Hellobee Boards

Hello out there! My name is Stacey. This will be my first baby, second pregnancy. The first one ended around 8 weeks. I'm beyond happy to be almost 17 weeks now. Symptoms are mostly back/pelvis related aches. Chiropractor this week! We'll find out the sex on 4/2 and I can't wait. Nervous about labor and breast feeding. Excited for this new chapter and to meet baby peep. Good luck August mamas!

Anniversary: Sept 18, 2010
First Dance Song (or your song as a couple): Then by Brad Paisley
Honeymoon Location: Another Hawaii couple, but not Maui. We were fortunate that my MIL worked for us so that we could take a honeymoon!!
Furthest Place you have traveled: Australia or any place in Asia?
Favorite Place you have traveled:Oh man, I can't choose just one! International: Australia or Europe? Domestic: Hawaii, hands down!
Favorite Food (non preg):Pizza or anything Italian
Favorite Season:Spring

@StrawberryBee: Thank you! August 24th!

So I felt some tap tap taps for the first time the other day, and now that I know what they feel like, I feel them often. I explained to my husband that it's like there's a tiny party going on deep inside of me. It's amazing! That has been a very fun and welcome development of pregnancy....it helps make up for the unwelcome ones.

@mrs. peep: Welcome! You are due the day after me.

@JamieLee: I went to a baby show a few weeks ago and talked to places about prenatal classes and they said that they should be complete 6 weeks before your due date. That means our class starts at the end of May...which isn't that far away!

I got a wedding invite for June 29. I'm going to be 32 weeks (cue crazy bug-eyed look)!

Anniversary: October 1, 2011
First Dance Song (or your song as a couple): Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
Honeymoon Location: Cinque Terre, Florence and Paris
Furthest Place you have traveled: Hrmmm, Italy or Vancouver.
Favorite Place you have traveled: I love Paris!!! Barcelona, too!
Favorite Food (non preg): Turkey dinner with my grandfather's homemade dressing!
Favorite Season: Fall!

@Grace: I am standing in a wedding on July 20th!! I'm due August 26th... The wedding is 4 provinces (~10 hrs drive) away. It's my DH's sister and I said I would stand before I found out (she got engaged about 2 weeks after we started TTC and asked me right away). I feel bad, but I'm totally not at all excited about going, let alone standing for her

@Alivoo01: I think they'll have us sign up for classes at our appointment on Monday. I researched our hospital's c section rate and it's somewhere around 33%. It's supposed to be a really good hospital, but is also known as a bit of a baby factory; get you in, get you out.

In researching reviews of the hospital I ran across reviews for a birth center:

http://www.thebirthcenter.org/

for the bedrooms alone it's tempting...but no epidural possibility scares the crap out of me! How are you supposed to prepare for what could possibly be the worst pain of your life when you've never experienced it before? (there's a regular hospital across the street in case you run into issues...which apparently happens often with first time moms there).

Question for you ladies: my dr's office rotates doctors so that you see everyone in the practice by the time you go into labor, since who you get depends on who's on call. I'm still working my way through seeing everyone once. Do you mention to each doctor this early what your preferred birth experience is? (i.e., immediate skin to skin contact if possible, delayed cord clamping, etc.). Or do you trust to just tell whoever it is the day of?

@Ocean girl: The Burlington near me shut down, so I'm not sure what they have there. Old Navy stuff doesn't fit me right either, and to be honest I wasn't impressed with their prices last night. I haven't tried Gap maternity but their regular stuff fits me great, so I hope it will work out well for you! Motherhood Maternity also fits me nicely.

@StrawberryBee: Well, I haven't even got my OB yet, so there's been no talk of birth yet. TBH, I'm not too worried about my preferences. The hospitals here really push skin-to-skin, and don't do interventions unless necessary. Plus, I'm not shy. I really wouldn't have a problem saying no to nurses/doctors. I have been told to refuse the IV, though. Appanrently, they can be stinkers and don't want to search for mobile IV stands for you, so then you are stuck in bed.

@StrawberryBee: My Dr's office does the same thing, I have now (at only 4 months in) seen all the doctors in the practice. I like them all (4 women) but I know the two I prefer. My stepfather trained most of them and has his opinions as well. He's already told me he is only comfortable with 2 of them if the labor isn't smooth - fingers crossed I get one of them (since they happen to be the two I prefer also).

As for the birth preferences. I probably have a somewhat abnormal approach. Being that I have an OB in the family I tend to be of the "Dr's know best and I dont question their judgement" mentality (my stepfather is wicked old school). Also, I have watched 3 friends have very detailed and planned out birth plans and instructions for their labor - none of them went according to their plans. I honestly was so annoyed watching them be SO frustrated that they didn't get X or Y that they couldn't look beyond on that crap and see the healthy happy baby in front of them. Because of these experiences I am taking as laid back approach as I can and just going with the flow only caring that I get a healthy baby out of the deal. Immediate skin to skin will be amazing because i t means I have a healthy baby - but if it doesn't happen or I end up with a c-section then so be it - I wont feel like my dreams were crushed.

Like I said - I have been shaped by my observations and experiences with a few close friends, one of which was traumatizing, so I know my opinions are probably totally skewed by it!

@StrawberryBee: Man, I really need to go to Home Goods!

@mrs. peep: Congrats & welcome!!

@Alivoo01: Yayy! Congrats on still being Team Hot Dog!! We're starting to have quite the picnic on this board

@Ocean girl: I haven't even been to Burlington Coat Factory, so I am no help with that question. I just ordered 4 comfy tops from Gap maternity and they are awesome! They are super comfortable. My favorite is the Pure Body line. I haven't tried any of their pants, though. You may also want to make sure that the Gap store carries maternity clothes. I live in a major US city and only 1 Gap here carries maternity. The maternity clothes at that location are actually in the Baby Gap, so that was a surprise!

@Grace...I will be a bridesmaid at 35 weeks. In july. Ask me how excited I am about it.

@Grace: @Mrs D: @Alivoo01: I'm not going in with a birth plan per say, since I think that just invites disaster and sets up expectations that can't possibly be met due (SO much can happen!). I think the two things I mentioned are probably my list in total ;). I'm not sure if both things are a standard practice now, but figure I don't want to assume (actually, I should probably ask it when we do our hospital tour!).

My hope is that I go into labor on my own of course, and don't need any interventions or pitocin. If the doctors feel otherwise then so be it. I believe there are 7 doctors in my practice, though I'm not sure if all do deliveries (they're all listed on the hospital's OB/GYN Div webpage, though).

I googled my hospital's name and c-section rate and found the info at the bottom of one of their home pages:

Total deliveries 5,294
Cesarean Section Rate 33.1%

@redsmarties: ha ha! That is too bad the original tech wouldn't make you roll around and see if they could make her move a little. Very cute story though and sooooo exciting!!!

@StbHisMrs: wow, so exciting! Can't wait to hear the results of your u/s!

@lawbee11: That is awesome that their mom is being civil! Is she usually trouble? and thanks! I'm pretty over it. I think they were mostly teasing me. I think I just let the pregnancy hormones really get to me last night, it was such an emotional evening! Not liking the crazy hormones! LOL.

@Alivoo01: @Mrs D: Thanks! haha DH was thrilled, it was a few members of his family that made some off comments, but I think it was mostly me over reacting and being hormonal.

@Grace: @StrawberryBee: Thanks ladies! I feel better today, I don't know why yesterday was so emotional.

@StrawberryBee: That is an awesome stash of stuff!! Love the little onsies sooooo cute!

@mrs. peep: HI! Welcome!!! I'll add you to the roll call ASAP!! Which I am updating after this post. I swear I've slacked a bit, sorry ladies!:)

@Alivoo01: YAY! I'm happy we're both team hot dog! Glad to hear your appointment went well.

@Mrs D: Sounds like a really neat wedding though! I tried looking to get married in a theatre but none of them would let me. lol. The pictures will be awesome! Also, my birth plan is veeeeery similar to yours!

@Ocean girl: Oh gosh that's going to be a long trip. Are you driving or flying? Hopefully it's a lot easier than you expect!

@skipper2010: Thanks!! I'm feeling a lot better today, I feel like the hormones really got the best of me last night and today I'm trying to take it with a grain of salt. They ARE happy for me, they just didn't say it the way I expected. Which was silly of me! I am super excited to be on team Hotdog with you!!!!

I ended up going to Chapters last night and getting a crapload of baby stuff ($115.00 worth!) LOL.

@mrs. peep: I skipped the belly band altogether and went straight to maternity pants ;). I have a groove in my stomach from wearing pants too tight during childhood obesity, so I'm determined that it will get pushed out by baby, and I want nothing to stand in its way!

There's one pair of zip up pants I still wear to work, but now I can only zip it part way and have to attach the button with a hairtie. I wear it with a long flowy sweater so no one can tell.

@mrs. peep: Like Strawberry Bee, I skipped the belly band and went straight to maternity jeans also. They're pretty darn comfy since the pant leg areas are more elastic, and the full panel really helps accentuate my bump!

@.twist.: My next appointment is April 11th and May 9th. May 9th is my glucose screening appt!

DH and I did have a discussion about the whole "birth" situation last night. I told him I would be giving my mother full rights to both the laboring room and the c-section operating room (if needed) because I thought he needed a back up. Yesterday my BFF asked me if she could be in the room when I deliver (she is in nursing school and I really think its more about the education than the being there with me) I was fine with it but DH was not - he said he'd like at least the first half hour with just us. Which I am totally fine with - but now I have to break it to my BFF. she'll totally understand, but I still hate saying no. He did say she could be in the c-section room if need be (I have fears DH will pass out and my mom has expressed concern that she'll "make it" if she is my go to) so that could be my compromise!

Just random food for thought on the whole birth plan topic - I am all for skin to skin immediately and bf'ing immediately after birth. However, not sure if you guys have had this but two of my friends (well my other BFF and my nail lady - who is basically a friend) both commented that they were way to shaky and off keel to hold LO right away. My nail lady went so far as to say she panicked and made the nurses take 2 of her 3 kids away when they placed them on her immediately because she was terrified of dropping them! Never thought of that - but it makes total sense!

@Mrs D: wow! very interesting. I can totally see myself being super shaking from exhaustion/ working so hard to get him out! Hopefully the skin to skin is while I'm laying down and DH will be there to help. Never thought of that!!!

@mrs. peep: I did like Strawberrybee and just went to maternity jeans. I'm going to have to buy them anyways, so might as well be comfy.

@Mrs D: Interesting! I think I'd just have DH do skin-to-skin if I was too shaky.

As for the weddings, you all have worse luck than me. All i have to do is go to it. But doesn't it seem crazy to think that soon we will all be 30-some weeks? Still seems unbelievable to me!

@.twist.: She's not usually trouble. She and my DH disagree about things sometimes, but overall she could be WAY worse! I consider us lucky!

@mrs. peep: I also skipped the belly band and went straight to maternity jeans. They are so comfy!

@StrawberryBee: Totally just bought that a+a blanket. Someone needs to take away my credit card!! DH loves hippos, so I know he won't mind

@Alivoo01: I tend to react poorly to pain meds, so I am intrigued too!

@Grace: Agreed - that is what my nail lady did after the first incident she asked DH to always take the baby from her immediately if she looked uneasy!

@.twist.: @StrawberryBee: She said it was the exhaustion and lack of food (plus general strain and stress on her body)she said she was all light headed and what not for the first 30-60 minutes!