Thread: *~*~ Jules' (kiwi_babe) Birth Lodge~*~*

I've just caught up on your lodge ~ gotta love Sundays! How exciting that your expecting twins!! They are so much fun, my boys will be 11 this year It was fun reading more about you & I love how you guys ended up living in NZ. I'm sorry that you weren't able to find a midwife who would allow you to birth at home, but I think it's great that their not making you deliver in the OR (something they would insist on here in the states) and that your midwife will be there! Very neat!! I also think it's great that your OB has dropped the whole epidural thing.

I laughed when I read the quote that your using as your motto ~ "clean enough to be healthy, dirty enough to be happy" I so want to steal this and hang it on my wall! It's great! I always say the dirtier my kids & home are the happier they seem, so I try and find that balance between clean for me and dirty for them. Ha.

Love the belly pictures! You look wonderful

I love the belly pics! You look amazing!

Thanks for your messages

I know one major difference between my last pregnancy and this one. The snapshot of me at 37 weeks with DD2 reminded me.....that photo was taken at the end of a zoo visit, so I had walked a fair distance and length of time, occasionally carrying DD1 and was still standing! This time, man, my energy level is non-existent. I took the girls to the playground yesterday (literally down our road!!!) and was exhausted - seriously, I had to lie down afterwards to recover....

So today I am 38 weeks exactly!!! This is a MAJOR milestone for me. When I first found out I was having twins I was told that the average gestation for twin pregnancies is 36-37 weeks and that I *wouldn't* be allowed to go past 38 weeks, and that I would be induced if they hadn't arrived by now! Since I don't have another OBS appt for another week, that's not going to happen and just need to keep plodding away here.

But I am also ready if they decide to make an appearance, any time now would be great - it's not as if I have got anything else planned! The only day I am going to cross my legs is next Monday (this is MIL's 60th birthday) and I don't want them to have to "share" with another person (they're more than likely going to have to share with each other already). I also don't want them to become someone else's "present" IYKWIM? Or is this being mean?

It's not being mean at all - I would feel the same way We are Irish and I was in labor all St. Paddy's day with our 4th and was soo upset at the idea of delivering on that day - I delivered at 12:13am March 18th So I get ya!

It really can be exhausting on the body - your doing amazing! I was told the same thing while pg with my boys. We made it to 38 weeks too - I think it's wonderful how much you have advocated for yourself and for this pregnancy & thus your babies! It's something to be admired esp. in our current birth culture.

Wow! I can't wait to hear how your story progresses. Glad your second birth was so much better than the first. Can't wait to hear how it goes with #3 and 4. I can't imagine having 4 kids under 4, you must be an amazing woman! I am due April 6th with my 5th and final child and my oldest will be 11 this summer while my youngest is almost 4. Hope everything goes well for you. Great job on being such an advocate for your children! You are giving them the best start you can!

Yay for making it to 38 weeks, with the freedom to go to 39 weeks if you make it that long. It must be a relief that you won't have to evict them before they're ready.
It's going to be fun following you these next couple weeks. Twins are so exciting.

I agree - that's awesome that you're not facing any pressure to birth those babes! My DH used to work with a lady that went to 41 weeks with twins!! 41!!! I start to get grumpy with ONE babe in there at that point, I can't imagine two!! Her twins were 8.5lbs each, so they were a good size, too! I cannot imagine having 17lbs of baby in me... oi.

I think it'd probably be more common if docs gave them a chance. Congrats on being an advocate for your kiddos, like a PP said. I hope they grow all big and healthy in there!

Woot for 38 weeks, you're awesome, and holy poop are you ever an adorable preggo, you carry beautifully. I'm so excited for you that you fought "the man" and won

Another day down

It feels like each day is a major step and it is definitely TOUGH at the moment. Thanks for all your messages of support, I really don't feel that I am doing anything major for my children, I just keep plodding along. There is a little part of me that knows that if I really, really wanted to, I could just ring up the maternity unit, say the word, and would be admitted today for an induction....but I am not *there* yet and thinking that I won't got to that point (BTW - really hoping that I don't get to 41 weeks, that might be my cut-off point!!!!!!!!).

Each day inside is good for them? My guess is when they come out one will weigh 7lbs, the other 6.5lbs! Don't want to hear about bigger babies....my largest so far (DD1) was 7lbs 8ozs!! Two of those = 15lbs!!! MAN!!

And for my stupid thing of the day yesterday? Well, after realising that I couldn't find my pregnancy / belly photos from DD2, I started cataloging all the files and images on our hard drive. It's a big job as I haven't done this since I was pregnant with DD2 (she's got second child syndrome ) - I still need to finish this today! A mild form of nesting, takes less energy than cleaning! Well, somehow I managed to actually burn my thigh from having the laptop on my lap for a long period....damn pain receptors were not working properly yesterday to tell me how hot the laptop was, but they are making up for it today! So my mind is being taken away from the dull back pain and contractions, now it's concentrated around a small area on my right thigh - variety is the spice of life and all that!

And for the last three days my sleep has got even worse, although surprising I don't feel too bad for it . I am now moving into waking several times a night....on a 2 hourly pattern where I will get two hours sleep before the next waking with whatever symptom wakes me up. Now, what does that remind you of??

Ah yes, the end of pregnancy sleep can be brutal. I remember so many people saying, "just wait until the baby comes, you'll think this sleep was great." They are totally wrong. At least when the baby comes, you're not uncomfortably pregnant anymore and when you sleep, the quality is better.

And I totally understand not wanting your babies to be someone's "present".