Hellobee Boards

@Grace: Yep, a pain in the...well all over! I even went for a long walk last night and couldn't get them to pick up in intensity, so baby girl isn't ready I suppose. He's told me that I need to come in when they're intense, but also if there's a change in what they have been. It's almost like I'm stuck in the first phase of labor and can't get my contractions to get strong enough.

Here's a new TMI symptom for you guys

I've had this really weird urge when I stand up, sit down, or pee, I feel like everything down below is stretched or "open". I'm not sure how else to describe it, it's the oddest feeling..

@StbHisMrs: That sounds kind of strange. Sometimes when I get up I'll feel like there's just a lot weighing on my pelvic floor. Which I suppose makes sense because at this point there kind of is.

Had a OB appt this morning, and they went over my ultrasound results from last week. Baby is currently estimated to be in the 51st percentile for head circumference (acceptable) and 94th percentile for height. Yeah... I'm 5'3" and one of the tallest people in my family... so my dr looks at me and is like... ummm... is your husband REALLY tall?? So, if they got the weight estimate right at almost 8lbs, guess I might have a lot of unworn newborn size clothes to pass along somewhere!

Today's stress test was good, but I'm back at the high risk OB tomorrow due to the GD to talk about an early induction since it really appears that there's no size issues. So, interested to see what they have to say tomorrow, since I'm still not sure how I feel about the idea of inducing "for size" if there's no other issues. I'm hoping it'll just happen on its own over the weekend and it'll be a non issue.

@redsmarties: Hemorrhoids already?! Oh no!!

I give all you ladies who are prepping freezer meals mad props!

@JamieLee: you're gonna be sooo happy you did that! I was saying like last week how we ( husband) kept eating ours. Now babe is here and we have nothing left. It's funny cuz all of a sudden it's 8pm and we realize we haven't eaten since breakfast. I wish we had all that kinda stuff left.

@redsmarties: I had hemorrhoids as well, they came around 34 weeks maybe? They were really painful and uncomfortable at first. I used tuck pads to sooth and that helped. I also got some prep H ( I learned today from a public health nurse that won't do anything except sooth, you need an prescription cream to actually make them better.) Anyways, in a moment of desperation, I was reading online what helps them. I found a thing that said Apple Cider Vinegar.. so, I put some on toilet paper and then put it against them and sat on it for like 20 mins. It burned like HELL but they never bothered me again ( they got smaller and I never even really noticed them) I had to do it for a few days probably. They are realllllllly bad now, I got a prescription today from a Dr, I might try the vinegar again soon if the prescription doesn't help ( I'm sure afraid if the vinegar touches any other sensitive parts right now haha ) Also, I said a few weeks ago I made "padsicles" Used small kotex day liners, cut them in half, soaked them in water and then added a tuck pad on top and froze them. They have been a LIFESAVER in that area. Nothing feels better then one of those on those babies after delivery haha.

I know a while ago lots of people were saying they have the snug a bunny swing, we have the monkey one, and Brooklyn loves it. She's chilling in it right now happy as a clam

@skipper2010: thanks for checking in! Congrats on your little guy!

@redsmarties: what a bummer (haha) about the 'roids. I hope you can get some relief, it doesn't sound fun at all. Tucks should help relieve some pain!

@Sapphiresun: glad the stress test went well! Let us know what they say tomorrow about the induction!

Thanks all for your concern with my bleeding. Is no one else spotting or bleeding at all?! Mine is every day now,but like I said my doc said its just normal cervix changes. I bled for the first 8 weeks of this pregnancy so I am probably just "sensitive" down there.

@MrsB2012: Thanks for those updates...I need to make those recovery pads too...everyone seems to rave about them. Glad LO is doing well and enjoying the swing...I'm looking at mine right now and while it takes up a lot of space I am super optimistic about how much LO will love it!

@redsmarties: I have had these sporadically throughout the pregnancy but never bad enough that I felt I needed to do something about it! Hope yours feel better soon!

@delight: I have had no bleeding...they keep warning me it may start but it doesnt. Probably a good thing too because I would FREAK out.

So after my excitement yesterday my Step Dad (who my mom obviously tells everything to) lost his shit when he found out I saw the Nurse Practitioner yesterday (my Dr office can be difficult to get an appointment at...sometimes it just easier to get in with the NP). I am supposed to see her next week as well and he said "absolutely not - you call and change your appt or I am calling your Dr and changing it myself"...I feel like such a child being intimidated by my step dad. Anyways - going to call today and fib that I have a conflict and need to move my appt...hopefully no one asks any more questions. But on that note - it was interesting because at 34 my Dr checked me and said "totally thin and babies head is right there totally engaged", yesterday the NP said "ya, thin but I dont think her head is there" so I left it at that and figured baby girl was just still doing flips still. Then at the hospital when they did my U/S and again said her head was way low and asked if I was feeling kicking in my ribs. So now my faith in this NP who I really liked is totally busted!

@Mrs D: my friend had her baby at a hospital in Grosse Pointe (I think it was a Beaumont hospital) and they had a newborn photographer that visited all the new moms. She got some super cute pics of her little man. Sadly, my up north hospital does not offer such a perk.

@Mrs D: No LO yet but ours does. They have a lady that comes by and takes them. You have to buy the prints from her if you want them but from what I can see, they are really nice pictures!

@JamieLee: @sarbear: @Mrs Hedgehog: Thanks for the input on photographers. I ended up skipping on a newborn session - so I would LOVE it if these turned out good!

@sarbear: Good luck tomorrow! We'll be keeping you in my thoughts!

@redsmarties: Ya, I panicked at first about them but my mom informed me what they were and how to proceed. It was annoying but I have been able to get through them pretty easily.

So...no availability from any of my 4 doctors next week. Kind of annoyed. So I am seeing the NP again...I think if I am not pleased with what she is telling me I'll just ask for them to send a doctor in. I told my mom not to tell my step dad...just a little white lie!

@JamieLee: Your freezer meals sound absolutely delicious! I told DH now that we're done the nursery the freezer meals are our next project. He's been a lot more into the food preparation lately since I can no longer go to the grocery store and need help cooking, so I think it might actually be fun for him. Do you have any advice on what might be good to start out with? And what kind of containers do you keep everything in, just regular freezer storage bags?

@Modern Daisy: My freezer cooking advice:

1. Make a compilation of recipes you want to make. I can email you my collection if you want. Just put your email on my wall. Then make a grocery list and go shopping.
2. I divided the recipes up by type, like breakfast, chicken, and ground turkey/beef. Then I looked through the recipes for common ingredients, like 3 needed browned ground turkey, so I made a note to cook it all together. Same with scrambled eggs, cooked diced chicken, chopped onion, etc. Cuts down on prep and cleaning that way.
3. For storage, I used a couple different things. I bought some of those foil pans at Gordon Food Service for meatloaves and casseroles. I put crockpot meals and spaghetti sauce into freezer bags. I wrapped the breakfast sandwiches and burritos in foil. And for the meatballs, burger patties, and cookie dough, I froze them first on a cookie sheet until they were hard then put them in freezer bags. Another option I saw for things like casseroles was to line your casserole dish with plastic wrap and foil, put the food in, freeze it, then once its hardened, wrap it with the foil and plastic wrap and take it out of the dish. Then when you defrost, just put it back in the right dish. But I thought the foil dishes would be easier for now. I might try that next time though.

I think the easiest recipes I've found so far are the crockpot meals, because its basically just throwing ingredients into a bag. The most involved was the breakfast burritos, just because there was a lot of prep and assembly. I've been making breakfast sandwiches to freeze for a couple years now, so I've got that down to a science. All I have left to do is chicken. I'm making chicken pot pies, mexican chicken alfredo, cilantro lime chicken (if I can find cilantro - my grocery store hadn't gotten any in a week!), pesto chicken alfredo, crockpot teriyaki chicken, crockpot chicken fajitas, and crockpot bbq chicken. I really just need to cook some chicken breasts up and then assemble so it shouldn't be too hard.

@Modern Daisy: @JamieLee: I also used the foil containers from GFS and have been super impressed. Like @JamieLee: mentioned...I divide my cooking days by similar ingredients. Last week was mostly baking which had the common ingredients of butter, sugar, flour...so I wasn't stuck with a counter top full of ingredients. This weekend is chicken...I know I need about 24-36 chicken breasts - so I'll buy them all in bulk and do all my chicken stuff in one day. Same concept with ground beef...buy it and cook it once...make all your meals from it.

@JamieLee: LOVE the idea of freezing in a 9x13 then removing and wrapping in foil. GENIUS! I'm making lasagna's on Sunday and totally doing that! Also - I would love your recipes since you have so many that I dont. Especially the pesto alfredo and the pot pie. DH loves pot pie but I struggle to find a good recipe. Did you find a GFS container deep enough for that?

@sarbear: Good luck!

@Modern Daisy: Yeah, I'm sure it's a very rough estimate. I think they actually project it off the femur length, not a real exact measurement, so it's possible baby's just long limbed. Which woudn't be that surprising actually, since I have a super short torso. Like, I'm 5'3" but wear a 34 inseam pant.

Interesting about the hospital newborn pics. There did seem to be some up on the walls when I was in the mat ward for my NST with a business card attached, so I kind of wondered if they were examples of someone who came to the hospital. I'm struggling with spending the money on them though. My best friend is a professional photographer so I tend to be spoiled by her "special rates". She's planning to come to town for my shower on the Sept long weekend, and will do a shoot then, but baby will likely be three weeks old by then... so maybe if there's somebody that you can just buy a couple prints/files from that capture the real newborn stage I can justify that!

Okay, I'm really excited - I finally bought us a diaper bag. I was holding out because I wanted to keep it under $100, but I wasn't finding anything I liked that looked like it was good enough quality. i also wanted something that DH would be able to walk around with if he just had LO in the carrier. So I had been perusing Jack Spade's website for a while but only noticed the "Dad bag" today finally since I hadn't even thought to check the sale section. They are having a 15% off special if you sign up for the email list, which made the bag only $109 before tax (free shipping) so I just went for it.

@Lawbee11: Ooooo!! Exciting!!

@Modern Daisy: Nice bag! I got a fairly manly one too. I learned my lesson with my carry on luggage. I used to have super cute black with pink/white Hawaiian flowers, but then we'd pack it full of both our stuff and I'd end up having to carry it. Mine's one of the grey/orange Diaper Dude ones.

Had another OB appt today. Did a cervical check and I'm not dilated AT ALL, but he thought it felt a little soft. As for the induction still kind of up in the air. Everything looked good so he agreed to leave me until the end of the weekend unless any issues pop up. But said he'd really prefer for baby to be born by this weekend, so essentially to walk tons and get it on, and we'll talk again over the weekend. He's penciled in an induction for Sunday while he's on call, but we may or may not use it depending how I'm feeling/kick counts/sugars/blood pressures. But just the cervical tablet one that can take up to three doses over a few days to start working. They definitely want it out no later than the 11th... so end is somewhat in sight.

@StbHisMrs: not cool. That's awful he didn't tell you!