# For those who've had pregnancies



## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 28, 2009)

braxton hicks contractions.... I have tried searching all over for an answer, i have read so many articles, and they all say pretty much the same thing "stomach tightens briefly" to sum it up. my question is does the whole belly that tightens up and feels really hard? or could just the lower abdominal have cramp like cramps?(lol if that makes any sense) this is my second pregnancy, but i never had to deal with braxton hicks contractions or the first labor pains or water breaking etc.. due to complications, So this is still all new to me. *Advice would greatly be appreciated*!!!!


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## TexasMari (Apr 28, 2009)

Are they constant? Have you timed them? How far along are you?


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 28, 2009)

im sure i am not in labor, im 34 weeks and last two days i just been having some cramps in the lower abdominal region and was just wondering if that would be considered braxton hicks?


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 29, 2009)

I had back labor so my lower back and hip area is where I had actual pain and labor but during braxton hicks - I had tummy tightening - usually it starts from the sides inward. It can be lower, it can be upper and it can be more of an all over thing.

However, it sounds like maybe the baby is laying down there and running its feet across the tummy..... such a_ lovely_ feeling LOL!


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## AngelnSnuffy (Apr 29, 2009)

I had those! Do they last like 5-10 seconds? If they do, that sounds like them. They aren't that bad, just a slight tighening and releasing, similar to real contractions, but way less, if that makes sense. I think I had them a couple/few times a day? They're just annoying really. If I recall correctly, it was the whole stomach, not just lower.

I also had premature labor and had the real ones for 23 hours. So, I would maybe call your doc tomorrow, just see how tonight goes. 

Best of luck! Be tough, you can do it!:hug1

P.S. Oh dear, you haven't had real labor pains? Let me tell ya, they're way worse than the BH's, but the same. Just way more tighening is really all is was for me anyway. You'll be okay though!


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 29, 2009)

My niece had 36 hours of labor last week! :shock:and a big baby boy! 

Real labor is like having the worst cramps you've ever had times about 100 at first then times about 10,000 at the end. 

All said and done..... you forget the bad stuff and enjoy the baby!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Apr 29, 2009)

NetherlandDwarf how are you today?


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 29, 2009)

So odd that I was going to post a similar question..lol! I'm 37 weeks today and also have a cold... my BH feel like my menstrual cramps- but then again those can double me over in the middle of walking or whatever so maybe I'm just strange. Yesterday I started having contractions about every 30 minutes for almost 6 hours, they then went down to 15-20 minutes- I managed to go to bed (up every hour as usual) and this morning nothing to speak of as of yet...

Ready for this to be over with...


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 29, 2009)

yeah so far its just the lower area, not horrible but uncomfortable... and they dont last for long, i dont think they effect the whole belly. i seem to notice them more in the evening. now when they say the whole belly hardens does it really harden? lol my belly already feels so hard! and when i get cramps or whatever honestly im afraid to touch the belly! lol im kind of freaked out about it, i know that sounds odd too lol 


Dyemondrabbitry, it must be aweful having a cold when you are this far along. have you check with your doctor about your cramps? Do you know what your having and any names picked out?

I hope i dont have a big baby, the pain! :cry2


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 29, 2009)

Yeah, the cold is getting better though- still the rest of this week and next before I'm off work so we're just toughing it out right now.

My husband has chosen the name "Jason William" (everybody gets William- lol). Do you know what you're having yet? 

Hubby was pretty sure that the LO was gonna come last night- I'm betting he holds off until the 9th (my luck- it's a fullmoon and the 10th is mother's day). Guess I better get to packing that hospital bag! I got a duffle out last night then just threw it on the floor and laid back down..hah!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Apr 29, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> yeah so far its just the lower area, not horrible but uncomfortable... and they dont last for long, i dont think they effect the whole belly. i seem to notice them more in the evening. now when they say the whole belly hardens does it really harden? lol my belly already feels so hard! and when i get cramps or whatever honestly im afraid to touch the belly! lol im kind of freaked out about it, i know that sounds odd too lol


I have had contractions, or uterine irratability where it felt menstraul crampy, or just one part hardened up. You can touch your belly when you are having a contraction, nothing is going to happen,lol. I was able to notice the hardening more when i stood up, but of course contractions, braxton or not, hurt me more when i was standing. 

Towards the end with Brayden i would get a contraction and i would know because i would all of a sudden feel the need to pee, like someone was squeezing my bladder, and then over the next few seconds i could poke at my belly and i would notice it getting harder and harder. Sometimes i would have mild ones where i couldnt really tell except for the bladder squeezing thing,lol


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 29, 2009)

yes its like menstrual cramping that i have been getting here and there, but i swear i always have the urge to pee, there's times where i really get that sudden urge to pee and grab my lower abdominal area & run to the bathroom,and i have to go try and of course not much comes out, i dont like that feeling, so that would be a type of contraction too?

I am having a girl, well they are not fully sure. she wouldnt stay still long enough for them to be fully sure. i have never had such an active baby like this! every time i go in for a check up and when the docs touches the belly or even just puts the monitor to hear the heart beat on the belly, she doesn't stay still and starts throwing punches and kicks and goes from one side to the other. the docs always say 'wow you have such anpain in the buttbaby" i swear my belly gets bruised at times.

as for a name... well we pick one for a couple of months and then change it. we chose one, but recently im starting to rethink so we are still in the process of choosing a name lol another name... lol


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Apr 29, 2009)

I think menstrual cramping can be normal, i know i had it off and on, and alot more often at the end. The urge to pee could be a contraction but be careful it is not a UTI, are you having any other problems peeing? 

If you think it could be contractions, if you are timing them and they are regular at all, try drinking some water and sitting or laying down for an hour and see if they stop, and of course any questions about it call your doc, that is why they get paid the big bucks. You need to send the baby to my house i need a little girl here, there is too many boys here for me,lol


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 29, 2009)

ahh im 35 weeks today.. i dont know what i would do without those weekly pregnancy emails! I had my first daughter at 35 weeks, that was the longest i could hold her in and she was a little over 4 pounds. And im trying to keep this one in too! at least until may, i've always wanted a May baby :biggrin2:

no other troubles peeing and it's not regular contractions. I have read just the slightest dehydration can cause contractions... it seems like my drinking in never ending! 

my next doc appt is the 5 of may and i hope it goes well and everything else is well. my last appt my blood pressure was really up & if its up any more i may be induced :cry2


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 29, 2009)

Yup- Dehydration= contractions. Believe me, after the show in March I had a vomitting/nasties spell that dehydrated me and put me in the hospital overnight with fluids and all that good stuff. 

I drink a couple liters of water a day here at work- don't really track it at night. More contractions today- damned back pain is literally a pain in the a**. 

Luckily, I haven't had any blood pressure problems- I really hope that yours goes down!


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## kirst3buns (Apr 29, 2009)

I had those and they usually came when I wasn't drinking enough or had been doing too much. I had high blood pressure too but never bad enough for them to talk about inducing. I just tried to really take it easy more, drink more, etc. Fortunately, I work in a hospital so my doctor said to go ahead and keep working but to have my blood pressure checked twice a day and if it was high to come in to the office. I managed to make it till the end though. Good luck.


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## Sabine (Apr 29, 2009)

I had on and off contractions for the last five weeks of my pregnancy when i had my first girl. With my three boys before labour just started with not much warning and that was that. My last baby (also a girl) was similar but not as extreme.
Hope everything goes well with the birth.


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## SweetSassy (Apr 29, 2009)

I've had 4 babies. The last 2 babies, from about5 months on (in both pregnancies) I had braxton hicks. Very painful. Then on top of that, it felt like the baby was gonna fall out anytime. It felt like pressure in my bottom constantly. The doctor would check me and say everything is fine, but I was surprised I carried both babies full term. With the constant pressure in my bottom and the braxton hicks, It was hard to tell when I was in true labor cause I was always in pain. I felt like I was in labor for months. It wasn't fun. :cry2

But in the end, it was worth it


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 29, 2009)

its amazing how pregnancies can differ so much from one another....


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 29, 2009)

You can also have mild contractions in early labor/beginning of birth process...... like you might be dialating a bit and maybe beginning to efface.


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 30, 2009)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> You can also have mild contractions in early labor/beginning of birth process...... like you might be dialating a bit and maybe beginning to efface.



scary... :nerves1but i guess its all part of the process... i envy those who are able to deal with this and go through all this! and my husband thinks im brave... lol i can barely take it lol 

*Heart burn... *has anyone have to deal with awful heart burn? omg.. i have it soo bad its unreal. my first pregnancy i had none, i never have it either.. but now or these last couple of months it unbearable! i started out with the tums and then that didn't last long so i did mylanta at night and tums during the day... i was being careful with what i ate but then it got to the point it didn't matter what i ate or drank it was still an issue. i saw my doc about it, but he didnt want to give me anything that gets rid of the acid because the acid in the tummy helps dissolve the vitamins and then extra iron that i have to take and right now as the doc said i need that acid because im not getting enough iron etc.. so i take zantac time to time and upped my milk drinking soo much im going through gallons of it! is there anything else i can do? im still having issues with it and ill wake up throughout my sleep to grab the mylanta that pretty much sleeps next to me to take a drink of it, because the heart burn wakes me up too along with going to bathroom constantly.. lol


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## SnowyShiloh (Apr 30, 2009)

Netherland Dwarf, maybe you should go see your doctor? If you gave birth to your first baby at 35 weeks and are having some contractions now, it would probably help you relax if you know you aren't actually dilating or anything. I'm sure the baby would be fine if he/she were born now, but still I'd imagine it's nice to know what's up. Good luck!


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 30, 2009)

*You've had one baby already? *

*Heartburn - Eat Tums. It's safe and it will help. I had it so bad with both of my kids it was really miserable. I threw up for 7 of the 9 mos with my first - they gave me medicine for the second cause I was losing so much weight. *

*Old Wives Tale - Heartburn means the baby has a ton of hair.*

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> *Bo B Bunny wrote: *
> 
> 
> > You can also have mild contractions in early labor/beginning of birth process...... like you might be dialating a bit and maybe beginning to efface.
> ...


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## hartleybun (Apr 30, 2009)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> *Old Wives Tale - Heartburn means the baby has a ton of hair.*



terrible heartburn with son - bald as a coot when he came out:rollseyes

not a twinge with daughter - lovely head of hair:biggrin2:

braxton-hicks with both

re: heartburn - gaviscon worked for me as did raising the head of my bed slightly.

good luck!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Apr 30, 2009)

Ha i was thinking about the hair thing too,lol. I had heart burn with the kids with hair and not so bad heart burn with my baldies,lol.

Heart burn ugh i feel for you, i use to get an acid reflux of sorts where i would throw up acidy stuff sometimes at night, so what i did was stop eating by 7 pm if i was going to bed at 9 and try to lay proped up a little bit to help that. I ate tums with two of my pregnancies like they were going out of style, i was at the point that i actually craved them at night,lo


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 30, 2009)

uhhhh... all this talk of tums is making me ill. Oh, by the way- did you know they make cocoa flavored tums? Those are the only kind that don't leave a nasty taste in your mouth (imo). 

Hopefully your heartburn will be like mine and ease up by week 36. The baby has already dropped here and let me tell you- it's so much easier to breath and EAT! (just not walk- I feel like a duck).


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 30, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> Ha i was thinking about the hair thing too,lol. I had heart burn with the kids with hair and not so bad heart burn with my baldies,lol.
> 
> Heart burn ugh i feel for you, i use to get an acid reflux of sorts where i would throw up acidy stuff sometimes at night, so what i did was stop eating by 7 pm if i was going to bed at 9 and try to lay proped up a little bit to help that. I ate tums with two of my pregnancies like they were going out of style, i was at the point that i actually craved them at night,lo



oh im having that problem too, nights are pretty bad. i try not to eat before bed, but i need to or ill wake up early morning hours hungery and then go back to bed lol im having every kind of acid issue & indigestion... sigh... the doc say having such a big mass in the belly is just pushing everything up, besides tablets by day (tums) and liquids by night (mylanta) to avoid bending, running/jogging, etc.. 

maybe i should switch flavors of tums.. and i did not know they made a cocoa flavored tums! im always in the antacid section too.. i'll have to take another look. im excited about this! lol


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 30, 2009)

Oh yeah- They're the tums "smoothies" in cocoa and cream... the best!


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 30, 2009)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> *You've had one baby already? *
> 
> *Heartburn - Eat Tums. It's safe and it will help. I had it so bad with both of my kids it was really miserable. I threw up for 7 of the 9 mos with my first - they gave me medicine for the second cause I was losing so much weight. *
> 
> *Old Wives Tale - Heartburn means the baby has a ton of hair.*


yes i have an 8 and a half year old daughter. i was sick too for most of my first pregnany.. it was awful having morning sickness forever! then i think i had about a month of being normal until other issues had set in. i waited a really long time for getting pregnant again lol


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 30, 2009)

Ok- sorry for the hi-jack in advance but since we're already here...

My "cold" has a really bad cough- I mean, hacking up chunks of gross yellow mucus and now blood... It seems like everything is down in my chest. But, being pregnant, the family doctor doesn't ever want to do anything. My question is 1) what could it be and 2) I have an appointment (weekly) tomorrow- would they do anything for me there or make me go to yet another doctor... I can't afford taking MORE time off of work...

Thanks guys... and, again, sorry for the hi-jack.


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 30, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> Ok- sorry for the hi-jack in advance but since we're already here...
> 
> My "cold" has a really bad cough- I mean, hacking up chunks of gross yellow mucus and now blood... It seems like everything is down in my chest. But, being pregnant, the family doctor doesn't ever want to do anything. My question is 1) what could it be and 2) I have an appointment (weekly) tomorrow- would they do anything for me there or make me go to yet another doctor... I can't afford taking MORE time off of work...
> 
> Thanks guys... and, again, sorry for the hi-jack.


sounds like what my daughter had, allergy issues/post nasal drip. benegryl should be safe to take while pregnantto help dry it out a little bit and get some sleep at night since it will make you drowsy. i would recommend a humidifier too. i hope you are not getting a respiratory infection, sorry not trying to scare you. just keep blowing your nose and anything you cough up make sure you spit it out, i know it sounds gross but all that gunk is bacteria that your body is trying to get out. i hope this helps!


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 30, 2009)

Ugh, it's just miserable. I've been trying to spit everything out...usually end up gagging myself and vomitting- seems to be the story with this entire pregnancy..lots of vomit. I'm hoping that's all it is. Really, I don't feel to bad off I just keep coughing up all of this nasty and can hardly talk.


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 30, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> Ugh, it's just miserable. I've been trying to spit everything out...usually end up gagging myself and vomitting- seems to be the story with this entire pregnancy..lots of vomit. I'm hoping that's all it is. Really, I don't feel to bad off I just keep coughing up all of this nasty and can hardly talk.



OH i just remembered saline nose spray is supposed to help a lot! and its natural! 

are you having a fever with it?


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Apr 30, 2009)

Once you get to a certain point in your pregnancy you can take antibiotics, in case it was something requiring medication like that. You don't want or need it to turn into Bronchitis or Phenomena , if it isn't already one of them. Ask your OB about what over the counter ,medication you can take if any. 

Sometimes when i get chest congestion like that i take a decongestant because during the day i make it a point to blow my nose a trillion times so the only way that stuff is getting into my chest is because of post nasal drip so i take something usually at bedtime. I know there is stuff, claratin and Zyrtec if i am not mistaken that you can take during pregnancy but of course ask the doc before


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## DyemondRabbitry (Apr 30, 2009)

There was a low grade fever with it yesterday but I haven't noted any today. I actually found something called "Sinex" they said I could take once every 12 hours (it's a spray too) and it seems to work really well for the congestion. I tried a Zyrtec yesterday but I really just hate taking medicine. Hot rasberry tea had been working but then I read that it might induce labor? That could be false.. don't think it'd be a good thing to do right now though... so maybe I'll try hot chocolate instead? Has anybody read anything about the rasberry tea?? (lol- it tastes so good I'd hate to stop drinking it!) 

Anyhow, I'm just hoping it's not something serious.. though if it were I should have a fever, right?! That's my saving grace right now... no fever.


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 30, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> There was a low grade fever with it yesterday but I haven't noted any today. I actually found something called "Sinex" they said I could take once every 12 hours (it's a spray too) and it seems to work really well for the congestion. I tried a Zyrtec yesterday but I really just hate taking medicine. Hot rasberry tea had been working but then I read that it might induce labor? That could be false.. don't think it'd be a good thing to do right now though... so maybe I'll try hot chocolate instead? Has anybody read anything about the rasberry tea?? (lol- it tastes so good I'd hate to stop drinking it!)
> 
> Anyhow, I'm just hoping it's not something serious.. though if it were I should have a fever, right?! That's my saving grace right now... no fever.



here's a link i found that i hope will help

http://www.babycenter.com/0_if-you-get-sick-during-pregnancy_3637040.bc

i think it was mint tea that could bring on contraction.. im not sure i know i got a paper from the doc about mint.. ill have to look for it and make sure myself, i love mint teas

is this your first pregnancy?


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## NetherlandDwarf (Apr 30, 2009)

well i couldnt find that paper about mint, i know it said something about limiting it a lot towards the end of pregnancy. but i have read nothing but good things about raspberry tea! helps aid in delivery among other things.. im going to go get some! i did find it you running a temp of 100.5 or more you should see your doctor right away.


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## Bo B Bunny (May 1, 2009)

Something else I found was that anything sweet gave me heartburn as if it were spicey. Water was also helpful. I love to put a bottle of Dasani water in the freezer for about an hour - let it get icey but not frozen..... AHhhhh.....


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 1, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> i have read nothing but good things about raspberry tea! helps aid in delivery among other things.. im going to go get some!




Yay for rasberry tea! Lol- you just made my day!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 1, 2009)

well maybe we should change the name to this thread lol i have so many questions.. lol when the baby moves down lower to the pelvic region, the baby is still very much active and kicking and punching right? i dont know if that has happened to me yet? i know it says if you feel more pressure in the lower region, but i always feel pressure lol at the same time i also read this may not happen until labor.


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 1, 2009)

I've been wondering the same... Mine hasn't been trying to kill me like before.. just the stretching and sometimes getting angry at Daddy for laying his head on my belly..lol


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## SweetSassy (May 1, 2009)

The baby can be down there andyou not be dialated yet. you can feel thier head, if you push on the outside where your hair line is.(down there, Sorry)


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 1, 2009)

maybe when the hubby gets home tomorrow ill have him push in that area lol shes not in my rib cage like she use to be (thank goodness) i notice most of her wiggles are really down low and if she head down already her feet are kicking in my belly. 

i went to the store this morning and got some raspberry tea to try, well to start drink a lot of lol and i looked for the cocoa smoothies tums... i didnt see it again because they were sold out! i asked a lady working at the store and she said they sell out of that flavor very often. so i ended up buying a different smoothie flavor.. but i noticed rolaids makes soft chews and i wished tums would make some of those.


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 1, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> well maybe we should change the name to this thread lol i have so many questions.. lol when the baby moves down lower to the pelvic region, the baby is still very much active and kicking and punching right? i dont know if that has happened to me yet? i know it says if you feel more pressure in the lower region, but i always feel pressure lol at the same time i also read this may not happen until labor.


I think at 34 weeks you should be feeling the kicking mostly up top, cause the baby should be head down at this point.

UGH!!!! I remeber the pressure, holy smokes that was so bad, with my second son i could sometimes feel him turning his head once he got in the head down position, it was the wierdest thing. I use to get shooting pains down my cervix, they were no fun.


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 1, 2009)

Just back from the doctor- baby is definately dropped. I know what you mean about the head turning thing.. it's so odd! Other than that, it's hard to sit down on a chair. No cocoa smoothies? Geez... I thought about the soft chews too but I'm just such a pansy when it comes to medicine.. anything liquid makes me vomit but chocolate hardly ever goes bad!!!!

I've started drinking about 3 cups of the tea every day for about 3 days now... we'll see how this goes... I think this thread is going to grow VERY large..haha..


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 1, 2009)

how can the doc tell if the baby has dropped? do they just push on the tummy?


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## SweetSassy (May 1, 2009)

the baby will be in the pelvic area. the area above the hairline.you can feel the babies head down there.usually theres a bump there, you can feel from the outside.Ask your doc to show you. it's neat to know your babies head is right there. I've had 4 babies and the last 2 babies I had lots of problems so I learned alot.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 1, 2009)

*SweetSassy wrote: *


> the baby will be in the pelvic area. the area above the hairline.you can feel the babies head down there.usually theres a bump there, you can feel from the outside.Ask your doc to show you. it's neat to know your babies head is right there. I've had 4 babies and the last 2 babies I had lots of problems so I learned alot.



wow i am going to ask my doc when i see them next week, im sure they will be feeling and explaining it to me anyways... i am also getting my blood pressure checked this weekend to be on the safe side. 

i was reading about the last couple weeks of being pregnant, and there was a thing about membranes i think it was scrapping the membranes that is done through an exam.. omg what is that? is that painful? i think i almost fainted when i read that. i really dont like being poked and stuff down there by doctors just makes me feel really uncomfortable
(i hope that was the right term, my book is in the car, but it was something membranes)


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## SweetSassy (May 1, 2009)

I never heard of that. Cause they do all the testing for stuff at the beginning of pregnancy. And they check you little as possible down there cause of bacteria. So I don't know. Never heard that. You'll have to ask your doc. I miss being pregnant, talking about it. I had my tubes tied and my man cut. Lol.My oldest is 18 so after college maybe grandbabies will be on the way. My youngest is 2.


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## Sabine (May 1, 2009)

I think somtimes the midwife may swipe the membrane to induce labour if you're long overdue. That's all i can think of:?


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 1, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> i was reading about the last couple weeks of being pregnant, and there was a thing about membranes i think it was scrapping the membranes that is done through an exam.. omg what is that? is that painful? i think i almost fainted when i read that. i really dont like being poked and stuff down there by doctors just makes me feel really uncomfortable
> (i hope that was the right term, my book is in the car, but it was something membranes)


I have heard it called stretching membranes, stripping, and swiping, it can only be done if you are dialated, and i am pretty sure should only be done if you are at your due date or past. As far as it hurting i have heard everything from people not even f eeling it and people wanting to die when having it done,lol. My ob did it without telling me, and i nearly flew through the wall, it hurt so bad, i just thought it was the exam so the next appointment i went in and asked why the heck it hurt so bad and she said she was stretching my membranes :shock:. I didnt want it done so i would of appreciated her telling me before hand.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 1, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> *NetherlandDwarf wrote: *
> 
> 
> > i was reading about the last couple weeks of being pregnant, and there was a thing about membranes i think it was scrapping the membranes that is done through an exam.. omg what is that? is that painful? i think i almost fainted when i read that. i really dont like being poked and stuff down there by doctors just makes me feel really uncomfortable
> ...


thats what it was stripping... omg i do not want that done. in the little book that the hospital gave me made it sound it was a normal thing that is done to everyone, but it didnt go into much detail about it...


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## hartleybun (May 1, 2009)

no stripping here - was 2 weeks overdue with son - now 16 - was given a pessary of prostglandin - probably spelt that wrong. can remember the sudden cold shock to this day:shock::nerves1

honestly the things we women go thru...........


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 1, 2009)

Ugh.. these stories... really make labor sound so "wonderful" lol! 

Just hope this little onecomes soon... tired of being huge... 

I guess all in their own time, right??


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## Sabine (May 1, 2009)

I am so glad i had home births with my last three babies. I found that my midwife was completely tuned into my pregnancy and birth and didn't just rely on routine procedures


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## SweetSassy (May 1, 2009)

If I could do some of my births over, I would do water births. I did all my natural. But I would have loved to do the water thing. Doing it at home scares me but if I could have done it less hospital and in water. That sounds better. To late now, butMaybe I can talk my daughters into it. Lol. ( when they decide to have kids) If their comfortable with it.


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## Sabine (May 1, 2009)

I only had a water birth with my last girl. Yhe pool is still in the attic. It was absolutely fabulous. Karla was so calm just after being born. Simply floating in the water...


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 1, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> Ugh.. these stories... really make labor sound so "wonderful" lol!
> 
> Just hope this little onecomes soon... tired of being huge...
> 
> I guess all in their own time, right??


Well i sit here with four kids and would have more if i had the room and money so it couldnt be that bad,lol!!!!!!!!!!!!

If i could do any of them different i would have went without any medication with my third one, it was a real easy labor,lol. With my fourth son i left the hospital after one night, i would have left that day if i could have,lol.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 1, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> *DyemondRabbitry wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Ugh.. these stories... really make labor sound so "wonderful" lol!
> ...


see thats why i envy women like you, maybe this time around will be different and i'll have more of a positive experience. my first one left me traumatized, i think thats why im so freaked out about this & being pregnant etc.. positive thoughts :biggrin2:


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## Sabine (May 1, 2009)

Well, labour is sort of wonderful... in retrospect I was going to watch Karla's birth video on her first birthday yesterday but conveniently forgot. maybe try and keep the rose-tinted memories


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 1, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> See thats why i envy women like you, maybe this time around will be different and i'll have more of a positive experience. my first one left me traumatized, i think thats why im so freaked out about this & being pregnant etc.. positive thoughts :biggrin2:


I swore up and down that i was having no more after my second son because the labor was horrible, but i unexpectedly got pregnant with my third which went great and then came number four :shock:, which was planned, but i thought i had my mind made up after the second and here i sit with four


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## Sabine (May 1, 2009)

Join the club, Fran, I never thought i'd have any and I have five now and menopause is still ages away


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 4, 2009)

Ok- So I'm obviously new at this...

I'm 38 weeks right now. Well, you see, the doctors have given me "due dates" anywhere from the 10th to the 20th of this month but we're still operating like it was the 20th (not that big of a difference). Anyhow, I started having some stronger BH about 2 weeks ago and the baby dropped about the same time so I've been waddling like an injured duck since then. 

Anyhow, yesterday I started with the looseness when goin to be bathroom and, again, annoyingly stronger BH that have no consistency. Now today I am absolutely exhausted and feel JUST as if it were the day before my regular cycle would start (crampy, backaches, tired, pale...) while yesterday I was FULL of energy and organized my entire house!! Agh... 

I guess I'm just hoping the end is nearer than 2 weeks? I haven't slept a full night in over a month and I dread having to get up from bed as I am so stiff and usually can't even feel my legs at first. Then when I do get up my stomach, hips and back hurt so bad I wanna cry on my way to the bathroom.

Anybody thinkit could be soon???

Oh yeah, I'm thinking of calling the doctor because...well... usually the baby is VERY active and today it just seems like he'd rather sleep with only very small movements or strong ones that are much less often...


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## bat42072 (May 4, 2009)

i wuld definately call your doctor and see if maybe he could check you out... It sounds like what i did when I was in labor with my second child... i ended up waiting to long and had to go to the hospital by ambulance(not fun since i knew the paramedics if you know what i mean) and got to the hospital 20 minutes before my daughter was born...



finger crossed you will have the baby really soon...


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 4, 2009)

At this point you are ok to go so realisticly it could be any day now, while reading your post about the pain it was like yesterday to me, i feel so bad for you,lol. As far as loose stool i have heard that right before labor you can get soft stool ,kind of like your bodies way of cleaning you out before the event. 

I would defintely call the doc about the movement and maybe they can give you a non stress test for the baby to make sure all is well. At this point the baby does move less as there is not a whole heck of alot of room to move but better to be safe then sorry and call them

I want to put a request in for belly pics i love to see what you all look like, i posted mine when i was and now i want to see!!!!!!!


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 4, 2009)

Lol... I'm thinkin the only "belly" pictures are also bunny pictures!!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 4, 2009)

belly pics with buns r fine too,lol


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## SweetSassy (May 4, 2009)

I agree......I would definately call the doc if the baby is less active. U may need stress test. The baby may be stressed.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 4, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> At this point you are ok to go so realisticly it could be any day now, while reading your post about the pain it was like yesterday to me, i feel so bad for you,lol. As far as loose stool i have heard that right before labor you can get soft stool ,kind of like your bodies way of cleaning you out before the event.



i have been having this problem too! i have gotten so worried i have been buying everything with electrolytes in them and just downing it, i was worried i might be catching something. 

i am feeling everything you are DyemondRabbitry... My doc appt is tomorrow first thing in the morning. i went grocery shopping this morning and realized i can no longer do this. i about died. i was exhausted hot and sweaty!

I have been guilty of putting things off, i didnt want to have this baby while hubby was away but he's back now thank goodness! I know im close and i just have that feeling the doc is going to keep me tomorrow and admit me.. sigh.. 

question; when i did my glucose test my results werea bit high i was at 135 and the cut off line is at 140. i have no history in my family dealing with high glucose/diabetes so the doc said well we wont worry about it too much, now i dont understand what excatly causes it to be high. i didnt have this problem with my first pregnancy. recently i have notice eating chocolate/candy is making not feel too well. would that be connected to the whole glucose thing? i admit i have bit of a sweet tooth, but i have not gone over board with (maybe on valentines day) chocolate.i am going to bring it up with doc tomorrow just to talk it over. the other question is my swelling. i know its normal to a degree but pitting, when do i have to be concerned with that? 

belly pics.. hummm not sure about that.. lol i have gained over 50 pounds. i guess i tend to gain a lot of weight during pregnancy...


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 4, 2009)

I was woried about the glucose for a while also- my mom and aunt both had gestational diabetes and diabetes in general runs on that side of the family. To tell the truth, I don't know much about it other than you really have to be careful eating too many of the sweets.

As far as swelling, I can no longer wear my wedding bands- and I get horrible looks from the old biddies at the stores.. it's so frustrating.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 4, 2009)

yeah i can no longer wear mine either... sometimes i get looks too of disaproval.. lol at one point early oni though about buying like costume jewelry to be my temp wedding ring.. but i was like ehh i dont care anymore, im pregnant, im miserable,


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 4, 2009)

Hahah.. this is so true! I just try and ignore them- let them think what they want.


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## bat42072 (May 4, 2009)

i was 19 and married when i had my first baby and i look way younger than my age anyway... there was 2 older ladies talking and looked directly at me and said" babies having babies" and i said people should ming their own business because i am older than i look


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 4, 2009)

I was married last year (19)- and yeah, people seem to think I don't look my age. Well, my husband is 5 years older but looks older than that when he has his beard. Lately, he's been keeping his facial hair to "fit in" with the old men at the NZ tables... LOL! What an excuse!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 4, 2009)

hey have you all lost your ankles,lol, i had bad swelling this time and my ankles dissappeared and i had CANKLES lol. My mom thought it was funny i thought it was uncomfortable,lol.

As far as the gluclose i dont know much about it i know that someone who has no history of diabetes them selves or in the family can have it while pregnant. I am suprised that they didnt have you repeat the test or just put you on the special diet just to be on the safe side


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 4, 2009)

AAHHH!! Cankles with MY feet?! Really, you must understand... my husband calls me "Ski foot"- size 12 shoes that are literally so narrow I look like I'm strangling my feet when I tie my shoes! If I had Cankles that would be absolutely hilarious! Nope, thank goodness they just look fatter than normal to me, more like normal to everybody else.. haha!

Ugh, it's time for a nap!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 4, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> hey have you all lost your ankles,lol, i had bad swelling this time and my ankles dissappeared and i had CANKLES lol. My mom thought it was funny i thought it was uncomfortable,lol.
> 
> As far as the gluclose i dont know much about it i know that someone who has no history of diabetes them selves or in the family can have it while pregnant. I am suprised that they didnt have you repeat the test or just put you on the special diet just to be on the safe side



yes my ankles like to disappear... i even bought diabetic socks/circulatory socks. i love them and they slip off my feet all the time but they still leave rings around my feet as if they are cutting off the circulation even though they are not.. but they are so comfy but a bit on the expensive side...

since they was no history of it (gestational diabetes or reg diabetes) they weren't to worried about it. if it was at 140 or over then i would have to repeat it. other than that they havent said anything else about it. but with the whole chocolate thing i wasnt sure if it was in my head or not and it has been a little while since i had sweets, i bought some ding dongs :biggrin2:and ate them as soon as i got home.. after a little while didn't make me feel so great..so im guess it could because of the glucose thing? im not sure how it works. im sure they will check my urine to see if theres sugar spilling out and or more protein...


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 4, 2009)

I've had a couple people tell me that sweets just didn't agree with them later on even though they didn't have diabetes. Well, I guess it could be like me and Mt. Dew- if I drink too much of it, pregnant or not, it will give me a stomach ache and I can NEVER have it while in the car or I get really sick... it could just be that!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 4, 2009)

oh i hope so! hearing that makes me feel better


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## bat42072 (May 4, 2009)

I hated the stupid test for g. diabetis... I always had morning sickness the whole 9 months of each of my 3 pregnancies... the last one i had i threw up the orange drink and they made me come back the next day and redo the whole test...


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 4, 2009)

*bat42072 wrote: *


> I hated the stupid test for g. diabetis... I always had morning sickness the whole 9 months of each of my 3 pregnancies... the last one i had i threw up the orange drink and they made me come back the next day and redo the whole test...


omg that is horrible


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 5, 2009)

I'm struggling through this last week at work. Netherland, how long do you have b4 your little "break?"


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 5, 2009)

well nothing but good things from my doc appt. well at least this this time my blood pressure was really really good. i think it surprised everyone, everyone was expecting the worse including the doc. but from that they opted not to do any testing which i was kind of hoping for just to make sure everything is safe. when i brought up the glucose thing she really shrugged it off and told me if i wanted i can change my diet... i dont know if im overreacting i just want to play it safe, maybe the docs have a little more faith. ive already had a few ups and downs but i guess im on the up and up even though it doesnt feel like it! lol the pain... i need a motorized scooter . the doc thinks im very near though. i have my birth plan to fill out, so many options to choose from and its sort of frustrating because on some of the options that are listed im not even sure what i want to do or what would be best for me. i did my pre admissions to the hospital as well today. 

and ohhhh the weight gain... omg.. i had quite the jump.. its not over 50 pounds i have gained... its over 60 pounds now... no wonder i ache! and i have really little feet size 5/6 so you can imagine the swelling & aching & for me to carry this weight! i envy those who gain the text book 25 to 35 pounds... apparently my body likes to hold all the water it can ssd:but my hubby laughs and says well i dont know where its going but from the back he says it looks like im not pregnant.. i dont know if he's trying to be nice.. lol 

luckily i dont work, just lots of rest for me. it was a big decision to get pregnant again so we are taking all the percautions we can.


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 5, 2009)

ha ha with my last son i gained 17 pounds, but i also started ou ton the heavy side,lol.


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 5, 2009)

Don't feel bad... I've gained 44 so far!


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## bat42072 (May 5, 2009)

I was always lucky I never really gained weight when i was pregnant (I stayed sick and lost weight) but I always had good sized babies and I weighed less after I had my babies than before i got pregnant... doctors always expexted really tiny babies especially the first one I had galstones really babd ... doctor told my mom I would be lucky if my baby weighed five pounds ... she weighed 7 pounds and was 18 ans 3/4 inches long... second baby weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and last one weighed 6lbs 3 oz. and she was 6 weeks early(do to illness)... 

i never really looked pregnant with my last two... I was always jelous because my sister always looked cute when she was pregnant...and I wanted that.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 6, 2009)

*bat42072 wrote: *


> I was always lucky I never really gained weight when i was pregnant (I stayed sick and lost weight) but I always had good sized babies and I weighed less after I had my babies than before i got pregnant... doctors always expexted really tiny babies especially the first one I had galstones really babd ... doctor told my mom I would be lucky if my baby weighed five pounds ... she weighed 7 pounds and was 18 ans 3/4 inches long... second baby weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and last one weighed 6lbs 3 oz. and she was 6 weeks early(do to illness)...
> 
> i never really looked pregnant with my last two... I was always jelous because my sister always looked cute when she was pregnant...and I wanted that.



did they offer you medicine when you had your really bad morning sickness? first pregnancy i was pretty much sick almost the whole time, but for more than half of it i was really getting sick and no one offered anything or let me know anything was available. this pregnancy i was worried about being sick constantly again and when i did my intake at obgyn they let me know if i was have morning sickness lasting more than it should or if it was preventing me from keeping fluids down that was not normal and there are stuff that can help with that. for about 3 months i have it extremely bad again and it got to the point where i couldnt keep anything down & just thinking about it was making me sick. i ended up going to the er & spending my day there. they couldnt get an IV in me due to dehydration, so i ended up getting it my neck... & they had meds they helped soo much and they were really safe some of it was for chemo patients who get really bad nausea after their treatment so they need something very gentle on their system. i was happy they were able to do something for me. 

things change so much throughout the years. like for example during first pregnancy it was all about "you can not eat chocolate" and that went for anyone who was pregnant. i can't really remember why you couldnt eat it, i think there was something in there that was bad. i heard that from docs and from other pregnant people. this pregnancy i haven't heard anything about not eating chocolate lol. but its always been watch your sweets. but i guess chocolate is safe again lolbut mow its mint, something about being so far along you need to limit mint intake because it can cause contractions i believe... something ike that.. if its not one thing its another..

and gaining 17 pounds whether you started out on the heavy side or not... i'll take that any day!


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## bat42072 (May 6, 2009)

they gave me meds and I threw thm up too...fluids wasn't the problem it was always food and aparenetly i kept some down just not all off it... i have a week stomache still... I am a little sad because my baby turned 12 this past december ... one of my other daughters will be 16 may 22 and the other will be 18 on june the 4... 

I know you can't wait to have your baby.... there is nothing like having babies around....


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## Bo B Bunny (May 7, 2009)

Can't tell you're preggers from the back? Bet it's a boy! 

Can't wait to see all of the babies! My little great nephew is adorable....


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 7, 2009)

my swelling is getting so horrid by the day. my legs are even swelling and pitting... sigh... :tears2:

With everyones pregnancies how did you know it was time to go to the hospital? What signs/symptoms did you have?


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 7, 2009)

Oh, I hope the swelling goes down! Tomorrow is my last day of work... thank goodness.. I may still have to come in and help out though.. grr...


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 7, 2009)

well with three of my boys i was going in to be induced so i never had "the signs" but with my third one i had been in the hospital over night on new years eve, they thought he was going to be a new years baby, but i stopped contracting although my back was KILLING me , that is why i went into the hospital to begin with. So the doc told me if i had three good contractions in one hour to come in right away, so on the 12th i had three contractions that hurt but they werent bad, but i was so paranoid so we went in and they checked me and told me i was 5 cm and i was staying and having a baby that night,lol!!!!!! 

i know they should tell you when your contractions get to be 5 minutes apart and they hurt to come in, but at around 36 weeks they should start doing internals and checking you so you can get a somewhat idea as to what is going on down there, as far as thinning, dropping, and dialation


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 7, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> Oh, I hope the swelling goes down! Tomorrow is my last day of work... thank goodness.. I may still have to come in and help out though.. grr...


YaY! you can start relaxing more!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 7, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> well with three of my boys i was going in to be induced so i never had "the signs" but with my third one i had been in the hospital over night on new years eve, they thought he was going to be a new years baby, but i stopped contracting although my back was KILLING me , that is why i went into the hospital to begin with. So the doc told me if i had three good contractions in one hour to come in right away, so on the 12th i had three contractions that hurt but they werent bad, but i was so paranoid so we went in and they checked me and told me i was 5 cm and i was staying and having a baby that night,lol!!!!!!
> 
> i know they should tell you when your contractions get to be 5 minutes apart and they hurt to come in, but at around 36 weeks they should start doing internals and checking you so you can get a somewhat idea as to what is going on down there, as far as thinning, dropping, and dialation


if you dont mind me asking, did you have any problems with breastfeeding? for unknow reasons to me i was unable to breastfeed, i wasn't producing anything. this pregnacy im really hoping i'll be able too. about 2 weeks ago i was showing signs like it was going to happen, butit has since stopped. I just bought a breast feeding book it supposed to be really good and had the highest rating on amazon.com hopefully that will help me out. i dontknow if i should go out and buy nursing bras, pumps, etc.. i have been holding off on that.


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 7, 2009)

WIth breast feeding you have to make sure that you are drinking enough too i know that can cause you to have not enough milk. with my first one i didnt breast feed, with my second and third i tried but failed..... that was all me, with number four i was determined to do it so i read and did somethings to get ready. Here goes some TMI lol, i always had trouble with one breast while feeding so i found out that i had an inverted nipple, easily resolved with these shields that you can get and wear and then for the most part it will correct itself once you use them for a while and continue to breast feed, then i didnt have any formula in the house, this helped me stick to it because when i was feeding in the middle of the night and the baby was freaking out it is real easy to say to hell with this and give him a bottle, but you cant do it if you have no formula. I also nursed around the clock when he was first born, to advoid engorgement when my milk first came in, and it worked. I remember with the first three my m ilk coming in and i looked like Pamela Anderson gone wrong,lol, they hurt , they were huge, they hurt,lol, and i didnt want a baby or anyone touching them especially since you will be sore from delivery, it just made it harder. So when the baby is born nurse, nurse, nurse, and when he/she crys and you just fed him , nurse him/her again,lol (of course as long as you burped, and changed the baby, i dont suggest over nursing,lol) Breast milk is thin and they can digest it very fast so somet imes you feel like that is all you do,lol. At 6 weeks, and 3 months the baby will hit a growth spurt and you will notice that they baby seems to be nursing all the time and you will begin to think that maybe you arent making enough milk but it is probably a growth spurt so the baby will nurse alot to make your breast produce more and then you will notice that your breast get real full and then the baby will not feel like it is empting,lol, it all eventually evens out. Someone told me to get past it the first 4 weeks are very trying but if you can get past that you will be good to go. You will have nipple pain when the baby is first latching on when you are first starting to nurse but it does go away and stop hurting after a few weeks, so just breath throught the pain and it will go away !!!!!!!! The pain should only be about 20 seconds, that is ont thing that almost made me stop again but i kept remembering the moms on my mommy board telling me that they promised that it would stop after a few weeks, and it did, and i am so glad that persevered through it. It can sometimes still get overwhelming because it is all you, no one else can feed the baby for you so you can do something but it does get easier after a little time. Also if the baby is hysterical it can have a harder time latching on because they are so busy crying so it is be tter to nurse at the begining of signs that the baby wants to eat.

gosh any questions, even if they are personal or embarissing dont hesitate to ask me i have no shame and dont mind talking about anything.


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## Bo B Bunny (May 7, 2009)

My niece had trouble. Alex didn't want to nurse, he liked the bottle, she pumped and that worked a few days and she dried up.

I had back pain too..... but they finally induced me.


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 7, 2009)

This makes me hate my doctors more... they will NOT check for dialation until you are officially late- then, and only then, they will... frustrating me. Another appointment tomorrow.


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## Bo B Bunny (May 7, 2009)

That's how my niece's docs were! I hate that too


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 7, 2009)

i understand that they don't want to keep poking around down their ,lol, but it does help you know if any thing is going on, My doc checked me when i told her that i was having contractions that were hurting every like 10 minutes then they stopped, she originally wasn't going to check me but once i said that she told me to get undressed so she could check to see if something happened while i was contracting, and i was dilated just a lil


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 8, 2009)

Thank you so much for the breastfeeding tips, i really hope all works well this time around! oh one more question Luvmyzoocrew,did you use a pump as well? 



DyemondRabbitry, you'll have to let us know how your appointment went, i hope its all good things!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 8, 2009)

you can pump to help with engorgement, but pumping is not the same as actually breast feeding as you can sometimes have trouble with the let down of the milk if you pump. 

I would sometimes pump to help with engorement of when i was driving to VA for Charger i pumped the whole week before , along with feeding so that i would have a supply for my mom to feed him while i was gone, and when we were on the road i pumped,lol. When they are new born sometimes they will sleep l onger and sometimes they will nurse more often so if he started to hit spurts like during the nights i would sometimes have to get up and pump a little to help with the pressure,lol


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## okiron (May 9, 2009)

Lol I think I'm the only person in the world who wouldn't let their doctor check for dilation. It hurt more than the contractions did.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 9, 2009)

*okiron wrote: *


> Lol I think I'm the only person in the world who wouldn't let their doctor check for dilation. It hurt more than the contractions did.


im with you okiron, i dont like doctors poking around there either!


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 9, 2009)

ugh.. this baby is coming!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 9, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> ugh.. this baby is coming!


meaning now? or it just feels like it? how was your doc appt?


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 12, 2009)

Lol... yup... we've got him home right now. I'll be posting a little more later when we've got everything together and some pictures!


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## bat42072 (May 12, 2009)

congrats... I am so happy for you and your family:happyrabbit:


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 12, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> Lol... yup... we've got him home right now. I'll be posting a little more later when we've got everything together and some pictures!



OMG!!!!:biggrin2:you had your baby!!! Congrats!! How was it? Did everything go well? love to hear details!! & cant wait for lots of pictures!!!

:hug1


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## okiron (May 12, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> Lol... yup... we've got him home right now. I'll be posting a little more later when we've got everything together and some pictures!


Congratulations


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 12, 2009)

oh congratulations, and yes we want all the details and pics as soon as you can


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## Bo B Bunny (May 13, 2009)

That's WONDERFUL! I knew you were on your way, and I was waiting to see what you had/when you post! 

Congrats


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 13, 2009)

Ok- here it goes! We are finally home and settled so I'll get a post going here. We first went to the hospital on Friday night (the 8th) at about 11:00 with contractions about 4 minutes apart for over an hour- has to be it, right? Well, contractions decreased over night and they gave me "something to help me sleep" which made me really jumpy and jittery. The next morning at about 11:00 I was still having contractions but only about 20 minutes apart so they sent me home to walk. Yeah, that was fun. We came home and started walking like crazy. Contractions came on so hard it was almost constant. Besides that, I had back labor (come to find out later that the little one was sunny side up instead of down.. great..). So... we went back to the hospital. Guess what? I only dialated to 2 cm! So they tell me I have to walk back and forth in the hall, while having constant contractions, for the next hour- that was pure torture.

So we went to walking. My poor husband, he was rubbing my back, getting his had killed by squeezing (no, not the one he broke the night before- now he has two sore hands..lol). By the end of that hour I had only dialed to 4 cm.. lovely. We spent the next several hours enduring MORE contractions and being stuck in bed without any medication- as you can tell, so much fun! Ok, so at about 10:00 we started the pushing- this was such a relief to me! I had a shot of demerol but didn't want to wait for more pain killers to come up from downstairs so we pushed... and we pushed... and we pushed... for two hours we pushed... then it was obvious that the poor little fella was just plain old STUCK so they called in the surgeons for an emergency c-section. The entire time the baby was doing really well so we weren't worried but I was getting exhausted.

Anyhow, after getting the team in, three different spinals (the first didn't work), and hours of contractions Jason William finally arrived at 12:02 a.m. on May 10th weighing 7 lb 5 oz, 21 inches long and scored a 9 and 10 on his agpar tests- strong little bugger.


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## okiron (May 13, 2009)

Aww so adorable


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 13, 2009)

awww you had a mother's day baby! wow you had quite the ordeal!! long labor.. At least you made it! He's so precious :innocent:bunny19

how are you doing now? I hope you have a nice and smooth recovery!


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 13, 2009)

Much better now that we're all home and safe.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 13, 2009)

How many weeks were you when you delivered? 

Contractions... I'm still trying to understand them.. i must be really retarded lol i read about them i hear about them and im trying to figure out the whole count method, sorry if this doesn't make sense... so when contractions start, meaning the pain and then stop you wait andwatch how long it takes until the next one starts? and when they get close enough its time to go in. 




Im 37 weeks today and I have now made it to full term status! my doc didnt think i would make it.. but this past week my hicks contraction and other pains and pressure has subsided quite a bit! I probably just jinxed myself now.... but i am missing my ankles and if anyone has seen them please let me know


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## okiron (May 13, 2009)

Lol I didn't know when I was having contractions. I thought I was just having slight cramps. My medically induced contractions never got as bad as my usual period cramps so I spent my entire labor waiting for "the real contractions" lol.


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 13, 2009)

Lol- if mine wasn't back labor I'd probably still be wondering what the contractions were too. Honestly, I've never been in that much pain. I've had sprains, strains, breaks, concussions... been thrown from horses, wrecked vehicles... all that... never so much pain before. Honestly, it's a tightening with pain.. almost like a charlie horse that keeps coming back.


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## Elf Mommy (May 13, 2009)

He is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! More photos, please! Congratulations!


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 13, 2009)

Ok, I've got more... sorry they're so big...


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 13, 2009)

:bunnyheart So Cute!!!


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## BSAR (May 13, 2009)

Congrats!! He is soo cute!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 13, 2009)

oh god my worst labor was my second child and he was sunny side up. 

He is absolutely georgous , can i have him,lol, i miss Brayden being that little and he is only 6 months


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## bat42072 (May 13, 2009)

how sweet... he is precious...


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (May 13, 2009)

Oh my your boy is adorable. I love kids when there little. I wish I had one or two or three. lol


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## Bo B Bunny (May 14, 2009)

Awwwwwwwwww He's got a pony shirt! LOL! 

He's adorable..... Sounds just like my niece's birth last month.... she SHOULD have had a c-section and the docs nearly destroyed his arm getting him out (thought he had nerve damage).... but he's fine.

I'm glad you're all home safe and sound. He's just adorable! Congrats!


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 14, 2009)

Thank you all so much! I'm not sure if you can see it but he has a huge bonk on his head where he just kept hitting against my pelvis- poor little fella. The bruise on the back of his head is finally going down though and he doesn't scream everytime we touch it or put a hat on so it must be feeling better. 

Hehe... now if we could just get our days and nights straight we'd all be great!!!


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 14, 2009)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> Awwwwwwwwww He's got a pony shirt! LOL!
> 
> He's adorable..... Sounds just like my niece's birth last month.... she SHOULD have had a c-section and the docs nearly destroyed his arm getting him out (thought he had nerve damage).... but he's fine.
> 
> I'm glad you're all home safe and sound. He's just adorable! Congrats!


OMG!!!!!!!!!! make sure she keeps up on getting him checked down the line for any damage. A friend of my sister had a very large baby, he was 10 lbs and she is a very thin, s hort girl, and in all reality should have had a c section, but she went vaginally. They discovered a FEW days later that he had a broken collar bone from delivery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as far as i know there was no other damage ,or at least no long term damage.


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## bat42072 (May 14, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> *Bo B Bunny wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Awwwwwwwwww He's got a pony shirt! LOL!
> ...


my oldest sisters baby had a broke coller bone when he was born.... she is only 5ft. and her husband was 6'4 and was told she would have to have a c section all thru her pregnancy.. he was born at a charity hospital and the ended up making her have him natural he was 10 lbs something... they also didn't tell her theybroke his coller bone until his first check up when they said it healed nicely... she kept changing his clothes and he kept screaming and she didn't know why


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## DeniseJP (May 14, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> I was woried about the glucose for a while also- my mom and aunt both had gestational diabetes and diabetes in general runs on that side of the family. To tell the truth, I don't know much about it other than you really have to be careful eating too many of the sweets.
> 
> As far as swelling, I can no longer wear my wedding bands- and I get horrible looks from the old biddies at the stores.. it's so frustrating.



Coming in late on this thread - I have a family history of insulin dependent diabetes - every lady on dad's family tree except his mom had it...my insulin dependent diabetes started during my six month of pregnancy and never really went away and two months after Andy was born it was back for good. My mom's uncle had it, too s I was doomed from the start.

Andy was a natural, no drugs, back labor delivery. Two days of the prostaglandin pessaries/gel, three days of Pitocin and I wanted a C-section on Pitocin day 2 (Andy's heartbeat was irregular during the Pitocin administration) and they would not give it to me. Yeah, like I want to do that again...not!! I think I said some really bad words in that delivery room....h34r2 I don't think I hit anyone, though.

Not much swelling of my feet and ankles with Andy and I was back in my pre-maternity clothes 3 weeks after he arrived. Diabetic diet was great.

Then came Benn - different city, different doctor.Benn had a twin which I lost early on in the pregnancy... as Benn was 11 lbs 14 oz at birth, we joked and said he must haveeaten the twin as it was on the ultrasound but no "evidence" (bleeding) happened... he still laughs about it. My sugars were actually normal back then- had an A1C of 4.1... normal is 6.0-7.0. I have yet to see a number like that these days. Oh, and the first doc's ultrasound technician said he was a GIRL....well, he kind of isa girl to me... Luckily I had the new doc check when I was ultrasounded and he was definitely a boy - a huge one at that, they said. I could even see that on the screen. He was definite C-section stuff.

Swelling? He was a December baby in frozen, snowy upstate NY and the only thing that fit on my bloated feet were those 1990s canvas China slippers with the buckle....I was in casts (both arms) due to carpal tunnel syndrome and the cashiers in the grocery store used to cringe when I came (waddle)in.... they would look scared and would comment "Don't have it here." 

When I told them I was only 8 months along they did not believe me. What a feeling to have people look at you like you are a huge ticking time bomb. I could grab my ankles and leave indents and I had normal blood pressure. I was gaining 5 lbs a week and was not eating nasty food - veggies and healthy stuff. Oh well. I lost 27 lbs right at delivery. The rest of that weight has stayed around. So much for those pre-maternity jeans after Benn!

Almost 18 years later I actually miss all that stuff, even the dirty diapers and waking up atall hoursto nurse. It is a fun, life changing experience for sure.

Back to the original question on B-H contractions - I did not notice them much - they were kind ofa novelty - ooh look- belly's hard. Ooh, now it is not.It was the initial stretching of my ligaments that hurt like Hades... but when you have huge babies the docs have to lift out with engine block cranes...it is no wonder.:biggrin2: My farrier said when I was pregnant with Andy,"I will be back after you foal." I should have kicked him.:nasty:

Denise


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 15, 2009)

I have a question about C-sections, what are they like? can you feel it, i know they give you pain stuff, but it freaks me out thinking about it. if you had to get a c section if there an option where the docs can just knock you out? or would you have to be awake for it?


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## bat42072 (May 15, 2009)

i was knocked out for my only c section... i had a choice. now i wish i would have been awake


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## PepnFluff (May 15, 2009)

Congratulations! He's gorgeous! I love their widdle noses! My mum had c-sections with all of us and they drugged her up wrong or something so when they were cutting she could feel the scapels and stuff but she couldn't feel the pain thank god!


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## DeniseJP (May 15, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> I have a question about C-sections, what are they like? can you feel it, i know they give you pain stuff, but it freaks me out thinking about it. if you had to get a c section if there an option where the docs can just knock you out? or would you have to be awake for it?



My doc had to convince me to be awake for the C-section (I wanted to be knocked out but he said if it was his daughter, he would go epidural) with Benn but I was glad I did it. The epidural idea freaked me out but it did not really hurt - I only had the sensation of someone pouring ice water down my back and was numb from the chest down. I was screened so I could not see what was going on and even my hubby was able to be in the room so he could hold big Benn once they got him cleaned up.

I would recommend talking with your doc and expressing your concerns. I have no regrets about being awake for my c-section delivery and a plus -I could sit easily after Benn's birth - I was pretty bruised and torn after Andy and had to use a donut pad so I could sit.

Good luck and best wishes....

Denise


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## DeniseJP (May 15, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> you can pump to help with engorgement, but pumping is not the same as actually breast feeding as you can sometimes have trouble with the let down of the milk if you pump.
> 
> I would sometimes pump to help with engorement of when i was driving to VA for Charger i pumped the whole week before , along with feeding so that i would have a supply for my mom to feed him while i was gone, and when we were on the road i pumped,lol. When they are new born sometimes they will sleep l onger and sometimes they will nurse more often so if he started to hit spurts like during the nights i would sometimes have to get up and pump a little to help with the pressure,lol



I had to wear double pads in my bra as if I heard Andy or Benn cry, I had double geysers going and would go through everything. If I was a cow, I would have been a Holstein. 

Pumping was tough as it was not the same as a baby nursing. They have electric pumps now that I hear are great but I was back in the Middle Ages when you had a syringe type pump and did not have much luck unless I did the actual "milking." Moo....:biggrin2:

Denise

PS - Not much embarrasses me either - if you have questions, you can PM me... had to deal with lactation consultants as my babies both had low blood sugar at birth and had to use a bottle and bottles are much easier for babies to draw off of than a breast...and getting them to switch to the breast full time was tough at first but I persevered.

Benn was way too big to survive on what I was producing - my two months the pediatrician had him on breast milk, formula and rice cereal and he still did not sleep through the night until he was two.

Andy did better on breast milk - was sleeping through the night at a month of age and was gaining weight on my milk and he peeled the weight right off of me.:biggrin2:

Denise


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## DeniseJP (May 15, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> Anyhow, after getting the team in, three different spinals (the first didn't work), and hours of contractions Jason William finally arrived at 12:02 a.m. on May 10th weighing 7 lb 5 oz, 21 inches long and scored a 9 and 10 on his agpar tests- strong little bugger.



Awwwww, congratulations! Enjoy him - he will grow up quickly!

Denise


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## okiron (May 15, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> I have a question about C-sections, what are they like? can you feel it, i know they give you pain stuff, but it freaks me out thinking about it. if you had to get a c section if there an option where the docs can just knock you out? or would you have to be awake for it?


I didn't feel it at all and believe me I was freaking out. It was an emergency c-section so I had about 10 minutes to prepare myself for it. But honestly, the anticipation was worse than actually going through it. I'd go through it again knowing what it's like, which I probably will in a couple years cause we want to give Micah a sibling lol.


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## DyemondRabbitry (May 15, 2009)

The c-section was an emergency here.. no way he was coming out any other way. I had a spinal.. three shots that were not fun but that didn't last long. I didn't feel a thing during the operation but couldn't move my legs, toes or anything until the middle of the night. I had pitocin still in my IV until the next morning and so I was still contracting- that really didn't feel great. Plus something they gave me made me jumpy.. just in the middle of the night I would practically jump.. it was very strange. Still recovering here and very sore.. wish it could have gone the other way- I hate being restricted so much in what I can and can't do.


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## DeniseJP (May 16, 2009)

*DyemondRabbitry wrote: *


> The c-section was an emergency here.. no way he was coming out any other way. I had a spinal.. three shots that were not fun but that didn't last long. I didn't feel a thing during the operation but couldn't move my legs, toes or anything until the middle of the night. I had pitocin still in my IV until the next morning and so I was still contracting- that really didn't feel great. Plus something they gave me made me jumpy.. just in the middle of the night I would practically jump.. it was very strange. Still recovering here and very sore.. wish it could have gone the other way- I hate being restricted so much in what I can and can't do.



I remember getting Percoset after Benn was born and I was hallucinating - thought the nurse hid Benn and wouldn't give him back to me and then saw my OB-GYN running down the hall with those comic book xray vision glasses and a meat cleaver in his hand... I told them the next day, that was NOT a good pain killer. It made me jumpy, too!

Have to say, morphine was the best - docs administered it to slow my rapidly contracting uterus (after the prostaglandin gel/pessary) with Andy since my cervix didn't know it was supposed to be on the job thinning and that stuff made me warm and fuzzy. They used it again when I had a bone infection and no other pain killer was working (needed two surgeries to my knee - it was infected with a nasty staph infection that almost did me in - required IV antibiotics from July to the end of October via a PICC line)...and when I was having gallbladder problems back in January.

Dyemond - hope you heal quickly and enjoy the new baby... gotta say again that he is adorable...and trust me, he will grow so fast...

Denise


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 16, 2009)

*DeniseJP wrote: *


> I had to wear double pads in my bra as if I heard Andy or Benn cry, I had double geysers going and would go through everything. If I was a cow, I would have been a Holstein.


I use to joke with my mom when we were out and a baby was near us crying that she had to go over and tell the mom to keep her baby quiet before i sprung a leak,lol


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## gentle giants (May 16, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> I have a question about C-sections, what are they like? can you feel it, i know they give you pain stuff, but it freaks me out thinking about it. if you had to get a c section if there an option where the docs can just knock you out? or would you have to be awake for it?


With my c-section, I didn't even know they had started it, LOL. I could tell that they were doing something, cause my body was being moved around, but the only actual feeling was pressure when they were taking the babies out. It's better for you and for the baby if they keep you awake, because if they knock you out your baby will be groggy too, and slower to breathe on it's own and stuff. I think the worst thing for me was feeling like my body stopped at the bottom of my rib cage, LOL, until the epidural wore off it basically felt like I had no legs. Very creepy, but not painful.


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## DeniseJP (May 16, 2009)

*Luvmyzoocrew wrote: *


> *DeniseJP wrote: *
> 
> 
> > I had to wear double pads in my bra as if I heard Andy or Benn cry, I had double geysers going and would go through everything. If I was a cow, I would have been a Holstein.
> ...



LOL!!! Iknow the feeling...to this day (and I do *not* have little babies any more), if I hear a newborn baby cry, I get that "tingle..."

Denise



Denise


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## Bo B Bunny (May 17, 2009)

Yes, my cousin had a broken collar bone from birth also, and Alex (niece's baby) sure went through some stuff. He's doing really well tho! 

Jason is just beautiful. He looks strong and healthy! I'm really so happy for you!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 17, 2009)

when you know you are going into labor and you are on your way to the hospital, would it be best to stop to get something to eat on the way there? because once your there they wont feed you until after you have the baby and that could be hours/days until you have the baby... right? please correct me if im wrong :biggrin2:i remember the first time around they didnt let me eat for days even after i had the baby :cry2. it was torture lol


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## bat42072 (May 17, 2009)

don't eat when in labor... I did once and vommited during delivery... really gross


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## SnowyShiloh (May 17, 2009)

I'd think eating at the beginning of labor would be good... You need energy to get through what could be a long delivery. Probably eat something nutritious versus fast food (which I only mention since you talked about getting something on the way to the hospital). It will likely be hours before you actually give birth so whatever you ate would be out of your stomach and into your intestines by then. Something like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would probably good, it has lots of calories and protein and it would be very quick to make. Remember to drink lots of fluids too.


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## okiron (May 17, 2009)

Eat, my stomach was empty and I still threw up so might as well been full.


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 18, 2009)

pb&j sandwich actually sounds good right now, i havent had one of those in awhile! I need to put jelly on my shopping list. i have been trying to keep things around the house for when the time comes, i just happen to eat it before the time comes lol. would engery bars (i think thats what they are called) be helpful as well? Ive had an incease of cramps and back spasms once again, but no hardening of the belly, i did start having some cramps on the upper part of the belly. i should be having a docs appt this week. once you go into labor does the baby still move around or does the baby's movement slow down since the baby is beginning their downward journey? 

thanks everyone who has been answering my questions and giving advice and sharing their stories, it has helped soo much!


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## DeniseJP (May 18, 2009)

Even the not so good deliveries gives you a good view,,,time ages one and if I knew then what I knew now, I would be a good advocate for myself.

Denise


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 20, 2009)

I had my doc appointment today, they want to induce me. we are waiting on test results to find out how soon i'll be induced, but either way they areto induce me by the latter part of next week :nerves1but if my test results are showing even worse signs they are going to call me in right away. :cry2my doc is and has been trying to hold off for as long as possible and he says we probably cant wait much longer. my blood pressure is way up, my swelling is out of control now & now we are waiting for my protein count which has been going up steadily & also to check my sugaroutput in my urine.so he tells me if we can hold off at least after this weekend, with it being a holiday, to enjoy it as much as possible.


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 20, 2009)

How many weeks are you?


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 20, 2009)

I have made it to 38 weeks! so i am pretty much there and they just wanted to have the baby in as long as possible, but i guess i have reached my limit 

2 weeks ago at my last appt they were talking about inducing... but i got out of that one...


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## Sabine (May 20, 2009)

Your babies movements may not slow down all that much during labour. i remember my first daughter kicking me through the best part of it and karla was hiccupping until she was born


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## Bo B Bunny (May 21, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> I have made it to 38 weeks! so i am pretty much there and they just wanted to have the baby in as long as possible, but i guess i have reached my limit
> 
> 2 weeks ago at my last appt they were talking about inducing... but i got out of that one...



I had toxemia with my son and at 38 weeks I was induced. It's not bad at all. You will feel so much better and it's not worth the risk.

With my daughter..... they didn't want me to go too long because of the first delivery and my problems so at 37.5 weeks, Doc said "let's see, you'll be 38 weeks....." and I said "NOVEMBER 30, next thurs which is your delivery day!" I seemed to know when to schedule my delivery myself! See, I had told him I didn't want another December birthday in the family..... too many ...... so when I had her on Nov. 30th he laughed and said I was pretty darned determined! LOL!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 21, 2009)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> *NetherlandDwarf wrote: *
> 
> 
> > I have made it to 38 weeks! so i am pretty much there and they just wanted to have the baby in as long as possible, but i guess i have reached my limit
> ...


lol thats funny, i really want to have a May baby, so we'll see.

now when they induce much later in the pregnancy is it a lot faster labor & delivery Vs. being induced early in pregnancy? or it really doesnt matter?


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 21, 2009)

i dont think it matters much and really is up to how fast your body responds and how ready your body is to have the baby. they use things to help labor along like Cerva getl (or cervadil cant remember what the name was), breaking your bag of water, pitocin


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## Bo B Bunny (May 22, 2009)

If you are starting to progress it might go a bit quicker, but then again, I was at barely 3 cm and had my son in 4 hours.... I pushed once.... Then my daughter. it took longer because she was in a transverse lodge... (not quite head down - more head to the side of the pelvis) but when I got my epidural and sat up for 45 min while they attempted to get it in (I was tense, they kept having trouble - I had sticks all down my back) they got a little in but drew back blood but with that in there, I relaxed and they got it in and then BOOM! she was crowning! Had I not gone with the epidural, I'd have had a c-section after my doc came out of a meeting - he had the OR scheduled for me LOL! He came running in the room telling me to WAIT! until he got his labcoat on! LOL!


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## DeniseJP (May 23, 2009)

Good luck - hope baby arrives sooner rather than later for you...  

Denise


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 23, 2009)

well my doc called me this afternoon. we are proceeding with the induction but more test need to be done before they can start the process. 

he told me right now things are more elevated again, more then he would like. chronic hypertension and protein urea http://www.babycenter.com/0_chronic-hypertension-during-pregnancy_1427404.bcso more bed rest, which i have had plenty last few weeks, but i guess it keeps me out of the hospital. i'm still borderline to preeclampsia, i guess with this its called superimposed preeclampsia. i really thought i was going to be good with this pregnancy, at least this is all happening at the end of the pregnancy. my first it happend so soon.. i had severe PE and HELLP syndrome.

so this weekend we have been doing all the last minute things, well, my husband has lol i just point and tell him how to do it lol poor guy.


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## DeniseJP (May 23, 2009)

Good luck with the induction... did that with Andy and he's 19 now... (they deliver babies of diabetic moms like me 3 weeks early so I was told - both Andy and Benn were 3 weeks early and were off the scale in size) 

Denise


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## Luvmyzoocrew (May 23, 2009)

good luck!!!!!!! I cant wait to see pics and hear about the birth.


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## Bo B Bunny (May 24, 2009)

Lay on your left side. That keeps your blood pressure down a lot. We got really used to not using salt when I had that...salt can raise your b/p.... We use it but not a lot..... my daughter even uses pepper instead. Her cole slaw usually looks nearly black LOL! 

Can't wait to hear about the new baby!


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## okiron (May 25, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> I had my doc appointment today, they want to induce me. we are waiting on test results to find out how soon i'll be induced, but either way they areto induce me by the latter part of next week :nerves1but if my test results are showing even worse signs they are going to call me in right away. :cry2my doc is and has been trying to hold off for as long as possible and he says we probably cant wait much longer. my blood pressure is way up, my swelling is out of control now & now we are waiting for my protein count which has been going up steadily & also to check my sugaroutput in my urine.so he tells me if we can hold off at least after this weekend, with it being a holiday, to enjoy it as much as possible.


Good luck *hugs* Induction is not as bad as the anticipation I promise. I can't wait for the baby pictures


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## SnowyShiloh (May 25, 2009)

Good luck with the induction! It sounds scary but soon you'll get to meet your baby. We'll be waiting for updates and photos when you feel well enough to post!


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## NetherlandDwarf (May 26, 2009)

Im still preggie... 39 weeks tomorrow. still trying to get my 39th week appt. but i have my testingappt datebefore they schedule the induction for thursday morning. i have been doing nothing but napping and cramping. i dont know if i'll make it to get induced or if baby will make her way out before then lol.


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## DeniseJP (May 27, 2009)

Good luck and hang in there...

Denise


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## pelletpooper (May 29, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> braxton hicks contractions.... I have tried searching all over for an answer, i have read so many articles, and they all say pretty much the same thing "stomach tightens briefly" to sum it up. my question is does the whole belly that tightens up and feels really hard? or could just the lower abdominal have cramp like cramps? (lol if that makes any sense) this is my second pregnancy, but i never had to deal with braxton hicks contractions or the first labor pains or water breaking etc.. due to complications, So this is still all new to me. *Advice would greatly be appreciated*!!!!


Sounds like you got punched pretty hard on the stomach....you need to get checked. I seen a cat pregnant once and she never complained about braxton hicks....who is that anyways? sounds like a R&B singer. Take my advice see a doctor


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## AngelnSnuffy (May 31, 2009)

Best of luck to you guys and hang in there!


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Jun 3, 2009)

*NetherlandDwarf wrote: *


> Im still preggie... 39 weeks tomorrow. still trying to get my 39th week appt. but i have my testingappt datebefore they schedule the induction for thursday morning. i have been doing nothing but napping and cramping. i dont know if i'll make it to get induced or if baby will make her way out before then lol.


Did you have your baby yet?


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## bat42072 (Jun 3, 2009)

:yeahthat:


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## SnowyShiloh (Jun 3, 2009)

We want an announcement and baby pics when you feel up to it!! I hope everything went well!


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## DeniseJP (Jun 3, 2009)

Maybe baby?

Denise


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jun 3, 2009)

i am gettin impatient, i cant wait


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## NetherlandDwarf (Jun 5, 2009)

Hi guys, sorry for the long wait, long recovery . but I had her on the night of May 31st! like i said i really wanted a May baby! she was 7 pounds and 11 ounces! Even before delivery docs feeling on my belly were expecting a much smaller baby. Here's some pictures of Leanna Lee:







Full head of hair!


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## DeniseJP (Jun 5, 2009)

Awwwww! What a little doll!

Congratulations - glad she is here and you can enjoy her now - hope you are feeling OK. I love her bright eyes - my Andy had those eyes as a newborn...

Denise


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## SnowyShiloh (Jun 5, 2009)

Wow, that is a lot of hair! She's absolutely gorgeous, many congratulations for you, your husband and your older daughter. I'll bet she's so excited! How did the birth go? Feeling okay?


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## bat42072 (Jun 5, 2009)

congrats. she is so precious...:inlove:


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Jun 5, 2009)

Your baby is so cute. Congratulations on the new addition to the family


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jun 5, 2009)

congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!


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## NetherlandDwarf (Jun 6, 2009)

Thank you everyone! I went in to be induce but i had been having contractions that week a lot more and i had some strong ones in the days before i went into the hospital. Even when they hooked me up to the monitor it was showing the contractions. everyone was hopeful that i was already dilated... but i wasnt even dilated, or my cervix wasn't even ripe. then we started the long process of being induced. I did get to experience my water breaking on its own, it was an odd feeling lol and everyone was surprised that it happened on its own. as it got near delivery i started developing a fever that wouldnt go down. i was started on anitbodies. after a few more hours i began feeling the pressure down there, but i wasnt ready yet and a few more hours it seem the pressure went away. i was good for awhile without feeling any pressure. few more hours the doc came in to check on me i told him no pressure and he checked me and i guess it was time to deliver.. lol he really didnt let me know, he was in a hurry getting everything together along with the nurses. he thought it would take me sometime to push and to delivery the baby, so he had the nurse get me started pushing and the next thing baby was just about out and he was telling me to stop pushing because he was still getting his scrubs/gown on. as soon as he was done we delivered the baby. it took about 20 minutes from the starting push for her to be out. it was unbelievable to be so alert during this process. she was born with a fever as well, from me, but her was gone within the hour but mine continued and would not go down with meds. i stayed an extra day in the hospital and thankfully they allowed us to go home. i got stitches down there, and today i tore them open a little bit :cry2getting in and out of the car. figures... 

I have a question about breastfeeding; after attempting a few days and becoming severely chapped and scabbed over. I had to stop attempting and was told it was probably better if i wanted to continue to breastfeed that i should just pump and feed by bottle due to anatomy issues. i had to switch to formula, and let my breast heal. I bought a pump and have been stimulating so i can produce milk. i think my milk is beginning to come in, but i only get very little, enough to see it on the nipple and its starting to look a bit milky and my breast are becoming heavy. if i keep this up, will i be able to produce more milk? is this normal as in the whole starting of producing milk? its not coming out in volumes, just maybe a few drops after some time of pumping. i really want to breastfeed, and im very lucky my little will latch on to anything.

thanks again!


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## DeniseJP (Jun 6, 2009)

Did they give you the number of a lactation consultant that you can contact... or the La Leche League? Both of those might help with good advice. I would think if you keep pumping and you are producing more, then it is working, but I am not a nurse or doc.

Andy did not nurse well at first but the doc said he was gaining weight well and it did not seem like I was producing a lot - but he slept through the night at a month of age. Then he nursed really well and made me sore so the doc prescribed a cream for the nipples and that helped a lot!

When I had Ben, my milk came in big time and I felt like a Holstein with a full udder! No soreness the second time around.

He nursed but needed additional formula and food as he was off the scale in size. At almost 18, he still loves to eat. 

Good luck - I liked the convenience of nursing and the fact that in an allergic family on my mom's side, my boys did not develop allergies. I was told nursing helps.
Denise


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jun 6, 2009)

IT might be a good idea to contact a lactation consultant about it, they should have them at the hospital that you had the baby and you should be able to talk to one of them.

This is what i was thinking when reading your post that the baby may not be properly latching on that is why your nipples are so raw, and sore. There is nipple cream that you can put on that is made of lanolin to help your breast. THere are nipple shields that you can use to help while your nipples are healing and if i am not mistaken you can wear them while you are nursing too, they are made by medela i believe. I had inverted nipples on my one breast and had to wear special nipple shields to help get them to come out and stay out. as far as pumping from my understanding it doesnt really ever let you empty your breast like breast feeding actually does, make sure you are drinking enough water too , if they are feeling heavy then your milk should be in but i dont know why they wouldnt be getting anything really out of them with the pump? does the pump have settings on it where you can set it to pump a lil stronger, or faster?


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## SnowyShiloh (Jun 6, 2009)

That's quite the story! Sorry to hear about the stitches and tearing them. That sounds really painful. Did they give you one of those squirt bottles that you can use to spray cold water on the stitches? I hear that can be soothing.

If you really want to breastfeed, I suggest finding a breastfeeding support web site with a forum because I'll bet lots of ladies have had the same issues as you. If you don't get the help you need, your milk might end up drying and you'll need to buy formula. Good luck, and I hope things heal (both the lady bits and the "lady berries" if I may steal the term from another forum member).

*edit* Oops I didn't see that two other people replied before me, the replies were on the next page! I third the lactation consultant, but an online breastfeeding support group could be handy after you don't need the consultant anymore


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## NetherlandDwarf (Jun 6, 2009)

I have talked with people from the hospital, nursesand was actually told the same thing, i have rather large nipples which makes it hard for the baby to latch on correctly. thats why all the damage to my breast, i still kept trying but i did over do it and my breast were hurting so bad for many days, during that time i wasn't able to pump or to stimulate them for the milk to come out, i had a lot of damage, my husband went out and bought me some nipple cream and that has helped a lot too. so i think i kind of fell backwards during that time where i should have been breastfeeding or pumping to get the milk to come in, so its almost like im starting over again. i had some sucess this morning, i believe my milk is in, my breast hurt so much and i was able to get some more out of my breast but nothing measurable, but it was milky white. so im guessing if i keep it up i should be able to get more milk out eventually? i am using the avent manual breast pump, i am able to control the suction and how fast i can pump. i did a lot of research on that pump compared to many others and saw nothing but good things, so i am hoping for the best. 

i got a water bottle type thing from the hospital to squirt water down there to rise, that simple thing has been so helpful!


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## NetherlandDwarf (Jun 6, 2009)

I also had to share this picture, this is probably why doctors were expecting a much smaller baby, she has the ability to roll herself up into a tiny ball.


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Jun 6, 2009)

Your baby girl is so cute.


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## NetherlandDwarf (Jun 6, 2009)

well good news, at least i think and i just wanted to give an update on the breastfeeding situation; i have really been pumping and each session (about 2 to 3 hours apart) i have been actually producing more milk in measurable amounts now. still a little bit, but a lot more now. first it was about half an ounce and the next time it was an ounce. so i am making progress and i hope it keeps going! ray:

Thanks everyone :biggrin2:


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## DeniseJP (Jun 7, 2009)

Glad to hear it is working for you...she is so cute all tucked up in her car seat...:adorable: I so miss when mine were that little...

As far as the stitches and being sore down there - I was told (now this was almost 20 years ago) to use a sitz bath that they use for folks who have had surgery down there or hemmorhoids...and they did this for me in the hospital...Andy was so big I needed to be cut and it felt like every time I sneezed,laughed or was in the bathroom that I was going to split open.:shock:

I found the warm sitz bathto be something that made me feel better...may want to check with your doc on this. I also needed the "donut" to sit on for a bit after Andy... big Benn was a C-section and I did not have the "I cannot sit" issues the second time around.

Denise


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jun 7, 2009)

keep up the good work with breast feeding!!!! WTG it is a challenge but worth it once it all works out. Can you send your baby too me she is too cute!!!!!! I have a house full of boys and need a little girl here, and everyone that i know that is pregnant wont give me thier baby,lol!!!!!!!!!!


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## SnowyShiloh (Jun 7, 2009)

Good to hear things are improving with the breastfeeding! Kudos to you for sticking to it  And Leanna is adorable, my fiance said she's clapping with her feet.


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## BSAR (Jun 8, 2009)

Just seeing that you had her!! Congrats she is a complete cutie!


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## NetherlandDwarf (Jun 9, 2009)

*DeniseJP wrote: *


> Glad to hear it is working for you...she is so cute all tucked up in her car seat...:adorable: I so miss when mine were that little...
> 
> As far as the stitches and being sore down there - I was told (now this was almost 20 years ago) to use a sitz bath that they use for folks who have had surgery down there or hemmorhoids...and they did this for me in the hospital...Andy was so big I needed to be cut and it felt like every time I sneezed,laughed or was in the bathroom that I was going to split open.:shock:
> 
> ...


when i first read this i was like what is that, i looked it up and i even tried the sitz bath. thanks! it has help a lot, feels like its making the healing go a lot faster. it was horrible sneezing or laughing, and even coughing was pain! I have been using the boppy to sit on LOL


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