Beautiful Babies Due in 2011 (Combined Group)

[annashope]

Wow Ryan I am so excited for you and don't worry they will be great!! Sending you lots of prayers and positive energy and as everyone else on here has said I can't wait to see pics of the little angels and hear your birth story

[klinger13]

Ryann - OMG I'm so excited for you!! And I just know Bella & Dylan are going to do great! Please post when you can to let us know how you're doing and I'm sending positive thoughts and prayers your way!!

Kat - You look GREAT in your pic!!

Annashope - LOVE the glam shots! What a great idea to show off the bump in such a pretty way.

Leora - I love the names you've chosen for your sons. It's so nice that they've got special meanings as well.

Chris (and I think Leora mentioned possibly cloth diapering) - I will be cloth diapering. At this point, we're using disposables because we got some newborn and size 1 pampers at our shower. But once those are used up we'll move Maribel into her cloth diapers. We went with one-size pocket diapers with snaps so they function just like a sposie (I don't have patience for prefolds & covers) and should last until she hits 28-35 pounds, depending on the brand. We have 25 dipes in our stash - 12 BumGenius 4.0, 12 Sunbaby, and 1 Oh Katy and we spent about $270 for all of those. That should be enough to wash every other day. I make my own laundry detergent so that expense is negligible. For the ones we got they recommend 1 cold wash, 1 hot wash, and one extra rinse (other styles may require more or less washing.) The inserts will be dried in the drier and the diapers themselves will be line dried. Other "optional" supplies we got were a diaper sprayer (hooks onto your toilet so you don't have to do the dip and swirl), a wet bag for use in the diaper bag, and a hanging diaper bag (just throw the dipes & bag in the wash when ready to launder.) We'll also be using cloth wipes that can go in the wash with the diapers (for this I just bought some cheap cotton flannel, cut it into squares, and stitched a zigzag stitch around the outside so they don't fray.) You can either use these with plain old water or there are lots of recipes online that people use with the wipes & a little spray bottle.

Leora - You are looking FABULOUS!! Love the new bump pics!!

Margi - I'm so glad you're able to get out and about more. It must feel great after being on bed rest for so long!

Lou - about banking cord blood, we did not bank ours. To us it just seemed like such a large expense for something that could only be used to treat certain conditions. If it were cheaper, that may have changed our mind though. When we got to the hospital they asked if we wanted to donate it so we did that.

Karian - Good luck tomorrow with your u/s! Definitely let us know how it goes!

I know I missed a ton of you but Maribel's going to be waking up soon so I figured I'd better jump on while I can. She went for her 1 week check-up today and doc said she looks great. We'll go back in a week just to make sure she's gaining weight ok. She weighed 8lbs at birth, 7lb15oz on Friday when she left the hospital, and is back at 8lbs today. She's nursing every 2-3 hours and having plenty of dirty diapers so it seems all is ok, but they want to make sure she's at least a few ounces heavier by next week's visit.

[riogirl71]

Ryann - you silly girl! Had to beat me! I pray all goes well and your little ones are very healthy can't wait!

Sorry I have to make this quick but I have an important question for you ladies:

July 26th I will be 39w3d on scheduled c-sec date, I was 38w5d when I delivered DS and he was fine but ended up needing to have oxygen for 4 hours (no entubation just a little space helmet), his sugars were fine.

Went to OB today and asked him how the heck am I supposed to know if this is real labor or not since I even had 10 contractions in one hour, if I called you I would be calling you every night! Of course they do not want me to go into labor at all because of my previous c-sec. So he said as soon as things become painful for you there is no reason to wait to deliver and we can deliver any time now.

Yickes! So now I am confused because my contractions take my breath away sometimes but I can deal with them they don't cause me a lot of pain. I am not worried about my discomfort as I am the health of the baby. Because I have GD I know they like to deliver a tid early but her growth is smack on 50% so she is not too big and I am having Non Stress tests 2x a week to make sure all is well.

So do I try and have him deliver her next week around the time DS was born also?
Do I wait until my c-sec date and pray she doesn't come early (she is the second child and they tend to not go until due date, my original due date is July 30th for 40 weeks).

I don't want to risk her health by delivering her too soon but I also don't want to risk her health by going into labor (my OB is adamant VBACs are dangerous and he said 1 in 100 goes really wrong and that is not a chance he will take) so I don't want to risk being in labor and like an idiot not knowing and thinking it is my regular nightly contractions I know labor is not usually fast but it can be.

I am so totally confused, of course I would rather also not have to go into c-sec at 3 in the am and freak out DS but that is an inconvenience and of course I am more worried about what is best for baby. Argh any thoughts? Of course I would not consider anything before 38 weeks (this Sat) unless she decides to come!!!

[annashope]

Rio I understand your concern completely and there is no easy answer here. My question for you is are your contractions doing anything? what I mean is are you dilating? effacing? anything? If there is progress from your contractions then maybe earlier delivery is safer...if the contractions are not effective then maybe you can wait it out...not sure. I had DS at 41 weeks and this time around I had to beg for 39 weeks because of the c-sec...originally my OB wanted to do a c-sec at 38 weeks but I begged for an extra week so I know what you mean by 2nd babies usually come earlier...good luck

[blairwh58]

Quick post- Its 2 girls for us!! Very excited to know what those little ones are and to finally be able to look at stuff. Will post more later.

[Sweetpea614]

Blair congrats on the twin girls!!

Riogrl- All I can say is go with your gut. Make sure you are not stressing holding out for schedule one. I agree with the doctor I would think you are perfectly fine to have the baby. I had my son 2 weeks early and he was perfectly healthy and needed no help. I'm sure you will make the right decision for you and your baby.

Kat

[Sweetpea614]

Klinger so glad Maribel is doing well. We are actually looking into cloth diapers as well.

Margi- Fingers crossed all goes well next week and you get the clear to go back to normal stuff!

Kat

[BlissfulCS]

Blair- two girls??? Wonderful! Congrats. DH's heart will just melt, I am sure!

Kat- I went ahead and ordered the jeans along with some other stuff, sight unseen. Wish me luck! Thanks for the link. You helped me be very efficient at spending money.

AFM- DH brought the Doppler home to me and it worked! It took FOREVER but I found the HB (and found the placenta with no problem). It was unmistakable and I was ecstatic. I think I am putting it away for a few days to give the baby a rest and a little time to grow. I have a tilted uterus and I think that makes it even tougher to find early on. I wish DH had been with me. My plan was to find it while he was at golf night and then find it more quickly again when he gets home again. However it took so long that I am uncomfortable doing it any more tonight (and of course I didn't know you shouldn't use it for too long until AFTER I put it away and started surfing the net). Its a pretty frustrating process, especially since I lost the HB a minute after finding it. As long as it took to find it, I still wasn't worried. As awful as I have felt the last few days I was pretty confident things were going well!

[baby_blu73]

Ryann - Lots of prayers and positive thoughts from me to you, Bella, and Dylan! You'll all do fabulous and everything will be great! I can't believe you're having those babies!!! It seems like such a short time ago you got your BFP!

Blair - YAY!!! For two daughters on their way! Any name ideas yet???

[kjm1824]

Ryann - So excited for you. I am sure everything will be just fine. You were in my thoughts more than normal today and I was wondering how you were - now I know. I hope you had an easy time and all is well. Update us when you can. You and the twins will be in my prayers.

Barbara - thanks for sharing your birth story - sounds like it was hard but all worth it. I am so glad you are all well.

Blair - you are looking great!! Believe me - I have felt huge every stage of this pregnancy - then I look back at the pictures and go - wow I was still so little then... Congrats on the girl twins, I know you are so excited. Glad they are both doing good.

Amanda - Maribel is so cute. I know you are having so much fun with her at home. Glad she is growing well. We are going to do cloth diapers as well - after newborn stage. What made you decide on the brands you did? We are looking at rump a roos and grow via, one is a pocket and the other is an insert but has leg gussets both on the outer diaper and insert.

Anna - love your glam pregnancy pictures. You are looking so good. I am so happy that you have not progressed further and are giving Paul more time to grow.

Rio - Hang in there - I have nothing to go by but I would go with your gut and do what feels best and what you are most comfortable with and cause you the least amount of stress. I hope and pray that your contractions ease up and you don't have to worry about making a choice.

Kat - what a cute little bump you are sporting there!!! I am hoping that I make it to 32 weeks at work. I actually feel better at work because I am up and down so much, constantly changing positions ( I am a physical therapist ). There is some lifting and stress but I try and limit it as much as I can.

MamaBoo - Sorry to hear about the ultrasound results, hopefully the level 2 will show different results. Congrats on a little boy!!

Stephanie - hope you and the boys are well and have found some type of pattern (that may be just a dream I like to stay in to deal with the idea of twins yet)

Alisa - At times I wish I had more ability to sit more but as a physical therapist, I am constantly moving, which so far has been good - I actually feel better at work than when I sit around home resting more... But belly is getting bigger and I worry about the strain I put on my abdominals/core everyday.

Leora - What great names - I've heard variations but not those exactly. Look at your happy bump you got there - you look great.

Karian - Good luck on your ultrasound, I hope she is growing strong too!!

Lou - So glad you had a good vacation. Yeah, if I was having one baby I would work up till the end no problem. I am having a hard time now because I still feel really good, I have had no complications but I know I will get larger and I have more risks. Just one of those things where I wish I had a crystal ball. I am going to do a different comment on cord blood.

Chris - We are planning on doing cloth diapers after the newborn stage. Over the length of time I think they will be more cost effective - esp with twins, and they do not seem to be too difficult. We are looking at the rumparoo and growvia brands. Most of them run about $16-20 per diaper/liner.

Margi - I am so glad you are doing well. It would be hard going back to work at 23 weeks, but you may find it makes time go faster. I am constantly hoping and praying the best for you.

Cord Blood Banking - we are also looking into and are planning on doing it. Still considering several options - a local company, cord blood registry and viacord. I do have a h/o luekemia in the boys in my family - an uncle and cousin. I would feel horrible if something happened and I didn't spend the money now. Like SD I think of it as insurance. I will be so glad to throw that money away and never have to use it. But I think for every couple it is different and you have to weigh all the options.

AFM - My OB appt went well. He was very pleased with my progress. I am measuring at 31 weeks (at 26 weeks). His main concern is my iron. I am now taking 2 additional iron pills. He is going to test it again in 2 weeks and if it has not come up he will refer me to get an iron transfusion. Have any of you heard of that before? I really hope it goes up. I am eating more iron foods as well. My 4D ultrasound is next wed and my OB is doing an US on the 25th. I get to see the babies 2 weeks in a row - I am so excited!!! oh, I also have another baby shower this weekend up in IN with my in-laws (about 4 hour drive). It will be tiring but fun.

[MamaBoo]

I have good news to report today Saw the perinatologist and had level II ultrasound (first was just an anatomy scan). Little Denver does not have any defects with his heart or esophagus. He does have an identical twin that never developed properly. It is a mass of tissue with a heart and Denver's heart is basically pumping for both of them. I may have to have surgery to cauterize the vessels of the undeveloped twin so that Denver's heart does not have to work too hard. However, the success rate of that procedure is very good. Extra amniotic fluid may be a result of this or diabetes (gestational or otherwise). I guess we are also having amnio, I wasn't going to, but I guess the risk of chromosonal abnormalities is about 5% given everything. However, that means 95% chance everything is normal.

So, I am team blue dd 11/28/11.

Thank every one of you for all of your support! Good luck to each of you in turn.

[BlissfulCS]

Oh Mamaboo- I am so thrilled for you! I have been thinking about you all day today, wondering how your level two went. Never having an experience like this before (or knowing anyone who has) I assumed from your original post that the diagnosis was somewhat definitive until some of the other girls shared their stories. So glad it worked out and turned out to be explained. Congratulations on team blue! Good luck with the amnio and any resulting procedures. Keep us posted!

P.S. I love the name Denver!!! Our boy name is "West"...similar.

[FrecklesDC]

Hello everyone. I just wanted to upload a few pictures of the family that we took on Saturday. I didn't do any maternity pics so I could do these! LOL!

I hope everyone is doing great. We are on freakin' cloud 9....I could not imagine it would feel this way. I don't mind in the least getting up at 3am to feed him or changing 15 poopie diapers a day. It's such a blessing. I will definitely write my birth story as soon as I have a moment. Is anyone else out there pumping breastmilk and supplementing formula due to latching issues? I wanted to exclusively breastfeed but due to his high levels of bilirubin, he didn't latch well so I'm having to pump and supplement formula as needed. Love everyone here. Hope you are all doing GREAT!!!!!

[rypell1985]

Thank you all so much for your support. I labored for about 12 hours and pushed for about 1. Dylan Jonathan arrived at 2:08 weighing 5lbs12oz and 18.5" long. Isabella Aubrey arrived at 2:45 weighing 5lbs5oz and 18" long. Dylan is having trouble breathing-he is on a cannula (I think that's what they called it???) and Bella is having blood pressure issues. My poor Bella got severly bruised on her way out. Her pour head is all black and blue. I have only seen them once and I haven't been able
to hold them. The neonatologist thinks they may be able to go home in about 2 weeks. I'm overjoyed and heartbroken at the same time! I'm on my phone, so no pics yet, but I'll try not to make you wait too long!

[annashope]

Ryan huge congratulations I am so happy to hear labor went well and I will pray that both Bella and Dylan continue to do well and you get to see them more and hold them soon.