Can they smell my fear?

 After attending my second prenatal yoga class yesterday, I managed to work up the courage to ask two of the other ladies in attendance, who already seem to know each other, if they would be interested in meeting for some un-caffeinated coffee at some point in the near future.  This may not sound like a huge deal to many of you, but I assure you that for me this was a true milestone in my move back to the Boston area. 

You see, it's goes kinda of like this...I'm new in town, but I have lots of old friends here from when I lived her before.  The problem is that they are mainly working professionals, none of them have children but one, and only one other friend is even married.  Actually, of all my friends all around the globe, my only other pregnant friend lives in India, half a world and a major time zone difference away, and having her own lonely time of it. 

I yearn to talk to other 1st time pregnant women, to share stories, compare notes, meet up in for lunch in our beautiful little town center, and shop for baby stuff without the inevitable groan of misery I have received from every friend or family member I've convinced to go with me, etc., but I just don't know anyone and I've never been the best at starting a conversation with new people.  Usually, in my nervousness, I talk way too much and feel rather silly moments after the conversation ends. 

The craziest part is I moved into Stroller City, USA, where meeting other new moms should be a cinch.  Seriously, how many cities/towns do you know of where almost every store on the local Main Street has a play corner with toddler toys and books?  All I have to do is walk outside my apartment to see moms, dads, grandparents, etc. pushing strollers on all sides of me - often in groups of friends (moms happily chatting, kids playing together...).  I want that too.  I want to be an active part of the new mom club, badge, stickers and all.

I've thought about starting a Meetup Group...still thinking.  Would anyone attend?  I don't know?  I know I will eventually meet friends through play groups, but that is still way off in the future...what about now? 

So, returning to prenatal yoga...I did it, I started the conversation, I asked if they would like to meet up sometime.  Both kindly said sure, and we exchanged phone numbers.  Now I don't know what to do.  If I call too soon, will I seem desperate?  But if I wait, will I lose my opportunity to maybe make some new friends?  An email would have been easier, cause I could float a suggestion about meeting up, or just check in to see how they are doing.  A phone call is so much harder, so definite, and what if they were just being nice and don't really want to meet up at all...Do you see my dilemma?

In other news, I wanted to share a great blog post from my dear sister who lives in NY.  It is kind of a continuation of the discussion of baby shower taboos: http://wrathofthemammagoddess.blogspot.com/


      

28 week update

How far along? 27 Weeks, 6 Days (1.5 hours till 28 weeks)

How is Mommy Feeling? 

- Home sick with a bad cold...still...bleh.  Feeling like a can't breathe right between the stuffy nose and my bras getting too tight again. 

 - Lots of heart burn/reflux, and definitely feeling tired pretty easily these days.  

 - Excited to meet my little girl in 12 weeks.  I can't believe we're so close.

How is Daddy Feeling? 

- Tired...he started a new job here in Boston, and he's traveling each week and working long, long hours.  We started using Facetime to a couple of nights a week to make sure we're talking more, and so the baby can hear his voice.

Total weight gain? 

- approx. 20 lbs...give or take a little weight loss since being sick.

Symptoms? 

- Sleeplessness, mainly from hourly trips to the bathroom and occasionally from sharp kicks to my organs

- Constantly hungry, though this has lessened since being sick

- Tired easily and often

- Did I mention I have heartburn, like all the time

The Belly? 

- Quite big already.  I met a girl the other day who is four weeks ahead of me, and I swear my bump is about the same size or bigger.  

 - My belly also occasionally dances on its own. Some of the kicks are so strong these days that my whole belly bounces around or waves.  It is great fun to watch.

Sleep? 

- See above

What I miss? 

- Exercise, really not getting much these days...and I haven't even been able to return to the new yoga class I joined since I got sick
- My husband, though that isn't pregnancy related
- My shoes and rings...I've been wearing my wedding ring around my neck for a while though, and I just gave up on any other rings (including my beautiful engagement ring).  Also, my feet are a half size larger than they used to be and I can only wear the one new pair of sneakers I bought.  Everything else is in storage.


What I'm looking forward to?
 - Setting up all the baby stuff we've received so far.  I promised myself I would wait another month at least.
 - Seeing my girl for the first time and showering her in kisses. 

Bargain Hunting, Cranky Uteri, and Sickie McSick-face

*Warning, this is mainly a pregnancy post:


Hey Ladies,

I'm finally settled in my new place, and though I'm down with a nasty head cold today, I'm also eagerly expecting delivery of my baby's new co-sleeper bassinet!  This was a major find on Babyearth.com (one of my new favorite sites), as it was sharply discounted simply because the packaging is damaged.  I had really wanted the Arm's Reach Co-sleeper Mini Convertible, but after scouring ebay and Craigslist, had failed to find a used one at a good price -- plenty of Minis to be had, but no mini-convertibles.  I saw this listing and almost cried at my good fortune (a brand new bassinet, extra sheets and mattress cover all for less than the original price of the bassinet = happy Kerri and even happier husband)! 

Actually, in total this week I should be getting my dresser/changer table (a gift from my mom who finally caved on the whole no buying anything for the baby before birth thing), the bassinet and our bedroom/living room furniture (courtesy of a local chain's factory clearance center), so I'm super stoked and looking forward to having things a little more together.  Also, in case anyone else is thinking of buying a Bob Stroller, the company is having an all strollers 15% off sale from now till Sept. 19th.  These strollers NEVER go on sale, and coupons are useless on them as there is always a little "not for use on Bob Strollers" clause, so buy now if you can or encourage that wonderful family member who was planning to buy you this crazy expensive stroller, to buy now while it's on sale -- that's what I did and I am not ashamed...truly (insert mildly sheepish expression here). 

In other news, I am 27 weeks today and baby seems to be doing just fine.  I had two midwife visits recently, one in the emergency triage room at labor and delivery and one normal one.  The pains and everything I had been describing earlier had continued, and then I started having light spotting over a weekend when my usual midwife office is closed -- hence the trip to labor and delivery where the on-call midwife was.  They did one of those FFN tests and it was negative, which was a huge relief, and said my cervix, though a little short, was still completely closed. 
The explanation for the symptoms: a "cranky uterus" (I thought this silly, but apparently there is such a thing as an irritable uterus which is what my midwife was talking about) and a rather low lying baby. 
The solution: I am taking it more easy, drinking lots of water, and wearing a maternity support belt whenever I'm out of the house.  I've also started a prenatal yoga class, which I'm hoping will help strengthen up some of these muscles and bring the baby up a little more. 

I also wanted to mention, in case some of you pregnant ladies are still debating between labor techniques, that I've started doing the Hypnobabies Home Study course (Home study because there aren't any instructors here in MA).  Hypnobabies is kind of similar to Hypnobirthing - if you've heard of that - but it is an "eyes open", active birthing type of hypnosis, as opposed to Hypnobirthing, so you can easily move, change positions and communicate during your labor.  I only know about it because my sister, the Doula, is also a certified Hypnobabies instructor back in NY, and she used this technique herself with her last baby and swears by it.  So far I really like it, though I think I will need a lot more reinforcement before being able to actually feel the level of "anesthesia" or "peace" during my contractions (or "pressure waves") that they like to talk about on the cds.  

If anyone out there is particularly interested in having an un-medicated birth and wants to try something a little different from Bradley or Lamaze, they can let me know and I can either try to answer your questions, or send questions along to my sister who knows a lot more about it than I do.  What I do know about it is that whether the technique ends up completely working for me or not, it is regardless preparing me for labor as well as any birthing class (and costing me about the same too) - including explanations of the stages of labor and everything that will happen in my body - and completely relaxing me whenever I listen to any of the cds.  I fall asleep to them every night - within minutes - and I love doing the scripts at various points during the day when I'm feeling like I need a little rest and extra attention.  Hmm, I'm sounding a little like a commercial, so I'm going to leave it at that. 

Love to all my ladies out there in the Blogosphere.  I can't tell you how happy it makes me that so many of my fellow IF Bloggers, many of whom I've followed for so long, are now pregnant or successfully navigating the adoption route, and yet I know many of you are still waiting on their miracles.  The little sanity I have left I owe to all of you, and I hope to see you ALL with your take home babies before too long.