Week 3 Check In 1/7

meggyme

This check in is for ladies with due dates 3/17-3/23. Let me know if this is your first check in and I will add you.

@zionsmama85 @3rdtime_charmed @gowenc @Jlavo888 @lisee923 @lindseyb918 @meggyme @Runninggal28@babycolima12 @beachbaby0523 ; 

Due Date: 

Questions?: 

Rants/Raves?: 

How are you feeling?: 

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it?

gowenc

Due Date: March 17

Questions?:  None at the moment

Rants/Raves?:  The Berlin job fell through because of our unclear policy on Syria - they decided it's not stable enough to hire any more long term staff, which stinks. I am disappointed but also somewhat relieved. I've been getting the nesting urge so now I can actually do something about it. We are going to need to add on to our house so MH and I have been laying the groundwork to do that - hopefully by early next year.

How are you feeling?:  Not bad. I had a nasty sinus infection over the holidays, and it's still lingering a bit even though I finished my antibiotics last week. I'm getting some pretty uncomfortable kicks and jabs up in my rib cage. It's reminding me to sit up straight so she has enough room to move around in there.

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it? Not really. My goal for the year is to survive having a toddler and infant, and to set reasonable expectations for myself particularly when I go back to work. I had a really hard time after my first so I just want to go easy on myself.

meggyme

@gowenc I'm sorry Berlin fell through, but I'm glad you can kind of settle in and prepare for this LO.

Due Date: 3/20

Questions?: none

Rants/Raves?: Back at work today after 2 weeks of vacation and 4 hours of sleep between getting home from the airport and my alarm clock. So far I'm cruising, but I have a feeling this afternoon will hurt. This week is already starting to look pretty busy and I have a midwife appointment tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to getting some more information regarding my GD and how that will effect my delivery.

How are you feeling?: Ok, although most of my baby kicks have been low and to the sides, so I worry that means LO is breech. I should be checking for that at my appointment tomorrow.

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it? Usually I at least set a goal, but this year it's mainly to get a good handle on my diet to control the gestational diabetes. I'll likely try to make it more of a lifestyle change vs a diet change, especially if I find some new recipes that I love.

gowenc

@meggyme I asked my midwife about positioning and when I should worry, because so far my LO seems to like staying transverse (I feel kicks and jabs on either side of my belly, simultaneously). She said they wouldn't really start to worry until about 35 weeks, that they should have enough room in there to move around before then. I need to up the yoga and am going to look at some of the spinning babies exercises just in case, because she did confirm that they wouldn't attempt a vaginal breech delivery.

meggyme

@gowenc yeah, I was doing the spinning babies inversion they suggest for all baby positions before I left on vacation, but fell off doing it while we were traveling. I need to get back into that, and after getting position checked I can start doing some of the other ones as well if needed.

zionsmama85

Due Date: 3/17

Questions?: Wanting to ask my doc about delivery practices. I am strongly (about 98%) considering getting my tubes tied with this baby since most likely i will be having a RCS....But if i decide to do that, we will have to schedule everything at a hospital i am not familiar with and have never been to. Makes me a bit nervous. I am starting to get anxiety about giving birth, because of all the statistics and articles coming up lately about african american women dying during or right after childbirth because of the care they get from nurses and staff. I have 100% trust in my OB but he already told me he prefers to deliver at our hospital because he would have his own staff. it's just scary bc statistically speaking, black women get worse care after delivery. I have just been talking to my SO about it and i want to make sure he and my mom are aware i need them to advocate for me if anything happens after I have the baby. I think nerves just hit me yesterday because its the final countdown now. 

Rants/Raves?: Ranting bc my SO is trying to be agreeable but he wants sex and it is lowkey driving me crazy. I am glad he is still feeling attracted to me, but i am so uncomfortable, i want to just cuddle and be sweet. I am not really feeling sexual at all and of course he is taking it personally. He told me yesterday he wants to have as much sex as possible because he knows it wont be happening immediately after the baby and i am just like "Dude, really".....Raving because i get to go to the doc tomorrow, and i look forward to my appointments no matter how short they are 

How are you feeling?: hard to move around. my stomach is now at the point where i bump tables and walls bc i am not sure how far out it is spatially. haven't had too many aches or pains, but the stomach is large and in charge. emotionally, like i said above, i am getting nervous now. I have been breezy the last 29 weeks but i think it hit me yesterday that its gonna happen, and soon. and birth is not a minor thing. 

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it? I haven't specifically made one, but my main goal for this year is to work on my attitude. I can't be very low patience and easily annoyed, which bothers my SO alot, so i am trying to work on how i react to things and try to maintain pleasantness i suppose. Other than that, just doing better with my money with a new little one on the way, and also making sure my son still feels important once the baby gets here. 

meggyme

@zionsmama85 I totally get the nerves. This week will be only 10 weeks to go until our due dates! With my GD diagnosis I have so many questions and unknowns right now, so I'm really looking forward to my appointment just to start getting some answers about what to expect for the remainder of my pregnancy and delivery. I also started looking into adding diapers/wipes back into my amazon delivery, and the whole thing got VERY real.

karatepickles

@zionsmama85 sending you lots of love! I am constantly feeling nervous too. It sounds like your OB has your best interests in mind.

@gowenc I'm sorry to hear about Berlin. I hope you feel better soon! 

Due Date: March 21

Questions?: none

Rants/Raves?: Rave - my placenta previa resolved, so I am feeling good about that! 

How are you feeling?: Mostly OK. Hip pain and now knee pain has been bothering me at night, so I'm constantly changing positions and trying to get comfortable. Heartburn is still bothering me. I had an ultrasound last week to check the placenta and they were able to see hair on Baby Girl, so perhaps the old wives tale about heartburn is true. I am excited to see how much hair she has when she's born.

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it? To be positive, patient, and forgiving of myself this year, as I'm sure there will be lots of challenges with this being my first baby (along with the many joys!). 

lisee923

Due Date: 3/22

Questions?: Is there a hospital bag thread?  Someone tag me if there is.  Having my dd 10 weeks early I didn't have a hospital bag and I'm getting oddly excited to be hopefully be prepared this time.  

Rants/Raves?: Rave: DH drove to a town 20 min away to get some free medela pump parts for me yesterday.  I've been sorting through my pump parts as I EP'd last time and can't find all my spare parts so I was excited to find free parts.  I'm contemplating EP'ing again for some insane reason.  I guess it's just what I know.  We'll see, though.  

How are you feeling?: Generally uncomfortable.  I got a pregnancy pillow off amazon and my hips feel somewhat better at night.  Sinuses are still swollen and dry.  So much heartburn.

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it?  Just survive this year with my spirited (almost) 4 year old and a newborn.  

lindseyb918

@gowenc sorry that the new assignment didn't work out! But it's definitely good to have answers so you can switch to nesting mode now

@meggyme I've been doing the inversions and it worked for me! Baby has been mostly transverse the last few weeks. I tried one again when he was really active on Sunday night and my belly went from super wide to normal width haha. He's been head down ever since. Knock on wood!

@zionsmama85 I'm sorry that that has been weighing on your mind. I think it's a great idea to have your mom there (she sounds like she is not shy to share her opinions based on some of your other stories lol), or your significant other if he is willing to speak up. I think reading about both Beyonce and Serena Williams' deliveries has helped shed some light on the huge disparities for maternal mortality based on race - they dealt with some very scary situations with L&D, and they're famous. You're definitely justified to advocate for yourself as much as possible!

Due Date: 3/19/18, redated to 3/28/19

Questions?: Anyone have disagreements with their SO about plans for labor and delivery? I still haven't chosen a provider. MH wants me to have a RCS, but I want to try for a VBAC and find a VBAC-friendly provider. I would prefer to see a midwife, he does not like that idea at all. I wanted a doula, but he did not (I won that one). It just feels like everything has been a battle to have the kind of birth that I want. 

Rants/Raves?: Nothing else to add! 

How are you feeling?: Feeling good, though I wish I had more time to workout or do some yoga. I need to make a priority of it, but I also think sleep is really important... 

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it? Take more pictures. It has been my resolution for the past, like, three years. I fail at it!

meggyme

@lindseyb918 that sucks that YH isn't agreeing with your birthing plan. MH and I argue more about his apathy regarding delivery, but we're pretty much hoping it goes the same as last time. Could you meet in the middle with a VBAC friendly OB? He might be thinking in terms of logistics vs actual birth experience and recovery. A plannable event like a RCS would be much easier with a kid at home than a VBAC would be. Maybe he just doesn't see that your experience and the ability to recover a bit easier from a vaginal delivery (as opposed to major abdominal surgery) mean as much, if not more than the ability to schedule it in advance. He could also only be seeing the risks involved in a VBAC and not that any provider worth their degree isn't going to let it get to that point.

gowenc

@lindseyb918 sorry to hear YH isn't on board with your preferences. My husband was a little hesitant about me opting for a midwives practice with DS, but we both felt better when I found one that was housed within a hospital. Basically, the midwives managed the whole birth process except if I ended up asking for an epidural or other anesthesia (which I did) or if there were complications (I did have one scary incident when my BP crashed, but it resolved quickly). And the OBs were in the same maternity ward if I had ended up needing a c-section. Is there an option like that near you? 

Runninggal28

@gowenc I’m sorry the job fell through but I’m sure it feels good to be able to start nesting and feeling settled. 

@meggyme @gowenc my babe is also transverse. I’m aldelivering at a birthing center so I need baby to move head down!  I might also look into the spinning babies thing. They do a check at 34 weeks and officially try to turn baby then. 

@zionsmama85 I definitely share your nerves the closer to delivery!  I’m glad you have your mom and husband to advocate for you. I think that’s important for anyone!

@lindseyb918 I delivered both times with a midwife and hope to do so this time as well. Good luck with your search, I hope you can find one you are both on board with!  

meggyme

Had my appointment today (and a surprise Tdap shot). It was both informative and left me with a lot of questions that my midwife couldn’t answer. Mainly about the GD either because it’s not her specialty or because until I start tracking my blood sugars she can’t really predict. The good news is that if my sugars are controlled she said that I should have no real difference in my delivery (as far as interventions). If that’s not the case then I may need to be induced or LO may need NICU time for low blood sugar. My referral for the MFM is in and I should be scheduling my appt soon. I also got my breast pump Rx put in, so it felt like a productive appointment regardless.

sejica

@lindseyb918 lurking from week 4 here to say that I'm in a similar boat and just had nearly that identical convo with DH. No advice, but solidarity. It did seem helpful to separate out risk/benefits to baby from risk/benefits to me.

lindseyb918

Thank you guys for the advice and commiseration! I had an appointment with a midwife at a birth center today, and it was probably too crunchy for our situation. But I'm glad I explored that option so I'll never wonder "what-if." I think a midwife as part of a larger OB practice, or a hippie OB, will be the best compromise for us. Geographically it's a little challenging, but I think I can make it an hour in the car on d-day...

Also I've mentioned this before but he's going to Vegas a month after my due date, so it makes me worried about the recovery with an RCS. I agree @meggyme he's thinking about the upfront logistics more than the long term plan. 

beachbaby0523

Due Date: 3/16

Questions?: How do you go about asking your provider about baby positioning? What do they do to check/confirm? It hasn’t come up during my routine appointments. Typically, they take my weight and blood pressure, and then I meet with my OB or midwife to go over recent test results or things to start planning (e.g., pediatrician), she measures my belly and checks LO’s HR on the Doppler. Are your appointments more detailed? Anymore ultrasounds to look forward to? 

Rants/Raves?: Nothing in particular this week. Just trying to survive work and stay active as much as possible. 

How are you feeling?: Mentally, great. Physically, slowing down and sore, but otherwise pretty ok. 

GTKY: Did you make a New Years Resolution, if so what was it? My resolution every year is to drink more water. With the arrival of the LO, I really want to focus on her, enjoy the moments, and not get distracted with my demanding job. 

meggyme

@beachbaby0523 I asked my midwife yesterday about position and after she measured my belly she poked around and made a guess. She did say that it’s still a little early to tell without US because baby is still a little small and there’s lots of fluid. As they run out of room it will be easier to tell by feel.

zionsmama85

@beachbaby0523 my OB has never told me the baby position and i never think to ask. i just had an appt yesterday and they did weight, pee sample, blood pressure, checked my belly, baby heartbeat on the doppler and thats it. and thats normally how it goes. even with my last 9 years ago it was about the same. he went over my results from my GD test and then we went on our way 10-15 mins max. 

zionsmama85

So i had my 30 week appt yesterday, and we scheduled all the rest of my appointments until baby gets here  ...5 more appointments makes it seem all the more closer. I talked to my doc about his hesitation on my CSection hospital location and he said the hospital is fine and his only concern is that if i went to labor at the other location he found that the nurses kind of do everything at their own pace and things go to sh*t sometimes. Like if he asks them to do pitocin or whatever they take their time..and he doesn't like that. So he said as far as the c-section and recovery they are good at that and that will be fine, since we have to go there to do the tubal ligation. so i feel a bit better, but now i know if i go into early labor where NOT to go LOL. 
other than that, i have the baby birthdate as long as i don't go into labor beforehand, since he called the hospital to ensure they had availability and he went ahead and scheduled it so his calendar would have me booked. We will be having the baby March 11th if all goes accordingly. I will probably be working until March 8th as well since i only have my FMLA LOL. 

lindseyb918

@beachbaby0523 I have to ask them to do it when I'm laying down for my doppler. I've been keeping track of him myself, so just asked her to confirm

beachbaby0523

@meggyme @zionsmama85 @lindseyb918 thanks for the responses! Hopefully my preggo brain will remember to ask them to check during my next appt in a couple weeks.