Pregnant riders support group? :)

[butiwantedapony]

[QUOTE=MadisonPark;8327321]
Hi everyone. I’m a long time lurker on this thread, but thought I would finally post. I’m 31 weeks and due right before Thanksgiving with my first. I haven’t ridden since about 14 weeks with the summer heat and hip pain.

Since I stopped riding, I’ve been wrestling with the thought that I should sell my mare and was wondering if anyone else had or was going through the same thing. Prior to pregnancy, we had just moved up to the low A/O hunters. The mare is big, beautiful and only 8 years old. She should be able to do the first years next year and is scopy and brave enough to jump around the derbies. Although she hasn’t always had the most ammy-friendly temperament, we finally found a dose of Regumate that works for her. She’s been kept in work since I quit riding with some short term show leases to a junior who just left for college as well as pro rides. What I fear is that I won’t be able to ride enough to keep her going on my own and that I can’t find another ammy at my small barn to help me flat her correctly without spending a fortune on pro rides. Although maintaining her care is within our means after the baby, I don’t think that there will be enough energy or money for me to keep showing her apart from on the local circuit, which maxes out at 3 feet. It will likely take me a few weeks to months to build up my strength enough on a different horse to safely stick her spook and her jump.

Is it selfish to keep around a promising horse that won’t be shown to her potential? She’ll be a competitive 3’6 horse but will not be a winner in good AA company. Selling to a good home now would allow me to reinvest the money in a lower maintenance horse when I’m really up for riding again. But, my husband would have a very hard time agreeing to purchase a show horse in the future, especially since I got a great deal on this one when she was green.

Are these crazy pregnancy hormones talking? I love the mare dearly and really miss riding and am afraid I might deeply regret selling her. I likely won’t ever be able to afford something so nice and athletic again. FWIW I still have my old jumper who at 24 is sound to flat so I would be left completely horseless, just a little bored if I do sell. Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

Here’s my $.02.

After my first pregnancy, I sold my incredibly talented but incredibly difficult little mare since I just wouldn’t have time to campaign her at her potential.

I now see photos of her with her new owner - co petting very successfully and they are having a blast. BUT, I regret selling her. I just loved riding her and although difficult I trusted her 100%. She doesn’t care if she makes it to Rolex or not. One of the worst decisions I have made

Now I am preggo with #2 and lately have been thinking I want out of horses altogether. Horses are in my blood. I grew up on a horse farm, rode professionally for years, and had some pretty serious goals for a long time. I have NEVER not had a horse/horses in my life. I really think it’s hormonal- my hormones want my babies to be the ONLY THING. Hide makes sense. I know that after I am done with being preggo and nursing and my babies become a bit more independent, I will want to ride again. Or at least o am pretty sure

[MadisonPark]

[QUOTE=butiwantedapony;8328269]
Here’s my $.02.

After my first pregnancy, I sold my incredibly talented but incredibly difficult little mare since I just wouldn’t have time to campaign her at her potential.

I now see photos of her with her new owner - co petting very successfully and they are having a blast. BUT, I regret selling her. I just loved riding her and although difficult I trusted her 100%. She doesn’t care if she makes it to Rolex or not. One of the worst decisions I have made

Now I am preggo with #2 and lately have been thinking I want out of horses altogether. Horses are in my blood. I grew up on a horse farm, rode professionally for years, and had some pretty serious goals for a long time. I have NEVER not had a horse/horses in my life. I really think it’s hormonal- my hormones want my babies to be the ONLY THING. Hide makes sense. I know that after I am done with being preggo and nursing and my babies become a bit more independent, I will want to ride again. Or at least o am pretty sure :)[/QUOTE]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I’ve been going back and forth between deciding which Italian boots I want to buy after the baby is born one minute to selling the horse the next. Crazy hormones right now. It is gratifying to hear that I’m not the only one who has thought that way. I think if I can just get through the winter that I will be VERY glad to have my nice mare back in the spring. Even if I don’t really get back into riding and decide to sell next year, she’ll still only be nine and is getting saner by the week

[Rescuer]

Madison Park - I agree - keep the horse!

So - things just got real for me! All this time I’ve obviously known and understood that yes, I am in fact pregnant. However - yesterday I had my first ultrasound - and got to see baby for the first time - and baby was super active, flailing arms, doing high kicks with legs, standing on its head - and now all of a sudden my brain has clicked that there is actually a wee tiny person in there! Like - for real. I know that sounds so dumb but even though I knew … I didn’t know. Ya know? :lol:

Anyways - the conversations with DH have gotten a bit more serious since yesterday’s appointment. We need to start planning! Names! which room will we use for the child? What do we need to buy? When should we sign up for the pre-natal classes? When do I tell work? AGH! And I know I’m only 12 weeks and we have TONS have time to do all that but now I can actually feel the deadline…

[drmgncolor]

[QUOTE=Rescuer;8328765]
Madison Park - I agree - keep the horse!

So - things just got real for me! All this time I’ve obviously known and understood that yes, I am in fact pregnant. However - yesterday I had my first ultrasound - and got to see baby for the first time - and baby was super active, flailing arms, doing high kicks with legs, standing on its head - and now all of a sudden my brain has clicked that there is actually a wee tiny person in there! Like - for real. I know that sounds so dumb but even though I knew … I didn’t know. Ya know? :lol:

Anyways - the conversations with DH have gotten a bit more serious since yesterday’s appointment. We need to start planning! Names! which room will we use for the child? What do we need to buy? When should we sign up for the pre-natal classes? When do I tell work? AGH! And I know I’m only 12 weeks and we have TONS have time to do all that but now I can actually feel the deadline…[/QUOTE]

I love your enthusiasm. Seriously, it’s so refreshing. Our little one has been a mover and a shaker from the get go as well. At one of our appts… oh maybe 24 weeks or so… we were with our specialist and she shook my belly and got him to yawn in 4D right in front of the u/s wand. It was so amazing. You could see so much detail!

[GreyStreet]

I have my first ultrasound next Tuesday, and I’m about to go nuts waiting. I just want to know that everything is okay!

[mscho]

[QUOTE=CRTXLaw;8328213]

Also - you were back to riding after 2 weeks!!! That is amazing! I thought I would have to wait something like 6-8 weeks. Was it painful? I hope I can bounce back like that, but I know in the grand scheme of things a few weeks isn’t a huge deal.[/QUOTE]

Honestly, it wasn’t so bad. I was incredibly lucky and had a easy labour with no tearing, so it was basically just waiting until the bruising subsided. I found my balance was a bit off but overall, not nearly as bad as I expected!

Madison Park - keep the Mare! At least until three months post partum. No serious decision should every have to be made whilst with child or shortly thereafter. Pregnancy rationale should never be trusted!

[ilmjumper]

[QUOTE=mscho;8329114]
Pregnancy rationale should never be trusted![/QUOTE]

You could really just apply this to every decision for the next 8 months

Greystreet-Totally hear that! When we first found out I saw one of those home doppler things and thought that seemed like a such a waste of money geared towards worry wart moms. Now, if I could find one locally I’d buy it lol especially now that she’s run out of room to do giant backflops and flips so the movement is much less pronounced than it was even a few weeks ago. I do kick counts on the regular Just to make sure!

[Rescuer]

[QUOTE=drmgncolor;8328876]
I love your enthusiasm. Seriously, it’s so refreshing. Our little one has been a mover and a shaker from the get go as well. At one of our appts… oh maybe 24 weeks or so… we were with our specialist and she shook my belly and got him to yawn in 4D right in front of the u/s wand. It was so amazing. You could see so much detail![/QUOTE]

Ah that would be amazing to see! I’ve got a ton of girlfriends who’ve already had their first baby and I’m telling them how awesome the first ultrasound was and they’re just like pffft the second ones better. Based on my reaction to the first - I feel like the second one is gonna knock my socks off. I was astonished at how much we could see already at this point. I don’t think we get the option of 4D up here unless we pay extra? Any Canadian momma’s out there that can confirm?

[drmgncolor]

[QUOTE=Rescuer;8329672]
I don’t think we get the option of 4D up here unless we pay extra? Any Canadian momma’s out there that can confirm?[/QUOTE]

From my experience, it’s the exact same machine. They just flip a switch.

We pay for EVERYTHING here anyway, so I would have been willing to pay extra for the 4D (an probably did, come to think of it). We have a 4D pic of him sucking his thumb at 20 ish weeks and a 4D of him with his face in his palm at 34 weeks (like… please mom, no pictures today.) I WISH we had gotten one of the yawn. But I will never forget it, because it was so real.

[drmgncolor]

[QUOTE=ilmjumper;8329604]
I do kick counts on the regular Just to make sure![/QUOTE]

I’ve noticed him slowing down in his movements and that concerns my Dr. So yesterday they hooked me up to the monitors and he had to buzz my belly to get any reaction. It was funny though because it scared him and his little heart started racing and he moved a bit… but not too much. So Dr has me coming back tomorrow and doing “kick counts” which I am terrible with, but I am noting to my husband when I feel him move.

It’s definitely not as often or as intense as used to be.

[ilmjumper]

eating something cold and sweet has worked for me to get her moving, I’ll eat some ice cream or freezey pops and lay on my left side. Sometimes I have to do apply a little pressure to get her started.

So far Dr isn’t worried yet, she said as long as you can count 10 movements in 2 hours everything is fine, baby has just ran out of room to wiggle a lot. I used to laugh when she’d say that, 10 in 2? Try 10 in a minute…now I get it.

Hoping everything goes well for you today!

[JLC]

I am 17 weeks and dying to feel a kick… When did you all start feeling them? I know everyone is different… I know you ladies that are further along and being kept up at night form kicks are probably rolling there eyes at me right now, but I can’t wait!!!

[drmgncolor]

[QUOTE=JLC;8330253]
I am 17 weeks and dying to feel a kick… When did you all start feeling them? I know everyone is different… I know you ladies that are further along and being kept up at night form kicks are probably rolling there eyes at me right now, but I can’t wait!!!
:D[/QUOTE]

I felt my first movement around 17 weeks, but a close friend of mine didn’t feel anything until about 24 weeks.

To me it felt like an involuntary muscle spasm, not gas or flutters. And there really is no guessing game… when you feel it, that ain’t gas, honey.

[forward_ride]

[QUOTE=drmgncolor;8330263]
I felt my first movement around 17 weeks, but a close friend of mine didn’t feel anything until about 24 weeks.

To me it felt like an involuntary muscle spasm, not gas or flutters. And there really is no guessing game… when you feel it, that ain’t gas, honey. :)[/QUOTE]

I felt mine about 17 weeks or so as well. Now that I’m about 20.5 weeks, I feel it all the time, although I feel like it decreased a bit last week. To me it feels like bubbles popping. My Dr said it’s really random right now and people from the outside won’t be able to feel until 7 mos or so. I feel like all of this seems so much quicker in the movies…

[akhunterrider]

I have some sad news. I’m no longer a part of the expectant riders group. Just wasn’t meant to be. Just relaxing with my dog trying to overcome the physical and emotional pain. Hopefully someday I’ll be back.

[ilmjumper]

So sorry to hear that akhunterrider thinking of you

[Rescuer]

oh akhunterrider I’m so sorry to hear that!

[drmgncolor]

[QUOTE=akhunterrider;8331420]
I have some sad news. I’m no longer a part of the expectant riders group. Just wasn’t meant to be. Just relaxing with my dog trying to overcome the physical and empirical pain. Hopefully someday I’ll be back.[/QUOTE]

I’m terribly sorry to hear this news.

Big hugs to you. I’ll keep you in my thoughts.

ETA: I just went back to an earlier post of yours to be sure it was you I was thinking of. I also experienced a loss when I was about as far along as you. I found out because I was in a carriage/cart accident that landed me in the ER. The doctors assured me that the accident did not cause the loss. Please know that you did nothing to cause yours either. It simply just wasn’t meant to be at this time. But it will be. You will be back, I promise you. For now, take the time you need to grieve and know that you are not alone.

[JLC]

Oh akhunterrider, I am so sorry…

[JLC]

I think I have finally read this entire thread… It has taken me a few weeks but very informative information on here! Funny and sad at times too…

What are all of your favorite websites, blogs, books, etc about pregnancy and new motherhood. I was trying to find a website or blog from a real perspective? I started reading What to Expect When Expecting and couldn’t get past Chapter 5… It is sooooo boring in my opinion. What are all your favorite reads…