Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[Tuckins1]

Thank you everyone for your kindness and wishes! Things are starting to look up (well as much as they can). My mother is flying out on April 10 or so to help me out for 3 weeks. Cayden's crib converts into a full size bed and he is sleeping in his bassinet for the first few months after he gets here at the least. So my parents are buying the full size mattress to go with it so my mom and dh's mom has a place to sleep when they come to visit. My mom also just sent me a pregnancy body pillow in the mail so I wouldn't be so uncomfortable at night! And the big one- my parents are covering my missed salary for bed rest until the baby comes (I guess they have an emergency fund and this qualifies as an emergency). Also Dh's mom will be coming out to help after my mom leaves until Cayden is born. They are planning to induce me on May 7 at 37 weeks if we make it that far (and I really really hope we make it that far!!!) So thank you thank you for all the positive energy and thoughts and prayers. It has really made the world of difference to know that so many people out there are pulling for me and my family!!

It's so nice to know that your family can be there for you!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

RT-glad that your family can be there for you and I hope that C keeps baking for a while!

DD-I LOVE River!!! Oh...so exciting, Willow or River!!! (nice peaceful names to balance out the oh so manly Hunter

Charbie-Hope that things are going well for you and that you get the child care thing figured out...

Tao-Wow, this is it!!! Can't wait until you can meet Violet!!!

Kay-I like your names! Lauren is such a pretty name IMO! I also have a friend who loved the nickname Maddie so she named her daughter Madeleine which I really like too

Cupcake-Hope that you get some good news and good vibes and good PG hormones and can enjoy the rest of this ride with Lorelei! you've had a really rough go of it this past year!!!

 

[Skippy123]

BLEN ~~ that is awesome you got some closet cleaning done!! Thanks for your thoughts on the baby care class.

RT ~~ sorry about the preeclampsia; hope your baby bakes for as long as possible. Your parents sound so supportive!

MRS ~~ I m sorry about DD not sleeping, that is tough. I hope she sleeps better so you get a better nights sleep; sending sleeping dust your way. thanks about my hubs and the bday parties were fun! I need to check out that Lifetime show, it sounds like something I would love. I am glad your dd and you had a good talk and things are getting better. continued good sleep vibes/dust your way.

TUCKINS ~~ Awesome about being 31 weeks and enjoying swimming! rock that bikini; I bet you look great!

BASIL ~~ best wishes on your test; I bet you did great!!!

TAO~~ hopefully you go into labor soon, very exciting!!! Hope Evan feels better soon, poor lo.

CHARBIE ~~ that is wonderful news that you no longer have nausea; I am so happy for you!!! ugh I hear you maternity clothes is the worst; I am having a hard time with pants. They are either too big or too small. lol I know the selection of clothing choices is for the birds! Oh well! Yay for 16 weeks! I started feeling movement at about 16 and then for sure over weeks 17 and onward. very exciting!!! That is cool you can feel your uterus!

DREAMER ~~ oh I like those names!!! super cute! Yay for having nothing from April to birth; you do have an awesome job!!! good luck on the GD screen, fingers crossed you pass! thanks for the tips, my sis will help and the hospital I guess also sends a LC over too. Woot for 24 weeks!!

BELLA ~~ hi!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFM ~~ Hubby is finally getting over his stomach bug so I am glad I didn't get it, phew!!! It must of been preggo day at Target because today I saw 4 preggo ladies that were pretty far along. I usually don't see so many preggo ladies; they looked super cute w/their belly's!!

I got in a nice long walk this afternoon; it is in the low 70's today I noticed my boys are super active and also in my Mayo Clinic book it said that babies are very active from 28 weeks to 32 weeks. I am not sure why? the book didn't say why either. anyone know? My boys are yin yang in my uterus, so it is weird to see one side of my belly move and then the other side. lol Nothing else too exciting going on with me. Hope everyone has a great start to the week beautiful preggos!!!

 

[taovandel]

I'm thinking they are the most active because they are big enough for us to actually feel them and they still have enough room to make some kind of impact? Not really sure why they think so though. Did you buy anything cute at Target? I'm loving their clothes right now at Target (for babies...not so much for me)

I keep telling Violet that she needs to smarten up and figure out how to get out of my belly because she's not getting out through my belly button which is where I get a lot of pressure from her!

 

[Skippy123]

I'm thinking they are the most active because they are big enough for us to actually feel them and they still have enough room to make some kind of impact? Not really sure why they think so though. Did you buy anything cute at Target? I'm loving their clothes right now at Target (for babies...not so much for me)

I keep telling Violet that she needs to smarten up and figure out how to get out of my belly because she's not getting out through my belly button which is where I get a lot of pressure from her!

I bet you are right!!! That makes sense on still having room and them being bigger to make some kind of impact I just bought lots of toiletries which we were running low on. I did go by the baby aisle and saw the cutest frog onsies. I resisted though as many of the mommas here said that you will get lots of clothes at the shower? Did you get lots of cute clothes for Violet? Girls clothes is seriously the cutest!!!! LOL about telling her she needs to try a different method of coming out. Ouch to the belly button jabs. I am super excited for you!!! Can't wait to see pictures of her when she arrives!

 

[taovandel]

We didn't have a shower for this baby...I felt weird having one when we just had Evan just a bit ago. But yeah, avoid clothes as long as you can....you will get soooo much at the shower! Girl clothes right now are the best--cute spring dresses....adorable! It's hard going into the store and not buying everything.

 

[Kay]

Thank you everyone for your kindness and wishes! Things are starting to look up (well as much as they can). My mother is flying out on April 10 or so to help me out for 3 weeks. Cayden's crib converts into a full size bed and he is sleeping in his bassinet for the first few months after he gets here at the least. So my parents are buying the full size mattress to go with it so my mom and dh's mom has a place to sleep when they come to visit. My mom also just sent me a pregnancy body pillow in the mail so I wouldn't be so uncomfortable at night! And the big one- my parents are covering my missed salary for bed rest until the baby comes (I guess they have an emergency fund and this qualifies as an emergency). Also Dh's mom will be coming out to help after my mom leaves until Cayden is born. They are planning to induce me on May 7 at 37 weeks if we make it that far (and I really really hope we make it that far!!!) So thank you thank you for all the positive energy and thoughts and prayers. It has really made the world of difference to know that so many people out there are pulling for me and my family!!

RT, I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. On the bright side, you will have plenty of internet surfing time, lol. Seriously, I am glad to hear how wonderful your family is being with helping you out. I hope Cayden stays put and bakes until May.

 

[Kay]

I will try to come back and reply to everyone later, but I have a quick question before I have to pick up DD from daycare. I have been having weird pains in my upper inner thighs, just below the crotch. A lot of days, it feels like I went horseback riding for hours, even though I am just sitting at a desk. I guess it is because the ligaments are stretching, but it feels so weird. Has anyone else had this type of pain/soreness? (I think this is different than the ECP other people have talked about.)

In both pregnancies, I have had terrible pain in my tailbone area. It hurts when I sit down, or when I stand up, or even just walking around. Some days I am walking pretty funny between the tail bone pain and inner thigh soreness! I am not even that big yet, and I am waddling like a penguin.

 

[Skippy123]

I will try to come back and reply to everyone later, but I have a quick question before I have to pick up DD from daycare. I have been having weird pains in my upper inner thighs, just below the crotch. A lot of days, it feels like I went horseback riding for hours, even though I am just sitting at a desk. I guess it is because the ligaments are stretching, but it feels so weird. Has anyone else had this type of pain/soreness? (I think this is different than the ECP other people have talked about.)

In both pregnancies, I have had terrible pain in my tailbone area. It hurts when I sit down, or when I stand up, or even just walking around. Some days I am walking pretty funny between the tail bone pain and inner thigh soreness! I am not even that big yet, and I am waddling like a penguin.

KAY ~~ yes, I did the same exact thing as you today. I pulled my inner thigh up top; I have to not hop up too quick in the seated position. I get the tailbone thing too; I guess our spines change a bit to help w/our bellies (I read that in my Mayo Clinic book). Some tips were posted in this thread. I like the ones Dreamer posted. ouch, sorry. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/anyone-have-psd-pelvic-symphosis-during-pregnancy.158507/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/anyone-have-psd-pelvic-symphosis-during-pregnancy.158507/[/URL]


TAO ~~ I love all the baby girls clothes!!!

 

[Blenheim]

Kay - Ugh! I hope the other ladies have some good suggestions for you. That sounds painful!

RT - I'm really sorry that you're going through all this. That is so generous of your parents - it must be such a relief!

Skippy/Tao - I am not even planning on buying any clothing, and this baby will be opposite seasons from George. We have enough newborn sleepers and receiving blankets that I think we can get through a few days. If it is a girl, I have a feeling that we will be inundated with cute girl clothing. And if not, there is overnight shipping plus grandparents might go out and buy things anyway. Heehee. Baby clothes are adorable.

Tao - George did that same thing! I hope she figures out where the exit is.

Mrs- So glad to hear that the sleeping is going a bit better.

DD - Sounds like your teaching schedule ended up timing out really well! And I really like River. Willow,too. I have a soft spot in my heart for hippie names. Good point on the birthing classes... unfortunately our practice requires that we take something, and I have heard good things about Bradley, and so part of me figures that if we HAVE to take something, we should go with something that seems to be pretty popular among the natural birthing crowd. Still trying to figure out what to sign up for though.

 

[taovandel]

I think Robbie might have done Bradley but I'm not entirely sure.....I remember hearing good things about it though.

I bought some stuff for this baby---but two co-workers and a cousin sent us boxes of used clothes and now her closet is out of control!

 

[Deelight]

Thank you everyone for your congrats - as I mentioned before me and the little boomba are both doing really well, I have to say without a shadow of a doubt having a baby is the best thing I have ever done with my life .

Sorry it took me so long to get back with my birth story but we have been inundated with guests and today is the first day without anyone staying - I can't believe she is already 16 days old in some ways it feels like she has been here a lifetime and in others it feels like it was just yesterday...I can't really quite explain it - however I will say that I am so taken by her and can sit there for hours just looking at her .

I ahve been reading everyones stories however I don't have time to respond to everyone - I am trying to catch momments in between feeds at the momment -she does sleep really well usually however today not so much

lliang_chi It is a cutlural name - I am Serbian and hubby is an Aussie so it was important for me for her to have a name that reflects my heritage however still sounds lovely in English - this also happened to be one of my favourite girl names since I was about 9 so I figured I would not get sick of it - We also gave her my mothers name and my maiden name as middle names so she has a mix of both cutltures

Modern Congrats on team pink YAY and what a yummy looking cake

LV I know I was super freaked about labour (it is even on my medical records for birth from my pre-admission interview) but at the end of the day the hormones kick in and you really do start to forget can't believe I am now joining the mummy thread

Tiffany Congrats on the birth of your twinkies I can't wait to hear your birth stroy

*DISCLAIMER*
There are non pleasant things about this story - but at the end of the day as far as I am concerned I stuck to my guns and I got my natural delivery with a beautiful healthy daughter so all in all I consider that positive however should I ever have another child again I refuse to give birth without my ob present. However I post the things I am not happy about to help inform other women as others have informed me here previously .

I also have a high pain threshold - so really take what I say in regards to pain with a grain of salt

I also have nothing against C-sections if needed/wated etc

If you ask the nurse if your crowing - chances are you not - you will know when you are there is no need to ask .

Sorry for the length of this - what can I say it was a long deliever

So this story starts pretty much the same as most ... I never got induced she decided to pick her own birthday and my sister missed the birth (however in hindsight this was probablly a good thing) the night before I had this insane urge to clean the kitchen, there was no way I was going to sleep without a clean kitchen (I think my body started to nest LOL) cleaned the kitchen and went to sleep to be woken early in the morning with cramping - freaked out and and ran to the toliet and realised I was in the start of labour - YAY here is me thinking considering it was nice and early (7:34am Saturday) that I was going to have a baby today - apprently though the LO had other ideas and decided to take time LOL so in just under 30 hours later she made her debut on Sunday at 1:31pn

I decided to wake up hubby and ran to call the hospital - turns out In can't read my pamphlet and well called them to early however the midwives were awesome and took my info down and told me to call back whenever -however to see how I go at this stage. Figured I had nothing else better to do so went ahead and made breakfast and started to time contractions - for me personally contractions were not that painful - if I had to describe them I would say they are like bad period cramps however not unamanagable - I managed to nap between contractions when they were around 10 minutes apart - hubby was telling me I was snoring either way it was good to get some rest. We decided to call our family and let them know and I texted 2 friends however people kept bugging us so I turned my phone off - in future I don't think we would call people until it is all said and done - I think the family was more worried then I was.

At 3am (this point I stopped sleeping I started to shiver and the contractions were about 2 minutes apart I called the hospital again and they said it was time to come in - the car ride was something else - sitting on my plastic bag with towels and turning corners - not fun . I remember telling hubs if I had not progressed from my last ob visit I was going to be grumpy - turns out I was 6cm and was booked into the birthing suite. The midwives kept telling me how great I was doing and contractions are the hardest, pushing is easy (wrong) you won't need an epi your doing great so considering I still felt happy and cheery (I was dancing, giggling, taking belly shots chatting) I decided not to have the epi yet I was told I had until I needed to push to get an epi if needed so I figured if I changed my mind I still had time...

The birthing suites at the hospital are really nice so decided to take a shower If your going the drug free route these are really good for managing pain - I did have the option of a bath but couldn't be bothered hoping in and then getting out so the shower was awesome - hot water, music, singing and the birthing ball are your friend without doubt the best things for pain relief - GAS is USELESS and does NOTHING I gave up after a little while it really does nothing.


At 8cm they decided to sweep my membranes and break my water - this didn't hurt however the contractions did steadily start to get worse sometime before this the ob on call decided to introduce himself -as it was the weekend there is no guanretee that my ob would be on so I got whoever was there - from my experience this ob was much more interventionalist then my ob - whereas mine was quite supportive of my ability to give birth naturually these one I believe had a pre-concieved notion of how this birth would end however being a stubborn pigheaded person I refused to give into the pressure. I was told repeatedlyt this baby is big (yup already knew that) and was quizzed on my height, whether I had GD (nope) and told that I may need a C-Section (first I had heard of since my ob never thought the baby size would be an issue) and that he would have to cut a large episotmy. The baby was hooked up to a monitor - and she was fine her heartbet stayed in the normal range - no distress the entire labour she just decided that she wanted to take her time - and apprently this didn't fly with the doctor - thank goodness for the midwives who confirmed she coming however she was just going slowly.

Pushing for me and the just before your ready to push was the most painful for me - I can honestly say I have never quite experienced anything quite like it - and if you have never pushed before it is hard to know how to do it or to describe how to do it to someone - I sucked at pushing I really did - also being made to push on your back is the WORST thing it hard and it feels unnatural on the times I was allowed to hop onto my knees it felt so much easier. After all this time I was really just exhausted - I don't think I have ever sweat so much or drunk so much water - I think after such a long labour I was just exhausted mentally and physically I was in tears as I had the ob pushing for a C-section and telling me my daughter could be born with a disabilty if she had large shoulders and he had to dislocate them - stating this was not as prefreable as a C (neither DH or I are broad in the shoulders) - I kept saying no and he kept pushing - telling me I needed to make a decsion now - I told hubby it was up to him and he like me decided to go ahead with the natural birth - I still hold to the belief that this doctor was in a rush and wanted this baby out. I was told that this baby should have been out in 90 minutes and I was taking to long - I was also yelled at and told to stop crying and push (which is easier said then done) - frankly this doctor is not my favourite person.

In the end he decided to cut the epistomy (which he did without anesthetic) and used the vaccum - The body is a wonderful thing when it got really bad I blanked out there are things I don't remember, but hubby saw the lot and told me later - the vaccum came off and went flying over his shoulder on the first go however worked on the second - my poor little munchkin had a round bruise and a cut on her scalp which has since gone - her head though is a lovely round shape which is good


However as much pain as I felt when she was yanked out all of that disappeared the momment I saw them bring her up onto my chest - the most primal instict kicked in and all I could think was MINE - hormones are a wonderful thing they really do help you forget. The high your on after giving birth is like nothing else - an overwhelming sense of happiness, joy and contentment just raidates from you - really it just amazing

In the end I ended up with the cut and 2nd degree tears - the doc didn't wait for the local to fully kick in so I also felt some of the stiches -but as crap as things in some aspects went I would go through it all over again for her in a heartbeat the minute you hold your little one you really do start to forget the pain . She came out happy as pie - the pedi declared she was perfect when she was given back to us and they were all surprised at just how much she weighed - she really didn't look quite that big .

My recovery was really good I didn't have much pain -my ob prolly thought I was nuts when I told him two days later after I wanted to go for a run - I actually found a week later a little harder. I spent my almost week in hospital giggling and laughing (except for a mini meltdown on day 3 which is appreently quiter common due to hormones) I am extremely blessed to have a calm baby that likes to eat, sleep and poop she rarely cries and sleeps for long periods (5-6 hours is not unusual especially through the night ) - I told my ob what happened and he has assured me should I have another he will be there and that next time will be a piece of cake- he also told me had I not stuck to my guns I would have never had a natural birth after her - the thing that makes me annoyed is that if I was younger I would not have been so determined and would have been cheated out of the experience and subjeted to surgery I really did not need - at the end of the day all is well that ends well I am so in awe of her and what my body has produced - as much as I loved her when she was inside of me I love her infinite amounts more now that she is here.

I really wish you ladies the best of luck with your pregnacies if I have any advice to give is - go for the epi - so wished I did and really it does hurt but it is not that bad as well the prize you get at the end is worth all the pain and more


If you read all this thanks - sorry for the long story
*hugs*
Dee

 

[turtledazzle]

Dee -- what a great birth story. I'm glad you and your husband stuck to your guns and had the birth you wanted. Way to go, mama!

I just wanted to chime in that we did the Bradley classes and really liked it -- it definitely helped DH feel like a really integral part of the birthing process (and he was during my labor and delivery!). There were seven couples in my class, and we all had unmedicated births. Another two friends also used the Bradley method and had unmedicated labors. It's certainly a time commitment (though our instructor condensed the classes into 3-hour classes for 8 weeks rather than the typical 2-hour classes for 12 weeks). It made for very long Monday evenings, but was worth it for us.

 

[basil]

Awesome story, Dee! I'm so glad that in the end everything turned out how you wanted it, despite the mean doctor!

 

[modernsparkler]

Wow... I have missed a lot so I will try to catch up!

Dee: Thanks for sharing your story. I am so sorry that you had so much frustration with the on call OB and so much unnecessary pressure! Labor and Delivery is an unpredictable process and I am very impressed that you stuck to your plan. Congratulations on having the birth you wanted and a beautiful healthy little girl.

Skippy: How fun that the boys are so active. It must be amazing to see them and feel them interact in there. A breastfeeding class would be super helpful, I have so many patients that struggle despte being really committed. Many moms will tell you it is HARD work but it is so worth it!

Blen: Your belly is adorable! Are you going to keep the gender a surprise this time?

Kay: Sorry about the thigh pain. Hope you are feeling better now.

Tao: I agre with the temptation to buy clothes, but I am trying to hold out. I am sure we will get tons at the shower and my mom has already started shopping!! Hope Violet makes her appearance soon.

RT: Sorry about the pre-ecclampsia. Many people can hang out with mild pre-ecclampsia and continue to bake for weeks. I am sending good thoughts your way for lots more baking.

Mrs: I LOVE the One born every minute show. It is very heartwarming and I can even get DH to watch it. I am sorry your DD is not sleeping well, but it sounds like you are able to do some reasoning with her which is pretty amazing! Hopefully she will have a better pattern before the baby arrives.

Dreamer: 24 weeks already, thats great! I am jealous of your increased libido. Mine waxes and wanes and positions are getting a bit tricky....

Charbie: Glad you are feeling better! I think I started to feel some flutters around late in week 16 and early 17 so trust yourself if you think the little one is moving. As you become more sure of it, feeling those movements are just incredible.

Basil: Good luck on your boards!

Tuckins: I love the image of swimming in a bikini. At this point you have a nice cute bump and might as well enjoy sporting it!

Kay: I love your name choices, especially Madison. I think we are leaning away from Addison b/c it is so popular and Stella is becoming the top condender.

LV: Good to see you here.

DCG: Hope all is well and you have some bites on the house!

AFM: All is well at 20 wks 4 days today. I can't believe I am over the halfway mark. At my appt last week I was up 5 lbs total which my OB said was low so I am trying to eat more, although I feel like I am making a pretty good effort already. Our little girl is moving tons and she was breech on our anatomy scan and I think she still is b/c I mostly feel her kicks low in my pelvis. I know it is early but I really want her to turn around! I think we also picked our nursery furniture and we ended up registering b/c I am having an out of town shower for my family while I will be travelling at the end of April so they have been bugging me. There is so much stuff out there and I am torn about what we really need. For you experienced moms, I would love to know your thoughts on bouncy chair vs swing vs neither and the bumper controversy. I am pretty against it b/c of SIDS concerns but my MIL insists that once she gets older it will be necessary to protect her. Thoughts would be appreciated! I am also attaching a 20 wk 2 day pic!

 

[Blenheim]

Dee, I am sorry that you got stuck with that OB, but am also impressed that you stuck to your guns! Congrats again.

Modern - Cute belly, and I love Stella! We've never used a bumper. I'm not comfortable with the increased risk of SIDS earlier on and then later on, they can use the bumper for extra leverage to try to climb out of the crib. We will sometimes walk into G's room when he is asleep and he will have his legs sticking clear out of the crib, but he doesn't seem to mind at all. He has also never woken us up complaining about getting a limb stuck in the bars or anything. He liked his bouncy seat. He liked the swing in the store, but had about a 30 second limit in it once we got the dang thing home. I don't think that there is a clear win - especially as others here have had the opposite experience as me! - but will say that you will want one of them so that you have a good place place to put the baby where they are supported and nestled while you take a shower or cook dinner. I'd probably opt for the bouncy seat, as they tend to be smaller and less money. And as for anything that gets used for such a short time period that isn't a safety product, I'd really recommend borrowing or buying used. We bought the swing at a consignment store and then were able to sell it on Craigslist for exactly what we paid for it, and so the only real expense with buying it and then not even using it was a time one.

We are not finding out the sex. Last time I kind of wanted to and DH didn't, but it was such a great feeling of suspense not knowing, especially towards the end when I just felt done.

Turtle - thanks so much for chiming in on the Bradley classes. I know a lot of people in general feel like they didn't get all that much out of their birth classes, but Bradley seems to have quite a following which hopefully says something. I am thinking right now that we are going to go with Brio, which as far as I can piece together is a brand new off-shoot of Bradley with a similar philosphy, by a group of former Bradley instructors who didn't like the bureaucracy associated with Bradley and thought they needed to do a better job of updating their materials to align with the most current research. My main reason for Brio over Bradley is that the available time works better for us and that they "compress" it into 10 weeks instead of 12, haha.

 

[modernsparkler]

Blen- Thanks for belly and name compliments and the quick reply regarding my questions. I think in prior generations where there was not as much info about SIDS, the bumpers were fine. but now I can't help but think it would be crazy to ignore those warnings. It is good to know that G can get a limb out of the crib without it being an issue- I think the slats on the crib we chose are pretty close together, but perhaps I am overestimating the size of those little limbs. Thanks also for the tips about the bouncy seat and swing! I was leaning towards the bouncer and hopefully it will be something I can share amongst friends.

I love that you are going to be surprised about the gender. I wanted to, but DH really wanted to know so maybe next time we will have a surprise.

 

[Dreamer_D]

modern You look great and I too love the name Stella! It would have been on our short list but for a close family member with the name already. We did not use bumpers until Hunter was about 6mo, but then we used them for what might seem a funny reason -- to keep the soothers in the crib at night Hunter is a soother maniac and has about 5 in his crib at night (keeps him STTN so good for him!), but without the bumpers he loses them. So I would personaly not buy them and then wait and see if your kid likes soothers, then think about it. Swings and bouncy seats were pretty useless in our house. I think with those things the best thing to do is WAIT until baby is born and then go check them out in the store, and then get whichever one seems to be most preferred by baby used, like Blen said. A lot of the baby stuff is useless and clutters up the house, and though I know the feeling of wanting it all figures out NOWNOWNOW, with a lot of it I think it is better to buy after baby is here. In the early weeks we found it easier to wear the baby, or just carry him, or occassionally put him down in the basinet or pack n' play (the PNP is one of the only totally necessary things ). So I would not buy either and wait and see.

 

[Kay]

Skippy, the BF class sounds like a good idea. When I was pregnant with A, my (male) OB told me that class would be a waste of time before I had the baby and I should wait until she was born and just discuss any issues with the lactation consultant in the hospital. We definitely had issues, and it might have been easier if I knew more in advance. I think we are reaching the active baby stage – I am feeling so much movement throughout the day now, not just at night.

Blen, good for you for cleaning out your closet and dresser. I keep saying I need to clean out closets, but it just doesn’t happen. I thought of Vera as a nickname for Veronica, but it reminds me of the dingbat waitress from the TV series “Alice” in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

Mrs, sounds like you are experiencing ups and downs with the sleep training too. Most nights, A now goes to sleep in her own bed without much fuss, but she has developed a habit of showing up next to our bed between 2 and 4 am to “snuggle.” It happens 3-4 nights per week. We probably should get up and return her (screaming) to her bed, but it is so much easier to just let her curl up with us and get a few more hours of sleep. I miss the days when we could put her down and she would just have to stay put! What is the light up toy you got your DD?

Tuckins, you rock those bikinis, mama! Our pool is still too chilly for me to want to get in.

Basil, good luck with your test!

Tao, sorry to hear your boys are not well. Men really are babies when they are sick. I hope your family will have a quick recovery before you delivery. LOL re Violet trying to exit through your belly button.

Charbie, congrats on reaching 16 weeks! The end of the nausea is so wonderful – the 2nd tri is great for most women because the nausea is over and you are not so huge and uncomfortable yet. I think “V” would be cute.

Dreamer, I really like River and Willow. Congrats on your last week of teaching.

Bella, hi there.

Deelight, when A was born, I just spent hours just staring at her in wonder too. It really is the most amazing feeling. It sounds like the on-call OB was a real D-bag. I can’t believe he yelled at you for crying, tried to bully you into a C, and did an episiotomy with no anesthetic! Good for you for sticking to your guns. You are so lucky to have a calm baby who likes to sleep. Enjoy your LO!

Modern, congrats for passing the halfway point! Cute belly pic – you are still tiny! Congrats on picking your nursery furniture – that can be a tough decision. A has gone 2.5 years with no bumper. She has bonked her head a couple of times while being boisterous (as she got older, bigger and more mobile), but then she learns! The swing was nice for the first 4 months, but then A got bored with it (good item to borrow if you can). The Fisher Price Rainforest bouncer was handy because I could stick her in it and watch her through the glass while I took a quick shower, or we could park it next to the table when we ate dinner. I loaned those items to a friend who had a baby 14 months after we did, so I will have to get those back in a couple of months.

AFM, I am still trucking along, although I am a bit tired and cranky. DH and I both had bad coughs yesterday and today. When I get home from work, I just want to sit or lie down, but A wants to play. She was a serious daddy's girl for a while, but she has been really into me the past few months -- must be the pregnancy. It's really sweet, so I am trying to take advantage of the bonding time before #2 arrives, even though some nights I would rather hand her over to DH and rest.

 

[Miscka]

Hi guys!! I know I was only around sporadically but I thought I would pop in and say that our little man, Harlan, arrived March 7th! 2 weeks early

The birth itself went pretty perfectly! I was able to do it naturally, which I had really wanted. My water broke that morning right when I got up, and contractions slowly started picking up after that. I labored at home until a little after 5pm, then we headed into the hospital. We used the tub, and a heat pack on my back. I think I had back labor though he wasnt sunny side up...I literally could NOT stand to be on my back. It was miserable since I wanted to relax some between ctx but obviously couldnt rest well on my tummy! My husband, aunt and midwife were my total rocks and I could not have done it without them. My aunt was a L&D nurse for 20 years.

I pushed for about 45 minutes and he arrived at 11:48pm. Thats when things got a little scary. He had to be bagged to get him to start breathing, and he has some significant bruising and also pulled a nerve in his shoulder which has caused his one arm to be slower to move, but he will grow out of it in a few months. He also had a high resp. rate and low glucose, and then jaundice so bad we had to re-check in to the hospital. BUT now we are all good, working on BFing and jaundice is way down. He is gaining weight really well, born at 8lbs and now up to 8b5oz.

Sorry my story sounds a little scattered, but I wanted to share! It was so magical, and I love being a mom! You guys enjoy every minute of pregnancy and birth, I already miss being pregnant and get all nostalgic about labor, it was soooo hard but so amazing!

 

[Skippy123]

BLEN ~~ good idea on not buying clothes; that is why I didn't register for any clothes either. I heard you also get tons of blankets and bibs for showers too. The baby girls clothes is awfully cute; I think if I was having a girl I wouldn't be able to resist buy a few outfits. hehe I heard good things about the Bradley method too but I didn't start thinking about it until now when it is too late. Keep us posted if you do it; I am interested to hear what you think.

TAO ~~ how are you doing? thinking of you!!

DEELIGHT ~~ I think some doctors have their own personal agendas and I am glad you stuck to your guns like the others said. I am so glad your daughter is so well adjusted; she sounds like a doll!!! Post more pictures sometime, please! Congrats!!!! woot for going natural, that is awesome!

MODERN ~~ you look beautiful!!! It is great to put a face with a name; great bump too!!! I think I will take the breast feeding class since it is so cheap anyway; I will have an LC after I deliver but it will give me an idea of what to expect. thanks for your thoughts. Yay for being more than halfway there!! Very exciting!

DREAMER ~~ Oh and I am going to use the pnp for when they are first born; I am glad you said that because that confirmed my thinking on what to buy! hehe

KAY ~~ aww, I am sorry; I hope you and your DH feel better soon! yes, I think I will take the bf class since it is so inexpensive and when the LC helps me out in the hospital I will have a little bit knowledge regarding holds etc beforehand so I can ask good questions, etc. thanks for your thoughts!! aw, that is sweet your daughter wants mommy time; you sound like a great mom!!! enjoy! yay for more baby movement too; it is fun huh?!

MISCKA ~~ aw, congratulations!!!! I am glad you had a pretty good delivery; I am so happy for you!!! I am glad the jaundice is better and he is gaining weight. Harlan is beautiful!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFM ~~ I went shopping at Burlington and found 3 pairs of capris for under $40; I was going to go to Motherhood but then thought maybe I should check out Burlington first which I am glad I did. I wasn't fond of their tops though so I might still make a trip to Motherhood.

Oh before I forget. I have had the rib pain on one side and was wondering if any of you recommend a soft comfy bra? TIA!!!

Hubby also came up with some names. Miles and Marshall. I said no way on Marshall because what do you call him for short? Marsh. LOL okay now I am being silly. Do you ladies like Miles? I am not sure. I am liking the names Jason, Dean and Tate.

Off to make spinach lasagna for dinner and hope everyone has a Great evening!!!

 

[ImperfectGirl]

Just chiming in to tell Skippy how much I love the name Miles!! It was a very very close runner up for us.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

We love Miles too and it was a strong contender for us as well I also LOVE Tate!

 

[Skippy123]

IMPERFECT and BELLA, what names did you decide on if you mind sharing? Bella, I am loving Tate for some reason. My hubby loves Miles so maybe it will grow on me. Thanks Ladies!!!

 

[ImperfectGirl]

Skippy - out LO will be named Parker Jude

 

[Skippy123]

Skippy - out LO will be named Parker Jude

Parker Jude is a beautiful name!!!! awww, i am so excited for you

 

[modernsparkler]

Dreamer: Thanks so much ! We are super excited about little Stella I apprecaite your suggestions on the bumper, PNP, and the swing. I had to look up what a soother was (yikes.... insert scared mommy "I have so much to learn" emotion here)! It is true there is a part of me what wants to just have everything set, but at the same time waiting to see what she likes is much more sensible. I belive we are still waiting for a pic of you and little Willow or River

Kay: Thanks It feels good to be halfway but I think I am finally starting to have a real bump b/c I had a few patients ask if I am prego today which made me feel good. We don't have anyone to borrow a bouncer from yet, but my friend is due May 10th and I think she got one at her shower so we might try that out before we buy. It is so annoying that a male OB gave you such bad advice about BF but I am glad all worked out! Enjoy your special time with your daughter.

Miscka: Congrats on Harlan. What a cute name!

Skippy: Thanks for your sweet comment. I agree it is more fun to put faces to the names on here! I LOVE the name Miles. It sounds super unique and fun. Are you going to try to name the boys with the same first initial?

Imperfect: Parker is an awesome name too.

 

[Tuckins1]

Miscka, congrats on the beautiful baby boy!

 

[Tuckins1]

Skippy - out LO will be named Parker Jude

I adore the name Parker!

It reminds me of my friend's baby, whom she named Porter. I think that's a really cute name, too. (Just in case anyone is still looking...)

 

[ImperfectGirl]

Thanks Skippy, ModernSparkler, & Tuckins!! We are beyond excited!