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Well, I could have ridden him down the aisle, but I think he would have collapsed. Poor baby is getting up in years. But, hey, maybe at Ella's baptism....
I'm serious, Jess. After talking to you I've totally decided that this is the dog for me. I will have to wait until I live in a less oppressively hot climate, but I am really excited. My Jes wants one too. That, or a pig. He can have a pig, and I can have a saint berNAWD.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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And, yes, she did get all of her measurements taken. The tech said that she wasn't allowed to tell us much of anything, other than what she was looking at, but she did let slip that her foot (or at least one of them) is 8cm long. That was when PC was oogling the computer equipment and acting suitably impressed at her mastery of the program she was using. Fun times
Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I'm due February 21...so I'm at, what...35 weeks and some? Something like that. For some reason, none of this seems quite real yet. It's going to be interesting because we don't have ANYTHING ready yet and I know I'm losing energy fast. I'm home most of the time and feel horrible about it because PC is at work--over 40hrs a week--and I don't keep stuff spic-and-span like I should. Well, not spic-and-span, but I should at least keep up with the laundry, and I don't. The kitchen is usually a mess, too. I think I usually feel like I have plenty of time to get it all done since I'm here, and so I never get it done.
I guess I just need to get motivated. The spare room needs to be done, at least. You know, so Ella has a place to sleep. Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Perdon...34 weeks and two days. According to my pregnancy ticker. The finest in modern technology, it must be correct.
Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Did you go through that terrible moment yet? You know, the one where you look down at how big your belly is and think, "Holy crap. This has to come out one way or another."
The anticipation just about kills me.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I'm still telling myself that I can stay pregnant forever.
I have a fear of pain...like when you know it's coming. I can deal with a stubbed toe, or the time when I bruised my collarbone in a big way, but it's a lot more scary when you know that you're going to go through a lot of pain. I'm also super scared of needles, so an epidural will be fun, I'm sure. I'm thinking it will be easier to go through that than deal with the pain, though. I want to be somewhat able to function mentally, and I wouldn't be able to do that with a natural birth.
I'm still debating a walking vs. full epidural, though--definitely leaning towards the full. I guess I just have to do a little more research.
I'm definitely scared. Especially when I get really tired, I think about it. It will be a totally new experience, one that I don't think I'll ever be ready for. At least I still have some time left.
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Christy is smaller than you are and birthed a 9 lb. 4 oz. baby without screaming too much -- and she, too, formerly claimed to not have much pain tolerance. (When she broke her little toe, she went into shock from the pain.)
You may find that you're tougher than you think when cards are on the table.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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I'm just so impressed that you'd already managed to agree on names for both gender. And, what Tom said. It's a good idea to read a few positive birth stories, instead of thinking it *will* be terrible painful.
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Where do I find positive birth stories? Everywhere I turn I get people coming up to me and telling me how horrible their experience was, and then before they walk away they say something like, "But I'm sure you'll be just fine, honey" and pat me on the hand. So far, I haven't heard too much to the positive, especially from my own family. Pregnancy and birth were really hard on my mother and grandmother, and you know it's all genetic.
I'm sure I *will* be fine, but it's scary, nonetheless.
Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Well, women like to tell the horrible stuff because it's such a rite of passage and they are so proud of it. Like, "I'm cool because I suffered through this horrible thing, isn't that awesome?"
So, the positives:
1. Leaving your water unbroken goes a long way to having it not hurt. I never had any pain with either pregnancy until after the water broke, and I was at six centimeters when the doctor broke it each time. I could have waited even longer to let them break the water if I'd wanted, but I didn't know that at the time. So, leave the water unbroken for as long as they'll let you, if it's helping. It might make labor last longer but it might keep it from hurting that whole time.
2. You get to experience some awesome weight loss.
3. You will be completely cured of your fear of needles, at least for a couple of hours.
4. You get juice.
5. Your first meal after having the baby will taste like heaven, even if it's a stale old sandwich.
6. You'll be absolutely positive that your kid will be better adjusted than the kid of the weird lady in the next room who keeps singing "Bye, Baby Bunting" over and over and over. And over.
7. The odds of your kid pooping and barfing on visitors to your hospital room is astronomically higher than the odds of her barfing and pooping on you, for the first couple of days. I don't know why but it seems to be the case. Call a relative you don't like much to come by first.
8. You get to ride around in a chair instead of walking, while you focus on memorizing your baby's face.
edit: I can count. Really.
OH, I forgot number 2.5! The first time you attempt to pat your belly after you have the baby is the coolest thing in the world. You're totally expecting that round bump to be there, but your hand just goes "Fwoomp!" and your tummy is all flat! It's neat!
Dang, I cannot beleive I can't think of more right now...I must have read over 100 books about childbirth now, and I *only* read postive ones. I'm convinced one reason so many women have negative childbirth experiences is because they only hear negative birth stories...it's a vicous cycle.
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I can give you three positive experiences in a hospital setting if you like. PSI is right. Birth stories are kind of like battle stories, and women brag about them.
I would be happy to relate relaxation techniques and advice to help you through the pain. I think, actually, it is the unknown rather than the pain that is more frightening. You know there will be pain, but how much and for how long you don't know.
Posts: 3495 | Registered: Feb 2000
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PSI- nope, not directly. But the day after Matthew (my first) was born, they gave me rubella because the titre came back negative. Then when I had Livvie 2 years later, it came back negative again. Go figure.
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How are you doing? I don't think I've replied much in your thread, but I have been reading it. How did your class go?
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A woman pretty close in age to me was talking about how she got the full epidural and promptly fell asleep. For about five hours. Then they told her to wake up and push, and there she was! Sounds good to me.
Oh, and I have RhoGam to look forward to, as well. Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote: A woman pretty close in age to me was talking about how she got the full epidural and promptly fell asleep. For about five hours. Then they told her to wake up and push, and there she was! Sounds good to me.
I fell asleep in labor with my second, with no drugs! I had to be woken up when she crowned. I was in the tub...does your hospital have birthing tubs?
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Not that I know of...but they do have a huge tiled shower in every room with a huge spray head...I'm thinking about taking advantage of that, at least. I'm not sure how I feel about birthing balls, though.
Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Hot pounding water on your back in labor is the BEST. Better than drugs -- which is good, because if you're on drugs, they usually don't let you out of bed.
We had a thread of birth stories shortly before Christy gave birth, didn't we?
I was prepared for a full epidural when I had Operaetta, but when I got to the hospital I was already 8cm. After crying that I couldn't possibly do it without drugs, I did. It was such a positive experience that when we have another baby I'll definately plan to go natural.
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Have someone apply hot washcloths to your perineum while the baby crowns...many tears can be prevented that way. (My friend had a 12 lb baby with no tears or cut, which totally impresses the producer of 7 lber's.)This is one of the many ways a doula can come in handy.
Take advantage of the showers! If your hospital is more open, they may let you take in an inflatable kiddie pool to labor in (most of the hospitals around here have Jacuzzi's, because mothers would go elsewhere if they didn't).
Wow, Christy, I never read your birth story! And from the papa's perspective too, lucky you.
Posts: 1021 | Registered: Sep 2004
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See, dpr, I got great big shots directly after giving birth because I hadn't had an IV so they had to get the standard pitocin into me another way. Huge needle. I was scared silly by needles to the point of hysterics, but I never remember giving a crap that I was getting shots after the birth. I think, mentally, nothing could compare to what I had just accomplished.
Of course, when they came the next day to give me my Depo shot, I freaked and wouldn't let them give it to me.
By the way, i did eventually get over my fear, or at least I learned to be brave even though I'm still afraid. Once it occured to me that I couldn't ask my son to get a shot "like a big boy" without being a big girl myself, I had to change my attitude. Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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That's why PC is going to be there when Ella gets her shots...mommy is going to be in the bathroom or something. At least when she's old enough to realize what's going on. I freak when other people are getting shots, and I don't want her to be influenced by my reaction. I think my mom's attitude towards shots just made me worse. She kept reassuring me, which of course freaked me out.
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We're trying to _save_ money. Internet access in the birthing room isn't important enough to go out and get something special for. I was just hoping that they'd have it.
Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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dpr: From what I've experienced, pitocin is usually given to mothers after a birth to help the uterus contract and close more quickly and avoid a bleed-out. Many women receive the pitocin before the baby is born to quicken the labor or induce labor, but I opted out of that...I didn't want any foreign stuff in my body while the baby was still attached. (Brilliant, huh? Considering the baby would be getting its nourishment from my breasts minutes later.) Anyway, since I hadn't had an IV, they had to give me the pitocin in my butt or leg, I can't remember which. Normally the mother would just receive it in her IV fluids and probably wouldn't even know about it.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Hmmmmm....I guess it seems odd to me that pitocin would be standard, but rather to be reserved for a uterus that doesn't involute, or excessive bleeding.And most women will not actually need it. Maybe it's because I've always gone with midwives, but they've just pooped the baby on the breast right away and maybe done a little massage.
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No, I was never given pitocin after my non-induced births. I believe they kept it on for an hour after the induced birth for the same reason they couldn't stop it during labor: my body senses the oxytocin and won't produce enough of its own to do the job. Which is one of the reasons I hated being induced.
Because it isn't just a jump start. People control how much hormone is in my body and it isn't related to my natural rhythm but to a schedule.
Posts: 3495 | Registered: Feb 2000
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Hmmm, maybe it's just the hospital I went to. My doctor said that it was standard there to give a bit of pitocin to the mother after labor. I was told that before I ever went into labor, so I don't think she was trying to make me feel better about needing extra help or something.
Then again, IV's were standard too, but I managed to avoid getting one. Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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PSI, I heard it was standard, too, but I'm pretty sure I didn' t get any.
I have a WHOLE bunch of links I'll post if I get the chance at home for websites with good information. I'm supposed to be doing this for a work friend, too.
Posts: 1777 | Registered: Jan 2003
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When I went in to the hospital for early contractions awhile ago they had to give me an IV. I don't even know what they put in it other than the saline. It took PC a long time to be able to convince me to get it, and it killed. They put it right on my wrist instead of higher up on my arm, and I couldn't move it without it hurting like crazy. Needless to say, sleep was elusive that night.
*tries to think what they gave her* I'm assuming it was something to stop the contractions, which is why they pushed it on me so hard. Is there any other way to stop early contractions besides pumping crap into the bloodstream? Just wondering if anyone knows.
Posts: 79 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Water, water and more water!! Dehydrattion is a huge factor in early contractions.
Sit down, and stay sitting, with your feet elevated.
Remember, sex brings on contractions too. So if you're having them , you should abstain.
And depending on how you feel about it, most midwives will say that if all else fails, half a glass of wine works. While getting inebriated will harm the baby, small amounts at this stage to stop labor won't hurt.
Early contractions are scary, but I now so many moms, including myself, who staved off early labour that way, just to try and jump start just a few eeks later Posts: 1021 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I have always gotten early contractions, and some very strong. What really matters is how regular they become and how close together. I would say sex is just fine unless there are regular contractions.
keedokes, it could very well have been only saline in the IV. That was what happened to me the one time my contractions got regular and close together too early: simple dehydration. Rehydrating me stopped them.
I've given blood, and platelets too. The needles don't bother me. What bugs me about IVs is being attached to a bag hanging on a pole.
Posts: 3495 | Registered: Feb 2000
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I found this site after deciding that I would make my own sling rather than buy a 40-60 dollar one. Lots of cool stuff there about babywearing. There are more carriers than I could have imagined, and they compare and review them there. Fantastic place.
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