Pregnancy Check-In (December 28)

[wittyandwaiting]

Happy Monday! I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday!

This is our weekly check-in for those who's families are expecting!

Congratulations to all who have recently received BFP's! Jump in when you're ready and let us know when you'd like to be added to the roster.

1. General overview (examples--answer what you like: How many weeks? First baby/, second, etc.? Do you know the sex of the baby?

2. Appointment Updates (recent appts? ones coming up?)

3. General symptoms/rants/concerns/exciting things?

Due Date List
amandflo - January 16
cetcar - January 16
kh826 - January 22
daisyflower - January 26
wittyandwaiting - March 28
honigbiene - April 24
crazyaunt84 - May 15
bexincanada - June 1
mahler5 - June 9
Stringy - June 9
Esquette - TBD
Kona - August 14

QOTW:

1. Besides a new edition (or two) to your family, what are you most looking forward to in 2016?

2. Understanding that things don't always go as planned; tell us some key points of your birth plan (or some ideas you have thus far).

[wittyandwaiting]

1. 27 weeks today (woo hoo! Third trimester!) with a little lady who is baby number two; baby number one is a 14 year old young man. It seems so surreal to me that this little lady started with a beta of 7 and is now kicking, hiccuping and rolling up a storm.

2. Our next midwife appointment is January 12 but since I came up a little high (8.5) on my glucose test I need to go back in for the three hour screen on Wednesday.

3. I'm feeling pretty anxious about the glucose screen; clearly nobody wants GD so I'm really eager to get this test over with.

We've made some major headway on getting the house ready for our little lady which feels great and DS's new bedroom is looking amazing.

QOTW:

1. Besides a new edition (or two) to your family, what are you most looking forward to in 2016?
Totally related but I'm looking forward to some of the house renovations that we have planned and seeing how some of the changes in our life play out.

2. Understanding that things don't always go as planned; tell us some key points of your birth plan (or some ideas you have thus far).
I'm doing what I can to prepare for a med free birth; I had an epidural that didn't work out well with DS so going med-free is both exciting and scary.

I'm also saying no to an episiotomy and even though we are delivering in hospital, we are planning to labour at home for as long as possible.

[kh826]

1. 36w2d over here!
Baby No. 2
Team Green!

2. I just came from an OB appointment this morning.
Everything looked good.
My dr swabbed me for the GSB bacteria today, and I should have the results at next week's appointment. I didn't have it last time, so I am hopeful that I don't have it this time either.
I did talk to my dr about feeling lightheaded/dizzy lately and how it reminded me of how I kept passing out after delivery last time.
She said that my BP is on the low end of normal, and she suspects that I have little episodes where my BP dips too low and that is what makes me feel lightheaded. She recommended that I try to increase my salt intake moderately, and that I keep salty snacks (saltines, pretzels, peanuts, etc.) in my purse for when I feel particularly lightheaded/dizzy.
While I trust her completely and will take this advice, I don't feel like it does anything to make it any less likely that I will have the same complications post delivery that I had last time. So I am a little nervous about that.

My next OB appointment is next Tuesday (1/5).
I think that is when my OB starts cervical checks if I remember correctly.

3. So, in addition to the above, I have started having some mild contractions.
Not Braxton Hicks (I have been having those for a while now), but the real deal early contractions that feel like strong menstrual cramps.
They started on Christmas (Friday), and I have had a handful per day since then. Nothing strong or consistent or time-able.
I talked to my dr about his as well, and she agreed it was just my body getting ready for labor and nothing to be alarmed about. I wasn't alarmed, and that was what I figured, but things are starting to happen in there for sure.

Sleep has actually gotten worse in the last couple of days (How is that even possible?!?!).... last night I was awake every 30-40 mins and I tossed and turned about a million times. The other night I ended up on the couch for 6 hours b/c I just got so frustrated up in bed. This is very reminiscent of the end of my last pregnancy, so I expected it. I probably won't sleep well/much again until after baby comes. That's fine - no big deal.

I have had a few instances of hand swelling that was pretty crazy the last couple of days. It will come on quickly and my hands will look like balloons and then it will pass within a couple of hours. I am still wearing my rings, since usually my hands are fine, but now I am a little worried that next time I have an episode of random hand swelling they will stay like that and I won't be able to get my rings off. I wore my rings up until the day I delivered William, so I was hoping to do the same this time -- we shall see...

Otherwise, things are good, I am just tired and feeling huge. Normal stuff!

QOTW:

1. I am looking forward to baby, my 10 week fully paid maternity leave (as long as baby doesn't come before Jan 1), and *hopefully* looking for a new house in 2016 if we can swing it!

2. We honestly don't really have a birth plan this time. As long as baby and I are both healthy that is all we care about. I would like to avoid a C-section, but won't protest if we need one for medical reasons. I will play it by ear in terms of an epidural. I hadn't planned to have one with William, but then I needed a boat load of Pitocin for 12+ hrs, so I changed my mind. I am open to whatever seems right in the moment. We want to do skin-to-skin as soon as possible after birth. We would like to have me try breast feeding right away as well. Overall though, we will just take it one step at a time and trust our birth team and do what we need to do to have a healthy outcome for everyone.

[bexincanada]

1) 18 weeks, first baby.

2) Got a call from our midwife tonight telling me they got the results from my urine test and it was positive for e coli (possible UTI?) I start antibiotics tomorrow which makes me uneasy. Thoughts? I feel like I flunked my first test.

I'll update more later in the week - bedtime now... just wanted to see if anyone had experience/thoughts with UTI/antibiotics.

[crazyaunt84]

Good Morning!

wittyandwaiting- 3rd tri already?! Where has the time gone???

kh826 - EEK! I can't wait to meet your little green bean! You're getting so close!!!!

bexincanada - I've tested positive on both urine cultures for a UTI so far, but they said since I'm not showing any symptoms and it's a 'slight' infection, they'll hold off on antibiotics for a bit. You couldn't have done anything to prevent it, and they wouldn't give you anything if the benefit didn't far outweigh the risk. Sorry you're going through it, but I think it's pretty common.

1. We are 20w3d with our two little boys

2. I'm supposed to have an OB appt January 5th, but I'm 99% sure I'm cancelling it because my insurance runs out tomorrow and my new policy doesn't kick in for 12 days. Merry freakin' Christmas. Thank goodness I'm not due this week.

3. Can I be frank? These women I meet who are gushing about how much they LOVED being pregnant and how it was all unicorns and rainbow farts...I think they're full of it. I will endure any amount of discomfort I need to in order to get my boys into this world, but this is no picnic. I think the back pain is really what is starting to get to me. Waitressing doesn't help, and I know this, but stopping isn't really an option at the moment. Christmas eve I came home in tears at the end of my shift because I was hurting so badly. I also have never experienced a singleton pregnancy, so I have nothing to compare this to in terms of how much of it is related to carrying multiples.

Other than the back/sciatic pain, things are pretty normal. Some sleep troubles and some other aches, but nothing too remarkable. Both boys are crazy active, and I love feeling them kick and punch. I can feel it pretty regularly on the outside too, which makes it seem so real! We revealed to my family at Christmas that it was two little guys, and that went really well. They'd have been happy no matter what, but my mom is a sports loving outdoorsy type, and my brother is a man's man, and I think they'll connect with the boys really well.

I think we're settling on names, though I'm still not 100% on the second name. C is absolutely head over heals with it, so I'm trying to get there.

Sooo...it looks like we'll be welcoming Jackson Christopher and Oliver Ryan this spring!

1. I'm hoping 2016 will provide more time to enjoy my family. C and I are both going 90 miles an hour this year, and while I know we'll be busy with 2 babies, I hope it will be a 'together as a family' kind of busy instead of a 'passing like ships in the night' kind of busy.

2. I'm hesitant to have a birth plan, especially because of the likelihood that it will be changed. I don't want to have my head set and be disappointed. So, I'm reading up on the options so that I can be well informed, but trying to play it by ear when the time comes. I'd like a vaginal birth, although it's not looking too likely with 2 large, breach babies. I'd like for them to cook as long as possible to avoid a nicu stay. And I'd like to breastfeed ASAP if they're strong enough and I'm OK after delivery to do so. That's about it so far!

[wittyandwaiting]

bexincanada I have had UTI's and taken antibiotics with each pregnancy. It's called Macrobid and they are black and yellow capsules.

After this round of antibiotics I started taking cranberry capsules, at the advice of my midwife, and all has been good. She also suggested that I start 'peeing double', which means releasing my whole bladder, standing up and then sitting down to pee again. Apparently it makes sure that you get everything out and helps prevent the overgrowth of bacteria caused by having stagnant urine in your bladder. She explained that some women have a hard time clearing their bladder due to the position of their uterus/baby.

[wittyandwaiting]

kh826 I consistently have low blood pressure, pregnant or not I hover around 90/55.

Salty snacks do help but then you have to worry about retaining water and the swelling that goes along with that. Increasing my fluid intake significantly reduces my episodes of lightheadedness and I use salty snacks (nuts don't help me much) as a last resort.

I'm going to have some electrolyte cubes (there are lots of recipes online) available during labour if possible which I have read may help too.

[wittyandwaiting]

crazyaunt84 I love your names! And I love, LOVE, LOOOOOOOVE Oliver.

[cetcar]

wittyandwaiting, Good luck with your 3 hour glucose test. I was nervous about doing the 3 hour test too. While it is long and I felt kind crummy during it, it wasn't too bad. I was convinced that I had GD, but it turns out I didn't. Hope the time passes quickly for you!

crazyaunt84, You're half baked! Sorry to hear you're not feeling that great. This is my first pregnancy too (and I'm not pregnant with twins), but I've found I've gone through phases of feeling more discomfort/winded/tired. I think I actually feel better now than I did for a couple weeks in my 2nd trimester.

1. We are 37 weeks 4 days pregnant with our first. It's a girl.

2. We have an appointment tomorrow morning. They are going to do a growth scan and maybe check my cervix. I'm not even sure I've been feeling any braxton hicks contractions. They mentioned checking at my appointment last week but since I haven't been feeling anything, we decided to hold off. I'm going to see a chiropractor this afternoon for the first time. Our doula recommended her because I was a runner prior to pregnancy and therefore, my pelvis may not be aligned. She also does ligament tension release which I guess isn't all that comfortable but has lots of benefit. We'll see...

3. I have been feeling a bit more tired but pretty good otherwise. A couple of nights in the last week, I've taken something to help me sleep (my doctor said it was fine). Her kicks and pushes are feeling pretty strong, I'm curious how big she will be. At times I'm feeling more anxious about labor and delivery. We should have a long weekend together this week so we're hoping to finish getting ready. I also cry easily. We watched two birth videos in our birth class and I cried during both of them.

QOTW:

1. Besides a new edition (or two) to your family, what are you most looking forward to in 2016?
We both have some professional and personal goals for the new year, seeing how they play out. Simply speaking, running again. Adjusting to becoming a family of three and introducing her to our family.

2. Understanding that things don't always go as planned; tell us some key points of your birth plan (or some ideas you have thus far).
After meeting with us, our doula put together a general birth plan. I'm not planning on having an epidural but not opposed (I've heard that can indicate that I'll probably end up with one). If possible, I would like to have the option of maintaining mobility. CET keeps saying we should come up with a code word for when I really mean I want an epidural. I was hoping to labor at home for as long as possible (and not have any IVs, etc), but I tested positive for GBS and now I'll need antibiotics. We're going to talk to our doctor some more about it tomorrow.

I would appreciate guidance on when to push, so the perineum can stretch and avoid tearing. I also want to avoid an episiotomy and stripping or artificial rupture of membranes. Some other parts of our birth plan include- delayed cord clamping until it stops pulsing, skin to skin contact afterwards, and meeting with a lactation consultant prior to discharge. Of course, this is all flexible and the ultimate goal is a healthy baby.

[esquette]

1. General overview: 7weeks1day with baby number 1!

2. Appointment Updates: ultrasound on Monday! God I hope there's a baby with a heartbeat in there.

3. General symptoms/rants/concerns/exciting things? Man, the morning sickness has been *delightful* these past few days. I'm happy to have it, because it means I have all the hormones, and that's a good sign. But it's make it hard to sneak around this visit and not tell people why I'm green around the gills sometimes.

QOTW:

1. Besides a new addition (or two) to your family, what are you most looking forward to in 2016?
Ummm. The new addition!! Maybe buying a house?

2. Understanding that things don't always go as planned; tell us some key points of your birth plan (or some ideas you have thus far).

Key points:
- do whatever feels right during labor to be as comfortable and stress-free as possible. (Bahahaha, right?)
- Have baby safely
- Skin to skin

[bexincanada]

Alright, I'll finish up my post now. Happy New Year, friends!

Thanks for the reassurance crazyaunt84 and wittyandwaiting. I'm on Macrobid now and things seem to be going fine. I didn't become symptomatic until right around when I got the call, so they caught it early which is good.

Next week is the anatomy scan! I'm very excited about this - we've been completely lying to our families about whether or not we're team green. We're telling them we're team green because we want to stave off the influx of pink, blue, and gender-stereotyped hoopla for as long as possible. It'll be nice feeling like it's our little secret.

kh826, you are so close! Holy crap! It must be comforting knowing you've been through it before. It sounds like you're pretty clear on what's going on with your body which is awesome. I very much appreciate you all as resources since I'll likely be going "what the hell is happening" when the date nears.

QOTW:

1. Besides the little one, we too are having some renos done... just a bit of finishing in the basement which was already mostly completed. It'll be nice to set up the nursery once that is done. It's a small space and we're not painting or anything - so it'll just be putting furniture in there, but it will be nice to nest.

2. We don't have a birth plan yet. We know we want to have our midwife deliver in hospital so we've filled out the paperwork for that. It would be nice to labour at home for as long as possible. I like a lot of what cetcar said regarding this. I know things may not go as planned, so I'm just going to do as much research as possible beforehand so I know what the options are and can think about things before being in the chaos of the moment, but not necessarily say with 100% certainty "yes" or "no" about things before having been in the situation, if that makes sense.

We have a busy weekend ahead in Toronto, I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays.

[cetcar]

This may seem kind of silly, but for those experienced mamas, what did you wear during labor and pushing?

[kh826]

Jan 2, 2016 17:51:48 GMT -5 cetcar said:

This may seem kind of silly, but for those experienced mamas, what did you wear during labor and pushing?

Well, I wore the hospital issued hospital gown, but I insisted on wearing a nursing tank underneath it. My hospital doesn't allow you to wear anything that has any metal in it (in case of an emergency c-section) -- so nothing with an underwire or metal hooks/snaps/clasps. I'm super modest and I knew I would feel really exposed without any undergarments under the hospital gown. The nursing tank was enough to make me feel a little less exposed. I also got sick all over my gown right before it was time to push and it made me feel a lot better when the gown had to come off to change it with 5 people in the room preparing for delivery. I will definitely be wearing a nursing tank again under my gown. I already have two packed in my bag!

So, with that said, it all depends on the type of birth you have and the setting of your birth, as well as how you are most comfortable. I know people who labored in a tank top/sports bra. I know people who ended up totally naked by the time they were ready to push. I know people who bring their own custom hospital gown with them to wear.

The only piece of advice I would give is the know your comfort level and make it clear to your birth team what you want while you can still articulate it. If it is important for you to feel as covered as possible - stress that! If it is important for you to feel free and not confined and you anticipate getting really hot and irritated by clothing -- plan for that and let at least someone know that is your preference.

In my experience, nurses want you to be as comfortable as possible and they will accommodate you as long as you make it clear what you want.

Hope this helps a little...

[wittyandwaiting]

Jan 2, 2016 17:51:48 GMT -5 cetcar said:

This may seem kind of silly, but for those experienced mamas, what did you wear during labor and pushing?

I wore a nursing nightgown and I plan to do so again; my SIL wore a maternity robe which I also thought was a great idea. 

ETA: Not a silly question at all!

[kh826]

Oh, and one more thing, I was really glad I had a comfy lightweight bathrobe with me. Again because I like feeling covered, I liked that for over my hospital gown when walking halls ... Not only during labor, but also soon after delivery before I put "real clothes" (pjs) on.

Oh, and slippers.

And flip flops for the shower.

Ok, I think that's it!

[wittyandwaiting]

Jan 2, 2016 21:11:13 GMT -5 kh826 said:

Oh, and one more thing, I was really glad I had a comfy lightweight bathrobe with me. Again because I like feeling covered, I liked that for over my hospital gown when walking halls ... Not only during labor, but also soon after delivery before I put "real clothes" (pjs) on.

Oh, and slippers.

And flip flops for the shower.

Ok, I think that's it!

Flip flops are a brilliant idea!!

[cetcar]

Thanks kh826 and wittyandwaiting! It's kind of strange, but it's what I've been thinking about recently. Maybe it's a coping technique.

Do you have any nursing tank tops that you recommend? I'll look into nursing nightgowns too. I usually sleep in stretchy pants but am wondering if I'll really want to take them on and off. But I don't really I want to be mostly naked the whole time (besides at the end).

Robe- another good suggestion.

[kh826]

Jan 4, 2016 11:43:44 GMT -5 cetcar said:

Thanks kh826 and wittyandwaiting ! It's kind of strange, but it's what I've been thinking about recently. Maybe it's a coping technique.

Do you have any nursing tank tops that you recommend? I'll look into nursing nightgowns too. I usually sleep in stretchy pants but am wondering if I'll really want to take them on and off. But I don't really I want to be mostly naked the whole time (besides at the end).

Robe- another good suggestion.

I really like the Medela nursing tanks. I got mine from Babies R Us. They are pricey, but they are good if you have a bigger bust (they actually provide some support), and they are comfortable. I have another nursing tank from Target that is the Merona brand, and it is decent, but I don't like it nearly as much as my Medela ones.

In terms of pants -- do you mean during labor? Because in my experience, that's not really practical (well, once you are in active labor anyway). I just was in the nursing tank with the hospital gown over it. The gown was long, so I was relatively covered. I also had my bathrobe for over that when I got out of bed, and I had blankets on me when I was in bed, so I didn't feel "pantsless" per se HAHA. But for cervical checks, etc. it just makes sense to have open access. Also, if/when you get an epidural (I got one after I started getting a crap ton of Pitocin), it is game over in terms of getting up, and you will have a catheter and you won't be able to have pants of any kind at that point.

If you mean pants for after labor... it was probably a good 24 hours for me before I put pants on, but I had an infection and some other lovely complications that kept me in the hospital gown and on an IV... I am hoping this time to be able to avoid all that and be in yoga pants sooner. We shall see.  

[cetcar]

Thanks, kh826. I'll check out tank tops at Babies R Us. I was going to order one from Gap but it's on backorder until March. I want to find a place where you can try on nursing bras. Sizing and ordering online can be tricky. Any favorite bras?

I think I'll pack a robe but I can see how pants once you've progressed would be a bit of a pain. I'm thinking of bringing stretchy pants for after/going home.

After all this thought I've put into clothes....I'll probably end up in a hospital gown. But I like the idea of having options.