Beautiful Babies Due in 2011 (Combined Group)

[riogirl71]

Annas - sorry you are having tough recovery also, it takes a while to feel like yourself, I still can't lay on my side. Have you tried the nipple shields from medela for inverted nipples? Don't forget to also air them out and put milk on them to heal, do you put the gel pads in the fridge? I dry my scar with a blow dryer and wear a wahscloth between undies and scar so as not to rub, I use the target brand seamless boy shorts, Paul is gorgeous, so much hair!!!

Blair - how annoying of your rash, I hope it goes away soon! Does it hurt? waiting for the new bump pic!

SD - missed you terribly you poor thing getting banned! glad it is all figured out. 30 weeks awesome!

Bliss - thanks for "bailing" SD out!!!

kjm - entertaining at this point - no way! argh are they planning on showing up when beans come? Oh my DH might have to ask for a little time... you poor thing, I am sorry, it must be getting tougher everyday now, twin mommies have my full simpathy!

Amanda - Maribel is gorgeous and so big! Wow! Good job mamma! Love the pics! Argh on the muffin top! I sure hope it goes away!!!

Lou - you poor thing throwing up all over your car while driving. I hope you feel better!

Stephanie - GORGEOUS boys awwwww!!!! you back to work?

Karin - so glad to hear from you we need pics! every 2 hours with feeding - ouch!

we got our big gummy smile yesterday! got to run my DS is asking for mommy and baby to come snuggle on couch! awwwwwwwwwwwwww

[HopeIsAllIHave]

Just wanted to share a quick pic from my 30 week milestone (and my 29th birthday celebration).

Exactly 2 months away from her due date!!
Btw, for those who asked.. I did switch to a birthing center. LOVED the warm and cozy atmosphere there. Hoping to have a water birth to deliver our little pumpkin!

[Sdtryingagain]

Hope- you look fantastic!!

Rio- thanks hon, every night I was complaining to my DH about not being about to catch up on everyone! Try to catch one of those gummy smiles for us! My son is also in an extremely snuggly phase, I need want it to end!

[Sdtryingagain]

anna- your babe is just so gorgeous! love the pics. I second the suggestion for the nipple shield for flat/inverted nipples, i have a very close friend who used only used nipple shields for BF and her little one did great not to mention the increased comfort for mom!

blair- I'm scared to say anything about diaperbags now!!! LOL!! I just got my package in from the bags a purchases and love 'em. I can't believe how far we've both come!

[blairwh58]

SD- I think its ok to talk about the bags…just no links. Its crazy how far we’ve both come and much things will be changing over the next few months. DH and I were laying in bed last night just talking about how crazy it will be to actually have 2 babies at home instead of being pregnant with them. I'm glad youre back on the boards and chugging right along with your pregnancy.

Ashley- You are still so tiny!!! What a cute little bump you have- you look great! Glad you found that birthing center and hopefully you will be able to do the water birth as planned.

Rio- My rash is going away which is awesome. It’s a lot less itchy now…even though Ive managed to avoid scratching it all since I heard scratching can bring on stretch marks. Will probably post a new bump pic at 24 wks (nice and even) but trust me when I say I'm still growing.

[rypell1985]

Anyone have any secrets for curing diaper rash? Dylan had a nasty one (I'm talking blisters) on his booty. Doc just keeps saying "use a lot of diaper cream". Gee thanks. So I've tried desitin, a&d, bordeuxs original and maximum strength and triple paste. I also tried egg whites and olive oil. We keep him diaper-less to whenever napping. Any old remedies you all can think of?? Thanks!

[mellow4]

Ryann, sounds like it might be a yeast infection. You could try an anti-fungal cream. Is it red on the edges and white at all? Let him air dry off and on throughout the day. Ouchie. My daughter had a bad one years ago when she was tiny, and the only thing that worked was an anti-fungal cream. Good luck!

[lou71]

Ashley -- You look great! Since my baby is huge (blaming DH's gene's), I am therefore also HUGE...lol. Not sure how much more I can stretch.

Ryann -- Get a prescription for nystatin cream (it's an antifungal and may diaper rashes have some yeast going on down there in that dark damp spot) and mix 1 part of that to 2 parts of maximum strength Desitin (zinc oxide 40%). Tell your doc you got this from a pharmacist who has made it many times with miracle results. But don't have him write it for the pharmacy to make a compound because they will charge you a lot for it. You can do it at home... and the amounts are approximate.

AFM -- Here's something weird. The area around my belly button is sore and slightly bruised looking. It feels very deep, not on the skin's surface. Anyone else have this? What the heck is going on? Spent the weekend feeling nauseous with sciatic pain with every step not to mention the fact that I cannot get comfortable at night to sleep. I JUST DON'T WANNA BE PREGANT ANYMORE!!!! WAAAAAAAA.

[Sdtryingagain]

Lou- I have no clue what could be going on with you belly button area?!? But just wanted to get you my sympathy! I'm also feel enormous and uncomfortable (up many time each night with leg cramps), I get the big babies from my side of the family so I can't even blame DH for it I'm sorry about the stretch marks, that's frustrating from what I have read (I'm sure you've read even more!) there's not much you can do...seems to be genetics mostly. hang in there, you're almost there!

[BlissfulCS]

Oh Lou- hang in there hon. It will be time before you know it! You look terrific even if you don't feel like you do.

Rio- so sweet on the snuggling and the smiles. Great visual for me to start an otherwise tough day.

Blair- Anatomy scan is on the 12th but I won't find out until the 13th. We are doing a small gender reveal get together with immediate family. I am having a cake made which will be shaped like a bee and will say "What will it Bee?". Inside of course will be either pink or blue and we will find out when our family does. So excited. (forgive me if I have already told this story...I don't think I have on this thread...but who knows? Pregnancy brain! ) Glad it looks like the rash is getting better.

Ashley- Oh to be 29 again! Your youth and pregnancy glow are working for you mama. You look terrific and your bump is so round and cute.

Anna- Love the updated pic of Paul. I also love how much weight you have lost. I told DH last night that the bar was set pretty high for me, and that I hoped to match you pound in weight loss after the baby is born.

AFM- our dear dog was sprayed by a skunk last night and came into the house through his dog door to lay on all our rugs after. We woke up to burning throats and nostrils at about midnight and got to work removing all the rugs, mopping, and wiping down his dog door. I am glad I had already planned to take today off. The whole house reeks and I am washing everything in sight now that we have worked out all the skunk oil. What I am NOT doing is writing a paper...which is why I stayed home in the first place. Ugh!

Also- yesterday we took the boat 2 hours through the Inland Waterway for lunch at one of our favorite dockside places (I live on a lake that is part of a long chain of lakes). It was great but when I got home last night I got crazy sick. It seemed like food poisoning. I'm fine today but hope the LO is okay.

Funny thing? The smell of DH's coffee makes me nauseas still...and so does the smell and sight of leftovers. But skunk??? Apparently its not a problem. Thank goodness because I think the odor is going to be with us for awhile unfortunately. Lol. Pregnancy symptoms are so weird...

[Reenie100]

Ryann-I second the idea of anti-fungal cream. My son has had some nasty diaper rash outbreaks. He seems to be more prone to them than my daughter, who hasn't had one incident of diaper rash, go figure. Anyway, here is what our doctor told us to do:

1) if the skin is red with white spots, use anti-fungal cream and keep the diaper rash cream away from that area. 2) If the skin is broken, meaning, it's red and raw, don't use diaper wipes on that area, just use a warm, wet wash cloth to clean the area. Also, place a very thin film of neosporin on the broken skin until it heals. Place diaper rash cream around the broken skin, but not on it. 3) expose the area to open air.

If his skin his looks okay, we use diaper wipes (sensitive skin) and Triple Paste. But as soon as we notice redness, we stop the wipes and go back to a washcloth and lots of airtime. That plus the Triple Paste seems to keep it from getting worse and it will heal in a few days.


Lou-The area around my belly button was sore too in the final weeks of pregnancy. I have no idea what it was. It went away after delivery. For some reason, I never asked about it.

[Sdtryingagain]

Anyone have any secrets for curing diaper rash? Dylan had a nasty one (I'm talking blisters) on his booty. Doc just keeps saying "use a lot of diaper cream". Gee thanks. So I've tried desitin, a&d, bordeuxs original and maximum strength and triple paste. I also tried egg whites and olive oil. We keep him diaper-less to whenever napping. Any old remedies you all can think of?? Thanks!

I swear by the hair dryer! We have one plugged in next to the changer and he gets a little blow dry after each change. It is so funny he's so old now that he tells me if he wants it warmer or colder, LOL. It is awesome for the wee-little ones because the sound of the hair dryer soothes them too.

One other thing that made a huge difference for him tolerating changes when he gets raw: 1) if not too bad, we use the extra thick and sensitive pampers wipes (expensive but we save them for emergency rash use) 2) if too bad for wipe usage and there's a poop to clean up, then start with a little warm water pour on, drench 'em with baby soap which takes the poop off with the least amount of friction and just use your hand (yes a little gross) but even the washcloth would both my little guys bum when he'd get raw. If we get to this point we use the sink/tub to deal with the clean up. Then a thorough hair drying

good luck!

[riogirl71]

Girls two super sales today! I bought one of each!
Halo sleep sacs in all sizes for as low as $11! I could not live without my Halo sleep sac and swaddler! Find it here:
http://www.zulily.com/invite/arenny748

Teething bling for moms, jewelry your baby can munch on!!!
http://babysteals.stealnetwork.com/ this is selling out fast!

Like I said bought one of each and had to share!

[HopeIsAllIHave]

KJM - I can't believe you're still working. When is your last day of work? Take it easy! Good luck with your US tomorrow. Everything will check out okay!

SD - I can't believe you got banned for that! So glad to have you back though! Thanks on the picture comment! Leg cramps do suck and wake me up at least a couple times per night, but I quickly stretch it out by lifting up the top of my foot, and all is well again.

Anna - baby Paul is beautiful!! Love the pics! 20 lbs down already? way to go! I hope I can follow your footsteps after I deliver!

Blair - I hope your rash has gotten even better since yesterday. Since I hit third trimester, I've been gaining at least 1.5 lbs per week. I'm still within my target weight though, I believe. I've gained 20 lbs so far and I'm 31 and half weeks pregnant. So if I gain a lb a week for the rest of my pregnancy, I'll still be under 30 lbs limit. I believe you'll be okay. As you reach towards the end, that's when you start packing on the most weight because the babies grow almost half a lb each week by then.

Rio - I just love the pics of Lizzy and your DS! Just too precious! I hope your scar is healing well.

Ryann - poor Dylan! So sorry to hear about his diaper rash. Have you considered cloth diapers for him? I'm considering cloth diapering our princess if she ends up having sensitive skin like her daddy. Only time will tell. Good luck with trying to get that under control though. Hopefully one of these other suggestions by these lovely, expert ladies will work!

Lou - thanks on the picture comment! Both DH and I were chunky babies so I'm hoping we're lucky and baby Athena will be smaller than us, especially since I'm planning to do this naturally. Odd about the belly button issue. Mine is all popping out and is getting dark around the edges because of the melanin, but I don't think it's bruised at all? My MS has returned as of 27 weeks. It's not fun at all. It seems to worsen when she moves or hiccups. She has hiccups at least 3 times a day, so it can be challenging at times. Are you using a pregnancy pillow at all? I use the Leachco Back 'N Belly Contoured Body Pillow, but not the way it's intended to be used because I feel my head is propped up too high on it, and it hurts my neck. So I invert it and wrap my legs around it, which seems to help me sleep a bit better. Sorry to hear you're having so much difficulty in your last trimester. But it'll come to an end soon and the end result will be totally worth it!! Hang in there!

Bliss - Thank you for such a sweet comment! I definitely like sporting my bump. Not to mention, people are a lot nicer when they see that you're pregnant. Oh my, so sorry to hear about the incident with the skunk and your dog. That's gotta be rough! It's funny.. we were just at Costco yesterday and DH wanted to get a new pack of coffee for himself. Of all the things in our cart, that smell of coffee was just the best! I can't wait to have a sip of it again after my pregnancy! lol. Good think you're able to "stand" the smell of the skunk's odor. Good luck with your paper!! And I'm sure your LO is doing just fine!

EOE - I'm loving the baby pictures! Keep 'em coming!

AFM - I just got done signing us up for cord blood banking. We went with Cord Blood Registry for 2 main reasons. 1) They offer healthcare providers a $750 discount on cord blood banking and $250 discount for cord tissue banking. So instead of paying $2,915 for the initial cost, we get to pay 2/3 of that. That's $1,000 in saving, so that's great! 2) Their lab is located in Tucson, AZ, which is free from all natural disasters. It's nice to be able to have that security in case something were to arise later. In other news, I have my 3D sonogram tomorrow, which I've so been looking forward to! Since I'm going to be delivering at a birthing center, this is most likely the last chance I'll get to see my baby on screen before she's born. Hope everyone is having a splendid Monday!

[MamaBoo]

Had OB appt today. Things are looking good. My stomach is starting to measure more of what it should instead of being soooo distended. Baby's heartrate is good. No signs of PTL. OB will take over doing my u/s after next week's appt w/peri. Things are looking good.