Hellobee Boards

@gingerbebe: So many boys! I'm starting to feel panicked and think I should have my hospital bag ready, just in case.

@Littlebit: posted on your wall because I couldn't figure out how to PM you. Ahhh, the downside of having lurked for too long - I don't actually know how to do anything!

Thank you all so much for the wonderful welcome.

Husband came home last night with a small chest freezer for the garage so that my pumped milk doesn't fill up valuable space our tiny freezer. Yay for CraigsList! I never thought I would be so excited about an extra freezer, but right now this trumps surprise flowers, chocolate, or jewelry! (Though a really good brownie just might be a close second....)

OMG work is so annoying today. Of course it always happens on a Friday. UGH. I cannot wait for my leave to start.

@Pancakes: So many fingers and puffy toes crossed for your previa lady!

I think little man is starting to drop because I woke up with lots of BH contractions this morning and I've been cramping off and on all day. I walked to the corner store and had to stop because I got SERIOUS sciatic zings down my left side that were so painful it took my breath away!

I'll come out of lurking. I'm due 9/8 with my first and we are and starting to get impatient with finding out boy or girl! We are excited, but dragging our feet on final preparations for the baby. I have stuff gathered for the hospital bag, but not packed yet. Nursery isn't quite done and I am thinking we should install car seat bases this weekend (i'll be 36 weeks Monday). I still have to wash all the baby clothes and prep my diapers (although, we are using disposable at first while we adjust to having a baby!)

@Littlebit: If I wall you my email address, is it forever on the internet?

@knittylady: we've started packing! I have a list of things to pack for myself, and have baby's things washed, folded and ready to be packed.

Our oldest won't be at the hospital all day, but yes, we plan to have things available to keep her busy!

@gingerbebe: I've been having a ton of similar pains and others keep saying I look like I've dropped some.

@knittylady: The worst is pressure like needing to pee and a small trickle comes out lol. No bag packed, but starting to feel like I need to get on it! I'm bringing a sibling gift and I figure LO1 will bring his backpack with goodies of his choosing.

@ninjaduck: Welcome!

I haven't packed yet - still have 7 weeks to go. But if anyone who has done this before has recommendations or "must bring" items, please share!

Related - have any of you bought nursing bras yet? If so, how did you know what size to get? I expect/hope that I'll get bigger once my milk comes in...

@LHBlitzer: I would stick to a couple of stretchier/cheaper bras at first. My boobs fluctuated so much those first few months, but the first few weeks were insane. Plus, I didn't want to wear anything but soft bras with super easy access. Also, turns out even half an hour in underwire gives me clogged ducts, so pretty nursing bras are out for me.

35 weeks today! Crazy!

Cleaned out our Jeep today (our official mommy car) and installed the carseat base. God, I love our Mesa seat - it literally took 5 seconds to install! We need to get a minor repair and an oil change done, but we should be ready to go after that.

I've started packing my hospital bag. I actually still have an extra toiletry kit my hospital gave me when I was in ICU for my brain surgery 2 years ago, so I just packed that, a hairbrush, deodorant, overnight pads with wings, and contacts/glasses stuff. I'm taking a pair of rubber bottomed fuzzy socks, nursing pajamas, a robe, and a small makeup bag. I bought a 10 ft. long charger cord for my iPhone and at some point I have to pack the digital camera and charger too. When we get closer I'll pack flip flops, maternity yoga pants, a nursing tank, thin cardigan. For baby I have an A&A blanket, a sleeper with built-in mits, and a hat.

I bought a cheap 2 pack of nursing bras and a 2-pack of nursing tanks from Walmart.com. The bras were like $14 for the 2-pack, so super cheap. They are made of cotton and they fit me as of now. The tanks were 2 for $25 and they are just fine too - they have a little bit higher of a neckline, which I like, and slightly looser in the tummy area for post-partum pooch.

Also, my duster robes came from Kohl's and they are AMAZING. Zip up and terry = super easy for breastfeeding and absorbent for leaking and baby burps. I'm already living in mine, not gonna lie.

My contractions/cramping have calmed down today but my FEET HURT SO BAD. Holy swelling. I am hobbling around, its so annoying.

I had the worst joint pain yesterday - like teenage growing pains. My hands, elbows, shoulders - every joint was achy. Tylenol didn't help so I took an Epsom salt and baking soda bath. That did the trick. Anyone else having joint pain?

Still contracting and cramping and feeling lower back pain at night but not as badly as a the other day. My tummy looks a little smaller so I'm thinking he is dropping.

Been having the craziest craving for milk all week. I'm on my second half gallon! I want it with my meals and am knocking back 1-2 glasses per sitting. I guess little man needs calcium.

I'm not really having any joint pain either -other than regular pregnancy stuff. My sinuses/allergies have attacked me, however. I'm pretty miserable. It happened around this time when pregnant with LO too.

8.49am and I've already got massive stain on the front of my bump where I spilled some of my breakfast, hello Monday morning.

I'm really feeling the pregnancy by now, my fingers are swollen, my lady bits are no longer recognizable, my ribs hurt when baby pushes up, I cry for everything (poor DH is now almost scared to open his mouth). Really looking forward to not being pregnant anymore.

On the bright side, I only have two weeks left at work and I'll be working from home two of those days. I managed to bring some order to the spare bedroom chaos at the weekend and have localized all the newborn and 0-3 months baby clothes.

DH and I left DS with his grandparents overnight for the first time on Saturday, of course I had a really bad night's sleep but it made me feel much more at ease for the birth and having to leave DS while I go in to hospital.

Hi mamas! Just tried to flip through and see how you're all doing! I hope you are fairly comfortable and take it from me, pack those hospital bags! That was a crazy scramble for us, and DH ended up going home to pack while I was in labor. Hang in there ladies!!

@Boogs: I took half a Unisom last night. I only had to get up to pee twice, praise be!

@psw27: Hope your baby is doing well and headed home soon!! I packed our bags! Mine was mostly packed already but I decided to pack DH's bag too. He just needed some PJs and a few toiletries, but I thought I would do it for him now and then we can just grab our bags and go (or maybe I'll put them in the car with our pillows as we get closer). My boss and his wife had a baby recently and she was admitted when she went in for a routine appointment! They never had a chance to pack and they ended up being there for days. My boss ended up just sleeping at home and driving back and forth, but DH and I both agreed he wouldn't leave me unless absolutely necessary since we live a solid 45 minutes from the hospital, so I'm all about pre-packing.

For some reason I was obsessed with the carseat base being installed wrong and I couldn't sleep all Saturday night about it so I went out in the sweltering heat yesterday to re-do it. It was fine the first time, but I did manage to get the LATCH restraints in tighter and level the seat base a bit more. Paranoid mama here because our LATCH area is behind the passenger seat and not in the middle, so I want to make sure the installation is perfect.

Baby is back up under my ribs on the right side and OH MY is it painful/uncomfortable. Its so hard to sit at my desk!

@gingerbebe: Maybe I need to do that, too many days of no sleep and it's making nausea worse.

@Boogs: Yeah my nausea came back so if I can skip Zofran and take half a tab of Unisom to deal, then great. Half a tab puts me to sleep but doesn't make me super groggy in the morning.

I'm alternating back and forth between total excitement and major fear. I'm not sure if I'll make it to my csection date, but if I do I'm scared of surgery while awake. And if I don't, I'm scared of labor pains and a failed epidural. My husband is most afraid of a home birth. I'm very stubborn and he's worried I'll give birth on the couch.

She seems to have dropped a little. My husband noticed it this weekend and I saw my mom today, who thinks I'm much lower than I was late last week. I guess that would explain the crazy amount of pressure I've been feeling!

It's baffling that in three and a half weeks, I will have a newborn for sure. Having a known end date helps get me through the pain and discomfort.

@Weagle: Ooh, I have a My Breast Friend sitting in the crib and I meant to take it with me to the hospital but forgot to place it near my hospital bag - good reminder!

@gingerbebe: I took the My Breast Friend last time, but found it uncomfortable. I liked it once we got home, and I really like it for the first few months, but the strap around the back was uncomfortable in the hospital bed. Hopefully, the Boppy will be better for me this time.