JLC maybe you’re little one will forever be a car lover. My son is an excellently behaved child…except for in the car. He has hated it from day one.
Good luck on Monday. we will be thinking about you and your baby!
[QUOTE=GreyStreet;8599953]
Can we talk about people’s experience with the in-laws? That has been a major source of stress for me. We just moved and are actually closer to them - which some people would consider a good thing, but it just makes me nervous about boundaries being crossed.
My MIL is so excited about our impending baby, and I’m grateful about that, but I’ve already seen some behavior that tells me she isn’t totally respecting what my husband and I want for our kid. Anyone else experience this? How did you deal with it? It’s probably my greatest source of anxiety, ironically![/QUOTE]
If yours are like mine try to set boundaries before the baby arrives. Mine still don’t listen, but because of that they are not allowed to babysit. I just constantly remind them that I’m the parent and will make the decisions. Since mine caused so much anxiety during my pregnancy my number one thing on my birth plan was that they were not allowed at the hospital while I was in labor. That helped somewhat.
Hey everyone!
Welcome to all the new expectant mama’s!
I haven’t checked in for awhile. I’m officially 39 weeks and 5 days now. 2 days until my due date and willing to do ANYTHING to get this baby outta my belly!
I’m at that point of enough is enough. She’s huge. My belly is huge. My joints are all loose and prepared for labour but that means they HURT everytime I have to get up for where I’ve been sitting or laying down. I can’t sit normally anymore - she’s too low in my belly to sit with my knees even remotely close together so I feel like a fat old man most of the time waddling around and sitting with “man spread”.
One of the cowboys that comes by my barn sometimes was joking around he’d lend me his nice set of chromed calf pullers if she hasn’t shown up by my due date. I’m at the point of wishing I could take him up on that offer!
[QUOTE=Riley0522;8601706]
Now to convince him she NEEDS a pony 
The first thing he said when she came out a girl was “NO PONIES!”[/QUOTE]
OMG! I don’t even know what we’re having yet and my DH is saying NO PONIES! He thinks they are all evil. I told him he as to keep an open mind and let me take him to some well bred pony farms and let him see how sweet a good one can be!
[QUOTE=mypaintwattie;8597683]
Check out Breastfeeding In Combat Boots, they have a facebook page and Instagram and have great ideas for military moms.[/QUOTE]
Thank you! I had no idea there was a facebook group. I’ll definitely check it out.
[QUOTE=PiedPiper;8597038]
Hi all! I wanted to jump in on this thread even though I am an eventer. I have a 16 week old baby girl and trying to figure out how to juggle motherhood, my career, commuting and riding! Unfortunately most of my maternity leave was over the winter and Roxie was down in Florida once I got the all clear. I have been able to ride a few times but struggling to be more consistent.
Also, anyone breastfeeding? How do you show and breast feed? Do you pump?
And any nursing sports bras you can recommend! I used to have a sports bra with a zipper that I loved but can’t find that kind any more. Even though not a nursing one still would be easy to work around.[/QUOTE]
I’m also an eventer, newly pregnant, just three months along at this point. But since my bratty red pony doesn’t always have the best behavior and doesn’t send me a long memo on said brattiness prior to the brattiness taking place as his predecessor did, I opted to stop riding and let my coach take him for the season.
I’d google zippered sports bras, someone has to make them and I think I’ll do just that. I’ll let you know if I find anything good.
I recently bought a zippered sports bra at Victoria’s Secret. It’s actually very nice.
It sounds so petty but I could just strangle him - my husband put our baby news on Facebook without giving me a heads up. A, I hate Facebook. And B, I hadn’t yet had a chance to tell all friends/family personally thanks to a totally overwhelming work/commute/toddler/home reno/own business/pregnant life.
I feel like a toddler throwing a tantrum for being so pissed. But then I get even more pissed at his extra toddler-ness because “Yea oops. I was excited AND it’s my birthday!” Super-grown-up me just untagged myself.
Um, Larissa? Not petty. I’d have strangled him by now! It’s sweet he is excited but you make that decision together!
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/amateurs-us-still-me-after-baby
Not sure if everyone saw this… but I think, for a lot of us, it is a very good and relevant read. Definitely something I could have written myself!
Great timing! Thanks for posting that! I needed it.
There have been a lot of questions on whether or not you will have time to ride after the baby is born.
For me - I started riding when my baby was 5 weeks old. I do have time. I do have a lot of help but I also have time. HOWEVER. As a person who works full time (++), has a ton going on, and generally overloads life, every minute I am at the barn is a minute I am not spending with my LO. I used to ride after work at least 3 days a week. Now if I ride after work I will miss seeing Blake altogether in the evening. I find time during the day around my job, and work a lot after Blake goes to bed. However I certainly am choosing my baby over my horses more often than I ever thought I would. Even getting home to just sing him his good night song is better than not seeing him at all.
Right now he goes to bed at 6:30-7, so I have to be home pretty early to get to him.
So my answer is…you might have time, you might not choose to take that time with horses over your baby.
So, I did it. Bought a horse. Steal of a deal, is confirmed packer at the height I want to get back to, one owner model up to now (age 10), and just exactly what I’ll need with less time. Also will hopefully be able to lease him to another, less experienced client of my trainers for 1-2 days a week, to help cover costs and keep him in work. More concerned with keeping him in work.
Not going to lie, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders… I may only get to ride him once a week, but now that option will be there. Even just to go out and give him a good groom for an hour or so. I can’t wait til he arrives.
[QUOTE=Riley0522;8601706]
Reporting from the other side. My daughter was born on March 20, 4 days early and it has been a whirlwind 12 days! I am very thankful I don’t have a horse to keep in work right now and my husband has thankfully had time off with us, he got 3 weeks and will return to work the second week of April. I echo the previous poster who stated I don’t know how people do this alone. It is hard enough with one newborn and 3 dogs to care for.
Labor was long and delivery was very quick, in that aspect I’ve felt pretty good - no meds other than occasional Ibuprofen needed and I’m feeling almost back to normal. The breast feeding has definitely been the most difficult part for me, and my girl is a natural! No one tells you how painful it is when your milk comes in and the issues that can arise with latching, etc, but I’m happy to say we’ve stuck it out. My LO was already up past her birth weight a week after birth.
Despite having my amazing husband home with us, it is still tough on me as LO doesn’t abide by a schedule. Like someone else said, sometimes she feeds for 15min, sometimes 45min. Sometimes she sleeps for 3hrs between feedings, sometimes she eats every hour. We change about 8-10 diapers/day and she is not a huge fan of diaper changing. Getting her to sleep in her Pack 'N Play was also a challenge, and I have to admit we mostly co-slept the first week to maintain sanity and get any rest.
On top of the exhaustion, the baby blues are real and some days I find myself crying over nothing! Hilarious and frustrating all at the same time. I had an amazing pregnancy but wouldn’t say I loved being pregnant, but I find in some moments of extreme baby blues that I’m “mourning” my first pregnancy being over. Although we plan to have more children, there’s something special about your first pregnancy in my hormonal mind.
Despite it being tough and feeling like I may not sleep through a whole night until she’s in grade school, I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. Baby is absolutely perfect and having her has only made me love my husband more, I couldn’t have landed a better man.
Now to convince him she NEEDS a pony The first thing he said when she came out a girl was “NO PONIES!”[/QUOTE]
Congrats Riley! I know what you mean about schedules, or lack thereof. Do you have any support groups near you that you could join? I’ve been going to a breastfeeding support group run by the hospital I delivered at, but it’s open to anyone and free. We meet once a week, with a lactation consultant as the facilitator and it’s helpful for bouncing questions off of people, getting help with breastfeeding, venting, and just knowing you’re not alone. Hope you’re doing better, but don’t be afraid to reach out to people.
[QUOTE=Rescuer;8606990]Hey everyone!
Welcome to all the new expectant mama’s!
I haven’t checked in for awhile. I’m officially 39 weeks and 5 days now. 2 days until my due date and willing to do ANYTHING to get this baby outta my belly!
I’m at that point of enough is enough. She’s huge. My belly is huge. My joints are all loose and prepared for labour but that means they HURT everytime I have to get up for where I’ve been sitting or laying down. I can’t sit normally anymore - she’s too low in my belly to sit with my knees even remotely close together so I feel like a fat old man most of the time waddling around and sitting with “man spread”.
One of the cowboys that comes by my barn sometimes was joking around he’d lend me his nice set of chromed calf pullers if she hasn’t shown up by my due date. I’m at the point of wishing I could take him up on that offer![/QUOTE]
I know how you feel! Hopefully your LO has decided to make her grand appearance by now 
The last couple weeks when friends asked if there was anything they could do to help my only response was ‘pull the baby out’ :lol: Sadly there were no takers. Hang in there! Nearly 6 weeks out I still say having a newborn is better than being pregnant, especially towards the end.
How is everyone doing? I am approaching Week 36 - very hard to believe. I am definitely ready (physically at least) for baby’s arrival…
Finally reporting in from the other side.
I went into labour 10 minutes before my due date and gave birth via emergency c-section on April 8 - the day after my due date. Labour was long and involved. I saw three shifts of nurses before my baby girl finally made her appearance. I had the epidural in for about 22 hours. My water was broken for 18 hours before we finally went to surgery. I developed a fever overnight while in L&D and then they were concerned about signs of infection that showed up the next morning, and baby girl pooped inside (meconium) that morning as well causing the OB to be further concerned. On top of all that she was sunny side up the whole time and the OB was not confident that IF we got her flipped that she would fit out - and if we did get her flipped and I pushed more she’d be even further down the canal making it a more difficult csection should we end up back at that option anyways. So, emergency c-section it was. They tested the placenta and cord after she was out and there was in fact an infection established so good thing we got her out while we did or it would have started to impact her.
Hoping to get to the barn today to pat some noses. I don’t think riding is in my future for another solid month yet. But this momma thing is pretty damn cool - and that’s coming from a non-baby person
Congratulations Rescuer! I’m sorry to hear you had such a long and involved delivery. All of those complications make for one difficult experience. Very glad you had competent and hopefully kind medical professionals there to look out for the best interests of your family And that you all are settled in so happily at home!
Oh my gosh Rescuer! Congrats on your daughter, glad everything was OK in the end but that must have been scary. Riding will come in time, I’m sure the birth date already feels like a long time ago.
GreyStreet, hang in there it will be done soon! I remember those last weeks so well, not much fun but they do eventually end.
My LO will be 8 weeks tomorrow! I’m not looking forward to going back to work in 4 weeks and I know it will fly by. The fussies set in around week 5, and are still going. Not every day, but some days (and nights) are a bit rough with the gas and crying. One thing we have found that has helped a lot is Gripe Water- highly recommend it! My sister told me about it and it’s been a lifesaver on so many occasions. I have no idea how it works but it almost always does, and quickly.
I’ve been back in the saddle a handful of times now, just walking and a few trot circles. It’s going to be a long road back to fitness for both me and my horse, but we’ll get there eventually. It’s fantastic to be back in the saddle nonetheless, even for our short, boring rides.
Hope everyone else is doing well!
Congrats rescuer! Sorry for your labor troubles but I am glad your little one is safe and here!! And welcome to the newbies!!
I am currently in a state of panic. I go back to work on Tuesday. My husband goes out of town on business Monday. I am an emotional wreck and don’t know how I am going to do this. Planning on taking LO to daycare for an hour on Monday, going 4 hours on Tuesday, 6 hours weds, 8 on Thursday, and then I am off on Friday. I’m losing it.
WOW I cannot believe how this thread has exploded. Evidently this was a much needed feature on COTH OP here- My twin boys are now 9 months old! Officially out longer than they were in DH was on a guys weekend this weekend and due to some other things that fell through I had to take the boys with me to teach lessons today. Let me just say I have the BEST families that ride with me. Those moms were all over it. I think my boys went on like 5 walks around the parking lot but they loved all the attention. For those wondering how you will fit it all in, you will find a way. All I can say is- DON’T FEEL GUILTY. If you need barn time, you NEED it. Don’t feel guilty. If your horse goes a bit longer without seeing you, Don’t feel guilty. If you end up staying out of the saddle altogether for a while, Don’t feel Guilty! This adjusting to motherhood thing is NO JOKE. And honestly, even the most supportive husbands don’t get it. Non horsey moms often don’t get it. One of my riding mentors told me when I was pregnant- don’t stress because the horses will always be there. And it is so true! There will always be opportunities to ride, but in another way- the horses will always be there to help me feel sane. And we moms need it!!
