Babies Due in March of 2008

This is long overdue, but yes, I finally gave birth to my wee one via C-Section. I'm sure all you other March mamas are just as busy as I've been, with little time to yourselves, much less to post things on lj. Here are the vitals:

Name: Edward Stanley
Weight: 9 lbs 8 oz
Length: 21 and 1/4 inches
Born: March 17th at 10:07 PM

We had a St Paddy's Day baby! He is named after my husband's father who passed away in 2001 and after my father and grandfather (who share the same name). I had what they called a "failed induction." After 8 hours of not being able to dilate more then 3.5 cm, the decision was made to do a C-section. All went well, but I was extremely disappointed that it turned out the way it did. My husband was with me during the delivery process. He was even brave enough to peek over the curtain for a few pictures when the baby arrived. As soon as I got wheeled back to my room and reconnected to everything, I got to hold him and nurse him, and he took to nursing immediately like a pro! We're now nearly 9 weeks old, and nursing has been going swimmingly with no supplementation needed.  Eddie was a BIG baby and outgrew newborn clothing and diapers in less than two weeks. There were a few outfits that he never got to wear. He's already in 3-6 month old clothing and size 2 diapers!

In related news, we're moving to Switzerland from Texas for a year-long assignment that my husband's company has set up for him at their main offices. I'm starting to get a bit concerned about finding everything I will need overseas at a good price - mainly clothing and diapers.

I've got a lot of pictures of Edward posted here and here.

Name: Shar
Location: Canada
Baby's name & birthday: Stephen Michael, born March 12, 2008
Baby's birth stats: 21 inches long and 8 lbs 13 oz (75th percentile in weight!)
Baby's current stats: Not sure on length, but he was 14 lbs 4oz (95th percentile in weight - go boob juice go!) at yesterday's doctor's appointment!

This is my second child, my first child is Alexandra Marie who is almost exactly 25 months older than her little brother.

I am loving motherhood, but I did not expect the shock to my system when it comes to trying to meet the needs of a toddler as well as meeting the needs of a newborn.

I am an AP mama, and I believe in extended breastfeeding. I'm thrilled to pieces my daughter started to nurse again once the baby was born.

We've been having a lot of bf'ing problems due to his highly developed bad habit of sucking on his lower lip, but I think things are going to work out now.

I wish the moderator of this community would have handed the community over to someone else to moderate before she disappeared, because I very much would like to be more active in an AP March community rather than the other one.

The last thing in the world I want is to have a c-section. I have my reasons, and I'm staunchly against it. 

The current situation is that we had a Cervadil insert from about 8PM to 5AM. Pitocin was started at 6AM. My water broke about 8:30 AM. I labored for about an hour and a half with IV drugs, and then the contractions got so bad that I had to get an epidural at about 10AM. It is now 6:30 PM, and I've only advanced as far as a bit more than 3 centimeters, about 90% effaced, and unfortunately the cervix is still a bit too elongated. For 10 hours, that's not very good. 

The baby is in fine shape, however, as long as I lie kinda on my right side, and kinda on my back. This is obviously uncomfortable after a while and is giving me a bad crick in my neck, but aside from that and being STARVING, I'm doing well.

The latest is that because the change hasn't been significant, and if the trend continues, then I will have to have the dreaded c-section later on this evening. I have a different monitor in my uterus right now that measures the strength of my contractions better than the kind that goes on the belly. This monitor is the last thing that will be done, medically to determine whether or not I will have a c-section. I'll have the monitor on for two hours and then we'll have our answer. 

I don't need replies saying what will be will be, or touting benefits of c-section. All I want is your best energy, your strongest prayers, your kind thoughts that the two hour monitoring period shows that I am making enough progress to allow me to continue to labor on my own instead of having a c-section. Also, sending vibes that the labor starts to pick up and my cervix cooperates so that we can get our end result - a natural bifth - would be appreciated as well. 

Please just send me all that you can for the next two hourse. thank you thank you thank you.  

I was due on March 2nd, but that's obviously long come and gone. My last miraculous hope of going into birth on my own never happened, and we're on our way to the hospital to be induced. A bit sad about that. And I'm not exactly nervous about the birth - just nervous about being in the hospital. They really squick me out, because I've only ever been there because of something scary for myself, or seeing someone in a terrible state. Plus, I'm nervous that I'll be forced to take the ultimate last intervention on my list - the very last thing that I hope won't happen - a C-section.

I'll update in a few days, I guess. Good luck to the rest of you ladies.

Yesterday's appointment was pretty frustrating with good and bad news.

First, we had the ultrasound to check on the baby's health. I have heard from both camps about the good/bad side of ultrasounds. I knew we needed to check up on the baby, but I wanted the minimal amount done by the machine. My OB ordered a check of the amniotic fluid and the placenta. That's it. The ultrasound nurse went trigger happy and kept insisting that we should take measurements of the size as well. I told her we already knew it was going to be a big baby, and that we didn't need the measurements. She went out to find my doc's nurse anyway. She couldn't find her, and asked a different nurse instead, who suggested she might as well get it. Then, when she was half-way through the measurements (which were already taking longer than the first set), her computer started freaking out. I kept repeating myself that it was ok, and we didn't need the measurements, but she insisted on continuing until she got the measurements she wanted. So much for not having a minimal amount done. :P When she started clucking over how big the baby was, I mentioned that I'd read in several places that the ultrasound measurements can be off by sometimes as much as 2-3 pounds. She got a little huffy and insisted that she was never more than a pound off.

Oh, and also, at first she had me laying nearly completely flat, and wouldn't let me bend my knees even a little. When she asked why I was whimpering, I told her it was because the position was killing my lower back. So she raised the back of the bed a bit, let me put the pillow under my back instead of my head. It helped... a slight bit.

Next up was the exam. Sadly, I've not made any more progress. I'm still between one and two centimeters dilated (I've been that way for several weeks now), and of greater concern is the fact that my cervix, while softened, is still pretty long. I also got the results of the ultrasound. On the upside, the amniotic fluid is at an excellent level, the placenta is just as good as it possibly can be for a baby that is starting to outgrow it, heartbeat perfect, baby's movement just fine - so the baby is doing just peachy. However, his size measurements put him at the 90th percentile! And of course, he'll only keep gaining size and weight the longer he's in there.

So, after a lot of discussion with my OB, the decision was made to induce. Having a c-section is the very last thing in the world that I want, and my OB knows this. She even admitted that of anyone else in the hospital, she's known as the one doc that will not give a c-section unless absolutely necessary (her record, apparently, was letting a woman be in labor for 41 hours). As much as I hate the idea of a chemical induction, I agree that the kiddo is only going to get bigger, and if he's too big, there's just no way that he can be born vaginally. I'll take the meds over a C-section any day.

I'll be 42 weeks on Sunday. If the baby doesn't come on his own before then, we have an appointment to check in to the hospital on Sunday night. They'll start with Cervadil (I had to talk her out of Cytotec -  I had just finished reading the day before warned that "Cytotec may cause the uterus to rupture (tear) during pregnancy if it is used to bring on (induce) labor." Uterine rupture, the insert added, "may result in severe bleeding, hospitalization, surgery, infertility, or death."). Cervadil is used to get the cervix going, and can sometimes start labor, but it usually doesn't, so they'll be starting a Pitocin drip first thing in the morning to start contractions. My doc predicts that she'll probably also have to break my water at some point that morning as well.

So, if all goes well, I'll likely be a mommy on St. Patrick's Day (or sooner, if the wee one decides to be ornery, now that we've gone to the trouble to schedule an induction).

I'm due March 2nd, and I'm starting to panic that I won't get everything done that I wanted to take care of before the baby is born. Anyone else starting to feel that way?

I've got a pregnancy update, and it's incredibly good happy news. I was sobbing in my car I was so happy and my hubby could barely understand me. Back in 2002 I had minor surgery (LEEP) done on my cervix to remove pre-cancerous cells. I'd been cancer-free on all my check-ups since then, but my OB was concerned because that type of surgery can scar the cervix and cause one of two problems related to labor and delivery. Potentially, the cervix could open too soon (very bad, but luckily didn't happen), or an even more common concern, the cervix could do the complete opposite and not soften and/or open at all, causing the need for a c-section rather than a natural birth.

I had my first pelvic exam Friday, and I'm so happy and relieved (as was my OB) that my cervix is softened just as much as it should be for someone with four and a half weeks left in their pregnancy, and I'm already half a centimeter dialated! This is such incredible news, and I'm just overwhelmed and happy that everything is going so well so far.

Oh, and the pelvic exam? Not very much of the fun. A bit painful, but nothing horrifically bad. I also got my strep swab, so we'll get the results of that next week.

Hi, I'm Stacy and my husband and I of 6 years are pregnant with our 2nd - due March 16th. I've never been part of a pregnant community (because I was very active in fluffymamas with my 1st), but I know friends who were and made life long bonds through these type of communities since you go through so many important changes and phases at the same time as other women with similar interests... so, here I am.

We're having another boy (yea, I love boys!); my first, Cole, was born in August 2005 - making him about 2 1/2 when this baby arrives.

I'm a seasoned veteran on breastfeeding, clothdiapering and all that "attachment parenting" stuff if anyone has any questions.

My baby "dropped" or changed positions this week and now I'm carrying a lot lower, having less Braxton Hicks, heartburn and breathing easier. However, now I'm having low abdomen/leg ligament pain as well as pressure on my cervix and any and all organs/spine while sitting or laying down.

Yea for the 3rd trimester!

I have 29 working days left before I'm on "maternity leave" (Feb 28th is my last work day and I don't work Fri-Sun). But, I can't wait until the 16th of this month to be able to say, OK, only 2 months left - that seems surmountable.

Let me tell you, for you first time mom's - enjoy it, because it's A LOT different your 2nd time around! I haven't had the time or energy to read books or endulge in just enjoying this pregnancy, sleeping, getting massages or any of that good stuff since there's a toddler to take care of.

I had my 28 week appt on Monday.  I had to take the glucose test and my levels came out a little high at 138. The cut-off for normal is 135. My doctor told me I couldn't have anymore sugar, not even fruit, or it could push me over the edge into gestational diabetes. So far, it really sucks thanks to the holidays, but my husband's cutting out sugar with me so I thought that was really sweet.  My doctor also gave me the last ultrasound of this pregnancy (he doesn't like doing too many) and the baby refused to show us whether it's a boy or a girl so we're going to have a surprise. I'm curious but I think it's kind of exciting. My hubby thought it was funny. Anyway, I'm feeling more and more tired, and it's hard to catch my breath, and my ankles are starting to swell. 
Merry (late) Christmas everyone!

 How far along are you? 28w5d 

What symptoms are you experiencing? alot of lower belly tightness, quite a bit of back pain

How are you feeling? Overall pretty good, just a little bit tired sometimes

Any Dr. Appointments / ultrasounds / tests this past week and how did they go?  Had my glucose test done last Friday, scheduled my 32 week ultrasound, as I was measuring a week and half ahead, and they're concerned about baby size

Any Dr. Appointments / ultrasounds / tests this coming week? Nope

Anything big happening in your personal life (moving, work related, family, etc)? Not really, just trying to pull together a holiday party that somehow I fear no one is going to show up at

Any questions you want to ask? Nope. Not really.

Any belly pics from this week? Havent taken any this week...I do need to take one thoguh