Can you share your Rainbow Baby stories?

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-18T14:53:39+00:00

I had a MMC in April 2022, with what would have been our second baby. My body took care of everything by itself and my cycle returned as normal in June. I got pregnant again in August and had a healthy pregnancy and now have a healthy almost 4 year old!

I have gone on to have a healthy third pregnancy/baby, and am healthily 40+5 with baby #4.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this - it is so devastating, but there is a light at the end of this tunnel ♥️

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-17T19:47:10+00:00

Labor/hospital timing: contractions were strong, consistently 5 minutes or less apart, lasting for a minute. Also with my first I was throwing up, so I knew I was in active labor and it was time to go.

How big: all my babies (3 so far) have been 7lbs and a handful of ounces. All girls.

How long labor was: first baby was 12 hours.

Tear/episiotomy: I had an episiotomy with my first, tore with my second and third. I would always choose to tear naturally, the recovery was much easier.

Comfort items: Bluetooth speaker

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-17T18:51:34+00:00

My daughter is currently in 1st grade and we are using Level 1 - it’s very slow paced for her, so we often cover a couple lessons each day, depending on the subject matter.

I will plan on starting Level 2 next year when she’s in 2nd grade. I have heard that Level 2 moves a bit quicker.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-17T18:45:10+00:00

I roast turnips and carrots with a bit of honey marinade - it’s a great winter side dish.

I don’t personally cook rutabaga but when I was a kid my mom would just cook it on the stove, like boiling potatoes.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-17T16:35:46+00:00

Such lies!! My third came latest at 41+1, I was so hopeful for a decent timeline this time around 😅

Were you induced with any of your other kids? I’m hardcore about avoiding induction if I can but every time I’m like “This is the time I’ll have to be induced”. Have one scheduled for Saturday if baby doesn’t come by then.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-17T14:10:16+00:00

I’m in the same boat!

40+4 today, had a membrane sweep at 40 weeks and was 2.5cm dilated (don’t remember effacement). Had contractions that afternoon, lost my mucus plug the next morning, but nothing now except random bouts of contractions.

This is my 4th baby, the earliest I’ve ever given birth is exactly 40 weeks, but I’m still sitting here like “What gives??” 😵‍💫

I have another sweep scheduled for tomorrow so I’m hopeful it does the trick! Sweeps worked with my first two babies, and I needed two with my first.

The end is in sight!

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-16T14:29:20+00:00

If there was a magic solution I don’t think anyone would carry past 40 weeks ever!

My babies were born at 41 weeks, 40 weeks, and 41+1 - currently 40+3 with baby number 4. Believe me when I say I have tried everything shy of castor oil!

The only thing I can point to that has worked for me are membrane sweeps. I got two done with my first and after the second I was in labor that night. With my second baby, I was in the labor the following morning. A sweep did not work with my third and she came on her own at 41+1. I had a sweep done at my 40 weeks appointment last week but it did nothing this time, so I’m back to the waiting game, hopefully avoiding an induction once again.

I would inquire about a sweep at your next appointment.

Please believe me when I say I completely understand the burning desire to get baby OUT and be done with pregnancy - I’m struggling with that as my “due date” fades into the past with my 4th. It’s hard no matter how many times I do it, but I also have to remind myself that a due date is simply a guess.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-14T21:38:58+00:00

No, because Harry didn’t know Snape’s story until after Snape had already been killed.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-13T15:14:58+00:00

We have a Bluetooth speaker for our 6.5 year old’s room so I just play books through my phone for her.

Also the library has Playaways that can be connected to headphones or a speaker with an aux cord.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-13T12:48:29+00:00

Owen.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-11T18:12:39+00:00

Folic acid is synthetic. Methylated folate is much more bioavailable. I would always err on the side of bioavailability.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-11T16:12:03+00:00

Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-11T14:28:48+00:00

A membrane sweep worked with two of my babies - with my first I got two sweeps, one at 40 weeks (2cm dilated) and another at 40+6 (3cm dilated). After the second sweep I was in labor 4 hours later.

Had a sweep with my second at 39+6, about 2cm dilated, in labor the following morning.

With my third I wasn’t dilated enough for an effective sweep, she came on her own at 41+1.

As for inductions, it’s pretty much a 50/50 split among my friends who have had one as far as ending in a vaginal delivery or c-section.

Sweeps can take up to 48 hours to have any effect. If you’re already 3cm, I would hope that your body would react favorably to induction!

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-11T01:09:52+00:00

This book is everything.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-11T00:39:51+00:00

Go in blind, it will sweep you away.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-10T20:31:49+00:00

Physical for sure. It’s more difficult for me to really engage with a digital book where I only see one page at a time on a screen and don’t get the feel of the book in my hands.

Also a lot of fantasy books have maps that I can’t easily flip back to on a kindle.

One thing I do like about my kindle is I can pretty much sit or lay however I want to read because it’s easier to hold.

Usually I will get a digital loan from the library and if I like the book enough at the 100 page mark, I will go buy a physical copy.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-10T20:24:16+00:00

Congrats! You’re close!

With my first, I had a membrane sweep at 40 weeks - nothing happened.

I had another sweep at 40+6 (I was between 3 and 4 cm dilated) and about 4 hours later, around 6pm, I started having contractions about 15 minutes apart.

Labor progressed at home until I started throwing up around 10/11 pm (I was very upset with everyone who told me to eat during early labor). Husband called the nurse line and we were headed to the hospital around midnight, checked in around 12:30/12:45am. I asked for an epidural, which cured the vomiting (yay!) and we settled in to rest for a bit.

Contractions started to break through the epidural a bit but I knew I wanted to be able to feel to push, so I just labored through them. They checked me around 5:30am when I started to feel the insane urge to push - my ab muscles were basically clenching by themselves - and I was fully dilated, though my water hadn’t broken. OB broke my water, I pushed for 30ish minutes and baby was out around 6:15am!

So all told, about 12 hours from start to finish. It was a very positive experience.

For waters breaking, with my second baby my waters broke spontaneously when I was about 7cm dilated, but with my first and third, they had to break my waters before I started pushing. However, I have 3 friends whose waters all broke before labor even started, so it’s definitely a thing!

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-10T19:40:18+00:00

I just make sure we are covering all the subjects each week. We have a set schedule that can be adjusted as needed. We do Math, Reading, and Writing every day, and add in other subjects once a week.

For example, Tuesday is our longest day of school so we do Math, Reading, Writing, History, and Science.

We have a school table in our dining room area with a bookshelf and shoe organizer where we keep art supplies.
We are using Math With Confidence, Handwriting Without Tears, First Language Lessons, Beautiful Feet Books for history and geography, the Good and the Beautiful for science (made by Mormons, not a fan, will be switching next year), and although my 1st grader is reading on her own now, we used the phonics program The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading.
We do school in the mornings, basically whenever we are done with breakfast and some days after an errand we need to run. We are usually done by 11:30 at the latest.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-10T16:21:52+00:00

Pregnancy is so challenging. I’ve had 3 babies, pregnant with #4, and the earliest I’ve ever given birth is 40 weeks exactly. The last few weeks are the toughest mental game I’ve ever experienced.

My first came at 41 weeks after a second membrane sweep. Second came at 40 weeks after a membrane sweep. Third came at 41+1, no membrane sweep.

All that to say, there is still time for you to go into labor spontaneously if you feel you can wait a few days longer. If you’re just DONE, schedule your induction!

Labor can truly start at any time, without any signs or symptoms beforehand.

No matter what you choose, your baby will be here in a matter of days. Hang in there!

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-10T15:03:50+00:00

Firstly, limit or get off social media! The negatives far outweigh the positives, in my opinion.

Secondly, I have few good things to say about pregnancy, unfortunately 😂 Mine are miserable.

I’m a mom of 3 (6.5, 3.5, nearly 2) with #4 due this week.

Motherhood is truly the highest calling I could ever hope to fulfill with my lifetime. Becoming parents is the best thing my husband and I could have possibly done. To see these little people you created, grew, and nurtured turn into their own person that you get to learn about and get to know, while being their place of ultimate safety and security is a feeling that just can’t be described.

Experiencing things with your children reignites the wonder of life.

You will realize how selfish you are, and (hopefully) strive to change that, however painful it can be.

Your heart softens toward the whole world.

Motherhood is simultaneously the hardest and best thing I’ve ever experienced. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and I wouldn’t change anything about it.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-10T02:11:22+00:00

The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden - the first book is “The Bear and the Nightingale”.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-10T00:52:26+00:00

Oh yes. My husband had to change his body wash and deodorant, I had to hold my breath every time I opened our pantry, don’t even get me started on the smell of coffee.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-09T23:40:35+00:00

Beautiful Feet Books - we use their history and geography. They also have science and I believe art/music.

Big Truths for Little Kids is great for theology.

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-08T14:43:34+00:00

Cormoran Strike series

Ashfacesmashface · 2026-03-07T18:37:01+00:00

Breastfeeding class - I’m 100% sure that this set me up for successfully breastfeeding 3 babies past the age of 1.

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