How are you? Me? I seemed to have swallowed a basketball.

In My Humble Opinion
1

How are all the expectant dopers doing these days?

We’re (mostly I’m) having a widdle baby boy. He’s expected to join us (via stork, of course…I’m a lady) for the New Year, right around January 2. We’re going to name him Noah Alexander. My doctor says he’s going to over 8 lb. Yippee.

This third trimester business sucks. Getting up from the couch is team effort. I’m thirsty all the time but my bladder’s the size of a billiard ball…on a good day. My doctor’s mad at me because I keep losing weight (I’m down a total of two lb. since I first saw him). Baby’s fine, though. It works out for me because all I have to buy are maternity tops. I can still fit into all my pants and skirts.

Speaking of maternity tops, who designs this crap? I don’t want bows, peter pan collars, ruffles or horizontal stripes, thankyouverymuch. Thank heavens for Gap Maternity. The only think about GM is they don’t have a brick and mortar store. I can only shop online. So far, though, everything I’ve purchased fits.

Hubby’s wonderful, though. He makes sure I’m plenty hydrated. He hates that I have no appetite and buys me stuff he knows I like to eat so I’ll at least eat something. He’s pretty much taken over the household chores and makes sure the kids leave me alone when I nap on the weekends. He gets the kids ready for school/daycare in the mornings so I can get some extra sleep. He’s a sweetheart. He’s taking time off with me to bond with his latest son. He’s a great dad.

All in all, I’m uncomfortable, suffering from heartburn, fat (well, not really) and trying desperately not to waddle. But I’ve got this glow, I’m told…

So how are all the other soon-to-be mommies doing?

2

I didn’t realize you were pregnant. Congratulations!

3

Well, this basketball shaped lump where a previously sexy flat tummy used to be is a dead give-away. But thanks for the congrats just the same. :slight_smile:

4

I’m due 12 days after you with a boy who is kicking me in the rib as I type this. Even though my uterus is getting cramped and he is apparently supposed to be spending more of his time sleeping now, he is still a very active fetus. Everyone I’ve talked to thinks this is prescient of a child that will run me ragged. Oh, and he’ll also be 2 weeks overdue and at least 9 pounds. Why do random people (and even my family members) feel the need to terrify me? Tell me how tiny I am. Or what having a baby will do to my cute young body. Or how long and agonizing their niece’s-best friend’s-daughter’s birth was. Before I got pregnant, babies and pregnant women did not interest me. So all this nosiness is bizarre and annoying. At least no one touches my belly, as I apparently have a great fuck-off face.

A big Word on the futility of trying to find decent maternity clothing. Luckily, I only have to wear maternity pants (the ones with the big piece of elastic, not those dreadful kangaroo ones, I refuse to buy those!) and I still fit in the Gap extra large t-shirts.

I still haven’t bought anything for the baby yet. I’ve watched way too many Maternity Ward episodes (and stupidly devoured When Something Goes Wrong in What To Expect When You’re Expecting) to have even a shred of optimism left. I don’t carry around a jar of wheat germ and sprinkle it on every meal; therefore my baby will die or become the next Hitler.

To end on a good note, I like how my body looks. My belly is nice and round and still stretch mark-free and my hair is really thick. My boobs are also becoming enormous, though my husband enjoys this side-effect more than I do (must buy nursing bras). I’m also going to work up the courage to go get the car seat in the next week or so (anyone have the Britax Roundabout?). And I’ve been eating like a wolverine and am finally gaining weight after 6 months of really bad morning sickness. So I’m great, thanks for asking. Congratulations and good luck, by the way.

5

Bump :slight_smile:

I’m in week 13 and I just wished this durn morning sickness / nausea would go away.

Also seem to be developing a very short fuse so even the slightest thing ticks me off. Not good when a big part of my job this month involved dealing with the public.

I just want to go to bed and sleep for the next 6 months until its over.

6

Congrats, JuanitaTech!

I love the name Noah, it’s what I plan on naming my first son. And my surname is Alexander. So I think the name you picked has a nice ring to it! :slight_smile:

Best of luck with your final month and the delivery.

7

Congrats! Allow me to counteract the ick that usually flies from the already-had-a-baby-so-let-me-pass-on-my-personal-issues-to-you set.

Lands’ End now has maternity clothes. YAY! Check them out, I doubt there are icky things in the options. (I begged them to do maternity the last two times I was pregnant… someone else must have been begging, too, because they just came out with the new line!)

Birth is a really really REALLY potent, cool, powerful, moving, amazing experience. With or without meds (though I personally prefer without meds and with hypnosis, having done both that route and epidural route). Yeah, a lot of effort involved, but the experience was, for me, both times, profound, moving, beautiful, personal, and precious. Not always easy, but overwhelmingly positive. May you have a wonderful, potent, moving labor and birth, and a happy, healthy baby. Your body is made for it, trust it, you can do it without being traumatized.

Pregnant bodies are amazing. How miraculous that you get to carry around a whole other being, provide for its needs in every way, and produce another whole person - without even asking! How cool that your body not only is able to do that, but IS doing that.

Babies are generally the right size for the mom, no matter how big or small the infant, or the mother. Exceptions occur, but chances are superior that your baby will be the right size for YOU. (even my huge ones were the right size, for me)

Active baby /(necessarily)= active child. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. And active child /(necessarily)= harried miserable mom. Active child or not, the more important side is the active mind, and there’s nothing so cool as watching your child suck up knowledge, or show you the wonders of a flower petal, or the joys of soft kitty fur, or the gleeful power of toppling a block tower.

Congrats. Wonderous thing, pregnancy. Amazing, powerful, profound thing, birth. And humbling, delightful, precious thing, child. You’ll love it.

8

Thanks mouthbreather and hedra.

There will be drugs involved with this labor and delivery. Copious amounts of drugs. JuanitaTech has no tolerance for pain.

leechbabe, the morning sickness/nausea will (hopefully) subside in your second trimester. It did for me all three times.

9

How ironic…my son Noah was born 1/1/99. It must be a New Year’s name thing.

10

Juanita…
Can I have my basketball back? Please?

Also, I think you’re guaranteed to have a song who will Noah lot.

11

Are you sure you want it back?

groan!

12

Cmon, that made you smile, didn’t it? A widdle bit? Aw, pregnant women are sooooo cute!

Nah, on second thought, keep the basketball. It’s all slimy now.

13

Besides, dan, while the doc may refer to Noah, post-delivery, as a “bouncing baby boy,” he won’t bounce very well, really. Though he’ll surely dribble a lot. :wink:

Congrats, Juanita! Hope everything goes smoothly the rest of the way.

14

Hey! Anyone else hear “Sweet Georgia Brown”? :wink:

15

I think they do it because they can. :rolleyes: I myself have no kids, but my baby brother was nearly two weeks late and well over over 10bs. Mom is a very small-boned 5’3" tall woman, and she was able to have him naturally (no drugs:eek: ) , so don’t let them scare you. He will come out!