[Hopeful4Change]

Silver- Can you sum up your betas? lol. I was trying to figure out how many days past or far along would your betas be compared to mine. I did iui. So, my first beta was at 14dpiui and was 160. From what I read, at exactly 4 weeks along typical is 100 or sometimes less. So that was optimistic. Then, we had our second beta at 18dpiui. Considering my first number and the doubling rate, my RE expected me to be at 640 and from the beta base typical is around 500 or a little less. Mine for 18dpiui was 1014!

So, I am not sure what any of it means. lol. According to the beta bases, I could just be on the very high end for a singleton or the slightly low end for multiples. I dont know. Plus, I read that betas cant really be relied on since some women are just naturally higer or lower and that the beta number suggests more of "stickability" and not so much whether there is more than one bun in the oven. Ack! This is all so confusing and I have NEVER been good with surprises. lol! Now, I have a huge surprise in my womb. hmmmm... ohhhh the torture. hehehe

Yeah, DH's parents flew out today and it is our first day together ALONE since finding out we are expecting. We have plans to hit up Babies R Us too. Im reading a really good book (Baby Bargains) that I got from Walmart. It gives a lot of wonderful information on what to look for, etc.. especially if you are as clueless as we are since this is our first little bundle bug(s)! I would DEFINATELY recommend it. You can also buy it online I believe at babybargains.com. They just came out with the 8th edition and we just bought the 7th edition version 1 re-edition.

What are you all doing for your nutrition? Can anyone share an example of food plan that you eat for that day? breakfast? lunch? dinner? snacks? There is just so much and I am totally overwhelmed!

[Mom2MandyandTristan]

Hopeful I agree about betas. I started a whole thread on mine cause the nurse at my ob/gyn said she was concerned it didn't double the way it's supposed to. When I get to the dr she said they don't rely on betas cause the numbers can stress you out and not mean anything one way or the other. She also said she would not order me another one.

I have heard of baby bargains too. A lot of mommy's on the parenting side swear by it.

[silversection2]

Originally Posted by Hopeful4Change

Silver- Can you sum up your betas? lol. I was trying to figure out how many days past or far along would your betas be compared to mine. I did iui. So, my first beta was at 14dpiui and was 160. From what I read, at exactly 4 weeks along typical is 100 or sometimes less. So that was optimistic. Then, we had our second beta at 18dpiui. Considering my first number and the doubling rate, my RE expected me to be at 640 and from the beta base typical is around 500 or a little less. Mine for 18dpiui was 1014!

So, I am not sure what any of it means. lol. According to the beta bases, I could just be on the very high end for a singleton or the slightly low end for multiples.

Hopeful4Change, I'm not really sure how IVF dates compare to IUI dates (can you clue me in?) but here's my info broken down:

05/01 beta = 16dpo (or 11dpET) = 303
05/04 beta = 19dpo (or 14dpET) = 1069

I'm like you, I think I'm either in the high end for a single, or the low end for twins. And I am a planner too... I want to know now! Hehe Gonna have to learn some patience, I guess!

I'm not a good person to ask about nutrition! I live off of Subway and Lean Cuisines a lot of the time! I will wait for the other ladies to chime in on that one!

Okay, here's my question... When can I start shopping?!?! When will it not be considered crazy and way too early and risky to start buying baby stuff?! I'm so impatient!

[Mom2MandyandTristan]

Originally Posted by Hopeful4Change

What are you all doing for your nutrition? Can anyone share an example of food plan that you eat for that day? breakfast? lunch? dinner? snacks? There is just so much and I am totally overwhelmed!

At my next appt I am going to ask for a referral to a nutrionist. I have high chloestrol and I get anmemic while pregnant. Ask you insurance co. if they will cover a session of you're worried about eating right. I am also overweight and dont want to get out of control.

[LacyD]

1 Where do you live (just state is fine but you can give city too if you want)? I live in Hollywood, CA.

2 What do you do for a living. I am an actor (commercials, independent films, used to host for ESPN2) but I also work very, very part-time with developmentally delayed kids as an early intervention teacher. I believe if more kids get a good foundation in education, we won't have to build so many prisons. Don't get me started...

3 How long have you been married or partnered? Married since May, 2007.

4 How long have you been trying for this miracle(s)?? We started trying on our honeymoon!

5 What do you do for fun. Read, hike (not anymore!), garden (some of my plants actually survive) and I LOVE to cook.

My husband was born in Spain, lived there for 5 years and then moved to France. He's been living in the states for 22 years. I am trying to learn French before the babies come so they can't all talk about me behind my back. I was born in North Carolina, grew up in Virginia and went to college in PA. I moved to Ohio, then Atlanta and finally Los Angeles. It took me a long time to find someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and have children with but he was worth the wait!

[LacyD]

Originally Posted by Hopeful4Change

What are you all doing for your nutrition? Can anyone share an example of food plan that you eat for that day? breakfast? lunch? dinner? snacks? There is just so much and I am totally overwhelmed!

I've been focusing on folates (folic acid) because the baby's neural tube develops by week 6 and folates help decrease the chances of birth defects. Folic acid is in a prenatal vitamin but for extra, I've been chowing down on broccoli and asparagus, which has the most. I also make sure I get omega 3 fatty acids with walnuts, salmon, etc. Also good to eat: spinach, eggs (well cooked), whole wheat bread, swiss cheese, green leafy vegetables, cereal, milk, tofu.

For breakfast I may have: Whole wheat bagel with low fat cream cheese, small glass of juice, one cup of decaf coffee. Or scrambled eggs with spinach and chicken sausage. Or a cheddar cheese omelette with asparagus.

Snack: Handful of walnuts, glass of V-8 juice, a couple of slices of swiss cheese.

Lunch: Tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread. Or a salad with cheese and avacado, etc.

Snack: Peanut butter on crackers/apple/celery, glass of milk or a yogurt, or Special K cereal bars.

Dinner: Whole wheat pasta with broccoli and parmesan cheese, glass of milk. Or salmon filets and a salad, or turkey burger and homemade fries, etc.

Desert: Fruit, low fat ice cream (my fave), frozen yogurt, etc.

I have a cookbook with lots of recipes for nutritional meals for pregnant women and it lists the Pregnancy Superfoods:

Fresh Items:

Asparagus
Blueberries
Cranberries
Salmon
Spinach

Refrigerated Items:

Dark Chocolate (darn!)
Eggs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids (I can't find those so I just get regular eggs)
Yogurt
Silken Tofu
Pasteurized Cheese

[Mom2MandyandTristan]

Lacy...funny T gets speech therapy thru early intervention here in NY. He has low muscle tone. DH also works as a special ed teacher in NJ. I think anyone with patience to work these fields are amazing. Actress??? WOW!!!

On the nutrition subject I just got these articles emailed to me from babycenter.com
Chart: Nutrients you need to help your baby grow | BabyCenter

Prenatal vitamin supplements: A nutritional insurance policy | BabyCenter

I was signed up for T and now I added this pregnancy to get updates and stuff.

[LacyD]

Originally Posted by Mom2MandyandTristan

Lacy...funny T gets speech therapy thru early intervention here in NY. He has low muscle tone. DH also works as a special ed teacher in NJ.

One of "my" kids has low muscle tone (lower jaw) as well. He also has a speech therapist in addition to me, since that's not my specialty. I work on all the levels of development: cognitive, language, fine and gross motor, social, self-help. Yay for your DH! It is such rewarding work. I'm looking forward to applying my knowledge to my own kids.

Yeah, acting is fun too, but talk about a roller coaster! Good grief.

Thanks for the chart from Baby Center. I like that site, too. I signed up with it last week. Very helpful.

[Hopeful4Change]

Originally Posted by LacyD

One of "my" kids has low muscle tone (lower jaw) as well. He also has a speech therapist in addition to me, since that's not my specialty. I work on all the levels of development: cognitive, language, fine and gross motor, social, self-help. Yay for your DH! It is such rewarding work. I'm looking forward to applying my knowledge to my own kids.

Hmmm.. speech therapy and early intervention. That would be MY specialty. Prior to being a Speech Therapist, I was a special education teacher working with children with severe emotional-behavioral disabilities (oppositional defiance disorder, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc..) and other disabilities (autism, MR, deaf, etc). I have been able to apply a lot of my knowledge in other domains to support my practice working early intervention in speech and language. I agree it is truly rewarding work and I plan to apply what I know in previous fields (special education, behavioral management, and speech/language) with my own children!

Lacy- Thanks for the run down of ideas for nutrition. Im going to make a list for shopping tomorrow. I also bought a special pregnancy cookbook so I look forward to trying it out.

Mom2Mandy&Tristan- Is there a name we should call you instead? Thanks for the links for information. I have not been to those sites yet, so thanks! I feel like there is just so much to know and not enough time to know it.

AFM- DH and I spent the day pricing cribs and trying to figure out just what we got ourselves into. LOL! It is all so exciting but very overwhelming. We first went to IKEA since my baby bargains book said you could find good cribs there for less the cost of baby chains. We didnt find anything we liked. Next we went to Walmart, same thing. Last we went to register at Babies R Us. We figured we could just start tagging things we liked or thought we wanted to do further safety and product research on since we are only 5 weeks today. Better to start early than late was our thought. By the time we got out of there, we were so overwhelmed and DH was having some serious "OH CRAP! We are going to be PARENTS" moments. lol. Bless his heart. In truth, I wasnt far behind him on that. lol

P.S. If you register at Babies R Us and inform this that it is your first baby, they give you a nice little "welcome to parenthood" gift box with a pacifier and a bottle in it. That is a nice start!

Now to continue the research!

[Linaa78]

Hi ladies, I am new to the board, but not new to TTC. I was wondering if I could join in. I am due 1/5/10. I have had 2 early losses (one a suspected ectopic) and am very nervous. We had our first u/s yeterday and seen the gestational sac. We go again on the 14th for another u/s.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 9 mos.


I'll make my siggy over the weekend..hopefully.

[Mom2MandyandTristan]

Hello Ladies.....

You all can call me Jess or Jessica..which ever one is fine.

Welcome Lina!! I have my u/s the same day. I think one other lady has an appt. that day too.

So the wierdest and scariest thing happened last night....I was up till 3 am with some really bad cramps. I was so scared I was crying (alone I didn't want to wake dh). We have a history of m/c too so while I am/was prepared it could happen I was praying it wasn't happening. I didn't have any bleeding and the pain did stop but I was beyond scared. Has anyone else experienced this?

[tomekwa]

Hello ladies!

I'm a little hesitant to join you but I can't help myself either.
I'm 13dpiui and I just got my second beta back

Betas:
11dpiui = 30
13dpiui = 60

I'm looking at some of your guys's betas and it's kind of freaking me out that mine as so low.
I'm not going back for another beta until the 15th.

Should I be worried ladies?
Or can I jump up and down and celebrate???

[Mom2MandyandTristan]

Hello and Welcome Wanessa!!

Your beta doubled like it was supposed to so that is a good sign. My beta was 20dpo so that is why mine is high. Do you have a u/s scheduled?
For the moment you are pregnant so enjoy it.

[Hopeful4Change]

Jess- I have exprienced that too. After learning that I was pregnant, for several days after, I had severe cramping to the point of doubling over and being in tears (which is why I managed to get my second beta done at 18dpiui). My RE said to try not to worry but that if it happens again, to call for an early u/s so they can see if I have cysts or something or else go immediately to the ER. Keep an eye on it but dont let yourself get too worked up again it. As long as there is no bleeding, just have it checked out.

Wanessa- I think your betas are fine. It doubled as you would expect it to within the 48 hours and you are within the normal zone on the betabase.com. My numbers were done later along in my pregnancy than yours so that may be why they seem higher. My numbers are at 14dpiui (160) and then again at 18dpiui (1014). Mine more than doubled and I had several targets for the little swimmers to find so my RE suggested that I may have an extra stow away in there... or not. lol. I wont know until my sonogram on May 18th. I cant wait! My RE doesnt want to do anymore betas and I had to fight my way into getting the second one to begin with. So now.. it is just the wait.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday!

[Mom2MandyandTristan]

Thanks Tami. I have had some regular AFtype cramps but these were off the scale. I don't remember them from past pregnancies but then again I don't remember what I had for dinner Monday...Any one else having memory issues?