3rd Trimester Check-in | w/o Dec. 17

mayflower513

Happy Monday ladies!  

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. 

• How far along? EDD?
• How is everyone feeling this week? 
• Any upcoming appointments? 
• GTKY: What's your favorite part about the holiday season?
  
• Don't forget about HDBD or PIP your nursery!

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

Please let us know if you need to be added to the list below:

@Ilky EDD 12/12 with a boy!
@DecemberDoll27 EDD 12/15 with a boy!
@artemis618 EDD 12/21 with a girl!
@tosh24 EDD 1/7 Team Green!

@mayflower513 EDD 2/4 with a boy!
@darkstar42 EDD 2/13 with a boy!

@more14 EDD 2/17 with a girl!

@JamieH2000 EDD 2/20 with a boy!

@halips EDD 2/22 with a boy!

mayflower513

• How far along? EDD? 33 weeks, 2/4
• How is everyone feeling this week? Feeling ok.  Im having some Braxton Hicks today just as I was thinking I wasn’t really having any lately.  Kind of blah overall this week.
• Any upcoming appointments? BPP/NST Wednesday.
• GTKY: What's your favorite part about the holiday season? I’m not feeling it this year to be honest.  But normally the family time.  It’s pretty cute how excited DS is though.

darkstar42

How far along? EDD? 31w5d

How is everyone feeling this week? Feeling pretty good! Went to the pool again over the weekend, which was glorious. Love that weightless feeling! Sleep is still a challenge, so I've been playing around with different pillow configurations to try to find something that works. No great breakthrough yet though.

Any upcoming appointments? I had a midwife appointment last Friday, and based on fundal height, the baby is measuring several weeks ahead. I'm having a growth u/s Thursday to check and make sure all is ok. Right now I'm not feeling too stressed over it, as they've had trouble in the past figuring out exactly where the top of my uterus is. I'm also going in Wednesday for my Tdap shot.

GTKY: What's your favorite part about the holiday season? I just love having a break from work! I'm an academic, so we get a nice break between semesters.

tosh24

@mayflower513 You have the cutest baby bump!!!!!

@darkstar42 I'm too big to fit into any of my bathing suits anymore (even my maternity one  ) but swimming right now sounds glorious. Well, for me it would be more like floating, but still sounds like a relief!

How far along? EDD? 37+0 | Jan 7

How is everyone feeling this week? Feeling sore still. I hosted my big, extended family Christmas this Saturday and I wanted to cry half way through, I was so tired and everything hurt. DH sent me down to the couch in the basement for half an hour to prop my feet up with ice packs, but I was still a swollen mess yesterday and even a bit today. I hate not being able to do the things I can normally do! On the plus side, everyone had a great time and I got lots of compliments on the food (which is a huge accomplishment in a judge-y Italian family haha).

Any upcoming appointments? NST/BPP and OB appointment on Thursday. They are talking induction for next Friday the 28th but hopefully I don't need one. My platelets seem to be holding steady around 100 (I have an autoimmune disorder that affects my platelet count). Found out last week I am GBS+ which I am devastated about. I am allergic to penicillin and the next antibiotic in line is one that is really tough on the gut, which worries me because I have a lot of GI issues. I am very concerned about contracting C. diff. due to my already weak system. I am currently leaning towards declining the antibiotics and just staying in the hospital a bit longer so baby and I can be observed for infection (we are currently in a low risk situation and hopefully we'll stay that way). 

GTKY: What's your favorite part about the holiday season? Being off work and spending time with the fam. Cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies. Christmas trees. Christmas music. The food. Pretty much everything. Christmas is definitely my favourite holiday.

JamieH2000

@mayflower513- sorry you are feeling blah this week! Hopefully feel better soon with the holidays- do you get some time off?

@darkstar42- hope baby isn't measuring TOO big but I think on the bigger side is better than the small side. Sounds like you get a nice holiday break from school!! Its like a month for college ususally?

@tosh24- I hope you don't need an induction either! Congrats on the successful hosting, but hope you can take it easier now. Sorry to hear about the GBS I haven't been tested yet, but if I have the baby before they test, I guess they just automatically give the antibiotics, so hopefully i can make it to the test

How far along? EDD? 30+5 today. EDD was 2/20, but now won't go past 1/30.

How is everyone feeling this week? I just had my first biophysical profile scan and baby scored 8/8. The breathing is hard to capture this early but after a little bit baby got hiccups for 30 seconds and I guess that counted! My BP was 144/100, but the OB was ok with it. They will want to me to come/get admitted if it gets back to 160/110, so I am checking it twice per day. Its been stable in the 140/90s range for 5 days, so just hoping we can keep it there for a few more weeks at least.
Any upcoming appointments? I go back Thursday for an NST and BP check. I go in every monday/thursday until the baby comes. 
GTKY: What's your favorite part about the holiday season? The last 3 years holiday seasons have been so hard with IF, that I am just really enjoying being pregnant and excited for the holidays and being around family.

Don't forget about HDBD or PIP your nursery! I am now trying to accelerate the whole nursery process, but need to wait for my completion discounts on amazon/target to get some of the items. I had my large family shower already, but had to cancel my work one because it was during my appt today. I also have a friends one in 3 weeks that I am not sure I will make. I keep reminding myself that baby won't be home until the end of the january no matter when he comes

tosh24

@JamieH2000 A few ladies on my BMB wanted their completion discounts earlier so they went in to their accounts and changed their due dates. Maybe that would work for you if you'd like to get some stuff sooner rather than later? (I don't know if it worked for Target but it seems like they had success with Amazon). Glad your BP is holding steady for now! Twice weekly monitoring is tough, but glad you're getting good care. 

darkstar42

@mayflower513 Sorry you're feeling blah this week. Hope all continues to look good at your tests on Wednesday!

@tosh24 I'm sorry you're having to deal with decision-making around GBS. Sounds like a rough situation. Kudos on the food compliments though! I bought a tankini maternity swimsuit, so I'm hopeful it'll continue to fit at least somewhat for the next couple of months!

@JamieH2000 I'm glad your BP is holding steady! FX that it continues that way. The frequent monitoring sounds like a pain, but it's definitely good that your doctors are being so careful. I usually get six weeks off, but I'm teaching a January term course this year so my pay doesn't drop drastically during maternity leave in spring, so I only really get about a week. Oh well! My J-term class is online, so at least I don't have to drive anywhere.

halips

@mayflower513 you have the cutest bump!!
@darkstar42 glad you're feeling well and enjoying the pool still! Have you tried sleeping on the couch? I was so against it at first, but it's where I get my best sleep now. I've tried all the pillows etc and nothing compares to the couch lol
@tosh24 you're so close!! I'm glad you family Christmas went well, but hopefully you can continue to recuperate from it over the next few days. How likely is it that they will make you induce next week?
@JamieH2000 so glad baby did well on his scan! Fingers crossed your bp stays stable for a while longer. Are the 140/90's with you being on labetalol? Also similar to what others have said, you can change your due date with Amazon for sure. I did it after our last shower on the 9th. I just updated it to my induction date so I could order things with the discount now. It immediately changes and the 15% discount applies (10% if not prime). 

• How far along? EDD? 30 + 4 /Feb 22 but being induced btwn Feb 3-10
• How is everyone feeling this week? pretty good, just worn out from the constant  activity this time of year.  Acid reflux has been rough the last 2 weeks and swelling has started, but nothing too bad. I worked our annual Polar Express on Sunday. It's multiple trains that disembark at a banquet facility (aka the North Pole) and we feed/entertain the guests until they get back on the train. The whole day is over 10 hours of constant activity. I realized halfway through that I shouldn't be doing so much. My feet, legs, back etc hurt. I was almost in tears walking to my car at the end of the day. I was so miserable, I chose to work from home yesterday so I could rest.  Thankfully, our big events are done for the year and I'll be on maternity leave for the next one. 
• Any upcoming appointments? regular OB  check up on Thursday
• GTKY: What's your favorite part about the holiday season? Just like @tosh24 Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love the lights, the songs, the smells, the Hallmark movies etc! Hoping for some light snow this year!
  
• Don't forget about HDBD or PIP your nursery!

JamieH2000

@tosh24- thanks for the suggestion on Amazon! I just changed it and hopefully my coupon will come soon!

@darkstar42- thats nice that the class is online! I am glad you get a week off, but it will be so nice to be on leave in the spring!!

@halips- yes the 140s/90s is with being on laberdole I asked if we could do a higher dose if needed and the OB said yes, but also its a balance of not wanting to mask what is going on too much. SHe sounded ok with the 140s/90s for a few more weeks, so just praying it holds steady. Your polar express event sounds fun, but please take it easier now don't want anyone else ending up in the hospital or anything!  I hope the swelling goes down if you can stay off your feet now

mbradfo2

@JamieH2000
My doctor was happy with the 140's/90's as well; it's high but not scary high. When my BP started to go up, he was happy to keep it stable at 140's/90's for a few weeks until it spiked again on week 35 when I was in for a scan. And your OB is right about not wanting to mask what's going on -- the BP is more of a symptom than anything else. The theory behind pre-E is that it's debris and proteins from the placenta entering mom's blood stream, affecting blood pressure and eventually organs. If you lower the BP too much, you risk not realizing that it's getting worse. It hopefully sounds like you might be able to keep cooking for awhile yet

Don't worry tooooooo much about having everything ready; if you have Amazon prime, it's pretty easy to pick up the things once baby arrives. We ordered the car seat from the hospital when they told us they were going to induce labor! As long as baby has clean crib sheets, a place to sleep, a few clothes, diapers, burp cloths and bottles/other essentials, you'll be fine for the first couple days. We set up the nursery later since my husband took 2 months leave and had time to build the dresser/etc. 

I also ordered a layette from Amazon when I was in the hospital waiting for induction that had a bunch of basic clothes to cover us for the first weeks. Gerber is the company that sells the layettes I think -- they are cute and very useful. Comes with burp cloths too!

 Do you have family in the area? My mom went to the store after Anne was born and picked up everything we were missing and my sister was able to give us tons of hand-me-down burp cloths which all helped tremendously. 

mayflower513

@darkstar42 Good luck with your growth scan tomorrow.  Based on what you said it's probably just your uterus measuring big and not necessarily baby.

@tosh24 thank you Hopefully you can avoid induction.  Have they said if it's an option at all?

@jamieh2000 Thank you.  I do get some time off but I am probably coming anyway since I'm hourly and I don't get paid for maternity leave so I don't want to lose 4 days of pay.  I'm glad your BP is holding steady at a rate they're ok with - hopefully it can hang out there for another month+!  I'm going weekly as well and it was going to be for the biophysical and NST but after todays NST he said he's not going to do them because it basically wasn't picking up/recording the heart rate, it kept losing signal.  So we will get a biophysical and growth scan weekly.  I also lied about my due date on amazon so that I'd get my completion discount on black friday hoping to double up, it didn't really help with that haha.  But they don't send you anything, you just go on after the date they say it'll be available and you can apply it to 2 orders.

My biophysical was fine today.. 8/8 but it took longer for her to get the 30 seconds of practice breathing.  It taking longer for her to get that and the fact that baby's belly is measuring a couple of weeks behind (and is still breech and still has an arrhythmia)... and the NST basically not working has me freaked out that there is an issue.  They will do another BPP and growth scan next Wednesday and if the belly is still measuring small they'll send me back to the specialist to be checked.  They said it could just be the angle since he's breech but...I'm having a LOT of anxiety over it.  Again, because of the combination of things. 

wildrainbow

@JamieH2000 Like others have said don't freak out about having everything. When ds1 was born we only had a carseat and PNP. No diapers, no clothes, nothing. By the time we got out of the hospital we ha those things, but it really wasnt as bog of a deal as I made did out to be. Plus, it also cut down on having stuff we never used. 

JamieH2000

@mbradfo2 and @wildrainbow- very good points! I keep reminding myself we don't need all the nursery done and baby won't be home until end of January no matter when he comes probably. Its more just I wanted this time to nest and decorate and enjoy the process of getting everything together Been dreaming of a nursery for so long! Both DH and I have off between CHristmas and new years, so assuming I am not admitted, we will hopefully make some good progress then! 

@mayflower513- ugh I am sorry this is so stressful! You deserve to catch a break! 8/8 is great today! My baby took a while to show the breathing and actually only had hiccups that apparently counted. Are you feeling alot of movement? That is the most reassuring thing to me right now too. I am glad they are keeping a close eye and I hope things get more sure soon!

mayflower513

@JamieH2000 I know, I’m sure it’s fine that it took a while it’s more than the other times she got it so quickly... and we’re a few weeks ahead of you so I’d expect it to be quicker than the last couple of weeks, you know?  I do feel lots of movement so I’m trying to just chalk it up to either him being due for a growth spurt or his position.  Thanks for the support

how are you holding up?

mbradfo2

@JamieH2000
Good luck on your monitoring today!

@mayflower513
Ugh, I'm sorry you're dealing with all this stress!! And I know you were hoping to do the NST/BPPs biweekly instead of weekly too...is the arrhythmia improving at all or just the same? The doctor thinks it will correct by birth or shortly thereafter? So stressful.

mayflower513

Thanks @mbradfo2.  Arrhythmia is still the same.  They do think/hope it’ll correct at birth, and if not they said they’ll come up with a treatment plan at that point.  This baby has really been keeping me stressed, and it scares me to think about it continuing after he’s here.

kristimh80

@mayflower513 So sorry for all the stress you're undergoing! That's great that they think it'll correct itself at birth. Though, right now it's not comforting to hear still. Sending hugs...wish there was something I could say to make it better for you!

halips

@mayflower513 good news that baby passed 8/8. But I'm so sorry this is still so stressful for you. Hopefully next weeks growth scan will bring some good news and be more reassuring. Sending lots of positive thoughts your way!

darkstar42

@halips The polar express sounds like a blast, but exhausting! Sadly, I'm too tall to sleep on the couch we have. I wish I had that as an alternative!

@mayflower513 I'm sorry you've been so stressed by everything. It sounds like baby is likely to be fine, but I know that doesn't help the stress! AFM, I am definitely growing a big baby. He's at the 99% percentile. My doctor still thinks all will be fine for a vaginal delivery at the birth center, but at least we have this info to help prepare for possible alternatives.

JamieH2000

@mayflower513- that is so stressful I really hope it can correct itself soon!! The wait and see is just so hard, i get it. I am holding up ok. Trying not to worry too much. IF has taught me (somewhat) to just go with the flow. The medical stuff and monitoring and appointments aren't as hard for me as some others I think since I am so used to that life already. I am just trying to have faith it will all work out. THe hardest is not know when things will liekly go downhil and we will have to deliver then.

THanks for all the love ladies- NST was good today. Took a little longer to get all the movements, but we did. OB talked to me after and she is one of my favs. She quick did the portable ultrasound to just check fluid levels. I go back on Monday for another BPP and appointment, then thursday for NST and then monday 12/31 for growth scan with the MFM. Just hoping if things start not looking good we will catch it early enough!

LynnNJ

• How far along? EDD?  I'm 33 weeks and 5 days.
• How is everyone feeling this week? I've had an ongoing cold for almost 3 weeks. Lately I started feeling worse. I just started antibiotics for a possible sinus infection. Hopefully this will clear up.  In addition to that, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It is under control with diet alone luckily and I'm doing well, but it has been time consuming. After going through IUIs, and IVF, testing myself is not a big a deal.  I just have to plan out my meals. I have been getting really worn out between work, taking care of my toddler, and being this far along in the pregnancy.  I don't have too many pregnancy complaints since it's expected that I'm going to start feeling huge around this time. I've gotten a lot of leg/foot cramps in the morning. They stopped temporarily when I started taking calcium. I guess I missed taking it one time and I had it again this morning. I only have a few more days of work. I have a long break and then have to work for 2 days. Woo hoo! I can get through this. I'm not really sure what I'm going to eat at my son's bday party and a couple of parties and family gatherings coming up, but it's really the least of my concerns right now. I'm just looking forward to having some time off and slowly getting things done while ds is at daycare. After going through a  myomectomy leading to having a planned c-section for baby 1, I'm not too worried about going through another c-section. However, this c-section is a little closer to the due date, so I'm really nervous about the idea of going into labor before the c-section date. I've never gone through labor before. I think it's probably better for the baby to have the c-section closer to the due date anyway.  I know that ds had an irregular heartbeat the day he was born and they had to monitor that for a little while. It resolved itself on its own, but it is possibly because the c-section was 2 weeks before the due date.
• Any upcoming appointments? Next Wednesday
• GTKY: What's your favorite part about the holiday season? I'm just looking forward to time off. I wish I could enjoy certain foods and didn't have to be so careful, but honestly I'll get to enjoy them again. I can do this! I keep telling myself it's for the baby and only temporary.  Though I probably have to keep up my diet following the birth for a little while, but hopefully it will resolve itself. I am looking forward to seeing family and friends during this time.
  
• Don't forget about HDBD or PIP your nursery!    I'm not sure what HDBD or PIP mean, but our nursery is not ready.  We're dealing with construction and the baby's room is where the construction materials are being stored. We have the basic supplies we need since ds #1 was born right around the same time 2 years ago. DH is trying to clear out the room and move things to the office. I do sort of have a plan. The baby will be in a bassinet and a pack and play for the beginning.  We will probably get ds #1 a bed and new dresser once things are cleared up and then we'll move the baby to the crib. We'll have to take a break from the construction for a couple of months while I get settled with the baby, but hopefully once he is sleeping more and I am a little more rested, we can start transitioning ds #1 to a bed. I already already have a swing and a stroller. I'm still not settled on a stroller for 2 since the ones I keep looking may be too long or heavy.  However, I do not expect to use that until I am going out of the house with the two of them on my own. That will be a little while.

If you're just joining us please post a: 

I'm rejoining you. I've been checking in periodically but haven't posted in a while. You can add me to the list with both dates. 

• Mini synopsis in your first post with your EDD:  This is baby #2 for me. My ds will be 2 on 1/13/19.  Due date is 2/2/19, but I have a 1/28/19 c-section scheduled.  
• How many babies you are pregnant with:     1
• If you know the gender(s)  boy
• How you have been feeling in your 3rd tri- I posted everything above.

halips

@JamieH2000 glad to hear your appt went well! I hope you keep having good check ups and baby is bale to stay put for a while longer!
@LynnNJ I'm so sorry to hear that you're struggling with so much right now! Hopefully your cold clears up quickly now and and the time off will help! 

AFM: had my OB appt yesterday and starting Jan 3 I will be going to weekly appts, with weekly NST's. Baby will be here by Feb 10th at the very latest, but OB and MFM both think closer to the end of Jan/first few days of Feb. My blood pressure is slowly rising, even with the labetalol, (had been mid 120's/high 70's, is now mid 130's/mid 80's) but I don't have protein in my urine, swelling goes away with rest/elevation etc, so they just plan to watch me more closely and I'm still testing my bp at home 2x a day. Baby boy is still measuring almost 2 weeks ahead too, so they are keeping an eye on his growth. Outside of that, things are good and OB isn't too concerned about anything.