PGAL check in 10/29-11/4

3rdtime_charmed

1. How far along are you?

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally?

3. Rants/Raves/questions?

4. Any appt updates?

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous?

purpleteacher82

1. How far along are you? 19w 1d

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Feeling pretty good physically. There are definitely annoying things about pregnancy, but I know I could feel a lot worse. Mentally, I’m ready for my AS to give me some reassurance. I was worrying a lot last week, but I started to feel little man a bit more and I think I was finally able to find his heartbeat with the Doppler. 

3. Rants/Raves/questions? None! 

4. Any appt updates? AS in a little over a week! 

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Nope! 

diaphena

1. How far along are you? Tomorrow marks 19 weeks!

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Physically I am doing pretty well. Dealing with some minor back pain and realizing I need to be exercising more to help with that. Mentally I am good overall, my AS is tomorrow morning and I'm 95% excited, 5% terrified something will be wrong. I know the likelihood of issues is small so I'm staying hopeful!

3. Rants/Raves/questions? Rant of the day is that a few months ago we had crazy water damage due to a washing machine issue, it took forever to get it all fixed but we finally did. Then last night we had the same issue and more flooding... Argh. Really praying insurance will cover it again but who knows. This time we are getting a plumber and fixing whatever underlying issue is causing this... First time around we were told it was probably a fluke, but obviously not!

4. Any appt updates? Just AS tomorrow!!

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Only like, locally famous... Like a couple of local news people. Haha   

@purpleteacher82 Glad you're getting some reassurance from the doppler and more baby movements! Your AS will be here before you know it.

westslopemama

1. How far along are you? 20 weeks 

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Physically, I feel great. I was able to hike 10 miles this weekend and besides being somewhat out of breath on the steep climbs it was great! Mentally, I am really struggling. I am uncertain if I've felt baby move yet or if I'm just making it up, so this makes me really nervous. I keep worrying that my belly isn't getting bigger too. My next appointment isn't until NEXT Tuesday and that seems like forever! 

3. Rants/Raves/questions? Rave: MH is so patient at dealing with all my worries. He was even understanding when I woke him up at 4am, this morning, because I was worrying and couldn't sleep. Rant: I just want to start getting more reassurance that this little guy is okay in there! 

4. Any appt updates? Not until next Tuesday. AS will be scheduled after that . I am contemplating calling to see if I can get in this week because all this stressing and worrying can't be good for me or the baby. 

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? I saw Giada De Laurentiis one time when I was shopping at the Bed, Bath and Beyond in LA, but I didn't say anything to her. 

catlady2015

1. How far along are you? 18+5! 

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Physically I feel like poop. I have a sinus infection currently and an upset stomach from eating out too much (il’s are in town). Mentally I’m doing ok with the pregnancy but seem to be struggling some emotionally with the transition to staying home. I’ve been working for about 20 years and it’s so weird to be scaling back the job hunt a bit. Trying to readjust to primarily being responsible for the house and it’s difficult to have less to do and not be contributing financially. 

3. Rants/Raves/questions? IL’s are leaving today!!!

4. Any appt updates? Had one last Monday! Everything was good and got another peek at little man, since he hid from the Doppler and my aorta was winning over fetal heart rate. 

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Nope, not unless dreams count.  

catlady2015

@purpleteacher82 - yay for finding heart rate with Doppler! I hope this is reassuring! 

@diaphena - fx for a great a/s tomorrow!! And yuck about the flooding! Hope a plumber can get to the bottom of it ASAP! 

@emarcinek99 - what a rock star!! Ten miles? That’s amazing! I hope you can get some reassurance. We’re here if you need to vent! I’m also unsure if I’ve felt baby so I get the limbo. 

BuckeyeNut05

1. How far along are you?
21 +5

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally?
Both physically and mentally, I feel great!  Heartburn is creepin, and I ordered a support belt proactively for my runs and workouts, but nothing severe. 

3. Rants/Raves/questions?
Rant: I volunteered for some work (at work) and didn't realize it meant sitting downstairs in a room in a basement with like 15 other people. 
Rave: there are snacks in said dungeon

4. Any appt updates?
Nope. Next appt is a week from tomorrow. 

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous?
I spent a bit of time with Chip Foose at my last job if that counts?  Great guy with allll the bad dad jokes.

bdesterhouse

1. How far along are you?
- 21 W 1 D
2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally?
- I feel pretty decent. My legs of all things are sore, and I get tired really quick when doing anything around the house. I'm not sure if that is baby related or just my inability to stay on track/motivated to get stuff done before this baby is born. I have a ton of projects that need done before she is born, and really hope to get them done before Christmas so I'm not doing them when I am huge. 
3. Rants/Raves/questions?
- Rave: My whole family came over yesterday to help me complete some of the said projects that need done. My mom came and started reorganizing my walk in pantry (mini rant: she wiped off one of the shelves with the dish rag I was in the middle of washing dishes with, and she knows it grosses me out using the same dish rag to wash tables/counters/shelves as the dishes, so I had to go find a new wash cloth - but I kept my mouth shut because she was there helping me). My dad helped my husband with remodeling our fireplace, and same with my brother. They understand my anxiety around getting stuff done, and it feels nice to have this kind of support right now. 
4. Any appt updates?
- My next appointment is next Monday, just a quick check with the OB, go over sugars, nothing too exciting. 
5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous?
- If I have, I don't remember the interaction lol. It's highly doubtful. I live smack dab in the middle of the U.S, not many famous people live here. 

Shelbyville30

1. How far along are you? 21+4

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Pretty good physically. Still working out when I can which is about 3/4 a week. Although tired much easier. Little bit of low back pain but nothing too crazy just yet. Starting to feel the affects of day in and out with a decent bump.. sh**s gettin' real over here ladies! 

3. Rants/Raves/questions? Rave for hubby who brought DS to the local children's museum solo on Saturday so I could have some chill time at home. It was SO NICE. 

4. Any appt updates? Next appt is in about 2.5 weeks

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Not really.. but SO CLOSE. Renovated James Earl Joneses pool deck last summer but worked mostly with his assistant. I saw him a couple of times as he was home during construction but that's about it! 

@emarcinek99  awesome! We get out for a good hike whenever we can also. We're in upstate NY so tons of sweet trails around here. 
@purpleteacher82 also have a doppler and love it! I primed that bad boy close to two months ago and use it all the time. So nice to hear baby. Glad you heard your LO! 

karatepickles

1. How far along are you? 19 weeks 4 days

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally?
Physically, the shingles pain has mostly subsided and the rash has healed. I don't feel 100% yet but I'm on the mend and feel better than I have in the past two weeks. Otherwise, I am feeling good. Mentally, I still go back and forth. I did post about my miscarriage experience on Facebook this past week as part of October being pregnancy loss awareness month. I received a lot of supportive comments from friends, which was nice. I still have anxiety that something will be wrong at my AS, and I still haven't had the motivation to really prep for baby's arrival.

3. Rants/Raves/questions?

Rave: bought some maternity dresses from Target yesterday that highlight the little bump that I have. I am pretty excited to wear them. 

Rant: I've been filling an interim position at work and I can't wait to be done with it. We are interviewing candidates this week, so I hope it is soon!

4. Any appt updates? AS on Thursday! Can't wait to see baby girl! 

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Hayden Panettiere. 

@diaphena  yes! I feel you on the AS anxiety / fear.

@emarcinek99 I also can't figure out if I have felt the baby move or not. I am just hoping I will "know" when it happens. Also, I am so jealous you saw/met Giada! I love Food Network so much!

mschanandlerbong1214

1. How far along are you? 21+4

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Physically meh. Having trouble sleeping comfortably and my sciatica is killing me already. Mentally not great at all. My anxiety around who will take my kids when I go into labor is super high, I keep having dreams about preterm labor and my depression is getting bad (already called my dr). Just feeling super blah mentally lately. 

3. Rants/Raves/questions? Rant: DH is missing Halloween. He had to go out of town for work and likely won’t be back in time for trick or treating with the kids. I’m super bummed and a little mad but DS2s godfather is coming in his place so at least I won’t have to chase 2 kids alone.

4. Any appt updates? Nope. None til November. 

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Rode an elevator with Al Sharpton once ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Lbloom

1. How far along are you? 22 weeks 3 days

2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Physically, pains and aches (especially in the evening) from being huge. Emotionally, anxious for results from 3 hr glucose test and my echocardiogram on the 6th.

3. Rants/Raves/questions? DD had a great field trip yesterday and I was glad I got to chaperone but I should not have walked the nature/storybook trail. It was intense and I'm feeling it still. Got a workout for sure. Happy today is a down day so I can recover.

4. Any appt updates? Nope, but waiting sucks.

5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Can't think of anyone.

Kenneylynn3

1. 20w3d
2. Physically: still sick. Some heartburn. Lower back pain. Mentally: doing much better. Had appt and us yesterday. Lo looked so cute. Got lots of pics, Lo was laying on their back for most the us. DW told the baby to roll over so we could see the spine and Lo did! Also Dr said she wants growth scans once a month because of the chances of a heart defect are 4% because of my heart defect. That means we'll see Lo more!
3. Rave: us yesterday. Rant: see physically above.
4. Next appt is on 13th for fetal echo.
5. GTKY: Not that I can think of.

Edited: just wanted to add my other rave: officially past my last milestone! 

3rdtime_charmed

1. 19w5d 

2. Heartburn is awful..... doc put me on meds and I started them today, thank God they seem to be helping. Mentally- much relief after our AS went well. 

3. Found out the gender, doc is happy with my weight gain. Babies are growing well and very active. Overall a wonderful appt. I’m managing to avoid having to see the MFM so far although I’ve been assigned one and she is overreading my tests/following along.

4. Raves- I’m feeling very loving to my DH. I’m kinda riding a wave of bliss

5. GTKY- guess I picked a dud this week! I’ve met several people but my favorite was Charlie Daniels. 

lelkcot

1. How far along are you? 20+4
 2. How are you feeling? Physically? mentally? Physically I’m feeling pretty good, starting to feel big already. Mentally doing well after a good AS on Friday (found out I have an anterior placenta, so now know why I’m not feeling her move more).
3. Rants/Raves/questions? Halloween candy is both my rant and rave. I’ve been getting into what we bought for trick-or-treaters and it’s my favorite Reese... only I really don’t need the temptation as my weight gain has been a bit ahead of schedule...
 4. Any appt updates? Nothing until Nov now. 5. GTKY- Have you ever met anyone famous? Not that I can think of...
Edited for spacing issues.

lelkcot

@purpleteacher82 glad you’re getting reassurance with the doppler!
@diaphena flooding/plumbing issues are the pits, hope it all gets fixed with minimum fuss.
@emarcinek99 10 mile hike- get it girl! I’m impressed! It’s definitely tough dealing with pgal brain when you’re waiting to feel them move. Hopefully you’ll start feeling distinct movement soon!
@catlady2015 hope you’re feeling better soon!
@bdesterhouse yay for family coming and helping with house stuff!
@Lbloom hope you get your results back soon!
@3rdtime_charmed congrats on a great appointment!

3rdtime_charmed

My emotions are so all over the place! We don’t have our nursery set up yet but the room is cleaned out. I wandered in there today and got tearful. After so many years it’s really happening. I wasn’t like sobbing or anything but my dog must’ve heard me because he started whining... poor dogs don’t know what to think!!

3rdtime_charmed

@Kenneylynn3 are you feeling any movement yet? Did you find out at your scan where your placenta is?

Kenneylynn3

@3rdtime_charmed my placenta is posterior. Started to feel some movement I believe on Sunday. It is still off and on. Somedays it is so faint or brief I think I imagined it.

3rdtime_charmed

@Kenneylynn3 I’m hopeful it is going to take off any day for you!!!

Kenneylynn3

@3rdtime_charmed So coolest thing. DW got to feel lo from the outside! Her face was priceless.

lelkcot

@Kenneylynn3 that’s such a special moment to share with your wife! 

diaphena

Hey ladies. Are any of you struggling with making social media announcements? Or if you already did, did you have a hard time with it? I'm about to be 20 weeks and told myself I'd announce after our anatomy scan which was this last week. Everything went great with it and I've been over the moon since then, but when I think about announcing in such a public way, it brings up so much emotion about my loss. It feels wrong to post something about this baby without acknowledging my first, but I don't necessarily want to put it all out there either... We have close family members who don't even know. And of course we've been telling people in person who have no idea this isn't my first pregnancy.

I think what I'm going to do is post his ultrasound picture and just put a little rainbow sticker at the bottom. I'll know what it means and maybe a handful of others will too, but it won't open a door to a bunch of conversations I don't want to have. Anyway, I think this ended up being more of a vent than anything else, but was this a hard thing for any of you too?

purpleteacher82

@diaphena Yes! I just finally did a FB announcement a couple days ago. (Just shy of 20 weeks.) I really struggled with making it so public even though many people - family, friends, co-workers know. I finally did because people who knew were tagging me in baby related things and I would rather people find out from me, than some random tag on a baby post. I was really anxious about doing it and still kind of am since we won’t have our AS until Wednesday. I didn’t acknowledge our loss in anyway since not a lot of people know about it, but I hope to in some way after this LO arrives. 

diaphena

@purpleteacher82 I hate that we have to stress about this stuff, when other people can just make announcements without so much worry. I guess that's life though and at least we aren't alone! 

I wish it weren't so fraught to talk about losses. I'd love to acknowledge my loss in some way publicly but I don't want to deal with people's questions or especially a bunch of "well why didn't you tell me?" kind of things.

lelkcot

@diaphena I was thinking I’d announce on social media after our AS as well, and it was over a week ago now. I’m just not sure I’m going to do one, honestly. If we do end up doing anything I likely won’t mention our losses. Largely because I have close family who don’t know. I’ve shared with a few people IRL since sharing this pregnancy, but I’ve had trouble finding a way to share with my own mom & sister... (if anyone has a good way to bring it up in a not awkward way, I’m very open. I’m at a loss). So all of that rambling to say you’re not alone in struggling with an announcement.

diaphena

@lelkcot Yeah I thought for a while of just not doing one at all, and have friends who have gone without. I think I do want to post something though. As far as bringing up losses with family.... I have no idea! DH's parents don't know and we have tried to think of ways to tell them but it always just seems awkward.

Anyway. Thank you for responding, I'm just glad I'm not the only one. 

Kenneylynn3

@diaphena I haven't yet but will in about a week. AS went well and we have a fetal echo on the 13th. I talk a lot about my losses on FB, especially after the last loss. We announced at 13w and lost him at 20w. So I then had to "unannounced" but it was healing for me in a sense, because I talk about all of them now. As far as my announcement goes I plan on having a pic of DW and me holding an ultrasound pic and saying, "we're expecting our rainbow March 2019."

karatepickles

@diaphena yes, I've struggled a lot of making a social media post. My goal was after the 20 week scan, which was this past Thursday, but I still don't feel ready. Now I am thinking maybe Christmas. You're not alone!

I am a little jealous of women who feel confident enough to post early on -- I've already seen announcements for April and May babies and I'm over here like, maybe I will wait a little longer...

diaphena

@Kenneylynn3 I'm so glad your AS went well! And soon you'll get to enjoy all the love coming in from that announcement  Someday I would like to be able to talk about my loss more openly but with certain family members not knowing, I'm thinking that'll be a conversation for sometime after this baby's here safely.

@karatepickles We had the same goal and the same nerves, haha. Wait as long as you like, none of us owes anyone a big announcement anyway. I get jealous (and irrationally angry to be honest) toward women who announce super early too. I've seen people post immediately after getting a positive test and it boggles my mind.

Thank you all, it is always so helpful to hear from this group. I think I have decided to just post our ultrasound pic with a short announcement, and no rainbow this time, just in case. That'll be a post for another day.

govanalyst86

@diaphena We struggled with the social media announcement and have so far decided not to do one. Announcing at work even has made me feel really vulnerable. I've thought a few times that I could still be hiding it and why the heck did I share. PGAL brain at its worst. Idk, not just you- we're probably not going to announce.

Lbloom

I have not announced on social media. I am notorious for not doing that until way late anyway, though. My bump will probably be pretty obvious on the family photos we just had done and I usually put one on our Christmas card. I'll mention this LO, due date, and a request for prayers. I might do something on FB after the holidays. Family and close friends get our cards in the mail, so I'm nonplussed about FB. I hardly venture there anymore anyway. But I have talked greatly about our loss on there when I used to be on there more. Our loss was so late, and it was helpful in my grieving process to talk about it and get support from others. I'm not sure how I would've handled a miscarriage or early loss back when I was on FB more. I probably wouldn't have mentioned it. I feel for you all about not posting early, or not posting at all. I don't think you need to worry about it if you don't want to. Posting or not posting to FB doesn't make anything less real, so I say screw it and do what you want!

lelkcot

@Lbloom I was thinking of specifically mentioning our up-coming addition in our Christmas card as well. Most of the people who get it would already know, but it might be a good way to make sure all the extended family knows.

3rdtime_charmed

We announced on Facebook, both after the genetic screen, and when we found out gender, and I found it really healing. Just another perspective. It was fun to have all these people excited for us, and to really celebrate these babies when I've been terribly afraid to do so.  I've never mentioned my other losses or pregnancies on facebook, and I didn't talk about my losses openly at the time, although I tend to be pretty forthcoming about it in the last couple years. I have found that a lot of people have followed up on my announcement by talking to me in person and many times I have mentioned my losses.  A lot of people ask me if these are my first, almost as a way of making conversation, and I tell them they really aren't.  I haven't had bad responses, people have been really understanding as so many have to go through it.

Sidebar- I usually start the new weekly PGAL thread, but I think I will let this one go a few days, since this topic is still pretty active.  I don't want to move and have people miss out, if someone else feels differently they are welcome to start it.

Lastly, as for me, MFM called and I have to go in for a fetal echo.  They are saying they just didn't get good enough views of Baby B, but of course PGAL brain kicked in to overdrive, and I'm trying to stay calm. I'm worried it's something more because I know they missed some views on Baby A too, but apparently they aren't worried about those and were just planning to catch them in 4 weeks at a repeat sono.   We can deal with an abnormality.  It didn't help that I was sleeping after my night shift and woke up to 3 missed calls from my OB, so of course I panicked that they found something they missed. I just keep telling myself that this greater than 50th%ile kiddo that keeps kicking me has to be ok.  I also keep reminding myself that now I don't have to wait until the end of the month to get the official US report, the MFM will probably go over everything at my appointment.

I also had an interesting weekend at work.  I'm an ED doc.  I had to tell 2 women that they had miscarried.  I do it a lot, because of my job, but it felt worse walking in the room obviously pregnant, I just wish someone else could've been there, but I work in a small place, and I'm the only provider on at any one time.  I always tell women that I've been through it, so I empathize, but that clearly didn't go as far this time.

Kenneylynn3

@3rdtime_charmed that must have been difficult to tell those two women.
 As far as PGAL brain and the fetal echo, either they didn't get enough of a clear view of something, or they saw something and they are investigating it further to figure it out. I was born with a heart condition, and so this lo is getting a fetal echo to make sure they don't have one too, since the chances are high for that. I keep telling myself, so I hope this helps you too, if they do find something they will be more prepared to care of your little one when you deliver.
Back when my mom had me, they had no idea that anything was wrong until they cut the cord and I turned blue/ purple. I then had to be flown to a different hospital where I could get the care I needed while my mom had to stay in the other one.
 I'm not trying to scare anyone, but if there ends up being something, I find this thought process comforting.

3rdtime_charmed

@Kenneylynn3 yeah, that’s sort of what I told my husband. I’m also cognizant that with twins my doctors will have to make decisions about how long I can carry the babies, and if they will let me Labor and I figure it’s better to know now and factor it in then find out during the middle of labor after we’ve made those choices. 

Lbloom

@3rdtime_charmed I am having a fetal echo tomorrow. When they told me they were scheduling it, later I started to wonder why. I thought they had gotten a good view at the last sono they performed and I thought they had said everything looked good with the heart. They said they are continuing to investigate other things. They also haven't found a cause for my fluid. So yeah, fun times. I like all the extra monitoring, though. I want to be prepared and not caught off guard like with my 1st pregnancy. We're in this with you!

bdesterhouse

Our first son we announced right away because my friend spilled the beans for us. 
We announced at 20 weeks for our daughter. Announcing her passing 12 weeks later was extremely difficult. I didn't get to do an announcement with our other two.
 
 My husband is not on Facebook, and we've decided that we won't announce this baby until she is in my arms. We'll photograph our family and do some cute announcement. I am fine keeping it off social media. We haven't even told all of our friends yet. 

BuckeyeNut05

We never made any formal announcement last time, and don't plan on doing it this time. The way I see it, the people with whom we're close we will just tell (most already know) and the rest don't need to find out anyways. 

Probably a very UO, but why the need to announce period on social media?  

diaphena

@BuckeyeNut05 I don't think it's a super UO, at least not in this group! I have friends who have gone without a social media announcement and seriously considered not doing one myself also. I ended up deciding to because it seemed like the easiest way to let more distant friends know about it. People from "past lives" (high school, my grad program, friends from a previous church) who we don't talk to as much any more, but still enjoy seeing updates from... they like seeing our news too so this was an easy way to share it. Plus now my mom can post about being excited to be a grandma (which she did about 5 minutes after my post, lol). So that's what made up my mind, but there were good reasons to consider not doing one too.

westslopemama

Just had my doctor appointment and heard the heartbeat. Baby has been moving a ton since then so I guess he heard me telling the doctor I was worried because he wasn't moving much. Scheduled my AS for next week and I can't wait to finally see him again!