Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[parrot tulips]

NEL - Just a quick fly-by to ditto LC and say that there is nothing wrong with worrying about your health. Whatever is safest for you is in Katie's best interest, because how else are you going to be there for her once she makes her arrival?

LC - The cost of childcare is ridiculous. I'm not saying whether or not it's justified, it's just really expensive. If I were still working, I probably would have given my notice once Ava was born, since daycare costs would have taken up nearly my entire monthly paycheck.

 

[pancake]

NEL, I like to keep my work life and my PS life separate ( ) BUT I have a couple of thoughts about your dilemma. The first is that your specialists need to get their heads together AT THE SAME TIME and work out what they think is an optimal plan for you, based on all the pros and cons they have thought about within their respective specialties, and then present it to you as an integrated set of options. At the moment you have 3 different specialists talking at you and then asking you to make a choice, which I think is a bit unfair.

The other thought I have is that if your obstetrician thinks that it is a realistic possibility that you could have a vaginal birth, then from your baby's perspective that is preferable to a GA. Obviously there are things about it that are far better for you too! If we were talking about a spinal anaesthetic then my paediatric opinion would be neither here nor there, except to say that an elective C/S should be done as late as possible to minimise respiratory issues for Katie. BUT a GA throws some extra complexities into the mix - mostly just that if you are under GA for a prolonged period (obviously not the plan, but sometimes plans are...well, just plans) then Katie will get a variable degree of anaesthetic as well, and is more likely to need respiratory support at birth. That's not the be all and end all and she would be ok either way in the end, but something to consider, all else being equal.

I'll be back later to post properly!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Thanks for listening, everybody. I knew my birth plan would not be typical, but I'm finding all of this to be a little overwhelming right now. I think I need to step away from it for a few days, but I am going to talk with the nurse practitioner that I've been seeing regularly in addition to my OB today. D is definitely being very supportive of any decision I make, but I also know that he's even more analytical than I and wants to be in involved in all of the medical conversations so that he has all pertinent info.--and that's just not always possible.

LC, I forgot to answer your question about K's position. She's head down, though I'm not sure if she's sunny side up or not (or if that can still change at this point). Glad to hear your DS is head down, that's reassuring. Did you and J finalize a name? And I can completely understand the frustration with feeling all of the pick-up/drop-off responsibility is on you. I know I've expressed many times that I'm concerned about the balance of responsibility after K is born. D claims to get it, and I know he'll try hard, I just tend to think responsibilities weigh more heavily on mom.

PT, thanks so much for checking in and your support. I totally stalk the newborn thread for Ava pics, too

Pancake, thank you so much for your input, I appreciate you switching from PS mode to medical mode--and all of your concerns are exactly my concerns, too. The anesthesiologist was helpful to talk through these things with, and she was reassuring, but it comes back to the risks...more for K than myself. And I agree that having all three docs (plus a neurologist if I had my way) in a room would be ideal. My OB did meet with the anesthesiologist in person last week, but not my orthopedic surgeon. I chose docs that are all in the same hospital so that they could easily communicate...I may call the ortho doc and ask him to talk with my OB. Or vice versa. Anyway, thank you!

Okay, I'm at the airport and am headed to my parents' house, so I'm gong to use this time away to take a little mental break! Sorry to have hogged the thread again, but it definitely helped to have a place to get my thoughts down, so thank you!

I hope everybody is having a fabulous week!

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, Have a good flight to your parents'. Hope you can enjoy your little break and yes, there'll be plenty of time to think about it when you get back. Hopefully, as Pancake said, your 3 docs will be able to convene and come up with a plan. It's tough to work with each of them in a vacuum, so if the 3 of them can collaborate that would make things much easier.
The midwife told me yesterday they won't know if babies are face up/down until birth, after the your water breaks they can feel around and determine what direction the baby's facing. But good news that Katie's head down
No, we haven't made any decisions on the name. I told J my preference was for Ethan but he hasn't said one way or another.

Pancake, as always, your insight is so helpful. Hopefully everything's going well with you and Dot. I see you've been collecting quite the stash of CD...

PT, love the newest pic of Ava! Seems like that little girl is keeping you busy! I agree the cost of childcare is just shocking. I feel fortunate that we can still afford day care, but we just can't live as footloose and fancy-free with our spending as we used to. Of course, a lot of this footloose and fancy-free-ness will be going out the window anyway, with a new baby. So, yes, the day care costs will be a lifestyle adjustment, but more like a drop in the bucket to the lifestyle adjustment of having a kid...

AFM, DH was feeling the baby move last night in bed. For some reason he was REALLY active, and DH was like "Holy cow! He's really moving in there!" Then he told him that it was bed time. We exchanged presents last night since DH won't be around for Christmas. I got him a children's book. He saw it a few months ago and said that it was totally awesome. So I bought it for "him" so we can read it to DS after he's born. DH gave me some train toys of the transit rail that's by our house, also for the baby.

~LC (30W, 6D)

 

[pancake]

LC - lovely that your hubby is getting excited about your bubby moving around! Hope you all have a nice restful Christmas. I have become a nappy FIEND, I don't know how this has happened. Seriously, I think by the time Dot arrives I will be able to CD triplets with my stash. It is the one thing I'm accumulating that my mum is enthusiastic about though. She CDed all of us (my brother is only 20 so sposies were more or less the same as they are now by the time he came along) and I think she's quite looking forward to trying all the new-fangled options! Re family - I am in a somewhat similar boat in that my parents separated (much for the better for both, but acrimoniously) about 3 years ago and things still haven't really calmed down Fortunately we don't really "do" Christmas any more (we used to when the family was intact but now the three kids are all grown up and Christmas isn't important to either of my parents culturally or otherwise) so Dad is coming over for dinner tonight and I'm seeing Mum tomorrow before spending the remainder of the long weekend with my in-laws.

NEL - hope you have a lovely trip home, and let us know what happens with the inter-specialist discussions! It does sound like your surgeon and your obstetrician need to talk. The anaesthetist will obviously do the anaesthetic if necessary but seems secondary in the considerations really. I'm sure your husband wanting to be part of it all is also his way of dealing with his anxieties about your safety and Katie's - I imagine he feels a bit helpless amongst it all. I am with you and LC on concerns about how responsibilities will be balanced after baby arrives - my husband is the most gorgeous, sensitive, thoughtful, ready-to-be-a-dad man in the world, and so I think a lot of it is in my head. But I do worry about how the dynamics of our relationship might change. At the moment we work in very similar jobs, are paid equally, are at the same stage of our careers. This will be the first time we've really diverged and I don't know how I'll feel about it. On top of that I feel really sad for him that he will not have this extended time at home with Dot that I will. Kind of an impossible situation really!

PT - SO EXCITED that Ava is home with you! She is just so squishable and gorgeous! Hope you are getting some longer stretches between feeds now and that things are settling down a little.

Krissie - yay, the twins are still cooking! Nice work on the registry!

AFM, I'm now 32+4 weeks and still rapidly expanding in a forwards direction! The weather here is now starting to heat up and I'm beginning to retain fluid in my hands and feet a lot more than before. I need to take my wedding rings off but this morning my finger was too swollen for me to get any further than removing one of my split wedders! Am going to sit in airconditioning over the weekend and dunk my hand in ice then try again. Had a pedi yesterday evening and by then my toes were like little sausages

Dot is going well. Still head down, spine curved to the left. Doing a lot of big clunky movements and in particular is deforming my left side quite a bit - presumably this is when she kicks/straightens out her legs. Getting the hiccups about 5 times a day. I'm having quite a lot of BH contractions but have been having these regularly since the early 2nd tri so nothing different there.

Feeling a little freaked out as one of my "preggy buddies", who is 5 weeks ahead of me, delivered her little baby boy 2 days ago at 37+1 weeks - I feel like there is NO WAY that I would be "ready" in a month! But then again, I suppose nobody is ever truly ready, right?

Have been having intermittent sciatic nerve problems on the right. Had a couple of incredibly painful but helpful physio sessions which helped to release my butt muscles (oh the romance!) and touch wood, things have been ok for the last few days. Hope it all holds up ok until I go on maternity leave. Only 3 weeks of work to go!

 

[lliang_chi]

Pancake, I don't think anyone is ever "ready" but man on man you're getting close!!! I'm so excited for you! And woo hoo re: the maternity leave. My boss asked me to get a job description ready and get an idea of how to train my "understudy." SOrry you've been dealing with BH. I had one ONCE and it was way uncomfortable. Scaitica, ouch! I had that (pre-preggo) and used acupuncture to help alleviate it. It worked for me. Hopefully yours will go away quickly with the physio sessions. Funny that your mom's intrigued with the CD's now-a-days.

OK goign to hit hte hay. Working from home tomorrow so I'll post more tomorrow AM.

~LC (31W today!)

 

[Mannequin]

NEL - Sorry that your plan is causing you to stress. Hope you can get some things finalized soon. Daycare options are a major concern right now for me and my hubby, too. I honestly don't know how we are going to pay for it, but I am unable to stay home due to the financial responsibilities we already have. We may look into an in-home provider for his first year or so, and then move the little guy into a center when he needs more educational offerings. Glad you are feeling better! And that nursery - WOW, so pretty for little Katie. I love it! The chalkboard window is awesome. Enjoy your holiday with your family!

LC- Woo hoo, 31 weeks! Look at you go! Hope your holidays are as painless as possible. You have my sympathies - DH's parents are divorced, which means separate parties/visits for everyone. We can't seem to manage scheduling all the visits without making someone mad every year - this year it was my mom and his sister, ugh! - and we have NINE events between the two of us booked from the 18th through the 27th. What vacation???? LOL As we explore child care options, my hubby is resigning himself to the fact that he will likely be the morning drop-off shift. He can set his hours accordingly, and it will help me out because my commute is much longer (40ish minutes with good weather and no accidents on the freeway). My teacher's hours will allow me to be the afternoon pickup, unless there are meetings or conferences to attend. I am not sure how I am going to manage my workload and drive time with a baby - no small feat, that will be for sure, since I am teaching Language Arts in a 75 minute block class and the students generate mountains of paperwork all the time. Ethan is a great choice for a boy's name...

pancake - I can't believe you are already so close to being on maternity leave. Wow, time flies! I had to stop wearing my rings recently when I was having trouble getting them on in the morning. I have a major fear of them getting stuck and then needing to be cut off in delivery if I had to go into surgery. I hope your nerve problems stay away - ouch, what a pain. Hope you and miss Dot have a restful holiday!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE! Wishing you all a very happy holiday!

AFM- 28 weeks now! Will get a belly picture tonight, as DH and I have a wedding to go to for his cousin. I am not sure when I can get back to post it though - my cat knocked a cup of water on my laptop yesterday and may have killed it. I am borrowing DH's HP right now. My laptop is currently sealed in a plastic box with five pounds of rice, hopefully drying it out. If that doesn't work, I am sealing the cat in the box next!

Scheduled my 3 hour glucose test for the 30th, and Weston and I will see another doctor in our practice on the 29th. There are four who rotate being on call for deliveries, so it is a good time to start meeting the others. I registered for three classes coming up in January and February. Our hospital offers a childbirth class with a birth center tour, so I definitely got DH and I on the list for that one. He is going to need some reassurance on the process, I think - he makes comments sometimes that lead me to believe he is worried for me about the delivery. Good thing women have been having babies for many years... I also signed us up for a breastfeeding class and a class on basic newborn care. Neither of us has helped take care of a new baby in a long time, not since our siblings were born, and it's good to stay on top of all the new recommendations and research.

This time last year, my husband and I were on our honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean! His birthday was on Wednesday, and over dinner we were remembering all the fun we had for our first married Christmas. Four islands to explore, fabulous meals and entertainment, romantic tropical sunsets, etc... and somehow, everything pales in anticipating the year ahead with Weston. DH says often how excited he is and how much he is looking forward to this big adventure of parenthood with me. I love watching him get more and more pumped up for the arrival of our son. He enjoys feeling Wes kick and roll often now, and he is going to help me make some progress on nursery prep over the next week.

I have LOTS of cookies to finish today, so I'd better get going. Next time I decide to make dozens of cookies for gift trays at Christmas, AND commit to making dessert for two parties - HIT ME.

 

[Krissie]

NEL, I really feel for you and can only imagine your anxiety. Sometimes I wish decisions would just be made for us, as it's so difficult/emotional to try to figure out what's best. In any event, I love your nursery I feel like I've totally wimped out because we didn't paint or anything.

Loving the belly pics! Everyone looks so great.

PT, how are you and Ava doing??

I hear you all on the daycare issue. I'm currently working from home for my former employer, but that's just on a contract basis and won't continue. I'd really like to jump start my career out here, but I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. The cost of 2 in daycare would basically eat most of my paycheck, and I don't know if we can justify that just for my professional satisfaction. One of those tough decisions!!

Babies are still cooking, but I'm SO uncomfortable! I have pubic symphysis disorder and it's like hell trying to roll over, get out of bed and get in and out of the car. My belly is growing rapidly now - feels bruised most of the time. But the boys are still active and I'm grateful for that. 33w2d today! I can't believe it! We took a leap of faith and started washing some of the baby blankets and clothes. I'm ALMOST to the point where I'm ready to meet them. Being pregnant has been an amazing experience, particularly given our fertility problems, and we won't be able to have more bio kids (or afford to adopt, at least not any time soon). So it's bittersweet to think about only being pregnant a few more weeks, but I love these litle guys and I just want to hold them

 

[Mannequin]

Krissie - glad to hear everything is continuing to go well for you and your twins! They will be here before too long, how exciting. Hang in there, hope you get some well-deserved rest over the holidays.

 

[Mannequin]

Trying to upload my 28 week bump shot...

 

[Skippy123]

Mannequin, aww you look beautiful!!!

NEL, thank you friend!!!


Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!!! Yay, the holidays will be even better having your babies around; I am so happy for all you Mommas to be!!

 

[lliang_chi]

MQ, what a great bump pic! You're looking awesome as always Pretty great that you and your DH will be able to mostly share drop off and pick up duties for daycare. The long commute is a killer but the fact that you can do the pick up will make it easier. Hope the glucose test goes well for you. Hopefully you'll like the the other doctor. Makes sense to rotate through all the docs that are on call. Good call on the breast feeding class. I haven't signed up for one, but I think I'll do that. Great job on the nursery prep.

Krisse, Hello!!! Glad the babies are still cooking. Aw, I can tell how excited you are to meet your little boys. So great!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Things have be relatively good here. DH is home with his folks in FL. Which is a good thing. His mom's is fighting an infection and has been admitted into the hospital this week. So that has been kind of sucky. He'll be flying back tonight, so it'll be nice to see him. Things with my folks are as expected. My dad's here, and has for the most part been pretty OK.

~LC (31w, 4d)

 

[lliang_chi]

Hey preggo friends!

Hope you guys are all recovered from the holidays. Slow day at work thus far. My DH is back, but he's off work until next week (the stinker!). My dad's still here, but he's crashing @ my sister's now. DH bristled at the thought of my dad staying here the whole time, which was kind of annoying but my sis is accommodating, so it works out.

My dad said he wants to head back overseas in January, before the baby's born. Unsure how I feel about that. In some ways, not surprised (expectations are set pretty low) but in some ways still disappointed he doesn't seem as enthusiastic about the baby. Any way not going to dwell and am just going to focus on what the baby means to me, DH, my sis and my brother. They're the family that actually "count" to me (for lack of a better phrase).

~LC (31w, 5d)

 

[Missy0483]

MQ - You look beautiful and definitely have the "glow"!!

LC - Sorry about your dad...it's so sad when they don't seem very excited. Especially since this is one of the most exciting times of your life!

Do you always have to have the glucose test done at some point during your pregnancy or only if something makes them decide it's necessary?

DH slept in on Christmas day. I told him this was probably the last Christmas sleeping in for him We had a very nice Christmas. My SIL announced that she's pregnant on Christmas Day She's due July 24th. I'm half/half on it. She has two girls now and does so much extra stuff on top of working and I don't think she even has time for the 2 she has now. She's pretty secretive about what is going on with her pregnancy and will think I'm nuts if I share anything that's going on with mine. I don't even remember DH congratulating her I was sitting right beside her so I hugged her and all. This may sound selfish but I think she ruined my spotlight. It seems like she's always trying to outdo me. When I bought my used SUV, she turned around and bought the same car, but hers was brand new. When I told her I loved the Ford Edge and would love to have one...when her lease was up, guess what she bought? The Edge of course! So now our two kids will be the same age and I'm sure she'll try to tell me what to do. But we'll see when the time comes!

(16w3d)

 

[lliang_chi]

Missy, don't let your SIL get to you. Your baby be will 1 million times special so don't worry one bit. And besides with having such good looking parents, your LO will CLEARLY be the cutest little baby in the whole family.
The glucose test is usually done like 28 wks (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). Everyone has to do the 1 hr test, it's like a easy-peasy screening. If you fail the 1 hr, you have to do the 3 hr test. I failed the 1 hr, but passed the 3 hr. You'll have to take a page from MQ's book and handle the 3 hr test as gracefully as she did. I was a mess the whole week: sour at DH (although for good reason), really moody and just off my game. I'm pretty embarrassed to say...

I've pretty much marginalized both of my parents don't really "count" them as my family. I'm glad I have such a good relationship with my brother and sister, so I still feel like part of a family, even if it's without "real" parents. I mean they are our real parents, but act more like children than parents....

Last night I told my DH that we have 8wks and 2 days until our due date. I think it's FINALLY sinking in to him. But I *think* he started reading one of hte baby books! I should probably ask him, I dunno if he did or didn't.

~LC (31W, 6D)

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I'm 31 weeks today, only 9-ish weeks to go. I'm scared!!

LC, I'm so, so sorry that you have such a challenging relationship with your parents. I can understand why you're frustrated that your father is leaving before the baby is born--I'm sure it makes you feel like your baby is not a high priority for him. It's tough--I adore my parents, but they aren't coming out to visit until Katie is a little older and I wonder if I'll want them around when I get home from the hospital. I don't know, I've never done this.

I hope your MIL is feeling better, is her infection getting better?

Missy, I agree with LC--don't let your SIL get to you. I completely understand, a relative of mine is also pregnant and I'm not exactly excited for her. I wasn't sure how to act around her on Christmas. Anyway, I understand that little bit of awkwardness. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and at the very least, enjoyed sleeping in

MQ, you look radiant as always! How is your computer doing? Did the rice dry it out? I know your 3-hour test is in a couple of days, so I'm wshing you lots of luck with that! And how nice to think you were on your honeymoon this time last year. I really, really wish D and I could have squeezed one last relaxing vacation in while I was pregnant. As for daycare, I think the in-home care with the option of rotating later is good. We have a similar plan, it really will just depend on what kind of baby Katie is and what her needs will be down the road.

Krissie, I'm so sorry to hear that you're uncomfortable, but you seem to have a great attitude and each day brings you closer to delivering your boys! I completely understand wanting to meet your boys, but also missing being pregnant. I feel like as my due date looms closer, I think more and more about what ours will look like, how different our life will be, etc.

Pancake, only a few work weeks to go! Woohoo!! And it sounds like Dot is as active as ever--the hiccups, the kicking and now you're having BH contractions, too! It's funny that most of us are in the middle of winter (though admittedly it's been mild) and you're right in the middle of summer. I feel like I've been really hot over the past few weeks, so I can imagine being in your third trimester during the summer WOULD make you want to dunk your head in a bucket of ice!

AFM, I'm still at my parents' house and it's been very low-key, which is nice. But I also sort of want to be home because I'm definitely in nesting mode and keep thinking of projects around the house I'd love to tackle with this time off. I just feel like the clock is ticking before we have this baby and I don't feel ready!

My baby "dinner" is tonight. I think it's slightly bigger than I thought it would be. And I heard there will be games, so this is starting to sound more and more like a shower, haha. Oh well, I'm sure it will be fun.

I've called my NP a couple of times over the past week just to talk through my options with her, but she hasn't called me back. I'm still trying to decide on a birth plan, but taking a break from it for a few days has been nice.

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, I always think about you because we're like a week apart. I wish I was way more on the ball like you are. We still haven't sorted out everything for the nursery etc. J said he's going to paint the last wall (even though the water damage isn't fixed). We still haven't found a crib, I think we might be resigned to buy one. I'd much rather get one for free, but c'est la vie. We have a little while for that since Sis has a friend who said we can borrow their bassinet.
Glad you're having a low key relaxing time at home with your folks. So excited you're having your baby shwinner (shower+dinner) tonight. Sounds like it'll be a great time.
MIL still has her infection and they're not sure where it's from. So they're going to put her on IV antibiotics for a for 4-6 wks. Luckily she doesn't need to be in the hospital for that, but unfortunately the antibiotics make her feel horrible. She'll for the most part be bedridden during the time because they make her feel that bad. Hopefully after the treatment is done she'll be back to feeling better. It was a really tough Christmas for them since they were stuck in the hospital, but it was good that DH was down there for support.

MQ thinking about you tomorrow for you glucose screen.

My parents (well, now just my mom) and FIL said they want to come up right after the baby's born. But I guess I feel the opposite of NEL, and I'm not sure if I'd want them around or for how long. I don't really have the warm fuzzies for my mom right now so I really don't want her around for more than a couple of days. And FIL, he can't leave MIL for that long so he probably won't come for more than a few days too. And now my dad won't be there. I really wish my brother will come up because he's way more important to me than either of my parents, but winter is his busy season, plus he abhors the cold Chicago winters, so he'll probably come up in the summer. Luckily my sister will be here.

 

[pancake]

LC, I'm sorry about the issues with your parents. My relationship with my dad sounds a little similar to yours. He just doesn't GET how to have a relationship with us (there are 3 of us kids) and since he separated from my mum 3-4 years ago he just hasn't got the hang of it. He told me last week (when he came over for dinner on Christmas Eve) that he is going to go away for a week around the time the baby is born. He's not totally sure yet, but he's pretty sure he'll go then. Wtf? And why would he TELL me that? Anyway, I am learning to just shrug and not worry about it too much... he didn't really know how to be a father to us once we hit our teens and still really doesn't have any idea how to relate to us as adults. He means well, but just can't get his head around it. I am so glad that you have your sister around and even if your brother is geographically remote, I'm sure he is with you 100% of the way. How is your MIL doing?

NEL - how was your "non-shower"? Sounds like it ended up with a life of its own! Come back and give us all the goss - was it fun? Yes, the heat has started here. We are due to have temperatures in the mid-30s (that's mid-to-high 90s to you Farenheiters!) over the weekend. Thank goodness our aircon got installed a few weeks ago! I'm glad you had a few days off from thinking about your birth plan. Sometimes your brain can go stale and you can drive yourself nuts going around in circles in your head, and the break really helps to clarify things - I hope this is what will happen for you!

Missy, just let that stuff go. It sounds totally irritating and annoying, but in the end it will all be small stuff and you and your baby are going to be awesome! I understand how much it gets under your skin though. In the end though I suppose you can't change other people...

Mannequin, you look fantastic!!! So glam.

Krissie, I am a week behind you with a singleton pregnancy and I am starting to get a little uncomfortable so I can only imagine how you are feeling! Hang in there! Those boys will be worth every second

AFM - I am now 33w3d and things seem to be going ok but with a few somewhat unpleasant developments. I have had abrupt onset of tiredness in the last week, my sleeping is shot, and my hands have suddenly started to swell, which is quite painful in the mornings. I finally managed to get my wedding rings off over the weekend and they will be staying off until after Dot arrives! I had an antenatal appointment yesterday and my obstetrician noticed that I was looking fuller in the face but my blood pressure is still fine and I have no headaches or visual disturbance, so touch wood things will stay ok. There's no history of preeclampsia in my family so hopefully it will stay that way with me!

Because of public holidays etc this week is only a 3 day working week for me, and next week is a 4 day working week, so that is good. Then there's just one more week to go and I will be done!

My mother-in-law has started shopping for Dot... I had wondered when that might kick in (it was inevitable) and as predicted, Christmas has unleashed the beast! Not only did my in-laws pay for our pram, but they also gave us a highchair (it's ridiculous - like the Chesterfield of infant high chairs, has a cushioned back/seat and reclines in 3 different positions!), a stroller blanket, 5 baby outfits, and the most thoughtful gift of all - a voucher for a 3 course dinner for 2, to be used before the end of May 2012, at a restaurant that is 200m from my in-laws' place so that we can drop Dot there, go on a date, and then pick her up afterwards. Such a lovely gift!

 

[lliang_chi]

Pancake, hooray you get all these short weeks leading up to your mat leave. When are you starting it, at 36 wks? How very nice of your in laws to get Dot a pram, high chair and tons of cute baby clothes. The baby clothes are a given, EVERYONE likes buying stuff for little girls. How thoughtful about the gift certificate to the restaurant by their house. It's a built in date night I'm hoping your everything stays normal and no preeclampsia for you. Sounds like you've been staying really healthy so methinks you should be OK. Sorry you're ring-less now. My wedding band is 1 size too big for me. And ever since I got it, I've been wanting to get it re-sized. I'm glad I haven't because I can keep my wife title instead of being "demoted" to pregnant girlfriend.

AFM, this week has been a drag to get through. And I'm not even doing much work at work, but totally not motivated.

Hope everyone else is enjoying these last few days of 2011. Just think, in 2012 we'll be PARENTS!

~LC (32w today! 8 wks left!)

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Pancake, I'm sorry to hear about your swelling, but am keeping my fingers crossed that you won't have preeclampsia. How cute that your MIL is wanting to do so much for you! All of the gifts will really help and the dinner date was very thoughtful of her! What do you think you'll do about the high chairs? Keep the one she gave you and the one you won? Thanks for asking about my non-shower, I'll post about it below.

LC, you're on the ball, it just always seems like there is something else to do. Hopefully J can finish the last wall over the next couple of weeks. And the crib isn't so bad. Ours was <$200 and I really like it (then again, I haven't actually USED it). The only challenge I've heard is just making sure you get one that is in stock and can be delivered quickly. I do think it's easier if you're only ordering the crib as opposed to a full room of furniture. But for some reason even the popular crib I ordered online was hard to find in stock.

I'm so sorry that your MIL is feeling horrible from the antibiotics. I feel so bad for her, this year has not been good to her and I really want for her to start feeling better in 2012. I'm glad J was able to go down there.

MQ, any news about the 3 hour test?

AFM, the baby shwinner (as LC coined) was a bit of a bust. I did like seeing my family again, but some family drama made the evening a little sour. Also, I didn't want a shower for two reasons: 1. I don't like being the center of attention and 2. I didn't want my family to spend any money because I don't exactly come from a well-to-do family. I did put together a registry because my family insisted, but just included items that were $50 or less. My family decided to go in a different direction for the shower, and everybody bought funny camouflage-themed gifts. So I got a lot of camouflage onesies, dresses, blankets and even pacifiers. I mean, it is funny, but I don't think I'll really use it, so I feel like there was no point of me putting together the registry.

I just want all of the registry items checked off the list, so I put them all in my cart on Amazon and told D I was just going to purchase them all and be done. Then he told me that his mom wants to throw me something for his side of the family. I've told her at least 5 times that I really don't want a shower, but I know she's just being nice. So for now I still don't have anything on my registry, haha.

Finally, I'm finding my third trimester to be very draining. I had the stomach flu a few weeks ago and now have a bad head cold. I very rarely get sick, so I think I'm just exhausted from being sick. Also, it's nearly 3 a.m. here and I haven't been able to sleep a wink because my heartburn is horrendous. I keep trying tums and milk, but it doesn't work. I just had a slice of toast hoping it might absorb some acid, but now I feel slightly worse. I really wish I had some Zantac. I just want to get some sleep!

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, Holy cow, lady! I feel terrible for you being up at 3AM! I dunno what to suggest for your heartburn, but maybe try sleeping propped up a bit, or on a recliner if your folks have one. Maybe pop into the newborn thread and ask for some suggestions? Sorry your shwinner was a bust. No worries about not using anything you received. At least you got to see your family and know that everyone around was excited that Katie will be here soon.
So nice of your MIL to want to throw you a shower. It's understandable that she'll be excited to be a grandma etc. Maybe instead of doing a registry you can ask for contributions to a 529 or bring your favorite children's book or something. That way you're non inundated with STUFF and what you get you'll be able to use for Katie. Just a thought.
Thanks for the tip about getting a crib in stock. I suppose I'll have to keep that in mind too when I'm ordering one. I'll see if J's up for getting a 2nd hand crib from Craigslist or something. He might or might not think it's weird. J primed and did the first coat for the 4th wall. it looks pretty good. I'm glad he's doing it (it looks nice) but still feel bad that it's kind of wasted effort since everything will probably get ripped out and replaced. Thanks for your concern about MIL. In my head, 2012 will be an awesome year since 2011 was so tough, so I'm just looking forward to that.

MQ, good luck on your glucose test today!

Pancake, I hope you're staying cool

Today I'm going to try to blow out of work early. We don't have early dismissal (booo), but I'm going to try to sneak out and get pedicures with my sister. We're having dinner at my house tonight, I want to make a fish, so need to hit the fish monger before it closes too. Sis said she wants to make clam chowder too, so maybe we'll do that.

Tomorrow we're doing dinner with sis, she's making duck! I'm bringing veggies and noodles and/or scallion crepe pancakes. Then our friend is having a NYE party. It'll be super fun. My dad is bowing out of NYE festivities, so I'll drop him home and then we'll go off to the party. I'll be the only not hungover person so I'll take him to the airport tomorrow. Then Sis is having a post-NYE hangover brunch.

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year's Eve!

LC (32 w, 1d)

 

[Mannequin]

LC- Hope you got out of work early today! I hope you are able to find a crib soon. I am sure local folks might have one online through CL or classifieds. Not the best time of year to browse yard sales. Sorry about the family drama - it's never the holiday season without it - but yay for your fun NYE plans! I don't think DH and I are going anywhere this year yet. I'd be happy staying home at this point, since the kid is zapping my energy more often than not in this last tri. You are very lucky to have such a great relationship with your siblings - what a comfort.

Missy - Sorry about your SIL. I don't have a lot of advice for that situation, but I wish you luck in handling this. Your baby will be incredibly special, regardless of who else is preggo. Hope everything is going well for you! Everyone gets glucose tested now, it seems - not to worry. The test is typically done late in the second tri or early in the third. Just like many of my coworkers who have been preggo recently, I failed my first test. Hoping for good results on the latest one.

pancake - Glad you got your bling off safely! Love the idea of a date night out with built in baby-sitting. What a thoughtful gift! Hope everything continues to go well as you are monitored for pre-e. Having two high chairs may not be a bad thing if you are visiting with family often - whichever one is most portable can be the one that goes in the car with you.

NEL - Poor girly! Hope you are feeling better soon! It is a thoughtful gesture to have a shower thrown for you and Katie, and I hope that your MIL/family will use your registry. I like LC's suggestion of books for Katie or contributing to a fund for her instead of traditional shower gifting if you want to buy everything for baby yourself. I know that there are going to be showers for both sides of our family next month, plus one hosted by the teachers at school, and I am already cringing at the organizational chaos ahead. Can you return the camo gear? If not, maybe there is a local place that does consignment for baby wear? That way, you can take the shwinner items and discreetly recycle them to other kids after you take a picture of Katie wearing something to email to the family.

AFM - I am going to be 30 weeks on Monday - 3/4 of the way done! Weston and Daddy and I have had a busy week. We finished up Christmas visits with everyone by Tuesday night, capping off a marathon of family events for five days straight. Lots of fun, but EXHAUSTING. My house looks like a bomb hit the living room. My incredibly generous parents gave my DH a new mitre saw for his birthday, which will be so useful for doing new flooring in the nursery (he wants to do hardwoods), and they bought us a glider and ottoman for the nursery. It's cherry wood with chocolate brown cushions.

Wednesday, I took my mother to see the musical Wicked for her Christmas gift. We had balcony seats in the opera house downtown - not so fun to climb up to on the stairs, but amazing for watching the show. It was a nice girls day out for us, and the baby was really active during the performance. Since I can't see his facial expressions, I am gonna go with he liked it.

Yesterday, we went to the doctors' office and met one of the other OBGYNs who may be on call for delivery. The man was very pleasant, and I was happy that DH got to meet him just in case. Wes was head down and had a good heartbeat. We took a car load of old clothing and household stuff to Salvation Army for donating - it always feels good to purge things, and we can use the tax receipt toward this year. The rest of the day was spent on preparing one of the upstairs bedrooms for shuffling our roommate around. I had office furniture and other things stored in there that are now in various locations around the house. My basement and bedroom look like a hoarder's paradise. We got the entire room cleared out, and as of today, the roommate has all of her things moved over into it already! Nursery painting and flooring can begin at any time now. PHEW!

This morning, I did my three hour glucose test at the hospital. I can't say it was a fun experience, but everything seems like it went smoothly. I had my dinner late last night and stuck to the high carb plan by chowing on spaghetti and meatballs. I really hope I didn't throw off any results! I brought a good book with me and made some phone calls while waiting, and the three hours passed more quickly. Weston was NOT happy about waiting for breakfast. We were sitting at the blood lab from 8:00 to about 11:30 this morning, and he was VERY active later in the test as the sugar drink was wearing off. I was watching bumps pop up on my belly from fists and feet, and he was moving around a lot. Poor kid. I had a banana waiting for us in the car, so we were able to eat right after finishing up. I had lunch as soon as I got home, and then took a two hour nap. Feeling better now, for sure!

Hope everyone has a good New Year's Eve! Our last one before babies arrive - woo hoo!

 

[lliang_chi]

Happy New Year everyone!!!! Hope we all had a great time being the one/few SOBER people at the NYE parties.... LOL. DH, Sis and Sis's BF were so happy I was DD. I kid, it was super fun hanging out with friends etc, and it wasn't so bad that I wasn't drinking. The only thing that was kind of annoying was people were like, "Oh you can have *one* glass of champagne at midnight..." But again with the free pass thing: If I'm going to blow a free pass tonight, why on *EARTH* would I want to do it for a glass of $7/bottle sparkling??? Anyway, it was fun

MQ, Sounds like you had a CRAZY busy week with all the Christmas visits! Doesn't it feel great to purge all the crap that you don't need any way. Your glider sounds awesome. Sounds like you guys are making progress on the nursery etc. Hooray! I hope your DH can use his new Christmas gift for some useful nursery redecorating. Poor you and Weston for going hungry for the glucose test. I was totally like that too. Keeping my fingers crossed that you passed your 3 hr test!

Posting my 32 wk belly pic.

 

[Skippy123]

Lisa, you look great, wohoo for only 8 more weeks!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

MQ, I'm so glad your 3-hour test is over. Keep us updated! And it sounds like you've gotten a ton done with the nursery. Just getting the room cleared (especially with the roommate situation) is a task in iteself, so I'm really glad that is done. I'm hoping you had a fabulous New Year's!

LC, so glad to hear you had a great New Year's! I can't tell you how many times I heard "a sip of wine won't hurt you" over the holidays. It's not even like I disagree, but I just didn't want to and was tired of saying "that's okay" when somebody suggested I try a drink. How is the 4th wall of the nursery coming along? What do you think the chances are that you guys will end up ripping that wall out? And I agree about 2012 being awesome for you guys--with your MIL's accident, 2011 was very shaky!

This thread is quiet--how is everybody else doing?? Is everybody getting back into the swing of things after the new year? I'm trying to, though I SOOOOO enjoyed my time off!

AFM, a few random things:

1. I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable (I'll be 32 weeks tomorrow). I am now managing the heartburn by taking Zantac 150 1x per day. If I don't take it, my heartburn is too painful to sleep. I'm also feeling a lot of pressure in my lower abdomen...I think her head is very low. Also, my hips are widening to the point where I have a hard time crossing my legs!

2. I took a mental break from the c-section vs. natural delivery debate, but need to start addressing it again. I called my orthopedic doc this morning and he's supposed to call me back later today. I also have an appt. with my OB's office this week, but my OB is out...still, I might ask the new doc about it.

3. Everything on the "getting ready for baby" front is looking good! I did a load of Katie's laundry last night (washing all the new items) and it was fun folding all of the tiny onesies. I'm also getting a few last nursery items in the mail today (a pink ottoman and a crystal lamp). I still have a couple of pieces of furniture to get, but just small things. The only thing hanging over my head is the remaining registry items, but I've resolved to buy those at the end of the month if MIL doesn't throw a shower...and that would be fine!

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, I'm glad you're enjoying your time off. You totally should. Are you back at work? I am and TOTALLY not feeling it. I hope you can get some answers for your c-section vs natural birth debate. The wall will probably be ripped out I'm thinking summer 2012. It all depends on Chicago "construction" season, and of course, all things construction takes longer than expected. So I'm not going to sweat it until the time comes.
Sorry to hear about hte heart burn. I'm (touch wood) not getting that issue, but I have realized I'm breathing heavier. I think the baby is taking up lung capacity now too. And now you mention it about crossing my legs, I'm getting the same issue too. I find putting shoes on/off more difficult and of course it's winter in the middle of big winter boot season. I'm contemplating putting a footstool by my front door so I have something to sit on when I pull shoes on/off.

MQ, do you have the results from your glucose tests?

Krissie, Missy, Bobbin, pancake, PhG, S&I, China, Katie, Hope you ladies are doing OK.

Stuff on my front this weekend:
1. J and I bought a crib and mattress. We went with the Ikea Gulliver crib, and got a mattress from Buy Buy Baby. While we were in the suburbs, DH checked out a few strollers. He wants a jogging one, so I showed him the Bob (on recommendation from his good friend and my cousin's wife, both very "up there" in the Moms Who Know category). I told him I plan on just getting all the strollers from Craigslist and he's OK with that. So right now the plan is we'll get a Bob for sure. Going to see if I can borrow a SnG from my friend (if she's no longer using it). If she is, then maybe I"ll just get one from CL or get a Vista from CL for cheap and use it as a SnG and regular travelling around stroller. Does anyone know if the Vista's fold up relatively small for airplane travel or is it a PITA?

2. We got rid of my monitor (took it to work) so we can pitch the desk that's in the nursery. A little more purging. And started looking at dressers for DH so we can move his old ones to the nursery. We'll probably have to modify the dresser(s) a little so he doesn't strain his back, the one that's just right for me, he said is just a few inches too low. We'll probably just hack the dresser with some wood pieces from Home Depot.

3. Did a Target run and got some baby detergent (fragrance free etc stuff). So now I can theoretically wash the baby stuff (a few clothes, 1 fitted sheet, 1 towel and boppy covers) we have, except we have no where to put them right now because we have no dressers for the baby.... Wah, wah..

4. DH finished painting the 4th wall, so I think I'm going to order fabric to make curtains and the futon cover.

And we still haven't car shopped yet. We said we'll probably start that this weekend.

~LC (32w, 4d) <--- wow, getting close!

 

[parrot tulips]

Wow, all of you ladies are a lot more prepared than I was with Ava! Her nursery is almost complete, but nearly 9 weeks after her birth, we're still not totally finished.

LC - I never got any special detergent for Ava's stuff. We just use the regular powdered Tide we use on our own clothes. Both a friend of mine and the NICU nurses said to give it a try first, and if she showed any skin sensitivities, we could go ahead and switch. No issues for us. We also got her stroller on Craigslist. The seller only had it for several months, but since downsizing her vehicle, she wanted to downsize her stroller too. We got the Bumbleride Indie, which I love so far (her car seat is compatible).

 

[Krissie]

Well, I wrote out a huge update and it disappeared! Anyway, Happy New Year! I'm 35 weeks and the babies are both doing well. They weighed over 5 lbs each as of last Wednesday! Unfortunately I've been having issues with low amniotic fluid, so they may make their appearance sooner rather than later. 3 weeks at the most, and I am soooooooooo ready!!!

 

[KatyWI]

Goodness gracious! I keep up with you ladies religiously, but it seems like every time I intend to post, something comes up! I guess now is as good a time as any.. I am horribly sick and not able to sleep at the moment, so here goes nothing

NEL - Ahhh, 32 weeks today for you right? I hit that milestone on Saturday, and I am just so amazed at how far we've come! If I haven't said so already, I absolutely LOVE Katie's nursery!! I wish I had a larger space for Madeline, I just added a changing table and I think I might end up removing the dresser or seeing if it will fit inside the closet until she is older, because the room is just so crowded now! Sorry about the heartburn - mine hasn't been anything Tums can't handle yet, but I try to remember to take the Zantac just so I don't get caught unaware with no Tums around! It must be awesome to be crossing stuff off your to-do list. I'm waiting on a shipment of hand-me-downs before I do any laundry, and I am just dying to start folding onesies too! It sounds like your long vacation was good for you, despite the the less-than-stellar shwinner. I hope your doctors are able to get their acts together and you can finally feel at ease about how Katie will come into the world! It is so close now, it's unreal!

LC - You look so good, lady!!! I had fun on new years too, despite the club soda I did have a couple sips of champagne at midnight, but I didn't really miss the booze! My friends and I always go to a lounge that is pretty low-key and not too crowded and just sit and chat all night anyway, so this year was no different. So excited to hear you got the crib and mattress, it made things feel much more real to me when we actually had that stuff in the house! Congrats on the further officery purging... we did a huge basement reorganization/cleanup a couple weeks ago and threw out/donated SO MUCH STUFF I can't even believe it. Where was it all hiding?! On the Vista, it's not a very compact stroller! I mean, it folds up fine to fit in a car trunk in my opinion, but it's probably not the best option for airplane travel. It folds into more of a wide rectangle than a long compact one, plus the seat isn't small. If you can't borrow a SnG, buy one cheap on Craigslist or even buy one new.. for $50 it seems like a small price to pay for the convenience!

MQ - Glad to hear things are moving along so quickly with the nursery, and that Weston is in the right position already! I'm pretty sure Madeline is hanging out high in my belly and mostly transverse. I can't tell one body part from another when I poke at her, but she sure seems to be covering a lot of area, so I'm pretty sure I'll be desperately hoping she turns in time!! Good that you've started to meet the other docs in your practice.. I need to do that! I feel so behind! Glad the 3 hour test wasn't an awful experience.. I hope you passed! Having GD isn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it's not all that fun either.

pancake - Wow, your MIL is generous!! The stuff is nice and all, but the night out is such a wonderful gift - I hope that DH and I will have regular date nights once our peanut is old enough! We don't have much family in the immediate area, but we do have some awesome friends who are parents already, so maybe we'll be able to make it work by trading evenings. I can't believe you're almost done working!! If I only had a few weeks left at work I would be so thrilled - it's definitely getting harder to be as efficient as I was before I was lugging the belly around! Hope the last days are going well for you! Sorry about the swelling, but that's to be expected with the summer weather and a job like yours, isn't it? Hope the pre-e stays away and it really is just the heat getting to you a little.

Krissie - 3 weeks at the most?!?! I can't believe it, you're actually about to pop! I'm sure you're totally excited - if I already feel totally done being pregnant at 31.5 weeks, I can't imagine how you feel with twins right now! Glad to hear they're healthy and packing on the pounds! Can't wait to see their tiny little faces!!


AFM... wow, so much to go over. I'll try to keep it brief. (ETA: oops. Not brief. Oh well...)

Gestational diabetes? Not awesome. I hate stabbing myself in the finger 4 times a day, but I'm glad I'm able to make sure things are staying normal. Although things look good for now, my numbers have been creeping higher lately and I'm terrified I'll end up on meds and induced early, so cross your fingers for me that I can keep everything under control! I just want a normal, intervention-free labor if at all possible! I feel like I deserve it what with the terrible morning sickness for so long, the GD, the back/hip aches and evil crotch pain... something has to go my way, right?! The silver lining to the GD and the resulting diet is that between 25 and 29 weeks I *lost* 4 pounds, which put my weight gain at only 8 pounds for the whole pregnancy! It's been another few weeks and I have an appointment today, so I don't expect that the trend will have continued, but I'm definitely thinner in the face and arms than I was before I got pregnant, and the weight is basically all baby right now! I wasn't very happy with my weight when I got pregnant, so the less I have to lose once this kid is born, the better - I want to be a cute mom, and look better than before!

The nursery is coming along okay... I need to rearrange the furniture and get some stuff up on the walls, most importantly something resembling a bookshelf (or bookshelves) and also some art! I found a cute rug, so besides art the only thing I still need is a chandelier or some other cute sort of light fixture, and I'll be done! Then I can post pictures... I've been dying to do so but I hate how unfinished everything still is

I have 3 showers in the next 2 weeks (me! the girl who didn't want any!) and I am so excited to be able to catalog what we'll have and finish up the shopping we'll need to do. Once we have everything we NEED I'll feel better, even if we don't have everything we WANT. Sunday is my local friends, Monday there's a shower organized by the girls at the restaurant where DH is a manager (SO SWEET, OMG), and then next Saturday is DH's family. While I am incredibly touched, I also can't wait for it to be over!!

I got bronchitis over Thanksgiving, and I am sick as a dog again! Doc yesterday at Urgent Care said it was a cold, but I'm thinking the strep culture may come back positive today even though the rapid test was negative. Despite the GD, I've been consuming copious honey and lemon in my tea, some throat drops, and even had a few spoonfuls of ice cream about an hour ago out of desperation, because my throat hurt SO badly. Once I kick this, I hope I can stay healthy until the end of this pregnancy... it is so hard feeling so awful on top of being so pregnant and not being able to take anything to make it better. Sigh.

31w4d today.. where does the time go?! I have an ultrasound today after my appointment, to monitor her growth because of the GD. Not sure if the tech will also print me a cute picture, but if she will, I'll definitely come back and share. Feels so good to be "back"!

And here's a belly pic - Can't believe I'm back at the doc in two weeks instead of four after today! And then every week?! Going. So. Fast.

 

[pancake]

Katy - so good to hear from you! I have been wondering how you've been going. I'm sorry about the gestational diabetes but it sounds like it has prompted some really positive changes that you will take with you into the post-partum period and beyond. 3 showers - I am impressed! Hope you are feeling better soon - lower respiratory infections are the pits at the best of times, let alone when you have a 3rd tri baby pushing upwards onto your stricken lungs

LC, you are looking fabulous as always! I don't actually know what a Snap 'n' Go is - it is basically a stroller frame that you clip a baby capsule into? Yay for getting a crib! We have had ours for months now but it is still in its flat pack boxes. That said, Dot will be in a bassinet for several months so I suppose that's really not a problem.

NEL - ranitidine/Zantac is a miracle drug. Really, it is. My reflux has actually markedly improved in the last week or so (I think because Dot has dropped a bit) but when I need relief I go straight to the ranitidine, it is brilliant. Doing the preparatory laundry is kind of fun isn't it! A couple of weekends ago I washed all of Dot's newborn stuff and most of my cloth nappy stash... I was looking at all the tiny onesies and growsuits hanging on the line and thinking that pretty soon, that's what ALL our laundry loads will look like!

Mannequin - how were the results of your GTT? I have my fingers crossed (for what that is worth!). It's funny how the bubs get so excitable after a sugar load, hey! Dot always gets jiggly after I've eaten ice-cream or had a glass of juice.

Krissie - 35 weeks with twins, you are a POWERHOUSE, lady! Good luck for the next few weeks. I can only imagine how hard it must be to move these days!

PT - Ava is so freaking cute. I have been stalking her progress on the other thread

AFM - 34 weeks and 2 days, and cruising along now that our little heatwave has settled for the timebeing. The temps hit 104F on Monday and it was SO uncomfortable! Looking more sedate for the next week or so though. The heat makes my hand and foot swelling much worse, I was so thankful that we had our air conditioning installed before these hot days started. I am otherwise feeling quite well, although things are slowly getting more unwieldy/difficult. My hip pain is flaring more and pilates is more difficult now than it was even a couple of weeks ago. I went to physio today and she said, "She is going to be here in like, a MONTH!" - I hadn't thought of that and found it pretty crazy!

I think Dot has dropped - my belly actually looks almost a bit smaller, I'm a bit more comfortable in some ways and less so in others (getting up to pee a lot more now). I went to a breastfeeding class last night where all the women were between 32 and 37 weeks pregnant and was quite surprised to find that in fact in the scheme of things my belly is pretty compact, really! I weighed myself and I have gained 10kg, which is apparently spot on for what I should have gained given my starting weight, so that's good. I'm pretty sure that at least a couple of kilos of that is excess fluid

My friends are pitching in together to get me the bouncer I wanted for my baby shower, and vouchers for my favourite local baby store, which is perfect! We have SO much stuff already that I can't actually think of anything that we want or need at the moment but no doubt we'll need some stuff later on that we'll have to go out and buy.