Dana-I don't think you should watch the documentary right now, because like I mentioned it is pretty anti-hospital births so could be scary for someone about to go into labor, and that is the last thing I want for you.

Kristy-I had stadol while I was waiting for the epidural and it made me feel like I was in la-la land so I don't think I will get it next time. I don't think it really took much pain away either.

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Bina-I liked the stadol. . .I don't think it took much pain away either, but it took the edge off enough to where I could breath through the contractions. It may have made me loopy too, but I blamed the mag for that. . .I'm going to try to go natural this time--we'll see! I'm going to try to go in with an open mind. Not ruling out anything, but not really dead set on anything either. Did you like the epi? I'm open to one, but kind of scared of it at the same time. . .kwim? I'm afraid I'll be one of the freaks that it will only half work, or give me the killer headache. I know this stuff rarely happens, but that would be my luck.

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Heidi - You look great!!! Sorry, I keep forgetting, but I will try to post them tonight.
This AM I tried on 3 pairs of pants before I gave up & went to jeans with a bella band. I think its finally happened....either that, or its the Arby's I ate yesterday.
When do you find out the sex?

Amber - Thats so cool. I can't wait to feel the baby move! We have a ton to do to the room, including moving a bunch of stuff out & finding a new home for the dogs kennels.....we have plenty of time, right?

Dana - I think I have about 15 outfits so far...I hit a great warehouse sale at a Carters & got some great deals. I sure hope it is a boy like they think it is! 22 days until we find out!

I am really afraid of how the baby is going to come out....I am actually trying not to think about it yet. No documentaries for me!!

I have been in training all week, so I feel a little off-track. Tonight I need to clean the house - its a wreck.

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Kristy- I had an epi and I could have kissed the man that gave it to me. It was complete and total pain relief for me. I felt enough pressure to push Charlie out in 20 minutes so it did not remove me from the birthing experience. I will get one again hopefully for the next one when that time comes.

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Hahaha! That was me too! When the anestheiologist came into my room, I said "Thank God! I Love you!". I didn't have any problems with mine. I got it in the afternoon and still progressed in a timely maner. I was able to rest & even took a nap. When I woke up, I felt like I had to go potty, but it was the pressure from Maddie being right there! From the time everyone got into the room to prep, me pushing & when she came out & pee'd on the dr., it was 40 min.

I think it's a hard experience to describe - you don't feel the pain, but you feel the pressure, so it's not like you're totally numb & don't feel anything at all then all of a sudden, POOF! this baby appears out of your who-ha. You're still pushing, still sensing things and you still are actively part of the whole experience.
I'm not saying it's right for everyone - just don't be disappointed if you decide to 'give in' to the pain meds!

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One of my girlfriends had her 1st on Thursday (his due date, btw). She is tiny - 5'2'' & maybe 110lbs normally. Her birth plan did not include any drugs at all. She made it thru 15+ hours of labor with no pain meds & had a 7lb 11 ounce baby. She said the birth was "amazing". I don't know how she did it. Ouch!!

This was in the email from her husband, right after the part about 15+ hours:
"I was about at the end of my rope just watching the ordeal."

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Jen-Thanks. I can't wait to see yours and see what my preggo twin looks like. HA HA. Where did you end up getting your bella band and how much was it? I haven't looked into one and could probably use it. I had the same issue this morning.....my jeans fit but once I eat I want to explode out of them and then the rubberband thing makes me feel like they are going to fall down!

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ksh - I've had my membranes stripped at least 2-3 times already! It obviously does no good unless your body is ready to give it up! It only made me lose my mucus plug or part of it. I had tordol with my m/c it sounds like the stadol. It made me calm down but the pain was still really bad even morphine didn't help that pain!

Jen - 15 outfits!!! I bet they are so super cute!! My MIL went to a Carters outlet mall and got a couple yellow/green outfits and they are so adorable!!

pandcsanders - I still want to call you Pam but for the life of me I can't think of your real name! Anyway, my friend ended up with really bad nausea as a epi side effect but it took away her pain so she still wanted to kiss the dr who did it!!

All this labor talk...I really don't feel the greatest today and I'm having pressure and some mild pain today. Nothing unbearable but I wonder if anything is starting?? I really want to wait til my dr is back. But yet I want my body back too! We shall see.

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Dana

Jen-I forgot to add about finding out the sex.....I don't have an u/s appt. yet. I go back the 20th for my monthly appt. and they will schedule me then. I assume within about 1-2 weeks of that appt. So likely not til the end of June/beginning of July. We are dying to find out so we can seriously look at names.

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I'm glad to hear the positive epi stories. I'm not so much scared of being removed from the birthing process as I am wanting/needing that relief, expecting it to work (like a small miracle) and then it backfiring. Does that make any sense at all? I will definately keep an open mind to all options.

I just got the baby 2 new outfits today. I think shopping never gets old. I found it very difficult to find gender neutral clothing, I'm glad you girls are having better luck! To bring the baby home I had a girl and a boy outfit and didn't take the tags off until after she was born. My mom washed it for me and brought it to the hospital.

My ankles are swollen today . I freak out about stuff like this because swelling was my first sign of a problem with my last pregnancy. I've got my feet up and I'm going to go to the store later and get salad for dinner so it will be low sodium and nutritious. I think I'll start the low sodium thing now.

Sorry to ramble so much today.

Dana-hang in there. Hopefully the baby will cooperate with your wishes! I can't wait to see what you're having!! I am so curious!!! Did Steph have a prediction for you?

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*Steph had one yesterday when she read one of Dana's posts, but she didn't tell*

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Not fair Steph--I'm going crazy with curiosity!!!!

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We should have started a predictions thread for me a long time ago so we could chart my success ratios. So far, I don't remember completely, but I think I've only been wrong once around here (with Sheila -- I thought Karsyn was going to be a girl). Had my boss's daughter picked out correctly (she found out last week). I don't always get them, and so no one thinks I'm a weirdo, it's not like I put my fingers to the moniter and hum and picture streams or anything until the answer comes to me, just sometimes, either with a post or a picture, 'boy' or 'girl' will simply pop into my head, could be early, or really late, and it doesn't matter if that's the topic or not.

Not telling, nyah nyah... But I will tell you if I was right or not in a few days when we all know. ROFLMAO!

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Dana, I am sure all hospitals are different but at mine we bring most patients in over night for cervical ripening if they are less than 2-3 cm dilated. We use cervidil or cytotec. Cervidil is like a small tampon and cytotec is a pill. They both go in your vagina and help soften the cervix and prepare it for induction with pitocin the next morning. Most women have a little cramping but are able to sleep without any problems. We do offer them ambien to sleep and most take it. A few will go into labor with the cervidil or cytotec and never need the pitocin but that doesn't happen often and isn't what the medication is for. At 5 am we start the IV and start pitocin. You can start pitocin at 2 mu and increase by 2 mu every 15 minutes until you reach a maximum dose of 40 mu. Some people contract at 2 mu and some people never labor even at 40 mu so it all depends on the person. Our doctors come in around 7-8 and rupture the membranes using a small amnio hook. It looks like a plastic crochet hook but isn't anymore uncomfortable than a regular vaginal exam. Breaking the water helps bring the baby down and applies more pressure to the cervix so it will dilate faster. Most of our patients deliver between 3-5 pm. If your doctor does not do cervical ripening then you will come in, have your IV started, start pitocin, and then have your membranes ruptured. You are more likely to deliver vaginally if you have already made cervical change and I think I read earlier that you are already dialted and effaced so that is a great start. Remember to ask as many questions as you need and your nurse will explain everything!

Let me know if any of you have anymore questions!

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Steph-I wanna know when you get your prediction about me!

Kristy(Ksh)-I loved the epi too! I didn't even feel the needle go in to be honest and I felt the relief right away even though they said it could take up to 20mins. I think because i had mine so late I was completely numb and couldn't feel pressure or anything so pushing was all just mental, where I would focus and hope I was doing it right, lol.

Jen-I must have missed it, when did they think it was a boy? at an u/s?

ok, someone is crying..better go!

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Whoa, you girls have been super chatty all of a sudden! I had to spend my entire night last night getting our slideshow ready for tomorrow's awards assembly at school. I spent the entire day today sitting at my computer and burning 80 CD's for the students to take home tomorrow. It's a surprise and they don't know what I was doing! It should be a fun assembly tomorrow.

I, too, am freaked out by the thought of labor. I officially started the third trimester on Monday. Crazy how it's flown by!! I'll go take a picture of our finished guest bath and post it. We still have to put the doors back on, but aside from that, it's completely finished.

Okay, I'm posting a link. There are beginning to end pictures for comparison sake.