Magnificant Mama (Closed Group) May 2011

AnneElise

Thanks for the info ladies! As much as I admit it terrifies me still I want to know as much as I can.

ron2282

Thanks for all the information! The thought of tearing scares me, but I guess if it’s going to happened either way it’s best to let it be naturally.

brittonymiller

I told my husband that he has one more week before we start the whole perinium massage thing. I heard that sex helps just as much with the stretching, so I'm sure he'll have fun with this. I guess I should start doing kegels too. Bleh. I never have liked doing them much.

hkystar

My birth plan says let it rip (so to speak).

Bf is actually excited about perinium massages (mainly cause it will lead to more sex for us)! I keep telling him the sex is good for me and labor so he is a happy man!

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

They never "offered" me an episiotomy, Kaiser is not into intervention which I LOVE but my son was stuck and alarms were going off similar to those when they run people into the OR. His heart rate was going down too, super scary but heck he was 9lbs 6 oz and to me that was a pretty big first baby. Most people are shocked when I tell them I did not have a c/s apparently it is uncommon these day. Both me and my brother were over 9lbs and my mom had us both vaginally so I didnt really see anything strange about it. When it comes down to it if you need it to get your baby out they will let you know but it is definately much easier than a c/s.

I agree with Megan on the no epi thing though, when she said she was going natural I thought WOW she has no idea what is in store for her and quite frankly I wanted a natural birth but was frightened of the idea of feeling everything. Nobody can believe it when I tell them I had Brooklynn without an epi but I must admit I feel like superwoman :laugh: I think anyone who has experienced natural childbirth will agree that it empowers you and makes you see just how strong you are. I kind of feel like I can handle anything now and like I got a merit badge :happy:

jamielangner

Name: Jamie

Age: 24

Children: 2 beautiful baby girls --> Brielle 19 months, Hayley 2 months

Live in: Aberdeen, MD

Occupation: Mom / Computer Engineer (I'm currently working 2 days at the office and 3 days from home thanks to my AWESOME supervisor and I love the extra time with my kids!)

Hobbies: I don't currently have time for hobbies, but they USED to be Music (I'm a closet singer also, Maria!), technology, sports, wine.. anything really, I love to try new things!

joonzgurl

Ok this is freaking me out! Did anybody not tear or get cut??? I am really hoping I end up being one of those women!

ckmama

I didn't do either...lol, I had 2 c-sections...I know not funny.

ckmama

For those of you that have started TOM again how heavy was the flow?

Mine is super duper heavy and that isn't normal for my TOM.

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

For those of you that have started TOM again how heavy was the flow?

Mine is super duper heavy and that isn't normal for my TOM.

Tom keeps playing peek a boo so hoping not to see him but with the mini pill not sure if it will come. I think I had TOM 2 weeks pp and it was heavier than normal for me.

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

Ok this is freaking me out! Did anybody not tear or get cut??? I am really hoping I end up being one of those women!

My friend did neither with all 3 of her kids but they were all in the low 7lb range

AnneElise

My sister tore a lot with her 7 lb baby and my SIL didn't tear at all with her 9 lb 10 oz baby.... who knows. I am hoping but I understand probably its going to happen.

I had my work shower today. Slightly ackward but we got some of the items we needed, some diapers and ATON of gift cards so that is awesome.

mommy2isaac

For those of you that have started TOM again how heavy was the flow?

Mine is super duper heavy and that isn't normal for my TOM.

i breastfed my little guy for 9 months and didnt get any bleeding or spotting but once i stopped bfeeding i had some spotting every 5 weeks or so and now after 3 months of that im almost regular again. i def did not miss having my TOM!!!

joonzgurl

experienced mamas- do i really need a breast pump? they are sooo darn expensive around here! It would be nice to have "extra" milk around, but I can hand express can't I? Or a necessity?

dragonfly74

My sister tore a lot with her 7 lb baby and my SIL didn't tear at all with her 9 lb 10 oz baby.... who knows. I am hoping but I understand probably its going to happen.

I had my work shower today. Slightly ackward but we got some of the items we needed, some diapers and ATON of gift cards so that is awesome.

Glad you had a nice shower!

I tore the most with my seven pounders. I tore less with my last two who were 9lbs 4ozs and 8lbs 9ozs. So weight wasn't an issue for me.

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

experienced mamas- do i really need a breast pump? they are sooo darn expensive around here! It would be nice to have "extra" milk around, but I can hand express can't I? Or a necessity?

I only pump because I work full time and I want hubby to have my golden juice to feed the princess. If you will be with baby 24/7 then you have absolutely no need for one. They are super expensive and honestly I'd rather nurse but hey she is totally worth it and in the end it is WAY cheaper than formula.

dragonfly74

experienced mamas- do i really need a breast pump? they are sooo darn expensive around here! It would be nice to have "extra" milk around, but I can hand express can't I? Or a necessity?

I love my breast pump and to me it is a necessity, but I know everyone is different. I am unable to hand express. I rarely even leak and don't need to wear breast pads. So, as for me, I highly recommend one.

sthorp1179

experienced mamas- do i really need a breast pump? they are sooo darn expensive around here! It would be nice to have "extra" milk around, but I can hand express can't I? Or a necessity?

No you don't need a breast pump, hand expressing is easy but time consuming, a hand pump would be easier for occasional use and not so expensive.

Btw i've had 3 kids naturally, 2 9lb 6oz, one 7lb 10oz no tears, episiotomies or anything. The best thing to do is to listen as you are pushing to the nurse/midwife and especially when you start feeling the "ring of fire" and control your pushes and push small and slow to ease the head out and let your tissues stretch naturally. Perineal massage is good! It is thought to be better to tear because you heal quicker in most cases.

carina73

Name: Carina

Age: 38

Children: Emma (7yrs - born 19 April 2004), Patrick (4yrs - born 12 Dec 2006)

Live in: Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Occupation: Mother, Home Daycare Provider.

Hobbies: Family, Music, Outdoors, Facebook, MFP.

RFrick

OK. My most sincere apoligies for not replying to everyone, but I really should be out mowing while DS is asleep. (It's much easier that way you know! ) But I was gone all day yesterday and I feel terribly behind so I want to try and catch up just a little and comment on a few things that caught my attention...

My DS weighed 8.1 and I had a first degree tear. I had no trouble with it post partum. I must say that the stiching part was a little uncomfortable, but so were some other things and I lived through all them...:laugh:

As far as a pump... I could never figure out how to express by hand and I couldn't ever get my hand pump to work for me either. I used the electric pump in the hospital for a while because they wouldn't let me nurse DS. I did it mostly for stimulation so that when I could nurse there would be something there for him, but I don't think I ever even got an ounce out then. Maybe it just being the colustrum made a differance? Anyway... thankfully I was a SAHM and didn' have the need to pump. Not sure what would have happened if I would have had to!!!

I loved hearing why everyone joined MFP... Thanks for sharing! I cannot seem to remember how I came across the site. I was looking for something with accountability and other people. I was overweight most of my childhood and had finally lost 75 pounds in '06 and '07 with Weight Watchers. It was the first time I really could remember ever being at a 'normal' weight and I loved it! It was so great to be able to share clothes with my friends and find stuff that I really felt like I looked good in. Then I got married and my husband is one of those people that can eat candy bars and soda every day and never gain a pound! So not fair! He is also a picky eater and doesn't really like most heathy foods. He tried to be kind and understanding, but I didn't do well with having to fix two different meals every day and so I sorta fell into bad eating habits again. Then I got pregnate with DS. And that's when things really spiraled out of control. I didn't pay attention to not gaining too much weight and ended up putting on about 70 pounds. Then I gained another 30 in the 15 months that followed. I know that with W W what really helped me was the support system and had high hopes that this site would give me the same support that I had found there, but without me having to leave my home and spend a bunch of money. I think I would have done quite well if I had not have found out that I was preganant again a few weeks after getting on here. I have been much more careful this time around and at 23 weeks I am still between four and six pounds below the weight I was when I got preganant. (Thank you Jamie for being my inspiration!!!:flowerforyou: ) I'm looking forward to the baby being born so that I can work on getting this extra weight off again. I'm so ready to be able to feel confident about how I look and I really want to do it for my DH, too. I know that he loves me no matter what and he's very good about telling me so, but I know it would mean a lot to him if I would get back down to the weight I was when we got married. Which I think is totally reasonable. I wasn't terribly thin - 5'4" and 145 -150 isn't exactly rail thin!!! It just is for me.

Name: Regina

Age: 26

Children: Landon - 21 months, little girl due September 12

Live in: Dayton, Ohio

Occupation: SAHM, book keeper for my DH's two small side businesses that he does in addition to an actual job :noway:

Hobbies: I love to read , sew, garden, bake, crochet if I'm in the mood..., and I loved to travel, but I think I'm done with that for my lifetime... don't think I'll ever get DH an a plane and it wouldn't be any fun to go without him... Anyone else travel? I've been to Alaska , Oregon, California, China and Brazil. And of course other states more locally, but flying to get there makes it seem just a little more exoctic! :laugh: Oh yea, and MFP is definatly one of my more tome consuming hobbies... (just ask my DH)

AFM: I got to feeling terrible Wed. evening - just tired and all wiped out. I didn't feel any better when I woke up Thurs. morning. I am feeling some better now. Anyway, I got on the scales and somehow had lost 4 pounds since Sat. morning. :noway: I'm guessing maybe that had a little to do with how I was feeling? That and I'm not good at all at taking my vitamin... Anyway I decided maybe I needed to eat more. It scares me to death to 'cause of last preganancy, but I've only been eating 1,500 calories and eating back any exercise calories. Do you all think that's enough or should I be eating more than that?

Gotta go mow now.... :grumble:

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

experienced mamas- do i really need a breast pump? they are sooo darn expensive around here! It would be nice to have "extra" milk around, but I can hand express can't I? Or a necessity?

I love my breast pump and to me it is a necessity, but I know everyone is different. I am unable to hand express. I rarely even leak and don't need to wear breast pads. So, as for me, I highly recommend one.

I am at the point where I dont "have" to wear pads but yesterday at work I was in the bathroom washing my breast shields from my pump when I realized why I "should" wear my pads :laugh: The men definately out number the women at work so head lights on high beams can make for awkward interaction. BTW is it totally normal for "them" to always be "on" when you nurse? I didn't BF my others much

Edited to say - I was only able to manually express when I was engorged, I don't think I would beable to give the baby expressed milk without my double electric pump but if I was a SAHM I would stick to nursing. I'm not much for leaving my babies to go out so it would be rare then.

MisdemeanorM

Slow on the joining up here so a little behind on posting this, but i joined MFP about 6 mos after baby 1 when I was still wearing my elastic waist jeans because I was up like 35 lbs still from where i was. I've been on for 3 years or so - i think March 2008? (I can't see my photo right now that says "member since"). In that time I have hit my goal weight (145) but never my 'super goal weight' 125 (I don't think that will ever happen, and I'm cool with that). I stopped logging for a few months in the middle and put weight back on. I was finally starting to lose slowly but steadily then ended up preggo. I was 9 lbs from my goal (145) at that time. I'm up 30 from that right now, but 10 fewer than I was full term last preg (I started 10 lbs lighter last time). I don't think this weight will be too hard to lose since I am already in the habit of logging and going to the gym, but I do worry about what my schedule will be like and if or when I can even make it to the gym post baby. I know it will be 3 months at least since the nursery doesn't take under 12 weekers. I am sort of hoping he will be big, if so I fully intend to lie and say he's 12 weeks when he is 8 or 9! :laugh: :laugh: My husband does NOTHING with babies so the gym will be my only break! This week I find out if my 4 yr old gets into the state funded 5 day a week preschool or not. That will be a blessing if he does! I can't work full time with them both here underfoot! (well, I probably will, but be stressed and tired - and I TOTALLY stress eat!)

Soon2Bfitmamaof3

Slow on the joining up here so a little behind on posting this, but i joined MFP about 6 mos after baby 1 when I was still wearing my elastic waist jeans because I was up like 35 lbs still from where i was. I've been on for 3 years or so - i think March 2008? (I can't see my photo right now that says "member since"). In that time I have hit my goal weight (145) but never my 'super goal weight' 125 (I don't think that will ever happen, and I'm cool with that). I stopped logging for a few months in the middle and put weight back on. I was finally starting to lose slowly but steadily then ended up preggo. I was 9 lbs from my goal (145) at that time. I'm up 30 from that right now, but 10 fewer than I was full term last preg (I started 10 lbs lighter last time). I don't think this weight will be too hard to lose since I am already in the habit of logging and going to the gym, but I do worry about what my schedule will be like and if or when I can even make it to the gym post baby. I know it will be 3 months at least since the nursery doesn't take under 12 weekers. I am sort of hoping he will be big, if so I fully intend to lie and say he's 12 weeks when he is 8 or 9! :laugh: :laugh: My husband does NOTHING with babies so the gym will be my only break! This week I find out if my 4 yr old gets into the state funded 5 day a week preschool or not. That will be a blessing if he does! I can't work full time with them both here underfoot! (well, I probably will, but be stressed and tired - and I TOTALLY stress eat!)

Mel you are a really strong person and can take a lot, I am sure you will keep it together once you get into the swing of things. Mainly it it just the adjusting to the number of children. Hopefully your little guy wont act out much, I totally expected it from my 4 year old but not from my 7 year old. Fingers crossed that he gets into school, we got our little guy into a free preschool that is 5 days a week 3 1/2 hours a day. It is all free thanks to the smokers in California, he should have been going to regular preK but California is no longer paying for it when we had voted on it. Naturally once they get something pushed through on votes the "fine print" lets them spend the money elsewhere.

BTW I saw your nursery pics, absolutely beautiful :laugh: You may want to move stuff stat though because your baby will be full term this weekend and he very well could come. #1 was born at 37 weeks

RFrick

Sheri - WOW!!! I just noticed that you've lost 30 pounds in the not even 2 months since your LO was born. Way to go!!! I will be so excited if I'm able to lose that much in the first couple months. I gained weight after DS was born so I'm not real sure what to expect....

LynnW52

WOW! This thread has really taken off! Sorry I've been MIA. My mom came into town yesterday afternoon and we all went to a concert lastnight, then hubby and I spent the whole day together shopping for the rest of the stuff we needed for baby. Gonna pack our hospital bag either tonight or tomorrow!

I plan to tear naturally, and that is what is on my birth plan. I also put on my birth plan that I'd like to be directed when to/not to push. My Dr. was very agreeable that both are better and are what she prefers. I've started doing the perineal massage too, hoping that helps a little. Our class instructor also said that the nurses will apply a warm compress while I'm in labor to help it naturally stretch, so I'm all for that too!

I haven't been logging my cals for the whole day, but I usually manage to get breakfast, lunch, and one of my snacks in. It gives me a decent idea of where I'm at for the day, not that it's made much of a difference throughout my pregnancy. I rarely go over cals and I've still managed to put on 37 lbs. Ah... :ohwell:

My friend had her baby today by c-section. Her water broke naturally (which is up for debate btw...) lastnight. They gave her an epidural and she only dilated to 8, and then they told her his head was to big for her to deliver naturally. I really don't like that...

My other friend just adopted a baby boy who will be coming home tomorrow! He is the youngest of 12 adopted home schooled children (she is a SAINT!). She is in need of some boy clothes and Josh has been very blessed so I'm putting together a nice care package for her little one. I'm hoping that I have a really good milk supply and can donate some breast milk to her, as I know she prefers that over formula.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to reply to everyone, I'll make sure to stay on track much better and not get so far behind! But I'm loving that everyone is so active already, I really missed us all being together!! :bigsmile:

brittonymiller

Regina- I've traveled a little bit. I went to China for a month abroad while in undergrad, Wales for a month abroad in graduate school, London, Paris, and a couple Caribbean of cruises. We honeymooned in St. Lucia. I've been very lucky. I really want to go to Italy next, but I'm sure that will be way down the road now that my husband and I are in children mode.

joonzgurl

Regina- I've traveled a little bit. I went to China for a month abroad while in undergrad, Wales for a month abroad in graduate school, London, Paris, and a couple Caribbean of cruises. We honeymooned in St. Lucia. I've been very lucky. I really want to go to Italy next, but I'm sure that will be way down the road now that my husband and I are in children mode.

I love to travel too! I spent a year in Australia, 3 months in Ireland (thought I was in love with and Irish guy met in Oz... I guess not!), have been to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, England, Hong Kong and Hawaii.

I love to hear where people have been and what their favorite places were. For me... Australia and Thailand!

ron2282

Brittony – hubby was talking to me when I was scrolling though the thread and saw what you posted about sex helping with the stretching, he’s very happy now. :laugh: Oh and I’ve always wanted to go to Italy, but now we’re thinking that might have to wait until our kid(s) are older and out of the house.

Regina – I love to travel too. So far I’ve been to Puerto Rico, Antigua, Australia and a whole bunch of states in the US. My favorite was the month I spent in Australia. I planned to see a lot more of the world, but then I met my husband so traveling fell to the side.

Mel – I have a feeling that you can handle pretty much anything. Fingers crossed that your son gets into preschool!

Lynn – that’s so sweet of you to give some of Josh’s stuff to your friend.

Hubby felt Kathryn kick for the first time last night! It was very light, but he was still able to feel her. He’s been walking around on a cloud ever since. :happy:

AnneElise

Regina- I know that 1500 calories + exercise wouldn't be enough for me but everyone is different. Do you feel hungry or extra wiped out? I also throw up a lot of what i eat so I have been eating like 1 million times a day.

Traveling!!!!!! ooo I love to travel. I havn't been able to as much as I would like but I have been all around the United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Canada, Mexico, The Bahamas, and Costa Rica. My favorite BY FAR was Costa Rica. Everyone needs to go... it barely costs more than a vacation in the United States.

Ron- Thats wondergul about DH feeling the baby. I remember that moment with mine and feel like it will be something we cherish forever.

AnneElise

okay, these arn't the best pictures because I set the camera and took them myself but lets see if I can get this to work!





These are pictures of me at 29 weeks 1 day! In our work in progress nursery! This corner is done except for the bedskirt which my sister is making out of the curtian fabric in the picture.