Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby powerfulcheese04 » Fri Sep 06, 2013 12:09 pm

Awww yay!!! Baby girls are awesome!
-Kim

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby steph » Fri Sep 06, 2013 12:35 pm

So happy for you! That little girl is getting the best life ever!
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I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:14 am

So the extreme fatigue plus the fun insomnia that has resurface lately has left me beyond tired. I am dead on my feet. It is terrible. And I think to myself, "Is this what it will be like with a newborn? Will it be worse? What the hell did I get myself into?"

Today I am sick and tired and so unhappy, and I wish I wasn't pregnant.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby steph » Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:17 am

*hugs*

I really like that you feel safe enough with us to share these feelings. We love you, Kelly!
"When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:10 pm

Thanks steph.

It's odd. I don't really want to meditate on pregnancy the way I did on my wedding, and on other big life events. I'm not writing about it much here, or on my blog, or in a journal, or anywhere, really. I go to therapy bi-weekly and get to discuss it a lot there, and I talk about it with David and some family, of course. But really I find talking about it almost as much of a downer as experiencing it is. I kind of expected to be writing at least weekly about each new milestone and such, and it's just not turning out that way (much like my expectations for pregnancy in general!)

But when I do need to blurt something out, it's nice to know I can do it here.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Mon Oct 14, 2013 10:13 am

My anti-nausea meds ran out a few weeks ago, and since I was feeling okay I decided not to refill. Up until now there's been some touch and go moments, but over all it's been much better. Until today. And now I feel like I'm back in first trimester hell. I am so close to 28 weeks, in the third trimester, and still puking. Really?

Our baby shower was this weekend and it was lovely, but our requests for some color variety and gender neutral things went unheeded. It is a pink explosion. I like the color pink, and I don't mind my daughter wearing it. But I'd like her to wear other colors, too. And if I have to look at all pink all the time for the next straight year I'll lose my mind. So David and I will be doing some shopping and scouring thrift stores and garage sales to help even things out a bit.

My mother and my sister came out to visit for the weekend and it was wonderful and hard and I've been crying ever since they left yesterday afternoon, because sometimes it feels really, really unfair that I live so far away from the people and places that I love.

I am having second thoughts about our decided baby name, and it's weird. We're not sharing the name until the baby is born, but a lot of people know it's on my list of favorites, so I doubt it will be a surprise to anyone. Lately, though, I am feeling strange about it. Like I've said it too many times in a row and it's starting to sound odd to me. David is not having any second thoughts at all and really wants to stick with the name we've chosen. He already thinks of a girl as that name, and we do refer to her by name a lot when we're talking to each other. I didn't expect to deal with this sudden hesitancy. I wonder if this is a common thing?

I still hate being pregnant. I am finally wearing for real maternity clothes. I feel awkward and unbalanced, and I'm in a lot of pain, particularly in my groin and legs. Lower back pain is present, but manageable, whereas the leg and groin pain is really almost intolerable. Still battling insomnia and losing fiercely. Heartburn has gotten worse over the last week, but actually is not as terrible as I expected.

My next appointment is on Friday, and I have to take the glucose test a second time. I already took the one hour test and passed. My midwife wanted me to take it early, because I've got some factors that put me at risk for gd. Since I passed I thought that would be the end of it. But she wants me to take it again, just in case. Great.

It is weird to suddenly have a lot of baby things in the apartment.

I am increasingly terrified of giving birth. David and I are signing up for birth classes, lactation consultants, etc, and have started the rough outline of our birth plan. Being informed and doing research is not making me feel more calm and capable. It is freaking me out.

Basically, things still suck. I am still sick. I am still always crying. I am excited to meet our baby girl, and want very much to get to know her. But that still doesn't even feel real.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Petra456 » Mon Oct 14, 2013 5:15 pm

It really sucks that you're having such a hard time with this. When I read your updates it reminds me when my older Sister was pregnant with my nephew. She had the hardest time and was sick clear up until the last month. I really hope everything calms down!

*hugs*
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And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby steph » Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:37 am

I have a whole list of ”stale names.” So many names I thought I'd use but just seemed old and not right after a time. It's why we never finalize the name until after birth. It took us 3 days to finalize Jocelyn's name. We both liked Everly best....until we saw her. It was NOT her name. Then it was between Morgan and Jocelyn. We went back and forth for days. We both preferred Morgan, but it didn't seem quite right. One night, both of us tossed and turned all night and in the morning revealed to each other that we both thought her name was supposed to be Jocelyn. And so she was named.

*hugs* Love you. Wish I could come massage you.
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I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Gravity Defier » Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:18 pm

My next appointment is on Friday, and I have to take the glucose test a second time.
So...things still all clear here? *crosses fingers*
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:17 am

Things are all good! Definitely do not have gestational diabetes and will not have to take the test again for the duration of this pregnancy. Yahoo! Otherwise, all is well. Baby was being uncooperative and kept wiggling around, so it took my midwife several long minutes to pin her down long enough to get the heartbeat, but wriggly baby is still in there and doing great.

I feel ginormous. I know, too, that I am going to get so much bigger in the next 12 weeks (TWELVE WEEKS, WHAT). I can't imagine it though. Am huge. Officially doing the pregnant waddle. David says I look like Christopher Walken shuffling around the apartment (not really sure what this means, but he thinks it's hilarious).

Our crib (or, "the baby cage" as I've been calling it) and dresser/changing table are in and scheduled for delivery next week. Yikes! More baby stuff. More crashing into reality.

David and I finally signed up for several classes through our hospital: a birthing class, infant safety and CPR, breastfeeding, and newborn care. Most of the classes are scheduled for December, so it's going to be a busy month.

Baby is moving all the time now, but I still can't distinguish between foot, elbow, head, etc. All just feels like random, surprisingly strong alien movements to me. Am supposed to be doing kick counts now, but keep forgetting.

I strongly think pregnancy books should have warnings when graphic images are coming up. Was casually flipping through a book this weekend and was confronted unexpectedly with a close up photograph of a real baby's head coming out of a real vagina. Somewhat ashamed to admit that I slammed the book shut immediately. I'm reading more seriously about birth now, and am not a prude by any means, but I need a little bit of warning for visuals.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Luet » Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:24 am

That's funny. I would have been like "ooooh" and looked closer. I'm so obsessed with childbirth for someone who is never going to have a baby. I've read books, watched documentaries, etc. Someday I will get to be at a live birth, someday!
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:28 am

Haha, in general, visuals across the board are hard for me to take. I can read scary books, but can't watch scary movies. I can read in depth about the birth process, but movies and photographs freak me out a little bit unless I'm very well prepared (and even then). I am slightly more ok with graphics and drawings.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby steph » Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:28 pm

Luckily, you don't see much when you're experiencing it!

Yay for no gd!

And thanks for taking a CPR course. Brian's certification proved itself invaluable. You just never know.
"When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Gravity Defier » Mon Oct 21, 2013 4:22 pm

Have I missed them somewhere or do you not have any ultrasound* pictures floating around?



*I am ashamed that I forgot for a moment what this was called and Google-d "baby pictures internal" -because I was floundering for how to describe it- to try to figure it out. :faceplant:
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Mon Oct 21, 2013 4:28 pm

You didn't miss it; there are no ultrasound pictures of our baby on the internet, at David's request. Well, he specifically requested that I not put them on facebook. I did text them to my mom and sister. He has no problem with us putting up some pictures of the baby when she gets here, but he hates seeing ultrasound pictures on facebook for some reason, so asked me to refrain. Since both rounds of our ultrasound pictures are TERRIBLE so far, I didn't mind. They are blurry as hell and at terrible angles--uncooperative baby! The second set of photos from the anatomy scan ultrasound are even labeled with various body parts, and I, myself, still can not distinguish what it is that I'm looking at, labels be damned. No good profile shots, nothing really worth seeing.

But prepare for picture overload when little miss makes her debut!
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Eaquae Legit » Thu Oct 24, 2013 2:45 am

*big hug for Steph*

I don't regret a single minute of my first aid/CPR training or re-certifications, and when we can afford it, I'd like to re-cert and get Brent to take it too.

Hooray, Kelly, no GD!
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby powerfulcheese04 » Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:18 am

Yay no GD!!

And, I know what you mean with the ",seriously... I can get bigger?!" feeling.

I can't wait to see pictures of her!
-Kim

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:17 am

Nine weeks out from due date.

First baby class (focused on birth) is this Friday and Saturday.

Thiiiiiink I'm having Braxton Hicks contractions, but not sure.

Crib, car seat, and changing table have arrived and are assembled. Don't have a mattress for the crib yet. Or sheets. Or lots of stuff. Car seat has not been installed. Still need to do research/make a decision about cloth diapers vs. diaper service vs. disposables.

Forgetting to take my prenatal vitamin a lot lately. Have to set up some kind of reminder to fix that.

Baby-brain is a real thing and it is happening to me a lot.

I need help up off the couch in the evenings.

Still feeling weird about chosen baby name.

Have 2nd appointment with new therapist on Friday and really not looking forward to it.

Puke-free for the last few weeks!

Can't believe I am actually going to have a baby.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Gravity Defier » Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:39 pm

Puke-free for the last few weeks!
Woohoo! May the trend continue.
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Luet » Wed Nov 06, 2013 1:04 pm

Sounds like things are coming together, Kelly. Yay!

My SIL is due January 27, I think she has 12 weeks left? But she is so far away that it makes me sad. :(
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby steph » Thu Nov 07, 2013 3:41 pm

Could it be you're puke free because you're forgetting to take your vitamin? (It was totally true for me.)

I can't believe how soon she'll be here!
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I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Eaquae Legit » Thu Nov 07, 2013 3:45 pm

Hooray puke-free!!!

We were so unprepared for Nom. She was so early and we were moving and everything was madness and chaos and new-parent-ness. Even after she was in the hospital for the first two and a half weeks, she slept in her stroller for a week or two before we got a crib mattress. I think she liked it better, actually, as it was closer and snugger, but I kept worrying about her. Not to mention the inconvenience when we wanted to actually use the stroller!

As to the diaper debate, don't be put off the cloth ones by the elaborate rinsing/treating/multiple-washing regimens people seem to follow. I've never had a problem (with Nom or with my personal care clients in the past) just chucking them in the washing machine. Okay, so I use the removable shower head to wash poop remnants off before putting them in the bucket, but that's about it. Oh, and a silicone one-piece spatula eventually joined the crew for smeary-er messes. But that's about it. It does NOT need to be complicated. That said, it may still not be for you, and that's cool too. Nothing wrong either with using disposables for the first while till you're less newborn-crazy.

Almost there, Kelly! Almost there! You can do it! :thumbs:
"Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul." -- Pope John XXIII

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Eaquae Legit » Thu Nov 07, 2013 3:47 pm

Also, I forgot to mention earlier, hahahaha, "baby cage". Did you pick that up from me/us, or did we independently come up with the most accurate moniker?
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:01 pm

Steph, normally I would blame the absence of the vitamin as well--the huge prenatals were a nightmare while I was taking them. Halfway through the second semester, my midwife suggested I just switch to a regular multi, which was a little bit better. But THEN I found a gummy version of prenatal vitamins! I feel a bit ridiculous chomping on gummy vitamins at my age, but they stay down with no trouble, so consider me a convert.

Ali, I'm not sure! I could very well have heard "baby cage" from you guys first. I just know that when I was wandering around the store looking at crib models, they all started to look the same, and then they all just started looking like flat-out cages to me.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Sun Nov 10, 2013 1:09 pm

Double Post!


David and I had our birth class this weekend, three hours Friday night, and six hours on Saturday. The class included a tour of the birth center.

It was tough and really emotional for me. I cried several times, especially during the videos (which I did manage to watch about 70% of without averting my eyes). I really did like the instructor, and felt so lucky to have David be so interested and involved in everything that was going on. The class was very interactive; we practiced a lot of massage and relaxation techniques, various positions for riding out contractions, and different birthing positions. The instructor had us talk to our partners frequently. We filled out worksheets and brainstormed about how to communicate during labor, the type of language we can use, the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, etc that might be comforting or helpful.

The instructor was very frank and upfront about much of what's going to occur from a practical viewpoint, which was helpful. Much of it was familiar to me from the reading and research I've already done, but it was good to have a lot of it confirmed or further explained, and for David much of the information was new.

A lot of the talk about medication options and potential complications was difficult, but also very frank and welcome. I was hoping to have a medication-free birth prior to the class, and after learning more about epidurals, I'm even more convinced that I really want to try to get through labor unmedicated. Once given an epidural, the hospital will not allow me to leave the bed (I'll have to be turned over by my husband and midwife every few hours). I'd also have a catheter, and all monitors would have to stay permanently attached to me (if I stay unmedicated then I don't have to wear the monitors except for brief checks every few hours!), in addition to an IV. Then of course, there's the not being able to eat, the fact that epidurals may only be 70% effective, and all that jazz. But for me, She of the Major Medical Phobias, I just CANNOT handle being hooked up to that much stuff and not be allowed to move around. I start shaking if I even think about it too much. So. I will be attempting to get through on my own, understanding that medication may become medically necessary, or I might actually change my mind.

All rooms in the hospital are private. And I can basically do whatever I want while I'm there. I can eat or drink anything if I remain unmedicated. I can move around as much as I like. I can bring all kinds of stuff along with me. After the birth the baby stays with us at all times unless there's an emergency situation (in which one parent would be allowed to attend in almost every case). I'll get one hour of skin to skin time with her immediately after birth and then David gets 30 minutes of skin to skin time with her before we move to recovery. Baby will be given her shots, vaccines, etc, in the delivery room with us. When we move to our recovery room, she stays with us the entire time, all day, all night, for the duration of our stay. I really like the hospital (well, as much as anyone like me can like a hospital) and appreciate their policies.

All in all I'm still pretty terrified, but also convinced that I can do this. Words cannot describe how thankful I am to have such a hands-on, supportive partner.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Gravity Defier » Sun Nov 10, 2013 4:35 pm

All in all I'm still pretty terrified, but also convinced that I can do this.
You really can. But I can also see how it would be terrifying regardless.
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:38 pm

Remember that time I was all, "Oh, I haven't puked in weeks and weeks!" and I was 33 weeks pregnant and only had 7 weeks to go, and so obviously the insane morning sickness was finally, finally over, and there was much rejoicing in the land, only I woke up one morning and the morning sickness was BACK WITH A VENGEANCE and it was Puke City up in here and life was terrible and unfair forever and ever?

Yeah, that.


I AM SO READY TO BE DONE WITH THIS PREGNANCY.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Young Val
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:48 am

Five weeks, five weeks, five weeks.

Five weeks left until my due date. Might as well be forever. We have our first newborn care class this evening. In truth I am just over it. I am over being pregnant. I'm done.

I've been doing fairly well over the last several weeks. Emotionally things have kind of evened out (I miss my old therapist. I have not returned to see the "new" one. I feel pretty ok about this). Surprisingly I haven't had too many body image issues throughout this pregnancy, but this week I have felt very, very fat (not pregnant. Fat) and unattractive. So that sucks.

I am huge and constantly uncomfortable. Raging insomnia. I am basically kind of being a crank-face 24/7 at this point. I JUST WANT TO MEET MY KID (Also am terrified of meeting my kid. Hooray contradictory feelings!)

I still can't believe I am going to be a parent, and that no matter what happens once I become a parent it is permanent. I can't believe I am a married person who jointly files taxes and will give birth to a baby and then have to take her home and keep her alive and teach her how to be a decent person and stuff. I feel like this is all an elaborate sort of hoax. Sometimes I get jealous of how much David is going to love the baby, and the baby isn't even here yet. (Yes, I get that this is nutso. I am truth-telling, here).

The cat is driving me ABSOLUTELY INSANE lately, which makes me sad, because she was my pal for so much of this pregnancy. She is very much David's cat--he had her before we met and the two of them are frighteningly close. She barely tolerates my presence most times, but she's been super friendly and cuddly while I've been knocked up. Now she's back to being kind of a bitch to me, though. Sigh.

Our nursery is a MESS. A girl I went to high school with and am friends with on Facebook has a due date just five days after mine, and she posted photos of her adorable, immaculate nursery today. You actually can't walk into our nursery at the moment, because the floor is completely covered with things. And not all baby-related things, either. Laundry racks and boxes and miscellaneous furniture that didn't fit in the living room. I finally framed the single piece of art we've managed to get for the walls, but it's not hung up yet. The crib and the changing table/dresser are assembled, but not in their final spots. We've got an unused queen bed in there, too, and about 17 loads of clean but unfolded laundry piled on said bed. It's so bad we've just started keeping that door closed. Out of sight, out of mind? Oh geez.

I feel like the worst mama-to-be ever. And honestly? I just don't really care about it. If nesting is a real thing, it has not happened to me yet.

Five weeks, five weeks, five weeks.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby starlooker » Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:16 am

Five weeks, five weeks, five weeks.


I feel like the worst mama-to-be ever.
Back off, lady, that title was MINE! At least, if what we're judging by is nursery preparation. I'll, like, throw down for it. Except not really, because you're pregnant, and so, I couldn't really throwdown because I would feel guilty, and you would win that. But still.

I'm so very, very excited for how soon you'll be able to meet her. I am very squee about it :)
There's another home somewhere,
There's another glimpse of sky...
There's another way to lean
into the wind, unafraid.
There's another life out there...

~~Mary Chapin Carpenter

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:33 am

Three weeks, three days until my due date. Or, 24 days. It is ridiculous that I can reasonably count down in days, now. There is also a new button that recently popped up in my pregnancy tracker app. It says "Arrived?" and I guess I'm supposed to click it once little miss makes her debut. Crazy. The guidelines have recently changed, otherwise she would have been considered "full term" in just 10 days. As much as I want to meet her, I have a gut feeling that I'm going to go late, and statistics agree with me.

We had newborn care class last week, which was as expected. There was some interesting information, but much of it was not new to me, though David got a lot of mileage out of the class. Tonight is our breastfeeding class, Wednesday is infant safety and CPR. And then...we're done with classes. We do have a car seat inspection scheduled (scheduled for my due date, actually!) but that's not really a class. David put the car seat in this weekend, but we figure if the hospital is willing to inspect it for free, let's take advantage of that and make sure it's installed properly.

We're making slight headway on the nursery, though not much. We can at least walk around in there somewhat freely at this point, which is key.

I am a hormonal mess. I'm back in intense mourning for my relationship with David and our dwindling time as just a twosome. We are making the most of it where we can, seeing movies, going on dates, just generally trying to indulge in some us time. And we talk about this fear a lot, which helps make it less terrifying. I am going to love my daughter so very, very much, and I can't wait to meet her and help guide and teach her as she grows up, with David by my side. But I also really love my husband and really love just being his wife. I am ready to be his wife AND his co-parent, but it's hard for me. I get a little worked up in the face of the unknown.

I am exhausted. And physically worn out. I'm in the midst of transitioning at work (we've hired my intern as a temp to take over my responsibilities while I'm out for three months) and I have such a difficult time focusing. It does not really feel like Christmas; I have not bought a single gift, and we didn't get our act together to send out Christmas cards this year. I still have no nesting impulses to speak of.

My fears about labor ebb and flow, but are mostly under control. I'm awaiting the results of my Group B Strep swab, which will be the final say in whether or not I need an IV during labor. (no bacteria = no IV, so please, please, please keep your fingers crossed for me).

Rings still fit fine. I've been told I might want to take them off for labor anyway, in case I experience any swelling. Probably a smart idea, but it makes me sad for some reason? Probably tied to all the grieving mentioned above.

I have not referred to the baby by her name in about a month. I'm back to calling her just "baby." David teases me about this. I haven't been doing it on purpose, but still have so much anxiety about picking the "right" name! Such a huge responsibility!

Things are good. I am impatient. I want to fast forward and freeze and rewind time all at once. I am 100% ready and 100% absolutely not ready for my whole life to change.


ETA: NO GROUP B STREP! Assuming I am able to keep food and liquids down, and assuming that I go unmedicated, I DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE AN IV DURING LABOR. This is seriously the best, best, best news. YAY!
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Luet » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:26 pm

I'm so happy for the news of no IV needed (at least at this point)! That is such happy news!

My SIL is due on January 27, so in 6 weeks? I'm trying not to think about it much since I can't be there for it and it's killing me. :(
"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus in Return to Tipasa

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:08 am

Question about contractions.

I've had some Braxton Hicks scattered throughout the last few weeks. They are rare and virtually painless. This morning I'm having some painful cramping but only along the left side. My stomach doesn't really harden up that much when these cramps happen. It feels sort of like a charlie horse--a brief shooting pain that starts low and rockets up the left side of my belly. I've had a few of them, but not in any regular pattern so far. I am having no other symptoms or physical differences beyond these weirdo cramps. My gut says it's not contractions, just some kind of weird muscle spasm thing. Anyone else experience anything like this?
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby steph » Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:29 pm

I would say it's most likely round ligament pain. It can be pretty nasty.
"When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Young Val » Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:09 pm

I just wrote a whole post and then the internet in the office ate it. :bash:

A less eloquent rehash:

TEN DAYS. One week and three days until my due date. Unfortunately, Baby shows absolutely no signs of making her debut. I've had zero true contractions or any other signs of impending labor, despite increasing physical discomfort. How is it even possible that I continue to be more more uncomfortable? Surely at some point my body will reach maximum misery and tap out, right?

Something new is the sudden, drastic swelling. So drastic, in fact, that we all panicked a bit and had my urine tested for protein. Luckily, all is well. No pre-eclampsia, thank goodness. Just retaining fluids like crazy. My legs look like tree trunks. It is super attractive and the overall bloat plus the 40 extra pounds I'm lugging around are doing wonders for my self-image, lemme tell you. Ugh.

The swelling is mostly in my legs, so I can still get my rings on and off, although I'm considering taking them off for labor regardless. I've heard that swelling can get pretty nuts, even post-labor. Better safe than sorry? I haven't fully made up my mind, yet, though, as for some reason it's really important to me to wear the rings while in labor and when I meet my kid. I know this is irrational. I think it links back to all the mourning of my relationship that I've been doing throughout this pregnancy? Who knows. I just know that the idea of not wearing them makes me feel queasy, but of course I'll take them off if it seems like the best thing to do. Better to take them off than have them cut off.

Baby has been in a great position for over a month now. Head down, more or less facing my spine. Lots of people are speculating about whether or not she's "dropped." General consensus is that she has not. I don't have an opinion either way, as I'm so trapped inside this body right now that it's tough to make objective assessments, but I wish people would stop talking about it to/in front of me. At the risk of offering up TMI, Baby has begun head-butting me in the cervix multiple times a day, which causes a sharp, somewhat electrical shock that makes me jump and usually exclaim aloud. This most often happens when I am in public, like at a holiday dinner with family, or in a meeting at work. And then I get weird looks when I say evasively, "Oh, the baby just...moved."

Our nursery is still...laughable. I did order a few prints off etsy this week, so there will eventually be something to put on the walls. Not like I ordered frames to put the prints in, though. I mean, let's not get crazy or anything. You can kind of walk around and move in there now, though, which is an improvement. Zero nesting instincts to speak of, not even manifesting in odd ways. All I want to do is sleep or read or have David rub my back or cry. There are lots of things I know that I SHOULD be doing, but I feel no urge or desire to do them. Just some guilt. But not enough to motivate me.

My father built us a cradle for the baby to sleep in for the first month or so, so that we can keep her by our bed for those intense first weeks before we move her into the nursery. (Co-sleeping is not something we're interested in, although we fully acknowledge that a lot of our plans may change once we're actually faced with the reality of a baby). The cradle is lovely. The mattress we got for it is the wrong size, though, so a custom one has been ordered and will hopefully arrive soon. We've also splurged on an Amazon Prime membership and are taking full advantage of the free shipping. There are still so many silly odds and ends we "need."

The diaper situation is also kind of a mess at the moment. We've been gifted enough disposables to get us through the first few weeks, but we remain very interested in cloth diapering. Unfortunately, neither one of us has really done the research to make any informed decisions about it. And thinking about doing said research is so overwhelming right now that I can't deal with it. We may look into a cloth diaper service for a few months. It would be a luxury, but one we could probably afford, at least for the short term, and it would give us a chance to do some research and figure out if cloth diapering would work for us.

We are officially registered for a daycare, which is a HUGE relief. I was starting to panic. But we found a place that we love, that is one block away from David's office. He'll be able to take her in on the bus with him in the mornings, and either of us can easily pick her up in the afternoons. I really like the center itself, the staff, the policies, etc. I feel good about the decision, at least for now. We'll see how I feel in April when she actually starts attending.

I've been refusing cervical checks at my weekly appointments, so I have no idea if I'm dilated at all. I suspect I'm not. I'm ever more convinced that I'm going to go late, the very thought of which makes me want to cry. I am so ready to be done, and I do NOT want to be induced. Now that the little miss is officially full term at this point, I'll probably start incorporating as many natural ways of starting labor as I can manage into my daily routines (short of drinking any of the various oils rumored to start labor. That all just sounds highly unpleasant to me. I'll stick with sex and walking and spicy foods, etc, at least for the time being). I turn 39 weeks on Thursday. At 41 weeks they'll schedule an induction set to happen before I hit 42 weeks. So I've still got some time, but I'm essentially at the end of my rope at this point, emotionally and physically. Baby is fully developed and is more or less just chunking up at this point. I was 5 lbs 5 oz when I was born (early. My mom had pre-eclampsia--toxemia, as they called it at the time--and nearly died, so that's a lot of the reason why I was so small) but David was nearly 11 lbs. ELEVEN POUNDS. He's convinced our daughter is going to be huge, and although I've been in denial about it for a long time, I am starting to fear that he might be right. I'm still holding out for a nice, manageable 7 lbs, but I think I'm mostly kidding myself at this point.

What I'm really trying to say with all this rambling, Baby, is that it's time to come out now. I know things might seem scattered and hectic, but I promise, Mama and Papa are so very ready to meet you.


ETA:

When my little girl finally IS born, Facebook is most likely to get the first internet update (after family has been informed, of course). I have no idea what kind of condition I'll be in post-delivery, so for anyone who is FB friends with me, please feel free to pull from there and post a picture/info here on PWEB if I'm not able to get to it right away. I know I always appreciated the updates when other PWEB babies were born!
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

User avatar
Luet
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Re: Brontosaurus Lays an Egg

Postby Luet » Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:50 pm

So excited for you! And I can't even describe how excited I am at the prospect of finally being able to witness my first live birth in (probably) less than a month! My new baby nephew better not show up more than 10 days early!
"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus in Return to Tipasa


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