy smilie??)


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Okay, the agenda is getting old here







.

Anyway...regarding Finding Nemo. We took Samuel to see it and honestly, he did better than I did. I had to pee like 8 times, he didn't. I got restless halfway through it (thought it was kinda dragging), he didn't. I didn't see the part where nemo got stuck in the filter of the fish tank, but apparantly it didn't scare DS at all. We own Monsters Inc (DH loves all the Pixar movies) and *that* scares DS. Finding Nemo didn't phase him a bit. We were prepared to leave if he didn't do well, though. We've left other movies that we thought he'd enjoy (umm...Monsters Inc when he was 9 mos old and I was hoping I'd sling/nurse him to sleep and Santa Clause 2 this Christmas when we didn't realize that it would just be mainly faces talking from DS's perspective). We did have to "lecture" him on movie ettiquite beforehand, telling him that he had to watch the movie and not play in the seat or the aisles, etc. And he kept laughing uproariously and saying "That Funny MAMA!" or "That Funny Jason" (people probably think DH is not his biological father b/c he's always using Jason's first name







: ), but it wasn't any more disruptive than anything the rest of the children in the theater were doing.

I think it might be worth a try to take DD







. JMO, though.


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Finding Nemo was done very well, lots of adult jokes so you aren't too bored. I went with a friend and her 4 yo dd and she was scared by some of the things that went on, it had a lot of intense moments. I was restless halfway through, good to hear that other adults were too. Thought I was succumbing to a short attention span thanks to tv!
S


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Hi everyone,

It's been ages since I've been online, but I wanted to check in. DH has been sick and now I am, too. It's just a cold, but I feel horrible today. My throat kills and it's filled with mucus. Ugh. Just doing my best to stay hydrated and rested.

Yay, Madison! I am really looking forward to hearing about little Ian's birth!

My ankles are definitely starting to swell. My back has occasionally given me trouble now that things are loosening up. Housework has become challenging, since I have to move more slowly now.

My 36 week home visit with the midwife is coming up. I am using that date as the target to have the nursery set up. Cleaning the room out is going so slowly. I just don't know where to put the stuff. Maybe I'm partly stalling because we think we want to co-sleep, so why am I rushing to set up a nursery that we might not even use? On the other hand, this is our first so I don't really know what will work best for us as far as sleeping arrangements. We do have a bassinet to keep beside the bed if I need it.

We recently decided to go with a birthing tub. Is anyone else planning on using one?

I bought two slings: a Maya wrap and a padded sling. I think my SIL bought us a Baby Bjorn, too. But, someone mentioned much earlier in this thread that they had a mesh sling for the water. That sounds like a wonderful idea! DH and I love the beach (ocean, lake, or whatever), and I would love to have something like that. Maybe I'll get some rings and make one....

It's not long now, ladies. The time for us July mamas is almost here!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Caidon,
Thanks for letting us know you are here. It's always nice to know who is learning the intimate details of my pregnancy.







Seriously, it is nice to hear from you.

I had a blessingway yesterday that was really nice. We gathered in the room where I will give birth and everyone read or spoke, and it grew tearful and heartwarming. It was so much nicer than the shower I had last time. It was all women and no kids (well dh ended up babysitting the ones who showed up), but it turned out dh was able to join us for the readings, and much of the food and socializing, which made me feel really good. All but one woman there had given birth, and I felt such wisdom and support.

Jen, reading about your mid-night luncheon actually made me start to get excited about that foggy place after the birth where time and day are irrelevant, and everything is in the moment and spontaneous (however sleepy.) Maybe it really is by design that we start getting out of circadian rhythms late in pregnancy--I was up for hours in the middle of the night last night.

I am trying to think of what I can do to take pressure off after birth, like have bills to-be-paid mostly figured out ahead of time so I just need to send them when the money is in the bank. I've been cooking a lot of chicken dishes, and am planning to make and freeze a pot pie today for the first meal to share with our midwife after the birth. I have chili frozen and banana bread, and chicken broth. And I bought some frozen lasagnes.

I am planning a water birth, or at least water laboring, at home. Right now I am sterilizing my sheets in the oven, and gathering up what I will need. I'm at 37 weeks, and hope to make it to 40 weeks. As hard as pregnancy is, after the birth is even harder, from what I experienced the first time round. Maybe it will be different, but now I'll have two! I have a good book by Robin Lim called After the Baby's Birth, that I recommend to you all.

Charmie, I love your love for your dh. I can relate to the surges of love and appreciation that come in pregnancy. Other times too of course, but especially profound at this time in our lives. As much as I've complained about pregnancy, ther is something really special about it.

And then motherhood too. One woman at my blessingway read something comical that compared pre-child life to motherhood, saying things like "THEN I took long hot baths by candlelight" and "NOW I have perfected the 90-second shower" and so on about the sacrifices, finally ending with "THEN I spent hundreds of dollars on therapy, yoga, and books to find inner peace," and "NOW I gaze at my son as he sleeps." And I went from laughing to crying (happy) in a heartbeat.

Blessings to all of you!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Caidon~Welcome to the thread.....








Cindi~ Wow....your post is so full of peace....I just feel soo relaxed and ready after reading it!








Sounds like you have a lot of stuff ready for after babe comes....that's what I'm working on this week. I made some homemade buns Saturday and froze them, and am making a list of stuff I want in the freezer. I'm glad Mil is coming to help out...I know she'll take over the dinner making and shopping for a couple weeks! That will be really nice!

Dh and I were talking about his mom coming the other day and laughing about how we can see what the menu will be (she's very perdictable...atleast she was when he was at home)....and I actually got a little bang of guilt that she'd be here and looking after us.....Then I thought wait a minute.....I'll be recovering and looking after new babe....there's nothing wrong with taking the help!!







I guess it's just that every time we have company, I like to do the cooking and entertaining....kind of the only time I get too kwim??

We had a great weekend with Dh....he was off. It was nice to connect with him and just be the three of us for a little while...although babe let it be know he/she was there! The last few nights when I go to bed, I get really strong BH....and forgive me if this is TMI...but when dh and I were having sex, I swear, things aren't where they use to be or the ummmm size they use to be and I don't mean him









Last night I felt really weird too when I went to bed....like I had to go to the bathroom (#2), but nothing was happening...but I felt these strong bh and felt like clammy...I dont' really know how to describe it, but it was weird....it lasted about an hour, then went away....I almost felt like I was dilating, if that makes any sense....like when I was in the bathroom, I thought, I'm going into real labour....I can't be doing that yet!!








Babe doesn't feel any lower though...so who knows....I'll have to mention it to my dr on Wed.

Charmie~How was your shower??

Oh we went to Barrie on the weekend too and they have a second hand store kids store that is going out of business, of course they weren't open Sunday, so we'll be making a trip back there before the end of the month...from what I could see in the window, they had some nice stuff....and the sign said that they would be having sales!! Sometimes I really wish I knew if babe was a girl or a boy!

I hope you are all doing well!!
TAke care and talk soon!
Jen








I hope you are all well....


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Ok, so I guess it's my turn now to have a crying week.







when dh and ds#1 have a hard time getting along.







when MIL calls me "Big Momma."















cause my wonderful sex life has dropped off to virtually nothing.







cause I"m lonely and don' t know what to expect for this upcoming birth.







cause my children are growing up and will leave the nest someday.







because my maternity clothes don't fit anymore.

and on and on.








MM


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

MBM!!

I wish I could offer some wonderful advice!! All I can offer is a







.

Take care,
Jen

p.s If it helps....my maturnity clothes don't fit anymore either!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

MBM, I'm sorry you're having such a pregnant day/week. I understand how it feels when you start crying and can't stop because you keep thinking of new things to cry over.







It'll get better, rest assured







.

Cindi, your blessingway sounds like it was a wonderful experience. I'm looking forward to reading your birth story and seeing what experiences from your blessingway you pull on during the labor and birth.

Jen, thanks for asking about my shower. It was wonderful







. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such a great group of mothers and women in my church. I could gush all day, but it suffices to say that I have friends to support me in my task of mothering who are in all stages of the task themselves, and I love that I can get non-judgemental insight from any single on of them!!

The nursery is pretty much done now. There's still stuff to be put away/organized/washed, but everything we'll need in the first month is ready for baby. I'm a little concerned about how many long sleeved and footed sleepers I have in the small sizes, though. For a baby due in July in 100+ degree weather, I'm just not sure I need as many as I have. I guess if baby slept in his own room and own bed, he would need warm sleepers b/c of the A/C, but I intend to co-sleep, so my guess is he'll sleep in a diaper and maybe a t-shirt. I haven't washed and taken tags off of everything yet, so I may end up taking them back after baby's here. They're so cute that I really don't want to part with them at all, but if I end up needing something else that I haven't forseen, I'd rather have the thing I *need*, ya know?

I was gifted a crocheted sling at my shower. It wasn't a suprise, as my friend fought with the thing for over a month b/c she wanted to meet my special "could you crochet me a sling" request. It's very pretty (royal blue and lime green variegated yarns!) and I'm hoping that it'll be nice for wearing baby in hot hot hot weather (because it's such a loose stitch, it should breathe). I also just finished making myself a fabric sling out of a blue/purple watercolor fabric that is very, very pretty. I'm thrilled with the idea of having a sling that will fit in the diaper bag this time around, since with Samuel I used an OTSBH. I still have it, but plan to sell it because it was just too hot and heavy to use comfortably year-round.

I'm so looking forward to having this baby. I want to have a little one to nurse and sling again, and I look forward to hearing our house filled with the sounds of both a new little baby and a toddler







.

I also really miss my normal clothes. All of my maternity stuff is really nice, and was handed down from a mom to twins who started out at a 14 (2 sizes bigger than me), so I'd really







if I outgrew them. I'm lucky in that aspect: they still fit comfortably with room to spare in most cases, but I look wistfully at the summer tops and capris I bought last summer when I lost a lot of weight every time I go to the closet to choose clothes. I had a dream the other night about wearing normal clothes :LOL. I'm just hoping that the weight will come off as quickly this time as it did with Samuel and I'll get to wear my nice summer clothes and not have to scrounge for "in-between" stuff to wear. With him I took both my normal clothes and what I thought were large non-pregnancy overalls to the hospital in hopes of going home in the jeans. Turns out neither one fit and DH had to go to Wal-Mart and buy me warmup pants to go home in. However, 4 days postpartum, my jeans were fitting me almost better than they had pre-pregnancy. I remember because we went out to dinner to celebrate :LOL. I'd love for that to be the case again







.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

MM





















I'm sorry to hear you're having a rotten time

go for it







as much as you need to, stress hormones come out in tears don't they? I'd prescribe chocolate if you eat it, seemed to help me last week...

dh and ds1 locking horns... this is painful, I hate watching this too, but dads and oldest sons have their own stuff to do

Big Momma... grrrrrr

sex life...will be back, really

lonely... that sucks, we need our women friends at times like these

upcoming birth... you've got a great track record there, but it's true, we never know, I'm scared too

children growing up... alright







totally reasonable here, even if it's what they have to do

maternity clothes... throw them out and drape a sarong

and here are some words from ds2:


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Charmie, I'm happy to hear that you had such a lovely shower. Mine is this coming Sunday. I'm excited, because we're going to tie-die onsies and t-shirts. I hope that it will be really fun.

MBM, sorry to hear that you're having a rough time this week. Just remember in a couple of days you'll be on to another bizarre stage of pregnancy hormone induced craziness and you probably wont even remember the inconsolable crying









I just came back from my pre-natal. They did the swab for the GBS test and I'll have the results at my next appointment which is next Monday.







I can't beleive that I'm to the point of weekly prenatals!!!! The babe's heart beat sounds great and it started punching the doppler! I'm measuring right around 35 weeks, which is right on as I'll be 36 weeks on Thursday.

Anyway, talk to you all later.


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## Caidon (Jun 9, 2003)

Hi again. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make everyone feel like they were "on display". I have just been using the thread to keep myself focused on this pregnancy (which, with my two other ones at home is easy to "forget" to do). I only know of one other person in my "circle" having a baby now, so it has been good to remind myself of the fact that so many women out there ARE expecting babies at the same time I am. It is kind of weird to start posting now, but, oh well...
We have a mother-infant assessment class tonight, which will be interesting. Our midwives require everyone to take it with each birth, (it "teaches" you how to assess yourself and your baby's health, etc. in the days immediately following childbirth). This is always nice, b/c we are discharged from the birth center within four hours of delivery...(we can stay up to 12 hours, but I never want to). I am finding myself dreading labor this time around. Yes, I have had two babies with the midwives and come through just fine both times, but...In some ways, I think it was best the first time, when it was so abstract.
"Innocence is bliss", right?
I can hear you all with the late pregnancy blues...I am up and down and all over the place, myself. I think I am driving my husband crazy, though he'd never admit it. Right now, my house is a complete disaster area. I am tearing our bedroom apart to get it ready for the cradle/rocking chair, etc. Just cleaning like crazy, boxing up things to be stored and donated!!! I ripped all of the wallpaper off of the bathroom walls b/c it is old and has been annoying me forever and I finally couldn't stand it anymore! Now, he has to paint and everything else b/c I am not "supposed" to be exposed to all of that mess...like I said, I am probably driving him crazy. In addition, I mentioned to my 6.5 year old that the baby could actually arrive before this month was out and she promptly burst into tears. "I'm not sure I'm ready yet, Mom!" she said, and I have to say, sometimes, I wonder the same thing myself!
But, it is a beautiful day here today (it has been raining at least 4 days a week for the past month) and my dear friend from California is "home". We are taking the kids to a nearby nature park to have lunch under some trees. She wants to cast my belly for me, too (she is a sculptor). So, now, if I can just find my car keys in all of this chaos of my house, maybe I'll actually get to go and see her!
I hope you all have a great day...remember, thousands of other "last trimester" moms are going insane right now too. It is a kind of "sisterhood" of stress and hormones, no?


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

alrighty...

I went out of town for my baby sis's HS graduation... She is 11yrs younger... I went by myself with the 2 boys (ds1 is 4, ds2 is 3) Did the 5 hrs of driving both ways all by myself.. I am emotionally exhausted from taking care of the boys, and dealing with my family.. ( who i dearly love) and physically exhausted.. (Because 10 hrs of driving in 3 days is an @ss load of driving even if you AREN"T pg!!!)

So why is it that dh thinks that it will be ok to wake me at 6 AM to have sex with him... We had sex the night before i left.. He is getting laid WAY more than any other man i've known who's wife is.. 34 WEEKS pregnant!!!!!

Sorry bit of a rant.. Sleeping pg women are like dogs that way i suppose.. LET THEM LIE!!!!

OK.. all done...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

<<So why is it that dh thinks that it will be ok to wake me at 6 AM to have sex with him... We had sex the night before i left.. He is getting laid WAY more than any other man i've known who's wife is.. 34 WEEKS pregnant!!!!!
<<<

Pynki - LOLOLO - Maybe we can trade husbands. It's just the opposite scenario here at my house. I'm pestering my dh every night.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Dyan~~







.....Men!! Don't they get it...I agree although pg or not I absolutally hate being woken up by dh! Thankfully after 11 yrs...he finally gets that!! It might help now that I keep telling him once we get back from our trip, we need to have sex 3 times a day to get this babe out....









Miranda~~I go for my appt tomorrow, then I start going every week too! Man, that's actually going to be hard to do, since dh works shift work and we only have one car...







:

Caidon~~Holy....sounds like you are really nesting! Yesterday I had a lazy day....it was raining all day, dd was cuddly, so we just hung out online most of the day....I was real ambitious and made soup for supper....and I didn't even get dressed!

Today it looked beautiful when we woke up, now it looks like rain again! Man!! Atleast I have a bit more energy....I really want to make Chocolate chocolate chip cookies...they taste like little brownies, but I have to do a glucose thing again tomorrow, so I'm trying to steer clear of sweets....

Anyways, talk to you all soon.
Jen
p.s. Has Madison posted anywhere yet?? I hope all is good with you and Ian!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

The last few days I have totally had the blahs. I just don't seem to have any energy. I'm not anemic, and I'm keeping really hydrated. I'm actually sleeping quite a bit better now that the babe is so low, I've got quite a bit of heartburn releif. I don't know what my problem is. I usually get out of the house and take dd to the park and go run errands and stuff. Yesterday I didn't leave until my mw appt. and then it was all I could do to get my but into the office last night. I did almost NOTHING all weekend. I really only feel like lying around, but I really don't like lying around







: .

Oh well, tomorrow I'm going with my grandmother to help her pick out an outfit for my cousin's graduation from Stanford this weekend. We'll see if I get out of this slump.

Pynki and MBM





















, about your dh. Mine thinks big pregnant me is about a million times sexier than not pregnant me, so he's always game, but luckily he's smart enough to know that waking me up at 6 am ( or any time for that matter ) would be more trouble than it's worth.


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## mcjekka (Jun 11, 2003)

Hello all
A good friend introduced me to the site. I just logged on and registered today, so I'm still a little slow on the uptake. I might need some help with the abbreviations.
As an introduction, I'm expecting my first baby in mid-July (making me 34.1 weeks preggers today). I live in northern CA with my partner, Alan. We moved from SF across the Golden Gate when we found out 'bout the baby....to a much more layed back and baby friendly Marin County. Now we're counting down the days.
I just graduated from nursing school at the end of May (so glad to be done) and am hoping to work with mom's and babies after I get some baby time of my own. I'm hoping to be able to take at least six months off. I'd love to do more, but I'm not sure if we can take the dive in cash flow. It's a dilemma.
I read the last page of this thread today, but haven't followed it for the life of the thread....making it hard to respond to too much or to anyone personally. I'd love some responses though. I did get that there's pretty much a split down the middle on whose sig.other (dh ???) is still interested in sex. Mine stacks up on the not so interested side....which is buggin me not because I'm so interested anymore, but because I'd rather be sayin "no thanks" than wondering what the issue is. As for maternity clothes...grown out of those too. I just looked at a picture taken of me 3 weeks ago and another taken on Sunday. I couldn't believe the difference. On the dh's(?) behalf, I'm excited that he's excited about taking pictures. He didn't start out very happy about the pregnancy.....unplanned, unmarried.....but's that's actually made the ways he's processed the whole thing and grown to love the baby an all the more beautiful thing.
Questions.....The baby is breech. I've been doin all the cat and dog and downward dog and lying butt up/feet up that can be done. I also made an appt. with an acupuncturist, who is reputed to be able to turn babies. Any other suggestions? Last, but not least, baby and I are having lots of conversations about turning and how good it is for she and mama. My midwife (through Kaiser) won't deliver vaginally for breech babies. And the little one has been in pretty much the same position for a month now.
My post is getting insanely long so I'll let it be for now. Thanks for being available and in community you beautiful pregnant ladies....Jessica


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Welcome Jessica to our little club.

I think at 34 weeks there is plenty of time for baby to turn. Keep on keeping on! I would also try the chiropracter, in addition to what you're already doing.

Here is a website called "optimal fetal positioning."

"http://www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm

It mostly applies to posterior babies, not breech, but it has lots of good info for everybody, nevertheless.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Welcome Jessica..

I have breech issues myself.. DS1 was breech and c-sec.. DS 2 was not breech, but not optimally situated.. and had to be pulled out with forcept from fairly high in the canal, and had a broken collarbone bc of it... This is our 3rd and final child, and i SOOO want to get it right this time if that makes sense... I have my OB appt tomorrow, and will have her do an ultrasound in office because my uterus is heart shaped, and lucky me that puts me at risk for breech babies....

(sigh)

Not so D h and i got into a fight tonight pretty much as he walked in the door... WELL EXCUSE ME for being pregnant and tired, and swollen, and miserable, and not cleaning the f*cking house when I just got back from a long @ss trip and YOU sat on your @ss all week-end while i was gone... And according to him.. I am a huge pushover, and our children are not going to respect me when they are older.. And by gods leaving a 3 (as of April 9) and soon to be 5 (end of August) up in their rooms to stew for 4 hrs or more is perfectly acceptable punishment...

All i have to say is whatever dude.. Dh is not having a good day with me..

GRRRRRRRR

Sorry for the rant on top of everything else...

Warm Squishy Welcome and feelings...

Dyan







:


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Welcome Jessica,

DH means dear husband (hence Pynki's reference to not so D h)...and I think dp works for dear partner. ds for dear son, dd for dear daughter, and dc for dear child. That's a start with the abbreviations.

I was also unmarried for my first pregnancy (married at 5 months actually) AND was living in San Rafael then too. But it was planned. This is my second time around, and this is the one that was not exactly planned. But the timing is turning out to be great with ds nearing 3 years.

Pynki, I'm sorry to hear about the fighting. It is not a nice time for it, and it would be so nice if our dhs could just step back and see the pressure and situation we are in...and not engage in the fighting. My dh runs away instead fighting usually, but I complain that I need understanding.

And on the topic of sex, my dh is not so interested either, but it is not a pregnancy thing, but fairly typical--though it makes a good excuse for him, as recently he said no way because it would start labor and we're not ready. Now I hope I go overdue.









This weekend I have tickets to the Health and Harmony festival here in Sonoma County, but I'm torn between that and the Italian Street Painting Festival where dh's band is performing. And I'm definitely am not up for two festivals.


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

For some reason, I have had trouble posting for ages, but decided to try again. It worked. Now I'm editing.

I've been keeping up with everyone else's posts. I can't believe that one of us has already popped. Ds was 4lbs. 10oz. and 18" at birth, so I have a pretty good idea how big/teeny Madison's little guy is. Adorable, I'm sure.

Anyway, here's what's been happening with me:

I saw a CNM @ ~15 weeks , but she felt she was too far away from my house, so I found another CNM, whom I saw about 2&1/2 weeks later. She found signs of Gestational Diabetes/Gestational Glucose Intolerance - sugar and protein spillage. She checked with her backup Dr.'s, who were uncomfortable with her doing a homebirth with me, so she couldn't take me.

Since then, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I want to do. This time, just like alst time, the GD/GGI has been very easy to control...easier this time since I have been on the Blood Type Diet for over a year. I decided that I would still prefer a home birth, but, if that's not possible, I want a hospital birth with a Dr.

Last time, I had CNM's, which was fine, except that they had only so much power on the regular maternity ward, where I ended up. They could pretty much run the birthing center on the next floor up their way, but could easily be overruled by hospital policies with a patient who wasn't in the center. Because of that, I ended up with a hep lock that the nurse put a glucose drip on when I was in hard labor and not in a position to protest, which led to my son being in the NICU for three days because his glucose #'s were too low. (Really brilliant...give a woman w/ GD/GGI a glucose drip so that her blood sugar goes and stays high, which does the same to her baby's glucose, which causes baby's insulin levels to soar. Then, when baby is born, that high glucose supply goes away and he is left with too much insulin...could go into shock or a coma if that isn't treated.







: )

So, with this in mind, I talked to a few people, including a lay midwife, who suggested that I try one of the Dr.'s in the area who does home birth and whose practice is the more flexible one. So, last week, I met with Dr. Baker, junior partner at Dr. Elvove's office. www.elvovemd.com She seemed optimistic, but I have to meet with Dr. Elvove himself this week to make sure they will take me, as I am not "extremely low risk".

I really hate that system of figuring out what risk level someone is. In it, there is no a "no risk" designation. You're either low or (at least potentially) high risk. No one ever looks toward the possibility of NOTHING going wrong. There is always the possibility of SOMETHING. The way I see it, if I keep my blood sugar under control, that pretty much eliminates it as a problem. However, the medical world doesn't see it that way, though Dr. Baker does understand my position. Hopefully I can convince the senior partner so I will finally have some idea of how/where this birth will be.

This time, I will refuse, AMA if necessary, a hep lock/IV and will have my husband (and maybe a doula) keep an eye out for anyone trying to slip it past us when I am unable to watch for it myself. I DO NOT want to go through what happened last time. It wasn't horribly traumatic, but it was unnecessary.

Anyway, I'll post more after my appt. on Thursday.


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Hi everyone,

I haven't been posting much lately because I haven't been able to keep up with you all! Every time I finish reading all of the posts, I am ready to take a nap or go to bed. (I hear you Miranda, I have been really tired lately too.) Besides being tired, I have been feeling great physically. I don't know if you saw my post about mestrual type cramping, but I have been a little bit worried about my pre-labor signs lately. I think I'm scared of going into early labor, but I have been assured that this is all normal. I've been feeling much more intense Braxton Hicks contractions and menstrual type cramping. Anyone else feeling this?

Dh and I just started doing Birthing From Within together tonight. We decided not to take childbirth classes, but to do it on our own instead. I think it was the right decision for us. Wow, Birthing From Within brings up some powerful stuff. I got very emotional, but it was so amazing and cleansing. I am excited to do more.

I am having my baby shower this Saturday. I am really excited to finally celebrate this baby with my friends. I hope it will be fun. I don't really like being the center of attention, but only people I love will be there.

Cindi, I will be at the Italian Street Painting Festival this weekend if you want to meet up. (Or if you want a place to rest, you can stop by.) When is your dh's band playing? I want to try to catch that if I can. The Health and Healing Festival sounds cool too. What's that all about? Wow, my weekend is getting very busy.

Welcome mcjekka! I live in San Rafael too! Maybe we can meet sometime. When is your due date? Sounds like we are close. Mine is July 23.

I really want to hear about how Madison is doing too. Anyone have any word?

We are getting close mamas!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Ah Miranda, I was wondering where you were, seeing No. Calif. as your location. Dh and I spent our honeymoon in Mendocino and Fort Bragg while I was pregnant with ds (in 2000.) I remember walking around the botanical gardens and getting rather tired with the pregnancy...but it was so beauitful. We had a great time there. My mom and dad also love it there.

pjlioness, I hope you can hold on to your power throughout the clinical protocol. I think the biggest danger is not having to be at a hospital, but finding that you give over your power. Be watchful and strong. Good luck.

Maudlin, dh probably performs during your shower on Saturday. I think 1:15 is the performance time (They are called East of Eden.) I'll be in touch if we are heading down there.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well Ladies...

I went to the OB today... 144lbs.. Still packing on the lbs!!







And she "Thinks" ds is head down!!!! HURRAY!!!!!!!

(doing the headdown happy dance!!!!)

Warm Squishy Feelings...

DYan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Wow, this thread is really hopping lately! Welcome to all of our "newbies." I'm having a hard time keeping up with who is who, but hey...the more the merrier and if you keep posting, I'll figure out who is who







. Oh, and I'd be worried if someone new said that they *had* taken the time to read all 50 pages before posting!! I keep seeing all of the other months starting "new threads" and thinking maybe we should too, but I kinda like having our entire pregnancy together in one place. For example, if I really wanted to know when Samuel weaned, I could find my post on this thread about it. That's cool to me







.

Dyan, I'm so glad baby seems to be head down! I hope you and DH worked things out. Sometimes they just don't get it, do they??

PJLioness...doesn't Dr. Evolve's practice do doctor attended homebirths? That would be a wonderful alternative, if it's an option for you







. I know what you mean about risk. I hate the whole prenatal system because it's all about "risk assessment." Even midwives are always looking at how "high risk" you are, as you've found out, I guess. OTOH, I love when someone tells me "my baby would have died if I'd been anywhere but a hospital" because my standard comeback is "if your baby was in that much danger, then a midwife would have sent you to the doctor LONG BEFORE THE BIRTH."







:

Maudlin, I hope your shower goes well







. Tie dying onesies sounds like a blast!!

Has anyone hennaed their belly? DH is really into what I call "tatoo art" and I know he'd love to do my belly, but I don't know the first thing about where to get the henna or whatever...







:. Maybe I'll do a search in a few minutes.

I'm 36 weeks today and went to drop from TriCare Prime to TriCare Standard so that if I go into labor and go to my MW, the stupid insurance will actually PAY. The bad news is that from now on if I need any general medical care, I have to pay a deductable and a co-pay. And I've got this nasty nagging cough, which didn't come on with any sort of other illness like a cold, so I don't know what it is. I'm thinking it might be related to the new kitties, but I'm not sure, so I'm kinda waiting it out. I hope it goes away on its own before I go into labor though, b/c I can't imgine having one of these "I can't breathe for 5 minutes" coughing fits in the middle of a contraction







.

If this baby is early like Samuel was, I only have three more weeks, which *still* seems like an eternity. I'm so ready!! Last night a friend of mine, who is two months behind me in her pregnancy, said "oh, four weeks is nothing!" I told her bluntly that she would be reminded of that statement repeatedly come August :LOL. I know 4 weeks isn't a long time IRL, but in a pregnant woman's mind (which is nothing like RL, as we all know), four weeks *is* an ETERNITY.

Okay, so I'm off to look for information on henna...


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Charmie, I totally hear you about pregnancy time and IRL time!!! Tomorrow I'll be 36 weeks and 4 more seems like FOREVER ( think Spongebob's haunting vioce repeating that word over and over in your sleep







). The one time that it seems short to me is when I think about how in no time at all my dd wont be my only baby anymore. I almost got myself bawling about that the other night.

Cindi, who knows you and I could have walked past each other while you were up here on your honeymoon. Or maybe I waited on you in the deli at Harvest Market, lol. It's a small world.


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Welcome to the new mommies!

Topic of sex~I am in sexual overdrive and DH is not interested at all, which is driving me insane. I mean, this is the one time in my life when I don't have to worry about getting pregnant! I think he might be worried about hurting the baby from something he said during our last "initmate moment." At least it makes me feel better thinking that's the reason, rather than my ever expanding human form.

Topic of maternity clothes~I am starting to look like a ten ton whale squeezed into a t-shirt and shorts. It's very sexy, I assure you (hmmm...this may explain DH's reluctance to "get busy"...). Everything is riding up my butt and doesn't quite cover the pregnancy panel anymore, so comfort has become an issue as well. Plus, I am so sick and tired of wearing the same things over and over again. I am really looking forward to wearing some of my old clothes again!

Charmie~I like the henna idea! Let me know if you find any good links or sources for henna.

It's got to be a quick post today!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Welcome to the new momma's









I agree with you Charmie...I was thinking that we should start a new thread too, but it is kind of cool that everything is on one thread....I'm kind of thinking of printing it all off and storing it in the babe's baby book....but we'll see...that would be alot of pages!!! :LOL

Went to my appt today....wasn't too exciting...they asked me if I was ok with the 2nd year medical student coming in, I was like sure, cause last time they had a medical student and my dr come in. Well this time it was just the student....which was ok...but it was the last time I would see my dr (I go to her hubby from now on cause she doesn't deliver~same office)...so I was kindof sad about that. I guess I could have asked to still see her, but oh well. I go again on Tues....wow....weekly appts. Everything was good though and babes head was "nice and low~as I'm sure you know" is what he said....ummm, yeah I did kind of figure that considering it feels like my pelvis bone is being pushed out of the way!









I'm glad to hear that they "think" babe is head down Dyan!!







vibes!!!

I can't wait to go to the Folk Festival...although, I'm kind of wishing it was a little sooner...rather when we'll be 38 weeks...I keep thinking that will be cutting it close....now I've probably just jinxed myself to go over!!







: The festivals you guys are talking about sound pretty cool!!

We got a new tent the other day, a bigger one 12X8 and dh can stand in it.....it finally stopped raining with no rain in the forecast for a couple days, so we set it up outside today.....dd was so excited....I almost thought of sleeping out there....but maybe we'll do that tomorrow night, it's a little cool tonight, not to mention the fact that dh is off today, so she's been following him around and he's got company tonight, so I don't think she'd settle with me....she's with the "boys"









I was talking to my mil tonight, she told me that my fil has a ball tourny out west at the end of July, so she may plan to head home when he's gone....So her month being her is looking like 2 weeks....but I think that is a good thing. I'm glad she's coming and I know it will be great, but I am use to my own space etc...(we have no family around which is good and bad). So we'll see.

Hope all is well with everyone!!!
Talk soon!
Jen


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Charmie, the henna info will explode out at you once you do a search! I was thinking about it, but now I've changed my mind...I would've had to have someone do it for me, make an appt., have someone watch DD, etc....

BELLY CAST TIME, MAMAS!
We ARE planning on doing a belly cast! I plan to go to Michael's craft store and pick up some plastered gauze strips (like, stick in water, put on body) and DH will apply them to my amply Vaseline-lubed belly.

UMBILICAL HERNIA IN PG MAMAS
And I guess I'll share w/ ya'll that my giant outie bellybutton has just gotten more scary...yes, I have an umbilical hernia goin' on. There's some sort of intestional nonsense blobbing around under my bellybutton. Gross. I guess it _probably_ will resolve itself after pg, but if not, I get to go under the knife to fix it.

...luckily, I learned it's just a LITTLE knife and a tiny cut under the belly button, so heck....how could it be worse than when I got my navel pierced, eh?

Hang in there mamas!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Wow, everyone is really chatty!








I think the henna idea is great, wonder how long it would take and if DH would muck it up without having done it before. I've thought about getting an alien painted on, saw another momma who had a scuba baby painted on her belly








I had a hard time the other night..boo hoo. I went to my first LLL meeting and the topic was "You just had a baby, how do you..." with topics like cook dinner, sleep, get your hair cut etc. I hope that everyone was just feeling irritable because the stories were horrible! Am I never going to get my hair cut again because we're having a baby??? I know that moms like to relate their war stories, bonding, but do you have to freak out the newbie??!!!
Sigh, I'm so excited about this baby but I don't need to hear that [email protected] this late...
OK, that's my whine








Counting the weeks, I've been having menstrual like cramps on and off but I don't think it means anything yet???


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Really, it's not that bad. You're right about moms wanting to one up each other with horror stories. I see it all the time. So here are my answers:

"You just had a baby, how do you..."

*cook dinner: recruit DH or a friend to hold baby, use a bouncy seat placed on the countertop where you can tell baby what you're doing and talk to him/her, sling baby (if you're comfotable cooking in a sling; I'm not), eat take out, take advantage of friends/church members/co-workers who ask what you need ("well, if you could bring us dinner one night this week, that would really help!"), ask DH to cook dinner, reheat one of the frozen meals you cooked while nesting, or make a trip to Sam's/Costco to buy a bunch of ready made frozen meals to eat in the week or two after baby's born.

*sleep: easier with your first than with your second, I fear. Put baby in bed with you and nurse lying down. This will take some getting used to, but once you get it down, you'll be sleeping through the night in no time. Until then, if baby's napping, you should be napping. Housework can wait.

*get your hair cut: take a friend with you to entertain baby. Pay her back with lunch out another time or something like that. If baby needs to nurse during the cut, just ask your stylist if she can spare a few minutes while you nurse. Really, with a little baby, this isn't as much of an issue as it is with a baby that's mobile, but still needs to nurse often (once they don't nurse as often, DH can take over during haircuts, dr. appointments, etc).


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

My ds had an umbilical hernia as a newborn that lasted less than a year...and we were keeping watch but not too worried. Now no signs of it. I actually forgot about that, and I wonder if this baby might have the same. I don't know how it differs for an adult, and in pregnancy.

Jen, that is scary, and not nice to feel the adrenaline rush while pregnant. I have to be careful which movies I watch just because of the surge of adrenaline, and knowing the baby feels it too. (Even in Finding Nemo I had to talk to myself about how this was just a movie and I could just disengage.) In high school, my boyfriend and I lived on opposite sides of open space and parkland areas (with all the Marin mamas here I can be more specific--Pt. Reyes to San Geronimo) and returning home late at night I was always slamming on the brakes for deer and foxes and possums and raccoons. I hated that, especially when so tired. Luckily I never hit any, but nearly did myself in swerving for a fox.

I had a bug fly into my ear the other day--and it went in so deep no one could see it, nor could it find it's way out--but kept on buzzing as it tried. Ds thought I was so funny hopping around and freaking out about this. I finally dropped by a doctor's office (after 45 min of buzzing, trying to get it out myself and with advice from everyone at the library where I was at the time.) The doctor snuck me in (I think being very pregnant helps with service) and he just put in the magnifying glass thing, and said, "There it is" and it came out on the end of it.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Cindi~







~~I would have sooo freaked out!! I hate bugs! And the thought of one in my ear is just so......







! I"m glad you got it out! I remember someone told me that earwigs will crawl into your ear and pinch your brain....I know that's not true, but it still freaks me out when I see them!
I unfortunately take great pleasure in starting the BBQ when there are earwigs in it









Jen


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Here's another gripe along the lines of the "horror stories" that people share...

If I tell someone that DH and I are heading out to a movie, they'll say..."Do it now, because you won't be able to when the baby gets here."

If I tell someone I did a lot of laundry, they'll say..."Just wait until the baby gets here, THEN you'll have a lot of laundry."

If I tell someone that I'm not planning on having medication during labor (we are having a homebirth), they'll say..."Just wait until the contractions start, and then you'll want medication."

You get the picture... Don't people realize that I need to hear POSITIVE things about what's coming up? Their grim warnings and negative comments are not exactly motivating and inspirational! I'm pretty comfortable asking close family and friends to keep their comments positive, but I'm surprised at how often people do it.

I've been having the menstrual cramp-like contractions, too. My mother said that her labor pains felt like very intense menstrual cramps. That makes sense since the same muscles are working. I'm really starting to get curious and interested what my labor will feel like. I've just reread my copy of Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way to review some of the mechanics of what my body will be doing, but I'm getting really excited about experiencing it for myself.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Well, I just ordered my birth kit







. Somehow that makes it seem more like this is actually going to happen.

Because of my 36w2d "premonition," DS and I packed a bag for the birth center last night. It's amazing how much stuff I realize I DON'T need this time around. Part of it is because I'll only be at the birth center for a fraction of the time I was at the hospital (4 hours after birth as opposed to 24), and because the birth center is so much more natural childbirth friendly (I don't need my massage stuff b/c it's there already, etc), but a lot of it is because I just realize that I don't need that much stuff PERIOD. I packed one pair of breast pads, although I don't expect to need them, a sling, just in case for some reason we stop somewhere on the way home (yeah, right...but with DS we did stop at Wal-Mart on the way home from the hospital :LOL). Hmmm...maybe I'll ask the MW to weigh the baby in his very own sling? That would be super cool to have a picture of







. I packed warm up pants, a bra and a non-pregnancy t-shirt for me. No undies b/c I'll have the disposable stretchy kind on. Packed the layette for baby, along with about 6 diapers because DS kept saying "more Atley diapers, mama!). I might go and take some of those out. Don't see needing more than 1-2. And the carseat is in the car ready to go. I do want to make sure I toss my birth ball into the car (the birth center doesn't have one, I don't think







: ), and I'd probably like to go to the HFS and pick up some protein bars and trail mix. But really, with what's in the bag now, we could go and have a baby







.

Yes, Rose, people tend to make it this ominous thing that you're about to have a baby. My one piece of advice: choose a good movie to be your "last movie before baby." I still remember the one before Samuel: it was "1000 Miles to Graceland" with Kevin Costner and it SUCKED. It was a good four months before I saw a movie in the theater again (I know you may not want to hear that), and I lamented the fact that I had "wasted" my last movie on a crappy show. With this baby, it's a little harder because we don't get to see movies more than once a month or so. Babysitters are expensive, ya know! I'd like to go see one on our own before Atley comes just so that "Finding Nemo" isn't our last movie pre-baby. But you will see a movie again. And yes, you will do lots of laundry, but if you're like me, you will probably be too enamored with baby to notice or care. And yeah, at some point, you will probably wish for medication during your labor, but that's why you're smart enough to choose to birth somewhere it isn't available! You will have so many other ways to cope with the pain, and these wonderful nay-sayers have probably never thought of that fact.

Re: umbelical hernias: I had one when born, had an outie until well into high school, and get an outie very early in pregnancy (around 12 weeks or so!), but I don't think it's necessarily a hernia. I've wondered if it's genetic as well because DS also had one. His belly button is still very fleshy, but the hernia part is all but gone. For quite a while, it was a stress reliever for him to push on his belly button. You'd catch him doing it when there were a lot of people around or when you asked a question he didn't want to/couldn't answer :LOL. Now that it's gone, it's not quite as "fun" to push on, I guess... I'd kinda like for this baby to have that perfect "innie" from the time the cord falls off, but I don't know if I'm hoping for the impossible or not.

Cindi, the bug thing would have totally creeped me out







.

I haven't been having many contractions, but I remember that it was like this with DS too. I don't remember hurting as badly with him as I am right now, though. My pelvis, and my pubic bone specifically really hurt. I can't sit/stand/lay down comfortably for more than about 10 minues, which is making life really miserable. I also feel like I have a lot less mobility left at this point in my pregnancy than I did with Samuel. I remember sitting on the floor in a bookstore or laying down on the doctor's exam table, and getting up without any problems/assistance. This time I avoid the floor like the plague and have a heck of a time getting out of bed for my middle of the night pees. The other day I about killed myself when I slipped while getting out of the shower. Practially did the splits (which, incidentally is when my pubic bone started to hurt







). I keep thinking to myself as I try to avoid doing anything that might require energy "Surely this means I'm close to having the baby; I just can't see being like this for another MONTH." We'll see...


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

re "last movie" - I was thinking along those lines, sort of, because I don't actually care much, but I took myself off to see "Whale Rider" a NZ film about a young Maori girl and her connection with her culture and whales in particular. All I heard was how good it was but it was HARROWING from the first scene to the last and I wondered what the he!! I was doing subjecting myself and my baby to so much stress. It was a "good film" but too much for me emotionally - but then most things are these days!!

I DO want to have a "last dinner" out with dh though, esp since it's my birthday in a few days (42







), but I see time for us to chat without interruption as something I will be missing much more than getting my hair cut!!! we're trying to line up a babysitter tonight. It's great having the baby sitting so low because heartburn is minimal!! and I can enjoy the idea of some good food

re bag packing.... I'm putting it off... most of the stuff I need I'm still using so it can't be packed!! except the tiny baby stuff of course

I'm still wishing I will go into labour.. at least experience that part of the process normally. I have occasional days where I think "surely this can't go on much longer because I can't even WALK anymore" but they pass


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Rose,
We drove 2 hrs ( one way) to take a Bradley Class with our first baby, 13 yrs ago. I loved it for the consumer information, but in all honesty, it did not prepare me for what labor felt like. My first labor felt nothing like menstrual cramps. The good news is that you have a rest in between contractions. What helped me more than anything was my background as a runner. It compared more to running repeat 400s in track practice - and getting through that sort of pain -- than it did to anything else I had experienced.
Of course, then there are those people who claim to have totally painless labors.







: lol. The lying down/reclining Bradley way of spending labor just made things grind to a halt for me. My advice is - stay on your feet acting normally as long as possible.

Charmie - wow - how weird to read about you packing warm up pants and a non-maternity t-shirt!







Sounds great!
<<I about killed myself when I slipped while getting out of the shower. Practially did the splits <<<

Ack! I did that very thing last night walking into a tiled hallway at a friends in my "cute platform shoes." Owie. At this stage, the little things really count, like cute shoes, no matter how impractical!

Tonight I was down at a friends house - she and her husband have been friends of ours for a long time and they have a photography business. I want to get some dramatic pregnancy photos taken here in the next 2 weeks. I'm just wondering how much skin I"m going to be willing to show!







I love to look at all the photos at www.unassistedchildbirth.com.

Happy Early Birthday to Emmaline.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

MBM~Thanks for posting that site!! I never heard of it, but the birth stories are amazing!!
I got up before dd today, just so I could read some of them!!

Jen


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Charmie and emmaline~Planning a last movie is a good idea, but I'm having the same issues with emotional responses to movie violence. Normally, I love action films with lots of fight scenes, etc. Watching Matrix Reloaded last week got me too riled up. On the other hand, too much drama and emotion gets me crying. TV is even worse. Every time I watch the news I cry over some sad story or another. It seems the only safe thing for me to watch at this point is the weather!

MBM~I like the idea of staying active during labor. Although I love the descriptions of what is happening to my body during labor, one thing that hasn't worked for me with the Bradley stuff is lying down so long. I get fidgity. I'm used to lots of activity (cycling, hiking, running, etc.), so I like your description of your labor as an athletic event. It's also one of the reasons that I am excited about birthing at home. I want to be able to walk around my house get into any position that feels right at the time. I've got a birth ball and I'm going to try that, too.

To share on the subject of physical discomforts... My mountain bike is set up on a CycleOps trainer, but it's become SOOOOOO uncomfortable to use it now. DH got me a super cushy gel seat, but even with a towel on top of that, I could only last 20 minutes yesterday before it became really, really painful. I wonder if that's because the baby is low and pressing on that whole area? At the last couple of MW visits, the baby has been really low. I'm kind of bummed because cycling on the trainer has really been one of my favorite exercises throughout the pregnancy. I'd like to keep exercising to keep my stress level low, but I seem to get more limited by the week. And I'm clumsy, too. What are other mamas doing?

I'm heading out to an Irish festival today with some friends. I wonder if curry chips will give me heartburn (heck, everything else does). I'm excited to hear the live music!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

nightowl - I for one require no more lecturing on this subject, most of us here are very well informed about circ issues and wouldn't do it in a fit - goodbye









dh and I got our night out, dinner then folk club for some music, no stress!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by emmaline_
*nightowl - I for one require no more lecturing on this subject, most of us here are very well informed about circ issues and wouldn't do it in a fit - goodbye







*








I totally agree. Did she post again and it later get removed, or are you referring to the numerous other times she's posted on this thread? Talk about rude and annoying...







:

Speaking of the circ. thing, I had a heart to heart with DH last night and told him that in the event of a hospital transport his only job is to make for damned sure that both my perineium and his son's foreskin stay 100% uncut. Pretty much anything else I could deal with and get over, and I know a section is only going to happen if they really and truly need to do it (b/c otherwise I won't let them), but if either of us left with mutilated genitals, I'd be pretty much heartbroken







. DH kept saying "yeah, but that's not going to happen." My attitude is that I don't want to keep thinking "it won't happen" and then not be prepared to defend ourselves because we didn't expect a transport, ya know? But I really don't plan to transport anyway.

Today's the 14th (well, 15th now) and no baby, so I'm going to set my sights on July 24, which is two weeks "late." Oh my, it seems so far away, but I know that focusing on a late date will help keep things in perspective, right?









We hennaed my belly tonight (thus the late night post). It's still a little wet and super sticky b/c the instructions said to put a lemon juice/sugar paste on it after you're done. Tomorrow morning we'll buff the lemon juice and the extra henna off with oil and then I'm supposed to wait two days before getting it wet. We'll see if I can make it that far... We were a little frustrated b/c the stuff didn't set up as a paste, but was more like paint. DH couldn't really get much detail because it was so wet and kept wanting to run, so the design isn't very intricate, but it's not a big blob in the middle of my belly, so I'm satisfied







. I hope to get out to one of the parks in my low rise maternity pants and my flowing white shirt tomorrow to get some pictures. If the weather and the toddler cooperate, I'll post them tomorrow night







.

I'm off to see if things are dry enough for me to sleep on my side! Good thing I took a nap today







.


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Well, Dr. Elvove and co. are going to take me!!! He is not very concerned about doing a home birth with me, though he wants to keep a closer eye on my diet and such than he usually even does. From what I've told him and his jr. partner, he says it looks like I'm on top of things. I suspect Dr. Baker was just being a little conservative in what she said, as she IS the jr. partner. They will, as usual, make the final determination as to home birth or not at 38 weeks.

Of course, now that I've finally have a plan (and my mom pointed out that I could have only 6 more weeks...thanks, mom!







), I'm scared. It really hurt w/ds. I know what I can do that will help...and I know that I will have more support...and I know that I'm going to rent a tub (I've been convinced that water would have helped w/ds) and have a doula, but it's going to HURT!







:

OTOH, Friday was a mixed day. Dh had left Wed. for a business trip to NYC and was due back late last night, so I invited my mom down. She came on Friday and we had a nice time in the afternoon. We decided to take a drive, as I wanted to check out a toy store I'd seen Thurs. It was closed when we got there, but that's okay...we had a pleasant drive.

On the way home, we checked out a huge yard sale, but there was nothing interesting. On our way out, I had to back up and there were two cars close by that I was concerned about. So, there I was, watching the two cars, when I hear this *crunch!*! I hit a tree. I pulled forward and got out to inspect the damage, but didn't see any on the tree or car and figured it was just some crunchy bark.

We stopped to get water a few minutes later and I decided to check again. Well, the upper right rear panel, between the back and side windows, has a huge dent it in! RATS!

...and now for the piece de resistance (sp?). Not 20 (maybe not even 10) minutes after the tree incident, I'm driving in residential downtown Lake Zurich, when my mom shouts to watch out, I see something in the road (thought mom was concerned it was debris that could hurt the car), and I hear two thuds. Mom says, "You hit a cat!" I can't believe it!







I pull over, get out, run back, and get the cat out of the road - a couple of cars had blocked the road to make it easier.

Some kids are in their front lawn and I ask them to call the vet, get me a box.... I go back to tell my mom what's going on, soooo glad she's there to be w/ds. She tells me there was nothing I could have done...a car going the other way narrowly missed the cat and she only saw what it was 'cause she was in the back seat.

Anyway, a cop comes, takes notes, then gives me the address & phone of an emergency vet...it's after 7pm. I put the box w/ the cat in the car - front seat covered w/plastic bag...so glad I'd had mom ride in the back w/ds so she wouldn't have to move or I didn't have to put the cat next to ds...he likes kitties. We get the cat to the vet five towns away - ~20-30 min. The vet says there is no heartbeat, but she can try to revive if I want. I say she might as well; you never know.

She comes out after several minutes and says there was nothing she could do - massive skull fracture. As I had suspected, she thinks the cat's a stray...not very clean, has ticks and fleas. (When I washed my hands at the people's house, they were pretty dirty). She says animal control will come for the cat and dispose of it.

We went out to supper and my mom stayed the night (dh got home around midnight). Poor ds had a meltdown at the restaurant...don't blame him w/ all the tension/stress we went through.

I'm okay about it as far as I can tell. I know there was nothing I could do and that I did the absolute right things afterward. I am glad it didn't seem to be a pet, as I love cats and know how I would feel if that happened to a cat I know (we don't have any of our own, as ds and dh are allergic). I did decide, however, that I am NOT driving any more this weekend.







It wouldn't surprise me if I break down for a while about it sometime in the next few days, but for now I'm okay...maybe still in shock?

As a last note, a close friend told me Fri. that I should call a mutual close friend, as she had good news. Suspecting that it might be the baby they've been hoping for since they got married on 7/2/1995(!), I called right away and got the machine. She called back while my mom and I were out, so I called her late Sat. evening (they're modern orthodox Jewish and observe shabbat). She said her dbil got married...and she's growing a fibroid...next to the baby!



































I can't express how happy I am for them! (I kinda hope they have a girl, tho.) She's due in late November and it sounds like her OB is pretty cool, though she's getting extra ultrasounds because of the fibroid. Now I have to be careful not to bombard her w/my advice and opinions, though I do have a few books in mind for her.









Also, ds is figuring out the potty

ANNNNNNYWAY, sorry this is soooo long and I hope it's not too graphic!


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Charmie981_
*







I totally agree. Did she post again and it later get removed, or are you referring to the numerous other times she's posted on this thread? Talk about rude and annoying...







:
*
I believe she got reported (twice) and then her latest post was removed.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

(my stuff isn't dry enough to sleep on)

WOW Pam! You've had a day!! I'm sorry about the kitty







, but glad that DS managed to be spared the gorey details. I think out new kitties are going to have to go







since DH is constantly itchey with what I have come to decide are small hives since we got them. I hate that he tries to put up with kitties for my sake (b/c I've always been more of a cat person than a dog one) and then ends up miserable. I hate even more that I can't feel attached to kitties because I never know who is going to be allergic to them (we had one for over a year that didn't bother DH at all, but she never got a name because I kept fearing we'd have to get rid of her







). DS doesn't show signs of allergies to them, but who knows about the new baby... And right now is a really bad time of year to try to give away kittens. They're EVERYWHERE. The pound (called as our last resort yesterday afternoon) said that they would be put to sleep immediately upon drop-off because they're full







. I don't want that to happen to them, especially since DH just saved them from the pound last week only to have them end up there again







. We've got an ad out and a sign up and have been calling the two pet stores in town that take kitties every day. Maybe first thing Monday morning they'll have space for them? Otherwise I don't know what we'll do







.

Oh, and she got reported more than just twice. And she's been doing it on other "due in..." threads too, so my guess is everyone's just a little pissed at her. Anyway, glad to see someone among the powers that be took notice.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

BTW, in regards to the circ issue and the posts in question, I hope no one is offended by my "genital mutilation" comment. _I_ personally feel very strongly that circ isn't right for our family, but it's not one of my soapbox items, ya know? I have a friend who looked long and hard at circ. and then for some reason (I've never been told why) decided to do it. Whatever...I just like to know that people are *thinking* about it and choosing it, not just letting someone do something major like that to their child, KWIM? Episitomies are a whole different story, though... :LOL


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well Ladies...

Tell all your dp's that are men.. HAPPY DADDY"S DAY!!!.. I'm sure you already have being as women are SOOOO much more intuned with this sort of thing than men are....









Anyway.. Things are alright here.. We were supposed to go camping with some of our "friends" last night.. But the female is completely self-absorbed, and got into a fight with the guy, and didn't call us to let us know the camping was off for them, so we get to their house, and she says we're not going.. And she's crying so i ask if she's alright, and she says no, and i ask her if she needs a hug.. (Not like this isn't somebody know.. She was at the hospital the day after both the boys were born..) She looks at me like i asked her if she would like to grow a penis, and says no.. So i said, ok talk to you later...

Talk to the guy later, and turns out she got mad at him for nothing , and smacked him in the head, and kept hitting him while they were in the car, so he got out of the car, and said he was walking home.. All 10 miles or so.. Then she is mad at him for making her feel bad about herself.. UMM>>> hitting isn't a good way to resolve any problems.. And he wasn't hitting her back just trying to defend himself from getting hit.. Ok.. Nevermind.. You don't know them, but because of this we spend an hr driving around trying to find a campsite.. Everything is FULL.. So thankfully we have a 3 acre yard, so we ended up camping in our own yard with a fire, and grilling, and everything...

Turns out it's good we were at home because i COULD NOT!!! get comfy, and ended up coming inside at 2 am and going to sleep in my own bed.. AHHHHH>>>>

So now my back is killing me, and my dear, dear, h says... GEt used to it.. Your pg.. IT'll be that way until you deliver... Well it wasn't that way before i tried to sleep outside!!!







:

ANyway.. I"'m actually in a pretty good mood.. The IL's took the boys unti lTHurs so dh and I are going to see the Matrix Reloaded this week during a matinee.. (ah the joys of having a WAHHubby... ) THat and sex when ever you want it!!!)





































Pardon me.. Did i just say that out loud....

Oh well..

Have happy days ladies...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

DYan


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Well, I guess I"m going to keep posting and rambling until this baby comes -- a good way to burn off nervous energy.

Went to church this morning where it was announced that there is a surprise shower for me next week. Uh oh! I hate being the center of attention.







Dh watched me walk across the parking lot and was hit with sudden pangs of sympathy for me. ( "Bout time!!)

Had a family cookout last night with dh's side. I took the liberty of drinking one wine cooler - boy did THAT taste good.







My darling SIL from Alabama painted my toenails for me - it was wonderful to have someone baby me even for just 15 minutes.

This afternoon I was having wild mood swings - crying one minute and laughing the next. What's up with that? Pulled weeds in the garden and am getting ready to go out and mow. The rain has stopped and there is so much work to catch up on. Currents to make into jam, a big garden bursting with salad, dirty animal stalls. I'm so winded these days it's about all I can do to go up the stairs and I'm huffing and puffing.

Lost some big globs of mucous in the past 24 hrs but no other signs of impending labor. C-mon baby.This waiting is so hard. I just feel like eating and sleeping and not much else.

Well here comes dh with the full gas can, so . .back to work.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Well I'm in the middle of nearly constant contractions, ever since dinner a half an hour ago...but they are mild and hard to take seriously. I just keep wondering. I can't really feel that labor is starting, but stories of other people's surprise and early labors fill my head. (Tuesday will be 38 weeks for me.) I'm debating calling my midwife just to check in. I'm not ready though. I want at least another week.









My car broke down today and is at my parents house now, and dh plans to deal with it tomorrow. It won't start at all, and wouldn't respond to a jump. When ds was born my car broke down then too, but at least this time I don't have to get to a hospital.

My mood swings have also gotten very big. DH went to a party without me last night (no kids, and didn't plan ahead for babysitting) where he played music...and I was sobbing about how he gives music so much attention and I feel jealous. Then today I blew up at my dad because he was being abnoxious about all he is due because it is _his_ day. I spent all day with him yesterday, not specifically for father's day but just because I like being with him, and we had such a good time--so the expectations today were really irritating to me. Luckily he didn't get too upset (as he often does) and just went outside for awhile then came back and was fine. (He and I have a history of struggles, and sometimes they got very big when I was pregnant three years ago, and now he seems to be trying hard to recognize my needs and tenderness right now.)

Still having contractions. hmmm....


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Cindi







Sounds like things are getting exciting at your house! Maybe this is it! Of course, maybe not







.

I had my baby shower yesterday. Very small, and very nice. My best friend is so great. She bought these great pastels that you can color on fabric with, so my dd and her cousins colored onsies for the new baby. They are so cute and all original works of art. We decided to put off the tie-dying. She and I will do it with our dds next weekend. My mom made me the most beautiful sling as a shower gift, the fabric is gorgeous and is a great print for hiding baby stains. She made a mini sling for my dd, too







. We all had a very nice time.

Glad to hear that everybody is still hangin' in there. I'm afraid that I'm one of the girls suffering from total lack of energy, as well. I don't feel like doing anything!!! Oh well.....

I'll check in later.


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Wow Cindi! You could be having that baby very soon. I am so excited for you!

miranda, I had my shower yesterday too. Glad you had so much fun at yours. Mine was great too even though I had been very nervous about it. It was really lovely. We basically just talked, ate yummy food, opened presents, and got a little bit emotional at the end. Some of my friends and family made a beautiful quilt for my baby - they each contributed a square, and then my friend who is a quilter put it all together. I love it! Another one of my friends made candles for everyone to light while I am in labor.

It was a busy weekend, and I am exhausted now. Sounds like we are all getting a little bit more tired and emotional. At least we can vent to each other here! My family came over to my house for Father's Day, and let's just say I'm glad that's over! I am going to go to bed now.


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

wow...we're all getting closer and closer!! yay









I'm not having a shower, and I never got one with either of my other two







Well, I take that back, a friend threw me a shower for #2, but NO ONE showed up. It was just me and her eating cake and staring out the window.

ok, no more sob stories...I'm having more and more BH, but nothing too too serious. I had painful, frequent ctx from about 32 weeks on with my other two, so I'm surprised that this is all I've got.. maybe this baby will be late??

We bought plane tickets for a good friend of mine to come out for the birth (if we planned the dates right!) the other day, so I'm really excited about that, she's gonna be my doula! The midwife came today for an appt. and gave me my list of supplies to gather..and made an appt to bring out the tub, boy does that make it seem like it's gonna be soon!! Guess, I should dig those newborn dipes out of storage and wash them finally









I also have white blood cells for the 3rd visit in a row and this time there's some blood (in my urine) so mw says could be UTI (I've never had one before and don't have any symptoms now, so who knows???) gonna try and knock it out with cran juice and water.

My back is hurting me lately too, and today baby was in a slightly posterier position, so that explains it..pelvic tilts, here I come! oh, and I got a birth ball ($14 exercise ball at walmart!) the other day and it feels good to sit and chill on!

34w5d today....could be less than a month now!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Pam~I'm sorry to hear about the kitty story! You truly did all you could...

Cindi~Very exciting...keep us posted!

I went to a local Irish festival on Saturday and it was fun. A friend and I go every year. There were little kids running all over and they were being chased by their parents. My friend said, "Hey, next year that's going to be us chasing YOUR little one!" :LOL The baby was really active when we watched the live bands, so we decided to get up front and dance. "Dance" was really stretching the definition of the word for me, though. It was more a shuffle to the music, but it was a blast. It was a challenge staying hydrated in the sun all day. I've been recovering from a bad chest cold, too. The day was fun, but I spent most of Sunday resting and recovering.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Holy.....you guys are making me excited to think that it's so soon!









Dh laughed at me today....well at my large belly...I'm to the point where it's always hanging out







and it's been warm the last couple days, so I dug out my old sleeping top....lets just say it is not a top when I wear it now, it's a bra! :LOL So I know why he was laughing







But it is comfy to wear...although I did forget how much I stick out and scratched my belly pretty good







:

We're taking it easy today....yesterday dd and I did all kinds of work outside, the bugs didn't want to be out in the heat! We put a couple loads of laundry on the line, cut the grass (with only 2 breaks this time







) and then sat in the tent in the afternoon and read books and had lunch. We set the tent up a couple days ago since it is new....I actually slept for about 15 minutes while out there....and thankfully was comfy laying in the tent, more so then my bed so that's a load off, since we're going camping. Dd would lay down to sleep and then a motorcycle would go by (her current favorite







) so she ended up not having a nap at all yesterday!








It was her first day of missing a nap completely and she was pretty good...and so was I.... :LOL I hope that it isn't a trend though, she can't be already skipping naps can she?? Oh, I may be wrong, she's cuddling up here now for a nap







zz

I've been thinking about when we go to the hospital and I think I want dd to be there...but I don't know if she's too young. Reading all these birth stories lately though, has really made me want my baby there. What do you all think?? We do watch birth story on Life channel and she's just facinated with it. And when we talk about the baby coming soon, she knows where the baby is coming from and looks between my legs







but I just don't know. I'm going to ask my dr if it's even a possibility tomorrow when we go (with the SARS crap they aren't letting too many people in hospitals). I would of course have mil there too, to take Evy out if needed, but then I wonder if she'd get freaky and not want to leave, but she wouldn't necessarily have to leave only if she got freaked out, but I really don't think she would.







I just don't know.....any advice??

I'm glad that all of you that have had showers enjoyed them. We didnt' have a shower this time and mil told me she feels bad cause she didn't get anything made for this babe...she made two quilts for Evy and all the crib stuff (that we didn't use). I feel kind of bad about that too....poor new babe, but it's not like she doesn't have fun spending money on new babe....but still there is something about handmade stuff. Dd got so much of that from her and great grandma.....geez, getting protective of the new one's feelings already









Dyan~~ Enjoy your time with Dh








MBM ~~ I'll keep rambling with you







I hope you enjoy the shower too

Sounds like Cindi may be next....now I can't wait for my appt tomorrow....
Take care all and talk soon!
Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Kids at births - I really don't know what I think about this.

I never had my own kids at my homebirths just because I didn't want the distraction. They went to Grandma's to play for a while.

I attended my friends homebirth, where she had her 2 sons present - they were about 7 and 11 at the time. She wanted them in the room but they really didn't want to be there. They sort of stood in the corner and were afraid to look.

This time, I'm looking at the birth as an extension of our sex lives and I'm hoping no one is between my legs but dh. The boys ( 12 and 7) don't want to be here. My 10 yo daughter wants to stay. Maybe she'll be in the house but not in the room, and then she can come in right afterwards.

There is a book, probably 25 yrs old, called Children At Birth. I think it's by Jay Hathaway ( ?) Maybe that would be worth tracking down Jen.

Several people at the grocery store today told me I looked miserable. Why can't anyone say I look great????


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Mossback, you look great from here!

No labor yet, thought I should follow up. Dh really started to spin out though when I shared with him the shift that was happening. He kept saying, "Drink more water!" It's not like this baby would be considered pre-term at this point, but I have to admit I wasn't ready either. I did get into the bathtub and drank a lot of water, and eventually they slowed down. I had trouble getting to sleep, but eventually did, and by morning felt more like usual.

Contraction hitting right now. They are definitely getting more intense, but I won't call it labor as long as I can type. I didn't get to experience a natural start to labor with ds (I was induced) so it still feels unknown to me, how this goes, when it's "time."

As for ds at the birth, I would love for him to have the experience and memory, but my ideas about it may totally conflict with reality. When I have put on birth videos, he doesn't seem interested until the mother begins pushing the baby out...at which point he gets totally focussed. My mom will be with him and may take him away, or maybe it will be nighttime and he is asleep. But if it feels good I would love to have him there. I am worried that his needs will distract me though, and that I may do better at birthing this new baby if he is not present.

It is really hot today, and I am noticing the sign at the elementary school next door says Summer School 6/23-7/15...and it is within that time frsme that I expect a birth. Open windows in the heat and little kids overhearing it? I hope no one calls the police! lol! I also think about neighbors walking by, as the bedroom windows open to the street, as do the living room windows, where the tub will be. I hope this birth doesn't become too public. Middle of the night would be great.

Sounds like this was the weekend for festivals. I did go to the Health & Harmony Festival. Michelle Shocked was playing, as did Richie Havens. Dennis Kucinich speaking, and Ram Das. I missed them all because ds was too tired and I was pretty tired myself, and we ended spending most of the time in a children's area playing in sand. Ds was into some African instruments that were at a booth, and the man there jumped at him when he went to grab one, shouting, "no, no, no!" and ds totally broke down, hyperventilating and bawling. He could not settle back down and I finally asked him if he wanted to go home and he said yes. I've never gotten that answer from him before. So we left.

Another contraction, and I have to pee. Time to get off the computer and "drink more water." (I think dh is worried because he has been so tired and so burnt out lately...so this is a good wake-up call, bad pun, for him to get some rest.)


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Cindi_
Another contraction, and I have to pee.
Is anyone else noticing that the need to pee causes some doozies of contractions? I remember in my Bradley class with DS1 they were always saying to make sure you peed enough during your labor. I guess b/c labor's more intense when your bladder's full?

Cindi, when you find out what "time" is, then I'd like to know. I was also induced with my first and keep thinking "is this the start of labor" when I have those uncomfortable "I need to pee" contractions. But they always go away after I pee, so I know it's not "time" (whatever that is) yet.

Oh, and you'll have to tell DH that all the water in the world won't stop "real" labor :LOL. I'm just cracking up thinking of him all in a tizzy because you might actually have this baby soon :LOL.

I have a friend whose homebirth was in an apartment complex. She didn't think to warn any of the neighbors, and one of them called the apt. manager, thinking she was in labor and couldn't get a ride to the hospital. So the apt. manager comes to the door all worried about her and her DH just said "no, we're having a homebirth. Sorry for the suprise." No biggie. So I wouldn't worry too much about vocalizing with the windows open or anything







.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

oh all this talk of contraction sand imminent births









and today I'm full of misery with some kind of gut bug so feel utterly [email protected]

signing off to go back to bed with my hot water bottle
e









p.s. MM you look ripe and beautiful from here!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Sorry emmaline.







Take care of yourself. Your birth will be beautiful. And your baby will still be the most wonderful and precious thing in the world no matter how s/he enters it.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I am really torn with this as I am worried that dd might become a distraction....or be scared....I just don't know....
I mentioned it to mil tonight when she called and she was like are you serious...but she's kind of that way when it comes to stuff...like she also told me she's too big to carry so I shouldnt' carry her anymore..she's a big girl







: she means well, but like I'm going to completely stop carrying my baby kwim??

I think, like Cindi said, my idea might conflict with reality







and also what's making me think this is that I want dd to be there soon after, and we live 45 min. away, so I don't want to wait like an hour or so for dd to come to see us.... I don't know...I guess I better figure out what I "want" and what is practical....she is young. We don't have cell phones or anything like that so even if babe comes during the day it's not like they can hang at the mall or whatever.....
Ah...it will come to me, thanks for the points of view though.

Dh just got home from golfing and wants to have a bonfire, so I'm going to finish checking my post notifications and we're going to sleep outside tonight....i hope we wake up in time for my dr;s appt.









Take care,
Jen

p.s. I think all pg momma's look beautiful







!! That includes you MBM


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Children at birth...having just doula'ed for my friend who had a baby when her toddler was 22 mos old, I can definitely say that having her toddler there was not a good idea. She (toddler) was sick at the time, so the MW said not to bring her to the birth center (thinking of two things: first sick toddlers are really needy and so are laboring women and second, other pg mamas and children are in and out of the birth center every week and it wouldn't have been fair to them to bring all the sick kiddo germs to the birth center and leave them there...both make sense). Mama was disappointed because she really wanted her "baby" there with her. However, labor was really intense and I just don't think her daughter would have handled it well at all (because I know her daughter I can say this), then I honestly believe that would have inhibited mama's birthing too.

I started out thinking I wanted Samuel there, then over the course of my pregnancy decided against it. The reason is that I get really testy with him at certain times and one of them is when I'm in the car and NEED TO PEE and he's whining. Another one is when I'm tired or hurting and he wants to be *ON* me constantly. I just don't think having him around during labor would be good b/c he's very likely to get snapped at a lot, thus making it a bad experiece for him, thus maybe causing sibling rivalry. I've read differing theories on age appropriateness, but most of them (and my MW agrees) seem to say that having a child younger than 3-5 at the birth usually makes things harder for everyone involved.

So what I'm hoping to be able to do with Samuel is let him ride in the car with us to the birth center, and have his Papa (my dad) meet us there and take Samuel to the zoo in town or some other fun place, or to just drive around and let him sleep if it's late at night. Then, when baby is born, we'll call Papa and have him bring Samuel so they can both meet baby when he's brand new. My two concerns: my dad's a truck driver and might not be in town when I'm headed to the birth center and like I said, being in the car with Samuel when I need to pee has been one of the biggest trials of my pregnancy. I don't know if I'll be able to put up with him while we drive (he gets VERY WHINEY in the car) if I'm in active labor.

So that's my plan. I think Samuel would probably do okay with being at the birth, from a maturity perspective. He loves my prenatals and likes to listen to the baby with the MWs play doctor kit and talks to the MW about Ately coming and all. He's never been scared, although many kids tend to freak out when mama's lying down (vulnerable) and the MW is sitting up next to her (dominating). But I just don't think *I* could handle his being there.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Cindi,
Even those of us who have gone into spontaneous labor 3 times before forget what labor feels like.







: I'm not going to be convinced until I see blood. Isn't that weird? After 3 miscarriages, I"ve spent the last 9 months hoping I don't see any blood at potty time, and now I'm hoping for it!
I'm having lots of braxton hicks and some real doozies 3 or 4 times a day but it never turns into anything. I guess we can only hope that our birthing parts are gearing up for a good solid coordinated effort!

This morning I told dh that perhaps when folks tell me I look miserable, it's because I'm sexually deprived!








At the rate of 2 times in 4 weeks, this baby won't come out till August. I need some natural labor induction.

Two of my children are at a day camp this week. It's quiet around here in the mornings. So what am I doing with my spare time? Getting lots done? Haha. Napping and snacking on Peanut Butter Captain Crunch ( current craving food).

Emmaline - hope you feel better soon. Sometimes labor starts out as a flu-ey feeling.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I have to say that I'm in the same boat as all those mamas that think having their child at the birth would be distracting. My dd seems to understand how the baby is going to come out, as she loves to watch births on tv. Every time I tell her I'm going to the MW's she asks me if I'm going to push the baby out,:LOL . However, I feel that as her mama I would find myself worrying about her and how she was handleing the whole situation, and I fear that that would interfere with my birthing. Luckily for us, our appartment is about 3 minutes from the hospital so my mom or my brother and sister can hang out there with Maria until the baby is boron and she can come meet the new one right away.

I went to my mw appointment yesterday. I decided to go ahead and get an internal exam, as I was curious as to what's going on down there







. I prepared myself beforehand, by reminding myself that I walked around for 3 weeks at 3 cm dilated 45 % effaced with my dd, so that I wouldn't start getting too excited. So, anyway, I'm 2 cm, 50% effaced and the baby is -1 station. The mw said she could feel the seams on the baby's skull when she did the exam. I'll be 37 weeks on Thursday, so, since they consider that term, I guess I could go anytime between now and July 24th without much to worry about. I'm kind of excited to hear that the baby is so low, because even though I was dilating early on with dd, she was still really high when I went into labor. This has got me thinking about the things I have left that I want to accomplish before the new arrival. I'm going to wash all the baby clothes this evening and get some diapers today. Then I suppose I'll think about packing my bag.

Hope everybody else has more energy than I do


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## Caidon (Jun 9, 2003)

Hello everyone... I have been fighting with a horrible case of pinkeye since last week, a gift from my three year old son. (Thanks for sharing!) So, a day after my beautiful lunch with my California friend (who did cast my belly) and I'm back to reality. The casting was great--I noticed a few others were doing it or talking about it. She took it, though, to "design", so I'm not sure exactly how it'll look in the end. She's an artist, so I have to trust her "process" will make it beautiful in the end. I definitely recommend doing something like that to celebrate this very interesting pregnant shape. For me, I am not planning on having any more kids, so pictures, decorating, belly-casting, whatever will actually be something that they all can look at someday. I still am back and forth depending on the day between "hey, I look like an amazing fertility goddess" and "oh my god, can someone's body REALLY look like this and ever return to their favorite jeans???" I've had two other kids, and made it back pretty well, but who knows?
My daughter is sincerely hoping to attend this birth. I told her not to get completely hung up on doing so, in case I didn't feel comfortable or she didn't when the time came. But, as of now, we did say okay. She is going to be seven years old soon, and says, "I'm not a baby, mom, and this is your last birth. I really want the chance to see this."







At our birth center, they recommend that you have a "support person" for the child (not yours) in case he/she decides not to actually remain present. My sister has offered to do this for us, and will go wherever my dd wans to. So, I'll let you know how it goes...She has watched birth videos and read books with photos, etc. I've said I'll be loud and there could be (ha!) blood or other unusual things. None of it phases her a bit...
My pregnant friend has been in intermittent labor all last week! She is due July 11th...She's 5cm already, but things just keep stalling out. She "always" goes early, but I'm due a day after her, so I guess this thing really is almost done! I hope that her birth happens soon, the last time she delivered unexpectedly at home (Dad caught the baby on the phone with 911!) after only a twenty minute labor!!! Since she's already 5cm, I hope he's ready again just in case... I wouldn't hope for 20 mins, myself... but, two hours would be wonderful. I'll probably be two days like with my ds--second baby, they said, "Oh...it'll be like 6 or 8 hours at the most". Well, I expect the unexpected b/c he took 40+ hours!!!







I just hope it isn't two weeks LATE like dd (first baby)!!! Take care all...


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hey all, guess what? Ian Andrew decided to make an early appearance... my water broke late at night, on my birthday, May 31st, at 35 weeks pregnant. When the midwife came over, the babe was having major heart decelerations (from 140 to 80 bpm) so we skipped the birth center entirely







and went straight to the hospital, where I had every single intervention I had hoped to avoid (antibiotics - hadn't done the Group B strep test yet - two different IV's, external monitors, two internal monitors on the poor babe's head, cathater, amnio-infusion etc). After 20 hours and only dilating to 3cm, I chose to have an epidural (in case the babe's heart rate dropped in stress, that way I'd get to be awake during a cesarean birth vs an emergency c-section and knocked unconcious). The epidural was perfect - very light and perfect coverage, the anesthesiologist was fantastic. I slept 1/2 hour and then things picked up. I went from 3cm to 4.5 cm in 1/2 hour, from 4.5 cm to 6 in another 1/2 hour and from 6 to 10cm in 15 minutes - the last 2 hours of labor was pretty intense to say the least! So, yes, I avoided a c-section in a hospital known for it's 60% cesarean rate! Woo hoo! And Ian is small, but growing







He was 4 lbs 15 oz, and 18 1/2 inches long, and today (two weeks, one day later) he is 6 lbs... so he's gained a pound in 2 weeks







Nursing is going slowly, because as a preemie he has a weak suck and gets tired quickly, plus I have inverted nipples so we are using a sheild and topping him off with expressed breastmilk. I certainly am not having supply problems, thank goodness! He's sitting on my lap as I type and he is so sweet







He's a blond little boy with long fingers and toes and he has my nose. The toes and fingers must come from my donor, LOL, cause he missed out on my short stubby fingers, LOL. He's adorable and I'm so happy he's here, though he sure surprised me coming early!!!

Best wishes to you all as you have your babies, too









madison


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Oh Madison..

I am soo happy for and envious of YOU!!! I soo want to see this baby (I"m 35 wks this week) but i know it's better if he stays in there a bit longer to cook...

I'm glad your supply is up, soon your little Ian will be nursing like a trooper I"m sure, and WAY TO GO on the weight gain for him!!! WOO HOO!!!!!

Guess you'll be seeing us all on the life with a babe born soon...

Warm Squishy Feelings...
(and Welcome lil'Ian..)

Dyan


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Congratulations Madison! Welcome Ian! It sounds like your labor went really well even though it was early. So happy that he is healthy.









I went to the birth center today, and my baby has dropped! I thought I was starting to feel different. I am just really afraid of going into early labor and not being able to birth at the birth center. (I am 35 weeks). Stay in there for 2 more weeks baby!

Love to everyone.

maudlin


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Madison, congratulations on your birth!

We had our 36 week home visit last night. The MW said the baby is right on top of my bladder. Boy, do I know!

Now I can really feel parts of the baby poking out my tummy. It feels like there isn't much room left in there, so I can't believe that the baby is going to get bigger. The MW said that she estimates the baby is at 6.5-7 lbs now and that I will gain approx. 1/2 pound a week until the birth. That's good b/c I was hoping for at least an 8 pounder. I've been really trying to keep up my protein intake.

DH has been telling our neighbors about the home birth, so that if they hear me moaning loudly they won't be worried and call the police on us.










Things really feel like they are falling into place for this homebirth, but I am still really stuck on one thing---names. I don't like anything! I've been looking everywhere for ideas: websites, TV, movies, etc. Nothing has really stood out for me. Well, maybe I'll do more surfing on the web for good baby name sites...

Hope you are all doing well!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

not much time to comment, although there's lots I want to say!

Rose, I did want to let you know that I love behind the name for name information. It will give you popularity measures for the last 10 years







.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Well happy birthday to you both, Madison and Ian! What fun to celebrate every year together. Congratulations! Your spirits sound good, and you should feel really proud. It's great that you feel good about the hospital's role in your birthing. I hope you have a lot of support right now. I've been reading a great book called "After the Baby's Birth" by Robin Lim which focusses on care of the mother in the post partum period, trying to be better prepared this time since I know how many feelings and doubts took me by surprise after my first birth.

How is your grandmother? And I assume by now she knows about her great-grandson...will you share that story with us? And are you planning a visit?

And post a picture when you can!

By the way, what is amnio-infusion?

Love to you both, mom and babe. And everyone...

Cindi


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Madison, it's so great to hear from you! I'm so happy that Ian is thriving









Well, now I'm beginning to experience the menstral cramp type pain that others have been referring to. I'm also having too many BH cntx. to count. I was soooooo exhausted yesterday. I slept in this morning, it was the first time I haven't packed dh's lunch since I had morning sickness







, I really like sending him off to work with something that I make special for him. I sort of wish he had woken me up ( but it was really nice to get the extra 45 minutes of sleep in a much more spacious bed.

Hope all is well with everybody else!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Madison....it's so great to hear from you and hear how Ian is doing!!! Congrats again!!!









I've been mulling over the Evy at birth issue and have decided against it....for alot of the same reasons you mentioned Charmie....sometimes I just don't want her near me....and with the contractions that I've been having when we go to bed, I can already see how distracting she would be







: But I do have to think of what to do after the birth, I don't want to wait forever for her to come up







But I'm sure it will all work out. Thanks for sharing all your pros and cons everyone! It really helped!
It was a good thing that I can to this conclusion as when I was at the dr's yesterday he said that with the SARS crap that they "prefer" if you only have one person in during delivery







: Which I'm ok with now.....although if Dh tells me one more time that I'm just going to end up having a section again I just may kill him and he can stay with dd!!








I told him that yesterday....so he knows better now!!

Dr's appt was good....although he also talked alot about what would happen should things not "feel right" or "go smoothly" and mentioned section a few times. I really like my dr, so I know he's just covering all bases cause we did talk alot about things I can do to help move things along, but it kind of irked me







I think it was just a combo of dh, dr and the heat!!!









We slept in the tent on Monday night...it was fun...had a fire in the driveway :LOL I slept good until my crampy/contraction actually woke me up







That's the first time they woke me up and they lasted a couple hours....of course I just laid there thinking....hummmm







Usually I just have them when I lay down to go to bed....so I guess things are moving along....
I'm with MBM though, I'm constantly watching for blood now!







.

Tomorrow I'll be 36 weeks...so aside from the camping trip planned for the first weekend in July....babe can come anytime now







My next appt is the 25th (I'll be thinking of you then Emmaline














) (can you believe we're at the end of June already!!!







) and we'll do an internal then...I wanted one this time, but he doesn't like to have that happen his first visit, not a great Hello he said :LOL Oh my sugar was totally fine!! So that was a load off!!

Ummm....I don't think it's fair to mention Peanut Butter Captain Crunch!!







I love that stuff and they don't sell it up here. We use to eat it all the time at my aunt's house in the states, dry, no milk....







I just might have to make peanut butter cookies now....not that it's the same....actually maybe we'll have peanut butter for lunch!

Caidon~ hope your eye is getting better!! I'm shifting through the will this fit me anymore phase too....I was cleaning out dd drawers earlier to pack up the 18M stuff and thought I should go through my drawers too, but thought better of it. I did find these really cute shortalls with Pooh on them for me on Ebay...I hope they fit!

Maudlin~ {{{stay for two more week vibes coming your way}}}

I feel like I have lots of energy today....so I hope to get things done...like pack my bag and clean up the house a bit, I haven't vac in awhile









Take care all.....we're almost there!!

Jen


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

With all the eagerness for babies to arrive and pregnancy to be over, you all may find me strange to say this, but I've been having a revelation lately that this late part of pregnancy is the best part of pregnancy for me. And I am not so eager for it to end. While I expected it to really be a drag, getting big and giving birth, I am appreciating how special this time in my life is, and realize these may be my last days of pregnancy in my entire life. I also am enjoying the space I give myself now--the timelessness around me and the spacey feeling. I don't know if I will be able to hang onto that and feel okay about it after the birth.

I am still fearful about giving birth, and falling weak in response to the pain, but try to find mantras in myself to bring with me to the birth: I am powerful and can arrive for myself and my baby. My hope is that I feel a charge in response to the pain, meeting it with force from deep within, and an opening can result. I want to be there for my baby, as well as for myself in such a profound way. My biggest fear is that I cave in and give up.

I'm getting into that very spiritual place about birth now. Freaked as hell, but excited too. Just curious what comes up for all of you now as we get so close to giving birth.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well Ladies...

I ended up at the hospital yesterday.. I was sick as a dog since 4 am, and it just wasn't getting better.. So I called the OB because on top of it I was having cx about every 10-15 min or so.. She said go to L& D.. Of course when we get there the contractions slow down... Oh well.. At least they slowed down and they sent me on home..

But hey.. I'm dialated to 1 now!!! :LOL

OOk.. Hope everyyone is doing well.. (and not being sent to the hospital) It really freaked Jake out.. He was totally not ready.. He has a big project coming due (worth 5K bonus if he finishes it by 7-1), and he REALLY needs to spend the time to complete it... Hopefully the baby will stay where he is supposed to until then...

Warm Squishy Feelings all..

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Dyan, glad to hear that you and babe are okay.









I had some REAL contractions last night, when I lay down to go to bed. Just 2, but it was actually pretty cool! I'm 37 weeks as of yesterday, so I suppose it could be any time.

Cindi, I must confess that I am not in a very spiritual way about the end of pregnancy. I ache, I waddle, I'm really tired,a nd I really want to meet this baby! I guess I don't even have patience, let alone, spirituality







. I am nervous about labor, but my nerves, at this point, anyway, are about my dd and logistics and things like that.

Anywhoo...still pregnant here!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

just popping in very quickly to say

MY BABY ARRIVED!!! a bit early June 17 8;56 pm

back with details later


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Congratulations Emmaline!







Can't wait to hear all about it. Woo hoo! July babies are coming!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by emmaline_
*oh all this talk of contraction sand imminent births









and today I'm full of misery with some kind of gut bug so feel utterly [email protected]

signing off to go back to bed with my hot water bottle
e







*
So was this really a bug? Or labor?! Congratulations! And I can't wait to read your story and all the details of your wonderful little baby.

Love to you and family!

Cindi


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Wow Emmaline!









Awaiting the details . . ... . . . . . . .


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Cindi_
*So was this really a bug? Or labor?! Congratulations! And I can't wait to read your story and all the details of your wonderful little baby.

*
Yes.. Inquiring (ok nosey) minds want to know.. Cause i felt like i had a crappy flu bug that woke me up at 4 am last Thurs. and ended up at the hospital with contractions.. Thankfully they stopped, and we came home, but i want to know.. Was it labor or just a bad tummy bug???!!!

Oh.. And by the way...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Warm Squishy Feelings to all...

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yeah Emmaline!!!! Congratulations. Also looking forward to hearing all about it!

BTW, I think I started loosing my mucus plug today


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

it waas both : bad bug triggered labour? or appeared at the same time?

details soon.......


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Congrats Emmeline!! Yes, I'd like to know about the flu bug, too







. I'm sure you're very busy right now, though...

Miranda, I guess the plug thing means you'll be next. You're "due" on the 10th, right? If so, you're my due date buddy...not that it really matters b/c due dates mean nothing, but it'd be cool to see you have your baby cuz I'd know that I won't really be pregnant forever







.

I've had a kinda rough day today. I'm the nursery cooridinator at church and was scheduled to be in the walkers class (read: crazy children who don't just lie there looking cute, but who aren't two years old yet :LOL). I don't do the schedule because if I did, there's no way a 38 weeks pregnant woman would end up in that class. I couldn't really do anything with the kiddos except sit on the floor, which usually is enough to keep most of them entertained. But today we had an unusually fussy bunch and I was working really hard to get them calmed down, which wasn't working most of the time, so then I had to page parents and it was just a yucky day. To top it all off there was one poopy diaper that I really didn't feel confident I could change without uke, so I called his mama to do it. Service was about 5 minutes from over, but I didn't feel comfortable waiting five minutes b/c that's not too great for baby's butt, so I made the decision to page her. She wasn't upset and understood where I was coming from, but I made the mistake of mentioning it to our children's ministry coordinator (who is a good friend of mine) and she was REALLY upset that I had called a parent to change a diaper. Apparantly she felt I should have asked someone else (a volunteer from another class or whatever) to change it before I called the mama because "really, how else can we minister to the little babies except by changing thier diapers?"

Well, that really hurt my feelings, although I'm trying to get over it. I feel like at this stage in my pregnancy I can't do my job in there effectively anyway, even if it doesn't involve poopy diaper changes. But I definitely feel that our job as nursery workers is more than just relieving parents of their menial tasks for 1.5 hours. I would NEVER be upset if someone called me to change Samuel's diaper...EVER. To me, that's my job as a mama. What I like about our children's program is that we're not focused on "relieving the parents" but on making church a fun time for the kids. Therefore, I feel like all of the playing, singing, dancing, rocking, cuddling, and loving that we do is much, much, much more important than a little diaper change. But like I said, I feel like I wasn't doing any of that effectively today and then to be "reprimanded" for not changing a diaper that probably would have caused me to vomit was just the icing on the cake. Normally I don't handle criticism very well, but pregnant, it would appear I can't handle it at all.

And I feel like I'm NEVER going to have this kid. I'm just so freakin' sick of being pregnant. I'm tired of people asking me when I'm due and then looking at me with pity when I say "three weeks" (or two weeks). and I'm really tired of people even asking when I'm due. As if it means anything...I could very easily be pregnant until the end of July. I have intentionally not told people my due date with this baby because I just don't want to hear about it when I'm "late."

I think I just need(ed) to have a pity party







. I'm hot, tired, uncomfortable, big, and feel totally overwhelmed by life in general and my list of tasks for the week specifically. I'm tired of it...


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Uh, Charmie and Miranda . . . sorry to rain on your parade but you're just going to have to wait on me, because my due date is July 1.









Miranda - for your sake, I hope that you're really losing your plug and that it means something. I only noticed that phenomenon once, and it was 3 weeks prior to the birth of my second child.

For a week now, maybe longer, I've lost track of time -- I've been having ouchy contractions in the evening that quit when I go to bed. It's discouraging.

Big, cynical, tired, and ready to get the show on the road,
Love from MM


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Congrats Emmaline







!!!!

I hope that things are moving along for all of us!

It's been hot here....humid and hot, and we're not use to the humidity after moving North!! We went to out for the day though and did some shopping, so that was nice and air conditioned








Then when we got home we found out that the "village" is having a garage sale this coming weekend (long weekend) so dh and dd and I were in the basement getting all the stuff together, poor dh is still down there pricing the stuff for me....I tend to over price my garage sale stuff







.
My feet are killing me today though! I've been on them all day!! How am I going to handle a weekend festival??









Dd was so cute today though, she got all excited at the store and started rubbin my belly and talking to the baby while we were pushing her in the cart, and kissing babe and telling everyone "baby soon"







It was soo sweet....and sooo many people seemed to be watching and listening to her. I guess she's excited about babe coming!

Now my computer is pissing me off..... it's being soooo slow








Anyways, I better get moving here, I'm exhausted.
Talk to you all soon,
Jen


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Congratulations to Madison and Emmaline! yay!!

I'm nesting spiritually right now. preparing my mind with positive birth thoughts. I'm about a third of the way through Birthing From Within (yeah, I started a little late) but hope to finish it and do some birth art before baby arrives! Midwife is bringing the tub this week and the birth kit should arrive soon too







I STILL haven't washed those diapers...guess I'm waiting for the physical nesting to kick in!

I've been getting these pains low down, I guess in/near my cervix? I don't remember this from before (doesn't mean it didn't happen!) but it feels like she's head bunting me and it hurts!! as of a week ago, baby was still pretty high, though...so I don't know what it is. I just know it's enough to make me groan and stop in my tracks. anyone else?? The ctx are still sporadic and not painful, which is ok because my friend (and doula) doesn't get here til the 15th, so I need to wait 3 more weeks!









35weeks2days...oooh mamas...we are getting close!!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Shannon, yes, I know about those cervical "kicks." I don't know what they mean, and I also don't remember them from Samuel, but OUCH. They're just enough to make me stop what I'm doing and say "ah..." It seems like they come with bursts of movement, so I wonder if he's trying to turn his head or something? MW said that he's low and she can't move his head, so he's well engaged. But I haven't let her check me b/c I don't want to know...

I'm also having effacement pains, as of yesterday, which makes me feel good. I also don't remember these with Samuel. It's like your cervix is getting that "pins and needles" feeling you get when recovering blood supply to a hand or foot? I had them rythymically for a few hours the other night, and kept thinking "will the contractions start after this?"

I have a strong suspicion that this labor is going to be one that wakes me up. My contractions are always much stronger and more consistent at night before bed. Enough that every night for the last week or so I've wondered if I'll wake up in labor. But alas...no such luck. I haven't even had any real contractions; just the BH stuff. GRRR!

I'm kinda over my pissy mood from earlier today, but still just generally grouchy. I realized today that I've been really distant from pretty much everyone, just to protect my obviously fragile feelings. I guess I need to either figure out how not to be fragile right now or retreat a little more... But then I wonder if I'll have any friends left after baby comes!!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Well Mossback Meadow, you are my due date buddy. Who first? I'm actually not as eager as all of you for the birth. I'm happy to have the work of dilating and thinning come slowly with (presumably) a shorter period of intese labor (the part where I know I am in labor and we're counting the hours.) And there are always a few more loose ends I want to clear up before the baby's arrival.

Tandemmama, I'm also about halfway through Birthing From Within, and just picked it up last week from the library. (Actually my mom works at the library and she brought it to me on her way home from work.)

I'm sure I am as aggitated as anyone now, but I also really enjoy this experience, as I mentioned earlier, much more than any of the earlier parts of pregnancy. I have been awful to dh all weekend--wishing he were doing more, seeing more, attentive to me in a deeper way...and I am saying this all under my breath but I know he feels it, and it is hurtful to him--not accepting him for who he is. I'm having the hardest time being sympathetic to anyone but myself...but then I think how exceptional this time in my life is, and still wish dh would acknowledge that.

I also have the biggest waves of feeling love. I've been really cherishing these last days of ds as my baby. He's been so lovingly calling "Mama!" when he sees me come into a room too, which feels so wonderful. I think he is feeling the baby coming, and becoming extra attached to me. He's been seeing his old baby things emerge...like the mobile over the changing table, and the baby bunk appearing next to the bed. And he has been doing things that he used to do when he was younger, including crawling the way he did before he could get to his hands and knees--the "army crawl" I called it, because he dragged himself along on his belly, propelled mostly by his big toe on his right foot. Now he is getting down on the floor and doing that again. He wants to hug and cuddle all the time now too. Not too interested in my belly though, but will say "baby" when I start up the topic.

Jen, is it a long weekend for Canada Day? My due date is the 1st and dh is from Canada...so while we get the "Oh maybe she'll be born on the 4th of July," I keep insisting dh would be much happier with Canada Day as her birthday! And I am dreading the fireworks on the fourth! Either I will be overdue and not in the mood, or with a brand new baby, and not in the mood. I am expecting the playground at the school next door (over our fence) will be a hot spot. When ds was born, we came home from the hospital to our street being torn up in front of our house, so I was holding this brand new little guy while the house shook like mad with loud jackhammering. It was really bad timing, and I decided I was thankful to have NOT had a homebirth!

Excited for my homebirth now though--we set up the tub today.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

madison, emmaline: congratulations!!!









I'm just settling in after our move from the US to Holland, and I'd be happy to keep waiting until edd (July 17-20). No hbac, not even here, but likely an intervention-free hospital birth for our sweet little Willem. He weighs about 6 lbs now (dd1's birth weight at 41.5 weeks), and is engaged. NO ctx for me ~ I wish I had them, bc with dd1 I had to be induced too, and I"m afraid this one wants to stay in as well.

Lovely labor vibes to all you mamas and very soon to be mamas


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

MBM....Not to worry, I'm not trying to bypass you or your right to have that baby before me:LOL You can go first if you really want to, but please do it soon







.

As far as the mucus plug goes, I'm not taking this as a sign of impending labor, actually I seem to refuse to take ANYTHING as a sign of impending labor, the cntx., the dialtion, any of it. I'll beleive I'm in labor when I'm in labor. My dd was born at 41 weeks, and I remember every time that I had even the slightest twinge toward the end of my pregnancy with her, I would get al excited just to have nothing come of it. Soooo, I refuse to get excited this time until I really know. Yeah, right.







:

I am also enjoying this time with my dd as my baby. Over the last 3 weeks or so I would say that she has been sensing hormone changes or something, because she knows. She's become EXTREMELY cuddly, ( she's always been a cuddler, but this is a new level ) and very interested in talking about all things baby. We got diapers over the weekend and washed all the baby clothes and she was so excited. Everytime we go to the park she tells people that there's a " baby brother/sister " ( yes, she actually says it exactly like that ) in her mami's tummy. I really hope I can go from mami of one to mami of two without being a dissapointment to anybody







:

Well, I've got another mw appointment today, I haven't decided yet whether to get an internal exam or not. I had so many cntx over the weekend that I find I'm really curious, but also don't want to hear that nothing has changed. So we'll see what I say when I get there.

Hope eveybody else is holdin' on.


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Congrats Emmaline







!!!!

I can't believe how close we are all getting! I told my DH that another July momma had a baby and we both just looked shocked at each other







It has been such a whirlwind pregnancy, I can't believe that I'm so close. I'm also having pretty regular BH contractions and a ton of mucus but I don't think its my time yet, I still have 5 (Ugg) weeks left. I'm also tired of people asking my due date-I've just been saying 4-6 weeks to give myself some leeway on either side. I also have to decide when to take time off work, I'm hoping to be there up until the last moment







I'm not a work slave but I just started my practice and I only work a few hours a day anyhow and would rather be busy there than waiting at home!

Sending out love to all the stressed out mommas. Soon you'll have an amazing new person in your life and these ups and downs will seem so long ago. Honor what you feel and allow yourself to be crabby!

Shelby


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Am I the only one going through every day thinking "is this the day?" I woke up this morning to stomach upset and uhh...loose bowels and thought for sure it meant labor would start. Nope...I'm just sick and miserable *sigh*.

I try not to focus on it, but it seems the more I try not to think "is this the day," the more I wonder if it really IS the day! GRR!!!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Still waiting for those birth stories when you get a chance ladies!

Speaking of crabby, hot, tired and waiting for babies, here's a song for anyone old enough to remember HeeHaw on TV.:









"Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep dark depression , excessive misery
If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all
Gloom , despair, and agony on me."

(This was a hillbilly comedy thing - we sing it to our kids when they're having a pity party. Truthfully, I love being pregnant, but this is just somethingn stupid that came to me in the shower this morning!)









Stay cool everybody.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Charmie - I feel exactly the same. I've had um, digestive trouble, for several days now.







:


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I am I am...thinking it is today, every day. A friend who missed my blessingway called today to ask if she might come by after work tomorrow, and while I was saying yes I was thinking, "but I'll probably be in labor." I'm having constant intense tightening in my abdomen today...and once again dh is saying "Drink water!" Well I need to anyway, but I wonder when he'll ever be ready?

Ds goes from very cuddly to very needy, and today he is driving me batty as I desperately want space. I know my mom or dh would leave work at the drop of a hat, but I don't want to misuse that gift. kwim? I had my dad take him out yesterday for the afternoon...and that was really great--for him and for me. They went to my brother's softball game.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Okay...I think this is real, that I am in early labor here. I called my midwife and she is on a plane heading back to the Bay Area from the midwest, just boarding! (Her step father had a heart attack.) So there is a back-up team assembling...but I'm just feeling excited. I feel pretty powerful so far, and dh went out with ds to pick up a last item for the birthing kit...and I'm thrilled to be alone. Contractions are getting very intense when they come, and they come about every four minutes now. (whew, had to take a break from writing for that one.) As soon as I start writing this though I'm second guessing the labor...but I think I am down-playing it. There must be a huge amount of hormones gushing in me now because I feel so gorgeous sitting out in the sun and powerful meeting my contractions and saying hello & how you doing? to my baby. (I'm sure this story will evolve into some quite other feelings.) Just wanted to share with you all and maybe you'll send some good birthing energy my way.

As for ds, I found myself feeling extra loving toward him (after earlier irritation) and am happy to be around him so far--riding his tricycle around me while I stretch and meet contractions on the back lawn.) Big family hug was nice too.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Cindi~~{{Birthing vibes}}} coming your way!!! Let us know how it goes!!!!!







from all of us too!!! Guess babe isn't going to wait to be a Canada Day babe!! That's a week from Tues!

I'm starting to wonder if we're going to be the "early" month! Lol....seems like everyone is "moving" along nicely.
I haven't been having too many bh the last couple days....but man was I "loose" for about a week, with some strong ones, so things are progressing. Guess babe took me seriously when I asked if he/she'd wait till after we get back from our trip








I keep wondering if today will be the day too.....despite the seemingly slow down here.







Then I think, geez I have soo much to do still. Have yet to pack my bag too.

Babe is doing the crotch kicks as I like to call them though....although it is probably a head moving since babe is down low.

My mil whose coming up seems to think that dr will be able to tell me when.... :LOL She's had 3 kids you'd think she'd know that you can't tell....but she just wants to know when she should come up as she wants to come a couple days before.

Dh is on nights this next two weeks....that sucks!! I won't have his ummmm help in getting labour going now till after he's done nights....







I know TMI









Tomorrow we have to take one of the dogs to the vet for his checkup and then Wed dd gets to come to my dr's appt with me. Then our garage sale this weekend. Holy....time is flying!

Stay cool in this heat all....take care and it's won't be long.
Jen

p.s. Dh was also surprised when I told him another one of us had our babe....Cindi...you may put him into shock


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I just have a moment to say that I'm sending good labor vibes down Hwy. 101 to you Cindi!! I'm sure that it will go wonderfully.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Cindi!! I'm so excited for you! I can't wait to read your birth story b/c I just love how you can always put so much emotion into your posts. I know your birth story will be a great, inspirational read







. Enjoy the work of birthing!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Cindi
_I'm actually not as eager as all of you for the birth. I'm happy to have the work of dilating and thinning come slowly with (presumably) a shorter period of intese labor (the part where I know I am in labor and we're counting the hours.) And there are always a few more loose ends I want to clear up before the baby's arrival._
So now I'm wondering if not wanting to have a baby yet is the secret :LOL. It just figures that the only one of us who is willing to remain pregnant for a little while longer doesn't get to







.


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Oh, yay Cindi! I am sending birthing vibes up Hwy. 101 to you. It's very inspirational to hear that you are feeling so powerful. (Sorry I didn't call you back. Dh and I have been very busy. Looks like we will have to get together after our babes are born.)
























Sending love to you.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Cindi - Wishing you a lovely lovely birthing!!! Awaiting the whole story . . .

MM


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

wow, how exciting Cindi!!

I had some pretty strong and painful ctx last night, but only for an hour or so (they were 3-4 min. apart, though!!) my first painful ctx of the pg...yay!!

4 weeks and counting....


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Okay, ladies...not to take away from Cindi's wonderful happy news, but I have to throw myself a little pity party....I feel horrible today!!!
















This baby is so low that walking actually feels like torture. I woke up with a pounding headache and feeling like I'm gonna hurl. I really didn't want my dh to go to work, that's how I know I feel really bad, I really wanted him to stay home with me. Last night I had tons of those menstrual crampy contractions, but I went to sleep and they went away. What do those mean, anyway???? Are they a sign of anything? Probably not









Anyway, I'm sure that I'll be pregnant forever. I hope that eberybody else is doing better than I am.


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## Caidon (Jun 9, 2003)

Congratulations and good luck to all of you who are newly delivered/delivering as I write this!!!







I, too, am beginning to feel anxious about the "when" factor...especially since my pregnant friend who was due July 11th (the day before me), gave birth yesterday afternoon to a little boy. It is comforting to see that other mamas are feeling the excitement for this all to be over. I am trying SO hard to respect this pregnancy and appreciate it, as it will definitely be my last one. But, I'm more like, "I want to fit into my clothes/sleep on my belly/be able to drink a Corona with a lime on the deck with my DH in all of this humid weather/I want to feel like myself again..." I have to go back to work at the end of August, so I am really hoping that this baby won't be late. I teach, and when the semester re-opens, I will have to be there (not full time, but still!) whether or not the baby is 4 weeks old or two months!!!
I did find out at my last midwife visit that I am 2 cm, and 50% effaced...but, I have been known to walk around like that for weeks and weeks before anything happens. I just take it like, okay, those are 2 cm I don't have to do when the time comes, whenever that will be!
So, thank you for sharing your anxiousness...I have it too, but, at least I'm feeling fine now otherwise. No more stupid pinkeye or anything else to complain about. My second child had already been born by now...My first arrived at 42 weeks and 4 days... I guess I am really "due" for a child to arrive "on time". So, mid-July mamas, and beyond, hang in there with me! We'll all get there...


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## Caidon (Jun 9, 2003)

Also, Miranda, I am sending you my best...if it makes you feel any better, the latest you could possibly go is when I am DUE... you'll probably be well into settling with your new baby, while I'm still hanging around trying to figure out what to name this kid, and what size clothing comes AFTER you outgrow the maternity section!!! Take care everyone...


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Can you guys stand another ramble from me?

Tuesday update:
Went to chiropractor friend this morning, hoping for some relief of my carpel tunnel syndrome and some hip pain. I've been trying to go every 3 or 4 weeks this pregnancy, in hopes it will help baby be in a good position. He really worked me over and did some pressure point work. When he put the table up, I felt the baby slide right down into my pelvis. Then I had to run some errands, stop for a few groceries -- ugh. Now I'm walking veeerrrrrrry slowly and feel very strange. What does this mean???

All my babies have been born on Saturday evenings. I wonder if I do this subconciously. Since we have babies at home, I feel very private and don't want anyone to know I'm in labor, the inlaws, dh's co-workers, etc. Do I mentally hold off until the weekends?

Cindi - how are you doing? Still feeling wonderfully sensuous, I hope.
Miranda - Hang in there babe. Do something for you. Have a friend paint your toenails.
Jen - sounds like you're staying busy! Hope everything is cool with MIL and that she doesn't add stress to your final month.
I'm glad everyone is posting their feelings. I don't feel so alone!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Miranda~~







I take any crampy contractions as a sign that things are moving along. Maybe you just slept through a bunch of them, but I'm sure they mean something....after all, some women say all they get is crampy type pains.
I agree with MBM....do something for YOU today....I had a friend paint my toenails last week....and it really made me feel better, not sure why since I'm not really a makeup type girl.
Oh and I got the cutest shortalls for myself for after babe comes (assuming I'll fit into them







: ...but mind over matter...I know I will!)

MBM~~ All your kids on Saturdays eh?? That's cool!!







I bet that babe is nice and low now and getting ready!! Sometimes I think that a nice adjustment will help so I don't feel like I'm walking with a bowling ball between my legs







Let us know!!!

Caidon~Glad to hear that you are all healed up! Being sick and pg sucks!!

Quote:

But, I'm more like, "I want to fit into my clothes/sleep on my belly/be able to drink a Corona with a lime on the deck with my DH in all of this humid weather/I want to feel like myself again..."
This is how I'm starting to feel too....I love being pg...and this is probably the last time, but at the same time, I want to see this babe, I want to know what he/she is and looks like, and I want all the things Caidon said...well except Corona...I don't like beer...but a nice Pina Colada would be heavenly









I got a new ball at Wally Mart the other day, so I keep sitting on it.....dd's not too impressed as it's just a kids ball, one of the big ones and she wants to sit with me. I keep telling her she can have it back soon.
She's getting soo excited....last night all she talked about was the babe coming soon, and Gramma Coo Coo (that what she calls MIL) and Kota (their dog) and she'd be "soft" with baby and get "new bums" for the baby :LOL

Mil is actually really awesome.....she sent a nice email last night about how she can't wait to come up and see Evy and see what we're getting babe wise. And how she's trying to get everything she wants to bring up ready....so to "hang on a little longer". She's actually pretty funny that way....when she comes to visit there is a truck load of stuff!! Not all junk either, big packs of toilet paper and kleenex....I think I lucked out marrying her baby!







But at times I get hormonal and take the things she says the wrong way kwim?? She's actually really good at keeping her opinions to herself









This time too, I don't feel the people are going to judge me by the way I do stuff.....I mean, Evy is such a sweetheart and so many people comment on that that I must be doing something right







So I think that is a load off.....

It's weird now though....it's been 3 days since any real cont. Bh or crampiness. Babe is still moving tonnes, so I'm not too worried, but still....it seemed like things were happening and now they are not. Which is kind of a good thing too....I have too much I still want to do







:

Anyways....it's so great to have you guys to talk to!!! I can't believe we're there already!! And what's with everyone going so early??? :LOL I probably just jinxed myself







I'll be pg forever now!
Talk to you all later!
Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Is anyone else's toddler excessively whiney/clingey/needy lately? Samuel's going through this thing...and I just can't figure it out. I expect him to be sick, honestly, but there's no indication that anything's wrong. I don't think he is due for anymore teeth (he has two rows of molars in all 4 corners of his mouth...that's it for a few years, right?), his nose isn't running, his stomach isn't upset, nothing... He's just super whiney. Oh, and not eating well *AT ALL* (which again makes me wonder if he's sick). He won't tell me anything that's wrong... I wonder if he senses that the baby's coming soon? I just don't know







:.

I do know that I'm really tired of him being whiney. I feel so much like he sounds and with me feeling whiney and sorry for myself, it's really hard to meet his needs, especially when the biggest one is "hold me" or "sit with me." I'm getting really touched out, and tired of having to tell him that he can't push on/lean against/smush my belly. It's only been two days of this, too! OMG! If it keeps up, I may very well go crazy.

Today I invited a friend to bring her toddler over to play, hoping that he would forget about being a grouch. He did, for an hour or so, and we got to chat when we weren't intervening and correcting toddler behavior. It was nice, especially since I've been so distant from everyone lately. I started to think that maybe Samuel just needs more interaction than he's been getting these last two weeks, but then after the hour of fun, he was even more whiney and clingey than to start with, so I don't think that's it.

I have two more things I want to do before I have this baby: pack a bag of clothes/shoes/jammies/undies/socks for Samuel because it's likely that he'll have to go to someone else's house when we leave for the birth center (and I need to get some pull-ups to pack in that bag too, since I don't have enough undies and extra clothes to spare), and cook and freeze some meals. I already have the meats for the meals cooked, but haven't put them together and frozen them yet. Just a few hours of concentrated work and that'll be done. Of course, Samuel isn't really allowing a few hours for anything except himself these days, so I may or may not get that done...

A dept. store that I have a charge account at is having a big sale this week...up to 70% off (I think it's something like take an extra 25% off everything in the store). Anyway, I think I'm going to go buy myself some tops that I'll be able to nurse in and a few bottoms in size 10 or 12. As long as I save the receipt I have 30 days to return anything that won't fit, so I don't see how I could lose, right? My biggest concern about after baby is what I'm going to wear. Last summer I was super skinney and really watching my weight, so all of my summer clothes are size 8s. That's something I have to work hard to maintain even when I haven't just had a baby, so I don't think that I'm going to fit into any of them for quite a while. The only item I have in a size 12 is a pair of Levis jeans, which is going to be too HOT for 100* weather. I think I'm trying to rationalize, though...

DH said that today he really expected me to call him out of work b/c I was in labor. *sigh* I wish he had been right







. Last night I had a backache and lots of BH contrax to go with it (in addition to the intestinal upset that I had all day yesterday), so I half expected something to get real or regular, but neither ever happened. I'm probably going to be a 44 week mom this time around...








:. I wish I could stop thinking about when I want this to happen and just go with the flow, but that's just not my nature.


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Cindi



































Sooo excited for you!
Please start writing your birthing stories early moms! We need to hear about the light at the end of the tunnel...I swear that I'm going to go early, have since the beginning but I hope not Too Soon...I've got stuff to do!

Love to all the moms dealing with little ones at home, I really don't know how you do it. I get annoyed with my dog when he huffs around the house because I didn't want to waddle down to the park in 100* heat! Children know so much about changes that are happening around them.

S


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

She came last night, at home, in a tub, while my midwife was stuck in traffic on 101 (funny two of you mentioned sending good wished up and down 101!) A back-up midwife walked in the door while her head was out, but not yet her body. I'll tell my story later when I can sit for longer. No name yet, but beautiful pink and healthy!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

wonderful cindi


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Congratulations Cindi! I knew this was the real thing for you. I can't wait to meet your beautiful baby girl.







I am so glad that you got to have the wonderful homebirth you were hoping for. Did you get to use the birth tub, or did she come too fast? Can't wait to hear more!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Hurray Cindi.























I'm wondering if my labor is starting. No show yet, but this hurts . . . .. .


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Cindi!!! That is sooo wonderful!!! Congrats on your beautiful baby girl!!!!









Charmie~Dd was acting this way last week when I was all "loose" and having lots of bh.....she's been pretty good since then though. Maybe Samual is picking up on the fact babe is coming soon. It could also be the heat??? Dd gets pretty pissy when it's hot. Today I put out her pool and she played in that for an hour, unfortunately that means a few more bug bites







:
But it made for a much nicer day (considering she has yet to nap







) Sounds like you are pretty organized for babe coming. I still haven't froze anything for after the babe comes, I wanted to do some cookies and muffins, but it's too hot....and I can't even think of food when it's this hot, so making stuff for meals is out of the question until it cools off some!

MBM~sounds like you're going to be next!!!

Wow!!!
I best be off now....I'm hoping dd will go down early, dh is working nights, so I'll have time to veg!








Take care all.....with babes in arms and babes inside still waiting to come out!

Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Cindi! That's so great!!! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Charmie, I am so there with you on the clingy toddler thing! My dd is a lint ball. I try to keep her as occupied as possible, which helps, but as of late I have zero energy and I'm getting really touched out ( which, BTW, makes me feel bad for dh ).

MBM...I hope that you're really doing it! I know it will be great for you!

BTW... my mood has only gotten worse and worse today. Every last freakin' thing is making me nuts. I don't recall being this irritated with erverybody and everything in a very long time.







Thank you all for putting up with me and my foul mood and pity party, I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll be feeling better.


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

I am right there with all of you who are feeling really emotional and touchy. I just sobbed for an hour last night and tonight. The thing is, it felt REALLY good. It was so great to release all of those emotions.

We are trying to find a doula, and it has been so discouraging. Our birth center offers free doulas who are in their training program. They gave us a list of names and phone #s with nothing else to go by. I have contacted 2 different doulas, and put a lot of energy into it - talking to them on the phone, scheduling meetings etc. and neither one has worked out. I feel like I want to quit, but I really want a doula. I am feeling such a need for supportive female energy. I have dh, but I want a woman who is my friend, loves babies and birth, and wants to support me. I guess that is asking too much.

You are all so amazing, and pretty soon every single one of us will give birth to our babies.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Maudlin, try Kris Avery...she was my doula and was wonderful. In fact she caught my baby, and yes in the tub, pretty much acting as a midwife in my mw's absence. I have a great story to tell but can't settle into writing it now. Time to get to bed.

Blessings everyone. Thanks for yours.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quarter till 10 and I'm already counting the hours until DH gets home. I feel so STRANDED here with this whiney grouch of a kiddo. We don't have my car because DH has been driving it to work since he's torn his truck to shreads with the intention of replacing the suspension, drive train, steering column...on and on. So that means two things: not only does he not have his own vehicle, but he wants to spend every spare second out in his shop fixing his truck.







: Really lousy timing, if you ask me. Who would think to start a project that major less than a month before his wife is due to give birth???!

Anyway, so I'm totally trapped here, with no way to escape from the house or entertain Samuel. Fortunately, DH *should* be home early. He went to work at 4:30am because it's too hot to work in the afternoons, so he should be home around noon or 1:00. But I don't know what I'm going to be doing until then... It's entirely too hot to get Samuel outside and do anything, and nothing in the house is working to entertain him. He keeps whining that his finger hurts (woke up crying this morning because his hand was asleep). And again, it doesn't help that I don't feel too hot myself and all I want to do is sleep the day away. Oh, how I wish I could call DH home from work, but that's not an option since I'm under stict instructions not to call him unless I'm in labor (gotta love the Air Force). Maybe I could feign some false labor pains??

Oh, I'm going to go crazy...


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Charmie, I feel ya. This is the second day in a row when I've really wanted to ask my dh to stay home. Fortunately for us he's not in the military, so it's just a question of lost income, and his boredome around the house. I want to be able to call him when I do go into labor and feel like I shouldn't " cry wolf ", although I'm tempted. Isn't it amazing how in a house that I see as having endless tasks that need to be done, he sees a boring day!!

Oh well.....still feeling yucky here


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

CIndi...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

WOO HOO you have a baby.. NOW what are you going to do. .(other than rest and nurse, and eat,and drink, and change diapers, and did i mention the nursing and resting???!!!







) Don't mind me I"m just jealouse.. I REALLY want to see this baby, and i KNOW KNOW KNOW it's best for him to stay in and cook some more.. (sigh)

We got to go to the ER last night.. NOt for me.. UH UH>> <y 3 yr old got the "childproof" (whatever







: ) cap off the antihistamines, and we don't know if he took any of them or not.. So off we all go.. (me, dh, both boys) Causee there is NO WAY i was going to the ER by myself with our 3 yr old when i am 36 wks pg... What if he really did take a lot of them, or i go into labor....

Thankfully none of those things happened.. The ER doc said he looked fine... Didn\t think he\d taken any of them because he was ALL OVER THE PLACE!!! and not the least bit drowsy...

(sigh) MY kids are driving me bonkers as well.. (Incase you didn't get that from my post...







: )

Hope everyyone is well...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

MM is it the real thing????


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I think this tropical heatwave is frying my brains!! It's sooo hot! Don't mean to complain, since most of you all live in hot climates, but man, we aren't use to this humidity up here in the North!









Good news is we are in for some thunderstorms tomorrow....so that should bring the temps down some anyways. Tonight it is suppose to go to a low of 22C! Normally its around 10 at night in the summer.

I hope that those of you with clingy toddlers found some relief! Thankfully this week dd is pretty good considering the heat. I set her little pool up outside so that helps.

Dr's appt was pretty uneventful today....actually it sucks in the fact that I wasn't dilated at all!







He did the group B and an internal....I know things can change fast, but it still kind of bummed me out. But on the other hand, maybe babe is listening to me when I ask him/her to stay put until after camping







My mom said it must be a girl then cause boys don't listen







....she had 3 boys and me :LOL
Dr also wanted to let me know that he is out of town teaching on the 16th/17th of July! Hello!!! That's my Due date, which I know doesn't necessarily mean anything, but my dr also leaves for vacation the 20th! Not much of a window







: But the good news is that there are 6 dr's at our hospital that deliver and they all have the same Hands-off approach my dr has. So that is a relief. Atleast if I get someone else, he/she has the same ideas as my dr.

Dyan~Glad to hear that your 3 yr old is ok!
MBM~What's up???








Charmie~Hope you got some relief from hubby today!! My dh said he wanted to repaint the living room before the baby comes....yeah, like that's going to happen!
Miranda~Hope that you are feeling better....I called dh a couple weeks ago to come home cause I just wanted him there.....even though we didn't do anything but relax, and we missed out on the money...it was nice to spend some time with him~well nice for dd to spend some time with him and I think I spent time with all of you








Maudlin~I hope you find a Doula!

Everyone else.....take care!! I hope you are keeping cool, or not getting this heat at all! Come ON Thunderstorms!! I don't usually like them, but I actually feel like sitting and watching one! We use to do that all the time as kids, sit on the porch and watch them!

Take care and talk soon,
Jen
p.s







Just cause I feel like I am


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I think I can take a little time to share my birth story now. I am so thrilled with myself and think I did such an awesome job. I hated it in the middle of it and vowed (once again) I will never have any more children, but moved into a very powerful and aware place when I came through transition and birthed my baby girl.

I had some time alone early in labor and put on music (Ali Farka Toure) and loved the sound of it, danced a little and used it to help me through some contractions. I ate a peach, wandered outside, watered the garden (hoping no one walking by would get chit chatty) and felt inspired and ready to take this on (contractions coming every three minutes and growing more and more intense.) One phone call came in from a "friend" who obviously has no real reverence for childbirth because she was more disappointed that we would not make it to a party this coming weekend than happy to hear about my being in labor.

Anyway, ds was asleep when dh got home with him, and soon I was ready to have the doula/mw assistant come by. She was great. Prepared warm rice bags and massaged me a lot, brought a birthing ball for me to sit on, and offered supportive words. Gets a little hazy through this intensifying part of labor...but I do remember asking when we should call the back-up midwife and she assured me I would know. I said I wasn't sure I would know.

At some point my mom showed up and mostly hung out with ds. Dh massaged me the way the doula showed him, and ds helped out, rolling the rice bag on my back. When I felt a feeling of almost wanting to push I asked if we could call he midiwfe and if I could get in the tub. Dh got the tub filled very quickly and I got in, where I felt soooo much relief and a real shift. (I had just begun to lose it and was saying how much I hate this.) I felt like crying but nothing came out...more anger than anything else. But when I got in the tub I suddenly got very focused and meditative. I was on my hands and knees with doula and dh by my face, and I became aware of the baby's head in my pelvis (I could feel the whole shape like I had fingers on her) and she would come in and then go up again with contractions. I told them what I felt and said they could call out ds (who was watching a video with my mom) but doula said we had time. Next thing I know I felt with my hand and felt the head. I then got extremely meditative and began talking really quietly saying and feeling profoundly, that the best gift I can give this girl is a good birth. Then, remembering the woman in Ina May's book who said the mantra "You're gonna get huge" I focussed on letting myself open. It was really amazing, but I didn't even push, just imagined getting big, and I felt myself open all at once and the baby's head slipped through. No one saw, and I had to tell them. Dh was thinking there were still hours to go and then jumped to attention and let the doula know. At that moment the back-up midwife walked in the door. They had no idea how far along I was because I never grunted or pushed, just opened. They asked if I wanted to push the rest of the baby out and I said no, feeling I could just wait for the next contraction to do the same thing. But doula said, "Why don't you try pushing with the next contraction?" and I did, and the baby came all the way out. There was almost no molding to her head and her hand came out next to her face and I didn't tear. They said "You could have birthed a much larger baby."

Baby girl was pink and breathing and peaceful and they didn't suction her at all. It was amazing. My mom came out only to say hello to the midiwfe who had just come in and was amazed that I was holding my baby. Ds followed and was very sweet standing over my shoulder meeting his sister.

My first birth I tore, and came away feeling disappointed with myself for pushing in a violent way. I remembered hearing that pushing lasted a half hour to two hours and I was dead set on a half hour push session. I think I had internallized that image of intense coaching to "PUSH!" and did that to myself. So I did a lot of work ahead of time with this pregnancy and birth to find a gentler and more trusting approach. I am just amazed at how I was able to find that in the midst of such craziness. And I cannot tell you how proud of myself I am.

My midwife (who's plane had been re-routed, luggage lost, and who sat in traffic on 101 in San Rafael at 10pm because of road work) arrived at about 10:30 or so, a half an hour after the birth.

I think her name is Claire Emilie...but we will sleep on it one more night. Born at 9:58pm, Monday 6/23, weighed 6lbs 6.5 oz, 18.5 inches long...born at home in Petaluma, CA!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

What an awesome birth Cindi








Thank you for sharing it.....and for confirming that inner mantras work!!








Let us know if you decide on Claire Emilie....beautiful name










Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Ugh, no - it's not the real thing. This is darn near the 10th consecutive day of painful contractions that end at bedtime. It's my 4th child. You'd think I'd know by now not to pay attention too early. I'm just hot and frustrated. Still staying busy. Waddled up and down the poolside tonight working as a judge at a swim meet. The kids' lives continue on, while I try to keep the house in a state of readiness. Thirty-nine weeks tomorrow.

I LOVE reading birth stories. Please keep them coming!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Oh, forgot to say that I get to play supermodel tomorrow while having pregnancy portraits taken in my meadow of daisies. Hmmm . . .. what to wear, or not to wear.


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Cindi, thank you for sharing. That was so beautiful. I'm glad that you had such a peaceful, empowering birth experience, and it gives me hope!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Cindi, thanks so much for sharing your birth story (and so quickly, too!!). I love what you said about not pushing, but just enlarging. Maybe I'll remember that in the "heat" of the moment this time around. With Samuel I pushed long and hard for almost three hours, I think because I pushed before I ever had the urge. This time around, I want to wait until the point where my body is pushing the baby down and out w/o my brain's help.

Samuel and his grouchy self napped for about 4 hours today, as did I (which is why I'm now up at 1am!). Something is definitely going on with him, but I still don't know what it is. I'd feel so much better if I knew and could say "well, he's running a fever" or "his teeth hurt." Something CONCRETE that I can remind myself of when I start to get fed up with his constant need to be held and coddled. I honestly don't think I've held him this much since he was colicky as a baby. Once he outgrew the colic, he was very independent and didn't like to cuddle. I like cuddley babies, but I'm not used to HIM being cuddley, ya know?

When DH got home, I took $10 from him and said "Samuel and I are going somewhere to eat something besides peanut butter and jelly!!!" He was not happy that I was going to eat without him, but he already had plans. So Samuel and I went to the mall and hung out in Chick Fil A and ate a nice leisurely meal. The kids' meal had colors in it, and a coupon for a free ice cream if you colored the picture, so we colored and then shared ice cream and just generally enjoyed one another's company. It was so nice to just enjoy his company, what with him having been so grouchy lately and with me knowing that it may well have been our last outing before he's a big brother *sniff*.

Tomorrow DH is on a normal shift and will get to come home for lunch at 11, so I'll drive him back to work and get my errands run during the afternoon, assuming the heat doesn't kill any desire I have to leave the house!! But after three days of being cooped up w/o any option to leave even if I wanted to, I think I'll just have to brave the heat. I have some auctioned items to ship, and I want to buy some fabric to make myself a new diaper bag (maybe that'll be my labor project?).

I hope everyone else is hanging in there. At 38 weeks pregnant with nary a contraction in sight and nothing but pee on the toilet paper, I'm starting to think I may be pregnant forever







:. I wish I could stop obesessing!!!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

Cindi what a lovely birth





















thankyou for sharing

I'm working on mine (when the boys let me near the puter) and it's going to be very very different


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

here it is

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...852#post659852


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

MBM~I'm sure the contractions are moving things along and getting stuff ready for babe. Who knows....Saturday is still a couple days away







Your photo shoot sounds cool!!

Emmaline~Thanks for sharing your birth story. I didn't know there was a c-sec circle on here!







Congrats on a healthy baby!!

Still no heat relief....last night I was up from 130am-300am, between the heat and this stupid mosquito that would disappear when the light came on!!! I was pretty pissy last night.
This morning, though it was hot, I woke to dd kissing my back and belly while trying to be quiet cause we were still sleeping







My little sweetie.

Charmie~Glad you and Samual had a nice day out. Sometime a change of pace helps eh? I hope that what ever is up with him isn't serious....maybe it's growing pains??

37 weeks today for me.....holy....I really better get that bag packed... :LOL

Take care all!! We're almost there!
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Thanks to Cindi and Emmaline for sharing their experiences. Cindi, that was very inspirational, to think it's possible to have a baby without all that pushing. Somehow, I don't think that I can live up t o it myself, but knowing that it's possible, is a huge help.

Yesterday, I got thai food for lunch and went to my best friend's house for the afternoon, it was really good for me to get out, made me feel a lot better. Plus, she runs a day care in her house so it gave dd a chance to run around and play with other kids. We're going over again today, to kill some more time. It's funny, I DON'T want ot go into labor today ( first day I've felt that way in a week, lol ) because my mom is going to San Francisco to pick up my sister at the airport and I want them to be here for the labor and birth and to hang out with dd.

I'm still waking up in the night feeling like I'm gonna puke, and feel really naseaus in the morning, but, for whatever reason, the contractions that I've been having seem to be coming less and less. Ughh...I think I'll be pregnant forever!

Charmie, I bet you anything that Samuel is just responding to your hormone changes and the feeling that some huge change is imminent. That's what I've decided is up with Maria. I know how frusterating it can be, I feel like a human jungle gym, and I really don't even want to be touched most of the time. I do my best to snuggle with her as much as I can, because how strange she must be feeling and unsure about what this huge change is that's coming. We talk about it all the time, but I don't think that she can possibly grasp how much life will be different, heck, I don't think that * I * can grasp how different life will be.

Well, off I go to pick up the house, so I can justify not being here all day ( isn't it tempting to leave it a disaster area when you know that you don't have to look at it all day? )

Stay cool everybody.

edited to say that I'm 38 weeks today!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Emmaline,
Thanks for posting your story. I was wondering if maybe you had a quick unexpected vbac on the way to the hospital! Now you have a new little boy and no more anxiety. I hope you're recovering well and feeling strong after your surgery.
So what are we going to name this wee one? Are you completely without an idea, or trying to decide between a couple things?

My photo session was fun, although I think it will be better to look at those pictures when I'm not pregnant.
When I'm 90 yrs old I"ll really appreciate them.








After several outfit changes, I ended up in 3ft high grass with nothing on, just limbs strategically placed. Better check for ticks - haha. I also wore a black bra and black yoga pants, for some, and a white long frilly robe for others. It's breezy here, so robe and hair are windblown. DH doesn't know. I want to give him a little album for a surprise.

Jen - I"ve forgotten what it's like to be pregnant and have a toddler climbing on me. My next youngest baby is 7! I imagine you feel all touched out and irritable. Is toddler still nursing? I was always grateful for that time, the contractions it gave me, and the fact that nursing/naptime was the one time toddler would stay quiet and I could rest too. Hang in there.

Charmie - I did some bedhopping of my own last night. It so hot. Dd has a ceiling fan but a saggy uncomfortable mattress. The couch wasn't cutting it either. May you get some restful sleep tonight.

Big thunderstorms moving in tonight. Does that portend a birth perhaps?


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

MBM~your pics sounds awesome!!! I bet your dh will like that, and you're right, so will you!! I want dh to take some pics of me while pg, since we're planning on this being the last. I only got one pic of me pg with Evy and I'm sad about that. Mind you, I quickly turn the page while looking at the album









I think you got me and Charmie mixed up







but to answer Dd weaned in Feb.....which I'm happy for.....I couldn't imagine that much touching right now, especially with this heat wave! She is all excited about the baby having "nummies" though, and told my landlady who might as well be dd gramma that baby would have nummies and go .....hummmm.....how do I put a sucking sound? :LOL You get the idea.

We've got storms slowly moving in right now.....thank goodness!! We went to get groceries today and it was sooo hot!! I hate town when it's this hot.....although with the storm coming in, means we're not going on the lake now









Actually I have an overwhelming urge to climb into bed and have a nap....so I just may do that....dh is home, he can amuse Evy









Take care!
Jen
p.s Even though I know that I'm 37 weeks, when I see you guys all post how far along you are, it really makes it more real. When I read you were 38 weeks Miranda I was like holy we're having these babes soon!!! Obviously when 3 of us already have


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Emmaline and Cindi, congratulations!!!!







Now with 3 mamas having given birth, I feel like my time may come after all. Lately, I've been feeling like some of you---that I will be pregnant forever. And, I'm only 37 weeks today!

For a while, I was having BH every day. Now, not so much. I do have that head butting feeling. The baby has been VERY low in my pelvis for several MW visits now. Some days it's really hard to walk or sit...

The heat is really killing me. It's been brutal here in MA these past few days. I'm not comfortable no matter what I do. It's hard for me to except that it could be WEEKS before this baby arrives. I'm so ready for this to be over!

Hope you are all hanging in there. Can't wait to hear about more of us July mamas having babies!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Wow, Emmeline...sounds like your birth story included a lot more excitement and commotion than you anticipated. Did they end up taking your appendix out or was the cramping "just" labor? I hope your recovery is going well







.

I bought stuff for my diaper bag yesterday and cut it out last night (oh yeah...38 weeks pregnant and climbing around on the floor to cut out fabric isn't a lot of fun, FYI). Sewed the bag up this morning and I'm immensely disappointed







. The craftsmanship is great, which is usually where I get disappointed with my sewing projects (I'm too picky and expect them to be 100% perfect), but the bag is HUGE. I cut one that was on the large size...finished size was supposed to be 14x16. I figured that would be good for two kiddos, both of whom will need an extra change of clothes, and one of whom is in cloth diapers. Problem is my bag actually turned out to be about 16X20. It's the same size as the tote that I use to pack mine AND Jason's clothes for a weekend trip







. No way can I use it as a diaper bag. I still have enough fabric to cut another one (smaller this time!), but I really just wanted to do it and be done with it, ya know? I think while Samuel naps I'll cut and work on sewing the smaller one, though, since there's no use crying over spilled milk (although I did cry over it anyway







).

I'm contracting pretty good right now. Not BH contractions, either. I'm not paying too much attention, but there's definitely a backache that's wrapping around front every so often. We'll see where it goes. Yesterday morning I had a series of contractions that were somewhere inbetween BH and "real," so I got up and took a shower, which effectively killed them. Then last night I had some mucous, but no show. GRR! Why can't there just be a buzzer that goes off when the baby's done? I'm so ready to have this baby, but still want to get the diaper bag done, and get the mess from sewing it cleaned up. So I guess I'd better get to it, just in case this is actually very early labor (which I'm doubting because I think I'm giong to stay pregnant forever).


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

How do you spell relief??? R~A~I~N !








We finally got our rain last night and it is absolutally beautiful out now! Not too hot, not too cold....a nice breeze...black flies are pretty much dead, deer flies don't come out unless it's really hot out....yeah!!









Charmie~I was going to make a new diaper bag too...I found a pattern online, but I have to finish my ceramic painting project first, no room on the craft table. I hope you are able to get the second one done. What to sell the other one









Rose~I hope you got some relief from the heat.
I was such a bear yesterday....too many days of heat and no energy cause of it.

Today I've been doing all kinds of stuff though. Got 3 batches of muffins made and froze....a double batch of chocolate chip cookies....froze 1/2 of it, so I feel better knowing there are treats in the freezer for after babe comes. MIL is not a baker








Then dd and I sat outside with landlady while her horses mowed my grass for me







They did an alright job, but I have to run the lawnmower later when dh gets up....he's back in for nights tonight







: 3 nights in a row too...I hate that.

I just found out that we have additional people coming camping with us now







: Another couple that are friends with dh and the original couples mom and brother are now coming too. Holy!! I just want to have a nice weekend....now it looks like it will be a little more hectic. I want to spend time at the festival and I have a sneaky feeling that everyone else will be spending time drinking at the camp site!







Oh well....looks like it will probably just be me and dd again (since she's the only kid) and screw em all....we'll go to the festival by ourselves! I didn't pay 40 bucks to only spend one evening there!

Mind you I'm probably getting worked up for nothing, but still...

Anyways....I will talk to you all soon! Take care!
Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

LOL Charmie about the diaper bag. My life is a series of unfinished screwed up sewing and knitting projects. I almost finished a dress today - a nursing sundress off an elizabeth lee pattern. I was planning on wearing it this weekend!!!!!









Each time I mow the yard, grocery shop, etc, I tell myself, well, I'm doing this for the LAST Time ---- and then a week later, I'm doing it again, still pregnant.

I decided that after yrs of not having a nice diaper bag, I deserved the one I really wanted. So I ordered a backpack style from Lands End. Hey, ya don't think I'm going to be the one carrying it, do you? That's what older kids are for.

Tomorrow I'll be spending the entire day at a swimmeet again . . . .The chocolate chip cookies sound so good Jen, I might have to make some.

We really needed that rain you got in Northern Ontario. So dry here this last week. My well is so poor we are drawing 20 gallons each morning to water the livestock, and then I have to switch over to the cistern. And if it doesn't rain, there's no water in the cistern. I"m hoping I'll have enough to wash my diapers.

Well, tomorrow is Saturday again. That's my day for birthing.







: Keep me updated everyone!


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Thanks for the stories, mamas! I'm so jealous of those of you holding your babes now!!







The midwife brought the tub yesterday. yay! It really does feel like we're getting closer and closer!! When people ask when I'm due I can say "just a few weeks now!" LOL

I've been getting lots of BH, some quite strong but usually just during and right after dd nursing. (like now!) but I have been feeling a lot more pressure and head bunts down low..so I guess she's moving down!

We decided to say screw the budget tonight and went to Olive Garden for dinner. yum, but the heartburn that tomato sauce gives me is killing me now!!

MM-those belly pics sound fabuluos! A photographer friend of mine has promised to do some partially naked outdoor shots...so hopefully I'll have some nice pics too!

2.5 weeks til my best friend/doula gets here...hopefully she'll get here before baby!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

I was too shy to get preg pics... maybe I should splurge on some nice mum-and-babe pics?


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Emmaline,
Yes, you should.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Cindi, Emmaline ~ those are very empowering birth stories, and in such different ways. You both had the birth that was the best for you at the time, and that's the most we can all hope for.

And congrats again, of course.

I'm just waiting. And I figure I'll keep doing so till at least edd (July 20), but the good news is that I'm having ctx at nite, some even painful (never had any ctx with dd1, who was a failed induction at10 days postdue) so my body may choose to go into labor before the docs feel they have to force it.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, last night I had REAL cntx. for like 4 hours, I really thought that it might be " it ". I took dd out for a walk after dinner to see if that would help encourage things. They continued for a few hours after that but when I went to sleep ( thought I better get some rest ) and I woke up to go to the bathroom, they were gone. I also threw up at about midnight







. Uuugghhh.

Nothing much in terms of cntx. today, even though I vacuumed the entire house and and cleaned the carpet in the bed room and dh and I cleaned the fish tank.

Oh well....I guess I should remind myself that I'm not even due for another 12 days!!!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Miranda, sounds like you and I had similar days. I had ctx. starting at about 1:30 or so and lasting until about 6pm. Took a bath before going with DH to run some errands and they stopped *sigh*. Then they came back as we wandered the mall, but never got more intense or closer together.

Today I'm working on getting all of my meals cooked. So far I have three bags of chicken tetrazinni, two bags of cheeseburger mac (oh, so healthy), two corn casseroles, and one bag of filling for "chicken packets." Still to go...a large amount of cheesy broccoli and chicken with rice, 14 stuffed manicotti, a few pizza pockets, and then freeze the rest of the speghetti sauce. So thats...what between 15 and 17 meals? Plus the church will do two weeks for us, so we should be set for a little while. I've been putting this off for so long because it's just too darn HOT to be doing this, but I had already cooked some of the chicken and the sausage and DH kept saying "are you going to _do_ anything with that before it goes bad?"







Why don't you slave over the stove all day for me, hon???

Anyway...so I'm doing this and then hoping to finish my diaper bag stuff and then some extra stuff to sell with the huge diaper bag on ebay (hoping to recover some of the cost of materials).

Maybe I'll get this stuff done and my mind will decide to let baby be born b/c I'm finished with it







.


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## Stacymom (Jul 7, 2002)

Okay, so my due date was on Thursday, but it's really starting to look like this little one willl be born in July instead of June, and I'm really, really needing some moms to commiserate with!

I have one dd, Abby, who is 20 months old. I went two weeks over with her, and then was induced. I'm really hoping for a natural childbirth experience this time, but every day that goes by has me wondering if my body really knows how to go into labor, and whether or not my desire for a natural childbirth outweighs my desire to be done being pregnant and hold my little girl in my arms! My Dr is super-supportive of what I want, but also told me that I could schedule an induction at our appointment on Tuesday if I want to , and I just don't know what to do! I'm dialated to a three, 50% effaced, have lost my mucus plug (last week, so I probably have a new one by now,) have had intermittent contractions, but nothing that stayed around. Being pregnant is getting so old! Dh is trying to be supportive, but he took a month off from school (he's doing a very intense online program) so that he could be of help when the baby comes, but he has to go back July 10th and he really doesn't want everything to happen at once. Argh! It's so hot, and I'm so uncomfrotable! The past few days it's felt like the baby's head is pressing directly against my cervix, and it's made it so I can hardly walk! I was only half-joking today when I told somone that I was beyond the pregnancy "waddle" because all I can do right now is shuffle!

Anyway, now that I've vented to everyone, here's to hoping that the new moms are enjoying their babies, and the rest of us get to start enjoying them soon!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Stacey,
Welcome to our little July family!

Yes, your body knows how to go into labor, just like it knows how to have a period every month. On another list I belong to, there was a discussion recently about that 280 day gestation period - how gestation is different for moms of different ethnicities. Women of Germanic heritage especially tend to go 42, 43 weeks or so. I just saw a webpage yesterday about 10 month pregnancies - maybe you could do a search and find that. I like the apple tree analogy - do all apples on the tree ripen at the same time? No, but if you wait and are patient, you'll be rewarded with a big wonderful juicy apple. Don't pick a sour green one.

Ok, now for the commisseration part -- My due date is Tues and I wanted to be a June mama too! Well, you can read back thru these pages and see my story - I won't repeat the whining for the rest of the group.







: Last night I woke up at 1:30 with diarrhea and contrax - I thought for sure that was it. Woke up in the morning feeling fine though! I sure don't remember these false alarms with my other pregnancies.

Hope things get moving for you soon so you can enjoy having dh at home!

Warmly,
MM


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Stacymom_
*I was only half-joking today when I told somone that I was beyond the pregnancy "waddle" because all I can do right now is shuffle!*
OMG! I can totally relate to this feeling! It's really bad when I've been sitting for a while and I get up to pee, meaning I'm uncomfortable anyway. And to compound the issue, it seems like I'm always finally giving in to the urge to pee because of yet another contraction, so here I am, huge pregnant, needing desperately to pee, trying to stand up and walk to the bathroom in the middle of a contraction (which invariably doen't hurt until I stand up). I'm so glad most of the time this happens in the middle of the night when no one's there to see!!

Speaking of discomfort, I've had two really humorus dreams related to pregnancy discomfort lately. In the first one, my hips must've been aching from laying on one side too long, because I dreamt that we had taken a 20 hour drive to see someone (?) and I was mad at DH because he wouldn't stop to let us get out and walk around a little bit. Then last night I dreamt that DH had put an electric blanket on our bed and turned it up to max before I came to bed, because he knew I was always cold. I woke up from that one sweating and HOT, only to find that there weren't even any covers I could throw off to be more comfortable.

I'm so ready...I can't imagine how I'll feel if I go over!!!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi all and welcome Stacymom









Well....last night the weirdest thing happened....I went to change positions in bed, which I'm sure all of you know involves completely waking up, moving 3 pillows and bracing myself to feel the shift from one side to the other...and crack, crack, crack....my pelvis just cracked like crazy!!!







I was like, that was weird. Babe moved around quite a bit after that one....but it also felt so good!! I haven't slept so well in a long time after that one!
Babe is lower now too....so that's good. Weird though!

Garage sale hasn't been going to well.....I probably made about 30 and spent about 15 at the other garage sales







: But it is nice to be outside all day, the bugs haven't been too bad and the weather is nice....and Dd is loving being outside all day too.








T Warning here....something that happened to Dd
there was an incident yesterday that freaked me out.....the neighbour had some other kids over and since dd is still peeing in the potty, I just put a dress on her and let her run around, she goes when she needs too outside and is always around me....well my girlfriends daughter saw one of the boys lift up Evy's dress and was looking at her, he ran when friends daughter asked what he was doing...she's pretty sure he didn't touch Evy, but not 100% cause he had his back to friend!!!!







I was standing right there for **** sakes, with my back to them, but man!!! Totally freaked me out!!! What if was running through my head all night....then I felt guilty for letting dd run around 1/2 naked (dress covers it all), but man, she's not even 2....this boy was 8-10 yrs and apparently (I find out after from girlfriend) has been accused of acting inappropriately to his younger sister (who was there at the time too). Thank god my girlfriends daughter was there!!!!
In talking to my girlfriend about it today, she mentioned that some people (not her) would say that it was my fault!! WTF, like I don't have enough of the what if, why did I, am I wrong running through my head....the worse part is I really wonder if it is wrong now...I mean we ran around naked and I mean really naked until we were like 5 when we were kids.....and we lived in the city....not in the rural sticks like we do now. I just don't get it!
Sorry to post all this too....It just really bothered me.....I should post it somewhere else though.....we've all got enough to worry about without me adding to the stress I'm sure. Thanks for listening though!! I'm not as stressed today, and I really don't think he did anything but look, and maybe he was just being curious....but not with my kid!!

I hope that all of you are having good days, sorry if I upset anyone....I can't believe tomorrow is July!! WooHOO!!!
HAppy Canada Day to you all!

Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Oh Jen...WOW! I'd be pretty upset too







. I don't think your friend was right to suggest that it's your FAULT, but I guess it is one of those "I learned the hard way" things. An 8-10 year old boy should DEFINITELY be aware that it is 100% inappropriate to look up a little girl's dress, no matter how curious he is. Were his parents present? OMG! I just can't believe he thinks he can behave that way!!

To answer the naked question: DH is very weird about Samuel being naked in front of people, to the extent that before I answer the door, I either "stash" Samuel or put some pants (not just underwear) on him, simply out of respect for DH's feelings on the matter. I have been letting him run naked a lot because with potty training, it means I have fewer clothes to wash. DH has had to get used to an undressed kiddo when we're home because I'm just sick to death of the laundry. But just as he's had to adjust, I've adjusted a little bit and am very careful to make sure he's dressed when anyone but me or DH is here. I have a feeling that DH would be very much the same way with a daughter as well (even if the dress was covering everything), so I doubt we'd ever have the issue of a DD wearing a dress in public w/o panties. I have a friend who used the naked method to potty train her daughter, and DS and I were over there one day during this process. It made me REALLY uncomfortable that she didn't dress her daughter. I know it's her house and her child, and that she is only 2, but it was just really uncomfortable for me that there didn't seem to be any respect for her daughter's privacy. Not that her daughter cared...

So I dunno; we're pretty weird about it, I guess. Naked in front of family is fine for all three of us, but since neither DH nor I would dream of being naked in front of anyone else, we apply that rule to DS too.

I'd be rattled if something like this happened to us, but wouldn't worry too much about it. At her age, it's not likely that Evy was uncomfortable at all, and it sounds like the kid was stopped before he could do anything that would make her uncomfortable. I'd just be more careful in the future, I guess







.








I'm so sorry you have to worry about this, mama!!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks Charmie!








No his parents weren't present, but believe me they'd get an earfull! His aunt is my neighbour, and I did tell her, but she didn't say much.....







I kept thinking that I should have said something to the kid, but what do you say??

I can understand what you mean about the naked thing too, I did think of doing the completely naked thing with dd while she's potty training, but thought that it would be better to have a dress on so she had some privacy, although she does pull it up when she pees, although it is usually in the potty.

I think what my friend was getting at more then anything is that it would make people uncomfy the way dd is training, and would say that I invited the "problem".....probably the same way I'm guessing parents that EC there kids get questions etc....I was just checking that board out.

I guess I just figured that being that everyone around here is pretty much family and she is so young it wouldn't be a issue kwim?? We are out in the bush. Geez....and I was thinking of just letting her run around the camp site with no diaper on too, just dresses! Now I just don't know.
I remember my mom saying that was how she helped potty learn us kids, let us run around naked or 1/2 dressed. Hummm....









I hear you about the laundry too!! Dd has been going potty for almost 2 weeks now, and it is so nice to not have to wash diapers every 2 days!

Thanks for the reply.....I should have listened to my gut, something about that kid just rubbed me the wrong way.









Note to self....listen to yourself!









Jen


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

We are so so close mama's... I am soo soo miserable, and the midwest heat isn't helping..





















i feel like







.. I need a fire proof suit i'm soo damn hot.. And not in a good sex way either.. Although dh isn't minding.. Nevermind.. I digress...

Dh works from home, and tomorrow has to drive 1 hr to get to work at the company he is contractging for, so i get to be at home with the kids with no car _by_ my_ self_!!!! GRRRR!!! Tuesday we are going to be gone all day.. My "dear" IL's are coming on THurs.. And the house is a pit... I do love them, but it seems when they come to visit it's to see home much i DON'T keep house..














: Never mind their son is home all day as well, and not watching his kids-that's all me.. ANd the house work is all me.. The laundry is all me.. IT's all mee.. (sigh) Can you tell this is on of our issuess.. So even with his parents it's all on me..

End vent...







Well for that NE way..

As for the naked thing..

Jen
The 8-10 yr old should have known better and did.. That's why your friend got the re-action she did when she asked him what he was doing..

We are nekkie a lot here... I figuire the kids will get dressed when they don't want to be naked.. They do..

Well Ladies.. That's all I have here... Hope it cools down for everyone...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi Stacymom. Glad to have you aboard, although I'm sure that YOU'D rather be holding your babe than looking for a new month's worth of ladies to commisserate with







. One of the good things about having the due date of the 10th is that there is NO WAY that I will be a July-Mom-Becoming-An-August-Mom!!!

Jen, I agree with everybody else, the kid should have known better and don't blame yourself.

My dh is always upset when my dd is running around with no panties ( she's 2 1/2, completely potty trained ) altough the only place she ever runs around nudie-pants is at home. It doesn't bother me in the least, but out of respect for his comfort level I always put panities on her if she wants to be clothes-less. It's kind of funny, 'cuz my MIL has told me that when dh was dd's age she would get him dressed only to turn around and find totally naked except for his cowboy boots!!









I am still soooooo pregnant I can barely stand it!!! Although today it really hasn't bothered me as much as other days. I think that reminding myself that I still have 11 days til the due date, so I might as well adjust!

Talk to you all later.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

24 hrs from due date.

Had serious contrax and back pain for several hours again last night - dh had to push on my sacrum - how long can this go on?

My mom called tonight to ask me if I was "miserable." Grrrrrr! If I hear that word one more time . . ..

I think I am done answering my phone till baby arrives.









Love to all of you mothers in full bloom,
MM


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by miranda_
*I think that reminding myself that I still have 11 days til the due date...*
Yeah, thanks for reminding me too







:. And then there's the fact that I Oed 2-3 days LATE, and the fact that a due date is completely arbitrary...GRRR!! I don't need to know these things.

If this baby is born at the point in my pregnancy when Samuel was born, he'll be a July 4th baby. Then given the late O, he might be more like a July 6 or 7 baby. But of course it's a different pregnancy, so I might not be a week "early" with this one.

*sigh* If only I could be a week and a half early and have him NOW!!! I don't want to have to go to my MW appointment on Tuesday







!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I have a MW appointment this afternoon. I really don't feel like going either, but, hey, it's still early in the day, maybe by noon it will be the only thing I want to do







:

I'm already feeling overwhelmed today!! My kitchen is a mess! ( not really ) my living room is a mess! ( not really ) Aaarrrggghhhh!!!! What would it take to get my dh to put his flippin' shoes away!?

Anyway......


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by miranda_
*Aaarrrggghhhh!!!! What would it take to get my dh to put his flippin' shoes away!?*
I could tell you my solution to this last night. After promising all weekend to help me with the house, which really was a disaster because I didn't do anything last week except sew my diaper bag and read the new Harry Potter book (and when I don't do anything, it really shows that DH NEVER does anything), at 11:30 last night the house was still utterly untouched. I know he was thinking that I'd do it today while he's at work, but after the promises of help, I wasn't going to do it alone! Anyway, I woke him up and said "If I can't sleep, you can't either." And we spent 45 minutes cleaning up the clutter in the house. I must say that he's really productive when it's late at night and he wants to be in bed. I didn't have to say once "what are you doing sitting on the couch watching TV" or "why don't you go do __________." The downside is that now he's really pissed off at me. But he'll get over it, I guess.

My goals for the day: change sheets, dust, vacuum, sweep, mop and wipe down the bathroom. I'm sure that'll wear me out by the end of the day. So far I've emptied the dishwasher and I don't feel like doing anything else! I don't remember being this sapped for energy at this point in my pregnancy with Samuel...


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Jen--I agree that the big kid was old enough to know better, and it's not your fault...I would have seen nothing wrong with how your daughter was dressed! We have a kid on our street (10yo) whose father treats him like crap, and he's pretty creepy to have around the younger kids(he's mean and abusive to his two younger sisters). One day he took an interest to ds (4yo) and was being really nice to him, and saying "come over here and play with me" They went behind a car and were sitting out of my view, so I got up, moved my chair into my neighbor's driveway, so I could watch. after a few minutes, the big kid got up and hasn't really paid attention to ds since. I have to wonder if I detered something there!!

I'm not feeling like anything is going to happen anytime soon, but I also have 3 weeks til due date!! LOL it's weird though because I had those painful ctx for 6-8 weeks before my other two births and with this one nothing! I know, every pg is different.... we went shopping for a maternity bathing suit yesterday and had NO luck! I guess I'll have to order one online but then I have to wait for it to get here *pout*

My mother, who I asked to be here for the birth ( having a homebirth and at the time dh had deployment orders--since been cancelled ) has decided that she won't come alone ( they live in nebraska, I'm in maryland) instead she wants to bring stepdad and 5 of my siblings (age ranges 2-11yo) why this didn't seem like a bad idea is beyond me! I sent her a long email explaining I'd rather her come alone or not at all, and I haven't heard back from her








ok, enough whining from me LOL I'm in pretty lousy mood lately (just ask dh!!) and wondering if it's the heat or the fact that I'm huge, or both!

Tomorrow is July...YAY!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Charmie981_
*I don't remember being this sapped for energy at this point in my pregnancy with Samuel...*
That's just it Charmie, I KNOW that I wasn't this knocked on my butt with my first one. My dh agrees. I imagine it has a lot to do with being moms to toddlers!!! I don't know how I'll get ANYTHING done when the new one arrives, but I guess there's one good way to find out, lol. Just try it!


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## Caidon (Jun 9, 2003)

Hey everyone!
Congratulations on these births! It is getting so close...JULY tomorrow







!!! We've been in the middle of a nightmarish heatwave here, and wouldn't you know it, the air conditioner in this house decided to break. We had to stay with my mom in her freezing house (which felt wonderful) for several days last week b/c my midwives say my blood pressure is up a bit, and I should just relax whenever I can and stay comfortable. Okay, but I have two other kids who are here with me all day everyday this summer, so what exactly is relaxing again???
Thursday evening I had a couple of hours of good cramping/ contractions...I thought seriously that I was going to get going. But...here I am. My nurse-midwives have said all along that this baby will be my one to actually come "on-time"...since I had one two weeks late, and one three weeks early. I've been two centimeters and 50% effaced for two weeks now. But, that hasn't gotten me anywhere that I can tell.







:
I did experience a bit of panic holding my friend's baby (born on the 23rd)...her three year old was jumping all over her and the 18 month old was crying and poopy. I thought, three kids...what was I ever thinking!?!







Maybe I'll just stay pregnant forever, and maybe that will be okay. My b-day is July 18th, maybe the baby is just waiting for that...
I wish you all well in this "homestretch" phase...


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

okay, I must confess that inbetween my moments of thinking "will I ever go into labor?!" I've started to get pretty freaked out about the fact that I will actually go into labor and BIRTH A CHILD. At a birth center, where there is no pain medicine (not that it worked last time anyway...)...I'm just a tad freaked out (once again) that at some point this child will be coming out of me, and no matter how it happens, it will likely be very hard work and involve a fair amount of pain. Why'd I do this again...







:?!?


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

My whine isn't about my contractions, it's about the tendon(?) nerve pain that i am getting in my right thigh, on the inside next to my.. Well you get the idea.. That tendon right there.. The baby moves or something, and it sends SHOOTING pain down that tendon, and the leg feels like it can't or won't hold my weight anymore.. I can tell you.. NEVER HAPPENED WITH THE 2 PREVIOUS PREG>... So, I get to walk around wondering if i am going to go down because the babe moves his head or something.. Anyone else with this oh so LOVELY (







: ) phenom??

IT's really driving me batty.. I need to put the boys down.. (for a nap only.. ) and try to get the living room cleaned, but the thought of all the bending over makes me want to do this..





















.. If only i had a helpful dh.. Not the sit on his @ss at the puter all day one i have.. I know.. I know.. He's working.. That's how he makes money, but someone want to tell me how you make money playing Yahoo to help when your brain is stuck?? HUH?? You could always come downstairs and help your OH SO PREGNANT WIFE!!!! around the house... But i digress. Don't i??

I don't know.. Ok.. All done.. For now.. I hope all of our moods improve.. The home stretch of pg SUCKS!!!

Warm Squishy gentle feelings...

Dyan


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Dyan,
I had that same shooting pain this pregnancy, but only for a day or two here and there, not in this last month. My guess is that it has something to do with the way baby is lying on a nerve. Try some pelvic rocks, or crawling, or walking, to try to get baby to shift. I know it's very annoying. I found it especially troublesome while trying to sleep or drive a car.


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Quote:

I'm just a tad freaked out (once again) that at some point this child will be coming out of me, and no matter how it happens, it will likely be very hard work and involve a fair amount of pain. Why'd I do this again...?!?
omg. I had this exact thought today. I told dh that I'm a little scared because I know how much it'll hurt, and it's going to be hard work and all my dreams of the birth I keep having aren't nessocarily going to come true! (calm, painless, peaceful and quick!)

I'm also starting to have some "what if something's wrong with baby" thoughts that I haven't had for the entire pg. I've had white blood cells in my urine for a few months now and can't figure out why (could be nothing, right??) so now I have this fear that I've got some sort of infection and it will affect the baby during the birth







I'm also getting worried about complications in the labor/birth even though I've never had any before! I guess the fact that I have no back up doc. and I'm not even sure how to get to the hospital we want to go to or where the labor/delivery ward is there is making me a little nervous LOL I imagine myself just walking in and saying "hi, never seen me before, no, I don't have an OB, just call anyone" and it does NOT seem like fun!

ugh, I know that everything will be fine, but what happened to that confidence I've had all along??


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Holy you guys were chatty!








Thanks for all your replys re: naked issues!

We garage saled again today and wouldn't you know we're getting ready to put stuff away and we get 3 sets of cars!! Most we had all day! I sold a bunch of stuff to one car load of men :LOL They were pretty nice....the dad commented on my size and then proceeded to tell me his son was 8lb 13oz and his dad was 15lbs!!!!!







One of the biggest babes born in Britian he said!! His grandma was fine after the birth too! Could you imagine!!









Babes been moving lots today.....and I finally got my hospital bag packed







Well most of it anyways, I didnt' put clothes in for me to leave the hospital in, I only have a few things that fit me know and I still wear most of them!
I hope you all got everything you wanted done! I still want to clean my bathroom and need to finish vac and wash the bed stuff again one of these days...but we garage sale for the last time tomorrow and then Dr's appt Wed, then camping Friday! Holy....then my deal with the babe is off! So hopefully h/she decides to come anytime after we get home!








Dd was right on time, well for the start of labour anyways.....being in labour for 2 days made her technically 2 days late....

I hear you guys about being a little freaked out too. I really want to do this naturally and I really want to have a VBAC...but sometimes I think I won't be able to handle it.....mind you I think my complete fright of needles, the gas pains after my section with dd will be modivation enough to get through it....that and I can't wait to see what "kind" we're having!!

Dh actually put my dishes away for me today!! Can you believe it....my main problem with him lately is he leaves lights on!! I hate that....HELLO We're Paying for that!!! Men







:

Anyways, I hope we are all holding our babes soon!! Are we all due by the middle of the month??
Take care,
Jen


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Well I'm jealous, it seems like you all are going to go quickly and leave me wandering around the boards without a babe too! I'm not due until the end of July but "we" have an agreement to come early for the momma's sake







Frustrating here today too, I've been nauseous all day and can't seem to shake it. I didn't really have morning sickness so this sucks! We also found out that our midwives have 5 women due within one week of each other and the assistant I like is gone for the month of July and the old one who I didn't click with is coming to sub. I'm afraid that I'm going to go into labour with 2-3 other women and get stuck with the assistant and a back-up I've never met and that makes me want to go late







: !! Arrrggghh! Midwives shouldn't be allowed to have outside lives or patients that close







I'm just whiny!
Shelby


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## maudlin (Jan 13, 2003)

Don't worry ndmom. I will be around. My due date is July 23. Anyone else due in late July?

wwhippetcrazy, we had a garage sale this weekend too! It was so hot, but it was kind of fun. We did really well, but we had lots of big items to sell. We were cleaning out our storage space. Hooray!

I have an appointment with my midwife tomorrow, so I will check in after that.

Hope everyone is handling the heat and the *waiting.*


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

ndmom,
I promise I will stick around to hear you whine as you approach 40 weeks.









Well ladies, it's d-day. I know it means nothing, but it feels like a milestone of some sort. I haven't gone over a due date since Sept. 9, 1990. I got up early, washed my face and pulled my hair into a ponytail, put on a comfy cotton knit dress, and headed to barn to let the chickens out. I am cutting into the raspberry danish that I had in the freezer for our "after birth breakfast." Later today, I will allow myself 1/2 of a Bartles and James 03 Mandarine cooler on the rocks, in honor of the occasion.

Jen, have you read The Silent Knife by Nancy Cohen? I just re-read my copy. If you want a vbac, you must track down this book. You sure are busy, girl! I gave up hosting garage sales a few yrs ago after I came downstairs in the morning and found a woman smoking a cigarette in my kitchen. She let herself in and was looking for the garage sale. IT"S IN THE GARAGE AND DOESN'T START FOR 2 MORE HOURS YOU IDIOT!! Enjoy communing with nature as you go camping this weekend. What I wouldn't give to be sunbathing nude on a rock at my favorite secluded Adirondack NY lake, listening to the loons.

To everyone who is dealing with self doubts ( am I talkin to myself here??) -- Somewhere on these boards someone said this week that at the moment you're giving birth, so are 299,999 other women on the planet. Isn't that a cool thought? Trust your instincts, trust that your body knows what to do, be patient.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

I'll still be checking in to see how all you ladies are going - I don't want to miss anything!!

July today... hope everyone is doing well,
we have a first name for our new darling : Aidan

but are still stuck for his second name, possibly Samuel

all the boys have both our surnames and both start with E so we have to be careful of initials ASEE is OK but we haven't totally decided

time for me to


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Emmaline - Aiden is one of my ULTIMATE FAVORITE names!!!!!!!!!

I think it sounds good with your last name. I'll never use it because it's sounds so odd with mine.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, I'm still here!!! I went to my MW apointment yesterday. I've gone from 45% effaced last week to 80% this week so that is giving me some hope that the arrival will be sooner rather than later. I had tons of crampy cntx. last night and a few this morning. I'm still 2 cm dilated, but she said I'm waaayy softer than I was and that baby is solid -1 station. Of course, I know that none of this means a darn thing in terms of when an arrivel might be likely, but it is kind of interesting to know.

My mom finished my sling yesterday! It's really beatiful, I adore the fabric. I keep telling this baby that everything is done now that we wanted to get done before it arrived. My dh ( bless his heart ) FINALLY took the junk that's been on the patio FOREVER to the dump over the weekend, and everything is ready.

I am soooo wanting to go into labor that I think I've completely blocked from my mind what that actually entails, lol. I DO really worry about how my dd is going to handle the whole thing, but I just don't find myself worrying about the pain. I'm sure that that is bound to change, lol.

Anyway, enough babbling from me!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by miranda_
*I DO really worry about how my dd is going to handle the whole thing, but I just don't find myself worrying about the pain.*
Atley and I have been having heart-to-heart (almost literally







)talks about how his impending arrival is stressing Samuel out and how once he's here, Samuel will feel a little better because he'll know what the big change is and it won't be looming in the future like this brick wall that he's going to slam into.







: I guess Atley hasn't seen fit to relieve Samuel of the stressful anticipation of the big change looming in the future, though.

And then Samuel and I have been having talks about how he's going to get to be a big brother and have another person to hug and cuddle and play with. But we've also been sure to tell him that he'll still get to hug and cuddle and play with us too. He's getting worse in the clingey department, not better *sigh*. Yesterday I broke down and got out the sling (the one I made in anticipation of Atley's arrival) and now Samuel seems immensely attached to it. I guess that was a mistake, huh? I don't know how he'll react when I'm holding a little baby in it and can't put him in it. But, really...I was at my wit's end. He's not satisfied with just sitting with me any longer. He'll come up to me and sit on me, hold me and then say "stand up, mama." UGH! What difference does it make whether I'm holding him standing up or sitting down?!? He's also taken a shining to the blanket I bought for Atley, which is similar to Samuel's blankie, but different enough that I didn't think it'd be a problem. Apparantly it is, because I've had to wrench the blanket away from him to pack it away more than once now. I don't know what I'm going to do, since it would appear that I have no clue how to handle the whole sibling situation...

It's so HOT HOT HOT! I'm swollen to the point now where I have no more ankles and all the watermelon in the world isn't helping it. I'm also battling hemmoroids again, which I had during my pregnancy with Samuel as well. And I'm constantly contracting, just painfully enough to be noticeable, but never strongly enough to give me any hope that this might be "it."

The 1.5 hour drive to the MW office today with Samuel in the car whining is NOT NOT NOT something I'm looking forward to. But I think to leave him with someone here would probably be a really bad idea right now. I'm pretty stressed about leaving him with someone while I birth, but I KNOW that I can't have him around me when I'm in labor and stay sane. I'm having a hard enough time right now (as he sits in the chair next to me whining "ouchie ouchie ouchie" over a bug bite that's more than a week old *sigh*).

UGH! I'm so ready for all of this to be over...


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Charmie981-whew, you have a lot of patience, what a great mom you must be even when you feel like you are at the end of your rope. Just a few more weeks...
Thanks for everyone volunteering to stick around and hear me whine.







Our babe is also really low and ready to go but I know I have at least a few more weeks to go. Had our home visit today which was great and blunt me blurted out that I don't want the assistant unless necessary. Maybe it was rude but I really don't want anyone around if I don't feel 100% comfortable with them kwim? I finally decided that I can't decide when I'll be going back to work and dh is supporting that although I know he is hoping that one day a week will work out after the first 4-6 weeks. We'll see...
Emmaline- Aidan is our boy name too! My bestfriend called and announced that was their name too for their first if he is a he! I guess ours will never run into each other though with you in Aussie land LOL!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

hey I'm glad everyone likes Aidan, it's clearly a name on the rise in popularity ..... now we just have to remember to use it, most likely I'll be like my dad and run thru all the boys names before I hit the right one ( my mum gave up and just called us all darling) :LOL


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well ladies....

I went to my OB appt today, and i am still measuring the same for 3 weeks running now, so I go in for another US tomorrow morning to make sure everything is ok.. (I'm measuring at 34..) I only gained another 2 lbs this weeks so i am at 148.. Not even at 150 yet and the "due" date is still 3 weeks away.. I honestly don't think we'll really make it to the 20 th because the other 2 were early, but we'll see...

I'm kind of scared to go to the US tomorrow because what if something really IS wrong.. I know it's probably not... We did have low amnio fluid with ds 2, but it corrected itself.. So tonight and tomorrow i am drinking plenty of fluid to make sure everything is ok in there if i have anything to say about it...

I am really starting to think maybe we didn't see a penis in the 1st US and we are REALLY having a girl bc this pg is SOOOOO different than the other 2...

Well enough of my ramble... Wish me luck...

Warm Squishy Feelings..

Dyan







:


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Dyan, I hope everything is okay at the u/s







. I'm sure it is...everything I've read says that after 30 weeks or so, fundal height doesn't mean as much as it did before because it's so easily effected by the position of the babe.

Natasha...I'm glad you think I'm a patient mama. Most of the time I think Samuel would beg to differ. I'm just so ready for him to meet this Atley person we've been talking about and know what this big change is that we're anticipating.

I had my prenatal today. Is anyone else finding these totally anti-climactic? The good news is that I've actually lost weight these last two weeks (since MW is 1.5 hours away, I go every two weeks still). The scale showed a .5# gain, but I know that I've retained more than that in water. Then when she measured my fundal height, I babe had grown 5.5cm. Some of that can be attributed to a change in position, but not all of it. So baby's gained weight and I've retained water, but I've only gained .5#. Maybe the slowdown in the gain means something? I also remember this massive amount of swelling happening a few days before Samuel was born. I guess I could go look at the records and see exactly how long it was before he was born that I started swelling.

MW isn't worried about the swelling at all, my urine and BP are good. She just said "it just means it's time for you to have your baby"







Boy do I hope she's right! My next appointment is July 15, which is after my due date. I'm hoping I won't have to go!!!!!!!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Dyan, I'm sure that you'll receive reassuring news at your u/s. I think that sooo many things can effect what our babies are doing at the time of pre-natals, that who knows.

Charmie, my dd and I have been having very similar discussions about the impending arrival. When we talk it * seems * like she gets the basic idea of what is going to happen, but I really don't know. I keep telling myself " you have 3 siblings that you love and get along with, you know tons of people with more than one child and you can see that they're doing it, you can do it too! " I, too wish that the baby would just arrive, already so that we can all get to know each other and I can stop worrying about what MIGHT happen and just deal with what DOES happen!

Last night was another one of those tons of contractions, feeling totally crumby, thinking maybe this is " it " nights. Only to go to bed and find myself still pregnant in the morning. We went to my neice's 13th b-day party yesterday, so all my SILs kept touching my tummy, which made me crazy, as I am not a touchy person. My MIL kept saying things like there's no way that you're going to go to your due date, which only discourages me 'cuz everything she has ever told me about pregnancy has not held true for me. You'd think she'd do better at this knid of thing as she had 10 kids, lol.

Well...off to figure out what to do to keep us occupied today, so I wont go completely CRAZY!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

It's still hot here, but the vicious heat has subsided a bit. Every time my bowels are the slightest bit loose, I get very excited thinking that labor might start soon. Last night, I had contractions for hours. They even woke me up! But, nothing since this morning. It's not the real thing, I guess.







: DH says that I should just stop being hopeful since I'm not even due for two weeks. His prediction is August 1st!!!!

The funny thing about the contractions last night is that it got me thinking... Now, this is my first baby so I've never experienced labor before like some of you mamas, but: how will I know when REAL labor is starting? My mother had her second baby in the car because she left for the hospital too late. She never felt "serious" labor pains like she did with her first. We are having a homebirth, so going anywhere isn't an issue. Is it wierd to be worried about this? I was just thinking that if DH is at work, when do I call him to tell him to come home? The contractions last night were pretty intense, but not painful at all. I guess this is an odd line of thinking. How can someone be in labor and not know? I should just call my MW and talk to her, huh?

Well, enough rambling for today...


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Rose, I had the same questions with Samuel, and ended up in the hospital twice with false labor. Basically, if the contractions don't stop no matter what you do, and get more intense and...yes, in most cases (95% of first time moms) painful, then call your MW. Good midwives with experience can tell from your voice during contractions whether you're in "real" labor or not.

Have I mentioned that I'm ready to have this baby?!!? I'm so tired and uncomfortable







. Wish I could just hibernate until labor starts, but alas...I'm not a first time mom, so it's not an option







.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I had my dr's appt today and yes Charmie...they are getting very anti-climax!!! It was basically a Hi How are you....b.pressure, babes hr, weight, group B was neg....see you next week! The good part was that dd came with me and the dr had her hold the doppler to hear the heartbeat....she was pretty excited about that.








So then I made my appt for next week and the nurse said we might as well make the following week too....so we did for the 18th! Day after due date...I'm hoping that I don't have to go to that appt!!

MBM....I can't believe someone walked in your house waiting for the garage sale!!! Crazy!!

I hope when I come back from camping that there are a few more babe around here!!







I bet there will be a couple!!
I don't know if I'll get back on before we go, so have a great weekend all, and Happy 4th of July!

I'll talk to you all when we get back!
Jen


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## Caidon (Jun 9, 2003)

Hey. Has anyone else noticed their baby "slowing down" in terms of movement??? This usually pretty active kid had me very worried earlier today. I had an appt. with the midwives anyway, so they put me on the fetal monitor and watched for a little while. Well, baby was fine and heart rate was fine, and she actually told me that I had four contractions while I was on it... I don't know. My other kids have done similar things, I guess. But, it was pretty disturbing anyway. Third time through here, you'd think I'd have a clue about this stuff by now! Oh well...








I think maybe this little one just wants to make sure I'm giving enough attention, with the others keeping me so busy. I think that maybe this baby just needs to get going here, so I can stop worrying about pregnancy things and start worrying about baby ones! It sounds like some people are getting REALLY close here... good luck-good luck-good luck!!!


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Rose, it's hard to believe, but I think you'll know. When I went into labor with #1 I had been having painful BH ctx for weeks and weeks..sometimes ending up at the hospital thinking it was "it"...but the day it was for real I thought aloud "this is different..I think today is the day!" I was right. Can't explain it..wasn't more painful..just different.

with #2, I had been having those painful ctx again for weeks and woke up barely able to walk to the bathroom, it hurt so much. it got a little better and I got dressed and went to my prenatal that I happened to have scheduled that day. Doc checked and I was almost 6cm dialated! it was still about 5 hours from then that she was born...and soon after the ctx got more intense and closer..so there would have been time to call the mw if I were at home.

it's a question that everyone has with their first...how will I know??









That said..I'm not having anything going on this time! some BH here and there but just when dd nurses..nothing major. I'm 37 weeks today. I'm also due July 23..so I'll be around for a little while longer!

I found a maternity bathing suit on ebay (new) and it should be here this week, so I hope to go to the pool this weekend! I've got a prenatal on Monday..but I'm sure it won't be exciting..just the same ole "how are you feeling" "fine" "good" type appt!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Every thing went ok with our US today.. I guess.. Man those techs really don't tell you anything.. Things we now know for certain.. The baby is head down, and definately a boy.. Which i already knew, but people (who had not seen the US before) we arguing with me!!..







:

OUr GBS was - as well.. It's never been +, so i wasn't too worried.. Dh parents are coming up tomorrow to possibly take both the boys for a couple of days.. Which would be ok cause tomorrow is our anniv.. 6 yrs together.. 4 yrs married.. AHh how time flies.. Maybe we'll be able to see the Matrix Reloaded.. OH i hope i hope...

I have been having A LOT of ctx today.. Reeallly painful "real" ctx.. But of course they keep stopping.. Oh well.. At my OB on Tues. I was 50% effaced, but only 1dialated still.. I'm not due unitl the 20th, so anything before that is cake i suppose.. I"ve never reached a due date so i expect this babe will be a bit early too.. One of my oldest friends had dream we had our babe on the 5th so we'll see...

Well enough of a ramble from me.. Hope you are all feeling well, and our babes are all with us soon...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

It's dh's birthday today, but I'm afraid no "live gift" for him







I'm afraid I'll be around till edd (20th) ~ so stay here, ladies!

Dyan, glad all was okay. Isn't it weird how much we worry about everything at the end?


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Okay...is it just me or has MossbackMeadow been quiet?? Does this mean what I hope it means?!

Well, I've had a little bit of bloody show the last two days, and lots of contractions but nothing that makes me think " this is it! " I really want to have this baby!! But, really, how many times can I say that without driving myself and everybody else nuts. It seems like I can't think about anything else!

We have a whole bunch of plans for the 4th weekend ( I really have no energy to do any of them, but, at least if I have no new babe or I'm not in labor, it will help to pass the time ) a parade on the 4th, a BBQ at my granny's and fireworks on the 5th. I've still got my fingers crossed that I wont be able to make those engagements!

Anyway, since it seems I have nothing more original to say...I guess I'll get going.

Oh yeah, I'm 39 weeks today!

Take care all..


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Well I said that I probably wouldn't be on here until we got back..but how can I stay away??








I do have most of the stuff packed up and ready to go, and it's soo freakin hot out today, that I think we will be inside all day anyways







So I thought I'd jump on and check it with you all!

Dyan~glad to hear that the test was good....

It is funny how things seem more stressful in the end Simonee....I keep stressing over how much babe moves....even though he/she moves lots....if I don't feel anything for awhile, I start poking at babe....then babe moves, probaby cursing me at the same time as he/she tries to sleep







: Happy B-Day to your Dh!









Miranda~~MBM hasn't posted since the 1st.....She said Saturday's were her days....so maybe??? Sounds like you are moving along nicely too.....I still haven't had any show....but atleast my nightly BH are back....







I feel like things are atleast going to happen sooner than later when I have something going on kwim??

Anyways....who knows...maybe I'll get back from camping and there will be a couple new babes!! I hope so!!
Birthin Vibes to you all!!
Talk soon and Take care!
Jen


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

<<Okay...is it just me or has MossbackMeadow been quiet?? Does this mean what I hope it means?!<<

LOL Miranda. It just means I'm sitting here with my big belly reading everyone's posts. It's very very hot and humid here without A/C.








:

Hey, bloody show sounds like a good sign to me! Good luck!

Waddling off to the grocery this afternoon. The food I got for the birth week is all gone.









We are also busy this weekend. We have picnics/parties Fri and Sat nights. A visiting Pastor friend will be in town Sunday to substitute at our church - I was secretly hoping to have a baptism with him this weekend, but it doesn't look like we will have anyone around to baptize.

Oldest ds got contact lenses yesterday. He's growing up!

Keep posting guys!

At due date +2,
MM


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## Stacymom (Jul 7, 2002)

Well, it looks like I don't ge tto be July momma after all,







But that means that I had a baby before July!

We had our baby girl on Sunday the 29th, after about two hours of labor. And to the person that asked how you could be in labor and not know it, well, my contractions just didn't hurt until the last 45 minutes or so. My little girl was actually born in our van on the side of the freeway- she just couldn't wait unitl we got to the hospital!









Everything turned out okay, she weighed 6 lbs 14 oz and we named her Ashlynn Marie. I tore really badly, (the paramedics said it looked like a gunshot wound, and the ob who did the stitched said it looked like I had sat on a hand grenade







) but I'm starting ot heal (I think.)

Anyway, I'll post my birth story soon- I'm waiting for a chunk of time to sit down and write all the details, but I wanted to share my good news! Good luck to everyone!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Wow Stacymom!!!!!!! I can't beleive you actually had her on the side of the freeway!!!!! That is unreal!!! Glad to hear that you are both doing well. Ouch! on the tearing, it sounds horrible!

Just wanted to wish you well and I look forward to hearing all about it!!!


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Stacy--wow! what a story!! Sweet little Ashlynn was obviously very ready









I've still got nothing..so symptoms of early labor. I shouldn't be getting antsy, I'm only 37.5 weeks so I know it could be awhile, but ya know...

I've got 1.5 weeks til best friend/doula flies in, so I'm actually happy that nothing is happening because I really want her to be here.

We don't have much planned this weekend, we're military so we don't live near family and our friends we usually hang with have company visiting and our other friends are out of town. We'll probably go see fireworks tomorrow, but that's about it. Tonight dh is over at his friends house "helping him work on his truck" which means looking under the hood King of the Hill style (yup) and drinking beer LOL I should call him and tell I'm having contractions just to ruin his night hee hee..how dare he have fun without me?!?

not much else to report here, this baby is nice and relaxed in my womb!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Okay, so I'm really starting to go CRAAAAZYYYY over here







ild














. You'd think, from how I feel and how I'm acting, that I was three or four weeks OVERDUE, not just a week from my due date.

DS is still very whiney and needy and I think I'm less able to meet his emotional needs by the SECOND. I'm really scared that I'm going to resent him after the baby's born because already he seems hell bent on being the center of attention.

DH is still drving my truck to work everyday, leaving me here, very pregnant, with a very demanding two year old. I'm not sure that if I had my truck I'd want to go anywhere because it's so blasted hot, but c'mon...I feel like a 16 year old who has to ask permission to get the car keys to go anywhere!! I'm so







at him for his stupid timing in tearing his truck up. The plan has been for a while now that he's going to fix his bike and ride it the 6 miles to work. Well, if I don't have a baby this weekend, he's riding that bike on Tuesday whether it's fixed or not







. I CANNOT be trapped here any longer!!!!!!

Add to that the pregnancy paranoia that's setting in (couldn't remember the last time I'd felt the baby move this afternoon and I just about flipped out and called the MW), and I'm really off my rocker. I just want to feel like myself again. I want my clothes, my emotions, my body back. Right now I'm wide awake because I ITCH. I don't know why, but every inch of my body is itching like mad right now. I took some benadryl, hoping that it'll help me sleep w/o itching, but it hasn't kicked in so far. And then there's the fact that baby still isn't really moving that much (maybe once every 10 mins or so, and very small movements), and the fact that I'm NOT CONTRACTING at all, so I really don't think I'm having this kid anytime soon.

I think part of the breakdown is related to the fact that today is the day my labor started with Samuel...39 weeks on the dot. Tomorrow is the day he was born. And there's no sign that this pregnancy is ending anytime soon. I had a friend call today (actually, she called me back after I called her and she was convinced that I'd called to tell her I was in labor; I'm sick of not being able to call people just to talk b/c they answer the phone and ask if I'm in labor!!)...anyway, my friend called me back today and as we talked about the dates thing, she pointed out that since I had my membranes stripped more than once with Samuel, there's no telling if I might have gone two weeks overdue w/o having that intervention.







: You know, you'd think someone who just had a baby (12 days late) in MARCH would know better. But actually, I'm finding that my recently pregnant or currently pregnant friends are the most irritating. Like the other friend who is due in October and keeps asking me "no baby today?" Like I can predict it, or like I wouldn't call her!! And when I say no, she always starts suggesting things I could do, like nipple stimulation (tried it; didn't work), orgasm (even that doesn't cause contractions right now







: ), intentionally dehydrating myself a little bit







, and on and on. OMG! I just want to strangle them!! But, as isolated as I feel being stuck here w/o a car all day, I need my phone conversations, as annoying as they might be.

*sigh* I just REALLY want to have this baby. I'm scared of what I might deteriorate to emotionally if this lasts another week or two







.

Okay,





















...I know those of you who are "overdue" are thinking I'm out of my ever-loving mind to expect you to read this rant, and I apologize. I'm just really not dealing well right now...


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Charmie - your posts make me laugh. I'm sharing many of your feelings. It's so hot here and my family is driving me nuts. Last night during dinner I blew up, threw a spoon across the kitchen, grabbed the car keys and took off for a while. Just went driving around in the air conditioning.







And having a good cry. My feet hurt, I have a pinched nerve in my lower back, I'm just really ready.

I did have painful contractions in the night starting at around 3:30, but they stopped by morning.









Stacymom - What a memorable tale you'll have to tell! I'm sorry about your tears - ouch!







Wishing you a speedy recovery. How about herbal sitz baths?

Unfortunately, it looks like I"m going to make all my July 4th parties . . . . . .


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Okay, I'm feeling a bit better today!

Stacy, congrats on your baby!! I'm sorry to hear about the tearing; sounds like she was just READY to come out NOW! I hope you have a quick and easy recovery







. Sorry I didn't reply last night, but I didn't feel like it'd be very nice to give cursory congrats and then rant for two pages :LOL. I'd much rather congratulate someone on the birth of their baby when I can MEAN it







.

I'm working, slowly, on getting the house totally clean today. DH is home to help and I told him that he's not allowed to escape to the shop at all today because it's a holiday. We were both kinda bummed because we didn't make any real plans for today, fully expecting to have had a baby or be having a baby. And I kept thinking "even if I am still pregnant, I'm not going to feel like doing anything." Well...I'm definitely feeling up to doing something after being stuck in this house all week!!

Hopefully we'll get the house cleaned and DH will get some of his smaller honey-do projects done and then we'll be able to maintain the house. I *really* despise the idea of going anywhere and coming back to a dirty house, but I especially don't like the idea of coming back to a messy house with a new baby, KWIM?

My dad's coming to town today (nice suprise) and offered to take us out to lunch and then we're going to drive out to the house that he's in the process of buying (only 30 minutes away







!) so he can peruse the land and everything a little more. So I guess we ended up with plans anyway. DH really wants to go to the fireworks on the river tonight, but I'm not much on the crowds that always accomany fireworks displays. I might go into labor and then have to spend 2 hours in traffic trying to get out of there....and even if I'm not in labor, 2 hours trying to get out of there doesn't sound like much fun. We'll just see, I guess.

I hope everyone else is having a good holiday







. Blessings!!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Ack! My phone has been ringing off the hook all day. "Have you had the baby yet?" NO!









My real reason for posting: Has anybody heard from KaJe from Milwaukee? Haven't seen her post for a while.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Stacyyyyyyy!!!!!







































What a birth! WOW!! Hope you're feeling better, though, that must hurt something awful!

Funny, isn't it, that only a few of us "July mamas" are left, and it's only the 4th... I don't know about KaJe, btw... maybe another birth in a van


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Yay, Stacey!!!!!!!






















What an amazing story! I hope you are healing well and enjoying time with your new baby.









DH has been trying to keep me from getting my hopes up that I will go into labor soon, but it's hard not to be wishful about it. My stomach is HUGE and I am really immobile at this point. I still have 12 days until my due date! It's impossible to do simple tasks in this heat. If we ever decide to have another baby, I'm thinking that February might work out a bit better!

I'm trying to spend my days keeping cool. We finally have an AC in one room (the one I'm in now), so there is some refuge from the heat. Several afternoons I've escaped to the local movie theater to sit in the dark coolness. Of course, since I'm crying at basically everything at this point, people probably think I'm a crazy person. Yesterday afternoon, I went to see Legally Blond 2 by myself. I'm thinking, "Perfect--a mindless, summer comedy!" Well, there was a whole thing about saving animals from cosmetic testing and pretty soon, I'm crying again. Anything about kids or little animals automatically gets the waterworks going!









Well, time to eat AGAIN (the one activity that hasn't slowed down)!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well....4 days to the DUE DATE. What a bunch of hooey. Anyone else wish that they didn't give us due dates?

We've had as nice a holiday weekend as you can have when there is something you'd really much rather be doing. Our dd was in the local parade with my mom as a Blues Borther promoting a concert for the music festival that will benefit the school band programs. They looked great and had a good time. We went and saw fireworks last night ( that's how they do things around here, the saturday closest to the 4th ) and dd really enjoyed them, as did I.

I am feeling really, really tired, and I seem to be perpetually irritated with evryone and everything.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday and that you're all feeling great.

Talk to you all soon...


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

ME ME!! I wish they didn't give us "due" dates. And you know, as hard as I've tried through my entire pregnancy to forget that July 10th is d-day, I'm still entirely focused on that day. As if it's magic or something. Everyone at church today was asking how long...my answer was "oh, could be today, could be three weeks; there's no telling." As if I KNOW! If I had a choice, I would have brought a new baby to church today, not a big pregnant belly!!

No MW appt. this week, and I'm kinda regretting that, but I know I wouldn't let her check me or anything anyway. I must confess, though, that DH and I did the deed this morning and he was facinated by the changes in my cervix. Since he was down there anyway, I asked how many fingers he thought would go in there and he said "one and a half." Not what I wanted to hear







:. I was NOT HAPPY with him because he knows I don't want to be checked at all, and he knows that it's not just because of the undressing for the MW issue; it's the entire emotional process wrapped up in being checked. But he went and did it anyway







.

I keep thinking "this is the day" only to go through the whole day with nothing but a few minor contractions. And OMG! How do people have sex at 39 weeks? I can't belive how much pain I'm in from that







. Not again until after baby's born. Didn't even cause any real contractions (I'm still really confused about howcome orgasm isn't causing ctx!







: ).

Anyway...so that's probably way TMI about my personal life, but there you have it. I'm so desperate that I'm attempting sex at 39 weeks.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

PIL have the kids right now, so dh and i have been "doing the deed" since the 3rd.. (our anniv.) still no baby.. I Know i'm not "due" for another 2 weeks, but come on... Give pg woman a break.. The other 2 were early.. WHat's up with this one.. SHEESH!!







:

Hope everyone is doing well.. I don't have another appoint. until Friday.. I"m hoping not to make it on accounta we already have baby!!.. I know.. WIshful thinking..

Warm Squishy Feelings...

DYan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

My body is actually DOING SOMETHING! I've been thinking all day that I'm losing my plug, but wasn't sure if it was that or "leftovers" from our encounter this morning. Well, just got out of the bathtub and in the process of drying off, there was lots more mucous than DH could possibly have deposited inside of me, not to mention the globs I've lost earlier today. But, no bloody show or anything came with it







.

So I'm losing my plug!!! What, this means labor will start like two weeks from now







:?? But hey, at least my body is indeed doing something!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hey all! Great birth story Stacey, oooh about the tearing. Hope you heal right up!
We just got back from camping at 37 weeks at high altitude..I feel pretty proud of myself for not being a whiner at all! DH did arrange an air bed for the tent so I was in some comfort the whole trip but I sure hated the midnight runs for a pee! I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to my bathroom tonight







. Was pooped the whole time so I mostly just sat, no hiking for me







Covered in mosquito bites though and have some "chaffing" from no shower for a couple of days but I hope to have all that cleared up before the babe. Can you imagine scratching your entire body during labour??!!
Nothing new here for me in terms of early labour. The whole family is anxiously awaiting the birth, acting if a few days is going to make much of a difference since nobody is coming to visit until mid August anyhow...
Charmie981- have you considered homeopathy for your son? I don't know how "alternative" you are or what you may have experienced in the past but your son sounds like a classic case of Chamomille..not the herb by itself but prepared homeopathically. I'm sure you could find someone in LA but it might make a world of difference in the clinging/whining IMO...
Spent the weekend with a four year old and I'm pooped! Hats off to all you moms








Shelby


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

We are off to the hospital ladies.. I have had ctx all night, and am still having them this morning about 3 minutes apart.. Send me good labor vibes..

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Good Luck Pynki! Looking forward to your next update!

Nothing new with me guys. Just sitting here swelling up and gaining weight. I have this feeling that even though my due date was July 1, I'm going to be the last one standing!

Yesterday my feet were so swollen I thought they were going to pop. No swelling anywhere else though, and bp is still about 110/60, so that's good. Nights are rough, I'm having trouble sleeping.

My car is in the shop now so I'm stuck at home. Nothing to wear - today I've got on a pair of dh's shorts, unzipped, and a L t-shirt which is straining over my beach ball belly and doesn't cover the unzipped zipper. I'm just feeling lovely.







:

This post really sounds whiney and complaining. I'm sorry. I think it's because of what is going on in my life the next 14 days. We have our county fair and the fairgrounds are 10 miles away. The kids have something going on everyday. Example:
Fri - take poultry over and weigh in
Sat am - take hogs over, then swim championships all day.
Sun am - hog weigh in
Sun pm - sewing project judging and style review
Mon am - poultry show
Tues am - hog showmanship
etc. etc. etc. In between, there are chores to do, chickens to be shampooed, hogs to wash, etc. Not to mention taking care of the rest of the hogs and chickens, yardmowing, etc. here at home.
waaaaahhhh!
I don't want to be stuck at home with new baby, alone in bed, worrying about my kids running amok without me. My babymoon is slipping away.

If you've read this far, thank you.
I'll be looking for baby announcements later!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yeah Pynki!!!! It sounds like this is it!!!! Look forward to hearing more.

Chramie, I too would like to know how people " do the deed " at 39 weeks without pulling something







Dh and I did on Saturday, but jeepers!! I'm glad to hear that you're losing your plug, I hope that that is a sign of things to come very soon. I feel like, if you go into labor, I should too, since we share a due date. I know that that is a real case of wishful thinking!!

MM, I can't beleive the schedule you have going for yourself!! You're a better woman then I am! Our fair here isn't until the beginning of September, and I usually only enter knitting and baking projects, but I've already decided there's no way I'm doing it this year with a new born!!

Well, I've got my mw appointment this afternoon...wish me luck...


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

Hey, guys:

My edd is Wednesday and I just found this board. Thought I'd say hi and commiserate with other miserable preggos. I'm trying to think of the 'due date' as more of a target date with two weeks in front and two in back since I could be early or 2 weeks late, but it doesn't work!!! I keep honing in on the due date


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Congrats Stacey!!!








Labour Vibes for you Dyan!!!








Charmie...I hope things are still moving along for you!!!!








Miranda....good luck at your appt!

We had a great time camping.....the weather was wayyy to hot, but we had one tree that we all (4 adults and Evy) kept following with our chairs! :LOL The concert on the Friday (Gord Downie from the Hip) was awesome!!! Saturday was Bruce Cockburn, but he wasn't as good. We didn't end up going back the Sunday like I wanted to see the kids stuff for Evy, we just wanted to get home! We met some cool mom's and kids there though....it was nice to finally be around "AP" type parents IRL.....

Dh only slept 11 hours in 3 day, mind you, that was his choice!! And I was ready to go home.....thought Saturday night that I was going to have babe....we were walking alll day!! Hiking actually and dd wanted to be in the sling, and of course Daddy wasn't good enough....then the morons said "lets take this trail" all uphill!!! Needless to say, I was pooped!!! When we finally got back to the camp site, I had about an hour of good contrax and slept like crap! Up every hour to turn over to the other side...but nothing happened. :sad

MBM....you do have a very busy schedule!! Holy!! Maybe all that activity will make babe want to come out and see what's going on???









I hope to check in again later to some announcements!!! I better get off here....I want to get the house cleaned up....and while I have energy I better get a move on....washing walls and everything today!!!
Mil is coming Friday too.....so I hope babe comes soon!!! As you all do!

Oh and on the subject of the "deed"....dh looked at me last night on the way home and said "so when's this babe coming" (like I know







: ) and I said well your mom's coming Friday, so we better have lots of sex the next few days...and he actually moaned like it was too much work!!!!







I said what's with that, and he said, I'm tired and have to work the next two days....yeah, well...I'm tired of having this big belly and running after Evy all day....so just shut up and do it!!!







We'll see what happens!!

Take care all.....Major labour vibes to all of you!!!!!!
Jen

edited cause my brain isn't working


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## Jish (Dec 12, 2001)

She is now sleeping at my house. The contrax pretty much stopped when she got to the hospital. Her dh went home for a while to get some work done since birth was obviously not imminent, so she and I went and got some breakfast and walked for a few hours. She's had more contrax since then, but nothing regular and nothing really painful yet. I'm hoping that she will wake up in full blown labor (so is she) and we can get this baby out. She is going to head home at around 3:00cst if they aren't progressing.

She's bumming, gals.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Every birth is so different. Just when we think we have it figured out and managed, nature throws us for a loop.

Take care, and hope you're in full swing soon.

MM
mom to ds 1 1990, dd 1993, ds2 1996 and little one edd 7/1/03


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I was in labor.. I know it.. I had beeen having ctx since 12 last night, and woke up with painful ctx at 6 am, so we went to the hospital.. (who's labor ward looks like a war zone because of construction.. ) and they stopped.. They had been 3-6 mins apart.. THen ... NOTHING!!!





























































































I will go into labor i know it.. I have to right.. He can't stay in there forever.. The worst part is the dr did an exam, and i was only slightly more effaced, and about 1.5 dil.. Aftr 7 hrs of contracts..















































































We are giong to "do the deed" and see if we can get this party on the road again...

Warm Squishies...

Dyan







:


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Oh, Pynki, I'm so sorry!!! It must be so frusterating to feel like this is "it" only to have things stop. I'm definitely sending good cx vibes your way.









Charmie~Hopefully the mucus is a sign of things to come!
MBM~What a schedule! I get stressed just thinking about having to make myself lunch each day...
Jen~I am so impressed that you went camping! I use Dessert Essence tea tree oil blemish stick on my skeeter bites (I get eaten alive even in my own yard) and they go away so much faster and keeps them from itching too much. Hope that helps!
Miranda~How did your appointment go?
And...welcome, bargaindiva!

I am so in a nesting phase right now! For the longest time, I didn't have the energy or desire to get ready for this baby. Now it seems that I can't stop cleaning! I've vaccumed every room and closet top to bottom, wiped down all the woodwork, and cleaned out every heating vent. I'm vaccuming and sweeping every day. I haven't been this caught up on laundry EVER. I've got things in the washer before they are practically off our bodies. It's become pathological, really.









Today the MW estimated that this baby is about 8.5 pounds already. If I go late, this is going to be one big baby! I had a hunch this baby would be big. My MW is really big on nutrition and I have been packing on the protein like a pro-football player.

I'm really impressed that some of you are still DTD! It's so hot here, that I'm just not interested in having another human being that close to my sweaty self. Of course if I go late that will motivate me to do the "deed" regardless of how hot it is!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Pynki







I bet things will get going for you again soon. Sorry to hear it though, how discouraging.

Well, I went to my appointment. I'm almost 3 cm now and still about 80 % effaced. The baby is still about -1 station. I decided to go ahead and get my membranes stripped ( I know, I'm a wuss who can't stick it out







) so since the appointment I've been very crampy but no real contractions to speak of. I don't know how or when it might or might not kick in. It would be nice to do it tonight because the MW who is on call at the hospital is my favorite one. Oh well, I'm certainly not going to hold my breath. The MW guessed the baby's weight at about 7 1/2 lbs. My dd was 7 lbs. 14 oz at 41 weeks so I can see that being about right.

Anyway, that's what's going on here. Sending labor vibes in everybody's directions.

Welcome bargaindiva!!! Feel free to jump right in and cry along with us.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

My OB called this afternoon,and said she got the U/S report.. Amniotic fluid is good.. (hurray.. had problems with it being low last pg) And the baby was already over 7lbs last week.. SO figuiring a lb a week.. He's already more than 8 lbs!!!









Last ds was 8lb 13 oz, and got stuck, and had to be pulled out and ended up with a broken collarbone.. I SOOO don't want to have to go through that again.. So my Dr. said if i don't go by this week she wants to induce me to avoid that scenerio again.. I have to agree.. The only problem i have with it.. (other than the ctx are worse, blah blah blah) is that this is actually a vbac because ds 1 was breech, so that really sorta ups my chances for a rupture with induction..









So it is becoming imperitive that this babe gets out here pronto!!! I go in to see her Friday, and hopefully i won't make it because we will have a baby.. She's on call at the hospital tomorrow, so having a baby tomorrow would be GREAT







for me...

Hope everyone is staying cool.. I too am a cleaning freak right now.. I never clean.. My house shows it!!
















Warm Squishy Feelings.. (for the 3rd time today.. I really need to get a life







: )

Dyan


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Pynki- what a bummer that the ctx stopped







Hopefully things will get going soon and you won't go through an induction! I'm sure you know, but remember that standing or squatting gives you a lot more room to birth the baby, so don't take this lying down! (or sitting up!!) Sending you come out soon baby vibes!!

Charmie- Sounds promising!! I wish my body would "do something"







: some days I don't even feel pg, and I'm due in 2 weeks!

Midwife came yesterday and she scheduled my next appt for the 24th (day after my due date!) and I told her noooo, I won't be pregnant then! She laughed and said it can be a postpartum visit







I haven't had an exam at all, so I have no idea if I'm dialated or effaced at all. I don't think I want to know! And, I doubt I am since I've barely had any ctx, only a couple that actually hurt. It's all good, though, I talk to the baby every night and ask her to wait until my friend gets here (week from today!) so looks like she's listening







We went to the pool this weekend, and oooh that felt good! I want to go back, but dh is working and I can't handle two kids at the pool by myself! My 4yo starts swimming lessons on the 14th, so if I'm still pg, I'll get to take him to that and get in the pool some more..(if I'm not, then dh will be on leave and he'll take him)


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Holy we're all nesting!!
I got so much stuff done yesterday and have a list again today! But the great part is I have the energy and desire to do it.
We cleaned the bedrooms and the bathroom yesterday....everything!!! Walls, curtains washed, dusted, recaulked the tub....LoL.....and I still had time to watch my soap in the afternoon








Thankfully dd is helping me do all this stuff or nothing would be getting done!

I hope that things get moving for you Dyan!! And Charmie (are you still with us??) And all of us really!







Although, mil is coming Friday, so I can wait till then.....I feel like if I keep asking babe to wait until this day....babes going to get too comfy and never come out!







:

I got my first annoying "have you had that baby yet" phone call! The worst part is that I just seen this person the night before, so she calls me 12 hours later....yeah ok!







:
Suppose to be going horseback riding either today or tomorrow...hopefully dh is up to doing the deed too so we can atleast start things moving for our Saturday birth (yes wishful thinking!!!







)

The weather has cooled off here....the wind has a nice cool breeze....I hope you all get a break from the heat too!!
Anyways, dd just got up, so I better go and get breakfast going and start my list of things to do....living room, dining room and kitchen today...and I really need to make some brownies or something craving chocolate big time!!!









Take care all.....Birthvibes all around!!! And welcome Bargindiva!!









Jen






















~~~ Birth vibe dust!!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

I wish that I was nesting like everybody else. It's all I can do to keep the kitchen and living room clean, I'm sooo pooped.

So as of yet the only thing that stripping my membranes has done for me is give me a backache so horrible that I slept for like 4 hours last night. Oh well, I guess I should take the hint, baby's coming when baby feels like coming. I really hope that I get to cancel my MW appointment for next Monday though.

The weather is nice again here, so maybe we'll take a walk to the store today to get wrapping paper for my MIL's B-day gift. Her b-day is today, SIL's tommorow, one of my nephew's on Saturday, my dh on Sunday and me next Tuesday! Maybe baby is waiting so it wont have to share a b-day









Talk to you all later....

Charmie, you're very quiet, does that mean you've beat me to the goal??!!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Man, I really wish I had the nesting energy that you have, Jen. I've been sooooo lazy lately that my house is just barely staying maintained. We did manage to get the floors vacuumed and mopped yesterday, and I'm keeping up on laundry pretty well (I have to because I only have about three shirts that fit me right now and DS manages to pee through his entire wardrobe every 1-2 days







).

I got out the wool today and cut out about 7 small/medium diaper covers based on the small ME AirFlow. I won't need 7 wool covers, I don't think; but I got in a groove and just kept cutting. I'd like to sew/serge them up today, but I'm upset because they're these really pretty autumn colors and all I have to serge them with is either bright orange, white, red, forest green, pastel variegated, or christmas variegated, none of which go. And then there's the fact that my only choices for snap colors are red, lavender, or white







. I'd love some ivory snaps and thread, but don't have the $$ or a vehicle right now (not that I could get the snaps locally anyway!).

Samuel is still his wonderful self (dripping with sarcasm). He's been less grouchy today, but not by much. I'm really starting to think that it has more to do with being cooped up in the house all day than it does to do with Atley coming. Oh, and no, DH did NOT ride is bike to work today. Nor did he fix it this weekend







. I'm soooo not happy with this arrangement!!

Jason's Nana and Granddad are coming up on Wednesday or Thursday to stay for a week or so. They have a motor home, so there'll be no entertaining involved. If I haven't had baby by the time they get here, they'll take Samuel to the motorhome one night and DH and I will get to see a movie or something. I'm kinda hoping that happens, but would also really like to have a baby by Wednesday or Thursday. I guess we'll just see. At least if I have baby while they're here, there won't be any question about who will take care of Samuel; that's the entire reason they're coming.

MBM, I'm sorry your babymoon time is running out! I hope you have baby SOON and make yourself take the time you need to relax afterwards!!

Dyan, I feel so bad for you that your labor stopped. How frustrating!! Hopefully soon you'll get in a groove and have that baby w/o an induction!!!!!

Jen, I hear you on the phone calls. I went to church on Sunday and got so tired of "how are you feeling?" Well, I'm HUGE PREGNANT!? How do you think I feel? And then of course there were all of the well meaning "when are you going to get induced?" questions. Umm...not unless hell freezes over, people!! BTDT, don't want to do it EVER again!

DH is home for lunch, so I'm off. Maybe we'll have a baby tonight, but I'm not betting on it.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Hey Charmie!!

No wonder it took so long for my post to post. We were doing it at the same time.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Last night I took the kids to swim practice and walked into a room full of parents. "Are you still here?" Well DUH! Didn't I say I'd let you know if I had the baby???

And then there's the other question which is especially annoying to homebirthers like myself: " How long will they *let* you go?"

And then there's "Are you having any signs?" What exactly do they want to know? Don't want to really discuss my cervix or vaginal secretions with acquaintences, kwim?
























And finally there are the people who say, " You haven't dropped yet, you don't look low enough." Well folks, I'm shortwaisted. There's no place else for it to go. And my babies never seem to drop till labor anyway.










So, I joined you all in a symbolic "doing of the deed" last night. I told dh he needed to do his part in the war effort.







ANd while fun, it didn't seem to do anything.

Feeling quite low today,
MM

On the bright side, I have finished sewing 3 wonderful nursing sundresses.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:

And then there's "Are you having any signs?" What exactly do they want to know? Don't want to really discuss my cervix or vaginal secretions with acquaintences, kwim?








oh my god That made me laugh!!!!

My energy has run dry for the day....just got the living room done (which is a really big room), but in addition to the walls, I moved the book case and put up a shelf for dh's hockey memorabilia....he better like it!!








3 neighbour kids came over to play with Evy and helped me hang the shelf....it was pretty heavy! I hope it stays put!!
I still have the chocolate craving, but didn't bake anything....I did find some chocolate covered almonds in the fridge though









Holy birthdays this month Miranda!!

Anyways, just thought I'd pop on....I'm hoping dd will go for a nap...and she's been fighting it...sometimes if I get online she'll go....yesterday she had no nap though, and today may be a repeat!







: Although she's not being too whinny!

Take care all.....More birth dust coming all your ways








Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

MBM, I'm with you. Even when I was getting checked once or twice a week with Samuel, I wouldn't tell people how dilated I was. I just think that's personal info, KWIM? My MIL just about had a heart attack when she asked "are you dilating yet" and my answer was "you know, that's really a really personal question and we're not telling anyone the answer to it." I guess women are just supposed to not care when they're pregnant







:. I know if I'd gone around when we were TTC and said "well, my cervix is high and open today, so there's a good chance of conception if we have sex tonight" people would have thought me crass and rude. But I don't see the difference in that and keeping people apprised of my dilation and effacement during late pregnancy!

This time around it's been easier to fend off those questions since my answer is literally "I don't know; I won't let the MW check me because it doesn't mean anything anyway." You'd be suprised how many people agree with me when I say that. I'm like "then WHY ARE YOU ASKING?!"

Ugh...Samuel woke up at 6:30 this morning. For a reference point, that's two hours earlier than normal. And he was up at 2:30am too. My kiddo has had issues with things, but sleep has never, ever been one of them. I know that waking up at 2:30 for two nights in a row hardly constitutes sleep issues, but I sure hope we're not headed down that road at two and a half!!

Me, I was up until 3:00am this morning, so I would have been tired if he'd woken up at the normal 8:30. As it stands now, I'm a zombie. Can we say "EARLY NAP?!" If this keeps up, I may just have to take up coffee drinking!!

Speaking of...I'm off to find something to help wake me up (but not coffee b/c it'll give me heartburn *sigh*).


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

Wow, after reading your posts I feel like such a slug!!! Camping, fairs, nesting/cleaning, making diaper covers and sundresses - I'm so jealous. Before this baby I ran 40 miles a week, now I consider getting off the couch a workout. If I didn't have to pee so much I might not move at all!!!!

Today is my edd - I want her out!!!!









JEN~ this made me LOL!!!!!

Quote:

we better have lots of sex the next few days...and he actually moaned like it was too much work!!!! I said what's with that, and he said, I'm tired and have to work the next two days....
What a weenie - did you manage to put him in his place??? haha. Just tell him most men would kill to be a sex slave....

ROSE~Thanks for the welcome! You're so good doing the laundry - DH did his own last night. But I did clean the microwave yesterday...

PYNKI~Sorry about the labor! I would have started bawling









CHARMIE~I get the comments at church too. I've started heading them off by greeting people with the following: "Yes, I'm STILL HERE!!!!"









MM~I agree with you on the vaginal secretions bit - like just because you're sporting a beach ball up front you have NO modesty any more. I mean, why don't you just walk up to me, peel back my lower lip and examine my teeth a la horse auction style....sheesh! Oh, and DTD hasn't helped me either. Your sundresses sound GREAT. And I like your "Soli Deo Gloria"!!!!!

The other day the guy at the meat counter was telling me how long and hard labor was going to be....quite a nice discussion over the organic free range hormone free lean chicken sweet Italian sausages....what-EVER!!!!

Anyone else had their membranes stripped (MIRANDA-anything new yet)???? I may sell out and have it done Thursday....I've had two servings of EP (eggplant parmesan), done NS with a breast pump, acupressure, walking, DTD and nothing.

Sorry for the whining!!!! hope you all have a great day with lots of labor dust/vibes. I want some birth stories!!!!

peace,
bargaindiva


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

<<<<<<I know if I'd gone around when we were TTC and said "well, my cervix is high and open today, so there's a good chance of conception if we have sex tonight" people would have thought me crass and rude. But I don't see the difference in that and keeping people apprised of my dilation and effacement during late pregnancy!<<<<<<

Exactly!







LOLOLOL

Well, yesterday we had massive rains and storms. Not wanting to get struck by lightning ( silly me!) I didn't go close up the barn. Everything got soaked. Dh was so mad. He went to bed without speaking and left for work in the dark this morning. So in a huff, I went out and shoveled packed mud and straw out of the hog pens, cleaned the chicken pen and did a darn good job too. If he complains, I will say, "hey - look at who the work force is - a 10 mo. pregnant woman and 3 kids, who are here while you're working 12 hrs a day!."









Chocolate covered almonds Jen? Yummmmmm.









Charmie - wishing you a nice long nap









MBM - now at due date plus eight







:


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

So, I've figured it out. I will be pregnant forever! But hey at least now I know why! My dd isn't going to let me have this baby. Everytime I start having real contractions she decides she needs to climb all over me or neeeds me to play this or get that for her, then the cntx. go away. I've tried to keep her occupied while I have them like taking a walk with her riding her tricycle, but as exhausted as I am I can only walk so much. My dh works all day, so when I have cntx. while he's not here it's just us. We've gone to my best friend's house ( my dd's former daycare lady ) so that she can play with her friends and I can get some time without her stuck to me, but the last few times we've gone she gets into it with this little 4 yo boy that goes there and she has a TOTAL meltdown, making things worse then they were to begin with. Also she used to go to bed at about 9 o'clock, now as of about 2 weeks ago, she has decided that 10 or 11 would be much better, the only thing that's changed is my size and shape, not our routine or anything.







:

So anyway, there's my theory.

Hope everybody else is hangin' in.


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

I seriously almost strangled DH yesterday. He was trying to be "helpful" and make me laugh with gentle teasing (which we normally do back and forth all the time), except that my sense of humor is pretty much nonexistent at this point. Nearly everything he said touched a nerve and made me cry. Then he felt bad (and probably confused at the non-stop waterworks) and gave me lots of hugs and did his best to avoid saying anything that might set me off again. He's back a work today, so I'm home alone which is probably for the best. He's a great guy, but I'm trying not to use up all his patience before the baby even gets here!

My hands and feet are ok in the morning, but by early evening they are really swollen. I get really crabby at night because my skin feels so tight and I can't find a comfortable position to sit in. This morning the baby's head was really pushing against my pelvis! See, he or she WANTS to come out...now all I have to do is get my uterus to comply and start contracting for real (instead of the wimpy one I'm feeling right now). I have no idea how those of you who are post-edd are coping as well as you are!

On the bright side, the heat has let up a bit! It's even overcast which is giving some relief from the relenting sunshine of the past week or so. It might even rain today, which would be great for the trees. They are looking pretty dry. DH has been watering my small veggie/herb garden for me, but it's still struggling. I was hoping to have some radishes to eat this week, but between the heat and the local bunny population they aren't doing too well!

Hang in there mamas!


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

Hi, Rose:
I'm a pretty logical in-control person and its so scary for me to be crying at nothing! I totally hear you....when I don't get sleep that's how I get. HATE it!


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

My thoughts on what other people think is appropriate have to do with who is touching you "down there." If you're touching yourself to see if you're fertile, that's TMI, gross, crass, icky. However, if a medical professional is touching you, then it's acceptable, respectable, etc., etc.

Utterly ridiculous, of course. It's your body, you have the right to know whatever info you want to know about it, by whatever means necessary, AND the right to not spread that info if you don't want to.

I have a prenatal tomorrow. I skipped the last one - wasn't feeling well on Sat., the date I was originally scheduled for, then missed my time on Mon. due to another appt.

I really have to get in gear and do some cleaning/straightening/organizing, find a doula, rent a tub, start perineal massage, refresh my birth prep.... That's me, the queen of procrastination. As uncomfortable as I've been this time around, I do hope I go at least to my EDD. Then maybe I'll be ready.







: Who am I kidding?

I've been in a funk lately, which is why I haven't posted (now that I have no trouble doing so) or done much prep. I've been such a bitchy grouchy momma and wifey that I don't know why dh&s have put up with me at all. My poor baby; I've had NO patience with him lately. Maybe if I get a few things done I'll feel better. I have done some laundry and that's helped me feel less overwhelmed.

Anyway, I want to make this quick, as I really should eat something.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

*sigh* Miranda, do you know that there's only a 4% chance that either of us will have our babies tomorrow (d-day)? I guess at least I don't have to spend the whole day thinking "maybe this is it" because the odds are stacked severely against me!!

Pam, you're the one birthing with dr. elvove, right? Was the conclusion that you can have a homebirth? I remember something about the final decision being at 38 weeks. But I could have you totally confused with someone else, so if I do, just ignore me. ITA on why people think cervical checs in late pregnancy are appropriate. I know that if I said "well, the MW hasn't checked, but Jason did the other day and..." I'd probably not get anyone asking me about it again :LOL. I guess what doctors/midwives do to you is allowed to be a matter of public record, but what you or your DH does isn't. Kinda makes sense, in a way, but only in a really twisted way.

I've also decided that I'm not ever having a baby. DH's boss told him (jokingly) today that I need to make sure I have this baby on DH's time, not the Air Force's, so that means that it'll have to wait until the week in December or January that DH gets for the holidays. When DH told me this, he was very clear that boss was joking, making sure I wasn't going to be offended. Quite the contrary, my answer was "well, be sure to tell Sgt. Bowman tomorrow that it's a distinct possibility baby will be born on your time about 6 months from now, at the rate things seem to be progressing."

I have figured it out, though. Baby doesn't want to come out because he's been witness to how I've been treating Samuel lately. Honestly, I wouldn't want to join this family either, if I knew I was going to have *me* for a mother







. Poor Samuel; poor mama. We're just going crazy and about ready to kill each other







:. So I think that Atley has concluded that he'd rather never come out and have to deal with me as a mama. How to resolve that, I don't know...I'm not sure I can explain to him that once he's OUT, everyone will feel much better and there won't be as much animosity in the house as there is now!!

Anyway...I'm sure that Nana and Granddad (Jason's grandparents) will come tomorrow and leave on the 18th with me still pregnant. After all, the 18th is only 8 days "late." *sigh* Maybe I'll end up with an August baby afterall. That was DH's first comment when he found out I was pregnant: "maybe you can wait till Aug. 2 and give me a really great birthday present."







He jinxed me. I know he did it. It's all his fault!!!














I just keep thinking "by this time, Samuel was 5 days old." I'm so tired of being pregnant!!

I hope everyone else is coping better than I am. Particularly you, MBM, since you're actually "late" and have actually have something to gripe about (and yet you're doing remarkably well at not griping about it, unlike me!!). I can't wait to read your UC story!! DH really wanted this one to be a UC, but for a lot of reasons, I wasn't comfortable with it just yet. Maybe next time...

((BLESSINGS))


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

dear ladies : I'm here reading all your "waiting" tales, I feel for you all, esp in the heat, with kids who are going nutty, with husbands being less than appreciative of how hard it is...


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Still waiting.... though edd is 20th, (mine, the real one , is the 17th) I'm starting to get scared. DD1 was induced unsuccessfully 10 days postdue and was born with a c/s, and I feel that my fluid is starting to decrease a bit. I don't want another experience like that! I can't be away from dd1 for 4 days to heal from surgery, she still bf's!

And I don't think I can handle another Leo in the house









Let's all pop 'em soon, ladies!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Simonee - keep chugging those liquids! I was just reading an article in the Mothering archives yesterday about induction. A generation ago, the doctor said, "you'll have your baby in July or August," and these days we fixate on a date. Hang in there.

Rose - So exciting that you are having your first baby. There is nothing like your first! Such a special time. My first baby just took off on his bike to go teach swimming lessons. They grow up so fast.

Emmaline - glad you're hanging around for us! So weird to think that someone in Australia is reading our daily ups and downs.

Bargaindiva - I'm a runner too, though my last run was in December. I did lots of power walking up until about 3 weeks ago when I thought the baby was going to come soon - the joke's on me. Dreading that first postpartum run . .. ...

Poor dh, I kept him up late last night. Doing the deed like crazy around here, to no avail . . . . . .







:

MBM - edd 7/1


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well..

Ifeel really "Crampy" today ladies. .LIke I'm getting my period.. Only no ctx, and we all know that's not even possible!!!!









Dh says that's a good sign, but after what happened earlier this week..... I'm not holding my breath.. THe baby did drop yesterday though... I thought that didn't happen in consequential pgs.. Oh well.. I"m always the nutter..

It is REALLY odd to think that i am writing all this stuff down, and sharing it with pg momma on the opposite side of the globe.. (Hi opposite side of the globe momma!!!!







) FUnny how we are all having the same issues..
.

Charmie...

I totally know how you are feeling... ALll i feel i do is grump at the boys.. I had them tell LIam this morning to come out already.. They want to see him.. We'll see if that works..

SInce we already know i'm not making to my due date.. I REALLY want to go into labor naturally, and avoid that induction next week (or maybe this weekend.. ) if at all possible...

Sending labor dust to everyone.. (and dousing my self with it liberally!!)













































































































































































































Warm Squishy Feelings...

DYan


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

I'm still here too. 5 days til my friend gets here, 13 days til due date. I know I shouldn't fixate on that date..but it's hard not to!

In a lot of ways,I'm happy it doesn't appear to be soon, since I want my friend/doula to be here, but in some ways, I'm sad beause I was having all these ctx and signs with my other two at this point, so I'm a little worried about what this means







:

We're meeting our homeschool group at the mall today for our monthly stroller walk with the little guys..and dh just pissed me off before he left for work, so I'm going to call him and yell at him and then go do some walking







I'll post more later!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Feeling really good today---finally! I woke up and it was so cool in my bedroom with a breeze that I just hopped (ok, slowly dragged) myself out of bed. I'm hoping to be really productive today...

MBM & Bargain Diva~Thank you for your sympathy and inspirational words! I'm DEFINITELY feeling better today. I haven't had a crying jag in over 24 hours--yay!
Simonee~I've been wondering whether a Cancer or a Leo would fit in better around here...
Charmie~Hang in there! I can't imagine dealing with these late pregnancy emotions with a toddler around. I've got little patience as it is for poor DH, and he's fairly self-sufficient...mostly...







:
Emmaline~Thank you for checking in. I hope your little one is doing well!

I've been getting a lot of comments and questions, too. Several people that I don't know have told me to have lots of sex!







Although I don't like being put on the spot with questions/comments that seem too personal to me, there is something humorous to me about having almost perfect strangers ask me about my most private bodily functions. I've found that the easiest way to stop the flow of questions is to be EXTRA graphic in my responses. That seems to shut people up very quickly. They are afraid I won't stop describing things!







I make sure to use words like "mucus" a lot...

Well, gotta run and get some work done. Hope to hear a birth annoucement from someone soon!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by rose_
*I've found that the easiest way to stop the flow of questions is to be EXTRA graphic in my responses. That seems to shut people up very quickly. They are afraid I won't stop describing things!







I make sure to use words like "mucus" a lot...*










Umm...has anyone noticed that we have yet to have any July babies *born in JULY*?!?! I wonder how many days into this month we can go w/o having a baby? Surely we're working on some sort of record here?!?!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Morning all.....
I was going to post last night, but decided to take matters into my own hands and go horseback riding








My dr's appt sucked!!! He didn't do an internal, which like so many of you have said means squat anyways, but he did my blood pressure and got all serious and said, you need to lay down and rest for atleat 2 days, you bp is very high.
Of course dd was with me and he admitted it would be hard with a toddler, but it was imparative that I do that....
So I did take it easy yesterday....I still wanted to clean the dining room/kitchen, but not going to happen.....we sat outside all day instead....then I decided to go riding with my friends daughter....I love riding...very relaxing.
Of course I gave babe a good ride







and talking to that it's time now!

My appt was ok otherwise...didn't gain anymore weight, babe hrate was fine....just the bp on my part....although as you all know I've been running around doing too much since last Thurs getttin ready for camping so now it's time to relax. I also found out that my dr is away this weekend...so if we go (which I am actually hoping for







) I won't get him.....







He's pretty much giving me a day here and there to do this!







: Maybe that's why babe isnt' coming yet (although I do have a week till dd







) He also talked about "the Plan" we'll have to come up with on my 18th appt...since he leaves the 20th....I told him I'm not making it that far!!

Mil comes tomorrow....so that will be helpful (i hope)

Charmie~~I can't believe there have been no July babes in July yet either! I hope that Samual has a better day today!
Rose~~We have a beautiful breeze here today...when I woke up I thought, today is a good day to have a babe
Emmaline~








Dyan~hope those cramps and babe down mean all is moving along!







for you!!
MBM~They do grow up so fast....yesterday dd went with our neighbour for a car ride...she calls her gramma and she might as well be, but I remember a couple months ago, she wouldn't go anywhere without me or dh.....all she said yesterday was bye mommy, bye daddy








Tandemmama~enjoy your walk!
Simonee~~I'm hoping to not have another Leo also!

Ok ladies...lets get moving here!! We got to have a July babe soon. I've been drinking my raspberry tea like it's going out of style







I think we're going shopping today too....not sure yet....I just can't lay around and do nothing...I feel better today though after taking a break yesterday.

Anyways, take care all, I have to go pay some bills
Jen





























for all!


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

Hello all:

I'm wondering if you guys had/have a pain med backup plan and what it is. Epi or systemic? Tranqs or analgesics?

Very interested to hear people's thoughts....


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Bargindiva~~ I think I will go with an epidural should I not be able to "handle" or whatever the pain.....I had one with dd (cause of the section, I was able to handle the contrax) so that is what I am most comfy with....I didnt' have any problems afterwards, was able to walk in an hour after my c-sec and was able to nurse Evy as soon as I came out of recovery.

That being said....I know I can handle labour.....as long as they keep that pitocin away (which they are!







)

Jen

p.s. As you can see I haven't made it off the board yet :LOL


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Okay Charmie....I say let's totally beat the odds and BOTH have our babies today!! Yeah, right:LOL .

Ladies, I really thought that real labor was starting yesterday pm. I had passed lots of mucous all day ( I know, TMI ) and I was having regular, painful cntx. 5 mins. apart for 2 hours. My back started to hurt and I was tired so I wanted to rest in case this was it, so I went to bed and it just all went away. I guess I should have stayed awake and DTD with dh. Oh well...more mucous this morning, I guess we'll see what the day has in store.

I want to find something to keep me occupied, even though I have low energy I just can't take lazing around the house, it makes the time dddrrraaagggg.....

rose ~ maybe your feeling really good today is a sign!!

bargaindiva ~ I have to confess that I haven't really given much thought to a pain releif back up plan. I didn't have any with dd and I did have some pitocin at the very end of labor to help me get past the cervical lip that I'd had for hours. I guess that I just figure that it's gotta be easier this time around ( not really a very safe assumption, I know ) so I haven't worried about it. Maybe I should.

Pynki ~ I hope that those cramps are a positive sign. I know you're as ready as I am!!

MM ~ I, too, am really impressed about how well you're doing. Not complaining like me, the wimp!! Did you mention yesterday that you mucked out a barn!!?? You are REALLY doing everything you can to get that baby to come!

Well, I'm hungry, off to find something I feel like eating.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I'm eating the chocolate ice cream I've felt like eating since 7:30 am. I've been holding off because it's not a good example for Samuel to see me eating ice cream for breakfast. Like a mid-morning snack is much better...







:.

BargainDiva, speaking from my experience with Samuel, if there's a backup plan that involves meds, then you might as well just call that your plan. For me, as long as there was an "out," then I was going to take it. The pitocin didn't help, either. My plan this time is a waterbirth (or labor, at least) at a freestanding birth center. There are no meds available. My backup plan is that I'll be able to do anything I need to do to cope with NORMAL, non-pitocin contractions







. I'm really looking forward to a natural birth, w/o the hospital gown, the IV, the monitors, the pit, the epidural, etc.

Okay, that said...I don't think there's really any acceptable pain management med for women in labor. Last time I went with the epidural because I'd heard that the injected narcotics don't relieve the pain, they just make you so drugged that you can't do anything with the pain. Kinda lock you inside of your pain, so to speak. So I didn't want that. Plus they're VERY bad for nursing relationships because they make baby really, really tired and their half-life is something like 72 hours in a newborn. So when it came to the point where I couldn't handle it anymore, I went for the epidural. This was a viable option because it seemed like so many people had it and raved about how wonderful it was. I still wasn't thrilled with the idea of baby getting narcotics, but I *needed* something. Well, two hours later, I was still paralyzed from the epidural, but I could feel 100% of EVERY contraction. No WAY would I do that again. EVER. I have a friend who had the same thing happen with her epi. Funny thing is, she's also planning to birth at the birth center with her next baby. We both feel that anything has to be better than being paralyzed, strapped to a bed, with an IV and monitors and still able to feel every contraction!!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

I love how everyone is posting so much - hehe. Can you take another one from me? I am picturing this board as a sort of LLL meeting, and we are getting noisier and noisier!

Bargaindiva - regarding pain meds - well, I'm no superhero, but I've had 3 children at home without any meds. I guess I'm going into it thinking that pain meds are not an option. I think of the global and historical picture, where such a thing REALLY isn't an option. I will get through this. Remember Star Wars? Picture Yoda saying "There is no 'try.' Do, or do not." LOL!

I remember before I had my first baby, we drove 2 hrs to take a Bradley Class. I thought I was all prepared with relaxation techniques, etc. When it came down to it, I was stunned by the force of labor - how my body took over and I was not in control anymore. There is no way you can describe that to someone. More than anything, it was my experience as a runner that got me through. The sort of work that labor entailed was more akin to getting through a workout of 10x400 yds sprints than anything else I had learned. I ran a marathon a couple yrs ago. I remember saying that it was more of a mental effort just to stay on my feet for 4+ hours, than it was physically difficult. Try to find something like that in your background to draw on, knowing that the meds are there as a backup in case you get to that point.

I think it was on one of these boards that I read, " at the moment you are giving birth, so are 299,000 other women on the planet. Isn't that a fascinating thought?

Ran some errands this morning. Stocking up for birth AGAIN!!!!!!








ild MBM


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

JEN: I've heard the same thing on the Pit. How cool to have done it once already. One contraction at a time, right? That's my fear, though, is being totally able to get thru labor pain, transition, etc. and ending up with a sec. Do you mind me asking what happened? My doula got stuck in 6 hours of transition and ended up with a sec...yowza.

CHARMIE and MM: I so agree with you about an 'out'. I thought I was the only one on the planet who thought that way. People keep urging me to have a backup plan and I've been kind of against it and was wondering what you guys were doing about it. But, at the same time I'm one of those that likes to have the bases covered early so I'm not making decisions in the middle of some circumstance. Funny that you mention Yoda - that's been my saying for the longest time! My philosophy (also as a long distancer) is that if you enter a race, enter it with the intention of not just finishing but winning. People think that that attitude sets you up for massive disappointment, but contentment is a state of mind, not a circumstance. As long as I put one foot in front of the other I'm winning. If I come back having had a sec, though, remind me that I said that because I'll probably feel ripped. JEN: How did you deal with that? CHAR, I have the same concern about the epi- especially because I'm one of those hard-to-medicate redheads. Thanks for your imput on that.

MIRANDA: I thought labor started for me yesterday, too (it was my DD, after all). But, I'm still here, so it wasn't. They were going all afternoon and stopped around 8. I was getting hopeful and excited. I need something to keep me amused, too....I could clean and vacuum....

Go PYNKI- Go ROSE!!!! Maybe you're getting labor beams early from the coming full moon....

This blows me away! Thanks:

"....at the moment you are giving birth, so are 299,000 other women on the planet. Isn't that a fascinating thought?...."

Thank you, fellow Birth Warriors, all for your thoughts. I'm planning a water labor at a birth center, too, but its attached to a hospital, not free standing. Its pretty 'traditional' and 'medical' around here (winston salem, NC). DH has been preparing for the last nine months to help me thru pain.

Now all I have to do is go into labor, same as you guys!!!!

peace,
aletha


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by bargaindiva_
*CHAR, I have the same concern about the epi- especially because I'm one of those hard-to-medicate redheads. Thanks for your imput on that.*
Wow, no one's called me Char in ages







. Used to be my nickname in high school. But that's not my point; tell me more about this hard to medicate redhead thing! I thought I'd read it all regarding epidurals, but I've not hear this and it intrigues me because both my friend and I are redheads







.








T
I've been busy making up my instruction page for making easy prefolds: making prefolds. Overall, I like diapersewing.com, but I find her instructions for prefolds to be WAYYY too difficult!! But now that I'm done with that, I have to go and find something else to entertain me *sigh*.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

BargainDiva ~ I'm a red head too!!!! I think I've heard it vaguely mentioned that we are harder to medicate, but don't know the details...do tell!


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

Hello again:

Last October one of my midwives told me about a recent and credible study (published in JAMA maybe??? I remember it was a journal even I had heard of) that had been done about anesthetics and they came up with the conclusion that redheads require higher dosages of pain meds for the same relief as control groups. I don't remember much about the details of the study, i.e., exactly which meds they tested, etc. Next time I see them I can get more info.

I have found that to be true, though. I got in a car accident and they gave me demerol and it didn't do a thing, it was like I hadn't taken anything at all. Same with codeine and the ole wisdom teeth. And, (true confessions) I tried weed like twice and gave up because even it didn't have an effect on me!

Anyway, I think I'm seeing my MP! Labor moonbeams to all!

aletha


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

CHARMIE: I just looked at your prefold page and I must say

you are amazing!!!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Bargaindiva...

I read that same thing.. I am not a red head per say naturally..














: , but i do have a lot of red in my hair... Anysun time i turn more reddish/orangish than any kind of blond.. So i just keep my hair dark.. I have a really hard time with pain meds not doing what they are supposed.. I wonder who tylenol without codeine REALLY works for..







: My dentist has to give me 4 x what she would normally give patients for fillings and what not.. When i had my tonsils taken out last year.. (which i absolutely DO NOT suggest for anyone over the age of 6!!!) the tylenol 3 they gave me was NOT cutting it.. My mother... (don't get me started on that one!!!) was there in the recovery room with dh, and i was still wimpering that it hurt soooo bad.. My mother.. (used to be a nurse) told the post op nurse that i needed more pain relief.. The post op nurse told her that what they gave me should be working.. IT was NOT!!! so my mother (who i usually have GIANT issues with ) told them it obviously wasn't and to give me something else.. So i got a shot of something on top of EVERYTHING else they gave me.. It finally stopped hurting.. Seriously folk on a scale of 1-10 it was like a 20!!! AWFUL!!!!

WOW this is sooooo OT!!!







Oh well sue me.. I'm pregnant..









I put all the car seats in the car this evening getting ready.. You know just in case I actually HAVE A BABY!!!







: ... My OB appt is tomorrow so we will see where we are in the induction front.. (I REALLY DON"T WANT TO BE INDUCED!!!) Last babe had a broken clavical though, and i don't want to have to deal with that again either.. Some women maybe able to birth a 9lb baby... I just don't think I'm one of them after that...

Hope everyone who wants to goes in to labor TONITE!!!!

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

just to remind you ladies who will soon have littlies like mine - thetywake up a lot at night!!!! aidan is doing lots of feeding overnight and has gained one kilogram in two weeks!! sorry can't think what that is in pounds - 2.2 lb maybe


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

So, Pynki:

Any progress? I was 1 cm. 50% yesterday. Big deal.

It must have been so hard for you to have your little baby with a broken bone already in his little life!!!

Speaking of carseats, Wubby now has a carseat AND Pooh sunshades in his manly SUV. She's already got him wrapped around her little finger. He even bought her two more outfits which she so doesn't need. SO CUTE!!!!

The bags are packed and we're ready to go. I even made my own popsicles out of recharge and protein powder. Got some Luna bars (nutz over chocolate of course). Just waiting now!

EMMALINE: Your Aidan sounds like a healthy energetic one! 2.2 lbs. would make the pediatricians over here jump for joy. Mine wakes up at night and sleeps during the day already and she's not even out yet!!!!

aletha


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Morning all......

Mil just called, she's on her way







Dh is mad, he wanted babe to come last night so he wouldn't have to work this weekend







: Like I have any control. Although babe is super low now, we went shopping yesterday and I felt like I was walking with a ball between my legs.... I know you can all relate!









Bargindiva~~I ended up with a section after around 27 hrs of labour....my water had been broken for around 10-15 hrs, I was starting to get a fever and had been stuck at 6 cm for almost 8 hours.....so after dr checking me, then getting a second opinion....he said we'll have to do a section. At that point I was just wanting to be done....I had been on pitocin for a couple hours and that stuff sucked!!!! I was able to get through every contraction before hand no problem...I just stared at the clock and watched the second hand and breathed (deep breaths, not the hee hee breaths).
Anyways, as for dealing with the section....I was ok with it for three reasons....the first and most important...dd had a huge knot in her cord that had she started to travel farther down the canal would have cut off her oxygen etc...and probably died, at the very least I would have ended up with an emergency section and who knows what the outcome would have been. And second, I really like my dr....I feel like he was totally in the background for the majority of my labour...never offered me anything I didn't want (drugs) and didn't check me every hour expecting me to do stuff, I had tonnes of time (too much I sometimes think







) And third...I was not as informed about birth and the process.....I've read so much more this time...I only found this great place when dd was 6 months old too, and I find all you ladies a great source of inspiration.









Holy that was a book....sorry









So when is the full moon?? Ohhhh....the 13th....maybe we'll all have our babes this weekend!! That would be cool!! I've been feeling crampy today....so hopefully something happens.

My sil called yesterday and her and her man and my other sil and her hubby are all coming up on the 21st for a week!!







To see the babe....I told her that is only 1 week past my due date, so not to hold there breath for a babe. They are stayin at a cottage place around the lake, so that's good....she also promised they wouldn't be here the whole time...and I know she won't be...but still....when we had dd we made everyone stay away for 6 weeks....this time I'll have mil, fil and apparently the rest of dh's family around the lake.....atleast I don't mind telling people how it is anymore....I told dsil that if I need space I'll kick them out and send them back across the lake!









I agree with what all of you have said about back up med plan too.....I know I can handle it without med's, but at the same time I too like to have a decision made before I am there in the midst of it all so to speak.....I have told my dr that I don't want anything again, so I know it won't be offered







I won't have to worry about it anyways, babe and I had a talk, he/she is coming this weekend and we're going to do it quick so we can get home to Evy..









Anyways, Evy is awake, better get some food in her....talk to you all later....
Take care,
Jen






















COme on babes full moon is coming!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Hello all.

Just checking in to say I'm still here and I'm still huge! I have a really bad head ache today, so I don't really have anything to say except " come on full moon labor vibes!!! "

Talk to you all later.


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

Wow, JEN: You are a trooper. You really gave it 15000%. Your doctor sounds cool - definitely a plus. And WHAT A GREAT attitude-you are right, you can't feel let down when you've done far more than you ever thought you could do. I'm so glad to have found this board and all of you.

I'm making everyone stay away for at least four weeks (except my mom). As an FTM I need the space. My FIL isn't exactly one in front of whom one would want to leak over Chinese! After 4 weeks I'll be able to wear my BLIS (Lanisoh Breast Leakage Inhibitor System - anyone else used this?) and then bring on the ILS!!!

So, the 13th is the full moon - that's the dd that the midwives gave me (although Wed. was 40 weeks from the day she was conceived her dad tells me).

My mom is coming tomorrow so I've been dusting. I haven't dusted in so long!!! And I'm trying to go around and get all the spots off the carpet that I've been ignoring. ROIGHT!!!

Peace and labor moonbeams to all!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Nothing much to add from here either. Something new: after having beautiful skin for the entire pregnancy, I'm now starting to break out a bit - some hormonal change going on??

Emmaline - you're the milk goddess! You'll have to try and post a pic of your beefy guy. Didn't Ms Mom set up a place on Preg After Loss?

What do you all think of the name Hamish? ( Getting really desparate here . . . )

MBM


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I'll spare you all the longish story of my conversation with Jason's nana (his mom's mom) last night. But the basic gist of it is this: after 5 years of dealing with my MIL and thinking that she's totally insane (quite literally), but always questioning in the back of my mind if I'm the one making the relationship difficult, her OWN MOTHER agrees with me. I cannot tell you how nice it is to feel VALIDATED. I know that this will fix nothing as far as my relationship with MIL goes, but knowing that other people, much closer to her in family relationships, have the same issues with her, has finally convinced me that I'm truly not the difficult one in this relationship, no matter what MIL wants to tell me (and everyone else she speaks to about me







: )!!

Anyway...I just had to share that. I thought my water had broken this morning, but alas, it was just another gush of mucous. I'd really like to keep my water intact for as long as possible this time. Last time, after 27 hours of amniotic fluid leaking with every contraction, I just wanted to escape that awful, nauseating, sweet smell. I think besides the pitocin, that was one of the worst parts of my labor: being stuck with that smell (not a bad smell, but I just got tired of it).

Jen, your labor sounds an awful lot like mine, only I didn't end up with the section. Water broke, no ctx, 6 hours later they started the pit. 12 hours later I'd dilated 1/2cm (after TWELVE HOURS ON PIT














), got an epidural. Mean ole nurse manipulated my cervix from a 3 to a 6 "since you can't feel it anyway." Then when I got to 8, the epi wore off. Took another two hours to be complete. Pushed w/o the urge (because something had to be different), thus making DS, who was big anyway, turn into the posterior position. Then after 2 hours of pushing, dr. managed to turn him back to anterior and THEN he was born 30 mins later...27 hours after my water broke. I often wonder lately if the reason I wasn't threatened with a section was because my epidural wasn't working and they'd have to use a general on me







. My dr's section rate was also only 1%, though, so I really honestly believe that he only does sections when they're 110% medically necessary...

Anyway, this time WILL BE DIFFERENT. I want my water to stay intact







.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks Bargindiva







I'm kind of wishing they'd stay away...but it's so different with Evelyn.....that is the main reason that mil is coming; to help me with her, not the new babe. As for the rest of the family....fil is only coming for a couple days cause he is going out west at the end of the month and the sil's well, I don't think they will hang out here too much....and if they do I'll go and lay in bed with babe....I'm not planning on getting dressed for a couple days atleast anyways









MBM~~Hamish was the name we picked for a boy when we were pg with Evelyn...Hamish Wayne to be exact. Wayne after his grandpa and Hamish cause we both liked it.....we thought that we'd use that this time too....but both decided we like Yanic Ryan better....so we're going with that one.









Charmie~it's nice to know that you're not the only one who has "issues" with a family member isn't it. Glad to hear that. And you're right this time both our deliveries will be different







Hope your water stays in tact for you......

Miranda~~Hope your headache goes away.

I've been taking it easy so far today, well the weather has helped with that, we had some good thunderstorms this morning....so laundry went in the dryer instead of the line. I did clean out the pantry, now I just have to vac the dining room/kit and hallway (again).....then I will sit back and let mil do it all








Still kind of crampy today....but no sign of anything so far








I'm shooting for the 13/14th!!









Take care







labour vibes to all......
Jen


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

I had lots of cx last night (some back cx even--which is new), but they just disappeared.







Been feeling crampy today, though...

DH had a dream last night that I called him at work on a Saturday and told him to come home because I was in labor. He dreamt we had a little girl. The funny thing is, I had been thinking yesterday that a Saturday would be the perfect day to go into labor because of our schedules (wishful thinking). Then DH said, "But it won't be tomorrow." He says that there is no chance this baby will come early. Sigh... Maybe the full moon will help!

MBM~I have noticed my skin changing over the past two days, too! I wonder if that is a sign that things are moving along? Also, I think the name Hamish is adorable!

Bargaindiva~We are having a homebirth, so there will be no meds for pain. We did rent a birth tub, though---I guess that is part of our pain management plan. Never having given birth before, I have no idea what my tolerance for discomfort/pain during labor will be like, but DH has warned our neighbors in case I do a lot of yelling and swearing.









SOMEONE has to go into labor this weekend, ok? We all need a little inspiration!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

<<<SOMEONE has to go into labor this weekend, ok? We all need a little inspiration!<<

You know, this is getting a little comical. Here it is darn near the middle of the month and no July moms have had a baby in July yet.

There is a gorgeous moon out tonight.


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Wow!! you guys are posting a lot







it's hard to keep up LOL

I can't believe none of us have had our babes in July!

I'm still here (obviously) still very little ctx, nothing exciting happening. I'm pretty sure her head is still up high, because when I lay on my side I can feel it. Midwife hasn't checked for dialation at all, but I haven't asked her to...I don't feel like I'm close and I know that those numbers don't matter much.

I'm getting up early to have a yard sale tomorrow and Sunday my friend is taking some belly pics for me..Then Tuesday my friend gets here!! That's when we'll get serious about birthing


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Wow, don't check in for a couple of days and I have pages to read! Nothing new to report here except I'm INCREDIBLELY emotional, had a major breakdown last night because I just "couldn't" wash everything we need for our birth kit- you know those towels are just tooo much







: . Then I started crying because it is sooo hot here (104*) and I can't nest like my instincts are telling me, I even want to shampoo the carpets! I finally washed some floors at 10:00 last night and DH comforted me until I was under control and then he washed the bird poop off the outside windows this morning that has been bugging me for weeks.







Poor guy!

MBM- I love the name Hamish, my Mom calls my Dad that all the time as his nickname, we are Scottish and his middle name is Molick so I don't know where it comes from but its cute!

We love the name Aidan but I'm seeing sooo much of it on these boards the last few weeks. I know Emmaline named her son that







and DH thinks that Idaho is slow enough that we'll be on the high side of a trend but I just don't want 12 little boys in the same class with the same name. What does everyone think of Logan? The middle name is Zane for family reasons but I don't know if Logan Zane or Aidan Zane is a better choice. Ideas??

Shelby


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

I love Hamish, also Logan Zane though I'm a bit partial to Aidan Zane because of the A to Z thing









I'm having back pains, and my self-exam revealed that I'm starting to dilate (1/2 cm), which never happened with dd1 not even after 5 hours of pitocin.

I feel it's either this weekend or past due date (20th). My head hurts.

Come on mamas someone's gotta "use" that big moon face!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

ndmom,
I think Zane is a great name - that is our 7yo's first name, after my dh's uncle. We call him Zane man and the Zane-ster. No other Zanes around his age, though I have seen a few in baby announcements in the paper. Easy to spell, easy to say.

I woke up again with no baby - what's up with that??


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

WEll ladies...

I woke up at 4.30 am with REALLY painful cramping, and contracts.. Prtty much for 8 minutes straight.. I had to walk around and breath, focus on stuff.. Then when tht concentgrated time of pain wa done.. They were over..







: Story of my life this pg it seems.. (sigh)

Went to the OB yesterday.. We are scheduled for induction on the 16th if we don't go into labor before then.. I was dil to 2, but no more effaced than before..It' good to know all my ctx are doing something.. But i was hoping for a bit more than 2..

I REALLLY would rather go into labor this week-end than the induction, but I'm totally on board with the induction if that doesn't happen.. I Know our bodies are supposed to be able to do this, but honestly.. I don't know if mine is meant to.. A c-sec for our 1st...A high forcepts delivery for the 2nd.. Now an induction unless this guy starts co-operating..

Hopfully one of us will have a baby this week-end.. We just about have to don't we???

Warm Ssquishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Pynki_
*Hopfully one of us will have a baby this week-end.. We just about have to don't we???*
Nope, I'm beginning to think that none of us are going to have babies in July. I mean, here we are 12 days into the month, at least three of us PAST our edd (MBM is now 12 days past it!), and STILL NO BABIES! What is up with this?

I thought again last night that my water had broken. Nope...just more GOBS and GOBS of mucous. Howcome this stuff keeps coming out of me w/o bringing a baby with it? Still no contractions to speak of...

I'm off to eat breakfast and then call Nana and Granddad. Samuel stayed over with them last night at the motorhome. Oh...it's so nice to wake up when my body wants to rather than when Samuel pokes his head into my bed and says "mama, I want cereal" :LOL!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

No babe yet here either.....
Mil made it here ok, so I feel relaxed enough that we can get this show on the road!!! Dd was so happy to see her! Even slept with her for a total of 10 minutes last night.... then we could hear "where'd mommy go" a couple times, then they came over (rooms are right next to each other as our house is a big box :LOL )

Drinking rasp tea seems to give me contrax for about an hour, then they taper off.....







: I guess I'll just have to keep drinking it all day!!!

I agree that someone needs to have there babe this weekend!! Definately needing inspiration here!!!
We have cloudy rainy skies, so we can't see the moon!







That sucks!!

MBM ~I think you should have the honors of going first, so after you if you don't mind








Charmie~ That mucus must be doing something.....soon for you too I think!!!
Dyan ~~ I hope things go for you too.....if you do have to induce, you'll probably still beat the rest of us








ndmom~~ I like Logan Zane too









All right ladies....lets get this moving!!!


















































For all......That full moon has to help get us going.....maybe we're all going to go this weekend!!







Wouldn't that be cool!
Take care!
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

just checking in to say no baby here yet either. tomorrow's dh's b-day so i say let's do this!!!! we've been dtd and nipple stim and accupressure points, and while i have increased cntx while doing all these things, once we stop they just go away....

i don't know what to say or do...except wait, i guess. i have a mw appoinment on mon. that i really don't want to go to...oh well, we'll see.

they need an acronym for snuggling at the keyboard! dd is falling asleep on what's left of my lap, lol.


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Just checking in to say that I've been having regular cx for the past two hours. Could this be it?! My MW said to call when I can't talk or walk through them. I'm not even close to that, though. They are intense and not painful, but they are much closer together and regular than they have ever been. I woke up this morning feeling under the weather and thinking that I might be coming down with a cold. Wierd, huh?

I really hope I have a birth story to share with you all soon!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I'm gonna be pregnant forever!!

Someone HAS to have a baby soon!! This is crazy.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I think we must be the mosts not havingest pregnant women in the world!!! Who knew July was such a hard month to give birth [email protected]!!

Warm SSquishies...

Dyan


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Rose~~I hope that you are in the middle of a wonderful birth to share with us!!!

Full moon tonight ladies....and the rain stopped here so we'll have nice clear skies tonight









Drank tea all day yesterday and nothing....babe is moving around lots today so far.....Mil thinks tomorrow would be a good day







I'm doing my best to accommodate








Dh is finally off his 3 day shifts, so maybe I can get him to DTD tonight so we can get this moving along!
Dd really cuddled in bed last night, and I got all sad thinking that it maybe (yeah right) the last time it's just her and I snuggling....

Charmie~








Dyan~~ You are soo right, how can we not have a July babe yet?? I do know 2 people IRL that had their babes in July though....both girls, in the first week.

Until later! Take care,
Jen

Hey, yesterday was Sat.....MBM "birthing" day.....are you still with us??







I don't mean to sound like those annoying phone calls either, just hoping that your "birthin" day came through for you!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

No baby!!!









I had very regular, close, and intense cx for nearly four hours. It just felt different, and we were all convinced "this was it"! But, after four hours the cx just....stopped. I had more cx in the middle of the night, but they were less intense and irregular. Nothing like what I had experienced earlier in the evening, so I didn't get my hopes back up.









I guess this baby is not ready to come out just yet. It's just that during those four hours, I was soooooooo excited! I don't think I realized just how much I was looking forward to the experince of birth until last night.









OTOH, it was a great "trial run" for everyone. There was a bit of chaos with who to call when, etc., but now I think we've got it all figured out. I also have a much better idea of when to call the MW, and when she will be coming. I mean DH and I had discussed all of this before and had it written down, but having a firedrill (so to speak) seemed to make us all a bit more comfortable about when it really happens (hopefully soon!). Also, since our washing machine broke yesterday, this gives us extra time to deal with it. I guess everything happens for a reason, right?

Well, if it's not going to be me...I hope SOMEONE goes into labor today. It is the full moon after all!







(tee, hee)


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Rose, I'm sorry this wasn't "it" for you







. You sound like you're making the best of it, though. Go get your washer fixed; maybe baby's waiting for that







.

I have been doing some serious soul searching, wondering if there's something inside of me keeping baby in: not happy with my choice of places to birth, concerned about being a mama to two kids, etc. I really, honestly, can't think of anything that's holding me back, so I guess baby just isn't ready. I'm starting to get concerned about going "too late" though. At 42 weeks, MW will want me to have a sonogram just to make sure that placental function is okay and all. It will cost $100 (or is it $150?) out of pocket, and quite honestly, we DO NOT have the money and I don't know where it would come from. *sigh* I guess I should stop borrowing trouble.

I made the mistake of trying to go to church today. Really I just wanted to hide under a rock, especially after the sleepless night I had last night. Anyway...besides the fact that no one seems to understand that babies can't be "late" but are "right on time" no matter WHEN they come, the A/C wasn't keeping up with the heat very well. I left after worship b/c the swelling from the heat was starting to make me uncomfy. I'm home and drinking lots and lots of water now, but will go back to meet DH and DS and eat pot-luck lunch afterwards. Normally I love social stuff like that at church, but I have a suspicion I'm not going to get to talk about anything except when this baby might be coming, which, believe it or not, is NOT my favorite subject right now







.

Oh, and BTW, can I just vent about heartburn a little bit? When you're almost 41 weeks pregnant, CONTRACTIONS are supposed to wake you up in the middle of the night, not mind-numbing, "I'm going to breathe fire or throw up pure acid" HEARTBURN. I was up EVERY HOUR last night, trying to breathe through the pain of my heartburn :LOL














. I just don't get it!!!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Had regular crampy pains all last night but nothing that felt like it might be "it". Probably was all the pizza from a friend's b-day party LOL! I've decided I'm NOT going overdue so I'm starting all my acupuncture, herbs etc now instead of waiting. I've been concerned I might push the baby too soon but now I'm thinking, damn, I need at least two weeks to get this show on the road with our July track record







I hope the full moon brings some babies with it tonight! Lots of birthing wishes and fairy dust!!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Yes, Saturday was my birthing day, but guess what?







:
Tonight I'm going to go outside naked and take a moonbath. The weather is clear and wonderful right now. Thank goodness for living in the country.

Dh took the kids over to fairgrounds early this am to weigh hogs, I got to stay home alone and sleep till 10 am- unheard of! But wonderful.

If we don't start popping soon, maybe we will all have to go to the August Mom's Board and dominate the conversation over there.:LOL

The back of my pelvis finally went kaplooey yesterday and by bedtime I could hardly walk. Feeling better today after the big sleep though.

Till later,
mbm


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

No baby here yet either. I have a mw appointment tmw. and they plan on scheduling the no-stress test for Thurs. if still no baby.

Today is dh's b-day. MIL has invited us to dinner to celebrate. My b-day is Tues. so my mom has invited us for cake this afternoon before dinner with MIL. I have to confess that I really am NOT in a party mood. Especially since at MIL's the only thing they can do is ask when I'm going to have the baby, like * I * know.

Anyway, it's time to clean up the living room ( again ) and go grocery shopping ( again with no baby ).








T I swear if one more pop up interupts my trying to post this, I'm going to launch the GD computer out the flippin' window!!!!!!!!!

I hope that someone here will have a baby soon to give us all the sense that there will in fact be July Babies!!

TTFN...


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

(((hugs))) to the past due mamas!! I'm starting to think I'll be there too, because I still haven't ANY contractions and I'm 38.5 weeks. I had #1 at 39w5days and #2 at 38w6days With both of them, I had been contracting pretty regularly for weeks before....why nothing now?????

This morning I got up early and went with my friend to take early morning outside bare belly pics. I hope they come out good. it was fun









Everything's falling into place...everything I wanted to have done before the birth is getting done...we've collected all the supplies we need, we finally got those belly pics done, I'm just waiting on my friend to get here on Tuesday night and we can get down to business! I'm insisting that baby come next week...my goal is to be holding baby by next weekend (isn't that the goal for a lot of us here??)

I like the name Aiden and I love Logan Zane as well









C'mon full moon!! bring us some July babies


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## Isabelrules (Jan 17, 2003)

maudlin is in labor! She is at the Birth Center with her husband right now! I just called the people on my phone list for her and we all have our white candles lit. We are thinking postive and empowering thoughts for her. GO maudlin! Yay!!

Please keep her in your thoughts today and tonight! Thank you!

July 13, 2003 2:00 pm California time


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

WOO HOO for Maudlin..

I am sooo jealous i can hardly breathe.. OF course the fact that i have tiny feet trying to puncture my diaphram MIGHT have something to do with it..

IT was bound to happen.. One of us had to have ababy in JULY!!!









Rose-

I soo feel for you.. We had ctx for 7 hrs that were 3 min apart so we actually got to the hospital before they stopped.. I felt like such a fool... Don't worry.. You too will have a baby.. It's just a matter of time..

I sooo want to have this baby befor Wednesday... I don't want to be induced... I have had a c-sec.. And if they want to give me pit. they are going to get all figetty about it.. This is however a repeat VBAC, so maybe they won't..

Come on full moon labor vibes.. Lets kick these kids out here!!!

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Isabelrules (Jan 17, 2003)

maudlin had her baby!

4:38pm 7-13-03

It's a BOY!!

No name as of yet...

7 pounds 10 1/2 oz, 21 inches long!

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Stacymom (Jul 7, 2002)

Yea Maudlin!

Lots of vibes sent everyone else's way!

I finally posted Ashlynn's birth story over on the brith story forum if anyone wants to pop over and read it. Just a warning though, it's so long that you may go into labor while reading it or something. Just make sure you have a drink fixed or something before you sit down to read it!









I can't wait to hear stories from everyone else!


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Woke up to a contraction, thought it was just b/c I had to pee, got up to pee, and my water broke in the middle of the bathroom floor. Called the MW and she said to give it 30-45 mins and see what the contractions do, since I've only had the one and I really don't know what it was like since it woke me up.

So here I sit on my towel, wishing that I weren't one of the 10% of women whose waters break before labor starts *sigh*. Oh well, at least I have lots of warning that my kids are coming. And the water was clear, so that's good too (had to go turn on the bathroom light to check the floor to tell MW).

I'll post birth announcement/story when I get back.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Yay Maudlin! Congratulations!!









Yay Charmie! Happy labor, sweet meeting!









I get to wear my new maternity clothes a bit longer. yay me







:

Dyan, it sounds like your baby will just arrive in the next few days. Those 7 hours must have done something ~ just don't become another Stacymom okay?







It sounds like your baby and your body are working together to make this as gentle as possible on you. Wed is my due date, and the doc thinks that Saturday is, so I have some time. I'm gladly taking another week if that gets you going now, you seem to be the one who really needs to birth now


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## bargaindiva (Jul 7, 2003)

WOW - BABES!!! Congratulations! And CHARMIE: I'm sending you labor vibes since I'm apparrently NOT going to need them for myself any time soon. I really look forward to your birth stories.

I'm just checking in really quick - my mom came into town this weekend so I'll be at the computer much less. She keeps trying to get me up and walking, which is good, but my knees are starting to give out. Plus its really hot and humid here and I can tell this morning that I overdid it yesterday









For those of you who thought you were going into labor, my heart goes out to you! Maybe, just maybe, you'll be walking around 4 cm dilated and not know it. Then when labor starts you only have 6 cm to go! Isn't that a naive FTM dream??? haha.

I have lots more personals but am way hungry - gotta go feed this kid!

Peace,

aletha

P.S. Did you guys use herbs/homeopathy in addition to the other pain relief techniques? I got some arnica 6C (they didn't have the 30) how much should I take how often? I got some chamomile tea to drink also. I'm interested to know what all of you did!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well

I thought my water broke this morning..

NO such luck... LIam just kicked my bladder super hard and i leaked a bit.. Woke me up outta sound sleep... I have to tell you all.. I'm getting a bit annoyed with this fellow inside me.. I have NEVER been so anxious to just just deliver already.. It's weird for me.. Like I feel like there is some big rush or something... And well now there is, but I've been feeling this way for weeks now..

Still having quasi-ctx.. And at last check on Friday i was dil to 2... All these ctx and all i got i dil to 2.. I must have the most in-shape uterus in the world... :LOL Maybe it means we'll have no problem with the puhing this time... Less than 4 hrs would be nice...

HURRAY for the babes!!!!

Have a great day all..

Warm Squishy Feelings..

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yeah maudlin!!!! Yeah Charmie!!!! I'm so glad to hear that it's actually happening!! Charmie and I had the same due date, so does this mean I can have my baby now?!

I'm hoping that the unbearable backache that I had all last night and still seem to be suffering from is a good sign! If it isn't I'm gonna be really upset that I've been putting up with it for so long. I've got my mw appointment this pm. I am trying to prepare myself to be told that everything is the same, but I have to admit, in the back of my mind I'm hoping that they say " oh wow you're 4 cm, 100% effaced! " Yeah right....

Maybe I will have this babe on my birthday! I wouldn't have minded having it on dh's b-day but things are out of my hands. The baby is moving a lot! I actually find it painful at times. I'm always happy when I feel it move but then I find myself saying, " okay knock it off, I get the point! "

Off I go...again I am sooooo happy for you maudlin and Charmie!!


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

woo hoo Maudlin and Charmie!!!

YAY







asking for those labor vibes did the trick!

Pynki---hang in there mama, I know it, you're so close...baby will be here, soon!

I held a week old baby yesterday and it made me want to cry--there's a real live baby in me!









My friend/doula gets here tomorrow WOO HOO! so, I'll need labor vibes for any day after tomorrow


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

YEAH!!!!!!

Maudlin!!! Charmie!!! That is soooo awesome!!!! Congrats on your beautiful boy Maudlin and I can't wait to hear from you Charmie (as we all are







)







July babes are coming!!!

I'm not due till Thurs, so as much as I want to start now too....I shouldn't be too upset yet right!!

Went horseback riding again last night.....it was so nice....the last time we trotted got some good contrax, had to stop trotting, but nothing yet......having contrax on and off though, mind you it's probably the gallons of raspberry tea I've been drinking :LOL

I'm soooo excited we have two babes in July....I'm grinning from ear to ear!!!






























are coming!!!

Jen


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## Stacymom (Jul 7, 2002)

Yeah Charmie!









I can't wait to hear the birth story! I have been checking this thread several times a day, just waiting for announcements. It's funny how involved I've gotten in this thread, especially ocnsidering that my little girl actually came in June... You guys don't mind if I keep hanging around do you?


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## Sabrin (Apr 12, 2003)

Just wanted to drop a quick note and let y'all know that Charmie's Atley made his appearance around an hour ago!! She'll give you all the details later, I'm sure
















Way to go CHARLOTTE!!!!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Charmie,
With my first baby, my water broke first and contractions started within a few hours. Hopefully that is the case - look at it as a postive - at least you got the reassurance that the water was clear and clean. Looking forward to the rest of the story.

Maudlin - Congrats! Waiting for details.

MBM, now 2 weeks overdue ( can't believe I"m writing that) - I am sure of the date of my last period - Sept 25.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

congratulations charmie!!! big







for you and baby atley









MM full moon do any good for you??


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Yay, Maudlin!!!! Yay, Charmie!!!!

I am SOOOOO happy to hear that we have some July babies that have finally decided to arrive!

Dyan~I am sending major labor vibes your way, so your little one will come asap!









MBM~More labor dust your way, too--hang in there!









I had some more cx last night, but I was so exhausted that I fell asleep! They kept me in a sort of half awake/half asleep state for most of the night, but they tapered off by about 4 a.m. I guess it would have helped if I had walked around instead of laying down to sleep, but I was just too exhausted...


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

nak

Atley Lawson was born @ 1:22pm on July 14, into WATER.

9lbs 12.5oz., 23" long, 14" head, 15" chest (my little giant!!!); no tears or skid marks on mama







.

I have some unused NB dipes I'm gonna have to sell now :LOL!!!!!

Birth Story w/ pictures will be forthcoming.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

rose ~ my mw told me that if it's the real thing the cntx. will probably get stronger rather than going away when you lie down. I don't know if that is true or not, but it's what she said.

Yippee Charmie and Atley!!!!!! I can't wait to hear all about it!

I went to my mw appointment yesterday. Nothing's changed, still 2 to 3 cm and 80% effaced. The appointment was uneventful and depressing, we scheduled the non stress test and AFI for Thursday, and another mw appt. for next Monday. If I haven't delivered by next Monday, they will shcedule induction. I'm hoping that the threat of the NST will get this baby out like it did with dd. She was born the night before I was scheduled to go in for the NST.

Anyway, that's all from here.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Charmie, you posted at the same time as me again!!!

What a big boy!!!!! I'm so happy to hear that you and he are doing great!!

Happy babymoon! I hope that Samuel is doing well also.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Congrats!!!! Charmie!!! What a big babe!!!









Had contrax pretty good last night and this morning, and definately feel like stuff is going to happen soon, but so far nothing......







:

Who's next??

Take care,
Jen






























to all!!!!


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Finally! Two JULY babies. Who'da thunk.







Congrats to Maudlin and Charmie!

Anyway, as I'm due at the end of the month and have zero ready, I'm perfectly happy to wait. HOWEVER, I would like it if my pelvic bones wouldn't ache soooooo dang much. I have had to move soooo slowly some mornings to get out of bed and pee that I thought I wouldn't make it! I actually got stuck trying to get my legs out from under me once!

...and is it just me, or do other 2nd+ time moms feel so vulnerable and exposed being so big? Maybe it's just that I am so much bigger this time, plus it's Summer, not Winter, so I'm wearing much less.

Oh, and Charmie, yes, I'm the one w/ Elvove/Baker. The determination is to be made this week, I believe (home vs. birth center). It's still looking like home. I had an appt. yesterday (Mon.), but he had to go out of the office on a birth (I'm assuming Dr. Baker was already one one - she's in the office T/W, he's in on M/Th, and they alternate F/Sa weekly), so I had to reschedule for Fri. It feels like so far away! Scary!

I'd much rather have this baby on time or late, rather than now. I am soooo behind. My mom will be here from weeks 39-41 and on call for weeks 38 and 42. Dh has told work that his coming in next week is debatable (he can work from home quite easily). I hope we'll be ready!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well...

Unless someone else goes into labor tonite.. ( please me.. Please me please me!!!) I go in for my induction tomorrow at 8.00 am.. I am feeling very anxious about this.. We are fairly certain this will be our last, and i SOOOOO wanted to get it right this time..

Why is it that I can't do what millions of women have done for OVER A MILLENIA!!!

I guess it doesn't matter how they get here, but i feel very sad, and scared and apprehensive... I do NOT want to have a nother c/s, and i know that because of the induction my risk for one is increased..

I hope everyone is feeling much better than I am right now..

Warm Squishy Feelingss..

DYan







:


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

I have been here reading all this time, but unable to post because of Zone Alarm on our computer, and dh very afraid to turn it off because of recent hacks on our computer. But he has conceded to let me have a few minutes fo saying hello and...

CONGRATULATIONS Maudlin!!! and Charmie!!!

Dyan, keep your thoughts positive. Your anxiousness will not help. Let your dh do everything for you now, and take it easy. I wish for you too, to have your baby naturally. Maybe the timing is perfect for your baby.

And for all of you, best of luck and blessings on your births!

Claire is now three weeks old, and will not stand for being set down when asleep, only when awake! So she is sleeping on me now, in her sling, as I type. Julien is really sweet as a big brother and always wants to hold Claire (for about 30 seconds and then he is done.) But what has been hard is that I feel a distance between us, Julien and I. His relationship with his dad is really blossoming, and with others: grandma and grandpa and friends...but I feel someting like an empty nest feeling while he grows and rejects some of the cuddles and loving that he never refused before Claire came along. Actually I think he is doing great with the transition, but I never guessed it would be harder on me than on him! And frequently, he too seems sad, but he doesn't come to me for a hug when I suggest it.

Claire is very easy to fall in love with, and this I am enjoying tremendously.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Dyan...I've got you in my thoughts. I hope that if you do end up being induced that it will be as positive an experience as possible.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Dyan... I'm thinking about you. I don't know which time zone you're in, but I think your induction is scheduled in a few hours.

I want to tell you about some women I know here in Holland. They do induce here, but epi's are very rare and c/s is pretty uncommon, too. My twin sister was induced twice, once well before due date. Both children were born otherwise naturally.

I expect that I will be induced too, though I have a couple of weeks "left." (edd is this weekend). My first child was induced postdue becuase of not enough fluid, and I already feel my belly getting tighter now. I'm not really having ctx yet, and my cervix is high and plump. Dd1 ended up a c/s, and I've vowed this one won't. It's my last baby, too. I sooo much desire an all natural birth, for my baby but also for myself (some past abuse issues that I want to overcome, the empowerment feeling that would be so awesome), that I'm afraid I'm holding up the process a bit. LIke in the Ina May book.

I bet that, if we lived on the Farm, we would both have natural births. But we don't, so we'll have to make the best of it.

Let's try to show a lot of anxious mamas here that it can be done. Let's make the best of the experience. If the induction happens, and it sounds like it will, try to make the drugs work for you instead of resisting them. There's a good chance that your body and your baby only need a little encouragement. We won't allow their drugs to spoil it all!!

I'll be thinking of you today. I've felt some type of pg connexion with you throughout the past 8 months, and I'll send my best vibes to your womb. Tomorrow you'll be holding your baby.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Simonee..

Thank you soo much for your thoughts.. With all the "birthing" trouble i've had i really did want to do this one less invasively.. (don't know if that's the word i'm looking for, but it works) We live in the midwest in the US so it's CST.. I'll go in at 8 am.. They are all ready for me.. I've already spoken with the OB ward..

I feel a little better that one of my friends.. (Jish







) will be there with me as well as my dh.. It's just scary doing birth different everytime.. I guess i like knowing what i'm in for..

Thanks everyone for the positive vibes.. Hopefully this labor will shorter the the 18 hrs it was with the last.. With less than 4







hrs of pushing...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)




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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Dyan~I'm thinking of you, I think you are being induced as I type this!!!!









And Simonee, you will have the birth you are envisionning, and it will empower you. I've also had to come to terms with my last birth/labor, and I'm planning to empower myself with this one! Let your body go, and do what it is meant to do...and for goodness sake sister, don't hold up the birth!

Jen~hope that baby comes soon, I would love to meet the little one, and the rest of your fam, at the Heritage fest!!!!









To all other July Mama's, good luck, much peaceful birthing vibes from me. Okay, back to the August Mama's thread!!!









Mamasoleil


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, at this stage in my pregnancy with dd I was in labor. Needless to say, I find myself waking up rather discouraged today. If I haven't gone in to labor by tomorrow 11 am I go in for the NST, and while I know that there is no reason to expect there to be any problem, it just makes me nervous. I've never even had a sonogram before.

Dyan, I hope that by now you are well on your way to pushing that babe out!!!! Even though things havn't gone exactly as you hoped there is that huge reward at the end of it all!! I keep trying to remind myself that.

Hope that everybody else is hanging in there and that all the newly made mommies are having a chance to enjoy every minute of their new additions!


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

I'm still hangin at 42 weeks. . . . .

Good luck Pynki - wishing you a very brief Stage 2!!!!!!

MBM


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Dyan







I'm hoping your holding that little bundle!!!
Cindi ~ Thanks for posting about how the transisiton is for you from one to two.....I can see how that "distance" could/will happen with Evy too.....

Mamasoliel ~~ I hope babe comes soon too.....maybe today??







: Things still feel different and are moving slow, but atleast things are happening. I'll let you know about the festival!








MBM~~





















For you!!!
Miranda~I am so not wanting to make it to my dr's appt on Friday! It's at 830am, I'll have to get up at 7!! Yuck.....I hope you don't make it to your appt either!!
















I'll check in tomorrow.....I think MIL and I are going to get some groceries today.....dh is working today and tomorrow (maybe babe knows we need the money







: )....but atleast we dtd to help things along....I'll have to talk him into that again tonight







He also brought me home fresh pineapple (read somewhere when pg with Evy that it helps bring on labour







) at this point I'll try almost anything!

Take care all......








Jen


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Yikes! We need some baby vibes to inspire all of these fetuses to come out!

As suc, I'll share the news:

little Freddie is here!

born at home last week on July 9th at 6:18 a.m., on the couch in our family room!

Labor got heavy @ 2:00 a.m., midwives arrived around 3:30.

It was wonderful--hurt like heck & was HARD work.....get ready, still preggo mamas! It's coming!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Congrats Tinyshoes!!
Looks like you were our first July Momma!!









Feeling funny at the moment....hope something is happening!

Talk soon,
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yeah Tiny Shoes!!!! What great news.

Hope you guys are all doing great!


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## Jish (Dec 12, 2001)

As of about 5:55pm tonight Pynki had her baby. Liam was 8lbs10oz and was 21 inches long. He is an absolute doll. She arrived at the hospital this morning at a little after nine, had her water broken and waited. I'll let Dyan share all the details with you all in a couple of days, but she wanted me to share her wonderful news tonight.


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

fantastic news! hugs to dyan and liam!


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Congrats Dyan, and welcome little Liam!!!


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Tinyshoes, Freddy: Congratulations!!

Dyan, Liam (LOVE that name) Congratulations!
Sounds like it went pretty fast. And that's ONE big boy!!!!!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yippee for Dyan and Liam!!!! I'm glad to hear that it went well. Looking forward to the details!

I'm going in for the AFI and NST at 11 am today, as I am STILL not in labor. Of course I am hoping to be told that all is well. I can't think of any reason that any problem would be found. I really am a little worried that this baby is going to be big. I am 100 % certain of my LMP so I know that the date should be accurate.

Oh well, I guess what is meant to happen will happen.

It's so nice to come check in here and every day be seeing birth annoncements!! It's exciting! I really, really, really want to post a birth announcement too!

edited to fix stoopid typing errors....


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## Caidon (Jun 9, 2003)

Hey everyone! I just wanted to say thanks for letting me "sit in" on this thread, and even write sometimes. My baby girl was born on Monday, July 7th at the Birth Center...almost in the car...but, we made it somehow!!! Congratulations to all of you who have delivered your babies. For those who are still impending, let me say I wish you all the best possible births and babies. I guess I'll be filling in some info in the birth stories section. I look forward to reading some of yours as well!!! My six year old and three year old are both doing fine...and aside from some intense tiredness, dad and mom are good, too!







Tomorrow is my birthday, a great day to deliver...anyone??? Good luck! Good luck! Good luck!


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

I am so happy to hear all of these wonderful birth annoucements! Congratulations to tinyshoes, Dyan, and Caidon!

The baby keeps poking its hands and feet out. I tried to tell it, "If you want to stretch, then come on out and you can stretch all you want!" These birth annoucements and stories are inspiring me...maybe I won't be pregnant forever?

MBM~How are you doing? Sending labor vibes your way!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Congrats Dyan!!! Welcome Liam (I also love that name







) Sounds like things went quickly which is awesome!
Congrats to you too Caidon!

So that's pretty much a babe since Charmie started! Lets keep the trend going!!

MBM~~







your way as well...I hope your silence means you are busy birthing that babe!!

Unless babe comes tonight, I'll have to go to my 830AM dr's appt! Man that sucks! We'll have to get up at like 7 am...and we've been sleeping till 10







OH well.....
Still having lots of contrax the last couple days....some good ones yesterday, but never a pattern







I agree with Rose and Miranda though, hearing an announcement everyday is awesome and inspiring....so keep on coming babes!!

Take care all.....
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yeah Caidon!!!

MossBack Meadow, I, too, am hoping that you are not at your computer because you are very busy with your new babe!!

I went to my AFI and NST this morning. Baby looks and sounds great!! I got the most amazing photo of baby's face. It's not all squished, you can really make everything out. My dd went around showing it to everyone and telling them where babe's eyes and nose and cheeks are. It was a very good first sonogram experience. My fluid level is good and they estimate babe to be 8 lbs. 5 oz.!! Holy cow, what happens if it stays in there another week?! The NST was very quick, baby was very active and had great variability in the heart rate. I had 4 cntx. while I was there, and I have to admit it was cool to see them be registered on the monitor, it was like being validated, that yes I really have been having cntx. all these times when I felt like it! Anyway, all is well. If still no babe by Mon. I'll be going in for another NST and then MW appointment. I sure hope that I have my baby before then!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Wow! Everybody is really quiet! Does that mean that everybody is having a baby except me? * sob * I truly cannot believe that I am not in labor yet!!

Oh well....I hope that everybody is doing just what they want to be doing.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

I'm not having a baby. I'm not even having ctx. I'm having lots of raspberry leaves though







I was gonna serve amniotic fluid and placenta crisps at Hilary's party in TAO







, but so far only my little babe is fed

But I just passed my due date yesterday, and the official (doctor's) edd isn't till Sunday.

Miranda, I've never heard of anybody giving birth to a toddler, so our time will come, too







Anyway, my baby is small (6 lbs and change, I think) It's not fair: I'm over 6' but my babes don't start growing till they're out







One more week, and yours WILL be a toddler









Caidon, congratulations!!!

Keep 'em coming, ladies! MBM, can we congratulate you yet? I hope Dyan had a natural birth, but the 8 hours seems so short for such a big babe from such a small woman... I can't wait to hear it all!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

I'm still here with you Miranda!








Glad to hear your appt went good!!

I went for my dr's appt today.....my bp was still a tad high, but babe was good. I asked for an internal since I've been having contrax since Monday and I was closed and long still







That just sucks!!
Then after we went for the NST at the hospital.....it was kind of exciting to be in the delivery room, test was great and babe moved lots. It was nice to realize that this is going to happen soon.
My dr is gone now too....so I have an appt on Monday with the dr I seen in May (I liked him), and if things aren't moving by then, we are going to rupture membranes (if we can) as the next step is another section, probably the Tues if they rupture and nothing happens....I'll know more Monday. Hopefully we have the babe by then though! But if not, I guess it's just not meant to be.
I too had contrax on the NST monitor....so I know they are happening.....I just don't get why nothing is literally happening....although dr did say it is normal for things to not necessarily open, especially since it's my second and Evy never really stretch any of that area out.....so I guess we will see what the next 3 days bring....hopefully a babe.....

I could use some of those vibes









Dh wanted me to ask about having my tubes tied if they have to do the section, and we did discuss it when I first got pg and I was ok with it, but I just couldn't bring myself to ask about it.....we really don't want anymore kids....but I just don't feel like now is the time to deal with that too....besides, I'd rather he get the snip









It is pretty quiet here....hope that means that we are atleast continuing the babe a day trend!









Talk to you all later,
Jen


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Jen~I'm sending you tons of labour vibes, I really hope you can have a natural birth!!!!!!!

Simonee~I'm thinking of you too, can't wait to hear about your babe!!! Mine is small too, I'm at 4lbs8oz approx, with only 4 wks to go...Soleil was tiny, though you would not know it now!!!

Peace,

Mamasoleil


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

I'm still here too! I'm a mucus monster (TMI!) and having regular cramps but nothing like the real thing. The babe agreed to stay in for this last week so I could work so now its a free for all! Congrats to all the Moms! It is so great to hear about July babies being born and sounds like everyone is doing well. You are all an inspiration!

Birthing vibes to everyone


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks Mamasoleil









I'm feeling a little bummed out today....I thought forsure babe would be early....and then to have almost two weeks of good contrax and find out nothing has happened....
















I know that things can still progress....and that I shouldn't be down as I'm only 2 days over (MBM I don't know how you did it being 2 weeks over







). It's just that I want to hold this babe now!! I also feel like this date is looming over me now.....
I keep talking to babe to ask him/her to come out now and help me to get labour going cause we don't have much time left









Talk about a rollercoaster ride.









Sorry to bring the thread down......but thanks for listening and being there for me momma's!!

I hope that the thread being so quiet is cause we have more babe announcements forthcoming!

Take care,
Talk later,
Jen


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

I'm here reading and rooting for you ladies!!

I also wanted to LYK that I posted atley's birth story on the birth story board.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Still here. Still nothing. It's getting boring, but I also find that I'm finally starting to relax a little after spending 3 months under major stress. If I knew a date, say two weeks ahead, I'd totally enjoy the two weeks till then.

But I don't, so every little cramp gets me in this "IS this it???" mode.







:

I put my belly in my sig. It may look modest, but heck it feels big!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

still watching and waiting with you ladies...









anyone heard from my old due date buddy mossback?? I hope she's now :bf and not just


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

(((Jen)))
Your babe will be here before long. Go for long walks/hikes, have lots of sex







, and lots of warm baths...see if you can't help things along a little!

Simonee~you look great, when did you take that pic? I know the feeling of every cramp, wondering if this is it. I'm going thru that today actually...hoping unlike you, that i"m NOT in labour, one more week, and I can homebirth, if not, I have to go to the hospital, which I REALLY don't want to do!

Good luck to all you July Mamas, I'm rooting for you!

Peace,

Mamasoleil


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well ladies

We're home...

Thing went pretty well.. Got to the hosp. at 9 & they broke my water. Did a lot of walking and was dil to 5 by about 3 pm. They wouldn't let me walk around or get in the shower after that becaue of the preev c-sec, so i got an epidera. i couldn't handle laying there with the ctx i had.. Maybe if i could have gotten in the tub or the shower again.. Maybe.. Not on my back though..

So i got an epi.. And i am VERY happy with it.. And my anistesialogist (sp) was a hoot.. The epid. did slow my contrax down, and the frequency, so at 4 or 4.30 my OB started the pit.. I didn't mind so much then because i couldn't feel the contracts, although they were pretty hard and fast. 25 minuts later we started pushing... I couldn't believe how FAST it was.. I pushed for about 30 minuts.. Liam's heartrate keep dropping off, and then SLOWLY coming back up, so my OB pulled him out with the vaccuum.. Which was ok.. Because.. I don't know that he wouldn't have gotten stuck too.. His shoulder did get stuck, but she got it to "POP" (really it made a popping sound!!!) out.. Not broken.. HURRAY!!!

All the OB staff was AMAZED at how big he was.. They didn't think he would be that big.. I did..









Quickest labor ever.. Well for me, and I'm really happy with it.. I did as much a i could naturally, and I feel really good with that..

Liam is a nursing champion.. Eats constantly..

Here's the left over labor dust i have. Hope it works for all of you ladies..














































































































































Warm squishy Finally got the baby out feelings...

Dyan


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Charmie and Dyan, good to hear from you both!!

I'm still here and still waiting! I'm now 9 days past the due date. I am really tired of being pregnant! We went for a 2 hour walk all over town today which has resulted in nothing, thus far, except me being tired.

Oh well....Hope everybody else is doing all right.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

OMG Dyan I'm crying for you! I was so worried you had a c/s after all, it going so fast and all, and I'm so happy to hear that you pushed that big guy out!!! After a c/s, "natural" can include a lot of stuff, can't it?









Today is what hte doctor considers my due date (It's really 4 days ago). I'm actually having light cramps, kinda steady.

ms, the pic was taken on my actual due date, exactly at 40 weeks (the 17th). Thanx for saying I look good ~ I've never had thighs that rub together before, and I"m having a hell of a time accepting the below-the-belly part of my body. Oh and the 200+lbs on the scale







Sending you unlabor vibes


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi all,

I'm in a better mood now







Not that babe has come yet, but cause I know that it's up to me what goes on, and I know that babe will be here soon either way









Also, dh's sister and bil came up yesterday and it was a nice distraction. I really feel like this last week we've been doing lots of waiting....and waiting







just seemed to make things take longer!

I too am totally in the "is this it" mode....and the "god I hope this is it"







I just really wish that things would continue rather then go on for a couple hours then stop








Poor dh....anytime his mom leaves with Evy I'm like come on time to DTD, we also went for a rough boat ride across the lake where sil and bil are staying.....I felt like it is going to happen after that, then nothing. Although last night I was up for 2 hours with regular contrax, they really felt like "this is it" but I'm still here









It is raining right now, but it looks like it may clear up, so I'm hoping to go for a nice long walk.

Charmie~Thanks for sharing your birth story! Atley is such a big babe!!
Dyan~~I'm glad to hear that your labour went well too!!!

I'm hoping I get to post my story soon!! I'm also thinking we are waiting for a story from MBM.....there is no way she can be this quiet....she must be :bf that new little bundle!!

Simonee, Miranda and ndmom~~Let's get moving ladies! One of us has to go soon!!
Mamasoleil~Thanks!!! I'm trying to move things along.....I hope babe comes soon!!

Take care ladies,
Check in later,
Jen











































for us waiting moms!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Well, I'm still here...Going in for another NST this pm, then a MW appt., where it will be decided when to induce. I'm 11 days past the edd now. I am really, really tired of not going into labor, especially since I keep having real painful cntx. for a few hours at a time, only to have them disappear.

Anyway...hope everybody is doing okay.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Hey Ladies - I'm baaaaack.

New baby is here - Erin Maribel, 7.12 oz; 20.5 inches. Lots of light brown hair, pointy chin, perfect in every way. She was born July 20 ( remember I was due on the 1st?)

To make a long story short, she was born thankfully at home after a long grueling labor. Contrax started 2 am Sat morning as painful and 3 min apart. After 12 hrs and not much change, mw arrived to find me at 8 cm. We thought baby would be arriving soon. The joke was on me.

A check revealed her head hung up on my pubic bone. At 7 pm a chiropractor friend arrived to adjust me. An hour later we were past the bone, but the cervical lip that has bothered me with each birth was back. I was in so much pain I did not want anyone to touch me. I could assume no other position but standing straight up - very tiring.Finally at midnight I let mw hold lip back while I tried to push past it. Baby arrived at 2:20 am Sunday. You can not imagine my relief.

I feel good - the only thing that's sore is my throat from yelling - LOL. Milk is coming in already. The older kids are fighting over her.
In love and smelling that baby smell,
MBM - now a mom of four!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

MBM....

HURRAY!!!! No more







for you... Well at least not as big as it was a day ago!!..

YIKES!!! that is a LONG labor!!!! Hope you are refreshing and healing well..

Congrats to a new mom of 4 from a newly mother of 3...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

mm what a heroic birth! you're a champion























and a baby daughter, how wonderful


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Pynki - so glad to read you had a vbac!

Thanks for the congrats. My other births were straightforward and not like this at all, so never fear. Didn't mean to alarm anyone who hasn't delivered yet.

Medium sized baby, proven pelvis, I don't know why it was so difficult. What was mother nature trying to teach me?

I hope to post a picture sometime this week. Ms Mom - where are the directions for doing so? I'm a techno-dummy.


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yippee MM!!!!! I can't believe it, what a labor story!! I had a cervical lip with my labor with dd, I know how hard that can be. You're awesome!

I just returned from the NST and MW appt. Baby is fine, although it had some slight dips in heart rate after cntx. but the MW wasn't worried by it. I got my membranes stripped. I'm now nearly 3 cm and 90 % effaced. We have scheduled inducment for Wed. morning at 6:30 am if babe has not yet made an appearance. As of right now, I am totally okay with all of this, because I really think that this is a big enough threat that babe will decide to come on its own. I guess we'll see how I feel about it when I'm packing my things Wed. am to go to hospital!

Anyway, that's all from here...


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Congratulations MBM, welcome Erin!





















You are one amazing woman, birthing through all that! (btwI'm pm'ing you my email addy and you can send me a pic to post for you. Or go to www.shutterfly.com and follow the directions)

I've been having ctx every 10 mins for hte last 6 hours or so, but they're light and I've been teased for several days now. With dd1, however, I never had anything till the pit was flowing hard, so it's a good sign.


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Simonee!!! I hope you're having that baby!!!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Yeah!!







Congrats MBM!!







Erin!!

We were wondering about you!!

Well my appt on the Monday was pretty good....our plan is/was to strip membranes Monday (which we did) and then again every day this week (assuming that needs to be done), plus the NST since we are doing the stripping at the hospital. If nothing happens then I'll be going in for a section on Friday morning.

The original plan after my appt Monday was just to do the strip that day, then wait till Thurs, but they don't want me to go longer then 41 wks 2 days....so after talking to my dr about how much I wanted to be in labour before a section was decided for one and that I really didn't want a section for two....we decided on the other plan.

Of course I have to go in early every morning so that sucks...but after being stripped again this morning, I feel like things are definately happening!! I was 2cm on Monday....so that was great considering I was nothing on the Friday. Today I'm about 3....and since the strip, contrax are lower and a bit more intense, so I am determined to go today....definately by Friday...









So we'll have a babe one day this week one way or another!









I best go now, I need to repack my hospital bag, incase we are staying the weekend (if we have a section).....
Hope things go well for you Miranda!!!

Take care all, talk soon!
Jen


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Good luck Jen, happy birthing!!!









Mamasoleil


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## Joanell (Jan 6, 2002)

I'm still here and due on Sunday!! It's still not really real
to me that I'm going to have a new baby in my arms in a
week or two!! My nesting instinct is completely dead and
I'm wondering if it's ever going to kick in?


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Hi Mama's.....

Well I started loosing my plug this morning!







My appt with Dr was good....about 3cm dilated now....but he ended up being able to feel fetal parts more clearly and it made my dr wonder about the thinness of my uterus (I should mention that my dr is really young!) So he wanted me to stop in at another dr's office so he could check out my belly too. (This is an experienced dr)
He thought it was thin, but not anything he would be worried about, usually you thin around your incision not the top of your uterus. He could really move babe's head around and feel lots of parts...it was kind of neat.
Needless to say he said that once I think I'm in active labour to come in asap....and that they didn't need to move my section up from Friday.








I'm actually trying to keep track of the contractions this time, I haven't really yet, cause they aren't really all that uncomfortable....just alot of pressure....so far since we've been home, they are about 10 min apart....so hopefully in the next 48 hours babe comes naturally....but if not...I'll be posting as soon as I get home from the section (probably Monday/Tues)

Take care all,
Good luck and happy babies to all!
Jen


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Thinking of you Jen!!!!








Happy birthing!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Hi ladies,

Well, I haven't logged in in a while! I'm staying at my aunt & uncles, and haven't been online much....

Congrats to all who had their babies!! its so exciting to read about the newborns!

Labour dust to those still waiting!!!

We had our baby on July 12th, a few days early. He weighed 9lbs, 3oz! He was born at a birthing centre, in the water. The labour tub was my saving grace! We named him Winter Alsandair. So far he sleeps great during the day, but not so great at night!

well, i'm off to get some stuff done around here while he's napping, i think i'll be going for a nap soon myself!

Take care everyone!
Erika


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

just wanted to let everybody know that Araceli
Jane was born 7/23/03 @ 2:03 pm after 5 hours of labor and less than 15 min. of pushing. 8 lbs. 6 oz. 19 inches long. We're all doing great. More later.


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Congratulations Dyan, MossbackMeadow, Erika and Miranda!! Miranda, your baby came on my baby's one month birthday...and I think our due dates were probably only a week or so apart! It's a very tender time at the begining, and so beautiful. In my family, we've all been sick for over a week, and it is not easy at all, so keep yourselves protected as best you can. And remember to let others take care of you! Sending my love out in all directions, to all of you, and the silent ones who are now birthing!


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

I'm still here. almost 2 days past my due date and no baby.

I had some ctx. on Saturday night...set up the tub and the midwife came out and everything...I was at 4cm and 90% effaced..then everything stopped and we've been hanging out waiting ever since. *sigh*

This thread got so quiet and I know it's because everyone's had their babies. everyone but me. poor me. LOL


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## Joanell (Jan 6, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by tandemmama_
*This thread got so quiet and I know it's because everyone's had their babies. everyone but me. poor me. LOL*
No, no, I'm still here. I'm due on Sunday.


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

Is it just us left? I had some more ctx last night...mw came again, spent the night and left when no progress was being made. I'm now working on 4 days past due date!!

*sigh*

BTW...congrats to all the mamas who had their babies!!!! It's so wonderful to come here and read that someone else is holding their precious little one. What a great blessing to have after all these months!!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Don't worry guys..

The babes HAVE to come out eventually... They will.. I promise.. And at 4 cen and 90% you more than 1/2 done with the battle.. Hang in there Tandemmamma..

There are other issues once they arrive, but we can talk about those on the life with a babe board as soon as they get here...

Warm Squishy Labor Vibes...

Dyan


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Well, I had my Willem today ~ I went for quantity applause with a thread in tao LOL A very tough labor and birth, but worth it.

vbac!!!

Next on my room was a woman who was at 43 weeks. She was humongous. They were inducing her with prosta gels, but not yet with pit. There's hope for all of us









All the birthers:







contratulations!!!

The waiters: take that last nite of good sleep! Babe will come!!!


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

welcome to willem! well done simonee!!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Just wanted to send labor vibes to those mamas that are still waiting to see their babes faces.

edited to add that I just posted Araceli's birth story in the Birth Stories forum.


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

still here....still pregnant.

I never, at any moment in my pregnancy, considered that I could possibly go overdue. Maybe that's making it harder to deal? Or maybe this just isn't an easy situation no matter what.

I suppose if I was having a hospital birth I would have technically been admitted 8 days ago when I had ctx and found out I was dialated to 4cm. then they would have labeled me "stalled" and wanted to break my water, start pitocin, or whatever...but I would have had the baby by now. I guess this is the difference between truly letting things happen on their own??

Gosh...wonder if my other two would have been late too?

**sigh**
40 weeks 4 days pregnant..no light at the end of the tunnel.


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## MossbackMeadow (Nov 1, 2002)

Shannon,
Hang in there hon! There IS a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's a little red body squirming out of you! Babe will come when time is right. Stay busy - take naps - treat yourself.
I survived being 20 days past EDD!

MM


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Its a boy and he's a whopper!!

Yanic Ryan came the 24th at noon...woke with contrax at 2am....5 min apart for a couple hours and definately the real thing!.....
Ended up with section again, but i'll fill u in on that stuff later....I'm happy with the birth though and with our 10lb 6 oz baby boy!Got out yesterday.....thank goodness cause of the sars stuff Evy couldn't come into the hospital....so that was definately the worse part!
Evy is doing ok with the transition.....thank god for Mike's mom though.....hard to remember she's still a babe herself.

Got to run!
Jen


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Yippee Jen!!! He's huge!!! Congratulations!


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Congratulations Jen!! Wow, a big boy! He was born on my grandmother's birthday (the grandma who passed away during my pregnancy) and I think it must be a good day to be born. I am so happy for you!


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hi all! We had our babe on July 22nd at 3:12 pm after 86 hours of home labour and a transport with a C-section, not exactly what I had imagined but an amazing experience all together.

It's a boy!!!











































Aidan Zane is here and we are sooo in love! Nursing like a champ, frowning like a little ole man















I'll post more later
Shelby


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## emmaline (Dec 16, 2001)

congrats jen and shelby! hugs for yr babes









take good care to rest up after those c-births - my Aidan is 6 weeks today and i still feel pretty wobbly by the end of the day

shannon -


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Jen, Yay!!! I'm so happy for you. What a HUGE boy!!!!








Enjoy your new fam!!! I knew you were having a baby, I hadn't seen you post since the 23rd!!!!









ndmom~congratulations to you!!! the name you picked is one I'm seriously considering!!!!









Mamasoleil


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Horray ndmom!!!! Sounds like it was a pretty dramatic experience. Take care of you and Aiden.


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## rose (Oct 9, 2002)

Congratulations to all you new moms!!!!









Our new baby boy arrived at 7:53 a.m. on July 22nd! He was 8 lbs 9 oz and 23 inches long.

Cx started at 5:30 p.m. the night before. Things didn't really get started, though, until almost 4:30 a.m. My water broke at 6 a.m. and then things moved VERY quickly from there. I had him in a birthing tub at home!

I am sooooo in love with him!!!!























I'm still sending labor vibes for those of you who are still waiting--hang in there mamas!


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

nak









congratulations jen shelby rose




























take care of yourselves and little guys

looks like its all boys now....


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Well, we have a doula, the birth tub is here, the diapers and covers are coming in a couple of days, and I saw Dr. Baker today. The nurse checked me and I am 50% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and the baby is at -1. So, any time now, I guess. I really hope s/he waits til Thurs. night - I have an appt. for a prenatal massage that evening and the diapers/covers should arrive that day. We need to wash the dipes a few times, as they are unbleached. If not, I'll have a postnatal massage and we'll make do with the diapers we already have and fake the covers.

My mom has been here since Friday and Alex is having a blast w/Grandma around. She was with me at my appt. today and got to hear the baby's heartbeat, a thrilling new experience for her.

Tomorrow we _may_ go to the local park to get together w/ a group of other moms and kids for a picnic/kid's playtime on the equipment. On Sat. I _may_ be at a friend's house for her son's 1st b-day party. Who knows?

I don't really want to go over by much - they do a NST at 41 weeks and then a high-level ultrasound (would be the only US this pregnancy) at 41&1/2, then induce at not much past 42. I don't want to be induced this time - BTDT - even though I only needed the Cervadil to get things going last time, it meant I was in the regular part of the hosp. and had much less freedom than if I'd been in the birthing center. ...and I haven't even seen the outside, much less the inside, of the hosp. that Dr.'s Baker and Elvove use. I WANT this home birth with my water tub!

It's wierd - last time I spent my entire labor in the hosp. My midwife/dh was with me the entire time. I didn't have to figure out for myself if I was in labor or not...the ctx just got stronger and stronger and I had a monitor and a midwife to confirm what I was feeling. This time, I get to figure it out for myself. I mean, I can call the doula/the Dr. and they can help me decide, but this time, I have to make the first move. Am I the only mom who was induced the first time and not in a subsequent birth who is as freaked out (or more so) about the big question - "Is this it?" - as a first-time mom? Seems like a big responsibility.









Oh, and at last week's appt., I got the GBS swab. I am +, so they called in a prescription for amoxicillin. I take the first dose as soon as I am in labor, then call to find out when to take the next. The little bottle is sitting in my birth box. ...which reminds me...we still have a few things to get together from the list the practice gave us.

These last few days of just Alex and me sometimes feel bittersweet, but I am looking forward to meeting this new person.

Well, this turned into a book!





















Guess I am making up a bit for all the times I tried to post, but couldn't.

Congrats to all the new mommies, esp. the first-timers!

So, who all is still waiting, besides me?


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## Stacymom (Jul 7, 2002)

Quote:

Am I the only mom who was induced the first time and not in a subsequent birth who is as freaked out (or more so) about the big question - "Is this it?" - as a first-time mom? Seems like a big responsibility.
Ummm, nope.







I had regular, painless contractions for an hour, then had maybe two or three that had me wondering if I was in labor, then I doubted no more. Baby was born less than an hour later, on the way to the hospital.







Don't worry, you'll know.


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## Charmie981 (May 30, 2002)

Pam, I had the same questions. I'd even read that moms who had pit. with their first labors sometimes don't recognize natural but real contractions as labor contractions, because they are so different from the pitocin contractions.

I was tipped off by my water breaking this time, but I know that if my water hadn't broken, I still would have realized that the contractions I was having were real. It was pretty intense







.

Good luck!!

And :congrats to everyone holding a new little one! I'm loving all of the birth announcements and waiting for the rest of the birth stories







.


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## tandemmama (Apr 16, 2002)

There really was light!

Peyton Marie arrived at home on July 28 at 4:29PM.









I ended up not using the tub, but laying on the floor instead! I would have never pictured it that way, but that's how it happened! I wrote a birth story..I'm on my way to the birth story board to post it now!

I finally got my turn







She's beautiful and perfect and we're all in absolute love with her!


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Shannon...

That is great... I told you they HAVE to come out sometime!!!!

So who are we waiting for still???

Don't worry.. They really DO HAVE to come out sometime...

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan


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## Cindi (Nov 22, 2001)

Congratulations Shelby, Rosa and Shannon!! And best wishes to you pjlioness.

Here is a photo of Claire in her first few days:
Claire's page She has been smiling ever since she was born. I love it!

Cindi


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## ndmom (Feb 21, 2003)

Hello all! I hope that we start a July momma page in the baby section soon, I don't want to lose this forum








I'll try to write most of my birth story but you never know when you'll be called away by the hungry bird with Grandma...

Aidan Zane was born after 86 hours of home labour, transport to the hospital with Pitocin and a c-section that was almost of the emergency variety







. It was an amazing labour and I started it out being 100% effaced and 2 cm dilated when the midwives first checked me. I had been having crampy pains all night long and when I realized that they were 7 minutes apart we got pretty excited. I definitely think you'll know when you are in labour for those questioning moms! I thought the birth would whip right along but was prepared for a long haul so I slept alot that first night, mostly cat naps but felt rested...in the morning after regular 5 minute apart contractions I had only dilated another 1 cm. I got in the tub and things totally slowed down from there. I was able to have a three hour nap (thankfully) but nothing was moving along. To summarize those hours, my contractions were weak unless I was doing regular nipple stimulation or constantly switching positions. The babe and I were doing great thru the whole labour, his heartrate was awesome and I was in good spirits. I had a few episodes of being hypertensive (180/110) which scared the midwives and the temp was 107' outside so I was pretty dehydrated and we ended up doing a pseudo IV drip and enemas to keep me hydrated. The final day of labour was intense, I had dilated to 9 1/2 cm with just a lip and the babe was at +1 so I could barely walk. After tooooo many painful internal exams and attempts at stretching my cervix we decided that the baby's head just wasn't positioned to actually push against my cervix so it wasn't getting that final stimulation. His head was off to the side (he still sleeps this way). I was having bearing down sensations but my pushing was doing anything except making me tired. At the end we were no longer getting any response during the internal exam when the midwives would rub his head so we decided to transport.

Of course the hospital was waiting for this train wreck of a labouring mom to come in the door, they were all prepped for me. Surprise! I was smiling and walking on my own! They hooked me up to the monitors and we quickly noticed that he was having an occassional decrease in heartrate with contractions. I flipped around in all positions, they put me on Pitocin and the doctor tried to stretch my cervix but nada. We decided on a C-section due to the baby's distress and when we got in the surgery they lost his heartrate for a few moments and started to prep me for an emergency section. Luckily it came back up and we did the surgery. He was swimming in meconium and had an apgar of 1 at birth.







He spent the first few days in NICU but had incredible care and is doing soo well now at home. They really promoted bfing and I did everything I knew (herbs, homeopathy etc) to heal myself quickly and pass on some good stuff to him via the milk.

We've been home now for 6 days and he is amazing! BFing all the time, sleeping like an angel and we are all in love. No complications from a dramatic entry into the world and I'm at total peace with my birth experience although it defintely wasn't what I planned









Sorry for the book! Hope everyone else gets a chance to post their birth stories soon!
Shelby


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

when a c-section is the necessary thing. Sounds like you had one of those, Shelby. I hope they sewed you up the old way - two layers of stitches - the new way with one layer is why VBAC's can now be problematic if you're induced.







:

Anyway, I love that you walked into the hosp. That showed 'em! We are WOMEN, hear us ROAR (especially when we're in labor







)!


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Congrats to all!!!!

Things are going good here. Yanic has settled in great, nursing great and sleeping great ( hope I don't jinx that







)

We go for our check up today.....I can't believe he's a week old!!

Evelyn is adjusting well......the first couple days home were really hard.....I was tired and had no patience with her...but things are definately improving, and my mind is improving, so I don't snap at her for little stupid things....definately don't sweat the small stuff!!!

Mike's mom is still here too, so that is awesome!! I think she is leaving sometime this weekend though....I know she is anxious to get home, but doesn't want to leave if we need her still...but we should be ok.

Mike is awesome! I much better help the when we had Evy. And Evy is attached to him when he's not working. So that is great too.

Some thing just seem a little easier the second time around.

Did we start a July momma thread in New babe?? I'll have to look.
Take care all!!!
Labour vibes for those waiting....like Dyan said...they have to come out!









Talk soon,
Jen

p.s Mamasoleil....I don't think we'll make the festival this weekend!







Hope you are doing well!!!


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Jen, I didn't think you'd be making it...what with a week old baby and all~~~








I have VIP passes for the airshow though, and i"m looking forward to hearing the bands. I'm doing well, I'm 38 wks pg, and my body is doing a lot of pre labour work, so when the time comes, I'm hoping I'll already be partly dilated...(everyone's hope eh?)
Love the name you chose by the way!!!









Keep on keepin on,

Mamasoleil


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Things started up around 5:30pm. Ctx about 30 sec. long, 10 min. apart. They've gotten as close as 6 min. and about 40 sec. long, but now we're trying to get ds to sleep. The nurse and doula left for a while to give usa a chance to calm him down.

More later.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Happy birthin Pam!! {{{{{Labour vibes }}}}}}

Jen

p.s. Thanks mamasoleil.....on my way to klurk at you Aug mommas!


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## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

sending out birthing vibes to those who are now Aug. mommas to be.

wanted to post the link to my new dd's page.

http://www.growingfamily.com/webnurs...lID=9M0V0E0C2C


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## MamaSoleil (Apr 24, 2002)

Happy birthing Pam!!! I'm thinking of you!!!!

Mamasoleil


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## pjlioness (Nov 29, 2001)

Wow! I did it! Homebirth with tub (thank G-d!). The baby is a boy. He was 10lbs. even (Dr. Elvove weighed him twice to be sure) and 22". He came at 9:44am on the 4th of August. His name is Robert Anders.

Things are very crazy around here now, what with Robert and I having thrush and Alex having broken his leg (left femur) a week ago, but I had to take a moment to check in so you all weren't left wondering.

Much more later.


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## wwhippetcrazy (Mar 3, 2002)

Congrats Pam!!!

Holy that's 3~ 10 pounders born!!

Jen


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## madison (Nov 20, 2001)

Hi all, so good to finally get to read all your birth stories







I haven't had computer access in forever.... Congratulations!

Ian is 11 weeks old now (6/2 due 7/4). He's such a doll... he's starting to smile and coo







He's my blond little angel.

I'm desperately looking for work to do from home so I don't have to return to my corporate job and put him in daycare 11 hours a day







Wish me luck!

Many blessings to all of you and your new babies!!!!

Madison & Ian


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