Archive through February 14, 2002
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TV ClubHouse: archives: Archive December 2001 - July 2002: Archive through February 14, 2002

Misslibra

Tuesday, January 22, 2002 - 06:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Enbwife and Danzdol as someone said above savor the moment of every little kick and nudge, and congrats to you both. Now we all know what some people was doing during BB don't we...

Dahli

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 - 12:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Did anybody see the 20/20 program with Mac Bledsoe? He has a very similar idea about how kids need to be shown and encouraged to make good decisions rather than just being TOLD what to do... something like being too hard on your dog, all you get is a sneaky dog LOL!!http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/DailyNews/2020_obedientkids_020201.html

Urgrace

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 - 04:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
WooHoo! Just found out that my new grandbaby will not wait for March 4th to arrive. Daughter-in-law came home with news that she has dropped and is already 3cm! I am sooooo excited!

Moondance

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 - 04:14 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Whoohoo Congrats Gracie! You Daughter in Law is a sweetheart... send her my love!!!

You may get a VERY special birthday present on your birthday!!!

Resortgirl

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 - 04:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh ugrace! Congratulations!
That IS exciting news!

Danzdol

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 - 04:51 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks to everyone that has stopped by with al of the great news. I love the new clip art too. I am now 6 months along and have gained 12 pounds!!!!!!!It's all worth it though.

He is kicking too, that is the best feeling!

I had a Level 2 ultrasound 2 weeks ago and he was stretching like a cat several times it was sooo cute to see this little person inside of me.....

Once again, thanks to all that have kept giving us advice....

Congrats ENBWIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kearie

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 - 05:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sheesh----I quit coming to TVCH on a regular basis and look what happens...Neil gets his wife knocked up. That sounds just like something he would do!!!!! :)

Men!

Lisa, make sure when you go into labor and deliver the wee one...let him know how it feels. Pucnh, bite,scratch, kick. Finally when it's all over...love and adore your new addition.

Congratulations !!! And enjoy this special time.

Dahli

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 - 05:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Awwwwww Gracie... I'm drooling over here, you have lots to celebrate this week doncha!?

Ryn

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 07:30 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Congrats to both of you :)

"Advice" - hmm, as a guy don't know if I can offer too much but here are a couple of thoughts.....

The book(s) "What to expect when you're expecting" - this link is to a gift set for that and the follow up "..the first year"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0761117881/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/103-1142815-9794240

My wife and I found these booke invaluable, as well as the 3rd "The toddler years" - check them out, they make great gifts too!

Epidural (sp) - one word of caution, don't wait to long to decide! My wife had 2 of 3 children with epidural, the 1st went 'ok' but 12+ hours of labor made it a difficult delivery anyways, baby #2 came too fast and the epidural really only kicked in after the baby was delivered. #3? The doctor was about to administer the epidural and got called to another room for an emergency and didn't make it back until our 3rd son had arrived ;)

Breastfeeding, your call, my wife did with all 3, she contends that most women that try and fail don't try hard enough, that you need to move the baby's positions and make it through the 1st week. Supplimenting is a no no as its much easier for the baby to get milk out of a bottle so he/she won't be interested in the more difficult option. Especially in the 1st couple of days when mom's milk has not come in yet.

All babies lose weight the 1st day or too, don't worry, usually .5 or 1 lb. My sister-in-law just had a 10+ lb baby and my brother was concerned when he lost weight. Its normal.

In general, Enjoy it!!!! As I said to my parents after the birth of my 1st, I never realized how much my folks loved me until I held my 1st son in my arms, truely amazing!!

Twiggyish

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 07:51 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I loved the, "What to Expect the First Year". I consulted that book regularly to see what my child should be doing each month. There were great tips and ideas in there, too.

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 08:19 am EditMoveDeleteIP
But don't get too fixed on what the books say. Every kid develops at his/her own rate. Even though the books will tell you that, you may still get a bit stressed if your kid doesn't do a certain thing by a certain age. I loved those books, but I gave them up after a while and only referred to them on occasion, because I was getting too stressed when my son wasn't hitting certain marks by certain ages.

Twiggyish

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 08:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh sure and they tell you that, too. But, it does help to reassure you, as well.
I also read Dr. Spock's book on child care. I know there is some controversy about his books, because he advocates a POSITIVE approach to parenting. The book I read was written in the 70's. He offers a gentle and nurturing method of parenting.

Here's a link to his website:
http://www.drspock.com/

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 08:52 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Here are a few items that I highly recommend:

Eurobath. (it is really big. most baby baths are too shallow. This one you can soak the baby up to his neck if you want. It really helps to soak out a lotta gunk that little babies get. They have a lot of folds on their chubby little bodies. And a lot of lint, etc. gets in.)

Snap & Go (It's basically a set of wheels that you snap your carrier carseat into. Much easier to handle than pulling out the big stroller for little errands. It even has a basket underneath.)

Nancy

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 09:02 am EditMoveDeleteIP
My niece had a baby while she was a junior in college(as a phsychology major) and after the baby was born --and while she was studying child physchology she'd say Oh this is what her baby was doing and why LOL... :)

Enbwife

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 10:30 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Excellent advice! Ryn – for a “guy” you sure have some great things to say. I love the What to Expect When You’re Expecting book and will certainly pick up the other books later. I agree though not to get too wrapped up in the books as every child/woman is different. I’m definitely for the epidural and breast-feeding. I heard to give yourself at least 2 weeks as that’s the most difficult time.

Danzdol – how exciting that you’re already 6 months along and the baby is kicking up a storm. I can’t wait for that to start! I’m in my 15th week already and time is flying by. The weight thing is always a concern for me but I’m trying not to get absorbed in it. Just eat when I’m hungry and try to eat healthy food and exercise regularly. 12 pounds does not sound like much considering how far along you are!

Urgrace – any news on the new grandbaby??? Congrats to you too!

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 10:45 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I agree with RYN, don't wait on the epidural. Get it early and get plenty of "refills"!

As far as breastfeeding, I loved it and my son had no problems from the start. (And I even had them give him a bottle at nights for the first 4 nights that we were in the hospital.) I only wish he didn't start biting me at age 8 months. That was his way of telling me he was done eating. Chomp! That is painful. Otherwise I would have done it til at least age 1 year. It is so convenient and cheap!

TIP for the pregnant ones: Keep a large supply of TUMS on hand. Heartburn is pretty much inevitable towards the last few weeks.

Enbwife

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 10:49 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I get heartburn now! and indigestion (yuck)! Thank God for TUMS!!! Refills on epidurals??? I had no idea. Yipeeeee!!!

Urgrace

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 12:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sorry to hear you've decided to get an epidural, especially if this is your first baby. *Don't women want a natural healthy drug-free birth any more?* I have four beautiful children, three natural, the first with an epidural - because my doctor insisted! Everything was wonderful during the labor and birth, but the back pain was excruciating once the epidural began to wear off [and recurs occassionally]. Of all the persons I have asked, not one of them had a second epidural once they had been through the first one, and don't recommend having it. You ladies are the first ones I've encountered with different opinions. Just thought I'd remark on that. No need to reply.

We've reached another stage! She's lost her plug. Countdown will soon be here!

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 01:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
An epidural does no harm to the mom or the baby. And noooo way would I do it again without an epidural. Why go thru the pain when you don't need to? You wouldn't get a tooth pulled without novacaine, would you?

I honestly don't know anyone who has had an epidural that opted not to have one the second time around.

UR-why do you not recommend one?

Jewels

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 02:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I am all for an epidural and would do it again in a heartbeat. I would have never made it without it, nor would I have been able to enjoy the 16 hours I had to spend in labor! I went into it with the mindset that I would last as long as I could with out having one...I lasted about an hour.

I breastfeed for a year and it was the best experience. Don't give up, do it for at least a month, it WILL get better. I felt like I was being slashed with razors in the beginning and would sit in a dark room and just cry while my son was feeding. I would ask people how long the pain would last and got the "couple weeks" response, I couldn't imagine going another day, yet alone a "couple weeks"! It was horrendous at first, but it does get better, a little each day. Knowing it was the best thing I could do for my son, it was worth it. My best friend has two kids under 18 months...she gave up breastfeeding with both them after about a week, she is constantly complaining about how gassy her boys are/were, how the gas wakes them up in middle of the night, etc. I never had that problem with mine at all, makes you think that the reports saying formula clogs the intestines may just be true!

Okay, I'm done...for now....

Dahli

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 03:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I breastfed for a year as well, and it absolutely is the best experience and the best start for the baby.
Breast milk is 'brain food' in the truest sense and the fact that optimum brain development would require another six months at least in utero.... ouch! breast milk provides the nutrients that an extended 'pregnancy' would. We were able to travel to the caribbean with my six week old, pick up and go anywhere anytime and demand feed only because I had built in always perfect temperature product and sterilized containers LOLL! I am toooo lazy to boil everything try and keep it clean and then still have to deal with gastroenteritis cuz I missed some microbe during my exhausted stupor!!

Avoid using soap on your breasts during the last months of pregnancy and let as much air and sun get at em as possibleafter the birth to avoid some of the razor blade feeling.

My kid never had a bottle and had no 'smelly' diapers, allergies,nor weight problems and she weaned herself to a cup starting about nine months - we completely finished about 12 months and it was so easy - cuz I let her call the shots...

Can't recommend it enough - and congrats Ryn for knowing and saying what you did!!

okay that's it for me too ... for now..

Misslibra

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 - 09:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Enbwife there will never be another time in your life where you can eat anything you want. Take full advantage of it for goodness sake!

I don't know if your planning on breast feeding or not but that will help you take the weight off after the birth... at least this is what I hear. :)

Twiggyish

Thursday, February 14, 2002 - 05:49 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I bet each of us Mom's could write a novel. Have you Mom's-to-be chosen any names, yet?

Whowhere

Thursday, February 14, 2002 - 07:51 am EditMoveDeleteIP
This is a great email I received. Enjoy :)

For All the Moms (and future Moms) I Know ...

We are sitting at lunch when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations...."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a souffle or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.

I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of her discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years -- not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reach across the table, squeeze my daughter's hand and offer a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.

This blessed gift from God . . . that of being a Mother.

Julieboo

Thursday, February 14, 2002 - 07:59 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Whowhere
That was magnificent!