Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[CatLuver]

Dee, congrats!! Wow, 9 lbs 12 oz and no epidural, you are one tough cookie! Can't wait to hear your birth story. Welcome to mommyhood and enjoy your precious girl!

dcgator, congrats on a girl! I had a feeling you would be having a girl

 

[modernsparkler]

Still celebrating with the family, but we are officially on TEAM PINK!!!!

Hope all you Mamas are well!

Congrats DEE on your beautiful little girl!

 

[puffy]

skippy, your belly is the cutest little bump! hope you are doing well. i am due in 5 weeks. time sure flies by but i think we are pretty much ready except for the whole 3 kids to 2 parents thing. haha.

kay, i know what you mean, the time is totally flying by! i swear i was just entering the 2nd trimester and all of a sudden i'm 35 weeks along!! A sounds like she keeps you on your toes but it is SOOO much fun.

modern, CONGRATS on a little girl!! i love your cake idea and that cake looks pretty yummy too!

i'm terrible at catching up, sorry!! but hope all you ladies have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!

 

[taovandel]

Congrats on team pink!!! I love the idea of the cake....we were going to do it but couldn't find the time for the entire family to get together....so we just called them haha...so boring!!

 

[Kay]

Modern, YAY for TEAM PINK! You are going to have so much fun buying little girly clothes.

Puffy, wow, only 5 weeks left! Sounds like you will have a whole crew to keep you on your toes. (DH and I have decided we are pretty feeble to let ourselves be outmanned by 1 little girl. )

Tao, how are you feeling? When does the Dr. think you will deliver?

 

[Skippy123]

Thank you for your sweet words on my belly pic PUFFY and KAY!!

MODERN ~~ woohoo to team pink; I love the cake idea, super cute!!!! We brought over a cake (carrot) to tell family we were preggo but no cute cake filling ideas to tell the sex, we just called everyone (boring). hehe

KAY ~~ How was the zoo? Oh that is wonderful about your DBTY; I bet you feel great wearing them too, nothing like diamonds to make one feel a bit glamorous! I bet they look fab on you!!!! Yay, sounds like you passed the glucose test, woot!

PUFFY ~~ wow, it will be here in no time!!! I always enjoy seeing your posts, glad you pop in from time to time! any belly pics?

TAO ~~ how are you? You are due April 1st right? Yay!

Hi other beautiful preggos!!!!

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AFM ~~ this might sound silly but hubby and I love our birthing class that we are a little sad to see it end this coming weekend. Our instructor is so great, she gives us the pros and cons to everything, then tells us what happens usually at our hospital (I guess hospitals vary as to policy and procedure, etc), then if we ask her she tells us some things that happened during one of her 3 labors. She showed us the forceps, vacuum, and epi needle. We talked a lot about c sections this past class and this coming one we will tour and learn about the L&D floor. Oh and best of all she brought us lots and lots of chocolate this recent class! hehe

Hubby and I are going to bbq since it is nice out!!!! Hope everyone is having great weather and a great new week; HAPPY Spring!

 

[taovandel]

I'm glad you are enjoying your birthing class and are getting a lot of useful information out of it (And chocolate...bonus!!!)


Yup, I'm due April 1st....The doctor's keep saying they think I'll go sometime in March....I picked Tuesday in our office pool....but who knows....with all this talk of March, March, March from everyone I'll probably have the baby in April just to frustrate me!

 

[bubbly1126]

Hey ladies. I am officially joining the preggo thread!

I am 16w2d. Have my anatomy scan on April 8th and cannot wait to know for sure what we're having... We were told at the 12 week NT scan that they were pretty sure baby is a boy so we shall see!

I am worried today because DH and I did the deed this morning and it was very uncomfortable and I immediately started cramping right after... and then about 10 minutes later when I was making breakfast I felt something come out. I went to the bathroom and it was just clear fluid. Didn't look or smell like semen... sorry if TMI! The cramping went away for a little but then returned full force after we went out and did some errands. It seems to be fine when I lay down but the moment I get up, it starts up again. I am going to wait to see how the rest of the evening goes and if I still feel it tomorrow I'm calling my Dr's.

I know it's probably nothing but OMG, I am so worried! I have no problem abstaining from sex the rest of this pregnancy since it's been uncomfortable from the very beginning and also because, I just want my baby to be okay!!

Sorry for the me-centric post... I will be posting a belly shot this coming friday at 17 weeks.

You all look lovely and I enjoy seeing your little bellies!! Can't wait to meet everyone's little ones when they arrive!

 

[Dreamer_D]

IHA cramping or tightening of the uterus is normal in pregnancy, especially after sex and orgasm in particular. Sex is actually good for your uterus and strenghtens the muscles, because orgasm causes the uterus to tighten -- which is VERY different from the cramping associated with labour, which is lower and feels a lot more like period cramps. And clear dischange is normal in pregnancy, the orgasm or contracting of the pelvis can just move it down and out into your panties, so that is probably why you noticed it. Unless you have bloody discharge, there is nothing to fear, unless you have been medical reason to fear premature labour -- meaning your doctor warned you about this issue, not you are worried about it on your own .

 

[bubbly1126]

Dreamer D: Thank you for your reply. I've been told it's normal but it's so hard not to worry... especially when it's fine when I am laying down but then starts again when I get up?? And I'm not having pain/cramping in my abdomen, it's more like down there. Like my cervix is cramping. Haha... does that make sense?? And would you still consider that normal? Oh and I didn't orgasm. It was too uncomfortable for me to enjoy.

 

[Skippy123]

INHIS, Welcome and happy 16 weeks!!! Also I had a lot of pulling cramping down there; I think it is stretching and especially around the week you are at right now. I recently had it again not too long ago and was freaked but then it went away. If you are still nervous it doesn't hurt to call your OB office tomorrow or does your insurance plan have a 24 hr dial a nurse (I have united) and they have a free dial a nurse hotline for any questions.

TAO, fingers crossed you go sooner than later!! Very exciting!

 

[Blenheim]

Mrs - I forgot to say, thanks for mentioning that the jeans were on babysteals! I went and took a look, and it looks like the inseam on the jeans isn't going to be long enough for me. I almost bought a pair of shorts but got distracted by booking our babymoon. But at least we now have a babymoon booked! We didn't do that when I was pregnant with George -- heck, last vacation was our honeymoon -- and I am beyond excited about it.

Skippy - Aw, your birth class sounds amazing. I'd be sad to have that end, too. And earlier - I didn't think at all through the fact that having your birth class teacher recommend Hypnobabies meant that you were in a birth class and learning other techniques. (Duh, right?) In that case, I don't see any problems at all with doing Hypnobabies as well! I think they recommend starting by 26-28 weeks, and so I'd order ASAP if that's the case - especially as multiples often come earlier.

IHA - Oh, I'm sorry! That sounds like one of those things that's more stressful than anything, but if you're worried you could always give the doctor's office a call. I know that mine are less concerned even with bleeding if it comes right after sex - it seems common that it can stir up some symptoms, but it's still fine to do. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[basil]

Blenheim - awesome about booking the babymoon! Where are you going? We thought about doing this but the time we planned got taken up by other things (moving, etc.) and I think I will regret it.

IHA - I don't have any advice. I had a similar scare once where I was cleaning my house vigorously for a while and then went to the bathroom and noticed I was pretty wet. All my logical mind told me it was just sweat, but I worried about it for a few days, before we had our scheduled u/s that showed everything fine. I second or third the notion of calling your doctor if you are worried.

Tao - sounds like any day now! How exciting!

Skippy - happy spring to you too! Your belly is so cute! Sorry about your birth class ending,but lucky you that you got such good information.

Modern - congrats on a little girl! And what a delicious looking cake. Yum...

Kay - hope you had a low key weekend to make up for all the craziness at work.

Dee - She is beautiful! Congratulations, mamma! And what a gorgeous unusual name!

Hope I didn't miss anyone!

Anyway, I'm still trucking along at 21 weeks today. Heartburn seems to have reached a new level despite Zantac and Tums. I can't believe that I still have 4.5 months and it's only going to get worse!

I'm plowing full speed ahead into baby research, cloth diapers, cribs, clothes, etc. I bought a little 4-piece outfit set at Costco yesterday in orange in brown, and it has a tiger hat and the pants have little tigers on the feet! I told my DH it was because our baby is going to have tiger blood...ha! I hope not!

I filled out our registry at Target and BRU the other day and I put a lot of little stuff on there (onesies, socks, pacifiers, etc.) and figured we'd take care of the big stuff ourselves. I hope people don't think I'm being greedy because of the number of items but I hate it when I go to buy off of someone's registry and everything is bought or there are only a few choices that I don't want to buy.

I saw this mobile (http://www.landofnod.com/mobiles/baby/early-bird-mobile/f6990) and I love it but no way and I paying that much for a mobile. I am thinking of making the birds from this one (http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring09/PATTflock.php) and hanging it from a hoop like the LoN one to approximate the look. I can't wait to get started on the project but I have a stupid board exam coming up next week that I need to concentrate on, so I am holding off!

 

[Blenheim]

Basil - We are going to Scotland! We've been wanting to for a while and decided to pull the trigger before it becomes even harder to travel. You have been BUSY! As far as your registry, I would really encourage you to add a couple of big ticket items. Grandparents can be surprisingly generous, and sometimes groups of people (like coworkers or friends) prefer to go in together on one big gift instead of individually getting a bunch of smaller gifts. Worst case, you get a completion coupon that you can use.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Basil - We are going to Scotland! We've been wanting to for a while and decided to pull the trigger before it becomes even harder to travel. You have been BUSY! As far as your registry, I would really encourage you to add a couple of big ticket items. Grandparents can be surprisingly generous, and sometimes groups of people (like coworkers or friends) prefer to go in together on one big gift instead of individually getting a bunch of smaller gifts. Worst case, you get a completion coupon that you can use.

Or even return a bunch of small items and exchange for one bigger item too Or is that poor taste? haha...

Yippee Blen! I am jealous. We are planning on a three-day babymoon at a really special place a few hours from where we live, where neither of us has been before, in April. I would love a longer trip though, it would be so awesome. We took a two-day vacation a year ago but that is the only time without Hunter in 2 years! I need a break

 

[Jennifer W]

Basil - We are going to Scotland! We've been wanting to for a while and decided to pull the trigger before it becomes even harder to travel. You have been BUSY! As far as your registry, I would really encourage you to add a couple of big ticket items. Grandparents can be surprisingly generous, and sometimes groups of people (like coworkers or friends) prefer to go in together on one big gift instead of individually getting a bunch of smaller gifts. Worst case, you get a completion coupon that you can use.

Yay! Where are you going? I had my babymoon at Gleneagles, and it was just awesome! We also had a follow up day of 'classes' at home, but that wasn't nearly so luxurious.

Oh and yes, I do lurk shamelessly on the preggo thread. I miss being pregnant.

 

[bubbly1126]

Thank you ladies for everything. I decided to call my dr's office today to run it all by the nurse. The nurse called back and said the Dr wanted to see me. So I went in and ended up having to have an ultrasound. Looks like all is well. She recommended to use condoms when having sex b/c the sperm can cause cramping like I had and to also make sure I am drinking a lot of water because I might have been dehydrated. I am just so thankful all is okay!

Got to see the baby and were yet again told we are having a boy! Now let's see if he stays a "he" and it's confirmed a third time at the anatomy scan on the 8th. I'm feeling confident the last 2 techs are right but you never know! hehe.

Again, thank you all. I truly appreciate it!!

 

[charbie]

Now that I finally have a free minute...
IHA: glad that everything has turned out ok! i'm jealous you already know the sex...i have an appointment tomorrow just for a quick check up and WISH they would just take a quick peek, however highly doubted. yay for a boy (at this point, i'd be pretty confident)
Blen: that trip sounds amazing! you're going to have such a great time!! and i find that a lot of preggo jeans are too short for me too...grrr!
basil: i'd also recommend at least a few bigger items for the reasons listed- i know for our wedding i got a discount for anything that had been on the registry if we purchased it later. and no one will think you're being greedy- i love it when people have large registries because you get more options to pick from as a shopper! how fun that you've been getting busy with baby stuff! oh and that mobile is soooo cute! good luck and post pictures!
Skippy:THAT BELLY! gaaah!! so stinking cute! and i'm so glad you enjoyed your classes. i hope we enjoy ours- they are put on by our hospital. i'm hoping to meet some mommy friends there, too. And as for the weight gain- is your OB nuts?? i'd be happy to stay around the 20 lb marker with only one little babe in there- but i would fully expect more with two!!!
Tao: how cute that the baby's got lots of hair! oh she's going to be such a doll, i can't wait to "meet" ms. violet!
Modern: congrats on team pink! i love little girl stuff, and love how you did the reveal. i really want to do something like that, but doubt it would be feasible. we'll see tho...hopefully at my appt. tomorrow we will find out when we can schedule the anatomy scan!
Kay: it's funny you say that about the timeliness of the house being done...my boss is having an addition put on her house, and she's convinced they will be done with our house before they finish her addition, and they've been working on it for a long time now. i'm a bit shocked at how fast a home goes up, but i'll take it! we live in a growing area with lots of land and LOTS of homes being built/sold brand new. oh and your goal for the day cracked me up
cupcake: hope you're feeling better!!!
DC: oh a baby GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so stinking cute. and of course i guessed boy...i'm always wrong, i've decided. i think i'm having a girl, which means it's gotta be a boy in there. oh she's going to be so spoiled and so cute. any names coming to mind? are you going to share them??

I hope I didn't miss too many in there! if i did!!!

AFM: whew- lots going on! so the belly has started to pop. at work, i had a patient say, "are we expecting?" and pointed to her belly. i responded, "expecting what?" and realized that dinner trays were coming up (im the admissions director at a nursing home and was helping out on the floor) and followed with, "Oh! dinner trays are coming." thinking she was wondering when to expect dinner trays. um, nope. she was talking about my little bump...haha! DH and i went to Ikea to look at cribs this past weekend, and i was kind of surprised because they seemed so low to the ground...does that sound about right on ikea cribs?
also- i need some advice on babysitting. DH and i work about 50 mins apart from one another and will be living in between the two. DH has a cousin who is a SAHM who lives about 5 minutes from our new house, and he sort of in a round about way asked if she'd be interested in possibly watching the baby. i'm not sure how much she'd charge or anything (obviously we'd be paying her a fair rate- but she would be doing this for extra money, not becaue they really need it), and part of me thinks it would be great, and part of me is really nervous about it. she has a 5 and 7 yr old, great, well-behaved kids. but after next year, her son will start 1st grade and be in school full time, and i just feel like it is a LOT to ask of her. maybe this would be something to look into until the baby is a year or so old, and then switching to a daycare...i know there are so many things we would have to go over (what would she want to do when her kids are on break from school? would she be ok with cloth diapers? what if one of her kids is sick from school?) and its hard because it IS family at the same time. good part about it is that i obviously trust her 100% and since her kids are older (and she's been through it twice) and i'd be really cool with her running her errands and doing whatever she needed to do. DH also is looking into flexing his hours and instead of working until 5:30pm working until 4:00 OR 4:30 which would mean baby is there from 8-4:30/5 instead of 8-6.
thanks for letting me get that off my chest...it's a tough decision.
ETA: i forgot to put that when he asked her, she said she would be interested in doing it we were at a family function and someone asked who would be watching the baby...i answered, "oh, the dogs." and then DH said, "OR jenny if she has a good rate." well, that got back around to his cousin jenny, and when we next saw her, she said, "i hear i'm the babysitter." at which point DH weaseled his way in...he's good at that kind of thing.

 

[modernsparkler]

IHA: Sorry to be late to this, but I am glad everything turned out ok and you got ultrasound confirmation of your son. So exciting to know what you are having.

Charbie: I love little girl stuff too, so cute! I have to remind myself (and my mom) that there are other colors besides pink though. That is funny about the resident asking about your bump, she must be very perceptive! Sounds like you might have a good option in DH's cousin watching the baby, but it can be tricky with family politics and such. Would you ever consider a non relative for 2 days a week and the cousin the other times?

Skippy: You are TOO CUTE! I love your bump. Sounds like you really lucked out with your childbirth class. I hope we are so lucky.

Kay: Sounds like you got a good start on some new clothes for this baby. I am so excited to start getting ready for our little girl. Besides Sophia do you have other names you liked from last time or are you starting from scratch again?

Puffy and Tao: Thanks for the congrats! We are still getting used to saying we are going to have a daughter

Basil: Sorry about the heartburn, that is so annoying! I used protonix before we were TTC and it was a lifesaver and the only thing that worked for me. It is category B in pregnancy. I really like your bird mobile ideas. I love this one http://www.cookieandcurly.com/product/custom-5-bird-mobile I also love that you can customize the colors of the birds.

Blen: Your trip sounds amazing!

Cupcake: Sorry you were so sick, hope you are feeling better and the returns worked out to get things in place before Lorelei gets here.

DCG: Have you started buying pink yet?

Dee: Hope you are enjoying your little one!

AFM: We had a great time sharing the GIRL news with our parents and spreading the word. We already have a short list of names including ones with some special family meaning for my grandmother who I had the dream about. I am not sure if we will be sharing wtih friends and extended family until she is here, but I thought I would share with you all. The leading contenders are currently Stella Lorraine after my grandmother or first names Ella or Addison.
I also bought some maternity clothes, mostly pants but a few cute tops for work at Motherhood Maternity. They are mostly cotton and seem to be decent quality, and I am hoping they will hold up.

Hope everyone is well. Sorry if I missed anyone!

 

[charbie]

Fly by post...went to the OB this morning, he showed me where to find my uterus (its almost to my belly button already!) I thought I had found it, especially at night when ive gotta pee and it gets rock hard. My weight iis down 1/2 lb again, so overall 6.t lbs LOST. He asked if im eating real food, with calories, or if im still getting sick. I am still puking about 2 times a week, only in the morning, not throwing. Any food up. He just wants to watch my weight and if it keeps going down im not sure what we would do. But I am eating!!! On Friday night I made DH take me to the ice cream shop and get me a brownie sundae. I just cannot eat large portions, just grazing.
Heartbeat was in the 160s, no actual reading.

 

[random_thought]

Hey ladies!
I've been mia because I just went on a 2700 mile car trip with my dh. Thank God I didn't go into labor or anything on the trip! Went to 2 baby showers which were amazing and had some professional maternity shots done by a friend who is building her portfolio. I feel humongus, so if the next 10 weeks could just fly by fast, that would be really great

Here's one of my favorite shots I got done this weekend and also photos from the hand carved cradles my dad made for my cousin and I. Mine is the blue one and hers is the green one (As she is having a girl ) The plates allow us to have all of our children's names engraved on it and on the other side of the cradle is another plaque with a blessing for the child who lays in it. Love, love, love it!

 

[dcgator]

Hello ladies,

I hope you all had a good weekend. It always seems to fly by so quickly, eh? I am struggling a bit these past few nights with some not great sleep, but I will try to power through this update.

Tao - Thanks for the pics comments! That's too funny about the hair. I can't wait to see the pics once the LO arrives. Speaking of, we are all waiting with baited breath for your big arrival.

Bella - Thanks for posting from vacay, I feel so special I hope you enjoy the rest of the time off and please let us know how it was once you return.

Basil - So, what happened with the house? Did you guys get an offer and are you going to take it? The suspense is killing me! Congrats on the 5 year dating anniversary. Dh and I will have our 4 year dating anni in May. Crazy how fast time flies by...As for the crib, here is a pic: http://www.creationsbaby.com/carragio_espresso.html I really like it, and while its a bit pricey, it got an A rating from the Baby Bargins book. Plus, it includes the toddler rail in the price, so that saves us $150 or so over other cribs that don't include that piece. I think we are also going to get the dresser and night stand too, as they are definitley "adult" looking, so they can be of use even after the nursery stage. As far as the house is concerned, yeah the lower price sucks, but our showings seriously picked up since then, so hopefully that will do the trick! Regarding the heartburn, seriously, what's up with that? I never really had it before, but it has definitely reared its ugly head now. Oh well, another of our preggo-twin symptoms we share, lol. As for the registries, we also set ours up this past weekend (hehe) and while we put small stuff on there, we put a few larger things like the pack and play and swings. We also threw on our mattress and changing pad. Although we will likely end up buying it, I know some people who prefer to poll together on their gift, so its good to have all kind of price options. Oh, and I love the little birdies in the mobile, too cute!

Blen - Thanks for the girly congrats. We are super excited! And that is awesome about your upcoming baby moon! I have heard great things about Scotland, and I'm sure it will be fabulous. Btw, you available for lunch on Friday next week? I would love to catch up.

Cupcake - Thanks for the team pink love. We are happy to join you! I am so sorry to hear that you were so violently sick, but glad to hear that you are on the mend now. Do take care of yourself. That kinda stinks about the clothes only gifts, but hopefully you can cash them in for some stuff you really need.

Skippy - Thank you for the congrats. I guess it's better that the camera was not in the fridge, b/c that probably wouldn't be so good for it. As for the U/S pics, I really couldn't tell that it was a girl, but perhaps you can make more sense of that pic, since you have a comparison shot. Regarding the weight issue, I would definitely go with what the peri says. And besides that, 15-25 pounds is what a woman with a singleton pregnancy should gain, so perhaps maybe your OB just said it out of habit and forgot to add the extra weight for that other baby? Either way, I think you look fabulous, so keep up the good work!

Noel - Ah, thanks for the love. I keep an eye on Skye and she is getting so big and pretty. Give her a cheek pinch from me

Deelight - She is absolutely beautiful, and is pretty good sized for a NB. God bless you for doing all the pushing sans drugs, you are a brave women! I really love her name too, so elegant.

Kay - Glad that you could find some time to catch up. It sounds like the reno is causing a bit of havoc, but hopefully you can get a good part of it done before #2 arrives. I think the PNP sounds like a good idea, especially while the LO is still small and waking up constantly. Thanks for the girly love and the nice comments on the U/S and progression pics. I know DH is still a little iffy on the girl, but I have no doubt she will be daddy's little princess and will also develop a side of him he really doesn't share with too many other people. As for the house stuff, I don't think we will be building quite yet, but hopefully within the next year. I am just focused on getting this house sold and getting to the new location. Congrats on passing the glucose test. I hope you and A were able to hit the zoo. I don't know about her, but recently, monkeys are my focus in the nursery right now. I can't get enough, hehe.

Catluver - Thanks for coming back over to say congrats, mama. Your little one is growing like a weed! I also read your sleep thread yesterday, very imformative indeed.

Modern - YEAH, congrats on going team Pink! So happy that we can share in the girly vibes The cake turned out great too. And yes, as soon as the U/S was done, mom wanted to go shopping, lol. We didn't go pink crazy, but a couple things were pretty pink OMG on your name choice, it looks like we might have the same one! I will delve into that a bit later though...

IHA - Welcome to the preggo party lady! Sorry about the scare with the sexy time, but I am happy to hear that all is well with your little one. I am also going to say that both techs were probably right, and you are having a boy, so CONGRATS on team blue! I can't wait to see your little preggo belly too.

Charbie - So, how is the house building going? Did they break ground last week. I bet you are super excited to watch it being built! As for the girl sentiments, I wanted one, but had started thinking that I would have a boy, but lo and behold, I got my little girl. So maybe since you are thinking boy you will have a girl? Either way, only a few more weeks till you find out, right? Regarding names, I will get into that a bit later...That is too funny about the belly comment. Just wait, it is amazing how quikcly that thing goes from tiny, to out there, like hello mommy! As for the baby sitting stuff, as a FTM, I can't really help there, but it sounds like it could be a sweet set up. Sorry for the lingering m/s, but I think you will have plenty of time to gain weight, especially once the belly starts to pop. Just keep eating those brownie sundaes and they should kick in soon,

*****
AFM - I am really struggling today. I haven't been sleeping so well these past few nights due to bad dreams and just general light sleeping, and I think it has caught up with me. I even worked out this morning with my DH, which used to get me going for the day, but by the time I got on the metro to work, I wanted to go back to bed. Ugh. I think I may leave work a bit early today and go try to get in some quality sleepy time. Otherwise, work is alright, and has definitely calmed down, so that is good for both my stress level and sanity. I will hit 21 weeks on Thursday, so it's all down hill from here My belly has been growing like crazy ( I feel like more every day) but I will post a shot later in the week. Regarding the name question a few of your asked about, yes, we have a couple contenders we are highly considering. I think we will keep from a final decision until we see her though. Our favorites so far have been Sophia and Addison. (Modern - I thought we could get away scott free with that one, b/c I haven't heard anyone use it yet here or IRL, but alas, it looks like it is catching on, lol). We are also considering Cora and Emma, and a couple others, but we still have some time. Well, I need to get back to work now, but I hope you all have a good week. Take care mommies!

 

[ImperfectGirl]

Hi beautiful preggo ladies!

Just dropping by to ask you all a quick question. My DH and I are adopting a baby boy who is due in June. Our birthmom failed her 3 hour glucose test today. So what does this really mean for her and the baby? I've heard that GD can lead to a big baby and so far that has seemed true. His estimated weight at her last appt was larger than average by almost 1lb. Is she going to be ok? Will she have diabetes after delivery?

I appreciate any insight you all can provide!

 

[random_thought]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001898/

Gestational diabetes
Glucose intolerance during pregnancy
Last reviewed: September 11, 2010.

Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (diabetes) that starts or is first diagnosed during pregnancy.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Pregnancy hormones can block insulin from doing its job. When this happens, glucose levels may increase in a pregnant woman's blood.

You are at greater risk for gestational diabetes if you:

•Are older than 25 when you are pregnant

•Have a family history of diabetes

•Gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds or had a birth defect

•Have sugar (glucose) in your urine when you see your doctor for a regular prenatal visit

•Have high blood pressure

•Have too much amniotic fluid

•Have had an unexplained miscarriage or stillbirth

•Were overweight before your pregnancy

Symptoms
Usually there are no symptoms, or the symptoms are mild and not life threatening to the pregnant woman. Often, the blood sugar (glucose) level returns to normal after delivery.

Symptoms may include:

•Blurred vision

•Fatigue

•Frequent infections, including those of the bladder, vagina, and skin

•Increased thirst

•Increased urination

•Nausea and vomiting

•Weight loss in spite of increased appetite

Signs and tests
Gestational diabetes usually starts halfway through the pregnancy. All pregnant women should receive an oral glucose tolerance test between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy to screen for the condition. Women who have risk factors for gestational diabetes may have this test earlier in the pregnancy.

Once you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you can see how well you are doing by testing your glucose level at home. The most common way involves pricking your finger and putting a drop of your blood on a machine that will give you a glucose reading.

Treatment
The goals of treatment are to keep blood sugar (glucose) levels within normal limits during the pregnancy, and to make sure that the growing baby is healthy.

WATCHING YOUR BABY

Your health care provider should closely check both you and your baby throughout the pregnancy. Fetal monitoring to check the size and health of the fetus often includes ultrasound and nonstress tests.

•A nonstress test is a very simple, painless test for you and your baby. A machine that hears and displays your baby's heartbeat (electronic fetal monitor) is placed on your abdomen. When the baby moves, the baby's heart rate normally increases 15 - 20 beats above its regular rate.

•Your health care provider can compare the pattern of your baby's heartbeat to movements and find out whether the baby is doing well. The health care provider will look for increases in the baby's normal heart rate occurring within a certain period of time.

DIET AND EXERCISE

The best way to improve your diet is by eating a variety of healthy foods. You should learn how to read food labels, and check them when making food decisions. Talk to your doctor or dietitian if you are a vegetarian or on some other special diet.

In general, your diet should be moderate in fat and protein and provide controlled levels of carbohydrates through foods that include fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates (such as bread, cereal, pasta, and rice). You will also be asked to cut back on foods that contain a lot of sugar, such as soft drinks, fruit juices, and pastries.

You will be asked to eat three small- to moderate-sized meals and one or more snacks each day. Do not skip meals and snacks. Keep the amount and types of food (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) the same from day to day.

•Your doctor or nurse will prescribe a daily prenatal vitamin. They may suggest that you take extra iron or calcium. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you're a vegetarian or are on some other special diet.

•Remember that "eating for two" does not mean you need to eat twice as many calories. You usually need just 300 extra calories a day (such as a glass of milk, a banana, and 10 crackers).

For details on what you should eat, see: Diabetes diet - gestational

If managing your diet does not control blood sugar (glucose) levels, you may be prescribed diabetes medicine by mouth or insulin therapy. You will need to monitor your blood sugar (glucose) levels during treatment.

Most women who develop gestational diabetes will not need diabetes medicines or insulin, but some will.

Expectations (prognosis)
Most women with gestational diabetes are able to control their blood sugar and avoid harm to themselves or their baby.

Pregnant women with gestational diabetes tend to have larger babies at birth. This can increase the chance of problems at the time of delivery, including:

•Birth injury (trauma) because of the baby's large size

•Delivery by c-section

Your baby is more likely to have periods of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) during the first few days of life.

Mothers with gestational diabetes have an increased risk for high blood pressure during pregnancy.

There is a slightly increased risk of the baby dying when the mother has untreated gestational diabetes. Controlling blood sugar levels reduces this risk.

High blood sugar (glucose) levels often go back to normal after delivery. However, women with gestational diabetes should be watched closely after giving birth and at regular doctor's appointments to screen for signs of diabetes. Many women with gestational diabetes develop diabetes within 5 - 10 years after delivery. The risk may be increased in obese women.

Complications

•Delivery-related complications due to the infant's large size

•Development of diabetes later in life

•Increased risk of newborn death and stillbirth

•Low blood sugar (glucose) or illness in the newborn

 

[KimberlyH]

IG, I had GD. The diet she will be on (and the insulin she will possibly take) will help keep the baby's size reasonable (And the estimates can be ~15% off). She will be closely monitored, likely creating food journals and testing her blood sugar levels multiple times a day. , The baby should be monitored via ultrasound weekly and then biweekly as her due date gets closer. There's a possibility she'll be induced prior to her due date if the baby is measuring large. She has a much higher chance of having GD with future pregnancies and getting diabetes at some point in her life. I can't recall exact %s, somehwhere in the 50-75% range.

For me, it was not such a big deal. My biggest challenge was eating all the food required. I read a lot about it and there is a school of thought that GD is overdiagnosed. My OB stated that I likely just had an intolerance at one point because it was so easy for me to manage my numbers, but I was pretty vigalant (sp). My daughter was underweight, but I had other issues not related to GD.

It's daunting at first, but the birth mom of your baby should be fine.

 

[ImperfectGirl]

Thank you for poting that Random Thought and for sharing your experience Kimberly

Her OB did schedule an appt and ultrasound for later this week so I assume she'll get more information then. My husband and I will get all of this in our copy of the medical report from today's visit, but they are usually delayed by 1-2 weeks, so I knew I couldn't wait until then to get more information. I appreciate then information!

 

[random_thought]

IG- Congrats by the way! I'm assuming she is about 24-28 weeks along?

 

[ImperfectGirl]

IG- Congrats by the way! I'm assuming she is about 24-28 weeks along?

Thanks Random! 28 weeks today

 

[Blenheim]

Jennifer W - We are going to Edinburgh plus spending a day in the Highlands. I'd love to explore more, but we don't want to spend too much time away from George for our first real trip without him, and I also don't want to manically run around trying to fit in everything that an entire country has to offer in just a few days. I am really excited about the trip. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed yours too!

DD - And that is exactly how we got our stroller! Took back a bunch of little things and also used the completion coupon.

IHA - That's good news that everything is fine and that you got to see the baby again!

Charbie - I love that I can really feel my uterus now. I think it will feel even more real when I can feel body parts through it again. I love that. And so wait, did your cousin really seriously offer to babysit or was she joking about it? It is a ton to ask, and I personally like having non-family members watch children so that it's strictly business if I want them to change something that they're doing. It can just get too dramatic with family members, plus the payment discussion could be weird. But at the same time, it could work out really well, depending on the kind of relationship that you have. On the IKEA cribs, ours is really close to the ground. It's just the way that they are built. Especially as I am tall, I was worried that it could be a bit of a pain (literally - in the back) to get him in and out, but it hasn't been bad at all. And I am always wrong on gender as well, so I don't even want to guess with this one! I hope that your tummy feels better soon.

DCG - I will look into whether I will be free for a long lunch! It is a really big day for our company as a whole, but I am not sure if that actually means that I will be busier than normal yet. But I would love to get together again. I don't personally know any Addisons, but I feel like I've been hearing of it quite a bit, and so my gut feeling is also that it is catching on. I love Sophia (but then again, with the popularity) and Cora!

Kay - Good luck with all of the house projects! It's good to hear from you.

Sorry if I missed anyone!


AFM - I had another appointment yesterday. We got to hear the heartbeat again - 132, which seems low to me but then again George's was always higher - and everything is measuring on track. She kind of urged me away from Hypnobabies. Basically all of the births she attends are without pain meds, and she said that she has only seen Hypnobabies work WELL (meaning past the easy beginning-of-labor contractions) for one mom. She reviewed my 3-day diet history (which is a requirement sometime between 14 and 18 weeks) and she said that she was happy with it. She said that some people would recommend a bit less protein, but that she was fine with it if I felt good with it. And evidently she has to give most women a diet lecture, so I think I must be doing really well! With the protein, I did some calculations later, and while I am eating way above the recommended 65-80 g, I have higher caloric needs than average due to my height/weight, and so it is still coming out to 20% of Calories from protein.

I was going through some old photos last night, and realized that I am actually smaller now than I was last time - it is not just in my head. I showed the bloating more this time, as everything has stretched out before which I think made it a little easier for it to stretch out again, but my butt is not growing yet (phew) and I think I am gaining less weight so far. I know that I am way too early to make any definite proclamations, but I hope that this is a sign that I can gain less this time than last.

 

[Skippy123]

BLEN ~~ super cute belly pic; you are smaller and totally adorable belly!!!! Oh I had one baby in the 130's today; he usually is in the 150's which I thought was weird but the doctor said it is very normal. I guess the norm range is 120-160ish? Congrats on the babymoon!!!

IMPERFECTGIRL ~~ aw, 28 weeks is awesome, congrats on the adoption coming up!!

DCGATOR ~~ you poor sweetheart; I hope you get some sleep. thanks about the belly! thanks about the weight too; I talked to a fellow twin momma and she reassured me that I am doing well. I love that us preggos and mommas can be a support to each other. Yay for 21 weeks, woot woot; it is going to fly!!! hehe Sophia and Addison are beautiful girl names!!! I love thinking up girl names, fun fun!

RT ~~ what a sweet dad!

CHARBIE ~~ how do you know where your uterus is? that is cool he showed you!!! Gosh I am sorry about not feeling so well, you poor sweetheart; I hope you feel better soon. thanks about my belly friend! haha cute story about your belly and thinking she was talking about the dinner trays. I loved your last belly pics.

MODERN ~~ thank you on the belly! Yay for having a wonderful weekend spreading the word on your sweet baby girl!! aw, sounds like a special name; I love names with meaning like that, which are dear and near to the heart. Stella Lorraine is beautiful and Ella and Addison beautiful too. I love girls names!! Yay for maternity clothes; I bet you look so cute!!

INHISARMS ~~ glad you and your lo are okay.

DREAMER ~~ a mini baby moon sounds wonderful!!!

BASIL ~~ thank you about the belly! Oh my gosh I know the exact 4 piece outfits you are talking about; they are the cutest!!! i was so tempted to buy them too, I saw a froggie one, duckie and monkey one and it was crazy adorable! hehe Oh I love the mobiles. I bet you could get the hoop thing at hobby lobby or JoAnn's fabic store. I wish I could knit!

Hope I didn't miss anyone!

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AFM ~~ I had my OB appt; the boys are doing well. I guess I am having some BH contractions; my belly gets hard so the doctor told me to drink more water. I have been drinking lots of water but I will drink more. Otherwise everything is going well. We did talk about c-sections and my options later in pregnancy; I guess good stuff to ponder.

Oh this weekend my parents brought over a changing table. I heard they bought a high chair and pack n play; I thought it was cute they are getting excited and preparing for these babies.

Oh! I went to REI today to check out the Bob! I am soooo tempted to buy one w/the 20% off coupon. I might just do it but I noticed they don't' have the other colors they had before, so my choices are orange, blue and black; we will see though since I know I will need another stroller for grocery store trips, etc. Anyone else tempted w/the 20% off coupon???? hehe

Happy New week beautiful preggos!!!