Randoms 5/30-6/5

ballofmeat · May 2016

And just like that we enter another new month ladies!

ballofmeat · May 2016

Our all day birth class is this Saturday and I am geeking out a little bit about it. I signed up way back in March and I can't believe it is here already. Up until this point, labor and delivery has seemed so far off in the distance, I haven't given it much thought. Now at 28 weeks I still don't feel ready to know the stages of labor or what to expect. DH is really excited for the class and I am kind of dreading it. What the heck is wrong with me?

jamiesc58 · May 2016

Wow! I cannot believe tomorrow is June already! Just think, when we all started this journey, it was winter (well in Michigan anyway lol). Now we have 2 (or just a little more) months and we will be meeting our lo's.

ballofmeat · May 2016

@jamiesc58 I am sooo glad it isn't winter anymore! When I was having a hormonal moment driving to work when the trees were blooming, I thought, these are the leaves my baby is going to see this summer.

bearsandbeets7 · May 2016

I've seen a few newborn babies come through the doctors office this morning and I'm about 1000% certain that I haven't completely forgotten what it's like to take care of a newborn.

Also my head is killing me from the glucose drink, I can't get comfortable in the waiting room, and all I want to do is go back to sleep. I just needed to whine for a minute.

bearsandbeets7 · May 2016

Also I have no patience for these special snowflake threads. Yes we all feel very pregnant. Also I saw this gif someone posted the other day and it is the very essence of how I feel today.

the_other_mother · May 2016

My June is jam packed and I can't wait for it to fly by. I have orientation/tour for the birthing center, childbirth classes for four Thursdays, an ultrasound, seeing the Dr every two weeks now, meeting with a possible doula, and my baby shower!
I'm really looking forward to the classes. I have no idea what to expect but bring it on.
I have a suspicion that as soon as July comes I'm gonna have that "oh shit" moment when it all becomes too real.

ballofmeat · May 2016

@Lynnlove28 my sentiments exactly. If I could hit the "love it" twenty more times, I would have on that link to the symptoms page.

JournoGrl23 · May 2016

I'm excited for June! Both my baby showers are this month and Thursday is my follow up ultrasound and glucose test. I'm also excited to switch to every other week appointments! I feel like that will help my anxiety with this pregnancy a lot.

It does seem like we are getting a lot of those special snowflake threads lately. And they are driving me crazy! I also think it's odd they each start a thread or two and then never join our threads or even come back to answer their own thread. What was the point of posting in the first place?

kristynmac · May 2016

@Lynnlove28 I heard that this happens as our due dates get closer the lurkers come out and ignore any sort of organization or already established threads. I didn't realize how annoyed I would be with it until I open the app and see these!

My random. People's voices are really beginning to annoy me--not everyone's, but the high/fake ones! I stopped going to the Caribou Coffee by my house because the drive thru guy is overly cheery and always says "super cool!" after my order.

ballofmeat · May 2016

@kristynmac Love the gif, I am also feeling the same way. Certain voices of co-workers now have me cringing. It's like PMS x 100.

Snaps816 · May 2016

Anyone else not feeling baby move that often? For the last few weeks I've been getting little spurts of activity here and there, where it feels like the baby is dancing around in there for half an hour or so... but then I can easily go two days and barely feel a thing. The tried-and-true methods of stimulating baby (sugar, caffeine, cold drinks) don't seem to do much. Of course each time it makes me so nervous, and my mind goes to worst-case scenarios. I have anterior placenta and I've also put on some fat lately, so I'm hoping this is just due to extra "padding" around baby. Anyone else feel this way?

AliKay20 · May 2016

I'm recovering from the sun and the heat when we were out and about yesterday.

Teleworking but I'm in need of a nap.

Also, the gorilla that had to be put down at the Cinncinati zoo because a kid ended up in the cage?

I just can't take it...I heard he celebrated his 17th birthday the day before this incident. What a helpless situation to be in...both for the gorilla and the parents of the kid that ended up down there. Breaks my heart!

Curls919 · May 2016

AliKay20 said:

I'm recovering from the sun and the heat when we were out and about yesterday.

Teleworking but I'm in need of a nap.

Also, the gorilla that had to be put down at the Cinncinati zoo because a kid ended up in the cage?

I just can't take it...I heard he celebrated his 17th birthday the day before this incident. What a helpless situation to be in...both for the gorilla and the parents of the kid that ended up down there. Breaks my heart!

Apparently a 4 year old somehow got into the enclosure. It's uncertain if the gorilla was trying to protect him or harm him (but he's a 400lb gorilla so they said even if he was "protecting" the kid it could have caused serious harm). They shot the gorilla instead of tranquilizing him because the tranquilizer takes a few min to set in and could agitate the gorilla which could also have caused more harm to the kid. All around it's a sucky, horrible situation.

kristynmac · May 2016

@Snaps816 I think we are getting to the time when the baby has less room to move and they are reaching their "lazy" stage. The moves I feel are less quick and subtle and more slow, hard jabs. It is a little scary though, I used to feel like he was always having a party and the movements are less frequent now.

Curls919 · May 2016

I had possibly the stupidest hormonal moment yesterday. I'm sorting through and organizing DS's old clothing (yay for nesting!). He was 6 1/2 lbs when he was born at 36w. They told me this baby is on track to be 8+ lbs if born close to the due date. As I went through the newborn size stuff I just kept thinking that this kid may never even wear that size (some say it fits up to 7lbs). Not that I WANT a preemie but I wouldn't complain if this kid came at maybe 37 or 38 weeks. I also found myself hoping it's a girl if it won't wear DS's clothing anyway

tisunge602 · May 2016

Snaps816 said:

Anyone else not feeling baby move that often? For the last few weeks I've been getting little spurts of activity here and there, where it feels like the baby is dancing around in there for half an hour or so... but then I can easily go two days and barely feel a thing. The tried-and-true methods of stimulating baby (sugar, caffeine, cold drinks) don't seem to do much. Of course each time it makes me so nervous, and my mind goes to worst-case scenarios. I have anterior placenta and I've also put on some fat lately, so I'm hoping this is just due to extra "padding" around baby. Anyone else feel this way?

*raises hand* ME! I also have an anterior placenta and I can't believe how much LESS movement I feel with this baby compared to my first. It's like a 10 week difference (as in, I'm feeling now what I was feeling around 20 weeks with DS1). It's very odd. It's starting to get a little bit more frequent now, though, which is making me feel better (29w tomorrow).

JournoGrl23 · May 2016

Snaps816 said:

Anyone else not feeling baby move that often? For the last few weeks I've been getting little spurts of activity here and there, where it feels like the baby is dancing around in there for half an hour or so... but then I can easily go two days and barely feel a thing. The tried-and-true methods of stimulating baby (sugar, caffeine, cold drinks) don't seem to do much. Of course each time it makes me so nervous, and my mind goes to worst-case scenarios. I have anterior placenta and I've also put on some fat lately, so I'm hoping this is just due to extra "padding" around baby. Anyone else feel this way?

I was just saying this in the PGAL thread yesterday. In the last few days I've been feeling a lot less movement and it's not as intense. I think it's like PP said and they're just running out of room in there.

charmedlifex3 · May 2016

@curls919 They released that the boy had "serious but non life threatening injuries" from the encounter. So either way, the child was already injured, regardless of the gorilla's intent.

Also, can I just say, this type of thing is why I am a huge fan of "Leashes" for kiddos. I used to work with kids, and one time a mother was distracted writing a check at the studio - her son was almost 3, and he took off running. She noticed right off, but he had a 5 second head start or so. By the time she caught up to him, he had made it out the automatic doors, and run straight in front of two cars (who thank God, stopped in time - one just barely.)

Airports, amusement parks, zoos, malls - if my kiddo is the type to book it / disappear on me, they will be wearing a leash. I was that type of kid... so I can see how this could happen. My mom would tie string around my wrist after I disappeared on her a couple of times in public.

I won't lie, being able to leash my kiddo (when warranted, not every outing) was important enough to me it was a pre-pregnancy negotiation with my DH.

cal031686 · May 2016

Yay for the bump finally letting me reply again after an update!!!

I had this pregnancy's first awkward belly rub encounter this weekend. My best friend's sister in law was preparing to leave our holiday gathering. She came over really close almost like she was waiting for a hug goodbye or something. Then in slow motion she reaches out and rubs the belly and says "Bye baby." I just stood there kind of dumbfounded because everyone knows I'm not a touchy feely person and secondly you don't touch a bump without asking!!

bearsandbeets7 · May 2016

@Snaps816 yes! I remember how stressed it would make me when I was pregnant with DD. The bigger they get the less room they have, and the less often they move. One of the midwives told me to start kick counts which helps. Sometimes I panic a little and try to think of the last time I felt LO move.

cal031686 · May 2016

LO Was worrying me as well with lack of movement over the weekend too. I remember the idea of "kick counts" but couldn't remember specifics. I need to Google and find a good reference for it again.

Curls919 · May 2016

@Allisun85 - I agree. We brought a backpack leash with us to Disney last year but thankfully DS was good so we didn't need it. We just talked to him a LOT about always making sure he's with mommy & daddy. Though we may have done TOO good a job and said "mommy OR daddy" not mommy AND daddy because any time either of us went to the bathroom he'd scream at us to come back haha

I used the stroller and wore him a lot when I thought he'd be a flight risk (at the zoo, mall, etc). Nothing wrong with making sure your kid is with you and not running off!

Bookhousegirl · May 2016

@Allisun85 now they have those backpacks with a "leash" attached so it doesn't have to feel so "leashy". I never thought I would get one for my kids, until DS turned 2. Now I think about how useful it would be all the time. He is the king of the quick, subtle, take off, so I'm definitely going to get one for when the new baby comes.

charmedlifex3 · May 2016

@bookhousegirl I had one family which used to come in, and they had a lion back pack, and the "leash" looked like a tail. It was super cute. If they were somewhere safe, they would hand him the "tail" - With that family, I saw how the back pack leashes can teach boundaries. The little guy was about two, but even when he had the "tail" he would ask before going more than 4 or 5 feet away from his parents, but anything within that bubble he'd wander without worrying about it.

@Curls919 LOL! That is too funny. I love how literal toddlers can be.

charmedlifex3 · May 2016

@snaps816 The other thing my midwife said to do, was make sure I did kick counts every day at the *same time* - Like if I tried to do them now? He is snooze baby. He seems to be awake from 7-10ish every night, so I make sure I do kick counts between 8-9.

And this may be mean, but he reacts if I poke him. So if I haven't felt him in awhile - I poke.

tisunge602 · May 2016

Just laid my 2.5yo down for his first nap in his toddler bed. It took 5x of coming out of his room, one pee break, lots of repeating of the rule "I have to stay in my bed," and a back rub, but he is finally asleep an hour later. Anyone have tips for the toddler bed transition?

Snaps816 · May 2016

Glad to know I'm not alone -- thanks, Ladies. I have a doctor's appointment this Friday, too, so I can at least hear the heartbeat.

Regarding the thing with the gorilla, I read somewhere that "this is the sad reality of keeping wild animals in captivity," and I thought that really hit the nail on the head. Of course the zoo had to put the child's safety above all else, and I think they made the right call. But that gorilla didn't deserve to be in a place where this could happen (and by that I mean in captivity in general, as well as in an enclosure that was not secure). He was only behaving in a way that was natural to him and was killed for it. That zoo really failed him.

Also, this and some other incidents I've heard about really make me question the regulation/inspection process of zoos -- like how is a zoo allowed to be open to the public when its enclosures can be breached by a small child?!

ballofmeat · May 2016

Well my mid morning and afternoon was filled with some action. I started getting sharp pain and cramping this morning and when it didn't go away for an hour I got to thinking I hadn't felt baby move in a while. I called the nurse and she told me to come in.

I get to the OB and they hook me up to the monitor, of course LO starts kicking up a storm and the contractions petered out. I am thankful everything is ok and contractions stopped, but I'm on bed rest for the day and tomorrow. My OB said that baby now at this stage has spurts of REM sleep and a schedule, so to not be too alarmed if I don't feel her consistently through the day. So for those who are worried about movement, it may not be every hour.

Also, it was the first time I had to wear the monitors and I've decided I hate how they squeeze your belly. Can't wait to wear them for the labor...not.

ballofmeat · May 2016

In regards to the gorilla story, I saw this posting shared on FB and what she said really makes the most sense to me. Her name is Amanda O'donoughue if you want to look it up. I am not sure if it is a complete reputable source or not, but she has some valid points.

****post from FB ****
I am going to try to clear up a few things that have been weighing on me about Harambe and the Cinci Zoo since I read the news this afternoon.

I have worked with Gorillas as a zookeeper while in my twenties (before children) and they are my favorite animal (out of dozens) that I have ever worked closely with. I am gonna go ahead and list a few facts, thoughts and opinions for those of you that aren't familiar with the species itself, or how a zoo operates in emergency situations.

Now Gorillas are considered 'gentle giants' at least when compared with their more aggressive cousins the chimpanzee, but a 400+ pound male in his prime is as strong as roughly 10 adult humans. What can you bench press? OK, now multiply that number by ten. An adult male silverback gorilla has one job, to protect his group. He does this by bluffing or intimidating anything that he feels threatened by.

Gorillas are considered a Class 1 mammal, the most dangerous class of mammals in the animal kingdom, again, merely due to their size and strength. They are grouped in with other apes, tigers, lions, bears, etc.

While working in an AZA accredited zoo with Apes, keepers DO NOT work in contact with them. Meaning they do NOT go in with these animals. There is always a welded mesh barrier between the animal and the humans.

In more recent decades, zoos have begun to redesign enclosures, removing all obvious caging and attempting to create a seamless view of the animals for the visitor to enjoy watching animals in a more natural looking habitat. *this is great until little children begin falling into exhibits* which of course can happen to anyone, especially in a crowded zoo-like setting.

I have watched this video over again, and with the silverback's postering, and tight lips, it's pretty much the stuff of any keeper's nightmares, and I have had MANY while working with them. This job is not for the complacent. Gorillas are kind, curious, and sometimes silly, but they are also very large, very strong animals. I always brought my OCD to work with me. checking and rechecking locks to make sure my animals and I remained separated before entering to clean.

I keep hearing that the Gorilla was trying to protect the boy. I do not find this to be true. Harambe reaches for the boys hands and arms, but only to position the child better for his own displaying purposes.

Males do very elaborate displays when highly agitated, slamming and dragging things about. Typically they would drag large branches, barrels and heavy weighted balls around to make as much noise as possible. Not in an effort to hurt anyone or anything (usually) but just to intimidate. It was clear to me that he was reacting to the screams coming from the gathering crowd.

Harambe was most likely not going to separate himself from that child without seriously hurting him first (again due to mere size and strength, not malicious intent) Why didn't they use treats? well, they attempted to call them off exhibit (which animals hate), the females in the group came in, but Harambe did not. What better treat for a captive animal than a real live kid!

They didn't use Tranquilizers for a few reasons, A. Harambe would've taken too long to become immobilized, and could have really injured the child in the process as the drugs used may not work quickly enough depending on the stress of the situation and the dose B. Harambe would've have drowned in the moat if immobilized in the water, and possibly fallen on the boy trapping him and drowning him as well.

Many zoos have the protocol to call on their expertly trained dart team in the event of an animal escape or in the event that a human is trapped with a dangerous animal. They will evaluate the scene as quickly and as safely as possible, and will make the most informed decision as how they will handle the animal.

I can't point fingers at anyone in this situation, but we need to really evaluate the safety of the animal enclosures from the visitor side. Not impeding that view is a tough one, but there should be no way that someone can find themselves inside of an animal's exhibit.

I know one thing for sure, those keepers lost a beautiful, and I mean gorgeous silverback and friend. I feel their loss with them this week. As educators and conservators of endangered species, all we can do is shine a light on the beauty and majesty of these animals in hopes to spark a love and a need to keep them from vanishing from our planet. Child killers, they are not. It's unfortunate for the conservation of the species, and the loss of revenue a beautiful zoo such as Cinci will lose. tragedy all around.

charmedlifex3 · May 2016

@midwestbaby Glad everything turned out okay! That is scary... keep depending on your hospital's policy, you may not have to wear them once you are in active labor. A lot of place will just monitor once an hour if there is not another risk factor, so you can be up and moving to keep labor moving along. Right now of course, they do NOT want us to move things along if we are having labor symptoms, and want to monitor as closely as a possible.

And the little guy totally has a schedule - I am kinda hoping he keeps to it when he comes out. My DH has been making fun of me, that we have a type A baby because he does keep so tightly to his schedule. (DH is much more relaxed than I am. I like spreadsheets)

ballofmeat · May 2016

@Allisun85 I made a comment about how tight the monitor was and the nurse said I had to wear it through my labor too. Maybe she just meant only some of the time. I hope so, because I would like to be able to get up and move around if I decide to decline the epi. Still undecided for an unmedicated birth.

I am with ya on the spreadsheets. DH thought I was nuts when I started one for baby clothes by size. Now he thinks it's great so we can keep track with it all still packed away.

Mfuller76 · May 2016

@midwestbaby Glad everything is ok!

AMCooper000 · May 2016

So so happy everything turned out to be ok @midwestbaby I know how scary that is (the same thing happened to me last month).

JournoGrl23 · May 2016

@midwestbaby I'm glad everything is OK! And I'm glad you went in to get checked out just in case.

Bookhousegirl · May 2016

@midwestbaby glad everything turned out ok!! Those moniters are a pain in the butt, mine kept slipping during labor and setting off the alarms, which is not what you want to hear while having a contraction!

pelorunningmama · May 2016

@midwestbaby glad everything is ok! Also, thanks for sharing that perspective on the gorilla story. It is all so sad. I struggle with zoos. I don't want to keep my children from experiencing them but I just can't get fully behind keeping the animals in captivity, especially the ones that are born there. I appreciate what they do for animals that have been rescued, but this story is so sad. I'm glad the 4 year old is ok.

Curls919 · May 2016

tisunge602 said:

Just laid my 2.5yo down for his first nap in his toddler bed. It took 5x of coming out of his room, one pee break, lots of repeating of the rule "I have to stay in my bed," and a back rub, but he is finally asleep an hour later. Anyone have tips for the toddler bed transition?

When DS was climbing out of bed at night we'd tell him what fun thing we had planned the next day and that we would take it away if he didn't stay in bed. That seemed to help.

becca7903 · May 2016

tisunge602 said:

Just laid my 2.5yo down for his first nap in his toddler bed. It took 5x of coming out of his room, one pee break, lots of repeating of the rule "I have to stay in my bed," and a back rub, but he is finally asleep an hour later. Anyone have tips for the toddler bed transition?

With our first, we read somewhere that if they have a certain lovey/stuffed animal to use that as a bargaining tool. The first time he comes out, let him know that if he does it again then favorite toy will be taken away. If he comes out the second time, tuck him back in, take away toy and explain that you'll bring it back in a couple of minutes if he stays in bed. Just don't be like us and completely forget to take it back in! I think it took two nights before our little guy caught on and started staying in bed. Good luck!

tisunge602 · May 2016

@Curls919 That might work - thanks!
@becca7903 He doesn't have a lovey. But he does still use a pacifier -- maybe that would work.

AliKay20 · May 2016

@midwestbaby so glad to hear everything is okay!! Thanks for that post on the gorilla incident. It is just sad all around!

Also, while the outside weather may be either raining or scorching hot, our board seems to be getting A LOT OF SNOW lately.

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