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[Happy Bunny]

Tess: Best wishes for great test results.

Anna: Thanks for the reassurance on our big baby. It's nice to hear from another mom of a jumbo baby - especially one that was born naturally and without issues. With the doppler, you might have an anterior placenta. I've had one with both babies and have actually been at the doctor when they were monitoring the baby and the baby went behind the placenta as we listened... It's like they go off the radar. Later when the baby is bigger, it's still muffled, but you can hear it.

Bodie: It looks like you might be next! Best wishes for a healthy and wonderful delivery day.

Kbillsy: Wow! You've got about 7lbs of baby already. It's definitely time to cut back on work; I am surprised that you've gone this long without a serious cut back. I get the percentile measurements from my Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist. With our first baby, the only told me once and otherwise just said that she was normal but with Mr. Big, they tell me every time.

Amy: I really like the name Bruce... It's a solid manly name. Audrey is also nice, it works professionally and is also feminine - great choice! Have fun and watch out for dehydration in Ft. Myers.

[fvrogers]

Hi Ladies, I hope that you are all doing well and hanging in there!

First a super huge congrats to my cycle buddy Tuffy!!!

I remember when we both had our failed cycles the first time around on this board ... Such a blessing to see you with your sons in your arms. I am truly excited for you. Please post pics whenever you have time - which I know may not be for some time. Take care and enjoy my friend.

Tess - I hope that you are feeling better. I will keep stalking for your test results. Glad to hear that your appointment went well. I will say a prayer for you and your DH because I know the wait until 20 weeks has to be a difficult one.

Anna - Thanks for your comments about my taking time off. I agree that we have the rest of our lives to focus on our careers. I would hate to miss this precious time with my son. Did you have anymore luck with the doppler? I really did not have much luck with it until I was like 14 weeks or so. I got so mad and frustrated. Even after I found the heartbeat at 14 weeks I would have several days where I could not find it. I want to say that I did not consistently find it until around 16 or 17 weeks. I think for me it was how he was laying. So try not to get to anxious or frustrated. I would just put it down and try again a week later, those things are so hit or miss. Wishing you luck with your u/s today.

Bodie - I think you are going to beet me to the finish line! This little dude shows no interest in coming out any time soon. Any idea how much your little ones weigh? Congrats on starting leave today!

Kbillsy - 12lbs 6oz!!! That poor woman. I cannot believe they let her go that long as well. I am feeling OK, not sleeping well and very achy. I am just taking it easy this week. I started to have a lot of swelling, which I had not been having before so I really try to just lounge around and be as lazy as possible. Technically, date wise I am up next, but I think Bodie with her twins may go before me. But you never know! You also seem to be coming along nicely. I have to agree that it is probably a good idea to cut back now ... how are you guys coming with getting your home ready for the little ones?

Amy - I would hope that I would start dilating, but it is not looking that way. No cervical changes at all at this week's appointment! I hope that you find a comfortable solution to help you sleep. I finally ended up sleeping upright either in the recliner or propped up in the bed. It is not THAT comfortable, but my back feels better when I am upright so it is better in that regard. Catriona is a different name ... where does it come from? It has a nice ring to it.

Barbara - How are you feeling? I hope everything is going well with you.

AFM - 38 weeks with no change in cervix. At first I was a little bummed, but realized there was no need to rush it, he will get here when he is ready. I went out of town to 2 graduations about 3 hours away last weekend, and I really think I over did it. I was soo swollen when I got back so I have been lounging around the house this week trying to get the swelling under control. My blood pressure has been great so my OB was not too worried about the swelling. DH is currently trying to make his way home, so maybe within the next few days he will be here. He was not due for another week, but felt he was missing too much and is pushing to get here sooner. On another note, my sleep cycle is all messed up. I get no sleep at night and cat naps during the day. I guess my body is gearing up for having a newborn and lack of sleep. I am also trying to figure out what contractions feel like. My OB does not think I am having real contractions, more Braxton Hicks, but that is part of what keeps me up at night. As soon as I lay down my stomach gets hard as a rock and I have TONS of pelvic pressure and cramping. I have to sit up and rock or get into a position that takes pressure off of my pelvis. It makes for a miserable night. In any case case it will not be too much longer.

Take care,

Felicia

[bodie1011]

Felicia - we will see. My girls don't seem to have any interest in coming out either seems like. I had a growth can Friday but the tech was complaining she could not get good measurements because of their positions. One came up at 5 lb and one at 5.5 lbs, so we will see how accurate they are when they come out. I do hope they are both over 5 lbs.

Here is to hoping the last week or two goes smooth or us!!

[LYD10]

hello everyone - i have been MIA. just chugging along with my pregnancy. things have been pretty uneventful - knock on wood - i forgot what week i am in. have to see how my ticker shows up below. i am due Sept 4th - so just starting my 3rd trimester.

we had a great labor day weekend - went to see friends who have 2 kids - so my DS had a blast playing with them. the only challenge was to feed him in the new environment. he was so excited - it was a bit difficult.

i think i am going to start my time off sometime in august - havent decided when yet - middle of august the latest - but maybe even the beginning of august. those weeks are counted separately and dont count against your leave after the baby is born.

i havent had an U/S since my anatomy scan around week 20. i am craving one real bad - but dont think they will let me until the next one - which is the fluid measurement i guess, later in the 3rd trimester.

i think my girl is measuring smaller than my DS was. my DS always measured in teh 50% percentile and then when he was born he was actually bigger than the 50%. he was 8.5lbs. my girl is measuring 30% if i am not mistaken - but hopefully that doesnt matter.

anyway - looking forward to summer! its nice to have warm weather and longer days. we are going to start going to the pool more and get our DS swimming a bit.

hope everyone is doing well!

[fvrogers]

Hi Ladies!! I just wanted to share that Samuel was born via c-section on May 28th at 1:08am. He came almost 2wks early and caught us all off guard. We are madly in love with our little man and I will post my birth story as soon as I get home.

[Happy Bunny]

fvrogers: Wow! Congrats! I can hardly wait to see the pics and read your birth story. Enjoy your new little guy!

[Happy Bunny]

Jumbo Baby Club Members: At 31 weeks I just got put on the automatic once per week visit for the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor. Mr. Baby is still big and the fluid is still high. Otherwise, we're both healthy and doing well. The visits have been every two weeks for a while but they've increased them to watch for signs that they need to take action. Right now, the talk and goal is still about going to term with a vaginal delivery... Let's hope that it stays that way.

Is anyone else going to the doctor very frequently due to baby size?

[kbillsy]

Seriously just lost the longest post... so annoying! Well I will do a quick recap but then I have to get some work done

Felicia - congrats on Samuel's arrival! Did your husband make it home in time? I hope you are all doing well!

Lyd - glad to hear things have been quiet for you! Who knows - maybe the little lady will have a growth spurt! I would be craving an u/s too - I get spoiled by having them so regularly.

Bodie - how are you doing? Any signs of the girls grand entrance happening soon?

Happy Bunny - will they just do diagnostics and check in on you weekly or will you actually do an u/s each week too? you are probably about as big and uncomfortable as I am these days!

AFM - I can't believe we are almost to 30 weeks - time is flying, but I am still hoping to make it at least another month! We are doing pretty well - I had a hard time with the heat last week but am SO glad that it cooled off a bit the last few days. We have things in good shape in the nursery - just a few odds and ends to take care of still. We go up for our hospital tour on Sunday - it will be good to get that out of the way so we have a better idea of where to go and what to expect when the big day arrives. My next u/s is Monday morning - my husband is going with me and it will be the first time he has seen them live on u/s since March (our dr office is 1.5 hours away)! Hope you all have a good weekend!

[bodie1011]

Felicia - Yay!!! Congrats! Can't wait to hear the story.

AFM - Just got back from the MFM and no signs these ladies want out. Good for the babies, not so great for mama

[tuffy4u]

Hi everyone! Long time no talk. Sorry I didn't have my computer in the hospital and life has been crazy with four kids at home. First off, congratulations to Felicia. I'm so happy for you and your family. Samuel is so lucky to have you as his mom, congratulations!

Here's my birth story. I woke up at 530am on the 17th and had to go to the bathroom. I returned to bed and felt some liquid coming out. I knew what was going on but I layed in bed for a while because I was so tired. After about 15 minutes curiosity got the best of me and I went to check. I then freaked out because I had some bright red bleeding. 10 minutes later we were on the way to the hospital with what I thought might be a ruptured placenta on baby a. My best friend who is also my OB was rushing to the hospital also. Of course we were stuck in traffic so my husband was driving on the shoulder. When we got there we got on the monitor and had an US and everything was fine. So I guess i freaked for no reason. Baby B was still breach so we decided to go with the c section. I wasn't very excited about it and it was about as crappy as I imagined. The delivery room scared me and there was so many people in there. It only took about 15 minutes for both babies to come out and then about 20 minutes to sew me up. Both babies were sent to the NICU for observation. I was wheeled into recovery. I got to see Connor (baby a) after about 3 hours and unfortunately Colton had to stay in NICU for a day and a half because his respirations were high. They did wheel my bed into the NICU so I could meet him. I got to nurse him and then back to my room. Connor and I were there alone for the first day and half, when Colton finally came into our room on Friday afternoon, I cried because I was so happy. I had been going to NICU every three hours to feed him since he was born. Then we stayed until Monday to recover and rest. Both boys ended up with Jaundice lights and Connor went home with a Bili blanket but they were very healthy all in all. I loved spending the time with the boys in the hospital. We really got to bond and were well rested upon return to our house (pretty amazing for having just had twins). So far our first weeks at home have been great. My girls love them and I'm so happy to finally have them here. One thing about infertility is it really makes you appreciate what you have. I look forward to hearing more birth stories on this board. Good luck to everyone, I think bodie you are next!!!!

Thanks for all the support everyone.

Kat

[WeHaveHope]

Good morning ladies,

Sorry I've been MIA. It's about 4am here and I am wide awake. I'm not sleeping much these days. I guess this is my body's way of preparing me for when the girls arrive. I'm sure sleep will be a thing of the past then. I hope and pray everyone is doing well. I think of you guys daily. I am so delighted for all of the great news on this boaerd lately. I pray that God continues to bless everyone on this board with happy healthy babies. Congratulations to all of the new moms!!! As for me, I'm plugging along. Still can't believe we have madevit this far. I don't think the dock and disbelief of being pregnant with twins after all we have been through will wear off until the hirls arrive. The construction is finally done. We now have a 5 bedroom/3 bath + den. Originally the house was a 4/3. Now our oldest will move to the new bedroom downstairs and we will start preparing the girl's room. One of my cousins already bought us the car seats so we are excited. I'm pretty tired these days. By 8pm I sm pooped. My belly is super big or at least I feel that way. The excess weight is a killer on my back but I truly feel blessed. We can hardly wait to finally meet Katerinna Maria and Anna Christna. DH and I just celebrated our 11 year anniversary. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful hubby. We also celebrated his 49th birthday yesterday. We had lots of fun. Here is my belly picture from last week (24 weeks). I can't believe how big I've gotten. I've gained 24 pounds in 24 weeks but I feel huge.



I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Sending many blessings to all.

Love,

Maria

[JenMink55]

Eek! It's been a long time since I checked in. As usual work and fatigue rule my world so I apologize

I am almost 34 weeks, cannot even believe it! Nothing much to report, pregnancy has been great and Landon is continuing to thrive and get big. I am doing NSTs x 2 per week because of HBP. I think my OB might be slightly paranoid but I am no Dr so I do them. They check fluids 1 x per week via US and then of course hook me up to the monitors.

Tomorrow is my baby shower, about 21 people are coming. Landon's room is packed with a ton of stuff that I really need to get organized. I am due July 16th but because of how big he is already the OB is inducing me about a week early. That means I only have about 37 more days until I meet my baby boy

I have been reading this forum and keeping up with all of you. Congrats to all the new Mom's and welcome to the new BFP's! Such an exciting time, enjoy every second because it flys by.

Love & Baby Dust ~~
Jennifer

[Tess69]

Felicia - yayyyyy! Huge congrats to you. Looking forward to hearing about the birth and how you are doing.

Tuffy - thanks for sharing your birth story and lovely you had good bonding time in hospital.

We - that is quite a bump for 24 wks.

Jen - hope your baby shower goes well.

Kbillsy - I can't wait for time to fly. It's crawling by at the moment. I'm pretty nervous about the scan in a few weeks time to see whether our baby has Meckel-Gruber or not. I'm hoping that if/when we get the all clear I can sit back, enjoy the pregnancy and time will fly by....

AFM - 12 wk scan tomorrow and then an appt with my obs straight after that. I've had my antenatal and first trimester bloods taken already. Will let you know how we go.

[fvrogers]

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for your support. We still cannot believe that our little man is here!

Sunday morning I woke up and noticed that I felt wet. I was still half asleep and unsure of what was going on. I went to the bathroom and put a pad on and went back to bed. About 30 mins later the pad was saturated. That was when I realized that my water had broken. I was home alone and it took me another 30 mins to figure out what to do. DH was not due to be home until 10:30pm that night! The other thing I noticed was that my little man was not moving around as much as he normally did. I took a listen with my fetal heart monitor and he was OK. I called the on call doctor and he told me to head to the hospital. My bag was not even packed so I threw a bag together and called my Doula, then drove myself to the hospital. For some silly reason I was hoping that I would get there and there would be some explanation and they would let me go back home. However, once the nurse checked me out and got me on the monitor I quickly realized that I was there to stay. In the mean time, my DH headed to the airport to try to find an earlier flight into Virginia. He was in Denver at the time heading home that evening. By the time I got settled and the doctor came to see me it was about 10:00am. The doctor came in and told me that I was in labor and was actually having contractions (I had been having contractions for weeks, however I didn't make much of them). After being examined, the doctor also told me that the baby was high up above my pelvis and I was only 2 cm dilated. Sadly, I had a long road ahead of me. The doctor wanted to start me on Pitocin immediately since my water had already broken and there was the concern of infection for both me and baby. However, I explained the situation with DH and I was afraid that I would start progressing and have Samuel before he got here. As such, I was allowed to wait a few hours before starting the Pitocin. At 2pm, I was still having contractions but there was no progress and the contractions were very irregular - so Pitocin was started. At first I was OK, the contractions became more regular and stronger - but bearable. DH was unable to get an earlier flight so he was stuck at the airport while everything was going on.

At 8pm, nothing had changed. I had been on the Pitocin for hours and was still 2 cm and Samuel was high up with no signs of moving down. In addition, the doctor also commented that my pelvis was small and bony and he felt that delivery would be difficult. He started mentioning the possibility of a C-Section and told me to just think about it but they would continue to increase the Pitocin as long as I could tolerate it. At 9:30pm the doctor was more concerned and started me on IV antibiotics since my membranes had ruptured. At this point I was miserable and agreed to the epidural. Got my epidural at 10:00pm and told the doc that when DH got here we would decide on the C-Section. DH landed at 10:30pm and took a taxi to the hospital - I was so happy to see him walk through the door at about 11:30pm. We discussed the situation, my failure to progress and such and decided to go ahead with the C-Section. I was a nervous wreck as I had never had any serious surgery before. Laying there waiting to hear Sam's cry seemed like the longest 20 mins of my life. When I finally heard his cry at 1:08 am I started crying and DH was speechless. Sam weighed 7lb 10oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. DH brought him over to me and it was love at first sight. We are completely in love with our little man and consider ourselves truly blessed.

Post-op recovery has been pretty uneventful. I had a reaction to one of the medications used for spinal anesthesia and was itching horribly for 24 hours. Other than that I was up and moving around about 6 hours post-op and have doing pretty well since. They allowed me to breastfeed right after birth and he got to hang out with us for a while before they took him to the nursery for all of the newborn stuff. I have kept up with the breast feeding and finally started pumping because I was soooo engorged. Finally it seems as if I am in some sort of rhythm - I tell DH that I feel like a dairy cow.

We are so blessed. Here are a couple pics of my little man.

[kerpupples]

Felicia - HUGE congrats on Samuel's birth! So glad that DH made it back for the big event. I was scared silly like you for my C-section with DD, but it really turned out to be no biggie, didn't it? Samuel is an absolutely adorable little man! Oh, and regarding Catriona - it's Gaelic/Scottish for Catherine. DH is half Scottish so he has an affinity for those sorts of names. We might have gone with Fiona if he didn't already have a cousin with that name.

Tess - congrats on hitting that 12 week milestone - it's the first of quite a few sighs of relief!

Jen - that'a a lot of doctor visits! Nice to know that Landon is thriving though. You hoping for a vaginal delivery with your big guy? I hope your induction goes well.

Maria - I'm still managing to savor sleep while I can. Heartburn seems to be my biggest issue at night. Congrats on the house expansion! I'm wiped in the evenings as well. You're doing great with weight - I'm up about 30 and boy do I feel it. Have you tried a maternity support belt yet? Truly a back saver. You inspired me to post a belly pic too!

Tuffy - how are you doing at home now? Are the boys on the same schedule? I remember trooping back and forth to the NICU to feed DD - wears you down but I think at the same time it helps the C-section recovery.

Bodie - . Saw on FB, can't wait for details here.

kbillsy - Glad you are experiencing a cool down! We are about to get the nursery set up ourselves. That will be a big relief.

Barb - hang in there with all those visits and that big guy! Sounds like you and kbillsy will be next up.

Lyd - I hope your uneventful pregnancy continues! I don't think that size percentiles mean a whole lot, personally.


AFM - back to reality from our wonderful Ft. Myers Beach vacation. We had a gorgeous house right on Estero Bay where we saw tons of dolphins. The ocean was gloriously warm and even made my poor swollen feet look almost normal, I'm guessing due to osmosis. That worked well enough that I'm going to try soaking my feet in epsom salts now that we are back and they are puffy again. And Maria's belly shot inspired me to post one of my own. I took this at 24 weeks last Friday.