July Preggos!
 

Hi, ladies! Just checkin' in with all of you. Things are going well here. I'm still working at the hospital and so far so good without any new restrictions. I haven't worked this week since our census is low. It's been nice so I've been able to get some household projects done today since DH is home, too! Tonight is all about scrapbooking my youngest's 1st year scrapbook. (he is already 2, that's how far behind I am) :D

Last OB visit was good. Don't need to go back til the end of the month. I'm very happy about that. Insurance offered me a preterm labor prevention program that I was happy to accept. An OB nurse came to my house, answered my questions after a DVD viewing and just spent time answering any concerns I have. Then an OB nurse calls me weekly to check in and make sure I'm okay (read "behaving"). I love this extra attention. Once you've moved past your first kid, I feel like your left out in the cold, medically speaking. My OB has been great and I am hopeful for a term delivery without bedrest this time around, I guess, we will see. OH, and I had my ultrasound and found out we are adding a baby girl to the mix!! DH is thrilled!!! :cheer: Slowly my nursery closet is filling with pink! Did I mention my other 3 children are boys?? All of us are sooo excited!

JEN- How are you doing? Out for good? when are you due again?

Almsthere - Congratulations on the baby girl!! You and DH must be really excited. Now you can buy pretty, frilly, pink things. A friend of mine is TTC #4 and they are desperately hoping for a girl since they, too, have 3 boys.

I'm still hanging in here, 18 weeks yesterday. Nothing to report, which IMO is a good thing. I'm waiting (rather impatiently) until our appointment on the 17th, as long as baby cooperates we'll find out the gender! DH and I both "feel" like it's a girl, which we figure must mean it's a boy. ;) We'll see.

I am finally getting back to some exercise, it took a while. Pretty much just walking and I still play volleyball 1 day per week. Mostly though I just stay at home thoroughly enjoying my air conditioning. I'm like the women in Father of the Bride 2. Poor DH is probably freezing, but I keep the house at a very comfortable 68 degrees. There's nothing better than walking out of 100-degree weather into a cool house. :)

I've been finding myself craving more time outside than I have in a long time. DH and I have been taking a lot more walks. We saw a whole family of skunks the other night (momma and 4 little babies) and my reaction was "awwww, they're so cute!" DH just looked at me and said "man, you've got baby fever BAD." Hehe... he's right. I love looking at families of any sort lately.

I hope everyone else is doing well!

Hey everyone. I am doing pretty good. Not much to complain about. Almsthere....yes I am done work now until after maternity leave. I got my short term disability which is just as well because I am good for about 20-30 minutes of doing anything and then I am wiped out with a sore back. Saturday I came home from grocery shopping and just sat and cried for about 15 minutes because my back was so sore. I'm a bit worried how this time off is going to affect how much I will get on maternity leave but I've decided not to worry about it. We can manage financially, really a little here or there won't make that much of a difference. Overall my back isn't too bad as long as I take it easy, I'm probably just hitting that over emotional period.

I'm due Sept 6 but I'm having a planned c-section (as far as I know, haven't seen the OB yet to book an appt) which if I am figuring things right will probably be the last week of August so I've got a little over 7 weeks to go. I wish it was tomorrow, this hasn't been a really wonderful pregnancy, not that I've had a load of complications or anything so I can't complain about that, it is just all the little aches and pains adding up that have made it uncomfortable. I almost dread going to bed at night because I just cannot get comfortable in my bed no matter what I do with pillows, I am sleeping on the couch most of the time and even then I am not always able to sleep long periods. Oh well, in a few weeks I'll be sleeping more comfortably but not for more than 4 or 5 hours at a time!

Hope everyone had a good weekend, talk to you soon!

Jen - I'm sorry your back is causing you so much trouble. I hope the 7 weeks go quickly for you.

I have been trying hard to keep myself busy making things for the baby. Since I came back from my visit back home (about 2 weeks ago) I'm trying so hard to keep a positive attitude & keeping myself busy definitely helps with that. This pregnancy just seems like a giant waiting game for me!

I've put on 20lbs so far but seem to be holding there for a little bit. My tummy is definitely looking pregnant - depending on the mood I'm in - otherwise it just looks fat - lol!

Hey everyone. Not much going on with me, just hanging in there, trying to get through it day by day. Oy I wish it was time already! I'm so ready emotionally and physically to have this baby and get my body back to a more normal state. It is very frustrating having so many difficulties. Oh well, that was my little moan for the day.

Take care, hope everyone is doing well!

The past week I've just been racked with anxiety. There is nothing in particular I'm anxious about - it changes from hour to hour. But I just cannot seem to shake the feeling deep in my gut that something in my life is terribly wrong. I hate this!

The baby is moving soooo much now - I love that. I don't however love when he kicks my bladder. The first time he did it, it caught me so off guard I almost wet myself - lol!

I'm SUCKING at being active. I try to bring the dogs for a walk everyday at least but some days (like this morning) I get up too late & the rain has already started.

Lifeguard - Try not to stress too much about your activity level while you're pregnant. I really wanted to stay active the whole pregnancy but I haven't been able to, and I've had to accept that. At this point all I can do is a daily walk to the mailbox, which takes about five minutes! You do what you can, and that just has to be enough, you know?

Jen - I know what you mean about being ready to go ahead and have the baby -- I'm ready in most ways but not in others. I'm pretty anxious.

Gale - Make sure you report back and let us know the gender! If you feel like it's a girl, I bet it is. I had VERY strong boy vibes, and mine is a boy.

almsthere - Congrats on the girl! :)

I'll be 37 weeks tomorrow, so I'll have an internal check at my OB appointment. I'd pretty much rather have my toenails ripped off one by one, but oh well. I guess I'll suffer through. Worse pain is in my immediate future, right? My brother says he has a feeling I'll have the baby on July 14, which is Monday! I can't imagine him coming that early. I just have a feeling he's really comfy in there and not planning on coming out anytime soon. He's been moving a lot more lately, kind of beating me up from the inside. I love feeling movement, but now his movements are so strong they actually hurt and keep me awake at night. I'll take it, though, because the movements let me know that he's still ok in there. Now that the baby has dropped somewhat and his head is in my pelvis, it feels pretty odd, though. I think he's moving his head and his hands up by it, so I feel some strange things in that area, and then I feel kicks in my ribs at the same time. I guess he's trying to get into a comfy position and doesn't have a lot of room left.

Enough rambling for today -- I'm off to sit around and read and do nothing, which is pretty much all I'm good for lately...

New to the thread...
 

Hi Ladies,

I am new to this thread, as I just found at two weeks ago that I am pregnant. This is my second pregnancy. My son is about to turn 6, so we have spaced them well. I have been on 3FC for the last five years trying to lose baby weight from #1... somewhat unsuccessfully. ;) So know I am focused on have a healthy pregnancy and not piling on another 70 lbs. :carrot:

So far I am in week seven, and I have actually lost 6 pounds. (Lost most of it before I knew I was pregnant.) My goal is to keep my weight gain at or below 25 pounds. No more of this 70lb gain stuff. So I will be avoiding all of the bad foods I was drawn to the first time... milkshakes, ice cream, gallons of milk, french fries, you get the picture.

I am also going to remain active. Last time I got lazy, then I got BIG and couldn't move. So I am using the treadmill 4 times a week, riding my horse, and moving a lot. Got to get it done now while I still can... because near the end moving is a lot harder.

I look forward to getting to know you all! And learning any tips and advice you have about maintaining a decent weight gain.

Due date: Feb 25th 2009

So, I need a minute to vent some of my thoughts. I've been going nuts tonight and think I just need to get it out.

Is there anyone else that's completely paranoid about gaining too much weight (and really, where's that line?) during your pregnancy? I feel like I'm completely nuts about it, freaked out about it really. I worked so hard to lose the 65 lbs that I did and I don't ever want to be at my high weight again. Thing is, I gained 20lbs of it back before I got pregnant! I feel like it just makes my "error margin" that much smaller. I honestly do know that I'm irrational about this, but I'm really very afraid of being that heavy again. I'm at 19 weeks, nearly halfway, and I've only gained 7 or 8lbs (I'll find out exactly on Thursday) so far, which I'm really happy with. But, I also know that there's a whole lot more pregnancy left and women tend to gain more in the later months than in the earlier months.

I know in the rational side of my brain that even if I do gain "too much", I am very well equipped to lose it again. But, the hormone driven, completely emotional side of me is terrified of having to do it over again! Losing weight is HARD WORK and I don't like hard work (she whines pathetically). I especially don't like to doing something over again when it was done right the first time (like I'm going to have to do with that 20 lbs.)

I think I just needed a good whine. DH is totally supportive, but doesn't understand this fear since "the weight is good weight - it's for the baby." I get that, honestly I do, but it's still hard to see it coming on. Especially since I don't look pregnant yet. I just look like maybe I've been eating too much pizza and am a little bloated. I think that I just have to remember that I eat well 90% of the time (I do have a totally indulgent meal out about once every 2 weeks) and trust from there.

Thanks for letting me whine, I needed a moment. Whew, back to real life now. :)

Gale - I totally understand what you mean. I am somewhat obsessed with my scale (it's an ongoing joke in our house) - I really do get distressed if I have to go too long without being able to weigh myself. Yes, I know that's not the healthiest for me mentally but realistically it helps keep me in check (as in: no I'm not HUGE as I'm the same size as I was yesterday...).

Anyway, I find myself very worried about gaining too much - it was sooo much work to lose & I don't really want to go there again. Plus, we want to have several children & hopefully fairly close together. So I have set a goal of losing all the baby weight + 20lbs between this pregnancy & the next - so the more I gain the more I have to lose - with a timeline in mind. Ugh!!!!

Welcome tkt!!! Congrats!

Lisamarie - How was your appointment? I have one with a new doc this week - I'm not sure if I'm nervous or looking forward to it.

I'm still really struggling with anxiety. I can't seem to find the source of it & so am finding it difficult to find effective ways to deal with it. To make things worse dh's job shorted him most of his paycheque & I am in a panic about money - it's taking some time to figure out where the mistake was.

My goal this week is to get as many things off of my to do list as possible in the hopes that will get rid of (at least some) my anxiety.

I've started getting a little swelling in my hands - oddly enough it seems to be the worst when I first wake up in the morning or after a nap?! I've also been kind of constipated (sorry tmi) & I'm wondering if the two things could be related? I think the constipation is mentally based as we are having major problems with our toilets not flushing reliably & I dread having a bm 'cause I hate plunging. Plumber is coming tomorrow so hopefully all will be resolved.

Lifeguard -- I too was very concerned about gaining all my weight back, especially because I had actually reached goal! I've gained a LOT of it back, and I eventually had to stop weighing myself and just look when I go to the doctor. It's depressing, but I feel sure that I can lose it again.

As for my appointment Friday, eek...don't ask. My OB was called away to deliver a baby, so I had the nurse practitioner. Well, let's just say she's never touching me again. It's not completely her fault. I have a real issue with pelvic exams and always have (I have a condition that causes me a LOT of pain with any kind of spreading apart or penetration, and internal exams are pretty much unbearable). I thought I was kind of over this condition now that I'm pregnant, but this appointment showed me that I'm not. The NP didn't even do the internal check -- she just did the swab test for Group B strep. But she was kind of rough and did it too quickly for me, and she wasn't sensitive to my problem. But she didn't really know the full extent of it, so I don't completely blame her. The problem is that now it's got me REALLY stressed about how I'm going to get through the rest of the internal exams (and labor, for that matter). I plan to have a nice long talk about it with my OB at my appointment Friday and hopefully we can come up with some sort of strategy for dealing with it. The problem is that I could go into labor before then! I'm really hoping I can make it at least another week so I can have that talk with her. Another problem is that since the swab test, I've been sort of burning/stinging down there, and I'm not sure why. I think I'm just irritated from how rough she was.

So as you can see, I'm a bit more stressed now, and this is NOT the time to be stressed. I'm in the home stretch!! I really really really hope the baby holds out another week or two (I'm not technically due until August 1, so he may hold out for another month).

I had my third and final baby shower Saturday and got some more stuff I need. I plan (if I feel up to it) to go shopping tomorrow for the remainder of the small stuff I need (a few blanket sleepers, a rectal thermometer, breast milk storage bags, bottles, a carrier, etc) and then we still need a crib mattress, glider, and breast pump. We're almost ready, but not quite! At least the bassinet is put together, so he'll have somewhere to sleep!! The crib is still in its box!

My biggest worry right now is not knowing when to call or go to the hospital. Everyone says you'll KNOW when you're having contractions, but I feel so many odd little cramps and twinges that I never know what's going on, and I have no idea if I've had Braxton-Hicks contractions. I constantly have lots of pelvic pressure, but that's been there for ages.

As you can see from my very long post, I'm stressed!! I hope you guys are doing ok!

Lisamarie- you will totally know when you are in labor. If you are like me the first time around, you pray for your water to break so that way you definately know. With my last one, my water didn't break and the weekend before I felt miserable and started timing contractions. As soon as they got predictable, they went away. I woke up Monday morning at 5:30am with definate contractions and no doubt about it, I was in labor. I couldn't even talk during the contractions, nor remain standing. I knew. I worried about this myself and it was my 3rd delivery. This time around, I trust my body to do its thing. You know how you see or read about these women who present to the ER in labor and don't even know it. I don't understand this but think that they must not be in tune with themselves. How do you not feel different or at least fetal movement. I don't get it. Trust me, you will know. I don't know where you are planning to deliver. Walk around as much as you can with your contractions. My last baby was the only one whose water didn't break so I was a little more mobile since they didn't have to strap me to the bed and monitor me. I waited for them to clean the hospital room and as I waited, I walked to halls, pausing to lean up against the corridor rail for a contraction, breathing through it, and continued walking. The more you walk, the more weight of the baby head presses your cervix causing you to dilate and thin faster. By the time, the room was clean, the nurse asked me if I could lay down in the bed, and I said no. NOt until the last possible minute. I felt my baby coming. She didn't believe me because I guess I was too calm and relaxed. I mean, I was all business with my contractions. My DH isn't one for pain or helping you through it, my sister was my labor coach and comic relief with my first delivery. By the time, they checked me approximately, a little over an hour after I had arrived and walked the halls waiting for a clean room, I measured at 7.5. Once they broke my water, it would be a matter of minutes. I had no time for an epidural!! But all in all it was a great delivery and I felt great. If I had an option with this one, I would definately labor as long as I could at home, or maybe walk around the hospital to be there but not officially check in. The longer you stay off the monitors the better, I feel. Unless, of course, you want the security of hearing the heartbeat. I was so uncomfortable strapped to the monitors and having to lay on my back, I almost fought with the nurse with #2 because I had sciatica so bad on my rt side and down my leg. I couldn't lay on my back for long. If I moved, they lost the heartbeat and had to come in and reposition the monitor. Oh, well, come back in and reposition me, then. How is it they tell you not to lay on your back for rest and sleep during pregnancy and then they want you strapped to the bed on your back to monitor you during labor?? Doesn't add up for me and I'm an RN, too!!! :devil:

I'm sorry this was such a long post but I feel like a have insider insight since I still work in the hospital (even doing some shifts in postpartum unit) and have had 3 completely different hospital deliveries. Feel free to post or pm me if you have questions.

SO, I'm heading into work today for the first time in over 2 weeks. Census has been low and they haven't needed me at all. I am a little nervous because I have been laying low at home and am concerned that I don't overdo it walking the halls tonight. SO, say a little prayer, and think of me tonight because I am doing so well this pregnancy that I don't want to screw myself up. I also have been having more round ligament and sciatica! Yikes. That definatlely won't make the walking easier or more comfortable. Hopefully, I can find my maternity belt and strap it on before I go into work. That has gotten me through the final stages of pregnancy while still trying to work as long as I medically can. :(

Morning all. Almsthere, hope your shift was okay and you didn't overdo it. Nursing is one of those professions I think where you completely forget about yourself whilst in the midst of caring for patients. I know, I injured my shoulder last year in a patient related incident.

Lisa, sorry to hear that you had such a bad visit with the NP. Hopefully in the midst of labour you won't mind so much the internal exams. I have to admit that I remember practically nothing about being checked when I had my first.

Lifeguard, hope your plumber arrived and got your toilet sorted out. No it is not too much information, pregnant women can't afford TMI because we need to talk to each other about this stuff because who else we gonna talk to when it takes forever to get into the doctor's office?? Could be that the swelling is taking water away from your bowels, maybe that you need to drink more water. I find that drinking more helps with the swelling.

Gale, I'm another one worried about my weight but unlike you gals I hadn't lost any to begin with. I also feel like I just look really fat and not especially pregnant. Right now my concern is that the less I gain now the less I will have to lose later. I think I will probably lose as much as I have gained with the delivery so here's hoping that I can keep up the weight loss afterwards. I haven't really gained that much. Right now I think I am at about 15 lbs so I am okay with that. The last time I lost all the weight I had gained within 3 weeks of delivery but I could never lose any more after that and started gaining. That's not going to be the case this time!!

Otherwise not much new going on. I see the OB tomorrow so hopefully will know what day I will be going in for my section. Still working on getting the baby's room ready. I'm so po'd with my husband. He's such an all or nothing person. He can't work on something slow and steady. Like all he has to do is move his stuff out of the room and down to the basement. If he'd do a little bit every night he'd have it done in no time. But no, he wants to do it all in one shot and I know he'll get frustrated and everything will end up in boxes and not sorted out. Well I am going ahead with working on the baby's room around his stuff. I'm going to get the paint today and I'm working on painting some shelves that are going up in there and it'll get done whether his stuff is still in there or not. I'll just put it in the hallway if it is in my way! Maybe that will be incentive to get his butt moving.

Take care everyone, have a great day!

Ugh - I am HATING how big I feel right now. I don't know how I'm going to make it through to the end continuing to gain. I'm up 22lbs right now which is just too much, even if I had been normal weight to start with. I feel so out of control.

Sorry - I had to vent & dh just doesn't get it.

Lifeguard,

I'll bet you're completely cute!! I think that (in my very limited experience) all pregnant women feel huge, no matter how much or how little we've gained. Our bodies are changing in new ways and we're just not used to the shape it's taking. You're NOT huge, but I know how you feel. I honestly think our perception of ourselves is off to begin with and now being pregnant it's even worse. Try to remember that pregnancy is really a beautiful time and that in the long run it's so very short. I know I'm not one to speak since I freak out about weight gain every now and then, but try to enjoy this brief time... it doesn't last very long. No matter what you gain you'll be able to lose it again, I have 100% confidence in you. :) :hug:

I'm counting the hours... our ultrasound is on Thursday at 2:30pm (MST). I keep praying that the baby will cooperate and we can find out the gender. Tomorrow can't come fast enough!

Thanks Gale. We have an appointment tomorrow too. It's with a new doctor & I'm hoping he'll be more in line with the type of birth we are hoping for (the previous one already offered a planned c-section - wtf?!). I'm also hoping the u/s will confirm it's a boy. I just didn't see it last time even though the doc seemed sure.

Oy I am almost 300 lbs and I am huge! Nothing to be ashamed about, well it is in a way, I let myself go when I should have been trying harder to lose weight in preparation to get pregnant but I got depressed because it didn't happen as fast as I expected and I started eating like mad. But I am positive that I am going to lose all the weight this time around. As soon as I am recovered from my c-section I'm going to be right into an exercise and eating program.

Saw the OB yesterday, my section is planned for Aug 27. I have to have a section because of my pelvis being so narrow, I had one for the first baby because he was 9 lbs 4 oz and hadn't even dropped 8 days over my due date. I was induced and had my water broke and didn't dilate more than 1 cm over about 4 hours. By then I was calling for an epidural and she said that I might as well have a spinal and a section because that baby wasn't coming out any other way. Then afterwards she said that if I had another baby unless that baby was about 6 lbs or less I'd probably need a section. Well I had an ultrasound at the end of June and the baby was almost 4 lbs by their reckoning (don't ask me how they can figure that out) so I'm thinking that the baby is likely to gain more than 2 lbs by the end of August.

Also I had to see the dietician yesterday and she is concerned about my blood sugar levels. I had the glucose tests last month and while I don't have gestational diabetes I am glucose intolerant so I had to start checking my sugars 4 times a day. She's okay with most of the readings just not the fasting sugar first thing in the morning is too high so she got the doctor to prescribe Metformin which is a medication that diabetics take. I'm a little worried about it now that I've had some time to think about it. I don't want to start taking something my body is going to get used to and have to keep taking after I have the baby. I'm going to talk it over with the pharmacist and also I think there is a diabetic clinician at the pharmacy so I'll talk to her about it as well. I could probably do more with controlling my diet and I'd rather do that than start this medication. Anyone have any experience with gestational diabetes?

Jen - I hope you are able to find a solution that works for you for the gd. My understanding is that the diagnostic tests they use have much to be desired & that in fact many women who are told they have gd in actuality do not. Try hard not stress about it & keep up a good diet.

I just got back from meeting the new ob. He is AWESOME!!! When I told him why I was unhappy with the other ob he finished my sentence saying "let me guess, she offered a c-section. What was the reason she gave, too small a pelvis?". LOL! Made me very happy. He doesn't require an iv, doesn't require continuous fetal monitoring, only does interventions when they are absolutely necessary. He has even fought with the hospital so that now his patients do not need to move to a delivery room but can stay in the labour room throughout, meaning no scrubs or limits of people in the room.

I'm just SOOOO relieved. I've been so anxious about the birth becoming overmedicalized. He also did an ultrasound & confirmed for sure it's a boy. He even had a 4D ultrasound which I wasn't expecting & sent me home with a cd - so that's cool 'cause I can show my mom when we go home next month.

lifeguard- So happy to hear that your new OB rocks! Very cool. I love my OB, too! I can't wait to deliver this baby at a totally different hospital and with a totally new group! :carrot:

jen- We all feel huge at some point or another. :hug:Some days I feel gynormous and other days I don't feel so pregnant. You will lose your huge tight round belly right away as soon as you deliver although after the baby you will still look a little pregnant. That was one of the things I noticed right away the last time...I felt so much better right away. I mean, I was still puffy from IVs and pushing but I felt like I could have worn a bikini. Ok, maybe not that great. :D DH had to gently tell me, "honey, just know that you still look pregnant." Obviously, there wasn't a big mirror in my hospital room. "I know that, I said,but in the next few days once I shed all this excess fluid and my uterus starts shrinking...I won't! " And I was right!
Hang in there! Oh- Did your doctor write you out of work but not on bedrest??

Gale- How did your US go? Dying to know if the baby cooperated. Where you able to find out the gender??

As for me, had a rough time the last shift I worked, Monday night. I had to sit out and put my feet up for 45 minutes before the backpain and sciatica went away. Totally tried not to freak out because I don't want to be put on bedrest with this one. I don't return to the OB until next Wednesday and hopefully I don't have to report that I have started having some contractions. So far, sciatica but no contractions. Any one else have a hard time distinguishing between brackston hicks and baby movement?? This baby is laying across my abdomen and everytime she does a roll or move, I think it is the beginning of a contraction and I panic. As far as work goes, I would like to work and stay active as long as I can. Plan on agreeing to only work 4 hours tomorrow night but may stay a little longer and help out if I feel up to it. I am not delivering at the hospital that I work so all of my great OBs are closer to my home. Definately, have to find my maternity belt too before I go in tomorrow. Previously, with the other babies, I wouldn't have left home to go to work without it. Now, I gotta go dig around in my postpartum stuff for it. Somehow, its not in my maternity stuff!

Almsthere - I am just off work, I am not on bedrest but somedays I feel like I should be. Today I was just walking around WalMart for about half hour and that practically did my back in. I don't do a whole lot during the day, if I can get one or two things done as well as keep up with the daily stuff and keep up with my 6 year old I count it as being a successful day! I'm not freaking out about feeling huge, just a statement of fact. Heck I am over 270 lbs, I am not a tiny thing! I know I will probably lose more than what I have gained within a few weeks of the delivery and it can't happen soon enough for me especially getting rid of some of this fluid. I'm so sick of my feet being swollen almost all the time.

Lifeguard - congrats on learning you are having a boy and finding an OB that you like. Why would your first OB want to plan a c-section, how could she possibly know that you have a narrow pelvis without actually seeing it? I am having a planned c-section because the last time my OB did see how narrow I was (who would have guess under all this flab?) and said that if I had any more babies unless they were small I'd need a c-section. Seeing as I am obese and had a big baby the first time everyone is figuring that this one is going to be big as well. I don't necessarily think so because on June 30 I had an ultrasound and they figured the baby was about 4 lbs so I can't see that it is going to gain all that much weight in 2 months. I think you are right about the gestational diabetes. I talked to the pharmacist about the medication and she said that no my body shouldn't get used to it and I shouldn't need it after delivery. I'm going to take it for a bit and see what happens but I may just take myself off of it if I don't think I need it. I think they are being really fussy about these numbers because if I was really diabetic no one would do squat with these numbers. Like I can't even see a doctor prescribing me oral meds let alone insulin. I'm gonna give it a week and see.

Otherwise not much going on, glad to see that you guys are doing well. Take care all!

Jen - my point exactly! There is absolutely no reason at this point to think I need a c-section - but c-section rates are very high here. Plus the fact that the whiter you are the more likely you are to get a c-section - I suppose it's 'cause they see us as being rich & therefore able to afford a c-section. It's a money maker.

I put a couple of the u/s pics on my blog if you're interested.

Lifeguard - I had a look at your ultrasound pictures, how nice that he did a 4D ultrasound for you, I'm assuming that he did not charge for it. Here I'd have to pay about $100 to go to a private clinic for the same thing. It's sort of a fun thing to do rather than something that is medically necessary so I haven't had it done. The last ultrasound that I had done I have a picture of the face, not as good as a 4D picture but better than nothing.

Gale02, so what's the verdict - team pink or team blue?

Lifeguard - I am glad that you liked your new doctor. I absolutely love my Midwife. I bet the 4D ultrasound was amazing! We also have to pay for it here and go to a private clinic, but we may still do it.

Oh, and hi everyone. I am still early in this pregnancy - baby #3 for me. I have a 10 year old son and 8 year old daughter. So, this kind of feels like I am starting over to a point. Haven't been here a whole lot lately, but try to check in from time to time. I hope that everyone is feeling good and babies are well.

Yeah - I was very surprised he did the 4D u/s. Back home I definitely would have had to go to a private clinic & pay for it. When a friend of mine did it a couple of years ago she had to go to another city & paid $300!!! I think it is cheaper now but I never would have paid the extra for it. Although this doctor is a little more expensive then the one I was seeing - thank goodness for insurance!

IT'S A BOY!! :D

We're both so excited. There was absolutely no question at all on the ultrasound. She managed to get underneath him, so it looked like he was sitting on a copy machine. Very, very clearly boy parts. :) Even the ultrasound tech said "WOW! That is most definitely a boy." He was a wiggly little one in there, I felt the hardest kick I have so far. She couldn't get a really good picture of his face, he kept both hands up next to his mouth almost the entire time.

Everything looks totally normal as far as we can tell. The other Dr. still has to review it, but it looks good. The ultrasound dated me at 20w6d instead of the 19w5d I was at. But, they're not going to change my due date since it was within 2 weeks.

We were able to get a 4-D ultrasound done in addition to the 2-D. It amazes me that you have to pay more and go to a different clinic to get them done in some places! Where we were she just hit a button on the computer and it changed back and forth from 2-D to 4-D.

We went and registered at Target after we found out. We also bought some cute clothes (of course.) I like registering, it's like shopping without spending the money!


I had my 20 week OB appointment right after the ultrasound and everything seems to be progressing normally. I gained 4 lbs this month, bringing the total so far to 9 lbs. I've been eating unnatural amounts of cereal lately ;). Seriously, every bowl in the house was dirty and only 2 plates were dirty... that says something! I love cereal, and I figure the milk is good for me anyway. Better than eating out at any rate.

I do have a victory to share... I've actually exercised this week! I played volleyball on Monday night and I've gone for 2 walks with the dogs. Not long ones, but better than the nothing I've been doing for the last 3 months. It feels great to get outside, even around the neighborhood.

Gale - Congratulations!! Registering after you find out the sex is so much fun -- I did it on the same day too. And my boy was flipped upside down like that too in the u/s picture and you could REALLY see he was a boy!

Lifeguard - I'm so glad you're happier with your new OB -- it sounds like a much better fit for you!

lovinlife - Congrats and welcome! You can probably give first-time moms like me lots of advice!

almsthre and jen -- Hi!! :wave:

I had my 38-week appointment today and had a nice long talk with my OB about the vaginal pain problems I have from internal exams and the traumatic experience I had last week with the nurse practitioner. She examined me today and it wasn't as bad, and she discovered that I haven't dilated or effaced at all yet, that I'm completely closed. I thought the little bean was comfortable in there, and it turns out he is!

Because of the intense pain I have from any kind of insertion, my OB told me to consider an elective C-section. I'm supposed to think it over and let her know by my next appointment on Friday. My husband and I are kind of tearing our hair out about the decision and I have a lot of research to do. I never thought I would opt for something like that, but I also thought I would get over this problem of mine and at 36 I'm still not over it. What's nice is that my OB isn't pushing me one way or another -- she just wanted me to know I do have the option, and she's completely supportive either way.

Congrats Gale! I thought I would be disappointed if it was a boy but I'm surprisingly not (I've always wanted girls). I think 'cause it's our first I feel sure I'll get my girl.

Lisa - I'm sorry you're faced with this decision. Is it something that speaking with a therapist might help with? (Sorry if I'm making assumptions as you have not given much detail.)

I've had a headache that has been slowly progressively getting worse over the past 24 hours. I finally just took some tylenol but man, every time these dogs bark I feel like I'm gonna be sick! Ugh.

Wow, everyone is having a boy! This bodes well for me because we don't know yet, won't know until the delivery. I'm hoping for a boy but really it won't matter of course. I have so many boy clothes though, I'll be spending a fortune on new clothes!

Lisa - I'm sorry to hear that you are having issues. It is hard to know what to do. Would an epidural take care of the pain?

My husband is cleaning his stuff out of the baby's room even as we speak so I have hopes that we'll finally get the room done in time. Not much else going on right now, heart burn like crazy today though.

Jen - lol - for years I every time someone has had a boy I've said "woohoo - betters my chance for a girl!" Kind of joking & kinda hopeful. Apparently it doesn't matter!

My belly has been really sore the last 2 days whenever I walk. I am not enjoying the pain at all! Hopefully it's a temporary thing as something stretches out.

That's funny lifeguard - I've always wanted boys, and I especially have always wanted our first to be a boy. Not for the typical reasons (you know, carrying on family name and such) but because I absolutely adored growing up with older brothers. In fact, I think a whole houseful of boys would probably be ok with me. :) I'll bet we'll have a girl at some point though, and I'm glad she'll have at least one older brother to stick up for her.

Jen - an epidural would definitely take care of the pain, and I've always planned to get one, but it's not really about the labor itself but the after effects. It's tough to explain because lots of people have never even heard of this problem (even some gynecologists, believe it or not -- this always shocks me).

I have pretty much decided that I will try the vaginal birth. I just hope I don't have the uterine prolapse that happened to both my sister and mother -- I've read there's a hereditary predisposition toward it, and they've had problems with their bowels and bladder collapsing downward as well, so that's pretty scary. That can happen just from being pregnant, though, so the vaginal birth may not have an effect. As for the other problems, I just have to pray for the best. I feel like it's safer for my baby and for me not to have to go through major surgery. The decision isn't final yet -- I will have another discussion with my OB -- but it's pretty cemented in my head.

As for having boys -- I always thought I wanted at least two children and that I wanted a boy first so my little girl would have a big brother. So if I have another, I hope she's a girl! I just KNEW this one was a boy, and he is! I can't wait to meet him, and he'll be here soon!

Even with the issues I'm having, I'm getting REALLY excited about my baby finally being here. I can't wait to see his little face!!

I hope everyone else is feeling well!

Lisa - I think it is a good idea that you are going with a vaginal birth. My SIL just said in a recent e-mail that the euphoria of the baby coming out blocks out the pain so I'm sure this will be the same for you.

Had a terrible day yesterday. Monday night I could barely sleep and so felt so tired yesterday. I went back to sleep after my dh left for work and ds was good and stayed quiet so I could sleep. I felt okay for a bit but then around lunch I felt so dizzy and sick, didn't start feeling much better until around supper time. Still feeling a bit woozy this morning but better than yesterday.

Hope everyone is going great!

Again, it's not the pain of labor that I'm worried about -- it's the after effects related to the problem I've had for years. I mean, I AM worried about the pain of labor, obviously, but that has nothing to do with this decision. I've made the decision, though, so I'm just hoping for the best in terms of what will happen in the future related to it.

Jen, I'm sorry you had a rough day yesterday. I've been having some rough nights! I haven't slept more than two hours at a time in weeks, and yesterday I think I had my first Braxton-Hicks contractions. Since I hadn't had any contractions of any kind before this, I was worried that maybe labor was starting and I just didn't know it. I still have this fear that I won't know when I'm in labor and I won't make it to the hospital in time for my epidural!! I'll be 39 weeks on Friday, so I'm very close!

Lisa- I'm excited for you that you are so close. I can't wait!

I am sleeping terribly - even for me - lol. I've never been a particularly great sleeper (at night - I nap wonderfully!). Between the need to pee (I swear the baby is on my bladder is such way that I never actually empty my bladder 'cause I literally still feel like I have to pee when I'm getting off the toilet), the neighbour's dog's incessant night time barking & dh interrupting my sleep with his early rising I never get more than 2 hour stretches at a time. But I guess it won't be a shock to my system when baby comes!

Lisa - I don't know precisely what the issues are and I hope all goes well with the birth. From what I remember from my first baby is that you'll be too busy for the first couple of weeks to even think about it. It goes by in a big haze of sleep deprivation and worry over your first baby. :) I didn't go into labour spontaneously, I was induced and then ended up having a c-section but I did go through a few hours of labour and believe me you will know!!!

Lifeguard - I am having the exact same problem with going to the bathroom. I'll go and then 2 minutes later feel like I have to go again and then most of the time it is just a tiny dribble. Makes me so mad because usually I've just gotten myself into a comfortable position. Now I'm starting to just ignore it if I am certain that it is just because the baby is lying on my bladder.

Has been super rainy here the past little while. Meanwhile they predicted that it was going to be a hot and dry summer. Oops, got that one wrong! We've had some hot days don't get me wrong but not as many as last year. This is the kind of summer I like. I'm not keen on summer and especially not when I am pregnant. I was pregnant at the exact same time with my first and we lived in a house with no air conditioning and it was a dry, hot summer that year. I spent most of my time dousing myself in the shower and then laying in front of the fan without drying off. Or I'd leave the bathtub half full of cold, clean water before I went to bed because I'd end up getting up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat and I'd just go and lay in the tub until I cooled down.

So I bought some fabric for the curtains for the baby's room. Next week I am going to get the paint. Hopefully dh will have the rest of his stuff cleaned out. I'm trying to think about what we are going to do for diapers. We did disposibles for the first and now I am thinking about cloth. I understand that besides being better for the environment it is a lot cheaper in the long run and also I think it would be better for potty training. Our first wasn't trained until he was almost 4 and I'd like to get it done a little sooner this time. Problem is that there are no stores around here that I can look at their cloth diapers. I'm pretty much going to have to order them on-line I think. Anybody else doing cloth diapers? Also looking at a sling to carry the baby. With my first I had one of those carriers where the baby is in front of you but it was too hard on my back. Was talking to another woman who had one and she said it was much easier with the sling so I'd like to get one. It is such a pain to carry the baby around in the car seat or to slug the stroller around everywhere.

Hope everyone has a good day, take care!

I am using cloth diapers. There are sooo many varieties on the market right now that I'm sure you can find a type you like. I am using chinese prefolds (which are similar to the flat diapers our parents used) which I made myself (except for a few which I got at a great price at a consignment shop - brand new!). For covers I am going to purchase a couple of the plasticky, waterproof ones but primarily plan to use wool ones which I will make myself or have my MIL make. It being so warm here I think the wool ones would breath sooo much better than the plastic ones!

Where are you in Ontario? Home for us is close to Ottawa & although I don't think there is a mainstream store in Ottawa that sells cloth diapers I do not that there are a couple of small (very small) shops that specialize in them. You might be surprised at what you can find. My friend has bought some of hers online however & had good luck.

Jen - I'm not using cloth diapers but I did buy a pack of them to use as burp cloths. I also like the idea of having a few around as backup -- I have this fear of completely running out of diapers and not having anything around to put on the baby!! I live in the boonies, so it's hard to just run out and get some diapers. I bought them at Babies-r-us -- they only had a few packs and they were located in the feeding section instead of with the diapers (kind of odd...)

My stomach is sooooo hard today, especially on the left side. It's really weird. And he's not moving around as much in there today -- I wonder if he's concentrating on trying to get out! I have an appointment tomorrow morning. I dread the internal exam (of course), but I hope to find out there's some progress. Then my husband and I are going out to lunch and then hitting Wal-mart for a few last-minute things that we need before the baby comes!

Today is my husband's last day of work, which makes me feel MUCH better. He's also a teacher, but in the summer he works with the computers at the school for extra money. He wants to be home with me from now on, though, because we're so close to the due date. It's already a 40-minute drive to the hospital, but if he had to come from work, that would add on at least another 20 or 30 minutes AFTER he gets my message!! Scary! So I'll feel much better when he's here with me. We plan to just finish up some things around the house, watch movies, and hang out until the baby comes!

I'm getting very excited to see my baby and to hold him. It's a weird feeling -- I can't imagine not having him inside my belly anymore!

Lisa - hope your exam went okay today. I'm sure it'll be nice having your husband home with you for the rest of the summer. I know what you mean about having to imagine your baby outside of you. 40 weeks is a long time and in someways it has only been the past few that I can imagine actually holding my baby and looking after it.

Lifeguard - I am more in the Niagara region and you'd think that with all the big cities in this area I could find some place other than Toys R Us that sells cloth diapers but there isn't! The closest I could find was in Burlington and it only has a couple of different kinds. I wish I could find someplace that has several and I could look at all of them but it isn't going to happen. I'm just going to have to buckle down and read through the descriptions on-line and order them that way. I don't live that close to big cities that I want to be driving all over with my 6 year old in the car looking for cloth diapers. It isn't worth it in my time, aggravation and price of gas!