Weekly Check In - W/O July 28

wanderlustsoul

Sorry y’all!! I got super busy. 

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days:

FTM/STM/STM+:

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: 

Upcoming appointments:

How are you feeling:

Rants / Raves:

Questions:

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? 

wanderlustsoul

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: Sept 20 / 32+2 

FTM/STM/STM+: STM+ 

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: surprise 

Upcoming appointments: 07/31 for midwife check up 

How are you feeling: Feeling pretty good! Pelvic pain has kicked up a ton and I can’t manage sitting in my work chair anymore so I mostly work sitting in bed or on the couch. 

Rants / Raves: so much to dooooo! I had my 32 week scan and it looks like the kidneys are going to be ok! 🤞🏽 baby was already measuring 4lbs 9oz though 😮‍💨. I can’t wait to be done work so I can transfer that over and out of my mind. 3.5 more weeks until maternity leave! Then I can focus on baby prep. 

Questions:

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? 

I saw Barbie yesterday and we will see Oppenheimer in the next few weeks. 

jennaverhaeghe

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: Sept.11 33+4

FTM/STM/STM+: #3

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: Team Green! 

Upcoming appointments: 08/10 reg OB

How are you feeling: Sore. Pelvic pain mostly.

Rants / Raves: DD#2 (9 months) moved in with DD#1 (2 1/2 yr.) today. Pray for me haha hopefully it goes well, at least we have 6 (ish) weeks to get adjusted before baby comes. I added newborn diapers to the nursery and I have picked out premie and newborn boy and girl outfits for my bag. Starting to think about my hospital bag. Need to buy another car seat soon, that’s next. I’m happy I got the move completed anyway. Don’t have much energy these days and I know it’ll only get worse. 

Questions: natm

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? My MIL took DD#1 for a sleepover last weekend, so DH and I had a movie night. We rented cocaine bear. It was dumb lol we were disappointed we wasted a rare movie night on such a dumb movie. The next one I want to watch is John Wick 4. 

knottie88a3899d34682bbd

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: due date, Sep 8; induction date, Sep 1 🥳 34wks

FTM/STM/STM+: #2 🩷💙

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: Boy

Upcoming appointments: 34wk appt on Monday

How are you feeling: Over. It. I started to unravel at this point in my pregnancy with my daughter lol and that one was 10x easier than this one. He’s SUPER low (always has been), I’m hungry but don’t have room for food so the nausea is creeping back in, it’s 100+ degrees every day 🥵 just ready have my baby in my arms instead of my belly!

Rants / Raves: See above 🙃 but my real rants are 1) 16wks between ultrasounds (20>36) is FAR too long. Things get a little different at this stage of pregnancy and it would be real nice to not have to wait another two weeks to get visual confirmation that everything is good…and 2) my OB/GYN’s practice is roughly half the size it was when I was pregnant with my daughter so I feel like I’m not getting the same level of care this time around 😔 the 2 times I’ve had “concerns” have been met with “you can go to the hospital” instead of “come in and we’ll check you out” like they were last time. I had a great delivery experience with her last time so I’m hoping that remains true, but I’m glad this is it for us and we’re so close to the finish line.

Questions: nope

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? I haven’t seen a movie in the theater in easily 8+ years, so probably not. I’m more of a “comfort TV show” type of person!

jennaverhaeghe

I feel ya, I’m so over this too. Hot and uncomfortable. May I ask why you’re getting induced a week early? 

knottie88a3899d34682bbd

@jennaverhaeghe ultimately, it was offered with my daughter and I was so over being pregnant that I jumped at the opportunity to evict her lol and it went well for us with her, so I’m electing to do it again.

But after it was offered, I asked a million questions and did my own research and decided that it was a practical decision. New research (and the ACOG) suggests that inducing a healthy pregnancy at 39wks can actually decrease complications which was my #1 priority - I have an almost irrational fear of c-sections, which is comical because being born via one literally saved my life - but I digress. Babies are considered full term at 39wks and therefore don’t *need* any more time in the womb - anything past that is just waiting for your body to get in gear, not to benefit the development of the baby. 

The way my Dr explained it, the baby, uterus, and placenta are all at their strongest and best prepared to go through labor at 39wks - the placenta hasn’t started to break down, the level of amniotic fluid hasn’t started to decrease, the baby is fully developed and doesn’t need to get any bigger (doing so could actually increase complication risks), etc…there was a whole 45min conversation that I can’t fully recount 3yrs later…I just know that her answers, paired with scholarly research and the fact that literally (and I mean literally) everyone I know experienced complications before 39wks and after 40wks, made me decide to go for it. 

I know inductions are super controversial and go very badly for some, but I was one of the fortunate ones so I’m hoping that remains true this time around 🤞🏼

jennaverhaeghe

Wow interesting. I just ask as it’s never been offered or even discussed where I am (unless there’s a medical concern in which they want to induce). It’s not a common thing around here. The most common thing here is to get a sweep of the cervix and they start offering it at 38 weeks. I actually think that’s great because by then you’re like GET OUT!!!! Hahaha 

knottie88a3899d34682bbd

@jennaverhaeghe that’s interesting! I say they’re controversial because ppl are very opinionated about what’s best when it comes to all things baby lol as I’m sure you’re all too familiar with by baby #3! Some believe pitocin slows labor and increases pain, but I don’t believe that was my experience…I say everyone should talk to their Dr/Healthcare provider and choose the method/plan that works best for them and let everyone else do the same 😊 I personally just hope all deliveries are as safe and successful as possible!

snj1002

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: September 9th / 34w2d

FTM/STM/STM+: FTM

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: Girl

Upcoming appointments: Aug 16th Strep/Regular OB

How are you feeling: Tired and hot! Starting to feel more pelvic pain and my feet hurt. 

Rants / Raves: Natm

Questions: Natm

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? 

Probably won't make it to the movie theater in time, but I do want to see Oppenheimer when it comes out on TV! 

wanderlustsoul

Sigh. I have to redo the GD test because the baby’s belly was measuring 97% at my
last scan. 😭😭😭 

andrawrmeda2

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: 9/18/23, I've been a day off the whole time 😅 33w

FTM/STM/STM+: stm+

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: baby boy 🩵

Upcoming appointments: next Wednesday for reg ob check but I am waiting to get my 3 hour test scheduled 😭😭

How are you feeling: awful. I failed the glucose 1 hr challenge so now I have to do the 3hr. I've never failed before so I'm stuck in my feelings. I also can't prick myself, I hate needles and pass out at the sight of them so she put me on metformin for now 😭 

Rants / Raves: last week was a hard emotional week. Someone close to our family reported us to DCFS, so we had a whole new case opened up. They pretty much said it's unfounded, but now it's like who do I trust and not? They claimed a bunch of lies and basically said we're not mentally fit to take care of our children. Mentally, we both have been low. We lost a son at almost 2, and will be 2 years the month this baby comes. That's gonna be hard regardless of adding a new baby or not. We're always gonna have low days. But our kids have food, clothes, a roof, electricity, all the toys of the Walmart toy aisle, water and whatever else you can think of. They're cared for. They're loved. They might be unhappy withy rules(I'm the strict parent) but they're being taken care of. This came after my son's birthday party too. So it was one of 5 people cause there were only 9 people there and 4 left prior to the allegation that we screamed at him for wanting to sit inside and ignore everyone, which we did not do. We talked to him, my husband and I and explained it was rude to ignore everyone that came to see him for his party to play his new game. These last two months of this pregnancy have been rough on me physically, my hips and lower back hurt soooo bad to the point I'm literally stiff trying to move around. So my house isn't sparkling clean. But the day of the party, it was really cleaned/picked up, cause we were supposed to have the party inside. They told DCFS we had boxes and piles of garbage everywhere and it was unsafe for the kids. That simply isn't true. We have boxes, cause we're still moving in. I'm just so frustrated by the situation cause it's either one of my best friends of my husband's parents. The fact no one even tried to talk to us hurts too. Just chose to call them immediately. 

Questions: sorry for the long rant. 

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? We haven't been to the movies since the super Mario bros movie lol so probably not any time soon. 

litzi-2

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: September 9, inducing on the 2nd for hx of precipitous labor

FTM/STM/STM+: baby #4

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: boy

Upcoming appointments: at 36 weeks

How are you feeling: ok. i wish i could walk more than a block, but hoping that comes back pretty quick after birth. lots of back/ pelvic issues for months now.

Rants / Raves: need to get ready for baby. basically, put old crib together, go thru cloths and get diapers...

Questions: nope

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? nope, don't watch movies and we minimize all tv in the summer (cuz we watch too much in the looooong winter)

mokamonster

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: Sept 23/32+3

FTM/STM/STM+: FTM

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: Surprise

Upcoming appointments: August 10th for something haha

How are you feeling: Just did my first prenatal yoga exercise with the yoga ball and it was amazing!!! I've been hurting basically everywhere 😩 but it made me feel so much better. Crazy how much of a difference a giant ball makes!

Rants / Raves: Sorry I have been MIA for a month!! I traveled back to the US (from China) so see my family before the baby comes. It was a crazy 3 1/2 weeks not to mention the 30 hours of travel there and back! But we had a little baby celebration (a BaByQ) with just a few close people. Also, I was able to get a lot of things that are hard to find over here in China. But I'm back home now frantically trying to get things together before the baby comes! My mother-in-law is coming to stay with us for two weeks to help me with things. We are going to prep and freeze ready-made meals. So after the baby comes, I don't need to cook but can still have the feeling of freshly made food. My mother-in-law probably will only be able to come for a few days after the baby is born becauae of work, so it will basically just be me, my husband, and the baby... which is terrifying to think about but I think it could be special.

Questions: I have a thousand questions a minute haha

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see?  My husband and I went to see The Little Mermaid at midnight the last day it was showing here. He wasn't a fan but we were the only ones in the theater, so I enjoyed singing all of the songs without judgement haha

caginantonic

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: Sept 11 34 weeks +1 Day

FTM/STM/STM+: FTM

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: Boy 

Upcoming appointments: Thursday 08/03, we have a growth ultrasound 

How are you feeling: I've been feeling pretty terrible. I've had a persistent cough because he is pushing on my lungs which has been aggravating my asthma and serve rib pain on my right side.

Rants / Raves: I have been in nesting mode, but by the time I get from work and have absolutely no energy

Questions: I just got to 34 weeks, and this morning I realized that my belly has dropped! Isn't it too early? 

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? I really want to see Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Barbie!! 

jennaverhaeghe

@caginantonic I’ve read that baby normally drops between 34 and 38 weeks. My first dropped around that time too. My second never went fully head down and I got her flipped to avoid a C-section. When you go for your scan they’ll tell you if baby is head down. If he is, consider yourself lucky cause baby is right where he’s supposed be 😁 

dogmom5

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: 33 weeks 

FTM/STM/STM+: STM++++

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: team green

Upcoming appointments: Thursday 

How are you feeling: pretty good but tired! 

Rants / Raves: I had to get an u/s last week and they found my fluid levels were low so now I’m being monitored more closely and getting NST twice a week. I do feel fine though so at least that is a good thing and so far everything has been good at my NST

Questions: NATM

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see?  I don’t even know what movies are out right now lol

anniemarie887

@wanderlustsoul so glad your 32w scan went well! i finally got to see barbie, too. loved it. when are you redoing GD test?
@jennaverhaeghe how is the room sharing going? this baby will share with our 3.5 yo eventually... goal to keep this baby in our room for 5-6 mos like we did with our first.
@knottie88a3899d34682bbd change your name! try signing in and out, it's just hard to tag with the knottie name. sorry you're having such a rough time, i hope things are getting better. also i want to add that not every pregnancy over 40w has issues. i had my first at 41w on the dot and had an amazing, quick, extremely uncomplicated labor. 8 hours total, pushed for 25 minutes. oh and my daughter was 20" and 7lb 3oz - which is exactly 50th percentile. i'm not opposted to 39w induction, just don't think it's fair to possibly scare others about going past 39w.
@snj1002 the heat is a lot!
@andrawrmeda2 that's a lot to handle, i hope thing work out for your family.
@litzi-2 i know what you mean about not wanting to walk as much, i've been lucky up until the last week but my sciatic is giving me some trouble. i've been trying to make sure to stretch every day.
@mokamonster i'm so glad you had a good trip home!! i commend you for those long flights!
@caginantonic i hope you are feeling better!! dropping is both good, and can cause some more pressure. but that pressure hopefully works on your cervix to make labor a littl faster/easier.
@dogmom5 keep us posted about your fluid levels, i'm glad you are feeling good at least! 

anniemarie887

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: 34w/Sept 13

FTM/STM/STM+: STM

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: surprise  

Upcoming appointments: 8/11 for growth scan and reg appt, and then it's weekly appts after that until birth!

How are you feeling: glad the heat has backed off a little, some sciatic issues that i'm trying to stay on stop of with stretching/massage/chiro/acupuncture. and my heartburn has returned. but truly, if those are my complaints i am good. 

Rants / Raves: still working through house renovations and it looks like a tornado went through my house. we have the carseat in the car, but i think i'm in denial that i need to start getting organized. we brough the snoo down from the attic, need to get it out of the box and start doing laundry. eeeek.

Questions: natm

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? took myself to see Barbie sunday. i laughed and cried. i love Greta Gerwig/Noah Baumbach, but i wasn't sure what to expect going into it. but man, being a woman and having a daughter it really had some moments. we are hopefully going to see Oppenheimer this weekend. 

jennaverhaeghe

@anniemarie887 room sharing is going well! I’m pleasantly surprised. I also bought my third car seat and installed it in my SUV yesterday. 2 year old is now in the third row and her sister will be joining her back there when baby comes. My husband might be right and I might need a minivan 😬 

stephaniefaye11

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days:

September 15th, 33 Weeks 4 Days 

FTM/STM/STM+: FTM

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: Girl

Upcoming appointments: so many, two a week now! OB and Sonogram

How are you feeling: Getting more excited, starting to feel real. Verrrryyy tired all the time. Take daily naps. 

Rants / Raves:

Been getting a lot of charley horses lately. Googled and found out that’s common for pregnant people. So fun. 

Questions:

Anyone else just eating ice all the time? I’m anemic and taking supplements so don’t worry,  but I seriously cannot get enough of ice. I love it so. Lol 

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? 

Already saw Oppenheimer and Barbie. My short review for both: bombs are bad, feminism is good! 

cammie0526

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days:

Sep 25 / 32+3

FTM/STM/STM+:

Baby 3

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: 

Girl

Upcoming appointments:

Monday for regular OB

How are you feeling:

Honestly pretty good. Trying to take walks most evenings to stay moving. I’m a little in denial that there’s only 7 more weeks, give or take, until baby is here!

Rants / Raves:

One of my cousins had her first baby a couple weeks ago, and another cousin is being induced with her second next week. These are the first babies in the family besides my boys (and that cousin’s first), so it’s extra exciting.

Questions:

Nope

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? 

I saw and loved Barbie

andrawrmeda2

They closed the case thankfully, but I'm still hurt at the thought that a family member or a close friend opted to go that route instead of talking to us. This week I got set up for monitoring glucose and I start twice weekly nsts 😑 my back and pelvic area are so sore and in so much pain it's obnoxious. Honestly I don't know if I'll make it through the end 😂 they are discussing inducing me two weeks early which has me on edge because thats my son's angel date week. I don't know yet though. They are gonna do an ultrasound to estimate his size and we'll go from there 😓

caginantonic

So just had my appointment yesterday, baby's head is already engaged and I am staring to dilate ever so slightly. Main concern is that I am having lots of cramping that is promoting further effacement and dilation and I'm only 34 weeks +4

woodland26

Estimated Due Date / Weeks + Days: 9/25 32w4d but C-section is scheduled for 9/18

FTM/STM/STM+: STM

Team Boy/Girl/surprise: team boy 

Upcoming appointments: 8/14 for regular OB and 8/15 for ultrasound with MFM 

How are you feeling: sore and tired

Rants / Raves: DD had strep this week and it was the worst possible week for taking time off work. It also unlocked a new fear of what it will be like if she gets sick when baby is here. She is notorious for being sick every few weeks August - December. The rest of the year she is usually fine.

Questions: none

GTKY: Any blockbuster movies you’ve seen this summer or planning to see? Nope, not really a movie person unless it is something I really want to see, which is few and far between these days.

litzi-2

@caginantonic mine drop early always, usually around 30 weeks, and i've always delivered term. with one of them i was dilated to i think 3 for like 7 weeks. i have tons of BH as well, not uncommon to have them every 5 minutes for hours (i don't go in, because i know its normal for my body). now i refuse to get checked, because honestly it doesn't matter. just try to take it easy and not worry as much as possible!

froggerblue

@litzi-2 Thank you for sharing your experience. Baby dropped at 32 weeks for me. I wasn't too worried about that because my doctor told me she wasn't too surprised as baby had been quite low all pregnancy. But this weekend, I experienced lots of BH all day, one every 10 min or so all day.They weren't painful though, just uncomfortable, so I did my best not to worry and just monitor if there were progression in intensity and such. (Doctor warned me I would probably be experiencing them more and more and gave me a few key points to observe.) But I didn't realized it could last all day long... It's a relief to know that others also experienced something like that. I thought BH were only once in a while or a few hours at most like what I've been experiencing since the start of the third trimester.

wanderlustsoul

@froggerblue I also had my 1st and 2nd drop around 31-32 weeks. With my 1st, I had prodromal labour for weeks. He was born at 41 weeks after induction. 

froggerblue

@wanderlustsoul Thanks for sharing!!! It's really comforting for me. It seemed like I was the only one experiencing that from my entourage (IRL), but it seems more common than I thought. It's so reassuring to know others went through something similar.
I do trust my doctor, and try not to worry about every little things that isn't textbook/typical to the people around me, but it still gets to me a bit when people look at me with concern and ask "if I'm really sure that what I'm experiencing is okay/normal" because their experience was different.

andrawrmeda2

Man I wish I had pregnancies like that. My oldest was two weeks late, no intention of leaving😂 my girl was 4 days late, pretty much the same. They were gonna send me home when they finally go me to a 3 because for ing it was doing nothing but she finally dropped. My 3rd was technically two days late and he was still a two day labor. I've never been dilated past a 1 when I go to the Dr before labor 😭 this baby feels like he's dropped quite a bit but idk. I think Ive been having BH too....but again not sure cause I have no idea what contractions feel like outside being induced 😂🙃

mokamonster

@caginantonic my baby dropped a few days ago at 33 weeks. I've had BH sinxe like 25 weeks and get them all throughout the day now. But recently I've had menstrual-like cramps that are painful and sometimes last a long time (like 30 minutes straight). I'm going to the doctor's tomorrow and will ask them about it. So I understand your worry... I keep falling down the Dr. Google rabbit hole where it's like "you're okay unless you're dying"

To add to this: I don't really trust the doctors here and last time they called me fat (solely because I gained 35lbs/16kgs already) and went on and on about how baby was too big. Did an ultrasound and said everything is perfect and the weight is evenly spread across my body. Slightly worried about telling them tomorrow and them admitting me to the hospital or putting me on bed rest. Chinese doctors either don't care at all or go to the extremes.

anniemarie887

@mokamonster in my experience as a 2nd time mom... even if they last for 30 min that's still a BH. i had them last up to an hour, 3-5 min apart with my first. i was told with my first when it's real you'll know bc a true contraction will take your breath away and you won't be able to talk when it's happening... i know that's not true for every woman but for me it was. this go around i've been having BH since 22 weeks.... also... i went to 41w with my first... i hung out 1-3cm dilated, baby at like a station -1 (aka low in my pelvis) and super effaced for 3 weeks before going into labor on my own. i was told the BH are great practice for your uterus come actual labor, but not indicative of an early labor. 

also i'm sorry re the weight shaming, that's uncalled for. that gain is totally in the normal range. 

on a more important note - do we want to move over to fb or some type of private group? we are all super far along, and at this point ppl will prob go into labor shortly. i know for me personally i'm not comfortable sharing birth details in a public forum. i know we've got a small group, but i think easy to determine who has been pretty consistently active!

dogmom5

@anniemarie887 might not be a bad thing to move over. Just so we can have some sort of security measures with letting others in so we know it has been group members here who have been active in order to avoid any creepers who might try to join? 

wanderlustsoul

I was going to start the FB group this week. Just been busy! I’ll do it tonight when my H goes to the gym and I have free time. I’ll make a post about security measures. A few here share a BMB with me from my 2nd so can attest I am a real human. 😂

dogmom5

@wanderlustsoul thanks for starting! I would love to join but afraid I’m way too busy to be the one in charge 😂 

mokamonster

@anniemarie887 that's reassuring to know! We will still bring it up with the doctor this afternoon just to make sure since we're going in anyway for bloodwork. Hopefully everything goes well!

A Facebook group would be so much better! Thanks @wanderlustsoul for getting it started!