MAY 2011 BABY or BABIES!

[hopeforbabies]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give you a quick up date. I started feeling the baby move this week. Just little taps during the day but its such a relief to know that he is getting bigger. I feel like I can truely relax knowing that he is growing the way he should and we dont have anything else to worry about (except delivery of course). I bought a bassinet at a used children's store last week. They had a similar one at Babys R Us for 115 but I got this one for only $50 so I think I did pretty well. It has a mobile that rotates and has lights, vibration, two song sound settings, and nature sounds! It also has a storage area underneath and you can lower it over the wheels so that it turns into a rocking bassinet. I also got Liam's name painted...white letters with blue and brown pokadots and blue ribbon to hang them. Now I just need to get daddy to put them on the wall.

Has anyone started thinking about how they will deliver? 2buns are you going to have a c-section since you are delivering twins? Kizmet you have a midwife so does that mean you will be delivering at home or in a birthing center? Josh and I start our Bradley Method classes on the 30th so we are planning an all natural delivery but plan to still do it at a hospital. Have you guys started interviewing pediatricians yet? Our hospital requires that we have one picked out and on file by the time we are admitted. Is anyone planning to breastfeed? If you are breastfeeding can anyone recommend a good breast pump? I prefer to have my own and not rent from the hospital.

[kizmet]

Hope - It is great to feel that movement isn't it? Then of course, you start to worry when you haven't felt it for a while! My Bean is very busy today though, so that's nice. Good buying on the bassinet! I love the name painting idea too. When Bean turns up, I'm going to buy the big timber letters you can get here to hang on the wall. I have also been busy painting some canvases to put up in the nursery. I bought two small ones already done from the baby shop but at $45 I thought I could do some myself for much less, so I bought some canvases and paints and am pretty pleased with the outcome so far.

As far as delivery goes, I'm high risk, so it will definitely be in hospital attended by an OB. I spoke to a midwife at my last appointment to see what she thought my chances of an vaginal birth were as I have anticipated all along that I'll be forced into a c section. She said that if I can keep my blood pressure down (which it is now) and my blood sugar under control and Bean doesn't get too big, there's no reason why I can't have a natural birth but will be induced 2 weeks early. Unfortunately there's a reasonably high chance of Bean having to spend a day or two in the special care nursery if he/she has trouble controlling it's own blood sugar (common in newborns from diabetic mothers until they stabilize their own systems). On the plus side, if Bean is doing well, the hospital I'll be at has recently changed the way they treat a lot of their special care babies and instead of separating mothers and babies, they keep them together and have dedicated special care nursery staff that move between the babies rather than putting all the babies together.

We start our birthing classes in Feb.

Definitely planning on breastfeeding if I can but know nothing about pumps and such, so no help for you there! Haven't even thought about a peds doc yet. The pregnancy care clinic I am using also has a peds clinic, so I guess I just roll over from one to the other? Not sure if it is different in the US, but we also have maternal health nurses that visit you at home regularly once you leave the hospital and supply a lot of the care a peds doc would anyway.

[dys24]

Hi ladies!!!

i finally found some time to get online,

hope- isnt it awesome to feel movement? it only gets better/stronger form now on! I am planning on natural delivery, but since i'm high risk who knows what will happen. i did deliver my DD naturally not pain meds or anything (my epi didnt take) so i'm planning to do the same. I pumped for a month and had to ive up because apparently my milk was to "thick" or something like that and my DD had very bad constipation problems so we had to give her a special formula. I think medela's are the best pumps but they are expensive. I used some cheap-o pump that worked well but used the hospital for the first couple of days (they had the medela pump) and i could defenetly see a difference. i think its worth it so spend the extra $$$ if you plan on pumping for a long time. I also already have a pedi for my DD so we will be using same one for my dd#2 but we were required to pick one when we were in the hospital and we chose the one that they highly reccomended.

kizmet- how are you feeling? is your ms over? i sure hope so! are you getting big? I'm huge!!! lol but i still measure right on track 25cm for 25wks

I'm not sure if i told you guys or not but we are expecting another girl!!!! I really wanted a boy, but now i'm getting excited for my DD to have a sis i'm sure they will be BFFs for life

ok time to go dd woke up from her nap

take care ladies!!!!

[2bunsinoven]

Hope- Congrats on feeling baby Liam! I'm sure it's a relief to know he's doing okay every day. I've been obsessing this past week over the same thing. I'm starting to get worried because I just don't feel anything. It's just so weird how they're so big and I still can't feel them. Hopefully something happens soon. About the c-section, my Dr told me I would be getting a c-section, because one baby is already breached. How brave of you to have a natural delivery! Our hospital requires us to have a pediatrician as well, I'm probably just going to ask around, get reviews, and decide from there. I am planning on breastfeeding and a pump that another teacher recommended is called, The Medela Pump. Other teachers at school use this one as well and they love it. It's a bit pricey ($280), but I've heard it's worth it. It's something you can reuse if you have another baby.

Kizmet-glad to hear everything is going well. Sorry you had to go through hell over the holiday in regards to your infection. At least everything got sorted out. I still haven't heard anything from my Dr.s office about my infection. I hope they call this week.

AFM- I've been very busy at school trying to get organized and settled just in case my Dr. puts me on bedrest anytime soon, very hectic. I finally recieved my cribs, so those are up now. Other than that, there's nothing new, just hungry ALL the time and getting huge. We went to a pre-delivery meeting this past week and saw the delivery room, post-delivery room, and NICU. I was kind of excited because if the babies are in NICU, they get their own room and I'll be able to sleep in there with them. I hope it doesn't come down to this, but it's just nice to know I'll be able to be with them. The meeting had moms-to-be that are due in February or March, and I was as big, if not bigger than them. I can't imagine what I'll look like at 8 months (SCARY).

Hope you ladies have a restful holiday weekend!

[kizmet]

DYS - Great to hear from you! I feel huge but compared to some friends that are around the same time as me, I'm not that big. One friend is 3 weeks ahead of me, so naturally is much bigger but the other friend is only 4 days ahead of me, and she now can't get up off the couch without help! So I figure I'm doing alright! My morning sickness has pretty much disappeared. I can still throw up if something smells bad or if I think about eating some things - I saw my stepson drinking a coke at about 10am the other day and that was enough to have me throwing up! At least it isn't every day now. I've had to start taking a calcium supplement now though as dairy foods make me feel nauseous for 5 or 6 hours after I eat or drink any of them. A shame as I love dairy! I hope like you I can manage a meds free birth, but I'm not going to pretend that I can!

2Buns - Glad to hear your cribs have arrived and are up. It's so much fun isn't it? Also glad your pre-delivery meeting was positive. It must be reassuring to feel comfortable about the hospital.

AFM - I really had a horrible weekend. For the first time since the 2ww, I've felt like a horrible, hormonal crazy woman. DH did something on Saturday morning which upset me and has resulted in me being teary and sulky all weekend and I was even crying this morning before work a whole 2 days later AND I actually know I'm being unreasonable but just can't get past it. Bean has been very active. Interesting that he/she seems to have quite distinct periods of sleep and activity now. I found to start with 10.30am and 10.30pm I could rely on as active periods, but now it is more often but still very regular. 3.30am is popular, followed by 7am, 10.30am, around 1.30pm, 4.30pm and then again at about 10.30pm. It will be interesting to see if this pattern continues! It's nearly always in the same spot - lower left hand side. We've also bought the car seat and stroller now. I'd had my heart set on a travel system from a local baby shop - gorgeous colour and fabric and very easy to use, but it was expensive. Then I saw a very similar system on sale at a department store - same manufacturer but a different model for less than half the price. The fabric and the finish isn't as nice but functionally it is identical and for $500 less, I couldn't really say no!

Editing to add:

Was wondering if you guys could offer some thoughts on what I should do in regards to a couple of things:

1. 4 weeks before Bean is due, my stepson has a BIG horse event on. It is something he has been talking about doing his entire life and is very excited as this is the first time he will be able to do it as he just turned 18yo. I want nothing more than to be supportive and go along and watch. The event is held over 5 days in a small country town about 8 hours drive from home and two hours from any major hospitals. It would also involve camping in a tent. Would you go? I really do want to support him, but not sure if the risk is worth it? DH needs to go to help him and because it is so far to haul the horses, they will be away for 8 - 10 days.

2. DH's daughter is turning 21yo about 4 days before Bean is due. So she wants to have a party at our house and originally said 100 people. DH and I had reservations about this and asked her to come up with a list of people and some dates for the party. Rather than doing this, she has gone ahead and invited ALL of her facebook friends (approx. 200 people!) and this doesn't include family, so total, we are now talking 270 people at OUR house 14 days before our EDD! I've already said that I'm NOT catering for this like I usually would and that DH's ex-wife should step up and do it. However, given that the OB has said that I'll either be in for a c section or be induced at 38 weeks (exactly when this party is planned for), I'm not entirely convinced I am happy with the party even being at our house now. So, do you think I should put my foot down and say, no party at our house and have them hire a venue, or let it go ahead and just book myself into a hotel room (which I had planned to do even if it was only 100 people)?

[hopeforbabies]

Happy Monday everyone! Thanks for all your input on the breast pump. My bestfriend works with a lady who has a Medala and wants to get rid of it. She said she doesn't think she even wants anything for it so I'm having her find out for sure. Either way if she does want a little cash for it I bet it will still be cheaper then buying one brand new.

dys- Hi! I'm so happy to hear from you again! I think its awesome that you are having another girl. You're right that your daughters will be BFF for life. Just think of all the fun they will have together playing dress up and tea party. Plus when they are older they can talk about boys and share each others clothes. Sorry your Epidural didn't work with your first daughter but at least when you go nautral this time you will be prepared for the pain and know what to expect.

Kizmet- Hurray for m/s being mostly gone! I'm also glad to hear that your midwife said there was a chance that you could still deliver vaginally. Hopefully your BP will remain low and the baby wont get too big from your diabetes. I didn't know that they can have a hard time regulating their own bloodsugar once they are born if mom had Diabetes. Its nice that if anything is off with the bloodsugar that your little bean will have staff come to you so hopefully you can remain together.

As far as your questions about what I would do in your situation I would honestly pass on the horse even option. Its so close to your due date and so far from a hospital that I would be afraid of going into labor. Of course baby's seem to come early in my family. My cousin was 6 weeks early (went into labor right after her baby shower!). My other cousin just gave birth last week on Thrus. She was 37 weeks to the day and had no idea she was in labor until her water broke. By the time they got to the hospital (30 min away) she was already 5cm and and 1hour later she was 10cm and ready to push! Plus I think you maybe pretty uncomfortable sleeping on the ground in a tent. For your question about your step daughter's party I think that would be up to you. You are already planning on staying at a hotel so you wont be bothered if you want to go lay down. Also I would definately have her mom cater! I would also make sure that if they do have that many people come that they have a plan for who is going to clean up afterwards (suggest a cleaning service)!

2buns- I'm glad you are getting your classroom all ready just incase you do get put on bedrest. I know its hard work now but just imagine if it wasn't ready when you leave. Then you'd be sitting there in bed with not a lot to do but worry about your classroom. Also I think its really cool that your hospital has private rooms for NICU babies! Babies there need their moms and dads so much that I think its awesome that you can sleep there to be close! Our hospital is over an hour drive so it would get taxing to have to drive to and from each day. On the other hand I'm sure your two boys will come out just fine and you won't need to worry anyway!

[kizmet]

Had a bit of a rough day yesterday. I've been feeling Bean moving around since before Christmas and it has been very regular and very active. The day before yesterday, I didn't feel anything at all. So by yesterday morning I was pretty worried. Then all day yesterday at work I still felt nothing, so when I left work I decided to see if I could get a DR's appointment and went in and had an hour's wait. In that time, I thought maybe I should ring the midwives at the hospital and see what they have to say. The midwife I spoke to asked me to come straight into the hospital, so I cancelled the DR appt and went straight in. The midwives were fantastic and saw me straight away. Doppler picked up a heart beat easily which certainly helped calm me down but because I'm high risk and they had me there anyway, they did a BP and urine check. BP was fine but urine showed another UTI (no symptoms again). They were also concerned that Bean might be a bit small, so to double check everything was OK, they did an US which showed Bean was quite happy and moving very actively with just the right amount of amniotic fluid but as they couldn't do any measurements with the US machine they were using I now have to go in for a formal US this week and back into hospital for another check next Tuesday.

[hopeforbabies]

Kizmet- I know its so scary when you go a couple days without feeling the baby move. I had 2 days in a row where I couldn't remember feeling Liam at all. But then yesterday he was kicking sooo much! I'm glad everything is fine with your little bean and hopefully he/she will still be measuring right on schedule (fingers and toes crossed!). Weird that they found another UTI without symptoms. Maybe the first one never fully cleared up since they had you stop and then start your meds again. I would just take a full round of antibiotics this time regardless of what the tests say. They give you ones that are safe for bean, so it wont hurt anything. When is your formal U/S? Keep us posted on what they say about Bean's size!

[kizmet]

I just got the call now to say that the US has been moved from Feb 4 to Jan 27.

The midwife assured me that I had done the right thing coming in after two days of not feeling Bean at all. She said they used to recommend you come in if you felt less than 10 - 12 movements per 24 hour period, but now recommend that you come in if you feel a significant alteration in the number of movements per day. So we went from maybe 20 or 30 kicks and punches to zero in 48 hours (other than maybe one that I think I felt yesterday morning). Apparently my UTIs might be the result of "hanging on" too long. I seem to have a bladder of steal - I only go maybe twice during the day at work and when I've been in hospital on other occasions nurses have been suprised at my lack of needing to pee (eg. once I came off a horse and they thought I'd broken my spine, so I was flat on my back for 24 hours and they kept asking if I needed a catheter to pee which I was adamant I didn't and the nurses were most impressed when they did an ultrasound and found out I had over a litre and a half of pee there and hadn't wet myself!). So now I had better make some attempt at peeing more often!

[hopeforbabies]

Hi ladies I just wanted to hop on and wish everyone a happy weekend. I had my check up yesterday and everything is looking good. Blood pressure was good, no sugar or protein in the urine, and my belly is measuring 23cm from pubic bone to the top of my uterus. Doctor seems pleased with my weight gain so far and the baby's hearbeat sounded fine. Our next appointment wont be for another 5 weeks on March 3rd(28 week check up). At that time they will have me repeat my glucose test, have an ultrasound to check the baby's size, and I'll have a 3d ultrasound done later that day for fun. Took the whole day off as my insurance makes me go to an imagine place for the OB ultrasounds so I have three apointments in that one day!

This weekend Josh and I are taking our "baby-moon" and are traveling to the northern part of Arizona to play in the snow. Living in the valley all my life snow is still a novelity to me and quite the treat to play in. We will be up there tonight and Saturday. Sunday we will return and get to look forward to our first Bradley Method class that evening. Josh and I also took Monday and Tuesday off from work to be able to catch up on house chores, do "spring cleaning" on the yards, and begin to prepare our garden to plant at the end of February. Its been a lovely 70 degrees here for the last week or so and I figured we wont have any more risks of freeze.

Anyway, I hope all is well with everyone. Its been a little quiet on our board lately but I understand as I don't have much to update either.

[kizmet]

Hopeforbabies - I hope your babymoon was fun! We are off on ours probably next week as after that work will get really busy for me before I go on maternity leave.

AFM - I had the growth ultrasound on Thursday AM. Happy to announce Bean is perfectly average - measuring 27 weeks at 26 weeks 4 days. Then I had to go into the maternity day stay unit for a hour or so for CTG monitoring which would have been great if only I didn't have to lie on my side pushing the heart rate monitor hard into my belly for 30 mins! Bean was having an ultra-active moment at the time and was kicking away happily, so at least it didn't take long for them to get the trace they wanted otherwise I would have been there for hours like the poor girl next to me! They then did my BP which was perfect again at 120/70, so that is a relief, however another urine test shows protein in my urine, so either the infection is now in my kidneys (which I suspect is the case because my back has been really sore around my kidneys) or I have early pre-eclampsia (which is unlikely given my BP has been fine!).

Morning sickness is back with a vengeance....

[kizmet]

Where is everyone? I miss you guys!

[hopeforbabies]

Kizmet- I'm here, I'm here! Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner. Josh and I took our "baby-moon" over the weekend and didn't get back till yesterday. Anyway, I'm so glad that your little bean is measuring right where he/she should be! Do you think we will ever stop worrying so much? On the other hand I'm sorry to hear that you might have a kidney infection and that the m/s is back. Seems like you just can't beat it. What are the doctors going to do about the possible kidney infection? Are they putting you on another round of antibiotics? Do you have to go back after finishing them for more testing? I hope they can get it resolved for you soon because I know its not safe for either you or the baby!

2buns- Now its your turn to come out of hiding! Did the dr decide if you had to go on bedrest? How are you feeling? Did you get your classroom all in order?

dys- Same for you...where are you? Hope all is well!

[kizmet]

Hope - How did your baby-moon go? We're off on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to it enormously! DH got the accom as a Christmas present for me but I don't actually know where we're going - if I had to guess, I'd say we're off to Warnambool which is a lovely coastal town about 3 hours drive from home. DH has promised to even go nursery shopping while we're there which will be great - although I don't have much left to buy!

Tests showed that I have no kidney infection or pre-eclampsia which is fantastic.

And worry? No, I don't think we'll ever stop worrying! DH says the worry never stops - even when they're 21yo, they still cause plenty of worry!

[dys24]

Hi Ladies!!!

I'm sorry i have been such a bad online friend!!! It just has been sooo busy, my little one is keeping me up and busy all day and by the time she goes to sleep i'm exhausted! I try and read but i have no time to respond

kizmet- I'm so glad your results came back fine! and your right you never stop to worry!!! Ever since my DD was born i worry about everything, sleep,naps,food, pee, poop lol etc....

hopeforbabies- how was your vacation? I'm so jeoulous i wish i could go away somewhere, but with a 1yr old its hard, and i dont know if i could leave her with someone for more than a day


everything is fine here, i had my growth u/s and baby is measuring 2lb4oz! right on track, cervix looks wonderful so i wont need to get that checked ever again! thank GOD!!!!! other than that, I started buying stuff for the nursery, have the crib and mattress and bedding but still need dresser and drawers, i have all the clothes from my DD so no need to buy any of that. ok g2g have a great weekend ladies!!!!