Pregnancy Thread.....New Years Weekend, 12/31-1/2

[metroames]

ThininMex..............Brianna Irish...................Born 10/05/04
little bear...............Aiden Xavier.................. Born 10/06/04
aphexacid..............Bethany Erin...................Born 10/08/04
lizzyd.....................Henry Stewart................Born 10/15/04
Mrs. Sarah.............Tanner Christian.............Born 11/12/04
ChristinaK..............Joshua Vincent...............Born 11/18/04
karatejen...............Murphy Archie................Born 11/27/04
BrattyChelle...........Elana Marie....................Born 12/23/04

Surfdol......................W41................12/22/04
GetNSlim...................W41................12/24/04......Boy
Kay&Lydi...................W37................01/18/05
Viki............................W36............... .01/22/05......Girl
Shandril105...............W36............... 01/23/05......Girl
Nyanchan..................W36................01/31/05......Girl
metroames................W35................02/08/05......Boy
MadameX...................W35................02/09/05......Girl
AmyJuli.......................W30................0 3/10/05
JennPayton................W29................03/13/05......Girl
blueyedgrl..................W28................03/26/05
kimism........................W28................0 3/26/05......Girl

Heather123................W27................03/30/05......Boy
shelly..........................W27............... .04/02/05......Boy?
Marthad......................W25................04/11/05
Dar20..........................W24................ 04/16/05.....Girl
Jefinner.......................W24................ 04/16/05
GoJackets....................W22...............05/03/05
mom2twoboys.............W22...............05/07/05
chels_hoff....................W21...............05/15/05......Boy
Ravenly74................... W21...............05/15/05......Boy
Denise85.....................W20...............05/22/05......Boy
tekla............................W20.............. .05/23/05
azktycat.......................W18...............0 5/30/05
michigangrad...............W18................06/01/05
Vixendrop....................W15................06/18/05
naerenaenae...............W15................06/18/05
ChristieJ.......................W15............... .06/19/05
Alibarbar......................W15................ 06/20/05
jehcekah......................W15................0 6/22/05
gilbabe75.....................W14................0 6/25/05
Miss Gigl.......................W14................06/26/05
rooney..........................W14............... .06/30/05

Acutepenguin...............W12.................07/10/05
allibaba........................W12............... ..07/12/05....Twins
Tbugs...........................W10............... ..07/21/05
Mandyhoward...............W9..................07/30/05
SmileyAmy.....................W8.................. 08/08/05
takahirakoshino............W7..................08/15/05

Green12........................................... ...Trying!
2BFitHourglass.................................... Trying!
lil miss.............................................. ...Trying!
Nicole133......................................... ....Trying!
jeepifer.......................................... ......Trying!
StrawberryGirl.................................... ..Trying!
AnnieO............................................ .....Trying!
speckle........................................... ......Trying!
Alissaliz......................................... .......Trying!

[metroames]

Good morning ladies!

OMG! I can't believe what I actually did yesterday! My doula came for a "class" and we went over several things and I told her about the possibility of switching to a midwife. You should have seen the sigh of relief on her face when I told her. She then proceeded to tell me everything she held back after the last doctor's meeting that she deemed "bunk", but didn't think it was her place to tell me so, but give me the information to find out on my own.....well, it worked.

Now I am serious about this switch. I even set up an appointment with a midwife on Monday morning and if it goes well I'm going to cancel my appointment with my regular OB office and officially switch! The doula had nothing but good words to say about the things she has heard about the midwives at this hospital and they even have water birth as an option and in-house doulas even....not that I'm gonna give mine up, because I love her.....but it is comforting to know that they encourage midwives and doulas in a hospital setting there. From what I can see the rooms look cozy too....here's the website:

http://www.woodwinds.org/Care/Maternitycare.cfm

I was so excited about this that I hardly slept a wink today, LOL! Hopefully, the appointment will go well on Monday and I can start to rest easy about things....and fill out a bunch of new paper work too!

GetNSlim - So, are ya gonna have a New Year's Eve baby or a New Year's baby? Good luck today!

I decided to start one thread for the holiday weekend like we did last weekend since it was pretty slow. Have a great and safe weekend everyone! (Good thing I'll be at work before the drunks venture out tonight! )

Ames

[chels_hoff]

Good Morning wonderful web friends, actually for me it is good night as i am off to bed after this post!

Ames ~ Cute belly shot!! Thanks for the info on the raspberry tea and primrose, don’t be surprised if come May I forget and bug you for the info!! Good for you on making an Appt. with a midwife, it may be a pain to switch but I am sure you will all be happier in the long run. The water birth option is something I wish I had, it looks like a very nice place to have your baby!!

Michelle ~ Excuse me missy but we have not got an update lately, we want to know how the newest member of the board is progressing!! Must be busy visiting her since we have not heard from you since the 29th. Oh and to answer your question I am pretty sure that I am PG either that or my body is getting taken over by a serious parasite that likes to squirm and kick all the time!!

Dar ~ What are you reading right now?? I am finishing up The Thief Lord, not sure what will be next. Loved the curtains you made, I made the ones for our room with the same material that I upholstered the headboard with. Bet you are glad that the house guests from hell have left!!

Kel ~ OMG I so LOVE your belly!! Way cute Chicka....oh and did you did you tell the sales girl at Express BITE ME?? I so would have!! Already stocked up on summer maternity clothes from the clearance rack since I figured I would be wearing most of it in April/May.

Dena ~ registering is SO much fun once you start zapping things with the little gun though it is hard to stop!! Loved Diva's post thanks for sharing!! Did ok present wise Payton and I where neck in neck my 2 favorite gifts had to be a book from David, The 12 Miracles of Birth & (Kelly is SO going to laugh at this one) a Fondue pot!!

Slim ~ Do we have a baby yet?? Hopefully you will beat the stroke of midnight tonight!! Hoping that you have a fast labor and are happily holding your little on in the new year

Shelly ~ Whoo Hooo you finally have a belly!! and it is SO cute!!

Suzanne ~ Any new pics of Brianna??

Meg ~ you get all your pipes fixed?? When does hubby get home?

Emily ~ sorry to here you have to go through the 3 hr test.... Blecchhh

Mandy ~ When are you going to get your next u/s?

Ali ~ your son is so cute!!

Well the remnants of my cold are still holding on and it sucks that I cant take anything to finally kick it. Not sure who mentioned it but I LOVED the idea of covering some ugly bumper with my material, so thanks and I am going to steal... I mean use your idea!! Poor hubby it has been POURING down rain the last few days and when I talked to him a bit ago it seems that the are more than a few starting there celebrating a little early. He has already got 3 DUI's tonight, one that decided that he was not going to jail.... guess who won??!! Had a way crappy day Wed, started with waking to a leak in our roof that was dripping out of my dining room light fixture. Well to round out the day not only did my wacko MIL leave a strange message that afternoon (think she tipped back a few to many before she called) but my Bio father also left a message only 2 weeks after I sent his wife our Christmas card. Needless to say I have called neither back, and don’t plan to anytime soon. And my wonderful day ended with hubby and I laughing so hard we where almost crying in the pouring rain that night when we pulled out a nail in my tire, and attempted to fix it with Fix-a-Flat. All we ended up doing was drawing the attention of all our neighbors as I drove in circles in our Court while the air hissed out of the hole along with the white stinky FAF substance. If you cant laugh about it what can you do??!! So does everyone have their New Years Resolutions?? Still trying to figure mine out........everyone have a fun & safe New Year if I don’t get back on here!!
xoxo Chelsea
*Pregnant with Our First*
It's a Boy!! Cant wait to meet you Payton Wayne !!
Baby's Web Page
Mom & Dad's Website

[BrattyChelle]

Morning Ladies!!!

Thought I'd pop in with an Elana update before Chells_hoff screams at me again!!

I've been incredibly busy, sore and overdoing it now that my in-laws are here and staying with us. Top that with hubby's "hire or fire" status coming down today and it's been a tad weird here. Got my staples out yesterday and WHEW do I feel better. Still sore but at least those aren't poking me anymore. Also got a little surprise in the mail yesterday. The former Director of Nurses (whom I'm joining their lawsuit against my employer) and his partner sent me and the baby a $500 "we love babies" check. I was truly astounded at their generosity! Seems they donate every year to charity but decided to invest it in Elana's future this year....needless to say between hormone's and emotions, I cried for hours after thanking them endlessly.

OK....enough jabbering, on to Elana! I don't have any new pics to share as they've had to put her back onto the bilirubin lights in addition to one blanket. It's so cute, they put this little mask on her eyes that has sunglasses painted on 'em. She looks like she's chillin out and I can't help but giggle when I see her with them on. MIL and I went to feed her at 1pm yesterday which was the first time for an afternoon visit for us due to my surgery. The little piggy is eating 2 ounces now (mind you she was only eating 10 cc's 2 days ago!!) and burping like a champ....that is, when she decides not to sleep on me! She also passed a huge meconium diaper and made a mess of herself and her little condo....but that's a good sign as it shows she's passing the liver enzymes from the bilirubin lights. When we went again at 7pm last night we learned she passed 3 more that afternoon so they're hoping to see quite the drop in her numbers. We also learned that she is off the proteins/fats IV solution and strictly on sugar water due to eating enough to hydrate and get her nutrition. Proud daddy got to feed her last night and even grandpa went in to see her for the first time. She's a trooper....I'll try to post any update this afternoon or tomorrow after doctor's rounds!!


I'm continuing to keep all you ladies in thoughts...and I try to catch a glimpse at the thread even when I'm unable to post and you all are doing wonderfully....can't wait until you hold your lil ones!!!

GetNSlim.....you are in my thoughts today! Nothing like a new years eve baby, or perhaps the first New Years baby? I'm so glad the moment is close for you to meet your lil bundle!

[Miss Gigl]

Greetings ladies!!

Everyone planning something fun for tonight? I think it will be a quiet evening at home for me. I've definitely caught some kind of cold or something and I just want to lay around and do nothing at all.

After 10 hours over 2 days but 3 plumbers, they finally got my pipes repaired. As it turns out they had split in ELEVEN places! Apparently the pipes were not insulated correctly in the beginning so they didn't have much chance when it got into the teens and we didn't have the woodstove running while out of town. My landlord (God bless him!) sent his sons over to help me clean up the mud pumped into the house when the well ran dry. So, as you can imagine it was a serious mess. It's still not as clean as I would like it, but I can live with it.

To further add to the drama in my life, I have a huge crisis brewing at work. My primary subcontractor on about $2m worth of work is in serious financial trouble and may tank in January. I can only imagine what's going to happen next week at the office.

Otherwise things are ok. LOL! I think the next 3 days I'm just going to take it easy and try to kick this cold.

Ames: Wow, that place looks awesome! I'm so proud of you for switching to a midwife, I think that's a great decision!

Chelsea: Hubby comes home next Friday. I've realized how dependent I've become on him because now a week seems like an eternity to wait to have him home!

Chelle: I'm so glad Elena is making such progress, that's wonderful!

Hi to everyone that pops in later... I'll try to come back for more over the weekend.

Meg

[BrattyChelle]

Well...it's official, my hubby is unemployed. The "corporate" jerks literally let them work through today (last day of contract) without a word until just now. Looks like he'll be filing for unemployment and spending some well deserved time with me and our daughter. Surprisingly I'm not upset by this, but relieved. I'd much rather have him in a position where he enjoys the work and the company...and now since he's eligible for unemployment, he'll get some quality time with his daughter while looking for a new job.

Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts.

[vixendrop]

Umm... I guess ~laughs~

I know what you mean about feeling relief... when I lost my job I was worried for a little bit because we needed my income, but I was also relieved... I got to be home and spend more time with my daughter, do errands during the day so I didn't have to run at night and could just be home with my DH, etc... of course it helped too that I found out my unemployment check each week is actually a little more than what I was making while working (I was part-time) ~laughs~

Anyway... I am glad you get some quality time with him, and I hope he finds a job he really enjoys ~smiles~

[vixendrop]

Ugh... today has not been a comfortable day... this morning while laying in bed I got a sharp pain on the left side of my belly, low down... it went away after a few minutes.

Then this noon time I had some very light spotting, light brown... I know light brown isn't a color to be worried about, but I never had spotting with my daughter, and with my very first pregnancy I only had spotting right before I miscarried (granted that was 11 years ago and the spotting was bright red, so not the same thank god)... needless to say though, this was not making me feel very happy... it went away.

And then starting this evening, on the left side of my back, sort of the lower part of the middle area, started throbbing every few minutes... still happening now every once in a while... not fun.

Ugh! What's next?!

What a way to end the year!

[Dar20]

Hey, kids,

Hmm.. big plans for us? Well, considering it's almost 10 pm and I'm on the laptop, what do you think? After this week, all I want to do is sleep. We were at Disney yesterday and this morning, and when we got home this afternoon, the dogs and I took a nice long nap. They were so stressed from the kennel and I doubt they slept. They're still asleep. I'll probably join them soon. I used to be able to do a full day at Disney.. not now, I guess!

Michelle, sorry to hear about DH's job, but hopefully he can find something much better! The best thing that ever came out of my last job was being let go and finding my new job. Glad to hear about Elana's progress! Yay little piggy!

Originally posted by chels_hoff
Dar ~ What are you reading right now?? I am finishing up The Thief Lord, not sure what will be next. Loved the curtains you made, I made the ones for our room with the same material that I upholstered the headboard with. Bet you are glad that the house guests from hell have left!!

All I'm reading right now is my pregnancy books. I haven't started a new book, but I feel like I should. Oh, well. Glad to hear you're almost feeling better. No resolutions for me... planning to get back to low carb after baby is big enough!

Shelly, you look so great!!!!

VixenAmy, could those pains have been ligament pains from overdoing it? Hope you feel better soon.

I'm really sore right now from picking up kids, walking around Disney, and from growing baby.

I'm also feeling so bloated.. haven't had a good movement, if you know what I mean.

Finally through all that.. just a couple more rants that actually are baby related. My SIL gives her kids Coke and Sprite like it's water. I know that among this group, I'm not the only one swearing up and down I won't do that to my kids. Particularly with how we feel about sugar. But, how do you keep your kids from getting interested in that crap to begin with and keeping them away from it? I just can't believe how much sugar she puts in these kids bodies. Get this, she mixes Coke and milk just to get the 2 year old to drink milk. Why would a 2 year old drink Coke?

And I was so irritated with my FIL.. our 2 year old nephew is an absolute nightmare, and every time he would do something.. temper tantrum or whatever, my FIL would say something like "are you taking notes" or "see what you have to look forward to?" ARGH.. that is not my child, I am not my SIL, I will raise my child differently, etc. You know what I mean. What makes him think my child will act like that? Fortunately, DH said something to FIL to hush him up. It did lead to DH and I having some good heart to heart talks about some ideas we have about raising our children. I know it's a bit idealistic, but we hope to set some guidelines for how his parents treat her to what degree they can spoil her.

Wow, that's just way too long.. I'll let you guys off the hook.

[vixendrop]

I'm almost positive the pain in my belly was ligament pain... i've been having such severe coughs the last 2 1/2 weeks from this damn cold that won't go away, so I'm not really worried about that... but tonight the pain in my back started while I was just sitting down... and it's towards the middle of my back on the side, don't see how that could be ligament... I have had upper back pain a few times with coughing, but that's from a weak back muscle I'd pulled a few years ago... and this was no where near it... it's completely out of the blue... and wouldn't ya know it? Now I'm getting some odd feelings (not pain, just weirdness) in my side... damn... I don't want to call my midwife, but all things combined, well, I'm starting to worry.


About the soda and sugar... when I had my daughter I didn't have a problem giving her soda once a while... nothing with caffeine though... looking back on it though I wish I had never done that... she no longer eats or drinks sugar (once I started LCing) and I don't plan on letting this baby have soda and stuff either... so you're not alone.

[vixendrop]

Happy New Year Everyone!


Follow up to my last post:
I called my midwife and she said it was probably nothing, but to be safe to go to the ER... so in we went... on New Years Eve... ugh... they did an internal exam, everything looked fine... felt from the outside, everything felt fine... took blood and urine, all came back normal... did an ultrasound, everything is perfect... EDD confirmed again as 6/18/05... nice! We did get a couple new pictures of our belly bug... man, he was squirmy in there! Unfortunately I'm still a little early and she wasn't able to see if he really IS a he... she said she MIGHT have been able to, but the cord was between his legs... anyway... my midwife has thought perhaps it was a bladder infection... nope, no sign of that or a UTI... I did have a low grade fever (100), but that could be from the cold I just can't shake completely... the doctor said I am a little dehydrated, but that's all that was wrong... that's good, but now I feel like I wasted so much time... oh well... I got new bellybug pictures.

I have to follow up with my midwife on Monday, and until then I'm on pelvic rest... which means no sex! WHAT?! I want to celebrate the new year with my new husband! ~pouts~

[BrattyChelle]

Happy New Year Ladies!!!! Just think, this time next year ya'll will be celebrating 2006 with a larger family

[heather123]

Happy New Years!

I am FINALLY home!!!!! I've been at my parents house on "vacation" (dh duch hunts with my dad every year during the week of xmas) Its so nice to be home.

Good luck to GetNSlim, maybe you are holding your little one now as I speak!

I got a digital camera for Christmas, so after I figure out how to use it I'll try to post some pics.

Ames-I would also like to switch to a midwife, how would I get started? My insurance is so picky, I can't even see a nurse pract. The female OB I choose is pregnant and is due in two weeks, she won't be seeing patiients again until March and she is BOOKED. Why didn't she tell me this before? She had simply said she would only take one month off.....so anyway. More than likely I won't even see my actual doctor again until my due date and if she is so over booked a different doctor will probably do the delivery.

[vixendrop]

Switching to a midwife really isn't that hard, provided your insurance covers any... I would suggest calling your insurance company and asking if there are any midwives covered... if they say no, don't worry yet... my midwife technically isn't *covered* by my insurance, but the office has several midwives and 3 doctors... one of the doctors in the office is covered under my insurance so all I do is see my midwife and the office bills under the doctors practice number... my insurance even said that's fine, they didn't care.

Once you find someone who's covered then you simply call and make an appointment... I'd make sure that when scheduling your first appointment you tell the person that you're possibly switching practicioners so you'd like a longer appointment slot to discuss everything with the midwife... if you like her then you just ask if she will take you as a patient (very rare that someone would say no), if so, sign the medical release forms so they can get your records and you're done. It'd be nice to call your old doctor and tell the office you've switched too.

That's about it... really not hard at all.



Hope everyone had a great new year!

[MadameX]

HaPpY NeW yEaR!

Hi ladies, I hope you had a great New Year's Eve! I fell asleep in front of the TV and then awoke to fireworks we could hear but not see because of a huge snowstorm here. The ski resorts got 15" of new snow though and it's a blue-sky day today. If I could ski, I would! I had some alcohol-free champagne last night (yuck) and then about 1/4 cup of the real stuff (yum!). I think I actually started to feel buzzed just from that little bit. I will be a cheap date for a long time!

My dog hurt her shoulder; she was limping and the vet thinks it's a hairline fracture, so she can't walk with me and is on pain meds for two weeks. Walking was my only exercise lately and I don't know if I will go without her!

I was really busy yesterday and it occured to me I hadn't felt baby girl kick at her usual times. I drank water, lay on my left side, ate sweet things, "smooshed" her a little by laying on my tummy partly and pushing on my tummy. Nothing. Finally I feel movement again now. This is so stressful! Do you think they move and that's why its hard to feel them, even when they are this big? Her feetsies are no longer under my ribs, but lower down on my right side. Maybe she did drop?

GetNslim~I hope you're in labor or holding your little one!

Ames~Yay on the midwife! I can't wait to hear how it goes on Monday. I hope you are able to switch, it seems like that's what you really want.
That birthing center looks really nice!

Chels~ A fondue pot?!? Lol. Was that for Christmas or on your baby registry? Sorry about the flat tire. I have only used FAF on bike tires.

Michelle~ I'm sorry about your DH's job. I guess the $500 gift check is a silver lining though, huh? Elana sounds like she's doing great!

Dar~Ugh, your FIL sounds like he'd make me so mad! I hate comments like that. The only way you'd have to "look forward to that" is if SIL bequeathed her kiddos to you! Your baby will be good. Sounds funny, but if your doggies are that highly trained it must mean you have great skills when it comes to training and repetition and reinforcement, so I have no doubt your babe will be too.

Meg~I'm glad you're getting your frozen pipe mess cleaned up. It seems to me like it should be your landlord's problem more than yours, no? Hope your week goes well!

Ali~Your son is darling!

Vixen~Glad to hear everything is fine with the baby. Those unexpected pains can be scary. Were they nice at the ER? I'm always afraid they'll treat me like a crazy lady. My DH has talked me down from going once or twice due to my worrying.

Kim~Sounds like you're having a wonderful time "at home"!

Have a great New Year's Day!
Kelley

[MadameX]

What's Your New Year's Resolution?

Mine is to try to eat better and not gain too much more for the rest of this pregnancy. Then it will be to get back to my pre-preggo weight and exercise regime. I just worry that I'll have a hard time giving up fruit...I eat about 4-5 pieces a day! Not exactly Induction food. I heard that we shouldn't even THINK about any kind of diet till 6 weeks post-partum. Anybody know?

Kelley

[vixendrop]

MadameX, sorry to hear about your dog... no fun! Hopefully it'll heal up nice and quick and then you two will be back to your normal schedule! I can't even imagine walking for exercise right now... from the moment I got pregnant I've been SOOOOO tired all the time... of course I'm sure the fact that i've been sick twice already with colds didn't help... so far a grand total of 4 1/2 weeks sick between the two... then again though, I've never been one to enjoy walking... just seems boring to me... maybe it's because I have no place enjoyable to walk ~shrugs~
The nurses and u/s tech were really nice at the ER... the doctor however I wanted to smack... I really felt like he looked at me and treated me based on my size, not my condition... he kept asking "Are you SURE you haven't had any complication with this pregnancy? Or your last? Are you SURE???" Yes damn it! I'm sure! He was rough during the internal and external exam... I wanted to smack him sooooo bad! When he asked who my OB was I said I was seeing a midwife and he wouldn't believe me! Said I had to be seeing a doctor too! Finally I gave him the name of one of the doctors in my midwife's office, but again told him I do NOT see him, ONLY my midwife... what a jerk! Oh well... thankfully if I do end up having to deliver at the hospital my midwife will still be with me and it will be in L/D, not the ER so I won't have to see that jerk again ~sighs~
No one treated me like I was crazy though... I kinda felt like it though!

[Shandril105]

Hi Ladies! Checking in.

Had a pretty quiet New Years. We went over to our Friends house and had our gift exchange and hung out and watched movies. I kept having lots of BH contractions so I was pretty much confined to the couch. The most weird thing was that I was getting crampies like when you are having your period. I wonder if I am starting to dialate. I dialated early with my DD too. In fact, I was at 2 cms for almost the last 2 1/2 weeks of my pregnancy. I only have 3 weeks to go, so I would not be suprised if that is what is going on. I have my appt with the dr. for my first internal so He'll verify at that time.

I have been dealing with some serious fatigue! It's like I have very little energy for ANYTHING. No sex, no cleaning, no cooking. Nothing! I can do laundry, but this is really only because I have to. I practically force myself to clean house and goodness knows this place needs it right now. I am still trying to get up the motivation just to get up and put the xmas decs away. Thank goodness I have DH to help out. He is just the greatest. And with a 4 year old running around, that is especially a good thing.

I still havent gotten the nursery done, but that is not a bad thing. We need to have carpeting installed so I am not freaking out that the room insn't done yet. Besides the baby will be in our room for the first six weeks anyway in a bassinet. We are currently waiting for the replacement parts for the crib to come in. Luckily they only cost $20. I was worried I would have to go and buy a whole new crib. Boy did we get lucky!

Well, I will sign off for now. I hope that everyone is doing well and are looking forward to a happy new year.

[MadameX]

Originally posted by vixendrop
He was rough during the internal and external exam... I wanted to smack him sooooo bad! When he asked who my OB was I said I was seeing a midwife and he wouldn't believe me! Said I had to be seeing a doctor too!

Ugh, sounds like a nightmare! The worst internal I ever had was (by a male doctor, of course) for a foreign visa way back when and he was so rough I felt like an animal at the vet! He was not an OB/Gyn, just a general practitioner. They know they need to stick their hand "up there", but it really takes practice and finesse. That's also why i've been reluctant to go to the ER when I have felt nervous about things. I'm glad everything is fine though!

Shandril~You are getting close, Mama! My neighbor who just had a baby two weeks ago said it really feels like menstrual cramps when labor starts...maybe you're closer than you think?

Kelley

[Dar20]

Originally posted by MadameX
Dar~Ugh, your FIL sounds like he'd make me so mad! I hate comments like that. The only way you'd have to "look forward to that" is if SIL bequeathed her kiddos to you! Your baby will be good. Sounds funny, but if your doggies are that highly trained it must mean you have great skills when it comes to training and repetition and reinforcement, so I have no doubt your babe will be too.

Thanks, Kelley! I hadn't thought of it that way. I've learned so much about training and teaching, and as you said, reinforcement, just through training the dogs. But alot of the training techniques we use are actually used on kids in dance and sports (Tag Teaching and Clicker Training ). I know that won't apply to a newborn, but once they start to comprehend good vs. bad, it will help.

My SIL's situation is so different from ours (hubby was deported for a while, is never home, grandparents are right down the street where we don't live near family, etc.) that there's just no way possible our chidren will grow up the same. Makes me feel so much better.

As I said, no resolution for me.. just to get back to low carb post baby.

VixenAmy, glad to hear all is okay even though you had to visit the ER.

[Shandril105]

Well ladies. I am officially engaged. (baby's head that is)

I was doing kegels this afternoon and noticed a very weird sensation. I felt like I was squeezing my muscles around a ball. I thought, "That feels strange". So I took a shower and then examined myself (sorry if TMI) and noticed that there is the head there that can be felt through the birth canal.

So MadameX you may be right. I may be closer than I thought. I see the dr. Monday so He'll tell me for sure.

I now have mine and the baby's bags packed and now just have to get DD's and DH's bags packed and put in the trunk just in case.

Given my history, I won't have much time if I go into labor (last delivery took 2.5 hours) so I better be prepared just in case.

The major thing that sucks is that I have to work until I deliver. I am soooo having nightmares of my water breaking at work.

Good news today is that there are no more crampies like last nght so I might be on reprieve for a while.

[Sassy Frass]

Hi Ladies,

I just found your thread tonight. I haven't been on these boards in a very long time.

I'm 26 weeks pregnant with my first, and was on Atkins and had lost 40 pounds when I found out I was pregnant. I know alot of doctor's tend to trash this lifestyle, but my family doctor really scared me to death about being on Atkin's and pregnant. So, I started off with good intentions of eating healthy through this pregnancy, but it didn't take me long to slip back into my old carb addicted ways. Now I'm embarrased to admit I've put on almost all of what I'd lost and I've still got 3 months to go!

Now I am huge, tired and miserable, and my blood pressure is inching up and I don't know what to do.

Is it too late to turn this thing around? I was thinking about starting after the baby is born, but realized I need to be making some changes NOW. How soon after giving birth could I go back to near induction levels? (If I don't breastfeed.) Also, what kind of stuff can I eat? So much of the stuff I'd grown to love seems to be to be very limited or off-limits now, like fish, soy, aspertame and runny fried eggs. Do you think it would be okay to start a very light exercise routine at this point? (Like maybe walking 10 minutes a day.)

Any advice is appreciated.