3rd Trimester: Week of July 3

latershrader

This is a weekly check in for the mamas  who have made it to the 3rd trimester!!! If you are in week 28 or past, feel free to join in on the weekly fun.

If you're just joining us please post a: 
•Mini synopsis in your first post with your EDD
•How many babies you are pregnant with
•If you know the gender(s)
•How you have been feeling in your 3rd tri
•Any upcoming or recent appointments you may have had

Feel free to share pictures of your bump, nurseries, baby gear, and of course those babies when they arrive! 

QOTW: 
Do you have pets? How do you plan to introduce your pets to baby? Any fears or complications you are concerned about?

3rd Trimester mommies and their little bundles:
@mjacks16 EDD 7/8/17 with a little boy
@MicronesianMamma EDD 7/21/17 with a little boy
@byrneme EDD 7/25/17 with a little surprise bean
@ARB425 EDD 7/30/17 with a little girl
@persnickity EDD 8/5/17 with a little girl
@JWatt5 EDD 8/13/17 with a little boy
@Stars2016 EDD 8/24/17 with a little boy
@oxinfree EDD 9/3/17 with a little boy 
@omarismyhomeboy EDD 9/8/17 with a little girl
@latershrader EDD 9/12/17 with a little boy 

Congratulations to @Colleen0516 on her beautiful twins & to @kdanjou on her healthy little girl!

latershrader

It's so exciting to see 2 ladies have their little ones! I am excited for all of us...it's coming so fast!

I'm 29w6d today and feeling pretty good. I have been having pelvic pain, I guess my body is getting ready for birth. The iron side affects are a bit better, I did learn to eat before taking them. Baby is good and growing like he should. Our first shower, at my office, is on the 18th. My sister sent out the invite to the close friends & family shower last week, that one is on the 29th. So exciting! This little guy is LUVED! LOL!

QOTW: We have 2 cats and 2 dogs. I volunteer as an animal advocate; I work with rescues and shelters to help save animals from euthanasia. I am usually a foster home for animals as well (not so much since I've been pregnant though). So my pets mean a great deal to me and I will not give them up. We are doing A LOT to make sure these guys are ready for their little brother. We have been spending lots of time together in the nursery. I'll be putting a dog bed in there at some point. I have let the dogs and cats smell some of the baby's washed clothes. And when he arrives, DH will bring home a hat or something before we both arrive. We've also been playing screaming newborn sounds from YouTube. Hopefully that will help them adjust to this little guy. I'm more worried about the time he is cruising and/or walking and can pull on them and chase them. But one day at a time, right?!

omarismyhomeboy

I am currently 30 weeks + 3 days with my baby girl. She has been moving like crazy lately, which is awesome, but sometimes at night it keeps me up, haha. I feel like she is running out of room!
I have 2 baby showers on the 15th- one thrown by my mom's friends (just us gals) and the other is a couple's shower thrown by some of our friends. I am excited about that!

QOTW: Yes, I have 1 cat, Omar. He is my bff and my little shadow- he and I spend so much time together, especially because I work from home. I worry about his adjustment to a baby. I worry that he will be upset or not get enough attention. I definitely want to make sure we still are giving him some love, but not sure what to do about the screaming baby part @latershrader maybe your Youtube videos are a good idea!

Kp214

Hi!  I'm 28 weeks today!  So excited to have made it this far.  Our little boy, probably will be named Julian, is due 9/25.  I have an appt with the OB on Friday.  I take my glucose test then, which has me nervous.  I'm not certain if we will start going every other week or if that's at 32 weeks.  I'll definitely be asking about that.  I'm also tempted to schedule another u/s around 32 weeks to see how he's growing; it wouldn't be oop.  I've been having pelvic discomfort and quite a bit of back pain.  The maternity belt helps some.  I love being able to eat regular food again and having some energy.  

QOTW: we have a shi tzu, who's older.  She's mostly blind and starting to go deaf.  She's the best dog.  She already loves to sit on my stomach, so I think she may suspect something, since she's never done that before.  I think she will be somewhat curious at first but mostly be ok with the baby.  She is great around kids, very calm and patient.  Although, I do get the occasional "why me?" look when kids are around.  

oxinfree

Hello Ladies. Happy belated Canada day to my Canadian peeps, and an early Happy July 4th to all the Americans in our midst.

I'm currently 31 weeks with baby boy Beau. Waiting on a call from MFM for our growth scan, so still a bit nervous about his development etc. but choosing to believe all is fine Been working like crazy on his nursery and sooooo close now, but the ottoman that was backordered and the custom bedding I ordered don't come in until end of month-ish. We've bought our stroller/carseat (Nuna mixx2 and pipa) and should be getting that installed/checked around 36 weeks I think. All so exciting, and I feel so grateful to be at this point. Doula meeting on the 10th and 32 week appointment on the 12th.

QOTW: I have my fur baby KC who is an 8 yr old American Eskimo Dog (mini). He's been around my friends' babies and does really well with them (even when tugged on etc), so I feel good about that. I'm more nervous about the fact that he won't get as much attention as before and acting out in some way. We'll see I guess. I have a plan for introducing him to baby upon our hospital return. Basically I'll come in first without baby and give him some love/attention, then swap with Eric who will do the same. Then I'll come in with baby and do the introduction.  

Stars2016

Hi everyone! I am 32 weeks and 4 days. Time is flying by! We had our 32 week check up this morning and go back on Wednesday for a growth scan. We tried twice last week to get 3D/4D ultrasound pictures and video but the first time he wouldn't move his hand from in front of his face and then the 2nd time he had his foot there and my placenta (apparently I have an anterior placenta). We tried everything but we're only able to see half of his cute face. We go back Thursday for one more try! We purchased everything remaining on our registry this week and starting to work on re-doing his closet. I feel like there is still so much to do!
   
@oxinfree Today at my appointment they told me that I was also measuring a little behind from where they would expect me to be. I was starting to get concerned because everyone comments on how small I am carrying but until today I have always measured on track. I was scheduled for a Growth Scan anyway, but the OB said she wasn't too worried and hopefully that would give us a peace of mind. I wish I asked what it meant if he actually is measuring behind. 

QOTW: We have a cat who is super friendly and cuddly with us, but not so much everyone else. I'm not too worried though because I'm sure once she checks the baby out and gets used to it she will be fine. We are planning on introducing her to a blanket he will be wrapped in before we take him home so she can at least get to know his scent. Just crossing my fingers for a smooth transition! 

JWatt5

Hi Everyone! 34 weeks now with our little guy. Starting to feel the weight hehe - lungs are getting a bit crowded and I get tired quickly - but rebound just a quick still so doing pretty well! Sleeping isn't as good - not because I'm uncomfortable or have to pee, I just don't sleep through the night. Then I get hungry so Finn and I are up for a late night snack of sharing a banana or granola bar. 

We have everything checked off of what we think we need for when the baby arrives - so it's all sitting in the spare room waiting to be unboxed. What goes in the nursery is all set up now - I'm done that nursery and very happy with it! DH and I are doing a lot of looking at eachother while just being lazy on the couch or after we just slept in and saying to each other - we only have around 6 more weeks of this!! Probably good we start realizing that now hehe. 

QOTW: We have pets...4 of them. Ollie, our chinchilla - he won't know any different. lol He's happy with a treat and a chin scratch each day. Millie and Hazel, our litter trained rabbits - they've been curious about all the new boxes and stuff in the spare room. I think Millie will be curious about the baby - she's very social, and Hazel just follows Millie everywhere. Millie has been busy rubbing her chin on all the new stuff (that's how the "mark" territory) and has been coming upstairs to investigate the nursery in the middle of the night. I'm sure she'll give the baby a chin rub when he gets here. lol. Finnigan, our Mini Australian Shepherd - we'll see how he handles the jealousy lol. He's a year old now and is glued to me. He has grown up with my nephew Jack who was born 3 days after him and just loves him. So gentle with him which is great. But if I'm holding Jack - he gets a bit jealous. of him. I need to make sure he's included and keep talking to him like he's people and the baby is his new best friend and he'll adjust. I'm going to keep him in his Doggy Daycare while I'm off a couple times a week - he still needs dogs to play rough with even though I'll be home everyday. Spoiled little pup!

Finn had to get in the pic - he was banished from the nursery the that day because he thought it would be a great idea to take the tubes for my breast pump - found him with them in the backyard tossing them up in the air having a great time lol. So he was being a sucky puppy in the doorway offering me his froggy in return for forgiveness. 

JWatt5

@latershrader - I'm the same with my pets - they are family, I took in Ollie and Hazel after them having multiple homes and no what anyone says - I'm not giving them up or away. So many have said it's too much - but they are part of our life & bring way more to life than what they will ever take! I just hope we do ok with allergies - my biggest fear!!

@omarismyhomeboy - Omar is the cutest!! You can see his personality through the pictures!

@Kp214  - Welcome!! Yehh for 28 weeks!

@oxinfree - We got the Pipa - I'm pretty excited about it! hehe. We're planning the same - around 36 weeks we'll get it installed. Looks a lot easier than most - we loved the Ridged Latch System! 

byrneme

Good morning ladies! I'm 36w6d which means FULL TERM TOMORROW. It's so crazy to think I've been posting on these boards for 30 weeks now and meeting our LO is right around the corner. I'm definitely getting tired quicker and Baby B's butt is right under my ribcage so bending over has become... challenging. Other than that I'm still feeling really good. My to-do list is getting smaller and smaller and, oddly, that makes me feel a little bit like I don't have any control. I really just need to pack the diaper bag, which isn't necessary, and finish up my 'traveling nursing caddy'. Oh - and install the carseats but that will get done TODAY. It's hard to believe that the baby could come any day now - people say that all the time and I find it necessary to say I'm happy to wait I've really very much enjoyed being pregnant and will be sad when that part is over even though I know the other side is SO MUCH BETTER. 

We have an almost 3 years old lab mix who LOVES little kids but, that being said, they go home at the end of the day. Similar to @oxinfree I'm not very concerned about temperament but more about the change in attention. He is pretty spoiled... I've played the YouTube videos of babies crying and he just kind of cocks his head. Our friends watched him overnight last weekend and said he got up with them when they got up with their son so I feel like he will be my shadow at night when feeding. He also likes to lick so we have to work on him not giving the baby a tongue bath all the time. 

@Kp214 - welcome!! So good to see you over here. 

tiffanyw1783

Hi! I don't post much here but I'm 32w due 8/30/17 with fraternal twin girls (Audrey and Olivia). I still can't believe after 9 years that in 5-6 weeks I'll have two babies! The weight of the babies is starting to get to me. I haven't gained much weight thus far, but they have. I have weekly Biophysical profiles either with MFM or OB. Right now baby A is almost a pound smaller and is in the 19th percentile while baby B is in the 49th percentile, so we are worried about that and watching it closely. Plan to have steroid shots soon just in case. The nursery is ready. 
QOTW: we have 2 inside dogs, Bentley 8 yrs old (Pekingese/Shih-Tzu) and Dasch 5yrs old (Brussels griffon/Dachshund). They have never really been around kids. Not too worried about Dasch, he's so easy going. Bentley will be the problem, as he's not going to like babies pulling on him or taking his toys. But we will get through it.

Kp214

@byrneme thanks for the welcome.  Glad the to-do list is getting shorter.  

@JWatt5 thanks for the welcome. love the nursery pictures.  Very cute!

@oxinfree  I hope you've gotten good news about the growth scan. 

mjacks16

@latershrader You may want to try the SlowFe iron, it has a slower release that can ease some of the discomfort. It also helps absorption if you take it with orange juice/vitamin C. I always take mine with food as well.

@oxinfree I hope all is well at the growth scan. My doc never measured my belly, but it was small until 33 weeks, then bam! 

I'm now 39w4d and I'm about ready for the little guy to show up! We got moved into our new house last week and I have almost all of the boxes unpacked and I have my mom painting the once pink nursery to a light grey. I also made a huge amazon order with the crib, bassinet and other things which should arrive today and tomorrow. You all sound so prepared and I don't even have the car seat out of the box yet. I did get all of the clothes washed, so that's a plus!

I have my weekly checkup on Thursday and hopefully there is more progress. I was a 'tight 1cm' dilated last week and I've had no contractions or braxton hicks! I will be going to acupuncture Thursday and Saturday and will be asking for the 'get this baby moving' needles. lol 

QOTW: I have two cats, Bijou a female ragdoll and Char a male shorthair. I think they will be terrified of the baby. They have just started to not be terrified of the new house, it will be a lot of change in a short time for them. I predict Char will eventually be the protector and Bijou will be jealous as she is a lap cat and is usually by my side.

I also wanted to share a few of my maternity photos that I finally got back from when I was 33 weeks.

 

oxinfree

@mjacks16 oh....my....goodness!!!!!!!! Those pics are stunning!!! what a beautiful keepsake!

AFM - thanks for all the well wishes. Unfortunately I'm still waiting on a call from MFM to even schedule it. I think because of the holiday everything was delayed. Ugh. If I don't get a call today I'll be following up to make sure the request was actually sent through. They forgot last time so wouldn't be surprised. 

persnickity

@latershrader glad to hear that eating seems to help!

@omarismyhomeboy a coworker of mine suggested carrying a doll around to help pets get used to you giving attention to someone else. Our dog is fine with attention from either of us, but if Omar wants it specifically from you, that may help him learn to share.

@Kp214 Welcome to the 3rd tri! Congrats on making it to the final leg of pregnancy.

@oxinfree hopefully you hear back soon with good news! Waiting is so hard some days.

@mjacks16 your pictures are gorgeous!! Hopefully the acupuncturist can help get things moving. My worry is getting to 40 weeks with no sign of going into labor soon.

AFM, I'm 35 weeks 4 days. Next appointment is next week and I'm pre-registering at the hospital that visit. We've also started doing daily stretches that my doula recommended. It helps DH feel involved and helps me feel like I'm doing everything I can to prepare.
Down to 3 full weeks of working at the office and then one week from home. That last week is a reduced workload as well to ease into leave. I'm concerned about how to handle scheduling customer meetings from here on out. My calendar books weeks in advance. I'm hoping just blocking the week before is enough.

MicronesianMamma

Hi Ladies! It's been a few weeks since I last posted an updated, I've been so busy and exhausted. I can't believe I'm already 37w5d with my little man. I can't wait to meet him. We have been super busy finishing the nursery and organizing the house and garage, and it's finally done except for the decals and wall hangings for the nursery. Our hospital bag is pretty much packed (I'm just packing one suitcase for the 3 of us) and we are installing the car seats in both of our cars today after work. We still have some cabinets I'd like to clean out but I'm confident we are ready for him to arrive any time now. At my appointment last week I was very much closed so I'm hoping for some change at my appointment tomorrow, I would love to deliver at 39 weeks even though I know it's not likely he will come early.I just can't wait to meet him!! 

QOTW: We have 3 little doggies pictured below - Lilu (white), Brownie (brown), and Pepe (black). Lilu is a major sweetheart and love of my life, she is 13 and great with babies. She is also the mom of our other 2. Pepe will be ok once he figures what the baby is, he is a major lover. We are most worried about Brownie b/c she is very needy for attention, especially from dad. But she will be fine once she gets used to him. We have been letting them smell everything and sit in everything. And they have the next couple of weeks to get used to his car seat in the back seat with them. DH will bring home the first swaddle or blanket we use so they can get used to his smell. 

latershrader

@omarismyhomeboy I love him! He is so cute! One of our cats is a male orange tabby, short haired. He is such a character. I'm sure Omar is too. I hope he loves your little one!

@Kp214 Welcome! I'll add you on for next week. I'm having a lot of pelvic discomfort too! Glad I'm not alone! Good luck on your glucose test!

@oxinfree Hope you can finally get your scan scheduled and everything is just fine! Fingers crossed!!

@Stars2016 You sound so prepared! We still haven't even had a shower yet!

@JWatt5 Your nursery is ADORABLE!! And I just love Finn! He's a smarty!

@byrnem Hope your babes keep cooking and so glad you are enjoying pregnancy so late into it. That's super encouraging. 

@tiffanyw1783 Welcome! I'll add you to our list. Hope we can hear from you again before your little ones arrive!

@mjacks16 Thanks for the iron advice, I'll try it! Your maternity pictures are STUNNING! We'll be eagerly waiting to see if you have that little guy soon!

@persnickity I'm so jealous of your impending maternity leave! Take it easy and try not to over do it!

@MicronesianMamma Love your colorful nursery and your 3 fur-babies!

byrneme

Well ladies, sh*t just got real! After my appointment yesterday, and a long talk with my doctor about really not wanting to be induced/risks of going past my due date, we are scheduled for induction on 6/24 at 6:30 PM. I learned quite a few things from her that I thought I'd share here.

As we all probably know, u/s dating for due dates can go a week either way but, with IUI/IVF our dating is pretty darn accurate. So, while the standard is to let people go to 41 weeks, my OB's office is pretty hesitant to not let their RE assisted patients (especially if you are AMA like me) go past their due date. The placenta is really only made (can't think of a better word) to last (again, word!) 40 weeks and after that your risk of still birth goes up. After all we've done to get to this point I'm not really willing to increase my risk. If I were though they would honor that and do 2x weekly NST and a biophysical profile to make sure the baby is okay. Who knew?

Anyways, after all of this it would be my luck to go tomorrow lol!

oxinfree

@byrneme - wow thanks so much for sharing!!! that's really interesting for sure. I'm assuming you meant scheduled for 7/24 (unless you're a secret time-traveler, in that case sweet!) But definitely stillbirth is a huuuge concern of mine as I had a friend go through it, but on the flip side I really want to go into labor naturally... Curious on this topic and feel like I need to do a little more research now. Must be exciting (and maybe a little scary) to have an final official countdown eeeee. 

persnickity

@byrneme Does it feel weird to have a date set or do you feel relieved? I think part of me would like knowing there's an end date set. It's hard to deal with so much uncertainty some days! Glad you had a really good discussion with your ob.

latershrader

@byrneme My MFM is on the same page as your OB. We have been talking about inducing at 39 weeks for a while now. It's pretty much the plan, just have to set the date. They are worried about my placenta "giving out" due to my BP issues and age. She said the same thing as your Dr, the placenta is really only good for 40 weeks and the risks of waiting out the onset of labor aren't worth it. I'm ok with it...I am a planner of all events. Not having control of this pregnancy  AT ALL but having a little control of start of the birthing event, it's comforting. It has helped my anxiety A LOT! 

I wish you luck whichever way that baby decides to come!

byrneme

LOL @oxinfree, I am definitely not a time traveler, 7/24! I'm with you though - I REALLY want to go into labor naturally, it's all over my birth plan (which makes me want to make an alternate one now for induction!) but the stillborn risk increasing (and it's SLIGHT) isn't something I want to mess with. I am just surprised that I had never heard this before. I had no clue that your placenta essentially has an expiration date. Zero.

It is a weird feeling. Like @latershrader , I'm a planner - I mean, it's even a large part of my job and was my sole job for 10 years, but I also like surprises. How's that for an answer @persnickity??   I guess I'll be happy with whatever happens and it is nice to know that I won't go past my due date and can book my mom's flight to visit

persnickity

Haha @byrneme I love that answer. I'm such a planner and hate uncertainty.  It's funny because we scheduled so much of the getting pregnant journey and as much as I hate it, I'm also enjoying not having that set date.

teetee1783

Well I had an OB appt yesterday with a BPP. They couldn't get a good femur measurement on Baby A so she actually measured 1oz less than last week. So I got admitted to the hospital this morning for 24h monitoring, a mag drip, and steroid shots just in case we have to deliver soon. If the measurements are right I'll be delivering at about 34 weeks. I'm hoping and praying that when I go see my MFM next week their measurements are better and these two babies stay out for a while longer!

omarismyhomeboy

@byrneme @oxinfree @latershrader whoaa, this is totally news to me! I honestly had no idea. I am in a different situation than most of you because although I went through IVF and all that, this pregnancy is not from a transfer but a spontaneous pregnancy between transfers. So they can't date me exactly the same way- but honestly it's another thing to worry about! I too have a friend who went through stillbirth and I am very hyper-aware and concerned about that issue. I am only 31 weeks so still have a while before that becomes an "issue" but it's something else to talk about with my OB. 

JWatt5

Good to know!! That's been something that I've wanted to talk to my OB about - next appt for sure. I remember my RE saying that I really shouldn't go over my due date but I wasn't sure why. Very interesting! I think I could handle knowing I'm scheduled to be induced on the due date. I'm feeling super pregnant now (I think it's the newly swollen feet lol) and almost can't imagine going over!!

oxinfree

I feel like @byrneme just blew our minds on this thread hahah.... oh man the rabbit hole of induction though. Have any of you watched the business of being born??? I saw a clip and now feel like I should watch the whole thing, supposedly it's on netflix. Without sounding too conspiracy theorist about it all, but I wonder if these are in a way fear tactics to safeguard their own practices (ie. avoid being sued) by being able to better control the situation regardless of whether it's truly necessary. I'm not wording that great, but maybe you get what I'm getting at? As I said, I feel like I need to research this all now but no clue where to look/begin. Gah! I was so against induction by my due date and now I'm rethinking everything.

Come on babies... grace all us mamas with your presence early, and safely

oxinfree

RE: induction, here's the first article I've stumbled upon...
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/863383

edited to add:
this one is not scientific obviously but there's also an interesting discussion on the bottom. I have been hoping for a natural birth (I'm in a bradley method class) but questioning a lot at the moment with what I'm coming upon... just thought I'd share
https://www.skepticalob.com/2016/06/routine-induction-at-39-weeks-natural-childbirth-advocates-are-spluttering.html#disqus_thread

persnickity

On the topic of the placenta deteriorating... Yes, it absolutely isn't designed or intended to last indefinitely. There's a lot of variables that go into it and can impact how quickly or slowly it deteriorates. This is why some doctors will allow some women to go past their due dates and why those same doctors recommend a scheduled induction at 40 weeks. At the end of the day, it's about what you and your doctor are comfortable with. 

latershrader

@persnickity Agreed. My MFM did say that she would consider letting me go to 40 weeks if my placental blood flow was still good. I start weekly ultrasounds in 2 weeks to monitor that. While a natural birth is of course my preference, i'm ok w/ induction too. At the end of this journey, I just want my beautiful boy in my arms and I will take him however he comes!

JWatt5

@oxinfree - watched the Business of Being Born pretty early on just on You Tube. It was something - I think maybe I watched it too early (maybe 16 weeks). I wasn't ready to watch the realities of birth so I skipped though a bit lol. 

I think up here in Canada, going two weeks over is pretty normal or that's at least the cut off. I really have this feeling he's going to come early - just a feeling - but I'm trying not to give it much weight or I'll be losing my mind if he goes over. If given the choice, just to ease my mind - I'd meet her in the middle and would like to go no more than one week over. ☺️

kelrauh

@teetee1783 - I'm thinking of you. I hope the measurements were wrong. I am glad they did magnesium and steriods. I was told that before 32 weeks magnesium significantly lowers the chance of cerebral palsey. I am not sure how far you are but it is beneficial if you are before that point. 

byrneme

@oxinfree you worded it just fine! I hear what you are saying for sure. Some of the doctors in the practice are absolutely against going past 40 weeks if IVF, some are okay and some, like my main OB, are on the fence. She is willing to let me go past and do 2x weekly NST's that 40th week but wanted me to be aware of the increase in risk and definitely would feel better inducing. I guess there is risk in everything we do and I think all of us are probably just hyper aware given all we've done to get here. It's so confusing though and I agree- just grace us with our water breaking before they do it for us!!!

teetee1783

Thanks @kelrauh. I'm 32w 3d now. That's why she gave me the mag to help prevent cerebral palsy and other neuro problems that can come from being preemie. Now I'm just hoping and praying little Audrey grows and they can stay out until 37 weeks!!

persnickity

@teetee1783 Hopefully everything is going well and that both babies stay put and grow well over the next few weeks.

Kp214

My water broke early this morning. They tell me I'm having contractions but I don't feel them. I'm not dilated. They have given me magnesium something to stop the contractions and will keep me in the hospital on bedrest until Julian is born.  

kelrauh

@Kp214 - I'm sorry to hear of this. Hopefully he hangs out and your cervix stays closed. Their was someone on the board whose water broke around 16 weeks and I think she delivered at 34 weeks. 

Kp214

Thank you for telling me that, @kelrauh. That gives me hope. I'm not dilated so there's hope that Julian can wait a little longer before making his arrival. 

teetee1783

@Kp214 did they also give you some steroid injections for the baby's lungs?? I'm so sorry to hear this. Hopefully everything stays closed and he stays put for a a while longer! 

byrneme

@kp214- sending good thoughts and positive vibes your way.

Kp214

@teetee1783 they have given me steroids.  

@byrneme thank you. 

Contractions have slowed. Doing alright. 

persnickity

@Kp214 hopefully he stays put. We'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers.