Weekly Randoms - 10/18

curiousfool1

Took my bump to the gym yesterday for some treadmill incline walking and lunges.  Pretty certain I pulled a groin muscle. Great, two weeks ish to go and I’m in full on waddle mode because of the pain from yesterday. Real smart of me.  

Abby7

Nursery is shaping up! I am so excited. I am in full-on nesting mode, cleaning my house like crazy. Hopefully I will even have living room walls (not furniture but walls) by the time the baby arrives.

We STILL have not bought our new car with a 3rd row. We are waffling on price versus size - i.e. all the really nice big ones I want are way too much $$-wise if I'm going to be on maternity leave soon and if we want to finish our house - but all the smaller ones that are less expensive I'm so "eh" on that I don't want to spend any money on those at all. So we're sitting in our 10 year old car with 170K miles. It's a good safe mid-size (2 row) SUV so we're OK for now, as long as it doesn't break down over the winter....

ariasbabyblog

The convertable booster seat for DS1 finally showed up yesterday! I got it all into the van and rearranged all of the kids' seating by myself, so now I've got all three seats in and ready to go! Only took me an hour and only broke one nail. I'm having some Mom Pride at the moment! Only thing left to figure out is her name.

littlemissc17

@Abby7 I’m in the same boat when it comes to the needing a new car with a third row. It needs to happen soon bc there is no way my soon to be family of five will fit in our small suv. Why are they soo expensive!?!? 

cwalker042

I've spent the past 6-8 weeks getting my nails powder dipped so they will look nice for our maternity pictures next week. My nails are very thin, brittle and weak that they chip, peel, break and split. The dip helps to keep them strong so they will grow. I don't like how thick they make your nails look though. So, last week I decided rather than get the dip again, I'd just get gel. I knew it was a stupid move but I thought I'd be okay. Well all but 3 of my nails broke way down. I'm so mad at myself for getting gel. I wish I had stronger nails but even with prenatals they are still very thin and weak. 

dragonfly87-2

I am feeling unnecessarily annoyed/angry. I took time off from work for my 35 week appointment and hurried to get to the office. I then waited 30 minutes before being called (pretty standard) and then was told my doctor was just called off-site for a delivery. I get it, she is an OB and this happens (probably will happen to someone else when I deliver too). But I am annoyed that I had to reschedule and it is only a 5 minute check up to begin with. Now I have to take more time off on Monday to go back and be seen...

NYTino24

@cwalker042 I finally broke down and sucked up the pain in my hands to get a gel
manicure so that they would look nice for our shower on Saturday. Turns out the paraffin wax baths I've been doing on my hands has weakened the gel and it's coming off. It has only been 8 days. 
@curiousfool1 I'm impressed that you're exercising. I feel like I pulled something and all I do is drive and walk around school. Everything feels stiff and / or sore.

Furmommy

@curiousfool1 Nice work on exercising! I've just been walking about 30 minutes a day, at a fast pace, but still not like lunges! 

Last night I had contractions, that were painful, every 20 minutes from 1AM to 6AM then it went to every 10 minutes and now it's maybe one an hour.... what the heck.  Tomorrow I will be 38 weeks and I'm so ready to meet this little person.  I was all excited thinking that I was going into labor and now nothing... At my dr appointment on Tuesday I was 1cm dilated and baby was super low, even though it's been low the whole time. 

Abby7

@cwalker042 when I first got a gel manicure I was like WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE but then my nails started peeling way down into the skin so I don't get them now...sad because they are pretty awesome otherwise. I have gotten pretty good at keeping a regular mani for over a week now though. You just can't use your nails for anything at all, like even if I have to pull my (plastic) aligners off my teeth I cushion my nails with a tissue.

mymulligan

I'm impressed with your self-care ladies! Going to the gym and getting nails done! I like the convenience of a gel manicure - that once it's done, your nails are dry and you can go on your way. I just hate how they make your nails brittle. And I always end up picking the polish off.

you all inspired me to make a hair appt - last one before baby! 

Also, I washed and disinfected all of DD's baby toys today. Feeling accomplished!

DungeonTrollMel

All you guys are getting manicures and looking awesome. 


Im over here eating sandwiches of waffles and cookie butter and spilling melted cookie butter on my boobs 

keep it up rock stars

Abby7

@DungeonTrollMel is this the Trader Joe's stuff? Have you tried the one that mixes cookie butter with Nutella? That one is killer.

mymulligan

I need on go eat some nutella or cookies right now....or both

dragonfly87-2

Ok, this is totally random and TMI (full disclosure), but I learned this recently and want to share in hopes some of you ladies might benefit. Normally, in real life, I am much more modest and hesitant to talk about bodily functions, but this is such a helpful thing and the anonymity of the internet makes me more willing to share.

Here goes....I have been reading Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth. While it is a little more hippie than I am, it is suprisingly a great, easy read and I highly recommend it for any moms considering a natural birth. She is a mid-wife with over 3,000 births done outside of a hospital and has a very accessible and still evidence based approach to birth.

Anyway, one of her recommended techniques during childbirth is related to relaxing the "sphincters" which is essentially any opening in your body (think vagina, mouth, anus). It's a simple concept. If one is relaxed, they can all relax. And it really works. She mentions that if your jaw is clenched and tight, then during birth it is going to be a lot harder to give birth vaginally because it will cause overall tightness. So, techniques to relax your mouth and vagina can work wonders. 

One such technique is breathing in and breathing out doing horse lips (like a sputtering/motor boat motion/noise). Link for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW2Zk_Iw720 
She even recommended trying it while pooping to practice, especially if you struggle with constipation in late pregnancy.

Well, full disclosure, getting backed up has become more common. I started trying this technique about 1 week ago every time I go to the bathroom and it works like a charm. When timed with gentle pushing, I feel no pain or intense pressure. It's so easy! 

I know this is total TMI and I feel ridiculous talking about going number 2, but hey, it's a real struggle for some of us. I am looking forward to trying the technique during labor to see if it works as well. I don't expect any real responses to this (probably a bunch of side eyes lol), but I hope someone benefits, even if it is a lurker!

NYTino24

@dragonfly87-2 Heck, I'm willing to try anything! Full disclosure, I've got a hemorrhoid due to only going once or twice a week. It doesn't feel good and I'm sure it's going to get worse during labor unless I do something before!

dragonfly87-2

@NYTino24 Ouch! Sorry to hear that. You might want to consider getting a squatty potty or using a stool to raise your feet as well. I got hemorrhoids last year from some bowel issues and raising my feet while going really helped.

NYTino24

1) The number of people coming to our shower is now at 80 people for Saturday. It's coed and includes kids. Now I'm nervous!!
2) Platelets were 107. Need to be at 100 to get an epidural so I'm borderline towards ITP. Testing again next week and if my numbers aren't high enough, I'll be put on steroids. Bet that won't help with the swelling at all. Going to need DDAVP at birth to control bleeding. Did I mention I'm up almost 40 lbs. now due to all of the fluid retention? Here was my leg after wearing regular socks. I now have compression ones.

NYTino24

@dragonfly87-2 Our bathroom is so tiny that my knees almost touch the tub just sitting normally, so putting my feet up on it works amazingly.

dragonfly87-2

@NYTino24 Wow, that is a ton of people for a shower!! Also, eek, sorry to see your ankles and fluid retention are so bad. I am up about 32 pounds now...but not much swelling...so I guess I am just getting fat, lol.

Also, a built in bathtub stool is a nice perk! 

DungeonTrollMel

For people struggling with constipation. I have found the magnesium powder I am taking for RLS greatly helps with this. The bottle even says you know your dose is high enough when your bowels become regular 

dragonfly87-2

@DungeonTrollMel Yes! I have found taking Natural Calm (a magnesium supplement) can definitely help keep you regular

mymulligan

Surprisingly, I believe the iron supplement I am taking hasn been helping keep me regular. The most I've ever been in my life! It's a slow release tablet and the package states it won't cause the same side effects as normal iron but I didn't expect it to have the opposite effect!

curiousfool1

@dragonfly87-2 -I just finished reading the Ina May book as well. All hail sphincters and magical vaginal powers . In all seriousness, blowing raspberries really does work in large part because you cannot buzz your lips if your jaw and facial muscles are not relaxed. I’ve been dragging up all my old singing, theater, and yoga breathing exercises the last few weeks. 

As for regularity- it’s apple season ladies! An apple a day (or in my case, 5-6) does the trick wonderfully. Also, Smarty Pants gummy vitamins with fiber added are amazing. I’d highly recommend. 

littlemissc17

@dragonfly87-2 thank you for the information. I’ve been dealing with constipation as well, so I’m willing to try anything!
@NYTino24 I’m also playing the platelet watch game. I hope yours go up and you don’t have to do steroids. I just found out what they thought was ITP for me likely isn’t since my body isn’t responding to any of the interventions and it could be another blood disorder. My platelets are WAY low and they are thinking transfusion for birth. But I’m still hoping to get mine up to 100! 

curiousfool1

A little morning Mommy humour to brighten everyone’s day:

https://www.boredpanda.com/motherhood-illustrations-nathalie-jomard-france/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=BPFacebook

Abby7

@NYTino24 sorry about the swelling, that looks so uncomfortable.

@dragonfly87-2 good info actually .

YesOuiCan

@dragonfly87-2 I also read in one of my natural birth books that going #2 can be a good time to practice some birthing tricks! I haven't tried it yet, but it's totally a thing. 

@NYTino24 I'm so sorry about your fluid retention (etc); that does look really uncomfortable! Like @dragonfly87-2 I'm also up about 35 lbs but no swelling, so yeah, guess I'm just fat. :-P To be fair to myself, I was supposed to gain about 35 lbs given my starting weight... but here's hoping I don't go too much higher in these last couple weeks!

NYTino24

@littlemissc17 My official diagnosis since I was 19 has been Von Willebrand's disease. I could be headed for a transfusion too. Let's hope not for both of us!

DungeonTrollMel

@dragonfly87-2 natural calm is the one I take as well!