Pregnant DIS'ers--check in here! :)

[TINKTWINS]

Well congrats to you all! And good luck, I can only stay a second because pregnancy is VERY catchey to me! Ive got 5 D kids already and I tend to give birth in multiples! I just wanted to say I have had 4 sections and they really werent all that bad, the first will be 18 years ago on April 1st, and that was the worst on, however pain meds have come along way since...............gotta fly out of her now, please dont breath in my direction!!

 

[ZachnElli]

8 weeks today with #3!! Unfortunately, I've miscarried more times than carried to term, but hopefully on Thursday at my u/s I'll get to see a strong heartbeat! Thinking optimistically here!

 

[Piglet]

Just wanted to add my experience with water breaking.

I only have 1 DD and when I was in labor with her, my water never broke and the doctor never broke it. I guess it just broke when I delivered my DD.

I worried and worried that it would break at work and make a horrible mess. (I worked with mostly men then).

Good thoughts and prayers for all you expecting for a easy labor and healthy babies!!!!


Melinda

 

[skuttle]

Congrats to everyone!

You will definitely know when your water breaks! Now contractions...I had them for a couple of days and didn't know it...thought it was gas pains and then when I got to the hospital after my water broke and the contractions started getting stronger and more frequent I realized I had been feeling those for a few days!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just stopping by to wish all the mom's to be, along with the repsective dad's to be, first timers and repeaters, my very best for continued safe, comfortable and successful pregnancies. Lots of little DIS'ers in the ovens here.

 

[Pembo]

ZachnElli - Lots of positive pg vibes to you and please let us know when you see that strong heart beating.

Congrats to all of our other mommies-to-be. My "baby" is a fun loving 19 months now.


And TOV - my water didn't break with any of my 3. I read in a magazine to carry a bottle of apple juice around the grocery store so if it did break, you could drop the bottle and beat it out of the store.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

PD for you, ZachnElli. I hope everything turns out ok.

At our last u/s, James was measuring very long and just about the right weight. No surprise there...both DH and I were long, skinny things when we were born. I know I was almost 22 inches, which is scary considering it's almost a full third of my adult height (5 ft 5).

And since I"m going to the OB's tomorrow, I'm going to ask her if it's wierd that I have not yet had any Braxton-Hicks contractions. I mean, aren't you SUPPOSED to be feeling those by this point?

And I have read "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy", several times in fact. It was the very first pregnancy book I allowed myself to buy once I found out and I cracked up. That book is AWESOME. Vicki Iovine rocks.

*grins evilly and breathes in Tink's direction*
[Steve Urkel]Did I do that?[/Steve Urkel]

TOV

 

[Duchie]

Zachnelli, I hope all goes well with this pg for you. I'll send a few prayers and PD your way for a healthy little one!

Pembo, I heard a similar recommendation, only this one said to use a jar of pickles.

TOV, gotta say that I had BH contractions the entire time and never knew what they were. Heck, your body does all sorts of STRANGE things during those nine months, I stopped asking!

Oh look..... there's my 4 yr old DS now... running around without his pants on. Why doesn't he have his pants on? Again - I just stopped asking after a while.

See what fun you've got to look foraward to?

 

[ZachnElli]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it! I'll let you know Thursday!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Well I went to the OB yesterday. FORGOT about asking about the BH contractions. Oh well. She did the Strep B test and then the internal exam and I was like WOWZA!HELLO! because it was somewhat painful. My pelvis feels like Sammy Sosa's been using it for batting practice and have her reach in there and poke around didn't make it any better.

Anyway...it turns out I may deliver ahead of schedule. Maybe. The OB said I was about 1.5 cm dialated and about 50% effaced. She even told me she was able to reach through my cervix with one finger and poke James in the top of his little head. I didn't think I was supposed to start dialating till after my water broke!

TOV

 

[Kermit]

It's very common to start dialating before your water breaks. In fact, you can deliver your baby without your water breaking. If that happens, it will break on the way out, or the doctor will break it as the baby emerges.

If you're dialated, you're probably having BH contractions. They just aren't very noticable. That could be a really good sign. You could go through the early part of labor without even knowing you're in it. When you're lying down at night, put your hand on your lower abdomen every once in a while. Eventually you'll probably notice your muscles getting tight. Those are the BH contractions.

It seems to be a well-kept secret that those internals are really painful until you're really dialated. The good news is that you don't need them. The doctor doesn't have to know how you're progressing since it's not a reliable indicator of when labor could start. If you don't want to be checked at your next appointment, just say so. It probably won't be a problem at all.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I never had my cervix checked during my pregnancy with DD. My Midwives didn't feel it was nessecary. And she only checked a couple of times during labor. That was painful!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I think I'm going to let her keep checking because I'm curious, DH is very curious and I have this idea that if I didn't, she'd come up with some convincing arguments as to WHY I need to be checked.

Also..and I found this out yesterday, apparently my OB likes to induce. I didn't know this till yesterday. When I get closer to my due date, she might try to convince me to induce or if I go a week past my due date she WILL induce me. No ifs, ands or buts about that. She was very firm in telling me that at the visit yesterday. We had never talked about inducement until yesterday because up until now, I figured I didn't need it. I had planned on letting Mother Nature do her thing and delivering when the time came (assuming I didn't go too far past my due date of course). She seemed to be a little pushy about inducing me, which made both DH and I a wee bit uncomfortable, but other than that she's been a great OB.

TOV

 

[Jenn Lynn]

TOV-DO NOT let her talk you into anything you are uncomfortable with. YOU have rights! Tell her no. Do your research, talk with your DH, and stand FIRM if your decision to to go into labor naturally. This is why I refuse to give birth in a hospital.

I don't want to start a debate here, but your Doctor cannot *make* you do something that you do not want or need.

Please, do research and make the best decision for you and your baby and DH.

 

[Duchie]

I'm with Jenn Lynn!

If I learned nothing else from my first baby, it was that I was actually the one in charge of the whole thing! I became much more comfortable with asserting what I wanted and what was important to me.

If she does induce, let me just go on record as saying that pitocin doesn't start with "pit" for nothing. It is TRULY the pits! It got the job done, but the result was HARD labor FAST - no working up to it.

Be sure to listen to all the pros and cons, then make the decision that is right for you. Feel free to PM me if you've got any questions - I'll answer whatever I can.

 

[Ellester]

Well, I have to jump in since it looks like I might be the next Dis'er due to deliver!

TOV,

Just so you don't feel left out, I never felt a single BH with my first 2 dd's. This time is another story, I've been feeling them for weeks. But, I don't think it's unusual not to feel them. You are most likely still having them. Also, my water never broke on it's own. Like another poster said, only like 10% of women have their water break before active labor. And, not to burst your bubble, but you can walk around for weeks dialated to 3 or more and effaced before delivering. I have been effaced for over 4 weeks and last pg I was dilated to 2cm for weeks. With my first, I was told I was "high and tightly closed" on Friday and not to expect anything for at least a week or more and went into labor the next day. Unfortunately, dilation and effacement are not real good predictors of when labor will actually begin. (I was talking to a friend yesterday who told me she walked around at 5cm for a couple of weeks with her second!)

I agree too that you need to find out more about her wanting to induce. There are valid reasons to do so, but just because you are a few days overdue is not a real good one. I would at least hope she would want to do a non-stress test and/or biophysical profile to see if induction is needed. If you are not already in labor, induction can lead to a C-section for failure to progress. Research what you can!

I am physically ready to deliver this baby, I can't sleep, sciatia and heartburn are almost unbearable, I'm cranky, can't bend over, etc. My poor kids (dd's 2 & 5) are watching way too much TV, because I just don't have the energy to play with them. Psychologically, I still have trouble believing my third child will be here within the month! I finally got the bassinette and car seat out last week.

Here's to quick, easy deliveries for all of us expecting new little Dis'ers!

~Ellen

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Thanks for the support guys, I think I really need it right now. *huggies* I will do some research when I get a chance, which hopefully will be before the next visit which is on Tues.

I have to admit...her pushiness is one of the reasons I HATE HATE HATE going to dr's in general and avoid them at all costs. She was shocked at my first appt th at I hadn't been to seen an OB/GYN since I was about 18 (for BC pills) and had NEVER had a Pap smear. My theory is if ya don't feel sick and it ain't broken, don't bother fixin' it. Kind of simple, I know, but that's just how I am. I would rather take a few echinacea or Vitamen C pills and hope to get better rather than drag my fat butt down to the dr's office for meds.

TOV

 

[onecoolmama]

Theothervilleness,

I never went to an OB/GYN until I was pregnant. I was never told to go. In fact, when I was getting married was when it first came up with the girls in my office. They were shocked. So I left for my honeymoon, 4 months later I was at the OB for the first time. So I guess I was 23 my first time.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

My MIL was kind of like "You've NEVER been to an OB?", shocked that I had never been to see a 'female doctor'. Like it was something my mother was supposed to teach me to do, but failed to. *shrug*

And me...I should know better anyway, with a history of uterine fibroids and rampant breast cancer on my mother's side. I guess I don't want to know if I have problems with my lady bits. Call me ignorant, I suppose.

TOV

 

[Blondie]

Just a word to the wise, if you are a week post dates, and don't want to be induced, make sure you have at the very least a weekly Non Stress Test (or NST) just to make sure the baby is doing okay.

As the baby grows, it takes up more room obviously, and things get pretty tight in there for the little guy. It's important to make sure all is okay in there!

I knew a woman who refused being induced and she went 3 weeks past her due date. The baby weighed over 10 pounds, and she pushed him out, she did not have a c-section!