[Scully]

Hello all, Happy Saturday!
Does anyone else here wake up really early every morning on thier own? It's crazy, because I wake up at about 5:30 to use the potty and then again before 6:30. I keep having this feeling like I have so much to do, but when everyone else is sleeping, I come and check out the computer so I don't disturb everyone else.
Do you think that it is because my body is preparing to be up a lot more very soon?

Well, we have officially finished 1st and 4th grade yesterday, and the weather has taken a good turn again. Looks like we'll be heading to the pool sometime today, after our last T-Ball game. We'll have one "playoff game" after this, and then the "party"...do kids love parties or what? I was in charge of ordering the trophies and I think that the boys are gonna love them! It is the highlight of thier lives - really. It makes them feel so special. I am happy to be able to participate in this area with my son. It is a great social thing to do, as you tend to meet a lot of people. I like that. My other son is a highly creative/ imaginative spirit. He shows no interest in sport related things, and is really more of an introvert in some ways. He is more of a one to one kind of guy. He likes the water and so I have decided that he is going to continue to take swimming lessons with the hope that he may make this "his" sport. I am happy that he a creative, because his dad and I are both artistic as well, but I am definitely and outdoor person, and they are more inside people. It's hard to balance it all sometimes--all the different personalities in our home, and yet #3, AKA "Bellybean is going to have his own personality and I wonder who he is!
Anyone else have children in sports or arts that wants to share?
I can never remember how old everyone's kids are...


As for the stretch mark dilemma...
Hmmmm. Well, I had minimal stretchmarks from my younger days when I was larger and lost a lot of weight. Mostly on my arms, and some on my stomach. Nothing too hideous. When I got pregnant with my first in 1990, I weighed about 140 and ballooned up to 206 at the end of the 40th week. I still never got bad stretch marks the way some people do. I was 25 and my skin probably held a good amount of elastin in it. I have a friend who was smaller than me and got them all over her tummy and things really bad.
With my second pregnancy, I didn't get them again, but I never went over my old weight either. I started at 170 and went up to 204 by the 40th week.
Now with #3, I am starting out at 206 and so far I have tried to keep my gain slow and steady. I hope to stay at a 20 pound gain, and no more than 25, as it will put me at my highest weight ever. But, at 24 weeks, I have gained about 7 pounds (according to my scale - at last weigh in). So far, I haven't noticed any "more" stretch marks. I think that genetically I must have elastin in my skin--either that, or I am related to stretch armstrong.
In my opinion, you are gonna get them or your not. I think it is a good idea to use a heavy cream to keep your skin moisturized in those areas that feel stretched. I have another friend who used to tell me that she felt like her skin was ripping, and it was very uncomfortable.

About piercing, wow, I have thought that I would love to get my bellybutton pierced, but not while preggo. I'm a little chicken, I'm sure that it really hurts! But it is kind of sexy. When I was going to weightwatchers last year and after I lost 26 pounds, I was thinking of doing it. Okay, I'm 35 years old now, and maybe this is my version of having a middle aged crisis. Tattoos, nope not for me. When I'm 90 and my skin is all wrinkled, I think a tattoo would look really wierd. With a piercing, you could always let it close.

Well, I have gone on and on again. See what happens when I get up early on my own? I hear the pitter patter of footsteps upstairs and I should go anyway.

I hope that everyone is happy and healthy today! Let's keep our group going strong here. Have a fab weekend!

hugs,
Scully and Bellybean

[Jen]

I didn't get any stretch marks on my arms or breasts, just my stomach and hips. I'm starting to get just a little tiny purple mark on my abdomen but at the rate I am ballooning out I know there are more to come.

Scully - I'm an indoor person who aspires to be an outdoor person! That sounds kind of funny I know but there are a lot of things I would like to do outdoors I just never seem to get around to them! I have been out in my garden a lot more this year. I probably won't do much this summer but next year I am definately playing baseball again.

Not much new, my cold is a bit better but my back is worse today. C'est la vie.

[geneve]

Hi y'all,
Sporty? Well I used to be, swimming every day (I'm a good swimmer, used to be very good at school/college) played rugby, lacrosse and hurdled in my youth. As a slightly larger adult went to the gym, kept on swimming, lots of walking. It's the answer fro me, all the time I was very active i kept reasonably slim. I lost the thread badly starting from my early days of marriage and having Ted.
I'm a painter so yep, very arty, and usually have a few comissions to top up the family income. i paint large oil landscapes/seascapes, fairly abstract and have won some prizes and awards for my work.
DH plays cricket as much as he can but to be hinest he's not very fit, you don't have to eb for cricket.
Ted, just coming up for 4 looks to be very sporty. He is very tall and strong and can already swim unaided, hit a cricket ball and plays pretty good soccer in the garden. I take him swimming as much as I can, Ihave hopes he'll be Englands Thorpedo one day!
Must dash time for antinatal.

[Jen]

Morning all. Scully this is one of those rare mornings when I stay up after the DH goes home and usually manage to get a lot done opposed to the days I go back to bed til 11 and are lucky if I get anything done. there is a lot to be said for getting up early! (some days!)

Not much new here with me. Made an appointment to go to physiotherapy for my back. It has been giving me some problems at work. I've taken off 3 sick days in the last week or so because of the cold and then my back. At this rate I won't make it til August. Hopefully physio and massage will keep me going.

Geneve - it must be wonderful to be arty! That is something else I aspire to, I can be sporty when I want to be but arty is something else altogether. I have the interest but not the talent.

Scully - talking about getting up at night to use the bathroom, I must have been up every hour last night. It was kind of a sleepless night, can't imagine why I didn't go back to bed but I just don't feel tired. Probably go for a nap later.

Well hope everyone is keeping well. Talk to you again soon.

[bensmom]

Good morning, everyone!

My weekends seem so busy and there are not many left. My son loves baseball (and he is very good at it, too). But Saturday he had to miss his game and go to the doctor. He has a rash on the back of his leg that got hard and hot but did not itch at all. Of course, here in the NE I thought of Lyme disease right away even though it didn't look like a Lyme rash. But the doctor said it definitely looked like a bug bite that just got infected. So he is on antibiotics for ten days. It started looking better after a day so I am pleased. Kids are funny though. He hated the idea of missing his game even though he was in pain. But he got to play in a make-up game on Sunday.

I go to the ob tomorrow for my last two week check up. They will do the strep b test then too. This was new to me. I didn't have it with my son. My biggest complaint right now is that my feet and ankles are swelling. My ds was born in January so I didn't have this problem.

Be well and happy.

[bootwoman]

I just noticed that today is your birthday, so Happy Birthday!
I also am a Bensmom, except my little boy is 20 years old!
Anyway, I was just browsing around and wanted to say hello and happy birthday to another bensmom.
I hope everything goes well with the new baby.
Ramona

[Scully]

Okay you gals, I weighed myself today and I am up 9 pounds on my scale! That means that I am gaining at a rate of 1lb/wk.!!!
My goal was to gain between 15 and 20 pounds and it doesn't look very good right now.

I will be beginning my 25th week tomorrow, and I am getting concerned. I guess that I need to evaluate my food intake more, huh? And I can't remember the last time that I used my tapes.

Okay, now I am a little depressed and P/Oed at myself!

I went to the pool yesterday, and it is going to be a stressful, self-conscious summer for me. I couldn't help but compare women there and I was already anticipating what shape my body might be in by this time next year! Isn;t that bad!!?

Oh well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Birthday Bensmom! I hope it is a great one!

Take Care everyone

Scully and Bellybean

[bensmom]

It has been so hot and humid here that I feel like doing hardly anything at all. My feet and ankles are a bit swollen now but not as bad as the other day. The worst part is I can't get too many shoes on. The doctor said to take it easy and keep my feet up as much as possible. If I drink any more water than I am I will float away. I constantly have a bottle of water with me.

Ramona - Thanks for the birthday wish. But my birthday was in April. It was a very nice gesture and I appreciate it.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. My son's baseball team is in the playoffs on Tues. but his last game of the season is tomorrow. I hope the temp is a little cooler.

[bootwoman]

sorry about the birthday mixup. You were listed at the top of the page as having a birthday that day.

[Jen]

scully - after reading your post i went and got on the scale and currently am reading a 23 lbs gain for 28 weeks of pregnancy. YIKES!!!!!

I know that I will probably drop a few pounds because I tend to retain tons of water during my work days but still like you I really need to watch what I am eating. As for exercise...I haven't done anything in ages. I should start trying to walk a bit. It is better than nothing. Not today though as we have a smog warning in effect. So far my ankles are staying unswollen. Don't worry about what your body will look like this time next year. I fully intend to have lost a lot of weight!!!! I am due in September and figure on getting on a very very serious diet/exercise program at least 4-6 weeks after delivery. I am taking a year off for maternity leave and I am really serious about getting all the weight off in that year. I figure that if I don't do it now when I don't have to worry about work than I probably never will do it. Maybe I am being naive about what it will be like to have a newborn baby but I really have to do this, not only for myself but for my family. My hubby knows what I am planning and he is going to help ie. knowing that I won't be home all the time and he is going to be looking after the baby sometimes while I am exercising. I have heard other fathers say that they are babysitting, it isn't babysitting when it is your own kid!!! My hubby knows this too and is fully supportive. Anyway I have babbled on enough here. Take care all, have a nice weekend.

[Scully]

Hey Jen! When is your due date? Mine is 9/26/2001...

Yeah, it just sucks to watch the scale go up. I feel like I am still being conscious, but not overtly so and my goal was to gain around 1/2 lb./ week instead of my going rate. LOL

I suppose that gaining around 10 pounds total in 25 weeks isn't horrendous, except that taking my pre-pregnancy weight into consideration isn't helping. I know, I know, we are supposed to gain some amount of weight during pregnancy, but being the weight obsessed person that I am--well, it doesn't help. I know someone who was a lot heavier than I am starting out and she didn't gain anything. Not sure how she managed that?!

Anyway, as I feel my baby moved, I am reminded that as long as I am eating healthy, the weight will be easier to lose.

I was able to reach 10% goal at weight watchers last year, and I'm with you. 6 weeks post partum, I am back there in a heartbeat.

Okay, I'll stop going on and on about it!

What are everyones plans for Fathers Day? I invited my FIL to come and we're going to take him out to dinner. I still have to shop for DH, hopefully this afternoon! So much to do, so little time!

I think that I have finally found the perfect bedding for Bellybean. It is a neutral beige and cream. We picked a beautiful border that has hunter green in it, it's theme is kind of "Toys / Toy soldier". It's really nice. I already did Disney theme with #1 and a bright Jungle theme with #2 son, so I am intent on keeping this room workable for when he is a tot later. It is very exciting! I want his room to be just so!

Has it been So HOT everywhere else? Chicago has been unbelieveable and we do not have air conditioning! I am SO looking forward to JULY AUGUST and SEPTEMBER!!!
I think we are going to have to buy a new window unit or I might go mad

Well, I hope everyone is feeling well. Other than the hot weather, I am doing really well, and enjoying the pregnancy so much! Allergies are kicking in and moving into my chest though which is frustrating. At night it gets worse and I sound like a really hoarse "Demi Moore". When I was pregnant with my 2nd boy I develped pregnancy induced asthma in the 3rd trimester...and I am less than 2 weeks from entering that!! I hope that I don't have to start using an inhaler again. I will, but I hope not to.

Blessings to all of you! Have an awesone weekend!

Scully and Bellybean

[geneve]

Hello everyone,
I'm sorry to hear you are all worried about the weight gain, maybe you know this but as I understand it the larger you are the less weight you can expect to gain whilst pregnant.Also you gain more with the first pregnancy than subsequent ones. I have also read that larger women tend to have larger babies, which apart from the actual delivery is supposed to be good, there was a study done just as I had my 10lb bouncing baby boy which said bigger babies had higher IQ's. I remeber I cut it out and stuck it in his baby book!
I am up maybe 16lbs with 8 weeks to go, but I remember I piled it on in the last few months...well, it was hot, I was huge and there was little to do but laze about eating ice cream!I'm terrified of gaining weight but I want to have a healthy babe so I'm trying hard to listen to my body...not easy, I have spent much of my life ignoring what my body wants in favour of emotional eating. I have a great deal of hope riding on losing some and getting fitter after the big day. I won't be having any more kids and I want to look back and say' I may have been big in my baby years but I was strong enough to take control afterwards'.
It has just started raining here after a really hot spell. DH has a great tan and I am totally covered in freckles which is what passes for a tan with me!
DH will be spending father's day watching cricket (yawn), I had my father here today and beliebe me, that's enough for another year!
Happy weeknd,
Geneve

[Jen]

I think we are all torn about the weight issue. On one hand we want to gain weight in order to have a healthy baby, on the other hand we don't want to gain too much on top of the weight we already have too much off. It is a catch-22 no matter what we do.

I spoke too soon about the swollen feet. They ballooned up yesterday and it seesm like the swelling is here to stay. I thought at first it was because of the humidity. Thursday and Friday were brutal here. We don't have air conditioning, usually the ceiling fan is enough to keep it comfortable but there was just no way last night. It was a very miserable night, couldn't sleep til early morning when it had cooled down a bit. Luckily we had a nice rain that took the humidity away instead of making it worse so it has been a very nice day today. I was outside doing a bit of gardening and got a tiny bit of a burn on my face and neck.

I'm a bit worried about developing pregnancy induced hypertension. I went to the drug store and had my blood pressure taken on one of those machines and it was 149/77 where at my last dr's visit it was 109/68. Then I went to another drug store 4 hours later and used their machine and it was 145/78. I'm hoping this isn't going to last but I'm going into work tomorrow even though it is my day off(I work as a RN in a hospital) and get my b.p. taken there again. Has anyone else been through this? I'm worried if it is still up about going into work on Monday. I am on my feet practically all day. Unfortunately I won't be able to talk to my dr til Monday so I don't know what to do if my b.p. is still up. Also I have gained more weight in a very short time so I am worried about having too much fluid and this is what is causing the increased b.p. It is hard to know what to do. Do I drink more water in hopes that will flush out the rest of it or will this make my b.p. worse? If anyone has any words of wisdom I'd love to hear it.

Scully, I am due Sept. 6. I guess we are in the same boat with the air conditioning. That is going to be the first thing on my list when we go to buy a new house in a couple of years!

Geneve - sorry but I have blown your theory about heavy women gaining less weight during pregnancy. I've already gained what a "normal" sized woman should have gained during the entire pregnancy and I still have 12 weeks to go! Oh well, I'm not obsessing over it. Like I said before losing all the weight I need to is a top priority after the delivery.

Take care all. Jennifer

[bensmom]

Hello, all moms-to-be,

I hope everyone had a somewhat enjoyable weekend. Here in NY the humidity dropped today so it is a much more pleasant day. The weekend was brutal. My DH and I have been holding off putting the ac in the window. I found if I take a shower (lukewarm) before I go to bed I sleep much better. My feet and ankles are just about back to normal. But I think it is going to get humid again this week.

I went back to the dr today and my bp is back to normal (122/74). Last Wed. it was 148/84. So they wanted me back sooner than a week this time (Jen - I think they were worried about PIH too). I also lost 6 pounds in those 4 days. I really did not have much of an appetite in the heat and I kept drinking water and liquids all the time. The only things that actually tasted good to me were watermellon and cucumbers.

I. too, have gained more weight than I originally wanted to. I read somewhere last week that if a woman loses a lot of weight shortly before getting pg, her body tries to compensate for that loss plus the baby. I am not using this as an excuse in any way. I just found it interesting. I know exactly where my weight gain has come from. I gave myself permission to eat a lot of things I normally would not have allowed myself to eat.

Stay cool and comfortable.

[geneve]

Hi everyone,
Sun still shining here, even I have managed to get a decent tan under all my freckles. All the extra melanin, they tell me.
Apart from that things are pretty grim, I've been in a bad mood for days, feeling unappreciated by a husband who is apparently too special to get involved with housework, especially when he can be in London watching the test match with his mates all day.
I have a pain in the heart...as you may know most health care here in the UK is free, no insurance involved. I used to get private health care when I was working,but no more. I really wanted a private room to stay in after the delivery, I'm a real bad sleeper and no way could I sleep on a ward with other women and babies, he agreed, but then backed out when he found out the cost of the rooms! Combined with a few other rows I feel like I don't want to see him or talk to him, I don't have the energy to argue , I just feel hurt, and I don't understand when he became in charge of decisions like that...i thought we were democratic.
My B.P is high, but it fluctuates so I'm allowed to stay out of hospital as long as Iget it checked each week. Itwas quite high anyway (I really should lose weight, my family all get strokes)so they don't seem too clear on the best way to deal with it.
My pelvis has also softened too early...nothing awful but stepping sideways is agony so getting out of the car takes me ages.
Oh, roll on the next 6 weeks I cannot wait to get this baby out and get on with life.
I'm a right moaner aren't I?Sorry, hope things are going better for all of you, stay cool
geneve