Hellobee Boards

@auggiefrog: @jh524: y'all are awesome gardening. I have occasionally felt inspired with it and more often the plants die. We've been in our house 2 years and there is definitely potential - I have ideas but so far haven't acted on it.

@Canoli: it just makes it all more important to have bags packed and things ready. I'll be doing so in the next few days just in case

@autumnleaves: well xeriscaping would be your friend then! Look into it. That's what's we've done and focused more on drought/deer resistant perennials.

@mamabolt: congrats!!!!! Love the name Henry!

@Cherrybee: hopefully things progress!!!!

Thanks so much everyone! I am shocked he arrived early and so quickly! I went from "maybe that was a contraction" around 10am to "yeah, let's drop off DD with a neighbor" around 1 PM to my water breaking while walking into the hospital at 1:50 and realizing I felt pressure and sure enough I was checked, it was go time, and he was out in two pushes. My labor with DD was 9 hours so I had no reason to believe it would be so quick this time but he had other plans! He's a little beat up from his quick entrance but here's a pic! Can't wait to see his April baby buddies arrive!

@mamabolt: oh what a handsome lil dude!!! Love his name:) congrats again! You have motivated us all to pack our hospital bags. LOL

@mamabolt: Aaaaw! His little face! He's lovely!

Okay, so.... I had my doctor appointment today. They confirmed that what I've been experiencing is early labour. Its apparently normal for it to stop and start. My cervix is 2cm dilated, thin, low and anterior. Baby is low in my pelvis - the doctor could touch her head! She stripped my membranes at 4.30pm and, on the walk back to the car park, the pains started up again! Its now 6pm and they're really quite intense when they happen (not painful as such). As soon as E is in bed, I'm going to try timing them. Of course, this could all tail off again so I'm trying not to get too excited! If I don't go into labour naturally, induction is booked for Monday 11th.

@jh524: 38 weeks exactly. Or perhaps you could squeeze yours out tonight?!

@Cherrybee: Wow! Sounds like today could be the day! Fingers crossed for you!

@jh524: Yes. I have GD and there are concerns around growth (E was IUGR due to placental deterioration and scans *may* show growth slowing this time).

@mamabolt: Congratulations! What a sweetie!
@Cherrybee: Good luck! Sounds like it's time to get that carseat installed.
I had an appt this morning. Dr. asked if I was having contractions and I said no. We decided to check me anyhow and dr. was super surprised - I'm 3 cm dialated and 80% effaced. The baby is still high though - station -1 or -2. None of this surprised me, though. It's *exactly* what happened with my daughter. Dr. told me I could try walking (I've been doing a ton of that) or nipple stimulation with my breast pump to get things moving if I wanted. We'll see....I know I *should* try to have the baby this week since my husband is on spring break, but there are still things I want to do pre-baby #2.... I'm going to give myself at least 24 more hours and then I might try out the breast pump tomorrow, or Wednesday (my due date) at the latest. I go back on Friday for an U/S to check my fluid levels and get an NST, all of which is standard for going past 40 weeks. I'd like to have this baby by next Wednesday! Let's see if he cooperates.

@Cherrybee: this has been quite the roller coaster for you! How are you holding up?

@mamabolt: oh he is darling! Glad you two are doing well and am amazed at how fast it happened for you!
@Cherrybee: I hope everything goes smoothly and easily for you. I've been a lurker and it just seems like this pregnancy has been rough on you. I hope you get some rest before LO appears.
@Eieio: a week left! So so excited for you! How amazing and special that you'll get to be there. I can't imagine how hard the wait and anticipation is.
@JennyLayneAZ: there's so much less stuff to buy/need with the second! I remember being super overwhelmed with all the things we needed with our first and finding it exhausting. The fun thing about the second is since you have almost everything you need you can focus on a few wants. We were team green with my son so all his newborn stuff is ok for our daughter. My big buys this time around was extras of the swaddle pods that we loved and a few Auden and Anais clothes.

I have been such a slacker and lurker on this thread. starting around 15 weeks I developed terrible pubic symphysis and by 20 weeks I was on crutches despite physical therapy, an osteopath and chiropractor. I just felt like I didn't have much to say because I didn't feel well.

We're having a girl, her due date is the 20th but I'm being induced on the 13th. Both baby and I are doing really well with no health problems besides the SPD. We're inducing because the SPD is causing so much pain. Luckily the SPD pain should resolve pretty soon after delivering and a few weeks of PT will set things back to rights.

My 2&1/2 year old son is ready. He asks most days if I'm bringing baby home today. Overall he is excited and looking forward to having a sibling. I think it really helps that at daycare the teachers have been having him spend time in the newborn room and "help". His favorite teacher had a baby a few months ago, and she's been fabulous at helping prepare him.

The only issue we've run into is nursing. He weaned at the beginning of December and it was tough for about two weeks and then he moved on. But now, at nap time and bed time he tells me he doesn't want to be a big boy, he wants to be a baby and nurse. I'm not up for resuming a nursing relationship with him, my main motivation for weaning was that he nursed all night long and it was just too hard on me physically. But it breaks my heart to hear him sound so sad and to miss being a baby.

But- when he wakes up he asks to use the potty and when he sits on it he tells me he's a big boy and he likes to pee on the potty. So, I think he's handling it ok.

Oh what a novel! This weekend my MIL flies in for a week and a half to help out. I have a great relationship with her and can't wait for her to arrive. I wish she could stay longer. My husband is taking a either Friday or Thursday off this week so he can help get the house ready, for both her and baby. We still need to bring up the bassinet, swing and bouncer. Oh and install the car seat.

I'm torn on if we should get a rock n play. We ended up reluctantly co sleeping with our son, and the RnP was the only thing we didn't try. I don't want to buy anything unnecessary but I also don't want to end up with another baby in bed. Does anyone here just love theirs? Should I buy one that rocks automatically? I can't find any used locally.

Sorry to delurk so late in the game. Seeing all the new arrivals has me excited!

Meh. Stupid early labour. Contractions were lovely and strong last night, but petered out once I went to bed. I was up with E at 4am and they started again, but stopped again when I lay down. I really thought it was starting properly last night.... I'm a bit grumpy this morning! I'm trying to remind myself that my previous labour was super fast and it was terrifying - this (a slow labour with the ability to sleep) was exactly what I wanted.

@Canoli: Thanks for asking. I'm ok. I was really happy last night, thinking it was all happening! I'm just trying to trust my body and not get discouraged.

@akcoffeebean: Hey, nice to hear from you. I'm so sorry you've been in so much pain. That sounds awful. I'm sure your little man will be just fine and he will always be your baby.

@jh524: Good luck at your appointment!

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: That doctor sounds like a much better fit for you and your desire for a calm, enjoyable birth.

@jh524: @auggiefrog: @Cherrybee: yeah, I didn't think it would happen, but I definitely have a preferred short list of who I wI'll request from the practice. At the end of the day though it's really going to be who's on call. Right now the Midwife and Dr. S.

@akcoffeebean: glad you're back and things are getting easier. RnP aren't terribly expensive, it's worth a try if your bassinet doesn't have similar features. We're skipping the RnP and hoping baby will sleep well next to us in a bassinet that has a stationary mode and rocking mode.

@JennyLayneAZ: @bloved: We washed the newborn clothes the other week and they sat in the dryer for days! Figuring out how to organize it all is already overwhelming and I still am not as productive as I should be right now.
@poppygirl15: sounds like it was a good appointment! I hope to make it full term too. Even though I am ready not to be pregnant anymore - I still have things I want to do before LO2 arrives and it would help to have my inlaws in too for delivery day. They are coming in 2 days before my due date.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I am happy you had a better dr appointment - it is interesting how the personalities can vary so much in the practice. Hopefully the one from yesterday will be on call when it is time for August to arrive. Do you think you lost the weight because of cutting out chocolate or smartwater? Congrats on finding a buyer for your house so quickly! When we sold our home I was pregnant with LO1 and it took over 90 days, 2 realtors, several price drops - it was definitely nerve wracking.

@autumnleaves: Yesterday was my first day of leave. My replacement emailed me and said it was a disaster, so not quite the stress-free start I was hoping for, but hopefully things will go better today.

After weeks of having contractions, I feel like mine have mainly tapered off I guess it is good because there is still a lot to do (cleaning...report cards...) before the baby gets here, but I would REALLY like if he came early too. This weekend would be pretty ideal...

@autumnleaves: thanks, I was pretty stoked about the weight loss it put me at 24 lbs weight gain for this pregnancy and the doctor's prescribed max was 30 lbs. I'm sure some of it was water weight from the swelling and cutting out the sugar that accompanied my morning coffee.

Also, during my last meeting with my doula she put the smack down on me and strongly suggested I cook more at home. Literally with the husband away every week for the last three months I maybe cooked 4-5 meals at home out of 21 (B/L/D). Last week I made breakfast and dinner at home every night. I was able to eat leftovers for two nights since DH has been back home, but we are back in our take out habbit until I can grocery shop again. Food from home does taste better, so I'm looking forward to loading up at the grocery store.

@jh524: oh yes, burgers and fries! The baby and I rediscovered how good a BK Whopper is a couple weeks ago. Twice in one week I had Jamaican take out of curry chicken and peas & rice. I tried to block out that the food was probably loaded with salt and focused on the extra cabbage side I odered. I'm pretty sure things did not even out.

So what does Braxton Hicks feel like? I had some tightness in the front part of my belly this morning that didn't last long at all. I was able to breath out the discomfort. It just happened that one time.

@jh524: ha ha getting ready for the snap back! Good for you!!