AUGUST 2008 ~ BUMP BUDDIES

[tinaO]

Ok, I only have a sec to post, but Seltzer - you crack me up. I was getting irritated by work, so I jumped on here for a minute and reading you and Shari's posts just made me laugh. All we do is moan and grown and ***** now - it is hysterical! I was so repulsed by myself last night that I ended up in the bathroom getting ready for bed laughing hysterically at the size of my belly, butt and legs. I mean, HYSTERICALLY! My husband walks in and says, "Ok, seriously - you sound like you are insane". I looked at him and said, "I AM!!!! Look at this a-- and these legs"!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER!!!! THE CELLULITE IS MAKING ME PHYSICALLY ILL!!!!! STOP THE STRETCH MARKS!!!! END THIS MADNESS!!!!!

Ok, Seltzer - sounds like you lost your mucous plug!!! Whoo hoo!! Isn't that the same thing as a bloody show??? Don't forget that you can still last a couple of weeks after that even if it did happen. But it sounds like you might be on your way.....NAH....I bet you go a week past your due date. HA HA HA!!! Ok sorry, not funny. Try to rest now - seriously. You might be starting the early part of labor!!! Keep us posted!!!

Ok, gotta run. Hi to everyone else!! Will post more later!!

[seltzer]

Tina, glad you liked my complaints. End this madness is RIGHT, LMAO! Let's get the show on the road, kids!! These babies are really cramping our style right now. What else do we all have to do now BUT complain?! Anyhoo. My OB's office called me, and the nurse said it sounds like it was the plug and bloody show. It certainly was gross. She said this doesn't necessarily mean anything time-wise, though. I could go into labor today or a week from now, or even TWO weeks from now. AGHHHHH! You have GOT to be kidding!!! I refuse to accept that. I am convincing myself that labor is coming within the next few days. I will not even allow myself to think otherwise.

Shari - hope your move is going well...look forward to hearing from you as soon as you're up and running again at your new home.

Tina - Keep applying that cocoa butter, oils, whatever, to save your skin!! My regimen is as follows: in the shower each day I apply Neutrogena body oil and use a loufah pad (this allegedly increases circulation to the skin). After the shower I apply cocoa butter. At night before bed I apply Bio Oil. This is all done in complete desperation, I might add. You have TONS of empathy from this corner on the fatness issue as well. I can't stand it either! It has been a true lesson in acceptance, gah. The minute the kid pops out I am NO LONGER ACCEPTING IT!!!!!!

OK ladies I am going to go put away some clean laundry and then take a shower and then...WAIT...

[seltzer]

I found this exaggerated but kind of cute article on the challenges of a screaming newborn written by a new father. I could kind of relate (to some extent, that is), b/c when DP had our son he cried a lot and was colicky. I felt so helpless. The only thing that calmed him was to be breastfed (worked like a charm every time). Things were tough at times and I felt like it was never going to end (but it does).

http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/fami ... &GT1=32001

[seltzer]

Well people it looks like I might be in early labor. I woke up at 3 a.m. with contractions, and not just BH contractions. Some of them hurt a lot and some aren't that bad (yet). I have an OB appt. @ 10 a.m. Hopefully I am more dilated. I wonder if Karen is having her baby?! Gotta go for now...hopefully all of you are doing well...

[tinaO]

GO SELTZER GO!!!!!!!

As for me, doing ok. Long day yesterday - got my mom's cast off, though! That was great news!! It just made for a long day in the 99 degree heat down here, but that is step 1 in the right direction!

Karen must be delivering, Shari is hopefully enjoying her weekend, Michelle is still hanging in there with me.....Marybeth and Rebecca are enjoying their babies.....yep, I will be posting to myself some this weekend I am afraid....

But GO SELTZER GO!!!!! KEEP US POSTED!!!!!

Tina

[CT_Michele]

yeah seltzer! Let us know as soon as you can!

Tina- I am still hanging in! I still have up to another 5 weeks, but I do hope it is earlier than that for me.

I have a busy weekend, pedis and manis today, which I can't wait for, rehearsal tonight, wedding tomorrow, but after I get through tomorrow, I will just be sitting around waiting for a baby to come, so I will be around plenty to post. This weekend I will try to remember to post some pics of my nursery and belly, has anyone posted pics of babies yet? I haven't checked, but will soon.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.

[seltzer]

Hi Tina and Michelle,

Official word from the OB is that I am in the "latent phase" of labor, which means actual labor can start at any time. The contractions now are not consistent enough or painful enough for him (or me) to think I am totally in labor. Some of them do hurt quite a bit, though, and combined with the fatigue this sucks! Good news is that I am almost 3 cm dilated & 90% effaced. He said my exam couldn't be any better and that he thinks I will have a short labor. Oh God I hope & pray he's right!! DP is going crazy with excitement and anxiety...pretty funny. She's decided she needs to start cooking...that's what she does when she's nervous (she went to culinary school & is an amazing cook). So she's out at the grocery store now. LOL. I just wish I could get some sleep...other than the level of fatigue I'm feeling I feel fairly OK. In between the contractions is cramping, but nothing bad. I asked the OB, "How am I supposed to deliver a baby when I'm this exhausted?!" He just looked at me and kind of smiled and sighed. I guess women do it all the time! I am so nervous. If any of you is at all religious or spiritual, please say a prayer that the baby is healthy...that is obviously my chief concern. Other than that I'll get through it! And, by the way, I fully intend on sticking around on this forum after I have the baby...and promise I will post pics ASAP. So you ladies won't be here alone, posting to yourselves. I am just dying to see pics of Rebecca's and Marybeth's babies. Tina, glad to hear your mom finally got that cast off, by the way. And Michelle, enjoy your mani/pedi and of course the wedding. OK ladies, I am off to try to rest...I will check in later.

[tinaO]

Seltzer - How exciting!! Your story made me smile - esp the part about DP cooking!! It is cool that you are both getting excited!! That is so awesome. It made me want to get excited about my own day - whenever the heck that might be!!

I hope you can get some rest. But you know, it is true...women have babies all the time without much sleep. It is amazing what the body can endure - esp going on adrenaline!! OOOHHH - and I hope your labor is easy!!!!

Keep me posted - I am so happy and excited that you are getting so close! POP THAT ZIT!!!! ha ha ha ha

My husband is making pancakes for dinner - yummy. I just had a mani, pedi, and waxed the old eyebrows. I am feeling much better after my pampering.

Ok, keep me posted!!!! Can't wait to see what happens!!!!

[tinaO]

Well, Seltzer is now M.I.A. Karen is M.I.A. Rebecca and Marybeth are M.I.M (Missing in Motherhood). Shari is hopefully enjoying a nice weekend and getting her move underway! So....that leaves me and CTMichelle who is at a wedding. Just as I expected...I am posting to myself!

Hope everyone is doing well. I am having a great weekend just nesting and relaxing and shopping. Can't wait to see baby pics soon from everyone!!!

[tryw8]

Hi All!

Sorry that I've been MIA.

07/28 had my biweekly NST and OB/GYN appts.

07/29 1:15pm had really bad stomach cramps. Girls at work advised me to call my OB. One girl drove me home in my car and the other one followed to take her back to work. I waitedfor my husband to get home. We put the hospital bags in the car. Changedout of work clothes and headed to labor and delivery so that dr. could examine me further. Yesterday, I was dilated at 2-3cm. Today, I was @ 3-4cm. Admitted in for early delivery. 37 weeks plus 4 days. IV saline sol'n started to hydrate me immediately. Couldn't eat anything ... only liquid diet.

07/30 IV labor inducing drug given @ 6am. Water bag was broken @ 5pm. Asked for epidural after couldn't handle the fifth contraction. At 11pm started active pushing.

07/31 2am, epidural was turned off because I couldn't feel myself pushing. That was really painful contractions w/out the drugs. I was crying out for the drugs to my DH. Crowing @ 445am. OB/GYN was called. He arrive @ 5am.

508am Our son was born.
Cody Jordan Esmeralda
6lbs. 5.5 oz.
20 inches long.

My DH and I were so happy we waited on finding out the sex till that absolute moment. It was so priceless!

08/02 Discharged from hospital

Karen

[CT_Michele]

Karen- Congratulations! It must have been exciting to find out the sex after delivery. I wish I had the patience to do that, but I don't. Please post pics asap.

Tina- I am still here. I was at the wedding yesterday and had no energy to post after it was over. It was a marathon day that started before 7 am. it was a perfect and beautiful day and I am relieved i made it through. Since I was maid of honor, I was at the alter with the bride and I had to kneel for the prayers. I thought my knees were going to break in half. It took all of my energy and focus to not embarass myself. I endured the pain, just reminding myself labor will be a lot worse than some knee pain and I could do it. I did do it, and the rest of the day was great. After one round of dancing including the chicken dance and electric slide, I was pooped. I will try and post a couple pics later today. Everyone said I looked beautiful even though I felt huge.

Well, it sounds like seltzer is on her way to motherhood, and shari probably soon too. So tina, we are in it for the long haul...when is your date? I am sure you will be before me, but we will see. It seems like almost everyone on this thread delivered early. I will try and keep posting so you don';t get lonely here.

[tinaO]

Karen!!!! Yeah!!!! And a BOY - join the BOY club - sure are a lot of us in this group!!! I am so happy for you. I cry every time I read all of our birth stories!!! Beautiful name!!! I am so glad you and your son are healthy and happy. Thanks so much for sharing the whole story. Can't wait to see pics!! Big congrats to you and your husband!!!!!

CT_Michelle - Sounds like you were quote the trooper at the wedding. I am sure it was tough by the end of the day, though!! I am sure you looked beautiful! Even though we feel big and miserable at this point, other people do see it as beautiful. I was at my mom's place today and had all these ladies telling me how beautiful I look pregnant - even though I feel like a whale! My due date is August 21st, so technically like 17 days to go! Some days I think I will go till the end and then other times, I feel like it could be any day. Yesterday and today I felt like I had all kinds of energy, but then the end of the day means feeling very tired for me! I think I wear myself out!

Ok, hopefully Shari is still hanging in there and her little guy will hold off until she gets into her new place!!

SELTZER - COME HOME!!! Inquiring minds want to know: BOY OR GIRL?? Seriously though, hope you are doing fantastic!!

[CT_Michele]

I know everyone is busy with their babies, but I want to see some pics! I hope someone posts them soon. I finally posting a belly shot from the day of my baby shower. It is on photobucket. If I find a good pic of me and DH from the wedding I will put that up too, and later today I will post my nursery pics since everything is finally ready to go in there.

I wonder if anyone else is still around except for you and me tina. I guess at the end here you can just assume that if you don't here from someone in a while, that they may be in labor. A scary thought as it gets closer for me, but I still think I will not be delivering until very close to my due date.

I hope everyone is having a nice monday and enjoyed their weekend. I will talk to you all soon.

[CT_Michele]

Tina and Karen- Where are you guys??? Hopefully still around, or happy having your babies.

I am going this afternoon for one of those 4d u/s. We just can't wait another 4-5 weeks if I go the whole way. DH has wanted to do this and I think it will be a great keepsake. I will post later after I come home from the appt.

Hope everyone is ok and talk to you soon!

[tinaO]

Michelle - I am still here! Had an appt yesterday and after waiting until after 5:30 p.m. to see the doc who was running late - he ended up getting a page that he had to deliver a baby! So, he did a quick pelvic exam that I wish now I would have SKIPPED!!! I told my husband it was a VIOLATION, not a pelvic exam! Don't have these if you can help it - not worth it to know how far you are dilated!!! It hurt like hell and caused me to have tons of cramping, contractions, and I have been bleeding ever since. I am now 1 centimeter dilated and 80% effaced...and I wish I didn't even know that now because it wasn't worth it to go through that terrible exam. I will have no more of those until delivery if I can help it!
I woke up at 2:30 a.m. throwing up in my mouth and choking on it. Guess my heartburn took it to a whole new level last night!! It scared my husband and I to death - it was so weird!! Oh well, no more contractions since this morning so just working like a maniac today.

I am still praying Noah hangs in a little longer. My husband finishes school next Wed.

Shari must be in labor!!

Michelle - looks like it is down to just you and I......