[BeckyM]

Okay, let's see/hear those updates from our preggos, our new mamas, etc. How's everyone feeling? Latest appointments? How are the LO's growing? Pictures please!

I hope everyone is doing well today! We had an exciting week last week with our newest little ones. Congrats again Beth & Lara!!! We now have Jess, Shannon to watch with Sam quickly following behind.

DH & I had a another busy weekend, and I just feel so drained this morning. I'm also starting to have strange dreams at night that wake me up (but I can't remember all the details). Is this normal for pg? or am I just being "special"? BIL & SIL left yesterday morning and MIL went back with them for a week or so. She expects to fly back @ Dec 10th/11th. The house felt so empty after they left. DH & I ran some errands and then went to watch a movie. We seen 2012. It was pretty good, but very long. With work this week, 2 of my biggie projects here at work end tomorrow. Yay!!! Hopefully it'll not be as crazy for me after they're complete.

[MomtoKatieB]

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of Jess, Shannon and Sam's LOs. Congrats to Casey and Lara btw. I am starting to get back to semi normal. We have a doctor's appt. today to check Katie's weight. She seems to be growing wonderfully. Hope things are not too hectic for you this week, Becky. I dreamed quite a bit during the pregnancy but I could never recall many details after waking. It is good that you all got to the movies. I have no idea when I will go to a movie or out to a restaurant again. I have learned I am totally phobic about people being near Katie. The people I worked with asked when I stepped into the store last Friday why I didn't bring Katie along. I told them that she was too little to be out on Black Friday afternoon around all sorts of people who may or may not be carrying illnesses. I suppose I am totally overprotective, but she's my one and only so I will be as nutsy as I want to be with issues of her health.

[*SamF*]

Beth- Don't blame you for not wanting to take Katie out yet! Especially on black Friday!!

Becky- Yep- weird dreams are part of pregnancy!!

AFM- Weekly appointment this morning had C.J. just over 5 pounds, so still expecting him to be well over 8 pounds at 40 weeks. ( I still think he will be closer to 9). Little bugger has had a foot on my sternum for the past 5 days. Talk about uncomfortable!!
I finished up painting in the nursery last night, so now I just have to get DH to spray it with the acrylic protector and clean the carpets- then I can start setting things up!!

[mum74]

Beth I'd be the same - nothing wrong with being extra protective in flu season and of course, well-meaning strangers often try to touch your newborn too which can invoke strong reactions from new parents!!

Beck, I don't even know if I should admit this but with my last pregnancy, my dreams had me as quite the floosy (?spelling!!) - a lot of very sexual dreams and some different man (always a figment of my imagination - no one I knew!) in them every time! I mean I would just wake up and laugh..thankfully dh thought it was amusing too thought got to admit I stopped telling him after a while as they were so frequent it was ridiculous!!

Well done on the nursery getting painted Sam - sounds like you will be fairly organised soon!

AFM, 20 weeks today and 20 week scan in a few hours. Then I'm just hanging around the shops for my 20wk ob appt as no point going home in between. So I will update on all that tonight.

[trainermom]

Sam - can't wait to see pics of the nursery! Wow! CJ is going to be a good size -good for you momma!

Beth - I too don't blame you for not taking Katie out. I have been pretty much a home body with Carson. This time of year is just too scary, flu-wise.

Becky - yep, I had extremely vivid dreams while pg. Several times I would wake up crying or freaking out and DH would have to calm me down.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are all getting over the flu -C has had just a tiny bit of a runny nose. I've had aches and sore throat. I'm just nursing him like crazy in hopes that he gets my antibodies.

[BeckyM]

Beth - I think I'd be the same way too. Especially right now with all the people sniffling & sneezing. I'm sure I'll be just as protective when Smudge arrives, but thankfully the flu season should have ended by May (hopefully) so that's one less worry for me.

Lenore - I had to chuckle at your dream descriptions. That is funny. I've had a few of those, and didn't quite know what to think or say about them. So glad to know I'm not alone. I hope your 20 week appt went well & can't wait to read your update.

Sam - yay for getting the nursery painted. I can't wait to see pics of it. And yay for CJ doing so well. Can't wait to meet him!!

Heather - so sorry you all have been sick. Love the new pic in your siggy. So cute!

AFM - nothing much except I can't stop smiling over Gail's news!!! We have our Employee of the Year Ceremony this morning, so I'll be away for most of the day, and looking forward to having some quieter days here at work. Also looking forward to this weekend. I think I forgot to mention that DH bought me my Christmas present early and is letting me have it now too. He bought me the cricut (scrapbooking machine) on Friday when it was a great price and a couple of cardtridges for it as well. Yay!! He's working both days this weekend, so I'm looking forward to playing with it & hopefully getting some scrapping done.

[CaseyM]

Sounds like a busy week on here already, and it's only Tuesday...

So here's how I spent my Monday. I called the doc because I was experiencing lots of symptoms of pre-e (I know I already had the baby). My BP was even higher than before I gave birth. I have swelling in my feet again, headaches, and seeing spots. And also I was having issues with my breathing. So the doc had me come in and get some blood work done. Then I was supposed to have an appt to see the doc a couple of hours later. The office called me as I was getting ready to go in and told me that the doc was stuck at the hospital in L&D and wanted to see me in there. I got in there a little after 2 and didn't leave until almost 830pm. The did another round of bloodwork and a couple of chest xrays. And then the nurse came in and told me that I could leave and here's a script for BP meds. But I never heard back from the 2nd round of bloodwork or the xrays. But I have a followup on Friday with the doc. I'm just not too happy about having to go into the hospital for 6 1/2 hours instead of a doc appt at the office. Great another bill I can't pay....And then I asked the pharmacist if I would still be safe to bf the baby with this med and all he knew was what was written in the pamphlet that came with the script. "This med does pass into breast milk. Speak to your doctor before taking." So now I am just waiting for the doc's office to call me back about it. Even though this hasn't been easy for me physically and mentally, I would get pg again in a heartbeat and I tell DH that all the time!

[BeckyM]

Casey, I hope you hear back from your doctor soon. That would be frustrating.

[MomtoKatieB]

Casey, I am going through the same thing with my bp med. I am going to ask dr. tomorrow about it. Supposedly the american assoc. of pediatrics says it is okay to bf but I am still not sure I want to put it in Katie's system.

[mum74]

Hope you get some answers soon Casey - sounds terrible to have had to wait so long at hospital rather than just an appt at the dr's, and then not have a definitive answer on the breastfeeding.

Beth did they tell you how long before you could expect your blood pressure to go back to normal post delivery?

[sethsgirl]

Becky!!!! I didn't know you were pregnant!!! Yay!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

[MomtoKatieB]

They gave me a two month supply of meds so I am hoping that they will take me off them at the post partum visit in January.

[mum74]

Hopefully you're right and you can go off them in Janurary!

Becky I forgot to say I am now using 'Tums' for acid reflux. I don't think they had them in Australia in my last two pregnancies but when I went to the chemist to ask for Rennie, the lady there suggested the Tums. She said that the rennie has magnesium in them and apparently that can induce early labour???? I said okay give me the Tums then!! I mean I never had a problem with the rennie with regard to that and they were always the recommended pregnancy ones over here but maybe it is new research... so I'll stick to whatever is safest! Have fun scrapbooking!

Heather, hope all your kids start to feel better soon.

[BeckyM]

Originally Posted by sethsgirl

Becky!!!! I didn't know you were pregnant!!! Yay!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks sweetie!!! And congrats on your LO! He's a cutie pie!!!


Beth - I hope you're able to go off the bp meds to, and January isn't that far off.

Casey - any call back from the doctor?

Lenore - Tums works for me sometimes, and other times not. I also take Pepcid Complete. They're chewable like the Tums, but don't taste as chalky so my tummy handles them better.

AFM - I don't have much on my calendar today!! Yay!!! I do have plenty to keep me busy as I've been putting off things with the Employee of the Year and the Budget projects, so it's so nice not to have any meetings scheduled. Hopefully it'll all go back to normal for me and I'm not as frazzled & exhausted. DH says it's practice for when Smudge gets here.

[CaseyM]

Ok so the doc called back and said that this stuff is ok to take and nurse too....I'm still having issues with him latching on, he won't, but I'm trying to pump as much as possible.....

Last night was rough. He started feeding around 9pm and kept eating on and off all night until about 4am. So no sleep again, which I'm sure that is not helping the bp any.....and I really hate this med.....makes me shakey, dizzy, and sleepy.....oh well, he's sleeping now, so pumping time....

[mum74]

Casey is it possible he is 'snacking' - and not waking up enough each time to have a proper feed? I'm just trying to think of a possible solution for you so that you can get some SLEEEEEP!

My first ds did that and the midwife told me I had to try to make him more alert for his feed so that he'd hopefully get enough to keep him going for longer. I felt like he was nursing ALL the time and yet she visited to weigh him a week out of hospital and he wasn't putting on enough weight (leaving me devastated cause I thought the only thing I had done was feed him the whole time!!).

Problem is, you don't want them to get too alert in the middle of the night when you want them to go back to sleep straight after! But maybe something like a change of diaper to wake him up a little...?

Anyway I guess if you are pumping then you probably know if he is getting a good amount each feed... and I'm sorry if I sound like an annoying BTDT Mum..that is definitely NOT my intention - just want to try to help..

- I hope he lets you get some sleep, especially with how the meds are making you feel.

[BeckyM]

I wasn't sure what to call it, but was thinking of the same thing, Lenore, that Matthew may just be snacking instead of filling his tummy. And you're not an annoying BTDT mama, us first timers here appreciate all advice, suggestions, etc.

Casey - I hope you start getting more sleep soon sweetie!!

AFM - nothing much going on today. I'm getting impatient to start feeling Smudge. Sometimes I get twinges, but don't feel flutters or movements that I hear of other Moms describing. I know, it'll happen soon, and by the end of this pg I'll be wishing I wasn't getting kicked as much . . . but right now I just want to feel something. Silly Bek.

Okay now for a couple of belly pics, I know I've also been so bad about this. But I'm not looking pg, just chubby, so it didn't seem necessary. Here's a couple I took this morning, I'm 17 weeks 5 days. Maybe by the half way point, I'll start looking pg.

[CaseyM]

Lenore...thanks for the advice....I love having someone else to listen to..... I try to give him a diaper change when he starts to drift off....sometimes it helps. But I think I've figured out the problem. I think he's having some acid reflux issues. I think his belly is having trouble going back n forth between milk n formula. So I think I'm just going to stay with formula....My pump is broken anyways and the hand pump is a pain......The last 2 days is when I've been having trouble and that's when we started adding breast milk back into the equation, one bottle a day, in the afternoon....(And my milk still is low, maybe 3-4 oz a pump session.....And he seemed content on the formula....

But other than that and the baby acne, we are doing great.....Tired but great!

Everyone have a good day!

[MomtoKatieB]

Becky ~ You look wonderful. Love the pic.

Casey ~ Glad that you and Matthew are doing great. He is such a cutie!

Lenore ~ As a first timer, I am always glad to have the advice of a BTDT mommy.

I am to stay on my bp meds until my pp visit at least. I went to the dr yesterday and my bp was 125/65. Took Katie to the dr. yesterday afternoon. She weighs 9 lbs 10 oz and is 21 1/2 inches long. Her head is 15 inches (not sure what that means, but I noted the measurement since they wrote it on her chart). Dr. said she was doing great. We have appt. scheduled for 2/1 which will include shots for Miss Katie. I am going to vaccinate on schedule but I am not looking forward to anything that causes her pain.

[mum74]

OH Beth, the first vaccinations are the hardest! I got all these looks of sympathy (was so embarrassed!) when I shed some tears over my ds's first vaccinations. I'm tough now though, so don't worry... the first time is hard, and it's never nice - but it will get easier! A while off for you yet so just put it out of your mind for now!

Casey, glad you are finding some solutions for Matthew so hopefully you both get some more rest!

Becky you look great and you definitely do look pregnant! I usually felt my babies around 19 weeks... was a bit earlier this time but like you, I was so keen for it to be strong movement so I could really say for sure it was baby...won't be long now though I'm sure!!!

I haven't taken pics for a few weeks but I will today - seeing as I am halfway now!