Hellobee Boards

@CoffeeMom: oh man I can’t imagine serious contractions with 2 kids - best of luck!!! I’ve been stocking up on board games and indoor things for my kids to do. Keep us posted on the scan - exciting!

We had our anatomy scan today, and everything looks good. We are having a GIRL!

@CoffeeMom: omg!!!! congratulations!!! wow the girls are really stacking up on this thread. great news and wonderful that you had a good scan.

@Seslsesl: just saw that you were in NYC?! Awesome, what for? I'm still not getting subway seats. last time I didn't until I was heeee-uge. and yeah, not amazing to have your body be open for comments from all. I think most people are trying to be nice and are just excited, but I feel strongly that it should be a social norm that pregnant people should get to comment back on the commenter's body

@bhbee: uh, re the weight jump--YES. I have been so so freaking hungry too and have been eating until full seemingly all the time. so, last pregnancy I gained 26 pounds total, very little of it in the third tri. I was up 22 pounds at 27 weeks and then added the other 4 over the last 14 weeks, so it really tapered off.

but I went to the OB yesterday at 21 weeks and I'm up **22** pounds already--yikes?? I eat a ton of healthy food but also a fair amount of carbs and sweets. she told me to reign in the carbs on the other hand I asked her if she thought I was at risk for GD and she said my number from last time was super low, so at least that's positive if the past informs the present? oy.

@crazydoglady: delurking, haha I guess I just had it in my head that this one would be exactly exactly like the last one, you know? and last time I guess I was lucky in that I didn't gain more than I really wanted to; maybe it'll just be different this time, because I am not going to go through the next four months hungry during all waking hours. I always say to other women that your body is kind of a runaway train in pregnancy, like I honestly think so much of it is out of your hands, but now I'm like, hmm was it all the spaghetti/pie? blah. I will be happy when I never have to worry about ttc and pregnancy and breastfeeding again and we just get our freaking bodies back. and that is AMAZING that you lost 70!! wow, way to go. how'd you do it?

@LCTBQE: I totally know what you mean. I think it's a bit of both. I know someone who gains 80 lbs every time she is pregnant and she is the tiniest thing when not pregnant.
I honestly didn't do anything besides bf and pump. I am so hungry during pregnancy, and I survived the first trimester by eating everything in sight. The only time I didn't feel sick was when I was eating. Once I had my son, I didn't get the whole super hungry breastfeeding thing. I had my normal appetite back.

@ CoffeeMom: Congrats on a good scan and baby girl!

@LCTBQE: We live in central NJ, so we just went in for the day to take our daughter to the Museum of Natural History and for some Shake Shack My husband and I used to go to the city all the time, but since having a little kid we only go once a year or so as a family, and every so often by ourselves to see friends or something.

The hunger thing has hit me like a train the past couple of weeks! And a crazy sweet tooth - I want to devour all sweet things all the time! I honestly haven't gained much weight yet, but I think I'm a 3rd trimester gainer. I was maybe 5-10 lbs over my goal weight, but not what I'd consider overweight when I got pregnant, so I was worried at first about needing to gain more, but my midwife hasn't been concerned. I gained around 20-25 with my first pregnancy and lost it pretty quickly, but then gained a lot of it back in the first two years of working motherhood - my diet went to hell, I stopped exercising regularly, and right when I was close to where I want to be, I got pregnant! I'm mostly worried that if I don't get my diet back under control I'll give myself GD - all of the sugar I've been consuming cannot be good for that impending blood sugar test

and update--had my second anatomy scan at 21w last week and everything looked great. baby girl was cooperating and they got all the shots they needed. feeling relieved here's the little mushy! these 3D shots used to creep me out but now I love them.

@LCTBQE: what a cute pic! I wonder if any of my AMA scans later on will be 3D? or if the baby will be too squished to look like anything at that point? and good luck with the move!! that will be such a big milestone! are you decorating a nursery after the dust settles?

I haven't heard anything about my GD test but I'm guessing 28 weeks - I go in tomorrow so I think I'll hear then. I'm also nervous for no particular reason! I think it's like how you feel nervous when you see a police car with its lights on even if you're not speeding. I'm also not thrilled about stepping on the scale tomorrow since my swelling has begun.

anyone have any fun nursery plans? I'm kind of sad to not have any decorating to do this time (since I'm not even really sure where baby is going to sleep after the first few weeks . . . ) so I want to live vicariously

@bhbee: hahaha, I'm totally going 12 over the speed limit in this analogy I have got to get on this AMA extra scans thing you're talking about! I'm 35 and I started calling myself "middle-aged" this year and I want the extra care, so into this. when are you getting them and what are you getting? last time the second anatomy scan was the final scheduled one. although with my son I had kind of slow/low fetal movement at 39w6d, and reported it when I went in at 40w0d for my final checkup--they sent me straight to the imaging place which determined he was fine, but as a bonus for all the trouble I got an amazing 3D image of his face and I'll be damned, when he came out he really looked like that, it was pretty incredible. so maybe you'll get to see her!
and yes I'm starting a mood board for her nursery with my son our nursery is/was a 6x9 tiny room with no closet, so I was super limited by furniture choices, but her room in the new house is an actual room, whee. are you in a 3-bedroom and that's the conundrum?
@math.nerd: how early was your first? I'm curious what you find about pp doulas, I actually have no concept of what they even do--you should start a thread about it! last time I was a FTM and had zero support (no family, no helpful anyone, really) and I struggled *terribly* with sleep deprivation. my husband who I adore and who is the most amazing dad ever also fucking sucked ass during that time and effectively refused to help me when I was desperate for sleep, so we've had a lot of talks about how that isn't going to fly again. however, I don't trust him on this, so I'm thinking I'm going to hire a baby nurse for maybe weeks 2-4 or so, and then I'll keep my boy in his regular daycare schedule. I don't know how a tradtional baby nurse is different than a doula though? maybe just the hours they keep... are you SAH, or do you work and your older bunny is in childcare?

@LCTBQE: actually I have no idea what the extra scans/checks will be, I just know she mentioned them as part of being AMA (I’ll be 37 at delivery). They don’t do a lot of extras in general (the norm would be a dating scan and one anatomy scan - and only an NT if you did not do NIPT) - so maybe you’ll get them too! Seems like there are no standards for how places treat AMA though. I’ve never had any later scans so not much experience. I think the idea is something like you’re more likely to have placenta problems or have baby health issues once you’re older so they monitor more closely. I think nothing before 36 weeks - maybe even later - but not sure.

And yes we live in a 3 bedroom - I love living in a close-in suburb but wish we had more space sometimes. My daughter’s room is already a converted formal living room so it just has a small coat closet and storage is rough overall. But we agreed to give it at least a year with three because we really don’t want to move right now.

I also have been telling my husband he needs to get ready to step up. My oldest will never get to school on time otherwise!

@LabradorLover: hi! Hope you are doing ok, we miss you!

@LCTBQE: ok, asked today at my appt and yikes they do a lot of extra AMA stuff. I’m pretty surprised because they’re low intervention overall and I had nothing after 20w last time! At 28w I’m doing the GTT and growth sono. Then another sono every 4 weeks. And either a sonogram or NST every week starting 36w. I’m not really thrilled since it seems like a lot for under 40, and these are pretty expensive on my insurance. I figure I’m doing the next one for sure but then I may ask if the pre-36w stuff is really necessary. I will admit though that my last loss left me a bit scarred and it may help me on that front.

We’re so quiet here! What’s new ladies?? Anyone working on a nursery or buying fun baby things?

I’m almost 26 weeks and feel like I’ve vaulted right past cute size bump to huge. I do not remember it being so huge last time! I do have swelling all over now so maybe the time of year is making a difference? I’m kind of just ready to be full term between swelling starting and the sciatica and spd. My in laws are coming for mother’s day weekend and I’m going to be soooo on edge

@bhbee: Sorry that the in-laws will put you on edge! We visited my family two weeks ago, and that was a lot for me, so I can kind of relate.

I've just started collecting some baby things. Another mom at my daughter's school gave us basically a year's supply of baby clothes, so that was awesome! We also have a chair for the nursery, 2 boppies, a rock & play, and some other random baby things, mostly purchased second-hand or given to us. We got rid of basically all baby things when we thought we weren't going to have any more children, so we're almost starting from scratch!

Have you started buying and/or decorating?

@bhbee: I need to be on the lookout for carseat sales. We got rid of our infant seat, though it might have expired by now anyways, and need to buy a new one. We still have the crib, things like baby k'taan, ergo, and I'm pretty sure I still have my cloth diapers somewhere (fingers crossed), but we won't know for sure until we go through storage in the move. We don't have a ton of space in our current apartment, so I'm trying to find the balance between preparing for baby without totally cluttering up every room

Happy third tri as we all get there!

Can’t believe I’ll be 28w on Friday but got to take my lovely glucose test this morning. I also had my first “I’m old” ultrasound and it was pretty fun! I had a talkative tech and it’s neat what you can see at a later ultrasound. Also got some cute 3D pics of her face. The tech was able to see hair so I’ll be curious if she gets my husband’s hair (the first two have my blonde but his is dark and curly - though they were born dark and it fell out). Anyway makes it all seem pretty real!

@Seslsesl: I think we’re right in the same mental place! I also tested anemic and so hoping the iron helps because I am WIPED OUT. Probably i am mostly just old and tired ha. But happy for no gd. I also had to solo my two all week after hosting my in laws for 4 days for mother’s day so hoping all in I can catch up on energy soon! The good thing I did for myself was get back to the chiro and schedule a prenatal massage last week during my 3yo’s last day of preschool. Hoping the chiro can help with back/hips/pelvis, I think it did make a difference last time.

Sending you some energy for all the upcoming busyness!! I’m starting to give up on my to-do list. I got a new crib sheet for baby girl that makes me happy to walk by and figure the rest I can pretty much do the last weeks (because I will have so much more energy then right?? ) or amazon prime from the hospital I guess it’s a silver lining to not having a room to herself!

Hi All!
Welcome to the third trimester, ladies! I'm still a few weeks away (25 weeks now) and hopeful to get a full third trimester under my belt!

I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed, actually - I keep feeling like things are stacked against us. I keep getting huge medical bills for items that I would have expected would be 'covered' under pre-natal care. And the truth is, we don't even have the money to cover our regular bills and basics. My husband owns his own business and it's very slow at the moment and I really don't know how we're going to make ends meet. And this is WHILE I'm still working and we're not paying for another kids diapers, child care, medical etc. I feel like I've made a terribly irresponsible decision to have another kid. I have NO IDEA how we will make ends meet when I'm getting a few weeks of disability and having to pay back my employer for medical premiums and navigating all the bills that will come rolling in for labor and delivery - and that's if everything goes well!

On top of this, I just found out that I failed my 1hr glucose test. I'm feeling so guilty about this because I really haven't been eating well or exercising as much as I could. My white blood cell count has been high for a few weeks and no one will give me a straight answer if I should be concerned or not. And I know it's not helping that I can not get a good night's sleep!

I know that I'm lucky, it could be much worse and I do believe that somehow things will work out - but I just don't know how. I even thought today that we should move in with my parents. I'm 36 years old with almost two kids and a good, professional career that I've worked hard for and I can't believe that's actual a realistic and reasonable option.

Sorry for the rant - I just don't know who else to really talk to about this stuff without getting an emotional response! My husband, obviously takes some of the money stuff personally (which it isn't. It's just life). My mom gets too emotional when I get emotional. I'm even going to therapy - but today may be my last session because I can't afford it and my financial stress level goes way up when I go (I've spread it to every three weeks) because I know we don't really have the money for it.

OK. I'll wrap it up. Thanks again for listening! I hope you're all feeling well, have excellent maternal benefits and no issues metabolizing sugars!

@bhbee: Thanks so much for your kind words. I do need to make some more calls to the insurance company to follow up. I'm sure some of this is incorrect. It's just the time and effort to get them to admit their 'mistakes' is so exhausting. I feel so badly for people who are really and truly sick and don't have the time, money or stamina to follow up -- they are being so taken advantage of.

And yes - it's good advice about paying these bills last. And to be sure to ask for a payment plan. We are on a payment plan with the hospital where I had my son - we pay $133 a month and have done so since he was born. When his bill was paid off, it was just in time to add my previous D&C to the bill. When I got the statement this month, I realized that our last payment on that bill will be in August -- Just in time to add our new costs! Hooray? Maybe someday I'll laugh at all of this.

I also did have a laugh when I realized that we have purchased zero items for this baby - we have been given lots of lovely hand-me-downs, her wardrobe and style will for sure be that of her big brother! I'll have to invest in some cute pink bows until she grows some hair

@Seslsesl: if your first was fast I think it’s probably fine not to plan a lot! Especially if your ob/hospital hasn’t changed. I’m feeling way more relaxed about it this time because my first labor was long but my second was short. My ob did switch hospitals so I’m going to go over my old birth plan with her again to ask if she thinks anything will be a problem (it’s just a short list of stuff like hep lock vs continuous iv, intermittent monitoring, etc). And who knows I may get sick of being pregnant and agree to an induction vs waiting it out and it all goes out the window! But I really would like another med free birth if I can get there.

The thing I have started to freak out about is childcare if I go into labor at all early. My mom is going to come a few days before my due date and I probably won’t go earlier than that but you never know! I know it will all work out but it’s so hard to plan something like that.

@math.nerd: we did Bradley for our first too! I also think having a doula was a huge help. I didn’t really need it for the second though. The good news is if you were able to give birth vaginally the second time is pretty likely to be quicker/easier! I needed so much less support for that reason. Wishing us all a short labor