Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[charbie]

Hi from L&D!
Ive been admitted, and honestly feel great when not contracting.
Having thoughts of an epidural...holding out for now bc contractions aren't super close.
as I said before, if I go into labor and realize this isn't for me, illl get one. Havent reached that ppint yet but I can see why people get the epi!
Catch y'all on the flip side!

 

[Missy0483]

Chimming in from TTC thread...

Hi Charbie! I've followed your story, but I don't think I ever got a chance to say anything to you! I hope you have a smooth delivery!!!

Hi everyone else, hope everyone is doing well!

 

[vc10um]

Delurking to wish my favorite Buckeye a smooth L&D! Best wishes, charbie!!! I hope you get to hold baby A very very very soon!

 

[lliang_chi]

Charbie! Fantastic news! Looks like Baby A does what she wants to do!!! Labor dust to you, my friend. Hope it's quick and what you want.

~LC

 

[NewEnglandLady]

EEEeeee! Charbie, I'm so excited for you!!! I'm thinking about you and can't wait to hear how everything went and see pics of Baby A!!

 

[Blenheim]

Oh Charbie, how exciting!! I hope everything goes smoothly.

 

[KatyWI]

GO CHARBIE GO!!! And please go easy on your mama, Baby A!!!!!!

 

[Lauren8211]

Charbie!!! Yay! I am so glad that Baby A is calling the shots! I can't wait to hear from you! I know you're going to rock out labor/delivery. So excited for you and the hubs! You get to hold her SO SOON!!!

LC - I would just tell DH the real reason why you want to take the earlier flight! You can always pull the pregnancy card and say "I don't know how much time I'll have to do these sorts of things when baby gets here..." I've used that a few times! Prenatal yoga is going well, but I've been sore! I don't know if that means I'm just THAT out of shape, or that its not good for my back for some reason. I'm going to continue going and see what happens! Our birthing classes are once per week, 6:30-8:45, for 7 weeks. We already love them. DH has told me he feels so much more confident about things, and we're only two classes in. Surprisingly, I think he's getting more out of it than I am!

NEL - I was sore after the first class! Like I just told LC above, I'm going to give it a few more to see if the "soreness" will equate to "strengthening" after a few more classes. I modified some of the exercises if I felt like I was putting too much strain on my back, so I'll report back after a few more classes to see how its going! I hear you on the "to do" and "to buy" lists. Ugh. I had to make like 18 google docs to keep everything organized, and I STILL feel like I have tons to do! Yikes! I've heard a lot of women get very annoyed by their hubbies throughout pregnancy - I did not have that problem, but you're definitely not alone! Sorry about the bacne. How frustrating! I'm starting in on the stretch marks (hips, not belly!) and I'm getting upset. Sigh. I'm just trying to remember that they fade! And the bacne WILL go away eventually, but its no less upsetting at the time. Boo! Also - never apologize for venting! Thats what we're here for!

PT - I will also keep my fingers crossed for your cervix! I know the bedrest must be kind of miserable. Its great that your DH is picking up the slack, and the housekeeper sounds like a fantastic idea!

Blen - Glad to hear you're hanging in there! Not too much longer! Thanks for the belly compliment, I wish I felt cute! I had to dodge the cameras at the wedding we went to last weekend because to me, I look disgusting. I wanted to cry when I saw pictures of myself. The body changes are getting really hard!

Pancake - Never feel bad about sleeping late and wasting time! Now is the time for taking it easy! That dinner sounds FANTASTIC. I love seafood, and I am so jealous!! I hope you enjoyed every sip of that wine! Good for you! FYI - I cleaned the mirror!


AFM - I just updated, so not much to share. Spent the day cleaning and tending to my needy kitten who clearly misses his big brother. Kind of heartbreaking! I'm forcing DH to finish painting the nursery this weekend. His procrastination is stressing me out. I don't think he understands that. I want this nursery DONE already! Also, I'm craving Ethiopian food and I'm not sure we'll have time to go out to dinner tonight. Booo!

Hope everyone is doing well and feeling great!

 

[bubbly1126]

Well, here is my birth story...

It started Thursday, September 8th at about 1:45pm. I had woken up that day with menstrual like cramps that came and went all throughout the day. At about 1:45pm, I started having regular, timeable contractions. They would start at the bottom of the uterus and then tighten and ride my stomach up like a wave. I remember thinking "Oh, this isn't bad! I can deal with this!" Haha. Little did I know. So I labored at home until about 9. At this time I thought it was time to call the mid wife on duty and let her know what was going on. My contractions were coming 6-7 minutes apart and I also had begun to have lower back and hip pain, almost like menstrual cramps, but times 1,000. (Or probably more, haha!) The midwife advised me to call back when they were a steady 5 minutes apart as she felt I was still in very early labor as I was still able to talk through the contractions. So I hung up with her and literally not 5 minutes later my contractions began to come at a steady 2 minutes apart. The intensity picked up drastically and I remember telling my husband I must be timing them wrong because there was no way they would be coming that quickly already. I labored through them for about another hour and then finally called the midwife back and she advised me to go to labor and delivery.

Once in labor and delivery, the nurse checked me and said I was about 2cm and they would monitor me for an hour and see if I make any progress. She could clearly see on the machine that I was indeed contacting every 2 minutes and they were very strong. So we waited out the hour and I hadn't made any progress so she suggested sending me home with medication for the pain. I immediately started to cry thinking there was no way I could handle this pain at home. I just felt more comfortable there. I think it was nerves and the fact that this was my first baby and had no ideas what to expect so I really wanted to stay. They agreed to admit me and gave me Nubain for the pain. The nurse said it would “take the edge off”... well, it did nothing of the sort! It didn't help at all but within the hour I had dilated to a 4 and so the nurse admitted it was definitely a good idea that I stayed as my labor was progressing much faster than they originally anticipated. At this point, I asked for the intrathecal (like an epidural but a one time shot to the spine, no catheter) but the nurse was putting me off, telling me I should try other things before just jumping to medication. (Which annoyed me as I have made it clear from the beginning that I was not trying to go natural and when I said I wanted the medication, that I expected it be given to me... provided I was far enough along, of course, which I was.)

From here I labored the majority of the time in the shower. My husband and mom would take turns spraying the hot water on my hips and back, as that is where most of my pain was. After a while, they checked me and said I was 4-5 cm. At this point the contractions were very intense and I just begged and begged for the medication. I finally got the intrathecal and man, it was heaven! I labored for another 3 hours and got to 7cm and this is where it got very bad. The medication wore off and I was in the most excruciating pain I have EVER felt in my life. I asked for the medication to be given again and it took FOREVER for them to get someone there. While I was waiting, the midwife came in and said I was running a fever, was still 7cm and that the baby's head had not engaged in my pelvis so she wanted to make sure it was in fact a head down there and did a quick ultrasound. It revealed that the baby's head had in fact not engaged yet and still had a ways to go. The midwife was afraid to break my water at this point due to the fact that the head wasn't engaged. She explained it could lead to a prolapsed cord and such but after consulting with my Doctor, she decided it was best to break the water and hopefully kick start the labor again. So they broke my water and immediately saw that there was meconium. At this point, she left to consult with my Doctor and before I knew it, the Doctor was in my room. He explained he felt it was best for me to have a c-section at this point due to my high fever, the baby not engaging and now showing signs of distress with the meconium. He explained it was entirely up to me... I could keep laboring and hope the baby dropped soon or he could do the c-section right then and I'd have my baby in less than a half hour.

At this time, I still hadn't had my second intrathecal so I'm in excruciating pain and I was just beyond upset at the thought I would be having a c-section. I cried. Hysterically. DH and I talked it through for a moment and felt it was better to just go ahead with the c-section as there was just too many “what if's” and unknowns that went along with waiting it out.

So at 9:16am, 9/9/11, my baby was born via c-section. He was 8lbs 9oz and 20 inches long. And the reason for all my back labor, he was sunny side up! After the Doctor showed him to me, he simply stated, “You made a very wise choice with the c-section as this baby never would have fit through your pelvis.”

I immediately felt better knowing I had done what was the absolute best for my child and myself. I feel cheated slightly, since I went through all of that just to end up with something I did not want at all... but I also got something I've waited my entire life for, my amazing son. I love him beyond comprehension and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

 

[Shoopy]

Liam is such a sweetheart. Congratulations IHA, he's precious!

Good luck Charbie!

 

[Skippy123]

AFM, at 22 weeks, my cervix was down to a puny little 1cm, when it should be a minimum of 3-4cm. It's still firmly closed, though. I'm strictly seeing the perinatologist now, and ordered on slightly stricter bedrest. No grocery shopping, laundry, errands, or standing for more than 20-30 minutes at a time (hiring a housekeeper is sounding less like a luxury now, and more and more like a practical decision). I have a weekly check-in with a nurse by phone to check in for signs of preterm labor, and have to go in for cervical checks every other week. They gave me a preterm labor lesson and booklet with warning signs to look for, and a breakdown of the chances of survival at different gestation periods, which has me nervous. At this point, I'm a little hesitant to even purchase furniture before we hit the 28 week mark...

PT I had my twins at 30 weeks, they told me I was doing great so I had no clue I might go into labor. I will say that I know a few babies born at 26 &28 weeks. I wish the perinates put me on bed rest. Take it easy if you can; I know how uncomfortable it is and I am not the type to sit still. Sending lots of full term twin vibes your way.


CHARBIE, yay!!!!!

INHISARMS, beautiful lo, congrats

 

[Skippy123]

AFM, at 22 weeks, my cervix was down to a puny little 1cm, when it should be a minimum of 3-4cm. It's still firmly closed, though. I'm strictly seeing the perinatologist now, and ordered on slightly stricter bedrest. No grocery shopping, laundry, errands, or standing for more than 20-30 minutes at a time (hiring a housekeeper is sounding less like a luxury now, and more and more like a practical decision). I have a weekly check-in with a nurse by phone to check in for signs of preterm labor, and have to go in for cervical checks every other week. They gave me a preterm labor lesson and booklet with warning signs to look for, and a breakdown of the chances of survival at different gestation periods, which has me nervous. At this point, I'm a little hesitant to even purchase furniture before we hit the 28 week mark...

ParrotTulips I had my twins at 30 weeks, they told me I was doing great so I had no clue I might go into labor. I will say that I know a few babies born at 26 &28 weeks. I wish the perinates put me on bed rest. Take it easy if you can; I know how uncomfortable it is and I am not the type to sit still. Sending lots of full term twin vibes your way.


CHARBIE, yay!!!!!

INHISARMS, beautiful lo, congrats

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Go Charbie, Go! Soon you will be holding sweet, little A! Congrats to you mama. Hang in there!

 

[Lanie]

IHA -- precious baby!!! I love the second pic! Congrats!!!

 

[charbie]

Aubrey Patrice entered the world at 4:03pm on Sept. 14th! She weighs 6 lb 14 oz (my exact birth weight!), 20 3/4 inches long. I anticipated a much bigger baby, but she is a little squirt, absolute perfection.

Suffice to say, birth plan went out the window. Got the epidural (with not one regret...circumstances were perfect for an epi, I was very comfortable with my decision.) Ill write out my birth story, but I was in labor for 13.5 hrs, pushed for a half hour. Ended up with a 2ndW degree tear (ouch!) Let me just say, I was NOT aware of how deformed your genitalia is after birth. My vajay is sooooooo super swollen, it just isn't right. I am waddling bc I cannot walk otherwise. They did say im more swollen than a lot of people, but I caught a glimse in the mirror and said to the nurse, "I look like i have testicles!" we both got a laugh from it.

Funny tidbit...they told me to go ahead and keep pushing through what ended up being my last push, thinking they had one more push to go. The doc and nurse were putting on their gowns when POP! Aubrey's head was out, and no one was in place to catch her! The doc threw his stuff to the ground to get her suctioned and deliver her shoulders. I remember saying, "umm, is she out!?" and he goes, "half of her is!" If I hadn't just delivered my baby, I probably would have been like, WTF!? But I think its pretty funny. The look on his face was pretty priceless.

Watching DH with our little girl is amazing. He held her exclusively for 20 mins or so after birth while they cleaned me up, and I kept looking over at hime. He was just staring at her, smiling, and you would have though in his mind, there was no one else in the room but him and Aubrey. My heart melts- he is so interested in every little thing she does, so protective of his girl already.

Ill leave you all with a picture...little lady loves sticking out her tongue. Oh, and she is so alert and bright eyed!

 

[charbie]

Taken just a few minutes after birth. I am so in love.

 

[bubbly1126]

Charbie!! Congrats! She is BEAUTIFUL!!

 

[pancake]

Charbie - congratulations!! Aubrey is just beautiful, and I am amazed at your commitment to letting us know (with pics too!) asap! Enjoy these special few first days

IHA - Liam is such a cutie, my husb and I had a good old chuckle at the middle pic where he looks really quite pleased with himself It sounds like your experience is not at all what you had signed up for but turned out very positively in the end! Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

[janinegirly]

Oh wow, congrats Charbie!!!! After what seemed like drawn out waiting, it turns out she was just on time! And hey I'm with you on the epidural, I plan on it again. Sounds like a quick birth (1/2 hr of pushing and 13 hrs goes fast when on an epi and can rest) and she is beautiful! I agree with Pancake - you're pretty amazing to be updating this quickly!

IHA - Liam is gorgeous, so alert already! I'm always amazed how they go from typical newborn look to a real baby so quickly when they were just in our bellies! I hope you are enjoying these first few days and weeks!

AFM, I guess I'm next? Agh, no - I am one of the few who will be ok with going over 40wks b/c I don't feel ready! I think technically January is next, but has anyone heard from her?

Oh and the belly photos look fantastic! I have YET to take one this time around.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Okay, reading about births and seeing pictures of newborns is making me a crying mess. I blame my hormones.

IHA, thanks so much for sharing your birth story. I can't imagine how overwhelmed you must have been with the c-section option being sprung on you like that. But I'm so glad you made the choice you did (and it sounds like it would have happened no matter what, so better that you didn't push yourself anymore!). I hope the c-section heals quickly!

Charbie, Aubrey is beautiful. I'm so sorry about the swelling and the tear, how long does it usually take for the swelling to go down and the tear to heal? I should probably know this. And what you said about about your DH with Aubrey is so sweet. Aren't dads with babies the best? Seeing a dad with a baby was the kind of thing that made my ovaries hurt before getting pregnant. I'm wishing you a speedy recover, new mama, and will check in with you on the newborn thread!

Janine, eeeee, you're next! You still have a month, so don't feel too overwhelmed yet!

 

[Skippy123]

Charbie, she is beautiful, congrats momma! Can't wait to see you in the Mom's thread!

 

[Skippy123]

Okay, reading about births and seeing pictures of newborns is making me a crying mess. I blame my hormones.

NEL, you will still do this after becoming a mom!!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Congrats IHA and Charbie!!! Even though the plans did not go as expected in both cases, you both are in love with your beautiful, healthy babies, and that is all that matters!!!

 

[lliang_chi]

Charbie!!! Congratulations!!!! What a *beautiful* little girl! Hope you're recovering well, and Baby A and Daddy A are keeping you company. You're a trooper for posting so quickly! Sounds like you're perfectly happy with your decisions during L&D.

IHA, sorry to hear you had to go the c-section route, which you were not planning, but sounds like it was the best decision for you and Liam. What a big boy, and I love the red hair!!!

Parrot, how's everything going for you sweetie? Sounds like you're making the best with the bed rest. Hopefully you'll have friends to keep you company. I highly suggest the Nook Simple Touch if you don't have an e-reader. Your housekeeper sounds FANTASTIC! It's great that it just fell into place for you. Sounds like your DH is a star at taking care of you.

Elle, you are one HOT mama!!! I get you feel like you're huge and gross, but take it from a 3rd party, you look amazing! I'm glad your DH is enjoying the classes so much. I hope the yoga can help your back, but do take it easy if it's too sore/stiff. Also you should let the instructors know, they might give you a modified pose. Oof, stretch marks! I hope they fade quickly. Hope DH has hopped to it in regards to the nursery.

Blen, hope you've got some good news soon. Tell the LO that the party's already started on the preggo thread!

Pancake, I'm thankful my boobs have not gotten bigger, my belly is just catching up. I dunno what I'd do if they did get bigger, I'm already ample bosom'd shall we say. SO nice that you're getting some nice glorious summer weather on your vacation. You totally deserve it! And the whole sleeping in late and lounging around. YOu need to make up for us working stiffs. Thanks for the confirmation of diva-ness (or lack of). Ha ha, Grizzly Bear episodes are funny. I hear Croatian whites are delish! Hope you enjoyed your glass of wine.

Janine, Woo hoo! Good luck! I haven't heard from January but I suppose you can go any day now too. Was DD1 early?

NEL, I hear you on the cuteness overload!! And never sweat venting on the thread. That's what it's here for. Sorry to hear about the crazy hormonal changes, and hormonal moods. Hope the Neutrogena wash helps. And I think you'll look amazing standing in the wedding next month!

AFM, not much longer until our Baby moon (5days!) Hooray. I finally got everythign sorted out except for the "where to eat, what to do" in Tahoe. I figure I'll wing it. And thanks everyone for listening to me whine about the whole Thankgiving thing. Turns out it's moot because the flight I wanted got sold out so we're not taking the flight DH wanted. Sniff. Sis and I will try to do the opera before Thanksgiving as a consolation.

I got a hair cut today! My friend is my stylist and she said she wants to keep my hair longer so as I get bigger, I'll have longer hair to help make me feel "prettier." I guess she's got experience with pregnant women getting bigger and feeling like they need longer hair to "balance" them out. I can't remember how she said it.

~LC (17wks today!)

 

[Loves Vintage]

Congrats, CHARBIE!!!! She is so sweet and beautiful!!! Enjoy these first most precious days! (Oh, and I love her name too!!)

IHA, Congratulations!! Liam is just perfect! I love that last photo. Happy little baby! So sweet. Enjoy every moment.

See you ladies in the Mommies thread when you're ready!!

 

[lliang_chi]

BPF contribution. 17 wks.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Happy Friday, ladies!!

LC, So close to your babymoon!! You're going to have such a great time! And I'm sorry to hear that your flight was sold out, but I guess the sold out flight made for an easy decision. Cute 17 week pic!

Elle, I'm sure everybody in the family is missing the kitty. I'm sorry How did your hubs do with painting the nursery? Is it done? Did you ever get your Ethiopian food fix?

Pancake, your week of relaxation sounds soooo divine! And the seafood dinner sounds absolutely delicious!

AFM, it's been a rough week, honestly. I think many of you know that we've been fighting issues with Byron for almost two years now. First, he went blind in one eye despite us doing several procedures to try to save his vision. Then he suddenly became paralyzed a year ago, which was devastating for all of us. This spring/summer we were finally in a good place...obviously not ideal, but Byron was happy despite his physical issues, we got wheels for him, took him to hydrotherapy every week, etc., so he was still living a fairly active life. Then last week we started worrying about vision in his other eye as he wasn't as coordinated when taking treats from us. Took him to his ophthalmologist and he still had sight. But this week he's lost all of his vision and the doc thinks he has cancer in his eye. We don't want to remove the eye to send it to pathology (he's at the end of his life, anyway, so I don't want to put him through pain) and really, even if he has cancer, it's sort of the least of his problems. So now D and I have to figure out what we should do--he's blind, paralyzed and last week started losing bowel/bladder control due to the same disease which caused him the paralysis, which we can no longer treat with medication. I can't tell you how much Byron means to me--it feels like I'm losing my best friend.

Anyway, sorry for the sob story. I'm attaching my 16 week pic so i can end on a happier note.

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, I'm really sorry to hear about Byron. And I'd totally be in the same spot as you. Speak honestly to your DH and find out what you're both comfortable with. Hugs to you and your DH. I'm sorry this has been such a crazy week for you.

~LC (17W, 1D)

 

[monkeyprincess]

NEL, your post brought tears to my eyes. I'm so very sorry. I wish Byron as many happy, pain-free moments as he can possibly have, and I wish you peace with your decision. Hugs. On a lighter note, you look absolutely adorable. Still tiny, but a definite little belly.

LC and Pancake, you look adorable too.

Congrats to the the new mamas. Your babes are just beautiful.

 

[parrot tulips]

IHA & Charbie - Congratulations on your beautiful new babies! It must be amazing being able to look at their faces, and to be able to hold and snuggle them.

NEL - Byron is so, so fortunate to have you and your husband in his life. I couldn't imagine anyone going to further lengths to make their pup as comfortable as the two of you have. And I'm sure you feel equally blessed to have such a sweet creature in your life. DH and I sometimes stare at our dog and wonder how we got so lucky as to find her. She brings us so much joy, my heart sometimes feels like it'll burst.

AFM - Bedrest is...well, it's going. I have my Kindle, phone, and laptop always near at hand. I get my cervix re-checked on Wednesday. Hopefully it's holding up. I'm also being monitored for preeclampsia now. Joy. My blood pressure, while normal at home, is always elevated when I go in for doctor's appointments (I'm not surprised - I always get another tid bit of bad news every time I go in, with all the possible scenarios which could cause me to lose my pregnancy. Whose blood pressure wouldn't be a little high?). Doc ordered some blood tests and a 24hour urine. Bloodwork looks totally normal, and my headaches aren't out of the ordinary for me, but the proteins looked high. On the up side, I'm being watched very carefully right now, which makes me hopeful that the doctor's will be better able to manage whatever lies ahead, and keep these kiddos inside of me until they're viable. I've been feeling tons of movement recently (enough to keep me awake sometimes), which also keeps me feeling positive. Here's my 23 week, 3 day pic: