Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[MuffDog]

Morning girls!!

Steph - what cloth diapers did you go with (or did I miss that info?) Glad you are putting everything together and that you don't have to be subjected to a bunch of internals if they aren't necessary! How are you feeling otherwise? Any contractions?

Sunnyd - I've heard that buying bedding in pieces is best since a) sets are expensive and b) you don't use most of them (i.e. quilt, bumpers etc). Did you end up finding anything?

MerryMary - CONGRATS on the arrival of Lauren Emily! Gorgeous name

Kunzite - those pictures are adorable. The first one looks like your little guy is holding the remote control to the tv Starts young!

Missy! Congratulations on meeting Blake! Sounds like you guys tried everything before the c-section. I hope the healing goes well and that soon enough you'll be 100% and enjoying time with the little guy. Nice going home outfit

Megumic - Lots of changes going on for you, eh? New car (yay!) new house, and soon a new baby!! My little guy gets hiccups - probably 1-2 times a day that I feel but could be more for all I know. As far as circumcision goes, I agree that it can be a very controversial discussion. I feel extremely strongly about the subject so I will stay out of it, but all I would say is a) do your research (there are some great resources out there that go through un-biased pros and cons and many include a video and b) make a decision that is right for you and your family (and your son!).

AMC - what a sweet picture! We never got a 3D u/s but I kind of wish we had!

JGator - Welcome!! I had quite a bit of anxiety at that time in my pregnancy as well. How long has it been going on? Mine definitely went away a bit after a few weeks. One thing that helped me was actually information - as I felt more prepared, I felt less anxious. Even just meeting up with any friends you have with kids and chatting with them may help.

Buttons - sounds like quite the trip! Glad that you enjoyed yourself and that you came home to a great check up You seem very busy - careful not to do too much and get over tired!!

Vintage - I had a huge response to the weight question done up last week but PS went down and then I lost the post! I have gained just over 40 lbs. Started at 140 and am around 181 or 182 now. My weight gain started slowly and then BAM it hit me. It is uncomfortable but mostly because I feel bad about myself. Which is dumb. Sure, I've had some splurges (i.e. ice cream) but to be honest, I don't think we have a ton of control over the weight gain. Sure, you shouldn't eat McDonalds every day, but if you are eating normally and just adding in a few treats, I don't think that is too bad. Your body is going to do what it is going to do. i.e. even if Jessica Simpson was splurging, I don't think that caused her to balloon up - her body did what it was going to do. I've actually had issues with my family members being overly interested in my weight gain - which has caused me to cry and lose it and I have now instituted a "zero tolerance policy" with respect to people talking about my weight. haha

AFM - I'm 38w4d today. Mat leave started Monday so I went to the spa yesterday (gift cert from work colleagues) and today is all about keeping my fat, fat feet up. The swelling has been insane!!

Hubs and I went to our pre-natal course this weekend too. It was pretty good - mostly because it forced us to sit down and focus on what was going to happen and how we felt about it.

I haven't felt any contractions or anything yet but the little guy has slowed down his movements recently (i.e. yesterday and today). I have an appt tomorrow so I will let them know. He is probably just resting up for the big event!

We are still stuck on names. Here are our options so far:

Henry
Coen
Luca
Griffin
Asher

Middle name will likely be Solomon (grandfather's name) - it doesn't fit with all of them but we figure that you rarely hear all three names together so it doesn't matter too much. What do you guys think? (PS we have an Italian last name - 4 syllables)

 

[amc80]

Vintage - I had a huge response to the weight question done up last week but PS went down and then I lost the post! I have gained just over 40 lbs. Started at 140 and am around 181 or 182 now. My weight gain started slowly and then BAM it hit me. It is uncomfortable but mostly because I feel bad about myself. Which is dumb. Sure, I've had some splurges (i.e. ice cream) but to be honest, I don't think we have a ton of control over the weight gain. Sure, you shouldn't eat McDonalds every day, but if you are eating normally and just adding in a few treats, I don't think that is too bad. Your body is going to do what it is going to do. i.e. even if Jessica Simpson was splurging, I don't think that caused her to balloon up - her body did what it was going to do. I've actually had issues with my family members being overly interested in my weight gain - which has caused me to cry and lose it and I have now instituted a "zero tolerance policy" with respect to people talking about my weight. haha

Well said. I don't feel like I've gone crazy. There have been a few weeks where I have, but, overall, I've pretty much eaten normally. I think my weight gain has come more from the sheer quantity of food I've been eating rather than what I've been eating. For the most part, I try to be conscious of what is going in. But honestly, it seems like I gain weight regardless of what I eat. After my doc told me I was gaining too much, I ate really well and worked out more...and still gained a few lbs in two weeks. The only time I haven't gained (and actually lost a pound) was while I was on bedrest/reduced activity for a week....not doing anything all day really made me not hungry. At this point, I'm trying to enjoy the pregnancy and not drive myself crazy. I know I've gained a lot and I know I will have to work hard once the baby is born. So guess what, I'm going to eat a Twix ice cream bar if that's what's going to make me feel good for a few minutes.

 

[vintagelover229]

katamari:

You're babymoon is going to be AMAZING!!! I can't wait to see pictures! And a house-yay for closing on your house

I guess ours is a honey/baby moon lol. I LOVE my IL as well-my adopted/foster parents are coming for a visit and needless to say...it should prove to be interesting. Since I left at 17 (as in-not my choice-long story) I haven't been allowed back at the house unsupervised (and no-I didn't steal anything lol) or even allowed to spend the night. Any time I wanted a visit I had to stay with friends (which actually in hind sight isn't a bad thing) but now...they will be staying with us. It's only for 2 nights (and one of the days is the reception) but it's quite strange that the tables will now be turned but I've come a long ways since 17 and my husband and I have boundaries and I've gotten very good at being able to put them up-yet be polite about it-but firm. So we shall see! The main thing is they are bringing my 15 yr old baby sister...it's been 2 years since I've seen her (communication is very limited since I have contact with our bio. family-another long and complicated story) and so I miss her beyond words. I can't even think about it since I pretty much raised her until she was one (I was 8-10 or so-hence the foster care/adoption lol) and now shes a young woman. It's hard to believe-I'm not allowed to be her FB friend but my mom has her settings so I can view her pictures and she's so big and beautiful and confident-I'm so proud of her. I can't wait to see her

Also-don't stress to much about child care. When the right time comes the PERFECT solution is going to present itself. I have faith that the perfect daycare of nanny will be right there and you'll have worried/stressed over it for no reason There are TONS of great sites out there now that provide background checks and services. You might have to pay more up front if you can't find something and need a short term fix-but that will give you the window of time to find the right solution for you and your new family.

We sound like we're up the same amount weight wise-I'll know better in a week when I get on my midwifes scale. My MIL scale plays tricks on me. I got on it (we don't have one at home) when we first got there-and it said one thing-then after dinner it said like 3lbs heavier. I only ate one cheeseburger and it in no way shape or form weighed 3-4lbs. I'm also not allowing myself to worry about it-it is what it is and I'll deal with it after we all get settled into a new routine. I do know that BF helps get the weight off quicker. A few gf's of mine have 1yr olds and they look amazing-and they all gained a fair amount of weight as well. If I didn't gain this weight I'm not sure where the fat would come from to produce breast milk and it's very important to me to give it my best shot since I know how good it is for the baby.


MuffDog: My old friend just had a son named Asher-I LOVE the name! All of them are very unique (Henry is traditional) and I like unique names. At least you are on agreement with the names. Mr. VL wants a Jr. but they have a tradition in the family that the 1st born boy & girl takes the first name of the grandparents on both sides as their middle names (so they end up with 2 middle names-one from each side). Well my DH was named after his father-and so it would be the same first name/middle name my dad's first name and our last name. We of course can change that-but I'd prefer to use his name as the middle name-or have our 2nd son be the Jr. I'm not sure I'll win this...I have a really unique boys name picked out. We're in agreement on the female name though-after about 6 of our top choices were on the top 25 list (taking away the unique factor) and so that really just left one lol.


I'm glad to hear there are other mom's cloth diapering. I'm in a coop and I bought a ton of Kawaii diapers that will be brought up by my adopted mom. I can't wait to share pictures. I've gotten a few things-a diaper bag-the bedding set-the diapers and a baby carrier (a mai tei-google it) but have made myself stop until after a shower happens.



I'm sorry that people are commenting on your weight. My DH is used to me being petite and while he thinks I look sexy and cute-sometimes there will be a joke made (since like many of you-I swear at least 10lbs went to my bra) and I'm now front heavy and I need momentum in order to successfully get up and go up stairs and my balance is all sorts of screwed up. In my defense I've never had very good balance (which is surprising since I was very athletic as a kid) and the changes my body is going though + hormones = even though I don't allow myself to stress over it either.

My weakness-potato chips. Always have been and I do my best to limit my consumption. However my MIL knows this and whenever there is potato chips she makes (a loving joking comment) about watch the potato chips if you want any and it makes me feel a bit bad. It's not like I even eat the whole bag (My FIL does that) but probably 1/3 of it over a good period of time. I make myself take only one chip at a time to help. But still...I think no one should comment about it since we are sensitive and it's not even our fault. The other night I went to get a bowl of cookiedough ice cream (it's been in there for over a month-still have some left-so I can't be THAT bad) and my DH made a comment about not liking me eat that garbage (meaning processed chemical crap-and he's right) and I freaked out He felt bad after-but I didn't even get my ice cream since I was so upset about it.



Sorry this post is so long-but you guys were correct when you said it would be a year to remember. We got married in early Dec. and started the immigration process (anyone who's gone though it knows it's nothing but paperwork and money) and then we found our house in Jan (just looking-not really serious) and made an offer which was accepted with a closing date in March. Found out we were expecting in Feb. and I also had my birthday that month-packed up the apt. and got ready for the move. The house was a foreclosure and needed to be cleaned-it was so filthy. Moved into the house (had a car accident the day before the move to-that was fun-not) and got the house as ready as it could be. Went over a month without a stove or washer/dryer.

We had his brothers buck and doe in March-my DH birthday earlier this month (and he took a professional exam in there as well)-planning our honeymoon which is 15 days-the day we get back my gf arrives from FL (she's driving) and she'll be here a few days. A week later the reception/adopted parents visit. A week later my other adopted dad (long story) comes up for a week-I'm looking forward to that visit though lol. Then I have my future SIL bachelorette party-(my DH is the best man so he has to plan something else in there as well) and the following weekend is the wedding. That brings us to mid-Aug. and then in Sept. we have to put a new roof on our house (ours really needs it) and get the nursery ready. Some where in there we'll have a baby shower (which btw I've already been to 2 bridal showers and my husband helped someone else redo their roof) and then the baby arrives around the same time as the Canadian Thanksgiving. There are also birthdays in there (we get together with family for dinner for those). Oh-and I can't forget our yard that needs to have a ton of stuff done to it prior to the arrival of guests.

I'm exhausted just typing that all out. Whew! I knew as soon as April was over it was on-meaning that before I know it I'm going to be 8 months pregnant and the baby can come at any time. While in BC though I'm allowing myself to go to a maternity boutique and splurge on a dress for his brothers wedding-hopefully I can also wear it at our summer reception. Thankfully it's a country style wedding so I don't need an elegant gown or anything


Alright-I'll quit hogging the board. I'm procrastinating since I have 2 loads of laundry to fold-cookies to bake-a house to clean-a shower to take and I need to organize all the stuff that gets piled up from dropping it everywhere over the weekend.


Well wishes to everyone and their babies-keep baking ladies (although in this heat I'm sure that's not difficult to do-man I'm dying up here lol) and I'll do my best to keep updated with this thread as best I can. We've got 10 days until we leave for our HM and a lot to do before we go! Must.stay.motivated. lol.

 

[MissStepcut]

I thought I had morning sickness pretty well behind me (I am 17 weeks), but last night's fajitas did not work out. I think it was the pablano peppers. Anyone else have more "selective" sickness but otherwise feel great?

 

[amc80]

I thought I had morning sickness pretty well behind me (I am 17 weeks), but last night's fajitas did not work out. I think it was the pablano peppers. Anyone else have more "selective" sickness but otherwise feel great?

I was lucky in that once the ms was gone, it was gone. The only residual I had was for about two weeks after it went away. If I got hungry at all I would immediately start dry-heaving. It was lovely. I had to make sure to have food available at all times.

Sorry this post is so long-but you guys were correct when you said it would be a year to remember. We got married in early Dec. and started the immigration process (anyone who's gone though it knows it's nothing but paperwork and money) and then we found our house in Jan (just looking-not really serious) and made an offer which was accepted with a closing date in March. Found out we were expecting in Feb. and I also had my birthday that month-packed up the apt. and got ready for the move. The house was a foreclosure and needed to be cleaned-it was so filthy. Moved into the house (had a car accident the day before the move to-that was fun-not) and got the house as ready as it could be. Went over a month without a stove or washer/dryer.

Sounds like my year! We got married in late November...found out I was pregnant a couple of weeks later (while still on the honeymoon!).

 

[amc80]

Muff- forgot to comment on your names. I like Asher best from your list. And Asher Solomon sounds great!

 

[missrachelk]

I think I will end up close to 50 pounds gained when it's all said and done. I don't sem to have gained this week so hopefully things will slow down. Who knows? I'm trying not to stress about it - i really dont want to gain 50 but my quick initial gain will make it tough. Im up over 20 already at 23 weeks. Ill just keep in mind and know that there's plenty of time to diet and exercise once the baby comes. One of my reasons for not wanting to come back to work is so I'll have lots of time to workout and cook good food.

Names! I'm on my phone and can't look back but I'll give an opinion later for you muff.

DH and I have moved away from kenly, the family name we thought we'd use. Now we're goin between 2:
Hannah Elizabeth
Leah Kenly
or the original
Kenly Elizabeth

Hannah is way ahead for both of us right now.

I wish DH liked more names though! I love Meredith but he hates it. Oh well Hannah is really nice and it's starting to settle in for me. Any other suggestions to add to the mix?

 

[amc80]

DH and I have moved away from kenly, the family name we thought we'd use. Now we're goin between 2:
Hannah Elizabeth
Leah Kenly
or the original
Kenly Elizabeth

Hannah is way ahead for both of us right now.

I wish DH liked more names though! I love Meredith but he hates it. Oh well Hannah is really nice and it's starting to settle in for me. Any other suggestions to add to the mix?

Babynamewizard.com is suggesting these as sibling names to the names Hannah, Leah, and Kenly (although I had to spell it Kenley to get results):

Abigail
Alexis
Audrey
Caroline
Emily
Grace
Kira
Rachel
Rebecca
Sarah
Sydney

 

[Puppmom]

Muff, I all of the names you chose. You can't go wrong with any of them! My personal fav is Henry.

I just wanted to chime in re: weight gain. I didn't do anything special when I was pregnant - I didn't diet but I didn't really eat more either. I ate what I wanted with few exceptions because, in those early months, I was queasy and the list of things that appealed to me was short. Also, a full stomach was the only thing that eased the nausea. Anyway, I gained about 45 or 50lbs. No one really criticised me but my doc did once tell me I should keep an eye on it. I felt good physically for most of my pregnancy but gaining that much did make me feel bad about myself. It didn't help that one of my friends wouldn't shut up about how she gained 6 lbs (yes, 6!) her entire pregnancy and she was thin to begin with. DS was born on July 30th and, by Halloween, I lost every ounce. So, by 4 months postpartum, the woman who gained 6lbs and the woman who gained 50lbs were at the SAME PLACE. I know it's not the same for everyone but I'm pretty sure it was the breastfeeding that did it for me. Not that I'm encouraging anyone to gain a lot but just don't fret if you do. You've got enough to worry about when you're baking a baby!

 

[sunnyd]

6lbs?!? How is that even possible?! I'm with the rest of you, I feel like I'm eating when I'm hungry, which is slightly more than normal.

I'm feeling bigger and heavier the last few days, especially by evening time trying to make dinner! I need a back support belt thing just lugging this kid around, and I'm only 21 weeks! Crikey, it's going to be a long 5 more months! Half joking, but I might look into something when things start getting out of control big...

Muff, I love the name Asher too. I think it sounds great with Solomon!

Rachel, of your list I like Kenly the best! That's just my preference though, I like the unique ones. Everyone keeps harassing us about names, so now I think we might keep it quiet except for family and close friends. I don't know, maybe we'll cross that bridge when we actually find a name we agree on. Hahaha. It may not be until she's here! I hope not though.

Well, speaking of food, it's lunchtime!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Muff, you've got some great choices to pick from. I like Henry a lot, and think it sounds cute with Solomon, although Henry is becoming more popular it seems. You really can't go wrong though!

Katamari, Sicily? Wow, have fun! I'm sure one of your daycare leads will work out, and you still have 4 months plus however long your maternity leave is, so don't get too stressed just yet.

Buttons, glad you had a fun trip. And sounds like you are going to be pretty busy in the next little while!

MSC, I was lucky and never had much m/s, but I definitely have random days where I just feel yucky and nauseous for no particular reason. It's usually when I get up in the morning and gets better as the day wears on.

Rachel, it's funny how you think you have the name all picked out and then you start second-guessing. We're in the same boat right now. In the end, I think we'll probably end up with our old standby because it is a family name and we both like it. Although Hannah and Leah are both somewhat popular, I think they are both nice names.

Sunnyd, I get super uncomfortable at night too. It's like my belly swells and gets heavy and stretches the skin. Doesn't bode well if I'm already feeling like this and I haven't even hit the third trimester!

AFM, I ordered that bedding I posted last week, and it came last night. It is really sweet and baby-ish and made me so excited to get going on the room. I found tons of cute prints/decor on etsy that will blend nicely without being too matchy-matchy or themey. Now, we just need to start looking at and researching furniture. Also, thanks to everyone who chimed in on the weight issue. I'm also up about 15 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight, and I'm only 22.5 weeks. I'm walking 2-3 miles every day too! It is hard not to feel bad about it, but it helps to hear that many others are going through the same thing.

 

[choro72]

MerryMary, congratulations!! Can't wait to see the pictures! Sorry, I know nothing about ipads.

Kunzite, what precious boys! I didn't know they checked the weight by the size of the head either. When do they get to go home? Does Oliver understand?

Missy, you rockstar! Congratulations on your boy, and I love the name! Glad everything worked out in the end. Love the birth story!

Meg, yay for a new car! I didn't know until recently that the circumcision rate here is so high. I agree that I don't see why people need to fight about it. I have hiccups at least 3 times a day, if not more. I wouldn't worry, it's good exercise for the baby!

JGator, so glad to see you here! Don't have much suggestion for your sleep, except that I haven't had a decent sleep since December. Do you have a pregnancy pillow?

Buttons, what a lovely babymoon! And good luck with all the changes. You're very brave!

Katamari, Oh the joy of childcare Are you going to need a full time child care? Or just a few days a week? I only need it a day a week, and the only place that will do that is certified ladies who run a day care center at home. The price and the pick-up time weren't going to work with my schedule so I was thinking about quitting at one of the places I teach.
So, so jealous about Sicily!! Although, too bad you can't have too much wine :p

MuffDog, Love your choices! I like Henry and Coen the most.

MissStepcut, I don't have selective sickness, but plain sickness. I'm nauseated every morning. Quite annoying because I wasn't expecting it.

MP the nursery is going to be so cute!

AFM, 39W tomorrow. Final exam is done, and I am freeeee! Not really, because I realized that I had better start preparing for the Fall semester because I don't think I have time after the baby comes.
Thanks everyone for reassuring me about my bucket list priorities. It seems like the motherly nature in me will sprout the moment I see his face. I can't wait to feel that way!

I was curious enough to get an internal exam today. WHEW, I'm glad I refused it twice. I tend to clench up so it makes it worse. She stuck her hand much further than an ordinary pap-smear while pressing the baby down, so I tried to use this opportunity to practice relaxing but it didn't work. Oh boy, I'm in for a painful labor.
I bled afterwards like the first day of my period. So much that if I didn't know about my cervical polyps I would have panicked like a headless chicken. Baby is doing Zumba lessons so I know he's okay. Actually, he head-screwed my cervix yesterday that I screamed in my car.
Anyway, verdict is 1cm dilated, so not ready at all. I'd better start scrubbing the floors to take advantage of my mom while she's here.

 

[missrachelk]

Everyone keeps harassing us about names, so now I think we might keep it quiet except for family and close friends. I don't know, maybe we'll cross that bridge when we actually find a name we agree on. Hahaha. It may not be until she's here! I hope not though.

People harrassing and giving their opinions - you know what they say about opinions - everyone has one - is exactly why we're not sharing with ANYONE before the baby comes. You really never can tell if you'll get a negative reaction from, say your Mom or a trusted friend that would turn you off of a favorite name. Once the baby is here and named, there's nothing their opinion can do at that point. But that's jsut my opinion LOL! I think it keeps a little something jsut between the two of us (DH and I) also. We probably won't decide for certain until she gets here.

 

[megumic]

Muff, I like Griffin and Henry. Henry is on our list and we like Griffin for a boy or a girl. DH thinks Griffin sounds like Gryffindor (sp??) from Harry Potter, but I like the name a lot!

Missrachel - I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Meredith and DH hates it! I do like Kenly Elizabeth a lot. I also like Leah, but I prefer it spelled Lia. I find girls names to be so much more difficult than boys names. Right now our favorite girls name is Margaux.

Thanks to all who chimed in about the hiccups! Had a Drs appt today and they said hiccups several times a day are totally normal. Of course they are, I knew that

Also learned that only 5% of babies are breach. We had the big scary child birth class on Sunday that went through all of the interventions, c-section, etc. and I literally left in tears from being so overwhelmed. I have such a fear of a c-section and interventions and I'm trying hard to prepare myself b/c I rationally know that those things are possible. Does anyone else have these crazy fears???

 

[MuffDog]

Meg - are you slated for a c-section or are you just worried about the possibility? There was a good c-section story here (http://marvelouskiddo.blogspot.ca/2012/06/birth-story-of-week-journey-to-natural.html) yesterday if you want to see a mom-centred story.

Missrachelk - I totally agree re names. We haven't told any of our family about our names. Just some internet strangers/friends I do worry about some of the more unique names because my in-laws are very old school (and old, to be fair) and I can only imagine what they'll say if we introduce them to Coen

Choro - sorry the exam was so painful. I've got one today too and I'm not looking forward to it!


Thanks for the comments on the names. I also really love Henry but am mostly concerned that it is becoming so popular. I really don't want the little guy to be Henry C. for the rest of his life, you know? However I have yet to meet a Henry EVER so maybe I'm over analyzing.

AFM - as mentioned above, I have my appointment today and they are going to do an internal (ouch!). I think I have started to lose my mucus plug (yesterday and today) so I'm guessing that I'm starting to dilate a little bit? I don't feel anything else yet (no contractions, etc) but we'll see.

As much as I know I want and love this baby boy, I'm extremely nervous about going into labour and everything. I guess it is just the unknown? Arg. I wish I was one of those women who were all excited and glowy about the prospect of meeting the baby. I'm sure I'll get there but I'm just nervous right now. I mean - most women at 39 weeks are trying to get labour going and I'm still fine with him staying in there and baking. Am I normal?

 

[mayerling]

Hello ladies!

How are all the new mamas doing? Missy, Kunzite, Mary?

Muff, how exciting about the mucus plug! I'm excited to meet baby but I'm getting more nervous by the day regarding labour.

Choro, I can see how an internal can be painful, but I'd much rather give in and feel pain than not knowing whether there's been any progress on the labour front.

MP, congrats on the new bedding!

Rachel, as others have said weight gain really isn't that important. I'm sure it'll all go away soon after the baby is born. My neighbour gained 27kg and 30kg with each of her pregnancies and a few months after her babies were born she was skinny as ever.

Vintage, I'm CDing too and am also excited to hear about other CD mommies. I can't wait until LO is here so I can try all the cute fluff on him.

Katamari, welcome!

AFM, 36 weeks today. As of today, I have gained 11kg and I'm pretty sure I'll gain a couple more by the time baby arrives. I suppose I'll be within the normal range, but it's getting harder and harder to resist my sweet tooth. Also, I have joined the "unable-to-put-on-rings-or-shoes" club. My rings I'd been having trouble with since 32 weeks but my shoes fit fine at 34 and only started giving me trouble at 35. I guess I don't mind the shoes that much, but I do miss my rings. Does anyone know how long after the birth it takes for the swelling to go down? I'm also having a really hard time dealing with the heat. It's not that hot, but I find myself sweating all the time. I don't know how I'll be able to cope for another month. Anyway, here's a pic of me at 36 weeks for bump day:

 

[stephbolt]

Hi ladies!

Merry congratulations on the arrival of Lauren! Hope you are feeling good and we can't wait for pics when you can figure it out!

Missy, Blake is such a little doll! Sounds like he gave you plenty of trouble on his way out, hope he is making up for it by being an angel baby now.

Sunny, we didn't do a bedding set, just bought sheets at Target. We figured most of the bedding set is not supposed to be used b/c of SIDS so we'd just go simple and got different cute printed sheets that looked good with the rest of the décor in the room. Oh and I totally wore a maternity support belt for a period of time, it really helped until she dropped too low for me to be able to wear it comfortably.

Kunzite your little guys are so precious! Hope they are growing and thriving still.

Meg, I have been feeling a crazy increase in hiccups the last few weeks! Such a funny feeling! The circ debate...ugh, I'm glad we are having a girl because DH and I fought like crazy over this one. Good luck coming to a decision you and your DH are happy with and hope everyone else can keep their opinion out of it. Sounds like the house is coming along well, hope they stay on schedule!

Amc, glad baby is in good position now but yikes on him measuring so big! Hope he slows down a bit for your sake. Cute pic!

Welcome Jgator! I'm so sorry you are dealing with some anxiety, I think you have the right idea in talking to your doctor, I hope they can offer you some relief.

Buttons you have been a busy lady! Glad the job uncertainty for your DH is settled but yikes to moving when you have a new baby! Hope you will be able to take it easy and have plenty of help.

PetitePoire, almost there mama! Glad the monitoring went well and your uterus is starting to practice a little.

Katamari, the childcare thing is so stressful! We found out there were waiting lists around here when I was only 12 weeks which shocked me but were able to find a center we are happy with that had openings. But the cost...it's overwhelming!

Muffdog, we got a mix of diapers for the newborn months...I bought them all used off of diaperswappers.com. Mostly Kissaluvs 0 with covers but got some pockets/AIOs (Fuzzibunz, Lil' Joeys, and Grovias) as well. I wanted to try prefolds for the newborn phase but DH is scared of them. We are also going to try out the CD thing with a newborn before investing in larger sizes and see if we can talk our daycare into using them since I'm not sure it will remain as doable if it's only part time. Worst case I can probably make back most of what I spent on the NB stash since I bought them used if we decide it's not for us. I'm so jealous that you are off on leave, I'm trying to tough it out till the bitter end. And love your name choices, though I admit I am partial to Henry. And I am right there with you with both wanting baby to be here and being nervous about labor and everything to follow!

MissStepcut, I had what I thought was MS that lasted forever, but it actually was MS that segued right into bad reflux. Once I started taking prilosec that helped.

Missrachel, I love your names! I like Leah the best I think but you can't go wrong!

Choro, sorry the internal was so miserable, you're making me glad they aren't doing any on me! How long is your mom staying?

mayerling, you look great, sorry about the swelling! Hopefully someone who has btdt can let us know how quickly it goes away!

AFM, 38w5d today. Woke up Sunday night a few times with painful contractions, but they never turned into anything. I've been working from home this week just in case which has been great, getting back 90 min I usually spend commuting and not having to deal with anyone asking me how I'm feeling or when I'm having that baby. I feel ok most of the time but typically have a few hours of misery at the end of the day just feeling achy and tight and done with pregnancy. Midwife appt yesterday, still no internal, she estimated baby's weight at 6.75 lbs based on just feeling her which I can certainly deal with. Got home from that and started feeling some terrible sciatic pain, couldn't even sit on the couch because it was too soft! I've been alternating between sitting on an exercise ball and laying down. Oh, and starting to loose bits of my mucus plug too. So...yeah, still no idea if baby is coming tomorrow or in three weeks. Probably somewhere in that range?

Hope everyone else is doing well!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Having a slight panic moment. I just used the restroom and noticed a very slightly pink/orange tint when I wiped. I wouldn't quite call it spotting, and when I think about it, I kind of noticed it last night too but thought I was imagining it. I left a message with my doctor's nurse and am waiting for a call back to see what if anything I should do. I don't think I'm having any cramping or contractions or anything, and I used the doppler this morning and heard the heartbeat. Anyone experience anything like this? We're supposed to leave town early tomorrow, and now I'm wondering if that's a good idea. Hopefully, the doctor will put me at ease....

 

[MuffDog]

MP - I don't have any advice but I'm sure it is normal. Wait till you hear from the doctor though!

Steph - Sorry to hear about your sciatic pain! I had that a few months ago and it was BRUTAL. Hope the baby shifts and you get some relief. At least you are close to the end!

AFM - just got back from my appointment and looks like not much is happening. Just a little thinning of the cervix but no dilation to speak of yet. I did come to the conclusion that I am NOT good with pain. I found that very, very uncomfortable and I can't imagine what labour is going to be like. Ugh.

Otherwise all is well. Just wait and see now I guess!

 

[amc80]

Hi all! We had our finally childbirth class last night, which included a hospital tour. We were familiar with the actual L&D rooms, since that's where I was a couple of weeks ago...but we got to see the postpartum rooms and the observation rooms. Our hospital was totally remodeled a few years ago, so everything is just beautiful. Last night's class also covered postpartum care. All I can say is EEK. Show me the birth video over and over, but yikes, don't show this one to me again. It was all about the recovery process and it made it sound horrible. But at least at that point there's a cute baby, so that helps. Tonight we have infant CPR, next week is a breastfeeding class, and the week after that is the infant care class. And then we are ready for this little guy!

Here is my 31 week picture-

 

[stephbolt]

Having a slight panic moment. I just used the restroom and noticed a very slightly pink/orange tint when I wiped. I wouldn't quite call it spotting, and when I think about it, I kind of noticed it last night too but thought I was imagining it. I left a message with my doctor's nurse and am waiting for a call back to see what if anything I should do. I don't think I'm having any cramping or contractions or anything, and I used the doppler this morning and heard the heartbeat. Anyone experience anything like this? We're supposed to leave town early tomorrow, and now I'm wondering if that's a good idea. Hopefully, the doctor will put me at ease....

Thinking good thoughts for you MP. I hope your doctor can offer some reassurance to you quickly! I haven't experienced any spotting myself but I've heard plenty of stories from others who have with no issues.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Thanks muff and Steph, the nurse called back and said that they just want me to monitor it on my own for now and if it picks up or I have cramping to come in. She said that I should be fine to go on our trip tomorrow if I don't do any strenuous activity. I'm still slightly worried, but I guess I'll just play it by ear for now. I've used the restroom a few times since then and haven't seen anything, so hopefully it was just some irritation or something.

 

[missrachelk]

Not to be too tmi but if you were using the bathroom for #2 it could be coming from that end not where the baby is KWIM? I had that happen a few days ago and was freaked till I figured out what it was. At any rate good luck and don't stressing sure the drs office can give good advice.

 

[Buttons]

Hi all!

Monkey I am sending lots of good vibes your way, I would have been a bit panicked too and you did the right thing calling your Doc. I hope you get the all clear today. Keep us posted xx

amc that video sounds scary! All my friends who’ve had babies though have said their recovery wasn’t that bad so I am thinking positive thoughts and hoping for the best. I realise this is probably me being a big old camel with my head in the sand but on this point I am going to remain happily ignorant I have had a look at Monnnie’s recovery thread though and I will definitely be stocking up on frozen pads and a squirty bottle, to ease the process. Your hospital sounds fab, lucky you! The unit I’ll be delivering in (all going well) is also brand new and very swanky in comparison to the rest of the hospital. Love the bump picture, you are looking fabulous

Muff I wouldn’t say not much is happening, thinning of the cervix is something, right? I am sure in the heat of the moment you will do just fine in labour. And I don’t think you’re at all weird to be quite happily baking for a while longer, once you’re comfy and baby is well there is no need to rush I think Henry is a lovely name and if you haven’t come across one in your area yet maybe it won’t be all that common where you are. Could you maybe suss out the birth announcements in your local paper or the baptism announcements? Might be one way to try and figure out the likelihood of your babba being one of several Henrys in his class in school? And I promise not to overdo it the next few months, I am very good at delegating work

Steph it’s been a crazy few weeks all right! We are talking about moving to a house across the street from my parents for the next four months – that way we’ll have lots of support for the last bit of the pregnancy and the first six weeks with baby. Sounds like you are gearing up for some action labour-wise! Very exciting!!! Sending you lots of good vibes

mayerling I can feel my rings getting snug and I am dreading the day they are too tight to wear any more My eternity ring is a size bigger than my wedding and engagement ring as I wear it on my other hand so I am hoping I may be able to transfer that over to my left hand and that it will still fit. Probably wishful thinking! I am suffering with the heat too and it’s not even all that warm here. I can’t wait for August when I can wear whatever I want and not have to struggle with suits and tights every day…! Love your bump pic, you are looking great

megumic I am so sorry to hear your childbirth class was so scary I really do not understand why there is so much scaremongering around childbirth – I mean I know there are risks but the vast majority of labours are normal and uncomplicated. With modern medicine we will all be wonderfully cared for if something does go wrong, but really it is more likely than not that everything will go smoothly. And your fears aren’t crazy at all, it is absolutely natural to be scared of the unknown and this is a pretty huge unknown!!! I don’t know if it would help you but I find it very reassuring to read positive birth stories of all different kinds of births (natural, induced, C-sections, etc.) to build up my confidence. I just read them online.

choro I don’t know if I would call myself brave – crazy, maybe So exciting you are 39 weeks! Glad to hear your exams are all over, and hope the preparation for next semester isn’t too burdensome. Sorry to hear the internal was unpleasant, but 1cm dilated sounds like some progress, that is great!

sunnyd my friends keep asking about names too but I am keeping Mum. It was quite funny recently actually, my brother asked me about names in front of my mother and she went ballistic! She totally told him off, said it’s the couple’s choice and that he shouldn’t be sticking his oar in. My mother is very mild mannered so I was quite surprised!

puppmom 6lbs?!?! What?!? I’m not buying it!!! I was the same as you, needed to keep a full tummy to stave off the nausea for the first few months, and haven’t being doing anything special since. I expect I’ll end up with a similar weight gain to you but I really have no idea as I don’t own a weighing scales and my hospital doesn’t weigh women during pregnancy.

missrachel if you like Hannah and Leah you may like one of the names that’s popular over here – Alannah. It is an anglicised translation but in the original language it very literally means “my baby”. For what it’s worth, my vote would be for Hannah Elizabeth, I love both of those names

MissStepcut I am in the exact same boat at 26 weeks. I keep getting random bouts of horrible nausea usually followed by that thing where you throw up a little bit in your mouth (sorry if that is TMI). Other than that I feel fine so I am just chalking it down to there being less room in my tummy with the growing bebe…

katamari yes we will probably have to travel for some house-hunting. DH will likely be down there once a week anyway so he will do the initial legwork and then I will just go down once and we’ll make the final decision together. Thankfully we know the area well so we are clued in to the places we want to avoid etc. I will absolutely have movers – my DH and his brothers! I do not intend to lift a finger! I feel like all my weight gain has settled in my bra too – I am now wearing a 32G, can you imagine?!? Oh well, it is what it is. You will have an amazing time in Sicily!!! We honeymooned there and it was fabulous.

vintagelover Sounds like you have a very busy Summer ahead of you – we are both of us in for it! Take care of yourself and rest up in between all those things as much as you can. I will absolutely post a picture of the bola necklace when it arrives! It could take a while to get here though as the sender sent it ordinary post and from past experience it can take up to a month for ordinary post to reach us from the States. I’ll attach a screenshot of my Mum’s necklace, hopefully this works. It isn’t very fancy, certainly not up to the standards of the coloured cut nuts on PS, but she liked it and is happy with it

 

[Buttons]

Thanks muff and Steph, the nurse called back and said that they just want me to monitor it on my own for now and if it picks up or I have cramping to come in. She said that I should be fine to go on our trip tomorrow if I don't do any strenuous activity. I'm still slightly worried, but I guess I'll just play it by ear for now. I've used the restroom a few times since then and haven't seen anything, so hopefully it was just some irritation or something.

Monkey just saw this now - glad to hear all seems fine - hope it continues that way! Take care

 

[JGator]

MP, sending positive thoughts your way. Take it easy, and I'm sure everything will be fine.

AFM, I saw the doctor on Monday about my anxiety attack/sleepless night on Sunday. I got an ultrasound and the baby is right on track size-wise with a healthy heart beat. The OB suggested exercising late at night to wear myself out before bed. So, I did a prenatal yoga video on Monday night which I think helped as I was able to sleep. I repeated it again last night, and it was successful again. She also recommended therapy. So, I am looking into that as well. Thanks for all your kind words on the anxiety.

 

[monkeyprincess]

JGator, glad you talked to someone about your anxiety and that the baby is doing so well! Unfortunately, it seems the worry will never go away even after our little ones are born, but it's good to have some coping mechanisms in the meantime.

Mayerling, you are all baby. Looking great!

Amc, you're looking good as well!

AFM, thanks for the well wishes ladies. Seven hours later, and I haven't noticed any more of the staining, despite having used the bathroom about 10 times since then. I'm drinking a ton of water and taking it easy. I'll feel a lot better when I can get home and take out the doppler again. Stupid anterior placenta prevents me from feeling much of any movement, although I've felt a couple of little pops, which I assume is the little guy. I wish the timing of this were different and we weren't scheduled to fly out tomorrow, but fortunately, I have a cousin who is an ER nurse in Scottsdale (where we'll be staying), so I feel confident that if I have any more issues, I'll be able to get good advice on where to go to be checked out. I think I'll just stay at the resort most of the time hanging out by the pool.

 

[dani13]

HI everyone!!

MP, How are you doing, lady?? Drink alot of water, rest, and no sexy time for you until things clear up. Have you been very active lately (exercising or sex) over the past few days? You could have simply popped a little blood vessel. Take it easy!!!! I think/hope you'll be fine!!!

Hi Muff!!! Well looks like things are moving along a little bit for you,eh? Hang in there, I know you're going to do great!!!!

Hi to everyone else!! Congrats to all the new mamas and the soon-to-be mamas!! So excited for all of you!!!

AFM, things are just plugging along. MH got into a car accident last week and totaled his truck. Thank goodness he's fine, and we were looking to get rid of that old SUV anyway soon, now we just have to do it sooner!!!! I'm just so thankful he's ok!!! I *think* I've started to feel the baby move this week as well...Its only happened a few times, but it feels like little butterflies in my lower abdomen from time to time. So funny!!! We are also starting to get things done around the house that we've been meaning to do for a long time. We want to get painting and some other odds and ends done before the babe comes. I will probably register in a few wks, and start working on the nursery as well. I feel like there is so much to do before he/she comes!!! Would you believe I contacted a photographer that I'm interested in having take newborn photos and she only has 2 dates available in October left!!! I couldn't believe that!!! So I will most likely book that this week too. Also, anyone else banking cord blood? We are deciding which company to go with. Anyone have any input?

Hope you're all feeling well!!!

 

[missrachelk]

Strategies for passing the Glucose Tolerance Test - Please Share!

I have to have my GTT (again) in 3 weeks. At my last visit I saw my result and it was 133 with a cutoff of 140 - so I'm really wanting to do wahtever I can to have the best chance of passing this time too.

Last time I did the test in the afternoon, so I had eaten that day, although very low carb (eggs, salad, almonds only)

This time my appt is at 8am so I can be on a true fast.

Can anyone explain the premise behind carb loading before the test - and the timing of that? I assume you'd load to get your system primed for processing lots of sugar, but do it far enough away from the test to have time to eat low carb/ exercise so that muscle and liver glycogen can be as empty as possible for the test.

Please start sending the 'passing test' dust to me in advance!

 

[Dandi]

Hello ladies! Mind if I join you?

I had my 15 week checkup yesterday and baby is growing right on track, plus I'm sporting a teeny bump, so I finally feel ready to join you ladies! Yippee!! my OB was just planning to do a doppler yesterday, and for what felt like the longest two minutes of my life, he could NOT find that heartbeat! I'm sure he could hear mine, it was pounding out of my chest... so scary. He gave up and did an ultrasound, and there was the cheeky little monkey, lying on it's side facing the screen, with enough gall to give me a wave. Little bugger MY EDD is December 5th.
I know a few names from the TTC/JBP threads, and I'm looking very forward to getting to know the rest of you lovely mammas-to-be!