first pregnancy and have a question.....
 

ok, honestly, i have a ton of questions! :dizzy: we found out the day after christmas that we're pregnant. we have a doctor's appt. jan 18. i talked to the nurse when i made the appt. about what to be doing until we come in, but i wondered if anyone here had some advice. i am overweight and very nervous about this. the nurse said i won't be able to lose and should maintain, but i was wondering if anyone else was close to 300 before the baby. what did you do during your pregnancy? did you have any problems--gestational diabetis, etc.? was the baby ok? i'm very worried about my blood pressure, the baby being ok or ending up on bed rest for some reason. thanks in advance for any advice you can give me! lori

Congratulations! I can't speak from personal experience, but I have a friend who weighed 270 when she got pregnant. She lost 10 pounds during the pregnancy and 30 more within a few weeks after delivery. She did develop gestational diabetes but controlled it with diet. The baby was born right on time and was perfectly healthy. It is common for women who are very overweight to maintain or lose a little weight during pregnancy, as they often begin eating much healthier food. The baby will get what it needs, so as long as you aren't TRYING to lose weight (I know you won't) and you eat sensibly, all should be fine.

I hope it's okay to add a link - http://plus-size-pregnancy.org/firstindex.html is an excellent resource for women who are overweight and pregnant.

Congratulations! What a nice Christmas present!!

This is my 2nd pg with my weight in the 280-290's. My first pg was uncomplicated. No GD at all, mild hypertension but nothing high enough to need medications and my dd was born perfectly healthy after a normal vaginal delivery (with epi). So far this pg has also been free of complications. I get my blood sugar tested in a couple of weeks, so I can let you know then if I have GD this time around. :)

As far as weight gain, with the first pg I gained 15 lbs by my delivery date and that was gone within a couple weeks (most within a couple of days). In this pg, I haven't gained anything yet and I'm just pass the half way point.

Welcome to the board! Extra weight might mean an increased risk for complications, but it certainly does not guarantee complications.

Try not to be nervous hun. That'll just make things worse! LOL

I was 245 when i got pregnant. I'd just recently lost 50 pounds, and stayed on the same diet through my pregnancy. I managed to lose a few pounds while pregnant, and when i gave birth lost 28 pounds instantly! (It was awesome)

I did have (erm.. they claimed i had) gestational diabetes during the pregnancy. But i kept my *exact* same diet (basically low carb with fruits and veggies and no sugar/desserts) and she said my chart was the prettiest one she'd ever seen.

My blood pressure was only ever higher than normal when the father of my baby was there. Har. Isn't that nice?

Just aim to eat healthy through this pregnancy. I'm sure both you and the babe will be safe and comfy for the next 35 - 40 weeks. Congratulations! Just be happy, and be healthy!

I was 290 when I got pregnant with my son (who is now 3 weeks old) and gained 19 lbs during the pregnancy. I was 255 when I got pregnant with my daughter and gained 21 lbs with her.

I passed my 1hr diabetes screening with flying colours with both pregnancies, and both my babies were born fullterm and healthy. My blood pressure also lowered during my pregnancy, it was low to start with but by the end, my blood pressure was very low. I never dieted when I was pregnant but just ate until I was full and ate healthier foods.

Try not to stress, there are plenty of heavy women who have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. :)

Hi Lori,

I just found out I'm pregnant with my first child on Dec. 27! I have my first lab work today (Jan. 3) and then will see the Dr. accordingly. I have gained 10 lbs since end of Oct./ beginnning of Nov. and don't know if it's pregnancy related. I don't know how far along I am yet.

I agree with everyone else; worrying will get you nowhere. I was wanting to lose weight when I found out about this pregnancy and so, I've had to do an abrupt about-face and think, "MAINTAIN" instead of "LOSE". I am stuggling with worrying because I am a type 1 diabetic, so whenever my sugar level is high, I think about the poor bambino.

BTW, it seems to me that the Dr. should have tried to work you in earlier than the 18th. Although, because I'm diabetic, they usually get me in really quick. I'm also pretty demanding. :)

Is there an ongoing thread for first time pregnancies or "just found out"? I would like to have an ongoing dialogue with other pregnant ladies throughout this exciting/scary time.

Thanks!
Misa

thanks so much for all the great advice! and, sorry, i mis-typed. we found out the day after my mom left from her christmas visit, so that was dec. 28. i'm trying not to worry and to just enjoy this but i tend to be a worrier, so sometimes it's hard not to--old habits! :rolleyes: i'm glad to hear about all the great experiences everyone has had though! hopefully, after we see the dr., i'll be less stressed. going to the dr. is torture for me (for no reason other then my own silly fear of dr's!) but i'll do what i need to do to make sure the baby is ok.

peaceful--thanks for the link--i'm on the way to check that out next!

misa--i was hoping for something sooner too, but when i called the dr, they said she likes to see people around 8 weeks for their first visit. so, that's why we're not going in until the 18th. i really don't have anything to be worrying about--i've had 2 blood tests done lately because i found out in sept. that i have hypothyroidism and they've been watching my medicine to make sure it was working. anyway, i know everything is fine from all that--i check my blood pressure often and i'm not diabetic-although it runs in my family. i guess i just get scared cuz i think something will go wrong since i'm not at a better weight. i was trying to lose too when we found out--i'm not sure i even know how to maintain! ;) i don't know if there's a first time/just found out thread, but i'd be interested in that too. let me know if you find out.

thanks again everyone! lori

8 weeks seems to be normal for most OB/MW to see their pts for the first time (for low-risk pgs). I also participate on another website forum (pg related) and most of the ladies had their first visit between 8-12 weeks.

Hey there! I just found out I was pregnant on the 26th! Good luck with everything. I would go over your concerns with your doctor and maybe even see a nutritionist. Pregnancy is a great time to make some good food changes. I did toward the end of my last pregnancy and the changes stuck for the most part. Now I have a toddler that eats healthy foods and a step in the right direction for this pregnancy. It is also a good time to start some light exercise. I really enjoyed the pool classes last time and I think I would like to start that up again.

Nice to know there are a few of us in early pregnancy here! Have a happy and healthy nine months!

I went to do my first labs yesterday and because of insurance issues, was unable to get them done. It makes me feel better that you all say across the board 8-12 weeks for the first appointment. This is my first pregnancy, so I am eager to be under a doctor's care and informed.

I went to Borders and spent $68 on books about pregnancy (2 general, 1 about names, 1 about pregnant pilates) to make me feel a little more connected.

Questions:

Are you drinking caffeine and/or artificially sweetened drinks? I was having 1 cup of coffee and one diet Coke a day, but I'm not sure now.

Are there any foods I am supposed to be cutting out? I know about sushi and any other raw/partly raw foods. Any others?

Maybe we could share recipes for healthy eating? I don't have any yet. :)

Good to hear from you!
Misa

she-mullett--hi! we'd been thinking about a nutrionist too. i started watching what i was eating in sept. when i started to exercise/lose so i feel i'm eating pretty good--lots of fruits and veggies, whole foods, water--but i just want to make sure i'm getting enough of everything. i also have been working out since sept. and love the water classes, too! i was glad when the nurse told me i could still do them--the new session at our ymca starts next monday! i've not been very good about exercise and have just been maintaining since around thanksgiving due to a death in the family--i just wasn't interested in doing much--but i'm so ready to get back to the gym! hope everything goes well for you too!

misa--here are my answers to your questions:

before i knew i was pregnant, i was only drinking one diet root beer a day with my lunch (no caffeine), but i have stopped that due to the artificial sweeteners. now i'm sticking with milk and water. if i really want something with flavor, i'll put lemon or lime in the water. i've also let myself have 1 regular soda when we went out one night, 7-up or sprite. in the books we've bought, some say cut it out, some say limit it. i wasn't a huge caffeine person before, so not having any in drinks isn't a big deal for me. if it is for you, i saw in one of my books some ideas for cutting back and limiting if you're interested. the one thing i'm having trouble with is chocolate. i have a piece about every other day usually, but i'm trying to cut back on that too. since i've found out, i think i've had two, and i'm trying to stop that.

the foods i've read that you shouldn't have are any undercooked meats, eggs that aren't done all the way, no soft cheeses (like brie, goat's cheese, etc), some fish, and i'm sure there were more, but i can't remember them. i read most of them on the internet. you can just search "foods to avoid during pregnancy" and all sorts of sites pop up. mostly i'm just sticking to whole foods.

what books did you buy? we did the same thing and now have a bunch of books to read! :) we also bought a cookbook for pregnancy, so if i find some good receipes, i'll let you know!

lori

Oh, it's so good to hear of all of you newly pregnant first timers as well! After TTC for almost 3 years we just found out Dec. 21st. We're due Aug. 30th.

I have my first OB on Jan. 24, so right at 9 weeks.

I too am also nervous about being close to the 300# mark! I really don't want to ever see that number on the scale, but I know I can't "diet" either! So, I've just really been trying hard to watch what types of food I'm putting into my body. Trying to go/stay as healthy as possible for these next 9 months!

Good luch everyone! I'm glad we're not alone!

hi uphill! congratulations on the great news! i'm so glad to see you on here! we have our appointment on the 18th--we might be on the same journey for the next 9 months! if you ever need to talk, feel free to pm me! i'm glad to meet someone on here who is close to my weight and pregnancy timeline! take care, lori

LORI: I know the fishes you are talking about avoiding - the ones high in mercury - swordfish, seabass, any kind of "fish steaks". I think the white, flaky ones are good for you - tilapia, trout, flounder. Thanks for the advice about soft cheeses - that was news to me. Sounds like you are doing GREAT!! I thought about a nutritionist, but my insurance didn't cover it. Also, I looked into water classes, but they were so expensive!! I ended up buying the following books:

What to Expect When You're Expecting (the standard for expectant parents)
A Bun in the Oven (more humorous and a personal account of a woman's pregnancy, but still a lot of tips)
Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana (finding an interesting, yet not TOO interesting name for the little bambino)
Pregnant Pilates (figured I might give it a try - it is separated into trimesters)

UPHILL: How do you know your due date if you haven't had your first appointment yet? From the labwork? Just wondering. I feel so clueless.

I will post a recipe I found on the net yesterday for Mango Tilapia, if anyone is interested. It sounded easy, except making the mango salsa. I am so tired after work, I don't feel like doing any cooking, unless it's super easy. That's why we ended up having Rotisserie Chicken over Salad again last night. My husband only picked at his. :(

Misa

So right now, we have Lori, Meredith (aka, She-Mullett) and Uphill. Anyone else out there newly pregnant and/or first timers?

Misa

Lori- I agree :) It is nice to have someone in the same place! Feel free to PM me as well!

Misa- Well, since we were TTC forever I knew exactly when I ovulated. The way your doctor will calculate your due date is from the date of your last period and count out 40 weeks. But, since I knew my ovulation I counted 38 weeks from there, giving me a more accurate due date. When doctors track your progress there is that automatic 2 week grace period. I guess this makes it a more universal way of counting down since most women don't know when they ovulated. I hope that made sense?? So, my fetus age is 4 weeks, but my actually pregnance length gets 2 weeks added, making me 6 weeks along. :)

Well, I'll add my name as newly pregnant but it will be my seventh kiddo. I just reached my maintenance in Sept so I'm going to try very hard to only gain 20 lb. I usually feel sick though and constantly picking seems to be all that keeps it in check. We'll see what happens. Congrats to you all.

They keep asking me my last period and I think around Nov. 20th, but I don't know for sure, plus I feel more pregnant than that, you know? I started getting morning sickness in early Dec. plus my stomach is bigger. I wish I had kept track of it better. I think they can do a blood test to figure out how far along I am.

BTW, we had just decided to "try" and I was already pregnant.

Misa

Seven children??!! Wow, that is awesome! Congratulations.

misa--one of the books i bought has a chart in it to figure out your due date. it's the same way uphill mentioned. the first day of my last period was nov. 19 and so our due date is aug. 26. if your first day of your last period was nov. 20, then you'd be due aug. 27. but, like uphill said, that's just an estimate since you don't usually know for sure when you ovulated or actually conceived. i don't know for sure, but i think they can also estimate how old the baby is by how big it is--they'll take a crown to rump measurement when you get a sonogram (or so i've read).

the books we bought were "i'm pregnant: a week by week guide" (which is my favorite!), "the prenancy book", "the girlfriends guide to pregnancy", and "eating expectantly" (the nutrition/receipe book). my husband also bought something about being a father--full of financial advice, etc. things i have deemed dad-stuff and boring. ;)

joy--seven kids? oh my goodness! i nanny two boys and am exhausted at the end of the day! how old are your kids?


just a question--is anybody else feeling fine right now? before i knew i was pregnant, my boobs were killing me, i was SO moody and would fall asleep if i sat down for more then 5 minutes. now, i'm tired at the end of the day, but can make it through without a nap, my boobs are just a little sore and i don't think i'm as moody (maybe i should check with my husband on that). really, i feel pretty good except some low back pain by the end of the day. i can't wait until we see the dr cuz i feel like i'm not pregnant anymore and i really want someone to say "yes, there's a baby in there!" just wondering if anyone else was feeling the same.....

talk to everyone later! lori

MamaMisa-thank you-It's still as exciting as the first time.

wezi1126-My kids are dd14,ds12,ds11,dd8,ds5,dd3 They can be tiring but they are so much fun, and obviously the oldest three do lots and lots for themselves and like to play with the little one which helps alot.

joy--what a beautiful family you must have! congratulations on the newest!


hope everyone is doing well. i'm going to be spending today putting the christmas decorations away--finally! can't wait to get the house back to normal! have a great weekend! lori

Lori,

I feel better than I did two weeks ago. I had a lot of morning sickness then, but not as much now. I still feel tired all the time. Yesterday, I cleaned all morning because we were having my parents come over at 3:00, and I overdid it and was tired and nauseated the whole time they were here. They took me out for my birthday and I could barely eat.

I have been eating a lot better since I found out on Dec. 27 and think I've lost a few lbs. I was 183 today and was 185-187 last week.

My friend told me she had toxemia when she was pregnant and they had to induce labor. She said it was from eating too much canned and frozen foods because they have so much sodium.

I am trying to eat a bowl of Special K cereal every day because it has 100% of the daily recommended amt. of folic acid. My Dr. told me that he wanted to prescribe my prenatal vitamin rather than me take over the counter, but since my new insurance hasn't kicked in, I am waiting and taking nothing.

My first OB appointment is this Thurs, Jan. 11. That is, if my insurance is worked out by then. :( I hate being at the mercy of insurance. I have lived that way for 13 years because of my diabetes.

I'm taking down my Christmas decorations today too! Good luck.

Misa

misa--you went out for your birthday? i did that with my in-laws yesterday. when is your birthday? mine is tomorrow, jan. 8. happy birthday!

i'm surprised your dr didn't advise you to take an over the counter prenatal vitamin until you can get your prescription. my dr didn't care what i took so long as i was taking one. she said they are pretty much the same anyway. i got some at target that weren't very expensive. but, i guess if you're getting the folic acid, then you're doing good. that was the thing i was most worried about since it's so important. i've been drinking carnation instant breakfast in the mornings, with some fruit. it has folic acid, b vitamins, calcium from the milk, etc. it was recommended in that nutrition book we bought. i'm also going to get some all bran cereal with yogurt bites (or something like that) cuz i'm feeling like i'm needing some fiber. :o

i'm glad to hear your feeling a little better. today was the first day that i have actually been nauseous. maybe that morning sickness is finally getting me--i hope not, but i've been waiting for it. i think i've lost a couple of pounds too since i found out. i'm not trying to lose now--no restricted calories or crazy workouts--but i'm eating healthier, so i won't be surprised if i lose some just from that.

i hope you get to see your dr on the 11th. i'm still waiting--not very patiently--for the 18th. by the time we see the dr, i'll be 9 1/2 weeks along! i'm waiting for two things--to get past 8 weeks cuz the risk of miscarriage drops to about 1% after that, and to get past 12 weeks and into the second trimester so we can start telling everyone we see that we are having a baby! :D

i hope you got all your decorations put away. i boxed everything up and my husband is going to put it all back in the basement, so the house will finally be cleaned up! i love the holidays, but i'm always happy when they are over and things can go back to normal. happy birthday again, lori :gift:

My birthday is Jan. 13, so my parents came to see me early. Happy Birthday! :balloons:

How old are you? I will be 32. I'm glad I'm finally pregnant for the first time! Seems like everyone I know has kids already.

My Dr.'s office thought they was going to see me last Weds and then I haven't talked to them since, so maybe they would've recommended me to go on the vitamins. I feel like my care and treatment is going to start Jan. 11, which is a little late in my book. But I guess I could've taken matters into my own hands with the vitamins. It's hard to know what to do. It makes me miss the small town life where I could actually speak to the Dr. and see him already. But there are a lot of advantages to living in a big city, so I won't complain.

My SIL is also pregnant and this is her second. She rubs cocoa butter on her breasts and stomach several times a day and it prevented stretch marks in her first pregnancy. (She's also very thin).

Is your face breaking out? Mine is! There are so many "side effects" of being pregnant that I didn't know about!

Here's a list of ones I've experienced - some pregnancy related, some maybe not:

Skin breaking out
Bloating
Constipation
NAUSEA & Dizziness
Tiredness
Want to sit down all the time
Want to sleep a lot
Weird dreams
Loss of appetite/ nothing sounds good or EVERYTHING sounds good
Airheadedness/ Can't think straight
Lack of focus (on work)

I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of them right now. It's a roller coaster!

Misa

hi misa! i'm 34 today. so old!!! :( i don't really feel old, but it sounds old to me! i only have one friend with kids so far. she's due to have her second at the beginning of march, so i feel like i'm ok with that. however, i feel like i'm going to be the old mom when this one starts school. the family i nanny for had their kids almost the same as we are starting and she's always the oldest mom at school functions and always feels strange. hopefully i'll fit in a little better with the other moms than she does.

yes!! my face is breaking out like crazy! i thought i was done with that when i graduated high school, but i guess pregnancy does that to you. your list could be mine! bloating, constipation, dizzy, tired, everything or nothing sounds good to eat, oh and can i add the embarrassing one--gas? i've never burped so much in my life! oh well, i'm just going to blame it all on being pregnant since i figure this is the only time in my life when i can get away with all of this! :)

i hope everything with your dr goes well. i wish i was going this week! my friend who is due in march sees the same dr i do and told me that the midwife i will also see is so nice. she said that the dr, the midwife, and all the nurses are great. i went there last year for my yearly exam and the dr seemed really nice, so i'm just waiting to get there! only 10 more days!

well, better run. i'm at work and just jumped on real quick, take care, lori

Yes, I thought of a few more symptoms too and gas pain is one of them. Also, irritability. My husband and I fussed all weekend about stupid stuff, like should Blockbuster charge for movies that are two weeks or more late (yes!).

I don't think 34 is old! My husband just turned 36. I think the trend is for people to have kids older now, so you should fit right in with the other moms. Besides, its more according to how you act.

Your doctor's office sounds great! I hope mine is. He is nice, but seems really busy. I'll see on Thurs. and report back.

That's neat that you have the same symptoms (sorry) because I feel more "normal" now. Do you work? Are you having a hard time at work? I read in one of my books that it's common to think about quitting during the first trimester because it is so hard. But it should get better after the placenta is completed by the 4th month.
Misa

OK, to make you all feel better I'm 44. Pushing the envelope I know. I've reached that point where I vomit if I don't eat but I hate eating every 2 hours because I know that will lead to weight gain. Argh!! I'm going to try fruit today, maybe that will do the trick w/o too many calories. What I really crave is cheese or high protein.

misa--yep, i work, but i have a great job for dealing with being pregnant. i'm a nanny for two boys who are 6 and 8. i work from 7:15 until 6:30, but the boys are both in school all day, so if i want to lay down or sit down for a little bit, or even run errands or make appointments, it's not a problem. so far, the only bad day i've had was last week. they were still out of school for winter break so we went to the zoo. it's still pretty nice here and we saw a lot outside, but when they wanted to go into the buildings with the reptiles, monkeys, etc. i had to cover my nose with my hand. it was SOOOOO stinky and too hot in there. i haven't told them i'm pregnant yet--waiting until after the dr visit--but we've already talked a little about it. they just wanted to make sure i'd come back after maternity leave and offered to set up their old crib and stuff in the guest room so i can bring the baby to work with me. i think they'll be real excited when i tell them. this is the beginning of my 5th year with them, so they are like family. the boys have already asked me when we're going to have a baby cuz they want a sister and they always tell me that they will hold the baby and help me with it--except not change diapers! :) after i tell them, i'll have to let you know how it went.

i have thought a little bit about working after the baby is here--or not working, really. i think i'll stay with this family as long as they'll have me. after they don't need a nanny anymore, we'll have to talk about it. the problem is, i could stay home, but it would mean more working for my husband and then we'd never see each other. we're pretty dependent on my income...right now anyway.

do you work? how's that going for you?

joy--44 isn't old. i don't feel old now, it just sounds weird. i remember when i was a teenager and thought i'd die when i turned 30. i think it's all about how you feel inside. my husband turned 40 last year and no one would ever guess that's how old he really is--he sure doesn't act like it! :p i'm sorry you're having a tough time with eating lately. i was doing fine until this weekend, and now little things are making me feel sick. like i just cleaned up from the boys breakfasts and when i poured out the orange juice they didn't finish, it smelled horrible to me and made my stomach a little queasy. nothing sounds good to eat either. i had a carnation instant breakfast earlier, and a couple of crackers with some cheese after i cleaned up the kitchen. i need to eat something else i'm sure, but nothing is appealing right now. add to that the fact that i am constipated and eating anything sounds like a horrible idea!


anyway, i'd better run. gotta go do some errands and get gas in the car. take care, lori

Lori,

Sounds like you have an awesome job! Also, it sounds like you will be a great mother. I bet those little boys will be so excited for you. That is really sweet.

I am blessed to have an easy job for pregnancy too. And it has some similarities to yours. I am an activities director at a retirement home. So we do stuff like the go to the zoo or out to eat or shopping. Yesterday, we went to a museum. My hours are pretty flexible according to what time I schedule the activities, so I kind of have control of my hours. Also, I have the pleasure of having hundreds of senior citizens excited about my pregnancy.

I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do about working after the birth and I am going to leave my job, even though I love it. I just don't want to put a newborn in daycare. It will be hard on our finances too, but we are trying to cut corners now to get used to it, but working on a balance, stop using credit cards, stop going out to eat, etc.

I've already told everyone, but I can tell some people are shocked that I would tell the news before the Dr. has seen me. Especially those who have had a hard time with miscarriages or infertility. My husband and I decided to try getting pregnant in Dec. and I already was, so it has been a surprise.

Joy,
You are not old. It seems better to gain a little weight than to be vomiting. Have you tried the old standard, saltines? They can't be too fattening!

For breakfast every day, I am eating a big bowl of Special K with a sliced banana and milk. For supper the past three days, I have eaten a turkey and lettuce sandwich with chips or crackers and fruit, because it is so mild and it is the only thing that sounds good!

Tonight we are meeting my parents at a BBQ restaurant. I sure hope I can handle the smells, etc. I know they have smoked turkey, so I can get my standard turkey sandwich.

Misa

Hey everyone. Just checking in. I'm super sick. I wasn't this way when I was pregnant with my first. I had my first appointment and ultrasound yesterday with some mixed news. There was a strong heartbeat, but possibly also a twin that isn't making it. I'm going back in a week to get another ultrasound. It should be more clear then. I am a 7 weeks, 2 days now. I'm keeping my hopes up for at least one healthy belly bean. I don't think worrying will help anything.

My plans of keeping up my exercise routine went right out the window! I am exhausted, my toddler is not sleeping well, and I'm happy if I can keep lunch down. Hopefully some relief will come soon and I'll be able to get back on the treadmill and in the pool!

Good luck to all of you new and been there, done that mamas!

So sorry you're feeling yucky. I'm right there feeling bad too. I will keep you in my thoughts.

Meredith, what news! It sounds like you have the right attitude. I hope your nausea subsides soon and your baby starts sleeping better. I'll say a prayer for you.

Misa

IamMisa,
I am glad you are being seen today. If your doc says something (like wait until I prescribe a prenatal vitamin) and then something odd happens (he or she could have called it in) that doesn't make sense to you, please, please keep calling the office until you get an answer that makes sense to you. I believe you are the one with diabetes, correct? Don't ever hesitate to keep asking until you get an answer. You need close and thorough care. That is your right and your baby's right.

Whew. (climbing off the soapbox is exhausting!)

Congrats to all on your new pregnancies.

Have you tried Sea-Bands, Meredith?

just stopping by to say hi to everyone! things here are about the same. i've been getting nauseous everyday around lunchtime and staying that way until i go to bed. so much for getting through the frist trimester without being sick! oh well--on a positive note...i feel bad, but i can still eat and haven't actually thrown up yet! :crossed: and, i finally had to make that embarrassing phone call to the dr and ask for something to help with the constipation--do i feel better now! it was so embarrassing to tell them that, but i just decided, "hey--i'm not telling them anything they haven't heard before!" we finally told my best friend that we're pregnant, mostly because she guessed, but i'm glad. she's due with her second the beginning of march and it's nice to be able to call her with questions too. i told her about the constipation and she said she has something for me to take. it's fruit and veggie something. she said it really helps and to take it cuz the constipation will only get worse! (great! :rolleyes:) when i get it from her, i'll post it here in case anyone else is having the same problem i am.

meredith--i'm sorry you are feeling so bad! i hope everything goes well at your next visit and that you can get some rest in the meantime. take care of yourself, i'll be thinking of you! oh....and those sea-bands really do work. my mom wears them when she flies cuz that always makes her sick (those little bands you wear on your wrist that press on a pressure point to prevent nausea, right?). she got hers at walgreens.

misa--how did your dr appointment to go? i hope everything went fine and that you like the office. your job sounds fun. i always admire people who work with the elderly cuz i don't think i could do it. when i was in college i worked with people with developmental/physical/mental challenges. one of my clients lived in a nursing home and i always had trouble going to see her. she was on the floor by the alzheimer's unit and it made me sad to see them. anyway...i bet they'll miss you when you go. will you take the baby back for everyone to see?


well, better run. our dog had some surgery yesterday (to remove a wart from her foot--dogs aren't even supposed to get warts, but of course, ours did!) and i took the bandage off today like the dr said and now she's licking at her stitches. she went under the bed in the guest room, so i'm going to have to crawl under there and get her out. she's worse then a kid! lori

Hi everyone,

I went to the Dr. today and it went great. I am 7 weeks, 1 day, due August 27. My estimate of Nov. 20 being my last period was apparently right.

Anyway, I saw the baby with his/her strong heartbeat and it was so neat. The Dr. said that I only have a 5% chance of a miscarriage at this point, so that is encouraging. It would be so sad to miscarry after seeing the little guy in my stomach and I bet it only gets harder the further along you get.

The Dr. recommended smaller meals more often during the day (i.e. six meals a day). I feel much better today because I am so relieved to have seen the Dr. I have two appts next week - one with the specialist for high risk pregnancies and one with the diabetes specialist. Then back to the OB in 4 weeks.

LORI: I think constipation is VERY normal during pregnancy - it was a question on the forms I had to fill out. Don't feel funny about asking; not only do they hear it all the time, they probably hear it with most pregnant women! I had to discuss gas issues with my doctor today, so I understand the discomfort. But the guy IS looking at people's vaginas all day, so he's gotta be pretty unembarrassed.

MIDWIFE: Thanks for the encouragement. I feel a lot better now and am confident in the Dr. I freaked out because of the lack of insurance, which I still don't have corrected. But I can pay out of pocket if I must and you're right, I need to call if I have questions, instead of just suffering in silence.

Misa

Lori, are you eating lots of fruit? That is supposed to help constipation. Just a thought. I am not having constipation now, but am having lots of other "gastro goodies".

Do any of you just want to be sitting/laying down all the time? :)

Misa

What about ideas for names? I want something traditional that cannot be "nicknamed," like Brooke or Luke. Sounds like soap opera characters! I haven't found the perfect names yet. I have an ongoing list, but am dissatisfied with it. Here it is:

GIRLS

Megan
Amelia
Camille
Anne
Grace
Joy
Hope
Paige
Brooke
Leigh
Madeline
Laurel

BOYS

Paul
David
Cooper
Grant
Cal
Lucas
Luke
Cole
Cade
Lee
Van

hello! thought i'd get on and post before our power goes out again. st. louis got another ice storm last night. it doesn't seem as bad as the one we got in december--the roads are clear, at least--but the wires have about an inch of ice and i could hear branches breaking when i took the dog out. last time it stormed, we were fine, then a branch somewhere in our neighborhood fell and our power was out for 3 days. :crossed: that that doesn't happen again!

misa--i've been eating fruit, but i don't think it's the right kind. i've been having a lot of bananas, grapes, mandarin oranges. i think i need some apples, etc for more fiber. i just get stuck on something and don't think about buying other stuff too. also, i've been trying to get more veggies--not my favorite. and i increased my water and started some bran cereal. since i took the medicine the dr reccommended (just 1 pill on wednesday), i've been fine, so i think all is well for the time being--i hope anyway! :)

i don't feel like laying down all the time, but i have noticed that this week i've been more tired. as soon as i get home and take the dog out, etc, and finally get to sit down, i can only stay awake for about an hour. i don't think i've been up past 9 all week. i don't even feel it happening. i'll be watching tv and relaxing after work, and the next thing i know, the news is on and i'm waking up from a deep sleep.

as far as names go, we have a girls name and are still thinking about a boys. if we have a girl, we're going to name her hannah louise. hannah because my husband has always loved that name and louise for her grandmas. my mom's middle name is lou and my husband's mom's middle name is louise. i thought that was cute. we don't really have a boys name picked yet. i'm going to borrow a baby names book from a friend of mine. the only two we have agreed on so far is benjamin and nathaniel. my dad passed away in november and we talked about using my dad's first name as a middle name (laurence) but haven't decided about that either. right now we are calling the baby "banana" cuz we don't want to know what we're having and rich (my husband) likes benjamin (ben) and decided that if you say ben and hannah together fast it sounds like banana. so, the poor kid isn't even here yet and is already stuck with a goofy nickname! :D i like it though. anyway, i don't call anyone by their right name and all my friends have nicknames, so it works for me.

i like your list of names, especially grace. i tried for olivia, but rich really liked hannah. i tried to pick some names for a boy like noah, jonah, matthew, luke, etc. and rich was like "what are we at? bible camp?" obviously, he didn't like any of those. i don't think you'll ever find something that kids can't think up a nickname to. we have some friends who tried to do that for their son so he wouldn't get picked on. they named him andrew and kids still thought up something goofy to rhyme (andy pandy, i think it was). it's just inevitable. i already know if we have a hannah, people are going to call her hannah banana. i'm thinking a good nickname will be "naner". she'll probably hate it, but what can she do? i'm her mom! :) anyway, i had a horrible last name before i got married (long, german and hard to pronounce) and i just learned to take the teasing in stride.

i'm glad your dr appointment went well. we finally get to go this thursday. i think this is the first time i've ever been excited to go to the ob/gyn! have you given any thought to finding a pediatrician? what are you doing about that?

talk to you later, lori

hi! i just found out jan. 10 that i am pregnant. i am 183 right now and i had just started to diet and excersize before i found out. i will continue walking because that is the only thing my doctor said i can do . i have an appointment for the 19th and an about eight weeks. this is my first pregnancy. i am trying to limit sweets but i love them, so i think i may have to cut them out completely because i don't want to take any chances. i thought i was not able to get pregnant so i feel so blessed and i should do everything possible to be healthy and maintain my pregnancy. i'm really excited right now. congrars to everyone else who is expecting. :dance: