Got Baby? Avez vous un bebe?

[Marilyn. 340]

just found out that we can't completely change plans once the baby is born. we can add her though of course. So it looks like we will be paying an extra $100 a check..

[lilacvioletiris 11]

Marilyn, sorry to hear about the serious hike in insurance premiums. $100 a check (I am assuming every two weeks) seems a bit over the top. I probably should be talking with DH's HR about how his insurance will change when we add two babies and me to it after the babies are born (since right now I am insured through my work but that will end once the babies are born).

Family - it is so tough. I know in my heart, although they haven't said it, that my in-laws won't be coming down to visit the babies once they are born. We will have to go visit them in Canada. Money is an issue for them as they are both retired, but more than that they are afraid they will have a medical emergency down in the states and not have their provincial health plan to cover it even though we are 2.5 hours from the closest border crossing. Yes, my MIL has cancer issues but it appears to be controlled with meds right now. I feel your pain when it seems like we are always the ones going to visit them and they never come visit us. They came for our wedding in 2010 but haven't been back since. Once the babies are born and our family is on one income, going to visit them will be a financial hardship for us, although I don't think that has sunk in for DH yet. I just have to love them and remind myself I can't change someone else's selfish behavior.

VeeNDee, I hope the ultrasound with the maternal-fetal specialist goes well.

AFM, I went to the grocery store yesterday and on the way home, some lady in a fancy new car bumped into me as we were at the stop light. I didn't think much of it, didn't stop to get insurance or report it, but my neck has been hurting a bit last night and today. Ugh.

Got an explanation of benefits yesterday for our anatomy ultrasound that was a month ago - the hospital charges were a little over $1000! Of that we are paying about $100. We have nearly gotten to our out of pocket maximum of $2000 this year. I just shake my head at how much these medical procedures cost. Then there was the hemoglobin stick they did in the doctors office - charge was $15 of which we have to pay $0.46. Okay. Babies cost a lot of money and I am looking forward to when my boys make it into the world. Twenty three weeks tomorrow!

[Kimbear 53]

We went for the 32 week ultrasound today to check if the placenta had moved.

Good news: The placenta has moved wayyyy up top so we're good!

Bad news:

- Baby is still breech (but has plenty of time to turn apparently so I'm not going to worry about that)

- The baby's waist is proportionately small so the OB sent me right away for a non-stress test and then referred me to a maternal-fetal service to get another ultrasound tomorrow to check on the blood flow through the placenta. She is worried the baby isn't getting proper nutrition/blood flow. The baby weighs 3 pounds 11 ounces today, approximately and she said that is in the 39th percentile which is good. Guess tomorrow we'll find out what the results of the other test say.

Hope everything goes well for you. Its hard not to stress when your told things like that.,

just found out that we can't completely change plans once the baby is born. we can add her though of course. So it looks like we will be paying an extra $100 a check..

we were told we have 30 days to add the baby and for the first 30 days she is covered by my portion. Its costing us about the same every paycheck as well. it really sucks.

[Kimbear 53]

Marilyn, sorry to hear about the serious hike in insurance premiums. $100 a check (I am assuming every two weeks) seems a bit over the top. I probably should be talking with DH's HR about how his insurance will change when we add two babies and me to it after the babies are born (since right now I am insured through my work but that will end once the babies are born).

Family - it is so tough. I know in my heart, although they haven't said it, that my in-laws won't be coming down to visit the babies once they are born. We will have to go visit them in Canada. Money is an issue for them as they are both retired, but more than that they are afraid they will have a medical emergency down in the states and not have their provincial health plan to cover it even though we are 2.5 hours from the closest border crossing. Yes, my MIL has cancer issues but it appears to be controlled with meds right now. I feel your pain when it seems like we are always the ones going to visit them and they never come visit us. They came for our wedding in 2010 but haven't been back since. Once the babies are born and our family is on one income, going to visit them will be a financial hardship for us, although I don't think that has sunk in for DH yet. I just have to love them and remind myself I can't change someone else's selfish behavior.

VeeNDee, I hope the ultrasound with the maternal-fetal specialist goes well.

AFM, I went to the grocery store yesterday and on the way home, some lady in a fancy new car bumped into me as we were at the stop light. I didn't think much of it, didn't stop to get insurance or report it, but my neck has been hurting a bit last night and today. Ugh.

Got an explanation of benefits yesterday for our anatomy ultrasound that was a month ago - the hospital charges were a little over $1000! Of that we are paying about $100. We have nearly gotten to our out of pocket maximum of $2000 this year. I just shake my head at how much these medical procedures cost. Then there was the hemoglobin stick they did in the doctors office - charge was $15 of which we have to pay $0.46. Okay. Babies cost a lot of money and I am looking forward to when my boys make it into the world. Twenty three weeks tomorrow!

so far the only thing I've had to pay for were labs for bloodtests etc. ultrasounds and the rest are grouped up with the giant bill at the end. So far we have paid almost $1000. We have already pass our deductible, and are 1/3 of the way through our out of pocket. And the estimate i was told for the final bill is going to be 7k-10k for a normal delivery. but I've been told by friends its closer to 15k. OUCH.

i'm not sure what the law is where you live, but up north i was told by my insurance i had 24 hours to go to a hospital after a car accident to get checked out before it voided anything. You may wanna go asap to a clinic.

So it seems only 2 people are showing up to my baby shower which makes me wonder what the point is. Even David's sister and Dad are not coming. I'm kinda bummed about it. Especially since my sister in law went though alot of trouble doing a jungle theme with the invitations, and the party favours etc. This is why i told David i usually don't plan events, because people don't seem to give a ####### unless its something for them, and completely on their time frame, regardless if its been planed for 2 months or not. I think i'm a just give up on family and friends here. The only ones who seem to care about me and David is his brother Rich and his Wife Laura who i adore. The rest are completely inept.

[Marilyn. 340]

for the 3 of us it will $300 a check and he gets paid every 2 weeks.. it does come off before taxes but that is still a big chunk of money..

before 2011 we saw my parents pretty regularly, at least once a year.. and we kind of took turns going back and forth. One year we met about half way in Oregon and rented a cabin for a week... that was fun

and yeah, they cover the baby on our insurance for the first month. We don't have to pay the premiums either for the time David will be off on FMLA..

[Ontarkie 14,133]

VeeNDee- I hope everything is alright with your little one. You may want to check out http://spinningbabies.com/ a lot of moms have luck with them turning babies, or even check out a chiropractor they can turn then also I heard.

Marilyn- that insurance increase sucks big time.

Lilac - go get your neck checked out, at the very least see a chiropractor you don't want it to get worse.

I'm sorry your In-laws wont be coming down to see the babies after they are born, but I can't really blame them. Provincial health care can take a very long time to reimburse them if they paid anything at all as your mother in law is already being treated for cancer it really would not be wise to risk it. I don't think they would even be able to get travelers insurance. I don't think they are being selfish if something were to happen they would be left with a very hefty bill, the Canadian health care system will only pay for new and emergency situations. She most likely has already been told this.

I know it's hard I don't think my parents will come down after I have this little one either, but I need to look at it like this. My father will be 70 this year both my parents have health issues, they are truly better off being where they won't try and avoid going to the doctors if something did come up out of fear that they get taken to the cleaners.

kimbear and Marilyn I can relate to the families sucking down here. I pretty much avoid his family or they drive me nuts. I won't get into much as I can be here all day.

I'm 11 weeks now and just dealing with the dizziness, nausea and being tired.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Ontarkie

[Marilyn. 340]

my husband's family isn't that bad. They have accepted me into the family. His sister has helped us out a lot over the years. She came over today and helped me pack the kitchen..

A lot of the people at the shower were my SIL's friends and my SIL's in laws etc...

[VeeNDee 44]

An update on our baby. We went back today to the maternal-fetal specialists for our followup ultrasound. The baby's abdomen is apparently now measuring in the 9th percentile not the 39th (I must have heard that wrong). Everything else is okay but they said it's not genetics because if it was, the head would also measure small and it's normal at 50%. They think a flare I had with my rheumatoid arthritis at about 23 weeks caused my placenta membranes to flare too and growth slowed. Long story short, I now have to go in twice a week for non-stress tests, and once a week for an ultrasound to check on growth. Plus take a whole bunch of supplements and pills, some of which are kind of scary, that help to absorb nutrients.

If the baby's abdomen doesn't grow in followups they may deliver in the next two weeks, if it grows a little but is slow and tapering off I might make it to 37 weeks. If it is still small but growing the same rate as everything else I could theoretically go full term but it would be a smaller baby. I had to go to my family doctor right after this, and the secretary did not help matters when she said while asking for my insurance "don't you wish it was free" and I replied "in Canada it was" and she started lecturing me about how it was just taken out of taxes and everyone had to pay for it (she hates Canada and healthcare it sounds like) and I just tried to tune her out and was like... gotta get through this... thankfully the family doctor was great.

We have to move in 2 weeks.. I'm so stressed out right now.

[ValerieA 350]

I'm so glad to see this thread still going. To those of you who have had their babies, and those of you going to - congratulations! I think there might be one or two on this thread that are on their second. So happy for all of you! Such blessed events.

[lilacvioletiris 11]

Neck seems to be better today. I am not going to worry about it.

kimbear, I hope more than 2 people show up. At least you have a couple that you adore - always helps - my sisters and brothers, all 6 of them, love my DH. My SIL however could care less if I lived or died or had children. Family dynamics are so odd sometimes.

Ontarkie, you are right, my in laws aren't being selfish, they are being prudent. It just hurts to feel that we always have to go to them and that there is no give and take, but then they can't really give and take. I just have to shake my head and get over it, I guess.

VeeNDee, I hope your baby grows with the help of the extra nutrients.

Yesterday I was looking at the rules for taking the babies to Canada. It appears I can do so with just their birth certificates until they are 16 if we go by land, but that would mean we couldn't use our Nexus cards that DH and I have. Getting into Canada is less of an issue than getting back into the U.S. at our favorite point of entry - Sarnia/Port Huron/Blue Water Bridge - yeah, I can't imagine waiting at the border 1 or 2 hours with babies. One passport for a minor is $105 and it only lasts for 5 years! The Nexus card costs $50 a person and is also good for 5 years. Plus we need to get DH's Canadian passport renewed since it expires June 2014. Need to look into the fees for the Canadian passport. U.S. adult passports are good for 10 years so I am still good for awhile. Time to make the passport/Nexus Card savings account.

Edited August 22, 2013 by lilacvioletiris

[lilacvioletiris 11]

Dude, my husband's passport is going to cost $260 because it will be delivered to him outside of Canada! Looks like we can get a 10 year Canadian passport though. I wonder why DH didn't get a 10 year card in the first place.

Edit: I guess the new 10 year card "ePassport" just came into effect July 1, 2013 so that is why his isn't for 10 years. It also is why fees increased.

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/publications/consultations/index.aspx?lang=eng

Edited August 22, 2013 by lilacvioletiris

[lilacvioletiris 11]

Sorted through all the baby clothes I have been given so far. I have a bunch of those sleep sacks (all cuddly material , plenty of 3-6, 6-9. and 18-24 clothes, a good start to 9-12 and 12-18 month clothes, and more blankets than I could ever imagine. My aunt had mixed in a few little girl's things before she knew I was having a boy. I have those in a bag separated from everything else. I need to get a couple more boxes to put the 12-18 month clothes in and all the sleep sacks/blankets. Oh and I have 2 snow suits too (3-6 months) which should get us through the first winter here in Michigan.

Had to laugh at my DH. Aunt gave me a food grinder . DH thought it was a hand breast pump. Yeah, we have a lot to learn together

Edited August 23, 2013 by lilacvioletiris

[VeeNDee 44]

Sorted through all the baby clothes I have been given so far. I have a bunch of those sleep sacks (all cuddly material , plenty of 3-6, 6-9. and 18-24 clothes, a good start to 9-12 and 12-18 month clothes, and more blankets than I could ever imagine. My aunt had mixed in a few little girl's things before she knew I was having a boy. I have those in a bag separated from everything else. I need to get a couple more boxes to put the 12-18 month clothes in and all the sleep sacks/blankets. Oh and I have 2 snow suits too (3-6 months) which should get us through the first winter here in Michigan.

Had to laugh at my DH. Aunt gave me a food grinder . DH thought it was a hand breast pump. Yeah, we have a lot to learn together

Haha, well, to give your husband some credit it does look kind of similar Sounds like you are pretty much good to go on clothes. I love the look of the sleep sacks too. I didn't register for any clothes except 'sleep sacks' so we'll see what happens. I think a person is pretty much fated to get cute baby clothes regardless.

Dude, my husband's passport is going to cost $260 because it will be delivered to him outside of Canada! Looks like we can get a 10 year Canadian passport though. I wonder why DH didn't get a 10 year card in the first place.

Edit: I guess the new 10 year card "ePassport" just came into effect July 1, 2013 so that is why his isn't for 10 years. It also is why fees increased.

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/publications/consultations/index.aspx?lang=eng

Yeah there was a new fee jump recently...but it is kind of a ridiculous fee jump just for living in the USA. Makes me wonder if I am going to renew my CDN passport. Until I realized that I can't get a US one before it expires so I guess I probably need to for the border. Grumble.....

VeeNDee- I hope everything is alright with your little one. You may want to check out http://spinningbabies.com/ a lot of moms have luck with them turning babies, or even check out a chiropractor they can turn then also I heard.

Thanks Ontarkie I will definitely check out that site. I was told the baby has plenty of time to turn before the due date--- the problem is, who knows when they are going to arrive with this growth complication... I figure I'll check on the ultrasounds every week for the breech thing. Sometimes I feel the baby moving like mad inside and it feels like it is literally spinning in circles but I don't think it has flipped yet. They did mention having the baby flipped with a special technique at the hospital that I forget the name of.

[VeeNDee 44]

for the 3 of us it will $300 a check and he gets paid every 2 weeks.. it does come off before taxes but that is still a big chunk of money..

before 2011 we saw my parents pretty regularly, at least once a year.. and we kind of took turns going back and forth. One year we met about half way in Oregon and rented a cabin for a week... that was fun

and yeah, they cover the baby on our insurance for the first month. We don't have to pay the premiums either for the time David will be off on FMLA..

Ugh yeah insurance is terrible. We are going to go up about $400 EXTRA a month when the baby gets here to switch to a family plan, so a total of about $1300 but it was our only insurance option through work and needed to be done due to pre-existing conditions. Ugh.

Sometimes I feel so alone down here as a Canadian... whenever I get frustrated with the medical insurance system I have people rant to me about how bad Canada is since we get taxed like crazy for our healthcare and have to pay for it. I don't even know how to explain why it's so much better but I figure they don't really care and have made up their minds. It just doesn't seem worth the effort to me.

I guess when they say that Canada's system is bad, I hear them say that they don't like me or my country... whereas what I think they are saying is that they are afraid of change...it just feels so personal sometimes.

[VeeNDee 44]

Ugh and I thought trying to sleep in third trimester was bad. Can't lie on your back coz of the weight of the uterus, can't lie down flat coz of nasty heartburn, lying on the sides hurts the hips.

And then, I got the cold of doom and I can't sleep at ALL. My nose is a faucet, I'm burning up, my throat is inflamed....

The worst part is, this weekend is our labour and delivery class all weekend. Too late to cancel, we'd lose our money and not be able to find a new one. I managed to get through 3 hours of it last night with walking out regularly, but today's long day is going to be a challenge. I just want to curl up in bed and stay there...except that doesn't help either. Ugh ugh ugh.