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@MrsClownfish: Hahaha exactly!!
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@MrsClownfish: @marionberry: @jetsa: I can't believe the USA doesn't have some sort of maternity program...you American mamas deserve a gold medal, seriously!! I hear stories about women who pump at work and balance it all with an infant and it amazes me. Major kudos!!
I'm heading over to my best friend's house to visit with her 1 week (!!) old baby...I can't wait for some cuddles.
Is anyone else leaking colostrum? I have some yellowish dried crusties coming out of especially my right breast (tmi?) and wondering if it's colostrum. I'm hopeful that it might be a good sign that I will be able to breastfeed (since I had a breast reduction 4 years ago)
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@char54 I am not leaking but have been able to express liquid from my nipples for months now (it is mostly clear sometimes it is yellow)
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@char54: I've had the crusty's (LOL) for a while as well
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@MamaMagpie: @char54: @jetsa: @MapleMoose: @MrsClownfish: @mrsmoreau: @MrsStormy: @marionberry: Thankyou ladies.. sometimes its just so nice to not feel alone in these thoughts!!
I am feeling much much better now. DH & I had our first hospital class last night and it blew my mind. Our new hospital is better than we can imagine... half of my birth plan can just be deleted as it is already hospital policy... they are sooo pro-natural birth its amazing! Here's just a few points that made me so happy!
We can give birth where ever we want....bath, shower, floor...standing, squatting, leaning... however! They said we know the bed is there, but we suggest giving birth anywhere but! ( unless that's where you feel comfortable!)
They give a minimum 1 hour skin to skin after birth as standard.
They wait til the cord stops pulsating until they cut it.
They let the placenta be delivered naturally.
They do not offer pain relief ( you must ask if you want it)
They do not tell you to push...they know your body will push naturally when the time is right.
I am soo flippen happy! These were just the first few points I could think of that they said... but basically everything they said fitted perfectly with how we want our birth to go. Feeling really really confident now. Obviously we know that things can go wrong but it's so nice to have a good faith in your hospital!!Been a happy little nester today, sewing some final things, practicing putting up decals. Can't wait for our next class!
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@char54: ooh I have had dried crusty stuff too... I was wondering if thats what it was!
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well i had my check up last night. still at 2 cm, although he said i am bit more effaced than last week. I must say I am relieved even though I am anxious to see this baby girl...
First of all I am not going back to work until December, so the longer she stays inside the better off financially we are. i only get 6 weeks of paid leave.
and secondly, I thought I had finally picked a name but DH did not like it AT ALL. sooo... she is still name-less! agh!also, DH applied for a job in Ohio! (we live in Pennsylvania) so that is flipping me out a bit. bad timing. he has a phone interview tomorrow afternoon - i feel bad because part of me does not want him to get the position even though it would be a great career move for him - but that means me giving up my career to move and moving away from our families - my mum would have a fit. I just don't know what to think about the whole thing. could not sleep last night. I am just going to have to have faith that things will work out the way they are supposed to. I am a wreck over this.
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@mrsmoreau: Oh bummer you can not agree on a name
Hopefully you find something perfect you both love soon! Have you talked to DH about how you feel about the move?
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@Mrs squirreld: I'm glad your hospital experience was really good. I have actually been quite surprised with how much natural (pain med free) births are advocated here too. My birth plan is to see how I get on and what I might feel I need I can ask for at the time and they are really supportive of that.
We had our final antenatal class this morning on breastfeeding, which made me feel a lot more confident, especially knowing that there is a lot of support readily available if we need it.
I too keep alternating between feeling really excited and like I just can't wait for her to get here and feeling like I'm not prepared, with all the "what if I can't do this or that... etc."
I don't have a lot of time for HB-ing at the moment, but I keep checking this thread religiously to see if anyone has gone into labour already, or is showing symptoms. Based on the August mamas, I thought we would have a baby or two from this group arrived by now! I'm sure it won't be long!
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@Mrs squirreld: I'm so glad you found a hospital that has the same views you have!!
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I haven't yet updated with my predictions, so here we go:
DUE DATE LIST
duckduckkristen 9/6 - BOY!!!
Mrsdiamonddiva 9/7
bisou7585 9/8
misskabers 9/8
NBLChicago 9/9
mrsmoreau 9/9 - GIRL! Born 9/2, 8lb 3oz, 21"
mrsrey122 9/10
evenstar982 9/12 - Team Green! predicting a girl on either 9/7 or 9/15, 7lb 13oz, 22"
ktgee04 9/13
joanlindsay 9/16 - Team Green!
merr 9/17 - Team Green!
mamamagpie 9/18 - BOY!!! Born 9/21, 8lbs 7oz, 20.5"
marionberry 9/19 - BOY!!! Born 9/17, 7lbs, 9 oz, 21"
izzy 9/19
illumina 9/19 - GIRL!!! Born 9/20, 8lbs 7oz, 19"
char54 - 9/20 - Team Green! Guess: Girl, 8 lbs, 5oz born 9/19
colee 9/20 - GIRL!!!
littlegbee 9/20
mrs squirreld 9/20 - BOY!!! Guess: 7 lbs 10oz born 9/14
jetsa 9/22 - Team Green! Guess: Girl, Born 10/1, 7 lbs, 20.2"
mrsclownfish 9/23 -Team Green! Guess: Girl, Born 9/26
mango.sprays 9/24 - Team Green!
meltini 9/24 - BOY!!!
Racheld75 9/24 - Team Green!
jbean 9/25
MrsStormy 9/27- Team Green! Guess: Girl, Born 10/2, 7lbs 2oz
MapleMoose 9/30 - GIRL!!!Boys: 5
Girls: 4
Team Green: 9UPCOMING APPTS:
8/13 mrsmoreau - 36 week appt
8/16 jetsa - 35 week appt, additional growth scan due to size
8/19 marionberry - 35.5 week appt
8/26 jetsa - 36 week appt -
@Mrs squirreld: that's an amazing hospital, I have to say I'm jealous because it sounds like I'll be fighting for some of those things over here.
@mrsmoreau: I'm so sorry that you are in that position. My DH was recruited for and applied and interviewed for a job in australia and then they just never responded earlier in my pregnancy and there were lots of things to consider. We decided we'd wait until an offer was made to decide but then it fizzled out which is definitely the easiest option. I guess in that long winded response that things will happen like they're going to and you can make a decision when you have all the variable defined.
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@Mrs squirreld: yes I talked to DH last night, and of course he said he would withdraw his application.... I don't necessarily want him to do that, but I worry that he hasn't thought through all of the implications....
BTW I am glad you are happy with your hospital - mine is not quite as "pro-natural" as yours sounds, but they are still pretty progressive as far as all of that is concerned, so I am also pretty pleased - the last place I delivered pushed medication on me and rushed me through - in fact, that hospital is referred to around here as "the baby factory" - glad I am not going there again!
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so just got the official word that I will be getting zero days of paid maternity leave. I am the only associate in the firm and they were just like yea we can't pay you and your leave replacement at the same time. so that sucks. they did say they discussed giving me my bonus early in installments over the course of my leave.
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@MrsClownfish: oh my goodness that is rough... nothing like leaving it to the last minute to let you know! ridiculous.
How long were you planning to take off? -
@MrsClownfish: Ummm.. not sure how things work in the States... but is that legal??!!!
@mrsmoreau: I hope things turn out the best for you then! Urgh the baby factory sounds scary! lol
@jetsa: Make sure you fight for what you want! It's your birth!
@illumina: I totally keep checking to see if anyone has gone into labor yet! Can't wait to see who's first!!
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@Mrs squirreld yea the US does not require paid maternity leave. In fact, since my office has less than 50 employees they are not even required to hold my job for me...but they are.
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@mrsmoreau I am taking off until the new year.
I just called my student loan company and was able to put the payments into forbearnace so that is helpful.
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@MrsClownfish: OH MY!!! Wow... that sucks..
I guess its good they are holding your job for you. It makes me sad that the US doesn't have better policies for maternity. I wish they had given you more notice though... how stressful!
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@Mrs squirreld we have been saving in anticipation of this being the ultimate outcome. My friend works for the ny court system and they don't even give matenrity leave BUT they have 5 weeks vacation a year and can save them up for leave.
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@MrsClownfish:
How many weeks vacation is standard in a FT job there?
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@MrsClownfish: Yea, me too on all accounts, no maternity leave, no requirement to hold my job. They are holding my job as well, I thought maybe they'd offer some paid leave in the beginning and then they never offered and I realized it wasn't going to happen. It sucks, I'm sorry.
Thats the main reason, I'm only taking 6-8 weeks off, everything after 4 weeks (which is my PTO that I've saved for the last 3 years) is unpaid. Kid doesn't start daycare until Jan 5, so how we're going to get there is an unknown.
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@Mrs squirreld: there is no standard in the US.
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@Mrs squirreld there really is no standard. some people accrue PTO (paid time off) on an hourly basis. Others just get a set amount of time. 5 weeks is EXTREMELY generous and is a perk of working for the state.
@jetsa yea I didn't save up my vacation time (which was only 2 weeks a year and went up to 3 weeks this year) because I wanted to go on vacation...LOL
That sucks that you are only going to be able to take off 6-8 weeks. I am taking off until the baby goes to daycare in January. We have been saving up money and hopefully it will all work out.
Oh I think I do get short term disability payments that are like $200 a week for 6 weeks...I need to look into this.
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@MrsClownfish: @jetsa: Yikes!!! I am super grateful to live here then. There is no law here that employers must pay maternity leave BUT most do 4-6 weeks paid maternity leave and then you get 4 weeks vacation leave every year which you could use aswell. The goverment then pays 18 weeks maternity leave at minimum wage and by law your employer must hold your job for 52 weeks. Dads can also take an additional 2 weeks leave ( paid by the government) on top of their normal vacation leave ( if they want to use that). My DH is super lucky and gets 8 weeks vacation leave per year.
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@MrsClownfish: I don't even get short term disability, we were counting on it for me to take 12 weeks and yea no. Its my fault, I thought it was a given if you had health insurance but no its an extra insurance policy that I didn't pay for, FAIL. I only get 2 weeks vacation as well and used it but I get 6 days sick leave and 1 personal day that I was able to save some of.
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@Mrs squirreld: that sounds great! 8 weeks a year is amazing.
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@jetsa: @MrsClownfish: We can also purchase extra leave.. not sure if you can do that either?
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My company is very generous with maternity leave so I am pretty lucky. DH accrues sick time that he can use for paternity leave so that is nice. I can't believe there are companies out there with such terrible maternity leave policies.
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@Mrs squirreld: Nope, never heard of this. Is it cheaper than your salary?
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@Meltini: I think size of the company really matters, I work in a tiny office. If we were in australia (where my husband's company is based) he'd get paternity leave but they don't offer it over here. I'm one of 4 engineers, we have like 20 employees total.
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I'm board crashing from August ;). Now that I'm on the 'other side' I thought I'd offer up the extra boxes of red raspberry leaf tea I have. These are the organic Traditional Medicinals teabags from Amazon. I have four unopened boxes (got a 6 pack because it was cheaper than buying individual boxes). Free to whoever needs them! Preferably in the US to make shipping easier, but if you want to help defray cost of shipping international, I'm open to it :). Just be sure to include my username in your reply so I get the email notification.
Getting close to September!
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@StrawberryBee: Congrats on your LO! Do you feel like it worked? I just bought some red raspberry leaves so I'll leave these open for someone else unless no one responds
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@jetsa: yep, as you pay for it pre-tax!
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@StrawberryBee: you can crash our board anytime!
Lol especially with freebies! Although it would be ridiculous to post it here... Not sure they would even let it through customs!
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@MrsClownfish: @jetsa: I'm so sorry you can't get more time
Like I said, you American mamas are rockstars, seriously. Our maternity leave here in Canada is pretty awesome (52 weeks at 55% of my salary, my employer also tops me up to 100% for 10 weeks and will hold my job for me if I decide to take a 2nd year off but with no pay obviously)
Our paternity leave sucks here though, with no specific policies or benefits. DH gets nothing at all and is hoping to take a week vacation when the baby comes but he's extremely busy at the moment so I doubt he will be able to take more than a few days at most. We could technically split the parental leave portion of my mat leave (the last 35 weeks) but I don't want to share
@mrsmoreau: I hear you on the stress of moving...last winter we were facing a possible move across the country, away from our families, my career, etc. It was very stressful for a long time trying to decide what to do, weighing the pros and cons...in the end DH ended up taking a job in our current city and I am *so* glad that we stayed, just because I can't imagine moving away from my family with the birth of my first baby. That being said, I totally appreciate him doing this for me so it makes me more open to moving in the future. I hope it all works out the way you both want it to....the unknown is the scariest part!!
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@jetsa: I'm not sure? I came in to the hospital at 6cm dilated with very manageable contractions (so much so that they didn't think I'd be staying), got the epidural, had my water broken, and in a relatively short time was at a 10. It's kind of a blur; we got there about 5:30pm and she was born at 2:59am with a little over an hour and a half of pushing and an hour before that of me laboring down at 10cm. So it certainly didn't hurt matters! I didn't take it very religiously though (as evidenced by only two boxes used ;)).
@Mrs squirreld: ha, true!
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@mrsclownfish: Do look into your disability benefits. We found out that they take your disability amount and then subtract any PTO you're taking, so for me, even though I qualify for all of my disability at $450/month, I won't actually get any. Total fail.
@mrssquirreld: I wish we had such nice benefits here. We have absolutely nothing. I'm lucky in that I've been in my current position 5 years, so I've saved up a lot of vacation time, but I won't have that luxury with my next child, so it will be even worse. Also, so glad that you love your hospital. I would say mine is close to yours in its preference for natural birth which is nice. I wish I had your creative hand or the time to do some creative projects. I keep going back and forth about making my own mobile vs buying one on etsy and I need to decide soon! I'm running out of time. This weekend is nursery finish weekend!
@mrsmoreau: My DH has been in the same situation. We turned down a great job offer he got in TN in January because I wanted to stay here near family to have the baby. Then he got a new, great job here, which has been awesome. Well he recently got another great job offer back in TN which was better than the last one and I made him turn it down. It's hard because I know that he really wants it (and he grew up in TN) but for our family and my career, I think staying here is the best option for all of us. Sometimes I feel guilty, but he understands and I'm sure your DH does too.
@illumina: Glad you liked your breastfeeding class! I missed mine accidentally and had a mental breakdown, but luckily I work for the hospital, so I emailed the nurse who was providing the class and she's doing a shortened version for me in her office next week. I want all the help I can get in that arena since my mother didn't really do it with her kids.
@char54: No leaking of colostrum here or any dried leakage. Hopefully that doesn't mean anything. I've been reading my breastfeeding book like it's a bible, haha. I think that's a great sign for you though!
So I think I'm all caught up now! You guys went through a lot before I got to work today.
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@marionberry since I don't have any PTO i don't think it will affect my ability to get disability but they are going to look into it for me.
I am guessing I can't collect unemployment after disability runs out since I won't be actively looking for a job?
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@StrawberryBee: haha that's what I keep telling my husband can't hurt might help
Lol especially with freebies! Although it would be ridiculous to post it here... Not sure they would even let it through customs!
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