Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[Hudson_Hawk]

Congratulations Cello!!! I love the name Søren and I can''t wait to see pictures! I too am so sorry to hear you had a tough time with the labor. I wish you a speedy recovery!

 

[Puppmom]

Cello, Congratulations on the birth of Soren. What a beautiful name! I''m sorry labor and delivery was so tough on you. I hope it was your body''s last hoorah of crappy health issues you''ve had during your pregnancy...here''s to a happy HEALTHY future!

 

[PrettyBlues]

Cello, congrats on the arrival of little baby Soren! I''m sorry your delivery was so tough (along with the pregnancy) but I am glad to hear that you have a wonderful, sweet and healthy boy.

 

[rockpaperscissors67]

Cello, big congrats to you and your DH and welcome to Soren! (Sorry, I don''t know how to do that o with the thing through it!)

I''m really sorry that your delivery was so traumatic. It sounds like you are already working through it really well and IMHO that''s important. Anytime something doesn''t go like we expect, there''s some grief involved, but with childbirth, it''s easy to get caught up in "at least the baby''s healthy" and brush Mom''s feelings aside. Can I suggest that when you''re ready, you check out ICAN? I have a friend that had a traumatic emergency c-section and ICAN has helped her tremendously.

I''m glad, too, that you''ve given your DH and parents the heads up to watch out for depression. Please keep taking care of yourself!

The feeding issue doesn''t sound that atypical for a newborn, just because they have to learn to nurse, too. If you feel like posting more about Soren''s behavior, I can try to help.

And for pure nosiness, was there a reason for choosing his name?

Kim, the new house sounds awesome simply because it''s so old! I''m glad you''re not disappointed about the first one! Fingers are crossed for you.

Steph, that''s great that you feel comfortable with the other doc doing your c-section. I can imagine it would throw you if suddenly a strange doc stepped in.

Mara, glad you''re feeling a little better!


My pump came and it looks really cool. One thing that freaks me out is that the setup is so different than my Ameda, which I could assemble with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back. I didn''t even bother trying to assemble the new one because Will was being so needy yesterday that I got next to nothing accomplished. I''m sure once I get everything out of the packaging and go through the directions, I''ll be able to field strip this pump, too.

So far, today is starting out as a pretty good day. No computer issues, Will can go to day care and get some of his ya-yas out and it''s going to be warm here! Tomorrow I''m at 40 weeks going by date of conception, and it''s kind of weird to think that I''m RIGHT THERE. I am starting to get a little antsy because I''m running out of things to do to keep myself busy.

 

[lovelylulu]

welcome baby Soren

so many congratulations cello!! wishing you a speedy recovery!!

pupp - I think that you asked about my camera (and thanks so much for the compliment on my belly!) I use a canon xti with a 50mm lens. I''ve had the camera for 3 yrs or so and I love it! Highly recommended!

wow, reading all the late-stage updates is beyond exciting for me, can''t imagine how ready you ladies are!!! so looking forward to all the nearly-here ps additions!!

jcrow - that is fabulous news about all of the baby stuff from your SIL.

Now, that I''ve sent out oodles of non-refundable daycare waitlist checks

- such a joyful experience - I really have to start researching gear.

 

[natalina]

Congrats Cello! Love the name you chose and hope to see pics of your little sweetie!

 

[Burk]

Congrats Cello!!!

mtjoya~Every woman''s body does the labor thing differently. You may have weeks of discomfort and "signs" or nothing at all. Your water may break on it''s own, it may not. I''m sure you''ll know when it''s really time. I''m working until I have this baby too. Nothing wrong with that!

rps~40 weeks! Wow that''s exciting!!

 

[drk]

RPS - you just got the Freestyle, right? Please post what you think of it once the baby arrives and you have time to try it out. It''s the one I''m thinking of getting, so that I can pump both sides at once and because it''s so lightweight. People have been telling me I won''t be able to pump while I''m at work (giving anesthetics in the OR), but if it''s not an insane hassle to stick on handsfree under my shirt and I can squeeze in a session during my cases (not enough time in between to see my next patient and pump), that''s how I''ll probably plan to do it. I''ll be darned if I stop BFing my baby because I''m too embarrased to discretely stick my hand up my shirt in the OR after the patient''s asleep and the drapes are all up! I''ll have to try it out at home and see how it goes before I go back to work. It''s great to have someone with so much experience on here to give tips!

I''ve got my follow-up growth ultrasound tomorrow at 33w5d. Here''s hoping she''s still growing. I think I may have lost a couple pounds since the last appointment (maybe?) due to my cold and loss of appetite for a while. The belly still seems to be growing though, and my appetite has increased again, so hopefully I haven''t messed things up for her. She needs to stay in there at least another 1.5 weeks so that we can get moved into the new house. 4-5 more weeks would be ideal so that the basement renos will be done. We''ll see how it all works out!

 

[cara]

Congrats Cello! Sorry you had such a rough time of it, but love the name and hopefully you will get healthier with the little one outside of you.

 

[meresal]

Congratulations Cello! I'm sorry to hear about the tough delivery, and I hope the peds are able to figure out why Soren is eating so much.

Jcrow- Wow, that is lots of kicking! How fun! I got a call similar to your this weekend. A friend of mine had twin boys about 6 months ago, and offered ALL of their 0-6 month stuff for me to go thru! It's an awesome feeling!

Mara- I hope that you are feeling better today.

Well, I'm sorry I missed BPF... you all look great! I made it a 4.5 day weekend and headed home at noon on Thursday. It was great to spend alot of time with my mom, dad, and family. (Might also have been my last trip home without a LO, so that was a bit odd as well!)

Anyway, my sister and I had our joint shower on Sunday. It went wonderfully! Just a small group and our other sister did such an incredible job!

The drama came about 15 minutes after my friends left our house, thank goodness. My oldest sister threw a tantrum, full of screaming at my sister and I who are 6 months pregnant, slamming doors, and uncontrollable shaking. She is 40 yrs old and has 2 children, who were both in the house when this went down. It started when D and I (pregnant sisters) politely declined her offer to make us baby quilts. This sister arrived Saturday night before dinner, and in the 28 hours leading up to this, she had constantly compailned about working 15 hour days, not being able to see her kids before they go to bed, and not sleeping in the last 3 days. Why would you even offer to make 2 QUILTS when you don't have time for your own kids?? It was so bad.

She has offered to make me a quilt before, it was for my high school graduation. I received it my sophomore year of college. Everytime I saw her between her offering and finally receiving it, she would bring it up... "I'm still working on it, I have just been so busy...", "It's getting closer, I have just been busy with the kids...". I apprecitaed that she offered to make it, but seriously I couldn't have cared less, and knowing that a quilt she offered to make for me, was causing her stress, does not end up being a nice gift afterall.

These baby quilts were not a nice gesture, and she was not asking if we wanted them. She was just "telling" us about this great thing that she wanted to do, and then we would have to listen to her complain about. Much to our surprise, she stated this in the form of a question, which led us to believe that we had the right to say, "No thank you." The SHOCK!

Why not just make them and then give them to us as a gift? Why do you have to tell us that you are doing it? And BTW, she never made one or offered to make one for our other sister who was in the room, which made it even wierder.

Vent over.

Ohh- My MIL gave me our Snugride for a shower gift. It was very nice of her! When I called to say thank you yesterday on my drive home, she told me that she thought about buying 3 of them so that DH would have one and they could have one at their house.

I informed her that we would only need the bases for the other cars, that the entire $150 seat was not necessary. I really think that she just looks for reasons to spend more money.

Other than that, she has offered to help my friends with my baby shower here in our home town. I know that not many of your followed my wedding updates re: MIL, but she can get quite out of hand, and I am really hoping that she doesn't go crazy. I just want something fun and relaxing for everyone that is invited. *Fingers crossed*

I really didn't think it was going to be an issue, but as I was talking with her yesterday, she told me that she went to a meeting with some friends of hers in regards to planning a bridal shower the first weekend of March, and she couldn't believe that they weren't going to use REPLY cards. They wanted to use an email address and a phone number for people to RSVP... and she actually told them that she would pay for the RSVP cards and the postage, because not everyone would want to use an email address.

The memories are FLOODING back, and I'm so worried she is going to make this crazy, just like my bridal shower and RD.

Seriously, vent over. I'm sorry.

C is doing GREAT! He got to be around his budding cousin this weekend! We can't wait for them to meet (after we meet them of course!)! It is going to be so muich fun having two LO's that are the same age... and both being boys, they should get along fine!

 

[jcrow]

mere- yay for a shower, but boo for all the drama that comes with it! that''s the way it goes sometimes.


speaking of showers - i''m on the look out for some hostess gifts to give for those hosting my shower in february. any ideas?? i''m stumped. the colors are soft lilac + pale gray. i''d love to find something that would kind of go with those colors.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

JCrow, At my bridal shower I gave the hostess, my MIL and Mom orchids from Whole Foods. They''re $15/pot and really beautiful.

 

[AmberWaves]

Preggos: Serene slings on sale at Mama Bargains. Usually 145.00, they are 62.00.

ETA: Congrats Cello! Welcome to the world, Soren! Recovering from a c-sec while also going through labor is a bitch, I hope you get well soon, Cello.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Happy Tuesday ladies! I hope those of you that got Monday off had a nice long weekend.

 

[jcrow]

Date: 1/19/2010 11:31:32 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
JCrow, At my bridal shower I gave the hostess, my MIL and Mom orchids from Whole Foods. They''re $15/pot and really beautiful.

sounds like a perfect idea! and in the right color scheme :] thanks.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Oh, so I have a fun little fact for you ladies - I am too short to reach the bottom of most cribs. No lie. We went to Burlington this weekend, and wandered the baby section (which is kind of awesome, btw), and I was admiring the cribs. I reached into one to touch the sheets, and realized my fingers BARELY brush the sheet, and that was straining to reach. My belly wasn''t in the way, my arms are just too short! Dang it!

So only one worked for me. It had one side lower than the others, and the mattress could be raised or lowered as the baby grows. Looks like that is what I will have to get, because I refuse to have a step stool next to the crib. If the baby rolled onto the side away from me, I wouldn''t be able to get him out without something to step on! How sad, I fail at height

 

[meresal]

Date: 1/19/2010 11:29:17 AM
Author: jcrow
mere- yay for a shower, but boo for all the drama that comes with it! that's the way it goes sometimes.


speaking of showers - i'm on the look out for some hostess gifts to give for those hosting my shower in february. any ideas?? i'm stumped. the colors are soft lilac + pale gray. i'd love to find something that would kind of go with those colors.

Unfortunately, with her, this has become a pattern. It is just "the way" now. lol. The shower was awesome though! So, no worries from me!

I gave my sister the calendar that she loves. No one gifted it to her for Christmas, and they sell out by the second week of January, so she was very shocked to get it. Is there something that you know the host would like? That maybe isn't baby shower related?

H_H- I also have done Orchids. They are gorgeous! For the hosts that came from OOT, I had them delivered to their house the Monday following the shower, and gave the potted orchids to the ones that were there.

 

[fieryred33143]

Congratulations Cello!!

MP: our crib has one side lower than the other. It''s fine. Once you do lower the crib, baby will be standing or plotting to get out of the crib himself lol

 

[AmberWaves]

MP: Same here, I''m only five feet tall, and our crib has a drop down side, too, with the mattress height you can adjust. I''ll let you know once we finally put Piper in her crib! (yes, 8 weeks old, still in her bassinet, although she''s starting to hulk out of it).

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 1/19/2010 12:16:09 PM
Author: fiery
MP: our crib has one side lower than the other. It''s fine. Once you do lower the crib, baby will be standing or plotting to get out of the crib himself lol

Lol at least I can lower it then because he can reach for me to pick him up and I won''t have to strain my back to get to him! I am just worried about when he''s little. We have a bassinet for the first few months anyway.

Amber, I''m 5''2"! I''d love to hear how yours works for you - which one do you have?

 

[qtiekiki]

MP
I wouldn''t worry too much about reaching the bottom of the crib (at the lowest level). By that time, your baby can stand up and will reach up for you.

Mere
Wow your older sis sounds like a lot of drama. Glad the shower went well, and she only started after your friends left.

 

[jcrow]

i''m 5'' also. must do some investigating i guess.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

DH is 5''4" and reaching into the crib was definitely a concern of his. The one we picked out has a drop down side and adjustable mattress height. Honestly though we probably won''t use the drop side because I think he''ll still be able to reach in.

 

[taovandel]

HH my husband is also 5''4 so we had to test out cribs also to make sure he was okay....hehe.

 

[mtjoya]

Burk- Thanks for the advice. I am somewhat nervous but now I feel a little relieved since I am hearing from you guys. We are right close by and hope that you have a smooth delivery as well!

 

[Mara]

wow lots of updates!! i am writing this post in 2 parts since there is more on the next page and my memory is crap lately haha.

mere... fun on the shower and BOO on the drama! your sister sounds like a piece of work. re: quilting--my mom's friend made us this quilt and i do not like it. it is sooo not my taste. i don't know what to do with it. and my mom is making me one too even though i told her not to...we have too many blankets as it is...and i wanted her to wait til he was like 2 then make a big boy quilt for his bed but she is making one anyway. i was like fine make it blue. haha. hope your MIL reigns herself in OR if it's a party for 'her side' of things, at least maybe keeps you out of it and just does whatever she wants and then you just have to show up.

re: hostess gifts, i am horrible and still haven't gotten my girls anything! i did tell them i want to take them for mani pedi and they were like lets go after baby. so that's my plan anyway.

rps, ditto please report back on the pump hehee. as you know i plan to rent a hospital pump for a month or so before i fork over the $$ for the freestyle, but most moms who have gone back to work swear by the freestyle for ease of pumping and quickness. so i figure it's worth it IF i plan to do it at least 6 months or more. oh and i agree with drk re: it's so great to have you around since you are so experienced !!

re: the doc delivering the baby... at my hospital it's whoever is on duty. so my dr will def not be delivering me unless i get induced on feb 6. she actually worked yesterday in L&D so i was like well if he comes early, come on the 18th so she can deliver me. but nope! and now she doesn't work again in L&D til the 6th and that is a week after my DD so she said we could induce then if necessary. but any other day, basically i get whoever is on call that day. i know most people say the nurses are the most important ones, so just keeping fingers crossed!

re: working til DD...you go girls!! i am so happy that i took this time off, well in CA we get 4 weeks anyway and i am fully paid for 2 of them which is mostly why i took them off, i'd be getting paid anyway by my company so might as well be laying around instead of working. and given this evil cold, i am so happy i took off the time! i'd be SUFFERING at work right now. bah! but yeah if you can work til the end, i say go for it.

re: cribs and shorter heights, most of the cribs now have the adjustable heights. i ditto others who say just make sure you can reach in on the tallest height. once you have to start moving the mattress down, the kid will be able to kneel or stand for you. i was a little worried and i am 5'7" because when i reached in i felt like i was really reaching, but you will also be surprised once you get the mattress, pad, and sheet in there just how HIGH it all is...now that it's all ready, honestly the top height is barely under the top of the crib! i didn't want a drop side from what i read either. also some mattresses are fatter than others so when you are shopping, you can check measurements if you feel like you need extra height.

my update... last nite sucked again, i really have the hardest time falling asleep when sick and on no drugs, ahhh nyquil you are so my friend normally. one nostril was congested and greg was slightly snoring so i tried to go to the couch for a while but came back an hour later. i slept intermittently til 2 am and then had to eat something. i hate that! so then i slept til 5 (had odd 'i'm not really sleeping' dreams) and then slept after greg left from 6 to 10 like a rock. thank god! i would have slept more but i am meeting a friend for lunch today. so i'll nap later. i haven't had more discharge, but the pressure down there at night is extreme. he must be like RIGHT THERE, i don't know where else he can go. and sometimes i feel like he is trying to poke a FINGER through my cervix.

anyway i have two friends who are due SAME DAY as me and i was talking to them both yesterday...we are all kind of in the same boat it sounds like. we all three have our next appts on wed, so funny... so we'll know more then i guess!!

ETA...rps...you mention DD based on conception date. how do you figure that out? everything online was based on date of last period and my dr office even used that even though we KNOW date of conception. is there a calc you used for conception to DD? my 'date of last period' was kind of hazy, i just know within a few days, but i know date of conception since we were on vacation. anyway if there is a calc online you know of pls link me ! i am curious to see if it changes anything.

 

[curlygirl]

Mara, it's true that the nurses really do all the work. My doctor didn't deliver either one of my daughters and it didn't really matter to me. Two different doctors delivered each one and I had never met either one before that moment but it was not a big deal at all. The nurses are the ones who really take care of you and who you will become attached to if you get good ones and if you get an epidural, you will probably fall in love with the anesthesiologist as well!

 

[snlee]

Congratulations cello! Welcome baby Soren! Can''t wait to see photos. I''m so sorry you had such a bad L&D. I hope that you heal quickly.

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 1/19/2010 1:47:02 PM
Author: curlygirl
Mara, it's true that the nurses really do all the work. My doctor didn't deliver either one of my daughters and it didn't really matter to me. Two different doctors delivered each one and I had never met either one before that moment but it was not a big deal at all. The nurses are the ones who really take care of you and who you will become attached to if you get good ones and if you get an epidural, you will probably fall in love with the anesthesiologist as well!

haha sorry to barge in, but I love the last line re: the anesthesiologist! In my case I wasn't so crazy about the nurses (I went into labor late Sunday night--morning shift was much better however!), so to see the anesthesiolgist finally show up at 2am was like an angel just walked in! I literally remember saying "are you going to help me??" (I was in a lot of pain!) and he calmly and convincingly said, "YES". Before him everyone was telling me annoying things or asking me to fill out paperwork or say my name/# weeks pregnant over and over!

 

[gingerB]

cello - a little late but congrats on your little man! i love that name! sorry you had a rough delivery, but glad everything turned out well.

jcrow - lavender bath products are always a steady standby for hostess gifts and would be easy to find in your color scheme. i ended up giving my hostesses tiffany necklaces which they loved.

mer - yeesh, sorry about all that drama. but yay for a nice shower

mara - sorry you're feeling so yuck-o. i was miserable over thanksgiving with the flu and now i think i've caught a cold. i am so stuffy and congested with tons of post-nasal drippage fun. bleah. i can't remember the last time i was sick and now this is my second episode since getting pregnant. gotta love that suppressed immune system bit, esp during cold and flu season. hope you feel better soon!

rps - my friend has teh medela freestyle and luuurves it. she gifted me one for my baby shower so i'll def love to hear reviews also! thanks for the info on the nursing tanks. i assume the side slings are less supportive than the full? i guess since i'm on the smaller side i can get away with less support.

steph - sorry about your doc, but glad his replacement is someone your ok with. i'm just picturing the knocked up meltdown and glad you're not going through that!

so many ladies about to pop! hope all the daddies have their cameras fully charged and ready to go! which reminds me, i need to pack my hospital bags.

other than this nasty cold (which i hope hope hope goes away soon

) i'm just chugging along. waiting for the last few shipments of baby stuff and getting ready to do the last loads of pre-baby baby laundry. def tons more pelvic pain, esp after getting up from a reclining position. but no cramps or BHs still. will be interesting to see what my 37 week appt later this week will show as far as cervix progression as i don't seem to have any other signs as of yet.

speaking of pelvic pain, my waddling has gotten ridiculous. my belly really isn't that big (i'm told) but i can't help doing the duck feet side sway from the sensation that my pelvis need more support, and it doesn't help that my feet are starting to hurt more than usual with all the walking i do, so make that a limp-waddle. as i'm limp-waddling the hospital coridors, i've had multiple people coming up from behind me (perfect strangers) exclaiming "i knew you were pregnant! i couldn't see your profile but your waddle gave you away!" uhh thanks for commenting on my ungainliness and lack of grace?? and i knew the waddle was getting really bad when a patient in a wheelchair commented to me that she didn't know who was having a harder time walking, me or her

and as for dumb pregnant lady small talk (esp in the elevators) after the required first 2 questions regarding when i'm due and if its a boy or girl, the third question is always "are you excited?!" i'd love to answer "actually no, this was a total accident but now it's too late and i'm dreading this child with my entire being."

see if they ever ask that question to someone else again

i mean honestly, how else are you supposed to answer that to a total stranger on a full elevator other than yes of course we're excited!