Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[brooklyngirl]

Thank you everyone for the well wishes!

There isn't really much to update at this point, as everything remains as is. Still no dialating or contractions. The only issue is constipation and gas... and nasty prune juice

NF - NYC wants to know at how many weeks you had the steroid shot, and what the reason for it was, if you don't mind sharing. Thanks!

DD - NYC says she thinks of Indy quite often, and people who don't know anyone in that situation, or haven't been in that situation will never know what it's like to have twins. So, don't get offended by them, because they just don't get it.

She will write more tomorrow (by herself) as she finally getting a working phone.

 

[natalina]

Date: 2/5/2009 12:05:57 PM
Author: mela lu

Luna Valentina? Is Valentina considered normal?

DH said ''Sheesh. I hope its a boy.''

Had to come out of lurking to say this is HILARIOUS! I can totally imagine my DH saying the same thing..."oh great, here she goes again..."

 

[snlee]

Dreamer, that''s wonderful news! I''m glad you get your home birth! You are so close!

 

[Blenheim]

Thanks, girls! And Mela, I was told today that I''m waddling, so hearing that from you is just so wonderful.

Date: 2/5/2009 12:10:58 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 2/5/2009 12:05:57 PM
Author: mela lu
YES girls. you are the voice of reason and I am listening. I will open my mind and my heart to other possibilities. I actually like the meaning of Luna Elaine (bright light)

Luna Valentina? Is Valentina considered normal?

DH said ''Sheesh. I hope its a boy.''

That sounds nice... not sure about the ''a'' ''a'' endings, but that is more a personal preference than a dire issue

Ditto. But ''a'' endings aside (and I''ll admit that I have a weird hangup about repeating endings which eliminated 75% of our boys list), I really like it. And how often are you really going to say out the whole name and hear those repeated endings? Not as wild about Soleil. I really like the Rockwell suggestion, too! In general, I like pairing one more common name with a more unusual name so that the name has some interest while having something solid to fall back on if necessary. Although my "unusual" is a lot more tame than yours - Augusta, for example.

DD - dang you''re getting close. I''m so glad that you got cleared for hb. Go cervix, go! Although I''m not sure that I want you to go, because that means I''m even closer and that''s SCARY.

NYC - still thinking of you and hoping for the best.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/5/2009 5:34:20 PM
Author: lili
DD--

for getting your home birth.
you are so close now....you''d be surprised by how fast you can actually progress.
i was long but soft when i had my first internal.
3 days later, my little girl came out.

Aaaah LILI don''t freak me out! LOL! I need another week or two! Please!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

NYC--thoughts and prayers to you and your babies! Keep the faith and just try to relax and let the Drs. take good care of you!!

****
Mela,

I''m loving Rockwell. That''s an awesome name!! PuNkY bReWsTeR was my favorite show as a kiddo. So I''m also loving that your girl names are spawning from her!!! Too cool! (I used to want to name my son Brandon some day, after her dog!!)

****
DD,

Now this is going to sound odd, but I''ve always wondered these kinds of things and you''re just the type of person who I know will be willing to answer odd questions: did you feel it when the midwife could put a finger into your cervix? I guess I just wonder how much feeling there is down there when you have a baby head lunging down and digging in.

I''m so excited about your baby coming soon! I must admit that like Mela, I''ll be sad to see you graduate from the preggo thread. I was so looking forward to being here at the same time as you. Haha. You''ve become like a TTC/preggo mentor to me. Talk about odd.

****
I think about Indy often, too. Pray that her spirit returns just as strong as it always was and that she''s always blessed with precious memories of her baby boys. One of my good college buddies recently had a loss and I sent her family cookies, since I couldn''t think of anything else to send and I thought her two little ones would enjoy them. Today I got a GIANT coloring book page colored by her kiddos as a thank you. The older child, age 4, wrote at the bottom: "dear (college nickname), thank you. We love our baby." Then she signed it with her name, her brother''s name and "mommy and papa." So sweet!! If only cookies really did make everything better, you know?

 

[Jas12]

DD--that''s excellent that you got the go-ahead for the home birth!! I am totally going to bug u for tips after it happens ( really want to go that route for #2) have u started to prep your house yet or is your MW going to bring everything? My mom said she just washed the sheets for my/sister''s birth (both at home)--haha--she was such a hippy

....

A woman in calgary just gave birth to twins...at age 60... i can barely handle one at age 30, i couldn''t imagine running after 2 over 30 years from now

 

[Blenheim]

Hey Jas! DD''s midwives probably require different stuff than mine, but this is what I already have on hand:

1 cotton cap
2 straws
2 gauze tubs
2 plastic packed sheets
1 2 oz bulb syringe
1 peri bottle
1 cord ring
2 ob pads
2 ex-large mesh panties
25 23x24 underpads
8 med single sterile gloves
8 lube jels pkts
at least 6-8 towels
extra set of sheets and pillowcases for after birth
8-10 receiving blankets (or additional towels)
bottle of olive oil
large pot with lid for herbal bath
large bowl for placenta
2 paper grocery bags and 2 large plastic grocery bags
diapers for baby
outfit for baby
something for me to wear after birth
large bottle of hydrogen peroxide

And what I still have to get:
plastic to cover our mattress (e.g., shower curtain liner)
light food and snacks, ice chips made with juice
at least two bottles of electrolyte/sports energy drink

Typing all of that our makes me feel very prepared. Although some of those items are no brainers - really, would I have nothing for me to wear after the birth in my own house?

My midwife is bringing everything else needed.

And I cannot imagine twins at age 60. Yikes!!!

Baby has the hiccups. Heehee.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/5/2009 9:09:34 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
DD,

Now this is going to sound odd, but I've always wondered these kinds of things and you're just the type of person who I know will be willing to answer odd questions: did you feel it when the midwife could put a finger into your cervix? I guess I just wonder how much feeling there is down there when you have a baby head lunging down and digging in.

I'm so excited about your baby coming soon! I must admit that like Mela, I'll be sad to see you graduate from the preggo thread. I was so looking forward to being here at the same time as you. Haha. You've become like a TTC/preggo mentor to me. Talk about odd.

Fisher I too would have loved to share this experience with you, but I won't be going anywhere soon! You know I am a stalker and will be here when you get preggo too!

As for the feelings, it was much like having a pap in the sense that there are hands in the hoo ha. At one point she said, "Can you feel that?" and all I felt was a little more pressure and she was like, "That's the baby's head!" So no, can't feel very much. I think because of all the pressure I feel in my pelvis right now, that whole area is very sensitive, so the extra pressure of her pushing around didn't feel like much. I couldn't feel her touchng my cervix at all. In general, all I feel right now is sort of "full" in the whole pelvis areal. My mobility is affected in strange ways from it. I can still lunge down, and my legs are flexible, but walking is painful and I feel a heaviness in my pelvis... altogether very very strange. Apparently not every pregnant woman feels this way, so I think it is something you have to wait and see about for youself!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/5/2009 9:53:08 PM
Author: Jas12
DD--that's excellent that you got the go-ahead for the home birth!! I am totally going to bug u for tips after it happens ( really want to go that route for #2) have u started to prep your house yet or is your MW going to bring everything? My mom said she just washed the sheets for my/sister's birth (both at home)--haha--she was such a hippy

My mom too! I was born at home over in the UK.

We are going to gather everything this weekend. The list of stuff the midwives want us to have is a little different from Blen's because here in Ontario midwives are covered by provincial insurance so they provide all the medical type stuff (suction things, gauze, gloves etc.). All that we needed to do was a) pass the home inspection, which was today!, which basically means they come to your house and make sure it is a safe and comfortable place for the midwives to work. I think if they felt your house was too drity or messy they would not agree to the home birth; b) we need things like shower curtains for the mattress, a bunch of towels, a bunch of buckets (for hot compresses and for the placenta), bags for garbage, a roll of paper towels, the peri bottle and underpants and absorbent pads were provided, olive oil, we also need to have snacks and drinks on hand. Nothing too strange, we actually have 90% of it already. The midwives bring all the medical stuff required. Actually, the midwives carry with them ALL the same medicines and emergency things that are available at a level 3 hospital. So at a home birth you actually have all the same medical supports available that you would have at a hospital in a small Ontario town. The standard of care is that you can transfer to a level 2 facility within 20 minutes, and that is the same for home births and for small hospitals. Well, we live 30 seconds from a level 2 hospital, which is one reason we feel very safe being at home. In the event of an emergency (which the m/w say happens incredibly infrequently, and they do 400 births a year in their practice) the m/w calls the hospital so they know we are coming and they have everything ready when we get there, so the delay for treatment is actually not that different than actually being in the hospital where they would need to prep and OR or whatever anyways. That's more than you asked, but thought you might like to know...

If we are successful staying at home then I will give you all the details!

I really hope it works out that we get to have the birth at home. First time births are usually longer and it is more likely that going to the hospital will be recommended because of maternal exhaustion or just plain too long labour. We talked about those situations today. We also talked about when an epidural would be a good idea. The m/w said she rarely brings it up as an option for a labouring woman, but women do ask! I bet they do! She said she thinks there are certainly times when it is a good idea--when you are 4-5 cm and things are going slowly and you are really tired and have been in labour all day and all night. Then it is really up to the mother, she says, to decide if she thinks she can go on or whether she needs a rest. So that option is there if needed, too. The only time she will say it isn't a good idea is when the baby is crowing and the woman wants the epi! LOL! Too late then, you've gone through all the hard parts!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 2/5/2009 5:37:42 PM
Author: brooklyngirl
Thank you everyone for the well wishes!


There isn't really much to update at this point, as everything remains as is. Still no dialating or contractions. The only issue is constipation and gas... and nasty prune juice

NF - NYC wants to know at how many weeks you had the steroid shot, and what the reason for it was, if you don't mind sharing. Thanks!


DD - NYC says she thinks of Indy quite often, and people who don't know anyone in that situation, or haven't been in that situation will never know what it's like to have twins. So, don't get offended by them, because they just don't get it.


She will write more tomorrow (by herself) as she finally getting a working phone.

I don't mind at all. I did have it much later than her though, at 27 weeks. They gave it to me simply as a precaution. It was the weekend that my perinatologist checked me into the hospital to be monitored after she found out that my cervix was very short. So anytime they check someone in with potential signs of impending pre-term labor they give the shots at my hospital. Turns out that I just have a short cervix because it didn't budge one bit from 27 weeks until I had my schedule c-section at 38 weeks!

Do you by chance know why she is in for 3 weeks at least? Is something actively going on? Or is it just a precaution because she's not as far along as they would like?

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I''m super niave, I suppose. I had NO idea that so much would be needed for a home birth. Totally makes sense, but I just never knew. And hmm. I''ve never heard of a lot of the equipment you have for it, Blen. Oh the things you learn on PS.

****
DD,

All of us over in the TTC thread RELY on your skills of stalkery.

Are you going to post pictures of your baby, or are you more of a private type? Just curious. Paul doesn''t want the baby posted at all on this forum, which I think is silly since we''ve posted pictures of us before and babies change over time. But he has some wild hair I shouldn''t do that anymore and he doesn''t even want me to post belly pictures when I am pregnant. Ah, I figure by the time we''re prego and showing, he''ll change his mind. Anyway, I just love the mommy thread and all the cute pictures and I''m looking forward to my *friends* plastering pictures of their little ones all over it!

I''m thinking your baby will be here by Feb. 26. I remember back a while you posted you were thinking not til early March. Still feeling that way?

***
NYC,

Hang in there, girl. I can only imagine how tiring it is to just sit in a bed all the time, but you''re growing two wonderful little ones and in time, this will only be a memory.

 

[fieryred33143]

Good morning ladies

I hope everyone is feeling good and is planning a nice relaxing weekend. My plans are to clean and stare at the TV for the next two days. I decided since its Friday that I would treat myself to a huge chocolate muffin...only to get an email from Mr. Fiery right after I finished informing me that he bought me two boxes of Samoas Girl Scout cookies. Now I feel kind of guilty eating the muffin because I will be eating those cookies when I get home

I''m finally making my way to Babies-r-us this weekend. I''ve been staying away from it until we find out the sex of our baby but I want to send a friend of mine a gift (she''s 38 weeks) and another is having a baby shower in two weeks. I may just order online instead now that I think about it. I want my first BRU shopping experience to be for my own child, you know? (Not that I haven''t been there before but it would feel different this time).

Anyway, have a great day everyone! Hope its not too cold!

NYC-still thinking of you and hoping everything is going well!!

 

[natalina]

Hi guys! Quick question: When you all are saying how far along you are, are you counting from your O-day the cycle you conceived or from the first day of your last period? Just wondering how people usually do it. Thanks.

 

[fieryred33143]

Hi Natalina. How are you feeling?

I actually am counting from my first u/s when the doctor said I was 7w2d. I''ve used that as a mark for counting my weeks. It''s actually only one day ahead from my LMP (although baby was measuring 2 days ahead the last appt).

I think your best bet would be to count from LMP as that''s how most doctors do it.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/6/2009 10:00:58 AM
Author: natalina
Hi guys! Quick question: When you all are saying how far along you are, are you counting from your O-day the cycle you conceived or from the first day of your last period? Just wondering how people usually do it. Thanks.

Technically you start counting at CD-1 of the cycle you got preggo, but it can be adjusted based on ovulation... on what CD did you ovulate? I can tell you how far along you are if you like

Or do it yourself: subtract the # of days you ovulated PAST cd-14, or add the # of days you were BEFORE CD-14

37w 5d <----- WTF???

 

[mela lu]

I just go with the ''medical'' date given by my Doctor, which is based on LMP. Reason is, any healthcare professional will use that silly wheel thing-a-ma-hoozer where they calculate your current date based on LMP. I would consider using my O date only if it changed my dates significantly....but in the grand scheme of things, what a couple days, ya know?

DD - great news on the homebirth! And Blen too. Love them Middies!!!

Where is Pandora??

How are you doing today NYC?

Look who''s 25 weeks today!! <------------- ME!!!!!!!

 

[Jas12]

DD--thanks for the info--i was aware of some the ''protocol'' for home births b/c i applied to Mac U for midwifery after 4th year and had done a lot of research while doing my undergrad at UWO, visited some clinics etc, but i noticed that different midwives have different lists of stuff that needs to be arranged beforehand. Great that you have your home inspection out of the way and you had the ''transfer talk''. The exact situation you mentioned (long, exhausting labor) happened to my friend at her home birth. She transfered to a hospital (her own choice) and had an epi.
If Ina May''s record is any indication of the safety of a home birth, it is clear that it is a *very* good option. I too live across the street from a hospital so a transfer would take literally minutes --unfortunately they were all booked so no MW for me

--maybe next time
Good luck with everything--you''ll be great--it''s an amazing experience regardless of where it occurs

Blen--you are so ready girl! Must be really exciting. The only thing that sux about a HB is that you can''t steal mesh panties and super hero pads--those things are the best.

getting excited to see the new PS babes....

 

[mela lu]

Jas - I did my undergrad at UWO too

 

[cdt1101]

hey everyone!

DD - congrats on getting the go ahead for home birth!!! That''s so great that things seem to moving along just as planned

Mela - Love Rockwell and Luna Valentina!

NYC - still sending dust!

I know i''m probably missing people, i''m sorry...work calls!

But wanted to give u a quick update....had our u/s this morning and everything looks GREAT!! he''s measuring right on track weighing 13 oz. And it''s definitely ALL BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was moving so much that the tech was having a hard time getting shots....little wiggle worm. And he was facing my back, so we never got to see his full face, but she managed to get a profile shot towards the end. Otherwise all organs look great!

Since I don''t have a scanner I can''t post a u/s shot, but I figured the next best thing is a belly shot....here it is!

21w1d

 

[mela lu]

CDT - you''re SO tiny!!!!! Congrats on the boy!

 

[Jas12]

Mela--UWO grad-no way! I miss that place. i loved london. I was a don for 3 of my 4 years there so campus was literally my home the whole time i was there. Did you live in rez?
oh, and i''ve been meaning to mention, i like Rockwell too!


CDT--you are *small* for 21 weeks!! you are going to have the basketball belly--when u get one!

 

[mela lu]

Tee hee. The year I started (97) there were not enough rez''s, so I lived at Kings. I became a Soph there, and pretty involved there as a result. I love London too I studied Fine Art

which in hindsight was a little frivolous, but anyways...What did you study? Sorry to threadjack ladies.

DH says Rockewell reminds him of some 70''s singer?! Do you know who he means? Apparently he sung "I always feel like, somebody''s waaaaatching meeee" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_(musician)

Anyways, for some reason this threw him off.

Me likey. Me keep pushing. lol.

 

[Courtneylub]

Mela, I was wondering the same thing. Where is Pandora??

CDT - Oh my gosh, you are so TINY!!

 

[E B]

Date: 2/6/2009 11:27:55 AM
Author: mela lu

DH says Rockewell reminds him of some 70''s singer?! Do you know who he means? Apparently he sung ''I always feel like, somebody''s waaaaatching meeee'' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_(musician)

Huh. That musician wouldn''t be the first I''d associate with the name. Did you remind him of the cooler Rockwells, Norman and Sam?

 

[natalina]

DD, Fiery, and Mela- Thanks for the help on measuring dates. LMP started Jan. 1, and according to FF I O''d on CD12. Today FF Pregnancy tracker says "Week 5+4 days" and "fetus age 4 weeks". My first doc appt is Tuesday, but I''m just wondering when I''ll officially be out of the initial 12 weeks that are so high risk (providing everything goes well).

DD- how exciting to be cleared for your home birth! Oooh! All sounds so overwhelmng to me! I''m so excited for you and really hope it all goes well!

NYC- praying that your babies stay put to bake much longer...

Mela- I just LOVE Valentina, and Rockwell too- really don''t think many people at all would remember that singer''s name, although I TOTALLY remember the song.

Well, I guess I''m officially ''dipping my toe in'' here! I''m a little scared to, as this is SO early in the pregnancy, but I''m also really excited and love reading posts from all of you. It''s crazy how excited you can get for people you''ve never even met IRL. I''ve learned so much from lurking and hope to be around to share with all of you for at least 9 months more!

 

[Dreamer_D]

CDT you are slimmer than I am, but you are carrying like I was! I just looked "thick" at that time compared to my normal. Here is a shot from 22w6d to show you what I mean! So if you are like me, then you won''t really look preggo until you hit about 30 weeks!

But then at the end you will have the big belly, there is no avoiding that!

 

[natalina]

Also meant to say-

CDT- you look FANTASTIC! Barley even a bump, but it''s SO cute!!!

Pandora- hoping everything is okay. Thinking of you...

 

[cdt1101]

aw thanks ladies!! you sure know how to make a girl feel good

Especially since I had someone tell me today that I''m more a** than belly

yeah, they said that!

DD - i was thinking the same thing, that I''m carrying just like you! I''m not tall (5''3"), but I''m all torso. My legs are really short

So I''m thinking maybe my long torso is why i''m carrying more compact.

 

[Courtneylub]

Here''s the opposite of how cdt and Dreamer are carrying! lol

28 weeks