I personally found all that stupid breathing MUCH easier to do when I wasn't having any actual pain! :RollieEyes: However, lots of people swear by it. I would've sworn AT it, but at that time I didn't know any really bad words yet!


Well, in THAT case I hope you weren't like Kimmy, and in the shower...:MrEEk:

tl

Oh no, not in the shower. I had mine 27 years ago. We didn't have all these new-fangled things.

Okay, I can't resist, my labor stories - first one, at 37, I started labor, called hubby at work, he came home and we stopped and got 2 salads on the way to the hospital. I was comfortable and we were joking through the whole labor. My son was in the transverse position, and after pushing like forever, they were setting up a C-section, when I doc (I thought is was the janitor) came in, and manually flipped the baby around and out he came - 8 lbs. 8 oz.

They thought my second was in distress, I forget why, heartbeat too fast, or too slow. So they induced labor, and the doc was dressed in a suit. He was going out to dinner with his wife. The machine that was supposed to measure contractions was not working. Doc said he would be back after dinner, when I mentioned to the nurse (Thank God for nurses) that I felt like a 20 pound bowling ball was coming out my backside.

The doc said that was impossible, that I wasn't having contractions, and the nurse said, let's head for the delivery room. Baby boy two was born in the hall on the way, a half hour after they induced labor. Doc was still in his suit, and hubby was still putting on scrubs for the event.

Anyway, with both of my sons, I stayed up all night just looking at them, feeling that I was the only woman on earth that had ever given birth, and just so grateful for these little miracles.

I'm so excited for Suzet.

Rebekah was like that. The doc was still scrubbing and donning the splatter suit and told the nurse I couldn't have possibly dialated that fast.

B pert near slid out by herself (I had the epi and didn't feel a thing - unlike my first and last).

Good golly she was perfect! Still is.

Perfectly rotten is still a degree of perfection, right?

And T&L!

My nurses have a very special and DRY spot in heaven.

I may have issues with a doc or two, but every single one of my nurses were the most wonderful and kind people I've ever met.

I think it's a pre-requisite for the job.

Dear friends, an update:

Last week we visited the GO for my 31 weeks scan and everything is still going well with the baby’s development. His weight was 1.74 kg (3.8 pounds) and the GO said especially the head development is very good. I’m trying to follow a healthy diet the best I can and I’m taking my pregnancy supplements and omega 3 & 6 oils every day, so I’m sure that’s helping!

I still experience problems with sleeplessness at night and as a result still feel extremely tired some days, but I’m only working half day at this stage and can use the afternoons off to rest at home or to take a nap. A while ago I’ve started to play some classical music for my baby and I find it very relaxing and effective before I go to sleep at night.

Three weeks ago my H and I started to prepare the nursing room with new curtains and a color with a “theme” (the color “sky blue” with “Winnie the Pooh and friends” as the theme!). We also started to buy all the “bigger”/more expensive stuff we are going to need for the baby and nursing room (compactum/chest of drawers; combo stroller and car seat etc.) We received the baby cot from my parents in law – it’s the same cot my H slept in when he was a baby and his parents kept it all these years! I also had my first baby shower last week. It was special and such a surprise – it does one’s heart good to know so many people care and are excited with us.

God Bless,
Suzet

--> Biggest Smile possible ! <---

Excellent news!

Be sure that the baby's bed is made so that s/he can not get its head stuck in the siderails. In the U.S., there are safety restrictions on how far apart the vertical members of those sides can be.

I was just wondering yesterday how things were going, and here is an update. Glad to hear you and baby are doing well. Unless you're tall, you'll probably blossom like a rose (sounds better than "blow up like a balloon! ) over the next couple of months. Goodness knows, I did. I was told by a friend that I looked like an egg on toothpicks, since my legs were very slender at that time...quite unlike the body they were hauling around!

tl

Hi thndrnltng, you made me smile with your remarks!

I’m of medium length (170 cm/5.5 feet) and during the past 7 months I have picked up approximately (11.5 kg/25 pounds). I had a Body Mass Index of only 21 before I became pregnant, so my legs and lower part of my body were very slender at the time but not anymore! My pregnant belly doesn’t look or feel too big at this stage, but we’ll see how things progress over the next 8 weeks that are left! As far as I understand, the baby’s weight at the end of 7 months will approximately double over the last 2 months of pregnancy. Is that correct? If that’s true, I think our baby will weight approximately 3.4 kg (7.5 pounds) at full term (which I think will be a very good and average weight).

Average weight gain for the actual baby during the last couple months of pregnancy is 1/2# per wk. That doesn't sound like much on a person, but on a baby even a few ounces can make a noticeable difference in the appearance, as can an extra 1/2 to 1" of length.

Have fun.

tl

Hi T & L, I’m back with some questions for you if you don’t mind!

I went for another sonar on Friday. At that point I was 32 weeks & 6 days pregnant and the baby’s weight was 2.05 kg/4.5 pounds. With the previous scan(exactly 2 weeks ago), the baby’s weight was 1.74 kg/3.8 pounds. That means the baby has only picked up 310g/0.7 pound during the past 2 weeks. Is that okay? The doctor was satisfied with the weight but I’ve read on the Internet that the weight gain from the 7th month should be approximately half pound a week (for the baby). I’ve also noticed that I haven’t picked up any weight or have grown bigger around my belly during the past 3 weeks. I do eat healthy and often though and take all my prenatal supplements…maybe this “weight still stand” is just a “phase” and will pick up again in the weeks to come?

Also, every time I go to the doctor he said the baby’s head growth is fast and he has a relatively big head. During Friday’s sonar, the baby’s head measured more than 34 weeks and the body only slightly above 31 weeks. That means the body growth is almost 2 weeks behind and the head growth more than 1 week ahead according to the amount of weeks I’m pregnant now. Can that be normal too and do you think I should be concerned about this? The doctor did not show any signs of concerns and just said he is satisfied with the baby’s growth.

Further, when the doctor did the heart scan, the baby’s heart beat was very low initially (only 109 beats per minute), but after the doctor could get the baby to move around a bit, the heart beat raised to normal (153 beats a minute). The doctor said it’s normal for the heart rate to fluctuate like this and the heart beat was probably low because I was lying on my back during the sonar. What do you think of this? Naturally I have a lower than normal heart beat (56 – 60 beats per minute) so I was wondering if that can also cause the baby’s heart beat to be lower than the average? My blood pressure also tends to be lower than normal, but not so low that it can be dangerous to me or the baby.

My doctor is going on vacation soon and my next appointment is only on 5 January 2009 (3 weeks).

Further everything is going well with me! My sleep has improved drastically during the past week and as a result I don’t feel tired or need “naps” during the day anymore. There is only a few weeks left now and my H and I are very busy to shop for the last few things we are going to need for the baby!

Suzette--I'll get back to you later today. I'm on my way out to hunt for an owl. Which is probably not an excuse you get too often. I hit one last night on the way home, but could tell by the blow that I'd more likely broken its wing rather than killed it. So I turned around and went back. When the headlights approached it hopped off the road into the brush, one wing dragging. Neaksis found it, but it hopped under a fence, and in the dark and the rain, it wasn't possible to catch it. If we can see it now that it's daylight, we can call the raptor rescue people in the county to come and retrieve it safely. I'm chicken about getting my fingers bitten off!

So I'll be back, but just reading your questions over, I don't see anything immediately alarming. The only thing that makes me wonder is the low heart rate, but babies' heart rates bounce all over the place and we don't even know it. Is it possible for you to get a non-stress test, where they put you on the monitor for awhile and watch the pattern? If the heart rate is dropping consistently it means more than a single, or rare drop--which could mean that the baby temporarily lay on, squeezed, or even sucked on, its cord. Count fetal movements per hour several times today, and we'll chat later.

tl

T&L, I’ve never heard about owl hunting before…sounds interesting. Hope you will have better luck next time!

I’ve received your reply yesterday when it was already late in the afternoon in my country, so that’s why I’m only get back to you now. You’ll see on the forum it will appear that I’m posting this post in the middle of the night, when it’s actually almost 8:30 in the morning in my country (I live in South Africa).

I’m sure that will be possible. I just have to find out at the hospital where I’m going to have my delivery. The doctor said if at any point I feel a drastic decrease of movements, as a safety procedure I must go to the hospital for a "fetal heart scan".

Yesterday morning until the early afternoon the baby was very quiet and I only felt light movements now and then (I could only feel a few light/slow movements within an hour) but yesterday after I had my lunch the baby was moving vigorously for about 15 minutes! In the late evening again (after I had dinner) the baby was moving vigorously again and I could definitely count 10 movements within 10 minutes. Later the evening when baby was quieter, it took about 35 minutes to count 10 movements. This morning after I’ve woke up, the baby had moved around a lot. At some stage this morning I could definitely feel 10 movements within approximately 10/15 minutes. In general, I would say there are at least 2 times a day where baby is moving around vigorously or moderately for about 10 – 30 minutes but the rest of the time baby is quiet and only make light/slow movements. Many times I only feel a very few movements within an hour. Sometimes I’m not aware of any movements for 1 – 3 hours, but usually those are the times when I’m busy and on my feet and probably I just can’t feel all the movements when I’m busy or walking around (and probably baby is also rocked to sleep during those times). I’ve also become aware of the baby hiccupping during the past few days (light rhythmic movements for a few minutes). This happen about 1 – 3 times a day.

I think it must've gotten eaten by a coyote, since nobody could find it this morning, and one of my sons (who is a university biology professor) gave me the predator-becomes-prey scenario when I called to ask about it. Thanks a lot. Like I didn't feel guilty enough for smacking it already! :MrEEk:

For fetal movements, you need to know what your baby's pattern is--the "norm". Otherwise you have no real way of telling deviations from it. Showing up at the hospital complaining of decreased fetal movement is an EXCELLENT way to get yourself a non-stress test. Diminished movement for part of a day, or no movement for an hour, is good enough for me. We HATE it when women come in complaining of no fetal movement "for the last 2 days." It's not fun to be the nurse who has to put the monitor on THAT one, and start hunting for a heartbeat. If you know what the baby ordinarily does, then you'll be able to tell when it changes. Pay attention to that.

As far as the growth measurements...3rd trimester ultrasounds are notoriously inaccurate, occasionally being close to reality, but sometimes being off by a couple of pounds. A measuring error of +/- 2wks. is considered to fall within an acceptable range of high-tech guesswork. So if your OB was satisfied with the measurements (and YOU are satisfied with the OB in general), I think I'd accept the measurements without worrying too much. Babies "breathe" amniotic fluid in utero, to develop the lungs, and a breath in or a breath out at the moment the picture is "frozen" to take the measurements can make a noticeable difference in the assumed dates. Same thing with abdominal movement--what baby was doing at the moment could have made a difference. Let the measurements slide, and keep track of fetal movements. Go to the hospital if you have a question. Here in the US, you can show up as many times as you choose to be checked out. Behind your back, the nurses might call you a "frequent flier" but if you feel like you need to be examined, who cares what they think?

Glad you're resting better and feeling better.

tl

T& L, thanks for your feedback! What you’ve said is reassuring - I did not know that 3rd trimester ultrasounds can be so inaccurate and that a measuring error of +/- 2wks. is considered to fall within an acceptable range…obviously that’s why my GO wasn’t concerned at all. I’m generally very satisfied with my GO. I just think as a first time mom and dad who waited for this baby se long, we are overly concerned about anything that might indicate a problem. I will continue to pay attention to the fetal movements.

Thanks again for your help and willingness to answer my questions – I appreciate it!

Hi T&L, after my conversation with you, I went to the hospital on Wednesday where I’m going to have my delivery and found out that I can indeed be checked out at any time, so while I was there, I asked them to do a non-stress test. The baby’s heart rate was monitored for 25 minutes and according to the nurse who did the test, everything seems in order and healthy. The baby’s heart rate was very low some of the times (as low as 102 at one point), but it never stayed there for more than a few seconds before it would raise again and stayed within the “normal range” of between 120 – 160 for most of the time.

That is good to hear. My youngest was induced because of a slow heart rate, but turned out fine. He is 23 and still has a slower heart rate.

Glad you are feeling better. And don't feel bad about being a concerned mom.

Some babies have naturally-low heart rates. As Believer knows, it gives the medical people nervous twitches and fits, but doesn't mean that anything is necessarily wrong. Next time you're monitored. Watch for the baseline--that's what is normally between 120-160. The baseline is where the heart rate usually is. It will speed up above the baseline temporarily (acceleration) or drop below the baseline temporarily (deceleration), and then return to its normal rate. The baseline is fairly straight, but not smooth. It will have a jagged appearance to it; this is variability and variability is good. Drops in the heart rate of less than 10 seconds duration aren't much considered to have significance. There are different kinds of accels and decels (which is what you'll hear the nurse and doctor talk about). Some are good, some are bad, some are neutral. But if your baseline is in the normal range, and the strip shows frequent accels going up at least 15 beats above the baseline and lasting at least l5 seconds, they'll give you a pass on the non-stress test (NST).

I'm very glad we didn't have monitoring when I was pregnant with any of my 4 kids. I would've been a nervous wreck. You have my sincere sympathy.

tl

Update:

I visited my GO for a 38 weeks scan/check-up on Monday. He compared the size of my pelvis with the size of the baby and advised me to have a C-section (my pelvis appears to be too small in comparison with the baby’s head). It was a disappointment but I realize to have our baby safely delivered and have all risk factors removed is the most important. The C-section will be done on 39 weeks and is therefore scheduled for next week Monday, 26 January at 7 a.m. I will receive a spinal and will be awake during the whole process and see the birth of our baby. My husband will be present too. We are very excited and can’t wait to finally “meet” our baby (!) , but at the same time I’m nervous and a bit scared of the operation and the recovery afterwards... I wonder if I will be able to properly care for our baby after something that is still classified as "major abdominal surgery", but I guess these feelings & concerns are normal. Luckily I’m with good GO/specialist who has much experience in all types of deliveries (normal and C- sections). I have also only heard good comments/feedback about him from previous patients (also patients who had their C-sections done by him), so I know everything will go well. My H has also arranged for a period off work for 2,5 weeks and that will be of great help! I will be in hospital for approximately 4 days but as soon as I’m out of the hospital and settled at home, I will send an update again.

Blessing to all,
Suzet

You'll do fine!

What a great day to be born! And garnet will be the baby's birthstone...garnets are beautiful!