Pregnancy Check In

Two*True · January 2013

How's everyone doing? Anyone have a question?

As always, if you want to be added to the due date list, or update info, just post it in this thread and I'll add it for the next week.

LGBT Parenting Due Dates:

December

Valeriegp - 12/26

February

newmompeanut - 2/14 Girl

Shamrock - 2/17 Girl

2moms2b - 2/21 Twin Boys - arriving 2/4

March

CageyMack - 3/11 Boy

karah0011 - 3/11 Girl

JGY - 3/14

April

Twinkler2011 - 4/5

nmartin1108 - 4/9

mypalbabs - 4/16

stringy813 - 4/25

May

h00l - 5/27

June

deegadee9 - 6/20

Clairmeij - 6/21

Alysia82 - 6/23

July

Jennicole85 - 7/4

Two*True - 7/9 - Twins!

August

jrtmom - 8/5

tdmklm - 8/11

JoySeattle - 8/13

only1leia - 8/15

AmandaG47 - 8/22

jeannkerri - 8/23 - Team Green!

greenparrot01 - 8/26

2MamazInSeattle - 8/29

JGY · January 2013

Good Morning,

If you would, please add "Boy" to my entry. Thanks!

Well this past week things with pregnancy have finally caught up with me a bit. While I finally seem to be progressing past this mystery cold/bronchitis/etc. thing that's been hounding me forever, I now seem to actually be feeling the physical effects of the pregnancy on my body. It's honestly like someone just tied a 19 lb boulder around my waist, and it was very sudden. Like ... one day I felt pretty normal, and the next day I was carrying around all this extra weight. I think it's because his position shifted down a bit. I honestly don't mind it at all, it's just interesting and different.

We managed to get a few things accomplished for the nursery this weekend, which is nice. And my Mom and Sister fly in on Thursday for our Saturday Baby Shower. I'm pretty excited about that, but also feel the pressure to get the house cleaned and get organized in advance of their arrival. Could be tough with some of the other things we have going on at home this week, but we'll figure it out.

How is everyone else doing? I can't believe I'm the first to respond this week. Big Smile (well, I was when I started writing this).

JoySeattle · January 2013

TT - can you can add "Team Green!" to ours as well?

I'm starting to feel my uterus/low belly expand and it's visible (mainly bloat though I think) in the evenings. I'm feeling better overall (especially now that I'm over my cold) and looking forward to the second tri in a couple/few weeks.

We're preparing to head out on a road trip on Thursday and in consideration of my state (i.e. bladder) we've divided the itinerary so that each segment is approximately 5-6 hours of driving per day. That means we can stop once or twice without it feeling ridiculous. We're also staying in a hotel the first night so that should feel like a bit of vacation in addition to seeing/staying with family the rest of the time. We're sharing the news with family as we go and hoping that we can keep the lid on it until the end of the trip so no one spoils the surprise for the next stop. I'm planning to tell my mom on Wednesday before we leave (and she's actually the one who will have the hardest time keeping quiet for 7-10 days until we can tell my sisters and family in Southern California). When we get back we'll finish consults with home birth midwives and make our decision about who we'll work with, then start telling friends!

jennicole85 · January 2013

Nothing really new here. Our next appt isn't until January 31st and that is when we will schedule the AS, yay for finding out the sex!.

My belly is starting to slightly pop as well! To people that don't know it looks like I'm just putting on some weight. I can't wait for my belly to really pop in the next few weeks so I finally look pregnant and not fat lol.

2moms2b · January 2013

Update - Still rocking bed rest. I have lost some weight but my doctor assures me it is normal as my swelling is now better under control I am not retaining as much water. My doctor did a quick check this morning and I am still not progressed past 2cm but I am thinned quite a bit more (about 80%). He said that is totally normal and what we are watching for is progress on that 2cm (well we don't want progress on that). Our c-section date is set for the 25th but the doctor said if on the 23rd/24th we are still doing really well, the boys are fine, I am still hanging in there then we can push it back to the 31st to make it to full term!!!!!!! He said that he would love us to make it to full term and will do what he can but be prepared at any time now.

That was honestly the push I needed to keep trucking. Basically the boys are both weighing in estimated right at 5lbs each and I can tell you 10lbs of baby is heavy. Plus they have dropped. Jake is sitting in the birth canal literally butt first. I am not sleeping well at night but I think that has to do with the naps I take during the day. Plus the boys activity level has picked up (or they have grown so far out of room I feel everything) so my belly has been physically sore.

So in summary, things are going much better than expected but we have been put on notice. Our bags are packed and in the car, things in the house are done and now we wait. Grow boys grow for just another couple of weeks please!

clairmeij · January 2013

I'm doing pretty well. I definitely look pregnant now, although to some it might still look like I ate too much over the holiday season I've been having hip pain, but sleeping with a snoogle has helped quite a bit, as has acupuncture.

In response to the QOTD - I had read somewhere that male sperm survives the freeze/thaw process better than females, so statistically the male child is more likely. Not sure how true that is, but I am sure that someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.

LolaBelle515 · January 2013

I'm not pregnant, but was reading through all your updates and stumbled on the QOTD:

I've always wondered (and maybe even asked this once upon a time) if folks (not just lesbian) that do IUI/IVF are more likely to have a boy because the inseminations are timed so intentionally. Since boy sperm swims faster, I would think if the egg were ready, there would be a (at least) slightly higher chance that the boy sperm would be more likely to get to that egg first.

But, given that I know absolutely nothing of the actual science of it, I could be laughed at right now...so, be gentle if I'm an idiot!

JGY · January 2013

stringy813:

Not really a question of the day...but last week I saw someone commented that they thought lesbians statistically were more likely to have boys? I'd never heard that before - is that true? If so can someone point me towards a source? I thought gender was 50/50 no matter what.

I have heard this numerous times, but it has to do with IUI specifically, rather than being lesbian. The reasoning that I have been given is that chromosomally male sperm tend to be "Sprinters" while their femal counterparts are more "Marathoners." So, because the timing of IUI is so specific and we really try to maximize that short window by having sperm meet egg exactly when egg makes its entrance, then logically a sprinter tends to get there first most of the time.

Anyone have any more medically sound to provide? I'm always fascinated by discussions about this stuff.

JGY · January 2013

LolaBelle515:

I'm not pregnant, but was reading through all your updates and stumbled on the QOTD:

I've always wondered (and maybe even asked this once upon a time) if folks (not just lesbian) that do IUI/IVF are more likely to have a boy because the inseminations are timed so intentionally. Since boy sperm swims faster, I would think if the egg were ready, there would be a (at least) slightly higher chance that the boy sperm would be more likely to get to that egg first.

But, given that I know absolutely nothing of the actual science of it, I could be laughed at right now...so, be gentle if I'm an idiot!

Hah! Maybe it's just the Minnesota story. Big Smile

2moms2b · January 2013

In response to the QOTD - I had read somewhere that male sperm survives the freeze/thaw process better than females, so statistically the male child is more likely. Not sure how true that is, but I am sure that someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.

I have heard this as well. I have also heard that statistically those that seek fertility treatments and use a trigger/IUI are more likely to produce a boy than a girl. This is due to the fact that boy sperm are faster swimmers and will make it to the egg first and survive the thaw process better.

Scientist have show (in fresh samples) that girl sperm are much slower swimmers but survive longer where as boy sperm are very aggressive fast swimmers but tire out and die faster (generally within 24 hours). If you follow this, then they say you can affect the sex of your baby based on when you time insemination no matter the method as long as using fresh sperm.

For example if using a fresh sample that can survive days inside the uterus, based on this theory, you can inseminate roughly 48 hours prior to ovulation and if you achieve pregnancy it will most likely be a girl. Where as those that inseminate right at or after ovulation generally would be statistically higher for a boy although they say the method works better for girls than boys. The only downfall stated for this method is if trying for a girl expect the time to achieve pregnancy to be much greater as your chances are reduced significantly when inseminating that early.

It's obviously not fail proof (this board alone can show that) but there is a whole group of doctors that have written books based on this method calling it natural sex selection. I believe the Shettles Method is one of the books about this.

Two*True · January 2013

Didn't mean to post and run but I'm getting called into a 3 hour meeting, starting ASAP. I'll make all the updates and additions though :-)

2moms2b · January 2013

stringy813:
I have heard about the whole boy sperm swimming faster theory, and when I first heard it my first thought was to wonder if there really is male vs female sperm? Or does each sperm contain both and when things start happening just happen to donate the x or y? Same for eye color or any other trait? I'd never thought about it before, does anyone know that is true, that there are boy/girl sperm?
Based on these ideas I'm going to go with the theory that our active baby girl has already out sprinted all the boys :-)
I'm also interested to see in our small, unscientific sample of 20-30 using a mix of fresh and frozen, what our ratio will be.

It would definitely be interesting to see what our statistics show. Although I think they would definitely be a biased sampling as we all have timed our insemination to go with our ovulation. So I would think statistically we would have more boys than girls (which I believe we do to date).

What I think would be fairly accurate though is those that have a girl or are pregnant with a girl and did they use fresh vs frozen to back the statement that girl sperm don't survive the thaw as well as boy sperm.

It would be very interesting if anyone wants to chime in.

We used frozen and are pregnant with twin boys.

only1leia · January 2013

Update: DP had her first craving last week (watermelon!) which I dutifully picked up from the store and brought to her at work. Also, she thinks she felt movement for the first time last night/this morning. Everything seems to be going well so far (knock on wood), and only a couple weeks until the second trimester. =D

As to the gender, it will be interesting to see what everyone's results are. We used fresh sperm, but won't know gender until August (at least we are trying not to find out until the baby is born). We inseminated one day before ovulation, and one day after. I guess that means our chances are 50/50? I don't know.

karah0011 · January 2013

Just hit the 32 week mark! I can't believe how fast and slow this is all going. I got panicked last night and we went to Target to pick up things for our hospital bag. march moms are having their babies already! I freaked and bought the essentials so we can be ready at any moment. Sounds crazy, I know. We have an appt with our adoption attorney tomorrow...I'm anxious to see the steps and process that is ahead of us when Kenley is born. We are so thankful that New Mexico allows second parent adoption!

Another appt to meet a pediatrician on Thursday and midwife and hospital tour on Saturday! Phew! I panicked last week and finally scheduled all of these important things. I will be glad when Sunday hits and we can relax!

Twinkler2011 · January 2013

Can you add "boy" to mine as well Smile

Everything here is nearly the same as last week. 28 week appointment is tomorrow and I think I may have to start going every 2 weeks now? Not positive but I guess I will find out.

Ohhh and my breasts are leaking like Im a jersey dairy cow! Moo....ugh!

JoySeattle · January 2013

Sperm is chromosomally either X or Y (the other X comes from the ovum). X sperm (those that will result in a female offspring) are slightly larger, heartier (live longer) but are slower; whereas Y (those that will result in a male offspring) are slightly smaller, more vulnerable, but faster. I have never heard that Y sperm survive freezing and thawing better than X and everything I know about sperm would appear to confirm otherwise. I'd love any resources on this.

As a few pp have mentions, I have heard it is due to common insemination timing of trying to meet the waiting egg rather than having (expensive, and more fragile frozen) sperm lying around dying off while they wait for ovulation.

When sperm travels through the vaginal canal and then the cervix the semen and some of the sperms' protection is removed. This is slightly easier on the heartier X sperm than the Y sperm. But once inside, the Y sperm are generally faster getting to the egg. It takes a significant number of sperm working together to breakdown the protective covering of the egg, but only one sperm enters. It is whether that sperm carries an Y or X chromosome that determines the sex of the resulting embryo.

So if the egg is already there and the sperm are deposited (especially via IUI which helps out the more vulnerable Y sperm) the fast little guys (pun intended) may reach the egg first.

All that aside, I'm not sure that I've seen real statistically significant data that shows that indeed same-sex female couples and/or those using assisted reproductive technology are more likely to have males than females. Again, I'd love any evidence-based resources on this.

jeannkerricotober09 · January 2013

Things are good here. I can't believe how pregnant I feel/ look the second time around. It was so small with N, I didn't show until way into the second trimester but already I have a small bump 24 hours a day. Common sense tells me bloat but since it doesn't go down, I'm thinking its probably my uterus, all out of wack, from delivering 14 months ago. My belly band doesn't even fit and I've only gained .5 pounds! Here's hoping it slows down. I loved carrying small. I was comfortable all the way to the delivery room.

Re QOTD: I don't know who it was that said the more boys statement at the last pregnancy checkin but I stayed up all night obsessing about it after I read it and I came up with 23 girls and 14 boys who I personally know, born to lesbian couples via IUI and IVF.

clairmeij · January 2013

JoySeattle:
Sperm is chromosomally either X or Y the other X comes from the ovum. X sperm those that will result in a female offspring are slightly larger, heartier live longer but are slower; whereas Y those that will result in a male offspring are slightly smaller, more vulnerable, but faster. I have never heard that Y sperm survive freezing and thawing better than X and everything I know about sperm would appear to confirm otherwise. I'd love any resources on this.

So would I : I'm trying for the life of me to remember where I read this. If I find it, I'll definitely share it!

2MamazInSeattle · January 2013

Hi Everyone!

Fun to read all the updates. We will find out what we're having so we are a "TBD" - my other half, J, insists. She said it will help her feel more connected to the baby, and since it's in my belly, I feel pretty connected so I can't argue with her reasoning! We did IVF with ICSI, so they injected the 'best sperm' into the egg - not sure if there is a gender impact by this method. We've thought it was a boy from Day 1. So we'll see! We're happy for either of course.

I will be 8 weeks on Thursday! Where does the time go? I've finally had a bit of woozy yucky feelings but still don't consider myself suffering too badly. Otherwise, just expected behavior - tired, sore boobs, nearly falling over at qigong class while the 80 year olds kick my butt, etc. . I started prenatal yoga at 6 weeks and that is going well and seems to give me energy, along with regular walks around Greenlake (~3 miles).

We have our 2nd ultrasound on Friday! So excited to get another glimpse of Babykins. We have an appointment with a group of midwives as well as an OB at the hospital I prefer to deliver at. Their midwives there rejected me because I had weight loss surgery (lapband) 7 years ago. I cried I was so upset. But, we carried on and just figured we will find the right provider. We signed up for childbirth education classes with childbirth legend Penny Simkin - super excited about that. She 'sells out' and I really wanted J to have her. I went through her doula training many moons ago and assisted her in this class for a couple years back then. I feel like I know a lot but it's been a long time, and of course it's different when the baby is in your belly and not other people's.

J has also gone to task creating an office for herself in the basement to free up the front bedroom for a nursery. That's been fun to watch! She is excited to create space for our LO.

That's all for the moment! Glad you are all well!

Jenn

h00l · January 2013

I am doing well. My biggest complaint right now is how much my feet hurt at the end of the day! Ugh! My job requires a lot of time on my feet and by the end I seriously feel like all the bones in my feet are broken.

We are starting to reorganize the house and get the nursery ready. We are switching the rooms around and it is driving me crazy having the house in such disarray! I'm trying to maintain my sanity by envisioning the end result and thinking about how much I am going to love it when it is done.

Our biggest news is that we are having a girl! We are so excited! There are lots of boys in both of our families so it will be nice to change it up a bit.

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