Hello everyone!

Memes, I had a similar experience in the last pregnancy when I was trying anything and everything to get the overdue DD to make an appearance.  According to the sheet my doctor just gave me, if the contractions don't progress, then they're just warm up.  Something to do with prostoglandins??

SS, great news!

AFM, almost 37 weeks and hanging in there.  Another NST this morning, and all was well.  I now have excess amniotic fluid, too, so now there are two reasons to be talking induction!  They are thinking between 39 weeks and the due date, but happily are taking it one visit at a time.  I was reassured by the conversation with my OB today about the different options (some natural-ish!) we'll talk about in the coming weeks.  Also had my first internal check and I'm still not a good candidate for induction, but we'll see what happens next.

SAW--best wishes for a smooth c-section experience!

WPP--too add on to what kar said, most doctors will stick to dating 40 weeks from LMP unless you date more than 1 week off by early ultrasound.  The earlier ultrasounds are more accurate for dating than later ultrasounds, so if your due date were going to change, it would probably be on the basis of the ultrasounds you already had done.  So, it's exciting to see how things are measuring, but the error/normal variation in those measurements gets bigger as the LO gets bigger, so it doesn't really help refine the due date estimation unless things are really quite far off, as I understand.  At my anatomy scan at 18 weeks, the measurements were spitting out a 3 or 4 week range of possible gestations on the ultrasound computer monitor, if I recall correctly, so it really becomes a pretty rough approximation.

AFM, in the 3rd trimester now!  28 weeks and starting to count down, and hope baby girl keeps growing and stays well in there for another 12 weeks or so.  :)  Pregnancy is starting to get  a little uncomfortable.  I feel ungainly these days.  But, nothing really too bad!

Thanks everyone!  I'm hoping for smooth sailing tomorrow. So far its supposed to be a completely different experience then DS. I didn't know that with a scheduled c-section, the baby is in recovery with you and I don't have to wait to see DD. And I'm excited about that. 

Good luck to all!  I'll be back next week :)

Good luck, SAW!

MGH adjust due date based on ultrasound if it's 4 days or more different from the LMP date.  Mine was adjusted based on the ultrasound I had around 6 weeks.

Good luck tomorrow SAW!  Very exciting!

Thanks Med.  It is nice to know that something similar happened to someone else.  That's great your NST went well and they are just taking it one appointment at a time!

Does anyone have any advice about back pain during sleep?  I didn't have any back pain last pregnancy, so this is new to me.  I sleep with a huge body pillow, so not sure if there is something else I can do to help alleviate the pain.  The only position that seems to help at all is if I am on an incline on my back, but that makes it difficult to sleep.  I usually alternate between both sides, but halfway through the night my back is killing.

Good luck, SAW!

Memes, my discomfort at night is more in my hips, so I'm not sure how helpful this is.  But, I now sleep in a crazy pillow ring.  I have the snoogle, which is like a giant "C", and then another small pillow for the open side of the C.  I alternate between sleeping on both sides, and I stuff the pillows (either one side of the snoogle or the small pillow) under the belly and up behind my back.  I found that really wedging them in there helps a lot.  I am finding this more important this pregnancy, although not sure if it's because this baby is more straight-out and the DD belly was more wide, or what.

Another thing that has helped recently, especially towards morning, is to roll within the loop a little bit more onto my back, so if you looked from the headboard down to the foot of the bed, my back is at like a 45 degree angle up, with the pillow supporting underneath and the other pillow supporting the belly on the side it's leaning towards.  I have been finding this helps me stretch out more but without the discomfort of being flat on my back.  Not sure if this makes sense.  But yeah... I still end up waking up to roll over every couple of hours.

I also am having more hip issues than back issues, but what I have found is that when I wake up to switch positions, I do a few cat/cow yoga poses on the bed before readjusting my pillows under me on the other side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LodlEH6TluM (The first two and a half minutes show the cat/cow poses).  

While I find them great for hip pain, these are poses my prenatal yoga instructor has said are really good for back pain, so it might be worth a try. I just do a few breaths worth, so I don't wake all the way up, but it helps enough that I am much more comfortable when I lay back down.

SAW - I hope your c-section went well and you're enjoying your new little one!

Med - glad all went well w/ the NST.

Siena - welcome to the third tri! Do you have a name picked out yet?

memes - My back has been very stiff lately, and it helps when my DH applies counterpressure (i.e., pushes on it really hard). My hips have been really painful during sleep lately, so I feel your pain! Amy-lynn, I'm going to try the cat/cow poses tonight.

I had a midwife appt yesterday and an ultrasound today. I was worried about the GBS test at my midwife appt, but it was no big deal, just a few little pokes. At the u/s, the baby was measuring 6 days behind, so I was a little concerned, but the tech said that the u/s EDD can be off by THREE WEEKS. He is definitely looking more like a baby and less like an alien -- we got a good face shot and I think he looks just like my DH.

Hi JL! Yes, we just picked out a name last week, and we have been "practicing" it all week to make sure it feels right to us.  I always liked it, but I like it more and more, the more I hear it!  Still need to settle on a middle name, but I think we're going to go with a family name for that.  I like girls names that end in "a" or "ia" but then I want the middle name to not end in one of those sounds, which narrows things down a lot!

That's awesome that you got a good u/s and view of baby's face!  i don't feel like I have any idea what baby will look like based on our anatomy scan.  I'm excited to find out!

I've had bouts of hip pain and charlie horse cramps at night.  I have found pillow experimentation to be helpful.  I keep a pillow between my knees and a second one between my ankles, and I've played with the thickness of both pillows.  My current system is working pretty well for now--we'll see for how much longer as I continue to rapidly expand!

 

Siena, can you safely increase your magnesium?  If it's safe to take more than you already are in your prenatal it can help with night leg cramps a lot.  Also, potassium is good for that.  Maybe eat an extra potato or banana per day.

Sorry to hear about everyone's hip and back pain. I've been sleeping with a blanket wedged under my belly because the weight was pulling across my back. I managed to pull my upper back yesterday leaning over the ironing board. Now I feel like Dr. Evil turning my whole body instead of just my head or shoulders.

This has been the worst two week stretch ever. DH's grandmother passed away last Friday morning and this past week was all the services. I took yesterday off from work to rest and catch up on things around the house. Then I pulled my back and DH got into a car accident on the way home from work! He's fine but his car is in bad shape. Just what we needed 3ish weeks from our due date! I feel like we're never going to get anything done before the baby gets here. 

So sorry, Chicklet - hugs!!!

Hope your delivery went well this week SAW.  Congrats and hope you are enjoying your new little one!

Sorry about the bad times Chiclet.  Thank goodness your DH is okay and thank goodness you weren't in the car too.  Hope you can relax a bit over the weekend.

Siena - I think you and I have just about the same due date (June 26?).  I am 28 weeks as well this week and I also woke up multiple times with leg cramps.  My DH also suggested I eat more potassium.  Too bad I hate bananas!

28 weeks here and things are going along on track.  Had another ultrasound yesterday and baby girl is measuring right on track.  She is 2 pounds 9 oz (estimated of course) and in the 37th percentile for size.  All other measurements are putting her right on schedule.  So that was encouraging.  It doesn't appear at this point that the 2-vessel cord is hindering her growth, so hopefully it stays that way.  I'll have another growth-check ultrasound in 2 weeks.  Other than that - just the usual aches and pains of the 3rd trimester.  Just like when I was pg with my last DD, the hip aches are the pits.  I sleep with a body pillow, but not sure how much it really helps.  The bigger issue is that in yesterday's ultrasound I confirmed that her hind-end is pressing hard up against my right side.  She likes to stretch a lot and really leans into it and therefore sticks her rump right out the side of my belly.  Man - it is painful!!  I would rather just feel the kicks.  The sustained stretching is a major ouch factor!  She is one active little girl and if she is anything like her big sister they are both going to keep me running around for years to come!

In response to Chiclet831's comment:

Remember, honestly and truly, ALL YOU NEED when you come home from the hospital is a carseat (so you can take baby home, lol) and a crib or basinet or something or other to sleep in.  And some clothing and diapers and a few receiving/Anais Anais blankets.  And a few bottles if you aren't going to nurse.

All the rest can be set up, purchased, taken out of boxes, painted, etc. later.  Seriously.  So do relax, get your back feeling better (who wants a sore back during labor?) and have your husband relax from his car accident. Do what you can (and ASK for help if you have some great friends or family in the area) and then don't sweat it.  Seriously.  And take care of yourself!

Thanks for the support! I am feeling a lot better and I was able to finally get some good sleep this weekend. Everything with the accident is going smoothly now that the insurance has taken over, so that's one less thing we have to worry about for now. We have the carseat installed in my car, my uncle dropped off the cradle he made last week and I've got a bunch of clothes in varying sizes (some of them are even clean)! He's got a bunch of blankets, some clean toys, size N, 1 and 2 diapers and 3 clean bottles in case the whole nursing thing doesn't work out. So if he did come tomorrow, I don't think he would know he's missing anything. Thanks for putting that into perspective! I do have to pack the hospital bags and write the birth plan still. Maybe this week?

ALS - glad your DD's growth is on track. What a relief!

Oh, a homemade cradle?  How special, that will be a family heirloom forever.

Chiclet - depending on your wishes during labor a birth plan might not be something you need to write up.  I talked to my OB in one of my final appointments and he said that while I was free to write one up it wasn't necessary.  He said that unless my or the baby's life was in danger we would make every decision together and weigh all of the options along the way.  He encouraged me to write one if I thought that it would be helpful for me to have in writing but that for him he would just go along with my wishes unless there was a need to make a drastic decision (fortunately there wasn't).  But he was right, I didn't need anything written down, I knew what I was comfortable with and each step of the way they gave me my options, answered my questions and went with what I wanted.  It was nice to remove one more item from my to do list in those final weeks.

Good morning ladies! 

TTaking a moment to post while dh takes ds to school.  I apologize in advance for the typos,  can't seem to work the phone and nurse at the same time. We came home on Saturday and what a difference between an elective c-section and an emergency one. 

Other than be bumped twice,  surgery was uneventful. Dd had no complications,  so dh could hold her while they finished surgery and we had her in recovery with us for an hour.   Dd is tiny compared to ds 7.5 vs 11 lbs but perfect and a champion nurser. She's almost back to birth weight and sleep for 2 3hour stretches last night. She has a full head of dark hair and the longest fingers and toes. 

 Ds has been a great big brother, but just had a complete meltdown for dad at school this morning!  He fine of course 5 minutesllater.  So thankful for a nursery school director who takes no crap frm my kid!!!!

 

I am of to take advantage of the milk coma, maybe a load of laundry and dressed! Bes of luck to whoever is next! 

Congratulations, SAW!  So wonderful that everything went so smoothly. 

yay, congratulations SAW!  Happy to hear about the new LO and the peaceful delivery.  Hope all continues to go well.

Chiclet, hope all is well.  I'm happy to read CT's post above - I have *nothing* done for the new baby and we are at 37 weeks (and possibly to be induced at 39!)  But I need to get through a major deadline at work this week, and then make a shopping list for things like NB and size 1 diapers, and then whatever household goods we need.  This weekend, a big store run and then sorting through our hand me downs plus DD's old clothes.  Then we'll be good!  Oh, and perhaps we should get a name...

Hope everyone else is doing well!  Oh, regarding the birth plan - while not necessary, I wished that I had done one last time and I am planning to make one this time.  While everyone was great when I was in labor with DD, I just couldn't really remember stuff or focus.  I wished later that I had written things down.  I think it would be less important if you know really clearly what you want!  But if you are like me and just have a few random ideas and things you have learned, it could be helpful to have them written down.

Congratulations, SAW! Glad everything went well. 

Chiclet, glad to hear you're back on track and your DH is okay from the car accident. Even minor accidents can shake you for days and more eventful ones are just scary.

I met my midwife yesterday and had the initial 1 hour appt with all the blood work and informational packets. We really like the midwife and feel comfortable with her. We also got to hear the heartbeat on the Doppler! That was really cool. I go for the down syndrome test next week but she said we're low risk So that's good. I'm 12 weeks tomorrow!

it sounds like we'll hear about more new babies in the next few weeks On here!

Congrats on your baby girl, SAW!

ALS, glad the baby's growth looks good!

Chiclet, sorry to hear about DH's grandmother and all. It sounds like you have all the essentials. And once he's here, remember you can get anything on Amazon with one-day shipping. That's what I tell myself when I'm worrying about not having everything I need for the baby.

WPP, hooray for 12 weeks! Glad to hear you like your midwife.

AFM, I'm 37 weeks tomorrow. For the past week or so, exercising (long walks) has become difficult because I feel pressure and some stabbing pains below my belly/in my lower abdomen. I'm hoping this is normal. Annoying, though!

It seems I haven't posted in forever and have been really bad at keeping up with everyone...

SAW, congratulations on your new little princess!!!

WPP, congrats on making it to 12 weeks!  So glad you got to hear the heartbeat, I remember thinking how amazing that was the first time we got to hear it.

jl, I've had the same pressure and stabbing pain feeling for weeks and my doctor said its normal as long as it goes away after changing positions or laying on your left side for a while.  Just part of carrying around a big belly.

Chiclet, so sorry to hear about the DH's grandmother and accident.  Hopefully this week has been better.  Like jl says there is always Amazon.

AFM - Can't believe I'm 27 weeks now and almost in the 3rd trimester (which should be a short one for me although I am hoping to cook these babies until 38 weeks).  At our ultrasound a little over a week ago our girl was measuring in >90% percentile at 2 lbs 2 oz, and our boy was 8 oz bigger and literally off the charts!!!  Since we were ivf we know our dating is right so looks like we have some big babies coming our way, which is great since they'll likely be premies.

I also found out my placenta previa moved!  There was such a small chance of that happening since it was a "complete" previa that it was a great surprise.  It also means I'm now off pelvic rest and my limited activity restrictions.  Still trying to take it easy though since pretty much anything is an exertion these days.  Even though I'm 27 weeks my belly is measuring at 35 weeks and I've gained over 30 lbs already (mostly in my belly thank goodness) so carrying around all the weight is taking its toll.  Overall I'm thrilled at how well the babies and my body seem to be doing and all the great news we got last week.

I also had my baby shower on Sunday.  It was amazing and I can't believe what a great job my mom and friends did with organizing it.  We had about 60 people there and got an insane amount of presents.... really over the top.  I truly don't think we'll have to buy at thing for these babies the first year (other than diapers).  Feels so great to have our house reno projects done, nursery all painted and decorated, and this weekend I plan to even have my hospital bag ready to go.  Even though I'm hoping I have a long way to go, I know realistically there is about a 25% chance I'll go into labor between now and 32 weeks and just feel like I need to be as prepared as possible in case that happens.

Congrats SAW!! Glad the delivery went well.

Chiclet, that is good that things have calmed down for you. it sounds like you are in good shape to me!

ALS, my baby is in a similar position to yours and I agree that the butt stretches are painful!

AFM, I will be 39 weeks tomorrow and my feet keep getting more and more swollen. And my BP was officially high today at my visit at 140/92. So, they are starting to talk induction and are watching me closely. I go back Tuesday for another check since the NST and urine sample were fine (otherwise I would probably have been induced tomorrow). Not really thrilled about the idea of being induced since I was able to do a drug-free delivery last pregnancy, but at the same time I don't want there to be any issues for me or the baby.  I guess we'll see what happens.  I am just going to go with the advice of the midwife/doctor and hope all goes well.

Congrats SAW! Glad everything went so well!

SS - You're so put together! I'm glad your shower was a success and that your babies are defying the odds! 

Memes - Sorry your blood pressure has spiked this week. I hope it goes down so that you can deliver naturally again. 

CLC - I get what you're saying about the birth plan. I think my actual birth plan will be pretty short, but I have a lot of requests for after the delivery and my hospital stay that I think will be best to have written down. I was going to write up 3, one for the birthing center, one in case I need to be transfered to the hospital and one for our 48 hour recovery time in the hospital.

My boss asked me today if I have a plan in place in case I go into labor at work. Hadn't thought about that one. They won't let anyone drive me to the hospital, so I guess I'd have to go by ambulance? I have to ask at the birthing center if it's okay to come there in an ambulance or if they have to take me to the ER. My boss basically said that I need to start taking my laptop home every night and just not come in if I feel anything. Knowing my coworkers, it will be absolute pandemonium if my water breaks at work!