MTBM 10/05

[achi]

1. How far along are you? Team?

2. Rants, raves, feelings?

3. How are you feeling about giving birth during COVID? What are restrictions like in your hospitals/birth centres?

4. Do you have names picked? If so, care to share?

[achi]

1. How far along are you? Team?

18w. Sneak peek says team blue, but my gut is starting to go back to girl. The wait for my AS is killing me.

2. Rants, raves, feelings?

Last week was like a return to the first trimester. I was sick again and so, so tired. I caught up on sleep during the weekend while DS had a sleepover at MILs house which was glorious.

3. How are you feeling about giving birth during COVID? What are restrictions like in your hospitals/birth centres?

Honestly, I'm feeling totally ok about the birth part. Our hospital is only allowing 1 support person (who has to be masked), mothers aren't required to mask when in active labour. Visitors are not allowed at all in maternity. With DS my Dad and SM actually snuck into the maternity unit and the nurses had to kick them out. After I ended up having a c-section and was in recovery/having time for H/I to bond with DS my dad asked H what was taking so long when he went down to the car to get the baby bag. I felt so much pressure from our families for everyone to see the baby and it was a nightmare. I'm really looking forward to having a few days of time after the repeat c-section where visitors aren't allowed. I'm a little more concerned about being cooped up at home and not able to get out much postpartum, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

4. Do you have names picked? If so, care to share?

If sneak peek is right, we've narrowed it down to Calvin or Caleb. Middle name TBD. If my gut is right, baby will be Ivy or Margot. Middle name will be Marion if we go with Ivy, TBD if we go with Margot.

[corgimom]

1. How far along are you? Team?
24w, 2d - Team pink!

2. Rants, raves, feelings?
One of my neighbors dropped off some baby clothes this weekend and also gave me two super cute maternity dresses! I'm wearing one at work today and love it!
I've been feeling fine, I'm starting to get to the point where it's hard to get comfortable all the time. I have my follow-up scan tomorrow so hopefully baby moves into a good position and my placenta has moved some!

3. How are you feeling about giving birth during COVID? What are restrictions like in your hospitals/birth centres?
I'm feeling okay, actually, I think? We would have already had restrictions and precautions in place since I'm due in January because of cold & flu season plus I really loved my birth experience with DD so I know they really care about taking care of mom & baby. There are no visitors allowed which is fine, DD would not have been allowed in anyway because of flu restrictions -  She'll be with my parents which is her favorite thing ever. I'm allowed 1 support person and they have to stay with me, so DH can't leave the hospital for food or to run home this time. My midwife said if I want an early discharge they will allow it after 24hours whereas they usually won't release you early. I'm not sure about mask restrictions for me & DH during labor.
We may go home early, but either way we plan to have my parents keep DD for an extra night so we have the first night at home with just baby so we can figure that out again! Again, cold and flu and freezing weather would have kept me in a lot anyway. We'll keep reduce but keep a bubble of people so I can have some visitors and help!

4. Do you have names picked? If so, care to share?
We do! We didn't name DD until she was born but did share our short list and middle name with family and a few people. This time we have a name but again, we don't share with everyone, but I will with you guys! DD#2 will be Sarah Margaret.

achi , what makes you think baby is a girl? I was convinced this baby was a boy because of how different this pregnancy is, but, alas, another girl! When is your scan?
I'm sorry your back to feeling sick again, I hope you start feeling well again soon and that you also get some rest (and peace from family!) during your recovery this time around!

[achi]

corgimom - that's a beautiful name! And hooray for cute maternity clothes!

In regards to the sex, I just had a gut feeling. I was so so sure that DS was a boy from the moment the stick said yes (with the exception of about 1 week) and I had the same feeling. SP says boy, and I did it in my private office to avoid contamination from DS and H, but who knows. Overall I've been more sick this time than with DS, but had much better skin.

[corgimom]

achi, Thanks! The first name was a possible choice for DD1 and the middle name is actually my top girl name but DH is... not a fan. It's my grandmother's name, though, so he's fine with using it as a middle name since it means so much to me. Good man!

I'm super intrigued to see how your scan goes! I never really had gut feelings either way with my pregnancies, so I'm really interested to see if you're actually having a boy or if your gut is right again!!

[achi]

Oct 5, 2020 13:29:47 GMT -5 corgimom said:

achi, Thanks! The first name was a possible choice for DD1 and the middle name is actually my top girl name but DH is... not a fan. It's my grandmother's name, though, so he's fine with using it as a middle name since it means so much to me. Good man!

I'm super intrigued to see how your scan goes! I never really had gut feelings either way with my pregnancies, so I'm really interested to see if you're actually having a boy or if your gut is right again!!

Haha.. you and me both. Either way I am going to be surprised. It’s booked for the 20th and there’s lots going on the next two weeks so here’s hoping it goes fast!

Good on your H for getting on board at least for a middle name!

[lovesherheels]

1. How far along are you? Team?
23+2, boy


2. Rants, raves, feelings?
My best friend had her baby girl and I'm over the moon excited. Since I'm having a second boy and DH and I don't want more than two kids, her little girl is who I'm planning to borrow for all the girly things. 

I'm still feeling pretty down/off. I have an appt next week and I'm going to talk to them. I just feel so down and so anxious a lot of the time -- things I'm usually not and emotions I didn't have last time -- and I guess I want to see if it's normal or if they think I should talk to someone/if there's more I can do to feel better.


3. How are you feeling about giving birth during COVID? What are restrictions like in your hospitals/birth centres?
I'm not too upset about giving birth during COVID in general. Our hospital is one visitor limited, so it'll just be DH and me there with DS2. I know they'll have DH masked, but I'm not sure if I'll need to be masked too or not. I've been a bit sad about how different it'll be than with DS1 -- no hospital visitors, limited people coming to meet DS2, not getting out/going places with DS2 the same way we did with DS1, not bringing DS2 to my workplace to meet my work fam, etc. -- but in general I'm not too nervous about COVID being a thing.

My mom is coming in to stay with DS1 and our dog (who we consider our original child lol) while we're having DS2. DS1 and the pup will be over the moon to have so much time with Mimi, ha, and it's nice to know that we don't have to worry about scrambling for care for them since we're having a scheduled c-section.


4. Do you have names picked? If so, care to share?
We don't. With DS1 we knew we were either naming him for DH's or a same initialed variant (DS1 is now the 4th), so there wasn't a lot to discuss. Since we don't have that as a guide, though, narrowing down DS2s name feels near impossible. So many options! My "short" list is still like 20 names lol. 

achi and corgimom -- I love the names! 

[corgimom]

lovesherheels, I'm glad you're going to talk to your provider about your feelings and anxiety. Is it possible to get in to see them earlier or to give them a call/message on a portal? I hate that you're still feeling so down and I'm sure they'll be able to talk you through some options.
I have an anxiety disorder and my NP and midwife were actually responsible for finding me some solutions that work all the time and during pregnancy & breastfeeding. I hope they are able to help you start feeling better soon!

[tacoflavoredkisses]

1. 35+2, team blue

2. I thought I might be going into labor Saturday. I was suddenly in a lot of pain- my back just started killing at work, and then I started having contractions. They weren’t consistent, but I struggled to finish the day. I came home and rested and was fine but man. I never went into labor with DD so I don’t really know what that’s even like!

3. How are you feeling about giving birth during COVID? What are restrictions like in your hospitals/birth centres?

I’m not terribly worried. We’re actually seeing a drop in cases in our area, and our hospital currently is allowing DH to both be there and come/go. I was worried about that piece with DD- we don’t have family here so I was worried we’d have to rely heavily on our friends/sitter and I tend to struggle with letting people help me. I don’t want to be seen as taking advantage of anyone and I don’t want my mom here.

4. Baby boy will be Gabriel, but we don’t have a middle name solidified yet.

[achi]

lovesherheels - I'm happy to hear you'll be talking to your team about how you're feeling. A friend of mine has really terrible anxiety and depression anytime she's pregnant and her team was able to put things in place that made it more manageable for her. Good luck!

tacoflavoredkisses - hopefully it'll be the real thing in a few more weeks!

[corgimom]

Anyone had a level 2 ultrasound and care to tell me about it and what the actual difference is between it and a regular (level 1) ultrasound?

I had my follow-up anatomy ultrasound this week and baby still would not move to let them get all the pictures! She's super active and is moving around but wouldn't move into a position so they could get a full visual of her spine that the radiologist would be happy with. My midwife is out today and tomorrow but left a note that she'd like me to go to a local maternal fetal medicine doctor who does level 2 ultrasounds. The nurse didn't convey any concern (my neural tube screening came back fine) but is afraid if she sends me back to their lab for another level 1, I could have to keep going back again and again if baby is happy in this position for now and won't move. Apparently the level 2 ultrasound shows a lot more detail so their pretty confident they can get the images they need? I had a lot of ultrasounds with DD1 and this baby, so far, but it's just been a normal ultrasound, so I'm not sure how much different it really is! Excited to see DD2 again and possibly in even more detail, though!

In good news, they did get the missing images of her kidneys which look good! I also had the same tech as last time and she said my placenta had moved but in talking to the nurse today, a different radiologist did the resulting and didn't make note of my placenta either way, so I get to stay on pelvic rest until this new ultrasounds or my midwife says otherwise. Hoping that the tech was right, though!

[achi]

corgimom - no experience with a level 2 ultrasound but I'm glad the placenta moved! FX that they'll get the images they need and you don't have to keep going over and over again.

[tacoflavoredkisses]

corgimom all of my growth scans have been marked as level 2 and I honestly haven’t noticed a real difference, but that could be my OB office. The sonographer has been able to see all of the various parts she needs to- it almost has been just more focused on specific measurements and checking things like blood flow in the cord, etc.

[lovesherheels]

corgimom -- I had an L2 ultrasound with this pregnancy because of my AMA. I didn't notice a major difference except the level of detail they could see. And I had to go to my hospital's Maternal and Fetal Medicine group for it; my OB couldn't do an L2 in the office. Nothing was really different other than the location that I could tell, but I'm sure that they got more about bloodflow, specific measurements, etc.

[corgimom]

Thanks, all! I'm hoping that they are able to get the pictures they need at this ultrasound! The doctor that performs the L2 ultrasounds is at her own maternal fetal medicine practice and isn't a part of my midwife's group or hospital system but the nurse I spoke to said that she is the best and their equipment is top notch. She seemed pretty confident that they would get the missing image, so I wasn't really sure what the difference is between the scans I've been getting and this one, lol!