November 06 Mommies ~ The 2nd Trimester!!!

[ausi2b]

Hello all! I think I forgot to update everyone on my ultrascreen test (neuchal translucency). It was very cool - and we had it a week ago. This place was amazing - huge suites, gigantic plasma television screens, the works. It even had a coffee bar! We got to see the baby on the u/s for about 40 minutes. And this time it slept the ENTIRE time (as opposed to 4 days earlier when it was doing Matrix moves in me!) The doctor had to literally push on my belly/uterus to wake this kid up! I teased the doctor that since he made me drink 32 oz. of water and not pee for the past hour, that if he pushed again, he was getting sprayed :) The h/b was 150 and the baby was super cute, sleeping with its hands near its face. We got to see it in 3d too - so fun! We then did the blood work, and what I thought was a finger prick turned out to be a real blood test :( But they they weren't able to get a vein, so it ended up being a finger prick after all - which still hurts by the way! We got the results back on Friday and our chances for Downs and the other chromasomal disorders were 1-10,000 (which is as high as it goes). Neenbeen - the genetic counselor told me our odds before the test were 1-800 so I think your numbers are fine and will definitely go up after your blood results come back!

I'm growing and growing and it is getting crazy - no more hiding it for me! You all look so much smaller compared to me, I'm getting nervous that I'm goign to be a whale come November! Oh well, as long as the baby is healthy, right? Surprisingly, I have only gained 1 pound, so its really just the baby growing and pushing out!

Question for you all - for those of you that ordered dopplers - where did you get them from? Do you enjoy them? TIA!

[Lydia]

My AFP results just came back today...all is NORMAL!

[Lydia]

Can someone help me find a source on car seat info? I am specifically looking for recommendaqtions on the best placement for the carseat once the baby is forward-facing. I am slo concerned that if the middle of the back seat is the best place, will I have difficulty getting to her once I am big and fat?

[Lizzie Beth]

Just checking in! I lurk daily, but it's been a long time since I posted... M/S has been throttling me. I'm 14 weeks today, but last time I got m/s later than everyone else and it continued a bit later than everyone else. And I'm beat from chasing around DD, who is now 17 mos. (So I'm right there with you, Brio!) I went to sleep the second I got Susie down last night.

I've had 2 ultrasounds so far and everything looks good. Last time the kiddo was wiggling around like crazy. The Dr. kept trying to get a good profile shot, but the best we could get was kiddo face down, head jammed down into the side of the uterus. Sure hope baby's a little more cooperative at the next ultrasound, (17 weeks) where the Dr. says she'll see what she can do at making a gender determination. As for me, my initial guess was a girl, but who the heck knows...

Had my new work id done this morning. Unfortunately, it's an accurate rendering of how I look right now.. :rolleyes:

I love all these names I'm hearing...I love the names Lily and Tess, especially. No top contenders here yet. Don't think I'll work on it too much until after we know the gender. DH and I are both so picky, it's just too much effort to negotiate on even one name that we couldn't use. And I'm definitely keeping the name a secret IRL until after the baby is born. Last time I kicked around names out loud, and people just had too many negative opinions. "You can't name her THAT!" was a constant refrain. But when we introduced her to people and said, "meet Susannah", well - nobody can trash the name of the person they've just been introduced to. And suddenly everyone had a cute new little face to associate with that name.

[Rancid13]

QOTD worried b/c of lack of symptoms?Kinda...it will be a relief to hear the heartbeat and get an u/s, as we haven't had either done yet. No m/s, no nausea, sore bb's, etc etc. Nothing! Just a few random cravings here and there and aversions, that's all really.

Weight gain~ According to my bathroom scale, I've only gained 1-2 lbs thus far. I'm pretty sure that some weight discrepancy can be caused by the time of day one weighs themself. Prepregnancy I would only weigh myself first thing in the morning, after I peed but before I ate or drank anything, when I was at my lightest of the day. :) My weight in the am was 135; in the evening, after several meals and lots of water it was 138. Now in the am my weight is ~137 and in the pm it's ~140. My doctors appts are all in the afternoon, so my weight will be higher than it otherwise is in the morning.

I'll have to let my doctor know that my prepreg weight of 135 was my am weight and the afternoon weight that we're comparing my current afternoon weight to was 138 because I'm sure she'll look at that scale at my next appt and announce that I've gained 5+ lbs when I really haven't yet, honestly.

Names~We're still working on middle names (still have yet to crack open the Hawaiian Name Book for those) but here are my/our top names for both genders in no order whatsoever. Girl: Natalie, Summer, Sarah, Sabrina, Jessica, Isabelle; Boy: Dylan, Brandon, Nathan/Nathaniel, Ryan, Trevor.

[kadee_29]

nobody can trash the name of the person they've just been introduced to I really wish someone would tell my grandmother this. I get crap all the time about my daughter's middle name and my son's first name. And she doesn't understand why I don't want to talk names with her.

[Sinclair319]

dopplersI got mine from heartbeatsathome.com If you rented it for 3 months, they threw in the 4th month free, so it ends up being about $15 a month (for the basic model). I cannot tell you how much I love it! I listen every night before I go to bed. After infertility, a miscarriage, and a lack of symptoms, hearing that whooshing sound every night is what keeps me sane. :)

[CityGirl]

weight gain - At my last midwife appt she said that I had gained 4 pounds total. But I too have the problem that I weigh myself in the morning, without clothes, and our scales are a pound different. According to my scale and consistent time of weighing, I have acutally lost 1 pound total. It threw me off when she said I had gained 4 pounds, because I had been concerned about not gaining. And I couldn't put the words together to express the difference without sounding like a crazy lady. I decided just to keep weighing myself in the morning and track that along with her weights. They should correspond from here on out, even if hers are heavier than mine.

I went to the gym today and had a free personal trainer session. The trainer had just had a baby 4 months ago, and you'd never know it. We set up a workout that I should be able to do throughout the rest of the pregnancy, so I'm really excited. If anyone has access to something like this, I'd highly suggest it.

[mimieliza]

Woo hoo! I'm buying a stroller off of craigslist. It's this one:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000E9TD2I.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
BOB Revolution - price at BRU is $360, and the one from Craigslist is brand new for $200 (someone got it as a gift and doesn't need it).

My dad is going to look at it and pick it up on Friday! :)

DH thinks I'm nesting. My parents are also going to look at a crib and dresser set I found on Craigslist - it's a Baby's Dream set, which is what DH and I were looking at (but we hadn't really settled on paying $1000 for the crib and combo unit).

I have an OB appt tomorrow morning - looking forward to hearing the HB, and like some of you have mentioned, I'm having a little more anxiety today that something could be wrong. No reason - just the upcoming appt.

Weight gain: I've gained 3 lbs. Yay! I don't want to jinx myself, but I think I really am starting to feel better. This is day 3 with no Phenergan, and no throwing up. Meals are appealing now, too, and I've been better at tolerating smells (except cigarette smoke - still makes me retch).

Names: Most likely Maya Kiyomi for a girl. Boy names are harder, but I'm really liking Ivan.

[RubberSoul]

I had my 2nd appt. today and met one of the OB's. She was very nice and I felt comfortable with her. The heartbeat was nice and strong in the 160's. I got the Dr. to agree to do my BIG u/s in three weeks so DH can come too! I hope that baby cooperates and shows the goods. I am dying to know if it is a boy or a girl.

BIG u/s is on June 14th and next Dr.'s appt. is on June 27th

Weight gain- I have gained about 6 pounds so far. I think that has to do with the fact that I could only tolerate carbs for a while. My eating habits are getting better so I hope to slow the weight gain down to a normal rate from now on.

Lydia- Yay on the AFP results! I had blood taken today for that test and now have to wait 2 weeks for the results! They also said the lab might kick my blood work if they think I am too early to do the test :mad:. So, I might have to give blood again and wait even longer. I don't know of a source for car seat info...sorry. Have you looked at the car seat thread to see if there is a link to something in there?

[katnbug]

lizzie beth- I so agree with your statement about baby names. Once you associate the cute face with the name, you can't help but like it! Our friends named their boy Henry, and I just kept thinking "what an old name!" But now I can't see him as anything but a cute toddler named Henry!!!

mimieliza- What a beautiful name for your girl! And Ivan is such a strong name for a boy! Congrats on your stroller purchase.

lydia- The American Academy of Pediatrics has a good web page about seat safety. I didn't see anything specifically on placement though. Maybe I missed it. http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm
I moved my DS to the passenger side rear seat when we bought our new car. I had the same problem leaning into the middle seat and lifting him in and out (he's over 30lbs and was 18 1/2 months when we moved him). I have heard that if they're not in the center seat, the rear passenger side is the best placement. I think my BIL told me this, and I'm not sure where he heard it!!

weight gain- My bathroom scale has let me down every time. By my scale, I only gained one lb last month... according to the dr. scale it was 3lbs. Ugh.

nesting- I am totally nesting. I've stopped napping during the day with DS - I could actually use a short nap most days but I just feel like doing spring cleaning! We're having a party on Sunday and I've been working in the yard the past few days. Planting lots of flowers and weeding. :) DS loves it because he gets to play in the yard all day chasing birds. This morning I steam cleaned the carpet. Tomorrow I'm planning on scrubbing the hardwood floors in our living and dining rooms. We'll see how that goes, since the only way I can get them clean enough is scrubbing on my hands and knees. Hopefully my back cooperates.

worried/lack of symptoms- I haven't worried too much. My bb's are still really sore and I pee a lot. :D
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I got my sleep apnea machine this afternoon and I'm going to give it a test run tonight. Lets see if this thing really works. I'm not really excited about it, but I now own this $2000 piece of equipment so I should at least try it. :(

[Ilovemygeek]

I am having some killer round ligament pain today! I guess it means I might be popping a bit soon which is great at this point. Anything to keep my maternity pants from falling down. :)

neenbean Euan is pronounced like Ewan McGregor. DH heard the name on some British show (I don't even remember which one) years ago and loved it. The spelling that is the same as the character's on the show.

Weight gain I had gained 3 pounds at my last appointment and I am kind of scared to see how much I have gained at my next appointment. The women in my family tend to gain way more than the recommended 25-35 lbs. I definitely look larger, but I know that does not necessarily translate into too many extra pounds.

[CityGirl]

mimieliza - I am totally obsessed with stroller shopping/research right now. I don't know why, but it feels like something I can "do" to prepare since I'm not ready to think about birth stuff yet. The Bob is such a great stroller, and an amazing deal for you!

[mermccau]

brio – glad to hear you are feeling better. I have to agree with rubbersoul. I do not know how ROs chase after a little one.

rubbersoul – thank regarding the name :) The waxes are not as bad as people think (or I do not think so anyway). I guess I am just used to it and the results are so worth it. My dad is dark Irish so I have the very pale skin and dark hair. I have always had a problem with removal because my hair grows fast and thick! Shaving did not even begin to deal with the problem. I pull hair out of the root all over my body (bikini, legs, underarms, lip, eyebrows, etc)…. okay, that may have been TMI but just to give you an idea of why I do bikini waxes. Hey, if you do not need them so much that you will deal with the pain, then consider yourself lucky :)

ilovemygeek – I think your worrying is justified. I am surprised I am not, actually. We will have to keep each other in the loop in regards to our progress. I have an ultrasound mid June and I hope the previa has fixed itself by then. Those names are very cool and different (and I mean that as a total compliment).

calla – I am jealous of your trip to Hawaii. If I may ask, where do you live? On the west coast? I love the beach theme and the ocean critters line. So cute!

mayham – did you dr seem concerned about the 5 lbs? I don’t know, but in my limited experience, that does not seem uncommon or a lot. You are pregnant, after all, and I hear that we all gain wait at different times and in different ways :)

ausi – I think you had a peek into your child’s sleeping habits if they were out for 40 minutes during your test! Oh, I envy the 3-D tests. How very cool. Can you post pictures?

Lydia – congrats on the normal test results!! :D

lizzie beth – silly question for you. Why is your child wearing a t-shirt in the bathtub?? :) I love your attitude about not telling potential names yet. I cannot believe that someone would trash a child’s name. I mean, really. I have heard people gives names to their kids that I personally did not like but I did not tell them because it is none of my business!! Jeesh.

citygirl - That is great about the trainer at your gym. What a great opportunity. You seem to be a pretty active person so this seems great for you. I asked my friend (who is an athlete) for a light upper body weight routine. We gotta keep something firm on our bodies, right???? ;) If I get bigger and bigger but my shoulders look okay, I will probably feel better. I hope my previa goes away so I can go back to aerobic exercise.

mimieliza – great stroller!


Question: I need some diet advice. I am a big carb person. I eat fruits and breads and pastas and pizzas. I need to add more protein to my diet. How do you ladies put protein in your diet everyday?

[Sinclair319]

mermccau--I eat scrambled eggs most mornings (usually one egg, one egg white to cut down on the fat some). I also have gotten string cheese to eat with crackers as a snack.

I've been having a lot of pain on the left side this morning--much worse than cramps. Called the doc and talked to the nurse--set up an appointment for 10:40 today. I'm hoping it's just ligament pain, but I want to double check.

Feeling movement--I'm feeling the baby move more and more--still very subtle and if I was doing anything, I'd probably miss it. I usually feel it the most when I'm sitting down. It feels like a wave or ripple, I can't wait until I feel it more!

[CityGirl]

mermccau - I find the easiest way for me to get protein is to make a smoothie every day and add protien powder. I get the milk/egg white protein opwder from Trader Joe's and I don't even notice the taste or anything in my smoothie. Two scoops adds something like 25 grams of protein! Here's my basic recipe:

1/2 cup Orange Juice
1 small container lowfat fruit yogurt (6oz I think)
1.5 scoops protein powder
1 Tbsp ground flax seed (for the Omega 3s)
5-6 frozed strawberries
8-10 frozen raspberries

If I'm lazy I omit the flax seed. Plus it makes the smoothie a little too thick for most people, but its better than eating a ton of fish IMHO. Anyway, I have one every morning for breakfast and I feel so good after drinking it. The other day I skipped it and just had a bagel with cream cheese. Huge mistake. I totally crashed and had to run and make a smoothie for lunch.

Man, between this and my gym posting I'm starting to sound like a health nut. Really I'm not. I just hate it when I feel yucky, so try to prevent that with good food and taking care of my muscles and back.

[Lizzie Beth]

Ouch, Kadee! Sorry your grandmother didn't get my memo. I think your kiddos' names are gorgeous. My grandmother used to be crabby like that, too, but now we have her medicated. ;)

Weighing in on the weight gain issue- I am so impressed with how everybody's keeping track voluntarily. I am very anti-scales, we don't have any. Last time I just hit the point where I was like "Just write it. You don't need to tell me.." I have NO IDEA how bad it got. But I did get back to prepreg. weight this winter. (I checked at the vet's office on their digital scale :rolleyes: )

Mermccau- LOL! I'm not exactly sure why she's wearing a onesie in the bathtub... This was a night at the grandparents' house, and they get to play by their rules. I think it has something to do with MIL wanting to keep DD as warm as possible, but I don't know if the onesie comes off after she gets it wet or what. My IL's are great, though, FIL is watching the bug today and she usually spends at least one night a week with them. She is really crazy about them and they love spoiling her rotten. (And I really don't mind some time to myself, either...:D ) I highly reccomend cultivating the GP's if you're able.

[Calla Lilly]

I have been pretty productive today. My dh and I have started walking in the evening...I worked out prior to getting pregnant, but totally slacked off once I found out I was pregnant. I found a prenatal yoga class, that I plan on starting in a couple of weeks. I also found a Bradley Method class, that I am sending in all of the paperwork for. Not certain if I will do an unmedicated birth or not, but they teach other things in the class too.

LizzieBeth, I am the opposite as far as scales! When we were in Hawaii, we took a helicopter trip...I knew they were going to weigh me and I was so paranoid about how much I had was going to weigh...we went to a mall so I could find a scale.

CityGirl, thanks for posting the recipe. I think I am going to try that! I didn't realize flax seed replaces fish. I have never actually purchased flax seed...is there a particular form I should look for? I assume I could find it at some place like Whole Foods? What stroller(s) are you currently looking at?

Sinclair, I can't believe you are already feeling the baby move! That is very exciting!!!!

Mermccau, I live in the Phoenix area. My dh and I fell in love with Hawaii when we got married there last year. We are fortunate that there are direct flights from Phoenix, and the flight time isn't too bad. Thanks for posting the question on protein. I didn't eat much meat prior to being pregnant...unfortunately, I have had an aversion to it since...along with dairy. Do you eat whole wheat pasta? There is a decent amount of protein in it.

Ilovemygreek, I like that name! I wasn't certain how to pronounce it when I first saw it, but I do think it is a great name!

katnbug, did you try out the sleep apnea machine?

RubberSoul, that is great you only need to wait another 3 weeks!

mimieliza, great deal on the stroller! I have been looking at the Bob strollers too.

Well, I should get to bed!

[Sinclair319]

False alarm yesterday--I was really worried it was a cyst or something. The doctor felt my belly and said, "It's your bowels." I said, "Well, I'm sorry for wasting your time because I'm full of sh!t!" :) She laughed and said that I should call anytime I'm having pain or unsure of something.

[RubberSoul]

Sinclair319- good to hear it was a false alarm! I hope you are feeling better today.

Calla- I know what you mean about the workouts falling by the wayside. I bought a New Balance recumbent bike for my house right before I got pregnant. Now, my large purchase is sitting in the sunroom collecting dust becuase I have been too tired to use it. I hope my energy returns soon so I can feel like I didn't waste a bunch of money!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A friend of mine has told me that she wants to throw me a baby shower this summer with my best friend. My best friend lives in Spain and will be coming home for a few months so they want to do it while she is home. Maybe I am odd, but I really don't want a baby shower. I told my friend that they really didn't have to throw me one and I would be perfectly happy just hanging out with them doing girl things. Well, she wouldn't hear it and is insisting on doing it anyway.

The reason I don't want a baby shower is because my friends are spread all over the state and in other states. I just got married this past October and everyone made the treck to the wedding and spent money on wedding gifts. I just don't feel right about asking people to buy me another gift in such a short period of time. Plus, DH and I can afford to buy the baby gear we need. On top of all that I am just not the center of attention type...in fact I hate it. At my bridal shower I just wanted to get it over with. So, here is my question - Do I tell the girls thanks, but no thanks or suck it up and deal with it since you can't really tell people not to do something nice for you?

Just to throw in a QOTD in addition to my delima - Is someone throwing you a baby shower and are you looking forward to it?

[Sare79]

Is someone throwing you a baby shower and are you looking forward to it?

I also just got married in October, so I do have the guilt factor, but when I got married, I got one shower thrown by my bridesmaids. In my family, most people had more than one and I was a little disappointed I didn't get more than one. That sounds really selfish, but I really just wanted to "be like the rest of the girls."
As far as a baby shower, I'd really like to have one, but I can't think of anyone who would throw it for me. Both of our moms are of the camp that you don't throw a shower for your child because it sounds greedy, and I don't have a lot of friends who have the space or time to plan something like a shower.
We can afford all the baby stuff, but I like that, at a shower, you get the fun impractical things like frilly dresses or sporty uniform style clothes.

[Rancid13]

Is someone throwing you a baby shower and are you looking forward to it? As far as I know, my best girlfriend and my mom are going to be co-hostesses for my shower. My girlfriend will do a lot of the planning and arrangements, my mom will provide a place (her house) and some of the food. My girlfriend said she was thinking October but I really didn't want it to be that close to my delivery month~I have a feeling I'm going to be quite uncomfortable in month 8. So I asked her if we could do it in late August or early Sept instead. :) I hope that doesn't make me sound like a crazy, demanding preggo woman.

[katnbug]

baby shower- Definitely not expecting anything for baby #2. For my first pregnancy I had one shower thrown by my sister & a friend. Then I had another shower after DS was born thrown by DH's friends. I got a lot of baby clothes for that shower... and a spa day for me!!
I enjoyed my shower for my first pregnancy. But everyone is different with how they feel about receiving gifts! By the time I got married (age 33) and had baby #1 (just shy of age 35) I had spent tons of money on all of my friends wedding & baby showers... I finally got to be the recipient!! :)

calla- The jury is still out on the sleep apnea machine. Night one I wore it all night, but my nose was sore in the morning. Tried a different size attachment last night & ended up throwing the whole thing on the floor next to my bed sometime around 2:00am. We'll see what tonight brings.

******************

More houseguests coming tonight! Oh joy!!! SIL and BIL will be staying thru Monday! Will I ever get my house back to myself?

Speaking of SIL - she's pregnant and due a day after us - I'm a little annoyed with her and she's not even here yet! She is very overweight & was starting to lose weight before she found out she was pregnant. Well, she has continued to lose weight into her 2nd trimester.. like 10 lbs just this past month. Admittedly, I'm kind of jealous - but also think that she probably shouldn't be losing so much weight at this point. It can't be healthy. Meanwhile, I'm feeling like a cow. Last time she visited, she made a point at every meal to say how stuffed she was & she wasn't finished with her plate yet. She made sure we all knew that she "just couldn't eat one more bite." :rolleyes: Oh my. I'm in for a fun weekend.

Speaking of fun... we are taking a fun trip tomorrow to the Milwaukee Zoo! It's not the closest zoo to us, but we're meeting a friend of mine up there. Should be a nice day!

[Sare79]

She is very overweight & was starting to lose weight before she found out she was pregnant. Well, she has continued to lose weight into her 2nd trimester.. like 10 lbs just this past month.

Not trying to defend her, but I am considered very overweight and was trying to lose whe we conceived too. My OB said it's perfectly healthy to follow the same eating plan with the extra calories for the baby and still lose weight. It's quite different being 130 pounds, pregnant and trying to lose weight than a person who has more than an extra 75+ pounds, pregnant and trying to lose. As long as she is geting everything she and the baby need nutritionally, it's not a problem (at least in the eyes of my OB). :)
But I do have to agree that people who feel the need to give a commentary on how stuffed they are can be very trying on the nerves. Good luck!

[brio96]

Baby Shower I'm not expecting one for #2. My first one was thrown by a good friend and my mom (they co-hosted) and was up in MA (I flew up for it). Since I didn't know anyone here in KY at the time, I didn't have one here. But, it's unlikely that my moms group here would throw me one since they have already talked about providing meals for us after the baby is born which is going to be far more helpful than another outfit at that point. We do need some new things (another crib, double stroller etc) but we'll get those ourselves. If it's a boy, my guess is that close friends and family would see what we needed if they wanted to send a gift.

FWIW though, I LOVED my baby shower and while it was weird being the center of attention and getting gifts again (we got married 2 years before) it was wonderful to have friends and family in one place that were all looking forward to us having a baby. People love to celebrate the arrival of a new baby and if a friend/relative is offering to throw you a baby shower, it's likely because they are just excited for you and want to give you a fun day.

[Franni]

Just wanted to pass this on. It's a graphical display that shows how popular names are over the years.

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

[CityGirl]

shower - I'm pretty sure my best friend/MOH wants to throw me a shower, and I'd be really excited about that. The only problem is that she lives about 2 hours away from me and most of my friends. I was thinking of suggesting a venue here that I know other people have had showers at, but I have no idea if it is in her budget or if she would be offended if I suggested it.

My other problem is that I just found out another good friend (I was her MOH) is due at the end of December. I'd love to throw her a shower, but don't know if that is going to be feasible. Would anyone here consider throwing a shower when they were, say, 36 weeks? The other contender for throwing her a shower will have a 4 month old baby. What a pair we'd make...

Oh, and just a thought for the ladies who aren't comfortable being the centerof attention: I just went to a baby shower that was hosted in a really cute nail salon. The hosts put $20 toward any service you wanted, so everyone got mani/pedis and ate snacks while the mom-to-be unwrapped her gifts. It was much more casual, and really fun.

calla lily - I've been going around in stroller circles. In SF it seems like a LOT of people have a Bugaboo. It really is a practical stroller for all our bumpy sidewalks and such, but I just can't justify spending $1000 on a stroller. In our little neighborhood almost everyone I see has a Maclaren. I pushed one the other day and couldn't believe how light and easy to push it was. Anyway, long story short, after admiring the functionality of the Bugaboo I found out about the Rock Star Baby Stroller (http://www.gtbaby.com/) (endorsed by Jon Bon Jovi). Its very similar to the Bugaboo at half the price. Then I found out that the RSB Stroller is actually just an I'coo Infinity (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000BLJ7ZW/qid=1148577403/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7487770-9052814?v=glance&s=baby) with a bassinet. That's a quarter of the price of a Bugaboo, with almost all of the same features/wheels/etc. So right now (and I reserve the right to change my mind a hundred more times) I want the I'coo Infinity, and will get a lightweight Maclaren in a couple years.

[Lilla]

Sorry I've been MIA lately - we had houseguests last weekend and then this week I've been slammed at work. At least it has made the week fly by very quickly. I'm getting excited for the 3 day weekend!

Late on this, but as for the weight gain thing, I consider my own tracking at home the "official" one. I weigh myself every Saturday morning without any clothes on right after I get up and use the bathroom. I figure my method is much more consistent, and therefore more accurate. I don't pay much attention to the doc's scale. My appts can be at different times of the day and the later in the day they are, the more I seem to weigh. And I may be wearing clothes and shoes that are heavier/lighter than other days as well.

Baby shower I'm actually having 2 showers thrown for me. My family and DH's family are in different states, so we'll have one with my side (thrown by my mom) and the other with his side (thrown by his aunt/mom). We did the same thing for our bridal showers and it worked out really well. I'm quite looking forward to them, actually. The only downside is hauling all the gifts back home - we don't live near either side of the family.

Does anybody else feel like time is flying by lately? I can't believe I have another appt next week already. Those 4 weeks between appts used to just DRAG by. I just hope time keeps on flying until the end of June only because I'm eager for the big u/s!

[Rancid13]

Does anybody else feel like time is flying by lately? Yes!! I looked at my calendar today and saw that today is the start of week 13 for me. That means in a few days, the first trimester will officially be over! OMG, that's 1/3 of the way thru! I soooo don't feel ready for this... :eek:

[mimieliza]

I had my 16w appt yesterday, and everything looks fine. HB was 150 (girl, maybe?) and I had a blood draw to check my thyroid level and for the triple screen/quad screen - whatever. :)

BUT! I found out that I have to wait until 22w for the BIG u/s, and I didn't even get to schedule it yet. Arrrrggghh!!! I can't wait that long! DH is suggesting going to a 3D place in a few weeks, but I'm nervous about our first u/s of the second tri taking place not at the doctor's office - what if something was wrong, and we had to find out in some storefront shop that couldn't follow up right away? So we'll probably just wait, rather impatiently.

Lila- Time does seem to be speeding up. OTOH, now, 22 weeks feels like it's YEARS away. I know once we get to that u/s, though, we'll say it felt like time sped by.

CityGirl - I know what you mean about being obsessed with stroller shopping. For some reason, it has taken on great importance. I feel better now that I have one actually purchased. We still need something compact that can carry the infant carseat. I would like a Peg Perego P3, but I don't think I can handle spending $300 on what will probably end up as our secondary stroller. I'm also considering the Graco Mosaic or Snugrider carseat frame, or the Zooper Twist.

sinclair - too funny! The other day, I called my mom, all worried, because I was having rhythmic, painful cramps. I was concerned they were contractions. She told me to call my doctor, but before I called, I went to the bathroom to do #2. Well, guess what, the cramps were gone after that. I felt dumb. :)

shower - My friends are throwing me one in September, and I can't say I mind at all. :) I'm also planning a wedding shower for one of my friends right now, so I'm quite happy to be on bothe the giving and receiving end. DH and I can really use the help with getting the necessary stuff together, too. With my new job, I'll be down to part time starting July 1, so we're trying to be thrifty.

Another question for today: Is anyone else planning to cloth diaper? I'm quite excited about it (yes, I'm weird), and I just bought a dozen Kissaluv fitted diapers in size 0 from their outlet store.

[lilo]

CityGirl: thank you so much for posting the stroller information! My DH and I had been thinking about buying a Bugaboo but like you, I can't imagine spending so much money on one stroller. My 2nd choice is currently the RSB Stroller until you posted the info. on the I'coo Infinity stroller! Do you know if there are any other differences between the two strollers?

weight gain: I try to workout about 3-4 times a week doing about 45 minutes on either the elliptical, treadmill (fast walk) or recline bike. I also try to do light weights twice a week. I don't have the fastest metabolism and I like to indulge every once in a while so this is the only way to keep my weight gain in check. I really hate going on scales but I figure to ease the pain at the doctor's office, I should do it at home as well. So far, I think I've gained about 5 or 6 lbs. I'm not too too worried about my overall weight gain for the next 6 months since I was pretty active before getting pregnant and hope to be after giving birth as well.

baby shower: I will probably have two showers. A small one at work and then a large one hosted by one of my close friends. I don't really like to be the center of attention either but like brio96 said, it will be really nice to have all of our friends and family in one place that are looking forward to us having a baby. Personally I don't care for the typical shower games but I look at it as more of a get together or luncheon with lots of family and friends. At one of my bridal showers, we have a feast of food that made it feel more like a luncheon/dinner party and made me feel more relaxed.

I'm glad the topic of baby showers came up because I'm a little confused on when the appropriate time is to have one. Since I'm not due until the end of November, I was thinking that early September (after labor day) would be a good time. People will be back from their vacations and getting into the fall routine again. Is anyone having theirs earlier or later?

RubberSoul: I would suggest maybe a compromise between sucking it up (you don't want to hurt your friends feelings) but also making it clear to your friend that you'd like to keep the shower small and somewhat casual. Maybe that way you will feel more comfortable while not offending anyone. Plus, think of it this way. Your bridal shower was really gifts for you and your DH to enjoy whereas the baby shower will be really gifts for the baby to enjoy or that he/she needs! Just my $.02 :)

-------------------------------------

Not much new on my end. I've been been thinking more and more about what colors/theme I'd like in the future nursery. For a boy, we're leaning towards doing some kind of transportation or car theme (i.e., antique cars) and for a girl, I'm leaning towards doing a bunny theme that still has a clean and modern theme. Does anyone watch the show on HGTV called "Debbie Travis' Facelift"? She did a friend's nursery one time that I absolutely loved and it included a few bunny accents and these beautiful daisy flower self-adhesive appliques made out of wood. Here is a picture where you can see the flower applique on the wall. You can also see the shelves below the flower that has a bunny rabbit carved in between them:

http://www.debbietravisfacelift.com/episodes/20050603/images/03_after.jpg

For a girl, it's one of my favorite inspiration pictures. If our room were big enough, I would love to get a circular crib as well.

I also like this one from an epside of Divine Design with Candice Olson:

http://images.scrippsweb.com/HGTV/2004/06/15/HDIVD102_After_e.jpg

It's for a little girl's room but I would love to incorporate elements of it like the chair rail with the stripes below it and soft pink bedding.

For a boy, my favorite inspiration pictures, so far, have been from the Seren & Lily website:

http://www.serenaandlily.com/assets/pages/6_page.jpg
love the clean lines and bold navy blue and green piping

http://www.serenaandlily.com/assets/pages/2_page.jpg
again, I love how clean it looks and I love the stripe design. I also like the wall decor over the crib.

If for some reason we decided to do a circus/animal theme, I love this:

http://www.serenaandlily.com/assets/pages/4_page.jpg


Has anyone else come across inspiration pictures for their nursery yet?

[brio96]

Would anyone here consider throwing a shower when they were, say, 36 weeks? Not to scare anyone, but I went into labor (and delivered) at 36 weeks. The whole week before I had horrible sciatica and could not get around my house unless I literally crawled. Had I planned a shower for someone, I wouldn't have been able to attend.

BUT, my situation doesn't happen to everyone and plenty of people keep doing their normal thing up until 40 weeks (sometimes beyond). If you can co-host with someone will can be guaranteed to be there, that might be a good option if you want to go ahead and throw one for your friend. 36 weeks is a tough call.

[CityGirl]

mimieliza - I think if we had more room, or more garage, I would be leaning toward multiple strollers. But we really can have only one (at least only one at a time ;) ) so it seems that much harder to find THE stroller. Doesn't the P3 have adapters for your car seat?

cloth diapering - I've seriously considered it, and may still decide to go for it. I'm pretty sure I couldn't do it without a diaper service. I just know myself and my laundry habits too well. I'm also considering gDiapers (http://www.gdiapers.com/) but will probably just start out in disposables with a few cloth and a few gDiapers and see how things go.

lilo - The RSB Stroller is literally the I'coo Infinity, just with different branding. Hauck manufactures both strollers. The only differences are

1) the Infinity doesn't come with the bassinet or the rain cover. It does still come with the SnugRide adapters.
2) the colors are different. RSB comes in black, grey, and ivory. The Infinity comes in blue and pink online, and in green in some BRU stores. They are the only US distributor.

I figure we are having a winter baby and won't be strolling all that much in the first three months, so I won't miss the bassinet feature. Especially since it has the SnugRide adapters. I saw the RSB in a store last weekend and really liked it (though I felt like it had a bit too much branding all over it), so I'm going to track down the Infinity this weekend at a BRU.

[katnbug]

Sare- I know what you're saying (and I can't argue with your dr. ;)) It's probably the jealousy that makes it bug me more. If I were a 130lb pregnant lady it wouldn't bother me so much - I've always struggled with my weight & especially since having DS a year and a half ago... and while I'm not 75lbs overweight, I am at least 60lbs over. I would have been happy maintaining my weight throughout the pregnancy... I didn't really think losing was an option! I've just got to bite my tongue if she feels the need to comment on everything she is (or isn't) eating. :o

CityGirl- If I recall correctly, I was feeling pretty good around week 36. I definitely had some swelling in my ankles & had my feet up a lot though. But I think if you had a little help, throwing your friend a shower would definitely be doable. Of course, if anyone else offers to do it, I'd let them! ;) Just offer to help out with decorations or the cake or something.

Rubbersoul- I have to agree with what lilo said... think of the shower as gifts for the baby. :) I know I for one love to buy things for babies. I'd much rather attend a baby shower than a wedding shower!

[Sinclair319]

baby shower-Ummm, I'm a little embarrased to say I'll probably have 3. MIL will have one for me (cohosted with SIL--they don't believe in the ettiquite rules ;) ), then a close friend/coworker will probably have one for my work friends. I'm also really active in the community, and a friend has insisted that she have a shower for me for college/community/church friends. I'm not a big fan of being the center of attention, but at the same time, I've gone to so many showers, I figure it's finally payback time. Plus most people know our struggle with infertility and are beyond thrilled we're finally pregnant! I'd like my shower early-mid Sept, but we'll see what will work. One of my best friends is due the same day I am and her shower (due to family traveling) is mid August.

baby stuff--I've ordered our travel system (MIL bought as an early shower gift) and our crib and lots and lots of baby clothes. We also painted DH's childhood dresser that we'll use as a dresser/changing table in the nursery. I have an idea how I'd like to decorate--light/warm green walls, stripes (lt and dark green) on one wall. Then the accents (curtains, sheets, rug etc) will be either pink or blue with green.

T minus 11 more days til we find out pink or blue!

[katnbug]

CityGirl- I just saw your post about gDiapers. I saw a segment about these on the Today Show a few weeks ago. They definitely peaked my interest. But I must say that the real-life families they had do a test run didn't think they were the greatest. I think one family said they weren't worth the trouble, and the other family said they would use them occasionally but not solely. I just can't believe that in the 21st century no one has come up with a biodegradable (sp?) disposable diaper!!! We can send a man to the moon...... :)

[CityGirl]

katnbug & brio96 - Thanks for answering my shower hosting question. I'm sure if I took the initiative to plan I could get a few other girls who would love to help co-host. I just don't think anyone else is going to take it upon themselves. Co-hosting is probably my best bet, with doing everything I can in advance.

On the gDiapers, I've heard that some people's plumbing can't take it either. I guess I'd like to be an idealist and think "Sure, I'll cloth diaper because I think its better for my baby. Or, sure, I'll use flushable diapers because it'll keep diapers out of landfills." But having never been responsible for changing 80 diapers a week, I just don't know how it'll all turn out.

lilo - Forgot to say how lovely your inspiration pics are. I love that there are more modern nursery options these days. We aren't having a nursery, and I don't even think we'll have a crib for a long while. So all I can do is live through your plans and obsess about strollers.

[neenbean]

So much going on today!!!

Ilovemygeek~ Euan is such a cool name!!! I am sorry I am so lame when it comes to pronounciation and spelling. DD's name is Catherine and no one knows how to spell it already. :p

baby shower~ I had a really large shower (40+ guests) when I was pregnant with DD at 31 weeks. It was overwhelming, but incredibly sweet of my family and friends to share their generousity. I went home to MA for that. At the time, I knew only a couple people here in NY. This time around, my MOMS Club friends are talking about throwing me a lunch or soemthing simple. I feel akward about it, but I also just threw something similar for my MOMS Club friend expecting her 2nd baby, so I guess they feel they need to do the same for me. I just wanted to show her how much we are excited for her- they said they HAVE to do something for me. I am so bad at accepting this kind of thing, but I love my new friends. :)

city girl~ my shower was at 31 weeks and was the perfect time for me, I was super active still. At 36 weeks, I think was still pretty comfortable, but if at all possible, I would try to have it a little earlier, just in case and recruit as many helpers as you can!!!! ;)

weight gain~ with DD, I put on almost 50lbs :eek:!!! It was so awful! This time around, I have not gained any weight as of my appointment this past Monday, but I am also overweight to begin with. My doc has not mentioned anything in either direction about weight. My last doc was all over me as soon as they confirmed I was pregnant and I weighed at least 10lbs less than I do now!!!

lilo~ those are all gorgeous nurseries! Thanks for sharing. :)

cloth diapers~ my mom cloth diapered me and my sister, but I just can't be bothered. I am far too lazy. A friend of my LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Cuddlybuns (or something like that!). She is very happy cloth diapering.

Rancid13~ I am so happy to nearly be officially in the 2nd trimester. When others ask, I am shocked to say I am just about 13 weeks! The last couple weeks have flown. :D

[Sare79]

katnbug- I'm sorry if I attacked you. I didn't mean to. I think I've been feeling a bit judged about not losing more weight before I got pregnant, so I'm a tad sensitive.

[RubberSoul]

mimieliza- No plans to cloth diaper. I know I won't have the time or the energy.

lilo- Thanks for the advice on the shower. I really do appreciate my friends wanting to throw a shower for me. I just hate that they go to all the trouble when I will have a hard time enjoying it. I will see if they can keep it small and simple, that is a good idea. I like all your inspiration pictures. I am working on figuring out what crib I like right now. I feel like that is such a hard decision all by itself.

katnbug- I hope by the time the shower rolls around I can think of it as getting cool stuff for the baby. Right now all I can think about is all eyes being on me and answering a million questions. I know I need to get over it and just be grateful that I have such wonderful friends :).

Sinclair319- Wow that is a lot of showers. That is very cool that you will have so many people excited about the arrival of your baby! I think I need to start a countdown to the BIG u/s too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope everyone has great holiday weekend! I am looking forward to having monday off and relaxing!

[Sare79]

I went and bought a couple of new workout DVDs earlier in the week and wanted to reccommend them. They are both made by a company called Natural Journey. The first one I tried last night was Fitmama. It is a salsa cardio routine, a power yoga routine, a stretching routine and a part of labour prep. The other video that I tried this morning is ZenMama. it is a yoga routine that incorporates a lot of breathing and a lot of positive things to be doing for your baby. It provided a light workout but I felt really refreshed upon completing it.

[kadee_29]

Just a quick post to say that the initial report is back on my quad screen and it was negative. They didn't have the full report in yet but she wanted to at least let me know that.

[Sinclair319]

kadee--great news on the quad screen!!!

[Lydia]

Is the dissolving of the partnership between Amazon and Toys-r-Us (and Babies-r-Us) going to affect merchandise or registries?

[ausi2b]

kadee - great news on the quad screen!

We just spent 3 hours baby shopping. Y'all - I'm exhuasted and overwhelmed. I "think" we have agreed on a car seat and stroller, and we're getting closer on furniture. So many decisions. I did fall head over heels in love with a ridiculously expensive Dutalier glider and nursing stool/ottoman that I told DH that I would do whatever it takes to have. I would give up a dresser for the baby to have this. It was so comfortable and it was the first time in 14 weeks that my back has stopped hurting. I am hoping to order that FIRST since it takes 14 weeks to deliver so I can start rocking in it as soon as possible!

Hope you all are enjoying your weekends!

[Sare79]

Yesterday my mom and I went shopping and found all the fabrics for the baby bedding!

The stripes are for the fitted sheets, the solid turquoise is the bedskirt, the chocolate will be the trim on the bumper pads, the trim on the bed skirt, and the trim and backing of the quilt, and the oval print is the center of the quilt and the bumper pads. My mom is going to also make me a little throw pillow to go on the glider.

http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3B8%3C996%7Ffp344%3Enu%3D324%3A%3E8%3A8%3E659% 3EWSNRCG%3D323377%3B7%3C6967nu0mrj

http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3B8%3C996%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D324%3A%3E8%3A8%3E659% 3EWSNRCG%3D323377%3B83278%3Cnu0mrj

[ausi2b]

Sarah - love the fabric! Have you seen the Laura Ashley graco print for the carseats and strollers! It looks very similar (turquoise and brown) :) It was so cute when I saw it in person today!

[Sare79]

ausi2b- I have seen it and I love it! The only thing is, I haven't found a retailer in Canada yet. I asked at my local BRU and they don't carry that particular line. My husband used to work at Toys R Us while in college and on the weekends there until a few months ago, so maybe we can convince them to do us a favour and get the special order.
I know I can order it off the internet from the US, but I like to see things in person when I buy something like that.

[ausi2b]

Sarah - I believe it is the same as all of the other Graco snugride and strollers. So if you can look at the other patterns, you should be able to see if you like the actual car seat and stroller. But, you can't see the pattern, but if you trust me - I think it is adorable! :) Or you could always order it and if you don't like it try to sell it via ebay or some other thing like that. I bet other Canadians are in the same boat and would love the chance to get one too!

[mermccau]

I went to the dr on Friday for my monthly appointment. I met my doctor who is young and seems very sweet and knowledgable. She smiles a lot which makes me feel comfortable. Everything was good – my weight and my blood pressure – and we heard the baby’s heartbeat (144). She is not too concerned about the Placenta Previa and we are hoping it has fixed itself by my ultrasound on June 7th. I find out the sex of the baby then.

My mom and my sister were discussing my shower with me. They want to have a Halloween themed shower. I love it!! I am not really into all the cutesy cute baby type of stuff. It is damn cute but it is not me. So, they want to have the shower in October and have it be Halloween/Fall themed. Of course, it will not be overly goth or anything. I think it will be a cute set up with the color black used at a minimum and the orange being very soft.

Since I make invites for a business, my mom wanted to know if I wanted to make my own. :D

We live a couple of towns over from Salem, Massachusetts, so they want to have it there. This will be so cool because Salem is always decked out all October.

~~~~~~~~~~

Sinclair – Even though I usually love morning eggs, I have not been in the mood for a while to eat anything that heavy first thing. Glad everything went okay at the dr!

citygirl – Thanks for that recipe!! :D

calla lilly – Ah, you do have it a bit easier than us. We live in Boston and my in laws are on Kauai. I am predicting that long of a flight with a kid is going to be challenging.

rubbersoul – any update on your shower situation? I think your feelings are valid? Can you just tell your friend that? It sounds pretty reasonable to me.

katnbug – how is the visit going?

lilo – gorgeous nurseries!!

kadee – congrats on the neg results

sare – your bedding is going to be wonderful and unique. I love it!

~~~~~~~~~~

Does anybody else feel like time is flying by lately?
Most certainly! I cannot believe I am at 4 months already!

[mayham]

Hi ladies! I'm so far behind, but I will attempt to catch up right now!

mermccau - RE: the weight thing, my doctor didn't even mention the 5 pound weight gain between appointments. I guess I was just shocked since it was so off from my scale at home, and i'm getting into numbers I've never seen on a scale before, which is taking some getting used to! That's great everything is good with the baby, and that you like your doctor!

Sare79 - I love the fabrics! That is so great your mom is able to sew the baby's bedding!

kadee_29 - That's great about the quad screen! I'm getting my blood drawn for that at my next appointment at the end of June.

cloth diapers - I haven't given this any thought yet, but will add this to the list... I need to start thinking about the details!

baby shower - Not sure. I wouldn't mind not having one, since I hate being the center of attention. I haven't even been to one before since none of my friends have had a baby yet, I'm the first!

-------------

I think I'm going to tell my employer this week. I don't know why, but I'm nervous. At least I'll finally be able to get all the details of my maternity leave, though!

[mermccau]

Do you ladies notice that sometimes your symptoms will regress a bit?

I feel pretty good most of the time but then I was so sick yesterday. I started off the day good but by the afternoon, I was on the couch with a splitting headache, I threw up for the first time in my pregnancy, and I felt lousy the rest of the night. I do not feel 100% today. I feel like I could just fall asleep.

Weird huh? Anyone else feel this? Part of me is wondering if I am fighting a bug instead of these being pregnancy symptoms.

[Esq.]

mermccau- I was going to ask the same thing! I woke up yesterday and ate breakfast, and had to stop bc I got nauseas. Same thing today. I am sitting here feeling the same thing I felt 6 weeks into my pregnancy.

Oh, and my tailbone is VERY sore. Is anyone else experiencing this?

[Lydia]

My tailbone gets sore every now and again, especially if I sit for long periods.

[RubberSoul]

mermccau- I haven't talked to the girls about the shower. The one that mentioned it in the first place has just moved back to the States from Ireland. My other friend lives in Spain and won't be home until the beginning of July. So, it will probably be a while before it is discussed again. I think I will just try to go along with what they want to do. They both know me well and know that I am not into the games or the cutesy stuff. I just need to trust my friends and hope for the best! Your shower sounds like it will be really cool! That is a great idea for a theme.

symptoms- they do tend to come and go. I had a horrible headache yesterday that would not go away. I also thought I had gotten over the eat too much feel nauseous thing, but I was wrong. The weirdest symptom that I have that comes and goes is my abdomen feeling like organs are being squished. Some days I feel normal and other days I feel like I have a bowling ball shoving my stomach and intestines into my ribs. It is the strangest feeling.

tailbone- I haven't had any tailbone issues.

[Rancid13]

Time flying by~ I definitely feel like the time is flying by! It feels like just last week that I got the BFP's and now I'm just out of the 1st trimester, already 1/3 of the way thru this thing!! Wow! My brother's wife (their little one is almost 2) said that for her the first 6 months just flew by, then the last 3 just dragged along, especially at the end when she was just so ready for it to be over. :)

mermccau~ Same thing happened to me. I threw up for the first time being pg just last Friday. And again last night. I haven't had m/s, just some mild nausea in the evenings on occasion, just enough to make me feel 'blah' but not like throwing up. The vomiting came upon me very suddenly, while I was at the sink washing my hands...it just happened with no notice at all. Kinda strange that now I'd be throwing up, at 13+ weeks along. :confused: I had also started out the day feeling very good, but also ended up on the couch in the afternoon with a bad headache and eventually vomited 3 hours later. Go figure...

And I love the idea of a Halloween-themed shower! I'm thinking of suggesting to my BFF and mom an idea for a fall-themed shower for mine, which will be sometime in mid-September.

I had my monthly doctor's appt on Friday. We finally got to hear the heartbeat! It took the nurse 2 whole seconds to locate it with the Doppler, it was that strong (the last time, at 9w1d, she was unable to locate it). DH and I got tears in our eyes, and he recorded part of it with his cell phone recorder. Dr wants me to get an AFP screening in about a month, but ONLY if I want to. I still need to read up on it to see if it's something worth doing~have I ever mentioned my unfounded fear of needles? I also need to make an appt for an u/s in about 3-4 weeks. She said if the baby's being cooperative, we'll also be able to find out the gender at that time. :D

My next doctor's appointment is on June 23.

Edited to add:

Since Father's Day is coming up in just a few weeks, I was wondering what you ladies are planning on giving the fathers-to-be on that special day, if anything? I've been browsing Red Envelope, trying to get some ideas but am blanking out right now.

[sake]

Hi -
I am a big lurker here, but also a November mommy! My EDD is November 6, 2006.
Question for you all:

Has anybody felt movement yet? Being just over 17w, I know I shouldn't be too concerned yet. I've felt a couple things that I've questioned, but nothing for sure yet...

[katnbug]

Sare- I love your fabric choices! Very modern. :) You're lucky to have a family member who is crafty!! No one in my family has any sewing talent what-so-ever!

mermccau- The visit went well. SIL & her hubby just left this morning. Only a few occasions where SIL loudly exclaimed how full she was during a meal. My DH is an excellent cook & I think we all ate more than normal this weekend.

I haven't really had any bad pg symptom days lately. No big headaches or ms feelings. My feet are killing me though...I think I spent most of the weekend on my feet shopping or running around at our party & I'm still feeling the pain.

mayham- Good luck telling the employers! I'm sure it will go smoothly.

kadee- Congrats on the good quad screen!!!
************************************************

Ahhhh... no more house guests! Feels nice to just have DS with me in the house.

We had quite the busy weekend. Friday SIL, DS and I met a friend and her son at the Milwaukee Zoo. It was nice, but there were a gazillion school kids there on field trips. Very crowded.

Saturday was spent shopping and prepping for our party on Sunday. Lots of running around. But the party Sunday was a success. We probably had 60 people over & for the first time in our party-throwing history I think there were more children than adults! :eek: And it was HOT HOT HOT out. Mid to upper 90's and NO breeze. The kids played in the sprinklers to keep cool & the adults parked themselves under trees for shade. Luckily we have quite a few trees in our yard!

I've determined - small rant ahead - It's way too exhausting to throw a big party when pregnant. I had fun, but next year will definitely be better! Everyone was telling me to "relax and sit down", but at the same time guests are asking for serving dishes for the desserts they brought, or towels for their children because they forgot one, etc. etc. etc.... plus you have to watch your own child because they're climbing into the water table toy that 5 other kids are playing with! :rolleyes: Meanwhile, everyone else is enjoying the frozen margaritas and mai tai's when YOU the preggo, who needs it most, can't have one!!! ;)

I hope everyone else had a great weekend!

I have a dr. appt. tomorrow... I'll be 17 weeks 5 days. No u/s planned, but who knows. If my anterior placenta is still interferring with the doppler I will have one & who knows.. maybe find out the gender???? Otherwise it will be 3 more weeks.

[katnbug]

rancid- I missed your post, but wanted to say congrats on hearing the hb!! It's such a wonderful sound.

I know I got DH something for Fathers Day when I was pregnant last time, but I can't for the life of me remember what!?! Last year was easier. DS was about 8 months old and just started laughing a ton... I got one of those recordable photo frames and put a picture of DS and recorded his giggle. DH can play it at work whenever he feels the urge. This year we could get some good recording since DS is 20 months and talking up a storm... maybe I'll get him another one!
It would be cool if you could get a recording of the hb (maybe steal it from your DH's phone) and put an u/s picture in a frame with a recorder.

sake- I know some of the ladies here have felt movement already. I am about 17 1/2 weeks and have not. I don't think I felt anything this early with my first pregnancy. This time around my placenta is in front, so they've told me I won't feel movement as early as I did before... so I'm not even looking for it yet! :)

[scarlett74]

Hi girls!
I'm still alive! I had just tons of work, all day at school...

I received yesterday the results of the NT and ultratest and the risk is 1:9450, so I think I can avoid the amnio test.

The tummy is growing and every day I can wear less old clothes. Iive already bought two pair of jeans and two t-shirts in a maternity store, but I think I'll use them more in September: for this summer I hope to wear lots of cotton pants with elastic band.
I also bought a maternity bathsuit for this summer.

No movements from the baby at the moment, but I think it's early (I'll be 15 weeks tomorrow).

I hope you are all going well.
A big hug

[mimieliza]

Hello! I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. :)

katnbug - Your party sounds like so much fun. I know what you mean about entertaining, though - so exhausting. DH and I threw parties almost every other weekend last summer. I don't think that will be happening this summer! Which is kind of a bummer, because next summer, all of our parties will be over by 8 PM so baby can go to bed. :)

sake - No movement yet. And of course everyone asks about it, and kind of raises their eyebrow when I say I haven't felt it. I think I look big, so people expect that I'm feeling the baby. A lot of books say 18-21 weeks for a first pg, so we're still early yet.


I didn't take my 16 w picture on Friday - I'll take it tonight, but it will be late. This picture thing is hard to keep up with - I'm trying to do every two weeks, but I skipped weeks 6-12 when I felt horrible and just looked bloated.

DH and I went to Seattle this weekend to visit my aunt and uncle. We went crib shopping. We hit Land of Nod, Pottery Barn Kids and The Right Start, which we deemed too expensive. We also made it to USA Baby, where we bought a crib and dresser/changing table. The Craigslist one we had been looking at fell through for a variety of reasons - her dog had chewed one of the pieces, and my dad noticed in the instructions that once the crib has been converted to a toddler bed or full size bed, it shouldn't be converted back to a crib. Strange, but made me nervous about buying that used crib. We looked at the same model (Baby's Dream Generation Next) at USA Baby - it was absolutely beautiful, but close to $1200 for the dresser and the crib, so not even an option.

Instead, we got this set by Bonavita, in white:

Ellie Crib
http://www.bonavita-cribs.com/thumbs/ellyse2.jpg

Carlisle Combo Unit:
http://www.babiitalia.com/images/carlislecombo.jpg

My parents were nice enough to pay for half of the set, so it was very reasonable for us. Plus, because we bought the set, we got the crib mattress we had chosen for just $20. It will take 8-14 weeks to arrive, and we'll go back to Seattle to pick it up, which is why we needed to order it now. Both were on sale, so all in all it was a good deal.

This has helped my nesting urge A LOT. Now the only big things we need to buy are the carseat, some more cloth diapers and crib bedding. Everything else we are borrowing or will probably get at our shower. :)

[katnbug]

mimieliza- Congrats on your furniture purchases!!! We have a similar changing table/dresser & it is great! We're still using it for DS, but will move it to the new baby room when we start decorating that.

I had never heard that about converting a toddler bed back to a crib. We were originally looking at the cribs that could be converted when I was pregnant with DS. Glad I didn't get it since I would have probably wanted to use it as a crib for baby #2.

[RubberSoul]

I need a little help keeping my sanity. I just got a call from my Doctor's office and they told me that my AFP came back positive for Down's Syndrome. The ratio is 1:78. That is really scary to me since so many other ladies have ratios in the 1000's. I will go for a level II u/s on the 9th of June. I could have gotten in earlier, but I want my husband to be there with me and he doesn't return until the 7th. Does anyone have any stories of people having a positive test and everything turning out fine. I know this test comes back positive for a lot of people, but the ratio is what is freaking me out. Please help me stay positive and not freak out...

Sorry to be a downer...I am at work and trying not to lose it.

[ausi2b]

Rubbersoul - take a really big deep breath. I'm sorry you are having to be so stressed out. Try to take it easy and wait to see what the u/s says. Even if the u/s shows something, nothing can be "proven" per se unless you have an amnio, ok?

Thinking of you!!! HUGS!

[Sinclair319]

Rubber Soul--sorry, no advice for you (I don't know anyone who has gotten their results IRL) but wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you. Maybe post on the pregnancy or parenting thread to get other's input???

Movement-I'm starting to feel little flutters or twitches daily. DH hasn't been able to feel it yet, but hopefully soon, I know that will make it feel more real to him.

Looking forward to my big u/s on Monday! Hopefully the little one will cooperate and we'll get a clear shot! I also signed up for all our child birth (infant care, CPR, car seat safety, infant illness, daddy class etc) classes today. Up next, sending the check to hold our spot for day care when I return to work next Feb (they only take 4 infants at a time, so I want to make sure I get a spot!)

[mermccau]

Rubbersoul - you must be out of your mind! I have heard of false positives though, so I am hopeful for you.

[scarlett74]

Rubbersoul - I know of a girl that was in the same situation as you and then after the amnio she discovered that all was ok, so she only had a big fear.
I really hope it will go in the same way for you.

[katnbug]

Rubbersoul- I'm sorry you're going through this. But I want to send a little reassurance. My sister also had a positive AFP result. She went on to get an amnio and found out everything was fine. She was pretty upset that she had to get the amnio though, because she was pressured into doing it. Hopefully you can find out more information without the amnio.

I've heard the AFP has a much higher false-positive rate than the dr. tells you. I found this on a different website...

"The controversy in these tests lies in many places. One of which is the accuracy of the screenings. While some claim that they have only a 5% "false positive" rate, most research finds that there are 80+% rate of positive tests while the baby is unaffected. The false positive rates depend on many factors, including appropriate gestational age, maternal age, weight and the presence of diabetes.

False positives may not seem like a problem, however, there are follow up tests that are done that do carry risks, like amniocentesis, which does carry a 1 - 2% rate of fetal loss. The standard is usually to repeat the AFP or triple screen. Another positive screen will then go to the Level II Ultrasound. Ultrasound can even be used to detect some of the anomalies associated with Downs Syndrome. If the ultrasound doesn't find a mix up in gestational age, or a multiple pregnancy, an amniocentesis is generally the next step. "

[Sinclair319]

I HATE SEARS!!!

I was so excited when I purchased my crib last week! Sears.com agreed to price match target.com's price saving me about $15. Well, today I look on sears.com and notice the crib is on sale for $26.90 less than I bought it for and they have free shipping (which I paid $54.95!) Not only had sears not credited my account the $15 price difference, they said that I'm not eligible for the free shipping because I placed my order 5/23 and that promo didn't start until 5/26. If I would have waited 3 blasted days, I would have saved $80+! So annoyed they won't give me the free shipping--and I can't cancel my order because it's supposedly already been shipped (but have I received an email about when it'll be here, nope).

Here's my crib though--better be worth it! It's a Child Craft (rated an A by Baby Bargains!) white convertible crib.
http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/04923923000?rgn=0,0,844,706&scl=3.376&fmt=jpeg
Grrrr, I'm boycotting the place!

[CityGirl]

rubbersoul - Just wanted to say that I'm sorry you're having to deal with such a scary unknown. If it makes you feel any better, my midwife actually suggested that I skip the AFP test because it does give so many false positives. Hope that's the case for you.

[lilo]

Rubbersoul: I have heard of false positives too. I’m so sorry you’re going through this and hopefully everything will turn out fine.

mermccau: my symptoms seem to regress now and again. Last week I definitely had nauseaus moments but luckily it went away pretty quickly. However, I am not getting lovely headaches every day in the late afternoon so I feel your pain. No pun intended. ;)

time flying by: yes! I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels like this. I can’t believe I’ll be 15 weeks soon! I feel like it was yesterday that I got the BFP. Of course it feels like ages before we find out the sex of the baby but I’ll take what I can get. :D

movement: None for me but I think most women feel it around week 20 so I’m not worried at this point. But it would be great to feel the baby already!

katnbug: Wow, I am impressed that you put together a party for 60 people! And on top of that, you’re pregnant! And I hear ya on the margarita. I had a ‘virgin’ margarita for the first time this weekend and it just wasn’t the same!

scarlett74: I can’t believe you’re still able to wear some of your regular clothing! I am down to a few button down shirts but even those are getting tight. I also ordered a maternity bathing suit so hopefully it will fit at this point.

mimieliza: Lovely nursery furniture! And for such a good price.

sinclair319: You must be so excited for next Monday! I can’t believe we’re all getting to that point of the pregnancy already. Can’t wait to hear the results! Sorry to hear about your problems with Sears but the crib looks adorable.

-------------------------------------------

We had a really productive Memorial Day weekend. We ordered new appliances for our kitchen and the remaining tile that we need for our bathroom renovation. My DH will be doing most of the work so I'm anxious to get started.

I feel like we should be ordering things for the baby but there are so many things going on with the home renovations, I can't seem to do both!

The comments from my co-workers have already started. Lovely. They're not necessarily rude comments but annoying nonetheless. I'm a pretty private person at work and not particularly close to any of my co-workers so the comments about my 'belly' or questions about the pregnancy just make me cringe. Ah well, I'll just grin and bear it the next 6 months.

[mimieliza]

Rubbersoul - Oh, how scary, and I'm so sorry that you have to go through additional worry and decisions about testing. I know you can't help but be very worried, but if your test came back with 1 in 78, that means there is a 98.7% chance that your baby does not have Down syndrome.

Anyway, hang in there, odds are very good that everything is fine. I just wish you didn't have to go through this - I can't imagine how you're feeling. I'm waiting for the results of my AFP.

[Esq.]

Rubbersoul- a friend of mine had a false positive. Her baby is fine. I am thinking of you and sending positive thoughts your way.

[mayham]

Rubbersoul - I'm so sorry you have to wait through this scary time until your level II u/s. I hope this is just a false positive and that everything is fine.

mimieliza & Sinclair - your cribs look great!! We went looking for the first time yesterday, but I wasn't that impressed with the selection at BRU.

[RubberSoul]

Thank you so very much for everyone's reassurances and positive thoughts. I am doing ok so far and am trying very hard to keep in mind that the odds are in our favor. I did read that even with a positive AFP there is only a 2% chance that the baby actually has Down's.

mimieliza- I hope when you get your AFP results that you have the highest ratio possible! When do you get the results?

katnbug- thanks for posting that additional information about the test. Hopefully we have nothing to worry about.

[mimieliza]

Well, they said if the results were not good, they would call today, and they didn't, so I'm feeling okay. Otherwise, I think they call on Thursday.

I'm still thinking about you - I have great faith that your baby is fine! :)

[mermccau]

Hi,

I just peeked over in the November ’04 thread. My goodness, those children are gorgeous!

I ordered a denim jacket on ebay - it was so affordable that I could not resist. I received it last night and it is beyond cute! :D

http://i16.ebayimg.com/01/i/07/34/75/ce_1.JPG



krysten – I did eat some junk over the weekend so perhaps I was paying for it. Even though the symptoms subside, we may still have to watch what we eat, huh? I wonder. How are you doing regarding the unemployment?

rancid – your symptoms sound just like mine – felt fine at the beginning of the day, headache for a while then throwing up. So weird. My mom said there is a bug going around.

mimieliza – nice crib! You are so ahead of the game :)



Father’s Day – we did nothing for mom’s day so we do nothing for dad’s day :)

[ellidew]

rubbersoul- So sorry for the scare. Try to hang in there. It took me almost 6 weeks to decide if i even wanted to have the afp test done. I didn't know if it was worth the worry or not. I did ultimately have it done though. June 9th is almost here so hang in there the best you can until you know something more. Yay for your hubby coming home! :)

[mermccau]

Hi ladies,

How far along were you (or will you be) when you get the ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby?

My Level II u/s is scheduled for June 7th and I will be just over 17 weeks. The dr could not promise that I could find out on that day and they did not say I could have another u/s.

[RubberSoul]

mermccau- when I have the level II on the 9th I will be 17w4d. From what I have read they can usually tell pretty easily what the gender is at that point. I think some people have found out as early as 15w, maybe earlier.

[Sinclair319]

mermccau-I have my u/s done on Monday and I'll be 18w1d. A good friend of mine just had her u/s last Thursday and she's 22w and the nurse said, "Well, I'm 75% sure of the sex" so my friend said, "I don't want to know, what if it's that 25%?" Another friend had an u/s at 22w (one of the GE 4D ones) and was told she was having a girl--a few months later, her *son* arrived. I guess there aren't any guarantees, but I still hope to try and find out! :)

We got our travel system last night! MIL bought it a couple weeks ago and dropped it off last night. It's starting to feel real. I can't wait to see the little one on the u/s on Monday!

[Lizzie Beth]

Rubbersoul-Yikes! Like everyone else, I have heard a lot about false positives, but even still - nothing like having the everlovin' crap scared out of you. Sending lots of good thoughts your way....

I love all the cribs everyone has posted... Gets me motivated to start thinking about putting Susie in a big-girl room. But God only knows what will happen when she realizes that she can get out of a big-girl bed... The crib is my last bastion of keeping Susie in a safe place where I don't have to watch..

Movement-I think maybe a twinge here and there, but nothing really definite. Took me a while to figure out what it was last time - for me the feeling is so close to having a gas bubble, only without the pain.

Hi, Lilo.. I know what you mean about other people's comments. I especially love the repeated ones about how this baby is apparently growing in my chest, as opposed to my belly. Not that it doesn't appear to be true, but for your body to become a conversation piece is a little weird.

[neenbean]

WOW! My internet has been down since Friday, so I feel like I have missed so much. Hope everyone had a great weekend. Our's was mellow, especially because our A/C died. :( So hot!

ultrasounds~ we had our first done at around 19w with DD and could not determine the gender, however, I had another done at 30+weeks and the tech was certain it was a girl (she was right!). So I doubt it really matters when the u/s takes place. If your baby is cooperative, you will find out! :D DD had her legs tightly together at the first one, but was sitting cross-legged the following time. :rolleyes: Silly girl!

movement~ I thought I felt the baby a couple weeks ago while turning over in bed. The same thing happened again this past weekend. With those two exceptions, I have barely felt anything, yet.

AFP~ from everything I have read and heard from others, the false positive ratio is so enormous, that it is not an accurate test. My doc did not recommend this AT ALL, but offered the BUN (or Nuchal Fold test) instead. She also said that neither was necessary.

time flying? you bet! I am so happy to officially be in the 2nd trimester!!! :D I am amazed at how well I am feeling.

fading symptoms~ only have loss of appetite right now- nausea and exhaustion are far, far less than a month ago. I am still tired, but I think that has more to do with the heat than anything.

crib~ DH and I are still torn about purchasing one now. We will be moving to a new place when the baby is 6 or 7 months and currently do not have the space for a full nursery set. We are in a 2 bedroom (1 for us, 1 for DD) right now and DH's job transfer occurs in exactly one year... We love a few sets, so it is just a matter of over-crowding our bedroom, or waiting to purchase until after we move. Right now, we have a great cradle for baby to last for at least the first few months...

[neenbean]

LizzieBeth~ have you thought of putting a gate on DD's room when you transfer to a toddler bed and just baby-proofing the room? That way, if she does climb out, at least she is contained and safe. This has worked well for my friends and we are planning to so the same. HTH. :D

[Rancid13]

mermccau~I was just informed at my obgyn appointment on Friday that I would need to schedule an u/s appt in ~3 weeks. So judging by my calender, I'll be between 17-18 weeks along by the time I go in for that. The dr that saw me said that if the baby was being cooperative and "spreading it's legs for us" we could find out the gender at that appt. Yeah, her words, not mine. Nice visual, huh? :p

AFP~At my most recent obgyn appt I was told that I could schedule an AFP test if I wanted to. They gave me a booklet to read and some paperwork to go over. I honestly don't think I'm going to do this screening. Hubby said it was up to me to make the decision and from what I've heard and read, I don't think it's something I'm willing to do.

[katnbug]

mermmccau- I just made my big u/s appointment for June 17th. I'll be 20 weeks and 1 day. My ob office will not do them until 20 weeks.
***********************

I had my regular appt. this morning and all is well. They were able to find the baby's hb with the doppler - though it took a while. HB was 156. I'm more convinced every week that I'm having a girl. I gained a few more lbs... but at this point I'm not concerned... not yet. ;)

[Toonces]

Rubbersoul ~ Sending good thoughts your way. I'm sorry for the scare.

Kat ~ Glad you have your house back to yourself. :)

mermmccau ~ My OB's office doesn't do the "big" u/s until 20 weeks, but that could just be their policy. With my DD we had the big u/s in my 20th week and the u/s tech said she was 100% sure it was a girl. I think like someone else mentioned it depends on whether the baby cooperates and if someone can be 100% sure at 20 weeks, I don't think 17-18 weeks is too early.

I had my 16 week appt today and everything is fine. I have my 20 week appt and u/s with gender prediction on 6/27. I can't wait!! I'm having a Level II u/s b/c of my age, so it'll be cool to see the detail.

[ppwgal]

movement: I think I might have felt the baby move the other night while I was lying in bed. I just felt a little bubbly feeling. I guess I'll know for sure if it keeps happening!

AFP: My doctor offered us a quad screen test instead. she said it was a newer test. Honestly I only did it because it meant I got to have another ultrasound. I probably wouldn't have done it otherwise. I have the second blood draw for it on Friday and then I get the results next week.

time flying: I'm so happy to have the 1st trimester sickness behind me and I'm looking forward to the summer, but I have a feeling it's going to just fly by!

crib: We don't know where we're going to be living yet or how much space we'll have. We might even still be in our 1 bedroom apartment when the baby is born. Do you think we could get away with just having a Pack and Play until we move? Or would that be inconvenient/bad? I don't know much about them, but seems like an option for us.

I'm anxious for my next dr appt on Friday. She couldn't find the heartbeat at my last one, but said it was still a tiny bit early and not to worry. I am feeling ok and my belly is growing, so logically I don't think anything is wrong, but I am going to be nervous until I hear it!

Question: Is anyone considering switching doctors? I felt very rushed at my last appointment and didn't get to ask all my questions. And she treated the fact that she couldn't find the heartbeat as very routine, but I was scared and wished she'd been more reassuring. But until that appt I liked her a lot. So, my next appointment is going to be a bit of a test for her. I kind of dread starting over with a new doctor though.

[neenbean]

ppwgal~ I think a PnP is fine for a small baby for at least 3 or 4 months, if not a full year! I don't think it is unsafe, either. When you get a pediatrician, ask them for sure. As long as the mattress is firm, but slightly cushioned and the sheets are on securely, I think any "bed" with rails is acceptable (provided the rails are less than 2" apart). DD (14.5 months) sleeps in a PnP whenever we travel and is quite content. :)

switching doctors~ I actually switched when I got my BFP and luckily I really like my new OB! :D I was seeing a family practice doc (she delivered DD- or rather assisted in the c-section). Since my last pregnancy was eventually deemed high risk, I felt it was better to get an OB right away. I love my fp, but she is moving in September anyway and would be 6+ hours away and not able to deliver baby in November and I am not fond of the remaining docs in the practice. I think you have the right idea about "testing" them at your next visit. You need to feel very comfortable and assured and also well taken care of. If they are not meeting your needs, you should find someone who does. Period. ;)

[mayham]

switching doctors -- ppwgal, I felt the same exact way you did at my last appointment, and have been thinking about switching if the next appointment wasn't more reassuring. She was a little late, which is no big deal, but seemed kind of matter of fact, and it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I've been to her a few times before and thought she was fine, so maybe it was an off day. DH seemed to think she was fine, so :confused: A friend of mine switched OBs at 24 weeks, and she said it wasn't a big deal, but she just had to go over all the history stuff again, which is time consuming, but worth it to end up with a doctor you feel comfortable with. Let's hope our docs shape up for our next appointments!

mermccau -- I'll be 18w3d at my ultrasound. I wonder also if they'll do a follow up if the baby isn't cooperating and we can't find out the gender...

[Calla Lilly]

15 Weeks!

My tailbone hurts too!!! I think it is partly (for me at least) because I have bad posture. I am going to start taking prenatal yoga next week, so I hope that helps.

Ultrasound...I scheduled mine today for June 26. I will be 18w4d. My doctor charges $20 to determine the sex, but they will do another ultrasound a couple of weeks later (no charge) if they couldn't tell at the first one.

I had a great doctors appointment today. I saw a different doctor (same practice) who was awesome. She answered every question I had, and I was really happy with her answers.

Anyway, it is late so I should get to bed. Hope everyone is doing well!

[neenbean]

finding out the gender~ it is so cool to hear your doctors are adamant about helping you find out the gender!!! My new doc did not even mention it and I doubt they will go out of their way to look if I don't make a stink. Last time, the tech was kind of annoyed that most people only want to know the gender. She was thrilled to hear us oohing and aahing over the skull, spine and heart beat. The tech made it clear the u/s is to check for defects/annomalies and not really the gender (in her eyes, it is just a bonus). In her defense, she did spend at least 5 minutes trying to get DD to spread her legs to help us find out. Of course, it wasn't meant to happen that day.

This worked to our advantage because people actually bought stuff from our registry instead of pink clothes!

I started having problems during my 3rd tri, so my doc at the time sent me for a follow u/s (which started weekly visits to the u/s tech). This is when I was able to have the gender determined- at about 30+weeks.

[Lydia]

Not much is new here-I am 18 weeks today. I have my official u/s tomorrow morning with DH and DD. It will be exciting! Afterward, I am going to BRU to buy this:
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00023QAT0.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I have the pink one for DD and it has everything from my pregnancy tests to u/c pictures to hospital bracelets. When I don't have time to write in her baby book I throw a little note in there and then update the book when I can.

We are going to confirm it's a boy first though. I certainly hope it is b/c I am already knitting a little boy sweater and it's halfway done!

And I can't believe how active this baby is compared to DD!

[brio96]

In her defense, she did spend at least 5 minutes trying to get DD to spread her legs to help us find out.

This made me laugh because this is exactly what happened with DD at our u/s. The girl would not let us have a peek regardless of how much rolling and manuevering the tech had me do. Fortunately, they did have me come back for another u/s but only becuase the tech couldn't clearly see if DD's spine was closed at the bottom because of the way she was sitting. That technical reason was the only reason I found out that DD was a girl. Otherwise, I would have had to find out at the delivery. The one piece of advice I would offer to make sure your baby is up and moving for that u/s is to have a glass of juice or some soda beforehand (the tech actually suggested it for the second u/s). The sugar gets them going so they're not snoozing away refusing to move.

My docs office also does the u/s at 20 weeks and it's their policy. So, my big appointment will be sometime the first week in July which works out well since we have friends coming for the week and it will be fun to share it with them.

PNP DD slept in one for some of her first few months and we still use one for travel as well. After having a c-section, I found it invaluable to have a place for her to sleep downstairs with me since it took me a while to be able to get up the stairs. I would suggest getting one with the bassinet feature so you're not constantly bending down to get the baby out (also helpful if you have a c-section). The bassinet is removable (it only holds something like 20 lbs anyways) so you'll have a "normal" PNP after the infant stage.

LizzieBeth FWIW, we're not putting Sarah in a big girl bed until she's literally crawling out of her crib because, like you said, it's the last place where she can be that I know is safe (and she can't get out). My plan is to borrow a bassinet for the first few months and then assess the situation. If, by 2 and a few months, she's ready then we'll make the switch but I'm not even going to think about it until January at the earliest.

AFP I'm having this done at my next appointment and hope that the results come back negative from the start. Rubbersoul, I can only imagine what you're going through but take heart that it's totally common to get that positive test and have it be nothing. We didn't have it done with DD, so I have no idea if I'm at risk for a positive result to begin with.

Nothing else too major going on. It's been so hot here the last few days that I've been squeezing myself into a non-maternity bathring suit (waiting for the one I ordered to arrive) just to get in our inflatable pool with DD. She loves the water, so it's been a good (somewhat lazy) way to pass the time. I'm showing so much more than I did with her at 15 weeks. I'm fully in maternity clothes and so much more comfortable now that I've given in. At times, I don't feel like I'm "pregnant enough" to be wearing them, but my other stuff just looks bad.

Meredith Your talk of shower planning in Salem brought me back to the days of North Shore wedding planning. :D Where do you think you'll have it? I miss that area so much!!!

[November06Mommies]

Thread finally updated. ;)

[Lilla]

Morning ladies! Finally have a spare moment to stop by and see how everyone is doing.

rubbersoul I'm so sorry about the scare with the test results. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Ultrasound Mine is on 6/30 and I'll be just shy of 22 weeks. We had the option of doing it this week (just shy of 18weeks), but the doctor advised it might be better to wait and give all the organs enough time to develop more fully in order to see everything better on the u/s. So I have quite the wait ahead of me yet!

Is anyone else antsy to start their registries? I've read Baby Bargains, done the research on everything and pretty much know what I want. Now that I know, I want to get to BRU and get registered already! Everything else (nursery decor, bedding, etc) have to wait until we see if we can find out the gender, so I guess the registry is the only thing I can really accomplish this month. And while I'm on the topic, where is everyone planning to register? We're going to BRU and Target. I reaaaallly don't want to deal with Target and their return policy, but there are zero BRU's where my family lives.

I've been feeling more and more movement lately. It's still pretty sporadic, but definately there. And I've been keeping track of the heart rate with the doppler we rented - it is always right around 160. Maybe that boy prediction of mine was wrong......:p

Gotta run - hope everyone is feeling well. It's so exciting that a lot of us have the big u/s coming up VERY soon!!!

[ellidew]

Hi ladies!

Today is our 4th Wedding Anniversary!! I can't believe it's been 4 years! Unfortunately we aren't doing anything to commemorate the day... we're putting every extra penny away for the baby. Not much time before the little critter will be here! Plus, i'm sick :mad: The woman at work came in with a cold and shared it with the rest of the office (stupid lady!) so i've had a nost/throat/ear/head thing going for about 5 days now. It's even brought a couple of lovely canker sores to my mouth. Basically i've been miserable. Last night i told dh i'd rather have morning sickness back :D On that front i've been ms free for about 2 weeks now! So very exciting! Now, if i can get rid of the cold and my sciatica stops acting up then we'll have a really great 2nd trimester!

Is anyone else antsy to start their registries? Heck yeah! I can't wait to start our registry. I asked dh if we could do it the weekend after we hopefully find out the gender (our u/s is on 6/16). He said he thought it was too soon and wanted to wait until July. I was a little sad but whatever... if he wants to wait until July then we will wait. I worked at BRU for 2 years post high school so i've got a pretty good idea about most of the products. I haven't started the research on strollers or pack n plays or anything like that yet. With a month to wait i'll probably forget it all... Anyone care to share their research findings? :confused:

[kadee_29]

Is anyone else antsy to start their registries? Umm I started one online at BRU weeks ago. :o It is more just for me to keep track of things I like or stuff I think I might need at some point. After DS, we sold a lot of our stuff thinking we weren't having any more so there are things I need to replace.

[Franni]

lLilla Just a warning though. I heard that BRU had just changed their return policy. It's stricter, requiring the actual receipt, etc. I don't remember all the details though. You should check it out.

Is there a problem with Target's return policy? I have never done a registry there but have done several returns there over the years and have never had a problem.

movement I feel movement every so often. I feel random aches that I suspect is the little baby moving around, because they disappear when I switch positions.

no more symptoms YES!!! I finally feel ok enough to live again. It seemed like the last 3 months that I have been barely awake/conscious.

ppwgal I have never used the pnp for DD except for travel, but I am actually thinking of doing that for this baby. Since like you, we have no room.

Changing doctors I've had to change doctors in my 7th month. As others have said, it is no big deal. Just some history to fill out and making sure that all your records are brought over. I remembered the old doctors' office making me pay a small fee to photocopy my files for my new doctor. I am not thrilled with my current doctor, but I think she might be suffering from comparison. I LOVED my old doctor. He was so amazing, compassionate and proactive. But he quit medicine.

Amnio I am AMA (Advanced maternal age) and my doctor is "insisting" that I do the amnio. I told her that I turned down these exams with my last pg. I was only 2 years younger (34), so the risk factors do not change that much. But she said you are now 36, so you should really consider it. I told her that whatever the outcome of the amnio, I wouldn't terminate. So I don't see a need to put the pg at risk. Any other AMA mommies, are you getting the hard sell for amnio? I had the nuchal translucency and it was all normal. What would you do?

[Rancid13]

Happy Anniversary, ellidew!


Is anyone else antsy to start their registries? Kind of, but not really. This whole situation is very overwhelming to me, and I got to peek at a "what to buy/register for" list and was blown away by the amount of 'stuff' needed for a newborn! I'm definitely going in there sometime this summer, fully armed with this list, my best girlfriend, my mom and any other knowledgeable femals that wish to come with me to register. It'll probably be done at BRU. :)

[nic]

Hi All-

I'm trying to recover from our move this weekend so I haven't had a chance to post for awhile. I never want to move again, what a pain in the butt it is.

Rubbersoul, I'm sorry you're going through such a stressful time right now. I'll be thinking of you and your little one.

movement, I think I feel something but I'm not sure. It feels like subtle little bubbles right at my bikini line.

Registry- I'm not sure we'll have a shower so I'm not sure if we'll register. I have a big family and we've just never really thrown showers although I think MIL and best friend might be interested in rhrowing a small one.


I ended up going to the doctor's this morning for a reassurance check-up. Over the weekend, a few people commented that I looked small for 17 weeks and it freaked me out a little so I called the doctor's office yesterday to see if I could come in for a quick check. They were really nice about it and I got to go in today and hear the heartbeat. It made me feel much better. It looks like I've gained 3 pounds so far, I hope to stay on this track.

[CityGirl]

Is anyone else antsy to start their registries? - I too must confess to starting one a couple of weeks ago. I've been doing so much research that I had to start one just to keep track of everything. I decided to register at BabyCenter, as neither Target or BRU had the majority of things I wanted. I guess I do want several less conventional items, like an Ergo carrier instead of a Bjorn, and an Amby Hammock instead of a bassinet or co-sleeper. Anyway, BabyCenter has everything on my list except for our stoller, and free shipping for orders over $50. I figure most of our family who want to buy the bigger items are all out of town and will be happy about the free shipping. From the showers I've been to my friends are more about the cute outfits than registry items anyway.

[Lizzie Beth]

Happy 4th Anniversary, Ellidew!! Our 4th is coming up, too, in 2 weeks..

Thanks, Neenbean, I never thought about a baby gate.. We keep the door closed to her room anyway, maybe we'll see how long that works. Did they have the gate so they could close the door too, or did they just have the gate closed? Brio - are you guys buying another crib or are you going to stick with the PNP until you decide in January?

Registries- I understand being antsy to start...it really is overwhelming.. I did mine in chunks, because after a while I really was sick of wall-to-wall baby stuff.

[brio96]

Brio - are you guys buying another crib or are you going to stick with the PNP until you decide in January?

As of right now, we're going to use a PNP/borrowed bassinet until January and then see where we are with Sarah's ability to get out of her crib. If we don't have to spend the money on a second crib, we'd rather not considering other stuff we want to get to accomodate the two kids. Between a double stroller, decor for the new room and a host of other random items (assuming we also don't have to buy clothes if it's a boy) we're looking to save money wherever we can.

I agree that registering in small chunks is a really good idea. I had a mini panic attack in the stroller section of BRU two years ago (Baby Bargains book clutched firmly in hand) because it all seemed so overwhelming and we weren't even 1/3 of the way around the store. I must have lived in BRU for the whole time I was pregnant...wandering around with that gun and wondering how on earth I'd choose the right things. :D Fortunately, we were pretty happy with almost everything we registered for (and got) so I think taking my time paid off.


One note about the Diaper Champ diaper pail. We LOVED ours until DD started with solids and then it started to get kind of stinky. The past few months have been almost unbearable so we took it apart this past weekend to try and figure out why it went from stink-free to awful. Turns out, there is a foam strip in the mechanism that is the odor absorber. Well, as time goes by and you actually use the pail, the foam gets worn away and it doesn't contain the odors the older the baby gets. DH put some more foam down and we cleaned it out really well and that seems to have helped some but we wound up getting the Safety 1st one for our downstairs just to contain the smell completely in the "public area" of our house. I love that the Diaper Champ takes regular trash bags (grocery store ones even...a great way to use them up) but that design "flaw" made it hard to bear once the diapers started getting even stinkier.

Sorry about the long rant about a diaper pail but wanted to share the info as y'all start your registries. We'd likely get it again if we were registering and would probably just clean it out more often.

[Sinclair319]

Looks like my kid will be really advanced! ;)

Some stress in pregnancy may be good for baby
Children of moderately stressed women are more advanced, study shows
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13051564/from/ET/

registries--I found the travel system I wanted and MIL already ordered it--it came in the other night and she dropped it off. Otherwise I'm going to Target (the closest BRU is 90 miles away) and Babyland which carries speciality items. I've had 2 friends offer to go register with me, so I'm taking one to each of the places.
Rancid--where did you find the list of what to buy/register for? I'm sure I can search on CC and come up with one, that's a great idea to have!

Big u/s is this coming Monday (6/5) at 2:30--I can't wait to see the little one again! I'm hoping we can tell the sex, but even if we can't, I'm so excited to see his/her little face!

[Rancid13]

Rancid--where did you find the list of what to buy/register for? I'm sure I can search on CC and come up with one, that's a great idea to have!


It was in one of the many, many pregnancy books I have. It's been about a month since I've seen it and I'll see if I can find out which one it is...

Edited to add:
I'm pretty sure the checklist was in the very back of "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" by Vicki Iovine but have been reading so very many pregnancy-related books that I might be incorrect on that.

In the meantime, here's some baby registry checklist stuff I found via Google:
http://www.giftregistry21.com/baby-registry-checklist.asp

http://www.expectantmothersguide.com/library/EUSnursery.htm

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/stores/baby/parent-checklist.html/104-5052214-4427123

[katnbug]

franni- I'm also of ama as you say... I'll be a month shy of 37 when this baby is born. Luckily, my dr. is not pushing the amnio. I'm not really a fan of taking a test that can be dangerous (no matter how minimally) to the baby. My dr. pushed the NT or BUN test - which I had done in my 12th week and it turned out just fine. I find that test result reassurance enough. I too would not terminate if I found out anything was "wrong". The only good thing about finding out about a genetic problem is that you would be more prepared. I know that my dr. will do a very in-depth check on the 20 week u/s as well.
Don't let your dr. pressure you into any test you don't feel comfortable with. My sister was pressured to do the AFP - got bad results - was again pressured into an amnio because of those results - and in the end all was well. That was a year and a half ago and she's still mad at her ob!!

brio- Sooooo true about the Diaper Champ!!! Ours stinks to the high heavens & I just keep spraying it with air freshener! I will be on a search for the foam strip as soon as I log off here... I was just ready to throw it out and get another one. We also bought the Diaper Champ because we could use our regular garbage bags in it. I still think it's the best option, even if you have to de-oderize after a while... we've had ours over a year and a half, so it's done it's job well.

[Toonces]

franni ~ I'll be 37 when this baby is born. The Physician's Asst discussed the blood test and amnio at my last visit, but I declined both. I told her we wouldn't terminate the pregnancy regardless of the outcome. She did mention that the Level II u/s will be able to predict several abnormalities including Down Syndrome & Spina Bifida. I told her that was fine for mental preparation if the baby does have an abnormality. That was the end of the discussion. She wasn't pushy at all.

[Esq.]

Hi ladies. I cannot keep up with this thread! Every time I come in here there are tons of posts that I have not yet read!

I had a dr appt today. Heard the heartbeat (150...is that boy or girl?) and heard the baby moving around!

I feel the baby move at least once a day now. Mostly when I am laying bed. Sometimes at other times. I felt the baby moving when I was at a bar this past weekend listening to a band. I should start playing music for hte baby!

I can't register until I know what it is. I can't plan a nursery until I know what it is. I have that type of personality. Let's just hope that the baby shows me the money shot on the 12th!

Stress- my baby should be a genius. Between the stress of my former job (just bc my boss was an asshat), then getting fired from that job, and the stress of interviewing pg (I have an interview on Tuesday) and my former asshat employer fighting me on unemployment (the only way he can fight me is to claim misconduct on my behalf...let's see what lies he can come up with, eh?) I am STRESSED out. ;) Good to know some of it can benefit the baby instead of harm her.


Does anyone know how you find palces that will do a 3d ultrasound for a fee? I don't even know where to begin. All I know is that I want one badly!