Pregnancy Check In - Week of 12/4

hedgepig

EDD / Weeks + Days: 

FTM/STM/TTM+: 

Baby is the size of a (an): 

Team blue/pink/green:

Upcoming Appointments: 

How are you feeling?: 

Rants/Raves: 

Questions:

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids?

knottied4178e130d679c45

I'm 12 weeks today and starting to lose some of my food aversions. Namely, I can drink coffee today. I'm pregnant again after two losses and even something like this - a little win - scares me!

hedgepig

Howwww is it Monday again?!?

EDD / Weeks + Days: 26w2d

FTM/STM/TTM+: 3&4TM

Baby is the size of a (an): kale or cauliflower 

Team blue/pink/green: 💙💙

Upcoming Appointments: Today with the prenatal educator, next week with the OB

How are you feeling?: we vented a craft fair yesterday and I was sooooo tired and sore by the time we were done. But other than that I've been feeling ok!

Rants/Raves: I got to see so many people who I haven't seen in a long time and tell them about the twins. 

Questions:

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids?
We have a hard start time for Christmas decorations/music/tree of December 1st, which I like. We have started making an annual Lego holiday village diorama with the kids. We do cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, which was the tradition in my family growing up.

farm_mama

EDD / Weeks + Days: March 9/ 26w + 2d

FTM/STM/TTM+: 4th

Baby is the size of a (an): Kale

Team blue/pink/green: Blue

Upcoming Appointments: Next Week

How are you feeling?: Better than last week. I just have to be super careful about not overdoing it which seems to be a constant struggle.

Rants/Raves: All three kids are in a Christmas theater production and DD2 had a ballet recital yesterday. They are so cute and all their hard work and practice is really paying off!

Questions: How is everyone feeling about birth? I am starting to really think about it and get excited.

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids? We usually do an outdoor tree for the birds with popcorn, cranberries, etc. We have a silly elf, but it just moves around nothing complicated. They have a lego advent calendar which they enjoy. We keep things fairly simple and traditional as far as Christmas goes. We are hoping to set up the tree today or tomorrow.

halfanewt

EDD / Weeks + Days: 24 weeks 

FTM/STM/TTM+: TTM 

Baby is the size of a (an): cantaloupe 

Team blue/pink/green: green 

Upcoming Appointments: later this month 

How are you feeling?: pretty good, except for a possibly pulled glute muscle? Not sure if it’s that or beginning sciatica. Hurts when I shift positions after staying too long in one. 

Rants/Raves: my 2 year old started preschool today. Just got done with drop off. No tears. Little big kid 🥹

Questions: baby prepping? I feel like I didn’t prep much for #2, and #3 I’m prepping even less. Pretty sure at this rate when I go into labor I’ll be like “oh, is it March already?” 😂 So, what am I forgetting and should take care of now? 

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids? Holiday decorating, advent calendar, Xmas Eve lights, cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and lots of other little things. Love this season! We fill our own advent calendar, and the kids have decided it’s the Christmas dragon that does it. So cute! 

halfanewt

@hedgepig how old are yours again? My oldest is super into legos and we’ve been toying with Lego diorama for next year. Any recs? 

@farm_mama haha, not ready for birth. See above. Glad you’re getting excited, though! If I have to think about it - mild excitement/apprehension? My first was a super long pushing stage (turns out he flipped over and tipped his head at the last minute, needed an assist) and my second was easy peasy. Hoping this one follows in #2’s footsteps! 

dinomeetsjedi

EDD / Weeks + Days: February 24, 28+2

FTM/STM/TTM+: STM

Baby is the size of a (an): Eggplant

Team blue/pink/green: Blue

Upcoming Appointments: Friday for growth scan/28 week appointment

How are you feeling?: Very tired and starting to slow down. I started experiencing some RLP this weekend and that's not pleasant. Sorry to all of you who have had it for months now! I think my husband and I are both a little anxious to get to this growth scan and see if baby is growing on track/my placenta is functioning properly.

Rants/Raves: We packed a hospital bag this weekend. It makes me feel a little better that at least we will be prepared for the hospital experience this time around. I'm not sure if this is a rant or a rave but we are trying to transition my daughter to a big kid bed this weekend and the results have been mixed. She slept a whole night in the new bed 2 nights ago and then last night cried so hard and so long that we eventually put her in her crib. I'm tired and it sucks because she's such a good sleeper in general and always has been. It is making me really question the wisdom in moving her right now.

Questions: As much as I would love to have a full term baby/labor and birth experience, I definitely started having a lot of anxiety about going into labor since I never even got close last time and we attended only 2 birthing classes before we had our baby last time and they were still going over the mechanics of birth and all that when we "dropped out". I'm having a really hard time getting into any type of class here and I definitely had an overwhelmed cry about it this weekend. Any recommendations for online resources you can recommend if I can't find a class? Especially how to have a birth plan more for your support person than your medical team. I am particularly concerned about my husband getting information and being able to support me physically/emotionally through labor. He is great, but I know I will not be able to talk him through how to help me at the time, and he is not great at researching or reading into these kinds of subjects. Unfortunately a doula is not an option for us financially (or availability wise, I did look into it a bit) and my mother would be the opposite of helpful, so additional support is not the way to go either.

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids? I have no idea. We don't even have a tree and probably won't get one this year. But I would like to make some special memories with my kids so I need to work on that. I've just never really been a fan of holidays.

cioccolata16

@dinomeetsjedi I’ve only done online classes, though most have been Canada based. But my husband and I did a two morning prenatal course live with Tummy Talks that went through the process in a helpful way. That one is accessible in the US!

hedgepig

@farm_mama I hear you on not overdoing it - it's so hard for me to ask for help/do less, but I am finding that it's really important to limit myself. We're doing the Lego advent calendars too!
I'm generally pretty excited for birth - but I'm a little more anxious this time because of the uncertainty that twins bring to the table. I'm staying positive, but I know there's a bigger chance that things won't go my way, and so I am preparing myself to be more flexible.

@halfanewt I have been having lower back/glute pain that I think is just back pain, but have wondered about sciatica too. I hope yours feels better soon!
Our oldest is 5, and looooves Legos. MH is really into it too. They did one of the Christmas sets last year, so this year they started by putting last year's set back together, and then we got a new Christmas set that they are working on together. We have a Lego table in the living room that will have the diorama when it's done. It would all be going great if we didn't also have a 3 year old who is still learning not to destroy them/make a mess. It's OK for now, but also not ideal 🤷🏻‍♀️ The plan is to add another set each year so that eventually there will be a whole Christmas village.

@dinomeetsjedi Good luck with the bed transition! You got this!

farm_mama

@hedgepig This seems so silly, but how did you package it up year to year so that it was reusable?

ETA: What a fun idea!

kmw611

EDD / Weeks + Days: 26w4d 3/9

FTM/STM/TTM+: TTM

Baby is the size of a (an): a large dominos pizza😂 and now I want a pizza lol

Team blue/pink/green: pink 

Upcoming Appointments: next Friday 

How are you feeling?: pretty good. Lots of movement from baby girl the last week. 

Rants/Raves: rave for my insurance company making this kitchen claim so smooth so far. The area is almost dried out and a contractor is coming this afternoon to let us know what to expect and give an estimate on cost/time frame. 

Questions: natm 

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids?  Growing up my mom and aunt made massive amounts of cookies and breads in November/December to put together holiday trays for our family and friends at Christmas. When us kids got old enough to help we all joined in. Now my kids and I are making the massive amounts of cookies and breads for our family/friends out here now that the family has spread out so far across the country. We grew up in navy housing so lots of kids and families around. My family always hosted a big thing Christmas Eve for the neighborhood and My dad would read the night before Christmas pop up to all the kids in the neighborhood before parents took them home and we all went to bed. I read it to my kids and nieces/nephews now every year. A new tradition for my kids is that my husband and I buy them each a bigger Lego set and break it into 24 groups of pieces. They get a little bit every day leading up to Christmas as their advent calendar. It’s fun having them
guess what they’re making as we go along. 

kmw611

@halfanewt I feel like I haven’t prepped for #3 either so you aren’t alone. Really aside from a place to sleep, diapers/wipes and a car seat to get home if you have a hospital birth they don’t need a ton right off the bat. Maybe some clothes since it’ll be winter. My boys were spring and summer babies and stayed naked for a good while lol

@dinomeetsjedi the bed transition can be so hard! I hope it gets better ❤️

I love how many of you are doing Lego advent/Christmas stuff too. 

cmill828

EDD / Weeks + Days: 2/26, 28w 1d

FTM/STM/TTM+: ftm

Baby is the size of a (an): coconut

Team blue/pink/green:blue

Upcoming Appointments: 12/11 for growth scan 

How are you feeling?: well it happened. I tested positive for covid today, 5 days before my baby shower, which has officially been postponed to late January. I'm devastated and have been crying all day. This comes a day after my 3hr glucose test and a rather upsetting 28wk appointment with one of the delivering physicians. He really went in hard on my weight gain (18lbs so far, when the total reccomended for my bmi is 20) and how he doubts I'd pass the 3hr glucose, and how I could have a Michelin man baby (his words). I just haven't been having a good week. 

Rants/Raves: rave for my husband being my rock ans so supportive and really gentle as I have been an emotional mess since yesterday morning

Questions: any good home cold remedies you've found helpful? I'm doing the usual stuff- tea, honey, fluids, soup, etc

ceclarlinetlo

@cmill828 I am so annoyed on your behalf! He sounds like a real peach. I have gained 29 pounds and for my BMI the max is supposed to be 35 I think but my doctors haven’t said squat about it. Gestational diabetes is because of our placentas not our current weight gain during pregnancy. I’m sorry he dog piled you. 

I’m sorry about the Covid. I had it back in August. I can’t recommend anything other than what you are already doing. 

cioccolata16

@cmill828 so sorry about the COVID and the baby shower! But it will still happen, and it will be great Also, that doctor sounds like a complete jerk and should definitely not be in maternity/prenatal care! Emily Oster's book on evidence for pregnancy suggests that gaining more weight actually has fewer impacts on the baby rather than gaining less. Also, re colds, try steam for congestion. Some how water in a big mixing bow with a towel can be amazing (I sometimes add eucalyptus oil, but that can make things a bit stingy). 

EDD / Weeks + Days: 6 Feb/ 31+0

FTM/STM/TTM+: FTM

Baby is the size of a (an): 1/2 gallon bottle of Sunny-D?

Team blue/pink/green: girl (my little vampire...also, we're trying out Hazel this week)

Upcoming Appointments: had an impromptu one today, but my next check-up is in a week

How are you feeling?: Awful. Late last week my energy just tanked, and I'm breathless just sitting (not to mention walking). I was getting serious muscle weakness while bicycle (so have stopped) and need to take lots of stops when walking anywhere to gasp some extra air. I thought it could be my low iron, but the doctor redid those labs today and she thinks the levels don't merit the symptoms I'm describing. Since I otherwise look great on paper, she is guessing this might just be my body's physiological response to being squished! That would mean nine more weeks of being pretty much useless, since it takes all morning to recover from walking to the bus. Actually much better in the late afternoon/evening.

Rants/Raves: Um, I think my previous answer was an adequate rant...

Rave - I successfully surprised my husband with a belated birthday thing over the weekend! I felt very resourceful having tracked down contact info for all his friends, and not raising suspicions when I baked a cake midday on Sunday, haha.

Questions: natm

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids?

We don't really have any traditions, so perhaps we should start up something. We don't really celebrate religious holidays, but my family usually gathers on New Years, so perhaps we will join that next year. I guess we have a few years before this is an issue, but I do worry about our kiddo feeling left out if we don't partake in festivities and decorations, etc.

alexxajams

@cmill828 that is just awful! Had he ever spoken that way before? Is this your first time with him as an ob? I would file a complaint. I hope you recover from covid quick. Sorry it’s been rough. Literally cannot believe he had the gall to say any of those things 

EDD / Weeks + Days: 3/20-3/24
24wks but he’s measuring ahead. 

FTM/STM/TTM+: 2TM

Baby is the size of a (an): cantaloupe 

Team blue/pink/green: B

Upcoming Appointments: not till after the new year. Next appt with be another growth scan and Gb test. Also apparently my last 4 week appt as well 🤯

How are you feeling?: Stresssseeed. Life has been something else lately. But I’ve been trying to stay focused on working out, even when I don’t feel good. Trying not to let the stress get to me because I know how much it affects baby. I’m also nervous for baby to Actually be head down at next appt. Cause then that means I have to actually take birth classes and actually have a vaginal birth.. mentally freaking out cause I also didn’t know that when you have a previous C-section, induction is off the table (which I’m fine with) but I told my dr I’m going big (unmedicated birth) or going C-section if he’s not head down lol. 

Rants/Raves: my birthday is coming up and my twenties will be officially dead. But also excited about Christmas and then DD bday is in Jan! 

Little rant: my sister had her 2nd bby in Feb, had a loss over the summer but recently is pregnant again. These next two will Also be three months apart. I’m happy for her but also was a little annoyed inside because I just wanted One pregnancy by myself. It sounds awful but it was cool for us to have our first pregnancies together. She got to have her own the second round. Obviously I’m happy for her to be able to have this pregnancy cause she’s almost out the first trimester, but at the same time.. I have a feeling she will also be having a boy as well..and it bums me out because we already aren’t having a shower even though it’d be nice cause. But I know she will get one.. 

Questions: sorry for long rant. I don’t get to talk much about these things and my hubby has been so supportive. 

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids? 

DD is going to be two soon so I’m hoping she’ll enjoy baking and leaving cookies for Santa even though she hates him lol. 

farm_mama

@kmw611 I am so glad the insurance portion of your kitchen problem is going smoothly!

@cmill828 Shoot! I had covid a few weeks ago and it was no fun. My midwife told me lots of water, tea, and bone broth and to rest as much as possible. I tried to remember to be thankful that it happened in the middle and not when I was miserable and worried at the beginning, and not at the end when I needed to save my strength. I hope you feel better soon.

@cioccolata16 I love Hazel!

@alexxajams My sister and I have little boys a few months apart and it is the best! The boys are so different, but as soon as they were old enough to have opinions about such things they have absolutely been each other's favorite person. It makes playdates and friendships so easy because I only have to coordinate with my sister. Family gatherings are always a blast. My older kids don't have cousins close in age and neither will this LO and I wish they did.

kmw611

@cmill828 I’m sorry to hear you have Covid and that you had such an awful experience with that Dr. He sounds like a real ass. I’ve gained at least 25 lbs this pregnancy and my providers have yet to comment. I honestly don’t think weight should be discussed unless you’re drastically gaining/losing during pregnancy. 

dinomeetsjedi

@cmill828 I'm sorry about your week. That's a lot. I hope you feel better soon! Covid is just unfair on top of pregnancy. Did you get the results from your 3 hour test?

@cioccolata16 I love the name Hazel. Also to test names you like, babynamegenie.com helped me test some of the names I liked and I thought it was helpful.

cmill828

Thank you everyone for your support well wishes 💜 

That was my first appointment with that specific doctor, and the practice tries to schedule you at least once with each delivering doc, so hopefully i can avoid seeing him again.

I did fail the 3 hour test and I'm feeling pretty upset about it. I really want to go natural and not be induced and I just don't know how possible that's going to be now. My fear is being strapped to the bed and not able to walk and labor the way I want to. This has just not been my week. I'm feeling pretty low. Next steps are meeting with a MFM and getting all the supplies to start checking sugars daily. Ugh. 

ceclarlinetlo

@cmill828 I’m right there with you. I failed mine 2 weeks ago and I’m finally finding my footing with my diet. I know atleast 3 friends who had gestational diabetes and were able to go into labor naturally. Hoping that you get that chance as well! I’m a scheduled c section so it’s moot for me. 

cioccolata16

@cmill828 sorry to hear about the diagnosis. It's hard to handle a bunch of disappointment in one week, but I'm sure things we'll improve I've found the Evidence Based Birth podcast really reassuring on topics, and just knowing when procedures are recommended for good reasons (and not just because that's how it's been done). There is an episode and article on GDM and induction, which might be worth a listen. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ebb-78-the-evidence-on-labor-induction-for-gestational-diabetes/ I also have a friend who recently was induced at 38 weeks and managed to labour with just nitrogen gas. I know that's not offered in as many places in the US, but it's worth seeing what pain management options are still available where you're giving birth that would allow you to continue moving around. Then you can also make sure your doctor knows what you would prefer to try before moving to more mobility-reducing interventions. You got this!!

night_nurse

EDD / Weeks + Days: March 7th, 27 weeks today 😱

FTM/STM/TTM+: STM

Baby is the size of a (an): Lettuce or something??

Team blue/pink/green: 💚

Upcoming Appointments:  literally 3 next week, OB for labs, GTT and rhogham, back to perinatology for just ONE image they want, and home birth midwife the next day. Im already tired thinking about it. 

How are you feeling?: Sore. Like everywhere. Sudden SPD and stomach muscle aching. Had a few unpleasant type contraction feelings on Monday after work that thankfully got better after rest. Im just shocked how quickly all this discomfort came on. But grateful I made it this long feeling good.

Rants/Raves: 

Questions: anyone else struggling with SPD already? Thinking maybe it’s a 3rd baby thing.

GTKY: What holiday traditions do you do/would you like to do with your kids? Christmas cookie baking night, lights and hot cocoa a few nights a season, holiday movies and shows all December long, and of course Santa on Christmas morning. Looking forward to it alp ❤️💚

night_nurse

@hedgepig i love the lego holiday diorama idea! My kids would be so into that.

@farm_mama also starting to get so excited! Watched some home birth videos with my oldest this week and it got me start to think about and visualize what is to come!

@halfanewt i feel the same way as a TTM. Im actually doing more postpartum planning than I have previously because in both my experiences that was the only place I fell short both times. DH is really on board to and reading books and planning on how to best help me rest after birth. 

@dinomeetsjedi all of your worries and considerations around a full term birth are completely valid and normal for most people to feel. I found a lot of information listening to lots of other people’s experiences. I am a podcast person and listen to The Birth Hour religiously. Hundreds of free episodes on spotify/apple podcasts.

@kmw611 FX the whole restoration process goes smoothly and you end up with exactly what you want! Can imagine it’s stressful.

@cmill828 i am so sorry you’re sick! Same thing happened to me last pregnancy and i remember it being so devastating. I hope you feel better soon ❤️ also, a very unkind 🖕🏻to your doctor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your weight gain. Weight does not equal health. You will have a healthy pregnancy and birth. Do not let that idiot get in your head. There is so much evidence based research out there about GDM and positive outcomes, like with a low risk pregnancy, there are lots of interventions that will be pushed on you that you most likely don’t need/increase risk of complications. Education will be your biggest tool in achieving the birth you want. You can absolutely do it!!

@alexxajams FWIW both my previous babies haven’t flipped until 36+ weeks. Lots of time for baby to turn.

kmw611

@night_nurse thanks. So far it’s been very smooth with insurance and their recommended contractors. Just waiting on the estimate approval and then getting on the schedule for reconstruction. 

Failed my 3 hour glucose this week. I’m honestly ragey about it. I feel like I don’t have the energy to handle anything else added to
my plate after the last few weeks and now this. My notification from my provider was also a message in the portal basically saying hey you failed, I sent a prescription for a monitor to your pharmacy. Here’s a flier about tracking and foods to avoid which feels completely unsupportive. I’m also extremely picky so this is going to be super great I’m sure😤

ceclarlinetlo

@kmw611 they didn’t refer you to a nursing service or something!? I had a nurse come to my house to walk me thru everything and I honestly felt better after she came. And they gave me plans for reporting my blood sugars and that sort of thing. 

kmw611

@ceclarlinetlo nope just the portal message. I don’t have another appointment for another week so we’ll see what they say when I go in. 

hedgepig

@farm_mama DH put all the holiday lego stuff into bins in storage. He didn't take them all the way apart, but sort of broke them down to fit into bins. And kept the instructions. 

@kmw611 We've been doing the Lego advent calendars but that sounds like a really cool idea too!

@cmill828 That is absolute bullshit from your doctor. I am so sorry you're dealing with that on top of everything else. Remember everyone gains weight differently in pregnancy! How are you feeling? I hope covid is mild for you!

@cioccolata16 Hazel is so cute 😍 

cmill828

@kmw611 My diagnosis was very similar! I logged into the portal to see me results, and was already talking to the nurse re: having covid, so I asked her how much having covid would've effected the gd results (since being sick can naturally raise your glucose). Her response was basically that it didn't matter, my diabetes supplies were being sent to the pharmacy and MFM would be following up. No info whatsoever. I had to google what I was aiming for in my daily blood sugars. They make such a big deal about the test and diagnosis and then basically abandon you. 

cmill828

@hedgepig I'm back to work and feeling better! Getting adjusted to the gdm and finding my footing. Just praying for an easier week this week.

kmw611

@cmill828im glad you’re feeling better. I agree it feels like they make such a big deal
about gd and then abandon you with the results. It’s extremely frustrating.