10 more days??

[shoyski]

Hey all, thought I'd start a new thread.....maybe the last before I deliver?

We had a bit of an anxious moment yesteray that I wanted to share in case this happens to any of you first time preggers out there. On Monday night I noticed very little activity from the baby as well as Tuesday morning. So during our check up with the dr on Tuesday afternoon I mentioned this. He decided to do a non-stress test.

This test involved putting a fetal heartrate monitor as well as a contractions monitor on me and giving me a hand-held push button to click every time I felt the baby move. At the start of the "test" the doctor used some sort of buzzer thing that sent acousitc waves to wake up the baby. He "zapped" my stomach twice (I couldn't feel it, just heard it). The test was to last about 20 minutes.

I had my hand on my stomach and felt a few small movements but nothing much. After about five minutes I asked Dave to ask the nurse if I was supposed to just be feeling it or could I use my hand to feel the movement. The answer was.....no hand.
I felt maybe two or three possible movements. The doctor came in after about 22 minutes and zapped me again......and I felt exactly NO movements for the next eight minutes.

As you can imagine, I was a bit upset at this point. The dr then said he wanted the tech to do an ultrasound. Long story short, things looked fine in the ultrasound (nope, still don't know the sex of the baby). The dr told us to keep track of the baby for the next 12 hours and if things didn't perk up and get back to normal then he would induce.

Luckily, the baby started moving around more like normal around the time our out-of-town company arrived (6pm) and by this morning was quite active. So we're back to waiting for the baby to decide. The baby has been making up for lost time today, I think. :)

Dave's sister is a labor nurse and told us the doctor was actually acting quite conservatively compared to her doctors. She said if the ultrasound showed everything being normal that her drs would've sent the patient home with no follow up the next day. Also, she said per her drs, if the ultrasound shows all is good, you actually have a three day window of being okay. This is all what my SIL said, not my doctor.

I'm telling you all this because I was quite nervous all day yesterday and into the night, worrying that it was all resting on me to interpret the baby's moves and do the right thing.
Bottom line, get to know your baby's normal activity times during the last few months and let your dr know if that level drops for longer than a twelve hour period.

Whew, this was a long-winded one. I didn't want to post this on Beth Y's good news thread, though. Isn't her news amazing?!

[funnybone]

I can relate with the non-stress tests because I had them (and many at the end) with both my kids. It can be scary, as you don't know what is going on. I had high blood pressure the last few works and almost had toxemia, so I had to be monitored (and hospitalized with my first). Anyway, both my kids were large (just under 10 lbs and 10 lbs 9oz) so there probably was not much movement because they didn't have room to move. They were and still are, both very healthy. So please, try not to worry to mcuh. Just monitor the movement, but try not to get over stressed by it. That is more harmful. Take care!

[beacooker]

Wow, shoyski, that is very scary. I am very glad to hear everything is ok. I didn't understand the part about the three day window of being ok - what does that mean? I'm glad the baby is making up for lost time - that must make you feel much better!

You know, back before I could feel the baby move at all, I just thought about what a relief it would be once I could feel it. But now, I'm always worried that I don't feel the baby move enough. At first, when I felt the baby move, it felt like it was scraping a foot or something against the inside of my tummy, but for the last few days, mostly all I feel are thumps that feel like kicking. And it sometimes seems like I am feeling it less. But then, I also think I notice the little movements less than I used to. Anyway, I guess all the worry in pregnancy is minor league stuff compared to the worry once you have the baby. Argh!

Djoygirl, when I've had trouble sleeping the last few nights, I've thought of you. Every time I think I'm over the sleeping problem, back it comes.

[Beth Y]

Hello ladies. Thanks for the kind thoughts. I get to join the group now!

Shoyski- I know what you mean about worry about the lack of movement. You do worry to death about that toward the end. I never got as far as a stress test with DD, but spent many hours driving myself crazy. However, you may have noticed, but if you want the kid to kick, go to a movie. Something about that surroundsound that gets them REALLY going. We went to see Saving Private Ryan the night before I went into labor (two weeks late) and DD was running back and forth, I think. She was a small baby so she had plenty of room to move til the end. I wonder what the movement will be like with two?

Hey, as I am just joining this party... how far along is everybody? Shoyski, obviously you are almost done (yeah!), but how about the rest of you guys? Please bring me up to speed. Anybody els as far back as me? I think I am only 9 weeks, but will have a due date after I see my OB for the first time in a couple of weeks.

[BosunsWife]

Shoyski I had the same thing with DD. She was such a big baby (9lb 13oz) and on my calculated due date they did a stress test and ultrasound to check things out. I felt quite a bit of movement, but the ultrasound showed that I only had one large pocket of amnio fluid left. The doc scheduled me for another test and ultrasound in three days and I actually went into labor and had DD the day I should have gone in for the second test.

Good luck to you.

[djoygirl]

hello!

As this is my first pregnancy, I can't identify with the lack of movement, but it does sound like it would be distressing for sure. I'm glad to hear that all is well.

Shoyski, do you not know the sex of the baby b/c you don't look on purpose? Or have they not been able to tell when they do your ultrasounds?

I haven't decided if I want to know or not. I kind of want to be surprised (I love surprises of any sort:eek:), but DH wants to know. If he really wants to find out, we will. He would never be able to find out and not tell me. He's terrible at keeping secrets and telling lies:) (thank goodness!)

Beth, I'm just a bit ahead of you at about 12 1/2 weeks. Although this is still going on what my doctor said the first visit at 6 weeks. At the last visit, the baby couldn't be seen, heard, or my uterus measured (she couldn't feel my uterus to measure). So, who knows? Maybe things will change. We should be able to hear the heartbeat when I go back in 2 weeks. I'm really looking forward to that, since the last time was such a downer.

[MrsReber]

Beacooker- the baby is actually supposed to move less as it's gets bigger since it does run out of room and also, they tend to fall into regular sleep patterns. My little girl, however, couldn't stop moving and still has to be moving her legs all the time. The only time she's not moving is when she's asleep. She's always smacking me with her hand and kicking me while I feed her. But anyway, I think I first heard the heartbeat at my second visit, which should've been around 12 weeks. We didn't find out the sex until she was born. It was fun not knowing, especially because it made other family members crazy. They thought that we knew and just weren't telling. It adds to the excitement. It wasn't that long ago for me, but I actually do miss it!

[Laura]

Shoyski, my little girl did the same thing 2 weeks before her due date. I had not felt any movement in a couple of hours and they called me in for a non-stress test. They had me drink lots of fruit juice and would place this loud buzzer on my stomach to see if that would stimulate her. It took a couple of hours to get any significant movement from her if I remember correctly, (she's 12 now and my memory is fading) I do remember them also doing an ultrasound. She was fine and the doc sent me home. As it turns out she ended up being a great sleeper (slept 5 hours the first night and slept 8 hours by 6 weeks) so maybe it is a good sign :D

[shoyski]

Thanks, all of you, for your support and info. Laura, I like your story :)

Anne, I'm not totally sure what the 3-day window meant since I didn't speak with my SIL. I took it to mean the drs thought things would be okay for at least three days after a good ultrasound.
I personally don't agree so I'm not sure I"m interpreting that phrase correctly.

We had/have decided to keep the sex of the baby a surprise so we purposely didn't look on Tuesday when we had the opportunity.

[beacooker]

Beth, I am so happy to have another person joining the group!
I am 22 weeks pregnant.

I am (hopefully) going to be finding out the sex of our baby next Wednesday. I can't wait!!

[mb]

my dr also gave me a non-stress test, i guess because of my excess amniotic fluid. the baby was moving plenty, though. they hooked me up with the monitor, and then i was supposed to press a button every time i felt the baby move (which was a lot). i guess everything was fine, but they still induced 5 days later because of the fluid-thing.

i agree w/ mrsreber that you should feel the baby move less towards the end b/c they're running outof room. in my case, the baby still had plenty of room to move around in (again, the fluid-thing).

shelley, i can't believe it's so close for you! good luck, and i hope everything goes smoothly (and don't be afraid to ask for medication! :D)

marisa :)

[Beth Y]

Hello ladies, I just wanted to check in and say that I am heading out tomorrow for a week on Whidbey Island Washington, so I will not be checking in for while. My doctor said it is perfectly okay to fly. Of course, he doesn't know the stress of a week with DH's family in one house! Ahhh. Have fun while I am gone!

[beacooker]

Hey shoyski - new rule - you have to post every day so we can tell whether you have gone into labor or not!!

[shoyski]

Anne you crack me up! Did I tell you guys there's a wedding I'd like to attend on the 8th, the day before I"m due? Dave was laughing at me because most women can't WAIT to have the baby by the time they're this far along and I'm hoping I hold out until my due date. :)

Here's something to ponder.......you know the pre-natal pills we all have to take? I counted how many I have left and I have enough to last me through the 8th. Hmmmm, coincidence? We'll find out!

Dave and I have been putting off cleaning out the unfinished part of our basement. We've lived in this house 8+ years and some of the stuff moved from our apartments down into the basement, never to be looked at again. We need to move stuff from the baby's room down there so we decided we'd try to weed out and give to the Goodwill. We've been saying this for at least nine months so tonight we made a dent. Dave wanted to procrastinate again but I said if we could just put in 30 minutes each day this weekend we'd get it done. I actually set the timer and we did get a good bit done. Anyone else that bad about cleaning out old stuff?

Last night we made a video for the baby. Just a short 15 minute one showing our home, inside and out (not every room) and then some of the two of us on the couch, speaking to our yet to be named child. I thought it would be neat sometime down the road for our kid to be able to look back on what things looked like before he/she arrived, what we looked like, etc. It sounds kind of hokey explaining it to you guys but I'm a picture freak so I thought a video would be even more fun.

Labor Day weekend usually involves travelling to Michigan for a family reunion for us (my side) but we are staying close to home for obvious reasons. I'm assuming most of you guys have lots of plans. Have fun!

[mb]

shelley, the video sounds great - not hokey at all! we took a bunch of pics w/ my big belly (like sweet, posed ones of the 2 of us together, DHkissing my tummy, etc.)

funny about your prenatal vitamins... hmmm... (just rememberto keep taking them if you'll be nursing. you shouldn't need to bring any w/ you to the hospital. i brought mine, but they told me not to bother taking them while i was there)

it's neat that you have the chance to have your baby on 'labor day''. we went in to have the baby on memorial day. we thought it would have been better if the 3-day weekend in may was called labor day instead :)

good luck! i second anne's comment about checking in often!

marisa :)

[beacooker]

Shelley, the video thing really is a good idea. Not that your child will ever really believe you had a life before he/she came along! A girl in my yoga class went to a professional photographer who specializes in doing pictures of pregnant women. Some pictures were just her, some were of her and her husband. They came out really cute. The girl even did some pictures in the nude!! :eek: Of course, this girl's husband is an artist, and she used to pose nude for his art classes.

I went to a cookout yesterday with DH's family. No one had seen me since I started showing, so my belly got rubbed a lot. Everyone did ask first, though! My 4-year old niece tried to hear the baby's heartbeat, but couldn't hear it.

A few people at work made comments about how funny it would be if I went into labor on Labor Day - I don't think they realized what an awful thing it would be if that happened now. I saw one of the birth shows on tv had a couple whose first baby had been born at 24 weeks. The poor thing was absolutely tiny, and lived for 9 months before finally dying. I cried and cried through that one.

Shelley, you said your 'yet-to-be-named child' - have you guys not figured out a boy name and a girl name yet??

Marissa, I wonder why they told you not to bother taking the pre-natal vitamins while you were in the hospital. Of course, its not like going a few days without is a big deal, but it also seems like it would be better to take them. Not that hospitals have ever made any sense to me!

[mb]

anne, about the vitamins: i think they just figured i'd been through enough and i didn't need to 'worry' about making sure to take a vitamin. that's the only thing i can think of.

oh, and anne, get used to people saying silly/stupid things about your pregnancy. it would not be funny if you went into labor on labor day. it WOULD be funny if shelley does. ;) and my tummy got so large, that even up till the end people were asking, 'are you sure it's not twins?' yeah, i'm sure. i would hope a doctor or ultrasound would have discovered 2 babies vs 1 by the 9th month...

shelley - what ARE your name choices? or will it be kept a surprise! don't forget to check in with us daily! :)

marisa :)

[shoyski]

We can't decide!! Or rather, we can't agree. My top choices are Lucy for a girl and Riley for a boy. Other girl names I like are Lanie and Emma. Other boy names I like are Emmett, Mason, Jude and Truman. I know the Truman sounds odd but that was my maternal grandfather's name and he was called True, which I like very much.

Dave likes Andrew, Aaron, Evan and Eli. I am nixing Andrew for sure. I don't care for it all that much and we have two, count them, two friends in this town who's children are named Andrew. One is 20 but the other is just six!

I think I"ll work on the name thingey with Dave tomorrow. I've been pushing him to do stuff he doesn't want to do today...more cleaning out of the basement, etc. We HAVE made quite a dent in the cleaning out, though. I contend it's mostly Dave's stuff but he's not buying it. One of those things that you just smile and nod and in your head, know that you're right but that it really doesn't matter.

We went to BRU today and purchased a second base for the car seat, a sling and the Diaper Champ. I know I said I wasn't going to buy one yet......but what am I waiting for? And we had over a hundred dollars in gift certificates to cash in. What we also need to purchase is some newborn diapers. I have one package so far.
Any suggestions as to how many packages would be a good starting point?

I"ve taken a nap every day since Friday and I'm loving it! I'll bet I miss them when I go back to work on Tuesday....not that I can't take one when I get home, though. :D

Anne, I know you're 22 weeks pregant...what's your actual due date?

[BosunsWife]

I have a suggestion (and only a suggestion) - don't buy a lot of newborn diapers. They are great for the first week or so, but after the cord falls off, you can easily put them in size 1. In fact, I didn't buy any diapers prior to DD's birth (stupid me and poor DH I sent him to the store). We got two big packages from the hospital when we came home and they were the only ones we had. BUT, I also had a big baby. The infant diapers only go up to 10 pounds and DD was almost that when she was born (3 oz short). The only thing different (that I could figure out) between newborn diapers and size 1 was that the newborns had a lower cut out front to accommodate the cord.

Something else to remember before stocking up, your child may have allergies to things in the diapers. DD had a bad reaction (rash) to Pampers (and Drypers made by same company), so we ended up only using Huggies until we potty trained her two months ago.

[Alaine]

Congratulations to all the soon-to-be mommies! I'm due with #2 in 12 days (but hope to be a week early since that's my birthday and that would be pretty cool). I wanted to put in my plug for finding out the sex of the baby because I don't get how anybody can not want to know!! It would drive me crazy if some stranger (the ultrasound tech) knew, and I didn't! And it's a surprise whenever you find out, in my opinion. We are having boy #2.

Also, on the topic of diapers, figure at least 50 a week for the first month or so.

Shelley, I really like your names. My favorites are Lanie and Truman. I think Riley is becoming a lot more of a girl's name these days.

Good luck!

[beacooker]

Happy Labor Day! Shelley, I hope you are celebrating the day in the way you should! Alaine, I guess you could celebrate it by going into labor, also.

Shelley, I like your name choices, also. But what a list!! I really like Jude. And Truman, because it is different and its a family name. DH and I have already picked our names - Mason for a boy (saw that was on your list - notice I said that for you I like Jude and Truman? :p ) and Madeline (not spelled right? - guess if its a girl I'll have to figure out how to do it right) for a girl. Lanie is what we thought we might use as the nickname for Madeline.

Oy, the diaper thing is sounding really complicated! Sounds like 1-2 boxes of newborn + what you get from the hospital, and then send DH to the store!

I have the totally ridiculous due date of January 1. Its actually hilarious, because DH and I had been talking for the last year or so about when to have kids, and he said he wanted to at least wait until the end of this year before having one. Hit that nail on the head! Although now we're both wanting to have the baby before the end of the year - him for the tax break, me because I'd love to have the baby with us for Christmas.

Happy napping, everyone! (What else would pregnant ladies/new moms do with a day off?)

[mb]

alaine, congratulations on your baby #2! how exciting! let us know how it turns out!

shelley, i know it's your baby and all, but i want to put in my $.02 on names... for a girl, i like Emma (does dave have any girl name choices, or is he just hoping for a boy?!?) for a boy, i'm partial to evan (DH's name!), but i also like Aaron and Truman. The only thing that makes me crazy about the name Aaron is that it starts with 2 a's, which seems very unnatural to me (don't know why). but then if you spell it Aron, it looks weird and no one will ever get it right! luckily, we had a girl, and "Amanda" is very easy to spell and pronounce. Also, it's one of those names that you can always find on those racks with already-personalized things like pencils, mini license plates, etc. 'Marisa' was never one of those names when i was a kid, and my mom had to get things specially made up for me.

Anne, Mason and Madeline are nice names. are you purposely trying to use a name starting with 'M'? my cousin's granddaughter is named madeline, and they call her 'mimi' for short. the only thing about madeline is the spelling, since there are probably a zillion variations on the name. no one ever spells my name right and it makes me crazy. you probably get that a lot too with people leaving the 'e' off the end of your name... your due date is close to my SIL's - she is due jan 4. of course, she never keeps us up to date on anything, so i have no idea about how big she is or how she's feeling. i think i know more about you all than i knowabout her! go figure! oh well. we'll be seeing her in about 4 weeks when we go to NY, so i guess i'll finally get to see what she looks like pregnant (this is her 2nd baby).

about diapers: they gave us 1 or 2 packs of newborn diapers at the hospital, but we ended up buying 1 or 2 packs on our own also. amanda's umbilical cord fell off at 1 week, but the newborn diapers still fit her, so we just kept buying those. eventually, we bought size 1. also, you will want to try different brands. we HATED huggies, since they kept leaking, but Pampers were/are great. at our childbirth class, our teacher gave us a ton of samples of different kinds of diapers and other baby products. this allowed us to try many different brands without having to buy a huge package. and we don't usually stock up too much on diapers, because you never know when you'll need the next size up all of a sudden!

also, you will find that all the wipes are different too. at the hospital, we just used these square gauze pad type things with warm water. we've also tried the huggies and pampers wipes, and again preferred pampers. mostly because the huggies gave amanda a rash, and the pampers have a cool 'one-ups' feature so they come out of the wipe box like tissues. again, you'll just have to try a bunch of different things to see what you like best.

well, gotta go finish cleaning the house while amanda is still sleeping! my best friend is coming to visit on friday and staying all weekend - i don't want her to think we're a bunch of slobs! :)

marisa :)

[shoyski]

Alaine and Marisa, thanks for the feedback on the diaper situation. And by the way, welcome Alaine....I don't remember seeing you on this side of the board before...or maybe it's just that "being pregnant and don't remember."

Also, thanks for the feedback on the names. Dave wanted me to add one more for you guys to think on....Cullen for a boy. I'm not excited by it but you never know. In answer to your question, Marisa, Dave specifically told me last night he did not care if we had a girl or a boy, just healthy. He said he thinks he keeps coming up with boy names because we call the baby junior on and off to avoid calling it "it".

When I told him about your feedback on what you guys thought of our names, he told me he prefers Lanie over Lucy. That was news to me but it's cool. I still like Jude and Truman the best for a boy and he said those two "weren't bad." Oh well, soon we'll all know.

We went to the mall today to pick up some nursing bras and tops. I only picked out two of each because I don't know which style I'll like the best. I don't go back to work for two months and figure I'll have plenty of time to pick up more of what seems to work. I also picked up a cute little nightie and bathrobe that was in the nursing section and had slits for nursing. That way I can wander around the house wearing that and not feel scantily clad if friends and family show up unexpectedly.

Last night I felt like crap; lots of gas and loose bowels. I felt much better this morning but my appetite is waning. Don't know if it's the heat, baby is getting bigger or I'm about to go into labor. I've heard your body starts to flush out "stuff" in preparation for delivery. We ran into our doula at the grocery today and I told her about all this.......she said everyone is different but the "flushing out" part usually means delivery in 48 hours or so. But then she emphasized everyone is different, again. You guys are going to think I'm crazy but I really would like to be able to go the the wedding this Saturday. There will be a lot of people there I'd like to see and it should be fun. I'm very aware I have no control over when I deliver, though, :rolleyes: so I'm just taking it easy, waiting to see what happens.

I have a checkup tomorrow at the doctor so he should be able to tell me if my cervix has moved, etc. and give us some indication if I'm close. Anne, two more days and then you can find out if we get to welcome Mason or Madeline. You know what's funny? I threw out Madeline for Dave to chew on quite awhile back but he said no. It appears you and I have similiar taste in names. I was hoping to shorten the Madeline to Maddy.

[KristaMB]

BonusWife, I had no idea that size 1 and newborn diapers were basically the same size. Jared turned one month yesterday and we're still using newborn diapers, but he only weighs about 7 pounds now.

A friend bought us a huge pack of Target brand diapers, and they work just as well as all the name brands, so we're sticking with those for awhile. As Alaine said, we've used about 50 a week. (Welcome, Alaine! :) )

Shelley, did they suggest putting Vaseline on the baby's behind to help wipe the meconium off easier? They didn't have any VAseline for us at the hospital, and I wish we would have had some to make things easier. Wipes worked okay, but the meconium won't stick to the skin if you use Vaseline.

I love the name Emma! For a boy, I prefer Jude or Truman over Cullen. I wish that we would could have found a family name for our baby, but George and Elmer just didn't do it for me! LOL! Truman is unique, and I really like the idea of calling him True.

Anne, Mason and Madeline are great names, too. I hope you are able to find out which name it will be when you go this week! How exciting!

Well, we're cleaning out the garage to celebrate Labor Day. :D I'd better go before DH wonders where I disappeared to...

~Krista

[BlueMoose]

I don't know why people buy the expensive brands of diapers. I buy WalMart's Dri-Bottoms. They are about $6.50 per package (48 in a package of size 3).

We named our son Gabriel Walter after both of our mom's fathers. :)

[karen w]

Shoyski,

Just a warning on buying nursing bras now. With my first baby I went to the mall with my husband when he was 3 days old to buy nursing bras. I could not understand why my chest was stinging so much. Later I realized my milk was coming in that day. To make a long story short after a few days my chest settled down a bit and my bra size also changed(It went up a size from pregnancy, but down a size from the initial day my milk came in so you may have to exchange things.)

Good Luck!!!
Karen

[MrsReber]

Here's my thoughts on bras and diapers:

I bought bras in my third month of pregnancy. I needed a bigger size. Well, the size they gave me doesn't fit at all now! I really liked the Playtex nursing bras. I think they're the best for support and comfort. They have them at Walmart, too.

As for diapers. The hospital gave us a package of size 1. Too big for our little girl so we bought a couple of packages of newborn. They didn't fit for long. There is a slight difference between newborn and size 1, but nothing dramatic. DD's cord didn't fall off for about 6 weeks! She was in size 1 by that time. Well, size 1 didn't last long, either. Before she was 2 months old, she was in size 2. She just grew very quickly. She'll be in size 2 for a while, though. What I did was buy different brands in different sizes so that we could try them all. I'm with Marisa on the Huggies. Hated them, they alway leaked. However, my sister liked them the best. We stick with the Pampers- either baby dry or premium. I tried Luvs, too. Though I liked the shape of them, I hate the plastic on the outside. However, I think they are changing to a softer outside so I want to try them again. As for the wipes, we buy unscented wipes without alcohol. I haven't had a problem with any of them at all so I stick with the Huggies Natural Care. I don't know why I like them. DH hates the way the Luvs wipes smell. Someone bought us Luvs wipes at the baby shower. I sent those to daycare so he doesn't have to use them!

Why wouldn't anyone want to know the baby's sex? We really wanted to be surprised. It drove other people crazy and added to the excitement for us.

Yes, your system will flush itself out before labor. Also, you'll feel different that day. You may not realize it at the time, but when you look back you'll say "oh, THAT'S why!". I was very tired and had an occasional cramping in my back on the day I went into labor. I even went to my dr for my weekly visit at 2:00 and my water broke at 6:00. The doctor checked me and said I was still about 1 cm dilated, but almost completely effaced. Then he said
"that doesn't mean you'll have the baby today". But I did!! Good luck!

Oh, and I love Maddy! And Emma! I probably would've used Emma, but my brother's little girl is Emily and that was too close!

[beacooker]

MrsReber, I keep forgetting to ask you - how was it going back to work? Traumatic?

Shelley, I think its very funny that your DH wants our input! You must have trained him very well! I like the name Cullen, but the only place I ever heard it before was as the main character of a novel I was reading, and the character was a girl.

Considering we haven't heard from Shelley yet today, and she felt weird yesterday - maybe its time! Of course, she wants to hold out til after Saturday.

Krista, I can't believe you didn't want a baby Elmer!! My FIL's name is Walter, and my husband kind of wanted to name a boy after him, but I just don't think I can deal with Walter.

I told my DH that I really want the baby's middle name to be a meaningful name from my side of the family. DH asks me - 'Why not a meaningful name from my family?' Uh, hello - how about the baby's LAST NAME?! I think that settled that.

I finally broke down and bought some baby clothes yesterday! It was fun, but the non-gender clothes weren't nearly as cute as the boy/girl clothes. I will be so disappointed if we can't tell which it is tomorrow!

[shoyski]

Still here. The dr said I was still about 80% effaced, my cervix had softened a bit (thought definitely not all the way), the baby had dropped a bit, no dilation and my cervix is moving a bit anterior. He said if he had to predict, it would be closer to my actual due date and that the baby weighs somewhere between 6.5 and 7lbs.

Interesting on the off-brand diapers. No harm in giving those a shot!

Anne, I had to laugh when you relayed the middle name deal conversation with your husband to us. I was pretty upfront with Dave on that one right away and he totally agreed. I wanted to use Lasell as that's an old family name. He agreed to that but only if it's a girl. Not sure why he thinks it's feminine but if he goes with Truman for a boy, then I have the family name going for me there.

[BosunsWife]

This is just a question for all you new mommies and not so new mommies. With regard to using the off brand diapers, Costco brand, Walmart brand, generic store brand, etc., did you find that you used twice as many? I tried using Walmart brand and BJ's store brand and it seemed like I used twice as many which kind of defeated the purpose of buying a "cheaper" diaper. I kept track for a week, using a name brand and using a store brand and found the the numbers just didn't add up. Just curious.

[BlueMoose]

Bosunswife,
Why did you end up using twice as many? I'm really happy with the ones I get at WalMart, and they're the cheapest I've been able to find. There are some I've tried that I don't like for various reasons, but I love the Dri-Bottoms. They even have cute Suzi's Zoo duckies on them. I also like the Target brand alright, but they are a couple $ more. I just can't see spending $4 more per package for the Pampers, Luvs, and Huggies.

[BosunsWife]

Maybe it was the shape of DD's butt LOL, but it seemed like they leaked. Also, it seemed like they didn't absorb as well as the others did (and no, I didn't leave her in the same diaper all day LOL).

Let me tell you, I'll be trying out all the inexpensive brands that I can this time around. I do use a store brand for DD in pullups. She only wears a pullup at nap and bedtime and I buy a commissary brand that works great.

Hey, moms of potty trained children, how long did it take before your little one was dry at night? DD is just past two and I don't see her dry at night for a while yet. She is a very sound sleeper and she doesn't wake up to go during the night.

[mb]

bosunswife, i know what you mean about needing to use more of the store brand. i bought our grocery store brand (our grocery store brand is always generally good) and they just didn't seem to cover the baby as well. it felt like they were too thin or something. in a pinch, they're not bad, but i felt a lot more comfortable putting her in pampers at night (just in case!). i've heard other good things about the walmart dri-bottoms but haven't gotten around to trying them yet. i really like pampers, so i'm a little reluctant to try another kind. i have all kinds of coupons for pampers, so i don't feel too bad about the extra expense.

shelley, don't let the fact that you're not dilated fool you... there has been many a time when the doctor says, 'oh, this baby's not coming for a while' and then people have the baby that day! i know you really want to go to that wedding saturday, but i think it's better not to get your hopes up about that! you might very well be spending the weekend at the hospital (and for a great reason!)

anne, is today the day to find out the baby's sex? don't keep us in suspense too long! :)

marisa :)

[Alaine]

BosunsWife-
Our little boy was potty trained during the day at 2 1/2 and was eager (but not ready) to be out of his pullups at night. I wasn't willing to change sheets in the middle of the night until he got the hang of it, so we told him if he kept his pullups dry at night for one week in a row, he would be done with them. It took about 4 months for him to get to that point, and he's only had one nighttime accident since then.
Good luck!

[BlueMoose]

Shelley,
With both me and my sister, the dr told my mom she wouldn't be going into labor yet, and she did. She just dilated all of a sudden. With me, the dr had left town for a hockey game, and with my sister my mom was telling the nurses it was time; they were telling her it wasn't, and so they hadn't called the dr yet when my sister was born.

[JoanneOR]

I think all kids are different in terms of staying dry at night, and it depends on how sound of a sleeper they are. My three-year-old son (he'll be four in November) was dry at night shortly after he was potty-trained right after his third birthday. However his four-year-old brother (5 in two weeks) still wears pull-ups to bed every night and they are wet almost every night. He is a very deep sleeper and my three-year-old is not. It doesn’t matter how much they have to drink before bedtime, one is always wet, the other dry. We were putting them both in pull-ups until a few weeks ago because we felt bad for our four-year-old because he couldn’t wear underwear to bed like his brother. We finally let the three-year-old wear underwear, because the pull-ups are so expensive! We just explained that everyone is different and it’s not his fault. He's kind of sensitive about it, especially when his brother runs around their bedroom yelling "ha ha, I'm wearing underwear!".

[MrsReber]

Going back to work was more sad that anything. At first I felt like I'd lose touch with my baby. Now I just run home as early as I can and spend all evening with her. She sits in this great little chair and "talks" to me while I make dinner. It's good to be back at work in a way. I'm relieved to be getting a paycheck again and it's nice to realize that I'm still an important part of my group here at work. Right now, I'm working a 4 day week, spreading out my FMLA time by taking off every Monday. I also havent' used much of my vacation time or personal days so I still have 10 or 11 days left to use. Next year is going to be traumatic, I think. Then I'll be back to a 5 day week because my FMLA time will have run out. But that's life. I just have to make the best of what I have to work with.

As far as the diapers, I've never been brave enough to try the store brands. I figure if I hate them, I wasted money. I have tons of coupons, too, for Pampers. I have $2 and $3 coupons, plus my mom and my sister save their coupons for me as well. And my store has double coupons up to $1. Not too bad. They may cost a little extra, but I hate leaky diapers! I do want to try the new, improved, Luvs diapers. I haven't seen them yet, but I did see an ad saying that they were changing to the soft, cloth like covering and getting rid of the plastic. That was the only issue I had with Luvs.

[beacooker]

Its a boy! We got a great look at all the baby's parts during the sonogram, and its definitely a boy, and most importantly, everything looks good!

Now I'm realizing that the rest of the pregnancy is going to be kind of boring - now nothing exciting happens until the baby is born! Or am I forgetting something?

For some reason I am totally exhausted today - time for a nap!

[KristaMB]

Shelley, how are you feeling today?

I second what Marisa said. The morning my water broke I wasn't dilated or effaced at all, but by that night, he was on his way. I can understand wanting to go to the wedding, though. I was a little bummed because I missed a family reunion. Who knows, maybe you can will the baby to come after the wedding. I was determined to have mine before the 29th due date, and it worked. Of course, I didn't think he'd be quite that early. :D

Anne, so is it Mason or Madeline? We're anxiously waiting...

[KristaMB]

Anne, we must have been typing at the same time. Yay! A boy! Congratulations!

The rest isn't boring, now you can shop, plan a nursery, etc!

[BlueMoose]

Anne, congrats on your little boy!

The rest isn't boring, maybe now you and DH can start on The Great Circumcision Debate! :eek:

[shoyski]

Anne, congratulations on being able to find out...welcome Mason...okay, almost. :) So glad to hear everything looked great on the ultrasound. That's always a relief!

Krista, I'm feeling pretty good today, just a little less peppy than last week. I gave up working out since last Wednesday....I just don't have it in me anymore. And it looks like I'm going to cut back at work finally. I slept in until 7:30 today and told my boss I'll make it in to work by 9am from now on unless I call. She's pretty happy...thinks I"ve been working too much but the work is there and up until this week, I've been able to "do it all" so why not. LOTS of cross-training going on this week, though.

I'm having some of that insomnia you guys were mentioning. How frustrating! I feel so lucky that it's just now happening in my last week! I really feel for those of you who are experiencing it now.

Okay, I thought of another question only you guys can help with. Any suggestions on what brand of maxi-pad to purchase? I've been told to possibly expect to bleed up to five or six weeks post-delivery and will need something heavy duty. Not being a wearer of those things ever, I'm clueless. It's like the diaper brand guessing game, I think, but thought I'd ask anyway. No harm in getting feedback. Also, if it's not too personal, how long did you guys have to use them?

By the way, Anne, the chicken thing isn't too bad...really!!

[BosunsWife]

As for the maxipads I have one word of advice - get them beforehand. They will send you home with a few, but I preferred what I bought to what the hospital gave me. I bought one (can't remember brand) that was longer so it extended both fore and aft (sorry, its the fact that DH is a sailor LOL) quite a ways. Also look for a brand that has absorbancy but isn't bulky. I want to say it was a Kotex brand, but just can't remember for sure.

A funny thought - I remember running out around week three and DH said he would go to the store for me, but I had to write down exactly what I needed because he wasn't going to stand in "that aisle" and look around for what I needed. Gotta love him.

As for flow, I remember having it fairly heavy for three weeks and then just very light spotting. It might have something to do with breastfeeding vs. not breastfeeding. I think if you breastfeed your flow goes away faster?

[KristaMB]

Shelley, glad to hear you're hanging in there. Sounds like cutting back at work is a smart move. I can't believe you've been able to work out this whole time. Good for you for not losing your motivation! I pooped out early on.

In terms of maxi pads, I suggest Always. I hadn't used pads since I was a freshman in high school, so I had a hard time with that, too. Always has this thing called "dri-weave" or something to that effect, which I've liked. Supposedly it wicks away moisture. My mom didn't know I'd already purchased Always and bought a pack of Kotex. I tried the Kotex but didn't like them. (Talk about diapers! :rolleyes: ) I can't vouch for any of the other brands.

Don't be alarmed by the pads they give you at the hospital. Those are the absolute worst, or at least mine were. The commercial brands are much smaller, and less cumbersome.

In terms how long you'll be wearing them, I think everybody is different, but I've been wearing panty liners for a few days now. So I guess I'd say I wore those darn pads for a month. Can't wait for this whole gig to be over with, that's for sure. :)

[lhall]

I've never had problems with these. The daycare changes the baby every 2 hours regardless of what diapers you use. I used these with our first daughter and did not have any problems. I didn't really like the way regular huggies fit.

Although, I do like the huggies overnights. Once she got into a size 3 I started using these at night because they do absorb more. I just feel they keep their bottom drier so diaper rash is not as much of a problem.

I will admit to not liking the store brand training pants. I bought one package and they all leaked. I switched back to the pullups. I do find pullups have their own problems. DD knew she could wet a pullup, but when I switched her to those padded training pants with plastic panties over them it was a big change. She went from 4 or 5 wet pullups a day to 1 accident a day almost immediately.

Now if we can only get her overnight trained again! She was sleeping in panties for almost a month in January, then she got sick. She hasn't had but 2 or 3 dry pullups in the morning since then!

[MrsReber]

I used Always pads, too! Yes, the hospital gives you these HUGE pads. They are good in that you don't have to worry about leaking anywhere! I didn't use them all that long. The bleeding seemed to really subside as soon as I got home. Could that be from breastfeeding?? They do tell you to change the pads often, though, to avoid any infections.

To those of you who have given birth, how long did it take for your normal monthly cycle to return? I'm going on 4 months now. Not that I miss it, but will I ever get a period again??

Congrats Anne!! The rest isn't boring, believe me! Every day brings you closer to the day you'll meet your son.

Shoyski- be warned! The day I went into labor, I was unusually tired. Just couldn't do my work and all I wanted to do was lie on the couch (good thing I was working from home!)

[shoyski]

Mrs. Reber, coincidentally I was reading American Baby at lunch and they were saying the following:

"Breastfeeding inhibits the production of gonadotropin, a hormone necessary for ovulation - -and that will usually delay a woman's return to fertility after pregnancy for an average of 17 weeks." So it looks like you're right on course.

Thanks to you guys regarding brands of pads. That really helps.

[mb]

anne, congrats on your baby boy! you may still have 1 or 2 more ultrasounds as it gets closer to your due date. i loved the ultrasounds - it was so fun to guess what was what! (i actually ended up having 4 or 5 of them - it was a fun way to make those last few weeks pass, although it wasn't by choice...) now you can go nuts planning the nursery and buying clothes etc. we started buying baby clothes when we found out i was pg, and we continue to buy ahead - we are already collecting clothes for 12-18 months now (and she is only 3 months old!) there are great sales out there and you can really stock up on your baby's wardrobe for very little $, relatively speaking. also, it's good that you live in FL because the baby can really wear the same type of outfits year round and you won't need to stock up too much on heavy winter clothes.

i have to admit that i did use kotex, although they were huge! but i guess i got used to it, and since they were so big i felt more confident that they wouldn't leak. i used the thin liners up until about 7 weeks or so, even though there was very minimal bleeding. even though i was breastfeeding, it felt like i had to use the pads forever! if they say you bleed more if not breastfeeding, i'd probably still be wearing those things! ugh! at the hospital on the first night, they actually gave me a newborn pampers diaper filled with ice. talk about a huge 'pad'! but it worked great as an ice pack!

i'm with mrs reber - i just realized i haven't had my period in over a year! i'm pretty happy about that! although i am still wondering about when i might be surprised and get it back again... i'm not big on surprises at all. i like to know exactly when things are going to happen. (so inducing labor worked perfectly in my master plan!)

again, good luck shelley!

marisa :)

[BlueMoose]

Susan,
I've been nursing for 11 months and have not had a period yet. I was starting to wonder if I'm abnormal! But it is nice not having it, so I'm not complaining!

Has anyone heard from djoygirl? I was wondering how she is doing.

Chrisi :)

[MrsReber]

Chrisi- I don't miss it either! I was just wondering when to expect it. Since I want to try to continue breastfeeding for as long as I can, I guess I'll get a break, huh? I think my main concern would be the birth control issue. My husband keeps saying "you can't get pregnant if you don't have a period" and I keep telling him "that's not true, honey!" You ovulate 2 weeks BEFORE you get a period so you can get pregnant and not know it! I mean, I'm relatively certain that I'm not pregnant again, but you do have to be careful.

[KristaMB]

I just looked up this whole period thing in "What To Expect: The First Year." The basics on getting your period are as follows:
It varies widely. "Some women, especially those with substantial fat reserves produce enough estrogen while they're nursing to start menstruating again before weaning." Those who have nursed exclusively, "may not menstruate until several months after they've weaned their babies."

About becoming pg while nursing: It happened to somebody at my work. The book says, "If you haven't had a period yet, don't count on this to prevent your becoming pregnant." In another section, it concurs with what Susan said, "Some women ovulate and conceive again before their period returns, and they can go from pregnancy to pregnancy without ever menstruating in between. If you would be devastated by another pregnancy now...you should use a more reliable form of contraception than nursing."

[BlueMoose]

Two of my neighbors got pregnant while nursing. When I got pregnant with my DD, I had gone off the pill and got pregnant a couple of months later, without having had a period....so it was of course the first time I ovulated. I'm not taking ANY chances!!!;)

[beacooker]

Hi everybody, thanks for the good wishes for Mason! Knowing what he is and giving him a name really does make the whole thing more real.

I also had a friend who got pregnant while still breastfeeding. She ended up giving birth to her second baby not even a year after her first. How exhausting!

A question about where to change the baby - everywhere I have read says that changing tables aren't really a good buy, so I haven't been planning on getting one. However, I think I am going to inherit a dresser for the baby's room that will be too high to use as surface for changing. So, will I easily be able to make do with the floor or our bed, or some other existing piece of furniture in the house, or should I go ahead and get a changing table, so that it can be set up in the baby's room? What have you all used?

[KristaMB]

Hi, Anne! I was concerend about the whole changing table thing, too. I think on one of the old Pregnant Susans thread I raised a similar question. The consensus was that the floor or any other surface will do.

The dresser we bought for Jared is low enough to use, so I use that sometimes. But most of the time I change him on our bed. I keep a diaper bag of supplies in our room. It's just easier than hauling him into his room in the middle of the night. I bought some waterprrof lap pads at Target that I put down underneath him to keep the sheet dry, just in case.

Now, a funny story about changing him on the bed: When Jared was 5 days old, I was changing him on my side of the bed (DH was fast asleep). While I had his diaper off, Jared decided he had to go pee. Somehow the urine went up over his body and head and hit DH square in the face, about two feet away. Damon sleeps through everything, but this certainly got his attention. You should have seen the look on his face when he first woke up and I told him what had happened. He looked murderous. But we ended up laughing about what a good shot the baby was. And, I figured that'll teach him a lesson about sleeping when I'm up tending to the baby. Of course, you may not want to relay this to your DH, or he'll have you out buying a changing table! :D

[shoyski]

Krista, excellent story! You "hear" about that all the time but usually no specifics. Thanks for starting my day with a smile.

[mb]

krista, great story! i thought only boys urinated when you take their diaper off, but there has been many a time that amanda produces a cute little fountain of urine when we take her diaper off!

anne, we bought a changing pad that goes on top of the dresser. it's almost like a small, contoured foam mattress. simmons makes one at BRU, but we bought one on the internet made by rumble tuff. it's really great and has worked out well.

shelley, i see you're still hanging in there...and going to that wedding too, i presume...

have a great weekend everyone!

marisa :)

[KristaMB]

Shelley, I thought you might have had your baby yesterday since you didn't post... I actually had a dream about it, too. Now if that's not a sign that I'm on this BB too much, then I don't know what is! ;) Enjoy the wedding!

Oh, I got 8.5 hours of sleep last night! (Not all in one shot) I feel good! :)

~Krista

[lhall]

I nursed my second child. My period did not return until I stopped nursing at 6 months. Didn't miss my period at all!

I did finally go back on the pill about 1 month before I stopped nursing, but I ALWAYS used birth control. DEFINATELY DO NOT want another child now! Two's enough.

As for a changing table. I only see that as a waste of money. It can't really be used for anything else. DH and I went with a dresser that was low enough to use as a changer table too. We got one of those concave padded things. It got a litte torn up by DD1 so I used cradle sheets on it. Works fine. And when I don't need it anymore I just take it off the perfectly good dresser that can be used for years and years.

We did have trouble finding the right height dresser. I am short, but there were several that I felt were too short, and most were too high. I finally found one I had to order.

Leigh

[shoyski]

Krista, in your dream did I have a boy or a girl? AND, what was the name?! :D Excellent on the sleep!

Yes, we did make the wedding and almost stayed until the end. It was so much fun and Dave and I were wired. The main reason we left is because everyone started smoking inside for some reason. They had been going outside but we started noticing everyone smoking a ton around 11pm so we stayed about another half hour and left.

One of the cool things about the wedding is that they had karaoke at the end. Dave said it was like being at Star Search because out of all the people who sang, only one sounded crappy.My fried who got married is in a band so consequently many of the people there were musically talented.

Anne, we didn't purchase a changing table. Too many people told us they felt changing on the bed, floor, etc was easier than running back up to the changing table. So, I don't have experience yet but that is/was our decision. I suppose if we really think we're missing out on not having one, we can still go purchase one after the baby arrives.

[KristaMB]

Shelley, I dreamt you had a boy, but you and Dave didn't mention his name. (We ran into each other in the BRU parking lot. You had just purchased a bunch of stuff and your car was packed full. I have no idea what I was doing there :rolleyes: )

When I was pg I had a girl dream first, then two boy dreams. Have you had any dreams about your baby?

Glad to hear you enjoyed the wedding!

~Krista

[shoyski]

Actually, Krista, I've only had one that I can remember. I dreamt that another family member and I were both pregnant and I was supposed to have a boy and she a girl. Well, we both delivered and I had a girl and she had a boy. I went to visit her and she was lying in the street (normal in the dream) on her stomach. I yelled out, "You can sleep on your stomach already?"
And immediately lay down in the street on my stomach.

I was a bit sheepish mentally when I woke up that I was more excited about sleeping on my stomach than my actual baby. I think that was about the time that my hips really started hurting while I slept.

Well, Dave and I are off to Walmart to buy some incidentals, namely some more pre-natal pills from the pharmacy. I am pretty tired because I've been on my feet in the kitchen since we arrived home from church around 12:30pm and it's now 4pm. I wanted to make a dessert so I made a pound cake but put the batter in muffin tins so we could freeze whatever we don't get to this week. (In case I deliver soon). How's that for the power of positive thinking?!

I also boiled all the equipment and bottles for the breast pumping to come. What a mistake! It said you could boil, autoclave or use the dishwasher and I thought it would be better to boil since I was using a friend's breast pump and paraphernalia. NOT!! It was a pain in the butt! Coincidentally another friend who had her fourth child in July called while that was going on. She spoke with Dave and he told her what I was doing. She laughed and said use the dishwasher.

[KristaMB]

Shelley, I don't know if this is the norm, but until real recently my breasts were too tender to sleep on my stomach. :mad: Hopefully you'll fare better. I really missed sleeping on my stomach, too. ~Added later~ I just read in my book that if you're breastfeeding you're not supposed to sleep on your stomach. Ggrrr.

The directions that came with my pump said I have to wash it in hot soapy water then boil it. That's what I've been doing but do y'all think I can get away with just using the dishwasher? That would be so much better!

Shelley, you're quite ambitious! I'm impressed! When you go to the hospital you may want to take your muffins with you. (And other snacks like fruit, crackers, etc) I cried one morning when they served me breakfast. I was tired and starving, and I got a teeny waffle that was hard as a rock, with a nasty looking meat patty on the side. (I don't eat pork or beef.)

Plus, if you deliver at a time when they aren't serving meals, like in the middle of the night, you'll have to wait awhile for your meal. I was ravished afterwards, and sent DH to the vending machine.

Each morning I was there, Damon would have to go to the cafeteria and buy me a bagel, fruit and cold cereal. Oh, I sent my dad out to find me a suitable dinner one night, too. Why can't they make the food in hospitals taste decent? I'll stop ranting now...

Best wishes for an easy and speedy delivery! :) Now that you were able to attend the wedding, I'm sure you're anxious to meet your bundle of joy!

~Krista

[djoygirl]

Hello everyone! Gosh, what alot of exciting stuff I've been missing. I was out of town for 5 days, home for 2, and gone for another 4. ack! I'm thoroughly exhausted now. Thankfully I have 4 whole days to rest up before leaving again this Fri:)

I've been reading with interest the maxi pad responses. I know that sounds funny, but since I don't use any I've been wondering if the new super-thin maxi's actually work, and if they'll do the job after delivery.

I've been feeling pretty good lately, but not so much today. After a drive through the mountains, 2 flights, a shuttle ride, and the drive home, I wasn't feeling so hot. And one day this weekend when I was feeling nauseated, DH said "what's wrong with you? They say morning sickness is supposed to be gone after 13 weeks." Poor thing, he hasn't a clue. Silly me; I'm 14 weeks, I guess I should have turned off that MS switch by now:D

I'm glad everyone is doing well. I have a dr's appt Tues. Hopefully we'll be able to hear, see, or feel something this time around.

[beacooker]

djoygirl, I was thinking about you while I was getting ready for work this morning, wondering how long before your next appt. Good luck! Hearing the baby's heartbeat is great! And you really deserve it after 14 weeks of feeling sick. And feeling your baby move is right around the corner.

Shelley, last night I had a dream about you, too. Well, sort of. You had your baby (sorry, no sex), and DH sent you and the baby some fresh shrimp, but he didn't freeze the shrimp, nor did he overnight it. Just sent you some raw shrimp UPS. I was very worried about what was going to happen to your baby after eating the shrimp. Yes, it was a weirdo dream.

How much did other people dream about having their babies while they were pregnant? Shelley said she only remembers one, while I have about one a week. At first, most of mine had to do with things not going right (like baby was premature, or baby was some really weird baby that I didn't like), but lately the dreams are more realistic. I've found it interesting to watch my mind adjust to this whole baby thing!

[MrsReber]

djoygirl, arent' men funny? Your pregnancy is supposed to follow the outline in the book exactly! My DH wouldn't help me do anything until I was showing. The doctor specifically told me not to lift anything since I had spotting for a day during the first trimester. DH, however, figured that exercise was good for me. Even after I had DD and the doctors told me to do nothing for at least four weeks so I could heal (I had an episiotomy- ouch!!). DH on the other hand, must've obtained a medical degree while I was at the hospital. He told me that it'd help if I got up and did more things!!!

I had plent of dreams about the baby when I was pregnant. I wrote them down so I'd remember later. I mostly dreamed that we had a boy. In 2 of the dreams, the baby was able to talk to us. That was weird! In one dream, the baby was huge and fat with fat hanging off the sides! Yuck! What I liked best about the dreams was that labor didn't hurt at all! In fact, I didn't even remember it!! Too bad that's not how it happens.

marisa- there have been so many times when I'm chaning Casey that she pees as soon as the cool air hits her! Most recently it happened as I was trying to leave for work. It was still kind of dark in her room with just the night light on and suddenly her clothes felt all wet! I had to laugh. I find that being a mom has improved my sense of humor. I had a good sense of humor to begin with, but I seem to be happy most of the time now.

[KristaMB]

I can only vividly remember the details of one of the dreams. Like Anne's, it's about a baby mishap. DH and I lived in OfficeDepot :confused: and while he was cooking he set it on fire. While he was putting out the fire I went into premature labor. The OfficeDepot people wouldn't let him leave, so I went to deliver the baby (a boy) alone. The baby was healthy, but I couldn't bring him home because I didn't have a car seat or any clothes for him. I left him at the hospital to go buy them, but didn't have any money. The End.

As I was typing this, I realized that my actual experience was somewhat similar: I had the baby 4 weeks early, went by myself to the hospital, and wasn't quite ready. Oh, and I still have no money! :rolleyes:

Susan, I think my DH took a lesson from yours! Men.

Oh, I have my 6 week check today? What should I expect?

[mb]

krista, you've probably already gone to the dr by now...it shouldn't have benn too bad - i had just a quick check and the dr asked what kind of birth control i wanted to use (since we all now know that nursing isn't sufficient!!!)

djoygirl, welcome back from your travels... once you get some rest you should be feeling better! :)

i usually have very vivid dreams, and almost every night, too! but while i was pg, i don't remember having any weird baby dreams... hmmm...

has shelley reported in today?!? today might be the day....

marisa :)

[shoyski]

Sorry to disappoint....today wasn't the day, although it was a busy day! The dr said I am 95% effaced, cervix is soft and anterior but only about 1/2 cm dilated. I'm hoping to deliver beforehand but have another appointment set up with him on Friday and we'll decide what to do then. Our doula is out of town on Saturday and won't be able to help us until 6pm Sunday so we let the dr know inducing over the weekend wasn't what we wanted to do (providing the baby was okay and all that).

Today I felt fine, no flu-like symptoms, etc. The baby must've shifted position because I feel lots of pressure "down there." Also, when I lay on my side it is uncomfortable, even with a pillow.

We are heading out for some dinner, thinking it might be a good while before we get out to dinner by ourselves. We rarely go out to dinner during the week so this will be a treat.

Djoygirl, welcome back. I hope you are feeling much better today.

Beth Y, how was your trip? Are you even back yet?

Anne, funky dream! Alas, I don't care for shrimp anyway. And Krista, I'll bet you were glad to wake up from your dream!

And I have to laugh, Dave is the exact opposite of your husbands...at least so far. He goes the other way to the exreme and is very overprotective. Doesn't want me to carry the full laundry basket, etc. It will be interesting to see what he's like after I have the baby. I did specifically ask the dr today how soon I can get back to exercising and was told approximately two weeks. If I bleed bright red then to back off but two weeks is a good time to start back in.

[mb]

i hope you and your families are all doing well. i wonder if yesterday's news sent shelley into labor....

just checking in to see how you all are doing. thank god i have accounted for all our friends and family in the NYC area (even a guy that was on the 81st floor of the WTC). DH's sister has a friend who worked in the courthouse nearby and her FIL is a retired firefighter who went into help...we haven't heard yet if they're ok.

hope you're all doing ok.
marisa :)

[djoygirl]

Mrs Reber, I laughed so hard when I read about your DH's medical degree:D

Well, besides all of the stress from the tragedies yesterday, we had more stress, too.
We had our dr appt, and finally got to hear baby's heartbeat. That was wonderful. It was in the 150's. The stressful part was that I was having severe stomach pains since about 10 am. My doctor told me it was probably bad gas and gave me some maalox tablets. She said if it wasn't better by this morning to call them.

I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but by 6:00 last night I was in tears for the second time, so DH took me to the ER. Turns out I have a UTI. They found it with a urine test. What I want to know is, why do I have to pee in a cup every time I go to my dr's? What do they do with it?
(this is my edit: just wanted to praise DH a bit. He was absolutely wonderful with me during this time and very concerned and caring. So he redeemed himself a bit:))
Also, I have to vent about something else. We had to wait several hours in the ER. I was not a high priority b/c I was less than 20 weeks pregnant (14). They assumed I was miscarrying, so they figured there was nothing to be done, and I could just sit out there and miscarry on:mad: Imagine someone who is going through that, and how distraught they would be, and noone cared! They were very callous.
Fortunately, I didn't have any bleeding, and I was praying often, so I knew my baby was safe, but their attitude really ticked me off!!!!

Ok, let me get off my soapbox now.
Beacooker, I wanted to share my dream experience. I've only had one and it was fairly early in my pg. I dreamt that I went through labor (all natural just like I hope to) and it was very hard, but I had a baby girl. She was perfect and beautiful, and I was holding and admiring her when I woke up. It was so vivid and realistic, that when I awoke, I was genuinely surprised to find that there was not an actual baby in my arms and that I was still pregnant. It was quite disappointing.

Well, I hope that everyone is staying calm and not letting the stress of yesterday and the aftermath affect their health.

Shoyski, we're all still thinking of you and praying for you and your family.

[shoyski]

Djoygirl, how awful! I'm so sorry you had to go through that experience! Glad to hear all is well now, though.

Sorry I didn't check in yesterday. I just couldn't bring myself to chitchat about this wonderful life growing inside me with all the tragedy around the country. Dave and I were very glad the baby wasn't born yesterday.

We went through another non-stress test today...doctor sent us to the hospital to get checked out because the baby was so inactive last evening and this morning. I didn't feel the baby move until around 9:30am when I was all strapped up, lying in the hospital bed. Interestingly enough, I had a bunch of Braxton-Hicks contractions while lying there, the first in my pregnancy.

When we spoke to the doctor on the phone this morning, he got all serious and said to pack a bag with the likelihood that we would be induced, depending on what the test result showed. And Krista, just so you know, we had everything laid out previously so were able to walk out the door in 10 minutes. You would have been so proud!! :D

And I did have a dream two nights ago that we had a girl....most likely the result of talking about dreams on the BB with you guys. :)

Well, off to work. Have a great day everyone!

[KristaMB]

djoygirl, glad to hear you're okay. I think that they are testing your urine for protein each time you go to the dr.

Shelley, I was thinking about you all day yesterday and hoping that you were not in labor. Not that it would have been the worst thing, but I understand your and Dave's feelings about not wanting to bring your wonderful little life into the world on such a tragic day.

Out the door in under 10 minutes! I am impressed. I was the epitomy of the "chicken with it's head cut off," running around and throwing random things in a suitcase. Good thing I packed my favorite CD's but no deoderant:rolleyes:

Shelley, if today is the day, then best wishes! :)

Marisa, you're right. The postpardum visit wasn't too bad.

I hope that you and all of your loved ones are safe and sound.

~Krista

[beacooker]

djoygirl, glad to hear that everything turned out ok. What a sucky, scary experience. Especially with the day being so bad already. And I know what you mean about people being callous about miscarriage. A co-worker of mine recently miscarried (after trying to get pg for 2 years) and her dr (who is also my dr) and his office were very cold about the whole thing. I was amazed.

Shelley, I was hoping that you weren't in labor yesteray, too. Too terrible a day for an innocent baby to have to share a birthday with. All day, I just kept thinking how scary it is to be bringing a child into a world where there are such evil people. But, then I think about how the truly wonderful people outnumber the bad. Its just terrifying what damage such a small number of people can do.

I, too, hope every one is doing well and not missing anyone from yesterday's events.

Anne

[KristaMB]

I just saw a post on another thread that somebody had a nephew born yesterday. There were numerous quotes and responses that "babies represent hope."

As I was glued to the television yesterday, I just couldn't put Jared down. It's so hard for me to conceive that people in this world could hate my baby, and any of us for that matter, simply because he was born in this country.

It's strange to think about how the lives of our children will be forever changed by yesterdays events. Their sense of safety and security will be so different than what we have all grown up with.

I know I'm just rambling, but this is all just so surreal...

Blessings,
~Krista

[Meg O'C]

I posted this on the Other Stuff board but wanted to post here too. My SIL did deliver (her 2nd son) yesterday. When I picked up my v-mail at 9 am, I had a message from my Dad about the first plane crashing into the WTC and another from my SIL saying she was in labor and on her way to the hospital. As the events unfolded and I made my way to the hospital I kept thinking - "What a day for a child to be born!" One of her L&D nurses has a daughter in NYC she had not heard from but she was incredibly professional in light of the situation and reminded us that "a baby represents hope." Anyway we kept the TV off and did not really talk about what was going on while my SIL labored. The birth was amazing to witness and one look at the sweet new baby (and all the others in the nursery last night) really did make you realize that there is still goodness and hope in the world and one of the best things we can do to preserve that is to raise the new life that comes into the world to be good and caring people.

DH and I got home last night and fortunately learned that friends and relatives we know in the city were all safe and sound (although some did witness some terrible sights).

[Beth Y]

Hey everyone, I am back from my trip. Whidbey Island was great, but I was sick with a bad head cold the whole time I was there. It turned into sinusitus, which gave me a killer sinus headache for three days (and sleepless nights) including the whole way back on the plane. Ahh. But, alas, I am better now.

Yes, the events of yesterday are incredibly tragic. You will find that, after you have kids, you are even more torn apart by such things. Having just gotten off a plane the night before, all I could think about was the parents who had kids on those planes and how they must have handled it. Reminds me of the movie "Life is Beautiful" when the guy kept his kids life happy through an incredibly tragic time. The night we saw that movie, we had a babysitter and tried to go to dinner after, but I kept crying through dinner, so I made my husband take me home. I sit here with two more children inside me thinking, what will it be like for them? I call my husband at work 10 times a day just to hear his voice and know he is still there. My DD keeps saying "no more kisses Mommy", but I hold her tight all day anyway. How can I not?

On to lighter things, my first OB appointment was supposed to be today, but got moved to next week and I am not happy. The fertility people have already done an ultrasound, but, hey, I miss them and want to see them again! I plus have a million worries and want to know if I am doing everything right for twins?!?

On the subject of dreams, with DD, I dreamed she would be everything from a puppy, to the baby in "Eraserhead"(am I the only person that saw that movie?), to, get this one, a tortellini! I guess I am a little too in to food!!!!!

[BosunsWife]

I just had to chuckle when I read about someone being out the door in 10 minutes to get to the hospital.

I was one of those that had everything packed and ready to go. I finally woke DH up at about 1:30 am and said okay, its time to go. He's the one running around like a chicken with his head cut off, looking for something to wear. I yelled at him to throw on some sweats and get moving. He's downstairs calling both of our parents and I'm yelling at him "you can call them later". When we finally got to the hospital, went through the check in and then transferred to the birthing room I was already dilated to 4 cm and DD was delivered about two hours later.

This time (should we be lucky enough to conceive again) I won't be waiting as long to get to the hospital especially since my doctor told me that the second one comes quicker than the first!

[shoyski]

Just checking in.....no news. I have a dr appointment tomorrow morning so we'll see what he says. Hope everyone is having a good day.

[lhall]

I packed a suitcase and had it in the car at work everyday for two weeks before I was due with the both children.

My mother had short labors (cause she slept through them), and I assumed mine would be the same. My brothers and I came in 3 1/2, 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 hours respectively, Mom had no pain before her water broke. By the time Dad had her to the hospital, parked the car (they too her), got her admitted, and got to the waiting room she'd had my little brother. He got some very dirty looks from other expectant dads!

The first time my water broke up high and I started leaking every 10 minutes. Otherwise I would not have known I was in labor. No pain until after my water was broken. The second time I started to notice something about every 4 minutes, but wasn't sure I was in labor. No pain until contractions were less than 2 minutes apart.
I was at the hospital just over 5 hours before I delivered the first time, and not quite 7 hours the second time. The first was just 2 hours after my water was broken and the second was less than that!

Leigh

[MrsReber]

I had a bag, but we were still packing things just before we left for the hospital! But then I thought- this is kinda silly. We're only 20 minutes from home. It's not like I'll be here for a week and it's not like I can't get DH to bring me something if I need it that badly. The things I was glad to have: my own pj's. I took a shower about six hours after I delivered and it was nice and refreshing to change into some soft comfy pj's. Also, I had maternity gowns with the slits in them for nursing. That was so much better than the hospital gowns. And about ruining my own things rather than bleeding on the hospital gowns? Not with the pads they gave me! There was no way that thing would leak. It was huge! I did bring my own body wash, which was nice, and warm socks!!

As for the food, I would have to agree that snacks are a good thing. The cafeteria was closed at 1:15 am when DD was born so they brought me the only sandwich they could find, which was turkey (NOT my favorite).

[shoyski]

Well, the doctor visit today was a repeat of Tuesday; nothing has changed a bit and I'm still 1/2 cm dilated. He did a bit of probing which was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, and said "Enough of that, your kid is stubborn. Better start thinking about setting some goals for him/her. " :) I thought he was pretty funny.

So, the next appointment is Tuesday and in addition to checking me out physically, he said he'll do an ultrasound and check out my fluid and then we'll talk about inducing. Dave and I have a retirement party to go to on Sunday which is about an hour drive away. The dr okayed going and said maybe the "excitement" of the trip will bring on labor. Woo-hoo, a two hour round trip...I don't know if I can stand the thrill of it all. :rolleyes:

Also, interestingly enough, I've lost two pounds! The nurse said that's normal and my doula said that's a pre-labor sign. I hadn't heard of such a thing.

I did have a dream last night that I was in labor and when I woke up, actually thought I was because the dream was so real. Instead, I got up to go to the bathroom and had the worst nosebleed ever. It was like a geyser! And then had it again in the shower four hours later. Man, that was one long shower because I was trying to shave at the same time. Can you say Psycho?!

Enjoy your weekends!

[BosunsWife]

If its any consolation Shoyski, my doc massaged the exterior of my cervix on a Friday and I went into mild labor on Sunday and had DD early on a Tuesday morning which was the same day the doc wanted me to come back in for another exam! Happy labor thoughts coming at you.

[shoyski]

BosonsWife, thanks for the support. Tuesday would be nice.
Of course, so would Monday, for that matter. :)

I wonder where everyone is...Alaine might have had her baby since she was due yesterday, I guess. I feel like I'm that guy in the Arby's commercial, "Where did everybody go?"

[KathrynY]

Hi Shoyski and everyone,

De-lurking to let you know that there are a lot of us out here who enjoy reading this thread, and are wishing you a safe and healthy delivery. Despite the tragedies of this week, please know that you have a lot of friends on this BB wishing you health and happiness as you prepare to meet your child and enter the next phase of your life as a parent.

Best wishes,
Kathryn

[KristaMB]

Hi, Shelley. I'm here... I've just been so out of it. I'm trying to get back to normal.

I had really bad nosebleeds when I was pg, too. Luckily, my worst one was in the shower. It was awful. I ended up shutting the water off, pinching my nose and waiting for it to end. At least I could just use the water to wash it off. What if I had been sitting at my desk at work or something? Yikes!

Do you feel like a contortionist while your shaving? :D I had such a hard time at the end. How about cutting and painting your toenails? I found it nearly impossible.

You lost two pounds!? Oh, I'm jealous. I gained 5 in the two weeks before I delivered. When I saw the dr the day before I went into labor, she told me to try and keep it down to a pound a week. Shame on me for indulging in ice cream almost every day the last trimester! (But it was hot, and I needed something to cool me down...:rolleyes: )

Well, I hope that the "excitement" of your car trip and retirement party do the trick!

~Krista

[shoyski]

Kathryn, thanks for the kind words. They are very much appreciated!

Well I made it to the retirement party and back without any contractions. I will say the baby is moving around QUITE a bit on top of my bladder and has been for the last hour or so. It was so nice to be able to see everyone...some of the people I hadn't seen for over 12 years. We took some country back roads to get home and it was a very pleasant drive.....it's so beautiful out!

Krista, it's funny you mentioned doing your toenails. I rarely paint mine but have a gift certificate for a pedicure from Dave. I've had it for over a year....was saving it thinking how nice it would be to use once it got too awkard to do my own feet, etc. Well, I went to make an appointment two weeks ago before the wedding and it turns out the lady no longer works on weekends. She had all these open times that were right in the middle of the day, which of course I can't make with work. She also had these late hours...like 7:30pm! No way, I'd fall asleep before she was done. So needless to say, the certificate is still in the drawer.

So Krista, are you still getting 8.5 hours of sleep each night? :)

[beacooker]

Sorry for leaving you hanging out there all on your own, Shelley. And you were so GOOD for checking in every day!

It is funny that the subject of toenail painting came up - I have been finding it harder and harder to do mine, so for the past month or so, I just always leave them the same color and slap on a new coat every week or so. But on Friday, I wanted to wear red, white and blue, but the only red I have that I can fit into now are a pair of red sandals. But the toenail polish I have been wearing is brown. So I had to remove the old polish and then apply all new polish. Eek, that was difficult! I was wearing jeans at the time, making it all the harder.

I am getting more and more frustrated with people at work (guys, usually) making comments about me getting bigger. What possesses people to do that? I would never consider making a comment like that to anyone.

Have a good Monday tomorrow, everyone.

[karen w]

Shelley,

I'm betting you won't make it until next Tuesday!!! With all 3 of my pregnancies I lost 2 pounds at the last Dr.'s visit before I went into labor!!! Good luck. Wishing you a short and easy labor, and a healthy baby!

Karen W.

[Nirak]

Go get your pedicure! With my first pregnancy dh gave me a certificate after a friend said, "with your feet up in those stirrups for all the world to see you should have pretty toes!" Needless to say, I went into labor before I could get that pedicure and everyone could tell that I couldn't reach my feet for months. Then, with DD #2 I went during my last week ... what a treat. It felt so good to have my legs massaged ... the polish was nice but everything else was great.

[MrsReber]

beacooker, I understand!! My MIL was the worst offender. Each time I'd see her, she'd say "oh, every time I see you, you get bigger and bigger..." I felt like slapping her! The hormone imbalances don't help much, either. It is EXTREMELY insensitive. She'd ask me how much weight I gained, like that's anyone's business! About 1 month after I gave birth, she had the nerve to ask, in front of people I don't even know, "so do you have stretch marks now?" I just looked at her and said "well I had them from before when I was FAT anyway so it really doesn't matter." Jeez woman!! She had five kids of her own, wouldn't she know that your body can't just stretch out like that and not leave any marks? My SIL even said "well, I didn't gain as much as you did". So what? Everyone is different. It's just awful, when you're feeling so many other things and trying to get comfortable with yourself. At my baby shower, they made that awful hat and wanted me to wear it. I swear, I was almost in tears. The were all commenting on my appearance as it was, I was mortified to think I'd have to put that horrible "hat" on and have them all laugh at me to boot! Sorry to go off. That was my biggest pet peeve when I was pregnant. People can just be so rude! I have to go to the dr today for Casey's 4 month check up .

[KristaMB]

shelley, i can get 8.5 hours if i don't haul my butt out of bed until almost noon!:o each time i'm up in the night it takes about an hour to an hour half to feed him, change his diaper, and get him settled down again. also, he's been real bad about being put down in his cradle. although he's conked out in my arms, he wakes up as soon as i put him down. :(

anne, i can completely relate to torture at work. i started telling people i had eaten a big lunch, etc. and to leave me alone. why is it that guys are so insensitive? (remember my boss commenting on one of my maternity outfits!) hang in there!

~krista

[shoyski]

Anne, Dave said to say, "You know, hormonal imbalance has been used as a defense in homicide....Johnny Cochran would back me up on that." :D

Seriously, sorry on behalf of those jerks. I'm going through the..."what are you still doing there!" phone calls from customers. I know they don't know what to say but in my opinion, why does anyone HAVE to say anything? To you or me! I try to be nice and go along with it all but sometimes...grrrr

MrsReber, hope the dr visit for Casey went well. I'll keep you guys posted on what happens at my visit tomorrow.

[Grace]

Shelly,

I would just like to say that while I never post on any of these threads, I come and check EVERY SINGLE DAY to see if anything's happening with you yet!! :D I feel very excited for you, and I want to say thanks for taking the time to post how you're doing every day, when it's really a time when the BB might be the last thing on your mind. I just wanted you to know that while I haven't said anything so far, I'm watching this thread (and I'll be many others are too)!!

Since I don't have any kids, I don't have anything to contribute here, except for my sincere good wishes for you and your husband (and the new baby, of course!).

And I'll keep checking this thread........
:D :D

[mb]

shelley, good luck at your appointment today!

susan, i really don't know how you survive your MIL. unbelievable...

krista, amanda would also fall asleep in our arms and then wake up as soon as we put her down. believe it or not, we'd put her in her car seat, and then swing it a few times, and she'd usually settle down. her best sleeping in the first few weeks actually took place in that car seat! what a lifesaver! the dr said it was ok for her to sleep there, but we only did that when she absolutely wouldn't stay in her in crib. our dr said one of his babies spent the first 4 months of his life in a bouncy seat! whatever works - use it! :)

and just so you all know, the 'comments' don't end when you have the baby. every time i go to the grocery store with amanda, no less than 5 people say to me, 'oh, in what aisle did you find that little one???'. at first, i thought it was funny and tried to come up with answers like 'they're having a sale on babies in the produce section', but now i just think it's annoying. oh well. we just can't win, can we?!?

marisa :)

[shoyski]

Well, it's not the news you've all been waiting for but close....
the dr said my fluid is at a level where "conservative management of pregnancy" is not an option anymore. We are to be at the hospital at 1:30pm to get induced.

Okay, not the way I thought things would go but hey, I'm well aware that I'm not the one in charge here. I guess you guys can start a new thread...this one's pretty long anyway, and then in a day or so I'll start another one. :D

[BlueMoose]

Wow! I bet you're excited Shelley! Good luck...I hope everything goes well :D

Chrisi :)

[beacooker]

Good luck, Shelley! I'll be thinking about you, and looking forward to your new thread!!

I kept forgetting to ask, but I hope that you guys settled on names!

Anne

[Marian]

Originally posted by Grace
Shelly,

I would just like to say that while I never post on any of these threads, I come and check EVERY SINGLE DAY to see if anything's happening with you yet!! :D I feel very excited for you, and I want to say thanks for taking the time to post how you're doing every day, when it's really a time when the BB might be the last thing on your mind. I just wanted you to know that while I haven't said anything so far, I'm watching this thread (and I'll be many others are too)!!



I'm one of those who keeps checking this thread. I saw you are being induced today. Best Wishes! My second child will be 10 tomorrow - it is a great day to have a baby!

[KristaMB]

Shelley! Wow! Best wishes for a safe and speedy delivery! I'll be thinking and praying for you. Oh, I can hardly wait...:)
~krista

[BosunsWife]

Sending happy labor thoughts your way. Maybe they can just give you a little bit of Pitocin (or whatever they use these days) to get you started and then you won't need anymore.

[mb]

shelley, you're probably already at the hospital, so i'll just be thinking good pain-free thoughts for you! good luck!


marisa :)