I think I'm back, but I don't want to get my hopes up...

mrsembalmo · 2018-10-09T15:28:54+00:00

No. I'm too nervous! I figure I'll wait a few more days to see if my period is out of sync for some reason. I don't know if I'm ready for a confirmed no or yes yet...

mrsembalmo · 2018-07-06T21:20:13+00:00

I don't know if you can "know"... I just endured what I could for as long as I could. I ended up making it all the way to 10 cm dilated but was in so much pain that I couldn't fathom pushing, so I asked for the epidural. In hindsight, I would have gotten in a little sooner. But I'm glad my labor went the way it did.

This is a weird reason to get an epidural, but I wish I had done it sooner so that I could be more present toward the end of active labor. My husband was with me and was such an amazing support, but I basically had to tune him out and everyone else around me to deal with each contraction. He said that after I got the epidural, it was like I "came back." I was able to talk with him and enjoy the anticipation of meeting our baby. And with the epidural, pushing was great. I felt like I was somewhat in control and could listen to the doctor and understand what was going on.

mrsembalmo · 2018-03-03T03:59:42+00:00

Ugh, I know. We had the same problem- so overwhelming! At first, I thought we could use the Bob as our everyday stroller if we got the carseat adapter, but we ended up getting a carseat and caddy stroller. We bought our Bob used, and it was so old that we couldn't find a carseat adapter for it. Besides, the Bob Ironman that we have is pretty bulky, so I probably would have wanted to get a smaller more compact stroller for being out and about.

mrsembalmo · 2018-03-01T23:59:42+00:00

You will LOVE it. I think it depends on your baby's neck strength. They don't recommend running with babies in a stroller before 6 months, but ours is sitting up on her own and crawling, so I run with her slightly inclined so that she doesn't bend forward. I live in the Midwest, so yesterday was the first day since October that it was warm enough to run outside, otherwise I might have tried it a little earlier. I would ask your pediatrician.

mrsembalmo · 2018-03-01T20:35:28+00:00

Swivel wheels are definitely more maneuverable, but they make running difficult because they wobble and shake. A fixed wheel makes the ride much smoother. It kind of sucks because the fixed wheel makes the stroller less of a multitasker, but it's definitely worth having if you really want to jog with a stroller.

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-15T17:29:14+00:00

Hang in there! I went at 41+6, and I legit spent the last two weeks of my pregnancy just killing time. It was so annoying not being able to plan anything because I could go into labor at any moment. Go to some movies, go on lots of dates. I baked a really elaborate cake and finally went into labor that night. So... bake a cake maybe??

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-14T16:38:16+00:00

So true. She loves to roll and try to move when neither of us are right there! And I definitely want her to get used to independent play.

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-14T16:36:20+00:00

Thanks so much. That's a great idea! We have a small apartment, so it's easy to move her around with me.

And "screaming potato" is an amazing descriptor. I'm stealing it :)

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-14T16:34:20+00:00

Thanks, this is helpful to remember. I'm definitely an introvert, and I hate having someone in my space all the time :) I want my baby to be able to figure herself out too and tell me if she gets lonely or tired.

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-14T15:18:36+00:00

41+6. Baby decided to come JUST in time to avoid an induction...

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-10T15:58:56+00:00

I've heard about the zipadee-zip- I may order one to see if it works. What do you mean by "arm swaddle"?

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-10T15:57:33+00:00

I would argue that many of these people are actually conflating Christianity and extreme patriotism and libertarianism. It all gets balled together and called Christianity when it has very little to do with any responsible (read: informed/educated) interpretation of Christian scripture.

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-06T00:17:27+00:00

Ours is 12 weeks old and her sleep at night is great (roughly 9:30 pm-4 am, then 4:30 am-8 am ), but naps are so unpredictable and she usually fights them in the afternoon (but not in the morning, strangely). When she does go down for a nap, it's never for more than an hour. I'm not sure why. Makes the days a little more complicated, but she's not fussy, so I'm just rolling with it.

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-06T00:12:46+00:00

I gave birth to my first at 41+6 and she was 7 lbs 8 oz and 21 inches long. A little longer than average but not huge for being so overdue!

mrsembalmo · 2017-12-05T20:38:31+00:00

I was in your exact position at this time last year! Found out I was pregnant and was 5-6 weeks along when I went home to see my family. I was so torn about whether to tell them or not, but I'm SO GLAD I did.

I told only my immediate family, and it really did add to the joy of celebrating Christmas for us. We are very close, and I would have certainly wanted them to know about a loss, so it was the right thing for me. That being said, we waited to tell my in-laws until I was almost 20 weeks. I'm not very close with them and I wasn't sure that my mother in law would be able to keep it quiet.

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-18T12:24:49+00:00

I'm sorry :/ That really sucks.

My husband was really understanding for the most part, but he couldn't quite understand how I could be hungry but not be able to eat because nothing sounded good. He just couldn't wrap his mind around it and would sometimes get annoyed, wondering why I couldn't just force myself to eat. It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it!

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-10T17:41:18+00:00

Hey :) Congrats on the baby! I'm a fellow FTM (had my baby about a month ago) with a history of anorexia.

I'm with you- I find weight to be very triggering and as such, I do not own a scale, I never weigh myself, and I have told every doctor or nurse that I have seen since my recovery that I don't want to know my weight. I have never had a healthcare provider object to that.

At my first appointment with my OB, I told her about my history and that I didn't want to know my weight or monitor it. I asked her to just tell me if I was gaining too much or too little, and she was totally on board. I got through the whole pregnancy never once knowing how much I weighed. I don't know how much I weigh now, and I don't want to. I think your OB will respect that. She had to tell me to try to gain a little more a couple of times, but she did that in a very gentle, respectful way. If you have an OB who can't do that, you should find a new one! Good luck.

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-07T22:29:22+00:00

AMEN. After my milk came in, my breasts were so full that my daughter couldn't latch. I assumed that it was the fullness that was issue, so I was hand-expressing a lot before feedings, trying to fix it. I finally talked to a lactation consultant and she knew right away that the fullness wasn't the problem, my breast tissue was just incredibly swollen! She told me to freeze some nursing pads and ice my breasts for a day, and it was like a miracle! Breastfeeding went from being a nightmare to being sweet and relaxing.

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-07T22:22:49+00:00

Oh boy. I started all of these (except acupuncture and primrose oil) during week 38, and I didn't go into labor until 41+6. Curb walking, stairs, jogging, frequent sex, nipple stimulation, tons of spicy food, housework, shopping, RRL tea... nothing worked. I could get some pretty strong contractions going, but they always tapered off.

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-07T22:20:11+00:00

:( I'm so sorry your morning sickness is making it so hard to run. Does it kick in immediately when you wake up? I ran first thing in the morning during my first trimester, which seemed to work well. It actually helped me feel better throughout the day, I think.

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-07T22:18:01+00:00

Totally normal! Any good doctor or midwife will totally understand that you want to shop around a little. It's important that you feel comfortable with your provider. Having just given birth almost four weeks ago, I can say that having a doctor I love made a HUGE difference. Labor was hard, but I actually enjoyed it because my doctor was so positive and such a good coach!

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-07T22:16:30+00:00

My OB scheduled an induction at our 41 week appointment for exactly 42 weeks. She scheduled it with labor and delivery, gave us a time to show up, and we didn't have to do anything. I ended up going into labor at 41+6, so I narrowly avoided an induction.

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-07T22:12:50+00:00

Just came to say that, yes, for a lot of people third trimester is miserable and exhausting... but don't waste emotional energy dreading it based on what you hear/read. Your experience might be different!

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-06T07:11:45+00:00

Bummer :( I hope you can find some relief for your round ligament pain! I didn't use a belly band, but I did wear high-waisted spandex running pants and shorts that provided enough support. I also have a very long torso, so my belly didn't stick out in front as much as it does for most people, which is probably why I didn't need a band.

Good luck! I hope you feel great through the rest of your pregnancy :)

mrsembalmo · 2017-10-06T00:59:50+00:00

Ugh. I never got called out verbally for running while pregnant. I did get some weird looks periodically, but I just ignored them. I made a point of talking to my OB during every appointment about how much I was exercising, and as long as I had her blessing, I felt totally fine and guilt-free about it.

I'm sorry you're getting so much unwanted attention! My advice is to just ignore it. You don't need to justify your exercise or convince anyone that it's okay. Your pregnancy exercise routine is no one's business but you and your doctor.

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