Growing a Human - Again!

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Lari

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I mean, I sound really frustrated because the situation is frustrating. Overall, I've been really happy with my care. I call them and they immediately know who I am from my phone number. The OB who saw me reviewed my whole chart, knew everything about my anatomy scan and what I was doing for work and all that, and I feel like I should trust him. He said if I'd still been actively bleeding, they would have checked me in for monitoring overnight, and they did check Bebe's heartbeat, and took blood for a panel. There's not much else they could have done aside from the ultrasound, and they would have if I'd pushed for it. They likely weren't too concerned about an abruption, unless minor, because I hadn't bled in over two weeks and it had gone down to just spotting and it wasn't that heavy to begin with. If they thought Bebe or I were in immediate danger, I doubt they would have let us go and chanced a medical malpractice suit. I mean, is the hospital I chose the top rated in the Chicagoland area? No, but I don't think it's bad!

I know there's a MFM unit in the affiliated hospital (the one the genetic counselor I met with online is from), so if the normal ultrasound tech can't find anything I might push for one there if their equipment is better. But if it is due to a marginal previa or whatever, it sounds like there's not much anyone can do. I was told bedrest ended up causing more problems than it would help prevent, so I just have to continue to be gentle and work really hard not to overexert myself, I guess. But since I was sleeping when it happened, they really doubt it was anything I was doing.

I'm mostly frustrated that I went in when I knew they couldn't really do much more than monitoring at home would and I still haven't gotten my bill from a few weeks ago, so I'm a bit worried about the cost of these trips to L&D, which is a US medical and insurance problem, and not my hospital in general.
 

MoochNNoodles

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I think with both my kids I pretty much just got one big bill from my OB, a couple from the hospital and then the lab (don't get me started on LabCorp...). I thought we'd see bills more often but some things they grouped up. Of course things change and each practice might be different. We sometimes get multiple EOBs from one visit now. I really really do not miss doing medical billing. :lol:
 
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Lari

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27 weeks

Bebe is the size of this Vienna loaf, a Charlotte royale cake, a bunch of bananas, a camping lantern, a fennec fox (not counting tail) and is about 1.9lbs.

I've also reached the second viability milestone due to lung development, according to Ovia. Since I don't know how long I'll be able to stay pregnant, unless things turn around with my placenta and I stop having any bleeding, I'll take it.

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Oh Lair! You are looking so beautiful! Bebe has really grown! I’m sorry things have been scary but I have to tell you that no matter what, a first pregnancy is very scary. Everything makes us worry. But look at you! You look great and Bebe is moving along. You have passed so many milestones already. You have reached the point where you can start looking at things like Dock a tot! That’s when it really starts getting fun. Jeepers at all the cute things that are out there now! I may consider putting cat beds in my bed now! Imagine being surrounded by cat beds like little flower petals around me. Each one filled to overflowing with a rainbow of fur colors. Hmmmm. I wonder if the cats will make me sleep in a dock a tot while they take my spot? I may just buy one big dog bed for me and give the pillows and mattress to the cats. I think I might avoid a cat on my head at night that way?:touched:

:sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleep::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat::sleepycat:
;)
 
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Lari

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I was able to connect with someone in a local mom's facebook group and buy 14 cloth diapers for only $30! And she decided to leave out some other stuff, so I also grabbed a play mat, a bouncy chair, a baby food maker, and a bunch of little toys (I probably won't keep all of them, but I figured I'd go through them later and just keep what I actually want.

So excited for getting such a good deal.
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susanm9006

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I was able to connect with someone in a local mom's facebook group and buy 14 cloth diapers for only $30! And she decided to leave out some other stuff, so I also grabbed a play mat, a bouncy chair, a baby food maker, and a bunch of little toys (I probably won't keep all of them, but I figured I'd go through them later and just keep what I actually want.

So excited for getting such a good deal.
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Great score. Lots of useful things.
 

Jcatbird

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I was able to connect with someone in a local mom's facebook group and buy 14 cloth diapers for only $30! And she decided to leave out some other stuff, so I also grabbed a play mat, a bouncy chair, a baby food maker, and a bunch of little toys (I probably won't keep all of them, but I figured I'd go through them later and just keep what I actually want.

So excited for getting such a good deal.
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Oh my! Wonderful deal and some very cool stuff! Ummmm, you do know the cats are going to be all interested in these things? Have they sniffed around yet? Lol That calming vibrations sounds like it will purr for the baby! ;) I have a feeling that will be very relaxing for Bebe.( Whenever a cat is not available.) It’s so exciting! I remember how much fun I had when I could start buying baby things. Cloth diapers are really great. I know that many people don’t use them these days but they are so much softer and nicer than disposable. I used a combination of both. I had to travel with my daughter a lot so disposable were handy then but at home, cloth were my choice. I also embroidered an initial on some to be used as pads for the shoulder when burping the baby. You will definitely be using the diapers! Score!:clap2:
 
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Lari

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Lol Jcatbird Jcatbird - so far Lelia is scared of the bouncy chair. I'm sure she'll get used to it. New things take her a while.

I'll probably keep some disposables on hand for when I'm going to be out and don't want to carry dirty diapers with me, but using them at home will likely save us money in the long run, so I'm excited about them.
 

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I can just imagine Lelia watching that bouncy chair! Lol She may be wondering, what kind of weird animal is that? Is it going to come after me? When she realizes what it is really like, she may claim it!
I don’t know how tough cloth diapers are now but when I was little, I used the ones mother had saved as doll diapers. Repurposed!
When Sarah came along I found they were very economical. Disposable are great when you go out though.
 

MoochNNoodles

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My SIL had registered for some really cute cloth diapers when she was pregnant with my nephew. They aren’t the big white cloths you have to fold anymore. I got those to use for burp cloths and now for dusting. :lol:

Have you started looking at car seats yet? I found that to be one of the most complex decisions because there are so many options and so many stages!! I liked the infant bucket seats because you can keep them covered and carry them in it. Especially for winter newborns! I know some people go right to convertible ones but they seem so huge for tiny newborns. Maybe they are more practical depending on the climate where you live.
 
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Lari

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My SIL had registered for some really cute cloth diapers when she was pregnant with my nephew. They aren’t the big white cloths you have to fold anymore. I got those to use for burp cloths and now for dusting. :lol:

Have you started looking at car seats yet? I found that to be one of the most complex decisions because there are so many options and so many stages!! I liked the infant bucket seats because you can keep them covered and carry them in it. Especially for winter newborns! I know some people go right to convertible ones but they seem so huge for tiny newborns. Maybe they are more practical depending on the climate where you live.
Yeah, the ones I got are All-in-Ones, so they basically look like disposable diapers, but they're cloth and washable and have different snaps and velcro to make them different sizes. No twisting or pinning involved. Nice and easy.

We're starting with an infant seat. I think we decided on the Chicco Bravo trio travel system so we can put in in both the car and the stroller, because it's gotten really good reviews. Since car seats apparently expire and I want to extended rear face, I figured we'd wait on the convertible until they are getting close to outgrowing the infant seat, so we can use it for longer.
 

MoochNNoodles

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We were graco fans but chico's are really popular too. My friend gave us her infant seat from my godson; but DS hated it and sweated a ton in it. They say not to buy used; but trading between friends is fine when you know it was treated well, not in any accidents, etc. My Godson is about 14 months older than DS so it was within the 5 year window. I ended up buying him a Graco like DD had because it worked with our stroller. My favorite convertibles were Graco too. I had another brand for DD but the strap started wearing out before she outgrew the seat. You do use the convertibles much longer. I really like DD's Britax booster. She's pretty much out of them now. I think we've had 4 seats per kid... It's kind of crazy thinking about it...but they use them for a good decade if you follow the guidelines. The good news is; boosters are generally cheaper. :crazy: We've taken advantage of the trade-in programs that Babies-R-Us and Target have had too.
 
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Lari

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28 weeks

Third trimester!!!! I made it!!!!

Bebe is the size of a couronne bread, a coconut, a rollerblade, an echidna (I also saw one in Australia, but no good pictures), Cheetos Puffs (remember when Bebe was crunchy Cheetos at 21 weeks. I always liked the puffs better so I'm glad Bebe's big enough to be them now) and about 2.2lbs!

They're allowing my husband to come to my ultrasound tomorrow!!! I am so happy and excited about this. I'm bracing myself for bad news, but I've decided if my placenta hasn't moved, I will try acupuncture. There's a pregnancy friendly place near me. And hopefully I'll get some answers.

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Lari

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So, shockingly, my placenta has moved quite a bit! It went from like 1.8cm away to about 3.5cm away! This is obviously great news, though no explanation for the bleeding. The tech did an internal exam and did the colors with the blood flow and there's no blood vessels in the way (so no vasa previa), and nothing that looks like any abruptions. Now the best they're figuring is that because the amount of blood each time was so small, maybe it came from bursting capillaries in the cervix. But they said if I bled again, as long as it didn't continue or get heavy, it was probably okay.

Bebe's still measuring right on schedule, and in the 49th percentile. They're head down now and were more interested in sucking on their fingers than giving us a good profile, but that's okay. I'm so relieved. And so happy my husband got to be there.

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