*Baby Corner*

[Marry American 0]

No problem with weight gain or being underweight. I am so much bigger this time around. I think she is already pretty big. I am a little concerned about how much bigger she can get with 15 weeks left.

I, too, am carrying one of those mini-Moroccan butterballs. And you know Moroccans arent happy unless they are eating or making other people eat. This little boy is channeling my husband's mother and is constantly urging me 'mange mange'. I lost alot of weight in the first trimester, but to date Ive only gained a total of 8 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight and its ALL baby. I thought he was a big boy before, but he just keeps on growing. Its unreal how much he seems to have beefed up in the last month. Here's one of the pics my husband took this afternoon:

pregnant pics are sooooo cute...i have yet to take pics of my belly...so will it be the 8th???????

I take a picture of myself every weekend with the same shirt on. It's fun to go back and see the progression.

I was really worried about putting on too much weight since it's sooooo easy for me to do. So far, I've gained about 13 pounds. And from what I can tell, it's pretty much all been in the front

My goal is not to gain more than 25 pounds total. So far, so good.

that is a great idea

Hey everyone!

It's been a while since I've been here, but long story short Gavin was born on December 24th (Christmas Eve) at 5:42pm. My contractions started on their own the night before and continued to that day. I went in to the hospital and I was scheduled to be induced. My contractions stalled so I was put on Pitocin and that's when the pain became unbearable. I got the epidural and thank the Lord for that, because I ripped horribly during pushing (I had so many stitches no one would tell me the exact number), my placenta would not come out (it was so high up the doc had to physically reach in and pull it out) and then I would not stop bleeding (they had to reach up in me again to remove the blood clots).

It was all worth it though. My husband and son just light up my life. Breastfeeding is going great, and we're thinking about another child within the next two years.

My avatar photo was taken yesterday and I plan to update that frequently.

he is sooo cute and fun already....he is only a month??????nice name

[Marry American 0]

Thanks so much for your thoughtful words and advice. I'll definitely work on finding a means to let go of some of this fear and stress.

Throwing ice cubes at the sink might prove fruitful Someone else mentioned they have a co-worker who does this to relieve tension.

Im a big fan of bath stuff, especially salts and fizzies. You can get a ton of faboo bath goodies at the dollar store (try Dollar Tree if you have one nearby). Even though I cant soak in a long hot bath like I want, a sweetly-scented one is still a treat.

And they say baby starts building their sense of smell about now. He/she will recognize familar scents after birth. Im going to have the only little boy addicted to green tea bath soap, but at least he'll be easier to soothe.

i heard that you couldn't take bubble baths while pregnant.... or you had to be careful what type of bubble bath stuff you use...

MarilynP-How are you doing?

I never heard that you can not take bubble baths while being pregnant. Has anyone else heard that you can't? It seems like when I take a jacuzzi bath, our little girl moves less for the day. I think it places me in such a relaxed state that she becomes totally relaxed as well. Maybe crazy thinking, but it seems like it.

I saw new ultrasound pics of our baby. They were not as good as the first pictures taken. As a matter of fact they look awful. She kept moving during the process. She kept placing her hand on her head and then back down. She was not sucking her fingers, but she kept sucking something with her lips and tongue. It was funny. She weighs 1 pound 13 ounces. I've gained 17 pounds so far during pregnancy. I guess I have 10 pounds left to gain (hopefully just 10). When does the baby start gaining a pound a week?

Round about the 3rd trimster they start gaining 1/2 to 1 oz a day. Some babies gain more, others less, most just even it out over time. I think it's mommy who's supposed to gain about a pound every coupla weeks overall. We're you underweight before pregnancy? If so, I can understand why your doc is wanting you to gain some more weight, but most docs are happy as long as you dont lose any more.

wow I just went to the doctor and I have only gained 7 pounds. Same thing happened with our little girl she kept hiding her face. I can't wait for the last ultra sound pics. I am so happy no more blood drawing after today. Had the blood sugar test. How much weight does your doc want u to gain? How much weight did everyone gain? I was told only 15 to 20 pounds.

Stina...just checking in to see how you are....getting SOOOO close!!! Keep us posted!!

No problem with weight gain or being underweight. I am so much bigger this time around. I think she is already pretty big. I am a little concerned about how much bigger she can get with 15 weeks left.

I, too, am carrying one of those mini-Moroccan butterballs. And you know Moroccans arent happy unless they are eating or making other people eat. This little boy is channeling my husband's mother and is constantly urging me 'mange mange'. I lost alot of weight in the first trimester, but to date Ive only gained a total of 8 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight and its ALL baby. I thought he was a big boy before, but he just keeps on growing. Its unreal how much he seems to have beefed up in the last month. Here's one of the pics my husband took this afternoon:

You look great!!! you are so close, too! I need to take another belly picture, too Are you getting excited or what?

Ditto!! I have that shirt LOL!!

my doctor never mentioned how much weight i should gain ... my lab result determined that my iron was super super low.... i was severely anemic as a child growing up and had to take this ####### called vidaylin everyday...after the birth of my son i was so anemic that i was under special care...i am going to be more diligent with taking my prenatal vitamins

[Marry American 0]

Yassmine

you look great!!

TY I feel like a hippo with the mumps LOL.

wow I just went to the doctor and I have only gained 7 pounds. Same thing happened with our little girl she kept hiding her face. I can't wait for the last ultra sound pics. I am so happy no more blood drawing after today. Had the blood sugar test. How much weight does your doc want u to gain? How much weight did everyone gain? I was told only 15 to 20 pounds.

Ditto!! I have that shirt LOL!!

If I count from my pre-pregnancy weight, Ive only gained about 8 pounds. If I include the weight I lost in the first trimester and gained back in the second, Ive gained about 20 pounds total. Doc is pleased with my progress, so I guess Im on target. I passed my glucose test with flying colors, thankfully. I imagine not having GD has a bit to do with my slow weight gain.

I love these striped shirts. I have 4 of them in different colors. I got them online during JCP's end of summer clearance sale for $5 each. Mom even found a cute onesie for the baby with the same striped colors as this shirt

Was good to read your posting about weight gain. My doc is happy with how I have been doing ... haven't really gaained anything and am actually down 2 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight. Things I have read though suggest that, if you are overweight to start, weight gain should be 15-25 pounds. Will there be a problem if I DON'T gain that much? I keep thinking I should have gained something by now ... although I have read that it happens at a faster rate in the last trimester.

For those ladies who didn't gain alot ... how much had you gained by 23 weeks?

by the 23rd week i gained about 15 pounds

[Marry American 0]

I Just came across this thread, hubby and I are woking on a little one, and we pray that my age won't cause problems.

You ladies are very blessed and so charming in dealing with your pregnancies, so often you hear women complaining and it was a blessing to come across this thread, I feel a little less scared and overwhelmed.

Thank you ladies.

I am anxious to hear about Stina and hubby's delivery .....

Good luck to your husband and you. May all your wishes come true.

[yassmine2878 1]

pregnant pics are sooooo cute...i have yet to take pics of my belly...so will it be the 8th???????

Weeeel. Ive got another appointment on the 7th. So unless the starting gate has opened and/or husband has a really good and convincing speech prepared for the doctor, we'll be waiting until the 18th. Even though I am tired and hurting on an epic scale, Im opting for the 18th. My mother is already planning her life around that day and Id hate to screw up everything she's prepared. She's a university professor and has scheduled off a week to come stay with us and help me with da bebe.

However, with my luck I start going into labor the minute my doc goes on vacation next week.

[Eveline 9]

Hi Ladies, I haven´t been here in a while. I decided to send hubby back to the US and stay here with Adam for another two weeks. So now we´re leaving on the 15. It´s soo good to be home, foods good and hubby is getting the house ready in TX. FInally no more living in with the In Laws.

Here´s me at 13 weeks pregnant. See my belly button

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x244/Ev...02/DSC03650.jpg

Edited February 4, 2008 by Eveline

[chnst 6]

Hi Ladies, I haven´t been here in a while. I decided to send hubby back to the US and stay here with Adam for another two weeks. So now we´re leaving on the 15. It´s soo good to be home, foods good and hubby is getting the house ready in TX. FInally no more living in with the In Laws.

Here´s me at 13 weeks pregnant. See my belly button

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x244/Ev...02/DSC03650.jpg

aww what a cute pic- but holy cow, girl - u sure you are only 13 weeks? lol! I know, I know it's different with number 2.

My belly button just popped out too and I can feel him kick around a lot now!

off topic question- I am planning a trip to Germany like next week, if doc gives the ok tomorrow.

what kind of insurance do you have for your trip to Germany? I looked into travel insurance but they don't cover pregnancy related issues. God forbid something happens, while I'm over there- how does it work??

[chri'stina 190]

Hi girls...

some of you are about to have your babies too! I have another quiet minute to post. Baby is sleeping nicely but will wake up soon to eat.

I assume people who read here also read the thread I made about having the baby on Feb 1st, but incase someone missed it, here...http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=108491

I will be thinking of and praying for those who are due soon!

My story...

My labor was really long and hard. I had contrax(contractions) that day I posted here(Thurs morning) and went to the hospital when they were coming about 5 mins apart. Weirdly I was only 1cm when I was checked, and they had me walk for an hour and a half. Then I still was 1cm. They gave me some muscle relaxers to rest and said they expect I'd be back soon. So I grudgingly went home and labored for 7 more hours before going back to the hospital with severe back labor and contrax 4 mins apart. I was only 2 cm!!!!They made me walk an hour, and sent me home again calling it "early labor" and one rude nurse said how it could go on for days and if I thought I was in pain now, then I was in for a rude awakening. I wanted to hit her! The nurse earlier in the day was way nicer. So I went home around 2am, miserable, could not sleep, had contrax ranging from 8 mins to 3 mins apart. It never got to a steady rythm but they got stronger and stronger. I had to breath through every contraction or I would have gone crazy. Finally around 10:30am, after stalling for fear of being sent home again, we decided to go back a 3rd time to the hospital b/c what if baby was about to be born. I was checked at the hosp and was 7 cm!!!! B/c they assumed I was only in early labor at 2 am that day, I did most of my labor at home in horrible pain. I was so mad. It was severe hip and butt pain contrax, the contrax in the front were bearable, but those were not. I didn't want an epi but I already went through about 30 hours of labor before getting one, I thought I waited long enough and got to 7 cms at home totally on my own.

Then I got stuck at 7 cms. If I moved around my contrax would be like 1-2 mins apart, as soon as I would lay down or sit they'd drop to once every 8-10mins. The problem was Kavi was facing the wrong direction, and the largest part of his head was at the wrong part of the birth canal. Hence my really long and hard labor. I was at 7 cms at the hospital for a couple hours and they gave me pitocin, which made my contrax stronger and closer together, I had the epidural by then btw so it didn't feel too bad, but I still didn't get past 7cms after being there 5 hours.

My water had broken sometime between leaving the hospital at 2am and going back around 10:30 am but I didn't notice it, otherwise I would have gone back immediately...

I had a lot of bloody mucus so I guess it came out mixed with that. Also I could only sit on the toilet all night, the only comfortable place to sit somehow during contrax so it probably leakd out

.

SO b/c of unsure timing of water breaking, and then finding meconium in me, and baby getting a little stressed(poor guy getting squeezed around for so long), a c section was decided. By that point all I cared about was seeing the baby and being done with labor so I didn't freak out, I was actually relieved.

The csection went fine but it's very hard healing from it. I have hardly slept, not b/c of Kavi, he is a good sleeper, but b/c of pain and such. But after my long labor, I don't think I'd even want to try a VBAC in the future, I'd be so afraid of the 30+ hours of labor again.

When I finally saw Kavi's face, my heart was so happy and he looked so beautiful and sweet. He really is so sweet and cuddly. We love him so much!!!

So that's the story! Sujeet is my hero, he has helped in every way possible, and seeing him and Kavi together is so cuuuuuuuute. My family is also helping out. I just want to heal and be able to do everything myself soon, and to do much more for the baby.

Please don't let my birth story scare anyone, if my labor had lasted under 20 hours and I could have had a regular birth, I think I could have even done it w/o the epi if I didn't have back labor. But b/c I hadn't sleep all night and had sever back labor, it made it really hard. So don't think it's normal! You will all do good!

Can't wait to see the next baby!

Did anyone else who had a section have weird things afterwards like not being able to eat a lot or things just tasting horrible? I can only eat a small amount at a time.

[chnst 6]

aww Stina, you're a trooper!! Congrats on your little boy!! I saw the pic in the other thread- he's sooo cute!

Hope you heal soon!

[Chrissy25 0]

i had a c-section and to be honest i was ok, my appetite was pretty good obviously the pain but the nurses would come round with my pain meds a half hour before i would really start feeling the pain. The bleeding down there (sorry) was what got me, i bled ALOT, everytime i went to the bathroom. Whenever i would get in or out of bed would hurt the most, but the next day i was up and walking around the hospital, and within a couple of weeks i was pretty fine. Also having the staples (if you had staples) dosent really hurt too much when they take them out, now 10 months later completly healed, the worst thing now though is i am still numb in one part of my stomach from the nerves been cut and probably always will be in that area, and the scar can itch, sometimes mine itchs pretty bad, but all in all not too bad.....plus Kavi is gorgeous and congrats, hope you heal up fast!

[Autumnchik 6]

Wow Stina. thanks for sharing your story. Kavi is adorable

[TracyLuis 0]

Stina...I admire you immensely, especially because you remain so positive about the whole thing. Thanks for sharing your story with us. And thanks again for showing us the picture of your beautiful son.

I sincerely wish you a very speedy and thorough recovery.

Enjoy your precious little boy, as I am looking forward to enjoying mine soon

[JanaknJanet 0]

Congrats Christina & Sujeet.... and.. Welcome to the world lil Kavi

Stina.. he is a doll.. so glad for you that they were able to convert and do the Csection... .. My daughter.. was born face up.augh.. only at the last moment they decided to give demoral.. they tried turning her..unsuccessfully.. she was born with a big bruise across her forehead from where I pushed and pushed.. ....

glad Kavi got out safely...

Hugs to the both of you ..

[sara535 15]

I was pretty miserable in general after the C-section. I was, like you, in labor for a long time first and my doc said when you do that and are already exhausted going into the surgery it makes for a pretty rough recovery. I had several days where I didnt want to eat or really do anything except make certain that I had a bottle of pain pills within arms reach. The upside of it is, as you are seeing, it kinda forces a daddy and baby bonding that is so sweet. I am sure if I had been able to be up and around I would have done most of it but instead Adnan did everything. I think my daughter was like 10 days old before I ever changed her diaper. It was good for both of them, especially now that I am home more with her and stuff, they had that initial bonding time.

I hope and wish for you an easy and speedy recovery, I know these first few days are pretty rough but by 2 weeks you will be feeling alright and kinda back on track. take care and congratulations again, your son is beautiful!

[Eveline 9]

I was pretty miserable in general after the C-section. I was, like you, in labor for a long time first and my doc said when you do that and are already exhausted going into the surgery it makes for a pretty rough recovery. I had several days where I didnt want to eat or really do anything except make certain that I had a bottle of pain pills within arms reach. The upside of it is, as you are seeing, it kinda forces a daddy and baby bonding that is so sweet. I am sure if I had been able to be up and around I would have done most of it but instead Adnan did everything. I think my daughter was like 10 days old before I ever changed her diaper. It was good for both of them, especially now that I am home more with her and stuff, they had that initial bonding time.

I hope and wish for you an easy and speedy recovery, I know these first few days are pretty rough but by 2 weeks you will be feeling alright and kinda back on track. take care and congratulations again, your son is beautiful!

I totally agree and that is why i don´t want another C/S...I miss those first days with Adam. I didn´t care when he was born...I didn´t care where he was in the hospital, didn´t care for him for at least a week. I fed him, yes but that was about it. I just wanted to be alone. I felt bad about the decision to go into surgery after long, rough labor and I still feel bad about it. I wish I could have bonded right away and I feel sad that I just didn´t care for my baby right from the start.

Anywho, CONGRATULATIONS Stina, he is a precious little boy, I´m happy for you that he´s in your life. Enjoy those first weeks, they grow up waaaay too fast (considering my baby boy is turning 1 next month)