AUGUST 2008 ~ BUMP BUDDIES

[seltzer]

Are any of you going to bank your baby's cord blood? I have been reading a lot of pros and cons, etc., and finally I just went ahead and signed up. I got an amazing deal through the sperm bank my DP and I used. It's about $1500 less than other places offer. I just figure why not, right? Hopefully we will never have to use it and I can consider it a waste of $$, LOL. Our total storage fees are going to be outrageous, though: we have sperm in storage, 4 embryos, and we will now have cord blood too. What a PITA...

[MBG]

Seltzer: Sounds like you have a little community in storage , should you chose to use everything! We haven't talked that much about banking the coord blood....I have heard that it is only useful if your baby gets sick as an infant...after that it is of no use...however, i have not done that much research so I could be wrong. Anyway...not sure what we are going to do.
Hope you are feeling well!!

I have a question for you girls...should I go to a maternity store to get fitted for a new bra or to any lingerie department? What have you girls been doing?

Belly Rubs!!
Marybeth

[tinaO]

Hello! Ok, I finally put my 12 week and 16 week shots on photobucket. Thanks for the encouragement on the weight gain. I started tracking it from the day we did the transfer (which included the holidays!!), so I am sure my doc is probably only seeing a 5-6 pound weight gain, but oh not so!! Thankfully it has slowed down some now and I am not gaining any more at this very moment. But you know...all this talk about weight gain is making me hungry.....

Seltzer - I am not sure about the banking of the baby cord stuff. I have not put much thought into it yet. I probably need to though.....

Keep us posted on the baby movement - how exciting!!!!

Marybeth - I don't know what to tell you about your bra situation. My boobs have not grown that much yet...I mean some, but not like some of you are experiencing. It appears to enjoy heading to my a-- instead!!!

Rebecca - Wasn't Babies-R-Us fun?? So overwhelming, but fun!!! Sorry you are sick! That sucks. I have not been sick in like a year and I feel so lucky. Let's hope it stays that way even with my travel - which is usally when I get sick the most!

Karen - how did the amnio go?? Keep us posted!! I am sure everything is great. Just keep thinking like that. It will all be ok. I just know it.

Well ladies, we are off to the beach tomorrow! The weather is GORGEOUS here right now and the predictions at the beach this weekend are sunny and mid-80's!! It is only a 2-2 1/2 hour drive for us, so can't wait!! Have a wonderful weekend!!


Tina

[2ndtimer]

Hi Guys,
Hope everyone is well.

Marybeth -go to a maternity store & get measured for a maternity bra. I wasted $ on a couple of regular bras that were a size larger than what I normally wear. They only fit for a couple of weeks. The maternity bras have better straps & bigger cups. Also expect the band size to increase because your rib cage is expanding too to accomodate the babies. (I've gone from a 36C to a 40D!!)

No answers for anything else. We havent really considered storing the cord blood.

Tina -have fun at the beach.

Take care,
Rebecca

[dancinnancy]

We're having a girl!!! Just found out last night at our 'big' scan! It's so strange now knowing what I have inside me. DH said to me this morning, "good morning girls" and I started the 'happy cry'. So many people, including DH, thought the baby was a boy...not so! A dear friend of mine is having a boy in June, looks like I'll have to call & tell her that DH & I will be paying for the wedding 25+ years from now!

My parents came to the u/s with us & my father was just amazed with the clarity of the image! My mom was in shock, she had seen early scans of my nephew, where the yolk sac is bigger than the baby - but nothing like this! The tech focused in on the heart & it's chambers/valves, she showed us the kidneys, bladder, and stomach. She measured the head, areas of the brain, the belly, the femur, the CR length (11.3cm ~ 5 inches), and the organs. And just as she was saying how cute it is when you catch the little one with the hiccups...our little one came down with a crazy case of them! At first just the belly was bouncing from them, at one point the entire body was jerking from them!

We played dumb (very easy for us to do!) and asked her if this machine was 3D capable - we knew it was, just wanted to see if she'd do it for us. Sure enough, all it needed was a flip of the switch & off to melted wax land we went! She did warn us that at this early stage the image might be a little disturbing...which in all honesty, it kind of was! It was truly amazing though, seeing her moving around, seeing perfectly where the umbilical cord attaches to her....HER, oh my God it's a girl! I have to keep reminding myself! Oh ladies, this is just such a blessing!

Can't wait to see what everyone is having!

[MBG]

Dancinnancy: CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Your post was so sweet! You brought tears to my eyes! I am so excited for you and DH! WOW we have come a long way from our first thread!!!! How excited you must be...now you can start going pink and purple crazy!!!!! I viewed your u/s pics on photobucket...priceless!! Keep up the good work, you seem to be harboring a healthy little GIRL!!!

TinaO: You look great in your pics!!! You are glowing! When do you go in for your big unveiling appointment?

As for me...I went to mimi maternity Friday afternoon. WOW that stuff adds up! I bought 2 pairs of bermuda style shorts,2 tops and a maternity bra and it was almost $300! I couldn't believed how expensive everything was, but it was sooo cute!! I guess a few splurges here and there are ok!! I had the girl measure me for my current bra size..I went from a 34 C to a 34 D (almost DD) YIKES!!!! If they get much bigger I am not going to be able to admire my growing belly!!

I hope everyone is having a relzxing weekend!
Marybeth

[2ndtimer]

Hi Everyone!
Nancy -how wonderful. A sweet little girl. Congratulations!!! It was also a great idea to let your parents come to the u/s. I wish now that I had invited my mom, she's so excited for me.
MGB -check in you area to see if you have a Motherhood Maternity. I think they are part of the same company as Mimi Maternity, but less expensive. I've had a good time buying maternity clothes but I've tried to remember that I'll only be wearing these things for a short while. It's hard though, because it is really fun to finally be pregnant & I'm really enjoying looking pregnant. So far, I bought 4 t shirts from Old Navy Maternity & 2 pairs of colored jeans from there too. I also bought some capri pants & 2 more T shirts from Target maternity. Then I got 2 much nicer tops from Motherhood Maternity. I also got a couple of pairs of shorts. So I think since I work from home & get to dress really casually I'm probably set for a while.
My sister(who is crazy sometimes) decided that she wasn't going to spend any $ on maternity clothes since she wouldn't need them that long. So for both of her pregnancies she walked around looking like absolute crap wearing her husband's jeans & sweatpants and big shirts. I saw her once at her work wearing a big silk blouse with obvious sweat pants -the kind that have elastic at the ankles -and dress shoes. Then, of course, she decided that since she looked bad anyway there was no reason to get her hair done. It really went downhill from there. She's doing much better now, but why would someone want to walk around for 2 years looking really bad? So anyway, I'm trying to do the opposite and take care of myself & appearance.

By the way -I highly recommend the Leachco "Snoogle" total body maternity pillow. It's great. I'm so much more comfortable at night that I'm not waking up to pee near as much.

Hope everyone has been having a good weekend. Shari -How are you doing?
Take Care,
Rebecca

[sharishu]

Hey Ladies,

Nancy- Congrats on your little girl! That is really very exciting. It's great that your mom was there to share in your joy. Yes- the 3D image is a bit disturbing (face-wise) but it was cool to see things like the baby putting its arm up by its face in a more lifelike image.

Rebecca- Sounds like you have your whole wardrobe set! I was laughing at the image of your sister with the sweatpants and dress shoes. It reminded me of my sister who wore her husband's old bright red sweatpants almost every day during her first pregnancy. I am pretty set with my wardrobe as well. Just need a few more t-shirts for the warm weather. My mom actually bought me a few (hope they're ok) and my cousin is coming to Israel in a week and is bringing them with her, so I'll see them then.

MBG- Your bra story really makes me feel like I should get fitted as well. I know my boobs have grown, and the proof is in me RIPPING my bra off the moment I walk through the door at night. I am expanding in general, and since I am short, the 'expansion' doesn't have anyplace to go but out . Ah well! I will start on weight watchers once the baby is born.

Tina- Very cute pics! You look great! Hope you had a great time at the beach, sounds relaxing and fun. Scam any more scans recently? Kidding, kidding. Hope all is well with you.

Gonna go catch some shut eye. Be well!
Shari

[seltzer]

Dancinnancy - Congratulations on your baby girl! Your post was so joyous to read--it made me emotional! Have fun going crazy buying cute dresses and bonnets and stuff for the summer. It's so much fun getting ready for the baby, and now that you know it's a little girl you can customize everything. I am really happy for you and your DH.

Rebecca - I too laughed at your description of your sister. Hysterical. I agree - if I can find things I look good in and that flatter my pregnant figure, then I'm paying whatever they cost. It's important to look good/feel good while pregnant. Sometimes I feel just like you describe your sister--dumpy, etc. Although I can't say that I've worn sweatpants and dress shoes to work, LOL. I went to Motherhood today but didn't find anything. I started crying when I tried on a few tops b/c I looked fat. It sucked. I had my son w/me, so I was nervous he was going to start flipping out, so I just left. I'll have to go back later with my DP. A little emotional support in that dept. goes a long way.

I am just hanging out this weekend...it has been so difficult today w/my son because he has two teeth trying to cut through, and one's a molar. He has been totally out of control, throwing fits and screaming non-stop. He's down for a nap now, thankfully. I am so tired.

Everyone have a pleasant night!

[tinaO]

Hello all! Back from a wonderful weekend at the beach!! It was so awesome!! We hung out at the beach, ate seafood dinners, just chilled out! My college roommate who is 7 months pregnant and her husband joined us - which was fun to hang out with another preggo! Well, except for the fact that all they do is talk about her pregnancy and what we should expect at each month and what she craved, and when she was emotional, when she feels the baby kick, how my feet are going to swell....and so on and so on. It gets a little old. I mean, I just don't feel the need to talk about my pregnancy ALL the time and have someone tell me every step of the way what I am going to go through. I finally said, "You know, you guys need to let us have our own moments and if you aren't careful...I might just start sharing all the horror stories of my pregnancy so far and it ain't appropriate for the dinner table!" Other than that, it was great. I will download a pic or two later from the weekend. There is a cute one of my husband holding my belly on the balcony overlooking the water.

dancinnancy - OMG - so happy for you! Ok, I also have tears in my eyes as I type this. We have come so far since our original thread. I am so happy for you!!! Congrats on a baby girl!!!


Marybeth - I had a dream about you last night!! How weird is that?? I have no idea how you appeared in my dreams, but somehow you did. All I remember is that you found out you ARE having a boy and a girl. You named your boy something that started with a C...like Cameron or something. I remember distinctly your little girl was going to be named Sage. Pretty funny, huh? No idea where those names came from!!! Anyway, I woke up laughing about it because I had all these strange dreams last night. We were sitting at breakfast this morning with our friends that spent the weekend with us and I was telling them about you all. They thought it was very cool that we all stay in touch like this. I agree - it is awesome. You, me and dancinnancy have been together from the start!

Seltzer- I know what you mean about having a hard time at the maternity stores. I can try stuff on and it makes me sick - I am just picky about my clothes. I majorly splurged on 2 pairs of cool jeans and a good suit for work. I live in jeans and I know I need a good suit for work. I hope it was worth the inverstment to feel good! I have a big meeting in early April with what will be another new client for me and I really would rather they not know yet that I am pregnant. I am hoping the suit will hide it - who knows! By then there may be no hiding it!! I know I need to not buy anything else if possible for a while as a friend of mine gave me some of her maternity clothes - pretty cute tops, pair of shorts, capri pants, some work dress pants...quite a bit now that I think about it!! I also bought some capris, some pants, and a few pairs of shorts. That is just going to have to last me for a long while! How are you feeling, by the way? Any better? I am sorry your little boy is going through the teething thing - that has to be tough!

Shari - Sounds like you are doing well! I am also short (5'2) and petite, so it does seem like I am expanding in all directions. When you are short, it is so tough to hide it!! It just goes everywhere it seems! I ate a lot this weekend and now I feel like I am going to explode. I have a hard time eating big meals now - I just get so BLOATED!!

Rebecca - Weren't you surprised how cute some of the Target maternity stuff was? My friend that gave me some of her clothes gave me some cute stuff from there...esp the shorts and capris! Unfortunately, I hit up Pea in the Pod for my jeans and suit and that really was a stupid amount of money to pay for clothes that I won't always wear. Hopefully I will have another baby (our little frozen miracle waiting for us!!) and I can wear this stuff again!!! If not, it really is a waste and I kind of regret it. Oh well! Your sister story was so funny! It is funny what some women will wear when they are pregnant! It's like they just don't care.

Well ladies, I better run. I need to go out for my little 3-mile walk. I have been having all kinds of cramps and pulls this weekend where everything is stretching and it is pretty painful. I am hoping the walking will help. Love to all of you!!

Tina

[MBG]

Rebecca: Thanks for the advice...sounds like you do have your wardrobe all set...everything I have bought so far is for warmer weather, I have spent all this $$ and can't wear anythin yet!! I did make sure I have plenty of growing room though.....I think I should open a maternity consignment store....there is a definate need! Your sister sounds like a character!! Her poor DH must of been really happy when she was finished having babies!!!

Tina0: Sounds like you had a great trip!! You are a traveling lady!! I so miss the beach!! I love to just sit in the sand and stare at the ocean...it is so peaceful! I laughed when I read about your dream....maybe you are having some sort of premonition??? Maybe it will be a boy and a girl! Only a few more weeks to find out!!! I don't think we will name a little girl sage, but that is close to the color of the nursey!!

Seltzer: I hope that little boy feels better soon!!

HUGS and BELLY RUBS to ALL!!

Marybeth

[tinaO]

Hello! Well, I had a TERRIBLE case of heartburn last night! Uggghhh!!! I thought my walk last night would help it - it didn't!! Then I did something to my back last night while working in the yard - I am in pain! Double uuggghhhh! Oh well, not much I can do about it now. Hopefully it will get better soon!

I felt the baby move for the first time today. It was exactly what I heard it would feel like - a quick flutter like the baby took its fingertips and just brushed them across my belly from the inside!! It was so wild! I was on a business call and I swear I never heard anything after that!!! So amazing....

The count down is on - we find out what we are having on March 28th!!!

Alright ladies, I am off to Wichita, KS tomorrow...I know, such fun. My business travel is such a joy (yeah, right). Take care all and take care of your little babies!!!

I am anxious to hear how the amnios went for the ladies that had them done. Hopefully all is well!!

Tina

[gori]

Hi girls, hope everyone is doing well. This is a quick note to let you know that my amnio ultrasound last week was great. I was waiting for Amnio FISH results [shorter version of the full amnio but very close in accuracy to the actual Amnio results & takes less time]. Today I got FISH results and good news is that it looks great!! No issues with Down Syndrome!!! And we are having a GIRL!!!!! My dh is soooooooooooo excited.... so am I. Now I have to wait for another week for the full amnio results.
Lots of luck & love to you all & to your babies
Gori

[seltzer]

Hi Gori - I am so happy to hear your news. Congratulations on your baby girl. All you ladies finding out what you're having is making me want to know, but it's too late anyway! Wow, what a scare you've had, but you're almost through it, thankfully. When do you get the full results?

[2ndtimer]

Gori, that's so great! Congratulations!!! I was just wondering today how you & Karen are doing with the amnio's. I'm so happy to hear everything is looking good.
Rebecca