Expectant parent club! Where the pregnant people hang out.

[Quail_Antwerp]

Quote:
That's a good idea, except I've been feeling this way even before getting preggers - feeling tied down to the farm, not really having anyone who could take care of the critters so we could take a trip or anything.

I want to have the freedom to come and go - leave the farm - without having to worry about there being chores to do at home. The heifer is hardly any work at all - just make sure the watertank is full, plenty of grass in the pasture, and we could go away for a weekend or anything.

I want to be able to take a family vacation - and NOT have to worry about critters at home.

I just feel sooo tied down to the farm (not because of hubby and kids! I want to be able to do more with my family off farm, but the farm is so much work that there's just not time for family trips to the beach anytime soon.

Most importantly, I want to be able to take a trip to Georgia to visit my grandmother that I haven't seen in 10 years.

 

[happytxchick]

rcentner - you keep up that breastfeeding, sister! It's so good for baby. You could always pump and let J feed him with a bottle...maybe that would help. Has he said why he doesn't like it? Rob never minds, but I have heard that some men do get jealous like you said.

I'm worried that my four-year-old is going to be jealous b/c it will take attention away from her - we will find out on Wednesday!!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I went to walmart today to look for back support thingys and no luck.

So now I'm looking on Amazon & eBay...what does everyone recommend? My back is starting to ache and my belly feels like I need to put a hand underneath it (or a wheeled cart) to pack it around!

I am about to take a warm Epsom salt bath, have a glass of ice water and a couple Tylenol before crawling onto the couch.

 

[SpringChickens]

Quote:
X 2 - I think that breastfeeding my daughter was the best thing I ever did! It was hard for the first few weeks, but it got much easier before too long. I was lucky enough that my DH wasn't jealous, but I know a lot of men who are.

Something that helped me out a lot was to pump and nurse at the same time, especially when she was little and would only nurse on one side at a time. This way you could store some extra milk for your DH to feed him.

Something you may want to take into account is "nipple confusion"... some people say that if you introduce a bottle too early (before 6 weeks or so), the baby prefers the bottle to nursing. There are other people who say that its not true, but it may influence your decision to let DH bottle feed him. You should also consider that pumping doesn't stimulate milk production the way that nursing does... yes it helps, but its much, much harder to exclusively pump than to exclusively breastfeed. Do some research on it and maybe get a few articles to show your DH. I suggest that when you are ready to let DH start bottle feeding him, you give him the 2am shift

He won't be jealous for very long!!

Happy - let us know how your DD handles the new baby. I'm worried about the transition with my daughter as well... she's turning 5 next Wednesday and the baby is coming right before she starts kindergarten

 

[SpringChickens]

Quote:
I really like my back support (http://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=922000113&MasterCategory_Id=MC32) - it works miracles when I put it on, but the one that MsFuzzyButts got seemed nice too. I think that one was cheaper than mine also - always a plus!! You might consider just browsing the amazon website and read the reviews on a bunch of them... unfortunately, I think the best one varies from person to person, just based on body type and need. I did learn that the high support belts are best for people who are on their feet and walking all day - if you do a lot of work on a computer like I do, you want one with a lower level of support so it doesn't dig into your back.

Good luck deciding!!

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Quote:
This is the one I got... http://www.amazon.com/ITA-MED-Gabri..._1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305599431&sr=1-1-catcorr It provides medium support. I spend about an equal amount of time between being on my feet and sitting at a computer. It is comfortable enough when sitting or bending over, that it doesn't dig in or pinch and it stays put without riding up or inching down. I agree with Springchickens though! It does look the one with strong support might tend to bind and dig in when sitting. So it would be more suited to someone on their feet all day. Good luck.... Although I don't think brand or cost matters to much as long as it provides a little back support and a "wheeled cart " for your belly!

 

[kelseygirl707]

Hey Ladies, I have a very LONG rant, but it's an unbelievable one if you ask me. Here it goes. After Luke was born a "Friend" of mine posted a status about being ticked off at people making selfesh decisions that impact innocent lives, and they have no one but themselves to blame when things go wrong, and innocent lives suffer.

Well, ...I thought this may be directed at Bill and I, but didn't inquire, because I didn't want to know. Then on Sunday I brought up the post to my sister in law who is also friends with her on FB. SIL said she wasn't oging to bring it up if I didn't know, but since I figured it out, she let me read a FB conversation she had with her. She confronted her about the post, and said she hoped it wasn't about us, and if it was then she should consider removing it before we saw it, because we son't need this right now, we need support. Well the "Friend" came back with, she wrote it, and she meant it. That it was our fault that Luke is in the hospital fighting for his life, and we would have to live with the conciquences (sp?). That we made a hasty impatient and selfesh deciesion to sign ourselves up for a C-Section, and now Luke is suffering for it. And How Dare Bill not stay the night at the hospital all night with Luke (Bill spent all afternoon and evening there with him, then went home to my parents around 11pm to sleep, then was back the next morning bright and early). My Sister in law tried to tell her, the C-Section wasn't a choice, it was the only way our son would live, and an emergency, his heart rate kept going down, and not coming back for long periods of time. The "friend" said there are things to try before a c-section, and we were selfesh. But even if there was more to try (We tied alot), I still wasn't dilating past 7, and luke was being crushed with every contraction.

Anyway, SIL, DH and I deleted her, as this is not what we need right now.

Then she wrote this to me this morning: "I see that you and Bill and Danielle have deleted me. That's your choice. What you have an haven't been told or read I don't know, so I thought it was only fair that I tell you in my own words what my thoughts are. I tried to actually just copy and paste from my fb inbox with Danielle but either when she deleted me most of it disappeared, or somehow she was able to delete parts of it? I don't know. Needless to say there was a LOT more to that message than what was there and doesn't explain nearly anything I said. I think you and Bill made some awful choices. Yes, I assume you know that much. I don't know if you actually got to read all of what I said though s I will do my best to paraphrase it as best i remember. Obviously I wouldn't have even given two hoots about this all if I didn't care for you all and your precious baby boy. If I felt nothing, well then you wouldn't even be on my radar. So, I said I think you guys made some impatient decisions. That while you were in no pain with an epidural and you and Luke were doing all right that it was crazy to be sign yourself over to a c section when there's no medical necessity. That more harm comes than good and look at what happened. Sure he's ok now, but look at what you all had to go through. I was heartbroken for you all, and just couldn't believe that someone would make choices that had more likelihood of leading to an unfavorable outcome than not. That decision led to his difficulty breathing, you being separated from him, your inability to spend time skin to skin with him right away which can be so important for your bond, not being able to be near him to breastfeed when breastmilk could b e one of the most beneficial things to his condition. And yes I was horrified by Bill not staying with him all through his hospital trip, tired or not. That's being a parent. If we were in your shoes I would like to think no one could have torn me away from my babies with a sharp stick. If one of us were literally drug out of the room by security guards we would have been sleeping next to the door. I am ecstatic to know that he is well. And I am sad to not be able to see his updates. I was checking up on you all constantly through the day praying things had been able to change. I am an honest person, great trait or character flaw just depends on the situation. But there's no need for me to hide lie or feel ashamed of what I've felt and said. Good luck and I hope things get easier with your little man from here on out."

So there it is, What do you all think?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I would tell that "friend" that the decision was between you, Bill, and your Doctor, and since she wasn't there and I'm also assuming not trained in the medical field, she should just keep her non-supportive opinions to herself.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

I would ask the friend to keep her negative (and completely uninformed) opinions to herself and ask for some support-nothing more-you don't need to defend anything-SO DON'T! If she is defensive still about how omnicient (all knowing in a God like way) she still is, I would tell her that I'm sorry you feel that way, I don't agree- I will not defend myself because I don't need to, I won't be conversing with you until I have the energy to devote to people other than my family.
And INSIDE I would be fuming, hateful, vengeful, raging, and have a ton of very well deserved things to say about her. I wouldn't talk to anybody else about this problem (anybody that knows her too). I personally can't see how somebody who believes their opinion is the only fact and should be upheld and enforced and believed even when people are struggling for their lives and families are struggling to keep it together...has any business being a friend. This woman is dominating and insensitive and I really don't think you should involve her in your future or your babies future. This is the type of person who will badmouth you to your family and eventually to your kids-you don't need that-you don't need her 'friendship'. Get this self righteous egotist out of your life.

If it makes you feel any better, something I learned a while ago...friends are friends for a time; sometimes that time comes to an end quickly, and other times it can last a lifetime. You can choose to move on, regardless of your past friendship with her. Focus on your lovely baby and good husband.

Hooray for you by the way, i'm definately scared of having a c-section, I hope it doesn't come to that for me, but if it does, I hope I'm strong enough to recouperate and face the struggle head-on like you.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I HATE when people decide they know what's best off of what they've seen on TV and read in magazines, which is what this sounds like to me.

There's always more to the issue than what the latest guru is screaming about. Sorry, this one hits a button for me; I saw a family literally torn apart because of one individual's high-and-mighty stance on several topics.

I would probably let the 'friend' know that while they may have their opinion, they were not there and the reasons that lead to the c-section outweighed the risks. Then I'd probably ignore the 'friend' until a proper apology was proffered. One that leaves out the 'I was right but I'm glad things are ok now' bit. But then, that's me. I can be known to have a bit of a temper.