Pregnancy 2011 - January

tativ

Hello All- For those having trouble to conceive- I know many moms who recommend "Taking Charge of your Fertility", they all said the book was great!! You can purchase it cheap/used on Amazon! Good luck!

carina73

Hello All- For those having trouble to conceive- I know many moms who recommend "Taking Charge of your Fertility", they all said the book was great!! You can purchase it cheap/used on Amazon! Good luck!

I too have many friends who recommended this book to me. never got around to buying it, but it was also suggested that it's good for teen girls when they start their "monthly' visits. i think i may do that for my dd. but she's 6 so i have a few years yet.

Mamatoabunch

My husband and I just found out the day after Christmas that we are expecting our first child together - he has two children that i claim as my own from his previous marriage. That would put me at about 5 weeks along. We had it confirmed at the doctor's office that following Monday. My first appt with my obgyn is on the 11th of this month (I would be about 7 weeks along).We are very exciting and I am a little nervous. This past year I lost over 100lbs because I had gastric bypass surgery. Now I am pregnant one year out. I have to take vitamins because of the surgery already and now I have added a prenatal vitamin and a DHA pill as well. When should I change my caloric intake up? I currently have it set at about1300 calories a day (which is to lose 2 pounds a week -- not that it is accurate). I don't want to go over board with gaining weight during my pregnancy (I understand that most of it comes off after you have the baby -- about 2-3 months after). Any suggestions out there for that?

I currently weight about 229lbs. Last year at this time I was 343lbs. So 229 is amazing to me -- I don't remember the last time I weighed this. I hope that I can have a healthy pregnancy and not gain like 50lbs.

How many ultrasounds do normal pregnancy have? How many are there with High Risk Pregnancies? I think since my surgery and bmi and weight that I will be considered high risk, but I am not sure -- guess i will find out more on the 11th.

I know usually between weeks 4-6 morning sickness is something that is common to start, but if my mother didn't have it, is it possible that I won't have it? I am a little over 5 weeks and haven't had any nausea at all yet **knock on wood** but could it be possible to have it after week 6?

What week do people normally start showing with their first pregnancies? Has any one here naturally concieved multiples?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am 'new' to this. Good luck and I hope everyone has a health pregnancy.

I don't have U/S's, I just don't do them. I see no need, haven't since my first pregnancy, although I did have one at 11 weeks w/ my last pregnancy for bleeding, none after. OB's are notorious for labeling high risk and then adding a ton of interventions, often not necessary, altering a normal pregnancy. It depends greatly on your care provider and midwives are more likely to view you as a pregnant women and your pregnancy as a normal event. Getting labeled high risk isn't usually necessary for most women. I mean I could get labeled high risk for any numbers of reasons, but I personally do not accept or buy into it. Sure a few women do have extra challenges in pregnancy and their specific condition needs extra monitoring, but for the majority absolutely not.

I didn't change my calories to maintenance until 11 weeks. My ms usually starts 5.5-6 weeks, the height of misery for me is usually 10 weeks. I started showing my first pregnancy at 14 weeks. I naturally conceived twins my first pregnancy, no twins w/ my last 8 pregnancies. I don't yet know about this one. No feelings either way yet, although dh says twins, LOL. We shall see.

Mamatoabunch

I always paint in pregnancy, I must! I use low VOC paint if I can, latex only.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is an excellent book for understanding cycles, mucous, basal temps, natural family planning and TTC!

ckmama

I just keep telling myself I only have 12 more weeks and then I'll be off for 4 months with my little princess! (1 week Spring break, 6 weeks maternity leave, then 2 months summer) I am so blessed to have that much time off...our timing was excellent, lol. :laugh:

I know we have discussed this before in this forum, but I can't believe how much the maternity benefits SUCK in the USA!!! I have no idea what they do in other countires though... maybe it is better than others but it is still awful....What about parents who are breast feeding? 6 weeks? Really??

I hope you house gets finished really soon for you!

There are no across the board maternity benefits in the U.S. There is FMLA protection to take off up to 12 weeks, but that doesn't mean you'll get paid.

The only reason I was paid with my first is because i saved up vacation and sick leave. Funny thing is here, daycares don't take infants until they are 12 weeks old. I'm glad I never had to make that choice, well I did, and we chose for my husband to quit his job and stay home. It was hard at 3 to put him in daycare. It takes a very brave mama to put their baby in a daycare. Some people say it's easy, but it isn't. We looked at over 10 daycare's, it is not easy. For those mom's that will have to do that, you should start looking now. Really good ones have waiting lists for a reason. And if you feel something odd about the place go with your gut, something is odd, and find somewhere else.

AnneElise

As a teacher in Hamilton County TN, I can take up to a year of leave and be assured my job. BUT it is all unpaid unless you use sick leave that you have built up. I am going to take 11 weeks and not use any of my sick leave for this child. This year at the start of the year I decided that I would take all my coaching pay (I get a seperate paycheck spread out over 10 months) and put it into a seperate savings account to use when I get pregnant. It helps make the hours and hours of coaching worth the very little pay. BUT I will have 3700 dollars to help us over that 11 week time period.

erlagis

Hi, I would like to be a part of this group. My husband and I have been TTC#1 since June 2010.

I have arthritis so I had to stop taking my medicine while we're trying. I have been off the medicine for a year and it's not going very well. I had to stop working last month so I'm pretty anxious to become pregnant. I moved to America 1 1/2 year ago and gained 17 lb the first winter I was living here. You have so much great food and I wanted to taste it all. This winter I have been trying to get rid of the 17 lb, so far 6 lb is gone.

joonzgurl

As a teacher in Hamilton County TN, I can take up to a year of leave and be assured my job. BUT it is all unpaid unless you use sick leave that you have built up. I am going to take 11 weeks and not use any of my sick leave for this child. This year at the start of the year I decided that I would take all my coaching pay (I get a seperate paycheck spread out over 10 months) and put it into a seperate savings account to use when I get pregnant. It helps make the hours and hours of coaching worth the very little pay. BUT I will have 3700 dollars to help us over that 11 week time period.

Sweet! It's nice that you were able to save up a little bit of money. I have probably said it before, but in Canada maternity benefits are across the board for the whole country. As long as you have 1 year into your job, they must allow you 1 year of maternity leave and job security. But your employer does not pay you, it is basically "unemployment insurance" that pays us- a government program that every single working person must pay into on their pay cheques. Surely they have a similar program down south when people lose their jobs? What I guess is different here is that they allow us to tap into unemployment insurance when we have our babies. We get 55% of our regular pay for 52 weeks. Should we choose to stay home after that it is unpaid, and your job is gone.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can be a SAHM after my year is up!

Who else plans to stay home full time with their little one?

ckmama

In the U.S. You only qualify for so many weeks of unemployment and you don't qualify if you quit or resign your position (it has to be no fault of your own). So the employer can fight your application if they want to. unemployment insurance is paid for by state and federal taxes paid by employers, not individual taxpayers.

We pay into a disability system as part of US run social security, but your disability has to be proven and more than 2 years (i believe) and pregnancy and birth are not covered. Now if you become disabled in the process then 2 years you can apply, but it doesn't mean you will get approved. Many people who are very disabled die before they get disability payments, but still many get it, that aren't truly disabled. It is a very messed up system here.

Pregnant woman and children do qualify for some types of "insurance" coverage and food benefits, but that is income based and sometimes the doctor's you have to choose from is very limited.

Many of these reasons are why America is in such an uproar right now, over our debt and policies.

Although we have FMLA which is supposed to "guarantee" you have a job when you go back to work, you can still be let go on FMLA or shortly after its return for reasons having nothing to do with why you were out of work. My Uncle was on temporary disability (purchased thru and inusrance company) during surgery and then on workers compensation (what happens when your injured on the job) and was let go while on FMLA. Yes he still received some money, but his job was no longer there. it all depends on the employer.

But no here in the states, if you want temporary disability payments you either have to buy them from a private insurer or your employer has to pay for the insurance. Some states require that employers provide this insurance for employees.

ckmama

As a teacher in Hamilton County TN, I can take up to a year of leave and be assured my job. BUT it is all unpaid unless you use sick leave that you have built up. I am going to take 11 weeks and not use any of my sick leave for this child. This year at the start of the year I decided that I would take all my coaching pay (I get a seperate paycheck spread out over 10 months) and put it into a seperate savings account to use when I get pregnant. It helps make the hours and hours of coaching worth the very little pay. BUT I will have 3700 dollars to help us over that 11 week time period.

Sweet! It's nice that you were able to save up a little bit of money. I have probably said it before, but in Canada maternity benefits are across the board for the whole country. As long as you have 1 year into your job, they must allow you 1 year of maternity leave and job security. But your employer does not pay you, it is basically "unemployment insurance" that pays us- a government program that every single working person must pay into on their pay cheques. Surely they have a similar program down south when people lose their jobs? What I guess is different here is that they allow us to tap into unemployment insurance when we have our babies. We get 55% of our regular pay for 52 weeks. Should we choose to stay home after that it is unpaid, and your job is gone.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can be a SAHM after my year is up!

Who else plans to stay home full time with their little one?

I became a SAHM 2 years ago when my mom needed care (she was dying and was denied disability twice in 4 years) and my son was having trouble in school. I am planning on staying at home for a while, depends on my husbands job and finances. We've learned to live very frugally and ignore the Jones'

Mamatoabunch

Who else plans to stay home full time with their little one?

I am and have since twins were born. I did go back to work temporarily when my third was 1, but only for a few months. I homeschool so I do work inside the home, just not paid. It isn't easy at times, but doable.

carina73

We get 55% of our regular pay for 52 weeks. Should we choose to stay home after that it is unpaid, and your job is gone.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can be a SAHM after my year is up!

Who else plans to stay home full time with their little one?

technically, it's only 50 weeks (15 maternity and 35 parental) because there's a 2 week unpaid waiting period.

I've been a SAHM since Emma was born, I did have 600 hrs so I was able to get all my benefits owed to me, but I never went back to work after, so I didn't collect anything for the birth of my son. My husband did tho. He got to stay home for 35 weeks with me! THAT was AWESOME. Financially it was tight, but I LOVED having him home. it was like a 9 month vacay! I'm hoping he'll take parental leave again with #3. Since I'm still a SAHM. mind you, i've been running a home day care since Sept. just haven't been paying into E.I. so no $ for me.
I have my Early Childhood Education diploma, and my goal has always been to work from home, so, I don't have any intention on going back to work, out of the home, until my children are much older. by then, i just might be crazy enough that i'll need to get OUT of the HOUSE! ROFL!

carina73

Hi, I would like to be a part of this group. My husband and I have been TTC#1 since June 2010.

I have arthritis so I had to stop taking my medicine while we're trying. I have been off the medicine for a year and it's not going very well. I had to stop working last month so I'm pretty anxious to become pregnant. I moved to America 1 1/2 year ago and gained 17 lb the first winter I was living here. You have so much great food and I wanted to taste it all. This winter I have been trying to get rid of the 17 lb, so far 6 lb is gone.

Hi! Welcome!
where did you live before you moved to America? good work on loosing the first 6lbs. It's a great start!

are you in much pain being off your arthritis meds? I hope you are successful soon! :happy:

debnu1

Welcome to 2011! I can't believe I am now in the third trimester! Tuesday I have a second ultrasound to double check my uterus. They saw something suspicious in the last one. Hopefully all is well. This babe is kicking me like crazy! It is now to the countdown where I just really need to start getting ready. Crazy! Take care!

debnu1

Who else plans to stay home full time with their little one?

I am and have since twins were born. I did go back to work temporarily when my third was 1, but only for a few months. I homeschool so I do work inside the home, just not paid. It isn't easy at times, but doable.

I quit working a year ago so I could stay home with my two kids. I have never done anything better! I love being home with my children and feel very blessed to be able to do so. This is my first pregnancy not working nights. So much nicer!!:laugh:

AnneElise

I will not be able to stay home with my little one but I choose teacher on purpose as a career to have wonderful breaks like summer and then school holidays. My husband goes to work at 9 and I get out at 2:15 so its a short day.

Telling the boss today! Wish my luck! of course the morning I go back to work I get sick in the morning too! holy moly.

1fitmama

Hey guys! It seems I'll be joining this group as well. I just found out I'm pregnant with baby #3! This was a complete shocking surprise as we thought we were done with this stage of our lives. I'm a sahm of a little girl, age 5, and boy age 2. I think I'm around 4 weeks and will be getting my first ob appt hopefully at the end of the month. 6 hpts confirmed that I was pregnant-including 2 digital. I had planned on rocking my bikini this summer, but I'm gonna be rocking my maternity one. LMAO! I *hope* to gain back the 20lbs I just lost. I had lost 67lbs total and had 16lbs to go to get to my goal weight! Both of my pregnancies I gained 40-45lbs. So, I'm going to be extra careful on my eating (not succumbing to junky high calorie foods!). I had my calorie intake set to 1200 to lose 1lb a week, but set it to maintain my current weight and now my calories are set at 1650. Is that the correct way? I'm still going to be exercising at the gym daily and keeping up with my strength training. I'm not sure what my heart rate should be when working out? Was anyone like me trying to get to their goal weight, before finding out they were pregnant?

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

I just keep telling myself I only have 12 more weeks and then I'll be off for 4 months with my little princess! (1 week Spring break, 6 weeks maternity leave, then 2 months summer) I am so blessed to have that much time off...our timing was excellent, lol. :laugh:

I know we have discussed this before in this forum, but I can't believe how much the maternity benefits SUCK in the USA!!! I have no idea what they do in other countires though... maybe it is better than others but it is still awful....What about parents who are breast feeding? 6 weeks? Really??

I hope you house gets finished really soon for you!

There are no across the board maternity benefits in the U.S. There is FMLA protection to take off up to 12 weeks, but that doesn't mean you'll get paid.

The only reason I was paid with my first is because i saved up vacation and sick leave. Funny thing is here, daycares don't take infants until they are 12 weeks old. I'm glad I never had to make that choice, well I did, and we chose for my husband to quit his job and stay home. It was hard at 3 to put him in daycare. It takes a very brave mama to put their baby in a daycare. Some people say it's easy, but it isn't. We looked at over 10 daycare's, it is not easy. For those mom's that will have to do that, you should start looking now. Really good ones have waiting lists for a reason. And if you feel something odd about the place go with your gut, something is odd, and find somewhere else.

We don't do daycare either, we always managed to work our schedules around eachothers.... well mostly mine since my job is super flexible with me. When # 2 was 6 months my husband got laid off and has been a wonderful sahd ever since. He will definately be with our princess until she starts pre k. I just can't bring myself to leave my babies with a stranger, many people I know think I am a freak because I wouldn't, then again with 2 little ones full time day care would cost almost a full paycheck a week and we would miss out on so much, disrupt their schedules, and have to worry when the oldest gets vacation from school. I would totally recommend that you avoid the daycare route if possible, there are always changes that can be made so that you and your spouse can be with the lil ones.

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

As a teacher in Hamilton County TN, I can take up to a year of leave and be assured my job. BUT it is all unpaid unless you use sick leave that you have built up. I am going to take 11 weeks and not use any of my sick leave for this child. This year at the start of the year I decided that I would take all my coaching pay (I get a seperate paycheck spread out over 10 months) and put it into a seperate savings account to use when I get pregnant. It helps make the hours and hours of coaching worth the very little pay. BUT I will have 3700 dollars to help us over that 11 week time period.

Sweet! It's nice that you were able to save up a little bit of money. I have probably said it before, but in Canada maternity benefits are across the board for the whole country. As long as you have 1 year into your job, they must allow you 1 year of maternity leave and job security. But your employer does not pay you, it is basically "unemployment insurance" that pays us- a government program that every single working person must pay into on their pay cheques. Surely they have a similar program down south when people lose their jobs? What I guess is different here is that they allow us to tap into unemployment insurance when we have our babies. We get 55% of our regular pay for 52 weeks. Should we choose to stay home after that it is unpaid, and your job is gone.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can be a SAHM after my year is up!

Who else plans to stay home full time with their little one?

I became a SAHM 2 years ago when my mom needed care (she was dying and was denied disability twice in 4 years) and my son was having trouble in school. I am planning on staying at home for a while, depends on my husbands job and finances. We've learned to live very frugally and ignore the Jones'

Living frugal is a small price to pay to enjoy our little ones. I know that my kids may not have all of the coolest things provided by us but they have lots of love, a roof, food and many extras because mommy is actually pretty well paid. We have lots of family that LOVES to spoil them so they virtually get everything they desire but have learned not to expect. To me it doesn't matter that hubby is the SAHD because I get off at 12pm and spend all afternoon and evening with the kiddos. They only don't have me a few hours that they are awake and I pick my oldest up from school everyday. I love it and will be able to be frugal for many more years just to see their happy faces while we do things like play monopoly! Who wants a parent to come home at 7pm anyways? Life has been way easier with daddy around.

MamaRandall

Wow! I had a lot of catching up to do!! Looks like a lot of newcomers too, WELCOME!

I have been SO exhausted and nauseous lately and decided to take a few days off to relax with my family before the kids go back to school again today. I didn't gain any weight this past week, which is nice, but I am feeling very fluffy :noway: . Most likely because I didn't work out. So I'm about to do my workout right now and get my booty movin again!