Winter Cycle Friends 2009/2010 - Everyone Welcome!

[natasha10]

Hi ladies, I wanted to sneak on and update you all on me. I had my u/s earlier at 3:45 and got her estimated weight. She was 7lbs and 12 oz but they said they can be off a lb either way up or down so thats not too much info for us. its not that exact so i still feel like i dont know. So the bad news was I was waiting for my pics to print to go home and the U/s tech told me the dr was reviewing them to wait a sec. We waited and then she came back and said the dr was calling my dr and she is off today so they wasnt me to see one of the other dr's in the office ( which i met them all so it wasnt no biggie) So i find out that they want me to go up to labor and delivery for monitoring. I said why whats wrong? the amniotic fluid is low so they arent sure if im leaking it or if its just low so they wanted to monitor me. I spent some time there but they sent me home now but good news is im having contractions which i knew but i thought was just cramps they didnt do an exam but a stress test to make sure the baby wasnt distressed. so it was looking good and off i went home. I was scared for a sec. so now im monitoring my discharge and baby movements til monday otherwise im back to the hospital. So i have to call monday and be seen by my dr reguardless. so thats my news. I can feel it in my back now and still reallylow in the groining. I cant imagine another week of this. Im not sure if I will last another week.

Pa- omg i see you had a day too. what happened? did you just decide to go to the hospital for your contractions? Im glad everything is ok though. Im sure it seems like so long away our due date and have to deal with the contractions. you can do it. I dont know about sex i don think i could even lay comfortable to. it just sounds so wrong right now maybe cuz my contractions are in my abdomen i wouldnt dream of having sex =) yay your dilating thats a start. maybe you'll have her early on your own and wont need the c section and she wont be too big then. good luck momma keep me posted and feel better. soak in the tub and relax as much as you get

[katie99]

PA - Aw honey you sure had an eventful day, I'm with Angela in thinking you're gonna go soon! Sorry your DH had to miss work, but hey it seems like you're super close and babies dont pay attention to work schedules better that he's there to be with you, than kicking himself if he wer to miss it, right?
Yeah, my OB suggested sex too, and we attempted even though it was seriously the furthest thing from my mind, but nope it didnt help- Ryan had to be evicted
Just take it easy and pay attention to your bodies feelings - oooh, so exciting!!! - xoxo

Natasha - Wow, honey you are so close now too! Try to get some rest now and Nataliah is at a great weight - yippee 7lb 12oz!!

Steph - Miss you girl! You must be uber busy with those cutie patooties of yours! I'm doing the countdown right along with you, just 5 more days til you'll get some answers and relief for poor Lina's belly. How is the lovebug been doing? Has there been any improvement, please say yes. Hey, whats up with the DMV taking so darn long to send your lic already?? Do you love how dealing with them is always a form of torture? I tried your blanket wrapped over the positioner last night and it worked really well, he got one arm out, but that must have been early this morning since it didnt wake him up - thanks, it must be great for amy to see you in action and learn all these little tips that the books just dont tell you - xoxoxo

Ronda - OMG, honey thanks for posting those pictures! You and your family are so happy looking, I loved the casual photos and it makes me wish that we had gotten professional pictures earlier - ah, another thing on my neverending to do list, but seeing how beautiful yours are makes me want to get some done asap - xoxo

Angela - You are the research Queen! That was so sweet of you, thank you. Aw, I hate to hear that little Gabriella is still having issues with her straing so hard. How much longer on this formula until you can switch her to something more gentle to her system? Oooh, a hot bath? and peace to just soak in the hot bath?? Wheee, girl that sounds like Heaven! - xoxo

Sara - Glad to hear that your Grandmother is doing much better now. And, yeah, I agree completely, I mean how exactly did the time pass so quickly? And a better question, how can we make them just stay this age? Eeek, you always hear it but its so true, they do grow up fast, dont they? sigh.. xoxo

Jamila - aw, thank you honey. Yes, Steph gave us the most incredible gift - the chance to have another little miracle baby. She is my own personal Angel
How are you feeling these days, mama? You're getting pretty close too.. Are you ready?? You'll have her in your arms before you know it

AFM - This will be quick, because Ryan is finally asleep- yay for that! And that means that I can finally go take a hot shower and wash my hair - you wouldnt think that would be anything to get so happy over, but I've been waiting all day to get in there.. Ryan is like a kangaroo in that jumpy chair, he loves it!! and its a pretty good little baby workout too, it wears him out. He makes all these new sounds and sometimes its harsd to tell if he's laughing or getting ready to wail. I think he's testing out his volume and pitch - but boy some of them sound like squealing,and some sound like a kitten almost, I tell you he is quite a character, he keeps me laughing all day. So I keep having to see the look on his face to figure out if he's thrilled or fussing - and is usually thrilled. He has started drooling like you wouldnt believe too, but I think thats from having his thumb or half his fist in his mouth all day now, and the faces he makes when his hand is in his mouth? priceless, jeez, I really have to get back to taking more pictures, they grow so fast..
Thankfully the latest big storm wasnt too bad, but I'm running out of places to put the snow - so can we be done with this winter already?
Ok, I'm off to a hot shower and I may be in there forever.. much love - xoxoxo

[Franca]

PA
Did you get your test results back from dibetes? I'm sorry baby hasnt come but she obviously likes being snug
Last night i had period like symptoms not strong and it lasted for about 10 mins. I was scared i don't want my baby just yet (36 weeks today) did anyone else get that?

I am going to see my obs on monday and i will get my c section date then. Why am i so scared? im getting to the point where im even scared to fart its getting ridiculas.

mummas your babies are beautiful

xxx

[PA_FA]

Franca- The period cramps are exactly what contractions felt like for me. Always dull and sore and then every 3-5 mins a HUGE cramp. Doubles over and trying to breathe through it. So maybe it's starting for you too? Don't worry honey. We're all in this together.
I have not received the GD results yet. I was supposed to go to the peri center yesterday for another NST but instead I was in the hospital all afternoon and missed my appt. I guess I will find out Tuesday.

Katie- Ryan sounds so cute just bouncing away. LOL Did you get any more videos of him bouncing? I'm ready for winter to end too. There is a HUGE winter storm/blizzard that's going to hit us, you and me, on Tue-Thu this week. They are talking possibly up to 20". Girl....get your diapers and formula ready. Hope I don't go into labor during that. Though...that would be typical. LOL

Natasha- Well, missy...looks like we had a similar day. I feel it in my back too. Is Nataliah in the face down position? Mine is face up so they said as this progresses, if she does not flip over, I'm going to have bad back labor. OH yea. *roll eyes* SIGH. I hope you aren't leaking fluid. They have told me I have too much fluid and if my water breaks it will be like a tsunami. Hmmm....hope that doesn't happen in public. LOL Do your contractions feel like period cramps too? Did you know you were having them? Or not until you were hooked up to the NST? It's getting close for us!!!!!!!! I'm so excited. Nataliah is a really good weight. Are you ready mommy?

AFM- I was so tired yesterday I took a nap when I got home then stayed up until 2am. OOPS. No more contractions but I am thinking I may have lost part of my mucus plug? I can't tell...I have no clue what is going on. Any info on mucus plugs. Yes...I know...lovely topic for our Saturday morning. Sorry.
Much love to you mommies and babies! XOXO

[Franca]

PA No they wernt strong and my husband said they were normal. I just had it i suppose qonce twice for the last 3 days. Maybe yours was the same and nothing to worry about?
mucas plug is pinky streak i think and alot of it.
xx

[natasha10]

katie- Aww ryan is so cute and has your has tied up. I was wondering the difference between a jumper and a walker or which is preferred. I know the jumper has a platform on the bottom and the walker bounces too. so im wondering if i should just get a walker and it'll last longer. Im relaxing i know she's coming soon.

Pa- you know what they never told me yesterday if nataliah was face down or up they only told me she was head down which we want. I hate they never tell me more than i need to know with out asking. i hope im not leaking fluid too but i have been having lots of liquid on my liner everyday. thats why i wear a liner otherwise i'll be sitting in soaked panties all day which causes other problems. I thought that was just normal so havent said anything since back at the ivf clinic in may. the nurse said with pregnancy you will get a discharge through the entire pregnancy normally so i havent thought twice about it. Now that i think about it my 3D u/s didnt turn out becuz there wasnt enough fluid too. but they were thinking i did drink enough. but they arent even nurses they didnt no anything. So im kinda feaked out a bit now. monday cant come fast enough. I have been having contractions that feel like cramps bad in my groin area. Its bad to where i cant walk or move. I knew they had to be contractions or uterus contractions so the cervix is doing something. I just didnt know for sure but now i do becuz of the NST so thats a good thing, right? I should be contracting now at 38 weeks. sounds normal? Im kinda nervous its here finally. I no my life is about to change. its not just me and dh anymore. i hope your water doesnt break in public whoo it probably wont.

afm- Im just ready for this to be over with. My tummy hurts, my back aches, i cant get comfortable at all, im peeing every darn 30 minutes it feels. I just feel so awful i cant move. i Have an interview monday for a job at the hospital and i think it just wasnt meant to be. I have to try and get in to see my ob dr and have time to go to that interview, i dont know even if it'll work out. I dont even know what the dr will do yet about the whole low fluid problem. so I may have to cancel that interview.
I hope you all have a great weekend and no more suprises. =)

[PA_FA]

Natasha- Are you timing those contractions? Please make sure you are keeping track of them. If they are 5-7 mins apart then call your OB ASAP! Those sounds exactly like the same feelings I was having. The hospital said it was real labor contractions but I just wasn't dilating yet. So I'm glad to know what to look for but have no idea if I am dilating. The hospital bag is packed and ready to go. As for the fluid, I have been wearing a panty liner every day too. They told me the same things, that we will be leaking all sorts of things during pregnancy. YUCK! I have no idea if it's a bit of urine or amniotic fluid but I would be ruining underware too. LOL OK so back to the contractions...yes at 38w if you are having these contractions it could be real labor. You are considered full term. When I was 35w my ob told me to time everything because it could be real labor.
Don't freak out honey. But call the OB and at least ask about the fluid and contractions. They may want you to go get checked again. Like my peri Dr said, our IVF babies are very special babies and they like to take extra special care of us and our babies. XOXO

[angelaezra]

PA_FA – I am sure that you needed that nap because you certainly had an eventful day! Yes, they always suggest sex because sperm has a small amount of prostaglandins which helps soften the cervix so I can dilate. You are correct … prostaglandins is what they typically use to soften the cervix before starting Pitocin to dilate the cervix. My DH didn’t want to have sex to start the process either. He said he would do it but when it came down to it, I could tell her was scared so I didn’t force the issue. I hope that you are still doing well but I think it will soon be the three of you instead the two of you!

Natasha – If you are truly low on amniotic fluid, please make sure that you drink more than 8 (8 ounces) – 64 ounces/ day of water. I would even drink 10 or 12 glasses to make sure you are producing enough amniotic fluid throughout the day. But, it is great that they did a NST to make sure she isn’t in distress, so try to take it easy. I had one u/s where my amniotic fluid was low but the next one was normal.

I know how uncomfortable those last few weeks are … I remember saying on several occasions that I couldn’t make it any further because I was so uncomfortable and I was still working! It was torture to try to get out of the bed to go to work by that time! You can make it … just remember it is almost time to meet your beautiful daughter!

Katie – You are more than welcome for the research! I am so excited for you. I feel like we are all in this together. I have been thinking really hard about a sibling for Gabriella but I know I have to wait until next year to really focus on it. It is funny that they say as soon as you give birth that you forget all of the pain and suffering and want to have another one. I think I might try when she is two or three … we will see!

Franca – Yes, I did get period like pain towards the end. It was so uncomfortable and yes it is normal. As long as they don’t increase in intensity and are accompanied by the strong contractions, then you are fine.

AFM – Gabriella had another good night sleep last night! I was beginning to wonder if she would have those good nights again since it has been more than 4 nights where she has been constantly waking up. The gas relief drops seem to be doing wonders … she doesn’t seem as uncomfortable and straining all day like she was before I was using it. I am getting cabin fever and want to get out today but the wind chill factor is almost zero and the snow from that big storm that we just had on Thursday is still very bad on the side streets because it hasn’t warmed up so it could melt. My DH has a SUV w/ 4 wheel drive, so I could safely drive around but I don’t think I should have her out in this cold weather. Well PA, Natasha, and Franca, I am keeping a close eye on you ladies for some big news of some more beautiful babies who have arrived!

Angela

[PA_FA]

Hey ladies. Being at the hospital yesterday made me get my butt in gear and finish the nursery. So here is a picture of our nursery. We are still waiting on the dresser/changing table. Too many snow storms lately. They haven't been able to pick it up from the warehouse. Hope it gets here soon. LOL

[natasha10]

pa-I havent been timing my contractions. i just Dont think too much of them i guess. it feels like im having my period. I dont feel it constantly. I guess i think of labor as awful to were i cant tolerate it. Im tolerating it right now and not thinking of it too much. im relaxing all day. dh made me get up for dinner and go out cuz i been sitting all day. I will keep an closer attention on it now that you tell me. with the fluid im just not sure about.they didnt tell me how low i was number wise. im not sure if im leaking either. i do notice right now my contractions arent long they come and go. do you have any advice on to what should be a sign of labor? i thought constant contractions was what i was looking for that were unable to tolerate. the nursery is looking good!!

Angela- Im glad those drops are working for gabriella. something just had to help her. that makes perfect sense to drink lots of fluids. you figure the hospital would have just told me that in case i am leaking. of course they did. thanks for the great input your wonderful thanks for checking in on us you never know what may happen now that we're getting so close. dont know how you worked through the entire pregnancy i would have died.

off to bed ladies nite nite!!

[Stephanieford78]

Pa - Nursery is beautiful... I am sure the owls won't scare her at all. lol You're too funny! Sorry about your false alarm though and DH losing some good money, but better safe than sorry right? I hated those contractions that felt real and acted real. I had them all the time at the end because I was so huge. They did absolutely nothing to my cervix too. Blah! Almost there though. Could be any day! Oh... the mucus plug thing... it can be grey in color and have some blood with it, red, pink or even old looking blood. You can actually google photos of it. People post that stuff believe it or not. lol I think I lost some of mine too, I had something grey pass. It didn't do anything though. Sometimes it can, but sometimes nothing.

Angela - Yay for Gabriella getting another good night's sleep! I think I slept the best after last night. I didn't get up and check the monitor as much. I simply LOVE the video monitor!! What an awesome invention! With an audio/video cable into the TV, you can see them on the tv too! did I mention that I love this thing?

Natasha - I hope you feel better soon but I am sure delivery is the only cure for that. Soon enough! Hang in there girl!

Katie - Miss you too pookiekins. lol Did you get my pm? The babies, tax returns, cleaning, cooking... yeah, It all keeps me pretty busy. Hard to keep up like I used to and write personals. I check in but that seems to be all I have time for most of the time. Now if all I had to do was type a sentence here and there, it would be easier, but I don't want to leave anyone out. I am glad the tucking trick worked for Ryan! I hope it is still working. The twins normally wiggle their arms out, but by that time they are already far into their sleep that it doesn't matter... not until they start getting restless. Sometimes that starts around 7 but last night they slept till 10 without playing binky games!! I think they are finally going to stop with that shit. Well, I can hope right?

Well, fussy baby... gotta go... catch up more later. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

[PA_FA]

Natasha- I was able to tolerate mine. They did hurt, but it was like period cramps and then a strong period cramp that I would try to breathe through. The really hard ones happened at the hospital but the nurses said they get worse.
I'm sure they do but I'm hoping to have an epidural by that point. Contractions don't have to be perfectly timed out. On Friday mine were about 5mins but sometimes they were 3mins, 4mins, 7 mins. But they did keep up. I had them for an hour before I called the Dr. After that I'd say they kept up for a total of 10 hrs, 4 hrs was spent in the hospital. At this point, time everything. My girlfriend kept a notebook so they could see if they were getting regular. She kept that notebook all night and the next day she called. They told her to go to the hospital and even though her contractions were NOT timed perfectly or anything, she was dilated 5 1/2cm. EEEKKK!! So she's the one who always tells me, if you think something is going on, it could be. The nurses said don't ever feel bad if we end up going a bunch of times before it is the real time. It's better to be safe than sorry. PLease let me know if I can help you at all. We are in this together hon!
Oh and keep up those fluids!

Steph- OK well then I think that may have been a bit of my plug. I read that it can get dislodged after an exam. Well, Dr. Resident man hands was a bit rough. I bled after both of her exams. I hope she masters that technique.

AFM- nothing going on here. Just waiting for something interesting. xoxo

[katie99]

PA - Oooh, honey your nursery is just beautiful! the wall decal came out perfect! I love the colors too! Now I know that was alot of work, but now that its done you can enjoy it much more. Now, we havent heard 20" of snow expected yet, but Dr Rose is like 2 hrs from me, so the weather isnt all that much different form here to there - so you take it really easy untikl this storm is done with, ok?? We dont want you even thinking about labor til afterwards, so just chill on the couch and dont you even think of shoveling snow, promise, ok? I never lost my mucous plug, though I was waititng for it to happen, Ryan really had to be evicted at 11 days overdue and my body wasnt helping out either. Eeeek, you are so close, its so exciting!!! take it easy mama - xoxo

Natasha - hang in there honey, you're so close to the end too! I know you're so uncomfy, but that will be over soon! it wont be long now..
I havent bought a walker yet, so I cant answer that one, but their feet have to reach the floor so I'd think you'd get more use out of the junpy chair since you can just put something underneath it ( we used a box wrapped in a towel) so they can reach and be able to bounce in it.

Angela - Whee! I see you love snow, freezing temps and winter just as much as I do - which is not at all. lol. Girl it is 2 degrees here right now and I'm ready for some normal weather please! What you said is so true, if we actually remembered how uncomfy pregnancy and delivery is - no onw ould have a second baby! It must be the look in their eyes and the feeling that your heart will burst with happiness that enables us to forget the bad parts and think "I cant wait to have another one" well, either that or we're crazy - hahaha - xoxo

Steph - Ah, honey, same here! Its so hard to stay caught up on everything that needs to be done in a day, isnt it? Between Ryan, cooking, cleaning, errands - its not leaving me any free time at all. Now if I didnt feel the need to have an anally clean house all the time - well then maybe i'd have more time to myself, but its funny that Gracie makes more mess than anyone else - I love her to death, but wow, slobber, dog hair and crumbs are everywhere! if I dont keep up on it, in a week, the whole house would be covered in her fur - sigh. Yippeee for getting your video monitor! i kind of wish that we'd gotten that kind in the first place, think of how helpful that will be when they get older and figure out how to climb out of their cribs - eeek! will we ever be allowed to get a good nights sleep? or will that be when they all turn 18? lol. Much love to you -xoxoxo

AFM - I'm just so tired all time. I absolutely love being a mom, but my days feel like I'm trying to run a marathon sometimes. All you girls still pregnant, I'm telling you, rest up now while you still can! I finally got a smiley picture that i like! yay! And it only took me a month of trying and getting no where, so of course Chris just walked up to him and in 30 seconds got a good picture without even trying - sigh, daddy's luck, I guess? I'm sorry to be so short, but I need to go to bed, I'm beyond tired tonight - xoxoxo

[Franca]

Katie your son is soooooooooooo cute...

I'm seeing my obs today and il be getting my c section date
xx

[karenthescorpio]

Katie- Ryan aka Little Emperor is so cute and sweet!