Pregnant Susans - Part Five

[shoyski]

I hope you don't mind that I started a new thread. (And I can't count, it should be part four).

Thanks to all of you who have given me advice on the gas. It has been very comforting to know you are all out there and I can ask about these kinds of questions. Krista and MB, I am the opposite of burp-deficient. When I was young, my brother and I used to practice burping the alphabet so if I wanted to be (but I don't try to be) I could be a champion burper. Hopefully my baby will be a good burper. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Krista, congrats on feeling the baby move. How very exciting. Since I came late to this thread, please let me know how far along you are. I'm thinking somewhere I read August but have forgotten. We go in for our lengthy ultrasound May 1st.

MrsReber, I'm glad you found a daycare you like. I'm a bit frustrated here where I work. I told them when I was three months that I wanted to work 21/2 days a week and haven't heard a definite yes or no back yet. And as you know, I NEED TO PLAN! I remember reading that your boss delayed answering you on a couple of topics and it looks like we work for the same person.

[This message has been edited by shoyski (edited 04-17-2001).]

[mb]

MrsReber, here's an idea: why doesn't Kyle get licensed?!?! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif you said yourself that if 1 of you had to stay home it would probably be him anyhow...

shoyski, i am jealous of your burping talents! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

i have a theory on why breastfeeding doesn't necessarily let you lose the weight! one explanation might be because when you breastfeed, you produce all kinds of extra hormones. many women experience weight gain when they take birth control pills (or estrogen during menopause) - and it's because of the extra hormones floating around in your system. maybe in some women the breastfeeding stimulates the same type of hormones that prohibit you from losing weight?!? on the flip side, i know plenty of women who have shed the lbs so quickly and they attribute it to breastfeeding - maybe breastfeeding doesn't really have anything to do with weight loss at all! just some food for thought...

[SusanD]

"Part five" threw me off for a second!

Susan, how wonderful that your co-workers threw you a shower! Did you get all kinds of neat stuff? I can understand your hesitations about getting licensed...it's such a huge responsibility, and do you really want to be watching someone else's children with a brand-new baby? BUT on the other hand, it will give you the opportunity to be at home with your child while still giving her/him that social interaction, plus you'll be able to provide the loving, caring environment to another child who's mom might be having the same frustrations as you.

Re: breastfeeding, both my SIL and good friend dropped their weight pretty quickly without exercising (caring for a newborn was about all the exercise they could manage) and without watching what they ate. I think it just depends on the individual - every body is different, just like every pregnancy is different!

Marisa, I laughed when I read your ultrasound story. It reminded me of my first one. I drank all the water they told me to, and then of course they were running late - I truly thought I was going to die. In the waiting room I couldn't sit or stand, both were too uncomfortable, and it was just a good thing I didn't have to sneeze. Finally I got into the room and the tech. had me lie on the table. I had my knees bent and she told me I could straighten them out flat and I said "no, actually I can't". She put the scanner on me and immediately sent me in to the bathroom! So the moral of the story is, you DON'T need to drink as much as they tell you to! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

And thanks to everyone for their encouragement...since I'm only in week 38, I guess I can't get too impatient yet! It's just so hard now that everything's ready to go and I'm really getting tired of being so uncomfortable. One friend of mine delivered her baby 9 days late, and she said "You think you're impatient now, just wait till the due date comes and goes. Every day feels like a year!" Well, we'll see...I'll keep you all posted!

[Kristilyn1]

Obviously not trying to push Mrs. Reber to start a home daycare.......personally--I couldn't do it. As much as I love kids--it would be hard for me to do "kid stuff" all day.

If it's not for you--then fine. If you wonder "if" you could do it--I wouldn't even worry about that! If you DO decide to do it, can you move to RI, so you can take care of my kids?

Kristi

[MrsReber]

Rhode Island isn't so bad..... Seriously, it's the responsibility issue and it's not like you can just decide to take a long weekend and ask the boss for the day off. It'd be rough. Also, I'd have to be nice and perky everyday. I don't know if I could handle that. Not that I'm not a nice person- I just hate having to try so hard when I'm exhausted or not in a good mood. And about Kyle getting licensed - ha! All the kids would be out at the trout stream fishing each day! Really, though, I only saw one guy yesterday during my daycare visits. I think there's a perception that since women are the "caregivers" that men don't really have a place in childcare. It's odd and I don't want to be put off by a man working there, but I have to admit, it seemed strange to me. He was most likely going to college. He seemed young to me.

The surprise shower was nice and they really did surprise me. I was speechless. My one co-worker told me that we had a meeting and it'd just be easier if he could spread out the paperwork in the conference room. We walked down the hall and I saw there were people in the conference room. I figured we'd go to another room, but he kind of shoved me in the door! I didn't even realize what was going on! They wanted to get me gifts so I'd have something to open, but they didn't want me to have to carry things home on the train. They wound up getting a $250 gift cerfiticate that I can use at Toys R Us, Babies R Us or Kids R Us. I was really shocked. They're all so very nice here.

Yikes, Susan, ONLY week 38? I wonder if I'll make it that far. Kyle says no. He thinks this baby is coming soon and he's very nervous about that. I'm just about to start week 35, if all the calculations are correct.

[lindrusso]

I have to "weigh in" on the breastfeeding-weight loss thing. I think it really has more to do with the individual than with breastfeeding as to whether or not you'll lose weight quickly. I breastfed my first son for 8 months and it didn't help a bit. I have a friend who breastfed for only 3 weeks and was in her regular jeans inside a month (and I know she wasn't exercising or watching what she ate)!!! So, I guess the answer is "who knows????".

I think it actually kept me from losing weight in a roundabout way - I felt like such a heifer (sp?) with all that baggage up top that I was not at all motivated to do any exercise that involved any jiggling of the chest!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[mightyh]

I'll ditto lindrusso on the breastfeeding issue. I didn't feel like it helped me lose weight quickly, mainly vause I really felt like I needed to keep my eating up to produce adequate milk, especially when I was pumping and could see how much I was getting. Whenever my body got the least bit stressed, I would see the results in my milk, or lack thereof... So I felt that between breastfeeding and trying to keep up my reserves for that and being so tired and not feeling like moving beyond caring for the baby (I had a post-partum complication that factored into this... hopefully it won't happen to you), breastfeeding did not play a factor in quick weight loss like I had been hoping.

However, I can proudly say that, with the help of this board and CL, I am down to my pre-pregnancy weight and, I think, size (I had heard all sorts of stories about how your body shape totally changes for ever) now. It took me about nine months. What time it took for me to go up was mirrored in my post-partum period. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Plus, I think I am in much better shape now. THANK GOD--cause for a while there it was depressing to try and find clothes that fit.

[karen w]

As long as we are talking about breast feeding, I will share my experience/advice. I breastfed all three of my kids for various lengths of time. I nursed my last the longest(15 months). I stopped nursing her last October.(It seems like so long ago!!). I can't say nursing helped or hindered me with losing my pregnancy weight. With all 3, I lost the weight within 1-2 weeks(don't hate me or throw things, please!). I do know that in order to keep up my milk supply, I really had to consume alot of food/calories-more than when I was pregnant. With my daughter this was especially true as I did not give her any bottles/supplementation. I do have a rapid metabolism and am small to begin with so perhaps this made a difference. But I always had to make sure I had a snack with me any time I left the house, ans lots of fluids. I was constantly hungry and thirsty-especially in the beginning. And stress, missing a meal, not getting enough fluids etc...all affected my milk supply. In the beginning it's a roller coaster-one day your engorged, the next the tank seems empty. I recommend giving it a good 6 weeks for you to get comfortable with the routine and for your milk to become nicely established if you want to give breastfeeding a fair chance.
And as long as the baby keeps making those wet diapers, DON'T WORRY(I know...easy for me to say!).


The one thing I can say with confidence is that if breastfeeding works for you, the bond you form with your baby is priceless, and perhaps worth carrying some extra weight for a bit longer knowing it will come off when you stop.

I hope you are all successful! Good luck guys!!

[KristaMB]

I feel like by the time I get the chance to check this board each night, so many topics have been covered! I wish I had time during the day at work to check in. Maybe I'll start sneaking a peek... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Shoyski, you're right about my due date. It's currently August 29th, but I have doubts about their calculations. I think it's actually a few weeks earlier.

The last time I was at the doctor's office, they didn't mention anything about drinking a ton of water for my next appt (Thurs.) We were discussing this at work, and I was starting to think that maybe they had just forgot to tell me. I decided to call the doctor today to see how much water I was expected to drink. They told me that I don't have to drink an unusually large amount for the ultrasound. Everybody I know, except one person, was told to drink a lot of water for their ultrasound. So, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Mrs. Reber, I'm glad you found a childcare arrangement that works for you. I wish I had family nearby. We're considering moving to Northern California to be closer to our families. If that happens, it won't be for at least another year. Of course, everybody works, so it wouldn't fix any childcare issues, but I think it'd be nice to have a little more support.

Susan, that was so nice of your co-workers! And how thoughtful of them to get gift certificates so you don't have to worry duplicates, returns, the train, etc.

[MrsReber]

shoyski- I share your frustration! My boss is a great guy, but I feel the need to have a plan, too. My child is the most important issue here, but my job is important in other ways- like it really helps to pay the bills!

I was wondering why we went from part 3 to part 5!!

Kristi does offer some food for thought at the end of that last thread. As for the breastfeeding advice from Clairea, my sister had the same problem. She tried breastfeeding for 3 months and wasn't losing weight very quickly.

I don't know about the licensing. It's kind of scary to me since it's a HUGE responsibility. I'd really have to think hard about it. My husband still thinks it'd be great. He thinks I can do anything, though. He's going to see me at my worst in a few weeks!

[SusanD]

It's interesting to hear everyone's experiences with breastfeeding. I guess you just don't know until you do it yourself. I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Krista, you're so lucky they told you that you don't need to drink a ton of water. After my first one I was so afraid of feeling like that again that I didn't drink enough water for the second one.

Susan, for the record, I don't think I'd want to be a full-time day care provider either. I don't think I'd have the patience for it. I tend to get grouchy when I'm tired, and having to be perky and peppy every day with other people's kids would just about put me over the edge. I give people who can do that a lot of credit. That's so nice that they gave you a gift certificate at work, now you can buy all the stuff that you didn't get off your registry!

Well, my last day here is April 27th (baby's due on the 28th) and I'm debating if I want to continue past that if the baby's late. On one hand, it would be nice to have the rest & time at home...but on the other hand if I deliver 2 weeks late, then that's 2 less weeks that I have with my baby. I guess I'll just play it by ear and see how I'm feeling. Susan, you're leaving work before your due date, right? How far in advance?

[MrsReber]

Susan, my last day here should be May 11th, which is 2 weeks before my due date. However, Kyle does not want me to commute for that long. He doesn't think it's a good idea. I'm beginning to agree with him. Each morning when that alarm goes off, I think that I should listen to him! My next dr's appointment is next Wednesday, the 25th. I think we'll see what's happening at that point and I'll ask the doctor whether I should continue to come in or not. It really is getting difficult because I carry my bag with me and then I sit on the uncomfortable train seats (ouch! my back!!) and the fact that I have to leave for the train station around 6:00am. It's all really wearing me out. I keep hearing that you should not ever compromise your rest- that we'll need to be well rested for labor and delivery since we don't know how many hours it'll take or when it will happen.

We had our first birthing class last night. I knew my husband would be a wise***. None of the other couples or husbands were really interacting with the instructor so my husband took the lead in asking questions like "will she get thin right away?" (joking, of course). Hoo boy- 3 more classes and then the hospital tour. The woman at the hospital told me to schedule the classes as close to my due date as possible. So we go there last night and find out that most of the other women are due in July! What's up with that?!? I told her that we're hoping to make the hospital tour! We most likely will have to go there on our own beforehand, just in case baby is early.

I am still debating if this Saturday is the shower or not. I'm pretty sure it is, especially since my MIL was asking Kyle Monday night how long it takes me to get to my mom's house. However, only 6 items are missing from my registry (I know, it's bad to peek, but I wanted to see if I could use my gift certificate on line).

Time to get back to work. I can't wait til this day is over and I can go home and relax. We've been running around for the past four days.

[Susann]

I sooooooo want to be a pregnant Susan(n). This new medication is working miracles on my body and I really am optimistic that this will be the month, so will all you pregnant (and not pregnant!)BBers please keep your fingers crossed for me? I read these threads frequently, so I will be prepared when the time does come. Best wishes to our Mommys-to-be!

[This message has been edited by Susann (edited 04-18-2001).]

[shoyski]

Susann, will keep you in my prayers. When you do get pregnant, we'll be able to continue using the Pregnant Susan thread. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Thanks for the info, everyone, on drinking before the ultrasound. I was told to come TO the office with a full bladder. Hmmmm, maybe I'll drink the water on the drive there so I'm not in so much pain. Anymore it seems like I have to go every 30 minutes no matter how much I drink during the day.

[SusanD]

Susan, I don't blame you I wouldn't want to commute on the train either! I guess I'm lucky, I've only got about a 15-20 minute drive, and it's actually closer to the hospital from my office than from my home. In fact, Jay is now making me keep my bag in the car just in case. Plus there are 14 women in my area and only a couple of them have kids, so it would be really funny to see how they react if I were to go into labor at work. I'm feeling just fine (other than being very uncomfortable), so there's really no reason that I couldn't keep working. I guess I'll just play it by ear.

It sounds like Kyle would have fit right into our class, pretty much all the guys were total smart***es. And of course Jay was right in there with them. I hope you enjoy your classes and get a lot of out of them! I really enjoyed ours, but I did get a little nervous wondering how I was going to remember it all. And shame on you for looking at your registry! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Speaking of, I bought this book called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child". It's all about the many ways that sleep (or lack of) affects babies & children, and how to get them to sleep regularly. It's a good book, but I'm seriously wondering how I'm going to remember it all. Yikes!

Susann, I will say a prayer for you that you can join the ranks of the Pregnant Susans soon! I will be more than happy to give you my spot! That's wonderful that you're doing better...best of luck to you and keep us posted!

Shoyski, good call on the water. Especially if the road is particularly bumpy on the way there! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by SusanD (edited 04-18-2001).]

[mb]

MrsReber, that is so nice that you got a baby shower at work - and what a great idea to do the gift certificate...very thoughtful! there are only 6 other people in my office, so it should be interesting to see if they throw me a shower...

I had this vision of your DH (even though I don't know what he looks like...) out trout-fishing or hunting with a bunch of 2-year-olds - very cute!!! I don't know, maybe it would go over well with some people - you know, like a get-back-to-nature/outdoorsy daycare. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif you might be able to charge a lot of money for that!

Women really are perceived as being the main caregivers. That's part of why I always think it's so 'cute' when I see a guy shopping in a store, carrying his baby. it's also cute when guys carry the diaper bags, etc. it just seems kinda unnatural or something - so when i see it, it catches me off guard, but in a very sweet way. Does that make sense?

Now that i've heard both sides of the breastfeeding/weight loss issue, i'm convinced that breastfeeding probably doesn't have anything to do with weight loss - it just depends on the individual! they probably just tell you it helps you lose weight so that more women are convinced to give breastfeeding a try!

SusanD, i would say to play work by ear. You're right - if you take 2 weeks off before baby arrives, that's 2 less weeks you get to spend with her! I would just grin and bear it for now. However, MrsReber, it sounds like you have a really stressful workday and commute - you sound like you really need some rest! How on earth do you leave your house at 6am?!? I have a hard time waking up at 6:45!!!!!

shoyski, i would drink the water on the way there. when i had to drink 32 oz in the hour before, i drank about 16 oz at home, and the other 16 oz during the car ride. it's still a little unbearable, but i can't imagine what it would have been like if i drank all 32 oz at home!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

About the childbirth classes: i think most men there are smart***es. unfortunately, my sweet/caring/wonderful DH wasn't aware of this before we went... so when the 'teacher' asked why everyone was attending class, my DH said, "because it's something we can do together to get ready for the baby". after he responded, all the other men gave answers like, "because she's making me", or "because she paid me to come here"... all the guys got kinda jerky, but i don't know how much they were joking! at the end of class, after the men spent a lot of time massaging our shoulders & helping us relax, etc., the teacher made the guys lay down on the pillows because it was the ladies' turn to massage the guys! i had no problem w/ this, because my DH deserved it! i think there was maybe 2 or 3 other couples (out of 12-15) where the wife rubbed the guy's back. i just thought that was kinda crummy. maybe we just have a weird group of people. maybe they'll be more comfortable this week and they'll act a little more normal!!

Susann, good luck! Not to put the pressure on, but you only have about 5 weeks or so before the Susans go from 'pregnant' to 'mommy'...it's up to you to keep the 'pregnant susan' thread alive! Well, you know I'm joking around, but wouldn't that be great if you had 'success' in the next month or so?!?! we'll all be thinking of you!

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SoCal]

This may have been covered under another thread (so sorry if I am repeating) but I had a questsion for all the pregnant/soon-to-be pregnant BBrs...are you printing these threads as a kind of 'journal' of your time being pregnant/waiting to get pregnant? I realize there are pages and pages of posts but it would be great to be able to read what you were thinking/feeling throughout your pregnancy in the future. Just a thought.

Good luck to all of you!!

[This message has been edited by SoCal (edited 04-18-2001).]

[SoCal]

Sorry, duplicate post, not sure what happened!

[This message has been edited by SoCal (edited 04-18-2001).]

[MrsReber]

SoCal, what a great idea to print this all out! I actually never thought of that- must be my shrinking brain keeping me from thinking! I actually like posting here to see what the other pregnant ladies are going through so I don't feel so alone. It's my support group!

Marisa, that's so funny- I can see it now "Kyle's Back to Nature Daycare". We'd have camping expeditions and the children would learn how to start a fire with a flint and stone. Well, if you want to see us, we do have a website. The address is: http://www.whackmaster.iwarp.com/ I gave my sister more pictures to put on the site, but I don't think she has them on there yet.

This struck me as very funny yesterday. My husband comes home with gifts from work. He works in a machine shop with a bunch of other gruff guys. He's carrying a basket full of baby clothes and baby items. It was really nice, actually. They bought some very cute outfits (Baby Snoopy even!). We think
that there was a girlfriend involved somewhere. No way could these guys go pick out such nice baby stuff.

The birthing class was interesting. I knew alot of the stuff that she went over because I have been reading all the books. I think the classes are really beneficial to the husbands so they understand what we'll be going through. I'm sure I'll learn lots, too. We have a rather quiet group, though.

Yes, my commute is exhausting. I get up at 5:15 and I'm out the door by 6:05 to catch the 6:48 train. Then I am at my desk around 7:30. Ahhh!!! It actually takes longer going home because there's more traffic then. Yuck. I don't know if I'm going to make it to May 11th. 3 More weeks!!

Susann, Marisa is right! I'm 5 weeks from my due date! We'll be thinking of you!

[MrsReber]

Hi again everyone. I just saw that there was a recall on the baby wipes warmer made by Safety First. I know we briefly discussed them at one point, but I didn't know if anyone actually bought one. There's more information on the Babies R Us website. They list product recalls on their site so I occasionally take a look.

[SusanD]

Susan, how sweet that your husband's co-workers gave him a "shower"! Ughhh...I can't believe that you get up at 5:15. I don't even get up that early to walk. I don't blame you for wanting to stop working early! Get all the rest you can!

I like Marisa's idea, "Kyle's Back-To-Nature-Daycare". He could market it like some kind of a new-age hippie learning center and probably make a fortune!

Oh, just another warning about what lies ahead for you (or rather, Kyle)...apparently the past couple of weeks I have developed a snoring problem. Whoops! Jay said "I think I'm getting an idea of what I put you through every night!" I mentioned it to a friend of mine and he said that his wife did the same thing the last month of her pregnancy, and he ended up moving into the guest room! Of course it doesn't bother me at all, but you might want to buy Kyle a pair of earplugs for sleeping! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

SoCal, what a wonderful idea! I wonder how far back I could find the Pregnant Susan posts, I know we've been at this for awhile now.

[This message has been edited by SusanD (edited 04-19-2001).]

[Kristilyn1]

the snoring--pregnancy is when I started and motherhood is so exhausting--I think I've snored ever since. My poor husband!

Mrs. Reber--the 5:15 wake up call will stand you in good stead for motherhood. BOTH my boys get up at 5:30 every morning--weekends, weekdays, whatever. I think the children of people who work outside the home are apt to get up much earlier than if they don't "have" to get up at a certain time. Your day sounds WAY too long. I would imagine that your doctor would have no problem giving you a note to shorten your days or #'s of days a week you work. That's got to be brutal. Let's just hope we don't start getting really warm days anytime soon...that won't make it any easier.

Can I sign my kids up for Kyle's Wilderness Daycare? They would be in heaven if they could fish all day and stomp around in the woods.

Kristi

[MrsReber]

It's too early for labor pains!! I still have 5 weeks to go! I'm going to give it some time and see if it improves. I just have a thing about calling the doctor too much. Wow, we've been posting since October? I have to go home and print all of these threads out. That's great. Good idea SoCal had!

Okay, I'm going to tell my boss that you said I could go home. Actually, he's at a meeting for the rest of the day so he won't notice me sneaking out. Hmmm, you realize if your baby is late and mine is early, our delivery dates could be very very close.

[This message has been edited by MrsReber (edited 04-19-2001).]

[mb]

MrsReber, I would also call the doctor...you never know what's going on! If they go away when you move around/change position, it could be 'nothing'. But if not, then it might be labor pains?!?!

my boss also left for the rest of the day. SusanD, is it ok for me to go home early too?!?! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

MrsReber, I liked your website a lot. Your wedding pictures were very nice - it looked like a beautiful day! Your site is a lot fancier than mine! my DH is the real computer whiz, so until he gets some spare time (which will probably be never!), then we're stuck with the free yahoo page that i put together. Here's the address if you want to take a look. http://www.geocities.com/marisabower (http://www.geocities.com/marisabower) I even have our ultrasound pics on there!

That is so nice that Kyle's workmates threw him a baby shower too! Plus, it is definitely cute to see men carrying around a ton of baby stuff http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Thanks for the info about the recall on the wipe warmer. My DH thinks this is a 'necessity', although I think it's a silly gimmick. That is actually the second recall I've heard about on that type of product. Maybe I can convince him that we don't need it!!

Uh oh! Snoring?!? Well, I guess it could be possible (although I've been convinced that girls just don't do that sort of thing, along with burping, and other various bodily noises!) Have you all been congested? I have been (for no apparent reason, although I've heard it's attributable to pregnancy). Maybe that contributes to the snoring stuff...

Well, I guess I should try to get more work done, although I'm ready to fall asleep any minute! But even if I were at home in bed, I'm not so sure that would be easy - the baby has been moving like CRAZY today! I feel like she's just going to bust out of my stomach any minute now!

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

P.s. MrsReber, don't forget to call the doctor - we'll all be expecting an update ASAP!

[MrsReber]

Marisa, cute website! We went to St. Thomas on our honeymoon! We sure do miss it there. Great fishing and beautiful beaches. Great Paris pictures, too. Maybe I'll get there some day. That must've been a great trip!

Well, the back pain is better if I walk around, so I'm sure it's probably nothing. I'm weird about calling the doctor. I know, that's what they're there for, but I hate to call and have them say "you're fine". Then I feel like a wuss for calling. Still, I'm leaving here in about 20 minutes. I think lying down will help much more than sitting. ouch! I'm also starving today for some reason. And the baby won't sit still. He/she is a real bruiser! I keep saying the baby's feet are probably the size of my husband's feet - 13! At least that's what it feels like on my insides!



[This message has been edited by MrsReber (edited 04-19-2001).]

[mb]

just a note about calling the dr.... a few weeks ago, i had a leg cramp in my calf that woke me up in agony in the morning, and then didn't go away all day. i went to the dr in the afternoon so she could check it out asap, and they immediately sent me for an ultrasound of my calf to make sure there were no blood clots or anything. it was a little scary. after all of that, everything was ok. i guess i feel a little dumb for making an emergency call to the doctor about a little leg cramp, but if something WAS wrong, it would have saved me. and don't forget about my SIL who thought she just had REALLY bad gas after eating mexican food - with coaxing she called the doctor - and she ended up with an emergency c-section that night!

i'm certainly not trying to scare you, but sometimes you just need to call the doctor to let him/her know what's going on - just in case...

[KristaMB]

MrsReber~ Please call the doctor, just to make sure that everything is okay. I was reading in a magazine today that the average pregnant woman calls her doctor eight times during the pregnancy to ask questions. That made me feel a little better for wanting to call all the time.

That's so cool that the guys at Kyle's work threw him a shower. When I was born, my dad's work threw him a shower, too. My mom still thinks that was just the sweetest thing.

Marisa and Mrs Reber, I loved seeing your websites. My DH designs and programs websites for a living, and finanly just finished the one for his business. I doubt we'll have one anytime soon. Maybe when he's out of school for the summer I can convince him to make one.

Susann, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! It would be neat if you could be the next "pregnant Susan(n)."

Well, I went and had the ultrasound today. The doctor is positive we're having a boy. Now we just have to think of good names. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif You may remember that my mom didn't want to know what we were having. Well, I just blew that one when she called to see how the ultrasound went. I did real good for the first five minutes of the conversation, but then I slipped and said "he." She said that she'd rather hear it straight from me than from my grandparents, or somebody else. But I am still feeling a little bad.

My phone has been ringing off the hook. I've been typing this post forever because I keep getting interrupted. All of my friends are really excited. Nobody else is in the "baby mode" yet.

Did any of your doctors tell you to wear completely flat shoes? My back has been really hurting, and she told me to "ditch the heels." The shoes I was wearing weren't even heels! They were almost flat sling backs. I'm not sure what to do because I have to dress up for work, so tennis shoes won't cut it. Any ideas?

~Krista

[This message has been edited by KristaMB (edited 04-19-2001).]

[MrsReber]

Have to ask this question. Since Monday evening, I've been getting kind of sporadic cramps in the middle of my back. They feel like regular monthly cramps (how annoying!!) But is this something I should call my doctor about? After I had lunch today, it seemed to get worse. I have to get up and walk around every 20 minutes (with baby kicking me in the sides the whole time!!). I hate to call the doctor everytime I feel something different. Just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this.

I think I do snore on occasion, but that was mostly due to my sinuses. It's been fun. My nose was bleeding last night after dinner. I'd be surprised if my husband would wake up because of my snoring. He doesn't hear much when he's asleep! He also snores a bit, depending on what position he's in. Many times I've had to roll him over so he'd stop snoring in my ear!

Kristi- I got home Tuesday night and Wednesday night and Kyle was out stomping around in the woods trout fishing. He was out there for a while yesterday and caught 5 trout. Please, he'd be in heaven himself if he could spend all day in the woods. I have to say, it is quite peaceful.

Yes, 5:15 is not even a time, as far as I'm concerned. No one should have to get up at that hour. I do leave here around 4:15, but then I don't get home until 6:00. Of course, I've been sneaking out a few days a week to take an earlier train. I am going to leave early today, too, since sitting down is killing my back right now. I'm askin my boss for a laptop so I can access all my applications from home. Maybe then I could cut down on my commuting.


[This message has been edited by MrsReber (edited 04-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by MrsReber (edited 04-19-2001).]

[SusanD]

I'd probably call your dr. about those pains. At this point, you never know what your body could be up to. And it doesn't hurt to be cautious. But if it turns out that they're labor pains, I'm going to be very jealous! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I did a quick search to see how far back our posts go, do you realize that the Pregnant Susans have been around since October? Time really flies, huh!

Well, it's a beautiful day here and I'm leaving in about 1 1/2 hours to go get my hair cut, so I'm sending all of you home early too! Enjoy your evening!

[kwormann]

mb and Mrs. Reber

Thanks for the websites....its always fun to se the "actual" faces you on people you put "false" faces on while chating!

Kim

[MrsReber]

I went home and got off my feet (except for making dinner, but I enjoy that). After dinner, I decided to just lie down on my left side and that seemed to really help. Not sure what the cramps were all about. My back didn't bother me all night. I think perhaps this chair may be the culprit. It doesn't offer much in the way of back support. Three more weeks of torture chair!! My back is beginning to hurt much more consistently. No, I didn't call the doctor. I figured I'd see how I felt after I got home.

I love our little website. My sister is learning how to do web design at work so I send her pictures to put on there. She's been really busy lately so she hasn't had time to add the most recent ones I sent to her. Be warned- there will be pictures of Kyle's deer on there eventually! I wasn't able to see our pets anymore. That link hasn't been working on my computer. Our wedding day was beautiful- I could not have asked for a nicer day.

I know you're not trying to scare me, Marisa, and I appreciate what you're saying about calling the doctor. When I do call, they never say "you whimp, why are you bothering us?!" I have called about pain in the past. I just want to get to the next visit on Wednesday and then I'll ask the doctor everything. That should be an internal exam, too. Not that I'm looking forward to that part, but it'll be good to know more about what's going on and which way the baby is facing. I can't tell. This kid moves around so much!

Yeah!! A boy! My MIL wants a boy so badly. It's evil, but I do love to torture her. We normally call the baby "he" as a generic term because we don't like to say "it"- so of course everyone thinks we know the sex. My co-worker calls the baby "shim". I hate to know that my MIL has a preference- and my neighbor and my SIL. Then I'll always wonder if my MIL is as happy with a girl. Right now, she has 2 grandchildren almost the same age. One is a boy (5 years old) and the other is a girl (4 years old). She hardly ever visits the little girl, but she is always doing stuff with the boy and buying him things. It's not right at all.


[This message has been edited by MrsReber (edited 04-20-2001).]

[mb]

Krista, when the baby's arrival gets closer, your DH may feel more like making a website for all those new baby pics you'll have. My DH (computer guy) talks to all his computer-guy co-workers, and they all share the websites they created that are full of pictures of their babies! Of course, now my husband is convinced we need all kinds of digital camera equipment etc....

Kim, i agree - it is fun to put faces to names!! Anyone else have a website they're willing to share?!? (Oh, MrsReber, I couldn't see the link to your pets either! I think your sister has some trouble shooting to do! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif By the way, those were very cute flower girls at your wedding!)

Congrats also on the ultrasound! did you get to keep any pictures? That's the coolest part - it's just that when you show them to people you really have to explain what everything is, otherwise they think it's just a big blob! Also, I wouldn't feel too bad about letting the 'boy' thing slip to your mom. She was bound to find out sooner or later, right?!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

And about your back: if it's hurting, i think it's best to stay away from heels. however, since you do have to dress up for work, maybe you can try some special shoe inserts. i bought the dr scholls dynastep maternity inserts that fit into your shoes. but i really hardly use them b/c i always wear sandals. it's worth a shot though.

MrsReber, I'm glad your back is feeling a little better. Maybe you can get a new chair at work, or put some kind of back-support contraption on it to give you more support. You commute so far & work so hard - you deserve to not have torture! It's enough with the baby weighing so much & moving around like crazy, right?!?

Well, have a great day everyone. I might be leaving work around noon - there is a great outdoor arts festival going on here, and my DH is taking the afternoon off (he already worked about 50 hours this week so far - what's up with that?!?)... we've got some beautiful weather here - we should try to enjoy it before it gets too hot and muggy!

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SusanD]

Good morning all! How is everyone today this lovely friday? It's pouring here...bleh!

I got my hair cut yesterday, and I'm here to tell everyone NOT to wait till the week before they're due to get a haircut, that chair was sooooo uncomfortable! I actually had to have her stop for a minute so I could stand up and stretch my back.

Marisa, what a great website! It's so nice to be able to put a face with a "voice". You're a very cute pregnant woman! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I really should make one for us. DH isn't real knowledgeable about computer stuff so if it's going to be done then I'll have to be the one to do it. I haven't had too many sinus problems lately, so I can't quite figure out where the snoring is coming from, unless it has something to do with the baby pushing on my diaphragm. Hopefully it will go away when the baby's born, I'd hate to become known as a "snorer"!

Oh, and I had the leg cramp too one time! It woke me up at about 4:30 in the morning and I in turn woke up my poor husband yelling "Owwww my leg!" According to What to Expect When You're Expecting, it's pretty common in the last couple of months of pregnancy.

I called my dr. once on the weekend (actually I got the answering service who had a nurse call me) about a bump that I found...down there. I answered all of her questions and it turns out it was just a varicose vein (which is still there and hurts like crazy), but I've heard that you can get blood clots in that area that are pretty serious. It never hurts to be sure!

Krista, congratulations on your son! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif How exciting! For me, finding out the baby's sex really made me feel closer to her. I talk to her about "girl stuff" now, it's so much fun!

My dr. never told me to wear flat shoes, but I usually do anyway. Or else the kind with the really chunky heels. I have a couple pairs of high-heeled boots, but they have the chunky heels too and I've worn those during my pregnancy. My feet do get tired more easily, though. There are a lot of really cute flats out there now, so you could probably find a pair that doesn't cost a lot. Since your feet will probably be swelling in the last couple of months (if they haven't been already) I wouldn't spend a lot, because you probably won't be able to wear them afterwards.

Susan, I hope your back is feeling better! That's sad that your MIL is so biased towards a boy. Hopefully, if you do have a girl, she'll take one look at the baby and fall in love! Hey, tomorrow is your shower! Yippee! I'll be thinking of you, hopefully you'll get lots of great stuff! Oh, one chair suggestion, what I've been doing at work is folding up my jacket and putting it behind my back. It helps! Plus we were giving away these really nice stepstools to our customers when they open a checking account (see, banks give away more than toasters!), so I stole one of those to put underneath my desk. Oh, just a warning about the "internal examination"...if your dr. is checking your cervix it's a little (no make that a lot) uncomfortable. It totally caught me by surprise, because it's more than just a Q-tip going up there like a pap test. Apparently my eyes nearly bugged out of my head the first time, because I didn't expect it!

Well, everyone have a great friday! Marisa, enjoy your afternoon off! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[MrsReber]

Susan, thanks for the warning on the internal exam! They told me "it's not that bad". I'll just have to remember to stay really relaxed. That always seems to help. It's hard to remember when you're in such a precarious situation, however!

Our flowergirls were my 2 neices. I couldn't pick just one! The older one is my brother's little girl, Emily. She had the most beautiful auburn hair. The younger one is Mary, my sister's little girl. She's very timid, but I hear she's been tearing up the soccer field! I have a feeling I may be seeing her soon if tomorrow is the big shower day. It has to be. How much longer can they wait?

I haven't had too much problem with shoes. I think I've been really lucky. I wear very low heels at work.

I asked this guy at work if I could have his extra chair. I knew he'd bring it right over for me. I told him he's my hero. I at least have some decent back support now!

Marisa, that half day sounds nice- especially to go to a festival on a beautiful day! Susan, I think your rain is headed our way. It's nice out today and tomorrow it's supposed to be near 70, but we have a chance of showers through the whole day.

I didn't bring my lunch today so I went downstairs to get a salad. Turns out they're having a little fundraiser in the lobby. They have chocolate and 50/50 tickets. I tried to avoid it. Here I am coming down the escalator with a huge healthy salad and what's at the bottom of the escalator? A woman selling these awesome chocolate bars. Well, it was for a good cause. Apparently I was not the first pregnant woman to fall into their little trap!

[AvrilH]

Newbie here - but here's my 2 cents about Bfing and Weight. I think it is a bit of a misnomer that nursing helps you lose weight. I think it comes from the fact that nursing helps your uterus shrink a lot faster, which helps with your tummy bulge.

However, my experience is that I have babies gaining about 1/2 pound a week for the first 4 months, so at least I know some of what I ate was going there - sort of a built in diet....

BTW - can I join this thread? I am due July 20. After that, I will need to join a weight loss thread. I think I will be about 30 pounds up post-partum (long story).

Good luck to everyone

[MrsReber]

Welcome AvrilH!!! And congratulations! Please join us- we love to hear advice and stories from other moms. I don't think anyone has claimed the month of July yet for delivery. I could be wrong- I have severe memory lapse lately.

I think with the breastfeeding, everyone is probably different just like all other types of weight loss. I hear you about the extra pounds! I am afraid to weigh in at the dr's next week. I am almost at 35 pounds now and I have 5 weeks to go. I hear that it should slow down a bit toward the end. I feel huge today. Might be all the water I've been drinking since I've been so thirsty.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend- it's almost time for me to go home. One more week down and three to go before I can stop commuting!

[kwormann]

Your websites were so fun that I have told DH we need one...it will be nice for all of our family who are in IN! (an of course, all my BB buds!!!)
Kim http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[BethH]

I'm with Kim on the websites! You guys are all so cute! It is really fun to put a face with a BB identity.

http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Beth, (who lurks on the Pregnant Susan sites just to keep tabs on the whole experience with much anticipation on my part! We are so looking forward to starting ourselves!)

[MrsReber]

You realize that we only put flattering pictures on the website!! That's why we're so cute http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif!

I do want to put a pregnant picture on there, but dh seems to only take awful pictures of me. We have a roll of film that needs to be developed and I am hoping there's a decent picture of me on there. We got dressed up to go out to dinner last week so they should be nice pictures, at least.

I am surprised at how many people "lurk" on these threads. I'm glad that everyone enjoys reading our posts. It's so very nice to have people to share all of this with. Sometimes family gets to be too overbearing!

Kim, that's alot of the reason I like having our website. My dad is in AZ and we don't see him too often, though I wish he'd come out here once in a while!! But that's another story. It's nice that we can at least send each other pictures.

Well, I better get in the shower. My "surprise" shower is today. I'll give everyone a full report!

[mb]

hello everyone - still reporting in with beautiful weather here! the arts festival was nice; we may go back again this weekend. it's just hard to walk around for a long time. and although the weather is great, it can get a little on the warm side!

SusanD, I'm glad you think I'm a 'cute' pregnant woman. I don't feel so cute these days... I agree with MrsReber, though, in that we only put 'cute' sort of pics on the website! Actually, those don't even display my complete 'cuteness'... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif just kidding!

SusanD, thanks also for the warning on the internal exam. I agree with MrsReber that the key is to relax, even though that's extremely difficult to do, considering what they're doing to you!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

Welcome, AvrilH, to the thread! We need a July due-date person! now we have april, may, june, july, and august. wasn't there a september too? i've lost track of everyone! sorry! i forget an awful lot these days... and just so you know AvrilH, on this thread, 30lbs isn't so bad. I think i'm at around 35 lbs w/ MrsReber!! And I still have 7-8 weeks to go!

This board has also been really helpful to me. Family can definitely become overbearing, and it's nice to know that there are other pregnant ladies out there who are going thru all the same things as I am. None of my friends are pregnant (or have been recently)... Actually, one of my co-workers has been great to talk to - she talks about her daughter and her pregnancy like it was yesterday - her daughter is just about to graduate high school and go off to college! that is so freaky - time goes by way too quickly!

MrsReber, have fun at your 'surprise' baby shower today. I hope you get a lot of baby stuff. You said much wasn't missing from your registry...maybe they got you more gift certificates?!? (And just so you don't feel alone, I'm also a registry-peeker! I didn't know it was 'illegal'... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif)

Oh, and for anyone who wants to make a website and doesn't know where to start, you can create a free email account at www.yahoo.com, (http://www.yahoo.com,) and then you're eligible to set up a free webpage at www.geocities.com. (http://www.geocities.com.) it's very easy to do - basically just pointing and clicking - anyone can do it. it's certainly not fancy, but if you just want to post pictures to share with family, it gets the job done! i'm sure there are other types of free services out there also...

have a great weekend everyone!

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[CheerLiz]

Marisa;
So sorry to hear about the diagnosis -- and although I don't work with children with autism any more, I did do some pretty intense research and work with them about 4 years ago at a school in Princeton that specialized in autism. Here are some books to read, if you're interested...and remember that I'm no expert, and these are just my opinions that I learned from my own experiences...

1. I believe that Ivar Lovaas' techniques of behavior modification yield the greatest successes in children with autism -- many have criticized his practices as being "mechanical" but the therapy, in my opinion, is the best. I was actually trained in this technique and worked as a therapist for 5 years and saw children who were mainstreamed into kindergarten and indistinguishable from their peers after 2-3 years of therapy.

2. Catherine Maurice's book, "Let Me Hear Your Voice" is a true story of a woman with two autistic children who went through Lovaas-type therapy and was successful. I don't believe in the "holding therapy" stuff, but that's just my opinion.

3. I've seen and read lots of Temple Grandin's stuff and don't beleive a word of it. I saw her speak and I'm skeptical of her.

4. Behavior modification works best in intense settings (40 hours/week with a therapist and parent training so they can continue it in the home) and when it begins at very young ages (2-3 years old). That's why it's so important to diagnose these kids when they're young.

5. I know of many parents who had to sue thier school districts to pay for behavior modification because they thought it was too expensive. Most of them won in court, but had to pay out of their pockets while the case was pending. Most school districts disagree with behavior modification because it costs a lot and involves many, many hours of independent professionals who generally do not work in the school system. But in my opinion, this therapy actually saves the school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run because it eventually requires less support from the Special Ed departments in the schools because the kids are able to function at higher and higer levels.

Good luck, and email me off-list at liz@BGCheer.org if I can help.

Sorry for the long post!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

--Liz

[Kristilyn1]

Glad to hear all our pregnant ladies are doing well.

Thanks for posting the sites--(Marisa and Susan R.) it is nice to see faces. For some reason--I pictured both of you as much shorter.....why? Because I'm crazy I guess. Crappy week here--My company closed our office--so I'm an unemployed person. Luckily, the market is still okay around here--so I should have a job soon. Should give me plenty of time to train for my 10K race in a couple of weeks though!

Take care all! Can't wait to hear about the shower.

Kristi

[MrsReber]

Well, the shower was still fun, even though it wasn't a surprise. I was at least surprised by who would be there, since I didn't know the guest list. Anyway, I have to ask all you ladies- is it proper etiqutette to make "the hat" out of the ribbons at a baby shower? I thought they only did that at wedding showers?! They insisted. I told them they had 5 seconds and if they all thought it was so great, I was going to pass the hat around for everyone to wear! I'm hormonal! Nobody wanted to put the hat on my head. They gave that job to my mom. I gave her the 5 seconds and told her that she should wear it now. Well, she very quickly put it on her head, but would not turn around to let everyone see. I told them it's bad enough that they all want to look at me, then they place a really silly hat on my head and all laugh at me?!!?? I wasn't mean about it, but still. I thought that was just a wedding shower thing?! My SIL was proud of me (my brother's wife). She hated when they did that to her.

Well, we have tons of baby stuff. Apparently the store screwed up with the registry and either didn't take things off when something was purchased or they actually told the person that I wanted a different item! I got this crib sheet from my husband's aunt. The store employee told her that it was the right one from the registry, yet it was a totally different pattern. Very odd. Also, Babies R Us is merging (or something like that) with Amazon so alot of the stuff that I placed on the registry was discontinued and replaced by other items. I did get another gift certificate and some money from my great aunt and my cousin. So now we have about $400 to spend on whatever we didn't get!

I am upset that my sister has been up from NC since Wednesday and I only got to see her today. Here's the story behind the shower- and everyone is mad at my mom for this!! Well, it is her fault. My sister knew that in order to surprise me, they'd have to have a shower early- hence the March 24th date. My mom was complaining that she needed to go on a vacation and wanted to go to Las Vegas for a week. Since the 24th "could have" been her vacation week (but wasn't) she didn't want to plan anything. Turns out, everyone was waiting for invitations because word was that the shower was on the 24th of March. Hoo boy. My sister gave up at this point. I really can't believe my mom would be so weird about it. She finally planned her vacation and they are going away in June (she was doing a timeshare exchange). Oy!! It's over now. I walked in and my mom says "she's not surprised" I said "how long were you going to wait???" This baby will be considered full term in 2 weeks. Hmmm. Before we walked in the house, I said to my husband "don't think I'm not suspicious of these people!!".

Okay, I went on long enough. I love all the gifts and the clothes!! Another word about autism- my friend has a friend and her baby boy is autistic. She mentioned changing her son's diet and eliminating some carbs or dairy- I can't remember which? Does anyone know about that?

By the way, I am only 5'4"- my husband's family is very tall so they all think I am short. My MIL is forever trying to buy me petite clothes. When she can't find petite, she buys me a small. I usually wear a medium in anything. I tell my husband that she must think I'm a midget!

Time to go relax. I took all the tags off the clothes to get them ready for the wash. Now I just need a little something to eat and some sleep!

[mb]

see, i am so forgetful! i started writing a post, and totally forgot why i sat down to type in the first place!

recently, someone on this thread brought up some scary stuff about a link between autism and the mercury that binds some vaccines (like the MMR). well, my mom told me today about a close friend of hers - she recently found out her grandson is autistic... so she gave my mom some articles, etc. to give to me to read, if i wanted to. i'm going to do a little more reading up on this (in more scientific places) i am a statistician, so i know full well about how one study could show a link between autism and mercury and how another similar study could show no significant relationship between the two.

anyhow, one of the articles brought up something about why we give so many shots to babies before they are even 6 months old (when supposedly their immune systems aren't even fully developed). i don't know too much about this, but i'm always wondering 'WHY' about these various things... if anyone has any answers, i'd love to hear them! in the meantime, i have some research to do! i'll let you all know what i find.

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[mb]

cheerliz, thanks for the autism info. i will pass it on... MrsReber, about the dietary restrictions: i had never heard much about this, but this particular child has to have a lot eliminated from his diet: no wheat/flour, dairy, etc. My DH is mad at my mom now for telling me about this family's trials and tribulations(i.e. doctors, therapists, food restrictions, etc.) He also thinks that when you're pregnant, people shouldn't scare you with their awful labor stories or horrible things that went wrong near the end of your pregnancy, etc. Oh well...people DO still tell you all this stuff! You just have to decide what you want to do with all the information!

Kristi, sorry to hear about your job. The week I found out I was pregnant, we found out that our little non-profit agency was getting the ax! That wasn't too comforting. We have managed to get things extended for a while, so it looks like we'll be around until January...but actually, it works out great for me! So sometimes, these things turn out for the better.

By the way, that's really cool that my website not only makes me look cute http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif, but tall too! I'm really only about 5'2" or so!

MrsReber, I can't believe they made you wear the hat! I had never even heard of that for the wedding shower, so you can imagine my dismay at the time... And knowing the pregnancy hormone thing & how big and uncomfortable we feel, i think it's kinda mean that they made you wear the hat too! This is one of the reasons I didn't want a shower at all - you sit in the middle of the room, at the plumpest you've ever been, feeling oh so unattractive, while people stare at you while you open presents. (of course, this is not the point of baby showers...i'm just very pessimistic! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif)

Sorry to hear that your mom kinda messed up the date for the shower. At least it's over and you got all kinds of goodies for the baby! AND, now you don't have to think about the baby shower anymore! When is your sister going back to NC? Call her up (where ever she is staying) and tell her she better come visit with you! Take charge! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Sorry to hear that babies r us screwed up. just be sure to take back/exchange things so that you get what you want. my SIL never did that (too lazy?) and now she has tons of brand new stuff that she's never going to use. it's silly, because they could 'trade in' the unwanted stuff for things they need. plus, it can be insulting to the person who gave you the gift (i.e. we got them a baby monitor from their registry, and someone else got them a monitor also - one that was free 'extra' somehow. my SIL tried to return that one, but couldn't b/c it was 'free', and then they didn't bother returning ours either... so the $50 we spent on their monitor was totally wasted - it is still in their house, brand-new, in the box! i wish they took it to babies r us and exchanged it for $50 worth of stuff for the baby!)

but that is very cool that you have so much $$$ to spend at babies r us! a shopping spree sounds fun! Unfortunately, we go on shopping sprees without having such gift certificates! I can't even tell you how many outfits we bought last night! I think we have enough clothing for her until she turns 1! (we've been buying in all different sizes, thanks to my anal-retentiveness! i also keep track of everything so i know what else we need!)

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!
Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[shoyski]

Alright Mr. Reber! Finally, the shower arriveth and cometh. Now you can relax finish the baby's room. And I'm with you on the hat deal....I have NEVER seen that done at a baby shower so I'm glad you stood your ground.

Welcome AvrilH. I'm due in September so you've filled in the gap for the rest of us.
Kristi, I am really sorry to hear about your job situation. It's good that the economy is still fairly strong. I'll keep you in my prayers and hope that you find an even better job.

[Susann]

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. It means so much, as this is a difficult experience (But I know it will work out-hopefully soon!) and I need all the support I can get. Yes, I would be tickled to continue the pregnant Susan thread!

Marisa and Susan-great web pages. I think over summer vacation I will motivate myself to create one. This may be quite a feat for me, as I just recently figured out how to make things bold. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Again, continued health for all our pregnant bbers!

[mb]

boy am i an active typer this weekend! well, i just finished a batch of autism research, and i wanted to share my findings:

i mostly looked at the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics websites. basically, the original study that showed a link between the MMR and autism was based on an idea that the MMR caused some sort of bowel disorder which in turn blocked the absorption of certain minerals/whatever, thus 'causing' autism. however, this guy's study was only based on 12 kids, and they were specifically chosen for the study, so it wasn't a random sampling (bad for statistics - you can't generalize your findings to everyone).

secondly, there is now a lot of research that suggests that autism is a genetic thing. in fact, on the national autism organization's website (www.naar.org), they even give the name of the exact gene that's been found in most kids with autism...

thirdly, on the cdc's webpage (www.cdc.gov), i did a search for thimerosal, the mercury derivative used as a vaccine preservative... a few years ago, there was a huge push to reduce the amount of mercury exposure, and so the pharm. companies have been complying with non-thimerosal products. The hepatitis B no longer uses this compound at all, and smithkline beecham makes a non-thimerosal DTaP that is available. Also, the MMR, chicken pox, polio, and 'pneumococcal conjugate' vaccines have never contained thimerosal. Now, the maximum amount of ethylmercury exposure from routine immunizations has decreased by 60% from 187.5mcg to 75mcg. You can read about this at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/thimerosal/joint_statement_00.htm, plus some information on thimerosal at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/thimerosal/thimerosal.htm

hope this helps...
marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[MrsReber]

Susann- you are too funny with the website, how you said you just learned how to bold things! I still haven't mastered bold! That's why my sister takes care of our website- though she's been slacking off! I found out yesterday that they were leaving this morning at 11:00 so there really was no time for visiting. We really didn't see much of each other with the shower going on.

Yes, I will definitely return the duplicate items. That will just give us extra $$ to spend on the things we really need.

Okay, all you moms out there- what sort of baby clothes do I need to bring to the hospital? Do I just need one outfit to take the baby home in? If so, how will I ever decide???

I have two outifs that I think are perfect. One is a little shirt and pants set and the other is one of those baby bags with buttons at the bottom and I little hat to match. Oh, but then there's the baby Snoopy outfit too. Ahhhh!! I'm washing everything now so I can put it away and straighten out the baby's room.

Marisa, that's it exactly! I hate people looking at me to begin with and now here they all are STARING at me!! And I'm feeling oh so beautiful about now. I really do appreciate the shower and the gifts, though. I have no need to buy anymore clothes in the 0-3 or 3-6 month size (even though I probably will buy more when we know the sex). No hats! Fight the hat!!

Can you come organize my baby's stuff? I am confused.

[mb]

I second MrsReber's question to all the moms out there: how many baby outfits do we need to bring to the hospital? I know we need at least one going-home outfit, but do we need anything other outfits?

MrsReber, we picked out a homecoming outfit that is EXTREMELY simple - we want the focus to be on the baby and not on her outfit! it's actually a little white onesie with a pale pink striped trim. it also has this little pale blue & pale pink star embroidered at the neck - it's just perfect because she'll be our 'little star'! also, we got a matching pale pink striped cap to go with it.

i like the little hats; i think they're cute. plus, in case our baby has a pointy head after delivery, the hat will help cover that up!

One note: i went to the grocery store today for the weekly shopping (because, of course, i'm one of those menu-plan-ahead people!), and two of the employees there that i see all the time were like "when are you having that baby already?!?". (i can only imagine how SusanD is feeling...)

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[lindrusso]

Hello to all you moms-to-be.

I can only speak from what I did with baby clothes at the hospital, but I only brought one outfit - the one for going home. You're only there one or two days max (assuming no complications), and they are usually well-outfitted. I bet it helps the doctors and nurses if they are NOT fully clothed - so that they can do their evil, but necessary, poking and prodding.

Both of my sons were in t-shirts and just wrapped up in blankets. In the first few exhausting weeks (or months!), it's just easier to have less clothing (or at the very least, simple clothing) - easier to change diapers, easier to change spit-up accidents, etc. This might especially be true if you end up with a "spitter". Both of my boys were. I just kept them in onesies and jammies at home - all that work to dress them up so cutely and then, inevitably, bleh!!! Of course there are also those times when I couldn't resist dressing them to the hilt (didn't happen all that often with the second http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ).

But then again, I'm a casual, no-fuss kinda mom.....maybe that has something to do with having 2 boys.....

[This message has been edited by lindrusso (edited 04-22-2001).]

[Kristilyn1]

Glad to hear the baby shower is over! Sounds like you made out great, that's awesome! I HAVE heard of the baby hat/ribbon thing. It's big at the showers I've been to--though a lot of people will turn it into a corsage to be nice.

Baby outfits at the hospital. Though technically you only need one--I would bring a few. One, if you decide on the hospital baby picture. Plus, I brought a really cute newborn outfit for my youngest and at a big (but by NO STRETCH huge)8 lbs., my little moose didn't fit in it! The other reason--is in case they get it messy, if you know what I mean. The hospital provides pajamas while you are there and while they are not usually Baby Gap--they are extremely soft from frequent washings--I loved them and admit--I left with a couple! Hats are great too, to help cover up conehead syndrome. My oldest was vacuum extracted and his head was A MESS. It looked like he had a caved in head with a huge hickey on it. I kept him in hats for weeks after--because people always looked at his head. (before anyone panics, it didn't hurt him and it was completely normal by the time he was a few weeks old).

I didn't mention--I am a new Auntie this week! This makes 5 nephews and 3 nieces and one more on the way!

Kristi

[MrsReber]

Thanks for the advice! I have 2 outfits picked out. One is a really pretty white and pale yellow gown (with hat and booties!) and the other is a 2 peice pale yellow outfit with little tiny pants and a little tiny shirt! That has a hat and booties, too. These clothes all look so tiny. I washed them all and sorted them according to size. I will probably need more 3-6 month and more 6-9 month, but I'm sure grandmas will take care of that once we know the sex!

I cannot wait to stop working. It got warm here yesterday. Marisa, I don't know how you do it. One warm day and my feet are a little swollen. It felt like 100 degrees to me, but I think our house got up to 78 during the day. Way too warm for me. I was enjoying doing laundry since our basement is so nice and cool.

A corsage would've been much nicer! That hat was huge! I just hope they all don't think I was being snotty or anything. It really was a very nice shower and the time just flew by. I didn't get home until 7:30 and the party started at 1:00.

I guess I better start working. I have a meeting in an hour. All I want to do is organize my baby stuff and go spend my gift certificate! But no, I have to work ;(. Won't be long now.

[clairea]

I also took only one outfit to the hospital for each of my kids -- although I did splurge and buy the little smocked daygowns. However, I knew which sex I was having each time -- if not, I might not have been able to narrow it down so easily and I think I probably would have taken a "boy" outfit and a "girl" outfit. Except for the trip home from the hospital, though, I pretty much kept them in onesies or t-shirts the first few weeks. And it is a standing joke among my family and friends -- my kids always wore hats for the first couple of months (even the one born in Atlanta in August) because I was convinced that they would freeze otherwise http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by clairea (edited 04-23-2001).]

[This message has been edited by clairea (edited 04-23-2001).]

[SusanD]

Wow, you guys were busy this weekend!

Well, I came in this morning and two people said "are you still here?" I guess I'll be hearing that every day from now on...

I have you all beat on the outfits...I packed three for the little one. DH thinks I'm nuts, but I've always been an over-packer, so...like mother like daughter. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif One of the outfits is a little pink fleece top & striped pants from Baby Gap, another is a yellow hooded jacket that I wore home from the hospital 30+ years ago along with a pair of multi-pastel-colored pants (more unisex JUST IN CASE the ultrasound was wrong) and then a white "bag" with red & pink flowers all over it and little poofy sleeves. And of course socks and a white t-shirt to wear with all of them. I also packed the blanket that I was brought home from the hospital in.

Boy you guys are short! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif No, I'm just a gooch (at least that's what Jay calls me). I'm 5'8", he's 5'11", my dad is 6'2" but my mom and both of his parents are way shorter than I am, so it will be interesting so see whose genes this baby gets!

Susan, just think now that dreaded shower is over with! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Glad to hear that you got so much stuff off your registry, plus with the extra $$ you won't have to spend much of your own. Too bad you had to suffer the hat indignity, though! I've never heard of that...in fact, when I started opening my gifts someone asked "is there anything we should be doing with the ribbons?" Mine just went in the trash (although I kept a couple of the really pretty ones for the baby's scrapbook). I'm sure your family means well, they probably just don't get it.

Isn't organizing the baby's stuff hard? I must have re-arranged the drawers five times. Discovered I have a ton of 0-3 and 3-6 month stuff, but once this kid reaches 6 months, she'll be running around naked. Fortunately I'll have some time off to go shopping! I hear you on the warm weather, it was in the 70's on saturday and I was wearing a short-sleeved top, pants and sandals, and by the end of the day my feet & ankles were HUGE!

Kristi, that's too bad about your job. How frustrating! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but you sound pretty confident which is good. We went through that recently with my husband and it was a little scary at first, but like you, the market was good and he was able to find something fairly quickly. In the meantime, enjoy the time off and happy training! And congrats on the new addition to your family!

Marisa, I too get the questions from the check-out ladies at the groc. store. I just smile and say "soon, I hope!" while inside I just want to say "do you think I'm TRYING to stay pregnant?" I know they mean well, though...

I do feel very conspicuous when I go out, like everyone's staring at me. I always feel better when I see another pregnant woman! I wish you guys all lived closer so we could go out together!

Welcome to the thread, AvrilH! Always glad to have another friend to share with! How have things been going for you?

Well, I suppose I should get to work. Last week here! Yippee! I have a dr. appointment tonight so hopefully she'll have some good news about when this baby's coming...

Have a good day everyone!

[BernK]

OK excuse my ignorance but what is the hat thing?

[MrsReber]

Bern, the hat is an awful tradition. I don't know where it came from, but I've only seen it at wedding showers. They take all the ribons, bows, or whatever other little ornaments that people tie onto the gifts then these things are attached to a paper plate and they expect the guest of honor to actually put this "hat" on her head (yes, "her" head since men would never do this). Then everyone stands around and roars with laughter and takes pictures of you. Okay, maybe it's fun at the wedding shower, but at the baby shower when you're 30 or 40 pounds over your normal weight, very unbalanced, hormonal and extremely sensitive- this does not go over well. As a matter of fact, NOBODY wanted to come near me with this hat.

Susan, I know what you mean about being around other pregnant women. I love the lamaze class just for that reason. Wouldn't it be great if we could all go out? I like that idea! That is so great that you have the outfit that you came home from the hospital in. Now that's pretty special.

I wish this were my last week here. That one guy I work with insists that next week should be my last week here. I told him I'll talk to the doctor on Wednesday and see what she thinks. Oh, my sister warned me about the "are you still here?" at work. She worked right up until she had her son.

We got a ton of newborn stuff, but I think we only have 2 outfits for 6-9 months. That's okay, we'll just have to go shop for more! I wish we had more 3-6 month outfits since you just never know how big the baby will be.

[Kimbercook]

Another newbie here! My husband and I are just starting to try. I must admit I've been lurking on the message board and have enjoyed everyone's posts.

I have a question for all those already pregnant. When did you first suspect you were pregnant? What tipped you off?

[saw]

I have posted a couple of times myself, and my DH and I are still trying. I was wondering the same thing as Kimbercook -- what tipped you off? I was convinced I was pregnnant last month, but turns out I was wrong -- hopefully I will be right next time :-)

Sarah

[Kristilyn1]

Even though I am not newly pregnant--I constantly jump on here with my .02. I can't seem to help myself!

My first pregnancy--I was using birth control, was not married yet and had NO reason to think I was pregnant. One night I had an incredibly vivid dream that I had a baby. I got up the next day and without telling my fiance--bought a pregnancy test on my way to work and took it in the bathroom at the office--positive!

The second time I was pregnant--I had just had a blood test that said I wasn't pregnant, but again--I had a dream JUST like the one I had the last time I was pregnant. Again, I bought a pregnancy test on my way to work and did it in the bathroom at the office--positive. I am not the type of person who typically gets "feelings", except when it comes to my body--I'm very in tune. The one time I had a bad pap-- I knew before I went....yes, I'm a freak!

Kristi

[karen w]

O.K. I'm with Kristi-one of those that lurks on this thread, and occasionally offers my $.02.

As for when I knew I was pregnant...with my first, my husband suspected by some of my actions over the course of a few days. I came home one day from the mall like a starving lunatic(I was!), and demanded we have pizza for dinner(AND I MEANT NOW!!). I think my husband knew he was a "dead man" that night if I did not get pizza! And then a few nights later, we were at a restauraunt that serves roasted garlic on the table with bread and olive oil before the dinner. We both love the stuff. He offered me some at which point I told him the thought of the stuff made me nauseous. That's when he knew. I had NO clue.

With #2 and 3, I was more in tune to the signs/sx's(and we were trying) so I picked up on it right away.

And by the way...all you pregnant BB'ers thank you for allowing some of us(who have already had their families)to relive this special time through your "journal."

Good luck!

Karen W.

[shoyski]

Kimbercook, mostly it was the usual ol' ...hey, my period is late...could I be....no...really? We were vacationing on St. John and I noticed I felt slight queasy at times, mostly due to smells. I wasn't nauseated in the slightest, just faintly queasy and when I ate something, the feeling went away. We had been trying for quite some time so I really and truly wasn't expecting it.

When we got home I called the doctor's office the next morning and they asked if I had taken a home test. I laughed and said we got in less than seven hours ago from vacation...I haven't had time. So I went in for a blood test that afternoon but also purchased a home test since the results from the blood test wouldn't get done until the following day.

Let me tell you,...those three to five minutes we had to wait for the "stick" to reveal its stripes were forever! And then I had to stick my nose practically on the stick because I'm so nearsighted and didn't have contacts or glasses on. And here's the goofy part...we saved the stick for at least a week, just not wanting to part with it. How sentimental is that? Neither one of us wanted to be the one to throw it away.

Good luck to all of you who are trying. I just prayed and believed that there was a "Plan" out there that wasn't mine but that if it was meant to happen, it would.

[KristaMB]

Geez, I have a lot of catching up to do http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

MrsReber, the hat thing sounds horrible. I have never heard of making a hat out of the ribbons. At all the bridal showers I've been to, we've always made practice bouquets for the rehearsal. No way would I ever wear "the hat!"

ArvilH~ Welcome and congratulations!

BethH, Kimbercook, sarah, and all the other "lurkers"~ Welcome! Best of luck to those of you who are trying to be a pregnant BB'er!

I haven't even thought about what to pack for the hospital yet. I just visited Babies R Us for the first time this weekend. I can't believe I've held off this long! My husband was laughing at me because I was having the hardest time releasing the carriers from the strollers. I was getting so frustrated! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif I don't know what my problem is...

lindrusso, I agree about the boy stuff. I kept looking at the baby girl outfits because they are so much cuter! I love all the little flowers and hearts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset about having a boy, but it just seems like the girl stuff is better.

Kristi, I'm sorry to hear about your job. Hopefully this will be a blessing in disguise for you.

Well, unlike many of you, I still have a few more months at work. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif I'm envious! I wish it were weeks. The good news is that when I enter my third trimester I get a special parking spot. A few months ago the CEO saw one of my co-workers "waddling" from her car to the building. He has a special reserved spot in the front, and he felt bad that all the big pregnant ladies were hiking from the back parking lot. So, he decided that you could park in the reserved spots if you were in your third trimester. Of course, it's not that far, but I thought it was a nice gesture.

Marisa, I'll have to look at that checklist. I wish I had your organization skills. Over the weekend I finally put the baby stuff into one box! I like your idea of separating by size though. Maybe I'll do that as I accumulate more stuff.

To those wondering about how I knew I was pregnant... I actually missed a lot of the clues. (weird period, tired...) I was off the pill for three months before I got pregnant, so my periods weren't really normal. After I conceived, I still had a period, but it was really light. It was lighter than all the rest, but I didn't really think anything of it. I just kept doing my normal things. Then I thought, hhhmmm, maybe I should take a pregnancy test. Nothing spectacular tipped me off, I guess I finally just got a "feeling."

SusanD, hope the doctor's appointment went well!

Take care, everybody!

~Krista

[lindrusso]

I thought of something else. Sounds like it's too late for SusanD http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif , but my advice would be not to go too overboard on the small sizes. My son was very small when he was born (5 lbs. 6 ounces), but he grew very fast. He literally had more outfits than he could wear before he outgrew them! It's not unheard of for them to gain a pound a week very early on!!! Both of mine did this and condsidering newborn clothes only go up to 11 pounds, they were out of those in no time! Once they reach the 6-9 month and 12 mo. stages, they tend to slow down. And most people who buy you gifts after the baby is born tend to buy all these small sizes. When I buy for a new baby, I always buy at least a 12 month size, knowing that the mom will be overwhelmed with all the small stuff.

That said, it's sooooo much easier said than done when you see all that cute stuff out there. I must say that my biggest complaint is how biased stores are to little girls - soooo much cute stuff and the boys just get a small corner!!!!

[Vanessa]

Hi! It was nice to "meet" Mrs Reber & hubby in pictures and Marissa (mb) too. I see Marisa you went to Puerto Rico in your honeymoon (to Old SAn Juan) Hope it was fun. Its a great place for a honeymoon. To all the moms to be good luck and take care.

[mb]

Thanks lindrusso for the clothing input. we haven't bought too many 'outfits' - just mostly onesies and t-shirts (esp at first - june in florida is hot - i think the baby will be most comfortable in a t-shirt or onesie anyhow!) also, since i'm super-anal-retentive, i keep a list of all the clothes we have so i know not to buy too many tiny things. the other day, i even bought a dress in 12-18 month size!

Thanks also to Kristi - i think i will bring 2 outfits just in case one doesn't fit! hopefully, the baby won't be THAT big though! Congratulations on becoming a new aunt also - very exciting!

Clairea, good plan to bring one boy outfit and one girl outfit just in case...the ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate, after all. i think it might be traumatic to bring baby boy home in a pink flowered onesie...well, maybe not at the time, but years later when he sees the pictures, i don't think he'd be too happy!

MrsReber, the outfits you picked out sound really cute. SusanD, it's funny that you are bringing fleece outfits - i don't know what your weather is like, but it's about 85 degrees here and i can't even begin to THINK about fleece!

About the heat, I think it mostly depends on what you're used to. The A/C in our house is usually set to about 77 degrees, and is extremely comfortable, if not sometimes on the cool side! My feet only tend to swell in the evenings, mostly after making dinner, cleaning up, and doing stuff around the house. The heat doesn't seem to affect anything! You must have been pretty uncomfortable if you 'enjoyed' doing laundry!!

On organizing baby stuff: we've been buying clothes since october (basically, since the day we found out we were expecting!). from the start, i separated stuff into different bags based on size (0-3m, 3-6m, etc). blankets, bibs, etc. went into a separate bag, and toys went into their own huge shopping bag!! now when we buy an outfit, it goes into the proper bag as soon as we get home. also, i keep a list of what's where so i know how many onesies, etc. we have (so i don't have to go through each bag all the time - i just look at the list to see what we need). i read that a good start is 4-7 onesies in each size, so we're shooting for that, knowing that relatives will probably also buy us a lot of stuff. we just wanted to cover the basics on our own. (if anyone's interested, i found these checklists at www.babycenter.com (http://www.babycenter.com) - they have a good calendar and i get weekly email updates about baby's development).

SusanD, i'm so jealous that this is your last week at work! i just counted - i still have to come in for 5 more weeks, and then i get to take work home until baby arrives...

It would be nice if we could all hang out. but hey, i figure this little internet 'support group' is better than nothing at all! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

good luck tonight at your dr appt, SusanD. we'll be hoping for some effacement! I go tomorrow for a routine visit - i think we may schedule another ultrasound (we think they're so cool!). then good luck on wed for MrsReber & her 'exam' - i'll be waiting for a report from you saying 'it wasn't that bad!'

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[mb]

quick reply to vanessa (we must have been typing at the same time): does san juan hold special meaning to you? we had never been there before... we took a cruise for our honeymoon, so we were able to see several islands in a week. our stop in old san juan was sort of late - 3pm until 2am or so. we walked around a little bit, before getting on a bus to who knows where - we took a shore excursion to go kayaking in a bioluminescent bay. it was interesting, but not quite what we expected. the kayaking at night was fun though. that's really all we did in san juan though, as we are not really into casinos or 'nightlife' so to speak. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SusanD]

Lindrusso, the funny thing is that it's all experienced moms who keep giving me 0-3 month sizes! I've been trying to buy the 3-6 month stuff for exactly that reason. I got an adorable outfit from Baby Gap that was a 0-3 month, so I exchanged it for the "stage 2" (3-6 month) size so that she'll be able to wear it longer. It's amazing the difference in sizes between brands, though. I bought an outfit from Kohl's that was 3-6 month, and an outfit from Target that was 0-3 month, and when I held them up together they were almost exactly the same size!

Marisa, you are so organized, I'm very impressed! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I pretty much put everything in the closet until the room was finished, then I sorted out the clothes by size and designated one drawer for each size - with another drawer exclusively for onesies, socks and jammies (her "lingerie" drawer http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif). I have two dressers in there, so the other one is all bedding and bath stuff. The hardest part for me was organizing the changing table so that I would have easy access to everything I need. I'm sure I'll end up re-arranging that too.

Yes, the weather here can be very unpredictable around this time of year. Usually anywhere from upper 50's to low 70's, but a couple of weeks ago it got up almost to 80, and I've also seen it snow. It makes packing almost impossible!

Oh, I heard a good tip I thought I'd pass on - use a hair dryer to dry baby's bottom after changing. Apparently it helps cut down on diaper rash!

Thanks, Marisa, for the well-wishes on my dr. appointment! Hopefully this little girl will decide she wants to come out soon! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[kwormann]

Just saw a blurb on the am news that says there is no connection between autisim and vaccanations....I believe it was a topic of discussion for awhile http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Kim

[MrsReber]

Hmm, how did I know? I stopped taking the pill last July and figured we'd start "trying". My last period was in the middle of August, so we though it'd be a while before anything happened. Well, in September, my chest hurt so very badly. I thought it was just pms and coming off the pill since before I was on the pill, I'd suffer each month with cramps and all kinds of pain- sometimes even throwing up. This time, though, it went on for a few weeks. We went down to VA to close on our property September 8th and I was so tired and not very happy. I had to take a nap and I was STARVING. We got back home and I was still exhausted, but I continued to push myself and go to the gym and run on the treadmill since I felt like I put on a couple of pounds. At work, I had to pee literally every 20 minutes. Then, three days after I should've gotten my period, I decided to take a home test. I had some at home because while I was on the pill, I'd sometimes miss a period and my doctor would tell me to take a test before starting my next month of pills. Well, here I am, getting ready to go to my night class. I had about 15 minutes before I had to leave for class. And I get 2 lines on the test. I laughed and figured there was something wrong with it. Couldn't be. I'm home by myself, too. So I log on to my computer to see if my friend from Ohio is on (she's always on the computer!!). I told her I had a question for her and asked if the test could be wrong. She was laughing at me! She said you can get a false negative, but not a false positive since it's reacting to the hormones in your body. Hmmm. I went to class, couldn't concentrate at all. Had a little talk with my husband when I got home. Took three more tests over the course of a week, but still didn't believe it until my initial doctor's visit a month later. Until I really started to show in my 6th month, I just could not believe the whole thing. It still seems surreal somehow.

[SusanD]

Well, looks like this kiddo just doesn't want to come out!!! Doc says it will most likely be early May. My first ultrasound had actually placed my due date at May 4, but my dr. didn't change the "official" due date because it was within 7 days. So now she's saying that it will most likely be closer to then. Starting next week I'll go in for tests on the baby to make sure she's not under any stress or anything and as long as she's OK they'll wait to induce. Good news is, she's dropped a little and my cervix has started to soften.

How/when did I know I was pregnant? Looking back, I actually felt it the next day! I had been off the pill for 2 months, and woke up one morning after...you know...with this horrible heartburn. I figured it was because we had eaten a late dinner the night before and had pasta w/tomato sauce plus salad w/lots of fresh tomatoes from the garden. So I ate some tums and blew it off. However, it did not go away, and the next evening I commented to my husband that I'd had the most awful heartburn for two days straight. He laughed and said "maybe you're pregnant!" I thought about that for a few days and finally went out and bought a test. It came up negative, though, because I wasn't even supposed to get my period for another week or so. So I just went on normally (and the heartburn went away), but my period never came. Finally about a week after I was supposed to get it I thought to myself "I've been late before, but never this late!" So I took another test, and it took all of about 5 seconds for that second line to show up. I have to admit, the first thing I felt was pretty much terrified...like "OMG, what have I gotten myself into?" But all it took was for me to see the look on my husband's face and I was excited too. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[mb]

First of all, SusanD: how did your doctor appointment go?!?! don't keep us in suspense!

Krista, there is also a 'new parents checklist' on the babies r us website, but they put on a lot of stuff that you don't REALLY need. of course, i modified that to make my own checklist on my computer http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif {blush}. and keep in mind that there is a lot of cute boy stuff out there too. my DH is pretty preppy, so it would have been cute to dress a little boy just like his daddy - you know, in little khakis and polo shirts, etc. when we found out we were having a girl, we were excited about buying dresses, but also a little sad about not getting to buy little polo shirts!

Kim, i also saw the blurb on CNN about the vaccinations/autism thing. It's weird because after reading up on Sunday, there was a whole thing on our local news channel about autism on Monday, and then the CNN blurb on Monday night. Anyhow, for those who didn't see it, there's no proven link between the two - keep getting your kids vaccinated, because the benefits outweigh the risks BY FAR!!!

Now I guess I should add my "how did i know" story: i stopped taking the pill mid-June, and went to the dr to get vitamins, etc. we weren't actively 'trying', but we just decided we weren't going to do anything to 'prevent' - and just let nature take it's course. around mid-october, i noticed that it felt uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach all of a sudden, and i had to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom a few times (very unusual for me). plus, i hadn't gotten my period - but since i went off the pill, i knew my cycle wouldn't be quite as normal (before i was on the pill, it wouldn't have been unusual to have a 35 day cycle one month). i bought a pregnancy test that week...the box said you get the best results when you take it first thing in the morning. but i didn't want to take it, have it be positive, and then have to go to work! so we planned to take it saturday morning... but by friday of that week, i was really sick - not nausea or anything like that, but cough, sore throat, etc - so i went to the doctor asap. sure enough, i had strep throat and she wanted to prescribe antibiotics. so i told her how i thought i might be pregnant but i hadn't taken a test yet. she wanted me to take a test - i was really afraid (if it was negative, i would be disappointed, but i was also kinda scared it would be positive!). finally, i worked up the nerve to take it, and sure enough it was positive! so she prescribed an antibiotic & other meds that were ok, and i went home to tell my DH the good news! we weren't really surprised, because we had been expecting it all week - i was just afraid to take the test! (i still have that unused pregnancy test, too! maybe i'll save it for next time...)

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

P.S. - SusanD, how is it that we are always typing at the same time?!? If your 'new' due date is closer to May 4, what was your old one? I've been given 3 dates so far: June 14, 17, and 22. I'm hoping she comes closer to the 14th http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif glad to hear your cervix is softening though...(gosh, i never thought i'd say that to someone!)


[This message has been edited by mb (edited 04-24-2001).]

[MrsReber]

Susan, sounds like it won't be too long now! May 4th is only next week. The time is going by so fast, but I'm sure you can't wait at this point. I'm getting very uncomfortable and my back is starting to constantly hurt. I did my aerobics tape yesterday because I am feeling so very huge and I thought it might help me stretch out a bit. I'm so curious about the dr's visit tomorrow and what they'll tell me. I can't tell if the baby has dropped any, but I swear my belly looks just a little lower than it used to be.

Marisa, you are beyond organized. And your house is at 77 degrees? I think I'd pass out! But then, my sister comes up here from NC and she's always freezing- even when it's 70 outside. Our house has been around 62 - 64 all winter (much to hubby's dismay) because I am so warm all the time. The temp wouldn't go below 78 until almost 10:00 last night. Making dinner was traumatic. My wonderful dh picked me up some soft vanilla ice cream on the way home from the trout stream. He got there as the ice cream place was closing. He told them "I have a pregnant wife at home and she needs ice cream" so they let him in and gave him some! My hero. I needed some comfort food in a bad way.

We have our second birthing class tonight. Hope I stay awake through it! Everyday Kyle asks if I've done my exercises. He's going to be such a great dad.

[mb]

MrsReber, 62-64 degrees in your house? i think i'd need a parka! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif right now it's very comfortable - we just have our windows open and a beautiful breeze just blows through the house all day - i guess it sounds warm, but your body gets used to it. my DH is from NY (but originally from Russia - very cold there!), and at first he thought florida was very hot! but the other night, we had our windows open, and he thought it was a little 'too cold' - i swear, it must have only been about 75 degrees! this is what happens when you move to florida - anything below 75 is 'cold'!!!

i don't think my baby has dropped yet at all. i'm pretty much always out of breath. but i still have a few weeks to go anyhow... also, i haven't felt any braxton-hicks contractions yet. i dont' know if that's bad or good!

the other day i went grocery shopping and the bakery was out of apple turnovers (they are a staple of my DH's diet...) - so i asked the people behind the counter if they had any hiding in the back... (because after all, my DH NEEDED them to take to work this week!) from their comments, i knew they assumed the turnovers were for me, the pregnant lady! another night, my DH and i stopped in to get some ben & jerry's ice cream - but he picked out 2 flavors, and i picked out one for myself (i didn't like the ones he picked). so when we went to pay, i'm sure the check-out girl thought they were all for me!

[MrsReber]

marisa- yes it was that cold in my house! Kyle was upset about it. Oh well.

About the braxton-hicks contractions, you may not realize what they are. I have been feeling them for a couple of months, but I thought it was just the baby moving into a funny position or rolling or something. It wasn't until they got a little stronger that I realized what it was. Also, the woman who teaches the birthing classes said that can happen and you simply don't feel them. Don't worry! I'm sure you're perfectly fine!

I think my co-workers are getting nervous. They seem scared about me coming to work for 2 more weeks. They want me to stay home after next week. I might just take them up on that. It's so hard to think about work right now!

[This message has been edited by MrsReber (edited 04-24-2001).]

[Kristilyn1]

I was lucky enough to get induced a week before my due date. I was sooo uncomfortable and with a history of big babies with really, really big heads--my doctor was happy to oblige.

Hang in there Susan!

Kristi

[Kimbercook]

Thanks for all the "how I knew" pregnancy stories. I just went off the pill and we are just seeing what happens. Not to be too graphic, but I have noticed some aereolar (spelling???)changes in the last few days. How soon after conception do you think that would occur? It's only been about a week if it has happened at all. I guess time will tell, but waiting is extremely difficult. I can't imagine what it is like to be so close to your due date!

[mb]

kimbercook - good luck...we had success the month we stopped 'trying' (not that it took us long anyhow)... from things i've read, it seems like the harder you 'try', the less likely you are for things to actually happen! we were finally laid back about things, and that was when it happened. that is part of why i was able to go for days without taking the pregnancy test. also, we waited 3 months before telling anyone...

OK, now some more 'serious' stuff... i went to the doctor this evening, and she wants me to come back in one week. apparently, there was some protein in my urine. she said it might indicate some kind of infection. has anyone had this at all? i looked it up in 'what to expect when you're expecting', and it sounded like it might indicate pre-eclampsia, but i don't have any of the other symptoms, like high blood pressure (in fact, my bp has been incredibly low!). i think the suspense until next tuesday is going to drive me crazy. it's also kinda scary.

they took a 2nd urine sample that they'll be sending to the lab, so i guess that might shed some more information as to what's going on.

in the meantime, i didn't tell anyone (except my DH, who was at the office visit!). i figure i'll wait until next tuesday to see what the outcome is before i alarm anyone. but if anyone has any advice for me, i'd really really really appreciate it!

on another note, we scheduled another ultrasound for 2 weeks from now, so we can make sure the baby is the right size (and so we can see if we should still be planning for a girl!). also, total weight gain is now nearly 37 lbs! yikes!!!

[kwormann]

Marissa

Im sure everything is fine...Ill be thinking about you until then!

ps..you motivated me to start our website...we have one now and hopefully it will have pictures over the weekend!

Kim

[KristaMB]

Marisa, I don't know anything about protein in urine, but my line of thinking is this: Hopefully if it were something really serious your doctor would have taken more measures than "come back next week." I'll be thinking about you... Also, I don't know how you could've waited so long to tell people about your pregnancy. You must have some real restraint! I waited only about a week after my test. (It was Christmastime, so I broke the news to my folks with "I love my Grandma/ Grandpa" bibs for part of their gift) I took my test at 5 a.m. before work one morning, but wish I would've waited for a weekend.

Aahhh... speaking of my folks, I need to go pick them up at the airport. Their flying in tonight for a visit. But first, does anybody have any advice about dizziness? I was dizzy a few months ago, and was told to drink more water. I have been drinking a ton of water, but got dizzy and fell down in the bathroom at work today. I didn't pass out, I just got up from the toilet and the next thing I knew I was slumped against the stall. I think I would've hit the ground if the wall didn't catch me. Kind of scary. At least I didn't hurt myself, but I don't want that to happen again. Any ideas?

MrsReber, I can't believe you didn't show until 6 months! That's crazy! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

SusanD, hang in there!

Okay, gotta go to the airport...

~Krista

[SusanD]

Susan, I'm with you...anything above about 73 and I'd be ready to melt! Yesterday there were some problems with the air system in our office, and the thermostat said it was 82! I was sweating like a horse just sitting there, and of course I had worn long sleeves. Ughhhh...

We're keeping our fingers crossed that things don't go too much past May 4th. Marisa, my original date was (is?) April 28, which is this saturday. My dr. said it's pretty unlikely that anything will happen by then, so all I can do at this point is wait. She doesn't like to induce until her patients are at a full 2 weeks beyond their due date unless something is wrong. Fortunately she meant my April 28 date, and not May 18. She said "Don't worry, we'll have her out of there before she gets her driver's license".

It's good to hear that I'm not the only one with a sweet tooth. I have a half gallon of Cinnamon ice cream sitting there in the freezer, and it's all I can do to not eat it for every meal.

Marisa, I had to take antibiotics at first too. Apparently when I went in for my first OB appointment I had the beginnings of a sinus infection (I have really bad allergies that time of year), so she wanted to nip it in the bud. Also, you'd love my little nephew - talk about prepsters! He's 8 months old and is the poster child for Baby Gap. It's so cute! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[MrsReber]

Marisa, I waited three months to tell my family, too. I didn't want to say anything too early, just to be sure.

Krista, I did put on weight, but I didn't actually look pregnant until around 5 1/2 - 6 months.

I get very dizzy, too. You just have to move a bit more slowly. My husband keeps telling me that it's the pollen making me dizzy, but I think not. At our first lamaze class, he helped me off the floor a bit too quickly and I had to sit down. If it becomes a really bad problem for you, you should bring it up with your doctor. Some dizziness is normal, but yours sounds like a bit much.

Susan, I had a dream last night that I had the baby (a boy again) and I was thinking of you because you didn't have yours yet! How weird. We saw a birth video last night in class. Poor Kyle! He's even more scared now! I admit I felt a bit shaky after watching these women. He told me that he fell out before I did. He said "I couldn't even watch at all!". They asked us how we felt after watching the video and Kyle tells her "scared". We did some relaxation. The woman was telling us to picture a beach with warm sand all around and the sun. Mmmm. We were done and she started talking. Kyle said "wait, I'm still on this island! Can you bring a waitress to get me a beer?". Next week, we're seeing another video with 3 different births. I think I can take the pain part, it's the possibility of vomiting that I can do without!

I get to leave early for my dr visit today. Not that I'm looking forward to being poked and prodded, but I am looking forward to hearing what's going on at this stage.

As for changes in your body happening quickly after conception- my chest hurt so bad just days afterward. I could barely sleep without a bra on! I think the changes happen pretty quickly.

[clairea]

Marisa,

You are right -- protein in urine can be a symptom of pre-eclampsia. I suspect your doctor isn't too concerned since they just told you to come back in a week and you don't have any other symptoms, but please be careful! I am sure your doctor told you what symptoms to watch for, but just in case, here are the ones I remember: severe headaches, stomach pain or nausea up high (sort of right under your ribs -- if you can remember where they were http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif ) and maybe a little to the right, seeing spots. There may be others, but this is what I remember from when I had pre-eclampsia. It can come on fairly quickly, so if you are at all concerned please call your doctor. If caught before it gets too severe, pre-eclampsia can often be controlled with strict bedrest and frequent monitoring (not anybody's idea of a good time, but worth it to deliver a healthy baby).

Maybe some of the medical professionals who read this can add more -- as I said, this is just what I remember from my own experience. Try not to worry too much this week. If your doctor was really concerned, they would not let you wait a week before coming back. And just in case it does turn out to be something, things can still turn out fine --at 36 weeks, after spending a long time on bedrest, I delivered a healthy 8 lb. 3 oz. girl who scored a 10 on her APGAR test.

Good luck,
Claire

[SusanD]

Marisa, I wouldn't worry too much. Like everyone else has said, if your dr. were really concerned they wouldn't wait a whole week. They're probably just taking precautions at this point...just keep an eye out for other symptoms, and try to relax (which is easier said than done). Also, I had wanted to wait a little while to tell people, but my husband was so excited he started blabbing to everyone immediately! I did wait three months to tell work, though.

Kristi, I am so jealous! My sister's head was so big that she got stuck & they had to use the foreceps...if I tell my dr. that I wonder if she'd induce? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Kimbercook, in my case, physical changes started happening immediately. Take a test as soon as you miss your period! And good luck!

Krista, it could have been that you stood up too fast. I find that if I stand up too fast I feel kind of funky too (although at this point it's physically impossible for me to do anything fast). I had a similar situation in church a couple of months ago, we stood up to sing and a few seconds into it I started feeling woozy and everything started to go black. I sat down and was fine. Ask your dr. to be sure, but I bet that has something to do with it.

Susan, I think that's so funny about the video you watched...we were the same way. We always sat in the back of the room, and would both sit there with one hand over our eyes. I'm like you, the thought of throwing up is what really freaks me out! That and the other thing we discussed awhile back. That's one of the reasons I don't want any narcotics before the epidural, they can make you nauesous and woozy. In one of the videos we saw the woman had Demerol and she said she was seeing double. Bleh...no thank you! Isn't it funny that we're willing to endure the pain, but not anything that might make us "look bad"? Good luck w/your dr. appointment today, let us know how it goes!

Krista, have fun with your parents! Mine are coming on monday and staying till junior arrives, one more reason I want this kid to come fast! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by SusanD (edited 04-25-2001).]

[mb]

thanks everyone for the consolation... in doing some research, all i can find in the pregnancy books about protein in urine is stuff about pre-eclampsia! can't it indicate anything else?!? i know if the dr was really concerned, they'd have me back in ASAP. the doctor asked if i had any burning during urination, but i haven't had that either. so i'm not really sure what she expects. recently, i have gotten some stomach pains in the night, but after i urinate, they go away - i think it's just my bladder... i didn't mention it to the doctor - maybe i will next week. i really just don't want pre-eclampsia - BEDREST!?! UGH!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

By the way, Clairea, thanks for your info & input. At what week were you told you had pre-eclampsia? Was it horrible or scary? How long were you on bedrest - did you go nuts? (if i'm on bedrest, i'm going to have to get my DH to set up a laptop in the bedroom so i can still connect to the BB! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif)

Krista & SusanD, good luck with your visiting parents.... I'm actually glad i live near mine - this way they don't have to descend into my house for long periods of time! (is that mean?!?)

Krista, i would definitely mention the dizziness to your doctor. When i was about 1 month pregnant, i got dizzy and nearly fainted. i think i was really dehydrated (& that type of thing happened to me anyhow when i wasn't pregnant). the doctor said that when you're pregnant, blood has a tendency to pool in your legs (gravity) and so not as much goes to your head, causing you to feel dizzy at times. just try getting up slowly, and if you're feeling woozy, try to elevate your legs (even if you just prop them on a short stool it might help - i know it's tough to lay down at work!)

I agree with both Susans about the video in the birthing class. Last week, we saw 4 births (all of which were natural!) Luckily, they didn't seem all that horrible (no vomiting etc)... some women in the class felt better after watching the video, but honestly, i got more scared! my DH felt better, but hey - he's not the one that has to squeeze the baby out!

MrsReber, good luck at your doctor visit today! Please let us know how it goes - hopefully it won't be too bad. just remember - "relax"!

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[mb]

Well, since i couldn't leave well enough alone, i e-mailed one of my best friends, who is about to graduate medical school in 2 weeks... i just HAD to know what else it might be!!! so, here's what i found out:

1) normally, pregnant women can have some elevated protein levels in their urine - nothing to worry about
2) it COULD be pre-eclampsia, but it's usually associated with an increase in blood pressure and swelling all over (including the face), neither of which I have
3) the dipstick they used could have given a 'false-positive' - this happens when your urine is especially concentrated (which was my guess since I probably haven't been drinking enough liquids).
4) you can have elevated levels if you've been in an upright position for an extended period of time (like at work all day?), or if you have a fever or have been over exerting yourself.

there were some other things too, but this was enough to calm me down. i'll just pretend it was a false-positive and try to drink more fluids until the next appointment http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

MrsReber - i was smiling when you said to call the doctor, since they work for us...last week, i think you had a concern and didn't want to call the doctor for fear of being a wuss http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif i'm just kidding around with you - but i didn't want to call the doctor either! yesterday, she didn't seem so worried, so i didn't want to get all crazy. i just wanted some other options without seeming too obsessive to her. (by the way, my DH definitely thinks i've obsessed over this - but i feel better now, so i don't really care if he thinks i'm nuts - he wouldn't be the one stuck in bed for a few weeks!)

MrsReber, I am SO sorry to hear about your husband's job. That stinks. But on the other hand, something better may be right around the corner....you just never know why things happen the way they do, but they always end up working out for the best. You said they laid him off 'again', so maybe they will end up re-hiring him? if not, there's always "Kyle's Back to Nature Daycare", right?!? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

good luck at your dr appointment!

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[lindrusso]

Hello out there! I can't believe the two original Susans are soooo close to your due dates! How exciting!

I had protein in my urine too, but it was due to ketosis. The doctor kept telling me I had to eat more - that my body was metabolizing fat because I wasn't getting enough to eat. I was never terribly nauseous, but if I had forced myself to eat more, I would have been! So I got yelled at for it - who knew it would become the latest fad diet????

As for how I knew - I was like Mrs. Reber, my chest starting hurting terribly. With my first, it took me a while to realize I was pregnant - we weren't planning to try yet, but were planning to start trying a few weeks later. Little did we know...

With my second, I know the day he was conceived! My husband had been away in Kuwait for almost 3 months. He happened to come home when I was ovulating! My chest starting hurting 2 days later, so I took a test right away!! When we told everyone at Christmas time, I could tell they were trying to figure out if Chuck was even in the country at the time!!!

Good luck everyone!! I'll try to keep up to date so I don't miss anything! I keep thinking we need to start a baby/parenting board....hmmmm.....

[MrsReber]

I was going to wait until tomorrow at work to post this, but I think not. I went to the doctor and asked her how long she thought I should continue working. She said I shouldn't really work past next week. Then she did the exam. Turns out (Susan, I don't mean to make you jealous http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif) I am 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif !!!!!!!! So I believe I am all finished with my 90 minute commute to work. Doctor says stay close to home since it could be any time between oh, say, today and two weeks from now. Now I am really scared!!

I came home and dh asked how the visit went. I said "let me see if this scared you as much as it scared me. I am still in a bit of shock. We sat there for about an hour just sort of in a daze and talking about what we need to do. Oh, and get this- today one of the bosses at work tells him that he'll probably be extended and not to worry about the layoff just yet. Duh. That place is weird. He's going to take a week off when the baby arrives anyway. He says he wants to help me out.

Okay, all you moms- I need some solid advice here again. My one SIL and my best friend really want to come to the hospital when I go there to have the baby. I keep saying no since the only person I want in the delivery room is Kyle. Nobody else. So I really don't know what purpose it would serve to have them hanging around the waiting room. I have told my best friend this several times, but she still wants to sit there. I can say right now, nobody will be in that room but me and hubby (and the medical staff, of course) and afterwards, I really think we'd just want to be alone and not see anyone right away. Plus, who knows how long labor will be? Well, I'd appreciate any thoughts from anyone who has gone through this.

[Laura]

Mrs. Reber how exciting for you. I was induced with both my children (9 days late and 12 days late respectively) and I don't think I was that far effaced or dilated when they began the induction! (BTW, Susan D, I had friend with each pregnancy that were due a week to two weeks after me; in each case they delivered 3 days before me. The one thing my dr. told me is that all babies come out and yours will too!)

I would have just you and Kyle in the birthing room. It is your first child and you should stick to your desires. If your friends seem like they won't back down you could simply "forget" to call them until you deliver. Best wishes to you all. Laura

[This message has been edited by Laura (edited 04-25-2001).]

[Kristilyn1]

Marisa-

If your doctor asked you about burning when you urinate--that sounds very much like she/he thinks it might be a bladder infection. My best friend had two while pregnant--no biggie. But obviously, the first thought is to tag onto the most dangerous and scary of the options and latch onto it in the way that only pregnant women can!

Mrs. Reber--holy toledo! The effacement certainly sounds like things are just moving along at a good clip! Though I walked around 1 - 2 cm. dilated for weeks in each pregnancy--I certainly wasn't effaced AT ALL, until very close to the end! Lucky girl. Sure makes the whole thing pretty real though, huh?

Waiting room. My whole family waited in the waiting room for me and it was AWESOME. They came in once when things first got started (while I was just sitting around waiting for stuff to happen) then they left and came in about 15 minutes after and I loved it. Of course, you are the judge of what you want to do and are comfortable with--but keep in mind a couple of things--the hospital staff will not allow ANYONE in your room if you say no--they will lie to visitors if needed on your behalf, so if your fear is that your friend will pop in when she feels like it--that won't happen. If you fear that she will be bored--I have to say--I don't think there is anything more exciting than waiting for a baby to be born--so if it's out of consideration for her--she's a big girl and can decide for herself if it's worth the wait. If on the other hand--your hormones simply say "I have no reason to feel this way, but I simply don't want her there" then you have pregnant lady perogative to completely have your way. Tell her that it will be too distracting for you to know that she is there--that you are scared out of your wits and you want her home where you can call her when the need arises. Good luck!

Hang in there SusanD!

Kristi

[lindrusso]

Mrs. Reber -

This was never an issue for me because my family was too far away to be in the waiting room. I see this question addressed in Ann Landers all the time. She always advises the mom-to-be to simply not call anyone until AFTER the baby is born - thereby eliminating the possibility that you will have unwanted visitors.

It is totally up to you. You have the right to absorb your new position in life for as long as you want before having any visitors. Everyone is so different in this area. Some people have the ENTIRE family in the delivery room DURING the birth. Definitely not for me!!! Others value privacy. But whatever you decide to do, don't do it for them, do it for you.

Again, all easier said than done....

[mb]

MrsReber, oh my gosh! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif i can't believe you're already effaced/dilated!!!! (but i think i heard that you can walk around like that for a while before anything happens...if that's any consolation to SusanD). But you're right - it makes it so much more real (& a little freaky too!)... How exciting!! So you're not going back to work at all? wow!!!

MrsReber, I am also having a similar dilemma with the waiting room. My whole family (very small, but they're all nearby) wants to be at the hospital also. I say no way about them coming into the delivery room (i already shared this with my dr - it'll be me, DH, and medical staff too!) And I'm not so sure we'll want a flood of visitors afterwards either...

But if I "forget" to call them like Laura suggested, then I know they'll be really upset and hurt. Right now, I'm thinking we'll call them to say we're having the baby, but we'll just let them sit in the waiting room for as long as we feel like before letting them come in (after the birth). That's probably not too considerate on our parts, but hey - if they want to sit there, then we'll let them do just that http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif i'm really mean, aren't i?

Marisa http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

(By the way, thanks to lindrusso, Kristi, and Laura for input...)

[clairea]

Marisa,

I hope I didn't scare you -- I just think it is important to know the symptoms just in case. I really do think your doctor would not have sent you home and only told you to come back in a week if he was really concerned about pre-eclampsia. I had it in both pregnancies, and each time the doctors really stayed on top of it when I started showing symptoms. I do vaguely remember having heard somewhere that bladder/kidney infections can cause you to have protein in your urine. I wish I could remember more, but maybe someone else will know more about this. I wonder if this is not mentioned in the pregnancy books because it is not specifically a pregnancy-related condition?

Bedrest was manageable. It was a little scary at first to get that diagnosis, but I trusted my doctor and just tried to focus on making sure I did everything I was supposed to to keep myself and the baby healthy. The days do get long, but looking back on it now (just over a year later) I realize that it was not that much time at all compared to how wonderful it is to have my children. If you want to talk more about it, feel free to email me.

Try to take care of yourself this week. Waiting is stressful, but the more you can keep the stress down, the better for you and the baby http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif If you are really concerned, I would call your doctor, tell her your worries, and try to get more information about what they are concerned about -- I know everybody hates to call and bother the doctor, but that is what they are there for.

Claire

[MrsReber]

Marisa, I was thinking the same thing- it almost sounds like a bladder infection. Not that I should talk, but I would bring it up to the doctor or call if you are concerned. Last night at our class, they stressed that the doctors work for you- you are their employer so call them!

Ha ha ha- I was going to say the same things about parents. My dad will never come to visit and my mom lives close enough that I can send her home!

Well, the government is laying my husband off, once again. This time he got formal notice that May 31st is his last day. They have others leaving before and after him, too. Apparently they don't like the contractor they have. They are hoping that the new contractor will pick up the shop employees, but who knows. There still doesn't seem to be much work. I told him that's fine- he can hang out with me and the baby all summer! He agreed and said that at least he'd be able to help me. We can't worry about it until it happens. Things change so fast around there.

Susan, I'm glad we're not the only ones who felt that way after watching the birth movie. It does look scary!

I have to leave soon for my dr's appointment. As you can see from my numerous posts, I can't concentrate much on work anymore.

[Susann]

MrsReber-How exciting!!! Your BB pals are pulling (I guess in this situation, that should be pushing http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ) for you!!

[KathrynY]

Just wanted to send along my very best wishes to all of you expectant BBers. I'm so excited for you all, especially now that it seems we'll have some new babies soon! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

I've really enjoyed sharing your pregnancies with you while lurking on this thread. Good luck everyone!